The British Veterinary Association and British Cattle Veterinary Association have welcomed the launch of the Defra consultation on tackling bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in England, which includes recommendations for badger control in areas where bTB persists at high levels, despite attempts at control using other measures.

The two associations have long argued that bTB cannot be controlled without measures to control the disease in both cattle and wildlife.

In particular the BVA and BCVA have welcomed:

• the recognition that the farming industry, veterinary profession and Government need to work in partnership;
• the understanding that there is no single solution to tackling bTB and that we need to use 'every tool in the toolbox';
• the commitment to a balanced package of measures linked to the understanding that we cannot succeed in eradicating bTB in cattle without addressing the reservoir of disease in wildlife; and
• the commitment to monitor the effectiveness, humaneness and impact of badger control measures.

The Associations have noted the expectation that the farming industry will pick up the costs of vaccinating and culling badgers and will consider in detail the Government's proposals for licensing criteria and culling methods.

The BVA and BCVA will be providing a detailed response to the consultation following discussion with members of both Associations.

Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA, said: "We are extremely pleased that the Coalition Government has made tackling bovine TB such a priority. Both the BVA and BCVA have made the case that this devastating disease will not be eradicated without measures that tackle TB both in cattle and in wildlife.

"We will be looking in detail to ensure that the proposals are as effective and, importantly, as humane as possible.

"Our initial reaction is that the proposals announced by Defra are based on scientific evidence and expert veterinary advice and we strongly support the direction the Government is taking."

Keith Cutler, President of BCVA, added: "It is important that the Government has recognised that there is no single solution to tackling bovine TB.

"Controlling the disease in badgers through vaccination and culling has a role to play, but will only be effective if properly targeted and used alongside all other available control measures.

"The BVA and BCVA are therefore very pleased to see proposals that deliver a package of measures."

Pfizer Animal Health, maker of the equine wormers Equest & Equest Pramox, has launched Stable Mate, a new app to help horse owners manage their daily equine healthcare regime and get maximum enjoyment from their horse.

Pfizer says the new app has been described by testers as 'undoubtedly the best equestrian electronic management system you could wish for'. It includes an organiser in which to keep horses' records and details of their management requirements. It also includes Track My Ride, a GPS mapping and exercise planning service, and a news feed direct from Horse & Hound.

Stable Mate allows users to keep records for up to six horses on their iPhone. They just need to enter the information needed to keep track of each horse's health routine, including worm control, vaccinations, dentistry, farriery and feeding regime. The app then creates a calendar of events, appointments and reminders designed to make it easy for owners to keep their horse's essential healthcare needs on course.

Records can be passed to a yard manager or friends when the owner goes on holiday, making a temporary transfer of care straightforward. Stable Mate also offers general equine health advice, from the essentials of pasture management to understanding vaccination protocols.

Track My Ride is a GPS navigation system that allows owners to map the route, duration and speed of each ride. Pfizer says it's a great device for planning and monitoring exercise programmes, that owners can use it to explore new hacking routes safely and that they'll never have to worry about finding their way back to their horse box again when hunting or doing a long distance ride. Details of each ride are stored in a history log and can be shared with friends through social media.

Paul Blanc, Pfizer's equine brand manager said: "We have tried to develop an app that is all about the horse and their owner, making it as easy as possible for owners to keep their equine health care on track as well as add to the fun and pleasure with their horse. Stable Mate has well and truly surpassed our expectations. We hope that owners and riders find Stable Mate useful and enjoyable."

Stable Mate is currently available only for iPhone with Android and Blackberry coming soon.

Stable Mate is available free from the iPhone App Store http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stable-mate/id532341393?ls=1&mt=8. To find out more visit www.wormingyourhorse.info.

Dechra will be hosting two CPD sessions at the London Vet Show, the first about why senior cat health checks are worthwhile and the second covering the Nordic approach to antibiotic usage in otitis external.

‘Feline enthusiasts assemble! How to help senior cats retain their superpowers' will be led by Geoff Duncan, veterinary technical advisor at Dechra, alongside panellists Natalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, Sam Taylor, Head of Veterinary Specialists at ISFM (pictured), Vicky Halls, Head of Unowned Cats at ISFM and Marge Chandler, Clinical Nutritionist at Vets Now Referrals. 

They will discuss the type of behavioural indications that a senior cat may present with, support for a stress-free visit and how practices can get the most out of these visits including the ‘how and why’ of BCS (body condition score), MCS (muscle condition score), the frailty scale and best practice nutritional guidance. 

This hour-long session will be held twice: at 9.10am in Gallery Suite 22 on Thursday 16th November and 1.45pm in Gallery Room 17 on Friday 17th November.

‘Nordic voices on antibiotics in otitis externa; a call for responsibility’ will address the challenges associated with antibiotic usage in the management of otitis externa and discuss the importance of embracing the Nordic model to help significantly cut down on antibiotic usage in the UK. 

It takes place at 10.10am on Friday 17th November in Gallery Room 17.

The CPD sessions are first come, first served.

The company is also offering Happy Hour cocktails on its stand from 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Thursday.

Ceva Animal Health has renamed the veterinary behaviour product DAP as Adaptil, to highlight its key benefit of helping dogs 'adapt' to new situations.

Along with the name change, Ceva is launching a new Adaptil Collar. According to the company, the collar has undergone a number of improvements: it is now easier to fit, due to a new, practical buckle; it has a larger surface area for better diffusion of the pheromone and the Adaptil name is on the collar in print as well as braille.

In addition to the new name, both Adaptil and Feliway are having a packaging makeover to make them more consumer friendly. Packaging will now feature pictograms of situations in which the products should be used, encouraging dog and cat owners to use the product ranges appropriately.

Ceva will be offering pet owners a free limited edition Adaptil Frisbee for every Adaptil Collar bought from their local participating veterinary practice. The company is also running an online competition from 17 June until 17 July on the company's secrettohappypets.com website. Pet owners will have the opportunity to win a weekend for two with their pet in a Best Western pet-friendly hotel by submitting a story on why their pet deserves a weekend away.

Julia Wood, product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "We have listened to feedback given on our pheromone range from both pet owners and veterinary professionals. The launch of Adaptil and the marketing support that we are putting behind both Adaptil and Feliway will boost awareness of the pheromones and their benefits amongst pet owners and further enhance their standing as the UK's leading veterinary behaviour products."

For more information, please contact your Ceva account manager or call 01494 781510.

VetsSouth, the new CPD congress and commercial exhibition being held in Exeter on 11th and 12th February, has announced that it will lead with a discussion about what practices can do to reduce bovine TB in clients' herds in 2015. 

The congress, which is open to practising vets throughout the UK but aimed specifically at those in the west and south of the UK, will have three-and-half hours of discussion led by Roger Blowey (pictured right) and Richard Gard, with contributions from a number of practices in Gloucestershire, Devon, Somerset and Cornwall.

During a day on "cattle" on the Wednesday, Roger Blowey will also lead two sessions on "Recent dramatic changes in our understanding of cattle lameness", covering anatomy and foot lesions in the first and moving on to digital dermatitis and other infectious lesions in the second.

The rest of the programme is concerned mainly with small animals, the line-up of speakers including Dr David Williams on ophthalmology, Matthew Oxford on dentistry, Dr Andy Sparkes on feline medicine and surgery, Sarah Health on canine and feline behaviour and Anthony Chadwick on dermatology; plus six speakers from the Bristol veterinary school: Dr Jo Murrell and Gwen Covey-Crump on pain management, Dr Domingo Casamian Sorrosal and Dr Sonia Fonfara on cardiology, and Guillaume Chanoit and Ivan Doran on soft tissue surgery.

In addition, Professor John and Mrs Margaret Cooper will lead a day-long seminar on veterinary forensic medicine; the VDS will be running half-hour one-on-one sessions on improving consultation techniques; and there will be workshops on "ocular examination and pathology", "cat-friendly clinics" and "practical tooth extraction".

Exhibitors include Langford Veterinary Services, Vets4Pets/Companion Care, Protexin, Summit Veterinary Pharmaceuticals, Dechra Veterinary Products, Royal Canin, Bayer Animal Health, Natures Menu, Pet Medic Recruitment/Mi Vet, Teignview Veterinary Group, Henry Schein Animal Health, Axiom Veterinary Laboratories, iM3 Dental, Medimark Scientific, Merial Animal Health, Nova Laboratories, Improve International, DVH Veterinary Sales, Centaur Services, A. Menarini Diagnostics, The Webinar Vet and Improve International.

The event is being run by VP CPD in association with Improve International and The Webinar Vet, with generous sponsorship from Dechra Veterinary Products. Attendance on both days is priced at £145 (plus VAT); one-day passes cost £80 (plus VAT) with additional charges for the workshops and VDS sessions. The prices include speaker notes, refreshments throughout each day and a buffet lunch. CPD certificates will be sent on request after the event.

Full details and a booking form are on www.vetssouth.com. 

A new study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), London South Bank University and the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society, has found racism continues to be a problem experienced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) members of the UK veterinary sector.

The researchers say their analysis shows more needs to be done within the profession to acknowledge, raise awareness of and dismantle the systemic and often overlooked forms of racism that exist.

For the qualitative study, all BAME veterinary professionals and students in the UK were asked to complete an online questionnaire, containing open questions about their experiences.

The questionnaire was was distributed online, in veterinary schools, veterinary organisations and the media, with responses analysed using inductive and deductive approaches.

The findings identified three main themes regarding BAME people’s experiences in the sector.

The first was alienation and insecurity, ranging from blatant rejection, or being deliberately patronised, such as:

"In practicals in the vet school, I’ve noticed more and more times that students would rather work on other stations and not want to work on stations me and my friends (who are also from ethnic minority backgrounds) are working on, even when the other stations are full. This has happened on multiple occasions."

or

"On work experience, the vet I was shadowing at the time would ask me questions like, “Are you integrated into society yet?”, and “What do you eat?”. I am a British citizen who was born in the UK, and so were my parents, so I found this particularly confusing." 

through to more subtle forms of "othering":

"People assume that you aren't British and are different, whereas I would say since I was born and grew up in Britain that I identify as British. People ask me if I can speak another language, or like, do I eat my ethnic food all the time?

"An older couple once probed, “Where are you from?”, I said [name of UK city], they asked again, I said I grew up in [name of UK county], and they asked one more time and I said I have Caribbean heritage. I find this is a common form of racism amongst older people and often they’re not trying to be hurtful, but they’re curious and don't understand how it would make someone feel uncomfortable.

The second theme was homogenisation and inferiorisation, for example when BAME people are labelled, often incorrectly, according to perceived ethnicity:

"I've had lay colleagues refer to me as ‘the Chinese vet’ in front of clients and other colleagues rather than address me by my name – and it's weird because I grew up in Australia."

"Clients often asked to book in with the Singapore vet, but commonly referred to him as ‘the Chinese vet’ on the phone instead of his name, or if they forgot his name. I believe the nurses corrected these clients, but sometimes the clients would ‘jokingly’ comment that it's ‘the same thing’."

The final theme was the disappointment and futility felt by many of the participants, and the impact on their job satisfaction:

"Job satisfaction worsens when I learn that my colleagues (nurses or vets) are unaware of the impact of their words and do not understand what constitutes racism, e.g., use of the word ‘golliwog’, even when not used to describe a specific person. The judgement placed on someone due to their ethnicity creates an unpleasant atmosphere which impacts job satisfaction." 

Dr Christine Thuranira-McKeever, Vice Principal (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) and Director of Distance Learning at the RVC, said: “At the RVC, we are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within the sector and have implemented several initiatives – aligned with our Strategic Plan in which EDI is a core component – to encourage participation from underrepresented groups.

"This includes the RVC For All campaign and Veterinary Gateway Programme to broaden access to veterinary education; the RVC's Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Race Equality Task Group to focus on addressing racial disparities and shaping policy; and Animal Aspirations, founded in 2019 by RVC students, to support individuals from minority backgrounds.

“However, there is more to be done, and the findings of this study emphasise a significant need for the veterinary profession to come together and do more to acknowledge and raise awareness of the systemic and often overlooked forms of racism, to challenge and dismantle them, and to empower those who are affected.”

Reference

1. King, N., Cardwell, J.M., Lewis, E.G. et al. “It shreds me from within”: thematic analysis of the impact of racism on veterinary professionals and students in the United Kingdom. BMC Psychol 13, 585 (2025).
   URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02481-x 

A research project funded by equine charity The Horse Trust has succeeded in killing equine sarcoid cells in vitro by silencing a gene in the virus that causes sarcoids. The researchers are now hoping to obtain funding for clinical trials using the new technique, which could result in a more effective, non-toxic treatment for sarcoids.

Sarcoids are skin tumors caused by infection with the Bovine Papillomavirus (BPV). They are the most common type of tumour found in horses - the estimated prevalence in the UK is 6-7%. Although the disease is rarely life threatening, many horses with sarcoids are euthanased because the condition is untreatable or because the horse is unsellable. Currently there is no universally effective treatment for sarcoids and if treatment fails the sarcoids will often come back worse.

However, research that was given funding by The Horse Trust offers a potential ray of hope for owners of horses affected by sarcoids. The research was published in Virus Research journal earlier this year.

The research, which was led by Professor Lubna Nasir of the University of Glasgow, found that by inhibiting the activity of a particular viral protein within sarcoid cells, the amount of viral DNA in the cells reduced. This led to a reduction in the growth of the sarcoid cells and caused the cell to die by Programmed cell-death (PCD). The researchers believe that PCD occurs because the sarcoid cells become reliant on the virus.

Professor Nasir said: "This could potentially be a major breakthrough in the treatment of sarcoids. We are now seeking funding to use this technique in clinical trials on horses that have sarcoids."

The research team inhibited the activity of a viral protein called E2, which is needed by BPV to replicate. They used a novel approach termed 'gene silencing' to suppress the activity of the gene that codes the E2 protein. The research was carried out in vitro on fibroblast cells, which had been cultured from sarcoid tissue removed from animals during surgery.

As this research was carried out in vitro, the researchers will now need to see if they can replicate the results in vivo, by developing a way of targeting the sarcoid cells in horses.

"One of the challenges with gene silencing is administering it within clinical setting - as you need to get molecules into every cell. As sarcoids are on the surface of a horse, we think administration should be relatively easy - potentially by injecting or applying a cream to the sarcoid," said Professor Nasir. "If we are able to successfully develop this technique it would be a non-toxic and easy to administer treatment for horses affected by this distressing condition."

Nasir's research could also have an impact on the treatment of lesions in cattle, which are also caused by BPV. Around 50% of cattle in the UK are estimated to have lesions. It may also help with the treatment of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections in humans. HPV, which is similar to BPV, can lead to various cancers in humans including cervical and vaginal cancer.

Paul Jepson, Chief Executive and Veterinary Director of The Horse Trust said: "We are really excited that the research we have funded could lead to a major breakthrough in the treatment of sarcoids."

The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has launched its new look, personalised salary survey and is inviting veterinary surgeons to take part.

All SPVS members who complete the survey online will be sent their own personalised survey results allowing them to benchmark their practice against the industry averages. 

SPVS is also offering 3 months free membership to anyone who takes part who is not already a member.

VPMA and BVNA members can also complete the survey and the results will be published on their websites. 

Peter Brown, SPVS President Elect who leads on development of the surveys said: "Whether you are recruiting, doing an internal pay review, looking for a new job yourself or trying to negotiate a pay rise, it helps to understand what the typical salaries are and the trends. Our new software allows you to easily compare your salaries to others in personalised results making it a valuable business tool."

SPVS is urging as many people as possible to take part in the survey as the more participants, the more reliable the results.

For more information, visit www.spvs.org.uk or call 01926 840318.

The BSAVA has announced that Congress 2023 (23rd – 25th March at Manchester Central) will include a programme of three days worth of wellbeing presentations and discussions.

The Wellbeing Programme, which has been put together in collaboration with British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support, the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society, British Veterinary Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender+, the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative, Vetlife, the BVA and others, aims to help people create workplaces and teams where everyone can feel they belong and problems are dealt with before they become catastrophes. 

Several of the sessions will allow participants to practice skills, which the Association hopes will be transformative experiences.

Alison Speakman, BSAVA President said: “This year has continued to provide increasing challenges both within the veterinary workforce and in the world at large.

"This has challenged our physical, mental and financial wellbeing which are inextricably linked.

"Therefore, we will be covering aspects of all three with a wide range of presenters included in these conversations, from both within and outwith the veterinary arena.”

New for this year are four separate sessions looking at our understanding of hormonal health and some of the difficulties hormone variations might cause, including menstrual issues, polycystic ovary syndrome, fertility, menopause, understanding and support for gender transition and non-binary people, and male aging.

There will also be wellbeing sessions looking at self-compassion as an antidote to perfectionism and self-criticism, learning to work with grief, flexible working, and developing human-savvy teamwork.

Alison continued: “Whether you wish to expand your knowledge to improve personal understanding and support of your own wellbeing, that of a colleague or friend, or to improve workplace practices and culture, there really is something for everyone to learn.

"Please come along to our safe and supportive space at Congress to improve the wellbeing of our veterinary profession.”

BSAVA has also created a free collection on mental health and wellbeing, looking at resources on both an individual basis and as a team perspective: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/mental-health-and-well-being.

To see the full Wellbeing Programme: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/wellbeing?&view-type~0=date.

BSAVA Congress tickets: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/registration-pricing.

Veterinary surgeon Marc Abraham and social media expert Andrew Seel have launched a new website for pet owners: ThePet.net  

The site uses the power of social networks on the internet - in a similar way to Facebook and Tripadvisor - to allow pet owners to join together, share and rate their own pet-related experiences, and ultimately help each other find the ‘best their pet can get'. The service, completely free, aims to be the most trusted and up-to-date source of pet information available anywhere. 

Pet owners can find reviews of pet friendly services, such as hotels, groomers, kennels and vets, written by other pet owners. They will also be able to connect online with friends and their pets. 

Pet friendly businesses can list their service on the website for free and interact directly with their customers.

Marc said: "After working in the pet industry as a vet for 13 years, I believe it's time for a much-needed shake-up. Increasing corporate attitudes, widespread complacency and a lack of the personal touch are turning pets into luxury items when they were once just a normal part of everyone's family."

Improve International has announced that the role of Official Veterinarians in animal welfare is the theme of this year's OV Conference, taking place on the 29th & 30th September. 

The conference programme includes lecture streams and round-table discussions on themes relating to both Large Animals and Small Animals, in addition to a series of lectures aimed at Equine Practitioners.

This second OV conference is a collaboration between Improve International, which handles OV registration and training in England, Scotland and Wales; 5m Publishing and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). They say their objectives are to provide a forum to discuss the latest developments in OV work and to offer an opportunity for OVs to network and share experiences and ideas.

Large animal topics to be discussed at the event include Bovine TB, Bluetongue and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea while small animal practitioners will focus on export regulations, certification, the Pet Travel Scheme, together with welfare and exotic disease issues. Equine lectures will include legislation updates and welfare and exotic diseases.

An exhibition of the latest products and services of interest to OVs will again run alongside the conference which will take place at the Alexandra House Hotel and Conference Centre, near Swindon, where Improve International is based.

David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve, said:  "The enthusiastic discussions following many of the lectures at our first conference and the resoundingly positive feedback we received from the 250 delegates attending convinced us of the value of a forum that brings OVs together with experts from private practice, other animal health-related organisations and the APHA. 

"Animal welfare is a particularly important topic for OVs so it is the theme for this year's event and all of the speakers will address it within the context of their lectures.  We look forward to, once again, welcoming OVs from across the country to Alexandra House in September 2016."

For more information on the Official Veterinarian Conference and Exhibition or to register visit: www.officialvet.com

Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal opened a new ward for canine cancer patients at the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Hospital for Small Animals last week.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust provided £30,000 towards the 26-kennel ward, which is specifically designed to provide recuperative care and comfortable kennelling facilities for dogs at the University's Hospital for Small Animals. 

The facilities the new dog ward provides will complement the School's £3 million Riddell-Swan Veterinary Cancer Centre, which opened last year. The cancer care centre houses state-of-the-art equipment including a computerised tomography (CT) scanner and a linear accelerator that can provide radiotherapy treatment. 

Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club, said: "The Kennel Club Charitable Trust is extremely pleased that the money it has given to the University of Edinburgh has helped to ensure that its Canine Cancer Care unit could be built.

"The Trust has supported the groundbreaking research being conducted by the University, which is helping to improve our ability to diagnose and treat cancer in dogs, for some time. The Cancer Care Unit will help in a different way, by providing post-treatment and after care for dogs that have been through cancer therapy.  

"People love their dogs as a member of their family, so this is a vital part of the care process. It is comforting for them to know that there are comfortable kenneling facilities where their dogs will receive the recuperative care that they need, as well as the potentially life-saving treatment.

"The Charitable Trust has given millions of pounds to projects which help to improve the health and welfare of dogs across the UK. This unit has established the University's place as a leader in conducting not only lifesaving but also life enhancing work for dogs, and the Trust exists precisely to help projects such as this realise their goals." 

The canine oncology support ward replaces the old feline ward, and the cats have been moved to a new ward further away from the dogs to help prevent cats from becoming stressed by the noise of barking. 

Professor Elaine Watson, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies said: "The dog ward, along with our new feline ward enhances the facilities for animals receiving treatment at the School's Hospital for Small Animals and we are very appreciative of the tremendous support from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust."

Veterinarywoman.co.uk and XLVets are hosting ‘Veterinary Women in Leadership’, a day of online talks from inspirational figures in the profession on Tuesday 29th September from 1pm to 7pm.

The speaker line-up includes performance coach and head of training at VDS training, Carolyne Crowe, Jamie Callan, Professor of Leadership & HRD and Director of Equity & Diversity at Newcastle Business School and Laura Whyte, who was HR Director at the John Lewis Partnership and is now a Non-Executive Director with a number of organisations including XLVets, the British Horseracing Authority and the Ministry of Defence.

A number of women from industry and practice will also share their experiences and perspectives in short sessions entitled ‘If you can see it, you can be it!’ to reflect how veterinary women can tackle challenges and make the most of opportunities.

The event is being steered by Liz Barton, the editor of Veterinary Woman, and Kerrie Hedley, the Chief Operating Officer at XLVets. Liz said: “We’ve been working hard to develop resources for women in the profession for the last few years and it’s wonderful to see so many women coming together and providing the skills and inspiration that will help other women aspire to leadership roles.”

Kerrie, who will be running a workshop on 'Overcoming Stereotypes: What does the future leader look like?' added: "From the research I undertook last year we know that there is a stereotypical perception of what a leader looks like in the profession, for example a requirement to work full time. This workshop is about crushing that stereotype and defining what the future leader could look like. I'm really excited to be supporting women to develop innovative solutions in their leadership journey and look forward to seeing what we can achieve at this inaugural event."

The event is open to anyone in the profession – vets, RVNs, practice managers, whether from independent or corporate practice, industry or academia. Registration costs £45, inclusive of VAT and £20 for students if booked at the early bird rate before 31st August.

Recordings will be available to anyone who registers but can’t attend the whole six hours.

Registration is now open at https://bit.ly/VeterinaryWomenInLeadership.