I hit the ground running when I took office as BEVA president back in September with the equine influenza vaccination shortage being an initial priority. It was certainly a challenge, but I hope that by working positively and collaboratively with other organisations we have chartered a facilitatory course. No matter what we did, some people were not going to like the solution we proposed, but the aim was to find pragmatic and effective short-term solutions.
Science and six-monthly vaccination
There have been some very vocal critics of vaccination revelling in our extension of the influenza vaccination intervals and using it as an argument to try to reduce or eliminate the requirement for six-monthly vaccination in competition horses. BEVA and others have been at pains to point out that the science is very clear: a six-monthly vaccination interval offers superior protection for both the individual and the population and should be something that we maintain if we want to continue exposing our horses to an increased risk of disease through competition.
I would urge all BEVA members to familiarise themselves with the arguments for a six-monthly vaccination interval and to present a united and consistent message to horse owners so that we move forward after this unfortunate episode, not backward.
It is not acceptable to expose horses to an increased risk of infectious disease, and then transport them over potentially long distances knowing that this will be associated with immunosuppression
The importance of maintaining the protection of the national herd against influenza was brought into sharp focus with a dramatic spike in the number of flu outbreaks identified in the UK during October and November of this year. To the best of my knowledge, these were all in unvaccinated horses and most could be traced back to the mixing of unvaccinated animals at sales in the UK and Ireland. We all need to do what we can to encourage the organisers of any event/sales where large numbers of horses mix to insist on vaccination prior to entry. It is not acceptable to expose horses to an increased risk of infectious disease, and then transport them over potentially long distances knowing that this will be associated with immunosuppression, and knowing that transport is in itself a risk factor for respiratory disease.
As the use of horses, and other animals, in sports and leisure activities comes under increasing scrutiny, we do ourselves no favours by turning a blind eye to situations where welfare is clearly being compromised. Indeed, our social licence to use horses in equestrian sports has been the subject of a number of recent meetings and publications. The British Equestrian Foundation has produced some excellent resources on how to reduce the risk of introducing infectious diseases.
Fighting drug resistance
We continue to work collaboratively on projects to limit antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance – and there is a lot going on in this space. The British Horse Society (BHS) launched its “think before you worm” campaign at BEVA Congress 2022 which we have helped to develop and will continue to support. The BHS is urging all horse owners to consult with their vets to develop sustainable strategies for parasite control that limit the use of anthelmintics.
There are interesting discussions ahead on how anthelmintics are dispensed and it is essential that the veterinary profession leads by example. Moves to benchmark all antimicrobial use in equine practice are also underway and may become a legal requirement in the not-too-distant future. Having appropriate systems in place to ensure antimicrobials and anthelmintics are dispensed appropriately and having an associated audit trail should be the norm. The actions of a few can easily undermine wider efforts, so please review your practice policies around antimicrobial and anthelmintic use and update them if necessary.
Congress plans
BEVA Congress is scheduled to take place from 13 to 16 September 2023 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham. Plans are already well underway, and an exciting programme has been developed by the congress committee, led by Andy Fiske-Jackson of the Royal Veterinary College. Without wanting to tempt fate, we are confident that the COVID-19 shackles can be thrown off and we can organise a congress that celebrates personal interaction and face-to-face discussion.
The theme of implementing human behaviour change will be carried through congress, [considering] human behaviour change and how we have to understand our own species if we are to do a better job of treating the equine one
We will be easing back on the virtual offering in 2023 and will be investing in a lot more practical and case-based elements within the programme. The theme of implementing human behaviour change will be carried through congress, building on the recent special collection in the Equine Veterinary Journal on how we have to understand our own species if we are to do a better job of treating the equine one.
Collaboration
One of my aims this year is to develop and build on the incredible relationships we have internationally. There is tremendous scope for our worldwide network to be even stronger and for international collaborations to bear greater fruit. In the last four months, I have been busy travelling to our partner associations to understand how and where we can work together more effectively.
I have visited UK association events, meeting with the British Veterinary Association, British Veterinary Nursing Association, Sheep Veterinary Society and British Cattle Veterinary Association, as well as travelling further afield to meet with our international partners in Italy, Portugal, Ireland and the USA. We all face similar challenges and every meeting I go to provides a different angle or perspective that we can use to our advantage.
We all face similar challenges and every meeting I go to provides a different angle or perspective that we can use to our advantage
One thing that hit home to me when talking about BEVA at international meetings is the amount BEVA does for and offers to our members. The latest member benefit is the BEVA buddy app which provides a substantial free “toolkit” of resources for vets including podcasts and soundbites. The app also features a hub of information and guidance for owners that vets can share directly from the app to their clients when on a yard, as well as a built-in member discussion forum giving users the opportunity to chat and discuss with other BEVA members. It’s an essential friend on the road and means you will always have support to hand.
