New VetReact website for equine vets and horse-owners

VetReactPR
31 Mar 2017 10:00:00.000

PA57/17

Equine vets and horse-owners will have access to the latest research and resources on common emergency conditions in horses thanks to a new website to be launched on 31 March 2017. 

VetReact has been set up by an equine research group at The University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. The team hopes the new site will be the ‘go-to’ resource for the latest evidence-based advice and information on clinical best practice in horse medicine.

VetReact adds to the current national campaign by the Nottingham Vet School and British Horse Society – REACT Now to Beat Colic – which is helping horse owners spot the early signs of colic and seek early diagnosis and treatment.

Click here for full story

Launching the website, Dr John Burford said: “Colic in horses continues to be one of the most dangerous conditions in the animal. It accounts for a third of veterinary call-outs. At least one in ten of these cases may become critical and up 80% of these end in the death of the horse. 

“The VetReact website presents the results of the most recent research as resources for vets, with links to the original sources of information. We have focused on the primary assessment of horses showing signs of colic and how to spot critical cases at this early stage. The website has been developed as a result of interviews and surveys of vets in practice on how they go about finding research-based evidence to help them in their work.” 

Dr Alex Knott, a partner at Oakham Veterinary Hospital said: “We see a large number of colic cases both through visits out to owners, and referred into our hospital for surgery. This initiative will help vets in practice by providing resources which are easily accessible for vets out on the road, and helping vets make the decisions to refer critical cases as rapidly as possible, giving them the best chance of survival.” 

Resources available on VetReact include information on: 

·         The most common clinical signs of colic

·         The essential components of history-taking and physical examination

·         When different diagnostic tests should and shouldn’t be used

·         How to differentiate critical cases on the first examination.

Recommendations which have been generated through multi-disciplinary workshops and online surveys with vets and horse owners with experience of colic.

The website places a strong emphasis on safety considerations, and stresses that the information offers ‘recommendations’ not ‘rules’, which should be considered and applied by veterinary practitioners in the context of each individual case.

The Nottingham project group includes Miss Isabella Wild, Dr John Burford, Dr Adelle Bowden, Professor Mark Bowen, Professor Gary England and Professor Sarah Freeman. The VetReact website has been developed based on work done by research student, Isabella Wild, on how vets access evidence in practice, and has been supported by funding from World Horse Welfare.

Dr Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “Colic is a really significant equine health and welfare issue and vets play a fundamental role in bringing about a prompt resolution.  World Horse Welfare is pleased to support this innovative work to help bring practical advice to practicing vets.

The website will continue to grow and will include hard-copy resources to download and print, as well as videos and an App in the future.

— Ends —

Our academics can now be interviewed for broadcast via our Media Hub, which offers a Globelynx fixed camera and ISDN line facilities at University Park campus. For further information please contact a member of the Communications team on +44 (0)115 951 5798, email mediahub@nottingham.ac.uk or see the Globelynx website for how to register for this service.

For up to the minute media alerts, follow us on Twitter

Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK for research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.

Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…

 

Story credits

More information is available from Dr John Burford in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham on+44 (0)115 951 6640, john.burford@nottingham.ac.uk

 

Additional resources

No additional resources for this article

Media Relations - External Relations

The University of Nottingham
YANG Fujia Building
Jubilee Campus
Wollaton Road
Nottingham, NG8 1BB

telephone: +44 (0) 115 951 5798
email: pressoffice@nottingham.ac.uk