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Nurses take part in beach clean for VNAM
"Litter, especially plastics and fishing gear, can cause devastating and often life-threatening problems for our wildlife and eco system."

Plastic drinks caps among the most common rubbish items

Veterinary nurses took part in the first beach clean for Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) this year, clearing 27 bags of rubbish from Old Hunstanton Beach in Norfolk.

The beach clean, attended by over 40 people, was organised by BVNA Council member Jo Hinde and RVN Diane Westwood-Rowland.

“Veterinary nurses are often giving their very little spare time to causes that improve welfare for both humans and animals,” Jo Hinde said. “Beach cleans are a great example of this. Litter, especially plastics and fishing gear, can cause devastating and often life-threatening problems for our wildlife and eco system.

She added: “It was super to have the support of nurses and the general public on the day and help raise awareness of this problem as well as highlight some of the amazing things that veterinary nurses do.”

The most common waste items found during the beach clean were plastic caps from bottled drinks, cotton ear bud sticks and baby wipes. Other frequently found items were fishing netting, rope and monofilament lines, which can all be deadly to many animals.

Diane Westwood Rowland said: “The importance of the beach clean was highlighted when we sadly found two deceased animals, a seal and a gannet. We do not know what killed these beautiful creatures, but it reinforces the fact that humans need to wake up to the damage they are causing.”

There are plans to include the clean up in future VNAM campaigns and expand it to beaches across the UK.

Image © Jo Hinde
 

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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.