Bayer has announced that it has launched a new bone-shaped version of the Drontal Plus tablet with greatly increased palatability to increase client compliance.
In a field study, new Drontal Dog Tasty Bone proved to be voluntarily consumed by 88% of 150 dogs1.
Vicky McAlister, Group Product Manager at Bayer said: "We want to make it as easy as possible for responsible dog owners to remember to worm their pet at least every three months. To help improve compliance, there is an increased necessity for highly palatable oral dosage forms. To meet this need, the Drontal Plus Tasty tablet has been optimised using a novel formula that has an extremely high level of palatability where the majority of dogs take the tablet straight out of the owners hand like a treat - proving that Drontal is now tasty by nature as well as name!
This combined with the memorable bone-shaped design will help cement Drontal as the wormer of choice in the minds of owners."
Is it just me, or does the name of this product sound a bit like someone who has ingested a series of words, and then regurgitated them in no particular order? I suppose Drontal Tasty Dog Bone means something else, and Tasty Dog Drontal Bone doesn't really work.
Reference
Freda Andrews, the Director of Education at the RCVS, has announced her retirement from the position on 2nd April after nearly 16 years at the College.
Freda joined the RCVS as Head of Education in September 1999 and became Director of Education in 2013, with strategic responsibility for both veterinary and veterinary nursing education.
Nick Stace, RCVS Chief Executive Officer, said: "We will miss Freda for her professionalism, her encyclopaedic knowledge of all things related to veterinary education and her attention to detail, but she leaves behind a team that is stronger-than-ever and a considerable legacy for the profession as a whole.
"Under her watch the Education Department has seen a significant number of achievements. This includes the introduction of the Professional Development Phase which has helped veterinary graduates develop their confidence and competence during the first few years of practice and the accreditation of the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science - the first new UK vet school in 50 years."
Freda's responsibilities as Director of Education will now be split between Christine Warman, Head of Education, and Julie Dugmore, Head of Veterinary Nursing.
Freda said: "I have really enjoyed working with such a fascinating profession and I think that through working very closely with our colleagues in the vet schools, as well as with practising vets, veterinary education has made some significant advances. For example, there is more focus now on communication and professional skills and greater alignment of accreditation standards internationally, to name but two things.
"I am sad to leave but I know that the future of veterinary and veterinary nursing education has been left in the very safe hands of Christine and Julie and their respective teams."
MSD Animal Health has announced the launch of The Big Tick Project, both to investigate whether ticks are carrying more pathogens and to raise awareness amongst the public.
The company highlights research which shows that nationally, tick distribution has expanded by 17% in the last 10 years and tick numbers have also increased in 73% of locations surveyed.1 In addition, the company says there is evidence that ticks are feeding earlier in the year and feeding for longer2, thus increasing their potential to pass on significant disease to both animals and humans. Lyme disease in particular can be serious health issue for both humans and animals, being increasingly recognised and recorded in the UK recent years3.
So, as part of the project, practices are being invited to collect ticks and send them to the University of Bristol for analysis. In addition, there'll be a national PR and marketing campaign fronted by the naturalist Chris Packham (pictured right).
Practices taking part in the project will receive a tick collection kit and marketing support pack including access to dedicated PR services, postcards and posters to raise awareness of ticks within their clinic and local community. The collection kit includes instructions, collection equipment and Freepost packaging to allow ticks removed from dogs to be sent to the university quickly and easily.
Professor Richard Wall from University of Bristol said: "For accurate results we need as many ticks as possible and I really encourage vet practices up and down the country to get involved. We need data from all types of practices ranging from urban to rural locations to help vets and human health professionals make more effective recommendations and help prevent tick-related disease."
To take part in The Big Tick Project, email a contact name and your practice details to: info@bigtickproject.co.uk.
References
New research1 published in in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery by veterinary clinicians at the University of Lisbon and a clinic in the nearby town of Barreiro in Portugal, suggests that cats may benefit from reduced anxiety, stress and perceived pain if music is played in the operating theatre.
Lead author, Miguel Carreira, said: "In the surgical theatres at the faculty where I teach and at the private veterinary medical centre where I spend my time operating, environmental music is always present, and is an important element in promoting a sense of wellbeing in the team, the animals, and their owners. Different music genres affect individuals in different ways. During consultations I have noticed, for example, that most cats like classical music, particularly George Handel compositions, and become more calm, confident and tolerant throughout the clinical evaluation. After reading about the influence of music on physiological parameters in humans, I decided to design a study protocol to investigate whether music could have any physiological effects on my surgical patients."
The clinicians studied 12 female pet cats undergoing surgery for neutering, and recorded their respiratory rate and pupil diameter at various points to gauge their depth of anaesthesia. The cats, which had been fitted with headphones, were meanwhile exposed to 2 minutes of silence (as a control), followed randomly by 2 minutes each of Barber’s 'Adagio for Strings (Opus 11)', Natalie Imbruglia’s 'Thorn' and AC/DC’s 'Thunderstruck'.
The results showed that the cats were in a more relaxed state (as determined by their lower values for respiratory rate and pupil diameter) under the influence of classical music, with the pop music producing intermediate values. By contrast, the heavy metal music produced the highest values, indicating 'a more stressful situation'. The clinicians conclude that the use of certain music genres in the surgical theatre may allow a decrease in the dose of anaesthetic agent required, in turn reducing the risk of undesirable side effects and thus promoting patient safety.
Dr Carreira and his colleagues plan to continue their studies by looking at the influence of music on other physiological parameters, including cortisol and catecholamines, in dogs as well as cats. In the future, they hope to incorporate more sophisticated techniques, such as functional MRI and electroencephalography, into their investigations.
The study can be read for free here: http://jfm.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/03/30/1098612X15575778.full.pdf+html
Merial is to launch Frontect (fipronil and permethrin), a spot-on solution for dogs with dual action: treatment and prevention of fleas and ticks, and repellency against ticks, sandflies, biting flies and mosquitoes.
According to the company, Frontect kills fleas within an hour for the first week and within six hours for four weeks1. The repellent (anti-feeding) effect of Frontect prevents parasites from taking a 'blood meal' and as a result, Merial says vets and pet owners can feel confident that they are helping to protect dogs from the vectors of severe canine diseases - including leishmaniosis, dirofilariosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and borreliosis - whether travelling within the UK or abroad.
Lynda Maris, Brand Manager for Frontect said: “We are delighted to expand our Merial V-Line vet exclusive parasiticide portfolio with the addition of Frontect. Frontect both kills and repels parasites to provide visible results and help deliver client satisfaction. Frontect is ideal for active, outdoor dogs and travelling dogs at risk of exposure to ticks and vector borne diseases.”
Frontect is administered topically, on the neck and between the shoulder blades of the dog. It will be available in five different weight ranges to suit all dogs from the beginning of May 2015.
CPC has announced the opening of a new pet crematorium in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire to meet rising demand.
According to the company, there has been an increase of 12% in individual pet cremations over the last four years, and about half the pets that come to the company from Vets Now are given individual cremations, rather than communal ones. Of the pet owners that contact CPC directly, about a third currently ask for an individual cremation, up from a quarter in 2008.
Jason Cracknell, the General Manager at CPC (pictured right), said: "When I was a child growing up in the country, our pets were buried in the garden. With smaller gardens and greater mobility this is no longer an option for many. Working closely with vets we have seen a considerable increase in owners wanting more knowledge and involvement in how their beloved pet is cared for at the end of its life."
The new Cheltenham Pet Crematorium will have a memorial and wildlife garden designed with the help of year 9 students from the nearby Tewkesbury School. It'll be officially opened at the end of April by farmer and television presenter, Adam Henson.
CPC also offers three levels of pet bereavement training for veterinary practices that use its services:
For more information, visit www.cpccares.com
A new company supplying pet chews to the veterinary profession has launched this month.
The Soft Chew Company has been set up by Kevin Ingram, owner of the veterinary supplier J.A.K Marketing and Niall McFerran, who has in the past worked for a number of veterinary healthcare companies including Animalcare, Ceva and Alstoe.
Kevin said: "The healthcare supplement market in the UK is worth over £20 million and rising but most customers are asked to use products which were designed for use on humans. The aim of The Soft Chew Company is to provide those health benefits in the form of treats that the dogs and cats will readily accept."
The new company's product range will be branded: "Chewz" and marketed as palatable healthcare supplements in order that they will not be confused with pharmaceutical products.
The range will initially consist of:
The Chewz range can be obtained from all wholesalers or directly from J.A.K Marketing.
For further information contact; info@thesoftchewcompany.co.uk or 01347 293150
Labrador Retrievers are the breed most likely to run away, according to a survey of 2000 pet owners commissioned by the Blue Cross.
In addition, the survey found that the average dog owner has had their pet run off three times. One in five haven't had their dog microchipped and half of those say they probably won't ever have it done.
Only 23% of dog owners know it is already mandatory for dogs to wear a tag when in public, and only half of those knew the tag must bear the owner's name.
1/3rd thought the maximum fine for a dog being without a tag would be £100, when it is actually £5000.
The full list of breeds most likely to do a runner was:
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has launched its 2015 Fee Survey, which enables veterinary practices to review their pricing structure and benchmark it against other practices around the country.
Open to both SPVS members and non-members, SPVS is encouraging all practices to complete a questionnaire to give as accurate a picture as possible of the fees charged by veterinary practices nationwide.
SPVS says the questionnaire does not take long to complete and covers everything from vaccinating, microchipping and neutering small animals to calving and routine on-farm fertility work in livestock practices and performing a five stage vetting and dental work in equine practices.
Peter Brown, author of the survey and SPVS Council member said: "The Fee Survey has become the go to resource for benchmarking pricing in the veterinary profession. The variation in individual fees can be marked and the survey allows practices to see that their fees are calculated in a realistic way to reflect their individual costs and overheads as well as local market conditions."
To take part in the survey, visit: http://www.spvs.org.uk/content/fees-survey-questionnaire-2015 or for a printed questionnaire, ring 01926 410454.
Boehringer Ingelheim has announced that Vetmedin Chewable Tablets have been licensed for treating pre-clinical dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Doberman Pinschers1.
Boehringer says DCM is the most common form of cardiomyopathy in dogs and the second most common form of acquired heart disease in dogs. Typically, up to half (25 - 50%) of Doberman Pinschers develop DCM in their lifetime and before congestive heart failure (CHF) develops, over a quarter (25 - 30%) of these dogs will suffer sudden death. Despite optimal treatment, survival time once in CHF is short at just 2 - 4 months, with a fatality rate of at least 90% after a year.
The new indication was granted following a study which showed that early intervention with Vetmedin at pre-clinical stages in Dobermans can significantly delay the onset of CHF, increasing life expectancy and quality of life for patients2.
Robert Lucy, Vetmedin brand manager, Boehringer Ingelheim UK, said: "The PROTECT study, and the resulting new indication for Vetmedin is groundbreaking. For the first time ever, we are now not only able to manage congestive heart failure, but to significantly delay it. By acting sooner, we'll be able to alter the course of disease progression, ultimately increasing survival and allowing more pet owners to spend more time with their beloved dogs. Key to this will be giving vets the support and confidence in recognising the subtle signs of pre-clinical DCM. We plan to support veterinary professionals with new educational materials, including a screening algorithm, to help the diagnostic process."
Traditionally, there have been no licensed therapies available to vets to slow the progression of heart disease during the pre-clinical stage. However, peer-reviewed independent data from PROTECT, the first study in veterinary cardiology of its kind, proves that early intervention with Vetmedin at pre-clinical stages in Dobermans Pinschers can significantly delay the onset of CHF, increasing life expectancy and quality of life for patients.
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has launched 'The Happy Healthy Pets Project', designed to encourage owners to prioritise pet healthcare.
At the heart of the campaign is a new online photography gallery at pethealthinfo.org.uk, where owners and veterinary professionals are being invited to upload pictures of happy healthy pets to help build a resource of images and healthcare advice.
To help ensure a high standard of photography, NOAH has partnered with top wildlife and animal photographer Victoria Hillman to create five top tips to help all participants capture the perfect pet photo:
Dawn Howard, Chief Executive of the National Office of Animal Health said: “We’re really looking forward to getting the campaign underway, having seen the fantastic levels of participation in photo-based activity for last year’s ‘I Heart My Pet’ campaign. This year, we’re aiming to taking things one step further by creating the biggest ever gallery of pet portraits in the UK with the help not just of Britain’s pet owners, but also of veterinary professionals and their clients. The campaign is designed to use a simple, fun and familiar mechanic - taking photographs of our pets - to create interesting, engaging content but also to raise awareness of more serious healthcare messages.
“We’re delighted to have partnered with Victoria Hillman so that we can help make sure all pet owners know how to capture the perfect pic and to encourage as many owners and their vets across the UK as possible to get involved. We can’t wait to see the results.”
Merial Animal Health has announced that it has purchased the the anti-inflammatory treatment for lameness in horses, Hyonate® (sodium hyaluronate), from Bayer.
Merial's equine marketing and technical manager, Louise Radford MRCVS said: "Hyonate is an established treatment of lameness in horses due to non-infectious inflammation of joints, using both intra-articular (IA) and intravenous (IV) injection.
"The beneficial effects of HA supplementation are attributable to the anti-inflammatory effects, improvement in viscoelastic properties of the synovial fluid, and interaction with the synovial membrane affecting pain transmission and joint metabolism¹."
For more information telephone Customer Support on 0870 6000123 or contact your local Merial Equine Specialist.
The veterinary recruitment company Gardner Llewelyn has announced that it is to hold Thank A Vet Nurse Day on 28th May 2015.
As the name suggests the company is urging everyone to join them and make a point of thanking a veterinary nurse on the day for all their dedication and hard work.
In the run up, the company is also asking everyone to think about nominating a veterinary nurse who has gone the extra mile for an award. Two winners will each be given an iPad mini.
You can nominate a nurse here: http://www.glvets.com/competition-entry.asp
Bayer Animal Health has launched Remend Wound Spray Gel for cats, dogs and horses.
The new gel contains Remend's structurally modified hyaluronic acid (HA). Bayer says it provides a matrix for cellular events that occur during the proliferative phase of the healing process, which has been shown to enhance healing1, and can promote rapid wound closure
Georgie Hollis BSc from www.vetwoundlibrary.com said: "Managing wounds can be challenging in veterinary practice; the progression of wound healing can be influenced by many factors, and selecting an appropriate product to apply should be based on the needs of the individual wound. A product that provides a moist healing environment and support of the proliferative phase ensures that cellular activity is optimised, helping to improve healing times and minimise scar tissue."
Bayer says Remend Wound Spray Gel is designed for use as part of the overall management of wounds; additional measures such as lavage, debridement and control of infection are equally important, as is giving consideration to any secondary factors that may delay healing if not addressed. The product aims to achieve greater compliance amongst owners by providing an effective management option that is easy to apply. A single application may be sufficient to enhance wound closure in fresh uncomplicated wounds; however more complex wounds may require multiple applications in order to accelerate closure.
For more information, visit: www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk
The RCVS reports that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has now finalised the new microchip regulations for England, which include a provision that dog breeders and other individuals who wish to implant microchips and have no previous approved training, must undergo a compulsory training course.
While veterinary surgeons were exempted from this training, Defra initially envisaged that veterinary nurses would be required to undertake it. In a joint letter, that was followed by negotiations with Defra, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), stressed that registered veterinary nurses are already sufficiently trained to be able to safely implant a microchip, and would be doing so under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.
Defra subsequently has agreed that registered veterinary nurses are already sufficiently qualified to implant microchips, and will therefore be exempt from further training requirements when new legislation comes in for England. Wales and Scotland are currently considering the details of implementation.
The Royal College says it is also aware of new Defra microchipping guidelines for England which make it compulsory to report adverse reactions (including migration from the site of implantation) or the failure of a microchip. Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "There is some concern in the profession about this requirement, but Defra have said that they would not enforce this regulation via the courts, or seek to impose fines. The RCVS is likely to amend its supporting guidance later this year to clarify that veterinary surgeons should make appropriate reports, similar to reports for adverse reactions to veterinary medicines. In each case reports can be made online to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate."
To help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as well as practices, raise awareness of owners' legal obligation to microchip their dogs, the BVA has posters available for all three regions (England, Scotland and Wales) that can be displayed in waiting rooms and surgeries. The posters are available to download from the BVA website: www.bva.co.uk.
BVA President John Blackwell said: "As a founding member of the Microchipping Alliance, which campaigned for compulsory microchipping together with dog welfare organisations, local authorities and others, BVA is delighted with the progress that has been made and it is very good indeed to be less than a year away from mandatory microchipping across the UK.
"But this is where the work begins for veterinary surgeons and nurses. We need to work hard to make owners aware of the new law throughout this year, with animals microchipped as far in advance of the deadline as possible.
"We also need to ensure that microchipping does the job it is intended to do. This process will be helped very much by not compelling veterinary nurses to undertake additional training when they already undertake minor acts of veterinary surgery that are much more complex procedures than implanting a microchip."
The Bella Moss Foundation (BMF) has launched a free practice hygiene audit tool.
The BMF Practice Hygiene Self Audit is a web-based assessment tool that allows staff to monitor cleanliness across the practice – from theatre and prep rooms to laundry and waiting rooms.
The tick sheet format allows staff to rate the hygiene protocols in each area, resulting in a room-by-room percentage hygiene score, as well as an overall contamination risk score.
The tool was developed by vet and RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) expert Pam Mosedale and VN lecturer Louise O'Dwyer, along with Edinburgh academic Tim Nuttall and Chris Laurence.
Pam said: "Given the relaunch of the PSS later in the year, which will include new modules on infection control, the BMF audit tool is especially timely.
"We hope that people will try the audit tool and it will lead them to have more of a team discussion about hygiene routines and protocols in practice. We know some areas get more attention than others - for example, how often do things like the toys in the waiting area really get cleaned?
“By using the audit, staff will easily be able to see what rooms/areas might need a bit more cleaning.
She added: "It's a simple no-frills tool but the whole idea is for it to be helpful and easy to use, so more practices are encouraged to have regular quantifiable monitoring systems in place to keep an eye on their hygiene protocols."
Co-creator Louise O'Dwyer said: “The BMF Practice Hygiene Self Audit will help ensure often overlooked aspects of cleaning and infection control are considered and implemented.
“It needs to be embraced by all members of staff, from non-clinical staff through to veterinary surgeons, as every individual has the potential to make an impact within their practice by taking action on infection control.”
To test the tool and see how clean your practice is, go to: www.thebellamossfoundation.com/practice-hygiene-self-audit
Wiley has announced the joint online publication of a special issue of 22 ophthalmology papers from Equine Veterinary Journal, Equine Veterinary Education and Veterinary Ophthalmology.
Clinical equine ophthalmology: The current state of the art brings together papers on some of the most significant advances in equine clinical ophthalmology into a single issue to make them more readily available to a wider audience. The issue contains information of direct relevance to all sectors of the veterinary profession from general practitioners and specialists to researchers, surgeons and students, covering common diseases, surgical procedures and outcomes.
The new publication was devised and compiled by a panel of guest editors comprising Mary Lassaline, member of the Veterinary Ophthalmology Editorial board and Veterinary Ophthalmologist in the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, California, David A. Wilkie, Editor of Veterinary Ophthalmology and Professor at Veterinary Clinical Sciences Comparative Ophthalmology Ohio State University, Tim Mair, Editor of Equine Veterinary Education based at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic, Kent and Celia M Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal, based at Rossdales, Newmarket.Mary Lassaline said: "The goal was to provide broad access to the most current information applicable to every stratum of the equine veterinary profession. Subsequently, a salient feature is that many of the papers included are collaborations between veterinary ophthalmologists with a special interest in horses, equine practitioners with a special interest in ophthalmology, private practitioners and those in academia, and academicians from different institutions."
Subjects covered include seven papers on new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of ulcerative and non-ulcerative keratitis in the horse. There are three articles on novel approaches to corneal surgery and a further three on corneal neoplasia. Six papers provide valuable data regarding long-term outcomes following surgical intervention for Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), glaucoma, and cataracts. Finally, three articles present new information regarding retinal and orbital disease.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "The key purpose of the EVJ is to disseminate information to help the enhancement of specialist knowledge at every level of the veterinary profession. By collating the most important and up-to-date ophthalmology research into one easy resource the new special issue does exactly that."The ophthalmology special issue is available free online at: http://bit.ly/1bi0RG0
VetNurse.co.uk has officially launched a completely revamped job advertising section designed to make it quite simply the best place to advertise jobs for veterinary staff online.
VetNurse Jobs now allows jobseekers to search for veterinary positions by distance from their front door (or from a city, county or country). Other filters allow them to narrow the search yet further, by job title, contract type, hours or practice/employer type. Each advert now also includes a map of the location, and a link to contact the advertiser at the foot of the page.
Jobseekers can subscribe to receive email or RSS alerts the moment a job advert is posted on VetNurse Jobs. Alternatively, they can now 'follow' or 'like' dedicated VetNurse Jobs pages on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, to have VetNurse Jobs delivered direct to their timelines.
For advertisers, VetNurse.co.uk remains the largest community of veterinary nurses and support staff to advertise in front of. And its free. But now recruitment adverts are pushed out onto other social networks and there's work being done behind the scenes to push them up the search rankings too. What's more, the advanced new search tool also means that where before users had to sift their way through a long list of vacancies, adverts will now be far better targeted.
Arlo Guthrie, Publishing Editor said: "My aim with VetNurse Jobs has always been to support veterinary practices by eliminating the need to pay for recruitment advertising. But it's not enough just being free. We need to be the best, too."
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has issued guidelines to help vets employ overseas veterinary graduates successfully.
BEVA says that whilst employers should not discriminate based on nationality, language or place of graduation, it believes they have a duty to ensure all employees have the required level of linguistic and clinical skills to enable them to undertake their role safely and effectively.
The advice explains how to interpret English Language Qualification test results, highlights European Veterinary Schools that have not been approved by European Association of Establishments of Veterinary Education (EAEVE) and reminds employers that compulsory Extra Mural Studies (EMS) is unique to veterinary schools in the UK and Ireland.
Each year many foreign veterinary graduates register to work in the UK. By providing this advice BEVA hopes that employers will find it easier to navigate the differences between graduates from various veterinary schools across Europe, to uphold the reputation of the profession.
Mark Bowen, President Elect of BEVA, said: "At a time when politicians are debating language skills amongst medical graduates, it is useful to remind employers of the complex language skills required to provide the public with the service they expect. This guidance should assist employers in identifying the skilled workforce they need, while navigating the complexities of different English Language Qualifications and different veterinary qualifications."
Tim Greet, former BEVA President and a candidate for RCVS Council, said: "Whilst not condoning any discrimination based upon nationality, it seems only common sense to make sure that a new employee, from whatever background, can cope with the necessary level of communication, so fundamental in modern veterinary practice. A certain level of practical skill should also be expected to avoid compromise to patient welfare and to underpin continued professional development."
The Veterinary Schools Council is supportive of the guidelines. A spokesperson for the Council said: "It is a valuable document that should be helpful to any employer who is considering recruitment of a veterinarian from the EU."
For further information and to download a copy of the document visit www.beva.org.uk
The RCVS has announced the results of the 2015 RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council elections.
Turnouts in both elections rose this year, with 4,838 veterinary surgeons (18.1%) and 1,379 veterinary nurses (11%) voting, which compares to 4,137 (16.1%) and 1,157 (10%) in 2014. The College says these represent the highest numbers of vets and VNs ever to vote in RCVS elections, noting however that there are more vets and veterinary nurses on the Registers. Average turnouts over the past ten years are 17.4% (4051 veterinary voters) and 9% (833 VN voters).
Current members Niall Connell and Lynne Hill were returned to two of the six available seats on RCVS Council, with 2,575 votes and 1,889 votes respectively (the four other current members of Council eligible for re-election will all be retiring this year). Peter Robinson (2,308 votes) was elected again, having previously served on Council in 2013/14.
Joining Council for the first time will be Timothy Greet (2,550 votes), Joanna Dyer (2,383 votes) and Katherine Richards (1,905 votes).
Disappointing news, however, for the RMB brigade this year: Tom Lonsdale scored 374 votes, down 13.5% on 2014, despite the increasing number of voters.
The two available places on VN Council were taken by new member Lucy Bellwood (914 votes) and existing member and Vice-Chair, Elizabeth Cox (630 votes).
Turnouts in both elections rose this year, with 4,838 veterinary surgeons (18.1%) and 1,379 veterinary nurses (11%) voting, which compares to 4,137 (16.1%) and 1,157 (10%) in 2014. These represent the highest numbers of vets and VNs ever to vote in RCVS elections, although there are increasing numbers of vets and veterinary nurses on the Registers. Average turnouts over the past ten years are 17.4% (4051 veterinary voters) and 9% (833 VN voters).
RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey, said: "My sincere thanks to all those who stood for election this year and to all those who voted, and many congratulations to the successful candidates. Once again we have an excellent mix of people joining Council, who will be able to bring a diverse range of skills and experience to Council discussions and activities. I very much look forward to welcoming them to Council at our AGM in July."
Chair of VN Council Kathy Kissick, said: "It's encouraging that voter numbers have risen slightly in this year's election, especially in such an auspicious year where the introduction of the new Royal Charter for the RCVS means that we are now formally regulated by the College and recognised as true professionals in our own right. My congratulations to both Lucy and Liz on their success."
In addition to their usual written biographies and manifesto statements, all candidates produced a 'Quiz the candidates' video this year, where they answered questions put to them directly by fellow members of the professions. Still available to watch via the RCVS website and YouTube channel, the 11 RCVS Council candidate videos have been viewed 2,967 times, and the three VN Council candidate videos 509 times.
Once again veterinary surgeons and VNs could cast their votes by post or online, with the former remaining the more popular method. A higher proportion of veterinary surgeons (30%) voted online than did veterinary nurses (23%).
The 2015 RCVS and VN Council elections were run on behalf of the RCVS by Electoral Reform Services.
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has dismissed a charge against Nicholas Robert William Horniman MRCVS, a veterinary surgeon from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, that alleged he was guilty of pet insurance fraud, along with one of his clients, and of dishonestly altering clinical records.
The charge was that, between December 1 2008 and June 30 2014, in relation to Cassy, a Labrador retriever belonging to Jayne Bowkett, Mr Horniman:
The Committee heard that Cassy, who had previously been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, had been registered with Pets Barn Veterinary Group in Gloucestershire in May 2008 when Mr Horniman was the Principal and owner of the three-practice group. Cassy was treated at the Cinderford branch of the practice where she received regular prescriptions for her condition.
At some point in 2008/2009, Mrs Bowkett had relayed concerns to Mr Horniman that her current pet insurance policy needed to be renewed, that the renewed policy would not cover Cassy's existing hip problems and that she would be unable to pay for any future operations herself. It was alleged that, in response to Mrs Bowkett's concerns, Mr Horniman told her that they could take Cassy off the practice computer and put her back on under a different insurance policy in a different name.
Mrs Bowkett took out a policy with Petplan, beginning on 13 August 2009, using her father's details instead of her own. It was alleged that Mr Horniman then arranged for new practice records to be set up in the name 'Cassy Griffiths'. These new records were first used substantively in May 2010 when Cassy returned to the practice with hip problems, following which two separate records were maintained for the dog under 'Cassy Bowkett' and 'Cassy Griffiths'.
In August 2010 Dariusz Drozdz MRCVS, a vet who had treated Cassy several times, had been told by Mrs Bowkett that the dog had two separate records. He told the Disciplinary Committee that he queried this with Mr Horniman who suggested that it was a mistake and that they 'RIP' the name Cassy Bowkett. Mr Drozdz disagreed on this course of action but was told by Mr Horniman to 'leave it to me' and the records were then changed to say that Cassy Bowkett had died.
Mrs Bowkett alleged that, at some point in 2011, Mr Horniman explained to her that it would no longer be possible to claim for treatment for Cassy's hip dysplasia under the Petplan policy in her father's name. However, the policy remained active, and was transferred into Mrs Bowkett's name upon her father's death.
In July 2011 Cassy Griffiths was seen by Jennifer Jones MRCVS, a part-time locum vet at the Cinderford practice, who told the Committee that she was puzzled about why there were very few clinical records relating to the animal. A receptionist explained to her that there were two sets of records for the same dog and that Mr Horniman had instructed her to mark the original pet as having been euthanased and close its records and create a second new record for the dog. Ms Jones tendered her resignation shortly afterwards citing concerns that a pet had been 'reincarnated to ensure continued income from insurance claims'. In November 2011 Ms Jones submitted a formal complaint to the RCVS.
During the course of the hearing the Committee heard evidence from Mrs Bowkett, Mr Drozdz and Ms Jones, amongst others.
In giving evidence Mrs Bowkett admitted that she had knowingly engaged in fraud but maintained that at all times she had acted with the knowledge and on the advice of Mr Horniman. However, the Committee found that she was unable to remember any relevant material dates and was unclear about the chronology of events. It was suggested on several occasions that she was lying to the Committee, which she denied. However, the Committee believed that she took no responsibility for her own fraudulent actions but merely blamed Mr Horniman and that she had a strong motive to engage in the insurance fraud.
In regards to the evidence given by Mr Drozdz the Committee noted that he did not record his suspicions of possible fraud, that he continued to treat Cassy Griffiths after he raised his concerns, and that he appeared to have accepted Mr Horniman's assurance that he had dealt with the issue.
The Committee found that Ms Jones was correct in her suspicions that there was only one dog. However, it felt she offered no evidence to support her suspicion that this was part of Mr Horniman's 'scheme to maximise income for the practice' as she alleged in her witness statement.
The Committee also heard oral evidence from and on behalf of Mr Horniman who categorically denied suggesting to Mrs Bowkett that she commit insurance fraud and attempting to cover this up through the maintenance of two separate records. He maintained that it was not until Ms Jones voiced her concerns that he realised that Cassy Bowkett and Cassy Griffiths were the same dog.
The Committee voiced a number of concerns about Mr Horniman's actions and behaviour and, at times, found his evidence to be unsatisfactory. For example, the Committee found it difficult to understand why 'alarm bells' did not ring that he was dealing with only one dog when he prescribed medication for two almost identical dogs in May 2010 when only one was presented for examination. It also queried why, when he became aware that the insurance policy for Cassy Griffiths was fraudulent, practice records were not updated and no attempt was made to contact Petplan to inform them of this, as is clearly advised by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.
Furthermore, the Committee was concerned that, in his correspondence with the RCVS, he was less than transparent, candid and honest. The Committee considered this to be unacceptable behaviour from a professional in dealings with investigations undertaken by the regulatory body.
In making its judgment, the Committee had to make a decision on whose account it felt to be more reliable in regards to the first element of the charge.
Noreen Burrows, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In coming to its conclusion ... the Committee is faced with conflicting evidence from Mrs Bowkett, who is an admitted fraudster, admits to acting dishonestly and to lying to Petplan. This is in contrast to the evidence from the Respondent, who is of good character, had an unblemished personal record over 23 years and is supported by impressive character references."
The Committee found the evidence of Mrs Bowkett to be "vague, lacking in clarity and inconsistent with the facts" and therefore rejected her evidence concerning the first element of the charge. In regards to the second element of the charge, the Committee was not satisfied that Mr Horniman had arranged for or allowed the records to be changed as was alleged. In regards to the third element it found that, since it had already rejected the charge that Mr Horniman suggested to Mrs Bowkett that she embark upon insurance fraud, it was unlikely that Mr Horniman would have acted dishonestly in the manner alleged.
Noreen Burrows added: "In the light of the above findings, all charges against the Respondent are dismissed."
Neurology Specialists Mark Lowrie and Laurent Garosi from Davies Veterinary Specialists and Robert Harvey from the UCL School of Pharmacy have discovered a new syndrome which causes noise-triggered seizures in old cats, dubbed FARS (feline audiogenic reflex seizures).
The discovery came about after the charity International Cat Care contacted Davies Veterinary Specialists for help with several enquiries it had received regarding cats having seizures, seemingly in response to certain high-pitched sounds. The problem was not documented and little, if anything, was known about it.
Mark, Laurent and Robert decided to investigate, and compiled a questionnaire for owners to complete. The research generated worldwide media interest (dubbed 'Tom and Jerry syndrome' after the cartoon character Tom who has a strong startle reflex and often reacts with involuntary jerks to sound stimuli), and they received hundreds of replies from across the globe from people who had noticed the same problem in their cats in response to certain types of sound. These owners had also found that their local vets had no information at all about it, and often did not believe that a sound had triggered the seizure.
The research has resulted in a paper, Audiogenic reflex seizures in cats, which is published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
The paper pulls together information from 96 of reported cases, looking at the type and duration of seizure and the triggering sound. The authors say it reveals that some cats do indeed suffer from audiogenic reflex seizures - those which are consistently caused by sounds (this is also recognised in people). Certain sounds induced 'absences' (non-convulsive seizures), myoclonic seizures (brief, shock-like jerks of a muscle or a group of muscles), or generalised tonic-clonic seizures. This last category is what most people think of as a 'seizure', with the cat losing consciousness and its body stiffening and jerking, often for several minutes. The new syndrome has been termed feline audiogenic reflex seizures (FARS).
The investigation found that FARS occurred in pedigree and non-pedigree cats, but that among the pedigrees, the Birman breed was over-represented. This is also a problem of older cats - the average age of seizure onset was 15 years, with cats ranging in age from 10 to 19 years.
The most commonly reported triggers for FARS were:
Other, less common triggers were the sound of breaking the tin foil from packaging, mobile phone texting and ringing, digital alarms, Velcro, stove igniting ticks, running water, a dog jangling its collar as it scratched, computer printer, firewood splitting, wooden blocks being knocked together, walking across a wooden floor with bare feet or squeaky shoes and, in one case, the short, sharp scream of a young child.
Avoiding the sounds could reduce the seizures, although owners reported that it was sometimes difficult to avoid certain sounds, and the loudness of the sound also seemed to increase the severity of seizures.
The geriatric nature of this condition is such that it may be overlooked in older cats, which may potentially suffer from other concurrent conditions. The hope is that publication of the paper will raise awareness among vets in practice about this syndrome. Meanwhile, work is ongoing to identify the genetic basis of this disorder and the team is now also working on a paper about treatment of these cases.
Lead author, Mark Lowrie, said: 'We have been overwhelmed by the response to our work. A second study is soon to be published suggesting that levetiracetam is an excellent choice of medication in managing this condition. Our experience is that it can completely rid a cat of these sound-induced seizures, including the myoclonic twitches - one owner reported that levetiracetam had 'truly been a miracle drug for my cat''.
Claire Bessant, Chief Executive of International Cat Care, summed up: 'How wonderful to be able to go back to those worried owners who came to us for help with a problem previously unrecognised by the veterinary profession with not only an explanation for their cats' behaviours, but a way to help them as well.'
The study can be read for free here: http://jfm.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/04/27/1098612X15582080.full.pdf+html
Academics from the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences have been awarded a grant from RCVS Knowledge to create a free online teaching and learning resource for evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM).
The project will produce an open access series of online, re-usable learning tools presented as a web tutorial. The tutorial will have a number of modules teaching the fundamental concepts of evidence-based veterinary medicine such as finding evidence, creating patient questions, evaluating evidence, critically appraising the literature and designing knowledge summaries with clinical bottom lines for clinicians.
Brief tasks will allow users to apply and test their knowledge in bite-sized ways, for example by answering multiple choice questions, identifying appropriate clinical questions and designing search strategies to answer those questions, completing a literature search and filling in a template for a knowledge summary.
Dr Kristen Reyher, Senior Lecturer in Farm Animal Science in the School of Veterinary Sciences (pictured right), who is leading the project team, said: "This project is the largest RCVS Knowledge award to date. It is a significant step forward and will establish Bristol as a leader in this essential area. Our approach will increase the opportunities for students and members of the profession to engage in this exciting field, and the online resource will offer the flexibility to be re-used not only in independent learning, but also in a variety of teaching and learning scenarios across the sector.
"As a global group, we are passionate about being involved in larger, long-term projects to push EBVM further into the consciousness of the profession, and believe this project moves us one step further along in bringing together key stakeholders and creating an excellent online re-usable resource."
The project team represents a variety of diverse backgrounds including clinicians, scientists, researchers and other areas of the veterinary profession. The team says it believes that collaboration, sharing and adaptation of the many resources that have already been developed individually is the most powerful way to meet stakeholder needs and make a significant contribution to EBVM.
It is hoped the team's approach will increase the opportunities for students and members of the profession to engage in this exciting field and, by using best practice in pedagogy, help ensure the topic is introduced well and adopted wholeheartedly by the veterinary profession.
The resource will be available as a stand-alone tutorial for independent learning and will also have the flexibility for institutions to re-use and re-purpose individual parts to meet their own training needs. The resource will be showcased at RCVS Knowledge's EBVM Skills Day 2015 in London this autumn [Friday 30 October].
Virbac has announced the launch of a new support pack to help practices promote National Microchipping Month this June.
The pack contains a range of promotional and educational items including:
Sarah Walker MRCVS, BackHome Product Manager, said: "With microchipping soon to become compulsory for dogs across the UK, this year's National Microchipping Month is the ideal platform to raise awareness of its importance in all species and to remind clients that they will soon be required by law to ensure that their dogs at least are protected with a microchip. The new BackHome Mini Chip has a 34% smaller needle than our standard needles and this can minimise any stress and discomfort to pets during implantation.
"The resources in our Microchipping Support Pack are bold, colourful and eye-catching. We hope that, with the creative teams that exist within each practice, you can promote National Microchipping Month successfully using imaginative displays and use this opportunity to engage with your clients."
For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
President of the RCVS and Principal of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), Professor Stuart Reid has raised a very impressive £13,000 for mental health and animal welfare charities by running the Virgin Money London Marathon.
Stuart completed the 26 mile and 385 yard run in four hours and 51 minutes and, in the process, raised money for three charities with a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing, beating his target of £10,000.
The money will be split between his three nominated charities - the RVC Animal Care Trust which will use the funds to assist the student bodies at the UK vet schools; the Veterinary Benevolent Fund which, through its 24/7 Helpline and Health Support Programme, provides support directly to the profession; and, mental health charity Mind.
Stuart said: "To be perfectly honest it was probably a bit daft to run a marathon in my presidential year but when I see how much we have raised I know it was the right thing to do.
"I have been utterly humbled by the generosity and the words of encouragement on my Virgin Money Giving website and via text and Twitter and it is clear my chosen charities have touched a chord with many. I am so very grateful to everybody who chipped in. There's plenty to do so let's get on with addressing our mental health issues."
Donations can still be made to these charities via Stuart's Virgin Money Giving website - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartReid