View all veterinary jobs
VetSurgeon.org publishes a curated feed of veterinary news for practising veterinary surgeons, with a primary focus on the UK profession.
We select stories based on their practical relevance, clinical interest, or professional significance — filtering out noise so busy vets can stay informed quickly.
Our coverage includes:
We report across all areas of practice, including companion animal, farm, equine and exotic species.
Our editorial approach is deliberately selective and concise. We prioritise clarity and relevance over volume, aiming to make each story worth your time.
You can follow VetSurgeon News by subscribing to the daily, weekly or monthly email digest, or via our channels on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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.
The Company of Animals, makers of behaviour and training products, has announced the launch of a new Product and Training DVD, designed to be screened in practice waiting rooms. The DVD features the entire range of products from Company of Animals, including its multi-award-winning dog training devices, being demonstrated by pet dogs and their owners. It is presented by Animal Psychologist and founder of The Company of Animals, Dr. Roger Mugford. The Company of Animals says that playing the DVD during opening hours will grab the attention of your customers, raise their awareness of already popular products, and educate them about new ones. This DVD is free and available to all veterinary retailers. To order the DVD or for more information see: http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/
The Association says that the qualification is intended to give vets the chance to conduct clinical research relating to their work – in particular vets working in general practice.
The qualification, validated by Nottingham Trent University, is aimed at people who already have any accredited Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits at Level 7) relevant to some aspect of veterinary medicine or surgery.
The programme is based on a further 1,200 study hours and could be flexibly achieved in two years of part-time study or up to five years, depending on the project type and an individual’s availability.
Frances Barr, BSAVA Academic Director, has developed the most extensive CPD programme in the 60-year history of the organisation. She said: "It’s a really significant addition to the BSAVA CPD programme and another step supporting lifelong learning, which we hope will have a very positive impact on the profession."
"Anyone who has an interest in clinical research – such as evaluating risk factors for a particular disease or factors that might influence an outcome – will find this an ideal way to satisfy their enquiring mind.
"If they have the motivation to keep developing a deeper understanding, we can provide encouragement and support for how to answer those clinical questions."
The Masters programme starts with online study into the principles of clinical research, which students will then apply to their own research project.
Students will be allocated a ‘matched’ supervisor who will provide project advice and guidance, plus the BSAVA team will be on hand to ensure ongoing support and encouragement.
The programme starts in January 2017 and applications open this October.
Frances added: "It can sometimes be quite difficult to get going in research when you don’t know how to do it, so having taken the first step in a supported environment we hope many will go on to do extend their clinical research ambitions.
"BSAVA’s mission is to support vets at every stage of their careers. There are often limited opportunities for practitioners to conduct clinical research, so this is a qualification that enables vets to do just that."
For more information, please contact the BSAVA Education team at masters@bsava.com
Chris Tufnell, current President of the RCVS, said: "We are very sad to hear of the death of Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, a figure who had a truly exceptional career, unique in its achievements and one dedicated to bridging and bringing together the worlds of medical and veterinary science.
"His dedication to the concept of One Health is demonstrated by the fact that, during his life time, he was both President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (from 1984-85) and the Royal Society of Medicine (1998-2000), the first veterinary surgeon to be elected to that position, as well as being a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
"He was the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and prizes including Honorary Fellowship of the College and, at RCVS Day in 2015, received the Queen’s Medal, the highest award that the RCVS can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon. This was given in recognition of his contribution to One Health but also his international work as a Fellow and Professor in numerous countries across the world and his political work as the first veterinary surgeon to enter the House of Lords in 1990.
"He gave an outstanding service to the profession, to veterinary science and to animal welfare but was known for his endearing personality as much as his intellect. He will be missed by many colleagues in the veterinary world but his legacy will live on through inspiring veterinary surgeons from all walks of life to work more closely with other healthcare and medical professionals and through his numerous published books and papers. Our sympathies are with his family and friends."
Photo: Lord Soulsby getting a standing ovation at RCVS Day 2015. Courtesy RCVS.
CEVA Animal Health has announced that its live enzootic abortion vaccine, CEVAC® Chlamydophila, now has an added benefit. It can be used simultaneously with the only available toxoplasmosis vaccine. According to CEVA, infectious abortion, particularly enzootic abortion (Chlamydiosis), has been known to wipe out up to 50% of lambs. Strategic use of CEVAC® Chlamydophila, a live enzootic abortion vaccine, can not only prevent abortion but can also control excretion and the threat of infection.
The company says: "CEVAC® Chlamydophila makes practical and economic sense. A vaccination every four years will help your clients’ flocks remain chlamydiosis-free and the cost of treatment should work out at well under 75p per sheep per year. This is a tiny investment for your clients, to prevent the financial loss of an abortion. The fact that the product can now be used on the same day as the toxoplasmosis vaccine means that is now one of the most convenient and affordable methods currently available."
Ideally routine preventative measures should be taken prior to mating and when new sheep are introduced to the flock, to ensure abortion and infection rates always remain as low as possible.
All animals should be vaccinated in the first year, with replacements being vaccinated from six months of age, at least four weeks prior to tupping.
CEVAC® Chlamydophila is quick and easy to administer, using the special, multi-dose injector gun. One bottle of vaccine contains enough for 20 doses.
For further product information contact your local CEVA representative or CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG or visit the website at http://www.ceva.uk.com/
Petplan has revealed the top 10 most claimed for health conditions in cats and dogs for 2011.
They were:
BCF Technology has launched the Sonosite Edge ultrasound system.
According to the company, the new system is suitable for both small animal and equine reproduction, abdominal, musculoskeletal, cardiac and ophthalmic applications.
The Sonosite Edge was apparently designed for use in battlefields and disaster zones, so it should withstand veterinary use. It is upgradeable to Colour, Pulsed Wave (PW) and Continuous Wave (CW) Doppler. It can also be DICOM enabled. It weighs 15kg and has a start up time of less than 15 seconds. There is a range of linear, mico-convex, convex and phased array probes available.
The system with one probe starts around £22,000.
Nigel Perry, BCF Account Manager said: "The Sonosite Edge offers an excellent system with superior image quality than has not been seen on a field-based system before. This is a perfect system for a mixed practice looking to perform a wide range of applications. It is very durable and can be taken anywhere."
To find out more about the Sonosite Edge, visit www.bcftechnology.co.uk or call +44(0)1506 460 023.
Novartis Animal Health has announced the launch of a new campaign called Prepare, Predict, Prevent and designed to raise awareness of blowfly strike management in sheep.
The campaign will include new industry research, an expert-led report, and information tailored to farmers, veterinary surgeons and SQPs. The campaign is aimed at improving awareness of blowfly strike management, with a particular focus on prevention.
In the UK, blowfly strike (myiasis) occurs on over 80 per cent of sheep farms2. If untreated, strike can severely affect the welfare of infested sheep, and may result in death. For farmers, poor management of blowfly strike brings economic costs in terms of the loss of animal, production losses and in terms of treatment and control of the disease, which is easily spread.
Furthermore, previous research from the University of Bristol4, which simulated the pattern of parasite growth in different climate-dependent environments, showed that an increase in average temperature of 3 degrees Celsius would be enough to quadruple the incidence of strike in ewes and double the rate in lambs. This is a growing concern, with climate change models for the UK suggesting that over the next 50 years summer temperatures are set to increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius and winter temperatures by 2.5 degrees Celsius5.
Research conducted at the 2013 Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA) Annual Conference indicated that, in the past five years, many believe the blowfly strike season is lasting longer and beginning earlier in the year, with the majority of early reported cases occurring unexpectedly in March. The findings have prompted a wider survey from Novartis Animal Health, which is urging SQPs, farmers and key opinion leaders nationwide to contribute answers at: www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk/fleecebind-questionnaire.
Katherine Openshaw, Ectoparasiticides Category Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "This has always been a serious issue for the sheep industry and elevated temperature is likely to bring about increased levels of blowfly strike and a longer season.
"We recognise the need to evolve attitudes towards parasite control and to provide farmers and prescribers with the knowledge and tools needed to facilitate a better management of blowfly strike. The 'Prepare, Predict, Prevent' campaign is all about simple, yet effective, measures to prevent the occurrence of blowfly strike, which can be enough to ensure farmers are protected from the potentially devastating impacts of flock infestation, offering season peace of mind.
"We have developed a range of materials to aid prescribers in promoting preventative solutions to farmers; these include farmer leaflets, posters and counter displays. We will also be offering training support so prescribers are best equipped to help farmers make informed decisions about preventative blowfly solutions."
References
The Waltham Equine Studies Group has announced the results of two pieces of research designed to improve understanding of the best nutritional support for older horses, whether they are healthy or diagnosed with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID or Cushing's).
The first study: A comparison of nutrient digestibility between adult and aged horses, conducted by the Department of Large Animal clinical Sciences and Animal Science, Michigan State University and The Waltham Equine Studies Group, confirmed (in contrast to earlier work) that there was no difference in digestibility between healthy adult and aged horses when fed a variety of common equine diets.1
In the second study: Characterisation of the faecal bacterial community in adult and elderly horses fed a high fibre high oil or high starch diet, the Institute of Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, The Waltham Equine Studies Group and Michigan State University used the same horses as the previous study but this time looked at their gut microflora. The results showed that although no significant differences in individual species of bacteria were found, ageing was, however, associated with a reduction in bacterial diversity. This, say the authors, may in part explain why older animals can be at increased risk of intestinal disturbances.2
An abstract that summarised part of the Waltham Equine Studies Group's work on the effect of additional supplementation on aged horses with and without PPID was presented at the 2nd Dorothy Havermeyer Geriatric Workshop in the USA last November.3 This work, carried out in conjunction with Dr Amanda Adams at the University of Kentucky showed that age is key in influencing inflammation and metabolism rather than whether the horse is PPID positive or not.
Professor Pat Harris, head of the Waltham Equine Studies Group, said: "For the parameters we monitored, the research showed that it is being old that is the issue, rather than having PPID."
Clare Barfoot RNutr and the research and development manager at Spillers said: “This should give us a better understanding of the effects of diet and age on metabolism in order to determine optimal nutrition for the senior horse. Preliminary work suggests that this new research may change the way we think of feeding the older horse. Waltham’s work continues to ensure that Spillers feeds remain at the forefront of equine nutrition, for the better health of horses everywhere.”
Graham, 72, who worked at Westover Veterinary Centre in Norfolk for 40 years, set off on his bike from his home in Crostwick last week. He aims to complete the journey in two years, following a route that will take him through Western Europe and into Greece before flying to Ethiopia and cycling through Kenya, where he spent eight years as a government veterinary officer in his early career. He will then follow the Indian Ocean down the African continent's east coast to Cape Town.
Graham said: "I’m no stranger to life on the road – my first job on qualifying was as a field vet in Kenya which I did for eight years. This will be a real adventure though as I am definitely not an accomplished cyclist, however I look forward to the challenge and to raising money for AWF. The route may change slightly as the trip goes along, but that’s down more to government travel advice than my decision - for example, although not currently on my route, I would still like to cycle through Egypt to give a lecture or two, however we’ll need to see what’s possible."
Graham cycled via London to join the annual AWF Discussion Forum in Westminster, attended by other vets, parliamentarians and key stakeholders from the sector, before continuing his cycle to the English south coast with TV vet Emma Milne. Along the way Graham will also be working with equine charitable organisations including the Brooke, SPANA and World Horse Welfare, giving equine welfare and dentistry talks, as well as occasionally returning to the UK to lecture and attend AWF Trustee meetings.
If you would like to sponsor Graham and donate to AWF, or simply find out more about his trip through his regular blog posts, visit vetduncdares.wordpress.com.
The Farm Vet Champions initiative has been set up to build a supportive community of farm animal veterinary professionals to collaborate in championing good antibiotic principles.
Led by RCVS Knowledge and funded by the VMD, the project has brought together a number of UK veterinary and agriculture organisations to develop free learning materials for farm veterinary professionals.
The new online course covers:
A course offers a total of 20 hours of free on-demand CPD.
The second phase of the initiative, due to start development over Summer 2021, will provide online and in-person networking opportunities for Farm Vet Champions to learn from one another by sharing their experiences and working together towards the common goal of good antibiotic stewardship.
Chris Gush, Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge, said, “With antimicrobial resistance being one of the top 10 health threats facing our planet, we are delighted with the quality of the Farm Vet Champions course and we look forward to connecting with farm vets across the UK to tackle AMR. Farm Vet Champions is just the beginning of our work in antimicrobial prescribing, and we look forward to building on our resources that will benefit all animals, the public and society.”
Fiona Lovatt, Farm Vet Champions Clinical Lead, said, “I am incredibly proud of the Farm Vet Champions project and extremely grateful to every member of our steering group who have been instrumental in the creation of high-quality and engaging learning materials. I encourage all UK farm vets to sign up and join us on the journey to tackle AMR.”
Farm Vet Champions can be accessed for free at https://learn.rcvsknowledge.org/
Ceva Animal Health has highlighted a new meta-analysis1 which, according to the company, reveals that there is a significant (P< 0.001) association between the use of pharmacotherapy (fluoxetine and clomipramine) or pheromonatherapy (Feliway) and reduction or elimination of feline urine marking.
Ceva says this is the first time a meta-analysis technique has been used to evaluate the efficacy of interventions in veterinary behavioural medicine; the study assessed all published papers covering treatments for feline urine spraying. Ten studies in nine publications were analysed, despite their different study designs. In order to carry out the meta-analysis, the papers were rated according to importance and a 'placebo-effect' was calculated. Primary and secondary outcomes were also identified, with the primary outcome being the 'number of cats that either ceased or reduced spraying by at least 90%' and the secondary outcome being 'the number of cats that reduce spraying from baseline levels'.
Information is available by calling Lucy Brett at CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
1. A meta-analysis of studies of treatments for feline urine spraying. Daniel S Mills, Sarah E Redgate, Gary M Landsberg. PLos ONE, April 2011, Volume 6, Issue 4
A new session has been added to Ceva Animal Health UK's Cardio Academy CPD website entitled "Thoracic X-rays: Abnormal Features".
In the 30 minute multimedia presentation, the cardiology specialist Nicole Van Israël discusses X-ray abnormalities within the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of cardiac patients. This includes a discussion on how to measure heart size and how to identify and interpret lung patterns.
Participants can then receive a CPD certificate by completing the quiz for this session. The Cardio Academy CPD website is free of charge and can be accessed on www.cardioacademy.cevalearn.com.
In addition, the first four sessions can still be accessed which cover the Pathophysiology of Mitral Valve Disease by Adrian Boswood, Clinical Examination of the Cardiac Dog by Gérard Le Bobinnec and Thoracic X-rays - How to Proceed and Thoracic X-rays - Normal Features by Nicole Van Israël.
For further information, please contact your local Ceva account manager.
The survey, which was designed to give veterinary surgeons and employers a greater insight in order to be able to attract the highest calibre applicants, was completed by 206 veterinary nurses who described themselves as having recently looked for a job, or actively looking for a job, or could imagine looking for a job in the foreseeable future.
The second most important job attribute cited by veterinary nurses - out of 13 - was ‘pay’, with ‘work-life balance’ in third.
Interestingly, when asked a similar question, veterinary surgeons said ‘pay’ was only the 6th most important factor, perhaps a reflection of the fact that a reasonable salary is more of a given amongst veterinary surgeons than nurses.
The survey also found that only slightly more veterinary nurses are prepared to do out-of-hours work than veterinary surgeons: 58% versus 52%.
Lastly, the survey showed that nurses may be more internet-savvy than veterinary surgeons, with an overwhelming majority (85%) said they were likely to spend most time browsing jobs online, as opposed to traditional magazines (compared to nearly 70% of veterinary surgeons that said the same).
VetSurgeon.org/VetNurse.co.uk Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "The survey was carried out primarily to help practices create recruitment adverts that better meet the hopes and aspirations of candidates, thereby improving response rates.
"I think it provides clear evidence of the need for advertisements to give examples of how you show you value your nurses, such as support for further education, a system which allows their voices to be heard and good ideas implemented, and team-building events.
"And if you pay well, don’t be shy about staying so."
The full survey results can be downloaded here.
The report says the greatest threat to farm animal welfare standards post-Brexit would come from UK farmers competing against cheap, imported food from countries that produce to lower standards than the UK. Therefore, the Government's wish for the UK to become a global leader in free trade is not necessarily compatible with its desire to maintain high animal welfare standards.
Noting the UK's overwhelming reliance on non-UK EU citizens to fill crucial official veterinary positions in the UK, the Committee called on the Government to ensure that the industry is able to retain or recruit qualified staff to fill these roles post-Brexit.
Responding to the report, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The report offers strong leadership and a clear message, emphasising the consumer and cross-sector consensus that current animal health and welfare standards must be at least maintained in Brexit negotiations. Prioritising these standards in trade negotiations could guarantee a unique selling point for the UK. As the report recommends, as consumers we must make sure we do not compromise quality for cost-savings in order to avoid a race to the bottom for welfare standards. We now need clarity from the Government on how underpinning processes and overarching principles, like Article 13 which ensures animal welfare requirements are fully considered in policy-setting, will be incorporated into domestic law.
"The report supports our view that animal welfare should be considered a public good and we reiterate our calls following the Secretary of State’s recent speech that a replacement CAP scheme should encompass animal welfare, animal health, disease surveillance, biodiversity and environmental stewardship to benefit not only UK producers, but consumers and wider society too.
"The EU Committee’s recognition of the vital role vets play in animal health, welfare and public health is extremely encouraging. Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in abattoirs protect and reassure UK consumers, certifying and supervising the import and export of animals and animal products to third countries. As I outlined in my evidence to the Committee, some estimates suggest 95% of OVs working in UK abattoirs graduated overseas, mostly in the EU. However, we are already hearing of fewer applicants for veterinary public health roles since the referendum.
"There are significant concerns about the potential impact of a post-Brexit veterinary workforce shortage on the UK's £100 billion agri-food sector, in terms of risking business and consumer confidence as well as the UK’s future export capability. A strong, sustainable veterinary workforce is absolutely vital to safeguarding animal health, welfare and public health post Brexit."
Earlier in the year, we conducted a survey of veterinary surgeons to ask what you felt were the biggest problems with using Facebook as a way to share or discuss clinical information.
According to the survey, veterinary surgeons felt the greatest problem with Facebook is that you cannot see the professional qualifications of those contributing to a discussion, so unless you know them offline, you have no context for what they post. Even in closed groups, it can be hard, if not impossible to know whether you are talking to someone with many years' experience, or virtually none; an RCVS Specialist, or a general practitioner, or a veterinary nurse.
The father of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee recognised transparency as one of the most significant problems with the Internet during the Dimbleby Lecture at the end of last year. He said:
“Another problem people are perhaps increasingly aware of, particularly more recently, has to do with the fact that much of the web has insufficient accountability. There is by design, no approval system people need to go to, to share their information online. They don’t have to come and ask me to post something. So as soon as someone posts something on the web it can be viewed by a huge number of people. This seemed to work when people posted as individuals with their own reputations at stake. But now we have systems which create fake accounts and there are millions of automated systems, bots we call them, for robots, on social media platforms spreading messages of hate and conflict
"Because of this, misinformation has been spreading rapidly. There are not enough systems holding these people and this information to account. They should be testing the truthfulness of the information organisations and individuals are putting online.”
Whilst it is perhaps unlikely that malign foreign governments have been infiltrating veterinary Facebook groups to spread discord or indeed that there are many individuals deliberately spreading misinformation in this small profession, Sir Tim's point is still highly relevant to the sharing of clinical information, advice, experience or opinion.
The problem is that Facebook gives equivalence to everyone's opinion, an equivalence they simply do not deserve.
Sir Tim is right, you should indeed be questioning the truthfulness, or rather the accuracy of clinical information and opinions posted by colleagues online, and the starting point for that is knowing who posted it, and what qualifications they hold.
The new VetSurgeon.org discussion forums make an important step forward with that, by displaying the year and place of qualification next to posts, together with veterinary postnominals, taken from members' full VetSurgeon Profiles. We're also going to make it compulsory for contributing referral practitioners to complete their profile before posting.
The other biggest problems identified in the survey are how quality information gets drowned in a sea of 'me too' replies on Facebook, how it is difficult to refer back to old posts with useful information and how information is badly curated, making it hard to find what interests you.
On VetSurgeon.org content is now curated both by type, for example forum or news posts, and by areas of clinical interest, which each have their own group you can join and subscribe to. That makes it easier for referral practitioners or postgrad students to follow just their specific area of interest, or for anyone just trying to find information quickly.
We also asked what we could do to encourage you to visit VetSurgeon.org more often for clinical discussions. 62% of you said: 'improve the ease of use on smartphones' and 50.9% said: 'create a way for you to put a question to a group of expert clinicians'.
So that is what we've done (or are doing).
The new VetSurgeon discussion forums have been significantly enhanced for mobile phones. The new main navigation makes it far easier to find your way around the site. You can now reply to forum posts on the same page as the original post, which may sound like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. Elsewhere, we've optimised our use of the more limited space available.
Very soon, we'll be unveiling another feature designed to improve the quality of online clinical discussions, and to stop them drowning in a sea of me too replies. In our new Expert Help Forums, all members will be able to ask a clinical question, but only referral practitioners and selected expert general practitioner members will be able to reply (so long as they display their credentials, of course). When they do, they'll get proper recognition for their help, something which is again missing from Facebook.
With all this talk of better standards of clinical discussions on VetSurgeon.org, it is also worth reminding everyone that time spent in the forums counts towards your annual CPD requirement too. Just click the 'Claim CPD' button in the title.
Finally, as with any building project of this magnitude, there are inevitably some snags. Things that don't work or display as expected, especially on older or more obscure devices. If you come across something like that, please do email details (your browser, version and device type) to support@vetsurgeon.org and we'll endeavour to get it fixed, pronto.
Photo: Arlo Guthrie, Editor www.vetsurgeon.org
The UK-Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance and Sales Surveillance (UK-VARSS) annual report shows that while sales of antibiotics increased slightly by 1.5 mg/kg to 31.0 mg/kg in comparison to the previous year, this was offset by a reduction in use of the more potent critical antibiotics.
UK veterinary antibiotic use in 2019 was the second lowest since the start of regular reporting, and the UK has one of the lowest levels in Europe.
Between 2018 and 2019 there was a 21% drop in of use of Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HP-CIAs) in food-producing animals, which account for 0.5% of total antibiotic sales. The UK has also seen an overall reduction in the level of resistance in E. coli from healthy pigs at slaughter since 2015 and resistance to HP-CIAs in E. coli is at very low levels.
Peter Borriello, Chief Executive Veterinary Medicines Directorate said: "In the last five years we have worked closely with the farming industry and veterinary profession to achieve huge reductions in use of antibiotics in animals.
"This demonstrates how farmers and vets have been working together to use antibiotics responsibly while safeguarding the health and welfare of our livestock.
"The UK Government will continue to work with industry to focus on infection control, reducing the need to use antibiotics to treat disease and maintain the UK’s world leading standards in animal welfare."
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: "I am delighted that the UK continues to lead the way as one of the lowest users of antibiotics in livestock across Europe.
"These findings are testament to the hard work of the UK’s farmers and vets to use antibiotics responsibly in order to tackle antibiotic resistance and protect our most critically important antibiotics in human health, while also reducing the burden of disease in animals."
201 practices took part in the survey between 25th February and 4th March 2021. The main findings were:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “Although this survey took place in the midst of the lockdown and before the schools re-opened, there were some positive results here around staffing and the financial situation for practices. Hopefully this will mean that, as the restrictions ease going from spring into summer, many practices and practice staff will be in a position to return to a near-normal level of service and business.
"There were, however, still a few areas of concern, some of which will hopefully be resolved by the forthcoming easing of restrictions, for example, the difficulty in obtaining independent witnesses for the destruction of controlled drugs, with some 34% of practices reporting difficulties, compared to 20% in December.
“Once again, I would like to thank all those practices who responded to this and previous surveys, and continue to provide invaluable evidence and feedback about the current state of veterinary practice.”
The full results of the survey can be downloaded at: www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
CEVA Animal Health has produced Understanding sacroiliac disease, a leaflet to help horse owners understand the cause, diagnosis and management of sacroiliac disease.
CEVA says sacroiliac disease can be a particular challenge because although it can occur in isolation it often occurs in addition to other sources of hindlimb lameness. Acute sacroiliac injury is usually a result of trauma, such as a fall, which may cause pelvic rotation or fracture, resulting in hindlimb lameness and sensitivity to palpation of the tubera sacrale soon after injury. With chronic sacroiliac disease there is usually no history of trauma, rather a prolonged history of poor performance.
Understanding sacroiliac disease explains the anatomy of the sacroiliac joint, the clinical signs of the disease, how it is diagnosed, the treatment options and the general prognosis. The leaflet is available to equine vet practices as a useful information source for clients. You can order free copies from your CEVA sales representative.
The company says the new award, which invites nominations from both pet owners and practices, is also to help raise awareness of Pet Diabetes Month, which this year takes place in November.
Pet Diabetes Month will have an emphasis on detecting the condition through initially screening urine samples, with pet owners being encouraged to visit their local vet practice.
Caroline Darouj, Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "There will be two categories for the award – one for the Pet Diabetes Professional Carer of the Year and one for owners – the Pet Diabetes Carer of the Year.
"A diagnosis of diabetes and decision to treat a feline or canine patient requires a lifelong commitment from the owner. We want to recognise the many loving pet owners who commit to giving their pet regular insulin injections and the practice staff who support them. We also want to create awareness of the importance of early diagnosis so pet owners can more easily spot the signs and realise that treatment is an option, which can be made easier with the use of the VetPen."
She added: "In veterinary practices there are outstanding individuals who make an extra effort to provide reassurance for pet owners when they may feel overwhelmed or fearful of their ability to cope with their pet’s diabetes. The Professional Carer of the Year could be a vet, vet nurse, animal nursing assistant or receptionist."
Pet owners and practice staff can nominate in either category. All the details can be found at www.mypetonline.co.uk/petdiabetesmonth.
The website will also be a central source of information about what’s going on during the campaign, tips on diabetes detection and prevention, plus a number of activities to get the attention of pet owners of all ages.
The deadline for nominations is 30th November 2017.
For further information please contact your MSD account manager.
The idea is that by raising money through exercise, which is documented to improve mental health, you'll be helping to boost your own wellbeing as well as supporting the wellbeing of others.
To take part, you need to team up with colleagues, then decide on a challenge such as an overall distance or a total step count you want to hit.
Then create a fundraising page through Just Giving, so you can share the link and spread the word about your event.
If you share photos of your fundraising on social media, be sure to tag Vetlife.
You can buy running vests and t-shirts from Vetlife through it’s website (use code Vetlife40! for 40% discount).
Vetlife trustee Richard Killen said “It is well recognised how important physical activity is for wellbeing and what better way to promote within your workplace than participating in this event.
"Vetlife is a great charity with ever-increasing demands on its services and it is hoped that much needed funds can be raised through the VMOM campaign.
"Vetlife will be grateful for any contributions to its work.”
https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk/
Defra / APHA will provide an update on the current situation, followed by a presentation about BTV by Peter Mertens, Professor of Virology, University of Nottingham, and Christopher Sanders, Research Fellow in Veterinary Entomology from the Pirbright Institute.
If can't attend, you can register to be sent a recording afterwards.
This is the first of a series of bluetooth update webinars which will be held fortnightly on Wednesdays at 6pm.
https://ahdb.org.uk/events/bluetongue-virus-technical-webinar
The British Veterinary Association has expressed disappointment, but no surprise, at the Government's decision to reject the multi-faceted approach unanimously recommended by the House of Commons Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRACom) to address the spread of Bovine TB within the cattle and badger population.
BVA President Nick Blayney said that the veterinary profession was "deeply concerned about the ongoing lack of disease control and the resulting impact on cattle and badger health and welfare" and that "to date, measures directed at cattle alone have not led to disease control".
While welcoming the commitment to increased funding for research on vaccines, Mr Blayney said: "There is little doubt that any progress is some years down the line and it is hard to see how the Minister can expect either dairy farmers or the veterinary profession to ‘move forward' in tackling the disease when nothing, other than yet another group, albeit under a new name - the Bovine TB Partnership Group - is envisaged for the foreseeable future. Both badgers and cattle are significant animals in the spread of TB as all the science agrees."
A new study published this month in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ)1 has concluded that toxins from the seeds of the sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) are the likely cause of Atypical Myopathy (AM) in Europe.
However, to avoid confusion, the authors of the study point out that the American Sycamore (also just called 'the sycamore' in the USA), is a completely different species: Platanus occidentalis. Furthermore, the sycamore found in the UK is also known as the sycamore maple in other countries.
The new research follows on the heels of a study in the USA earlier this year that linked toxins from the box elder tree (Acer negundo) with Seasonal Pasture Myopathy (SPM), the US equivalent of AM2. The discovery marks an important step for the future prevention of this fatal disease.
Atypical Myopathy is a highly fatal muscle disease in the UK and Northern Europe. In ten years, approximately twenty European countries have reported the disease. Incidences tend to occur repeatedly in the autumn and in the spring following large autumnal outbreaks. Horses that develop AM are usually kept in sparse pastures with an accumulation of dead leaves, dead wood and trees in or around the pasture and are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed. SPM is a very similar disorder, prevalent in Midwestern USA and Eastern Canada that is now known to be caused by the ingestion of hypoglycin A, contained in seeds from the box elder tree.
The new European research1 was conducted by an international team led by Dominic Votion, University of Liege and involved 17 horses from Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands, suffering from Atypical Myopathy. High concentrations of a toxic metabolite of hypoglycin A, were identified in the serum of all of the horses. The pastures of 12 of the horses were visited by experienced botanists and the Acer pseudoplatanus, the sycamore maple, was found to be present in every case. This was the only tree common to all visited pastures.
Researchers believe hypoglycin A is the likely cause of both AM in Europe and SPM in North America. The sycamore and the box elder are known to produce seeds containing hypoglycin A and the pastures of the afflicted horses in Europe and the USA were surrounded by these trees.
Hypoglycin-A is found in various levels in the seeds of plants in the genus Acer as well as in various other genera in the family Sapindaceae such as ackee (Blighia sapida). In ackee, hypoglycin-A levels do vary with ripeness of the fruit and, if the fruit is eaten before it is mature, it causes hypoglycaemia to different degrees including a condition called "Jamaican vomiting sickness" (because of ackee's use in Jamaican cooking) and occasionally death in humans.
Researchers at the Universities of Minnesota2 and Liege are continuing their work to try to uncover exactly how the equine disease occurs. Dr Adrian Hegeman of University of Minnesota said: "It is likely that the most important contributing factors to horses becoming poisoned by hypoglycin-A are the availability of seed in the field combined with lack of other feeding options. The seeds from two species of maples (box elder and sycamore maples) that we have tested include significant quantities of hypoglycin-A.
"We know that seeds contain highly variable quantities from seed to seed, even within a single tree. We do not know yet how hypoglycin-A levels vary seasonally, nor do we know how its abundance varies with different levels of stress to the plant, though this may well explain seasonal variability in the occurrence of the malady. It is possible that conditions that stress the plants may contribute to significant seasonal changes in hypoglycin-A levels. At this point we just don't know. It is common held knowledge that trees under stress usually produce more seed."
Dr Jeff Gillman of University of Minnesota said: "Without question, further analysis of the seeds and other tissues from Acer species needs to be performed along with sampling of plant materials over multiple seasons and at various stress levels. Additionally, one cannot rule out more complex explanations for the seasonality of disease occurrence such as: animals may begin feeding on seed materials in response to depletion of more palatable choices under drought conditions; or simple explanations such as high wind events driving seeds into fields. These sorts of explanations for the occurrence of the disease do not depend on botanical variations in toxicity across seasons, sites or stress levels, yet also require consideration.
"Although limited examples are available, the experience of animals at a pasture site might also confer some degree of behavioral resistance to poisoning due to exposure at sub-lethal levels with prior exposure to seeds in the pasture."
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "This is an important advancement in our understanding of what causes AM and how it can be prevented. In immediate practical terms owners can take prompt measures to avoid exposing their horses to sycamore seeds this autumn. Where horses are grazing in the vicinity of sycamore trees, it is imperative that they are provided with sufficient supplementary feed as this will minimise the risk that horses might be tempted to ingest seeds containing this toxin. This must be done carefully and leaving wet hay on the ground should be avoided so providing extra carbohydrate feeds may be more practical."
Nutramega contains omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, which the company says are critical for the overall health of animals, with many health benefits, including joints & mobility, skin & coat, heart health, the kidneys and brain health.
Nutramega comes in two sizes, 100ml and 200ml, with prices starting from £20.00.
Pet Ready LifeStages are health chews designed to provide daily support for puppies, adult dogs and senior dogs.
Each LifeStage product comes in 30 and 90 chew packets and prices range from £19.99 to £34.99.
www.nutravet.co.uk