The BEVA is urging its members to take part in a new campaign to monitor antimicrobial usage in equine practice.  

The MonitorME project, launched this month, collects antimicrobial usage data from equine practices around the UK, to better understand how antibiotics are used within the sector.

The project is being led by BEVA President Bruce Bladon (pictured) and it will be the main theme at BEVA Congress (10-13 September 2025, ICC Birmingham).

Bruce said: “Growing resistance to antibiotics is a very serious public health crisis, which is why I have chosen it as the overriding theme for my presidential year and for the forthcoming BEVA Congress.

“The World Health Organisation has the usage of veterinary antimicrobials firmly in their sights and the possibility of legislation being implemented to limit our access to these vital drugs is becoming ever more likely.

“It is important that we demonstrate, as a sector, that our usage of antimicrobials is responsible and proportionate, to ensure continued access.

"Taking part in a project like this is, without a doubt, the right thing to do.”

Practices are being asked to submit usage data from their practice management systems (PMS) to the BEVA office, where it will contribute to nationwide reporting of antibiotic use in UK equine practice.

Ideally, they need to record the total mg of each antimicrobial used, together with the number of horses treated last year (in total, not just those treated with antibiotics) and their average weight if available.

The data is analysed and then collated into annual reports, which are published on the BEVA MonitorME webpage.

The 2023 report is now available and will be updated periodically as practices continue to submit their 2023 data.

2024 data collection has started, so equine practices can send their data to antibiotics@beva.org.uk whenever they’re ready. 

https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Medicines/Antibiotics/MonitorME#aims 

https://www.bevacongress.org 

Following a five-year review of the Practice Standards Scheme, new standards will take effect from 1 April 2010, and be formally launched at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress in Birmingham (8-11 April).

The Scheme, to which around 50% of practice premises are now signed up, exists to raise standards for the benefit of the public, as well as employees. The review was undertaken by the Practice Standards Group, which includes representatives from all of the key veterinary and veterinary nursing organisations. Its objective was to ensure that standards remain relevant and achievable, while representing better practice. The Group took on board improvements in practice over the last five years, and feedback from inspectors and practices.

Practice Standards Group Chairman, Jill Nute said: "It was important that the Group took account of what the public might reasonably expect of a well-equipped, professional practice. We have made some adjustments to the original standards, placing greater emphasis on clinical outcomes and training."

She added: "To ensure the Scheme goes beyond a 'box-ticking exercise', the emphasis for inspectors has moved towards assessing how standards are applied. For example, not just noting whether a protocol exists for the servicing of anaesthetic equipment, but asking staff involved how this is carried out and what checks are made on a daily basis to ensure the equipment is satisfactory."

The numbered 'tiers' have gone, as these were shown to be confusing. The descriptive categories (Core, GP, Hospital), together with differentiations (equine, small animal, farm animal, emergency services clinic), remain. In addition, to encourage more farm animal practices into the Scheme at GP level, 'where applicable' has been added to certain GP standards, so that those without small animal or equine facilities can comply.

There are some new standards - such as the requirement for annual appraisal systems for all clinical staff. In other cases, as expectations of better practice increase, standards that were previously for Hospitals must now be met by General Practices, and some of those for GPs now apply across the board.

Another change has been in the Manual (see www.rcvs.org.uk/newPSSmanual), which now incorporates guidance alongside the standards rather than in a separate document. The new format clarifies the derivation of each standard, so that legislative requirements are distinguished from those required under the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and those indicated by better practice.

Practices already on the Scheme will be given plenty of time to comply.

Visit stand 911 at BSAVA Congress for more information, or attend Hall 6 at 3.30pm on Saturday 10 April for a presentation on the changes.

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College working in collaboration with the University of Cambridge have found that anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) increase appetite in dogs with epilepsy, causing many of them to become overweight. 

The researchers say that although increased appetite has been reported as a side effect of many AEDs in veterinary literature, the effect had not been quantified or studied in detail.

To assess the phenomenon in greater detail, the research team analysed food motivation through a validated Dog Obesity Risk Assessment questionnaire created by University of Cambridge¹.

The study compared 222 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy with a control population of 7,086 healthy dogs.

The survey was designed to determine if epilepsy and AEDs were associated with increased food motivation, weight gain and decreased activity, and to assess if and how caregivers managed weight gain in this population.

The data revealed that dogs with idiopathic epilepsy receiving AEDs had significantly higher food motivation in comparison to healthy dogs – they had increased interest in food, were less selective about food, were more interested in food between meals, and wanted more food than usually offered.

In response, carers of dogs on medication put greater effort into restricting how much their dogs ate, particularly of human food.

Despite this, these dogs had significantly greater fat mass.

More than half of owners of dogs with epilepsy always used treats to administer their dog’s ASD medication (53%) and did not compensate for it by reducing the dog’s main food ration (34%).

Given the epilepsy treatment often involves medication two or three times a day, this has the potential to increase calorie intake substantially, an issue compounded by epileptic dogs also being less active.

The researchers say it's important that vets and nurses advise owners to monitor their dog's weight and help them manage it. 

Dr Anna Morros-Nuevo of the University of Cambridge, and primary author of this study, said: "Idiopathic epilepsy, and in particular seizure episodes, have such an overwhelming impact on these dogs' families that side effects such as weight gain often get overlooked, both by vets and the pet's families.

"But unfortunately, obesity has lifelong negative impact on health and quality of life, since it predisposes dogs to suffer from joint problems and respiratory diseases, as well as metabolic disorders and urinary incontinence.

"Obese dogs have also been shown to have a shorter lifespan than dogs with a normal weight.

"While ASD are non-negotiable for many of these dogs, their caregivers and veterinarians should be aware of the lifelong impact of their side effects and manage them carefully.

"We hope these findings will help to increase awareness for both veterinary professionals and dog carers of the side effects of ASD and their impact for the patient."

Reference

1. Morros-Nuevo, A., Packer, R. M. A., Reagan, N. & Raffan, E. ‘Caregiver-reported increased food motivation and adiposity in dogs receiving antiseizure dogs’, Vet Record, 195(12) doi: http://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4907 

ESCCAP - the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites - is calling for veterinary practitioners, pet owners and human health physicians to work in unison to reduce the risks associated with zoonotic transmission of parasitic diseases.

The group, comprising eminent European veterinary practitioners and leaders in veterinary parasitology and public health, have joined forces to develop independent guidelines and educational materials for the optimal control of internal and external parasites that threaten the health of pets and people.

"Our mission is simple - to ensure that parasites are no longer a health issue for pets or humans across Europe," said Maggie Fisher, ESCCAP Director, ESCCAP UK member. "Our data and research clearly outlines the future spread of certain parasites across Europe and what will happen in the UK if preventative measures are not taken seriously. The group has been formed to provide free, scientifically robust and accessible material to every interested party."

Policy guidelines to outline prevention and management strategies for endoparasites and ringworm are now readily available with guidelines on ectoparasites and vector-borne diseases in development. There is a website for veterinary professionals - http://www.esccap.org/ with a pet owner website currently in development. Practitioners also have access to important research and comparison data that shows future trends and the potential threat to the country's canine and feline population.

Maggie said: "The first policy guideline we launched is on the subject of worms. There are a wide range of worms that can infect dogs and cats not only in mainland Europe, but increasingly in the UK. Some of these worms are more important than others due to prevalence, their pathogenicity for the host and their zoonotic potential. This guideline aims to provide an overview of these worms, their significance and, importantly, suggests rational control measures for the most important species. We've looked closely at methods of preventing or controlling infection in the animal, prevention of transmission via environmental contamination to other animals and humans, and prevention of human infection. Our aim is that this guideline policy is adopted in every veterinary practice throughout Europe."

Ringworm control in dogs and cats forms the basis of the second guideline policy. "The presence of dermatophytosis is influenced by a number of factors relating to the animal, environmental issues and the crowding of animals. This guideline recommends a management programme for ringworm and what vets should be considering in the treatment, management and control of dermatophyte transmission."

Vets wishing to obtain a downloadable version of the policy papers can do so free of charge from www.esccap.org.

Practices wishing to sign up to ESCCAP for regular updates and further information should email: queries@esccap.org.uk. 

ESCCAP is supported by Novartis Animal Health, Merial and Bayer HealthCare Animal Health.

Winners of the 2008 Petplan Veterinary Awards, which recognise and applaud staff and practices for their outstanding excellence and service, will feature on Natasha Kaplinsky’s Channel Five news slot from tonight at 5:00pm, and then again at 7:00pm.

Tonight's news will cover the story of the Veterinary Practice of the Year: Orwell Veterinary Group, and there'll be more coverage on Tuesday and Wednesday as follows:

Tuesday 13th May
5pm & 7pm – Vet of the Year – Brian Faulkner of the Melton Veterinary Surgery

Wednesday 14th May
5pm & 7pm – Vet Nurse of the Year – Louisa Baker of the Priors Leaze Veterinary Centre.

Should be great publicity for the profession, and it is difficult to achieve this sort of thing, so hats off to Petplan.

Merial has published Give Them Just What they Need, a guide to the key considerations concerning the vaccination of cats.

The company says it produced the guide after conducting research in which 76% of small animal veterinary surgeons said they are not fully aware of the most recent feline vaccination guidelines, and 98% said they'd find a guide useful.

The survey¹, which was conducted amongst 114 UK small animal vets, also showed that whilst 82% of vets are aware of the existence of feline vaccination guidelines from organisations such as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD), 58% don’t know the content well, and a further 18% were not aware of the guidelines at all.

In a concurrent survey of 1000 cat owners², 60% said they would have more confidence in their vet knowing that they were vaccinating according to the latest guidelines. The cat owner survey also found that 80% rely on their vet for information about vaccination, and 60% would like more information about vaccination.

Claire Edmunds, product manager at Merial, said: "Understanding that vets are busy people and using all of the insight that we have gathered from vets and owners to shape the content of the guide, we have condensed previously published vaccination recommendations from organisations such as WSAVA and ABCD into really useful, practical advice. The new guide and complementary support materials will hopefully prove to be really valuable resources for vets, giving them the information they need when reviewing their vaccination protocols, in a quick, easy-access format.

"By being better informed about the latest recommendations, we want vets to feel more confident in discussing all aspects of vaccination with their clients. With the majority of cat owners saying that they rely on their vet for vaccination information and nearly half stating that their vet clearly explaining the benefits of vaccination would increase their compliance in vaccinating their cat, this obviously will be beneficial to both the practice and pet cats."

Merial has also produced supporting materials for use alongside the guide, including a take-home leaflet for owners and digital assets for social media and newsletter use, designed to help vets start discussions about vaccination.

Give Them Just What they Need is available from your regional Merial Territory Manager or for download at https://goo.gl/7Uas3y

References

1. Survey of 114 small animal vets, September 2015
2. Survey of 1000 cat owners, September 2015

Hill's Pet Nutrition has been awarded “The Pet Food Company Most Trusted By Vets” at the Vet Trust Awards 2025.

Presented by The Webinar Vet and Vet Dynamics, the Vet Trust Awards celebrate notable contributions to veterinary advancement.

Claire Towers, General Manager of Hill’s Pet Nutrition UK and Ireland said: “Our recognition as the most trusted pet food brand is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Hill’s team, ensuring vets remain integral to our mission.”

Vita Animal Health has shared the results of a survey it commissioned which has found that 68% of dog owners either ‘don’t know’ or are ‘not sure’ about how pre and probiotics can support gastrointestinal upset.

In the online survey of 392 dog owners, which was conducted Companion Consultancy, 64.5% of owners said their dog has suffered from gastrointestinal upset.

51.8% said they used home cooked chicken and rice to manage their dog's digestive upset.

28.6% sought veterinary advice.

18.8% used a pre and probiotic, despite half of the respondents thinking they would be useful.

Veterinary nurse and sales manager at Vita, Tara Evans, said: “We know that digestive upset is very common in dogs, and almost two thirds of the survey respondents identified that scavenging was the primary cause of upset.

"We want to help support pet owners in knowing how they can best look after their pet in these situations, and provide them with both educational resources and an effective product.

“Education is key in helping owners make the best choices for their dogs.

"Changing their diet in a time of digestive upset isn’t always the best option, so it’s important that we provide owners with up-to-date information."

www.vitaanimalhealth.com

The Royal Veterinary College has established the Nestlé Purina RVC Intensive Respiratory Centre to provide advanced critical care for patients with severe respiratory diseases. The Centre will offer small animals the UK’s most advanced level of respiratory care with equipment that is more frequently found in human intensive care units, such as a state-of-the-art mechanical ventilator, a critical care monitor and specially made oxygen units (kennels).

Advances in veterinary care mean that animals are able to undergo more invasive procedures, such as extensive thoracic surgeries including cardiopulmonary bypass operations. These patients require more intensive post-operative care, including mechanical ventilation in some cases. The acquisition of this state-of-the-art equipment, to enable such an advanced level of care, has been made possible through sponsorship from Nestlé Purina.

Respiratory diseases are fairly common in companion animals – however there are limited options for treatment for animals that are severely affected with life-threatening respiratory failure. To date new techniques and treatments that have been developed for human patients with severe respiratory diseases have not been applied to animals. Some of the activities of the centre will involve evaluating the effectiveness and appropriateness of using some of these newly developed techniques on small animals.

“The RVC is perfectly placed to pioneer innovative treatment to improve the lives of animals with severe respiratory problems,” said Daniel Chan, Lecturer in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care at the Royal Veterinary College.

“We’ve got the expertise of specialists in internal medicine, emergency and critical care, surgery, anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging and clinical nutrition – by combining these skills and with the support of Nestlé Purina, we will be able to deliver a comprehensive programme of care. This co-ordinated approach is unique.”

Specialised training modules and lectures for veterinary students, nurses and practitioners, will also be delivered as part of the Centre’s remit and the Centre is also creating a forum for clinicians and researchers from across the world to share information about advances in this field.

Paragon Veterinary Group has become the first winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s new national Sustainable Gardening Award, for the wellbeing gardens it created at its surgeries in Dalston and Newbiggin.

Paragon’s gardens feature bee and insect hotels, bird feeders, bat boxes and robin hides, plants for pollinators and long grass to suit hedgehogs.

The garden at Dalston has a bog garden and pond.

Children from the local primary school visit to plant trees and scatter wildflower seeds.

Paragon’s most ambitious project is at Newbiggin where, with the help of a grant from Forestry England, it is planting a three-hectare native broadleaf woodland, reinstating hedgerows and incorporating a wildflower meadow.

Gardeners’ World’s Frances Tophill presented the framed certificate and trophy at the Britain in Bloom Awards at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester.

Laura Binnie, small animal vet and sustainability lead at Paragon, said: “When we set out to create wellbeing gardens for our staff to enjoy, and to do it as sustainably as we could, we never thought it would go this far.”

“In the veterinary profession, we’re at that unique intersection where people, planet and animals come together.

“We feel a responsibility to do something for the community, for nature and for our clients and staff, and to lessen our impact on the climate crisis.” 

https://www.paragonvet.com