The BVA is calling for urgent reassurance from the government concerning farm animal welfare.
The association says the government decision to revoke farm animal welfare codes risks undermining public confidence in animal welfare standards.
When Defra consulted in 2013 on proposals to move away from statutory codes to non-statutory, industry-led guidance BVA broadly supported more flexibility to allow for guidance to be updated more regularly and in light of new welfare science, but raised a number of questions regarding enforcement and, critically, around the definition of 'industry'.
BVA emphasised that veterinary surgeons, farmers, animal welfare scientists with species-specific knowledge, industry bodies and other groups must all be involved and consulted.
BVA also warned Defra of implications in relation to the message conveyed to stakeholders by such a change and the value attached to the welfare codes by the government.
BVA President Sean Wensley, said: "It is essential that any changes to the welfare codes do not undermine public confidence in the high animal welfare standards set for English farms. Although BVA broadly supported the idea of moving to a more flexible system that could take account of new animal welfare science, we maintained that a range of expertise must be used to draw up new guidance.
"We are pleased that there will be no changes to the legislation that underpins animal welfare but it is unclear where the checks and balances now lie. It is vital that Defra puts measures in place urgently to provide that reassurance.
"The Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has suggested that it would be possible for the fundamental principles to be laid down in statutory codes which are subject to parliamentary scrutiny with operational details being set out in guidance. This idea may be worth further exploration to allow both the flexibility required to reflect new animal welfare science and the public confidence that the statutory welfare codes currently provide."
Royal Canin has announced that it will be launching Multifunction, a new range of veterinary diets designed for cats and dogs experiencing - or at risk of - multiple health conditions.
According to the company, 35% of cats and dogs meet this description1 and it can be difficult for veterinary surgeons and nurses to recommend a diet which meets all their needs when one diet can't address multiple nutritional priorities.
Officially being launched at BSAVA, Multifunction diets are designed to provide an option for the nutritional management of cats and dogs with more than one condition, thereby eliminating the need to decide which of two conditions take precedence when developing a nutritional assessment for patients.
The company says that the new diets have been developed by combining existing Veterinary Diet formulae. The range includes:
Marianne Lomberg, Veterinary Marketing Manager said: "As a company, one of the things we are proud of is looking at the pet as a whole, rather than just a clinical condition on legs. For this reason we combine the features of our standard veterinary diets to provide support for other issues that a pet may develop. For example, our Urinary Moderate Calorie diet is lower in calories than standard diets in order to help prevent weight gain in animals predisposed to obesity as a result of living indoors or being neutered. However, until now, we have not been able to provide vets with a diet for a pet that has already been diagnosed with two equally serious concurrent conditions, such as lower urinary tract disease and obesity. Our new Multifunction diets do just this.
"Pets suffering from more than one condition also generally require more regular veterinary care, too, and a unique new ordering system for these diets helps facilitate ongoing contact between the pet owner and their veterinary practice every time they order a new bag of food. More information about the diets and the ordering system will be available on the ROYAL CANIN, stand: 611."
Multifunction will only be available through veterinary practices and all bags will be personalised, including the practice logo and patient name. Further information on how to sign up to the product programme will be available at the show stand.
For more information, visit: http://new.vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/products/multifunction-2/
Reference
The RCVS is reminding veterinary surgeons that you need to complete your annual renewal for 2016-7 by the end of April.
About 75% of veterinary surgeons have renewed their registrations so far.
Renewals paid after 30th April will incur an additional charge of £35.
Any veterinary surgeon who fails to pay by 31st May will have their name removed from the Register, making it illegal for them to practise veterinary surgery in the UK.
The annual renewal can be completed via the online ‘My Account’ area of the RCVS website, where it is possible to pay by credit or debit card. Payment is also accepted by cheque, bank transfer or draft.
If you've lost the security details needed to access the RCVS website, you should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707.
The College also says that anyone who has received an annual renewal reminder letter but has set up a Direct Debit, or believes that they have already paid, should contact the RCVS Finance Department on 020 7202 0723.
Ceva Animal Health has launched Feliway Friends, a new pheromone to help reduce tensions and conflicts in households with more than one cat.
The company highlights a 2014 survey which found that 44% of cat owning households have more than one cat, with nearly a third of those questioned stating that they had experienced fighting and aggression between pets in the household1.
Feliway Friends is a synthetic copy of the cat appeasing pheromone (CAP) naturally produced by nursing queens to support their kittens after birth. The company says this pheromone helps cats feel safe and secure, and maintains a harmonious bond between them.
Ceva says Feliway Friends is clinically proven to significantly decrease the intensity and frequency of signs of tension in households with more than one cat. According to another study, 84% of cat owners believed there was a significant improvement in how their cats got on after using the product2.
Feliway Friends and Feliway Classic can be used at the same time if the owner is experiencing conflicts alongside other stress-related behaviour problems such as urine marking, scratch marking and general anxiety.
Available as a 30-day diffuser and refill, Feliway Friends lasts for up to 30 days and covers an area of up to 70m2.
Claire Russell, Feliway product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Inter-cat aggression is a major problem in multi-cat households, with many cats experiencing stress in the home due to sharing resources. Feliway Friends is a great support to encourage harmony in multi-cat homes. By introducing the cat appeasing pheromone and educating owners on resource management and how to create a cat friendly home, we can significantly improve feline relationships in our UK multi-cat homes.’’
Ceva Animal Health has launched a range of marketing materials to support the launch of the new product, including an eight-page pet owner leaflet and poster. Practices can also request an online toolkit which includes: images, website content, social media assets and articles to help educate clients facing aggression between household cats.
For information on FELIWAY visit www.feliway.com/uk.
References
VetSurgeon Jobs has published the results of two surveys designed to give veterinary employers and job applicants some insight into what they want from each other.
The first survey was completed by 139 vets who described themselves as having recently looked for a job, or actively looking for a job, or could imagine looking for a job in the foreseeable future.
Key findings included:
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "The survey was carried out primarily to help employers create recruitment adverts that better meet the hopes and aspirations of candidates, thereby improving response rates. Whilst some of the conclusions might seem obvious, the report should help you prioritise the things you need to communicate in an advert.
"Of course, employees' hopes and aspirations don't tend to change the moment they get the job (or they shouldn't). So I hope this report will be of interest to ALL veterinary employers, regardless of whether they are actively recruiting."
The candidate survey can be downloaded from VetSurgeon Jobs here ('Advice for Employers' under 'Recruitment Help' in the right hand margin). Come and discuss the findings here.
The second survey was completed by 121 veterinary employers.
By some margin, veterinary employers said that ‘previous experience’ is what makes a CV stand out positively. But there was some solace for the inexperienced. When it comes to the attributes employers are looking for in a candidate, being 'likeable and affable' was reported as being more important than being skilled and experienced.
Respondents were asked to share any tips they have for anyone looking to come and work for them, which are also shared in the full report.
The employer survey can also be downloaded from VetSurgeon Jobs ('Advice for Jobseekers').
Compassion Understood, a new company set up to provide veterinary staff with training in how to help clients deal with pet loss, and provide owners with a new information resource on the subject, launched at BSAVA this week.
The new service has been set up partly in response to a survey which showed a disparity between what veterinary professionals think clients need in relation to euthanasia and what they actually want.
The research1 showed that 60% of owners felt their vet handled the euthanasia of their pet very well, leaving 40% who had a clear desire for veterinary staff to understand more, to help prepare them better for their loss, and to signpost where they can access more support if required.
Compassion Understood Managing Director Douglas Muir said: "Our research showed that 70% of veterinary professionals felt that further training in supporting clients through pet loss would be beneficial, and only 35% of vets felt well-equipped to answer questions from pet owners about the right time to say goodbye.
"This, coupled with a very clear need for more support expressed by the owners in our surveys, led me to see that there was a double need: more training was needed in end-of-life for the practice team, on communication as well as clinical aspects of end-of-life; also some kind of resource was needed for pet owners, so they could access clear and helpful information.
"There are some very good support sites out there, but the information is quite fragmented and not easy to find. We wanted to pull everything together in one place and from there we could signpost them to where to get further help if needed. And so Compassion Understood was born, to help veterinary practices, and pet owners."
The new Compassion Understood Pet Loss Support Training programme has been put together with the help of end-of-life and hospice vet Dr Susan Gregersen. She said: "Speaking to colleagues in the many practices we collaborate with, I’ve learned just how many feel inadequately prepared. They’re unhappy that they’re short of time – and sometimes skills – to do a good job when an often-distraught client needs them most. But if a client is left with bad memories at the end of life, they may not return to the same practice with another pet; as we know, about 1 in 5 do not¹."
The programme includes modules covering the clinical aspects of assessing quality of life, decision-making around end-of-life, pre-euthanasia preparation, and palliative and animal hospice care. Other aspects covered are the emotional and psychological aspects of losing a pet, as well as how to protect the practice team from compassion fatigue or emotional depletion.
The training programme is fully online, and can be completed at the learner’s own pace. The learning approaches and delivery have been overseen by educational expert, Dr Jenny Moffett previously of the University of Surrey, herself a veterinarian with a keen interest in communication and pet loss support.
Susan said: "Vet school training on end of life and euthanasia is still sparse, as many vets will agree. I see the online course as being about learning to care rather than to cure, giving vets the confidence and skill to show real compassion while remaining professional."
Pet Loss Survey, 2015. Compassion Understood. Data on file.
The example above right demonstrates a badge linking to jobs advertised by the out-of-hours emergency care provider, Vets Now.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "When you've got a vacancy available, you need to get the word out as far and wide as possible, which means you really should post details on your own practice website. Of course, your website is mainly for pet owners, but you never know, a veterinary surgeon or nurse looking for a job may stumble upon it. They need to know straight away that you're hiring."
VetSurgeon.org reviewed 20 of the lastest advertisements posted on VetSurgeon by independent practices and found that 80% had not posted any indication that they have a job available on their own website. Two even had a jobs page, but hadn't updated it.
Arlo said: "Updating your website when there's a job available can be a hassle. And when you've gone to the trouble to create a professional-looking advertisement on VetSurgeon or VetNurse, it's a duplication of effort to do it all over again on your own website."
So, as an alternative, practices can now create a unique VetSurgeon Jobs badge which, when added to their website, links to a display of just the jobs they have advertised on VetSurgeon. If there are no current vacancies advertised, there's a message to that effect.
To add the badge, login to VetSurgeon using the account used to advertise vacancies. Then visit https://www.vetsurgeon.org/p/find-our-veterinary-surgeon-jobs.aspx, grab the code snippet and add it to your website (or email it to your IT guy). If your site is one of the majority that doesn't have a jobs page, VetSurgeon.org recommends you add the badge either to your home page or the 'Contact Us' page.
If the badge doesn't fit well on your website (either the colour clashes, or it's the wrong size), you can add a text link, rather than a badge. There are instructions about how to do this.
For veterinary nursing vacancies advertised on VetNurse.co.uk, you'll need to head over to VetNurse, login and grab your code here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/p/find-our-veterinary-nurse-jobs.aspx.
Arlo added: "Aside from the convenience of having your jobs linked to from your own website, it'll also give your adverts a little boost, visitor traffic-wise.
"Finally, it's a good way to help spread the word about the low-cost recruitment advertising service on VetSurgeon and VetNurse."
It is hoped that the treatment centre, which will use radio-iodine therapy to treat the condition, will be completed within three months at its base near Winchester.
The new centre will be one of only 11 in the UK and the aim is to reduce the waiting time for cats with hyperthyroidism to receive treatment.
Davina Anderson, European and RCVS Recognised Vet Specialist at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, said: "We’re delighted to be able to get the go-ahead to build this facility and will start construction work imminently.
"Radio-iodine therapy is the gold standard of treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats, far exceeding the results seen with surgery or oral medication.
"We intend to offer a service tailor-made to each individual cat and their family, with their clinical history and circumstances screened before they travel to us. This is to ensure that treatment with radio-iodine therapy is the correct therapeutic decision.
"The ten other centres in the UK providing this treatment are spread few and far between, and we hope that opening this facility will help to reduce waiting lists for cats awaiting treatment, particularly across southern England."
The centre at Anderson Moores will be run and managed by Boarded Specialists in Internal Medicine, supported by Boarded Cardiologists and qualified nurses.
It will also have the capacity to address other clinical concerns, if necessary. Davina said: "Cats that are presented with hyperthyroidism are older, more fragile and potentially have other concurrent conditions. It’s very rare for a cat under seven years of age to develop hyperthyroidism.
"The treatment of cats with hyperthyroidism involves a single injection of radioactive iodine, followed by isolation in a radiation-proof facility for two weeks.
"Cats usually respond extremely well to treatment, and if the condition is recognised early and treated appropriately, then the outlook for the affected cat is generally very good."
Available for download now, the MobiVet Veterinary Formulary App is designed to make drug calculations and prescribing faster, easier and safer. It contains dose rate and interval data for over 250 drugs commonly used in small animal practice.
Searchable by drug name or trade names, with species-specific dosing information, the app calculates doses based on the patient type, weight, or body surface area as appropriate. MobiVet also provides a checklist of known relevant drug interactions for each medication, to prevent prescribing errors.
Stuart says an iOS version is in production.
To download the Android version, visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.project.user.drug_formulary&hl=en
Graham, 72, who worked at Westover Veterinary Centre in Norfolk for 40 years, set off on his bike from his home in Crostwick last week. He aims to complete the journey in two years, following a route that will take him through Western Europe and into Greece before flying to Ethiopia and cycling through Kenya, where he spent eight years as a government veterinary officer in his early career. He will then follow the Indian Ocean down the African continent's east coast to Cape Town.
Graham said: "I’m no stranger to life on the road – my first job on qualifying was as a field vet in Kenya which I did for eight years. This will be a real adventure though as I am definitely not an accomplished cyclist, however I look forward to the challenge and to raising money for AWF. The route may change slightly as the trip goes along, but that’s down more to government travel advice than my decision - for example, although not currently on my route, I would still like to cycle through Egypt to give a lecture or two, however we’ll need to see what’s possible."
Graham cycled via London to join the annual AWF Discussion Forum in Westminster, attended by other vets, parliamentarians and key stakeholders from the sector, before continuing his cycle to the English south coast with TV vet Emma Milne. Along the way Graham will also be working with equine charitable organisations including the Brooke, SPANA and World Horse Welfare, giving equine welfare and dentistry talks, as well as occasionally returning to the UK to lecture and attend AWF Trustee meetings.
If you would like to sponsor Graham and donate to AWF, or simply find out more about his trip through his regular blog posts, visit vetduncdares.wordpress.com.
Nockolds Solicitors was approved as the new administrator of the ADR trial by RCVS Council at its June 2016 meeting at Cardiff City Hall. The company was identified and approved by the RCVS Operational Board as meeting its requirements, a decision which the RCVS says has been welcomed by the Veterinary Defence Society and the British Veterinary Association, as well as receiving lay and consumer support.
The current trial, which was launched in November 2014 and is administered by Ombudsman Services, will come to a close by 1 October, when the new trial with Nockolds will start.
Nick Stace, RCVS Chief Executive and Secretary, said: "In order to be able to make an informed choice about how we wish to design and implement a permanent ADR scheme we wanted to ensure that we have as many different options and as much data as possible. It is very important that we get the permanent scheme right and this is why Operational Board made the decision to have a second trial. It was also clear that satisfaction levels from consumers for the previous trial were lower than we would have liked and that we therefore need to explore other options.
"It is important to note that this will not just be a re-run of the first trial with a different administrator – there will be some significant differences between this and our first trial with Ombudsman Services.
"First, this will be a truly alternative process as consumers will be able to access the trial directly rather than having to go through the College’s concerns process first.
"Second, this will be a process of mediation meaning that expert advisors from Nockolds will facilitate communication between the complainant and the veterinary surgeon to try and find a satisfactory solution to the concern."
The trial will be promoted to both the public and the profession as an alternative to the College’s formal concerns investigation process and participation in the trial will be voluntary. There will also still be a panel of veterinary advisors overseeing the trial and helping staff at Nockolds with any clinical queries they may have.
Jennie Jones is a Partner at Nockolds and will head up the trial. She said: "We are committed to providing a service that mediates complaints to find a fair, efficient and proportionate resolution. We are looking forward to working with everyone involved in veterinary profession to develop an effective mediation service that can be accessed by both the public and members of the profession.
"The service will focus on finding effective and practical resolutions. Understanding the root cause of the complaint and re-establishing effective communication are the crucial first steps in mediation and helping the parties to find a solution they can both accept. Over the coming months, we will be working with the RCVS, representative bodies for the profession and consumers to launch the service.
"In addition to mediating complaints, we will share insight in mediation and complaint resolution to inform practitioners and stakeholders and to enhance standards at veterinary practices. This enables complaint analysis to be used to help improve client care, avoid complaints and maintain trust and confidence in the profession."
A bespoke website for the trial will be set up in time for the launch on 1 October 2016.
Zoetis says Lokivetmab targets and neutralizes canine interleukin-31 (IL-31), a cytokine associated with atopic dermatitis which sends the itch signal to the brain.
The company has submitted an application for marketing authorisation of the product, which is conditionally licensed in the US and Canada under the name Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic, in the European Union.
The new data was presented at the 8th World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology (WCVD).
Supporting the efficacy of Lokivetmab in canine AD, Zoetis presented the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose determination trial to evaluate efficacy of three doses of lokivetmab (0.125, 0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg) in providing relief from the clinical signs of pruritus (itching) and other clinical signs associated with atopic dermatitis in dogs.
Veterinary investigators at 15 clinics enrolled 245 client-owned, live-at-home dogs with chronic atopic dermatitis. Lokivetmab or a placebo was administered by subcutaneous injection on day 0, and efficacy was evaluated periodically over 56 days. Dog owners assessed their dog’s pruritus using a visual analog scale (VAS), and investigators assessed the associated skin lesions using Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index-03 (CADESI-03) scores.
Lokivetmab, injected once subcutaneously, provided dose-dependent improvement in owner-assessed pruritus and clinician-assessed CADESI-03 scores for four to six weeks in dogs with atopic dermatitis.
Zoetis also presented results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety of lokivetmab at the nominal dose tested of 1 mg/kg (range, 1-3.3 mg/kg) in the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis. Veterinary surgeons evaluated 245 client-owned, live-at-home dogs with chronic, naturally-occurring atopic dermatitis. These dogs were randomized at a 2:1 ratio to receive two monthly injections of lokivetmab (162 dogs) or placebo on days 0 and 28.
No immediate hypersensitivity reactions were observed and there were no clinically important differences in clinical pathology results. No apparent adverse drug interactions were reported. Dogs studied were taking a wide variety of medications, which is important because multimodal therapy is commonly prescribed for dogs with atopic dermatitis. Adverse events were reported at a similar frequency between the groups.
The investment is being made to increase the speed at which concerns are either closed or referred, ensure that the process meets its service standards and reduce stress for the public and profession.
The decision to increase investment in the process was made by the College’s Operational Board in response to a steady increase in the number of concerns being investigated. The College forecasts that it will receive in excess of 1,000 concerns raised about the professional conduct of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses this year.
The RCVS developed a simplified, three-stage concerns process in 2014 which included the introduction of targets for cases to be either closed or referred at each stage. In order to ensure that these targets can be met, the College will now be hiring five paralegals to assist the existing five case managers.
Eleanor Ferguson, Acting Registrar, said: "Currently we are only closing or referring just over half of concerns we receive at stage 1 (case examiner stage) within our four month target. In order for the system to run more smoothly we will be investing in extra staff to help clear the backlog and ensure that these targets are met going forward.
"Similarly, in order to deal with the increase in the number of cases being referred to Preliminary Investigation Committee (stage 2), we will be increasing the frequency of these committee meetings from one to two per month.
"It is important to add that this investment is not just about dealing with concerns more quickly but is also about quality of service and having more staff on hand will ensure that this quality is maintained in terms of how we communicate with complainants and members of the profession. Speeding up the process will reduce the stress and anxiety felt by all involved."
More details about the College’s concerns investigation process and its different stages can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns
The reported behaviour patterns, seen on a weekly basis, included rabbits biting the bars of their run or hutch repeatedly, fur pulling, biting, growling and hissing.
The charity says that with more than 680,0001 rabbits living alone, despite being highly sociable animals, and thousands more living in small hutches with no opportunity for exercise or mental stimulation, it is no surprise owners and vets are seeing these issues on a regular basis.
PDSA veterinary surgeon Rebecca Ashman said: "Our figures highlight that lack of mental stimulation can have a huge impact on pet behaviour. What’s most frustrating is the fact that many of these issues could easily be avoided if rabbits were given the right conditions, diet and companions to live alongside."
For this reason, PDSA is backing Rabbit Awareness Week’s #BuddiesForBunnies campaign to get solitary rabbits paired up with suitable companions from rescue centres. The charity says the findings should be a call to action for the 57% of rabbit owners who own single rabbits.
Rebecca added: "Pets do so much to enrich and improve our lives, but by not meeting their needs, their physical and mental wellbeing can be severely compromised. "Sadly, rabbits seem to be the forgotten pet". They can’t speak up and tell us if they’re unhappy, but with the right information and education, owners can make positive changes to their pets’ lives."
The initiative was set up in 2014 by Mark Hirschel and Jo Amit, the co-founders of pet product company HOWND. It gained momentum last year when Ricky Gervais lent his support.
Jo said: "We have always brought our dogs Roxy and Laila to work with us, but when we moved into new offices back in 2014 we discovered that they weren’t allowed in the premises.
"This inspired us to create an event that publicised why dogs can make a positive difference in safe work environments, in attempt to encourage companies across the UK to adopt dog friendly policies.
"We’re overwhelmed with how successful Bring Your Dog To Work Day has become. It’s been amazing to see how many people have posted their dogs at work across all social media in 2014 and 2015. Most importantly, it was fantastic to raise money for a cause that has always been close to our hearts - the wonderful work of All Dogs Matter. We’re hopeful that this year will prove even more popular, building on the momentum of 2015."
The organisers point to an American study published in 2012 which concluded that dogs at work may make a positive difference by reducing stress levels in staff and increasing their levels of job satisfaction.
For more information, visit: https://bringyourdogtoworkday.co.uk
Located in the South East of England, the centre is part of the new School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, and one of the UK's largest veterinary pathology centres, offering high-containment post-mortem examination facilities and histopathology.
The centre is staffed by a team of board-certified veterinary pathologists, veterinary investigation officers and technicians, with expertise in farm-animal, equine, exotic and small-animal pathology.
The new building centres on a large containment level 2 post-mortem examination room with high ceilings, natural lighting, post-mortem examination tables, biological safety cabinets and integrated cold rooms, all served by a powerful winch system which means that post-mortem examinations can be performed on a wide range of species. A viewing gallery overlooks the suite and post-mortem examinations can be recorded and streamed for training purposes.
Professor Roberto La Ragione, Director of the Veterinary Pathology Centre, said: "Veterinary pathology is a growing discipline and its importance has been highlighted in recent disease outbreaks and the important role veterinary pathologists make in drug development. Helping the farming community to be more effective, sustainable and innovative, the Centre will work with partners, businesses and researchers to address some of the unique challenges faced by the veterinary and scientific community.
"It is the close relationships with our external clinical and scientific partners that enables us to be innovative in our approach to education and training here at the Surrey. An example of the latter is the use of digital pathology in teaching, research and diagnostics, which was the subject of discussion at the recent launch of the Veterinary Health Innovation Engine (vHive).
"Together with our partners such as the National Physical Laboratory and the 5G Innovation centre, the Centre is at the forefront of the digitalisation of pathology and innovative big data management.
"The Centre offers the opportunity to inspire the next generation of veterinary pathologists and complements the centres of excellence that already exist in other vet schools and research institutes."
Hosted by Nick Steele, National Consulting Manager at Zoetis and Rachael Whittle, a business coach specialist, the course will present the best techniques to analyse mixed personalities that cause problematic situations, allowing staff to deal with difficulties that may occur on a daily basis. Nick will use his knowledge from working at the world’s largest global animal health company, while Rachael will use her experience in business training and coaching to help anyone that works with people on a daily basis manage these daily challenges, using common examples from their own background.
For the chance to win a free place at this event, send an email with your name, the name of your veterinary practice and the reason attending this course will help grow your practice’s business to royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com.
Royal Canin will select three applicants at random, and will inform the winners via email, by Thursday 30 June.
Places on the course can also be booked by calling 01453 872731 or by visiting www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk. Workshops cost £265 plus VAT for non-members and £190 plus VAT for VPMA and SPVS members (group/ bulk booking discounts are also available). Cost includes CPD certificates, lunch and refreshments.
1004 veterinary professionals attended VET Festival to hear talks from a line up of 21 speakers from around the world. On the Friday night, VETFest Live provided an opportunity for delegates to network and relax in front of a number of acts, including Hunter and the Bear, Lucy Spraggan and Morrissey & Marshall.
Noel said: "I think that change is inevitable within veterinary education. My experience with the students of today is that they wish to embrace new learning formats and are especially enthusiastic about learning environments where didactic lectures become an immersive experience. My goal therefore was to achieve the perfect mix of education and a chilled-out festival atmosphere.
"We are learning all the time, and we invite suggestions. I take very seriously the commitment I voiced in the welcome address, which is to reinvest every penny for the greater good for animals and the profession. I sincerely believe that vets and vet nurses will over time question where their money is spent and will take a good hard look not only at what value they get for their investment, but also where their money actually goes."
Picture: Richard Dunwoody.
Zoetis has announced that a batch of the bluetongue vaccines, Zulvac® 8 Bovis and Zulvac® 8 Ovis, is expected to become available to veterinary practices in mid-July, in time to manage the risk of an outbreak predicted by Defra to reach mainland UK by the late summer.
The company says the quantity of vaccine will not be unlimited and that it will strive to achieve as widespread availability as possible.
The two vaccines (Bovis for cattle and Ovis for sheep) are licensed to “prevent viraemia” caused by bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8). Prevention of viraemia, the presence of bluetongue virus in the blood, ensures no onward spread of infection via the blood sucking Culicoides midge.
The vaccines can be used in cattle from three months of age, or six weeks in sheep, requiring two doses three weeks apart in either species. Each dose is 2ml administered intramuscularly in cattle or subcutaneously in sheep, and onset of immunity is 25 days after the second dose. The vaccine provides immunity for a full 12 months.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), Goat Veterinary Society (GVS), and Sheep Veterinary Society (SVS) welcomed the announcement from Zoetis, and another from MSD, but sought clarification about the cost and the amount of vaccine likely to be available in July and thereafter.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "We welcome the announcement that vaccine will be available in time to meet potential demand. This disease seriously affects animal health and welfare as well as the productivity of livestock, and vaccination is the key control. While it is good news that vaccine will be available, we know that both farmers and vets will have questions about cost and whether there will a limit to the amount of vaccine available in July. It would be helpful to have these questions clarified as soon as possible."
Photo by Fourrure (http://www.boulesdefourrure.fr) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Effipro Duo contains fipronil to kill adult fleas and ticks, and pyriproxyfen, an insect growth regulator, to sterilise adult fleas and inhibit the immature life stages. It provides three months protection against flea life cycle completion.
The product is presented in Effipro’s patented ‘drop-lock’ pipette, designed to ensure that the solution is released only when the owner is ready.
Effipro Duo is offered in packs of 4 pipettes and in a 24-pipette dispensing pack to suit practices offering health plans.
Product Manager Kate Woolley MRCVS said: "Because Effipro Duo targets not just the adult fleas on the pet but also the key developmental stages in the flea life cycle often found in the home, it represents an integrated and easy-to-use solution, both for on-animal flea and tick control and for long-lasting protection of the home environment.
"Household flea infestations are common all year round and experts agree that the combination of an adulticide and an insect growth regulator is the most effective way for owners to protect their homes from this unpleasant problem¹. For complete flea control in the home, we recommend that it is used in conjunction with Indorex®, the UK’s no. 1 household flea spray².
"Virbac offers one of the most extensive parasiticide ranges on the market and we believe Effipro Duo will provide a popular addition, offering owners long-lasting protection from fleas and ticks for their cats and dogs, while helping practices to retain vital parasite control sales in-house."
The presentation comes in the form of an editable Powerpoint presentation which can be downloaded from www.training-progress.com (visit 'downloads').
Laura Shaw from Training-Progress said: "Most of our clients are PSS accredited practices. Getting the practice accredited is a great achievement and the whole team should be aware of this and ‘singing it from the roof tops’. The resource outlines why PSS is good for the practice, the clients, the patients and the practice team - helping team members to promote it."
Training-Progress is a training management system and communication tool to support a practice through PSS accreditation. It includes features such as ensuring processes are in place; sharing information; implementing change in processes and reporting systems which provide evidence for accreditation and allow concentration of training resources.
The aim of the study was to assess the adverse effect profile of each individual AED by analysing all available data that has been published for each specific AED and then evaluating how reliable the data was. The study was published in BMC Veterinary Research (DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0703-y).
To do this the researchers gathered, screened and assessed all the information published in peer-reviewed journals and publications. The individual studies were then evaluated based on the quality of evidence, study design, study group sizes, subject enrolment quality and overall risk of bias. The results, say researchers, now provide a new and more objective insight into the tolerability and safety of the AEDs.
Co-author of the study, Marios Charalambous, said: "We recruited systematic and statistical methods to combine, compare and summarize the results of independent studies and, therefore, create more objective and reliable conclusions based on the current evidence. It was a time-consuming, demanding and challenging process, but we are sure that we provide the clinicians now with essential information which they can use for daily practice."
By reviewing, assessing and untangling the vast amounts of data, the researchers found that much of the evidence for the medical treatment of canine epilepsy was based on subpar reporting of adverse effect and in studies that were below the expected standard. They say that only in recent years can the quality of studies carried out be considered adequate.
Professor Holger Volk, Clinical Director of the RVC Small Animal Referral Hospital and Professor of Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery (pictured right), said: "Not only does this study offer a new perspective on the management of canine epilepsy, but also highlights the importance of the need for trials which provide high quality evidence in order to have more reliable and objective results about the safety and tolerability of the AEDs in veterinary medicine."
Dr. Dave Brodbelt, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology, added: “This is a valuable addition to the body of literature on canine epilepsy, highlighting safety issues and adverse events related to its management and adding further depth to the evidence base relevant to practicing vets."
Last year, over 1,400 veterinary practices collected more than 6,000 ticks from dogs for the Big Tick Project, contributing to the largest-ever study of tick-borne illnesses in dogs in Britain, if not worldwide.
Now MSD is calling on practices to do the same for cats. The company says that data collected from the contributions will be used in a scientific paper which will help vets make more specific recommendations to cat owners, and help keep their pets safe.
Amanda Melvin, Senior Product Manager for Bravecto said: "We were delighted and rather overwhelmed by the response, support and level of interest in the BTP for dogs from the veterinary profession. We were expecting 100s of ticks to be submitted but they arrived in their 1000s!
"It made us realise that, with the low levels of awareness of the risks of tick-borne disease to both people and animals, there was an even wider issue to be addressed. The risks to cats could not be ignored.
"We have therefore created the BTP for cats and are asking the vets, once again, to show their support by collecting and sending in ticks from their practices. The more samples we receive the better. This way we can help the profession better understand the risks associated with ticks and how best to help cat owners treat their pets."
Those practices that participated in the BTP last year will automatically be registered and will be sent an email with details of this phase of the project. Any practices that did not participate last year and would like to should send their details to vet-support.uk@merck.com.
To support vets in promoting the BTP for cats to their clients MSD Animal Health has designed a range of materials for display in practice and as takeaways for clients. They include a practice waiting room poster and a cat certificate.
The guide has been written by Simon Tappin, European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Internal Medicine at Dick White Referrals, and is designed to offer practical advice on the appropriate use of antibiotics in general practice. It covers a range of topics including how to create an antibiotic practice policy, ways to optimise therapy and how to limit the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Simon said: "Making rational and informed antimicrobial choices is vitally important in veterinary medicine, both for the welfare of our patients and in reducing the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance.
"Highlighting this issue to vets, providing education and supporting them in making these decisions is crucial to ensure a responsible approach to antimicrobial prescribing."
Recent surveys have highlighted the need for education on this topic, with 63 per cent of vets1 stating that they would like to improve their knowledge on antimicrobials, and 90 per cent of vets2 admitting that they are concerned about antimicrobial resistance.
In addition, there's a quiz where you can test and your knowledge on antimicrobials, and enter a competition to win an iPad Pro. The quiz can be accessed at https://veraflox.typeform.com/to/KY8lxX.
The guide is available from the Bayer Vet Centre, www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk. Alternatively, you can download it here www.bit.ly/Veraflox2016 or contact your local Bayer Territory Manager.
Eukanuba's Longevity Council has published a new video in which the panel of experts offer their thoughts about how veterinary surgeons can educate clients about helping their pets grow old gracefully.
The video includes contributions from the following council members, discussing things like preventative medicine and the importance of good diet/body weight and exercise:
watch?v=JRjCWhnGaGY