Apparently, there were over 100 times more recorded outbreaks of equine flu across the UK in 2019 than the year before1, and numerous equestrian events were cancelled as a result.
The company says that despite this, as of 2019, only about half of all UK horses are vaccinated2.
Blaise Scott-Morris MRCVS, Equine Marketing and Technical Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Last year’s outbreaks of equine flu rocked the equine world, raising important animal welfare issues and costing the racing industry millions.
"Furthermore, they highlighted the need for good preventative healthcare and, in particular, vaccination. It’s vital that more owners are encouraged to vaccinate and those that already have, to keep up with their annual vaccinations and health checks so we don’t experience the same suffering again."
MSD's campaign invites horse owners to join the movement to #fightequineflu, and there is a range of materials to help practices promote the campaign and encourage clients to talk about vaccination and preventative healthcare, including an educational infographic poster, a social media pack and new resources on the Chameleon appointment reminder system.
MSD will itself be promoting the campaign on social media (Facebook: @Keeping Britains Horses Healthy, Instagram: @KeepingHorsesHealthy), and through partnerships with consumer channels such as Horse and Country TV.
There is also a new information resource online at www.kbhh.co.uk/achoo, which offers horse owners links to a range of other educational preventative health materials and horse care advice.
To request your Fight Equine Flu practice pack, speak to your MSD account manager.
References
RCVS Council recommended the increase due to inflationary pressures and increased business costs.
Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS, RCVS Treasurer, said: “We recognise that these are difficult economic times, so Council has endeavoured to limit the fee increase as far as possible; however, in proposing these new fees, Council has had to take account both of increased costs due to inflation, and of additional costs related to ensuring we are fulfilling our regulatory remit to the best of our abilities and meeting our strategic priorities.
“For example, increased costs related to the additional number of veterinary degrees coming on stream, modernising our membership database, our Charter Case Committee, the trial of our private prosecutions protocol against non-vets breaching the Veterinary Surgeons Act, and much more besides.”
Vets need to pay their annual renewal this year by 1st April.
Anyone who hasn't paid by 1st May will face a late payment charge of £35.
Anyone who hasn't paid by 1st June risks removal from the Register.
As part of the annual renewal process, vets also need to confirm their registration and contact details, declare any convictions and declare they are compliant with the College’s requirements for continuing professional development (CPD).
Anyone who expects to encounter any difficulties in paying their fees is asked to contact the RCVS Finance Team on finance@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0722.
The webinar will allow veterinary teams to learn from three expert speakers how they can make small practical changes to have positive impacts in their own settings.
Helen Ballantyne, Chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group (UKOHCG) and both a human and animal health nurse, will provide a ‘human’ view of One Health and the strategies in the NHS.
She will highlight areas of excellent practice she has experienced, and from a One Health angle where the veterinary profession could learn from the NHS, and vice versa.
Fergus Allerton MRCVS, an Internal Medicine Specialist and lead on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at Linnaeus will talk about, amongst other things, the optimal use of antimicrobials for infection control.
In collaboration with the NHS, he launched Veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty activity which saw a 19% reduction of antimicrobial use across the Linnaeus veterinary group.
Fergus will also talk about the PROTECT ME guidelines on the responsible use of antibacterials, such as for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis.
Simon Doherty, past-president of the British Veterinary Association and one of two BVA representatives at the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, will focus on the history of One Health and One Agriculture; highlighting how improved communication and collaboration at the intersection of people, animals and the environment can drive productivity and sustainability in food production.
Simon will also share some of Vet Sustain’s farm animal resources and how the principles can be applied.
To register, visit: https://horiba.link/one-health-webinar
The CMA says its main concerns remain the same as it outlined in March, namely whether consumers are getting enough information to make informed decisions, whether corporatisation is stifling competition in certain areas, whether corporate groups have incentives to act in ways that reduce choice, whether pet owners might be overpaying for medicines and whether the regulatory framework is outdated
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: "The message from our vets work so far has been loud and clear – many pet owners and professionals have concerns that need further investigation.
"We’ve heard from people who are struggling to pay vet bills, potentially overpaying for medicines and don’t always know the best treatment options available to them.
"We also remain concerned about the potential impact of sector consolidation and the incentives for large, integrated vet groups to act in ways which reduce consumer choice.
"In March we proposed that a formal market investigation was the best route to fully explore these concerns and, if appropriate, take direct action to address them.
"That proposal has been overwhelmingly endorsed through our consultation.
"While we’re aware of acute staff shortages and difficult working conditions for vets, we consider a formal market investigation is essential to ensure good outcomes for the millions of pet owners in the UK as well as professionals working in the sector.
"The independent inquiry group will now take this investigation forward and, in the meantime, we’re publishing some tips to help pet owners better navigate vet services."
Meantime, the CMA has published 3 tips for pet owners, which are to look further than their nearest vet, to question treatment options and to consider buying medication elsewhere.
The study was a randomised controlled trial of client-owned dogs and cats presenting as emergencies and requiring intravenous catheterisation.
Patient signalment and mentation score were recorded.
Patients were randomly allocated to either a swab saturated with vapocoolant spray or a swab saturated with saline applied to the clipped area before intravenous catheterisation.
Indirect application of vapocoolant spray via a swab before catheterisation was not found to significantly reduce the reaction of dogs and cats, nor to improve placement success rates.
The study did demonstrate a significantly greater adverse response to vapocoolant spray application to the skin via a swab when compared with the saline control in canine patients; feline patients demonstrated adverse responses to both vapocoolant spray and saline swabs.
It is unclear if the technique of application used in this study provided sufficient cooling effect to provide the required cryoanaesthesia to influence patient reaction.
The authors say future studies should be used to determine optimal vapocoolant spray application technique in dogs and cats, as well as examine its application in other populations and procedures.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP concluded: “Pragmatic, adequately-powered, randomised controlled trials like the one presented here are essential to evaluate whether an intervention is not only efficacious in a controlled environment, but also effective during clinical practice.”
Full article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13504
Reference
Trinder, R, Humm, K, Phillips, S, and Cole, L (2022) The efficacy of vapocoolant spray for the improved tolerance of catheter pain in emergency patients in dogs Journal of Small Animal Practice, Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13504
The change has come about following a review of the assurance scheme's standards, when it was decided that all Red Tractor vets should be members of PVS, not just those carrying out Real Welfare assessments, as was previously the case.
Other changes in the review focus on the responsible use of antibiotics and a number of the animal medicine standards have been strengthened.
Red Tractor says the PVS membership requirement is in line with another new standard which will require veterinary surgeons to declare they only prescribe antibiotics for use on Red Tractor pig units in accordance with the PVS Prescribing Principles for Antimicrobials.
Red Tractor technical manager Joanna King said: "Ensuring every Red Tractor registered vet is a PVS member will help keep them abreast of the most recent version of the Prescribing Principles, along with other guidelines and publications."
Assessors undertaking Red Tractor farm assessments can verify whether the retained farm vet is a current PVS member through their membership number which is required on the quarterly veterinary report forms.
Membership numbers can be checked against an online PVS membership checker.
New research released by National Pet Month (5th April -5th May) has found that the UK’s most popular dog breed is the Labrador. There are 209 recognised dog breeds in the UK; 7.3 million dogs in total in the UK, one in ten of which is a Labrador.
The Pet Population study was conducted by leading industry body, the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) for National Pet Month and reflects past research by BBC Magazines which revealed that the Andrex puppy is the nation’s favourite TV animal.
The annual Pet Population report shows that over since 2003, the Labrador population has increased by 28%.
National Pet Month culminates in Wet Nose Day on 23rd April to tie in with St George’s Day, this national event will celebrate animals great and small, and also see the launch of a photographic exhibition at Selfridges London in their pet department. The ‘Hall of Fame’ photography exhibition is part of a National Pet Month competition which ran in Your Cat and Your Dog magazines during March.
Visit http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/ for more information.
Pulborough-based Arun Veterinary Group has been awarded the title of Best UK Vets, having achieved the largest number of positive online reviews on www.vethelpdirect.com.
The awards are based on the number of positive reviews (4 stars and above) left by owners on the site over the course of the year, with owners asked to review the practice on five key areas: respect for my animal, professionalism, friendliness, cleanliness and value for money.
Comments attached to the 182 reviews for Arun included: "Nothing is too much trouble", "Fabulous vets" and "More like good friends."
Vet Help Direct said: "A good online reputation is so valuable to both local people looking for a service and to business owners. That's why online vet reviews are at the heart of our vet directories. Vet Help Direct is determined to provide a fair reflection of the vet practices in their online directories; all reviews are subject to rigorous tests of authenticity, all are checked for duplicate IP addresses, email addresses and some reviewers are asked to provide evidence that they are recent clients of the practice."
In second place was St Georges Veterinary Group, Wolverhampton, which is now up to 132 reviews and in third place was Goddard Veterinary Group, Gidea Park in London, with 122 reviews.
Dechra Veterinary Products has announced a new lower recommended starting dose of Vetoryl (trilostane), its treatment for dogs with Cushing's syndrome.
Dechra says the change to the Summary of Product Characteristics for Vetoryl Hard Capsules for Dogs follows the publication of research and studies into the effects of lowering the initial dose rate.
The new, lower recommended starting dose is 2 mg/kg once daily, and the 10 mg capsules can now be used as a starting dose. Further guidance is also given for switching to twice daily dosing.
Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "Since Vetoryl capsules were first launched more than ten years ago, vets have accumulated a considerable amount of practical experience in using the product to transform the lives of dogs with Cushing's syndrome.
"Several leading veterinary teaching establishments have carried out studies investigating the effects of reducing the initial dose rate and the published literature indicates that lower starting doses are efficacious and may reduce the risk of side effects.
"Our new dosing recommendations are in line with current thinking from veterinary specialists in endocrinology and internal medicine, ensuring that Vetoryl evolves with the times and continues to restore vitality to Cushingoid dogs."
For further information contact the Dechra Veterinary Technical Services Team on 01939 211200 or e-mail technical@dechra.com, or speak to your Dechra Territory Sales Manager.
Agria Pet Insurance has launched a competition in which the practice that creates the most informative and effective pet insurance display using the company's new display kit will win £500 cash.
Agria says its new display kit is designed primarily to help clients understand how pet insurance works, but also allows a practice to include their own patients' case studies and testimonials too.
To order your free display kit, either complete the online order form at www.agriavetcare.co.uk/competition.aspx or call Agria's Veterinary Helpline on 0800 369 90 98
To enter the competition, send a digital photograph of your finished display to vetphotos@agriapet.co.uk together with your practice name and address.
Veterinary surgeons and practice managers will be invited to judge the entries and vote for the winning display at the Veterinary Business & Management Congress in January 2013.
The overall winner will be announced at the BSAVA Congress.
An animal heath company is conducting a survey into veterinary surgeons' thoughts on digestive health conditions, including diarrhoea.
Everyone who participates in the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 worth of John Lewis vouchers.
To take part, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/digestive-health-survey.
The survey will remain live till 28th March 2014, and the results will be shared with participants in due course.
CEVA Animal Health has extended its behavioural range of products with the launch of Senilife®, a nutritional supplement which is specifically formulated to help manage signs of brain ageing in dogs and cats.
Senilife® contains a combination of three essential brain nutrients - phosphatidylserine, vitamin B6 and vitamin E - which the company says help maintain membrane fluidity and normalise neurotransmission. In addition, two natural but potent anti-oxidants - gingko biloba and resveratrol - support brain metabolism and help to neutralise free radicals and reduce amyloid deposits.
According to CEVA, common signs of brain ageing in dogs and cats include playing or interacting less, barking or howling at night, loss of house-training/litter box training, apathy or increased tiredness and disorientation. A study has shown that up to 75% of dogs over seven years of age and 35% of cats 11 years and over suffer from at least one geriatric behavioural problem1.
In a recent clinical study, 86% of owners were satisfied with the results achieved after one month of using Senilife®, with 73% of dog owners and 67% of cat owners noticing fewer signs of brain ageing within the first seven days2.
Juliet Penaliggon, small animal marketing manager at CEVA Animal Health, says: "Many typical signs of brain ageing in dogs can be controlled by nutritional management. Senilife® is a fast-acting, nutritional supplement that contains proven nutrients and neuroprotectives to help manage these signs."Senilife® capsules are easy to administer either directly into the mouth of the pet or emptied onto the pet's food."
For further information, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.
References1 Behaviour problems in geriatric pets. Lansberg G and Araujo J. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 35 (2005) 675-698.2 Isaka N, Baysse B, Lopez A, Ovaert P and Penaliggon J. CABSTG Spring Meeting April (2009).
Ceva Animal Health has announced that it will be bolstering its spring Feliway TV advertising campaign with a campaign across the London Underground to help extend its reach to light TV viewers.
The campaign will once again feature the brand's 'That Purple Cat' character. Highlighting stress-related feline behaviour problems and encouraging cat owners to talk to their vet about Feliway, the advertisement will appear on channels such as ITV2, E4, More4 and Channel 4 (London only) from 14 February until 27 March.
The campaign will also be running on 50 high impact TV screens on the London Underground from 28 February until 13 March and 18 April until 1 May. So, according to the company, the ad will not only reach over 1.2 million people who commute and use the Underground every day, but will also be seen by millions on one of the busiest days of the year on the Underground, the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Julia Wood, product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "By extending our advertising campaign across the London Underground we are complimenting our TV campaign and targeting commuters with busy lifestyles - who spend little time watching TV - during a unique point in their day."
To support the campaign, Ceva is offering veterinary practices free merchandising material including client leaflets, double sided A3 posters and A5 window stickers. A range of offers are also available for free mini merchandisers and digital photo frames in return for purchasing product. In addition, Ceva is running a prize draw for £250 worth of Champneys Spa vouchers for that 'purrfect' pampering session.
For more information, please contact your Ceva account manager or call 01494 781510.
All MsRCVS were set an email with a voting link and a unique voter code.
The College says it will be writing to the few vets for whom it has no unique email address with further instructions.
There are 14 candidates standing this year and you can now cast your votes for up to three of them by 5pm on Friday 26 April 2024.
The candidates are:
The full biographies and statements for each candidate are available to read at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote24 where each candidate has also answered two questions of their choice submitted by members of the profession.
The three candidates who receive the most votes will take up their four-year terms on RCVS Council at the Annual General Meeting on Friday 5 July 2024.
Any vets who have not received their voting email should contact CES directly on support@cesvotes.com.
Instead of the traditional format, where one expert, perhaps two, come and lecture on a subject, IVC has gathered together experts from different disciplines to give their differing perspectives on a subject, each talking for 30 minutes.
For example, you'll be able to hear about BOAS surgery from the perspective of a Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine, an anaesthetist, a Specialist in Small Animal Surgery and a Specialist Surgical Nurse.
Collapse will be covered by a neurologist, a cardiologist and an ECC specialist.
IVC says the aim is to make the sessions as concise and to-the-point, but as practical as possible, and you'll be able to come and meet the speakers on the stand afterwards.
Richard Artingstall (MBA, MA, Vet MB, CertSAS, MRCVS, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery) from Vale Referrals and the IVC Evidensia Referrals Strategy Group, said: "Working our Referrals and Equine streams like this gives delegates the opportunity to gain a real insight, from different disciplines, into how our specialists work up a case.
"The lectures will offer practical, discipline-based guidance, looking at clinical presentations and problems from different discipline perspectives. Our hope is that this will help delegates in decision making and planning case management plans for these more tricky case presentations in practice. I think it will be incredibly useful for them and I can’t wait to be there."
More information: https://london.vetshow.com/ivc-clinical-theatre
The British Veterinary Association has contacted the BBC programme 'Countryfile' following the broadcast of an item on identifying wild ponies in North Wales using 'ear marking' on 31st October 2010.
The programme visited a farmer in Snowdonia during the annual health check during which the wild ponies are brought into the town with support from the Countryside Council for Wales. During the programme presenter Jules Hudson asked the owner of the ponies, farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, how he can tell which pony is which. Gareth Wyn Jones explained that each pony has 'special ear marks' and there was footage of ponies with both ear tags and ear notches (marks or cuts). However, ear notching is no longer permitted under the Animal Welfare Act.
The BVA contacted Countryfile expressing concern at the programme's contents and asking for a clarification to be made. Countryfile responded to explain they were not aware of the law in relation to ear notching and tagging but that they would undertake to clarify the facts in a future programme.
The BVA has also been contacted by the pony welfare charity People4Ponies expressing concern about the ongoing practice of ear notching and tagging in England and Wales.
In light of the programme the BVA is asking its members to remind horse and pony-owning clients that ear tagging and ear notching are not permitted in Great Britain under the Animal Welfare Act as they do not appear in the list under Schedule 1 of the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) Regulations 2007 (or under the Animal Health and Welfare [Scotland] Act).
Since July 2010 there has been a legal requirement that all horses and ponies are permanently identified by microchip (with some small exceptions) and the BVA believes this removes the need for any other form of identification, such as ear marking and hot branding, even for wild equids.
The BVA will also contact Local Government Regulation (the new name for LACORS - the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services) and the Welsh Local Government Association to ensure that those with responsibility for policing animal health and welfare legislation in England and Wales are taking the appropriate action.
Harvey Locke, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "This is a simple fact of legality and it appears there was widespread ignorance of the rules amongst all those taking part in the programme.
"As veterinary surgeons we have a responsibility to work with clients to ensure they are complying with animal health and welfare legislation. Ear mutilations are not permitted and we must make sure that message is reaching horse and pony owners.
"The BVA will also be contacting those responsible for enforcing the legislation relating to ear mutilations in horses and ponies to make sure the law is being policed."
Vets should now consider Angiostrongylus vasorum a countrywide parasite and not one that is restricted to the traditional hotspots of the South East, the Midlands and south Wales. This was the main message delivered by Shelia Brennan of University College Dublin to almost 300 vets attending the recent Bayer-sponsored A vasorum CPD meetings, held across the north of England and Scotland.
Sheila said: "Until recently, angiostrongylosis was only recognised in limited areas of the UK, and confirmed cases were few and far between. Now we are hearing reports of the disease as far afield as Kent and Glasgow and dogs are dying as a result. If caught early enough, the disease can be treated successfully. Vets should be aware of the many and varied symptoms and consider this parasite as a differential in any dog with suspicious clinical signs."
Dogs of any age can be infected with the parasite, but the majority presenting with clinical disease are less than two years of age. A number of clinical presentations are recognised. Dogs may present with respiratory signs (cough, exercise intolerance), coagulopathy, neurological signs, syncope and in a small number of cases hypercalcaemia. These signs can occur in isolation or in combination, and not all dogs have respiratory signs. Haemorrhage following routine neutering has been anecdotally reported. Dogs with a history of eating the parasite's intermediate hosts (slugs and snails) should be considered as being at high risk.
Chris White, Bayer's Advocate product manager said: "The attendance of nearly 300 vets at the four-meeting series, in areas not normally associated with the disease, is further evidence that vets are becoming increasingly concerned about the threat posed by A vasorum. This is the third series of meetings we have held, reaching around 1,000 vets and vet nurses across the country."
The RCVS has announced that nominations are now open for the Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award 2014, an an honour which recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the veterinary nursing profession.
Nominations can be made until 1 May 2014 and this year the College is looking for nominees who have made an exceptional contribution to the profession, animal welfare or patient care - whether in clinical practice, education, research or politics. Nominees can be registered or listed veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons or lay people.
Kathy Kissick, Chair of VN Council, said: "With this award we are looking for someone who can be an excellent ambassador for the veterinary nursing profession; who has made a real and substantial difference to the profession; and who can raise its profile and fight its corner.
"I would urge all those who are passionate about the profession and its future to put forward someone who they think is deserving of this honour."
The award was launched in 2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first RCVS veterinary nursing training scheme. The first recipient of the award was Jean Turner, while Sue Badger received the accolade in 2012.
The nomination form for the award can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/goldenjubilee which also features a video of Kathy Kissick talking about its importance. Alternatively, you can view the video on www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos
The nominators must be registered/listed veterinary nurses or veterinary surgeons but the two additional proposers can be lay people.
For further information about the award please contact Annette Amato, Deputy Head of Veterinary Nursing, on 020 7202 0713 or a.amato@rcvs.org.uk.
BCF Technology has launched the Cuattro Small Animal DR, a digital radiography system which it describes as 'revolutionary for the small animal veterinary practice'.
BCF says the system transforms small animal practices' imaging function, producing diagnostic X-ray images in 5 seconds.
Craig Hoines from BCF said: "The Cuattro Small Animal DR is a smart investment for any practice looking to grow and expand. Investing in your imaging function is a perfect way to do this. The Small Animal DR will allow you to cut X-ray study time significantly, improve in-practice workflows and speed up patient care without increasing costs. The team at BCF can show you how."
According to the company. the Small Animal DR can be practical investment for any size of small animal practice.
For more information, visit www.bcftechnology.com or call +44(0)1506 460 023 to arrange a demonstration.
Vets Now has won the 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year' award in the Scottish Business Awards for Pet Blood Bank UK.
The charity was initiated by a Vets Now employee, Wendy Barnett, following a change in legislation which created the opportunity to establish a pet equivalent of the human national blood transfusion service. After a trial through Vets Now, Pet Blood Bank UK was set up in 2007 as an independent charity, with a loan and ongoing fundraising support from Vets Now.
Pet Blood Bank UK collects blood from donor dogs, processes it and supplies it to the veterinary profession to use in cases such as traumatic injuries or where major surgery is required. Last year 164 specially organised dog donor sessions were held where owners are encouraged to bring along their dog to 'donate a pint'. Each donation has the potential to save up to four lives. Nearly 9,000 units of blood have been collected in the past five years.
The charity, which has an education and animal welfare remit, charges veterinary practices just the costs incurred in collecting, processing and storing the blood. As well as providing blood, the Pet Blood Bank UK team are experts in transfusion medicine and receive numerous calls through their advice service. Regular lectures, educational talks to the profession and guidance is given to enquiries from all over the world on how to set up a blood bank.
Wendy Barnett, who is now Head of Clinical and Professional Services at Pet Blood Bank UK, said: "At the heart of our charity is a real desire to ensure that should a dog need blood there is a supply available and I'm delighted that our work, and the support of our many doggy donors and their owners, has been recognised through this award.
"Literally thousands of dog lives have been saved as a result of the service and this has been a real collective effort with Vet Supervisor Jenny Walton and the team here contributing to our success. However, we can't rest on our laurels. Demand from vets has been such that we've had to increase our donor sessions considerably. Like humans, there is a less common dog blood type and we desperately need dogs with negative blood type - such as Greyhounds, Weimaraners, Flat Coat Retrievers, Airedales, Boxers, Dobermans and German Shepherd Dogs to donate at our sessions."
Richard Dixon, founder of Vets Now, said: "Wendy was instrumental in setting up the charity and through her vision and leadership donation sessions have grown from one to three a week, with a 38% increase in donations year on year. We are proud of what Wendy has achieved and the role that the charity now plays in providing much needed blood and guidance to veterinary practices the length and breadth of the UK."
Thousands of shipments of equine germinal product (semen, ova or embryos) are imported into the UK every year. It is a legal requirement for all imported equine semen to be accompanied to the place of destination (usually to the side of the mare) by an original, valid health certificate (ITAHC), issued in the country of origin.
The BEVA says that recently, consignments of equine semen have been imported without the appropriate health certificates meaning that there is no guarantee that the semen is free from the stated diseases or even that it is from the chosen stallion.
According to the Association, some well-known importing agents have been advising mare owners that these certificates are unnecessary and openly criticising veterinary surgeons who refuse to inseminate mares with uncertified imported semen.
The use of uncertified semen risks recipient mares being infected with diseases such as CEM or EVA, the potentially rapid spread of disease in breeding stock and eventual restrictions being placed on breeding premises. Recent outbreaks of Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) in Europe have increased the threat to the UK herd.
The personal and professional reputation of any veterinary surgeon involved with using uncertified semen is also in danger, with the RCVS likely to take a stringent line with any vets who disregard animal health laws and the high health status of British horses.
Malcolm Morley, Partner at Stable Close Equine Practice was recently placed in a difficult position with a longstanding client when semen arrived without the requisite documentation. Following a discussion between the semen importer and his client, where the client was told that Malcolm was being pedantic and that the client should find someone else to inseminate the mare, Malcolm contacted the importer saying: "We have no intention of inseminating the mare without the correct health papers. Please will you ensure that when you speak to the mare’s owner that you make it clear that you do not expect us to inseminate the mare in these circumstances and that the health papers should have been shipped with the semen."
Another BEVA member who wishes to remain anonymous said: "I have one very big client I think I may be about to lose because of my refusal to inseminate his mare without papers … (the importing stud) did not feel it worth a three hour drive to get papers done. The semen importer has made it clear to my client that (they believe) I am just being awkward."
Mark Bowen Senior Vice president of BEVA said: "Import agencies have placed additional pressure on the vets to inseminate mares without the necessary paperwork. Not only is this action illegal but places recipient mares under a direct threat from a notifiable and incurable disease. This seems particularly cavalier given the recent outbreaks of EIA across Europe."
Tullis Matson, Founder and Managing Director of Stallion AI Services said: "No one should be inseminating mares with imported semen that isn’t accompanied by the original health certificate. If the UK wants to retain its high health status and continue to utilise the international market it needs the breeding industry and the veterinary profession to use the disease controls that are currently place until such a time as we can implement more efficient system."
The BEVA says it is taking the following action:
The survey, which was designed to give veterinary surgeons and employers a greater insight in order to be able to attract the highest calibre applicants, was completed by 206 veterinary nurses who described themselves as having recently looked for a job, or actively looking for a job, or could imagine looking for a job in the foreseeable future.
The second most important job attribute cited by veterinary nurses - out of 13 - was ‘pay’, with ‘work-life balance’ in third.
Interestingly, when asked a similar question, veterinary surgeons said ‘pay’ was only the 6th most important factor, perhaps a reflection of the fact that a reasonable salary is more of a given amongst veterinary surgeons than nurses.
The survey also found that only slightly more veterinary nurses are prepared to do out-of-hours work than veterinary surgeons: 58% versus 52%.
Lastly, the survey showed that nurses may be more internet-savvy than veterinary surgeons, with an overwhelming majority (85%) said they were likely to spend most time browsing jobs online, as opposed to traditional magazines (compared to nearly 70% of veterinary surgeons that said the same).
VetSurgeon.org/VetNurse.co.uk Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "The survey was carried out primarily to help practices create recruitment adverts that better meet the hopes and aspirations of candidates, thereby improving response rates.
"I think it provides clear evidence of the need for advertisements to give examples of how you show you value your nurses, such as support for further education, a system which allows their voices to be heard and good ideas implemented, and team-building events.
"And if you pay well, don’t be shy about staying so."
The full survey results can be downloaded here.
It is hoped that the treatment centre, which will use radio-iodine therapy to treat the condition, will be completed within three months at its base near Winchester.
The new centre will be one of only 11 in the UK and the aim is to reduce the waiting time for cats with hyperthyroidism to receive treatment.
Davina Anderson, European and RCVS Recognised Vet Specialist at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, said: "We’re delighted to be able to get the go-ahead to build this facility and will start construction work imminently.
"Radio-iodine therapy is the gold standard of treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats, far exceeding the results seen with surgery or oral medication.
"We intend to offer a service tailor-made to each individual cat and their family, with their clinical history and circumstances screened before they travel to us. This is to ensure that treatment with radio-iodine therapy is the correct therapeutic decision.
"The ten other centres in the UK providing this treatment are spread few and far between, and we hope that opening this facility will help to reduce waiting lists for cats awaiting treatment, particularly across southern England."
The centre at Anderson Moores will be run and managed by Boarded Specialists in Internal Medicine, supported by Boarded Cardiologists and qualified nurses.
It will also have the capacity to address other clinical concerns, if necessary. Davina said: "Cats that are presented with hyperthyroidism are older, more fragile and potentially have other concurrent conditions. It’s very rare for a cat under seven years of age to develop hyperthyroidism.
"The treatment of cats with hyperthyroidism involves a single injection of radioactive iodine, followed by isolation in a radiation-proof facility for two weeks.
"Cats usually respond extremely well to treatment, and if the condition is recognised early and treated appropriately, then the outlook for the affected cat is generally very good."
A PR headache for Fortnum and Mason yesterday, as PETA employee Abi Izzard changed her name by deed poll to StopFortnumandMasonFoieGrasCruelty.com to try and shame the London store into stopping selling foie gras.
To produce foie gras, birds are force-fed several times per day in a controversial practice known as gavage, which causes their livers to swell to many times their normal size. PETA claims the practice causes the birds' livers to become diseased, that many animals bleed to death after their throats are punctured by force-feeding tubes, that surviving birds live in terror as they await the next assault, and become sick and lethargic.
However, Dr. Daniel Guemene, Director of Research & Senior Scientist at the National Agronomic Institute in France, says his research proves otherwise. In one study for example, stress levels in force-fed birds were guaged through the measurement of corticosterone blood levels. The study concluded that there was no significant increase in stress levels, except after the first instance of force-feeding, which researchers said was most likely due to holding the ducks, rather than the force-feeding. In addition, he claims to have demonstrated that ducks show no avoidance behaviour to the force-feeder or force-feeding, as would be expected if they feared these things.
The actor Roger Moore is a supporter of this girl's campaign. He said: "Many people know me as James Bond or 007, but I never went so far as officially changing my name from Roger Moore. I hope the young lady now known as StopFortnumAndMasonFoieGrasCruelty.com royally shames this store".
The British Small Animal Association has responded to Defra's statement on compulsory microchipping.
The Association says it is an advocate of compulsory microchipping as the most effective way to permanently identify a dog - as long as owners maintain an up-to-date registration on the various databases. As such it broadly welcomes the recent Defra statement.
However, BSAVA points out that the statement has come before a full and considered consultation in terms of its implementation, and says it raises a number of questions for vets in practice:
Despite the headlines around the statement, this is yet to be laid down in law and will require changes under the Animal Welfare Act and potentially the Dangerous Dogs Act, so there is still a conversation to be had about its implementation.
For this reason BSAVA has announced that it is launching a consultation with its members to establish their concerns and opinions in order to work with all the organisations involved in the best interest of animal welfare and the profession. If anyone in practice wants to feed into this consultation, they should visit http://www.bsava.com or contact BSAVA's Scientific Policy Officer Sally Everitt via email - s.everitt@bsava.com.
BSAVA President Mark Johnston said: "While implantation can be straightforward for those with appropriate experience it will be important to ensure that all those who carry out implantation are properly trained. However microchipping is not just a matter of implanting the microchip, there is a significant amount of administrative work in ensuring that animals are properly registered and that details are kept up-to-date. All of these stages need to be properly funded if the scheme is to be successful and sustainable. BSAVA will be consulting its members to gather their views and concerns and hope to be involved in a productive conversation with all interested parties."
BSAVA says there is a good news animal welfare story within this statement concerning the seizure of animals during investigation under the Dangerous Dogs Act. The new measures will allow the authorities to decide whether a suspected prohibited dog can stay with their owners until the outcome of court proceedings. Until now all such animals had to be kennelled until the proceedings had concluded, which often means that dogs who posed no risk suffered unnecessarily. BSAVA welcomes this new measure in the interest of animal welfare.