Abstract
The original VetCompass clinical grading tool for heat-related illness (HRI) in dogs was developed using general primary-care clinical records. Using two novel HRI emergency-care datasets from Vets Now clinics during 2022 and 2023, this current study aimed to firstly evaluate and revise the original tool, then to validate the revised tool. Evaluation of the original grading tool using 364 HRI cases treated during 2022 prompted three revisions; dyspnoea moved from Mild to Moderate grades, episodic collapse from Moderate to Mild, and new critical temperature criteria (≥ 41.0 °C) were added to both Moderate and Severe categories. The revised grading tool was then validated using 422 HRI cases treated during 2023, using univariable logistic regression to evaluate the HRI grades as risk factors for death. The revised tool was deemed to show improved discrimination (area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC): 0.79, 95% CI 0.74–0.84) for predicting a fatal HRI outcome compared to the original tool (AUROC: 0.72, 95% CI 0.66–0.78). This study provides an example of ongoing evaluation and validation that could be applied to other veterinary clinical tools. The revised and validated VetCompass HRI grading tool (2026) should facilitate improved veterinary triage and contextualised care discussions for dogs with HRI.
Data availability
Data to support this manuscript is available here: [https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.30834581].
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to Noel Kennedy (RVC) for VetCompass software and programming development. We acknowledge Vets Now for contributing data for the current study and collaborating with the VetCompass programme. We also acknowledge the Medivet Veterinary Partnership, Vets4Pets/Companion Care, Goddard Veterinary Group, CVS Group, IVC Evidensia, Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital, Blue Cross, PDSA, Dogs Trust, Vets Now and the other UK practices who collaborate in VetCompass. We thank Dogs Trust for funding the current work. We are also grateful to The Royal Kennel Club, The Kennel Club Charitable Trust and Agria Pet Insurance for wider support for VetCompass.
Funding
This study was funded by a Dogs Trust Canine Welfare Grant. Dogs Trust did not have any input in the design of the study, the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, or in writing the manuscript.
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DGO, SG and LL were responsible for the acquisition of the clinical data used in the study. EJH, AJC, SG and DGO were responsible for sourcing funding for the project. EJH, SB, AJC, SG and DGO were responsible for the conception and design. SB, EJH, JB and DGO were responsible for the extraction and collation of data. SB and EJH carried out the analysis. SB, EJH. JB and DGO were mainly responsible for drafting the manuscript. SB, EJH, JB, AJC, SG, LL, DB and DGO were involved in interpreting the results, revising the manuscript and gave final approval of the version to be published. SB, EJH, JB, AJC, SG, LL, DB and DGO agree to be accountable for all aspects of the accuracy and integrity of the work.
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Beard, S., Hall, E.J., Bradbury, J. et al. Evaluation and validation of a revised VetCompass clinical grading tool for heat-related illness in dogs. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34768-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34768-9
