The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has postponed judgment on sanction for 12 months in the case of a Hampshire veterinary surgeon found guilty of serious professional misconduct for cumulative failures to provide adequate professional care, and insufficient regard for animal welfare whilst treating a dog.

At a hearing which concluded last Thursday, Peter Ardle MacMahon MRCVS faced a six-part charge after working as a locum for Vets Now at North End in Portsmouth where, on the night of 14/15 July 2009, he treated Wilfred, a Cocker Spaniel who had ingested broken glass along with raw mince. 

The Committee found that, having decided that surgery was an appropriate treatment, Mr MacMahon had not removed the glass identified on a radiograph. Nor had he even superficially searched the stomach contents he had evacuated to check that a large piece of glass he had previously identified on the radiograph had been removed. He had also not taken adequate steps to prevent contamination of Wilfred's abdominal cavity prior to the incision to the stomach.

Mr MacMahon admitted he knew there had been considerable spillage of stomach contents into Wilfred's abdomen. The Committee found that, with this knowledge, for Mr MacMahon to use only 250ml of fluid to lavage the abdomen was inadequate. This contributed to the Spaniel developing chemical peritonitis which might have developed into septic peritonitis but for a second operation the next morning, after the dog had been returned to the care of his usual veterinary practice. The Committee also expressed concern that Mr MacMahon had failed to effectively communicate the abdominal contamination to Wilfred's usual vets when he was handed back into their care. 

Taken as individual allegations, these would not, in the opinion of the Committee, constitute serious professional misconduct. However, the Committee was of the view that, taken cumulatively, the charges were proved, and therefore the treatment given to Wilfred, fell far short of the standard to be expected in the profession.

When considering mitigating and aggravating factors, the Committee accepted that Mr MacMahon and the veterinary nurse assisting him were unfamiliar with the premises in which they were working, resulting in a difficulty in locating important equipment, and there were also multiple urgent cases during the evening the operation took place. The Committee also noted that 17 months had passed since the operation, and no further complaints against Mr MacMahon had been received by the RCVS.

The Committee further took into account that Mr MacMahon had little recent experience, having returned to practising veterinary medicine in January 2009, following almost ten years spent outside the veterinary profession. During this hiatus he undertook no continuing professional development (CPD), and completed only a five-week period of supervised practice prior to re-entering the profession. 

Mrs Caroline Freedman, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee said: "The Respondent placed himself in this situation: he knew that he had been out of practice for ten years, had not done any formal CPD during that time and chose to accept an appointment to work as a locum in a sole-charge out-of-hours emergency clinic. A foremost aggravating factor is that animal welfare was adversely affected. A non-critical patient was placed at risk by the Respondent's failures."

The Committee reiterated that the purpose of sanctions was not to be punitive, but to protect animal welfare, to maintain public confidence in the profession and to maintain professional standards.  "A postponement of judgment, with suitable undertakings from the Respondent, is the correct course of action," said Mrs Freedman. Mr MacMahon has subsequently signed undertakings relating to CPD in both surgical and medical disciplines, and the Committee has postponed for 12 months its judgment as to any further sanction.

Sarah Taylor and Zoe Daley, the veterinary nurses behind vnpetproducts.co.uk, have launched a new initiative which they hope will offer veterinary surgeons and other nurses a welcome, calming distraction from the stresses of practice life, and raise money for Vetlife in the process.

The Crafty Vet Project aims to ignite your interest in one of a range of creative hobbies, which include cheese, beer, candle, soap and teddy-bear making, with kits available for sale from the new 'Craft Corner' section of their website. £3 from the sale of each kit will go to Vetlife.

Sarah said: "We wanted other veterinary professionals to experience the same pleasure that we get from creative hobbies. It is a chance for people no matter what day you have had to switch off, follow a pattern or instructions and come out with something at the end that you can be truly proud of."

Your new hobby might even turn into a nice sideline business. Sarah said: "One evening over a catch-up Zoe and I were discussing items that we wished we had in practice to make our lives as nurses easier.

"Despite having drunk 2 bottles of wine together we felt that there and then was the best time to start our new business. Two hours later having chopped up an old pair of curtains, accidently sewn my jumper sleeve into the material and woken my husband up at 3am to our cackles, we had the first prototype of our Slumberpet Recovery Coat.

"Our business has grown nicely since then and we are still coming up with more ideas, albeit in a slightly more sober, professional manner."

To select and order your hobby kit, visit: https://www.vnpetproducts.co.uk/craft-corner

The RCVS has announced plans to move out of its Westminster offices by 31st March 2022. 

The College sold the premises in March this year, with an option to lease it back for up to two years, giving time for Council to consider the future building requirements of the organisation and how they might have changed following the coronavirus pandemic.

Following easing of government restrictions this summer, the RCVS says that Council members and staff have started using the building for some meetings and day-to-day working, but occupancy has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.

RCVS Council therefore agreed at its meeting earlier this month that there is now a clear financial benefit to moving out at the first opportunity under the existing terms of lease.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: “As we all gradually emerge from the restrictions of the past 18 months, one of the things we, as an organisation, have learned from the pandemic is that we can cope well with remote and hybrid working, whilst continuing to provide a high level of service to the professions and the animal-owning public.

“Retaining the use of our current offices over the last few months has certainly helped us to do this, but our Estates Strategy Group recommended to Council that there was now little to be gained and much to lose financially if we continued to lease Belgravia House for another year.”

“In the coming weeks, we will be drawing up detailed plans for the safe removal and storage of our effects, including the library, historical collection and archives, which are maintained by RCVS Knowledge.

"To support the team until we can move into a permanent building, we will hire serviced office space and meeting rooms around London and elsewhere in the UK as and when we need them.

“We also plan to take Council meetings ‘on the road’ over the next 12 months to enable Council members to engage with more veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses around the country.

“Meanwhile, we remain fully committed to the purchase of a new permanent London home for the RCVS and are seeking a building that not only meets the needs of the professions both now and well into the future, but also aims to be a sound financial investment for the College in the years ahead.”

Zoletil, Virbac's 2-in-1, injectable anaesthetic for cats and dogs has had a licence change increasing its extended in-use stability from 24 hours to 8 days.

A single vial can now be used for 8 days after reconstitution when stored in a fridge at between two and eight degrees celsius.

This, says Virbac, will help maximise the use of each vial, ultimately reducing wastage and providing a cost-effective solution.

Virbac, manufacturer of Stelfonta, has announced that it will host a series of free webinars on the diagnosis of canine mast cell tumours, in collaboration with BattLab/Laboklin.

The webinars will be presented by specialists in their respective fields; small animal oncologist Sara Verganti and clinical pathologists Francesco Cian and Roberta Rasotto. 

Each 30-minute session will focus on a specific aspect of MCT diagnostics followed by a multidisciplinary Q&A. The sessions, which all start at 7:30pm, are:

• Thursday 7^th October: A GP approach to work up canine mast cell tumours with Sara Verganti, register here: https://bit.ly/SaraMCT
• Thursday 14^th October: What cytology can tell you with Francesco Cian, register here: https://bit.ly/FrancescoMCT
• Thursday 21^st October: The histopathology report and proliferative markers: what they mean for your patients with Roberta Rasotto, register here: https://bit.ly/RobertaMCT

Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: "Mast cell tumours are the most common form of canine cutaneous neoplasia, although relatively simple to identify, knowing what diagnostic steps to take can be challenging. We believe this truly comprehensive bite size mini-series will provide vets with the confidence to navigate the diagnostic approach for their next MCTs."

For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.

Protek Biochem Ltd., a company set up by champion horse-rider Debbie Topping, has won the rights to sell Envirocair Veterinary, a new range of disinfectants and sanitisers targeted at dogs, cats and other domestic pets, as well as horses and farm animals.

The product is claimed to kill 99.99% of all viral, bacterial and fungal infections, and lasts for 14 days.

Debbie said: "I did not consider myself a businesswoman, just a normal horse-rider and animal lover. However, I was so impressed when I tried Envirocair Veterinary that, when I was offered the opportunity to become the main UK distributor, I jumped at the chance."

According to the company, the product is being used by a number of the horses and trainers heading to the London Olympics in 2012. It is now being rolled out across the rest of the UK's animal care sector.

Debbie says that veterinary surgeons, farmers, dog kennels, animal rescue centres, breeders and others will all be able to benefit from the new product: "Envirocair Veterinary doesn't harm skin or irritate the respiratory tract, so you don't need to get dressed up in special clothing every time you use it. 

"Used properly, it quite literally kills the threat of major animal diseases such as parvovirus in dogs, which can otherwise be fatal in less than 72 hours.

"It's not an exaggeration to say that Envirocair will protect the health and even save the lives of countless numbers of animals across the UK."

Debbie signed the distribution agreement with the manufacturer Biotech International Ltd last month, before officially launching Envirocair Veterinary this week.

For more information on Protek Biochem Ltd or Envirocair Veterinary, visit http://www.protekbiochem.com/.

BEVA has revamped its BEVApod podcast channel to include real-life features and clinical catch-up content as well as the latest news, views and opinions.

The Association says following the launch two years ago BEVApod has become such a popular information and learning resource that members have been asking for more content. 

The new BEVApod will include regular features from equine vet Brad Hill, clinical Assistant Professor in Equine Practice at the University of Nottingham (pictured right), who will be exploring the many aspects of life in equine practice. He will be sharing real life stories to help promote a sense of togetherness and support mental health and wellbeing.

Brad said: “Although based at Nottingham, I am passionate about maintaining links to all areas of the equine profession. This podcast will provide a platform to bring the experiences of others directly to the listener wherever they are.”

Brad will be releasing a new episode every other week and has already lined up some participants, including Maddy Campbell, Ellen Singer, Graham Duncanson, Jack Wallace and Gemma Kirk.

BEVApod will also host clinical episodes on a monthly basis, taken from the BEVA Clinical Catch-Up recordings.

BEVA President Lucy Grieve said: “These are live webinars where we invite a practitioner to present on a clinical topic and then open it up for an informal discussion. We have turned the recordings of these into podcasts so that our members can listen to the recordings whilst travelling between clients. It makes great use of travel time and fills the void we all sometimes feel when we are alone with just our thoughts in the car.”  

Current clinical catch-ups available on BEVApod include a panel discussion with experts on PPE, a discussion on equine obesity with Lucy Grieve and Cathy McGowan and treating and managing liver disease with Sarah Smith.

You can listen to the BEVApod here https://beva.podbean.com

A new survey by Petplan has given an insight into how veterinary nurses regard their job.

The survey, conducted at BVNA Congress, found that 73% of nurses feel that clients do not have a sufficient understanding of their role in practice. 

Louisa Baker, the 2008 Petplan Vet Nurse of the Year, said: "Clients are often not aware of the skills required to be a vet nurse. Most clients believe we just handle the animals whereas we are often involved with surgical activities such as stitching and preparing drips."

Arguably, if pet owners under-appreciate the role of the nurse in practice, then they might also be expected to place a lower financial value on the care they provide. If that is the case, then it makes a lot of sense for vets and practice owners to find novel ways of communicating the breadth of work that nurses do, and its importance, to clients. 

Other findings included 40% of nurses agreeing that direct contact with animals, such as caring for them through recovery, is the best part of the job. 54% told Petplan that they find the job extremely rewarding. 

Nearly all nurses (99%) said that they value training and CPD to further their careers.

To support this desire to learn, Petplan has launched its Petplan Insurance Advisor training scheme. Already, over 500 nurses have completed one of the scheme's CPD qualifying modules.

The scheme enables the development of individual skills such as the ability to sell products and gain confidence with clients. Available online, vet nurses can participate in the scheme at work or at home. Visit http://www.petplanpia.co.uk/ for more information. 

The BBC reports that a new strain of MRSA has emerged in British cows and is thought to be infecting humans.

For more on this story, click here.

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has released the results of a survey carried out earlier this year which has found that there may be up to 5 times as many veterinary graduates wanting to work in equine practice as there are jobs available.

The survey was carried out amongst the 2,500 vets and vet students who are members of BEVA to help ascertain manpower requirements of equine practices in the UK.

Of the 819 new veterinary graduates in the UK in 2012, BEVA says it estimates conservatively that between 10-15% intend to work in equine practice. Meanwhile, the extrapolated results of the survey suggest that in 2012 there was less than 1% growth in full time equine vet positions and as few as 24 new permanent jobs available in the UK.

BEVA says that in line with the survey's suggestion of restricted opportunities, some of its members are also finding that internships, commonly the domain of new graduates to gain paid, supervised experience in practice, are now often taken by vets with some post-graduate experience. Furthermore, unpaid externships, which traditionally gave vet students valuable work experience, appear to be being filled by unemployed veterinary graduates wanting to gain experience in order to improve their chances of securing a job in equine practice. 

Tim Mair, a partner at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic in Kent said: "Earlier this year we had more than 80 applications for just one internship. Several years ago we would expect 50 or so applications for an advertised intern post but now, without advertising at all, we are constantly receiving applications, not just from new graduates but also from those who have been qualified for a year or more."

Charlie Schreiber, a partner at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery in Berkshire, said: "We take on an average of two externs a month and over the past four years have had more than 350 applicants but their calibre is noticeably changing. We used to hear primarily from students but now it tends to be recent graduates or those who have already done a job in mixed practice and are keen to move into equine but can't find an internship."

Andrew Harrison, a partner at Three Counties Equine Hospital in Gloucestershire, said: "In addition to the numerous applications we received for our recently advertised internship position, we are inundated with unsolicited enquiries about job opportunities from recent veterinary graduates from across the globe. Our most recent advertisement for an equine veterinary nurse has attracted interest from a handful of recently qualified vets desperate to find work. This employment problem is not confined to internships; some of our recent interns have found it very difficult, if not impossible to find a job in horse practice, once they've completed their internship."

Amanda Piggot, a recent graduate, has first hand experience of the challenge of finding a suitable placement. She said: "I have always wanted to work in equine practice and my approach has been very strategic. It took me five months to find my current position at Kessock Equine Vets in Inverness, which necessitated moving 500 miles further north than I ideally wanted. For my next position I applied to Liphook twice and had no luck but I have now been accepted by Rossdales for a two year internship."

According to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) the problem isn't confined to equine practice. The Association's President Peter Jones said: "The findings of the BEVA survey make sober reading and reflect the growing concerns in the wider veterinary profession about opportunities for new graduates in all types of veterinary practice.

"The issue has recently been brought into sharp focus by the announcement of a new veterinary school opening at the University of Surrey in 2014, with many BVA and BEVA members worried about an oversupply of veterinary graduates into an already competitive market. We are expecting the results of the RCVS survey of recent graduates shortly and, alongside the findings of the BEVA survey, they will provide an evidence-base to build on as we continue to assess the UK veterinary manpower implications of potential new veterinary schools in the future."

BEVA is keen to help both potential employees and employers tackle the situation as constructively as possible. BEVA President Keith Chandler said: "BEVA is proud that equine practice is attractive to so many younger members of the profession and it can provide a rewarding and fulfilling career. However we urge all stakeholders to ensure that current and prospective veterinary students are fully aware of the very limited opportunities in equine practice. Most of all we urge the students themselves to consider carefully their career path and prospects before making their final decisions."

Next month the RCVS will be releasing details of a survey of vets who have graduated within the past five years and how easy they have found it to find a job that meets their needs.

Vet Empowered and Covetrus are running a free two-part webinar series on how veterinary workplaces can better support people affected by hormonal changes.

The two 90-minute sessions, led by clinical psychologist Dr Helena Tucker, will cover how menstrual hormones affect stress, performance and emotional regulation, what realistic workplace adjustments can look like, how to advocate for yourself and others and how to engage colleagues and leadership in creating sustainable, stigma-free change.

They will also look at the workplace impact of PMS, PMDD, perimenopause, menopause, fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, hormonal treatment and other “significant hormonal transitions”.

The organisers said the content is designed to be “realistic about the demands of veterinary environments” and aimed at individuals and leaders having meaningful conversations about support and adjustments.

Katie Ford, co-founder of Vet Empowered, said: “You may never personally experience menstrual hormones, but you almost certainly live with someone who does, or have someone in your team who does.

"Understanding our biology as human beings, and how we can thoughtfully adapt our workplaces to honour that, benefits everyone.

"This is not about resilience or weakness.

"It is about biology, and what we can do with that knowledge.”

Session 1, Creating a Hormone-Friendly Veterinary Workplace, runs on Sunday 29 March 2026 at 10:00am BST for 90 minutes.

Session 2, From Awareness to Action - Advocacy and Sustainable Support in Veterinary Teams, runs on Saturday 11 April 2026 at 10:00am BST for 90 minutes.

The organisers said both sessions will be recorded and are open to vets, nurses, practice managers, leaders, and anyone who wants to better support colleagues and teams.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1gjSl4osQkKnihbgUVRpQQ#/registration