BEVA is giving its members the opportunity to participate in a free practice benchmarking survey, to help them ensure their business is being run as efficiently and profitably as possible. The results of the research will be released at BEVA Congress, 7th-10th September 2011.
The Association has worked with Hazlewoods, chartered accountants and business advisors to the veterinary profession, to develop a detailed benchmarking questionnaire for equine veterinary practices, which allows businesses to compare their practice, anonymously, with other similar practices. The report should identify areas for profit improvement, including practice structure and pricing and may also highlight other potential methods of income generation.
Mark Beaney, partner at Hazlewoods and specialist advisor to the veterinary profession, said: "This is a super opportunity for equine practices to obtain helpful, free advice on how to fine-tune their business for maximum efficiency, delivery and profit. The questionnaire should take no more than half an hour to complete and in return we will provide you with a confidential individual report, with your practice data benchmarked."
Mark will present an overall report on the equine veterinary market at BEVA Congress on Saturday 10th September. All participating practices will remain anonymous. The benchmarking survey can be downloaded from the BEVA website at: http://www.beva.org.uk/news/view/59 and must be completed by 30th June 2011.
BEVA Congress runs from 7th-10th September 2011 at the Liverpool Arena Convention Centre, Liverpool. This year BEVA will be celebrating its 50th anniversary - for further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/.
The RCVS has brought out a new publication to help members of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions understand their legal and professional obligations regarding controlled drugs.
Controlled Drugs Guidance is a consolidation of existing advice and guidance on controlled drugs from a number of organisations including the RCVS itself, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and the Home Office. The guide also gives details of the existing legislation concerning controlled drugs, namely the Misuse of Drugs Act and associated regulations.
The guidance provides advice on a variety of topics to reflect the common queries the RCVS Advice Team receives, such as storage, destruction and disposal; keys and keyholders for controlled drugs cabinets; controlled drugs in vehicles; and veterinary nurses administering controlled drugs.
The publication also deals with specific controlled drugs such as ketamine which, on 30 November 2015, was rescheduled to a Schedule 2 controlled drug, meaning that it is now subject to the same strict storage, prescription, dispending, destruction and record-keeping requirements as other medicines in this Schedule.
Laura McClintock, Standards and Advisory Manager at the RCVS, said: “We hope that this publication will help members of the profession navigate the often complex legislative and professional requirements regarding controlled drugs, as well as imparting best practice advice on how they should be stored and disposed and so on.
"This publication has also been endorsed by our colleagues in the Home Office, VMD and BSAVA and, because this is an area that is subject to regular change, we will make sure to keep it up-to-date as and when the regulations change."
The publication is available to download from the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) welfare award 2008, sponsored by The Blue Cross, has been presented to the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) organisation for their contributions to equine welfare in support of the re-training and re-homing of racehorses.
The award, which was introduced by BEVA in conjunction with The Blue Cross animal welfare charity eight years ago, is a formal recognition of significant contributions made by veterinary surgeons and others to equine welfare.
It was presented to Ron Huggins, trustee of the ROR and an owner and breeder of racehorses, at the 47th BEVA Annual Congress in Liverpool on Friday 12 September 2008, by Kerstin Alford, equine welfare director of The Blue Cross.
Kerstin said: "The financial support that RoR provides for charitable racehorse rehabilitation centres, together with their education programme to help owners and riders of former racehorses, make them very worthy recipients of this award."
Di Arbuthnot, director of operations said: "RoR are delighted to receive this prestigious award to recognise the work the charity does for former racehorses to provide them with a life after racing."
Retraining of Racehorses was established in 2000 by the British Horseracing Authority. Its aim is to raise funds from the British racing industry to provide and maintain facilities for the care, retraining and rehoming of former racehorses. Under the direction of the chairman of the trustees Peter Deal, the RoR has become recognised as a vital component of the racing industry.
The Blue Cross was founded in 1897 to care for working horses on the streets of London, and equine welfare still plays a vital role in its work today. The charity rehabilitates and rehomes over a hundred horses and ponies every year at its equine centres in Burford (Oxon) and Rolleston-on-Dove (Staffordshire). A third facility in Northiam (East Sussex) provides rest and retirement for Blue Cross equines.
Pfizer, manufacturer of the wormer Strongid™-P has launched a new promotional campaign. Love your horse is based on simple, straightforward and unbiased educational messages to help ensure the optimum health and wellbeing of horses and ponies in the UK.
Pfizer's veterinary adviser Ben Gaskell said: “Simplistically, the three key tools for the horse owner to understand are diagnostics, worming and pasture management. If these tools are used in combination with specialist advice, then the horse owner will be able to provide a sustainable, reliable and cost-effective worm control strategy for their horse.”
At the core of the campaign is a new range of four highly informative and uncomplicated leaflets directed at every type of horse owner: Do you need to worm; Choosing and using the right wormer; Managing your pasture and Worming and Your new horse.
“Each leaflet has been designed to work as a stand-alone piece or can be presented as a smart, matching series of four,” said Helen Shirley, brand manager for Strongid™-P. “The leaflets can be displayed in-store in a distinctive counter-top leaflet dispenser and are supported by eye-catching point of sale materials including posters and balloons." The new campaign packs will be rolled out to all stockists from early June, supported by a dramatic new Love your horse advertisement in national equestrian trade and consumer titles.
The campaign will build up momentum over the summer months and into autumn’s double dosing time with a series of authoritative, no-nonsense features and news stories from Strongid™-P’s veterinary advisor Ben Gaskell.
For further information please email: Strongid-P@pfizer.com
The Animal Health Trust's (AHT) Dr Sue Dyson has been awarded a place in the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame, in recognition of her contribution to hoof care in horses.
Sue, who is Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, has lectured internationally and is known for both her clinical work with horses and an extensive research record, having published more than 200 refereed papers on lameness and diagnostic imaging in scientific journals. She has also co-authored several veterinary textbooks as well as training and competing as a high-level rider in international events.
Established in 1997, the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame honours veterinary surgeons who have contributed to the knowledge and recognition of proper hoof care for horses. Vets are nominated either as practicing equine vets who work closely with farriers in the field, or as college and industry vets involved in teaching, research or other important aspects of equine veterinary and hoof care.
Anyone can nominate an equine vet for the award, which is sponsored by the American Farriers Journal, but selection is completed by previous inductees into the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame. Awards are presented each year during the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sue said: "I was completely surprised, but absolutely thrilled, to learn that I had been selected to join the distinguished list of people who have previously been appointed to the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame.
"I think it is very humbling to recognise that, despite the knowledge that my team and I have amassed in the last 30 years, there is so much more to learn. From every new finding come many more questions. I hope that the enthusiastic dedication of my team will continue to result in learning and discovering more, and inspire others to do likewise, to the ultimate benefit of the welfare of our great friend, the horse."
Sue has has worked at the AHT for 30 years and is currently researching the association between hindlimb lameness and saddle slip. She has observed some association between the two for several years, however saddle slip has traditionally been attributed to an ill-fitting saddle, asymmetry of the horse's back shape or a crooked rider.
In 2011 Sue carried out a prospective research project with Intern Line Greve: 'Saddle slip may be an indicator of the presence of hindlimb lameness'. It was presented at the 51st Annual Congress of the British Equine Veterinary Association, Birmingham 2012, and identified that in some cases, saddle slip was directly linked to the presence of hindlimb lameness.
Research results showed that of 128 horses assessed for lameness grade and degree of saddle slip when ridden by two riders, the saddle consistently slipped to one side in 54% of the horses with hindlimb lameness, in comparison to just 4% of the horses with forelimb lameness. Diagnostic analgesia to abolish the hindlimb lameness eliminated the saddle slip in 97% of the horses observed in the study.
Sue and Line are currently undertaking further research to measure movement of the back, and forces under the saddle, with the aim of explaining biomechanically what is happening during the occurrence of saddle slip.
"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
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
Rather than offering 'death by Powerpoint', where large numbers of delegates are invited to sit and stare at a Powerpoint screen for an hour, followed by a few questions at the end, IVC and VetSurgeon.org invited a smaller, more intimate group to come and discuss a subject on Zoom, a recording of which was then made available for everyone else to watch later.
In the case of VetSurgeon.org, the first such meeting was 'Let's Talk About Small Animal Surgery' with Alasdair Hotston-Moore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1rD3zfcUZE
Meanwhile, IVC has based its recent CPD sessions about equine emergencies on a very similar model. During the event, short case studies were presented in a format which allowed for discussion all the way through.
IVC Evidensia Equine Clinical Board Vice Chair, Mark Tabachnik said: "We decided on a reflective, case-based approach rather than the usual monologue, where so much information is thrown at you, you’re lucky to catch a couple of snippets. I wanted something that was a little more relaxed and more collaborative, like a group of colleagues chatting about the cases from their night on call over a drink or two at the pub.”
It's a format which seems to be proving popular. Chessie Greenham of Fyrnwy Vets in Shropshire said: "Interesting cases that reflected on call life, worked through in an approachable style that is easily applied to real life scenarios."
Currently fewer than one in ten veterinary students opt to go into equine practice. BEVA says it hopes that the new scheme will provide a broader base of students with an insight into the world of equine veterinary medicine and open more eyes to what’s great about being an equine vet.
Katie Roberts the President of the Association of Veterinary Students said: "This is a very exciting opportunity for students. Anecdotally, we know that some students can feel very daunted by equine practice, especially if they don’t come from a traditionally horsey background. Being able to become involved with BEVA at no cost means that they can get a true taste of the equine veterinary world in addition to their experiences on EMS, and I’m sure this will pique the interest of our members."
As part of their free membership, students will also have access to:
The initiative has been made possible with sponsorship from Baker McVeigh, CVS Group, IVC, Newmarket Equine Hospital, Rossdales, VetPartners, and XLVets.
For further information about student membership of BEVA visit: https://www.beva.org.uk/Join-BEVA/vet-student
New Horse Passport Guidelines come into force from 1 July 2009 which will require horses to be microchipped. However a recent poll on Horse & Hound Online has revealed that 75 per cent of those questioned were unaware of the new microchip legislation.
With this in mind, Bayer has produced a comprehensive marketing support package for equine vets which provides an overview of the new Horse Passport Guidelines 2009 together with a clear and concise summary of its requirements for vets and horse owners.
The Tracer Advance equine package contains a handy laminated bullet point guide to the new regulations, practice posters, client leaflets, client leave pieces, pre-written articles for use in practice newsletters and local press, and PowerPoint presentations for client evenings.
Practices can apply for any of these items by contacting their Bayer Territory Manager.
The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) has published a free online collection of articles which explain the current understanding of equine antimicrobial resistance and how the profession can preserve the effectiveness of these essential medicines.
The new collection comprises ten clinical reports and studies and three editorials covering current trends on bacterial populations, risk factors and the appropriate use of antimicrobials in practice.
A clinical report on the changes in bacterial populations in foals with sepsis raises the question whether the emergence of resistance in horses has occurred as a result of antibiotic use in humans, with nosocomial spread from human handlers in foals. Studies on the prevalence of faecal carriage of antimicrobial resistant E. coli show their prevalence to be common in normal horses in the community in the UK, although MRSA carriage was rare. Data suggested transmission of resistant bacteria from animals receiving antibiotics may result in carriage of bacteria by in contact animals.
The need for judicious use of antimicrobials is reinforced in a study on antimicrobial-associated diarrhoea in three equine referral practices. Two papers investigate both prescribing practice in the UK and the impact of antimicrobial use on infection and pyrexia in hospitalised horses, concluding that there are opportunities for more targeted, ‘smart’, use antimicrobials in the perioperative period, rather than simply more antimicrobials.
The final study discusses a low-cost syndromic surveillance model for monitoring healthcare associated infection in clinical practice to provide a realistic benchmark against which other hospitals may compare antimicrobial study data.
Three supporting editorials complete the online collection, giving comment on the overall situation of antimicrobial resistance in the horses, including the current political situation and antimicrobials and surgical site infection.
Professor Peter Clegg, Associate Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "It remains to be determined how big a problem antimicrobial resistance will become for the equine veterinary profession, either through greater difficulties in treating horses, or through political pressure to restrict access to antimicrobials. Meanwhile the EVJ remains committed to the promotion of responsible stewardship to best preserve the efficacy of the drugs we have got for as long as we can."
Mark Bowen, President of the British Equine Veterinary Association and guest editor said: "BEVA has a long-term commitment to promoting responsible antimicrobial use throughout the profession and supporting EAAD through the PROTECT ME brand. This year we have released resources around Education, aimed at the profession through EVJ and to the horse owning public through development of material that can be provided alongside antimicrobial dispensing. The work of the equine profession in preserving the highest priority antimicrobials will ensure efficacy can be retained for as long as is possible."
The antimicrobial online collection is available free online at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306/homepage/antimicrobial_resistance.htm
Researchers at the Animal Health Trust are appealing for information from veterinary surgeons who have seen recent Eosinophilic Keratitis (EK) conditions, an emerging issue in UK equine ophthalmology.
The AHT says that despite the increased awareness of EK worldwide, the aetiopathogenesis of the disease remains poorly understood and probably underdiagnosed. The charity is looking to define the pathogenesis and determine why some horses are particularly susceptible to this condition, in particular looking for epidemiological links, environmental factors and parasitic infestation.
Many of the clinical signs of EK are non-specific and similar to other corneal conditions such as blepharospasm, chemosis, conjunctival hyperaemia, epiphora or perilesional oedema. More specific signs include caseous mucoid discharge and white/yellow plaques often localised in the peripheral cornea. The degree of pain varies and concurrent ulceration is almost always present. Conjunctivitis may also occur in association with the keratitis or as a unique disease entity.
EK can have variable clinical presentations, from a thick caseous accumulation to a more superficial plaque of “ground-glass” appearance. They may present as chronic non-healing ulcers that respond quickly to the use of topical steroids and/or ciclosporin, or present with marked ocular discomfort and require superficial keratectomy to resolve the condition.
Two different corneal locations are classically (though not exclusively) involved in EK, the medial perilimbal cornea, often under the third eyelid, or the lateral perilimbal cornea, which may progress axially towards the central cornea.
The charity is also providing free cytology tests for corneal scrapes to help vets diagnose EK earlier, thereby avoiding secondary complications that can lead to permanent visionary impairment.
If you have seen cases that have either been diagnosed as or that you suspect to be Eosinophilic Keratitis this year, contact Sonia Gonzalez-Medina on 01638 751000 Ext: 1203 or sonia.gonzalez-medina@aht.org.uk.
For more information and to download a copy of the submission form to accompany samples, visit www.aht.org.uk/EKstudy.
Pfizer Animal Health is advising vets and horse owners to be on guard against the threat of West Nile Virus (WNV) in the UK, following a spate of outbreaks of the disease in several European countries this year.
West Nile Virus has recently made headline news because of a human outbreak in Greece which resulted in a number of deaths. Outbreaks have also occurred in Russia, Romania and Italy during 2010. West Nile Fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, which carry the virus after biting infected birds. Primarily occurring between July and October, in line with typical peak activity of mosquitoes, it can have serious consequences on human and equine health, with severe cases resulting in fatal neurological disease.
There is no cure, though supportive treatment can aid recovery. However if the disease progresses to a state where the animal is not able to stand up, their chance of survival is considered low. Prevention of infection is difficult, but any steps that reduce mosquito numbers or the likelihood of horses and people being bitten may help to reduce the risk in areas where the disease is present. However, the only way to reduce the risk of an individual horse developing disease due to WNV is through vaccination.
Ben Gaskell, Pfizer's equine veterinary advisor said: "West Nile Virus may well become a very real threat to both horses and humans in Northern Europe. It is important for vets, horse owners and infectious disease experts to work together to mitigate its impact in the event of the virus becoming endemic across Europe. The rapid spread of the disease across North America is an illustration of what could potentially happen in Europe and it is important to remember there is no curative treatment - the only way to prevent clinical disease in horses is by vaccination."
Pfizer Animal Health supports the PrEquID (Prevention of Equine Infectious Disease) group, which consists of internationally recognised equine and infectious disease experts. The group was formed to develop guidelines on the prevention and control of a number of equine infectious diseases, on a global basis.
Klaus Osterrieder, Professor and Chair in the Institut für Virologie in the Veterinärfakultät at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany and a member of the PrEquID group advises: "Horse owners should ask their veterinarian for advice on appropriate prevention measures. Experience has shown that adopting a prudent prevention strategy can be a very effective way of managing this devastating disease."
Further information on WNV is available at www.westnile.eu.
The pack contains:
For more information, contact your local Dechra equine sales manager.
Dechra Veterinary Products, manufacturer and distributor of Equipalazone®, has launched a new information leaflet to support the Equine Passport scheme.
Since 2005, when equine passports became mandatory, 958,000 have been issued. The passport is a method of identification as well as a medical record and ensures that horses treated with veterinary medicines do not enter the human food chain.
“Many substances used in commonly prescribed equine medicines can only be given to horses not intended for human consumption,” says Giles Coley, Dechra’s managing director. “Under the passport scheme, owners must declare whether their horse is intended for human consumption.
The leaflet, which outlines the importance and benefits of the Equine Passport scheme, will be inserted into every box of Equipalazone Powder 100 sachets. It will also be made available for veterinary practices to hand out to their clients.
Practices wishing or order copies of the Equine Passport leaflet should contact Rachel Horton at Dechra on 01743 441 632.
Ceva Animal Health has produced a leaflet to help horse owners understand the cause, diagnosis and management of equine back pain.
The company says the management of back pain in the horse can be a particular challenge to vets and a source of frustration for owners. Early diagnosis is likely to be associated with a more favourable outcome but it's important to ensure that other causes of pain and poor performance such as lameness, are not contributing to the horse's clinical signs.
'Understanding back pain' explains the anatomy of the back, as well as the clinical signs of back pain, and how it is diagnosed, including the treatment options and the general prognosis. Copies of the new leaflet are available, free of charge, from your Ceva sales representative. Leaflets on 'Understanding bone spavin', 'Understanding navicular disease', 'Understanding sacroiliac disease' and 'Equidronate discharge instructions', are also available.
For further information contact your local Ceva representative or Ceva Animal Health Ltd, Unit 3, Anglo Office Park, White Lion Road, Amersham, Bucks, HP7 9FB, Telephone +44 (0) 1494 781510.
A European study undertaken in horses to evaluate the efficacy of the key anthelmintic molecules fenbendazole, pyrantel, ivermectin and moxidectin in treating equine cyathostomins, has confirmed that resistance is developing against all the molecules with the exception of moxidectin.
Resistance to fenbendazole was highlighted as a particular issue with 80% of the yards tested in the UK and Germany showing resistance. Resistance to pyrantel also proved to be increasingly prevalent while cases of ivermectin resistance were emerging.
The Fort Dodge-sponsored study, the largest of its kind so far undertaken, took place during 2008 and was led by scientific teams from veterinary faculties in Italy and Germany. It was based on Faecal Egg Count Reduction Tests (FECRTs) of 1,704 horses at 102 yards in Italy, Germany and the UK. The calculation of FECR data was performed employing bootstrap analysis of group arithmetic means.
The study concluded that:
According to Dr Donato Traversa from the University of Teramo, Italy, who headed up the field work, the results confirm that single and even multiple drug resistance in equine cyathostomins is an increasing challenge in all three countries with resistance to fenbendazole and pyrantel a particular concern.
He said: "Our research highlights the necessity for vets, owners and managers to use those anthelmintic molecules that remain most effective in a manner which preserves their efficacy for as long as possible."
Professor Georg von Samson Himmelstjerna from Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine, which participated in the research, added: "Given the strong impact that resistant cyathostomins are likely to have on horse welfare, future parasite control plans should be based on integrated measures, involving both the correct use of anthelmintics, such as administering the correct dosing according to the animals weight, and only using products in the species for which it is licensed, as well as other approaches such as adequate pasture hygiene, low stocking rates and mixed grazing with other animals.
"We call on all concerned with equine health and welfare to take an active role in planning and monitoring effective worm control programs."
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.
ProteqFlu, the live attenuated canarypox equine influenza (EI) vaccine, has had its shelf life extended from 27 to 36 months.
Merial says the increased shelf life is the result of ongoing investment in vaccine research & development, and that the new data underpins the stability of modified live vaccine technology.
Merial highlights that ProteqFlu is the only equine flu vaccine in Europe to include the updated American clade 1 Ohio/03 strain in accordance with the OIE recommendations (2004).
Merial has launched a 'Vaccination Back on Track' promotion via vet practices that administer Merial vaccines.
Under the scheme, owners of all horses over 12 months of age that have not yet been vaccinated against equine influenza or are overdue a booster obtain a primary vaccination course at an attractive discounted rate. A tetanus component is also available if required.
Dr Emma Batson from Merial said: "With continuing cases of equine flu recorded in the UK, and a global increase in the number of serious outbreaks, it has never been more important to ensure that horses are protected against this underestimated threat.
"It's often not fully understood that equine flu can be transferred indirectly via inanimate objects such as horse boxes, fencing or human clothing. With just 37% of horses in the UK estimated to be vaccinated, this leaves a significant naive and vulnerable population at risk".
Merial says there is no limit on the number of horses that can be vaccinated, making it a particularly attractive offer for those with more than one horse or yard(s).
Participating practices have the option to run the scheme in any month between now and December 2009. For information, contact your Merial Territory Manager.
The RSPCA has released the latest figures showing the extent of cruelty to animals in the UK.
In 2007, they show a:
"These animals are the helpless victims of our affluent, throwaway society," says Tim Wass, Chief Officer of the RSPCA Inspectorate. "They're bought on a whim and discarded when the novelty wears off. Today's must-have item quickly turns into tomorrow's cast-off.
"Worse still," added Tim, "some animals are violently abused because they don't meet their owners' unrealistic expectations: like the cat kicked to death for having muddy paws or the dog strangled with its lead for misbehaving."
But the year RSPCA reports that there has been good news too, with the success of the new Animal Welfare Act already starting to take effect. The new Act - which came into force during 2007 - has made it possible to take action sooner than ever before in situations where there are animal welfare concerns.
The Act is already producing powerful results in its first twelve months. Where animal welfare concerns have prompted the RSPCA to give advice to an animal owner, that advice was followed and the problems resolved 92% of the time, meaning that no further action was necessary. Tim said: "Even in these early days, the benefits of the new law are clear. Without the new Act, this year's cruelty figures could have been even more horrific."
He added: "Dogs have always borne the brunt of cruelty - from violent outbursts to extreme neglect. But that's what makes this year's horrendous 34% increase even more shocking: it's a massive increase on an already high figure."
It was hoped that last year's leap in convictions for cruelty to horses was an anomaly. But this year's figures show that the higher numbers have been maintained - they increased by 33% between 2005 and 2006 - and then increased by a further 13% to 119 in 2007.
The rise in banning orders is a big improvement on the previous year, which had actually recorded a fall. The new Animal Welfare Act obliges courts to explain their reasons if they don't impose a ban and this may have contributed to the increase. The new requirement seems to have focussed attention on preventative action which can prevent suffering and save lives.
Tim said: "The main reason we take people to court is to prevent cruelty being repeated. It's very reassuring to see the courts taking this seriously by issuing more and more banning orders, which prevent those convicted of cruelty from keeping animals in future."
The Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations (FEEVA) and the European Federation of Farriers Associations (EFFA) have announced that they have joined forces to promote best practice in farriery.
The initiative is the result of recognition by both organisations that equine welfare is best served with the use of only properly trained farriers, working closely with veterinary surgeons as and when needed.
The organisations say that the main aims of the new partnership include:
The President of FEEVA, Professor Josh Slater said: "We look forward to working together at European level and encouraging member associations to do the same at national level, with the primary intention of enhancing equine health through first class farriery."
A new study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ)1 has concluded that whilst horse owners are increasingly looking to vets for worm control advice and use faecal worm egg counts more frequently, they remain largely unaware of the threat of resistance to dewormers and the importance of appropriate 'targeted' dosing.
The authors of the study say that although the findings are encouraging, they indicate that further effort is needed to help owners fully understand the issue of dewormer resistance, in order to help preserve the efficacy of dewormers currently available and protect the health and welfare of their horses.
According to the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), resistance of equine gastrointestinal worms to the currently available dewormers is a serious problem. The association says small redworm are the greatest concern, given their very high prevalence, potential to cause life-threatening disease and high levels of resistance. Of the three classes of anthelmintic available for their control, there is now widespread resistance to benzimidazoles (e.g. fenbendazole) and tetrahydropyrimidines (e.g. pyrantel) and reduced effectiveness of macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin). With no new classes of dewormer on the horizon, it's essential that efficacy of existing effective products is preserved.
The study was conducted by a UK team, led by Claire Stratford, Horse Trust Clinical Scholar in Equine Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and at Moredun Research Institute. The collaborators were also supported by funding from the Elise Pilkington Trust and Horserace Betting Levy Board.
The study examined equine helminth control practices in Scotland, and was based on responses from 193 questionnaires detailing the parasite control programmes of 993 horses and ponies. The results demonstrated a lack of awareness of the significance of dewormer resistance, with 86% of respondents stating that they were unaware of the presence of resistance on their yard. The majority were relatively unconcerned about dewormer resistance, assigning a score of only 6/10 (with 10 representing highest level of concern) when asked to grade how important they perceived it to be.
On a more positive note, many respondents stated that they involved their vet in planning control strategies. Faecal worm egg count (FWEC) analysis had been performed on 62% of yards and annual treatment frequency had been reduced accordingly. The macrocyclic lactones or related combination products were the most commonly administered products; however, owners did have misconceptions regarding the specific worms they should be targeting.
Although treatments licensed for use against encysted small redworm larvae were administered by 80% of respondents, only 57% perceived that they treated for this parasite stage. Similarly, only 78% of respondents believed they were treating for tapeworm when, in fact, 90% reported using a product licensed for tapeworm treatment.
While responses indicated increased implementation of strategic (44% respondents) or targeted control (40% respondents), variations in the apparent influence of the targeted approach on treatment practices suggested some confusion over this term. Claire Stratford said: "Targeted dosing involves using regular FWEC analysis to identify an individual's egg shedding level. This is currently considered best practice, when used in conjunction with annual dosing against encysted small redworm and tapeworm. The survey indicates a need for continued knowledge transfer, together with a consistent definition of 'targeted' treatment."
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "It's very encouraging to see that vet advice is being increasingly sought and it seems logical that the use of FWECs is rising accordingly. But, it is equally important that the information gained from the FWECs is used wisely. Resistance to dewormers is a major health concern that is with us right now and horse owners need to be made more aware of it."
Reference
The National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists (NAVP) is calling for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to establish an independent register of veterinary physiotherapy practitioners. According to the Association, such a register would eliminate individuals practicing without proper training and qualifications and raise the standard of veterinary physiotherapy by providing a disciplinary role.
NAVP President and leading veterinary anatomist Dr Sue Kempson is heading the NAVP campaign for the establishment of an independent register. In a letter to the President of the RCVS, Dr Kempson said: "Recognition by the veterinary profession of the role of physiotherapy in post-operative rehabilitation and in supporting both companion and performance animals is growing. However, we do believe that referring veterinary surgeons are increasingly faced with a dilemma caused by the wide differential between qualifications offered by the various organisations representing practitioners in areas such as physiotherapy. There is an urgent need for a distinction to be made between these different types of qualification. To this end, there should be a clearly defined independent register of practitioners with appropriately validated qualifications which are clearly understood by the veterinary profession."
In partnership with Harper Adams University College, the NAVP has introduced a fully-validated post-graduate course in veterinary physiotherapy which offers a choice of Post-Graduate Diploma or Masters Degree. Only one other professional body, the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) currently offers a similar qualification at this level.
Dr Kempson said: "The establishment of a register of physiotherapists would greatly assist vets and their clients to make informed decisions on their choice of therapist. It would eliminate those individuals without proper training and qualifications and help raise the standard of veterinary physiotherapy by providing a disciplinary role. At present there are no sanctions on those people practicing without the necessary qualifications or those whose work is sub-standard or who are guilty of professional misconduct.
"We do not believe that such a register should rest with any individual professional body or be affiliated to specific educational courses. To have authority, it requires independence and a register held under the auspices of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons would carry the credibility that the veterinary profession requires."