Nikki Ruedisueli, RVN | VNJ Editor | nicola @ bvna. co. uk

The team at BVNA loves holding Congress every year. It is a wonderful event, giving us a chance to meet and chat with members. There are 3 days full of lectures, seminars, workshops and panel discussions. There is also time for you to meet up with friends and colleagues and visit the Exhibition Hall to view new products and enter competitions. This year, our dinner dance on Friday has a Winter Wonderland theme, which is a fantastic excuse to get dressed up for the occasion.

We have some great articles for you in this issue. I interviewed Lucy Emson about how she and her team developed a dog-friendly practice, which has achieved certification under a collaborative scheme from Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Behaviour Association. when faced with potential incidents. Vicky Weller discusses how psychological safety can improve team performance and patient care following critical incidents such as a CPR event.

Chelsea O ' Donnell provides a case-based review of a canine patient with traumatic pneumothorax. Nicola Swales explores which diet trials are optimal for patients with food-induced atopic dermatitis, and how owner education and support are critical for completing a trial.

Charlie Leslie describes how desensitisation techniques can help reduce anxiety in fearful dogs visiting the veterinary practice. Finally, Alisha Millar explains the veterinary nurse ' s role in exploratory laparotomies for gastrointestinal foreign bodies.

Enjoy the issue – and I hope to see you at Congress!

Jessica Ross looks at the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, and discusses the role of veterinary professionals and factors affecting their response

Scan the QR code to access the digital version of VNJ with a keyword search facility and hyperlinks to websites and references.

Volume 41( 5) • October 2026

3