There have been major changes to the format for Congress this year.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, BSAVA Head of Partnerships and Events, said: “Last year’s online event proved this can all be delivered in a much more interactive and engaging way.
"Returning to a face-to-face format enables us to take that even further and provide delegates with a truly immersive experience."
Many of the sessions at this year’s event will have two speakers delivering different perspectives on a topic, followed by a Q&A.
With 15-20 minutes to get into the detail, lectures will get straight to the point, be fast-paced and rich in content.
Programme committee lead, Paul Higgs (pictured right) said: “Each subject will be delivered in a mix of formats, lectures, debates and interactive sessions, for example.
"It means delegates won’t find themselves sat for hours passively listening, instead they’ve the opportunity to actively engage with the topics, which will promote deeper learning.
“Where topics overlap subject areas, module delegates will come together to explore diagnostics, treatments and ethics.”
For the first time, delegates will also be able to get hands-on in practical sessions at no further cost.
BSAVA’s President, Sheldon Middleton, said: “I can’t wait to get to BSAVA Congress in 2022.
"The new venue, new format and new exhibition layout will enhance everything that BSAVA Congress is known for.
"Now we’ve got a hybrid format, the on-demand feature means that for the first time I can catch up with friends and not miss the CPD!”
Delegates can also attend online, through an interactive virtual platform, which will run alongside the live event.
To buy your tickets before the touts get hold of them visit: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2022/en/page/home.
Visitors to the company's stand will be invited to make a donation.
Anyone not attending the show, but who nevertheless wants to support this charity's work, will be able to do so via social media.
VetCT says it is hoping to raise a total of £6000 to fund the training of local veterinary teams in wildlife medicine.
Head of Communications, Liz Barton said: “We are learning so much about the far-reaching and important work of WVI through our charity partnership - how they are helping to preserve biodiversity and support the conservation of species, which is absolutely key to global sustainability.
"Education is core to everything we do at VetCT, and we are excited to be raising funds that will be used to support local vets and nurses to undergo comprehensive training in wildlife medicine, enabling the dissemination of knowledge and expertise to support conservation projects globally.”
Olivia Walter, Executive Director of WVI, said: “We are incredibly excited at the prospect of launching our education initiative with the support of VetCT and LVS delegates.
"Training local veterinary teams to provide exceptional care to wildlife is vital to the longevity and success of conservation projects.
"In addition to raising funds and awareness of our work, the direct clinical support from the VetCT experts is helping us to continue providing much needed veterinary input to conservation efforts around the world.”
WVI representatives, including Matthew Rendle RVN and Dr Asumah of the Wildlife Division, Forestry Department, Government of Ghana, will be on VetCT stand D44 at 12:30-1:30pm on Friday 17th November.
The charity will also be on Millpledge Veterinary stand J60, which also supports the work of WVI.
Defra has today published reports from the Health and SafetyExecutive and Professor Brian Spratt, of Imperial College London,into the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Surrey. The report is available here.
A new company supplying pet chews to the veterinary profession has launched this month.
The Soft Chew Company has been set up by Kevin Ingram, owner of the veterinary supplier J.A.K Marketing and Niall McFerran, who has in the past worked for a number of veterinary healthcare companies including Animalcare, Ceva and Alstoe.
Kevin said: "The healthcare supplement market in the UK is worth over £20 million and rising but most customers are asked to use products which were designed for use on humans. The aim of The Soft Chew Company is to provide those health benefits in the form of treats that the dogs and cats will readily accept."
The new company's product range will be branded: "Chewz" and marketed as palatable healthcare supplements in order that they will not be confused with pharmaceutical products.
The range will initially consist of:
The Chewz range can be obtained from all wholesalers or directly from J.A.K Marketing.
For further information contact; info@thesoftchewcompany.co.uk or 01347 293150
The company is offering up to £50* worth of vouchers to use at J.A.K Marketing Ltd when purchasing GI diets (including canine and feline recovery packs). It is also offering a ‘buy three get one free’ deal on its recovery packs, which also come with complimentary Get Well Soon counter displays for practice receptions.
To promote its range of complete liquid diets for tube feeding critically ill patients, Royal Canin is giving practices which order three packs a free Vygon Vet Nutrisafe tube feeding kit worth £9.49. The kit contains 12 syringes, a drawing up straw and three different sizes of feeding tubes. The company says its liquid diets are specifically designed for tube feeding, offer precise nutrition for critically ill patients and can be accurately delivered with the Vygon tube feeding kits.
For further information, contact your Royal Canin Veterinary Business Manager.
* Spend £199 on GI diets (including canine and feline recovery packs) and receive a £20 voucher from J.A.K Marketing Ltd., spend £399 and receive a £50 voucher. The vouchers will be emailed direct to the practice from J.A.K. There is a 14 working day lead time on this. All offers are valid for the UK and NI and end on 31 March.
Kate (pictured right) was confirmed as the 150th RCVS President at the College’s 2021 Annual General Meeting, which took place last Friday. Kate’s investiture makes her the 10th female President of the RCVS and the first to lead an all-female presidential team with Senior Vice-President Mandisa Greene and Junior Vice-President Melissa Donald.
Kate has been an elected member of RCVS Council from 2015 to 2019 and then from 2020 onwards, and brings with her a bank of professional experience having worked in clinical farm practice, in the pharmaceutical industry and as a senior civil servant in non-veterinary roles, including as Principal Private Secretary to three Secretaries of State for Scotland.
She’s a graduate from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh and during her time on RCVS Council has chaired the Standards Committee and been a member of the Legislation Working Party. She currently chairs the Preliminary Investigation Committee /Disciplinary Committee Liaison Committee and sits on the Education Committee, Registration Committee, VN Council, Primary Qualifications Subcommittee and the Environmental & Sustainability Working Party.
During her first speech as RCVS President, Kate spoke about how experiences of loneliness early in her veterinary career, when she was working in rural farm vet practice, has led her to have a deep understanding of the importance of connection, something which has been reinforced by the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: “The Covid pandemic has demonstrated the value of connections for our mental health and wellbeing. Social distancing has spotlighted in fluorescent pinks, blues and greens the need for social connections. When hungry we eat, thirsty we drink, when we feel lonely we need to connect.
“And that starts with connecting with ourselves, nurturing our minds and bodies, building our sense of self and resilience. I am passionate about initiatives including the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative and Vetlife that support our professions.
“Connections within the professions have been fundamental to my career, providing opportunities to collaborate, extend my knowledge and forge support networks. I look forward to building stronger connections with vets in the UK and abroad, including the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe. I’m so excited about the energy, new connections and networks springing up in the profession.
“I’ve worked in non-veterinary roles where I’ve had the opportunity to make new connections and share knowledge across professional disciplines.
“Pre-pandemic I attended a seminar on domestic violence. Speakers from social services said how hard it was to identify victims of domestic violence who were too scared to report. I informed the room about the Links Group, which works hard to raise awareness of the connection between the abuse of animals and people. Sadly, there are still silos, disconnections between well-meaning professionals. That proves to me the critical role of vets in human health and welfare by reporting animals they suspect of non-accidental injury.”
She concluded her speech (which is available to read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/features) by saying: “I am excited about my presidential year, thankful for my connections, my iceberg of support. I’m thankful for the wise counsel of past Presidents especially Mandisa Greene and Niall Connell. My priority is to encourage Connections that Count, making sure we look after ourselves so that we can build vibrant purposeful and powerful connections across ours and allied professions for the good of animal and human health and welfare, for our communities, society and the environment.
“My aim this year? To amplify and extend the reach of the veterinary voice.”
The Clinical Supervisor course is designed to help veterinary surgeons to guide their students in developing the professional behaviours and Day One Skills they need to join the Register.
The course is also designed to complement any existing training that a vet who is a Clinical Supervisor has received from the college or university for which they are supervising the SVN.
RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing Julie Dugmore said: “This course will help you undertake your role as a coach and assessor, ensuring your student has achieved the RCVS requirements by the time they have completed the practical elements of their training.
“It comprises modules that include the role and functions of a Clinical Supervisor, the types of professional behaviours SVNs need to develop and understanding of the Day One Skills in which they need to become competent.
"In addition, it will enhance the training Clinical Supervisors will receive from the relevant educational institution by promoting understanding of the RCVS requirements.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/vndayonecompetences
A series of exchanges between pilots and control towers, which you might find amusing. Would be nice to have some veterinary equivalents, so do feel free to comment beneath this story with any quick-witted exchanges you've heard between vets and vets / nurses / clients.
San Jose Tower to a DC-10 that had come into land too fast, and thus had an exceedingly long roll out after touching down:"American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able. If you are not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights and return to the airport." ***************************************************************
Tower: "TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 degrees." TWA 2341: "Center, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?" Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?" ***************************************************************
Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7" Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the way,after we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway." Tower: " Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7. Did you copy that report from Eastern 702?" BR Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern... we've already notified our caterers." ****************************************************************
A BA 747, callsign Speedbird 206 landed at Frankfurt aiport and was just pulling clear of the runway
Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway." Frankfurt ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven." The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop. Frankfurt ground: "Speedbird 206, do you not know where you are going?" Speedbird 206: "Stand by, ground, I'm looking up our gate location now." Frankfurt ground (with quite arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?" Speedbird 206: "Er yes, just the once. It was 1944 ... We didn't land."
The European Parliament has voted 618 votes to 17 for an extension to the transitional arrangements contained within the regulation on the non-commercial movement of pet animals which afford the UK additional protection against rabies, ticks and tapeworms.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have been lobbying MEPs to support the extension and have strongly welcomed this decision.
The transitional arrangements allow the UK to impose stricter measures on the entry of pet animals and are designed to protect the UK from rabies, ticks and tapeworms (Echinococcus multilocularis).
The vote in the European Parliament today supports an extension of these arrangements until the end of 2011 and puts in place a system so that permanent measures can be imposed in the future for entry to specific Member States based on scientific evidence. The decision will have to be ratified by the European Agriculture Council before coming into force.
Parasitologist Maggie Fisher from ESCCAP said: "This provides the UK with invaluable time to mount a solid scientific case for retaining the requirement for tick and tapeworm treatment indefinitely."
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA, said: "The BVA and BSAVA have worked closely with Defra to secure this extension to the arrangements and we will now be pushing for investment in additional scientific research that will give us a clearer picture of the threat of the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis and other exotic and emerging diseases."
Dr Richard Dixon, President of BSAVA, added: "This decision in Europe is strongly welcomed and we are pleased that veterinary associations across Europe supported our position. The next stage is to gather further evidence to ensure the UK is protected in the future.
"In the meantime, the key message for pet owners is that they must talk to their vets as early as possible to find out how to protect them from disease and parasites when travelling abroad."
Novartis Animal Health has launched its Summer Worming Packs.
The packs are part of an ongoing campaign by the company to get pet owners to worm their animals at least 4 times a year (as recommended by the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites1), as opposed to the current norm of 2.6 times per year2.
The Summer Worming Packs include waiting room and client materials, and practice PR support materials. There is also a pet owner website http://www.wormpatrol.co.uk/.
For further details about the Summer Worming Pack or the Worm Patrol Campaign, veterinary practices should contact their Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager.
The original deadline for nominations for the three honours (the Queen’s Medal, Golden Jubilee Award and Honorary Associateship) was Friday 16 September – this has now been moved to Friday 21 October 2016.
Chris Tufnell, President of the RCVS, said: "Do you know someone who goes above-and-beyond the call of duty? Whose achievements have had a tangible impact on their profession or the veterinary and animal health and welfare sector at large? Then we would strongly encourage you to nominate them for an RCVS Honour. Those who are successful will receive their award at our Annual General Meeting and Awards Day where their achievements will be described and recognised in front of their peers."
The Queen’s Medal was introduced in 2013 and is the highest honour that the College can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon in recognition of those who have achieved a highly distinguished career and outstanding achievements. Nominations can be made by any Member of the RCVS in respect of another veterinary surgeon.
The Golden Jubilee Award was introduced in 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first RCVS training course for veterinary nurses and now recognises those nurses who are taking a leadership role within the profession. Nominations can be made by either veterinary nurses or veterinary surgeons in respect of a veterinary nurse.
Finally, nominations can also be made for Honorary Associateship which is eligible for those who, while not veterinary surgeons or nurses, have had a significant impact in the veterinary field. Previous winners have included scientists, farmers, farriers, educationalists and journalists.
Further information about making nominations for each of these awards, including nominations forms, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/honours. All awards will be bestowed at RCVS Day 2017 in July next year.
Those with questions about making a nomination can contact Peris Dean, Executive Secretary, on p.dean@rcvs.org.uk
Each Diagnostic Rounds session will be live-streamed and interactive, with 90 minutes of interpretation of diagnostic images and test results. The BSAVA says the sessions will be packed with cases and images, enabling all vets no matter where they are in their career, to keep developing their interpretation skills.
Lucie Goodwin, Head of Education said: “We are really excited to be launching Diagnostic Rounds and have a great line up of speakers and topics for the next twelve months. Our members have told us that they want more diagnostic imaging and case-based CPD and we are delighted to be able to deliver this in a fun, interactive and accessible way. As interpretation skills are relevant to daily veterinary practice, Diagnostic Rounds will be relevant to all small animal vets with something for everyone, regardless of career stage.”
The Diagnostic Rounds will be delivered by specialist diagnostic imagers, medics, cardiologists, and clinical pathologists. Whilst there will be a strong focus on diagnostic imaging, there will also be sessions on ECG interpretation, endoscopy, and clinical pathology. Speakers will include Mike Martin on ‘Imaging cardiology cases’, Ed Hall on ‘Interpreting endoscopic findings of the GI tract’ and Helen Wilson on ‘Imaging respiratory emergencies’.
The two organisations are collaborating to produce a topical monthly webinar with an expert speaker, supported with a collection of resources in the BSAVA library
Idexx is also offering a bursary scheme with 10 places on a BSAVA course of choice.
Dr Jason Johnson, Chief Medical Officer of Idexx said: "Continuous learning is an essential part of veterinary clinic life and an area that is increasing in demand, particularly with so many new and innovative ways to engage.
"Education enables veterinary professionals to provide better care for their patients and we are delighted to support them through our collaboration with BSAVA."
The first two ‘Topic of the month’ webinars will be on anaemia in cats and increased SDMA on pre-anaesthetic testing.
The webinars will be free of charge to all BSAVA members.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, Head of Partnerships and Events at the BSAVA said: “We are thrilled to be working with Idexx. It is increasingly important to us that our members receive accessible CPD, and through this valuable collaboration we are able to continue to support the veterinary profession.”
You can access the webinars through the BSAVA Library.
As of the start of this week, police forces and local authorities have new legal powers designed to reduce the number of dog attacks.
For the first time, police and local authorities will be able to demand that owners take action to prevent a dog attack or risk fine of up to £20,000. If a complaint has been made about a dog to the council or police, its owners can be ordered to do any or all of the following:
The government has published a manual called Dealing with irresponsible dog ownership: practitioner's manual, to guide police forces and local authorities in the use of their new legal powers to prevent dog attacks.
Animal Welfare Minister Lord de Mauley said: "Dog attacks are devastating for victims and their families which is why we are taking tough action against those who allow them to happen. Police and local authorities will now have more powers to demand that irresponsible dog owners take steps to prevent attacks before they occur. This is on top of the tougher prison sentences we introduced earlier this year for owners who allow their dogs to attack people and assistance dogs."
The National Policing Lead for Dangerous Dogs, DCC Gareth Pritchard said: "The Practitioners Manual gives police officers and other practitioners clear guidance on how to best implement the legislative changes, especially the early preventative measures such as Community Protection Notices, to help prevent more serious events occurring in the future. It also provides a platform to share good practice between police forces and partner agencies and it will form part of the ongoing training of Dog Legislation Officers across England and Wales."
Photo credit: iStockphoto/Thinkstock.
The PDSA has announced that it is offering free workshops to help veterinary professionals deliver new welfare checks called 'PetWise MOTs'.
The PetWise MOT checks focus on the five welfare needs, and the workshops count for seven hours CPD. The charity says that while the workshops are suitable for all members of the practice team, they should be of particular interest to nursing teams and those with a keen interest in engaging clients with the needs of their pets.
The aim of the MOT Checks is to improve pet wellbeing in the UK, following reports of a reduced level of awareness amongst the public of the five welfare needs defined by the Animal Welfare Acts.
Richard Casey, PDSA Pet Wellbeing Project Manager, said: "We know there is more to a pet’s wellbeing than just providing for their basic health needs. This unique consultation structure was developed in response to falling awareness among owners of their pets’ welfare needs, with millions of pets suffering unnecessarily. The PetWise MOTs use a simple traffic light system and personalised action plans to reverse this trend by helping to inform and engage owners about what their pets need to be healthy and happy."
The consultations were first trialled on the charity’s mobile PetCheck vehicles, then expanded to PDSA’s 51 pet hospitals. According to the charity, over 100,000 PetWise MOTs and follow up checks have now been completed in the last few years, with outcomes including:
Alison Case, a Senior Vet at Bow PDSA Pet Hospital, said: "PetWise MOTs give a really practical approach to running clinics based on the pet’s welfare needs. We’ve seen a positive impact on patient care by looking at husbandry at home as well as the clinical concerns of the patient. The consultations help to strengthen the clinic-client bond through professional support and advice. We’ve had great feedback from our clients, who are now much more aware of the routine needs of their pets and often attend for further check-ups as well as regularly purchasing preventive treatments."
The workshops will focus on dogs, cats and rabbits, although the consultations are transferable to all species.
For more information or to book a place, visit www.pdsa.org.uk/petwise or email petwise@pdsa.org.uk.
The RCVS is reminding veterinary surgeons that you need to complete your annual renewal for 2016-7 by the end of April.
About 75% of veterinary surgeons have renewed their registrations so far.
Renewals paid after 30th April will incur an additional charge of £35.
Any veterinary surgeon who fails to pay by 31st May will have their name removed from the Register, making it illegal for them to practise veterinary surgery in the UK.
The annual renewal can be completed via the online ‘My Account’ area of the RCVS website, where it is possible to pay by credit or debit card. Payment is also accepted by cheque, bank transfer or draft.
If you've lost the security details needed to access the RCVS website, you should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707.
The College also says that anyone who has received an annual renewal reminder letter but has set up a Direct Debit, or believes that they have already paid, should contact the RCVS Finance Department on 020 7202 0723.
The deadline for nominations for Practice of the Year, Vet of the Year, Vet Nurse of the Year, Practice Manager of the Year and Practice Support Staff of the Year, is 16th January.
The award ceremony will take place on 2nd April 2020 in Birmingham.
James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan, said: "We’ve been recognising the brilliant work of the UK’s veterinary professionals through the Petplan Veterinary Awards for 21 years now and every year the standard of entries just gets higher.
"The nominations are a testament to the hard work of all of those involved at practices who care for animals and clients all year round.
"The awards are a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your practice and your colleagues. Being acknowledged is great for team morale and a wonderful opportunity to raise the profile of the practice to new and existing clients alike. If you haven’t already I’d invite you to nominate someone today!"
You can nominate a colleague or your own practice at petplanvet.co.uk/vetawards, before nominations close on 16th January 2020.
The conference, which was held on 23rd May, brought together over 360 veterinary professionals for online sessions which provided them with a range of wellbeing tools to improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
The organisers say that in addition to delivering wellbeing CPD, they aimed to create community and connection. Co-organiser, vet Nat Scroggie, said: "The conference app platform was chosen for delegates to feel included and network freely with one another and session leaders. With over 2400 messages on the community board and 400 photos uploaded the feedback we’ve had about how positive the experience was for delegates has gone beyond our hopes. We’ve seen new working groups forming and a genuine sense of camaraderie around current challenges."
WellVet has reopened ticket sales which give access to session recordings and the conference community app until May 2021. Tickets are £55, discounted to £15 for students and year 1 graduates, available at: https://www.wellvet.co.uk/tickets. The box office will close on 30th August 2020.
The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (BVA AWF) in conjunction with the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) has announced the launch of an update of its popular Pets and Poisons - Keeping Your Animals Safe leaflet, first produced in 2004.
Based on information compiled by the VPIS, the leaflet provides a valuable and easy reference guide for owners on preventing poisoning in the home, in the garden or in open spaces along with advice on what to do if you think your animal has been poisoned.
Veterinary practices can obtain batches of 50 leaflets for the waiting room, free of charge (although a donation to AWF is encouraged) directly from the BVA agents Ten Alps on 020 7878 2307 or Louise.walpole@tenalpspublishing.com
Virbac Animal Health has launched a special scheme to encourage farmers to have milk samples analysed in line with the industry-wide campaign to promote the responsible use of antimicrobials.
Under the terms of the scheme, veterinary surgeons purchasing Virbac's Cephaguard DC therapy will receive vouchers to distribute to their farmer clients. These vouchers can be redeemed for milk bacteriology to determine the pathogens causing mastitis and so ensure treatment is more targeted and effective.
Brigitte Goasduf MRCVS, Ruminants Marketing Manager at Virbac, said: "Mastitis is a major concern for dairy farmers with reported numbers of cases ranging from 26-50 for every 100 cows.
"Experts agree that individual SCC monitoring and the accurate diagnosis of pathogens causing infection are key to treating mastitis effectively. Unfortunately many farmers are often deterred by the cost.
"Our scheme gives our veterinary customers the opportunity to foster good practice by encouraging farmer clients to submit milk samples for investigation at no cost to them. This will then enable them to treat the bacteria causing the infection in line with industry guidelines for the use of antimicrobials.
"Over time, we believe farmers will come to realise that adopting this more targeted approach is not only more cost-effective but will also preserve their ability to treat their herd, both now and in the future."
For further information on the scheme, contact your Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
Vetoquinol has launched a pain monitoring system along similar lines to those used in humans, which can be used by vets and owners to measure pain over time and assess different treatment strategies in dogs.
According to the company, it is widely accepted that all mammals experience pain1and that under treatment is a big issue. Guidelines in treating human pain issued by NICE state that: 'evidence suggests that pain caused by advanced disease remains under-treated'. Veterinary medicine faces a harder task in recognising and treating pain effectively as it relies on behaviour rather than verbal communication.
In human medicine, Client Specific Outcome Measures have been used to assess treatment strategies focussing on identifying the degree of difficulty performing daily tasks on an individual patient to patient basis. Vetoquinol says its pain monitoring system is based on similar principles.
Robert Simpson, Product Manager for Cimalgex said: "The objective assessment of clinical outcomes are a continuing challenge in veterinary medicine; this is particularly true in chronic painful conditions such as osteoarthritis. Use of our Client Specific Outcome Measures form will allow vets and pet owners to more efficiently assess treatment to ensure that the patient is receiving appropriate analgesia.
The form can be adapted to give bespoke outcome measures which are agreed in consultation with the owners. This activity will increase interaction with pet owners and could increase loyalty to the practice; it could also be really useful in geriatric clinics etc as a method of assessing pain outside of consultations in practices."
To find out more or to request a monitoring pad for your practice, contact your Vetoquinol Territory Manager or call 01280 825424.
The RCVS has been out promoting the profession, the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) and its new 'Find a Vet' search tool to animal owners at BBC Countryfile at Blenheim Palace last week.
The RCVS stand was designed to look like a veterinary practice, complete with waiting room, consulting room, prep room, operating theatre and RCVS Accredited Practice logos.
The team from the College handed out around 1,500 ‘Find a Vet’ canvas bags containing 'Find a Vet' and Practice Standards Scheme leaflets and merchandise, and persuaded over 200 people to take part in special ‘Find a Vet’ and PSS-themed games and competitions.
These included having to find a veterinary surgeon or nurse around the showground (volunteers from RCVS Council and VN Council, including RCVS President Chris Tufnell and VN Council Chair Liz Cox, along with David Catlow, Neil Smith, his dog, Fire, Lucy Bellwood and Amber Richards).
The College reports that there was also a continual stream of children eager to pretend to be veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for the day and have a go at the on-stand ‘animal examination’ and ‘animal surgery’ activities. All this gave rise to plenty of photo opportunities, which parents and competition entrants were encouraged to share on social media, to help spread the word about the College’s activities.
Ian Holloway, RCVS Head of Communications said: "This was the first time the RCVS had been to such a large-scale and high-profile public event, and it provided a superb opportunity to explain to animal owners who we are and how we can help them.
"We had a great deal of interest in our new Find a Vet service, and people also seemed reassured that there was a scheme in place to accredit veterinary practices around the country. Having attended both the London Pet Show and BBC Countryfile Live this year, we now plan to increase the number of animal owner events we attend next year, to further raise public awareness of the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme and our Find a Vet service."
For more pictures of the event, see: https://flic.kr/s/aHskEQkDPc
Lax-a-Past is a palatable paste that can be administered orally to kittens and cats aged over 6 months.
It can be used weekly to help stop hairballs from forming or in higher doses over a consecutive three-day period to help eliminate them.
Carol Morgan, Brand Manager from Dechra Veterinary Products (pictured right) said: “Hairballs are a well-known issue for cats. Lax-a-Past is a complementary feed that offers a simple, easy-to-administer solution to help relieve the digestion problems caused by hairballs.
“It is very easy for owners to administer as the required dosage can be squeezed out and spread on a front paw or given directly into the mouth."
Lax-a-Past is available in a 70g tube.
For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk.
According to the RCVS, 86% of veterinary surgeons, and 92% of veterinary nurses have so far failed to vote in this year's council elections.
There's still time: voting for the RCVS Council and VN Council doesn't close till 2nd May and 28th April respectively.
Voting can be done online: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=205006, where you can also read each candidate's manifesto.
Dechra Veterinary Products has picked up a major award at the 2011 Veterinary Marketing Awards for a calendar called 'The Horse in History'.
The calendar, designed to promote all of Dechra's equine products but particularly Equipalazone, also won the award for most innovative use of direct mail. The company's website, http://www.dechra.co.uk/, was highly commended in the New Media category.
The John O'Hara Award is made to the VMA category finalist which, in the opinion of the judges, best demonstrates a high level of innovation or adventurousness in an aspect of the advertising mix. Designed to celebrate the unique position of the horse down the ages in culture, art, science and legend, the calendar featured twelve iconic illustrations, from the white horse carved into the chalk hillside in Uffington, Oxfordshire, to Da Vinci's sculpture.
It also included an embedded competition giving practices the opportunity to win practical aids, including wind up torches and water bottles, with the major prize being a trip to Vienna to see the Lipizzaner Stallions at the Spanish Riding School.
Larry King, Senior Brand Manager at Dechra, said: "Horses have had a unique relationship with man for thousands of years and this is what we wanted to celebrate with our calendar. The monthly competition with 100 prizes on offer and the special prize draw at the end of the year gave it a real point of difference and it proved very popular with our customers. It was the first time we'd run such a campaign over twelve months and we believe it to be unique in the animal health sector.
"We were delighted and honoured to win both the award for best use of direct mail and the John O'Hara award for The Horse in History. It will inspire us on our quest to continually set new standards in the way we communicate with our customers."
The Norman Cavalry
Galloping Horse
The Uffington White Horse
The Anatomy of The Horse
Incitatus
Bucephalus
Altamira Cave Painting
Gran Cavallo
Rocinante
American Carousel Horse
Aethenoth