‘Evolution not revolution’ in the future use of antimicrobials

Netherlands’ antibiotics awareness agency Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA), of which the BVA is a member, adds to European Commission’s Action Plan with the need to carefully monitor the use of antibiotics throughout the veterinary profession.

Antibiotics are not an alternative to good care and husbandry in farming, and in the wider scope of veterinary care antibiotics are not a blanket cure. See the RUMA guidelines for more information.

There’s little debate: antibiotics are used too freely, but their use cannot be cut completely in cases where they’re necessary. There have been guidelines, commissions and warnings: it’s now up to vets and medical practitioners to put changes into action.

Horse Trust find 62% of horses injured while turned out in the field, with only 13% injured during shows

40% of horses have suffered significant injury in the past year, with only 47% of the injuries reported treated by vets.

Owners should ensure there are no objects like stray nails or trays that horses could injure themselves on while feeding. New horses should be introduced in stables before being set loose in the field, with horses turned out in larger groups more likely to sustain injuries.

Further research is to be conducted to find out what happens to injuries that are reported but not treated by vets. In the meantime visit The Horse Trust for more information.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dr. Tiffany Hemming becomes new chair of Animal Welfare Foundation

Dr. Hemming will be leading BVA’s animal welfare charity following Carl Padgett’s departure. The Foundation funds research and educational activities to promote animal welfare within the UK.

Dr. Hemming previously served as commander of a medical squad for two years in Afghanistan, and currently holds the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel within the Territorial Army.

To find out more visit the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation.

Novartis provides promotional material and guidance to encourage regular worming

Novartis are offering worming packs to practices across the UK to encourage owners to check their pet for worms more regularly. Vets can also use the Pet Reminder Service to keep tabs on when pets are due for check ups.

In the UK owners only check their pets for worms 2.5 times a year, despite clinical advice suggesting at least checking for worms 4 times a year.

Visit Wormpatrol for more details. Please contact your local Novartis Animal Health representative for information on the worming packs.

A growing number of strays and unwanted pets in shelters is leading to as much as 20 dogs being put down per day in the UK, yet pet ownership is on the rise and ‘Puppy Farms’ are growing.

There are likely a number of factors here, chief among them being expense and accessibility. The cost of buying a puppy or kitten can often be far less than adoption costs. Charity leads on adoption, a prime example being The Blue Cross, and charities simply can’t sustain lower costs.

Is there a solution? Can adoption be made cheaper and easier?

Myths and incorrect information pass through all aspects of our lives, and unfortunately when it comes to pet care owners often adhere to beliefs that simply aren’t true and impact on the lives of their pets. Internalising issues, thinking their pets hold grudges against them or believing punishment is a requirement in training all lead to further problems for both owners, pets and ultimately vets who have to correct what happens.

This useful handout from DVM is distributable and should go some way in dispelling these myths before they become full out problems.

A lot of vets are now able to provide farrier services for horses, and the very nature of horseshoes have changed from practical in nature to almost therapeutic. Despite this there is a strong network between vets and farriers and, at the heart of both businesses, the welfare of the horse is what matters most — and fortunately that isn’t likely to change.

Ronald Marshall has written a piece on equine podiatry here. Even if you don’t deal personally with horses it’s interesting to see how the industry has changed.

Compared to dogs, cats seem to have a much higher rate of behavioural problems and ultimately euthanasia in shelters.

Change can often lead to stress in cats which increases their likelihood of suffering problems both physically and mentally. A lack of space, especially when in heat, and a constant change of location lead to greater problems and unfortunately a higher rate of euthanasia than dogs. Click here for the full story by DVM360.

Responding to advice from the veterinary community, Petplan has changed a number of its policies. ‘Covered For Life’ is has been broken down into Petplan Classic, with Petplan Ultimate and Essentials changing the packages they deliver.

Pet insurance is an important decision for all owners to consider, and clarification on what policies specifically offer is welcomed by both owners and vets. Full story from Zenopa here.

We recently wrote about the PDSA Wellbeing Quick Reference guides which have extremely useful tips for owners on the basics of looking after their pets.

However the full report is also available for free and contains much more detailed information and statistics.

The video below is an explanation of the report and how it was carried out. It’s also very well produced and shows how video can really benefit vets in reaching a wider audience.