NEWS
Following an intense two-year period of backlog reduction, stakeholder engagement, and guideline development, several major milestones have been set by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to shape the regulatory landscape across medicines, compliance, and public health initiatives, including those directly impacting the veterinary sector.
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Overriding dorsal spinous processes (ODSP), or ‘kissing spine’, affects horses of all breeds and disciplines, with performance horses, especially at higher risk. Many show no obvious pain despite radiographic changes, so the condition often goes unnoticed until subtle behavioural or performance changes appear, highlighting the need for careful monitoring, early detection, and appropriate management.
NEWS
In the latter part of last year, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) proposed a series of far-reaching reforms designed to address rising veterinary costs. These measures aim to improve pricing transparency, enhance competition, and ensure pet owners have clearer, more accessible information when making veterinary care decisions.
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Lamb performance in feedlots depends on adapting to stress, handling, diet changes, and social grouping. Maladaptation reduces feed intake, growth, and increases disease risk. Factors include respiratory disease, parasites, nutrition, pre-weaning care, and stocking density. Dr Jared Morris emphasises vaccination, quality nutrition, welfare, and monitoring for healthy, adapted lambs and profitable feedlot results.
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Prof Gerhard Steenkamp reflects on veterinary dentistry’s evolution, from experimental beginnings to its growing role in animal welfare and science. Advances in care and research have improved preventive practices, clinical approaches, and outcomes, highlighting oral health’s importance across species and its essential impact on overall wellbeing and veterinary practice.
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In October 2025, the University of the Free State opened Africa’s first giraffe research centre at Amanzi Private Game Reserve. Led by Prof Francois Deacon, it combines ethical, welfare-focused study with reproductive science, conservation, and community engagement, aiming to protect wild giraffes, preserve genetic diversity, and tackle habitat fragmentation, poaching, and population decline.
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The Vet’s Hub speaks to Dr Shona Elliott, a University of Pretoria (Onderstepoort) graduate specialising in ophthalmology and diagnostic ultrasound, about a recent case at Craighall Veterinary Hospital, Johannesburg, where swift veterinary intervention and innovative canine blood donation saved a critically ill recipient dog’s life.
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Nutrition is a cornerstone of preventive and therapeutic care in veterinary medicine. Vet’s Hub interviews Drs Angeliki Kaldelis and Debby Bain, Scientific Communications Managers at Royal Canin South Africa. They share insights on trends, dietary strategies, and the latest evidence in small animal nutrition, helping veterinarians better support the health and wellbeing of their patients.
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Veterinary ophthalmology is a highly specialised field that blends precision, technology, and compassion. Drs Antony Goodhead, Paul Burger, and Brent Sirrals and the team at Johannesburg Animal Eye Hospital manage an extraordinary range of cases – from cats and dogs to horses, rhinos, and even tigers.