The report says the greatest threat to farm animal welfare standards post-Brexit would come from UK farmers competing against cheap, imported food from countries that produce to lower standards than the UK. Therefore, the Government's wish for the UK to become a global leader in free trade is not necessarily compatible with its desire to maintain high animal welfare standards.
Noting the UK's overwhelming reliance on non-UK EU citizens to fill crucial official veterinary positions in the UK, the Committee called on the Government to ensure that the industry is able to retain or recruit qualified staff to fill these roles post-Brexit.
Responding to the report, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The report offers strong leadership and a clear message, emphasising the consumer and cross-sector consensus that current animal health and welfare standards must be at least maintained in Brexit negotiations. Prioritising these standards in trade negotiations could guarantee a unique selling point for the UK. As the report recommends, as consumers we must make sure we do not compromise quality for cost-savings in order to avoid a race to the bottom for welfare standards. We now need clarity from the Government on how underpinning processes and overarching principles, like Article 13 which ensures animal welfare requirements are fully considered in policy-setting, will be incorporated into domestic law.
"The report supports our view that animal welfare should be considered a public good and we reiterate our calls following the Secretary of State’s recent speech that a replacement CAP scheme should encompass animal welfare, animal health, disease surveillance, biodiversity and environmental stewardship to benefit not only UK producers, but consumers and wider society too.
"The EU Committee’s recognition of the vital role vets play in animal health, welfare and public health is extremely encouraging. Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in abattoirs protect and reassure UK consumers, certifying and supervising the import and export of animals and animal products to third countries. As I outlined in my evidence to the Committee, some estimates suggest 95% of OVs working in UK abattoirs graduated overseas, mostly in the EU. However, we are already hearing of fewer applicants for veterinary public health roles since the referendum.
"There are significant concerns about the potential impact of a post-Brexit veterinary workforce shortage on the UK's £100 billion agri-food sector, in terms of risking business and consumer confidence as well as the UK’s future export capability. A strong, sustainable veterinary workforce is absolutely vital to safeguarding animal health, welfare and public health post Brexit."
Pfizer Animal Health has launched Vet Support+ a dedicated veterinary business consultancy team with a brief to boost the profitability and productivity of veterinary practices across the UK.
Staffed by a team of seven business consultants who have undertaken academic and practical training to add to their experience in the veterinary industry, Vet Support+ will offer tailored support to practices in a format which aims to offer flexibility and a rapid return on investment. The services range across the three critical areas of business operations, client relations and staff management. Consultants will initially focus on supporting practices operating in the companion animal sector, extending their service to the dairy sector early in 2011.
According to Pfizer, the Vet Support+ service has been developed in response to detailed research among practices to understand their requirements for business advice and support. It's launched against a backdrop of continued stagnation in the veterinary sector according to latest data from the Fort Dodge Index benchmark of practice performance. Vet Support+ will operate independently of the pharmaceutical business with no sharing of information or data.
Vet Support+'s consultants are based across the UK in order to be convenient for practices in any part of the country.
The team is headed by Laura Jenkins, who has held a range of senior roles at Pfizer UK. Laura said: "Many vets working in practice relish the clinical side of their work for which they have trained so hard. It can therefore come as a shock to many that they also find themselves responsible for running the business side of the practice for which they may have received virtually no guidance during their training. They have a real need for objective, practical advice they can trust, which is based on a detailed knowledge of the market. Many also appreciate 'hand-holding' and coaching through the tough process of making changes required within the practice in order to put it on a more stable and successful footing. The continuing challenges of the economic climate make it imperative that practices take bold steps now to ensure not only that they're able to withstand the continued recession but are well-positioned to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.
"Our Vet Support+ consultants are highly experienced in the veterinary market and have received very positive feedback from the practices they've worked with during a pilot of the service. They're focused on demonstrating significant value to their clients and achieving early results on the bottom line. They'll be looking to build a close relationship with their client practices, acting as a coach and 'critical friend' as they help them plan for a successful and profitable future."
For further information on the Vet Support+ service please contact Laura Jenkins on 01737 330705.
An international group of scientists has published new results that herald a breakthrough in finding a vaccine against the most commonly diagnosed infectious disease of horses, strangles.
UK experts from the Animal Health Trust collaborated with scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), the Karonlinska Institutet Medical University and Intervacc AB, on the project - the results of which could benefit humans as well as animals.
Professor Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the AHT, said: "We have been working towards developing a vaccine for 7 years, and finally it seems as if all the hard work is paying off. We've already developed better ways of diagnosing exposure to the infection, and now, with the success of creating a safe and effective vaccine, it looks as if we're finally bringing together the tools necessary to eradicate this terrible disease."
The vaccine consists of seven different Streptococcus proteins and results from early tests published in PLoS Pathogens have been incredibly positive showing a high level of protection and no side effects. It is hoped that the strangles vaccine could be commercially available in the near future.
Streptococcus equi, the bacterium that causes strangles, shares 80 per cent identity with Streptococcus pyogenes - the leading cause of bacterial pharyngitis, tonsillitis and rheumatic fever in humans, which kills thousands of people each year. Scientists hope that the knowledge gained through developing the strangles vaccine will also help in developing vaccines to combat these human conditions.
Research leader, Professor Bengt Guss of SLU, said: "This is a most exciting project, where research is generating new applications and knowledge that can be used to develop vaccines against these important bacteria. This is particularly important considering the increased number of infectious diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria."
The vaccine development work was only made possible thanks to information from the Streptococcus equi genome sequencing project funded by The Horse Trust.
The Horse Trust's Chief Executive Brigadier Paul Jepson, said: "We are absolutely delighted that by pulling apart the genome of this plague of the horse world scientists have generated a truly safe and effective strangles vaccine. That this work could also benefit other animal and human health is beyond our wildest hopes."
Full text of the research findings can be found in PLoS Pathogens online at http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1000584
MSD Animal Health has reintroduced Zanil, the flukicide drench for cattle and sheep.
Based on the active ingredient oxyclozanide, MSD says Zanil is highly effective against the adult fluke responsible for chronic disease and - significantly for dairy farmers - is licensed for use in young, pregnant and lactating animals, with a 72-hour milk withhold period where milk is produced for human consumption.
MSD Animal Health veterinary advisor Matt Haslam said: "The latest independent data1 confirms that fluke is on the increase in UK cattle and sheep. The fluke problem is longstanding, but is being exacerbated by recent wet summer and autumn periods that have created ideal conditions for this parasite to proliferate and infect grazing livestock.
"Chronic liver fluke causes serious economic losses for livestock farmers. In dairy herds, for example, there will be a negative impact on fertility and milk production where cows are affected.
"It is important that farmers have access to the best treatment options given the size of the threat and the scale of potential losses. Zanil is used widely and effectively in Ireland in the control of fluke problems, and there is no known resistance to the active ingredient oxyclozanide. With its re-introduction into the country, we believe Zanil is unique as a flukicide-only treatment that is licensed for use in lactation and in the dry period for the treatment of adult fluke in dairy cows."
Zanil is an oral drench with POM-VPS authorisation, available from both animal health suppliers and veterinary practices. Dosage rate is 3ml per 10kg bodyweight in cattle, up to a maximum of 105ml, and 4.5ml per 10kg bodyweight in sheep, up to a maximum of 20ml.
Reference
See DEFRA emerging threats reports in sheep and cattle, Q1 2013: www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/files/pub-survrep-sr0113.pdf
The BVA is now reaching out to non-members with a three-month, no strings attached, free trial. The offer ends on 31 August.
Over the past few years the BVA membership package has changed significantly in response to the needs of veterinary surgeons across the UK at all stages of their careers.
Harvey Locke, BVA President, said: "The well-documented stresses that put members of our profession at risk of mental health problems are unacceptably high. With their focus on conflict resolution and individual support, however, we hope the BVA legal services will come to be seen as a safety net for BVA members should things go wrong at work.
"These kinds of employment issues can be hard to talk about so we hope by highlighting a few stories it will encourage others to seek the help they need from the BVA.
"The three-month free trial is an opportunity for the BVA to reach out to non-members and show them the impact of our complete membership package - from the legal and employment services and free and discounted CPD to our popular publications and money-saving financial services."
Dechra Veterinary Products is offering CPD sessions as podcasts for the first time, as part of a new series of presentations on canine hyperadrenocorticism.
The Cushing's Challenge series, which will also be available as webcasts with supporting notes, is designed to challenge vets to update their knowledge on the syndrome.
There will be six presentations released on the company's online learning resource, The Dechra Academy, starting this month.
Dechra Veterinary Products Brand Manager, Craig Sankey said: "Although Cushing's is a common canine endocrinopathy, it can be challenging to diagnose and can mimic non-adrenal disorders. Test results can also sometimes be inconclusive which is why we've developed this series of CPD sessions to support veterinary professionals who want to update their knowledge.
"The Cushing's Challenge series will be the first time Dechra has used podcasts to deliver CPD, which can be downloaded and listened to on any MP3 player. They can also be viewed on a PC or tablet as a webcast with each of the presentations varying in length, from around 12 to 25 minutes long. By offering the presentations in both of these formats, we are able to offer flexible support to help busy veterinary professionals with CPD.
"The first episodes will focus on pathophysiology, clinical signs and routine lab tests with successive presentations released in the coming weeks. The next two in the series will cover diagnostic tests and then differentiation tests."
CPD certificates will be available at the end of the series via email.
The free-of-charge CPD is accompanied by client support materials for practices as part of Dechra's new Vetoryl campaign.
The Cushing's Challenge CPD is available at www.dechra.co.uk/academy,
Virbac Animal Health has launched an extra small version of its VeggieDent dental chews for dogs weighing less than 5kg.
Research commissioned by the company shows that 9% of all dogs in the UK weigh less than 5kg1 and that periodontal disease is over-represented in this group2.
According to the Kennel Club, celebrity culture is boosting the popularity of small breeds. Apparently there was a 25% increase in Kennel Club registrations of Chihuahuas in 2011, following publicity about Paris Hilton and her Chihuahua. Virbac says numbers of other small miniature breeds such as pugs are also growing rapidly.
Virbac says VeggieDent chews are designed to work with the animal's chewing action, 100% vegetable, highly palatable and feature a special design to increase chewing time. A recent study3 showed that a daily XS VeggieDent reduced halitosis as well as significantly reducing gingivitis, plaque, and tartar accumulation.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac said: "With growing numbers of very small dogs in the UK, we wanted to produce a chew which was exactly the right size for them.
VeggieDent Chews are already popular among dog owners because they are a nutritious and palatable plaque control aid, minimising tartar build up and improving breath odour. With the launch of the extra small size, we now offer the perfect chew for every size of dog."
For further information, contact your Territory Manager or call Head Office on 01359 243243.
References:
Matt, who contracted Lyme disease early last year, has been out giving interviews about how he was bitten by a tick, his experience with Lyme disease and why he is supporting the Big Tick Project. He said: "It was a really scary time for me and my family, and I was shocked to find out that a tick bite in Chiswick – such a tiny creature – caused me to end up needing heart surgery. Even though I am free from Lyme disease now it really has impacted me. I still have to take daily medication and I now adjust my lifestyle in a number of ways."
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "This recent campaign is part of a series of high profile media campaigns that we’ve organised to help pet owners understand the risks posed by ticks and the importance of seeking advice from vets. Vet are central to this campagn.
"During our attendance this summer at DogFest and Countryfile Live we asked pet owners about their awareness of the risks. While this was very rough data the message that came back consistently was that many pet owners didn’t realise that not all flea treatments could also provide protection against ticks.
"We are therefore urging them to talk to their vet and vet nurses to better understand the treatments they are paying for. The conversation is important as the risks can be high."
For further information, visit: www.bigtickproject.co.uk
The webinar programme includes both clinical and non-clinical topics.
Clinical topics include post mortem/diagnostics and calf pneumonia, parasitology – getting the basics right, and herd health planning – vaccination on farm.
Non-clinical topics include business skills, motivational interviewing techniques – facilitating effective communication between farmers and vets, and cow signals.
Webinars take place on the last Wednesday of each month, except August and December when there are no sessions.
Each webinar lasts for one hour, including a live question and answer session with the presenter. Those who are unable to view the live webinar will be able to access the content at a later date, but will not be able to pose questions.
To access the webinars, you need to register on Merial’s Nexus portal (merialnexus.co.uk). If you sign up in advance for individual webinars, you'll get reminder emails before they start.
Ceva introduced eco-friendly CLAS (Ceva Layered Anti Shatter) vials in 2007 and continues to invest in the technology for livestock injectables, such as NSAIDs and antibiotics.
However, the three-minute survey - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CLASvials - will help it better understand current attitudes towards packaging and how it can continue to make changes that will drive improvements across the industry.
Five participating vets’ names will be picked at random to win a £20 Amazon voucher in a prize draw.
Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health said: “Following discussions with both UK vets and farmers, we believe that there is some confusion around the disposal of pharmaceutical waste both on farm and from the vet clinic.
"The survey will give us an insight into what is happening to pharmaceutical waste on farms and help us to drive improvements across the industry.”
The refreshed packaging keeps the same colour scheme, but the graphics indicating the product uses stand out better.
The company has also added an area on the side of the carton for owners to note the date each dose is given.
What can I say, it's a slow news day.
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
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
Hysolv Animal Health UK has announced that it is offering a free diagnostic test which allows vets to identify the E. coli sub-types that produce the Shiga toxin associated with oedema disease in pigs.
The test, known as STEC-Check and worth £150-£200, is being sponsored by IDT Biologika GmbH. In the UK and Republic of Ireland, faeces and/or intestinal samples will be sent to the Animal Health and Plant Agency (APHA), Weybridge and SAC Consulting Veterinary Services at Penicuik to confirm results within a few days.
Hysolv says the test will provide a quick and accurate diagnosis, enabling appropriate action, including vaccination, to be taken on the farm.
Richard Brealey from Hysolv said: "Oedema disease is not always obvious and may be masked or controlled by the use of antibiotics, the use of zinc oxide or low-protein feeds which can also negatively affect productivity. This test will help confirm the presence of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli on the farm, a cause of serious losses in individual herds. We are therefore advising farmers to contact their vets to discuss using STEC-check on their farms."
According to the company, a nationwide study in Germany showed that 59% of farms where oedema was suspected were affected by Shiga toxin.
Richard added: "The Ecoporc Shiga vaccine has been recently licensed for use in the UK. There is pressure on vets and farmers to reduce the use of antimicrobials and vaccination, together with other measures, and this will help them to do this."
In the UK farmers will be able to carry out a DIY calculation of their return on investment online, using their smartphones or by visiting the Shiga toxin website www.shigatoxin.com
Sue, who is President of the European Society of Dermatology and an RCVS Specialist, says in a video interview that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is making otitis externa cases difficult to resolve and that vets can help overcome the problem by rethinking their first line prescription choices.
In the video, created in conjunction with Elanco Animal Health (maker of Osurnia), Sue said: "It’s a sad thing to say but if everybody did manage cases of otitis externa appropriately first time, I probably wouldn’t have a job at all."
"Many of the cases I see as a referral clinician are longstanding cases with very severe, multiply-resistant infections. If we get these cases right on the first occasion with appropriate prescription of drugs, and we don’t hurt dogs so we can give ongoing treatment, then we’d never ever see pseudomonas infection again."
Sue believes part of the problem is that veterinary surgeons are incorrectly saving some of their best first-line treatments for difficult cases. This is perpetuating the antimicrobial resistance problem as cases are being inadvertently mismanaged.
She said: "Florfenicol, which is the active antibiotic in Osurnia, has excellent gram positive activity which makes it an ideal first line choice. However, there’s a misconception that florfenicol is a fluoroquinolone - which it isn’t - so vets are incorrectly ‘saving it’ rather than using it on the first occasion."
Sue also highlights that poor compliance, resulting from the patient’s behavioural problems associated with ear phobia, also has a long-term impact:
"We’ve seen many 'well behaved' dogs that have bitten their owners as a result of fear aggression; we’ve had dogs that have pinned their owners against the wall. I would argue very strongly that if you use long-acting products in dogs on the first occasion then you avoid creating that problem and these dogs don’t become difficult to medicate on a long-term basis."
Sue summarised two factors that vets need to consider when deciding on the appropriate treatment: the right active ingredients to target common first-line pathogens; and the method of application. She urged vets to consider using a long-acting product applied within the practice, removing the need for home treatment to reduce stress for both owner and the dog, improve long-term compliance and maximise clinical outcomes.
To hear Sue’s tips on how to treat cases of otitis, watch the video here – www.osurnia.co.uk
Webinar Vet Anthony Chadwick MRCVS (pictured right) has launched the UK's first virtual CPD congress for veterinary surgeons.
The event will 18 hours of CPD lectures via two live streams and one recorded stream. Anthony said: "Covering topics such as endocrinology with Prof Ian Ramsey, diagnostic imaging with Prof Mike Herrtage, and feline internal medicine with Dr Jane Armstrong, delegates will be able to jump-start their 2013 CPD in the most effective and efficient way!"
All three streams will also be available after the congress. Anthony said: "We have put a great programme together with top speakers from the UK, Australia and the USA. All of the sessions are being recorded and you will have access to all of the webinar after the event. This means delegates can watch one stream on the day and then the other lectures at their leisure."
The Webinar Vet International Virtual Congress is being held on Saturday 12th January 2013, between 9:30 - 4:30 pm GMT. It is open to non-members as well as members, at £97+VAT and £37+VAT respectively. For more details on the 18 lectures and to buy a ticket, visit http://www.theinternationalwebinarvet.com
Bayer Animal Health has announced that following the success of its educational TV advertising campaign, which ran earlier this year and promoted the need to worm cats, a second advertising campaign will now run in September.
Bayer (makers of Profender Spot-on solution) says its first campaign, which ran in May, had the principal aim of driving pet owners to their vet to ask about spot-on worming for their cats.
As part of the same campaign, research was conducted on cat behaviour by interviewing cat owners and attaching 'cat cams' and 'cat navs' to nine cats around the country. The results were analysed by cat behaviour expert Roger Tabor and can be found on the website www.spotonwormer4cats.com/, both as a short video documentary and a 24-page report, entitled 'The Secret Lives of Cats'.
A consumer PR campaign was also run in parallel with the TV advertising, which Bayer says was very successful in attracting entrants to a competition to find the cat with the biggest personality. Winners of the Cats with Cat-titude competition have now been announced and profiled on www.spotonwormer4cats.com.
Dan White, Profender product manager, said: "Post campaign market research revealed there was a 5% increase in the awareness of spot-on cat worming.
"The second phase of TV advertising - using the same advert but without the online competition - will start on 4th September and will build on the success of the previous advertising. And over the following three weeks, it will be broadcast on ITV1, ITV2, Channels 4 and 5, and Sky One, and is expected to reach 7 million of our core target audience."
Veterinary practices can obtain a subtitled version of 'The Secret Lives of Cats' documentary to play in their waiting rooms, and a wide selection of support materials, by contacting their Bayer Territory Manager.
Organisers are calling for entrants for this year's Vet Charity Challenge, an outdoor sporting fundraiser which also serves as a team building event for practices.
Competitors take part in walking, running, cycling and kayaking challenges, along with some orienteering and mental and physical tasks, in teams of four.
The event will take place on Saturday 28th September at Pershore College, Worcestershire.
Organisers say the Vet Charity Challenge has been designed for every level of fitness and success on the day depends very much on how well each team member works together, rather than physical fitness.
Jason Rogers, one of the VCC organisers said: "Teams are registering every day and we are delighted with the response. But there are a few team spaces left, so I urge practices to register a team of four online now at: www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk."
The Vet Charity Challenge 2012 raised a total of £21,000, which was shared between three animal charities. The event in 2013 will raise funds for Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, SPANA and Animals Asia.
From 31 October 2008, veterinary surgeons will again be allowed to charge animal owners for writing prescriptions, when a three-year ban on such fees comes to an end.
The Supply of Relevant Veterinary Medicinal Products Order 2005 was introduced by the former Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to implement recommendations from a 2003 Competition Commission inquiry into the supply of prescription-only veterinary medicines, which, among other things, found that prescription charges were against the public interest. It was hoped by the DTI that the move would benefit consumers by providing for pharmacies and other suppliers to have an opportunity to establish themselves as competitors to veterinary surgeons in supplying prescription-only veterinary medicines.
Although veterinary practices will be able to make a charge for writing a prescription from 31 October 2008, one thing does not change: practices must not charge different fees for other services or veterinary medicines to those who take a prescription and those who do not.
Jill Nute, RCVS President said: "The OFT (Office of Fair Trading) will monitor the reintroduction of prescription charges and has indicated that the level of monitoring will be proportionate to the perceived need - how well the market is working.
In addition, the RCVS will monitor complaints that relate to prescription charges and meet with the OFT to review the situation in six months time. Care must be taken to ensure that prescription fees are calculated sensibly, or the zero-fee ruling may be reintroduced."
The OFT has advised that veterinary practices must not agree between themselves what constitutes a suitable fee: it is prohibited by competition law.
General guidance for members of the profession is available on RCVSonline (Advice Note 15): www.rcvs.org.uk/advicenotes. Guidance for members of the public is also available online at:
http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/before_you_buy/thinking_about/560042/
Other Competition Commission recommendations, such as displaying a price-list of the ten relevant veterinary medicinal products most commonly prescribed during a recent period, have been enforced since 2005 via the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and will remain in place.
239 members took part in the survey, 46% from independent practices and the remainder in corporates.
60% were clinical directors, partners or owners and 30% were in an assistant or associate role.
Other than COVID, the main barriers to providing EMS were not having enough time or energy to support a student (approx 46%), too much work to do (approx 37%), not enough veterinary staff (approx 33%), and not having housing for a student (approx 19%).
The top four things which respondents felt would improve the quality of EMS were a clearer understanding of students' needs (92%), longer placements to allow more confidence to build (84%), free training on how to coach students (78%) and more resources to help students and mentors (73%).
It was also suggested that because universities are effectively asking vets to do their job for them, they should be offering free CPD to help all vets deliver EMS effectively.
To enhance the EMS experience, SPVS has produced a pre-placement preparation form which outlines the practice requirements, an EMS induction form to help students consider their priorities and expectations for the placement and the a Skills Matrix which provides a framework to structure learning objectives and record progress.
For the full survey report and to access the resources, visit the SPVS website https://spvs.org.uk/ems-free-resources-gateway/
The company initiated the recall after identifying a potential for the sterility/stability of the product to be compromised due to a crimping problem of the aluminium cap.
The recall is for the 100 ml bottles of the following batch only:
Batch No.0C3829 Expiry Date 03/12/2022
Vetoquinol UK Ltd is contacting veterinary surgeons and veterinary wholesalers to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.
For further information, contact the Customer Services Department on +44 1280 814500 Option 1 or email: UK_office@vetoquinol.com.
The route covers a distance of approximately 400 miles.
Oscar said: “My goals for the event are to raise awareness about mental health within the veterinary profession and demonstrate how being in the countryside can boost wellbeing. Along the way, I’m keen to fundraise as much as possible for Vetlife.
“Vetlife has done so much for the veterinary profession with regards to making mental health support more accessible.
"Having that knowledge that they are there personally provides a lot of comfort in what can sometimes be quite a lonely and isolating profession.”
Fellow cyclist and Vetlife trustee Danny Chambers said: “I know how painful it is to cycle up Cheddar Gorge in North Somerset, so I am in awe that Oscar is cycling a 400-mile route around that terrain to visit every vet practice in Somerset in 2 days.
"I’m sure in his brief visits to each practice he’ll get a warm welcome and some sustenance to help him along to his next pit stop!
"Thank you to Oscar for his enthusiasm and support.”
Oscar is inviting others in the veterinary community to join sections of the journey along the way.
For more information on how to get involved with the cycle, visit the Somervet Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1930480070643515.
Donate to the fundraiser via the Somervet JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ride-somervet
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says this is evidence that its strategy to tackle bovine TB, which costs taxpayers £100m a year, is delivering results.
Defra says that gaining OTF status for the low risk area, covering the north and east of England, would boost trade opportunities and mean some herds require less regular TB testing, reducing costs for farmers.
This would be the first time anywhere in England has enjoyed this status and the government says it is a key step in its 25-year plan for the whole of the UK to be TB-free by 2038.
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: "Gaining global recognition that more than half of England is TB-free will be a significant milestone in our long-term plan to eradicate this devastating disease, and will open up new trading opportunities for farmers.
"We have much still to do in the worst affected parts of the country, but this shows that our strategy - combining practical biosecurity measures, a robust cattle movement and testing regime, and badger control in areas where the disease is rife - is right and is working."
Results published today confirm all ten licensed badger control operations achieved successful outcomes. A consultation opens today on next steps for badger control in areas that have completed the first four years of intensive culling.
Other measures announced today include:
Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said: "This year we have seen that badger control can be delivered successfully on a wider scale. Further expansion in the coming years, alongside our robust cattle movement and testing regime, will allow us to achieve and maintain long term reductions in the level of TB across the South West and Midlands where the disease is currently widespread."
The government says it is taking robust action to make the country TB-free by 2038, with a strategy including stronger cattle testing and movement controls, good biosecurity, badger control in areas where TB is rife and vaccination when possible.
Vaccinating healthy badgers is part of the government’s long-term plan and could play an important role in preventing bovine TB spreading to new areas of the country. Defra plans to resume the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, which offers support for private badger vaccination projects in edge area counties, in 2018 when we expect vaccine supplies to be available once more following the current global shortage.
The government is also supporting farmers to take practical action to reduce the risk of infection onto their farm. This includes support for a new CHeCS TB cattle herd accreditation scheme, on-farm biosecurity demonstrations for farmers, and training for veterinary surgeons delivered by APHA jointly with the private sector. Farmers can also access practical guidance on the TB Hub, which brings advice from farming experts, vets and government together in one place.
The new resources include the Equine Veterinary Journal’s (EVJ) publication of BEVA’s Primary Clinical Care Guidelines on wound management in horses together with BEVA’s first ever digital CPD course: 'How to Heal Wounds – a masterclass for vets and vet nurses'.
The new guidelines cover three key areas: wound lavage and topical treatments; wound debridement and closure and therapeutics for wound healing.
Sarah Freeman, who led the project, said: "These guidelines are aimed at the vast majority of our membership who are primary care practitioners. Topics covered are voted for by BEVA’s panel of specialists and represent a benchmark in time against the strength and weakness of evidence that support it."
The wound management guidelines follow BEVA’s recommendations on the safe use of analgesia in horses, which were published earlier this year.
BEVA’s new online course: 'How to Heal Wounds' is aimed at mixed and equine practitioners and veterinary nurses who encounter wounds in horses.
Led by Dr Patrick Pollock BVMS, PhD, CertES(Soft Tissue), DipECVS, FHEA, FRCVS along with teaching from leading names including Professor Derek Knottenbelt OBE, BVM&S, DVM&S, DipECEIM, MRCVS, Dr Dylan Gorvy BSc, BVSc, PhD, CertES(Soft Tissue), DipECVS, and Ms Georgie Hollis BSc it will provide key concepts of wound physiology and introduce new treatment ideas and modalities designed to optimise wound healing.
Tim Mair Chair from BEVA’s Education Committee said: “This course is an absolute masterclass for vets and vet nurses. It contains 12 on-demand recorded lectures, together with the opportunity to attend up to three live discussions with the speakers. The final live discussion will provide the opportunity for the delegates to trouble shoot with our speakers after being able to go and practice the skills and knowledge learnt on the course.”
The course will be available from August 2020. It will cost £65 for BEVA members (£130 for non-members), which includes access to course resources for up to a year – meaning if they can’t attend a live discussion, they can watch it later.
Photo: Dr G Quinn.
Virbac has launched Nutribound, a complementary feed to help stimulate eating and drinking in inappetent cats and dogs.
The company says the product has been designed to help animals recovering from surgery or illness and those that are just experiencing a general lack of interest in food or water.
Nutribound is given alongside the pet’s diet but can also be given by tube or syringe if needed.
Claire Lewis, Product Manager, said: "Pets that lose interest in their food can be challenging for owners to deal with - and a pet that is struggling to eat or drink what it needs, especially after illness or surgery is more likely to have a prolonged recovery.
"Nutribound's palatable formulation aims to 'jump-start' normal eating behaviour by stimulating the animal's appetite and increasing its interest in eating and drinking again.
"Nutribound is presented in a handy-sized, take-home bottle and is easy for pet owners to administer. It can be given for up to 14 days or until a return to normal eating and drinking behaviour is observed. We are delighted to add it to our nutritional support range, alongside Nutri-Plus gel, our high energy, nutritional supplement for cats and dogs."
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has launched two guides to help veterinary professionals and their clients negotiate the complexities of equine insurance.
BEVA highlights that with up to 40% of horses becoming ill or injured in any one year and 25% of insured horses having a claim in any one year, vet fees insurance is a sensible way for horse owners to budget for unexpected healthcare costs.
The Veterinary Surgeon's guide to riding and sport horse insurance provides general guidelines to help vets understand the requirements and issues relating to equine insurance. It explains the three main types of insurance cover available: veterinary fees, death and permanent loss of use, as well as insurance recommendations for pre-purchase and pre-insurance vetting. The final section contains a jargon-busting guide to commonly used insurance terminology.
Complementing the vet guide is The BEVA leisure and sports horse Insurance Guide for horse owners, a handout for clients about to embark on taking out insurance. It covers the frequently asked questions relating to vets fees and death, including when and how to insure, the importance of pre-purchase vetting, exclusions and permanent loss of use.
Andrew Harrison, Junior Vice President of BEVA, said: "Whether a vet or a horse owner, understanding equine insurance can be intimidating for the best of us. The new guides should make it easier for you and your clients to understand the finer points of policies, premiums and claim protocols."
The guides can be downloaded from the BEVA website via the following links:
For additional information visit www.beva.org.uk