Millpledge Veterinary has launched Oculeze, an ocular lubricant.

The new product, which is for the management of any condition where eye health is supported by providing additional moisture or lubrication, is suitable for dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and other animals.

Oculeze contains glycerine (0.8%), Aloe vera, chamomile and propolis extract, the latter of which contains polyphenols which Millpledge says have been shown to support corneal health by multiple mechanisms of action including modulation of the tear film and a reduction in inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress¹.  

Millpledge says Oculeze lasts longer on the ocular surface than non-lipid lubricants² because it evaporates more slowly³. 

This prolonged action means fewer administrations, which should help client compliance. 

Oculeze comes in two sizes - a 10 millilitre bottle and a pack of ten resealable 0.6 millilitre vials, suitable for short term use and travel.

The 10ml bottle includes a filter, preserving sterility for up to three months after opening. 

Oculeze is available direct from Millpledge or from your usual wholesaler.

https://millpledge.com/shop/oculeze

sales@millpledge.com

References

1. Favero, G. et al. (2021) Evidence of Polyphenols Efficacy against Dry Eye Disease. Antioxidants 10:190
2. Tsubota K. and Yamada M. (1992) Tear evaporation from the ocular surface. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.;33(10):2942-50
3. Testing of ophthalmic solutions lubricating properties 2022 09 Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, 2022 10 Department of Tribology, Vytautas Magnus University

BEVA has launched Back in the Saddle, a six-month coaching programme to support vets who are either returning to work or who want to change tack in some way.

The programme is for vets who are more than five years qualified, and thus not eligible for BEVA’s Leg Up coaching. 

It has been developed in response to numerous BEVA members reporting periods of feeling lost or adrift in their career as life progresses after graduation, particularly following a career break. 

The programme is led by a team of individuals who have experienced the challenges of working in equine practice and have all undergone extensive coaching training.

It takes the form of group sessions where participants can discuss, learn and share knowledge in a workshop style environment.

Lucy Grieve, Veterinary Projects Officer at BEVA said: “Back in the Saddle provides a safe, supportive and encouraging environment to help individuals understand what it is they want from their career, following a break, for example for parental leave or injury.

"By reflecting on their career achievements, learnt skills and professional needs, in the context of their life as it is now, it enables them to prioritise appropriately, create achievable goals, and find their place in the profession again.

“Our coaches are professionally trained, friendly and empathetic, and the nature of group coaching means peer support opens up to all involved.

"This helps counter feelings of isolation and self-doubt and enables a sense of purpose and confidence to return and develop further.” 

The first Back in the Saddle programme starts on 11 June 2024 – applications are now open and will close on 17 May 2024.

https://form.asana.com/?k=5BoRR89NDXQ_CAsWZ-g-HQ&d=11947487954206 

The BVA has submitted a joint response with the BSAVA, SPVS, BVNA and VMG to the Competition and Markets Authority consultation on a proposed market investigation. 

The response offers further evidence concerning the CMA’s potential concerns, and says that voluntary measures relating to transparency of fees and ownership could be introduced before the conclusion of a market investigation.

The BVA has formed a working group to develop guidance on transparency, client choice and the value of veterinary care to support companion animal practices.

British Veterinary Association President Anna Judson, said: “We’re keen to see healthy competition and consumer choice and we recognise that some of the areas identified by the CMA would benefit from further scrutiny.

"We are already taking steps to support vet practices by developing guidance for the profession in relation to transparency of fees, transparency of ownership, prescribing and dispensing of veterinary medicines, and contextualised care.

“However, we are extremely disappointed to see the suggestion in the CMA’s report, as well as in subsequent media reporting, that veterinary professionals might prey on owners’ desire to do the best for their pets by using these circumstances as a “strategy” to promote more sophisticated or expensive treatment.

"Vets enter this high-pressure profession out of genuine care for animals and will always prioritise their health and welfare."

“We also have significant concerns about the suggestion that practices might be mandated to provide information to clients about quality or outcome-related measures.

"We do not see primary concerns about the quality of veterinary treatment and we believe such a requirement would not meaningfully support consumer choice.

"Instead, it would be extremely challenging to deliver and could significantly exacerbate many of the complex issues faced by our members, who are already under significant pressure.

There will be a panel discussion about the CMA investigation at BVA Live this year.

https://bvalive.vetshow.com 

COMMENT

There are lots of good points made in this latest response to the CMA, if no more than a nod to the real issue here: which is the often eye-watering cost of modern veterinary care. 

But it is hugely disappointing to see the BVA (and others) berating the CMA and the media for suggesting that vets might prey on owners' desire to do the best for their pet, rather than asking WHY people think that, and how can the profession regain trust.

That, surely, is the starting point here: for the profession to stop feeling sorry for itself, and instead think how it can change to meet the needs of its customers and dispel their perception of being taken for a ride.

The CMA investigation is a bit of a red herring: the price of veterinary care is not going to be significantly changed by displaying the prices for a few standard procedures on practice websites, with greater transparency over practice ownership or with slightly cheaper prescriptions, all of which is just tinkering. 

The biggest influence on the size of the client's bill is not marketplace competition, it's the vet's recommendation.

Paul Manktelow, Chief Vet at the Blue Cross has already hit the nail square on the head when he called on the profession to practise pragmatic medicine. 

The BVA now alludes to this with talk in its response of 'contextualised care' - a concept which allows practitioners to offer pragmatic medicine (aka what people can afford, rather than 'gold standard'), without the judgement that it is inherently associated with.

The benefits of 'contextualised care' are well explained by Ruth Serlin at VDS Training here. 

That's great, but will it be enough? 

Perhaps not, because whilst someone might be happy to walk out of the car showroom with a Dacia Sandero knowing they cannot afford a Bentley, they may be less happy to accept the Dacia level of care for their beloved pet, when they watched 'Supervet' only the night before.

If that's true, then pragmatic medicine will have to be combined with all sorts of other measures, such as reviewing and reducing the cost of regulation, questioning the value of diagnostics and changing to a less 'referall' (sic) culture. 

Vetpartners is offering grants to support those of its vets who want to boost their clinical skills by doing veterinary work overseas.

The veterinary group is stumping up more than £100,000 for the initiative, which will enable 20 vets and nurses, and 56 new grads from across the group to work with the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) and other overseas animal charities.

The grants are for £1,500 and those taking part will also get up to one week of paid time off work whilst they volunteer.

VetPartners CEO Jo Malone said: “We wanted to support colleagues to have a fantastic experience while improving their skills in a different environment.

"It will give people a chance to use their clinical skills to give back to charities which are doing great work.

“If you’re working in a veterinary practice in Europe, you have support from team members around you and great facilities and equipment compared to the more challenging conditions working for a charity overseas.

"Working in these more challenging environments while they are volunteering will help build resilience, as our team members are unlikely to have experienced anything like this before.

“Charities like the World Veterinary Service are working ethically to help animals that may or may not have ever had veterinary care, and are doing a great job so we are delighted to support them.”

CVS Group reports that over the past week, its UK operations have been significantly disrupted after a number of its IT systems were hacked.

The company says that as soon as it discovered the unauthorised external access to its systems, it took them offline and started working to contain the threat. 

Specialist third party consultants have been engaged to investigate the nature and extent of the incident and CVS has also informed the relevant authorities, including the Information Commissioner’s Office, because of the risk of malicious access to personal information. 

The company says the majority of IT services for its practices and business functions have now been restored, but due to the increased levels of security and monitoring, some systems are not working as efficiently as before.

CVS also says that as a result of the incident, it is bringing forward plans to migrate its practice management system and related IT infrastructure to the cloud.

Analysis of the incident is ongoing and CVS says it will provide a further update in due course.

The BSAVA has published a series of client information leaflets about the care and welfare of reptile species most commonly kept in the UK.

Data for 2023 from UK Pet Food research found that around 5% of UK households own a reptile, up from 3.4% in 2022.

The new leaflets have been created using information from the BSAVA Manual of Reptiles and reviewed by Simon Girling, reptile specialist at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

They cover things like housing, feeding, handling, medication and spotting health concerns, and are now available for veterinary surgeons to download and print out for clients thinking about getting a reptile.

There are currently leaflets for the following species:

• Bearded dragons
• Crested geckos
• Leopard geckos
• Iguanas
• Snakes
• Tortoises
• Terrapins 

BSAVA members can download the leaflets free from the BSAVA library.  

Subscription access for 12 months to BSAVA’s collection of over 170 client information leaflets is available to non-members for £40+VAT here.

Virbac has launched Pyoderm, an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal dermatological shampoo for dogs and cats.

Containing 3% m/v Chlorhexidine, Pyoderm is designed to support the natural microbial balance of the skin whilst delivering gentle yet effective cleansing.

Along with the rest of Virbac's range of dermatological and everyday care shampoos, Pyoderm is presented in 250ml eco-friendly bottles which are made from 100% recycled plastic and recyclable packaging.

The shampoos themselves are also biodegradable. 

https://uk.virbac.com/

A team of veterinary surgeons based outside Birmingham has performed the world’s first body transplant in a dog. 

The procedure was performed on a 13-year-old Siberian Husky called Marigold, which was diagnosed with a malignant mammary tumour last year.

Unfortunately, despite £20,000 worth of radiotherapy, Marigold failed to respond to treatment, and the tumour spread. 

Marigold’s owner, Mrs Norma Pophosherti from Derby said: “We couldn’t bear to part with Marigold, she’s one of the family, so when we heard about the groundbreaking work being done at the University of Bromsgrove Veterinary School, we had to give it a go. 

Unfortunately there was no realistic prospect of a donor from a matching breed of dog.

Thankfully, though, a local man with a 4-year-old Labrador stepped forward to help. 

Hit by the cost of living crisis, he’d been unable to afford to keep his dog and was about to have it put to sleep when he heard about the Phophosherti family’s search for a donor.

Although he wished to remain anonymous, he said: “It gives me great comfort to think that Buddy will be able to live on, and spare the Phophoshertis from the pain of losing their beloved Marigold”

Professor Flora Olip MRCVS led a team of 6 veterinary surgeons who undertook the 28 hour procedure, which is estimated to have cost over £100,000. 

She said: “This was a very tricky procedure which probably only had a 30% chance of success.

"But I’m delighted to say that Marigold’s new body has taken well, and she can now look forward to perhaps a whole more year with Phophosherti family, albeit as less of a Siberian Husky, and more of what you might call a Huskador"

Flora added: “More importantly, this heralds the way for similar procedures in humans, which I think are probably just a few years away now.”

Photo: Marigold, now one-third Siberian Husky, two-thirds Labrador.

The RCVS is inviting vets to a focus group to look at the profession's needs for a Specialist GP status and contribute to the development of a curriculum on Friday 3rd May 2024 between 9.30am and 4.30pm at the Woburn House Conference Centre.

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education, said: “The overall aim of this event is to gather stakeholders' thoughts and insights on the need for GP specialty training, the potential impact and advantages to the profession as well as any potential risks.

"Those in attendance will also discuss what appropriate content for this training should be and explore potential learning environments, and prerequisites for how the training might be implemented”.

“After an introduction to the VCCP project, we will then be asking participants to consider some of the key questions around the development of this curriculum.

"This includes: establishing the overarching purpose of the training programme with reference to the needs of the workforce, the profession and veterinary care services; identifying appropriate areas of content for the training; identifying suitable learning environments; and establishing consideration of the required mechanisms of supervision and support.

“In terms of attendees, we are very keen to have a good mix of people including those working in independent veterinary practices as well as corporate environments, those working in general practice, Advanced Practitioners, Specialists and those who work in the education sector.

"The focus groups will be on interactivity, finding solutions and building engagement – we want all voices to be heard and all ideas to be shared.”

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rcvs-veterinary-clinical-career-pathways-stakeholder-focus-group-tickets-873231397617?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

COMMENT

Given the above-inflation rise in the cost of veterinary care, leading to the Competition and Markets Review and the proposed Formal Market Investigation, is now really the moment to be adding yet another layer of training and qualification, with attendant costs which will ultimately be borne by the pet-owning public?

And where is the need for a Specialist status for general practitioners?

Isn't one of the biggest issues facing general practitioners today the referall (sic) culture which has developed in recent years, leading to the deskilling of GPs, reduced job satisfaction and increased costs for pet owners?

Isn't it now the time to call a halt to further specialisation and instead focus on cutting costs, reducing the regulatory burden, and encouraging all GPs to regain lost skills so they can all deliver first class, affordable, pragmatic care for the masses?

Just a thought.

An unnamed veterinary nurse has been struck off by the RCVS VN Disciplinary Committee for claiming to be a veterinary surgeon and for making offensive and discriminatory remarks on the social media platform X (Twitter).

The individual, referred to as Mrs D throughout the hearing and who was granted anonymity by the Committee on grounds relating to her health, faced three charges against her.

The first charge was that she posted the tweets from her Twitter/X account.

The second charge was that in a number of tweets (Schedule 1 below), she falsely stated or implied that she was a veterinary surgeon, and that, in some tweets, while falsely holding herself out to be a veterinary surgeon, she used language that was offensive and/or unprofessional.

The third charge was that in a number of tweets (Schedule 2 below) she made statements that were offensive, discriminatory and brought the veterinary professions into disrepute.

At the outset of the hearing Mrs D admitted all the facts of the charges against her, and also admitted that her conduct amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional capacity.

The Committee considered that there were a number of aggravating factors in Mrs D’s behaviour, including a lack of probity and integrity, as well as dishonesty, in holding herself out as a veterinary surgeon.

Her conduct was also premeditated and took place over a lengthy period of time, involved abuse of her position, and demonstrated discriminatory behaviour, as a large number of her tweets were highly offensive towards various minority groups.

In mitigation, the Committee heard from the respondent that she had a number of difficulties in her personal life which led to inappropriate use of social media, though she did not suggest these factors excused her behaviour.

The Committee also considered that Mrs D had a long and previously unblemished career of 15 or so years, had made early admissions (albeit she had initially denied being responsible for the tweets) and shown considerable remorse.

However, in terms of the sanction, the Committee considered that removal from the Register was the most proportionate sanction it could impose.

Paul Morris, who chaired the Committee and spoke on its behalf, said: “For a registered veterinary nurse to pretend to be a veterinary surgeon on a public platform is itself an extremely serious matter.

"When that presentation is associated with the highly offensive language of the tweets in this case, extending over a period of years, the conduct is in the view of the Committee fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.

“The Committee has concluded that removal from the register is the only sanction which is sufficient to satisfy the public interest in maintaining proper standards of behaviour for registered veterinary practitioners and public confidence in the profession and its regulation.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

The Tweets

Schedule 1

1. “@cbbc really disappointed that you don’t highlight the work that registered vet nurses do too! A vet practice couldn’t run without us!” 
2. “As a vet nurse she needs more education on foxes! This is scaremongering” 
3. “Funny listening to a teacher, who had brought her poorly cat in, moaning about schools opening next week, to me.. a vet.. who has worked in practice alongside our fantastic nurses and office staff throughout lockdown” 
4. “In my experience as a vet I would take your pup along to your local vets free nurse clinics and they will give you all the correct advice you need” 
5. “Tell u what I worked as a vet nurse whilst I trained to be a vet plus worked at local Beefeater to save what we’ve got-it’s called bloody hard work!” 
6. “I was paid 6k a year working 42 hours a week as a trainee vet nurse in 1996 whilst waiting for opportunity to get into vet school” 
7. “Please give my RVN colleagues the professionals respect they deserve by stating salary range” 
8. “No one claps for us, we don’t get discounts or great pensions… we are there 24/7 for your fur babies… perhaps we should strike?... I don’t know a single vet nurse or vet that would put animal lives in danger to do this though” 
9. “Yeah we’re driving round in Ferraris and doing snow angels in our cash. There’s no NHS for pet which is why twits like you don’t understand costs to run a vet practice” 
10. “My clients are lovely thanks, so are their pets. You’re an obvious pathetic trolling Karen and I feel sorry for your dog (and your vet if you have one, I’m sure you’re very popular there)” 
11. “I’m a vet dear I deal with the aftermath of horse cruelty weekly- considering you’re a minority, traveller horse cruelty is a huge problem!” 
12. “As a vet, and I think I speak for the entire profession, the Tories can feck off” 

Schedule 2 

1. “I’m a vet dear I deal with the aftermath of horse cruelty weekly- considering you’re a minority, traveller horse cruelty is a huge problem!” 
2. “Black people kill more black people than any other race… perhaps they should practice what they preach” 
3. “She stop ALL this woke and immigration crap and return the UK to its indigenous citizens” [In response to question about what Margaret Thatcher would do if she returned to power] 
4. If White British moved to African nations (let’s be honest they’ll be empty soon) and rebuilt towns/cities you can bet all the illegal grimmigrants will flood there… lazy entitled scroungers” 
5. “The #WEF want population control but are happy for feral African men to flood Europe?! I don’t get it” 
6. “Ha ha funny how the #BLM lot are all ‘ard until the pickeys come after them” [In response to a post about a rally staged near traveler homes] 
7. “I bet I know what religion the taxi driver was…” [in respect to an article about a taxi driver who refused to pick up a blind person] 
8. “Kent is a shithole mainly thanks to bottles of piss from lorries being chucked out the window as they travel from ports! Plus the feral being dumped here by London borough councils”
9. “@UK Labour you happy to let this one in too? @refugeecounsel… I think you and yours should be held accountable for each and every crime these ferals commit!!” [In response to a post about a crime committed by an asylum seeker]
10. “Black black black black racist racist racist blah blah blah” [In response to a post about King Charles and Harry/Megan] 
11. “Literal animals” [In response to a post of a picture apparently showing one Muslim woman on top of another- the original post said “was this some kid of modernised Islamic prayer”] 
12. “Import the third world become the third world” [In response to a post about conviction of Somali men on drug charges] 
13. “Feral #BLM” [In response to a post about “cultural decline”] 
14. “Import feral expect feral” [In response to a video apparently showing a school principal stopping a gang attacking a pupil] 
15. “Does he feel as strongly for the underage girls groomed by Pakistani men right under our noses” [In response to a BBC Question Time post of a black audience member’s comments on the case of Shamina Begum]
16. “We know who is responsible and it’s not British Christian’s!! Why has the @Conservatives allowed this to happen to our country?!” [In response to a post about a dead sheep found in Brook in Birmingham]
17. “These aren’t genuine refugees you blinkered melon and that’s why London is a third world s**thole” [In response to post by Sadiq Khan about violence against asylum seekers and refugees] 
18. “Minorities do not want to integrate with anyone and they all hate each other too- Kent is a multicultural sh*t hole” 
19. “Import feral expect feral” [In response to a report about a stabbing incident next to an asylum centre in Ireland] 
20. “Like a swarm of locusts” [In response to a post of a photograph of a small boat apparently carrying migrants off Florida Keys in the United States] 
21. “When you’re in control we are flooded with African freeloaders” [In response to a post about crime in Labour run areas] 
22. “Happy to ban it [the Quran] in the UK- they can move” 
23. “Probably fed up with clearing up [poo emoji] and detritus by the ferals” [In response to a post about a Kerry hotel housing migrants not renewing its contract] 
24. “@SuellaBraverman you’re literally importing thousands of rapists” [In response to an article about an asylum seeker convicted of rape] 
25. “Seriously why do you live here?? There are plenty of predominantly black nations where you won’t suffer hate or violence… oh wait…” [In response to celebrity criticism of Jeremy Clarkson statements on Megan Markle] 
26. “Stop Islamification of this country- ban Halal, 2nd wife benefits & burkas should do it.” 
27. “You are allowing the UK to be turned into a third world country complete with an antiquated homophobic, misogynistic, animal abusing, pedophilic religion dictating law and order.” 
28. “@Conservatives when will you actually ask UK taxpayers if THIS is acceptable for the UK? Misogyny, homophobia, animal abuse, pedophilia is not welcome in civilized society” [In response to a report about building of a mosque] 

Hampshire-based Robert Russell has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after he was convicted of possessing indecent images of children and extreme animal abuse.

Dr Russell, 64, who waived his right to attend the hearing, was convicted in 2023 of three offences: making indecent photographs of a child, possessing 2,280 prohibited images of a child and possessing 109 extreme pornographic images that included moving images that were grossly offensive.

After pleading guilty to making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child, and possessing extreme pornographic image/images portraying sexual acts with an animal, Dr Russell was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to a two-year community order, a 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 150 hours of community service and a forfeiture and destruction order of Seagate Drive, Toshiba hard drive and Lenovo tablet.

In addition, he was required to register with the police for 5 years and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.

He was also required to pay prosecution costs of £425 and £60 victim surcharge.

Counsel for the College submitted to the Disciplinary Committee that the nature and circumstances of the offences rendered Dr Russell unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.

The Committee considered there to be several aggravating factors including, actual (albeit indirect) injury to an animal or child; the risk of harm to an animal or child; sexual misconduct; premeditated conduct; and, that the offences involved vulnerable children and animals.  

Neil Slater, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee has reached the conclusion that Dr Russell’s behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with being a veterinary surgeon, namely grave offences of a sexual nature.

"Dr Russell’s behaviour was so serious that removal of professional status and the rights and privileges accorded to that status is considered to be the only means of protecting the wider public interest and of maintaining confidence in the profession.

“The Committee has not taken this decision lightly, and, lest it be misinterpreted, it has not taken it in order to satisfy any notional public demand for blame and punishment.

"It has taken the decision because, in its judgment, the reputation of the profession has to be at the forefront of its thinking and ultimately this is more important than the interests of Dr Russell.

"The decision is not simply based on the fact that these offences were of a sexual nature but because they were repeated over a significant period of time and at a time when Dr Russell must have known, on his own plea of guilty, that what he was doing was wrong.

"Further, the Committee can discern no evidence that Dr Russell has insight into the gravity of the offence he has committed.

"The Committee has therefore directed the Registrar to remove his name from the Register forthwith.”

Dr Russell has 28 days from being notified of his removal from the Register to lodge an appeal with Privy Council.

Purina has announced a programme of support for StreetVet, the UK charity providing veterinary care and services for homeless people, after the charity saw an increase of over 300% in the demand for its services between 2022 and 2023.

StreetVet won over £70,000 worth of funding through Purina's Better with Pets prize in 2021 and 2023.  

In addition, the company is donating therapeutic and maintenance petfood free of charge, and will be supporting new projects in 2024.

Purina has also published a podcast in which Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Scientific Affairs Manager sat down with Jade Statt, co-founder of StreetVet (pictured), to talk about the work of the charity: https://open.spotify.com/episode/44O5ax83xay3Ht8l02MJPf, and how veterinary professionals benefit from volunteering to work with it.

Jade said: “Volunteering and giving back is incredibly gratifying but it’s more than that…you’re able to just be a vet or a nurse helping a pet and their human. People tell us it helps them remember why they wanted to do the job in the first place.”

https://www.streetvet.co.uk

IVC Evidensia reports that in the UK, the percentage of its patient visits given systemic and local antibiotic treatments and prescriptions in outpatient care have reduced from 11.1% in 2021 to 8.6% in 2023, a reduction of nearly a third over the last three years. 

IVC says this means its UK practices are on track to hit a group target of 5% by 2030, which follows in the footsteps of other IVC Evidensia territories such as Sweden and Norway, which have already reached figures of 4.9% and 5.9% respectively.

To achieve this progress, IVC says it has implemented a number of initiatives:

• Dedicated vets have been empowered as local leaders (known as Antimicrobial Stewards) and given bespoke training, support and all the necessary tools to be able to safely reduce antibiotics used in their practices
• In October 2023, an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Month was celebrated which raised awareness of the relationship between antibiotic use and hygiene, championing excellent hygiene standards in practice
• During London Vet Show in November, a partnership with RUMA CA&E was launched where vet professionals were able to access a free AMR Social Media Toolkit, designed to help raise awareness of the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

IVC says there has been a concerted efforts by its vets to become more aware of their own attitudes towards antibiotics and to educate their clients about the dangers of AMR.

One such example is Angharad Thomas, a veterinary surgeon from Fivelands Veterinary Centre in the West Midlands, who managed to reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed in dentistry by 17.8% between 2022 and 2023:

She said: “Long dental treatments are a great time to chat to vet students, but one day, instead of quizzing them, I was trotting out my thoughts on the decision-making for the case when I reached post-operative drugs.

"Stopping here I asked: ‘What are you taught about this these days?’

"I suppose I wasn’t surprised to hear that antibiotics didn’t feature. 

“It was a lightbulb moment: Why was I using post-operative antibiotics for my dental cases?

"I come from the generation of vets who were firmly taught never to give antibiotics to routine surgeries, so why was I continuing to use antibiotics in dentistry?

"All at once I felt terribly old and out-of-touch. I decided it was time for a change!”

“Given that reducing antibiotic usage is now fairly well recognised by the general public, owners have appeared very supportive.

"A day three post-operative check provides reassurance that their pet is healing and allows us an opportunity to intervene if required.”

“Being an ‘experienced’ vet can be a trade-off between textbook clinical decision-making and what we believe would work for our patients and their owners.

"Sometimes we need a paper or two to persuade us to change our ways, but here, going back to basic principles was enough for me. 

“Twelve months later, after watching my cases for any mild complications and reflecting on the whether such complications could be attributed to the lack of antibiotics, I am convinced that this change has had no negative effects on my patients.”

https://ivcevidensia.co.uk/positive-pawprint