Annex 3

Statutory membership examination

Reading list
The statutory membership examination covers the underpinning knowledge and understanding and
practical competences required to practise as a veterinary surgeon in the United Kingdom including
coverage of veterinary public health, and medicine, surgery, reproduction and the husbandry
associated with companion animals, production animals and horses.

The examination syllabus is divided into four subjects: the horse, production animals, small companion
animals and veterinary public health, and the reading list follows the same subject split. In addition
there is a general list that contains texts which are relevant to more than one species. Websites that
give information about current UK and EU legislation of relevance to veterinary surgeons as well as
some veterinary journals and publications are listed. You should read widely and be familiar with
current issues and UK-specific problems. The reading list should act as a guide to the depth of
knowledge required rather than as a complete summary of the required knowledge.

The horse
The statutory membership examination syllabus relates principally to the horse, but also
includes the donkey, used for leisure and sporting activities.

Auer, JA & Stick, JA. (1999) Equine surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: W B Saunders.
ISBN 0721677339

Knottenbelt, DC & Pascoe, RR. (1994) The color atlas of diseases and disorders of the horse. London:
Wolfe. ISBN 0723417024
Expensive, but beautifully illustrated text covering diseases and disorders of all body systems
of the horse. Concise format. 432 pages, 915 colour illustrations.

Mair, T, et al. (eds.) (1998) Equine medicine, surgery and reproduction. London: W B Saunders. ISBN
0702017256
A thorough text with extensive index. 498 pages.

Stashak, TS, (Ed) Adams’ Lameness in Horses 5th ed. Philadelphia: London Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins ISBN 0638079816

There is a paperback version available

Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1987. ISBN 0812109805

White, NA, & Edwards, GB, 1999 Handbook of Equine Colic Oxford: Butterworth – Heinemann ISBN
0750635878

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Small companion animals

The statutory membership examination syllabus for small companion animals relates to dogs,
cats pet rabbits and, to a more limited extent, other small mammals such as guinea pigs and
rodents, reptiles and cage birds, that are kept as pets.

Bojrab MJ. (eds.) (1998) Current techniques in small animal surgery. 4th ed. Baltimore: Lippincott,
Williams and Wilkins. ISBN 0683008900
Covers comprehensively both diagnosis and treatment (including operative surgery) of
surgical diseases of the dog and cat; both soft tissue and orthopaedics. 1340 pages.

Denny, HR & Butterworth, SJ. (2000) A guide to canine and feline orthopaedic surgery. 4th ed.
Oxford: Blackwell Science. ISBN 0632051035

Flecknell, P. Ed (2000) Manual of Rabbit Medicine and Surgery BSAVA ISBN 0 905214 46 3

Herrtage, ME & Dunn, JK. (1999) Textbook of small animal medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia: W B
Saunders. ISBN 0702015822
Large textbook with problem oriented approach, many tables. Recommended. 1088 pages.

Piermattei, DL & Flo, GL. (1997) Handbook of small animal orthopedics and fracture repair. 3rd ed.
Philadelphia: W B Saunders. ISBN 0721656897
A very comprehensive text covering the diagnosis, aetiology, and treatment of conditions
affecting the locomotor system in small animals. 743 pages.

Schaer, M. (2003) Clinical Medicine of the Dog and Cat. London: Manson Publishing.
ISBN 1874545626
Well illustrated atlas of small animal medicine problems with explanatory text.

Scott, DW, Miller, WH & Griffin,CE. (2001) Muller and Kirk’s small animal dermatology. 6th ed.
Philadelphia: W B Saunders. ISBN 0721676189

Slatter, DH. (2003) Textbook of small animal surgery. 3rd ed. 2 vols. Philadelphia: W B Saunders.
ISBN 0721686079
Definitive text that contains details of all surgical procedures. This is not a basic text but is a
reference source of current literature.

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Production animals
The species concerned are: cattle (dairy and beef), sheep, goats, pigs, domestic poultry and
farmed fish.

Andrews, AH, et al. (2004) Bovine medicine. 2nd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.
ISBN 0632055960
Covers all aspects of cattle diseases and reproduction; particularly relevant to the UK. 1200
pages.

Ball, PJH & Peters, AR. (2004) Reproduction in cattle. 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science.
ISBN 1405115459
A reasonably simple and practical general text on bovine reproduction. 250 pages.

Blowey, RW & Weaver, AD. (2003) A colour atlas of diseases and disorders of cattle. 2nd ed. London:
Mosby. ISBN 0723432058
Useful as an aid to case recognition. 220 pages.

Clarkson, MJ & Winter, AC. (1997) A handbook for the sheep clinician. 5th rev. ed.
Liverpool : Liverpool University Press. ISBN 0853237506

Martin, WB & Aitken, ID. (2000) Diseases of sheep. 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science. ISBN
0632051396
The standard UK reference text on sheep disease. 530 pages.

McDonald, P. (2002) Animal nutrition. 6th ed. Harlow: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0582419069

Radostits, OM. (2001) Herd health. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: W B Saunders. ISBN 0721676944
Covers in detail all aspects of herd health management in cattle, sheep and pigs. 890 pages.

Sainsbury, D. (1999) Poultry health and management. 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific
Publications. ISBN 0632051728
Sound introduction to the topic. 214 pages.

Taylor, DJ. (1999) Pig diseases. 7th ed. Glasgow: published by and obtainable from the author
Glasgow Veterinary School. ISBN 0950693251
A comprehensive reference text originally produced for UK final year undergraduate students.
390 pages.

Weaver, AD. et al. (2005) Bovine surgery and lameness. Oxford: Blackwell Science. ISBN
1405123826
A useful and practical text on the subject. 290 pages.

Webster, J. (1993) Understanding the dairy cow. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.
ISBN 0632034386
Thorough text covering physiology, feeding, housing, breeding and fertility. 374 pages.

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Veterinary public health

Veterinary public health encompasses the whole ‘farm to fork’ area and includes aspects of the
husbanding of animals, their welfare and health at production and the transport phases as well
as the slaughter stage. Candidates must also be aware of the importance of occupational
zoonoses.

Bremner, AS & Johnston, AM. (1996) Poultry meat hygiene and inspection. London: W B Saunders.
ISBN 0702018937

Brown M (2000) HACCP in the meat industry Woodhead Publishing Cambridge (reprinted 2002)
Covers all aspect of meat industry with an emphasis on the risk based approach and control of
Foodborne pathogens

Gracey, JF, Collins, DS & Huey, RJ. (1999) Meat hygiene. 10th ed. London: W B Saunders. ISBN
0702022586
Complete textbook of meat hygiene covering all domestic and wild species consumed as food. 758
pages.

Legislation - You should familiarise yourself with UK and EU legislation relating to:
Animal health
Animal welfare and the health and safety of humans
Food including milk
Medicines and residues
Pet passports
Slaughterhouses, meat hygiene and meat inspection
Transport and marketing of animals, and
The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, available on the RCVS website at
http://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/veterinary-surgeons-act-1966/

BUTTERWORTH'S Law of Food and Drugs This six volume looseleaf book is updated regularly and
contains all the relevant legislation. However, it may not be readily available in general reference
libraries.

You should always check that any legislation you refer to is the current legislation. You can check by
enquiry at HMSO (Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, which publishes Acts, Statutory Instruments etc) or
at a library. Legislation since 1988 is available on the HMSO website, http://www.hmso.gov.uk/

The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department
responsible for policy and regulation on the environment, food and rural affairs. There are sections for
Food and Farming and Wildlife and Pets on the website – www.defra.gov.uk.

The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency is an executive agency of Defra. Its role is to
help safeguard animal health and welfare and public health, protect the economy and enhance food
security through research, surveillance and inspection. Website www.defra.giov.uk/ahvla/

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The Food Standards Agency – www.food.gov.uk

The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe website – www.fve.org - contains a section on Veterinary

EU Legislation.

Information about medicines legislation, control of drug usage, good practice and the cascade can be
found in the publications section of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s website –
www.vmd.defra.gov.uk.

Latest developments in legislation are reported in the news columns of the Veterinary Record.
Information about the Veterinary Record and its sister journal, In Practice can be found on the British
Veterinary Association’s website at http://www.bvapublications.com/

General reading list

This list contains texts which are relevant to more than one species.

Blood, DC. (2000) Pocket companion to Veterinary Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia: W B Saunders.
ISBN 0702025399
A condensed version of RADOSTITS et al (2000) Veterinary medicine. 9th ed. written in note
form. Small page format suitable for rapid reference. 752 pages.

Douglas, SW, Herrtage, ME & Williamson, MD. (1997) Principles of veterinary radiography. 5th ed.
London: Baillière Tindall. ISBN 0702011762
Covers basic radiography and diagnostic radiological technique in veterinary practice. Now out
of print.

Hall, LS, Clarke, KW & Trim, CM. (2001) Veterinary anaesthesia. 10th ed. Philadelphia: W B
Saunders. ISBN 0702020354
Complete textbook on veterinary anaesthesia covering all domestic species. Useful
appendices on the duties of an anaesthetist and approved drug names. 561 pages.

Jackson, PGG. 2nd Ed (2004) Handbook of veterinary obstetrics. London: W B Saunders.

ISBN 0702027405
Illustrated paperback dealing with the practical problems of pregnancy, parturition and the
postparturient period in large and small animals.

Noakes, DE, Parkinson, TJ & England, GCW. (2001) Arthur’s veterinary reproduction and obstetrics.
8th ed. London: WB Saunders. ISBN 0702025569
Covers normal reproduction, its control, reproductive disease, infertility, obstetrics in all domestic
species. Includes the male. 868 pages.

Radostits, OM, et al. (2000) Veterinary medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia: W B Saunders.
ISBN 0702026042

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 Covers all aspects of medicine relating to cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. A complete
textbook. 1880 pages. (see also Blood, DC. (2000) above)

Radostits OM, Mayhew, IGJ & Houston DM. (2000) Veterinary Clinical Examination and Diagnosis.
London WB Saunders. ISBN 0702024767
A comprehensive text on clinical examination and diagnostic techniques in all the major
mammalian domestic species seen in the UK. 770 pages.

Urquhart, GM, et al. (1996) Veterinary parasitology. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science.
ISBN 0632040513
A detailed text with many pictures plus 30 pages review chapters. 307 pages.

Animal husbandry
You need to be familiar with animal husbandry of all species covered by the syllabus and British
agricultural systems. Books are not listed here. You should seek assistance from a librarian if you
have difficulty finding appropriate books. For production animals the following publications are
recommended: Livestock Farming, Dairy Farmer, Pig Farming, The Sheep Farmer, What's New in
Farming and Farmers Weekly.

Veterinary publications and journals

You are advised to read The Veterinary Record, In Practice, the Journal of Small Animal Practice, the
British Veterinary Journal, the British Equine Veterinary Journal, UK Vet and the manual series published
by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association – www.bsava.org.uk - on various aspects of
companion animal practice, and publications from the British Equine Veterinary Association –
www.beva.org.uk.

Summary of useful website addresses

RCVS Charitable Trust Library – http://trust.rcvs.org.uk/library-and-information-services/
RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons – available on the RCVS website at
www.rcvs.org.uk/vetcode
www.beva.org.uk – British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA)
www.bsava.org.uk – British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA)
www.bvapublications.com – British Veterinary Association (BVA)
www.defra.gov.uk – Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla – The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency
www.food.gov.uk – Food Standards Agency
www.fve.org – Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE)
www.hmso.gov.uk – Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO)
www.rcvs.org.uk – Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
www.vmd.defra.gov.uk – Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)

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