The webinar is presented by Will Stirling, partner at VetsDigital, a digital marketing agency which supports the veterinary industry across Europe.
Will will offer practical advice and guidance on the growing importance of applying digital marketing and the effect it can have on both team morale and the bottom line.
To register for the webinar, visit to: https://tinyl.io/5aIi
Jess, who works as an ECC locum in the North of England, launched the new service to provide sustainable travel options, with a particular focus on creating holidays for time-poor professionals and their families, organising combined leisure and volunteering trips, eco and adventure holidays off the beaten track, and business travel around conferences and events.
The company operates through Not Just Travel to offer holiday deals and discounts exclusively to veterinary professionals.
Jess said: “Having worked in the industry myself, I know the demands staff are under.
"They are incredibly busy but desperately need a well-earned break.
"We take the stress out of the booking process for them, by offering them specifically tailored options to meet their needs and allow them to reset and recharge.”
In addition, VetSetters have partnered with the charity VetLife, donating £5 from each booking in order to support the charity’s work in protecting the mental wellbeing of staff in the industry.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/384018824510499/
The President of the British Veterinary Association has written to the Badger Trust to clarify the BVA position on the pilot badger culls in England, stating that it will not be supporting the Trust's application for a judicial review.
The BVA Council agreed a position on the continuation of controlled shooting in the pilot areas on 16 April. The position states that the BVA could only support further culling using controlled shooting in the pilot areas if steps are taken to improve both its effectiveness and humaneness and if there is robust monitoring and collation of results and independent analysis and auditing by a non-governmental body. It also states that the BVA supports the Independent Expert Panel's (IEP) recommendations for improving effectiveness and humaneness and urges Defra to implement all the IEP's recommendations fully.
The BVA says that since 16 April, it has been in dialogue with Defra to seek assurances that these issues will be addressed, and those discussions are ongoing. It will not be taking a further position on the pilot culls until BVA Council has had the opportunity to consider Defra's plans in full, when they are made available.
In a press release dated 20th May, The Badger Trust CEO Dominic Dyer said: "It is not acceptable for the DEFRA Secretary of State to now push aside the concerns of both the Independent Expert Panel and the British Veterinary Association, by moving ahead with a further badger cull in Gloucestershire and Somerset this summer without any independent monitoring in place."
The BVA says it is concerned that this misrepresents its position, and has led to some media reports suggesting that the BVA has withdrawn its support for badger culling as part of the overall strategy to eradicate bovine TB. It has not. The BVA says it continues to believe that the TB eradication strategy for England will only be successful if we are able to use all of the available tools, including targeted, humane badger culling.
The Animal Health Trust has repeated its call for veterinary surgeons to take part in its survey study on breed differences in clinical features of canine hyperadrenocorticism.
40 veterinary surgeons have so far taken part in the survey, and preliminary results show that some breeds tend to present with fewer clinical signs than others, which fits with the study's initial hypothesis.
In addition, researchers say that the frequency of most of the clinical signs in dogs affected by hyperadrenocorticism, including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, abdominal distention, alopecia, panting, comedones and muscle weakness, seem to be lower than previously reported in earlier studies published decades ago.
The AHT says it hopes the results of this study will help veterinary surgeons in the diagnosis of canine hyperadrenocorticism. However, in order to progress the study and draw firm conclusions, more responses from veterinary surgeons are needed.
Michael Bennaim, veterinary surgeon at the AHT, said: "We need members of the veterinary profession to help us increase knowledge of this disease and to promote this study to their colleagues. The online questionnaire takes around 10 minutes to complete and all the information that is collected will be processed anonymously."
The AHT requests that the online questionnaire is completed for each case diagnosed with spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism . The questionnaire can be found at http://bit.ly/aht-cushing
Participants can request to be notified of the results of this study when available. Each questionnaire submitted has a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher.
If you have any questions about the study, contact michael.bennaim@aht.org.uk.
The new RUMA Companion Animal and Equine Group will initially focus on encouraging efforts to promote responsible antibiotic use.
Steve Howard, head of clinical services at the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals and secretary general of the new group, said: "RUMA has spearheaded successful efforts to steward antibiotic use in farmed animals over the past five years, and we would like to see whether its principles can augment the considerable progress that’s already been made in the companion animal and equine sectors.
"The most notable of RUMA’s initiatives is the Targets Task Force, which has seen leading vets and farmers from each species working together with industry groups to develop meaningful goals for reducing, refining or replacing antibiotic use.
"Through establishing such proactive approaches towards antibiotic stewardship in companion animals and equines, we hope to optimise their health and welfare – as well as that of humans and the environment."
RUMA says that although total antibiotic sales are significantly lower for companion animals compared with the farming sector, even relatively low use can result in resistance to key medicines if good stewardship principles are not applied.
The collaboration will cover use of medicines in dogs, cats, rabbits, small mammals, exotic animals kept as pets, and equids. The aim is for the UK to lead the way in these sectors through evidence-based and measurable activities that will promote and enhance stewardship.
Gwyn Jones, chair of the new group (pictured right), said: "As a collaborative group we need to establish evidence-based protocols for reducing, replacing or refining antibiotic use in companion animals, to further help preserve and prolong the use of these vital tools for human and animal health.
“Efforts will be focused towards identifiable goals so that progress can be monitored and demonstrated. But we will also promote practical, practice-level resources, guidance and measures aimed at driving positive behaviour changes and protecting patients and practitioners alike."
The survey asks EU nationals about their experience of practising in the UK since the referendum and will seek to find out what their career expectations and aspirations are now.
The survey will also ask how they feel that the RCVS has supported EU vets to practise in the UK since the transition period ended on 31 December 2020.
The survey is being conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), an independent, not-for-profit research institute.
Respondents are encouraged to be as open as possible, as individual responses will not be seen by the RCVS and all survey data will be analysed independently by IES.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO said: “We are hearing anecdotal feedback from EU veterinary professionals about the impact of the EU Exit on their working lives, but it is important for us to have direct feedback as evidence for our recommendations.
"I would encourage everyone who receives the survey to share their thoughts with us, as the feedback we receive from this and the previous surveys, will help us to plan what training, resources and support the professions need from us post-EU Exit."
Everyone eligible to take part in the survey is being sent an email today from Dilys Robinson at the IES, with a link to the survey.
You have until Tuesday 16th November 2021 to complete it.
If you have any questions, contact Sara.Butcher@employment-studies.co.uk.
Having sold Belgravia House – its Westminster offices since 1995 – to a private investor in March 2021 for £14.5m, RCVS Council agreed the purchase of the new building for £20.5m.
The additional cost has been funded from College reserves.
The new building is a converted Victorian warehouse with open-plan office space spread across six floors.
The new premises are large enough to accommodate more staff and for the College to host more meetings and events.
Alternatively, the space can be used for greater social distancing and hybrid working if needed.
The College says any unwanted space can be rented out.
Two existing tenants will continue to lease office space at the premises for the time being and some refurbishment work will need to be completed before the College and RCVS Knowledge teams can start moving in.
Following Council’s earlier decision to terminate the lease on Belgravia House at the end of March 2022, RCVS staff will continue to work either remotely, or in temporary office space leased from the workplace provider, WeWork, in Chancery Lane.
The College says this arrangement offers a significant saving over leasing back Belgravia House.
Chief Executive Lizzie Lockett said: “Like any property purchase, it has been an extremely long and difficult journey to get to this point, with many challenges to navigate along the way, but I am delighted that we are finally able to announce our new home.
“Whilst we will have to wait a while longer before we can enjoy everything 1-2 Hardwick Street has to offer, we are very much looking forward to welcoming members of the professions to visit our new offices, and being able to host a variety of meetings and new events there for them.
The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria (APPCC) has launched a new leaflet for bereaved pet owners, which will be distributed to veterinary practices.
Kevin Spurgeon, Director of the APPCC said: "The feelings of grief and loss that pet owners go through after the death of their pet is often not fully appreciated. The idea of the leaflet is to help owners understand and deal with the emotions they are experiencing more. If the pet is part of a family then several people along with other pets may be affected - it may even be the first experience of death for some."
The leaflet was written and produced for the APPCC by Jane Matthews, author of Losing a Pet (http://www.smallbooks.co.uk/), and has had support from several experienced pet bereavement counsellors and the nationwide Pet Bereavement Support Service run by SCAS (www.scas.org.uk). It covers a variety of subjects, including:
According to the APPCC, studies have shown that as many as 1 in 4 pet owners take time off of work after the death of their pet with nearly half of all those surveyed having taking annual leave after their loss. Pet crematoriums have also noticed an upturn in the numbers of people taking a hands-on approach by choosing to arrange an individual cremation for their pet directly with the crematorium.
The APPCC plans to distribute the leaflets to its members, pet bereavement counsellors and veterinary surgeries throughout the UK and believes this is a major step forward in both acknowledging pet bereavement and helping those affected by it. The leaflet will also be available to download from the main APPCC website www.appcc.org.uk as well as through many of the members own sites.
In order to prevent tail injury in one dog you'd need to dock 500, according to research published in this week's Veterinary Record.The study1 was based on 138,212 dogs seen by vets at 52 veterinary practices across Britain between March 2008 and March 2009. 281 were treated for a tail injury - a rate of 0.23%, adjusted for sampling. The owners of 224 of these injured dogs, as well as a random sample of 799 owners whose dogs had not been treated for tail injury were sent a questionnaire on dog tail injuries and docking.Only 97 of the owners whose dogs needed treatment and 227 of those whose dogs had not been injured replied.Their responses indicated that around one in three tail injuries (36%; 35 cases) had occurred at home as a result of the dog knocking its tail against a wall, kennel wall or other household object.A further 17.5% (17 cases) were sustained outdoors, while 14.4% (14 cases) were caused by the tail being caught in a door. In 15 (15.5%) other causes were cited; and in 16 (16.5%), the cause was unknown. Almost half of the injuries (44%) were recurrent.Over half the cases were treated with drugs and dressings, but in almost one in three cases, amputation was required. Eleven dogs did not need any treatment.Certain breeds seemed to be more at risk, with springer and cocker spaniels almost six times as likely to sustain a tail injury as labradors and retrievers. Greyhounds, lurchers, and whippets were almost seven times as likely to do so, possibly because of the lack of protective hair on their tails, say the authors. Dogs with a wide angle of wag were also almost four times as likely to be injured in this way, while dogs kept in kennels were more than 3.5 times as likely to sustain a tail injury. Only 35 owners said their dogs had had their tail docked, and on the basis of their overall findings, the authors calculated that tail docking would reduce the risk of injury by 12%.But in absolute terms, 500 dogs would need to have their tail docked in order to prevent one tail injury.
Reference1Risk factors for tail injuries in dogs in Great Britain. G. Diesel, D. Pfeiffer, S. Crispin, and D. Brodbelt. The Veterinary Record 2010 166: 812-817.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a webcast about feline hyperthyoidism, given by Tim Williams MA VetMB MRCVS from the Feline Research Group at the Royal Veterinary College.
During the ten minute webcast, entitled: 'The highs and lows of feline hyperthyroidism', Tim presents new evidence that overdosing hyperthyroid patients can lead to iatrogenic hypothyroidism, making them more likely to develop azotaemia and consequently have a shorter survival time. He also discusses the diagnosis and potential consequences of iatrogenic hypothyroidism based on recent research conducted at the Feline Research Group, and provides a summary of suggested treatment protocols. Tim said: "I hope the webcast helps veterinary staff optimise their treatment of hyperthyroid cats in practice and avoid a one size fits all approach".
Dechra says that research from 400 first opinion practices has shown that hyperthyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed feline endocrinopathy, with an annual incidence of 6% in cats over nine years old.
Tim's webcast is the latest in a series of online educational materials on endocrinology launched by Dechra as part of its Dechra Academy training suite.The webcast is available at http://www.dechra.co.uk/hyperthyroidism
The company says it is a further step forward in its plans to expand into Europe and follows the launch of its online pharmacy business, Animed Direct, into France during 2016. It adds that further acquisitions are expected in Europe during 2017, in addition to continued growth in the UK.
The two Dutch practices joining CVS are the Kliniek voor Gezelschaps Dieren, a three site small animal practice based in the central Netherlands, and a single site small animal practice, Dierenziekenhuis Drachten, based in the north of the country. Both practices cited the business support and staff development opportunities offered by CVS, combined with the clinical freedom and practice autonomy it allows, as the reasons for choosing to join the company.
Simon Innes, CEO at CVS, said: "We see many parallels between small animal practice in the Netherlands and the UK and have been talking to practices in the country about the benefits of joining us for some time. The level of interest has been encouraging and we are delighted to announce the acquisition of these two practices and welcome their teams to the CVS family.
"During 2017, we will continue to explore opportunities to extend our activities into Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and in Ireland."
Speakers at the event will include Andrew Sparkes, BVetMed, PhD, DipECVIM, MANZCVS, MRCVS (pictured right) and Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD.
BSAVA Congress delegates can register for the free symposium, which also includes lunch, at www.tickettailor.com/events/purina/349478.
Libby Sheridan, MVB MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, said: "Veterinary professionals often see the consequences of sensitivities to cat allergens - which for some, it may even mean relinquishment of the pet with all the emotion attached around that event. This symposium will focus on the consequences for cat welfare and how the profession can help support their cat-owning clients through a breakthrough approach."
The new approach is based on neutralising the major cat allergen in cats' saliva, Fel d 1, through feeding a cat food coated with an egg product ingredient containing anti-Fel d 1 antibodies.
This, says the company, helps to reduce the active allergen transferred to hair and dander during grooming, and ultimately helps reduce active Fel d 1 in the environment.
Dr Sparkes is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the founding and current co-editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, the official journal of ISFM and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. He will be sharing his review of the literature around feline relinquishment.
Dr. Satyaraj is a member of the American Association of Immunologists and the American Veterinary Immunology Association and a reviewer for several journals including the British Journal of Nutrition and Arthritis & Rheumatism. He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Science in St Louis and a leading scientist at the Purina Institute. Dr Satyaraj will be focusing on the studies supporting this important area of research.
The symposium provides 1.5 hours of certified CPD. More information about the science is available at www.purinainstitute.com.
The measures agreed by RCVS Council will allow UK-practising members to spread the cost of renewal over three instalments: paying 50% of the full cost by 30th April, 25% by 30th September, and the remaining 25% by 31st December.
Kit Sturgess, Treasurer, said: “We recognise that most veterinary businesses will be seeing a downtown during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, especially as veterinary practices reduce their workloads to emergency-only procedures or those that can be classed as urgent. Furthermore, we understand that many individual veterinary surgeons will no longer be working, and that this will cause financial difficulties for many vets and their families.
"We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the profession, and as part of our compassionate approach to regulation we wanted to do our bit to help people manage the difficult financial consequences of the coronavirus crisis, and to help them to return to work as soon as Government advice allows. While fees for veterinary nurses are not due until the end of the year, we will keep the impact of the coronavirus pandemic under review on an ongoing basis.”
Any UK-practising member wishing to switch to the payment-by-instalments system should cancel their existing Direct Debits immediately (the College has already temporarily deferred these direct debits for around 10-14 days to allow time for them to be cancelled).
The College says that any member who does not pay the first instalment of 50% of the total fee by the end of April will need to pay the full amount in one instalment by the end of May. Should they then fail to make this payment, the College would then have to remove their name from the Register.
Those who pay the initial 50% instalment but fail to pay one or both of the subsequent 25% instalments will be moved to the non-practising Register for up to one year. This would mean that they could transfer back to the UK-practising Register without incurring a restoration fee. However, they would no longer legally be entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon while on the non-practising Register until they had paid the retention fee in full and been transferred back to the UK-practising Register.
RCVS Council also agreed that the higher fee that usually applies for late payments, ie those made between 1 May and 30 May, will not be applied to any category of membership this year.
Members can opt to move to the new arrangements or continue with full payment. Details of how to pay under the new arrangements will be sent to members shortly. Any member who has already paid their fee in full and would like to switch to the payment-by-instalments mechanism should contact the College on refunds@rcvs.org.uk.
Further details about the scheme are available in a detailed Frequently Asked Questions guide via www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
COMMENTIt has been argued that at a time when many veterinary surgeons have lost a significant part of their livelihood, the College should have gone further and reduced the renewal fees, at least for the period of time that vets' earning ability is compromised. I'm not qualified to judge whether the College could have afforded that, and a spokesman would only say: "...we have to work within the framework of the legislation and the statutory instrument and, given this, the measures that RCVS Council has put in place is a reasonable outcome and will assist veterinary surgeons who may be struggling during these very tough times."
The guidance has been in place since March to help practices continue to provide the public with veterinary services whilst safeguarding the health of their teams and clients.
The RCVS Council Covid-19 Taskforce reviewed the situation on 30th July and decided to extend the guidance after taking into account the pandemic’s progress, the latest government guidance, the headline results from a survey of practice experience of remote consulting, and 'other data from a number of veterinary practices'.
The Taskforce says it also considered the need to continue to provide practices with flexibility in the face of possible local or national lockdowns, the need for inclusivity of those practice teams members and clients who may still be shielding, the likelihood of quarantine of members of the team due to travel and/or Test and Trace and the fact that no major safety issues had been identified as part of the RCVS-commissioned survey into the immediate impact of the temporary guidance.
RCVS President Mandisa Greene, who chairs the Taskforce, said: “Whilst lockdown measures have been eased and matters have improved, we are far from being back to business as usual and the threat of returning to more severe lockdown measures, whether locally or nationally, is still very much alive."
The updated flowchart, along with all the College’s coronavirus guidance for the professions, is available at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
A one-day seminar entitled ‘One World, One Disease,’ will take place at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), Wimpole Street, London, on 24 June 2008.
The event, which has been jointly organised by the RSM and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), will examine some of the effects of climate change on patterns of animal health and the impact of this on humans. The meeting will provide an understanding of the complexity of the global changes that we face, and will work towards the integrated approach needed to manage the serious problems that threaten animal and human health.
About two-thirds of new infectious diseases that threaten humans come from animals. With global climate change, this looks set to increase. Now more than ever, it is important that veterinary and medical colleagues come together to discuss disease control strategies.
Speakers will include RCVS Senior Vice-President Professor Sheila Crispin, who has been instrumental in organising the conference, Caroline Lucas MEP, Professor Bob Watson, Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser, the RVC’s Professor Quintin McKellar and Lt Col Tim Brookes from the Health Protection Agency, among others.
All are welcome. Tickets are available from the Royal Society of Medicine online at http://www.rsm.ac.uk/academ/e10-oneworld.php
Vetoquinol has announced that packs of Rubenal 300mg are now available in bottles of 60 tablets instead of the previous 20.
Rubenal, which was launched earlier this year, is a complementary nutritional feeding stuff for the support of renal function in case of chronic renal insufficiency in dogs and cats. It is used as an aid to the maintenance of the normal renal fibrous architecture.
Simon Boulton, Rubenal's product manager said: "This increased pack size is a direct result of customer consultation. It will make treatment more cost effective for dogs and allow a longer treatment period per pack purchased."
For further information please contact your Vetoquinol representative or telephone 0800 1698197.
Over 100 students from Nottingham Vet Society will attempt the 3 Peaks Challenge by climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in under 24 hours on 10 March.
The funds raised will be split between VBF, the charity that supports veterinary professionals, and Medical Detection Dogs.
Online donations can be made at http://goo.gl/IkodW.
Lydia Brown, VBF President, said: "We are so grateful to the students involved who organized this off their own backs even though they don't have much free time. It augurs well for the future of the profession that they want to support their colleagues. I do hope they all make it back to Nottingham safely and I look forward to seeing the pictures on facebook.com/VetlifeVBF! "
Tom McKay, one of the students who organized the challenge, said: "We have really enjoyed the training and are reasonably optimistic we will make it back for our Easter placements!"
The company says there will be experts on hand to answer 'highly anticipated' questions about the new something.
In addition, Royal Canin Weight Management Specialists will be on the stand to help veterinary professionals tackle the number of overweight and obese cats and dogs in the UK.
The company says it'll be providing guidance and training opportunities for veterinary surgeons and vet nurses seeking support on obese and overweight pets, helping them to carry out thorough assessments and implement tailor-made treatment programmes.
As part of its continued support of the Guide Dogs charity, visitors to the stand will also be able to have a go at reading special kibble braille signs and get tips on making veterinary services more accessible.
BEVA Congress 2021 will now take place from September 4th-7th 2021.
The decision to cancel Congress 2020 was taken by BEVA Council and the Congress programme committee because of the unpredictable circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Mair, President of BEVA said: “The overriding factor in our decision-making process was to protect everyone attending Congress. We are chartering unknown territory at the moment and the additional planning requirements needed to run a large event like BEVA Congress with social distancing measures in place will take time.
“We intend for September 2021 to mark an exciting, fresh start for the profession following the harrowing experiences of 2020. It should be safe for our international speakers and delegates to attend by then, getting us all back on track with networking and world-class CPD to inspire us for the new post Covid-19 world.”
Tickets for BEVA Congress 2021 will be available later this year, more information from: www.bevacongress.org.
The theme of Congress is 'Thriving in Practice' and there are five lecture streams:
To book your ticket visit https://spvs-congress.co.uk/congress-delegate-tickets/
There are 10 candidates standing this year and vets can vote for up to three of them until 5pm on Friday 21st April 2023:
The biographies and statements for each candidate are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote23 where each candidate has also answered two questions of their choice submitted by members of the profession.
The three candidates who receive the most votes will take up their four-year terms on RCVS Council at the RCVS Annual General Meeting on Friday 7th July 2023.
Any veterinary surgeons who have not received their voting email should contact CES directly on support@cesvotes.com stating which election they intend to vote in.
Animal Friends Insurance (AFI), a not-for-profit pet insurance business, has a High Court injunction which paves the way for its customers to make a smooth transition from the company's previous underwriters, Equine and Livestock Insurance Company (E&L), to Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited.
Equine and Livestock terminated their underwriting agreement with AFI in February 2008, citing unprofitablility of the book for them as the reason.
Negotiations over the transfer of the book to Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited foundered when E&L demanded £750,000 from AFI for the transfer and for their agreement not to solicit AFI customers.
Following legal advice AFI wrote to its customers offering to renew policies with Red Sands. This spawned letters to AFI customers from E&L which caused great confusion amongst customers as to what was happening with their insurance. The letters also offered first a 10% then a 20% discount to tempt AFI customers to renew with E&L and not to stay with AFI.
AFI therefore applied for an emergency injunction to prevent E&L making further contact with AFI customers (except in agreed situations, notably claims), to stop the escalating confusion and also to require them to acknowledge renewals advised to them by AFI into Red Sands and not to take further payments on those insurances. The application was successful.
Elaine Fairfax, Managing Director and Founder of AFI said: "I am delighted at the Court ruling. It has resolved the terrible confusion that followed E&L's letters to our customers. Unfortunately we know that some customers said they would renew with E&L thinking they were staying with us! Now we can simply renew our customers' policies with our new underwriters as we had originally intended to do at no inconvenience to them as they need do nothing if they want to stay with Animal Friends. They will enjoy exactly the same policy terms and premiums as before and our underwriters will even take on existing ongoing conditions where a policyholder has lifetime cover."
She added: "Although this has been a horrible experience we are delighted to have new underwriters as they have given us authority to handle everything in-house. For vets this means that Animal Friends will now be handling claims at our Wiltshire H.Q. We have a bespoke pet claims software systems and veterinary nurse staff to give the best possible service. We have the facility to pay claims swiftly direct into a customer's bank account or direct to a vet. It is also exciting that we shall be able to draw on Hollard's* international pet insurance experience to introduce some unique new products and ideas into the UK pet insurance market in the near future."
New research amongst veterinary professionals conducted by CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of D.A.P.® and Feliway®, has revealed that pet owners may be unintentionally fuelling their pets' noise phobias in the run up to the fireworks' season.
According to CEVA's research, up to 95% react inappropriately, for example petting an anxious pet during firework exposure rather than making an effort to ignore the fireworks, thereby reassuring the animal by behaving normally.
The research also suggested that 77% of clients have never taken action to address their pets' noise phobias as fireworks' season is only an annual occurrence. This is despite evidence that noise phobias can affect pets all year round and tend to become worse over time.
In addition, if owners do seek advice from their vet for noise phobias, it is at the last minute. It is estimated that 46% of clients leave it until the day before the fireworks are due to start before seeking help.
Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health said: "Owners are not doing enough to reduce their pets' firework fears and prevent noise phobias from developing.
"Taking early, proactive action within the practice is the best way to help dogs with pre-existing firework phobias as well as those with mild fears which, if left untreated, may develop into more serious noise phobias."
CEVA Animal Health and Sound Therapy 4 Pets have once again joined forces with the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC), Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) and PDSA to launch a 'Remember, remember your pets this November' campaign to provide owners with advice on how to look after their pets during the firework season and the precautions they should take to help them cope with their fear of fireworks.
The initiative features a wide range of advice including how to use synthetic copies of natural pheromones, D.A.P. ® and Feliway®, to help comfort and reassure fearful pets, creating a comforting den for dogs to retreat to during firework exposure and treating noise phobias using behavioural therapy with the Sounds Scary desensitisation CD (which is the only behavioural therapy product for noise phobias supported by the RSPCA).
For further information, please visit www.petfireworkfear.co.uk.
Now, when you advertise a job on VetSurgeon.org, the system can send a message to all your employees (and any contacts in the profession) asking them to pass it on if they know anyone suitable, and to share the advertisement on their other social networks, such as Facebook.
As a further option, practices can also now offer a cash reward for a successful introduction leading to the post being filled. In that case, the message sent to employees and contacts lets them know that there’s a reward for their help.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "Since we relaunched VetSurgeon Jobs, I’ve noticed a correlation between the number of times that job advertisements are shared by email or on Facebook, and the success that practices have in filling the vacancy.
"Of course, there is nothing to stop you emailing staff and contacts yourself, or offering a reward. But I suspect many don’t, and my hope is that this new feature will really help focus the mind, streamline the process and ultimately help you find the person who'll fit in with your team."
"Share & Reward is another feature exclusively available on VetSurgeon Jobs, alongside the VetSurgeon Locums Map and Find Our Jobs on VetSurgeon (a badge for your website that links to just your jobs).
"There's more on the way!"