These are among recommendations made by the Veterinary Development Council (VDC) in a report published last week, with a view to guiding the long-term development of food-animal veterinary services.
The VDC was established in January 2011 following a recommendation in the 2009 Lowe report, ‘Unlocking potential – a report on veterinary expertise in food production’ (VR, August 15, 2009, vol 165, pp 185, Assess the market for veterinary services in the food supply chain now and in the foreseeable future, in particular, to determine the animal health, animal welfare...]]>
The ISELP was formed in the USA five years ago and aims to educate equine veterinary surgeons around the world on the latest techniques in the evaluation and diagnosis of disease causing lameness and poor performance in horses. It began holding courses in Europe two years ago.
The UK course, which was described as ‘one of the more unusual events’ to be held at the Kent Event Centre in Detling near Maidstone, was organised by the Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic. It took place over three days, with two days being hosted at the event centre and the third by the veterinary clinic at its premises in Mereworth. Those attending were able to participate in practical hands-on ultrasound sessions using a horse...]]>
Defra's intention to strengthen the controls on cattle was announced in July last year, as part of a package of measures to tackle bovine TB (VR, July 23, 2011, vol 169, p 85). The changes that will come into force on July 1 this year include: Removing the exemption allowing cattle held on a farm for less than 30 days to be moved without being tested, in order to reduce the risk of untested cattle spreading bovine TB when they are moved between different holdings; Removing the premovement testing exemption for movements within ‘Sole Occupancy Authorities’ that have holdings in high- and low-risk TB areas; Premovement testing for cattle moved from higher TB risk herds to agricultural...]]>
The Domestic Abuse Veterinary Initiative (DAVI) follows the success of a similar initiative involving dentists, and is based on research and clinical evidence which suggest that there are links between the abuse of children, vulnerable adults and animals. Those behind the initiative say that, because of the vet-client relationship, members of the veterinary team are in an ideal position to notice changes in someone's appearance or behaviour and that, by expressing concern, vets could give an abused client the confidence to seek help.
MAV has produced a practice note and a waiting room poster, which are available on request. The poster poses the question, ‘Are you and your pet sharing a secret?’. The practice note sets out four simple steps...]]>
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has announced that it is to introduce an ID card and online exam for veterinarians working at FEI events. The new system comes into force on June 1 and requires competitors' private veterinarians, team veterinarians and treating veterinarians appointed by organising committees to pass the online exam, which is based on the relevant FEI regulations affecting vets who support horses competing at FEI events. Veterinarians who wish to work at such events must apply for access to the exam through their national federation and fulfil the FEI eligibility requirements. Existing FEI official veterinarians are currently exempt from the exam requirement. Further information can be found at www.fei.org/veterinary/press-releases/fei-introduces-id-cards-all-veterinarians-events
Gail Williams has been appointed as head of education and training for the newly formed Association for the Scientific Study of Veterinary and...]]>
Outstanding contributions to small animal medicine and surgery were recognised at the BSAVA's annual awards ceremony, which was held on April 12 during the WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA congress in Birmingham
]]>Over 400 entries were received for the 2012 PetSavers digital photography competition, which had the theme ‘Best buddies’. The winning images in the adult (16+) and junior (under 16) categories are reproduced here. (left) ‘Wash behind the ears!’ by Adam Phillips of Cardiff, which won in the adult category. (below) ‘Dog whisper’ by Samuel Hood, aged 14, of Newcastle upon Tyne, winner in the junior category. All the winning images were exhibited at the WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA Congress and can be viewed on the PetSavers website at www.petsavers.org.uk
Negotiations with the RSPCA on contributions to the costs of initial emergency treatment Working with the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England Recommendations of the Veterinary Development Council Role of the RCVS
These were among matters discussed by the BVA Council at its meeting on April 4. The BVA President, Carl Padgett, chaired the meeting, which was held at the BVA's headquarters in Mansfield Street, London
]]>FOLLOWING a great deal of consideration, revision and consultation with the profession and the public, and having been agreed by the RCVS Council at its meeting in March (VR, March 24, 2012, vol 170, p 304), the Codes of Professional Conduct for veterinary surgeons and for veterinary nurses (VNs) have now been launched. Vets and VNs who visited the RCVS stand at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) congress in April were among the first to see the final versions of the new Codes – which will shortly be winging their way through the post to all veterinary surgeons and registered VNs (RVNs). These are also online at...]]>
The first animal welfare charity was founded in London in 1824 (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), with the first animal rescue centre, Battersea Dogs Home, becoming established in 1860 and the first cat rescue organisation, Cats Protection League, being founded in 1927. These and subsequent welfare organisations have been responsible for...]]>
It is not known how many cats and dogs are admitted to welfare organisations annually. This study produced the first estimates of the size of this population. A questionnaire was mailed out to welfare organisations during 2010, followed by a postal/email reminder and requests to non-responders for a telephone interview. The questionnaire covered areas including, the current number of cats and dogs being housed, how much of the year organisations were operating at full capacity as well as the number of cats and dogs admitted, rehomed and euthanased between January and December 2009. Responses were obtained from 54.8 per cent of organisations. Sixty-six per cent of cat welfare organisations and 48 per cent of dog welfare organisations reported that they operated at full capacity for 12 months of the year. The number of cats and dogs entering UK welfare organisations during 2009 was estimated as 131,070 and 129,743, respectively. This highlights the scale of the work performed by welfare organisations in caring for and rehoming unwanted cats and dogs annually and emphasises the urgent need to address concerns over the considerable number of these animals. This study has also produced useful baseline data, which will be essential for monitoring population changes over time.
]]>The aim of this work was to study the effect of keel fractures on the extent to which free-range hens access the range through pop holes. Over two consecutive laying periods (two production years) a total of 1100 individual birds from one half of a house, divided into four separated flocks, were caught at 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65 weeks, palpated to assess the prevalence and severity of keel fractures and tagged with RFID transponders. Their use of pop holes was subsequently monitored in some cases from week 25 to end of lay at 68 to 70 weeks. At regular intervals (every 10 weeks), the tagged birds were re-caught to assess changes in keel fracture prevalence and severity. The average percentage of birds with fractured keels at 25, 35, 45, 55, 65 and at end of lay (68 to 70 weeks of age) was 5.5, 25.5, 49, 63, 66.5 and 78.5, respectively, across both production years. The effect of keel score on pop hole use was modelled statistically, adjusting for weather conditions and age of the birds. There were significant effects of most of the weather variables recorded, as well as age of the bird, on use of pop holes and also a significant effect of keel score. Higher keel scores resulted in a reduction in pop hole use. A significant statistical interaction between keel score and ambient temperature revealed an accelerated reduction in use as the temperature decreased and keel score increased. It is concluded that the occurrence of keel fractures may affect the birds' ability or willingness to utilise the outdoor range provided by free-range housing systems, thereby reducing the potential welfare advantages of this type of housing.
]]>Fairs and petting zoos have been associated with outbreaks of zoonotic disease. Previously, the presence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was documented in commercial pigs; therefore, it was hypothesised that antibiotic-resistant S aureus may also occur in pigs exhibited at agricultural fairs. To test this hypothesis, 157 pigs were swabbed at two state fairs in 2008 to 2009. Both nares were sampled and cultures were grown in enrichment broth, then plated onto selective MRSA plates and blood plates. S aureus was confirmed using phenotypic and molecular methods, and was analysed using spa typing, gene-specific polymerase chain reaction and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The presence of S aureus was confirmed in samples collected from pigs exhibited at USA pig shows. Twenty-five of 157 (15.9 per cent) samples were positive for S aureus. Two isolates (8 per cent) were resistant to meticillin; 23/25 (92 per cent), 14/25 (56 per cent) and 15/25 (60 per cent) were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin and clindamycin, respectively. spa typing revealed multiple isolates of spa type t034 (9/25, 36 per cent) and t337 (7/25, 28 per cent) and singletons of t002, t209, t526, t1236, t1334, t1683, t3075, t5784 and t5883. These results verify the presence of antibiotic-resistant S aureus in pigs exhibited at USA fairs, suggesting that pigs are a potential reservoir for S aureus within this environment.
]]>Clinicopathological peculiarities of greyhounds have been extensively studied over the last decade. These haematological, haemostatic and biochemical idiosyncrasies have been recently reviewed (Zaldivar-Lopez and others 2011). Despite the similarities between GEs and greyhounds, there are selected phenotypical and physiological differences between them. For example, while greyhounds have a very low frequency of dog erythrocyte antigen 1.1 on the surface of the red blood cells (<15 per cent) (
In 2009, the authors reported that greyhounds have lower serum haptoglobin (Hp) concentrations than non-greyhound dogs; Hp was measured by colorimetric and immunoturbidimetric methods, and confirmed through electrophoresis (
The study included two heifers and two bulls of...]]>
L. Howe, M. G. Collett, R. S. Pattison, J. Marshall, D. M. West, W. E. Pomroy
INFECTION of sheep with the intracellular parasite Neospora caninum has been reported in many countries and been shown to cause deaths of neonatal lambs and congenital infections but, unlike in cattle, is not generally considered to be a significant cause of ovine abortion. This study investigated the potential role of N caninum in reproductive failures in sheep in New Zealand.
Serum or blood samples were collected from ewes on 35 farms under investigation because of abortions of an unexplained cause, especially among primiparous ewes. The samples came from ewes that were aborting or had aborted and those that were pregnant. Samples of fetal or placental tissue were also submitted from 31 of these farms. For comparison, serum and blood samples from 10 control farms, which...]]>
President: Mr C. Padgett
Past-President: Mr P. H. Locke
President-Elect: Mr P. G. Harlech Jones
7 Mansfield Street,
London W1G 9NQ
Telephone 020 7636 6541
Fax 020 7908 6349
e-mail: bvahq@bva.co.uk
The BVA officer team's activities in the week ending May 6 included the following: The past-president was on a panel of speakers taking questions from the public at a Westminster Parliamentary Outreach Service event on dog control held in Liverpool. The President attended an AHVLA meeting in Worcester with the BVA's Veterinary Policy Group chairman and representatives of the British Cattle Veterinary Association to discuss veterinary surveillance, TB testing and procurement of veterinary services. The past-president attended a practice standards scheme training session at the RCVS. The president-elect chaired a...]]>
A buffet will be available from 18.30, before the question session at 19.15. Questions are welcome on any issue; topics discussed at similar recent meetings have included veterinary legislation, the regulation of veterinary nurses and the new Codes of Professional Conduct.
All veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses are welcome to attend. Places should be reserved by contacting Fiona Harcourt at the RCVS, telephone 020 7202 0773, e-mail: f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk
The RCVS will also hold Practice Standards Scheme ‘surgeries’ at the same venue on the same day, between 13.00 and 17.00. These are 45-minute sessions to provide advice about the scheme, and...]]>
We are indeed fortunate in having a president who keeps his ear to the ground to ascertain the views of the profession, and is prepared to put pen to paper to allay their concern, to set out the action taken by the College, and to apologise for what has happened. Thank you Dr Davies.
]]>While the article mainly discusses the vets' duties in abattoirs in ante- and postmortem inspection, it also recognises their contribution to animal health surveillance and animal welfare. For example, in Great Britain Official Veterinarians (OVs) are employed or contracted to work in abattoirs by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
In addition to ante- and postmortem inspection, and supervision of hygiene in abattoirs, OVs perform/supervise other tasks, including animal welfare, collection of appropriate samples for testing for foodborne diseases (TB, BSE, etc), animal identification checks,...]]>
The select committee's praise for Defra's approach was based largely on its then fairly novel decision to establish a Scientific Advisory Council to support the work of its chief scientific adviser, a decision the committee felt should be emulated by...]]>
The committee was established in 2007 to provide practical and scientific advice to the Government on strategies to minimise the incidence of healthcare-associated infections and to maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents in the treatment and prevention of microbial infections in man and animals. The report has been produced by a multidisciplinary working group and examines the role of occupational health and MRSA screening in veterinary practice. It notes that MRSA in veterinary settings was worth considering because it has a high public profile and because there are fewer effective antibiotics available to treat MRSA infections than those caused by meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. It says that many of...]]>
The FVE's letter refers to a meeting, ‘Combating antimicrobial resistance – time for joint action’, which was organised under the auspices of the current Danish presidency of the EU by the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and the Danish Ministry of Health, with support from the EC's Directorate General for Health and Consumers. It was held in Copenhagen on March 14 and 15. The programme for the meeting noted: ‘The dangers of excessive use of antimicrobials have been known for decades and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Europe is undisputed. Research has documented a link between the consumption of antibiotics in animals and resistance development in...]]>
In a statement, John Clifford, the USDA chief veterinary officer, said that samples from the animal had tested positive for atypical BSE, which was not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed. The animal had not been presented for slaughter for human consumption, having been sampled at a rendering facility, and at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health, Dr Clifford said. The carcase would be destroyed.
‘The United States has had longstanding interlocking safeguards to protect human and animal health against BSE. For public health, these measures include the USDA ban on specified risk materials, or SRMs,...]]>
Richard Dixon, founder of Vets Now, said: ‘We are delighted to be extending our referrals network and will be working hard with the local referring practices to tailor our services to the individual veterinary practice needs in the area. We have been hugely...]]>
In the assessment, which was published on April 23, the IDM team says that AHVLA laboratories are currently validating a serological ELISA that has become commercially available in Europe. Defra is considering how the test could be used for surveillance and whether there is a potential cost-benefit to such use. The team adds that the geographical distribution of the disease is still restricted to north-west Europe, but that this could still change as more cattle that were infected last year continue to give birth, or as serological surveillance gives a clearer picture of past exposure.
The assessment also notes that infected midges, including Culicoides dewulfi and Culicoides obsoletus, have been identified in Belgium, Denmark and Italy. Germany has reported finding...]]>
The visit on April 16 was the first time the Princess Royal, who is president of World Horse Welfare, had visited one of the charity's international programmes. The training programme at the Soweto Equestrian Centre aims to equip local people with saddlery and farriery skills to improve the lives of their horses and therefore their own livelihoods. Currently, 10 harness makers and 12 farriery students are being trained.
The Princess Royal also met Enos Mafokate, the founder of the Soweto Equestrian Centre, who was South Africa's first black show jumper. Mr Mafokate has himself completed the charity's farriery training course in Cape Town, where he gained professional shoeing...]]>
Writing in the journal Sociologia Ruralis, Angela Cassidy examines the historical and cultural roots of two opposing representations of badgers – the ‘good’ badger as epitomised in the novel ‘The Wind in the Willows’ and the less familiar ‘bad’ badger as carnivore, digger and carrier of disease.
In her research, Dr Cassidy analyses the badger/bovine TB controversy in the UK by looking at how badgers are portrayed in arguments for and against proposals to cull them. She suggests that, with dignified depictions of badgers in heraldry and heroic appearances in children's literature, people associate badgers with displaying characteristics that they think of as both human and laudable, such as strength, bravery and loyalty. These ‘good’ badgers are also viewed...]]>
Farmers Guardian reported on April 27 that Chris Pollock, a former director of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth, felt unable to continue to be a member of the management board. It said that he believed that vaccination was effectively untried, and therefore an approach [culling] that had had a track record of success in Ireland and elsewhere was being exchanged for one that had not really been tried at all. Also, in the report of the review of the scientific evidence underpinning the Welsh Government's approach to bovine TB, which had been commissioned by John Griffiths, the minister for the environment in Wales, there was...]]>
The new group has members from all four parties within the Welsh Assembly and will be chaired by Llyr Huws Gruffydd, a Plaid Cymru Assembly member. The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales will act as a secretariat for the group.
Concern has been expressed about an apparent downgrading of the rural affairs portfolio in Wales following last year's elections when the structure of the Welsh Government was changed and the post of minister for rural affairs was scrapped. The Rural Affairs Subcommittee in the Welsh Assembly was also dissolved in March last year.
]]>The two organisations say that clients sometimes do not realise the level of commitment and study that goes in to becoming a qualified VN, nor the range of tasks that VNs perform in a veterinary practice. The A2-sized poster is intended for display in practice waiting rooms and can be collected free of charge from BVNA events or downloaded from the BVNA's website, www.bvna.org.uk. Alternatively, a free, folded copy of the poster can be obtained from the BVNA office (telephone 01279 408644), while a rolled poster can be supplied at £2.50 to cover post and packing.
Announcing the findings of its ‘Pet Allergy Worldwide Survey’, Novartis Animal Health said that, in total, 44 per cent of the 1269 owners who took part in the online survey in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the USA did not know that cats and dogs could be affected by allergies and 51 per cent did not realise that their pets' allergies were more likely to manifest during the human allergy season, when pollen and other environmental allergens could affect both people and animals.
Approximately half of the owners surveyed had a pet that had been diagnosed with an allergy, but 43 per cent of owners admitted that they would not know how to tell if their animal was...]]>
The BVA has again teamed up with the Royal Veterinary College's CPD unit to put on a series of clinical CPD courses aimed at recent graduates, vets returning to practice after a career break and those considering changing practice type. Subjects to be covered include emergency care, internal medicine, dermatology and ophthalmology. Full details are available at www.bva.co.uk/events/1733.aspx
Sam Luis Hole of the Pool House Equine Clinic in Staffordshire recently became the first recipient of the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice with an equine dentistry designation (CertAVP[ED]). He has lectured on equine dentistry and acted as an examiner for the British Equine Veterinary Association/British Association of Equine Dental Technicians examinations, as well as co-authoring a number of published papers on equine dentistry.
A selection of online CPD (ePD) modules for...]]>
HIGHLY pathogenic avian influenza A viruses can kill about 60 per cent of the people they infect, but, at this time, do not have the capacity to spread from human to human. If mutations occurred that made this possible, it would lead to a highly lethal pandemic.
This was a sobering message from the WSAVA international lecture, ‘Zoonosis to pandemic: viral threats from the animal world’, given by Ab Osterhaus, head of the department of virology at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, during the WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA congress in Birmingham last month.
Of even more concern were the results of research,...]]>
Speaking during a stream of lectures on ‘wellness’, Professor Mills noted that the concepts of ‘one health’ and ‘one medicine’ had traditionally been focused on the link between people and livestock. He suggested that it was perhaps time to think beyond this towards ‘one welfare’, encompassing not just farm animals but also companion animals, and not just physical health but psychological health as well. There was a need to re-examine the concept of ‘welfare’ – and companion animal welfare might be both a means for, and a measure of, improving the health and welfare of society.
There was nothing new in the idea that pets are good for your health, said Professor Mills, who pointed out that...]]>
THE points below highlight changes in marketing authorisations that may have a significant impact on veterinary surgeons' prescribing decisions.
New marketing authorisations relevant to veterinary surgeons in the UK that were issued in March 2012 are listed in
The awards ‘recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners’.
Winner of this year's ‘Vet of the Year’ award was Zaila Dunbar, of the Queens Park Veterinary Practice in London. The judges described her as ‘an immensely caring and compassionate vet who goes above and beyond the call of duty’ whose ‘brilliant balance of medical knowledge and emotional empathy’ really stood out.
Lucy Kells of the Wildlife Aid Foundation in Leatherhead was named as the ‘Vet Nurse of the Year’, with the judges commenting that her dedication and inspiring manner had put her above the other finalists. ‘She is described as leading by example and always...]]>
The results of the election to the RCVS Council were as follows, with the successful candidates highlighted in bold type.
Two of the successful candidates, Amanda Boag and Christopher Barker, have been elected to the RCVS Council for the first time. Stephen May, who has previously served on the Council as an appointed member from the Royal Veterinary College, has now also been elected.
Of the three candidates standing for election to VN Council, Kathy Kissick and Elizabeth Figg, were elected.
The RCVS describes the low numbers voting in the elections as ‘disappointing’. Only 3625 veterinary surgeons (15.1 per cent of those eligible to vote) and 743 veterinary nurses (7.5 per...]]>
Footrot and contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) are common causes of foot disease of sheep in the UK. The study reported here is a split flock randomised treatment trial undertaken on a group of 748 fattening lambs on a UK sheep farm affected by CODD and footrot. The sheep were randomly assigned to one of two treatment protocols. In protocol A, all sheep were given two doses of footrot vaccine (Footvax, MSD), plus targeted antibiotic therapy (long-acting amoxicillin, Betamox LA, Norbrook Pharmaceuticals) to sheep with foot lesions likely to be associated with a bacterial infection. In protocol B, the sheep only received targeted antibiotic therapy. Sheep were re-examined and foot lesions recorded five and nine weeks later. New infection rates in the footrot vaccinated group were lower compared with the vaccinated group for both CODD (18.2 per cent compared with 26.4 per cent, P=0.014) and footrot (12.55 per cent compared with 27.5 per cent, P<0.001). Recovery rates were unaffected for CODD (80.46 per cent compared with 70.97 per cent, P=0.14) but higher for footrot (92.09 per cent compared with 81.54 per cent, P=0.005) in sheep which received the vaccine. On this farm, a footrot vaccine efficacy of 62 per cent was identified against footrot and 32 per cent against CODD infection. An association between a sheep having footrot at visit 1 and subsequently acquiring CODD was identified (odds ratio [OR] 3.83, 95 per cent CI 2.61 to 5.62, P<0.001). These results suggest a role for infection with Dichelobacter nodosus in the aetiopathogenesis of CODD on this farm.
]]>Urine specific gravity (USG) is used clinically as a measure of urine concentration, and is routinely assessed by refractometry. A comparison between optical analogue and digital refractometers for evaluation of canine urine has not been reported. The aim of this study was to compare a digital and an optical analogue hand-held refractometer for the measurement of canine USG, and to assess correlation with urine osmolality. Prospective study. Free-catch urine samples were collected from 285 hospitalised adult dogs, and paired USG readings were obtained with a digital and an optical analogue refractometer. In 50 dogs, urine osmolality was also measured using a freezing point depression osmometer. There was a small but statistically significant difference between the two refractometers (P<0.001), with the optical analogue refractometer reading higher than the digital refractometer (mean difference 0.0006, sd 0.0012). Paired refractometer measurements varied by <0.002 in 91.5 per cent of cases. The optical analogue and digital refractometer readings showed excellent correlation with osmolality (r=0.980 and r=0.977, respectively, P<0.001 in both cases). Despite statistical significance, the difference between the two refractometers is unlikely to be clinically significant. Both instruments provide an accurate assessment of USG in dogs.
]]>Following the initial diagnosis of chronic copper poisoning (CCP), the copper (Cu) status of a British dairy herd was investigated. Eight fatal cases of CCP were identified over a 17-month period, from December 1999 to May 2001, involving seven Jersey cows and one Holstein-Friesian; seven cows were dry when CCP occurred. Case diagnostic criteria were necrotising hepatopathy associated with abnormally high liver and kidney Cu concentrations. Analysis of the ration for the high-yielding Jersey cow group revealed about 50 mg Cu/kg dry matter intake (DMI). Risk factors predisposing to fatal CCP were Jersey breed, previous high yield, first two weeks of the dry period and moderately high dietary Cu (greater than 40 mg Cu/kg DMI).
]]>This short communication describes a case of nephroblastoma...]]>
H. J. Williams, P. J. Cripps, D. H. Grove-White
MASTITIS is a major economic and welfare problem for the dairy industry worldwide. The somatic cell count (SCC) in milk is widely monitored as an indicator of intramammary infection (IMI), and a SCC of 200,000 cells/ml or higher is commonly taken as a sign of a cow having an IMI in at least one quarter. Prolonged elevation of the SCC, which may be identified by several consecutive high counts, can be a sign of a chronic IMI or repeated infections. This study investigated associations between the pattern of SCCs of dairy cows in their first and second lactations.
Data including milk yield, composition, SCC, date of calving, dates of service and parity were collected for 1912 cows in 12 herds. SCCs higher than 200,000 cells/ml were classified as ‘high’,...]]>
The authors include human oral and maxillofacial surgeons, as well as many respected veterinary dentists and oral surgeons. The book covers all aspects of oral and dental surgery, the 59 chapters being divided into 11 sections. Topics covered range from simple, non-surgical extractions to major resections for oral tumours, palate surgery and facial trauma. There is also a section on salivary gland surgery, as well as oral approaches to ear, nose and throat procedures. Everything related to the topic of oral surgery is covered, from the basics of oral soft tissue and bone healing to anaesthesia and pain management, and there...]]>
In common with many veterinary oncology texts, the book is split into numerous chapters, beginning with a discussion of the basic principles of oncology, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This is explained nicely and simply, and is well illustrated with colour photographs.
The first 40 pages or so are mainly concerned with the basic science of oncology. My...]]>
AS a postgraduate veterinary public health student in the late 1970s I was appalled to witness Schecita slaughter, something I had not seen as an undergraduate. The distress, fear and pain were there for all to see (and hear) in the abattoir. Fortunately the Weinberg rotary crate in use at that time has since been outlawed in the UK (although rotation is still used in some parts of the EU), but the legacy of non-stun slaughter remains and appears to be increasing. From an animal welfare perspective this cannot be acceptable. However, we are fortunate to live in a tolerant society and respect the religious beliefs of different faiths and must reconcile animal welfare with religious freedom.
It is important to differentiate between ‘religious’ and ‘non-stun’ slaughter. My concern has nothing to do with the expression of religious belief but...]]>
President: Mr C. Padgett
Past-President: Mr P. H. Locke
President-Elect: Mr P. G. Harlech Jones
7 Mansfield Street,
London W1G 9NQ
Telephone 020 7636 6541
Fax 020 7908 6349
e-mail: bvahq@bva.co.uk
The BVA officer team's activities in the week ending April 29 included: The past-president appeared on Sky News following Defra's announcement on dangerous dogs (see The past-president contributed to the BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes Eye Panel Working Party. The President took part in a Defra Schmallenberg Virus Core Group meeting. The president-elect attended the European Symposium of Porcine Health Management, held in Bruges, Belgium, where he presented a paper on the European regulatory perspective on antimicrobials and resistance. ...]]>
Thomas On April 16, Margaret Ann Thomas (née Jaques), BVSc, MRCVS, of Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex (formerly of North Wales and Newcastle). Mrs Thomas qualified from Bristol in 1954.
]]>Any member of staff of the RVC is eligible for the award, as well as any undergraduate or postgraduate student or graduate of the college, any voluntary worker or supporter of the RVC Animal Care Trust, and members of the college council (other than fellows).
Nominations for the award, together with a supporting statement (no longer than one side of A4), should be...]]>
Such a revolution is now happening in the form of ‘next generation’ genetic sequencing, which will soon bring the cost of sequencing an entire mammalian genome down to around £1000. These technologies will help shape the future of veterinary science in areas from breeding to clinical diagnosis, from pathogen discovery to treatment.
In recognition of the future importance of this technology to our profession, and to mark the conclusion of the RCVS Charitable Trust-funded ‘Vetseq’ project, which sequenced over 50 veterinary pathogens, the RCVS Charitable Trust and the University of Liverpool are hosting a one-day symposium entitled ‘Next generation sequencing – the role of new sequence technologies in shaping the future of veterinary science’.
The symposium will cover key areas of the application of this technology in animals...]]>
All four cats lived in a radius of 80 miles from our hospital and presented with complex partial seizures characterised by arrest in a sitting position, profuse salivation, facial twitches, vocalisation (most often howling and hissing) and mydriasis. The complex partial seizures progressed within a few days with an increase in frequency and duration, and in two cats the progression led to generalised seizures with loss of consciousness and involuntary urination. One cat had general hyperaesthesia and urinary retention in the interictal period. Brain MRI revealed bilaterally symmetrical hippocampal oedema in one case (
Have the authors considered the alternative idea, that it is the veterinary surgeon who is the ‘unconscious incompetent’? Profitable dairy farmers are intelligent, shrewd businessmen and many have concluded, from their own experience and observations, that although vets have an important technical contribution to make to their enterprise and animal health, veterinary involvement through HH&PM has failed to deliver substantial improvements in profitability. Why this is the case could form the foundation of an interesting...]]>
We would now like to undertake a similar survey, although this time focusing on the feline lungworm, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. We have over the past two years surveyed several catteries and cat shelters looking for the parasite without success. The apparent scarcity of lungworm in cats in the UK is puzzling bearing in mind the expanding distribution of the canine lungworm, Angiostrongylus vasorum, found in the dog, which shares many of the same molluscan intermediate hosts. In mainland Europe, a recent study in Germany found 0.5 per cent of randomly sampled cats...]]>
THERE is no doubt that confusion exists as to the role of the BVA versus the role of the RCVS. You only have to look at recent discussions with candidates standing for election to the RCVS Council on the BVA community forum, www.bva.co.uk/community, to see evidence of that confusion.
The RCVS regulates the profession; it does not have a representative function and, in BVA Council's view, it cannot act as a source of informed opinion. This is because the RCVS cannot use the funds it gathers through members' subscriptions – its statutory funding – for non-regulatory matters.
The issue of funding is critical to this discussion, which is why the BVA has been...]]>
THE VDC was established by the BVA following a recommendation made by Philip Lowe in his report ‘Unlocking potential: a report on veterinary expertise in food animal production’. The terms of reference for the VDC and its priorities were determined at the VDC's first meeting in January 2011, when it was agreed that its role was to assess the market for veterinary services in the food supply chain, consider how this market might best be serviced and organised, and make recommendations on actions to ensure a sustainable, effective and efficient market for veterinary services in the food supply chain.
The VDC's 50 stakeholders met in January to review a set of draft recommendations, which have now been finalised in the VDC report.
The report makes 11...]]>
It was my first time at Council as the new Recent Graduate Representative, and although I didn't know what to expect, I can report back that the meeting made a very favourable impression on me regarding the governance of our Association. The atmosphere of Council is efficient and formal, but also friendly. The President chairs the discussions with the aim of listening to the opinions of representatives from the regions and other veterinary organisations, helping Council to make informed decisions.
Of particular relevance to recent graduates was the debate: ‘Recent graduates have never been better prepared for practice’, which sparked lively and interesting discussion between the members.
Proposing the motion was Professor Susan Dawson from Liverpool vet school, who explained just how comprehensive modern veterinary education is, with greater emphasis placed on problem solving, case-based learning and communication. She felt that...]]>
BOB Stevenson, the BVA's representative on the World Veterinary Association (WVA) and European councillor, explains:
‘The theme of World Veterinary Day is decided months in advance of the actual day, and from the perspective of our global organisation, the WVA, to the individual veterinarian treating an animal, there can be no more crucial theme than the one selected for 2012.
‘Regional guidance and national guidance on responsible use of antimicrobial medicines are easily accessible. A terrific example is the BVA's eight-point plan for responsible use of antimicrobials in veterinary practice. However, more species-specific guidance on best practice protocols is needed. We must implement such guidance in our day-to-day work in...]]>
WITH ever-increasing competition giving clients far more choice it has become apparent that practices may be judged on their level of customer service, rather than their veterinary competence. In general, the public can assume that all vets have the same qualifications and will deliver the same level of care, but what is most important to them is how they are made to feel, how they are treated and, of course, how their pet is treated. What happens ‘front of house’ gives them a perception of what goes on behind the scenes.
As the face of the practice, receptionists need to know the importance of their role in...]]>
REPRESENTATIVES from dog welfare and rehoming charities, veterinary organisations, the National Dog Wardens Association, Local Government Association, and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) had come together in the hope that the Government would have set out its response to Defra's consultation on dangerous dogs, which closed in June 2010.
In the event, and contrary to expectations, the Government did not make the announcement and its proposals were not published until April 23 (VR, April 28, 2012, vol 170, p 425–426).
However, it was decided to go ahead with the meeting anyway, to ensure that the organisations continued to present a united front on issues of dog control. The discussions focused on extending the law to...]]>
THE BVA believes that, as animal health and welfare policy requires expert scientific input, it is essential that the board liaises with the veterinary profession. With that in mind, board member Mark Tufnell was invited to attend a recent meeting of the BVA's Veterinary Policy Group. At the meeting, the need for clearly defined and simplified channels of communication were stressed, and a request made for the board to better define the ‘cost sharing’ aspect of its agenda. The BVA also highlighted the importance of ensuring that companion animals were not overlooked, and that working with devolved regions would establish a coordinated approach.
The AHWBE responded by saying that it would not be recruiting a companion animal representative, nor did it plan...]]>
These are words that have been used to describe the ‘clampdown on dangerous dogs’ announced by the Government this week, and in the circumstances they do not seem unreasonable.
It is more than two years since Defra (under the previous administration) issued a consultation document on reforming dangerous dogs legislation in England and Wales, including possible repeal of the Dangerous Dogs Act (VR, March 20, 2010, vol 166, p 344), and 17 months since, under the current Government, it published a summary of the 4250 responses received. The majority of those responding, including a majority of what Defra had identified as ‘key interested parties’, did not consider that breed-specific legislation was effective in protecting the public from dangerous dogs and should be repealed; agreed that dangerous dog legislation should be consolidated into one law; and considered that the...]]>
Commenting on the launch of a consultation on four specific proposals that the Government said were designed to ‘more adequately protect the public from dangerous dogs and to encourage more responsible dog ownership’, the BVA and BSAVA said that an opportunity to overhaul the dangerous dogs legislation had been missed.
Introducing the Government's consultation package on April 23, Jim Paice, the minister of state for agriculture and food, said that irresponsible dog ownership was a complex problem, with no single solution. He noted growing concern about the number of dog attacks on people and that responses to an earlier consultation exercise in 2010 had indicated that most people felt that powers contained within existing dangerous dogs legislation were inadequate (
The events will be held in Liverpool on April 30 and in Salisbury on May 4. There will be short presentations by a number of MPs and representatives of welfare charities, and the topics discussed will include public safety, kennelling, status dogs, microchipping, stray dogs and irresponsible ownership in urban and rural areas. The BVA will be present at both events, with past-president Harvey Locke sitting on the panel at the Liverpool meeting, and Chris Laurence representing the Association at the Salisbury meeting.
Further information is available at www.parliament.uk/talks-dog-control
]]>The survey, which can be found at www.greatpetsurvey.co.uk, forms part of a project being conducted by Companion Care and the University of Bristol to enable a quantitative assessment to be undertaken of the disease risks to the UK following the simplification of the pet travel rules in January.
Robert White-Adams, of Companion Care, said that, as a result of minimal data logging and variable paperwork checks at ports, few data were available to answer the key question of what risks the changes to the pet travel rules posed to the health of the human and dog population in the UK.
‘We therefore have little idea of how many UK-resident dogs travel aboard,...]]>
The trust announced earlier this year that it intended to pursue a legal challenge to Defra's decision (VR, February 18, 2012, vol 170, p 166) and hopes that its case will be heard at the High Court in London in June this year.
The Badger Trust reports that, in granting permission for the challenge to go ahead, Mr Justice Irwin observed that, arguably, Defra's own evidence suggested that the proposed culls might exacerbate the problem and spread bovine TB.
It said it was very pleased to be given the go ahead for the review. It commented: ‘Despite the doomsday picture painted by Defra in the run up to the decision to cull in December 2011,...]]>
The Auzoux Horse dates from 1846 and was initially created to allow veterinary students to mimic a dissection without having to use an actual carcase, which was an unpleasant and dangerous choice in an era where it was not uncommon for people to die of complications from a simple cut.
The model is labelled and can be taken apart completely, allowing a realistic and detailed overview of a horse's anatomy, comparable to that achieved through dissection. In addition to papier-mâché, the horse is made of metal, wood and vegetable fibres, held together by isinglass. It is built on a 75 per cent scale and weighs 65 kg, standing 1.58 m tall and 1.67 m long.
The restoration...]]>
Applications are being invited from candidates who have relevant experience at a senior level (board level or equivalent); understanding and knowledge of effective, proportionate risk management; experience of a non-executive role on an audit committee; and a general understanding of, and interest in, regulation, professional bodies and the veterinary profession. In addition, candidates applying for the role of chairman will require previous experience of chairing a committee.
The appointments will be made...]]>
The College says it is investigating who might be making the calls and if a practice receives such a call, it would be helpful...]]>
The company says that STARTECT, which is classed as POM-V, is the first dual-active wormer in the UK, employing two active ingredients from different wormer groups. One is derquantel, which belongs to a new class of anthelmintics called spiroindoles. It is an acetylcholine receptor antagonist that causes flaccid paralysis and expulsion of nematodes. The other is abamectin, a macrocyclic lactone wormer that has not previously been available for use in sheep in the UK.
Andrew Montgomery, national veterinary manager at Pfizer Animal Health, explained that the purpose of co-formulating the ingredients was to enhance efficacy against target worms, including those with resistance to other wormer groups, and to protect both active ingredients from the development of resistance in the future. ‘STARTECT kills worms resistant to BZ, LV and ML anthelmintics...]]>
Research groups at the universities of Swansea and Glasgow in the UK, the University of Veterinary Medicine of Hannover in Germany and INRA in France are collaborating with Pfizer Animal Health on the IPUD (Integrated systems approach for Preventing Uterine Disease in dairy cattle) project. It is estimated that the disease costs the EU's dairy industry about 1.4 billion each year. The partnership, valued at 3.2 million, has received a grant from EMIDA ERA-Net, the European Commission's body to improve science on emerging and major infectious diseases in livestock.
‘The objective of the consortium approach is to bring together the best minds in the research institutes around Europe to address one of the most costly and neglected cattle diseases,’ said Peter Jeffries, group director, business development...]]>
Eurovet operates in both the companion and farm animal pharmaceutical markets and has its head office, manufacturing facility, research and development team, and central sales and marketing office in the Netherlands. It also has sales and marketing operations in Germany, Belgium, Denmark and the UK.
Announcing the agreement on April 5, Dechra Pharmaceuticals said that Eurovet had ‘highly complementary products, geographies, manufacturing competencies, and is similar in structure, to Dechra Veterinary Products’. It will be acquiring Eurovet for 135 million. It noted that, for the year ending December 31, 2011, Eurovet produced sales of 76.8 million, with operating profits of 10.2 million.
‘This is a great opportunity to build on the strong foundation we have created for our pharmaceuticals business, Dechra Veterinary Products,’ said Ian Page, chief executive of Dechra Pharmaceuticals. ‘The combined management...]]>
The objectives of the society were to promote veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine in the UK, and the prime movers behind its formation were all UK-based – Mike Thrusfield of the University of Edinburgh, Peter Ellis of the University of Reading and Gareth Davies of the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge. However, as there was no comparable forum elsewhere in the world, the new society soon attracted interest from workers in other European countries and further afield. It now has an international membership representing many disciplines including veterinary epidemiology, economics, statistics, mathematics and social science.
This year's SVEPM meeting was held in Glasgow under the presidency of Christine Fourichon, of the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and ONIRIS, France....]]>
The British Society of Animal Science has compiled a series of articles presenting ‘the truth behind some of the hottest topics in livestock farming’. The society says that there are a number of contentious, emotive issues in livestock production and that the facts ‘often risk being left behind or distorted by pressure groups and campaigners’. It has developed ‘Animal Briefs’ – short summaries intended as starting points for journalists, policy makers and consumer researchers seeking a balanced view of issues in animal science and agriculture. Subjects covered so far include continuous housing of dairy cows; hormones in meat; methane from ruminant livestock; and using genomics to improve dairy cattle. The documents are available at www.bsas.org.uk/Animal_Briefs
The European Commission is planning to award funding for two projects related to animal welfare. It is calling for proposals...]]>
A TRIP to the International Veterinary Association congress in Madrid in May 1959 laid the foundations for the creation of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, said Dr Singleton, a past-president of the BSAVA, WSAVA, RCVS and the British Equine Veterinary Association, recalling the very earliest days of the WSAVA.
The trip had been intended as an opportunity to meet colleagues from several countries that already had national small animal veterinary associations in order to explore the feasibility of forming an international small animal association. Eighteen people from 10 countries attended. It was unanimously agreed that the International Association of Small Animal Specialists should...]]>
IN ORDER to control the free-roaming feline population numbers in the UK, it would be necessary to euthanase 50 per cent of cats annually – or to neuter more than 75 per cent of them, said David Yates of the RSPCA's animal hospital in Greater Manchester.
Speaking in support of early neutering for both dogs and cats, Mr Yates noted that the RSPCA had pledged to end the overpopulation of companion animals. When trying to deal with overpopulation problems, it was necessary to target interventions effectively, he said, and while over 90 per cent...]]>
‘EVERY piece of technology that mankind has ever invented has had both an unexpected upside and downside.’
So said Lord Robert Winston, a pioneer in the fields of genetics, gynaecological surgery and in vitro fertilisation (IVF), giving the BSAVA lecture at the WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA congress, which was held in Birmingham from April 11 to 15.
He explained that many inventions were heralded by exaggerated claims of their imminent value, but that the 10 greatest achievements of the past 50 years all had a practical value that no one had predicted.
For example, the first optical laser had been used just over 50...]]>
A rise in the number of cases of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma diagnosed in Scotland Suspected maternal hypovitaminosis A causing cerebral and ocular changes in a bovine fetus Concurrent Pasteurella multocida and bovine herpesvirus type 1 associated with bovine abortion Kyphosis in gilts associated with low bone ash content Inappropriate nutrition as a cause of death in point-of-lay hens
These are among matters discussed in the disease surveillance report for February from SAC Consulting: Veterinary Services (SAC C VS)
]]>A degree of confusion exists between the production of a static herd health plan (HHP) and the active process of herd health and production management (HH&PM). The drive for farm assurance in the late 1990s marked an important opportunity for veterinary engagement with the industry and it was important that this opportunity was taken energetically (
The objective was to compare farm veterinary surgeons' and dairy farmers' opinions on herd health plans and herd health and production management with the aim of discovering and better understanding the differences. Two comparable questionnaires, one for farm veterinarians and one for dairy farmers, were distributed throughout the UK. While listing the ‘major roles’ of the veterinarian on the farm, veterinarians considered ‘optimising milk production’, ‘decreasing overall cost’ and ‘being an independent adviser’ as important roles, but these were not seem to be perceived as such by the farmers. In addition, when presenting themselves to clients, veterinarians seemed to favour the ‘friend of the farmer’ approach; a much smaller proportion of farmers seemed to prefer this approach. The majority of farm respondents (98 of 121; 81 per cent) valued the discussions with their veterinarian, and it was apparent from the relatively small proportion of veterinarians instigating a discussion on farm (33 of 125; 26 per cent) that there is the opportunity for a more proactive approach from veterinarians. The study underlines that ‘demonstrating cost-effectiveness’ is still a main concern for veterinarians and farmers and identifies areas that can be improved by more training and effective communication.
]]>This paper explores the views of those in the Irish equine industry, organisations and government regarding necessary improvements to equine welfare in Ireland at unregulated gatherings and during the disposal process. Three qualitative research methods were employed, namely semistructured interviews, focus groups and a structured, facilitated workshop. Representatives from industry, welfare societies, socially disadvantaged groupings and government engaged with this process and shared their views regarding horse welfare and implementable solutions with merit to address welfare problems. A consensus was achieved that equine welfare in Ireland could be improved by the development of a comprehensive identification system, a Code of Practice for horse gatherings, a horse licensing scheme, ring-fenced funding to promote responsible, humane horse disposal and better means of raising awareness of the value of safeguarding horse welfare for the benefit of all parties.
]]>A retrospective study of 155 cases (114 dogs). The breed, sex and age at the time of the first and opposite onset of nictitans gland prolapse were recorded. Long-term follow-up with a minimum of one-year duration was performed by telephone conversations. One hundred and fourteen dogs representing 155 nictitans gland prolapses were included. 75.4 per cent of the first prolapse occur before one year of age. Unilateral nictitans gland prolapse was observed in 64 per cent of cases. When the condition was bilateral, it occurred simultaneously in 41.4 per cent. When it was bilateral but not simultaneous (24/41), the opposite gland prolapse occurred within three months in 70.8 per cent of the cases. Five breeds were most commonly affected by the bilateral condition: French bulldog, shar pei, great dane, English bulldog and cane corso.
]]>Circular fixators have become an accepted modality for stabilising fractures of the distal extremities in domestic species including dogs, cats (
L. P. Lamas, J. Edmonds, W. Hodge, L. Zamora-Vera, J. Burford, R. Coomer, G. Munroe
OSTEOARTHRITIS of the distal tarsal joints is a common cause of lameness in horses. Intra-articular injection of ethanol has been reported to have some success in reducing lameness in horses with distal tarsal osteoarthritis. In this study, the effect of intra-articular ethanol was evaluated in horses with distal tarsal joint osteoarthritis that had not responded to corticosteroid treatment.
Twenty-four horses were studied. All had chronic hindlimb lameness that responded to intra-articular analgesia, had recurred within four months of corticosteroid treatment, and showed radiographic changes consistent with osteoarthritis of the small tarsal joints. Each horse was assessed for lameness. A radiographic contrast study of the affected joint was carried out under standing sedation immediately before ethanol treatment. The joint space was injected with 70 per cent or 100...]]>
‘Meat for Mice’ is based almost entirely on Ian's diaries, written on the expedition, supplemented with some personal recollections. The book's enigmatic title is not fully explained until page 101, but its meaning starts to become apparent...]]>
President: Mr C. Padgett
Past-President: Mr P. H. Locke
President-Elect: Mr P. G. Harlech Jones
7 Mansfield Street,
London W1G 9NQ
Telephone 020 7636 6541
Fax 020 7908 6349
e-mail: bvahq@bva.co.uk
The BVA officer team's activities in the week ending April 22 included: The president-elect attended two meetings of the Defra Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination group, with leading poultry and pig veterinarians, to discuss antimicrobial resistance. The President attended a meeting of the Veterinary Nursing Legislation Working Party. The past-president attended a meeting of BVA Scottish Branch held at the Edinburgh veterinary school. Topics discussed included tail docking, welfare at slaughter and working relationships with the Scottish SPCA relating to initial emergency treatment. Kim Willoughby from the Moredun Research Institute gave a presentation on...]]>
I...]]>
Steel On April 14, Edward Robert Steel, MRCVS, of Bodmin, Cornwall. Mr Steel qualified from Glasgow in 1952.
]]>This year's winner of the award is Richard Jackson, of St David's Poultry Team, Lympstone, who submitted a proposal to investigate the prevalence of respiratory disease in backyard poultry flocks in the south-west.
Applicants must have graduated within the past eight years, and they, or the place in which they work, must be current members of the WCVA. Full details are available from the ‘YVN’ section of the WCVA's website, www.wcva.co.uk. The closing...]]>
A buffet will be available from 18.30, before the question session at 19.15. Questions are welcome on any issue; topics discussed at similar recent meetings have included veterinary legislation, the regulation of veterinary nurses and the new Codes of Professional Conduct.
All veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses are welcome to attend. Places should be reserved by contacting Fiona Harcourt at the RCVS, telephone 020 7202 0773, e-mail: f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk
The RCVS will also hold Practice Standards Scheme ‘surgeries’ at the Question Time venue on the same day, between 13.00 and 17.00. These are 45-minute sessions to provide advice about the...]]>
Cashman rightly highlights the very real dangers to animal and human public health alike. Deregulation, which frees up trade, is tempting and relatively easy at a time of peace from viral threats, although...]]>
In...]]>
The codes, which were subject to a lengthy review and consultation process, were approved by the RCVS Council and the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council earlier this year (VR, March 24, 2012, vol 170, p 304). They replace the existing guides to professional conduct.
The RCVS says that both codes are intended to be easily accessible and that, at 16 pages long, rather than 50, are much more concise than the existing guides. Each sets out five principles to govern the practice of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses – professional competence; honesty and integrity; independence and impartiality; client confidentiality and trust; and professional accountability – and describes the professional responsibilities that are fundamental to the practice of each profession. To support these responsibilities,...]]>
In December last year, the AHVLA asked Dirk Pfeiffer, professor of veterinary epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College, to chair a Surveillance Advisory Group (SAG) (VR, January 14, 2012, vol 170, p 35). The group was asked to consider evidence from stakeholders who were contributing to the surveillance network and to define the requirements of the network before proposing possible options for a future delivery model.
In its report, the group explains that the timescale for the review was very short and, therefore, it discussed only generic aspects of surveillance. These included the requirements of a surveillance network; the development...]]>
The AHVLA reported on April 16 that a total of 245 farms in England had reported cases of Schmallenberg virus. Of these, 215 were sheep farms and 30 were cattle farms and all were within the recognised risk counties.
The next two-year diploma in bovine reproduction course, organised by the University of Liverpool, will begin this September. The university is encouraging those interested in enrolling to do so promptly as places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served, basis. Details from the DBR office, telephone 0151 794 6081, e-mail: dbr@liv.ac.uk
A series of free videos showing vets how to conduct a basic cardiac ultrasound examination in small animals has been made available by BCF Technology. The videos, presented by BCF's in-house vet, Kimberly Palgrave, also cover how to alter the...]]>
In March, a US federal court ruled that the FDA should start proceedings to withdraw the approval of certain uses of antibiotics used in food production (VR, April 7, 2012, vol 170, p 348).
The FDA says that, under its proposals, a voluntary initiative is being introduced to phase in certain changes to how medically important antimicrobials are labelled and used in food-producing animals. Under the initiative, certain antibiotics would not be used for ‘production purposes’, such as to enhance growth or improve feed conversion efficiency in animals. However, it says, these antibiotics would still be available to prevent, control or treat disease in food-producing animals under the supervision of a veterinarian.
The FDA has issued three...]]>
In evidence presented to the Disciplinary Committee, the RCVS explained that, in removing Mr Sherry from the Register on June 1, 2010, it had followed procedures required in law, including sending him a final warning before his removal, and also publishing his name on the list of veterinary surgeons removed for non-payment of fees.
The Disciplinary Committee heard that the College had received an e-mail about Mr Sherry's registration status on July 4, 2011, and had telephoned him. Mr Sherry...]]>
Defra launched its consultation in January (VR, January 21, 2012, vol 170, p 63). Under its proposals, the RCVS would be able to reconstitute its disciplinary committees independently of the RCVS Council.
In its response, the BVA says it has long believed that the disciplinary functions of the RCVS could be improved, and gives its support to the proposed LRO and the separation of the RCVS Preliminary Investigation Committee (PIC) and Disciplinary Committee (DC) from the RCVS Council. ‘We welcome the intended revision of the Veterinary Surgeons Act by the LRO in order to achieve this separation of setting standards and disciplinary procedures,’ it says.
The BVA agrees with many of the proposals made by Defra, but does not support a proposal regarding...]]>
Two members of the charity's staff at its Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Snetterton assessed the three Special Constables and one Police Community Support Officer for their competency and suitability for the role, and also assessed the horses.
The new mounted officers will help tackle rural crime in Norfolk; three will be covering the south Norfolk area and the fourth will be in north Norfolk. If the initiative is successful, it could be extended to other areas of the county. The scheme follows the success of a similar project in Hertfordshire, which began in 2009.
Jacko Jackson, field officer for World Horse Welfare, said that he was very pleased with how the assessments of...]]>
The information pack, which is completed by the breeder or seller of the puppy, gives guidance for anyone who is thinking of buying a puppy, whether pedigree or not, and aims to give them the best chance of getting a fit, healthy and happy, well-socialised pet to join their household. It includes details of the puppy's parents and of any relevant screening tests they may have had, as well as details of the experiences that the puppy has had to prepare it for its new home.
The two organisations hope that the puppy contract will become an industry standard contract to help give buyers reassurances about the dog that they are buying. It contains a warranty from the breeder or seller that the information they provide in...]]>
However, the survey among teachers showed that caring for pets is currently not taught at 60 per cent of primary and 85 per cent of secondary schools.
The PFMA is a member of the Education Alliance, a collaboration of pet welfare charities and organisations, including the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation, the Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, PDSA and RSPCA. The alliance believes that children and young people should be educated about caring for animals and providing for their needs, and has just launched a new website...]]>
‘IT's a small world in which our small profession can have a very a big impact.’
So said the BSAVA president, Andrew Ash, explaining why ‘one health’ had been chosen as a major theme for the world congress: given the international aspects of this year's congress, it had seemed particularly appropriate, he said.
Speaking at a press conference on the first morning of the congress, Mr Ash introduced Michael Day, the then junior vice-president of the BSAVA and chair of the WSAVA's One Health Committee, who...]]>
DESPITE being a disease with a very high fatality rate, particularly in rural communities across the developing world, human rabies is ‘entirely preventable through post-exposure treatment or through the control of animal reservoirs’.
So said Tiziana Lembo, a research associate at the University of Glasgow, giving a presentation entitled ‘The global elimination of canine rabies: feasible or fantasy?’
Her take-home message was that, by tackling rabies in domestic dog populations across Africa and Asia – the worst-affected continents in terms of human mortality from the disease – it could be eradicated in these areas.
‘All mammals can be infected with rabies, including...]]>
Peritoneal fluid (PF) was evaluated in 40 cows with left displaced abomasum (LDA) and 15 cows with abomasal volvulus (AV). PF was obtained by abdominocentesis at the right ventral abdomen at admission. Simultaneously, a blood sample was taken from the jugular vein. Biochemical and cytological variables in blood and PF specific for ischaemia, inflammation and cell damage were compared. Total protein, albumin, glucose and cholesterol were normal in PF of cows with LDA and AV. Although L-lactate increased in both groups, cows with AV had significantly higher values (LDA: 1.47/0.69/2.68 mmol/l; AV: 6.45/4.55/12.89 mmol/l (median/1. quartile/3. quartile)). D-dimer (LDA: 0.50/0.22/0.88 mg/l; AV: 1.11/0.40/1.85 mg/l) and LDH (LDA: 663/437/943 U/l; AV: 1099/750/1439 U/l) were only increased in PF of cows with AV. The number of leucocytes was normal; however, significantly more peritoneal neutrophils appeared necrotic or apoptotic after AV.
PF of cows with abomasal displacement showed distinctive features of ischaemia and inflammation. Characteristics of haemostatic dysfunction and cell damage were mainly evident in PF of cows with AV. The results suggest that anti-inflammatory therapy is indicated in each cow with abomasal displacement. Additionally, medical treatment should be directed to prevent complications of ischaemia and reperfusion in cows with AV.
]]>Computers are an essential tool in the veterinary clinic for ordering, checking laboratory and image results, updating patient records, providing discharge instructions, and inputing billing information. Few studies have documented the degree of contamination or practical methods to disinfect computer equipment within the veterinary clinic setting. The intent of the present study was to characterise the frequency of recovery of Staphylococcus species from computer keyboards from a veterinary teaching hospital setting and to evaluate the effect of daily cleaning. From three keyboards in a treatment area, three in a dermatology area and one in an office, 70 environmental samples were cultured for Staphylococcus. As an indirect measure to assess cleanliness, samples were collected and tested using the 3M Clean–Trace Luminometer (relative light units [RLU]). Of the 25 Staphylococcus recovered 13 were Staphylococcus species, seven Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, four Staphylococcus aureus and one mixed colony of both Staphylococcus species and S pseudintermedius. The median RLU was 2098 (range 132 to 11,590). Routine cleaning decreased the recovering of Staphylococcus and the RLU values. In summary, the study results demonstrate the value of routine cleaning of keyboards and the need for on-going and regular education of staff and students about good hand hygiene.
]]>From 2000 to 2010, the Poison Control Centre of Milan (CAV), in collaboration with the University of Milan, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technologies for Food Safety, Toxicology Section, collected epidemiological information related to animal poisoning and classified it in an organised and computerised data bank. Data recorded were predominantly related to small animals and to some extent to horses, ruminants and other food-production animals. Few calls were registered involving exotics and no information was recorded on wildlife. The dog was reported to be the most common species involved in animal poisoning, and pesticides constituted the primary group of toxicants. In the case of pets, ‘drugs’ including veterinary parasiticide and drugs for human use constituted the second class of toxicants responsible for poisoning followed by household products, plants, zootoxins and metals. With regard to horses and farm animals, the second group consisted of phytotoxins, even if only episodically. In Italy, published data on this subject are scarce but this information is crucial for better management of the poisoning of domestic animals in an effort to reduce mortality.
]]>The authors report severe outbreaks of disease in goat herds in two different parts of Sicily which were chiefly characterised by severe polyarthritis, septicaemia and respiratory disease. The first occurred in the spring of 2008 in a permanently housed herd of 400 goats of the...]]>
K. Mills, P. McClenaughan, A. Morton, D. Alley, J. Lievaart, P. A. Windsor, J. R. Egerton
VIRULENT footrot (VFR) is a progressive bacterial disease of the feet of sheep and goats that has animal welfare and economic implications for affected flocks. In 1988, a state-wide programme of VFR eradication began in New South Wales, Australia; the programme was successful and in 2009 the state was declared formally free of the disease. This study reviewed the records from sheep flocks that were quarantined as part of the eradication programme, to identify and compare the options chosen for eradication of the disease.
Records for 196 flocks in two Rural Lands Protection Board areas were analysed. The flocks had been quarantined because they were an in an area that had achieved ‘control’ or ‘protected’ status for footrot, or because they represented a risk of...]]>
The chapters follow a logical progression as the reader is guided through everything from different available tests, haematological procedures, methods of obtaining usable material and, of course, interpretation and evaluation of both the normal and abnormal. The clinical relevance of various haematological disorders is smoothly incorporated alongside the scientific principles behind them, and each chapter ends with a comprehensive reference list, making it easy for the reader to find further information in...]]>
It's a large and heavy tome, but ‘Sheep and Goat Medicine’ has spent most of its time on the passenger seat of my car for use when needed on calls. The 20 chapters are set out in a logical fashion based on different body systems. This allows easy navigation to the information required. The chapters themselves are split up into headed sections, some with subheadings, so it is possible to refer quickly to a topic. The ability to skim through chapters for...]]>
This book, ‘Caring for an Overweight Cat’, is designed for exactly the purpose of raising awareness. Aimed primarily at owners of obese cats, the book sets out with the aim of providing an information source and support tool for owners and a reference source for veterinary nurses, students and technicians. With the target audience in mind, the book takes a tactile approach, with the first section, entitled ‘The emotional side of things’, addressing...]]>
President: Mr C. Padgett
Past-President: Mr P. H. Locke
President-Elect: Mr P. G. Harlech Jones
7 Mansfield Street,
London W1G 9NQ
Telephone 020 7636 6541
Fax 020 7908 6349
e-mail: bvahq@bva.co.uk
The BVA officer team's activities in the week ending April 15 included the following: The officers attended the WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA World Congress in Birmingham. The past-president attended an Association of British Insurers pet insurance seminar on the subject of insurance fraud, at the BSAVA Congress. The past-president gave a presentation at a BSAVA Congress debate on ‘Dog breeding – how many caesareans is too many?’. The past-president attended the annual general meeting of the BSAVA, which took place during its congress. The President attended the Petplan Veterinary Awards Dinner,...]]>
Jackson On April 4, Rachael Louise Jackson, BVetMed, MRCVS, of 1 Fishers Farm Cottage, Etchingham, East Sussex. Miss Jackson qualified from London in 2011.
]]>We have responded to the Information Commissioner and await his decision. Perhaps ironically, the Data Protection Act prevents us from publishing our response.
The College's original decision not to publish the ORG report in full was based on two sets of external legal advice that to do so would be unlawful under the Data Protection Act. The College has published the recommendations from the report, which comprise more than half of the total report.
Meanwhile, the ORG's recommendations are being actioned, alongside those of the College's Governance Review Group. Three key recommendations from the ORG were: the establishment of an Audit and...]]>
The underlying principle is to have more than one source of evidence that is independent of any other source. This is the discrete independence effect.
For example, in the past, the investigation of bite mark wounds on dogs from badgers in Northern Ireland has required: a DNA swab of the site; a pathological description of the bite (
At the next AGM on Thursday, July 19, there will be an election for four directors. Three of the current directors are standing for re-election. Applications must be supported by a proposer, who should also be a member of the...]]>
There are no robust studies to give an evidence base for the commonly used congestive heart failure medications in cats. In most cats with cardiomyopathy, diastolic dysfunction is common, and slowing the heart rate in cats is commonly advocated, for example, with beta-blockers. However, there has been a suggestion that using beta-blockers in the presence of congestive heart failure will reduce survival times (
The BSAVA launched its postgraduate certificates in small animal medicine and small animal surgery in January this year, having announced that it would be introducing the new certificate last April (VR, April 30, 2011, vol 168, p 443). The association's director of education, Frances Barr, reported last week that there had been a ‘natural interest’ in how the qualifications compared with the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) awarded by the RCVS, which was launched in 2007, and that the BSAVA had been in discussions about this with the Royal College. ‘Detailed discussions over the last few months between BSAVA and the RCVS have resulted in agreement that the two qualifications are academically equivalent,’ she said. ‘Individuals can therefore choose to study for the qualification which suits them...]]>
The panel was led by Jim Scudamore, a former UK chief veterinary officer, and was asked by the Scottish Government to consider the issue of a stand-alone Scottish Food Standards Agency, including a Scottish meat inspection delivery body. The Scottish Government asked Professor Scudamore to conduct the review following the UK Government's decision in 2010 to move responsibility for nutrition and food labelling and standards in England from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the Department of Health and Defra.
The panel's report notes that, before the 2010 changes, it was generally agreed that the UK FSA had functioned well. However, the changes meant that, in Scotland, the FSA...]]>
The College says that there are now such small numbers of candidates sitting RCVS diploma examinations that benchmarking and determining a consistent examination standard is becoming increasingly difficult, and the examination is therefore increasingly indefensible and unsustainable. It notes that, in each of the past three years, there have been only two candidates sitting the examination for the Diploma in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics), and that it is now usual for there to be only one or two candidates each year sitting diploma exams in...]]>
However, the agency is warning that reports of cases in cattle can continue to be expected into early summer.
The AHVLA reported on April 5 that a total of 239 livestock premises had had confirmed cases of SBV, 214 in sheep and 25 in cattle, an increase of only one case since its...]]>
At present, intra-Community trade rules specify that an intradermal tuberculin test must be used to test an animal for bovine TB, and the EFSA notes that, to address the question, it needs to assess if the performance of alternative tests is equivalent to, or better than, the standard tuberculin test. It is asking for submissions of data concerning the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of the IFN-g and other tests, and says it will evaluate any data it receives if they comply with a number of criteria. Among these are that the diagnostic performance of the test has been measured on bovine animals, and...]]>
Eleven years ago, the RVC was approached by the London Fire Brigade for help with training firefighters in handling large animals. This resulted in the development of a collaborative training programme.
‘Fireman Sam’ has been donated to the RVC to be used in the training of students. The presentation was made on March 22 to Vivienne Heys, a member of staff who has organised and participated in the training since its inception, and to student trainers Vikki Wyse and Emma Howson. Miss Heys said that the training programme would not have been possible without the help of the students who gave up time on Wednesday afternoons to help firefighters learn the skills...]]>
Two cases of contagious equine metritis (CEM) have been confirmed in Gloucestershire, Defra reports. The first case, which was confirmed on March 28, involved a 15-year-old mare; the second was confirmed on April 4 in a stallion. The last outbreak of CEM in the UK was in 2010. [see Letters, p 398.]
The RCVS Charitable Trust is seeking a registered veterinary nurse (RVN) to join its board of trustees. The current VN trustee, Tracy Mayne, is stepping down in June, and the trust is looking for applications from RVNs with suitable experience to replace her. The appointment will be for a three-year term initially; all trustees are expected to attend a minimum of three board meetings, plus the trust's AGM in June, each year. Additional time will be needed to support veterinary nursing projects and develop collaborations....]]>
THE Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) has a long pedigree, with the first meeting taking place in Utah back in 1928, moving to Las Vegas in 1963. This year, the WVC hosted nearly 15,000 delegates from more than 50 countries, attending over 900 hours of programming, 35 hands-on labs and over 30 workshops. The emphasis of the event has always been on diversity, with high-quality presentations for practising veterinarians in all species areas. The six main strands of this year's meeting were small animal, equine, farm animal, exotic species, veterinary technicians and practice management.
Las Vegas as a destination is a post-modern phenomenon, with spectacular architecture, with its...]]>
The training day was organised by the college's Rural Business School and the South West Layers and Game Bird Initiative. It was intended to help give students hands-on experience and an insight into basic diseases and common problems encountered in gamebirds, and their prevention. Mr Young gave a presentation on the health and welfare of gamebirds before allowing the students to conduct a postmortem examination of a pheasant and helping them to identify the bird's organs, and also to detect signs of coccidiosis under a microscope.
‘It was a fantastic opportunity for the students to get a better understanding of the welfare of the gamebird and how the industry must be aware of the legislation,’ said course...]]>
First UK cases of Schmallenberg virus infection Numerous reports of pneumonia associated with Mannheimia infections in growing calves Reproductive losses in a sow herd due to leptospirosis associated with rodents Marek's disease often involved in backyard flock health problems with multifactorial aetiology Surveillance in UK bats for evidence of Geomyces destructans, the cause of white nose syndrome
These are among matters discussed in the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency's (AHVLA's) disease surveillance report for January
]]>This paper reports the results of a case-control study of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases born in Great Britain after the statutory reinforcement of the ban (BARB) on the feeding of mammalian-derived meat and bone meal on 31 July 1996.
A total of 499 suspect clinical cases of BSE, born after 31 July 1996, and reported negative by July 31, 1996 and were compared with the set of 164 confirmed Great BARB cases in Great Britain detected by both passive and active surveillance. Animal-level risk factors (age and type of feed offered) and herd-level risk factors (herd size and type, number of prereinforced feed ban BSE cases born on the holding, the presence of other domestic species and waste management) were obtained for the analysis.
BARB cases were 2.56 times (95 per cent CI 1.29 to 5.07) more likely to be exposed to homemix or a combination of homemix and proprietary feeds were 0.59 times (95 per cent CI 0.50 to 0.69) as less likely to be exposed to the unit increases in the number of prereinforced feed ban BSE cases diagnosed on the natal holding. A supplementary spatial analysis of these cases revealed three areas of excess BARB density: Northwest and Southwest of Wales and Northeast of Scotland.
]]>One-hundred and seventy-five labradoodles underwent slit-lamp biomicroscopy and direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy between January 2008 and December 2009. These examinations were performed at shows by the first author. In addition, labradoodle eye certificates from the 2008 and 2009 British Veterinary Association/Kennel Club/International Sheep Dog Society (BVA/KC/ISDS) Eye Scheme were analysed (n=260). The results of the examinations were reviewed, and all ophthalmic abnormalities were recorded. The prevalence of any abnormality was compared with that reported by the Eye Scheme and the KC during 2009 for the labrador retriever, miniature, toy and standard poodles. Multifocal retinal dysplasia (MRD) was identified in 20 labradoodles (4.6 per cent), and cataracts were identified in 16 labradoodles (3.7 per cent). The prevalence of MRD in labradoodles was significantly greater than in labrador retrievers (P<0.0001). There was no difference in the prevalence of cataract between labradoodles and labrador retrievers (P=0.4866). The results of this study suggest that MRD is a relatively common finding in the labradoodle population in the UK. Given such an apparent high prevalence of MRD, routine screening for hereditary eye disease before breeding is advised for this increasingly popular new crossbreed.
]]>Nematodirosis was diagnosed in the south-east of Scotland during two consecutive autumns in lambs which were grazed on the same field. The problem was unpredicted based on the knowledge of the pasture and animal management, and rudimentary understanding of the behaviour of free-living stages of Nematodirus battus in the region. Unlike the epidemiology that has been described in the south of England, whereby autumn infection of lambs is believed to arise from autumn hatching of eggs shed during the previous spring without prior chilling, it is concluded that the autumn nematodirosis in a particular sheep flock in Scotland most likely arose following prolonged survival of larvae hatched during the spring from eggs shed during the previous summer, following periods of cold exposure over the previous winter. The infective larvae survived in large numbers in a small, sheltered strip of rough grazing, where they would have been protected from harmful ultraviolet radiation and heavy rainfall, before infecting lambs during the autumn. Understanding of the evolutionary potential, nematode parasites to adapt to changing environmental conditions depends on a thorough clinical investigative approach, and is a prerequisite for future preventive management.
]]>Biological biomaterials are superior to synthetic materials in the reconstruction of abdominal hernias, owing to their ability to minimise adhesion formation, and to provide a better framework for fibroblast proliferation and neovascularisation. Moreover, their multidirectional fibrous structure helps in better...]]>
F. Goulle
CORNEAL graft surgery is known to be effective in treating severe corneal defects, but it is difficult to obtain corneas for transplantation in veterinary patients. For this reason, small intestinal submucosa (SIS) has been used in corneal reconstruction. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of porcine SIS in corneal reconstruction in dogs and cats.
Sixty dogs and 42 cats (106 eyes in total) treated by a microsurgical graft of SIS to reconstruct corneas with severe defects between May 2005 and January 2010 were assessed. Among the dogs, the defects had resulted from a melting corneal ulcer (42 eyes), severe corneal injury (17) and surgical excision of an invasive epibulbar melanocytoma (one). Among the cats, the causes were excision of a corneal sequestrum (34), melting ulcerative keratitis (seven) and severe corneal injury (five). A SIS transplant of suitable size and thickness,...]]>
Readers of other ‘Five-Minute Consult’ texts will recognise the standard layout designed to allow rapid access to information. Information for each disease is provided under headings including pathophysiology, signalment, clinical signs, causes, risk factors, diagnosis (including differential diagnoses), treatment, monitoring and prognosis. Additionally, there is online access to a range of handouts aimed at clients, as well as a chapter on rodent weight loss and cachexia. This tried-and-tested formula has proved popular and successful and is likely to do so in this case.
The information provided is necessarily brief, with further information...]]>
Alastair Scott from the SAC discusses the role of economics in motivating farmers to improve udder health. Farmers need to understand the costs of disease and benefits of their own actions to improve their decision-making and adapt to change. The UK's Animal Health and Welfare Strategy set out roles for economics to improve animal welfare and health. This was developed as part of the response to the foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease outbreak in 2001. However, many farmers were quick to shed the biosecurity measures they applied during the FMD crisis even though...]]>
THE numbers may vary from year to year but, if you survey students in different years at vet school, the majority still seem to want to be mixed practitioners. Worryingly, scouring the recruitment pages of veterinary journals and magazines, such positions seem to be increasingly rare, and many call for experienced vets, not new graduates. Many practices have specialised in only one or two fields, or have created separate departments. The new graduate nightmare seems to be working for a practice in one field but being expected to be on-call for all the others. There also seems to be a perception (and only a perception) that practices that have maintained ‘all-rounders’ may be less progressive or advanced in any one area.
When asking qualified vets for advice on which area(s) to go...]]>
President: Mr C. Padgett
Past-President: Mr P. H. Locke
President-Elect: Mr P. G. Harlech Jones
7 Mansfield Street,
London W1G 9NQ
Telephone 020 7636 6541
Fax 020 7908 6349
e-mail: bvahq@bva.co.uk
The BVA officer team's activities in the week ending April 8 included: The President took part in a BVA Overseas Group teleconference to decide on this year's BVA overseas travel grants. The past-president chaired a meeting on dog control with stakeholders including dog welfare organisations, the police, and local authority and trade union representatives to discuss approaches to an anticipated Defra consultation on dangerous dogs. The President attended the first meeting of Defra's Bovine TB Compliance and Enforcement Project Board looking at measures to aid and enhance farmer compliance with bovine TB...]]>
At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, Edward had started his veterinary training at Reading University. The Royal Veterinary College had been evacuated there because it was considered to be a safer locality than Camden Town. Being a...]]>
Following graduation, Al initially crossed the border to go into practice in Newcastle, but returned to the R(D)SVS in 2007 to take up a residency in small animal medicine. He was instantly popular with staff and students alike, and it was impossible to find anyone who had a bad word to say about him. This is no mean achievement in a Small Animal Hospital with a staff of over...]]>
According to the owner, this retired National Hunt race mare has never been covered by a thoroughbred stallion and has never been pregnant, but was unsuccessfully inseminated with semen from a non-thoroughbred stallion last season. This non-thoroughbred stallion has also been confirmed positive using PCR and culture.
The only other mare on the owner's premises is a nine-year-old non-thoroughbred mare that is reported to have not been previously covered or inseminated. Clitoral swab samples taken from this mare suggest that it is PCR-positive also, and the veterinary inquiry suggests that this mare may have been infected indirectly by shared grooming equipment.
All positive horses are under official breeding restrictions, and must be treated...]]>
In an Editorial on pp 357–358, Richard Wall, of the Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group at the University of Bristol, discusses the implications of a paper in Veterinary Record by E. S. Mitchell and colleagues of the AHVLA describing the clinical features and treatments employed in 23 incidents of psoroptic mange in cattle in England and Wales (22 in Wales, one in England), diagnosed between 2007 and 2011 (
The select committee of MPs has been looking into the future of the two regional laboratories in Wales following the AHVLA's announcement last autumn of its plans to discontinue laboratory services at Aberystwyth and Carmarthen (VR, November 12, 2011, vol 169, p 512). Its inquiry is being held alongside a similar inquiry by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRACom), which is examining the rationalisation of the AHVLA's laboratory services in England as well as the agency's proposals to introduce competitive tendering for Official Veterinarian services. The EFRACom has also written to Defra seeking more information about issues raised during its inquiry (
In a letter to Jim Paice, the minister of state...]]>
The Soil Association, which campaigns for ‘healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use’, estimates that between 750,000 and 1,500,000 people in the UK contracted an E coli infection last year, resulting in nearly 40,000 cases of blood poisoning and nearly 8000 deaths. It raises particular concerns about extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) E coli, the prevalence of which, it says, ‘has increased dramatically since it was first identified in 2004’. It adds: ‘This is almost certainly due to high levels of antibiotic use on farms’.
Key recommendations made in its report include: Phasing out the preventative use of antibiotics in healthy animals and halving the overall use of antibiotics on farms within five...]]>
The ruling, by United States Magistrate Judge Theodore H. Katz on March 22, relates to what the FDA currently refers to as ‘production uses’ of penicillins and tetracyclines in food-producing animals.
As part of the withdrawal process, manufacturers of the products will be able to request hearings to allow them to provide scientific evidence that the production use of antimicrobial products does not pose a threat to public health.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) responded to the court ruling by reaffirming its support for the responsible use of antibiotics in food animals.
‘The AVMA acknowledges the growing concern regarding antimicrobial use and resistance in animals and people, and supports the judicious use of antimicrobials to maximise...]]>
Both the Halifax and Lloyds TSB recently withdrew from the pet insurance market, potentially leaving many clients without cover (VR, February 18, 2012, vol 170, p 169). A client of the Halifax, referred to as Ms W, complained to the ombudsman service about the company's decision to withdraw its products.
In his provisional decision, the Financial Ombudsman explains that Ms W first purchased pet insurance from the Halifax in 2005, when her dog, Lucky, was two months old. Lucky subsequently developed an ongoing skin condition requiring regular treatment. The Halifax insurance policy was such that the costs of treatment would continue to be paid, up to a maximum annual amount, for as long as the insurance was renewed. When the Halifax...]]>
The FAO reported on March 22 that there had been 40,222 suspected cases of the disease and that, according to official estimates, 4658 animals, mostly calves, had already died. It noted that, although FMD has circulated in Egypt for some years, the current outbreak has been caused by the introduction of the SAT2 strain, to which local livestock have no immunity.
The FAO's livestock census data suggest that 6.3 million buffalo and cattle and 7.5 million sheep and goats are at risk in Egypt. It says that urgent action is needed to tackle the disease and prevent its spread through north Africa and the Middle East.
In response to a request by the Egyptian government, the FAO recently deployed an emergency team...]]>
The IVCC is a consortium comprising Nottingham veterinary school and the Royal Veterinary College in the UK, and the veterinary schools at the universities of Iowa State, Kansas State, California Davis and Minnesota in the USA. It is supported by Pfizer Animal Health and aims to forge closer links with the veterinary community in China (VR, August 6, 2011, vol 169, p 138). Initially, the consortium is focusing on three main areas – enhancing the health and productivity of dairy animals and pigs through improved management; veterinary education; and increasing veterinary public health awareness and education. It has already launched a number of initiatives in these areas.
‘I am confident...]]>
These were among messages to emerge from a two-day symposium on challenges for vets in the control of ticks and tickborne diseases, held in Budapest in last October. Organised by the animal health company Merial, the meeting brought together experts from around the world to discuss the situation primarily in Europe but also further afield. From a UK perspective the meeting was timely because, with changes to the Pet Travel Scheme from January 1 this year, the mandatory requirement for animals to be treated against ticks immediately before entering the country has now been removed.
Frédéric Beugnet, global technical director of...]]>
‘There has been a lot of debate about how we should describe an SQP to the public in a way that is clear, descriptive and accurate,’ said Stephen Dawson, AMTRA's secretary general. ‘Various phrases have come into use, and I believe that businesses should describe their employees in a way that is relevant to their customers.
‘However, SQP remains the official and legal title, enshrined in the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, in the "S" of the POM-VPS and NFA-VPS medicines categories, and in the Higher Education qualification that underpins SQPs.’
]]>Merial Animal Health has announced that it is to continue and extend its sponsorship of the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS) in 2012. NADIS provides a range of services to veterinary practices, including parasite forecasts, disease bulletins and practical training presentations to help educate and build relationships with farmers.
Ceva Animal Health is appealing for people to join staff members and others participating in the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge in July to raise funds for Medical Detection Dogs. The company is hoping to raise £10,000, the equivalent of training one of the charity's assistance dogs. Participants in the challenge will aim to walk 24.5 miles in under 12 hours, ascending Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough peaks. Those interested in taking part are asked to contact their local Ceva territory manager or to telephone 01494 781510.
The following information has been produced for Veterinary Record by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to provide an update for veterinary surgeons on recent changes to marketing authorisations for veterinary medicines in the UK and on other relevant issues.
]]>MANY veterinary practitioners appear to feel threatened by the increasing emergence of technicians in farm work. They argue that these operators need regulating heavily to preserve what they believe is their divine right to provide a service to the farmer. However, used in an appropriate manner and as a part of a team, these technicians/paraprofessionals actually provide a huge opportunity for the modern farm animal veterinary business.
The term ‘technician’ denotes someone whose occupation involves training in a specific technical process, while ‘paraprofessional’ denotes a trained worker who assists...]]>
An updated leaflet on SBV is available on the VLA's website at http://vla.defra.gov.uk/science/docs/sci_schmallenberg.pdf. This includes information on possible welfare issues that may occur during difficult lambing or calving. It also recommends that keepers of exotic or other farmed ruminants, such as deer, camelids or zoo animals, should be aware of signs of infection as there is little information on the full host range of the virus.
The AHVLA reported on March 30 that 235 farms in Great Britain had had confirmed cases of SBV,...]]>
Cattle psoroptic mange, caused by an infestation by Psoroptes mites, was first detected in Wales in 2007 in Pembrokeshire, probably imported on infected stock (
The clinical signs, treatments used and spread of psoroptic mange in cattle from October 2007 until March 2011 are described. The disease was first diagnosed in South West Wales, having not been reported in Great Britain since the 1980s. The likely source was identified as a farm that had imported two animals from mainland Europe in the summer of 2006. Since that time, disease has been diagnosed on a further 22 premises, the majority in South West Wales but also in South East and Mid Wales and on one farm in England. Bought in animals harbouring the Psoroptes species mite but not showing clinical signs were considered the greatest risk of introducing the infestation into a herd. This, together with the difficulties of treatment to eliminate the parasite, means that it is unlikely that this outbreak has been controlled. There is also a continuing threat of importing the disease from abroad. The disease is not notifiable in the UK.
]]>The current study evaluated the diagnostic value of electroencephalographic recordings (EEG) in cats with epilepsy under special consideration of photic stimulation and hyperventilation. EEGs in six healthy cats were recorded under light (mean dose of 0.23 mg/kg/min) and deep (mean dose of 0.7 mg/kg/min) propofol anaesthesia, whereas EEGs in 13 diseased cats were recorded under a propofol anaesthesia which was kept as light as possible (mean dose of 0.39 mg/kg/min). Paroxysmal discharges were detected in six of 13 cats suffering from seizures (two cats with idiopathic epilepsy and four cats with symptomatic epilepsy). Activation techniques did not enhance the diagnostic value of the EEGs. Photic driving was detected in one of six healthy cats under light, in five of six healthy cats under deep propofol anaesthesia and in 11 of 13 cats with seizures. Systematic use of activation techniques does not seem to increase the diagnostic yield of the recorded EEGs and should not be used in a clinical setting until future studies indicate value. Further investigations into the origin of photic driving under propofol anaesthesia are needed and could lead to the development of a reliable animal model to research into drug effects on the EEG.
]]>For practical, ethical and economic reasons, veterinary surgical education is becoming increasingly dependent on models for training. The limited availability and high cost of commercially produced surgical models has increased the need for useful, low-cost alternatives. For this reason, a number of models were developed to be used in a basic surgical skills course for veterinary students. The models were low fidelity, having limited resemblance to real animals. The aim of the present study was to describe the students' learning experience with the models and to report their perception of the usefulness of the models in applying the trained skills to live animal surgery. One hundred and forty-six veterinary fourth-year students evaluated the models on a four-point Likert scale. Of these, 26 additionally participated in individual semistructured interviews. The survey results showed that 75 per cent of the students rated the models ‘useful’/'very useful'. Interviews revealed that tactile, dimensional, visual, situational and emotional features are important to students' perception of a successful translation of skills from models to live animal. In conclusion, low-fidelity models are useful educational tools in preparation for live animal surgery. However, there are specific features to take into account when developing models in order for students to perceive them as useful.
]]>The level of GGT in canine liver and several other organs is relatively low, but much higher levels are present in the pancreas and especially the kidneys (
In animals, most cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus influenza have been described in pigs (
A. Shea, S. Shaw
STUDIES in human medicine have investigated the effectiveness of protocols and educational campaigns to increase hand hygiene in hospitals, but there is little comparable information published in the veterinary literature. This study established baseline data on hand hygiene practices among staff and students at a small animal university veterinary hospital in the USA, and assessed the effects of an educational campaign and improved access to antibacterial foam on hand hygiene behaviour.
Over a two-week period, four observers surveyed hand hygiene behaviour by faculty members, residents, interns, students and technicians during patient interactions (defined as any instance in which an animal was touched in the course of providing care). For each interaction, the method of hygiene, whether hand hygiene was practised before and after the interaction, and whether practices were...]]>
Cats have often been the ‘small dogs’ of textbooks, with just a few lines at the end of a chapter to describe their differences. Now, however, cats are in the spotlight, with some excellent texts emerging.
This book aims to be different; rather than focusing on cat problems, this more comprehensive book immerses the reader in cat medicine – diagnosing and treating the problems along the way. It will therefore appeal not only to clinicians needing the answer to their problem case, but to practices seeking to become more cat-orientated as well...]]>
The third edition of ‘Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents’ copes admirably with the exponential explosion of information and owners' desire in this field. The many authors are well respected and authoritative; the references are cited in the text and easy to use. The book is logical in its layout, starting with basic principles and husbandry in each species, to each body system and disease process. There are well-thought out protocols and step-by-step guides to a number of common issues. They are concise, with no wasted text to confuse and mislead. The book, however, also contains a good level of detail...]]>
THE article on modernisation of meat inspection by Robert Huey (VR, January 21, 2012, vol 170, pp 68–70) and the polarised views subsequently expressed by Peter Hewson (
The historical role of vets in abattoirs in ante- and postmortem inspection has,...]]>
President: Mr C. Padgett
Past-President: Mr P. H. Locke
President-Elect: Mr P. G. Harlech Jones
7 Mansfield Street,
London W1G 9NQ
Telephone 020 7636 6541
Fax 020 7908 6349
e-mail: bvahq@bva.co.uk
The BVA officer team's activities in the week ending April 1 included: The officers attended a Core Group meeting of the Veterinary Development Council (VDC) at which the VDC draft report was discussed. The past-president attended a Defra Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination Group meeting with various sector groups to discuss antimicrobial prescribing issues relating to companion animals including horses. The past-president presented a webinar on ‘Pedigree dog welfare – are we doing enough?’ for the Webinar Vet website ( The President attended a Defra meeting about a consultation on...]]>
John was born in Hull in 1928 and the family moved soon after to the delightful nearby village of Walkington in East Yorkshire. He remained attached to the area for the rest of his life. He was educated at Uppingham School followed by the Royal Veterinary College, where he qualified in 1951.
John's first job was as an assistant in the practice of Alf Wight in Thirsk. Alf Wight in due course was to become the world-renowned author James...]]>
Following National Service in the RAF, he went to the Royal Veterinary College in 1952 and qualified from Streatley in 1958. While there, he produced several college plays, and became an avid opera follower.
On qualifying, he went to work in a north London veterinary practice for a short while. He soon joined a mixed practice in Banwell, near Weston-super-Mare. He lived nearby with his wife, Diana, and their four children.
Vincent later became a partner in the Banwell practice but, following the sudden and untimely death of his partner, Eric Parker, he became the principal and employed an assistant,...]]>
Colonel John Hickman, who became Jill's lifelong mentor and friend, used her horse ‘Doone’, with Jill up, for demonstration purposes. Doone, a thoroughbred, had, before college, been broken into shafts for driving so Jill could earn money during her equivalent of a gap year doing a local milk round.
For...]]>
Tuesday, April 10, at 10.00 and, if necessary, April 11 and 12, to hear an inquiry into Mr John Sherry, MRCVS.
Monday, April 16, at 10.00 and, if necessary, April 17 to 19, to hear an inquiry into Mr Tomasz Nazimek, MRCVS.
Members are reminded that the hearings are in public and, subject to limitations of space, any person may attend.
]]>A small-scale study on 262 animals (
In August 2008, the carcase of a 40 kg male red deer calf was examined at AHVLA – Thirsk. In August 2009, the carcase of a two-month-old female red deer calf from the same herd was also submitted. Gross pathology was limited to the eyes and was similar in each case, with anteroposterior axial shortening, anterior synechiae and bilateral aphakia (
Histologically, a number of features were common to the eyes of both calves, including mild corneal vacuolation, absence of Descemet's membrane, replacement of the corneal endothelium by...]]>
My brother-in-law, the late Wilfred Beaumont, was an assistant vet with GN for six years. I was lucky enough to spend many weeks seeing practice with GN. As his obituaries revealed, he was an incredible and highly respected citizen. His crowded memorial service in St Mary's Church, Southampton, was an impressive tribute to his exceptionally full life. Many dignitaries from the profession and from other walks of life were present.
]]>THE creation of the board was one of the main recommendations of the Responsibility and Cost Sharing Advisory Group that was chaired by Rosemary Radcliffe, and which reported in December 2010. The board is chaired by Michael Seals, chairman of the National Fallen Stock Company; it consists of six non-executive members, drawn from the farming and food industry and the veterinary profession, and six executive members, drawn from Defra and the AHVLA, including the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) and the deputy CVO.
The board's responsibilities include: Setting policy priorities; Developing key policies and identifying how they should be funded;
APPROXIMATELY one million UK dogs suffer from osteoarthritis, and data from the USA suggest that there is a similar number of cases of cruciate rupture in America each year, costing over $1.3 billion. For the companion animal sector, these are staggering sums and they illustrate the importance of these conditions in dogs.
The comparative musculoskeletal sciences group at Liverpool works on these diseases from a molecular and cellular level right up to whole animal clinical studies. Working alongside colleagues such as Rob Pettitt, I have spent 20 years researching these problems. This work has not only informed clinical orthopaedic practice at Liverpool, but has also helped bring new treatments to the market. The combination of basic science and clinical research...]]>
BVA members were asked to participate in the survey and just over 200 members did so. The survey results indicated that the average total cost of initial emergency treatment (IET) was £119, based on practices' most recent case; of which the average cost for IET carried out during normal surgery hours was £96, and during out of hours was £156.
A revealing result from the survey was the cost incurred by veterinary practices for ongoing treatment and care of animals: £179 was said to be the average total cost to practices on top of IET for ongoing treatment, boarding and case management of animals.
The BVA has a Memorandum of Understanding with the RSPCA that establishes an agreement...]]>
MRS Spelman said that she was pleased to hear that applications to study veterinary science at UK universities had not fallen, but that she had raised the BVA's concerns about tuition fees with Cabinet colleagues after these had been raised at the London dinner in 2011.
Addressing the President, she said: ‘I can assure you that anything you raise with me in your speeches is taken forward.’
The annual dinner, now in its fourth year, gives the BVA President the opportunity to outline the major political issues of concern to the profession to an audience of parliamentarians, government officials and industry and charity stakeholders, and allows the BVA to hear the latest thinking by ministers on key issues. The Secretary of...]]>
The majority of women will take a career break to have a family, and many may want to return to practice on a part-time basis while the children are young. Traditionally, long and inflexible hours make this difficult, especially for working in the equine and farm sectors. Without the opportunity for flexible working, the profession risks alienating a large proportion of its members.
There are wide-ranging issues for the profession if we are not family friendly, and this doesn't just include our work/life balance. Wages, student debt and the increase in corporate practice are interwoven issues for the future.
Take the graduate of the future. Using
DEVELOPED by the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (BVA AWF) and the RSPCA, the project emerged from the Dog Breeding Stakeholder Group, which was established by the BVA AWF to seek practical solutions to welfare issues in dog breeding. At the time, media attention had been focused on the topic by the 2008 BBC documentary ‘Pedigree Dogs Exposed’ and the findings of three major reviews of welfare issues in dog breeding.
Each of these reports had noted that buyer education had a key role to play in improving dog breeding and buying practices. The reports also recognised that this could be assisted by the development...]]>
THE BVA's Canine Health Schemes (CHS) were located within the Kennel Club's main stand at Crufts, where the theme was ‘Breeding for the future’. At the stand, owners and breeders were able to talk to a number of specialists, including veterinary surgeons and geneticists.
In addition to answering questions about the three existing schemes, the show provided an ideal opportunity for CHS staff to hand out literature for the newly launched Chiari Malformation/Syringomyelia (CM/SM) Scheme. The chief scrutineer of the scheme was there to speak to breeders and owners on the Thursday, and a scrutineer from the Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Panel was available to do the same on the...]]>