The British Veterinary Association has launched two new guides for members on 'Euthanasia' and 'The role of the vet in treatment choice decision-making'.
The guides provide both thought-provoking questions for vets to consider when assisting clients with treatment choice and practical guidance on making the right decisions on euthanasia for individual animals.
The guides are the result of work by the BVA's Ethics and Welfare Group.
'The role of the vet in treatment choice decision-making' tackles issues such as:
The 'Euthanasia' guide includes:
Commenting on the launch of the guides Peter Jinman, Chairman of the BVA's Ethics and Welfare Group, said: "Treatment choice and euthanasia are important parts of veterinary work but are rarely black and white issues. These guides aim to help vets through the often difficult decision-making processes required and cover all aspects from legal issues to the welfare of the animal and the needs of its owner.
"The BVA guide to euthanasia provides a clear, easy-to-use document to help veterinary surgeons make the best decisions for the animals in their care. As well as outlining the various types of euthanasia, the guide provides a Decision Tree designed to help vets work through the available options.
"The guide to treatment choice decision-making explores issues such as where the vet's moral obligation lies and how far he/she can and should influence treatment choice.
"The guides aim to be a practical resource for vets in both small and large animal practice at any stage of their careers. I am grateful to the Euthanasia and Treatment Choice Subgroup, chaired by Richard Jones, for their excellent work setting in context this potentially difficult area of veterinary work."
The answers you get are all linked to their original sources in the BSAVA Library and website.
All BSAVA members get 25 free queries per month, whilst non-members get five.
Queries can also be bought in packs of 25, 50 and 100 searches which have no expiry, priced between £10 and £25 for members.
Alternatively, Rover Unleashed gives unlimited access.
Ian Mellor, Head of Publications at BSAVA said: “In a fast-paced clinical environment, we know that time is precious.
"Rover is a fantastic leap forward in how we support our members, combining innovation with reliability.
"All backed by our trusted resources, we’re confident that Rover will help you to easily cut through the noise and get straight to the information that matters.”
https://rover.bsava.com/pages/about
The British Veterinary Association is delighted to announce the election of new chairmen for two of its standing committees.
Fred Landeg is the new chairman of the Veterinary Policy Group (VPG) and James Yeates is the new chairman of the Ethics and Welfare Group (EWG).
Both positions were filled at the first meetings of the Association year in November when Richard Harvey and Peter Jinman reached the end of their three-year terms as chairmen on VPG and EWG respectively.
Fred Landeg CBE BVetMed MSc MRCVS qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1971 and spent some time in veterinary practice before joining the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food in 1975 as a Veterinary Officer. In 2004 he was appointed UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer and Director in Defra and became acting Director General and Chief Veterinary Officer in November 2007. He retired from public service at the end of April 2008. Mr Landeg said: "The UK veterinary profession is small and has a very wide range of diverse skills and specialisms. It will continue to become more diverse but in diversifying, if the profession is to continue to have influence, it must have a coherent public voice based on sound policies and respect for each other's specialism.
"The BVA provides that coherent voice and the VPG is a key component in developing BVA policy."
James Yeates BSc BVSc DWEL MRCVS qualified from Bristol in 2004 and worked as a veterinary surgeon, undertaking a bachelors degree in bioethics and starting a PhD in veterinary ethics. He is currently an RCVS diplomate in animal welfare science, ethics and law, an active member of the SPVS, and works as the BSAVA Petsavers/RSPCA Bristol Resident Scholar in Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law. Mr Yeates said: "Bringing together scientific, clinical and ethical insights, the BVA EWG is uniquely placed to give progressive recommendations about how we interact with animals. Animal owners, vets, retailers and our whole society have to make difficult ethical decisions about the millions of animals that rely on them for their care.
"There is so much that the profession does, and even more to do in the future. The EWG can provide a focal point for that progress."
VetNet Lifelong Learning Network (LLN) is organising its first conference to investigate some of the issues that act as barriers to progression in the veterinary and animal welfare sector for vocational learners. The conference will be taking place on Friday 9 November 2007 at London Zoo’s Prince Albert Suite.
The conference will appeal to curriculum managers in higher and further education institutes, careers advisors, lecturers in animal and veterinary-related subjects, academic development staff, representatives of professional bodies and lifelong learning network staff. Attendees on the day will be able to take part in a number of workshop discussions covering a range of subjects including:
VetNet LLN is a collaborative widening participation initiative that has been spearheaded by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). VetNet LLN is working on bringing together universities, land-based colleges and other veterinary and education organisations to encourage further education students and animal welfare practitioners into studying veterinary-related subjects at higher education level by creating progression packages with courses and professional development plans.
To book a place at the conference, please ring the VetNet LLN National Office on 01908 363446 or book online at http://www.vetnetlln.ac.uk/. Places are free of charge but must be reserved by 7th November 2007.
Arden Grange has launched new Adult Sensitive with ocean white fish and potato, specially developed to meet the growing demand for grain free pet foods.
Arden Grange Sensitive is a nutritionally complete dry food. According to the company, it is ideally suited to dogs susceptible to digestive disorders and skin irritation. Ocean white fish provides a primary protein source that is easily metabolised for efficient bodily functioning. Completely cereal and grain free, Arden Grange Sensitive provides all breeds of dog with a hypoallergenic, wholesome diet full of natural goodness. Potato, as the carbohydrate source, ensures a sustained energy release throughout the day providing all dogs with the health and vitality they need.
Arden Grange also highlights its ‘Not Tested on Animals’ guarantee, found on all its packaging, company literature and on its website. The company guarantees it has not and never will fund any invasive research projects conducted in relation to the development or refinement of pet foods manufactured or sold by Arden Grange.
The RCVS has launched a new animated video to help promote Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) accredited practices to the public, and explain the benefits of the scheme.
Launched in 2005, almost 60% of practices are now part of the PSS, which requires them to submit to a rigorous inspection every four years and meet a stringent standards across a wide range of areas including cleanliness and hygiene, facilities and equipment, staff training and development and customer service. Practices may also be subject to spot-checks between inspections.
Jacqui Molyneux, who heads up the RCVS Practice Standards Group said: “Our new video is a light-hearted explanation of the Practice Standards Scheme, how it can help animal owners decide which practice to go to and reassure them about the standards they can expect to find at an RCVS-accredited practice.”
The College says a similar version of the video will soon be available for RCVS-accredited practices to show to their clients, either on their own websites and social media channels, or in the waiting room.
Jacqui said: “Not only do we want to spread the word about the benefits of the Practice Standards Scheme and suggest animal owners look for the RCVS-accredited practice logo, but we also want to give accredited practices an engaging way of telling their clients about their achievement.
“Gaining RCVS accreditation is not easy, so accredited practices deserve every opportunity to demonstrate to their clients their commitment to supporting high standards of veterinary care. This fun two-minute video should help them do just that.”
Animal owners can search for an RCVS-accredited practice in their area, or elsewhere in the UK, using Find A Vet – the College’s online search tool – at www.findavet.org.uk.
The BVA is calling on Defra and the APHA to take an innovative approach to capturing farm animal post-mortem data, after its Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey found that 90% of production animal vets now conduct their own PMs.
In 2014, there was a 31% increase in production animal vets carrying out their own PMs following post mortem laboratory closures, yet most vets keep this PM data at their practice, with less than 5% inputting it into a national system such as NADIS, AHT or APHA and less than 1% to a benchmarking group.
Sean Wensley BVA President said: "We have heard a lot about big data and its positive uses economically and socially. Disease surveillance could be a shining example of where big data and innovative data capture comes into its own. In a global world, where diseases such as Schmallenberg and bluetongue can emerge in our livestock without having previously been seen on these shores, being able to quickly join up the dots of disparate disease data is vital.
"We understand that Defra and APHA must make difficult choices due to economic pressures and we very much welcome research already utilising post mortem data such as the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s Fallen Stock Project. What we now need is clear communications and guidance on carcase collection and access to PM examination arrangements together with a determination to see this as an opportunity to innovate, exploring how digital technology can help vets in the field record and capture data that feed into national databases and help us to see the bigger picture."
BVA is asking that all vets affected by laboratory closures are clearly informed about alternative arrangements for carcase collection and PMs, with 63% of vets affected by laboratory closures reporting that carcase collection in their local area was not working well.
BVA is calling on government and industry to lead in developing new and cost efficient ways to capture and analyse disease and surveillance data, drawing on innovations in digital technology and big data analysis.
Photograph courtesy BVA
The awards are to celebrate outstanding veterinary practices that have demonstrated exceptional performance and innovation in various areas crucial to the future success of the profession.
There are three award categories, one to recognise leadership and management skills, one to celebrate practices that have excellent morale and a culture of collaborative teamworking, and one for practices that have started up in the last 2.5 years and achieved a profitable and sustainable business model.
The category winners will each win full day and evening tickets to SPVS Congress 2026 on Thursday 26th February at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole (3 team members per practice), plus overnight accommodation.
Five shortlisted practices in each category will win a book of their choice, provided by 5M Books.
The deadline for initial submissions is Friday 17th October 2025.
https://spvs.org.uk/business-excellence-awards/.
The BVA is calling on the UK Government to urgently develop a coherent, risk-based national strategy to close the gaps in border biosecurity and protect the UK from devastating diseases like African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee report makes for sobering reading.
It reveals a lack of adequate border control enforcement when it comes to personal imports of meat and other products of animal origin, weak intelligence networks, poor Government interdepartmental working and an absence of a national strategy to manage the significant animal disease and public health risks posed by potentially contaminated products.
The report raises particular concerns about funding cuts for Official Vets at Dover, alongside ministerial comments that appear to dismiss the role of vets in protecting biosecurity.
British Veterinary Association Junior Vice President Rob Williams said: “This report is deeply concerning, exposing serious gaps in border enforcement and warning that large amounts of illegal and potentially contaminated meat continue to enter the UK and make their way on to our plates.
"We cannot know where this meat has come from or if it meets the UK’s high animal welfare and biosecurity standards, and without appropriate checks, we can’t stop illegal meat imports at the border.
"This could have catastrophic and costly impacts on the UK’s food security, public health, and animal health and welfare through the import of exotic animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.
"The findings from this report, coupled with the recent National Audit Office report on animal disease resilience, should act as a wake-up call to Government to urgently deliver a coherent and properly resourced national strategy to tackle illegal meat imports and safeguard the UK’s biosecurity.
“Government vets play a critical role in protecting the nation’s biosecurity but can only do their jobs effectively if they are supported by effective systems.
"Currently, veterinary capacity required to perform checks remains a concern.
"As part of a national action plan, we would like to see better support for vets through a data-driven and risk-based system that is fit for purpose.
"This should also include adequate resources for Official Vets and the agencies tasked with keeping borders secure, which is why we want to see the proposed 70% cuts to Dover Port's budget for spot checks on animal products reversed.”
committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/135824/html/
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
Purina says that assessing water intake can be difficult for pet owners and appreciating what is ‘normal’ is of course central to identifying when intake is excessive, requiring further investigation, or inadequate, requiring alternative hydration strategies.
The company developed the water calculator to help vets and nurses give guidance to pet owners on a pet’s recommended daily water intake, depending on lifestage, bodyweight and diet.
Libby Sheridan, Scientific Affairs Manager at Purina said: “All too often a pet has been suffering polydipsia for some time when they are presented at the clinic.
"That may be because water intake isn’t being measured or observed, but often there is a confusion with knowing what is normal for the individual pet.
"Cats, particularly when they are older may struggle to meet their water needs and this tool can be helpful in assessing their intake and suggests some strategies for improving hydration.”
Any member of the clinical veterinary team can email vettechline@purina.nestle.com to get access to webinars on hydration and a short video on how to use the water calculator within Vet Centre.
https://vetcentre.purina.co.uk
Petplan has announced the first of three winners for their ‘Get Noticed’ waiting room notice board competition, which runs till the end of July.
The staff at Ayers Vets in Tyne and Wear were the winners but Petplan says it wasn’t an easy decision. Their submission was up against some other very informative and educational notice boards but, as a result of their research and creative ideas, they were the proud winners of a fantastic hamper filled with white and red wine, organic chocolates, coffee, fruit cake and other delectable snacks.
Joy Cook, receptionist at Ayers Vets commented, “We’re delighted to have won the competition. We always promote the benefits of pet insurance to as many pet owners as possible so it is great to be recognised for this. The notice board has certainly caught the interest of our clients and we’ve had lots of comments about how great it looks!”
Practices have the opportunity to create their own notice board using a kit provided by Petplan with a remit to educate their clients about the benefits of taking out pet insurance.
The competition challenges vet receptionists and vet nurses to create an interesting notice board on the theme of insurance and send in a photo of it to Petplan.
The competition is open to all practices, regardless of their regulatory status. The second winner will be chosen at the end of June and the final winner at the end of July. For more information about entering the competition or to order a notice board kit, click here.
Following a new study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association's One Health Committee has called for a co-ordinated global infectious disease monitoring system to be established for veterinarians who work in small companion animal practice worldwide.
The study, led by Michael Day, Professor of Veterinary Pathology in the School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Bristol and Chair of the WSAVA's One Health Committee, lists the key zoonotic diseases of cats and dogs.
It recommends that the knowledge gained through surveillance would permit more effective global control of small companion animal zoonoses and reduce the risks associated with the human-animal relationship.
Professor Day said: "It is well recognised that most of the major new diseases of mankind will have an animal origin and that dogs and cats are a potential source of such emerging diseases.
"The number of small companion animals is particularly significant. For example there are an estimated eight to ten million dogs living in up to 31 per cent of UK homes and in the USA, 72 million dogs in 37 per cent of homes. The benefits of pet ownership on human health, well-being and development are unquestionable but, as they have moved from the barn, to the house, to the bedroom, the potential for disease spread to humans increases. Control of diseases among dogs and cats is a good way to prevent spread to humans.
"In human, livestock and wildlife heath there are already programmes of active surveillance for infectious disease underway to monitor the global distribution and movement of key infectious agents. For example, the WHO monitors human influenza virus infection through a network of 111 centres in 83 countries. In contrast, there is no such monitoring for the infections that may be transmitted between small companion animals and man. Meanwhile, canine rabies virus infection, one of the diseases listed in the paper, is estimated to kill a minimum of 55,000 people in Africa and Asia each year.
"The development of such a scheme would require the significant political will, scientific application and financial support that could be achieved through a public-private partnership. The aim of our position paper in Emerging Infectious Diseases is to initiate stakeholder discussions with that end goal in mind."
On Tuesday 15 January the RCVS will hold a 'Meet the RCVS Day' for those standing or considering standing for election to RCVS Council or the Veterinary Nurses Council.
The event offers prospective candidates an opportunity to find out more about what the role of a Council member involves, and what would be expected of them, if elected.
Candidates and prospective candidates will have the chance to meet the RCVS Officers and senior staff, and to find out what goes on behind the scenes. The day will start at 10.30am, and finish at approximately 3.30pm, to allow plenty of time for questions. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
For further information, or to book a place, prospective candidates can contact Fiona Harcourt, Communications Officer (f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773).
Nomination forms for RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses Council, full instructions and guidance notes are available from www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil13 and www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil13. The deadline for nominations is 5pm on 31 January 2013.
Council and VN Council members will be expected to spend at least six to eight days a year attending Council and Committee meetings, working parties and subcommittees (for which a loss-of-earnings allowance is available).
The RCVS has published a new video which explains the Professional Development Phase (PDP) and highlights the support it provides for new veterinary graduates as they develop their Year One Competences.
In the video, Victoria Henry MRCVS - who works at Mandeville Veterinary Hospital in Northolt - speaks about how the PDP has helped her move from being a newly-qualified graduate to becoming a confident practitioner. She said: “It’s a massive transition coming out of vet school and going into practice – you suddenly have all the responsibility and it’s all on you. The PDP gives you goalposts to work towards and flags up the areas you don’t have much practice in; it helps you to reflect on what you’ve been doing and assess yourself.”
Jeremy Stewart, the Head Veterinary Surgeon at Mandeville Veterinary Hospital, talks about how the PDP helps employers to support and develop graduates like Victoria by building their confidence and helping them gain the experience they need for practice life.
The video also highlights the support available for graduates undertaking the PDP and features Julian Wells, one of the five Postgraduate Deans who help graduates undertaking the PDP by providing advice on any issues they may encounter, checking their progress and confirming when they have completed it. He also describes how the PDP helps graduates to understand the mentoring role in practice, which they can then provide to new graduates as they progress through their own careers.
Christine Warman, Head of Education at the RCVS, said: “With 859 new UK graduates having just joined the Register, we thought this video would be helpful in setting out why the PDP can be so crucial in helping to build the confidence and experience of new graduates, as well as the fact that it can easily be incorporated into day-to-day work.”
More information about the PDP is available by visiting www.rcvs.org.uk/pdp or by emailing pdp@rcvs.org.uk.
Veterinary surgeons who wish to sign up to the Professional Development Record can do so by visiting www.rcvs-pdr.org.uk
The webinars will be available as live podcasts and will also be able to be viewed on demand on the Dechra Academy.
In the strangles webinar, Dave Rendle, Gayle Hallowell and Richard Newton will explore the current landscape of strangles control, focusing on the role of vaccination, testing and quarantine measures.
In the disease prevention webinar, Gayle Hallowell, Dave Rendle, Tamzin Furtado and others will give an insight into chronic disease management and preventative vaccination to improve uptake and optimise treatment outcomes.
Both webinars broadcast from 8pm GMT, with a live Q&A session from 8:45pm, finishing at 9:15pm GMT.
https://membership.elearning.vet/Dechra-equine-medicine-series.
The BVA has called on the Government to introduce a ban on the keeping of primates as private pets.
Veterinary surgeons at the BVA have been considering the potential welfare concerns of such animals in response to an Efra select committee inquiry on the issue. They have concluded that it is almost impossible for private owners to provide primates with appropriate care as defined by the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
BVA President Robin Hargreaves said: "We appreciate that many people who keep primates privately care deeply for their pets and do their utmost to provide for them appropriately. However, primates are long-lived, intelligent, socially-complex animals and we can think of no circumstances where they would benefit from being kept as a pet.
"Primates cannot be kept on their own. They need at least one companion in order to express natural behaviour. They require both an indoor and outdoor enclosure to ensure adequate exercise and exposure to UV light, and each species has specific dietary requirements.
"These animals are not domesticated companions like dogs and cats, or even livestock, and are extraordinarily difficult to care for properly. Very few people can provide the necessary resources to meet their welfare needs. We therefore favour a ban on the keeping of primates as private pets."
The Association says that as part of the consultation, it considered the possibility that primate welfare could be improved through better regulation or licensing but members did not feel these options went far enough given the difficulties involved in meeting primates' basic welfare needs.
The only exception to the ban recommended by the BVA would be to allow individuals who are working in partnership with accredited zoos to breed primates for conservation purposes.
BVA also recognises that a ban could not be enforced immediately and effective plans, including an appropriate transition period, would be needed to secure suitable accommodation for existing pet primates.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition has launched a new website - www.hillsweightloss.co.uk - featuring the company’s weight management programme to help address the UK’s spiralling pet obesity epidemic.
Nearly 50 per cent of pets are obese or overweight and the company hopes that the site will act as a valuable support tool for vets, providing clients with an interactive, tailored weight loss and exercise programme to follow with their cat or dog.
The website also includes a series of animated illustrations and videos to demonstrate how to check a pet’s Body Condition Score (BCS) by feeling its ribs along with feeding and exercise hints and tips.
To help keep pet owners motivated, the site features a weekly weight loss programme email newsletter consisting of additional support, handy tips and helpful reminders.
Libby Sheridan, veterinary affairs manager at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, comments: “Obesity in animals is soaring and the new website is a useful and effective support tool which advises on both diet and exercise regimes and helps keep owners and their pets on track to reach their target weight.”
Hill’s Pet Nutrition's pet foods to aid and maintain weight loss include Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d, m/d and r/d, which has recently been reformulated. In a recent trial, dogs fed Prescription Diet r/d lost 22 per cent of their body fat in eight weeks. Hill’s Science Plan Light can also help pets prone to weight gain. Science Plan NeuteredCat is formulated to meet the needs of cats that have been neutered as they are significantly different in their energy needs.
Intervet has announced that its bluetongue vaccine, Bovilis® BTV8 has been granted a licence by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). The licence, which is the first for a bluetongue vaccine in the UK, sets out dose rates and treatment regimes for the product use.
The recommended dose rates for animal over one month of age are as follows:
Sheep – 1 x 1ml, injected subcutaneously.
Cattle - 2 x 1ml, approximately three weeks apart, injected subcutaneously.
In successive years, re-vaccination should be given two weeks prior to the risk period.
Treated animals should have protective immunity three weeks after the initial course. Bovilis BTV8 should only be administered to healthy animals. Treated stock may have a slight swelling at the site of injection.
The vaccine must be stored at between 2ºC – 8ºC and, once opened, should be used within eight hours. The vaccine is available in 20ml and 50ml bottles. The licence recommends the use of multi injection vaccination systems.
Intervet will be supplying a discounted 1ml vaccination gun into the market.
A cat which was lost eight years ago has been reunited with his owner thanks to the RSPCA, and the fact that the animal had been chipped.
'Bigga' went missing at the end of 2002 from his home in High Wycombe. His owner Lorna Fothergill launched a desperate search to find him. She offered a reward, knocked on doors and put up of posters in the hope that someone would recognise him and bring him home. But after weeks of looking she thought all was lost, and gave up the search. She eventually moved away from the area.
Last month however, Bigga was picked up by RSPCA animal welfare officer Julie Britnell. It is believed he had been living feral for some while. His coat was extremely matted, and he looked as though he had been in a few scrapes along the way, but he was well-fed and in good spirits. Thanks to the fact Mrs Fothergill had him microchipped all those years ago, and some dedicated detective work by the RSPCA, Bigga has now been reunited with his long lost family.
Mrs Fothergill, 40, who is a new business director and singer in the band Northsyde, said: "We just couldn't believe it when we got the call from the RSPCA to say they had found our cat. It's unbelievable and I was just astonished and so relieved that I had him micro--chipped all those years ago. We just can't thank the RSPCA enough for how they have managed to reunite us with Bigga, it's so wonderful."
Is this a record? Do you know of any pets that have been lost for longer, and reunited thanks to a microchip? Comment below.
Petplan has issued a last call for entries to the 2009 Petplan Veterinary Awards, and announced that comedian Jason Manford, best known as team captain on Channel 4's 8 out of 10 Cats, will be the compere.
The Veterinary Awards aim to honour the special stars within the veterinary profession and nominations remain open under four different categories:
Petplan says it has already received hundreds of nominations from clients and industry professionals alike. To make sure your colleagues are considered for the accolade log onto www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards to nominate. Entries must be in by 6th February 2009.
The Petplan Veterinary Awards are to be held on Thursday 2nd April on the first evening of BSAVA.
Defra has announced that the Bluetongue Protection Zone will be extended again on Monday 21 July, following the delivery by Intervet of almost 2 million additional doses of Bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV-8) vaccine. Vaccination is only permitted within the Protection Zone. In accordance with the Bluetongue vaccination plan, the Protection Zone will be extended to cover Worcestershire and the districts in North Yorkshire (Scarborough, Ryedale, Hambleton & Harrogate), Cheshire (Macclesfield, Congleton & Crewe and Nantwich) and Greater Manchester (Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside and Stockport) previously in the Surveillance Zone. Defra will continue to roll out vaccination as vaccine is delivered, in line with the vaccination roll-out plan. The additional vaccine is available for use in the existing Protection Zone from today. Livestock keepers in the areas coming into the Protection Zone will be able to obtain the vaccine from Monday. However, they are encouraged to order vaccine so that they can protect their livestock at the earliest opportunity. Protection Zone restrictions will apply to those keepers coming into the extended zone. Animals can only be moved out of the Protection Zone if they are vaccinated, naturally immune or moving for slaughter, subject to meeting certain conditions. Please refer to the Defra website for further guidance. Defra also confirmed that the Merial BTV-8 vaccine has been awarded a provisional marketing authorisation from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The granting of a provisional marketing authorisation is an important step in confirming that the vaccine will be safe and effective. On 11 June, Defra placed an order with Merial to deliver 13 million doses of BTV-8 vaccine, eight million for use in England and five million for use in Wales.
New research1 conducted by the Donkey Sanctuary, and announced by Spillers has shown that donkeys receiving a high fibre diet are less likely to suffer from gastric ulceration than those fed a cereal-based diet.
Gastric ulceration is now recognised as a significant problem, particularly in actively trained racehorses, but until now there have not been any studies on the incidence of gastric ulceration in donkeys.
"Donkeys have traditionally been thought of as stoic animals that do not display signs of stress or disease," said Faith Burden, veterinary projects and development manager at the Donkey Sanctuary. "However during routine necropsy examination of donkeys at our Devon sanctuary it became apparent that gastric ulcers were common and that ulceration was, in some cases, extensive."
Examination of 426 donkeys revealed that 41% had been suffering from gastric ulcers and that the composition of the diet had had an effect on the prevalence of gastric ulceration. Donkeys that had been fed a diet including cereal-based concentrates were over 20% more likely to have gastric ulcers when compared to donkeys on a fibre concentrate or forage-only diet.
"The results of this study show that donkeys can be maintained on a fibre concentrate diet, with no increased risk of ulceration, when compared to those receiving ad lib forage," explains Faith. "This is particularly encouraging because products such as SPILLERS® High Fibre Cubes, which can be soaked to form a mash, allow the management of ill or elderly animals requiring supplementary or specialist feeding."
For further information on SPILLERS® visit www.spillers-feeds.com. For further information on the Donkey Sanctuary visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk
1FA Burden, AK Thiemann, AF Trawford and J Gallagher: Gastric ulcers in donkeys: prevalence and effect of diet