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Farmers warned to prepare for increase in liver fluke
sheep
Sheep are at risk of infection of picking up liver fluke from now until the winter.

High risk in the North and West

Sheep farmers must be on their guard against liver fluke this autumn, according to a leading scientist at Moredun.

Philip Skuce, who is part of the Sustainable Control of Parasites (SCOPS) group, says the weather has provided ideal conditions for mud snails that act as a host during the fluke’s life cycle.

Dr Skuce warns that this is not going to be the same for everyone: “Some parts of the UK have been very wet, particularly in the west, whereas others such as the south-east have been relatively dry. As a result, NADIS has specifically forecast that liver fluke risk will be high in Scotland, North West England and North Wales.”

Sheep are at risk of infection of picking up liver fluke from now until the winter. Clinical signs of infection include:

    •    Abdominal pain, with animals reluctant or unable to move
    •    Anaemia, seen as pale eyes, gums etc.
    •    Submandibular oedema or ‘bottlejaw’
    •    General ill-thrift.

SCOPS advise farmers to investigate fallen stock and request abattoir feedback on evidence of fluke or any fluke damage.

They add that routine diagnostic testing can also help build up a picture of what’s happening on the farm. For example, fencing off particularly wet areas on farms, even temporarily, will help reduce exposure.

“Unfortunately, we know many sheep farmers will simply treat their animals for fluke without any evidence of infection or of how effective any treatment has been,” Dr Skuce continues.

“There are a number of flukicidal drugs available, each with its own spectrum of activity against different stages, and I urge farmers to use the SCOPS website to get to grips with this.

“Reports of resistance to triclabendazole (TCBZ), the drug of choice for treating acute fluke in sheep, have been increasing and guidance on this and suitable quarantine strategies for fluke can also be found on the SCOPS website,” he adds. 

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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. 

Click here for more...
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.