Provisions to tackle the ‘misuse’ of the prescribing cascade form part of draft Veterinary Medicines Regulations legislation that has been introduced to parliament. Read more about the VMD's rules at ow.ly/9c4h50RjWHQ

A ‘last-resort’ antibiotic that is meant to be kept in reserve and prescribed with the utmost caution is commonly being used as a ‘first-line’ antibiotic for pet snakes. Read the full story at ow.ly/UAiv50RjVzy

'Every so often a topic arises that appears straightforward but which has layers of complexity. The keeping of exotics could arguably be such a topic', writes Suzanne Jarvis in this week's editorial. Read more about its complexities and contradictions at: ow.ly/40iA50RjUaj

Professional wellbeing is an area of concern for many in the industry. Join BritishVets BSAVA and BEVA for a free virtual event next week to explore this further and learn about individual and practice-wide techniques to improve it. Register at ow.ly/N4QN50RjI3q

German legislation requiring bacterial culture and susceptibility testing before prescription of fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins to dogs has reduced the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Read more at ow.ly/HO9Z50RiTP3

Recent research suggests that dietary supplementation with a nutraceutical containing green-lipped mussel extract may improve mobility in older captive big cats. Read the full study at ow.ly/FMS150RiTsm

Research published in Vet Record suggests that GP vets in the UK experience significant structural and perceptual barriers that combine to inhibit them from offering or delivering pre-purchase consultations for brachycephalic dogs. Read the full paper at ow.ly/PwPi50RiSOE

Animal welfare scientists are collaborating with social scientists and chemists as part of a project aiming to make New Zealand free of many predatory mammal species by 2050. Read more about this move at ow.ly/nzvb50R9s7G

Veterinary corporates have responded to implied criticism from the Competition and Markets Authority, with several suggesting any formal investigation of the companion animal sector should be concluded speedily. Read more at ow.ly/zhv250R9q7r

Effective mechanical crushing or maceration of unwanted day-old chicks is not inhumane, an expert in humane killing has emphasised, amid moves to ban the routine killing of large numbers of such chicks. Read the full story at ow.ly/E2nw50R9pZO

An animal welfare charity that exposes poor welfare at slaughter has taken the unusual step of effectively running a major abattoir to prove that an alternative to carbon dioxide killing is viable for pigs in large-scale slaughterhouses. Read more at ow.ly/tx1b50R9pPX

We are exploring mental health and well-being training needs in vets and vet nurses across the UK as part of a @uwtsdpsych MSc research project. Please share Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons BritishVets Royal Veterinary College (RVC) VNonline Vet Record
uwtsdyrathrofa.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a2…

The size of the response to the CMA's initial review reflects the importance of this issue to both owners and the veterinary industry and the CMA has identified several areas that it plans to investigate in more depth. Read the latest editorial in full at: ow.ly/zYmM50QUi5S

The competition watchdog has moved another step closer towards intervening directly in the UK’s veterinary services market after identifying an array of concerns relating to the companion animal sector. Read the full story at: ow.ly/A4RR50QR7lK

The H5N1 strain of HPAI virus that has been circulating in the UK and across Europe since 2021 is ‘highly concerning’ and has become one of the biggest immediate conservation threats faced by multiple seabird species, a new report has said. Read more at ow.ly/NImL50QJZGZ

The government has outlined its commitment to further reduce the use of animals in scientific research by developing alternative methods and will publish a plan in the summer. Read more at ow.ly/htFb50QJZAa

Crossbred dogs do not necessarily have a survival advantage over their purebred counterparts, results of a new study into the longevity of different types of dogs suggest. Read more about the research at ow.ly/LREG50QJZxA