The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) has published a special virtual edition with a free collection of 20 articles exploring the relationship between horse-owner behaviour and equine health and welfare.

Until now, research in equine veterinary science has focused primarily on the information needed to prevent and cure disease, with little attention paid to the attitudes and actions of horse owners, veterinary surgeons, and numerous other professionals to implementing science-based advice.

This special EVJ collection showcases studies that seek to understand horse owner behaviour around their horse’s health, supplementing clinical evidence with information about the real-life behaviours of equine owners and professionals and the factors that influence them.

It includes papers on horse owner knowledge and opinions on recognising colic, treating infectious disease, uptake of some of the most basic preventive health measures such as vaccination and deworming as well as attitudes and behaviour around equine obesity and laminitis.

Other studies highlight the importance of professionals other than vets such as farriers, equine podiatrists, physiotherapists, dental technicians, chiropractors, and equestrian organisations such as the British Horse Society.

Guest Editor Tamzin Furtado added: “As our understanding of the drivers of behaviour develops, pre-existing behaviour change models will help us to understand the barriers and enablers to uptake.

“With dissemination of this knowledge, we have a better chance of communicating effectively and implementing change that will have a positive impact on equine welfare at individual, community, and national level.”

Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: “This collection is both compelling and eye-opening.

"It is dangerous to assume an understanding of the motivators of horse owner behaviours and actions; these papers confirm the current lack of comprehension, providing an invaluable insight, which will ultimately help us to accelerate improvements in equine veterinary practice and, most importantly, equine welfare.”

The virtual issue can be found at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.owner-behaviours and will be free to view until 26 December 2022.

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) has issued a consensus statement which sets new global standards for how primary care and practitioners should treat seizure patients.

The new directive, set out in a consensus statement led by neurologist Dr Marios Charalambous, Neurology Consultant at Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital, champions a stage-based and prompt approach which targets the abnormal impediments responsible for sustaining seizure activity and establishing refractory stages.

Marios said: "This consensus statement is the culmination of extensive research and experience in managing complex neurological emergencies.

"By formulating clear and universally applicable guidelines for all vets, it presents both a novel perspective in terms of how seizures should be treated, and a huge step forward in this specific field."

Marios was joined by a panel of clinicians including Karen Muñana, Ned E. Patterson, Simon R. Platt, and Holger A. Volk, who have jointly made these recommendations based on prevailing evidence in peer-reviewed literature, as well as their own extensive clinical experience.

It was then validated by the ACVIM Board-Certified Specialists before being distributed globally by ACVIM to form official guidelines for vets across the world.

Marios will be presenting and discussing his findings at the BSAVA Congress 2024 in Manchester this weekend as part of the neurology agenda on Saturday 23 March 2024.

Dan Lewis, National ECC Lead at IVC Evidensia, said: “Being presented with an actively seizing animal can be incredibly stressful for owners and clinicians and has potentially dire consequences.

"Decision-making under such circumstances is often very difficult, even for the most knowledgeable teams, and access to these straightforward treatment guidelines will make a massive difference to how these cases progress.”

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.16928.

Kit Sturgess, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine, will present a webinar for vet nurses: “Diagnosis of inflammatory disease in cats and dogs – Getting the most from your practice laboratory?”, on Thursday 2nd March, 7:30 - 9:00pm

In the Horiba-sponsored webinar, Kit will draw on personal experience and case study examples to illustrate how the innovative use of adjunctive tests can support rapid clinical decision-making when triaging patients.

For example, Kit will consider whether inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A can be used to assess if current signs are likely associated with inflammatory diseases, such as pancreatitis, or whether further investigation is required to determine cause of illness.

Kit will also consider the case of Ollie a 10-year-old German shorthaired pointer presenting as vaguely unwell with reduced appetite.

Is this just a flare-up of his chronic osteoarthritis and likely to respond to pain relief and anti-inflammatory treatment, or something else?

Attendees will be able to questions in a live Q&A session at the end of the webinar.

Horiba's team will also be on hand to answer questions on in-house diagnostics.

For free registration, visit: https://bit.ly/3wGADcm 

Premier Vet Alliance, a provider of pet health care plans, has announced that having completed its acquisition of Simplyhealth’s animal health business, it is now migrating 2000 practices over to its pet health plan portal. 

The company says that practices transferring to its pet health plan portal will be able to take greater control of their pet health plans and benefit from a range of innovative services for the same cost. They include the VMD-approved Post2Pet home delivery service, a messaging system to advise clients on applying products, attending appointments or renewing prescriptions, reporting to give practice leaders the insights they need to drive plan performance, the ability for pet owners to sign up online rather than visit the practice, and 24/7 access to a marketing hub and the Premier Vet Alliance Learning Academy.

Premier Vet Alliance’s Business Development Director Andy Taylor said: "We are excited to be offering our high performing Premier Pet Care Plan to the many new practices joining us following our acquisition of Simplyhealth’s animal health business. 

"We are working to make the transition seamless and believe that our new customers will be delighted at the expanded range of functionality our portal offers them, together with the reduced administrative burden.  We will continue to invest in its development to ensure that all of our customers can be sure that their pet health plan offers the most powerful set of tools and services available to help them drive up the profitability of their practice, while offering gold standard care to their patients and peace of mind to their clients."

For more information, visit: https://premiervetalliance.com/uk/ 

Virtual Recall has announced the launch of OurVet.Shop, a new service through which practices can give clients a way to reorder and pay for medications and services from their vets, and have them delivered to their door or made ready for (contactless) collection.

The new service is available to any practice, regardless of which practice management system you use, or which healthcare provider you are with. You can specify your product catalogue and are not tied to particular products or manufacturers. You can also decide how you want to manage client delivery charges and how to treat health care plan clients. 

OurVet.Shop can also be used to take payment for services, such as telephone or video consultations, and because it allows for one-off ordering, clients aren’t forced to sign up to a 12-month subscription with an unknown third party.

Lastly, the service is tailored to your practice’s brand and personalised to every client and their pets. The company has also produced marketing materials for use in social media, on websites and in client communications.

Jamie Crittall, co-founder of Virtual Recall, said: "As a veterinary practice owner myself, these last few months have been tough – I mean really tough.

"Nine years ago, Charlie Barton and I created Virtual Recall from a desire to communicate with our clients in a personal & timely manner. Not being able to find a solution, we built one and iRecall was born. Since then it has helped over 1,500 practices communicate with over 5 million clients & their pets worldwide. 

"Now, here we were again - desperate to ensure that my patients got the healthcare they needed, but no home delivery service that I wanted to put my practice’s name to, I turned to my team at Virtual Recall to create a solution - that was not just right for my practice but every practice.

"So, we did what we do best – we put ourselves in practices’ shoes and created a smart solution that would help them safeguard animals’ health, enhance their relationship with their clients, and provide them with a life-line to help get through this crisis and build a stronger future. It couldn’t come with any compromises."

For more information, visit: www.ourvet.shop

Krka has announced that Folly Vets in Pontypool has won its inaugural Veterinary Reception Team of the Year award, and Heidi Bodily from Mounts Bay Vets in Penzance, Veterinary Receptionist of the Year.

The company said Folly Vets stood out for their exemplary approach to customer service, demonstrating a deep care for both their clients and colleagues.

Nicky Hart, Practice Manager at Folly Vets, said: “Our reception team is the heartbeat of the practice.

"They create lasting relationships with clients, often creating a level of trust that means clients ask for them by name.

"And they consistently go above and beyond for everyone they support.

"This award is a well-deserved recognition of their unwavering dedication and exceptional service.”

Heidi Bodily said: “I’m incredibly grateful to receive this award.

"Being a receptionist means playing many roles – from supporting clients through difficult times and sharing their joy during happy moments, to ensuring the practice runs smoothly.

"Knowing that my contributions make a difference to others is the most rewarding part of the job and the Krka award is the icing on the cake.”

Runner-up awards went to Weeley Vets in Clacton-on-Sea, Hafren Veterinary Practice in Newtown, Wales, Rebecca Hadley from Poplar Vets in London and Abbie Deabill from North Park Veterinary in North Tawton.

Animalcare has taken over as the UK distributor of Danilon Gold, the equine NSAID.  

Danilon is used to relieve the pain caused by musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoarthritis (OA), bursitis, laminitis, and soft tissue inflammation.

Some oral NSAIDs have been shown to increase the risk of gastric irritation¹ - a particular concern when treating of chronic conditions.

However, Animalcare points to a study² in which horses given Danilon Gold showed a reduced number of ulcers and those that did appear were less severe.

The area of gastric mucosa affected was also five times less.

Animalcare says accurate administration is critical for clinical success.

To support this, Danilon Gold is presented in a coloured granule formulation and is now available in both 3g and 10g sachets.

Animalcare will officially re-launch Danilon® at this year’s BEVA Congress at the ACC in Liverpool in early September. 

References

1. Banse H.E., et al. (2018) Prevalence of and risk factors for equine glandular and squamous gastric disease in polo horses. Can Vet J. 59(8):880-884
2. Monreal L., et al. (2004) Lower gastric ulcerogenic effect of Suxibuzone compared to phenylbutazone when administered orally to horses. Res. Vet. Sci. 76, 145-149

A study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has found there’s no substantial link between popular conformation in rabbits, including floppy ears or flat faces, and an increased risk of dental problems¹.

According to the RVC, recent studies estimate dental disease affects up to 18% of the UK's rabbits and breeds with lop ears and short skulls (brachycephaly) have long been suspected of being more at risk.

To investigate whether there is any truth to that suspicion, a team of RVC researchers led by Maria Jackson RVN, Research Assistant in Rabbit Health and Welfare, and Dr Charlotte Burn, Associate Professor in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Science, set out to explore whether these physical features are linked to dental problems.

The study involved visual dental checks of 435 volunteered pedigree rabbits from 49 breeds at British Rabbit Council shows and breeders’ studs across the UK.

The researchers assessed tooth and mouth health using an otoscope, while also recording ear type, head shape (on a purpose-made visual scale), body size, age and sex.

The findings revealed that:

• Many rabbits had no obvious dental issues with 68.28% of rabbits having no incisor abnormalities and 55.40% having no issues with their cheek teeth.
• Lop-eared rabbits were not more likely to have dental problems but were 4.03 times more likely to have watery eyes – a symptom that could be linked to other health issues.
• Flat-faced (brachycephalic) rabbits did not show more dental abnormalities than those with longer faces.
• Longer-faced rabbits (dolichocephalic) were slightly more likely (1.39 times) to have a specific dental issue known as “step or wave mouth”, where the premolars and molars have a step-like pattern and don’t align normally.
• Older age and sex were more consistently linked to dental abnormalities. Male rabbits were 2.06 times more likely to have an incisor abnormality and 2.23 times more likely to have slanted or curved incisor occlusal surfaces. While females were 2.18 times more likely to have long first cheek teeth, although the clinical significance of some of these findings isn’t clear.

In conclusion, the study concluded that diet, environment and regular dental checks might be more important in the development of dental disease.

The researchers also concluded that any breeding decisions should be based on veterinary assessment of dental health, including otoscope or radiography examinations rather than relying solely on visual inspection of the teeth or a rabbit’s conformation.

Maria said: “Our findings add to the evidence that suggests lop ears and a brachycephalic head shape are less important in the development of dental issues in rabbits than was once thought.

"It’s clear that all rabbits, not just those with a non-wild conformation, can be affected by dental problems.

“The importance of feeding good-quality hay or grass and supplementing the diet with extruded pellets, not muesli, cannot be overstated, as diet may well be more important than conformation in the development of dental disease.

"Likewise, providing regular veterinary dental check-ups to rabbits is crucial to facilitate early dental disease detection and give case-specific dietary and treatment recommendations to slow disease progression and support the welfare of rabbits.” 

Reference

1. Jackson, M. A., Betts, M., Hedley, J., & Burn, C. C. (2025). Rabbit Dental Abnormalities: Investigation of Conformational Risk Factors in a Pedigree Rabbit Population. Animals, 15(7), 980. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15070980. 

Photo: depositphotos.com

The RCVS has collaborated with the VMD to answer the most frequently asked questions about prescribing, following the 'Under Care' review.

Of particular note is the guidance that prescriptions should no longer be written in mg/kg, as it may lead to errors when the dose is calculated.

The Standards and Advice update also answers questions about:

• What needs to be written in the notes when prescribing POM-Vs and controlled drugs.
• Accounting for weight change when prescribing long term medication
• What to do if there is a manufacturer-level supply problem with a prescribed medication
• What to do if there is a practice level stock issue with a prescribed medication
• What to do in the event of an adverse reaction to a prescribed medication
• The requirements for prescribing controlled drugs for either a chronic or acute condition

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/features/prescribing-pom-vs-joint-guidance-from-the-rcvs-and-vmd/

Hamilton Specialist Referrals in High Wycombe has launched a cardiology referral service run by European and RCVS recognised specialist in Veterinary Cardiology, Andrew Francis.

First opinion practices can refer dogs and cats for routine echocardiography, ECG analysis and full cardiac work-up. In addition, orthopaedic and neurological cases referred with a pre-existing murmur, arrhythmia or cardiac condition will also benefit from screening at the centre.

Andrew was awarded the ECVIM-CA diploma in Small Animal Cardiology in 2013 and brings with him a wealth of experience from both referral practice and the pharmaceutical industry. He said: "I am delighted to be joining the expanding team at Hamilton Specialist Referrals. The desire for the team to provide patients, clients and staff with the best experience possible is close to my heart and I'm looking forward to being a part of that journey."

Director, orthopaedic surgery specialist Michael Hamilton, said, "We're excited to welcome Andrew to the team. His expertise and experience will be invaluable for providing a comprehensive cardiology service, not only to our referring practices, but also for our existing caseload where a cardiac problem is suspected."

For more information, visit: www.hamiltonspecialists.vet. 

Newly-invested RCVS President, Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS, has announced that her focus for this year will be on widening access to the veterinary profession to those from different socioeconomic, ethnic and religious groups.

She said: “My theme will be focussed on recruitment and particularly widening participation, as one of the three themes of the RCVS Workforce Action Plan.

"I want to get out during my presidential year and talk to school children and teachers, especially head teachers at their conferences, to make them aware of the opportunities that are available to a veterinary science graduate.

“I want to continue to work with the Veterinary Schools Council’s Widening Participation Vet Schools Network to make school children from all backgrounds aware, whether they are from a large, single-sex private school, or a mixed-faith inner-city comprehensive, that veterinary science is accessible to them. 

“A veterinary science degree equips graduates with the appropriate skillset to follow a myriad of different career paths.

"For example, in clinical practice caring for people’s beloved pets or working with farmers to produce high-welfare food in an economical and sustainable way. Not to mention groundbreaking research into human and animal diseases, public health to help safeguard food security, the pharmaceutical industry to develop new and innovative treatments, and the armed forces to maintain the health and welfare of military working animals. I could go on. 

“As professions, and this means not just veterinary surgeons but veterinary nurses, we need to get out there and sell ourselves to the wider public.

"We have made a start, but we need to become more inclusive and diverse.

"We need to do some myth-busting about the real requirements needed to be a vet or vet nurse.

"There is no doubt you do need to have good A levels to study veterinary medicine, but, beyond that, bright students from any background can join our professions.

"You can be a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse if you are black or white; Muslim or Christian; and from any socioeconomic background.”

Sue's speech is available to read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/features.

CVS has opened Bristol Vet Specialists, the largest veterinary hospital in the South West and South Wales, and the largest investment that the company has made in a single site.

The new hospital, which is led by a large team of internationally-renowned Specialists, supported by residents, interns and registered veterinary nurses, will over time employ over 100 veterinary professionals.

CVS says the site will offer the latest technology and treatments in all small animal disciplines including: general surgery, orthopaedics, neurology and neurosurgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology, dermatology, oncology and dentistry, as well as dedicated anaesthesia, analgesia, diagnostic imaging and intensive care departments.

There will be a multi-disciplinary approach, with a team around every patient, to ensure the best outcome for the animal.

CVS says BVS's oncology department, with its stereotactic linear accelerator for radiotherapy, will offer most advanced cancer treatment for cats and dogs in Europe.

The site also has the latest CT and MRI scanners and a separate feline unit. 

On arrival, clients are taken to a special customer experience zone by a dedicated client liaison officer to ensure their pet is comfortable and they are fully informed about their procedure.

Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our advanced facilities and eminent colleagues will mean we can provide the best animal care to pet owners across the South West, and we have invested in cutting-edge technology to bring cancer treatment in pets to the next level.

"So we know that this site will become as a centre of excellence in the veterinary world.”

https://www.bristolvetspecialists.co.uk