FECAVA Newsletter – March 2023
Dear FECAVA Community
In March, quite a lot was going on for FECAVA. It started with a SAVAB-Flanders – Belgian Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress on Neurology. Dr. Ann Criel, FECAVA General Secretary, was part of the organizing team. She added a flavor of FECAVA to the happening with rollups and T-shirts from the « If only I could breathe » Campaign. One and only Dr. Holger Volk posed with the T-shirt on social media; we couldn’t ask for a better ambassador for the Campaign.
The month evolved with activities on healthy breeding. FECAVA has for many years actively supported efforts all around Europe to improve the breeding of pets, with particular emphasis on brachycephalic breeds. The welfare organization from Norway Dyrebeskyttelsen Norge organized an International Symposium on Dog Breeding in the Future and brought together thought leaders from both Europe and USA. FECAVA Director for Norway Dr. Stein Arne Dahl attended it.
A few years ago, the UK Kennel Club made a step forward by implementing the Respiratory Function Grading Scheme to give guidance to breeders on how to lower the risk of producing affected puppies, and this year US organization Orthopedic Foundation for Animals followed their iniciative. WSAVA and BOAS Research Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge shared new educational videos.
It all seems very promising and optimistic for the future of animal welfare. But is it? Social media and marketing campaigns are flooded with brachycephalic breeds, still making them increasingly popular. We receive news like the recent one from the USA that a French bulldog made it to the number one dog breed in the country.
Are we preaching to the converted? Where do we fail to get our message across to pet owners? There is a gap we need to cross. Nevertheless, we’ll keep trying and hopefully find a way.
The 23-25 March were three important days for the UK small animal veterinarians. The BSAVA – British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress is always a step ahead in creativity for delivering CPDs. A few interesting points were interactive sessions with shorter presentations and multi-disciplinary conversations. An exciting step forward from one-way longer lectures. A keynote lecture on Neurodiversity ensured more discussion on this important topic within the profession. BSAVA Congress this year is a carbon assessed event with a number of sustainable initiatives implemented as it strives to be a carbon neutral event.
During the Congress, the FECAVA team (Dr. Danny Holmes, Vice president and Dr. Wolfgang Dohne, Past President) joined WSAVA (Rebecca George and Richard Casey) and APMVEAC (Dr. Emir Chaher) to promote the joint WSAVA/FECAVA Congress in Lisbon on 27 – 29 September.
FECAVA’s Presence was felt in the other part of Europe as well. During the Croatian Small Animal Veterinary Section Congress, delegates had a chance to obtain translated FECAVA Infographics in Croatian, and the organizing team led by Dr. Lea Kreszinger used the FECAVA Sustainability logo to promote a more sustainable event. Dr. Denis Novak, FECAVA President attended the event as well.
Meanwhile on the other side of the world, during the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia & Analgesia in Sydney, Australia Dr. Paulo Steagall and Dr. Polly Taylor presented the tool FECAVA Basic Best Practices in Anesthesia and Analgesia they created to make anaesthesia and analgesia more applicable in clinical practice to general practitioners.
We hope to meet you somewhere on our journeys, and definitely don’t miss joining us at this year’s Congress in Lisbon!
Together we are taking one step at a time for a better future for our profession.
FECAVA Marketing Team