News & Reports
News & Reports
Marking World Veterinary Day The BVA marked this year’s World Veterinary Day on April 25 with a warning to pet owners who might be planning to take their pets abroad to ensure that they do not bring disease back with them. World Veterinary Day is held each year on the last Saturday of April, and aims to raise awareness of the many ways that veterinarians contribute to the health and wellbeing of animals and people around the world. The theme for this year’s event was vectorborne diseases with zoonotic potential and the BVA drew attention to a number of diseases that UK pets travelling overseas could potentially pick up and bring home. These included leishmaniasis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, hepatozoonosis, canine brucellosis and echinococcosis.
John Blackwell, the BVA President, said that the Association did not want to discourage owners from taking their pets on holiday, but that they needed to be aware of the potential health risks. ‘Some of these diseases are very serious,’ he said. ‘The good news is that early intervention can treat many of these diseases and prevent the worst from happening, although there may be longterm health implications for the animal. The even better news is there are clear precautions owners can take if they plan ahead. The best cure here is prevention and the best way to plan for a happy trip without nasty parasites hitching a lift is to consult your vet as early as possible before you travel with your pet.’
doi: 10.1136/vr.h2291 May 2, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 449
Copyright of Veterinary Record: Journal of the British Veterinary Association is the property of BMJ Publishing Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
News & Reports
Marking World Veterinary Day The BVA marked this year’s World Veterinary Day on April 25 with a warning to pet owners who might be planning to take their pets abroad to ensure that they do not bring disease back with them. World Veterinary Day is held each year on the last Saturday of April, and aims to raise awareness of the many ways that veterinarians contribute to the health and wellbeing of animals and people around the world. The theme for this year’s event was vectorborne diseases with zoonotic potential and the BVA drew attention to a number of diseases that UK pets travelling overseas could potentially pick up and bring home. These included leishmaniasis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, hepatozoonosis, canine brucellosis and echinococcosis.
John Blackwell, the BVA President, said that the Association did not want to discourage owners from taking their pets on holiday, but that they needed to be aware of the potential health risks. ‘Some of these diseases are very serious,’ he said. ‘The good news is that early intervention can treat many of these diseases and prevent the worst from happening, although there may be longterm health implications for the animal. The even better news is there are clear precautions owners can take if they plan ahead. The best cure here is prevention and the best way to plan for a happy trip without nasty parasites hitching a lift is to consult your vet as early as possible before you travel with your pet.’
doi: 10.1136/vr.h2291 May 2, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 449
Copyright of Veterinary Record: Journal of the British Veterinary Association is the property of BMJ Publishing Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
