Companion Care has opened its 80th surgery, within the Ilford Pets at Home store.

Companion Care Vets managing director, Jane Balmain said: "The opening of our 80th surgery proves the success of our joint venture partner business model. At present the majority of our surgeries are located inside Pets at Home stores but we also have four very successful standalone surgeries. Our standalone surgery network is now being developed to create further exciting opportunities for future growth, with our first new standalone surgery opening in Scotland this December."

Joint venture partner and veterinary surgeon at Companion Care Vets Ilford Alberto Arciniega said: "Alongside the fantastic team we have on board, my partners Nick and Claire and I are extremely proud to be opening our second surgery here in Ilford. Having been partners at the Romford surgery since July 2009 we have seen the company grow consistently and successfully. We feel honoured to be opening the groups' 80th surgery and look forward to the challenge of managing both practices and to delivering outstanding veterinary care."

With 102 Joint Veterinary Partners, 83 of whom are veterinary surgeons, 12 veterinary nurses, 6 practice managers and 1 receptionist and a further 789 staff employed by the group Companion Care Vets is one of the largest veterinary employers in the UK. Dividend payments to joint venture partners in the 2010/2011 period totalled £2.181 million and the group says it plans to open a further 10 surgeries across the UK before the end of year.

The Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss has reassured pet owners that there is no cause for alarm after a cat was diagnosed with coronavirus last week.

Christine said: "Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency have confirmed that the virus responsible for COVID-19 has been detected in a pet cat in England.

"This is a very rare event with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within in a few days.

"There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change."

Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: "This is the first case of a domestic cat testing positive for COVID-19 in the UK but should not be a cause for alarm.

"The investigation into this case suggest that the infection was spread from humans to animal, and not the other way round. At this time, there is no evidence that pets can transmit the disease to humans.

The pet cat was initially diagnosed by a vet with feline herpes virus, but the sample was also tested for SARS-CoV-2 as part of a research programme at the Centre for Virus Research at Glasgow University. Follow-up samples tested at the APHA laboratory in Weybridge confirmed the cat was also co-infected with SARS-CoV2 , the virus known to cause COVID-19 in humans.

BSAVA advice for practising vets about coronavirus is here and further information about testing is available here.

A consortium of seven academics has been awarded a £1.75 million grant to understand how better diagnostics can encourage responsible antibiotic use in animals.

The award, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) working in partnership with the Department of Health and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), is part of the cross-council 'Tackling antimicrobial resistance: behaviour within and beyond the healthcare setting’ call, part of the antimicrobial resistance cross-council initiative supported by the seven research councils in partnership with other UK funders including the Medical Research Council (MRC). 

The research team will be led by social scientists at the University of Exeter and includes two veterinary surgeons from the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences, together with colleagues at the Innogen Institute of the University of Edinburgh, the British Veterinary Association and leading farm animal veterinary surgeons across the UK. 

The researchers say that better, smarter, more rapid and more accessible diagnoses - driving shifts in behaviour associated with diagnostic decision making - represent a critical step to delivering more effective uses of antibiotics in animal health. But improvements in diagnostic development and their relationship to prescription and treatment requires social, governance and technical innovations.

Professor Henry Buller, project lead from the University of Exeter’s School of Geography, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to provide a current assessment of diagnostic and treatment decision practices in the livestock sectors of the UK. Novel and innovative diagnostic tools are currently in development, and our research will generate better understanding of their development as well as the marketing and regulation of these new technologies."

Dr Kristen Reyher, Senior Lecturer in Farm Animal Science, who is the lead on the project at the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences, added: "Our research team – the AMR Force – has a track record of working closely with farmers, veterinarians, retailers and government bodies to encourage responsible use of antibiotics. We are excited to have this amazing opportunity to collaboratively generate, evaluate and analyse behaviours and strategies around animal disease diagnosis and to show how innovation in the development of diagnostic tools along with diagnostic regulation and governance can lead to more sensible use of antibiotics across farming systems. 

"Working with our partners, we will identify pathways and possibilities for improved diagnostic practice and will trial new diagnostic tools on a series of farms. We are very excited to take our ideas beyond the UK as well, and will conduct pilot and capacity-building research in Tanzania and also partner with a project working in Bangladesh that is co-funded by ESRC and the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science."

Professor Buller added: "Employment of new diagnostics doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Our team will evaluate the implications these innovations will have for the organisation, cost-effectiveness and efficiency of veterinary practice, as well as for veterinary training. We will identify the changes in behaviour, practice and knowledge necessary to accompany the more widespread adoption of practices that are deemed effective and will assess the regulatory and governance support necessary to encourage use of beneficial practices."

The interdisciplinary team will work alongside diagnostic tool developers and regulators, veterinary practices and professional bodies, farmers and treatment decision makers, veterinary laboratories, the food industry and government regulatory authorities to develop durable and innovative strategies for facilitating and advancing smarter approaches to the use of antibiotics in agriculture.

The work will cover the major livestock species, and will involve seeking opinions from veterinary surgeons across the country, through collaboration with the BVA. 

David Barrett, Professor of Bovine Medicine, Production and Reproduction at the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to assess the adaptability and responsiveness of the different animal production sectors - poultry, pigs and cattle - along with a variety of veterinary structures to the trialled innovations in diagnosis and diagnostics, and will determine the likely benefits of these innovations for prescription practice, for animal health and for sustainable livestock production."

Photo: University of Bristol

Zoë Halfacree, a soft tissue specialist at Davies Veterinary Specialists has been awarded a Fellowship by the RCVS.

Zoë, who joined Davies in October 2020, was formerly a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Surgery and Head of Soft Tissue Surgery at the RVC. She holds RCVS Certificates in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging and Small Animal Surgery and is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons. 

Zoë is also a champion of sustainability: she completed the Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership course and was appointed chair of the Vet Sustain working group to coordinate sustainability collaborations amongst veterinary professionals and societies. As a member of Vet Sustain’s curriculum working group Zoë is actively involved with supporting sustainability initiatives at UK veterinary schools and she continues to work with the RVC in a number of capacities.

She said: “I am honoured to have been awarded a fellowship and proud to join numerous outstanding colleagues who have already achieved this status.”

Tim Richardson, Managing Director of Davies said: “We are all extremely proud that Zoë’s outstanding knowledge, experience and contributions to clinical practice have been recognised at the highest level with the award of a Fellowship and we feel very privileged to have her here on the team at Davies.”

Claire McCabe from Craemill Veterinary Clinic, an IVC Evidensia practice in Cookstown has been announced as PetPlan's Vet of the Year 2023.

Claire was presented with the award at a black tie event in Manchester yesterday.

She said: Our local community is massively important to myself and my practice – we have been going 50 years this year so it’s a big year for us this year so to get this award on this anniversary means so much, especially for my husband’s father who started the practice and sadly passed away a number of years ago so I just wish he’d been here to see it.”

The other winners were:

• Helen Rooney, Pet Blood Bank, Vet Nurse of the Year
• Milfeddygon Williams Vets, Vet Practice of the Year
• Louise Newman, Blue Cross Vets, Practice Manager of the Year
• Laura Cameron, Lomond Veterinary Clinic, Support Staff of the Year

 Petplan’s Sales and Marketing Director, Bella von Mesterhazy said: “All of the night’s winners are so deserving of the accolade, thanks to their true commitment to their profession, and like all those who sent in nominations, Petplan is incredibly grateful for the outstanding services provided by not only our winners, but veterinary professionals around the country.”

The RCVS has announced that the Codes of Professional Conduct for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses have been updated to state that you should not refer to yourselves or others as 'veterinary nurses' unless registered.

In fact, the change occurred back in June last year, but was only announced via RCVS News and as a one-liner within the 'Overview of decisions made at RCVS Council'.

The announcement raises the pretty fundamental question of what ARE veterinary surgeons and RVNs to call their unqualified colleagues, if not veterinary nurses? How indeed are those unqualified staff working in veterinary practice to describe their job title to their friends, down at the pub? 

VetSurgeon.org sought to clarify the situation with the College, and the first point to make is that the new part of the CoPCs refers only to the use of the words 'veterinary nurse' when used in conjunction. The words 'nurse' or 'nursing' are not protected at all. 

The College says that it is not within its remit to instruct veterinary surgeons or registered nurses as to how they should address unqualified staff, but suggested: 'Care Assistant' or 'Auxilliary'.

However, Ben Myring, RCVS Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer said: "There is nothing to stop someone calling themselves a 'nursing assistant' or a 'head nurse'".

The Codes of Professional Conduct obviously apply only to those who are regulated by it. The title 'veterinary nurse' in unprotected in law and can therefore be used by anyone else. 

So, the immediate implications seem to be as follows:

• Veterinary surgeons and nurses must not refer to unqualified nursing colleagues as 'veterinary nurses'. 
• Currently acceptable alternatives (for the moment at least) are 'nurse' (on its own), 'care assistant, 'auxilliary' or 'nursing assistant'.
• Marketing and other materials which a regulated individual has responsibility for should be updated to reflect the change (for example, if a small practice owned by a veterinary surgeon refers to its unqualified nursing assistants as veterinary nurses on its website, that should be changed).
• When asked, down the pub, what they do, unqualified nursing assistants are legally still entitled to describe themselves as 'veterinary nurses'.

Do you have any other suggestions as to how unqualified nursing staff should be styled? Post them below.

Vets attending the first veterinary-led European Equine Transport Forum, held in Brussels last November, have agreed that the profession needs to take a leading role to help enforce the current regulation governing the long-distance transport of horses, in order for equine welfare standards to be improved.

In support, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Trust has announced the introduction of the BEVA Trust Equine Transport Enforcement Award of €1000, to be given annually to the individual or group doing the most to improve enforcement of the current transport regulation.

The Forum was initiated by BEVA President Madeleine Campbell in conjunction with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and is sponsored by the BEVA Trust and World Horse Welfare. It attracted representatives from 38 nations; including a strong turnout from Eastern Europe where horses sourced for slaughter often start their journeys and Italy which is the end destination for the majority of these horses.

The plight of horses sourced for slaughter was the main focus for discussion and the key issues raised were:

• The practical enforcement of the current regulation at the beginning, middle and end of journeys
• Consistent enforcement of the current regulation across all Member States
• That horses transported for slaughter should receive the same regard for their welfare as competition and leisure horses
• The lack of adequate assessments of fitness to travel, leading to diseased horses being transported greatly increasing the risk of transmitting infectious diseases across Europe. These non-compliant shipments should be tackled through robust and thorough veterinary examination at each stage of the journey, coupled with rigorous identification procedures for every horse to ensure traceability.

Delegates also examined the long-term need to change the attitude of Italian consumers, raising awareness of the current welfare issues related to their preference for fresh meat, labelled as Italian produce. In addition they discussed the impact on equine welfare of increased profits in sourcing horses in Eastern Europe and then transporting them long distances for slaughter.

Dr Madeleine Campbell said: "The atmosphere throughout the day was one of collaboration and determination to succeed. Proper enforcement of the current regulation is the key to welfare improvements, as is the need for a system of best practice to drive a change in cultural attitudes about how horse meat is produced. A process of education is necessary so that consumers understand the welfare issues associated with long-distance transport and start demanding accurate information about where the meat which they are buying originally came from, and how far the horses travelled to slaughter. We are all in agreement that vets have a pivotal role to play in both education and enforcement, and that they want to play it."

Nominations for the annual BEVA Trust Equine Transport Enforcement Award are open and can be made via the FVE and the BEVA Trust. The award will be judged by the FVE Working Group on Transport, and will be awarded for the first time in November 2011. The programme, abstracts and presentations from the Forum can be found at: http://www.fve.org/events/index.html#conferences

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched a new cattle and sheep vaccine which it says gives vets an additional opportunity to prescribe the broadest possible protection against clostridial diseases.

Bravoxin 10 is a low dose clostridial vaccine containing antigens for protection against C. perfringens type A, C.perfringens type B, C.perfringens type C, C.perfringens type D, C.novyi type B, C.septicum, C.tetani, C.sordellii, C.haemolyticum and C.chauvoei.

Dosage volumes are 2ml for cattle and 1ml for sheep and the new vaccine can be used in animals from as young as two weeks old if the dam has not been previously vaccinated. A booster dose pre-calving or lambing will also deliver 8-12 weeks passive immunity in calves and lambs (apart from against C.haemolyticum).

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health ruminant veterinary adviser Rosemary Booth MRCVS said: "Clostridial bacteria take the lives of cattle and sheep on a regular basis and are the cause of a significant proportion of the sudden livestock deaths in this country. In 2007, an independent survey of over 500 UK dairy and beef farmers revealed that half the interviewees had experienced calves or adult cattle dying for no apparent reason.  The reality is that many of these losses could have been due to clostridial diseases. Farmer respondents valued the livestock loss at anywhere between £505 and £1243 per animal. Even at the lowest stock valuation, preventing the loss through broad-spectrum vaccination would pay for nearly five years of Bravoxin 10 use in a 100 cow herd.

"Now that additional clostridial pathogens such as C. sordellii and  C. perfringens A have been recognised by the VLA and SAC as significant causes of deaths on both cattle and sheep farms, it makes sense to widen pathogen cover on some ruminant livestock units. Bravoxin 10 allows practitioners to prescribe the broadest possible disease protection." 

The sheep industry already understands the importance of broad-spectrum vaccination against clostridial diseases, but Iain Carrington from Intake Veterinary Services based in Northumberland believes cattle producers should also upgrade their protection.

"There was a time that clostridial disease control in cattle meant vaccinating your youngstock against blackleg at turnout, or discovering dead animals and then reacting with blackleg vaccine," he said. "But over the last few years, I have seen an increased incidence of different clostridial diseases in far from typical circumstances.

"There are also a large number of cattle deaths going undiagnosed and it is likely that many are caused by clostridial species. As a result, we are now advising many of our clients to take a broader-spectrum vaccination approach to ensure adequate protection - not only of the cows themselves - but also their calves through good colostral transfer," he said.

Bravoxin 10 is a prescription-only medicine (POM-V). For further information, contact the Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.

The Purina Institute is hosting a free one hour webinar:  “Evidence-based selection of supplements in clinical practice” on 2nd May at 6:00pm.

The webinar will be presented by Marge Chandler DVM, MS, MANZCVS, DACVIM (SAIM, Nutrition), MRCVS and Dr Michael Lappin DVM, PhD, DACVIM.

Marge is an independent consultant in small animal nutrition and internal medicine and Chair of the FEDIAF Scientific Advisory Committee, founding member of the European Veterinary Nutrition Educators Group, and Co-Chair of the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee.

Michael is the Kenneth W. Smith Professor in Small Animal Clinical Veterinary Medicine and Director of the Center for Companion Animal Studies at Colorado State University. He is on the editorial board of Feline Medicine and Surgery and Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian and is the editor of the textbook, Feline Internal Medicine Secrets.

The webinar will discuss the value supplements can offer to pets who are already on complete diets, how supplements are regulated and the importance of quality control.

The session will also cover the challenges for vets in selecting supplements for their clinical practice, what factors can determine the choice of supplement, and how you can critically evaluate the evidence supporting a supplement.

Marge and Michael will also provide tips for communicating the benefits of supplements to clients. 

Daniel Rodes Moltó of the Purina Institute said: “We are pleased to offer this interactive webinar on how to evaluate and select supplements using an evidence-based approach in a non-promotional setting.

"Webinar attendees are welcome to submit questions for our speakers in advance and to ask questions during the live event, which promises to be an enjoyable and lively session supporting the aim of improving the lives of pets.”

https://webapp.spotme.com/login/eventspace/CollaborativeCareMay2023 

The RCVS has announced the results of this year’s RCVS Council election which saw a turnout of 22.7%, compared to 22.8% last year and 15.6% the year before.

The results, in order of number of votes, are: 

• Elected: Susan Paterson – 3,976 votes

• Elected: Mandisa Greene – 3,819 votes

• Elected: Neil Smith – 3,544 votes 

• John Innes – 3,502 votes

• David Catlow – 3,310 votes

• Matthew Plumtree – 2,677 votes

• Iain Richards – 2,635 votes

• Karlien Heyrman – 2,487 votes

• John Davies – 580 votes

• Thomas Lonsdale – 542 votes

Due to the fact that a Legislative Reform Order (LRO) that amends the College’s governance has completed its passage through the House of Commons and House of Lords and is expected to be signed off by the relevant Minister to bring it into law, only the first three candidates are expected to take up their posts on Council at RCVS Day on 13 July 2018.

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the election, said: "I would like to thank all the candidates who stood for Council this year and would like to, in particular, congratulate Susan, Mandisa and Neil for being re-elected to RCVS Council.

"The LRO that is likely to be signed off in due course will reconstitute the makeup of Council – with greater lay and veterinary nursing input – and will also reduce the overall size of Council, including the number of elected members. Because of this only the first three – as opposed to the first six under previous rules – candidates are likely to be taking up a four-year term at RCVS Day 2018. Our commiserations go out to all the unsuccessful candidates, especially in this unusual transitional year, and we thank them for their participation in this year’s election."

The results of the election will be formally declared at this year’s RCVS Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and awards ceremony – which takes place at the Royal Institute of British Architects on Friday 13 July 2018.

TVM has become the new UK distributor of Sileo (dexmedetomidine), licensed for the alleviation of noise-related anxiety and fear in dogs.

Administered between the dog’s cheek and gum at the dose of 125 mcg/m2, dexmedetomidine is absorbed across the oral mucosa, delivering a micro-dose at approximately 1/4 of the IM dose.

It is given as soon as the dog shows signs of anxiety or fear, or when typical triggers of fear are detected by the owner.

Re-dosing of up to four times is possible with at least two hours pause between doses.

There's a new dial-to-dose syringe designed to make Sileo easier to administer, and redesigned packaging with a QR code which links to an instructional video for owners.

Emma Hancox, Veterinary Advisor at TVM, said: "Up to 50% of dogs suffer from noise anxiety, which can be extremely distressing both for pets and their owners.

"While many people associate their pet’s anxiety with occasions such as bonfire night, noise-anxiety can apply to everyday noises such as vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers and by social events or parties, which could have a much greater impact on the dog’s everyday welfare. 

For more information, email help@tvm-uk.com, call 0800 0385868 visit or contact your local Territory Manager.

The RCVS is calling on everyone to nominate veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and laypeople who are working above-and-beyond for the benefit of animal health and welfare, the veterinary professions or public health, for one of its 2019 honours and awards.

This year the College is seeking nominations for six awards:

• The Queen’s Medal: the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon for a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout.

• The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award: this award is aimed at veterinary nurses who have had a sustained and distinguished career, who can demonstrate a leadership role within the profession and who can act as an ambassador for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.

• RCVS International Award: this award is for vets, vet nurses or laypeople who work internationally, from either within or outside the UK, in making an outstanding contribution to, for example, raising veterinary standards, veterinary education and improving animal health and welfare.

• RCVS Impact Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses who have recently, or are currently, undertaking a project, initiative or similar that has a significant impact on the profession at large, animal health or welfare, or public health. Such impact could have been made through any field of veterinary endeavour, including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.

• RCVS Inspiration Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses at any stage of their career who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout. It is open to those who have inspired and motivated individuals anywhere within the profession and recognises those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ what may normally be expected from a professional colleague.

• Honorary Associateship: this honour is conferred to a small number of laypeople each year, in recognition of their special contribution to the veterinary sphere. It recognises the full range of individuals who contribute to the veterinary sphere including scientists, lecturers, journalists, charity-workers, farriers, farmers and those involved in the commercial field.

For this year’s honours and awards nomination period, the College has produced a video using footage from Royal College Day 2018, featuring interviews with those who were recognised with RCVS honours and awards on the day. 

The video is available to view at www.rcvs.org.uk/honours where you can also download further information and guidance about the criteria for nominators and nominees for the awards, as well as how to make nomination.

Dr Niall Connell, RCVS Junior Vice-President, is taking the lead in promoting the awards this year. He said: "Throughout my time in the veterinary profession, and particularly since joining RCVS Council, I have met so many veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons who are truly inspiring individuals.

"The RCVS honours and awards scheme is a perfect opportunity to celebrate some of the individuals that have done or are doing something really special – whether that’s by inspiring their colleagues and peers or doing things that benefit animal health and welfare or society at large.

"Across all six awards there really is something for everyone – vets and veterinary nurses at all stages of their careers as well as laypeople are all up for recognition and so I’d strongly encourage everyone to think about someone they know who deserves recognition and get in touch.”

The deadline for nominations is Friday 18 January 2019. 

For an informal talk about the awards and how to make a nomination you can contact Peris Dean, Executive Secretary, on p.dean@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0761.