VetNI

Veterinary Northern Ireland

A successful Spring Meeting for AVSPNI

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Over 60 vets from around the province gathered at the Glenavon Hotel on 3rd April for the Spring meeting of AVSPNI.  After a lovely meal, a brief business meeting updated members on current activities and upcoming events.

The floor was then passed over to our speaker for the evening Karin Mueller, Karin spoke about the importance of fluid therapy in farm animal patients.  She reminded us of the need to ensure sufficient volumes were given and continued for long enough to permit the kidney to be adequately reperfused and able to deal itself with any remaining electrolyte imbalances.  Her second topic covered the basis of blood transfusion and was very helpful in the range of simple practical tips that it included in how to manage what is often an emergency and unfamiliar situation.  Her final talk of the night looked at the issue of urolithiasis.  Again she had a simple and practical approach to both medical and surgical management of these cases and everyone left more confident about their ability to treat the condition.

As a bonus for members who could not attend Karin has agreed to prepare a short recorded talk on top tips for examining a sick camelid.  Members will be advised by email when this is ready to be accessed online.  We thank Karin for all her effort in preparing the talks and coming to Cookstown.

The meeting would not have been possible without the support of our very generous sponsors MSD and we thank then for their sponsorship and the ‘party bags’ everyone went home with. With all our new beanie hats there will be no more cold heads when out on calls.

AVSPNI Spring Meeting Registrations now open! Book your place!

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All vets are welcome to Karin Mueller’s three part presentation covering: On-farm fluid therapy (when and how); Dealing with urolithiasis in sheep and camelids and Top tips for your first camelid cases.

If you would like to book your place for the spring meeting on the 3rd April 2019 at the Glenavon Hotel contact VetNI on [email protected].

For more information on how to book click here

Thanks to our sponsor for our AVSPNI spring meeting MSD

The moment you’ve all been waiting for….Spring Conference Brochure out NOW!

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The AVSPNI spring conference programme is now here!  Our programme includes both vet and nurse lectures, some with practical elements. For the first time there are lectures specifically for the more experienced nurse. check out the great line up of speakers and book early to get the best price!
We return to the La Mon Hotel where we will host the most epic of parties on the Friday!  Don’t forget to bring your best ‘movie star’ outfit for what is always an amazing night!  

For the conference programme, CLICK HERE

For a PDF registration form, CLICK HERE

For an online version of the registration form, CLICK HERE

Annual training for NI TB testers

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REMINDER for Testing Vets! If you have registered with CAFRE for your compulsory annual online training, you should also have received your Username and Password from the TB Contract Team allowing you to access the course.
If you believe you are registered as a student with CAFRE but you have not received a Moodle Username and Password you should, through your Senior Approved Veterinary Surgeon (SAVS), email the TB Contract Manager ([email protected]) and the TB Contract Team will try to sort it out.

If you registered with CAFRE too late i.e. after 01 February you will not be getting a Moodle Username and Password at this time. 
Those who registered with CAFRE late and those who have not registered with CAFRE yet will have another opportunity to do the online training as the course will reopen on 01 April (but will close again on 10 April).  Those who have already registered but did so late will not have to reregister.
Further information about the reopening of the course will issue to SAVSs shortly.

All vets who want to retain their approval to TB test after 11 April must have completed the training.


Veterinary Medicines regulation in the event of a No Deal – VMD information on Gov.UK

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Throughout the government’s negotiations to leave the EU on 29 March the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has developed plans for all possible outcomes including no deal.
VMD has therefore published on GOV.UK  its EU Exit Information Hub www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-exit-information  which sets out what  vets and other stakeholders will need to do differently if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. It also sets out the areas of veterinary medicines regulation where there will be no change.
For vets the areas you will need to do things differently in the event of a no deal are:
–              Applying for a Special Import Certificate/Special Treatment Certificate
–              Operating the prescribing cascade
Please visit the Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s EU Exit Information Hub www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-exit-information  for detailed advice and guidance  on the above areas and all areas of veterinary medicines regulation that will and won’t be  changing in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. 
The VMD will continue to assure the safety, quality and effectiveness of all veterinary medicines authorised in the UK  to protect animal health, human health and the environment.

Be aware! Export of horses and ponies post-BREXIT

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Vets! Please check and familiarise yourselves with the government guidance on equine movements post-Brexit as you will be the source of advice for your clients. As well as travel to mainland Europe, the rules also apply to NI – R of I cross-border movements.

A Q&A sheet is included from DAERA here but please also refer to the Gov.UK site link above for the latest updates.

Time to end non-stun slaughter

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The A.V.S.P.N.I. is proud to lend its weight to the campaign to end the slaughter of livestock without prior stunning which was launched this week by the B.V.A. in conjunction with the R.S.P.C.A.  Among our core beliefs as an Association has always been the principle that the veterinary profession should give a lead in the wider animal welfare debate. As a veterinary organisation many of whose members work with food animals we feel that concern for the welfare of livestock at the time of slaughter must always be part and parcel of a meat-eating society. Our unwavering opposition to non-stun slaughter is longstanding. We understand that at present no animals are slaughtered in Northern Ireland without first being stunned. In the absence of a functioning devolved government there is no prospect of legal measures to end the practice of non-stun slaughter being introduced. For the present however we would call for the mandatory labelling of meat products with the method of slaughter to enable consumers to exercise their right to choose. The A.V.S.P.N.I. would further call for the import of meat products derived from unstunned animals to be restricted to the quantities required to meet the needs of those religious and ethnic groups whose beliefs require it. A moratorium on the export of animals for slaughter elsewhere without prior stunning is also much to be desired.  The slaughter of animals without prior stunning was outlawed in Denmark in 2014 and in the Flanders province of Belgium this year. The A.V.S.P.N.I. believes it time Northern Ireland followed suit.

For more information on this read this campaign on the BVA Website

Is an NI sheep scab inititative needed? Come along to this free AVSPNI meeting with Neil Paton

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AVSPNI are running a free meeting for anyone with an interest in sheep health and welfare. It will cover the topic ‘Challenging the Spread of Sheep Scab’. Our speaker Neil Paton works with the Welsh farming industry to eradicate BVD from Wales. To hear more about the Welsh eradication programme and aspects of the disease and its treatment, come on Tuesday 12th March at Greenmount college. To book your place for this popular event please contact [email protected] and to find out more about the meeting click here

Book your place at the ‘Anaemia & Bleeding Disorders’ meeting now! Places are Limited!

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Why not join us on Thursday 7th March for an interesting and important insight into ‘Anaemia and bleeding disorders’ taken by Laura Macfarlane.  This talk will provide an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of the myriad of conditions which can result in the presentation of the pale, weak and sometimes collapsed dog.  Don’t miss out on hearing about this common but sometimes puzzling clinical conundrum.  Places are limited and already filling up fast.

For more information and how to book , Click here

AVSPNI Endocrine Meeting – 7th February 2019

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“A brilliant night’s CPD” was one of the comments received about the February meeting on Endocrinology. There was a full house to hear Barbara Gallagher deliver an excellent talk on common conundrums in Endocrine disease. Addison’s disease, feline hypothyroidism and feline diabetes were among the topics discussed. Barbara discussed a diabetes case where the patient achieved remission and shared the factors which influenced this outcome. Barbara also shared other useful tips with the delegates. The evening was made all the more enjoyable with an excellent supper provided by Alex Berry. The desserts certainly seemed to hit the spot!!

Our grateful thanks go to Barbara who had a long drive home after the event.

Why not join the Committee for the next meeting on Thursday 7th March when Laura MacFarlane will be delivering a presentation on anaemia.

For further details click here