The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has launched its annual search for veterinary surgeons deserving of an award for significantly advancing the care of companion animals.

Nominations are invited for the following awards, which will be presented during the 2011 WSAVA World Congress which takes place in Jeju, Korea from October 14-17 2011.:

WSAVA Hill's Pet Mobility Award
To recognise the outstanding work of a clinical researcher in the field of canine and feline orthopaedic medicine and surgery. Through improvements in the mobility and quality of life of pets, the research should have contributed significantly to the well-being of pets' lives and to the human-animal bond worldwide.

WSAVA Hill's Excellence in Veterinary Healthcare Award
To recognise the outstanding work of a veterinary surgeon in promoting companion animal healthcare and the human-pet-veterinary bond through leading-edge clinical nutrition and through advanced medical and surgical techniques which enrich relationships between people and their pets.

WSAVA International Award for Scientific Achievement
To recognise the outstanding contribution of a veterinary surgeon who has furthered the advancement of knowledge of the cause, detection and management of disorders in companion animals.

Professor Jolle Kirpensteijn, President of the WSAVA, said:  "Our prestigious awards recognise the achievement of members of the veterinary profession around the world as they continue to push the boundaries of veterinary care for companion animals.  The standard of entries is always high, reflecting the ground-breaking research and work being carried out by our colleagues in many countries.  We look forward to reviewing the nominations for the 2011 awards.

We are also grateful to Hill's Pet Nutrition for its generous sponsorship of these awards and for its continuing support of the WSAVA.  The awards are just one of the ways in which we work to deliver on our joint vision to foster the development of veterinary knowledge on a global scale."

The WSAVA Executive Board also makes a special additional award for service to the profession. The award is designed to recognise exemplary service by a veterinary surgeon to foster and enhance the exchange of scientific and professional ideas throughout the world.  For 2011, the award will be sponsored by Dr John Holt, a long-term supporter of the WSAVA, past president (1986-88) and Service to the Profession award winner (1998.)   

Nominations for all awards can be sent to the WSAVA Secretariat by e-mail, fax, or post (http://www.wsava.org/Contact.htm ) and should include a covering letter, nominee CV and list of nominee publications. Nominations must be received by the WSAVA Secretariat by 15 November 2010.

A study carried out at the University of Leicester's School of Psychology has found that disagreeable younger people are more likely to prefer aggressive dogs, confirming the conventional wisdom that dogs match the personality of their owners.

Researchers found that low agreeableness was the best predictor of a preference for those dogs seen as more aggressive, such as bull terriers or boxers. Individuals low in agreeableness are typically less concerned with others' well-being and may be suspicious, unfriendly and competitive.

However, the study found no link between liking an aggressive dog and delinquent behaviour, or the possibility that liking an aggressive dog is an act of 'status display' to show off or attract romantic partners.

Dr Vincent Egan, lead researcher on the study, said: "This type of study is important, as it shows assumptions are not the whole picture. It is assumed owners of aggressive dogs (or dogs perceived as aggressive) are antisocial show-offs. But we did not find persons who expressed a preference for aggressive dogs had committed more delinquent acts, or reported showing off more.

"However, we did find a preference for a dog with an aggressive reputation was related to being younger and being lower in agreeableness (i.e., being less concerned with the needs of others, and being quicker to become hostile)."

The study looked at the reasons why some people prefer aggressive dog breeds. Professor Egan explained: "A lot of human behaviour involves status display and dominance, and evolutionarily this helps with finding mates. Basic personality also influences a lot of our behaviour. By measuring both at the same time, we could see whether they each had an influence on liking aggressive dogs, or whether one was due to another.

"We were surprised mating effort did not have an influence here, but think it might be because we looked at a wider age range. A preference for a non-aggressive dog may also make a statement about a person; liking a pedigree Labrador or a clipped Poodle may be as much a statement as having a pit-bull with a studded collar."

In the study, participants indicated their preference for different types of dogs, and filled in personality tests. The dogs were independently rated according to how aggressive people perceived them to be. Bull terriers were rated as most aggressive, followed by boxers; retrievers and cocker spaniels were seen as least aggressive.

Analysing the findings, the research team found that certain personality factors indicated a preference for dogs perceived to be more aggressive. Low agreeableness and higher conscientiousness were related to a preference for aggressive dog breeds. Younger people were also more likely to prefer the aggressive breeds.

Surprisingly, the results indicated a small effect suggesting that those who liked aggressive dogs showed signs of conscientiousness - being careful, reliable and thoughtful about their actions. This contradicts the perception that owners of aggressive dogs are always irresponsible.

Dr Egan said: "These results with conscientiousness were unexpected, but the effect is a small one, and needs to be repeated in a different group of people. Studies of this kind tend to only look at a restricted age ranges, which may exaggerate findings which do not occur across the entire lifespan, so we believe a stereotype is always true, whereas it may only be true under certain conditions. Our study employed a broader age range.

"We were surprised to find a small association between a preference for aggressive dogs and greater conscientiousness (i.e., valuing and following rules). However, dogs also prefer rules and firm boundaries themselves. We speculate that cheap dog-training classes would be enjoyable and beneficial for both dog and owner."

The findings were published last week in the journal Anthrozoos.

Dechra has launched Cyclofin, an injectable single-dose solution for acute bovine respiratory disease (BRD) caused by oxytetracycline-sensitive Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida where an anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic effect is needed.

Cyclofin contains two active ingredients: 200 mg/ml of the anti-inflammatory flunixin-meglumine (eq. to 33.2 mg/ml flunixin meglumine)  and 300 mg/ml of the class D anti-infective, oxytetracycline (eq. to 323.5 mg/ml oxytetracycline trihydrate).

Dechra says Cylofin acts within 24-36 hours and has sustained anti-bacterial activity for five to six days following a single intramuscular injection.

Administration is deep intramuscular injection in cattle and Cyclofin has a 35-day withdrawal period and a memorable dose rate of 1 ml per 10 kg body weight.

Alana McGlade MRCVS, national sales manager at Dechra, said: “BRD is one of the most prevalent and costly diseases on farm and early administration of an effective and fast-acting NSAID/antibiotic combination treatment, such as Cyclofin, can help relieve discomfort and stress, alleviate pain and improve demeanour and food intake.”

Cyclofin is available in 100ml vials.

https://www.dechra.co.uk/products/livestock/prescription/cyclofin#Cyclofin-300mg-ml.

Veterinary practices are signing up fast for the opportunity to take part in Pet Smile Month in September 2010, according to organisers.

Participating practices carry out free dental checks in September as part of a nationwide campaign to promote dental health in pets.

Pet Smile Month founder, veterinary surgeon Bob Partridge said: 'Pet Smile Month is all about relieving pain and suffering in pets and educating owners on the importance of dental care for pets. It also highlights the caring nature of the profession and provides practices with an opportunity to promote the range of services it offers.'

Registered practices will receive information leaflets to give to clients, and an educational poster - illustrating the problems of dental disease and encouraging clients to seek dental care.

For Pet Smile Month 2010, as well as the Pet Smile Art Competition (with prizes for young clients), Kruuse has offered the iM3 42-12 dental scaler as a prize for the best waiting room Pet Smile Month display, together with runner-up prizes.

Pet Smile Month could not exist without the long-standing commitment of Petosan, Genitrix, CEVA, Kruuse, NVS, Centaur, Dunlops, Veterinary Surgeons' Supply Company and IGP UK Ltd.

To find a participating local veterinary practice, owners can use the 'Find-a-PSM-Vet' button at http://www.petsmile.org/. There is also a dedicated vet area on the website.

Two award-winning independent practices, Glasgow-based Pets’n’Vets and Fife-based Inglis Vets, have joined forces to launch what they describe as a pioneering new graduate training programme.

The new.graduatevet programme (or ‘Dot’ programme) provides hands-on surgical training at Inglis Vets' in Cowdenbeath, seminars from Advanced Veterinary Practitioners at the Pets'n'Vets’ Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow and a new website accessible to all new and recent graduates: www.new.graduatevet.co.uk

Inglis Vets senior vet Graeme Eckford (pictured left, above), said: "This innovation has seen Scotland’s two leading independent vets, Inglis and The Pets’n’Vets Family, bring our considerable combined expertise and facilities together to create what we believe to be the best well-rounded, supported and unique new graduate training programme available in Scotland.

"Support is delivered through an integrated mentor system, peer-to-peer learning opportunities and regular case reviews, with the Dot programme designed to integrate with, and augment, the PDP requirements."

Ross Allan, a partner in The Pets‘n’Vets Family (pictured right, above), said: "The Dot programme will see the new graduates undertake advanced training and extra practice on surgery, consultations and general practice to accelerate their surgical skills and confidence at Inglis Vets ‘Care and Save’– Cowdenbeath before attending the Pets'n'Vets Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow’s Southside for a digest of seminars.

"We are proud to work with Inglis Vets to develop the programme which we believe will provide a platform for new graduates to apply the skills they’ve learned at university throughout the previous five years, and allow them to excel in their careers.

"We believe this exciting new venture demonstrates the willingness of progressive independent veterinary practices to work constructively together to allow both our new graduate vets, and in turn our practices, to thrive. There will be considerable opportunities for the new graduate vets when they have completed their training in the 16 practices which comprise our two ground-breaking vet practices."

The new.graduatevet website has been established to run alongside the new.graduatevet programme as an online mentor and with the aim of providing a community and learning space for all new and recent graduate vets; a much-needed resource for the next generation of vet graduates. Its range of blogs, news and advice on a range of relevant topics are available to all.

New veterinary graduates can apply for a place on the Dot programme by logging onto www.new.graduatevet.co.uk

The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative and the Doctors’ Support Network (DSN) have now signed up seven ambassadors for their AndMe (#AndMe) mental health campaign, designed to de-stigmatise mental ill-health within the healthcare professions.

The College says that although professional bodies advise their members to value their own wellbeing and seek help if unwell, there has been an absence of senior professionals who have felt able to say 'been there myself'.

By asking senior medical professionals to share their stories of overcoming struggles with mental health, &me aims to encourage other medical professionals to seek help, in part by showing that such experiences do not exclude people from achieving leading roles in healthcare.

With the addition of Dr Cathy Wield in August, there are now seven ambassadors for the &me campaign, and all of their stories can be read at www.vetmindmatters.org/&me: 

• Dr Caroline Reed O’Connor, who went on to be a senior trainee psychiatrist and psychotherapist after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder
• David Bartram, a veterinary surgeon and member of RCVS Council who was in hospital multiple times as a result of depression before gaining additional qualifications and moving into roles of increasing responsibility
• Dr Malcolm Kinnear, a psychiatrist who took long-term sick leave for depression before completing his training to become a consultant and taking an honorary teaching position at the University of Dundee
• Dr Susan Atcheson, a senior GP who has experienced multiple episodes of psychotic depression
• Rob Pettitt, a vet and Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool who experienced depression, taking eight weeks off work before slowly returning to a full-time schedule 
• Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes, a psychologist, psychotherapist and supervisor, who was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. He then went on to gain a consultant post with the Ministry of Defence, achieve three fellowships and four professorships, establish a research institute and become President of the British Psychological Society
• Dr Cathy Wield, a doctor who experienced two bouts of severe depression including hospital admissions and brain surgery. She returned to work in emergency medicine, and has written two books about her experience of being a doctor with depression.
• Dr Susan Atcheson, a senior GP who first experienced recurrent psychotic depression 20 years ago.

Lizzie Lockett, Director of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: "Over the past eight months we have seen an incredible level of support for our &me ambassadors. Our Facebook post about Rob Pettitt, for example, reached nearly 25,000 people, many of whom posted stories about Rob helping them navigate veterinary school and better understand their own mental health issues. These kind of role models really do help reduce stigma, and we thank every one of our ambassadors for having the courage to share their own experiences with mental health."

Louise Freeman, Vice-Chair of the Doctors’ Support Network, said: "The &me campaign has really shown how the medical professions can work together when it comes to mental health. Medical professionals face many of the same challenges, and we needn’t face them alone – instead we can work as one to tackle stigma and speak openly about mental health issues. And it’s not just in the UK that health professionals can feel as if they are ‘not allowed’ to experience mental health problems. As a direct result of the &me campaign, health professionals from around the world including Australia and the U.S. have been in contact with DSN to confirm that they have similar issues within their local health culture."

The campaign is still interested in hearing from not only doctors and veterinary surgeons but also nurses, veterinary nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who want to open up about their experiences of mental ill health. To participate in the campaign, please email Dr Louise Freeman on vicechair@dsn.org.uk.

On social media tweets about the campaign are sent from @vetmindmatters and @DocSupportNet twitter accounts using the hashtag #AndMe.

The RVC has been ranked as the top veterinary school in the UK and Europe, and the world’s number two veterinary school in the QS World University Rankings 2020.

For the rankings, QS assessed 1496 programs across the world that offer courses in Veterinary Science, with the RVC placing second out of 427 institutions. 

Professor Stuart Reid, Principal of the RVC, said: “Trading 1st and 2nd places with our friends at UC Davis globally, we are still very pleased to retain our ranking as highest placed veterinary school outside the USA.

"With a strong showing from schools in continental Europe and other newcomers to the top 10, the QS rankings emphasise once again the highly competitive nature of our subject internationally.

"We are pleased to record the highest score for academic reputation and an excellent performance in our research impact, and I congratulate Dean Lairmore - himself an honorary Fellow of the RVC - and his colleagues at UC Davis on regaining the top spot but serve notice that we will be seeking to trade again in 2021!”

Janssen Animal Health has released the results of a survey which suggests incorrect worming strategies on many pig units in the UK are costing the industry dearly.

Most state they do not worm weaners, growers or finishing pigs at all and, while most sows are wormed, only a third treat newly-arrived gilts and boars in quarantine.

Phil Macdonald, UK and Ireland pig business manager at Janssen said: "Worm infestations can harm growth rate and feed efficiency, they can reduce abattoir returns and increase the cost of medication".

According to the company, the survey responses point to confusion among some producers on what constitutes a strategic worming programme. Most, 68 per cent, state they have implemented strategic programmes, but fewer than two-thirds of these cover all pigs on a unit and even fewer correctly base their programmes on the pre-patent period of worms.

Phil said: "It's important that all pigs on a unit are covered by the programme, otherwise there is a higher potential for reinfection. To be effective, the anthelmintic treatment periods need to be based on the pre-patent period of worms, so that treatment interrupts their life cycle.

"It requires a strategic worming programme with a broad spectrum anthelmintic such as Flubenol and Solubenol 100mg/g, which is the first and only water-soluble benzimidazole in the market. These are effective against larvae and worm eggs of a number of worm species as well as the large roundworm, Ascaris suum. Migrating larvae of the large roundworm cause Milk Spot lesions in pig livers, which are damaging to animal welfare and unit economics."

The make-up of UK units in the survey was 58 per cent breeder/finisher, 39 per cent finisher, 3 per cent weaner/finisher.  Most, 68 per cent, use dry pelleted feed, 16 per cent wet feed and 16 per cent have both feed systems.

There is wide variation in worming programmes among producers. Most breeders worm their sows - 17 per cent once a year, 56 per cent twice and 11 per cent three times.  With  boars, 28 per cent worm them once a year, 44 per cent twice and 11 per cent three times. But only one-third (34 per cent) of breeders worm newly-arrived gilts and boars in quarantine.

72 per cent of producers with breeding sows who responded do not worm weaners and 80 per cent do not worm growers. Of the total responses, including specialist finishers, 68 per cent do not worm finishing pigs.

Most producers, 81 per cent, stated that they are aware that livers with Milk Spot lesions have to be trimmed or totally condemned, adding significant annual costs for disposal.

68 per cent admit to Milk Spot lesion levels of 25 per cent in consignments of pigs. Another 10 per cent experience up to 75 per cent livers with Milk Spot damage, and 3 per cent have had every pig liver in a consignment trimmed or condemned because of lesions.  The feedback to producers comes from the BPEX Pig Health Scheme, of which 88 per cent of producers are members.

Only 58 per cent of producers are aware that more traditional worming methods allow pigs continuously to reinfect each other and their environment.  Traditional programmes do not take the worm's life cycle into account.

The detrimental effect of worm damage that causes most concern to producers is lost growth/poorer feed conversion (29 per cent). Others considered the most important to be:

• Cost of extra feed required to compensate for poorer growth/feed conversion (22 per cent)
• Loss of saleable carcase (18 per cent), caused by condemned livers/lighter pigs
• Penalties imposed by slaughterhouses for higher numbers of pigs failing to meet contract specification (17 per cent), and
• Higher cost of medication/labour where worm damage to lungs has made pigs more susceptible to respiratory infection (14 per cent).

Phil says research shows that losses in daily liveweight gain alone add up to £2.31 per slaughter pig where liver condemnations are 30 per cent. "The frightening fact is that the loss is for every slaughter pig, not just those with Milk Spot lesions.

"In a 300-sow herd producing 23 pigs per sow per year that's a loss of £15,939 a year.  On a 1,000-sow unit that exceeds a horrendous £53,000 annually, and these figures take no account of other areas of loss mentioned."

An adult female worm can shed hundreds of thousands of eggs each day, which pigs pass out in their dung. Worm eggs can remain infective for up to 10 years.  Other pigs ingest them and the reinfection process begins. 

Phil said: "A strategic worming programme that treats all pigs on a unit simultaneously is the only effective way to almost completely eliminate the problem. The survey has shown there is considerable potential for a large proportion of producers to improve productivity and cut costs by focusing on this critical area of management."

The RCVS has announced the new recruits for the two independent statutory committees responsible for investigating and holding inquiries into concerns raised about the professional conduct of veterinary surgeons.

The Disciplinary Committee has seven new members (three laypeople and four veterinary surgeons) and is now chaired by Ian Green, a former magistrate and Chief Executive of YMCA England from 2008 to 2013, who has been a member of the Committee since 2013.

The new members are:

• Hazel Bentall MRCVS
• Nick Blayney MRCVS
• Austin Kirwan MRCVS
• Margaret Stoddart MRCVS
• Cerys Jones
• Judith Way
• Judith Webb (former Vice-Chair who was reappointed as a member of the Committee and no longer sits on RCVS Council)

The Preliminary Investigation Committee has three new members (all of them veterinary surgeons) and is now chaired by Andrew Ash MRCVS, a director of a veterinary practice group and Past-President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), who has been a member of the Committee since 2013. The new members are:

• David Harding MRCVS
• Jeremy Mantell MRCVS
• Adrian Ward MRCVS

The College says these changes now bring it into line with a Legislative Reform Order which came into effect in July 2013 and which amended the Veterinary Surgeons Act to say that the two statutory committees should be constituted separately from RCVS Council.

Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: “We pushed forward the LRO because we wanted to make sure that the College was following regulatory best practice by ensuring the independence of those who adjudicate on concerns raised about a veterinary surgeon’s professional conduct and fitness to practise.

“The LRO allowed for a two-year transitional period and so, with these new appointments, we see it come to fruition as the committee members are now wholly separate from RCVS Council members, who are ineligible to sit on the Disciplinary or Preliminary Investigation committees.

“I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the new Chairs and members of the committees. They all went through a rigorous recruitment process over a number of months this year and I am confident in their integrity, independence, judgement and abilities.”

Through the same independent recruitment process two new members have also been appointed to the VN Preliminary Investigation Committee – Suzanne May RVN and Susan Macaldowie MRCVS.

Details of the Disciplinary and Preliminary Investigation committees can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/committees/disciplinary-committee and www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/committees/preliminary-investigation-committee respectively.

The RSPCA has reported that 11,586 animals were abandoned last year. That's more than 30 a day, and an increase of over 57% compared to the 7,347 animals that were abandoned in 2007.

Is this a precursor for tough times for the veterinary profession? Difficult to know. It conflicts with the record profits announced by CVS only a month ago. And perhaps the sort of people that would consider abandoning their animal under any circumstances are not likely to have been regular visitors to a vet in the first place.

Benchmark Holdings has announced that it has acquired Improve International limited, the Swindon-based veterinary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) business.

Improve will be added to Benchmark's Technical Publishing division, which provides global knowledge transfer, technical insight, e-learning and market analysis for people and businesses working in agriculture, aquaculture and the food supply chain.

Established in 1998 by a group of veterinary surgeons, Improve organises CPD courses for veterinary professionals across the UK, Republic of Ireland, Scandinavia and mainland Europe from its bases in the UK and Portugal.

Improve's courses are run privately and are accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and/ or Harper Adams University.

In partnership with ESVPS and Harper Adams University, Improve also provides courses and qualifications for Official Veterinarians in England, Scotland and Wales.

Improve's veterinary directors, David Babington (pictured right), Heber Alves and Rui Lobao will all remain with the business.

Benchmark's management says it believes there is considerable scope for online development of the courses within the digital arm of its Technical Publishing division. The division currently offers 15 distance-learning courses, which are tailored to develop core industry skills.

Malcolm Pye, Chief Executive of Benchmark Holdings Plc said: "The acquisition of Improve will enable us to combine our digital and distance learning expertise with Improve's veterinary content across Europe, enhancing our ability to serve the professionals in our key veterinary markets.

"This is a significant step forward for our Technical Publishing division in both of the food and companion animal markets. We plan to take Improve's successful, face-to-face courses and deliver content digitally on an international basis."