There will be the bonus of two plenary lectures at BEVA Congress (10 to 13 September 2025, ICC Birmingham) again this year, with two world-renowned specialists sharing their knowledge of two fundamental aspects of equine veterinary practice.
The John Hickman plenary lecture on Thursday 11 September will be presented by David E. Freeman, MVB, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, Appleton professor in equine surgery, University of Florida. His lecture is entitled: “Colic surgery, what have we learned so far?”
Colic surgery has made considerable progress since the 1970s, largely through improved understanding of the diseases involved, diagnostic methods, surgical equipment and materials, and specialised training of surgeons. However, David Freeman points out that lingering problems remain and need to be addressed at all levels, not just by surgeons.
He said: “The current high cost of colic surgery can deny many horses a life-saving procedure. Pessimism is likely the product of past failures and overemphasis of treatments that are inappropriate or misdirected. Delays in referral might seem minor but have devastatingly harmful effects on outcome. Owners, primary care veterinarians, and surgeons need to establish an approach to colic based on teamwork, education, and rejection of myths that are widely promulgated. I will be looking at the key elements of progress and how they can be applied for future success.”
The second plenary lecture, which marks the fourth Peter Rossdale Memorial lecture, will be held on Friday 12 September and will be presented by Professor Scott Weese DVM DVSc DACVIM, director of the Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses at the University of Guelph. Following the BEVA Congress theme of “Use it wisely or lose it forever” he will discuss “Misconceptions, myths and dogmas: moving past old barriers to optimise antimicrobial use in horses”.
Scott will be challenging the audience to think about what they do with antibiotics and why, with the aim of introducing practical steps to optimise antimicrobial use, leading to improved patient outcomes, easier treatment and minimisation of negative consequences, including the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance.
“We do a lot of things simply because we’ve done them, not because they work or make sense, and we need to look at what we’re doing and the available evidence,” said Scott. “I will discuss some well-established dogmas that don’t actually make sense, cover some common questions and misconceptions about antibiotic use, and try to help us advance how we use these life-saving drugs that, to some degree, are a non-renewable resource.”
Scott will also be presenting a talk about sampling on the Friday in the antimicrobial stewardship session, with the aim of getting everyone thinking about how we make antibiotic decisions.
“There’s a lot of emphasis on submitting cultures, but if we submit bad samples or can’t interpret them, it’s at best a waste of money and at worst can harm patients,” he said.
David Freeman and Scott Weese’s lectures will contribute to more than 90 hours of live and on-demand CPD on offer at Congress, covering equine medicine, surgery and practice, via presentations, interactive discussions, debates and workshops. Between lectures and after hours, delegates can network and learn about new products and innovations in the exhibition hall which will be filled with a mix of the industry’s leading suppliers and referral practices. The evening social scene kicks off with the BEVA President’s Welcome Reception on the Wednesday evening The Alchemist in central Birmingham, sponsored by EVC Compounding Ltd (Tickets £25 for drinks only or £40 for drinks and food).
Book before 6 August to take advantage of early bird prices for BEVA members of £599 for a three-day pass for vets (normal price £699) and £225 for vet nurses (normal price £273) (with concessionary rates available for those in their first three years of graduation or earning less than £25,000). Day tickets and practice passes are also available. Early bird rates and practice passes are available until 6 August 2025.
You can find out more and to book your tickets here.
