A survey conducted earlier this year by Novartis Animal Health1 has shown that owners of dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis want to learn more about the condition after their veterinary consultation.
When asked about what would help them understand and cope with their dog receiving a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, 42% of dog owners said that they want reliable information about the condition on the Internet that they can read at their own pace. 27% said that hearing or reading about case studies of dogs that were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis would be a source of help and reassurance.
That isn't to take anything away from the importance of the relationship between owner and vet: 49% of respondents said that having enough time to discuss everything with their vet is the most important thing following a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis.
However, the reality of busy small animal practice means that some vets are apparently finding themselves short of time, with 62% saying that they would like to have more time in consultations to explain the diagnosis fully.
To support both vets and owners, Novartis has produced a range of education materials available at www.itchfreepet.co.uk. They include information about a variety of skin conditions in dogs and cats, including causes, clinical signs, diagnostics and treatment options, which can all be used to support recommendations made during consultations.
Novartis says it is also continuing to support vets with the 'Comfort Club' scheme, through which owners get the 2nd, 6th and 12th month of Atopica treatment free of charge. The club also allows clients to try other dermatology products that might help their pet's condition free of charge, including shampoo, EFA's and specialist diets.
Ricardo Garvao, category manager at Novartis said: "By providing reliable information and tools to help re-iterate and expand on the information given to owners by their vets, we hope to help both parties make the most of the face to face time that they have with each other. Ultimately this will strengthen the vet-client relationship, which can only improve long-term clinical outcomes.
"Good client education is vital, demonstrated by the fact that nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of pet owners that admit to giving up on their vet's advice claim that this is because they haven't understood it. A large part of the trust building process is being able to recommend a management strategy with proven efficacy and safety data for long-term use, such as Atopica. Atopica has been keeping dogs with atopic dermatitis comfortable for a decade due to its proven ability to safely provide long-term reduction of pruritus and skin lesions associated with the disease, as demonstrated by the recently published independent paper 'The use of ciclosporin: a decade of experience in veterinary dermatology."
Reference
Eukanuba's Longevity Council has published a new video in which the panel of experts offer their thoughts about how veterinary surgeons can educate clients about helping their pets grow old gracefully.
The video includes contributions from the following council members, discussing things like preventative medicine and the importance of good diet/body weight and exercise:
watch?v=JRjCWhnGaGY
Ceva says the new service is designed to help veterinary surgeons improve their consultations and client compliance with:
The site includes a considerable amount of video content, including talks by Cardio Academy's international experts, advice and demonstrations of blood pressure measurement, and training in radiography and echocardiography procedures and interpretation. The videos are supplemented with a number of reference publications to support and assist veterinary surgeons in everyday clinical and diagnostic procedures in the areas of cardiology, nephrology and hypertension. There are also interactive tools to help in the selection of treatments according to the stage of the disease or clinical objectives.
There are a number of communication tools which can be used during a consultation to support the veterinary surgeon's advice, manage client expectations and improve adherence to their recommendations. They can also be e-mailed to the pet owner so they can share the assessment with other family members.
An instant fitness test and an application for measuring resting respiratory rate allows owners to actively participate in the medical assessment of their pets and become more involved.
Finally, in order to maintain contact with pet owners between follow-up visits, the site offers several customisable clinical fact sheets and template newsletters containing content such as seasonal advice for a pet that has a heart condition.
For further information, contact your local Ceva account manager or visit www.vetintermed.ceva.com
A groundbreaking 3d printing service offered by Replica 3DM, a spin off of Salisbury NHS District Hospital, has helped referral veterinary orthopaedist Andy Moores in carrying out surgery on dog that won the 2013 Crufts Friends For Life Award.
Haatchi is an Anatolian shepherd dog whose back left leg and tail were amputated after he was tied to a railway line and hit by a train. As a rescue dog, he was adopted by the family of a young boy called Owen Howkins from Basingstoke. Owen has Schwartz‐Jampel syndrome, which causes his muscles to be permanently tense. The two bonded and became inseparable.
Earlier this year Haatchi developed mobility issues with his remaining hindlimb. He was referred to Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, in Hampshire, where a laterally luxating patella was diagnosed. The patella luxation was a result of a complex deformity of the femur and the tibia. Surgery was needed to enable Haatchi to use his leg better.
Replica 3DM, which normally uses its £70,000 printing equipment to make models of human bones and joints, created a 3d model of Haatchi’s hind leg from hip to paw. Normally the company charges around £200 for a human mandible. So, in order to keep costs down, it suggested a scaled down model which would still make Andy's preoperative planning a lot more straightforward and would help identify the correct surgical approach and likely abnormalities which would be encountered. Andy emailed the CT scans to Matt Sherry from Replica 3DM Ltd who converted them into a 3D model of Haatchi’s leg. Production of the model took six hours.
Andy said: "Having access to a scale 3D model of Haatchi's limb prior to surgery not only allowed us to better understand his deformity but it also allowed us to practice the femoral and tibial corrective osteotomies prior to surgery to be sure they would achieve what we intended."
Replica 3DM Ltd is based at Salisbury District Hospital and provides a service producing 3 dimensional products used in various types of surgery e.g. fractured neck of femur, cranioplasty procedures and jaw fractures. The company says that while of course not necessary in all procedures, visualisation of fractures and deformities prior to surgery can help in pre planning of surgery, reducing costs in time and equipment as well as enabling smaller incisions and less soft tissue intervention, so that patient recovery is enhanced.
For more information, visit www.replica3dm.com or ring Matt Sherry at Replica 3dm on 01722 429185.
Genitrix has repackaged its palatable, fenbendazole-based treatment for internal parasites, with an easy dose syringe mechanism to allow its accurate administration to rabbits, ferrets, exotic birds and reptiles. To make life simpler for pet owners, it has also provided detailed dosing instructions for worming all the species for which it is indicated.
First launched in 2008, Lapizole is a broad spectrum oral-antiparasiticide for use in the prevention and treatment of infections caused by internal parasites of rabbits, birds, reptiles and ferrets, including Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) in rabbits.
Genitrix' marketing director, Rob Watkins, said: "Lapizole proved itself as a highly effective treatment for E. cuniculi during its first year. Many of our customers have expressed the wish to use the treatment on a broader range of animals and in species groups for which highly accurate dosing and a syringe mechanism would be vital. We've taken their feedback on board and are delighted to be making Lapizole available to them with its new dispenser.
"The combination of efficacy, easy dosage and palatability make it an ideal product for the control of internal parasites in these species."
For more information, visit http://www.genitrix.co.uk/
Woodley Equipment Company Ltd has been appointed as the UK and European master veterinary distributor for the Mythic 18 Vet haematology analyser manufactured by Orphee-Medical, Switzerland.
The Mythic 18 Vet is a fully automated, 18 parameter haematology analyser dedicated for veterinary applications. Woodley says it delivers the ultimate technology in haematology, requires little maintenance and benefits from low reagent consumption. It's quick and easy to use with touch screen technology and can produce accurate results in just 60 seconds for over 10 different species using a small sample volume.
For more information, visit: www.woodleyequipment.com, email: sales@woodleyequipment.com or call: +44(0)1204 669033
Everyone taking part in the survey will receive a fob watch to thank them for their participation.
Sarah is leading the project, which is supported by Ceva Animal Health, alongside Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, fellow RCVS Feline Medicine Specialist and Professor in Feline Medicine at The University of Edinburgh.
Suzanne Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at Ceva, said: “There are many barriers to ensuring that all older cats and those with relevant concurrent diseases receive screening for hypertension.
"The survey will help us better understand what those barriers are and how these challenges can be addressed positively to improve animal welfare.
"It is also an issue that requires the whole practice team to come together to deliver a better outcome for their patients.
"We are therefore very keen to find out how all members of the practice team view these important issues and want to encourage all vets and veterinary nurses to share their perspective on the challenges they face in carrying out blood pressure measurements.”
Sarah is emphasising the importance of keeping feline patients calm and relaxed during blood pressure assessments: “The so-called ‘white coat effect’ or situational hypertension, has been observed in both people and animals.
"The survey will also explore the tools and techniques veterinary professionals use to minimise the impact of blood pressure assessments on their patients and will help us to develop some best practice approaches.”
The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/FelineHypertensionSurvey.
The route covers a distance of approximately 400 miles.
Oscar said: “My goals for the event are to raise awareness about mental health within the veterinary profession and demonstrate how being in the countryside can boost wellbeing. Along the way, I’m keen to fundraise as much as possible for Vetlife.
“Vetlife has done so much for the veterinary profession with regards to making mental health support more accessible.
"Having that knowledge that they are there personally provides a lot of comfort in what can sometimes be quite a lonely and isolating profession.”
Fellow cyclist and Vetlife trustee Danny Chambers said: “I know how painful it is to cycle up Cheddar Gorge in North Somerset, so I am in awe that Oscar is cycling a 400-mile route around that terrain to visit every vet practice in Somerset in 2 days.
"I’m sure in his brief visits to each practice he’ll get a warm welcome and some sustenance to help him along to his next pit stop!
"Thank you to Oscar for his enthusiasm and support.”
Oscar is inviting others in the veterinary community to join sections of the journey along the way.
For more information on how to get involved with the cycle, visit the Somervet Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1930480070643515.
Donate to the fundraiser via the Somervet JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ride-somervet
Canine Arthritis Management says the service is designed to help address issues with the traditional veterinary care approach, such as short consult times, significant workplace pressure and lack of understanding of the caregiver.
The service offers expert consultations through which veterinary professionals and other caregivers can confer with a dedicated team of experts in canine arthritis for the latest insights and treatment strategies.
The telehealth service can also supplement the veterinary consultation, giving extra time to create personalised care plans for clients, tailored to their dog's specific needs.
Canine Arthritis Management says its care plans are designed with a holistic approach, considering not only the medical requirements of the dog but also its living environment and lifestyle.
Canine Arthritis Telehealth also offers ongoing support and educational resources.
Canine Arthritis Management Founder, Hannah Capon MRCVS said: “One of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding osteoarthritis is that it is simple to manage.
"It is not.
"The long term, waxing and waning nature of the disease, combined with the financial and physical commitments, leads to emotional exhaustion for the caregiver.
"Combining this with a lack of understanding of the disease, confusion regarding the myriad of ways to address it, and anxiety surrounding the future, caregivers of animals with chronic disease need more support, and that is exactly what this service offers.”
caninearthritisteleguidance.co.uk
Lucy Chadwick, Head of Technical Services & Marketing at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: “Neonatal calf diarrhoea is a leading cause of death in the calf crop in the UK and Ireland.
"We are delighted to therefore offer this webinar discussing up to date information on what we can do to boost neonatal defences in the face of an NCD outbreak.
"Tune in to learn more about the importance of colostral antibodies and how the resecretion of antibodies plays a key role in gut protection.
"We will also discuss what factors can influence the effectiveness of a NCD vaccination programme and what this means for your farmers.”
You'll be able to ask questions during the event and the webinar will also be made available to watch on demand afterwards.
https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/forte-healthcare-register
Improve International has launched the latest tranche of online training for those seeking qualification as an Official Veterinarian (OV).
The company says completion of the new training modules will lead to qualification in the following areas:
Improve has developed the training modules in conjunction with its assessment partner, the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and Harper Adams University, which validates the qualifications.
Improve was appointed to handle OV registration and training in England, Scotland and Wales by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) earlier this year. In August, it launched www.improve-ov.com, a new OV registration and training website which contains details of the new process and the new OCQ(V) qualification. Under the new system, individuals or employers fund their own OV training but benefit from the fact that they can access the majority of course content 24/7 on the new website at a convenient time and without having to be absent from the practice.
Existing OVs have 'grandfather rights' as long as they register on the new database by 31 March 2015. In addition, a revalidation requirement has been introduced for the first time which ensures all OV's will remain up to date.
Bethan Stephens MRCVS from the Milfeddygon Deufor practice in Wales, who has recently undertaken some OV training, said: "I found the registration and training easy to understand and it was very useful to be able to tackle it in bite-sized chunks over a few weeks, as and when I had time."
David Babington (pictured right), Managing Director of Improve International, said: "We've received an enthusiastic response to the OV training already launched and the number of vets both registering and qualifying continues to show the desirability of these qualifications in an increasingly competitive veterinary sector. We are working to a tight schedule to deliver all of the new OCQ(V) training by February 2015 and are delighted to launch the latest set of courses."
For further information, visit www.improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
Earlier in the year, we conducted a survey of veterinary surgeons to ask what you felt were the biggest problems with using Facebook as a way to share or discuss clinical information.
According to the survey, veterinary surgeons felt the greatest problem with Facebook is that you cannot see the professional qualifications of those contributing to a discussion, so unless you know them offline, you have no context for what they post. Even in closed groups, it can be hard, if not impossible to know whether you are talking to someone with many years' experience, or virtually none; an RCVS Specialist, or a general practitioner, or a veterinary nurse.
The father of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee recognised transparency as one of the most significant problems with the Internet during the Dimbleby Lecture at the end of last year. He said:
“Another problem people are perhaps increasingly aware of, particularly more recently, has to do with the fact that much of the web has insufficient accountability. There is by design, no approval system people need to go to, to share their information online. They don’t have to come and ask me to post something. So as soon as someone posts something on the web it can be viewed by a huge number of people. This seemed to work when people posted as individuals with their own reputations at stake. But now we have systems which create fake accounts and there are millions of automated systems, bots we call them, for robots, on social media platforms spreading messages of hate and conflict
"Because of this, misinformation has been spreading rapidly. There are not enough systems holding these people and this information to account. They should be testing the truthfulness of the information organisations and individuals are putting online.”
Whilst it is perhaps unlikely that malign foreign governments have been infiltrating veterinary Facebook groups to spread discord or indeed that there are many individuals deliberately spreading misinformation in this small profession, Sir Tim's point is still highly relevant to the sharing of clinical information, advice, experience or opinion.
The problem is that Facebook gives equivalence to everyone's opinion, an equivalence they simply do not deserve.
Sir Tim is right, you should indeed be questioning the truthfulness, or rather the accuracy of clinical information and opinions posted by colleagues online, and the starting point for that is knowing who posted it, and what qualifications they hold.
The new VetSurgeon.org discussion forums make an important step forward with that, by displaying the year and place of qualification next to posts, together with veterinary postnominals, taken from members' full VetSurgeon Profiles. We're also going to make it compulsory for contributing referral practitioners to complete their profile before posting.
The other biggest problems identified in the survey are how quality information gets drowned in a sea of 'me too' replies on Facebook, how it is difficult to refer back to old posts with useful information and how information is badly curated, making it hard to find what interests you.
On VetSurgeon.org content is now curated both by type, for example forum or news posts, and by areas of clinical interest, which each have their own group you can join and subscribe to. That makes it easier for referral practitioners or postgrad students to follow just their specific area of interest, or for anyone just trying to find information quickly.
We also asked what we could do to encourage you to visit VetSurgeon.org more often for clinical discussions. 62% of you said: 'improve the ease of use on smartphones' and 50.9% said: 'create a way for you to put a question to a group of expert clinicians'.
So that is what we've done (or are doing).
The new VetSurgeon discussion forums have been significantly enhanced for mobile phones. The new main navigation makes it far easier to find your way around the site. You can now reply to forum posts on the same page as the original post, which may sound like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. Elsewhere, we've optimised our use of the more limited space available.
Very soon, we'll be unveiling another feature designed to improve the quality of online clinical discussions, and to stop them drowning in a sea of me too replies. In our new Expert Help Forums, all members will be able to ask a clinical question, but only referral practitioners and selected expert general practitioner members will be able to reply (so long as they display their credentials, of course). When they do, they'll get proper recognition for their help, something which is again missing from Facebook.
With all this talk of better standards of clinical discussions on VetSurgeon.org, it is also worth reminding everyone that time spent in the forums counts towards your annual CPD requirement too. Just click the 'Claim CPD' button in the title.
Finally, as with any building project of this magnitude, there are inevitably some snags. Things that don't work or display as expected, especially on older or more obscure devices. If you come across something like that, please do email details (your browser, version and device type) to support@vetsurgeon.org and we'll endeavour to get it fixed, pronto.
Photo: Arlo Guthrie, Editor www.vetsurgeon.org
The four-day course, which is organised by Embryonics, will take place in Cheshire and runs from Monday 24 February to Thursday 27 February.
The course will cover the five-step Dutch method of foot trimming, which Ceva says is the most successful tried and tested method of trimming for reducing the incidence of lameness in the herd.
Course tutors include John Dawson MRCVS BVMS CertCHP Dip Cattle footcare and a Ceva representative will also present information on how the management of pain and inflammation fits into a comprehensive lameness treatment programme. The practical course is a recognised route to becoming a NACFT (National Association of Cattle Foot Trimmers) licensed foot trimmer.
Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva, comments: "We would like to encourage livestock vets, farmers and professional foot trimmers to work more closely together, as a team, to help prevent lameness in cattle. We are therefore delighted to be supporting the industry by sponsoring this course, which will help raise welfare standards across the industry."
For further information on the Professional Foot Trimming course, please visit www.embryonicsltd.co.uk.
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: “The original setup, which reorders a list of available positions by distance from a location, works very well when you know where you want to work.
"The new VetSurgeon Jobs Map, on the other hand, is ideal for when you’re not sure where exactly you want to work, and just want to know what’s out there.
"We’ve also added a 'World Jobs Map' so that there’s a quick and easy way to see any jobs outside the UK, such as those currently advertised in Bahrain, South Africa and Ireland."
The VetSurgeon Jobs Map is the latest in a string of new features added since a small charge was introduced for advertising jobs in May, including Find our jobs on VetSurgeon, Share & Reward and the VetSurgeon Locums Map. The same features have also been added over on VetNurse Jobs, too.
Arlo said: "Now that we charge for advertising on VetSurgeon Jobs, I’m interested in only one thing, which is offering both job seekers and recruiters the best service available anywhere."
The veterinary group made the donation on behalf of its team after all 185 staff voted unanimously to donate the proceeds of the company's monthly employee reward scheme to help support the victims of the bombing.
Veterinary nurse Danielle Richardson, from the Walkden practice in Manchester, said: "We all felt so sad for the victims and their families and our instant reaction was to find a way to help. Our practice decided we wanted to donate our monthly reward money that we usually use for things like meals out or a team activity to the hospital, and we let the central team support office know. We also put together lots of special packages with toys in for the children."
Managing director Tim Harrison said: "As soon as we heard what our team were doing at our Walkden practice we let everyone else know, and every single one of our practices across the country requested that their reward monies were also donated to The Manchester Children’s Hospital.
"I am so proud of the team and for the level of support they have given to those affected by this most appalling event. The response by the White Cross team has been tremendous. We were all touched by the ordeal in some way and many of us knew people who were at the concert."
Over 500 practices took part in the 2016 initiative, and Avacta is hoping even more will get involved this year, helping to raise awareness of allergies in cats and dogs.
Marketing Manager Gary Skipper said: "This year’s PAW campaign will focus on the clinical signs associated with allergies in cats and dogs as well as what is involved in the diagnosis and treatment process."
To help raise the PAW profile, Avacta has created a series of cartoon characters, such as the one pictured right, to help engage pet owners with the initiative and demonstrate the clinical signs associated with allergies in pets. There'll be a competition to name the cartoon characters at Avacta's stand (808) at BSAVA Congress this year, for the chance to win a personal pet portrait.
Gary said: "There are a wealth of reasons to get the practice involved in the initiative. PAW aims to help boost awareness among clients of the common clinical signals associated with allergies in cats and dogs; we will be offering heavily discounted canine and feline allergy tests throughout June to help reduce costs, and the campaign also helps to encourage team work by getting everyone at the practice involved in the competition for the best PAW waiting room display using the pack materials – the winning practice will receive a luxury hamper!"
To register your practice for the 2017 Pet Allergy Week, complete the online registration form at www.avactaanimalhealth.com/PAW. Alternatively speak to your local Territory Manager or contact the Avacta Customer Services Team on 0800 3 047 047 or email customer.services@avacta.com.
The registration deadline to receive a pack is Friday 5th May.
To enter the competition, veterinary practices need to build a den in the waiting room - with an Adaptil diffuser plugged in nearby - and decorate it to demonstrate the preventative measures clients can carry out at home to help manage their pets’ firework fears.
Then post a picture of the your den/waiting room display on the Ceva Animal Health Facebook page throughout October. Last year's winner is pictured above right.
The top 10 veterinary practice waiting room dens and displays will win a luxury chocolate hamper.
Ceva says it has a comprehensive range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to use in creating their entry, including new waiting room materials.
For further information contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Alan, who is MD of the veterinary business consultancy, Vet Dynamics, will be looking at finances, the team, and scoping out a future strategy. The session will provide practical planning tools, strategic advice, and the opportunity to ask questions.
Bayer points to a number of trends which have emerged during lockdown which it says practices must respond to quickly in the post-lockdown recovery.
The company says retailers have reported that internet traffic increased threefold at the start of lockdown and it remains at double the pre-lockdown levels. Direct retail sales of flea and tick products have also increased.
This suggests that owners are becoming more comfortable with buying preventative healthcare products online.
Bayer says there is a business opportunity here for practices. The subscription box market is expected to hit £1 billion by 20222, and one way practices can capitalise on this trend is by offering home-delivered flea, wormer and tick treatments.
Another business opportunity could lie in research by Banfield Pet Hospital among 1,000 US pet owners in which 20% vowed to take their pets ‘more often’ to the vet post-lockdown for preventative care checkups3.
Caroline Braidwood, Regional Business Manager of Bayer Animal Health said: "We know that many veterinary customers have potentially gone elsewhere during the pandemic and vets will need to work hard to win them back. Our webinar will provide tangible insights to ensure that practices can flourish. Whether you’ve worked with Bayer or not, our team of Veterinary Business Managers are here to help. We’re all in this together, and with some planning, we can ensure the veterinary industry continues to grow.”
To book your webinar place, visit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/46/rk71qav5
A survey commissioned by a new Sky TV series, Pets for Life, carried out in association with The Blue Cross, has found that 500,000 (2%) of Britain's 24 million pet owners say they no longer have money for their pet's food and are reduced to feeding the household animal with leftovers.
The survey also found that while two-thirds of pet owners dig deep into their pockets to find an average of £11.04 each week to care for their pets, one in five (21%) say they are dropping essentials such as visits to the vet in a bid to bring the weekly pet bill to under £5.
The poll of 1,200 pet owners indicated that higher insurance premiums, rising vet bills and rocketing pet-food prices have pushed the cost of owning a pet up to £574.08 a year. Nearly half of pet owners (47% or 12.2 million people) now spend an average of £9.40 on their pet each week, with a further 15% (3.9 million people) spending £19.50 a week, and 7% (1.8 million people) forking out more than £60 a week to keep their animals healthy and happy.
This comes as The Blue Cross revealed a 19% increase in stray and abandoned animals taken into its adoption centres in the last year compared to the same period the year before, with a total of 38 rabbits, 979 cats, and 419 dogs left to wander the streets. In addition, over 4,000 animals were given up voluntarily, many for financial reasons such as the owner being made homeless, having to move house or losing their job.
Laura Sleight, head of media relations at The Blue Cross said: "We pride ourselves on being a nation of animal lovers, but the sad reality is that some pet owners can either no longer afford to keep their pets or are unable to provide a suitable home for them. Animals add so much to our lives but it's important that people understand the cost, time and commitment involved before taking one on. Pets for Life aims to tackle these issues and provide real solutions to the everyday problems that can result in animals being given up or abandoned."
Pets for Life is on Sky Showcase (Channel 201, Freesat 403) on Sunday 8th May at 6:00pm and on Tuesdays at 7:30pm (repeated on Sundays) for at least a further seven weeks thereafter.
There are 10 candidates standing for the three available elected places on RCVS Council.
The candidates are:
The biographies and election statements for each candidate are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote23.
Ahead of the start of the election in mid-March, the RCVS is asking veterinary surgeons to email questions for candidates to: vetvote23@rcvs.org.uk in order to better understand them and their views.
You have until Friday 24 February 2023 to submit your question.
The voting period for RCVS Council opens on Monday 13th March and closes at 5pm on Friday 21 April 2023.
The SPVS Salary Survey provides a benchmark of remuneration levels in the profession, including basic earnings, bonuses, dividends, overtime, accommodation, car allowances and pensions.
The main survey findings will be published in a report which will be shared with anyone who takes part and gives their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be given the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
The Association says all responses are treated as strictly anonymous and totally confidential, and thanks everyone in advance who decides to take part.
To take part, visit: https://spvs.org.uk/salary-survey-2021.
If you have any questions about the survey, email office@spvs.org.uk.
Veterinary teams are now being invited to nominate their workplaces for the awards, detailing the ways in which the team’s wellbeing has been supported.
Entrants must show evidence in their workplace of:
Entires can be submitted for the following categories
The BVA is strongly encouraging people to submit nominations as a team.
Entrants will also be required to submit photos showcasing team culture, demonstrating initiatives to aid staff wellbeing or moments of positivity.
BVA Junior Vice President Anna Judson, who will also be one of the judges for the awards, said: “The culture in a workplace has an impact on every aspect of a business, but most especially when it comes to building a happy, healthy and resilient workforce.
"That’s why it’s so important that staff feel heard, valued and supported.
"BVA’s Wellbeing Awards are an important opportunity for teams to shout about innovative practices that are going the extra mile to support wellbeing.
"After all, good veterinary workplaces are good for people, good for animals in their care and ultimately good for business.”
The awards are open to the entire veterinary profession and there is no requirement to be a BVA member.
Winners will be announced at BVA’s Gala Dinner during the London Vet Show in November.
Nominations close on Monday, 11th September 2023.
www.bva.co.uk/wellbeing-awards
The lectures, which are sponsored by Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services, aim to dispel many of the myths associated with anaesthetising a wide variety of exotic species, including fish and amphibians, whilst simultaneously providing vets and nurses with the skills to undertake these often challenging and comparatively high-risk anaesthetics.
Techniques, protocols, potential drug options and combinations as well as blood sampling and hospitalisation techniques for a wide variety of exotic species will be discussed at length.
Delegates will also get lecture notes, a CPD certificate, goodie bags, refreshments and lunch, not to mention the chance to discuss the day's content with Sonya,
To book your place or for more information, please email us via info@justexotics.co.uk.
The British Veterinary Association has warned that political measures to reduce antimicrobial resistance in Europe and the UK are in danger of becoming kneejerk reactions that are not based on sound science.
The warning comes ahead of European Antibiotic Awareness Day on 18th November.
To mark the Awareness Day BVA President Peter Jones delivered a webinar to over 300 veterinary surgeons titled "Resisting antimicrobials - are we acting responsibly?" hosted by The Webinar Vet and available to view at www.thewebinarvet.com/bva-webinars.
Peter said: "Any measures to tackle antimicrobial resistance must be based on sound science. At the moment we are resisting calls from parliamentarians and pressure groups in Europe and the UK to significantly restrict a veterinary surgeon's right to prescribe and dispense medicines according to clinical and professional judgement.
"These calls do not reflect the available science. We know from the USA and Denmark that banning or restricting the use of certain antimicrobials in certain species has not reduced the incidence of resistance to certain organisms in humans. Banning the veterinary use of antimicrobials could have a severe impact on animal health and welfare without achieving the desired impact in humans.
"Scientists also agree that human prescribing is more likely to have an impact on human medicine than veterinary use; but that responsible prescribing is essential in both sectors.
"We fully support measures to encourage responsible veterinary use, particularly of those classes of antimicrobial that are critical for human use such as fluoroquinolones and 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins. The BVA responsible use poster states that these medicines should be reserved for clinical conditions that respond poorly to other classes of antimicrobials and where antibiotic sensitivity has been carried out, and that they should not be administered systematically to groups or flocks of animals except in very specific situations.
"Vets in the UK should be aware that the new Code of Professional Conduct states that they must be accountable for choices made on antimicrobial use. This is a very positive step forward in promoting the importance of responsible use."