We're challenging practices to audit their post-operative neutering data

We are challenging veterinary practices across the UK and Ireland to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes. This challenge comes off the back of the release of the 2024 National Audit for Small Animal Neutering (NASAN) benchmarking report, released this week to coincide with Clinical Audit Awareness Week (CAAW).

To participate, veterinary teams should:

• Audit their practice’s post-operative neutering outcomes in cats, dogs, and rabbits
• Compare the results against the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report
• Submit their data to the NASAN for inclusion in the 2025 benchmarking report

The NASAN benchmarking report collates data from across the UK about neutering procedures on dogs, cats, and rabbits. Data is submitted voluntarily by veterinary team members and collated by RCVS Knowledge to discover national benchmarks.

By auditing your practice’s neutering data you can see how you compare to the national average. Practices are particularly encouraged to use national benchmarking to monitor the rate of neutering patients lost to follow-up. In 2024, the number of patients lost to follow-up increased from 12% to 23%.

Submitting data to the NASAN is quick and easy thanks to a free template provided by RCVS Knowledge and can be completed by any member of the team.  The deadline for submitting data for the next report is February 2026.

This challenge falls on Clinical Audit Awareness Week (2 - 6 June), a national campaign promoting and celebrating the benefits and impacts of clinical audit work in veterinary care.

Alice Watson BVM BVS(Hons) CertAVP(ECC) MRCVS, veterinary surgeon, said: "Having submitted data to NASAN now for a number of years on behalf of our large first opinion hospital, it's been a really useful insight into our surgical routines as well as the care we provide to our patients once they leave the building."

Nicola Rolph BVSc MANZCVS (Medicine Of Cats) MRCVS, veterinary surgeon, said: "We found it reassuring to see where we were similar to or exceeding the benchmark, so we can continue to monitor our complication rates," while Henreitta Fforde-Lutter VetMB MA PGDip (VCP) MRCVS veterinary surgeon, said: “for clients, it's reassuring to be given some (very positive!) stats.”

Download the 2025 NASAN benchmarking report and complete your own audit.