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I see that the BVA president, Daniella Dos Santos, has welcomed the appointment of George Eustice as environment secretary, noting that the BVA has had very positive and constructive dialogue with him over the …

The RCVS is a regulator. Its duty is to protect public interest and safeguard animal health and welfare. However, in recent years the college has also taken an interest in the wellbeing of vets and vet nurses – understandably, given concern about mental ill health. It has consistently emphasised its desire not merely to regulate but to do so with compassion. Hence the college’s introduction of innovations like the health protocol, whereby ‘out of court’ interventions can be used in certain cases where health problems, such as mental health issues, might affect individuals’ fitness to practise. The health protocol allows for the management of some vets and vet nurses via a ‘supportive framework’ to oversee remedial steps. As such, it is an acknowledgment of the need to balance the college’s duty to the public …

Vets in general practice have received notification of possible changes to the export requirements for dogs and cats after Brexit from three sources– the APHA, BVA and RCVS. There is a forceful recommendation coming from all three sources that we, veterinary surgeons in general practice, contact our clientele to make them aware of the possible requirements after 29 March 2019. Furthermore, there is a strong sense that we should make clinical recommendations for unlisted third country status where the process …

The new BVA position on complementary medicine was developed following lengthy discussions at both BVA Council and the Policy Committee. This process included presentations from representatives of the …

Building capacity is synonymous with sustaining development. Both are required to fuel progress and propel efforts towards heightening health and security. The urgency to build capacity has been catalysed by an increasing number of sanitary crises, threats, and disease outbreaks that have spanned countries, regions and continents. Education has often bridged the gaps in learning, but it has also divided the ways in which learning is practised. Differing cultural, religious and political beliefs, together with alternate economic priorities, have meant that countries have been advocating for education to meet their own specific needs, and not necessarily those of the international community. The varying contents of veterinary curricula around the world do not always demonstrate that the initial education of veterinary students provides them with the necessary skill sets to fulfil their responsibilities as key actors in the private and public sectors of national Veterinary Services. This has resulted in discrepancies in the competencies acquired by veterinarians and their capacities to uphold good veterinary governance and practices. To address this educational imbalance, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has drafted recommendations and guidelines to assist Veterinary Education Establishments worldwide with improving the breadth and depth of their veterinary curricula in order to strengthen their national Veterinary Services. The OIE has, furthermore, developed a twinning programme for Veterinary Education Establishments, under which learning opportunities for teaching staff and students are created and shared. Twinning has, to date, proved to be an effective and powerful mechanism through which developments in veterinary education through mutual capacity and confidence-building can be sustained.Le renforcement des capacités est synonyme de développement durable. L’un comme l’autre sont indispensables pour alimenter le progrès et canaliser les efforts vers un niveau optimal de santé et de sécurité. Le renforcement des capacités est devenu une nécessité urgente du fait du nombre croissant de crises sanitaires, de menaces et de foyers de maladies qui se propagent dans différents pays, régions et continents. L’offre éducative permet souvent de remédier à des savoirs lacunaires mais elle peut aussi créer des fractures quant aux manières d’apprendre. Les différentes croyances culturelles, religieuses et politiques mais aussi les priorités économiques successives ont souvent induit des politiques éducatives qui visent à répondre aux besoins spécifiques d’un pays plutôt qu’à satisfaire ceux de la communauté internationale. Les variations de contenu des programmes d’enseignement de la médecine vétérinaire dans le monde ne permettent pas toujours de garantir que la formation initiale des jeunes diplômés les dote des compétences requises pour exercer pleinement leurs responsabilités en tant qu’acteurs essentiels des composantes tant privées que publiques des Services vétérinaires. Cela se traduit par un écart entre les compétences acquises par les vétérinaires et les capacités requises pour soutenir une bonne gouvernance et des bonnes pratiques vétérinaires. Afin de remédier à cette disparité des contenus d’enseignement, l’Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (OIE) a préparé des projets de recommandations et de lignes directrices visant à aider les établissements d’enseignement de la médecine vétérinaire dans le monde à dispenser une formation plus étendue et approfondie, dans le but de renforcer les Services vétérinaires nationaux. En outre, le programme de jumelages entre établissements d’enseignement de la médecine vétérinaire mis en place par l’OIE offre de nouvelles perspectives pédagogiques, tant aux enseignants qu’aux étudiants. Le jumelage s’est révélé jusqu’à présent un mécanisme efficace et performant : par le renforcement mutuel des capacités et de la confiance qu’il induit, il pérennise dans les pays participants les effets de la modernisation de l’enseignement vétérinaire.Refuerzo de capacidades es sinónimo de desarrollo sostenible. Ambos elementos son necesarios para alimentar el progreso e impulsar una labor que permita mejorar los niveles de salud y seguridad. El creciente número de crisis o amenazas sanitarias y de brotes infecciosos que se han extendido por países, regiones y continentes ha puesto de manifiesto que urge dotarse de más sólidos medios de acción. La enseñanza ha servido a menudo para aportar al alumno conocimientos que le faltaban, pero a la vez ha consagrado diferentes maneras de aprender. El distinto bagaje cultural, religioso y político y las dispares prioridades económicas de los países han llevado a una situación en que cada país apuesta por un tipo de enseñanza adaptado a sus propias necesidades específicas, y no necesariamente a las de la comunidad internacional. Los heterogéneos programas de estudios veterinarios que se siguen en el mundo no siempre sirven para que el estudiante de veterinaria salga de la facultad provisto del conjunto de aptitudes necesarias para cumplir la función que le incumbe como pieza básica de los Servicios Veterinarios nacionales, ya sea desde el sector privado o desde el público. Ello da lugar a una gran disparidad en cuanto a las competencias que adquieren los veterinarios y a su capacidad para secundar las buenas prácticas y el buen gobierno veterinarios. Con el objetivo de resolver estas discordancias en la enseñanza, la Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal (OIE) ha elaborado recomendaciones y directrices que ayudan a establecimientos de formación veterinaria de todo el mundo a conferir más amplitud y profundidad a sus programas de estudios y, con ello, a fortalecer los Servicios Veterinarios de su país. La OIE, además, tiene formulado un programa de hermanamiento dirigido a dichos establecimientos, que ofrecen así a profesores y alumnos la posibilidad de formarse o de hacer intercambios. Por lo observado hasta la fecha, el hermanamiento constituye un potente y eficaz mecanismo con el que respaldar el desarrollo de la formación veterinaria, gracias a la creación de lazos de confianza y al refuerzo recíproco de capacidades.

Pathogens represent a considerable and ever-present threat to animal health, agriculture-based economies, food safety, public health and food security. Whatever the origin of the event (natural, accidental or intentional), the standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) enable countries to improve their organisation to reduce the risk, relying mainly on quality Veterinary Services, which can be assessed using the OIE Tool for the Evaluation of Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS). Setting up a surveillance and early detection system in line with OIE standards, underpinned by an animal health network involving a public-private partnership with veterinarians, farmers, hunters, laboratories and wardens of protected areas, makes it possible to deal with the appearance of any pathogens and to intervene rapidly to control and eradicate them. Emergency plans to deal with pathogens with the most serious repercussions on animal health, public health and the economy are vital and must be regularly assessed using simulation exercises in order to identify and implement any adaptations or improvements to them.Les agents pathogènes constituent une menace considérable et permanente pour la santé animale, les économies fondées sur l’agriculture, la sécurité sanitaire des aliments, la santé publique et la sécurité alimentaire. Quelle que soit l’origine de l’évènement (naturelle, accidentelle ou intentionnelle), la prise en compte des normes de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (OIE) permet aux pays de mieux s’organiser pour diminuer le risque en s’appuyant notamment sur des Services vétérinaires de qualité, ceux-ci pouvant être évalués avec l’Outil pour l’évaluation des performances des Services vétérinaires (PVS) de l’OIE. La mise en place d’un système de surveillance et de détection précoce en cohérence avec les normes de l’OIE, et reposant sur un réseau sanitaire axé sur un partenariat public-privé avec les vétérinaires, fermiers, chasseurs, laboratoires et gardes des espaces protégés, permet de faire face à toute éventuelle apparition d’agents pathogènes et d’intervenir rapidement pour les maîtriser et les éliminer. L’élaboration de plans d’urgence pour les agents pathogènes ayant les répercussions les plus graves pour la santé animale, la santé publique et l’économie est indispensable et ceux-ci doivent être régulièrement évalués par des exercices de simulation permettant d’éventuelles adaptations ou améliorations de ces plans sanitaires.Los agentes patógenos suponen une amenaza permanente y considerable para la sanidad animal, las economías basadas en la agricultura, la inocuidad de los alimentos, la salud pública y la seguridad alimentaria. Sea cual sea el origen del acontecimiento (natural, accidental o intencionado), el hecho de tener en cuenta las normas de la Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal (OIE) permite a los países organizarse mejor para reducir el riesgo, apoyándose básicamente en Servicios Veterinarios de calidad, que es posible evaluar con la herramienta de evaluación de las prestaciones de los Servicios Veterinarios (PVS) de la OIE. La instauración de un sistema de vigilancia y detección precoz que sea coherente con las normas de la OIE y descanse en una red sanitaria articulada a partir de la colaboración publicoprivada con veterinarios, productores agropecuarios, cazadores, laboratorios y vigilantes de espacios protegidos permite responder a toda aparición de agentes patógenos e intervenir rápidamente para controlarlos y eliminarlos. Es absolutamente indispensable elaborar planes de emergencia referidos a los agentes patógenos que tienen consecuencias más graves para la sanidad animal, la salud pública y la economía, planes que será preciso evaluar periódicamente mediante simulacros que sirvan para aportarles toda adaptación o mejora que se requiera.

The ability to minimise the harmful impact of biological threats relies on our capacity to rapidly detect unusual events, including the accidental or deliberate release of pathogenic or toxic agents, and immediately implement control measures. The development of this capacity for each country is the aim of the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), a legally binding document adopted by 196 States Parties, including all Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO). Each country's animal health sector contributes to the implementation of the IHR through surveillance, disease reporting and its response to zoonotic diseases, foodborne diseases and other events that emerge at the interface between human and animal health. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway allows countries to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of their Veterinary Services and identify areas that need improvement. The OIE and WHO have conducted an in-depth analysis of the differences and synergies between the tools used by WHO to monitor the implementation of the IHR and the OIE PVS Pathway, revealing a wide range of similarities, complementarities and synergies. Taking advantage of the outcomes and outputs from the assessment and gap analysis tools used in the IHR Monitoring Framework and the OIE PVS Pathway, and exploiting the strength of these institutional frameworks, WHO and the OIE have jointly developed methods to facilitate communication between the animal health and human health sectors. This enhanced dialogue improves operational coordination and more efficiently informs policy-makers on strategic investments to strengthen their preparedness for controlling the spread of zoonotic diseases.La faculté de minimiser l’impact néfaste des menaces biologiques dépend de la capacité des pays à détecter rapidement tout événement inhabituel, en particulier la dissémination accidentelle ou délibérée d’agents pathogènes ou toxiques, et à mettre en œuvre des mesures immédiates pour maîtriser ces événements. Le Règlement sanitaire international (RSI) (2005), un document juridiquement contraignant adopté par les 196 États parties, dont les États membres de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) a précisément pour objectif de développer cette capacité dans chaque pays. Le secteur de la santé animale d’un pays participe à la mise en œuvre du RSI à travers une surveillance appropriée, la notification des maladies et l’adoption de mesures en cas de zoonoses, de maladies d’origine alimentaire et de tout autre événement émergeant à l’interface entre la santé humaine et la santé animale. Le Processus relatif aux performances des Services vétérinaires (Processus PVS) de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (OIE) fournit aux pays la possibilité d’entreprendre une évaluation complète de leurs Services vétérinaires et d’identifier les domaines susceptibles d’être améliorés. L’OIE et l’OMS ont analysé de manière approfondie les différences et les synergies entre les outils utilisés par l’OMS pour vérifier la mise en œuvre du RSI, d’une part, et le Processus PVS de l’OIE, d’autre part, ce qui a mis en lumière de nombreuses similitudes, complémentarités et synergies. Sur la base des résultats et des données produites par les outils d’évaluation et d’analyse des écarts du Cadre de suivi du RSI et du Processus PVS de l’OIE, l’OMS et l’OIE ont exploité la puissance de ces cadres institutionnels pour mettre au point conjointement des méthodes visant à améliorer la communication entre les secteurs de la santé animale et de la santé humaine. Ce dialogue renforcé a pour effets d’améliorer la coordination opérationnelle et d’informer plus efficacement les décideurs politiques sur les investissements stratégiques permettant de mettre en place les conditions de préparation nécessaires pour lutter contre la propagation des zoonoses.La aptitud de reducir al mínimo los efectos perjudiciales de las amenazas biológicas depende de nuestra capacidad para detectar con rapidez episodios inusuales, como la liberación accidental o deliberada de agentes patógenos o tóxicos, e instituir de inmediato medidas de control. El Reglamento Sanitario Internacional (RSI) (2005) es un documento jurídicamente vinculante aprobado por 196 Estados Partes, entre ellos todos los Estados Miembros de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), que precisamente tiene por objetivo dotar de esta capacidad a todos y cada uno de los países. El sector zoosanitario de cada país contribuye a la aplicación del RSI con actividades de vigilancia, notificación de enfermedades y respuesta ante enfermedades zoonóticas, enfermedades de transmisión alimentaria u otros episodios que puedan darse en la interfaz de la salud humana con la sanidad animal. El proceso de evaluación de las prestaciones de los Servicios Veterinarios (Proceso PVS) de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OIE) sirve a los países para llevar a cabo una evaluación completa de sus Servicios Veterinarios y determinar aquellos ámbitos en que se requieran mejoras. La OIE y la OMS han analizado a fondo las diferencias y sinergias existentes entre las herramientas que utiliza la OMS para seguir de cerca la aplicación del RSI y el Proceso PVS de la OIE, labor que ha puesto de relieve un buen número de semejanzas, sinergias y aspectos complementarios de diversa índole. Partiendo de los resultados y productos que deparan las herramientas de evaluación y análisis de carencias utilizadas en el Marco de seguimiento del RSI y el Proceso PVS de la OIE, y aprovechando la solidez de estos marcos institucionales, la OMS y la OIE han definido conjuntamente métodos para facilitar la comunicación entre los sectores de la salud humana y la sanidad animal. La existencia de un diálogo más fluido se traduce en una mejor coordinación operativa y permite informar con más eficacia a los planificadores de las inversiones estratégicas necesarias para reforzar las medidas de preparación destinadas a controlar la propagación de enfermedades zoonóticas.

John Innes discusses the need for greater oversight of the veterinary medical devices industry.

The RSPCA is appealing to the veterinary community to help us crack down on the cruel and illegal process of ear cropping. This is a practice which has been illegal in England and Wales, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, for over 10 years. But, unfortunately, we know that it is still taking place. > Between 2015 and 2017 the number of reports [of ear cropping] increased by 157 per cent The RSPCA has seen a surge …

As dog bite injuries are a considerable problem in modern society, in order to reduce such injuries, breed-specific legislation has been introduced in a number of countries. Whilst many studies have shown a lack of effect with such legislation, the commonly used methodology is known to be flawed. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the Danish breed-specific legislation on the number of dog bite injuries using more credible methods. A time series intervention method was used on a detailed dataset from Odense University Hospital, Denmark, regarding dog bite injuries presented to the emergency department. The results indicate that banning certain breeds has a highly limited effect on the overall levels of dog bite injuries, and that an enforcement of the usage of muzzle and leash in public places for these breeds also has a limited effect. Despite using more credible and sound methods, this study supports previous studies showing that breed-specific legislation seems to have no effect on dog bite injuries. In order to minimise dog bite injuries in the future, it would seem that other interventions or non-breed-specific legislation should be considered as the primary option.

Adrian Pratt runs The Veterinary Business Consultancy, which offers business development support, coaching, mentoring and leadership training to the profession. Over the last few years, we’ve become used to paradigm shifts in the way we buy products and services. Airline tickets, taxis, hotel rooms and even cars are now regularly sold online or via a smartphone in ways that didn’t exist a few years ago. The companies driving these changes are market disruptors – they have usually challenged established businesses by using a technological innovation in the pursuit of bringing the consumer a better experience or a better product. Many have had skirmishes with legal and regulatory bodies, with the court ruling against Uber as an employer being a recent example. In each case, the incumbent industry has argued hard to maintain the status quo and to protect its current paradigm. Do we face similar tensions in veterinary medicine and how might they be overcome? In September, the RCVS held an innovation …

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Parliamentary intern Anthony Ridge has been researching neglected tropical diseases and uses rabies control as an example of how veterinary services can benefit the health and welfare of animals and people.

ANTIBIOTIC resistance has probably been around for a few billion years. After all, most modern antibiotics have their origins in bacteria and fungi (Balz 2007, Silver 2011), organisms that have long waged pharmacological warfare against one another. It is possible, for example, to find multidrug-resistant bacteria deep within caves that have been isolated for millions of years (Bhullar and others 2012). However, 65 years of widespread medical and veterinary antibiotic use has exerted strong evolutionary pressures on the populations of bacteria that human and veterinary health systems routinely encounter. Resistance has become more common and more troublesome; no longer a narrow technical problem for microbiologists and drug developers. In the past five years, antimicrobial drug resistance has climbed the political agenda (Davies 2011, Department of Health and Defra 2013) (Fig 1), with initiatives underway at the European level, in the USA, the UK, Holland, Denmark, and many other countries. FIG 1: Veterinary antibiotic use will rise up the political agenda as human healthcare systems focus more on antibiotic stewardship, and as governments provide direct financial incentives to the drug industry to fill the human antibiotic pipeline In 2014, the Prime Minister established an independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, the O'Neill Review. This was charged with analysing the situation and proposing concrete national and international actions to help tackle the problem (Review on Antimicrobial Resistance 2015). We, and colleagues at the Innogen Institute at Edinburgh university, were commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the O'Neill Review to assess the barriers to the development and introduction of new antimicrobial drugs and diagnostics for both human and veterinary use (Tait and others 2014, Scannell and Bruce 2014). We focused on regulatory hurdles and on the challenges seen by commercial drug and diagnostics companies. We reviewed the literature, and …