Keynote Presentations
Companion animals are able to acquire and exchange multidrug-resistant pathogens with humans, and may serve as a potential source of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for their owners . AMR is also cause for concern in the veternary sector, as treatment failure leads to poor animal health and welfare.
Talk title: Antimicrobial resistance in dogs and horses, from the community to the clinic
Nicola is a microbiologist conducting applied research primarily on bacterial zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance. She has broad interests in AMR and is interested in drivers for and transmission of AMR in wildlife populations, food animals, companion animals, and in veterinary clinical environments. Current companion animal work includes looking at the role of raw meat diets in dogs on AMR carriage, utilising commercial clinical laboratory data and isolates for AMR surveillance, and a multi-centre study on the molecular epidemiology of AMR in equine hospitals. She also leads on a Newton funded interdisciplinary project on the drivers of AMR in the Indian poultry industry, as well as being a co-investigator on a UK-Argentine project on mapping antimicrobial use and AMR in beef feedlot systems and on the GCRF- Growing Research Capability One Health Research Network in the Horn of Africa (HORN), with AMR a leading theme.
Talk title: Challenges to champion the responsible use of medicines in the companion animal world
I graduated from Glasgow University in 1994, and then worked for 5 years in mixed and small animal private practice. I joined PDSA as a veterinary surgeon in 1999 and then became Senior Veterinary Surgeon at our Swansea Pet Hospital in 2003, in 2007 I moved to PDSA head office in Telford as Clinical Operations Manager and then to my present role as Head of Clinical Services in 2009.
One of my main roles within PDSA is to ensure that PDSA offer a service across our 48 Pet Hospitals and Clinics that is evidence based, pragmatic, of a pitch appropriate for a charity to offer but is also good quality for our clients and patients. This is achieved through ongoing development of clinical governance and quality improvement frameworks which also satisfy our ethical and regulatory obligations; an important part of this is ensuring that we meet our AMR responsibilities at PDSA through principles, protocols, audit and monitoring.
Following discussions between the then Chair of RUMA and myself a small group was established to consider the formation of a RUMA Companion animal and equine group, this has expanded and there has now been considerable interest in this from across the sector; I am now secretary general of the group which is currently being formally established.
Talk title: Responsible use of medicines in companion animals and equine; lessons learnt from agriculture
Gwyn is the former Chair of RUMA. He was born into a hill farming family in Snowdonia, North Wales, trained as an engineer before returning to agriculture, running the beef and sheep units at Moulton College before moving to West Sussex where he operated a 350-cow dairy herd for over 30 years. Among other roles, Gwyn has served as vice president of the NFU, chair of COPA-Cogeca Animal Health and Welfare Working Group, chair of AHDB Dairy and member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC). He now sits on Defra’s Animal Health and Welfare Board for England and is vice chair of the UK’s new Ruminant Health & Welfare organisation. Gwyn is also a member of The University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine External Liaison and Advisory Committee.
