The Vet Futures Action Plan included a series of 24 work-streams to be completed over five years (2016-2020), building on the six core themes of: animal health and welfare; veterinary professionals’ wider roles in society; the health and wellbeing of veterinary professionals; diverse and rewarding veterinary careers; sustainable businesses and user-focused services; and leadership.
Vet Futures reports that over the last twelve months, key activities have included:
VN Futures
The VN Futures project (Action X of Vet Futures) isolated six ambitions to achieve by 2020, with the shorter time-scale reflecting the faster rate of both turnover and training for veterinary nurses.
A number of development groups have been created, focusing on each of these ambitions and creating specific actions to ensure their completion. Of these:
RCVS President, Chris Tufnell said: "When we launched Vet Futures back in 2014, the scope of the project seemed daunting and some were sceptical of our ability to succeed. However, through a robust process of evidence-gathering, analysis, action planning and now taking action itself, we are starting to make an impact on some of those core areas that are so fundamental to the future of our profession, such as animal welfare, technology, veterinary skills and knowledge, and leadership.
"Our Action Plan set out a five-year timeframe and we have made some really excellent progress in year one. This will form the foundation of work yet to come – although it remains important to ensure we scan the horizon for new issues that will have an impact on the profession, navigating our way through challenges as they arise."
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz added: "The excitement was palpable at the Vet Futures Summit last year and it spurred us on to roll up our sleeves immediately to start working on the Action Plan, and so a lot has been achieved already.
"Many of the actions are interlinked and so BVA, RCVS and the VSC are working closely together to oversee their delivery, but we have been particularly pleased at the high level of engagement and enthusiasm from others. The success of Vet Futures will be in the profession coming together to bring about the changes we need for a sustainable future.”
International Cat Care (formerly the Feline Advisory Bureau) is once again raising the issue of cats accidentally poisoned by dog flea products containing permethrin.
The charity is undertaking a campaign to warn owners of the dangers of using dog flea products on their cats because cats are still dying unnecessarily. While the incidents outlined here occurred in the UK, previous reports have shown that this is the most common cause of poisoning of cats in many countries because products are widely and easily available.
Gary Rutland RVN DipAVN(Surgical), Head Nurse and Cat Advocate at the Cat Friendly Millennium Veterinary Practice in Essex was moved to get in contact with International Cat Care after the death of a nine-week-old kitten treated with a permethrin-containing dog spot-on bought at a local pet store. Understandably, both the owners and the practice staff were greatly distressed. The owner used it on her dog and, because it was cheap, assumed it would 'not be strong' and would be fine to use on the kitten. A video of the kitten on the ICC website (www.icatcare.org/permethrin/cat-deaths) shows the resulting seizures.
The second incident concerned two 7-year-old cats treated accidentally after Donna, their owner, bought a dog spot-on containing permethrin from a local shop without wearing her glasses. Someone had placed a dog treatment among the cat treatments and she picked it up. No advice was given to Donna in the shop. She said that the flea treatments were on the shelves, 'just like selling smarties in a children's candy store'.
Although both products had a warning on the packaging, this was either not seen or not taken seriously enough because such products are so freely available and nobody thinks that a drop of a dog product could kill their cat.
International Cat Care is demanding that dog spot-on flea products containing permethrin should not be available without verbal advice at the point of sale. Currently these products are categorised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in the UK as AVM-GSL, which means that they can be bought directly off the shop shelf without the need for advice. The charity says they should be recategorised as NFA-VPS so that they can only be purchased if there is someone in the shop who is suitably qualified to speak to and advise the buyer. The shop should advise that they are only for use on dogs, and ask if there are any cats in the home which could come into contact with a recently-treated dog. The owners can then be warned to keep the dog and cat apart, or advised to use a different product. Advice must be given with some other current non-permethrin containing spot-on products sold through pet shops under the NFA-VPS authorisation and many of these products have a much safer profile if used accidentally on cats, than those containing permethrin.
Dr Andy Sparkes, Veterinary Director for International Cat Care, said: 'Many practices see permethrin poisoning in cats several times a year but do not contact the VMD because the product is not a POM or they feel that the Directorate already knows about the problem. We feel strongly that the problem is greatly under-reported. Nothing will be done unless the full extent of the problem is realised by the VMD, so please report each one by going on the website at https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/adversereactionreporting/. These cat deaths are totally preventable - you can sign our petition at www.icatcare.org/permethrin/petition to change the categorisation.'
The charity is also asking the pet trade to voluntarily class these dog spot-on products containing permethrin as NFA-VPS and to provide advice to their customers accordingly. Pets at Home is working with International Cat Care and the company will be adding a till prompt so that the product cannot be sold without customers being asked whether they have a cat and given appropriate advice.
Maeve Moorcroft, Head of Pets at Pets at Home which earlier this year launched its Flea Fight Force said: 'We take the risk of permethrin poisoning in cats very seriously. We are introducing prompts at our tills so that customers are asked during the checkout process if they are aware of the risk to cats in the home when purchasing a permethrin based spot-on dog flea treatment, and also advised to wait at least 72 hours after treating the dog before the dog and cat can come into close contact.'
International Cat Care is urging veterinary practices to ensure that if concentrated permethrin-containing spot-on products are prescribed and dispensed for use on dogs, adequate warnings are given, including when owners come in for repeat prescriptions. Asking if there is a cat in the house each time a product is dispensed is critical in case a cat has recently been added to the home.
Information on the veterinary treatment of permethrin poisoning cases can be found on the ICC website at www.icatcare.org/permethrin/vet-info
The programme covers everything from diagnostic imaging and ophthalmic emergencies to using echocardiography to help with day-to-day decision-making in practice.
SCVS says the programme has been made possible by the addition of a new lecture theatre during SCVS’s recent expansion, which was supported by the hospital's owners IVC Evidensia.
Stephen Collins, SCVS Hospital Director and IVC Evidensia’s National Cardiology Lead, said: “We’re proud to announce one of the UK’s most comprehensive CPD programmes and share the vast knowledge that our specialist team has with the rest of the veterinary community.
“Our programme is packed full of informative and practical sessions that every vet can benefit from - whether that’s specialist skill development or improving everyday advice and practices in clinic.”
A full list of CPD events is available here: https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/events-and-cpd.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
The course has been made available after its authors, Dr Katherine Wakelin and Sarah Corthorne from the University of Surrey, received a Mind Matters Grant to conduct research which found it improved the mental wellbeing of veterinary professionals.
Katherine and Sarah will also be hosting a webinar from 7pm – 8pm on Tuesday 3rd September to discuss the importance of self-compassion, provide an overview of their research, as well as information on the course itself.
Katherine said: “Our recent randomised control trial has shown the course to significantly improve resilience and self-compassion and reduce rumination and self-criticism amongst veterinarians.
"Therefore, Sarah and I are delighted to now be disseminating the CFT course freely to the veterinary profession, so that as many people as possible are able to benefit from the evidence-based resource.
“Even though our research was conducted on veterinary surgeons, we hope that the course will be useful to all those working in the veterinary team as the content can be applied in a number of contexts.
“Our webinar will explain more about our research, as well as some of the science behind the effectiveness of the course in a veterinary context.
"So, if you are interested in learning more about how CFT may be able to help you and your team, both in a personal and professional capacity, please do come along.”
In order to access the online compassion course, individuals are invited to complete a short questionnaire before and after watching one video (10-15 minutes long) each day for 14 days. The aim of the video intervention is to develop self-compassion skills and reduce self-criticism. This will also allow Katherine and Sarah to evaluate the ongoing impact that the videos are having on those working in the sector.
https://vetmindmatters.org/resources/free-online-compassion-course-for-veterinarian-mental-wellbeing/
The broached bottle must be kept refrigerated between 20C and 80C until the next use.
Virbac says that whilst this may not seem a huge change, it significantly increases the cost-effectiveness and convenience to farmers.
The SPC changes mean that
Bovigen Scour is available in 5 and 30 dose bottles.
Woodley Equipment Company Ltd has been appointed as the UK and European master veterinary distributor for the Mythic 18 Vet haematology analyser manufactured by Orphee-Medical, Switzerland.
The Mythic 18 Vet is a fully automated, 18 parameter haematology analyser dedicated for veterinary applications. Woodley says it delivers the ultimate technology in haematology, requires little maintenance and benefits from low reagent consumption. It's quick and easy to use with touch screen technology and can produce accurate results in just 60 seconds for over 10 different species using a small sample volume.
For more information, visit: www.woodleyequipment.com, email: sales@woodleyequipment.com or call: +44(0)1204 669033
The new RCVS brand has been highly commended in the 'Brand Development' Category of the Membership Communication (MemCom) Awards.
The new look, which was launched last year, aimed to clarify the role and function of the College, with the strapline 'Setting veterinary standards' and a professional new livery of blue and gold.
The award was made at a presentation at the Institute of Directors on 17 May, and the judges' citation said: "[The rebrand] sought to overcome a remote and stuffy image whilst at the same time seeking to underline that it is the only Royal College that is primarily a regulatory body acting in the public interest," adding that "to put this into second place took a remarkable entry".
The top award in the category was taken by the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, with its book 'Watching Waterbirds', endorsed by the TV celebrity Kate Humble.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Head of Communications said: "Design can be subjective but the important thing is what it communicates. We are delighted to have received this commendation in recognition of the work we have done to ensure the role of the College is clearer for both the public and the profession."
First opinion practices can refer dogs and cats for routine echocardiography, ECG analysis and full cardiac work-up. In addition, orthopaedic and neurological cases referred with a pre-existing murmur, arrhythmia or cardiac condition will also benefit from screening at the centre.
Andrew was awarded the ECVIM-CA diploma in Small Animal Cardiology in 2013 and brings with him a wealth of experience from both referral practice and the pharmaceutical industry. He said: "I am delighted to be joining the expanding team at Hamilton Specialist Referrals. The desire for the team to provide patients, clients and staff with the best experience possible is close to my heart and I'm looking forward to being a part of that journey."
Director, orthopaedic surgery specialist Michael Hamilton, said, "We're excited to welcome Andrew to the team. His expertise and experience will be invaluable for providing a comprehensive cardiology service, not only to our referring practices, but also for our existing caseload where a cardiac problem is suspected."
For more information, visit: www.hamiltonspecialists.vet.
Rimifin (carprofen), an NSAID marketed by Vetoquinol, has been given a new flavour to help increase compliance.
Robert Simpson, Product Manager for Rimifin said: "Pet owner compliance and involvement in chronic pain situations is critical to ensuring effective long term treatment. Ease of administration is also very important in this setting. The addition of this flavouring to this popular and cost effective NSAID will help to ensure that administration to the patient is as easy as possible for pet owners and vets."
To find out more about Rimifin please contact your Vetoquinol Territory Manager or call 01280 825424.
Petlog has kicked off its annual National Microchipping Month by joining forces with Hampden Veterinary Hospital in Aylesbury.
Petlog holds National Microchipping Month throughout June each year to promote the benefits of microchipping and the importance of keeping contact details up to date.
This year, Hampden Veterinary Hospital has been encouraging pet owners to make sure their pets are microchipped by offering half price microchipping at a 'responsible pet ownership' event hosted at the hospital.
Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: "National Microchipping Month is a fantastic chance to promote the benefits of microchipping, and we are thrilled that Hampden Veterinary Hospital took such a proactive role in encouraging responsible dog ownership through this event. Microchipping is a great way to permanently identify your pet, and ensure that if he or she goes missing that you are reunited as quickly as possible."
Petlog says that last year, it received almost 120,000 lost and found calls in total from around the UK.
This June, Petlog customers can upgrade to the Petlog Premium lifetime service online for £7.50, allowing them to update their contact information as often as needed with no extra costs.
For more information on National Microchipping Month or Petlog visit www.petlog.org.uk or www.thekennelclub.org.uk.
Norbrook has announced the launch of Spotinor Deltamethrin spot-on, a new product which kills a wide range of external parasites that can have economically damaging effects on cattle, sheep and lambs.
The product is effective against lice and flies on cattle, ticks, lice, keds and established blowfly strike on sheep, and lice and ticks on lambs. It is available in 250ml and 500ml squeeze neck dispensing packs as well as a 1 litre and 2.5 litre backpack with dosing gun. The dose is 10ml for cattle, 5ml for sheep and 2.5ml for lambs (under 10kg/1 month of age).
Spotinor has a zero milk withhold time.
Edward Haughey, Director of Norbrook GB, said: "As Britain's leading veterinary pharmaceutical company, Norbrook is committed to providing British farmers and vets with the products and services they need to manage animal health effectively. Spotinor is the first generic to market, which displays the same benefits as the pioneer product. We are delighted to launch Spotinor, which gives livestock producers a greater choice of safe and sound solutions for the control of external parasites."
For more information, contact your Norbrook representative, telephone +44 (0) 1536 741 147 or email: enquiries@norbrook.co.uk
Vets should now consider Angiostrongylus vasorum a countrywide parasite and not one that is restricted to the traditional hotspots of the South East, the Midlands and south Wales. This was the main message delivered by Shelia Brennan of University College Dublin to almost 300 vets attending the recent Bayer-sponsored A vasorum CPD meetings, held across the north of England and Scotland.
Sheila said: "Until recently, angiostrongylosis was only recognised in limited areas of the UK, and confirmed cases were few and far between. Now we are hearing reports of the disease as far afield as Kent and Glasgow and dogs are dying as a result. If caught early enough, the disease can be treated successfully. Vets should be aware of the many and varied symptoms and consider this parasite as a differential in any dog with suspicious clinical signs."
Dogs of any age can be infected with the parasite, but the majority presenting with clinical disease are less than two years of age. A number of clinical presentations are recognised. Dogs may present with respiratory signs (cough, exercise intolerance), coagulopathy, neurological signs, syncope and in a small number of cases hypercalcaemia. These signs can occur in isolation or in combination, and not all dogs have respiratory signs. Haemorrhage following routine neutering has been anecdotally reported. Dogs with a history of eating the parasite's intermediate hosts (slugs and snails) should be considered as being at high risk.
Chris White, Bayer's Advocate product manager said: "The attendance of nearly 300 vets at the four-meeting series, in areas not normally associated with the disease, is further evidence that vets are becoming increasingly concerned about the threat posed by A vasorum. This is the third series of meetings we have held, reaching around 1,000 vets and vet nurses across the country."
The RCVS has released the results of a competition held at BSAVA Congress earlier this month, in which veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and other members of the practice team were asked to identify three animals from sound only.
The correct answers were a purring cat, a Chihuahua dog (the breed had to be specified) and a guinea pig.
Of 370 entrants, only 104 (28%) were correct. Some of the more outlandish answers included, for the cat noise: elephant, lion, whale and dolphin; and, for the guinea pig noise: ferret, meerkat, dove, chicken and frog. However, the majority of those getting it wrong were stumped by the requirement to specify the breed of dog, with Jack Russell Terrier or some 'yappy little thing ' proving a favourite.
The winner of the competition was Liverpool-based veterinary surgeon, Anna Rowntree, who won an iPod Nano. She said: "I thought the competition was good fun and a real novelty. It certainly drew me to the stand and was not what I would have expected from the RCVS - it proves they can be approachable! I was very excited to have won and I still can't believe I have."
The noises competition linked to the College's theme for the event, 'Falling on deaf ears?', which examined how the organisation takes account of responses to its consultations, debunking the myth that those who take the trouble to reply are not listened to. The topic was addressed by President Professor Sandy Trees in a presentation on the Saturday of Congress. Visitors to the stand were also given RCVS-branded earphones to reinforce the listening message.
Copies of all three presentations made by the RCVS at BSAVA Congress are now available on RCVSonline (www.rcvs.org.uk/ear_ear). They are:
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has launched its 2014 Salaries Survey.
SPVS is urging everyone involved in the veterinary sector to complete a questionnaire to ensure a comprehensive insight into the levels of pay amongst veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and those in industry.
The survey is open to members and non-members alike, and SPVS is offering three months' free membership to those non-members who complete the questionnaire.
Designed to provide a complete picture of remuneration levels, the questionnaire covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances, private medical insurance and pensions. The survey also includes questions on employment contracts, hours worked, out of hours and weekend working.
The 2013 Salary Survey revealed a dip in salaries among small animal practice vets for the second year running, with only mixed and large animal practices showing an increase. There were also large regional variations and a worrying gender gap.
Adi Nell, SPVS senior vice president said: "We are aiming for the 2014 Salaries Survey to be our biggest and best yet. To achieve this, we need as many of the veterinary profession as possible to complete the questionnaire so that the results give us a really accurate picture of what is happening to our salaries around the country."
To take part in the survey simply follow the link on www.spvs.org.uk or for a printed version telephone 01926 410454.
Ceva says the new service is designed to help veterinary surgeons improve their consultations and client compliance with:
The site includes a considerable amount of video content, including talks by Cardio Academy's international experts, advice and demonstrations of blood pressure measurement, and training in radiography and echocardiography procedures and interpretation. The videos are supplemented with a number of reference publications to support and assist veterinary surgeons in everyday clinical and diagnostic procedures in the areas of cardiology, nephrology and hypertension. There are also interactive tools to help in the selection of treatments according to the stage of the disease or clinical objectives.
There are a number of communication tools which can be used during a consultation to support the veterinary surgeon's advice, manage client expectations and improve adherence to their recommendations. They can also be e-mailed to the pet owner so they can share the assessment with other family members.
An instant fitness test and an application for measuring resting respiratory rate allows owners to actively participate in the medical assessment of their pets and become more involved.
Finally, in order to maintain contact with pet owners between follow-up visits, the site offers several customisable clinical fact sheets and template newsletters containing content such as seasonal advice for a pet that has a heart condition.
For further information, contact your local Ceva account manager or visit www.vetintermed.ceva.com
The Association says that the qualification is intended to give vets the chance to conduct clinical research relating to their work – in particular vets working in general practice.
The qualification, validated by Nottingham Trent University, is aimed at people who already have any accredited Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits at Level 7) relevant to some aspect of veterinary medicine or surgery.
The programme is based on a further 1,200 study hours and could be flexibly achieved in two years of part-time study or up to five years, depending on the project type and an individual’s availability.
Frances Barr, BSAVA Academic Director, has developed the most extensive CPD programme in the 60-year history of the organisation. She said: "It’s a really significant addition to the BSAVA CPD programme and another step supporting lifelong learning, which we hope will have a very positive impact on the profession."
"Anyone who has an interest in clinical research – such as evaluating risk factors for a particular disease or factors that might influence an outcome – will find this an ideal way to satisfy their enquiring mind.
"If they have the motivation to keep developing a deeper understanding, we can provide encouragement and support for how to answer those clinical questions."
The Masters programme starts with online study into the principles of clinical research, which students will then apply to their own research project.
Students will be allocated a ‘matched’ supervisor who will provide project advice and guidance, plus the BSAVA team will be on hand to ensure ongoing support and encouragement.
The programme starts in January 2017 and applications open this October.
Frances added: "It can sometimes be quite difficult to get going in research when you don’t know how to do it, so having taken the first step in a supported environment we hope many will go on to do extend their clinical research ambitions.
"BSAVA’s mission is to support vets at every stage of their careers. There are often limited opportunities for practitioners to conduct clinical research, so this is a qualification that enables vets to do just that."
For more information, please contact the BSAVA Education team at masters@bsava.com
Andy said: “High functioning practices, revolve around the nurses. Naturally, they are a communication hub.
"It makes sense to recognise the essential role they play and develop a nurse-centric structure.”
“Start by making sure you’ve enough nurses and look at how the rota is set up.
"Ensure everyone understands the practice’s vision and mission, as well as the shared values and the behaviours which demonstrate those values.
“When there’s alignment between individual and organisational goals and values, you all naturally pull in the same direction.
“Then it’s about how the day is set up and who runs each part.
"In our practice, the nurse is responsible for the running order, for allocating who’s doing what and making sure everyone understands their roles, and liaising with the vets.
"It’s about ‘working in flow’.”
Helen (pictured right) says empowering nurses is as much about how the team interacts, as its structure: “Like anyone else, nurses need to be acknowledged and have a psychologically safe space to discuss ideas and challenges.
“We can all build trust by being curious and asking lots of different questions.
"Experienced team members need to be fallible and humble, setting the scene so that everyone in the team has voice.
"Ideas should be expected, and welcomed – after all, the outcome of a patient is rarely due to just one person’s expertise.”
She added: “Where nurses’ contribution and potential are recognised, and the hierarchy is shallowed, they make incredible leaders."
“At BSAVA Congress 2023, I’ll be speaking about delegation.
"As leaders we feel we have to ‘own’ tasks and that inevitably means doing it ourselves.
"But that’s not always the best option.
"It can leave leaders feeling overwhelmed, whereas delegating tasks can empower others, build resilience within the team and help with retention.
“Small practices often have that traditional command and control structure – it’s the classic triangle, where the owner sits at the top with others underneath.
"Broadening that hierarchy is both possible and practical.
"Leverage the talent on the team, grow it, develop it and you’ll be nurturing next level of the leaders.”
Andy says he has sometimes found it a challenge to let go: “Like many vets, I used to be a bit of a control freak and had to consciously learn to delegate.
"It’s accepting that others may do it differently, and at first, not as well or as quickly as you.
"The temptation is do it yourself but it immediately blocks others from learning the skill and hampers growth within the team.”
Helen says that when considering promoting anyone into a leadership position, it is important to remember that it isn’t always an innate skill.
“Often, nurses become experts clinically, and then get asked to become leaders in that area.
"This is difficult for some people.
"They feel they should be able to do it, but have had very little training on the subject, don’t have the knowledge or skills and therefore feel unsupported in their role.”
"As the pressure mounts, stress levels rise and it starts to impact on their wellbeing, potentially great leaders step down.
“When this happens everyone loses, and is why I’m so passionate about leadership training.”
www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023.
Edited by Matthew Rendle and Jo Hinde-Megarity, the manual covers a wide range of species, including cats, dogs, exotic companion and zoo animals.
The book integrates ethics and theory with quantifiable measurement of welfare and evidence-based practical solutions.
It also takes into consideration the welfare of the veterinary team.
The BSAVA says that the book will be relevant to all veterinary professionals and animal carers, as well as those studying animal welfare and behaviour.
Dr Sean Wensley, Chair of the Animal Welfare Working Group, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, said: "implementing animal welfare policies and activities in a range of settings … can improve patient welfare, client satisfaction, staff morale, staff health and safety, and professional reputation.
"This valuable book will make a significant contribution to helping ensure all of these benefits are realised".
The BSAVA Manual of Practical Veterinary Welfare is available from the BSAVA store: https://bsavaportal.bsava.com/s/store#/store/browse/detail/a1B8d000000icQ9EAI (£90; £58.50 for BSAVA members).
The lectures, which are sponsored by Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services, aim to dispel many of the myths associated with anaesthetising a wide variety of exotic species, including fish and amphibians, whilst simultaneously providing vets and nurses with the skills to undertake these often challenging and comparatively high-risk anaesthetics.
Techniques, protocols, potential drug options and combinations as well as blood sampling and hospitalisation techniques for a wide variety of exotic species will be discussed at length.
Delegates will also get lecture notes, a CPD certificate, goodie bags, refreshments and lunch, not to mention the chance to discuss the day's content with Sonya,
To book your place or for more information, please email us via info@justexotics.co.uk.
The CMA says its main concerns remain the same as it outlined in March, namely whether consumers are getting enough information to make informed decisions, whether corporatisation is stifling competition in certain areas, whether corporate groups have incentives to act in ways that reduce choice, whether pet owners might be overpaying for medicines and whether the regulatory framework is outdated
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: "The message from our vets work so far has been loud and clear – many pet owners and professionals have concerns that need further investigation.
"We’ve heard from people who are struggling to pay vet bills, potentially overpaying for medicines and don’t always know the best treatment options available to them.
"We also remain concerned about the potential impact of sector consolidation and the incentives for large, integrated vet groups to act in ways which reduce consumer choice.
"In March we proposed that a formal market investigation was the best route to fully explore these concerns and, if appropriate, take direct action to address them.
"That proposal has been overwhelmingly endorsed through our consultation.
"While we’re aware of acute staff shortages and difficult working conditions for vets, we consider a formal market investigation is essential to ensure good outcomes for the millions of pet owners in the UK as well as professionals working in the sector.
"The independent inquiry group will now take this investigation forward and, in the meantime, we’re publishing some tips to help pet owners better navigate vet services."
Meantime, the CMA has published 3 tips for pet owners, which are to look further than their nearest vet, to question treatment options and to consider buying medication elsewhere.
The two-day collaborative workshop was hosted by the Jockey Club Estates, Newmarket and sponsored by The Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust and the Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust, together with a number of other industry contributors.
Injuries to the racehorse fetlock are rare: it is one of a number of racecourse musculoskeletal injuries which are collectively estimated to occur in around 8 of every 10,000 race starts in the UK. Nevertheless, fetlock injury can be extremely impactful and can be career-ending in some injured horses.
On the first day of the workshop an expert panel discussed how diagnostic imaging prior to racing can contribute to risk reduction.
Radiography is currently the most widely available tool used to identify tiny fractures which will heal effectively, providing exercise is reduced. However, advanced imaging such as standing MRI, standing CT and PET scanning, have the potential to identify pathology even earlier. At the workshop, the expert panel reviewed existing knowledge and discussed how to generate the research evidence, which is essential if these novel technologies are to gain a place in effective pre-race risk assessment programmes.
The following day a larger group of stakeholders reviewed the expert panel’s conclusions and discussed the need for greater transparency, education and communication amongst the racing industry stakeholders, all of whom share responsibility for ensuring racing continues to collaborate and enhance racehorse safety and welfare.
Prof Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal, who chaired the meeting said: “Racing has an excellent safety record and the injuries we are talking about are extremely rare. The low prevalence of fetlock injury makes it very difficult to pinpoint the affected individuals. But it is essential that we continue our efforts to do so ever more effectively because if silent injury is not detected it can progress to become much more serious."
Pete Ramzan, Partner at Rossdales LLP, who co-ordinated the workshop said: “There was a great need to get some of the key experts leading these new technologies together in the same room to correlate their findings and work out how to translate them into tangible reductions in serious injury rates. One of the somewhat unexpected outcomes of the discussions was that despite the fact that we are riding the crest of a wave of technological advances, basic radiography still has much to offer; better education around the application and interpretation of radiographs has real potential to allow vets like myself at the coal face to detect injuries at an early and recoverable stage”.
Photo: A radiograph showing of a racing thoroughbred’s fetlock joint. The arrow points to linear radiolucency in the parasagittal groove of the lower cannon bone, a finding that is frequently detectable before progression to serious injury. Image courtesy of Dr P. Ramzan, Rossdales LLP, Newmarket.
Earlier in the year, we conducted a survey of veterinary surgeons to ask what you felt were the biggest problems with using Facebook as a way to share or discuss clinical information.
According to the survey, veterinary surgeons felt the greatest problem with Facebook is that you cannot see the professional qualifications of those contributing to a discussion, so unless you know them offline, you have no context for what they post. Even in closed groups, it can be hard, if not impossible to know whether you are talking to someone with many years' experience, or virtually none; an RCVS Specialist, or a general practitioner, or a veterinary nurse.
The father of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee recognised transparency as one of the most significant problems with the Internet during the Dimbleby Lecture at the end of last year. He said:
“Another problem people are perhaps increasingly aware of, particularly more recently, has to do with the fact that much of the web has insufficient accountability. There is by design, no approval system people need to go to, to share their information online. They don’t have to come and ask me to post something. So as soon as someone posts something on the web it can be viewed by a huge number of people. This seemed to work when people posted as individuals with their own reputations at stake. But now we have systems which create fake accounts and there are millions of automated systems, bots we call them, for robots, on social media platforms spreading messages of hate and conflict
"Because of this, misinformation has been spreading rapidly. There are not enough systems holding these people and this information to account. They should be testing the truthfulness of the information organisations and individuals are putting online.”
Whilst it is perhaps unlikely that malign foreign governments have been infiltrating veterinary Facebook groups to spread discord or indeed that there are many individuals deliberately spreading misinformation in this small profession, Sir Tim's point is still highly relevant to the sharing of clinical information, advice, experience or opinion.
The problem is that Facebook gives equivalence to everyone's opinion, an equivalence they simply do not deserve.
Sir Tim is right, you should indeed be questioning the truthfulness, or rather the accuracy of clinical information and opinions posted by colleagues online, and the starting point for that is knowing who posted it, and what qualifications they hold.
The new VetSurgeon.org discussion forums make an important step forward with that, by displaying the year and place of qualification next to posts, together with veterinary postnominals, taken from members' full VetSurgeon Profiles. We're also going to make it compulsory for contributing referral practitioners to complete their profile before posting.
The other biggest problems identified in the survey are how quality information gets drowned in a sea of 'me too' replies on Facebook, how it is difficult to refer back to old posts with useful information and how information is badly curated, making it hard to find what interests you.
On VetSurgeon.org content is now curated both by type, for example forum or news posts, and by areas of clinical interest, which each have their own group you can join and subscribe to. That makes it easier for referral practitioners or postgrad students to follow just their specific area of interest, or for anyone just trying to find information quickly.
We also asked what we could do to encourage you to visit VetSurgeon.org more often for clinical discussions. 62% of you said: 'improve the ease of use on smartphones' and 50.9% said: 'create a way for you to put a question to a group of expert clinicians'.
So that is what we've done (or are doing).
The new VetSurgeon discussion forums have been significantly enhanced for mobile phones. The new main navigation makes it far easier to find your way around the site. You can now reply to forum posts on the same page as the original post, which may sound like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. Elsewhere, we've optimised our use of the more limited space available.
Very soon, we'll be unveiling another feature designed to improve the quality of online clinical discussions, and to stop them drowning in a sea of me too replies. In our new Expert Help Forums, all members will be able to ask a clinical question, but only referral practitioners and selected expert general practitioner members will be able to reply (so long as they display their credentials, of course). When they do, they'll get proper recognition for their help, something which is again missing from Facebook.
With all this talk of better standards of clinical discussions on VetSurgeon.org, it is also worth reminding everyone that time spent in the forums counts towards your annual CPD requirement too. Just click the 'Claim CPD' button in the title.
Finally, as with any building project of this magnitude, there are inevitably some snags. Things that don't work or display as expected, especially on older or more obscure devices. If you come across something like that, please do email details (your browser, version and device type) to support@vetsurgeon.org and we'll endeavour to get it fixed, pronto.
Photo: Arlo Guthrie, Editor www.vetsurgeon.org
The Animal Health Trust is calling for all small animal practitioners to help with a prospective survey study on breed differences in clinical features in canine hyperadrenocorticism.
The Trust is asking vets that diagnose a case of spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism to complete an online questionnaire at bit.ly/aht-cushing.
The questionnaire should take 10 minutes to complete and all the information will be processed anonymously. Each questionnaire submitted has a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher. On completing the survey, participants can ask to be notified of the results of this study when available.
Researchers say they hope this data will help veterinary surgeons in the diagnosis of canine hyperadrenocorticism, and ask that everyone helps spread the word about the study.
If you have any queries about this study, please contact michael.bennaim@aht.org.uk
Novartis Animal Health has assumed marketing responsibilities for the joint health supplement Dasuquin in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Dasuquin is a veterinary formulation developed to deliver advanced cartilage support in dogs. It contains a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulphate, avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), and tea polyphenols. Novartis says these compounds work synergistically to protect the cartilage, thereby playing an important role in supporting and maintaining joint health.
Novartis highlights a 2007 study which, according to the company, demonstrates that the combination of ASU, chondroitin sulphate, and glucosamine hydrochloride delivers incremental benefits compared to the combination of chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine hydrochloride alone.1
Dasuquin is available in flavoured chewable tablets in 80-count containers. Dasuquin is available in two strengths: small-to-medium dogs weighing between 5 and 25 kg and for large dogs weighing over 25 to 50 kg.
Gaynor Hillier, General Manager UK & Ireland Novartis Animal Health said: "This is a fitting addition to our overall orthopaedic health offering for vets and pet owners. Dasuquin brings vets and dog owners advanced joint health support with the next generation of the popular Cosequin family."
Dasuquin is available from Novartis Animal Health in the United Kingdom and Ireland from licensed veterinary wholesalers. For more information on Dasuquin, contact your Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager
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