Petplan has announced the finalists for the 2009 Veterinary Awards. 

The company says it was inundated with more than 2300 nominations this year and that the public response was 'astonishing', with tales ranging from midnight rescues to simple acts of kindness and this year was no exception.

The finalists for each of the categories are as follows:

Vet of the Year
Jamie Rushton, Village Vet Hampstead, London
Ben Jones, Ben Jones Veterinary Surgery, Chester, Flintshire
Matthew Fry, Quarrington Veterinary Surgery, Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Vet Nurse of the Year
Charlotte Maude, Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Chesterfield, Markham, Chesterfield
Karen McQuaid, The Old Golfhouse Veterinary Group, Watton, Norfolk
Rachel Smith, 608 Veterinary Group, Solihull, West Midlands

Vet Receptionist of the Year
Yasmin Morowa, Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Jackie Crampton, Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Chesterfield, Markham, Chesterfield
Sara Abbott, Pet Doctors, East Horsley, Surrey

Vet Practice of the Year
Ashfield House Veterinary Hospital Limited, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire
Carrick Veterinary Group CVS (UK) Ltd, Newbold, Chesterfield
St Clair Veterinary Group, Kirkcaldy, Fife

Simon Wheeler, Petplan's Head of Marketing said he was thrilled by the record number of nominations received:

"This year we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Veterinary Awards which were launched so pet owners could thank their practice for the tireless and wonderful work they carry out. We are delighted that the awards, which we often hear referred to as the 'Vet Oscars', are still going strong.  This year we have received over 2300 nominations and the quality and standard really challenged the skills of our esteemed judging panel. We would like to wish those short listed every success on the night."

All finalists will be invited to a 'glittering' awards ceremony that will take place on 2^nd April at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham where the winners will be announced.

Texas-based diagnostics company Volition Veterinary has announced the results of a proof of concept study for its Nu.Q Vet Assay which found that a single assay detected almost 70% of both canine hemangiosarcoma and canine lymphoma

Together, these two cancers account for almost a third of all canine cancers. 

Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University and Chief Medical Officer of Volition Veterinary Diagnostics said: "The proof of concept results in these two very prevalent canine cancers give us confidence to move forward with other Nu.Q Vet assays in our pipeline, and with the larger range of cohorts and trials we have collected and planned.

"Clearly, we still have work to do as this single assay did not detect one of the other top five canine cancers, canine osteosarcoma, which was the third cancer tested in this study. However, I am delighted to see such positive results in these two significant cancers and look forward to reporting further data over the coming quarters with additional Nu.Q Vet assays, this time tested on an automated platform.”

Dr. Terry Kelly, Chief Scientific Officer of Volition America said: “It is exciting to see such strong results from our first Nu.Q Vet study conducted at Texas A&M University Veterinary Hospital. It is also interesting to note the similar patterns of detection seen in both canine and human samples confirming that the Nu.Q platform does appear to be useful in more than just human diagnostics.

"As with human diagnostics, there are currently no accurate, simple, affordable cancer screening tests available in veterinary medicine and yet 25% of dogs will develop cancer at some stage of their life. I look forward to completing the planned trials and to launch our first Nu.Q Vet product in the U.S. that we expect to occur in 2020."

Laboratoire de Dermo-Cosmétique Animale (LDCA) has launched ATOP 7 Mousse and PYOclean Mousse, two new skin products formulated for cats and dogs. 

ATOP 7 Mousse and PYOclean Mousse are presented as a ‘dry shampoo’ in foam form for cats and dogs. They join the company's Dermoscent portfolio of companion animal products, developed to help with the management of scaling disorders, atopic or allergic skin disease and infections.

Both products contain a blend of plant extracts and essential oils from Hemp seed, which LDCA says has a moisturising and restructuring action on the skin. Atop 7 contains lemon tea tree extract, which the company says boosts anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic activity. PYOclean contains lavender and manuka, which are claimed to have an anti-bacterial action. 

LDCA says it has designed the two non-rinse mousses with owner compliance in mind; that used twice-weekly twice-weekly alone or in combination with other supplements or treatments as part of a skincare protocol, they can extend the time between shampoos. They can also be applied quickly to speed patients’ discharge from hospital or used when animals are boisterous or dislike baths.

According to the company, a 2-week veterinary-supervised study looking at the effect of ATOP 7 Mousse on the skin of flea-allergic and atopic dogs, reported a veterinarian general satisfaction score of 8.7/10. Owners of the dogs on the trial reported an 8.7/10 general satisfaction score and a similar score for the product’s ability to soothe irritated skin.¹ 

The full Dermoscent range, including the new mousses, is available through Vet Direct as well as Henry Schein (selected products) or as a special order through Centaur. ATOP 7 Mousse and PYOclean Mousse are both available in 150ml packs and are priced at £7.94 + VAT each (list price). 

For more information visit: http://www.dermoscent.com. A clinical case study by Dr Jean-Loup Mathet on the use of PYOclean Shampoo, Spray and Mousse in a 14-year old West Highland White Terrier with chronic, recurrent, inflammatory, pruritic and seborrhoeic dermatosis is also available online or by request. 

Reference 

1. Data on file. 

Petplan has announced the winners of its annual Veterinary Awards. 

The awards recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners.   

Isabella von Mesterhazy, Petplan's Head of Marketing, said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 35 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK. The Veterinary Awards is a great way to celebrate the fantastic work that goes on helping keep pets healthy and their owners happy."

She added: "This year saw over 11,000 nominations which goes to show the appetite from both staff and clients for celebrating exceptional work. We had an outstanding selection of finalists and I'd like to congratulate all the winners who thoroughly deserve their awards."

The winners for each category are:

VET OF THE YEAR - Laura Pugh, Ashfield House Veterinary Hospital - Long Eaton, Nottingham
What really stood out was Laura's willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. As well as Laura's stressful day job she is very involved with the local community. Laura writes an animal column in her local neighbourhood magazine, runs evening talks on a variety of subjects and visits local schools.

VET NURSE OF THE YEAR - Catherine Raw, Broadleys Veterinary Hospital - Stirling, Scotland
Catherine's passion for her role within the practice and her dedication to providing the best service for her clients put her above the other finalists.  Catherine is not only committed to her professional role of delivering the highest standard of clinical care for her patients and the best service for her clients, but she also devotes a lot of her own time to animal welfare. Catherine is a fantastic role model for her nurses.

VET SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR - Vivienne Jeffs, Arvonia Animal Hospital - Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Vivienne's reliability, empathy and selflessness really stood out for the judges. Whether it is knowing the name of a pet owner during telephone conversations, or entertaining toddlers in the waiting area, Vivienne is the type of receptionist vet surgeries dream of. The practice would not be the same without her according to those that nominated her.

VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR - Bridge Veterinary Surgery - Highbridge, Somerset
The practice's hard work and dedication to their clients really impressed the judges. The practice is open 24 hours a day and the dedication the veterinary, with a small practice of only four staff members, it is a particularly well deserved award.

VET PRACTICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Cery Lawson-Tankred, Golden Valley Veterinary Hospital - Nailsea, Somerset
Cery has worked at Golden Valley for over five years, during which time the practice has seen a large degree of upgrade and reinvigoration. Investments made in new equipment and facilities have meant improved care for an expanding array of animals that come through the surgery doors. It was clear to the judges that Cery is the glue that holds the Golden Valley Veterinary Hospital together.

New regulations which limit the type of animals that can be kept as pets came into force in Holland earlier this week.

Mammalian animals not included on a new 'Positive List' cannot be legally kept in Holland or may only be kept with a special permit. People who already own animals that are not on the Positive List may keep them till they die, but may not breed or trade their animals. In due course, the list will be expanded to include reptiles and birds.

The Dutch Positive List was compiled using a method developed by the University of Wageningen, in which an animal's behavioural needs are one of the prime considerations. The list favours domesticated species such as: dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, brown rats, house mice, horses, donkeys, pigs, cattle and sheep.

The Positive List excludes a number of exotic species that are currently sold in the UK, including: meerkats, sugar gliders, sloths, skunks, kinkajous, fennec foxes and several primate species, which can be purchased without the need for a licence.

The Animal Protection Agency (APA), a not-for-profit organisation which campaigns against the trade in wild animals as pets, has welcomed the new legislation and says it hopes that the UK (DEFRA and the devolved administrations) will adopt the same approach.

Elaine Toland, Director of the Animal Protection Agency said: "One only has to compare the natural life of a meerkat, which has evolved to live in large social groups, hunt for a variety of foods and reside in intricate underground burrows to see that these mammals, and many other exotic species, do not belong in the pet trade. Simples! The Dutch positive list shines more light at the end of the tunnel for anyone dealing with the fallout of the exotic pet trade, which has long been out of control."

A positive list for mammals has been in force in Belgium since 2001, where according to the APA, it has been highly effective in reducing illegal trade and the number of animals that wind up in rescue shelters.

Other European countries are apparently now considering positive lists.

Picture shows: A Sugar Glider. © Grinerswife/Dreamstime.com

The National Office of Animal Health Code of Practice Committee has found MSD Animal Health in breach of the NOAH Code on promotion for its advertisment for Equilis Prequenza.

The advert appeared in three separate issues of Veterinary Times (15, 22 and 29 September 2014), on the rear back cover of the 2014 BEVA Congress proceedings, and on the inside back cover of the 2014 Congress Planner.  It contained the phrase “Neuraminidase antibodies provided a degree of protection in the case of HA strain/vaccine mismatch”, when viewed against the context of the advertisement headed ‘Why have part when you can have it all?”.

The Committee’s view was that the item in the context of the advertisement was intended to mean, and did convey, the meaning that the inclusion of NA antigens in an equine vaccine gave that vaccine a clinical advantage over vaccines which did not. This claim was not substantiated. Accordingly, the Committee found the phrase in breach of Code of Practice Clauses 4.1(iii) misleading, 4.1(vi) contained an exaggerated claim, 4.1(vii) implied it had a special merit which was not substantiated, 4.2(i) was not accurate and 4.2(ii) was not based upon an up-to-date evaluation of all the evidence.

Full details of the Committee’s rulings can be found on the NOAH website at www.noah.co.uk/code. The full report of this particular case will be available shortly.

Merial has announced the launch of a new Blippar app designed to educate horse owners about gastric ulcers.

By using the app - which is available free from the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android phones - to scan the company's Gastrogard (omeprazole) adverts, posters or website, clients can watch an educational film with one of the UK's leading specialists in equine ulcers, Richard Hepburn BVSc MS(Hons) CertEM(IntMed) DipACVIM(LA) MRCVS,  American and RCVS Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine, demonstrating the signs of ulcers and diagnosis via gastroscopy.

Merial's Equine Marketing and Technical Manager Louise Radford MRCVS said: "With 60% of competition horse and 38% of leisure horses & ponies estimated to have gastric ulcers¹^,²^,³, it's important that horse owners are aware of the signs of this under-diagnosed condition.

"We know that the number of horses diagnosed and treated for ulcers falls significantly short of incidence levels. We hope that this app will help to raise awareness and prompt more horse owners to consult their vet about gastric ulceration."

A separate Blippar app is also available for horse owners that have been prescribed GastroGard. By scanning the pack, clients can view educational video footage on gastric ulcers, find management tips on treatment and prevention, and set a reminder for future risk periods.

For more information, visit: http://www.equinegastriculcers.co.uk, contact your local Merial equine territory specialist or call Merial Customer Support on 0870 6000123.

References

1. McClure SR, Glickman LT, Glickman NW. Prevalence of gastric ulcers in show horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1999; 215: 8 1130-1133.
2. Mitchell RD. Prevalence of gastric ulcers in hunter/jumper and dressage horses evaluated for poor performance. Proceedings of the Association of Equine Sports Medicine Annual Meeting 2001.
3. Murray MJ, Grodinsky C, Anderson CW, Radue PF, et al. Gastric ulcers in horses:A comparison of endoscopic findings in horses with and without clinical signs.Equine Vet J.1989; Suppl 7: 68-72.

A research project funded by The Horse Trust has discovered that a racehorse's performance does not markedly change after it has recovered from a tendon injury.

The research was led by Bryan O'Meara, who is in the final year of a three year clinical training scholarship funded by The Horse Trust.

Mr. O'Meara carried out the research at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery in Newbury, under the supervision of epidemiologist Dr Tim Parkin from University of Glasgow.

Tendonitis is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries in racehorses, with a prevalence of 11-30%, according to earlier research.

Mr. O'Meara examined the clinical records and racing histories of 400 racehorses who had been treated for superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendonitis injuries over a five year period (2003-2008).

The race records of horses affected by tendon injury were compared with 400 matched control horses that had never suffered SDF tendon injuries.

The controls were horses training in the same establishment at the time of injury and of the same age and sex as the case horse.

The research looked at the performance of the racehorses in races before and after treatment for the injury, and at the performance of the control horses before and after the treatment date. The Racing Post Rating (RPR), which is published by the Racing Post after every race, was used as a measure of performance.

Mr. O'Meara found that there was no significant difference in RPR before and after the treatment date in case and control horses.

According to The Horse Trust, this result is unexpected as in vitro studies have found that healed tendon tissue has reduced elasticity due to the presence of scar tissue. This suggests that a horse with a healed SDF tendon would need to work its muscles harder to compensate and would therefore be expected to have lower performance.

Mr. O'Meara said more research is needed to back-up his finding that performance isn't significantly affected by tendon injury: "It could be that using Racing Post Rating to measure performance isn't sensitive enough to pick up a change in the horse's performance. However, it's encouraging that there's no marked change in performance after a horse has recovered from a tendon injury. These findings show that there's no need to give up on a horse that has a tendon injury - they can still come back and perform well, or can be used for other, less demanding riding activities."

The research also found that there was no significant difference between case and control horses when returning to racing and completing three races. Only after completing five races, or three years post treatment, was a significant difference found between case and control horses. This finding is a step towards developing a more accurate assessment of tendon treatment. Outcome after five races or three years post treatment is a better indicator of the outcome of treatment.

Mr. O'Meara said: "At the moment, some tendon treatments state their success as the percentage of horses that return to racing after treatment. However, we've shown that there's no significant difference between case and control horses at this time. At the moment, there are a myriad of treatments available to treat tendonitis. Hopefully this finding will be used in further research to learn which treatments are most effective."

Mr O'Meara's research also found a link between SDF tendon injury and the racehorse competing at its maximum performance level: the case horses were significantly nearer to their pre-injury maximum performance level in the race immediately before injury (compared to matched controls), suggesting that they were competing nearer their individual maximum performance level when the SDF tendon injury occured.

The Disciplinary Committee (DC) of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons last week issued a reprimand to a veterinary surgeon for reckless certification of an equine passport, having found her to have been "wholly indifferent" as to whether the horse had been vaccinated properly against equine influenza.

Eleri Wyn Jones graduated from the University of Liverpool and qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 2006, before joining The Veterinary Practice on Bala Road in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, where she was also an authorised Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI). The principal of that practice is Iwan Parry, who himself was the subject of a DC hearing involving false certification earlier this year, for which he received a one-month suspension from the Register.

The Committee heard how, in late 2007, as Ms Jones was leaving the practice to begin her rounds, she was asked by a non-veterinary colleague to certify in a horse passport that two vaccinations for equine influenza had been administered. The horse in question was being liveried by a regular client of the practice, to whom the practice regularly dispensed veterinary vaccines (although Ms Jones was unaware of this), but had been recently purchased by someone who was not a registered client.

In evidence, Ms Jones admitted the certification process took her only 30 seconds and that she did not obtain any further information about the certification, either from clinical or non-clinical colleagues; nor did she check any other documentation before signing the passport, but assumed the vaccinations had been administered by a veterinary colleague. The Committee had to decide whether Ms Jones had acted recklessly, and to do so, Ms Jones' Counsel suggested the Committee would need to be satisfied that she "did not care less" whether or not the vaccinations had been given by a veterinary surgeon before signing the passport.

In reaching its decision, the Committee took into account the fact Ms Jones, on her own evidence, was generally familiar with RCVS guidance on certification and, as an authorised Local Veterinary Inspector, had certification training. It stated: "Whilst we recognise that Ms Jones received little or no mentoring from Mr Parry, we are satisfied that she would have been aware of the importance of veterinary certification. She was also aware that Mr Parry had been suspended as an LVI, due to certification issues, which had affected her own authorisation."

In view of these facts, and that Ms Jones made no attempt to obtain verification from any other source despite knowing she had not performed the vaccinations herself, the Committee decided that Ms Jones had been "wholly indifferent" to proper vaccination procedures and was therefore guilty of disgraceful professional conduct for reckless certification.

In reaching its decision on sanction, the Committee wished to remind members that cases involving improper certification would ordinarily result in suspension or removal from the Register. "We strongly disapprove of the circumstances in which Ms Jones certified this horse.

Clients, and external bodies, are entitled to rely upon the integrity of the veterinary surgeon in not certifying that horses have been vaccinated unless they have carried out the vaccinations themselves or have obtained full and proper evidence that vaccination has been carried out by another veterinary surgeon," it said.

In mitigation, however, the Committee took into account Ms Jones' age and inexperience, her previously good record, her good character and the significant number of supporting references from colleagues and clients alike. It was also mindful that any sanction's main purpose was to protect animal welfare and maintain public confidence in the profession, rather than to punish.

Nigel Swayne, chairing the Committee, concluded: "This is not a case where undertakings for training or monitoring are required. This isolated incident was a fateful misjudgement on a single occasion. We consider that the sanction most proportionate to the nature and extent of the charge, the public interest and the interests of Ms Jones is a reprimand."

Petlife International Ltd has initiated a Class II recall to retail level for Otodex Skin Cream because the lidocaine content is marginally out of specification.

The recall is for the following batches only:

• E001 (expiry 31/03/2021)
• E002 (expiry 31/03/2021)

Petlife is contacting retailers, veterinary surgeons and wholesale dealers to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.

For further information, contact Dr J M Ballany on +44 1333 720257 or email: johnballany@btinternet.com.

Ceva has announced that its cardiology webinar series, which attracted over 1,600 veterinary professionals when viewed live, is now available to view on-demand by visiting www.cardaliscpd.co.uk.

The webinars, which cover the management of heart failure, are presented by some of the UK's leading veterinary cardiology specialists:

• The management of pericardial diseases in dogs by Mike Martin
• The management of syncope and collapse in dogs by Sarah Smith
• Monitoring heart failure patients by Anne French
• Interactive cardiology case studies by Chris Little

Each webinar lasts for around 1.5 hours. CPD certificates are then available after answering questions relating to each webinar.

For further information visit www.cardaliscpd.co.uk.

Scientists from the Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright, UK Met Office and the Jersey State Veterinary Service and Jersey Meteorological Department, are working together on an early-warning system to help defend cattle against the spread of 'bluetongue' disease, according to a study published today in Weather.

The team is fusing meteorological data with ecological information to anticipate when disease carrying midges are likely to be carried on the wind from the continent to the UK and Channel Islands.

Lead author Dr Christopher J. Sanders from the Institute for Animal Health said: "The bluetongue virus, BTV, represents a major and unprecedented epidemic which has spread across Western Europe since 2006. While accurate estimates of costs incurred are not yet available, it is estimated that these could be in the order of many tens of millions of pounds."

BTV is carried by small biting midges, Culicoides, one of the smallest species of biting flies found on livestock. One bite from a midge fully infected with BTV can be enough to lead to infection in cattle and sheep, which can be fatal.

Since 1998 the range of the African species of biting midge has expanded from the Mediterranean basin resulting in an overlap with the range of European species. This enabled European species of midge to pick up virus from infected animals for the first time and go on to transmit it in Southern Europe. However, the arrival of BTV in northern Europe in 2006 was independent of this northwards movement of BTV, jumping north rather than from a gradual spread, and was reliant on transmission only by European midges common and widespread in the area.

In 2006 the disease was found in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany; 700 km north of previous European outbreaks. In June 2007 the disease was once again reported in Germany and by October 2008 24,000 cases were reported in France alone. In September 2007, the first cases of BTV were discovered in the UK, where fortunately the outbreak was small.

The danger that the disease may again spread to the UK from across the channel is of special concern to the Channel Island of Jersey, which maintains a world renowned cattle industry, but is at heightened risk of infection if the disease becomes established along the Cherbourg peninsula or the Normandy and Brittany coastline.

The risk comes from the possibility that the tiny midges can be carried on the wind from the French coast to the Island. To monitor this threat the team set up midge light traps in farms across the island to monitor midge activity and to identify the presence of any potential vector species.

The results were then collated and analysed alongside data from the Jersey Meteorological Department, which allowed the team to pinpoint when livestock were at risk from a number of locations on the mainland. This information was fed into the UK Met Office early-warning website which has also been used on the mainland to help predict and defend against the disease.

"Environmental conditions, especially temperature, wind speed and direction have a significant impact on the biting midge in terms of activity and abundance," concluded Sanders. "Monitoring the midge population in Jersey will provide the farming community on the mainland with knowledge of when the midge season commences in the diseased areas of the near continent."

The RCVS has announced that the Code of Professional Conduct has been updated to restrict - from April 2016 - the use of the word specialist and its derivatives in veterinary practice marketing and promotional materials, except when referring to an RCVS Recognised Specialist.

Alternatives for practitioners who want to describe a special area of expertise in their marketing materials, but who are not on the RCVS list of Specialists include: 'Special interest in ...', 'Experienced in ...', 'Advanced qualifications in ...', or, for those who hold the status, 'Advanced Practitioner'.

The College says the changes will also apply to European Veterinary Specialists fully recognised by the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation, who will now need to join the RCVS list if they wish to use the title in the UK. However, European Specialists will be offered a simplified application process and a 50% reduction in the fee, because their revalidation is carried out by their specialist European college.

The College has also extended the deadline for new applications for Specialist Status to 30th September 2015. The deadline for re-applications by existing RCVS Specialists remains 14th August 2015.

In addition to changing the Code, the College has also amended Chapter 23 of its supporting guidance ('Advertising and publicity') to give more detailed advice on use of the terms 'specialist' and 'specialising in' in the context of advertising and referrals.

Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "Specialist status is not easy to achieve. Those who hold it have achieved a postgraduate qualification at a minimum of Diploma level and have satisfied us that they make an active contribution in their speciality, for example, through publishing academic papers.

"The change to the Code of Professional Conduct is therefore intended to ensure the integrity of the specialist list and title, so that those who do not have RCVS-recognised qualifications, experience and expertise do not claim or imply they hold such a status.

"These changes will benefit the public and, ultimately, animal welfare by clearly identifying those who have specialised knowledge and skills. They should also aid members of the broader profession in the UK when they are deciding who they should refer cases to.

"We recognise this represents a significant change which is why we have allowed a 'bedding in' period before the change comes into force, as well as extending the deadline for applications."

To find out more about applying for Specialist status, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/specialists. The List of RCVS Specialists is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/listofspecialists.
 
Details of the updates made to the Code can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetcode. These changes have also been reflected in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct app which can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/codeapp.