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Veterinary hospital first to trial new ankle surgery
Small animal specialist Neil Burton with Vinny and his owner, Ben Reyer.

Three-year-old Vinny reported to be recovering well

A referral centre and veterinary hospital in Stockton-on-Tees has become the first in the UK to trial a revolutionary new ankle procedure.

Wear Referrals, which forms part of the Linneaus Group, carried out the inaugural operation on Vinny, a three-year-old chocolate Labrador. It is one of three clinics in the UK selected by American firm BioMedtrix for a clinical trial of their new ankle replacement system.

Vinny is now on cage rest and is said to be recovering well after his treatment.

Neil Burton, a recognised specialist in small animal surgery and head of orthopaedic surgery at Wear Referrals, said: “This was the first case of a BioMedtrix ankle replacement in the UK and we are delighted on two fronts.

“First of all, the operation went very well and Vinny is doing excellently at the two-month post-operative stage. He’s off all medication, is walking well, there are no issues with the implants and the bone is healing uneventfully.

“We are also thrilled to be able to fly the flag as the first veterinary specialists in the country to undertake this surgical procedure.”

During the three-hour operation, Dr Burton was assisted by Wear’s senior orthopaedic surgeon Maciej Krukowski. The pair used the specialist prototype instrumentation to remove the damaged cartilage and bone in the joint, which was then replaced with the implant.

Vinny’s owner Ben Reyer admitted it was a “leap of faith” to embrace the pioneering surgery but said: “Neil was very open and honest that this was the first operation of its type in the UK.

“He talked us through the whole procedure, what the outcome would likely be and, after talking it through, we felt pretty confident in him and the BioMedtrix system, so we were happy to go for it."

He added: “The operation went as planned and Vinny’s doing well. He’s had his post-op check and everything is progressing as expected. It’s a very careful recovery process, though. We’re not taking any chances and we are doing everything absolutely to the letter."

Image (C) Newsline PR

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.