Petplan has announced that it has won a formal tender to become the chosen pet insurance provider for Vets4Pets and Companion Care, as part of a five year deal to provide cover for over 250 practices.

Simon Masding, Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 36 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK and it is fantastic to see our unrivalled support recognised as part of a formal tender process. This partnership demonstrates our passion for working with and supporting the veterinary profession.

"We are delighted to be Vets4Pets and Companion Care's chosen pet insurance provider and look forward to working together to help give even more pets access to quality insurance cover and an excellent claims experience."

Companion Care Commercial Director Andrei Balta said: "Like Petplan, we put pet welfare and owner's peace of mind first. Through the development of the tender process, it was clear that Petplan offers not only a world class service for pet owners, but our businesses share similar values and a deep respect for the industry."

The Royal Veterinary College has raised £45 million to invest in campus developments supporting education, research and veterinary services.

The finance was raised via a private placement with Sun Life Investment Management.

The College says it chose to finance via the private placement market due to the supportive buy and hold nature of the investor base, the strong demand within it for high quality higher education credits and the negotiated nature of the market. 

In the top three of the QS world university rankings and with a strong financial performance history, the RVC’s £45 million senior unsecured note offering generated significant investor interest both within the UK and North America; with the offer four times over-subscribed, the RVC was able to take advantage of highly competitive long-term interest rates.

The secured funding will allow capital developments on both of the College's campuses.

Professor Stuart Reid, the RVC Principal, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have secured this innovative blue chip financial backing in a deal which reflects our international reputation and leadership in the veterinary and biomedical sciences. We now look forward to investing in the next phase of capital development at the RVC, securing our position for years to come."

Candace Shaw, Head of Private Fixed Income, Sun Life Investment Management, said: "We are pleased to support the continued growth of the RVC, a specialised higher education institution with a renowned reputation both in the UK and internationally.  The financing of the RVC represents a sound investment and aligns to Sun Life’s long-term investment objectives in this sector."

Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) has launched CHeCS bTB Herd Accreditation, a new scheme to evaluate risk and recognise farmers who step up biosecurity to help control bovine TB (bTB) in England and Wales.

The voluntary scheme, which has been welcomed by Farming Minister George Eustice and Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, improves a herd’s ‘score’ every year it is free from a bTB breakdown, awarding a status of 0-10.

This new bTB scheme will require the herd vet and cattle owner to work together on following a number of biosecurity measures already successfully implemented in five other cattle disease control programmes.

As well as reducing risk of infection, the country-wide programme could present informed purchasing opportunities. In particular, it could benefit farmers selling cattle from regions with a high risk of the disease or who wish to minimise exposure from bought-in animals. It could also give recognition for a farmer’s efforts to complement Government and industry strategies to control infection.

Farming Minister George Eustice (pictured left above, with BCVA President Andrew Cobner) said: "Dealing with Bovine TB is costing us £100 million a year and causing devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities across the country. 33,000 cattle were slaughtered because of the disease last year alone and many farms are subject to movement restrictions which can affect their trade.

"But we know some 40% of herds in the high-risk area in England have never had a breakdown, and the CHeCS scheme will help them to communicate this so they can carry out risk-based trading to support their businesses.

"The scheme will also recognise those practicing good biosecurity, which is a core part of our long-term plan to tackle bovine TB."

The scheme complements the Government’s 25-year plan to eradicate Bovine TB in England, and will provide another tool for farmers who want to show they are following best practice. It follows the launch of the TB Hub (www.tbhub.co.uk), which offers practical advice and guidance as well as background into the disease.

The Cabinet Secretary, Mrs Griffiths, said: "The Welsh Government has been supportive of this initiative from the start. By focusing on individual herds, the scheme complements our proposed regional approach, for example those herds in the high TB areas which have not recently had TB will be able to demonstrate they are a lower risk.

"This industry-led initiative aimed at reducing TB is to be welcomed and fits in with our principles of working in partnership and promoting the benefits of disease prevention.  I urge Welsh farmers to engage with the scheme and reduce the risk of disease being introduced into their herd."

Across Great Britain, CHeCS has over 14,000 member herds, representing around 14% of cattle holdings in some form of monitoring, control and eradication of disease.

Keith Cutler, CHeCS board member and partner in the Endell Veterinary Group, said: "CHeCS so far has focused on control of non-statutory diseases – Johne’s Disease, IBR, BVD, Leptospirosis and Neospora. Participating health schemes have been monitoring the health status of participating herds for some years.

"With this programme, we will be working with Government to receive official TB test data with the agreement of the farmer. It’s an exciting development for CHeCS, but there is a natural fit because of the expertise CHeCS-accredited health schemes already have with monitoring biosecurity measures on their members’ farms."

Andrew Cobner, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association, who has been technical lead on the project since the start, said: "All too often we are confronted with the view that there is little or nothing that we can do to control TB. We wouldn’t accept this attitude with any other infectious disease so it’s time farmers and vets fought back. We have a government that is willing to embrace all of the measures necessary and we have a 25 year plan in place. Part of this will involve increasing biosecurity and risk-based trading, and CHeCS is leading the way."

The CHeCS bTb Herd Accreditation scores run from 0 (following all CHeCS measures but had a herd breakdown within the past 12 months), to 1 (following CHeCS measures and one year since the last herd breakdown) all the way though to 10 (following CHeCS measures and 10 years or more since the last herd breakdown).

Veterinary surgeons who think their clients might want to know more can point them in the direction of: www.checs.co.uk to read the technical standard, programme handbook and Q&A. If it sounds advantageous to their farm, they should discuss joining with you, then contact one of the participating CHeCS-accredited health schemes listed on the website. The application form includes a privacy agreement to allow the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to send test data automatically to the health scheme, and a declaration from the herd vet. After the form is sent back, a starting score will be awarded. 

More information on bTB is also available at www.tbhub.co.uk.

Pet owners visiting the University of Edinburgh's vet school will be able to relax in peaceful outdoor surroundings, thanks to a project supported by the BBC's Beechgrove Garden.

The primetime gardening show's team, together with volunteers and friends of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, have transformed a two-and-a-half-acre plot in the vet school grounds into a community garden.

The sloping landscaped garden features a network of paths surrounding flower beds, trees and bushes. Sculpted stone seats give visitors a place to relax. Clients of the Dick Vet are being invited to support the school by sponsoring a brick along a path that winds through the garden, or by sponsoring trees, plants or benches.

Lesley Watson, a Beechgrove Garden presenter, said: "We have had a lot of help from the community in creating this garden, in what was a huge site. The first part of the garden, next to the School buildings, is quite formal, but as it extends towards the hills beyond, it becomes a more relaxed space and starts to take on aspects of the wider landscape."

Professor Elaine Watson, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: "This wonderful garden is a fantastic place for our pet owners to visit and also a beautiful green retreat for our staff and students to enjoy."

Inez Priestly, a dog owner whose pets have been treated at the Dick Vet, laid the first brick in the garden's path of memories, in honour of her late Cavalier King Spaniel, Treacle. Mrs Priestly said: "The treatment my dogs have received at the Dick Vet has been beyond words - the vets always empathise with their clients and go the extra mile to help. I'm delighted to lay this first brick in the new garden and hope this will encourage others to do the same, as a way of thanking the Dick Vet."

(Photos courtesy Norrie Russell, University of Edinburgh)

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has launched the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme, through which veterinary medicines retailers can now be accredited by the regulator.

The scheme, which is voluntary, involves an application process and site inspection to check ongoing compliance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations.

The British Veterinary Association has supported the move, but called for the scheme to become compulsory. The BVA says it is also calling for more robust measures to stop prescription fraud and is in discussions with the VMD.

Harvey Locke, Past President of the BVA, said: "Our biggest concern with online medicines retailers has been that animal owners didn't know whether they were buying genuine, safe medicines that comply with UK regulations.

"This simple scheme launched by the VMD will allow customers to know within seconds whether the company they are using complies with the high standards set by UK legislation and the regulator.

"The scheme is a very welcome positive step in protecting the public from illegal sites, but in future we would like to see it becoming compulsory so that everyone can be confident that they are buying products that are safe for their animals and themselves."

XLVets, the collaborative group of independent veterinary practices, is inviting independent vets to come to one of three national meetings it is holding at Chesford Grange in Kenilworth to explain the benefits of joining the group.

The small animal and business meeting takes place on the 2^nd and 3^rd October. The farm and business national meeting is on the 18^th and 19^th September, and the equine and business meeting is on the 9^th and 10^th October.

The small animal meeting will also cover other topics such as the art of conversations to dentistry, while the farm meeting will focus on team working, competitive advantage, genomics and mental resilience.

All three events include a team-based activity and a social evening which offers the chance to network and exchange experiences and ideas.

Susan Goodfellow, the Chief Marketing Officer at XLVets said: "It's fine to know what we do but to actually experience it as part of our community is quite different. We know that talking to members and being part of a group of individuals that come together to determine their own future is the best way for veterinary professionals to see what's possible and how we strive for excellence together."

XLVets is also encouraging anyone who is thinking about starting their own practice to attend the events; the company has a number of programmes designed to support prospective owners with things like finding funding, identifying the right financial set up, and acquiring the skills needed to lead a team effectively.

Susan says many vets have a strong entrepreneurial mindset but lack support or know-how to allow them to take the first step to ownership: "Locum roles and mobile set ups are often stepping stones to practice ownership but the barriers can seem significant, not to mention any personal reservations people might have about all it entails. Support from like-minded colleagues who can openly share their experiences can help to make it seem possible, desirable and achievable."

Veterinary professionals wishing to attend one of the meetings should contact Colm McGinn, Chief of Implementation, in confidence, at colm.mcginn@xlvets.co.uk or call 01228 711788.

Following BBC Panorama’s expose into extreme dog breeding which aired on Monday, Dave Martin MRCVS, Animal Welfare Advisor at IVC Evidensia, has called for new legislation in the UK which would make it illegal to own a dog with cropped ears.

Ear cropping in UK dogs was exposed by BBC’s Panorama as a growing problem particularly with extreme mix breeds such as American Bullies and XL Bullies.

Dave said: “We need to urgently relook at legislation in the UK to prevent the serious rise in ear cropping which we’ve witnessed in recent years.”

It is currently illegal for a dog’s ears to be cropped in the UK, and proposals for a ban on importing dogs with cropped ears have been put forward by the Government.
 
However, Dave says this legislation doesn’t go far enough to prevent an exponential rise in dogs with cropped ears, which some owners see as a status symbol: “At the moment the legislation in the UK is very hard to enforce unless you actually catch someone in the act of cropping the dog’s ears. 

“It’s not currently illegal for someone to own a dog with cropped ears. 

"So, if an owner were challenged by enforcement agencies, they’d just say ‘I bought the dog like this’ and there’s no liability.”
 
“We propose that any dogs who already have cropped ears at the time the ban is due to come into force, must be registered on a database, which enforcement agencies and the veterinary profession would have access to.

"And for anyone owning an unregistered dog with cropped ears after the legislation comes into effect, then it’s a criminal offence.” 

The Panorama programme also exposed co-ownership – where the breeder and the pet owner share ownership of the dog, often the bitch – as a system which has enabled unscrupulous breeders to get around current laws on dog breeding in the UK.

The breeder retains ownership of the stud dog and uses the network of co-owned female dogs for reproduction purposes.
 
Dave said: “People need to be made aware of the risks of entering into a legal contract as a co-owner of one of these extreme mix breed dogs.
 
“All the contracts I have seen in my role as an expert witness are strongly weighed in favour of the breeder.
 
“So for example if the bitch does not have the requisite number of litters, or becomes ill or injured and has to be put to sleep, then the co-owner is fully liable for the full purchase cost of the dog to the breeder.
 
“Considering that the female dogs are often valued in excess of £12k and the breeder may well have connections to organised crime or have a criminal record, there are huge risks for people entering into co-ownership.”

New research led by academics at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences has shown that 85% of pet cats are not neutered by the recommended age of four months, possibly due to cat owners needing better information about when to neuter their cat.

In 2006, the recommended neutering age of pet cats reduced from six to four months of age. The study assessed the proportion of cats neutered at these ages. Data was obtained from owner-completed questionnaires at recruitment, when kittens were aged eight to 16-weeks, and six and a half to seven months of age. Demographic and lifestyle factors were also assessed for potential association with neuter status.

The researchers found that of the 751 cats in the study, 14.1% and 73.5% had been neutered at or before four and six months of age, respectively. Cats were significantly more likely to be neutered at four months if their owners had always intended to have their cat neutered by this age. They were also significantly more likely to be neutered at four months if they were microchipped or from households in deprived regions.

The likelihood of being neutered, compared with unneutered, at six months of age was significantly increased for cats that were insured, obtained from an animal welfare organisation, given their second vaccination, from a household with an annual income of over £10,000 and owned by people intending to have their cat neutered by this age.

Dr Jane Murray, Cats Protection Research Fellow in Feline Epidemiology, said: "Neutering is recommended as an effective way of reducing the number of unwanted cats in the UK. Our study found that age of neutering was associated with the age of intended neutering.  Cats can reach puberty at four to five months of age therefore, it is important that owners are aware of the recommended age of neutering at four months, to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies that occur."

The study suggests that while neutering rates were high at six months of age, they were low at four months of age, and that further work is required to publicise the recommended neutering age of four months to cat owners.

Paper: The neuter status of cats at four and six months of age is strongly associated with the owners' intended age of neutering, C. P. Welsh, T. J. Gruffydd-Jones and J. K. Murray, Veterinary Record published online April 19, 2013.

The BVA and the RCVS have held a meeting at the House of Commons to brief MPs and peers about animal and public health, animal welfare and veterinary workforce issues raised by Brexit.

The briefing highlighted to members of both Houses the vital role the veterinary profession plays in order to ensure that the veterinary resource in clinical practice, public health, government services, academia and research is appropriately considered and effectively used during Brexit negotiations.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), environment spokespeople for the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru, and other parliamentarians from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the SNP, joined Crossbenchers, senior civil servants and key stakeholders at the event.

BVA President Gudrun Ravetz delivered a speech highlighting the main asks from the association's Brexit and the veterinary profession report, which was developed through consultation with BVA members, devolved branches, BVA specialist divisions and other key stakeholders.

The report sets out 52 recommendations for the short, medium and long term across seven areas of public policy: veterinary workforce, animal health, animal welfare, food hygiene and safety, veterinary medicines, research and development, and trade. 

Addressing attendees, Gudrun said: "We are a relatively small profession, but we are a diverse profession with far-reaching influence and impact in so many areas of political and public life.

"Last week, we were delighted to hear the Defra Secretary of State, speaking to the Today programme, rightly acknowledged the importance of EU vets to the UK economy; from food hygiene and safety, to monitoring disease outbreaks and facilitating trade. This is why BVA is calling on the Government to guarantee the working rights for non-UK EU vets and vet nurses currently working and studying in the UK at the existing level and with no time limit.

"As we progress with the Repeal Bill we are also calling on the Government to ensure we maintain animal health and welfare current standards – and prioritise them in all trade negotiations, so that high standards of animal health, welfare and food hygiene are a unique selling point for the UK. We can only make a success of Brexit if we harness our veterinary resource."

In his speech, RCVS Junior Vice-President Professor Stephen May highlighted the three RCVS Brexit Principles as well as the findings from the College’s recent survey of non-UK EU vets working in the UK. Professor May also made a call for greater certainty from the Government on the status of EU citizens living and working as veterinary surgeons in the UK and for a substantial transition period to prevent potential veterinary workforce shortages, particularly in areas such as public health and food safety.

Professor May said: "Negotiations with our European partners will no doubt be lengthy and complex on all manner of issues that affect the veterinary sector. For everyone concerned, we join other voices in calling for a substantial transition period to any new order created. This will provide us with time to take stock, to understand the implications and to navigate a pathway that safeguards the interests of our sector and the RCVS is determined to work with all its stakeholders, in particular Government and yourselves [parliamentarians], to ensure that vital veterinary work gets done.

"Key to this will be meeting the need for high-quality, capable veterinary surgeons in all sectors. This can only be achieved in the short-term by emphasising the continued welcome and appreciation of all veterinary non-UK nationals working hard for this country, to encourage them to stay, and continued access to graduates of accredited schools from around the world, alongside increased training of UK nationals to meet our ever expanding veterinary needs."

The event was hosted by BVA Honorary Member and RCVS Past-President, Lord Trees MRCVS, who has sat on a number of House of Lords committees and subcommittees that consider and seek to influence the Government’s plans and policy-making during the UK’s exit from the EU.

Lord Trees closed the BVA and RCVS Brexit briefing by encouraging fellow Peers and MPs to capitalise on the evidence-based, science-led perspective that the veterinary profession is able to provide, particularly as Brexit discussions continue to develop.

Lord Gardiner has since publicly recognised the vital role of the veterinary profession, responding to a question in the House of Lords regarding the retention of skilled workers post-Brexit. In his role as Defra Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Gardiner said:

"I am most grateful to the noble Lord [Teverson] because I was at the BVA and RCVS reception yesterday, where I know a number of noble Lords were also in attendance. This is an important issue and an element of the negotiations that we want to deal with as promptly as possible. Yes, we do rely on and warmly welcome the support we have from EU national vets, who are hugely important to us."

London Vet Specialists (LVS), billed as the capital's first complete-service referral centre, has announced its official opening in Belsize Park.

The centre is headed up by senior surgeon and soft tissue specialist, Dr Janet Kovak McClaran DVM DACVS DECVS MRCVS, former head of the department of surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York.

Janet leads a team of consultants specialising in internal medicine and surgery, diagnostic imaging, emergency and critical care, anaesthesia and analgesia, and minimally-invasive surgery. 

Janet says the new centre was set up to enable London-based vets to access close-by expert help across key areas: "When I was first approached about setting up a referral centre servicing central and greater London, I was surprised that a dedicated facility didn’t already exist. Previously, referring clinicians have had to send clients on long journeys outside of the capital, leading to patient stress and hassle and extra expense for the owners. Now, they have the reassurance of access to a highly-experienced secondary and tertiary level referral team on their doorstep."

The LVS facility boasts a state-of-the-art surgical theatre, complete with a Karl Storz operating tower enabling cutting-edge laparoscopic, thoracoscopic and cystoscopic procedures. The minimally-invasive surgery suite is one of only three such facilities in the UK. An onsite CT scanner, the GE Brivio CT 385, forms part of an array of imaging equipment, operated by European Specialist in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging, Dr Livia Benigni. The immediate interpretation of even the most-complex of images is designed to allow seamless patient investigation and negate the need for repeated patient anaesthetics.

Internal Medicine consultant Dr Kaye Gugich, formerly of Vets Now Referrals in Swindon, together with board-certified Emergency and Critical Care Specialist Dr Adam Mugford, and Dr Karla Borland, a previous resident in anaesthesia and analgesia at Edinburgh University, complete the consultant team.

London Vet Specialists says it is the only facility in central London to offer a full time specialist surgery service alongside a specialist service in emergency and critical care. Emergency stabilisation and intensive care is available around the clock, with experienced clinicians and a nursing team ensuring continuous supervision, day or night. The LVS specialist surgical team is also on call to the hospital overnight should specialist emergency surgery be required out of hours.

Patient and customer care at LVS is based on the model used by Sydney’s SASH Vets (Small Animal Specialist Hospital). LVS Client Relations Manager Claire Newton helped to develop the SASH system during her time at the advanced referral hospital, which concentrates on delivering the highest standards of patient care, alongside a dedicated support system for the client and referring vet.

Claire said: "From the very start of the referral process, customer care is prioritised. In this we consider that we have two customers; the first, the referring vet, who needs to feel that he or she has an integral role in the ongoing management of the case, and that his or her client is well-looked after. Our second customer, the pet owner or client, needs to be looked after with compassion and respect, and have the ability to speak directly to the clinician in charge of their pet, at any point. Excellent two-way communication is key. We ensure that we listen and respond to the needs of both parties through every step of the customer journey."

For more information on London Vet Specialists, or to speak to Claire Newton about referring a patient, visit www.londonvetspecialists.vet, email Claire.newton@londonvetspecialists.vet, or telephone 0207 4330155.

Animalcare has launched four CPD webinars for veterinary surgeons on The Webinar Vet.

The webinars, which are free of charge, are:

• A practical guide to propentofylline in practice
• Buprenorphine or methadone – which should I use?
• Using the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RbtGS) to score pain in rabbits
• Introduction to Infusion Therapy – Dehydration in Dogs and Cats

The webinars join 'The gastrointestinal microbiome and its effects', which is already available for free viewing via The Webinar Vet.

Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: “We’ve received excellent feedback on the webinars from those who have already viewed them through our Learning Alliance platform.  We hope that by also making them available via The Webinar Vet, we will make them more easily accessible to a higher number of veterinary professionals keen to refresh their knowledge in these important areas.”

The Animalcare webinars can be viewed here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/webinars/animalcare 

Animalcare has announced that Buprecare, its multidose buprenorphine analgesic for cats and dogs, is back in stock at the wholesalers following a move to a new manufacturing site.

Buprecare is indicated for post-operative analgesia and the potentiation of the sedative effects of centrally-acting agents in dogs, as well as post-operative analgesia in cats. 

It is presented in a 10 ml multi-use bottle.

Animalcare Product Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: "Buprenorphine is a potent, high affinity, synthetic opioid.

"It plays a central role in many practice anaesthesia protocols so we are delighted to announce that it is back in stock."

For more information, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or contact Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687.