Vet’s Now, the UK’s leading Out of Hours emergency vets, reports that its 4th Congress, held in Harrogate at the end of November, attracted a record 450 delegates.

From its beginnings back in 2004, Vets Now’s Emergency and Critical Care Congress this year attracted in excess of 450 delegates to Harrogate with an impressive and exciting line up of speakers from the UK, Europe and the USA.

Similar to previous years, lectures were delivered by an exciting line up of speakers from around Europe and the USA. They were designed to suit the CPD needs of both those working in an emergency field and in general practice, and were aimed at vets, VNs and reception staff.

Lecture topics this year covered a range of life saving procedures and there were also sessions held on improving communications with clients, emergency workshops on tubes, case report discussions, a transfusion workshop and a bereavement session.

The social programme also proved a big attraction for everyone who attended Congress and this year there was an entertaining Television Games Quiz on the Wednesday evening followed by a formal dinner and entertainment on the Thursday night.

With numbers of both delegates and exhibitors increasing year on year, Vets Now is confident that its Congress is becoming a highly important date in the veterinary events calendar.

The BSAVA reports that within 20 minutes of the opening of enrolment for its Medicine and Surgery certificates at 9:00am yesterday, both courses were filled and a waiting list had been established.

According to the BSAVA, interest in the courses had been flooding in over recent months, however the number of applications still surprised the Education team, led by Dr Frances Barr.

She said: "There was a lot of confidence in this programme from the start, and we had lots of people requesting information, but until yesterday we did not know for certain that we would meet the maximum number of 30 delegates on each Certificate. So to have a waiting list and pre-registration requests for 2013 is fantastic. As veterinary professionals we want to strive for clinical excellence, to have our achievements recognised, and be encouraged and supported on the way there. This is what BSAVA aims to do with the medicine and surgery certificates".

For more information about all BSAVA CPD visit http://www.bsava.com/ or call 01452 726700.

Alton-based Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists (part of CVS) has been awarded hospital status by the RCVS under its Practice Standards Scheme.

In their report, RCVS assessors highlighted the calm and professional environment at Lumbry Park, which they said, taken together with the enthusiasm of the team provided a very positive overall feel. Its provision of separate dog and cat patient visiting rooms was also singled out as a good use of space and support for clients, especially with the potential for long stay cases.

Lumbry Park Hospital Director Ray Girotti said: "We wanted to participate in the Practice Standards Scheme to benchmark the service we offer to our patients and their owners against the best veterinary hospitals in the country. The whole team has worked together to get us to this stage and we are delighted that our efforts have been recognised by the RCVS with the award of Hospital status."

Merial Animal Health, makers of Previcox® have launched a new technical manual containing expert thinking on canine osteoarthritis (OA) and other orthopaedic subjects.

Recipients will also have the opportunity to test themselves and their colleagues on the technical content for their chance to win £500 worth of CPD vouchers.

Previcox product manager Claire Parry-Baggott said: "We have been very fortunate in being able to work with some of the UK's most highly regarded experts in the field of OA.

"The first issue just released contains two papers, the first from Gareth Clayton-Jones, BVetMed DVR DSAO HonFRCVS, RVC specialist in both small animal othopaedics and diagnostic imaging. Mr Jones discusses anterior cruciate ligament rupture, including examination, radiography and treatment options.

"The second paper in this first edition is from specialist in small animal orthopaedics Prof. John Innes BVSc PhD CertVR DSAS(orth) MRCVS, of the University of Liverpool, who looks at elbow dysplasia. In his paper Professor Innes provides a detailed but practical guide to the condition."

Additionally to support Gareth Clayton-Jones' first issue there is a DVD highlighting common clinical presentations of dogs suffering from stifle disease.

Claire said: "With two papers in this first issue there's a total of £1,000 of CPD vouchers up for grabs."

"Each paper has a related quiz containing key questions from the discussion. The winner will be the first correct entry drawn at random," she explains. "Other topics to be covered in the series include Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD); pain and analgesics; rehabilitation; hips; and spines.

"The manual is set to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date practical guide to OA and related conditions. Subsequent papers will be issued on a quarterly basis and will also contain a quiz sheet with the opportunity to win £500 of CPD vouchers," concludes Claire.

If you haven't already received your copy, contact your local Merial territory manager or call the customer hotline on 0870 6000 123.

The RCVS Charitable Trust is offering two 'Blue Sky' grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 for basic or pure research intended to advance veterinary science.

Applications may be made for either an 'open' grant or a Robert Daubney Fellowship.  Both are open to academic staff and students within UK veterinary schools. However, the Robert Daubney Fellowship is granted specifically for research within the fields of virology and helminthology, and has additional criteria including that applicants must be on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons, and hold a postgraduate veterinary qualification.  

Cherry Bushell, the Trust's Director said: "This funding is offered for veterinary scientific research projects which meet our interests in innovation and development. In particular, pilot projects aiming to show a 'proof of concept' as a first stage of a more substantial project will be looked on favourably - if the project can then attract support from major funders this is likely to have more impact over the longer term." 

The Trust aims to develop mutually beneficial partnerships with grant recipients, and innovative and exciting projects which can respond to these objectives through the grant-giving process and beyond are also preferred.

Further information, including full application criteria, is available from www.trust.rcvs.org.uk/grants.   Preliminary applications should be made via the head of a UK veterinary school, and submitted to the Trust by 20 May 2011. 

Following a nationwide search to find the UK’s top veterinary professionals for 2009 and judged by an independent panel of experts, Petplan has announced the winners for the Veterinary Awards. 

The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise and applaud staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation’s pets, and their owners.   

Simon Wheeler, Petplan’s Head of Marketing, explains: “Britain is known to be an animal-loving nation and with millions of households owning cats and dogs, pets play a central part in family life. The Petplan Veterinary Awards give us the opportunity to thank the veterinary profession for the outstanding level of care they provide to our animals.”

The winners of the 10th annual Petplan Veterinary Awards were:

VET OF THE YEAR
Ben Jones, Ben Jones Veterinary Surgery, Chester, Flintshire
Ben’s understanding and compassion for his clients’ pets impressed the judges.  Whilst being extremely knowledgeable, Ben can reassuringly explain the most complicated procedures to clients.  Ben continuously goes above and beyond the call of duty, such as establishing a home visit scheme for pensioners and visiting a nursing home when an owner was there as a day patient. 

VET NURSE OF THE YEAR
Karen McQuoid, The Old Golfhouse Veterinary Group, Watton, Norfolk
The judges believe Karen is an excellent role model for her team of nurses.  Karen was noted for her positive attitude and good humour even under extreme pressure of being head nurse of four different practices. 

VET RECEPTIONIST OF THE YEAR
Yasmin Morowa, Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Yasmin’s attention to detail made her stand out as the winner of Vet Receptionist of the Year.  Yasmin always checks to see how patients have progressed when she returns from holiday so she can help clients appropriately when they call or visit.  Her kind approach makes her highly appreciated by both clients and colleagues. 

VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR
St Clair Veterinary Group, Kirkcaldy, Fife
St Clair Veterinary Group was described as having exceptional customer care and uses every opportunity to educate their clients.  The team stood out for their environmental consciousness.  

The Waltham Equine Studies Group has published new research which highlights the effectiveness of grazing muzzles as a tool to help with weight management in ponies.

The research, which was conducted in collaboration with Dr Annette Longland of Equine and Livestock Nutrition Services (ELNS) in Wales², also showed that longer grass can be more difficult for muzzled ponies to graze, and can cause frustration-related behaviour in some individuals. 

According to Waltham, grazing muzzles have already been shown to reduce the pasture intake of ponies by around 80% by significantly reducing bite size and intake.¹ Ponies fitted with grazing muzzles may spend more time engaging in foraging and eating than their non-muzzled counterparts, yet the majority either lose weight or retain their body condition. This in turn helps reduce susceptibility to obesity and related disorders, such as insulin dysregulation and laminitis.

Four mature ponies were selected for the study. Their dry matter (DM) and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) intakes were measured in spring, summer, and autumn pastures on four, three-hour occasions per pony per season when fitted with or without a grazing muzzle. In addition ponies, with and without muzzles, were allowed to take 10 bites of swards maintained at different heights.

When wearing grazing muzzles pasture intake was reduced by 77% during spring and summer and by 83% during the autumn. Without muzzles the ponies generally reduced the sward length by half with the first bite but when muzzled the reduction was variable and the ponies appeared to experience greater difficulty in accessing the longer versus the shorter swards.

The short (less than 10cm), upright, grass appeared to be the easiest to eat, as leaf blades and stems protruded through the holes in the muzzle. The medium and long swards proved more difficult. They bent under the pressure of the muzzle and became flattened, causing the ponies to adopt various strategies to access the grass. In some cases they pawed the ground to unearth the sward and access it through the muzzle. Alternatively they rammed the solid base of the muzzle hard onto the grass, causing it to buckle and make some blades or stems accessible. These were then yanked vigorously often causing the entire plant to be uprooted and eaten.

Water soluble carbohydrate levels in the sward were similar across the seasons although they were slightly higher in autumn. However, once muzzled the ponies’ intake of WSC wasn’t significantly different across the seasons; strengthening the evidence that the use of grazing muzzles is effective.

Clare Barfoot RNutr and the research and development manager at Spillers said: "While the frustration displayed when the muzzled ponies were on longer grass swards indicates that care should be taken to provide an accessible grass length, grazing muzzles remain an effective weight management tool. They allow turnout over large areas, increasing exercise and allow slow “trickle” feeding, to control weight gain and reduce the risk of obesity-related disorders, without significantly compromising the natural behaviour and wellbeing." 

Waltham says grazing muzzles must be used with care, should be properly fitted and horses and ponies should be adapted gradually to wearing them. Group and individual behaviour should be monitored closely to observe any potential concerns caused by changes to the herd dynamics. Ensure that muzzled ponies are confident in drinking and eating through their muzzles before turning them out for prolonged periods. Muzzles must not be used continuously (not more than 10 hours per day) and total exclusion muzzles are not advised. Regular weight monitoring is recommended as some individuals can still gain weight when muzzled.

References

1. A Longland, ELNS, Pantafallen Fach, Tregaron, SY25 6NG, P Harris, WALTHAM Centre For Pet Nutrition, C Barfoot, Mars Horsecare UK Ltd, Old Wolverton, Buckinghamshire UK. (2011) The effect of wearing a grazing muzzle vs not wearing a grazing muzzle on pasture dry matter intake by ponies. J Equine Veterinary Science 31: 282-283
2. Effects of Grazing Muzzles on Intakes of Dry Matter and Water-Soluble Carbohydrates by Ponies Grazing Spring, Summer, and Autumn Swards, as well as Autumn Swards of Different Heights Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 40 26-33

The BVA has responded to Prime Minister Theresa May's speech in which she outlined her plans for the UK’s exit from the European Union.

With Brexit negotiations set to begin after notice under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is served, the Prime Minister’s speech outlined the Government’s negotiating priorities that included some key BVA issues, such as: rights for EU nationals in Britain, and British nationals in the EU; the intention to continue playing a leading role in science and innovation; and maintaining the Common Travel Area with the Republic of Ireland.

The BVA’s President Gudrun Ravetz said: "It’s encouraging to see some of the key priorities that BVA has identified and is lobbying on, on behalf of the profession, make it into the Prime Minister’s list of negotiating priorities although it still leaves a lot of uncertainty.

"We particularly welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to guaranteeing the rights of EU colleagues already living, working and studying in the UK, alongside reciprocal rights for UK colleagues working within the EU, which has been a BVA priority since day one. Each year around 50% of veterinary surgeons registering to practise in the UK are from overseas, with the vast majority coming from the EU. Consequently, Brexit and accompanying changes to the mutual recognition system or immigration restrictions could have a profound impact upon the veterinary workforce.

"As a science and evidence-based profession, we also welcome the Prime Minister’s recognition of the breadth and depth of our academic and scientific communities, our cutting-edge research and innovation, and we will continue to call for a regulatory and legislative framework to ensure the UK remains a globally attractive place for research and development.

"Knowing the express concern of colleagues in Northern Ireland, which shares a border with the EU via the Republic of Ireland, we were reassured by the UK government’s recognition of this as an important priority – backed up by Mrs May’s commitment to work with the devolved nations and secure the Common Travel Area as soon as she can.

"We hope Mrs May’s promise of ‘certainty wherever possible’ will help reassure our EU and UK veterinary colleagues – as well as those outside of the profession – who have had anything but certainty since the result of the UK referendum on the EU last June. We will continue to lobby the Government on this key issue until it is resolved."

BVA’s Brexit Working Group is continuing to work closely with RCVS’s Brexit Presidential Taskforce, consult with stakeholders and gather evidence with the aim of publishing a full report setting out our detailed lobbying position and policy recommendations in April.

Veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick, a pioneer of prosthetic implants, has launched what is being billed as Europe's most advanced neuro-orthopaedic centre for dogs and cats.

Fitzpatrick Referrals' £10m facilities at Eashing, near Godalming, Surrey, have been set up to offer a world-class "centre of excellence" in diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation.

Facilities at the centre include:

• a closed-field Siemens Symphony MRI scanner, which can provide ultra-clear images of bone, spine, brain and soft tissue to enable rapid and accurate diagnosis of routine problems such as slipped discs as well as potentially life-threatening conditions such as tumours.
• a specially fitted-out physiotherapy suite and a hydrotherapy pool to facilitate patients' rehabilitation and recovery.
• a new conference facility which combines a cinema-style environment with a real-time interactive forum for the exchange of medical innovation between universities and centres of excellence worldwide.

Noel was the first veterinary surgeon to successfully apply a prosthetic limb to a dog where both bone and skin can grow into metal - a technique with far-reaching cross-over potential for human surgery. He believes in "pushing the boundaries" and creating solutions for conditions that may never have previously been treatable, and says the work being done at Eashing also provides valuable experience for medical science as a whole. Examples include cartilage resurfacing, limb-sparing cancer surgery and spinal vertebral fusion.

Professor Gordon Blunn of the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculo-Skeletal Science at University College London said: "Orthopaedic conditions and diseases are common to both human beings and to animals. For example osteoarthritis is debilitating condition seen in humans, cats and dogs. Bone cancer which can lead to loss of life in humans and is usually associated with the peripheral skeleton is also seen in the peripheral skeleton of large dog breeds. Translation of ideas, orthopaedic practice and treatments, from humans to the veterinary field and visa versa has considerable advantages to all animals including dogs, cats and man. Noel Fitzpatrick is pioneering this concept and his work in limb reconstruction for dogs and cats has already had benefits in both veterinary and human orthopaedic practice."

DJ Chris Evans is one satisfied client. His dog, Enzo, a German Shepherd, was "written off" by other vets after becoming paralysed with two herniated discs. Noel fitted Enzo with two bolts to replace the collapsed disc and keep the vertebrae apart. The surgery was followed by extensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to enable Enzo to learn to walk again.

Chris said: "Noel lives out his dreams with boundless curiosity, ambition and genius, the product of which is hundreds, soon to be thousands, of fixed pets and happy owners - like me. I have huge respect for his endeavour, his integrity and his compassion and to me he's a superhero-vetman who will leave no stone unturned in his quest to heal, to create and to comfort. He thinks of solutions to medical problems that I'm sure no-one else could even dream of, let alone think of. Actually - I don't think he ever sleeps!"

Dechra has announced its acquisition of a Invetx, a biotech company. 

Invetx specialises in developing protein-based therapeutics for chronic conditions in companion animals, with a focus on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

Dechra says these therapies have targeted modes of action and therefore are often more effective, provide an extended duration of activity and have fewer side effects, all of which help to extend and improve the quality of life for companion animals while decreasing the care burden for pet owners.

Jesper Nordengaard, Chief Executive Officer of Dechra, said: "I regard this acquisition as hugely important for Dechra, marking the start of a new chapter in our growth.

"It demonstrates our ambition to create further points of differentiation and relevance with veterinarians and pet owners alike, confidence in our ability to deliver highly innovative new products, and capacity to execute large scale transactions at speed."

Jesper added: “The half-life extension technology developed by Invetx allows for the generation of therapeutics that make treatment of chronic conditions far more convenient for pet owners and veterinarians through improved compliance.

"The pipeline of products currently being developed are all high value potential and will deepen our expertise in core therapeutic areas such as atopic dermatitis and osteoarthritis, allowing for synergistic product development, sales & marketing, and education efforts in the future.”

https://www.invetx.com 

Following reports that a puppy in Cornwall has died after biting into an e-cigarette refill, the BVA is warning pet owners to ensure they are kept out of reach of animals.

BVA President Robin Hargreaves said: "This is a tragic case and very worrying when you consider how many people are now using e-cigarettes. Nicotine poisoning acts very quickly and can be fatal, especially when large doses are involved. E-cigarettes and refills can easily contain sufficient quantities of nicotine to kill a small animal very quickly.

"If you use e-cigarettes, we recommend storing all equipment safely out of reach of your pet. If you suspect your pet has chewed or eaten an e-cigarette or any toxic substance then it is vital that you contact a vet for treatment as quickly as possible."

The BVA says it understands that the female puppy was a recently rehomed Staffordshire cross. It became unwell on Sunday after apparently consuming an e-cigarette refill and died on Monday morning after failing to respond to treatment.

The RCVS has set out a new methodology and timeline for its review of its guidance to the profession on ‘under care’ and 24/7 out-of-hours emergency cover.

The review, which had been due to start in late 2019, will now start in April 2020. 

Melissa Donald, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee (pictured right), said: "Regretfully, as the scope and complexity of the review became clearer following Council’s approval of the project, it was also apparent that the original methodology, and the timetable set for it, was not going to be suitable to the task.

"Therefore, over the past few months, the Standards Committee and College staff have been working hard with the external research agency to revise the methodology and we have now reached the stage where we are confident we have got it right, and can now proceed with the review. 

“While we regret the delay, as this review relates to fundamental principles about the provision of veterinary care, it is vital we get it right and that the process is as comprehensive as possible. It is better that it is right than rushed.”

Under the new methodology the review has been split into the following stages:

• An evidence-gathering stage comprising focus group discussions across the UK. For this stage the external research agency will be inviting a wide range of vets from across different sectors and practices to give their views. There will also be a separate focus group discussion for veterinary nurses. The outcome of these discussions will inform the format of and questions to be included in the second-stage survey. Stakeholders, including representative bodies and other veterinary groups, will also be asked for their input at this stage.
• Following the analysis of the focus group discussions, an online survey for the veterinary professions will be launched in summer and will be live for six weeks. Informed by the views arising from the focus groups, this survey will invite views and feedback from the professions.
• Any proposed changes to the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance on the concept of ‘under care’ and 24/7 emergency cover arising from the survey will be the subject of public consultation. 

Melissa added: “Invitations to our regional focus group discussions, which will be selected randomly from amongst the professions by our research agency, will be going out soon and I would urge anyone who receives an invitation to come along and share their views and ideas.”

For further information, see: www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare