Many veterinary practices will 'likely resume routine matters'

Many veterinary practices are “likely to resume routine matters” from May 18, according to the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI).

The VCI said that this is in keeping with the announcement last week of a five-phase plan for lifting Covid-19 restrictions, which will allow routine medical procedures to resume on May 18, the planned date for the start of phase one of the plan.

Practices will maintain public health protocols, the council highlighted.

In its latest guidance note to members for the month of May – issued yesterday, Tuesday, April 5 – the VCI pointed out that practices have modified the management of their case load, while “balancing the need to protect public and practice personnel health with the health needs of their patients”.

However, the VCI stressed that there is no specific advice for vets and veterinary nurses on the potential for animals to be involved in viral transfer, even if only as passive carriers of the virus.

The council said that it is “confident that its registrants will remain vigilant and support one another, along with those people who are more vulnerable or in the higher risk category at this difficult time”.

“The health and well-being of registrants is integral to the best interests of animal welfare and public health. The Veterinary Council exhorts all registrants to exercise their clinical and professional judgment when assessing veterinary cases,” the VCI said.

Revised TB protocol

In other animal health news, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) said yesterday that the revised TB testing protocol issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine allows for the testing of calves under 120 days.

Following discussions with the department, Pat Farrell, the chairperson of the IFA’s Animal Health Committee, said the protocol is “a practical amendment to the programme, taking into account the current Covid-19 advice”.

The changes announced yesterday address two key areas: the testing of calves under 120 days; and for people over 70 involved in TB testing.

Farrell said those farmers who want to test calves under 120 days in their herd are allowed.

“This is of major benefit to farmers who want to sell these animals later in the year, and avoids the need at that time to have costly private tests carried out on small numbers of animals,” he said.