A new injector gun for administering doramectin-based worm and scab medication to sheep has been introduced by Pfizer Animal Health. According to senior livestock vet Carolyn Hogan, the intra-muscular injection route for this medication combined with the injector’s prime-and-push design allows a single arm movement to penetrate the skin and dispense the treatment.
The University of Liverpool's School of Veterinary Science has released the results of research carried out in collaboration with the Royal Canin Research Centre in France, which shows that cats eat 15% less in the summer than the winter.
Researchers spent four years monitoring how much cats chose to eat. The 38 cats studied had a microchip on their collar which allowed them to take as much food as they wanted from a dispenser which only opened for them. At the same time, this microchip recorded how much the cat had eaten and when.
Veterinary surgeon and study author, Dr Alex German, said: "Cats, like many humans are more inclined to comfort eat when it's cold outside but, in their case, it's likely to be due to the extra energy they need to keep warm when out and about."
The study found that cats ate approximately 15% less food during summer, and the researchers concluded that the extra effort to keep warm in winter and the temptation to rest during hot summer days contributed to the swing in activity levels during the year.
The cats were all inhabitants of a centre in southern France where they were allowed to play and exercise outside all year round. The cats were of mixed breeds, ages and genders. Data on food was compared to the climate in the area using computer modelling to provide information about how the temperature changed over the year.
Seasonal food intake has also been examined in the past on farm animals, such as dairy cows, to establish new ways of increasing milk production, but this is the largest study that has yet taken place with domestic cats.
Dr German said: "People should consider the amount of food their cats need at different times of year as this can be part of helping them to maintain a healthy weight."
The paper was published in the journal PLOS One. http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096071
Designed to help veterinary practices save clients' time and improve compliance, VetsDeliver supplies Bravecto - the company's 12 week flea and tick treatment - with the wormer of the vet's choice, by post.
Before the pandemic, practices registered clients for the service online or during an appointment and clients would have to collect the first treatments from the practice.
In response to the pandemic, however, MSD has made now it possible for clients to register from home and get their first treatments sent by post.
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at MSD Animal Health said: "We are all in unchartered territory and we appreciate the pressure veterinary teams are under to continue to care for their clients and local pet community.
"Many businesses are having to add new services to support online facilities and home delivery, and for vets there is also now a need to reduce footfall into practice while still generating income. Making sure effective parasite control is available will help improve compliance as temperatures rise and the risks to the health of our pets increase. It's one less thing for you and your clients to worry about."
For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health account manager or go to www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/vetsdeliver.
Founder Professor Noel Fitzpatrick said: "It is a real joy to see the VET Festival growing and growing, not just in physical size, but from the immense goodwill that radiates from it. The weather didn’t get in the way of the wellness and there was nothing rainy about the atmosphere at VET Festival - in fact I think that the rain brought us closer together.
"I set out to build a community of compassion for our profession and I genuinely felt that there was a tangible sense of togetherness. There were loads of great conversations with each other and with the exhibitors. The educational content really was world class and the tents were packed. I hoped that VET Festival would be a breath of fresh air, where having an education event outdoors - combined with a focus on wellness of body and mind for all of us - could help vet professionals to be the very best that they could be - and so serve our patients better.
"Everyone there was part of something innovative and refreshing I felt – the delegates, the exhibitors, the team who have worked year-round to create the event, and the fantastic speakers. I’m very grateful to all of them and I sincerely hope that this feeling remains strong for each and every one all year round.
"The resonant theme this year was ‘kindness’ – to ourselves, to each other, to the families of animals and the animals we are lucky enough to take care of. Nobody is a nobody at VET Festival, and never will be. In that field, we’re all equal, no matter what we do in the vet profession - we all matter - we all want the same thing, which is wellness for each other and the animals we serve - and importantly, we’re all in it together for the greater good, rain or shine."
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has released a series of photographs taken at its last council meeting on 7th March 2013.
Anyone for a photo-caption competition?
The full album can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcvs/sets/72157633046308352/
Vets that took part in the Vet Charity Challenge 2013 have raised a total of £50,000 which was presented to three animal charities at the London Vet Show.
The Vet Charity Challenge took place in September, when 53 teams of four spent the day walking, running, cycling, kayaking and orienteering, along with a variety of mental tasks. The money it raised has been distributed between Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, SPANA and Animals Asia
Jason Rogers, BCF Technology Marketing Manager and one of the organisers said: "The response we got for the Challenge this year has been remarkable with double the number of teams we had in 2012. It was quite a sight to see over 200 people at the briefing at the start of the day. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and get into the spirit of the event. The amount raised this year is truly amazing."
One of the participants, Kerry Lambert from Ashworth Veterinary Group, Hampshire said: "The day was both exhilarating and exhausting. It was very well organised and friendly."
Caitrina Harrison from Vétoquinol added: "As one of the sponsors for this year's Vet Charity Challenge, Vétoquinol had three of the 53 teams entered. The amazing team spirit, fun atmosphere and inter-company rivalry all contributed to a fantastic event. The day was well organised and certainly our three teams, had a fantastic time. We'll be back again next year!"
Speaking for the three charities that benefited from the donations, Deborah Bourne, Corporate Fundraiser from Hearing Dogs for Deaf People said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to all the sponsors and competitors who got involved with this year's inspirational Vet Charity Challenge! Thanks to the determination, team spirit and generosity of everyone who took part, the money raised from this fantastic event will enable us to train more life changing hearing dogs to support deaf adults and children across the UK."
SPVS is inviting practitioners to a week-long CPD and diving course taking place at the Red Sea from June 14-21st.
Five days of diving at Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh will be combined with 16 hours of CPD on orthopaedics, including fracture planning presented by Malcolm Ness BVetMed DipECVS CertSAO FRCVS. Other subjects include the provocatively titled ‘So You Think You Know How to Run a Business?’ presented by Simon Robinson, Senior Business Manager at LloydsTSB.
The event has been organised to avoid the busy school holiday period and vets’ own family commitments.
Ewan McNeill, SPVS Senior Vice President, said: “This is a fantastic week of CPD and diving and demonstrates the wide variety of CPD-driven events SPVS is hosting, ranging from Snowscene to Sail Training. There’ll be a professional diving instructor present at all times, so even if you’re a beginner, this week is definitely one for the diary!”
The venue is the newly refurbished Bayview Hotel, which is situated five minutes from the centre of the resort, jetty and Oxygene dive centre, a BSAC school and PADI resort.
Cost per person is £750 including five days diving, flights from Gatwick, transfers, seven nights half board, boat diving at two dives a day, tanks and weights and Marine park fees. Any extra dives can be paid for locally.
Price quoted is for those who already hold an Open Water Diver certificate, but a referral course is available at an extra £105 for anyone wanting to qualify.
For more information, and to book your place, please contact the SPVS office on 01926 410 454 or email office@spvs.org.uk.
All veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and VN students are to be invited to take part in an RCVS survey of their profession and, for the first time, these surveys will measure mental wellbeing at a population level.RCVS Registrar, Jane Hern said: "Both surveys are being undertaken on our behalf by the Institute of Employment Studies - an independent research organisation. As in previous surveys, all the data will be anonymised by the IES before being shared with us. This will ensure individuals cannot be identified."The information will provide a snapshot of the veterinary profession and help the RCVS to understand and analyse changing trends. Some of the anonymised data will also be shared with researchers at Defra and at the School of Medicine, University of Southampton, who will analyse selected topics in more depth.Jane added: "These surveys produce very useful information about the veterinary and veterinary nursing profession, not least because they usually get a good response rate.
"We will use the information, for example, in our discussions about new veterinary legislation, 24/7 and the Professional Development Phase for newly-qualified vets. So please make sure that you send the form to the IES - or fill it in online - before 8 February."The RCVS normally surveys veterinary surgeons every four years, and last surveyed veterinary nurses in 2008. To obtain concurrent data regarding vets and VNs, both these surveys are taking place at the same time. Forms can by sent back in the freepost envelope provided, or completed online at www.employmentresearch.co.uk/vs2010.htm (vets) and www.employmentresearch.co.uk/vn2010.htm (VNs). The findings of previous studies can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/surveys.
VetTeamAMR includes a learning platform with information about responsible prescribing practises for the whole practice team, and an audit tool designed to support continuous improvements in national antimicrobial stewardship efforts.
The new companion animal materials complement the equine and farm animal resources which were launched earlier this month and in 2021 respectively.
RCVS Knowledge is launching VetTeamAMR for veterinary teams who treat companion animals at a free online event on Tuesday 20 June 2023 at 7:00 pm (BST).
The event is open to all to attend, and will include talks from:
Chris Gush, Executive Director at RCVS Knowledge said, “AMR is a hugely important issue for us at RCVS Knowledge and we are pleased to be able to provide veterinary teams with free tools and resources to support the responsible use of antimicrobials.
“Antibiotics remain the primary treatment for potentially fatal bacterial infections.
"Yet inappropriate use of antibiotics has led to resistance that has created a global animal and human health emergency.”.
“With busy veterinary practices in mind, we have worked alongside veterinary experts to create accessible and user-friendly VetTeamAMR tools and resources and we encourage all UK veterinary practices to get involved.”
To register for the online launch: https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-events/events/vetteamamr-companion-animal-launch-event/
The webinars will be presented by specialists in their respective fields; small animal oncologist Sara Verganti and clinical pathologists Francesco Cian and Roberta Rasotto.
Each 30-minute session will focus on a specific aspect of MCT diagnostics followed by a multidisciplinary Q&A. The sessions, which all start at 7:30pm, are:
Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: "Mast cell tumours are the most common form of canine cutaneous neoplasia, although relatively simple to identify, knowing what diagnostic steps to take can be challenging. We believe this truly comprehensive bite size mini-series will provide vets with the confidence to navigate the diagnostic approach for their next MCTs."
For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
On Thursday 16th June at 4:00pm, Dr Jude Capper, PhD DSc (h.c.) ARAgS, livestock sustainability consultant and ABP chair in sustainable beef production at Harper Adams University, will present 'Managing Fertility to Enhance Sustainability'.
On Thursday 21st June at 4:00pm, Dr Stephen Butler, MAgrSc MSc PhD, principal research scientist and group leader for dairy cattle reproduction research at Teagasc, Ireland’s Agriculture and Food Development Authority (pictured right), will present 'Using Sexed Semen in Dairy Herds', followed by Dr Tom Clark, BVSc MRCVS, veterinary surgeon and clinical director of Synergy Farm Health, who will present 'Practical Implementation of Sexed Semen Strategies'.
The webinars will update vets on how they can support the improvement of reproductive sustainability on dairy farms and provide new data demonstrating how they can promote the implementation of sexed semen protocols in dairy herds.
They will also include information on the practical use of sexed semen strategies with useful hints and tips from on-farm case studies and scenarios.
To register, e-mail cevauk-webinars@ceva.com giving your name, practice name and the date(s) of the event you wish to attend.
Further details and the link will be sent out before the webinar.
During June, Vets Now’s 1300 employees up and down the country will focus on activities which make them feel happy and supported at work including; Feelgood Friday which inspires lunchtime yoga sessions and taking time to unwind, Workout Wednesday which will see teams across the country taking 10,000 steps, and encouraging colleague picnics outside on National Picnic Day (18th June).
The company has also enlisted the help of nutritionist Lily Soutter (pictured right), a regular on ITV’s This Morning, to devise healthy and quick recipes for busy shift-working vets and vet nurses.
Laura Black, Vets Now’s head of health, safety and wellbeing said: "The issue of mental health is more prevalent than ever in the veterinary profession and we recognise that out-of-hours work, in particular, can present its challenges.
"That’s why, as an organisation, health and wellbeing is one of our key priorities. So whilst our Wellness Month has some fun elements, the overall goal is to make sure our teams feel they are supported at work."
Susan Little, pictured left, talks about ‘Low Stress Management of the Diabetic Cat’, Professor Ian Ramsey gives his: ‘Top Ten Tips on Diabetes on a Budget’, and Grant Petrie presents: ‘Patients in Lockdown’: principles to manage diabetes remotely.
John Helps, Senior Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health said: “Pet diabetes continues to be of increasing importance in the UK. Research has shown that up to 20% of diabetic pets die, or are euthanised, within a year of diagnosis1. No-one wants to these figures rise further because of the recent challenges so the topics covered are all particularly relevant to veterinary practice teams at this time.”
To watch the presentation, use this memorable link: https://onlinexperiences.com/Launch/QReg/ShowUUID=ADB18692-C804-40FD-B8C3-5D97C7DBC333&LangLocaleID=1033.
Further information for veterinary professionals from: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/ahp/caninsulin/tools.
For pet owners, the Caninsulin website offers more information about diabetes: www.caninsulin.co.uk.
The app gives users the ability to find information on over 1000 animal medicine listings included on the compendium website; with the complete datasheets available for viewing.
The new app also allows you to scan datamatrix barcodes on veterinary medicinal product packaging to take you straight to important product information. You can also search by medication, manufacturer or GTIN.
Dawn Howard, NOAH’s Chief Executive said: "The NOAH Compendium is the recognised industry reference, and it is essential we fully utilise the information offered in the compendium with modern technology, whilst protecting the integrity and respect that it holds.
"The website, which we relaunched earlier this year, has had over 8.5 million views to date. We feel this app serves as a great addition to this modern method of accessing data – meaning users are no longer reliant on internet access to obtain the information they need.
"As an organisation, we will continue to embrace new technologies to ensure animal medicine is used correctly and responsibly in the UK. The launch of this new app goes towards ensuring all those who prescribe or use animal medicines have access to the latest technical information available for companion and farm animals when they need it."
Dechra Veterinary Products has reduced the price of two key products in its Veterinary Essentials range to help practices respond to the challenging economic climate.
Atipam 5 ml is now the same price per ml as Atipam 10ml. Used for the reversal of the sedative effects of medetomidine and dexmedetomidine in cats and dogs, practices can now choose the size that suits them best. Additionally, during January, for every 15ml purchased an extra 5ml will be provided to practices free of charge.
Thyroxyl, used for the treatment of hypothyroidism in dogs, has also been reduced in price by 15 per cent. Practices that include Thryoxyl as part of the newly introduced Essential Purchase Plan can also make further savings.
To find out more about the Veterinary Essentials range, including further costs savings with an Essentials Purchase Plan and free margin development advice, call Liz Rawlings on 01743 441632.
Just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the SAMSOC memebers who over the last couple of years have donated old text books. Over the last few months I have received photos and messages via WVS that are copied below. So once again thank you.
For those of you who don't know I collect old veterinary textbooks for the Worldwide Veterinary Service. This is a charity that is involved in a number of project around the world with small and large animals.
WVS send volunteer veterinary surgeons from the UK to help charities around the world in a variety of projects. One of the aims of WVS is to provide those volunteers with educational resources that can assist them in their work. Donated textbooks are used by the vets when treating animal but also to teach locals basic first aid that can help not only with animal welfare but in the case of farm animal their productivity. An simple example is teaching an african farmer how to assess a cows foot when it is lame. Locals being taught simple first aid could them treat their own animal e.g. a stone in a shoe., which previously would have been over looked. For more details of WVS work log on to www.wvs.org.uk
Admittedly old text books gathering dust do make a study look more impressive, but lets be honest how often do we open them!! If you still have old equine text, old cattle text, a copy of slater that you bought when you (briefly ) thought about being a surgeon or even just updated your medical text those books could be invaluable in another place. Donating is a win win situation for all, the books will be greatly received and used ( see below), you get a warm fuzzy feeling and you open up a load of space for that wall mounted flat screen you have always wanted or another DIY project you had in mind.
Joking aside If you do have any textbook ( preferable less than 10-12 years old) that you would like to donate and feel could be useful please contact me by commenting on this new feature below or direct by e mail ( iab@vetspecialists.co.uk)
Some of the messages I have received
The books were sent to veterinarians working at the charities in Cape Town, South Africa.
I have attached a couple of photos to this email We send out donated textbooks to charities where veterinary resources are scarce, so these donations are incredibly valuable to the veterinarians who use them. The photos attached show vets at the Cat Assistance Team (CAT) and TEARS (The Emma Animal Rescue Society), receiving donated veterinary textbooks!
“Our dedicated, hard-working veterinarian, Dr Slyvia Shortreed (in photo) expressed the need to purchase a textbook which would help her in her work. Rita Brock from Cat Assistance Team suggested that we approach Worldwide Veterinary Service. Rita sent an email, and within 10 days, two textbooks entitled Textbook of Veterinary Medicine Volumes 1 & 2 by Ettinger / Feldman were delivered to the astonished Sylvia…. Needless to say Sylvia was delighted with her early Christmas present and most grateful to Worldwide Veterinary Service for their donation”
We also received an email from Rita Brock of CAT which said:
"Compassion knows no boundaries! It gave me enormous pleasure to be a link in this chain and see Slyvia’s delight when John and Janet handed her the books this morning. The Ettinger’s will be put to brilliant use at the TEARS surgery. Many animals will benefit from them in the future. I am extremely grateful for your support – you are making a huge difference to a tiny organisation on the other end of the world. Today confirmed my favourite saying: nothing is impossible.”
This year we also sent some textbooks to PDSA South Africa and received the following response:
“We would like to thank you most sincerely for donating veterinary reference books to us. These books have been given to the hospital staff of the Cape Town PDSA Hospital and will be exceptionally useful in training our Animal Welfare Officers. The staff requested me to cover the books in self adhesive plastic – to ensure they are taken care of – and our staff are working through them on a rotational basis”
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Anne is originally from New York City and obtained her veterinary degree from Purdue University in 2011.
She completed her rotating internship at Louisiana State University, followed by two research fellowships at Michigan State University and Nihon University.
She then completed her residency at the RVC, before achieving diplomate status of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology) in 2017.
Anne's interests include treatment and management of congestive heart failure, feline cardiomyopathy and cardiac interventions.
She said: “I’m delighted to be joining the cardiology team at DWR at a very exciting time, supporting the recently-launched open-heart surgery service.
“We’re one of very few hospitals in the world to be able to offer this treatment, so being a part of this is a great challenge, both personally and professionally.”
For more information visit www.dickwhitereferrals.com
Cranial cruciate ligament insufficiency (CCLI) affects 3% to 5% of dogs1.
Past research has demonstrated satisfactory short (6-12 weeks)2 and medium (mean 16 months)3 term outcomes for lame dogs treated with TTA.
However, Steve says there is limited research on longer (>16 months) follow-up periods.
It has also been speculated that dogs with tibial plateau angles (TPA) of greater than 30⁰ are not well suited for a TTA4.
For the study5, the researchers reviewed patient records for a total of 149 TTA-Rapid procedures carried out in 120 dogs over an 80 month period.
They also reviewed owner questionnaires that evaluated the outcome of at least six months after surgery, using a validated clinical metrology instrument, Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD).
Follow-up questionnaires were received from owners of 64 of the 120 dogs (53.3%), with a median follow-up time of 37.5 months.
This cohort included a wide range of breeds, aged between 2&12 years and with bodyweights ranging from 6.3 to 41.8kg.
The dogs included 37 females and 27 males, and of the 79 limbs treated in these dogs, 41 were left and 38 were right.
The researchers found 26 of the dogs (40.6%) had a TTA performed with a TPA less than 30◦ and 38 (59.4%) with a TPA of 30◦ or more.
Of the 79 procedures, meniscal injury was noted in 27 (34.2%), surgery to stabilise the patella was required in 11 (13.9%), there was one surgical site infection (treated successfully with a short course of antibiotics), one dog sustained a fracture of the tibial seven days after surgery, and one sustained a late meniscal tear 12 months after initial surgery (treated successfully by partial meniscectomy).
The outcome was judged to be satisfactory, based on frequency of lameness, in 63 (98.4%), while satisfactory outcomes were achieved in 61 (95.3%) based on severity of lameness and in 50 (78.1%) based on mobility score.
Statistical analysis showed that age, bodyweight, tibial plateau angle (TPA), meniscal injury, and concurrent patellar surgery did not influence the outcome, but time to follow-up positively correlated with mobility score (suggesting mobility declined with time from surgery).
The researchers concluded that the long-term (median of 37.5 months) outcome for dogs undergoing TTA-Rapid for cranial cruciate ligament disease is satisfactory, with no risk factors associated with poorer outcomes identified.
The study also revealed no evidence to support the suggestion that dogs with TPAs of greater than 30◦ may be inappropriate candidates for TTA - after testing several parameters to judge outcome including frequency of lameness, severity of lameness, distance walked daily and mobility score.
Steve said: “This research is important in trying to ensure that decisions on whether to use this treatment modality, are based on sound clinical evidence.
"The only factor identified that influenced the outcome measure was that of time since surgery.
"All other factors, including TPA, had no effect on the outcome.”
References
Tara Evans RVN from Vita said: "We wanted to raise awareness and start a discussion with rabbit owners about preventative ear care in rabbits, including how and when owners are cleaning their rabbits’ ears.”
91% of owners also agreed that cleaning is important for rabbits with ear health problems, but 49% have never cleaned their rabbit’s ears.
For the remainder, the most common reason owners gave for cleaning their rabbits’ ears was as a preventative measure (46%), followed by noticing signs of discomfort (25%) and following veterinary advice (25%).
Tara added: “These results show us that owners are aware cleaning their rabbits’ ears is important which leaves us plenty of opportunities to educate on what owners should be looking out for.
"The survey showed that 57% of rabbit owners correctly identified lop ears to be a risk factor in ear health yet a contradictory 28% thought straight ears posed more of a risk.
"It is our job as veterinary professionals to share facts and impart our knowledge to our engaged audience.”
The survey looked into different options available for ear cleaning and identified that 51% of respondents would choose ear wipes, 25% home prepared solutions and 31% a designated rabbit ear cleaning product.
Tara said: “We want to be encouraging owners to be looking at their rabbits’ ears and cleaning them, however wipes can fail to provide a thorough clean and reach the deeper ear canal effectively, and homemade remedies may be irritating to rabbit ears.
"It is important to use an ear cleaner which is designed for and safe to use in rabbits, such as Omniotic.
"Our survey underscores the critical need for increased education and awareness surrounding rabbit ear health.
"It's essential for owners to understand the significance of regular ear cleaning in maintaining overall wellness and preventing potential diseases.”
www.vitaanimalhealth.com
Reference
Petplan has announced the winners of its 2011 Veterinary Awards.
The awards are to recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners.
Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager said: "Britain is known to be an animal-loving nation and with millions of households owning cats and dogs, pets play a central part in family life. The Petplan Veterinary Awards give us the opportunity, on behalf of all pet owners across the UK, to thank the veterinary profession for the outstanding service they provide to our pets.
"This is the 12th year of the awards and this year we received over 2,800 nominations, a record number for the vet awards, which really highlights the high regard that the profession and pet owners have for these awards."
The winners for each category are:
VET OF THE YEARAlison Laurie, Crown Vets - Highlands What really stood out about Alison for the independent panel of judges was her clinical excellence, exceptional ability and compassion towards customers and their pets, all of which were highly praised in her nominations.
VET NURSE OF THE YEARMaria Corcoran, Orwell Veterinary Group - Ipswich Maria's ability to naturally lead by example was a prominent factor for the judges, as well as her ability to always make pet care and comfort her top priority. She also provides great customer service and high clinical standards.
VET SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR Patty Fraser, Loch Leven Equine Practice - KinrossThe independent panel of judges was really impressed by Patty; she is considered to be the 'hub' of the practice and constantly makes a strong contribution to the team in many ways. Her ability to organise and multitask whilst offering excellent customer service is outstanding.
VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR Emersons Green Veterinary Surgery Ltd - Avon Emersons Green Veterinary Surgery's work to continually educate their customers really stood out for the independent panel of judges. The practice works incredibly hard to provide regular newsletters and updates on their Facebook page, which is run by nurses, whilst maintaining a great level of service for their pets and clients. The practice has also been very successful in helping to re-home dogs.
Ceva Animal Health has launched a new initiative to help young vets attend a variety of educational opportunities to further their knowledge of cattle reproduction.
The reprodAction Young Vet Initiative was introduced this month and three young vets have already taken part in the scheme.
The new initiative is open to recently qualified vets who are keen to improve their knowledge of cattle reproduction and who work for practices that are interested in growing their business by improving cattle reproduction on farms. The scheme includes Ceva-sponsored cattle fertility courses and dissertation programmes.
Emily Denton from Shropshire Farm Vets (pictured right), Annelyse Desbois From Meadows Farm Vets and Alun Beckett from Larkmead Veterinary Group were chosen to attend a CPD day 'A Practical Approach to the Non-Pregnant Cow', organised by Nottingham University.
Carol Atkinson, Ceva's reprodAction range marketing manager, said: "The purpose of this project is to give new graduates working in practice the opportunity to participate in quality CPD. The aim is to help them build their expertise and enthusiasm for cattle reproduction work via practical sponsorship."
Emily Denton has been an intern at Shropshire Farm Vets for the past year. She was chosen for the initiative having recently completed the XL vets farm new graduate programme. She said: "It was an exciting opportunity to build on the skills I have developed in practice and to discuss cases with my peers and with other, more experienced clinicians. The course was excellent - my take home message was that as cow genetics change it affects their cycle. Our ability to manipulate this is dependent on having a good, accurate knowledge of the physiological changes taking place."
For more information about taking part in the reprodAction Young Vet Initiative, contact your Ceva Territory Manager.
The initiative was set up in 2014 by Mark Hirschel and Jo Amit, the co-founders of pet product company HOWND. It gained momentum last year when Ricky Gervais lent his support.
Jo said: "We have always brought our dogs Roxy and Laila to work with us, but when we moved into new offices back in 2014 we discovered that they weren’t allowed in the premises.
"This inspired us to create an event that publicised why dogs can make a positive difference in safe work environments, in attempt to encourage companies across the UK to adopt dog friendly policies.
"We’re overwhelmed with how successful Bring Your Dog To Work Day has become. It’s been amazing to see how many people have posted their dogs at work across all social media in 2014 and 2015. Most importantly, it was fantastic to raise money for a cause that has always been close to our hearts - the wonderful work of All Dogs Matter. We’re hopeful that this year will prove even more popular, building on the momentum of 2015."
The organisers point to an American study published in 2012 which concluded that dogs at work may make a positive difference by reducing stress levels in staff and increasing their levels of job satisfaction.
For more information, visit: https://bringyourdogtoworkday.co.uk
The VMD, which reclassified the product following a request from Zoetis, says that increasing the availability of this anthelmintic should help it to be incorporated into strategic worm control programmes on farms in line with best practice guidance on worm control. This could result in long term health benefits for sheep, for example by reducing the development and spread of anthelmintic resistance, thereby prolonging the effective use of anthelmintics.
However, both the British Veterinary Association and the Sheep Veterinary Society have expressed concerns over the move.
BVA Junior Vice President John Fishwick said: "We know that resistance to anthelmintics is increasing in grazing animals worldwide and needs to be addressed to avoid a potentially disastrous situation of being unable to tackle parasites. The reclassification of Startect Dual Active from POM-V to POM-VPS is in direct opposition to the trend in Europe, where we are seeing increased control over dispensing of anthelmintics in species where resistance is posing a serious threat to animal health, welfare and profitable production; we're extremely concerned that we might start seeing resistance develop in Group 4 as a result.
"BVA believes that the prescribing of anthelmintics requires a level of control best provided by a veterinary surgeon who has the animals under his/her care, and is based on a sound clinical diagnosis. The drugs are best used as part of a flock health plan drawn up by farmers in conjunction with their vet in order to protect animal health and welfare and safeguard the efficacy of these products for the future."
Sheep Veterinary Society President Kathryn Dun said: "Group 4 anthelmintics should be used only as part of a careful designed strategy for the individual farm and it is imperative that this strategy is worked out with a vet and is part of a flock health plan for that farm. The products need to be used, in the correct way, to help prolong the life of our other anthelmintics.
"We are unlikely to have any further new groups of anthelmintics in the foreseeable future, so education of those buying and selling these products is crucial to ensure the longevity of the effective action of them against sheep parasites."
Further information on BVA's policy on anthelmintics can be found here: www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/medicines/anthelmintics
Drawing attention to the symptoms of allergic skin disease that owners should look out for during the warmer months, the leaflet, poster and notice board materials discuss some of the substances that dogs can be allergic to, how to manage skin allergies and what to look for in an itch prevention plan.
The materials have been produced to support Apoquel, the oral therapy for the treatment of canine pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis and the clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis. They feature two dogs – Eric and Daisy – whose lives have been changed by the product.
For more information, contact your Zoetis account manager.