| Jamaica Veterinary Board CVME Forum, May 18, 2014. |
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| Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries the Hon. Roger Clarke makes a comment at the JVB Forum |
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| THE JAMAICA VETERINARY BOARD'S special forum to update veterinarians on the 2015 implementation of mandatory Continuing Veterinary Medical Education (CVME) requirements for annual licensing took place as planned on May 18, 2014 at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston. It was well attended by veterinarians from across the island. Special guests were Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries, the Hon. Roger Clarke, and Professor Winston Davidson, who heads the University of Technology's School of Public Health.
Minister Clarke brought greetings and expressed his appreciation for the work being done by veterinarians in Jamaica. He pledged his support for the profession as it moved forward.
Prof. Davidson, who was guest speaker, had accompanied Board Chairman Dr. Osbil Watson and Board member Dr. Sophia Ramlal on their trip to Brazil for the OIE's conference on veterinary education late last year. He called on the veterinary profession to embrace CVME as a necessity in today's global environment. He noted that the "human" medical profession in Jamaica has had these requirements in place for several years. He also challenged us to stand up and push for the issues that are important to us and noted that we could find support from our physician colleagues.
Dr. Ramlal gave a presentation outlining the background to the implementation of the CVME requirements and explained what will be required of veterinarians. All practicing veterinarians will be issued their Annual Licensing Certificates for a given year, which are separate from the one-time Registration Certificate, based on the accumulation of at least 10 CVME credits during the previous calendar year and the payment of the appropriate fee. Non-practicing vets will not have to acquire credits, but will remain on the register. Other exceptions/exemptions may apply to categories such as new graduates, post-graduate students, and persons in academia. Details will be posted on the CE page of this website.
New Certificates of Registration and 2014 Annual Licensing Certificates were distributed at the end of the meeting to the veterinarians in attendance. To receive 2015 Annual Licensing Certificates next year, CVME credits will be required. Veterinarians who do NOT accumulate the required credits in the 2014 calendar year will NOT be able to practice legally in 2015.
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| Guest speaker Dr. Winston Davidson addresses the gathering. |
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| Veterinarians and their new registration certificates |
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3rd OIE CONFERENCE ON VETERINARY EDUCATION
The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) held its 3rd Conference on Veterinary Education in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil from December 4 to 6, 2013. Jamaica was represented by our OIE Delegate and Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Osbil Watson, Dr. Sophia Ramlal representing the Jamaica Veterinary Board and Dr. Winston Davidson of the University of Technology representing the Jamaican academic community.
138 countries were represented at the conference, with key points in the discussion covering the state of veterinary education - undergraduate, post graduate and continuing - and the harmonization of its quality world-wide based on the OIE’s guidelines. The role of Veterinary Statutory Bodies in enhancing its quality and in regulating the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary technology in their respective countries was also discussed.
For more information on the conference please click the link below:
OIE Conference
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| L-R Dr. Lisa Musai (Chief Veterinary Officer, Trinidad & Tobago), Dr. Sophia Ramlal, Dr. Winston Davidson, Dr. Osbil Watson, Dr. Simone Titus (Trinidad & Tobago) |
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| "Rhodie" at the Marine Lab |
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EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT TO SAVE SEA TURTLE
Kingston, January 22, 2014
On Tuesday, January 14, 2014, persons enjoying a glass bottom boat trip off Rhodes Resort, Green Island Hanover, came across a juvenile Green sea turtle floating listlessly in the sea. The animal was taken to the resort where it was cared for while the resort owners David and Marcelle DeMichaels tried to find assistance. Days passed and the turtle, named “Rhodie”, hung on to life, being fed a diet of fish and vegetable oil. Being a juvenile, weighing just 3 kg, sex determination is difficult.
On Monday, January 21, the DeMichaels’ contacted Dr. Paul Cadogan who immediately contacted Andrea Donaldson of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Pam Lawson of the JSPCA, who had also been contacted, with the blessing NEPA, worked her magic and secured the voluntary services of pilots Ryan McKenzie, Jonathan Worton and Handa Ayton of the Caribbean Aviation Training Centre (CATC), who flew to Negril to collect “Rhodie”. Having been given a preliminary check by Dr. Dingle Foote, the turtle was loaded onto the aircraft and flown to the Tinson Pen Aerodrome in Kingston where it was received by Ms. Lawson and Dr. Paul Turner, who then proceeded to the UWI Marine Laboratory at Port Royal where accommodations for the animal had been organized.
“Rhodie” has since been taken to Animalcare Veterinary Hospital where digital x-rays and blood work were done after which he was returned to the Marine Lab where his supportive treatment continues. Results of his tests are being sent to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon in the Florida Keys for evaluation. Though the exact cause of illness has not yet been determined and the chances of survival are uncertain, the voluntary effort to save it has been extraordinary. A big THANK YOU to all who have played a part!
Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) can grow to weigh as much as 230 kg. They are on the CITES list of endagnered species and are protected in Jamaica under the Wildlife Protection Act. Anyone finding a sick or injured sea turtle should report it to NEPA immediately and follow the instructions given. The penalties are severe for having unauthorized possession of any of these animals in whole or in part.
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"RHODIE" Update! Sea Turtle Recovers - ready for Release!
Kingston: January 31, 2014
"Rhodie" the juvenile Green Sea Turtle found comatose off the coast of Hanover on January 14, has made a remarkable recovery and in now "climbing the walls" of his little tank at the UWI Marine Lab in Port Royal. He was taken there on January 21 in the care of the JSPCA.
Blood work and X-rays showed no significant abnormalities and with supportive care - subcutaneous fluids, enrofloxacin and ideal water temperature, the turtle gradually came back to life, moving and eating well. So well in fact that his caregivers feel comfortable that he can be released to face life on his own again.
Although the cause of Rhodie's illness has not been definitively diagnosed, a plausible culprit might be "cold-stunning" - prolonged exposure to below-optimal water temperatures which shuts down metabolism, immunity etc. Affected turtles are normally found floating in a comatose state - precisely how Rhodie was found. The recent arctic-like weather that has been gripping the North American continent has caused sea temperatures to fall dramatically.
Arrangements are to be made return Rhodie to where he was found so he can be released there.
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| Pamela Lawson of the JSPCA sits with "Rhodie" on the final leg of the journey to his/her release. |
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| SEA TURTLE RELEASED
"Rhodie" goes home.
Kingston, February 9, 2014
"Rhodie", the juvenile Green Sea Turtle, found floating comatose some 3 weeks ago, has been returned fully recovered to his/her natural environment.
On Thursday, February 6, Pamela Lawson of the JSPCA, accompanied by Dr. Paul Cadogan, transported Rhodie from the UWI Marine Lab at Port Royal to Rhodes Hall Plantation, Green Island Hanover to return him to the environment where he/she was found. "Rhodie" behaved impeccably during the 4 1/2 hour drive, in a "baby bath" lined with towels soaked in sea water.
On arrival, Rhodie became the centre of attention for resort staff and guests alike as he/she was taken in the same glass bottom boat which found him/her back out to the reef. Flapping his/her flippers expectantly, Rhodie was handed over for release. On being let go he/she immediately dived to the bottom, amazingly coming to rest on the back of a stingray lying there. A few seconds to get some bearings, and Rhodie took off to freedom, disappearing into the distance. It was a very emotional moment for all involved.
The story of Rhodie is a great testament to the compassion, commitment and cooperation of so many people - the Rhodes Resort staff, the pilots who flew him to Kingston, veterinarians, the Marine Lab staff and more, all tied together by the efforts of Pam Lawson who worked tirelessly to see it all through to a successful conclusion.
All this is overshadowed by the fact that Sea Turtles of all species, endangered though they are, are still illegally hunted and killed for their meat by some people - here in Jamaica and elsewhere. Every one that is killed brings these animals closer to extinction. Much public education is needed.
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| "Rhodie" is handed over for release. |
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| Time to say goodbye and God speed! |
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| ISNN-JSPCA Spay-Neuter Clinic - November 2013
The International Spay-Neuter Network partnered with the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to hold a three day spay and neuter clinic from Sunday, November 10 to Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at the JSPCA clinic on Winchester Road in Kingston. The services were free of cost to the public targeted dogs and cats from low-income households/communities.
A cadre of volunteer veterinarians, technicians and other personnel from overseas (mainly the USA) came in under the auspices of ISNN to join their local counterparts in delivering this important service to our community. 250 dogs and cats were spayed or neutered over the three days.
ZEUTERING INTRODUCED
Of note is that for the first time the procedure called "zeutering" was carried out on some male dogs. This is a form of chemical castration in which, under ansesthesia, a solution of zinc gluconate and L-arginine is injected directly into the testes of the dog resulting in permanent infertility without the need for their surgical removal. For a video demonstration of the zeutering technique please click here.
The spaying and neutering of dogs and cats has huge benefits for the individual animals, for their owners, for the communities in which they live and for the country as a whole. For details and more information on the work of ISNN, please visit www.spay-neuterjamaica.org .
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| Jamaica Veterinary Board members on their Brazil visit. L – R: Dr. Sarah Wilkinson-Eytle, Professor Marcelo Beltrão Molento, Professor of Parasitology, UFPR, Dr. Graham Brown, Dr. Osbil Watson |
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Veterinary Board Delegation visits Brazil
September 22, 2013: A delegation from the Jamaica Veterinary Board visited Brazil earlier this month to conduct an assessment of the veterinary school at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) there, the first Jamaican graduate from the institution having recently applied for registration in Jamaica. The delegation included Board Chairman Dr. Osbil Watson and Board members Dr. Sarah Wilkinson-Eytle and Dr. Graham Brown.
They received a very warm welcome from their Brazilian hosts and toured all the facilities in both pre-clinical and clinical areas. According to reports, they were highly impressed with the all aspects of the institution.
The Federal University of Paraná is the oldest university in Brazil and is located in the city of Curitiba, capital of the state of Paraná in the southern region of the South American country.
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| A horse is prepped for surgery in a large animal operating theatre in the UFPR’s veterinary teaching hospital. |
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TRINIDAD & TOBAGO VETS CONCERNED OVER NEW DOG LEGISLATION
August 4, 2013
The Trinidad & Tobago Veterinary Association (TTVA) has urged its members not to perform any certifications of “Class A” dogs as stipulated by legislation recently passed in both Houses of the country’s Parliament. The Dog Control Act (2013) categorizes dogs as either Class A (considered “dangerous” breeds) or Class B (any other dog) and places restrictions and added responsibilities on the ownership and handling of the former.
Under the act, Class A status must be certified by a veterinarian. Any veterinarian who knowingly issues false certification is subject, on conviction, to a fine of TT$50,000 (US$8,000). The TTVA warned its members that such a conviction will affect their future as veterinarians and, following consultations on that and other concerns raised in what it considers to be “a dangerously flawed Bill”, has submitted suggestions for amendments. It is felt that veterinarians per se are not qualified to certify a dog’s breeding and that breed or kennel clubs should shoulder that responsibility. These are reportedly being considered and revisions are expected.
The Dog Control Act (2013) was passed in response to a number of incidents involving aggressive dogs, in particular those of the American Pitbull Terrier type.
Click HERE to view the Trinidad & Tobago Dog Control Act (2013)
Other links:
http://www.newsday.co.tt/editorial/0,180667.html
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,158746.html
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| LEGISLATION ON THE KEEPING OF DOGS
Veterinarians discussed the issue on CVM-TV's Live at 7 with Simon Crosskill on Monday July 8, 2013.
Click on the photo to the left to view the programme on the CVM-TV website.
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Writer's Credit: Unless otherwise stated, all articles on this page are written by Dr. Paul Cadogan.
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