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Nematodirus warning for north of the UK
sheep and lambs
Cold weather in April will have delayed hatching of larvae, particularly in the northern half of England and in Scotland.
Lambs born in March/April face particular threat
 
Nematodirus battus will present a 'serious problem' this spring, according to the latest disease forecast from the National Animal DIsease Information Service (Nadis).

Cold weather in April will have delayed hatching of larvae, particularly in the northern half of England and in Scotland, where there is a very high risk of disease. Lambs born in March and April face significant a challenge as they will start grazing just as the larvae hatch. Similar conditions in 2013 caused serious disease problems.

As hatching will be affected by local conditions, farmers are advised to speak to their vet about the risks in their area. Daily updates can also be found on the SCOPS website (www.scops.org.uk).

Drenching should have been done in early May and potentially again two weeks later to ensure correct timings.

Ewes grazing contaminated pasture should have been treated with persistent anthelmintics before turnout, which will prevent reinfection for several months and reduce the larval challenge for lambs.

Faecal egg counts from rams should be monitored regularly as they are more susceptible to PGE and often graze the same contaminated pasture every year.

Ewes and lambs on safe grazing should not need anthelmintic treatment until lambs are four months old. Pooled faecal egg counts of lambs should guide the timing of treatment.

Benzimidazole (group one) wormers are generally recommended for control of Nematodirus battus, but will be ineffective against other gut parasites.

Nadis recommends taking faecal samples from lambs after prophylactic anthelmintic treatment to ensure adult Nematodirus parasites have been killed and that no eggs are present from other gut parasites.

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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.