Leigh-Anne Buse, from Cave Veterinary Specialists, is one of just 35 vet nurses in the world to be recognised as a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in animal nutrition.
Somerset Vet Nurse Just One Of 35 Globally To Secure Coveted Animal Nutrition Qualification
2 days ago 
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A veterinary nurse at a leading animal hospital in the South West is celebrating after joining an elite band of industry professionals.
Leigh-Anne Buse, from Linnaeus-owned Cave Veterinary Specialists near Wellington, Somerset, is one of just 35 vet nurses in the world to be recognised as a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in animal nutrition.
Leigh-Anne, night nurse team leader at Cave, said she was thrilled to have joined such a select group after four years of intensive studying.
She said: “I am extremely pleased as it is an extremely hard qualification to obtain. There are only 35 members worldwide and I am really proud to become one of them.
“Being recognised as a VTS takes a minimum of four years and involves submitting 60 case studies and five case reports as well as completing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses.
“You also need letters of recommendation from colleagues who have studied in this field. Only after completing all of this are you eligible to sit a final four-hour examination the following year.”
Leigh-Anne is full of gratitude for the support and encouragement she’s received from colleagues at Cave.
She added: “Everyone at Cave has been fantastic throughout, letting me take over cases that I need for my logs and helping increase my knowledge and skill set in preparation for these cases and examination.
“They were very encouraging throughout and have all been thrilled for me since learning of my success.
“I was actually working a run of night shifts when I first found out I’d passed so we initially celebrated at work with cake but later I had a special meal with my family and a few days off!”
Food was certainly a fitting way to mark her success, with Leigh-Anne focusing on the importance of animal nutrition.
She said: “I have learnt so much on my journey through this course. The most important thing is understanding that all pets are individuals and, when treated as such, we can adjust diets to meet pet and owner preferences.
“Proper dietary management is so beneficial to all animals to maximise health, performance and longevity.
“It’s also vital in the management of numerous diseases including kidney, gastrointestinal and adverse food reactions.
“For me, the best cases to manage are adverse food reactions. These patients have skin disease and gastrointestinal upset.
“They are in relatively poor body condition, lethargic, itchy and with poor coat condition but a simple diet change to avoid the food causing the reactions can solve all of those clinical signs.”
Leigh-Anne is already getting in the saddle for her next big challenge – she’s keen to compete in equestrian dressage competitions.
She said: “I have a horse called Skippy who I am currently trying to compete with in dressage. The horse is fantastic, so I am working hard to be the rider he deserves with the aim of competing at elementary level next year.”
For more information on Cave Veterinary Specialists, visit https://cave-vet-specialists.co.uk or search for Cave Veterinary Specialists on social media.
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