Set up in 2012, the programme was developed to raise the standards of care and welfare of cats in the veterinary clinic, and to provide veterinary surgeons with practical solutions to problems that they face when dealing with their feline patients. The programme is also designed to boost business by strengthening the bond between the clinic and its feline clients.
Four years later, with 732 practices accredited worldwide (369 in the UK) and a further 1,000 US practices accredited under the American Association of Feline Practitioners scheme licensed from ISFM, the programme has become a well-recognised global standard in feline veterinary care. Last October, it was the winner of the 2016 Veterinary Record Innovation Award.
ISFM says it has now signed six new commercial partners for the scheme: Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva Animal Health, Elanco, Idexx Laboratories, Merial and Royal Canin, and will be working with these partners to expand the programme further.
Dr Andy Sparkes, Veterinary Director of International Cat Care, ISFM’s parent charity, said: We are delighted to see how many clinics around the world have focused on becoming cat friendly and we can only expect this to grow again in 2017 with our new partners on board. We are looking forward to a very cat friendly 2017!"
Clinics interested in joining the scheme should visit: www.catfriendlyclinic.org for further information, including an extensive library of photographs from already-accredited clinics to provide inspiration and ideas.
Julia, who is a leading exponent of the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) screening test, will also support the small animal referral hospital’s neurology, ophthalmology and dermatology teams with enhanced diagnostics.
Julia was a neurology technician at the Animal Health Trust for 31 years, until it closed in July 2020. With colleagues there she helped to develop and implement BAER testing as a screening process in animals at risk of congenital deafness. Davies says this is now recognised as the gold standard in deafness testing by organisations such as The Kennel Club and various breed clubs in the UK.
Julia said: “I am so happy to be starting a new chapter at Davies. It is really exciting to be establishing the Hearing Assessment Clinic here and continuing to provide this important service both to previous clients and new ones. I am also looking forward to developing a successful, constructive working relationship with my new colleagues."
Tim Richardson, Managing Director of Davies said: "We are delighted to welcome Julia to the team at Davies. As one of the UK’s leaders in this highly specialised field she enables us to offer hearing screening, hearing tests and electrodiagnostics across the relevant disciplines, at the very highest level."
For further information visit www.vetspecialists.co.uk
The Legislative Reform Consultation took place between November 2020 and April 2021 and asked members of the veterinary profession and the public to give their responses to a package of proposals for future veterinary legislation designed to enhance the role of veterinary nurses, modernise RCVS registration, lead to a modern fitness to practise regime, and ensure the regulation of veterinary practices.
The proposals represent the biggest legislative reform since the 1966 Veterinary Surgeons Act.
In total the consultation received 1,330 responses, of which 714 (54%) were from veterinary surgeons, 335 (25%) from veterinary nurses, 93 (7%) from veterinary paraprofessionals, 73 (5%) from student veterinary nurses, 58 (4%) from members of the public, 40 (3%) from veterinary and industry organisations, including representative bodies, and the remainder from veterinary students and veterinary practice managers.
An analysis of the consultation responses covering each of the five core areas and their individual recommendations can be found in the final report, which is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/legislativereform.
After considering this report, Council voted by a majority to accept the recommendations, meaning that they are now formally adopted as RCVS policy and will form the basis for discussions on the need for new legislation with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).
Professor Stephen May has chaired the Legislation Working Party that developed the proposal since its inception in 2017 when he was RCVS President. He said: “We are very grateful to those individuals and organisations who took the time to complete this very important consultation on recommendations for the future legislative framework for the professions. We also appreciate the candour of those who were unsure about or opposed to the recommendations.
“When the Legislation Working Party met to consider the responses and the report, it decided that, while no substantive changes needed to be made to the principle-based recommendations, the points raised both against and in favour of individual recommendations gave us important material for additional consideration, and food for thought as to how any detailed proposals would be implemented once enabling legislation is in place.
“We look forward to submitting these recommendations to Defra formally, with a view to them becoming, in time, a bill put before Parliament to replace the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. In so doing, this would establish a modern, flexible and comprehensive piece of legislation that would make sure the regulatory structure for the veterinary professions is fit for purpose for decades to come.”
As well as the main report of the Legislative Reform Consultation, RCVS Council also considered a series of interim measures that would be in line with the overall aims of future legislative changes, but which could be implemented without primary legislation.
The proposed interim measures included:
Council members voted on each of these interim measures on an individual basis – with the mini-PICs and the Charter Case Protocol being accepted by majority vote.
However, Council members voted against implementing the change to the standard of proof at this time, citing a number of concerns about the potential impact of it being implemented under the current concerns investigation and disciplinary procedures. Similar concerns had been put forward by many of those who responded to the consultation itself.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: “The approved procedural changes will, I believe, lead to a significant improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of our disciplinary processes. The Charter Case Protocol will mean that, in suitable cases where a finding of serious professional misconduct at a full disciplinary hearing would likely only lead to a reprimand or to no further action being taken, a more proportionate and less time-consuming and expensive means of resolving cases will be available. However, it will still reflect the seriousness of the matters and continue to protect the public interest, welfare and the reputation of the profession.
“Furthermore, by phasing out the Case Examiner Group stage and instead referring concerns to ‘mini’ PICs, which will decide if the threshold of serious professional misconduct has been met, it will make our concerns investigation processes clearer and more streamlined and therefore more efficient. We look forward to publishing further details on both of these changes in due course.
“Although Council members accepted that a change of the standard of proof would be an integral part of introducing a modern fitness to practise (FTP) regime as part of any future legislation, they had significant concerns about the ‘interim’ recommendation to introduce it under the current arrangements, in advance of implementing a full FTP model, and so a majority felt that they could not vote for it.”
To read the full report of the Legislative Reform Consultation, including analysis of the responses, please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/legislativereform.
They include the launch of the RCVS Academy, reforms to the RCVS concerns investigation process, the publication of the Workforce Action Plan and guidance for universities on supporting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic veterinary students, ongoing work on new under care guidance, the development of new sustainability standards for the Practice Standards Scheme, and the purchase of the future headquarters for the RCVS.
The report also contains an update from the College’s charity partner RCVS Knowledge, details of RCVS financial management policies, and an independent auditor’s report on the College.
The Annual Report and Financial Statements will be formally adopted by RCVS Council at its Annual General Meeting on Friday 7th July at One Great George Street.
Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses are able to submit questions about the Annual Report.
The College says that subject to time, submitted questions will be answered by the College on the day, or followed up in writing after the event.
Questions should be emailed to Deborah Rowlanes, RCVS Events Manager, on d.rowlanes@rcvs.org.uk no later than 5pm on Tuesday 4th July.
If you want to attend, register at: www.rcvs.org.uk/events.
Dogs Trust has come out firmly against RSPCA-supported proposals to re-introduce the dog licence.
The dog welfare charity says it does not believe re-introducing the dog licence would provide a welfare benefit for dogs. It has also expressed surprise at the RSPCA position, which is that: "a licence would be hugely beneficial in addressing many animal welfare concerns stemming from overbreeding of dogs to a lack of traceable ownership." Dogs Trust has said this view is extremely naïve, that responsible owners might struggle to pay what is likely to be a punitive annual licence, and that a licence is simply a tax on dog ownership.
Meanwhile, the RSPCA has announced the results of a survey in which 2 out of 3 pet owners said they would be in favour of a licence scheme. 76% said that a dog licence should be enforced in England to help curb problems such as 'puppy farms', stray dogs, stolen dogs and animal abandonments.
The RSPCA also says that research carried out on its behalf by Reading University clearly shows that an affordable and well-enforced dog licensing scheme could provide funding for a range of issues, most of which are currently funded poorly by central and local government. Professor Emeritus Martin Upton from Reading University's school of agriculture, policy and development, said: "Our study into the potential costs and benefits of dog licencing and registration found that such a scheme could greatly contribute to responsible dog ownership and animal welfare."
Dogs Trust says the dog licence has been shown to be an ineffective measure in the UK. In Northern Ireland, where the dog licence is still a requirement, only an estimated one-third of all dog owners currently have their dogs licensed. Northern Ireland still has the highest number of stray dogs per head of population of any region in the UK and the number of dogs put to sleep in the region represents a staggering 34% of the total UK figure.
The charity recommends compulsory microchipping as the most effective means of registration as well as identification of a dog. Unlike the dog licence, which involves an annual fee, microchipping involves just a small one-off fee (Dogs Trust offers microchipping at its centres for £10). The benefit to responsible owners and their dogs is therefore relatively cheap and effective. Microchipping a dog should infer legal ownership and reinforces the responsibilities of the owner under the Animal Welfare Act. The introduction of compulsory microchipping would allow stray dogs to be quickly returned to their owners, make easier the identification of owners who persistently allow their dogs to stray or cause nuisance, and make all puppies traceable to their breeder, helping to reduce the widespread problem of battery farming of dogs.
Dr Tiffany Hemming has been elected the new chair of the British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation (BVA AWF), the veterinary profession's own animal welfare charity.
After graduating, Dr Hemming worked in mixed practice before completing her doctorate in epidemiology at the University of Guelph, Canada. She joined the Territorial Army as a Veterinary Officer in 1997, transferring to the Regular Army in 2000.
She has been employed in several different roles all over the world, has commanded a medical squadron for two years and deployed with them to Afghanistan in 2009/10.
Holding the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, Dr Hemming is currently employed in a policy position in Whitehall. Her particular interests within animal welfare science are working animals and educating owners about improving the welfare of their animals.
Dr Hemming said: "I am delighted to have been elected as chair of trustees for the BVA AWF. The Foundation is committed to improving the welfare of all animals through veterinary science, education and debate and I am looking forward to leading the charity, with the valuable assistance and expertise of my fellow veterinary trustees.
"I will ensure good governance for our work as we continue to review what we do, building on a process started by my predecessor Carl Padgett."
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has granted MSD Animal Health a provisional UK marketing authorisation for Bovilis SBV, the first vaccine specifically targeting the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in cattle and sheep.
SBV, which emerged in late 2011, is transmitted via insect vectors, mainly midges and causes transient clinical symptoms in adult cattle and sheep, such as fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk yield, as well as congenital malformation in newborn calves and lambs. As of March 31st 2013, 1753 cases of SBV had been confirmed throughout the UK. SBV has now been detected in every county in England and Wales.
Andras Bolcskei, Country Manager, MSD Animal Health UK said: "On behalf of Merck MSD, we would like to thank the VMD for its partnership and support to fast track the availability of Bovilis SBV to the market. There was a tremendous urgency for a SBV vaccine in the UK especially given the marked increase in confirmed cases over the past year and the increasing importance to help control this devastating disease."
MSD says that studies it conducted in support of the provisional marketing authorisation showed that all animals responded with formation of virus neutralizing antibodies. During the studies, reduced viraemia against SBV was observed in sheep vaccinated once and prevention of viraemia was observed in cattle vaccinated twice, whereas all animals in the control groups developed infection and became viraemic. In studies to date, Bovilis SBV has been shown to be efficacious in cattle and sheep.
The vaccine is based on wild-type SBV that has been inactivated and contains an adjuvant that stimulates the immune response.
The vaccine will be available in 20ml and 100ml vials. Bovilis SBV is indicated for the active immunisation of cattle to prevent viraemia against SBV and for the active immunisation of sheep to reduce viraemia against SBV.
MSD says it is working diligently to expedite stocks to the UK, and expects Bovilis SBV to arrive in the UK in the coming weeks.
Modules for the first GPAdvCert – in Small Animal Orthopaedics – will begin in February 2018. Improve says it's the first of many 'next steps' programmes which it plans to launch under this new postgraduate level qualification.
The GPAdvCert in Small Animal Orthopaedics is aimed at veterinary surgeons who have completed their General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Surgery (GPCert SAS) or Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Small Animal Surgery.
Accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and validated by Harper Adams University, the programme is delivered over 15 modules in three state-of-the-art European training centres - Sheffield, UK, Cremona, Italy and Madrid, Spain. Improve says delegates will learn from world-class clinicians and will be supervised in their practise of new surgical techniques and advanced procedures in a wet-lab environment.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve International (pictured right), said: "We felt there was a gap in the current structure for a postgraduate qualification which would allow students to advance their knowledge and practical skills in their chosen area and to add to their academic credentials. The General Practitioner Advanced Certificate is our solution."
Successful achievement of the GPAdvCert will enable delegates to progress from a Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Surgery (or equivalent) to the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences in the UK, which is awarded by Harper Adams University. This can, in turn, be used towards the award of a Masters Degree (MSc) in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences.
David added: "Delegates for our first GPAdvCert in Orthopaedics for Small Animals will enhance their skills and confidence in dealing with more advanced orthopaedic procedures in-house and this will help them to reduce the number of patients which are referred, retaining a higher level of income for their practice. They will also develop skills which they can pass onto their team. We look forward to welcoming our first delegates next year."
Further details are available at: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/course/general-practitioner-advanced-certificate-in-small-animal-orthopaedic-surgery/
The materials are designed to help educate pet owners on the benefits of microchipping and the importance of keeping their microchip details up to date.
The company highlights research which shows just how important it is to encourage owners to keep microchip details up to date. In 2017, the BVA found that 44% of vets were unable to reunite stray dogs with their owners due to incorrect information on the microchip database. The Dogs Trust Stray Dogs Survey Report 2017–18 also found that 75% of all microchipped dogs that were unable to be returned to their owners had incorrect contact information on their chip.
To order your 'Chip & Check' display, contact your Animalcare Territory Sales Manager, or call Animalcare's head office on 01904 487687. Display packs are subject to an order of identichip microchips and while display stocks last.
This year’s theme is 'Feline Fine: how to create harmony between physical health and mental wellbeing in your treatment and management of feline cases'.
The scientific programme will include lectures, interactive sessions and in-depth masterclasses from feline experts including Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore (feline medicine specialist), Dr Sarah Heath (specialist in veterinary behaviour), Dr Matt Gurney (specialist in veterinary anaesthesia) and Professor Clare Rusbridge (specialist in veterinary neurology).
This is the third year that ISFM has hosted an annual congress event online, something the charity says has been a huge success, attracting over 3,000 veterinary professionals from 96 countries in 2021.
Dr Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM said: "Whilst it was fabulous to be back in person in Rhodes this year, we cannot lose sight of the opportunity providing a virtual option gives the veterinary community."
The 2022 ISFM Virtual Congress is open to all veterinary professionals, including nurses, technicians and behaviourists who are interested in the relationship between feline emotions and behaviour, and other disciplines such as neurology, pain management, and internal medicine.
The live launch will feature a short lecture followed by a live Q&A session with iCatCare’s Vicky Halls (Cat Friendly Homing Manager), Linda Ryan (Registered Veterinary Nurse and Behaviourist) and Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore.
ISFM Veterinary members will automatically receive a ticket to the Virtual Congress as part of their annual membership benefits.
https://icatcare.org/isfm2022congress-virtual/
The app allows practices to submit results along with cytology and histopathology results in order to help train the AI algorithm and improve its accuracy from an original sensitivity of 85% and negative predictive value of 97%.
Liron Levy-Hirsch, Managing Director of HT Vista, said: “The HT app has provided us with over 700 additional validated scans to analyse this year alone.
"The validation process is well controlled, whereby we use the lab results to tag the scans as benign or malignant and let the algorithm know if it was correct or not.
"The more we train the algorithm the more accurate it becomes, and it is extremely exciting to see the sensitivity increase to 90% and the NPV to 98%.”
HT Vista says the app was developed to meet demand from clinics.
Liron said: "By having a portal to upload lab results alongside the device’s results not only do we further improve the device, but we also increase confidence among our vets and nurses that the device is a reliable tool.
https://ht-vista.uk
Vétoquinol has announced plans to raise £10,000 for The Blue Cross pet charity through sales of Propalin, its fast acting treatment for incontinence in dogs.
From 1st July to 31st December this year, for every 100ml bottle of Propalin ordered, Vétoquinol will give 18p to The Blue Cross and 7p for every 30ml bottle.
To boost the amount raised for The Blue Cross, Vétoquinol is offering vets a free bottle of Propalin for every six bottles ordered of both the 100ml and 30ml sizes.
For example, if you order 18 100ml bottles of Propalin, you will receive 6 free bottles and The Blue Cross will receive £4.32.
Vanessa Rossiter, corporate fundraising officer for The Blue Cross said: “As a charity, The Blue Cross relies on donations to support our adoption centres and animal hospitals around the country. We are very grateful to Vétoquinol for their pledge to raise funds for the hundreds of needy animals in our care.”
According to Vétoquinol, Propalin is the UK’s best selling licensed veterinary treatment for urinary incontinence in the ***. It contains phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, which acts to increase the tone in muscles that make up the urethal sphincter. It takes effect within 30 minutes of administration and, as a liquid, is highly palatable.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced the replacement of its Bovilis® IBR with Bovilis® IBR Marker Live vaccine, a move that brings the UK into line with the rest of Europe where marker vaccines are favoured.
Many EU member states, including Scandinavia and Austria are now declared IBR-free, and others (Germany and Hungary) operate national eradication programmes. Using a marker vaccine will help farmers wishing to export animals, or semen, or those working towards an eradication programme in their herds.
Recent bulk milk and blood screening via Intervet/Schering-Plough's complimentary BeefCheck and DairyCheck has revealed that 72% of herds tested were positive for IBR exposure. Given the latent nature of infection, and the rumbling losses associated with subclinical disease, it should come as no surprise that farmers are increasingly interested in controlling IBR. Studies have shown that IBR infection can result in a milk yield reduction of 173 litres per infected animal, or over £400 a year, for a 100-cow herd.
According to Intervet/Schering-Plough, Bovilis IBR Marker Live is Europe's leading IBR vaccine. It can be given intra-muscularly or intra-nasally to calves as young as two weeks old, as well as pregnant dams. It is also licensed to be given together with the pneumonia vaccine Bovilis® Bovipast RSP. The primary course involves one dose in cattle over three months of age, with immunity in just four days from the intra-nasal method, and 14 days from injection. Stock need re-vaccination every six months.
The vaccine reduces the amount of virus excreted into the environment, so minimising the risk to stressed cattle which may have been brought into the herd, and be latently infected. It also makes it an excellent choice for producers with breeding bulls, which should not be vaccinated. Bulls have to be kept naïve, however, the marker vaccine can be used on females in the herd to minimise virus circulation. This way the threat is minimised, and bulls can be kept infection free.
The European Commission has agreed with the BSAVA and BVA that controls must be maintained to keep the UK free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, and adopted a regulation that will permit pre-movement treatment for dogs travelling to listed Member States (i.e. the UK, Ireland, Finland and Malta).
In June Defra announced that the UK's derogation from European pet travel rules, which allows additional protection for the UK against rabies, ticks and tapeworms, would end on 31 December 2011. The movement rules on rabies and ticks will now be harmonised with the rest of Europe.
However, due to the significant public health risk posed by Echinococcus multilocularis, the BVA and BSAVA (working with Defra, the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe [FVE] and colleagues in Veterinary Ireland) continued to lobby the European Commission for controls on tapeworms to be maintained.
The regulation will ensure that a dog must be treated by a veterinary surgeon 24 to 120 hours (1-5 days) before entering one of the listed countries.
The BVA and BSAVA say they made a scientific case for a treatment window of 24-48 hours, but accept that the Commission had to find a compromise that would assist pet owners travelling during national holidays.
Harvey Locke, President of the BVA said: "This has been a long process but the BVA and BSAVA put forward the strong scientific case for the UK to maintain tapeworm controls and we are delighted that the European Commission has adopted this resolution.
"In our role as guardians of public health, vets were deeply concerned that the removal of tapeworm controls would see the introduction of EM to the UK and Ireland.
"Although relatively benign in dogs, the resulting disease in humans - alveolar echinococcosis - is an invasive, cancer-like cystic stage of the parasite, and is invariably fatal if not treated.
"The next stage of our lobbying will be to ensure that Member States and MEPs from across Europe support the UK's case for the additional controls."
Andrew Ash, President of BSAVA said: "Echinococcus multilocularis is a significant public health threat and we have worked hard to ensure the European Commission understands the potential impact of allowing this zoonotic disease to enter our country.
"The BVA and BSAVA will continue to promote the best possible health and welfare advice for pet owners taking their animals abroad. Our advice to owners is to speak to a vet as early as possible to make sure pets are protected from all diseases and parasites encountered abroad."
In the piece, which starts at 1:22:54 here, Gudrun explained that what is seen as “normal” and cute for these dogs, such as snorting and snuffling, is in reality a result of debilitating respiratory problems caused by the squashed faces that have made them so fashionable.
Today also highlighted the fact that flat-faced breeds have experienced a huge boom in popularity recently, driven by celebrity owners, advertising and the media. According to the Kennel Club, the French bulldog is set to knock the labrador off its perch as the UK's most popular breed.
Following the interview Gudrun said: "We shouldn’t be buying and breeding dogs on the way we want them to look - it should always be about prioritising welfare above appearance.
"These are breeds that can suffer just by walking around or eating, which is why we’re calling on the media and advertisers to stop using them in their adverts.
"It is also difficult to turn on the TV, check Instagram or see a celebrity photo without also seeing a brachycephalic breed so it’s not surprising that demand for these dogs is rising."
Gudrun urged anyone thinking about buying a brachycephalic breed to talk to their local vet and think about choosing a healthier breed or crossbreed instead.
'Managing Veterinary Medicines' teaches safe and responsible use of veterinary medicines and medicine regulations.
RCVS Knowledge says it will also show you how to put systems in place that will reduce errors, improve patient outcomes and improve practice systems.
It's worth six hours of CPD.
The course has been produced in collaboration between RCVS Knowledge and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), and includes a range of webinars, podcasts and articles.
Executive Director at RCVS Knowledge, Chris Gush said: “In England alone, more than 1,700 people die yearly because of medication errors.
"While we don't know the true figures in veterinary medicine, we do know that 30% of errors reported to the VDS's VetSafe system are due to medication errors.
“That's why we think it's vital to have good robust systems in place in the practice dispensary and to use QI tools like guidelines, protocols, and checklists.
CEO of the VMD, Abi Seager said: “Managing Veterinary Medicines will help teams comply with legislation as well as keep patients, team members and clients safe when prescribing and dispensing medicine.”
The course will also prepare practices for a VMD inspection or an RCVS Practice Standards Scheme assessment.
https://learn.rcvsknowledge.org
Grahame Gardner Ltd has announced the launch of a classically styled tunic, the M559, now stocked in bottle green for the first time.
The company says that although there have been numerous ladies tunics available in bottle green, this is the first time Grahame Gardner has stocked a male tunic in the characteristic veterinary colour.
The contemporary design of the M559 incorporates side fastening with the option of contrasting epaulettes, alongside practical pockets and side slits. According to the company, it's a tunic that looks great and performs exceptionally well in the veterinary practice. Stocked in sizes from 34" to 50" (chest), the M559 is one of several new styles introduced within Grahame Gardner's latest 124 page brochure.
To explore Grahame Gardner's collection please take a look at http://www.grahamegardner.co.uk/, or call 0116 255 6326 to order a copy of the new brochure.
Pfizer Animal Health has launched PrintRoom, an online printing service to help equine practices deliver high quality communications to their clients, to support the company's Equip range of equine vaccines.
PrintRoom can be used to produce customised vaccination reminder cards, invitations, letterheads, stable name sheets, and more.
You can choose from a palette of designs, images and colours and can also upload your own logos and images to tailor your client communications to your preferred style.
PrintRoom has a MailMerge option to pre-address all your mailings and you can pay for postage and set the date of despatch online, to help ensure boosters are administered on time and passports stay up to date.
Paul Blanc, Equine Brand manager at Pfizer said: "Good communication with your clients plays a vital role in maintaining vaccination compliance and retaining and gaining business. Our print room service makes it easy to produce a broad range of customised practice marketing materials to a very professional standard that stand out from the crowd."
For further information visit http://www.pfizerprintroom.com/, call 0845 6027439 or contact your Pfizer Account Manager.
MDC Exports has launched the Soft E Collar in a small size suitable for rabbits.
According to the company, the Soft E Collar provides an effective barrier to a treatment area while ensuring an animal can eat, drink and sleep in comfort. It allows free movement of the head, neck and body so an animal can carry on as normal, being less likely to get depressed during recovery.
MDC says that unlike a traditional 'Elizabethan' collar, the Soft E Collar is flexible, lightweight, can withstand chewing, folds flat for easy storage and springs back into shape when needed.
Sandra & Steve Ayers, RSPCA Rabbit Rehoming, Reading Branch said: "We fitted the collar for a few days on a newly spayed rabbit. It didn't appear to get in the way when she was feeding and looked less cumbersome than the traditional plastic buster collars."
Melvyn Driver, Managing Director of MDC Exports said: "The design of our Soft E Collars has proved to provide great relief for dogs and cats post op, giving them a better quality of life at a difficult time. We're delighted that vets and rabbit welfare officers are championing the Soft E Collar too, as rabbits deserve the best care too."
For more information about the Soft E Collar, visit www.mdcexports.co.uk.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Charitable Trust has awarded five new bursaries in its latest grants round.
Two student bursaries were for UK veterinary undergraduates to attend the British Science Festival in Aberdeen from 4-9 September 2012. The bursary winners were Liv Nathan (pictured on right), a third-year veterinary student at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, and Alahel Mahdmina, a second-year veterinary student at the Royal Veterinary College.
Liv said: "I am very enthusiastic about providing real-life context to science and giving people a space to consider issues arising around science."
The students were required to use their observations and experiences to help the Trust develop future outreach activities to inform and inspire public audiences about veterinary clinical practice and research. Their bursary packages covered all their attendance expenses over the four-day event. One of their achievements was to film an interview with Dr Maggie Aderin-Pockock MBE, a space scientist (pictured on left). Both students will be reporting back in full to the RCVS Charitable Trust with their ideas at the end of October.
Two further bursaries were given to attend a joint symposium on antimicrobial resistance (AMR): 'Antimicrobial Resistance in Human and Veterinary Medicine - One Health, One Problem' to be held at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on Tuesday 2 October 2012.
One winner was Cahir King, a practitioner from Downe Veterinary Clinic in County Down, Northern Ireland. He said: "It will be a privilege to attend a symposium at which so many experts in their field will be speaking. Any vet who has worked on farms will be more than familiar with bugs that are resistant to antibiotic treatment."
The other winner was James Swann, a Junior Clinical Training Scholar (Small Animal) at the Royal Veterinary College. James said: "I am particularly interested in the application of clinical audit in practice to assess problems like AMR, and design effective strategies to deal with them. I believe it should be possible to provide simple audit kits for practices to download and implement, removing much of the inertia that prevents such ideas from being initiated."
The bursary winners will be offered free delegate passes, including lunch, worth £90, and travel expenses.
The final bursary is to attend the Veterinary Biomedical and Pharma Sciences (VBMPS) Congress on 15-16 October, in Birmingham.
The winning entry was from Alexander Stoll, a final-year student at the Royal Veterinary College, who acted as the Royal Veterinary College and UK student ambassador to the European Commission for the 'One Health' message. The Trust was impressed with Alexander's enthusiasm and active engagement in subjects related to One Health. He is a member of the Royal Society for Public Health and a member of the Society of Biology.
Alexander said: "I hope to be inspired to enter a cross-disciplinary career path and also to communicate the potential of a One Health approach, inspired by this congress."
Alexander won a package that includes entry to the conference and admission to all scientific sessions, worth £175, as well as transport costs and overnight food and accommodation.
Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease variant (RVHD2) is a variation of the already recognised Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD1). Vaccines for the original strain of RVHD do not appear to offer long term protection against RVHD2, however vaccines for this new strain are now available in the UK and can be purchased through three UK wholesalers (NVS, Centaur and Henry Schein Animal Health) or direct from the suppliers in Europe. There have been supply issues with this vaccination, however these are hoping to be remedied soon.
RVHD2 is more variable in its rate of disease progression than RVHD1, with presentation ranging from sudden death (with or without bleeding from the orifices), to a longer disease course of three to nine days, increasing the risk of unwell rabbits being brought into practices and in turn increasing the risk of transmission to other pet rabbits. Until vaccination becomes more routine, biosecurity in practices is key to prevent the disease from spreading.
Sean Wensley, BVA President, said: "Although the risk of a rabbit contracting RVHD2 appears highest in situations where rabbits are kept in large groups with regular new additions, such as at breeders or rescue centres, we encourage all owners to speak to their vet about vaccinating their rabbits against RVHD2.
"Veterinary advice from The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) has stated that the spread of RVHD2 may be facilitated by its apparent slower disease progression compared to RVHD1, and research suggests that we can expect to see RVHD2 starting to predominate in the UK’s wild rabbits over RVHD1 in the next five years or so."
John Chitty, BSAVA Vice President, said: "BSAVA would encourage practices to talk to rabbit owning clients about RVHD2 vaccines, and where there is deemed sufficient risk recommend the vaccine along with the essential vaccination against Myxomatosis – and it should be noted that this must not be done within two weeks of vaccination against RVHD2."
BVZS President and veterinary pathologist Mark Stidworthy said: "It is clear from post mortem examinations and PCR testing over the last 18 months that RVHD2 is now geographically widespread in the UK and all rabbits should be considered at risk from this potentially devastating disease."
Due to recent media coverage of RVHD2, vets may be contacted by concerned owners seeking advice on how to prevent their rabbits contracting this disease - further to vaccinating, vets should recommend rabbits are kept separate from any other rabbits they do not usually interact with; are prevented from having contact with wild rabbits and do not attend any rabbit shows unless already vaccinated.
For a detailed Q&A on RVHD2 from Richard Saunders MRCVS, veterinary advisor to the RWAF, including information on sourcing effective vaccines, visit www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk and click RVHD2 - Filavac Vaccine – FAQs on the home page.
Photo: Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0.
Hosted by Chris Dixon, veterinary ophthalmologist and director at Veterinary Vision Ophthalmic Referrals, the Back to Basics series highlights key aspects to consider when examining a patient with an ocular disorder.
Each 15 minute video covers different aspects of the ocular examination, including practical tips for performing an external and internal ocular exam, optimal use of the ophthalmoscope, and how to approach and manage two common ocular conditions in dogs: corneal ulceration and keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
In the first video of the series, Chris discusses how to perform an external ocular examination, and demonstrates some key ocular reflex and response tests, including the menace response, dazzle reflex, and pupillary light reflex.
Chris said: "This series of videos aims to help vets learn how to perform the fundamental techniques of ophthalmic examination, hopefully enabling them to spot potentially degenerative conditions earlier. The videos have been created in partnership with Bayer as part of their ongoing commitment to training, and aim to help ensure that chronic conditions, such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or dry eye, are diagnosed and treated early."
Hannah Watts, Group Product Manager at Bayer said: "Ocular conditions are commonly encountered in practice, and early diagnosis of conditions such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) is so important; with this in mind, the aim of these videos is to assist vets in their approach to the canine ocular examination, in order to allow them to feel confident in diagnosing and managing common ocular conditions."
The first video is available below. Don't forget that you can use the 'Claim CPD' button above this story to claim time spent watching it towards your annual CPD requirement.
The videos have been launched as part of the RemendTM Vision Matters campaign.
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She said: "The veterinary family – which is my focus as BVA President – is part of the international scientific community, and we are a diverse profession with far-reaching influence and impact in so many areas of political and public life ... A healthy veterinary workforce is vital for UK animal and human health."
With the residence or working rights of UK-based EU vets a 'top five' priority for the profession in forthcoming Brexit negotiations, Gudrun highlighted workforce issues: "The UK veterinary profession relies heavily on EU graduates, who have felt the impact of the EU referendum result since day one … In the meat hygiene sector alone, some estimates suggest 95% of veterinary surgeons graduated overseas.
"That’s why our first action after 23 June was to call on UK governments to protect the status of EU veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses currently living and working in the UK. It was encouraging to see some of these key priorities … make it into the Prime Minister’s list of negotiating priorities. But we have said from the outset that our members need certainty and reassurance, so we urge the Government to make that firm commitment now."
"We know vets remain nervous about the changes to come, with many of our members concerned about the threat Brexit poses for UK animal health and welfare … Yet we can also see the opportunities Brexit presents, and BVA is determined to work with the Government to seize these opportunities, where they exist, to improve standards."
Highlighting opportunities that Brexit could offer in terms of improving animal health and welfare, Gudrun suggested a tightening up of the Pet Travel Scheme to reduce the growing trend of illegal puppy imports and improvements for welfare at slaughter. She said:
"The Welfare at Time of Killing or WATOK Regulations for England … are a case in point about the welfare-mismatch that could occur between domestic standards and those of our trading partners under the new Brexit arrangements. By failing to bring in evidence-based parameters for all waterbath stunning of poultry, [the] legislation has rendered it impossible for Official Veterinarians to protect the welfare of all chickens at slaughter. The regulations are simply not for fit for purpose, and could call into question England’s claim as a leader in high animal welfare."
The BVA President then shared a highlight of an early meeting between BVA and the then new Defra Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom MP last July: "We were pleased to hear [the Defra Secretary of State’s] vision to make the unique selling points of 'UK PLC' high animal welfare and food safety standards. It's a commitment that BVA fully backs ... To ensure our high standards continue, it is essential that we maintain existing veterinary certification and controls to satisfy our own consumer demand for quality and safety. Official statistics put the value of UK livestock outputs at £13 billion and not a penny of that could be realised without veterinary input."
Gudrun concluded by saying: "We can only make a success of Brexit if we harness our veterinary resource in clinical practice, public health, government services, conservation, academia, research and industry. We are a small profession but our impact is significant."
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Lord Gardiner of Kimble responded, saying: "In my role at Defra I am continually reminded of the importance of the relationship between vets and government - most recently in tackling the outbreak of Avian Influenza in the UK. Your thoughts and ideas are invaluable as we manage the many opportunities and challenges posed by exiting the European Union, ensure the highest standards of animal welfare, protect the country from new animal disease threats, and attract the brightest and best into the profession.
"I look forward to continuing to work closely together as we push ahead with our plans to create a world leading food and farming industry based on high standards of animal health and welfare."
To find out more about the BVA’s work on the UK’s exit from the EU, visit www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/future-of-the-profession/brexit/
Procanicare contains three canine-specific strains of Lactobacillus bacteria, which the company says are proven to improve stool consistency, accelerate recovery following acute episodes of diarrhoea and improve well-being.1
The company also points to a number of studies which it says are evidence of the importance of supporting puppies' intestinal microbiomes.
'New puppy diarrhoea' is, it says, typically due to exposure to factors that are known to risk microbiome disturbance, such as diet change and going to a new home, at a time when the microbial population is at its more sensitive.2
Animalcare says other studies show that microbiome disturbances in early life can have a significant impact on health in adulthood.2,3
James Beaumont, Marketing Manager at Animalcare said: “We often hear from breeders, new puppy owners and vets that puppies which have had Procanicare seem brighter, have firmer stools and less flatulence. With the evidence mounting that the adult intestinal microbiome is shaped in early life and knowing the important and varied role that it has in wider health throughout life, we want to help vets proactively support the GI health of their youngest patients by providing Procanicare for them to trial, with no risk.”
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