Insistor, which contains methadone hydrochloride, is now available in the UK in a 10ml bottle for use in dogs and cats, POM-V.
Chanelle says Insistor can also be used for analgesia in animals experiencing post-operative pain or pain caused by trauma.
Chanelle’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Killian Gaffney, said: "Insistor joins Chanelle’s extensive anaesthetic, analgesic and sedative range. Insistor (methadone hydrochloride), Butador (butorphanol) and Bupaq (buprenorphone) complete the 360° Opiod suite of products from Chanelle.
"We are pleased to add Insistor to our portfolio of products, which builds the offering to veterinary surgeons of anaesthetic products."
Peter Keniry has convictions dating back to 1986 in his native South Africa for fraud and impersonating a veterinary surgeon. The College says that in the UK, he has been known to steal the identities of legitimately registered members in order to support fraudulent applications for employment or practise fraudulently.
The College says that in the past, Mr Keniry has been able to gain employment in large and small animal practice and greyhound racing. He is known to have ties in Norfolk, Swindon, Somerset and possibly Cornwall.
Michael Hepper, Chief Investigator at the RCVS, has worked with several police forces in order to bring Mr Keniry to justice. He said: "Peter Keniry’s modus operandi is to steal the identity of properly registered members to obtain work as a veterinary surgeon. As he impersonates members of the College whose names are legitimately on the Register, this can make it extremely difficult, even for practices that do check prospective employees’ credentials, to identify him.
"He is well known to the College and to the police having been convicted in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2011 and has served custodial sentences for practising as a veterinary surgeon and fraud.
"Peter Keniry is a repeat offender and we suspect that he will continue to re-offend. We hope that by publishing his photograph it will help practices recognise him and contact the RCVS Professional Conduct Department should he apply for employment as a veterinary surgeon."
The RCVS Professional Conduct Department can be contacted on profcon@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0789.
The Queen's Medal is the highest honour the College can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon.
Dr Johnson is the Chairman of World Horse Welfare, travelling internationally and lecturing on behalf of the charity with a particular involvement in fundraising, profile-enhancing and education. He is also the Chairman of the World Horse Welfare International Committee, and a regional representative for the Veterinary Benevolent Fund as well as being Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Lancashire.
After graduating from the University of Liverpool in 1969 he established an equine and farm animal practice in 1974 on the Fylde Coast. He then quickly became involved in many other lines of work, lecturing at the Myerscough College for thirty years, acting on the Agricultural Training Board, and serving as RCVS President from 1993-1994. He was also an RCVS Council Member for 28 years (1986-1998; 2000-2016) and served on many RCVS Committees.
Barry said: "This is an enormous honour for a practitioner from Lancashire. I have always enjoyed being a veterinary surgeon and am grateful to my colleagues and clients for making my career so fulfilling rewarding and fun."
He was nominated by fellow veterinary surgeon, Dr Peter Jinman, a current member of RCVS Council. In his nomination Dr Jinman said: "There are few members who have contributed so much of their personal time for the benefit of the veterinary profession both locally and nationally… That this has been done often without the knowledge of the public or the rest of the profession and at no little personal expense, demands recognition… Barry represents the very best of what a veterinary practitioner can achieve both in terms of his profession and in wider society."
The College has also announced that Kathy Kissick has won this year's Golden Jubilee Award, the highest honour that can be bestowed on a veterinary nurse.
Kathy is a trustee of the Alderney Animal Welfare Society and has previously acted as the Head of School for Veterinary Nursing and Farriery Science at Mysercough College in Lancashire. She qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1983 and, since then, has acted as an external examiner and adviser for a number of veterinary nursing course providers over the years and is currently on the editorial board for The Veterinary Nurse.
She has also been very active within the RCVS, initially as a nursing examiner and then as both a Member and then Chair of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council.
Kathy said: "I am delighted, honoured and humbled to accept the Golden Jubilee award and hope that I can continue to inspire veterinary nurses, throughout their careers, to always do the very best for their patients, clients and colleagues but not to forget to follow their dreams."
The winners will receive their accolade at this year’s RCVS Day, which takes place on Friday 7 July at the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Fynadyne had been removed from sale last year after the Veterinary Medicines Directorate suspended the sale of any medicinal products containing the excipient diethanolamine (DEA), following advice to the European Medicines Agency that it could pose a risk to human health.
Finadyne 50mg/ml Solution for Injection is indicated for the alleviation of acute inflammation and pain in both cattle and pigs. It is also indicated for the alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculo-skeletal disorders and colic in horses.
The reformulated product has a shelf life of three years and is now available from wholesalers in 50ml and 100ml vials.
For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.
The new Vetscan Imagyst AI dermatology application analyses impression smears and ear and skin swabs to identify yeast, inflammatory cells and bacteria.
It provides results in about ten minutes, depending on your upload speeds, which VetSurgeon understands is probably how long a dermatologist would take to perform the task (compared to a GP, who might take twice as long, depending on skills, available equipment, volume of tests, etc).
In terms of accuracy, Zoetis says the application is comparable to that of a clinical pathology expert.
In addition, it fires out a report, including images, which can be shared with the client, adding more value to the consultation.
According to a 2006 study, something like 72% of vets' derm diagnosis and treatment recommendations are based on presenting clinical signs and physical examination alone1.
Vetscan Imagyst list price is just shy of £18,000, but there are a variety of commercial deals that can be discussed with your Zoetis Account Manager. Each AI analysis costs in the order of a tenner.
So the question is whether the new system is worth the investment - for the 72% in terms of a more accurate diagnosis over an educated guess, and for the 28% in terms of the time-savings over a manual analysis.
Sophie Duguid, Diagnostics National Veterinary Manager at Zoetis UK said: “The ability to accurately and reliably identify inflammatory cells, bacteria and yeast, at the time of visit can make a huge difference for busy clinics, ensuring better outcomes and happier patients and owners.
"Performing cytology is a critical component of the dermatology work-up, however this can often be challenging for veterinary healthcare teams to deliver given the considerable time pressures in clinical practice.
"Vetscan Imagyst AI dermatology allows clinicians to rapidly detect the presence or absence of skin infection in canine and feline dermatology cases which allows for clinically informed decision making."
Reference
Zoetis unveiled the Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI), it's new centre for creating digital products that enable data-driven decision-making to enhance precision farming and improve animal wellbeing for livestock and pets, at the House of Lords last week.
The company says its target is to create a digital health record for every UK livestock animal to enable data-driven decision-making and precision farming.
One of the first products in the pipeline is a device that provides real-time monitoring of growth and weight gain in a pig herd using non-intrusive visual imaging. It monitors actual growth against predicted growth, recording the number of daily visits to the water and feed station by individual animals. It produces a weight distribution graph and pinpoints both under and over achievers in the growth stakes, recording key dimensions and accurate measurements of the animal’s weight. Data from the device can be processed in seconds and uploaded into a web reporting tool.
Also in the pipeline is an app that can detect and monitor information on a cow's lameness.
Zoetis says it believes that advanced digital solutions could also significantly improve the wellbeing of companion animals. To that end, the company has built a new digital ecosystem for vets that includes a mobile app - PetDialog - to help better connect owners with their pet and vet. The PetDialog app features a Quality of Life assessment produced by NewMetrica from technology developed by the University of Glasgow. Using psychometric methodology, the assessment measures and monitors the quality of life of the dog so that the owner and vet can gain a deeper insight into the animal's health and wellbeing, including the early detection of health issues, managing disease and measuring the impact of treatment. Just as is the case in human medicine, the device will facilitate the remote monitoring of conditions such as blood glucose monitoring for diabetic cats and dogs.
Lord de Mauley, Science Minister, said: "I welcome this new investment which will add great value to UK capability in this area. It builds on the close relationship Zoetis already has with our universities and institutes including many Research and Development collaborations.
"Zoetis's decision to locate the Centre in the UK recognises the strength of our data sciences expertise and commitment to innovation including agricultural and biomedical science."
Ned Flaxman, CDI director (pictured right), said: "We believe that in this particular space, where technologies are advancing rapidly, the need for complimentary strategic partnerships is essential. Through our Alliances group we work actively in establishing the appropriate University and industry collaborations that will enable our CDI specialists to develop together the most comprehensive and valued digital solutions for our animals."
The Government has announced that from 6 April 2016 all dogs will be required to have a microchip.
This will give owners 3 years to comply with new legislation being drafted by Defra.
According to Defra, 100,000 dogs are dumped or lost each year at a cost of £57 million to the taxpayer and welfare charities. Only 60% of the 8 million dogs in the UK are currently chipped.
Making microchipping compulsory is intended to help reunite owners with lost or stolen pets, relieve the burden on animal charities and local authorities and protect the welfare of dogs by promoting responsible dog ownership.
Owners will be able to get their dog microchipped free at any of the 18 Dogs Trust centres around the UK, and free microchips will be offered by Dogs Trust to local authorities, housing associations and veterinary surgeries. In addition Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has announced that free microchipping will be offered at its three centres, and the Blue Cross will also offer free microchipping to dogs and cats at its 16 hospitals and centres across England.
Veterinary associations have hailed the introduction of compulsory microchipping for all dogs in England as a giant leap forward for dogs and their owners. BVA President Peter Jones said: "The introduction of compulsory microchipping is a giant leap for dogs and their owners and is something that vets have long campaigned for. Microchipping is a safe and effective way to link dogs to their owners and is an essential part of responsible ownership."
The Government also announced plans to extend the scope of the Dangerous Dogs Act to private places and to allow police to decide if dogs seized under the Act can stay with their owners until the outcome of the court case, removing the need for these dogs to be kennelled. Both of these measures were supported by BVA and BSAVA in joint responses to the Defra consultation.
Dexafast is an injectable corticosteroid with potent, medium-acting, anti-inflammatory activity, indicated for the treatment of a range of inflammatory and allergic conditions in both small and large animal clinical practice.
Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: "Dexafast 2mg/ml is an excellent addition to our range. This formulation of dexamethasone is used across many species on a daily basis, and Dexafast 2mg/ml gives vets a high-quality presentation of a staple medicine."
Dexafast is available in a 50ml bottle.
For further information, contact your local Forte Territory Manager, visit: https://www.fortehealthcare.ie/product/dexafast-uk-only, or email: enquiries@fortehealthcare.com.
Zoetis has announced the launch of Ketavet.
The intravenous anaesthetic solution containing ketamine is available in 10ml and 50ml presentations. The new product coincides with the re-classification of ketamine as a schedule 2 drug.
Ketavet is a clear, colourless solution for injection containing ketamine 100 mg/ml (equivalent to 115.36 mg/ml ketamine hydrochloride) with benzethonium chloride 0.1 mg/ml as a preservative. It can be used to induce anaesthesia in horses in conjunction with xylazine, detomidine or romifidine.
Ketavet, along with other ketamine containing products, has been moved to Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, which took effect from 30 November 2015. This enables tighter controls on the record keeping, prescribing and safe custody of products containing this active. More information on the specific requirements which will need to be met following the schedule change can be found on the VMD website https://www.gov.uk/government/news/amendments-to-the-misuse-of-drugs-regulations-2001
Penny McCann, Equine Product Manager at Zoetis said: "Ketavet is an important product in our anaesthesia portfolio. We are keen to help veterinary surgeons keep up-to-date with the reclassification of ketamine and with this in mind our new product packaging clearly reflects ketamine’s revised status as a schedule 2 drug."
For more information, contact your Zoetis Account Manager.
Staffies were by far the most commonly stolen animal, accounting for 25.7% of all reported dogs thefts in the UK between 2017 and 2021.
Meanwhile, Devon and Cornwall had the highest number of pet thefts: 140.6 per 100,000 people.
Northumbria came second, with 61.5 pet thefts per 100,000 people, and Lancashire third (52.9 per 100,000).
On the other end of the scale, one breed that was less likely to be stolen was the pug (4.5%), although that's perhaps not surprising: after all, who'd want to steal an animal whose face you can't differentiate from its backside?
The safest animal in the country is probably an Akita (1.9%) living in Surrey (6.8 pet thefts per 100,000 people).
Full report: https://www.adt.co.uk/blog/the-adt-pet-theft-report
Lead surgeon at Roundhouse, Ross Allan (pictured right), an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery, said: "We know many practitioners and clients have been frustrated by the difficulties in availability of TPLO in Scotland and we wanted to change that.
"As with our other Roundhouse Referral offerings, we have done away with long waiting lists, unpredictable pricing, and challenges in clinical continuity. We know that in doing so we will revolutionise access to this service and the experience of its users.
"Our TPLO service offers excellent value and quality – we have invested heavily in the very best DePuy Synthes TPLO plates and implants and, together with our hospital status, standards and track record, we are offering a premier TPLO service in Scotland: a TPLO with a recovery that is as reliable and predictable as our Fixed Price!"
The fixed prices for a TPLO are £3000 for dogs under 40kg and £3100 for dogs over 40kg.
The price includes the consultation, diagnostic X-rays/assessment, pre-surgical blood samples, hospitalisation, anaesthesia, surgery (including implants), follow up consultation and follow up X-rays.
Ross added: "We don’t expect anything to go wrong, but should we need to revise our surgery we would do so at no additional cost to the client – that’s our Fixed-Price Fix!"
To make an enquiry, or refer a patient for a Fixed Price Fix TPLO contact Roundhouse Referrals at 0141 649 1316 www.rhr.vet
According to the AHT, glaucoma affects more than a thousand dogs across the UK. Now Border Collie breeders will be able to use this test to reduce the risk of producing glaucoma-affected puppies, whilst maintaining genetic diversity.
The work that resulted in the new test began at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, where scientists found a variant in a gene called OLFML3 reported to be associated with severe goniodysgenesis and glaucoma in Border Collies.
On reading this research, the AHT’s canine genetics team, which has an ongoing research programme looking at canine glaucoma, began to look at how a DNA test could be offered based on the mutation.
Hattie Wright, Vets4Pets Research Assistant at the AHT, genotyped a large cohort of Border Collies for the mutation, in order to obtain an accurate measure of the association between the mutation and goniodysgenesis and glaucoma in the Border Collie. These dogs all had their eyes examined, and their DNA collected, by veterinary ophthalmologist James Oliver.
The charity’s findings from this validation process replicated the findings of the Roslin Institute, so the AHT has been able to develop and launch a DNA test based on the reported OLFML3 mutation.
Dr Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the Animal Health Trust, said: "We’re delighted to offer this test to Border Collie breeders and hope in time, through its use, we can lessen the prevalence of this disease in this lovely breed.
"Our research has found that the mutation is only associated with glaucoma in Border Collies, so we will publish our data at the earliest opportunity, in the hope that other commercial DNA testing providers will not be tempted to make the DNA test available to breeds other than the Border Collie."
For more information, visit: www.ahtdnatesting.co.uk
The survey follows the launch last year of a new feature on VetSurgeon Jobs and VetNurse Jobs which allows employers to highlight the salary and benefits they offer. Specifically, the system allows practices to display a 'minimum offer', described to the job seeker as the starting point for a discussion, or a salary range.
Still, currently only 10% of job adverts on VetSurgeon.org and 16% on VetNurse.co.uk include the salary, despite some evidence that broadly speaking, advertising a salary can improve response rates.
But do veterinary job seekers want to see the salary advertised, and if so, how much of a different could it make? These are questions this survey seeks to answer.
My guess is that it may be more important to veterinary nurses than veterinary surgeons, because there is probably a greater variability in salaries amongst nurses, and more jobs where you'd struggle to pay the mortgage.
It'll be interesting to see.
To take part in the survey, which is completely anonymous, visit: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5110214/Should-veterinary-salaries-be-advertised. It's 4 quick fire questions which should take you less than a minute.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Buscopan 20mg/ml injection, an antispasmodic treatment for use in cases of equine colic, and an aid to the symptomatic treatment of calf scour.
A sister product to Buscopan Compositum which contains both an antispasmodic and a non-steroidal component, Buscopan 20 contains only the antispasmodic component - hyoscine butylbromide.
Craig Beck, equine sales and marketing manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "Our customers have been telling us for some time that they would really welcome a Buscopan formulation without an NSAID for use in horses and cattle. I'm pleased to say that it's finally here and I'm sure that Buscopan 20 will be a very welcome addition to the armoury of both equine and cattle practitioners."
Buscopan 20 is supplied in a 50ml multi-dose bottle, and is available in veterinary wholesalers now.
For further information, please call 01344 746959.
Nat Whitley, clinical director at Davies Veterinary Services, said: "We are delighted to become part of the Linnaeus Group. We pride ourselves on delivering excellent service, so when the opportunity arose to become part of such a forward-thinking, impressive group it was a great match."
Emma Barnes, Linnaeus Group operations director, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Davies Veterinary Specialists to the Linnaeus family and look forward to combining their excellent work and care with our expertise, experience and support.
"We carefully select our partners in the Group to ensure the delivery of the highest quality of care and service across the entire business, which is why we are so pleased to have the Davies team on board."
Dr Crawford sent the email to his client, Mrs X, on 15 July 2014, the day on which Mrs X’s horse was due for insemination using horse semen supplied from a horse in Germany. However, the semen had arrived without the Intra Trade Certificate, a requirement for intra-EU inseminations, and so Dr Crawford proceeded to contact the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for alternative authorisation.
Just after 4:30pm on that day, Mrs X received a text from Dr Crawford advising her that he had received authorisation from the AHVLA, and would forward to Mrs X the AHVLA authorisation email. It later transpired that that the email had in fact been fabricated by Dr Crawford using an email that he had previously received from the AHVLA regarding another matter.
Dr Crawford faced the following charges:
Fabricating an e-mail purporting to be from the veterinary officer at the AVHLA, authorising use of semen from a horse for insemination, when in fact he had not received such authorisation.
Dishonesty in relation to the e-mail described above.
His conduct gave rise to spread of infectious disease which had the potential to affect equine animal health and welfare in the region.
Dr Crawford admitted the first two charges, but denied that his actions had given rise to the risk of disease.
The Committee found the first two charges proved, and moved on to determine the facts of the third charge. They took into account that Dr Crawford had received verbal confirmation that the semen was safe, and that the health papers had been stamped accordingly. He had not, however, seen a copy of this certificate and so there was no guarantee that the semen was safe to use at the time he sent the fabricated email. On consideration of the facts, the Committee found this charge proved, as Mrs X’s mare could have been infected and subsequently could have adversely affected equine animal health and welfare in the region.
They also found that his entire course of action had fallen far short of what is expected of a veterinary surgeon, and that it amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
When determining sanction, the Committee took into account a number of aggravating factors, namely the risk of injury to animals, an element of pre-meditation, a disregard for the role of the AHVLA, impersonating a fellow veterinary surgeon, and intending to deceive a veterinary surgeon as well as a member of the public.
It did also, however, take into account the mitigating factors – that there was no injury to the animal, and that it was a single isolated incident from which Dr Crawford did not stand to make any financial gain.
The Committee therefore decided to order the Registrar to suspend Dr Crawford’s registration for 12 months.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee did consider whether to remove Dr Crawford from the Register. However, in light of the significant mitigation in this case, the fact that this was an isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career, together with his acceptance from the outset that he had been dishonest and his assurance that he would never behave in this way again, the Committee decided that in all the circumstances to remove him from the Register would be disproportionate."
Dr Crawford can lodge an appeal with the Privy Council within 28 days of being notified of the Disciplinary Committee's decision.
The new directive, set out in a consensus statement led by neurologist Dr Marios Charalambous, Neurology Consultant at Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital, champions a stage-based and prompt approach which targets the abnormal impediments responsible for sustaining seizure activity and establishing refractory stages.
Marios said: "This consensus statement is the culmination of extensive research and experience in managing complex neurological emergencies.
"By formulating clear and universally applicable guidelines for all vets, it presents both a novel perspective in terms of how seizures should be treated, and a huge step forward in this specific field."
Marios was joined by a panel of clinicians including Karen Muñana, Ned E. Patterson, Simon R. Platt, and Holger A. Volk, who have jointly made these recommendations based on prevailing evidence in peer-reviewed literature, as well as their own extensive clinical experience.
It was then validated by the ACVIM Board-Certified Specialists before being distributed globally by ACVIM to form official guidelines for vets across the world.
Marios will be presenting and discussing his findings at the BSAVA Congress 2024 in Manchester this weekend as part of the neurology agenda on Saturday 23 March 2024.
Dan Lewis, National ECC Lead at IVC Evidensia, said: “Being presented with an actively seizing animal can be incredibly stressful for owners and clinicians and has potentially dire consequences.
"Decision-making under such circumstances is often very difficult, even for the most knowledgeable teams, and access to these straightforward treatment guidelines will make a massive difference to how these cases progress.”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.16928.
The announcement came in the form of a written statement by the then Home Secretary Sajid Javid to the House of Commons on 23rd July, which said: "The Government is happy to accept all of the MAC’s recommendations on the composition of the SOL and the necessary amendments will be made in the Autumn Immigration Rules changes."
Being on the shortage occupation list means that employers do not need to advertise jobs for veterinary surgeons in the UK for 28 days before advertising abroad (the Resident Labour Market Test). In addition, there are lower visa fees and it provides exemption from the minimum income threshold.
RCVS President Niall Connell said: "Both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association worked together to ensure this outcome, which will see a lowering of the immigration barriers, for example, in terms of visa requirements, for overseas veterinary surgeons who wish to live and work in the UK.
"We also considered this a vital piece of preparation for the UK leaving the EU, as around half of those registering as veterinary surgeons with the RCVS in a given year are non-UK EU nationals and we would not want to see this vital supply of veterinary talent immediately dry up should ‘freedom of movement’ end when the UK leaves the EU.
"We thank Mr Javid for accepting the Committee’s proposals and congratulate his successor Priti Patel on her appointment and look forward to the decision being implemented. The new Prime Minister pledged on the steps of Downing Street to do more to promote the welfare of animals, and having veterinary surgeons on the Shortage Occupation List will help in our mission to uphold animal health and welfare and ensure that vital veterinary work can continue to get done, whatever happens with the relationship between the UK and the EU."
Danny Chambers MRCVS had a disappointing night after seeing the Liberal Democrat share of the vote in North Cornwall decrease by 5.8%, leaving him trailing 14,752 votes behind the Conservative candidate Scott Mann who scored 30,671.
Meanwhile Ian Fleming MRCVS, who stood as an independent candidate for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency, got 190 votes. The winning Conservative candidate, James Morris, gained 25,607 votes.
Many people will no doubt feel that the overall Conservative majority of 80 seats is a disastrous result; people who simply cannot bear Boris and fear what he'll do with a majority; people who saw a land of milk and honey and free broadband and publicly-owned railways that run on time and an A&E waiting time of less than 30 seconds and guillotines for the rich, only to have their hopes dashed. They must be gutted.
Equally it can be argued that this is the best possible result for the country. A decisive vote. Now, finally, we can all move on from 3 years of interminable debate about whether we're staying or going or having another referendum or cancelling the whole thing and going down the pub instead. Now the government can concentrate on implementing brexit. Perhaps the country can at last unite around that purpose.
Boris may not prove the disaster that some people think. He's not hard right. Quite the reverse. And having won all those safe Labour seats, he'll have to deliver for them. He has a good sense of humour ("Let's get breakfast done."), but that does not make him a fool or a charlatan. On the contrary, wit requires brainpower. And as for the accusations of being a liar, perhaps people will come to understand that flowery use of language does not itself make someone dishonest. Perhaps people will learn to stop interpreting his words so literally.
Time will tell, but there is cause for optimism this morning. Whichever side of the fence you sit, we must all be glad of one thing ... no more arguing about whether or not we're leaving.
The test, which enables the rapid identification of cattle infected with Mycobacteria, was first developed by Dr Swift as part of his PhD studies at the University of Nottingham. Since joining the RVC, he has continued to evolve the technology working alongside academics at his former university.
Dr Swift and Dr Rees were presented with the award by HRH the Princess Royal.
The Royal Dairy Innovation Award recognises research and development in the field of dairy farming and is awarded for the most practical, relevant product or service which is, or likely to be the most significant innovation for the future.
The RVC says the test is able to detect mycobacteria in the blood and milk of cattle within six hours using a bacteriophage-based technique. As a result, cattle affected by Mycobacterium bovis, the bacteria that causes bovine TB, can be diagnosed for the disease more quickly, allowing for more effective disease management in herds.
Additionally, the test has been used to effectively detect Johne’s Disease – another endemic illness that affects dairy cattle – in new born calves for the first time. By being able to catch the disease at an early stage, this test can help further with controlling infections in dairy herds.
The test is now licenced to spin-out company, PBD Biotech Ltd and marketed as Actiphage. It can also be used as a highly sensitive quality assurance test in milk and dairy products.
Dr Swift, who is a Research Fellow in antimicrobial resistance, said: "It is really exciting to be recognised with this award. Translating technology from the bench to be used in real-world scenarios is a great thing and really shows the impact of our research. Hopefully this will help manage two extremely difficult diseases in the UK and worldwide."
Photo: Benjamin Swift (RVC), Dr Cath Rees (University of Nottingham), Princess Anne and Dr Berwyn Clarke (PBD Biotech).
An Oxford woman has launched Veterinary Thermal Imaging Ltd, a company which claims to be the first in the UK to use thermal imaging to help identify and monitor injury and illness in domestic pets.
Helen Morrell, 34, uses an FLIR infrared camera to detect physiological changes in animals. She says the technique is traditionally only used in top competition and racing stables, and can highlight health problems, including tendon, joint and nerve damage, which would otherwise be undetectable without invasive and expensive procedures such as x-rays and MRI scans.
Helen said: "I became interested in thermal imaging after being made redundant from my job in financial services. I'd studied Animal Science at Newcastle University when I was younger and I viewed the redundancy as the perfect opportunity to return to the industry.
"I realised that there were only a few people in the country who offer thermal imaging, and then only to horses. It's a really emerging technique that has huge potential and is already widely used in the US across all animals, including domestic, livestock, zoo and wildlife. It seemed that there was a huge gap in the market in this country."
Helen contacted leading experts in the US and became the first British woman to be accepted onto the thermal imaging course at Florida University. She said: "I knew I wanted to use the technique on domestic pets and the experts in the field were all in America. It made sense to me to get the training there and make sure I was at the top of my game."
Helen says she is currently working with a three-year-old terrier called Jack who is suffering from muscular atrophy caused by a locking patella. Although the thermal imaging didn't diagnose the problem, she says it is allowing the monitoring of his treatment and providing an objective assessment of the muscles affected by the injury.
The chewable, prescription-only tablet contains sarolaner, which kills fleas and ticks; moxidectin, for the prevention of heartworm, lungworm disease and for the treatment of some intestinal worms; and pyrantel embonate, for the treatment of gastrointestinal nematodes (hookworms and roundworms).
Professor Tim Geary, BSc PhD, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Canada, and Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, a consultant to Zoetis, said: “Serious diseases that are preventable and of increasing prevalence threaten dogs in Canada and Europe. Simparica Trio today offers a better solution to preventing and controlling these parasites against the concern of their increasing prevalence."
Rob Kelly, President, International Operations at Zoetis said: "With Simparica Trio, we bring to market an advanced parasiticide solution, helping to deliver improved client satisfaction and patient protection.
"Thanks to its broad spectrum, Simparica Trio helps veterinarians and dog owners provide more complete parasite coverage with a single-monthly chewable tablet. The broad spectrum of Simparica Trio minimises the potential risk of parasite protection gaps."
Simparica Trio is indicated for dogs from at least eight weeks of age and 1.25 kg and will be available in six tablet strengths for dogs of all sizes.
For more information about Simparica Trio and full prescribing information, visit www.zoetis.com.
Derbyshire surgeon Victoria Lilley BVSc CertSAM MRCVS has launched a petition calling on the RCVS to abandon its plans to remove Certificate and Diploma holders' post nominals from the RCVS Register at www.rcvs.org.uk.
Under the current plan, which followed a consultation in 2011 and a submission to Council in 2012, the College will only distinguish the new "Advanced Practitioners" and "RCVS Recognised Specialists" in the Register from some time after the autumn. Vets with old-style RCVS Certificates can apply for "Advanced Practitioner" status but must complete module A of the CertAVP or 100 hours of equivalent CPD and pay £50 to apply, plus £110 per year to maintain the status.
Victoria said: "I want to spread the word that this is happening, as I don't feel the RCVS has publicised it well enough. I did my certificate in practice, it was a lot of hard work and I feel that the RCVS removing my CertSAM post-nominals from the register undermines this. Whilst I acknowledge that I could apply for "Advanced Practitioner" status, I strongly feel that spending a large proportion of my CPD time and budget learning about ethics and public safety is not going to help me improve my small animal medicine knowledge or skills. I also don't feel that I should be penalised by having to pay to be an "Advanced Practitioner" when the Royal College should be supportive of vets who undertake further study. My biggest objection is to post-nominals being removed from the register, which I feel is very unfair."
Speaking at the RCVS's online Question Time on thewebinarvet.com, RCVS Treasurer and Vice-President-elect Dr Bradley Viner said: "To clarify the situation with the Register: the Register no longer goes out to members routinely as a printed document. It is now primarily online, and in line with other regulators such as the GMC, the only information that is in the official part of Register is whether that person is a Member or a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and their registrable qualifications, in other words the primary qualification they achieved which entitled them to become a Member or Fellow of the Royal College.
"But we are certainly not going to be inhibiting people from using their post-nominals freely. They can use any of the post-nominals that they have achieved as long as they are not misleading.
"But I think there is confusion between a qualification and a status. A qualification is something that you obtain and you've got for life, and of course the old style Certificate is one of those, the new RCVS CertAVP is another. A status is something that a qualification within our context might enable you to attain, but it is something that has to be maintained.
"So what is going to be happening, hopefully from autumn this year, is that in line with the recommendations of the Specialisation Working Party, [there will be] an extra tier. So there will be Practitioners, there will be Advanced Practitioners and there will be RCVS Recognised Specialists, and there will be lists of those available via the Royal College. An Advanced Practitioner will be somebody who has a relevant qualification in the area of their advanced practice, and that may well be an old-style Certificate, certainly the CertAVP but there are also other qualifications which can also be relevant and used for that purpose. But they also have to prove that they are working actively in that area of practice, and they have an advanced requirement for CPD.
"Now in the case of old style RCVS Certificate holders, that qualification will be in line with the qualification they require to be listed as an Advanced Practitioner, but within the first three years they will have to show that they have either done the RCVS A module which is part of the new RCVS Certificate, or have done work that is equivalent to that in various areas such as communications, teamworking and personal and professional development, because we think from a Royal College point of view that it is really important that those areas are included within the Advanced Practitioner Status."
To sign the petition, visit: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/royal-college-of-veterinary-surgeons-keep-post-graduate-qualifications-on-the-rcvs-register?recruiter=89624244&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
95% of the vets surveyed by the company reported success treating cats with Thyronorm Oral Solution for Cats, while 89% expected the liquid solution to improve compliance in the management of hyperthyroidism.
93% also said they found Thyronorm gave them an easier way to offer cats a low dose, or an 'in-between' dose, as it can be titrated 'to effect' – meaning the dose of treatment can be varied more easily to suit the individual animal.
Feline hyperthyroid specialist Dr Sarah Caney said she is unsurprised by the survey results: "Treatment is complex for cats needing a low dose, or an ‘in between’ dose, as standard anti-thyroid tablets are only available in a small number of dose sizes and are not designed to be split, halved or quartered. Also, if a cat is on alternating doses, it can be difficult for carers to remember which dose is due today."
Rachel Crowe, Norbrook’s Companion Animal Senior Product Manager, said: "We are delighted that overall 99% of the 200 veterinary surgeons surveyed would recommend Thyronorm in the management of hyperthyroidism, compared to other medical options."
Thyronorm contains 5mg/ml of thiamazole (methimazole). The initial starting dose is 5mg active ingredient per day, split into two doses.
Available in 30ml and 100ml bottles, with an in-use shelf life of six months, Thyronorm is available to order from all UK veterinary wholesalers.
Elanco Animal Health has launched AviPro Salmonella Duo, a new live vaccine which provides simultaneous protection against S Enteritidis and S Typhimurium in poultry.
Jessica Cross, Elanco's poultry veterinary consultant said: "AviPro Salmonella Duo is the first vaccine to have both Salmonella strains in the same vial and also the first to be licensed for turkeys and ducks as well as chickens."
Unlike inactivated vaccines which are administered by injection, AviPro Salmonella Duo is administered in the drinking water. Elanco says this offers producers significant advantages since the oral route allows mass administration without stressing the birds, saving labour and improving welfare. A three-dose programme provides immunity throughout lay.
The new vaccine also provides an eight-week increase in the period of immunity over its predecessor, to 62 and 68 weeks of age for S Typhimurium and S Enteritidis respectively.
Jessica said: "This development represents the third generation of vaccines, moving on from the early dead vaccines, individual live vaccines to the bivalent product. Producers will welcome the simplified administration it offers."