Burgess Excel and the PDSA are urging veterinary surgeons and nurses to get their clients to sign up to the free PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge by the closing date of Friday 22 November.
According to the organisers, the PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge is designed to help all rabbit owners understand and meet their pets' five welfare needs - the five things that all pet rabbits' need to be healthy and happy. Since the campaign was launched in June, more than 1,000 rabbit owners have signed up to take the challenge, and veterinary practices are now being urged to ensure their clients take advantage of this free resource by visiting www.rabbitneeds.org.uk to register.
The Challenge website allows owners to take a monthly quiz to find out how well they are currently meeting their rabbits' needs, with advice on how to further improve their health and wellbeing. At the end of the challenge, owners will be presented with a Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge certificate and receive monthly vouchers together with money-off coupons for the Excel Feeding Plan. They will also be entered into a prize draw to win a 16gb iPad.
The Challenge is being featured on stickers on every pack of Burgess Excel Rabbit Nuggets. One million packs will have been sold by the final date for sign ups on the 22 November.
Burgess Pet Care Veterinary Surgeon, Suzanne Moyes, said: "With help from the veterinary community we really can make a difference by raising awareness about important rabbit welfare issues and in turn change rabbit owner behaviour. Working together, we are can improve the health and wellbeing of the UK's third most popular pet by educating pet owners, especially in relation to diet and regular veterinary check-ups."
Sean Wensley, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at PDSA, added: "Sadly, the welfare needs of pet rabbits are often not met. Common problems include a poor diet, living alone in a small hutch with no exercise run, and a lack of preventive healthcare. The PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge is a great tool for owners to assess how well they are currently meeting their rabbit's five welfare needs and to get advice on making practical, positive improvements. Most owners want their pets to be healthy and happy, and we hope this Challenge will help tackle some of the preventable health and welfare problems commonly seen in pet rabbits."
For further information on The PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge visit www.rabbitneeds.org.uk or for further details on the Burgess Excel Feeding Plan visit www.excelfedingplan.co.uk
CEVA Animal Health is launching a new TV advertising and marketing campaign to promote its veterinary behaviour products, DAP and Feliway, in the run up to this year's firework season.
The campaign will feature a new animated character 'Dap the Dog', who will join 'That Purple Cat' in educating pet owners on the behaviours expressed by pets that are fearful of loud noises during fireworks, and the benefits of using DAP and Feliway. The adverts will be aired throughout October on ITV2, E4, More4 and Channel 4 (London only) starting on Monday 4th October and will be seen by 11.5 million ABC1 women.
A range of firework marketing materials have been produced to support veterinary practices and help educate owners who have noise phobic pets. These include client leaflets, an A4 leaflet holder, waiting room display materials and a firework poster all featuring the characters from the advert. CEVA's petfireworkfear website - www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/ - has also been updated to include the new TV advert, downloadable versions of all materials and tips on how to prepare pets for fireworks. In addition, www.dapfordogs.com/ and www.feliway.com/ will feature a voucher offering pet owners a free 60ml spray when they purchase a DAP or Feliway diffuser from their local veterinary practice.
The support comes in light of recent research1, carried out by CEVA, that revealed 80% of pet owners have had a pet that has been afraid of fireworks, with more than half of dog owners wanting to ban them altogether because they are too upsetting for their animals.
Julia Wood, product manager at CEVA Animal Health, said: "Fireworks are the most stressful event that a pet can experience and, in most cases, owners have noticed their animals becoming visibly unsettled with 49% of dogs shaking1 and 65% of cats hiding1. The new TV advertising campaign and marketing support will educate pet owners on behaviours expressed by pets with a fear of loud noises and the importance of taking proactive action by using DAP and Feliway."
CEVA will be running its annual firework display competition amongst veterinary practices throughout October for the best decorated waiting room.
For further information on CEVA's firework campaign or its marketing support, please contact your local CEVA territory manager or call CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
CEVA Animal Health is drawing vets' attention to research which has found a possible link between autism and pyrethrin-based flea shampoos.
Findings from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment study, which is funded by the US National Institutes of Health, have raised the possibility that pyrethrins found in pet shampoos are linked to an increased risk of autism.
Mothers who used flea treatments containing pyrethrin based flea shampoos while pregnant were found to be twice as likely to have a child with an autistic spectrum disorder as those who did not.
The scientists who undertook the research have emphasised that the findings remain preliminary.
CEVA points out that while veterinary on-animal and household flea products have undergone extensive testing for safety and efficacy, parents may abandon flea control regimes over fears of pesticide use (as they abandoned the MMR vaccine).
Anxiety about the use of pesticides in the home is actually nothing new; a survey carried out in 2007, showed that two out of three pet owners were concerned about safety when using a pesticide-based flea spray in their homes.
CEVA highlights its own environmental flea control, Skoosh, as a possible alternative for concerned parents. Instead of pesticides, Skoosh uses inert silicones, commonly used in skin creams, make up, headlice lotions and oral medications, to physically engulf the fleas. CEVA says that Skoosh™ is not only effective against mature fleas, eggs and larvae but also physically prevents the hatching and development of pupae, which are not affected by traditional household sprays.
Ed's note: Fleas are something I know a little bit about (having worked on behalf of Novartis Animal Health for many years); I'd say that Program is another good alternative for pet owners that want to use a flea control product that does not put them into contact with pesticides. And no, I wasn't paid to write that, just force of habit!
'The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation' is presented by Georgia Woods RVN CertCFVHNut VTS(Nutrition), one of the editors of the new BSAVA Guide. It covers the main points that need to be considered when offering a nutritional recommendation to a pet owner.
Georgia said: "Nutrition discussions with clients can be challenging, not least given the plethora of diets available for pets.
"This webinar aims to cover the main points to support an evidence-based decision-making process to help vets engage owners in a meaningful discussion about nutrition and provide guidance on the most suitable diet for their pet."
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is an independent guide comprising a series of factsheets for veterinary professionals on four different diet options; each of these is accompanied by a factsheet for owners that can be provided as part of the consultation. The factsheets cover:
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is available exclusively through the BSAVA Library (£25; £15 to BSAVA members). Georgia’s lecture on ‘The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation’ can be accessed via the BSAVA Webinar Library.
Oxyglobin, Dechra’s unique haemoglobin-based oxygen carrying fluid for the treatment of anaemia in dogs, is now readily available in the UK.
“Over the past year, demand for this leading product has outstripped our limited supply from the manufacturer Biopure®,” explains Carol Morgan, product manager at Dechra Veterinary Products. “Production and supply issues in the US have now been resolved which means we can assure the future supply of Oxyglobin via the wholesaler to practices.”
Dechra is the sole distributor of Oxyglobin in the UK. The product requires no typing or cross matching and ensures no transfusion reactions or disease transmissions. “Its effectiveness can be measured by a rapid improvement in clinical signs, increased plasma haemoglobin concentration and arterial oxygen content. Oxyglobin has certainly proved itself as a valuable product to have in any practice,” adds Carol Morgan.
Oxyglobin can be stored at room temperature and has a shelf life of three years. For further details, please contact your local territory manager or phone Dechra on 01743 441 632.
The RCVS has restored its full approval to the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Science.
The full approval was granted by the RCVS Council in March, at the recommendation of the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee (EPSC), following the positive report of a visitation carried out in mid-December 2011 under the chairmanship of former RCVS President Stephen Ware.
The School had been under conditional approval since a visit in March 2007, and a subsequent revisit in October 2009 had identified that although progress had been made, work still needed to be completed to improve some of the facilities, particularly in small animal surgery and on the farm.
The RCVS Council commended the hard work and improvements displayed by the School, and was pleased to restore it to full approval status.
Professor Stuart Reid, EPSC Chairman said: "The University has demonstrated a welcome and continued commitment to the development of the School, and is to be congratulated on making significant financial investments in staffing and facilities, despite the current difficult economic climate.
"There is a positive and constructive atmosphere, which is a credit to the Head of School and all the staff who have clearly worked extremely hard to meet the challenges presented to them at a time of change within the university sector as a whole."
The School is next scheduled for a full visitation in 2014.
Cats Protection is urgently calling for compulsory microchipping of all pet cats.
The feline welfare charity says that two in three cats taken into its care are not microchipped, costing the organisation over £190,000 to microchip them. In addition, the charity says it ends up dealing with around 40 ownership disputes per year - the majority of which involve cats handed in as strays that are not microchipped.
The charity says unchipped animals are a major drain on its resources, which are already stretched looking after over 7,000 unwanted cats at any one time.
Peter Hepburn, Cats Protection's Chief Executive said: "I cannot stress enough how important it is for cats to be microchipped. The heartache and upset that a lost cat can cause is immense, as is the suffering to the cat. It could be so easily solved by a tiny 'chip that is no bigger than a grain of rice.
"When a cat comes into our care, the first thing we do is look for some sort of identification, including scanning for a 'chip. In a lot of cases, there is no 'chip so then we have no option but to trawl lost and found registers and to advertise the cat as missing. However, this is a very time consuming process with no guarantee that we will ever locate the owner, despite the best efforts of our volunteers and staff.
"It is a heartbreaking experience when an owner loses their beloved pet and is never reunited with them. Making sure a cat is easily identifiable is vital to increase the chances of a happy reunion so, if compulsory microchipping was brought in, many of these problems would be solved."
The RCVS is calling for comment on a proposed new Case Management Protocol for its Disciplinary Committee.
The new protocol provides additional guidance to all parties, ensuring that evidence is agreed or considered well before the hearing. Its emphasis is on the Committee being able to read skeleton arguments and bundles of evidence from respondents before the hearing takes place, which speeds up the process and enables decisions to be made more quickly. At present, this is not always possible, as the information is not always made available.
Gordon Hockey, Head of Professional Conduct said: "The new protocol formalises the standard procedural direction for cases to be heard by the Committee, with the aim of promoting the timely and efficient preparation of cases and the smooth running of hearings. This is in the interests of all parties."
The Disciplinary Committee hears between ten and 15 cases per year. Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, the Committee can consider charges of serious professional misconduct, fraudulent registration and criminal convictions that affect a veterinary surgeon's fitness to practise.
A disciplinary system for registered veterinary nurses was set up in April 2011 and the nurses' Disciplinary Committee would follow the new protocol, as and when it is finalised.
The proposed new Case Management Protocol can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/consultations. Comments are welcomed from members of the veterinary team and from the public, by Monday, 8 August 2011, and should be sent to Carrie Gage, Clerk to the Disciplinary Committee, on c.gage@rcvs.org.uk.
As well as recycling its own blister packs used for pet medication, White Cross Vets, which has 21 practices, is urging local residents to bring in their empty blister packs to be recycled in a collection box in its reception areas.
MYGroup will process the collected blister packs, separating it back into its constituent parts so it can be fed back into supply chains and used to make new materials, including MYboard, a product which is used for construction, joinery, shop and event fittings.
Tom Ward, clinic director from White Cross Vets in Guiseley, said: “Very few local authorities or waste companies can recycle blister packs, which are used to package tablets and pills, meaning they usually end up in landfill or incineration.
“As a practice we use thousands of blister packs every year and we’re conscious that we need to look after our environment, so when we discovered there is now a ground-breaking recycling solution through MYGroup, it was obvious we needed to get involved.
“We’re also pleased to be able to make it available to local people in the surrounding area who can collect the blister packs they use at home and drop them off with us for recycling, regardless of whether or not they’re a client or even a pet owner.
"The initial feedback we’ve received has been very positive and we’re now beginning to see more and more blister packs being recycled each week as the scheme begins to grow.”
Steve Carrie, group director from MYGroup, said: “MYGroup offers the only circular solution on the market for recycling blister packs and we’re only just getting started in this critical waste space to save such a ubiquitous item from landfill or incineration.
MYGroup launched its first blister pack recycling scheme earlier this year across a series of GP surgeries and pharmacies in York, with over 185,000 waste blister packs collected so far.
Each full box that White Cross Vets collects carries an approximate carbon saving of 30kg, which is roughly the equivalent of driving nearly 800 miles in a car.
https://mygroupltd.com
The webinars are open to veterinary clinics across the UK and the US, including those not affiliated to Premier Vet Alliance.
The programme is as follows:
Jo Wells, Premier Vet Alliance’s Business Relationship Manager said: “We’ve concentrated on providing a blend of practical advice and insights, people management support and also some inspiring motivational ideas.
“Because we operate globally, we’ve engaged speakers from both sides of the Altlantic which presents insights into alternative ways of working and thinking. We’ve also kept the webinars to just an hour-long in length so they are time efficient.
“As well as providing what we hope will be valuable content, the webinars will also encourage a platform for networking and on-going communication.
To register for the first event on Thurday 24th February, visit: https://tinyl.io/5ZtP
One Health – the symbiotic relationship between human, animal and environmental health – is becoming increasingly important, encompassing things like sustainability, the increase in antimicrobial resistance and the link between human and animal obesity.
Krista Arnold, Honorary Secretary of BSAVA said: "The complicated relationship between human and animal health has been the subject of scientific investigation since the 19th century.
"Important discoveries and the recognition of disease connections have helped to develop strategies for disease prevention in humans and animals alike.
"This collection in the BSAVA Library will contribute to further understanding and knowledge of this important topic."
The collection can be accessed via the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/one-health
It is freely available until the end of December 2022; after this time access is £16.25 for BSAVA members and £25 for non-members.
The BSAVA is reminding everyone that the closing date for the BSAVA PetSavers' 40th Anniversary Awards is Friday 1st August .
To celebrate 40 years of funding veterinary projects, the charity has up to £5000 for each vet school to fund veterinary undergrad student projects, and also a £5000 award going to veterinary nursing projects, both RVNs and undergrad students.
Derek Attride, chairman of the grants awarding committee, said: "The PetSavers 40th anniversary grants reflects the charity's commitment to ensuring that first-class research into small companion diseases continue in the future. This grant is the first of its kind for PetSavers and is a great opportunity for veterinary students and veterinary nurses to work on a companion animal clinical research project."
The closing date for applications will be the 1st August 2014. Veterinary students should apply through their university and veterinary nurses can apply directly to the BSAVA. Each university will be able to submit five applications.
The awards will be announced in December 2014 and the projects will have to be completed and written up by December 2015.
Further information about the anniversary grants can be found at www.petsavers.org.uk
Following an outdoor advertising campaign that ran earlier this year, Drontal has launched a new national campaign, which will see the iconic Schnauzer featured on over 6,000 outdoor sites across England, Scotland and Wales.
Drontal product manager, Dan White said: "The last Drontal outdoor advertising campaign was a huge success in driving pet-owning clients into practices and we're hoping to build on this with our new advertising push.
"Approximately, 20% of the new advertising sites will be located within a 500 metre radius of veterinary practices serving to drive pet owners to visit local practices to purchase Drontal. We're not only highlighting the benefits of regular worming which results in healthier cats and dogs, but we're also improving the health of practice business."
For further information on Drontal, please contact your Bayer territory manager.
The pack contains:
For more information, contact your local Dechra equine sales manager.
The opening speaker will be Cassie Leonard (pictured), engineer, best-selling author and executive coach, who will be talking about the value of authentic networking.
The programme, which includes a combination of lectures, panel sessions and interactive workshops, will cover:
On the Saturday, there's a dedicated ‘Grow your business’ day for those thinking of starting up or expanding their business.
New for 2025 will be a Friday morning collaborative ‘Business Club Live’ speed-networking session: an opportunity to discuss a variety of issues on hosted tables.
Also new for 2025 will be a dedicated livestock stream focussing on the unique challenges faced by livestock veterinary professionals.
The accompanying exhibition will host a selection of companies focussed on the business, management, marketing and client-facing aspects of veterinary practice and offering the latest products, services and advice.
Social events include Thursday afternoon's Happy Hour followed by a networking event and Friday night’s Presidents’ party with a reception, 3-course meal and a performance by the party band The Kings.
www.spvs-congress.co.uk
Vets, consultants and other advisors should encourage dairy farmers to make use of available information to help improve their herd's performance and profitability through breeding. This is the message from DairyCo breeding+ director, Marco Winters, who says farmers should use genetics to improve not only milk production, but also health, welfare, management and type traits.
Breeding briefs, a new booklet from DairyCo, identifies some genetic improvement tools that allow farmers to make better breeding decisions and concentrates on how to use them in practice. And for those who feel confronted by an overload of information, the booklet helps identify the figures to seek out and prioritise.
Breeding decisions are cumulative: their effects build up over the generations so a problem can be introduced or cured over just a few years. A series of poor breeding decisions can mean the difference between profit and loss; even between a business's survival and failure. Yet the time, cost and effort needed for a good breeding decision to be made is much the same as those needed for a bad one.
Mr Winters says: "High quality cattle are at the heart of profitable dairy farming and this requires good quality genetics. Without these, however good farmers' management, there is a ceiling to their herd's performance and profitability. Vets, consultants and other dairy advisers have an important role to play in helping farmers access the information they need to make informed decisions."
DairyCo Breeding briefs is available to download from http://www.dairyco.org.uk/. To request a pdf version by email call 01285 646510 or email: publications@dairyco.org.uk.
Woodley Equipment Co Ltd has announced that it has been appointed by Synermed International as the exclusive distributor in the UK & Europe for the IR202 Series Near-Infrared Biochemistry reagents.
Woodley will supply regular maintenance visits, support and a monthly supply of reagents to IR202 analyser customers.
For further information, visit www.woodleyequipment.com, www.synermedinc.com, email sales@woodleyequipment.com or telephone 01798 813659.
The Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS, Charity no 1100485) is appealing to veterinary practices, equipment suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to donate unwanted supplies to its Parcel Appeal 2008.
The charity, which exists to provide a sustainable veterinary resource to assist animal charities and non-profit organisations, sends donation parcels of veterinary supplies to 138 associated animal charities around the world.
Hannah Westen, WVS International Projects Co-ordinator said: "Last year we were able to help over 50 associated charities in this way with nearly £90,000 worth of donated items. This year we hope to double this but to do so we also need help to cover postage costs."
Some parcels are sent as responses to urgent requests, where it is essential that the parcel arrives within a matter of days, while others are a way of providing assistance to charities where it is not practical to send a veterinary team. Hannah added: "Donation parcels are a simple way for WVS to provide assistance for charities and shelters in even the most remote locations. We recently sent several parcels to St. Helena, one of the most remote islands on the planet."
For further information, visit: http://www.wvs.org.uk/, telephone: 01725 551123, or email: info@wvs.org.uk
The company says that this year, its focus is on communicating the benefits of microchipping cats, which can roam significant distances from the home. The support pack, which reflects this focus, contains resources that can be used both in the practice waiting room and online.
In addition, the company is running a competition exclusively for cat owners: any that get their animal microchipped with the 8mm BackHome MiniChip in June can enter a prize draw to win a GPS tracker for their collar to help them find out just how far their cat can roam.
Dr Sarah Dixon MRCVS, BackHome Product Manager, said: "There is no legal requirement for cats to be microchipped but the benefits are clear. We looked at a recent study which showed that, in a 24 hour period, cats ranged on average 2 hectares with an average maximum of 7 hectares – or about 10 football pitches.1 One cat roamed nearly 34 hectares! The competition should reinforce the message about why microchipping is beneficial to all pets.
"Whilst compulsory microchipping for dogs has been in place for a year, practices must continue to highlight to owners the advantages of getting their pets microchipped. To enable practices to engage with their clients, and to reward the hard work done by staff in practices to make these campaigns a success, we are hosting a competition for the best displays. Prizes include a 32-inch TV for waiting rooms to the winner and luxury chocolates to the runners up."
Reference
Thomas, R.L., Baker, P.J. & Fellowes, M.D.E. (2014). Ranging characteristics of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in an urban environment, Urban Ecosystem, 17, p911-921.
The organisers of the Vet Charity Challenge have announced that the 2015 fundraising and teambuilding event for the profession will take place on Saturday 26th September at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.
The event consists of teams of four walking/running, cycling and kayaking as well as some orienteering and mental and physical tasks. The day is designed for every level of fitness and to reward those that work the best together as a team.
So far the Vet Charity Challenge has raised over £100,000 for animal based charities. In 2015 the charities being supported are Canine Partners, SPANA and International Cat Care.
Registration for the event opens online at the start of April. Organisers say that spaces are limited and last year filled up very fast, so to avoid disappointment it is highly recommended to book early.
This year there will be discounted entry fees for students teams.
Gavin Mitchell from BCF Technology said: “We were delighted at the success of the Vet Charity Challenge so far. Last year we had 50 teams taking part and raised a serious amount of cash for three very deserving charities. We hope to top this in 2015, making the event even bigger and better than last year.”
Dechra Veterinary Products has joined the challenge as a new sponsor this year. Larry King, Dechra Marketing Manager said: “Having entered a team into the Vet Charity Challenge in previous years, we are delighted to become sponsors of the challenge in 2015. The Vet Charity Challenge helps raise a significant amount of money for worthwhile causes at home and abroad and we look forward to being part of such a well organised event. This year we will be entering teams into the challenge again and we hope that colleagues from across the veterinary industry join us for what is sure to be a fun-packed weekend. We are proud to be 2015 sponsors.”
In addition to BCF and Dechra, the event is also sponsored by Kruuse, the VPMA, Mojo Consultancy and Veterinary Practice magazine.
For more information visit www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk or: https://www.facebook.com/vetcharitychallenge.
Norbrook has launched an Android version of its existing free iPhone app: ‘the Veterinary Excellence Tool’ (VET).
VET offers a range of functions to assist veterinary professionals and farmers including a product dosing calculator. The Android version has been developed to meet customer demand and has the same features as the Apple version which is available for both iPhones and iPads.
Norbrook highlights the following features of the app:
The app can be downloaded for free by searching for “Norbrook” in either app store.
For further information please contact Laura Holmes, E-Marketing Manager, laura.holmes@norbrook.co.uk or 01536 741147.
Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses will be able to try their hands at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons code-cracking competition at the London Vet Show at Olympia on 24-25 November.
At the RCVS breakfast session on the Friday morning (8.30, part of the Business Stream), President Dr Jerry Davies will unlock the secrets of the proposed new Codes of Professional Conduct for vets and VNs.
To promote this breakfast session, the RCVS is inviting visitors to come to its stand (J90) to solve photo enigmas, using clues provided to decipher a series of words that appear in the proposed new Codes. The winner will be in line to receive a pair of super sleuthing video glasses.
VNs who missed BVNA Congress can also get their hands on a 50th anniversary commemorative chocolate medallion by visiting the RCVS stand.
Coffee and pastries will be served at the morning session on Friday - there's no need to book, just turn up.
The awards highlight the special bond between pets and their owners, and brave stories from animals across the UK.
This year, Vets Now has partnered with StreetVet for the awards, donating £1 to the charity for each entry received.
The winner will receive a £500 voucher to spend on a pet friendly getaway at PetsPyjamas, a bespoke ‘Pet of the Year’ trophy and a personalised bundle of vet-recommended pet treats.
Owners can nominate their own pets, or members of the veterinary profession can nominate pets they know or have treated.
The awards will be open for nominations until 6th May 2024.
https://www.vets-now.com/pet-of-the-year