Most of all, the VCS is a friendly society made up of members from different backgrounds and at different stages of their careers who are enthusiastic about their common passion for veterinary cardiology. If you would like to join, please click on the link to the membership page.
The Veterinary Cardiovascular Society (VCS) was formed in 1975 by Peter Darke, one of the founding fathers of veterinary cardiology in the UK. Originally consisting of just a handful of vets with an interest in cardiology, the society now boasts nearly 600 members made up of general practitioners, academics, nurses, researchers and industry members. Throughout its 50-year history, its core aim has been to promote animal welfare through the study and development of veterinary cardiology. Importantly, this includes ALL species, because we learn just as much from differences in physiology, disease and husbandry across large, small and exotic animals as we do when we find areas of common ground.
“The Veterinary Record , September 1975 , pg. 226”
The VCS is affiliated to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and holds two meetings for its members every year. The first is in spring, a full-day meeting before the main BSAVA congress in March-April in Manchester. The second, in the autumn, is over two full-days, and includes the society’s AGM. It is currently held in Warwickshire. All members are invited to speak, and presentations vary from specialist and resident-led lectures to shorter case presentations and summaries of major international veterinary conferences (ACVIM Forum and ECVIM congress). Most of our meetings have a central theme that links with a talk from an invited human cardiologist, although other themes often emerge during the meeting.
The VCS is very keen to promote clinical research in veterinary cardiology and undergraduate and postgraduate education. To this end, it awards 4 bursaries every year for selected members to attend the ACVIM and ECVIM conferences and report to the society on the key presentations. The Alistair Gibson Memorial Award (funded by Breatheazy) provides funding to one member every year to undertake CPD to aid their career progression, and we also provide 2 joint-funded clinical research grants annually (Petsavers/VCS Joint Award and the Horse Trust/VCS small project grant). Poster abstracts of clinical cases or research are now an established feature of the autumn meeting, and commonly feature work by interns, residents and undergraduates.
As an affiliate group of BSAVA all VCS members are encouraged to participate in BSAVAs wider functions. Contributions could include writing articles, speaking at BSAVA congress, teaching at BSAVA courses and providing reviewer and editorial support.
The VCS is actively involved in trying to reduce the incidence of both acquired and congenital breed-related heart disease in dogs and cats. This is undertaken by our breed-related subcommittee, and involves screening for heart disease. Heart testing is done through a combination of listening to the heart with a stethoscope (auscultation) and cardiac ultrasound (Doppler echocardiography). In certain instances, additional testing can be done with a 24-hour ECG monitor (Holter) and even genetic testing, usually from a blood or saliva sample. We host on our website a list of screening cardiologists approved for heart testing because they have achieved a high level of post graduate experience around inherited heart disease.
RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology B Vet Med Dip VC Cert VC Cert EM (Int Med) MRCVS
BVSc CertAVP(SAM) CertAVP(SAM) DipECVIM-CA, MRCVSEBVS® and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology The secretaries organise the content of the 2 annual VCS meetings & liase with the speakers. They also work with Planet Pursuits on all aspects of the meeting arrangements from booking the venues to managing registration.
BVetMed CertAVP(VC) AHEA DipECVIM-CA (Cardiology) Diplomate of the European College of Small Animal Cardiology RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology The secretaries organise the content of the 2 annual VCS meetings & liase with the speakers. They also work with Planet Pursuits on all aspects of the meeting arrangements from booking the venues to managing registration.
MA VetMB CVC MRCVS Amongst obvious treasurer jobs relating to invoices, sponsorship, accounts and membership and registration fees, we also take orders for the current heart screening certificate pads
The Committee comprises 6 VCS member volunteers. The team is responsible for organizing the 2 annual meetings, the VCS finances, running the website and communicating with members about relevant veterinary cardiology matters. The current team can be above with their pictures. Every 3 years the committee members change.
The previous Committee (2021-2024) were Geoff Culshaw (Chairperson),
Rachel Blake (Secretary), Chris Linney (Secretary), Ursula Lanigan (Proceedings and IT),
Laura Korenchy (Treasurer), Katya Potter (Treasurer).
Chairpersons: Lesley Young, Malcolm Cobb, Mark Patteson, Anne French, Simon Swift, Jo Dukes McEwan, Mike Martin, Serena Brownlie, Peter Darke, Sue Matic, Paul Wotton, J R Holmes, Brendan Glazier, Brian Alps
Secretaries: Eva Pavelkova, Liz Bode, Hannah Stephenson, Emily Dutton, Paul Wotton, Jo Cottee, Yolanda Martinez Pereira, Sue Roberts, Nuala Summerfield, Chris Little, Adrian Boswood, Malcolm Cobb, Mark Patteson, Mike Martin, Jo Dukes McEwan, Sue Matic, Serena Brownlie, Ron Lowe, Dermod Malley, Peter Darke
Treasurers: Ruth Willis, Jo Arthur, Jan Cormie, Sheena Milne, Jo Arthur, Ruth Willis, Leslie Young, Anne French, Simon Swift,
Proceedings editors & website managers: Jo Harris, Kieran Borgeat, Jordi Lopez-Alvarez, Sonja Fonfara