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Melissa Donald elected RCVS junior vice-president
Melissa Donald.

Past BVA Scottish branch president will take up the role in July.

RCVS Council member Melissa Donald has been voted in as junior vice-president for 2021-2022. 

Melissa, who will take up the post during RCVS Day in July, succeeds Professor David Argyle, who announced his decision to resign from Council earlier this week.

Announcing the news on Twitter, Melissa wrote: “Delighted and humbled to have been voted in as Junior VP from July. Thank you, and as with everything I have done in my career, you the profession will see me put all my energy and commitment into the role.”

Melissa is chair of the RCVS Standards Committee and a past-president of BVA’s Scottish branch. A graduate of Glasgow University, she undertook a food animal internship at Iowa State University, USA, before joining a two-person traditional mixed practice on the Ayrshire coast. 

Over 25 years Melissa and her husband developed the business into a 4.5 vet 100 per cent small animal practice. She became the clinical coach for nurse training in 2004 and later RCVS practical OSCE examiner for the VN exams.

She is also a past president of the Ayrshire Veterinary Association.

Image (C) RCVS.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.