The BVA, the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), the Goat Veterinary Society (GVS) and the British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) have launched a new policy position addressing the issues surrounding surplus male animals on farms, recommending that we all eat more UK veal and goat meat to help reduce the slaughter of unwanted male calves and goats.

Current estimates suggest that around 95,000 calves, 30 million chicks and 3,000 Billy kids are affected per year. 

The new position calls for solutions based on the overarching principle that quality of life should take precedence over lifespan, with the longer-term aim to move away from the production of unwanted animals all together. In the meantime, the position calls for further research into solutions to reduce numbers of additional male offspring and for humane methods of killing surplus animals on-farm.

The dairy and egg industries have been advised to adopt a ‘3Rs’ (reduce, replace, refine) approach to the rearing and slaughter of animals which are surplus to the requirements of the specific industries. Reduction recommendations include selecting for sex (a technology used quite frequently within the dairy farming community) and increasing the length of time that an animal can produce milk through selective breeding.

In the absence of these options, the position recommends raising male offspring for meat, with the caveat that calves and billy goat kids should be raised within UK high welfare schemes only.

In the absence of any reduce or replacement options, veterinary experts advise that killing should be undertaken in the most humane way and that all the animal’s welfare needs must be addressed prior to slaughter.

In line with BVA’s sustainable animal agriculture position, this policy recommends that when animals are killed, every effort should be made to make sure that the carcass is used. For example, the carcasses of male chicks killed by controlled atmospheric stunning can be used in animal feed, such as for reptiles and birds of prey.

BVA Junior Vice President, James Russell (pictured right) said: "Unwanted male production animals in the dairy and meat industries are an ethical challenge on a number of levels. Firstly, for the producer who may have animals with little or no commercial value. Secondly, for the consumer who may find the notion of these unused animals a difficulty. Our new joint position is based around the principle of ‘a life worth living’ and looks at ways that the veterinary profession can work with the farming community to reduce the numbers of animals that this affects and ensure that high welfare is always front and centre.

"If slaughter of affected animals is undertaken humanely, it is not a welfare harm per se, but greater measures should be taken to make sure that these decisions are made with minimal carcass wastage and an eye to the economic, emotional and environmental impact at a farm level.

"With greater public understanding of ethical and animal welfare issues faced by the industry, the promotion of farm assurance schemes and further research into alternative breeding options such as selective sex technology, we hope to reduce these numbers and improve the welfare of the animals involved."

BCVA President, Professor David Barrett said: "The number of unwanted male dairy calves has fallen substantially in recent years, due in part to more efficient milk production meaning we now need fewer dairy cows to produce the same volume of milk, as well as the use of breeding technologies that mean we can select for female calves. Nevertheless, surplus males are still produced. Provided these calves’ welfare is protected they should become part of the meat production supply chain either as high-quality UK farm assured veal or beef."

"As we strive for improved sustainability and increase efficient use of resource in food production, we need to use every product from dairying, including calves that can be reared for meat. Our entire industry needs to work together to create a robust supply chains for high quality, farm assured British dairy beef and veal and we need to help consumers understand they should embrace these products. They are very different from intensively reared veal of the type produced in systems previously banned in the UK."

The British Veterinary Association has responded to a study by Downs et al assessing the effects from four years of badger culling in England on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle.

The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, investigated the effect of culling in the first three licensed badger cull areas – Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset – using data from 2013 to 2017. 

Gloucestershire and Somerset saw reductions in bTB incidence rates in cull areas relative to comparison areas of 66 per cent and 37 per cent respectively after four years.  In Dorset, there was no change in incidence rates in cull areas relative to comparison areas after two years, but incidence dropped by 55 per cent in the same period in the 2km buffer zone around the edge of the cull area. Matched comparison areas were similar but not identical.

James Russell, BVA Junior Vice President said: "These findings are encouraging and offer further evidence that badger culling can result in significant reductions in the number of new cases of TB in cattle. However, they come with the caveat that the data only relates to the first three cull areas, and the variability within these alone makes it too early to draw firm conclusions that culling will reduce incidence significantly in all 40 areas where it is now taking place.

"BVA’s expert working group is currently considering all aspects of disease control looking at cattle testing, removal of reactors, compensation and control in other farmed animals as well as the culling and vaccination of badgers. The group will consider this additional evidence as we develop our new policy on bTB.

"We continue to support a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to tackling bTB, including the use of badger culling where there is a demonstrated need and where it is done safely, humanely and effectively as part of a comprehensive strategy.

"The best way of halting the spread of this devastating disease is enhancing our understanding of bTB and applying that evidence to the eradication process.”

Ceva Animal Health and the University of Lincoln are looking for puppies that are less than 12 weeks old to take part in a behaviour study, and are offering veterinary nurses a £10 voucher for every animal recruited.

The placebo-controlled study is designed to investigate whether or not a dog pheromone collar may help to reduce the severity or development of potentially problematic behaviours in puppies.

Participating owners will be sent collars (which may or may not contain pheromones) to put on their puppy for 6 months, during which time they will need to complete a monthly questionnaire.

As a thank you, all owners will receive a bag of doggy goodies and will be entered into a draw for a new iPad. There is more information for pet owners here: https://www.adaptil.com/uk/Puppy/node_49121

If you'd like to help recruit participants, you'll need to register your practice to take part here. Ceva has produced information packs and posters which will be sent out after registration.

Photo: Shutterstock

Paragon Veterinary Referrals in Wakefield has announced the launch of a chronic pain clinic for pets referred to the centre by external first opinion practices.

The clinic is being run by Liz Leece, an RCVS and EBVS Specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, to offer bespoke pain management plans for clients.

Liz has more than 20 years’ experience in specialist anaesthesia and analgesia and has extensive experience managing dogs and cats with complex problems causing chronic pain.

Liz said: "Our pets are similar to humans in the sense that the longer they live, the greater the chance they will develop conditions causing chronic pain.

"The clinic is available for any pet referred by their primary care vet for management of chronic pain, including osteoarthritis and other orthopaedic conditions, neurological and cancer pain.

"Animals will be assessed and advice given on how the pain can be managed, including monitoring a pet’s response to different treatments and what to expect."

For more information, visit www.paragonreferrals.co.uk.  

The BSAVA is launching a new initiative which will enable aspiring veterinary nurses to present their interesting or novel cases at BSAVA Congress 2020 (2nd-5th April).

The Case Reports session has been devised by BSAVA’s programme committee to support RVNs who want to develop their presenting ability. It is specifically aimed at those with little or no experience of presenting and includes mentorship support for the selected candidates.

Claire Woolford RVN VTS (Anaesthesia), who sits on the BSAVA Congress Programme Committee said: "Case reports represent an engaging and interactive method for nurses to discuss unique cases or new techniques. What’s particularly special about the initiative at Congress 2020, is that we want to use the case report platform to support aspiring veterinary nurse speakers who could become speakers at Congress or other BSAVA events.

"We are particularly encouraging nurses with limited experience of presenting and offering the positive environment of Congress for them to develop their skills. All successful candidates will be assigned an experienced mentor who will aid them in preparing the final report to present at Congress."

A total of 8 winning applicants will be selected by the BSAVA Congress programme committee to present their case report. Each successful applicant will be given a 15-minute slot to present at Congress 2020, together with a complimentary Congress nurse pass for the whole of Congress for BSAVA VN members, or for Saturday 4 April for non-members. The presenter of the best case will also be awarded a BSAVA Manual of their choice.

For a chance to be involved, BSAVA is asking nurses to submit a brief synopsis of their case by 4th November 2019. The Case Report must focus on small animal cases, but any species and discipline can be discussed.  Full submission information is available at www.bsavaevents.com

Burgess Pet Care has announced the results of its Great British Guinea Pig Census, which has found that in general, guinea pig owners are good at caring for their pets.

Encouragingly, 88% of the 5046 people surveyed said they keep guinea pigs in groups of two or more, as is recommended by experts and, in fact, required by law in Switzerland. 88% also said they provide their guinea pig with additional space to roam outside of their housing. 

Although only 3% of guinea pig owners said they insure their pet, 67% said they take their guinea pig to see the vet once a year or more. 

When it comes to nutrition, 76% of owners say they believe feeding hay is the most important part of their guinea pig(s) diet and 65% say it is their guinea pigs’ primary food source. Burgess says that in an ideal world 100% of guinea pigs would be fed hay as their primary food source, so 65% shows there is room for improvement. 

Peter Lancaster, marketing manager at Burgess Pet Care said: "Guinea pigs make fantastic pets but, as with other small animals, they have very particular needs when it comes to their welfare. Thankfully, according to the findings of our census, we found that the majority of guinea pig owners who provided answers on the five welfare needs – diet, company, health, environment and behaviour, are conscientious with their care, reflecting their dedication to keeping their pets happy. 

"It was fantastic to see the number of guinea pig owners entering the census keep rising by the day, and we’re reassured that there are thousands of well-informed owners out there. However, despite these resoundingly positive findings, there is always work to be done when it comes to improving standards of animal welfare. The information we’ve received from this census does identify the gaps of knowledge in certain areas, and we anticipate these gaps to be much larger when it comes to less-informed and engaged guinea pig owners."

York-based Dr Michael Richard Jones has been suspended by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for two months, for making dishonest entries in horse passports and subsequently making dishonest entries in the same horses’ clinical records.

The Disciplinary Committee heard three charges against Dr Jones.

The first and second charges were that, in March 2018, Dr Jones made signed entries in the passports and made corresponding entries in clinical records of four horses indicating that he had administered an influenza vaccination booster to each horse on 15 March 2018 and in relation to another horse a tetanus booster, when in fact he had administered the vaccination boosters on 21 March 2018, and that his conduct was misleading, dishonest and undermined the integrity of a vaccination process designed to promote animal welfare.

The third charge was that, on or around 21 March 2018, Dr Jones failed to make any entries in the clinical records for a horse in relation to an examination on 21 March 2018.

At the outset of the hearing Dr Jones admitted the facts in the first and second charges, and accepted that his actions were misleading, dishonest and that they undermined the integrity of a vaccination process. However, he disputed certain aspects of the written statements of the College’s witnesses. In particular he wanted his conduct to be taken in the context of the pressures that he was working under on that day, primarily that he was in a stressed state having had to euthanase a valuable stallion at the conclusion of his previous client appointment.

Dr Jones did not admit the third charge, explaining that he did not remember examining the horse on 21 March 2018 as alleged.

Based on Dr Jones' own admissions, the Committee found the first and second charges proven. 

Regarding the third charge, the Committee heard evidence from the horse’s owner who said they were present during the examination taking place and the Committee was satisfied that the respondent did examine the horse on 21 March 2018 and that he had a duty to make a brief clinical note on the examination. As Dr Jones admitted that he made no such note, the Committee found the charge to have been proven to the requisite standard.

Having found the charges proven, the Committee then went on to consider whether or not Dr Jones’ proven conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct. The Committee, having considered the aggravating and mitigating factors, found that Dr Jones’ conduct as found proved in relation to both charges one and two, did constitute serious professional misconduct.

However, with regards to charge three, the Committee accepted that the respondent simply forgot that he had examined the horse and, therefore, the Committee was not satisfied that the failure to compile a record entry covering the horse’s examination constituted serious professional misconduct.

The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Jones in relation to the facts found proven in charges one and two. In doing so it took into account the 78 written testimonials and 4 character witnesses called on behalf of Dr Jones.

Ian Green, who chaired the Committee and spoke on its behalf, said: "The Committee’s decision on sanction has been based on an acceptance that the respondent’s conduct on this occasion was out-of-character, as the evidence of his character witnesses and the contents of the letters submitted in his support by his clients and other veterinary colleagues assert. The Committee also accepts that the respondent self-reported himself to his employer and to the College and has made a full and frank admission of his wrongdoing.

"Consideration was given to whether the sanction of a reprimand and/or warning as to future conduct would adequately reflect the gravity of the misconduct, however, after careful reflection it was concluded that such a sanction could not be justified. The reason is that acts of falsification involve acts of dishonesty by a professional person acting in a professional capacity, and the gravity of the matter arises not simply from the dishonesty but also from the possible consequences of the false certification. It should be clearly understood by members of the veterinary profession that, in appropriate false certification cases, the sanction of removal from the Register is one which may well be imposed."

The Committee therefore decided that suspending Dr Jones from the Register for two months would be the most appropriate sanction.

Medivet has announced a partnership with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) through which its veterinary nurses will be able to access CPD courses on a range of topics including Emergency and Critical Care, Diagnostic Imaging and Anaesthesia and Analgesia.

Medivet says each topic is covered in a six-week module, delivered online by RVC lecturers using a blended learning approach to encourage learners to think critically. On successful completion of a module, the participant will get up to 18 hours’ CPD and a certificate from the RVC.

Rachel Mattia, Head of Learning and Development at Medivet, said: "The Medivet Training Centre delivers the initial training our nurses need to qualify as Registered Veterinary Nurses. Building on this, our partnership with the RVC means that we can now support their continued development by giving them access to state-of-the-art CPD from recognised experts in an engaging, interactive format that they can fit in around their work and home life."

"Our nurses are the lynchpins of our practice teams and we are committed to investing in their development throughout their careers through initiatives such as this partnership with the RVC."

Feline charity International Cat Care (iCatCare)'s annual cat photography competition is now open for entries.

This year, in collaboration with Your Cat, the charity is looking for entries which showcase the cat-human bond with a brand new theme of ‘Cat-Human Relationships’.

The judges want to see a range of relationships in a variety of situations, locations and ages. For instance, entries can include but are not limited to: pet cats with their owners in the home, street cats with the public and cats with those who work with them eg, veterinary professionals with their patients and homing centre workers with the cats in their care.

Since its launch in 2013, the competition has collectively attracted over 15,000 entries from all over the world.

Eve Davies, who runs the competition, said: "Whilst we tend to think of our relationship with cats as that of pet and owner, cats and humans can have a huge variety of unique connections with each other and we would love to see this reflected in the entries.

"This year’s theme is quite different to previous topics – for example kittens or sleeping cats – but it has the potential to be much more rewarding. As well as receiving exceptional photos over the years, we have been sent some incredibly moving stories to accompany them and we are hoping that this year will be even better still."

Twelve winning images will be selected by the iCatCare and Your Cat Magazine judges to feature in the charity’s 2020 calendar (and other materials) which will be sold to raise funds for the charity’s work, with one crowned the overall winner and gracing the front cover.

All twelve winners will each receive a certificate, copies of the calendar and a selection of iCatCare merchandise. The overall winner will also receive £500 in prize money.

To find out more and to enter, visit: www.icatcare.org/photography-competition. The competition closes at 10 am (BST) on 1 July 2019. 

Elanco has announced that Galliprant (grapiprant), its new treatment for canine osteoarthritis pain, is now available in the UK.

Galliprant is a first in a class of drugs called piprants, or non-COX-inhibiting prostaglandin receptor antagonists (PRAs), which specifically target the EP4 receptor largely responsible for OA pain and inflammation^1,3 without interfering with other prostanoids and receptors, thereby minimising the impact on gastrointestinal and kidney homeostasis.^1,4

According to Elanco, the main benefit of the new drug is that it can be given in the earlier stages of the disease; from first diagnosis in fact. Speaking at the London Vet Show in 2018, Dr Kristin Kirkby Shaw, Surgeon and Rehabilitation Specialist at the Animal Surgical Clinic of Seattle, said: "…being much more targeted, it makes us feel more comfortable starting this product in an earlier stage of osteoarthritis."

In the target animal safety study, Galliprant was well-tolerated over 9 months at doses equivalent to 15 times the target dose.⁵ Kristen said: "I challenge anyone to think of another product that has been given in a safety study at that high of a level for that duration of time."

The efficacy of Galliprant was demonstrated in the field study at the licensed target dose of 2mg/kg body weight, with treatment success seen by owners in their dogs at home, and confirmed by vet assessment.² Owners saw statistically significant improvements in pain severity and interference with daily activities vs placebo at days 7, 14, 21 and 28.²

For more information, visit www.galliprant.co.uk. You can also watch Dr Kristen Kirkby Shaw's London Vet Show presentation and other expert opinion here.

References:

1. Kirkby Shaw K et al. Vet Med Sci. 2016;2:3-9. 
2. Rausch-Derra L et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2016;30:756-763. 
3. Woodward DF et al. Pharmacol Rev.2011;63(3):471-538. 
4. Giorgi M. Am J Anim Vet Sci. 2015;10(2):53-56. 
5. Rausch-Derra LC et al. Am J Vet Res. 2015;76(10):853-859.

Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) has published a three-part webinar series to give veterinary surgeons and nurses the latest advice on diet, neutering, sudden death and infectious diseases in rabbits.

Burgess Pet Care, which organises the event, is encouraging vets and nurses to watch the webinars to ensure they’re aware of the key information concerning this year’s Rabbit Awareness Week, Protect and Prevent campaign, taking place from the 1st to the 9th June.

The webinars are hosted by Dr Richard Saunders BSc (Hons) BVSc FRSB CBiol DZooMed (Mammalian) DipECZM(ZHM) MRCVS, veterinary adviser to the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF).

Richard said: "These webinars provide information across all of the key areas relating to preventative healthcare in rabbits. There is a large number of health issues facing rabbits but thankfully many of these can be prevented. Vets play an incredibly important role in ensuring rabbit owners have all the information they need to correctly care for their pets but unfortunately there is still a lack of awareness and understanding around many basic needs such as diet, husbandry and the importance of vaccinations to protect against dangerous diseases.

"The webinars have been designed to be accessible and engaging to all vets and nurses, regardless of their experience level. We’re urging vets and nurses to watch all three seminars so they’re able to provide the best possible advice to rabbit owners seeking advice on their pets in advance of Rabbit Awareness Week."

To watch the webinars and learn more about this year’s Rabbit Awareness Week campaign, visit: www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk, where you can also request a free vet pack to help promote any activity you're planning for RAW. 

Dechra, the manufacturer of Comfortan, Sedator and Atipam, has launched a new anaesthesia reference app to support its anaesthesia and analgesia range.

The app, which has been accredited by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, contains information about 36 different drug molecules in 10 different drug classes, including analgesics (NSAIDs, opioids and local anaesthetics), sedatives (acepromazine, alpha-2 agonists and benzodiazepines), induction agents, volatile agents, neuromuscular blocking agents, anti-cholinergics, sympathomimetics and antagonists where applicable.

It also offers 24 different dog and 15 cat anaesthetic protocols for procedures carried out in general practice. Each contains information on specific anaesthetic considerations for that condition or patient, any preoperative stabilisation required, premedication, perioperative analgesia, induction, maintenance and recovery.

Additional features include a dose calculator, summary sheets that can be saved or emailed to be attached to the patient’s clinical notes, and the option to save favourite protocols for repeated use.

The app was developed with the advice of two diplomat anaesthetists, Matthew Gurney BVSc CertVA PgCertVBM DipECVAA MRCVS and Joost Uilenreef DVM MVR DipECVAA, together with Elizabeth Barker BVetMed(Hons) Cert AVP(VA) PgCert MRCVS at Dechra.

Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "We are passionate about anaesthesia and the provision of excellent support for vets, nurses and students. The app can be used to build confidence and knowledge in less familiar procedures or to update protocols to ensure best anaesthetic practice for the more common routine procedures.

"All of the protocols and information particularly emphasise considerations around anaesthesia, patient monitoring and perioperative analgesia, including local and regional techniques."

She added: "We hope the app will help practitioners to move away from a ‘one protocol fits all’ approach and give them the confidence to tailor the protocols and medications chosen to the specific patient and condition they are treating and to generally improve the standard of anaesthesia and analgesia in small animal practice."

The Dechra Dog and Cat Anaesthesia App is available to download for iOS and Android devices. For more information, visit www.dechra.com/dcaa