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Minor changes made to PPE documents
Alterations approved by the RCVS

Following last year's update of the PPE Certificate and Guidance Notes for the UK and Irish Republic, minor alterations have been made to the documents in order to clarify whether the horse is ridden, lunged, or both.

The changes, already agreed by BEVA, Veterinary Ireland, and the Veterinary Council of Ireland, were ratified by RCVS Council on 7th June.

The PPE Certificate has now been amended to include a small section in which the examining veterinary surgeon can state how the horse was observed: when ridden, when lunged or both. The Guidance Notes have also been adjusted accordingly and read as follows:

"If ridden exercise is not undertaken then this stage may be conducted by exercising the horse on a lunge. It should be made clear on the certificate what form of exercise was undertaken."

The changes were considered necessary after it became clear that veterinary surgeons in Britain almost always see the horse ridden but many in Ireland prefer to observe the horse lunged, and the Guidance Notes did not accurately reflect this difference.

The updated Guidance Notes can be accessed here. New versions of both the Notes and PPE Certificates can be obtained from the Veterinary Defence Society.


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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Dechra launches checklist for veterinary sustainability

Global animal health specialist Dechra has announced the world's first Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC) to help make surgery more sustainable.

Endorsed by leading veterinary organisations, including the BEVA, BVNA and RCVS Knowledge, the checklist is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of veterinary care, while supporting better animal health outcomes.

The checklist was launched at the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Paris and will be followed by an internal training and awareness campaign. For more information, visit dechra.com