A free copy of the compendium has been sent to every veterinary practice in the UK, and it is also available online at: www.noahcompendium.co.uk. A special edition of the book commissioned by AMTRA will also be available for its SQPs shortly.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "The NOAH Compendium, in all its formats, remains a major part of NOAH’s efforts to ensure appropriate access and responsible use of medicines for all animals. We are pleased it is even more comprehensive this year, as we continue to expand its list of contributors.
"Every NOAH member, as well as the non-member participants in the NOAH Compendium, is a signatory to the NOAH Code of Practice on Promotion, which demonstrates their commitment to operate above and beyond any regulatory requirements."
She added: “As well as product datasheets, the Compendium includes another vital resource – the contact details for each participating company. Company veterinary and technical advisors have detailed knowledge about their company’s medicines. The NOAH Code includes the requirement for NCAH qualification for NOAH staff in technical dialogue with prescribers and users of animal medicines – meaning their advice can be regarded as a valuable and trusted resource. They are ready to talk to prescribers about the use of a medicine in a particular animal or in a particular situation, as well as to explain any queries about the data sheet."
Veterinary practices that have not yet received a copy, perhaps because they are new or have changed address in the past year should contact NOAH (noah@noah.co.uk).
Extra copies are also available to order, for £47.50. Special prices are also available for bulk orders.
The epidemic of respiratory disease in early 2010 was characterised by coughing and nasal discharge.
The disease spread through the population of 77,000 Icelandic horses within weeks, leading to a self-imposed ban on their export and significant economic cost to the country.
Initially, due to the speed at which the disease had spread, a viral cause was suspected. However, investigations by researchers at the University of Iceland showed that only Streptococcus zooepidemicus was consistently recovered from coughing horses and rare fatal cases of infection. However, this bacterium is also often found in healthy horses.
The AHT and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute were brought in to investigate. Dr Simon Harris from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute said: "To identify the culprit, we sequenced the DNA from 257 samples of bacteria from diseased animals and people. This showed that one specific strain of S. zooepidemicus, called ST209, was the likely culprit, and we also found this strain in a human case of blood poisoning. This study highlights, for the first time, how DNA sequencing can be used to identify endemic strains of bacteria and distinguish them from the cause of an epidemic infection."
Iceland is free of all major equine infectious diseases thanks to the ban on the importation of horses into the country in 1882. Consequently, Icelandic horses are particularly susceptible to any new bacteria or virus that crosses the border, and so strict biosecurity regulations are in place to help protect them.
Dr. Sigríður Björnsdóttir of the MAST Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, used information from owners and veterinary surgeons to build an epidemiological network. This enabled her to identify an equine rehabilitation centre where horses exercised in a water treadmill. The water treadmill is thought to have provided the perfect conditions for transmitting the disease as water was splashed up and ingested. Horses would complete their rehabilitation and return home, whilst incubating the disease, taking the infection with them.
The ST209 strain of S. zooepidemicus found in Iceland has also been recovered from a coughing horse in Sweden and an abdominal abscess in a Finnish horse trainer.
Dr Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the AHT, said: "There are a couple of theories as to how the strain entered Iceland. These bacteria are able to survive outside a horse for a week or so, which means the import of contaminated equipment or clothing is the most likely route by which ST209 entered Iceland. However, this particular strain could have even infected a human who travelled to Iceland, before spreading the strain back to a horse and triggering the epidemic.
"We are delighted to have helped uncover the likely identity of the cause of this epidemic. Our investigation highlights the ability of S. zooepidemicus strains to cause disease in animals and people. We found evidence that even endemic strains of S. zooepidemicus were likely causing cases of respiratory disease in Icelandic horses, illustrating that this group of bacteria causes more clinical problems in horses than was previously thought. We hope that raising awareness of the cause of this epidemic, and the likely involvement of a water treadmill as a key factor in disease transmission, will encourage veterinarians around the world to improve disease control precautions preventing future epidemics."
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Myorelax, a guaifenesin 100 mg/ml solution for infusion for horses which, the company says, relaxes skeletal muscles within minutes.
Dechra's Equine Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "Myorelax is indicated for the induction of muscle relaxation and immobilisation, as an adjunct to balanced anaesthesia.
"We're delighted to launch this product, which can be combined with a number of sedatives and anaesthetics including detomidine, ketamine and propofol plus local and volatile anaesthetics.
"Myorelax is a centrally acting muscle relaxant which is effective within a few minutes and does not affect the animal's respiratory muscles at therapeutic doses. It can be used in combination with a sedative and local anaesthetics for short procedures and together with appropriate general anaesthetics for induction and maintenance of muscle relaxation during anaesthesia."
Dechra says that horses are able to stand within 45 minutes after single administration, and the product can be used in a 'triple drip' protocol for total intravenous anaesthesia.
Myorelax is available in 500 ml bottles from veterinary wholesalers.
For further information, visit www.dechra.co.uk
"Reasons to be fearful? Rising proportions of positive faecal worm egg counts among UK horses (2007–2023)1" which was conducted in collaboration with Animal Health Vision International, the University of Liverpool and jDATA Pty (Ltd), analysed quarterly surveillance data summaries of FWEC test results that were submitted to the Equine Quarterly Disease Surveillance report (EQDSR) by 36 UK laboratories.
Of these, 18 laboratories provided additional details through a survey on the testing methods adopted.
The researchers say there was considerable variation between laboratories in both the FWEC test methods used and the FWEC positivity thresholds applied to designate a test result as positive for either surveillance reporting or for treatment purposes.
However, the analysis revealed an increase in the proportion of positive FWECs over time, even after accounting for the time of year that testing was conducted, the FWEC positivity threshold used for reporting a sample as positive and the laboratory undertaking the testing.
Researchers say these findings raise questions about targeted treatment strategies, where anthelmintics are administered if FWECs exceed a certain threshold.
If this threshold remains low, the increasing proportion of positive FWECs that were identified would lead to increased use of wormers, potentially accelerating the development of anthelmintic resistance.
This highlights the need to better understand the factors driving rising FWEC positivity rates and if they are a cause for concern.
For example, is this trend leading to increased numbers of horses exceeding the treatment threshold and therefore being recommended for treatment?
The study authors say that the continuation of coordinated efforts to enhance parasite control strategies across the UK equine industry is essential.
The recently available guidelines from the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and CANTER provide essential resources for vets, pharmacists and RAMAs/SQPs who prescribe equine anthelmintics to optimise parasite control2,3.
References
Ophtocycline is licensed for the treatment of keratitis, conjunctivitis and blepharitis caused by Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Proteus spp., and/or Pseudomonas spp.
Dechra says chlortetracycline hydrochloride works against both aerobic and anaerobic Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
The recommended dosage is four times a day for five days. The 10 mg/g ophthalmic ointment has a 14-day broached shelf life. There is a one-day withdrawal period for meat and offal.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: "Ophtocycline provides veterinary professionals with a targeted treatment to effectively tackle the growing and reproducing bacteria that causes these eye conditions.
"Chlortetracycline is a bacteriostatic antibiotic which interferes with bacterial protein synthesis in the rapidly growing and reproducing bacterial cell and has both time-dependent and concentration dependent effects.
"We are very pleased to be able to roll out this product to the UK market as part of our ophthalmic range alongside popular products such as Isathal."
For more information visit: www.dechra.co.uk
Zoetis, maker of Zylexis, is highlighting a new review published in Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, which has concluded that immune-modulators may provide a valuable contribution to the reduction of some equine respiratory diseases
The study reviewed the immune-modulators Parapoxvirus ovis and Propionbacterium acnes for the prevention of respiratory disease and other infections in the horse.
Parapoxvirus ovis (iPPVO) and Propionibacterium acnes (P.acnes) are currently used in equine medicine as immune-modulators for prophylactic treatment or adjunct to conventional therapy in order to improve immune defences, to prevent or treat infectious diseases. Their mode of action relies on a non-antigen-specific interaction with the innate and/or adaptive immune responses. iPPVO stimulates and regulates cytokine secretion by a number of leucocytes, while P. acnes acts primarily through activation of macrophages.
The review, conducted by Romain Paillot of the Animal Health Trust, Centre for Preventive Medicine, Newmarket, examined current scientific literature and reports on the use of immune-modulators in horses, particularly for the prevention or treatment of equine respiratory disease.
Stress factors such as weaning, transport and co-mingling predispose horses to infection and increase susceptibility to respiratory pathogens such as Streptococcus zoopidemicus and EHV-1/4. In the past 15 years iPPVO has been tested against several equine infectious respiratory diseases.
The review examined the results of studies on the beneficial use of iPPVO to limit the severity of respiratory infectious diseases in young horses, one of which evaluated the use of iPPVO for protection in yearlings exposed by contact challenge to EHV-1 or EHV-42,3,4. Yearlings treated with iPPVO were co-mingled with horses experimentally infected with EHV-1 and the trial was repeated with horses infected with EHV-4. Horses treated with iPPVO showed a 40% reduction in disease severity in the EHV-1 study and a 61% reduction in the EHV-4 study.
Further studies showed significantly increased frequency of recovery in horses with clinical signs of respiratory disease that had been treated with P. acnes. The decrease in disease severity was also significantly improved in the treated groups5,6.
Romain Palliot concluded: "Non-specific immune-modulators such as iPPVO or P. acnes may not provide protection against direct infection or transmission of respiratory pathogens but they seem to contribute to the reduction of the disease severity, subsequently reducing the frequency of complications and improving the rate of recovery."
Until now, research in equine veterinary science has focused primarily on the information needed to prevent and cure disease, with little attention paid to the attitudes and actions of horse owners, veterinary surgeons, and numerous other professionals to implementing science-based advice.
This special EVJ collection showcases studies that seek to understand horse owner behaviour around their horse’s health, supplementing clinical evidence with information about the real-life behaviours of equine owners and professionals and the factors that influence them.
It includes papers on horse owner knowledge and opinions on recognising colic, treating infectious disease, uptake of some of the most basic preventive health measures such as vaccination and deworming as well as attitudes and behaviour around equine obesity and laminitis.
Other studies highlight the importance of professionals other than vets such as farriers, equine podiatrists, physiotherapists, dental technicians, chiropractors, and equestrian organisations such as the British Horse Society.
Guest Editor Tamzin Furtado added: “As our understanding of the drivers of behaviour develops, pre-existing behaviour change models will help us to understand the barriers and enablers to uptake.
“With dissemination of this knowledge, we have a better chance of communicating effectively and implementing change that will have a positive impact on equine welfare at individual, community, and national level.”
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: “This collection is both compelling and eye-opening.
"It is dangerous to assume an understanding of the motivators of horse owner behaviours and actions; these papers confirm the current lack of comprehension, providing an invaluable insight, which will ultimately help us to accelerate improvements in equine veterinary practice and, most importantly, equine welfare.”
The virtual issue can be found at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.owner-behaviours and will be free to view until 26 December 2022.
Pfizer Animal Health's Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) vaccine (Duvaxyn EHV 1,4) has been rebranded Equip EHV 1,4).
Pfizer says that EHV is carried by most horses in the UK1 and can cause respiratory disease, abortion and more rarely neurological disease. However, it is the more common sub-clinical infections that pose the most apparent issue for the competition client, with the associated loss of performance and the potential effect on the health of the whole yard.
Once infected with EHV, a horse can harbour the virus throughout its life and potentially shed the disease to other animals without showing any outward signs. According to the company, vaccinating helps to minimise the severity of the disease itself and importantly, can also help to reduce the amount of infective virus that is shed to other in-contact horses.
Equip EHV 1,4 is given as a primary course of two vaccinations, 4-6 weeks apart followed by a single dose every six months. It can also be used as an aid in the control of EHV-1 abortion - pregnant mares should be vaccinated with a single dose during each of the 5th, 7th and 9th months of pregnancy.
For further information on Pfizer's EHV campaign, to obtain literature for your practice or to book a talk for your clients contact your Pfizer Account Manager or Pfizer Animal Health, Walton Oaks, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7NS.
Reference
1. Eddington et al. Equine Vet. J. 1994; 26 (2): 140-142.
Amy Scott MRCVS, Boehringer Ingehlheim’s performance horse portfolio manager, said: "Arti-Cell Forte is the first 'ready-to-use' stem cell-based product to be licensed in any veterinary species, and the only stem cell treatment to contain induced cells, representing a significant leap forward in both stem cell therapies and medicine as a whole.
"Arti-Cell Forte contains stem cells that have been chondrogenically induced and therefore primed to develop into the cartilage cell lineage. Studies have shown that chondrogenically induced stem cells demonstrate an enhanced clinical outcome compared to un-induced stem cells in the treatment of joint disease in horses¹."
"This makes Arti-Cell Forte a highly targeted and effective treatment for cartilage damage associated with degenerative joint disease."
Arti-Cell Forte is available direct from Boehringer Ingelheim to veterinary practitioners.
It needs to be stored at ultra-low temperatures to maintain its two year shelf life from manufacture, either frozen at -70 ⁰C to -90 ⁰C (dry ice, -80 ⁰C freezer) or -196 ⁰C (liquid nitrogen) until immediately prior to injecting.
The company is providing full training on storage and administration via face-to-face CPD at practice meetings or specific CPD events*.
For more information, contact your local territory manager or ring Boehringer's Technical Services Team on 01344 746957, or email vetenquiries@boehringer-ingelheim.com
The invaluable work done by equestrian vets in the UK is to be recognised with a new award sponsored by leading equine insurance provider Petplan Equine at the Animal Health Trust Awards in November. The ‘Petplan Equine Vet of the Year' award people's vote will reflect the huge contribution made by vets to the equine community.
Owners and riders will be able to nominate their equine vet for the award if they feel that they are deserving of the recognition that this accolade would bring. Veterinary practice personnel are also encouraged to nominate a colleague who they feel has gone beyond the call of duty. Leaflets have been sent to practices across the UK outlining how to nominate and people can also register through the Petplan Equine website www.petplanequine.co.uk. A short list will be drawn up from the nominations received and an independent panel will decide the winner, who will receive his or her award at the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards in London on November 6th 2008.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements made by horses, riders, owners and trainers throughout the equestrian world. This milestone coincides with Petplan Equine's 20th anniversary and, since 1994 when the Petplan Equine Charitable Trust was founded, it has raised over £5 million, almost £500,000 of which has been donated to the AHT to fund research and development.
Jo Whitaker of Petplan Equine says: "It has been a privilege to be involved with the AHT Awards over the years and we look forward to this exciting 20th anniversary year. Petplan Equine has sponsored the Eventing Award for the past three years but this new award will recognise the commitment and hard work of people within the equine veterinary profession and the service they provide to horse owners. Horse welfare is paramount at Petplan Equine and we are committed to promoting responsible horse ownership, through our wide range of policies, our charitable contributions and our Horse Handbook. This award will give the equine community the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the vet who has made the most outstanding contribution to the care of horses."
To nominate go to www.petplanequine.co.uk. The closing date for nomination is 3rd October 2008.
Kruuse has announced that it has become the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Pulse Veterinary Technologies LLC shockwave systems, including the Versatron, Versatron 4paws and Equitron.
Shockwave therapy, otherwise known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), uses a high-energy sound wave that rapidly increases pressure as it travels through tissue. It is a non-invasive modality used to stimulate healing particularly in ligament, tendon or boney structures.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director, Kruuse UK Ltd said: "This agreement widens the Kruuse equine and small animal capital equipment profile within the UK and Ireland; increasing the range of technologies available to the veterinary practitioner , whilst providing aftercare support of existing shockwave users".
Eric Goorno , Chief Executive Officer, Pulse Veterinary Technologies LLC said: "This exciting partnership will further enhance our presence within the veterinary industry and allow Kruuse UK to bring leading edge technology to its customers, building upon its strong relationships within veterinary practices".
Nerfasin vet is available in two concentrations - a 100 mg/ml (10%) solution for cattle and horses and 20 mg/ml (2%) solution for cattle, horses, cats and dogs.
Nerfasin vet is on sale in 25 ml vials.
For more information visit: www.dechra.co.uk.
Horiba Medical - UK has launched MLT-Diode Laser Systems, specifically designed for veterinary use, as part of its portfolio of animal healthcare products.
According to the company, the MLT-Diode Lasers are highly versatile and can be used in a variety of veterinary applications including surgery, endoscopy, dentistry and irradiation.
The two models, the MLT-Diode Laser Classic and Premium, both feature touch screen controls and are adaptable to each users individual preferences. Designed with small animal practices in mind, the Classic has a performance out-put of 8 watts whilst the more powerful Premium model is for equine medicine with an output of 15 watts. The system is mounted on a mobile cart with a protection case, allowing the whole system to be moved between treatment rooms and enabling near patient application.
Horiba Medical will be exhibiting the MLT-Diode Laser Systems at the London Vet Show at Olympia, 22nd to 23rd October 2010, on Stand M4.
The research found that 93% of practices have a washing machine on site, but two thirds of those use a domestic machine rather than a commercial one. 69% of staff also take their uniform home to wash in a domestic machine.
Only commercial machines conform to the WRAS regulations, with thermal disinfection capabilities to minimise the risk of cross infection.
The survey also provided an argument for using a robust commercial machine able to cope with high levels of usage and the variety of materials needing to be cleaned: 83% of practices said they use their machines more than once a day and listed bedding, drapes and gowns as the most common materials that need to be cleaned regularly.
Les Marshall, Sales & Marketing Director at Miele Professional, said: "Our research shows that veterinary staff realise the importance of hygiene when cleaning their laundry. At Miele Professional we understand that preventing infection is key. When caring for animals who need medical care, reliable and effective equipment that can wash items ranging from bedding to gowns to reusable bandages is essential.
"As a leading supplier to the care and hospital sectors, all our machines are tested and approved to Water Regulatory Advisory Scheme (WRAS) category 5 for mains connection in any high-risk establishment."
The company says that in addition to meeting WRAS category 5 requirements, it's machines:
Miele Professional is exhibiting at the London Vet Show and will be holding a seminar on 'Controlling the risk of infection with a commercial laundry system' in the Business Theatre on 18 November, 12-12.50pm.
The seminar will explore the benefits of using a commercial laundry over a domestic machine, best practice around thermal disinfection and why it’s vital for veterinary practices to meet WRAS category 5 requirements.
For more information visit www.miele.co.uk.
95 respondents were surveyed online in June 2016
Ceva Animal Health has highlighted a new study which revealed that the use of the opioid buprenorphine, the active ingredient in Vetergesic, before equine elective general anaesthesia and surgery resulted in better post-operative analgesia than butorphanol, without causing further physiological disruption than is normally expected of general anaesthesia in horses.
The prospective, randomised and blinded multicentre study, conducted by Dr Polly Taylor VetMB MA PhD DVA DipECVAA MRCA MRCVS, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia, compared the degree of post-operative pain and physiological variables in horses following premedication with either buprenorphine or butorphanol in a general clinical setting. The study included 89 healthy adult horses from six UK equine veterinary clinics admitted for routine elective surgical procedures.
Ceva says that butorphanol is often used in equine procedures due to familiarity and its value for enhancing alpha2-induced sedation, but that it is probably the least effective opioid as an analgesic. There is also a common perception that butorphanol has less impact on locomotor stimulation and depression of intestinal motility than other opioids. This is likely to have contributed to the almost exclusive use of NSAIDs to manage pain in the post-operative period.
To view the full study, visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.12442/abstract. For details on Ceva's analgesic product range, email analgesics-group@ceva.com or call 01494 781510.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, has launched a new guide entitled ‘Your guide to Exotic Diseases', to educate horse owners on these potentially fatal, insect-borne diseases, some of which are zoonotic.
Joining the company's guides on respiratory disease and vaccination, the leaflet features information on West Nile Virus, African Horse Sickness, Equine Infectious Anaemia (Swamp Fever) and Equine Encephalitis including overviews of each of the diseases and their clinical signs.
Spread by a variety of insect-borne vectors including midges, mosquitoes and horseflies, climate change is increasing the risk of exotic diseases having a severe impact on the country's equine industry. What's more, African Horse Sickness is transmitted from animal to animal by infected biting Culicoides midges, the same midges that carry the Bluetongue virus which has threatened UK livestock this year.
"It's essential that horse owners are aware of the threat of exotic diseases coming in from overseas and the clinical signs to look out for, especially during the summer and autumn months when diseases transmitted by insects are more likely to appear." comments Tim Zoch, Marketing Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. "Our new leaflet features easy-to-understand overviews of each of the diseases to help educate owners, and practices can expect strong demand from their clients"
For further information about Intervet/Schering-Plough's range of horse owner guides, including ‘Your guide to Exotic Diseases', please contact your Intervet/Schering-Plough Account Manager or call the Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
Merial Animal Health has announced that it has purchased the the anti-inflammatory treatment for lameness in horses, Hyonate® (sodium hyaluronate), from Bayer.
Merial's equine marketing and technical manager, Louise Radford MRCVS said: "Hyonate is an established treatment of lameness in horses due to non-infectious inflammation of joints, using both intra-articular (IA) and intravenous (IV) injection.
"The beneficial effects of HA supplementation are attributable to the anti-inflammatory effects, improvement in viscoelastic properties of the synovial fluid, and interaction with the synovial membrane affecting pain transmission and joint metabolism¹."
For more information telephone Customer Support on 0870 6000123 or contact your local Merial Equine Specialist.
Omics refers to a field of biological sciences including genomics (studying DNA), transcriptomics (RNA), proteomics (proteins) and metabolomics (metabolites).
Guest Editor Carrie Finno has contributed an editorial in support of the nine EVJ articles demonstrating how genomic and transcriptomic approaches have been used to investigate equine diseases.
She said: “While equine genomics and transcriptomics continue to evolve, improvements in the annotation of the equine genome will undoubtedly accelerate the rate of discovery.
"With the need for large sample sizes of well-phenotyped horses to study the most complex diseases, equine genomics and transcriptomics research will likely become increasingly collaborative, similar to the current status of human genomics initiatives.
"Aligned with this collaborative effort is the strong need for publicly available genomic and transcriptomic data that are accessible to all researchers.”
Guest Editor James Anderson prefaces five papers on advances made in equine medicine within the disciplines of proteomics, metabolomics and lipidomics (a subset of metabolomics).
He said: “Omics technologies have enhanced our knowledge of the molecular world and provided fascinating insight into the composition and functions of these components across a range of different animal species.
"Particularly for equine science and medicine they have increased our understanding of molecular changes in disease and informed the development of diagnostic tests.
"Although still in its infancy within equine veterinary science, this field looks likely to have a significant impact in the coming years.”
The virtual Issue is available to all at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.OmicsEVJ
This year's National Equine Health Survey, conducted by the Blue Cross and supported by Zoetis, has revealed that 20% of owners who claimed to have treated for encysted small redworm (ESRW) used a wormer that was not indicated to treat the parasite.
3,669 horse owners took part in the survey, which was conducted in May 2014. It contained 25 questions on general horse health, care and management and was validated by Professor Josh Slater at the Royal Veterinary College.
Zoetis says the findings suggest that horses are being left at serious risk (untreated, encysted small redworm may develop and emerge en masse from the gut wall, causing diarrhoea and colic with a mortality rate of up to 50%1).
The company is now running an encysted small redworm awareness campaign at www.esrw.co.uk, where owners can test their knowledge before discussing the best treatment options with their vet.
1. Dowdall S.M.J. et al (2002) Veterinary Parasitology 106, 225‑242
EnteroZoo is a dietary supplement composed of organic mineral and purified water in a gel suspension. Enteromed says it works by binding bacterial toxins as it passes through the animal's digestive tract, thereby helping to maintain a healthy gut and intestinal balance.
Enteromed says that compared to old classic adsorbents, such as clay or charcoal, EnteroZoo can be used long-term and is gentle on an animal's intestines.
The company points to a new in-vitro study from Brighton University School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences which has shown that EnteroZoo adsorbs E. coli, Shigella and C. difficile toxins1 – common causes of gastrointestinal infection and diarrhoea.
EnteroZoo is suitable for all animals including pregnant and nursing females. It is tasteless and odourless and the company says animals generally accept it without any problems. It can be administered in various ways: directly into the mouth, mixed into feed, put on a treat, mixed in an appropriate amount of water or administered with a plastic syringe into the oral cavity.
For more information, contact: enterozoo@enteromed.co.uk, or visit: www.enterozoo.co.uk
At 9.00am on Thursday and 1.45pm on Friday, Dr Sam Taylor, Feline Specialist and academy lead at the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), will present ‘feline pawsative’, a talk about about cat inappetence and the remedy offered by Mirataz.
At 11.20am on Thursday and 9.00am on Friday, Matt Gurney, clinical director at Anderson Moores will be sharing the latest developments in sedation in dogs including Zenalpha.
At 12.30pm on Thursday and 12.35pm on Friday, Andrew Waller (pictured right), chief scientific officer at Intervacc AB, will be discussing how to rein in the impact of strangles using Dechra’s new protein-based vaccine, Strangvac.
The CPD sessions are first come, first served, and Dechra says it expects the presentations to be well-attended, so it could be worth getting there a little early, although probably no need to pitch a tent outside the night before.
XLEquine and the Animal Health Trust (AHT) have launched Plan, Prevent, Protect, billed as the UK's first equine biosecurity booklet for horse owners and yard managers to work through with their veterinary surgeon, to minimise disease risk on yards and maintain the health and welfare of the horses in their care.
Mark Tabachnik MRCVS, of XLEquine member practice Wright & Morten Veterinary Surgeons said: "For many yard and horse owners, biosecurity is just not on their radar. It only becomes important after they have had an outbreak! Strangles in particular can have devastating effects which impact not only on horse welfare, but the disruption and paralysis of animal movement has significant consequences with relationships on the yard, not to mention the financial costs in some cases.
"We wanted to develop a practical guide that pre-empts these issues by helping owners to set in place simple and in many cases common sense, plans and procedures to prevent a disease outbreak, along with practical steps should the worst happen, and an outbreak occurs.
"Our veterinary farm colleagues and the medical profession are well ahead in terms of biosecurity measures. It's about changing people's mind-sets. For example the NHS "Catch it Bin it Kill it" campaign has been highly successful in adapting our thoughts and actions towards disease spread, and consequently many of us are more aware of the importance of good biosecurity in one way or another."
Dr Richard Newton, Head of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance at the AHT was also involved in the development of the booklet. He said: "I hope that this will encourage all equine practices to raise their game, it is so important for the whole equine community."
The booklet is available to all equine clients of XLEquine member practices, or it is available to view at http://www.xlequine.co.uk/content/plan-prevent-protect
Merial has announced the launch of a new Blippar app designed to educate horse owners about gastric ulcers.
By using the app - which is available free from the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android phones - to scan the company's Gastrogard (omeprazole) adverts, posters or website, clients can watch an educational film with one of the UK's leading specialists in equine ulcers, Richard Hepburn BVSc MS(Hons) CertEM(IntMed) DipACVIM(LA) MRCVS, American and RCVS Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine, demonstrating the signs of ulcers and diagnosis via gastroscopy.
Merial's Equine Marketing and Technical Manager Louise Radford MRCVS said: "With 60% of competition horse and 38% of leisure horses & ponies estimated to have gastric ulcers¹,²,³, it's important that horse owners are aware of the signs of this under-diagnosed condition.
"We know that the number of horses diagnosed and treated for ulcers falls significantly short of incidence levels. We hope that this app will help to raise awareness and prompt more horse owners to consult their vet about gastric ulceration."
A separate Blippar app is also available for horse owners that have been prescribed GastroGard. By scanning the pack, clients can view educational video footage on gastric ulcers, find management tips on treatment and prevention, and set a reminder for future risk periods.
For more information, visit: http://www.equinegastriculcers.co.uk, contact your local Merial equine territory specialist or call Merial Customer Support on 0870 6000123.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Ketodale, an anti-inflammatory injection for cattle, horses and swine.
Ketodale contains the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen 100mg/ml. It is indicated for use in cattle and swine for diseases associated with inflammation, pain or fever. In cattle these include respiratory diseases, mastitis, osteoarticular and muscular-skeletal disorders, such as lameness and arthritis, and to ease pain post parturition. Ketodale can be used to treat swine suffering from Mastitis Metritis Agalactia (MMA) Syndrome and respiratory tract infections.
In horses, Ketodale is indicated for diseases affecting the osteoarticular and muscular-skeletal system associated with pain and inflammation. These include naviculitis, arthritis and laminitis. It can also be used for post-surgical inflammation and symptomatic therapy of colic and fever.
Ketodale is available in 50ml and 100ml vials.
To coincide with the product's launch, Dechra is carrying out a direct marketing campaign. Practices can take advantage of a special launch offer where they can purchase four vials and get a fifth free. The offer is available for a limited period only.
To find out more about Ketodale, call Dechra on 01743 441 632 or visiting www.dechra.com
The new guidelines have been spearheaded by BEVA Council member Angela Jones (pictured), an equine vet, a mum, and co-founder of Petscribers.
Angela works flexibly and has found this so positively career changing that she wanted to make flexible working opportunities made more readily available to other veterinary professionals.
She said: “Sustainable veterinary care relies on healthier, more balanced teams, and flexibility is key.
"There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
"Flexible working allows individuals to find balance and prioritise what matters most to them, supporting wellbeing, job satisfaction, and ultimately the quality of care we can provide to our patients and clients.”
“It’s not just beneficial for individuals.
"Practices that embrace flexibility are more likely to attract and retain great people, strengthen their teams, and build sustainable workplaces.”
The Flexible Working Guidelines are designed to give employees the language, tools, and confidence to make a request and help employers deal with requests fairly and see the value of flexibility in improving retention and reducing recruitment costs.
The guidelines include explanations of what flexible working can look like in equine practice, an update on the new Flexible Working Act (April 2024), including the right to request flexibility from day one, and how employers are expected to handle requests, and templates to help both employees and employers start the conversation.
Angela was motivated to produce the flexible working guidelines when she realised her traditional equine role wasn’t giving her the flexibility or professional fulfilment she needed after the birth of her second child.
She said: "I’d often said that on-call was the aspect of the job I found toughest, especially after having children, so I was hesitant about taking on an out-of-hours only role.
“But by turning the problem on its head, decoupling daytime work from on call with Equicall, I truly found balance.
“Flexible working looks different for everyone, and it evolves as life changes.
"What matters is making work, work for you. In equine practice, flexibility isn’t just possible, it’s essential.”
The new Flexible Working Guidelines will be discussed at BEVA Congress during Saturday’s session entitled “Making your veterinary career work” chaired by Mark Tabachnik with Rosie Allister, Carolyne Crowe and Kirstie Pickles on the panel.
http://www.bevacongress.org