CPC, the pet crematorium has opened a new facility for bereaved owners who wish to make their final farewell to a much loved pet in person. The farewell suite forms part of CPC's extended premises on the A505 just south of Cambridge at Thriplow Heath.
"Being pet owners ourselves as well as professionals, we appreciate how comforting it can be to say goodbye in a way that best reflects the close relationship between pet and owner," said CPC director Duncan Francis.
"Often this is expressed through an individual cremation. This gives the owner a final opportunity to say farewell and helps them to achieve closure. At the same time it provides them with their pet's ashes to retain or scatter as they wish."
CPC's new suite comprises a reception area, two private rooms, and a viewing room. It has a separate entrance from the offices, so that people who are attending an individual cremation have maximum privacy. "The enlarged facility also means that they can take their time to compose themselves afterwards and leave when they feel ready," Duncan added.
The Heydon and Heathfield suites are furnished in calming shades of green, blue and grey with soft cream walls and light ash woodwork. The reception area includes a plasma screen showing tranquil pictures of the garden of remembrance to welcome visitors, while 'alphamusic', which is carefully composed to calm and relax people, plays in the background. The private rooms have a range of comfortable seating and are decorated with subtle floral arrangements and soft pictures.
The viewing room contains a purpose-built catafalque (or raised bier) made from Corian. This material consists of a blend of natural minerals, marble and acrylics to provide a peaceful place for the pet's body to rest upon while owners say their goodbyes.
The farewell suite is part of a major extension to CPC's main facility. Formally opened in May 2008, this comprises new office accommodation and production capacity for its veterinary waste services. The company moved to the site in the early 1980s. It is licensed for four cremators together with low emissions rotoclaves for the sterilisation of a range of veterinary and clinical wastes and employs approximately 80 people.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has released diagnostic data which the company says indicates that calf scour problems caused by cryptosporidia are on the increase.
A summary of 2010 results from the company's ScourCheck scheme, which identifies infectious scour pathogens in calf faeces, show the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum being present in 37% of samples.
Intervet/Schering-Plough ruminant veterinary adviser Drew McGurren said: "Ever since we started testing calf faecal samples in the 1990s, rotavirus and cryptosporidia have always been identified as the two main pathogens implicated in infectious scour problems. But the latest data - and feedback from vets in practice - suggest cryptosporidia incidence is on an upward trend.
"Ten years ago our top line reporting used to refer to rotavirus being implicated in around a third of all infectious calf scour problems and cryptosporidia in roughly a quarter. But in 2009, we detected cryptosporidia in 30% of samples. And this year - from the 250 plus faecal samples we have looked at so far - the incidence seems to be even higher."
Drew stressed that scours caused by cryptosporidia are not always confined to housed calves: "Suckler calves between one and two weeks of age can be very susceptible to infection at grass, particularly if conditions underfoot are muddy around ring feeders. Early May has seen quite a lot of rain, and the parasite thrives in damp conditions."
The major source of cryptosporidia is thought to be either adult cows (which act as carriers without showing signs of disease) or infected scouring calves passing the parasite in their faeces. Drew said: "The infectious dose of the organism is very low and if ring feeders are not moved regularly the disease threat that builds up can be very similar to the housed situation. Faecal contamination of feed and water troughs can also be reduced by raising and covering them.
"Cryptosporidiosis in calves is often seen in combination with other diseases, particularly rotavirus. So vaccinating cows against rotavirus with Rotavec-Corona one to three months pre-calving - as well as a sound colostrum feeding regime and maintaining high hygiene standards - can often tip the balance in your favour."
Intervet Schering-Plough says that if cryptosporidia is diagnosed as the problem, parasite replication and excretion can be reduced with Halocur. This is the only product licensed to treat and prevent cryptosporidiosis. Administered orally to calves after feeding (daily for seven days), it can reduce the severity of diarrhoea and prevent the infection spreading to other calves. Treated calves have also been shown to require fewer antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatments, as well as less rehydration therapy.
The Veterinary Benevolent Fund has launched an electronic version of the Pocket Book of Tips for Practising Vets which will be given away free to all final year veterinary students in the UK.
At the launch party at the Royal Veterinary College's Hawkshead campus, the two authors spoke to final year students about making a success of their first year in practice and passed on tips gleaned from the collective experiences of veterinary surgeons from all over the UK. The audience then joined the authors at a party afterwards and took the opportunity to ask them more questions about what it will really be like when they start their first job in the profession.
Alan Jeans, one of the authors, said: "We are grateful to the VDS for funding the event and to Elanco for funding the publication of the book. Over the many years I and my colleagues have mentored new graduates, we have seen which attitudes and approaches seem to result in the most success in the early years of a veterinary career. We would like to pass this experience on to those joining the profession. Many final year students will currently be stressed about their exams and may be anxious about their first job so we wanted to reassure them that, although there will inevitably be highs and lows during their career, there is support available should they ever need it."
The collection of tips in the book was accumulated from practising vets all over the UK and is relevant to all areas of practice, small and farm animal, equine as well as some general practical suggestions. The book has raised over £7,000 for VBF - the charity that supports veterinary professionals.
All final year students can get a free pdf of the book by emailing a request to info@vetlife.org.uk and copies of the paperback can still be ordered on-line in return for a donation of £10 at www.vetlife.org.uk/vet-tips
The company says its new brand has also been designed to communicate choice more clearly, thereby making vets' busy lives a little easier.
Malcolm Dickinson, Category Manager at NVS, said: “As a familiar and trusted brand, we’re always listening to our customers and designing products that closely meet their needs.
"We understand the challenges vets are facing, including rising costs and supply chain issues.
"That’s why we’re always looking to help relieve the impact on the day-to-day burden of the profession with the right products that help deliver the very best animal care.”
The new brand will be on display at Stand P20 at the London Vet Show.
Amanda originally studied and worked in Australia where she undertook a residency in small animal medicine at Murdoch University, completing a Masters in respiratory medicine in dogs.
She moved to the UK in 2016 to work in referral medicine, joining Hamilton Specialist Referrals in 2024 as head of its medicine service.
The webinar will include a refresher on the bacterial, fungal, parasitic and protozoal causes of lower respiratory tract disease and its pathology, after which it will look at techniques and methods for diagnosis.
Amanda's presentation will also look at the secondary effects of infectious lower respiratory disease pathogens, and prescribing and management options.
https://horiba.link/respiratory-disease-in-dogs-and-cats
Alstoe Animal Health has launched Dolagis, a carprofen tablet for dogs that uses a unique delivery system which the company claims offers palatability and dosage benefits over other versions of this analgesic.
Called Delicament, the delivery system is essentially a clever tablet design which allows a single table to break easily and accurately into four pieces. That allows correct dosing for all dogs above 3kg, from just one tablet size. Delicament has also been designed to be highly palatable, both in terms of flavour (pig's liver, before you ask) and texture.
To further simplify practice stocking requirements, Dolagis comes in only one pack size, complete with dispensing envelopes that explain how to split the tablet.
Dolagis 50mg tablets are packed in individually perforated blister strips of 10 tablets to aid prescribing accuracy and product integrity. This also reduces the chance that high palatability can lead to patient self-consumption. There are 100 tablets per Dolagis pack, which are available from all wholesalers. For further information contact Alstoe on 01347 878606 or email info@alstoe.co.uk.
Vetoquinol is offering veterinary surgeons and nurses the chance to win up to £500 worth of vouchers of their choice with Ipakitine, the phosphate binder.
To take part, call 0800 1698197 and request a copy of the company's renal guide, wall chart and an entry form. Then answer three simple questions and be in with a chance to win a first prize of £500 worth of vouchers. The second prize is £300 worth of vouchers, with £200 of vouchers for third prize.
Simon Boulton, product manager said: "Our renal guide is designed to illustrate factors which can affect both quality and quantity of life. These include hyperphosphataemia, hypertension, proteinuria, azotaemia and fibrosis in renal disease." The renal guide and wall chart contain information on the appropriate management of these factors.
Vetoquinol has released the second set of results from a survey of over 1000 dog owners which the company says has revealed some surprising findings on owner attitudes to pain and pain relieving medications.1
In particular, Vetoquinol says it thinks veterinary surgeons will be surprised by the depth of feeling expressed by pet owners about the issue, and that there are areas where there is potential for the profession to relate to the concerns of clients and adapt communication accordingly.
The key findings highlight that dog owners are likely to be shocked by a diagnosis of long term painful illness in their pet and are very likely to search for further information on the Internet about the pet's condition. Most dog owners think that NSAIDs are likely to cause side effects, with the perceived risk being much greater than the actual level of risk. The results also indicate that even low levels of risk of side effects may be unacceptable to dog owners.
Mark Leddy, Marketing Manager at Vétoquinol said that the strength of the bond between pet and owner should always be front of mind: "A diagnosis of osteoarthritis, for instance, is such a common one, often being made several times a day, so it is easy to become matter of fact about it; yet for the client that news may actually be quite traumatic and the impact hugely underestimated."
Where clients get their information from is important:
The majority of respondents (95%) felt that treatment of osteoarthritis should be started as soon as signs appear and then long term, either consistently or as needed. However, despite recognising the need for treatment, many expressed concerns about side effects when giving their dog long-term medication, with 77% considering it important or very important to choose a medication with a limited range of side effects.
Vetoquinol says the reality is that one in a thousand pets given an NSAID is likely to experience side effects, which vets may feel is not something owners should worry about unduly. The reality for pet owners is that they perceive the risk to be much greater and if informed of the actual level of risk may still experience a significant level of fear that their pet, with whom they have a special relationship, could be that one in a thousand.
Mark Leddy says that, based on these results, there is great scope for the veterinary team to discuss the level and type of risk entailed in administering medication: "Such an approach will help pet owners make more informed decisions about treatment, allay their concerns and provide them with the support they need at what is probably a very difficult time for them."
1. A survey of 1048 dog owners, carried out by petbuzz, on behalf of Vétoquinol, March 2011
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched the Intestinal Health Center for Poultry website (www.ihc-poultry.com), a website to keep producers, veterinarians, nutritionists, academics and students informed about this aspect of poultry production.
The company says it has published a wealth of practical, science-driven information and ideas to help producers manage costly gut diseases more effectively through vaccination, nutrition, sanitation and prudent drug use.
Marcelo Lang, global marketing director for the company's Poultry Business Unit said: "The new website lets you find virtually anything you need, quickly and easily, on specific intestinal health topics and products".
The website also offers a library of past issues of the company's Intestinal Health magazine and its predecessor, CocciForum, as well as three newsletters - Broiler Health, Layer Health and Turkey Health. In addition, the website includes an interactive feature called "Gut Reactions," where visitors can answer a frequently updated questionnaire related to intestinal health, immediately view survey results and then access links with more information on that topic. There is also a product finder to help users find Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health intestinal health products available in their market.
Marcelo added: "The Intestinal Health Center for Poultry is another example of Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health's commitment to educating the industry about this increasingly important segment of poultry health. We look forward to getting feedback on the site so that we can make it even better."
Equistro has introduced Legaphyton to its range of supplements. Legaphyton has been developed to support liver function. It incorporates a new and patented complex called Siliphos®.
Siliphos® is a complex of concentrated Milk Thistle fruit extract and phospholipids, and is a source of readily available carbohydrates important for liver support.
Milk Thistle (silymarin) extract has documented virtues in liver support and is rich in flavanoligan (Silybin), while phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine) maintain healthy liver cell membrane function and repair and are crucial for essential lipoprotein transport in the liver.
“The liver is one of the most important organs and performs more often than one realises,” said Val Day, Equistro’s product manager. “Legaphyton has been introduced to give an extra boost to the horse’s liver function and help the liver fulfil its varied role.”
Equistro Legaphyton is available in 900g packs, which is sufficient for 30 days for a standard 500kg horse. Ask your Vetoquinol representative for more details or visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/
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Quantum Vet Diagnostics (a division of Woodley Equipment Co Ltd) has announced the launch of a new wet chemistry analyser.
The Quantum Saturno is offered exclusively by Quantum with a total maintenance and reagent package. One fixed monthly payment provides all standard reagents for a month, control solution, monthly maintenance visits by an experienced technician, all parts, consumables, repairs and support from a dedicated wet chemistry division. There are also a wide range of special chemistry tests available.
Quantum says the key features of the new analyser are:
For more details contact 01798 813659 or email: sales@quantumvetdiagnostics.com
Vets Now Limited, the out-of-hours emergency care provider, has been announced as a finalist in the Scottish region of the Bank of Scotland Corporate £35 Million Entrepreneur Challenge. The company will now compete with four other businesses to secure a funding package of up to £5 million, free of interest and charges for three years.
Managing Director, Richard Dixon, must now present his business case to a judging panel featuring two well known and incredibly successful entrepreneurs. Willie Haughey from City Refrigeration and John Anderson from The Entrepreneurial Exchange will be joined on the panel by senior representatives from Bank of Scotland Corporate and Deloitte. The panel will be grilling all five finalists on their future business plans, as well as looking for someone with an entrepreneurial flair, spirit and vision that sets them apart from the rest and makes them an outstanding choice to receive the once in a lifetime funding package that could change the face of the business.
The judging process will take place on Thursday 2 October and will be followed that evening by a dinner and award ceremony at Stirling Castle, where the winner will be announced.
For more information visit http://www.theboschallenge.co.uk/
Ceva Animal Health, maker of the veterinary behaviour products DAP and Feliway, is once again sponsoring the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors' series of one day behaviour seminars to keep veterinary professionals up-to-date with companion animal behavioural issues.
Featuring presentations by top pet behaviourists, the seminars will cover a range of topics based on questions that pet owners frequently ask veterinary professionals in practice.
Contributing to six hours CPD per event, the topics covered in the seminars are:
Places on the seminars cost from £70. For further information, please contact the APBC on 01386 751151 or visit http://www.apbc.org.uk/
Vets Now has produced a new set of guidelines for pet owners about how to deal with the top 10 emergency situations seen by the out-of-hours care provider.
The guidelines are presented as an infographic - which is free to download from the Vets Now website - which provides some basic steps to help owners deal with the more common emergency situations before being able to get their sick or injured pet to the vet.
Vets Now says it is hoping it will be deemed useful by other vets who are welcome to share the infographic on their social media sites and their websites, or display it in their waiting rooms.
Lisa Maxwell, Head of Client Care said: "Pet owners should always call a vet in an emergency and we promote that in the infographic. As emergency and critical care providers, we're used to dealing with owners who are scared, or in shock when they call us. What we hoped to achieve by creating the infographic, was to reassure pet owners that these situations happen all the time and to give them more sense of control of the situation. If more pet owners were aware of some of the basic actions they could perform at the scene, at the very least it could help owners cope more readily and keep their animals calm and, at best, it could save lives."
Lisa added: "These days, the fastest way to spread an important message seems to be through social media, so we've specifically designed this infographic to be shared on Facebook, Twitter, G+ etc, as well as practice websites.
"Our intention was to create a useful resource for practices across the UK - not just Vets Now clinics. If we all get behind this and make our clients aware, maybe we'll be going that extra mile by educating our clients and helping to save even more lives."
The infographic can be downloaded at www.vets-now.com/infographic
The Emergent Disease Foundation, One Health Initiative, Worldwide Veterinary Service, and UNISON have collaborated to launch Exotic pets: Reducing the of risk of human infection, a new leaflet which explains the hygiene measures that keepers of exotic pets should take.
The organisations say that they hope veterinary clinics, pet shops, medical centres, local authorities and schools will distribute the free leaflet which is also available to download.
The Emergent Disease Foundation says the advice contained in the leaflet is taken from an independent scientific paper entitled 'A review of captive exotic animal-linked zoonoses' published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research.
The leaflet takes the line that it is inadvisable to keep exotic animals as pets, but for those who already have them, recommended measures include: thorough hand-washing with antibacterial soap and alcohol-based gels after handing or feeding an exotic pet; being careful not to touch hair, clothes (including pockets), door handles and other items immediately after handling exotic pets; closely supervising children so that they do not put their mouths close to the animal; and keeping animals, cages and equipment away from kitchens.
Clifford Warwick of the Emergent Disease Foundation, a charity focused on animal-to-human infections, said: "The modern world enables all too easy acquisition of exotic animals into the home. The pet trade in general, with its high turnover and diversity of species available, offers a speed-dating reservoir for bugs from far corners of the globe. My own advice is simple - avoiding exposure to bugs from exotic pets in the home is difficult and best avoided by not keeping them in the first place."
Dr. Bruce Kaplan of the One Health Initiative, which focuses on the connection between health and the environment, said: "As a former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) trained epidemiologist, a retired private practice veterinarian and a public health and humanitarian minded 'One Health' activist for nearly 50 years, I wholeheartedly oppose private ownership of exotic pets due to the known scientific health and safety risks for people and animals. It is a dangerous, irresponsible and irrational practice."
Owen Evans of the Worldwide Veterinary Service, a charity that provides a veterinary resource to animal welfare organisations worldwide, said:"We work on a day-to-day basis with animal health issues, so we are very mindful of how animals and people can share pathogens. Avoiding transmission is best served by minimising risks, which is what this new brochure aims to achieve."
Niall, who stepped up from Vice Chair to acting interim Chair of the Fellowship Board after the resignation of the previous Chair, has been formally elected as Chair of the Board.
In his role as Chair, Niall will continue to lead the Board, which is responsible for setting the criteria for joining the Fellowship across all three of its routes to entry, as well as the process by which applications are assessed.
An election for the position of Vice Chair of the Fellowship Board will take place in the autumn.
Niall said: “I am honoured beyond words to be elected Chair of the RCVS Fellowship and I'm very grateful for the support received to achieve this.
“I know I have very big shoes to fill, thanks to the great efforts that have gone on before and I will put all my available energy into continuing to work with our Fellows and the College to progress the goals of RCVS Fellowship as a resource of independent knowledge for our professions, to upskill and always innovate, while looking to enrich public awareness and discussion.”
Nicky Paull MRCVS, who has held the position of Chair of the Credentials Panel for the Meritorious Contributions to Clinical Practice pathway for the past three years, was successfully re-elected.
Nicky will continue to be responsible for making assessments of applicants aiming to gain Fellowship through the Meritorious Contributions to Clinical Practice pathway.
She will co-ordinate and oversee a review of the applications by her fellow panel members, as well as chairing any required appropriate panel meetings.
On her appointment, Nicky said: “I look forward to the challenge of continuing to grow the diversity of the Fellowship and celebrate those who, by their contribution to the advancement of the profession by clinical or educational scholarship and leadership, have had a significant impact on clinical practice within the veterinary profession.”
Niall and Nicky will be formally instated into their roles at Fellowship Day, which is due to take place on Thursday 28 November at One Great George Street, London.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/fellowship/
As part of its ongoing "Excellence in veterinary anaesthesia" initiative, and following the launch of Alfaxan, Vetoquinol has published a summary of the latest expert recommendations concerning anaesthesia in cats and dogs in a new document: Premedication and anaesthesia in dogs and cats.
The publication covers the pre-medication and pre-anaesthetic period, the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia and the recovery period as well as useful A-Z list of specific case pre-medication and anaesthesia management recommendations (brachycephalic animals, caesarean operation, paediatric cases, renal disease, to name just a few).
The recommendations contained in the document were drawn up following a meeting in February at which a panel of experts discussed all aspects of anaesthesia for dogs and cats, focussing particularly on pre-medication.
The panel was comprised of: Dr Jo Murrell of Bristol University; John Hird of the Hird Consultancy; Dr Mark Senior of University of Liverpool; Dr Polly Taylor, Independent anaesthesia consultant; Elizabeth Leece of the Animal Health Trust; Dr Jackie Brearley of Cambridge Vet School; Daniel Holden , Independent anaesthesia consultant, Prof. Eddie Clutton of Edinburgh University and Elizabeth Chan of the Royal Veterinary College.
"We were delighted to have gathered such an authoritative panel of veterinary anaesthesia experts," said Zorica Agbaba of Vetoquinol, who hosted the meeting. "I am sure that the recommendation document will prove invaluable to vets in general practice."
The document is available from Vetoquinol UK and Ireland, please contact your local Vetoquinol representative or alternatively call Vetoquinol's main office on 01280 814 500 (UK) or 1800 406 117 (ROI free phone number).
The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has launched an online version of the Codes of Practice on equine diseases, ready for the 2011 Thoroughbred breeding season.
The website, codes.hblb.org.uk is a replica of the 2011 booklet, but with an easy to use navigator and built-in text search.
The 2011 online Codes of Practice set out minimum recommendations for the prevention and control of disease. Applying to all breeds of horse and pony, and to both natural mating and AI, the Codes cover:
The increasing mobility of horses creates a subsequent increased risk of spreading infectious disease. In recent years, most countries with active horse populations have seen incidents of these diseases, including in Britain the notifiable diseases of CEM, EIA and EVA.
Any of these diseases can have serious consequences for horse and pony breeding, compromising welfare, disrupting breeding activity and causing economic loss and distress.
Professor Willie Donachie, Chairman of the HBLB's Veterinary Advisory Committee said: "We recognise the changing ways in which vets, studs and individual breeder's access information. The new online version of the Codes is designed to reflect this and ensure that the Codes of Practice, a vital resource, are available where and when they are needed."
Grahame Gardner is offering a 25% discount across many of its scrubwear ranges till the end of February 2013, including the Urbane Scrubs collection, the unisex Easiephit range and the Scrubzone brand.
For further information, visit www.grahamegardner.co.uk or call 0116 255 6326.
The RCVS has appointed Amanda Boag as its new Treasurer, replacing Dr Bradley Viner who will become (junior) Vice-President in July.
Amanda will officially take up her post at RCVS Day - the College's Annual General Meeting and Awards Day - on Friday 11 July.
Amanda is a Clinical Director at Vets Now and is also currently President of the European Society of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. She was elected to RCVS Council for a four-year term in 2012.
As Treasurer she will be responsible for maintaining an overview of the College's affairs, ensuring its financial viability and making sure that proper financial records and procedures are maintained.
Amanda said: "I am very honoured to have been appointed Treasurer for the RCVS and am looking forward to working closely with other Council members and the Belgravia House team.
"I would particularly like to thank my predecessor Bradley Viner for the excellent work he has done over the past four years. This has been a period of great change for the College and during his tenure he has done a huge amount of work to support the improvements in governance, including standardising the way that the College's accounts are reported.
"Our finances are currently in a healthy state despite no increase in the annual renewal fee for several years. I am now looking forward to building on his legacy and ensuring the finances remain healthy, allowing us to move forward with our Strategic Plan."
At RCVS Day on 11 July, Professor Stuart Reid will also be confirmed as President; current President Neil Smith as (senior) Vice-President; Chris Tufnell as Chairman of the Education Committee; and David Catlow as Chairman of the Standards Committee.
The RSPCA has launched a campaign to try and help stamp out puppy trafficking. As part of the campaign, the charity has released the results of a survey of vets (June 2008) which shows that: 23% of you reported an increase in puppies being presented at your practice that may have been bred on a puppy farm (compared to three years ago). 73% of vets are 'fairly' or 'very' concerned about the trade in puppies. 33% of you have seen an increase in puppies presented with canine parvovirus (compared to three years ago), 34% with endoparasites (e.g. worms), 31% for ectoparasites (e.g. mites) and 35% with campylobacter. 54% of you say that you believe there is a higher incidence of parvovirus in puppies from puppy farms, 66% for endoparasites and 65% for ectoparasites and 44% for campylobacter. 36% of you report that there has been an increase in puppies presented at your practices in the last three years that have not been vaccinated at the appropriate age for their primary course. A separate survey found that nearly a third of 16-24 year olds are contemplating buying a puppy, and that half would consider buying from a pet shop. The RSPCA said it believes it's high time that people planning on buying a puppy know the risks they face if they don't do their research and get one from either a rescue centre or a responsible breeder.
The Blue Cross is to be the first animal charity to star in a BBC Lifeline appeal to help raise funds for animals in need.
Presented by actress Felicity Kendal and her cocker spaniel George, the short film shows the work of the charity which helps thousands of sick and homeless animals every year.
Felicity Kendal said: "I'm delighted to be able to help publicise the work of this wonderful charity. The Blue Cross does so much to help animals in need and they rely almost entirely on public donations. I hope lots of people watch the BBC appeal to see just where the money goes and why this is a charity worthy of their support."
The BBC Lifeline appeal featuring The Blue Cross will be broadcast on BBC2 on Wednesday 28th October at 2pm.
The film will also be available to view on the BBC website until the end of November at www.bbc.co.uk/lifeline. Thereafter it can be viewed on The Blue Cross website at http://www.bluecross.org.uk/.
The International Federation on Ageing has published Companion Animals and the Health of Older Persons, a report described as the most extensive literature review to date of research undertaken in the field of companion animals and the health of older people, made possible through an educational sponsorship from Bayer Healthcare.
The report provides a comprehensive literature review into the ways pets contribute to the physical and mental health of individuals and the well-being of our broader society, citing studies which found:
Dr Jane Barratt from the International Federation on Ageing said: "This field of research has important implications across generations and also for the future of our broader society. Many studies have broadly discussed how pets, such as dogs and cats, contribute to health by reducing anxiety, loneliness and depression, but until today, have not yet been published in a single resource. This new report advances our understanding of the value of companion animals in the framework of human health and the broader society."
In the report, investigators acknowledge that the current data on human-companion animal interactions are often predicated on anecdotal evidence and scant qualitative and quantitative data, with poorly-constructed and poorly-controlled study design. This may account in part for the conflicting results found in a number of different studies. Nonetheless, they argue that based on current evidence of considerable positive potential for the health of older individuals, and the associated health and welfare benefits for local communities and societies, more research time and energy should be directed towards this area of research. In particular, they say, there should be much greater involvement from veterinary surgeons, who are well placed to be consulted in studies of companion animals and older people’s attachment, affection and bonding capacities, well-being and social capital.
Ferenc Polz, Head of Bayer Animal Health said: "The therapeutic benefit of companion animals is an area of study attracting increasing interest among health and social science professionals and this sponsored report is yet another example of the life changing potential of human and animal relationships."
The new reader is compatible with all ISO 15-digit (FDX-B) identification microchips. It features an integrated LCD screen that displays microchip numbers in a large, easy-to-read format and it also reports the temperature of temperature-sensing microchips.
Sureflap says the reader is lightweight, ergonomically designed, fits easily into the hand and is easy to operate. The company also says that its small size makes it less intimidating for pets.
Dr Nick Hill, managing director of SureFlap said: "The SureSense Microchip Reader was developed following feedback from veterinary and shelter staff that they often had to share microchip readers.
"The reader is our first professional product, developed exclusively for veterinary professionals, shelters, breeders and pet care professionals. Its affordability and size will ensure that it is possible to have multiple readers in each veterinary practice and shelter."
For further information, contact your wholesaler or the SureFlap team on 0800 9127 114 or via email vet@sureflap.com.