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NOAH issues warning over ‘anti-vaxx’ movement
Vaccinations in dogs and cats fell by seven per cent from 2011-2017.
Vaccine hesitancy could give rise to serious preventable diseases

The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) is warning that the ‘anti-vaxx’ movement could give rise to deadly diseases in pets and humans alike, as pet owners become increasingly cautious about vaccinations.

Chief executive Dawn Howard said vaccination has “to some extent become a victim of its own success” as many pet owners no longer see preventable diseases such as parvovirus and canine distemper first hand, meaning they may not see vaccinations as necessary.

According to the latest figures from the PDSA Animal Wellbeing report, vaccinations in dogs and cats fell by seven per cent from 2011-2017. Furthermore, just 50 per cent of rabbits had received a primary vaccination in 2017 and only 55 per cent received annual boosters. NOAH said vaccine coverage is falling ‘dangerously low’ for achieving herd immunity.

Misconceptions surrounding vaccinations are another potential problem - for example, many owners believe indoor cats do not need vaccinations.

Anti-vaxx sentiment is also thought to be on the rise. In human medicine in the US, the anti-vaxx movement has prompted an emergency outbreak of measles in New York state. Measles cases rose sharply in the UK in 2018, mainly spreading from Europe, but particularly in teenagers who were not vaccinated when young.

“Vaccine hesitancy has been named by the World health Organisation (WHO) as one of the top 10 health threats of the year,” Ms Howard said. “It has been suggested by a leading vet that lack of uptake in the veterinary medicine sector could similarly increase the risk of previously eradicated or seldom seen diseases in our pets.”

It is also “important to understand and overcome” barriers to vaccination, she added. NOAH is urging pet owners to speak to their vet about the best way to protect their pet.

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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.