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Vets ‘integral’ to stopping EI spread, AHT says
June was said to be a ‘bumper period’ for EI, accounting for just over a third of all cases so far this year in just one month.

Latest update prompts concerns over equine events 

Vets are ‘integral’ to stopping the spread of equine influenza in the UK, the Animal Health Trust (AHT) has said, following a recent update that raises concerns about equine events.

In an email to the Equine Veterinary Group (UK), Dr Richard Newton and Fleur Whitlock said the AHT is continuing to report confirmed cases of equine influenza, with total outbreaks approaching 180 so far this year.

June was said to be a ‘bumper period’ for EI, accounting for just over a third of all cases so far this year in just one month. However, these cases are thought to be an underestimation of the true extent of outbreaks, with many cases going undiagnosed.

The AHT said there has been a week-on-week increase in the number of confirmed cases since the end of April. Increased movement and riding of horses in late spring and summer is said to be a contributing factor, as well as un-vaccinated animals attending events that do not demand EI vaccination as an entry requirement.

AHT put together a series of recommendations for horse owners and event organisers, stressing the importance of the veterinary profession in sharing these messages.

Recommendations include ensuring all horses attending events are vaccinated, ideally confirming vaccination status before arrival. Events are strongly recommended to only accept horses that have had a booster within the past six months, when they are at least five days post-vaccination.

Organisers should confirm there has been no recent history of infectious disease on the competitors’ home yard before they leave for the event.

Owners should also be advised about biosecurity at the competition and when they get back to their home premises. In addition, AHT provided guidance on best practice for introducing new equines to premises.

Vets were also advised to optimise biosecurity between routine calls, as well as carrying appropriate equipment for decontamination and only visiting suspected infectious disease cases at the end of the day as the last call.

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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.