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Vet nurse awarded 2021 Louise O’Dwyer Scholarship
Jennifer Busby RVN has been named as the recipient of the 2021 Louise O'Dwyer Vet Nurse Scholarship.
Jennifer Busby has been granted a free place on Improve International’s Nurse Certificate ECC programme.

The 2021 recipient of the Louise O’Dwyer Vet Nurse Scholarship, organised by vet CPD provider Improve International, has been announced as Jennifer Busby RVN.

Jennifer, an anaesthesia nurse at Dick White Referrals in Newmarket, has been awarded a free place on Improve International's Nurse certificate in Emergency and Critical Care (Ncert ECC) programme.

Louise O’Dwyer was a world-renowned and highly respected ECC veterinary nurse who sadly died in 2019. Louise lectured on Improve Internationals’ Ncert ECC programme, but also its other nursing courses and congresses across the globe. 

Commenting on her achievement, Jennifer Busby said: “I am thrilled and shocked to have been selected as the winner of the Louise O'Dwyer legacy scholarship.

“Louise has been a massive inspiration and role model to me throughout my career. When I started veterinary nursing, a lecture of hers was one of the first I attended and I felt empowered through her passion and knowledge to further my own career in a similar way. 

She continued: “I have been lucky enough to be able to follow my interests in veterinary nursing anaesthesia but have always had a passion for ECC. Receiving this scholarship will enable me to further my interest and training in this field. I want to thank her family, together with Improve International, for this amazing opportunity.”

Dr Charlotte French, head of curriculum and quality and UK country manager for Improve International, said: “We wanted to do something special to remember Louise O’Dwyer, who was such a talented and well-respected speaker on this course and within the profession. 

“This annual scholarship in her name enables a veterinary nurse, technician or paraprofessional the opportunity of a sponsored place on our NCert ECC Programme. We would like to thank Louise’s family for assisting us in selecting someone whom they feel she would have considered would truly benefit from this postgraduate training and qualification.”

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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...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.