This brings the total number of oncology specialists to four, within a service comprising 12 oncology professionals.
After getting her bachelor’s degree in biology from Duke University, Sarah (pictured right) enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, from which she graduated summa cum laude (with highest honours) in 2017.
Sarah stayed on at Penn to complete an internship in small animal medicine and surgery followed by a residency in medical oncology.
She became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2021 and joined the team at Davies in October 2021.
Sarah said: “I joined Davies for the opportunity to collaborate with specialists spanning all aspects of veterinary medicine.
“This allows me to provide the best care for my patients and contribute to the future of veterinary medicine.
"It is a privilege to work with so many kind, motivated and intelligent individuals that share these same goals.”
The elections will again be held completely online this year.
Veterinary surgeons have until 5pm on Monday 31st January 2022 to put themselves forward as candidates for the elections which will take place in March and April 2022.
The full eligibility criteria can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil22, where prospective candidates will also find further information about the role of the RCVS, RCVS Council and RCVS Council members, guidance notes, and frequently asked questions about standing as a candidate.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the elections, said: “We look forward to hearing from prospective candidates and are happy to give further information about what being an RCVS Council member means and what the role entails to those who may be considering standing for office.”
Prospective candidates for RCVS Council can also contact RCVS President Dr Kate Richards for an informal conversation on what it means to be an RCVS Council member on president@rcvs.org.uk
Kate said: “I’m on Council for my second term and can reassure any prospective candidates that it is a wonderful experience, both personally and professionally.
"You will learn new things not only about the College, but also the professions, policy and government; you will have fascinating discussions and debates with colleagues on issues of great importance and consequence; and you will make those important professional 'connections that count' with colleagues across the veterinary world and beyond. It is a career highlight.”
Prospective candidates for RCVS Council are welcome to attend the next Council meeting online, on Thursday 20th January 2022.
Contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, if you would like to attend: d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk.
The first is to confirm officially that Suprelorin, it's non-surgical alternative for neutering male dogs, may be implanted by RVNs under the direction of a veterinary surgeon under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
The company is also hosting two free webinars for nurses to learn more about neutering: The Science of Canine Castration and Practical Tips for Clinics, presented by Dr Michelle Kutzler and Nicola Lakeman on Thursday 9th December 2021, and Behaviour in Post-Pandemic Puppies and Practical Tips for Clinics, presented by Stephanie Hedges and Nicola Lakeman on Thursday 16th December 2021.
Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: "A huge surge in dog ownership in the last two years, combined with the additional pressures of Covid-19, has massively increased pressures on veterinary teams.
"At the same time we know that pet owner attitudes to surgical neutering is changing with 1 in 3 pet owners saying that they would look at alternative methods to surgical castration1.
"Suprelorin offers practices the opportunity to utilise the skills of their RVNs to provide a choice to clients when it comes to neutering and help to ease pressures on surgical waiting lists".
Reference
The teleconsulting service, accessed via the VetCT App, offers general practitioners 24hr clinical advice and support from specialists in all disciplines.
Practices who subscribe to the service can apply for £15 per person of food and drink vouchers for up to 20 people, to enjoy together.
VetCT says it will also be hosting a virtual party for locum vet subscribers want to take them up on the offer.
Victoria Johnson, Founder and Co-Director said: “We wanted to encourage people to get together - in person or virtually - to enjoy some festive treats and all-important social time, especially after a challenging year.
"We also appreciate how reducing staffing over the seasonal holiday period can leave teams stretched, and want to reassure our clients that we’re here to support them, 24/7, throughout the festive season.”
A member from the VetCT team will join the start of each practice party, to explain how versatile the teleconsulting service can be in providing reassurance and support, with answers to quick clinical questions, as well as advising on complex, multi-disciplinary case queries.
For more information, contact: info@vet-ct.com using the words ‘Staff Party’ in the subject, or visit www.vet-ct.com for more information.
The fellowship provides a grant of up to £35,000 for work in companion animal research to be spent over a maximum of two years.
Applications are open to veterinary surgeons who have completed a postgraduate qualification such as a PhD or Masters, and who are within the first four years after starting an academic post (Lecturer, Fellowship or above) and have received no more than £50,000 of funding in competitive external grants to date.
David Killick, Chair of the BSAVA PetSavers Grants Awarding Committee said: “BSAVA PetSavers is delighted to launch the PetSavers Research Fellowship.
"It is well recognised that the journey from completion of a PhD to becoming established as an independent researcher is one of the most challenging times of a researcher career.
“With this new grant BSAVA PetSavers will support exceptional veterinary professionals in the Early Career Researcher phase develop their research ideas by providing £35,000 towards research costs over a two-year period.
"Through this initiative BSAVA PetSavers aims to help these researchers reach their potential and in so doing expand the capacity for companion animal research in the UK.”.
Applications close on 28th February 2022, and a decision will be made by the end of May 2022.
To apply for the Research Fellowship, visit the BSAVA PetSavers website: https://www.petsavers.org.uk/Apply-for-funding/research-fellowship
Sebastian Griffin (pictured right), an advanced practitioner in small animal medicine at Vet4life in London is leading the research alongside Fabio Stabile, an expert in veterinary neurology at Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Essex, and Luisa De Risio, Clinical Research & Excellence Director at Linnaeus and a specialist in veterinary neurology.
Sebastian said: “There is so much more to learn about canine idiopathic epilepsy, to ensure that vets, pets and their owners have the best possible support when dealing with this disorder.
"We want to offer a more targeted, clinically applicable, and relevant approach to its diagnosis and treatment.
“Any vet who has recently treated dogs with idiopathic epilepsy in primary care is invited to respond.
"The survey only takes five to ten minutes but provides us with invaluable information that will help to inform and develop best practice.
"We are planning to share the results, along with educational resources and evidence-based guidelines, with our peers across the industry next year.”
The survey and further information can be found via https://bit.ly/3mfwVRe.
The study and survey results are due to be published in an open access peer-reviewed scientific journal by the end of 2022.
The survey, which is anonymous, closes on 15 January 2022.
Su Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at CEVA, said: “If left untreated, hypertension can result in target organ damage (TOD), with ocular problems developing in at least 80% of hypertensive cases1.
"Other major body systems that are commonly affected include the brain, heart and kidneys.
"Despite the potential for catastrophic sequelae such as retinopathy and blindness, owners may see very little in the way of warning signs.
"That means these patients are completely reliant on a veterinary recommendation for blood pressure monitoring.”
Ceva says that ideally, all cats over nine should be screened regularly. But given the pressure the profession is currently working under, the priority is to address the needs of the most at risk cats, ie those with predisposing conditions such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism.
Su said: “There is a real danger that many of those cats will be close to crisis point right now and the sooner we can identify those that need help, the better a chance we have of extending their quality and quantity of life.”
Vets looking to update their knowledge on feline hypertension, including the importance of regular screening, blood pressure monitoring techniques, and appropriate treatment options, can complete Ceva's free Feline Hypertension Ambassador CPD course at: https://veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva/.
400 people took part in the research, of which 76% described their mental health as ‘reasonable’ or ‘very good’, while almost three quarters 71% said there was someone at work they could talk to about their mental health and 80% knew where to access information and support.
This compared to 2019, when only 50% had even recognised veterinary wellbeing as an issue.
So far so good.
However, on the flip side, 60% felt that their work/life balance was not right and 82% were worried about their financial situation.
As is well known, the pandemic placed further strain on veterinary professionals: 78% of respondents said their workload had increased since it struck, and 44% said they were working longer hours.
What's more, 63% felt that that changes in working practices introduced during the pandemic had not been beneficial to their mental health.
The survey results showed a number of interesting variations depending on the respondent's time in the profession and their role.
For example, people who've been in the profession for more than ten years appeared to be more resilient than those who've been in the profession for six years or less, with 66% of the older hands saying the pandemic had had an impact on their mental heath, compared to 71% of the younger respondents.
The older crowd also reported being more aware of where to access support and information (89% vs 71%) but feel they have fewer people they can talk to at work (68% vs 76%).
Interestingly, nurses felt they had more people they can talk to at work (76% vs 62% of vets)
The organisers say that overall, the research suggests that the veterinary profession is more aware of the pressures on veterinary teams and is taking some steps to mitigate it and support staff better.
97% said they felt supported by their colleagues, 75% said they felt that their practice had strong leaders and managers and 90% said that they loved their job.
50% said their practice offers online resources to support wellbeing at work, 41% offer counselling and 40% offer flexible working.
When asked what more could be done to improve their wellbeing at work, simple solutions such as taking a lunch break, having a pleasant room at work in which they could relax and receiving recognition for hard work were the most commonly proposed.
VET Festival will be offering a Wellness Hub, supported by MWI Animal Health, in which a range of practical activities will be offered to support delegates in improving their day-to-day wellbeing, with representatives of Vetlife also on hand to offer advice and support.
Tickets for VET Festival can be bought here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
Since qualifying as an RVN in 1998, Georgina, aka George, has had a number of veterinary management roles, including Head Nurse, Business Support Manager and Regional Operations Manager.
She is currently Practice Director for Irby and Neston Vets in Cheshire.
George joined the VMG Board in 2016 and takes over as President from Richard Casey, who becomes Senior Vice President of the association.
Stuart Saunders, Practice Manager at Devon-based Selworthy Vets, becomes Junior Vice President.
All will serve a one-year term.
George said: “Becoming a manager or leader has an impact on the individual, but has an even stronger impact on the work and day-to-day experience of those around them.
"These roles therefore bring with them a great responsibility to do them well.
“We know from our members that the support, teaching, coaching and other resources that the VMG offers are making a positive difference and I’m particularly excited to take on the presidency following the recent launch of our Certificate of Veterinary Leadership & Management, an accredited taught qualification.
"I believe rigorous qualifications are the most effectively way to create the 21st century leaders and managers the veterinary sector needs.
“During my presidency, I will continue to focus on extending the range of support and help we offer to leaders and managers."
The aim of the Working Party is to compare options, such as limited licensure, for increasing inclusion, source evidence both from the UK and other countries, and to identify any potential unintended consequences of change.
The College says that it is inviting representatives from the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BVCIS), the British Veterinary Nurses Association (BVNA) and Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) to join the Working Party.
Sue Paterson will be Chairing the Working Party.
She said: “The formation of this new Working Party is a significant and very welcome step in helping to make the veterinary professions more accessible for people with a disability.
"Fellow members of the Working Party include a broad range of colleagues, students and veterinary bodies, to ensure we take into account as many perspectives as possible when we propose recommendations.
"We recognise that many organisations have already begun to explore what we could do to make the veterinary professions more accessible, and we are keen to work collaboratively with them to ensure we keep up the momentum on this vital work.
"The Working Party will endeavour to find a way that those wishing to undertake a veterinary degree or a veterinary nursing qualification in the UK are not faced with barriers due to disability."
For more information, contact Rosie Greaves, Policy and Public Affairs Officer: r.greaves@rcvs.org.uk
The survey, which this year had a record 1605 respondents, covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses and dividends to benefits such as accommodation, car allowance and pensions.
The survey found that the median salary package for all vets in 2021 was £48,325; £3000 more than in 2020.
For all nurses the median package was £24,227 in 2021 and for head nurses the figure rose to £31,013.
The median daily rate for a locum vet was £350 in 2021, a rise of over 16% since 2020.
The hourly locum rate increased by 36% to £41 per hour.
Similarly, locum nurse daily rates have risen by over 30% since 2020 to £144 and their hourly rate increased by 14% to £20.
New grad vets' salary packages actually dropped by £800 in 2021, to £32,700.
However, the 2021 new grad hourly rate increased to £15.66 from £15.04 in 2020.
SPVS says this could indicate that newly qualified vets are earning less because they are working, on average, three hours less a week.
This may suggest that they are prioritising their work life balance, with time off being more important than an overall salary.
SPVS also highlights a growing gender gap in salary.
81% of the respondents were female, and the median full time salary difference between men and women was 21%, compared to 15% in 2020.
SPVS hypothesises that this could be because there are more male vets in more senior positions, rather than because of gender per se.
The question, therefore, is why there are more male vets than females in senior positions.
The survey showed very similar numbers of males and females doing both clinical and non-clinical post graduate training. But more than twice as many men than women go on to take up positions of leadership or seniority, or in referrals.
More research is needed to understand why females are doing the extra training, but apparently not using it to further their career.
As in 2020 SPVS has also looked at satisfaction with remuneration, hours worked, conditions, support and prospects and is using this data to create a separate report which will be available soon.
For more information, visit: https://spvs.org.uk/spvs-survey/
IIC is an independent customer experience agency which conducts assessments, develops insights and awards annual accreditations to businesses.
For its accreditations, IIC uses feedback from customers, employees and the management team to assess the customer experience delivered by an organisation.
Customer services manager at Pennard Vets, Collette Rednall, who is also an IIC Ambassador, said: “We are the first in our industry to go through the rigorous process and we are thrilled to achieve a gold award.
“There are just 36 businesses in the UK that have achieved gold status – so this a fabulous achievement for every single one of our 100-strong team.”
In 2021 Pennard Vets became the largest veterinary practice in the world to become employee owned, through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), meaning its entire team are now practice owners and shareholders in the business.
The Disciplinary Committee heard that the offence took place in 2013, when Dr Surdila was not a registered veterinary surgeon.
However she pleaded guilty to the charge in 2019, by which time she was.
Dr Surdila testified that in 2010, she and her family owned a few beehives and applied for EU funding to help expand their operation into a business.
A requirement of the funding was that Dr Surdila and her sister belong to a licensed bee-keeping co-operative.
They joined their local co-operative, and paid a consultant to manage their funding application.
Three years later, their consultant switched Dr Surdila and her sister to a different cooperative, for reasons they did not understand.
After another three years or so, Dr Surdila's family decided to close the business because she was at university and the others had other commitments.
Dr Surdila later moved to the UK and joined a practice in Motherwell, Scotland.
Then, in 2019, when Dr Surdila had been in the UK for four years, it transpired that the second co-operative they had joined was unlicensed and they had therefore not been entitled to received the funds from the EU (which amounted to a few thousand euros), and would be prosecuted by the National Department of Anti-Corruption.
Meanwhile, the consultant they had paid to manage their funding application had died.
Dr Surdila stated that everything she had signed for the unlicensed co-op had been signed in good faith, but she was advised by her lawyer that as she had signed legally binding documents for the funding, and because the consultant had died, her only option was to plead guilty.
She was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, 60 days of community service and was required to pay 19,544.7 Romanian Lei (approximately £3,300) in damages.
Her lawyer advised her to appeal her sentence which was harsh considering the circumstances.
However, the appeal was postponed several times because of Covid-19 and was ultimately unsuccessful.
In concluding whether the conviction rendered Dr Surdila unfit to practise, Mrs Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Dr Surdila’s conviction was of a nature and seriousness that required a finding that she was unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon on public interest grounds”.
The Committee then turned to sanction and in reaching its decision, Mrs Way said: “This was a serious conviction with a significant sentence, involving an element of bad faith.
"The Committee considered it important to mark this behaviour in some way because Dr Surdila should have been more cognisant of what she was signing.
“The Committee noted that her offending behaviour took place a significantly long time ago, when Dr Surdila was young and inexperienced and before she had qualified as a veterinary surgeon.
"There had never been a risk to animals or the public, she had demonstrated significant insight into her failures and exhibited genuine remorse.
"The Committee was satisfied that it was highly unlikely she would ever commit such an offence again.
“In light of the lack of aggravating factors and the extensive mitigation in this case, the Committee concluded that it was appropriate and proportionate to reprimand Dr Surdila and to warn her of the need to ensure she reads and understands all documents that require her signature.”
The Committee’s full findings can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The new Improve Veterinary Academy Series is comprised of five month-long semesters, each of which will focus on a different clinical topic.
Each semester will consist of videoed lectures, discussion forums, journal clubs, as well as the ability to access the university’s latest evidence-based research in these areas.
The clinical topics to be explored are:
Each semester counts towards your annual CPD requirement.
Professor James Wood, Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at University of Cambridge, said: “This new partnership will allow veterinary surgeons to get the latest evidence-based knowledge directly from our top specialists.
"They will also learn to apply valuable skills in their everyday practice life and engage with others on Improve International’s global, interactive online platform.
Charlotte French, Head of Curriculum & Quality at Improve International, said: “We are thrilled to be working with University of Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine as another innovative way to help the veterinary community take their careers to the next level.”
Professor Mike Herrtage, Trustee of the University of Cambridge Veterinary School Trust and former Dean of the Cambridge Veterinary School, said: “The new joint agreement brings together Improve International, with its outstanding record of high-quality and innovative CPD provision and the staff of the Department of Veterinary Medicine with their excellent specialist clinical knowledge and experience, as well as their recognised quality in small group teaching to stage the Improve International Academy Series.
"This will provide a new milestone in CPD course delivery.”
In what researchers say was the largest study of its type to date, dogs with Cushing’s syndrome were identified from the electronic patient records of practices participating in the UK VetCompass programme during 2016.
Both pre-existing and incident cases of Cushing’s syndrome during 2016 were included to estimate the one-year period prevalence.
Available demographic data for study dogs included date of birth, sex, neuter status, breed and mean lifetime bodyweight above 18 months.
Multivariable binary logistic regression modelling was used to assess the associations between risk factors and Cushing’s syndrome.
Dr Imogen Schofield, corresponding author for the paper, said: “A total of 1527 Cushing’s syndrome cases were identified in this study, from a population of 905,544 dogs in 2016.
"The estimated one-year period prevalence for Cushing’s syndrome in dogs was 0.17% (95% confidence interval 0.05 to 0.07).
“The findings of this study provide evidence from primary-care clinical records on the epidemiology of Cushing’s syndrome which can help primary-care veterinarians during diagnosis.
"Seven breeds were associated with increased odds of Cushing’s syndrome; the Bichon frise (OR=6.17, 95% CI 4.22 to 9.00), Border terrier (5.40, 95% CI 3.66 to 7.97), miniature schnauzer (3.05, 95% CI 1.67 to 5.57), Lhasa apso (2.52, 95% CI 1.49 to 4.28), Yorkshire terrier (1.82, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.70), Staffordshire bull terrier (1.52, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.13) and Jack Russell terrier (1.50, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.08).
"Four breeds were at decreased odds of Cushing’s syndrome: the Golden retriever (0.24, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.98), Labrador retriever (0.3, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.54), Border collie (0.32, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.78) and cocker spaniel (0.44, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.90), which could help vets in practice lower their index of suspicion for Cushing’s syndrome for these breeds.
"Dogs with a bodyweight higher than their breed-sex mean had 1.44 times the odds of Cushing’s syndrome than those within their breed mean (95% CI 1.17 to 1.78), suggesting either overweight dogs or larger examples of the breed are at increased risk of this condition, or that dogs with Cushing’s syndrome gain weight.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “When we look at risk factor analysis in previous studies, the generalisability of their findings to the general population of dogs in the UK have typically been limited due to studying dogs from referral populations or due to a lack of multivariable analysis.
"The findings of this study help to address that knowledge gap, supporting some of the risk factors previously reported, and by identifying novel associations, such as that in the Border terrier.
"Awareness of breeds with high or low risk could help to enhance the index of suspicion for veterinary surgeons working in primary-care practice where Cushing’s syndrome is predominantly diagnosed and managed.”
Photo: BSAVA
Bovilis Bovivac S is used for active immunisation to induce serological and colostral antibody production against Salmonella Dublin and Salmonella Typhimurium.
In the face of an outbreak, it can also be used to reduce Salmonella Typhimurium infections when used as part of an overall herd management programme.
MSD says Bovilis Bovivac S may also contribute to reducing S. Typhimurium contamination of the environment. Other than the packaging, the vaccine itself is identical.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences, and the neurodiversity resource hub (www.vetmindmatters.org/resources/) aims to help members of the veterinary professions better understand how, for over one million people in the UK, neurological differences mean they learn and think in a way that is different to what is considered ‘neurotypical’.
Among the resources contained in the hub is information about neurological conditions closely associated with neurodivergence such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyspraxia and dyslexia, as well as information for employers about neurodiversity, including inclusive working tools and sources of government support.
A new ‘kite’ with six new modules are also being added to the MMI Kite App – a specialist microlearning platform for topics related to veterinary wellbeing – that deal specifically with issues related to neurodiversity. The six modules cover: what is neurodiversity; the importance of talking about neurodiversity; different types of neurodiversity; bespoke considerations for neurodivergent individuals; how neurodivergence can lead to innovation through thinking differently; and, exploring further how different brains work and how we can make our brains work best for us.
The College is also publishing a blog on the resource website by Dr Kirstie Pickles, Clinical Assistant Professor in Equine Medicine at the University of Nottingham, about her current MMI-funded research investigating the various workplace stressors that affect autistic veterinary professionals and what adjustments can be introduced to mitigate these stressors.
Lastly, at BSAVA Congress on Saturday 26 March between 3pm and 4pm, the RCVS has organised a discussion session on neurodiversity.
The discussion will be led by Roxanne Hobbs, a consultant in workplace inclusion particularly around neurodiversity, and will look at how to nurture and cultivate neurodiversity in the veterinary professions.
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Manager, said: “As a project focused on the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary professionals, the Mind Matters project has a commitment to recognising and providing a space for all forms of diversity, and so we are very glad to be supporting Neurodiversity Celebration Week again this year.
“We hope that our neurodiversity resource hub and our other initiatives during Neurodiversity Celebration Week will be useful source of information for everyone and will aid people in understanding neurodivergence, how it can manifest and how it can be supported in the workplace and educational settings.”
The strange phenomenon was spotted by Veterinary Vision's clinical director Chris Dixon when he examined Dachshund called Margo, which had been referred for the treatment of a corneal ulcer and fungal infection.
Chris said: “I was assessing Margo’s eye and was very surprised to see a face smiling back at me.
"It perhaps doesn't bear quite the same resemblance as the Turin Shroud. Still, I've never seen anything like it before.
"The good news is that it does not appear to have affected her vision at all.”
Apparently the smiling face is still there, even after Chris performed a corneal graft.
Chris added: "I think we can safely say that Margo is a very happy dog, both inside and out!"
Chair of the Standards Committee, Dr Melissa Donald, said: “We were very aware of the likelihood that both practice staff and clients will increasingly have to isolate over the coming weeks due to direct infection or positive contacts, particularly with the rise in cases amongst school children.
“Added to this, we know there are already workforce pressures across the profession, which will be exacerbated by reduced staffing levels over the Christmas and New Year period.
“We therefore felt it was appropriate to reintroduce these temporary remote prescribing measures at this time to help relieve pressure on practising professionals, and to provide them with the means to continue to look after the health and welfare of their patients in all circumstances.”
As before, the temporary dispensation is subject to the specific guidance found in FAQ4 (www.rcvs.org.uk/covidfaq4), including that veterinary surgeons must be able provide a 24/7 follow-up service involving physical examination, for example where the animal does not improve, or suffers an adverse reaction, or deteriorates, subsequent to the remote prescription of medicines.
The Committee agreed that the position should be reviewed in February 2022 at its next meeting.
Under the scheme, 60 students will be given two weeks of supported clinical placements in more than 50 Vets4Pets practices across the UK, helping to prepare them for work in a clinical environment.
Successful applicants will receive £334 per week during their placements and will also have access to a fast-track application to the Vets4Pets Graduate Programme.
Emily Bridges, Vet & Graduate Programme Lead at Vets4Pets said: “While we know that great EMS placements are a key part of a student’s development, we also know that it has become increasingly difficult for students to fund EMS while they are studying.
"By launching the bursary scheme, we’re hoping to provide students with the support they need to get the most out of their placements, without the financial worry."
Jessica Windham, a veterinary graduate from the RVC, London, took part in the pilot. She said: “For me, the bursary helped to pay for my fuel and food while on placement.
"This meant I could go home and rest after eight hours in the practice, instead of going straight to my part-time bar job and working an extra four-hour shift like many students have to do.
"Ultimately because I was less tired, I performed far better as a student and learned a lot more.”
Applications will open in March 2022 for placements beginning in summer, and students can find out more at: www.vets4pets.com/ems
The company, which now has over 20,000 monthly subscribers in the UK, saw a massive growth during the pandemic, with a reported 1000% increase in monthly recurring revenue over the past two years.
Since March 2020, VetBox has shipped over quarter-of-a-million boxes.
Bought by Many says the acquisition is a major part of its expansion beyond insurance and into preventative wellness.
Will said: "I founded VetBox after seeing that far too many UK pets were missing out on essential parasite protection.
"I'm really proud of the progress that VetBox has made in solving this issue in just five years and can't wait to see what we can achieve as part of the Bought By Many family.
"As a vet I've seen first-hand the fantastic service Bought By Many offer pet owners, so it's been a pleasure seeing this partnership grow over the past few years."
In the study titled “Safety of early postoperative hydrotherapy in dogs undergoing thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy”, the medical records of a single referral hospital in Sweden were retrospectively reviewed to identify dogs that had been treated with hemilaminectomy for acute or chronic thoracolumbar IVDE and had commenced hydrotherapy within five days after surgery.
Information collected from the medical records included signalment, presenting clinical signs, severity of neurological signs, initiation and duration of hydrotherapy, postoperative complications and follow-up.
Postoperative complications were considered major if there was a need for hospitalisation, surgery or if the dog died or was euthanised as a direct consequence of the complication.
A complication was deemed minor if outpatient medical treatment was sufficient to rectify it.
A total of 83 dogs were included in the study.
Hydrotherapy was started within a mean of 2.7 (one to five) days after surgery and consisted of swimming without underwater treadmill (UWTM) in dogs with severe paraparesis or paraplegia.
With neurological improvement, and when supported ambulation was possible, UWTM was initiated.
Ninety-six percent of the dogs used swimming as postoperative hydrotherapy, starting with a mean of 2.7 days after surgery, fifty-seven percent of the dogs used UWTM as the postoperative hydrotherapy, starting with a mean of 13 days after surgery.
Forty-five percent of dogs used both hydrotherapeutic modalities.
Dr Abtin Morjarradi, corresponding author for the paper, said: “A total of 10 minor complications were recorded during the study period, including surgical site infection (SSI) (n=5), diarrhoea (n=4) and urinary tract infection (n=1).
Major complications were recorded in 26 dogs during the study period and included euthanasia (n=13), acute dermatitis (n=1), spinal abscess (n=1) and disc extrusion (n=1).
Reasons for euthanasia were urinary incontinence (n=5), lack of neurological improvement (n=2), clinical suspicion of progressive myelomalacia (PMM) (n=2), persistent pain (n=1), aggression (n=1) and widespread cellulitis with an abscess caudal to the right stifle without known cause (n=1).”
Abtin added: “Follow-up visits for 71 dogs were performed at a mean of 15.3 (9 to 30) days, and 68 dogs at a mean of 45.9 (30 to 111) days, after surgery.
"At the first follow-up visit 68% of the dogs were ambulatory with Modified Frankel Score (MFS) 4 or higher.
"At the last follow-up visit 97% of the dogs were ambulatory with MFS 4 or higher, with 34% demonstrating normal neurological function. None of these dogs deteriorated after the initiation time of hydrotherapy.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “Whilst previous studies indicate that early rehabilitation may be beneficial after acute spinal cord injury, the optimal timing to start hydrotherapy is unclear.
“Despite a high number of complications being recorded in the present study, it is not clear how many of these complications were directly related to the initiation time of hydrotherapy and therefore further research is required.”
The full article can be found in the December issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13412.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “It’s clear that there are a number of workforce issues affecting the professions, such as high vacancy rates that employers are struggling to fill and a resultant increase in pressure on the professions in terms of caseload and hours worked, together with an increase in the number of people choosing to leave the professions.
“While many of these issues are long-standing, and due to complex and multifactorial reasons, the scale of the problem has been exacerbated by three things: the UK’s exit from the EU and the impact this has had on overseas registrants; the ongoing impact of the pandemic in areas such as staff absence and burnout; and an increase in demand for veterinary services.
The reports were published in advance of the College's Workforce Summit, held at the end of November to discuss potential solutions to the problems.
They can be downloaded here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/events/workforce-summit-2021/
A further report of the Workforce Summit is expected in due course, which the College says will include an action plan with commitments from a range of stakeholders.
1,500 volunteers were surveyed for the study, which was led by Dr Francois Martin.
As well as having lower depression scores, dog owners were more likely to report feeling loved and valued during the pandemic than those who did not own a dog.
Owners also had a significantly more positive attitude toward and commitment to pets.
The full study is available open access here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260676
Used to treat calf diarrhoea, Locatim is an orally administered product, indicated for the reduction of mortality caused by enterotoxicosis associated with E. coli F5 (K99).
The product is made from the colostrum of high health status cows hyperimmunised against Rotavirus, Coronavirus and E.coli.
Locatim is designed to work alongside the dam’s colostrum, enhancing protection against gastro-intestinal infection and helping to sustain calf health in the critical neo-natal period.
For optimal effect, Forte says Locatim should be given within 4 hours of birth, but can be used up to 12 hours post-natally.
Forte says Locatim is not designed to replace anti-scour vaccination programmes, rather to act as an extremely useful adjunct in cases where the response to vaccines has been less than ideal.
The company says Locatim is also extremely useful in managing outbreaks of scour in unvaccinated herds by protecting those calves born before a new vaccination programme can take effect.
Locatim is available from all UK veterinary wholesalers.
For more information, contact your Forte Territory Manager or enquiries@fortehealthcare.com.