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The web based app, which has been launched in association with the BSAVA, provides a library of medical summaries drawn from global guidelines and peer-reviewed journals.
Vet2Vet co-founder Dr Zoe Coker said “There is rarely time during the working day to read all the necessary journals, articles and up-to-date texts. VETbytes collates all the evidence on a specific medical condition and consolidates it into a short synopsis called a Keep it Simple Summary (KISS)."
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “BSAVA is excited and proud to be involved in the VETbytes project, which should provide significant benefits and support for our members. Every busy small animal clinician should try out VETbytes as it is a real paradigm shift in mobile resources for vets.”
The VETbytes app currently covers more than 100 topics developed in consultation with more than 25 veterinary experts. Further benefits include drug (and CRI) calculators, a quick reference section and links to hundreds of source abstracts. The content encourages reflective learning and can be used towards CPD hours.
VETBytes is available on subscription with reduced rates for BSAVA members and free access for veterinary students.
To start a free trial or subscribe to the VETbytes app, visit www.vetbytes.co.uk.
Jonathan Hill, UK country manager at Dômes Pharma said: "Dômes Pharma is really excited to be extending our pet anxiety range to help vets manage cases in this complex area.
https://domespharma.co.uk/products/fluoxevet/
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 Association says it has produced the leaflet after seeing an increasing number of dogs diagnosed with clinical or subclinical infection, along with reports of its zoonotic impact.
The document outlines the most important considerations concerning B. canis including transmission, diagnosis, management, public health implications and legislative requirements.
It takes into consideration information available from relevant Government Departments.
BSAVA says the document is by no means exhaustive but is intended to provide useful information and signpost to further resources.
www.bsavalibrary.com/brucella_canis
Photo: Walker16/Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0.
CEVA Animal Health has extended its behavioural range of products with the launch of Senilife®, a nutritional supplement which is specifically formulated to help manage signs of brain ageing in dogs and cats.
Senilife® contains a combination of three essential brain nutrients - phosphatidylserine, vitamin B6 and vitamin E - which the company says help maintain membrane fluidity and normalise neurotransmission. In addition, two natural but potent anti-oxidants - gingko biloba and resveratrol - support brain metabolism and help to neutralise free radicals and reduce amyloid deposits.
According to CEVA, common signs of brain ageing in dogs and cats include playing or interacting less, barking or howling at night, loss of house-training/litter box training, apathy or increased tiredness and disorientation. A study has shown that up to 75% of dogs over seven years of age and 35% of cats 11 years and over suffer from at least one geriatric behavioural problem1.
In a recent clinical study, 86% of owners were satisfied with the results achieved after one month of using Senilife®, with 73% of dog owners and 67% of cat owners noticing fewer signs of brain ageing within the first seven days2.
Juliet Penaliggon, small animal marketing manager at CEVA Animal Health, says: "Many typical signs of brain ageing in dogs can be controlled by nutritional management. Senilife® is a fast-acting, nutritional supplement that contains proven nutrients and neuroprotectives to help manage these signs."Senilife® capsules are easy to administer either directly into the mouth of the pet or emptied onto the pet's food."
For further information, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.
References1 Behaviour problems in geriatric pets. Lansberg G and Araujo J. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 35 (2005) 675-698.2 Isaka N, Baysse B, Lopez A, Ovaert P and Penaliggon J. CABSTG Spring Meeting April (2009).
No word on the absolute number of 'concerns', but they included:
Jennie Jones, Head of VCMS and Partner at Nockolds Resolution (pictured right), said: "The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown period has impacted many pet owners and veterinary practices. The increased use of remote consultations, and online and remote prescription services has been a great help to many during this time, but it also has its challenges as we all adapt to different ways of working. At the VCMS, we are well-equipped to take on complaints that eventuate in these circumstances, drawing on our past experience with prescription-related grievances and their resolution."
During 2018-19, the VCMS concluded 88% of complaints mediated using the ADR process developed by Nockolds.
Nockolds says it anticipates a rise in prescription-related complaints, and welcomes communication from practices and clients regarding these or any other vet-related complaints. Visit: http://www.nockolds.co.uk
Avishield IB G1-13 is indicated for active immunisation of chicks to reduce the adverse effect on cilia caused by infectious bronchitis.
The vaccine is one of two targeting the IBV 793B serotype and, with the addition of this new claim, Avishield can now be administrated on broiler, broiler breeder and laying hen farms.
Avishield IB GI-13 is a lyophilisate for oculonasal suspension/use in drinking water which contains live avian infectious bronchitis virus variant strain V-173/11: 102.7-104.6 EID50.
It has an onset of immunity 10 days after vaccination and a duration of immunity of 56 days.
Johnny Wells West, poultry key account manager at Dechra Veterinary Products, said: “The new licence extension for Avishield IB G1-13 allows greater flexibility for poultry producers to protect their flocks against infectious bronchitis on broiler, broiler breeder and laying hen farms and it is welcome news for both Dechra and the poultry industry.”
For more information contact Johnny Wells West on 07584 175758 or visit http://www.dechra.co.uk/Avishield IB G1-13
At the heart of the new system is a transportable monitor (pictured right) which starts automatically after you connect two sensors and press the power button.
The system uses the handheld Darvall H100N Pulse Oximeter, which uses Nellcor OxiMax pulse oximetry technology.
It also comes with veterinary blood pressure NIBP small animal cuffs which are designed for accurate pressure detection in exotic animals, cats, and all sizes of dog.
Completing the Darvall Express system is the Darvall Capnograph which continuously measures the EtCO2 and respiratory rate, and features EtCO2 waveform Cardiac Oscillation artifact detection, for correct respiratory rate determination.
There's a default system set-up for cats and small dogs, a colour-coded display and a ten-hour battery life.
Darvall says the monitor has been thoroughly tested at veterinary practices in Australia, where it displayed outstanding performance in small dogs and cats, which are notoriously difficult to get reliable readings.
Darvall founder, Dr Colin Dunlop said: “Anaesthetic monitoring plays a vital role in keeping patients safe, giving peace of mind to the hospital veterinary team, and boosting pet owner confidence in the care their pet is receiving.
"This is vitally important when you remember mortality in veterinary patients is many times higher than in human hospital practice”.
http://www.aasmedical.co.uk
New research from the Animal Health Trust (AHT), published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, shows that equine obesity is an increasing but under-recognised welfare issue in the UK.
Data collected from 785 horses and ponies (31% of which were classified as obese), over a two-year period between 2009 and 2011, has been used to explore various elements that contribute to the risk of obesity in British horses and ponies.
The research, funded by World Horse Welfare, identified several factors which may increase the risk of being obese. Pony breeds, particularly UK native breeds and heavier horses such as draught and cobs types were all significantly more likely to be obese compared to Thoroughbred horses. Charlotte Robin, Research Assistant at the AHT and lead author of the paper, said: "Native breeds may be genetically better adapted to survive in harsh conditions, having a so-called thrifty genotype, increasing their risk of obesity when maintained in an environment where food is of better quality and more readily available."
Horses that were described by their owners as readily being able to gain weight or being "good doers" were more than three times more likely to be obese, compared to those that normally maintained weight.
The research also highlighted various links to human obesity. Charlotte said: "In humans, obesity is associated with poor health status and chronic health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disease and arthritis. Similar associations between obesity and adverse health events have been described in equines."
Similarly in humans, exercise significantly improves insulin sensitivity, and it is thought the same "dose-response" effect is mirrored in horses. For example, the AHT's research highlighted that the risk of obesity is greater in pleasure or non-ridden horses, with pleasure horses being more than twice as likely to be obese and non-ridden horses being nearly three times more likely to be obese. Competition animals will receive increased exercise at a higher intensity and be fitter than non-competition animals, further reducing the risk of obesity. Charlotte added: "Competition horses are likely to be managed in different ways compared to non-competition or non-ridden animals and this may also contribute to the reduced risk of obesity within this sub-population."
World Horse Welfare's Deputy Head of UK Support, Sam Chubbock said: "Excess weight is one of the greatest challenges facing horse owners in the UK today, which is why we supported this vital research. Being overweight can be just as much, if not more, of a health concern as being underweight. In our experience it can take three times longer to get an overweight horse back to optimum condition than it can a thin horse. Moreover, a previously obese horse's weight will need to be managed for the rest of its life, even after the weight has come off, and they are likely to suffer long-term effects. Managing a horse prone to weight gain can be incredibly difficult and this is why our Right Weight project provides practical guidance for owners on how to assess and manage their own horse's weight."
The AHT says its obesity research has helped to highlight obesity as a significant equine welfare issue and provided valuable information for owners. People frequently misclassify their own weight or body shape, and this phenomenon also applies to perceptions about our pets' weight. Dog and horse owners have been demonstrated to underestimate their animals' weight, suggesting the prevalence of obesity in this study is likely to be an underestimation.
Charlotte said: "It is possible that in certain breeds, being overweight or obese has been normalised to a certain extent. Owners may find it easier to identify an overweight Thoroughbred, compared to an overweight cob or native pony.
"Helping owners identify when their horse is overweight or obese is an essential aspect of reducing the welfare impact of equine obesity."
Reference
The decision was made after Council heard increasing reports that practices have not been keeping records of POM-V parasiticide prescriptions within patient records as has always been required by the VMD.
This created a bit of a problem when the new 'under care' guidance came into force at the start of this month, which requires that veterinary surgeons must perform a physical examination as part of their initial clinical assessment of an animal before prescribing POM-V anti-parasitics.
Failing a record of an existing prescription, that would have meant re-examining large numbers of animals at a time when resources in the profession are already stretched.
RCVS President, Sue Paterson, said: “While it has been both surprising and disappointing to learn of such widespread non-compliance with legislation that has been in place for many years, Council decided to postpone the implementation of this one aspect of our new under care guidance to allow practices additional time to bring their prescribing protocols into line."
The delayed implementation date of 12 January 2024 relates only to the prescription of POM-V anti-parasitics.
The rest of the new under care guidance remains in effect from 1 September 2023
The ‘Advances in Diabetes’ module, taking place at BSAVA Congress 2024 in Manchester Central, will offer delegates the chance to hear first-hand from the clinical researchers and specialists who have used these drugs, such as Dr Ellen Behrend, Prof Ian Ramsey, Prof Stijn Niessen, and Dr Anna Lena Kramer.
Stijn said: “Although not suited as a sole therapeutic for dogs, the current data suggests that a majority of diabetic cats could be treated with once daily oral formulations of these drugs.
“Some of the past barriers to successful long term diabetic treatment included the owner having to inject insulin twice daily and having to watch for hypoglycaemia.
"These lifelong impacts on the owner’s lifestyle are now being taken away.”
Delegates will also be able to learn about advances in the monitoring of canine diabetes, such as the use of Freestyle Libre monitors and haemoglobin A1c, as well as a review of recent developments and management practices for ‘complicated’ cases.
Stijn added: “Gone are the days that we saw diabetes mellitus as a disease; instead, it is the consequence of one or many diseases.
“As such we now ought to approach diabetic cases with a much more open mind and being willing to try and determine the exact aetiology of the diabetes mellitus, doing so can pay off and prevent a diabetic case from becoming a complicated case.”
Ellen added: “Although diabetic ketoacidosis is no more common with the use of SGLT2-inhibitors, it is more likely to be euglycemic with a blood glucose <13.9 mmol/L.
"The recognition of euglycemic ketoacidosis and the correct approach of treatment is crucial.”
Stjn concluded: “Each patient is an individual and therefore diagnosis, treatment and monitoring practices should be adapted to the individual pet-owner combination.
Vets must adjust their approaches significantly when using these drugs, the ‘Advances in Diabetes’ module will provide an in-depth look at these adjustments.”
Delegates will also be able to get their hands on the brand new fifth edition of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endocrinology, which includes a chapter on feline diabetes mellitus that discusses various treatments including the use of SGLT2-inhibitors.
Jacquie Rand, author of the chapter said: “SGLT2-Inhibitors will be a game-changer for diabetic cats and their owners. However, it is important that cats are diagnosed earlier in the disease process while some insulin secretory capacity is present, for these to be used as the sole drug therapy.”
The BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endocrinology will be available to purchase on the BSAVA Publications Stand in the Exhibition Hall. ‘Advances in Diabetes’ will take place on Thursday 21st March in the Exchange Hall.
Registration for BSAVA members starts at £115 +VAT for a one-day event pass.
https://www.bsavacongress.com.
Illustration: What a presentation about SGLT2-Inhibitors might look like (this has been photoshopped)
This pilot was originally launched in February 2017 to trial proposed changes to CPD, which would concentrate less on hours logged and more on interactive, reflective learning and measuring the impact that CPD has on the individual’s practice and patient health outcomes.
Some 115 veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses volunteered, with 60 attending an induction days at the College’s office last year.
The College says the response to its proposals was largely positive, and at its meeting on 2 November 2017 RCVS Council agreed to an extension of the pilot for a further six-to-nine months, in order to increase the breadth of views on the changes and gather further evidence on its impact.
The proposed model for CPD has four key components: planning, doing, recording and reflecting. While an overall majority of the 3,357 people who responded to the College’s 2016 consultation agreed with the proposed changes to the CPD requirement, certain elements received less support than others.
The lowest amount of support was received for the ‘reflection’ component with 35% of respondents disagreeing with it.
Shona McIntyre MRCVS, a teaching fellow in small animal medicine at the University of Surrey and the practitioner representative on the CPD Pilot Working Group, said: "As a general practitioner involved in the initial phase of the CPD pilot I was thrilled that we had so many from the profession engage with the consultation, and later with the pilot.
"By extending the pilot further we are looking to get an even wider range of views on board and fine-tune how we will be asking members of the profession to engage with the reflection element of the proposals. We are looking for a mix of those who support the proposals and those who have a ‘healthy scepticism’ about them and I can only encourage those not yet involved to consider signing up for the extended pilot and make their voice heard."
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Naila Hassanali, RCVS CPD Officer, via cpd@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0701.
Volunteers will be supported by RCVS staff throughout the trial.
Further information, including the CPD Policy Working Party’s response to the consultation, is available on the College website: www.rcvs.org.uk/cpdconsultation/.
The new sections will sit alongside the Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) pages within the Practical and Clinical Skills section of the bank.
Dental subject areas include diagnosis, radiography and surgery. The new exotic subject areas include an overview, birds, small mammals and reptiles. Surgery subject areas include anaesthesia, peri-operative planning, abdominal surgery, ECC/trauma and post-surgical care.
New grad Ellie Morris MRCVS said: "There are some really good videos on emergency surgeries such as the A-Z of GDV, so when we’ve had quieter days I’ve had chance to look at some of these particularly excellent resources and I feel much more prepared for that situation.
"After watching the Anaesthesia of the Caesarean Section webinar, I discussed what I’d learned with my colleagues and how it compared to their approach. I’ve not done a caesarean yet, but I feel a lot more prepared for when the time does come."
BSAVA President Phil Lhermette said: "This fantastic resource is free to all our members with some sections open to non-members - especially employers, and is growing all the time providing great support for the whole profession at every stage of their career.
"The content is reviewed by committee who are currently helping to expand the Mentor & Employer pages, for practices supporting new graduates, which will be added to the site next."
For more information visit: www.bsava.com/pdp
On day one, Laura Playforth, IVC Evidensia’s Group Quality Improvement Director, will be looking at psychological safety and the adoption of a safety-critical culture in veterinary practice.
Sayaka Okushima from Pride Veterinary Referrals and Sarah Heath, IVC's Director of Sustainability, will be discussing the use of anaesthetic gases and ways to reduce them.
Other talks on day one will include: ‘Vets vs Nurses: Are we Blurring the Lines?’ and ‘The Criminal Underworld and Animal Welfare’.
On the second day, IVC referral clinicians will present lectures on various subjects, from handling emergency situations to mastering diagnostic testing equipment in first opinion practice.
David Owen, a Referral ECC Clinician at Vets Now in Manchester, will be talking about talking about emergency dyspnoea cases and how veterinary colleagues can cope with challenging situations efficiently.
Frances Bird, a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery at Pride Veterinary Referrals, will be closing out the day with a discussion on treating respiratory disease from a surgeon’s perspective.
For the full programme, visit: https://london.vetshow.com/conference-programme?&filters.LOCATION=63903&searchgroup=ADD5CDE8-conference-programme-2023
Tom graduated from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in 2017 and joined Synergy Farm Health full-time in 2018, after completing his postgraduate diploma (PGDipVCP) with the RVC.
Nominated by his practice, Tom is described as a fine example of a dedicated caring professional who is passionate about sustainability, has a keen sense of his clients’ needs, and has developed strong working relationships with the farms under his care.
The judging panel found that Tom uses data effectively in herd health planning to highlight areas of improvement, working in partnership with his clients to promote disease prevention and profitability.
Tom’s clients spoke of his knowledge and caring attitude and how much he is valued as part of their team.
Tom said: “It was a privilege to be a part of the awards and to see farmers and businesses acknowledged - farmers don’t always get the recognition they deserve and seeing British dairying showcased was amazing.
"I hope winning is reward for the time and effort colleagues at Synergy put into young vets too, and that I can put it to good use supporting clients and working with other organisations within the dairy industry.
"My aim as a vet has been simply to support clients the best I could, both clinically and emotionally, so to have won made it a fantastic night and one I won’t be forgetting!”
The runner up as Charlie Mays of LLM Vets, who the judging panel praised for making effective changes on farm towards preventive healthcare and using data to assist with health and profitability.
Charlie also lobbies government to support the interests of the farmer and the industry.
Sabrina Jordan from Virbac said: ‘Virbac has been supporting dairy vets with products and services for over 50 years and recognise the commitment of young dairy vets to the profession.
"The standard of nominations into this category was outstanding, and our winner and highly commended nominees are a true credit to the veterinary profession, both are shining lights of the future’.
Vygon Vet has launched a procedural custom pack service.
Vygon Vet's procedural custom packs contain all the single-use devices required for a specific procedure enclosed within a sterile wrap. Components available include draping material, theatre clothing, swabs, kidney dishes, forceps etc. Vygon Vet says the service has been developed to reduce infection risks, but also to help manage staff resources more effectively and identify total procedure costs for billing purposes.
The first custom pack is now being used by the team of clinicians at Charter Veterinary Hospital. Dave Tittle BVetMed MRCVS said "The pack contains everything we need, designed to our specification, and will save us theatre preparation time and added expense".
A number of customers have committed themselves to the new service and by the end of 2010 Vygon Vet aims to have many more practices on board. The custom pack service supports Vygon Vet's range of theatre draping packs already available.
For more information, visit www.vygonvet.co.uk
Petplan has announced that nominations for its 2015 Veterinary Awards will open on 1st September 2014.
The awards, which are designed to recognise members of the veterinary profession who have gone 'above and beyond' in their daily roles, will be presented on 9th April 2015.
Petplan's Acting Head of Marketing, Ingrid Wakefield said: "At Petplan, we hear from our customers every day about the exceptional care veterinary staff have given to their pets. The Veterinary Awards provide an opportunity for Petplan to show their support for members of the veterinary profession who go beyond the call of duty in their role, and for pet owners across the UK to say thank you to the veterinary staff who have helped them and their pets."
Last year Petplan received more than 12,000 nominations, with every nominee receiving a certificate of recognition for their hard work.
Nominations can be made at www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards, from the start of September.
The partnership includes a minimum donation of £10,000 which the company hopes to bolster with additional volunteering and fundraising support.
Gerard Ensink, Head of Animal Health UK and Ireland at Boehringer Ingelheim said: “We are truly delighted to be supporting StreetVet.
“There is already so much passion for the charity within our company.
"Even before we announced this charity partnership, several of our colleagues have been volunteers with StreetVet in a personal capacity.
"We look forward to supporting StreetVet and believe that together we can make a real difference to individuals and their pets who are experiencing homelessness.”
https://www.streetvet.co.uk
The workshop will be hosted by Renzo Di Florio (pictured right), veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health.
The session will look at the impact of Q Fever in the UK, outlining how it affects cattle health and reproductive performance and productivity.
It'll also cover identification of the disease and diagnosis, and prevention through vaccination and treatment.
For further information and to book tickets for TotalDairy, visit www.totaldairy.com (Ceva can offer a 10% discount on the purchase of tickets to the event using the code CEVA10).
The majority of posters, leaflets and other displays in veterinary practice waiting rooms are more effective at building ambience than increasing the turnover of the practice or selling a particular product or brand, according to a new survey carried out by veterinary marketing agency TMA.
The national survey of more than 100 veterinary practice managers found that:
TMA says it believes practices are missing out on a major marketing opportunity by not changing their displays more often, not being more selective about what is displayed, and not making the most of interactive or digital display technology.
Helen Cawthra, Managing Director of TMA believes that product manufacturers are also missing out on a major opportunity. Significantly less than half of all display and point-of-sale material in vets' waiting rooms is provided by suppliers. On average, 64% is sourced by the veterinary surgeons themselves.
Helen said: "Two thirds of respondents claim that they hardly get any materials from suppliers. The same number claim they would be more likely to put up more if they were provided with it.
"It is all very well building ambience and providing loyalty but in today's market, it is important that vets take hold of every opportunity to generate revenue in every way possible. Vets and the manufacturers are both missing out."
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have, for the first time, revealed that digital dermatitis (DD) has been present on hoof knifes used on cattle and sheep following research1 jointly funded by DairyCo and EBLEX.
The research conducted at the University investigated if DD Treponeme can be present on equipment used to trim cattle and sheep hooves. The research team, led by Dr Nicholas Evans and Professor Stuart Carter of the University of Liverpool and in collaboration with Roger Blowey MRCVS, tested trimming equipment used on cattle and sheep with digital dermatitis and after it was disinfected.
After trimming, DD was present on 97% of cattle blades and 100% of sheep blades. This was reduced to 29% and 46% respectively after disinfection.
Dr Evans said: "It has long been considered that digital dermatitis was spread in slurry which we have some evidence for and are continuing to investigate but now, for the first time, we have discovered the digital dermatitis bugs in the farm environment.
"However, the high detection rate of digital dermatitis bacteria on trimming blades soon after trimming cattle and sheep hooves from digital dermatitis cases suggests this may be a significant and worrying route for the transmission of this infectious condition."
Leigh Sullivan, who conducted the field work as part of her study, said: "Interestingly, in the world of human dentistry, a completely different species of the bacteria is found to cause gum disease. Furthermore, studies have shown it will adhere to metal on orthodontic braces which is consistent with our detection of the digital dermatitis Treponeme on metallic trimming knives."
Dr Jenny Gibbons, DairyCo research & development manager, added: "This DairyCo and EBLEX-funded study could help farmers, vets and hoof trimmers to understand more about the transmission of digital dermatitis between cows and farms. A logical precaution to limit the spread is to disinfect hoof trimming equipment between animals and between farms."
To find out more about this and other R&D projects, DairyCo is hosting a research day on 17 July at Trenault Farm, Launceston, Cornwall.
To book a place, visit: dairyco.org.uk/researchday2014
The tracker, which Elanco produces with NADIS (National Animal Disease Information Service), highlights areas hit with blowfly strike in real-time, to provide a warning for farmers, veterinary surgeons and industry professionals.
The first reported incidents were in Hampshire, before spreading across Devon, West Sussex, and Buckinghamshire. Elanco says particularly severe cases include a flock in Dorset, in which 50% of a lamb group have been hit by blowfly strike. Latest reports are in northern England and some initial cases in Scotland.
The company says its blowfly risk forecast suggests that weather conditions from southern England and Wales to the Midlands mean that flies are now active, and females are laying eggs that could result in serious welfare and productivity issues.
Richard Wall, Professor of Zoology at Bristol University, said: "The timing and severity of blowfly strike is strongly influenced by the weather. This is a reminder to farmers that now is the time to act for early prevention. Delaying treatment not only costs the farm but risks the welfare and productivity of the flock."
Fiona Hutchings, Technical Vet at Elanco, said: "The costs of inaction when it comes to blowfly strike far outweigh the costs of protection. With 99% of farmers having suffered financial losses as a result of blowfly strike¹, the potential impact on your flock simply isn’t worth the risk. Farms need to take control — and take control early — by using a preventative IGR product with full fleece protection2."
Fiona added: "By the time symptoms show themselves, it’s often too late. It’s easy to overlook even one struck sheep, and blowfly strike can cause huge damage in very little time. In addition, using protection early reduces risk later in the season by ensuring a much lower fly count as the season progresses."
Part of the VN Futures project, the lunchtime webinars will be delivered between February and June 2020 via the Webinar Vet, and the College is encouraging all veterinary surgeons, nurses, practice managers and owners to attend, as it says the webinars will benefit the whole practice team.
All three webinars take place at 12.30pm and last one hour. They are as follows:
Tuesday 4 February 2020 – ‘Maximising the potential of the veterinary nurse’ presented by Louise Northway RVN, BVNA Council member and recipient of the RCVS Inspiration Award. The webinar will give an overview of the role of veterinary nurses under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, how VNs can develop their role in practice and take on extra responsibilities and how VNs can approach these conversations in practice through the creation of learning and development plans. This webinar will illustrate how fully utilising the nursing team not only hugely boosts the morale of the work force, but also enhances patient care and increases the efficiency of the business.
Tuesday 10 March 2020 – ‘Veterinary nurses’ time is valuable: How and why to charge for it’ presented by Stephanie Writer-Davies MRCVS, Career Progression Working Group member, and Jane Davidson RVN, VN Council member and regular blogger on veterinary nursing issues. This webinar will provide examples and case studies of how veterinary nurses contribute to practice finances, how practice pricing structures can be developed so that the financial value of veterinary nurses’ time and effort can be better highlighted, and how veterinary nurses can demonstrate their value to clients.
Tuesday 23 June 2020 – ‘Lead or Head RVN: What’s in a name?’ presented by Gillian Page RVN, President of the Veterinary Management Group. This webinar will look at the role of the traditional Head RVN and how development of ‘Lead RVNs’ in different areas of practice can help to allow for growth of other talented team members and provide increased and shared responsibility and progression. This webinar will explore how this enhances practice efficiency alongside development of team members, thus increasing job satisfaction and, ultimately, retention.
Racheal Marshall, Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council and the VN Futures Board, said: "We hope that veterinary nurses will engage with these webinars in order to gain some inspiration about how they can truly show their value to their team, their clients and the wider public.
"The VN Futures research clearly demonstrated that there was a desire from the veterinary nursing profession to find ways in which VNs could gain greater recognition for the work they do and progress in their careers. These webinars, and our talented presenters, will provide many practical examples and case studies on how this can be done, help build confidence and highlight opportunities for further learning and development."
To sign up to the free webinars, visit: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/sponsors/VN%20Futures.
Zoetis has announced the introduction of Equimidine solution in a 50% larger plastic bottle.
The company says the new 15ml multi-dose presentation, now in plastic rather than glass, offers greater safety, as well as cost-saving advantages to practices.
Equimidine, containing 10mg/ml detomidine hydrochloride and methyl parahydroxybenzoate 1 mg/ml as a preservative, is a clear solution for intravenous injection. It has sedative and analgesic properties and is indicated for use either alone or in combination with butorphanol to facilitate the handling of horses for clinical examinations, minor surgical procedures and other manipulations. It can also be used with ketamine for short duration general anaesthesia for surgical procedures such as castration.
According to the company, the new 15ml plastic bottle is more cost-effective per dose than the old 10ml glass vial. It is also safer to use as the bottle is less likely to break if accidentally dropped. The multi-dose facility involves a tightly fitted rubber bung through which a sterile needle can be inserted to withdraw each dose.
Penny McCann, Equine Product Manager, Zoetis UK Ltd, said: "The new presentation provides practical benefits for vets and the larger bottle size means the product is now even more cost-effective."
For more information, speak to your Zoetis Account Manager, refer to the SPC or contact Zoetis Customer Support on 0845 3008034.
This third biennial offering from GB’s Cattle Health and Welfare Group also contains a summary of progress on endemic disease control with advances in eradicating Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) in each country highlighted.
The Chief Veterinary Officers of UK, Scotland and Wales have welcomed the publication of the report saying that as the possible impacts of the referendum on leaving the EU are considered, the importance of a GB focus on disease control is as important as ever.
In their joint forward, Nigel Gibbens, Sheila Voas and Christianne Glossop said: "The healthier our animals, the more attractive our products. The better our animal welfare, the greater the confidence of consumers in our production systems.
"With the UK Government placing AMR at the top of its risk register alongside terrorism and pandemic ’flu, it is heartening to see that CHAWG, in common with other livestock sectors, has grasped the nettle in looking first at how the cattle sector can better capture data on use of antimicrobials."
They go on to say that addressing AMR helps address other imperatives as an emphasis on sound animal husbandry and healthy animals kept to high welfare standards will help minimise routine reliance on antimicrobials: "Success in controlling endemic disease is one area of considerable importance, and here we can highlight CHAWG’s pivotal role in the development and promotion of national disease control programmes. These include the launch of the BVDFree scheme in England earlier this year, ongoing progress with BVD eradication in Scotland, the development of a Wales BVD scheme, and the Action Johne’s initiative."
In the report’s conclusion, RSPCA’s head of farm animals Marc Cooper points out that it is clear many positive initiatives are being pursued within the industry. He said: "Notable amongst these are those associated with dairy cow genetics, eliminating BVD, the national dairy cow welfare strategy and the development of a data hub for the collation of information relating to antimicrobial use.
"Indeed, some of these are starting to realise improvements in key areas, for example, dairy cow longevity is beginning to increase, and cow fertility figures and somatic cell counts appear to be moving in the right direction.
"However, there are still ongoing concerns relating to some important health and welfare issues. For example, despite the evidence suggesting the annual prevalence levels of cattle lameness are beginning to fall, there still appears to be no centralised database for recording it."
Chairman of CHAWG Tim Brigstocke says the contributed comments are encouraging and provide positive direction for future CHAWG activities. He also reassures that while this report sees a number of advances in highly topical areas, ‘core’ activities are not being ignored. He said: "Effective farm health planning remains the bedrock of good practice. And while we tend to focus on areas which need improvement, it’s worth mentioning that a delegation from the Food & Veterinary Office (FVO) of the European Commission recently visited and were impressed by the coordinated approach taken in this country."
The report can be downloaded from www.chawg.org.uk.