Program of the Symposium


10th Annual BVNS Symposium 2025
Exploring sleep disorders and the science of sleep

Wed 19th March 2025, Manchester Central Convention Complex


08:30-09:00 – REGISTRATION & COFFEE

09:00-09:15 – BVNS President – Welcome & Introduction

09:15-10:00 – Professor Derk-Jan Dijk PhD, FRSB, FMedSci. Professor of Sleep and Physiology, University of Surrey. “Sleep regulation and sleep disorders in humans and other animals”

10:00-10:30 – Dr Carrie Tooley BSc BVetMed MSc PGCVE CCAB FHEA MRCVS. Behavioural Referrals veterinary practice, Chester. “Sleep deprivation – Why should we care about poor sleep in our patients?”

10:30-10:45 – Sponsors presentations

10:45-11:15 – COFFEE BREAK

11:15-12:00 – Dr Mkael Symmonds BM BCh PhD FRCP. Consultant in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Oxford NHS Trust. “An overview of neurological sleep disorders in humans”

12:00-12:45 – Dr Susana Monforte DVM MSc CertAVP PGCertVPS AFHEA DipECVN MRCVS. Clinical Neurologist, University of Cambridge. “BOAS, the canine ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’ effect on the brain – The BBB study”

12:45-14:00 – LUNCH

14:00-14:30 – Clinical case discussion with Prof Dijk and Dr Symmonds

14:30-15:00 – Dr Carrie Tooley BSc BVetMed MSc PGCVE CCAB FHEA MRCVS. Behavioural Referrals veterinary practice, Chester. “A practical toolkit for assessing and treating poor sleep in veterinary species”

15:00-15:30 – COFFEE BREAK

15:30-16:45 – Clinical Research Abstracts

Short communications (10 min)
A. Karpozilou: CERVICAL VENTROFLEXION IN CATS: 86 CASES (2003-2024)

I. Clemot: DYNAMIC MRI OF THE LUMBOSACRAL SPINE IN NEUTRAL AND FLEXED POSITION FOR PRE-SURGICAL ASSESSMENT OF CLINICALLY AFFECTED DOGS WITH DEGENERATIVE LUMBOSACRAL STENOSIS

A. Patel: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY IN 65 DOGS TO CHARACTERISE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF EARLY POST-OPERATIVE NEUROLOGICAL DETERIORATION FOLLOWING HEMILAMINECTOMY

O. Chan: MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING-BASED MORPHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE THALAMUS AND CAUDATE NUCLEI IN DOGS WITH IDIOPATHIC EPILEPSY

Flash presentations (3 min)
G. Kaemper: A CASE REPORT OF SUSPECTED ACQUIRED NARCOLEPSY IN A DOG WITH STEROID RESPONSIVE MENINGITIS ARTERITIS.

G. Kaemper: DELAYED ONSET CONGENITAL NARCOLEPSY FOLLOWING ANAESTHESIA IN A DACHSHUND

J. Poacher: SUSPECTED DISCOGENIC PAIN IN A SPRINGER SPANIEL DOG

I. Molina: VERTEBRAL FIBROUS DYSPLASIA IN A CAT

A. Lande: SEVERE CONGENITAL HYDROCEPHALY AND SYRINGOMYELIA IN CREAM, LONG-HAIRED MINIATURE DACHSHUND PUPPIES.

F. Decrop: ACUTE GLOSSITIS SECONDARY TO A CAUDAL LINGUAL ABSCESS IN A DOG WITH MENINGOENCEPHALOMYELITIS OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN TREATED WITH IMMUNOMODULATORY THERAPY.

J. de Frias: MONOCULAR NYSTAGMUS IN A DOG DIAGNOSED WITH PRESUMPTIVE MENINGOENCEPHALITIS OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN

R. Hall: LONG-TERM OUTCOMES IN LGI1-AUTOANTIBODY ASSOCIATED FELINE AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM AN OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE STUDY

M. Mees: L7 TRANSVERSECTOMY FOR TREATMENT OF ‘FAR-OUT SYNDROME’ CAUSED BY A CONGENITAL VERTEBRAL BODY MALFORMATION IN A DOG

A. Fischer: FEASIBILITY OF ACTICAL® ACCELEROMETERS FOR MONITORING SLEEP AND REST PERIODS IN INDIVIDUAL DOGS

16:45-17:00 – Closing remarks and AGM

17:00 – A drink together at the Peaky Blinders

Download the 10th BVNS Symposium Proceedings

Past program of the Symposium


Registration:

Please complete the Registration form and forward it to George Nye (George.Nye@bristolvetspecialists.co.uk).

‘Early bird fee’ with payment received BY 28th February

• BVNS symposium fee + annual membership (payment received by 28th February): £150
• Undergraduate veterinary student BVNS symposium only fee (payment received by 28th February): £40

We kindly ask to ensure funds are received in our bank by 28th February to qualify for early bird.

Fees with payment received AFTER 28th February

• BVNS symposium fee + annual membership (payment received AFTER 28th February): £200


Abstract Submission

Abstract Format

Submission guidelines for all abstracts:

Papers, reports or articles containing the work submitted in the abstract must NOT have been submitted or accepted for publication prior to submission of the abstract. Abstracts must NOT have been presented elsewhere prior to presentation at the BVNS meeting.

  • Submit the abstract as an MS Word file (.doc or .docx)
  • Indicate whether ethical approval was obtained for the study
  • Font: Times New Roman, size 12
  • Paragraphs: 1.5 spacing and fully justified
  • Indent each paragraph three spaces
  • The abstract should be a maximum of 500 words
  • The first line should contain the title in capitals; the second line all author(s); the third the institution(s) the author(s) are affiliated with
  • Organise the body of the abstract as follows:
    • A statement of the purpose of the study
    • A statement of the methods used
    • A summary of the results presented in sufficient detail to support the conclusions
    • A statement of the conclusions reached
    • Do not use subheadings (e.g. methods, results)

The deadline for abstract submission is the 31st January 2025 at 11:59pm. Accepted abstracts will be printed in the Symposium Proceedings. Authors of accepted abstracts will receive free registration to the 2026 BVNS Symposium.