A new study by researchers at Nottingham Trent University suggests that the number of brachycephalic dogs being taken in by UK rescue and rehoming centres has doubled over three years.

For the study, the researchers analysed rehoming adverts placed on the websites of 16 Dogs Trust and RSPCA centres in 2015 and 2018. Data was collected on 1793 dogs across the 16 centres.

The percentage of dogs classified as 'extreme brachycephalic' using the Kennel Club definition increased from 2.76% (n=24) in 2015 to 5.19% (n=48) in 2018.

The researchers speculate that owners may be passing on the financial burden of caring for and treating chronic health issues in brachycephalic dogs to the rehoming charities.

Dr Anne Carter, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science at Nottingham Trent University said: "The increasing numbers and rising popularity of brachycephalic breeds is already influencing the demographic spread in rescue centres. This pattern that is likely to continue, particularly as these dogs reach 3–4 years old, which we have found is the most common age for dogs being relinquished.

"Differing breeds require highly contrasting intensities of care, housing, and particularly veterinary care. Owners may often choose brachycephalic dogs with limited consideration for their potential health conditions. These dogs then enter rescue centres, placing additional strain on resources due to cost of treatment and additional length of stay for recovery.”

Reference

1. Anne J. Carter & Jaime H. Martin (2020) Demographic Changes in UK Rescue Centre Dog Population between 2014 and 2018, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2020.1839755

Dr Gerard McLauchlan has joined Fitzpatrick Referrals to launch a dedicated interventional radiology service based at the Oncology and Soft Tissue Hospital in Guildford, Surrey. 

Prior to joining Fitzpatrick Referrals, Gerard was a Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine at the University of Glasgow as well as Head of the Emergency Service and Director of both the Internship and ECVIM Residency Programmes. He is also a European and Royal College Recognised Specialist in Internal Medicine, and recently became one of few specialists in the world to have completed a 12 month Fellowship in Interventional Radiology at the Animal Medical Center in New York. 

Gerard said: "When I returned to the UK, it was a natural fit for me to join Fitzpatrick Referrals. The team all share the same ethos and together I know we will be able to offer a truly world-class service to our patients and their family. I genuinely believe we will be able to change what is accepted as the gold standard of care for animals in the UK."

Fitzpatrick Referrals says its interventional radiology service performs minimally invasive procedures that are often considered the standard of care in human medicine, providing options for veterinary patients where conventional therapies are not associated with the best outcome. 

Clinical Director of Oncology and Soft Tissue, Professor Nick Bacon said: "Gerard joining the team in Guildford opens new doors for our patients but more importantly we hope the disciplines of veterinary oncology and soft tissue surgery as a whole. He brings huge experience in interventional radiology solutions for portosystemic shunts, tracheal collapse and urinary calculi obstruction. Gerard is also key to developing our cancer care. Progress is not about ever bigger treatments chasing a cure; it can just as easily mean delivering palliative or curative-intent treatments in smarter ways, with less side-effects and lower morbidity. I am looking forward to watching our treatments evolve for a variety of tumours including urinary, liver, lung and head and neck. No cancer treatment is perfect, but we are striving for the best we can for the patient in front of us."

Noel Fitzpatrick said: "It remains my objective to build the greatest team of super-specialists on planet earth where we can offer all of the options to all of the animals and the families that love them all of the time. Gerard has a unique skill set that will not only complement our growing team, but will enhance the spectrum of treatments we can offer and which the families of animals throughout the UK and beyond really want. Increasingly people want the same level of care for their dogs and cats as we have for ourselves and our goal is to deliver exactly that with the very best team and facilities in the world today."

Fitzpatrick Referrals will be holding a Partners in Care CPD session on 25^th May inviting vets to meet Dr Gerard McLauchlan and discover more about the interventional radiology service. To register your interest, contact Sarah on SarahC@fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk.  

Vita Animal Health has announced the launch of a new range of pet health supplements which be available exclusively through veterinary practices.

This is Vita's first foray into the companion animal sector after more than 20 years developing health solutions for honey bees. 

The new range includes six products supporting a range of common health conditions; Omnicondro for joint health, Omnicardio for cardiovascular function, Omniomega containing essential fatty acids, Omnicutis skin support, Omnimatrix to aid skin healing and Omniotic ear cleaner. They are approved for use in different species according to product, including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.

The new products are available direct from the company's Sales Manager, Tara Evans RVN. She said: "I am delighted to introduce practices to this cutting-edge range of supplements. At Vita Animal Health we recognise the vital role of the veterinary team in supporting pet health and offering clients choice. The range of Vita products offers new and innovative solutions in some important areas."

The product launch includes promotional offers for veterinary practices and there is a loyalty card scheme for owners.

For more information, visit www.vitaanimalhealth.com, email info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone 01256 591032.

Nominations for the President of the British Veterinary Association for 2019/20 are now open and will run until 15 January 2018, with all veterinary surgeons invited to self-nominate or nominate a fellow BVA member with their consent.

The BVA officer team consists of BVA President, Senior Vice President (SVP) and Junior Vice President (JVP).

BVA Officers collectively, and working closely with the Chief Executive and his team, provide leadership to BVA to help ensure the Association fulfils its mission to be the leading body representing, supporting and championing BVA members and the whole UK veterinary profession.

The BVA says it's looking for applications for the next JVP (2018/2019), becoming BVA President in 2019/20, from BVA members:

• in or very recently in clinical practice
• with a background in animal welfare science, ethics and law
• with a thorough understanding/awareness of the current veterinary landscape
• with an understanding of workforce issues, including retention and recruitment, and the professional needs and expectations of recent graduates

Nominations for the next JVP are confidential and will be assessed by the BVA Electoral College, which assesses nominations and formally selects members for election to BVA officer status.

Each officer role (JVP, President, SVP) is for one-year term from BVA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September to the AGM the following September.

Candidates for JVP and President must be elected by the membership at the AGM to serve the coming year. The total commitment is therefore three years as a BVA officer, plus a further three years serving as a past president on BVA Council (four meetings per year).

BVA President John Fishwick said: "As a BVA officer, it is a huge honour to represent the UK’s veterinary profession however it is not simply an ‘honorary role’, particularly during this time of professional, social and political upheaval when BVA is supporting and championing the vital role vets play more than ever before.

"I have been a BVA officer for 15 months now and it is a privilege to be so involved in a profession that is pivotal to animal health and welfare, and public health too. Part of the role is representing the views of our profession clearly and concisely to policymakers, politicians and the media and, although this may seem daunting, you have the full support of the BVA team and are given invaluable training. I would encourage anyone with a passion to promote the value of the veterinary profession, and who is seeking a fulfilling role, to apply to help ensure BVA continues to be a strong voice for our profession."

BVA members who are interested in applying for, or nominating a fellow BVA member with their consent to become part of the BVA officer team, can apply before 9am on 15 January 2018 at www.bva.co.uk/elections   

A new study, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP), suggests that diagnostic accuracy is not significantly impaired by viewing radiographs on a smartphone¹.

It comes hot on the heels of the as-yet-unsubstantiated claim that remote dermatology diagnoses are as accurate as those conducted in person, and against a background of much debate in the profession about the risks and advantages of the various forms of telemedicine. 

For this new study "Reliability of smartphone-based radiographic interpretation for evaluating cardiogenic pulmonary oedema in dogs", researchers from Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil, took thoracic radiographs from the medical records of 121 patients with cardiogenic pulmonary oedema or other differential diagnoses from three veterinary teaching hospitals.

All the images were then interpreted by two observers: a board-certified radiologist and an experienced cardiologist, both of whom were blinded to the patients’ diagnosis.

The images were reviewed both as JPEG images on a smartphone, and using a DICOM-viewing platform with an interval of four months between each viewing to reduce interpretation bias. The reviewers were asked to state only whether cardiogenic pulmonary oedema was present or absent. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed between interfaces and reviewers.

The authors say that the results of this study were consistent with previous research; a similar study found that small intestinal mechanical obstructions could be diagnosed from JPEG images of abdominal radiographs on a smartphone by radiologists.²

Lead author, Flavio Jojima said: "The diagnostic accuracy for cardiogenic pulmonary oedema in dogs was not significantly impaired when specialists used smartphones compared to a DICOM-viewing platform to interpret thoracic radiographs.

"This may provide supporting evidence for the use of smartphones for off-site expert interpretation of diagnostic radiographs, particularly in an out-of-hours clinical scenario, but not for routine interpretation of radiographs with a smartphone interface."

Nicholas Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: "These findings are reassuring. In off-site circumstances, particularly where immediate assessment and interpretation is needed, the use of smartphones could speed up the decision making process and enhance patient outcomes."

References

1. Reliability of smartphone-based radiographic interpretation for evaluating cardiogenic pulmonary oedema in dogs F. S. Jojima, M. G. Sousa, T. R. Froes.
2. Off-site smartphone vs. standard workstation in the radiographic diagnosis of small intestinal mechanical obstruction in dogs and cats. Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound, 57 (5). P. G., Noel, A. J., Fischetti, G. Moore, A. B. Le Roux.

The Big Dog Bed Company is launching two new positioning aids for CT scanning and surgery.

The new aids will make their debut at this month's Vet Festival (20-21 May 2022, Loseley Park, Surrey). 

The Flexi-Wedge (pictured) positioning aid aims to deliver both better quality and easier to interpret imaging, and to facilitate the ideal positioning of surgical patients.

The second product is the Saddle-Sandbags, which The Big Dog Bed Company says address two problems – the need to hold a patient in place without loading weight to any part of the body and the tendency of existing sandbags to leak sand after a few months of manipulation to different shapes.

Dru Ross, Director at Big Dog Bed Company said: “Support wedges are obviously widely used in the veterinary field.

"The difference with the design of the Flexi-Wedge is that they can be held securely in the desired position and are fully adjustable, making them suitable for a wide range of patient size and shape”. 

“The Saddle-Sandbag is designed for those situations when a limb needs to be held out securely without any load on it and standard sandbags are not suited to this purpose.

"There is no need to manipulate the sandbag to the desired shape.

"The weight is split between two bags joined by a broad central strap so the strap is placed round or over the limb”.

James Weston, Managing Director at Northwest Referrals was one of the first to use the Flexi-Wedge.

James said: “I’ve never had such a straight spine when scanning a greyhound before using these supports. Every CT scanner should be sold with these”.

Patrick Harte MRCVS from the The Sidings Veterinary Surgery said: “The weighted ends make these sandbags much easier to handle.

"The larger aid is excellent for holding upper thoracic limb out of the way for lateral views of the elbow, for instance and the width of the flat part of the aid is perfect for wrapping around the antebrachium of the thoracic limb.” 

The Flexi-Wedges and the Saddle-Sandbag products use waterproof, antibacterial, wipe clean fabrics in which the seams are thermally welded so no moisture can enter and no sand can escape.

The Flexi-Wedges are available in two lengths 60cm and 90 cm.

They are supplied with wipe clean straps that can be tailored to the size of table on which they are used.

The Saddle-Sandbags are available in three sizes.

Virbac has launched Canigen Bb, an injectable Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine for dogs to reduce clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease and reduce bacterial shedding post-infection.

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a clinically significant pathogen for canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD), otherwise known as kennel cough, with 78.7% of dogs with acute respiratory signs testing positive for the bacteria¹.

In the same study, 45.6% of clinically healthy dogs also tested positive for Bordetella bronchiseptica, illustrating that clinically healthy dogs can carry respiratory pathogens and could act as sources of infection for susceptible dogs¹.

Administered via subcutaneous injection, Canigen Bb is an inactivated subunit vaccine which offers vets a new option when intra-nasal vaccination with a live aerosolised vaccine is not possible or preferred, for example when the dog is in contact with known immunocompromised individuals.

Licensed for use in dogs from 6 weeks of age, Canigen Bb extends protection against Bordetella bronchiseptica in dogs vaccinated with Canigen KC in the last 12 months for a further year with a single dose.

Canigen Bb is presented as a ready-to-use formula in a 10ml multi-dose bottle and can be stored at room temperature (2°C - 25°C) for up to 4 weeks once broached.

It can be administered concurrently (at the same time but separate injections) with Canigen DHP, Canigen DHPPi, Canigen Pi & Canigen Lepto 4.

Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director at Virbac, said: ‘It is our hope that Canigen Bb will increase the overall uptake of Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccination to provide increased protection against this widely prevalent and clinically significant disease’.

Reference

1. Schulz BS, Kurz S, Weber K, Balzer HJ, Hartmann K. Detection of respiratory viruses and Bordetella bronchiseptica in dogs with acute respiratory tract infections. Vet J. 2014 Sep;201(3):365-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.04.019. Epub 2014 May 6. PMID: 24980809; PMCID: PMC7110455.

Three ex-partners of the Willows Veterinary Group have launched North Star Vets, a new veterinary group which will give vets an opportunity to own a stake in their practice without any capital investment. 

MsRCVS Sean Cleary and Richard Thomas, and accountant Jane Platt have opened their first practice, Burford Lane Vets in Cheshire, and now plan to open 10 more practices over the next five years, two in Spring 2022

Burford Lane Vets is headed up by Pieter De Villiers MRCVS, who has become an equity owner, supported by a team of nine vets, nurses and receptionists.

Sean said: “Our vets benefit from our many years of clinical, financial, human resources and procurement experience and have the opportunity to add the finishing touches to a state-of-the-art practice, where no expense has been spared on the fit out and equipment.

"Everything from finding a property, negotiating the lease, fitting out the practice and health and safety is taken care of.

"It means our equity partners can enjoy being fantastic vets and reap the financial rewards that brings, and we are here to support the practice and take care of all the administration, procurement, marketing and everything else that goes into running a successful business."

Sean added: “We have benefited from the shift in the industry that saw veterinary groups acquired by large corporate businesses.

"However, this has inadvertently made it difficult for the next generation of vets to follow the traditional route of buying into a practice as they progress from a junior role to partner, as corporate interest has pushed the values of practices to unaffordable levels for most vets.

"We want to bridge that gap and give a leg up to vets who want to be masters of their own destinies, without the difficulty of starting from scratch or having to find a huge initial investment.”  

Sean says he thinks there are a great many vets who would like to launch their own practice.

However, starting from scratch is fraught with risk, expense, and complexity.

Sean added: “Our innovative model helps great vets set up in business as leaders of their own practice and our unique offering is already attracting interest from high-calibre individuals.

"We would encourage any colleagues out there who feel they would like to join us in our new venture to get in touch via our website.” 

Sean concluded: “The business acumen we have built up over our many years of working in the industry enables us to provide practical support, mentorship and guidance for vets through every step of the process, and that’s something we’re passionate about.

"The directors will be working across all practices to provide support whenever it’s needed. We are in it for the long haul, not just the initial set up stage, and we will become a part of every practice that opens.

“We take a real pride in being the solution to fix the broken practice ownership model and North Star Vets will empower ambitious vets to enjoy a better and more successful future, which in turn will translate into the standard of care our clients enjoy.”  

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has removed a veterinary surgeon formerly working in Lincolnshire from the Register, after finding him guilty of serious professional misconduct for drink-driving related convictions, failing to inform his employer of these convictions, and driving whilst disqualified.

Jaroslaw Slominski, a former employer of Grants Veterinary Services plc, chose not to attend the three-day hearing. The Committee considered whether to proceed with the case, using criteria identified by the Court of Appeal in R v Jones (Anthony) in 2002 and confirmed by the House of Lords. It concluded it was in the interests of justice that the hearing should go ahead.

The charges related to two convictions Mr Slominski received on 17 March 2010 at Lincoln Magistrates Court: failure to provide a specimen of breath for analysis and driving without due care and attention (after his vehicle collided head-on with another car). Mr Slominski failed to inform his employers of these convictions, as he was contractually obliged to do, and that he was now disqualified from driving.

Having heard evidence from Mr Slominski's line manager, the Committee also found that he had driven his employer's vehicle whilst disqualified, although it could not be sure that he had done so on all the occasions alleged. Therefore, the Committee did not go on to consider an alternative part of the charge - that Mr Slominski had dishonestly claimed money from his employer by falsely submitting expenses claims.

Disciplinary Committee Chairman Prof Peter Lees said: "The combination of factors in this case, namely, the serious nature of his conviction in failing to provide a specimen of breath, his subsequent premeditated conduct in not informing his employers and driving whilst disqualified should be treated by the profession very seriously. The Committee has concluded that the combination of the conviction and the conduct is incompatible with Mr Slominski practising as a veterinary surgeon."

The Committee directed that Mr Slominski's name be removed from the Register.

Virbac has launched a new 12 month version of Suprelorin, the reversible medical castration implant for dogs, widening the options for clients seeking an alternative to surgical castration.

Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "The launch of Suprelorin 12 gives practices the chance to offer dog owners a more convenient castration option. The implant renewal can now be included with their dog's annual boosters or health check.

"The slow-release implant is inserted at the back of the neck in the same manner as a microchip. There is no anaesthetic, no surgery and no scarring. The current implant, which contains 4.7mg active and lasts for around 6 months after insertion, will continue to be available for those wanting a more brief solution or as a trial.

"Deslorelin is a GnRH superagonist which causes suppression of LH/FSH, and therefore testosterone production, leading to temporary infertility." 

For further information on Suprelorin/12, please call and ask to speak to one of our veterinary advisors on 01359 243243, or contact your local Virbac territory manager.

Petplan has announced that Richard Williams MRCVS from the Vale Veterinary Centre in Barry has won its Vet of the Year award.

The award is one of a number handed out each year to celebrate exceptional veterinary surgeons, nurses, practices, practice managers and vet support staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in keeping pets healthy and giving owners peace of mind.

The independent panel of judges was particularly impressed with Richard’s tireless dedication to veterinary care. They said: "He is considered by both clients and colleagues to be a great communicator, is constantly researching new and improved techniques, is brilliant at motivating staff and proactively encourages the professional development of his team – he truly leads by example."

On receiving the award, Richard said: "I’m completely surprised, overjoyed and humbled that my clients have taken the time out of their busy days to vote. It’s a great feeling."

Other winners included:

• Practice of the Year: Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals in Foveran
• Veterinary Nurse of the Year: Helen Russell of Woking Vets4Pets
• Practice Support Staff of the Year: Hollie Sawyer of Vets4Pets in Braintree
• Practice Manager of the Year: Carol Hudson of Millennium Veterinary Practice in Braintree
• Rising Star of the Year: Coral Blew of Spring Lodge Veterinary Hospital in Essex

Isabella von Mesterhazy, Head of Marketing at Petplan, said: "Through the annual Petplan Veterinary Awards we’re able to pay tribute to the incredible work carried out by members of the veterinary profession across the UK.  Their dedication allows pet owners to rest safe in the knowledge that, whether it’s for a routine check-up, an unexpected illness or injury or a simple procedure, their much-loved pets are in safe hands when they visit their vets. We’re elated to be able to announce the deserving winners, and congratulate them on such a fantastic achievement!"

For more information about the awards and to learn more about the winners, please visit http://www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards/winners.asp.

The Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) has published its ten top tips for practices to become compliant with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules coming into force in May 2018:

1. What data are we talking about?
   The data that will need to be protected will be that of your clients and your staff; clinical data about pets is exempt. The GDPR will apply to the STORAGE, PROCESSING and SHARING of this data.
2. Get 'positive consent'
   Wave goodbye to opt-out boxes or pre-ticked options etc. Clients will now need to give ‘positive consent’ and actively tick ‘opt-in boxes’ or they can give verbal consent.  So, make sure you have this before sending out any practice marketing material or vaccine reminders. Don’t forget to record and store it and keep it up-to-date.
3. Be transparent
   Your clients will have the right to know exactly what their data is being used for, what your lawful reason for processing data is, and how long you will keep it.
4. Provide access to data
   The new legislation means that clients can request an electronic copy of their records at any time. So, say farewell to paper copies and make sure you have a system in place where records will be in an electronic format and easily accessible. You also need to make sure you can achieve this within the required timeframe (one calendar month).
5. It's not all about you
   You will also need to take responsibility for those whom you share your clients’ data with (e.g. laboratories, debt-collectors, external HR etc.).  Make sure that you are happy that they will be complying with the new legal requirements and have the necessary systems in place to provide data protection compliance.
6. Uh oh, something has gone wrong
   Don’t panic. You just need to notify the ICO within 72 hours of the data breach. So, make sure everyone in your team is aware of this and that they're ready to flag any breaches they notice ASAP.
7. Take responsibility
   Someone in your practice will need to be elected to be responsible for all data protection compliance. This person will need to stay up to date with legislation and regularly review the effectiveness of the data handling, processing and security in place at your practice.
8. Stay secure
   Make sure that all your data is securely stored, by ensuring that your anti-malware is up to date, you have a firewall in place, passwords are regularly updated, and any cabinets used to store records are locked and that the key is kept somewhere separate and secure.
9. Still confused?
   Don’t panic, you can find detailed guidance and toolkits to help get you on the right track at https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/resources-and-support/ and https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/.
10. Got a burning question?
    Just given the ICO SME helpline a call on 0303 123 1113, option 4, and they will be happy to help. 

The recording of the VPMA’s GDPR webinar with the Information Commissioner's Office has been made available to the veterinary profession to help practices get ready for the 25^th May 2018, when the new regulations come into force.

For access to the webinar, email: secretariat@vpma.co.uk

A new veterinary practice start up which will use technology to improve both the pet owner experience and the quality of working life for its employees has raised £7M in seed capital and is set to open its first two clinics in London. 

Creature Comforts will be using the cash both to open the clinics and build a proprietary app which will give owners seamless 24/7 access to veterinary care, whilst allowing vets to work more flexibly and more often from home. 

VetSurgeon.org caught up with Russell Welsh (pictured), co-founder of the new business alongside Daniel Attia. 

Russell said: "During the pandemic, there was a recognition that employers needed to do more to attract and retain veterinary staff, and so there has been a move towards more flexible working and better employment packages.

"The problem is that we then saw a massive increase in the number of pets, and the profession is struggling to meet demand.

"On top of that, the corporatisation of the profession has meant that both staff and owners often feel less connected with each other.

"We think the answer lies in independent practices making better use of technology to reduce the workload on veterinary staff whilst creating a better, seamless, more personal experience for pet owners.

"There are of course companies offering online consultations, but they tend to be stand alone services, or belong to corporate groups. 

"What we're doing differently is developing our own system so that we don't lose control of any stage in the client journey and can make sure the quality of care, after care and service is consistently high.

"We'll also be putting together a share option scheme, so our employees will really feel a proper sense of ownership."

https://www.creaturecomforts.co.uk