Developed by Nottingham Vet School’s Ruminant Population Health Group, the calculator is an online tool that veterinary surgeons and farmers can use 'in the field' to measure and monitor their prescribing and use of antibiotics in dairy cattle. It is available to download free at: https://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/technical-information/animal-health-welfare/amu-calculator/
The development follows a new study by the Nottingham Vet School showing that, in a large sample of dairy farms, 25% of farms used 50% of the total antibiotics used across all farms in a year – with antibiotic footbaths accounting for the biggest volume dispersed into the food chain. The study is published in the Veterinary Record1.
Senior Clinical Training Scholar and veterinary surgeon Robert Hyde said: "We felt it was crucial to provide the means with which to benchmark antimicrobial usage on farms, so that veterinarians and farmers can begin to monitor, and reduce, their levels of antimicrobial usage in a rational manner.
"Our new study provides the first published research into antimicrobial use in British dairy herds as well as factors associated with high usage. We looked at a sample of 358 dairy farms, over a 12-month period, with the total number of cattle being around 81,000 (7% of dairy cows in England). The survey found that most of the antibiotic use was via injections, which accounted for around 78% of the total antibiotics used or sold to the farms."
"What stood out as particularly surprising was the effects of the use of antibiotics in footbaths for conditions like digital dermatitis. Footbaths for cattle can use phenomenal quantities of antimicrobials, and represent an obvious target for the rapid reduction of antimicrobial usage."
Specialist cattle vet and Clinical Assistant Professor John Remnant from Nottingham Vet School said: “We need to be reducing the use of antibiotics on farms to the lowest level we can, but without failing to treat sick animals and reducing welfare standards. This means preventing disease – an area our research group has worked on for many years. Antibiotic use on UK dairy farms has been falling in recent years, as farmers and vets make efforts to turn towards prevention instead of treatment.
"The government has recently published figures showing the sale of antibiotics for food-producing animals has fallen from 62mg per kg of animal to 45mg per kg in the past two years but this is sales, not usage as we know some of the antibiotic products bought won’t be used. This is why our new study combined with the new online AMU tool is so important in helping farmers and vets instigate a more efficient protocol for the treatment of dairy cattle."
Edward Bailey from the George Veterinary Group in Wiltshire is already using the AMU calculator. He said: "This new tool is proving really useful to compare antimicrobial use between farms. It has helped cut through the confusion of different systems of measurement. It has been easier to effect change being able to display graphically to farmers their critically important antimicrobial usage and how particular patterns of use (e.g. footbath) can hugely affect how they compare with others."
Around 50 veterinary practices have already begun using the AMU calculator but the researchers say that antimicrobial benchmarking needs to happen a national level for the system to have maximum impact on antibiotic use in the cattle sector.
Reference
If you buy 12 bags from the listed Veterinary Care Nutrition and Satiety Range, you'll get three outers of feline wet food free. Order a minimum of 12 bags and you'll also get a free standing display unit, twelve 50th Anniversary tins and a 50th Anniversary promotional pack. If you buy another eight bags from the listed Canine and Feline Veterinary Care Nutrition and Clinical range, you'll get one box of 12 Anniversary Tins free.
The 50th anniversary promotion pack includes bunting, a window cling, bag stickers and posters.
Erin Biss, Marketing Executive at Royal Canin, said: "50 years on, we continue to put science at the heart of everything we do. From our specially developed diets, to investment in education, supporting important research projects and collaborating with the UK’s universities. We hope vet practices around the UK will join us in celebrating this milestone.”
For more information about Royal Canin's 50th anniversary offer, speak to your Veterinary Business Manager.
Robexera is a COX2 NSAID formulation which delivers anti-inflammatory pain relief with a once-a-day dosing regime2,3,4.
The product is presented as a flavoured chewable tablet for easier administration by pet owners.
For simplicity when dispensing, it comes in four strengths with colour coded boxes, perforated blisters and a set of PIL sheets that convert to prescribing envelopes in each pack.
Charlotte Read, Krka’s UK Key Account Manager, said: “Delivering reliable, cost-effective perioperative pain relief for soft tissue surgery is an everyday concern for veterinary practices, while OA is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs5.
"This is why we’re particularly pleased to announce the first generic robenacoxib, Robexera.
“Bioequivalent to the originator product6, Robexera provides fast-acting and targeted pain relief, giving enhanced value to veterinary practices and enabling them to offer their clients improved affordability, particularly for those whose animals are on long term pain-management programmes or have other health issues.”
Viktor Kozjan, General Manager Krka UK, added: “The launch of Robexera is further confirmation of Krka’s commitment to develop solutions that are tried and trusted but also flexible and affordable for our customers and their clients.”
Robexera is now available to order from all national UK veterinary wholesalers.
References
For the study1, 158 cows presented with active DD (M1, M2 or M4.1 stage) and were randomly allocated to either the control or the treatment group.
All cows were treated with a topical application of oxytetracycline spray.
The treatment group also received an intramuscular injection of Ketofen 10% solution for injection (ketoprofen 3mg/kg).
Cows were mobility scored just before they were treated and then again one week later.
The results indicated that animals in the control group were 2.57 times more likely to be lame at the second evaluation compared to those that received Ketofen, however cows that were lame in the control group prior to treatment and did not receive Ketofen were over 20 times more likely to remain lame a week post-treatment compared to cows that did receive Ketofen.
The same study all showed a milk yield benefit overall; treated cows produced 2.98 kg more milk than control cows (T = 45.35 C = 42.37, p<0.01).
When only lame fresh cows were considered, there was a 10.49kg increase in milk yield (T = 58.38 C = 47.89 p<0.05).
Nick Bell MA, VetMB, PhD, PGCert Vet Ed, FHEA, DipECAWBM(AWSEL), MRCVS, veterinary surgeon and director of Herd Health Consultancy, said: “We’ve widely recognised the importance of NSAIDs for treating claw lesions, which are primarily inflammatory conditions, but this study is the first real insight into how important NSAIDs are for any lesion, including digital dermatitis, particularly if the cow is showing signs of lameness.
"This research provides a clear welfare justification for giving NSAIDs to dairy cows with active digital dermatitis lesions, with significant milk yield benefits.”
Katherine Timms BVetMed(Hons) MRCVS, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health said: “While it is recognised that some stages of digital dermatitis are painful, there has been little research to determine the value of including analgesia in the treatment of the condition.
“This study suggests that the use of Ketofen in the treatment of pain and lameness associated with active digital dermatitis lesions may be beneficial for animal welfare as it is associated with an improvement in mobility scores.”
Kruuse has launched the Buster Premium Dog Collar, described as the greatest innovation in Elizabethan dog collars since the original.
The company says the new collar has been designed with two things in mind. First and foremost, patient comfort. Secondly, ease-of-use. Both should help improve compliance.
The new product uses perforated neoprene to provide a snug fit round the neck with no need to attach a separate collar. It's fastened using Velcro, to give a quick but secure fitting. There's padded banding around the inner edge to provides extra comfort and prevent skin irritation, and additional banding around the outer edge to protect the dog's surroundings.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director at Kruuse said: "Worldwide, the Buster collar is the most trusted device to prevent canine patients from biting or licking their body or scratching their head and neck while wounds or injuries heal. The functionality of an e-collar is outstanding when it comes to postoperative care and prevention of self-inflicted trauma.
"The new Buster Premium Collar has been developed in association with vets, vet nurses and dog owners to provide an exceptional collar that is as stress-free as possible for the patient whilst providing exceptional functionality for the user both at the veterinary hospital and at home."
The Premium Buster Collar is available exclusively via NVS: www.vetwholesaler.co.uk
According to the company, a similar percentage of respondents believe that senior cats would benefit clinically if they monitored blood pressure routinely in their senior years, and nearly 85% said that anti-hypertensive medication would increase the quality of life for their patients.
Time constraints were cited as the main barrier to routinely measuring blood pressure, but all of those questioned would be happy for a trained RVN to measure blood pressure in cats.
Ceva highlights studies which show show that hypertension affects one in eight cats over nine years old3, with the risk increasing as cats age or if they have other conditions such as chronic kidney disease (where one in three cats suffer with hypertension) or overactive thyroid disease (where an estimated one in four cats suffer with hypertension)4, 5, 6.
Rosanne Jepson, specialist in small animal internal medicine at the Royal Veterinary College said: "High blood pressure can cause severe damage to key body organs including the eyes, kidneys, heart and brain. Unfortunately, it is a condition that develops insidiously without early warning signs for the cat owner; a cat may seem perfectly fine until either the blood pressure is checked, or serious consequences of hypertension suddenly occur."
With this in mind, Ceva says it will host the first Feline Hypertension Month this May, to raise awareness of hypertension and improve the detection and management of high blood pressure in cats.
The company is also encouraging practices to take part in the 'Mercury Challenge', a study it is launching in the summer which will, it says, be the largest-ever European study into feline hypertension.
For information on feline hypertension, Feline Hypertension Month or the Mercury Challenge, contact your local Ceva Animal Health account manager.
Somerset-based veterinary wholesaler, Centaur Services has been bought by US veterinary distributor MWI Veterinary Supply Inc.
According to MWI (the letters stand for Millard Wallace Ickes, the name of the company's founder), the transaction is valued at approximately $47 million, consisting of $45 million in cash and $2 million in a note payable in one year.
Jim Cleary, President and Chief Executive Officer of MWI, said: "MWI has positioned itself to continue its growth within the United States and now internationally. Centaur is a high-quality company that will allow us to serve veterinarians in the United Kingdom. We believe that it will be a great partnership and one that will bring further growth opportunities. We welcome the Centaur team to MWI."Paul Gerring, Managing Director of Centaur, commented: "We are looking forward to working with a strong company that has a great reputation in the animal health industry. Our team is excited to develop this relationship and be part of a company with proven success. Both Centaur and MWI are focused on providing high levels of customer service to veterinarians."
RCVS Council agreed, in principle, to the sale of Belgravia House and for the College and its London-based staff to move to different premises at its November meeting.
The sale of the building and the move will be overseen by the College’s Estate Strategy Project Board headed by former RCVS President Barry Johnson and including current and former RCVS Council members and RCVS staff.
The RCVS has been based at its current premises in 62-64 Horseferry Road for 25 years, but says it now needs more up-to-date and modern facilities to accommodate a projected increase in the number of staff.
The College says it has considered a number of alternatives, including expanding the current premises by adding or expanding floors. However, due to the fact that the building is in a conservation area, it has become clear that any such expansions would be unlikely to get planning permission from Westminster Council.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: "For a number of years it has become apparent that it is fast approaching the time at which our current premises will no longer be fit for purpose due to an increase in the number of RCVS staff – something that is projected to continue in the future – the ongoing need to use the building for Disciplinary Hearings, which take over the lion’s share of available meeting space, and the need for better and more modern facilities.
"Even putting our need for increased space on one side, Belgravia House requires major refurbishment in key areas such as air-conditioning and lifts, which would require staff to vacate the premises for up to 18 months, which would be costly and disruptive.
"We are therefore pleased that Council has recognised the need for the College to move somewhere that better reflects our needs and, over the coming months, we will be exploring a number of different options for new premises.
"In parallel to this we have put out an invitation to tender for agents to manage the sale of the building. The plan is for the arrangement to include lease-back so that we have time to find a suitable premises and enabling us to act quickly when we do."
Any organisations that are interested in putting forward a tender to manage the sale of the building should contact Corrie McCann, RCVS Director of Operations, on 020 7202 0724. Responses to tender are required by 30 November 2018.
Photo: Copyright Google 2018
Veteran campaigner and RCVS Councillor Danny Chambers MRCVS (pictured right) has started a petition to George Eustice on change.org that: Future trade deals must not compromise animal welfare and public health.
The petition has gathered an impressive 21,984 signatures, of which Danny says that more than 500 are from veterinary surgeons.
Meanwhile VetPartners is calling on the retail and food service sector to give priority to British produce, even if future trade deals enable the import of foods produced to lower standards.
Ian Cure, farm director at VetPartners, is contacting the UK’s main retailers to discuss how they can support British farmers in the months and years to come. He has the backing of the clinical directors at each of the 28 farm or mixed practices within the group, which collectively look after the health and welfare of over 30% of the UK’s dairy population and 45% of the pig population.
“We are asking retailers to prioritise a range of Red Tractor certified produce at varying prices, while avoiding designating shelf space to imports of a lower quality. Likewise, the food service sector can choose to source from UK food supply chains.
“These sectors have a high level of influence, as consumers will pick from what is clearly available, which is why we see it as the best way to support our farmers.
“We are incredibly concerned about how the higher welfare and production standards in UK agriculture will be protected long term, given that MPs failed to enshrine that protection in law when voting against the recent amendment to the Agriculture Bill last month.
“Future trade deals to allow the import of cheap food from countries outside of the EU would be a step in the wrong direction, as our farmers will not be competing on an even playing field as they attempt to compete with countries with lower costs of production.”
However, Ian adds that this is not just a welfare issue: "If the UK livestock sector is forced to adopt practices that are frowned upon in Europe to compete, such as the American applications of hormone growth treatments and chlorinated chicken, we would be severely risking our local, lucrative European export market.
“While trade with countries such as the USA and Australia may have benefits from an economical perspective, the carbon emissions associated with longer distance transport of food is a real concern.
“We see it as imperative that higher welfare standards are maintained, while reducing the carbon footprint of our food supply – it's the right, sustainable thing to do. As MPs have let down the sector, we are now calling on retailers and the food service industry to back UK farming."
The article looks at the practice, rationale and motivation for raw feeding before evaluating the existing evidence on both the benefits and risks of such diets.
The recent trend away from heat-treated, manufactured pet food for dogs and cats towards raw diets has been driven by suspicion of the former and perceived health benefits of the latter.
However, feeding raw diets, even commercially-prepared ones, does have risks: a recent paper described 13 cats in the UK that appeared to have been infected by Mycobacterium bovis2 by feeding Natural Instinct Wild Venison, a commercial raw mince for cats.
The leader of the investigation, Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore from the University of Edinburgh said: "Feeding raw food was the only conceivable route of infection in most cases; this outbreak of tuberculosis has now affected more than 90 individuals in over 30 different locations, with more than 50 of the cats developing clinical disease."
One of the authors of the review, Dr Andrew Wales, said: "Formal evidence does exist for claims by raw‐feeding proponents of an altered intestinal microbiome and (subjectively) improved stool quality. However, there is currently neither robust evidence nor identified plausible mechanisms for many of the wide range of other claimed benefits.
"There are documented risks associated with raw feeding, principally malnutrition (inexpert formulation and testing of diets) and infection affecting pets and/or household members. Salmonella has been consistently found and there is also a risk of introducing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria."
The full review article can be found in the June issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13000
The Pets at Home Vets Group has joined forces with the National Trust to help raise awareness of pet safety during the summer, for its latest marketing push.
The campaign will see veterinary surgeons and nurses from Vets4Pets and Companion Care practices touring the country hosting 'Out & About' roadshows at National Trust venues across England and Northern Ireland, from July through to September.
Huw Stacey, Head of Clinical services & Veterinary surgeon said: "The summer period presents a number of hazards for pets and we're holding the 'Out & About' roadshow to meet as many pet owners as we can to help raise awareness about how you can help keep pets happy and healthy over the summer. Visitors to the roadshow will have the opportunity to speak face-to-face with vets and nurses from their local Vets4Pets or Companion Care practice.
They'll be providing practical advice on everything from avoiding heat stroke and dehydration, to being aware of poisoning hazards such as wet creosote on garden fences and the dangers associated with taking dogs to the beach such as jellyfish stings and cuts from broken glass. We've teamed up with the National Trust as they have some excellent dog-friendly venues and are a great place for pet owners to get out and about with their dogs over the summer."
Dr Rod Hebden, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the National Trust said: "The National Trust has got hundreds of dog-friendly places to visit in the coast and countryside, and many of our gardens and parks welcome dogs on leads, so we are delighted to be working with Vets4Pets and Companion Care to help our visitors keep their pets healthy and happy this summer. Lots of our 4 million members are pet owners, so our partnership with Britain's largest veterinary group provides them with access to great tips and advice from Vets4Pets animal-loving experts, which is really relevant to our supporters."
The Out & About campaign has a dedicated website www.petslovesummer.co.uk where pet owners can search for their nearest event venue as well as watch short videos with help and advice on how to keep pets safe and healthy throughout the summer.
The nurse, who admitted the charges against her, successfully applied for anonymity at the outset of the case, on the basis that the shock factor of the removal of the animals' heads could greatly upset members of the public and veterinary staff, leading to a backlash which would present a threat to her safety.
The Disciplinary Committee heard that the nurse, who was working as a locum, asked a permanent member of staff if she could take a couple of skulls from the strays, because she had a friend who 'cleaned up' dead strays and wildlife and displayed the skulls at home.
The College’s case was that the nurse’s actions amounted to serious professional misconduct because she failed to afford the dead animals with the respect and dignity they deserved, there was a risk to human health because she failed to comply with biosecurity measures, and her actions had the potential to undermine public confidence in the profession.
Although she admitted that her conduct fell short of what was expected, the nurse countered that her actions were not intended to be disrespectful to the animals, that she was an animal-lover who had three cats of her own, and that her actions were not malicious but misjudged.
Weighing up the case, the Committee found that the aggravating features of her conduct were around biosecurity and abuse of her professional position, while in mitigation it found that there was no financial gain in her actions and that it was a one-off incident.
Kathryn Peaty, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The respondent’s conduct represented a biosecurity risk.
"Any body part would be in some degree of decomposition.
"As the cats were strays, it was unclear as to whether or not they had been in good health.
"Although the respondent transferred the body parts to her home and kept them in the freezer in cadaver bags, there was a risk that they could leak.
"In short, her actions were not without risk to human or animal health.
“The respondent abused her professional position.
"She had an obligation to treat the cadavers with respect.
"Her professional position gave her access to the cadavers.
"She abused her professional position by severing the cats’ heads and, using a scalpel, body bags and other equipment she pursued an interest of her own, rather than performed the role she was employed to undertake.
"Although she may say that she obtained permission to remove the cats’ heads from a permanent member of staff, she was a Registered Veterinary Nurse and therefore an autonomous professional.
"Whatever permissions she received should not have made her believe she had a licence to act as she did.”
Considering the appropriate sanction, the Committee took into account her relative youth and inexperience, the fact she made open and frank admissions at an early stage, the fact she made efforts to avoid a repetition of the behaviours, the insight she had shown into why her conduct was wrong, and the amount of time that had passed since her conduct relative to the total length of her four-year veterinary nursing career.
The Committee also considered positive character references from fellow veterinary nurses with whom she worked and trained.
Kathryn added: “The Committee considered that a reprimand was the sanction it should impose.
"A reprimand marks the Committee’s view of the respondent’s behaviour, thereby satisfying the public interest.
“The Committee did consider issuing a warning as to future conduct, but it had no concerns that the respondent would fail to follow the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses in the future.
"It therefore rejected a warning as an appropriate alternative.”
The full findings of the Disciplinary Committee can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
All members of the practice team are invited to nominate their receptionist, as are members of the public. Nominations should highlight the dedication and effort the nominee demonstrates, and entries need to be in by the 31st January 2019.
BVRA founder Brian Faulkner MRCVS said: "Veterinary receptionists are as crucial to the success of a veterinary practice as any other role. They are first and last impression a client has of a veterinary practice and the association is keen to recognise and reward their unique contribution to the industry.
We’ve been astounded by how popular the BVRA has been since its launch one year ago with receptionists at every level of experience, reporting appreciation as well as the benefits of Accredited Veterinary Receptionist Award. It’s entirely appropriate that BVRA champions ‘best practice’ and therefore the BVRA’s Veterinary Receptionist of the Year Award will recognise their hard work."
Brian added: "We’re so grateful to all of our corporate sponsors in helping us get BVRA off the ground and grow. We are especially grateful to Feliway and Adaptil, sponsors of The Veterinary Receptionist of the Year Award. A motivated and inspired veterinary receptionist can be the difference between whether a client registers with your practice or not. So why not log onto the www.bvra.co.uk right now and nominate that receptionist who deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated?"
Three finalists will be chosen and invited to attend BVRA’s 2nd Annual congress on 16th March 2019 in Sutton Coldfield, where the winner will be announced.
To nominate your receptionist, visit: https://www.bvra.co.uk/Home/CPD.
The business is led by RCVS Specialists in Small Animal Orthopaedics, Professor John Innes and Ben Walton, alongside American veterinary orthopaedic specialist and investor, Dr Brian Beale.
Two more Specialists are due to join the senior team in May.
Building work is apparently well underway on the 8000ft2 premises in Abbots Park, Preston Brook, which will be equipped with CT, high-field MRI, and three operating theatres.
The centre, which is located near Junction 11 of the M56, will provide referral services to veterinary practices from the conurbations of the North of England and the surrounding English and Welsh counties.
Ben Walton said: “For me, it is an honour to team up with John and Brian who have unparalleled international reputations, and I’m eagerly anticipating the arrival of our two additional colleagues.
"For veterinary professionals and clients, we are concentrating on responsive and clear communication, high clinical standards, and fair pricing.
"And finally, for prospective employees, we’re determined to foster a positive and supportive culture where vets, nurses and support staff can grow, thrive and enjoy a career.”
Until the opening of the new centre, Movement Referrals offers a peripatetic orthopaedics referral service based out of third party veterinary practices in the North West of England and North Wales.
www.movementvets.co.uk
Photo: from left to right: Prof. John Innes, Ben Walton, Dr Brian Beale
On Tuesday 8th September Dr Owen Davies, an RCVS and American Specialist in Veterinary Oncology, will present ‘Mast Cell Tumours: An Update’, in which he will review mast cell tumours and diagnostic approaches before appraising the current treatment options.
On Wednesday 9th September Dr Pam Jones, a double board certified Specialist in Veterinary Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology from the US, will present ‘Stelfonta: Seeing is Believing’.
Dr Jones will introduce delegates to the unique mode of action of tigilanol tiglate, review the efficacy data behind the new product and demonstrate how this treatment can be used to provide a high tumour elimination rate, wound healing and a speedy return to a good quality of life for the pet.
Dr Neil Mottram, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: “The effects of Stelfonta really do need to be seen to be believed, so we’re excited to offer vets the opportunity to learn more about this ground-breaking advancement in veterinary oncology. We are lucky to have secured some fantastic speakers for the webinars so delegates can be assured of some top quality CPD.”
Both events will be hosted by The Webinar Vet and begin at 7:30pm. Registration for the event is now open and can be found at www.thewebinarvet.com/stelfonta
For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager or visit vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta
For the study1, treatment and outcomes of ureter injuries due to ovariohysterectomy complications in cats and dogs was undertaken at the Royal Veterinary College. A retrospective case series of cats and dogs with ureteric injuries resulting from ovariohysterectomy was obtained from patient records at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. Fourteen female cats and five female dogs were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to report presenting clinical signs, clinical pathology, treatment and outcomes.
Professor Vicky Lipscomb, lead author of the paper, said “Presenting clinical signs of ureter injury following neutering in this study were non-specific, such as anorexia, vomiting and lethargy. Importantly, the clinical signs consistently developed immediately or shortly after surgery in the majority of animals. Therefore, the appearance of one or more clinical signs following neutering should raise suspicion of a neutering complication.
"The overall outcome for the 19 animals was excellent in 13 (68%), good in one (5%), fair in one (5%) and poor in four (22%). Ureteroneocystostomy (ureteral re-implantation) is preferred to ureteronephrectomy (removal of kidney and ureter) to preserve renal function and is usually a requirement for bilateral ureteric injuries but carries a high complication rate resulting in additional surgery, albeit often with an excellent final outcome.”
Nick Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: “Ovariohysterectomy is a common surgical procedure in cats and dogs, but the procedure carries a (low) risk of injury to one or both ureters due to the close proximity of the female reproductive tract and the ureters. This research highlights the need for vigilance regarding clinical signs following neutering but demonstrates that surgical treatment of ureteric injuries can have good patient outcome."
The full article can be found in the March issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13100
Photo: Luisa Dormer BSAVA
VetUK, an online supplier of pet products and veterinary prescription only medications, has announced that it now processes over £750,000 worth of online transactions per month.
The point of the press release was to highlight that this has been achieved using paypoint.net to handle the tens of thousands of orders that VetUK says it receives each month, and process the payments.
However, it does also highlight the ever growing competition to veterinary practices from online. You might like to check VetUK's POM prices here.
The company has created a new waiting room board kit as a way for veterinary staff to remind owners of the importance of prompt diagnosis and management of dental disease.
Animalcare has also created a Pet Dental Health Month social media pack with content practices can use on their social media channels.
During the month, the company will be offering dental CPD and prizes for the most creative and engaging waiting room displays.
Will Peel, Animalcare Marketing Manager said: "According to the RVC's VetCompass data, periodontitis is the most common disease seen in cats and dogs however, it can often be difficult to identify and pet owners can often disregard the signs of dental problems, assuming that their pet’s bad breath is normal.
‘Our popular Lunch and Learn sessions have demonstrated to us that veterinary staff recognise the importance of raising dental health awareness, so we’ve created this range of materials specifically to support veterinary practices and their patients.’
Ceva says the new product is the fruit of research into the composition of the main feline pheromones which pass through the incisive ducts to the Vomeronasal Organ (VNO), which in turn led to the discovery of a new pheromone complex which 'provides an enhanced message of social confidence and safety in the cat’s environment by conveying more impactful messages to it'.
According to the company, Feliway Optimum helps cats with more signs of stress, in more situations and calms cats better than ever. The product is proven to help with more stress-related signs faster than existing pheromones, with all signs of stress showing continuous improvement until day 28 of use and are visible from day 71. These include scratching, urine spraying, multi-cat tensions and conflicts and changes and fears.
Feliway Optimum is available as a plug-in diffuser with 30-day refills.
Abigail King, senior behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "We have led the way with research for over 20 years with Feliway Classic and Feliway Friends, but it is now time to go that step further.
"Feliway Optimum is an extremely exciting addition to the range which will help solve all common signs of stress to provide enhanced serenity in a household.
"Nearly 60 per cent of cats show visible signs of stress2 and Feliway Optimum will really help combat this with an over 70% reduction”.
There is a webinar about the new product, presented by Professor Patrick Pageat and Dr Andy Sparkes, which is available by emailing Ceva.
For more information, visit www.feliway.com/uk, call Ceva on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
The review was recommended to Council by its Standards Committee following its exploration of the implications of new technologies for both animal health and welfare and veterinary regulation.
The main areas under consideration are the interpretation and application of an animal being under the care of a veterinary surgeon, and the provision of 24-hour emergency cover.
The College says that during the course of its research, which included numerous meetings and reports, a public consultation and examination of external legal advice, the Committee identified a number of anomalies in the College’s existing guidance that could affect how the Code’s provisions were applied across a range of different scenarios.
Chair of the Standards Committee, Dr Kate Richards, said: "It became clear to us that we could not consider telemedicine and remote prescribing in isolation and that it raised broader questions around the appropriateness of, and justification for, certain elements of existing RCVS guidance. I’m therefore pleased that RCVS Council has decided that the right and responsible approach is first to conduct a full review of these provisions."
The College anticipates that the review will require wide engagement from all relevant sectors, potentially including a Select Committee-style hearing in certain areas. This, it says, would help to ensure any decision to treat different groups differently, in relation to 'under care' and 'out-of-hours', is both reasoned and justified.
In the meantime, the College says that the current provisions of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance remain in full effect.
Further information about the review will be made available in due course.
UPDATE (19/06/2019)
Following a number of concerns raised by members of the profession about this story, the RCVS has issued a further statement as follows:
We would like to acknowledge and address a number of concerns that have arisen amongst the profession following RCVS Council’s discussion last week that followed up queries raised during the previous debate in November, around the provision of telemedicine services, including remote prescribing.
The RCVS Council decision, made unanimously, was to proceed with a wide-ranging review of RCVS supporting guidance concerning 24-hour emergency cover and the interpretation and application of ‘under veterinary care’, and to postpone the proposed telemedicine trial for the foreseeable future and certainly until the conclusion of this review. The review will encompass, but not be limited to, consideration of what restrictions or safeguards to place on remote prescribing in the form of vet-to-client telemedicine.
RCVS Council discussed this paper ‘in committee’ in order to be able to examine the confidential legal advice it had requested at its previous meeting. The decision to hold these discussions privately was purely related to the privileged nature of legal advice and in no way related to any ‘commercial interests’.
We recognise fully that this is a complex issue, with strong views held on all sides. However, it is entirely right and proper for RCVS Council members to be able to discuss and debate such topics in detail, before reaching a decision through a vote. In the course of such discussions, issues may arise that had not previously been identified, and which may alter the original direction of thinking.
We appreciate that Council’s decision was perhaps unexpected, especially as the original topic had been under consideration for some time. This is why we announced it as soon as possible, along with an indication of what Council would like to happen next.
Whilst it is far too early to have worked out the details of the agreed review, it will be open and inclusive in parallel with our previous consultations, which continue to receive considerable levels of engagement across the veterinary professions and wider industry stakeholders.
We will publish full details about our plans for this review over the coming weeks, and will continue to work hard to engage all veterinary professionals in these important decisions.
Norbrook Laboratories has launched a ready-to-use suspension version of its Cefenil antibiotic.
Cefenil RTU (ceftiofur) is a 50mg/ml suspension for injection, indicated for cattle and swine.
Dr Barry McInerney, Norbrook's GB Veterinary Advisor said: "Cefenil RTU is a broad spectrum injectable antibiotic offering fast and effective treatment of bacterial respiratory disease, foot rot and acute post-partum metritis in cattle as well as bacterial respiratory disease in swine. It offers a zero milk withhold and a 5-day meat withhold which is the shortest on the market."
Norbrook's Cefenil Powder and Solution for Injection has been available for a number of years for the treatment of cattle and swine. It has recently been indicated for the treatment of BRD in horses in the UK. Cefenil RTU will offer vets an additional choice in the treatment of BRD.
Dr McInerney added: "Cefenil is a tried and tested antibiotic which vets have been using for a number of years. We are delighted to extend the Cefenil range with a RTU suspension for cattle and pigs and adding an indication for horses to our Cefenil Powder and Solution for Injection. It gives vets a wider choice for the treatment of BRD with a product with which they are already familiar."
For further product information, visit www.norbrook.com.
Novartis Animal Health UK has announced a strategic partnership with Procter & Gamble (P&G) Pet Care, maker of the Eukanuba and Iams brands.
As part of the arrangement, the Novartis sales team will start detailing P&G's pet nutrition products to veterinary practices from April 1, 2014 in the UK and at a later stage in Ireland.
Novartis says the partnership brings together two highly complementary portfolios: Novartis is a leader in pet health areas in which P&G's Eukanuba Veterinary Diets have acknowledged strong clinical formulations, specifically dermatology, nephrology, and orthopaedic conditions. The partnership is designed to offer veterinary surgeons a holistic and flexible portfolio in key canine and feline health areas, as well as increased commercial and technical support and partnership from the Novartis sales team.
Simon Harris, sales & marketing manager at Novartis said: "Novartis Animal Health already offers expertise in key companion animal diseases together with innovative veterinary medicines. Based on research done with veterinary customers, we believe nutrition also plays an important role in disease management in pets, making our strategic cooperation with P&G Pet Care a natural fit that offers real benefits to veterinarians and their patients."
Dr. Penny Watson, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Cambridge, said: "Clinical nutrition plays a key role in patient management and is an important complement to medicine in order to achieve a successful outcome. This combination of Eukanuba Veterinary Diets and Novartis Animal Health products helps highlight the importance of dispensing clinical diets as part of a multi-modal approach to effective patient management. Additionally, high quality nutrition is also recommended by vets as part of a normal day-to-day healthy lifestyle."
The partnership will be launched at the BSAVA Congress. The two companies say they'll have a joint presence at the event to showcase the strength and versatility of the combined Novartis and P&G Pet Care portfolio to the veterinary community.
Both veterinary professionals and clients can nominate people and practices for one of five awards.
Every professional nominated in the awards will be sent a personalised certificate.
An independent panel of judges from within the veterinary industry will then narrow down the entries to a shortlist of three finalists for each award, who will all be invited to awards ceremony in Manchester on Thursday 21st March 2024.
Bella von Mesterhazy, Sales and Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “Every year we think we’ve seen it all, but then we’re overjoyed by the sheer volume of and enthusiasm behind the latest nominations.
"So for anyone who’s considered nominating before but hasn’t got round to it, this year’s the time to get involved, as we all come together to champion the immense success of the UK’s veterinary industry, whilst celebrating the awards quarter-century anniversary.”
petplan.co.uk/vetawards
Nominations close on 8th January 2024.
The company says it recognises how frustrating it can be for veterinary surgeons if the owner doesn't recognise that their dog has a painful condition. This can be compounded by short consult times, leaving vets unable to fully communicate the implications and treatment options for the disease.
In the video, Zoe encourages vets to tailor their language to each case, in particular, using the language dog owners will use.
While undertaking her research Zoe noticed that many owners do not talk about OA in the same way that vets might; instead of referring to lameness or pain, many owners will refer to the actual physical signs of OA such as stiffness or communicate that their dog is slowing down.
Zoe has also warned that not all owners are convinced by visual demonstrations such as flexing and extending the dogs joints. Instead, she suggests encouraging the owner to get hands-on.
Zoe said: "Point out the visual changes suggestive of osteoarthritis that you can see, such as muscle loss, scuffed nails, and enlarged joints. And encourage them to have a look and a feel, comparing affected and unaffected joints. Hopefully, the owner may be more receptive to the conversation now they associate it with a symptom they can recognise."
Zoe says she also finds that many owners of older dogs often misinterpret the signs of OA as 'just old age' and may not be aware that the condition can be managed effectively with medication, the right exercise, diet and by making modifications in the home.
Elanco has also produced an OA management template which enables both the vet and the owner to create a tailored plan. It provides the owner with information to take away with them about how to modify their home, written in collaboration with Founder of Canine Arthritis Management, Hannah Capon.
Lastly, Zoe recommends a whole practice approach to becoming experts on OA, veterinary nurses in particular. She said: "Vet nurses often have great ideas about how to explain the condition in a way that owners understand. Better owner understanding of OA should lead to better adherence to treatment plans and ultimately better clinical outcomes."
To watch the video, click here.
To access the suite of assets Elanco has created for Onsior (which includes the management plan, social media posts for the practice, and infographic to help owners to spot the signs of OA) visit: www.myelanco.co.uk
Tim Harrison, managing director at White Cross Vets, said: "Our plan has been to open five new practices within a 12 month period and despite having a strong presence in West Yorkshire we didn’t have a practice in South Yorkshire. When we found out Dave wanted to move to Sheffield it made perfect sense for us to expand into the area and for him to lead the practice as clinic director.
"Dave is a hugely talented and compassionate professional and we certainly didn’t want to lose him. The Handsworth opening is the perfect fit for Dave who will lead a team of four. As the practice expands, we envisage that we will create a further 20 jobs over the next five years.”
White Cross says it has invested £250,000 in the practice, which is opening on the site of a former sausage factory which has recently been redeveloped at a cost of £1.1M.
Dave said: "I was so thrilled when Tim told me his plans for Sheffield. I love the area and my wife’s family have grown up there, I have been wanting to set up a long term family home for a while, and the fact that I have been able to move my young family to South Yorkshire, and still work for White Cross Vets, makes me really happy."