Virbac has announced that it is to increase production of cat vaccines at its French plants to help practices in the UK manage a shortfall in supply.
The predicted shortfall follows warnings by other manufacturers of stock shortages of between three and six months.
Virbac, which makes the Feligen RCP, Leucogen and Leucofeligen cat vaccines, says it wants to reassure practices that it will do its utmost to ensure continuity of supply during this period and is urging them to order as usual and not stockpile product, which could exacerbate the problem.
Simon Boulton MRCVS, Product Manager for Virbac's vaccine range, said: "Our priority is to keep stock flowing to our existing customers. With this in mind, we've now ceased to supply wholesalers with our cat vaccines. Once wholesaler stocks have been depleted, we ask customers to contact us directly so that stock can be despatched to them from our own warehouse.
By taking this step, we can manage our own stocks effectively and, while we'll be putting our existing customers first, we also stand ready to help supply the rest of the veterinary sector during this period. As a primary manufacturer of vaccines, we're well placed to react quickly to stock shortages and expect to have significantly increased supply by November."
Practices wanting further information should contact their Virbac Territory Manager. Direct orders to the company should be made by calling Virbac on 01359 243243 and selecting Option Three (Direct Orders).
The BSAVA has released a statement in support of the television programme Pedigree Dogs Exposed - three years on, made by Jemima Harrison. The programme was broadcast earlier this week on BBC4 as a follow up to a documentary which was first shown in 2008.
BSAVA President Andrew Ash said: "Jemima Harrison has highlighted an important issue. It is essential that veterinary surgeons, dog breeders and the general public no longer accept that breeding for extremes of conformation or knowingly from animals with inherited disease is an acceptable practice. The programme highlighted two main areas of concern, firstly the small genetic pool that exists in many breeds and secondly continued breeding for extremes of body shape. Both these areas must be addressed urgently. A civilised nation must agree that it is not acceptable to breed dogs that cannot function as dogs."
He went on to say that: "BSAVA supports the health schemes that are now available to owners as steps in the right direction. However it is difficult to believe that health schemes are going to be sufficient in themselves to tackle these problems rapidly and effectively. It is particularly perverse to be promoting health schemes and yet continuing to allow the registration and showing of progeny with Coefficients of Inbreeding as high as 47.5% or where the animal concerned is known to have failed a screening test (significant in that breed)."
Vice President Mark Johnson said: "We are supportive of the changes that the Kennel Club has made so far, and applaud them in allowing the introduction of new genes into certain breeds as demonstrated by the registration of the LUA Dalmatian. I support the introduction of the "Mate Select" scheme (link) but believe that the Kennel Club should adopt the Advisory Council on Welfare in Dog Breeding recommendation and not register puppies with a coefficient of breeding (over 5 generations) greater than 12.5%."
The BSAVA says it supports the BVA in its call for a radical review of all breed standards to ensure that they actively protect the health and welfare of the dog. However it is important to remember that inherited disease is not just a problem of purebred dogs and BSAVA supports the introduction of legislation that seeks to improve the health and welfare of all dogs.
Ceva Animal Health has launched ReprodAction, a new series of webinars to help address the problems commonly faced in bovine reproduction management.
James Husband, RCVS Specialist in Cattle Health and Reproduction, kicked off the series at the beginning of November with a live webinar for XLVet members: Assessing Fertility Records.
His presentation, which is now accessible to all large animal vets at http//onsync.digitalsamba.comn/go/ceva/ReprodAction, explores the common pitfalls and provides practical pointers for good fertility management. He discusses the limiting factors of oestrus detection, use of the calving interval as an assessor of individual fertility performance, implications of the varied definitions of conception rates, use of milk recording organisation data and the usefulness of the 21 day in calf rate.
Each webinar in the series is presented by a leading expert and has a facility for live chat and question and answer sessions.
For further information and details of when the next ReprodAction webinar will be taking place, contact Ceva Animal Health on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
The International Task Force on Canine Atopic Dermatitis has published new, evidence-based guidelines for diagnosing, grading and treating Canine Atopic Dermatitis (AD).
Recently published in Veterinary Dermatology, the series of guidelines for general practitioners covers all aspects of the disease, including the recent rise in food allergy-related cases, and offers practical guidance for vets in diagnosing and grading the severity of AD.
The report also reviews the most appropriate treatment options for acute and chronic forms of the disease, and has awarded Cortavance (hydrocortisone aceponate) the best strength of evidence mark of any current treatment available.
Virbac technical director Chris Taylor MRCVS says the paper shows that Cortavance is now the benchmark for Atopic Dermatitis: "Not only do the guidelines confirm evidence of treatment success with Cortavance, but they also highlight that the skin-specific steroid spray has been shown to have no systemic effects, even when applied to one-third of the dog on a daily basis."
Chris also highlights the cost-effectiveness of Cortavance: "Some AD treatments can cost clients more than £2 per day, but with Cortavance owners are usually looking at costs of just pence per day.
"This report shows that not only is Cortavance the most effective treatment with a high safety margin, it is also surprisingly inexpensive too. And of course this should also help with compliance, particularly in uninsured animals."
The guidelines can be viewed or downloaded online free at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365.3164.2010.00889.x/pdf
Northumberland vet Rory Thomson from the St Clair veterinary practice in Blyth reports that he's been able to release an injured seal back into the North Sea, thanks in part to donations of fresh fish from Tesco and Asda which kept her well-fed during her recovery.
Rory is a volunteer Marine Mammal medic for the British Diver and Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) charity and was called to help the seal, named Primrose Possum, when she was found lying on Blyth beach on 3 April. A volunteer medic called to check her noted that there was something wrong with her right eye and arranged for her to be taken to a vet in North Shields for initial treatment. She was then transported to St Clair in Blyth on 8 April.
Rory said: "When I examined her, I could see that her right eye was enlarged and cloudy. I began a course of treatment and arranged for a veterinary ophthalmologist to exam it. Sadly he determined that it was blind but seals can manage perfectly well with one eye and, once I'd treated the infection, it was no longer causing her pain. We released her back into the sea on 15 April at St Mary's Lighthouse where BDMLR volunteer medics can watch over her for the first few weeks."
He added: "Seals can be aggressive when on land so we had to be careful but Primrose was generally very well behaved and enjoyed free run of our isolation facility. During her stay she devoured more than 2.5 kg of fresh fish every day - with whole fresh herring and mackerel her favourite. We are grateful to Asda and Tesco for providing much of this for us free of charge. Now that she's recovered, we hope she'll live a long and happy life, most of it under the sea!"
More information on the work of British Diver and Marine Life Rescue is available at www.bdmlr.org.uk.
Zoetis has launched a new training programme for veterinary practices which explores every aspect of the 'client journey' - from 'pre-owner' to 'Lost' - and explains how to deliver an outstanding client experience.
The Client Experience Development Programme is divided into nine training modules which vary in length from one to five and a half hours. The whole programme can be completed in two days under the guidance of a Zoetis business consultant.
The programme breaks down each element of the client journey, from attracting new pet owners into the practice and making the right impact on new customers, to keeping long-term customers loyal.
Nick Steele, national consulting manager at Zoetis, said: "We believe that calling a practice's pet owners clients or customers is a misnomer. They are consumers because they not only purchase a practice's products and services but they also experience them and the consumer's interpretation of their experience can really affect the brand. What's more, the reality of today's information-rich environment is that consumers can experience a practice without the practice even knowing about it.
"Google have coined the term 'Zero moment of truth', which alludes to all the different points of contact a consumer can have with a product or service before physically experiencing it. The average shopper uses 10.7 different sources of information before making a decision on what product or service to use.¹ This means they may have disregarded a practice before the practice knew the consumer even existed."
The concept of the client experience is introduced with some interesting statistics which emphasise its importance. For instance, a typical business hears from only 4% of its dissatisfied customers, 96% just go away and 91% will never come back². What's more, a dissatisfied customer will tell 9-15 people about it and approximately 13% will tell more than 20 people about their problem.³
Drawing on concepts like 'The Fred Factor', which focuses on four key principles of customer care, the training programme explains how every employee can make the difference from the moment clients arrive.
Nick added: "Consumers are all powerful to veterinary practices so it is essential that the client experience is an exceptional one. Our business consultants have been trained to deliver the Client Development Programme to all types of veterinary practice to ensure that they attract as many clients to the practice as possible and keep those clients happy once they are there."
For more information about Business Consulting from Zoetis telephone 0845 519 4977 or contact your account manager.
References
Animalcare says the wipes deliver tartar reduction with some mechanical action without the difficulties that some owners experience when using a toothbrush. The company says they can also help owners grow more comfortable with handling their pets’ mouths before they progress to full toothbrushing.
Animalcare Senior Brand Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: “With periodontal disease so common in dogs and cats, supporting owners to help them start and maintain an oral health regime for their pet is essential.
“Toothbrushing is, of course, the Gold Standard but it must be done frequently to achieve a significant degree of efficacy.
"For many owners this is just not possible and, if they find it difficult, the risk is that they then give up and their pet’s oral health is neglected.
"One of the founding principles of the Plaqtiv+ range is to offer proven technology in multiple formats which can be used daily by owners as an alternative to toothbrushing, as part of a programme to build up to toothbrushing or within a multi-modal framework.
"Launching our new dental wipes is the latest step in achieving this goal.”
To support Plaqtiv+, Animalcare has published a website with content for both veterinary professionals and pet owners.
For veterinary professionals, there's advice about how to start discussions with clients about dental care and tools to help them recognise signs of dental pain.
The pet owner site offers information on the importance of dental health in pets and advice on establishing a dental care regime.
www.dental.pet
Over half way through Intervet's National Vaccination Month, and according to the company, over 2100 practices are taking part.
Various statistics the company has released, which you might find interesting:
Nearly two thirds of all vet practices have seen parvovirus, in the past year, while 43% have seen leptospirosis, which is spread by rats.
62% of pet owners consider their animal to be an extremely important member of the family with over half (58%) buying them Christmas presents and over one in four (27%) taking time off work for their pet.
However, only 56% of these pets were vaccinated and around more than quarter (28%) of owners were unaware of any disease risk.
Currently, 3 million dogs, 6 million cats and 1.8 million rabbits are unvaccinated, leaving them at risk of a range of fatal diseases, many of which are untreatable.
Intervet has put together an impressive range of support materials for National Vaccination Month, including a pet-owner website: http://www.vaccinationmonth.co.uk/, a discount voucher scheme (on the website) for use in participating practices, TV advertising and a Vaccination Month Podcast primarily aimed at owners.
There are still locum and permanent vacancies in the veterinary industry, despite the current UK recession, but candidates must be prepared to be more flexible, advises veterinary recruitment company, Rig Vet Recruitment.
"The number of vacancies we are being asked to fill at present has not really varied from the same time last year," Said Justin Carpenter, Managing Director of Rig Vets. "But, in these current uncertain times, I would suggest that candidates try to be more versatile in their job requirement criteria on such as location, on-call work, night and weekend duties, working away from home etc, then it will be much easier for us to find them the right positions."
Lucy Evans and Jamie Hollis, who work in the RCVS Professional Conduct Department, will join RCVS Trust Director Cherry Bushell to raise funds in the British 10K London Run on 12 July.
None of the three runners have run any kind of race since their school sports days - and are appealing for support as they aim to raise at least £300 each for the Trust.
To sponsor a runner, you can log onto http://www.justgiving.com/rcvstrust and, if you are a UK tax-payer, this also means the Trust gets your tax back. Or, if you prefer to send a cheque, sponsorship forms are available from info@rcvstrust.org.uk or 020 7202 0743.
Lucy said: "The RCVS Trust is a great charity which supports veterinary education and has specialist library and information services for vets and VNs to use. Small charities like the Trust can get overlooked in big fundraising events so I'm glad to be able to help out - even if the thought of running 10K is a bit daunting!"
The race will be broadcast through the British 10K London Run website: http://www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk/.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Charitable Trust has awarded five new bursaries in its latest grants round.
Two student bursaries were for UK veterinary undergraduates to attend the British Science Festival in Aberdeen from 4-9 September 2012. The bursary winners were Liv Nathan (pictured on right), a third-year veterinary student at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, and Alahel Mahdmina, a second-year veterinary student at the Royal Veterinary College.
Liv said: "I am very enthusiastic about providing real-life context to science and giving people a space to consider issues arising around science."
The students were required to use their observations and experiences to help the Trust develop future outreach activities to inform and inspire public audiences about veterinary clinical practice and research. Their bursary packages covered all their attendance expenses over the four-day event. One of their achievements was to film an interview with Dr Maggie Aderin-Pockock MBE, a space scientist (pictured on left). Both students will be reporting back in full to the RCVS Charitable Trust with their ideas at the end of October.
Two further bursaries were given to attend a joint symposium on antimicrobial resistance (AMR): 'Antimicrobial Resistance in Human and Veterinary Medicine - One Health, One Problem' to be held at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on Tuesday 2 October 2012.
One winner was Cahir King, a practitioner from Downe Veterinary Clinic in County Down, Northern Ireland. He said: "It will be a privilege to attend a symposium at which so many experts in their field will be speaking. Any vet who has worked on farms will be more than familiar with bugs that are resistant to antibiotic treatment."
The other winner was James Swann, a Junior Clinical Training Scholar (Small Animal) at the Royal Veterinary College. James said: "I am particularly interested in the application of clinical audit in practice to assess problems like AMR, and design effective strategies to deal with them. I believe it should be possible to provide simple audit kits for practices to download and implement, removing much of the inertia that prevents such ideas from being initiated."
The bursary winners will be offered free delegate passes, including lunch, worth £90, and travel expenses.
The final bursary is to attend the Veterinary Biomedical and Pharma Sciences (VBMPS) Congress on 15-16 October, in Birmingham.
The winning entry was from Alexander Stoll, a final-year student at the Royal Veterinary College, who acted as the Royal Veterinary College and UK student ambassador to the European Commission for the 'One Health' message. The Trust was impressed with Alexander's enthusiasm and active engagement in subjects related to One Health. He is a member of the Royal Society for Public Health and a member of the Society of Biology.
Alexander said: "I hope to be inspired to enter a cross-disciplinary career path and also to communicate the potential of a One Health approach, inspired by this congress."
Alexander won a package that includes entry to the conference and admission to all scientific sessions, worth £175, as well as transport costs and overnight food and accommodation.
A new veterinary charity is offering veterinary surgeons, nurses and others in the profession the chance to get fit and raise money for Hounds for Heroes, SPANA and the Pet Blood Bank later this year.
The Vet Charity Challenge (VCC) is looking for teams to take part in a one-day event, involving a series of physical tasks and puzzle-solving challenges along the way, so it requires a bit of brain as well as brawn. The course will feature walking / running, cycling and kayaking and anyone can take part at whatever fitness level.
As well as raising money for the charities, organisers say it will be a fun way to build up camaraderie among your colleagues outside of the work environment and also a local PR opportunity for your practice or business to enhance your community profile.
The event is expecting to raise in excess of £30,000 for charity, but organisers stress that it will need the support of and participation by the veterinary profession to ensure it is a success.
The challenge will take place on Saturday 15th September 2012 at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and all details may be found on http://www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk/. Alternatively, ring 01727 859259 for further information. The VCC says an early commitment to take part is essential and the fine detail of training can be worked out later. The VCC will provide training guidelines and help you and your team prepare itself.
The Vet Charity Challenge is sponsored by BCF Technology, Kruuse UK Ltd and Vets 2 and is supported by the VPMA, Mojo Consultancy and JCA Media Group.
The programme covers everything from diagnostic imaging and ophthalmic emergencies to using echocardiography to help with day-to-day decision-making in practice.
SCVS says the programme has been made possible by the addition of a new lecture theatre during SCVS’s recent expansion, which was supported by the hospital's owners IVC Evidensia.
Stephen Collins, SCVS Hospital Director and IVC Evidensia’s National Cardiology Lead, said: “We’re proud to announce one of the UK’s most comprehensive CPD programmes and share the vast knowledge that our specialist team has with the rest of the veterinary community.
“Our programme is packed full of informative and practical sessions that every vet can benefit from - whether that’s specialist skill development or improving everyday advice and practices in clinic.”
A full list of CPD events is available here: https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/events-and-cpd.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries, is calling for veterinary nurses, their employers and veterinary organisations to take part in a consultation this winter and help ensure apprenticeships meet their needs.
Jo-Anne Bryan, Project Manager for Apprenticeship Frameworks at Lantra, said: "Lantra is responsible for designing apprenticeships and for ensuring that they meet employers' needs so veterinary practices can continue to benefit from this type of training scheme. The veterinary nursing apprenticeship is now being revised and it is likely that the framework will look very different to the current apprenticeship framework, so Lantra is inviting industry representatives to review and comment on the frameworks that set out what their apprenticeships will involve."
The revision coincides with the introduction of a new national framework for accredited awards, the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). All accredited awards must be either transferred or newly accredited into the QCF in order to be eligible for public funding in 2010 and this includes the apprenticeship framework.
Jo-Anne continued: "We are very aware that the veterinary nursing industry is currently involved with a number of reviews, in particular the review of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Awards in Veterinary Nursing. However, we do still need to review the existing veterinary nursing apprenticeship framework and we are working closely with the RCVS to take the apprenticeship review forward to bring it up-to-date and ensure it is fit for purpose."
"Well-trained veterinary nurses are more important than ever to businesses as they aim to meet today's many challenges. Many businesses offer apprentice places because they understand the benefits that apprentices bring. They are a great way for employers to ensure their workforce has the practical skills and qualifications they need now, and in the future."
The consultation process is starting with an online questionnaire, open now until Monday 4 January 2010, where the qualification aspect of the apprenticeship will be reviewed. The qualifications test the apprentice's knowledge and practical competence and Lantra wants feedback from industry professionals to make sure the framework encompasses the skills required by today's employers.
Jo-Anne added: "These questionnaires will be a great opportunity for industry to let us know what they need from an apprenticeship. But if you can't take part online, there are other ways to get involved as further consultation meetings will take place later this year in various locations across the UK."
For more details on Lantra's apprenticeship reviews visit www.lantra.co.uk/apprenticeships, call 0845 707 8007 or email apprenticeships@lantra.co.uk.
The invaluable work done by equestrian vets in the UK is to be recognised with a new award sponsored by leading equine insurance provider Petplan Equine at the Animal Health Trust Awards in November. The ‘Petplan Equine Vet of the Year' award people's vote will reflect the huge contribution made by vets to the equine community.
Owners and riders will be able to nominate their equine vet for the award if they feel that they are deserving of the recognition that this accolade would bring. Veterinary practice personnel are also encouraged to nominate a colleague who they feel has gone beyond the call of duty. Leaflets have been sent to practices across the UK outlining how to nominate and people can also register through the Petplan Equine website www.petplanequine.co.uk. A short list will be drawn up from the nominations received and an independent panel will decide the winner, who will receive his or her award at the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards in London on November 6th 2008.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements made by horses, riders, owners and trainers throughout the equestrian world. This milestone coincides with Petplan Equine's 20th anniversary and, since 1994 when the Petplan Equine Charitable Trust was founded, it has raised over £5 million, almost £500,000 of which has been donated to the AHT to fund research and development.
Jo Whitaker of Petplan Equine says: "It has been a privilege to be involved with the AHT Awards over the years and we look forward to this exciting 20th anniversary year. Petplan Equine has sponsored the Eventing Award for the past three years but this new award will recognise the commitment and hard work of people within the equine veterinary profession and the service they provide to horse owners. Horse welfare is paramount at Petplan Equine and we are committed to promoting responsible horse ownership, through our wide range of policies, our charitable contributions and our Horse Handbook. This award will give the equine community the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the vet who has made the most outstanding contribution to the care of horses."
To nominate go to www.petplanequine.co.uk. The closing date for nomination is 3rd October 2008.
From 31 October 2008, veterinary surgeons will again be allowed to charge animal owners for writing prescriptions, when a three-year ban on such fees comes to an end.
The Supply of Relevant Veterinary Medicinal Products Order 2005 was introduced by the former Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to implement recommendations from a 2003 Competition Commission inquiry into the supply of prescription-only veterinary medicines, which, among other things, found that prescription charges were against the public interest. It was hoped by the DTI that the move would benefit consumers by providing for pharmacies and other suppliers to have an opportunity to establish themselves as competitors to veterinary surgeons in supplying prescription-only veterinary medicines.
Although veterinary practices will be able to make a charge for writing a prescription from 31 October 2008, one thing does not change: practices must not charge different fees for other services or veterinary medicines to those who take a prescription and those who do not.
Jill Nute, RCVS President said: "The OFT (Office of Fair Trading) will monitor the reintroduction of prescription charges and has indicated that the level of monitoring will be proportionate to the perceived need - how well the market is working.
In addition, the RCVS will monitor complaints that relate to prescription charges and meet with the OFT to review the situation in six months time. Care must be taken to ensure that prescription fees are calculated sensibly, or the zero-fee ruling may be reintroduced."
The OFT has advised that veterinary practices must not agree between themselves what constitutes a suitable fee: it is prohibited by competition law.
General guidance for members of the profession is available on RCVSonline (Advice Note 15): www.rcvs.org.uk/advicenotes. Guidance for members of the public is also available online at:
http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/before_you_buy/thinking_about/560042/
Other Competition Commission recommendations, such as displaying a price-list of the ten relevant veterinary medicinal products most commonly prescribed during a recent period, have been enforced since 2005 via the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and will remain in place.
The Association says it delayed this decision as late as possible, and whilst the most recent government advice does not prohibit large public gatherings, it recognises the importance of personal safety for Congress attendees and the need to support the profession in preserving business continuity, maintaining client services and protecting animal welfare.
Amanda Stranack, BSAVA CEO, said: "As the situation continues to escalate, the government have given a clear steer that they expect more stringent controls to come into force in the coming weeks. With Congress now only a few weeks away, we want to give all our attendees as much notice as possible, both to ensure peace of mind, and to give people adequate time and flexibility to change their plans.
"BSAVA recognises the pressures the current situation brings to bear on the veterinary community and in making this difficult decision, has the interests of the profession first and foremost in its mind.
"We would thank all those who have worked hard over the past two years to contribute to the development of Congress, a huge amount of effort goes into preparations from BSAVA volunteers, Congress participants and our staff."
Sue Paterson, BSAVA President, said: "It is with great regret that we have made the difficult decision to cancel Congress, which has taken place annually for more than 60 years. Congress is an incredibly important event in the veterinary calendar, and we were all looking forward to an inspiring agenda and saying a fond farewell to the city that has made Congress such a great success over so many years. The health and wellbeing of our attendees is of utmost importance to us, and whilst we are sorry to be making this decision, we are confident it is the right one."
BSAVA says it is aware of the impact that cancelling will have on many delegates' CPD hours, so it is now looking at other ways it can deliver Congress lectures and podcasts.
Sue added: "Whilst we won’t be able to deliver the full Congress programme, we will be working with our speakers to capture as many lectures as we can to make content available online."
Veterinary teams are now being invited to nominate their workplaces for the awards, detailing the ways in which the team’s wellbeing has been supported.
Entrants must show evidence in their workplace of:
Entires can be submitted for the following categories
The BVA is strongly encouraging people to submit nominations as a team.
Entrants will also be required to submit photos showcasing team culture, demonstrating initiatives to aid staff wellbeing or moments of positivity.
BVA Junior Vice President Anna Judson, who will also be one of the judges for the awards, said: “The culture in a workplace has an impact on every aspect of a business, but most especially when it comes to building a happy, healthy and resilient workforce.
"That’s why it’s so important that staff feel heard, valued and supported.
"BVA’s Wellbeing Awards are an important opportunity for teams to shout about innovative practices that are going the extra mile to support wellbeing.
"After all, good veterinary workplaces are good for people, good for animals in their care and ultimately good for business.”
The awards are open to the entire veterinary profession and there is no requirement to be a BVA member.
Winners will be announced at BVA’s Gala Dinner during the London Vet Show in November.
Nominations close on Monday, 11th September 2023.
www.bva.co.uk/wellbeing-awards
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a new Instruments and Consumables catalogue for veterinary professionals. The new catalogue is available to view online or download via Dechra's website at www.dechra.com
The new catalogue features the range of instruments and consumables available from Dechra, including a new wound dressing Silflex. This dressing is an atraumatic soft silicone contact layer, which minimises trauma at dressing change and protects delicate skin. Other products include Activon Medical Grade Manuka Honey dressings, Portex Jacksons cat catheters, Surgivet Slippery Sam cat catheters, ET tubes and 3M Vetrap bandaging tape.
The Dechra catalogue also includes help and advice for veterinary professionals, including step-by-step instructions for using some products and case studies for the range of wound dressings.
The London Fire Brigade has donated a life-size horse model to the Royal Veterinary College, to be used for student training.
The donation is in recognition of 11 years large animal handling training that the RVC has given firefighters from the London Fire Brigade.
The model horse has been named "Fireman Sam" by the students. Fireman Sam was officially presented to Vivienne Heys, the member of staff who organised and participated in the training throughout the entire 11 years, and to student trainers Vikki Wyse and Emma Howson, by London Fire Brigade Group Manager Andy Cane, Station Manager Mark Spier and Watch Manager Jim Wennell .
Andy Cane said how valuable the training has been for the London firefighters and how much the crews have enjoyed their visits to the Royal Veterinary College.
Vivienne emphasised that this programme would not have been possible without the students who have given their time on Wednesday afternoons to help firefighters learn the skills required when working with horses and cattle, and she also praised the staff who have volunteered their time and skills to keep this programme running for 11 years.
The RCVS and the BVA have published the Vet Futures report: their vision for how the veterinary profession should look in 2030, coupled with 34 recommendations for change.
The report, which represents the culmination of a year of engagement, consultation and research with the veterinary profession, veterinary nurses, members of the wider veterinary team, key stakeholders, animal owners and the general public, says that in 2030 vets should be a leading force for animal health and welfare and valued for their wider roles in society. They should be confident, resilient, healthy and well supported, and benefit from exceptional leadership. And there should be a broad range of diverse and rewarding veterinary careers, as well as thriving, innovative and user-focused businesses.
While the focus of Vet Futures has been on veterinary surgeons, Vet Futures engaged with the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council and British Veterinary Nursing Association, as well as individual veterinary nurses, and the College says that many of the ambitions should resonate with members of both professions. It goes on to recommend that the veterinary nursing profession should build on the work of Vet Futures to develop its own clear vision and ambitions.
The recommendations within the report include:
Other recommendations include developing an animal welfare strategy for the profession, increasing collaboration with medical professionals and environmental organisations, adopting a more strategic long-term outlook for research funding, and exploring how to encourage a more diverse profession.
RCVS President Bradley Viner said: "The Vet Futures report is the culmination of a year of research and engagement with thousands of members of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions, which has given us a very firm foundation on which to build our ambitions and recommendations. We are extremely grateful to every individual who has contributed in some way to the project, and helped us to seize the initiative.
"Over the years the veterinary profession has proved itself to be adaptable and able to face challenges head on, and we have no doubt that by working together we will realise our joint vision of a profession in charge of its future. Ultimately, we all want a profession that is confident in itself and one in which members are proud to call themselves veterinary surgeons."
Sean Wensley, BVA President, added: "Vet Futures has proved to be an exciting, engaging and truly ambitious project for the veterinary profession and it has created a fantastic level of debate and engagement.
"The report we are launching today is not the end of the story; it is the beginning of the next chapter. It is crucial that we maintain the momentum of the project so we will be inviting members of the veterinary professions to step forward and join a new Vet Futures Action Group to help us turn the recommendations into actions and drive forward activity."
The full report can be downloaded here.
Andy said: “High functioning practices, revolve around the nurses. Naturally, they are a communication hub.
"It makes sense to recognise the essential role they play and develop a nurse-centric structure.”
“Start by making sure you’ve enough nurses and look at how the rota is set up.
"Ensure everyone understands the practice’s vision and mission, as well as the shared values and the behaviours which demonstrate those values.
“When there’s alignment between individual and organisational goals and values, you all naturally pull in the same direction.
“Then it’s about how the day is set up and who runs each part.
"In our practice, the nurse is responsible for the running order, for allocating who’s doing what and making sure everyone understands their roles, and liaising with the vets.
"It’s about ‘working in flow’.”
Helen (pictured right) says empowering nurses is as much about how the team interacts, as its structure: “Like anyone else, nurses need to be acknowledged and have a psychologically safe space to discuss ideas and challenges.
“We can all build trust by being curious and asking lots of different questions.
"Experienced team members need to be fallible and humble, setting the scene so that everyone in the team has voice.
"Ideas should be expected, and welcomed – after all, the outcome of a patient is rarely due to just one person’s expertise.”
She added: “Where nurses’ contribution and potential are recognised, and the hierarchy is shallowed, they make incredible leaders."
“At BSAVA Congress 2023, I’ll be speaking about delegation.
"As leaders we feel we have to ‘own’ tasks and that inevitably means doing it ourselves.
"But that’s not always the best option.
"It can leave leaders feeling overwhelmed, whereas delegating tasks can empower others, build resilience within the team and help with retention.
“Small practices often have that traditional command and control structure – it’s the classic triangle, where the owner sits at the top with others underneath.
"Broadening that hierarchy is both possible and practical.
"Leverage the talent on the team, grow it, develop it and you’ll be nurturing next level of the leaders.”
Andy says he has sometimes found it a challenge to let go: “Like many vets, I used to be a bit of a control freak and had to consciously learn to delegate.
"It’s accepting that others may do it differently, and at first, not as well or as quickly as you.
"The temptation is do it yourself but it immediately blocks others from learning the skill and hampers growth within the team.”
Helen says that when considering promoting anyone into a leadership position, it is important to remember that it isn’t always an innate skill.
“Often, nurses become experts clinically, and then get asked to become leaders in that area.
"This is difficult for some people.
"They feel they should be able to do it, but have had very little training on the subject, don’t have the knowledge or skills and therefore feel unsupported in their role.”
"As the pressure mounts, stress levels rise and it starts to impact on their wellbeing, potentially great leaders step down.
“When this happens everyone loses, and is why I’m so passionate about leadership training.”
www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023.
Grahame Gardner Ltd has announced the launch of a classically styled tunic, the M559, now stocked in bottle green for the first time.
The company says that although there have been numerous ladies tunics available in bottle green, this is the first time Grahame Gardner has stocked a male tunic in the characteristic veterinary colour.
The contemporary design of the M559 incorporates side fastening with the option of contrasting epaulettes, alongside practical pockets and side slits. According to the company, it's a tunic that looks great and performs exceptionally well in the veterinary practice. Stocked in sizes from 34" to 50" (chest), the M559 is one of several new styles introduced within Grahame Gardner's latest 124 page brochure.
To explore Grahame Gardner's collection please take a look at http://www.grahamegardner.co.uk/, or call 0116 255 6326 to order a copy of the new brochure.
BCF Technology has launched the portable 9020HF Orange x-ray generator from Eco Ray.
BCF says the 9020HF is ideal for equine and large animal applications because it is is just marginally heavier than the 8016HF generator, but more powerful, allowing it to achieve excellent images of regions such as the stifle and spine.
The new BCF Clinical Development Manager and in-house vet Kimberly Palgrave said: "This new generator really fills the gap in the range and is an ideal balance between weight and power. It is also bright orange so impossible to miss when tidying the kit away in the yard."
BCF is also the sole official distributor in the UK and Ireland for Eco Ray generators.
To see the full range of X-ray generators and other X-ray and ultrasound equipment available from BCF visit http://www.bcftechnology.com/ or call +44 (0)1506 460023.