COVER STORY Sheep

5VPTODAY | WWW.VETERINARYPRACTICETODAY.COM Management Exotics and wildlife Industry Large animal 62 43 WWW.VETCOMMUNIT Y.COM COVER STORY COVER STORY 43 Sheep dogs from the perspective of a farm animal vet Kaz Strycharczyk As the profession becomes increasingly specialised and practices become departmentalised, it becomes more likely that farm animal practitioners have a smaller canine caseload. Despite this, the farm vet is often consulted on a while-youre- here basis for advice on routine and emergency health issues. 50 Medicine stewardship on dairy farms Owen Atkinson Medicine stewardship is a buzz phrase presently. There are many changes afoot on dairy farms to ensure medicines are stored, used and recorded more appropriately. This article takes a look at how medicine use has changed, where the current problems lie, and what can be done to improve things. 54 Insight: Tiny bird points the way to sustainability The success of the Cirl Bunting Recovery Programme is a microcosm of what can be achieved, given the application of science to agriculture alongside appropriate funding. 56 Husbandry and common illnesses of gerbils and hamsters Sonya Miles Mongolian gerbils and hamsters are popular first pets, sharing many positive characteristics. There are, however, some significant differences in their management and behavioural need. Veterinary professionals should be aware of these, and familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of their common illnesses. 62 Periodontitis in lizards John Chitty Periodontitis is now being seen increasingly in agamid lizards, which are commonly kept as pets. The disease is multifactorial and generally relates to bacterial infection as a result of their acrodont infection, combined with dietary and husbandry factors. 67 Insight: Beavering away Beavers are to be added to the list of European Protected Species of Animals, which are protected under Scottish law. This new status has fuelled already existing concerns between environmentalists/rewilders and farmers and others in the community, regarding the good and the not-so-good aspects of beavers in the countryside. 68 Figureheads for the future Victoria Bowes and Sarah Want The head veterinary nurse (HVN) can be one of the most influential roles within the practice; they can be the glue that holds a team together through the challenging days that we experience in our industry. An HVN should be a figurehead that sets the standards for staff to aspire to. 72 The practice handbook. Inconvenience or essential resource? Jason Sidney A practice handbook is all too often seen as a series of template documents sometimes found mass produced online but a well-written handbook contains crucial policies that overarch the values of your business and can prove to be an important resource. 76 The benefits of giving back to the community Clara Ashcroft What better way to enhance your practices exposure and strengthen relationships with existing clients than by giving back to the community? Getting involved in the local area can also present a wealth of exciting marketing opportunities and attract new clients. 79 Insight: The veterinary receptionist: are we asking the right questions? It can be a struggle to fill a receptionist vacancy successfully but are we asking the right questions and do we really know what skills we are looking for? 80 Profile Ed Bracher CEO of Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA). Correction We apologise to our readers for an error made in the PPD answers in the article Glaucoma in dogs(2) treatment and considerations, in the last issue of Veterinary Practice Today ( 7[2]). The answer to question 2 should be A and the answer to question 3 should be B. WWW.VETCOMMUNIT Y.COM | ONLINE EDITION