The Kennel Club has announced that it now recognises the Portuguese Pointer, bringing the total number of recognised pedigree breeds in the UK to 212.
The Portuguese Pointer is only the second new breed to be recognised by the Kennel Club in the last five years.
However, as exotic dog breeds have risen in popularity, the Kennel Club reports that many native breeds have fallen out of favour and have been put on its list of 'vulnerable native breeds'; those with less than 300 annual puppy registrations which could disappear from our streets and parks if their numbers continue to decline.
New statistics released by the Kennel Club have shown that whilst vulnerable native breeds have increased in number this year, certain breeds such as the Sealyham Terrier and Otterhound continue to decline. Recent years have seen the Old English Sheepdog and English Setter enter the 'at watch' list. Furthermore, with just 239 Pembroke Corgi registrations so far this year, it is feared the Queen's favourite breed could also become vulnerable for the first time.
By contrast, exotic breeds such as the French Bulldog and Smooth Coated Chihuahua (originally from Mexico) are increasing in popularity with 4,843 and 2,931 registrations respectively so far this year. Between 2003 and 2012 the breeds have increased by 1,232% and 700% respectively.
When the first ever Kennel Club stud book was produced in 1874, just 43 breeds were listed, including many native breeds that are now considered to be vulnerable, such as the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Clumber Spaniel, Otterhound and Skye Terrier.
Some native breeds continue to thrive, including the English Springer Spaniel, the Cocker Spaniel, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Bulldog, the Golden Retriever, and the Border Terrier, all top ten breeds. But others in the top ten are from abroad.
Visitors to Discover Dogs, which is taking place at Earls Court on November 9th and 10th will be able to meet more than 200 breeds of dog under one roof, including the vulnerable breeds and the latest pedigree dog breeds in the UK.
The newly added Turkish Kangal Dog will also be coming to the event. This breed was added earlier this year and was the first new breed to join the Kennel Club register in almost five years. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, officially recognised from 1 October 2008, was the last dog recognised by the Kennel Club prior to the two new additions for this year. Organiser of the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs event, Vanessa McAlpine, said: "The UK is lucky to have so many wonderful dog breeds, and at our Discover Dogs event people have a unique opportunity to meet more than 200 of them, including those that might never cross your path in day to day life because they are so rare, those that are new to our shores and those that have been working with people in Britain for hundreds of years."
To find out more about Discover Dogs, visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk/.
The course is aimed at veterinary professionals across Europe who want to advance their knowledge and diagnostic skills, progress their academic qualifications and gain recognition in their field.
The GPAdvCert in Small Animal Medicine is for veterinary surgeons who have already completed a General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Medicine (GPCertSAM) or a Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Small Animal Medicine.
Accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and validated by Harper Adams University, the programme will be delivered in three, five-day blocks of training by globally recognised experts in three European training centres - Sheffield, UK; Porto, Portugal and Berlin, Germany. The programme includes a practical session in which delegates will perform an upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy under the guidance of their tutor.
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director of Improve International (pictured right), said: "Delegates attending our first GPAdvCert in Small Animal Medicine will enhance their skills and confidence in dealing with complex animal medicine cases. Each module will take their knowledge beyond Postgraduate Certificate level with more in-depth and advanced content covering topics as diverse as mycobacterial and ureteric disease. They will also learn how to design a detailed diagnostic plan and build an understanding of nuances in interpreting laboratory findings to enable them to manage cases requiring complex therapeutic management with confidence."
He added: "The qualification is a natural ‘next-step’ for veterinary surgeons wanting to further progress their knowledge of small animal internal medicine. It will help them to reduce the number of patients which are referred, retaining a higher level of income for their practice and will also provide them with skills which they can pass onto their team."
Improve says the successful achievement of the GPAdvCert will enable delegates to progress from a Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine (or equivalent) to the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences in the UK, which is awarded by Harper Adams University. This can, in turn, be used towards the award of a Masters Degree (MSc) in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences.
The Vet Wellbeing Awards, which are now in their fourth year, are designed to highlight positivity within the profession by sharing stories and initiatives from veterinary workplaces that demonstrate commitment to improving staff wellbeing.
The Awards also aim to support all practices to take a structured approach towards evaluating their own wellbeing support systems.
This year, for the first time, feedback will be given to practices that enter about the areas where they are doing well and those where they can improve. The organisers hope that this change to the Awards process will encourage practices to think of wellbeing support as an area of continuous development.
However, they also hope that practices will use the entry process as an opportunity to audit wellbeing even if they don't plan to enter.
Liz Barton, SPVS Board Member, said: "Going through the entry form and evaluation process is valuable for every vet practice, even if they don’t feel they’re ready to enter the Awards just yet. Sitting down as a practice team for a few hours and working through the questionnaire is a highly useful exercise for facilitating celebrating areas where your practice is doing well for wellbeing, and also highlighting some areas for improvement for years to come."
"We recommend all practices get into the habit of going through the process annually and choosing areas to focus and improve on, to build towards better wellbeing across all areas for all staff."
There are three award categories that practices can enter depending on the number of employees: small practice (15 or fewer full time equivalent team members (FTE)), medium practice (16 to 50 FTEs) or large practice (51 or FTEs).
The Award application form covers six aspects of work that, if well-managed, can promote wellbeing and reduce the risk of work-related stress, and the Award judges will be looking for evidence of commitment to enhancing wellbeing for each of these.
They are:
Promoting physical and psychological health at work
Relationships at work
Communication at work
Career development
Workload and work scheduling
Work demands
More examples of the type of evidence and initiatives that the Awards are looking for, together with the entry form, are available on the Vet Wellbeing Awards website: https://vetwellbeingawards.org.uk.
Winning and Highly Commended practices will receive a dedicated logo and certificate for display. The winners in each category will also receive two registrations and banquet tickets for SPVS/VMG Congress 2020.
In addition to the Wellbeing Awards, the RCVS and SPVS are also running the Practice Star nominations, which are open to all veterinary practices.
These nominations aim to support practices to thank someone in their team who has gone the extra mile to make the practice a happy place to work, whether this be through introducing an initiative that makes everyone’s work life better, going out of their way to support a colleague going through a tough time, or just making everyone smile.
To enter, practices need to send in their nominee’s name, job title and contact details, and a short paragraph explaining why they have been chosen. They will then receive a certificate congratulating them for being nominated as the practice’s very own ‘Practice Wellbeing Star’.
The closing date for both the Wellbeing Award entries and Practice Star nominations is Friday 22 November 2019.
Burgess reminds everyone that RVHD2 is a highly infectious strain of RVHD with few or no visible symptoms. It is fatal and can kill within hours. RVHD2 poses a significant threat to Britain’s rabbit population and outbreaks have been reported all over the UK and Ireland meaning no area is safe.
According to the company, the most recent sales figures show that only 137,405 RVHD2 vaccinations have been distributed in the last year1. This, says the company, shows a concerning number of practices are still not stocking the necessary vaccines to protect rabbits against RVHD2 and other fatal diseases.
Rabbits who have received the combined vaccination for RVHD and myxomatosis need a separate vaccination for RVHD2.
BSAVA President Sue Paterson said: "The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) supports the Rabbit Awareness Week 'Protect and Prevent' approach to saving the lives of rabbits in the UK. The BSAVA urges all rabbit owners to get their rabbits vaccinated against this disease and encourages all practices to remind their clients of the importance of doing this."
Richard Saunders BVSc DZooMed MRCVS said: "It's important for vets to be aware of the importance of vaccinating rabbits against all 3 viral diseases: Myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD2.
"We certainly don't want rabbits to go without their annual myxomatosis vaccine: this horrible disease is very much still around. RVHD1 appears to have been overtaken by the new variant, RVHD2, but should still be vaccinated against.
"RVHD2 is a recent strain of the RVHD virus, which the Nobivac Myxo-RHD vaccine does not cover, and it is, quite literally, everywhere. Transported by inanimate objects as well as animals, it can affect both indoor and outdoor rabbits anywhere in the UK.
"If you wait until you see the first case in your area before recommending vaccination, rabbits will die, when this could be avoided.
"Remember that rabbit owners are much more likely to bury their dead pets at home than cat and especially dog owners, who generally bring their pets to a vet for cremation, and so we, as a profession, are under-aware of the incidence of the disease out there.
"RVHD2 is a core vaccination requirement, being endemic in the UK. Additionally, it’s not just a fatal disease, it’s a fatal disease with a reservoir in the wild. We strongly recommend vaccination of rabbits with either Filavac or Eravac in addition to Nobivac Myxo-RHD."
For more information on this year’s campaign and to request your RAW veterinary pack with marketing materials and free samples, visit www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk
Reference
In mid-September, the Association wrote to the RCVS expressing concern about the August extension to the temporary guidance.
In the latest update from the RCVS, the temporary measure has now been extended to 31 October but the flowchart and guidance have been updated to add some additional steps before a POM-V product can be prescribed remotely.
The BVA says that while it supported the original decision in March as a pragmatic solution and direct response to government restrictions surrounding Covid-19, it is now questioning the ongoing need for such a relaxation in the rules.
In the letter to the RCVS, the BVA also asked for a timeframe for the publication of the results of the RCVS survey of practices’ experiences of remote consulting and prescribing. The Association's own under care working group, chaired by Nigel Gibbens, has been developing a position to respond to the RCVS review.
BVA President James Russell (pictured right) said: "We understand that allowing remote prescription of POM-Vs was a necessary measure at the height of the lockdown, as practices struggled to assess patients in person.
"However, the veterinary professions have done a fantastic job in adapting to the restrictions and are now able to work safely and see patients.
"Whilst we recognise the RCVS has provided additional guidance for the remote prescribing of POM-V, we cannot currently see any reason why a new client would be unable to access in-person veterinary care in the first instance and we are asking RCVS Council to reconsider this measure when it meets in Oct.
"It makes sense to continue allowing vets to remotely prescribe for existing patients, for example if an owner is shielding, but we feel it is no longer appropriate to be remotely prescribing to animals that have never been physically examined by the vet.
“The question of whether we should be able to remotely prescribe POM-V products without first seeing an animal is an important and live debate, and we welcome the resumption of the College’s review. But the longer that temporary measures are in place, the greater the expectation from animal owners that they will always be in place, and the harder it will be to have the discussion about the best way forward.
“As a profession, we are rightly concerned about antimicrobial resistance and we pride ourselves on the responsible use of medicines. Continually extending the temporary measures without a full analysis would risk undermining our position.”
Barrettine Environmental Health has launched MiteMax, a new treatment for poultry red mite (PRM) with a physical mode of action.
Charles Phillips from Barratine said: "PRM poses a significant threat to laying hens particularly, with infestation costing the UK egg industry in excess of an estimated €3 million per annum through PRM control and lost production. In the UK, PRM is prevalent in varying percentages according to the rearing system used. Caged birds are estimated to have a variable 7.5 to 87.5 % prevalence. Free range systems are estimated to have 60 % prevalence of PRM, with organic systems higher at 78 %. Less intensive systems have a greater prevalence of PRM due to the higher number of cracks and crevices associated with a more enriched environment1."
MiteMax is applied directly to a shed’s inner surfaces via knapsack sprayer, rendering the surfaces sticky and permanently immobilising red mites that come into contact with them.
According to the company, the new product - which is designed to fit into and encourage integrated pest management practices - provides rapid knock-down of poultry red mite.
Charles added: "The physical mode of action of MiteMax makes it effective against pesticide-resistant mites. MiteMax is specifically formulated to penetrate surface dust making it highly effective at reaching mites harbouring deep in crevices."
In conjunction with robust cleansing practices, Ian Whelan an expert in physical insect control techniques says MiteMax fits neatly into an integrated pest management style of husbandry: "Using treatments with different modes of action together as part of a flock health plan ensures each one fulfils its potential."
MiteMax is available nationwide from Barrettine Environmental Health's appointed distributors.
The study, which was led by Robert Hyde MRCVS from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham, aims to create an automated diagnostic support tool for the diagnosis of herd level mastitis origin, an essential first step of the AHDB mastitis control plan.
Mastitis data from 1,000 herds’ was inputted for several three-month periods. Machine learning algorithms were used to classify herd mastitis origin and compared with expert diagnosis by a specialist vet.
The machine learning algorithms were able to achieve a classification accuracy of 98% for environmental vs contagious mastitis, and 78% accuracy was achieved for the classification of lactation vs dry period environmental mastitis when compared with expert veterinary diagnosis.
Robert said: “Mastitis is a huge problem for dairy farmers, both economically and in welfare terms. In our study we have shown that machine learning algorithms can accurately diagnose the origin of this condition on dairy farms. A diagnostic tool of this kind has great potential in the industry to tackle this condition and to assist veterinary clinicians in making a rapid diagnosis of mastitis origin at herd level in order to promptly implement control measures for an extremely damaging disease in terms of animal health, productivity, welfare and antimicrobial use."
Organisers Closer Still Media have published details of the small animal clinical sessions being held in the RVC Clinical Theatres 1, 2 and 3, and BVA’s farm theatre and equine stream (in partnership with BEVA).
Charlotte Ellicott, Head of Marketing and Content, said: “The clinical streams are shaping up to be cutting-edge this year.
"We are delighted to have the continued support of excellent CPD providers like the RVC and BVA.
"Later in the year we will also be able to supplement these key theatres with the line-ups from IDEXX’s Advanced Diagnostic Stream, IVC Evidensia’s Referral Theatre, Central CPD’s Wet Labs and many more.”
Professor Jill Maddison, Professor of General Practice at the RVC said: "We have a fantastic line-up of speakers gathering from near and far who will be delivering lectures covering all aspect of clinical practice.
"Our keynote international speaker will be Caroline Mansfield, Professional Research Fellow and Registered Specialist in Small Animal Medicine, who will be presenting six sessions covering all things gastroenterology."
British Veterinary Association President Malcolm Morley said: “This really is a remarkable programme and I would encourage all vets to take advantage of the high-quality CPD opportunities on offer at London Vet Show this year.
"We look forward to complementing these excellent clinical sessions with another round of thought-provoking BVA Congress discussions. The topics for these will be announced soon.”
Early bird tickets for the London Vet Show are on sale until 28th April for £289+VAT.
BVA and BEVA members receive further discounts.
London.vetshow.com.
BCF has announced the launch of the Vita CR x-ray system from Carestream (formerly known as Kodak).
According to the company, the system provides high quality x-ray images, seamless integration into your existing workflow and improved productivity.
BCF says the Vita is ideal for practices looking for an affordable move from chemical to digital radiographic processing and offers:
Elly Pittaway, Veterinary Surgeon and Director at Broadlane Vets in Coventry said: "The Vita produces excellent quality images, is small, compact and really easy to use. It has changed things dramatically, especially for the nurses who no longer have to use nasty chemicals with wet processing. The vets find it easy to take x-rays so are encouraged to take more as it no longer takes the time it used to."
Kimberly Palgrave, the new in-house vet at BCF said: "At BCF, we understand that the ability to take high-quality x-rays quickly and accurately improves both clinical diagnostics and practice workflow. With the Vita x-ray system you can forget about the cost of purchasing and storing film and chemicals as well as health and safety issues associated with the handling and disposal of processor chemicals.
"Using the latest technology that the Vita offers you will reduce not only the number of repeated x-rays taken due to poor radiographic technique or processing faults, but also time spent performing routine equipment maintenance. This results in improved efficiency of your staff, saving you time and money. Faster image production may also enable a shorter duration of anaesthetic/ sedation to be used, improving patient care."
For more information, visit www.bcftechnology.com or ring BCF on 01506 460023.
The BVA has paid tribute to Lord Ballyedmond, founder of the veterinary pharmaceutical company Norbrook Laboratories, after he was killed in a helicopter crash in Norfolk last Thursday.
The life peer (pictured second from left collecting a business award in 2011) founded Norbrook over 40 years ago. It became one of the biggest manufacturers of animal health products globally, and now employs more than 1000 people. Dr. Edward Haughey, as he was previously known, was ennobled in 2004.
Following his death, Norbrook issued the following statement:
"It is with sincere sadness and deep regret that the Company confirms our founding Chairman and CEO, Lord Ballyedmond, was one of four people who tragically lost their lives in an aviation accident at Gillingham, Norfolk at approximately 7.30pm on Thursday 13 March 2014.
Norbrook management and staff also mourn the loss of their friends and colleagues Declan Small (Site Foreman), Captain Carl Dickerson (Pilot) and Captain Lee Hoyle (Pilot).
Our thoughts are with the immediate families and friends of the deceased who have requested privacy at this difficult time.
We take enormous pride in our Chairman's extraordinary legacy in establishing Norbrook as a global veterinary and pharmaceutical industry leader. Management will continue to advance his pioneering vision with a renewed vigor and determination befitting his memory."
BVA President Robin Hargreaves said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Lord Ballyedmond. He has been a great supporter of the veterinary profession and of BVA, and made an enormous contribution to veterinary medicine. He built opportunity for thousands of people in Northern Ireland and around the world and had a huge commercial and industrial presence throughout my whole career. Above all Lord Ballyedmond was a family man and all our thoughts are with his wife and children at this time."
BVA Scottish Branch President Grace Webster said: "We commend the Scottish Government on seizing the opportunity to improve animal welfare through the introduction of a Bill to ban of the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. While the use of wild animals in travelling circuses may not affect a great number of individual animals, it is emblematic of the way we treat all animals and we would urge the rest of the UK to follow this precedent, introduced on ethical grounds.
"However, this package of measures seems a bit of a mixed bag. Until recently Scotland also led the way on dog welfare with a complete ban on tail docking, so we are extremely disappointed at the decision to reverse this stance. We have carefully considered all the evidence and remain convinced that tail docking in dogs, even specific breeds, is detrimental to their welfare. This is a retrograde step for animal welfare in Scotland, amidst an otherwise progressive package of animal welfare measures."
At the end of May, BVA Scottish Branch Junior Vice President Melissa Donald will be giving evidence to the Environment Committee in the Scottish Parliament ahead of a vote on whether or not to approve the change in law relating to tail docking.
Today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham MSP also included the introduction of controls to restrict the use of electronic training collars and a commitment to update regulations to combat the irresponsible breeding and sale of dogs, cats and rabbits.
Gudrun Ravetz, BVA President, added: "Animal welfare starts right at the beginning of a pet’s life, so the focus on pet licensing and breeding regulations is welcome. We know that a third of vets are seeing puppies they believe to have been illegally imported and an increasing number of owners are buying brachycephalic or designer breeds, like Scottish fold cats; pets must be purchased with owners prioritising animal health and welfare, rather than making an impulse buy based on looks alone.
"Yet we are saddened at the shortfall on legislation around aversive training aids for dogs, which we expect will still permit the use of training collars under expert guidance. We know using fear as a training tool is not only less effective than positive reinforcement, but can take its toll on a dog’s overall welfare. Without an outright ban, we have grave concerns over how enforceability will work. This raft of measures seems to give with one hand and take away with the other."
As part of the partnership between the two companies, anyone who takes part in one of Improve's CPD courses in 2018 will be entitled to 6 months' half-price pet insurance from Agria.
Online Bitesize CPD modules cover topics including: cardiology, ophthalmology, small animal medicine, feline medicine and exotic animals. Modules are 20, 40 or 60 minutes in length and provide veterinary professionals with interactive experiences which count toward annual CPD requirements in short convenient bursts, earning digital badges and certificates to demonstrate total CPD achieved.
Nick White, Head of Veterinary Channel at Agria, said: "We’re delighted that our partnership with Improve International will give veterinary professionals free, instant access to high-quality and engaging CPD. Not only are the modules available varied and highly relevant, the 'bitesize' nature of the training makes it extremely convenient for busy practice staff to access.
"This is a great incentive for any practices not yet working with Agria to get onboard. As well as benefitting from free CPD, practices will also be working with a specialist lifetime insurer offering 5 weeks free insurance policies and much more for clients and their pets."
For more information, contact your Agria Business Development Manager or visit: www.agriapet.co.uk/bitesize and complete the Contact Us section, using 'FREE CPD' in the subject line of the enquiry box.
All vets are encouraged to take part, and everyone who does will get a copy of the results.
The survey covers small animal, large animal and equine in all aspects of preventative health care and surgery.
It also looks at repeat prescription charges, the routine use of analgesia and antibiotics in neutering and lab interpretation fees, comparing them to last year.
https://surveys.spvs.org.uk
Researchers and practitioners working in any field of academia, industry and/or clinical practice are invited to apply for an award of up to £2,000 to fund a research project relevant to the aims of the VMG, which represents veterinary professionals working in leadership and management roles.
The VMG says it has launched the scheme to help veterinary leaders embrace the challenges and opportunities faced by the sector and to help them to continue to meet patient needs effectively while remaining profitable.
VMG Junior Vice President Mr Richard Casey said: "Business landscapes are changing and the veterinary world is no exception. The VMG is ideally placed not only to support our members but also to help the wider profession. We hope that our grant scheme will support research that enhances our understanding of contemporary veterinary business, leadership and management and helps us to develop a solid evidence base for best practice. We are looking forward to receiving some exciting proposals."
Further information, including the Stage 1 application form and guidance notes, are available here: https://www.vetmg.com/vmg-research-awards/
The deadline for applications is 19 July 2019.
The theme for this year's event, which takes place on 7th November, is the cornea. Lectures will include 'Medical Cornea', 'Cross Linking' and 'Surgical Cornea'. There will be Q&A sessions after each one.
Amongst the speakers are Chris Dixon, CertOphthal MRCVS MRCVS from Veterinary Vision Ophthalmic referrals, Christine Heinrich, RCVS & European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology from the Eye Clinic and Sara Thomasy, Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of California from UC Davis University.
As is customary, abstracts will be presented throughout the day.
Tickets are £100 +VAT, or £60+Vat for students, interns and veterinary nurses: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/bravo-virtual-winter-conference-2020-tickets/
The course was developed with RCVS Leadership and Inclusion Manager, Gurpreet Gill (pictured), and aims to increase self-awareness of unconscious bias, explore strategies to reduce it, and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Gurpreet said: “Unconscious bias is an area that some within the professions may not be familiar with and so this course provides an overview of unconscious bias and its impact in the workplace.
“We also explore strategies that we can all apply to help reduce unconscious bias.
"This is important in helping to achieve fairer and more equitable working environments, and I’d encourage any veterinary professional, whatever your role, to undertake the course.”
The course is accessible free via the RCVS Academy, and takes about an hour and three quarters to complete,
Building on the unconscious bias course, the RCVSA academy has also launched a course for members of the Fellowship Credentials Panels, who are responsible for assessing applications to the Fellowship.
Dr Niall Connell FRCVS, Acting Chair of the Fellowship Board, the governing body for the learned society, said: “This course explores the complexities of assessing applications, ensuring that each candidate receives a fair and thorough evaluation.
"Participants will gain insights into best practices for reviewing applications, offering constructive feedback, and identifying and addressing potential biases that may influence decision-making.
"By completing this course, participants will gain a heightened proficiency in assessing applications and managing bias, enabling them to support the RCVS’ mission of fostering equity, diversity and inclusion within the Fellowship.”
https://academy.rcvs.org.uk
Six mixed-practice veterinary surgeons with over 200 combined years of experience have published a book of veterinary tips which they have collected from practising vets all over the UK in order to raise funds for VBF - the charity that supports veterinary professionals.
Alan Jeans, one of the authors, said: "The tips are ideas and techniques that we all use every day in practice but are the kind of thing that you only learn on the job. A range of vets from recent graduates through to veterinary teaching staff have checked the tips for suitability and, although many of the tips are aimed at new or recent graduates, vets of all ages and levels of experience will find plenty of very useful advice.
"The collection started as a 10-tip presentation on an annual CPD sailing trip in Turkey (pictured right) and grew from there. Throughout our careers we have all been impressed by the way that VBF has stepped in to help some of our colleagues in the profession through personal difficulties so we are delighted that we have found a way to fundraise for them."
Nick Short, VBF Director, said: "We are so grateful to all the authors listed in the book for their efforts on VBF's behalf. The tips can either be purchased as a complete collection in paperback by sending a suggested donation of £10 to VBF, 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ or you can subscribe to receive regular e-tips on the Vetlife website at www.vetlife.org.uk.
We will also be taking pre-orders at BCVA Congress where VBF is going to be on the BCVA stand this year together with some of the veterinary surgeons who collected the tips.
Bradley Viner reviewed the book. He said: "I defy anyone, however long qualified, to honestly say that they did not learn something worthwhile from this little treasure of a book. And the cartoons are a great giggle as well!"
The book also received good reviews from two BVA Past Presidents. Peter Jinman said: "This little gem of a book is a distillate of the 'art' of veterinary medicine written by those who daily use the science for the benefit of animals under their care." Carl Padgett said: "A great little book. Easy to read and full of those tips that rarely make the covers of academic texts. Tricks old and new that help get the job done written by those that are doing the job."
Certified B Corps are companies that meet exceptionally high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
The process examines a company’s full range of processes, from supply chain to charitable giving and employee benefits.
Other well-known names that have achieved B Corp status include Patagonia, The Body Shop, BrewDog, TOMS, Ben and Jerry’s and Innocent Drinks.
Dr Caroline Collins, from Pennard Vets, said: “We’re extremely proud to achieve B Corp status and there’s no doubt that it will be transformational for the business, in the same way that becoming an employment ownership trust has been.
"Being employee owned and socially minded is a huge draw for vets and nurses seeking a change in their career, who want to be part of an organisation where they can have a real say in the running of the practice and make a tangible difference to the environment.
“It also means that we can now make very long-term decisions, that could even take several decades to pay off, which would be very difficult to do in a traditional shareholder business, and that gives our team the authority to always do the right thing.”
The 1CPD homepage now displays two progress bars: one to track the number of CPD hours currently achieved and recorded, and another to show how many hours have been reflected on.
Once the number of required CPD hours has been recorded and reflected on, a message appears to tell the user that they're CPD compliant.
This change will not affect existing CPD records, and all previously inputted activities and reflections will remain in the system.
Jenny Soreskog-Turp, RCVS Lead for Postgraduate Education, said: “We hope that the changes to the 1CPD platform will allow people to track their CPD more easily.
"A key element in outcomes-focused CPD includes reflecting on what you have learned as this is known to have a positive impact on both personal professionalism and patient-health outcomes.
“It should be noted that any CPD you have already undertaken for this year but have not yet reflected on will still remain in the system.
"However, in order to be compliant for 2023, you must reflect on every CPD activity completed.
"If you have completed your hours but have not reflected, this will show as non-compliant.
"In order to make those hours count, you simply need to go back and add your reflections.
"This doesn’t have to be a long and onerous task – uploading audio notes, adding an attachment, or writing a few notes stating what you learnt and how you will use this newly acquired knowledge moving forward will all suffice.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd
Dechra says necrotic enteritis can be treated with a variety of therapeutic antibiotics but that the first choice antibiotics¹ for treatment are narrow spectrum antibiotics, like phenoxymethylpenicillin.
Phenocillin is an 800 mg/g powder for use in drinking water. It is lactose free, and Dechra says its high solubility makes it ideal for concentrated stock solutions and convenient for modern poultry farming. There is a zero withdrawal time so egg production is unaffected.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: “Necrotic enteritis is the most common bacterial disease in modern broiler flocks that can be financially devastating for farmers.
"The high concentration means easy dosage and handling with less waste and the lactose free formula reduces the risk of biofilm development resulting in a high quality and effective product, supporting the responsible use of antimicrobials.
"Phenocillin is a highly effective treatment and we anticipate it will become the preferred solution for veterinary professionals and end users to treat this disease that can very suddenly devastate broiler flocks."
For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/2nAboGU
New subject areas include emergency planning, traffic accidents, excessive bleeding, seizures, poisonings, choking and breathing problems, caesareans, GDV and abdominal emergencies, and pain assessment and management.
ECC is the first element of the new Practical and Clinical Skills section of the BSAVA’s online Professional Development Phase (PDP) Resource Bank, and takes the total to more than 100 hours of free online CPD support matched directly to the RCVS PDP competences.
The BSAVA PDP resource bank is designed to help veterinary surgeons to enhance practice expertise, develop their practices’ professional and business skills, and advance an ethos of reflective learning and continuous professional development (CPD) alongside veterinary expertise.
Members can pick and choose the most appropriate content for their professional development from more than 250 resources in multiple formats to suit a range of learning preferences, including short ‘how to’ videos, webinars written by and featuring veterinary specialists, podcasts, documents and interactive PDFs and web links.
BSAVA President John Chitty said: "BSAVA continues to lead the way in CPD learning resources and this easily accessible and flexible PDP Resource Bank has proven very popular in helping members to meet the challenges of delivering 21st century veterinary medicine."
The BSAVA PDP Resource Bank content is reviewed by committee and there will be ongoing development of new resources – including employer specific resources for practices supporting new graduates.
For more information visit www.bsava.com/pdp
The kit contains the ergonomically designed Henke-Sass Wolf injector with an adjustable dose selector, five single piece Intranasal RSP nozzles – with ‘luer’ lock attachment, which supports easier removal, cleaning and/or replacement – and instructions for use.
For more information, contact your local MSD Animal Health account manager.
The definition agreed by VN Council is as follows:
Veterinary nursing aims to ease the suffering and pain of animals, and to improve their health and welfare.
This includes providing any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) to animals under the direction of a veterinary surgeon who has that animal under their care.
Veterinary nursing can be either proactive or reactive, and autonomous or collaborative. It is carried out in a wide variety of settings, for animals at all life stages, and considers the background and needs of the animal’s owner or keeper.
Matthew Rendle RVN, the Chair of VN Council, said: “Although it is just a few short lines, this definition of veterinary nursing has been in the pipeline for some time.
"While we as veterinary nurses have always been able to define ourselves by the type of tasks we carry out, or our relation to veterinary surgeons in terms of delegation, there hasn’t necessarily been a clear statement articulating the art and science of veterinary nursing.
“With the RCVS looking to expand its regulatory remit to include other veterinary paraprofessionals over the long term, we thought it was particularly important that we set out the stall for veterinary nursing and we hope that this clear statement will, in particular, aid the public in understanding the role of a veterinary nurse.
“It should be noted that this definition is VN Council’s own considered interpretation of the art and science of veterinary nursing.
"Other interpretations from other organisations, provided they conform with both Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, could sit comfortably alongside ours, and we hope there continues to be healthy discussion about the contribution of the profession to the veterinary team, as our role evolves.”
Vets Now Referrals has launched a new specialist veterinary referral service to serve Aberdeen and the North.
Richard Coe MA VetMB CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS (pictured right) and Professor Stuart Carmichael BVMS MVM DSAO MRCVS will attend Ardene House Veterinary Hospital in Aberdeen on a monthly rotational basis to offer specialist care to pets from the area. Richard is a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery and Professor Carmichael is an internationally recognised expert in veterinary orthopaedics.
By bringing these two specialist surgeons to Aberdeen, it will mean that vets can refer their clients to have their initial consultations and diagnoses locally by either Richard or Stuart, reducing the need for a lengthy journey to Vets Now Referrals in Glasgow where they are usually based. Vets Now says that where possible, treatment plans will be carried out in Aberdeen, however complex treatments may require the facilities and high tech equipment at its Glasgow Hospital.
Any vet wishing to make an enquiry about referring to Richard or Stuart should call 01224 478 041. Further information about the service can also be found on www.vetsnowreferrals.com/aberdeen.
Tricia Colville, Hospital Manager of Vets Now Referrals, Glasgow, said: "We are delighted to now be able to offer our specialist service for vets in the North of Scotland to utilise for their clients. The Vets Now Referrals Hospital in Glasgow has been so successful since it opened over a year ago, benefiting hundreds of pets and their owners. Bringing the service to Aberdeen and the surrounding region will provide vets with local access to Richard Coe and Professor Stuart Carmichael who are both renowned in their fields and for their clients this provides a convenient option which will greatly reduce time-consuming, distressing and costly journeys for them."
Pfizer has repeated it's call for veterinary practice staff to take part in its Vet Support+ independent, industry-wide survey of employee engagement.
The survey gives practice team members, who are not partners or owners, the chance to have their say about their role and career and the future of the profession. Participants are asked to consider how they feel towards their practice and delve into issues on teamwork and communication, management techniques, personal development opportunities and working environment.
More than 3,000 vet practice staff have already completed the survey, a phenomenal early response which suggests practice employees are keen to have their voices heard. However, the closing date for the survey isn't till Friday 29th July, so if you haven't yet had a chance to do the survey, there is still time.
Pfizer Business Consultant, Vanessa Wilson, has more than 20 years experience helping businesses, teams and individuals achieve their goals. She is not surprised at the significant early response: "Questions on the level of employee engagement and satisfaction come up all the time in the work we do with practices. I'm not surprised that staff are using this opportunity to have their voice heard.
"Once completed, this survey will provide some very useful data and direction for the industry as a whole and I'd like to think it will identify opportunities for both individual career development and practice growth."
All members of staff employed within a practice who have not received a mailing and wish to participate are welcome to respond online. http://www.noesis-mi.com/surveys/employeesurvey/.
Pfizer says the findings, which are expected to be released in the autumn, will deliver a national and regional view of the current employee engagement landscape.
For further information about Vet Support+ Business Services from Pfizer visit www.vetsupportplus.co.uk.