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Deadly brain disease detected in Europe
reindeer
It is unclear currently if this is an isolated case or if the disease, which is difficult to detect is widespread in Europe.
Animal prion discovered in Norwegian reindeer

Scientists have detected a highly contagious and deadly animal brain disorder. A reindeer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD) was found during a routine tracking expedition in southern Norway.

It is the first known case of the fatal disease both in Europe and the first occurrence in this species worldwide, the journal Nature reports. Previously thought to be restricted to deer, elk and moose in North America and South Korea, the disease is shed through saliva, urine and faeces. It is unclear currently if this is an isolated case or if the disease, which is difficult to detect is widespread in Europe.

CWD occurs when cellular proteins (prions) become misshapen and aggregate predominantly in the brain causing behaviour changes, weight loss and coordination problems. As with the similar bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, CWD is incurable and fatal.

Sylvie Benestad, animal disease researcher at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, performed a necropsy on the deer that was part of a free ranging herd in southern Norway’s alpine regions. She is quoted by Nature as saying: “It’s worrying of course, especially for animals, it’s a nasty disease”.

With importation an unlikely cause, suspicions are that the disease occurred spontaneously or jumped species from the sheep prion disease scrapie.

Glen Telling, prion disease researcher at Colorado State University in Fort Collins addressed the mystery of its origins. “The $64,000 question is what is the origin of this case of CWD in Europe. What we do know is that once CWD is detected in new locations, it typically takes a foothold in that location, and is difficult to eradicate.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.