Hill's has launched Science Plan Snacks: a new range of treats which includes light, immunity support, healthy mobility, oral care and skin & coat variants for adults, and immunity support and skin & coat variants for puppies.

Market research has shown that 76% of UK dog owners feed their pet treats, and that snacks represent 33% of total market value in the dog food segment. Hill's has identified that 84% of pet owners want their pet's snack to be healthy and 67% want the snack to meet a specific need. However, the company says many pet snacks and table scraps are high in salt, sugar and fat and overfeeding can unbalance a nutritionally balanced diet provided by the main meal, as well as being a major cause of obesity.

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's said: "Owners like to treat their pets to snacks as it helps cement their close bond but they are also aware that feeding unhealthy food is a bad idea. We believe that responsible snacking is the way forward and to that end have launched Science Plan Snacks. The range is not only low in calories and made with all the optimal nutrition principles that guides the formulation of Science Plan main meal but also features on-pack guidelines to indicate the number of snacks that can be given per day. "

Hill's says the new range outperforms other mainstream biscuit treats in taste tests, being up to 79% preferred. Science Plan Snacks offer fatty acid ratios and blends to support healthy mobility and patented fibre technology in the oral product, with controlled levels of calcium and salt. The resealable bag maintains freshness and the high impact premium black packaging provides great stand out on shelf.

For further information contact your Hill's Territory Manager or Hill's customer service on 0800 282438.

Petplan is making a last call for entries to its Veterinary Awards, which recognise members of the veterinary profession who continually go above and beyond what is expected of them.

Nominations for the awards close on 31^st January.

Nominations for all categories which include Vet of the Year, Vet Nurse of the Year, Vet Practice of the Year, Vet Support Staff of the Year, Practice Manager of the Year and Petplan Insurance Advisor of the Year are judged by an independent panel of industry experts. Every nominee receives a Petplan certificate so even if your nominee isn't one of the lucky finalists they'll still know and feel appreciated that someone has taken the time and effort to nominate them.

Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships, Simon Masding said: "Petplan knows that the veterinary world is full of brilliant professionals. The Petplan Veterinary Awards create a wonderful opportunity to recognise high performance, and demonstrate to your clients and to the wider industry what a great job your staff do. As well as the feel-good factor, there's a commercial benefit for being nominated too, one previous winner saw a 30% growth in their business as a result of winning. So if you would like to be in with a chance, you have just one month left to encourage your clients and staff to nominate!"

Finalists are invited to attend an award ceremony held at the Birmingham Town Hall on Thursday 3rd April 2014.

To nominate a friend or colleague, or register your interest in attending the awards evening, visit www.petplanvet.co.uk.

The RCVS Academy has launched the ‘Appointed Senior Veterinary surgeon’ course, designed to help veterinary clinical practices implement the role effectively.

PSS accredited practices are required to nominate an Appointed Senior Veterinary Surgeon, and under the RCVS Guidance, the College expects all veterinary service providers to do likewise. 

Senior Veterinary Surgeons are responsible for making sure practice standards, policies and procedures are compliant with the Code and that legislation and guidance in areas such as veterinary medicines, consumer choice and professional autonomy are being met.

The new course outlines the roles and responsibilities of the appointed senior veterinary surgeon, with examples and scenarios drawn from the supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct.

Clare Paget, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, said: “The role of appointed senior veterinary surgeon is an absolutely crucial one in the veterinary clinical practice setting.

"Having an appointed senior veterinary surgeon ensures that veterinary teams are working under the guidance and direction of a senior clinical figure and that there is someone who has overall accountability for standards at a practice.

"The appointed senior veterinary surgeon also has the important role of ensuring that the clinical judgement of the veterinary team is paramount over, for example, any commercial pressures.

“This course outlines the roles and responsibilities of the appointed senior veterinary surgeon and will help members of the vet team identify who they are within their organisation and, if relevant, recognise and implement the responsibilities of the role.”

The course takes around 30 minutes to complete, is free to access via the RCVS Academy, and counts towards annual continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

academy.rcvs.org.uk

Scientists from the Animal Health Trust, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of St. Andrews have pinpointed the genes which allow the bacteria responsible for strangles to thrive, thereby paving the way for the development of a vaccine.

In the study, which the researchers say was the largest of its kind, 224 samples of Streptococcus equi (S. equi) were procured from horses around the globe to try and find a common bacterial ancestor from which modern strains would have developed. Despite the disease first being described in 1251, the researchers were surprised at the genetic similarity of the samples and identified a total population replacement at the 19^th or early 20^th century. This corresponds to a period when horses from around the world were brought together in global conflicts including World War I, where an estimated eight million horses died on the battlefield.

Dr Simon Harris from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute said: “The mobilisation and mixing of horses in conflicts such as WWI provided perfect conditions for S. equi to thrive. This combined with high mortality rates among the horses and their replacement with young susceptible horses could explain what we see around the world today".

While loss of diversity could be considered detrimental to bacterial populations, S. equi still infects more than 20,000 horses in the UK alone each year. Its success, researchers believe, is due to its ability to persist in some horses for years after they have recovered from strangles, where the bug can evolve to evade the horse’s immune system.

Dr Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the Animal Health Trust said: “The data we have gathered in this study has enabled us to pinpoint the genes that help the bacteria to persist, spread and thrive in the horse population. This research provides an unprecedented opportunity to reduce the impact of and prevent strangles in future generations of horses.”

The AHT says that the ability of S. equi to adapt to living in a persistent state within its host and still infect new horses mirrors the situation with HIV and the bacteria that causes tuberculosis in humans. Dr Matthew Holden from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of St Andrews said: “Unravelling the complex population dynamics of S. equi sheds new light on the balancing act between acute and persistent infection that is going on in many pathogens. Not only does this collection of whole-genome sequences for S. equi offer hope for an effective strangles vaccine, it also provides us with a useful model for understanding persistent infection in humans.”

With just a few days to go before the first anniversary of bluetongue being detected in England, the JAB campaign group is urging farmers to vaccinate their livestock to stop the disease from taking hold in this country as it has in Europe.

So far this year France has reported 4,543 cases of bluetongue, including cases in Calais, and the Netherlands has just confirmed its first case of the disease in 2008. The affected small holding reported a sick cow found with serotype eight which had not been vaccinated against infection.

With the threat of bluetongue re-emergence in the UK growing by the day, JAB leaders have issued a reminder to farmers to contact their vets as soon as their region is in the protection zone and vaccine is available.

In a statement JAB said: "The amount of cases being reported across Europe shows the disease is on the move. This most recent case in Holland demonstrates that not vaccinating livestock leaves farmers vulnerable to outbreaks now the midge season has started.

"The industry has rallied behind the JAB campaign and has done tremendously well in terms of vaccination. Nearly 19 million doses have already been made available to English farmers, and with another nine million doses planned to be released in the coming weeks we need those areas that are new to the protection zone to vaccinate as soon as they are able. We must remember bluetongue could already be circulating in areas where outbreaks occurred last year so the risks to everyone are very real.

"The explosion in the number of cases on the continent also acts as a timely reminder to those farmers in the current protection zone who have not vaccinated and the dangers this presents to their unprotected livestock

The RCVS has published its 2014 Survey of the Veterinary and Veterinary Nursing Professions, a snapshot of the demographics of the profession, and the educational and work status of its members.

The results, which gauge individual views on the current state of the profession, are used to inform the College's future policy and activities.

6,988 veterinary surgeons (27% of the profession), 3,612 registered/listed veterinary nurses (31% of the profession) and 1,792 student veterinary nurses took part in the surveys, which are conducted once every four years by the Institute for Employment Studies.

This year's surveys included a set of questions about 24-hour emergency cover, which contributed to the recent review of the College's guidance in this area, and, for the first time, questions from the government-backed Social Mobility Toolkit, which aim to assess the social background of members of the profession.

Highlights from the survey of veterinary surgeons included:

• For the first time, this year more than half (53.8%) of the respondents were women - in line with the long-term trend towards the 'feminisation' of the profession.
• Since the 2010 survey the share of respondents employed in mixed animal practices has declined from 22.1% to 15.8%, while the proportion of respondents employed in small animal/exotic practices has increased from 48.9% to 53.6% in the same period
• The proportion of respondents in part-time work is currently at 19%, compared to 16% in 2010 and 14% in 2006. Female veterinary surgeons accounted for 73.2% of those in part-time work.
• Although over half (52%) of recently qualified veterinary surgeons went straight into practice work, some 17.8% reported they were unable to find employment after graduation - compared to 13.6% in 2010.
• The average amount of time taken for a graduate to find their first position after they started to look was three months.
• Although almost 90% of respondents stated that veterinary work is stressful, a similar proportion said that veterinary work gives variety and over 80% said it provides job satisfaction.
• Other issues highlighted by respondents included the need for better pay and remuneration and the high demands placed on them by clients.

Highlights from the survey of veterinary nurses included:

• There was a noticeable decrease in the proportion of veterinary nurses who are employed full-time - from 74.7% in 2010 to 67% this year. Full-time work is less common amongst those under 20 (which includes students) and older VNs.
• Veterinary nurses are generally more positive about the profession this year compared to the 2010 survey. For example, 60% said they would choose to become a VN again if they started their career over, compared to 54% in 2010. However, poor pay and stress were highlighted as issues.
• There was a significant shift away from employer-funded CPD to free provision. In 2010, 57% of CPD provision was employer-funded (and in 2008 this stood at 84%), while this year, it was 43%. The proportion of free CPD has increased from 29% in 2010 to 41% this year.
• For student veterinary nurses, the proportion intending to remain employed at their Training Practice after qualification has fallen from 61% in 2010 to 52% this year.

Both the Survey of the Veterinary Profession and the Survey of the Veterinary Nursing Profession, together with a report that brings together common themes, can be downloaded from the RCVS publications page.

To what extent changing diets and adding novel feed additives can cut emissions from beef cattle is being investigated in a new three-year research project.

EBLEX, the organisation for beef and sheep producers in England, has teamed up with Scotland's Rural College, SRUC, in Edinburgh, to look at how changes to feeding regimes can improve efficiency and drive business profitability, while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced as a by-product of rumination.

Steers will be finished on either concentrate based or forage based diets, each with two different feed additives, such as vegetable oils. The role of the rumen microbial population in the responses will be measured to look at how rumen function changes according to diet, additive and breed. Results will be related to the greenhouse gas emissions and feed efficiency, as well as long-term effects of feed additives.

Dr Mary Vickers, senior livestock scientist with EBLEX said: "The animals will be moved into specialist chambers for short periods of time where their emissions can be captured.

"In addition, when they are accessing rations from group pens, special plastic hoods over the feeding stations can measure the specific emissions at those times. Measuring emissions, rumen function, feed intake and growth rates can help us build a picture of any effect the additives have.

"The ultimate aim is to ensure the cattle are having their full nutritional needs met in an efficient, cost effective way while minimising the emissions produced."

In addition, carcase quality, meat quality and shelf life will also be recorded to ensure quality of the final product is maintained. The outcomes of this project will provide producers with independent advice about the efficacy of two feed additives fed in a range of commercial conditions.

A new study has revealed that owners of obese dogs which successfully lose weight notice significant improvement in their dogs' quality of life too.

The study, published in The Veterinary Journal and available online here, was conducted by scientists from the Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic at Liverpool University in conjunction with the Pain and Welfare Group at the University of Glasgow and the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition. It looked at fifty obese dogs that had been referred to Royal Canin's clinic.

The results showed that quality of life improved in the dogs that successfully lost weight, demonstrated by increased vitality scores and decreased scores for emotional disturbance and pain.  The improvements in vitality score were greater the more body fat the dogs lost. The research also found that the dogs that failed to complete their weight loss programme had lower vitality and higher emotional disturbance scores than those successfully losing weight.

Dr. Alex German, Royal Canin senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool and lead author of the study, said: "Obesity is a risk for many dogs, affecting not only their health, but also their quality of life. The results indicate that, for obese dogs, weight loss can be important for staying both healthy and happy."

Owners completed a questionnaire to determine the health-related quality of life of their dog prior to weight loss, with a follow-up questionnaire for the owners of the thirty dogs that successfully completed the weight loss programme to reach target weight. The completed questionnaire responses were converted into scores corresponding to a range of factors, including vitality, emotional disturbance and pain.

The RCVS is re-running its Workforce Ambitions Revisited webinar series, which is designed to stimulate useful discussions about veterinary workforce challenges and how culture change, career development and leadership can improve retention, attract new talent, and support returners to the profession.

With four sessions having taken place throughout May and June this year, the autumn sessions will focus on:

• Welcoming a modern way of working - Wednesday 10 September, 11:45 - 13:00
• Greater responsibility for veterinary nurses - Monday 15 September, 13:00 - 14:15
• Confidence, culture and recognition - Friday 17 October, 11:45 - 13:00
• Shape leaders at all levels - Friday 7 November, 11:45 - 13:00

RCVS Director for the Advancement of the Professions, Angharad Belcher (pictured), said: “We recognise that change cannot happen without collaboration – no one organisation can solve as complicated and multi-factorial an issue as the workforce challenge on their own.

"We hope to welcome you to these sessions to share your insights and contribute to the ongoing conversation around this important topic."

The webinars are free, last an hour and 15 minutes and count as CPD.

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/events/workforce-ambitions-sessions/ 

The RCVS is reminding veterinary surgeons that the retention fee payment deadline is 31 March. Fee payments received after 1 April are subject to an extra £35, and veterinary surgeons whose fees remain unpaid after 31 May are removed from the Register.

Veterinary surgeons also need to confirm or update their Register details annually as part of renewing their registration. Although the deadline for this is 30 September, members may find it convenient to do this at the same time as making fee payments. UK- and overseas-practising members need to confirm additionally that they have met the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. Renewals can be made either online or via the form included with the annual renewal notice, regardless of how payments are made.

Fees can be paid through the RCVS website, by cheque, direct debit (which will need to have been set up in advance) or bank transfer. Particularly relevant for those making payments on someone else's behalf, is to remember to write the vet's name and Register number on the back of the cheque, or as a bank transfer reference. The RCVS processes over 22,000 registrations every year and needs to know to whom each payment relates.

For those who have set up a direct debit, the RCVS generally aims to take the payment on 31 March. As this will be a Sunday this year, the payment will be taken as soon as possible afterwards. To set up a bank transfer (which can be from a bank account online, telephone banking, or a branch, depending what the bank offers) the RCVS account details are available by telephoning the Finance Department (020 7202 0723). Payments cannot be taken over the phone.

A veterinary surgeon's registration acts as a licence to practise and those removed from the Register may not practise unless and until they have been restored.

Elanco Companion Animal Health, manufacturer of Comfortis chewable tablets for dogs, has developed a Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) algorithm to provide veterinary surgeons with step-by-step guidance on its diagnosis and treatment.

Developed in conjunction with Dr Chiara Noli, DVM, Dip ECVD, a referral dermatologist and dermatopathologist from Northern Italy, the algorithm covers the many complexities and causes of pruritus. It also advises veterinary surgeons to prescribe strict oral flea control if antibacterial shampoo or lotions are used.

Anna Jackson, veterinary manager at Elanco Companion Animal Health said: "Canine patients with dermatological conditions including Flea Allergy Dermatitis are often prescribed topical treatments, such as shampoos, which may compromise the effectiveness of many spot-on topical flea control products. The new Flea Allergy Dermatitis algorithm takes this into account by providing veterinary surgeons with step-by-step advice on the diagnosis and treatment of Flea Allergy Dermatitis including the benefits of using oral flea control if a shampoo is administered."

For a copy of the Flea Allergy Dermatitis algorithm, please contact your Elanco Companion Animal Health key account manager or email elancocah.uk@lilly.com.

Bayer Animal Health has announced the results of a survey¹ which shows that despite 80% of dog owners being aware of lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum), 85% of dogs remain unprotected against the parasite.

The survey, which was carried out amongst 1,000 dog owners, also found that more than 5% had encountered lungworm in their own dogs. However, only 15% of owners treat their pet against parasites on a monthly basis, with the remainder admitting to missed routine lungworm worming treatments or not treating at all.

Bayer highlights evidence from the Royal Veterinary College², which confirms the lungworm parasite has spread across the UK from its traditional habitat in the south of England and Wales, and is now widespread in Central England, also reaching northern regions and Scotland, with one in five vet practices nationwide reporting at least one case of the parasite. In another survey of 150 veterinary practices across the UK a total of 952 suspected cases were reported (157 laboratory confirmed), with 81 deaths thought to have been caused by the parasite³.

To encourage more pet owners to take action, Bayer will launch a consumer campaign called 'Act on Lungworm' in March. The campaign will include the world's first 24-hour radio station for dogs and their owners, 'Hound Waves', broadcasting live from Crufts on Friday 7th March. The event will also see the launch of a new television and advertising campaign from Bayer.

For veterinary professionals, the campaign launch will also include online videos detailing the 'ACT on Lungworm' veterinary support and showing the new television advertisement exclusively to vets before the national launch.

Caroline Braidwood, Group Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health said: "After launching the 2013 lungworm awareness campaign and providing owners with a social media platform, we quickly began to recognise the enthusiasm that exists to encourage action.

"We received feedback from owners who had tragically lost their pets to lungworm, and whilst we were pleased that we were helping to raise awareness, we became conscious that we needed to do more to prevent dogs from dying unnecessarily.  Our 2014 campaign focus has come as a direct result of talking to these owners and providing individuals like Sandra Stevens with a platform to discuss their experiences in the hope that more owners will take action before it is too late."

'ACT on Lungworm' is part of Bayer Animal Health's wider 'It's a Jungle Out There' parasite protection initiative. Further information is available at www.facebook.com/jungleforpets 

References

1. Opinion Matters, October 2013, 1000 dog owners
2. Royal Veterinary College survey 2012, 1,419 veterinary practices
3. Opinion Matters, January 2013, 150 veterinary professionals  

Elanco is calling on vets to engage with sheep farmers about effective worm control programmes as significant shifts in farming subsidies squeeze farm profitability.

With 2024 support payments for farmers in England now at half former levels and significant changes to subsidies for farmers in Scotland and Wales set to come into play next year, Elanco says effective flock health management to maximise efficiency and performance within flocks has become increasingly important.

Elanco's Ruminant Technical Consultant, Matt Colston MRCVS said: “Policymakers recognise the importance of animal health and welfare for better productivity and are putting an increasing onus on vets to deliver improvements, for example via the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway (AHWP).”

“Its crucial vets have the knowledge and confidence to support sheep clients on important flock health issues, with worming programmes high up on this agenda.”

"By developing farm-specific worm control strategies and working closely with clients to better monitor worm burdens, you can help achieve immediate flock performance benefits and manage the longer term risks of anthelmintic resistance on that farm.”

Elanco says that by dosing lambs with its newer Group 4 wormer, Zolvix, at the right time during the mid to late grazing season, farmers can clear out any resistant worms that have survived previous treatments and see an uplift in daily liveweight gain as a result.

Matt added: “We shouldn’t wait for problems to manifest.

"By the time wormer groups have stopped working, or clinical signs of worms are visible, damage is already done; regular monitoring and early intervention is a better option.

“More farmers are Faecal Egg Counting (FEC) but many are unsure how best to go about it.

“A practical demonstration of how to collect samples, and what to collect from which animals, is often the best way to show how easy FEC can be.”

“Farmers can be cautious about change, but by taking small steps and consistently offering sound, practical advice, vets can help farmers adopt more sustainable worm control strategies and improve margins in sheep production.”