FMD
There is no change is situation of FMD we still have 7 IPs. The temporary control zone near Maidenhead, Berkshire should be lifted shortly.

Movements between the low risks and the risk areas are allowed using licence 450 but once the animal has entered risk area they cannot leave and become subject to the movement restrictions of the risk area.

BT
A fifth cow has proved positive on clinical signs on a new farm in the Ipswich area, however, it is still not possible to show spread within the country. The OIE is to be notified that cases of Bluetongue are occurring but there is still no evidence of transmission from animal to animal through vectors.

Four of the five animals with BT have been diagnosed on classical clinical signs as outlined in various articles.

For completeness all the signs have been in cattle and include:

• Mild pyrexia
• Depressed appetite
• General stiffness
• Painful reddened coronary bands
• Pitting oedema on head/neck particularly submandibular
• Hyperaemic planum nasale, nasal mucosae and vulva
• White mucopurulent nasal discharge
  
• Red erosions with fibrin tags at mucocutaneous junctions (not vessicles)
  
• Reddened painful teats
  
• Sluggish capillary refill time

Research from Bristol University confirms that Angiostrongylus vasorum is spreading in the UK, with 16 per cent of dogs involved in a recent study testing positive for the parasite’s larvae.

The nationwide survey, funded by the RCVS Trust and Novartis Animal Health, was set up to determine the geographical distribution and typical presentation of angiostrongylosis in UK dogs and to elucidate risk factors for infection. The findings are based on examination of 630 faecal samples from dogs (500 sick and 130 healthy) around the country which presented in practice with a wide range of clinical signs for which there was no other obvious diagnosis.

"We received faecal samples from dogs with respiratory and cardiovascular disease, bleeding, neurological and gastrointestinal disorders," explained Eric Morgan, Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Research Group, University of Bristol School of Biological Sciences. "We also received samples from a smaller number of apparently healthy dogs and examined all of them in the laboratory using the Baermann’s test. The sample was analysed alongside an accompanying questionnaire that recorded history, clinical signs and the vet’s index of suspicion that A. vasorum was the cause of the disease."

More than half (60 per cent) of the dogs that were positive displayed respiratory signs, including coughing. The next most common signs were cardiovascular (including syncope, lethargy and exercise intolerance). The most widespread combination of clinical signs was respiratory and cardiovascular. However, several dogs also presented with haemorrhagic signs and no respiratory involvement, and a wide spectrum of other signs such as diarrhoea, lameness and neurological disease.

Eric said: "Angiostrongylus vasorum is a great imitator and our research proves it can present in a wide variety of ways. Prompt diagnosis is vital but relies heavily on vets being aware of A. vasorum involvement. They should be especially suspicious of dogs that are coughing, lethargic, prone to collapse and presented in practice with unexplained bleeding."

Geographical extent
Due to the survey relying on voluntary vet involvement, there was a strong bias in the regions represented, with high numbers of samples coming from South Wales and Surrey. Eric said: "Although these are known hot spots for A. vasorum, there were also positive samples from across southern England demonstrating that the parasite is much more widespread than we previously thought. It’s important that vets outside of the known endemic areas regard this disease as a real threat, to ignore it because you believe dogs outside these areas are not at risk would be a very dangerous assumption indeed. You could already be missing cases."

Risk factors
The most significant risk factor was age, with younger dogs more likely to be infected although cases were found in dogs up to 11 years old. “The age profile of positive cases did not vary by region, suggesting that there is no significant build-up of immunity in the dog population,” Eric continues. "Several dogs became re-infected which also suggests that strong immunity does not develop following infection."

More than 40 breeds were represented in the survey with Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Jack Russell Terriers more commonly infected than other breeds. However, when considered alongside all the other risk factors the difference was not significant. "There are certainly no breeds which are resistant to infection, all of them can get it and are therefore at risk!"

Dogs that had not been wormed in the past six months were more likely to be positive (17 per cent of these were positive) than those dogs that had been regularly wormed (12 per cent). "It’s important to realise that even in dogs that are regularly wormed, incidence is still high," concludes Eric. "Vets should pay particularly attention to the worming regimes that they routinely recommend and ensure that the products they prescribe have some activity against A. vasorum. They should also be prepared to consider A.vasorum as a diagnosis even in dogs that are routinely wormed. What we have to remember is that this is a tough worm to get rid of and one we need to take seriously if we are to prevent its spread."

Companion Care has launched a new section on its website for vets and nurses that want to know more about current partnership and career opportunities in its small animal veterinary surgeries. The new section includes:

• The latest practice locations available for partnership, in both new and established surgeries
• Current vacancies for employed positions at the Companion Care surgeries around the country including receptionists, trainee nurses, nurse and veterinary surgeons
• An explanation of Companion Care’s joint venture model - how it operates and the benefits to potential partners
• Current joint venture partners and staff talking about their roles at Companion Care

Companion Care Services Managing Director, Jane Balmain added: "Our business goes from strength to strength, confirming that we are here to stay and present a genuinely attractive option for vets looking at different routes to business ownership. The Group, which now numbers 39 surgeries across the country, is forecast to turn over in excess of £28 million this year, and is achieving annual like-for-like sales growth of 17%. We estimate that dividend payments to our 50 plus partners will total £1.5 to £2 million this year."

FMD
Most of you will be aware that IP8 was declared yesterday. This is a farm in the POZ that was slaughtered on suspicion after detection during surveillance visits. This has lead to further slight changes in the boundaries of the PZ and SZ. These were early lesions and initial laboratory results confirm this.

The epidemiology of the spread of FMD in the area north of Egham suggests that cattle on 4 premises in the vicinity of IP8 have been exposed to infection either via possible aerosol or fomite spread and are likely to develop disease. These premises will be culled as dangerous contacts.

BLUETONGUE
The various zones for controlling Bluetongue have now been defined. These are difficult to describe because they use roads etc. as boundaries but detailed maps and description of the boundaries are available at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/pdf/declaration-bt-pzcz290907.pdf

When farms straddle a road that is a boundary the whole of the farm is classed as being in the zone. It may be possible to put parts of a holding that is outside the zone as a separate unit with consultation with local Animal Health office.

The movement restrictions between the various FMD and BT zones are available at

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/bluetongue/movements/index.htm

Defra are worried that farmers are not reporting cases of BT because they feel there is nothing that can be done so why bother. It is still a notifiable disease and there is a need to monitor spread for various trade implications. There are, of course, likely to be welfare considerations with clinically affected cases. These will need to be addressed with veterinary consultation and may involve symptomatic treatment or euthanasia.

The prevalence of the disease in infected herds/flocks is still low with 1:53 and 1:190 being affected on surveillance.