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NOAH issues statement to clarify vaccination guidelines
Vet vaccinating Pekingese
NOAH says it has received many queries from practitioners about discrepancies on canine vaccinations.

NOAH statement aims to clear up discrepancies about canine vaccination

The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has issued a statement for veterinary surgeons on canine vaccination.

It discusses apparent discrepancies between global vaccination guidelines and advice contained within vaccine Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) and data sheets in the UK.

Following a recent publication from The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), entitled Vaccination Guidelines for New Puppy Owners, NOAH has received multiple queries from practitioners, seeking clarification regarding the messages it contains.

The statement clarifies that the publication is written from a global perspective. As many countries do not have the developed and educated companion animal market found in the UK, the available vaccines and their constituents and licensed claims are not universal across the globe.

Donal Murphy, NOAH technical executive and veterinary surgeon, explains: "NOAH members have received queries from practitioners seeking clarification when guidance written from a global perspective appears to differ from specific manufacturers' instructions, as set out in vaccine SPCs and data sheets in the UK.

"While there are some differences, we believe the profession within the UK has adopted many of the principles of the WSAVA guidance for some considerable time, such as annual health checks and determining individual requirements  in consultation with the owner."

NOAH welcomes any guidance assisting the veterinary profession in their determination of vaccine protocols, and helping to educate the public. Clarification is required on the routine use of non-core vaccines (particularly leptospirosis and kennel cough) and the role of serology testing to determine vaccination requirements and vaccine safety.

Mr Murphy says: "In the light of increased movement of pets from mainland Europe and beyond, the continued wide distribution of canine parvovirus and indeed the re-emergence of confirmed cases of canine distemper in a number of locations in the UK, the threat of infectious diseases to our pets is ever present and demands that a high level of vaccinal immunity is maintained across the country.

"It would be unfortunate if in seeking to provide 'best practice' advice on the use of vaccines, expert guidance was to lose sight of the need to maintain the confidence of both the pet owning public and indeed the veterinary profession itself in the continued value of the use of vaccines to keep significant infectious disease threats at bay."

NOAH believes the comment by the Veterinary Medicines Dictorate (VMD), responsible for the authorisation of veterinary medicines in the UK, sums up the value of vaccination to the health of our pets: '…the benefits of vaccination are considered significantly greater than the risks of infection by the ever present canine infectious diseases in the UK.'

Click here to view the statement.

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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. 

Click here for more...
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.