Noweia's Activities

Brucella Canis

Murry Welsh — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 11:49:55 GMT

I’m currently developing practice guidance on the sensitive and increasingly complex issue of managing dogs that may pose a Brucella canis risk. What initially seemed like a straightforward task has become far more challenging after discussions with colleagues and reviewing the varying recommendations from professional bodies.

Our priority is to establish a framework that protects all staff from zoonotic exposure, while also taking a proportionate and pragmatic approach to requesting testing from owners. This includes acknowledging the financial impact of testing and the potentially profound effect a positive result can have on the pet–owner relationship.

With this in mind, I’d value hearing how other practices are approaching this particularly around testing protocols, client communication, and staff safety measures.

Do you find any veterinary medicines regulations overbearingly bureaucratic?

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 17:02:22 GMT

The VMD has just announced a review of the regulations (which it has a statutory duty to do every five years).

https://www.vetsurgeon.org/b/veterinary-news/posts/vmd-calls-for-vets-opinions-on-the-veterinary-medicines-regulations

This is an opportunity to have your say about any aspects you find unnecessarily burdensome, which is to say that it creates a lot of work for little or no benefit.

Is there anything you can think of?

I think it would be good to have an amendment to the VMR which prevented the retro licensing of drugs already in use by vets for many years, with no benefit to patient or owner.

But are there any other issues that you see in day to day practice that create extra work without a proven benefit to the wellbeing of animals?

Allison Bailey wins her case against Linnaeus Veterinary Ltd

Jo Godsall — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 19:55:20 GMT

Allison Bailey wins her case against Linnaeus Veterinary Ltd trading as Palmerston Veterinary Group.

allisonbailey.co.uk/.../

What do you think are the most common veterinary myths?

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:20:46 GMT

I'm thinking about topics to cover in films, beyond the causes behind the rising costs of veterinary care.

One idea floating about is to put the record straight concerning the more common myths which surround medications, other treatments or surgery.

Especially ones which come packaged with: "but the breeder told me, so it must be true!"

What do you think would be helpful films to make. Ones you could direct an owner to, to back up what you are telling them?

(Someone on vetnurse suggested 'lepto isn't safe' / 'only need to give it for one year')

BBC investigation into pressure on vets to meet targets

Cinzia Gandini — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 10:09:44 GMT

I'm not sure owning so many practices is actually business efficient is it not that they can incur in big financial problems?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62zzegvk33o

Suture choice for flank cat spay - what do you use? Anything you would not use?

Beats — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:01:02 GMT

Asking for a friend!

Mainly re muscle layer in cat flank spay - what do you use and anything that you would not use based on your own observed experiences?

Many thanks!

Back problems from doing dentals and surgery

Stigen — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 07:41:36 GMT

hi, I had a dental yesterday that involved 30+ extractions. After a few hours of bending over a tiny dog, combined with much stress I got a kink in the back. I have had prolapse a few years ago, but still able to be a clinician. Now I am unmovable, and really stiff.

Anyone have some suggestions of ergonomics and excercises for back strengthening. I wanna keep doing my job, but every day are surgeries on tiny animals that require me to bend in all sorts of positions. I have signed up to a yoga centre, but not started yet.

What do you like about being a vet?

Neil Wheadon — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 22:37:45 GMT

It's all so negative isn't it?

Here I am, approaching my 34th year in practice, my wife likewise.

I'd quite like to retire, maybe I will, but we both like the job, in fact my wife loves it. So let's put the other side, what do you like/love about it?

Go on it's Christmas

So to start

I get thanked every 15 minutes. The vast majority of clients say thankyou, sure beats a thumbs up on facebook

Next?

Which do you think are the most unfair cascade drugs?

Andrea Tarr — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 12:43:40 GMT

[quote user="Beats"]"It is not for a vet to judge a client’s financial means per se, and affordability is not, and cannot legally be, a justification for moving down the steps of the Cascade13 . Within the setting of contextualised care vets will already be discussing a range of treatments, including their likely effectiveness and cost, but it would be irresponsible to suggest an unlicensed generic on the basis of cost, especially where that unlicensed product may not work, may result in underdose or overdose, or may even cause harm. In these situations, using a licenced, alternative, cheaper drug would be preferable." www.bva.co.uk/.../joint-response-to-the-cma-issues-statement-final.pdf[/quote]

Tangent of: Do you agree with the BVA on cascade?

It seems that there is a particular sense of unfairness when a drug that was previously only available as a human authorised generic becomes a licensed veterinary medicine, e.g. lactulose, so there is a sudden price hike that needs to be justified to the client. Which are the most annoying/bothersome drugs in this respect?

What do you think would have the BIGGEST positive impact on the profession?

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:51:49 GMT

I want to pick up on some of the ideas at the top of this thread - ie seeing whether VetSurgeon and its members can help start driving some positive change.

But the current state of the profession is such a multifaceted problem, its hard to know where to start.

I think the only way to do it is to ask you, via survey, where I should go with this.

First, the issues which I think are having the biggest negative impact on the profession (both in terms of upward costs, but also I think, in job satisfaction for GPs).

Gold standard mentality (I know the term is now frowned on, but the mentality persists)
Refer-all culture (various 'drivers' for this), leading to increased costs and less job satisfaction (from doing interesting stuff in house)
Defensive medicine (again various things driving this) leading to increased costs
Regulatory pressures (for example, excessive application of cascade, but I also include messaging from the College on various issues).

Would you agree these are the main ones? What others have I not thought of. And if you had to pick one which, which would you think it is most important to address first?

Can you help with this difficult cat dermatology case?

Utlendigur — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 21:54:47 GMT

I have sort of ended up with this case over Easter. He's an 18mnth old male entire DSH cat. A few weeks ago he presented with bilateral otitis and skin lesions. The owner said they started as a scratch on his neck but progressed to superficial + probably also deeper areas of pyoderma affecting the HQ, ventrum and legs. Ear swabs gave scanty growth of Staph aureus resistant to most antibiotics except gentamycin, neomycin, rifampicin, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, doxycycline, minocycline . Skin swab was profuse growth of Staph aureus also resistant to most things except TMPS, florfenicol, doxycycline, minocycline, gentamycin, rifampicin, mupirocin. Routine bloods showed a massive neutrophilia, eosinophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytosis and basophilia. Globulins not unsurprisingly high but the biochem was otherwise relatively normal. He is Felv negative FIV negative and Toxo serology showed no evidence of exposure. The cat was started on oral doxycycline, ears treated with osurnia, and owners using Duoxo Pyo mousse plus 2 collars to stop him licking the areas. He was also given 2wks apoquel to try to stop the pruritis with no effect. The ears have resolved, but the whole back half of the cat and the forelegs are just as bad as ever. Impression smears were still hooching with cocci and neutrophils. We are trying to refer him, and are still waiting for a response to an advice request - there aren't many dermatologists nearby. The owners don't think they can bathe him, even using cotton wool and iodine solution and I am a bit concerned anyway at the risk of them getting scratched with multi-resistant staph. I was wondering about using flamazine but it is such a huge area I'd be worried about toxicity and I suspect anything topical is just sitting on a layer of exudate. Also switching to TMPS but given the lack of response to doxycycline...Or do we have him in daily to sedate and bath him with the risk of contamination in the practice? Any ideas very welcome

Anyone else edgy when dealing with XL Bullies?

Elizabeth — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:31:39 GMT

Not looking forward to the rush of getting them neutered. I know some are lovely, but recent events, especially reading about the mauled vet in the US had made me on edge when I have to deal with these dogs. Anyone else?

PUPD input

Kathryn Burton — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 19:43:59 GMT

Hi, I have a possible PUPD case that I'd appreciate some input with please. 15 yo ME JRT, lives with another younger JRT, O is finding urine puddles and having to fill up water bowl more often, the client isn't sure which dog is the culprit, both dogs have a USG of 1.015 with unremarkable stix and sediment. The owners decided to have blood work done on the older dog (nothing of note on exam but very limited by behaviour), urea is a bit up (12.8 mol/l) , K+ ever so slightly up (6 mol/l, Na 149 mmol/l, Na:K 25), otherwise haematology/biochem/elecs all within ref ranges. Costs are a bit of any issue and the dog is not easy to examine. Nothing on Hx at present to suggest dog has a GI issue that could be causing the raised urea and the RBC indices are all normal. Addisons seems unlikely from Hx and signalment. Creat is 110 umol/l so if it's renal issue is very early. Would you consider running an SDMA? Benign neglect and recheck urine and bloods in a couple of months? I think we've ruled out lots of possible problems and I don't know if they'll want to do anything much more anyway given his age. Sorry for the lengthly ramble, I've had a run of un-obvious PUPD cases recently and my brain is fried!

Intranasal maropitant in cats

Tom Ward — Mon, 18 May 2020 15:28:16 GMT

Hi all,

I've heard some anecdotal talk about the use of using diluted maropitant intranasally in cats with chronic idiopathic upper respiratory issues. I have tried to track down some literature on this but cannot seem to find anything that enlightening. Does anyone have any experience with this (obviously off license!) use?

Thanks!

Tom.

My dog's eyes are bulging... (Answer at end of week!)

Beats — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 21:50:59 GMT

Case-of-the-week bumper edition this week :-)

Young adult. Maybe hasn't photographed as obvious as was in real life.

1) What's the breed?

2) Describe the lesion(s)?

3) What's the most likely differential? [Googling totally allowed!]

4) What is treatment?

5) What are differentials?