The Government has announced that England is set to apply for Officially TB-Free (OTF) status for more than half of the country next year - two years ahead of schedule.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says this is evidence that its strategy to tackle bovine TB, which costs taxpayers £100m a year, is delivering results. 

Defra says that gaining OTF status for the low risk area, covering the north and east of England, would boost trade opportunities and mean some herds require less regular TB testing, reducing costs for farmers.

This would be the first time anywhere in England has enjoyed this status and the government says it is a key step in its 25-year plan for the whole of the UK to be TB-free by 2038.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: "Gaining global recognition that more than half of England is TB-free will be a significant milestone in our long-term plan to eradicate this devastating disease, and will open up new trading opportunities for farmers.

"We have much still to do in the worst affected parts of the country, but this shows that our strategy - combining practical biosecurity measures, a robust cattle movement and testing regime, and badger control in areas where the disease is rife - is right and is working."

Results published today confirm all ten licensed badger control operations achieved successful outcomes. A consultation opens today on next steps for badger control in areas that have completed the first four years of intensive culling.

Other measures announced today include:

• Wider use of blood tests alongside the current skin test in the high risk area to provide a more sensitive testing regime in TB affected herds, minimising the risk of leaving infected animals in herds.
• A plan to introduce new, more coherent powers to manage the TB risk in pigs, sheep, goats, deer and camelids, to bring them more in line with cattle controls. This will include new statutory compensation arrangements for these species.
• More frequent updates to the ibTB online tool which allows farmers to view TB outbreaks close to their farm. From early in 2017 the data will be refreshed every fortnight rather than every month.

Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said: "This year we have seen that badger control can be delivered successfully on a wider scale. Further expansion in the coming years, alongside our robust cattle movement and testing regime, will allow us to achieve and maintain long term reductions in the level of TB across the South West and Midlands where the disease is currently widespread."

The government says it is taking robust action to make the country TB-free by 2038, with a strategy including stronger cattle testing and movement controls, good biosecurity, badger control in areas where TB is rife and vaccination when possible.

Vaccinating healthy badgers is part of the government’s long-term plan and could play an important role in preventing bovine TB spreading to new areas of the country. Defra plans to resume the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, which offers support for private badger vaccination projects in edge area counties, in 2018 when we expect vaccine supplies to be available once more following the current global shortage.

The government is also supporting farmers to take practical action to reduce the risk of infection onto their farm. This includes support for a new CHeCS TB cattle herd accreditation scheme, on-farm biosecurity demonstrations for farmers, and training for veterinary surgeons delivered by APHA jointly with the private sector. Farmers can also access practical guidance on the TB Hub, which brings advice from farming experts, vets and government together in one place.

The RCVS has opened the nomination period for its 2023 Honours & Awards, to recognise veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and laypeople, both in the UK and overseas, who are doing their utmost for animal health and welfare, the professions and society at large. 

The RCVS awards for which nominations can be made this year are:

• The Queen’s Medal – an award for a veterinary surgeon who has achieved a highly distinguished career.
• The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award - awarded to a veterinary nurse who has had a distinguished career and who can act as an ambassador for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.
• The RCVS International Award - awarded to veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses or laypeople who have made an outstanding contribution on issues that are in line with the RCVS mission.
• The RCVS Impact Award - awarded to veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses who have recently, or are currently, undertaking a project that has a significant impact on the profession at large, animal health or welfare, or public health.
• The RCVS Inspiration Award - awarded to veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses at any stage of their career who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout.
• Honorary Associateship - awarded to laypeople who have made a special contribution to the veterinary sphere and could include, for example, scientists, lecturers, journalists, charity-workers, farriers, farmers and those involved in the commercial field.
• The RCVS Compassion Award - awarded to a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who has demonstrated compassion towards fellow professionals and/or members of the animal-owning public.
• The RCVS Student Community Award – awarded to a veterinary or veterinary nursing student who has made a real effort to support their fellow students and the wider veterinary/veterinary nursing school community.

RCVS President Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, said: “It is important that veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses uplift each other, and recognise those everyday heroes who impact the animal health and welfare in their local community day in, day out.

"So, if you know anyone who fits the bill for one of our award categories, please make sure to take a bit of time to fill in the nomination form and put them forward.”

The deadline date for the 2023 awards is 5pm on Friday, 27 January 2023.

To read the guidance on making a nomination and to download the PDF nomination forms for each of the awards, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/awards

According to Intervet, a study undertaken in Germany last summer has proven the efficacy of Butox SWISH at killing the midges responsible for carrying the bluetongue virus, when applied monthly to cattle. The study showed that even brief contact between a midge and hair from a treated animal killed midges rapidly for up to four weeks post-treatment.

The standard dose, applied in the usual way (on the neck and topline of the animal) delivers full-body coverage of Butox SWISH’s deltamethrin, helped partly by its unique micronised formulation. The product is also highly lipophilic which means it binds onto the natural oil secretions of the coat helping to improve coverage.

The trial used six heifers (each weighing around 400kg) treated with 30ml Butox SWISH (the standard fly dose and method of application). Two un-treated heifers were also studied for comparison.

During the five week period, contact between midges and treated hair caused immediate paralysis, and the midges then died at varying intervals depending on contact time and the number of days post-treatment with Butox SWISH. The trial verified the application of Butox SWISH monthly at the standard dose for cattle.

Trial director, Professor Mehlhorn suggested that producers should be prepared to reduce vector contact by removing their breeding habitats and combining this with the use of a knock-down treatment like Butox SWISH, which is the only product of its type which has proven efficacy against midges. Used in conjunction with vaccination, these measures may not stop the disease entering the herd, but will help reduce the spread of disease.

With fireworks season approaching, CEVA reminds that it's a good time to let clients know the steps they can take to minimise noise-related stress and highlight the benefits of the using D.A.P.® and Feliway®.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Genitrix has launched Dentagen toothpaste which, the company says, uniquely both cleans teeth and inhibits the formation of plaque. 

Dentagen toothpaste is based on RF2, a plant extract, which is clinically proven to inhibit the formation of dental biofilm or plaque. It has been formulated to a dentrifrice abrasivity (RDA) index of 34 to ensure that it removes plaque while causing no damage to the enamel layer of the teeth. The toothpaste is packaged with a free finger-brush to help introduce the pet to having its teeth brushed.  It costs £5.50 for a 70g tube.

The toothpaste completes the range of Dentagen health products - the fastest growing dental products in the UK (according to GFK data in May 2010). 

Genitrix says Dentagen is the only veterinary dental system to combine a procedure carried out in practice with a variety of aftercare regimes to ensure owner compliance. In 2008, Genitrix launched the Dentagen plaque protection system. It consists of a RF2-impregnated wax provided to practices in a syringe and applied to the gingival layer and the buccal area of teeth of dogs or cats at the end of dental procedures. Pet owners then maintain the protective coating by using  the new Dentagen toothpaste or other products in the range - either the RF2-impregnated vegetable-based palatable Dentagen chews or Dentagen Aqua, a palatable liquid containing RF2, which is added to a pet's drinking water on a daily basis.  

Rob Watkins, Genitrix' Marketing Director, said:  "Brushing has long been recognised as the 'gold standard' when it comes to dental health care so we felt it was important for the Dentagen range to include this option.  Regular brushing makes a significant contribution to the maintenance of oral health and the RF2 in the Dentagen toothpaste actually suppresses plaque formation between brushing which is a further benefit.  It sets a new efficacy standard for pet toothpaste.

However, while many owners understand the importance of dental health, many of them find actually brushing their pet's teeth difficult - especially those with cats.  This is why the Dentagen range includes a variety of options.  It enables pet owners to select the method that is right for them and their pet and thus maximise the likelihood of their compliance with a good preventive health regime."

Public Health England (PHE) is urging veterinary surgeons, nurses, other healthcare professionals and the public to become Antibiotic Guardians by visiting antibioticguardian.com and pledging to make better use of antibiotics, to help make sure they work now and in the future.

The website first asks users to choose whether they would like to make a pledge as a member of the public or as a healthcare professional or leader.

Those who pledge as a Healthcare Professional > Veterinary Practitioner can select one of the following pledges:

• If there is a need to prescribe antibiotics I will use narrow spectrum drugs wherever possible
• I will display posters and reading material in my waiting room to help public understanding on antimicrobial resistance
• I will ensure that there are effective cleaning and disinfection protocols in place to minimise the spread of bacteria between patients within the veterinary practice premises
• When dispensing antibiotics I will explain the importance of following the labelling instructions and giving the full course
• If a treatment does not appear to work, I will advise a different course of action and report the treatment failure to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)

Those who pledge as a member of the public can elect to do so as an adult, a family member, a pet owner or a farmer.

The available pledges change according to category and those who respond will be asked if PHE can follow-up to confirm they did keep their pledge.

The campaign forms part of activities that support European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD). Dr Diane Ashiru-Oredope, Lead for EAAD 2014 at Public Health England, said: "Everybody can help to tackle antibiotic resistance and we really urge people to help us do this. There is a lot to be done but we can start by making inroads into inappropriate prescribing.

"There are 2 elements to this. One is that we need patients to not always expect to receive an antibiotic for those self-limiting illnesses which are typically caused by viruses. This generally includes those where the symptoms include coughs, runny noses, muscle aches and fever. And the other is for GPs not to feel pressurised into prescribing antibiotics when they aren't really necessary.

"Community pharmacists and their teams also have a key role and should be seen as the first port of call for many winter illnesses caused by viruses. They can also help to manage patients' expectations by explaining the normal duration of these symptoms, what warning signs to look out for and providing effective over the counter treatments that will help relieve the symptoms.

Nicholas Brown, President at the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), said: "Recently published research in BSAC's Journal, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, confirms that despite government recommendations to reduce prescribing for viral illnesses there are still many GPs who do this. Of course GPs don't want their patients to feel unwell but there are many medicines which are available over-the-counter which can really help to reduce symptoms and make people feel better.

"We want to encourage everyone to self-treat as much as possible when it is safe and appropriate to do so. By using antibiotics only when they are needed we can all help to make sure that we keep our antibiotics working for everyone in the future.

"Antibiotic resistance is one the biggest threats to public health and PHE is delivering 4 key aspects of the 5-year UK strategy to help combat antibiotic resistance. These are improving infection prevention and control practices to reduce the number of infections in patients; optimising prescribing practice, improving professional education, training and public engagement and enabling better access to and use of surveillance data."

Children learn lots of important lessons about life, sickness and death from animals and veterinary practitioners. There seems to be an important role here for the profession to educate adult animal owners why antibiotics need to be used carefully both in pets and in humans.

Ian Wright MRCVS, Chair of the European Scientific Counsel of Companion Animal Parasites, will be presenting a free webinar about new exotic parasites on 17th July 2025, 7.30pm - 9.00pm. 

In the webinar, which is sponsored by Horiba, Ian will present an update on new exotic parasite infections and distribution across the UK and Europe, and what this means for pets, livestock and the people that care for them.

“New Exotic Parasites – Worming Their Way In?” is suitable for vets, nurses, students and veterinary care assistants.

https://horiba.link/4h2.

Medivet has announced the appointment of John Bower MBE BVSc MRCVS to its Panel of Enquiry set up following coverage of the company on Panorama.

Mr Bower has been President of the British Veterinary Association, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, and the Veterinary Practice Management Association.

Mr Bower said: "Medivet is a large partnership with numerous branches and I am looking forward to helping the partners assess and review the management of their practice to eliminate the sort of incidents and situations that were alleged in the Panorama programme.  This panel will look deeply into the management and I have been convinced by the partners that they are determined to take appropriate measures where necessary."

Adi Nell, Medivet central partner and fellow member of the panel said: "We are delighted that John Bower is to be a part of our panel. John is not only an eminent vet of unquestionable ethical standing, but he set up and ran a medium-sized veterinary partnership for 38 years. His expertise will be crucial to Medivet, as the panel carries out its investigations and makes its recommendations over the next few months."

Mr Bower, who retired from general practice in 2007, is currently Veterinary Advisor to Petplan Insurance Company and a trustee of two national charities - Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and The Petplan Charitable Trust. Mr Bower was awarded the BSAVA Melton Award for meritorious contributions to Small Animal Practice in 1991, the MBE in 2010 for services to the BVA:AWF, and has authored or co-authored a number of books including Veterinary Practice Management, The Dog Owner's Veterinary Handbook and The Cat Owner's Veterinary Handbook.

Diagnostic imaging company BCF Technology is inviting veterinary surgeons to apply for a job as Clinical Manager by submitting a 2 minute video outlining why they would like to work for the company.

BCF Managing Director Gavin Mitchell said: "We are looking for somone with a real passion for imaging and desire to help improve the quality of veterinary imaging. Part of the role will involve presenting clinical learning videos, so we thought it would be a fun way to approach the recruitment process with candidates sending in their own home-made videos. So get creative and you could come and work with us and help vets learn more about 256 shades of grey."

BCF in-house vet Kimberly Palgrave said: "This role is a great opportunity for a vet wanting to help others to improve their confidence and skills in using ultrasound and X-ray, it is a hugely rewarding role. It is also a very diverse role as BCF is a worldwide company. BCF approaches everything in a fun, innovative way, including the recruitment process."

BCF Human Resources Manager, Kim McLean, said: "As we are offering a job role that is quite unique, we thought we would approach advertising the job in a bit of a non-conventional way as well. We hope that candidates will take on the challenge and that we will receive some interesting video applications for the role.

To help potential vets learn more about the role and what it is like to work for the company, BCF has created a video which gives an overview of the business, has some comments from its staff and even has a rap about the company at the end performed by Tom from the Purchasing Department.

For more information about the job, visit www.bcftechnology.com/about-us/bcf-careers

Key Note Ltd, has published Pet Insurance 2015, a report into the state of the UK pet insurance market which forecasts that premiums will rise by 46.7% by 2019.

The report notes that the percentage of adults in Great Britain owning at least one dog has increased by 2.1 percentage points over the past 5 years, and the percentage owning at least one cat is 2.5 percentage points higher than it was 5 years ago. Yet despite growth in the pet population, the increase in the volume of pet insurance policies (23.6% between 2010 and 2014) has been far exceeded by the increase in the value of premiums written (40.7%).

Key Note says claims inflation has been a major factor in rising premiums; despite gross written premiums for cats, dogs and other pets increasing by 13.3% between 2013 and 2014 alone, the cost of claims for the same animals rose by 14.7% over the same period, over and above the premium increases seen.

According to the company, rising claims are largely down to the increasing cost of veterinary treatment — as advances in pet medicine increase apace with those in human medicine, treating pets is getting more costly. Not only this, but other factors, such as the rise in overweight or obese pets and even antibiotic-resistant bacteria, both common problems in the human health service, are also pushing up the costs of veterinary treatment. 

In other general insurance markets, most notably motor insurance, which price comparison websites (PCWs) were initially set up to focus on, competition exerts a major downward pressure on premiums. However, the report says this is not always the case in the pet insurance market. This is because it can be difficult for those who have already claimed on pet insurance policies to switch insurers; the result of doing so is often that the condition the pet has previously been treated for is classed as ‘pre-existing’ in the new policy and therefore it, and related conditions, will not be covered under the new policy. This could leave pet owners liable to pay for veterinary treatment in full.

The situation has been further exacerbated by the high-profile withdrawal of a number of underwriters from the pet insurance market. The nature of the pet insurance market, though at first seeming diverse, actually involves a relatively limited pool of underwriters behind the numerous brands available. The report details how just four underwriters between them either underwrite or, at the very least, arrange and administer the pet insurance policies of 27 of the foremost brands in the pet insurance market.

Key Note forecasts that although insurance companies will see an increase in the volume of pets insured, this will not compensate for the relentless increase in the cost of claims which will be largely responsible for driving the cost of pet insurance up 46.7% by 2019.

Ceva Animal Health is carrying out a survey to discover what livestock and mixed practice vets think about pharmaceutical packaging and the environment, and how you think farmers are disposing of empty glass and plastic pharmaceutical vials.

Ceva introduced eco-friendly CLAS (Ceva Layered Anti Shatter) vials in 2007 and continues to invest in the technology for livestock injectables, such as NSAIDs and antibiotics.

However, the three-minute survey - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CLASvials - will help it better understand current attitudes towards packaging and how it can continue to make changes that will drive improvements across the industry. 

Five participating vets’ names will be picked at random to win a £20 Amazon voucher in a prize draw.

Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health said:  “Following discussions with both UK vets and farmers, we believe that there is some confusion around the disposal of pharmaceutical waste both on farm and from the vet clinic.

"The survey will give us an insight into what is happening to pharmaceutical waste on farms and help us to drive improvements across the industry.”

A new company offering general practitioners online consultations with veterinary specialists launched in the UK last month. Televetdx (www.televetdx.com) has grouped over 40 veterinary specialists to offer their services to GPs in the UK and Europe.

Company director and veterinary pathologist Dr Anne Pietersma said: "Most pet owners want to provide their pets with the best possible care and this means access to the best possible advice from a specialist. Televetdx brings together specialists from referral practices and academia for radiology, cardiology and internal medicine that veterinarians can use as part of their practice to help with accurate diagnosis and treatment decision-making."

According to the company, the Televetdx service offers a convenient alternative to immediate referral and can save owners time and money despite the telemedicine fee. When pet owners, advised by their veterinary surgeon, agree to a telemedicine consultation, they are electing for the comfort of care and follow-up at their local clinic. This saves owners time but also minimises stress to the pet and costs due to travel or referral fees. The specialist or veterinary surgeon will be able to judge when a case needs referring to a centre, for example if the clinic is not equipped for the specialised medical care required.

Dr Pietersma said: "A referral is often not accessible to the pet owner for a variety of reasons. On the other hand, a veterinary surgeon might feel comfortable handling a more complex case but lack some of the needed expertise. Consulting and working closely with specialists allows veterinarians to quickly obtain tailored advice on a case and work more efficiently while providing a high quality service to pet owners. She added: "We include full follow-up as part our standard charge with no additional costs for resubmitting the same case with extra information, for example, additional test results or images".

Televetdx works through a secure on-line interface that vets use to upload scans or images and other test data. These are then passed to the most appropriate expert in the Televetdx consulting team who can assess the data and offer expert opinion and data interpretation. The specialist that first attends a telemedicine case is usually the closest to the requesting veterinary surgeon since a thorough understanding of disease and therapy takes into account variations that may occur due to differences in geography or pet-keeping culture and also the medications and formulations that are available nationally. 

Dr Pietersma said: "Being part of a team has tangible benefits to vets and pet owners - we can refer cases to other colleagues if appropriate to provide the veterinary surgeon with the most accurate information we can for their diagnosis. When pet owners witness their vet working closely with specialists they are given the assurance that their pet is receiving the best possible care".