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.
President of the RCVS and Principal of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), Professor Stuart Reid has raised a very impressive £13,000 for mental health and animal welfare charities by running the Virgin Money London Marathon.
Stuart completed the 26 mile and 385 yard run in four hours and 51 minutes and, in the process, raised money for three charities with a particular focus on mental health and wellbeing, beating his target of £10,000.
The money will be split between his three nominated charities - the RVC Animal Care Trust which will use the funds to assist the student bodies at the UK vet schools; the Veterinary Benevolent Fund which, through its 24/7 Helpline and Health Support Programme, provides support directly to the profession; and, mental health charity Mind.
Stuart said: "To be perfectly honest it was probably a bit daft to run a marathon in my presidential year but when I see how much we have raised I know it was the right thing to do.
"I have been utterly humbled by the generosity and the words of encouragement on my Virgin Money Giving website and via text and Twitter and it is clear my chosen charities have touched a chord with many. I am so very grateful to everybody who chipped in. There's plenty to do so let's get on with addressing our mental health issues."
Donations can still be made to these charities via Stuart's Virgin Money Giving website - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartReid
VetNurse.co.uk has officially launched a completely revamped job advertising section designed to make it quite simply the best place to advertise jobs for veterinary staff online.
VetNurse Jobs now allows jobseekers to search for veterinary positions by distance from their front door (or from a city, county or country). Other filters allow them to narrow the search yet further, by job title, contract type, hours or practice/employer type. Each advert now also includes a map of the location, and a link to contact the advertiser at the foot of the page.
Jobseekers can subscribe to receive email or RSS alerts the moment a job advert is posted on VetNurse Jobs. Alternatively, they can now 'follow' or 'like' dedicated VetNurse Jobs pages on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, to have VetNurse Jobs delivered direct to their timelines.
For advertisers, VetNurse.co.uk remains the largest community of veterinary nurses and support staff to advertise in front of. And its free. But now recruitment adverts are pushed out onto other social networks and there's work being done behind the scenes to push them up the search rankings too. What's more, the advanced new search tool also means that where before users had to sift their way through a long list of vacancies, adverts will now be far better targeted.
Arlo Guthrie, Publishing Editor said: "My aim with VetNurse Jobs has always been to support veterinary practices by eliminating the need to pay for recruitment advertising. But it's not enough just being free. We need to be the best, too."
The organisers of the Vet Charity Challenge have announced that the 2015 fundraising and teambuilding event for the profession will take place on Saturday 26th September at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.
The event consists of teams of four walking/running, cycling and kayaking as well as some orienteering and mental and physical tasks. The day is designed for every level of fitness and to reward those that work the best together as a team.
So far the Vet Charity Challenge has raised over £100,000 for animal based charities. In 2015 the charities being supported are Canine Partners, SPANA and International Cat Care.
Registration for the event opens online at the start of April. Organisers say that spaces are limited and last year filled up very fast, so to avoid disappointment it is highly recommended to book early.
This year there will be discounted entry fees for students teams.
Gavin Mitchell from BCF Technology said: “We were delighted at the success of the Vet Charity Challenge so far. Last year we had 50 teams taking part and raised a serious amount of cash for three very deserving charities. We hope to top this in 2015, making the event even bigger and better than last year.”
Dechra Veterinary Products has joined the challenge as a new sponsor this year. Larry King, Dechra Marketing Manager said: “Having entered a team into the Vet Charity Challenge in previous years, we are delighted to become sponsors of the challenge in 2015. The Vet Charity Challenge helps raise a significant amount of money for worthwhile causes at home and abroad and we look forward to being part of such a well organised event. This year we will be entering teams into the challenge again and we hope that colleagues from across the veterinary industry join us for what is sure to be a fun-packed weekend. We are proud to be 2015 sponsors.”
In addition to BCF and Dechra, the event is also sponsored by Kruuse, the VPMA, Mojo Consultancy and Veterinary Practice magazine.
For more information visit www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk or: https://www.facebook.com/vetcharitychallenge.
The RCVS Charitable Trust is seeking two creative and energetic UK-based veterinary students to attend the British Science Festival in Aberdeen from 4-9 September 2012.
The Trust says that the students will be required to use their observations and experiences to help it develop future outreach activities to inform and inspire public audiences about aspects of veterinary clinical practice and research, and will have all their expenses paid by the Trust.
Entrants need to write to the RCVS Charitable Trust to say how they would go about meeting this challenge, ideally giving examples that demonstrate their proven innovative abilities. The deadline for entries is 9 July, after which the entries will be considered by a competition panel who will decide the winners. Entrants must be able to commit to attending the entire festival and to deliver a feedback presentation to the competition panel on 31 October. Entrants should also be willing and able to compile a video diary or blog to feedback their experiences.
Further information and details about how to enter are available at http://trust.rcvs.org.uk/home/. The successful applicants will be announced at the end of July.
Novartis Animal Health has announced that it is offering regular updates Schmallenberg virus, including the number and counties of affected farms, on its farm animal health website: www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk.
The new website is a resource for vets, SQPs and farmers and also contains background information on the virus, its symptoms and suggestions for control.
Helen Langham, Brand Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "There is still a lot that isn't known about the Schmallenberg virus, so it is essential that those involved in the animal health industry and livestock production are kept informed. Our website provides current information and links to relevant resources to help people stay up to date".
For more information go to www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk/latestdiseaseupdates
Vetoquinol is offering vets the opportunity to win one of five Selekt Cattle Pumps worth £240. In order to take part, you'll need to tell Vetoquinol about your experiences with Marbocyl 10% when treating acute mastitis.
Susan Mitchell, Vetoquinol's Large Animal Product Manager said: "This case study competition aims to gather information on the incidence and treatment of acute mastitis. Acute mastitis is a genuine veterinary emergency and rapid treatment is vitally important."
Vetoquinol says Marbocyl 10% has proven to be an effective treatment for acute E.coli mastitis, with a bactericidal action which does not liberate endotoxins. Administered intravenously, Marboyl 10% provides rapid improvement and an early return to milk production.
The company also says farmers have found toxaemic mastitis cases have benefited from the use of fluid therapy, using the Selekt Cattle Pump. Oral fluid therapy is a quick, easy and inexpensive option to intravenous treatment and improves the efficacy of hypertonic saline.
To enter the competition, visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/, click the Marbocyl link on the right, and download and complete a brief case history.
Five winners will be chosen at random on 30th June 2010.
Braving the elements, a record 12 candidates sat the examinations for the Certificate in Veterinary Practice Management last week, seven of which passed their selected elements, and four of which have been awarded their certificate.
The new CVPMs are, Julie Beacham at Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre in Aylesbury, Liz Howes at The Oxford Cat Clinic in Oxford, Helen Kington from Hungerford and Renay Rickard at the Pelyn Veterinary Group in Lostwithiel. An official presentation of the awards will take place at the Veterinary Practice Management Association Congress Dinner on 28th January 2010 at the Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
The candidates are managers in very different types of veterinary businesses, which the VPMA says is confirmation that the CVPM is applicable and has wide appeal in veterinary management.
Lucy Bartlett of CVS (UK) Ltd, Straight Mile Equine Clinic, Lisa Marter of The Arundel Equine Hospital and Steven Broomfield of The Blue Cross, were also successful in achieving a pass in the written and oral sections of the examination and will be able to complete the CVPM by submitting and passing the portfolio section of the exam next year.
There are now 61 holders of the CVPM since its inception in 1996. The next examination session will be held on 2nd December 2011.
Royal Canin has launched a new urinary range for cats and dogs. There are four new products including the veterinary market's first canine pouch.
The launch also includes a 20 page booklet for owners which explains the urinary system, different types of problem and stone, and why and how diet can make a difference. Royal Canin says this should be a real boost to encouraging owners to adopt the new diet.
According to the company, the pouch format is highly palatable, convenient and easy for owners to use, which will ultimately lead to improved compliance once a prescription has been made.
Canine Urinary S/O comes in a 150g pouch, and dissolves struvite uroliths as well as diluting the urine to decrease oxalate concentration and ensure the bladder is regularly washed out. Feline Urinary S/O Moderate Calorie in a 100g pouch is for adult cats with difficulty maintaining ideal weight (neutered, overweight, low activity levels) and is indicated for the nutritional management of cats with feline idiopathic cystitis, struvite urolithiasis, and the management of recurrent struvite and calcium oxalate stones.
New dry food additions include Canine Urinary S/O Moderate Calorie with the same benefits in formulation to help limit weight gain, while Canine Urinary S/O Small Dog offers benefits for the smaller canine population; particularly important as 50% of all stones analysed in reference laboratories worldwide come from small breed dogs.
Royal Canin Director of Scientific Communications Pauline Devlin said: "Urinary problems are a common reason for veterinary consultation, and this new range brings together our existing products with four new ones, meaning that vets can be even more precise in prescribing the clinical diet which will best suit the owner and the nutritional management of the pet, meaning that compliance levels will improve."
Royal Canin says neutering and obesity are known predisposing factors for urolithiasis, and some patients are more prone than others - Persian and Burmese cats are predisposed to oxalate stones for example. Age and sex have also been recognized factors influencing the risk of both struvite and oxalate stones. In dogs, small breeds such as the Bichon Frise, Miniature Schnauzer, Poodle, Shih Tzu and Yorkshire Terrier are at risk, while Dalmatians have a tendency to ammonium urate stones.
Royal Canin's urinary diets should be fed for a period of five to twelve weeks, and have been proven to dissolve uroliths in as little as 17 days. To avoid recurrence of clinical signs it is recommended their use is continued as required.
The Royal Canin Urinary range is available from all veterinary wholesalers. Find out more by contacting your Veterinary Business Manager, visiting http://www.royalcanin.co.uk/, or by calling 0845 717 800.
The Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS, Charity no 1100485) is appealing to veterinary practices, equipment suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to donate unwanted supplies to its Parcel Appeal 2008.
The charity, which exists to provide a sustainable veterinary resource to assist animal charities and non-profit organisations, sends donation parcels of veterinary supplies to 138 associated animal charities around the world.
Hannah Westen, WVS International Projects Co-ordinator said: "Last year we were able to help over 50 associated charities in this way with nearly £90,000 worth of donated items. This year we hope to double this but to do so we also need help to cover postage costs."
Some parcels are sent as responses to urgent requests, where it is essential that the parcel arrives within a matter of days, while others are a way of providing assistance to charities where it is not practical to send a veterinary team. Hannah added: "Donation parcels are a simple way for WVS to provide assistance for charities and shelters in even the most remote locations. We recently sent several parcels to St. Helena, one of the most remote islands on the planet."
For further information, visit: http://www.wvs.org.uk/, telephone: 01725 551123, or email: info@wvs.org.uk
The virtual walks come in the form of a 30 day series of emails taking owners on an imaginary adventure exploring different environments and looking for the things that make these places so exciting for an arthritic dog. Each email will include soundbites from experts and CAM founder Hannah Capon, together with tips and advice.
This year, the charity is also fundraising to keep its live sessions free, to keep its resources accessible to the public and to refurbish its website for owners and animal health professionals.
There are three levels of participation: Garden Wanderer is £10 and gives access to the emails, Facebook group, discount codes and the chance to win prizes and play Big Walk Bingo. Park Explorer is priced at £40 for which participants also get a CAM big walks T-shirt (ladies or unisex fit) and a dog bandana to match. Finally, the £70 Forest Adventurer package adds access to CAM Comprehensive, a course to help owners on their journey with their arthritic dog.
Hannah said: "Please support us, and invite your dog-owning friends and colleagues to do the same. Share the event to your social media pages and help us get the message out that there is more to life with an arthritic dog and even if a dog can’t do the activities they used to there is still a whole world of fun to be found out there whether it is at the beach, in the local park or simply in the garden!"
For more information, visit: https://www.camonlineshop.com/the-big-walk-2021/
The University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences at Langford has opened a £2 million state-of-the-art dairy farm.
Wyndhurst Farm's dairy unit has undergone a major rebuild in order to provide a world-class practical teaching environment for around 600 veterinary students, as well as a facility that can be used to support research and the continual professional development of veterinary surgeons, farmers and others involved in the dairy industry locally, nationally and internationally. Professor Jo Price, Head of the School of Veterinary Sciences, said: "This is an exciting time for the Vet School. The new dairy unit will enable our undergraduate and postgraduate students to be taught in a world-class facility. It will provide the best standards of animal welfare for our dairy herd and will support our research on the prevention and treatment of diseases of farm animals."The farm, which is approximately 250 acres, includes numerous features to ensure high welfare standards. The dairy herd will be housed in deep sand bedded cubicles, with parts of the floors covered in soft rubber to protect the cows' feet and when housed cows will be fed a total mixed ration using grass, maize and whole crop wheat silages grown on the farm.Since the new facility has been built the farm's herd of Pedigree Holstein cows have increased in number from 110 to 180 cows and will soon reach 200, with each cow giving over 9,000 litres of milk per year. The farm also has a newly established breeding flock of 100 New Zealand Romney ewes. Since 2010 it has been managed by Velcourt Farm Management.
Assistance dog charity Canine Partners is asking the profession to support its work by taking places on a number of fund-raising challenges this year, including the Reading Half Marathon, Brighton Marathon, Tough Mudder, Ride London, Forth Road Bridge Abseil and Para Tri.
Holly Bryan, Events and Challenge Co-ordinator, said: "We are looking for people of all abilities who are willing to take on a challenge this year in aid of Canine Partners. All we ask is that you give something back by raising money for us through sponsorship.
"We have places available for many events during 2016 but we can also support you if you have your own place and wish to fundraise for Canine Partners.
"This year we are delighted to announce that we are an official charity of the Reading Half Marathon and our gold package means that we have 30 guaranteed places as well as use of the Reading FC Players’ Lounge.
"By supporting Canine Partners you will be joining our amazing ‘purple army’ team who are helping us to change people’s lives for the better."
The national charity trains dogs to help with everyday tasks disabled people would otherwise find difficult, painful or impossible including opening doors, undressing, pressing buttons, unloading the washing machine and fetching help in an emergency. The assistance dogs also increase independence, confidence and provide loving companionship.
Paul Sparrow, who ran the London Marathon for Canine Partners last year, said: "The support I have received from the crowds and the charity were fantastic and if one person saw my vest and googled Canine Partners to learn more about them, then it will have been worthwhile."
For more information, visit caninepartners.org.uk/challenges, or contact Holly at: hollyb@caninepartners.org.uk or call 01730 716013.
The survey, believed to be the first of its type, is being conducted by MRes student Mark Turner MRCVS (pictured above right), under the direction of Martin Whiting and Elizabeth Armitage-Chan. It's based on a tool used in the human health care sector to monitor care quality in hospitals and G.P surgeries.
All veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and practice managers in small animal practice are invited to complete the survey, which is confidential and has received research ethics approval from the RVC.
Mark said: "We believe this survey could represent a significant milestone in the profession's understanding of patient safety. This topic is still in its infancy in our industry, but there is already evidence to suggest we lag some way behind the NHS in our application of important safety principles such as openness and 'learning'.
Without this sort of safety culture, the profession risks missing important opportunities to improve quality and safety for the animals in it's care. One of the questions we would like to answer is: 'When mistakes occur in practice, are lessons routinely being learnt to prevent the same thing from happening again?'
He added: "In the NHS this subject has received a lot of media coverage after stories like the Bristol heart scandal and the enquiry into Mid Staffs Hospital. And our health system now understands that patient safety relies on a whole organisation effort to maintain standards. What we don't know however is how well we are doing in this regard."
Please do take take some time to complete the survey, and SHARE this story with your colleagues (buttons below). It's an important piece of work that should really benefit the profession. You can also discuss the project with Mark here.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VetPatientSafety
The company says that this year, its focus is on communicating the benefits of microchipping cats, which can roam significant distances from the home. The support pack, which reflects this focus, contains resources that can be used both in the practice waiting room and online.
In addition, the company is running a competition exclusively for cat owners: any that get their animal microchipped with the 8mm BackHome MiniChip in June can enter a prize draw to win a GPS tracker for their collar to help them find out just how far their cat can roam.
Dr Sarah Dixon MRCVS, BackHome Product Manager, said: "There is no legal requirement for cats to be microchipped but the benefits are clear. We looked at a recent study which showed that, in a 24 hour period, cats ranged on average 2 hectares with an average maximum of 7 hectares – or about 10 football pitches.1 One cat roamed nearly 34 hectares! The competition should reinforce the message about why microchipping is beneficial to all pets.
"Whilst compulsory microchipping for dogs has been in place for a year, practices must continue to highlight to owners the advantages of getting their pets microchipped. To enable practices to engage with their clients, and to reward the hard work done by staff in practices to make these campaigns a success, we are hosting a competition for the best displays. Prizes include a 32-inch TV for waiting rooms to the winner and luxury chocolates to the runners up."
Reference
Thomas, R.L., Baker, P.J. & Fellowes, M.D.E. (2014). Ranging characteristics of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in an urban environment, Urban Ecosystem, 17, p911-921.
The BVA and the RCVS are inviting applications from veterinary surgeons to join the new Vet Futures Action Group, set up to drive forward the ambitions identified in the Vet Futures report launched at BVA Congress at the London Vet Show on 20 November.
The Vet Futures report, Taking charge of our future: A vision for the veterinary profession for 2030, was the culmination of a year-long joint project by BVA and RCVS designed to help the veterinary profession prepare for, and shape, its own future. The Action Group is a vital next step in the Vet Futures project, ensuring the delivery of the report’s six ambitions and 34 recommendations.
BVA and RCVS are seeking seven veterinary surgeons and one veterinary nurse to join the Action Group to ensure there is buy-in from across the professions and to drive forward workstreams of activity. The group will be co-chaired by the BVA and RCVS Presidents, and both Junior Vice-Presidents will sit on the group. Action Group members will be independent and will not represent, or be required to report back to, any particular organisation.
Veterinary surgeons or nurses keen to apply for an Action Group role should have experience of working as an active member of a group or committee and the ability to deliver, engage and inspire others. The veterinary surgeon members should have specific expertise, knowledge and experience in relation to at least one of the Vet Futures ambitions or the cross-cutting issue of veterinary education. The ambitions cover:
Successful applicants must be able to attend three all-day meetings in London (9 February, 17 March and 12 May) and an all-day Vet Futures Summit (20 June), with a time commitment totalling approximately seven days between February and June 2016. The group will be supported by BVA and RCVS staff. For the full Vet Futures Action Group role profile and terms of reference, please visit: www.vetfutures.org.uk.
The deadline for applications is 12 noon, 31 December 2015.
A new study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ)1 has concluded that whilst horse owners are increasingly looking to vets for worm control advice and use faecal worm egg counts more frequently, they remain largely unaware of the threat of resistance to dewormers and the importance of appropriate 'targeted' dosing.
The authors of the study say that although the findings are encouraging, they indicate that further effort is needed to help owners fully understand the issue of dewormer resistance, in order to help preserve the efficacy of dewormers currently available and protect the health and welfare of their horses.
According to the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), resistance of equine gastrointestinal worms to the currently available dewormers is a serious problem. The association says small redworm are the greatest concern, given their very high prevalence, potential to cause life-threatening disease and high levels of resistance. Of the three classes of anthelmintic available for their control, there is now widespread resistance to benzimidazoles (e.g. fenbendazole) and tetrahydropyrimidines (e.g. pyrantel) and reduced effectiveness of macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin). With no new classes of dewormer on the horizon, it's essential that efficacy of existing effective products is preserved.
The study was conducted by a UK team, led by Claire Stratford, Horse Trust Clinical Scholar in Equine Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and at Moredun Research Institute. The collaborators were also supported by funding from the Elise Pilkington Trust and Horserace Betting Levy Board.
The study examined equine helminth control practices in Scotland, and was based on responses from 193 questionnaires detailing the parasite control programmes of 993 horses and ponies. The results demonstrated a lack of awareness of the significance of dewormer resistance, with 86% of respondents stating that they were unaware of the presence of resistance on their yard. The majority were relatively unconcerned about dewormer resistance, assigning a score of only 6/10 (with 10 representing highest level of concern) when asked to grade how important they perceived it to be.
On a more positive note, many respondents stated that they involved their vet in planning control strategies. Faecal worm egg count (FWEC) analysis had been performed on 62% of yards and annual treatment frequency had been reduced accordingly. The macrocyclic lactones or related combination products were the most commonly administered products; however, owners did have misconceptions regarding the specific worms they should be targeting.
Although treatments licensed for use against encysted small redworm larvae were administered by 80% of respondents, only 57% perceived that they treated for this parasite stage. Similarly, only 78% of respondents believed they were treating for tapeworm when, in fact, 90% reported using a product licensed for tapeworm treatment.
While responses indicated increased implementation of strategic (44% respondents) or targeted control (40% respondents), variations in the apparent influence of the targeted approach on treatment practices suggested some confusion over this term. Claire Stratford said: "Targeted dosing involves using regular FWEC analysis to identify an individual's egg shedding level. This is currently considered best practice, when used in conjunction with annual dosing against encysted small redworm and tapeworm. The survey indicates a need for continued knowledge transfer, together with a consistent definition of 'targeted' treatment."
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "It's very encouraging to see that vet advice is being increasingly sought and it seems logical that the use of FWECs is rising accordingly. But, it is equally important that the information gained from the FWECs is used wisely. Resistance to dewormers is a major health concern that is with us right now and horse owners need to be made more aware of it."
Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses will be able to try their hands at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons code-cracking competition at the London Vet Show at Olympia on 24-25 November.
At the RCVS breakfast session on the Friday morning (8.30, part of the Business Stream), President Dr Jerry Davies will unlock the secrets of the proposed new Codes of Professional Conduct for vets and VNs.
To promote this breakfast session, the RCVS is inviting visitors to come to its stand (J90) to solve photo enigmas, using clues provided to decipher a series of words that appear in the proposed new Codes. The winner will be in line to receive a pair of super sleuthing video glasses.
VNs who missed BVNA Congress can also get their hands on a 50th anniversary commemorative chocolate medallion by visiting the RCVS stand.
Coffee and pastries will be served at the morning session on Friday - there's no need to book, just turn up.
The awards highlight the special bond between pets and their owners, and brave stories from animals across the UK.
This year, Vets Now has partnered with StreetVet for the awards, donating £1 to the charity for each entry received.
The winner will receive a £500 voucher to spend on a pet friendly getaway at PetsPyjamas, a bespoke ‘Pet of the Year’ trophy and a personalised bundle of vet-recommended pet treats.
Owners can nominate their own pets, or members of the veterinary profession can nominate pets they know or have treated.
The awards will be open for nominations until 6th May 2024.
https://www.vets-now.com/pet-of-the-year
The pack contains:
For more information, contact your local Dechra equine sales manager.
Burgess Excel and the PDSA are urging veterinary surgeons and nurses to get their clients to sign up to the free PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge by the closing date of Friday 22 November.
According to the organisers, the PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge is designed to help all rabbit owners understand and meet their pets' five welfare needs - the five things that all pet rabbits' need to be healthy and happy. Since the campaign was launched in June, more than 1,000 rabbit owners have signed up to take the challenge, and veterinary practices are now being urged to ensure their clients take advantage of this free resource by visiting www.rabbitneeds.org.uk to register.
The Challenge website allows owners to take a monthly quiz to find out how well they are currently meeting their rabbits' needs, with advice on how to further improve their health and wellbeing. At the end of the challenge, owners will be presented with a Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge certificate and receive monthly vouchers together with money-off coupons for the Excel Feeding Plan. They will also be entered into a prize draw to win a 16gb iPad.
The Challenge is being featured on stickers on every pack of Burgess Excel Rabbit Nuggets. One million packs will have been sold by the final date for sign ups on the 22 November.
Burgess Pet Care Veterinary Surgeon, Suzanne Moyes, said: "With help from the veterinary community we really can make a difference by raising awareness about important rabbit welfare issues and in turn change rabbit owner behaviour. Working together, we are can improve the health and wellbeing of the UK's third most popular pet by educating pet owners, especially in relation to diet and regular veterinary check-ups."
Sean Wensley, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at PDSA, added: "Sadly, the welfare needs of pet rabbits are often not met. Common problems include a poor diet, living alone in a small hutch with no exercise run, and a lack of preventive healthcare. The PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge is a great tool for owners to assess how well they are currently meeting their rabbit's five welfare needs and to get advice on making practical, positive improvements. Most owners want their pets to be healthy and happy, and we hope this Challenge will help tackle some of the preventable health and welfare problems commonly seen in pet rabbits."
For further information on The PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge visit www.rabbitneeds.org.uk or for further details on the Burgess Excel Feeding Plan visit www.excelfedingplan.co.uk