Vita Animal Health has launched Omniotic, a new ear cleaner for use in dogs, cats and rabbits.

Omniotic combines three ingredients to remove ear wax and debris: a detergent, a solvent and an emulsifier. It also contains Octoxynol-9, lactic acid, salicylic acid and parabens, which Vita says have anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

The product is sold in 120ml bottles with a transparent flexible tip designed to be comfortable even in stenosed, tender ear canals. 

Omniotic can be used for regular daily cleaning, especially in predisposed breeds such as spaniels and lop-eared rabbits where ear conformation increases the risk of ear disease.

The product can also be used alongside other antibiotics or anti-fungal medications, something which Vita highlights as being especially important in rabbits, the ear canals of which are less prone to inflammation and stenosis, and for which topical treatment can be very effective. 

Tara Evans, RVN and sales manager said: "Omniotic is an ear cleaner for dogs, cats and rabbits which combines features to meet the needs of owners and vets at the same time. The feedback from our customers is very positive; they are finding the soft, flexible applicator tip is easy to use and well tolerated. The unique combination of ingredients and the multi-species use means Omniotic can be used to support ear health across a wide variety of indications."

For more information and for the latest promotional offers, contact Tara Evans, via email: info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone: 01256 591032.

A new company, PetMedix, has been set up to develop new monoclonal antibody therapies for cats and dogs which could, it says, transform a wide range of veterinary treatment options, offering more effective treatment with fewer side-effects.

The company, which was founded by scientists from the human field, managed to raise £8 million of Series A funding by February this year. It is now seeking further investment for an extension to that Series A funding by the autumn.

The company's Chief Scientific Officer is Professor Allan Bradley, Emeritus Director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Society (pictured right). He spearheaded the development of mouse transgenics and their translational use, which provided the basis for developing canine monoclonal antibody therapies.

Allan said: "We are growing a world-class scientific team that will enable PetMedix to become a global leader in the development of novel monoclonal antibody therapies for the expanding animal health market. In the short lifetime of the company we have attracted huge talent in both our scientists and executives, and moved into the heart of the Cambridge biotech sphere with its excellent facilities and networking opportunities. The recent appointment of Dr. Fabian Kausche to the board marks our intent to become a global leader in animal health."

CEO, Dr. Tom Weaver added: "We have the people and the technology in place, and are champing at the bit to progress these therapies to reach the pets that could benefit. We know this technology has transformed the treatment and survival of human patients with a variety of conditions and we want to create the same paradigm shift in veterinary treatment options to improve welfare, quality of life and longevity for our dogs and cats."

PetMedix says it is interested in hearing from potential investment partners, and mergers and acquisitions. Contact Jolyon Martin via email: jolyon.martin@PetMedix.co.uk or telephone: +44 (0) 1223 734140,

Researchers at the University of Liverpool are asking veterinary surgeons to take part in a survey to explore the reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs).

It is hoped the survey will capture the experiences vets have had reporting ADRs, as well as identifying barriers to the current process which could be used to improve the ease with which ADRs are reported in the future.

PhD student Heather Davies (pictured right), who is leading the research project, said: "The survey is an important opportunity to gain insights into the issues that vets  face when dealing with ADRs.

"We want to make the process easier in order to improve the safety of veterinary medicines, and ultimately, we need the help of professionals on the front line in order to do that."

She added: "The survey is relatively short and can be completed anonymously. 

"We’re really keen to gather as many of your experiences as possible so we’d like to encourage veterinary professionals to complete it."

The research is being carried out as part of a PhD project funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in collaboration with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET), based at the university.

The survey is now open and you can take part here: https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/adrs-vet

Any questions about the survey can be addressed directly to the researchers: Heather Davies (PhD student): H.H.Davies@liverpool.ac.uk and/or Dr David Killick (Supervisor): David.Killick@liverpool.ac.uk.

Solihull-based Willows Referral Service is showing off it's new toy, a £400,000 state-of-the-art Siemens Somatom go.All CT scanner, believed to be the first in the profession.

Andrew Parry MRCVS, an RCVS and European Specialist, heads Diagnostic Imaging at Willows. He said: "Our previous CT scanner was excellent but all technology moves on. We wanted to ensure we maintained our position at the forefront of specialist veterinary diagnostic imaging.

"We have a large cardiology service and the Siemens scanner, with its advanced cardiac imaging package, will allow the team to gain a huge amount of information about cardiac disease and other vascular abnormalities. This combination of technology and on-site Specialist imaging expertise is unusual, even at a referral level.

"A further advantage of the new scanner is its use of tin filters, which enables it to produce high quality images of regions of high contrast, such as feline chests."

Willows has also invested in a software package which does all sorts of clever stuff to bring the images to life for clients.

He said: “The syngo.via software allows anyone to access and manipulate images from any computer in the hospital. This can be building complex models or more straightforward multiplanar reconstruction.

"Specialists can show models to clients immediately, while surgeons can manipulate images in theatre and all clinicians can view and interact with images from their own working environment.

"Additionally, we have invested in Siemens-manufactured software called syngo.via Cinematic VRT, which means we can build, rotate and fly through volume rendered CT models with clients, giving them a dynamic understanding of anatomy and pathology."

The British College of Veterinary Specialists (BCVSp) has approached the RCVS Practice Standards Group (PSG) to look at the feasibility of a new Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) accreditation strand: Veterinary Specialist Hospital (Multidisciplinary), or VSH(M).

The BCVSp says the aim of its proposal is to identify practices that offer a multi-disciplinary referral service, to incorporate standards for specialist care and to define training, veterinary and nursing qualifications, behaviours and facilities which optimise management of cases with complex problems and those requiring advanced diagnostic and/or therapeutic approaches.

Terry Emmerson Hospital Director at North Downs Specialist Referrals and BCVSp trustee said: "Increasing numbers of veterinary graduates are choosing to pursue training leading to post-graduate diplomas and RCVS recognition as Specialists.

"Many vets and nurses are working in groups that allow a multidisciplinary approach to be offered to animals with complex problems. We hope that we can devise a new accreditation strand to give the animal-owning public the ability to distinguish multidisciplinary specialist hospitals from general veterinary hospitals in order to make informed choices regarding the veterinary care they wish to access for their animals."

BCVSp has proposed that prior to entry into the new strand, VSH(M)s would first be required to meet the Core, GP and Veterinary Hospital requirements in all of the modules (Small Animal or Equine as appropriate) and achieve Awards Points at Outstanding level in the relevant modules. BCVSp has put forward an outline plan which is currently being considered by the PSG in which VSH(M)s will be required to offer a minimum number of services but there will also be scope for individual units to highlight particular areas of expertise.

Celia Marr, BCVSp Chairman said: "A key element of the strand we are working on is that each service will be led by RCVS Specialists ensuring on-going accreditation of the experience and expertise within the range of services that together underpin a multidisciplinary approach to case management. We have consulted widely amongst our members to reach consensus on the standards each specialist service should be aiming for."

She added: "We hope to work together with the PSG to develop an accreditation within this strand over the next few years, however working through the current PSS modules to Awards Points level is not easy. Specialist-staffed hospitals aiming for the multidisciplinary strand will need to start planning their approach as soon as possible."

Mandisa Greene, Chair of the Practice Standards Group, said: "The RCVS Practice Standards Group welcomes BCSVp’s proposal and the passion of the group for developing this new accreditation level. Both the PSG and the RCVS Standards Committee will be working with the BCVSp to consider the proposal's feasibility, how the accreditation level might be achieved, potential levels of interest and other criteria in the coming months. It is critical that specific criteria which BCVSp and the RCVS Practice Standards Group develop together are clear, transparent and testable."

Photo: Newmarket Equine Hospital

VetFinders, a new recruitment agency, has launched with a pledge to donate a minimum of 25% of its net profits to four animal and children’s charities.

VetFinders will recruit for permanent and locum positions for veterinary practices throughout the UK, from administration roles through to nursing staff and vets.

The agency has been founded by a man called Chris Worthington who previously built an engineering recruitment firm called Qualtech Resourcing. 

Alongside Chris in the VetFinders team are recruiters Gabrielle Dawson and Martin Wilson, both with over 15 years’ experience in recruitment, Chris’s wife Anna, who is charge of accounting and payroll, and administrator Suzy Buttress.

Chris said: "VetFinders is a business with a purpose, a business with a force for good and a business with a double bottom line! Our approach is totally unique in the industry and it’s what sets us apart. Candidates are already hearing about our message and registering with VetFinders rather than other agencies.

"We have chosen four specific charities and our support for them does not stop at the point of donation. We will also be working closely with them, funding specific projects and working on their front line."

The chosen charities are:

• Hope Pastures, in Leeds, which rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes horses, ponies and donkeys. 

• Moorview Rescue in Harrogate, which has re-homed almost 2000 dogs in the UK since it was set up as a registered charity in 2009. 

• Nuzzlets, a small charity based near Great Ouseburn in York which specialises in giving loving homes to unwanted animals and enabling young people free access to them for therapy and education. 

• Blue Cross.

When a candidate is placed by VetFinders, the client can choose which of the four charities they want a percentage of their fee to be donated to. The client and placed candidate will then be given regular updates of how their money has benefitted children and animals, including through photos, videos, emails and website updates.

For more information, visit: https://www.vetfinders.co.uk/

Photo: Top (L-R): Martin Wilson - Veterinary Recruitment Consultant, Chris Worthington - Managing Director. Bottom (L-R): Gabrielle Dawson - Veterinary Recruitment Consultant, Anna Worthington - Finance and Payroll Manager and Suzy Buttress - Administrator.

Yorkshire-based Paragon Veterinary Referrals has announced that it has signed the former England youth team basketball star Andrea Holmes to join the team.

Andrea, who is also an EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine, is joining Paragon after returning from a spell in Australia. The transfer fee was not disclosed.

Andrea graduated from Bristol in 2011 and became a Specialist in 2017. She said: "I'm so pleased to be returning to my beautiful home county of Yorkshire and joining the brilliant team at Paragon.

"Internal medicine will be my key area and my main interests are infectious diseases and post graduate clinical teaching."

Andrea represented England youth at basketball between 2000 and 2002, starring in tournaments in Hungary and Italy, and her passion for sport is still high on her list of priorities.

She added: "Now I’m back home I’m looking to join a triathlon club and will attempt to master the ukulele, which I recently began playing."

Paragon managing director, Ian Monteith, said: "Andrea is the fifth high-calibre specialist addition we’ve made in the past six months which illustrates our dedication to delivering the highest level of care and treatment to our patients."

Tracey Ison RVN has written a new book, Confessions of a veterinary nurse, an autobiographical journey through her career as a veterinary nurse.

Tracey, who started working in practice as a trainee in 1986 and qualified in 1989, spent her nursing career in both mixed and small animal practice in her home town of Hinckley, Leicestershire before retiring in 2018.

She says the book is mainly aimed at people thinking of embarking on a career as a veterinary nurse, but she also hopes colleagues in the profession will enjoy it, particularly those who are newer to the profession and have an interest in how things have progressed over the last three decades.

Tracey said: "Having enjoyed a very long career as a veterinary nurse, I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of my experiences, the happy, the sad and the sometimes downright crazy!

"The role of the veterinary nurse has changed so much over the last thirty years and continues to evolve with each passing year. My story is a light-hearted journey from my early years as a fresh-faced trainee to a fully qualified head nurse, will all the highs and lows along the way.

"The book will hopefully appeal to all members of the veterinary profession, past, present and future as well as to animal lovers everywhere. It was written from the heart to celebrate the work that veterinary nurses do, the diversity of their role and the steep learning curves that many of us had to climb."

You can read a sample of the book here. 

Confessions of a veterinary nurse is available from all good bookstores, and Amazon, priced at £10.99.

Medivet reports that its Saving the Rhino Campaign has now received a very impressive one million donations from its clients, raising £500,000 in the process.

The campaign uses Pennies, the digital charitable giving system which invites you to make a small donation when you pay for something by debit or credit card.

For the last four years, Medivet clients have been invited to make a donation of 50p when paying their veterinary bill, and the millionth donation was made at Medivet 24 Hour Shrewsbury this week.

Medivet says the funds raised have played a crucial role in helping to protect the rhino - enabling Wilderness Foundation Africa's Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative to support these critically endangered species across a wide range of activities. This includes the treatment of poaching attack survivors plus the care and rehabilitation of orphaned baby rhinos.

In terms of prevention, thanks to Medivet client donations, two cold scent tracker dogs have been deployed – Ella and Ziggy – who work with anti-poaching units, while support has also been provided for intelligence-sharing amongst local law-enforcement agencies. Funds have additionally been deployed to help drive global awareness, provide community services as well as essential field-based veterinary equipment.

Dr John Smithers, Senior Partner and Project Co-ordinator for Medivet Saving the Rhino, said: "We could not be more grateful to our clients for all they have done to help the survival of this iconic species. Their incredible generosity - combined with the support of our colleagues and partners - has made a real difference in the fight against poaching and we want to thank our clients for every donation made."

In South Africa, the Medivet-supported efforts to reduce poaching are co-ordinated by Dr William Fowlds, a former Medivet employee, who added: "This is a truly remarkable milestone and we are overwhelmed by the kindness of Medivet and its clients. The money raised not only helps protect the rhinos but helps bring to justice those responsible for the destruction of these precious and innocent creatures."

Alison Hutchinson, CBE, CEO of Pennies said reaching 1m donations was a remarkable achievement: “Pennies is proud to support Medivet’s Saving the Rhino campaign, and it’s been so inspiring to see one million individual micro-donations made through the digital charity box over the past four years.

"From all at Pennies, thank you and congratulations to the Medivet team and their hugely generous clients for reaching this milestone, for challenging the rhino poaching crisis in South Africa, and proving that small change truly does add up to mean big things."

Three cheers from VetSurgeon.org, too. That's a big achievement by Medivet for an important cause.

Defra has produced a video offering official advice for pet owners that want to travel with their pet in the event of a no deal Brexit.

The video has now been published on Youtube, from where veterinary practices might like to share it with clients on their own websites, by email or on their Facebook page.

In the video, Cat Henstridge MRCVS explains how from November, in the event of no deal, pet owners will need to have visited their vet 4 months before travel and had their pet vaccinated against rabies. They will then need to return for a blood test 30 days later, wait at least 3 months after that test before travel, and get an animal health certificate no more than 10 days before travel. In addition their animal needs to be microchipped.

Defra says owners should also be advised to visit gov.uk and search 'pet travel' for any updates.

Christine Middlemiss, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, said: "This is a reminder for pet owners of our practical and straightforward advice for pet travel if the UK were to leave the EU in a no-deal situation."

To watch and share the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ckhv5YS7Mw.

Virbac has launched Multimin, a prescription only, four in one trace mineral injection to combat oxidative stress and its effects in cattle.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants which can lead to cell and tissue damage, impacting the health and performance of cattle.¹ Virbac says the trace minerals in Multimin are essential structural components of antioxidant enzymes which are required to neutralise free radicals and combat oxidative stress.^2,3

Multimin, which comes in a 100ml PET bottle, contains zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. It is designed to be administered during or before periods of high demand in dairy and beef cattle, such as breeding, calving, weaning and vaccination. After injection, it reaches peak levels in the blood after 8 hours^4,5 and the liver after 24 hours.^4,5

Virbac says Multimin has been proven in 24 peer-reviewed papers and field trials of more than 6,000 cattle, and that it offers a fast, simple and accurate way to top up essential trace minerals at times of high demand, to help improve cattle health and performance.

Lynda Maris, Virbac Large Animal Product Manager said: "Trace mineral requirements are currently primarily provided through the diet and various forms of oral supplementation. However, reduced oral intake, poor absorption from the rumen and antagonism from other minerals means that during periods of high demand, even in apparently well supplemented animals, a trace mineral gap can occur between the trace minerals required for optimum health and performance versus those available."

Lynda added: "Multimin is a great addition to the Virbac Large Animal range. It represents an exciting new opportunity for vets to strengthen their herd health plans, boost practice revenue and help to further reduce antibiotic usage."

For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager or visit the Virbac stand at the BCVA Congress, 17^th – 19^th October.

References

1. Celi, P. Oxidative stress in applied basic research and clinical practice (Eds.Armstrong, D., Mandelker, L. & Vajdovich, P.). Humana Press, 191–232 (2011). 
2. Hough, M. A. & Hasnain, S. S. Structure of Fully Reduced Bovine Copper Zinc Superoxide Dismutase at 1.15 Å. Structure 11, 937–946 (2003).
3. Rotruck JT, Pope AL, Ganther HE, Swanson AB, Hafeman DG and Hoekstra WG (1973) Selenium: biochemical role as a component of glutathione peroxidase. Science, 179 (4073):588–590. 
4. Pogge, D, Richter, E, Drewnoski ME, Hansen SL. Mineral concentrations of plasma and liver following injection with a trace mineral complex differ among Angus and Simmental cattle. J. Anim.Sci. 90, 2692–2698 (2012).
5. Study data on file. 

MSD Animal Health has announced that Finadyne (flunixin meglumine), its NSAID for cattle, pigs and horses, has been reformulated and approved for use in food-producing animals.

Fynadyne had been removed from sale last year after the Veterinary Medicines Directorate suspended the sale of any medicinal products containing the excipient diethanolamine (DEA), following advice to the European Medicines Agency that it could pose a risk to human health.

Finadyne 50mg/ml Solution for Injection is indicated for the alleviation of acute inflammation and pain in both cattle and pigs. It is also indicated for the alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculo-skeletal disorders and colic in horses.

The reformulated product has a shelf life of three years and is now available from wholesalers in 50ml and 100ml vials.

For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.

Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Essex has been given approval by planners to convert a 40,000 sq ft site just down the road from its current premises into what will be one of the UK’s largest referral centres.

The £11m project, which is backed by Mars Petcare, will include a cutting-edge imaging suite, state-of-the-art treatment facilities and a new linear accelerator. 

Plans also include separate cat and dog waiting areas and client walking and comfort areas, seven operating theatres, 15 consultation rooms, recovery suites, lecture halls, a dedicated ICU department and plans for a future hydrotherapy suite. 

Daniel Hogan, operations manager at Southfields (pictured right), said: "This is a really exciting time for Southfields and our relocation will provide the region with one of the largest and best-equipped veterinary centres in the UK.

"The team and expertise have grown significantly in the past 18 months. We are very excited to continue to expand the unique and innovative offerings in patient care at our centre.

"Increasing in size will also enable us to provide a dedicated staff wellbeing area and an education centre and lecture hall, which will offer some very exciting qualifications and courses for the wider profession.

"Since our rebranding in 2017, we pride ourselves on leading the industry as a truly multidisciplinary centre with specialists from across the globe, including one of the most illustrious oncology teams in the country. Once this new site is launched, we will be able to offer an even more comprehensive service to our clients and patients."

For more information about Southfields, visit www.southfields.co.uk.