XLEquine and the Animal Health Trust (AHT) have launched Plan, Prevent, Protect, billed as the UK's first equine biosecurity booklet for horse owners and yard managers to work through with their veterinary surgeon, to minimise disease risk on yards and maintain the health and welfare of the horses in their care.
Mark Tabachnik MRCVS, of XLEquine member practice Wright & Morten Veterinary Surgeons said: "For many yard and horse owners, biosecurity is just not on their radar. It only becomes important after they have had an outbreak! Strangles in particular can have devastating effects which impact not only on horse welfare, but the disruption and paralysis of animal movement has significant consequences with relationships on the yard, not to mention the financial costs in some cases.
"We wanted to develop a practical guide that pre-empts these issues by helping owners to set in place simple and in many cases common sense, plans and procedures to prevent a disease outbreak, along with practical steps should the worst happen, and an outbreak occurs.
"Our veterinary farm colleagues and the medical profession are well ahead in terms of biosecurity measures. It's about changing people's mind-sets. For example the NHS "Catch it Bin it Kill it" campaign has been highly successful in adapting our thoughts and actions towards disease spread, and consequently many of us are more aware of the importance of good biosecurity in one way or another."
Dr Richard Newton, Head of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance at the AHT was also involved in the development of the booklet. He said: "I hope that this will encourage all equine practices to raise their game, it is so important for the whole equine community."
The booklet is available to all equine clients of XLEquine member practices, or it is available to view at http://www.xlequine.co.uk/content/plan-prevent-protect
The ERP was established in 2016 when it emerged that an increasing number of research projects were being conducted in private veterinary practices. In these settings, researchers may not always be familiar with the regulations and the ethical best practice needed for clinical veterinary research.
The ERP reviews both prospective and retrospective research projects on cats, dogs, horses and farm animals. As well as reviewing animal-based research, the panel also reviews sociological studies involving veterinary staff.
There are currently seven available spaces on the panel, and the RCVS is looking to fill the spaces with:
The Panel is Chaired by Professor David Morton, who said: “I’ve been honoured to Chair the Ethics Review Panel for the last five years. Through my role as Chair, I have had the opportunity to work alongside some exceptional veterinary professionals and I encourage anyone with a keen interest in clinical veterinary research to apply for a position on the Panel.”
To apply, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/ethics-panel and send a completed application form and CV to ethics@rcvs.org.uk.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 16 July 2021.
Following stock challenges earlier in the year, the company is now urging vets to encourage farmers to vaccinate their flocks to prevent abortions during lambing.
Roy Geary, regional director for Northern Europe at Ceva Animal Health, said: “While we realise that the temporary delay of Cevac Chlamydia has been inconvenient to our valued sheep farmers we would like to thank all our customers for their patience and support during this challenging time.
"The vaccine supply is now available in the UK for the latter end of the season.
"Farmers tupping later in October should therefore be encouraged to vaccinate their flocks to protect their ewes from this devastating disease.”
www.enzooticabortion.co.uk
A Dogs Trust Glasgow resident who made the news last January for being so obese he could not even walk has lost almost half his body weight.
Patch, a six year old Beagle Cross, weighed the same as an average six year old child - 4.5 stones (28.45kg) - when he was brought to the Rehoming Centre last year.
Staff desperately hoped 2009 would see him find a new home and see him shed almost half his bodyweight to reach his goal of 2.4 stone (15kg). After finding a new home with the MacLean family in Motherwell, exactly one year after hitting the headlines Patch is within sniffing distance of his target by weighing in at 2.9 stone (18kg).
Vets had warned that a rapid weight loss would put strain on Patch's organs and could actually harm him, so it has been a slow, careful process. He follows a strict diet and his exercise levels have been built up gradually, with careful monitoring by veterinary staff.
Claire Kelman, Dogs Trust Glasgow Assistant Centre Manager, said: "When Patch first came to us he was so obese he couldn't even walk and needed a sling to be moved from one place to another. Now he's lost the weight he can run around and properly enjoy his walks like any other dog.
It just goes to show a good diet and careful exercise can make a real impact, so maybe he can be a shining example for everyone feeling a bit bloated after the Christmas break!"
Images courtesy Centre Press Agency
US-based Life Technologies has launched a new PCR-based test system which, according to the company, allows large numbers of pigs to be screened more quickly and cost-effectively for a range of common pathogens, such as PRRSV, SIV and PCV2.
The system uses samples of oral fluids which can be obtained by leaving a cotton rope in each pen for pigs to chew on. After 20 minutes or so, the rope can be retrieved and the saliva and gingival crevicular fluid squeezed into a sample bag and represents a pooled sample from the group.
Studies have demonstrated that oral fluid samples collected in this way can form the basis of a quick and cost-effective method for screening a range of common viral pathogens. The samples were tested using a commercially available sample preparation and real-time PCR test system which can isolate and identify viral nucleic acid in a matter of hours.
For PRRS, pooled samples of oral fluids were collected from groups of experimentally infected pigs using the rope technique, along with serum samples from each individual pig on the same days. Both serum samples and oral fluids were processed using the same Applied Biosystems preparation system and real- time PCR test, both of which were supplied by Life Technologies. The results showed that PRRSV nucleic acid was detectable in both serum and oral fluid samples from the day of infection through to 40 days after infection.
For PCV2, 24 pigs that were free of PRRSV and SIV were divided into 4 pens in separate rooms, and challenged with two different virus strains (PCV2a and PVC2b) at different times. One pen acted as a (non-challenged) control. Oral fluids were collected regularly up to 140 days after initial challenge and tested using real-time PCR. High titres of PCV2 were detected from day 12 to day 28 post infection and virus was detectable throughout the entire testing period (days 2 to 98).
For SIV, a total of 180 spiked oral fluid samples were tested using real-time PCR, and subtyping reagents were also used to identify haemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtypes. The results showed that SIV nucleic acid was detectable in oral fluid samples spiked with high, medium and low copy numbers of SIV, and all positive samples could be successfully sub-typed.
Christina Boss, European Professional Service Veterinarian for Life Technologies said: "Collecting samples in this way is far less invasive for the pigs and so avoids unnecessary stress. And because all of the pigs will chew on the rope, it provides a very broad sample from the group, which is the key to assessing overall herd health. In addition, if the pooled sample provides a positive result, then the animals in that pen can be tested individually to identify those that are infected.
"These results show that the simplicity of oral fluid sampling, combined with the speed and sensitivity of a PCR-based system, provides a practical and cost- effective way of monitoring large numbers of pigs for common virus pathogens.
"The use of a semi-automated, PCR-based diagnostic system means that nucleic acid purification can be achieved in just 25 minutes and results from the real-time PCR available in 90 minutes. The molecular test is very specific and reliable, so the veterinarian can initiate individual testing as quickly as possible and make confident recommendations to the producer."
According to Life Technologies, screening for PRRS using samples of oral fluids has been gaining popularity over recent years because large numbers of pigs can be tested without increased cost or labour. The new research is due to be presented as a poster at the ESPHM meeting in Bruges in April.
The training sessions are taking place both online and in person and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Upcoming training dates are as follows:
https://www.vetmindmatters.org/training/
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has opened registration for next year's BSAVA / WSAVA / FECAVA Congress, offering the added incentive of some high value prizes for booking early.
Every month between now and December, everyone registered for the event will be entered into a draw. So if you book now, that gives you five chances to win:
In addition, booking early qualifies you for the Early Bird discount, and means you should secure any Masterclass and social tickets you might want.
You don't have to do anything other than register - either for yourself or for your practice - every person who pays for a registration between now and 29th December will go into the draw.
Peter Renwick, Partner, Willows Veterinary Centre said: "Given our involvement in professional development we are proud to sponsor one of the Big Booking Bonanza prizes - a complete set of the latest BSAVA Manuals that make a great addition to any interested small animal practitioner's bookshelf."
The BSAVA says that tor this WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA Congress there is a really broad and fascinating programme for 2012, with more for vets and nurses, plus a brilliantly expanded management programme and a new registration option for practice managers.
Visit www.bsava.com/congress for full details and terms and conditions.
The service is designed to make vital support more accessible to those clients who may face challenges visiting the practice, whether that's down to limited mobility, transport difficulties, or simply a pet’s anxiety with travel.
Led by experienced RVNs, the service includes:
Judith Lee, Small Animal Director at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, said: “Our Community Vet Nurse service is all about making it easier for our clients to access the help they need."
https://www.oakhill-vets.com/pets/community-vet-nurse/
Vygon Vet, a division of Vygon (UK) Ltd, has announced the launch of its website - www.vygonvet.co.uk.
Vygon has been supplying the veterinary market for 15 years. The new website means the company's products can now be bought direct online. The range includes: Vascular Access, IV Management, Needle-Free Devices, Respiratory, Digestive Tract, Regional Anaesthesia, Tissue Adhesive, Urinary & Rectal Tract and Theatre Products.
In addition to product information and technical data, the website offers guidance notes and tips about basic procedures.
Les Davies, Managing Director of Vygon (UK) Ltd said: "The launch of the new website demonstrates our commitment to the veterinary market and we hope that it not only enables veterinary professionals to order our products with ease, but that they also find the guidance notes and advice a valuable resource for their practice."
Vygon Vet products can also be ordered by telephone or through your veterinary wholesaler.
Bayer Animal Health, manufacturer of Advocate, is launching an advertising campaign to support its 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative, which aims to educate pet owners on the spread of Angiostrongylus vasorum and encourage them to seek advice from their local veterinary practice.
The campaign will see a new TV 'public information' style advertisement targeting dog owners. It will air on 20 national TV channels during April including ITV1, 2 and 3, Sky 1, 2 and 3, More 4 and Film4, with air time dedicated to GMTV and daytime ITV.
The TV advertising campaign will focus on the parasite's intermediate hosts - slugs and snails - and the ease in which dogs can become infected with the parasite by picking up something as simple as a toy with a slug attached to it.
Print advertisements will also be running in national newspapers and women's consumer magazines with a focus on publications read by pet owners.
Marketing support material is available for veterinary practices wishing to participate in the 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative. For further details, or to order the new practice materials, please contact your Bayer representative or ring 0845 2574798 quoting 'Be Lungworm Aware'.
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:
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:
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.
Allison Henry, product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "We have a very good relationship with the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies and it was an easy decision for us to support its students with this donation. Antimicrobial resistance is a very hot topic for human and animal health and as a manufacturer we have a duty to contribute as much as we can. Students are the next generation of veterinary surgeons and if we can educate them about antimicrobial resistance early on it will have a long term positive effect ensuring these products are used as rationally as possible and only when necessary."
Dr Tim Nuttall, head of dermatology at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, added: "We are very grateful to Ceva Animal Health for its generous support of our student research projects into antimicrobial resistance. These give our veterinary students an immensely valuable insight into the problems of antimicrobial resistance and helps them find novel approaches to counter this threat. This will not only benefit their careers but will also be of great value to vets, animals and owners throughout the world."
Ceva's efforts to support practices in their efforts to use antibiotics responsibly have continued in 2017 with the launch of GRAM (Guidance for the Rational use of AntiMicrobials), a guide on the rational use of antimicrobials in dogs and cats.
For more information on GRAM and sustainable antibiotic use, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager.
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.
Bayer Animal Health, the maker of Veraflox, has produced a new animation which explains the considerations veterinary surgeons should take into account when choosing which antibiotic to prescribe.
The animation outlines the key steps that should be taken when faced with a suspected bacterial infection and includes factors such as culture and sensitivity testing, resistance and the mutant prevention concentration.
The company says it produced the animation in response to research it carried out last year in which nearly 500 veterinary professionals (465 practising vets and 45 students) participated.
48% said they felt that not enough is being done to educate veterinary professionals on the responsible use of antibiotics and how to avoid exacerbating the urgent issue of antimicrobial resistance.
Vicky McAlister, Group Product Manager at Bayer said: "In response to this research Bayer is developing a suite of educational resources to arm vets with practical and applicable tools that help them look beyond the 'tip of the iceberg' of bacterial infections, educating about not just the clinical cure, but bacteriological cure, too."
The animation is part of a wider awareness programme entitled ‘What Lies Beneath‘ in which Bayer says it aims to better understand the challenges the veterinary industry faces when prescribing antibiotics, so that additional tools can be developed to help vets confidently use antibiotics responsibly.
The programme will also include a series of webinars led by experts in various fields including veterinary medicine, laboratory diagnostics experts, behavioural psychologists and microbiologists. The webinars are due to be released later in the year, and will present a different perspective on common issues such as compliance, how to make appropriate antimicrobial choices and the approach to and interpretation of relevant diagnostic tests.
Of the seven awards, two are dedicated to recognising veterinary surgeons and nurses who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of animals: the Chris Laurence Vet of the Year and the Welfare Nurse of the Year.
The winners are decided by a panel of judges including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc and James Yeates, chief veterinarian at RSPCA. This year’s winners and runners up will be honoured at a ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 5th April 2017.
If there is a veterinary surgeon or nurse that you feel deserves to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare, you can nominate them for an award at: www.cevawelfareawards.com. Entries must be in by January 13th 2017, and nominations are also accepted from members of the public.
Ceva managing director Cuneyt Seckin said: "We really have been awed and humbled by the nominations for Ceva’s Animal Welfare Awards over the past seven years and we expect this year to be no exception.
"The lengths to which some wonderful people go to ensure the health and happiness of animals across the world really knows no bounds. Not only do the awards champion people involved in animal welfare, but they also raise awareness of this important work to wider audiences."
The new Tosoh AIA 900 analysers have been trialled for the last 18 months at Liphook Equine Hospital, which was the first practice to introduce ACTH testing for horses 25 years ago and gets hundreds of blood samples every week from veterinary practices all over the UK and Europe.
Professor Andy Durham, who heads up the laboratory at Liphook, said the test period has shown that the new machine produces more accurate results primarily because it’s less sensitive to ACTH degrading in blood samples between collection and receipt by the laboratory.
Andy said: “There are several analytic methods available for use in horses, and we wanted to see if this alternative machine had diagnostic benefits over the ones we’d used previously.
"The ACTH molecule we test for immediately begins to break down after a blood sample is taken, even if you handle it carefully and place it in chilled packaging, but this new analyser is able to detect much more of the degraded ACTH molecule, and therefore it gives a more accurate result.
“As a comparison, ACTH values measured using the previous method suffered about three to four times more degradation over 24 hours.
"What this means for horse owners is that it will reduce the risk of false negative results in ACTH tests, so more horses suffering from Cushing’s disease will receive the treatment they need.”
In testing, the new analysers also demonstrated greater accuracy when measuring insulin levels in blood samples.
https://liphookequinehospital.co.ukhttps://www.rainbowequinehospital.co.uk https://www.rossdales.com
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:
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."
'Evidence-based veterinary medicine at 20 – a commentary on historical, philosophical, practical, and ethical aspects' by David Mills MRCVS, Michael J. Reiss and Madeleine Campbell FRCVS, looks at the history of both evidence-based medicine and EBVM, the moral and ethical arguments for EBVM and the practical barriers.
It concludes that EBVM would be improved by:
Author David Mills MRCVS said: “EBVM has extensively infiltrated the veterinary discourse in the last 20 years and whilst it seems a sensible way of doing medicine, this doesn't always translate into practical improvements.
"Of course we need to base decisions on evidence, and the more reliable that evidence the better the decisions are likely to be.
"But is EBVM the best way?
"Does it serve the individual when the evidence doesn't relate to them or the specifics of their disease?
"Does EBVM help or hinder us in realising welfare improvements for the individual animal?
"In this review of the EBVM movement we examine aspects of the methodology and its practical application and in several areas find it wanting.
"Some of these are practical issues - for example underpowered studies, poor evidence - whilst others are fundamental to the philosophy and practice of EBVM itself such as what is evidence, how it translates to individuals and how we cannot predict the future.
"Evidence-based medicine was forged in the fires of not just accepting eminent pronouncements - in this paper we apply this principle to EBVM itself."
https://veterinaryevidence.org/index.php/ve/article/view/710
Reference
Sally Linghorn, Senior RVN at CVS and one of the team behind the initiative, said: “As far as we know, no other veterinary company has policy, support and specific training and guidance on this topic, in our female-biased profession.”
“We recognise how devastating pregnancy loss can be.
"Last year we launched a policy to provide special paid leave for pregnancy loss.
"But since implementing this we have noticed a gap.
"We felt our managers needed guidance and support on how to provide the more practical and emotional support on a day-to-day basis, if someone in their team experienced a loss."
The new guidance contains advice on how to understand each individual’s experiences and needs, help in the immediate situation of pregnancy loss at work, treat and record any time off directly related to a loss, understand how pregnancy loss can affect mental health, talk about pregnancy loss, facilitate a return to work and the importance of regular follow-ups and check-ins.
A new paper by D J Bartram and D S Baldwin, published in this week's Veterinary Record, has found that veterinary surgeons are four times as likely as the general public, and around twice as likely as other healthcare professionals, to die by suicide as opposed to other causes.
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "David Bartram's research in this difficult area is to be applauded. The more we can understand about the reasons behind the high suicide rate amongst veterinary surgeons, the more the BVA and other bodies can do to support vets in crisis.
"As part of the Vetlife Steering Group, the BVA supports fantastic initiatives such as the 24-hour Vet Helpline for vets, vet nurses and veterinary students, and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.
"The BVA's Member Services Group (MSG) also spends a lot of time looking at practical initiatives to improve individual vets' day-to day lives. The recent introduction of the mediation and representation services to help resolve issues between veterinary employees and veterinary employers is a good example of the positive ways in which the BVA can support its members in difficult situations.
"The MSG also recently produced a helpline sticker for all veterinary practices to display on the medicines cabinet and other prominent places to act as a constant reminder that help is available.
"Ours is a small profession and many vets will know a friend or colleague who has taken their own life. It is essential that this issue is kept in the open so that those who are struggling know where to turn for help."
BEVA is giving its members the opportunity to participate in a free practice benchmarking survey, to help them ensure their business is being run as efficiently and profitably as possible. The results of the research will be released at BEVA Congress, 7th-10th September 2011.
The Association has worked with Hazlewoods, chartered accountants and business advisors to the veterinary profession, to develop a detailed benchmarking questionnaire for equine veterinary practices, which allows businesses to compare their practice, anonymously, with other similar practices. The report should identify areas for profit improvement, including practice structure and pricing and may also highlight other potential methods of income generation.
Mark Beaney, partner at Hazlewoods and specialist advisor to the veterinary profession, said: "This is a super opportunity for equine practices to obtain helpful, free advice on how to fine-tune their business for maximum efficiency, delivery and profit. The questionnaire should take no more than half an hour to complete and in return we will provide you with a confidential individual report, with your practice data benchmarked."
Mark will present an overall report on the equine veterinary market at BEVA Congress on Saturday 10th September. All participating practices will remain anonymous. The benchmarking survey can be downloaded from the BEVA website at: http://www.beva.org.uk/news/view/59 and must be completed by 30th June 2011.
BEVA Congress runs from 7th-10th September 2011 at the Liverpool Arena Convention Centre, Liverpool. This year BEVA will be celebrating its 50th anniversary - for further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/.
Blue Cross has announced the results from its National Equine Health Survey (NEHS) which show that lameness is three times more likely to be caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis in the limb rather than problems in the foot.
Blue Cross runs NEHS in May each year, in partnership with the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA). It is sponsored by SPILLERS and Zoetis and supported by the UK’s leading equestrian organisations and charities. This year saw a 35% increase in participation compared to 2014, with survey records returned for almost 15,000 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.
The charity says that whilst of course the horse’s foot is fundamental to soundness and performance, NEHS results have shown consistently that limb lameness, as opposed to foot lameness, is in fact the biggest syndrome affecting horses.
In the latest survey, conducted in May, a total of 18% were recorded as lame. 13.5% of these were recorded as suffering with lameness such as osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (13.9% in 2014 and 14.8% in 2013).
Meanwhile foot lameness was recorded in 4.5% of returns, a similar figure to previous years.
Josh Slater from the Royal Veterinary College, who is member of BEVA’s Health & Medicines Committee and analysed the NEHS data, said: “NEHS is now producing important evidence that is replacing subjective opinion. While the lameness figures were initially surprising, given that the foot has been generally regarded as the main problem area, the fact that these figures have remained consistent over the past three years gives constructive credibility to the data. Our findings will help owner vigilance with day-to-day healthcare as well as help prioritise on areas for future veterinary education and research.”
The six most notable disease syndromes identified in the 2015 National Equine Health Survey were:
23.2% of horses were reported as being overweight with a Body Condition Score of 3.5-5, continuing the upward trend seen in previous years (16.9% in 2014 and 7.8% in 2013). Next year’s survey will explore links between obesity and the possible associated rise of obesity-related diseases such as equine metabolic syndrome (which was reported in 2.4% of 2015 returns) and laminitis.
The survey also enables participants to report on any health problems not covered in the survey questions, giving them a chance to shape future survey subjects.
Gemma Taylor, Education Officer at Blue Cross explains: “This year 11% of our free text answers mentioned gastric ulcers giving a valuable insight into the prevalence gastric ulcer syndrome in the principally leisure horse NEHS population. As a result we will be adding new questions to the 2016 survey to help us find out more.”
The 2015 NEHS survey results are now available from http://www.bluecross.org.uk/nehs2015results. To register for next year’s survey, visit www.bluecross.org.uk/nehs
CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of pheromonatherapy products, D.A.P.® and Feliway®, has launched a new website - http://www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/ - and a new leaflet and waiting room poster to support its ‘Remember, remember your pets this November' campaign which is backed by the PDSA, FAB (Feline Advisory Bureau), the APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors) and Sound Therapy 4 Pets.
The website features a comprehensive range of information including hints and tips on preparing pets for the firework festivities, how to spot signs of stress in cats and dogs, what to do if pets go missing or are injured, fireworks and the law and information on pheromonatherapy.
"The new site is a one stop shop for information on how to look after pets during the firework season and the precautions that owners should take to help pets cope with their fear of loud noises," says Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health. "Veterinary practices can help highlight these precautions by linking their websites to the ‘Remember, remember your pets this November' site."
A downloadable PR toolkit is also available from the website to enable veterinary practices to highlight the campaign to local pet owners. To request a copy of the ‘Remember, remember your pets this November' information pack, which includes details on CEVA's ‘Promote Your Practice' competition, please call Lucy Brett at CEVA on 01494 781510.