Veterinary support service received a record number of contacts in February and March, with mental health and stress the most common theme.

“We know… that these offers will be attractive, but we are deeply concerned that it devalues the skills and knowledge that have been built up throughout the degree” – AVS president Izzie Arthur.

“We are sure our dogs will be able to find the odour of COVID-19 and we will then move into a second phase to test them in live situations…” – Claire Guest, Medical Detection Dogs.

Researchers administered to three cats SARS-CoV-2 isolated from a human patient and were later able to detect the virus in two of the animals’ nasal passages.

“Pangolins could be natural hosts of Betacoronaviruses with an unknown potential to infect humans. However, our study does not support that SARS-CoV-2 evolved directly from the pangolin-CoV” – study author Jinping Chen.

A second survey by SPVS and the VMG has shown a rise in concern about job security and a significant increase in the amount of time practices are taking to conduct certain procedures.

Data suggests an increasing interest in flexible ways of working, and highest levels of job satisfaction among practice managers and veterinary surgeons working in industry or field-based roles.

UK CVOs release joint letter to vets concerning their obligations regarding testing and reporting any positive results for coronavirus.

Practices responding to second COVID-19 impact survey report some slow improvement in turnover.

Gerardo Poli continues his series on leadership strategies during the coronavirus pandemic by discussing the need to highlight greatness.

SPVS offers practical guidance to improve practice turnover and profits during “tough times” caused by coronavirus pandemic.

The organisations will be developing further advice in the comings days to help vets interpret new Government guidance for employers in different workplaces.

“The publication of this paper... indicates that the ground is shifting and interdisciplinary research on infection is now firmly on the agenda” – Tony Barnett, RVC.

Nat turns her attention to running in the fourth of her series of COVID-19 diaries.

US expert on feline coronavirus says research “is far more advanced in veterinary than human medicine, but they do not recognise any animal coronavirus diseases of veterinary importance as models”.

What you do matters – as Gerardo Poli discusses in the latest part of his series into performance and leadership strategies for navigating the coronavirus pandemic.