A new study1 lead by led by Dr Séverine Tasker at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences and published in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology (CVI), has shown that cats previously infected with the blood-borne bacteria M. haemofelis develop immunity from re-infection.
Haemoplasmas are a group of blood borne bacteria found in a wide range of mammals, including domestic and wild cats, and can cause severe anaemia. The findings of the new study have significantly advanced researchers' knowledge of immunity for these pathogens.
Information about the immune responses that occur in animals following haemoplasma infection is relatively unknown, largely due to the fact that researchers struggle to study these bacteria as they are unable to grow them in the laboratory. Antibiotics do not consistently clear infection and without correct treatment the anaemia can be fatal. Recently haemoplasma associated anaemia has been reported in a human too.
The aim of the study was to determine whether cats who had previously recovered from M. haemofelis infection were protected from re-infection. The researchers found that they were, representing a significant advancement in scientists' knowledge of immunity for haemoplasma infections.
The exact methods of protective immunity could not be clearly identified despite extensive investigations, but the study's results suggest that a vaccine, using a weakened form of the bacteria, may offer protection against haemoplasma infection.
Séverine said: "This is the first study to demonstrate protective immunity against M. haemofelis reinfection and it provides important information for a possible future haemoplasma vaccine.
"Our findings could help prevent the disease in cats and could also be of particular importance to farm animal species where haemoplasma infections can cause huge financial losses."
The study recommends future research should explore whether the bacterial animal infection could be transmitted to humans and how the immune system targets the pathogen.
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Located in Wolverhampton, the new practice uses different lighting in different parts of the building: 'cool' for public areas such as the waiting room, 'comfortable warm' for the dog, cat and exotic wards and daylight for clinical areas. The LED system uses 60% less energy than conventional lighting and requires half the number of fittings. In addition, following research in the USA at Banfield, consulting rooms are fitted with dimmable lights to ease stress for patients and clients during euthanasia.
Other highlights include a specialist cat ward that White Cross says exceeds the iCatCare Cat Friendly Clinic requirements. The ward includes raised cat kennels that are carefully positioned so that cats can’t see each other, to further minimise stress-levels. There are also separate, sound-proofed wards for dogs and exotic pets.
To reduce anxiety in dogs and cats pre- and post-surgery, the practice uses pheromone diffusers and specially composed music played in the wards.
Managing Director, Tim Harrison said: "We’re delighted to launch our latest practice in Wolverhampton, which is our most environmentally-friendly yet. We’ve incorporated the most successful attributes from all of our 15 other UK practices into its design, and it’s immediately proving popular with clients and most importantly their pets."
Clinic Director James Millington says: "The facilities and attention to detail in this practice are the best I’ve ever seen. There’s no doubt this will translate into the quality of care that our clients receive and their pets deserve."
Nigel Gibben said: "The Prevention Zone means anyone who keeps poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese, even as pets, must take action to stop them coming into contact with wild birds to protect them from avian flu.
"Birds should be moved into a suitable building, or if that isn’t possible owners must take sensible precautions to keep them away from wild birds, like putting up netting to create a temporary enclosure and keeping food and water supplies inside where they cannot be contaminated by wild birds.
"Even when birds are kept indoors a risk of infection remains so keepers must also practice good biosecurity, for example by disinfecting footwear and equipment and washing clothing after contact with birds.
"Recent H5N8 avian flu findings in wild birds and a backyard flock in Wales highlight just how essential it is to minimise contact between wild and captive birds and maintain good biosecurity to reduce the risk of infection.
"We must continue to be vigilant and do all we can to protect against this highly pathogenic strain of the disease, which is why we are extending the Prevention Zone, have introduced a ban on poultry gatherings and continue to strengthen surveillance to understand the extent of infection in wild birds."
The study, Urinary incontinence in bitches under primary veterinary care in England: prevalence and risk factors, which will be published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, also found that other factors such as weight, neuter status and age also play key roles.
The authors hope that the study findings will provide an evidence base that allows veterinary surgeons to enhance their clinical recommendations for higher risk bitches.
The study was based on a population of 100,397 bitches attending 119 veterinary clinics across England. The main findings included:
The study also gave evidence on the welfare impact from urinary incontinence. Almost half of cases (45.6%) received medical therapy for the condition. In addition, of the bitches that died during the study period, urinary incontinence was recorded as either contributory or the main reason for death in 16.7 % of these deaths.
RVC veterinary epidemiologist and VetCompass researcher Dr Dan O’Neill said: "This urinary incontinence study has uncovered dramatic breed predispositions that have previously been hidden to vets and owners.
"Overall, about 3% of bitches were affected but this rose to over 30% in the Irish Setter and over 20% in the Dobermann with many other breeds also predisposed.
"Vets can now use these results to alert owners to typical clinical signs in order to ensure earlier treatment and better outcomes. The study also suggests increased risk in heavier and neutered bitches.
"Following on from this study, a VetCompass Masters project supported by BSAVA PetSavers is working to unravel these associations in order to identify potential preventive strategies, especially in those highly predisposed breeds."
The paper is available in Early View on Wiley Online Library ahead of publication in the JSAP at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.12731/full
Photo: ©Diane Peace Collection / The Kennel Club
Ian (pictured right) qualified from Glasgow University and has a master’s degree in veterinary parasitology. He is head of ESCCAP - the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) UK and Ireland, guideline director for ESCCAP Europe and editorial board member for Companion Animal. and VetCPD Journal. He is also a practising vet and co-owner of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire.
Lockdown has seen a rise in the numbers of dogs and cats in the UK, including imported pets. Horiba says some of these are coming in via the official route, which includes preventative measures to reduce health risks. However, many are moved outside of UK regulations and some will become ill in the days or even months after they arrive. Ian will explain how timely, accurate testing will help detect the threat to these animals.
Lisa Martin from Horiba said: "I hope that as many veterinary surgeons, nurses, students and support staff as possible will join us for our Educational Premiere! We are looking forward to this first webinar in our veterinary CPD series, with expert Ian Wright highlighting the best ways to keep pets and people safe. Join us on 1st July at 7.30pm to hear more and to ask Ian your questions on this very topical subject. Dress code: casual."
To register, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5429203015286962191
Congratulations to VetSurgeon members Mike Martin, Malcolm Ness and Mark Patteson, who were amongst the winners of the 2010 BSAVA Annual Awards.
Mike Martin actually collected two awards this year: The Dunkin Award for the author of the most valuable article published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice (Canine dilated cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study of signalment, presentation and clinical findings in 369 cases), and the Blaine Award presented by Royal Canin for outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal medicine or surgery.
Malcolm Ness won the Simon Award for outstanding contributions in the field of veterinary surgery.
Mark Patteson picked up the Melton Award, presented annually by Royal Canin for meritorious contributions by veterinary surgeons to small animal veterinary practice.
Other winners included Iona Mathieson (Frank Beattie Travel Scholarship), Anne Vaughan-Thomas (deceased) (Amoroso Award), David Church (Woodrow Award), Luke Gamble (J.A. Wright Memorial Award), Olaf Reinhard Schaaf (Petsavers Award) and Steve Withrow (Bourgelat Award).
The University of Liverpool’s Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital has installed a standing equine MRI scanner from Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging.
Alstoe, maker of a range of veterinary products including Easeflex, Vetergesic, Dolagis and Nelio, has announced that it has changed its name to Sogeval UK Ltd following its acquisition by Sogeval, the French veterinary drug company, earlier this year.
The company says customers will not notice any change to their dealings with the company, because Sogeval UK Ltd will trade from the same premises near York and with the same staff members.
Niall McFerran, Sogeval Country Manager, UK and ROI said: "The change of name to Sogeval UK Ltd aligns the business to one of the world's fastest growing Animal Health companies. Through Sogeval's research and development programmes, we look forward to exciting improvements in the future."
For any questions relating to the change, practices are invited to contact Niall McFerran on 01347 878606.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched a competition to find 12 dogs that have responded well to treatment with Vetmedin, to feature in the company's forthcoming 2012 Better Dogs calendar.
Boehringer is particularly interested in hearing about dogs with funny or quirky stories, or ones that have made a dramatic heart-warming recovery. If the submission makes it to the short list of 12 they will be featured in Vetmedin's 2012 Better Dogs Calendar which will be available to veterinary practices later in the year. In addition, the vet with the best story will win a £250 Red Letter Days' voucher with the 11 runners up winning the new BSAVA Manual of Thoracic Imaging.
In return for pet owners agreeing to their dog's story being submitted, Boehringer will send each veterinary practice a complimentary pack of either Vetmedin 1.25mg x 50 tablets or Vetmedin 5.0mg x 50 tablets, depending on the normal prescription, to give to their client.
Entries can be made either on the 2012 Better Dogs Calendar form which can be found in a recent Vetmedin mailing or via email to vetmedin.bra@boehringer-ingelheim.com. All entries should be accompanied by a photograph. Terms and conditions apply and the closing date for submissions is 30 September 2011.
For further information, please contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Territory Manager or call 01344 746959.
The programme starts at 9:00am on the 1st April with a keynote address by Professor Iain Chapple, Head of the Birmingham Dental School, and then spits into two streams, one for beginners, the other for advanced practitioners.
The beginners stream includes: 'Clinical examination and charting - a logical approach' and 'Malocclusions and Surgical extraction technique and complications', whilst the advanced stream includes: 'Canine Chronic Ulcerative Stomatitis', 'What are the Hidden Dangers in your Dental Unit?' and 'Case based Periodontal/ Gingival Histopathology'.
The BVDA Scientific Programme costs £140, and you can register here: https://www.bvda.co.uk/bvda/registersm
However, as BVDA President Paul Cooper MRCVS (pictured right) was keen to point out: "It does work out cheaper to join the BVDA and then get the member discount for the Scientific Programme!"
On the 2nd April, the association will also be running two drylab practical sessions (using models, not cadavers).
The first, with Tom Williams BVSc MANZCVS (Small Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery) MRCVS and Megan Clark BDS (Hons) Bsc (Hons) AKC offers a practical overview of root canal treatment.
The second, with Alix Freeman BVSc MRCVS and Andrew Perry BVSc DipEVDC MRCVS offers an introduction to composites and non-invasive jaw fracture repair.
Each drylab costs £100, and registration is via the BSAVA Congress registration page: www.bsavaevents.com.
The Westpoint Group has announced the divestiture of its small animal and equine veterinary practices in order to focus on production animal health and welfare.
From now, the production animal business - which includes veterinary practices providing services to pig, poultry, dairy, beef, sheep, game bird producers and small holders - will be known under the umbrella brand of Origin.
The company says that excellence and innovation in client service will continue to be the focus throughout the organisation.
Matt Dobbs, Managing Director of Origin said: "Origin is committed to supporting livestock farmers to enhance production by improving health and welfare. We have a unique group of vets, researchers, lab techs and paraprofessionals passionate about the success of UK agriculture, with other businesses committed to supporting the industry, joining us through the autumn.
"By focusing on supporting farmers, we will become a unique source of animal insight in livestock agriculture."
For more information, visit: http://www.westpointveterinarygroup.com
CVS says the use of ear cytology in OE is beneficial, both as a diagnostic and to evaluate the response to therapy.
However, in 2019 the company looked at 26,269 of its patients and found that ear cytology was only being used in 19.2% of cases, in line with the rest of the profession.
Only 11% of cases were being provided with in-house point-of-care cytology, whilst 8.2% had it performed externally.
80.8% of patients with OE were being prescribed antibiotics without cytological support, with 5% of these the highest priority critically important antibiotics (HPCIAs).
This low level of cytology use in primary care was suspected to be a major contributory factor to the significant use of unnecessary antibiotics.
To support its practices, CVS first looked at the barriers to performing ear cytology interventions, which were identified as a lack of confidence in using the microscope (particularly focusing on x100 and identification of pathological events), a perceived lack of time, insufficient or poorly working equipment, a lack of access to equipment, and the perception that cytology does not change the treatment choice or outcome.
As a second step, a minimal list of cytology equipment was developed to ensure that all sites had the right kit.
New equipment was then supplied to a practice if it did not meet minimum standards.
The company then produced education and resource materials, including new guidelines, imagery and video guides, to upskill both its vets and nurses.
The training focused on: equipment maintenance, cleaning and troubleshooting, how to use the microscope – including x100 magnification and the slide oil immersion technique, how to identify pathological changes, and time management to get a consultation done – including swabbing, microscope analysis, diagnosis and client consultation.
Each site was then provided with its own data, so that it could monitor progress.
Elizabeth McLennan Green, CVS Clinical Director for the North, said: “One of our goals with this project was to minimise the number of antibiotics prescribed without associated diagnostics, and to use ear cytology to guide therapy and response to treatment for the benefit of our patients and clients.”
“We know that low ear cytology interventions are an issue across the profession. We wanted to do better. So ear cytology has been our first and longest running clinical improvement project.
"We’re thrilled with the brilliant results our colleagues are now achieving.”
There's a video presentation about the project here: https://vimeo.com/875515008/bdc3ee5920
Photo: Emily Spencer, Head Vet at Castle Vets
The randomised controlled trial1 was conducted in 11 flocks with 6840 lambs during last year's lambing season (2023-2024), making it the largest ever navel protection study in the UK.
For the trial, odd numbered lambs were treated with strong iodine and even numbered lambs were treated with NoBACZ Navel.
Current practices on the farm were observed, so if the farmer normally dipped the lambs’ umbilicus they dipped with iodine or NoBACZ Navel and if they normally sprayed the umbilicus then they sprayed with iodine or NoBACZ Navel.
Survival and weights were recorded.
The study concluded that NoBACZ Navel demonstrated superior protection compared to iodine, with a 21% reduction in mortality (p=0.005).
On top of that, lambs that had NoBACZ Navel applied to the umbilicus and tagging sites were on average 230g heavier than those in the iodine group at eight weeks.
Fiona said: "Until now, best practice to manage navel ill has been to apply strong iodine to the umbilicus and ear-tagging sites by dipping or spraying to desiccate the umbilicus and disinfect the surface.
"Prophylactic antibiotic use also still occurs on as many as 19% of farms2, which is not best practice or good antimicrobial stewardship.
“NoBACZ Navel provides greater desiccation of the umbilicus than iodine and forms a non-colonisable waterproof barrier which protects lambs from the environment.
“The economic and welfare benefits to farmers are clear, with 17 more lambs alive per 1,000 born and an average of 230g extra bodyweight per lamb at eight weeks, which more than justifies the 16p per dose investment in NoBACZ Navel.
"During the trial I also received fantastic feedback from farmers on its ease of use and long-lasting protection to these vulnerable sites.”
www.nobacz.com
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Ceva Animal Health has highlighted a new study which revealed that the use of the opioid buprenorphine, the active ingredient in Vetergesic, before equine elective general anaesthesia and surgery resulted in better post-operative analgesia than butorphanol, without causing further physiological disruption than is normally expected of general anaesthesia in horses.
The prospective, randomised and blinded multicentre study, conducted by Dr Polly Taylor VetMB MA PhD DVA DipECVAA MRCA MRCVS, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia, compared the degree of post-operative pain and physiological variables in horses following premedication with either buprenorphine or butorphanol in a general clinical setting. The study included 89 healthy adult horses from six UK equine veterinary clinics admitted for routine elective surgical procedures.
Ceva says that butorphanol is often used in equine procedures due to familiarity and its value for enhancing alpha2-induced sedation, but that it is probably the least effective opioid as an analgesic. There is also a common perception that butorphanol has less impact on locomotor stimulation and depression of intestinal motility than other opioids. This is likely to have contributed to the almost exclusive use of NSAIDs to manage pain in the post-operative period.
To view the full study, visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.12442/abstract. For details on Ceva's analgesic product range, email analgesics-group@ceva.com or call 01494 781510.
Virbac Animal Health has launched an extra small version of its VeggieDent dental chews for dogs weighing less than 5kg.
Research commissioned by the company shows that 9% of all dogs in the UK weigh less than 5kg1 and that periodontal disease is over-represented in this group2.
According to the Kennel Club, celebrity culture is boosting the popularity of small breeds. Apparently there was a 25% increase in Kennel Club registrations of Chihuahuas in 2011, following publicity about Paris Hilton and her Chihuahua. Virbac says numbers of other small miniature breeds such as pugs are also growing rapidly.
Virbac says VeggieDent chews are designed to work with the animal's chewing action, 100% vegetable, highly palatable and feature a special design to increase chewing time. A recent study3 showed that a daily XS VeggieDent reduced halitosis as well as significantly reducing gingivitis, plaque, and tartar accumulation.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac said: "With growing numbers of very small dogs in the UK, we wanted to produce a chew which was exactly the right size for them.
VeggieDent Chews are already popular among dog owners because they are a nutritious and palatable plaque control aid, minimising tartar build up and improving breath odour. With the launch of the extra small size, we now offer the perfect chew for every size of dog."
For further information, contact your Territory Manager or call Head Office on 01359 243243.
References:
Vetoquinol has published a waiting room poster which highlights canine pain, to support Cimalgex.
Robert Simpson, Product Manager for Cimalgex said: "This poster aims to highlight that pain may not be obvious to pet owners and that signs which the owner may believe to be age related, for example stiffness, may actually be behavioural signs of pain. The most common sign of pain is a change in behaviour and so this is an area which we believe needs to be highlighted to the pet owner1.
"This new poster uses a strong image to catch the pet owner's attention which, when combined with its simple message, will prompt the pet owner to ask for further information from the veterinary practice regarding pain to ensure the overall wellbeing of their pet. This poster complements our client leaflet in helping the veterinary practice to assist the pet owner to spot signs of pain which may not be very obvious."
To find out more or to request a waiting room poster for your practice please contact your Vetoquinol Territory Manager or call 01280 825424.
1. Hellyer P. et al. AAHA/AAFP Pain Management guidelines for Dogs and Cats. J. AM Anim Hosp Assoc 2007; 43: 235-248.
Three veterinary surgeons and an appointed RCVS Councillor have been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Caroline Freedman, who has been appointed to Council from the University of Edinburgh since 2005, received a British Empire Medal for services to animal welfare in Edinburgh. Caroline will be officially retiring from Council at RCVS Day on Friday 11 July but will remain as a lay member of the Practice Standards Group - the coordinating body for the Practice Standards Scheme.
Three veterinary surgeons were also awarded OBEs in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Sarah Cleaveland, Professor of Comparative Epidemiology at the University of Glasgow, was honoured for her contribution to veterinary epidemiology. Robert Houston, former Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland, was recognised for services to veterinary science in the country and Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, the Scientific Director of the Moredun Research Institute and Chief Executive of the Moredun Foundation, was honoured for services to animal health and science.
RCVS President Colonel Neil Smith said: "I am delighted to see these very deserving people from the veterinary world receive their due recognition in this year's Birthday Honours.
"During her time on Council Caroline has provided a greatly valued lay perspective on the veterinary issues of the day and I am pleased that she will continue to give her valuable insight to the organisation through the Practice Standards Group.
"Professor Cleaveland is our guest speaker at this year's RCVS Day where she will be speaking about her vital work in tackling zoonotic diseases on an international basis, so I am delighted to see that her contribution to human and animal health is being recognised.
"In addition, Bert Houston and Professor Fitzpatrick have contributed a great deal to both the veterinary profession and animal welfare in UK, with the latter being a member of our former Research Subcommittee."
Pfizer Animal Health has confirmed that the agreement to acquire multiple product franchises from the Schering-Plough Corporation has been completed - and approved by the European Commission. Pfizer has acquired these assets for approximately euro 116 million in cash.
The agreement covers all European Union countries and the franchises include all major animal health species including cattle, swine, equine and companion animal. Pfizer executives say the agreement leaves them with the most in-depth coverage of therapeutic areas, and the most highly recognised brands, in the industry. Precise details of the agreement are not being released although additional information on the products concerned will be the subject of further announcements in due course.
Pfizer has acquired certain rights to the following products in the European Economic Area:
Albert Bourla, President of Pfizer Animal Health in Europe, said: "This represents a significant expansion of our product portfolio and strengthens our long term commitment not just to veterinary surgeons, but also to farmers and pet owners. Pfizer spends hundreds of millions of dollars on research and development every year, and brings more new products to market than any other company, but when the opportunity arose to add well known, well respected brands to a portfolio that is already extremely strong, we had little hesitation in taking it."
For the survey, 565 respondents ranked their levels of concern about different aspects of veterinary life that may be affected by coronavirus.
The top concerns were:
In addition, 42% were very or quite concerned about contracting Covid-19 in their workplace, rising to 55% amongst those working in mixed practice and 50% in small animal/exotic practice.
Respondents were more concerned about stress and burnout amongst their colleagues (67% very or quite concerned) than the impact on themselves (45%), but more than half (58%) of small animal/exotics vets reported being concerned about their own stress and burnout. Managers and employees reported higher levels of concern around stress and burnout than business owners and those who are self-employed.
When it comes to employment, the profession is a bit more optimistic. 23% of respondents are not at all concerned about job security in the veterinary sector, with 43% a little concerned and 31% very or quite concerned. Equine vets (45%) and charity vets (64%) are very or quite concerned about job security in their own sectors, against an average of 23% across all areas of work.
However, 95% of respondents had some level of concern (a little, quite or very) about the potential impact of a recession on the veterinary sector, with government, equine and charity vets most concerned.
The findings will be used to inform BVA’s work on supporting the veterinary profession as the pandemic continues.
BVA President James Russell said: “Although this is just a snapshot survey, it tells us a lot about how our colleagues are feeling six months on from the national lockdown. It paints a worrying, but not surprising, picture about the health and wellbeing of a profession that has worked incredibly hard and in very difficult circumstances this year.
“I’m incredibly proud of the way the profession has adapted to working safely during Covid-19, but we know that it has taken its toll, for example with consults taking longer, needing to cover staff shortages, and dealing with anxious clients.
“BVA also shares the profession’s concerns about the impact on students and new graduates. EMS is the jewel in the crown of UK veterinary teaching and it’s frustrating that opportunities to gain practical training have been hampered by the Covid restrictions. The issue is at the top of our agenda with the RCVS and Vet Schools Council to make sure we can collectively support the next generation of vets through this difficult time.
“As the UK is braced for the second wave, we know we are much better prepared and far more able to work safely to do our bit to tackle the spread of coronavirus. But it’s vital that we continue to support one another, as well as continuing the spirit of collaboration with neighbouring practices that helped us get through the height of the pandemic.
The snapshot survey on Covid-19 is available to view at: https://www.bva.co.uk/media/3781/voice-covid-survey-2020-results.pdf
Dan (MRCVS) & Kirsty (RVN) Forster, the husband and wife team behind Isle of Wight-based The Mobile Vet are celebrating a Queen's Award for Enterprise.
The Mobile Vet offers a mobile service in custom-designed vehicles and also has a fully-equipped surgery based in Newport where further consultations, operations and diagnostics can be performed, giving clients the option to choose between a home visit or a more traditional form of veterinary care for their pets.
News of the award landed on their doormat recently, in a letter saying: "I am delighted to inform you that Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the Prime Minister's recommendation that your organisation should receive a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation this year."
The Queen announced the winners of the awards as part of her 90th birthday celebrations yesterday, and Kirsty & Dan have been invited to Buckingham Palace to meet her at an official reception in July.
Dan said: "We have been fortunate enough to receive excellent feedback from our clients since starting our business & enjoy an immense amount of job satisfaction with the way we work. A nod from Her Majesty is truly the crowning glory for our business. It just goes to show what can be achieved with exceptional hard work and effort, the love & support of family/friends & a formidable staff. This award is for all these people that help to make our business great!
"We are very much looking forward to meeting the Queen and can't quite get our heads round it. Kirsty has spent hours looking for a dress and I am brushing up on my royal etiquette!"
Animal health specialist Fort Dodge Animal Health has announced the appointment of David Bartram BVetMed MRCVS DipM MCIM CDipAF as Technical Services Manager for Large Animals. David rejoins Fort Dodge after eight years, having previously been a Business Unit Manager for its Cydectin business. David Bartram graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 1988 and, after three years in large animal practice, moved into the pharmaceutical industry where he has worked for the last 16 years. His most recent role was at Lilly, where he worked in Finance in the human sector of its pharmaceutical business. David has post graduate qualifications in marketing and finance. He replaces Susan Corning who has moved to a new role with Fort Dodge in Italy.
Horiba Medical has announced it is the official exclusive UK distributor of the fully automated Vet abc Plus+ veterinary haematology analyser from scil animal care company GmbH, Germany.
According to the company, the compact Vet abc Plus+ provides a complete blood count (CBC), including 4-part white blood cell (WBC) differential, from only 10 µl of EDTA whole blood, in only 60 seconds.
The Vet abc Plus+ provides pre-installed settings to analyse samples from dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, mice, rats, cattle, pigs and sheep. For dogs, cats and horses, the Vet abc Plus+ provides a 4-part WBC differential blood count, including a differentiation of the leucocytes to identify lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes and eosinophils. Results are available in 60 seconds on screen or can be automatically printed out and transferred to the practice information system or clinical notes. For ease-of-use, the Vet abc Plus+ also incorporates a self-contained reagent and waste system which provides a clean operation whilst being easy to replenish.
Borne from an existing manufacturing partnership, scil and HORIBA Medical already have over 6000 veterinary haematology analysers placed globally. Horiba says the new UK distribution agreement enables UK veterinary professionals to not only procure the Vet abc Plus+ analyser, but also receive expert service and support directly from the manufacturer HORIBA Medical and its team of UK specialists.
For more information, visit: www.horiba.com/uk/medical
Ceva Animal Health has launched a new TV advertising campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of the veterinary behavioural product, Feliway.
The new advertisement, features the new 'Feliway' purple cat playing happily in the home with its family.
The advertisement will appear on the major UK channels including More 4, E4, ITV 1, Sky Channels and the Discovery Channel for one week from 16th September 2013, with an additional three weeks coverage during October 2013. Behind the scenes' footage of the filming of the advertisement can also be viewed on the Feliway YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtAXd5mReYc6JGufxRirvng?feature=watch
A Feliway video on demand and YouTube campaign will be available to viewers between 16th September 2013 and 21st October 2013 and will be repeated between 15th November 2013 and 2nd December 2013.
An Adaptil video on demand campaign will be aired between 21st October 2013 and 11th November 2013 to raise awareness of Adaptil in the run up to and during the firework season. The video on demand will be available across ITV player, Sky Anytime On Demand, 4oD and YouTube.
For more information, call 01494 781510 or contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Europe's largest private specialist veterinary practice, Davies Veterinary Specialists, has opened a new centre at the premises of the Hyde Park Veterinary Centre in Connaught St., London W2.
Davies Veterinary Specialists employs 40 veterinary surgeons, 23 of them RCVS Recognised Specialists and more than 50 nurses. The main hospital, based in Bedfordshire, has sophisticated diagnostic, surgical and treatment facilities and offers integrated multi-disciplinary care.
Clive Elwood, Managing Director of DVS, said: "We believe that pet owners should have easy access to the top veterinary specialists in the country. We are now bringing a team of specialists offering consultations in medicine, cardiology, ultrasonography, neurology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery to Davies London. This will make it much easier for London vets to offer their clients a convenient referral service, with full access to state-of-the-art facilities."
The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre is a long-established central London veterinary clinic. Recently expanded and refurbished, the clinic has invested heavily in the latest diagnostic and treatment facilities for the clinical care and treatment of London's pets. Head vet Andrew Prentis said: "We are all very excited about the collaboration with Davies: this new local access to top level specialists is really going to help London's vets offer their clients the very best in veterinary care at all times."
For more information, call 0207 535 0444 or visit www.vetspecialists.co.uk/london
The company says the workshop will provide vets with an opportunity to extend their knowledge of Q Fever, a zoonotic disease that not only affects reproductive performance and productivity in cattle but also presents a health threat to farmers, farming families and related professions such as vets, veterinary technicians and abattoir workers.
The workshop will be presented by Raphaël Guatteo (pictured right), Professor in Bovine Medicine and Health Management at the Veterinary College of Nantes (Oniris) in France.
Raphaël will share his wealth of knowledge on Q Fever including his extensive research into the disease.
He'll answer any questions that delegates may have about Q Fever and will discuss case studies, diagnostic challenges and the importance of quick diagnosis, treatment options and prevention through vaccination.
The Q Fever workshop will take place between 4.00pm and 5.30pm on Thursday 20 October in the Shorthorn Room at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham.
The workshop is free of charge, but spaces are limited.