Virbac Animal Health has launched Speed Leish K, a diagnostic test for canine leishmaniosis.
Speed Leish K detects antibodies directed against the kinesins of leishmania using a Kinesin Capture Complex (KCC), a complex of recombinant proteins with strong immunogenic power at all stages of infection. Virbac says that in trials the test has demonstrated 98.5% overall accuracy.*
Virbac Product Manager Simon Boulton MRCVS said: "Leishmaniosis presents a growing threat to UK dogs, particularly those which travel with their owners on holiday to regions where the disease is endemic.
"Speed Leish K should be used as part of the primary CaniLeish vaccination protocol in animals previously at risk of exposure to ensure only health animals are vaccinated. The test can also be used to screen for the disease in animals suspected to be infected."
Speed Leish K is presented in kits of two or six tests and can be stored for 24 months at room temperature.
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.
Apparently, anal gland impaction is the fifth most common reason for owners to take their dog to the vets1, and of course manual expression of impacted anal glands is unpleasant for everyone.
It also doesn’t address the underlying causes, such as poor stool consistency.
ProGlan contains pumpkin seeds and apple pectin, both sources of fibre to bulk out stools and increase faecal mass.
The product also contains Bacillus velezensisi (DSM 15544), a probiotic registered for use in dogs.
Animalcare points to research which demonstrates that lactobacilli help support a desirable gastrointestinal microbiome, aiding digestion and improving stool consistency2.
Lastly, the product contains a combination of Echinacea, vitamin C and vitamin E, which Animalcare says support a healthy immune and inflammatory response.
ProGlan is available in packs of 30 chews.
For further information or for orders, contact your local Animalcare territory manager or email info@animalcare.co.uk.
References
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has dismissed a case against a London-based veterinary surgeon, having found charges related to fraudulent registration not proved.
Miss Maria Becerra Parga was charged with fraudulently entering her name on the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, by submitting a registration application in 2005 that contained a forged certificate of good standing from the Distinguished Official Veterinary Association of Lugo, Spain.
The Committee said that, in order to conclude Miss Becerra Parga had acted dishonestly, it needed to be sure that when she submitted the certificate to the RCVS she knew it was not genuine.
Miss Becerra Parga admitted that she did not make any application for the certificate directly to the Lugo Association. She accepted that the certificate she supplied to the College (the number of which was genuine and corresponded to a male veterinary surgeon registered in Spain) was a forgery, and that it contained a reference to her degree, a statement of good conduct, and was dated before she had a need for it; however, she said, this had been given to her by a friend and veterinary colleague and she had understood that she had been given a temporary membership of the Lugo Association for the purpose of registering with the RCVS. She also said that she had left these arrangements to her colleague and assumed that the document she had been given was genuine.
Her colleague, called as a witness by the College, said that Miss Becerra Parga had admitted the fraud to her and she denied that she had given the certificate to Miss Becerra Parga. Her friend said that she gave no more than general guidance because she knew that Miss Becerra Parga would be guided by a UK company that would arrange for her registration with the RCVS and through which she would be employed. She thought it possible that she had told Ms Becerra Parga that she needed a letter of recommendation, but she was not sure.
After careful consideration, the Committee preferred the evidence of Miss Becerra Parga and found her account to be "consistent with her naivety, inexperience and trusting nature" and "was sure that she did not forge the document herself". It found that to the extent that Miss Becerra Parga read the certificate at all when given it, she obviously did not notice its date or significance. The Committee was not able to say who was responsible for forging the certificate.
The Committee also dismissed an argument RCVS Counsel put forward, that Miss Becerra Parga had neither offered nor made payment for the certificate, and that she had forged the certificate to avoid a payment. The Committee said it did not find it credible that a veterinary surgeon, in work with a supportive family, who obviously was easily able to obtain proof of her good character directly from the university if necessary, would have jeopardised her entire career by forging the document, let alone for a small financial advantage.
The Committee directed that the charges be dismissed.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a new 50 ml bottle of its rapid acting dissociative anaesthetic licensed for cats, dogs and horses, Anesketin.
Anesketin solution for injection, containing Ketamine 100 mg/ml, is indicated for induction of anaesthesia.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "Anesketin has proved to be a very popular product in our range due to its versatility. It can be used in combination with appropriate sedatives and analgesics in cats, dogs and horses for induction of anaesthesia.
"As it does not require any special temperature storage conditions it makes it a very portable product for vets on the move."
He added: "We are very pleased to be able to add the larger Anesketin product to our wide range of analgesics and sedatives. This demonstrates our commitment to offering high quality products that support vets in small animal and equine practice."
Dechra says the product can also be used as a sole agent for restraint and minor surgical procedures where muscle relaxation is not required in cats.
Anesketin is also available in 10 ml vials. For further information, visit www.dechra.co.uk
The recall was initiated because a visual inspection confirmed the possibility of particulate contamination which is not acceptable for an intravenous use preparation.
The recall is for the following batches only:
108AB Expiry 12/01/2023113H Expiry 16/03/2023
Ceva Animal Health Ltd is contacting veterinary surgeons, retailers and wholesale dealers to examine inventory and quarantine products subject to the recall.
For further information, contact Peter Kyte Business Unit Manager on +44 1494 781510.
Fabtek Solutions has announced the launch of Meditek, an activated carbon wound dressing which has been impregnated with silver to enhance its antibacterial qualities.
Joy Coutts from Fabtek Solutions said: "Meditek uses Zorflex which is a 100% pure activated carbon fibre. It has a huge surface area due to its microporous structure, and a permanent electrostatic charge that attracts bacteria towards it, where they are immobilised and retained. When removed from the substrate, the bacteria die, but the microscopic particulates of metallic silver accelerate the bacteria kill.
"Better still, Meditek carries no risk phases as it's non toxic and non invasive."
Joy added: "We are commercial members of the Vet Wound Library, an initiative designed to help promote modern wound care to veterinary professionals, it also means members can try our dressings for free."
According to Fabtek, Meditek has been tried and tested by vets and produced excellent results. The company's website also features some case studies which show the wound before and after the use of Meditek.
Dressings are available in 10cm x 10cm, and 15cm x 25cm sizes, which can be cut to fit. Prices start from £35 for a box of five.
For more information, see http://www.fabteksolutions.com/, email admin@fabteksolutions.com or call 07794094011.
Fitzpatrick Referrals has unveiled details of its new joint replacement program, which includes solutions for replacing badly injured and arthritic knees, shoulders, and hocks in addition to the more commonly replaced hip and elbow joints.
According to the practice, this is a dramatic breakthrough which brings new hope to veterinary surgeons and pet owners in otherwise hopeless cases.
Fitpatrick Referrals says the procedures have been developed as a solution for joints with traumatic global joint disruptions involving significant soft tissue damage and for joints with painful end-stage arthritis, with the objective of providing functional, pain free quality of life.
Noel Fitzpatrick said: "As we understand and try to deal with the problem of painful osteoarthritis in our pet animals it seems likely that there will be a larger role for joint replacement. Already hip replacement is used to great benefit in the majority of patients that receive it. Other damaged joints could be treated in the same way - but until now the technology to replace knee, hock, shoulder and elbow joints with custom designed prostheses to exactly fit each and every patient did not exist. At Fitzpatrick Referrals this is now a reality for both cats and dogs."
He added: "Joint replacement is particularly useful when a multi-modal approach is used to try and manage osteoarthritis through-out the life of the animal, an area where The Fitzpatrick Group has an increased interest and a variety of publications in peer-reviewed journals. It also offers a realistic alternative to either fusion or amputation in traumatically injured joints."
Virbac is running a promotion through which practices can claim a model showing the anatomy of a healthy dog ear canal on one side, and the changes associated with chronic damage on the other.
Product Manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "The models are about 15cm high and provide a useful visual aid to show clients the consequences if chronic ear disease is not kept under control. They can also be used to help show clients how to administer their pet's treatment correctly.
"These models will be a useful tool for practices to help improve client compliance. Also, we know that some dog owners find a course of ear treatments tricky, and either give the wrong dose or give up altogether, which is why we designed EasOtic to dispense the exact dose in one simple 'squirt', with one complete course in each bottle".
For details of how you can obtain a model for your practice contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
The RCVS has announced that it will start to accept the first applications for the new Advanced Practitioner status from the start of September.
The new accreditation status represents a 'middle tier' between veterinary surgeons holding an initial veterinary degree and RCVS Specialists and will demonstrate that the veterinary surgeon has advanced knowledge and experience in a designated field of veterinary practice.
Practising veterinary surgeons with at least five years' experience and a relevant postgraduate qualification are eligible to apply to be recognised as RCVS Advanced Practitioners. Accepted qualifications include the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) with a designation; the RCVS Certificate awarded up to 2012; postgraduate clinical qualifications awarded by universities or recognised awarding bodies; and other relevant clinical postgraduate master's degrees. Full details of eligible qualifications can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/advanced
Advanced Practitioners will be expected to undertake at least 250 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) over each five-year period of accreditation, of which 125 hours should be in their designated field.
Dr Kit Sturgess is Chair of the Advanced Practitioner Assessors Panel and was involved in the development of the scheme. He said: "I am very proud that we will soon be accepting applications for the Advanced Practitioner status, just two years after the need for such an accreditation was highlighted by Professor Sir Kenneth Calman's Specialisation Working Party, set up to look at the whole specialisation framework.
"Being an Advanced Practitioner is more than just a status - it will demonstrate to members of the public and colleagues alike that a veterinary surgeon is working at an advanced level in their field and has made an ongoing commitment to career development and lifelong learning through engaging with CPD over and above the RCVS minimum requirement."
Applications from holders of the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) with a designation can apply from 1 September 2014 while those holding any other relevant qualifications can apply from 13 October 2014. The deadline for all applications during this first round is 30 November 2014.
Applications can be made online at www.rcvs.org.uk/advanced where further information about eligible qualifications, CPD requirements and other details can be found. The application fee for this year is £50 - from next year it will be £80. Thereafter there will be an annual fee to remain on the list (£80 by direct debit; £90 otherwise, at current rates).
All eligible applications will be assessed by the Advanced Practitioner Assessors Panel. The first list of Advanced Practitioners is due to be published, alongside the updated Specialist list, in spring 2015 subject to approval by the RCVS Education Committee in February 2015.
If accepted on to the list, practitioners will be able to use 'RCVS Advanced Practitioner in [designated field]' after their names. The accreditation and its designation will also be a primary search field on the RCVS Find a Vet practice database as well as appearing after an individual's name on the Check the Register search tool.
Once the first list has been published, the status of Advanced Practitioner will be promoted to the public.
A free webinar about Advanced Practitioner status, hosted by the Webinar Vet, will take place on Tuesday 30 September at 8.30pm. To register for the webinar visit www.thewebinarvet.com/rcvs-advanced-practitioner-status
For further advice or details about making an application for Advanced Practitioner accreditation, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/advanced or contact the Education Department on 020 7202 0791 or ap@rcvs.org.uk
The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) has launched a new guide on feline stress and health to help veterinary professionals better understand, prevent and manage stress and distress in cats.
Feline Stress and Health: Managing Negative Emotions to Improve Feline Health and Wellbeing is the result of a collaboration between a number of leading authors in feline behaviour, veterinary medicine and welfare, and has been supported by Ceva.
Aimed at veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and veterinary students, the purpose of the guide is to help understand why cats can become stressed and distressed in the many environments where veterinary care is provided, including the veterinary surgery and the welfare environment.
The 160-page guide has been broken down into twelve chapters, covering what stress and distress are, why cats become stressed and/or distressed and how stress impacts on the behaviour and health of the cat.
The guide looks at the causes of stress and distress in different environments, including the veterinary clinic, homing centres, at home and in multi-cat households, and how it can be prevented and managed. The guide also offers some basic ideas, principles and tips which can be implemented by all veterinary professionals, which the ISFM says will make a huge difference to the cats in their care.
Sarah Ellis, co-editor of the guide and Feline Behaviour Specialist at International Cat Care said: "Most of us are well aware that cats can be negatively affected by the veterinary clinic and other confined environments. But how can we really tell what a cat is experiencing and what can we do to improve the situation? This guide offers a great deal of insight into negative emotions underlying the causes of stress and distress in cats and offers practical solutions on how to prevent and manage them."
The guide is available from International Cat Care’s shop (http://icatcare.org/shop), priced at £20.00.
Homeopathy is widely used in livestock, especially to replace or reduce the use of antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases, although its use is often seen as controversial. For organic agriculture, homeopathy is even promoted.
In the review, Dr Caroline Doehring and Professor Albert Sundrum from the University of Kassel, Germany, assessed peer-reviewed studies on the efficacy of homeopathy in cattle, pigs and poultry published between 1981 and 2014.
They analysed a total of 52 clinical trials, 34 with cattle, 12 with pigs and six with poultry. They were published in 48 publications.
Of these, 28 concluded that the homeopathic remedy administered was effective, 22 showed no efficacy and 2 were inconclusive.
Only 10 trials provided information on cure rates for the treatments. These varied to a high degree, while the remedy used did not seem to make a big difference.
Trials on pigs were frequently efficacious, while studies with cattle or poultry had a similar distribution of efficacious and non-efficacious treatment.
Double-blind randomised controlled trials reported efficacy of the homeopathic treatment almost as often as they reported lack of it.
Meanwhile, single-blind and non-blind randomised controlled trials, and observational trials were more likely to present evidence of efficacy, suggesting that positive outcomes may be due to bias.
Other study limitations, such as potential conflict of interests, low sample size, risk for selective reporting and bias, were found in the majority of trials.
While some clinical trials showed effectiveness, the authors of the review question the reliability of the evidence, because all studies had a range of limitations. For example, all clinical trials were conducted under very specific conditions and none were repeated under comparable conditions.
Therefore, the authors say the findings cannot be be used to recommend homeopathy: "The current evidence of studies providing evidence in favour of homeopathy lacks reproducibility and therefore cannot claim to have sufficient prognostic validity."
"Due to a lack of prognostic validity, replacing or reducing antibiotics with homeopathy currently cannot be recommended unless evidence of efficacy is reproduced by RCTs and proven in various farm practice conditions."
"We are urgently looking at what these new national lockdowns will mean for veterinary professionals and services, and we are liaising with the Chief Veterinary Officers.
"We aim to issue updated guidance in the coming days but can confirm that we will not be reverting to emergency-only work, as we saw at the start of the first UK-wide lockdown last March.
"Instead, we are developing guidance to support veterinary professionals to carry out work that is essential for public health and animal health and welfare, in the context of the very strong ‘stay at home’ messages from both governments.
"We recognise that this continues to be a very challenging and difficult time for our colleagues, and we want to thank veterinary teams across the UK for continuing to work safely so that we can all play our part in stopping the spread of Covid.
"Once again we thank animal owners for their understanding and ask them to continue to respect their vets’ decisions at this time. The range of services available will vary between practices so that vets can work in Covid-safe ways to keep their colleagues and clients safe."
The AHT has secured an award of £580,000 from the Wellcome Trust to fund the development of a new diagnostic test for Strangles which takes only 30 minutes.
It's been achieved in part by 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' - a two-year fundraising campaign run by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and The British Horse Society (BHS),
Money donated from the general public, along with funding from The Horse Trust, has already allowed scientists at the AHT to develop a diagnostic blood test which gives results in 24 hours. The blood test was launched in February 2008 and since then more than 6,700 samples have been tested.
HRH The Princess Royal, who launched the 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' campaign, said: "As an owner who has seen my own horse's affected by this terrible disease, it's wonderful to see such progress being made in a relatively short time.
"The screening test enables owners to know within 24 hours if any of their horses have been exposed to this bacterium. Previously available tests would have taken three to four days. The test is making a real difference in welfare and economic terms for all those involved in the equine industry. It truly is groundbreaking."
The success of this diagnostic work, along with other AHT research, has attracted further funding for the project from the Wellcome Trust in the form of a £580,000 Translation Award.
Professor Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the AHT, said: "The main problem with Strangles is the time taken to diagnose it. The current blood test is a big step forward, but the culture and DNA tests, which are often used in the initial stages of an outbreak can take a couple of days to get results."
The Translation Award means the AHT can reduce the time taken to perform its DNA diagnostic test and ultimately produce a point-of-care test that vets can use on site to get a diagnosis in 30 minutes. Earlier diagnosis will allow owners to isolate horses sooner and minimise the spread of infection. It will further reduce welfare problems for horses and the cost to their owners.
The AHT and Atlas Genetics will design and validate the point-of-care diagnostic test over the next two years. It is hoped that the test could be mass produced and widely available by 2012.
Professor Waller added: "This technology will be fantastic. It will be hugely beneficial for other diseases too, of both veterinary and clinical importance. Without the money raised through the 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' campaign, we wouldn't have made as much progress. On behalf of horses and horse owners worldwide, I'd like to thank everyone who has donated."
The 'Breaking the Strangles Hold' campaign reached its fundraising target of £250,000 in just two years, demonstrating how important to horse owners it is to get to grips with this terrible disease.
For more information, see: http://www.strangles.org
Equine vets at the Animal Health Trust are appealing to horse riders to help with a research project, to assess the interaction between horse, saddle and rider.
Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust and Line Greve, PhD student, are conducting the study to find out how the horse, rider and saddle can influence each other. They are trying to understand better why a saddle may persistently slip to one side in some horses.
Line said: "Saddle slip is a problem seen in all sorts of horses and ponies and can contribute to back pain and thus impaired performance. Research suggests that 25% of British dressage horses have a history of back-related problems and subsequent reduced performance. Our preliminary studies involve just over 700 riders but for a more accurate picture we would like to bump this figure up to 1000 plus. We are urging all riders, whatever their level or ability, to help by completing the questionnaire."
The online questionnaire should take no more than 15 minutes to complete and all answers remain anonymous. The questions cover saddle types, fitting, use and maintenance; rider experience, training and 'handedness'; as well as horse type, use and any previous lameness or back-related problems.
To take part in the study, complete the questionnaire here: http://www.aht.org.uk/cms-display/premise_questionnaire.html. The AHT says that by doing so, you'll be helping to protect and improve the future health, welfare and longevity of the ridden horse.
The results will be presented at the Saddle Research Trust Conference in 2014.
The BVA and RCVS have announced the formation of the Vet Futures Action Group to take forward the ambitions and recommendations in the Vet Futures report ‘Taking charge of our future: A vision for the veterinary profession for 2030’ launched in November 2015.
The call for applications attracted more than 80 candidates with many more expressing an interest in helping to take the project forward.
The Action Group will be tasked with working collectively to turn the report’s 34 recommendations into clear actions with buy-in from across the veterinary profession and a timetable for activity.
The Action Group is made up of the BVA and RCVS Presidents and Junior Vice-Presidents, seven veterinary surgeons, a veterinary nurse, and a co-opted veterinary student:
The members of the Group joining the BVA and RCVS officers were selected by the Vet Futures Project Board for their mix of experience and expertise across the Vet Futures ambitions and themes (Animal health and welfare; Veterinary professionals’ wider roles in society; The health and wellbeing of veterinary professionals; Diverse and rewarding veterinary careers; Sustainable businesses and user-focused services; and Leadership), as well as in veterinary education, veterinary regulation, and veterinary nursing.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "The Group has a very important task ahead and we are confident that we have an excellent group of people with the right balance of skills, experience and expertise to take forward the Vet Futures recommendations and turn them into concrete actions.
"We have had an incredibly positive response from the profession to the launch of the report and we hope organisations and individuals will now step up to work with the Action Group and take ownership of the activity for the good of the whole profession."
RCVS President Bradley Viner said: "We were overwhelmed by the response from the professions with ten applications for every place, and many more offers of support. The Project Board was particularly impressed by the high quality of the applications and the breadth of experience demonstrated by the candidates from all parts of the profession.
"It was incredibly difficult to select the members of the Group from such a strong field but we are pleased that we have captured the variety within the profession as well as the enthusiasm to drive the project forward. We sincerely hope everyone who expressed an interest will remain engaged with the project as it progresses this year."
Defra's new measures include:
Eleven additional licences for badger control covering parts of Devon, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Cheshire. Licences have been granted for supplementary badger control in areas of Gloucestershire and Somerset which have completed their original four-year licences.
The relaunch of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme following suspension due to a global shortage of TB vaccine, with groups invited to submit expressions of interest and feedback on the criteria for the scheme.
A new bTB Advisory Service for farmers to provide advice on-farm and by phone or email to farmers in High Risk and Edge Areas on bTB biosecurity and risk-based trading, set to launch this autumn.
Tighter control of Inconclusive Reactors (IRs) in the High Risk and Edge Area, to come into force from 1 November.
British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Today’s announcement sees 11 new licences issued and, while BVA supports badger culling as part of a comprehensive strategy for tackling bovine TB, we will continue to call on the Government to use the targeted and humane method of cage trapping and shooting only - rather than the current method of controlled shooting.
"As one of the many tools in the toolbox, we welcome the re-commencement of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, particularly if used as a ‘firebreak’ to mitigate the spread of the disease into the low risk areas. The introduction of a TB Advisory Service will provide valuable additional support for farmers, who we’d encourage to continue working with local vets on biosecurity and herd health planning.
"Yet we are concerned that Government policy seems to have moved away from the original, evidence-based proposal of a six-week time limit for badger control within the open season, which enables an intensive, coordinated and effective operation in order to secure optimum disease control benefits.
"In terms of numbers, it is clear that badger population estimates have previously demonstrated considerable uncertainty and imprecision. It is critical that as accurate as possible population estimates, using an evidence-based methodology, are obtained and made openly available.
"We would urge clarity over cull timeframes, numbers and mid-cull review methodology to ensure that the progress made, enabling the application for Officially TB Free status, is not undermined."
Today’s Defra update follows a consultation on licensed badger control conducted at the start of 2017, to which the British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS) and the Association of Government Veterinarians (AGV) submitted a formal, joint response.
Photo: Young Eurasian Badger (Meles Meles), by BadgerHero, CC BY-SA 3.0
The association says that the day of lectures is mainly targeted at those who are starting on their path of ophthalmology, but old hands may also learn a few new tricks.
Topics will include how to get the most from the ophthalmic examination, diagnostics and what options there are for career growth in our specialty.
There will be live panel discussions to give attendees the opportunity to ask any questions they have.
Tickets costs £100+VAT for BrAVO members, £60+VAT for nurses and interns, and £40+VAT for students.
The deadline for registration is Tuesday 16th March at 5:00pm.
To book your ticket, visit: https://www.eventbee.com/v/bravo-spring-meeting-2021/event?eid=164693974#/tickets
The Prime Minister's website has received a petition for a new law making it compulsory to microchip pets in the UK.
If you wish to support this petition, please click here and add your name: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/MicrochipPets/
The full petition reads:
"I am a responsible pet owner and have both my parrots and dog microchipped. I genuinely believe that all pets (where possible) should be microchipped.
I feel that it should be mandatory and is part of being a responsible pet owner. This should act as a "licence". I strongly beleive that this course of action will protect many discarded, stolen and mistreated pets every year as there will be no escape for the owners as the pet can be traced back to them.
I appreciated that due to size and temperament some pets may not be able to be microchipped, but certainly dogs, cats, horses, valuable / larger birds, rabbits etc should be.
I hope you agree that £30 for a microchip is good value, if owners cannot afford this then they shouldnt be considering a pet in the first place.
Please can you give this idea serious consideration as I feel we must do something to protect the pets that do not have a voice in our society."
BEVA President, Madeleine Campbell will be announcing plans for a veterinary-led European Transport Forum at BEVA Congress this year (8-11 September 2010), to discuss how the welfare of horses during transport can be improved through the better enforcement of legislation.
Dr Campbell is also the British Veterinary Association representative on the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) working party for transport. The Forum, which will be held in Brussels on 29 November 2010, has been jointly organised by the FVE and BEVA and is sponsored by World Horse Welfare (WHW). It is hoped that it will be attended by over 150 participants, including representatives of EU Member States, CVOs, Members of the European Commission and European Parliament, scientific experts, national veterinary organisations, animal transport associations and animal welfare associations.
The Forum will review the enforcement of the existing European regulations that currently govern the transport of horses for slaughter and for other purposes. Areas for practical improvement will be identified with the key focus on the enforcement of current legislation and the role of vets in ensuring that the welfare of horses in transit is protected. The conference will endeavour to define the critical control points, effective control systems and good practices. It will also look into trade flows, animal health risks, horse identification and the effects of closing horse slaughterhouses.
Dr Campbell said: "It is all very well to campaign for new regulations but at present even the existing regulations are not being enforced adequately. The crux of the matter is enforcement and there are none better placed to help with this than vets. If we can all work collectively we should have the strength to make a real impact. This is what the Forum is about."
Dr Campbell will be speaking about the European Transport Forum at the Congress press conference on 10 September between 9am and 10am.
BEVA Congress runs from 8-11 September 2010 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham. For further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/
"Advances in Imaging of the Equine Distal Limb 2017–2022" comprises a total of 20 papers which have been selected by Mathieu Spriet, Ann Carstens and Tim Mair.
It also includes an editorial from the EVJ summarising the major historical technological developments in imaging of the foot and fetlock.
The publication looks at the evolution of computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), which has opened a whole new field of possibilities for bone and soft tissue imaging in racehorses and sport horses, MRI and how it has been improved by optimising scanning techniques, ultrasound radiography and scintigraphy.
Mathieu Spriet said: “The content of this virtual issue represents an amazing amount of new knowledge that with no doubt will contribute to improve equine welfare and safety.
“With the increase availability and versatility of all the imaging modalities, the knowledge base appears to increase exponentially.
"We are very excited to see what the next five years will bring. We hope the readers will enjoy consulting this collection as much as we enjoyed putting it together.”
The virtual issue is free for 12 weeks and can be found at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.equine-distal-limb
Photo: 18F-NaF PET, CT and MRI images from a horse with navicular and middle phalanx lesions. Adapted from EVJ 2018;50: 125-132
The mandatory regulation of veterinary practices, including statutory powers of entry and inspection, is one of the main parts of the College's proposals for new primary legislation that would replace the current Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.
The working group, which is expected to present the details of a Mandatory Practice Regulation system to Council by the end of 2024, will be chaired by RCVS President Sue Paterson FRCVS.
It will include Standards Committee Chair Linda Belton MRCVS and Practice Standards Group Chair Belinda Andrews-Jones RVN, alongside veterinary, veterinary nursing, lay and external representatives.
Sue said: “With over 70% of practice premises currently under its ambit, our Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) has shown how keen practices are to maintain high standards.
"However, it is a voluntary scheme and, as a result, there is no mechanism to ensure standards across all practices, or to ensure change in those rare situations where it is needed.
“At present, the RCVS only regulates individual veterinary surgeons and nurses, and the veterinary sector does not have an equivalent to the Care Quality Commission, which considers human healthcare premises.
"This means that the onus for maintaining standards within the workplace falls on regulated individuals rather than the business structure.
"We will consider what a scheme that puts more statutory responsibility on business owners to maintain standards should look like.
“I look forward to working with colleagues in RCVS Council, VN Council and other veterinary organisations via this group to really flesh out what this regulatory system might look like in the future, to make sure it is appropriate, robust, proportionate and enforceable.
"Establishing these details will also prove invaluable in our lobbying work with government, ministers and MPs.”
The full BEVA Congress programme is now live and super early bird tickets are available from 4th March, saving member delegates up to £200.
The one medicine thread will run through the medicine and orthopaedics and sports medicine streams as well as feature in the Peter Rossdale Plenary Lecture.
BEVA President Roger Smith said “There is much to learn from the human side as well as from what we do as vets.
"We have invited five human medical experts to make some comparative links with human medicine in their presentations.
"Bringing a different angle in this way will help predict what the future holds and advance what we do in the equine veterinary sphere.”
The full programme includes more than 90 hours of live and on-demand CPD covering almost every aspect of equine medicine, surgery and practice.
The first day will commence with an opening address from Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell during which she will share her thoughts on maximising performance.
Other highlights include:
Individual super early bird BEVA members prices are £524 for vets and £144 for vet nurses for all three days (with concessionary available for those in their first three years of graduation or earning less than £25,000).
Day tickets and practice passes are also available.
Super early bird ends on Wednesday 29 May 2024.
www.bevacongress.org
The session will provide a practical guide to dealing with various emergencies that may present to vets and nurses across multiple disciplines.
The full schedule includes:
Arlene Connor, Interim Hospital Director at Hamilton Specialist Referrals, said: “Being presented with an emergency patient can be an intense and high-pressure situation, and it’s one that all vet professionals should do their best to prepare for so they are comfortable making decisions under pressure.
"We have a brilliant team here at Hamilton Specialist Referrals, all of whom are well equipped and very experienced when it comes to dealing with emergencies and this is an unrivalled opportunity to learn from them.”
Tickets cost £80+vat, including lunch and refreshments
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-emergency-patient-tickets-861637851007
www.hamiltonspecialists.vet
Does your vet practice or an individual in the team deserve to be recognised for their commitment and dedication to their job? If so, this is your last chance to nominate your practice or colleagues for the Petplan Veterinary Awards held at a glittering award ceremony at BSAVA in April.
You can nominate under four categories:
Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, said: "Nominating your colleagues for an award is a fantastic way of expressing your appreciation for their hard work. The veterinary profession is dedicated to animal welfare and at Petplan we believe that their invaluable care and support deserves special recognition. The 11th annual Petplan Veterinary Awards will bestow great accolades upon the stars of the industry."
Ben Jones was awarded Vet of the Year in 2009. He said: "It was a great honour to be named the 2009 Petplan Vet of the Year and it has had a really positive impact. The award has greatly increased the practice's exposure in the local and national press and we've also been able to use the award to generate our own publicity."
However Ben says the greatest impact of the award has been on his customers: "They were all delighted and I think it gave them a lot of reassurance in the service we provide. It has also generated more business with new clients saying they have come to us because of the award."
Ian Patterson, a partner at St Clair Veterinary Group in Fife, said being named the 2009 Practice of the Year has also had a tremendous impact on their practice. He said: "The award meant so much to everyone right across the practice and the team here is extremely proud of their efforts. It has also given us the opportunity to generate more business through the exposure that the practice has received since winning the award."
You can nominate online at www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards. Remember to also encourage your clients to nominate your team for the contribution you have made to their pets wellbeing.