The bluetongue virus is currently ravaging the livestock farming heartlands of South West England, with farmers reporting hundreds of cases.
According to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), the virus is carried by biting midges and affects ruminants such as sheep and cattle.
Symptoms include fever, lesions, redness around the mouth, eyes and nose, reddening of the skin above the hoof, excessive salivation and nasal discharge.
Sheep are particularly vulnerable to the disease, and some farmers have said they are experiencing “substantial losses”.
As of 11 October, 3,301 cases have been confirmed across the country, principally in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, which account for 1,943 cases between them. Devon is the worst-affected county, with 1,256 cases.
As a result of the outbreak, demand for the bluetongue vaccine has skyrocketed, but the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has now issued a strong warning against the buying, selling or exchange of surplus bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines.
Much of this unofficial trade, the VMD says, is taking place through online marketplaces, social media platforms and private arrangements.
This, however, poses a significant risk to animal health, the directorate says, as once a product leaves the authorised supply chain there can be no guarantee it has been stored, handled or transported correctly, potentially affecting its quality, safety and effectiveness.
BTV-3 vaccines are prescription-only veterinary medicines and are subject to strict legal controls.
Animal owners cannot legally supply a veterinary medicine to another animal owner, even if that medicine has been prescribed by a veterinary surgeon for the recipient.
If animal keepers are buying vaccines online, they should ensure they have a valid prescription from a vet and only purchase from a registered online retailer authorised to sell prescription-only veterinary medicines.
They can verify whether a website is authorised to sell animal medicines by checking the VMD’s register of online retailers.
If animal keepers have leftover vaccine, they should return it to their veterinary practice or veterinary surgeon for appropriate disposal.
The VMD is encouraging anyone who identifies potential illegal online listings of BTV-3 vaccines to report them via its online reporting tool on GOV.UK.
