WSAVA – Vets on the Balkans - an online journal for veterinarians from the Balkans

WSAVA Offers Neurology CE to Balkan Member Associations

February 9, 2024

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) is offering a series of one-day seminars on neurology to its member associations in the Balkan countries.

The sessions will be led by Dr Thomas Flegel, Head of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Department for Small Animals, Leipzig University, Germany. He will show delegates how to use a neurological examination to determine a problem and the most likely causes. He will then use interactive case-based workups of common neurological presentations to discuss how to approach dogs suffering from seizures or the most common spinal diseases, as well as those with peripheral neuropathies. The sessions will take place as follows:

5 March	Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Contact bhuvmz@gmail.com
7 May	Skopje, North Macedonia
9 May	Priština, Kosovo
To be confirmed	Tirana, Albania
15 June	Venue, Podgorica, Montenegro

Dr Lea Kreszinger, a member of the WSAVA’s Continuing Education (CE) Committee and founder of a small animal clinic in Sesvete, Croatia, has organized this CE for WSAVA members in the Balkan region. She said: “Neurological cases can be daunting for general practitioners – a fact confirmed by a recent WSAVA learning needs survey, which highlighted neurology as a key topic on which our members wanted more education.

“We’re delighted respond by offering these free one-day sessions with Dr Flegel, a highly experienced practitioner and teacher. He will demonstrate that neurology doesn’t have to be complicated and show delegates how they can improve the quality of life of dogs with neurological problems.”

For further information and to register, veterinarians are asked to contact their country member association.

Latest WSAVA Global Pain Management Guidelines Launched

November 7, 2022

Updated recommendations and resources for pain assessment and management to support veterinary teams now available

An updated set of Global Guidelines for the Recognition, Assessment and Treatment of Pain, which incorporate advances in knowledge and novel evidence, have been launched by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA’s) Global Pain Council (GPC) during its annual World Congress in Lima, Peru. WSAVA association member representatives gave enthusiastic support to the new Guidelines, with many signing up to support the GPC’s pledge to improve pain management in companion animals.

Following peer-review, the new Guidelines have been published by the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP), the WSAVA’s official scientific journal, and are available for free download from the WSAVA website and from the JSAP website.

A key feature of the Guidelines is an emphasis on the use of pain scales for the assessment of acute and chronic pain in companion animals. They provide guidance, for instance, on selecting the most effective pain assessment tool based on the condition of the patient and scientific evidence, with links to relevant tools also provided.

In terms of pain management, the Guidelines take into account novel evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of both drug and non-drug therapies. For example, they evaluate the performance of new pharmaceuticals, including monoclonal antibodies, or those with new delivery systems, and evidence regarding the use of cannabinoids for chronic pain. They also discuss the use of non-drug therapies, including acupuncture – evidence of efficacy of which has increased in certain pain conditions. The Guidelines also stress that euthanasia should always be considered in cases where pain cannot be effectively managed and quality of life is poor.

Greater attention is paid to the role of emotions on the perception of pain in the Guidelines. It is now recognized that fear and stress can increase the perception of pain in animals so the document includes recommendations as to how to improve the experience of hospitalized patients, as well as giving advice to support the welfare of animals living with chronic pain and primarily managed by their caregivers at home.

The format of the Guidelines has been enhanced for this version to increase the accessibility of information with an increased use of visuals and graphics. Links to recommended tools are provided, as well as links to videos and additional resources for those wanting to further their knowledge.

A priority for the WSAVA is to provide Guidelines that are globally relevant. For the GPC, this means supporting veterinarians in regions with restricted access to analgesic drugs in working around the limitations they face. To help them, the Guidelines offer tiered protocols and highlight the role of local anesthetic techniques that don’t require additional training, together with the role of non-drug therapies to manage pain such as cold/ice therapy and the provision of a comfortable and safe environment to patients. They also discuss the importance of nursing and supportive care.

The Guidelines are currently available in English with translation into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and other languages underway.

Commenting on the launch of the updated Global Guidelines for the Recognition, Assessment and Treatment of Pain, Dr Bea Monteiro, GPC Chair, said: “Pain management is an area of veterinary medicine in which knowledge and understanding has expanded dramatically in recent years. Members of the GPC have worked tirelessly to pull together these latest WSAVA Guidelines, which now provide the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art resource available to support veterinary professionals, wherever in the world they are in practice.

“With animal sentience now legally recognized in many countries and jurisdictions, veterinary health professionals have a medical and ethical duty to mitigate suffering to the best of our ability. Despite the advances in pain management, pain still occurs more commonly than it is treated. We hope that these Guidelines will help colleagues understand the importance of pain management for patient health and welfare and that they will commit to:

Frequently assess pain in every patient
Taking measures to prevent pain and other negative emotions (such as fear and anxiety)
Treat pain using drug or non-drug therapies.”

The work of the GPC is generously supported by Zoetis.

“At Zoetis, we are committed to ongoing innovation, and we have long history of providing medications, tools/resources and educational initiatives to help veterinarians diagnose and manage pain in pets more effectively,” said Dr Mike McFarland, chief medical officer at Zoetis. “Pain has broad negative impacts on an animal’s health, causes suffering and lowers quality of life. Because we know that pain can lower quality of life and disrupt the important human-animal bond which benefits people and the pets they love, it’s important to ensure veterinarians around the world have access to solutions that can help better diagnose and alleviate pain in animals.”

The goal of the WSAVA Global Pain Council, comprising a team of global experts, is to create a global environment for companion animals in which pain is considered as the fourth vital sign and addressed appropriately. Its first Global Guidelines were published in JSAP in 2014 and have been downloaded from its website 53,000 times.

The WSAVA represents more than 200,000 veterinarians worldwide through its 115 member associations and works to enhance standards of clinical care for companion animals. Its core activities include the development of WSAVA Global Guidelines in key areas of veterinary practice, including pain management, nutrition and vaccination, together with lobbying on important issues affecting companion animal care worldwide. WSAVA World Congress brings together globally respected experts to offer cutting edge thinking on all aspects of companion animal veterinary care.

FECAVA and WSAVA Mark Blue Monday with Commitment to Veterinary Collegiality

January 19, 2021

The Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) and World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) have drawn up a set of guidelines outlining how veterinary professionals should conduct themselves among their peers.

Called ‘Global Principles of Veterinary Collegiality’, the document springs from discussions held during a VIP Summit at WSAVA World Congress in July 2019. During the meeting, veterinary leaders from around the world expressed concern at the additional stress caused to veterinarians by poor communication and collegiality within teams and among colleagues. They highlighted the additional pressures that this was placing members of a profession already challenged by well-being and mental health issues.

The document was launched on Monday January 18, known as ‘Blue Monday’, claimed to be the most depressing day of the year. While some country veterinary associations already have a Code of Conduct, many do not and FECAVA and WSAVA hope that their initiative will help all of their member associations to commit to a common standard of behavior in order to support the profession as it works to achieve the ideals of patient care as set out in the WSAVA Veterinary Oath.

The Global Principles were authored by WSAVA Past Presidents Dr Shane Ryan and Dr Walt Ingwersen, and FECAVA Senior Vice President Dr Wolfgang Dohne. The document sets out the key principles of professional collegiality which they identify as involving equal and reciprocal relationships between veterinary individuals and groups.

Dr Wolfgang Dohne

Commenting, Dr Wolfgang Dohne said: “Poor collegiality and communication add to stress and frustration among veterinary professionals and hold back veterinary teams. Mutual respect, courtesy and support of especially junior team members, together with good communication, results not only in a better working environment, but also in better clinical outcomes. It improves animal welfare and encourages the concept of life-long learning. These goals are at the heart of FECAVA and its national member organizations and we are proud to be co-signatories of this document.”

Dr Shane Ryan

Dr Shane Ryan added: “The mental and emotional well-being of the entire veterinary team and, consequently, our ability to ensure the health and welfare of our animal patients, can only be enhanced by practicing in a harmonious, collegial environment. The principles outlined in the document allow for courteous and respectful interaction with our fellow veterinarians to encourage a more productive and welcoming workplace. Strengthening collegiality is an important element of the WSAVA’s strategy to advocate for the profession globally to bring about positive change.”

The associations plan to follow up the Global Principles with an infographic for practical use in companion animal clinics. It will be unveiled during the joint WSAVA/FECAVA Online Congress which takes place in March 2021. The document and infographics will be translated into multiple languages.

Through its member associations, FECAVA represents more than 25,000 companion animal veterinarians in 39 European countries. FECAVA strives to improve the veterinary care of pets through professional development. It also provides a voice for companion animal issues at European level and works closely with other European veterinary organizations and stakeholders.

The WSAVA aims to advance the health and welfare of companion animals worldwide through creating an educated, committed and collaborative global community of veterinary peers. It currently represents more than 200,000 veterinarians through 110 member associations. Its annual World Congress brings together globally respected experts to offer cutting edge thinking on all aspects of companion animal veterinary care.

The Global Principles of Collegiality can be downloaded from the WSAVA website at: https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Global-Principles-of-Veterinary-Collegiality_WSAVA-and-FECAVA.pdf

Regulatory Convergence Key to Improve Access to Veterinary Medicines say Global Veterinary Associations

October 19, 2019

Eleven global veterinary associations have signed a Position Statement calling for increased regulatory convergence and harmonization in order to ensure that veterinarians globally can access the medicines they need to treat their patients. The Statement, initiated by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), is the latest step in its campaign to secure more equal access to vital veterinary medicines for companion animal veterinarians around the world.

Restricted access to veterinary medicines because of regulatory issues in regions of the world including Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, is a long-standing problem and limits the efforts of many veterinarians to provide optimal care to their patients. Sometimes, even essential medicines, such as those required to properly manage pain, are difficult to access, causing immense and unnecessary suffering.

The WSAVA recently formed a Therapeutics Guidelines Group (TGG) to spearhead its work in this area and to campaign to ensure more open access to these medications. Its new Position Statement is designed to raise awareness of the problems around regulation and to call on governments and regulatory bodies to act. The Statement has been endorsed by:

It follows a 2018 Position Statement from the WSAVA outlining a range of factors which restrict global access to veterinary medicines and the significant impact on animal health and welfare this causes. This statement also received wide support from the veterinary sector, including those associations listed above.

In a survey of its members conducted by the WSAVA during 2016-2017, 75% of respondents confirmed that that problems in accessing veterinary medical products hampered their ability to meet the needs of their patients and 20% assessed the impact of this issue as resulting in a severe restriction on their ability to provide a high level of care. During its 2019 World Congress in Toronto, Canada, in July, the WSAVA’s Therapeutics Guidelines Group convened a summit meeting of global veterinary associations and stakeholders to discuss potential solutions. The new Position Statement was one of the outputs from this meeting.

Dr Walt Ingwersen

Commenting, Dr Walt Ingwersen, WSAVA Past President, said: “Difficulty in accessing therapeutics to treat patients is a critical issue for companion animal veterinarians in many parts of the world. It causes huge frustration and means that many, if not most, companion animals globally do not receive optimum care. It’s a situation which requires urgent change and, working in partnership with our colleagues across the veterinary sector, we are focused on bringing this about.

“While a number of issues impact the supply of veterinary medicines, duplication of the regulatory medicines approval process in various regions of the world is one of the biggest and the focus of our Joint Position Statement on Regulatory Convergence. The WSAVA Therapeutics Guidelines Group has been working hard on the issue of access to and availability of veterinary medicines and will shortly be announcing the first of a set of practical tools to support veterinarians and their associations to lobby their own governments and regulatory bodies.

“To support them, we, as a global veterinary community, will continue to demand change at a global level and our Position Statements are proving effective in increasing understanding and prompting action.”

He added: “We thank our colleagues in other veterinary associations for standing with us and we will continue to collaborate closely to ensure that all veterinarians have access to the drugs they need to treat their patients.”

The WSAVA represents more than 200,000 veterinarians worldwide through its 113 member associations and works to enhance standards of clinical care for companion animals. Its core activities include the development of WSAVA Global Guidelines in key areas of veterinary practice and lobbying on important issues affecting companion animal care worldwide.

WSAVA and The Webinar Vet Collaboration Offers Free Access to Virtual Congress 2020

July 1, 2019

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and The Webinar Vet have joined forces to offer free access to Virtual Congress 2020 to WSAVA members from countries in which companion animal practice is still developing. Discounted registration will also be offered to all other WSAVA members.

The Webinar Vet’s Virtual Congress is the world’s largest online veterinary congress. The 2020 Congress will take place on February 1 and will include webinars from global experts on a comprehensive range of topics, including companion animal medicine and surgery, dermatology, emergency medicine and veterinary wellness.

WSAVA works to enhance the clinical care and welfare of companion animals globally, representing more than 200,000 veterinarians around the world through its 110 member associations. Its core activities include the creation of Global Guidelines that set standards for veterinary care in key areas of practice, including nutrition, pain management and welfare.

Dr Anthony Chadwick

Set up by British veterinarian Anthony Chadwick BVSC Cert VD MRCVS to make continuous education (CE) easier, more accessible and affordable, The Webinar Vet is the largest online veterinary community in Europe and is rapidly extending into the North and South America, Asia and Africa.

Commenting, Dr Chadwick said: “The Webinar Vet aims to help veterinary healthcare team members to become more confident in their practice and to fit their learning into a busy life in the profession without having to take time out of work or to travel.

“Thanks to all the tickets sold to developed countries over the last five years, our 1-4-1 initiative, under which we donate a ticket to one veterinarian in a developing country for every ticket we sell, has already provided free access to Virtual Congress to more than 5,000 veterinarians from developing countries as part of our mission of making CE accessible to all. We hope that by partnering with the WSAVA we can increase this ten-fold and we are delighted to offer all of its members from developing countries free access to the vast array of learning on offer at the event.”

WSAVA President Dr Shane Ryan said: “Increasing access to veterinary CE is the most effective way to advance the skills and knowledge of veterinarians around the world. Online CE can be an affordable and convenient option for our colleagues in those countries where traditional CE access is limited. We anticipate that many of our members will take up the offer of free or discounted access to Virtual Congress 2020 and so take advantage of the great learning on offer.”

Global Experts to Discuss WSAVA Research into Veterinary Wellness during World Congress 2019

June 6, 2019

Experts from around the world will discuss the implications of research undertaken by the WSAVA’s Professional Wellness Group (PWG) into veterinary wellness in a panel session during WSAVA World Congress. The discussion, called ‘Shaping the Future: Wellness in the Veterinary Profession’, will take place on 17 July, following a presentation of the preliminary results of a study of more than 4,000 veterinary professionals globally. They will be presented by PWG Committee Co-Chair Dr Nienke Endenburg, a human psychologist, who works at the veterinary school at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands.

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Dr Nienke Endenburg

Recognizing increased concern as to the impact on veterinary professionals of their demanding working environment, the PWG set out to assess professional wellness and the key factors which affect it globally when it launched its online survey in September 2018. Dr Endenburg will present the findings before inviting panelists to respond and discuss their perspectives on the issue. The panel members are:

Dr Marie Holowaychuk, a Canadian board-certified small animal emergency and critical care specialist and advocate for veterinary team wellbeing
Dr Jen Brandt, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Director of Member Wellness and Diversity Initiatives
Dr Derick Chibeu, Co-chair of the PWG and Honorary Secretary of the Kenya Small and Companion Animal Veterinary Association
Dr Vicki Lim, who works in New Zealand and is the founder the Riptide Project, an international veterinary wellbeing initiative
Mr Elwin van Oldenborgh, President-Elect of the International Veterinary Students’ Association.

Commenting, Dr Endenburg said: “Veterinarians care for our animal companions but the question is, who is caring for them? As a global community we wanted to gain a clear understanding of the challenges to their well-being faced by our members around the world and to find out both what they have in common and where their experience differs.

“The results of our research provide a unique global view of this important issue and we look forward to discussing these with our expert colleagues and exploring practical solutions that respect the regional, economic and cultural differences of our membership. It will be an important first step towards bringing about positive change and enhancing the wellbeing of veterinarians globally.”

The WSAVA works to enhance the clinical care and welfare of companion animals globally, representing more than 200,000 veterinarians around the world through its 110 member associations. Its core activities include the creation of Global Guidelines which set standards for veterinary care in key areas of practice, including nutrition, pain management and welfare.

WSAVA World Congress takes place in Toronto from 16-19 July. The Professional Wellness presentation and expert panel discussion takes place at 11.40 am on 17 July.

Purina Institute Announced as WSAVA’s First Diamond Partner

December 8, 2018

The recently launched Purina Institute has become the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA’s) first Diamond Partner. Its support will underpin the running of some of the WSAVA’s key clinical committees and initiatives. These include:

The Global Nutrition Committee (GNC), which produces research and resources to help the veterinary healthcare team and owners to understand the importance of nutrition in companion animal health
The Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee (AWWC), which promotes advances in companion animal wellness and welfare around the world. It will publish its Global Guidelines on Companion Animal Welfare at this year’s WSAVA World Congress
The Hereditary Disease Committee (HDC), which raises awareness and understanding of hereditary disease and genetic predispositions in dogs and cats
WSAVA One Health Committee, (OHC), which works to highlight the importance of the small companion animal-human interface on the global One Health agenda.

The Purina Institute is also a Global Partner for WSAVA One Care, a pioneering initiative to motivate veterinary associations in countries where companion animal practice is still emerging to raise standards of care.

Serving as the global voice of Purina’s science and its more than 500 scientists and pet care experts, the Purina Institute aims to put nutrition at the forefront of pet health discussions.

The Institute will connect the most innovative minds in pet health by facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration with veterinary and scientific thought leaders around the world. As a champion of nutrition, the Purina Institute will share the company’s latest scientific breakthroughs and will provide objective, fact-based information sourced from the wider scientific community on current trending topics across pet and human nutrition.

Commenting, Dr Jane Armstrong, External Relations Director for the Purina Institute, said: “We have supported the WSAVA for many years and, as its mission aligns closely with that of the Purina Institute, we felt it was the right time to step up and build an even stronger relationship.”

“The Committees we support align with the Purina Institute’s focus. Purina has long been a pioneer in advancing the science of pet health, so we look forward to the opportunity to participate in global nutrition conversations through the GNC. Additionally, our research on the human-animal bond reflects our commitment to making lives richer for pets and the people who love them. This is a key driver for our interest in the AWWC.”

“We are particularly excited by One Care as it supports the development of companion animal medicine around the world. The Purina Institute embraces its goals, especially the development of regional leadership to enable veterinary organizations to support individual practitioners.”

She added: “The WSAVA is the largest and most important global community of companion animal veterinarians. The team at the Purina Institute look forward to working closely with it on initiatives that advance the missions of both organizations.”

Dr Shane Ryan, Incoming WSAVA President, said: “The work carried out by our Committees is helping to transform companion animal medicine around the world but it would not be possible without the help we receive from our industry partners. On behalf of all of our 200,000 members, I would like to thank the Purina Institute for its most generous support and we look forward to working with the team in the months ahead.”

Diamond Partnership is the premier level available under the WSAVA’s recently launched Partnership Program.

WSAVA Targets Welfare with Release of First Global Guidelines for Companion Animal Practitioners

September 27, 2018

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has highlighted the key role of veterinarians as advocates for animal welfare with the launch of its Animal Welfare Global Guidelines for Companion Animal Practitioners and the Veterinary Team.

The Guidelines, launched during WSAVA World Congress 2018 in Singapore, aim to bridge differing perceptions of welfare around the world and help veterinarians to tackle the ethical questions and moral issues which impact welfare. They also offer guidance to ensure that, in addition to providing physical health advice and therapy to their patients, veterinarians can advocate for their psychological, social and environmental wellbeing. The WSAVA already offers Global Guidelines in key areas of veterinary practice, including pain management, vaccination, nutrition and dentistry.

Dr Shane Ryan, incoming President of the WSAVA and former Chair of the WSAVA Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, said: “As veterinarians, our responsibility extends far beyond the physical health of our patients. Animal welfare as a science is a new and rapidly developing discipline and veterinarians need current, evidence-based information to enable them to maintain the highest welfare standards and to provide knowledgeable, accurate advice for pet owners and communities.

“Our new Guidelines provide recommendations, checklists and other tools to promote optimal levels of welfare throughout the veterinary visit. They also offer guidance on increasing welfare beyond the doors of the clinic through outreach activities.”

He continued: “As levels of pet ownership increase in many regions of the world, including Asia, it is essential that veterinarians champion animal welfare and the WSAVA hopes that these new Guidelines will encourage our members to adopt best practice and set the highest standards.

“I would like to thank the members of the Animal Welfare Guidelines team, who worked so hard to create them and, of course, our sponsor, Waltham®, whose constant support was instrumental in enabling us to deliver them.”

The WSAVA has called on its members to develop an animal welfare charter for their members and to adopt the Guidelines into daily practice. 32 WSAVA member associations have already endorsed the Guidelines with more expected to follow shortly. During 2018-19, the WSAVA will develop relevant continuing education (CE) and provide additional tools and translations of the Guidelines text.

The Animal Welfare Global Guidelines for Companion Animal Practitioners and the Veterinary Team are available for free download at: https://bit.ly/2D3RAoc

WSAVA World Congress 2018 is being attended by more than 3,000 veterinarians from around the world and brings together globally respected experts to offer cutting edge thinking on all aspects of companion animal veterinary care. WSAVA World Congress 2019 takes place in Toronto, Canada, from 16-19 July.

WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group Project Continues in Latin America

September 14, 2018

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG) has held a series of meetings and continuing education (CE) sessions in Mexico. It was the final country visit in its three-year project aimed at enhancing levels of understanding of infectious diseases across Latin America and advising veterinarians on ‘best practice’ in vaccination.

Members of the VGG at one of the small group meetings in Mexico. Left to right: Dr Richard Squires (James Cook University, Australia), Dr Cynda Crawford (University of Florida, USA), Emeritus Professor Michael Day (Chairman, UK) and Dr Mary Marcondes (São Paulo State University, Brazil).

The VGG visit to Mexico took place during August 2018 and included meetings in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Committee members, including VGG Chairman, Emeritus Professor Michael Day, met with veterinary association leaders, academics, first-opinion practitioners and government regulators. They also made site visits to practices in all three cities. To support veterinary education, they delivered three evening CE sessions. The CE session in Mexico City was also live-streamed and made available to registrants for 30 days after the presentation. Altogether, over 2,000 veterinarians were reached by the live or on-line programme.

In advance of the visit, the VGG circulated an online questionnaire to collect data on veterinary demographics, infectious disease occurrence and vaccination protocols. The survey was completed by 552 veterinarians with the data presented during the CE events.

The VGG develops globally relevant recommendations for best practice in the vaccination of dogs and cats. It has also created the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Global Vaccination Guidelines, the latest version of which was released early in 2016. WSAVA Global Guidelines aim to support veterinarians by setting minimum standards for care and recommending best practice in key areas of veterinary medicine.

The WSAVA represents more than 200,000 veterinarians worldwide through 104 member associations and is focused on enhancing the clinical care of companion animals.

Commenting on the visit, Emeritus Professor Day said: “The VGG was delighted with the success of this visit to Mexico; a country with an estimated 45,000 veterinarians with students graduating from approximately 45 public and private veterinary schools.”

“Mexican veterinarians are accustomed to the principle of annual revaccination of dogs and cats with multicomponent products, but those we spoke to were excited by the new concepts of less frequent and individualized vaccination, incorporated into a preventive healthcare package for pets. Vaccine-preventable infectious diseases such as canine distemper and parvovirus infections, remain highly prevalent in Mexico. Increasing herd immunity by improving vaccination coverage is clearly an important goal for the Mexican veterinary community.”

He added: “We are pleased to acknowledge the financial and logistical support provided by MSD Animal Health for the work of the VGG and for this visit in particular. Colleagues from MSD worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our independent scientific programme ran faultlessly in Mexico.”

The VGG ran a similar programme of activity in Argentina (2016) and Brazil (2017) and, during 2019, a final white paper on the findings of the Latin America project will be prepared for publication.

WSAVA Endorses FVE/FECAVA Position Paper on Healthy Breeding Global companion animal veterinary association warns of the health and welfare risks of extreme breeding

August 6, 2018

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) is the latest veterinary association to highlight concerns about the impact of extreme breeding in dogs by supporting a Position Paper launched in June 2018 by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA).

The FVE/FECAVA Position Paper is a response to the explosion in popularity of dog breeds with exaggerated traits or genetic disorders and, in particular, those with extreme brachycephalic conformation, such as French and English bulldogs and pugs. While these breeds are increasingly popular with owners, they can suffer severe health and welfare issues. The Position Paper calls for health and welfare to be given priority over looks and offers detailed recommendations to address both the rising demand for these dogs and the increase in supply. They include:

Measures to reduce demand

Addressing demand for brachycephalic and other affected breeds through educating owners about the health issues they face
Working with influencers, such as media and celebrities, to encourage owners to choose a healthy, high welfare dog which is suitable for their life style.

Measures to reduce supply

Introducing the mandatory registration of breeders, pre-breeding screening programs and the sharing of data on conformation-altering surgeries and caesarean sections
Educating stakeholders and revising breeding standards and practices to put the health and welfare of dogs first.

FVE and FECAVA have also produced an infographic explaining the causes and consequences of extreme breeding and listing a number of recommendations.

“Extreme breeding is a global concern with our members seeing the results of brachycephalic conformation in practice on a regular basis. The suffering it causes is beyond dispute,” said Dr Walt Ingwersen, President of the WSAVA.

“Following detailed review by our Hereditary Disease Committee, our Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee and the WSAVA’s Executive Board, we are delighted to endorse the joint FVE/FECAVA Position Paper and congratulate both associations on highlighting the issue and setting out a clear strategy to tackle it. It builds on momentum established by the Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), an initiative which brings together all of the major stakeholders in dog welfare in the UK to improve the welfare of brachycephalic dogs.”

Dr Ingwersen continued: “Lasting change requires commitment and collaboration between veterinarians, breeder associations and other stakeholders on a global basis. We are ready to play our part and look forward to working with our colleagues in the FVE and FECAVA and our member associations to deliver on the recommendations made in the Position Paper.”

Dr Wolfgang Dohne, FECAVA President, commented: “We’re delighted that the WSAVA has offered its support to the joint FVE/FECAVA Position Paper. It is important for veterinarians to speak up on this important welfare issue and together we are stronger.”

The WSAVA aims to advance the health and welfare of companion animals worldwide through creating an educated, committed and collaborative global community of veterinary peers. It represents more than 200,000 veterinarians through 104 member associations. Its annual World Congress brings together globally respected experts to offer cutting edge thinking on all aspects of companion animal veterinary care.

Notes to editors:

The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) is an umbrella organisation of 44 veterinary organisations from 38 European countries, representing a total of around 240 000 veterinarians. The FVE strives to promote animal health, animal welfare and public health across Europe.

The Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) is the platform for the promotion of the professional development and representation of companion animal veterinarians in Europe. Founded in 1990, it currently has 40 national member associations and 13 associate member associations. FECAVA represents over 25,000 companion animal practitioners throughout Europe