More states direct veterinarians to report suspected abuse
US President Donald Trump signed a new bill that makes it a federal offence to intentionally harm animals. The bill does not include a responsibility for veterinary professionals to inform the police of any suspected animal abuse, however a lot of states are now requiring that vets report any such abuse. Interesting to see where this sits in the grey areas that will inevitably arise when a vet reports such behaviour only to be wrong and find themselves on the wrong end of a counter challenge for discussing a privileged conversation with a third party.
https://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=55429
New project aims to inform care of older dogs
PetSavers, a BSAVA charity, has awarded a Citizen Science research grant to support the development of a new tool to help veterinary professionals and pet owners work together to provide the best care to senior dogs.
Dr Carri Westgarth, the receiver of the grant said: “Dogs are living up to twice as long as they did 40 years ago and there are implications for senior dogs’ healthcare and wellbeing. As life expectancy increases, so does the amount of time spent in poor health. Many dog owners may not be aware of the signs of serious age-related diseases as they attribute them to normal age-related changes.”
Veterinary institutions come together and commit to evidence-based veterinary medicine
15 UK member organisations, vets schools and policy-making bodies have committed to veterinary medicine based on scientific principles. They have released a publication named: Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Matters: Our Commitment to the Future which shows the importance of evidence-based veterinary medicine. It can be read here: https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/evidence-based-veterinary-medicine/ebvm-matters/
WSAVA and Mission Rabies join forces on rabies prevention
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with charity Mission Rabies. The WSAVA will become an observer of the International Rabies Taskforce. Treasurer of WSAVA Emeritus Professor Michael Day said: “With the launch of the IRT, it is an opportune time to formalise our relationship so that we can work together to maximise the involvement of our small animal veterinary community in this major global push to eliminate canine rabies.”
Chinese vets pull off a world first on a big cat
Vets in China have successfully completed the first-ever cataract surgery on a snow leopard. The surgery took 3 hours to finish and the animal recovered well. This surgery will provide experience for confidently dealing with other big cats in the future.
https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/11/article/chinese-vets-pull-off-a-worlds-first-on-a-big-cat/
Do you need to sit still to be mindful?
Three meditation experts go through their opinions on the need of having to sit still whilst practising mindfulness. The main conclusions are no, you don’t. Being mindful can be exercised whilst doing anything you find comfortable – be it running, sitting or just on the bus. However, there is a clear positive impact on staying still whilst being mindful. What are your ways of practising mindfulness?
