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The Disciplinary Committee of the RCVS has approved an application for restoration to the Register from an Oxfordshire veterinary surgeon who had been struck off for false certification.
In November 2007, the Committee decided that Mr John Williams, of the Avonvale Veterinary Practice in Ratley, near Banbury, should have his name removed from the RCVS Register, having found him guilty of disgraceful professional conduct. Mr Williams had admitted signing export health certificates for three horses in October 2006 to state that they had received negative test results for the contagious equine metritis organism, before these results were actually available.
At the time, Mr Williams was working in his capacity as an Official Veterinarian (OV) for DEFRA and he had previously been suspended from his official duties on three separate occasions, on the basis of export certification irregularities. It was accepted that Mr Williams had not been dishonest, but his approach to certification was described by the Disciplinary Committee as "either irresponsible or cavalier or both".
In December 2007, Mr Williams appealed against this decision to the Privy Council but this was dismissed at a Hearing the following June. He was then removed from the Register in July 2008.
When the Committee met on Monday to consider Mr Williams' application, they heard oral and written supporting evidence from veterinary surgeons and equine clients, and oral evidence from Mr Williams himself. The Committee was satisfied that Mr Williams accepted its previous findings and fully understood their seriousness. He described his removal from the Register as a "salutary experience" which had been highly significant for him and his family, both financially and emotionally.
The Committee stated: "Although the decision of the Committee to remove [Mr Williams] from the Register sent a clear message to the profession of the importance of certification, it should be emphasised that his removal was the consequence of his actions in signing certificates which he could not verify. This followed three previous occasions on which he had similarly signed certificates when he should not have done so."
However, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Williams would not in future sign certificates when he should not do so, even under severe client pressure. It was impressed with the continuing professional development he had undertaken whilst off the Register and noted that no questions had been raised over his conduct during this time.
It concluded that Mr Williams fully understood the importance of accurate certification and that restoring his name to the Register therefore posed no risk to animal welfare. Neither the public nor the profession would benefit from Mr Williams staying off the Register for a further period.
Alison Bruce, Disciplinary Committee Chairman, said: "We would like to make it clear that we always find it distressing to remove clinically competent veterinary surgeons from the Register because of an irresponsible and cavalier attitude towards certification. This would not be necessary if veterinary surgeons were to follow the Twelve Principles of Certification annexed to the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct."
The Committee then approved Mr Williams' application and directed that his name should be restored to the Register.
BCF Technology has launched a competition in which the person who submits the best photograph with the theme of: All in a day's work - animal imaging, will win an iPad 2.
To enter the competition, you need to post your photographs, (and tell BCF a little about the story behind the images) at www.facebook.com/bcftechnology or email them to: info@bcftechnology.com
Jason Rogers, Marketing Manager at BCF said: "We wanted to create a fun way to show just how interesting and different each days work is when imaging animals. We have made the competition open to all that work with animal imaging including our staff, dealers and vets, vet nurses, animal contractors, etc from all over the world.
"It is great to see the BCF office in the States and our international dealers also promoting the competition in their own countries, making the competition truly international. Response to the competition has been fantastic - see our facebook page to some entries for yourself."
The closing date for the competition is 30th September 2011.
For more information, visit: www.bcftechnology.com
Zoë Coker, a co-founder of VETbytes alongside Bronwen Eastwood, said: "This new feature will allow users to access real-time updates to the app so they can be assured they are following the most up-to-date clinical guidance."
The app, which was launched in partnership with the BSAVA earlier this year, covers more than 100 topics and includes other features such as drug (and CRI) calculators, a quick reference section and links to hundreds of source abstracts, as well as CPD accreditation for reflective learning.
It is available at a discount to BSAVA members and free to veterinary students.
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “The latest addition to the app advances our joint goal with VETbytes, to provide the latest practical, accessible, evidence-based resources for the small animal veterinary community.”
To view the ‘latest updates’ feed: https://vetbytes.co.uk/latest-updates.
For more information, visit: www.vetbytes.co.uk.
At the roundtable, Liz Barton MRCVS, Head of Communications at Vet.CT, spoke about the application of AI in clinical practice, including in preventative medicine, diagnostics, treatment and prognostics.
Liz highlighted how the use of AI tools in clinical practice for tasks such as pattern recognition had led to many unforeseen and unexpected benefits, for example by picking up things that humans may not.
Dr P-J Noble, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Science at the University of Liverpool, explained how AI tools had proven useful in processing, assessing and annotating qualitative data gathered through the university's Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) once they were programmed to recognise certain patterns, saving lots of research time and costs.
Dr Chris Trace MRCVS, Head of Digital Learning at the University of Surrey, spoke about AI use in higher education and how it has already started to be used beneficially both as a teaching and learning aid, as well as for assessment and feedback.
In the afternoon session, groups of delegates were asked to discuss practical questions over AI use in the veterinary professions and how it might be regulated.
There were discussions on how to help vet and VN students make the most of AI in learning and assessment, responsible use of AI in clinical settings, the risks of not using AI, how veterinary professionals can work with animal owners and keepers to ensure the safe and productive use of AI, and whether AI-led devices should be regulated.
Lizzie said: “This was a really positive and exciting event that involved a heady mix of trepidation over the risks and implications of AI now and into the future, and optimism over the beneficial impact it could have for education, diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.
"The discussions have certainly given us at the College a lot of food for thought on how we can put in place guardrails and guidelines on the appropriate use of AI in the veterinary sector.
“This is an area of technology that is evolving so rapidly that it would not be effective for us to put in place specific guidance for the use of AI tools, but instead we will be looking at how we can regulate the use of AI in the round and ensure our principles are sufficiently future-proofed to keep up with the pace of change.
“Any regulation will start with first principles, such as transparency and honesty around the use of AI in veterinary practice, the minimisation of potential risks, and the continuing importance of professional accountability for decision-making, even where such decisions may have been heavily influenced by the use of AI tools and AI-generated data.”
The input gathered from the roundtable will now be considered by a range of RCVS committees over the coming months.
A full report of the event will be published this summer.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched a new consumer campaign to support the company's joint care supplement, Cosequin.
The campaign centres around a series of paw-tapping internet videos which showcase the perfectly poised paws of dog and cat dance duo, Fred and Ginger, highlighting the importance of good joint health. The videos are available to view at http://www.cosequin-dance.co.uk/
Pet owners are encouraged to purchase Cosequin from vet practices to enter a prize draw to win a photography day with leading animal photographer, Sam Lunt, or one of ten tickets to an upcoming live dancing tour. Posters and in-practice leaflets are also available for vet practices to help drive awareness and encourage uptake.
Sarah-Jane Minter, Marketing Manager for Intervet/Schering-Plough, commented; "We wanted to create a campaign which would support vets in practice and attract the attention of pet owners, especially those who may not have previously thought about the joint health of their pet. With these lighthearted new videos of Fred and Ginger demonstrating everything from the jive to the rumba and an eye-catching print campaign, we certainly expect to grab pet owners' attention!"
ISPAH says that by supporting joint condition and maintaining not only healthy cartilage, but also healthy joint structures, Cosequin is suitable for all dogs and cats that need some joint support, especially highly active or older animals. It adds that the joint care supplement contains 100% pure chondroitin sulphate and the unique formulation has been proven in over 50 clinical trials.
For further information, please contact your local Intervet/Schering-Plough Veterinary Business Manager or phone the company's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
The company says the results of the survey of puppy dental health will be shared with industry experts to help advance understanding and evaluate the future impact on veterinary practices.
Veterinary professionals can also sign up for a free webinar on puppy dental disease led by Head of the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Department at the Royal (Dick) Vet School, Ingrid Tundo on 28th April at 7.30 pm at https://veterinarywebinars.com/register/puppy-dentistry-malocclusion.
Cat Henstridge MRCVS, who is fronting the campaign said: “I’m very pleased to be helping to raise awareness of the VisioCare Puppy Tooth Census and this important issue.
"It is so important for all of us in the profession to be helping to identify disease patterns and the scale of the problem. It also provides us with a great opportunity to involve our clients and start discussions about the importance of good dental care.”
VisioCare says the Puppy Tooth Census only takes a few minutes to complete and can be filled in for individual cases or healthy puppy mouths.
Every veterinary respondent will be given a free pack of educational materials to use in the consulting room, including state-of-the art digital animations and dental images that can be used to enhance client communication around the topic, together with explainer videos and puppy owner fact sheets and leaflets.
In addition, each month for the next three months, responses will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £50 John Lewis gift voucher.
For further information or to complete the census for a case, visit: http://www.visiocareservices.co.uk/puppy-tooth-census.
The traditional approach is to use anatomical knowledge to inject pain relief in the area of the nerves to be blocked.
Liz is leading a move away from this approach to a more precise method which uses ultrasound guidance to visualise the nerves, allowing the local anaesthetic to be placed directly around the nerve itself.
For some nerve blocks, it is possible to block just the sensory branches of nerves, which means pets can walk better immediately after surgery while not feeling any pain.
Liz, a past president of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, said: “Local analgesia is now at the forefront of our post-operative care and reliably improves the quality of a pet’s recovery and reduces the need for opioid pain relief, which can cause side effects.
“We’re using the latest techniques to deliver the nerve-blocking anaesthetics to exactly where they’re needed.
“For many of the nerve blocks, the use of ultrasound guidance allows more precise delivery and a complete blockade of the sensory nerves, which is why, here at Paragon, we’ve invested in state-of-the art ultrasound machine designed specifically for superficial and deep nerve blocks.
“This means we can provide more effective immediate post-operative analgesia for our patients and minimise the need for further pain killers.
“The nerves can be directly visualised and local anaesthetic directly placed around the nerve bundles.”
Liz is keen to highlight the advantages of the increased use of local anaesthesia in the treatment of animals. She added: “We’re hoping we’ll soon be able to publish some clinical research on the use of some of the blocking techniques used to demonstrate our clinical impression of their effectiveness in patient management.”
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall made her first visit to the RVC's Camden campus today, in her role as patron of the College's charity, the Animal Care Trust.
The Duchess became Patron of the Animal Care Trust in 2005, and was visiting to see how funds raised by the charity help to provide cutting edge equipment for the College's hospitals, provide assistance to the College's research teams and support the commitment to excellence in veterinary education.
During the tour of the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital (BSAH), the Duchess saw how donations from the ACT have helped to purchase laparascopic surgical equipment enabling the hospital to provide key-hole surgery for routine neutering procedures, bringing welfare benefits to the animals and allowing students to develop their first-day skills needed in veterinary practice.
The Duchess also met the specialist exotics team that forms part of a newly launched Small Animals Referral Service based at the BSAH and which receives funding from the ACT.
Professor Stuart Reid, Principal of the RVC, said: "The generous donations to the ACT are invaluable in helping us to deliver the best possible care to our patients and world-leading veterinary education to our students. We were delighted to welcome The Duchess of Cornwall to our teaching hospital in Camden so that she could see just how much of an impact these donations have on the work that we do."
As well as spending time in the hospital the tour also took in the RVC's anatomy museum where the Head of Anatomy Service at the College, Andrew Crook MBE, demonstrated how an investment from the ACT in plastination facilities is helping the College to preserve valuable anatomical samples in a form that can be handled by students without fear of decomposition.
The visit finished with a reception, where supporters and donors of the Trust, as well as some of the College's students had the chance to meet the Duchess.
The company says that the campaign has been launched in response to a survey it conducted amongst pet owners which found that more than half had never consulted their vet about their aging pets. 58% admitted that they were unaware of the signs of aging in their pets, and 45% said they were unaware that something could be done to help pets as they get older1.
Karland King, Brand Manager for Established Brands at MSD Animal Health said: "Our Pet Owner Survey reveals missed opportunities for vets to educate their clients, and cat owners to ensure they get the best advice and preventative care for their older cats.
"Our new Be Active campaign has therefore been designed to support vets in this education process and supply a pack of resources for them to actively encourage clients to seek advice and regular checks from their vet. It aims to help vets position themselves as the best source of information and support for clients with older cats, helping older cats stay healthier and more active for longer, starting with a six-monthly health check."
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that most pets have an annual health check2. As cats get older or start receiving treatment for long-term conditions such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism, it is recommended that the veterinary examination is increased to every six months3.
To support the Be Active campaign MSD Animal Health has produced a range of resources for veterinary practices, including promotional leaflets and posters, and a PR toolkit with advice and materials to help veterinary surgeons promote their practices and support the campaign locally.
For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health representative.
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Carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Rossdales Equine Hospital, the study also revealed that the groups particularly at risk were native pony breeds and their crosses, as well as horses and ponies with a history of laminitis and those with lameness or soreness after routine hoof care.
This research, funded by World Horse Welfare, comes from the first ever online study that collected information on laminitis from a group of owners in real time.
The researchers say that the study is also the second largest to identify weight gain as a risk factor for laminitis. Data was collected from the owners of 1,070 horses and ponies in Great Britain, who reported their animal’s management, health and estimated weight via online questionnaires for 29 months.
Owners were encouraged to use a custom weight tracking tool designed by the study/research team to help regularly track changes in their animal’s weight and body condition. The uptake of this tool was high, with over half of participating owners using it.
The tool is freely available at: www.aht.org.uk/research/lameness/laminitis.
Other study findings included:
A high risk of laminitis was present in horses shod or trimmed at intervals of more than 8 weeks, and in those that took a long time to return to soundness after a bout of laminitis.
Diet, grazing management and health were factors closely associated with the development of laminitis and will be the subject of future investigation.
Researchers also noted that weight gain often occurred unintentionally, even when owners were aiming for their animals to maintain or lose it. This reiterates the need to consistently record weight and body condition in order to prevent undesirable weight gain.
Dr. Dee Pollard of the AHT, one of the study’s chief authors, said: "This is one of the largest, and the first, online laminitis studies where we collected regular information from the same group of owners in real-time. We assessed the relationship between laminitis and many potential management and health factors and identified those more likely to be present before a laminitis episode was reported.
"We now have good evidence to develop laminitis prevention guidelines, and a number of different avenues to explore in the future. We cannot emphasise enough how important systematic and regular weight and body condition monitoring are. It’s very easy to miss weight gain when you are just relying on your eyes and you see your horse or pony every day. You need to get hands on, feel for the fat deposits and take measurements, remember the figures don’t lie!"
Reference
The theme this year is 'The ever-complex cat: a multidisciplinary approach to feline medicine', around which there will be a full programme of talks and lectures, including more than 30 hours of CPD.
The main strands for each day are:
Keynote speaker Professor Kenneth Simpson, BVM&S, PhD, Chief of the Section of Small Animal Internal Medicine at Cornell University will deliver a series of talks on his specialisms, including gastrointestinal (GI) disease, pancreatitis and liver enzyme interpretation.
Joining him are more than twenty international feline experts who will be considering the cat from all angles, from imaging and clinical pathology to histology.
Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, said: "We are very excited about the line-up of speakers for this year’s congress, it is a fantastic opportunity for vets to understand the complexity of feline medicine and come away better able to manage difficult cases."
New for this year are live panel sessions in which delegates will be able to join the speakers in expert discussion on key feline topics, as well as opportunities to network and chat directly with leading names in the veterinary industry.
Delegates will also have access to all of the content for six months of on-demand learning after congress ends.
Registration is open now and available at a special early bird rate until March 31st. This year there are bursary places available for veterinary surgeons and students from low-income countries. More information about eligibility and how to apply can be found on the website.
To register, visit: https://icatcare.org/events/isfm-world-feline-congress/
Dr Henry faced one charge, that in January 2020 she wrote and/or signed an undated letter confirming that a ewe had died in transit to the surgery due to dystocia and peri-parturient stress, when in fact she had euthanised the animal at the veterinary practice the day before. The letter, which was addressed 'To whom it may concern’, was on practice letterheaded paper and signed "Louise Henry MRCVS".
The second part of the charge outlined that her conduct concerning the letter was dishonest.
The Committee heard that the ewe was lambing and brought to the practice by a client. Dr Henry was on-call at the time and advised a Caesarean section. The client agreed and Dr Henry delivered two live lambs and one dead lamb.
Dr Henry was concerned about the welfare of the ewe post-surgery because of the risk of peritonitis and advised that the ewe should be euthanised.
The client agreed to the ewe being euthanised and then asked Dr Henry to write a letter in which it was stated that the ewe had died in transit on route to the practice. Dr Henry agreed to write the letter in which she falsely certified that the ewe had died in transit.
The letter came to light when the practice director found it in an insurance file. The practice arranged an investigatory meeting with Dr Henry where she admitted that writing the letter was an error of judgement. When asked about her conduct, Dr Henry explained that the client had subsequently been dissatisfied with the letter she had written and asked her to change it. She refused to amend the letter and told him that it was wrong of her to have written it in the first place and that she regretted having done so.
Dr Henry told the Committee that she valued integrity very highly and that she was deeply ashamed that she had been prepared to write the dishonest letter.
The Committee heard several testimonials from people who had worked with or studied alongside Dr Henry, who all attested to her skill as a veterinary surgeon and that they had no concerns about her integrity and honesty. She self-reported her actions from January to the RCVS and from the outset admitted the facts of the charge. During the hearing, Dr Henry submitted that her action of dishonest false certification amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
Dr Martin Whiting, chairing the Committee, and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee considered that, in this case, the aggravating features were limited and the mitigating factors extensive. There was no premeditated dishonesty or financial gain involved, there was no actual harm or risk of harm to an animal or human and this was a single incident in an otherwise unblemished 13-year career. The Committee found that the shame and remorse expressed by Dr Henry were entirely genuine. Her conduct on this occasion was entirely untypical of her practise.
“After careful consideration, the Committee concluded that the substantial mitigating features permitted it to take the somewhat unusual course of issuing a reprimand in a case involving dishonesty. In taking this course, the Committee attached significant weight not only to the isolated nature of the event but also to the genuine insight shown by Dr Henry and the lasting impact this event has had upon her. In the Committee’s assessment, a reasonable and fully informed member of the public would, in this particular case, regard a reprimand as a sanction which protected the public interest in the profession and upheld its standards.”
The full documentation for the hearing can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Originally known as ‘Our Dumb Friends League’, the Blue Cross was formed in 1897 to help the working horses of London, who were often underfed, struggled to carry heavy loads and became injured on slippery asphalt roads created for new motor vehicles.
Bill Bailey said: “I had a great time transforming into a Pearly King! I love all animals, so having an opportunity to celebrate Blue Cross’ heritage and highlight the support that they have continued to offer to horses, and other animals, since their inception was really special."
Iain Heaton, Deputy CEO and CFO at Blue Cross, says: “We are delighted to share these recreated historic images with our supporters, beneficiaries, and the British public. Bill, David, Lauren, and our hard-working rehoming team have done a phenomenal job at demonstrating how we have supported both pets and people over the last 125 years, and we can’t wait to see people’s response.
To learn more about the Blue Cross's heritage, visit: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/125-years-of-blue-cross
Edinburgh-based Braid Vets has signed up its 1000th client to the practice's VIP (Very Important Pet) Pet Health Plan.
To mark the event, staff at the practice and Kenneth Agnew from Practice Plan For Vets Ltd, presented 1000th member Douglas Roberts and his dog Rudy with a bottle of champagne and a Kong toy.
In common with other schemes, the Braid Vets Pet Health Plan spreads the costs of vaccinations and flea control over the year with a fixed monthly direct debit. In addition, Braid Vets gives its Health Plan members further discounts on selected services provided by the practice, including food purchases.
Mike Hall MRCVS of Braid Vets, said: "We think the Health Plan has been one of the things that has helped us withstand the worst effects of the recession. In our experience, Health Plan clients attend the clinic more regularly for health checks, vaccinations and treatments throughout the year."
He added: "We're delighted to have reached our 1000th member of the scheme, but we're not going to stop there. We think there's considerable scope for further growth. The reason is that it's such a no-brainer. Under our plan, vets have complete clinical freedom and always recommend the products best suited to the individual pet. So the pet wins, the client wins and the practice wins."
Anita Bates from Practice Plan for Vets, which manages this scheme and many others on behalf of veterinary practices in the UK, said: "Our health plans focus on preventative services and products. They provide the practice with a regular monthly income and bonded clients as well as improving owner compliance, frequency of visits to the practice and average transactions values for wellness and illness."
For more information about Practice Plan For Vets, visit: www.practiceplanforvets.co.uk
A research project funded by The Horse Trust has made important discoveries about how two peptides regulate the inflammatory response in horses. This knowledge could help with the development of improved anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used to treat a wide range of conditions in horses.
The research project was led by Professor Fiona Cunningham at the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire and Dr Karen Rickards at the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, assisted by Dr Andrew Brooks at the RVC, and by Dr Kirstie Pickles, now at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh.
Inflammation is associated with a wide range of equine diseases, including recurrent airway obstruction, laminitis and sweet itch. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as glucocorticosteroids, mainly work by blocking the formation and/or actions of compounds produced in the horse's body that cause inflammatory responses. However, these drugs are not always effective and can have unwanted side effects.
This research, funded by The Horse Trust, aimed to find out more about two naturally-occurring peptides - chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins - known as annexin-1 and CXCL8. Both have been shown to affect the inflammatory response but little research has been done on their effects in horses. In the long term, knowing more about these compounds could help in the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects.
During inflammation, neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) stick to the cells lining blood vessels and migrate into inflamed tissue, where they ingest and break down harmful agents. Using techniques that mimic these events, CXCL8 was found to cause adherence and migration of horse neutrophils. However, when it was used in combination with another pro-inflammatory substance, neutrophil migration and adherence were markedly decreased. This suggests that attempts to reduce inflammation by blocking the actions of CXCL8 might not be as beneficial as had been thought.
At the start of the project, the researchers had no information about horse annexin-1, other than its gene sequence, so their first step was to develop a method to detect the peptide in white blood cells. They established that it was present and, as horse annexin-1 has not yet been synthesised, they used a synthetic peptide derived from annexin-1, Ac2-26, to look at the effects on horse neutrophils.
They found that Ac2-26 decreased neutrophil adherence and migration in response to other pro-inflammatory compounds, although at high concentrations the peptide itself caused some cell activation, thereby increasing inflammation. They also found that dexamethasone (a glucocorticosteroid) increased the levels of annexin-1 in cells, indicating that, as in humans, this class of drugs is likely to act in part through the formation of annexin-1.
These findings suggest that the use of compounds which mimic the actions of annexin-1 may have limitations as anti-inflammatory drugs. As glucocorticosteroids partly work by forming annexin-1, further research is needed in order to find out how annexin-1 will act in the horse's body and establish how its formation contributes to the beneficial effects of these drugs.
Professor Cunningham said: "This Horse Trust-funded research has resulted in some very interesting findings about how inflammatory cells are regulated in horses. The receptors that annexin-1 and CXCL8 act upon could be targets for new equine inflammatory drugs, but more research is needed first to fully understand their actions and how they produce these effects."
The team's research has been accepted for publication by the journal Veterinary Immunology & Immunopathology.
A new device call the Animalarm, which sends dog owners an SMS text message if the temperature in their car exceeds a preset threshold, has been launched this week.
Apparently, you can also ring the device to check what the temperature is inside your car.
The Animalarm sells for £108 inc. VAT from www.animalarm.co.uk.
Now all we need is a bit of sun.
The NHS doctor, television presenter, author and columnist will be sharing his insights on the mental health challenges of working within a caring profession under the constraints of the pandemic.
Dr Ranj is the second keynote speaker to be confirmed, the first being Jenny Campbell and the third to be revealed next month. They will be joining a line-up of more than 100 UK and International contributors during the three days of the event.
Dr Ranj is familiar with the intense pressure that many veterinary professionals are facing when juggling working in a sometimes emotionally stressful environment with that of home life. When the pandemic started Dr Ranj took a step back from media work to focus on supporting the NHS in his role as a paediatric emergency medicine specialist. He said: "Maintaining wellbeing is all about doing the basics right.
“We are in a pandemic and people are under intense pressure - from work, from home life, from a health perspective and so much more. So, despite everything going on around you, make sure you have a routine every day.
"Get out and about safely. Build some physical activity into your schedule. Nourish your body with everything it needs, and make sure you allow yourself some treats too! Take a moment for yourself every day to do something that makes you feel good.
"Take time to connect with others safely and check in on the vulnerable too. Celebrate the little victories and achievements that you have. And at the end of the day, make sure you look after your sleep because that's when your brain and body recover from the stresses of everyday. Everything else we do is a bonus on top of those basics. And if you are struggling, make sure you reach out for help and speak to someone."
BSAVA President Ian Ramsey said: "We are delighted to welcome Dr Ranj as one of our three keynote speakers this year. One of the many advantages of Congress evolving into a virtual event for 2021 is that we can be more flexible and creative with our sessions and how we fulfil the needs and expectations of every member of the practice, from clinical, interactive, wellbeing and social perspectives. Our three keynote presentations are eagerly anticipated.”
Prices for BSAVA Virtual Congress start at £99 +VAT for members. To register visit https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2021/en/page/home
The first meeting takes place on Thursday 27th May from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. It will look at how veterinary practices have had to work differently and adapt to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Chris Tufnell, RCVS Council Member and Innovation Lead (pictured right), will be chairing the session. He said: “In the past 15 months we have been in innovation overdrive, adapting at a unprecedented pace to transform how we work, serve our clients and patients, and continue to function as veterinary businesses in less-than-ideal circumstances.
"This event is an opportunity to take a step back, look at what has happened, how we have changed and consider what aspects of these changes we might carry over when we return to near normal working conditions.
"For those who join us, we would like to know what kind of innovation solutions you and your colleagues have developed, and share your stories and ideas to help and inspire others.”
Joining Chris on the panel will be a selection of veterinary professionals who will share their own experience of how they have had to adapt the way they work during the pandemic. Participants include Anita Patel, an RCVS-recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, who runs her own dermatology referral service, and Richard Artingstall, Clinical Director of Vale Referrals in Gloucestershire.
The event, which will feature short presentations followed by a reflective discussion, is free to attend and can be signed up to via its Eventbrite page at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152857028487
More meetings are planned for later in the year:
If you have any questions about the sessions or would like to take part as a speaker, email the ViVet Manager, Sophie Rogers on s.rogers@rcvs.org.uk or info@vivet.org.uk
Protexin Veterinary has launched Cystophan, a new product to aid in the management of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC).
Protexin says nearly 50% of cats with FIC will have a recurrent signs within one year, so it is important to offer a high quality product to manage the condition correctly.
Cystophan combines 3 key ingredients in a tasty artificial chicken flavour capsule for optimum effectiveness:
Cystophan is available in tubs of 30 and 240 capsules.
For further information please visit www.protexin.com.
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has announced the formation of a new independent advisory group to recommend a future delivery model for veterinary surveillance in England and Wales.
The Advisory Group will be chaired by Dirk Pfeiffer, Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College. According to the AHVLA, it will include representatives from government, the veterinary profession and the livestock farming and private laboratory industries and is being created so all those with an interest in veterinary surveillance can shape a future model and ensure that all issues are thoroughly considered.
Veterinary surveillance seeks to identify new or re-emerging threats to our livestock population and to public health. It involves a partnership approach between livestock keepers, private veterinary surgeons, the Scottish Agricultural College, industry bodies and AHVLA in order to effectively gather and assess intelligence.
AHVLA is seeking to identify ways to undertake veterinary surveillance both more effectively and at an affordable cost to the taxpayer. Work in this area has been on-going since 2010, and the merger of the former Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) has created opportunities to review how veterinary surveillance can best be delivered.
The new model will aim to address capacity imbalances in the current service where provision sometimes outstrips demand. The independent advisory group are also expected to recommend how better and closer working methods across the partners can make the surveillance stronger as well as more cost effective.
Surveillance has historically been based on in-depth investigation of disease incidents with an emphasis on post mortem examinations carried out at AHVLA's regional laboratories. This system is a key element in the government's risk-based approach to the management of animal disease related threats.
AHVLA says that the current model, although successful in identifying diseases in the past, can be improved upon. A recent internal AHVLA report identified viable options for achieving better surveillance at the same or lower cost by, for example, exploring moving towards risk and intelligence based surveillance and improving the value added by working more closely in partnership with vets and their farmer clients and other sources of intelligence data.
In mid-January 2012, AHVLA will also be publishing, and publicising, an online survey aimed at individual veterinary practioners and livestock keepers. The survey will seek individual opinions on the inputs, mechanisms, outputs and value of surveillance in England and Wales Work is expected to run until spring 2012, following which recommendations on a way forward will be made.
Carl Padgett, President of the BVA, said: “Veterinary surveillance is an essential component in our animal health, public health, food security, and international trade work.
“The emergence of Schmallenberg virus in ruminants in northern Europe demonstrates the current value and ongoing need for a robust surveillance system to work both nationally and internationally.
“The BVA welcomes the establishment of the advisory group and particularly the wide range of veterinary expertise and experience that is represented on the group. It is important that views from both veterinary practitioners and veterinary scientists are fed into this review.
“While we understand that AHVLA and Defra must ensure value for money from the surveillance network, any future model must be shaped by good surveillance strategies, not the need to cut costs.
“We urge all practitioners in England and Wales to contribute to the discussions by completing the online survey.
“We look forward to engaging with the advisory group as it carries out the review and beyond.”
Richard Hepburn MRCVS has launched what is thought to be the world's first equine gastric ulcer study, designed to improve understanding and knowledge of ulceration in performance horses.
Mr Hepburn is conducting the InnerVision study of performance horses, which is being championed by the University of Liverpool, as part of his PhD.
21 appointed practices across the UK are participating in the study, and with each practice scoping between 10 and 20 animals, it will include well over 200 performance horses. Mr Hepburn said: "Gastric ulceration in sports horses is poorly understood, especially compared with racehorses. But what we do know is that it's a very important factor in the performance and well-being of many horses in training and competition."
2012 Paralympic Gold medallist Deb Criddle MBE also attended the launch event. She explained the difference that regular gastroscopy and ulcer management of Paralympic team horses had made to her success. Speaking about her Beijing ride, Pavaroti, she said: "If it weren't for the diagnosis and treatment of Pavaroti's ulcers I don't know what we'd have done. I would probably have had to withdraw him from training, so it made the difference between our partnership continuing or not".
Mr Hepburn expects a prevalence of approximately 60% and, keen to increase understanding of glandular ulceration, participants are being tasked to scope all areas of the stomach, pylorus and duodenum to ensure that every incidence of ulceration is diagnosed and recorded.
He says he is particularly eager to find out more about glandular disease, which hitherto has had little research: "Glandular disease appears to have a very different aetiology to squamous ulceration, and often presents with different signs. We also believe that prevalence of glandular ulceration is most common in sports horses."
"We hope that publication of this study will help all equine vets in their work with performance horses and the quest to prevent and manage equine ulcers," he added.
Merial is supporting the study with management assistance.
The National Equine Health Survey is an online snapshot survey designed to uncover common health issues in horses, directly from horse owners themselves. Results of the survey are used to build a picture of equine health and disease in the UK and define priorities for future research, training and education.
Over the past six years the survey, in partnership with the British Equine Veterinary Association, has developed to become one of the UK’s most important endemic disease monitoring initiative. The results are referenced in leading veterinary and equestrian publications and papers and are regarded as valuable benchmarks for our general knowledge of horse health.
Blue Cross Education Officer Gemma Taylor said: "These majestic police horses have taken part in our survey and we hope that they will encourage others to follow suit and be ambassadors for horse welfare.
"The more data we can collect from the National Equine Health Survey the more robust our results will be, helping us to steer equine awareness, education and research to keep our nation’s horses healthier."
Last year survey records were returned for almost 17,000 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules and the six most notable disease syndromes identified.
To take part in the National Equine Health Survey, visit: www.bluecross.org.uk/NEHS
To find out more about Blue Cross’s rescue and rehoming work with horses and ponies visit bluecross.org.uk
Vetoquinol has announced that the vouchers it provides as part of the Epiphen practice support package for monitoring and management of serum levels of phenobarbital will now be provided directly from the veterinary wholesaler and sent with each order.
One or two vouchers are provided with the 30ml and 60ml packs respectively. The vouchers come complete with a pre-paid envelope in which to send samples directly to the laboratory. Each test is valued at £19.80
For further information, contact your local Vetoquinol Territory Manager.
Those who pay their fees after 30 April 2017 will be charged an extra £35 to renew their registration while those who have not paid by 31 May 2017 will be removed from the Register.
You will also need to confirm your registration details, confirm you've met the RCVS requirement for continuing professional development of 105 hours over a three-year rolling period and disclose any new or previously undisclosed convictions, cautions or adverse findings.
The annual renewal can be completed by logging into the ‘My Account’ area of the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/login). For those members who do not have a valid email address, or have requested a hard copy of the renewal form, a form has been sent by post.
Any veterinary surgeons who have not received their annual renewal form or security details for the ‘My Account’ area by 7 March should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk as soon as possible.
Those with queries about paying the annual renewal fee should contact the RCVS Finance Team on 020 7202 0723 or finance@rcvs.org.uk
The Veterinary Capability and Capacity Project (VCCP) is co-chaired by the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens, RCVS Senior Vice-President Dr Chris Tufnell, and BVA Senior Vice-President Gudrun Ravetz. The project board also comprises the CVOs for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Sheila Voas, Christianne Glossop and Robert Huey, as well as the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Food Standards Agency.
The project’s objective is to work with the veterinary sector to better understand the UK’s workforce needs and ensure that both the Government and veterinary businesses can continue to protect animal health and welfare, safeguard the food chain and maintain levels of public health and public services, and enable trade in animals and animal products.
The project will include a joint BVA-RCVS submission to the Migration Advisory Committee’s call for evidence on workforce issues post-Brexit. Three working groups have been set up within the project to look specifically at issues of veterinary resources, recruitment and retention.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, said: "Leaving the EU provides us with an opportunity to develop gold standard policies on animal welfare. The UK Government is determined to get a good Brexit deal for Britain and Ministers have been absolutely clear we will maintain our world-leading animal welfare standards.
"The VCCP is a great example of collaborative working between government, professional bodies and regulators to prepare for our exit from the European Union.
"I am pleased the Prime Minister has set out the government’s aim to secure the status of the veterinary workforce as a top priority as we leave the EU. The UK’s vets - both Official Veterinarians and those in the private sector - play a key role in protecting our country from endemic and exotic diseases, tackling outbreaks when they occur, safeguarding our animals and tackling global challenges like antibiotic resistance."
Chris Tufnell said: "Since the vote to leave the European Union last year the RCVS has been working in partnership with BVA to highlight to Government and others the potential workforce shortages that could arise from a loss of non-UK EU-qualified vets, particularly in public health work where they tend to predominate. Our position was highlighted in our Brexit Principles published earlier this year and at an event organised by us and the BVA at the Palace of Westminster for MPs and Peers.
"We are very glad that Defra is working proactively with us and BVA to understand the scale of the issues and map out the risks and opportunities and to help us plan for a number of different scenarios in advance so that we do not find ourselves in a position whereby animal health and welfare or public health might be compromised by workforce shortages."
BVA Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Vets provide the foundation for the UK’s high animal health and welfare, and make an essential contribution to the UK economy and wider society. Veterinary teams up and down the country support the UK’s 11 million pet-owning households; not a penny of the UK’s £12.7 billion livestock industry could be realised without vets; and vets are vital to facilitating UK trade, through health certification and controls, so that consumers have confidence in the food safety and welfare of the products they buy.
"Non-UK EU vets make up around 50% of our new workforce each year yet, since the EU referendum; we are facing increasing problems in recruiting and retaining EU colleagues to the UK. The impact of the loss of even a small percentage of the veterinary workforce could have serious repercussions on the practices, communities and industries that vets serve. This profession-wide project is pivotal to ensuring we have a veterinary workforce that can serve the UK’s needs post-Brexit."
The BVA’s Brexit and the veterinary profession report can be found at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/future-of-the-profession/brexit/
To read the College’s Brexit Principles in full visit www.rcvs.org.uk/brexit
The Prime Minister has set out the government’s offer for EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU on their rights and status after the UK leaves the EU: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu
The government’s response to House of Lord’s EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee’s inquiry into Brexit: Farm Animal Welfare also addresses veterinary capability post-Brexit:https://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/eu-energy-environment-subcommittee/Brexit-farm-animal-welfare/Gov-Brexit-farm-anim.pdf