Support Groundbreaking Veterinary Research
Survey Funding
Join Us in Advancing Veterinary Medicine
Research studies are funded by Vet Professionals and its supporters. If you would like to support our research please consider making a donation. All donations – big or small – help us to do this important work.
Why Research Matters
Vet Professionals believes that owner-focused research is essential for improving our understanding of animal health and disease.
Most of our studies use online questionnaires, allowing pet owners to share their experiences directly. With their support, we can carry out large-scale, detailed research that might not otherwise be possible. For example, our survey into health issues affecting elderly cats attracted more than 1,500 participants—one of the largest responses ever received for a veterinary survey.
Our findings are published in respected, peer-reviewed scientific journals read by veterinary healthcare professionals worldwide. Summaries of completed studies are also available on this website.
The Impact of Your Contribution
The information gathered through our research helps veterinary professionals better understand the experiences of pet owners and improve the advice and care they provide.
One study involving 859 owners of cats with chronic kidney disease highlighted the importance of clear communication about:
- Feeding a therapeutic renal diet wherever possible
- Understanding the correct use of phosphate binders
The findings have since been incorporated into lectures and professional articles, helping to raise awareness and improve the care of cats living with this common condition.
Every survey completed and every donation received helps us continue this valuable work.
How You Can Help
Our research is funded by Vet Professionals and the generosity of our supporters. Donations of any size help us develop, coordinate and publish important veterinary research.
Research donors are automatically added to our Premium mailing list, ensuring they are among the first to hear about study results. Donors can also help shape future research by telling us which subjects interest them and suggesting questions they would like us to explore.
You can also support us by encouraging cat-owning friends and family to participate in our surveys. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @vet_prof, and please share our survey announcements whenever you can.
We are currently seeking funding for the following research studies:
cat owner survey
Which oral medications are genuinely easiest to give to cats?
This study will look to gather the opinions and perspectives of cat owners with experience of administration of oral medication to their cat. We would like to determine which formulations are easiest to give a cat (tablet, liquid, capsule etc) and what other factors impact acceptance by the patient. Infrequent medication (eg de-worming pill) will be compared to long-term medication (eg antithyroid medication) to try and identify factors most important in achieving compliance, whether needed short or long-term. Data acquired through this study will be analysed and published in a peer reviewed veterinary journal and used to inform the pet pharmaceutical industry on future design of cat medications.
£9,000
(11500 USD, 10000 Euros)
funding would allow us to proceed with this project.
cat owner survey
Awareness and recognition of mobility problems in older cats (cats aged 11 years+)
This study will comprise two online questionnaires performed to assess firstly, owner awareness of mobility problems and, following some tips on how to recognize this in their cat, a second survey to determine the prevalence of owner-assessed mobility problems in the older cat population. Mobility problems such as osteoarthritis (OA) can be difficult for a carer to identify but x-ray studies have indicated that as many as 90% of elderly cats are suffering from this condition. We do not know how many of these cats are clinically impacted (ie the significance of the xray changes is not always known). OA can be a cause of significant pain but a number of treatments are available to help cats with this condition. We hope that this study would help to raise awareness of feline OA and hence improve the welfare of elderly cats.
£15,000
(19000 USD, 17000 Euros)
funding would allow us to proceed with this project.
cat owner survey
Chronic kidney disease, longitudinal study of owner experiences
This long-term study will seek to enroll carers of cats with CKD at the time of diagnosis and follow their experiences thereafter. We are interested in learning what carers of cats with CKD find most challenging and how the veterinary profession can do a better job in supporting owners. We would also like to track the clinical progress of your cat with CKD, where possible, following their lab results, bodyweight and medication history over the remainder of their life to identify factors impacting on patient outcome. Data gathered from this study will help to inform veterinary professionals on better care of cats with CKD. It will also provide vital information for carers on what to expect following a diagnosis of CKD and how they can best help their cat. This long-term study is planned to run over a period of 5-7 years.
£45,000
(58000 USD, 52000 Euros)
funding would allow us to proceed with this project.
A number of vet student projects are planned for each year – these smaller studies include topics such as:
- Diabetes mellitus in cats: owner experiences and how the veterinary profession can do a better job of supporting carers of cats with this condition
- Stress in cats: owner recognition and management of this in their cats
Donations to Vet Professionals help make it possible for us to do all of these studies – big and small – and therefore improve cat welfare in the future.
Support Veterinary Research
Your contribution can make a significant impact in advancing veterinary research. By donating, you help fund critical studies that aim to improve the health and well-being of pets everywhere. Join us in making a difference today.
To find out more about how you can support our research, please contact us.