VetZ and Croft Veterinary Referrals have launched a new orthopaedic image gallery on VetSurgeon.org
The gallery, which can be found here, includes reference x-rays for normal joints in cats and dogs as well as some of the more common 'abnormals', prepared by VetSurgeon member Malcolm Ness BVetMed, CertSAO, FRCVS, DECVS, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics), European Specialist in Surgery (Small Animal).
Images in the gallery were produced, stored and managed using EasyVet, XDR and EasyImage from VetZ.
I'm delighted by the addition of this second reference gallery on VetSurgeon, to join Mike Martin's Cardiology Gallery. It's another great example of how, as the VetSurgeon community grows, so it offers an increasingly valuable information resource for its members.
Normally, students would be required to complete a minimum of 38 weeks of EMS throughout their degree programme in order to gain real-life work experience to enhance their university-based studies.
Under the circumstances, however, Council has decided to allow a temporary flexibility around completion of EMS:
RCVS President Niall Connell said: “Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) are an important and valued part of the veterinary programme, and all students are required to complete a total of 38 weeks across the full programme.
“However, the health and safety of students and staff are paramount, and we are aware that a number of restrictions are being put in place at this time to ensure their safety and minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission.”
These measures will be subject to further review/extension depending upon the prevailing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. The RCVS will monitor the impact of this through EMS completion data provided by UK veterinary schools.
Regarding final exams and assessment, the College says it may be necessary for UK veterinary schools to consider alternative methods to assess students in certain areas, but that UK veterinary schools should continue to ensure that any alternative assessment methods continue to be robust, valid and reliable, and ensure students have met the RCVS Day One Competences.
The measures agreed by RCVS Council will allow UK-practising members to spread the cost of renewal over three instalments: paying 50% of the full cost by 30th April, 25% by 30th September, and the remaining 25% by 31st December.
Kit Sturgess, Treasurer, said: “We recognise that most veterinary businesses will be seeing a downtown during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, especially as veterinary practices reduce their workloads to emergency-only procedures or those that can be classed as urgent. Furthermore, we understand that many individual veterinary surgeons will no longer be working, and that this will cause financial difficulties for many vets and their families.
"We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the profession, and as part of our compassionate approach to regulation we wanted to do our bit to help people manage the difficult financial consequences of the coronavirus crisis, and to help them to return to work as soon as Government advice allows. While fees for veterinary nurses are not due until the end of the year, we will keep the impact of the coronavirus pandemic under review on an ongoing basis.”
Any UK-practising member wishing to switch to the payment-by-instalments system should cancel their existing Direct Debits immediately (the College has already temporarily deferred these direct debits for around 10-14 days to allow time for them to be cancelled).
The College says that any member who does not pay the first instalment of 50% of the total fee by the end of April will need to pay the full amount in one instalment by the end of May. Should they then fail to make this payment, the College would then have to remove their name from the Register.
Those who pay the initial 50% instalment but fail to pay one or both of the subsequent 25% instalments will be moved to the non-practising Register for up to one year. This would mean that they could transfer back to the UK-practising Register without incurring a restoration fee. However, they would no longer legally be entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon while on the non-practising Register until they had paid the retention fee in full and been transferred back to the UK-practising Register.
RCVS Council also agreed that the higher fee that usually applies for late payments, ie those made between 1 May and 30 May, will not be applied to any category of membership this year.
Members can opt to move to the new arrangements or continue with full payment. Details of how to pay under the new arrangements will be sent to members shortly. Any member who has already paid their fee in full and would like to switch to the payment-by-instalments mechanism should contact the College on refunds@rcvs.org.uk.
Further details about the scheme are available in a detailed Frequently Asked Questions guide via www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
COMMENTIt has been argued that at a time when many veterinary surgeons have lost a significant part of their livelihood, the College should have gone further and reduced the renewal fees, at least for the period of time that vets' earning ability is compromised. I'm not qualified to judge whether the College could have afforded that, and a spokesman would only say: "...we have to work within the framework of the legislation and the statutory instrument and, given this, the measures that RCVS Council has put in place is a reasonable outcome and will assist veterinary surgeons who may be struggling during these very tough times."
The Society for Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has published its 2015 Fee Survey, which has revealed an increasing divergence between fees charged for routine and unroutine procedures in small animal practice.
SPVS says that small animal practices accounted for the largest proportion of responses to its survey, and that 75.9% of them had increased their fees during the last 12 months. When comparing a 'bundle' price comprising a kitten vaccination course, puppy vaccination course, cat spay, dog spay and consultation, the increase was 4.09%. However SPVS notes that this increase may be artificially low, as it relates to the sort of procedures that are regularly quoted and may therefore be constrained by the marketplace.
Perhaps more revealingly, whilst routine procedures such as vaccination had risen 3.3%, non routine procedures had risen by considerably more: pyometras were up 15.6%, cat dentals were up 17.5% and out-of-hours callouts were up 18.6%.
Equine fees showed an overall drop of 3.5% on the bundle price comprising initial routine examination, five-stage PPE, routine dental examination and float, a colic examination and the cost of sedation / waiting. Although many of the individual equine procedures showed a fee decrease, 79% of equine practices reported that they had increased fees over the past year. The largest decrease in equine fees was for sedating a horse and waiting while the horse was clipped or treated by an equine dental technician, with the fee charged being 12.5% less than last year and ranging from £12.50 to £93.82. Conversely, conducting an ultrasound scan of a mare for pregnancy had increased by 17.3% and ranged from £20 to £62.36.
For large animal vets, the fees are more tightly constrained by the commercial realities of farming and the range of fees quoted tends to be lower. This year, the overall price rise for the bundle of fees comprising routine calving, foot trimming, elective Caesarean and hourly rates for fertility work and herd health schemes was 4.1%. However, only 47.8% of large animal practices reported an increase in fees charged over the last twelve months. The largest increase reported was for paring the hind feet of a cow without sedation, which was up 24.4% and ranged in price from £19 to £70, while issuing a prescription to a farm animal client had decreased by 1.6% and ranged in price from 0 to £48.
Nick Stuart, SPVS president said: "We all know the industry is facing real challenges and this is reflected in the fee survey, with equine practices in particular decreasing many of their prices on last year. However the survey also shows that the fees vets charge vary widely, particularly in the small animal sector. While some of this can be accounted for by differing overheads, it does provide a fascinating insight into the various financial models that exist and challenges practice owners to review how they construct their fees. It also suggests that there is scope for practices to grow their profitability and understanding the market will help them with this.
"We have a new benchmarking service from Veterinary Insights that will help practices to set more accurate fee levels and we will be developing our fee survey further so that it dovetails with this service. I would urge practices to join SPVS and access the invaluable data we produce to help them grow their businesses."
For more information, a copy of the survey, or to join SPVS visit www.spvs.org.uk
The questionnaire asks you about your perceptions of the PDP, with a focus on the guidance made available both by the RCVS and where applicable the resources provided by the BSAVA.
The company stresses that the survey is confidential, and results will be reported in aggregate only; no individual will be identified. It takes 5 minutes and the results will be used to help evaluate and improve the PDP in the future.
Graduates who are currently or have recently completed the PDP are invited to share their views on the PDP: http://app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/1141621/9038/
Employers / mentors of veterinary graduates are invited to share their views on the PDP here: http://app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/1141665/288d/
Virbac Animal Health has developed a 'Yield Wheel' to show vets the additional income that farmers can achieve through taking a tailored and more flexible approach to the management of their dairy herd through the dry period.
The company says this approach is made easier using its Cephaguard DC dry cow therapy.
While a 60 day drying off period is required for some cows, others may not need to be withdrawn from milk production for the full period, including those with a high body condition score in late lactation, high yielders and older healthy cows with an increased tendency for weight gain. For cows in these categories, a shorter drying off period can mean additional days of milk production and extra income for the farmer with no negative impact on future lactations or the cow's overall health.
The Yield Wheel shows how production and income can be maximised on a sliding scale from a standard 60 day drying off period down to 36 days, the shortest drying off period. It also shows the benefits which can be gained in terms of reduced discarded milk days in the case of cows with an unclear calving date.
Cephaguard DC dry cow therapy is the most recent entrant to the dry cow therapy market. With its 35+1 day withdrawal period in milk, Virbac says it offers farmers increased flexibility for the management of dry periods.
Brigitte Goasduf, Ruminants Product Manager at Virbac said: "For dairy farmers, it's all about milk. They're looking to optimise production and reduce waste while also ensuring that they treat infections effectively at drying off and prevent new infections which may reduce yield during the next lactation.
We've produced the Yield Wheel to highlight the tangible benefits of taking a customised and more flexible approach to drying off using Cephaguard DC. The data is provided in a practical and straightforward way and demonstrates the potential yield benefits that can be achieved from an overall herd management and income perspective. We hope it will prove a useful tool."
An ectoparasitology working group has been set up to provide a set of practical guidelines for veterinary surgeons across Europe.
The group, which has been established to bring together best practice strategies in the light of changing ectoparasite threats met for the first time earlier this year.
Headed by Doctor Marie-Christine Cadiergues, lecturer, researcher and Professor in dermatology at the National Veterinary School of Toulouse in France, and hosted by Virbac, the group of six leading independent experts from across Europe - including Dr Ross Bond from the RVC - has been tasked with developing strategies which can be applied by vets when advising their clients.
Virbac's small animal ectoparasitology product manager Victoria Hudson explains that using evidence-based data where possible, the aim of the group is to produce a clear, practical set of guidelines: "These will cover treatment efficacy, practicability for client education and compliance, impact in terms of animal welfare, public health and potential resistance, and a decision tree covering a wide range of scenario presentations to define the optimal antiparasitic treatment options."
Dr Bond adds that despite the very common occurrence of flea and tick infestations in pets, control strategies can be challenging depending on individual circumstances of the case: "It is anticipated that these guidelines will assist busy veterinary practitioners in their selection of the optimal control strategy."
An initial report is expected in the press in a few weeks time.
Merial has announced the UK launch of updated ProteqFlu, the first and only EI vaccine in Europe to contain a clade 2 strain.
The company says the new vaccine is also the only one that is fully compliant with the latest 2014 OIE recommended EIV strains.
Louise Radford MRCVS from Merial said: "The launch marks the UK's first and only fully updated equine flu vaccine that contains both a Clade 1 and Clade 2 antigen which includes protection against the latest Florida Clade 2 strain, Richmond 07. This is a significant step for horse health, and the equine industry as a whole."
Hervé Poulet, Merial's head of BioDevelopment and BioResearch said: "Merial has developed strong and unique expertise in the development of non-replicative recombinant canarypox virus-vectored vaccines for various species and diseases.
"For the development of ProteqFlu, our non-replicative recombinant canarypox vector expressing the EI virus haemagglutinin (HA) is used because of its ability to induce a strong cellular immunity which is an essential component in protecting against this highly contagious disease."
Louise added: "ProteqFlu has also demonstrated its success and efficacy in real outbreaks, particularly during the last major outbreak, in Australia in 2007. ProteqFlu was the only vaccine chosen for the eradication programme."
The Fear Free movement was founded in 2016 by US veterinary surgeon Dr Marty Becker.
Marty said: “Just like with humans, a pet can’t be optimally healthy unless they’re also happy.
"Fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) raise the levels of hormones that are destructive to both the body and mind.
"Fear Free uses clinically proven protocols to remove or reduce FAS triggers, it takes steps to mitigate FAS so that the pet feels safe and calm during a veterinary visit.”
Since launch, over 320,000 veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners have registered for Fear Free’s programmes and courses, and Fear Free says it has become the accepted gold standard within North American veterinary practices.
Yvette Rowntree, Clinic Director at Harrison Family Vets in Reading, said: “This accreditation process has taken everything we do to the next level.
"With open and honest team conversations, development of realistic protocols and a subtle change in behaviours to ensure we always put the pet first within a supportive work environment, our entire team has worked hard to achieve this certification.”
Operations Director, Kristie Faulkner, from Harrison Family Vets, said: “Although it was possible for individuals to be Fear Free certified, this is the first time an entire practice has become certified.
"We have worked very closely with the Fear Free team during the past several months to enable detailed inspection and certification to take place, and we now intend for our other practices, in Dudley, Didsbury, Stockton, and Doncaster, to each reach this standard and become officially certified in the immediate future.”
Fear Free’s CEO, Randy Valpy, said: “Harrison Family Vets’ certification is part of the Fear Free expansion into the UK, New Zealand and Australia and we are absolutely thrilled to have the Reading practice as our first UK Fear Free Certified Veterinary Practice.
"We now plan to certify further practices in the UK and support veterinary professionals who have the relevant knowledge and techniques to practise quality medicine, as well as understanding how to develop the utmost consideration for patient’s emotional health as well.”
https://fearfreepets.com
Academics from the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences and the neurology team at Southmead Hospital Bristol have published the results of study examining the use of percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) therapy as a treatment for headshaking syndrome in horses.
The authors say that the condition, a neuropathic facial pain syndrome, often leaves affected horses impossible to ride and dangerous to handle, and can result in euthanasia. At present there are no consistently safe and effective methods for the treatment of headshaking in horses, and the condition is estimated to affect between 10,000 and 20,000 horses in the UK.
The study, which is published in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ), aimed to discover whether PENS therapy, developed by Algotec Research and Development Ltd, is safe, effective and sustainable for the management of trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses.
Seven horses diagnosed with trigeminal-mediated headshaking were recruited to the trial. All procedures were carried out in sedated horses with a needle-prick sized area of skin desensitised with local anaesthetic to help probe insertion. A disposable PENS probe was placed just beneath the skin adjacent to the nerve under ultrasonographic guidance. The nerve was stimulated for 25 minutes following a protocol of alternating frequencies and a perception threshold based on human clinical data. The probe was removed and the procedure repeated on the other side. Three or four treatments were used during the protocol, with treatments being repeated when signs of headshaking recurred.
All horses tolerated the procedure well. Three horses developed a haematoma at the site on one occasion and two had increased clinical signs for up to three days following first treatment. Six horses responded well after the first treatment and returned to ridden work at the same level before headshaking began. Five horses continued to respond to further treatment.
Veronica Roberts, Senior Clinical Fellow in Equine Medicine in the University's School of Veterinary Sciences, who led the study, said: "Headshaking in horses is a major welfare issue and can be a significant cause of distress.
"Although it is clear that further work is required, including increasing the number of cases and refining the treatment procedures, the study shows that PENS therapy should be the first-line treatment for trigeminal-mediated headshakers, which have failed to respond to conservative treatment, such as nose-nets."
Reference
Ceva Animal Health has announced the winners of its 2014 Animal Welfare Awards. The awards recognise volunteers, charity workers and veterinary professionals who have gone the extra mile in improving animal welfare around the world. Winners were decided by a panel of industry professionals, including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc and Claire Bessant of International Cat Care.
The winners of the 2014 Ceva Animal Welfare Awards were as follows:Christopher Laurence Vet of the Year AwardMarc Abraham, veterinary surgeon and founder of Pup Aid, for his tireless campaigning about puppy farming. He recently gathered more than the 100,000 names required to trigger a parliamentary debate about puppy farming in a record breaking six months.
Volunteer of the Year Welfare AwardJohanna Beumer from Whittingham Kennels, Essex, for dedicating the last 50 years of her life to finding loving homes for retired racing greyhounds. Joanna is one of the Retired Greyhound Trust's longest-serving volunteers.
Farm Animal Welfare AwardMolly McKay from Norfolk Farm Vets Ltd, Norfolk, for her tireless work to ensure the health and wellbeing of her farm animal patients.
Charity Professional of the YearLuke Gamble MRCVS from the Worldwide Veterinary Service, for raising awareness about animal welfare and in particular his recent work in launching Mission Rabies, a worldwide campaign to highlight this issue and bring about control.
Charity Team of the YearHope Rescue, a small charity dedicated to rescuing stray and abandoned dogs. Last year it successfully rehomed 143 dogs and on top of that placed a further 384 dogs with reputable rescues.
Welfare Nurse of the Year AwardJodie Foster from Haygate Veterinary Centre, Muxton, for her work helping owners whose pets have behavioural problems, and organising blood drives for the Pet Blood bank.
International Cat Care Welfare AwardAgnes Dufau from Plataforma Gatera for her work to ensure the welfare of cats in Spain.
Jodie Foster said: "I didn't even know I had been nominated until very recently so I'm still in shock! I'm loving every minute of the night though. Awards like these really help raise awareness of the work veterinary nurses and other veterinary professionals play in improving animal welfare."
Upon receiving their award, Vanessa Waddon of Hope Rescue, winners of the Charity Team of the Year Award, said: "We are so proud to have been recognised for all the hard work that our volunteers and one paid member of staff do. We are a very small charity, and it is amazing to have been picked as winners over hundreds of other larger charities, all deserving of awards for the fantastic work they do in animal welfare. Even though we are a small charity, we do try to make a big impact and it is wonderful that Ceva are here in recognition of the important work that smaller charities, like Hope Rescue, do."
Ceva Managing Director, Alan Doyle said: "The judging panel were overwhelmed by the quality of the entries we received this year. It is truly wonderful to read so many stories about honourable people dedicating their time to improve the welfare of animals both in the UK and internationally. The judges had a tough time whittling down the short list as there were so many well-deserved entries; however we are pleased with the final result."
Claire Bessant CEO of International Cat Care adds: "I began my charity career more than 20 years ago and I only wish awards like these one had existed then as the wonderful work that these people do needs celebrating. Ceva's Animal Welfare Awards provide a real insight into the lengths people are prepared go to improve animal welfare. The stories were both tear jerking and inspiring - each and every one deserves to be a winner."
To celebrate the launch of its brand new keep reproduction simple advertisement campaign, CEVA Animal Health is giving British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) Congress delegates the chance to win an iPod by entering a special spot the sperm competition.
BCVA Congress runs from 26-28 November 2009 in Southport. Delegates just need to spot five sperm lurking in the banner-sized cartoon for CEVA's GnRH product Ovarelin®. The correct answers will be entered into a draw to win an iPod.
The company says its new ad campaign brings together a series of cartoons with a clever play on words to highlight the importance of a simple protocol for success with reproduction. You can follow this irresistibull series in the farm media throughout the autumn.
For further information contact your local CEVA representative or CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG, www.ceva.uk.com
Preoperative fasting to reduce the likelihood of gastroesophageal reflux, regurgitation, emesis and aspiration of gastric contents during anaesthesia is routine, but research on the topic is currently thin on the ground.
The survey aims to obtain information on current preoperative fasting recommendations and protocols in dogs and cats which will enable the expansion of knowledge on common practice. Kat (pictured right) said: "It will also allow me to compare current practice to the literature to examine the use of evidence-based practice. It may also highlight areas requiring improvement in small animal practice to ensure patient health and welfare."
The anonymous questionnaire is aimed at a number of veterinary staff including registered veterinary surgeons, nurses, students, animal care assistants, veterinary care assistants and reception/administration staff, as all are involved in giving advice and instructions to clients on this topic.
Kat plans to share significant findings with the profession in due course.
To take part in the survey, visit: https://harper-adams.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/preoperative-fasting-duration-questionnaire
The survey will close on Friday 14th August 2020 at 5:00pm.
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1CPD was launched in 2020 with the aim of providing an easy-to-use platform for veterinary surgeons to use to plan, record and reflect on their continuing professional development (CPD).
The workshops, which are taking place on Wednesday 9th December 2020, are designed to help those who are not yet familiar with the platform, or have some limited experience of it but would like some additional guidance.
The first workshop takes place at midday and is for those members of the profession who haven’t yet used the platform. The session will give an overview of how 1CPD works and the benefits of using it for planning, recording and reflecting on CPD. No prior knowledge is assumed, and complete beginners are especially welcome. There'll be an opportunity to ask questions.
The second workshop takes place at 7pm and is for those who have some experience of using 1CPD but may have further questions, for example, about how to use some of its features such as the planning module and how to best make use of the reflective notes and comments feature.
Both of the workshops will last for approximately an hour each.
Susan Paterson, Chair of the RCVS Education Committee, said: “We’ve seen fantastic take up of the 1CPD platform in less than a year – with around 65% of UK-practising veterinary surgeons and an amazing 80% of veterinary nurses using it to plan, record and reflect on their professional development. The feedback that we receive has been overwhelmingly positive, with the even the more technically-challenged amongst us finding 1CPD intuitive.
"Although the numbers are very encouraging, there is a cohort of people who have not yet actively engaged with the platform and maybe are unsure about using it or are put off by the thought of having to learn how to use a brand new online system. The aim of these workshops is to guide and reassure those who are hesitant that the 1CPD system is very simple and easy-to-use with lots of useful features. In the long run, it will save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to recording your CPD because it’s there on your phone or tablet, ready to update as-and-when you need to."
Richard Burley, Chief Technology Officer for the RCVS, added: “We are very glad that the 1CPD platform developed by our team here has been so well received. We are continuing to improve and update the platform based on user feedback to improve its design and usability and would welcome any further constructive comments that members of the professions have about it. We do hope you those who are both unfamiliar with the system, and those who have used it but need further advice, can join us for these sessions to find out both how to use 1CPD and how to get the best out of it.”
To sign up to one of the workshops, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/events/1cpd-online-workshop.
For those who aren’t able to make it on the day, recorded versions of all of the workshops will be made available to watch again after the event.
To download 1CPD as an app for use on iOS (Apple) or Android devices, or to access the web version, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/1CPD
The course explains what to expect if you’re a veterinary surgeon who has had a concern raised about them.
Clare Stringfellow, Case Manager in the RCVS Professional Conduct Team, said: "We appreciate that concerns can be very worrying, and we hope that, through this course, we can give vets and nurses a better understanding of the process and how to obtain additional support.
“The course will allow participants to understand the different stages involved and the key activities that happen at each point, as well as detailing some of the common concerns we receive and how these are dealt with.”
The CPD course, which includes film and audio content, takes about 30 minutes to complete.
https://academy.rcvs.org.uk
Avacta Animal Health and the University of Leicester have announced the development of a new, user-friendly electronic system for diagnosing lymphoma in dogs in the early stages, and for remission monitoring.
Marketed as cLBT (canine lymphoma blood test), this is the first test of its kind to track the remission monitoring status of a dog after undergoing chemotherapy. The test detects the levels of two biomarkers, the acute phase proteins C-Reactive Protein and Haptoglobin.
The new test represents the fruits of a collaboration between Avacta and the University of Leicester in which the company collected a substantial library of biological samples, and the University then brought its statistical and data processing techniques to bear.
Alexander Gorban, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Leicester, said: "This was a very interesting project, and Avacta was a very dedicated, focused company, with clear goals and objectives. There were very important and useful ideas and concepts involved in the study, and it was a pleasure to know that our expertise as a department was needed and could be utilised through working alongside Avacta's professional expertise.
"The project was very successful, and we would be very glad to welcome more partnerships of this type as it has also been very beneficial to the reputation of the University of Leicester's Department of Mathematics. The project involved full academic and commercial success, which has included a full academic cycle as well as full software development, which makes it an incredibly diverse project to have worked on."
Chief Scientific Officer at Avacta Animal Health, Kevin Slater, said: "The collaboration we have with the University of Leicester's Department of Mathematics is having a dramatic impact on the types of new tests that we can offer to vets and their owners. We are already widening the application of multivariate analysis to other diseases which commonly affect our pets, and subsequently, this work could also have benefits to human health."
The paper 'Computational diagnosis and risk evaluation for canine Lymphoma' by E.M. Mirkes, I. Alexandrakis, K. Slater, R. Tuli and A.N. Gorban has been published in the academic journal Computers for Biology and Medicine and is available at the following location: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2014.08.006
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) have announced that today marks the declaration of the eradication of rinderpest, one of the world's most dreaded animal diseases.
The BVA likened this announcement in the history of animal health to that of the eradication of smallpox in humans.
The announcement came during the 79th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), held in Paris. The global freedom status will be ratified by Ministers of Agriculture at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conference in June.
Rinderpest, also known as cattle plague, has ravaged cattle and the human populations that depend on them throughout history. It was rinderpest that led to the formation of the OIE in 1924 following a new incursion of the rinderpest virus in Europe, via the port of Antwerp.
Dr Peter Roeder, who was Secretary of the Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme from 2000 to 2007, said: "Once a dream, rinderpest eradication is now a reality. Not only does this magnificent achievement help to protect the livelihoods of many millions of livestock-dependent farmers but, because it removes a serious constraint to livestock trade, it has a major positive impact on many countries' economies. If we can truly learn the lessons from rinderpest eradication there is no reason why we couldn't see other diseases brought to global extinction with similar pro-poor and economic impact."
BVA President Harvey Locke added: "This monumental achievement testifies to the dedication of the veterinary services of affected countries and illustrates how vets and veterinary science can have a global impact. With that in mind I am absolutely delighted that Dr Roeder will be presenting the plenary Wooldridge Memorial Lecture at this year's BVA Annual Congress. Entitled 'Making a global Impact' Dr Roeder will discuss how vets can contribute to disease control on a global scale.
"I should also like to pay tribute to two British veterinary surgeons who made seminal contributions to the global effort to eradicate rinderpest. Gordon Scott, a rinderpest researcher, and Walter Plowright who developed the tissue culture rinderpest vaccine, were both leading lights of the rinderpest eradication effort. Sadly they are no longer with us to witness this milestone in veterinary history."
As part of the BVA's celebration of World Veterinary Year Vet2011 and to further illustrate how vets and veterinary science can have a global impact the Overseas Group is organising on Friday 23 September a full day's programme at BVA Congress: exploring current issues concerning livestock and global food security, veterinary involvement in disaster relief and management, as well as a session celebrating 100 BVA overseas travel grants.
Photograph: Rinderpest virus, copyright held by dr. Rajnish Kaushik
The EAEVE (European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education) has granted full accreditation to the Royal Veterinary College.
The RVC is the only one in the world to have achieved full accreditation by EAEVE and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and full recognition by the UK's Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Accreditation by EAEVE provides Europe-wide assurance of academic standards. Three other European veterinary schools have achieved accredited status: Copenhagen, Helsinki and Zurich/Bern.
Over 100 students from Nottingham Vet Society will attempt the 3 Peaks Challenge by climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in under 24 hours on 10 March.
The funds raised will be split between VBF, the charity that supports veterinary professionals, and Medical Detection Dogs.
Online donations can be made at http://goo.gl/IkodW.
Lydia Brown, VBF President, said: "We are so grateful to the students involved who organized this off their own backs even though they don't have much free time. It augurs well for the future of the profession that they want to support their colleagues. I do hope they all make it back to Nottingham safely and I look forward to seeing the pictures on facebook.com/VetlifeVBF! "
Tom McKay, one of the students who organized the challenge, said: "We have really enjoyed the training and are reasonably optimistic we will make it back for our Easter placements!"
Dr. Tracy Hill, a specialist in internal medicine, has joined the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, bringing with her expertise in interventional radiology.
Tracy completed a fellowship in interventional radiology and endoscopy at the Animal Medical Centre in New York, will be researching new techniques in this developing field.
She will also work in the clinic at the School's Hospital for Small Animals and as a senior lecturer.
She said: "Interventional radiology is an emerging and expanding area in veterinary medicine. Interventional radiology employs the use of fluoroscopy and endoscopy to enable minimally invasive treatments for diseases in many body systems. These techniques often reduce morbidity, mortality, or cost associated with more invasive procedures. The Dick Vet has been performing interventional cardiac procedures for some time and we are looking to expand this field into treatment of non-cardiac diseases."
Tracy, who carried out her residency in small animal internal medicine at North Carolina State University, where she also completed a PhD, will help the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh to provide interventional radiology procedures.
This includes a minimally invasive treatment for certain liver shunts using a procedure only being regularly performed at a handful of veterinary hospitals in the world. In this procedure, fluoroscopic guidance is used to access the abnormal vessels in the abdomen via a catheter placed in the jugular vein in the neck. The abnormal shunt vessel is then closed using coil embolization, without the need for abdominal surgery.
Tracey said: "I am delighted to join the Dick Vet. There is no denying the expertise at the vet school, as well as its partnership with The Roslin Institute for research."
Ceva Animal Health has rebranded its nutraceutical supplements for cats and dogs under its Logic brand.
The new Logic range, which previously included the company's dental products, now includes Logic Diar-Stop (previously known as Diarsanyl Plus) for digestive health, Logic Flexivet, a joint supplement and Logic Senilife, a nutraceutical which Ceva says has been shown to manage the signs of brain ageing.
The range is available in consumer-friendly packaging and a merchandising unit is available to showcase the products in practice.
Claire Russell, consumer product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "The new Logic range provides veterinary practices with an extensive portfolio of respected veterinary strength supplements and dental products, with more exciting and innovative products to come in the pipeline."
For further information on the Logic range, visit www.logicforpets.co.uk, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager or call Ceva's customer support team on 01494 781510.
Royal Canin is running summer marketing campaign focusing on felines, to help small animal practices further develop their relationships with cat-owning customers.
The 'Summer of the Cat' campaign runs till the end of August and aims to help practices boost sales with an offer of £10.99 on 1.5kg bags from the VCN Neutered range, as well as money off next purchases if bought at the same practice, to encourage return custom. The campaign is being supported with a free display package (consisting of products, posters, a temporary cardboard stand and other point of sale items) to provide maximum impact in the waiting room.
In addition, Royal Canin is rewarding clients already using its diets. The first 100 pet owners at every practice that buy any bag of Royal Canin cat food during July and August will be able to feed a homeless cat in a rescue centre on Royal Canin food for a day, and to vote for their 'rescue cat of the year' (the rescue centre of the winning cat will get food to feed up to 50 cats for a month).
Veterinary Marketing Manager, Marianne Lomberg, said: "The RSPCA has reported an 8% increase in cats entering their rescue centres from 2010 to 2012 and the trend continues. We want to help by supporting local rescue centres across the UK and Ireland. With every purchase of Royal Canin cat food during our Summer of the Cat campaign, practice customers can donate a day's worth of Royal Canin cat food to a local rescue centre."
Another part of the campaign this year is promoting responsible and respectful cat ownership. Royal Canin is doing this by giving participating practices 20 flyers for their clients to use to register at www.catwyse.co.uk - a new online cat owner education programme covering topics such as choosing a cat, grooming and managing your cat's weight.
Finally, Royal Canin is rewarding practices for the best Summer of the Cat display. Send your Veterinary Business Manager a photo of your waiting room display and you'll get a £10 high street voucher and be entered into the best display competition to win an additional £100 in high street vouchers.
Marianne added: "We know that the best way to get cats and their owners to love our diets is to try them, because their quality, benefits for the cat's health and great taste speak for themselves. Therefore, this year's campaign aims to encourage cat owners to trial our products whilst also rewarding the loyalty of our existing customers and their practices by supporting rescue centres local to them."
For more information, contact your Veterinary Business Manager.
Ceva Animal Health has launched a new travel size 20ml bottle of Feliway Spray to help cat owners keep their pet comfortable whilst travelling this summer.
To promote the launch Ceva is giving away thousands of prizes to Feliway customers, offering them the chance to win a top prize of a spa day at Champneys, cat carriers, soft toys and travel stickers, whilst stocks last. To take part, customers need to enter their unique pack code via the Feliway Facebook page to toss an online coin to see what they have won.
In addition, veterinary surgeries that purchase a 12 pack of the 20ml spray will get a second 12 pack free.
Julia Wood, product manager at Ceva said: "Transporting cats even short distances, for necessary trips to the vet, cattery or to a local show, can easily become a nightmare for both the cat and the owner. We've introduced the new travel size spray to make it even more convenient for cat owners when they are on the move and we hope the extra competition incentive will drive sales for veterinary clinics."
Vetoquinol has announced that packs of Rubenal 300mg are now available in bottles of 60 tablets instead of the previous 20.
Rubenal, which was launched earlier this year, is a complementary nutritional feeding stuff for the support of renal function in case of chronic renal insufficiency in dogs and cats. It is used as an aid to the maintenance of the normal renal fibrous architecture.
Simon Boulton, Rubenal's product manager said: "This increased pack size is a direct result of customer consultation. It will make treatment more cost effective for dogs and allow a longer treatment period per pack purchased."
For further information please contact your Vetoquinol representative or telephone 0800 1698197.
Specifically, the statement explains that:
Vets will risk assess each case and exercise their clinical and professional judgement to decide whether face-to-face treatment or care is essential or whether services could be provided remotely. These assessments will vary across the country due to local disease risks. They will also vary between clients due to individual circumstances.
On the specific issue of pet vaccinations, BVA guidance says that following a risk assessment both for animal health and welfare and with regard to Covid-19, some vaccinations could go ahead. But this does not mean that all vaccinations now have to be, or should be, carried out. Vets will risk assess each case to decide whether certain vaccinations are essential at this time.
BVA is asking all animal owners to respect their vets’ clinical and professional judgement and be patient during this time.