Get to Know – David Maggs: International Keynote Speaker for BVA Live 2026
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As the first international keynote speaker at BVA Live 2026, he returns to the UK with a practical, case-driven approach. In this conversation, Maggs shares the clinical shortcuts, diagnostic frameworks, and prescribing insights he wishes every general practitioner had learned sooner, from tackling non-healing corneal ulcers to simplifying ophthalmic pharmacology.
Q: If you think back to your early days in practice, which eye cases do you wish someone had talked you through sooner?
A: This is such a pertinent question for me. I have a series of things that I call TIWIKIPs (things I wish I'd known in practice). I used to be what I call “a real vet”. I worked as a general practitioner - and often a mixed animal practitioner - for about five years before I became a specialist, much of which was in the UK. All my lectures are now directed at that audience, and they focus on the TIWIKIPs.
Q: Your keynote opens with your approach to non-healing corneal ulcers - cases that can quickly become frustrating in practice. How can reframing these as “complicated” cases help vets narrow the diagnosis and regain control?
A: This is a classic example of a TIWIKIP! I wish somebody had taught me at vet school that every ulcer should be classified as simple or complicated, then taught me the two or three common complications and how different they look from each other. Once we categorise an ulcer into one of these categories, treating them can basically be done on a “cookbook” approach. That's what we'll concentrate on in this lecture.
Q: A strong ophthalmic exam underpins everything else. In busy general practice, what are your four key tips for performing an effective eye examination?
A: There's no doubt about that! In this lecture we'll talk about what makes a diagnostic ophthalmic exam. We’ll emphasise how it can be done using the light sources that are potentially hanging on the wall of your clinic, nothing fancy. What we’ll spend time on is how to interpret what we see when we’re used to illuminating the patient’s eye in a different way.
Q: Ocular pharmacology is full of nuance, from drops versus ointments to topical versus systemic therapy. What’s the most common prescribing misconception you see in dogs and cats that you’d most like to challenge?
A: For some reason, ophthalmic pharmacology is often made to sound really complex when it is incredibly simple. Things like whether to use a drop or an ointment, or—perhaps the most common issue—whether to treat using a systemic drug or a topical drug. Each of these medication routes delivers the drug to a totally different place in the eye. I would say one of the most common misconceptions is that eyes can be treated just like other tissues in the body. During this session, we'll talk about what makes eyes special and how to capitalise on that when choosing your drugs and delivery routes.
Q: You’ve spoken at conferences all over the world. As the first international keynote speaker at BVA Live, what are you most looking forward to about joining the event?
Yes, what an honour. I have had the good fortune to meet with audiences all around the globe, but there will be something special about being back in Britain, where years ago, the locals were so kind to me as a young locum who’d recently graduated from Australia. I think of it as perhaps a chance to say thank you, while also paying it forward to the next generation of veterinary medicine in the UK. I'm really looking forward to getting together with this audience!