Zoetis has produced new guidance to help veterinary surgeons develop successful strategies for controlling worms in foals and youngstock.

According to the company, information on best worming strategies for foals and yearlings remains largely anecdotal, making it difficult to develop a clear plan for this age group. Zoetis veterinary surgeon Wendy Talbot has therefore reviewed the recent literature to develop an eight-point plan. 

Explaining the guidance, Wendy writes:

Foals and yearlings are usually more susceptible to worms than are adult horses because they have had little chance to develop any immunity. They are more vulnerable to related diseases and tend to have higher egg shedding, which increases the risk of infection. The main parasitic culprits in the UK for foals less than six months of age are large roundworms (ascarids). In older foals and weanlings, small and large strongyles, tapeworms (and pinworms) are the main considerations.¹ Yearlings may also have a second wave of large roundworm infection at 8-10 months of age.² Any control strategy will need to take into account the individual circumstances such as stocking density, pasture management and previous disease history.

Guidelines for parasite control in foals suggest a first treatment with fenbendazole at 2-3 months of age, targeting large roundworm, followed by another treatment at 5-6 months. Alternatively, pyrantel may be considered for these doses; however, there may be resistance in some areas and foals with large adult ascarid burdens may be at higher risk of intestinal rupture when this drug is used.⁴ At weaning (approximately six months of age), it is advisable to perform a faecal worm egg count (FWEC) to determine if treatment for strongyles is also required; the macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics (ivermectin or moxidectin) are expected to have the highest efficacy. At 9 and 12 months of age treatment for stronglyes and a larvicidal dose for encysted stages of small strongyles (moxidectin or a 5 day course of fenbendazole) are indicated.  A tapeworm treatment should be included with one of these doses.^2,3

For yearlings, two methods have recently been proposed for worm control: the first involves using faecal worm egg counts (FWECs) at more frequent intervals than for adults to guide dosing for strongyles in the grazing season.¹ The second suggests three baseline treatments targeting strongyles in spring, summer and late autumn, with FWECs in between to identify and treat any still shedding high numbers of eggs, up to a maximum of six treatments per year.² Macrocyclic lactones have the highest expected efficacy against small strongyles and should form the basis of treatments; however, pyrantel can be considered for some treatments where it has been shown to have continued efficacy. Both strategies include a larvcidal treatment for encysted small redworm combined with testing or treating for tapeworm in late autumn. The inclusion of one or two doses of a macrocyclic lactone each year (usually already used for small strongyle control) should be sufficient to prevent large strongyle related disease.³

The wide differences in the circumstances of foals and yearlings, together with geographical variations in resistance patterns and a lack of consensus on best practice in this group means it is not possible to define a single approach to a worming plan. An important point to note is that FWECs may give surprising results because higher counts are generally seen in youngstock.

Eight ways to keep clients' youngstock worms controlled:

1. Clean pasture is key to keeping foals and youngstock healthy. Regular removal of droppings is crucial to a successful worm control plan.
2. All foals are considered to be susceptible and at risk of acquiring ascarid infection. Some degree of anthelmintic intervention should be considered and in most circumstances administration at 2-3 months of age and again at 5-6 months of age is advisable.⁴
3. Older foals are primarily at risk of strongyle infection; macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics have the highest expected efficacy.
4. Worm egg counts are likely to be higher in yearlings compared to adults and interpretation of them requires good knowledge of all the circumstances including management, clinical history, previous worm control and test results. Cut-off values for treatment have been suggested to be between 100-500 epg.
5. Moxidectin for the treatment of encysted small redworm is advised for all youngsters (> 6 months of age) in late autumn.¹
6. Faecal worm egg counts are advisable in late winter/start of spring to identify high shedders. These should be treated as necessary with moxidectin particularly after a mild winter.¹
7. New arrivals should be dosed with moxidectin and then quarantined for three days.¹
8. A yearly faecal egg count reduction test is advised to check efficacy against strongyles and ascarids for all class of drugs used on the premises.¹

For further information on worming together with some equine specific CPD visit: https://blog.vetsupportplus.com/

1. Matthews www.vettimes.co.uk/article/helminth-control-programmes-for-equine-yearlings-at-pasture/
2. Nielsen (2017) Endoparasite Control. 9^th ECEIM congress proceedings, 63-64
3. AAEP (2016) Parasite Control Guidelines
4. Nielsen (2016) Evidence-based considerations for control of Parascaris spp. infections in horses. Equine vet. Educ.  28 (4) 224-231

Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering a 100 per cent money-back guarantee that new Hill's Prescription Diet^TM Canine r/d^TM will help overweight and obese dogs to lose weight in just 8 weeks while still maintaining lean muscle mass. 

Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's Pet Nutrition said: "We understand that there is a considerable amount of effort required from owners to help their pet lose weight. Along with the additional cost this can make it difficult to convince them to buy in to a prescription weight loss diet. In order to give vets and pet owners confidence, Hill's is offering a 100 per cent money-back guarantee to pet owners if they don't see any weight loss in just eight weeks."

New r/d, available in 1.5kg, 4kg and 12kg bags, helps with the nutritional management of overweight or obese dogs. According to Hill's, palatability has increased with 9 out of 10 dogs preferring new r/d and its high fibre formula also provides dietary bulk to aid satiety and avoid hunger. New r/d also has high levels of L-carnitine to help burn fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.   

Hill's has developed a range of support measures and practice display materials to help raise awareness of obesity and encourage pet owners to try new r/d.   For further information please contact your Hill's Territory Manager or call 0800 282438.

Jon Bowen, animal behaviour consultant at the Royal Veterinary College and Sureflap have declared 8th May 'Vet Cat Watch Day', and are asking the profession to record the reason why each cat seen that day is brought into the practice.

Jon explained: "There are more than 10 million pet cats in the UK, however there is little information about the prevalence of injuries, disease, cat fights and road traffic accidents on a national scale".

The absence of data became apparent when findings from research on over 1,000 cats - conducted as part of the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign, supported by SureFlap and Your Cat magazine - revealed cats that had suffered minor injuries from fights were more likely to develop other health issues, such as hair loss and eye infections.

Judith Bank from SureFlap said: "People often purchase a microchip-operated cat flap to help their pet to feel secure. Owners tell us that their pet is spraying in the house or has been losing fur and this motivated us to support research to look deeper into the problems that pet owners might be having. We soon realised that objective data from vets was not available to qualify the findings and this is where the idea of 'Vet Cat Watch Day' emerged."

Jon said: "The aim of Vet Cat Watch Day is to take a snap-shot of cats' health from veterinary practices across the nation, on one day. The results will be compiled alongside information from cat owners gained in 'Cat Watch Day' a few days earlier.

A report detailing preliminary findings from the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign is available from the SureFlap website.  When complete the results will be used to help provide vets with an insight into the lives of domestic cats so they are better equipped to understand behavioural issues.

For more information on Vet Cat Watch Day please visit the SureFlap website The site hosts a PDF to print out and help record the feline cases that come through practice doors on the 8th May, which can be downloaded from www.sureflap.co.uk/vetwatch_info. At the end of the day, visit www.sureflap.co.uk/vetwatch to upload your data to the online survey.

A new expert panel has been formed to evaluate pain management in canine osteoarthritis following a recent shift to a more integrated approach to pain and disease research.

In the past, pain and joint disease have been considered as separate areas of research, with pain perceived simply as a consequence of disease. Over the last few years, however, it has become increasingly apparent that the relationship is far more complex and that pain may be a driver of disease rather than just a consequence of it. The expert panel hopes to apply the new knowledge to the management of joint pain in veterinary practice.

The panel, which had its inaugural meeting in Paris recently, brings together acknowledged veterinary experts in the fields of pain and joint disease. Its focus will be on the assessment and management of pain in canine osteoarthritis (OA), with the objective of educating veterinary surgeons to better understand and manage pain in canine OA and thereby improve the well-being of pets that suffer from this common disease.

'Central sensitisation' is one of the latest theories that has been suggested to explain the complex interaction between pain and disease progression in canine OA. Duncan Lascelles, Associate Professor of Surgery at North Carolina State University, said that research has shown that the components of the pain pathway can change in response to a pain stimulus. Pain receptors 'up-regulate' in response to painful stimuli and become more sensitive to subsequent pain.

CNS sensitisation is likely a significant contributor to chronic or maladaptive pain; this pain leads to decreased mobility, reduced muscle support and reduced muscle function, thus leading to disease progression. In other words, joint diseases cause pain, which in turn feeds back to create more disease.

Professor Lascelles said: "The link between the clinical signs associated with OA and joint pathology is not a simple one and may be much more complex than we have previously thought.

"There is some evidence that COX inhibition reduces central sensitisation. And some evidence suggests that reducing central sensitisation may have a modulatory effect on disease progression by reducing signals going out to the periphery.

"The relationship between pain and disease progression is a very new area of research, and is at the forefront of our knowledge of how pain and joint disease are linked."

Professor John Innes, Head of Division, Small Animal Studies, University of Liverpool Veterinary School, told the meeting that OA is likely to be one of the major reasons for euthanasia of pet dogs in Europe. He and two co-investigators have performed a systematic review of the published evidence for the use of long-term, continuous NSAID treatment (at least 28 days) in OA. They found that this form of management is associated with better outcomes than short-term NSAID therapy, with no evidence of additional safety issues. This review is to be published shortly.

The expert panel comprises:

Prof Dr Stuart Carmichael, Vets Now Ltd. Formerly at: Veterinary School, University of Glasgow, UK
Prof Dr John Innes, Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, UK
Dr Bernard Bouvy-Centre, Hospitalier Vétérinaire de Frégis, Arcueil, France
Prof Dr Jean-Pierre Genevois, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, France
Dr Carlos Macías, Centro Veterinario de Referencia Bahia de Malaga, Spain
Prof Dr Martin Kramer, Klinik für Kleintiere, Chirurgie , Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Germany
Dr Sabine Tacke, Klinik für Kleintiere, Chirurgie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Prof Dr Duncan Lascelles, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, USA
Prof Dr Herman A.W. Hazewinkel, Faculteit Diergeneeskunde, Departement Gezelschapsdieren, Utrecht, Netherlands
Dr Emilio Feltri, Anaesthetist and specialist in Pain Management, Ambulatorio Veterinario Associato, Tortona, Italy
Dr Peter Vandekerckhove, Specialist Surgeon Companion Animal, Wondelgem, Belgium

The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has refused an application for restoration to the RCVS Register from a Kent-based former veterinary surgeon struck off in 1994 for disregarding basic hygiene at his professional premises and failing to properly maintain a Controlled Drugs Register or patient records.

In June 1994, the Committee found that Mr Warwick John Seymour-Hamilton, at that time the only veterinary surgeon practising at premises at 9 Orchard Grove, Orpington, Kent, was guilty of disgraceful professional conduct and should have his name removed from the Register. The state and condition of the premises were found to be such as to risk the health and welfare of animals taken to the premises, and bring the profession into disrepute.  An application made by Mr Seymour-Hamilton for restoration made in 1995 was refused.

At a restoration hearing on 18 June 2010, Mr Seymour-Hamilton told the Committee that he sought restoration to the Register because he wished to further his research work into plants with potential medicinal properties. Restoration, he said, would improve his professional status by giving him more credibility, particularly in terms of recognition by the medical and veterinary professions.   

Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that he had no intention of returning to clinical practice immediately, and neither the Committee nor the College had heard of any adverse conduct by the applicant since his removal.

However, Caroline Freedman, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, noted that if Mr Seymour-Hamilton were to be restored, the Committee would have no power to prevent him from returning to general practice. 

Mr Seymour-Hamilton's response to questioning by the Committee raised a number of concerns with respect to the future welfare of animals should restoration be granted.  He told the Committee that he had not undertaken any relevant Continuing Professional Development in the past 15 years, and said he lacked knowledge of current relevant legislation, for example, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and basic 'Cascade' prescribing requirements.  He also said that he had not read the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct in the past 15 years and that it would not be satisfactory for him immediately to return to general practice. 

Ms Freedman said: "If the Committee were to reinstate the Applicant to the Register, it would have to be satisfied that he is competent and safe to practise immediately. The Committee has an obligation to protect the public and animal welfare and cannot simply accept his assurances that he would take steps to rectify his self-confessed shortcomings at some point in the future."

Having taken all the evidence presented into account, the Committee was not satisfied that Mr Seymour-Hamilton was fit to be restored to the Register and dismissed his application.

The British Veterinary Association has expressed concern about an increasing trend towards temporary contracts for new graduates following the release of headline figures of a survey by the Institute for Employment Studies on behalf of the RCVS.

The survey showed that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first three months has significantly increased for those who graduated in 2012 and who have already left their first position. Amongst vets who graduated in 2010 and had already left their first job 7.7% had done so within the first three months; for 2011 graduates this figure is 15.9%; and for 2012 graduates it is currently 42.6%, although this percentage is likely to decrease over the next year as more of the 2012 cohort leave their first roles. The two main reasons given for leaving first jobs are poor management and temporary contracts. 

Besides this unexpected increase the survey showed little change in other areas for recent graduates, although there has been a slight increase in the amount of time taken for new graduates to find their first job. The survey also revealed that over the 5 year period 16% fewer graduates found jobs in under 3 months.

BVA President Peter Jones said: "Information in this survey and that conducted by the British Equine Veterinary Association recently is valuable evidence of how the changing environment affects those entering our profession and will feed into the on-going discussion at BVA on veterinary workforce issues.

"Perhaps most worrying is the statistic that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first 3 months has significantly increased. The main reasons cited are poor management and temporary contracts. The trend towards temporary contracts is very worrying in terms of job security for those just starting out in our profession.

"Poor management has long concerned the BVA and is what initially led us to establish initiatives such as the Young Vet Network, the recent graduate guide and our contracts of employment campaign. We are currently working on building that support and we are in the process of widening the network of graduate support meetings to help with moral support and networking opportunities. We also supporting the RCVS's Professional Development Phase to support new graduates in their first few years of practice and have produced a number of resources to assist with this process."

While the results show little evidence of a major impact on job prospects from the increase in graduates since the opening of Nottingham Veterinary School, BVA members remain concerned about the impact of a new school opening next year such as the one planned at the University of Surrey.

Peter Jones continued: "It is reassuring to see that overall trends are not changing significantly, however, the ease with which our graduates are getting jobs is changing. We will therefore be considering in some depth the impact that two, three or more new veterinary schools could have in the future. Rumours of yet more new veterinary schools elsewhere are a serious worry for the profession.

The RCVS and the BSAVA are to conduct a research project to evaluate the impact of the Professional Development Phase (PDP) on veterinary graduates.

The College’s PDP is a period of structured self-assessment, reflection and development designed to help veterinary graduates in the transition from life as a veterinary student to clinical practice.

During the PDP (which normally lasts no more than three years after the graduate enters clinical practice), graduates are supported by a Postgraduate Dean and are expected to keep a record of their clinical cases against a list of clinical skills and procedures, and reflect on how they are progressing in relation to the PDP Competences.

In 2016 BSAVA launched its online PDP Resource Bank, matched to the RCVS competences and created to provide BSAVA graduate members with CPD support during their first years in practice.

The research project, which is being conducted across the whole profession, aims to:

• gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by new graduates and their employers in the transition to practice
• evaluate the impact of the PDP on the development of clinical and non-clinical skills
• understand the support needed by employers of new graduates to help them complete the PDP and how both BSAVA and RCVS could provide this
• explore how reflection is understood by employers and used by new graduates during the PDP
• understand the impact of reflection as perceived by employers and graduates

The RCVS and the BSAVA have now appointed the Work Psychology Group, to undertake the research. The research team also includes Professor Susan Rhind, from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, and Professor Liz Mossop of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham.

Christine Warman, Director of Education at the RCVS, said: "Since its launch in 2007 the PDP has had some success in helping graduates in the transition into practice life, but we recognise that there is some frustration and uncertainty with the process and that not everyone finds it helpful.

"So we are very pleased to be joining forces with the BSAVA on this project and hope it will help us get a better sense of how both graduates and employers feel about the PDP, where obstacles to learning and development exist, potential gaps in support provision and common areas of confusion, anxiety and concern."

Sheldon Middleton, BSAVA Honorary Treasurer and board sponsor of the BSAVA’s PDP Resource, said: "BSAVA recognised the gap in provision of support material for the professional skills element of the PDP and created the PDP Resource Bank to plug this gap for our members. We worked with the RCVS to match the resources to the structure of the PDP but also recognised that there was a need for support for employers of new graduates as well. The PDP Resource Bank is growing and has a dedicated editorial board reviewing material for inclusion. This research project will allow us to tailor our resource further and ensure our members are able to access the support they need.”

The research will be conducted across the whole veterinary profession through focus groups and telephone interviews and will include graduates, employers, vet school representatives, Postgraduate Deans, and BSAVA and British Veterinary Association (BVA) representatives. The results of the research will ultimately be made publicly available across the profession, together with recommendations for the further development of the PDP.

For more information about the PDP, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/pdp. You can find the BSAVA’s PDP Resource Bank at https://www.bsava.com/Education/PDP

The story of ‘Spliff' the Staffy has clinched the title of the National Office of Animal Health nationwide search for the most striking ‘it shouldn't happen to a pet' anecdote.  Submitted by Vets4Pets in Grimsby, the practice will receive a prize of £500 towards the staff Christmas party.

In a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of animal health and welfare considerations amongst pet owners and potential owners, NOAH has recently launched the new Pet Health Information website (www.pethealthinfo.org.uk) to enable them to make informed decisions about their pet's healthcare.

In Spliff's case, the website could have helped solve a number of queries. For Spliff it all started with a visit to the vet for a minor operation to cure a simple earache.

The problems started as Spliff was about to leave the practice, with a shiny new bucket collar. However, his owner explained that Spliff is a bit of a snappy dresser, and if it isn't bling, he's not interested. Despite the practice's advice, he insisted the collar was removed so he could take Spliff home to recover.

The very next day, the phone started ringing ‘Spliff's scratching his ear - we need a collar.' Far too busy to bring him round, the owner sent his girlfriend to pick it up.

Problem solved - surely? Nope. The phone continued to ring.  Spliff was ‘going nuts!' Apparently the dog was unable to walk, and was getting very distressed.

Finally, after nearly 24 hours of increasingly frantic calls, Spliff's owner brought him in. He arrived insisting that the vet came out to the car, as Spliff still couldn't walk. Not a common side effect of a minor operation on the ear, so it was a worry.

All became very clear when the vet reached the car, the ear was healing up nicely, and Spliff's paralysis was easily solved. They had put his bucket collar on the wrong way round, and every time he took a step - his front feet got trapped in the collar.  

Rather than collapse in a heap, Spliff, in one of the first sensible decisions of his life, chose not to move at all.  Mystery duly solved, Spliff went on to make a full recovery.  

Sounds like the owner should probably smoke a bit less of it.

For the first time in over 60 years, the BSAVA has cancelled Congress due to the global spread of coronavirus.

The Association says it delayed this decision as late as possible, and whilst the most recent government advice does not prohibit large public gatherings, it recognises the importance of personal safety for Congress attendees and the need to support the profession in preserving business continuity, maintaining client services and protecting animal welfare.

Amanda Stranack, BSAVA CEO, said: "As the situation continues to escalate, the government have given a clear steer that they expect more stringent controls to come into force in the coming weeks. With Congress now only a few weeks away, we want to give all our attendees as much notice as possible, both to ensure peace of mind, and to give people adequate time and flexibility to change their plans.

"BSAVA recognises the pressures the current situation brings to bear on the veterinary community and in making this difficult decision, has the interests of the profession first and foremost in its mind.

"We would thank all those who have worked hard over the past two years to contribute to the development of Congress, a huge amount of effort goes into preparations from BSAVA volunteers, Congress participants and our staff."

Sue Paterson, BSAVA President, said: "It is with great regret that we have made the difficult decision to cancel Congress, which has taken place annually for more than 60 years. Congress is an incredibly important event in the veterinary calendar, and we were all looking forward to an inspiring agenda and saying a fond farewell to the city that has made Congress such a great success over so many years. The health and wellbeing of our attendees is of utmost importance to us, and whilst we are sorry to be making this decision, we are confident it is the right one."

BSAVA says it is aware of the impact that cancelling will have on many delegates' CPD hours, so it is now looking at other ways it can deliver Congress lectures and podcasts.

Sue added: "Whilst we won’t be able to deliver the full Congress programme, we will be working with our speakers to capture as many lectures as we can to make content available online."

Free-range table-birds being reared from slower growing breeds need a different vaccination regime from that of faster-growing broilers, when being immunised against Gumboro disease.           

This previously-unknown fact has emerged from laboratory and field trials, involving several hundred thousand birds on farms throughout the UK, carried out by Lohmann Animal Health in conjunction with poultry vets.

"When using a ‘hot' vaccine conventional broilers in the UK are normally vaccinated at around 14-16 days when their maternal immunity is waning," said Adam Goddard, Lohmann's UK sales consult.  "However, we've found this maternal immunity lasts longer in the slow-growing breeds which are reared both indoors and out."

Realistically, the correct day of vaccination for free-range table-birds is more likely to be achieved by using the vaccine date predictions for broiler-breeders, rather than that of the broiler, under the Deventer formula, which gives calculations for different types of bird.

He therefore advises producers to consult their vets who can take blood samples to get an accurate prediction regarding optimum timing of vaccination with their own particular flocks.

"Our trials have shown that, in general, and depending upon the breed used, the decline in maternal immunity is delayed - perhaps for 4-5 days.  So, in order to get a better ‘take', we recommend vaccinating these birds later or using an IBD vaccine that ‘takes' in the presence of high maternal immunity." said Mr Goddard.

Gumboro disease - also known as Infectious Bursal Disease - can cause severe losses in chickens and outdoor-reared birds are more susceptible to the disease due to environmental influences.

Earlier this year Lohmann Animal Health launched a new ‘hot' vaccine, classified as an ‘intermediate plus' against the very virulent form of Gumboro disease. The company says that because of its ability to break through high levels of maternal antibodies, it allows vaccination to take place earlier than with other existing vaccines.

Petplan is running its television advertising campaign from now until October.

The advert (below) is airing on Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, ITV2, ITV3, More 4, Gold and USA.

Suzanne Cheadle, Acting Head of Marketing at Petplan said: "As the UK market leader, it is imperative that pet owners recognise and understand who we are and what we stand for. We need to help pet owners understand not only why pet insurance is so important, but explain why they should choose Petplan over any other provider. In 36 years, there's not an illness or accident that we haven't seen, and our Covered For Life policies have been developed with unrivalled knowledge and experience."

Lucy Evans and Jamie Hollis, who work in the RCVS Professional Conduct Department, will join RCVS Trust Director Cherry Bushell to raise funds in the British 10K London Run on 12 July.

None of the three runners have run any kind of race since their school sports days - and are appealing for support as they aim to raise at least £300 each for the Trust. 

To sponsor a runner, you can log onto http://www.justgiving.com/rcvstrust and, if you are a UK tax-payer, this also means the Trust gets your tax back. Or, if you prefer to send a cheque, sponsorship forms are available from info@rcvstrust.org.uk or 020 7202 0743.

Lucy said: "The RCVS Trust is a great charity which supports veterinary education and has specialist library and information services for vets and VNs to use. Small charities like the Trust can get overlooked in big fundraising events so I'm glad to be able to help out - even if the thought of running 10K is a bit daunting!"

The race will be broadcast through the British 10K London Run website: http://www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk/.