Royal Canin is launching a new packaging format for its range of feline wet diets.
The company says the launch comes in response to research showing that more than three-quarters of pet owners (76%1) feed their cats wet food and almost half of wet cat products sold are in a canned format (48%2).
The current alutray packaging will be replaced by 195g cans, which Royal Canin says are easier to use and store, and which clients believe to be better value for money than other packaging formats.
The new cans will contain the same recipes as before, with the same balance of nutrients in each wet diet. They will consist of a loaf or mousse, providing a complementary texture to the chunks in gravy found in the equivalent pouched diets.
Royal Canin is also highlighting the benefits for veterinary practices: The cans are designed to provide greater clarity of display and on-shelf presence. They are also easier to stack for storage, and they meet an established demand.
Ian Williams, one of Royal Canin's small animal vets, said: "We believe the new packaging is an improvement on our established and popular range of wet Veterinary Diets for cats. The range is extensive which allows owners to follow a vet's nutritional recommendations without changing their pets' feeding habits, an excellent way to increase compliance."
The new canned format will be phased in as stocks are replenished, with the following cans being added to the Royal Canin range of wet feline foods: a new Renal and Urinary S/O can, joining the existing Recovery can within the range of Veterinary Diets; and a new Paediatric Weaning can within the Veterinary Care Nutrition range.
For more information about Royal Canin and the diets, visit www.royalcanin.co.uk.
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BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Veterinary View not only highlights some of the veterinary profession's fantastic work, but complements our joint project with RCVS, Vet Futures, in exploring how the profession can best shape its own future. We hope it will stimulate debate among vets, and the wider community in which we work, about both the big challenges and opportunities that the veterinary profession is facing."
The series includes a number of videos which showcase more recent industry developments:
Stem Cell therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (VetCell Therapeutics)
Pharmtrax, a mobile device for vets to record work and dispensing on the farm (Henry Schein Animal Health)
Hormone implants as an alternative to castration (Virbac Animal Health)
Practice management support from Zoetis
Preventing an epidemic of equine flu (Merial Animal Health)
RCVS President, Dr Jerry Davies, has committed to prioritise the establishment of a new Audit and Risk Committee, following publication of the recommendations of a report into two overspends at the College.
Earlier this year, outgoing President Peter Jinman had announced that a review would be carried out into the circumstances that led to higher-than-expected expenditure on the College's new database and building development works in the Lower Ground Floor at Belgravia House.
The RCVS Officer team asked Professor Bill McKelvey - a member of the College's Governance Review Group - and two of the College's Privy Council-appointed Council members to look at all aspects that related to its budgeting and expenditure process of those projects, and propose lessons that should be learned.
Dr Davies said: "That such a review was required is regretted, but I would like to thank Professor McKelvey, Richard Davis and Judith Webb for their diligence in this work. Their recommendations will be a very helpful addition to the work that is currently underway to ensure corporate governance is fit for purpose and, in particular, that the management of capital projects within the College is optimised."
The full Overspend Report (one sentence was redacted on legal advice) was considered by Council at its meeting on 3 November. Council agreed that the recommendations should be made public. The College is currently seeking further legal advice on whether it is proper for the report to be made available under the Freedom of Information Act.
Dr Davies added: "The recommendations of the report are under consideration by a group of five past Presidents, together with Richard Davis and Judith Webb as lay members of Council, under the Chairmanship of Peter Jinman, and their proposals will be considered by Council in due course.
"The recommendation that an Audit and Risk Committee be set up will be prioritised, as this was highlighted as an imperative. Other related activities, such as the development of a protocol for the management of major projects, had already been put in place by Officers prior to the overspend review."
Regarding the two projects at the heart of the report, the College says building work in the Lower Ground Floor at Belgravia House has been complete for some time and the new rooms and their facilities are being used, particularly when Disciplinary Committee hearings render much of the rest of the building out of bounds. The new data management system is also in use and an external consultant is currently looking at the work that has been carried out so far, and will make recommendations for the future.
"Meanwhile, although there are many lessons to be learned from the report, it's business as usual in terms of bringing to a conclusion many of our important ongoing initiatives, such as the introduction of the new Code of Professional Conduct, the consultations on the recommendations of the Specialisation Working Party and a draft Performance Protocol, and, of course, the ongoing work of the Disciplinary and Preliminary Investigation Committees," said Dr Davies.
The recommendations of the report, which were adopted by Council, can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/McKelvey.
Extensively updated, the new edition reflects the increasing sophistication of reptile medicine and surgery and acknowledges the expanding range of reptile species kept as companion animals.
Part one covers the husbandry aspects of reptile care, including captive maintenance and nutrition, plus a new chapter dedicated to anatomy and physiology.
Part two contains the details necessary to carry out successful clinical examination, anaesthesia, surgery (including endoscopy), treatment (including emergency and critical care), non-invasive imaging, laboratory testing and post-mortem examinations, as well as humane euthanasia.
Part three addresses disease by organ system, covering parasitology and infectious disease.
New to this third edition are also chapters on marine turtle rehabilitation and crocodilians, as well as updates on the handling of venomous reptiles.
Simon Girling said: "This third edition of the BSAVA Manual of Reptiles is another milestone in the commitment of the BSAVA to exotic species medicine. Reptile medicine and surgery is now being accepted as a mainstream discipline within the veterinary world, reflected in the growing number of textbooks and the appearance of postgraduate qualifications."
BSAVA says the new manual will benefit both the general practitioner seeing a small number of reptiles or a more specialist practitioner dealing with these species on a daily basis.
The 10 minute survey seeks to capture the current level of understanding and feelings around the deployment of AI tools across the veterinary industry.
VetCT says the purpose of the survey is to start some discussion and identify areas where training and support could help veterinary practitioners.
Julien Labruyère, Chief Innovation Officer at VetCT (pictured), said: “AI is here to stay and will increasingly become part of all aspects of veterinary medicine.
"Indeed, it’s vital to help us solve some of the workforce pressures the profession is facing globally.
"We will increasingly be using the outputs of AI tools to inform our clinical decisions, and yet the mechanisms and algorithms can be something of a black box of mystery.
“We want to understand the needs of clinicians in understanding how to apply AI safely, effectively and with confidence to support good clinical practice and ultimately, improve animal welfare.
"The results will be published and freely accessible.
"Our hope is to encourage a collaborative effort to support veterinary teams with embracing the full potential of AI, yet also providing the safeguards and education to the clinicians applying this technology to their patients.”
The survey is here: https://bit.ly/VetCT_AI_Survey.
BCF has released a new bovine foetal sexing quick guide as a free download from the farm animal learning section of the company's website - www.bcftechnology.com.
To help vets learn the skill of foetal sex determination with ultrasound, the guide includes:
BCF says that using ultrasound for foetal sex determination can be useful to herd management programmes: you can estimate the number of replacement heifers, further justify the culling of a cow with chronic disease (mastitis, lameness etc.) and determine pricing for a sale and/or purchase.
The guides have been created by BCF in-house vet Kimberley Palgrave who said: "The bovine foetal sexing guide was created with the aim of giving vets a few tips to help them develop confidence in foetal sex determination using ultrasound. Hopefully this guide can help people feel more assured in their technique and enable them to obtain additional information that the farmer can use in their herd management programme."
A DNA test which will save foals from unnecessary pain and suffering, and ultimately death, has been launched by the Animal Health Trust.
Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome (FIS), a genetic disorder which is known to affect Fell and Dales ponies, causes foals to become anaemic and prone to opportunistic infections. Any foal born with the syndrome will not survive.
The new diagnostic DNA test, which costs £40, is the result of ten years of research by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and the University of Liverpool. The test will not only identify foals which have the fatal condition but will highlight adult ponies who are carriers of the genetic trait which causes the syndrome. Affected foals will be prevented by avoiding covering a carrier mare with a carrier stallion.
Owners and breeders who wish to find out the genetic status of their ponies can arrange for a simple pulled mane or tail hair sample to be taken by a vet and submitted to the AHT. The Fell Pony or Dales Pony Societies will supply sample bags for submission on request. A fast-track system to identify foals suffering with the condition will report results within three working days.
The team that developed the DNA test was led by the AHT's Dr June Swinburne and Professor Stuart Carter of the University of Liverpool with research student Laura Fox-Clipsham. They believe that by using the test, owners and breeders will eventually be able to eradicate this awful condition.
Dr. June Swinburne, said: "The DNA test gives owners and breeders the power to overcome this devastating illness. It enables them to make informed decisions about which ponies to breed. We have already had samples submitted by HM The Queen from her own breeding stock of Fell ponies. I'd urge any breeders of Fell or Dales ponies to submit samples in order to arm themselves with the facts they need to prevent the birth of affected foals and thereby avoid this distressing condition."
Professor Carter, said: "The research, and ultimately the DNA test, has only been possible thanks to funding from The Horse Trust and the support of the Fell Pony Society and the Dales Pony Society who have supplied DNA samples. We consider that the efforts of all involved in enabling this research have lead to a major advance in animal welfare."
For more information on testing, contact the Fell or Dales Pony Societies. Alternatively visit the AHT website http://www.aht.org.uk/genetics_fis.html or email FIStesting@aht.org.uk
Vetoquinol has launched www.epiphenonline.co.uk, to support the veterinary profession and dog owners in the management of epilepsy.
The company says it has developed the online service to complement its existing monitoring aids and booklets, and give the best possible support to vets and patients during the complex process of stabilising and managing seizures.
The online service enables owners to keep a seizure diary, and share it with their veterinary surgeon so that they can prescribe an appropriate medication and management programme.
According to Vetoquinol, approximately three to five per cent of dogs suffer from idiopathic epilepsy, (which accounts for 80 per cent of epileptic seizures). The condition is inherited in some breeds, including Beagles, Dachunds, Keeshonden, German Shepherds and Belgian Tervurens.
Documenting the animal's history and seizure activity is crucial in assessing the progression of epilepsy. It also provides invaluable information for diagnosis and maintenance of effective therapeutic control.
Shor-Line has announced the launch of YesWeCanSee, a webcam system which allows veterinary surgeons to monitor inpatients from anywhere, over the internet.
The system allows you to watch, listen to and record or photograph the patient remotely. In addition, there is a built-in light which can be used to illuminate or stimulate the patient.
Steffan Veterinary Services, a seven-vet mixed practice based in Lampeter, Ceredigion, recently bought the system and used it to monitor a RTA patient. Jim Hopkins, a director at the practice said: "Boio was unfortunately run over by his owner. He was brought to the practice and hospitalised for monitoring and treatment. Due to his status on arrival he was given pain relief and intravenous fluids. He was kennelled and kept quiet with minimal disturbance. The camera was used to avoid unnecessary contact. The camera could also be turned to check that the IV fluids were running. Once stable and pain relief was working he was radiographed and fully examined. There was a slight increase in respiratory rate but he was otherwise OK. He was kept overnight and monitored. During the evening when checked in person, Boio was settled and not showing any pain, however when remotely monitored he was pacing the kennel and appeared anxious. Further pain relief, Vetergesic, was administered and then Boio settled for the night. Without the camera it is unlikely he would have had further Vetergesic. The following morning Boio was sore but well enough to return home. He has since made a full recovery”.
For more information about YesWeCanSee, visit: www.yeswecansee.com, contact Dan Puddick on 01446 772041 or email ywcs@shor-line.co.uk
A number of candidates have already come to the VetSurgeon.org forums to discuss their candidacy and help voters decide whether they're worthy of your vote; their individual discussion threads are linked to below.
The College points out that there is a new voting platform this year, designed to make it easier to vote online.
The new system includes regular personalised email reminders from Electoral Reform Services which include a link to the voting platform and the ability to log in securely straight away, without having to refer to the ballot paper in order to find the security codes. Using the email address provided the College, veterinary surgeons can also ask ERS to reissue the security codes if needs be.
Voting for both of this year’s elections opened on Friday 24 March with an email sent to all those eligible to vote for whom the College holds an email address. Ballot papers have also been despatched to all eligible voters along with booklets containing the candidates’ biographies, contact details and manifestos. Instructions on how to vote online and by post are included with the ballot papers.
There are 16 candidates contesting six places on RCVS Council, including three existing Council members eligible for re-election and 13 candidates not currently on Council. They are:
All votes must be cast, either online or by post, by 5pm on Friday 28 April 2017.
Once again this year the College invited members of both professions to ‘Quiz the candidates’ by putting their questions directly to all those standing for election. Some of the key themes this year included Brexit, complementary/ alternative therapies, the structure of the veterinary industry, out-of-hours work and veterinary nurse remuneration among others.
Each candidate was invited to choose two questions to answer from all those received and produce a video recording of their answers.
These videos, along with biographies and statements for each candidate, are available to view on the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote17.
With this new system, you gain points by achieving different ISVPS qualifications.
In 2023, mini modular programmes will also be released to help delegates accumulate more points.
Once enough points have been reached, delegates are awarded the ultimate qualification: an ISVPS Grand Jedi Master General Practitioner (Ed's note: OK, maybe I made up the Grand Jedi bit).
Improve says My Veterinary Career has been launched to tackle the growing problem of career dissatisfaction amongst vets.
A 2019 survey of the veterinary profession by the ies reported that 55.2% of vets said they did not feel rewarded/valued in the profession1.
Additionally, the FVE Survey of the veterinary profession in Europe claimed that in the UK, 40% of vets and nurses wished to leave the industry. In other countries Improve Veterinary Education operates in, 51% in Portugal, 32% in Spain, 27% in Denmark, 25% in Germany and 17% in France also felt the same2.
Improve says that with My Veterinary Career, vets will now have a clearer pathway to advance their careers and they will be able to develop a bespoke learning journey.
This, the company hopes, will help with the recruitment and retention of veterinary professionals across both corporate and private practice and boost practice productivity and revenue.
https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/myveterinarycareer-vets
The sessions will be delivered by Andrew Kent, clinical director at Blaise and a small animal internal medicine specialist, Lara Dempsey, head of soft tissue surgery, Jacques Ferrerira, head of anaesthesia, Mike Farrell, head of orthopaedic surgery, and neurology clinician, Emma Suiter (pictured).
The talks will cover:
Client communication will also be covered, together with some orthopaedics for those with an interest in that area.
Andy said: “We’re building an incredible team at Blaise and are very excited at the prospect of sharing the specialist knowledge that our clinicians have with our wider veterinary community.
"Treating liver conditions can be incredibly complex and our educational programme presents an unrivalled opportunity to deep dive into this part of an animal’s body and how best to approach it.”
Tickets are available for £48 from https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/Delivering-the-Best, with all profits going to the charity StreetVet.
Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital in Longbridge is IVC’s first purpose-built pet hospital and will be open to accept referral patients from November 2023.
www.blaise-referrals.com
http://herbertsyard.com
Direct Line has revealed the results of a small survey which found that 78% of veterinary surgeons had treated pets for ingesting human medicines in the last year.
100 vets took part in the study, of which 28% reported that they had cases where owners had deliberately given their pet human medication in an attempt to help them. Some vets described incidents of owners believing paracetamol will help conditions like arthritis and limping. In one case an owner gave their cat a quarter of paracetamol every day in an attempt to stop its pain, which instead resulted in the cat dying.
The most common types of medication ingested were:
In total, the veterinary surgeons who took part in the survey reported 243 cases of accidental ingestion of human medicines. The majority (76%) of cases involved dogs. However incidents involving cats, rabbits and guinea pigs were also reported.
Sheila Wills BSc BVetMed CertSAM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS, specialist in internal medicine, has joined Wey Referrals, the Surrey-based multi-disciplinary veterinary referral practice.
Professor John Innes, Referral Director at CVS (of which Wey Referrals is a part) said: "We are delighted to welcome Sheila to our specialist team at Wey Referrals. Her experience and knowledge will further strengthen the service we offer and her appointment is another important step in the development of our referral team in the South East. Attracting the highest calibre talent is important to CVS because we want to build a referral team, whose members are not only clinically excellent but who also possess first rate communication and inter-personal skills."
Sheila said: "I am excited to be joining the CVS specialist team and look forward to working with like-minded colleagues who are passionate and dedicated to providing the highest level of patient care and client communication. I am delighted to be able to offer a specialist internal medicine service in both feline and canine medicine and look forward to offering a comprehensive service to CVS clients and expanding the internal medicine service further in the future."
Sheila graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1998 and spent five years in small animal practice before undertaking an FAB Residency in Feline Medicine at the University of Bristol.
Shortly after her residency, she was appointed Head of Small Animal Medicine and the Feline Centre at the Animal Health Trust where she was based for two years before moving to a major veterinary laboratory in December 2009. She recently returned to the University of Bristol as a teaching fellow in feline medicine.
Sheila acquired her ECVIM Diploma in Internal Medicine in September 2010 and is a Recognised European Veterinary Specialist in Internal Medicine. She became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine in March 2012 and enjoys all aspects of feline medicine with a specialist interest in feline renal and ureteric disease. She is a member of the ICC Feline Expert Panel and an editorial board member for the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
The RCVS has announced a total of £1 million funding to address mental health and wellbeing within the veterinary profession over the next five years.
The RCVS Operational Board has agreed £100K of funding for the first year of the Mind Matters initiative, with a view to a similar amount per year for the subsequent four years.
Additionally, the College says it intends to contribute approximately £500K over the next five years to the Veterinary Surgeons' Health Support Programme (VSHSP). This is a continuation of previous funding, effectively doubling the College's contribution. The VSHSP, independently run by the Veterinary Benevolent Fund, offers a confidential service that aims to combat problems with alcohol, drugs, eating disorders and other addictive and mental health issues. Neil Smith, Mind Matters' Chair said: "I am delighted that we have £500K of new funding over the next five years to dedicate to improving the mental health and wellbeing of the veterinary team, together with the increase to our support for the VSHSP. It shows the College's commitment in this vital area, and is a substantial amount that will really help change lives."
The funding will be reviewed annually as part of the RCVS budgeting process.
Mind Matters activities will fall into five streams:
Mind Matters is supported by a taskforce comprising the Veterinary Benevolent Fund, the British Veterinary Association, the British Veterinary Nursing Association, the Veterinary Practice Management Association, the Veterinary Schools Council, the Veterinary Defence Society, the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons and the Association of Veterinary Students.
The BVA has released more results from the Voice of the Profession survey, which show that 67% of vets have seen dogs that needed conformation altering surgeries and caesareans in the last year.
Every year the Kennel Club receives over 3,200 data submissions from both vets and dog owners about conformation altering surgeries and caesareans carried out on Kennel Club registered dogs. Sharing data about conformation altering surgeries and caesareans is vital to help build a picture of the current situation, and facilitate measures to improve health and welfare for future generations of dogs.
The information collected by the Kennel Club provides details of breeding lines appearing to perpetuate certain defects. For example, data submitted for caesareans prevents the registration of puppies born to a bitch that has already had two litters delivered by caesarean section while data submitted for conformation altering surgeries allows the Kennel Club to make decisions on whether or not to allow affected dogs to be entered for shows.
In the longer term, measures implemented by the Kennel Club will include analysis of all submitted data to create a research database that will provide an evidence-base to influence the future of dog welfare.
When asked about operations carried out on Kennel Club registered dogs, the majority of vets said that they do submit data on conformation altering surgeries (60%) and caesareans (65%) however 15% of survey respondents revealed that they never submit data. Those vets who do not always report gave ‘time’ as the main reason for not doing so.
BVA is working with its members to raise awareness of the Kennel Club’s new online system, which takes a few minutes to complete, to encourage a data drive that could reduce avoidable hereditary problems, prevent further lifelong discomfort and suffering, and improve health and welfare for dogs.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "Vets are seeing concerning trends in dog health and welfare, especially with the current public want for designer dogs and brachycephalic breeds, so the need for a record of conformation altering surgeries and caesareans carried out in daily practice has never been more important. Owners can submit data on their dogs’ operations yet data from veterinary practices is vital for the Kennel Club’s evidence base as it offers additional validity that many owners are not able to provide, ensuring robust and informative data for now and the future."
Other reasons vets gave for not always submitting data on conformation altering surgeries and caesareans, included:
BVA is urging vets and practice teams to recognise the importance of submitting this data and to work with their clients to ensure delivery of the best welfare outcomes for dogs. To support its members, BVA has compiled FAQs on conformation altering surgery and will be taking further questions to the Kennel Club Dog Health Group. To assist with the process of data submission in daily practice, BVA has developed a poster that can be downloaded at www.bva.co.uk/dog-breeding.
The ‘2022 AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines: Approach and Handling Techniques’ and the ‘2022 ISFM/AAFP Cat Friendly Veterinary Environment Guidelines’ cover all aspects of a cat’s veterinary experience, including the journey to the practice and interactions with veterinary team members, as well as the clinical environment.
The new guidelines cover things like:
Dr Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM (pictured right), said: "We are extremely proud of our new guidelines; they have been a lot of hard work with large amounts of literature to review and multiple time zones to work across, but the effort has been worth it.
"We hope all veterinarians working with cats will take the time to read them and apply the concepts and ideas to their clinics and to how they personally interact with their feline patients.’
The guidelines are available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/jfm/collection/cat-friendly-special-issue
“Assessment of the clinical usefulness of ultrasound-guided cytological specimens obtained from gastrointestinal lesions in dogs and cats” retrospectively reviewed GI cytological samples obtained by ultrasound-guided FNCB of 25 dogs and 19 cats from a single institution between February 2014 to August 2016.
The aim of the study was to assess factors that may influence the clinical usefulness of submitted cytological samples collected from gastrointestinal lesions by ultrasound-guided percutaneous FNCB. Ultrasound-guided FNCB included a combination of FNI (non-aspiration) and FNA techniques, as the specific technique could not be determined retrospectively.
Clinical records were evaluated to obtain historical data, clinical findings, diagnostic results and patient outcomes. Clinically useful samples were defined as smears with sufficient cell yield and preservation to allow at least a tentative cytological diagnosis of the lesion character or pathological process.
Factors that may have influenced the retrieval of a clinically useful sample were assessed and included lesion location, sonographic lesion thickness, loss of or alteration to intestinal layer conspicuity on ultrasound, and the number of slides submitted to the cytologists. The thickness of lesions was further categorised as either a mass (≥20 mm thickness) or a thickening (<20mm).
The National Office of Animal Health has completed its annual review of its Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines, and a number of changes will come into effect on 1st July 2011.
One change spells out the way antimicrobial medicines are promoted to farmers, with a firm emphasis on correct use and education.
Advertisers will be required to describe the condition the product is aiming to treat, and to promote an understanding of the treatment of the disease.
The phrase "use medicines responsibly" will always be included in text, making the voluntary strapline introduced in 2009 a formal part of the NOAH Code. As with all promotions to people other than prescribers, farmers will always be reminded to consult their veterinary surgeon.
Advertising text will always state clearly the name of the company and the brand being promoted, and promotion must not be designed to disguise its real nature.
Withdrawal periods for products will be stated, but these must not be unduly prominent and not in a font size greater than the body copy containing recommended dosage and species description.
The changes were proposed by NOAH within its formal response to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's consultation on the Veterinary Medicines Regulation 2010. The Minister decided in December 2010 to continue to allow the advertising of antimicrobial veterinary products to farmers.
Phil Sketchley, NOAH Chief Executive, said: "Whilst welcoming the Government's decision in December not to further restrict the advertising of animal medicines, we feel that the industry should take a proactive role to ensure the system works properly. We believe it is important for farmers, who are legally responsible for the health and welfare of their animals and the food produced from them, to be aware of the medicines that are available to protect the health of their animals, and at the same time we want them to know that these medicines must be prescribed and used responsibly.
"The issue of antimicrobial resistance is one that affects us all. The way to promote best practice is through education by maintaining all lines of communication between farmers, vets, scientists and animal medicine producers.
"Antibiotics are essential for maintaining the health and welfare of all animals, but like any medicine they need to be used responsibly in order to maintain their effectiveness, and their availability for future generations."
The RCVS is to launch a new badge for registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) at the British Veterinary Nursing Association Congress later this week.
The launch ties in with the 50th anniversary of veterinary nurse training, and highlights the fact that RVNs, while qualified to the same level as their listed colleagues, stand apart because they additionally agree to account for their professional practice and keep their skills and knowledge up to date.
The non-statutory RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses was introduced in 2007, and RVNs abide by a code of professional conduct, commit to continuing professional development and, from 1 April this year, can be taken to task via a disciplinary system.
The new badge builds upon the old version but with the word 'registered' underneath. Plans for a more dramatic departure from the existing badge were dropped when the College saw the affection in which veterinary nurses held the traditional antique silver and red-enamel badge, introduced in 1984.
Liz Branscombe, Chairman of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council said: "There is currently no legislation to protect veterinary nurses' title and area of work, but we have not stood still and the Register shows a real commitment to developing our status as professionals. We need to ensure this commitment is recognised by clients and others in the veterinary team, and hope the new badge will make it easier to identify who is professionally accountable."
All those veterinary nurses qualifying since 2003 automatically became registered and those qualifying earlier could choose to do so. Currently there are 8,682 registered veterinary nurses, and 1,463 remain on the unregulated list.
Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College have officially launched a new Feline Diabetic Remission Clinic in the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Hertfordshire, to investigate the optimum methods to achieve good control, and ultimately diabetic remission, in diabetic cats.
Led by Dr Stijn Niessen, the team at the new clinic will offer diabetic cats optimum management, while at the same time gathering information to enhance current scientific understanding of the best treatment for diabetic cats.
Feline diabetes mellitus is a costly, chronic disease which can significantly decrease the quality of life of both cat owners and their pets. However, a proportion of diabetic cats can achieve diabetic remission and no longer require insulin therapy, which is increasingly considered the ultimate goal in treating diabetic cats. According to the RVC, early evidence suggests that good, early blood glucose control increases remission rates in diabetic cats. However, there is little evidence about which treatment protocol offers the best blood glucose control and chance of remission.Stijn said: "Our mission is to investigate the best method of achieving good blood glucose control, and diabetic remission, in diabetic cats. The clinic also aims to identify predictors of diabetic remission, which will help veterinarians advise their clients on the chance of their cat achieving diabetic remission in the future."
He added: "Interestingly, most cats seem to suffer from a similar type of diabetes as most humans. We always suspected cats to be extremely wise, but isn't it interesting to know that they also might hold the answer to many questions we have about the human disease!"
The clinic is currently recruiting cats that have had diabetes for less than 4 months' duration for a clinical trial, examining the effect of new insulins on blood glucose control and remission rate.
Enrolled cats will qualify for full underlying disease assessment at the referral hospital, several re-examination appointments, 12 months of prescription diabetic food, and 6 months of insulin therapy - all at no cost to owners.
For more information on the trial or the work of the clinic, contact Feline Diabetic Remission Clinic: telephone: 01707 666 605 or email: fdrc@rvc.ac.uk
New regulations which limit the type of animals that can be kept as pets came into force in Holland earlier this week.
Mammalian animals not included on a new 'Positive List' cannot be legally kept in Holland or may only be kept with a special permit. People who already own animals that are not on the Positive List may keep them till they die, but may not breed or trade their animals. In due course, the list will be expanded to include reptiles and birds.
The Dutch Positive List was compiled using a method developed by the University of Wageningen, in which an animal's behavioural needs are one of the prime considerations. The list favours domesticated species such as: dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, brown rats, house mice, horses, donkeys, pigs, cattle and sheep.
The Positive List excludes a number of exotic species that are currently sold in the UK, including: meerkats, sugar gliders, sloths, skunks, kinkajous, fennec foxes and several primate species, which can be purchased without the need for a licence.
The Animal Protection Agency (APA), a not-for-profit organisation which campaigns against the trade in wild animals as pets, has welcomed the new legislation and says it hopes that the UK (DEFRA and the devolved administrations) will adopt the same approach.
Elaine Toland, Director of the Animal Protection Agency said: "One only has to compare the natural life of a meerkat, which has evolved to live in large social groups, hunt for a variety of foods and reside in intricate underground burrows to see that these mammals, and many other exotic species, do not belong in the pet trade. Simples! The Dutch positive list shines more light at the end of the tunnel for anyone dealing with the fallout of the exotic pet trade, which has long been out of control."
A positive list for mammals has been in force in Belgium since 2001, where according to the APA, it has been highly effective in reducing illegal trade and the number of animals that wind up in rescue shelters.
Other European countries are apparently now considering positive lists.
Picture shows: A Sugar Glider. © Grinerswife/Dreamstime.com
MSD Animal Health has announced the launch of KBHH Yard Master – a new preventative healthcare and biosecurity app - as part of its ongoing Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy (KBHH) campaign.
MSD says KBHH Yard Master has been created to link vets and yards where the majority of horses in Britain are kept. It aims to play a key role in protecting the health and welfare of the herd and in safeguarding the yard’s reputation and business.
Peter Young, Equine Business Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Good biosecurity is essential in building and maintaining the reputation of a yard which, in turn, impacts on owner satisfaction and retention. It remains, however, a poorly understood subject despite its importance. We’ve therefore invested in the creation of KBHH Yard Master to help vets, yard managers, their employees and horse owners focus on preventative health and biosecurity measures; making best practice seem more achievable and easier to implement.
He added: "We were also fortunate to have input from Professor Josh Slater, who has been heavily involved in developing the content, evaluation and grading system behind the app assessment."
KBHH Yard Master covers all aspects of biosecurity, including everyday husbandry practices, managing new arrivals, running isolation facilities, infection control and personnel movement. MSD says it will frame a dialogue with yard managers regarding preventative healthcare and biosecurity in situ and provide instant feedback on current practices and risk. Following the on-site assessment, a report can be sent to the yard manager with tailor-made recommendations and timings, detailing how they can improve their yard’s biosecurity performance.
Peter added: "Based on the data gathered through the KBHH campaign we know that approximately half of horses are vaccinated for ‘flu. This means that there will be horses on yards, visited by vets, that are not vaccinated. KBHH Yard Master will help identify those horses and allow the vet to recommend appropriate vaccination schedules."
MSD has produced a range of supporting KBHH Yard Master materials to promote understanding, participation and compliance amongst yard staff and owners, including posters and downloadable booklets which explain aspects such as disease prevention, infection control and outbreak control.
A certificate of excellence is also available to be awarded to those yards which, following assessment, have a low overall biosecurity risk.
For more information, contact your MSD Animal Health Equine Account Manager or call MSD on 01908 685685.
The new brand has a couple of display stands that practices can use to show off the range of memory boxes, paw print kits, paw moulds, fur/hair bottles, plant markers and forget-me-not seeds, and hanging/seasonal decorations.
Oh So Precious is the brainchild of Helen Davies, founder of The Lovely Gift Group (pictured right).
She said: “Having lost pets myself and sold many keepsakes, I know how much emotion and passion we put into our relationships with them.
“When my daughter asked for a keepsake for her best friend I realised their was a gap in the market.
“We also identified a need for good quality, pet related items through our existing gift customers.
"We learn a lot from them and they continually highlight requirements for themselves and as thoughtful gifts for friends who have lost pets.
"The unity among pet owners – that need to convey an understanding and appreciation for those suffering the pain of pet loss - is very real.”
Helen says that as well as providing a new revenue stream, the range will help practices meet client needs and provide new ways to be empathetic to clients in times of distress.
There will be a special show offer for orders taken at The London Vet Show, and in 2023 the team is planning to launch personalised pet keepsakes via links from vet practice websites.
www.ohsoprecious.co.uk
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has embarked upon the most extensive review of its veterinary nursing qualifications for many years, in order to meet the timetable for Ofqual's implementation of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in summer 2010.
The new QCF aims to provide a more user-friendly and flexible system. Under the new arrangements, all qualifications will carry a 'value' in terms of their level and the volume of learning involved. It's a similar system to that used in higher education for a number of years.
The new national awards framework means that NVQs as such will disappear and the process of review opens up the whole qualification structure, allowing for the creation of a more flexible system to suit better the needs of the veterinary nursing profession and employers.
Head of Veterinary Nursing, Libby Earle said: "Future options include potentially placing more of the responsibility for education and basic skills on the colleges, leaving practices to concentrate on providing quality mentorship and work experience, with less emphasis on assessment.
"Consideration will also be given to providing part of VN training and education within full-time further education, which is possible now that the lower age limit for VN students has been dropped."
The College is keen to hear the views of those involved with the delivery of training and employers of qualified nurses. A consultation letter has been sent to those involved and topics on which views are sought include the range and level of knowledge and skills delivered by the current awards, the impact of training on employers of student VNs, meeting the increased demand for qualified VNs, and providing VNs for mixed or equine practices.
Over the summer, evidence-gathering meetings will be held at the RCVS to explore the issues in more depth. Anyone who has not been sent a formal consultation letter and who would like to contribute is very welcome to submit their views. Please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/vnawardsreview for the consultation papers. Comments should be submitted by 30 June 2009.
The review of the RCVS awards will take place alongside Lantra's review of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for VNs: the NOS describe what a person needs to do, know and understand in their job to carry out their role in a consistent and competent way.