Summer 2012 Welcome

It is great to be able to report in this issue on not just one but two signifi cant advances that will help the health of small pets. We feature the latest vaccine that off ers protection against both myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) in rabbits, which will ensure that youngsters can now be protected against these fatal illnesses at an earlier stage in life. But the even better news, perhaps, is that its use will also work out cheaper than current methods.

The dentition of rabbits and rodents is crucial to their lifestyles, but thanks to dietary problems, so things can go wrong, especially with the long incisor teeth at the front of the mouth. Specialist vet Kevin Eatwell describes a case of this type in his casebook column this month, involving Reggie the rat, but now there has been a genuinely new nutritional breakthrough, at least for rabbits and guinea pigs, with the launch of Monoforage® from Supreme Petfoods.

This is a food in a form that you will have not seen before, and there is a remarkable story behind its development. It was created thanks to the determination of one man, who began cooking up recipes in his kitchen. Not only can you read the full story, and discover just why this is such a signifi cant advance, but you can also enter our competition, to win one of 10 boxes available as prizes.

David has kept small animals for over 45 years, and is well-known for his books and articles in this field. He also prepared the small mammal section for the Pet Store Management training course, and has broadcast extensively about their care and biology. His latest book, Animal Grief - how animals mourn, has just been published by Hubble & Hattie (£9.99), and is accompanied by a YouTube video of the same name.