VN June 2020

Vetnews | June 2020 35 Sniffer dogs could join battle against COVID-19 <<< 34 sure the limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed.” Medical Detection Dogs has spent many years successfully researching the science behind a dog's olfactory powers. It has already produced more than a dozen peer-reviewed research papers which support its belief that each disease has a unique odour. The dogs will be trained to detect COVID-19 by sniffing samples in the charity's training room and indicating when they have found it. Because they can also identify subtle changes in the temperature of the skin, the dogs could also be used to tell if someone has a fever. The charity says that once trained, the dogs could be used to identify travellers entering the country infected with the virus or be deployed in other public spaces. “Our previous work demonstrated that dogs can detect odours fromhumans with a malaria infection with extremely high accuracy – above the World Health Organisation standards for a diagnostic,” said Professor James Logan from The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. We know that other respiratory diseases like COVID-19, change our body odour so there is a very high chance that dogs will be able to detect it. This new diagnostic tool could revolutionise our response to COVID-19 in the short term, but particularly in the months to come, and could be profoundly impactful.” Professor Steve Lindsay from Durham University added: “If the research is successful, we could use COVID-19 detection dogs at airports at the end of the epidemic to rapidly identify people carrying the virus. This would help prevent the re-emergence of the disease after we have brought the present epidemic under control.” (Source: https://mrcvs.co.uk/en/news/19306/) v Bits and Bobs I Stukkies en Brokkies Horse healthcare videos to help owners during lockdown A series of horse healthcare videos to help owners during the COVID-19 pandemic have been produced by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA). From taking a horse's pulse to treating wounds and lameness, the videos are designed to help owners convey information to a vet during a telephone consultation. It is hoped the videos will help reduce the number of face-to-face interactions equine vets have with their clients, and ultimately prevent further spread of the virus. They provide information on what details owners should provide, how to check for vital signs, and how to spot the early warning signs of disease. BEVA chief executive David Mountford explains: “We need to do our utmost for equine health and welfare while protecting veterinary practitioners, horse owners and handlers” “Lockdown restrictions mean that horse owners will have telephone-based consultations with their vet to help minimise face to face contact. These short, informative videos, made by equine vets, should help owners be able to answer some of the questions their vet may ask over the phone and enable the horse to be triaged promptly and efficiently during this challenging time.” The videos can be found on the BEVA website. (Source: https://mrcvs.co.uk/en/news/19317/) v Study finds Enterococcus bacteria resistance in people not related to antibiotic use in cattle Dr. Tim McAllister, a principal research scientist at the Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada Research and Development Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, says that he and his team have found nothing to indicate that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in beef cattle is being transmitted to humans. The recent study was recently published in the academic journal Scientific Reports . Dr. McAllister is among close to two dozen scientists involved in a series of interlocking research projects aimed at understanding whether >>> 36