Norbrook Laboratories Ltd has launched Propentofylline, a new product designed to reduce lethargy and improve general demeanour and exercise tolerance in older dogs.  

Michelle Jones, Brand Manager at Norbrook said: "We launched Propentofylline to the UK market at the recent VPMA Congress where it was warmly received by the delegates with plenty of positive comments on both the lively design of the campaign and the opportunities for use of this product in practice. The product is indicated for improving dullness, lethargy and general demeanour in dogs to essentially give them a new lease of life."

Available in 50mg and 100mg tablets, Norbrook says Propentofylline can be prescribed to help boost a dog's willingness to exercise and improve exercise tolerance.

Speaking at the launch of the product at the VPMA Congress, Ms Pauline Graham, VPMA President from Capontree Vets said: "Propentofylline, as an active ingredient, is widely prescribed by vets with its properties that assist increased blood flow, particularly to the heart and skeletal muscle. Also increasing the blood flow to the brain and therefore its oxygen supply, it is a well recognised treatment for older, lethargic dogs to help encourage brightness as well as tolerance and willingness to exercise.  I am pleased to see Norbrook offering this product as another high quality and cost-effective addition to their small animal range."

Michelle added: "Veterinary practices can avail themselves of a range of promotional support material for our Propentofylline product including a technical brochure and waiting room posters. We will also have an introductory offer which our Territory Managers will be pleased to discuss with their clients."

James Oliver MRCVS, a European and RCVS specialist in veterinary ophthalmology at Dick White Referrals, is calling on veterinary practices to refer dogs with cataracts caused by diabetes cases urgently to avoid irreversible sight loss.

James says he is sticking his neck out after seeing a significant increase in cases where dogs with diabetes are referred too late to save their sight.

He said: “If we are given the chance to assess a dog with diabetes as soon as cataracts develop then it is usually pretty straightforward to restore vision with a specialist operation. 

“Often, diabetic dogs are referred to us too late because vets unwittingly delay referral while they enhance control of the diabetes.

“Unfortunately, this can mean it can become too late to perform sight-saving surgery and the dog may even have to have their eyes removed on welfare grounds.

“When cataract surgery wasn’t commonplace and as successful, maybe 20 years ago, there was more of a justification to delay surgery. But that isn’t necessary now with advances in veterinary care.

“It’s why it’s so important to improve education about this issue and raise more awareness of what can be done to both vets and dog owners alike.”

Zoletil, Virbac's 2-in-1, injectable anaesthetic for cats and dogs has had a licence change increasing its extended in-use stability from 24 hours to 8 days.

A single vial can now be used for 8 days after reconstitution when stored in a fridge at between two and eight degrees celsius.

This, says Virbac, will help maximise the use of each vial, ultimately reducing wastage and providing a cost-effective solution.

Petplan has announced a special offer for veterinary staff: £40 off its £200 Smart Home Monitoring Kit for pets when bought between 3rd and 31st July 2017.

The Petplan/Panasonic Monitoring Kit, which was launched last year, allows pet owners and veterinary staff to check on their animals via an app on their smartphone or tablet. 

Petplan says is it being used by some veterinary practices to help provide additional security and monitoring capability within the practice.

The kit includes an indoor camera, which comes with an in-built temperature sensor and night vision, a door sensor and Smart Plug which can be remotely activated to turn on a radio, lamp, portable heater or fan to help keep animals content.

The kit also contains an SD card which allows clients to save and share video footage of their pet in its home environment with their veterinary surgeon, and practices to record and share footage with their staff or clients.  

Isabella Von Mesterhazy, Head of Marketing at Petplan, said "For Petplan, keeping pets healthy always has been and always will be our priority. We worry about our pets when we are not with them and the pet Monitoring Kit addresses this problem by providing welcome reassurance that they are safe and well. We are delighted to be able to share this exclusive, time limited offer with our customers and veterinary partners to allow them to check in on their pets, from wherever they are."

To find out more and access a discount code, veterinary staff should login to petplanvet.co.uk.

The Animal Protection Agency (APA) has announced the results of a straw poll it conducted of London Vet Show delegates to discover the level of support for 'positive' or approved lists of exotic species in the UK.

Positive lists are evidence-based regulations that permit the sale and keeping of only those species that are suitable to keep in the home, and that do not pose a disproportionate risk to people or the environment. All other species are prohibited from keeping or may only be kept with a special permit (by those who can demonstrate that they have specialist facilities or expertise).

The results of the poll were 512 in favour, and, er, one against.

The APA says it was delighted at the enthusiastic response from the veterinary community. APA Director, Elaine Toland said: "We are grateful to all those delegates who took part in the poll and offered their valuable insight. Throughout the two days, exotic animal vets and nurses in particular aired their frustrations about the poor state of animals that frequently present at their clinics, where even the most basic husbandry standards are not met. Some described the positive list proposition as a no-brainer".

The Animal Protection Agency is working as part of Eurogroup for Animals alongside Animal Advocacy and Protection (AAP) in the Netherlands and OneKind in Scotland to develop and galvanise support for positive lists as a means of reducing the large-scale animal suffering that is currently part and parcel of the exotic pet industry. 

In order to raise awareness and encourage discussion within the veterinary profession about positive lists, APA is organising a seminar for veterinary surgeons and nurses: Positively shaping the future of pet-keeping, taking place in London during 2018 (date and venue to be confirmed).

To register interest in the seminar or to join the mailing list for more information and updates, email: info@apa.org.uk with PostiveList4Pets in the subject line.

The seminar will count as 5 CPD hours and certificates of attendance will be issued.

The RCVS has launched an independent service to provide emotional support to veterinary surgeons and nurses who are under investigation by the College after a complaint about their professional conduct.

The ProfCon Investigation Support (PCIS) service is a free, confidential listening and support service funded by the RCVS and its Mind Matters Initiative mental health project but delivered independently by VetSupport.me, an organisation that already offers general support services to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

The service is provided by a group of trained and experienced volunteers who will also be able to offer support to any veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who is acting as witness.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “At the RCVS we recognise that being investigated in respect of alleged professional misconduct is a very stressful and trying experience that can knock confidence and, in some cases, lead to distress amongst practitioners.

“While part of the social contract of being members of regulated and protected professions is that, when accusations around professional misconduct are made, they have to be fully investigated by a regulator to determine if there is a case to answer. As a compassionate regulator we want to make sure that individuals going through this process can access the help and support they need.

“This service is staffed by a team of brilliant volunteers who already have experience in  providing help and support on matters of mental health and wellbeing and have received additional training to augment their ability to provide emotional support to vets and nurses who may be under investigation.

“In our Strategic Plan for 2020-24, one of our key ambitions is to strengthen our credentials as a compassionate regulator that acts with empathy and understanding. The ProfCon Investigation Support Service is an important step in fulfilling this ambition, and I hope that it can deliver help to the people that need it.”

David McKeown, from VetSupport, added: “Whether via a phone call, an email conversation, or a meet-up over Zoom, our team of trained volunteers, all of whom are registered vets or vet nurses themselves, will support service users through the duration of an RCVS investigation.

“Through their support we will aim to help individuals going through this process maintain good mental health and wellbeing and strive to prevent more serious issues arising. The service is completely confidential and no conversations that individuals have with our volunteers will ever be shared with anyone else, including the RCVS. Nothing will be fed back to the College nor be used as part of the investigation process. It is also completely within the individual’s control as to how much information is shared with the VetSupport volunteer. There is no obligation to disclose any information other than perhaps a first name.

“We look forward to working with the RCVS to provide this very important service. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on info@vetsupport.me or visit www.vetsupport.me to find out more about the service and meet our team of supporters.”

East Sussex-based Maria Elena Marin Crespo MRCVS has been reprimanded by the RCVS DC for twice failing to declare a conviction for failing to provide the police with a specimen of breath for analysis.

Dr Crespo appeared in front of the Disciplinary Committee earlier this week with two charges against her. The first was that, in November 2015, she dishonestly and falsely made an online representation to the College that she had no criminal convictions, cautions or adverse findings despite having been convicted, in January 2015, of failing to provide a specimen of breath. The second charge against her was that, in March 2016, she once again dishonestly and falsely failed to declare her conviction when renewing her registration.

During the hearing the Committee had two main considerations in respect of both charges – as to whether Dr Marin Crespo had been dishonest in failing to declare the conviction and as to whether the respondent ought to have known that her representations were false. Regarding the dishonesty element, the Committee found the College had not sufficiently proven this, as it accepted Dr Marin Crespo’s evidence that she did not believe she needed to declare a motoring-related offence as it was not relevant to her professional practice.

However, the Committee found it proven that the respondent ought to have known that the representations were false, taking into account that Dr Marin Crespo made admissions that she ought to have checked the guidance on declaring convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings and ought to have been aware that making such declarations is a requirement of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.

Having found the parts of the two charges relating to false representation proven, the Committee then considered whether this constituted serious professional misconduct. 

Judith Webb, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said:"The Committee considers that the false declarations made by the respondent were born of a careless disregard for the disclosure process. The Committee notes that the respondent could easily have checked online, and/or by telephone, as to what she was obliged to do when making the relevant declarations. She failed to do that.

"In these circumstances, the Committee considers that the respondent’s conduct fell far short of that which is to be expected of the veterinary profession. Therefore, in the judgement of the Committee, on the facts found proved, the respondent is guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."

In considering Dr Marin Crespo’s sanction the Committee took into account a number of mitigating factors including her full cooperation with the College’s investigation, her hitherto unblemished career, her testimonial evidence which it felt demonstrated her dedication and professionalism, and the fact that she has displayed remorse and insight into her conduct.

Judith Webb concluded: "The Committee notes that the respondent’s conduct caused no harm, or risk of harm, to animals or humans. The Committee also notes that there is no charge arising out of the criminal conviction itself. The Committee considers that, if the respondent had answered the online questions correctly, it is unlikely that the respondent would have appeared before the Committee.

"Every veterinary surgeon must ensure that they adopt a careful and accurate approach to the self-certification exercise, which is crucial if the public and the College are to have trust in that process. In these circumstances, the Committee considered that the proportionate sanction in this case is that the respondent be… reprimanded for her conduct."

The RCVS has set up a new Working Party tasked with increasing disabled people's access to the veterinary profession.

The aim of the Working Party is to compare options, such as limited licensure, for increasing inclusion, source evidence both from the UK and other countries, and to identify any potential unintended consequences of change.

The College says that it is inviting representatives from the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BVCIS), the British Veterinary Nurses Association (BVNA) and Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) to join the Working Party.

Sue Paterson will be Chairing the Working Party.

She said: “The formation of this new Working Party is a significant and very welcome step in helping to make the veterinary professions more accessible for people with a disability.

"Fellow members of the Working Party include a broad range of colleagues, students and veterinary bodies, to ensure we take into account as many perspectives as possible when we propose recommendations.

"We recognise that many organisations have already begun to explore what we could do to make the veterinary professions more accessible, and we are keen to work collaboratively with them to ensure we keep up the momentum on this vital work.

"The Working Party will endeavour to find a way that those wishing to undertake a veterinary degree or a veterinary nursing qualification in the UK are not faced with barriers due to disability."

For more information, contact Rosie Greaves, Policy and Public Affairs Officer: r.greaves@rcvs.org.uk 

The French veterinary laboratory TVM has announced that it has acquired Forum Animal Health, the Redhill-based supplier of veterinary pharmaceuticals and animal health products.

TVM, which has a wide range of products in ophthalmology, neurology, geriatrics, gastroenterology, anti-poison management and health and wellness, says that the acquisition is designed to boost the company's international scope, building market share and expanding its leadership in the fields of ophthalmology and neurology beyond France.

The acquisition will also strengthen TVM’s position in the area of animal anti-poison treatment as Forum Animal Health already supplies a canine emetic which it has been marketing in the UK for three years with an awareness campaign about the dangers of toxic products to dogs. This, the company says, has contributed to a significant increase in early interventions by veterinary surgeons in cases of poisoning. A similar campaign is currently being led in France by the TVM laboratory.

To accompany the change, Forum Animal Health is adopting a new visual identity, shown above right.

The Prime Minister's website has received a petition for a new law making it compulsory to microchip pets in the UK.

If you wish to support this petition, please click here and add your name: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/MicrochipPets/

The full petition reads:

"I am a responsible pet owner and have both my parrots and dog microchipped. I genuinely believe that all pets (where possible) should be microchipped.

I feel that it should be mandatory and is part of being a responsible pet owner. This should act as a "licence". I strongly beleive that this course of action will protect many discarded, stolen and mistreated pets every year as there will be no escape for the owners as the pet can be traced back to them.

I appreciated that due to size and temperament some pets may not be able to be microchipped, but certainly dogs, cats, horses, valuable / larger birds, rabbits etc should be.

I hope you agree that £30 for a microchip is good value, if owners cannot afford this then they shouldnt be considering a pet in the first place.

Please can you give this idea serious consideration as I feel we must do something to protect the pets that do not have a voice in our society."

CVS reports that over 300 RVNs have now completed its recently launched Surgical Schedule 3 Course, designed for nurses looking to upskill and perform minor surgical tasks that were previously undertaken by vets. 

The course covers wound management, making decisions on dressings, drain management, how to complete biopsies and fine needle samples, how to complete a number of suture patterns and how to remove cutaneous masses and complete other surgeries under Schedule 3 legislation.

The course includes eight hours of practical skills training on cadavers as well as 2 hours online training, covering suture selection and legislation.

On completion of the course, CVS nurses are able to recognise what nurses can complete under Schedule 3 legislation, identify the correct dressing for each stage of wound healing, identify the equipment and correct technique for a range of biopsies, complete a number of different suture patterns, and remove cutaneous masses and complete other surgeries under Schedule 3 legislation.

Each nurse has a skills checklist to inform their ongoing training needs and is encouraged to have regular, informal meetings with a local mentor – who is able to support their learning.

The next Surgical Schedule 3 Course is scheduled for 21^st March 2024.

Karen Learmonth, LED Nursing Lead at CVS said: “I am excited about the opportunity that Surgical Schedule 3 provides for nurses within CVS to further their skills and knowledge.

"Advocating nurses’ involvement in Schedule 3 procedures supports improved patient care and provides nurses with rewarding careers.

“It’s fantastic to see so many nurses completing the course to date and we’ll further develop nurse utilisation in 2024 where we’ll rollout both ultrasound and lab skills training.

"We hope this will encourage nurses to utilise all aspects of their role in line with Schedule 3 guidelines.”

Fran Wood, an RVN at Albavet - Rogers, Brock & Barker said: “I have been loving doing surgery and felt the course was the best CPD I have ever been on!

"It has given me the confidence to complete stitch ups, tail amputations and many other procedures.” 

One of the critical factors in allowing vet nurses to use all their skills is having vets who are comfortable delegating.

To that end, CVS has vets who have pledged to support nurses to achieve this work.

The group has also published guidelines for its vets to provide clarity around effective delegation under Schedule 3.

The RCVS) is calling on veterinary surgeons to help it recruit around 30 animal owners and keepers for a new Public Advisory Group to help guide the College's policies.

The group is being set up to ensure that the College meets its objective of working in the public interest, initially as a 12-month pilot.

Louise Allum, RCVS Council Member and Chair of the Public Advisory Group, said: “Animal owners and keepers play an essential role in supporting animal welfare, and it is therefore not only right, but necessary, that we actively seek to inform the public of our activities and take their opinion into account when making wide-reaching decisions.

“With the profession's help, we are inviting animal owners and keepers from all backgrounds - from companion animal, to equine and farm – to be a part of our Public Advisory Group to help us actively engage with members of the public and to ensure that the veterinary profession continues to meet the needs of clients and animals alike.

"We also hope that, by involving animal owners and keepers in our work, we can improve the ways in which we communicate our messages to veterinary service users."

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, added: “Through the Public Advisory Group, we hope to gain greater insight into the experiences and opinions of animal owners and keepers to determine how we can work together to achieve what is essentially, a joint goal.

"We all care deeply about animal health and welfare and should therefore be united in our mission to uphold high standards.

“We are looking for a pool of around 30 individuals, including, but not limited to, owners and keepers of companion animals, and equine and production animals, to join our group.

"We are asking veterinary professionals to help us recruit animal owners and keepers from all walks of life, by kindly sharing information about this initiative with anyone they feel would be an appropriate, enthusiastic and engaged member of the Group.”

For more information on the Public Advisory Group, including terms of reference and how to apply, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/pag or email Lisa Moffatt on l.moffatt@rcvs.org.uk.

The deadline for applications is 7 June 2023.