Maximising Value of Extra-Mural Study Placements on Cattle, Sheep and Horse Units

Bristol and Glasgow Universities 2009 -

Norman Hayward Fund funded study

This proposal aims to develop and validate welfare and health planning assessment tools for cattle, sheep and horses for students on their Extra Mural Study (EMS) placements. It will also be develop teaching methods to enhance the ability of veterinary students to apply formal, scientifically valid, practical welfare assessment in the field and enable them to ethically appraise what they see and do.

On receiving BVA AWF funding, the project collaborators, Dr David Main and Dr Dorothy McKeegan, said "We are delighted that BVA AWF are supporting the development of novel teaching approaches to EMS placements. Direct exposure to the cattle, sheep and horses during EMS can have profound effects on both a student's future career and attitudes towards animal care. We are keen to maximise the benefits of EMS by providing welfare, health planning and ethical analysis tools to further promote the educational experience."

BVA AWF Funded leaflet for Pig Farmers:

Pig Veterinary Society

Casualty Pig leaflet 2009

The booklet is intended for the use of stock keepers on farms, staff in abattoirs, veterinary surgeons, and by transporters, to give guidance and knowledge in care, treatment, and euthanasia of the casualty pig.

It also indicates the responsibilities and decisions related to the “Casualty Pig”, as well as the legal requirements and has more emphasis on the care of and welfare of the casualty pig than earlier editions.

Veterinary practices wishing to obtain copies for their clients can contact BVA AWF trustee David Chennells, via email at acornhousevets@btconnect.com. Please note there will be a small charge for postage and packaging.

Animal Welfare and the Interface with Disease:

An international Symposium

16th - 17th April 2008

We were pleased to provide sponsorship for a two day international symposium held at Bristol University in April 2008.

Sessions covered the fundamentals of animal welfare, stress and disease, and considered how this scientific knowledge of animal welfare and disease could be implemented under commercial conditions. The symposium also brought together highly regarded speakers from the UK, Europe, and the United States from diverse yet related fields.

The symposium proceedings and published records of the event were made available in both paper form and online and are intended to be used as a resource for those interested in the areas covered.

BVA AWF Animal Welfare Forum for Veterinary Students

Every September 

Animal Day

Welfare and awareness of domestic and wild animals

7th June 2007

BVA AWF provided sponsorship to the Waterloo Green Trust for their Animal Day which took place in June 2007.  The event was opened to children from local schools and comprised of various stalls each providing educational talks and activities on specialist subjects such as ecology, farm animals and bees.  The children involved live in inner London and many of them have little or no contact with animals and wildlife.  They were extremely interested in all of the activities and were given the opportunity to ask questions and touch the animals.  This event clearly meets the Foundation’s objectives and provides welfare education at a grass roots level.

For further information about this event click here.

University Lectureships

At the universities of Bristol, Glasgow and Liverpool

2003 - 2008

In 2003 the Foundation announced the launch of three BVA:AWF lectureships in animal welfare at the universities of Bristol, Glasgow and Liverpool. This project was designed to support the development of an integrated approach to teaching animal welfare within the veterinary curriculum nationally. Following the initial four year funding commitment all three lecturer posts have become permanently establised. The collaborative approach between the universities allows for considerable cross fertilisation and the exchange of ideas and information together with planned rotational weeks between all the schools by the three lecturers.

The trustees are satisfied that this initiative, in strengthening welfare teaching in veterinary schools, will continue to have positive repercussions and demonstrates the commitment of the Foundation to improve animal welfare through education.

For further information about the lecturerships click here

BVA AWF Sponsored Awards

Hartpury College Graduation Ceremony

29th November 2007

The Foundation is delighted to sponsor three prizes for graduates at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire each year.  The BVA AWF trophies were presented to the top FdSc Animal Behaviour and Welfare Student; the top BSc Animal Behaviour and Welfare Student and the top Veterinary Science/ Health Studies Student at their graduation ceremony in November 2007.

Facial Expression of Pain in Horses

Bristol University 2009 -

Norman Hayward Fund funded study

Pain is a complex, dynamic, physiological and emotional phenomenon that leads to suffering and distress in animals. Assessment and identification of pain in horses presents owners and veterinary surgeons with a significant challenge since there are currently no reliable, repeatable pain assessment tools validated for use in this species.

We hope this investigation will lead to the development of a BVA Animal Welfare Foundation "Horse Grimace Scale" which could be used by owners and veterinary surgeons to identify pain in horses.

A study on the prevalence and risk factors for feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS)

2005-2008

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is characterised by inflammation and ulceration of the gums and in the mouth.  The inflammation leads to pain, difficult in eating and sometimes bleeding.  Unfortunately, the disease tends to be chronic and generally does not respond well to treatment.  The level of discomfort becomes a welfare issue and euthanasia of such cases in not uncommon.

The BVA AWF has provided funding for a PhD study which has been carried out at Liverpool Univeristy.  The study is near completion and more information can be found in the following report.

17th and 18th March 2007

The BVA AWF is working in partnership with the BCT, the RSPCA and the RCVS Trust on a new initiative focusing on the rehabilitation of wild bats in the UK. The BCT has developed the Bat Welfare (Care and Rehabilitation) Project aiming to set out best practice and deliver training to anyone treating and caring for bats.

A best practice workshop attended by seven of the UK’s most experienced rehabilitators, a veterinary expert, RSPCA Wildlife Coordinator and BCT representatives was held in 2007. Supported by BVA AWF funding, the BCT have now produced best practice guidelines for volunteers and professionals based on the outcomes of the workshop.

If you are a veterinary surgeon and wish to obtain a copy of the guidelines please email Helen Miller at the BCT at: HMiller@bats.org.uk

For further information about this project click here

Garden Bird Health initiative

2005-2009

Disease outbreaks occur quite commonly in garden birds and the research, started in March 2005, is aimed at investigating their causes and prevention.   As part of the project, the GBHi team launched a hotline in late April 2005 and logged a total of 670 phone calls in the first year alone. In excess of 1000 volunteers were also successfully recruited and began surveillance in October 2005 to record and investigate causes of garden bird mortality associated with feeding stations in gardens across the UK. The results of this study were used as a basis for the development of best practice guidelines for the general public on feeding garden birds which are now available at: www.bva-awf.org.uk/resources/leaflets/ .

For further information about this project click here

Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB)

Pain Management in Cats study

2005-2007

Domestic cats are one of the most common domestic pets, but, as a result of their unique behavioural and physiological makeup, they have been somewhat neglected in development of appropriate techniques for managing pain.  This BVA AWF funded study aimed to assess the efficacy of a group of analgesics known as NSAIDS and investigate non invasive ways of assessing analgesic efficacy.  The investigation successfully developed a humane method for laboratory study of NSAID analgesia in cats.

For further information about this project click here

BEVA practice-based study on the factors affecting return to soundness in acute, pasture-associated laminitis

2004-2009

Laminitis is an extremely common and painful condition that affects all types of horses, but is particularly prevalent in ponies during the spring and summer months.  Laminitis can progress from an acute lameness of all four limbs to chronic and irreversible damage to the structure of the hooves.

In BVA AWF funded study members of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) documented cases over four years and found that overweight animals which develop laminitis tend to have more severe signs than those of optimal weight.

Reporting on the study conclusions the principal investigator and veterinary surgeon, Celia Marr, said “When laminitis does occur, overweight animals are more likely to die of the disease than their thinner counterparts. The animals with the best outcome tended to be those that had received acepromazine, a drug that improves the blood supply to the feet and relaxes the animal. Horse owners and vets are encouraged to ensure that horses and ponies are not allowed to become excessively fat as this can have a significant effect on their health, as we have seen in this study.”

Quantitative Assessment of Pain in Laminitic Horses

University of Edinburgh

2004 - 2007

All horses are at risk of suffering from laminitis; it is an extremely common condition which causes severe and enduring pain.  It has catastrophic effects on the performance and welfare of affected horses, and the costs of treatment can be both high and prolonged. 

The BVA AWF was therefore delighted support a study at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh which was completed in 2007.  The team successfully developed, tested and validated a hoof tester for routinely assessing the pain sensitivity of the feet of horses with laminitis.  This tool allows the effectiveness of old and new treatments for pain from laminitis to be tested. 

Please click here for the final report.

Society for Experimental Biology meeting:

Integrating animal physiology and behaviour: towards ecological relevance and animal welfare

3rd - 4th March 2007

This symposium was held at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Main Meeting in Glasgow on the 3rd and 4th of March, 2007. One of the invited speakers, Dr Lynne Sneddon from the University of Liverpool, was sponsored by The BVA AWF. Lynne gave a talk titled ‘Assessing Pain Perception in Fish from Physiology to Behaviour’ which highlighted the need to understand whether fish are capable of experiencing negative welfare states during procedures associated with industry and experimentation.

For further information click here

Glasgow University Veterinary Medical Association (GUVMA) Symposium 2007

23rd February 2007

This years BVA AWF sponsored GUVMA animal welfare symposium took place on Friday 23rd February at the University of Glasgow’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Garscube. The aim of the afternoon was to promote learning, discussion and awareness of issues concerning the welfare of animals.

For further information about this event click here