The United Kingdom’s Parliament has been presented with legislation to ban 22 drugs, including the veterinary sedative xylazine, that are deemed dangerous. The act is a way for the UK’s government to help impede drug deaths and "crack down on drug dealing gangs," according to a UK government news release.

Xylazine, which is commonly referred to as tranq, has increasingly been used in combination with opioids as a less expensive way to stretch out each taken dose, but it has also been found within cannabis vapes, according to the release.

 In the US, the CDC has reported that drug overdose deaths that involved xylazine have been found to be gradually increasing, from 102 in 2018 to 627 in 2019, 1499 in 2020, and 3468 in 2021.

The investigators from the CDC study also disclosed that drug overdose deaths involving xylazine increased from 0.03 per 100,000 standard population in 2018 to 1.06 in 2021. A statutory instrument, that followed a recommendation from the UK's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, was laid in Parliament in September 2024 to control xylazine as a class C Drug.

“We have seen what has happened in other countries when the use of these drugs is allowed to grow out of control, and this is why we are among the first countries to take action and protect our communities from these dangerous new drugs,” Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson, said in the release.

Xylazine is just one of 22 other harmful substances that would be banned under this legislation, which also includes 6 that will be controlled as a Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Anyone that is caught producing or supplying Class A drugs could face an unlimited fine, life in prison, or both. Besides the 6 Class A drugs, there will be 6 controlled as Class C drugs. If anyone is caught producing or supplying these drugs, they could face an unlimited fine, a prison sentence up to 14 years, or both.

In the US, The White House designated xylazine combined with fentanyl as an emerging drug threat in April 2023. This declaration enabled the implementation of an action plan at the federal level to fight against the threat and could often lead to scheduling a drug as a controlled substance. Currently, multiple states have issued their own bans including Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Under the proposed legislation, xylazine would remain available for veterinary prescribing in the UK, but it will only be available if lawfully prescribed and will be illegal to possess or supply except in accordance with a lawful prescription or under a Home Office controlled drug license, according to the release.

“One of this new government’s central missions is to make our streets safer, and we will not accept the use of substances that put lives at risk and allow drug gangs to profit from exploiting vulnerable people,” said Johnson.

“The criminals who produce, distribute and profit from these drugs will therefore face the full force of the law, and the changes being introduced this week will also make it easier to crack down on those suppliers who are trying to circumvent our controls,” she concluded.

Britain takes decisive action to ban 'zombie drug' xylazine. News release. Gov.UK. September 4, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/britain-takes-decisive-action-to-ban-zombie-drug-xylazine#:~:text=Following%20a%20recommendation%20from%20the,world%20affected%20by%20xylazine%20abuse.

Spencer M, Cisewski J, Warner M, Garnett M. 

Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Xylazine: United States, 2018–2021

.; 2023. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr030.pdf

Articles

The drug is one of 22 pharmaceuticals included in a potential ban to aimed at preventing drug related deaths and drug trafficking 

United Kingdom Parliament moves to ban xylazine 

Critically endangered western lowland gorilla infant, Barbie, on arrival at Ape Action Aftica

A critically endangered western lowland gorilla infant was confiscated by the Cameroon Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) and entrusted to the care of Ape Action Africa (AAA), a conservation sanctuary for endangered primates in Cameroon.

 At the time of her rescue, the gorilla had suffered a gunshot wound, a fractured skull, and wounds around her waist from rough restraints.

Veterinary surgeons with AAA were able to remove part of the bullet, which had broken apart upon entry. The 18–24-month-old female gorilla was then placed under 24-hour care from one of AAA’s most experienced gorilla caregivers, and she is officially in recovery. The gorilla has since been named Barbie, after one of AAA’s supporters.

“Gorilla infants are fragile,” Rachel Hogan, OBE, director of AAA, said in a news release.

 “It was days until we even knew whether she would allow us to help her, and not knowing the extent of her injuries during that time, we couldn’t speculate on her chances of survival.”

A “Wandering Bus” from Prague Zoo—which aims to raise awareness about sustainable forest usage among young Cameroonians, introducing them to gorillas and other wild animals—was traveling through the town of Lomié, Cameroon, when a man approached, offering an infant gorilla that he claimed to have found on a plantation.

 Members of the MINFOF Eco-guard, who were traveling alongside the bus, immediately began the process of confiscating the animal. The infant was immediately transported to AAA.

Western lowland gorillas are the most numerous and widespread subspecies of gorilla.

 They are found in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo.

 Although they’re considered critically endangered—meaning they face extreme risk of extinction from the wild—their exact population is unknown because of the dense and remote rainforests which they inhabit. 

The Ebola virus has been the most significant threat to the population of western lowland gorillas, with scientists estimating that the virus is responsible for the deaths of 1/3 of the wild gorilla population in Africa, mostly western lowland gorillas.

 In the case of the Minkébé Forest—once considered to be one of the most significant gorilla populations—the virus could be responsible for the deaths of more than 90% of the region’s gorillas and chimpanzees.

Poaching also poses a significant threat to western lowland gorilla populations. Although the practice is illegal, gorillas are still killed for bushmeat, and adults are often made casualties when poachers look to capture their babies as pets.

 The World Wildlife Fund attributes the ongoing practice, in part, to the growth of the African timber industry, which destroys habitats and opens areas of once remote, dense forest.

 The AAA believes Barbie is also a victim of poachers, explaining that, at her age, the only way she would have gotten separated from her family is if they had been killed.

Once Barbie has completed her recovery quarantine, she will join other gorilla rescues in a lush, forested, and contained habitat. There are currently no release sites for reintroducing critically endangered western lowland gorillas back into the wild in Cameroon.

Ape Action Africa: Critically Endangered Gorilla Infant Rescued in Cameroon by Cameroon Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife. News release. Ape Action Africa, Inc. October 3, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ape-action-africa-critically-endangered-gorilla-infant-rescued-in-cameroon-by-cameroon-ministry-of-forestry-and-wildlife-302266383.html

Western Lowland Gorilla. World Wildlife Fund. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/western-lowland-gorilla#:~:text=The%20hunting%20and%20killing%20of,region%20are%20killed%20each%20year

An infant western lowland gorilla, who was the victim of poaching, was saved by Ape Action Africa

Critically endangered gorilla infant rescued in Cameroon

The Veterinary Emergency Team's mobile unit is shown during a deployment to the Texas panhandle, to provide assistance during a wildfire, in February 2024. 

The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) deployed a dozen members to North Carolina October 2, 2024, in response to Hurricane Helene, which was the deadliest hurricane in the Tar Heel State’s history, according to a news release. The VET contingent was sent by the Texas Division of Emergency Management at the direction of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in support search and rescue dogs.

“Working dogs play a critical role in the aftermath of disasters of this scale,” Deb Zoran, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, VET director, said in the release.

 “Our job is to make sure these highly trained dogs are in healthy, working condition—even as they search in areas with hazardous debris, rough terrain and flood waters.

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has supported the Texas A&M Task Force 1 Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) team since it was formed in 1997, according to the university. Zoran was among the first veterinarians to support the team’s working dogs, making the VET uniquely qualified to provide the care working dogs require.

“Working dogs are highly specialized athletes,” Zoran said in the release.

 “Part of our job as their veterinarians on deployment is to make sure their senses stay sharp, that they are appropriately hydrated, and that they are properly protected from the potential, often hidden dangers associated with doing their jobs.”

The VET is comprised of VMBS faculty, staff, and students, as well as other volunteers. Students who are deployed with the VET receive real-world, hands-on experience in providing emergency care to animals and managing their safety during a crisis event.

Funded largely by donations, this Texas A&M team is part of the VMBS emergency preparedness rotation that draws students from around the world. The rotation educates students about basic preparedness and threat analysis and includes a visit to a Texas county, where students conduct a risk assessment and collaborate with regional leadership to develop a disaster plan.

Joining the 12 VET members in North Carolina are the agents from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Disaster Assessment and Recovery. “Disasters are devastating and require response teams to work together to help those in need,” Zoran said in the release.

In early 2024, the VET was deployed to the Texas panhandle to assist with veterinary care during the Smokehouse Creek wildfire. There, they provided medical care to species living on farms and ranches.

“This wildfire was completely different on every level than all of our previous fires. Properties that burned were spread out over these million acres that burned. It was the ranches, it was the hills, the valleys, the canyons, all of these people's properties across that scape up there [in the Texas panhandle],” 

“What we tended to see [as patients], were the animals that had escaped the fire, but maybe were burned and needed burn care…We had horses, we had donkeys, we had a lot of cattle. But we only had a few dogs and cats because the houses [in the area] were spread few and far,” Zoran continued.

Following the Smokehouse Creek fire deployment, the team announced it had developed 

 to help US disaster management teams better understand the types and qualities of resources needed to clean external contaminants off canines. These new guidelines take an average of 10 to 15 minutes to decontaminate dogs through a streamlined system that involves washing animals while simultaneously draining the tubs.

During deployment in response to Hurricane Helene, the VET is utilizing the most advanced decontamination methods for the health and safety of working dogs. Decontamination, in the field and on at the base of operations, is an important part of keeping both the dogs and their handlers safe while working in areas affected by natural disasters, according to the university. “Flood waters and landslide areas left behind by disasters like Hurricane Helene are exceptionally dangerous to human and animal health,” Zoran said in the release.

The response to Hurricane Helene marked VET’s second deployment to the East Coast in response to a hurricane, and the team’s first deployment to North Carolina. The team has also “No matter where a disaster strikes, there are always people and animals in need,” Zoran said in the release.

 “It’s an honor to be part of the response efforts to help communities in need across the United States.”

Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team deployed to assist in North Carolina hurricane response. News release. Texas A&M University. October 3, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://today.tamu.edu/2024/10/03/texas-am-veterinary-emergency-team-deployed-to-north-carolina/

Coppock K. Texas A&M veterinary team is helping animals affected by wildfires. 

. February 29, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/veterinary-team-deploys-to-help-animals-affected-by-texas-wildfires

Coppock K. Reaching patients affected by wildfire. 

. April 17, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/reaching-patients-affected-by-wildfire

McCafferty C. Emergency teams create new canine decontamination guidelines. 

.April 1, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/emergency-teams-creates-new-canine-decontamination-guidelines

A dozen members of the Texas A&M University team have traveled to assist with the care of search and rescue working dogs. 

Veterinary Emergency Team deploys to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene

The application period for the Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program, a program for second-year veterinary students from underserved backgrounds, is now open. The program will grant selected students with financial support, help them develop their leadership skills, and provide them with resources aimed at helping them during their remaining years in veterinary school and into the next phase of their careers, according to Chewy.

The program, created in collaboration with Chewy Health and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), will award 15 students each with a $20,000 scholarship. Funds will be paid directly to their educational institutions through the AAVMC.

Additionally, recipients will have access to mental health support through bi-monthly peer support group conversations, networking opportunities, and discussions on topics selected by the students. These sessions will be led by a trained third-party MentorVet individual.

After graduation, these students will receive a scholarship to participate in MentorVet Leap, a 6-month early career program focused on veterinary mentorship and professional development offering evidence-based solutions. Students will also have the option to join the Chewy Veterinary Leaders alumni network.

"The program takes a holistic approach to scholarship funding, mentorship, peer networking, and in-person experiences, which are essential to honing these students' hard and soft skills. We are proud to be making a lasting impact that will carry them well into their professional careers," said Dorothy Gray, interim CEO of AAVMC, in a news release.

Applications are now open and will be accepted through November 4, 2024. To apply, students must submit the following to AAVMC

One letter of nomination from the dean of the school or college

Academic documents, including resume or curriculum vitae (CV) and unofficial transcript

A personal statement, no longer than 300 words, describing how the student hopes to become a veterinary leader and what their background, identity, interests, or talents will contribute to the veterinary community

“After seeing the incredible response from this year's Chewy Veterinary Leaders, we are excited to welcome the next class of students to apply,” said Mita Malhotra, president, Chewy Health in the release.

 “Diversity drives innovation, which we believe will shape stronger teams, better culture, and the future of veterinary care.”

The Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program is one of Chewy’s latest initiatives to address some of the current issues in the veterinary profession. This summer, Chewy Health partnered with VetPrep to offer veterinary students a free 12-week North American Veterinary Licensing Examination 

 amid a current downward trend in NAVLE test scores.

Chewy Health and AAVMC open applications for Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program. News release. Chewy. October 1, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. [email]

Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program. Chewy Health. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://awards.aavmc.org/docs/aavmc/Chewy_info_2024_25.pdf

Bautista-Alejandre A. Free NAVLE sessions are planned. 

. August 7, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/free-navle-preparation-sessions-to-come

Fifteen second-year students will receive a $20,000 scholarship and other resources

Scholarship program for veterinary students from underserved communities open for applications

Researchers from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have found that Mexican free-tailed bats do not play a major role in the transmission of 

the parasite responsible for Chagas disease.

 The disease, which is most often spread by triatomine bugs—commonly called “kissing bugs” because they drink the blood of people and animals—causes a number of symptoms that are commonly mistaken for other health conditions, including heart failure and cardiac arrest. Chagas disease infections affect domestic animals, including horses, pigs, cats, and dogs, along with humans. Texans can rest assured, though, that any Mexican free-tailed bats roosting near their homes are unlikely to be carriers of the Chagas disease-causing parasite.

“Bats are thought to be the original hosts for 

, and they frequently roost near or even in people’s homes here in Central Texas,” Ilana Mosley, a doctoral student in the VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) said in a university release.

 “They have relatively close proximity to humans, which is one reason why we conducted this study. There is also a critical gap in our understanding of the role that bats play in pathogen spread here in North America.”

The study tested a total of 283 local Mexican free-tailed bats that had died as a result of Winter Storm Uri in Brazos County, Texas, in February 2021.

 The group conducted bat necropsies in biosafety cabinets, recording species, weight, sex, and presence of ectoparasites. None of the bat hearts or kidneys tested positive for 

 Based on an assumed roost size in February of 1000 bats, researchers were able to conclude with 95% confidence that the true prevalence of 

One possible explanation for why Mexican free-tailed bats have low observed 

prevalence could be a result of infrequent encounters with triatomines. Although, as Mosely points out, “Since bats are insectivores, it seems very likely that they would have contact with kissing bugs and become infected. So, now we have to ask, ’Are they not eating kissing bugs? Is there a reason why?’ There are many new directions to pursue in future studies.”

is commonly found in vectors and wildlife reservoirs throughout the southern half of the United States down to Argentina. Cases of Chagas disease are typically found in rural, impoverished areas of South and Central American countries.

 A majority of United States cases were brought into the country, although there are a small number of autochthonous cases as well. According to the CDC, roughly 8 million people globally, 280,000 in the United States, have the disease, often without knowing it.

“Kissing bugs often pick up the parasite 

while feeding. They then spread it to the next person or animal they feed on through their feces, which they typically leave near the bite,” Mosely said.

 “It’s easy to assume that Mexican free-tailed bats are an important part of Chagas disease spread because bats are often pathogen hosts. But our results were negative, suggesting that these bats are not highly involved in Chagas disease spread.”

Dogs often lick the bite wounds left by the kissing bugs, thereby ingesting the feces left behind by the insects. They can also become infected by eating infected insects or rodents that carry the parasite, or through canine blood transfusions if a donor dog is infected.

parasite invades several cells within a dog’s body, including the cells lining the blood vessels, the muscle cells of the heart, and other cells, including those in the liver, spleen, kidneys, skeletal muscle, and the central nervous system. Once in the cells, the parasites reproduce, eventually causing cell rupture, releasing large numbers of the parasite into the bloodstream, and causing effects seen with Chagas disease.

is known to sequester itself in different tissues where it will replicate before going back into the bloodstream,” Mosely said.

 “In theory, there are several organs where it can be detected, so it’s possible to miss the infection if, for example, it’s located in the kidneys and you choose to sample the heart.”

Most infected dogs will demonstrate signs from lethargy, decreased appetite, and weight loss to fainting, exercise intolerance, vomiting, and diarrhea. On examination, signs of heart failure, fluid in the abdomen, and enlarged lymph nodes may be observed.

 The infection can be divided into a 3-stage process for most dogs, classified as acute, latent, and chronic phases. The infection may be detected in the blood stream or lymph nodes during the acute phase of infection, though this can be difficult during the acute phase. Antibody levels may be detectable on lab tests 3 weeks after infection, though false positives are possible. Most dogs are diagnosed based on clinical signs during the chronic phase of the infection, or through examination of tissue samples, postmortem.

There are no current vaccinations or consensus methods of treatment for Chagas disease in dogs. Medications including Benznidazole, Ravuconazole, and Albaconazole have been used during the acute phase, though they have minimal effect in later phases.

The researchers emphasized the importance of further research in this area, gathering samples to allow future research to continue studies on the same group of bats. “Responsibly installing specimens into natural history collections is vitally important for ongoing and future research,” Jessica Light, PhD, the curator of mammals at the Texas A&M Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, said.

 “The specimens that [Mosely] and [the lab of Sarah Hamer, DVM, DACVPM (Epidemiology), PhD, MS] collected are now available for study for countless additional research projects.”

Mexican Free-Tailed Bats in Texas Do Not Carry the Chagas Disease Parasite, Texas A&M Researchers Find. News release. October 1, 2024. Accessed October 1, 2024. 

https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/bats-and-chagas-disease/

Mosley I., Auckland L., Light J., Hamer S. Apparent absence of 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101031

American Trypanosomiasis, DPDx ­– Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/trypanosomiasisamerican/index.html

About Chagas Disease. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 4, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://www.cdc.gov/chagas/about/index.html#:~:text=About%208%20million%20people%20globally,where%20we%20find%20Chagas%20disease

Weir M., Barnette C. Chagas Disease in Dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. Accessed October 3, 2024. 

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chagas-disease-in-dogs

Bats are known carriers of a number of zoonotic diseases, but a recent study found no presence of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi 

Study shows that Mexican free-tailed bats do not carry the parasite responsible for Chagas disease

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT shared what her favorite things about Fetch are

A veterinarian reflects on Fetch

Missed out on Fetch Kansas City 2024? No worries—we’ve got you covered! For just $199, 

gives you access to the best sessions, speakers, and over 30 CE credits. Learn when, where, and how it fits into your busy life. Whether you’re catching up between appointments, learning from the comfort of home, or squeezing in a quick session over coffee, Fetch On-Demand gives you the flexibility you need to earn CE credits on your terms.

Ready to jump in? Start exploring the best of

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, shares what she loves about the Fetch conferences in this interview with 

. For Schmid, Fetch helps foster camaraderie with others in the profession and offers a break from the demanding nature of the profession, while helping participants remember why they are in the profession in the first place.

I love the close-knit atmosphere that Fetch provides. It's a conference where you really feel like the hosts of Fetch are taking care of you as a speaker, but also you as an attendee, and that they really want everybody to just enjoy the sessions, enjoy the weekends or the days that Fetch is being provided.

It's something where it gives us all a time to get together and visit… it's kind of a reunion, so to speak, in my mind. And being from the Midwest, a lot of times it's fun to see people that I either went to school with or worked with before, and it's just nice to continue to build that camaraderie, and also just give everybody a break. You know, practice is difficult, it's taxing, it's mentally taxing, it's physically exhausting. And [the conferences] just allow everybody to get a break—to really realize and kind of remember why they're in the profession to begin with.