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Dutch retailers withdraw eggs over fipronil concerns
Many supermarket chains have removed Dutch eggs from their shelves.
Insecticide banned for use on animals intended for consumption

Dutch retailers are withdrawing eggs from their shelves over fears they could be contaminated with fipronil.

Traces of the insecticide were reportedly found in Belgium and the Netherlands last month, which has led to some poultry farms shutting down and to supermarkets halting the sale of eggs.

According to news agency Reuters, German authorities are working to examine all egg supplies and to determine where they originated. But German agriculture minister Christian Schmidt said the likelihood of a health hazard was very unlikely.

"The situation is under control, but we cannot give the all-clear signal yet ... We are taking this very seriously," Schmidt told the Straubinger Tagblatt/Landshuter Zeitung newspaper group.

Last week the Dutch Food and Safety Authority (NVWA) issued a warning to consumers urging them to avoid a specific type of egg recognisable by specific serial numbers. However, some 180 cattle farms, rearing companies and hatcheries have been temporarily shut down.

Many supermarket chains including Penny and Germany’s REWE have removed Dutch eggs from their shelves. On Friday, Aldi stores confirmed that is has halted all egg sales, regardless of origin. Albert Heijn - the country’s largest supermarket - also said that it has removed two-thirds of the eggs it normally sells.

Often used in veterinary products against mites, fleas and ticks, fipronil is banned for use on animals intended for consumption. For the World Health Organisation (WHO) fipronil is “moderately toxic” to humans and, in large quantities, it can damage the kidney, liver or thyroid gland. 

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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.