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UK veterinary antibiotic sales lowest in 25 years
Sales of the highest priority critically important antibiotics fell by 29 per cent between 2016 and 2017.
Report shows 18 per cent fall between 2016 and 2017

Sales of veterinary antibiotics in the UK have fallen to their lowest level in 25 years, according to a report published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.  

The 2017 UK Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance and Sales Surveillance (VARSS) report shows that sales of veterinary antibiotics fell by 18 per cent between 2016 and 2017 to reach a low of 37mg/kg. Sales have also fallen 40 per cent since the publication of the UK AMR strategy in 2013.

The report also found that sales of the highest priority critically important antibiotics fell by 29 per cent between 2016 and 2017 to 0.8 per cent of sales.

Rural affairs and biosecurity minister Lord Gardiner said: “These results show an encouraging reduction of antibiotic use in pigs, poultry and other food-producing animals. I hope that the results will set a further example for our food and farming sectors to tackle the threat of antimicrobial resistance.

“As we know, good farm management, biosecurity and animal husbandry systems are crucial to achieving this.

The UK’s chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, added: “A 40 per cent drop in sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals between 2013 and 2017 is an excellent achievement. This is the result of year-on-year improvement in training, stewardship, stockmanship and disease control.

“I praise the industry for their commitment to successfully deliver responsible use of antibiotics and reductions. We must continue to champion infection prevention and disease control to ensure high animal health standards and the optimised use of antimicrobials.”

The VARSS report provides the previous years’ data on the quantity of authorised antibiotics for use in animals sold throughout the UK and results from surveillance programmes looking at antibiotic resistance in animals.

This year’s report for the first time presents data on the use of antibiotics in the beef, trout and salmon industries, in addition to meat poultry pig, dairy, game bird and laying hens industries. 

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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.