The RCVS has announced that registrations for the new RCVS Register of Veterinary Practice Premises will be accepted from 1 November 2008, allowing all those who wish to supply medicines from veterinary practice premises from 1 April 2009 onwards a full five months to comply with the latest medicines legislation.
In order to fulfil its obligations under European law to maintain and improve traceability of, and accountability for, veterinary medicines, the UK Government decided that any veterinary surgeon may only supply veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) from premises registered with the Secretary of State, with effect from 1 April 2009.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is responsible for the inspection and registration of practices under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. Steve Dean, VMD's Chief Executive, says the new veterinary practice premises register will complete the UK information base by bringing veterinary practices in line with other suppliers of veterinary medicines who already have to operate from registered premises.
The Register will enable the supply of veterinary medicines by veterinary surgeons, including controlled drugs, to be subjected to inspection and verification. As a result, DEFRA Ministers and the European Commission can be re-assured that veterinary medicines are being supplied in the UK in accordance with EC legislation.
In discussion with the VMD, it was agreed that the most appropriate body to maintain this register would be the RCVS, not least because the College already manages the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme and publishes the (voluntary) Directory of Veterinary Practices, so has the necessary systems already in place. The register will be published on RCVSonline and updated quarterly.
Whilst there will now be a statutory fee levied for each practice premises registered on the new Register, the College's existing database framework has kept this to a relatively low £40 compared to what other bodies might have had to charge after starting from scratch.
Practices could appear in the Directory for free because the cost of producing it was partially covered by subsequent data sales. However, the new Register will need to be self-funding, as the data it contains will be freely available online.
Not all practices will have to pay the statutory fee. RCVS President Jill Nute said: "For those practice premises already accredited under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS), the fee will be taken from their existing PSS annual fee.
"What's more, accredited practices will not face additional four-yearly inspections by VMD inspectors (unless there is an investigation for enforcement purposes) as their PSS inspections already ensure that they keep up to date with current medicines legislation."
Practice premises that have applied to join the Scheme, but have not yet been accredited, will not face additional VMD inspections either, but will still need to pay the statutory fee.
To help practices understand the new requirements and what they need to do before next April, the RCVS has produced a range of guidance, including a series of Frequently Asked Questions (www.rcvs.org.uk).
"In particular, we hope this guidance will help to explain which premises are likely to be considered ‘veterinary practice premises' and the difference between those premises and places where medicines might simply be stored or kept," said Mrs Nute.
"It is important to realise that there is a legal requirement to register veterinary practice premises for the supply of medicines, and a professional obligation, set out in the Guide to Professional Conduct, to keep a record of where all medicines are stored or kept. This record should avoid the need for additional registration of car boots, farms and homes."
Over the coming weeks, application forms will be posted to all practices currently listed in the Directory and accredited under the PSS, containing all the practice information currently held. These forms must be checked, signed and returned, even if no fee is due. Separate application forms will be available for any non-accredited practice premises not published in the Directory, and a letter will be sent to all RCVS members to ensure the whole profession is aware of the new requirements.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, has launched a new guide entitled ‘Your guide to Exotic Diseases', to educate horse owners on these potentially fatal, insect-borne diseases, some of which are zoonotic.
Joining the company's guides on respiratory disease and vaccination, the leaflet features information on West Nile Virus, African Horse Sickness, Equine Infectious Anaemia (Swamp Fever) and Equine Encephalitis including overviews of each of the diseases and their clinical signs.
Spread by a variety of insect-borne vectors including midges, mosquitoes and horseflies, climate change is increasing the risk of exotic diseases having a severe impact on the country's equine industry. What's more, African Horse Sickness is transmitted from animal to animal by infected biting Culicoides midges, the same midges that carry the Bluetongue virus which has threatened UK livestock this year.
"It's essential that horse owners are aware of the threat of exotic diseases coming in from overseas and the clinical signs to look out for, especially during the summer and autumn months when diseases transmitted by insects are more likely to appear." comments Tim Zoch, Marketing Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. "Our new leaflet features easy-to-understand overviews of each of the diseases to help educate owners, and practices can expect strong demand from their clients"
For further information about Intervet/Schering-Plough's range of horse owner guides, including ‘Your guide to Exotic Diseases', please contact your Intervet/Schering-Plough Account Manager or call the Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has announced it is working with the authorities to put measures in place to make its West Nile Virus vaccine, licensed in the United States, available to the European equine market. These measures will ensure a vaccine is readily available in the event of an outbreak in the UK.
This news comes as the Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo, the Italian National Reference Centre for Exotic Diseases, has confirmed an outbreak of WNV among horses in stables in the northern province of Ferrara. About 20 horses are believed to have been affected.
Fort Dodge was the first company to develop and fully license a vaccine to protect horses against this potentially deadly disease. An inactivated whole virus vaccine, it was the only vaccine available in the United States at the height of the 2002 outbreak, which affected 15,000 horses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture credited the vaccine with contributing to the 70 per cent decline in U.S. equine West Nile cases since the height of the outbreak. WNV is now considered endemic in all areas of North America.
"As this latest outbreak of WNV in Italy highlights, the disease presents an increasing threat to the equestrian sector in Europe," says Helen Barnes, EMEA Equine Business Manager for Fort Dodge. "With little current natural immunity among the equine population, the consequences of a major outbreak could be devastating."
"Until now, horse owners in Europe have perhaps believed WNV is not a disease they should be concerned with but the outbreak in Ferrara came out of the blue, and at a time when a human case of WNV was also reported in the same province. This situation of both human and equine cases being reported is identical to that seen in the outbreaks in the United States. It's a stark reminder of the challenge this disease poses, particularly as environmental factors, such as global warming and heavy rains threaten to create mass breeding grounds for mosquitoes," says Barnes.
"Our experience with WNV in the United States has given us an exceptional understanding of the disease and the importance of vaccination. We now look forward to working in partnership with the European governments, the EU Commission and the veterinary community across Europe to help build understanding and knowledge of this dangerous emerging disease threat."
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) welfare award 2008, sponsored by The Blue Cross, has been presented to the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) organisation for their contributions to equine welfare in support of the re-training and re-homing of racehorses.
The award, which was introduced by BEVA in conjunction with The Blue Cross animal welfare charity eight years ago, is a formal recognition of significant contributions made by veterinary surgeons and others to equine welfare.
It was presented to Ron Huggins, trustee of the ROR and an owner and breeder of racehorses, at the 47th BEVA Annual Congress in Liverpool on Friday 12 September 2008, by Kerstin Alford, equine welfare director of The Blue Cross.
Kerstin said: "The financial support that RoR provides for charitable racehorse rehabilitation centres, together with their education programme to help owners and riders of former racehorses, make them very worthy recipients of this award."
Di Arbuthnot, director of operations said: "RoR are delighted to receive this prestigious award to recognise the work the charity does for former racehorses to provide them with a life after racing."
Retraining of Racehorses was established in 2000 by the British Horseracing Authority. Its aim is to raise funds from the British racing industry to provide and maintain facilities for the care, retraining and rehoming of former racehorses. Under the direction of the chairman of the trustees Peter Deal, the RoR has become recognised as a vital component of the racing industry.
The Blue Cross was founded in 1897 to care for working horses on the streets of London, and equine welfare still plays a vital role in its work today. The charity rehabilitates and rehomes over a hundred horses and ponies every year at its equine centres in Burford (Oxon) and Rolleston-on-Dove (Staffordshire). A third facility in Northiam (East Sussex) provides rest and retirement for Blue Cross equines.
The invaluable work done by equestrian vets in the UK is to be recognised with a new award sponsored by leading equine insurance provider Petplan Equine at the Animal Health Trust Awards in November. The ‘Petplan Equine Vet of the Year' award people's vote will reflect the huge contribution made by vets to the equine community.
Owners and riders will be able to nominate their equine vet for the award if they feel that they are deserving of the recognition that this accolade would bring. Veterinary practice personnel are also encouraged to nominate a colleague who they feel has gone beyond the call of duty. Leaflets have been sent to practices across the UK outlining how to nominate and people can also register through the Petplan Equine website www.petplanequine.co.uk. A short list will be drawn up from the nominations received and an independent panel will decide the winner, who will receive his or her award at the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards in London on November 6th 2008.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements made by horses, riders, owners and trainers throughout the equestrian world. This milestone coincides with Petplan Equine's 20th anniversary and, since 1994 when the Petplan Equine Charitable Trust was founded, it has raised over £5 million, almost £500,000 of which has been donated to the AHT to fund research and development.
Jo Whitaker of Petplan Equine says: "It has been a privilege to be involved with the AHT Awards over the years and we look forward to this exciting 20th anniversary year. Petplan Equine has sponsored the Eventing Award for the past three years but this new award will recognise the commitment and hard work of people within the equine veterinary profession and the service they provide to horse owners. Horse welfare is paramount at Petplan Equine and we are committed to promoting responsible horse ownership, through our wide range of policies, our charitable contributions and our Horse Handbook. This award will give the equine community the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the vet who has made the most outstanding contribution to the care of horses."
To nominate go to www.petplanequine.co.uk. The closing date for nomination is 3rd October 2008.
The Horse Trust is funding a three-year project to develop a genetic diagnostic test for Fell Pony Syndrome (FPS) and thus enable control and possible elimination of the disease.
The work will be undertaken at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, and the University of Liverpool Veterinary School.
The Fell pony, an ancient British pony breed categorised as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, has over the past decade or so been subject to a severe immune deficiency known as Fell Pony Syndrome (FPS), which results in the death of some of the newborn foals.
Foals affected with FPS appear normal at birth but within a few weeks begin to lose condition and suffer diarrhoea, coughing and weight loss. Severe anaemia and immune dysfunction follows, leading to wasting and finally death. The disease is always fatal.
As a large percentage of these ponies live and breed on the fell, the prevalence of FPS is unclear. Despite an improvement in foal registration numbers in recent years, Fell Pony Syndrome remains of concern to breeders.
Studbook analysis and knowledge of affected foals strongly suggests that this is an inherited disease caused by an autosomal recessive genetic mutation. A DNA based test for this mutation would enable carriers of FPS to be identified and the conception of affected foals prevented.
As well as identifying carriers in the Fell pony population, the project will be used to identify any carriers in other breeds which have been involved in the extensive outbreeding of Fell ponies over the years.
"The success of this project will prevent the suffering of newborn Fell pony foals affected with FPS," says project leader Dr June Swinburne, senior post- doctoral equine molecular geneticist at the Animal Health Trust Centre for Preventive Medicine. "Foals affected by the condition inherit an incurable genetic defect which results in severe wasting and a profound anaemia together with multiple infections. Veterinary intervention is in vain and once the condition is diagnosed foals are often euthanased. The gradual but relentless decline in these foals leaves both veterinary surgeons and breeders powerless.
"Breeders are supportive of our attempt to develop a diagnostic test which will help to prevent carrier-carrier matings, one in four of which results in an affected foal."
The Horse Trust's Chief Executive and resident veterinary surgeon Paul Jepson said: "This is an exciting and achievable project with significant benefits for equine health and welfare, as it will lead to the prevention and elimination of a fatal disease."
The RSPCA has released the latest figures showing the extent of cruelty to animals in the UK.
In 2007, they show a:
"These animals are the helpless victims of our affluent, throwaway society," says Tim Wass, Chief Officer of the RSPCA Inspectorate. "They're bought on a whim and discarded when the novelty wears off. Today's must-have item quickly turns into tomorrow's cast-off.
"Worse still," added Tim, "some animals are violently abused because they don't meet their owners' unrealistic expectations: like the cat kicked to death for having muddy paws or the dog strangled with its lead for misbehaving."
But the year RSPCA reports that there has been good news too, with the success of the new Animal Welfare Act already starting to take effect. The new Act - which came into force during 2007 - has made it possible to take action sooner than ever before in situations where there are animal welfare concerns.
The Act is already producing powerful results in its first twelve months. Where animal welfare concerns have prompted the RSPCA to give advice to an animal owner, that advice was followed and the problems resolved 92% of the time, meaning that no further action was necessary. Tim said: "Even in these early days, the benefits of the new law are clear. Without the new Act, this year's cruelty figures could have been even more horrific."
He added: "Dogs have always borne the brunt of cruelty - from violent outbursts to extreme neglect. But that's what makes this year's horrendous 34% increase even more shocking: it's a massive increase on an already high figure."
It was hoped that last year's leap in convictions for cruelty to horses was an anomaly. But this year's figures show that the higher numbers have been maintained - they increased by 33% between 2005 and 2006 - and then increased by a further 13% to 119 in 2007.
The rise in banning orders is a big improvement on the previous year, which had actually recorded a fall. The new Animal Welfare Act obliges courts to explain their reasons if they don't impose a ban and this may have contributed to the increase. The new requirement seems to have focussed attention on preventative action which can prevent suffering and save lives.
Tim said: "The main reason we take people to court is to prevent cruelty being repeated. It's very reassuring to see the courts taking this seriously by issuing more and more banning orders, which prevent those convicted of cruelty from keeping animals in future."
CEVA Animal Health has confirmed its sponsorship of Stephanie Dakin, an equine veterinary PhD student at the Royal Veterinary College in London.
The four-year sponsorship, due to commence October 2008, is being run through the BBSRC Industrial CASE studentship scheme, which involves partnerships between UK-based industrial companies and eligible UK universities or research institutes, to support collaborative postgraduate research. It is the first time that CEVA, the company that recently introduced Tildren®, a treatment for equine bone disease, has undertaken such an initiative in the UK.
Stephanie is conducting her PhD on the pathogenesis and treatment of equine tendonitis. She is currently working with Professor Roger Smith, Professor of Equine Orthopaedics and Dr Jay Dudhia at the RVC, on a study to determine the efficacy of stem cells in the treatment of superficial digital flexor tendonitis in the horse.
Stephanie commented: "I am very keen to direct research in this field in order to better elucidate the mechanisms involved in tendon injury and identify therapeutic targets, such that we can improve our management and hopefully advance our ability to treat and prevent disease, thus improving the health and welfare of equine patients."
She added: "Having the opportunity to undertake this vital research, supported by the BBSRC and the industrial contribution from CEVA, is a real privilege and I hope that the findings from this study will feedback to have a direct, positive impact on clinical cases of tendonitis, in the equine and possibly the human fields."
A new scholarship on Equine Emergency and Critical Care has been started at a specialist equine hospital in County Kildare, at the heart of Ireland’s horse-racing district. Anna Hollis is the recipient of the scholarship, which is the first of its kind in Europe.
The scholarship gives her the opportunity to specialize in the field of emergency and critical care and to be Board Certified by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC). The scholarship has been funded by a grant from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health.
Anna Hollis (BVet Med, MRCVS) will receive the scholarship, for a duration of two years. Hollis just completed a residency in Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (New Bolton Center) and already has several publications. She will be under the supervision of Kevin Corley (BVM&S PhD DECEIM DACVIM DACVECC MRCVS), an expert in the field of equine medicine and Board Certified by the ACVECC who is in charge of emergency and critical care at a large equine hospital in the Curragh area of County Kildare, Ireland.
Anna Hollis will be spending several rotation periods in various institutions in Europe and the USA, before taking the board examination for the ACVECC. This is the only equine Emergency and Critical Care residency in the European Union that is recognized by the ACVECC and one of the few in the world taking place at a private institution.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is supporting this two-year initiative, “We are very excited to be working with Dr. Corley to establish this scholarship,” said Roberto Ragni-Alunni, Global Technical Manager for the equine business in Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. ”The research offers the possibility to reach a rare level of specialization. This will benefit critically ill horses and help push the boundaries of equine medicine even further.”
Britain's leading equestrian organisations are conducting a survey to find out more about the welfare standards in livery yards. Livery yards are very popular in the UK for those people who are unable to keep their horses and ponies at home. However, there is no record of how many horses are currently at livery or indeed the number of operating yards and the welfare standards under which they operate. Representatives from the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), World Horse Welfare, The British Horse Society, RSPCA, Association of British Riding Schools, South Essex Insurance Brokers (who currently insure a total of 8,562 DIY and livery stables), and for local government LACORS and CIEH, set up a working party to carry out some research into UK livery yards to become better informed about standards. The group took the view that asking vets and the public about their local livery yard would help to obtain information about the number of yards and get a general picture of the range and standard of accommodation and services that livery yards offer. Veterinary surgeons, horse owners, grooms, yard owners, farriers and other equine professionals are invited to complete the online survey at http://www.liveryyardsurvey.co.uk/. Please complete a survey for each livery yard about which you have first hand knowledge. Your answers will remain confidential, and the results will be reviewed in September 2008 to establish what further action, if any, is necessary.
Dechra Veterinary Products is offering vets free Identichips® worth £100 when they order Equipalazone® Powder 100s. The European Union (EU) has now approved regulations that any equine foal born after July 1 2009 should be micro-chipped, and Defra is currently consulting with equine industry professionals about the best method of implementation. The combination of a micro-chip and horse passport provides a reliable method of identification and also a medical record. Larry King, Dechra's equine product manager said: "We want to make it easier for vets to offer clients the best method of identification and in turn, make it difficult for horses treated with veterinary medicines to enter the human food chain. "We are pleased to support the micro-chipping initiative and the Equine Passport Scheme with our Identichips offer and an owner leaflet about passports to promote responsible horse ownership. They will both help prevent important products like Equipalazone from inadvertently entering the food chain. He added: "We stand to lose up to 70 per cent of veterinary medicines if the industry and horse owners don't comply with EU legislation of horse passports and micro-chipping for every equine". The owner leaflet outlines the importance and benefits of the Equine Passport Scheme and is being inserted into every box of Equipalazone Powder 100s. Further copies are available from Dechra Veterinary Products for practices to distribute to their clients. Practices can claim their free Identichips by ordering boxes of Equipalazone Powder 100s from Rachel Horton at Dechra Veterinary Products on 01743 452 847 before August 31 2008.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is stressing the need for employers to check the registration status of the veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses they recruit.
This comes following several incidences where veterinary surgeons have been found to be either not registered or registered in the wrong category. For example, foreign nationals wishing to work in the UK must be registered as home-practising members, not overseas-practising members. The latter category is for those practising overseas who wish to retain their MRCVS status.
Furthermore, there have been some cases of veterinary surgeons registering as ‘non-practising' and going on to carry out veterinary nursing roles, in the absence of relevant qualifications or being listed/registered as a veterinary nurse. This may be happening in cases where overseas veterinary surgeons are struggling to find work in the UK, possibly due to language difficulties.
RCVS President Jill Nute said: "Vets and veterinary nurses have complementary roles within the practice team. If someone wishes to undertake a veterinary nursing role, they should be qualified and registered as such. Many skills are taught in the veterinary nursing training that are not included in the veterinary degree. Although some veterinary nursing tasks can be carried out by veterinary surgeons, they certainly must not be undertaken by those who are not on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons".
She added: "Ours is a self-regulated profession and it is important that employers play their part by ensuring that practice employees are appropriately qualified and registered".
The registration status of vets and veterinary nurses can be checked on RCVSonline at: www.rcvs.org.uk/checkregister or www.rcvs.org.uk/vnlist respectively.
Mrs Jill Nute has been invested as president of the RCVS at the AGM and Awards Day, held on 4th July in London.
Mrs Nute graduated from Liverpool University in 1970 and initially assisted in mixed practice in the Lake District, Droitwich and Leominster. In 1976, she established a mixed practice with her husband Geoff, a fellow Liverpool graduate, in Wadebridge, Cornwall.
The practice is now an eight-veterinary surgeon concern, a veterinary nurse Training Practice, an RCVS Accredited Tier 2 Small Animal General Practice and Farm Animal General Practice, and an equine practice accredited to Tier 1; it is also a Meat Hygiene Service approved contractor.
Mrs Nute has been an RCVS Council member since 1993, serving on all of its committees. She has chaired many of these committees and additional working parties, including the Advisory and Public Affairs Committees. She served on the Officer team as Treasurer for three years, from 1996-1999, and is currently Chairman of the Practice Standards Group. Spending several years on the Councils of the British Veterinary Association and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), she was elected President of SPVS in 1991.
RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Dr Bob Moore, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, and Professor Sandy Trees took up the role of Junior Vice-President.
Professor Sheila Crispin stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Dr Moore commenting that: “The veterinary profession is privileged to have such a knowledgeable and committed advocate.”
Retiring Council members included David McDowell, Debby Reynolds, Neil Smith and Wendy Harrison. New lay observer to the Preliminary Investigation Committee, Catherine Harvey, will replace retiring observer Diane Mark. The President paid particular tribute to long-standing Council member and past-President Stephen Ware, who retires from Council but will remain active in veterinary politics as Vice-President and Treasurer of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, he also remains Chairman of the RCVS Trust.
As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Richard Stephenson, Charles Gruchy and Bertie Ellis were welcomed. A fourth new member, Catherine Goldie, was not present. It was also announced that Professor Michael Herrtage and Professor Duncan Maskell have been reappointed for further four-year periods by the University of Cambridge, and Professor Sandy Tress has been reappointed for the same term by the University of Liverpool.
Dot Creighton was re-elected to the Veterinary Nurses Council and Katherine Kissick was elected for the first time. New lay member Penelope Swindlehurst and appointed veterinary surgeon Helen Torrington were also welcomed to the VN Council and the President thanked retiring VN Council members Diane Guinan, Donna Hunter and Neil Smith.
President Dr Bob Moore conferred a range of awards, including an Honorary Associateship upon Petplan and Petplan Trust founders Mrs Patsy Bloom and Mr David Simpson who, he said, have had a “remarkable effect on the veterinary profession, animals and their owners.”
Honorary Associateship was also awarded to Mr Geoff Davies, who has dedicated his 30-year career at the University of Bristol Veterinary School to the training, support and development of future veterinary surgeons. He has also served as a valued member of the RCVS Extra-Mural Studies Committee for many years. “It is his enormous contribution in supporting and encouraging the students that is being recognised today,”said Dr Moore.
Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Mr Gary Clayton Jones, Professor Paul Flecknell and Dr Christine Gibbs, and the Dame Olga Uvarov Award, a cash prize for a researcher under the age of 40, was awarded on behalf of the RCVS Trust to Dr Harriet Smythe (in her absence)
Congratulations to Merial for a creative initiative to celebrate the 25th birthday of Eqvalan®.
The company made a much needed donation towards the upkeep of the Pewsey White Horse in return for being able to use it as part of Eqvalan's birthday celebration publicity programme for 2008.
The money will be used to restore the protective fencing around the ancient landmark, near Marlborough in Wiltshire.
Merial's Claire Parry- Baggott explains: "There are a number of white horse sites across the UK, many of which are extremely popular visitor destinations. To keep these sites open to the public requires year-round maintenance, often from a small army of volunteers.
"Horse owners have been using Eqvalan to help protect their trusty companions for 25 years, and this initiative will help provide protection of a different kind!
"The idea sprang from the current Eqvalan advertising campaign which celebrates 25 years of worming protection. The result is a fantastic 100 feet replica of our Eqvalan birthday horse, and brand new fencing for the Pewsey White Horse!
"We were delighted to help the Pewsey Council raise funds to preserve the site and hopefully this money will enable the horse to be enjoyed by many for years to come," concludes Claire.
Genitrix has launched a new system called Osteokine, which produces Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP). PRP, an autologous solution containing therapeutically significant concentrations of platelets, is known to accelerate the healing of injuries and is already widely used in human medicine. It is increasingly being used in the treatment of horses.
The Osteokine system, developed by German company Orthogen which also manufactures joint therapy Irap, comprises two interconnected blood bags.
The system involves taking citrated whole blood from the horse and placing it into the first, red-capped Osteokine bag for processing in a centrifuge. The plasma and platelets are then transferred to the second bag, and a second centrifuge process separates the plasma and generates a pellet of PRP, which is extracted and used to treat the horse from which it was taken.
Treatment with PRP has been shown to accelerate wound healing in all kinds of tissue particularly tendons and ligaments and has also been used in bone healing. It has been noted to reduce perioperative traumatic pain while the higher collagen content provided by PRP can create improved scar resistance.
Commenting on the launch of the Osteokine system in the UK, Rob Watkins, Marketing Director of Genitrix, said: "Therapeutic care of equine lameness is an area of particular expertise for Genitrix and the innovative treatments we've brought to market, including Acell, HY50 and Irap already form part of the staple ‘toolkit' of many equine vets.
"The benefits of PRP in terms of accelerating wound healing and vasculerisation are already widely accepted as are the advantages of an autologous approach in terms of eliminating the risk of disease transmission. To date, however, the process of extracting PRP has proved complex and expensive and only provided in specialised laboratories.
"Osteokine, in contrast, offers a cost-effective approach based on a system which is simple to operate in practice and takes only 20 minutes. We believe it offers a highly effective approach to treating wounds and injuries in horses."
For further information on Osteokine, contact Genitrix on 01403 786345.
Pfizer, manufacturer of the wormer Strongid™-P has launched a new promotional campaign. Love your horse is based on simple, straightforward and unbiased educational messages to help ensure the optimum health and wellbeing of horses and ponies in the UK.
Pfizer's veterinary adviser Ben Gaskell said: “Simplistically, the three key tools for the horse owner to understand are diagnostics, worming and pasture management. If these tools are used in combination with specialist advice, then the horse owner will be able to provide a sustainable, reliable and cost-effective worm control strategy for their horse.”
At the core of the campaign is a new range of four highly informative and uncomplicated leaflets directed at every type of horse owner: Do you need to worm; Choosing and using the right wormer; Managing your pasture and Worming and Your new horse.
“Each leaflet has been designed to work as a stand-alone piece or can be presented as a smart, matching series of four,” said Helen Shirley, brand manager for Strongid™-P. “The leaflets can be displayed in-store in a distinctive counter-top leaflet dispenser and are supported by eye-catching point of sale materials including posters and balloons." The new campaign packs will be rolled out to all stockists from early June, supported by a dramatic new Love your horse advertisement in national equestrian trade and consumer titles.
The campaign will build up momentum over the summer months and into autumn’s double dosing time with a series of authoritative, no-nonsense features and news stories from Strongid™-P’s veterinary advisor Ben Gaskell.
For further information please email: Strongid-P@pfizer.com
Vet Stuart Thorne from Fellowes Farm Equine Clinic in Abbots Ripton has praised the work of the charity-run National Foaling Bank after it helped save the life of an orphan three day old filly foal.
If you’re a show-jumping vet, you might like to take part in the first-ever international veterinary-only riders competition – held in the beautiful region of Lure at the foot of the Vosges in France.
The French association of veterinary riders (AFVC) invites all veterinary riders to contend for the First World Veterinary Equestrian Show Jumping Cup, to be held from July 3 to 6, 2008.
The event is open to all qualified veterinarians and veterinary students, who may participate with or without their own horse.
The event will include four show-jumping competitions (one per day), while the social programme consists of a Gala evening (Friday), a dinner-dance (Saturday, sponsored by Merial) and a Sunday lunch (major sponsor of the event: Equistro / Vétoquinol).
The veterinary show-jumping event will coincide with France’s 6th Grand National show-jumping competition, also held in Lure.
For further information, please contact: David Smart DVM, david.smart@vetoquinol.com or your local Vétoquinol representative.
Equistro has introduced Legaphyton to its range of supplements. Legaphyton has been developed to support liver function. It incorporates a new and patented complex called Siliphos®.
Siliphos® is a complex of concentrated Milk Thistle fruit extract and phospholipids, and is a source of readily available carbohydrates important for liver support.
Milk Thistle (silymarin) extract has documented virtues in liver support and is rich in flavanoligan (Silybin), while phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine) maintain healthy liver cell membrane function and repair and are crucial for essential lipoprotein transport in the liver.
“The liver is one of the most important organs and performs more often than one realises,” said Val Day, Equistro’s product manager. “Legaphyton has been introduced to give an extra boost to the horse’s liver function and help the liver fulfil its varied role.”
Equistro Legaphyton is available in 900g packs, which is sufficient for 30 days for a standard 500kg horse. Ask your Vetoquinol representative for more details or visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/
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A new diagnostic blood test has been developed to combat the virulent horse disease Strangles.
The breakthrough has come after four years of research by scientists at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket.
The blood test identifies horses that have recently been exposed to Strangles, enabling it to be nipped in the bud.
Oliver Wilson, campaign director at The British Horse Society, said: "It is fantastic news. This big breakthrough is a real boon to horse owners and I believe will lead to a significant drop in Strangles outbreaks. But there is still much to be done.
"The AHT's work to develop and test a fully effective vaccine against Strangles is ongoing. To support it we need to raise another £120,000 by the end of this year to reach the campaign target of £250,000."
For more information about the Strangles campaign, visit http://www.strangles.org/
Two guides for equine veterinarians have just been produced by Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging covering the role of MRI in diagnosing lameness.
MRI Cases in the Standing Sedated Horse looks at fourteen cases from seven clinics in the Hallmarq user community. Compiled for Hallmarq by Dr Julien Olive DMV and complete with clinical MRI images, this 38 page booklet reviews the history, clinical examination, MRI examination, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of each case. The examples illustrate how MRI can enable a diagnosis to be made and a suitable course of treatment prescribed in difficult or ambiguous cases.
The second booklet, MRI Protocols for the Standing Sedated Horse, focuses on the procedures and terminology associated with MRI, from a brief description of the technology and the types of image that can be obtained, to a more detailed description of the methodology.
Hallmarq says that with 20 scanning centres now operating in the UK and Europe the ability now to refer selected cases for an MRI examination makes these booklets relevant to routine practice.
The booklets are available free of charge from Hallmarq for equine veterinarians and veterinary students, and they may be previewed on Hallmarq’s website.
Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging: (01483) 877812 or email info@hallmarq.net
Dechra Veterinary Products, manufacturer and distributor of Equipalazone®, has launched a new information leaflet to support the Equine Passport scheme.
Since 2005, when equine passports became mandatory, 958,000 have been issued. The passport is a method of identification as well as a medical record and ensures that horses treated with veterinary medicines do not enter the human food chain.
“Many substances used in commonly prescribed equine medicines can only be given to horses not intended for human consumption,” says Giles Coley, Dechra’s managing director. “Under the passport scheme, owners must declare whether their horse is intended for human consumption.
The leaflet, which outlines the importance and benefits of the Equine Passport scheme, will be inserted into every box of Equipalazone Powder 100 sachets. It will also be made available for veterinary practices to hand out to their clients.
Practices wishing or order copies of the Equine Passport leaflet should contact Rachel Horton at Dechra on 01743 441 632.
VetCell is celebrating a win at Cheltenham, after 'Knowhere' won the Cotswold Chase following pioneering stem cell treatment for a serious tendon injury.
Knowhere had had a good start to his racing career as a four-year-old, winning his first two races as a novice hurdler. But after his second race in 2004 he suffered injuries to both forelimb superficial digital flexor tendons. The left fore showed low grade tendonitis while the right fore had a significant percentage of fibre rupture. As a promising racing prospect, Knowhere’s connections wanted to give him the best possible chance of recovering from his injury so they opted for stem cell therapy. He was treated by Tim Beauregard MRCVS of Summerhill Farm in Gloucestershire.
Bone marrow samples were collected from Knowhere’s sternum and were processed in VetCell's laboratory over a five week period to generate millions of stem cells. Knowhere was sedated, the tendon area was anaesthetised and the leg was then surgically clipped and disinfected. Stem cells, which had been suspended in serum obtained from the original bone marrow sample, were then injected using ultrasound guidance, into the core of the damaged area of the tendon fibres.
For the first week after the implantation Knowhere was kept in his stable to allow the cells to adapt to their new environment. Each day after this he was given walking exercise in order to stimulate the activity of the stem cells, encouraging them to differentiate into tendon cells and form into strong tendon fibres. The amount of exercise was incrementally increased, building up over a three-month period from five minutes each day to 45 minutes twice a day.
By the autumn of 2005 both of Knowhere’s tendons had healed very well and showed good fibre pattern on ultrasonography. He was re-introduced to the racetrack the following year and of the 15 or so races he has been in since, he has finished in the frame on eight occasions and has amassed some £175,000 in winnings.
Vet Tim Beauregard said: “Knowhere’s successful return to the track has been exciting and immensely satisfying to follow and he showed particularly brilliant form in the Cotswold Chase. It remains to be seen whether he will be heading for the Ryanair Chase, the Gold Cup or the Grand National but all involved will be hoping for the best.”
For more information please contact VetCell on +44 207 691 2062 or 866 764 0340, email: info@vetcell.com or visit the website at http://www.vetcell.com/