Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses will be able to try their hands at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons code-cracking competition at the London Vet Show at Olympia on 24-25 November.

At the RCVS breakfast session on the Friday morning (8.30, part of the Business Stream), President Dr Jerry Davies will unlock the secrets of the proposed new Codes of Professional Conduct for vets and VNs. 

To promote this breakfast session, the RCVS is inviting visitors to come to its stand (J90) to solve photo enigmas, using clues provided to decipher a series of words that appear in the proposed new Codes. The winner will be in line to receive a pair of super sleuthing video glasses.

VNs who missed BVNA Congress can also get their hands on a 50^th anniversary commemorative chocolate medallion by visiting the RCVS stand.

Coffee and pastries will be served at the morning session on Friday - there's no need to book, just turn up.

A study by the Royal Veterinary College, published in the Equine Vet Journal has revealed new insights into how strangles spreads amongst horses in the UK¹.

The authors say the research marks a significant step forward in understanding how veterinary surgeons and owners can more effectively manage and prevent outbreaks of the disease.

For the study, researchers from the RVC, the University of Cambridge, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Redwings Horse Sanctuary, analysed more than 500 S. equi samples from across the UK between 2016 and 2022.

In particular, they wanted to better understand the relative contribution of short-term (immediately post infection) versus long-term carriers (carriers that were infected months or years prior).

The samples were collected from clinical cases sent to diagnostic laboratories by veterinary surgeons seeking confirmation of infection.

Surplus samples were submitted to the Surveillance of Equine Strangles network and then cultured in the RVC’s research laboratory and their DNA extracted and sequenced to reveal each bacterium’s complete genetic code.

Adopting an approach that combined whole genome sequencing and epidemiological data, the researchers were able to trace how strains are related and have evolved.

With the use of computer programmes, they also tracked how genetically related strains spread between horses and across regions, over time.

By adopting this approach, the team was also able to pinpoint likely transmission events and chains of infection.

The main findings were:

• A significant and rapid change in the S. equi population structure in the UK between 2016 and 2022, suggesting that, contrary to previous assumptions, acutely infected or recently convalesced short-term carrier horses play a more influential role in transmission than long-term carriers.
• Frequent transmission across different UK regions, with nearly two-thirds of identified transmission pairs occurring between horses from different UK regions, and a significant transmission chain observed spanning large distances across the UK over a six-month period, involving horses from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This highlights the national and international importance of horse movements in spreading the disease.
• Most detected S. equi infections were transmitted from horses with overt clinical signs or those recently convalescing, underscoring the critical need for greater awareness and adoption of post-outbreak screening protocols to confirm freedom of infection, rather than solely the resolution of clinical signs.

The research highlights the need for early diagnosis, isolation and laboratory-confirmed clearance, particularly through guttural pouch testing, before assuming a horse is infection-free.

It also advocates for tighter biosecurity and movement protocols, especially when transporting horses across regions.

Dr Abigail McGlennon, former PhD student in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences at the RVC, and lead author of the paper, said: “Strangles is a challenging and distressing disease for horses, owners, yards and vets, and this work has highlighted just how easily it can be spread across the UK in a short period of time.

“This study shows how important enhanced surveillance utilising epidemiological and genomic data is to investigate and understand strangles transmission across the UK.

"Our data highlights the importance of greater awareness and adoption of post-outbreak screening protocols to confirm freedom from infection, rather than owners assuming recovery based on the resolution of clinical signs.” 

Reference

1. McGlennon AA, Verheyen KL, Newton JR, van Tonder A, Wilson H, Parkhill J, et al. Unwelcome neighbours: Tracking the transmission of Streptococcus equi in the United Kingdom horse population. Equine Vet J. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14558  

The British Veterinary Association has welcomed a report published by The Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding, which sets out eight priority welfare problems.

Commenting on the report, BVA President Carl Padgett said: "We welcome the Dog Advisory Council's report which highlights key welfare issues of dog breeding and makes sound, practical recommendations for addressing them." 

The eight priority problems addressed are:

• Ocular problems linked to head conformation
• Breathing difficulty linked to head conformation
• Syringomyelia (SM) and Chiari-like malformation (CM)
• Idiopathic Epilepsy
• Heart disease with a known or suspected inherited basis
• Breed-related and inherited skin conditions
• Limb defects (including hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia), and
• Separation related behaviour: a serious but often hidden welfare issue for domestic dogs.

Mr Padgett continued:"The Dog Advisory Council has covered these high priority concerns in some detail. I am pleased that the recommendations give strong support to screening programmes including the BVA/KC schemes for hip and elbow dysplasia and syringomyelia and that they suggest ocular examination under the BVA/KC/ISDS eye scheme should be regarded as routine for all dogs used for breeding. 

"I am also delighted that the Council has recognised the value of using a reputable puppy contract, highlighting the puppy contract and puppy information pack (PIP) recently launched by the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation and RSPCA. The contract and PIP arm buyers with the knowledge to give themselves the best chance of getting a fit, healthy and happy, well socialised pet to join their household and they have been designed to help good breeders demonstrate the care and attention they have devoted to their puppies' breeding and upbringing.

"We must all continue to work together to address these welfare challenges and keep up the momentum to improve dog breeding."

Hill’s Pet Nutrition has published 2025 World of the Cat Report, a fascinating look at feline trends and changes going on in the feline veterinary community.

The report was put together by Hill’s new Cat Advisory Team (C.A.T.), a group of leaders from across the feline veterinary world, including private practice, academia and industry.

The report looks at cat demographics, population statistics, most common medical conditions, pet food advances, and the effect of cost on veterinary care and nutrition. 

It also considers the fact that apparently, 60% of cats don't receive annual veterinary care, often due to clinic visit stress, noting that practices designated as 'Cat Friendly' report improved client satisfaction and an 81% increase in revenue. 

It's a really interesting report, only slightly let down by the way it refers to cat owners by that awful finger-down-the-throat term: 'pet parents'.

https://na.hillsvna.com/en_US/resources-2/view/244 

Changes to the registration procedure for veterinary surgeons, which are being put forward for approval by the Privy Council, have caused some concern in the profession.

Most contentious is the new requirement for veterinary surgeons to confirm their contact details annually, or face removal from the register.

Judging from the remarks in the VetSurgeon forums, many in the profession see this as just another example of bureaucratic-big-brother-pen-pushing-time-wasting (a perception that probably hasn't been helped by the RCVS stating that the change is driven by the need to meet EU Directive 2006/123/EC). Nor would Lynne Hill's remarks have done anything to calm the situation. She said: "If that [the requirement for vets to confirm their address once a year] is beyond the wit and the capability of supposed professional people that we expect to follow a guide to professional conduct, to act as professionals in everything that they do, then I really despair of this profession.

"I do not see anything wrong with the College asking people to confirm their address year in, year out when they make a payment. And if those people cannot be responsible for doing that then they deserve to go forward to be taken off the Register because, if they can't do that, God only knows what else they may well be doing in their professional lives!"

At face value, it's completely understandable why the new regulation was bound to get members' backs up. I mean, the threat of losing your license to practise because you didn't confirm something which hasn't changed anyway. It's a bit extreme isn't it?

The truth of the matter is probably a little more prosaic:

• It'll be a question of just ticking a box: 'I confirm these are my current contact details', or words to that effect, on the new RCVS website (when it arrives). The point is that it'll only take a second or two.
• The reality is that removal from the register is very much the action of last resort. The Veterinary Surgeons Act requires that the RCVS gives at least 6 months for a return on a confirmation before removing a member from the register. 
• There is also a new requirement to make an annual declaration of how many hours CPD has been completed. That seems a perfectly sensible requirement, in line with many other professions. The point is, you'll have to be in touch with the RCVS anyway, so is it really such a big deal to confirm your contact details simultaneously? 

At present, many members pay registration fees by standing order, and may never have updated their contact details. You could argue that it is only right that the authority changed with regulating veterinary surgeons knows how to get hold of them. If a consequence of this is also that the RCVS is able to work more efficiently and cost-effectively (apart from anything else, it shouldn't have to spend so much time tracking down and chasing non-payers), then so much the better.

CarefreeCredit, the vet-run company we reported on back in October, has announced that it is working with its 600th practice in offering its interest-free or low-interest credit to clients that find themselves unable to pay for unforeseen veterinary treatment.

Stewart Halperin MRCVS, Managing Director of CarefreeCredit said: “2014 has been an incredibly busy but successful year for us. We’ve increased the take up of our service by over 500%, we have proudly cemented our partnerships within the corporate and buying groups and most importantly, we have become established enough to make a substantial difference to the pets and pet owners who rely on the help our service provides.”

Stewart added: “We know 2015 is going to be an even bigger year for us, with even more practices joining our system and the introduction of dependable and innovative business support services that will continue to save our practices time and money and help them increase sales and reduce debtors. With this in mind, we are introducing a very small monthly charge to cover our increased costs in software, training and office support services.”

From the New Year, practices that join Carefree Credit will be charged a flat rate of £10 per month for the duration of their membership. The £10 monthly fee covers support for FCA applications, unlimited training in-practice or online, use of the CarefreeCredit unique platform, CarefreeCredit office support, and point of sale materials. Practices that sign up before January 1st, will continue their membership without charge until at least January 2016.

For further information, visit: carefreecredit.co.uk or ring 0203 697 8439.

Assistance dog charity Canine Partners is asking the profession to support its work by taking places on a number of fund-raising challenges this year, including the Reading Half Marathon, Brighton Marathon, Tough Mudder, Ride London, Forth Road Bridge Abseil and Para Tri.

Holly Bryan, Events and Challenge Co-ordinator, said: "We are looking for people of all abilities who are willing to take on a challenge this year in aid of Canine Partners. All we ask is that you give something back by raising money for us through sponsorship.

"We have places available for many events during 2016 but we can also support you if you have your own place and wish to fundraise for Canine Partners.

"This year we are delighted to announce that we are an official charity of the Reading Half Marathon and our gold package means that we have 30 guaranteed places as well as use of the Reading FC Players’ Lounge. 

"By supporting Canine Partners you will be joining our amazing ‘purple army’ team who are helping us to change people’s lives for the better."

The national charity trains dogs to help with everyday tasks disabled people would otherwise find difficult, painful or impossible including opening doors, undressing, pressing buttons, unloading the washing machine and fetching help in an emergency. The assistance dogs also increase independence, confidence and provide loving companionship.

Paul Sparrow, who ran the London Marathon for Canine Partners last year, said: "The support I have received from the crowds and the charity were fantastic and if one person saw my vest and googled Canine Partners to learn more about them, then it will have been worthwhile."

For more information, visit caninepartners.org.uk/challenges, or contact Holly at: hollyb@caninepartners.org.uk or call 01730 716013.

Hill's has launched 'Lose 60 Tonnes in 6 months', a campaign to help clients get their pet to a healthy weight. 

Sixty tonnes is equivalent to the weight of twelve elephants, which is a huge target. Hill's says that if every practice makes a small contribution, it can be achieved.

Hill's support includes a public relations pack which the company says contains everything veterinary surgeons and nurses need to help raise awareness and encourage pet owners to bring their pets in for a weight assessment. The pack includes proforma press releases and guidance on how to cultivate a mutually beneficial relationship with local media. There is also a 'Lose 60 tonnes in 6 months' point of sale kit that includes a poster, stickers and a noticeboard kit for clinics, to drive awareness while clients wait for consults.

As part of the campaign, Hill's is also hosting a series of nurse webinars on weight management and offering additional support material such as consult room posters, weight clinic packs and pet tape measures, an item often requested by nurses. There are also promotional offers available through Hill's Territory Managers, subject to stock availability.

Hill's Customer Marketing Manager, Sara Locke MRCVS said: "We feel it is important to support practices at the grass-roots level and to develop a campaign that will have real meaning within the local community. I hope practices will get behind it, engage with pet owners and as a result, gain new clients. They are also helping thousands of pets live longer and happier lives."

Further information is available from local Hill's Territory Managers or by calling Hill's on 0800 242438 or in ROI 1 800 626002.

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

1. A questionnaire study of equine gastrointestinal parasite control in Scotland CH Stratford, HE Lester, ER Morgan, KJ Pickles, V Relf, BC McGorum, JB Matthews

Virbac has launched a reformulated dental chew for dogs.

The company says the new VeggieDent chew is thicker in order to prolong the chewing time, but retain its palatability and characteristic Z shape, designed to facilitate prehension and enhance the mechanical cleaning action.

Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS says the longer chewing time means increased contact between teeth and chew: "Optimum plaque removal is achieved by physical abrasion of the tooth surface during chewing. What is important is both the nature and the duration of contact between tooth and chew. These chews have been reformulated to optimise both of these factors.

"Whilst regular tooth brushing is always the gold standard, the chews provide enhanced plaque removal above brushing alone, and are particularly suited for those difficult cases where brushing is not possible".

"Many dogs are offered treats or chews during the day with limited nutritional or health benefits. VeggieDent chews are highly palatable, natural, and meat-free. They help to sustain tooth and gum health and are a great way to encourage the provision of treats that have a health benefit".

The chews are available in packs of 15 in sizes suitable for small, medium and large dogs and can be obtained from your veterinary wholesaler. Look out for a relaunch promotion coming soon. For further information please speak to your Virbac Territory Manager, phone Virbac on 01359 243243, or email enquiries@virbac.co.uk.

Dechra Veterinary Products has published a range of case studies to support its new campaign focused on the diagnosis and treatment of otitis externa.

The studies have been written by Referral Dermatologist Sue Paterson MA, VetMB, DVD, DipECVD, MRCVS, RCVS European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology and Peter Forsythe BVM&S, DVD, MRCVS, RVCS Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology.

Developed as part of the Time to Change campaign, the real-life examples feature a series of problems and solutions associated with otitis, supported by clear images and photomicrographs.

Larry King, Senior Brand Manager, Dechra Veterinary Products, said: "We have created a range of in-depth case study materials for use by vets and vet nurses which will support identification and management of otitis externa, one of the more frequent conditions seen in general practice.

"As veterinary professionals are aware, otitis is common and can be challenging to diagnose and treat. These studies address individual cases and demonstrate how the Dechra dermatology range can be used effectively.

"Topics covered in the case studies include the types of otitis presented by each animal, how individual organisms were identified using cytology and how long treatment was continued."

The case studies, which feature Malassezia, staphylococcal and Proteus infections, also discuss the underlying causes and steps taken after treatment with Canaural and various ear cleaners.

The Time to Change campaign has been launched to support a best practice approach to otitis which includes the identification of the organisms causing infection through cytology, support the selection of the correct treatment and assist with educating clients on how to apply and use products correctly.

For further information visit www.dechra.com/timetochange. The website also highlights the benefits of Dechra Veterinary Products' range of topical treatments and ear flushes, including Canaural, CleanAural, CerumAurual, TrizAural and MalAceticAural.