For the study, researchers from the RVC’s VetCompass Programme identified 2,105 hypothyroidism cases diagnosed amongst a study population of 905,553 UK dogs.
This revealed an annual frequency of one case in 400 dogs (0.23%) for the condition, with the most common breeds diagnosed being Standard Doberman Pinschers (x 17.02), Tibetan Terriers (x11.25), Boxers (x10.44) and Alaskan Malamutes (x 9.71).
The average age at first diagnosis was 7.65 years.
Other findings included:
Dr Rebecca Geddes, Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the RVC Queen Mother Hospital for Animals and last author of the paper, said: “It is great to have this data from UK primary care practices, which will help highlight high risk breeds to veterinary surgeons so they can diagnose and treat affected dogs as early as possible. Hypothyroidism is usually straightforward to manage with medication that can greatly improve quality of life in affected dogs.”
Reference
Improve International has launched a new course for veterinary receptionists to achieve the nationally accredited Edexcel QCF Level 2 Certificate in Customer Service, but with the assessment tailored specifically to demonstrate excellence in veterinary client care.
Veterinary receptionists may be able to benefit from government funding to enable them to study for the qualification, which Improve says can be delivered either at its HQ in Swindon or in practice.
Government funding is available for students of the Certificate in Customer Service without an existing Level 2 qualification in another subject. Requests also depend on the age of the learner and will be assessed on an individual basis by Improve's local Edexcel accredited centre in Swindon.
The 30 hour course features three core units, assessed by a one hour online test:
David Babington MRCVS, founder of Improve International said: "A successful veterinary practice is no longer just about a 'good' vet or nurse. It's about a practice team pulling together and playing their role to the top of their ability. The key role played by receptionists in terms of creating that vital first impression and helping to maintain client loyalty cannot be understated and we wanted to offer them a form of training that would help them develop their skills while achieving a nationally recognised qualification. We look forward to welcoming our first students later this year."
For further information or to register, email enquiries@improve-international.com; visit www.improvecpd.com or call 01793 759159.
The finance was raised via a private placement with Sun Life Investment Management.
The College says it chose to finance via the private placement market due to the supportive buy and hold nature of the investor base, the strong demand within it for high quality higher education credits and the negotiated nature of the market.
In the top three of the QS world university rankings and with a strong financial performance history, the RVC’s £45 million senior unsecured note offering generated significant investor interest both within the UK and North America; with the offer four times over-subscribed, the RVC was able to take advantage of highly competitive long-term interest rates.
The secured funding will allow capital developments on both of the College's campuses.
Professor Stuart Reid, the RVC Principal, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have secured this innovative blue chip financial backing in a deal which reflects our international reputation and leadership in the veterinary and biomedical sciences. We now look forward to investing in the next phase of capital development at the RVC, securing our position for years to come."
Candace Shaw, Head of Private Fixed Income, Sun Life Investment Management, said: "We are pleased to support the continued growth of the RVC, a specialised higher education institution with a renowned reputation both in the UK and internationally. The financing of the RVC represents a sound investment and aligns to Sun Life’s long-term investment objectives in this sector."
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is seeking feedback on a new draft Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.
The new draft Code, which would replace the existing RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses, has been produced by a Working Party set up by the RCVS Advisory Committee to review the Guides for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
It is the benchmark for professional conduct against which registered veterinary nurses will be measured in any hearings on serious professional misconduct held by the recently-introduced VN Disciplinary Committee.
The purpose of the review is to ensure that guidance to the profession, and the public, is clear, for example, using consistent language to distinguish between what must be done and what is advised.
The new Code is a short, principles-based document, using the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe's Code of Conduct as the starting point. It will be supported by additional advice on specific areas of veterinary practice or issues, for example, clinical governance.
The consultation follows an earlier one for a new draft Code for veterinary surgeons that closed at the end of June: the new Code for veterinary nurses follows the format and style of that for veterinary surgeons. Comments made during the veterinary surgeon consultation will be taken account of alongside comments made during this new consultation.
For the first time, the draft proposes that veterinary nurses make a declaration on joining the VN Register, which underlines the primary importance of animal health and welfare: "I PROMISE AND SOLEMNLY DECLARE that my constant endeavour will be to ensure the welfare of animals committed to my care and that I will pursue the work of my profession with integrity and accept my responsibilities to my clients, the public, the profession and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons."
Comments on the proposed draft are invited from the veterinary nursing profession, the veterinary profession and the public, particularly on the issue of whether the Codes for veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons ought to be combined.
Andrea Jeffery, the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council member who led the group tasked with developing the new Code, said: "It is 50 years since the start of the veterinary nursing profession and the changes proposed in the Code reflect the development of our professional role over this time.
"This new Code is a simplified document that focuses on key principles and which will be supported by more detailed guidance. Although it follows the format of the draft Code for veterinary surgeons, it is important that we recognise our unique position as veterinary nurses."
The new Code, together with the consultation paper, can be downloaded at www.rcvs.org.uk/VNcodeconsultation.
Comments should be sent by email to Christopher Murdoch, Secretary to the Guides Review Working Party, at c.murdoch@rcvs.org.uk by Friday, 21 October 2011.
The small animal and business meeting takes place on the 2nd and 3rd October. The farm and business national meeting is on the 18th and 19th September, and the equine and business meeting is on the 9th and 10th October.
The small animal meeting will also cover other topics such as the art of conversations to dentistry, while the farm meeting will focus on team working, competitive advantage, genomics and mental resilience.
All three events include a team-based activity and a social evening which offers the chance to network and exchange experiences and ideas.
Susan Goodfellow, the Chief Marketing Officer at XLVets said: "It's fine to know what we do but to actually experience it as part of our community is quite different. We know that talking to members and being part of a group of individuals that come together to determine their own future is the best way for veterinary professionals to see what's possible and how we strive for excellence together."
XLVets is also encouraging anyone who is thinking about starting their own practice to attend the events; the company has a number of programmes designed to support prospective owners with things like finding funding, identifying the right financial set up, and acquiring the skills needed to lead a team effectively.
Susan says many vets have a strong entrepreneurial mindset but lack support or know-how to allow them to take the first step to ownership: "Locum roles and mobile set ups are often stepping stones to practice ownership but the barriers can seem significant, not to mention any personal reservations people might have about all it entails. Support from like-minded colleagues who can openly share their experiences can help to make it seem possible, desirable and achievable."
Veterinary professionals wishing to attend one of the meetings should contact Colm McGinn, Chief of Implementation, in confidence, at colm.mcginn@xlvets.co.uk or call 01228 711788.
The briefing highlighted to members of both Houses the vital role the veterinary profession plays in order to ensure that the veterinary resource in clinical practice, public health, government services, academia and research is appropriately considered and effectively used during Brexit negotiations.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), environment spokespeople for the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru, and other parliamentarians from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the SNP, joined Crossbenchers, senior civil servants and key stakeholders at the event.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz delivered a speech highlighting the main asks from the association's Brexit and the veterinary profession report, which was developed through consultation with BVA members, devolved branches, BVA specialist divisions and other key stakeholders.
The report sets out 52 recommendations for the short, medium and long term across seven areas of public policy: veterinary workforce, animal health, animal welfare, food hygiene and safety, veterinary medicines, research and development, and trade.
Addressing attendees, Gudrun said: "We are a relatively small profession, but we are a diverse profession with far-reaching influence and impact in so many areas of political and public life.
"Last week, we were delighted to hear the Defra Secretary of State, speaking to the Today programme, rightly acknowledged the importance of EU vets to the UK economy; from food hygiene and safety, to monitoring disease outbreaks and facilitating trade. This is why BVA is calling on the Government to guarantee the working rights for non-UK EU vets and vet nurses currently working and studying in the UK at the existing level and with no time limit.
"As we progress with the Repeal Bill we are also calling on the Government to ensure we maintain animal health and welfare current standards – and prioritise them in all trade negotiations, so that high standards of animal health, welfare and food hygiene are a unique selling point for the UK. We can only make a success of Brexit if we harness our veterinary resource."
In his speech, RCVS Junior Vice-President Professor Stephen May highlighted the three RCVS Brexit Principles as well as the findings from the College’s recent survey of non-UK EU vets working in the UK. Professor May also made a call for greater certainty from the Government on the status of EU citizens living and working as veterinary surgeons in the UK and for a substantial transition period to prevent potential veterinary workforce shortages, particularly in areas such as public health and food safety.
Professor May said: "Negotiations with our European partners will no doubt be lengthy and complex on all manner of issues that affect the veterinary sector. For everyone concerned, we join other voices in calling for a substantial transition period to any new order created. This will provide us with time to take stock, to understand the implications and to navigate a pathway that safeguards the interests of our sector and the RCVS is determined to work with all its stakeholders, in particular Government and yourselves [parliamentarians], to ensure that vital veterinary work gets done.
"Key to this will be meeting the need for high-quality, capable veterinary surgeons in all sectors. This can only be achieved in the short-term by emphasising the continued welcome and appreciation of all veterinary non-UK nationals working hard for this country, to encourage them to stay, and continued access to graduates of accredited schools from around the world, alongside increased training of UK nationals to meet our ever expanding veterinary needs."
The event was hosted by BVA Honorary Member and RCVS Past-President, Lord Trees MRCVS, who has sat on a number of House of Lords committees and subcommittees that consider and seek to influence the Government’s plans and policy-making during the UK’s exit from the EU.
Lord Trees closed the BVA and RCVS Brexit briefing by encouraging fellow Peers and MPs to capitalise on the evidence-based, science-led perspective that the veterinary profession is able to provide, particularly as Brexit discussions continue to develop.
Lord Gardiner has since publicly recognised the vital role of the veterinary profession, responding to a question in the House of Lords regarding the retention of skilled workers post-Brexit. In his role as Defra Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Gardiner said:
"I am most grateful to the noble Lord [Teverson] because I was at the BVA and RCVS reception yesterday, where I know a number of noble Lords were also in attendance. This is an important issue and an element of the negotiations that we want to deal with as promptly as possible. Yes, we do rely on and warmly welcome the support we have from EU national vets, who are hugely important to us."
Surrey-based Sarah Taylor and Zoe Daley launched the website earlier this year with a range which includes the Medicat wrap to make it easier to medicate and examine cats, and the Slumberpet Recovery Coat for dogs and for cats, for maintaining temperature during anaesthetics.
In addition, they've got a range of funky scrub caps, plus ID tags for your scissors and stethoscopes, fob watches, scrub hats and pens.
Their study, which was published in the research journal PeerJ at the end of last year1, investigated the effects of insulin on equine hoof lamellar cells in the laboratory.
The researchers say that high levels of insulin have been known for some time to cause acute endocrine laminitis, seen when ponies and certain types of horses graze lush pasture or consume a starch- or sugar-rich diet, or when they develop Cushing’s syndrome.
Many ponies and horses at risk of the condition produce large spikes of insulin in their blood stream after consuming meals high in non-structural carbohydrates (in particular starch and simple sugars) which indicates that this could be the way in which they succumb to acute endocrine laminitis.
The mechanism by which insulin can cause effects in the foot leading to laminitis has been the subject of much debate in recent years.
Hormones like insulin must interact with a specific receptor on the surface of cells in order to produce their effects. What has confused researchers in the past is that there appear to be no insulin receptors on the hoof lamellar cells (these cells give the lamellar tissues their strength and changes to their growth or structure weaken the bonds and cause laminitis).
The researchers considered the close similarities between insulin and a growth factor hormone called insulin-like growth factor -1 (IGF-1). There are receptors for IGF-1 on the lamellar cells, and the researchers speculated that high concentrations of insulin might be able to cross-stimulate these cells by activating the IGF-1 receptors. To investigate this possibility PhD student Courtnay Baskerville, together with her supervisor Professor Simon Bailey, developed a method for culturing lamellar epithelial cells in the laboratory, and incubated them with increasing concentrations of insulin.
They found that high concentrations of insulin stimulated the cells to proliferate. Furthermore, this effect could be prevented using an antibody that specifically blocks only the IGF-1 receptor. Further downstream effects within the cells were also shown. The changes seemed to occur mainly at very high concentrations of insulin. Similar concentration levels can be seen in ponies and horses with insulin dysregulation linked to Equine Metabolic Syndrome, but are not commonly seen in normal horses that are considered to be at lower risk of laminitis.
Further work is now ongoing to determine exactly how these cellular changes induced by sustained high insulin concentrations might cause laminitis. However, it seems that targeting the IGF-1 receptor may be an option for developing new drugs to prevent and treat laminitis.
Professor Simon Bailey said: "The information gathered in this study provides the equine industry worldwide with valuable insights into the causes of the common and serious condition of laminitis. The research group would like to acknowledge the support of the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, in particular the involvement of Professor Pat Harris.”
There were ten candidates for the three available places.
6,087 veterinary surgeons voted, representing a 16.7% turnout.
This continued a decline seen since 2020, when there was a 26.2% turnout.
Alice McLeish scored 3,465 votes, Linda Belton 2,725 and Tim Hutchinson 1,571 votes.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “Congratulations to all our successful candidates in this year’s elections and thank you to all those who stood for election this year.
"We look forward to welcoming our successful candidates to their elected places at this year’s AGM.
“While the turnout for the VN Council election improved slightly on last year, it was a shame to see the turnout for vets fall again.
"As part of our wider Council culture project, we are looking at how to increase engagement with our election processes across the board, from candidate nominations, to how we present information about the candidates, to how we encourage greater election turnout.
"We will be consulting with the group set up to look specifically at this issue in due course to see how we can improve turnout going forward.”
The full results for the RCVS Council election can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote23.
As part of the redevelopment, kennel capacity will increase from 107 to 197, there'll be a new emergency and critical care hub, sixteen new consult rooms and a new imaging suite with MRI and CT scanners, two ultrasounds and two X-ray machines.
There will also be a 66-seat seminar room.
Work is expected to be completed early next year, and the practice will be recruiting for around 75 new team members to service the expanded centre.
Simon Tappin, clinical director at DWR, said: “This long-awaited expansion will transform our practice, offering even more space and capacity for referrals, brand-new equipment and a seamless experience for our clients.
“It will also bolster our reputation as a training practice, with the expansion of our intern and residency programmes adding to our already-impressive provision in this area."
The practice is also implementing case management changes, with a single point of contact for every client and individual case managers in every discipline.
The traditional reception area is being replaced with a concierge greeting service for clients, with staff on hand to book them in on iPads.
Client care team manager Deborah Bell said: “This is a USP for us and we think it’s an industry first. The idea came from how medical secretaries work in human health.
“When a referring vet calls us, our client care team takes the basic details and passes them on to the case manager for that discipline. They will contact the client, make appointments and meet the client in person on arrival.
“We have 12 case managers for our disciplines at the moment, with the potential to expand. As well as providing a personalised service for our clients, it provides great career progression opportunities for our client care team.”
www.dickwhitereferrals.com
CVS has announced the official opening of Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, a new small animal referral hospital in Alton, Hampshire.
The hospital was officially opened last Saturday by the Town Mayor of Alton during an open day attended by local dignitaries, about a hundred vets and representatives from the veterinary industry and various animal charities. Dr Caner Salih, a consultant cardiac surgeon at the Evelina London Children's Hospital was a special guest.
CVS says it has invested more than £4.3 million to create one of the most advanced, multi-disciplinary specialist veterinary hospitals in the UK. It occupies 1,300 square metres and employs forty people, including nine referral clinicians (seven of whom are boarded specialists), support and admin staff.
Lumbry Park offers a range of advanced diagnostics and treatments for dogs and cats across a range of specialties, including high-field MRI and CT scanning, key-hole surgery, interventional cardiac procedures, and joint replacements. Cardiology specialist Dr Luca Ferasin is Lumbry Park's Clinical Director, reporting to Professor John Innes, CVS' Referral Director.
Simon Innes, Chief Executive of CVS, pictured fifth from left, said: "The opening of Lumbry Park is a proud moment for CVS and the culmination of a huge amount of work by John, Luca and the team involved. They have worked together to create a fantastic environment in which our specialists can offer the highest standard of veterinary care to our patients and their owners and we are delighted to bring their expertise to veterinary practices and their clients right across the South East of England."
CVS Referral Director, Professor John Innes said: "The opening of Lumbry Park marks a major step for CVS in terms of investment in veterinary specialist services and we will work to ensure that it develops an international reputation for the standard of care it provides. The Hospital is easily accessible and has the space and rural setting to provide a professional and pleasant environment for our patients, their owners, and our team. Luca and his excellent team are raring to go and we look forward to welcoming our first patients next week."
Alton Town Mayor Mrs Pam Jones added: "I am delighted that Alton has been chosen as the location for such a prestigious veterinary centre and I am honoured to be asked to open it."
Royal Canin has launched NATOM Explorer, an interactive online tool designed to help the entire practice team visualise and explain the cat and dog anatomy and disease conditions to their clients.
NATOM (‘aNATOMical map’) hosts a library that supports explanations given by the veterinary surgeon or nurse to the owner during or after the consultation. The tool acts as an interactive reference for vets and vet nurses, boasting a 360 degree navigation of the anatomy, three levels of zoom, full image annotation and the ability to print and share bespoke images and save them for future reference.
Users of the charts are able to study the skeletal, nervous, circulatory, muscular, visceral and more superficial layers of the anatomy. In addition, there are ‘special views’ of over 100 common disease processes which graphically describe illness presentation, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment as well as giving pointers on long-term management.
Marianne Lomberg, Veterinary Marketing Manager at Royal Canin, said: "The tool was initially launched to vet students in early 2015 and, excitingly, following its highly successful introduction, we have now rolled it out to vet practices. NATOM Explorer™ is an easy to use, time-saving tool which can help explain all disease conditions in a simplified way, which is particularly key when presenting complex health topics and diseases to clients. We believe the tool will be highly beneficial to practices and look forward to seeing it going on to benefit owners and their pets across the country."
All information on NATOM can be personalised by the user by adding comments, sketches and uploading other files before saving and sharing the information. All the available content is written and verified by experts in anatomy and small animal practice, with significant contributions from Dr Alex German, Professor Tim Gruffydd-Jones and Dr. Kit Sturgess.
Practices interested in the tool can visit www.vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk for further information
The charity is asking everyone to donate £5 and nominate 5 friends to get involved in the activities.
The activities are:
For more information, visit: https://www.vetlife.org.uk
Vetlife Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on: 0303 040 2551 or via anonymous email at https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk
The BVA has challenged the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to take further investigative action to enable Defra to consider prosecutions against the Essex abattoir where appalling animal welfare abuses were highlighted in footage obtained by Animal Aid.
The footage shows pigs being abused and manhandled in breach of animal welfare legislation.
BVA President Harvey Locke said: "There must be confidence in the systems that regulate and license slaughter and the people responsible for carrying it out. I have written to the Chief Executive of the FSA outlining our concerns at the lack of any action towards prosecution.
"The method by which the issue was highlighted should not, in our opinion, preclude further investigation by the FSA and Defra into these incidents with a view to lawfully obtaining evidence to either support or refute the accusations arising from the Animal Aid footage."
Mr Locke added: "The UK food industry prides itself on high welfare standards. Animal cruelty is not acceptable and action must be taken. These are serious welfare issues and investigations into this sort of blatant abuse and appalling treatment of animals must be pursued vigorously."
In his letter to the FSA Mr Locke reiterated the BVA's views on the specific issue of CCTV in abattoirs at the stunning/slaughter point, stressing that Food Business Operators (FBOs) must have effective procedures in place either to constantly monitor stunning and slaughter operations, or to enable the FBO or their Animal Welfare Officer to inconspicuously observe stunning and slaughter operations at any time: such arrangements may include an aperture or window into the stunning area or the use of CCTV by the FBO for welfare monitoring and management purposes.
Join the discussion here.
The BSAVA reports that its Certificates in Medicine and Surgery have sold out in less than 5 minutes, beating the previous record of 20 minutes in their first year.
The Association says that whilst this is testament to the success and demand for its CPD, it is determined to find a way to avoid disappointing so many aspiring students - and after emergency talks over the weekend has decided to run a second intake of 30 students for each of the two programmes from January.
Dr Frances Barr, BSAVA's Academic Director, said: "Whilst we had only envisioned taking 30 new students onto each course this year, it quickly became clear that there is such a great appetite for this kind of accredited CPD in the profession right now. What a shame it would have been not to find a way to allow those ambitions to be fulfilled. So we are effectively going to run each programme twice in one year."
Quality control and sufficient student support is being met thanks to an overwhelming response from our teaching faculty and mentors. Dr Barr added: "BSAVA owes thanks to all those who lecture and work alongside our Certificate students. Without them we would not have been able to respond so quickly to this unprecedented demand".
The second programme will take place at two sites; BSAVA HQ in Gloucester, and the College of Animal Welfare in Huntingdon. Anyone who has not been able to take a place in the 2013 cohort will be offered priority registration for the 2014 in-take. For more information about BSAVA Certificates visit www.bsava.com or email administration@bsava.com.
Colivet® solution, one of CEVA Animal Health’s range of 3 soluble antimicrobials for pigs has been renamed Coliscour®.
Phil McGuire, CEVA’s business unit manager, explains the reasoning behind the name change: “We simply felt that the easiest way to avoid confusion between our product and a totally different non-prescription product of a similar name was to give ours a new name that also reflects its use, hence Coliscour®.”
A new study of UK snail behaviour using LED and UV light tracking has found that the nocturnal creatures can explore the length of an average British garden in just one night, reaching a top speed of 1mph (metre per hour).
The 'Slime Watch' report was commissioned by Bayer Animal Health, makers of Advocate, as part of its 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign and led by Dr Dave Hodgson, Associate Professor of Ecology at the University of Exeter, who studied the habits of 450 garden snails, recording their movements using LED lights and UV paint. This is the first time snails have been studied in this way.
The study found that snails will travel distances of up to 25 metres in a 24-hour period, and seek out areas of shelter, such as long grass, trees or objects, including dogs' toys, left in the garden overnight. The four researchers from Exeter University also discovered that snails move in convoys, piggy-backing on the slime of other snails to conserve energy. It is thought that a snail could use up to 30 per cent of its energy in slime production alone.
Dr Hodgson said: "Until now no one has fully understood the habits of these fascinating creatures that we encounter in our gardens every day. In this research we wanted to solve the mystery surrounding gastropod activity and provide a resource for gardeners and pet owners wanting to better safeguard the health of their plants and pets. By learning more about the behaviour of snails, we hope dog owners can better understand they ways in which dogs can encounter snails on a day-to-day basis and the lungworm risk they present, taking the appropriate precautions."
Sue, an RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatalogy and Senior Vice President of the European Society of Dermatology, says the failure to prioritise pain relief is having a "profound effect on the quality of life of both dogs and clients."
Sue is urging vets to think about the impact that pain has on both the dog and owner in cases of OE: "Otitis externa is painful, it’s debilitating, and the degree of discomfort is often underestimated by both the veterinary surgeon and by the client."
Sue also says vets should not underestimate the owner’s concern about pain in their dog. Owners recognise the clinical signs associated with the pain of OE and determine treatment success by their dog recovering from these distressing symptoms.
To help manage the pain associated with OE, Sue recommends a multi-modal approach: "In addition to systemic pain relief, which is really important, a potent topical steroid is really useful to reduce the inflammation inside that dog’s ear, and make it much more comfortable."
Sue also highlights OE treatments which are able to coat the ear canal and stay there long enough to treat the pathogens and provide sustained pain relief: "When you put it into the ear, Osurnia Gel coats the lining of the external ear canal which gives prolonged contact with the lining of the canal to help treat the pathogens inside that dog’s ear."
Elanco says that despite Osurnia entering the market two years ago, some vets are still saving it for difficult cases. Sue said: "Too many vets use this [Osurnia] as a second-line drug and it should be used as a first-line product on the first occasion the dog comes through the door."
To watch the full series of videos and to find out more from Sue Paterson on treating otitis externa in dogs, visit: www.Osurnia.co.uk
CEVA Animal Health has launched the anti-inflammatory Meloxidyl for cattle and pigs.
Meloxidyl is meloxicam-based solution for the management of respiratory disease, mastitis and diarrhoea in cattle and non-infectious locomotor disorders and puerperal septicaemia and toxaemia in pigs. It is given via a single injection, when used in combination with suitable anti-infectives.
According to the company, Meloxidyl's one shot protocol means it is quick and economical to use; it allows control of inflammation and endotoxins and reduces somatic cell count, recovery time and risk of culling after clinical mastitis; it reduces the economical impact of respiratory signs in comparison with flunixin-based products and reduces the major clinical signs caused by toxins in cases of neonatal diarrhoea.
Meloxidyl can be used in combination with the company's range of anti-infectives, which includes Marbokem, Cevaxel and Florkem.
For further product information contact CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG, telephone 01494 781510 or visit the website at http://www.ceva.uk.com/
Bayer Animal Health is currently sponsoring GMTV's Pet Clinic feature to promote its wormer, Drontal.
Running until Friday 19 February, the All About Pets short programmes feature TV vet Emma Milne who will be advising viewers on a variety of topics from choosing the right pet to hidden illnesses.
All About Pets will be aired twice daily and Drontal will be featured after the short programmes.
Bayer says the advertising will target the product's core target audience - housewives with children during half term - with key messages on the importance of regular worming with Drontal. In addition, GMTV will also include details on Drontal on its website - www.gm.tv - and pet owners will be able to follow a link to the award-winning website www.drontal.com.
The webinars, which are free of charge, are:
The webinars join 'The gastrointestinal microbiome and its effects', which is already available for free viewing via The Webinar Vet.
Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: “We’ve received excellent feedback on the webinars from those who have already viewed them through our Learning Alliance platform. We hope that by also making them available via The Webinar Vet, we will make them more easily accessible to a higher number of veterinary professionals keen to refresh their knowledge in these important areas.”
The Animalcare webinars can be viewed here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/webinars/animalcare
This pilot was originally launched in February 2017 to trial proposed changes to CPD, which would concentrate less on hours logged and more on interactive, reflective learning and measuring the impact that CPD has on the individual’s practice and patient health outcomes.
Some 115 veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses volunteered, with 60 attending an induction days at the College’s office last year.
The College says the response to its proposals was largely positive, and at its meeting on 2 November 2017 RCVS Council agreed to an extension of the pilot for a further six-to-nine months, in order to increase the breadth of views on the changes and gather further evidence on its impact.
The proposed model for CPD has four key components: planning, doing, recording and reflecting. While an overall majority of the 3,357 people who responded to the College’s 2016 consultation agreed with the proposed changes to the CPD requirement, certain elements received less support than others.
The lowest amount of support was received for the ‘reflection’ component with 35% of respondents disagreeing with it.
Shona McIntyre MRCVS, a teaching fellow in small animal medicine at the University of Surrey and the practitioner representative on the CPD Pilot Working Group, said: "As a general practitioner involved in the initial phase of the CPD pilot I was thrilled that we had so many from the profession engage with the consultation, and later with the pilot.
"By extending the pilot further we are looking to get an even wider range of views on board and fine-tune how we will be asking members of the profession to engage with the reflection element of the proposals. We are looking for a mix of those who support the proposals and those who have a ‘healthy scepticism’ about them and I can only encourage those not yet involved to consider signing up for the extended pilot and make their voice heard."
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Naila Hassanali, RCVS CPD Officer, via cpd@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0701.
Volunteers will be supported by RCVS staff throughout the trial.
Further information, including the CPD Policy Working Party’s response to the consultation, is available on the College website: www.rcvs.org.uk/cpdconsultation/.
Elanco Animal Health has announced the launch of Osurnia, a new treatment which it says will drive compliance when treating canine otitis externa infections.
According to the company, compliance with daily ear drops has been shown to be poor, with up to 80% of owners administering the incorrect dose to their pet. The most common reason for a lack of compliance is the difficultly in applying the drops1.
Elanco says that Osurnia has the potential to improve compliance in treating otitis externa significantly, because unlike other medications which require 5-28 doses during the course of treatment2, Osurnia only needs two-doses given a week apart.
Osurnia contains a gel formulation of three active ingredients including the antibiotic florfenicol, which is new to companion animal treatment in the UK, terbinafine, which inhibits the growth of yeast as demonstrated for Malassezia spp., and the glucocorticosteroid, betamethasone acetate, to help relieve discomfort.
Osurnia is administered in a pre-measured, single-dose tube designed to ensure the right dose every time. It has a flexible, soft tip designed to make treatment with Osurnia a comfortable experience for the dog. The gel formulation squeezes out of the tube and spreads through the ear, adhering inside the ear canal for long-lasting action. The dose is the same for any dog, regardless of size and weight.
Alice Laurens, DVM MRCVS, dermatology marketing manager at Elanco Animal Health said: “Otitis externa is a common challenge for both vets and clients, with ear infections among the ten most frequent reasons for dogs to be presented with vets, affecting up to 20% of dogs3.
“Osurnia is an innovative, effective treatment that is administered in just two doses ensuring it is much more convenient for pet owners thereby increasing the likelihood that they will complete the entire treatment schedule leading to more comfortable dogs and peace of mind for owners.”
Elanco has produced a client leaflet on treating otitis externa with Osurnia. For further information, or to order client leaflets, please contact your local Elanco Animal Health Territory Manager or email elancoCAH.uk@elanco.com.
References
The new site, which is ten minutes up the road from Southfield's current location in Basildon, Essex, is due to be ready in time for them to move in at the start of 2022.
When it opens, the centre will continue to offer 15 specialist-led services, but the team is projected to double in size as more specialists, clinicians and staff are recruited over the course of this year
The new premises has been made possible thanks to a big investment by parent company Linnaeus, backed by Mars Veterinary Health.
Southfields managing director Tim Richardson said: "The new hospital is a real statement of intent, a clear signal we are committed to delivering a level of excellence in treatment and care second to none.
"It will provide the region with one of the largest and best-equipped veterinary centres in, not only the UK, but also throughout Europe, with an extensive range of expertise in a wide variety of disciplines all under one roof.
"The fabulous facilities include a cutting-edge imaging suite, comprehensive treatment facilities and a new linear accelerator to assist our illustrious oncology team, which has already seen its status as one of the most experienced in the industry enhanced by the arrival of James Elliott, a renowned specialist in oncology.
"There will be seven operating theatres, 16 consultation rooms, recovery suites, lecture halls, a dedicated ICU department and there are plans for a future hydrotherapy suite.
Southfields says it also aims to lead the industry in terms of staff wellbeing, with yoga and boxercise classes among the activities available to the Southfields team.
Daniel Hogan, Southfields’ hospital director, said: “This is a huge move for us in every way. The increased size of the hospital will enable us to provide a dedicated staff wellbeing area and to offer a range of activities which will benefit our team in both body and mind.
“Along with exercise and relaxation classes, we will have an education centre which will offer some really exciting qualifications and courses for the wider profession.”
Bart Johnson, chief executive of Linnaeus, said: "This move is a reflection of the ambition of Southfields, Linnaeus and Mars to continue providing the best veterinary care in the UK."
For more information about Southfields’ new site, visit https://southfields.co.uk/veterinary-professionals/new-hospital/.
The work done by vetsurgeon.org and vetnurse.co.uk attempted to identify the sorts of unpleasant behaviour that veterinary surgeons and and nurses found themselves on the receiving end of, and the impact that it had on them. It was not, however, able to quantify the prevalence of these types of behaviour other than to the extent that there were 677 reports.
The new survey of over 650 vet nurses and student vet nurses found that not only did 96% agree or strongly agree that bullying and incivility is a serious problem in the profession, but 70% of respondents had personally experienced a mental health concern as a result.
Other findings from the survey were:
The full findings of the survey will be revealed at the MMI Student Veterinary Nurse Wellbeing Discussion Forum, taking place on Wednesday 3rd November.
Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the challenges highlighted in the survey and how they can be addressed. The results will also be published at a session led by Jill McDonald, VN Futures Project Coordinator at BVNA Congress, taking place Saturday 2nd – Monday 4th October.
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager, said: “A number of our survey findings are extremely concerning, particularly the high levels of bullying, incivility and discrimination reported by participants. We conducted the survey with the intention of finding out more about what systemic issues across workplace practices were impacting on the profession’s mental health.
"We want to thank everyone who took part and shared their experiences with us. There were some upsetting accounts shared with us about experiences of bullying and discrimination – no one should go through this at any point in their life, let alone at their place of work.
"Decisive action needs to be taken to tackle this and we will be using the findings of the survey to help form our 2022-2027 strategy and decide what resources and training we create for the profession. Supporting the wellbeing of veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses is one of our key priorities, and will be part of all future MMI activities.”
“I would encourage as many veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses as possible to attend the upcoming Student Veterinary Nurse Wellbeing Discussion Forum and our session at BVNA to have your voice heard about what steps need to be taken to improve the mental wellbeing of the profession.
"We recognise that these results may bring some difficult emotions to the fore for many people, and we would encourage anyone who has experienced bullying or discrimination to seek help from an organisation such as Vetlife or the National Bullying Helpline.
"I would urge anyone who witnesses bullying or discrimination in the workplace to speak out, wherever it is safe to do so. This takes immense courage, but it is only by calling out this behaviour that it can begin to be addressed. We will be launching Active Bystander training in early 2022, to equip people with the confidence to call out unacceptable behaviour, and the skills to proactively support colleagues who have been targeted.”
Matthew Rendle, Chair of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council, added: “As a veterinary nurse some of these results were a difficult read and I would like to thank those student vet nurses and newly qualified vet nurses who came forward with great honesty and bravery with their views and experiences, as it couldn’t have been easy.
“We take these matters very seriously and opening up the conversation is an important first step. I hope that, following these results, we can take look at things such as strengthening reporting mechanisms for bullying and discrimination and encouraging better workplace practices to mitigate against these incidents.
“While it’s easy to focus on the negatives, I do think that these survey results have given us positive steps to build on, not least that people know how to access mental health support so they’re not suffering in silence and the role that our amazing clinical coaches are playing in supporting people with their mental health, and how we can better give them the tools for this support.”