News and Views

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is reminding horse owners to take steps to minimise the risks of Atypical Myopathy. Bare fields and gusty autumn weather can heighten the chances of horses contracting this fatal disease, which is caused by the ingestion of sycamore seeds. Horses do not typically choose to eat sycamore seeds, however when pastures are bare, there is a greater tendency for them to be ingested as the animals forage for every last blade of grass. Wind can also cause

In the build up to its 60th birthday celebrations on 18thNovember, BEVA is highlighting 60 exceptional individuals who have had an impact on the equine veterinary sector. BEVA hopes horse owners will join in too, celebrating by sharing birthday cakes with their vet or veterinary practice. “Our 60 faces initiative celebrates some of the many outstanding people who have left an indelible mark on the profession and whose actions complement BEVA’s work in championing progress and/or dive

On 6 October 2021, the VMD welcomed 46 delegates to its first Introduction to Veterinary Wholesale Qualified Person training day. This one-day event was delivered by VMD’s highly experienced inspectors using a blend of lectures, discussion, and practical activities. It is important that VMD offers training to existing Wholesale Qualified Persons (WQPs) and those looking to become one. This focussed course for wholesale QPs is the first of its kind offered by VMD following their recent surv

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has put together a series of video interviews with some of the next generation of veterinary professionals, as part of the RCVS Black History Month activities this October. The conversations will feature black and mixed heritage newly-qualified and student vets and veterinary nurses, talking about what inspired them to join the veterinary profession and how they got to where they are today. The conversations will give an insight into the career adv

•All horses entered to run in a race in Britain must be signed out of the human food chain via its passport by 1 January 2022 •Equine Influenza vaccination requirements updated, in line with other European racing nations •Rules regarding use of bisphosphonates updated, in line with European harmonised position The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has today confirmed several changes to the Rules of British racing which are scheduled to come into effect in the coming months. Thes

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) have renewed their strategic alliance with the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) by BVA President Justine Shotton and BVNA President Jo Oakden at the BVNA Congress (2 October 2021). BVA and BVNA have worked closely together on a range of shared priorities since the first MoU was signed in 2017, from delivering actions developed through Vet Futures and VN Futures to supporting Team Vet

The Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has recently voted to introduce more flexibility into the requirements for English language testing of overseas-qualified veterinary surgeons wishing to join the RCVS Register, in order to help boost the number of veterinary surgeons eligible to practise in the UK. Until recently, any overseas-qualified veterinary surgeons wishing to sit the RCVS Statutory Examination for Membership, or to apply for full registration to practise in the UK,

Across the spectrum of species from horse to man, assisted reproductive techniques have become a recognised norm for breeding, not least within the sport horse world. To mark the appointment of BEVA’s new President Huw Griffiths, who has a special interest in stud medicine, the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) is sharing the latest knowledge on assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) through a special virtual collection that is free to view here until 27 December 2021. While the main reason

In a first for the UK’s equine veterinary sector BEVA has introduced a CPD Post-Mortem course entitled Finding Answers After Life. It will be held at the University of Surrey on Wednesday 20 October 2021. “If you have ever been called out to a dead horse to find a distraught owner and not been sure how to identify the cause, this course is for you,” said Sarah Gaspar, the Learning Manager at BEVA “We can’t remember any course ever having been run on this topic in th