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In November 2025, the Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance - Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E) announced the first-ever national antimicrobial use (AMU) reduction targets for companion animals. Developed through extensive consultation with veterinary, academic, regulatory, and AMR experts, these targets represent a landmark step for the profession, with sector-wide support. 

To support delivery of the targets, several ‘In Practice Focus Areas’ have been defined. These cover instances where antimicrobial use is common, and where evidence indicates that antibiotics may often be unnecessary or ineffective. For 2026, the focus will be on: 

  1. Antimicrobial use in cat fight wounds/abscesses (CFW/CBA) – contributing to reductions in overall usage and the targeted reduction in HPCIA usage in cats.  

  1. Antimicrobials use in acute, self-limiting diarrhoea in dogs (ADiD) – contributing to reductions in overall usage and ensuring use of appropriate antibiotics when they are necessary. 

The session will explore the clinical rationale and current treatment guidelines for both conditions, as well as an overview of the AMU reduction targets for companion animals and the rationale behind them. 

The event will also explain how veterinary practices can get involved, contribute to national efforts, and support responsible antimicrobial use in everyday clinical practice. 

You’ll come away with:  

  • an understanding of the rationale for the national AMU reduction targets for companion animals 

  • awareness and understanding of the condition specific activity that is being focused on and how practices can get involved. 

Meet the panel:

Gwen Rees (Chair), BVA Junior Vice President   

Gwen is currently Junior Vice President of the British Veterinary Association. She is Lecturer in Veterinary Science at Aberystwyth University. She leads the Veterinary Prescribing Champions Network on behalf of Arwain DGC, a Welsh Government-funded national programme aimed at tackling AMR in ruminants. Qualifying as a vet from the University of Liverpool in 2009, she worked in farm and equine practice in West Wales and New Zealand before taking up a role at Bristol Vet School as Teaching Fellow and undertaking a PhD researching prescription veterinary medicine use by UK dairy farmers.  Gwen is Senior Vice President of BVA Welsh Branch, a Trustee of the Animal Welfare Foundation and sits on the Welsh Government AMR Delivery Group Board and TB Technical Advisory Group. 

Fergus Allerton, Internal Medicine Specialist, Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service 

Fergus graduated from the University of Bristol in 2004 and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Liege, Belgium. He is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Medicine and currently works at Willows Referral Service.  

Fergus is actively involved in veterinary antibiotic stewardship and contributed to the development of the PROTECT ME guidelines. Within ENOVAT he is working on recommendations for antibiotic use for surgical prophylaxis. He is the current editor of Companion and the 10th and 11th Edition of the BSAVA formulary and is also a member of the WSAVA Therapeutic Guidelines Group.  

Dr Rachel Dean, Director of Clinical Research and Excellence in Practice, VetPartners Limited 

Rachel is a passionate about veterinary healthcare and is a recognised international leader of evidence-based veterinary medicine. She encourages authentic collective clinical leadership and progressing care through developing professional connections, research, innovation, quality improvement and professional development.   

Rachel is a graduate from University of Glasgow and has worked in mixed, dairy and small animal general practice in the private, charity and academic sectors.  She holds the RCVS diploma in feline medicine, has a PhD in epidemiology and an MSc in Evidence-based Healthcare. She was the founding director of the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nottingham from 2009-2018 before joining vetPartners in her current role. Rachel chairs the Clinical Board for the VetPartners group (UK and Europe) where she develops and supports international clinical communities and drives the clinical quality improvement and clinical research programmes.  

Steve Howard, Secretary General, RUMA Companion Animal and Equine Head of Clinical Services, PDSA 

Steve was one of the founders of Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance – Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA CA&E), which was formally established in 2021, and now holds the post of Secretary General where he supports the organisation to deliver its vision for the UK to lead the way in the responsible use of medicines in the Companion Animal and Equine sectors, through evidence-based and measurable activities that will improve the stewardship of medicines and optimise animal health and welfare, as well as related human and environmental health. RUMA CA&E is a voluntary cross sectoral alliance of stakeholder organisations from across the CA&E sectors – from regulatory to consulting room – with a current focus on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and resistance (AMR) and is committed to supporting a One Health strategy to address the risk.  

Steve graduated from University of Glasgow Vet School in 1994 and joined PDSA in 1999 after a few years in private veterinary mixed and small animal practice. He became Head of Clinical Services in 2009 and is now Chief Veterinary Advisor at PDSA.  

Dr Kit Sturgess, Internal Medicine Service, Optivet Referrals Ltd Director, Vet Freedom Ltd   

Dr Kit Sturgess has been in clinical practice for almost 40 years. He was awarded his PhD looking at the mucosal immune response to FIV. Kit is a Specialist in Small Animal Medicine and was awarded his Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for Meritorious Contributions to Clinical Practice, and the BSAVA Woodrow Award for contributions to small animal practice.  

Kit is chair of Trustees of the largest UK cat charity, Cats Protection, and chairs the Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance’s Target and Measures Working Group. He is also a trustee of Veterinary Education Outreach and a school governor. Kit maintains a keen interest in many areas of internal medicine and has authored numerous articles, two textbooks as well as examining, lecturing and presenting research worldwide.  

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