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No-deal Brexit could spark rise in demand for horse health checks
The UK would be required to apply as a listed country before horses could travel to the EU.
BVA issues warning amid concerns over veterinary shortages

A ‘no-deal’ Brexit could spark a rise in demand for vets to carry out testing on horses, the BVA has warned, at a time when the workforce is already experiencing significant shortages.

The warning follows the publication of Defra’s technical notice on animal movements which suggests that, in a no-deal scenario, there could be hurdles to clear before horses are allowed to travel to the EU from the UK.

The UK would be required to apply as a listed country before horses could travel, but horses would be subjected to a wide array of disease testing before they would be cleared.

If additional blood tests are required, the increased cost is estimated to be between £200 and £500 depending on the third country category the UK is placed in after leaving the EU.

Currently, a vet needs to hold a recognised equine exports qualification, in addition to their veterinary degree, to be authorised to sign an export health certificate. But a recent BVA survey of Official Veterinarians found that 66 per cent who currently hold this module are not planning to renew their qualification when it is next required.  

“A no-deal Brexit could see a surge in demand for vets to carry out disease checks on horses, heaping pressure on this specialist section of the workforce when they are already experiencing uncertainty and shortages,” said BVA president Simon Doherty.

“It’s doubly worrying that two-thirds of vets holding the required equine exports module plan to drop this qualification. This is partly due to some concerns about the current training and revalidation system being onerous, costly and not fit for purpose, and we have been working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to help identify where improvements could be made.”

He continues: “Finally if this situation comes to pass it will be critical that laboratories have the capacity and required support to deal with such a huge increase in demand for their services.  We will continue to engage with the government on these points as part of our wider activity supporting members and exploring the potential impacts of a no-deal Brexit on the workforce and animal welfare.”

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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.