Published: 09 Jan 2019 | Last Updated: 09 Jan 2019 09:45:59

Read on to find out more about some of the work we have published over the last couple of months...

Equine laminitis in Great Britain

Danica Pollard and Kristien Verheyen have published a paper in conjunction with Rossdales Equine Hospital and the Animal Health Trust exploring incidence and clinical signs of owner‐reported equine laminitis in a cohort of horses and ponies in Great Britain. They concluded that laminitis remains a considerable year‐round welfare issue of horses and ponies, and that frequency estimates utilising owner‐reported data are more representative of the true impact of the disease. The clinical signs reported by horse/pony owners were reflective of those previously described by veterinary surgeons. Read more here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13059

Pig production diseases in Lao PDR

Hannah Holt has published a paper in conjunction with a large consortium of partners looking at production diseases in smallholder pig systems in rural Lao PDR. The results demonstrated that pigs in Lao PDR had antibodies against erysipelas (45.2%), CSF (11.2%), PRRS (8.6%), FMD O (17.2%) and FMD Asia 1, (3.5%). These diseases constrain the development of village farming and the wider livestock industry due to their impact on productivity and trade. Find out more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167587718304926?via%3Dihub

Degenerative mitral valve disease in dogs in the UK

Maddie Mattin and Dave Brodbelt have published a paper in conjunction with fellow RVC colleagues David Church and Adrian Boswood, looking at the factors associated with disease progression in dogs with presumed preclinical degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD). They concluded that among dogs attending primary care veterinary practices in the United Kingdom, those with stage B DMVD identified as having a high risk of disease progression might benefit from more frequent monitoring or further diagnostic evaluation. The prognostic factors identified could facilitate risk stratification of dogs presenting with preclinical DMVD. Read more here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvim.15390

Safety and nutrition of pork consumption in Vietnam

Barbara Häsler has published a paper in partnership with colleagues at International Livestock Research Institute, Hanoi University of Public Health and Vietnam National University of Agriculture, on a rapid integrated assessment of food safety and nutrition related to pork consumption of regular consumers and mothers with young children in Vietnam. This rapid assessment revealed considerable interest and knowledge on pork nutrition and safety and found some behavioural but few quality and safety differences between traditional and intensifying systems. This indicated marketed pork is of low quality and safety, and there is a lack of support to consumers in making good choices. Find out more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211912418301238