Medivet Podcast Medivet

We were so excited to be joined by John, Gareth and Collette in this episode. John qualified from RVC in 1990 and spent 12 years in mixed and small animal practice where he developed an interest in, and obtained a certificate in small animal medicine. Since 2003 he has worked in a technical role within the animal health industry within what is now MSD Animal Health. Having been responsible for most products within their wide companion animal portfolio, he maintains a keen interest in and oversight over their small animal vaccine portfolio amongst his varied responsibilities. Further information and support on any information discussed today from MSD Animal Health: john.helps@msd.com.
 
Collette graduated vet school from Bristol in 2016. She completed a research masters in parasitology - looking at lung worm - Angiostrongylus in foxes as a reservoir for dogs and Dictyocaulus in deer as a reservoir for cattle. Collette spent a year in first opinion practice in Dorset before moving back to Bristol to work in the Vets Now clinic there. She is now in year three of a 4 year PhD programme looking at canine leptospirosis diagnostics development and epidemiology in the UK. For further information on the leptospirosis diagnostic scheme that MSD and Collette Taylor are supporting : ctaylor18@rvc.ac.uk
 
Gareth graduated in 1994 from the University of Pretoria, and after working in various practices in South Africa and the UK eventually joined Medivet in 2003.  He became a branch partner in 2004, and set up Medivet Southend as a 24hour hospital, as well as establishing the Southend region.  He became a Senior Partner in Medivet in 2009, gained an RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Surgery, and was on the first RCVS list of Advanced Practitioners (in Surgery).  Gareth subsequently switched focus from hip replacements and cruciate repairs to regional management and clinical standards, and more recently has focussed on clinical standards, becoming the Chief Clinical Officer of Medivet (Head of Clinical Standards).  He has a lifelong passion for wildlife and birds, and especially the wild places of Africa.  Whenever he can, he escapes to the South African Lowveld and the wonder of Kruger National Park.  Gareth has a cat that has loved lockdown and joined in every Zoom or Teams meeting, as well as two dogs and two young boys!
 
Useful Links:
 
Impact of COVID-19 on companion animal veterinary practice- Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) - University of Liverpool
Canine Leptospirosis Diagnostic Scheme (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eu4j_FM4_J8Niaa_iGJ57m8rN3VT4Np1/view?usp=sharing)
Vaccination protocol (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hj5WB_wocwSNMynMDdc7BrjKyECnTjyL/view?usp=sharing)
 
References:
 
Recent epidemiological research on leptospirosis in dogs in Great Britain:
 
Taylor, C., Brodbelt, D.C., Dobson, B., Catchpole, B., O’Neill, D.G., Stevens, K.B., 2021. Spatio-temporal distribution and agroecological factors associated with canine leptospirosis in Great Britain. Prev. Vet. Med. 193, 105407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105407 
 
Taylor, Collette, O’Neill, D.G., Catchpole, B., Brodbelt, D.C., 2021. Incidence and demographic risk factors for leptospirosis in dogs in the UK. Vet. Rec. 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.512 
 
Leptospirosis consensus statements:
 
Schuller, S., Francey, T., Hartmann, K., Hugonnard, M., Kohn, B., Nally, J.E., Sykes, J., 2015. European consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs and cats. J. Small Anim. Pract. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.12328 
 
Sykes, J.E., Hartmann, K., Lunn, K.F., Moore, G.E., Stoddard, R.A., Goldstein, R.E., 2011. 2010 ACVIM small animal consensus statement on leptospirosis: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment, and prevention. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 25, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2010.0654.x 
 
Useful papers exploring risk factors for Leptospirosis:
 
Azócar-Aedo, L., Monti, G., 2016. Meta-Analy