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FECAVA AND ESCCAP unite to tackle vector-borne diseases
A dog with leishmaniasis.

Organisations working to better inform companion animal vets

Two leading companion animal organisations are set to collaborate in the fight against vector-borne diseases in cats and dogs.

The Federation of Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) and the European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) will meet at the WSAVA/FECAVA Congress in September.

The organisations will convene at the second meeting of the FECAVA working group on canine vector-borne diseases (CVBD). The group is working to better inform companion animal vets about emerging infectious diseases, such as heart worm, babesiosis and leishmaniasis.

Tools currently under development for veterinary practitioners by the group include algorithms, tables and travel advice for clients.

“Most companion animal veterinarians are insufficiently informed about these emerging diseases, and FECAVA has great potential to spread information on the distribution, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these diseases to practitioners in all parts of Europe,” commented Nenad Milojkovic, chair of the FECAVA working group on canine vector-borne diseases.

Ian Wright, ESCCAP’s guidelines director, added: “It is vital that veterinary professionals have easy access to the latest detained consistent advice from experts to help them make informed treatment decisions.”

Researchers hope that the tools under development will help raise awareness of vector-borne diseases and assist in the clinical approach in endemic areas.

FECAVA and ESCCAP will also co-author a paper on drug resistance which, according to Ian Wright, is "one of the defining issues in livestock, equine and human parasite control.” 

“While resistance has been much slower to emerge in parasites of cats and dog, there are huge data gaps in our knowledge as to how widespread it might be currently, and how likely it might be to develop in the future,” he said.

Image (C) © Filipe Dantas-Torres / Wikimedia

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
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Vivienne Mackinnon elected BVA Scottish Branch President

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has elected Vivienne Mackinnon as its new BVA Scottish Branch president.

Dr Mackinnon has over 30 years of experience in veterinary care, encompassing both small animal and mixed practice. She has worked in practices in Scotland, England, New Zealand and Australia, before joining APHA to work in frontline disease control.

In her speech, Dr Mackinnon reflected on the changes in Scotland's veterinary industry and highlighted her commitment to veterinary education.

Dr Mackinnon said: "I look forward to working with colleagues across the veterinary professions to improve animal health and welfare in the country and support veterinary workplaces."