Ian also discusses the most effective treatment and prevention strategies: "“With surveys showing deworming frequencies below those recommended by ESCCAP and concerns surrounding over treatment of cats and dogs, there has never been a more important time to examine the importance of routine roundworm prevention. Without adequate control of Toxocara canis and Angiostronglyus vasorum, the impact on owners and their pets can be considerable."
The webinar can be viewed here: https://www.elearning.vet/watch/65
The data shows a stable population of 12m pets, as follows:
There were also:
The survey also provides an interesting point at which to note some historical trends. Whilst cats and dogs have always been the most popular pets, 50 years ago it was budgerigars that held third place. Since then, the dog population has grown 76% and the cat population has grown 63%, whilst rabbits have moved into third place.
Nicole Paley, PFMA Deputy Chief Executive, said: "Almost half of UK households are benefitting from pet ownership and whilst cats and dogs continue to be the most popular pets, rabbits came in at third place followed by indoor birds, guinea pigs and domestic fowl.
"A key role of PFMA is to provide educational resources on how to ensure the full range of pets get the right nutrition and we really value the role of vets and vet nurses being at the front line to pass this information on.
"At PFMA we are here to support the veterinary profession and we have a series of factsheets on popular feeding topics such as ‘Do all small mammals eat the same food’ and ‘Nutrition for indoor birds. Our pet companions fill our lives with love and joy and in return, it’s important we provide the care they need. "
For more information, visit www.pfma.org.uk/statistics
References
Purina carried out a survey earlier this year which revealed the different ways British cat owners manage sensitivity to cat allergens2. They included removing the cat when sensitivities to allergens act up (76%), restricting the cat to specific places in the home (75%), using special cat products on the cat such as dander removers or allergen sprays (64%), bathing the cat (56%) and taking the cat to a groomer (52%).
92% also use a high-quality vacuum cleaner, 66% put covers on their furniture and 26% clean their home and furniture daily to remove traces of cat hair.
Dr Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD, immunologist for Nestlé Purina Research and lead investigator on the research that led to the development of Pro Plan LiveClear, said: “Many people think that cat hair or dander is the allergen, but it’s actually what’s on it – the major cat allergen called Fel d 1, a protein that cats produce naturally in their saliva.” 3,4
All cats produce Fel d 1, regardless of breed, age, hair length, sex or body weight, but at differing levels.4-6 When cats groom themselves, Fel d 1 gets on the hair and skin through the saliva and with shedding, it eventually gets into the home environment. Feld d 1 attaches itself to any surface it comes into contact with and remains in houses for over a year or more.
Purina says Pro Plan LiveClear contains a specific protein, sourced from eggs, which binds itself to the Fel d 1 and safely neutralises it in the cat’s mouth, thereby reducing the amount of active allergen shed in the environment 7,8.
In a study, feeding Pro Plan LiveClear was shown to reduce the allergens on cat hair and dander by an average of 47%, starting in the third week of daily feeding7.
There have been no studies as yet which have tested the effect of this allergen reduction on human symptoms, but Purina says anecdotal evidence from consumers who have tried the product has been positive thus far.
Amena Warner, Head of Clinical Services at Allergy UK said: "Amena Warner, Head of Clinical Services at Allergy UK said: "There are a number of ways in which cat owners try to manage their exposure to cat allergens and keep their symptoms at bay, including taking antihistamines, using inhalers for quick symptoms relief as sensitivity to cat allergens is often linked to allergy-related asthmas, regularly cleaning and hoovering, bathing and grooming the cat by non-allergic family members. And if these measures do not work, current medical advice is often to relinquish the pet to limit exposure to the allergens.
"Every cat is unique though, and so the level of Fel d 1 they produce varies, just as every person's sensitivity level to these allergens is different. That is why there is no ‘one size fits all’ way to manage exposure to cat allergens. Every little bit helps so a combination of management tools often works best to help reduce cat allergens in your home - the combination is unique to your lifestyle. We welcome the development of Pro Plan LiveClear, which when used as part of a cat allergen management regime, could be a meaningful extra tool for affected households.”
Purina says Pro Plan LiveClear is not intended to replace other cat allergen-reduction strategies but to add another measure that can help reduce the cat allergen burden in cat households.
Pro Plan LiveClear is available at Pets at Home retail stores and from the Purina online shop as a complete life-stage range with six products tailored for Kitten, Adult and Adult 7+.
Owners are being asked to provide a photo or video and a brief description that capture what it is like to live with and care for an older dog.
Dr Carri Westgarth, a senior lecturer in human-animal interaction at the University of Liverpool, has been awarded a citizen science grant from PetSavers to run the project. She plans to use the information gathered to help develop a ‘Canine Ageing and Wellbeing’ tool for use in veterinary practice.
Carri said: “Dogs are living up to twice as long as they did 40 years ago and there are implications for senior dogs’ healthcare and wellbeing.
"As life expectancy increases, so does the amount of time the dog may spend in poor health. It may be difficult for us to distinguish between the signs of serious age-related diseases and normal age-related changes in our dogs."
PetSavers says the data will contribute to our investigations of owner expectations, experiences and attitudes to ageing in dogs, including preventative care and general understanding of normal and abnormal changes during ageing.
Carri added: "Improving discussions between owners and veterinary professionals about senior dog care will help to increase owner understanding and involvement in care decisions for their pet. The resulting early detection of health problems should bring significant improvement to the quality of life of senior pets and the dog-owner relationship.
"Any adult UK residents who (currently or recently) live with an aged dog/s of any breed/s or health status are encouraged to participate by choosing an image or short video and telling us about it."
The research team will then analyse the submitted text and media for common themes. They may also use anonymised selected quotes to illustrate important findings in research publications such as scientific papers or conference presentations.
If you know any owners who might like to participate, do share this link with them: https://bit.ly/PetSaversOAPsPhoto
For more information, visit: https://www.petsavers.org.uk/our-research/oldagepets
Data collection will close on Friday 10th July 2020.
Alan, who is MD of the veterinary business consultancy, Vet Dynamics, will be looking at finances, the team, and scoping out a future strategy. The session will provide practical planning tools, strategic advice, and the opportunity to ask questions.
Bayer points to a number of trends which have emerged during lockdown which it says practices must respond to quickly in the post-lockdown recovery.
The company says retailers have reported that internet traffic increased threefold at the start of lockdown and it remains at double the pre-lockdown levels. Direct retail sales of flea and tick products have also increased.
This suggests that owners are becoming more comfortable with buying preventative healthcare products online.
Bayer says there is a business opportunity here for practices. The subscription box market is expected to hit £1 billion by 20222, and one way practices can capitalise on this trend is by offering home-delivered flea, wormer and tick treatments.
Another business opportunity could lie in research by Banfield Pet Hospital among 1,000 US pet owners in which 20% vowed to take their pets ‘more often’ to the vet post-lockdown for preventative care checkups3.
Caroline Braidwood, Regional Business Manager of Bayer Animal Health said: "We know that many veterinary customers have potentially gone elsewhere during the pandemic and vets will need to work hard to win them back. Our webinar will provide tangible insights to ensure that practices can flourish. Whether you’ve worked with Bayer or not, our team of Veterinary Business Managers are here to help. We’re all in this together, and with some planning, we can ensure the veterinary industry continues to grow.”
To book your webinar place, visit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/46/rk71qav5
The company says Dormazolam works in synergy with other induction agents to provide an extended duration of anaesthesia without adversely affecting the quality of recovery 2,3,5.
Benzodiazepines are commonly incorporated into anaesthetic regimens to alleviate issues seen with the administration to ketamine alone2,3,4, including inadequate muscle relaxation2,3,4, anaesthesia not lasting long enough2 and induction failure2.
Despite the issues caused by the sole use of ketamine, it remains the primary anaesthetic induction agent of choice for more than 90% of equine vets2.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: “Using Dormazolam as part of an equine anaesthesia protocol will give optimal general anaesthetic conditions every time, including a rapid onset of action1.
"Anaesthetic co-induction with ketamine and midazolam has been shown to provide a superior quality of anaesthesia compared to ketamine alone3 and midazolam is equally as effective as diazepam when used as a co-induction agent alongside ketamine4. It also cuts down on the number of ketamine ‘top-up’ doses required compared to using ketamine3 alone.
"Additional benefits include no clinically significant differences in cardiopulmonary function1 or recovery times1 between midazolam and diazepam and it can be mixed in the same syringe as ketamine for ease of use4.”
Emma added: “The introduction of Dormazolam provides an exciting new option for equine vets. It delivers enhanced anaesthetic and surgical conditions by improving anaesthetic induction quality2,3,4 and giving better surgical relaxation scores2,3,4. It also reduces involuntary movements because, as a co-induction agent, midazolam only causes minimal cardiovascular and pulmonary depression2,4.”
Dormazolam is available in a 20 ml vial. It has a shelf life of four years and a broached shelf life of 28 days.
For more information, visit: www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-areas/equine/anaesthesia/analgesia.
References:
The company says the new product has been 10 years in development and uses 'Soft Mist' technology - developed originally for human use by its pharma business - to deliver medication deep into the horse's lungs.
The active ingredient in the Aservo EquiHaler is ciclesonide, a corticosteroid that is activated directly in the lung, reducing the lower airway inflammation associated with severe equine asthma and reducing the risks commonly associated with systemic corticosteroids.
The Aservo EquiHaler does not use a propellant, so it does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Boehringer also highlights that it is made from up to 50% recycled materials. In April, the product was awarded a Red Dot Design Award.
Dr Marc Laemmer, Head of Equine in UK & Ireland said: "It's another industry first and is a strong indicator of the commitment that Boehringer Ingelheim has to the health and welfare of horses, and to the investment that we make into continuing to advance therapies through collaboration and innovation.
"We understand that a product launch in this challenging time for the veterinary profession may seem surprising, but we have had such strong demand from equine vets for the product that we have committed to making Aservo EquiHaler available. Out team of territory managers and vet advisers will conduct remote meetings with customers to make sure that they have the information and support they require."
Speakers at the free event will include feline expert Dr Andy Sparkes, BVetMed, PhD, DipECVIM, MANZCVS, MRCVS and the immunologist who led the Purina research behind Liveclear, Dr Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD.
Andy will address the consequences of feline allergy. He says that in majority of cases, cat-allergic owners will choose to tolerate ongoing symptoms of allergy, rather than relinquish their cats, even when they have severe symptoms.
Ebenezer will talk about the research behind Pro Plan Liveclear and how it will allow veterinary surgeons and nurses to help support these clients.
Libby Sheridan, MVB MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, UK & Ireland said: "This innovation is safe for cats who continue to produce the major cat allergen, Fel d 1, which is found mainly in the cat's saliva and sebaceous glands.
"Our researchers found that the Fel d 1 protein could be neutralised through feeding a nutritious cat food coated with an innovative egg product ingredient containing anti-Fel d 1 antibodies1 which helps reduce the active allergen transferred to hair and dander during grooming, and ultimately helps reduce active Fel d 1 in the environment.2
"Now the science has resulted in a commercially available product that could have a big impact on the quality of life of the cat and their owner. We'll be sharing the research behind this at the symposium so that clinicians can evaluate the potential benefits."
Any member of the practice team can register for the event at www.veterinarywebinars.com/purina, and will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPad. There will also be a number of goody bags available as additional prizes.
More information about the science is available at www.purinainstitute.com.
The traditional approach is to use anatomical knowledge to inject pain relief in the area of the nerves to be blocked.
Liz is leading a move away from this approach to a more precise method which uses ultrasound guidance to visualise the nerves, allowing the local anaesthetic to be placed directly around the nerve itself.
For some nerve blocks, it is possible to block just the sensory branches of nerves, which means pets can walk better immediately after surgery while not feeling any pain.
Liz, a past president of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, said: “Local analgesia is now at the forefront of our post-operative care and reliably improves the quality of a pet’s recovery and reduces the need for opioid pain relief, which can cause side effects.
“We’re using the latest techniques to deliver the nerve-blocking anaesthetics to exactly where they’re needed.
“For many of the nerve blocks, the use of ultrasound guidance allows more precise delivery and a complete blockade of the sensory nerves, which is why, here at Paragon, we’ve invested in state-of-the art ultrasound machine designed specifically for superficial and deep nerve blocks.
“This means we can provide more effective immediate post-operative analgesia for our patients and minimise the need for further pain killers.
“The nerves can be directly visualised and local anaesthetic directly placed around the nerve bundles.”
Liz is keen to highlight the advantages of the increased use of local anaesthesia in the treatment of animals. She added: “We’re hoping we’ll soon be able to publish some clinical research on the use of some of the blocking techniques used to demonstrate our clinical impression of their effectiveness in patient management.”
Everyone who takes part in the survey, which is also open to nurses, practice support staff and veterinary students, will be entered into a free prize draw for the chance to win a 1 of 3 Amazon gift vouchers (up to the value of £200).
Lizzie Erian-Round, Head Veterinary Healthcare Advisor at Pegasus (pictured right) said: "With lockdown measures easing, it is a good time to take a deeper dive into what the future looks like. And importantly, how veterinary professionals feel about it. No one has a crystal ball but those on the veterinary frontline are already getting a sense of what could lie ahead. And we believe it’s important they get to share their view of what good support and communications look like.
Our last wave of research indicated that COVID-19 could be a major catalyst for future digital innovation and have lasting consequences for the way we practice. With that in mind we’ve focussed our new survey to be more forward facing."
Pegasus's last survey found that 84% of veterinary professionals thought that the coronavirus pandemic would change the way veterinary practices operate in the future. 78% thought more owners will buy their medicines online. 71% worried about their exposure to coronavirus at their work place and 68% worried about the impact of the pandemic on their mental wellbeing.
The survey closes at 9am GMT Tuesday 30th June The results will help animal health companies better understand how to best support and communicate with the veterinary profession beyond the pandemic.
To take part in the survey, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DRWSNWT
For a copy of the results, which will be available in July, email: animal@thisispegasus.co.uk.
Running from 14th-23rd July, the interactive webinars will be delivered in 5 half-day sessions, led by UK pet food consultants, scientists, and vets.
The course includes:
Sarah Hormozi, PFMA Head of Science & Education, said: "With some of the most credible industry experts as our speakers, this is a rare opportunity for pet professionals across the UK and EU to improve and refresh their knowledge of animal nutrition, pet food legislation, marketing regulations and manufacturing methods, from the comfort of their own home or office!”
For the full programme, list of speakers, registration details and prices, visit www.pfma.org.uk/pfma-training-webinar-series.
The university says it has implemented a range of health and safety measures to meet Government guidelines and allow for the controlled return of 150 first-year undergraduate students to its Sutton Bonington campus.
Since the latest cohort joined the university at the height of the UK lockdown, the school has delivered a programme of technology-assisted Fresher’s Week and teaching activities.
However, the return of the April cohort will enable face-to-face teaching that cannot be delivered remotely, specifically essential animal handling and health and safety skills required before students can embark on the work experience element of their course.
The practical sessions will form part of a blended approach to learning, with other lectures and tutorial support continuing to be delivered remotely to reduce the number of students in teaching buildings at any one time.
Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science Professor Gary England said: “We have missed being on campus with our students tremendously during the coronavirus lockdown and we are excited to be welcoming this cohort to Sutton Bonington in July.
“The health and safety of our students and staff has remained our top priority and has been at the heart of our planning process. Colleagues from across the university have been working intensively on the intricate detail required to ensure that adequate social distancing and hygiene measures are in place to allow this first step in a return to campus.”
Among the measures which have been introduced are:
The university says the return of its vet school cohort and the re-starting of face-to face-education at University of Nottingham Ningbo China at the end of April, where 5,000 students are now back on campus, will form the blueprint for the return of the majority of students to its UK campuses when the new academic term begins on 21 September.
The new devices are an evolution of the original v-gel device launched in 2012, which is widely used in veterinary anaesthesia and resuscitation.
Dr Muhammed Nasir, inventor of v-gel and President of Docsinnovent, said: "Our original product has proven to be extremely popular globally because it makes airway management easier; quicker; more comfortable for patients; and most importantly, safer for patients and staff.
"However, since launch our R&D team have been hard at work to make the devices even better. They are now slimmed down so that there is more room in the mouth for dentistry; they seal even better; and they are single-use, improving standards of hygiene"
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Docsinnovent’s Marketing Manager, added: "Our newly-launched website www.docsinnovent.com includes plentiful information on the new products including two hour-long CPD webinars from Dr Ivan Crotaz detailing how the new devices can be utilised for optimal airway management in anaesthetised patients.”
Information on where to buy the new products can be found at www.docsinnovent.com/distributors
The company says the acquisition is a natural fit for its behavioural range and will bolster its Adaptil portfolio with a wider variety of anxiety solutions for dogs.
Abbie King, senior behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “We have always been fans of the ThunderShirt range and we are therefore delighted with the acquisition, which will further strengthen our extensive portfolio of behavioural products that work in synergy with one another to provide pet owners with comprehensive anxiety solutions.”
For more information, visit: www.thundershirt.com
In an internal study, Royal Canin found that Pill Assist Cat achieved over 91% pill acceptance.
Pill Assist Cat is enriched with vitamins and prebiotics to support a cat’s recovery, and each treat contains only three calories.
Elisabete Capitao, Royal Canin Veterinary Marketing Manager said: "We know that getting cats to take pills can be quite a challenge even for the most experienced pet owners! A quarter of owners leave the veterinary clinic with oral medication for their cat, but 40% find giving pills to their cat complicated. Pill Assist Cat makes giving cats medication easy and takes the stress out of pill time."
Royal Canin says Pill Assist Cat is suitable for most types of medication, from worming tablets to medication for an illness.
The re-categorisation means veterinary practices can sell the topical parasiticides to ‘walk-in clients’ without the need of a prescription.
Andrew Fullerton, veterinary surgeon and product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “The new NFA-VPS category for Vectra 3D spot-on solution for dogs and Vectra Felis 423mg/42.3mg spot-on solution for cats provides veterinary practices with greater flexibility to sell easy-to-use, fast and effective parasite prevention and treatment without a prescription."
For more information, contact your Ceva Animal Health account manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
The company says a combination of unprecedented demand for the product and logistics issues, together with an issue involving the manufacturer of the active ingredient, has resulted in a delay in receiving stock into the UK.
Animalcare says it has a shipment awaiting dispatch to the UK from its European manufacturing plant as soon as licensing is completed by the VMD, Home Office and European counterparts. There is another batch in production, expected into the UK in early March.
Kai Crawshaw, Product Manager at Animalcare, said: "We are working hard with the VMD and Home Office to expedite the import licensing process and also with our manufacturer to ensure we can get as much stock as quickly as possible back into the marketplace. We sincerely apologise to any clinics that are experiencing a shortage but are glad to say that stock is on the way."
In the study, Fluorescent tagging for environmental surface cleaning surveillance in a veterinary hospital 1, researchers at Ohio State University used a fluorescent dye to tag pre-determined surfaces in a large veterinary teaching hospital.
The dye was invisible to the naked eye, but fluoresced under a blacklight (UV-A source). It could be easily removed by regular cleaning.
Surfaces were tagged and then assessed 24 hours after tag placement to determine whether they had been cleaned. Tagging and assessment took place during non-peak hours in an attempt to eliminate observer bias. The study ran for a period of 5.5 weeks between June and July 2014 and a total of 4984 surfaces were tagged and assessed.
Jason Stull, corresponding author of the paper said: "Overall, 50% of surfaces were adequately cleaned so that the tag was completely removed. Cleaning varied widely by surface/object and hospital location. Of the surfaces designated as having primarily human contact, the equipment cart and door handle to the dog walking area were most frequently cleaned (100%), whilst examination equipment including the otoscope, ophthalmoscope and swivel light handle were the least frequently cleaned (2.3%).
"Of the surfaces designated as having primarily animal contact, the ward cage interior was the most frequently cleaned (89.0%) whilst the dog run interior was the least frequently cleaned (23.1%). In terms of hospital location, the most frequently cleaned area was radiology (77.5%) and the least frequently cleaned area was the small animal treatment area (4.2%)."
The overall proportion of surfaces satisfactorily cleaned was similar to that reported in previous studies, however, the findings for some surfaces and hospital areas differed.2 This demonstrates the importance of veterinary cleaning surveillance in individual practices so that targeted interventions can be implemented.
Nicholas Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: "With health-care associated infections being a persistent problem in human and veterinary medicine, it is important that surfaces and equipment within the veterinary practice are adequately cleaned. This research demonstrates the potential use of a commercial fluorescent dye for veterinary cleaning surveillance to inform hospital cleaning practices."
The full article can be found in the February issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13090
The new facilities use teaching aids and models to allow students to refine their practical skills and build confidence before being let loose on real patients.
As part of the official opening, Princess Anne toured the School of Veterinary Medicine, where she met with staff and students and saw a demonstration of a new equine gut model that offers an alternative to using live animals for research into the gut microbiota of horses and how they are affected by diet, disease and medication.
Professor Chris Proudman, Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine, said: "We are honoured to welcome The Princess Royal to the Vet School today, and very grateful that Her Royal Highness has officially opened the Large Animal Clinical Skills Facilities. Preparing students for life as a vet is our number one priority; the hands-on experience they will get through the use of this facility is invaluable and enables them to give the best possible care to all animals.
"We are also very grateful to the Longhurst family, without whom these teaching resources would not have been possible – their generosity is helping us to teach the vets of the future."
Licensed for use from 6 weeks of age - and in pregnant and lactating bitches and queens - Evicto provides adulticidal, larvicidal and ovicidal flea protection, which can also help to control environmental flea infestations in areas where the pet has access. It also treats ear mites, biting lice, intestinal roundworms, sarcoptic mange in dogs, intestinal hookworms in cats and can be used to prevent heartworm disease with monthly administration.
Evicto is presented in packs of 4 pipettes which are transparent so owners can see that the full dose has been applied. The company also highlights that with Evicto pets can be bathed 2 hours after treatment without loss of efficacy.
Claire Lewis, Product Manager at Virbac said: "We are pleased to add Evicto to our award-winning range of parasite protection products.
"Evicto can also be used concurrently with Milpro, making it the perfect product partnership."
Evicto is available from the veterinary wholesalers now.
For information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager.
The campaign will highlight things that can be done to help anxious pets, including getting professional advice from a behaviourist or trainer and using the company's products.
There's a marketing pack for practices, to help you educate owners and promote the month. It includes bunting, wall displays, posters, leaflets and gift vouchers for pet owners.
To raise awareness, Ceva will also be running a PR and advertising campaign together with a social media initiative in which owners will be encouraged to share their experience of having an anxious pet on Instagram and Facebook.
Abigail King, senior product manager at Ceva said: "It is widely known that humans suffer from anxieties, but pets do too with 82% of dogs and 89% of cats reported to be scared of something1.
"It is therefore important that we educate pet owners on the signs of stress and the help and support that they can give to their pets.
"Pet Anxiety Month will get people talking and we want people to know that there are products out there to support pets and that help is at hand to get the right advice, which is extremely important."
For further information, visit the Pet Anxiety Month website or follow the campaign on Instagram and Facebook. To request the Pet Anxiety Month marketing pack, email cevauk@ceva.com.
Reference
MSD says Lawsonia intracellularis is found on many finishing farms throughout the UK, and can affect weight gains, feed conversion ratios (FCR) and lead to increased mortality.
The new vaccine means that if piglets are vaccinated at three weeks, they will be protected against the bacteria from seven weeks.
Rubén Del Pozo Sacristán, technical manager for pigs at MSD Animal Health, said "Lawsonia intracellularis is present on most UK farms and can hamper a farm’s true potential as it spreads rapidly in faeces and on people or rodents, but symptoms can be hard to identify, as they’re often similar to many other diseases.
"Acute forms are often noticeable with symptoms such as diarrhoea or an increase in mortality, but the subclinical form, which is most common, can be hard to identify. Diarrhoea is not always present and often indicators are an increase in FCR and a reduction in weight gain leading to variation in pig performance, but this is similar to many other health issues.
"Administering an intramuscular vaccination will ensure every animal receives the correct dose, compared to other administrative routes. Porcilis Lawsonia can help reduce the clinical signs, production losses and mortality caused by Ileitis."
For more information on Porcilis Lawsonia, refer to the SPC sheet.
Designed to help veterinary practices save clients' time and improve compliance, VetsDeliver supplies Bravecto - the company's 12 week flea and tick treatment - with the wormer of the vet's choice, by post.
Before the pandemic, practices registered clients for the service online or during an appointment and clients would have to collect the first treatments from the practice.
In response to the pandemic, however, MSD has made now it possible for clients to register from home and get their first treatments sent by post.
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at MSD Animal Health said: "We are all in unchartered territory and we appreciate the pressure veterinary teams are under to continue to care for their clients and local pet community.
"Many businesses are having to add new services to support online facilities and home delivery, and for vets there is also now a need to reduce footfall into practice while still generating income. Making sure effective parasite control is available will help improve compliance as temperatures rise and the risks to the health of our pets increase. It's one less thing for you and your clients to worry about."
For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health account manager or go to www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/vetsdeliver.
In next year's election, there are three places on Council for elected veterinary surgeons, with successful candidates serving four-year terms.
The nomination period runs until 5pm on Friday 31 January 2020. In order to stand, candidates need to complete a nomination form, submit a short biography and personal statement and supply a high resolution digital photo.
Each candidate also needs to have two nominators who need to be veterinary surgeons who are on the RCVS Register but are not current RCVS Council members.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer said: "As always, we would encourage those who are interested in having their say in some of the key debates in the regulatory sphere, such as our under care review, our policies around the impact of Brexit and our vision for new veterinary legislation, to become a candidate.
"RCVS Council is at its best when it encompasses a broad range of perspectives, experiences and knowledge, and so we encourage people from all areas of veterinary life and all levels of experience to put themselves forward and share their expertise and insight."
Nomination forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions for prospective RCVS Council candidates can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil20.
Prospective candidates for RCVS Council are welcome to contact the Registrar, Eleanor Ferguson (e.ferguson@rcvs.org.uk) and the RCVS CEO, Lizzie Lockett (l.lockett@rcvs.org.uk) for more information about the role of the College and/or RCVS Council.
RCVS Council will also be holding its next public meeting on Thursday 23 January 2020, prior to the closure date for Council candidate nominations. Prospective candidates are welcome to attend the Council meeting as an observer. Contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, on d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk if you wish to attend.
The new editorial team of Ed Hall, David Williams and Aarti Kathrani says the manual has been completely rewritten and reorganised to provide a current, well-structured overview of the main gastrointestinal diseases that challenge both clinical practitioners and academics.
The Manual is divided into four sections:
Diagnostic procedures and techniques: history taking, physical examination, clinical pathology, imaging and biopsy.
Diagnostic approaches to problems: diagnostic approach to complaints/problems affecting the GI tract, pancreas and liver.
Patient management: treatments available for GI, pancreatic and liver disease, including a chapter on fluid and nutritional therapy.
Diseases of specific systems/organs: conditions of organs of the GI tract, including pathophysiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
Ed Hall said: "The busy small animal practitioner is likely to see a dog or cat with GI signs most days and having this Manual as a resource should give them greater insight into the conditions they are treating and hopefully make their job more satisfying."
The BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Gastroenterology is available in a printed edition (£90; £60 to BSAVA members) and an online edition (£75 +VAT; £50 +VAT to BSAVA members).