The company warned last year that Equip Artervac would be out of stock from the end of November 2017 until mid-2018, but says that the re-availability of the vaccine means many vaccinated stallions and teasers should now be able to have their six-monthly booster dose within the normal designated timeframe.
Equip Artervac is indicated for the active immunisation for horses against equine arteritis virus to reduce the clinical signs and shedding of virus in nasal secretions following infection.
For further information, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0845 300 9084 choosing option 1.
Buprelieve is a 0.3mg/ml buprenorphine solution for injection, licensed for post-operative analgesia and to potentiate the sedative effects of other centrally-acting agents in dogs and horses. It can be administered by intramuscular or intravenous injection to dogs and cats and by intravenous injection to horses and is available in 10ml multi-dose glass vials.
Dr Rich Irvine BVSc MRCVS, veterinary services manager at Jurox (UK) Limited said: "We are delighted to be extending our range of products with the launch of Buprelieve which will provide veterinary practices with effective and economical analgesia.
"The launch of Buprelieve will be supported by our highly qualified team of veterinary surgeons who aim to deliver top quality help, advice and assistance for clinics wishing to perform best practice anaesthesia across all patient groups."
Jurox says it has been listening to the concerns of veterinary surgeons who say they want high quality generic medicines at affordable prices along with transparency as to what they are paying for each vial. As a result, the company says it is launching Buprelieve at a very affordable list price with a simple and generous introductory offer or rebate.
Richard Beckwith, country manager of Jurox (UK) Ltd, said: "Jurox prides itself on providing customers with a range of high quality medicines and we believe the launch of Buprelieve will also satisfy vets’ increasing requests for competitively priced products. We understand that providing high quality pain relief is critical and Buprelieve helps vets deliver the care they demand for their patients."
For more information, contact your local Jurox technical advisor, telephone the customer services team on 0800 500 3171 or e-mail: info@jurox.co.uk.
Till then, veterinary surgeons are advised to make due diligent attempts to source a UK-authorised product before considering importing an alternative medicine.
Procaine hydrochloride is used in farm animal medicine in particular, to provide local and regional anaesthesia for a range of procedures including calving, lambing, caesarean operations, castration and dehorning of cattle, with demand particularly high in the spring.
Simon Doherty, BVA President, said: "We’re pleased that VMD has issued some clarification to answer our concerns over procaine hydrochloride shortages. BVA had heard from some veterinary practices that they were only able to get hold of a fraction of what they needed, which would have resulted in a very acute impact on farm animal welfare. Although we had moved to get assurances sooner, we appreciate that there are formal routes for reporting and that the announcement of any shortage must be handled sensitively to avoid exacerbating the problem.
"VMD’s clarification is especially timely as this is a period of peak seasonal demand for these products. We will keep our members closely informed of any further developments."
Novartis Animal Health has announced that it will begin marketing and distributing Adequan Equine in the UK from January 2011.
According to the company, Adequan Equine offers equine veterinarians a proven intramuscular treatment option for equine degenerative joint disease, also known as non-infectious arthritis or osteoarthritis. The product is licensed in the UK for the treatment of lameness in horses due to traumatic or degenerative aseptic joint disease and acute superficial digital flexor tendonitis. This is a critical treatment area since equine degenerative joint disease is estimated to cause up to one-third of all equine lameness cases1. It most commonly affects the hocks and coffin joints with the most severe effects on the high-motion knee and fetlock joints.
Esther Rawlinson MRCVS, Global Technical Services Manager for the Novartis Animal Health Companion Animal Business in the Therapeutics & Equine areas said: "Adequan Equine is a leading joint treatment for horses and is widely used by veterinarians in the equine sport industry. Adequan Equine reduces pain and lameness in horses while at the same time stimulating cartilage repair.
Adequan Equine 100mg/ml solution contains polysulphated glycosaminoglycan for intramuscular injection. It is a chondroprotective, meaning it inhibits the breakdown of cartilage in diseased joints while at the same time supporting its repair.
Adequan Equine works by blocking the destructive enzymes formed in the joint as a result of inflammation while stimulating the production of hyaluronic acid to restore the synovial fluid, and the synthesis of cartilage building compounds.
Eurovet Animal Health Ltd has entered the UK veterinary pharmaceuticals market with a portfolio of products including a levothyroxine tablet for the treatment of canine hypothyroidism, injectables for cattle and pigs, a xylazine injection for use in cattle, horses, dogs & cats and a corticosteroid for use in horses, cattle, pigs, cats and dogs.
Eurovet Animal Health is a subsidiary of Dutch company, AUV, which was established in 1969 as a cooperative by 100 veterinary surgeons, and is now jointly owned by 2000 vets. The company says this gives it a unique perspective on the products that veterinary surgeons really need and want. And whilst Eurovet Animal Health is still relatively small in the UK, the parent company Eurovet Animal Health BV owns state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and provides access to international expertise, support and resources.
Eurovet Animal Health Ltd will be offering Eurovet products previously distributed by partner companies in the UK, so vets can expect to see brands they know and trust, as well as new brands. Existing products will be available from veterinary wholesalers and include:
Further information about Eurovet's range of products is available from Eurovet Animal Health, Compass House, Chivers Way, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9AD Tel: 01223 257933 E-mail office@eurovet-ah.co.uk http://www.eurovet-ah.co.uk/
Pfizer has repeated it's call for veterinary practice staff to take part in its Vet Support+ independent, industry-wide survey of employee engagement.
The survey gives practice team members, who are not partners or owners, the chance to have their say about their role and career and the future of the profession. Participants are asked to consider how they feel towards their practice and delve into issues on teamwork and communication, management techniques, personal development opportunities and working environment.
More than 3,000 vet practice staff have already completed the survey, a phenomenal early response which suggests practice employees are keen to have their voices heard. However, the closing date for the survey isn't till Friday 29th July, so if you haven't yet had a chance to do the survey, there is still time.
Pfizer Business Consultant, Vanessa Wilson, has more than 20 years experience helping businesses, teams and individuals achieve their goals. She is not surprised at the significant early response: "Questions on the level of employee engagement and satisfaction come up all the time in the work we do with practices. I'm not surprised that staff are using this opportunity to have their voice heard.
"Once completed, this survey will provide some very useful data and direction for the industry as a whole and I'd like to think it will identify opportunities for both individual career development and practice growth."
All members of staff employed within a practice who have not received a mailing and wish to participate are welcome to respond online. http://www.noesis-mi.com/surveys/employeesurvey/.
Pfizer says the findings, which are expected to be released in the autumn, will deliver a national and regional view of the current employee engagement landscape.
For further information about Vet Support+ Business Services from Pfizer visit www.vetsupportplus.co.uk.
Ms Gatehouse faced two charges, the first being that she inaccurately assured another veterinary surgeon that she had vaccinated a horse against influenza and tetanus when she had not, and she subsequently failed to undertake adequate checks to confirm whether she had done so.
The second charge was that she later made a false entry in the same horse’s clinical records to cover up her previous inaccurate statement.
Ms Gatehouse admitted the facts alleged in relation to both charges and also admitted that in relation to the second charge she was guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The Committee, having heard submissions from Counsel for the RCVS and Ms Gatehouse found her guilty of disgraceful conduct in relation to the first charge.
Under the first charge the Committee found that she had breached the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons by not keeping clear, accurate and detailed clinical and client records, and by acting in a manner that was likely to undermine public trust in the profession.
They also considered that her falsehood was unpremeditated, and that the decision was made in a moment of panic. Ultimately, however, by claiming the horse was vaccinated to another veterinary surgeon and not taking the necessary steps to confirm this, she failed to put the welfare of the animal first, potentially endangering it and any other horses it came into contact with, as well as potentially jeopardising the position of the veterinary surgeon she confirmed it to.
Having found Ms Gatehouse guilty of serious professional misconduct in relation to both parts of the charge the Committee then considered its sanction against her. In mitigation the Committee considered the fact that she had been in practice for 22 years without any untoward conduct, the testimony of three witnesses who attested to her being an honest and trustworthy practitioner, and the fact that Ms Gatehouse was in a troublesome relationship with the complainant until June 2014 which led her to be reluctant to contact him to correct her initial confirmation.
In summing up Stuart Drummond, Chair of the Committee, said: "The Committee has considers that it is material to have regard to the general emotional state to which the Respondent was reduced by the controlling and debilitating conduct of her then partner when they were living together and the consequential loss of self-esteem and ability to stand up to him and his demands. The deleterious effect of an abusive relationship lingers after such a relationship ends.
"Taking into account this knowledge, the Committee considers that the period of suspension that would, in other circumstances, be entirely merited, can properly be reduced in this instance to reflect the fact that this veterinary surgeon would not have acted as she did during this period but for the fact that her judgement was adversely affected by her experience at the hands of her then former partner.
"The decision is that, whilst it is necessary, in order sufficiently to protect animals and the wider public interest, to impose a period of suspension from practice, that period can be reduced to one of two months. In so concluding the Committee wishes to make it clear that this decision reflects the special features of this case."
Ms Gatehouse can choose to appeal the decision after a period of 28 days.
The 2009 edition of the NOAH Compendium Data Sheets for Animal Medicines is now being dispatched, free of charge, to each practice premises.
Meanwhile, the online version of the compendium (www.noahcompendium.co.uk), launched 3 years ago to provide a free and convenient source of information about animal medicines for both prescribers and consumers, has just had its 9 millionth page view. The site gets about 3000 visits a day.
Whilst it is possible to order additional print copies of the compendium, NOAH points out that the online version has the beauty of being updated every week with new products, indications and other data. Plus the site is searchable by active ingredient, species, therapeutic indication or text search.
NOAH chief executive Phil Sketchley said: "We try to make the online Compendium as useful and as quick and easy to use as it can be, and while we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback we are always interested to hear how you think it could work better for you, so we can keep this in mind for any future improvements".
The researchers say that ultimately the study should help with the development of guidelines to help all riders assess if they are the right weight for the horse or pony they intend to ride, to enhance both equine welfare and rider comfort and enjoyment.1
Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Animal Health Trust’s Centre for Equine Studies, Newmarket, who led the study said: "While all the horses finished the study moving as well as when they started, the results showed a substantial temporary effect of rider weight as a proportion of horse weight.
"The results do not mean that heavy riders should not ride but suggest that if they do they should ride a horse of appropriate size and fitness, with a saddle that is correctly fitted for both horse and rider.
"We must remember that this is a pilot study: further work is required to determine if horse fitness, adaptation to heavier weights and more ideal saddle fit will increase the weight an individual horse can carry. This should help us further in our quest to develop guidelines for optimum rider: horse bodyweight ratios."
As the average weight and height of humans continues to increase there is growing debate about relative rider-horse sizes, with riding school horses epitomising the variety of weights of rider that a single horse may be exposed to.
Numerous inter-related aspects are involved with the horse and rider combination including the age of the horse, its fitness and muscle development, the length of its back and the presence or absence of lameness. The rider’s skill, fitness, balance and coordination are important factors, as is the fit of the saddle to both the horse and rider. The type, speed and duration of work and the terrain over which the horse is ridden must also be considered.2
To date little research has been conducted on the effects of rider weight on equine welfare and performance. To address the shortfall World Horse Welfare, the Saddle Research Trust, the British Equestrian Federation and a number of other organisations helped to fund a pilot study last summer, the results of which have now been analysed.
The influence of rider to horse bodyweight ratios on equine gait and behaviour: a pilot study1 assessed gait and behavioural responses in six horses ridden by four riders of similar ability but different sizes. The riders were all weighed in their riding kit and were subsequently categorised as being light, moderate, heavy and very heavy. Their body mass index (BMI) was also calculated.
Each rider rode each horse in its usual tack and performed a set pattern of exercises comprising mainly trot and canter. Gait, horse behaviour, forces under the saddle, the response to palpation of the back, alterations in back dimensions in response to exercise, heart and respiratory rates, salivary cortisol levels and blink rate were assessed for each combination.
The riding tests for the heavy and very heavy riders were all abandoned, predominantly because of temporary horse lameness. This was likely to have been induced by bodyweight rather than BMI, given that the heavy and moderate riders had similar BMIs, both being classified as overweight, yet only one of the moderate rider’s tests had to be abandoned. An ethogram, developed by Dr Dyson specifically to assess behavioural markers which may reflect pain in ridden horses3, was applied. The scores which may reflect pain were significantly higher in the horses when ridden by the heavy and very heavy riders.
The study also raised the issue of rider height and saddle fit. The owner of one of the test horses had a similar bodyweight: horse bodyweight ratio to the heavy rider and was of similar weight, but significantly different in height (157.0 and 185.5 cm, respectively). This large difference in height has major potential implications for saddle fit for the rider and consequently the rider’s position and weight distribution. The taller rider sat on the back of the cantle, overloading the back of the saddle and making it more difficult to ride in balance, with the heel being in front of a vertical line between the shoulder and ‘hip’.
Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, said: "These pilot results are certainly not surprising but are very significant in adding vital evidence to inform an appropriate rider: horse weight ratio. It is common sense that rider weight impacts equine welfare however many might not fully understand or recognise this. What is desperately needed is basic guidance to help riders identify a horse or pony that is right for them and this research is a vital step in that direction.”
The study was generously supported by World Horse Welfare, the Saddle Research Trust, Frank Dyson, British Equestrian Federation, British Horse Society, Pony Club, Polocross, The Showing Council, The Showing Register, The Society of Master Saddlers, Riding for the Disabled, British Eventing, British Dressage, the British Horse Foundation, the Worshipful Company of Saddlers and Endurance GB.
References
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Anesketin, an anaesthetic licensed for cats, dogs and horses.
Anesketin contains ketamine 100mg/ml solution for injection and is indicated for induction of anaesthesia. In cats, it can also be used as a sole agent for restraint and minor surgical procedures where muscle relaxation is not required.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: "Anesketin is a versatile product which can be used as a sole agent in cats or in combination with appropriate sedatives and analgesics in cats, dogs and horses for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia.
Anesketin is available in 10 ml vials. The withdrawal period for meat, offal and milk is one day and the product does not require any special storage conditions.
For further information, visit www.dechra.co.uk
The research is being conducted by Sarah Mansell under the supervision of Dr. Malgorzata Behnke. They say this parasite hasn't been studied in depth in the UK since the 1970's, because the symptoms can be controlled by routine worming measures. However, as the industry moves away from routine worming as a measure of reducing the risk of parasites developing resistances to treatments, a condition such as this which is now considered to be quite rare in the UK can start to re-emerge.
Sarah is asking vets to fill out a short questionnaire to assess awareness of Onchocerca Cervicalis in veterinary practices. The survey includes specific questions about the parasite as well as questions about cases of unresponsive skin conditions because a similarity in symptoms can lead to misdiagnoses that could, in fact, turn out to be Onchocerca Cervicalis.
Sarah said: "Hopefully the findings will raise awareness of this problem and help shape future research in this area."
She added: "I want to get vets thinking about this issue much more than perhaps they are at the moment."
To take part in the survey, visit: https://harper-adams.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/assessing-the-awareness-of-onchocerca-cervicalis-amongst-e-2
The webinars will take place every Wednesday at 7pm in May.
David Bardell is a European and Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and will be hosting the first two sessions covering equine pain management for colic and orthopaedic cases respectively.
The 5th May webinar will cover how to recognise and understand the pathology of visceral pain, physical and pharmacological methods of analgesia and dealing with violent or difficult colic cases.
The second webinar on the following Wednesday, will look at how to recognise and quantify pain, the use of pain scales, analgesic medication and techniques.
The other two sessions of the series will be led by Dr. Andy Fiske-Jackson, Deputy Head of RVC Equine and Senior Lecturer in Equine Surgery at the Royal Veterinary College. He'll be running case-based sessions looking at the good, bad and ugly of digital flexor tendon sheath cases and unravelling the diagnosis and treatment of navicular syndrome, the associated biomechanics and treatment options respectively.
Emma Jennings, Equine Brand Manager at Dechra (pictured right) said: “The broad scope of illnesses and conditions facing those specialising in equine care means that it’s important to delve deeper into some key issues, which is what this series of webinars will do.
“We hope the expertise of David Bardell and Dr. Andy Fiske-Jackson will be of key interest to veterinary professionals across the country and would urge anyone interested to register for the sessions throughout May.”
To register for the free webinars, visit www.dechra.co.uk/events.
The Stablelab hand-held reader detects and quantifies the biomarker Serum Amyloid A (SAA), an acute phase protein produced by the liver that increases rapidly and dramatically in response to inflammation.
Zoetis says that by measuring SAA, vets can assess the severity of an infection more quickly, often before clinical symptoms start, and are able to monitor the horse’s response over the course of treatment.1
Zoetis vet Wendy Talbot said: “Zoetis is committed to providing vets and horse owners with the most effective health products to better predict, prevent, detect and treat equine disease.
“The Stablelab test kit enables convenient, off-site testing for quick and accurate detection of a reliable indicator of infection in horses.
“Point-of-care testing is one of the fastest-growing areas of diagnostics and this test is rapidly becoming a standard of care in equine practice. SAA testing will help vets to quickly determine an appropriate course of intervention, positively impacting case outcomes.”
For more information, visit: www.stablelab.com. To place an order, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0845 300 9084 (option 3).
Reference
BEVA is giving its members the opportunity to participate in a free practice benchmarking survey, to help them ensure their business is being run as efficiently and profitably as possible. The results of the research will be released at BEVA Congress, 7th-10th September 2011.
The Association has worked with Hazlewoods, chartered accountants and business advisors to the veterinary profession, to develop a detailed benchmarking questionnaire for equine veterinary practices, which allows businesses to compare their practice, anonymously, with other similar practices. The report should identify areas for profit improvement, including practice structure and pricing and may also highlight other potential methods of income generation.
Mark Beaney, partner at Hazlewoods and specialist advisor to the veterinary profession, said: "This is a super opportunity for equine practices to obtain helpful, free advice on how to fine-tune their business for maximum efficiency, delivery and profit. The questionnaire should take no more than half an hour to complete and in return we will provide you with a confidential individual report, with your practice data benchmarked."
Mark will present an overall report on the equine veterinary market at BEVA Congress on Saturday 10th September. All participating practices will remain anonymous. The benchmarking survey can be downloaded from the BEVA website at: http://www.beva.org.uk/news/view/59 and must be completed by 30th June 2011.
BEVA Congress runs from 7th-10th September 2011 at the Liverpool Arena Convention Centre, Liverpool. This year BEVA will be celebrating its 50th anniversary - for further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/.
Sarah is a Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine & Science, and leads the Nottingham Equine Colic Project, which works with organisations such as the British Horse Society to raise awareness of the condition.
Sarah's talk, 'Generating an evidence-based educational campaign on colic', will discuss new evidence from the project, and how it led to the REACT colic campaign. She will also be sharing experiences of how the campaign has worked and asking whether we can change people's attitudes and behaviours.
The evening starts at 6.15pm with food and refreshments with Sarah's talk starting at 7pm, after which there will be an update on the College’s latest projects and initiatives. That'll be followed by a question and answer session with senior officers and staff from the RCVS - including RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, and Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council Racheal Marshall.
Dr Connell said: "Thank you to Professor Freeman for agreeing to speak about the colic project which, through its Colic Awareness Week, is helping to raise knowledge of the early signs of colic amongst horse owners, allowing them to get their horses treated in good time and saving their lives.
"I also look forward to talking to members of the profession about some of the issues currently on their minds – the evening is very much led by what those who attend want to discuss – from mental health, to our under care review, to the Practice Standards Scheme. Attending the event can also count to up to three hours towards your continuing professional development (CPD) requirement."
The event is open to all members of the practice team including veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and others. The event is free and places can be booked via the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/nottingham.
In the afternoon before the event, between 12 noon and 5pm, the College will also be holding a series of free 45-minute Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) surgeries with PSS Lead Assessor Pam Mosedale.
The surgeries are open to both RCVS-accredited practices and those considering joining the Scheme and allows delegates to discuss the assessment process, how to apply for awards, how to meet particular requirements and any other questions they may have about the PSS.
Places at the surgeries are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be booked at: www.rcvs.org.uk/PSSsurgeries
DG Sanco, the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumers, has launched a worldwide photo competition to mark World Vet Year: 'Vets in your daily life'
Entries need to be photos of a vet (or vets) at work or in any situation which shows the diverse nature of the job. Five winners will win 1000 Euros worth of photographic equipment. The overall winner will win an additional 2000 Euros worth of photographic equipment. All winners will also be given travel and accommodation for the awards ceremonies in Paris and Brussels.
Anyone (except for employees of the European Institutions, and their families) can enter the competition, which closes on 31st March 2011. More details can be found at: www.vetsinyourdailylife.org.
Here's the promotional video for the competition:
The Animal Health Trust's (AHT) Dr Sue Dyson has been awarded a place in the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame, in recognition of her contribution to hoof care in horses.
Sue, who is Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, has lectured internationally and is known for both her clinical work with horses and an extensive research record, having published more than 200 refereed papers on lameness and diagnostic imaging in scientific journals. She has also co-authored several veterinary textbooks as well as training and competing as a high-level rider in international events.
Established in 1997, the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame honours veterinary surgeons who have contributed to the knowledge and recognition of proper hoof care for horses. Vets are nominated either as practicing equine vets who work closely with farriers in the field, or as college and industry vets involved in teaching, research or other important aspects of equine veterinary and hoof care.
Anyone can nominate an equine vet for the award, which is sponsored by the American Farriers Journal, but selection is completed by previous inductees into the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame. Awards are presented each year during the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sue said: "I was completely surprised, but absolutely thrilled, to learn that I had been selected to join the distinguished list of people who have previously been appointed to the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame.
"I think it is very humbling to recognise that, despite the knowledge that my team and I have amassed in the last 30 years, there is so much more to learn. From every new finding come many more questions. I hope that the enthusiastic dedication of my team will continue to result in learning and discovering more, and inspire others to do likewise, to the ultimate benefit of the welfare of our great friend, the horse."
Sue has has worked at the AHT for 30 years and is currently researching the association between hindlimb lameness and saddle slip. She has observed some association between the two for several years, however saddle slip has traditionally been attributed to an ill-fitting saddle, asymmetry of the horse's back shape or a crooked rider.
In 2011 Sue carried out a prospective research project with Intern Line Greve: 'Saddle slip may be an indicator of the presence of hindlimb lameness'. It was presented at the 51st Annual Congress of the British Equine Veterinary Association, Birmingham 2012, and identified that in some cases, saddle slip was directly linked to the presence of hindlimb lameness.
Research results showed that of 128 horses assessed for lameness grade and degree of saddle slip when ridden by two riders, the saddle consistently slipped to one side in 54% of the horses with hindlimb lameness, in comparison to just 4% of the horses with forelimb lameness. Diagnostic analgesia to abolish the hindlimb lameness eliminated the saddle slip in 97% of the horses observed in the study.
Sue and Line are currently undertaking further research to measure movement of the back, and forces under the saddle, with the aim of explaining biomechanically what is happening during the occurrence of saddle slip.
The OIE represents 178 Member countries and territories with international surveillance programmes that monitor antigenic drift among equine influenza viruses, and its Expert Surveillance Panel (ESP) for EIV makes annual recommendations for the composition of equine vaccines.
ProteqFlu, manufactured by Merial Animal Health, is currently the only vaccine in Europe to meet these recommendations.
Brand manager Dr Clare Turnbull said: "These recommendations, which have been in place since 2011, call for the inclusion of both Florida Clade 1 and 2 strains; as these are representative of the EIV strains that competing horses encounter globally.
"Although all licensed vaccinations should give clinical protection to individuals when challenged with a heterologous strain, mathematical modelling demonstrates that when scaled up to population level, this mis-match between challenge strain and vaccine strain significantly increases the risk of an epidemic occurring."
The FEI imposes mandatory equine influenza vaccination for horses competing under their jurisdiction to improve equine welfare by reducing clinical disease in individuals; but also because of the financial losses that an outbreak could have on the equine sport industry.
Göran Akerstrom, veterinary director of the FEI said: "The FEI has been a part of a Public Private Partnership with OIE for many years and we admire the work that they do in disease surveillance and global animal health.
"We stand behind their recommendations on vaccination for equine influenza and recommend our athletes to discuss these with their veterinary surgeons when considering their vaccination schedules."
For further information on FEI vaccination requirements visit https://inside.fei.org/node/3289
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Prascend, the first licensed product for the treatment of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in horses, commonly known as Equine Cushing's Disease.
Prascend contains pergolide mesylate, and is supplied in 60 and 160 tablet packs of 1mg tablets.
Craig Beck, equine sales and marketing manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "Many horses and ponies with Cushing's Disease benefit from treatment with pergolide, however, with less than 200 people still being treated with pergolide in the UK, many vets and horse owners have expressed concern that they will not be able access treatment in the future.
"We have invested in dedicated veterinary manufacturing of this product, and can assure our customers that the future supply of Prascend is guaranteed irrespective of any changes of in the human generic market."
For further information, visit www.prascend.co.uk or call 01344 746959
Andrew Harrison, a partner at Three Counties Equine Hospital in Gloucestershire, has been appointed as the new President of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) for 2014/15.
Andrew took over the role from Paul Jepson at the end of BEVA Congress last week. Mark Bowen, Associate Professor of Veterinary Internal Medicine at The University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, becomes President Elect.Andrew said: "It is a privilege and an honour to take up the presidential reins for the next 12 months. It is unrealistic to expect to "change the world" in such a short time frame so the plan is to target certain areas, such as progressing New Safer Horse Rescue courses, strengthening BEVA's relationship with the BHA and moving forward with the regulation of Musculoskeletal Paraprofessionals. Not least it is a priority this year to make sure we keep aspiring vets realistically informed about future employment in our profession given the proliferation of undergraduate places available at UK and English speaking mainland European vet schools."
For further information visit www.beva.org.uk.
The new briefing will summarise the latest veterinary innovations, resources and research which are of practical value to vets in practice. In other words, only what you strictly need to know.
Need to Know content will be curated by three practising veterinary surgeons: Liz Barton MRCVS (Small Animal, pictured right), Aoife Byrne MRCVS (Equine), and Rachel Tennant MRCVS (Farm Animal). It replaces InDigestion, VetSurgeon.org’s previous monthly newsletter which only linked to the most popular content on the site itself. By contrast, Need to Know summarises developments from all sources.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "In these days of information overload, our aim here is to provide busy veterinary surgeons with a really succinct summary of anything that really matters, wherever it comes from."
Need to Know is the result of a new partnership between VetSurgeon.org and Vetsnet, a veterinary wellbeing resource hub set up by Liz to support her colleagues in the profession, and the bulk of any additional advertising revenue generated by the initiative will be ploughed back into Vetsnet.
Arlo added: "Since VetSurgeon launched back in 2008, content has been entirely curated by me. I like to think that has worked reasonably well. Still, having practising veterinary surgeons involved editorially is a big step forward in making sure our content is always useful and relevant."
Anyone subscribed to receive emails from VetSurgeon.org on registration will automatically receive Need To Know.
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If you have unsubscribed from emails from vetsurgeon.org in the past and now want to resubscribe, email support@vetsurgeon.org and we’ll remove you from the exclusion list.
It was the only organisation from the veterinary profession to be shortlisted.
The Antibiotic Guardian Awards were introduced this year by Public Health England (PHE) and aim to champion UK organisations and individuals who have demonstrated achievement in tackling antimicrobial resistance at a local, regional or national level.
BEVA first launched its Protect ME antimicrobial campaign in 2012 to coincide with European Antimicrobial Awareness day. The Association has launched additional resources each year to facilitate compliance and educate the public about the importance of antimicrobial awareness.
Mark Bowen, President of BEVA and co-author of the Protect ME toolkit, said: "It is a great achievement for a veterinary organisation to be recognised alongside the human health sector which invariably has significantly more resources to support antimicrobial stewardship. Protect ME has had a fantastic uptake from the equine profession and are proud of the impact that it is having. BEVA is grateful to all who have contributed to its success, especially Wendy Furness and Jacky Paton of the Scarsdale veterinary group, Derby who trialled it prior to launch and adopted it fully within the practice."
The BEVA Protect ME toolkit is free to BEVA members and can be downloaded at www.beva.org.uk.
Kruuse UK has announced that it will be launching its new Android telemetric ECG system at BEVA 2011.
The original Televet 100 supports transmission of ECG data to a range of approx 100m (330ft), allowing recording and displaying of real time data only within a confined lunging or riding arena. By linking this system to a mobile network via 3G Android phone and a Windows 7 based tablet PC, the new Televet system overcomes this range limitation.
The new system requires the rider/horse to carry a 3G mobile phone which transmits data over the mobile internet, allowing the veterinary surgeon to display and record real time data on any PC/laptop with internet access or mobile internet connection. This also includes GPS information collected by the phone allowing the ECG, heart rate and velocity of the horse to be displayed in parallel.
The Android Telemetric ECG system is specifically targeted towards veterinary applications in the field of sports horses where extended range is particularly useful, such as endurance riding, three day eventing and racing.
Televet software can now also be integrated in Dicom infrastructures in practice for data capture and recording.
Sarah Stokes, Kruuse Equine Territory Manager said: "the flexibility and simplicity of the system along with immediate access to ECG data of patients will be an invaluable diagnostic tool for UK vets allowing vital support for patients and owners wherever they are."
Visitors to the Kruuse stand at BEVA 2011 will also have the chance to win an Acer ICONI W500 tablet worth £500.
VetSurgeon member Andrew Dobson of The Barn Equine and Large Animal Practice in Great Wakering, Essex has won the inaugural Petplan Equine Vet of the Year Award.
Owners and riders all over the UK were invited to send in nominations for this new people's award. A short list of three finalists was then drawn up and the winner selected by an independent panel consisting of Jo Whitaker, brand manager for Petplan Equine; Alison Bridge, editor-in-chief of Horse&Rider magazine; David Stickels, head of fundraising for the AHT, and David Dugdale, president of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA).
Andrew was nominated by a number of his grateful clients and their glowing testimonials impressed the judges enough to give him the edge over his closest rivals for the title.
"This award is intended to recognise the amazing hard work and commitment of people within the equine veterinary profession and those who provide outstanding service to horse owners," explained Jo Whitaker. "We received some very strong nominations and all three finalists are clearly exceptional vets. Andrew Dobson was nominated by a number of his clients and they all stressed his professionalism and devotion to the horses in his care and how he regularly goes beyond the call of duty in making sure that both horses and owners are given the very best treatment."
Suzy Dorey was among the clients to nominate Andrew: "When I came across Andy I realised that he was an old fashioned type of vet and had the time and patience to deal with the horses and just as importantly the clients. I cannot recommend Andy highly enough and would like to see him given recognition of some sort for being a dependable, down-to-earth vet."
Andrew said: "I am absolutely stunned. I'm so honoured and amazed to of received the Petplan Equine Vet of the Year award. I really enjoy what I do and would like thank all my clients, Petplan Equine, the Animal Health Trust and Horse&Rider for their support."
Avacta has announced the launch of Sensitest, the only UK-specific equine allergy tests that use non-invasive procedures.
The company says that the new range of ELISA tests was developed using native plant allergen species, to reflect the needs of UK and Northern European veterinary surgeons.
Janice Hogg, Avacta senior veterinary director, said: "In the development trials, allergens were selected that showed significant levels of reactivity in horses with clinical signs compatible with allergic disease.
"Whilst many providers of allergy tests are reducing the number of allergens in their panels and providing only a global range of allergens, this research has shown it is vital to include native species of allergenic plants and insects.
"The new ELISA test, which includes allergens such as orchard grass, daisy, dandelion, nettle and horse chestnut, provides UK practitioners with a viable alternative to intradermal testing (IDT). It doesn’t require clipping and has no adverse reactions - ideal for clients who want to avoid this."
Avacta says Sensitest includes panels of allergens that cover the work up of food, respiratory and atopic allergic disease assisting in a more accurate diagnosis, treatment and management options, including allergen-specific immunotherapy.
Janice added: "It is not necessary to withdraw medications (except high dose corticosteroids) for the standardised procedure, which has excellent reproducibility and is not influenced by existing skin pathologies, all of which is really useful when working with equine clients.
"To further assist equine practitioners, especially those faced with non-insured clients, the SENSITEST Equine Screening Test offers a simple positive/negative result to each panel, allowing expansion to the full panels as required to assist with treatment."
For more information contact your Avacta area territory manager, call customer services on 0800 8494 550 or visit www.avactaanimalhealth.com/equineallergy