Companion Care Vets has reported a record calendar year in 2010, with 15 new surgeries opened taking the network up to 69.

Companion Care also welcomed 17 new joint venture partners, increasing the total number of partners to 87. The company expects to double the number of surgeries over the next 3 years following the announcement that it is to open standalone practices alongside the in-store Pets at Home surgeries.

According to the company, the opening of 15 new full service surgeries represents an investment of approximately £3 million during the year. More than £340,000 of that investment went on state-of-the-art digital x-ray imaging equipment - a feature of all new surgeries.

Managing director, Jane Balmain, said: "The in-store model has been hugely successful and we will continue to accelerate our growth plans for in-store surgeries as the Pets at Home store footprint expands.

"The launch of our new standalone division provides a solution for the vets and nurses who are looking for a partnership but whose preference is for a more traditional standalone style surgery. The level of interest since our announcement has been massive and we will be looking to capitalise on this in 2011 and beyond.

"Our vision is for Companion Care Vets to become a truly national leading veterinary group and with the record year in 2010 and our plans for 2011 and beyond, we are now well on the way and confident of achieving this."

Bimeda UK has launched its online Nutrition Academy, which in 2021 will focus on the role of trace element nutrition in the health, fertility and productivity of ruminants. 

The academy will consist of three modules which will be launched in 2021. Those who complete all three modules will receive certification from Bimeda, and some exclusive branded goodies.

The first module is titled Bimeda Trace Elements in Dairy Cow Fertility & Pregnancy and is available now on Bimeda’s e-learning portal: https://bimeda-learning.co.uk. This module also accounts for 1 hour 15 minutes of CPD and vets can download a certificate when they complete the module. The module has also been accredited with 9 AMTRA points.

In the coming months Bimeda says it'll add a second module focused on the role of trace element nutrition in lamb and calf growth, and a final module focused on the role of trace elements in sheep fertility and pregnancy.

Bimeda UK General Manager Mark Cokayne said: "Trace elements play a critical role in the health and fertility of ruminants, yet historically this area has been somewhat overlooked in formal animal health education. 

"Our customers tell us that they would like a deeper understanding of areas such as trace element deficiencies, toxicities and interactions, and the impact of these on ruminant health and fertility. We are pleased to respond to this market demand with our new academy, which will provide veterinarians and SQPs with additional knowledge to help inform their conversations with farmers."

To sign up to either Bimeda’s online Nutrition Academy or the Sheep Scab Academy, visit https://bimeda-learning.co.uk

For more information, speak to your Bimeda territory manager or call Bimeda on 01248 725 400.

Animalcare has announced the launch of Thiafeline (Thiamazole 2.5mg and 5mg) for the management of hyperthyroidism in cats.

An estimated 12% of UK cats over the age of nine suffer from hyperthyroidism², which could equate to almost 350,000 cats³. In one study, 92% of cats diagnosed with hyperthyroidism were stable after four weeks treatment (on the twice daily 2.5mg dosing) with thiamazole¹

Thiafeline is presented as a blister pack, which Animalcare says offers the benefits of easy dispensing, improved stock control and no nurse exposure during dispensing for increased safety in practice. This format also allows pet owners to monitor the dosage and quantities easily, for an uninterrupted course of medication.

Animalcare says that whilst many of the clinical signs for hyperthyroidism are easily recognised, it understands that diagnosis is not always straightforward. For this reason, the company has produced support materials for Thiafeline users including diagnosis best practice charts for use within practice and a pet owner awareness package for use in waiting rooms.

Beverley Hammond, Product Manager for Thiafeline said: "While initial signs associated with hyerperthyroidism can appear quite mild it is important for pet owners to understand that if left untreated the condition can lead to serious secondary complications. It's easy for owners to assume that the signs they are seeing are simply related to old age so our campaign will aim to increase the amount of owners bringing their cats for senior pet checks and also ensure that vets are following the best practice procedures to reach a definitive diagnosis."

References

1. Trepanier et al Efficacy and safety of once daily versus twice daily administration of methimazole in cats with hyperthyroidism. JAVMA Vol222 pp954-958
2. Dr Sarah Caney, Caring for a cat with Hyperthyroidism, Vet Professionals Ltd, 2013
3. Sample data of 1.5million cats registered on Anibase Pet Database.

Vetoquinol UK Ltd has launched a new flea and tick treatment for cats and dogs.

Flevox is a spot-on solution containing fipronil and comes in unique pack sizes of either single pipettes or large clinic packs of 36.

Product Manager Helen Walker said: "With only 55% of pet owners buying their flea and tick treatment from the vet, we recognise there is a huge opportunity to develop and grow this essential market.  In the modern age the consumer expects maximum flexibility, and that is what we aim to provide with Flevox.

Whether it be persuading the price-conscious customer away from buying their flea treatments in supermarkets and the internet, or encouraging those who don't treat their pet at all to give it a try without breaking the bank, we're confident we can help grow flea treatment sales in practice."

Vetoquinol says it is supporting the new product with a range of materials dedicated to veterinary surgeries, providing incentives to encourage client bonding and repeat business with your practice.

Helen continued: "We have also teamed up with the fantastic charity Dogs for the Disabled by making a donation for every pipette of Flevox sold.  We're really looking forward to raising the profile of this organisation where these amazing dogs give life changing independence to disabled people.  We're confident the donation will strike a chord with clients and really engage them with the charity, the Flevox brand and the practice".

To find out more, contact your Vetoquinol territory manager or visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/ 

Supreme Petfoods Ltd has published the results of tests on small animal petfood which, according to the company, highlight significant problems with the on-pack declarations and contents of a number of the leading brands.

The tests, which were carried out by Campden BRI on behalf of Supreme Petfoods, discovered:

• Evidence of trace DNA contamination indicating some presence of meat by-products in the process of manufacturing rabbit foods (Burgess, Wagg and Beaphar)
• Incorrect fibre declarations that were misleading and, while being legal, were consistently at the lower end of the allowed tolerances. Plus one sample which contained 14.9% fibre against a declaration of 22% apparently contravening the regulations (Beaphar Care + Rabbit).

• Issues regarding high sugar levels which are not required to be declared under current rules. The highest average levels of sugar were found in Wagg Optimum (4.57%), Beaphar Care + (5.00%), Burgess Supa Fruiti (5.10%), Beaphar Extra Vital (5.35%) and Burgess Excel (4.04%).

In the company's press release, Chris Childs, Managing Director of Supreme Petfood, commented: "The results greatly concerned us. We were shocked to find food that is marketed for rabbits - ie: herbivores - had traces of mammalian and avian DNA in it. In my opinion, this can only be compared to vegetarian food being contaminated with meat. This was our main concern amongst many other issues revealed."

That strikes me as overstating the case somewhat. Aside from the fact that bunnies don't get quite as het up about their diets as vegans, the report does not define what 'trace DNA contamination is'. Going on the shock expressed by Mr Childs, I'm expecting a pork chop or a drumstick in every bag of Burgess Excel at the very least. 

Molly Varga, BVetMed, DZooMed (Mammalian), MRCVS told VetSurgeon.org that she would expect rabbits to be exposed to trace amounts of animal DNA naturally and that the amounts found in the tests were not likely to have any effect whatsoever on the health of rabbits. Nevertheless, she did feel that the report highlighted important issues concerning the fibre and sugar content of various diets.

As a consequence of the report, Supreme Petfoods is calling for an overhaul of the rules and regulations which apply to pet food for small companion animals. The company suggests the introduction of an accredited quality scheme aimed specifically at pet food for small companion animals, containing strict conditions for the production, packaging and marketing of food for herbivores.

In response, Burgess Pet Care issued a statement expressing considerable reservations as to the timing, purpose and potential negative outcome for the welfare of pet rabbits of Supreme's report. Commenting on behalf of Burgess, Sharon Redrobe, Head of Veterinary Services, Bristol Zoo Gardens, and Head of Rabbit Clinic, Bristol, said: "Any research into small animal health should focus on the crucial role of fibre in a balanced feeding plan and how this can be communicated to rabbit owners, so discussions centring around the detailed contents of pellets are irrelevant in my opinion to this central welfare issue."

To read Supreme's report, click here.

Somerset-based Arturas Zukauskas MRCVS has been reprimanded by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for failing to respond to repeated requests from the College for his continuing  professional development (CPD) records.

The first part of the charge was that, between 3 November 2014 and 10 December 2016 he did not provide CPD records to the RCVS requested in four separate letters dated November 2014, September 2015, November 2015 and November 2016. The second part of the charge was that, between 11 December 2016 and 26 July 2017, he did not provide the RCVS with his CPD records despite requests.

Dr Zukauskas admitted to the charge against him at the outset of the hearing. 

The Committee considered whether Mr Zukauskas’ failure to respond to requests for his CPD records constituted serious professional misconduct.

The Committee found that he had breached the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons by not responding to the repeated requests for information from the College, although the Committee noted that there had not been total silence. Mr Zukauskas had made email contact on at least two occasions in response to RCVS letters and gave evidence that he had attempted to phone the authors of the letters. The Committee also noted that in early February 2017 Mr Zukauskas had made repeated attempts to give the RCVS access to his online CPD account, which he had been updating to reflect CPD work that he had undertaken.

Mr Zukauskas’ explanation for his failure was that he had not fully appreciated the importance of the letters, that his English was poor, and that he failed to obtain appropriate advice about the content of the letters until recently. It was only in a witness statement dated 27 July 2017 that he finally disclosed his full CPD records.

The Committee noted Mr Zukauskas' admission in his evidence that his English was not good, particularly in light of the obligation, brought into the Code in February 2016, for veterinary surgeons to be able to communicate effectively in written and spoken English.

Chitra Karve, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "From that date, if not earlier, the respondent should have been concerned to understand English sufficiently well to address the correspondence from the College. Whilst the Committee did not consider that his conduct in this respect amounted to disrespect, it did consider that he had shown a disregard of his obligations.

"At all times he could and should have made appropriate efforts to respond to the correspondence from the College and obtain appropriate advice. In effect he put off dealing with these matters and put his head in the sand."

Regarding his failure to respond to requests between December 2016 and July 2017, Ms Karve added: "This caused the College a considerable amount of concern and extra work. Had he done so much earlier, much of this matter would have been avoided. The respondent was once again in breach of his obligations."

Having found Mr Zukauskas guilty of serious professional misconduct in relation to both parts of the charge the Committee then considered its sanction against Mr Zukauskas, taking into account the fact that the Veterinary Nurse Disciplinary Committee had recently suspended a veterinary nurse from the Register for a period of two months having found her guilty of similar charges.

In mitigation the Committee considered a number of testimonials from colleagues and clients, his hitherto long and unblemished career in the United Kingdom, and his open and frank admissions and subsequent efforts to avoid repetition of his behaviour. Language problems were also considered as an explanation for why the situation had occurred. However, it also considered the aggravating factor that the misconduct was sustained over a period of time and that there was unacceptable disregard for the obligations he had to the College as a veterinary surgeon.

In summing up Ms Karve said: "The Committee has determined to impose a reprimand. In doing so it acknowledged that the respondent has shown considerable insight into his behaviour. He had acknowledged that he has needed help in communicating with the College. It noted that he is a good and proficient veterinary surgeon in the work which he undertakes. He expressed remorse for his behaviour. He has carried out sufficient CPD and since December 2016 has been communicating with the College. The Committee considers it unlikely that he will transgress again.

"The Committee has decided that it is appropriate in this case to add a warning to the decision to impose a reprimand. It is mindful of the fact that other veterinary surgeons registered with the College have a duty to discharge their CPD obligations and they honour those obligations. Moreover, the conduct of the respondent has involved a considerable amount of work and expense for the College."

The warning was that in future Mr Zukauskas must respond in a timely and appropriate manner to any communications from the RCVS.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has announced that RCVS President-elect Niall Connell, Linda Belton and Jo Dyer have been re-elected to Council after what is believed to have been a record turn out this century.

A total of 8,234 votes were cast in this year’s election, a turnout of 25.5%. The College says the previous highest turnout recorded this century was 22.8%, and it thinks this year's result may even be an all-time record.

It is unclear how much the results were influenced by VetSurgeon.org's reporting of the candidates standing for election, but in another first, Niall Connell was later seen sporting a t-shirt displaying the story: "Arlo said I'm 'by all accounts, something of a national treasure'. Had to do it. Got the T Shirt."

You're welcome, Niall. And huge congratulations to Jo Dyer, who is such a passionate advocate for coal face vets, and to Linda Belton too. 

At the other end of the results, isn't it staggering that there are as many as 422 MsRCVS who are prepared to vote for a single non-issue candidate based the other side of the world. Who are you? Why do you do it? I mean, one can understand a few people voting for the Monster Raving Loony Party out of the general population numbering millions. But 5% of a small, highly educated and qualified profession? What on earth is that about?

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

• Niall Connell – 3,766 votes (re-elected)

• Linda Belton – 3,581 votes (elected)

• Jo Dyer – 3,146 votes (re-elected)

• John Innes – 2,716 votes

• Kate Richards – 2,283 votes

• Tim Greet – 2,280 votes 

• Peter Robinson – 1,791 votes

• John Davies – 507 votes

• Tom Lonsdale – 422 votes

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the election, said: "Congratulations to Niall and Jo for being re-elected to Council and congratulations also to Linda who we look forward to welcoming to Council at this year’s Royal College Day on Friday 12 July. I would also like to thank Kate, Tim and Peter for their contributions during their time on Council and give my commiserations to them and the other candidates who were unsuccessful this year. 

"I was delighted to see that, this year, we had over a quarter of those eligible to vote doing so which means both a record number of votes and a record turnout – it seems this was assisted by our email reminders which, each time they were sent out, lead to a significant boost in uptake.

"However, we will not rest on our laurels and will continue to think about how we can further improve engagement in the election process and turnout for subsequent years."

The results of the election will be declared formally at this year’s Royal College Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and awards ceremony – which takes place at the Royal Institute of British Architects on Friday 12 July 2019 where the successful candidates will also start their new four-year terms.

No election to Veterinary Nursing Council was held this year due to the fact that there were only two candidates – Liz Cox and Jane Davidson – standing for the two elected places. Both Liz and Jane will take up their three-year terms at Royal College Day.

Simon Lyddon MRCVS, who runs Vine Tree Vets, an IVC practice in Ross-on-Wye, has completed a marathon voyage as one of a team rowing from the Canary Isles to Antigua..

The 12-strong crew, aged between 18 and 60, left Marina San Miguel, Tenerife on 22nd March and rowed 2,875 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua 42 days, 2 hours and 30 minutes later. 

Each of the crew of the 12-metre boat, Roxy, rowed more than 1.5million strokes and burned over 5000 calories a day. 

During the journey, the team had to battle with ocean storms and seasickness, not to mention extreme blisters and callouses. Simon lost almost 10kg.

Simon, who was a rowing novice before this, raised almost £15,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support. He said: "It’s without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I can’t put into words how I’m feeling right now. The sense of achievement is a little overwhelming.

"The journey was everything I wanted it to be - tough both physically and mentally but hugely rewarding and one thing is for sure, I wouldn’t be standing here at the finish line if it hadn’t been for each and every one of the incredible crew. What a gorgeous group of people who will remain lifelong friends. After catching up with my family, the thing I was most looking forward to was a good meal!”.

The crew were welcomed to Antigua by a flotilla of smaller boats with many of the crew’s families onboard, before a reception at the Antigua Yacht Club.

Captains Nicola Housby-Skeggs and Claire Budge, the first two members of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) to achieve the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP), have been presented with their certificates at Belgravia House.

The two Captains were visiting the RCVS as part of a 'Meet the RCVS Day' organised for a group of Officers from the RAVC. The Captains were presented with their Certificates by Vice-President Peter Jinman.

Capt Nicola Housby-Skeggs had completed a mixture of small animal and equine modules in order to achieve her Certificate, and was positive about the modular approach. She said: "It's reassuring to know you can have a break if you need to. The compulsory module on professional key skills was also more useful than I had anticipated, as it focused on aspects that you don't really have time for at vet school, such as management, and health and safety."

Meanwhile, Captain Claire Budge appreciated the fact that many of her modules could be completed via distance learning. She said: "It was great that I could continue with my studies even when serving in Afghanistan. My only regret is that when I started the Certificate back in 2008, there wasn't the range of modules available that there is now. For example, I would like to have done one of the new Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law modules. However, there is no reason why I can't just take this as continuing professional development - that's the benefit of the modular approach."

More information about the CertAVP can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/modcerts.

'Meet the RCVS Days' give members of the veterinary team the opportunity to visit the College and find out what goes on behind the scenes. If you would like to join a future event, please let Fiona Harcourt know, on f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk. Reasonable travel expenses are paid.

Byotrol has announced the launch of Anigene Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes, the first and only plastic-free surface wipe which is compliant with all biocidal regulations.

Polypropylene or plastic-based wipes, which have been industry standard due to their reliable nature and compatibility with biocidal active materials, are due to be banned in the UK, because they take up to 100 years to break down.

Byotrol says its new wipes are made using a plastic-free 100% biodegradable substrate that deteriorates 3 months after disposal.

The company adds that the new wipes are proven to destroy bacteria, yeast, enveloped viruses, and fungi on non-porous surfaces and are effective against animal-specific pathogens such as: Brucella canis, Streptococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Coronaviruses, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Jane Kiely, Head of Marketing at Byotrol said: “Launching the Anigene Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes is the final step in removing plastic wet wipes from our portfolio and a significant milestone in Byotrol’s sustainability journey.

"We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainability in the veterinary industry, offering an effective and regulatory-compliant product range that meets the needs of our customers”

Byotrol will be on Stand F18 at the London Vet Show.

https://byotrol.com

Scottish biotech company, Biotangents has launched AmpliSpec LAB Mastitis, its next-generation bovine mastitis diagnostic assay.

AmpliSpec LAB Mastitis uses isothermal amplification technology, which means laboratories can use less expensive equipment.

It also uses the company's lyophilised bead platform, designed to make the test stable and easy to use. 

Biotangents says its new test will offer notable cost, speed and accuracy benefits over the traditional culture and PCR testing used by animal health laboratories and veterinary clinics around the world. 

CEO Fiona Marshall said: “With 93% sensitivity and 95% specificity, this is a highly sophisticated assay that will help farmers, vets and laboratories to better treat mastitis.

http://www.biotangents.co.uk

CM Research, the veterinary market research company, has released the results of a survey which suggests that staffing and HR issues are becoming an increasing challenge for the profession.

629 veterinary surgeons picked from 12 answers to the following question: "What would you say are the biggest challenges facing your vet practice at the moment?"

The biggest challenge, voted for by 42% of respondents, was 'Clients unable to pay their bills'. However, only marginally behind in second place (up significantly from fifth place the previous year), was 'Managing and retaining staff' (41%).

The full results were:

1. Clients unable to pay their bills (42%)
2. Managing and retaining staff (41%)
3. Competition from internet pharmacies (39%)
4. Competition from other practices (39%)
5. Getting clients to follow our recommendations (33%)
6. Unhappy staff (33%)
7. Bad management/Bad boss (27%)
8. Increased cost of products/medications (27%)
9. Obesity and other pet diseases (26%)
10. Getting new clients (22%)
11. Antibiotic resistance (11%)
12. Other (5%)
13. Dealing with suppliers (2%)

Coincidentally, VetSurgeon.org also carried out some research recently which explored what candidates look for in an ideal job - one of the keys to staff retention and good employer / employee relationships. You can download the report here.

When vets were asked to predict what they thought the future held for the profession, key themes included more corporatisation, more specialisation and the Internet having a still greater impact on business, both in terms of competition and clients consulting Dr Google:

1. More corporate/chains (89%)
2. Increased specialization (89%)
3. More competition from online pharmacies (68%)
4. The increased cost of treatment (64%)
5. Growing influence of the Internet (61%)
6. Customers that think they know best … (58%)
7. More competition/more vets (53%)
8. Better diagnostics (51%)
9. Patients relying more on the internet (50%)
10. More difficult to make a living (47%)
11. Increased use of insurance products (35%)
12. Larger clinics being the norm (34%)
13. Focusing more on preventative health care (34%)
14. Focusing more on client service (31%)
15. Natural treatments becoming more common (14%)
16. Veterinary profession being discredited (10%)
17. Other (3%)