Talk
Title: The health outcomes of neutering bitches before or after puberty

Bio
Dr Rachel Moxon, Breeding, Welfare and Veterinary Programme Lead, Guide Dogs UK. Rachel began her research career working in equine nutrition and exercise physiology research at Kentucky Equine Research. Rachel joined Guide Dogs in 2008 and now leads the Canine Science Team. Rachel's research interests are dog health and reproduction and her work focuses on improving the effectiveness of guide dogs throughout their working lives, their overall health and wellbeing. Rachel completed her PhD in 2024 at the University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, where she is now Honorary Assistant Professor in Canine Health Science. Rachel's PhD research focused on the effects of neutering, and neutering prepubertally or post-pubertally, on bitch health, behaviour and development.

Talk
Title: Planning for your Horse Throughout their Life: Developing Resources through Stakeholder Input

Bio
Amelia is a research fellow in equine welfare at the University of Nottingham, where she also completed her PhD. Through her PhD she developed resources to support horse owners and vets when planning and decision-making throughout a horse’s life, up to and including end-of-life and euthanasia. The TRUSTED resources promote open vet-owner communication, and encourage a proactive approach to monitoring health and quality of life, and planning for the future. Amelia is now trialling these resources with owners and their vets, using feedback from interviews and focus groups to refine them further, and to develop an implementation plan.

Talk
Title: Nutraceuticals, social interaction, and psychophysiological influence on pet health and well-being: focus on dogs and cats

Bio
Mario Nicotra is a young Veterinarian. He graduated in 2023 from the University of Camerino, where he is now attending the Specialization School in Animal Health, Breeding, and Zootechnical Production. Before focusing on research, he worked for 6 months in the Small Clinical Division of the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Matelica (Italy), gaining experience in handling the main veterinary emergencies in pets, mostly dogs and cats, as well as rabbits and wild species. He is currently involved in research on the detection of pharmacological residues in animals and animal-derived foods, the use of phytochemicals and functional foods in animal nutrition, and the development of nanotechnological tools with antimicrobial activity and improved drug delivery.