The Prime Minister's website has received a petition for a new law making it compulsory to microchip pets in the UK.
If you wish to support this petition, please click here and add your name: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/MicrochipPets/
The full petition reads:
"I am a responsible pet owner and have both my parrots and dog microchipped. I genuinely believe that all pets (where possible) should be microchipped.
I feel that it should be mandatory and is part of being a responsible pet owner. This should act as a "licence". I strongly beleive that this course of action will protect many discarded, stolen and mistreated pets every year as there will be no escape for the owners as the pet can be traced back to them.
I appreciated that due to size and temperament some pets may not be able to be microchipped, but certainly dogs, cats, horses, valuable / larger birds, rabbits etc should be.
I hope you agree that £30 for a microchip is good value, if owners cannot afford this then they shouldnt be considering a pet in the first place.
Please can you give this idea serious consideration as I feel we must do something to protect the pets that do not have a voice in our society."
Ceva Animal Health has launched PRID Delta, described as an improved intra-vaginal progesterone device for the synchronisation of oestrus in cycling and non-cycling cattle.
The company says it has used its 35 years of expertise in cattle fertility to develop PRID Delta, and that trials have demonstrated that the new device provides optimal progesterone release, preserved efficacy and high retention rates.
Ceva claims the special triangular shape and bi-material fabric of PRID Delta ensures maximum contact with vaginal mucosa to release optimal levels of progesterone at insertion and during treatment. The new PRID Delta continues to give a bigger progesterone peak after insertion as with the original PRID.
According to the company, clinical and field trials observing oestrus occurrence and fertility at fixed time artificial insemination have shown a preserved efficacy for PRID Delta. PRID Delta is licensed for oestrus synchronisation in both cycling and non cycling cows. It is licensed for fixed time AI. Trials have also confirmed that PRID Delta is quick and easy to insert, is well tolerated and has a retention rate of over 97%.
Ceva has recently introduced a new website www.reprology.com/ for technical advice on the best solutions for the management of cattle reproduction. For further information contact your Ceva sales representative or Ceva Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG, telephone 01494 781510 or visit the website at www.ceva.uk.com/
Loseley, the ice-cream maker, has announced that it has developed a new way of making flavoured ice-cream by adapting the diet fed to its cows.
The first variety to be made using the new technique is 'Eton Mess', for which the company's herd is being fed a diet of strawberries and meringues.
Loseley says its cattle - which are housed at the Beechdean Dairies farm in Buckinghamshire - have already been feeding on the ingredients found in the much loved pudding for over a year, to ensure their milk supply is infused with the strawberry and meringue flavours. Apparently, huge amounts of strawberries are having to be air-freighted into the UK in order to ensure an uninterrupted supply through the seasons.Andrew Howard Managing Director of Beechdean Dairies said: "We have been perfecting the quantities in the cattle feed for over 18 months to perfect the Eton Mess flavour. The cows need to be fed just the right quantities of meringues, strawberries, fat and hay to make the perfect Eton Mess ice cream. We believe ice cream should be great quality, tasty and interesting. Our products will always deliver against these criteria."Vince Bamford, Fast Moving Consumer Goods Editor at The Grocer, the UK's leading grocery trade magazine said: "Loseley's flavour development process is cutting edge - I have tasted the product and it is delicious. It is an exciting innovation for the ice cream category."
Dr Crespo appeared in front of the Disciplinary Committee earlier this week with two charges against her. The first was that, in November 2015, she dishonestly and falsely made an online representation to the College that she had no criminal convictions, cautions or adverse findings despite having been convicted, in January 2015, of failing to provide a specimen of breath. The second charge against her was that, in March 2016, she once again dishonestly and falsely failed to declare her conviction when renewing her registration.
During the hearing the Committee had two main considerations in respect of both charges – as to whether Dr Marin Crespo had been dishonest in failing to declare the conviction and as to whether the respondent ought to have known that her representations were false. Regarding the dishonesty element, the Committee found the College had not sufficiently proven this, as it accepted Dr Marin Crespo’s evidence that she did not believe she needed to declare a motoring-related offence as it was not relevant to her professional practice.
However, the Committee found it proven that the respondent ought to have known that the representations were false, taking into account that Dr Marin Crespo made admissions that she ought to have checked the guidance on declaring convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings and ought to have been aware that making such declarations is a requirement of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.
Having found the parts of the two charges relating to false representation proven, the Committee then considered whether this constituted serious professional misconduct.
Judith Webb, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said:"The Committee considers that the false declarations made by the respondent were born of a careless disregard for the disclosure process. The Committee notes that the respondent could easily have checked online, and/or by telephone, as to what she was obliged to do when making the relevant declarations. She failed to do that.
"In these circumstances, the Committee considers that the respondent’s conduct fell far short of that which is to be expected of the veterinary profession. Therefore, in the judgement of the Committee, on the facts found proved, the respondent is guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."
In considering Dr Marin Crespo’s sanction the Committee took into account a number of mitigating factors including her full cooperation with the College’s investigation, her hitherto unblemished career, her testimonial evidence which it felt demonstrated her dedication and professionalism, and the fact that she has displayed remorse and insight into her conduct.
Judith Webb concluded: "The Committee notes that the respondent’s conduct caused no harm, or risk of harm, to animals or humans. The Committee also notes that there is no charge arising out of the criminal conviction itself. The Committee considers that, if the respondent had answered the online questions correctly, it is unlikely that the respondent would have appeared before the Committee.
"Every veterinary surgeon must ensure that they adopt a careful and accurate approach to the self-certification exercise, which is crucial if the public and the College are to have trust in that process. In these circumstances, the Committee considered that the proportionate sanction in this case is that the respondent be… reprimanded for her conduct."
The Petplan/Panasonic Monitoring Kit, which was launched last year, allows pet owners and veterinary staff to check on their animals via an app on their smartphone or tablet.
Petplan says is it being used by some veterinary practices to help provide additional security and monitoring capability within the practice.
The kit includes an indoor camera, which comes with an in-built temperature sensor and night vision, a door sensor and Smart Plug which can be remotely activated to turn on a radio, lamp, portable heater or fan to help keep animals content.
The kit also contains an SD card which allows clients to save and share video footage of their pet in its home environment with their veterinary surgeon, and practices to record and share footage with their staff or clients.
Isabella Von Mesterhazy, Head of Marketing at Petplan, said "For Petplan, keeping pets healthy always has been and always will be our priority. We worry about our pets when we are not with them and the pet Monitoring Kit addresses this problem by providing welcome reassurance that they are safe and well. We are delighted to be able to share this exclusive, time limited offer with our customers and veterinary partners to allow them to check in on their pets, from wherever they are."
To find out more and access a discount code, veterinary staff should login to petplanvet.co.uk.
Kit was appointed by RCVS Council at its June meeting, making him responsible for maintaining an overview of the College’s financial affairs, ensuring the College’s financial viability, and making sure proper records and procedures are maintained.
Kit replaces Dr Amanda Boag who was elected Junior Vice-President by RCVS Council at its March meeting. He has been an RCVS Council Member since 2013 and currently sits on the Standards Committee, as well as lecturing, writing and other projects such as teaching at the local primary school. He also works three days a week seeing clinical cases in both referral and primary care practices.
Kit said: "I am very honoured to have been appointed Treasurer, and look forward to continuing Amanda’s careful stewardship of the College finances with the support of other Council members and the team at Belgravia House.
"Due to uncertainties surrounding the impact of Brexit and increasing inflation, RCVS Council decided at its June meeting to increase the annual renewal fees for veterinary surgeons. I am confident that this will keep the College finances in a healthy state, and I look forward to building on Amanda’s legacy ensuring that the College remains steady over the course of my tenure."
At RCVS Day Amanda will also be made Junior Vice-President, and Dr Stephen May will take up the position of RCVS President for 2017-2018.
NOAH Chair Gaynor Hillier said: "The production and supply of veterinary medicines is totally dependent on complex international supply chains that must continue to function effectively after Brexit, their unique status being recognised in the recent government White Paper.
"Raw materials will need to arrive at manufacturing sites and veterinary medicines will need to be transported across borders to meet market requirements. Any border delays, additional complex processes or increased costs will risk medicines availability for UK vets, farmers and all our animals."
According to a recent NOAH member survey, less than 15% of companies say they are prepared for a 'hard Brexit' with the vast majority of respondents saying they are not fully prepared should there be a reversion to WTO rules on 30 March 2019.
NOAH says this is not through lack of effort or unawareness of the need to act, but due to the magnitude of the complex tasks involved in such a specialist sector, coupled with uncertainty over what a 'no-deal' Brexit will look like.
In contrast, almost 60% of companies said they are prepared for a transition period to December 2020. Even then, NOAH says the proposed transition period will not be enough in some cases.
The survey examined product availability in the UK: almost 55% of respondents reported potential availability issues for the UK market impacting more than 40% of their products. The full spectrum of types of products (from vaccines to painkillers: from antibiotics to wormers) across all animal species (farm, equine and pet) are potentially at risk, with particular concerns raised around the supply chain for vaccines.
A new study has found that the UK domestic cat and dog population is larger than previously reported by industry figures. Cats and dogs are amongst the most popular pets in the UK but it has been over 20 years since domestic cat and dog population estimates in the UK have been published in scientific peer-reviewed journals.
The paper published in the Veterinary Record by Dr Jane Murray in the Department of Clinical Veterinary Science at Bristol University and colleagues, aimed to estimate the number of UK domestic cats and dogs and identify the characteristics of their owners. The figures are also useful to the animal health and welfare professions, including rescue charities, which can use these and future estimates to assess population changes.
In 2007, a telephone survey of households randomly selected from the electoral roll revealed that cats and dogs were owned by 26 per cent and 31 per cent of households, respectively. The number of owned cats and dogs were predicted by two variables: the number of people in the household and the geographical location (London/rest of UK) of the household. UK census information and mid-year population estimates of the number of households and the average household size in 2006 in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were used to estimate that UK households owned approximately 10.3 million cats and 10.5 million dogs in 2006.
Dr Murray said: "Our 95% confidence intervals were 9.4-11.3 million cats and 9.6-11.4 million dogs".
This compares with PFMA estimates of 7.2 million cats and 7.3 million dogs in 2007, and 8 million cats and 8 million dogs in 2009.
Characteristics associated with cat and dog ownership were also identified. Cats were more likely to be owned by; households with gardens, semi-urban/rural households, households with someone qualified to degree level, respondents who were female and respondents who were aged less than 65 years. Cats were less likely to be owned by households with one or more dogs.
The likelihood of dog ownership increased as the household size increased. Dogs were more likely to be owned by households with gardens, rural households and less likely to be owned by households with someone educated to degree level and households with cats or children aged less than 11 years.
Female respondents and those aged less than 55 years were more likely to report dog ownership than other respondents. Dogs were less likely to be owned by households with one or more cats.
Dr. Murray added: "The study has shown many common factors relating to cat and dog ownership, such as a garden and rural location, but it has also identified some notable differences.
"In particular, the difference in the level of education achieved by a household owning cats and dogs. The reason for this association is unclear. It is unlikely to be related to household income as this variable was not shown to be significant but it could be related to household members with longer working hours having less time available to care for a dog.
"Past reports have suggested that the number of pet cats exceeds the number of pet dogs in the UK. However, results from our study suggest that there are similar numbers of pet cats and dogs."
The researchers recommend the study is repeated in 2011, (the year of the next scheduled UK census), as any increase or decrease in population numbers will enable pet ownership trends to be monitored.
The charity says it estimates there has been a ten-fold increase in fertility clinics in the past two years, and it is now aware of at least 339 dog fertility businesses across the UK.
Such clinics, which typically offer artificial insemination, progesterone testing, cytology and ultrasound scanning, are often operated by lay people, rather than veterinary professionals.
There have been concerns about the seeming indiscriminate use of breeding procedures by some fertility clinics, and about links to low welfare breeding operations.
Naturewatch says some fertility clinics have been found selling and administering prescription medicines and offering to perform operations.
The charity now wants to understand what veterinary professionals think about this new industry, and is running a short survey until 21st August 2022.
In particular, Naturewatch wants to know who you think should be permitted to perform commonly offered breeding procedures.
It also wants to hear your thoughts about possible solutions.
Are canine fertility clinics inherently problematic?
Or could canine fertility clinics - if operated ethically and regulated properly - bridge the gap between breeders and the veterinary profession?
Complete the survey here: https://action.naturewatch.org/canine-fertility-clinic-survey-for-veterinary-professionals
The course covers wound management, making decisions on dressings, drain management, how to complete biopsies and fine needle samples, how to complete a number of suture patterns and how to remove cutaneous masses and complete other surgeries under Schedule 3 legislation.
The course includes eight hours of practical skills training on cadavers as well as 2 hours online training, covering suture selection and legislation.
On completion of the course, CVS nurses are able to recognise what nurses can complete under Schedule 3 legislation, identify the correct dressing for each stage of wound healing, identify the equipment and correct technique for a range of biopsies, complete a number of different suture patterns, and remove cutaneous masses and complete other surgeries under Schedule 3 legislation.
Each nurse has a skills checklist to inform their ongoing training needs and is encouraged to have regular, informal meetings with a local mentor – who is able to support their learning.
The next Surgical Schedule 3 Course is scheduled for 21st March 2024.
Karen Learmonth, LED Nursing Lead at CVS said: “I am excited about the opportunity that Surgical Schedule 3 provides for nurses within CVS to further their skills and knowledge.
"Advocating nurses’ involvement in Schedule 3 procedures supports improved patient care and provides nurses with rewarding careers.
“It’s fantastic to see so many nurses completing the course to date and we’ll further develop nurse utilisation in 2024 where we’ll rollout both ultrasound and lab skills training.
"We hope this will encourage nurses to utilise all aspects of their role in line with Schedule 3 guidelines.”
Fran Wood, an RVN at Albavet - Rogers, Brock & Barker said: “I have been loving doing surgery and felt the course was the best CPD I have ever been on!
"It has given me the confidence to complete stitch ups, tail amputations and many other procedures.”
One of the critical factors in allowing vet nurses to use all their skills is having vets who are comfortable delegating.
To that end, CVS has vets who have pledged to support nurses to achieve this work.
The group has also published guidelines for its vets to provide clarity around effective delegation under Schedule 3.
Virbac Animal Health has launched a new pet owner information pack to help practices raise awareness of reproductive health issues in dogs and cats.
The pack consists of a leaflet holder with four different leaflets covering unwanted sexual behaviour, castration, prostate disease and misalliance. The holder has a small footprint so will sit nicely in any practice reception area.
Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS says that the pack will make it easier for vets and VNs to raise the sensitive issue of pet reproductive health with owners. "For example, prostate disease in men is well documented and public knowledge is high, but we believe that few people know that it can affect pets too.
"It is estimated that 80% of male dogs over the age of five suffer from prostate problems, but experts agree that it is underdiagnosed at present. This is possibly due to a combination of a lack of awareness and client unease on discussing reproductive subjects at their vet practice."
To obtain your free pack or for further information, please contact your local territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
According to the FSA figures, 24.4% (758,263) of sheep and goats slaughtered between April and June this year had their throats cut without first being made insensible to pain, up from 15% in 2013, when the EU and UK-adopted legislation allowing an exemption for animals that are slaughtered for religious purposes came into force.
The number of chickens slaughtered without pre-stunning rose from 3% in 2013 to 18.5% (45,396,583) in 2017.
The BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "This huge increase in the number of sheep, goats and poultry that are not stunned or not stunned effectively before slaughter is a grave concern to our profession. Millions of individual animals are affected, making this a major animal welfare issue.
"The supply of meat from animals that have not been stunned massively outstrips the demand from the communities for which it is intended and is entering the mainstream market unlabelled.
"In the light of these official figures we reiterate our call for all animals to be stunned before slaughter. If slaughter without stunning is still to be permitted, any meat from this source must be clearly labelled and the supply of non-stun products should be matched with demand."
Welfare at slaughter is one of the UK’s most pressing health and welfare concerns for vets, according to the BVA’s latest member survey. The association has long campaigned for the re-introduction of law that guarantees all animals are stunned before slaughter on the grounds of animal welfare. While legislation exists to permit slaughter without pre-stunning, the BVA is calling for any meat or fish from this source to be clearly labelled to enable customers to understand the choice they are making when buying such products.
Photo: © Nevit Dilmen - Own work, Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Merial has announced the launch of Viral Cats, a national campaign designed to educate one million cat owners about the importance of vaccination.
According to PDSA research, approximately 3.9 million cats in the UK are not up to date with their vaccinations and around 2.7 million cats have never been vaccinated1.
As part of the campaign, Merial is pushing a series of animations to cat owners via Facebook, which link to the campaign website: www.viralcats.co.uk. The website offers detailed information about the importance of vaccination and interactive content including a 'risk checker' quiz.
The 'risk checker' quiz will ask owners a series of questions to find out whether their cat is up to date with its vaccinations. If not, they'll be directed to speak to their vet. If the vet recommends restarting the primary vaccination course, owners will be able to download an amnesty voucher – directing them to participating practices to get their pet back on track. For those who are up-to-date with their cat’s vaccinations, but want to help spread the word, there will be a competition and prize.
Aiz Baig, product manager at Merial, said: "This campaign is really exciting for Merial, offering us a great opportunity to reach and educate cat owners on the importance of vaccination, which of course will drive footfall into practices."
There are several ways veterinary practices can get involved with the campaign:
To find out more about the campaign, or take part, contact your regional Merial Territory Manager.
References:
The first webinar will be run by Dr Sarah Caney (pictured right), the CEO and founder of Vet Professionals, and Dr Hannah Newbury, technical lead vet at MSD Animal Health.
It will cover how telemedicine can benefit you, your practice and your patients. Sarah and Hannah will offer practical tips on how to set up a remote consultation, what you can do via telemedicine during the UK lockdown, and how to carry out these consultations and provide care during this time. There will also be an opportunity to ask specific questions in advance.
The series will also explain the financial benefits of remote consulting and the release of a new telemedicine platform.
To register for the first webinar, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4735768510902351372.
Click here to submit your questions before the webinar: https://getfeedback.com/r/hBY8qihT/q/1.
Companion Care is launching a new division to develop a network of joint venture surgeries on high streets around the UK.
Thus far, 62 out of the company's 66 surgeries have been located inside Pets at Home stores. The company says it plans to more than double the number of surgeries over the next 5 years, both within Pets at Home stores and on the high street.
The new surgeries will be branded Companion Care Vets. According to the company, they'll be full service practices featuring the latest equipment, situated in locations which offer clients easy access. Managing director, Jane Balmain, said: "The in-store model we operate has been very successful and offers a unique business proposition based around the customer footfall in Pets at Home stores. We will continue to accelerate the growth in numbers of in-store surgeries as the Pets at Home store footprint expands. "While in-store has been hugely successful and the driver in our growth, we know that there are many vets and veterinary nurses who are interested in a joint venture partnership but whose preference is to have a more traditional looking standalone surgery. To enable us to launch partnerships with these professionals we are developing a standalone surgery network plan. We already have 4 very successful standalone surgeries and we feel now is the right time to develop the stand alone concept as a mainstream business proposition." While the new surgeries will be standalone, Companion Care says they will be affiliated with local local Pets at Home stores to drive client registration and business development.
Jane added: "These stand alone surgeries will offer a unique business proposition due to our Pets at Home relationship. We believe that with this new venture we can offer any potential partner the best of both worlds: a superb in-store surgery with footfall of thousands of customers a month, or a standalone new surgery linked to local store(s) to develop the business. I don't believe any other company can offer this unique proposition."
Is this the warm up for the mother of all high street battles between Companion Care and Vets4Pets?
Production company Keo Films is on the hunt for a veterinary surgeon that wants to take a year out and help set up a new community in a remote part of the British Isles for a high profile TV documentary series.
The documentary is essentially a social experiment to see whether it is possible to begin again, away from the conveniences and technology of the modern world.
Keo Films, which was behind such programmes as River Cottage and Welcome to Rio, tells VetSurgeon.org that they've already had applications from people working in a variety of fields, including doctors, builders and engineers. For obvious reasons, they are very keen to recruit a veterinary surgeon.
There is no payment for appearing in the documentary. Still, it might be just the thing for someone who needs a break from it all. And who knows, it might lead to a second career opening supermarkets at the weekend!
If you're interested, or know someone else who might be, contact eden@keofilms.com or call 020 7490 3580
Adam, who is one of only 17 ECC Specialists in the UK, will be developing an ECC service at Lumbry Park.
Following graduation and an internship at the Royal Veterinary College, Adam worked in hospital and emergency general practice. He completed his residency in Emergency and Critical Care in 2013 becoming board certified the same year. He also completed a Master’s in Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College.
Adam became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care in 2015. In his most recent role, he was Group Head of Emergency and Intensive Care for four RCVS-Recognised hospitals and branches and oversaw standards of out-of-hours provision to 50+ sites. He also led the development of the first specialist 24-hour veterinary intensive care unit in central London.
Ray Girotti, Hospital Director, said: "Adam will be working with our multi-disciplinary team to offer a dedicated point of contact for emergency referrals, a move which will enhance the provision of critical care for our sickest patients. We are delighted to welcome a Specialist of his calibre to Lumbry Park."
Adam said: "The leadership on all issues relating to patient care shown by CVS’ Clinical Advisory Committee was inspiring and, with its full support, I have been offered an unrivalled opportunity to develop a leading ECC service at Lumbry Park. I’m really looking forward to my new role and to participating on the Clinical Advisory Committee to enhance ECC services right across CVS."
Outstanding veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, animal welfare professionals and animal welfare teams can now be nominated to receive an award by their peers and the general public. Nominees can come from all walks of life, all ages, and from anywhere in the world.
The award categories include:
The Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazinesThis award is in recognition of a veterinary surgeon working in practice that follows the footsteps of head judge, Chris Laurence, by educating pet owners and consistently demonstrating their commitment to the continued improvement of animal welfare.
Vet Nurse of the Year supported by Agria Pet InsuranceThis award is to give recognition to a veterinary nurse working in practice, who has shown real commitment to improving and championing excellent animal welfare within their surgery.
Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSAThis award is for an awe-inspiring team whose drive, passion and dedication has changed the lives of animals for the better, improving the standard of animal welfare where they can and working tirelessly to promote and champion their cause.
Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross This award is for an individual who works within a charity, either in a paid or voluntary role, who is consistently driven to the best of their ability, with a single-minded goal of helping save and improve the lives of animals in need.
Farm Animal Welfare Award supported by R.A.B.I. and NADISThis award is for an individual or team which have dedicated their careers to the health and welfare of production animals.
International Cat Care Welfare Award supported by International Cat CareThis award recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution to the development of feline welfare. The recipient of the award is chosen by International Cat Care and therefore the category is not open to nominations.
Since the first Ceva Awards in 2010, hundreds of people and teams have been nominated, with the winners decided by a panel of judges including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc and James Yeates, chief veterinarian at RSPCA.
The winners and runners up will be honoured at a ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 4th April 2018.
Ceva Animal Health managing director, Cuneyt Seckin said: "Over the last eight years we have been consistently humbled by the inspirational nominations that we receive from all over the world and we envisage this year to be no exception.
"The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards champion people involved in animal welfare, but they also raise awareness of this important work to wider audiences."
If there is a veterinary surgeon, nurse, animal welfare professional or animal welfare team that you feel deserves to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare, visit www.cevawelfareawards.com to nominate.
Entries must be in by Friday 26 January 2018.
The survey of 2067 past or present adult dog owners, of which 1,170 had experienced the loss of a dog, also found that about half had experienced barriers to opening up about their feelings following the death of their pet.
Some of the reasons given for not opening up included believing others wouldn’t understand their feelings (22%), fear of being judged for being upset (15%), feeling embarrassed about their levels of distress (12%) and not being able to find the right words to describe their feelings (13%).
74% felt they could turn to close family to share feelings of grief over the loss of the dog, but only 13% felt they could discuss it with employers and colleagues.
Samantha Davis, Legacy and In-Memory Manager at Dogs Trust, says: “The loss of a pet dog can be as devastating as losing a family member.
"Dogs hold a special place in our hearts, offering unconditional love and companionship, and when they pass away, the grief can be profound and, sadly for some, isolating.
“It's really important that owners who experience the loss of their canine companions can open up and share their feelings with friends and family.
"Many will find solace in knowing they are not alone."
To support people who have lost a dog, Dogs Trust is holding a 3.5km walk to bring people together to share their memories of their beloved animal.
Walk for Our Old Friends (WOOF) will take place in Salcey Forest, Northampton, on Sunday 6th October 2024 between 4pm-7pm.
As walkers make their way through the forest, there will be opportunities for moments of remembrance and celebration.
The charity will also provide support resources for those participating with a team onsite as well as online information to help people cope with their loss.
Dogs Trust is also providing online resources for people to organise their own walk in memory of their much missed four legged friends.
https://events.dogstrust.org.uk/event/walk-for-our-old-friends
COMMENT
Was this survey desperately flawed, or has our relationship with our dogs become unhealthily anthropomorphic?
It's hard to think of any other explanation for why such large proportion of people equate the death of a dog with the death of a brother, sister, parent or child.
Surely the death of a close family member is in an altogether different league than the death of even the most beloved dog.
If people are developing unhealthily close relationships with their animals, the question is why?
Are they being pushed by commercial interests which encourage people to think of themselves as 'pet parents' in order that they feel compelled to spend more on their 'child'.
Or is there some other factor in play?
Does it matter anyway?
Perhaps not.
But more and more we hear stories of people saddling themselves with crippling levels of debt on treatment because they cannot face the inevitable.
Perhaps it is time to return to a more healthy, more matter-of-fact relationship with our pets.
No less loving, just tempered by the acceptance of the fact that it is not human. It's a dog.
The College wants more vets to come and share their ideas and insights into how the role of the veterinary nurse can be strengthened within the team, particularly in the light of data gathered from the RCVS’s 2024 VN Vision workshops which showed that many nurses believe their skills and capabilities, and the scope of tasks that can be performed within the current legal framework, are not fully used.
The first two events, in South Wales and Belfast, were well-attended by veterinary nurses, but only about 10% of attendees were vets who arguably have the most to gain by sharing ways of enabling nurses to perform a more central role and relieve some of their workload.
There are four more events coming up:
RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, Julie Dugmore, said: “Last year’s VN Vision events focused specifically on veterinary nurses and resulted in some truly inspiring insights. Now, in this new series of events, we’re taking the next step, and need to get the wider practice team involved in order to understand how strengthening the VN role will feed into team dynamics and the professions as a whole.
“Our latest VN Vision events will play a key role in helping us to define long term goals, identify the practical steps needed to achieve them, and determine how success will be measured and shared with the wider public. To make it happen, we need voices from vets, practice managers, support staff, and VNs alike.”
The VN Vision workshops are free to attend, informal, informative and made up of small groups.
Supper will also be provided for the evening sessions, and lunch for the London day workshops.
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/vet-nursing-vision-events-3253639
2000 veterinary surgeons and nurses/technicians took part in the study, of which 545 completed all questions.
The biggest equipment barriers to BP measurement were 'cuff frustration' (cuffs pinging off) and difficulties hearing the pulse, which were experienced at least sometimes by 72.2% and 71.6% of participants respectively when using Doppler machines.
When asked about barriers relating to the procedure itself, the most significant issues were a lack of time, not having a colleague available to restrain the cat, and simply forgetting to include BP in the assessment.
Owner-related barriers included difficulties persuading clients to book a separate BP appointment, difficulties persuading clients to bring cats in for a BP check at all, and reticence over the cost.
Sarah Caney, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who lead the study, said: “Feline hypertension is an extremely common condition which affects approximately one in five cats nine years or over4, however there are several challenges that we need to address to enhance the long-term health and welfare of the nation’s cats.
"The good news is that some of the barriers identified in the study can be overcome by taking a ‘practice makes perfect’ attitude towards taking blood pressure, in that the more experience vet professionals have, the easier the procedure will become.
"The study showed many VNs are confident and enthusiastic about blood pressure assessment in cats; this should be encouraged and expanded upon to ensure that as many older cats and those with conditions increasing their risk of hypertension, receive the BP monitoring they deserve.
Eye examinations are helpful in confirming a diagnosis of systemic hypertension, however the study revealed that while 96.5% of respondents had access to a direct ophthalmoscope, 73.1% reported that they felt under-confident in performing and interpreting ocular examinations when identifying hypertensive lesions in cats.
Ceva Animal Health, which funded the study, says that because between 50 and 100% of hypertensive cats have ocular lesions2,3, it is vital that clinicians feel able to identify ocular pathologies associated with high blood pressure.
Sarah added: "VNs and vets should be encouraged to ‘upskill’ their eye examination skills, as this can be extremely helpful in identifying cats with hypertension."
To that end, Ceva has published an online feline ophthalmology course ‘Looking hypertension in the eye’: www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva
The course, which is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh, is designed to help vets and vet nurses to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
https://easethepressure.co.uk.
References
Until the arrival of Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), radiographs were the only feasible option. More recently, the availability of bigger, wider and more adaptable scanners has allowed horses to be examined in a standing position, significantly improving diagnostic and treatment strategies and avoiding the need for general anaesthetic.
Against this background the collection considers the advantages of cutting-edge modalities and draws comparisons with more readily available tools such as radiography.
Given the increase in use of CT in horses and the contamination hazards faced particularly by horse handlers, two practical articles in the collection describe the role of equine head CT, how to set up standing equine CT and the radiation exposure risks.1,2
The most revolutionary recent advance in diagnostic imaging for dental disease in horses is CT. However, a study of horses with diseased mandibular cheek teeth found that while CT is useful to identify defects in the bone and tooth it is far less useful for the identification of inflammation and tissue destruction which is far better served by MRI.3
The structure of the equine head is complex and subject to great variation so several articles focus on practical anatomy and interpretation of radiographs of this region.4.5 Advanced diagnostic techniques are helping with clinical and surgical approaches to problems with the equine head. The sphenopalatine sinus is challenging to assess radiographically because of its tricky position but CT can help overcome this obstacle. One of the studies describes how CT can help unravel the pathology of various equine sinonasal tumours. Other articles cover less common pathological conditions including the historical, clinical, diagnostic imaging findings and outcomes of five horses with pneumocephalus. 6,7,8
Practitioners recognise MRI as the gold standard for neurologic imaging because of the excellent soft tissue detail but the size of horses and the size of scanners makes it a challenge to use. An additional constraint is the longer acquisition time compared to CT. Notwithstanding these limitations three studies in the collection display the various benefits of using MRI for the spine and neck, including the evaluation of 84 equine head disorders, the diagnosis of cervical stenotic myelopathy, and the assessment of two foals with closed head trauma.9,10,11,12
Despite the significant advances in imaging, the horse’s back is still defying conventional systems, primarily because of its size, concludes a spinal evaluation article. New technologies such as robotic fluoroscopy and cone-beam CT, may provide a cross-sectional method to evaluate the equine spine, but for now radiographs are still better to help evaluate findings of spinous process impingement seen on scintigraphy. The take home message here is that the wide variety of abnormalities seen on scintigraphy and radiography in horses with and without back pain makes a diagnosis more likely to be achieved by physical examination rather than the imaging findings.13
Anthony Pease, associate editor of the EVJ said: "Advanced imaging is still in its infancy with sequences still being developed to help optimise the time and detail needed for diagnosing complex musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders. Continued research in a controlled environment and comparing to histopathology will allow clinicians to further their knowledge and understanding of the CT and MRI findings in the equine patients."
Pet insurer esure has released the results of a survey of vets bills, carried out amongst 3000 pet owners.
Whilst the intent behind surveys like these may be laudable (i.e. to encourage more pet owners to insure their pets), they do the profession no favours, emphasising the high perceived costs of veterinary care rather than the good value that it generally represents.
This survey highlighted that:
esure's research showed that English Setters are the mostly costly breed of dog, forcing their owners to shell out £6,955 on vet bills, including injections, surgery and emergency treatments, in a lifetime.
Despite the potential for big bills, just a third (31 per cent) of pet owners have pet insurance and almost a quarter of those with cover admitted they were considering cancelling it to save money during the current credit crunch.
According to esure, many dog owners may be choosing to cancel or not even buy pet insurance because they are significantly underestimating the cost of treating common ailments and injuries. 29 per cent of pet owners surveyed think that the average vet bill for a dog with diabetes would be under £200, when it is actually £1146 including ongoing treatment*. To repair a dog's broken leg, 11 per cent of pet owners think that the average vet bill would be less than £100. It is actually more than five times that amount at £560*.
Mike Pickard, Head of esure pet insurance said: "Sickness, injury and long-term illness can affect any breed of dog, at any time, which is why it's crucial for pet owners to have insurance or ample savings to cover an unexpected vet bill of any size. With many pet owners underestimating the cost of treatment for common ailments, a hefty vet bill may stretch household finances to the limit - especially in the current credit crunch. Pet owners should plan ahead for all eventualities when it comes to their dog's health."
VET BILLS FOR THE TOP 10 MOST POORLY DOG BREEDS:
* Based on all claims received by pet insurance specialist, Thornside in 2008. http://www.bdml.co.uk/about-thornside.html
Davies Veterinary Specialists, the small animal referral hospital based at Higham Gobion in Hertfordshire, has reported treating four cases of serious lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) infection over the past couple of months, all within around 30 miles of each other.
The practice says it usually sees only two or three lungworm cases a year, at most. It is thought that the increase in cases could be the result of a lack of knowledge amongst some owners about the right wormers to use, as well as the fact that lungworm appears to be getting a stronger foothold in some areas, possibly due to factors such as climate change.
One of the cases referred to DVS was a Cocker Spaniel called Honey belonging to Irené O'Hanlon-Marin from Beaconsfield. Vets initially believed the dog's symptoms of neck pain, breathlessness, shaking and lethargy to be the result of a recent head injury. Serious alarm was raised when Honey appeared to suffer a fit three weeks later, became unable to walk and lost her vision in one eye. She was immediately referred to DVS as an emergency.
Peter Smith, Neurology Specialist at DVS, said: "Honey was in a pretty serious condition when admitted here and would, I suspect, have died if she'd been left another few hours. She's now back home and much improved, and appears to be regaining her sight."
Irené O'Hanlon-Marin said: "It scares me to think how little I knew about lungworm and the fact that I need to use a specific wormer for it. We have been so lucky with Honey but I am determined to help prevent other dogs going through what she suffered so we all need to help spread the word about the dangers of this parasite."
The other three cases referred to DVS were from High Wycombe, Pinner and St Albans. The practice reports that all patients have recovered well.
The AHT has secured an award of £580,000 from the Wellcome Trust to fund the development of a new diagnostic test for Strangles which takes only 30 minutes.
It's been achieved in part by 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' - a two-year fundraising campaign run by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and The British Horse Society (BHS),
Money donated from the general public, along with funding from The Horse Trust, has already allowed scientists at the AHT to develop a diagnostic blood test which gives results in 24 hours. The blood test was launched in February 2008 and since then more than 6,700 samples have been tested.
HRH The Princess Royal, who launched the 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' campaign, said: "As an owner who has seen my own horse's affected by this terrible disease, it's wonderful to see such progress being made in a relatively short time.
"The screening test enables owners to know within 24 hours if any of their horses have been exposed to this bacterium. Previously available tests would have taken three to four days. The test is making a real difference in welfare and economic terms for all those involved in the equine industry. It truly is groundbreaking."
The success of this diagnostic work, along with other AHT research, has attracted further funding for the project from the Wellcome Trust in the form of a £580,000 Translation Award.
Professor Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the AHT, said: "The main problem with Strangles is the time taken to diagnose it. The current blood test is a big step forward, but the culture and DNA tests, which are often used in the initial stages of an outbreak can take a couple of days to get results."
The Translation Award means the AHT can reduce the time taken to perform its DNA diagnostic test and ultimately produce a point-of-care test that vets can use on site to get a diagnosis in 30 minutes. Earlier diagnosis will allow owners to isolate horses sooner and minimise the spread of infection. It will further reduce welfare problems for horses and the cost to their owners.
The AHT and Atlas Genetics will design and validate the point-of-care diagnostic test over the next two years. It is hoped that the test could be mass produced and widely available by 2012.
Professor Waller added: "This technology will be fantastic. It will be hugely beneficial for other diseases too, of both veterinary and clinical importance. Without the money raised through the 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' campaign, we wouldn't have made as much progress. On behalf of horses and horse owners worldwide, I'd like to thank everyone who has donated."
The 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' campaign reached its fundraising target of £250,000 in just two years, demonstrating how important to horse owners it is to get to grips with this terrible disease.
For more information, see: http://www.strangles.org