Merial Animal Health has revealed the latest MOO test figures which suggest that the productivity of four out of five UK dairy herds is compromised by high levels of gutworm.
The company says it has been helping dairy farmers to assess the level of gutworm challenge in their herds since 2009 by supporting and promoting MOO tests. The test measures the level of antibody to gutworm (Ostertagia ostertagii) that is present in a bulk milk sample and can determine if the herd has been exposed to low, medium or high challenge.
Data from five years of MOO tests shows that whilst there was a steady reduction in the number of herds with a high challenge between 2009 and 2013, the figure rose in 2014. In 2009, 93% of herds tested high and by 2013 this had fallen to 71% but this rose again to 88% last year.
Merial says that whilst these figures show an overall reduction in challenge since 2009, levels of gutworm across the UK dairy herd are still very high. Those animals affected will suffer from the negative impact of a parasite burden on productivity and fertility.
Between 2009 and 2014 nearly 900 dairy herds across the UK have been tested. During that time several counties had significant numbers of herds with high gutworm challenge results. This included Cheshire (85%), Cornwall (93%), Cumbria (91%), Dyfed (92%), Lancashire (90%), North Yorkshire (83%), Shropshire (86%), Somerset (86%), and Staffordshire (83%).
Sioned Timothy, veterinary adviser for Merial Animal Health, said: “Gutworm can significantly reduce the productivity of the herd. Although adult dairy cows develop immunity to gutworm that makes them resilient to outward clinical signs of infection, it does not prevent them from becoming infected with Ostertagia ostertagi. This parasite burden can reduce milk yield by as much as 2.6 litres per cow per day1”
She continued: “Gutworm may also have a negative impact on fertility. Removing damaging gutworms from dairy cows may improve their fertility and has been linked to reduced calving to conception intervals and improved conception rates2 to levels comparable with animals without a gutworm burden.
"Calving is another key period in the production cycle. Optimising cow and heifer management during this period is critical to the animal’s health and productivity throughout the subsequent lactation. Cows treated for gutworms around the time of calving have been shown to increase their grazing time by almost an hour compared to untreated cows3. Improved appetite and higher dry matter intake helps cows to bridge the energy gap; maximising their production, and reducing the time it takes to get them back into calf4.”
The MOO test figures show that the UK dairy herd continues to be affected by high levels of gutworm challenge. At a time when maximising productivity is vital to dairy business success, farmers should seriously consider testing their herd this autumn and develop a treatment plan with their vet or animal health adviser based on the result.”
MOO tests will be available in autumn 2015. The results of MOO tests are sent to both the farmer and their vet or animal health advisor, to enable them to determine the best course of action and treatment.References1 Reist et al, Effect of eprinomectin treatment on milk yield and quality in dairy cows in South Tyrol, Italy. Veterinary Record 2011 168, 484-487 Vet Rec 2002151:377-3802 McPherson et al. Proceedings of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. 44th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 1999 Abstr. 28.3 Forbes et al. Behavioural mechanisms underlying production responses in dairy cows treated with eprinomectin. 19th WAAVP Congress 2003, New Orleans4 Sanchez et al. The effect of eprinomectin treatment at calving on reproduction parameters in adult dairy cows in Canada. Preventative Veterinary Medicine 2002 56:165-177
Each week, the email will cover a different topic concerning either dairy, beef, sheep, pigs, poultry or gamebirds. The information, which is personalised with the practice details, can then be forwarded to clients who have an interest in that particular area, for example a resource on mastitis could be sent to dairy farmers and their staff.
Mike Howe, Veterinary Director at NADIS said: "We are confident that practices will recognise the value of the NADIS material and utilise this free service, as it will not only help to raise disease awareness, but will also assist vets in encouraging farmers to think about optimising their herd health. All NADIS materials promote veterinary health planning as the most effective way of preventing disease, and promote the vet’s role on the farm."
The resources also offer an opportunity for farmers and their staff to gain a City & Guilds unit of accreditation. A module can be completed by passing all the quizzes from each disease resource, providing an easy and flexible way for farmers and farm employees to gain recognised qualifications.
For more information, visit: www.nadis.org.uk.
The refreshed packaging keeps the same colour scheme, but the graphics indicating the product uses stand out better.
The company has also added an area on the side of the carton for owners to note the date each dose is given.
What can I say, it's a slow news day.
A special interest group has been established for vets, veterinary nurses and chartered physiotherapists interested in the rehabilitation of diseased and injured animals. 'Physiovet UK' aims to provide practical training in the field of veterinary rehabilitation and pain management.
The group's inaugural CPD meeting takes place on Wednesday 20th May this year in Cardiff and will be led by specialist in small animal surgery (orthopedics) Steve Butterworth and veterinary rehabilitation specialist Lowri Davies. Sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition and Merial Animal Health, the meeting will cost £80 for members or £100 for non-members (ex VAT) for the day long event. Membership of the group costs £50.
Lowri Davies, a founder member of Physiovet said: "At this first meeting, the focus is on helping to develop a protocol for diagnosis and management strategies for conditions of the hock, shoulder and lumbosacral cases. Practitioners will recognise that these are commonly occurring conditions that are often managed conservatively but treatment need not stop with a prescription of 'rest'. We will be describing a range of active interventions that build strength, flexibility and general fitness appropriate to lame animals to help restore function and mobility."
For a downloadable registration form for the event, to join as a member or for further information about the group visit http://www.physiovet.co.uk/. Places at the meeting can also be booked by calling 01626 867614 or by contacting kathrin@linhayvet.co.uk.
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has launched a new 'Use Medicines Responsibly' campaign.
The main thrust of the campaign is an initiative by NOAH to encourage pharmaceutical companies to add: 'Use Medicines Responsibly' as a strapline to their own advertising campaigns, with a link to the NOAH information resource for prescribers and users of animal medicines: www.noah.co.uk/responsible.
Speaking at the NOAH annual members' conference in Northampton, NOAH chief executive Phil Sketchley said: "NOAH believes responsible promotion of animal medicines to be an important link in the chain towards responsible use. Companies' promotional material can educate prescribers and users of animal medicines to the benefit of their animals' health and welfare.
"We believe this new advice resource, with the reminder on advertisements, will help."
National charity Canine Partners, which provide specially trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities, will benefit from an Eastbourne vet's efforts to run the Brighton Marathon on Sunday 10th April in less than 3.5 hours.
Simon DeVile is undertaking a gruelling training scheme, covering up to 50 miles a week, to ensure peak performance when he takes to the streets to raise money for Canine Partners - a charity close to his heart.Simon, 44, is one of the partners at St. Anne's Veterinary Group in Eastbourne. He started running to keep fit in 2006 and has since run the London Marathon twice and the Beachy Head Marathon three times. Simon regularly comes into contact with canine partner puppies because a local fundraiser and puppy parent is one of his clients. His own dog is also part of a locally bred litter, five of which went on to train as canine partners.Simon said: "I wanted to enjoy a new marathon experience this Spring and Brighton proved very popular last year. My aim is to enjoy the race but hopefully get below 3hrs 30 mins and raise money for Canine Partners. I am very aware what an important role these dogs play in the lives of a person with disabilities. I am also continually impressed with the way Canine Partners look after the dogs in their care so well."
If you would like to support Simon's efforts, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/Simon-DeVileCanine Partners still has charity places available for The Brighton Marathon. If you would like to take up the challenge, please contact Jill Green on 01730 716014.
RCVS President Jerry Davies has apologised to the profession for its overspend on IT and development works at Belgravia House.
In fact, the apology was made to a meeting of BVA Council back on 7th December. VetSurgeon.org understands the College thought the apology would be widely promulgated shortly thereafter, and only later realised that this hadn't happened.
As a result, the College has now decided to publish Dr Davies' presentation in full.
At the meeting, Dr Davies set out more background about the two RCVS projects under review, explained the decisions taken at the time and the finances involved.
He also described how Professor McKelvey's recommendations were being actioned, alongside those of the College's Governance Review Group which were already underway.
Dr Davies reiterated that the College had always intended to publish the report in full, but that external legal Counsel had advised that to do so would be unlawful under the Data Protection Act.
According to the College, it was not possible to redact the report to an acceptable extent, as the personal data in question were referred to throughout a large proportion of it.
However, Dr Davies did apologise to the profession, saying: "In closing, I would like to emphasise that I, as President of the RCVS, am sorry for what has happened, but I hope you will appreciate that steps are being taken, in particular the setting up of the Audit and Risk Committee, to strengthen governance within our College."
The aim of the study was to assess the adverse effect profile of each individual AED by analysing all available data that has been published for each specific AED and then evaluating how reliable the data was. The study was published in BMC Veterinary Research (DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0703-y).
To do this the researchers gathered, screened and assessed all the information published in peer-reviewed journals and publications. The individual studies were then evaluated based on the quality of evidence, study design, study group sizes, subject enrolment quality and overall risk of bias. The results, say researchers, now provide a new and more objective insight into the tolerability and safety of the AEDs.
Co-author of the study, Marios Charalambous, said: "We recruited systematic and statistical methods to combine, compare and summarize the results of independent studies and, therefore, create more objective and reliable conclusions based on the current evidence. It was a time-consuming, demanding and challenging process, but we are sure that we provide the clinicians now with essential information which they can use for daily practice."
By reviewing, assessing and untangling the vast amounts of data, the researchers found that much of the evidence for the medical treatment of canine epilepsy was based on subpar reporting of adverse effect and in studies that were below the expected standard. They say that only in recent years can the quality of studies carried out be considered adequate.
Professor Holger Volk, Clinical Director of the RVC Small Animal Referral Hospital and Professor of Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery (pictured right), said: "Not only does this study offer a new perspective on the management of canine epilepsy, but also highlights the importance of the need for trials which provide high quality evidence in order to have more reliable and objective results about the safety and tolerability of the AEDs in veterinary medicine."
Dr. Dave Brodbelt, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology, added: “This is a valuable addition to the body of literature on canine epilepsy, highlighting safety issues and adverse events related to its management and adding further depth to the evidence base relevant to practicing vets."
CVS says the use of ear cytology in OE is beneficial, both as a diagnostic and to evaluate the response to therapy.
However, in 2019 the company looked at 26,269 of its patients and found that ear cytology was only being used in 19.2% of cases, in line with the rest of the profession.
Only 11% of cases were being provided with in-house point-of-care cytology, whilst 8.2% had it performed externally.
80.8% of patients with OE were being prescribed antibiotics without cytological support, with 5% of these the highest priority critically important antibiotics (HPCIAs).
This low level of cytology use in primary care was suspected to be a major contributory factor to the significant use of unnecessary antibiotics.
To support its practices, CVS first looked at the barriers to performing ear cytology interventions, which were identified as a lack of confidence in using the microscope (particularly focusing on x100 and identification of pathological events), a perceived lack of time, insufficient or poorly working equipment, a lack of access to equipment, and the perception that cytology does not change the treatment choice or outcome.
As a second step, a minimal list of cytology equipment was developed to ensure that all sites had the right kit.
New equipment was then supplied to a practice if it did not meet minimum standards.
The company then produced education and resource materials, including new guidelines, imagery and video guides, to upskill both its vets and nurses.
The training focused on: equipment maintenance, cleaning and troubleshooting, how to use the microscope – including x100 magnification and the slide oil immersion technique, how to identify pathological changes, and time management to get a consultation done – including swabbing, microscope analysis, diagnosis and client consultation.
Each site was then provided with its own data, so that it could monitor progress.
Elizabeth McLennan Green, CVS Clinical Director for the North, said: “One of our goals with this project was to minimise the number of antibiotics prescribed without associated diagnostics, and to use ear cytology to guide therapy and response to treatment for the benefit of our patients and clients.”
“We know that low ear cytology interventions are an issue across the profession. We wanted to do better. So ear cytology has been our first and longest running clinical improvement project.
"We’re thrilled with the brilliant results our colleagues are now achieving.”
There's a video presentation about the project here: https://vimeo.com/875515008/bdc3ee5920
Photo: Emily Spencer, Head Vet at Castle Vets
The invaluable work done by equestrian vets in the UK is to be recognised with a new award sponsored by leading equine insurance provider Petplan Equine at the Animal Health Trust Awards in November. The ‘Petplan Equine Vet of the Year' award people's vote will reflect the huge contribution made by vets to the equine community.
Owners and riders will be able to nominate their equine vet for the award if they feel that they are deserving of the recognition that this accolade would bring. Veterinary practice personnel are also encouraged to nominate a colleague who they feel has gone beyond the call of duty. Leaflets have been sent to practices across the UK outlining how to nominate and people can also register through the Petplan Equine website www.petplanequine.co.uk. A short list will be drawn up from the nominations received and an independent panel will decide the winner, who will receive his or her award at the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards in London on November 6th 2008.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements made by horses, riders, owners and trainers throughout the equestrian world. This milestone coincides with Petplan Equine's 20th anniversary and, since 1994 when the Petplan Equine Charitable Trust was founded, it has raised over £5 million, almost £500,000 of which has been donated to the AHT to fund research and development.
Jo Whitaker of Petplan Equine says: "It has been a privilege to be involved with the AHT Awards over the years and we look forward to this exciting 20th anniversary year. Petplan Equine has sponsored the Eventing Award for the past three years but this new award will recognise the commitment and hard work of people within the equine veterinary profession and the service they provide to horse owners. Horse welfare is paramount at Petplan Equine and we are committed to promoting responsible horse ownership, through our wide range of policies, our charitable contributions and our Horse Handbook. This award will give the equine community the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the vet who has made the most outstanding contribution to the care of horses."
To nominate go to www.petplanequine.co.uk. The closing date for nomination is 3rd October 2008.
Biogal’s CEO, Mr Amos Gershony said: "We placed a large effort behind creating these videos, so that our customers could visualize how simple it is to receive a PCR result in 1 hour."
The videos are:
Designed with the RCVS Standards and Advice team, the ‘Client confidentiality’ course explains the steps veterinary teams need to take when deciding whether or not to make a disclosure, and how to remain compliant with their professional obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct.
Senior Standards and Advice Officer, Victoria Price said: “Deciding to breach confidentiality is often a difficult decision with no right or wrong answer.
"The course should help learners to feel confident about what to consider in order to make justified and well-supported decisions.”
The course takes around one hour to complete.
academy.rcvs.org.uk
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is stressing the need for employers to check the registration status of the veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses they recruit.
This comes following several incidences where veterinary surgeons have been found to be either not registered or registered in the wrong category. For example, foreign nationals wishing to work in the UK must be registered as home-practising members, not overseas-practising members. The latter category is for those practising overseas who wish to retain their MRCVS status.
Furthermore, there have been some cases of veterinary surgeons registering as ‘non-practising' and going on to carry out veterinary nursing roles, in the absence of relevant qualifications or being listed/registered as a veterinary nurse. This may be happening in cases where overseas veterinary surgeons are struggling to find work in the UK, possibly due to language difficulties.
RCVS President Jill Nute said: "Vets and veterinary nurses have complementary roles within the practice team. If someone wishes to undertake a veterinary nursing role, they should be qualified and registered as such. Many skills are taught in the veterinary nursing training that are not included in the veterinary degree. Although some veterinary nursing tasks can be carried out by veterinary surgeons, they certainly must not be undertaken by those who are not on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons".
She added: "Ours is a self-regulated profession and it is important that employers play their part by ensuring that practice employees are appropriately qualified and registered".
The registration status of vets and veterinary nurses can be checked on RCVSonline at: www.rcvs.org.uk/checkregister or www.rcvs.org.uk/vnlist respectively.
Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that Optimmune - which is used to treat Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) in dogs - is back in stock three weeks ahead of schedule following a temporary shortage in January.
Melanie Dass, product manager at Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "We were aware that the shortage would happen so took steps to manage the supplies that were available and to resume production as soon as possible.
"We wrote to all our veterinary customers informing them of the likely shortage and fortunately, as a result of doing everything we could to minimise disruption, the product is now back three weeks earlier than expected and we are confident in our long term supply."
Melanie added: "We will be allocating stock in February to ensure all practices receive enough product to meet the needs of clinical cases, which amounts to approximately 125% of average monthly usage. This should allow a smooth return to normal deliveries in March.
"We would like to thank all our veterinary customers for helping us manage the allocation of the product and for their understanding during this difficult situation."
Any practices that require additional stock for clinical cases during February, should contact their Intervet / Schering-Plough account manager or the Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
The courses, which are are aimed at practitioners dealing with species other than companion animals, include:
Emergency Care of Alpacas (13 July, Sheffield)This course covers the management of dystocia and other problems in the peri-parturient female and neonate, resuscitation, common congenital problems, the failure of passive immune transfer and septicaemia. First aid for orthopaedic emergencies and wound care is covered as is working up the colic patient and the neurological patient.
Diseases of Game Birds (20 June, Swindon; 5 September, Sheffield)Aimed at ensuring that the veterinarian is able to deal with the demands of gamekeepers and game rearers, this course offers an overview of the industry and legislation, together with biosecurity and its application to wild birds. It includes review of common disease processes and control of antibiotic usage with some applied alternatives to traditional methods.
First Aid for the Large Animal Vet (5 July, Swindon; 2 August, Sheffield)This course is aimed at assisting large animal vets who may find themselves required to offer first aid to a colleague who has sustained injuries during a farm visit. It provides advice on assessing emergency situations, recognising and treating fractures, carrying out artificial ventilations and chest compressions, controlling severe bleeding and dealing with burns and scalds.
The Approach to the Sick Hen (18 July, Swindon; 13 September, Sheffield)Avian anatomy and the husbandry of the backyard flock are covered in this course, together with worming and vaccination advice, the approach to the sick hen and appropriate medication options.
Veterinary Care of Sheep (11 July, Swindon; 6 July, Sheffield) Covering the basics of best practice and flock health planning, this course provides practical advice on maximising lamb numbers, sheep lameness, controlling internal and external parasites and flock vaccination programmes.
Veterinary Care of Goats (10 July, Swindon) This course covers the behavioural, nutritional and environmental needs of goats across all sectors, including pet, meat, pedigree and commercial dairy goats. It also covers infectious diseases affecting goats in the UK, including diagnosis, treatment and control, in addition to disbudding, foot care and common surgical procedures.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve, said: "We introduced a number of one-day short courses in niche or emerging areas of veterinary medicine last year and have built on the range for 2017 to cover new species including chickens and goats. Most of the courses are offered in venues in both the north and south of the UK. We look forward to welcoming vets to these new courses this year."
Further information is available at http://www.improveinternational.com/uk/#top
RCVS Council recommended the increase due to inflationary pressures and increased business costs.
Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS, RCVS Treasurer, said: “We recognise that these are difficult economic times, so Council has endeavoured to limit the fee increase as far as possible; however, in proposing these new fees, Council has had to take account both of increased costs due to inflation, and of additional costs related to ensuring we are fulfilling our regulatory remit to the best of our abilities and meeting our strategic priorities.
“For example, increased costs related to the additional number of veterinary degrees coming on stream, modernising our membership database, our Charter Case Committee, the trial of our private prosecutions protocol against non-vets breaching the Veterinary Surgeons Act, and much more besides.”
Vets need to pay their annual renewal this year by 1st April.
Anyone who hasn't paid by 1st May will face a late payment charge of £35.
Anyone who hasn't paid by 1st June risks removal from the Register.
As part of the annual renewal process, vets also need to confirm their registration and contact details, declare any convictions and declare they are compliant with the College’s requirements for continuing professional development (CPD).
Anyone who expects to encounter any difficulties in paying their fees is asked to contact the RCVS Finance Team on finance@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0722.
Produced in association with Farmers Guardian, information in the guide includes the role of Multimin in increasing farm margins by reducing mastitis, improving fertility, assisting growth and increasing immunity.
The Multimin Focus Guide also includes case studies that demonstrate how livestock performance can be elevated with trace minerals, which is relevant to both the dairy and beef industries.
Sabrina Jordan, Product Manager at Virbac said: "Multimin is a unique injection that is designed to ‘top up’ trace mineral supplies at critical times of the production cycle.
"Strategic use of Multimin supports the transition cow and is increasingly used to increase fertility in maiden heifers, particularly at second lactation.
"Multimin is particularly useful for youngstock where it helps to boost immunity and growth; and supports during times of stress such as transportation and grouping.
"Most significantly, in areas where vets have identified deficiencies in grazing pasture, Multimin can ensure that animals are 'topped up' with the appropriate trace minerals to optimise performance.
"The aim of this online resource is to support vets in demonstrating the importance of trace minerals to improving herd efficiency and health."
www.farmersguardian.com/bringing-herd-health-virbac-multimin-focus
Canine Arthritis Management says the service is designed to help address issues with the traditional veterinary care approach, such as short consult times, significant workplace pressure and lack of understanding of the caregiver.
The service offers expert consultations through which veterinary professionals and other caregivers can confer with a dedicated team of experts in canine arthritis for the latest insights and treatment strategies.
The telehealth service can also supplement the veterinary consultation, giving extra time to create personalised care plans for clients, tailored to their dog's specific needs.
Canine Arthritis Management says its care plans are designed with a holistic approach, considering not only the medical requirements of the dog but also its living environment and lifestyle.
Canine Arthritis Telehealth also offers ongoing support and educational resources.
Canine Arthritis Management Founder, Hannah Capon MRCVS said: “One of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding osteoarthritis is that it is simple to manage.
"It is not.
"The long term, waxing and waning nature of the disease, combined with the financial and physical commitments, leads to emotional exhaustion for the caregiver.
"Combining this with a lack of understanding of the disease, confusion regarding the myriad of ways to address it, and anxiety surrounding the future, caregivers of animals with chronic disease need more support, and that is exactly what this service offers.”
caninearthritisteleguidance.co.uk
The Royal Veterinary College has announced that it is to launch the Online Veterinary Anatomy Museum next Tuesday (20th November).
According to the College, the museum is one of the world's largest online veterinary anatomical resource collections. The College says it hopes the museum will support veterinary students in their studies and inspire learners everywhere to engage with animal anatomy and science in an interactive and informative way.
The Online Veterinary Museum will offer various resources including:
The RVC says that the project, which began in November 2011, is an example of exceptional collaboration within the higher education sector, both in the UK and overseas as well as between the public and private sectors. Led by a small team based at the RVC, the project involved all seven of the UK's vet schools as well as international institutions, educational trusts, commercial publishers and web developers. Student Curators were recruited from the partner institutions involved, enabling students to develop new skills and, of course, contribute to this fantastic resource.
Project Director Nick Short said: "The teaching of anatomy forms a core part of the veterinary curriculum in every veterinary school in the world. With digital media increasingly used to enrich and support conventional lectures it therefore makes sense to share what we have to provide students with the best possible support for their studies.
"More than that the online museum will help to bring the world of veterinary anatomy alive not just for veterinary students but also for anybody with an interest in knowing more about animal's structure and function. OVAM provides access to some of the most amazing virtual resources contributed from all over the world. Here you can explore the 3D anatomy of a horse's foot from London, view beautiful animations of the abdomen of a pig from Spain or watch a selection of lectures from India!"
The resource will be live from the 20th November 2012: www.onlineveterinaryanatomy.net.
An animal heath company is conducting a survey into veterinary surgeons' thoughts on digestive health conditions, including diarrhoea.
Everyone who participates in the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 worth of John Lewis vouchers.
To take part, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/digestive-health-survey.
The survey will remain live till 28th March 2014, and the results will be shared with participants in due course.
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is urging veterinary surgeons to be on the lookout for outbreaks of Atypical Myopathy (AM) this spring.
Atypical Myopathy is a serious muscle disease found in the UK and Northern Europe. It is linked to horses eating the seeds from trees in the Acer family, including sycamore and box elder. There were more than five times as many cases of AM last autumn than in the previous year and experts have warned that the disease tends to occur more frequently in the spring following an autumn surge, possibly because of the growth of seedlings. The prognosis is poor, with survival rates of less than 25%. Early diagnosis is essential to give the best chance of survival.
Horses that develop AM are usually kept on sparse pastures, near trees from Acer pleudoplatanus (sycamore) or Acer negundo (box elder, pictured right) that shed seeds containing the toxin hypoglycin A. They are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed and may be driven to browse on an accumulation of dead leaves, dead wood and trees in or around the pasture but sometimes well-fed animals are affected. While the tree seeds may not be directly palatable, horses on poor quality grazing may ingest considerable numbers of them.
The clinical signs of AM may include muscle weakness or stiffness, colic-like symptoms, laboured breathing, dark red-brown urine, recumbency or even sudden death. Often the disease will present as an outbreak. Confirmation of diagnosis is by a blood or urine test. The toxin directly targets aerobic energy metabolism so therapy should be targeted at promoting glucose metabolism and provided fluid dieresis.
Preventative advice for horse owners includes:
Professor Celia Marr, Partner at Rossdales, Newmarket, European Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine and Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "New, collaborative research, instigated last year between the University of Liege, the Irish Equine Centre and the Animal Health Trust should shed more light on the characteristics of the disease in this country. Once we know more about the specific causes we should be able to make more positive progress with prevention strategies."
BEVA has provided free online access to two articles from the journal of Equine Veterinary Education on the disease for all vets to help them address the threat.
Volume 25, Issue 5, pages 264-270, May 2013
Management of cases suffering from atypical myopathy: Interpretations of descriptive, epidemiological and pathophysiological findings. Part 1: First aid, cardiovascular, nutritional and digestive care (pages 264-270) G. van Galen and D -M Votion.
Volume 25, Issue 6, pages 308-314, June 2013
Management of cases suffering from atypical myopathy: Interpretations of descriptive, epidemiological and pathophysiological findings. Part 2: Muscular, urinary, respiratory and hepatic care, and inflammatory/infectious status (pages 308-314) G van Galen and D - M Votion.
Zoetis has announced that a batch of the bluetongue vaccines, Zulvac® 8 Bovis and Zulvac® 8 Ovis, is expected to become available to veterinary practices in mid-July, in time to manage the risk of an outbreak predicted by Defra to reach mainland UK by the late summer.
The company says the quantity of vaccine will not be unlimited and that it will strive to achieve as widespread availability as possible.
The two vaccines (Bovis for cattle and Ovis for sheep) are licensed to “prevent viraemia” caused by bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8). Prevention of viraemia, the presence of bluetongue virus in the blood, ensures no onward spread of infection via the blood sucking Culicoides midge.
The vaccines can be used in cattle from three months of age, or six weeks in sheep, requiring two doses three weeks apart in either species. Each dose is 2ml administered intramuscularly in cattle or subcutaneously in sheep, and onset of immunity is 25 days after the second dose. The vaccine provides immunity for a full 12 months.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), Goat Veterinary Society (GVS), and Sheep Veterinary Society (SVS) welcomed the announcement from Zoetis, and another from MSD, but sought clarification about the cost and the amount of vaccine likely to be available in July and thereafter.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "We welcome the announcement that vaccine will be available in time to meet potential demand. This disease seriously affects animal health and welfare as well as the productivity of livestock, and vaccination is the key control. While it is good news that vaccine will be available, we know that both farmers and vets will have questions about cost and whether there will a limit to the amount of vaccine available in July. It would be helpful to have these questions clarified as soon as possible."
Photo by Fourrure (http://www.boulesdefourrure.fr) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Ms Padron Vega had also been found to have failed in her duties as an OV by being unprepared for, and unaware of, new regulations. She also did not take adequate steps to ensure that the two individuals for whom she had given veterinary certification were licensed to perform slaughter in accordance with the regulations.
Ms Padron Vega originally applied for restoration in December last year, at which time the Disciplinary Committee had concerns about her keeping up-to-date with the knowledge and skills needed to return to practice, and decided to adjourn for six months to allow her to prove that it was appropriate to restore her name to the Register.
At the latest hearing, Ms Padron Vega sought to address the concerns that the Committee had raised about her professional development. In addition to the documentation she provided in her original restoration hearing, which included positive testimonials from colleagues, she provided evidence of her continuing professional development (CPD).
This included a letter from her previous employer, who confirmed she had more recently worked for them as a Certification Support Officer from February to March 2021, where they received positive feedback on her conduct.
The documentation also included a letter from another practice confirming that Ms Padron Vega had been offered a position of employment with them, and a separate letter from practice veterinary surgeon, Dr Khan MRCVS, confirming that he would be her mentor. Dr Khan also confirmed that she had been coming to the practice for work experience and he considered her to have good working knowledge of current medicines used within the practice. He further outlined in his letter what CPD support the practice would be providing for Ms Padron Vega as part of her employment with them.
An additional piece of evidence was a testimonial from Dr Max Rutana MRCVS who confirmed that Ms Padron Vega had worked unsupervised for a period of three weeks, and that he found her clinical notes during this period to be satisfactory and they received no complaints about her conduct from clients.
Ms Padron Vega also submitted CPD documentation which confirmed she has taken a Certification Support Officers’ course and examination in mid-December 2020.
In response to questions from the Committee about her small animal practice experience and how long she had been shadowing Dr Khan for, Ms Padron Vega explained that she had completed 80 hours of shadowing with Dr Khan and that in her future employment under his mentorship, he would be available to support her. She also explained that her job offer was evidence that she would continue to be trained in the relevant area of veterinary work.
Cerys Jones, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “During the hearing, we heard evidence from Dr Khan who provided reassurance of Ms Padron Vega’s continued professional development with his practice and the ongoing supervision that she would be under. He explained that the supervision would last at least three months.
“The Committee’s view is that Ms Padron Vega accepts the findings of dishonesty that were made against her at the original Inquiry hearing. In her Reflective Statement, she acknowledges that veterinarians have a professional responsibility to ensure the integrity of veterinary certification, that she is now aware that when signing documents as a veterinary surgeon they need to be approached with care and accuracy. Further she has undertaken a CPD course on this very ethical issue and has passed the examination set at the end of that course. The Committee is confident that Ms Padron Vega is unlikely to repeat the conduct which resulted in her being removed from the Register. It is the Committee’s decision that she should be restored to the Register.”
The original TATE elbow replacement was first in clinical use in the 2010s and the revised 3rd generation version is apparently a much-improved implant, something which the clinical evaluation trial should demonstrate.
Andy Moores, head of the joint replacement programme at The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic, said: “Canine elbow replacement can be a game-changer for dogs living with chronic elbow pain but up until this point the elbow replacement systems have not been as reliable as we would like.
"The third-generation TATE implant has been in use with a small number of US surgeons for several years now and the results so far have been very promising.
"We are delighted that Biomedtrix have invited us to join the evaluation trial for this implant and that the RCVS Ethics Review Panel have approved this.
"We look forward to offering this surgery as an option for some of our most painful canine patients.”
www.mooresortho.com
Ceva Animal Health has launched two iPhone Apps for veterinary professionals and cat owners.
The 'Metoclopramide' iPhone App calculates both the daily fluid requirements and the volume of metoclopramide to add to the fluid bag for a dehydrated, vomiting cat or dog.
The 'Cat Stress' App helps pet owners to measure the stress levels of cats by asking questions about their home environment; this will help evaluate the effect that modern living has on feline stress levels which may, in turn, encourage owners to take action to help prevent cats developing stress related behavioural or medical problems in later life.
The 'Metoclopramide' iPhone App is available to download from the iTunes store here.
The 'Cat Stress' iPhone Apps is available to download from the iTunes store by searching for 'Cat Stress'.
For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health representative or call the veterinary support team on 01494 781510.