Ep 124: Control strategy to prevent FMD in UK, with CVO Christine Middlemiss
As the Government issues a plea to holiday makers not to bring back meat and dairy products from Europe amid concerns over foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Chris Simpson speaks to the UK’s chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss.
The plea comes as the Government launches an updated FMD control strategy to enhance its ability to prevent or respond to FMD outbreaks.
An EU-wide ban on personal imports of meat and dairy was issued by Defra in April after a wave of cases were discovered in several countries across the continent.
Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Ep 123: Future of veterinary education, with Pete Holland
With thousands of aspiring students waiting to hear if they’ve achieved the grades they need to go to vet school this autumn, Allister Webb takes a look behind the scenes at the University of Central Lancashire’s new veterinary training facilities in Preston.
The department, which is preparing to welcome its third cohort in September, recently opened its new school building following a £40 million building project.
Pete Holland, UCLan’s director of veterinary partnerships, joins Allister to discuss the school’s continuing development and some of the key issues currently facing the veterinary education sector.
Podcast music: "Funky Chunk" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Ep 122: Tick-borne flaviviruses in the UK, with Ian Wright
Ixodes species ticks have been spreading tick-borne encephalitis virus throughout Europe, and there are concerns about the zoonotic potential for the UK.
Parasitologist Ian Wright discusses the latest situation in this Vet Times Podcast.
Ian Wright, BVMS, BSc, MSc, MRCVS is a practising vet and co-owner of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire.
He has a master’s degree in veterinary parasitology and is head of the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) UK and Ireland, and guidelines director for ESCCAP Europe.
An accompanying article to this podcast, “The rise and rise of tick-borne flaviviruses”, is in Vet Times (2025), Volume 55, Issue 25, Pages 6-10.
It is online at vettimes.com at https://www.vettimes.com/clinical/small-animal/the-rise-and-rise-of-tick-borne-flaviviruses
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Vet Times Extra: Researching human-animal bond, with Tammie King and Vanessa Ashall
In this Vet Times Extra podcast, we're delving into the pivotal role that research plays in building our understanding of the human-animal bond. Dr Tammie King, senior research manager, and Dr Vanessa Ashall, human-animal interaction technical leader, are both experts from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute.
SPONSORED
The Waltham Petcare Science Institute is Mars Petcare’s science centre, where their mission is to improve the lives of pets through science, in support of their purpose of creating a better world for pets.
Researchers at Waltham have recently launched the Pets and Wellbeing Study programme, known as PAWS. Working in collaboration with leading global academic institutions and experts, the multi-study PAWS programme will explore the relationships between pets and people and the role pets play in well-being across multiple geographies and demographics.
Engaging more than 35,000 pet owners across more than 20 countries, this ambitious research programme aims to deepen our understanding of the mutual benefits of the human-animal bond through robust scientific data.
Dr Tammie King is a member of the research leadership team at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute.
Her passion lies in improving dog and cat health through evidence-based knowledge. In fact, Dr King holds a PhD in anthrozoology – the study of human-animal interactions – and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in animal behaviour.
Vanessa Ashall is technical lead for the PAWS research programme and is central to defining the research strategy. It’s Vanessa who holds responsibility for ensuring the portfolio of projects truly demonstrate Waltham’s commitment to robust, innovative and impactful research into the human-animal bond.
Vanessa is a European veterinary specialist in animal welfare science, ethics and law, a bioethicist, a social scientist and a cross disciplinary HAI researcher.
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Ep121: Respiratory disease in cattle, with Phil Elkins
In this podcast Phil Elkins discusses respiratory diseases in cattle, essentially preventive versus reactive care, and ensuring farm vets and farmers engage on countering the threats.
Phil Elkins qualified in 2005 from The University of Edinburgh and, following stints in Cheshire and New Zealand, spent the majority of his career in clinical practice in Cornwall, during which time he gained a certificate in advanced veterinary practice in cattle.
Following 15 years in clinical practice and a stint working for an agri-tech company, Phil now works as an independent consultant to both farms and industry bodies. He is a former council member of the BVA.
He wrote “Respiratory disease in cattle: preventive versus reactive care” for Vet Times Livestock (2025), Volume 11, Issue 1, Pages 9-10 (which went out with Vet Times Volume 55, Issue 12). The article is available online at vettimes.com [https://www.vettimes.com/clinical/livestock/respiratory-disease-in-cattle-preventive-versus-reactive-care]
SPONSORED
This podcast is sponsored by Zoetis, which has recently launched Protivity, the UK’s first authorised Mycoplasma bovis vaccine for cattle.
What if you could be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to Mycoplasma bovis?
Protivity, the first modified-live vaccine for Mycoplasma bovis in cattle, is now available in the UK.
The days of relying on antibiotics alone to help control Mycoplasma bovis are over. It’s time to change the game for your herds with Protivity.
To learn more, UK veterinary professionals can visit the website. [https://bit.ly/4jRJxv3]
The Vet Times podcast is a regular show in which we speak to individuals making the headlines or providing valuable information for Vet Times readers, delving into the subjects that matter to the UK veterinary profession.
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