Dechra Veterinary Products, manufacturer and distributor of Equipalazone®, has launched a new website with up-to-date advice and guidance on the subject of equine pain management for horse owners: http://www.equinepainmatters.com/
Dechra says the website offers owners a place to go for information about pain in their horse including causes, diagnosis and the tools and techniques that their vet may use to treat pain. Owners will also be able to download anatomy charts and information leaflets on topics such as pain management, lameness, anaesthesia, sedation, euthanasia, the importance of microchipping and wound management.
Larry King, equine product manager at Dechra said: "This website is great for horse owners as they now have one place to go for information about equine pain matters. It will help them gain a better understanding of managing pain in their horses and the critical role that their vet plays in this area. Veterinary practices can also refer owners to it to support their consultation. This is the first website to put all this information together, so we are sure it will be popular.
"Cards with the new website address are available for practices to hand out to clients. "The website allows clients to browse the site in the comfort of their own home and is also ideal for practices with limited storage space for client information materials."
Dechra also encourages practices that have their own websites to link directly to www.equinepainmatters.com. Practices can order hand-out cards by contacting Dechra on 01743 441632 or email marketing@dechra.com.
Brinsea has announced the launch of the new Vetario range of intensive care units.
The company says the new models are the result of a 2 year design programme to provide the ideal environment for the successful recovery of small mammals, reptiles and birds.
The new S40 and S50 models incorporate the features found on the previous S10 and S20 models, but with improvements to the control systems, sturdiness and ease of cleaning.
According to the blurb: "The two models are approximately 40 and 100 litres volume respectively, and available with either standard or 'M' control systems. The cabinets are moulded from tough, gloss-finished ABS, making them durable and easy to clean. The importance of cleaning extends to all aspects of the design: the cabinets split to allow the base to be immersed and the fan and heater are both easily accessed for cleaning. The digital push button control panels are wipe clean without disturbing the settings. The 'M' models show humidity (as well as temperature) and include temperature and power-off alarms, enriched oxygen compatibility and nebuliser fitting. Inlet and recirculating filters keep the risks of respiratory problems from airborne contamination to a minimum. Both models are portable, which makes them ideal for isolating animals: a sensitive cat recovering from an anaesthetic can be safely accommodated away from barking dogs, for example."
Prices start at £420 (including 20% VAT).
For more information, telephone: 0845 226 0120
The RCVS Charitable Trust is offering two 'Blue Sky' grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 for basic or pure research intended to advance veterinary science.
Applications may be made for either an 'open' grant or a Robert Daubney Fellowship. Both are open to academic staff and students within UK veterinary schools. However, the Robert Daubney Fellowship is granted specifically for research within the fields of virology and helminthology, and has additional criteria including that applicants must be on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons, and hold a postgraduate veterinary qualification.
Cherry Bushell, the Trust's Director said: "This funding is offered for veterinary scientific research projects which meet our interests in innovation and development. In particular, pilot projects aiming to show a 'proof of concept' as a first stage of a more substantial project will be looked on favourably - if the project can then attract support from major funders this is likely to have more impact over the longer term."
The Trust aims to develop mutually beneficial partnerships with grant recipients, and innovative and exciting projects which can respond to these objectives through the grant-giving process and beyond are also preferred.
Further information, including full application criteria, is available from www.trust.rcvs.org.uk/grants. Preliminary applications should be made via the head of a UK veterinary school, and submitted to the Trust by 20 May 2011.
B&W Equine Group has opened a brand new, state-of-the-art equine clinic at Breadstone in Gloucestershire.
The new facility opened on 1 October 2011. It cost over £2.2 million and is, according to the company, one Europe’s most advanced diagnostic and surgical centres.
B&W Equine Group was created in 2008, following a merger between Willesley Equine Clinic and Bushy Equine Vets. The 23 vet practice has four local equine clinics in Breadstone, Cardiff, Failand and Willesley.
The new clinic, located on a four acre site at Breadstone, close to the M4 and M5 intersections, provides state-of-the-art diagnostics and advanced laboratory facilities. It houses the only equine MRI scanner in Wales and the South West, as well as a CT scanner and scintigraphy unit. Orthopaedic and colic theatres, adult and neonatal intensive care suites and separate isolation units have all been custom-designed and are supported by five examination rooms and two knock down boxes.
Clinical and referral services are led by RCVS and European Recognised Specialists in surgery, orthopaedics, diagnostic imaging and internal medicine and include gynaecological management of breeding mares and pre-season disease screening. The on-site laboratory is one of only 30 in the UK to be certified by the HBLB to test for CEM and EVA.
Ian Camm, BVSc CertEP MRCVS, Group Director, said: “We are all extremely excited about the new clinic but our day-to-day first opinion work remains a top priority. For all our local clients it’s very much a case of business as usual but the fact that we have invested in the latest portable equipment, including video endoscopes, digital radiography and ultrasound scanners, means we can undertake more specialist work at client’s yards, as and when needed.”
For further information, visit www.bwequinevets.co.uk.
Cyclofin contains two active ingredients: 200 mg/ml of the anti-inflammatory flunixin-meglumine (eq. to 33.2 mg/ml flunixin meglumine) and 300 mg/ml of the class D anti-infective, oxytetracycline (eq. to 323.5 mg/ml oxytetracycline trihydrate).
Dechra says Cylofin acts within 24-36 hours and has sustained anti-bacterial activity for five to six days following a single intramuscular injection.
Administration is deep intramuscular injection in cattle and Cyclofin has a 35-day withdrawal period and a memorable dose rate of 1 ml per 10 kg body weight.
Alana McGlade MRCVS, national sales manager at Dechra, said: “BRD is one of the most prevalent and costly diseases on farm and early administration of an effective and fast-acting NSAID/antibiotic combination treatment, such as Cyclofin, can help relieve discomfort and stress, alleviate pain and improve demeanour and food intake.”
Cyclofin is available in 100ml vials.
https://www.dechra.co.uk/products/livestock/prescription/cyclofin#Cyclofin-300mg-ml.
Vet’s Now, the UK’s leading Out of Hours emergency vets, reports that its 4th Congress, held in Harrogate at the end of November, attracted a record 450 delegates.
From its beginnings back in 2004, Vets Now’s Emergency and Critical Care Congress this year attracted in excess of 450 delegates to Harrogate with an impressive and exciting line up of speakers from the UK, Europe and the USA.
Similar to previous years, lectures were delivered by an exciting line up of speakers from around Europe and the USA. They were designed to suit the CPD needs of both those working in an emergency field and in general practice, and were aimed at vets, VNs and reception staff.
Lecture topics this year covered a range of life saving procedures and there were also sessions held on improving communications with clients, emergency workshops on tubes, case report discussions, a transfusion workshop and a bereavement session.
The social programme also proved a big attraction for everyone who attended Congress and this year there was an entertaining Television Games Quiz on the Wednesday evening followed by a formal dinner and entertainment on the Thursday night.
With numbers of both delegates and exhibitors increasing year on year, Vets Now is confident that its Congress is becoming a highly important date in the veterinary events calendar.
BCF Technology has announced the launch of its new BUG ultrasound goggles. The company says that by using cutting-edge OLED display technology, BUGs deliver significant improvements in viewing images from fertility and pregnancy scanning of cattle, sheep, deer and goats.
BCF also says that BUGs are rugged and reliable, combining unprecedented display performance with excellent peripheral vision, and set a new standard in viewing ultrasound images. Optimised for grey scale imaging, the binocular style viewing features a full resolution display on which every ultrasound pixel is displayed. They are headband mounted for comfort and tough enough to suit any environment.
Gavin Mitchell, BCF’s Sales Director, said: “We spent over a year researching the needs of vets and developing the optimum technology for BUGs. We understand the problems that vets have experienced with monocular and binocular goggles, and we have successfully developed the ultimate solution for ultrasound scanning.”
Andrew Bronson, Cattle Vet, Alberta, Canada, said; "These durable goggles give me great peripheral vision when scanning cattle, which means that scanning is a lot safer. With the larger field of view and improved image quality over monocular goggles, I’ve finally found a permanent solution for portable ultrasound."
Charles Marwood, BVM & S, MRCVS, Clyde Veterinary Group, Scotland, said: "These goggles give a crisp, superior image and a fantastic resolution. They are very comfortable to wear with no safety issues."
BUGs are designed specifically for use with the BCF Easi-Scan ultrasound scanner. For more information, visit: http://www.bcftechnology.com/
Details of the new charges are found on the in-flight safety card ...
Over 100 students from Nottingham Vet Society will attempt the 3 Peaks Challenge by climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in under 24 hours on 10 March.
The funds raised will be split between VBF, the charity that supports veterinary professionals, and Medical Detection Dogs.
Online donations can be made at http://goo.gl/IkodW.
Lydia Brown, VBF President, said: "We are so grateful to the students involved who organized this off their own backs even though they don't have much free time. It augurs well for the future of the profession that they want to support their colleagues. I do hope they all make it back to Nottingham safely and I look forward to seeing the pictures on facebook.com/VetlifeVBF! "
Tom McKay, one of the students who organized the challenge, said: "We have really enjoyed the training and are reasonably optimistic we will make it back for our Easter placements!"
Petplan has announced that it has raised £1million for the Blue Cross in the past decade.
The funds have gone towards running a dozen rehoming centres for dogs, cats, horses and rabbits, as well as four major animal hospitals across the country.
Petplan offers four weeks free insurance to adopters of dogs, cats and rabbits from Blue Cross as well as many other animal charities across the UK. All animal charities who work with Petplan receive 10% of the premium for any full policies they generate. The company says that in 2011, it raised over £2million for animal charities this way.
Petplan says that in addition to creating additional funds for the charity, providing four weeks free pet insurance also gives charities peace of mind that if the pet should require veterinary treatment the adopter has the funds available to ensure the animal receives the care it needs. This also means that the animal is less likely to be returned to the charity because the adopter can't afford the veterinary fees or that the charity will be asked to help cover the cost of treatment.
Chief Executive of the Blue Cross, Kim Hamilton, said: "As a charity that does not receive any government or lottery funding, we rely solely on donations from the public and valuable funding from our corporate partners. Petplan understands that our primary focus is animal welfare and the income generated from working with them has enabled us to give even more pets a healthy life in a happy home."
Simon Masding, Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships said: "At Petplan we work with over 1,700 animal charities and therefore understand the financial struggles that charities face on a daily basis. Along with offering charities commission Petplan also run the Charity Cheque initiative. When a four weeks free pet insurance voucher is activated it automatically enters the charity into a monthly prize draw to win £500."
For more information on how your animal charity can work with Petplan please visit www.petplan.co.uk/charity or call Charityline on 0800 072 8877.
Speakers at the event will include Andrew Sparkes, BVetMed, PhD, DipECVIM, MANZCVS, MRCVS (pictured right) and Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD.
BSAVA Congress delegates can register for the free symposium, which also includes lunch, at www.tickettailor.com/events/purina/349478.
Libby Sheridan, MVB MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, said: "Veterinary professionals often see the consequences of sensitivities to cat allergens - which for some, it may even mean relinquishment of the pet with all the emotion attached around that event. This symposium will focus on the consequences for cat welfare and how the profession can help support their cat-owning clients through a breakthrough approach."
The new approach is based on neutralising the major cat allergen in cats' saliva, Fel d 1, through feeding a cat food coated with an egg product ingredient containing anti-Fel d 1 antibodies.
This, says the company, helps to reduce the active allergen transferred to hair and dander during grooming, and ultimately helps reduce active Fel d 1 in the environment.
Dr Sparkes is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the founding and current co-editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, the official journal of ISFM and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. He will be sharing his review of the literature around feline relinquishment.
Dr. Satyaraj is a member of the American Association of Immunologists and the American Veterinary Immunology Association and a reviewer for several journals including the British Journal of Nutrition and Arthritis & Rheumatism. He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Science in St Louis and a leading scientist at the Purina Institute. Dr Satyaraj will be focusing on the studies supporting this important area of research.
The symposium provides 1.5 hours of certified CPD. More information about the science is available at www.purinainstitute.com.
Pam Mosedale, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor, said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but based on the UK Government’s advice and our duty of care to our team of Assessors, as well as team members and clients at veterinary practices, our only option was to postpone and reschedule all visits in the short-term.
"Although we have cancelled all assessments until the end of April, we will be constantly monitoring the situation over the coming weeks, and it is likely that there may be some further postponement of assessments planned for May and beyond."
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate, which carries out assessment inspections of veterinary premises that are not within the ambit of the Practice Standards Scheme, has also confirmed that it has postponed its forthcoming inspections. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-vmd-remains-open-for-business.
The RCVS Practice Standards Team can be contacted on pss@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0767 for further advice.
In her opening address, Mandisa said: "When the College was founded in 1844, it would have been unthinkable that a woman, let alone a black woman, would become President of the institution one day. I am immensely proud of this achievement and, while it clearly demonstrates progress, there is still plenty to do in widening access to our professions.”
She said she hoped to use her position as President to act as a role model to young people from under-represented groups, to encourage them to consider careers in veterinary surgery, and to support those already in the profession.
Mandisa, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh in 2008 and an elected member of RCVS Council since 2014, added: “I also take the Presidential baton from Niall to champion a more diverse and inclusive profession with renewed intention, and look forward to playing my part in our upcoming Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan.
“As recent weeks and the Black Lives Matter movement have highlighted, there is more to be done, and we are committed to doing the work necessary. It is essential that we support all members of the veterinary team to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and racism.”
In another first at the RCVS AGM, Matthew Rendle became the first male veterinary nurse to chair VN Council.
Vetoquinol has announced that packs of Rubenal 300mg are now available in bottles of 60 tablets instead of the previous 20.
Rubenal, which was launched earlier this year, is a complementary nutritional feeding stuff for the support of renal function in case of chronic renal insufficiency in dogs and cats. It is used as an aid to the maintenance of the normal renal fibrous architecture.
Simon Boulton, Rubenal's product manager said: "This increased pack size is a direct result of customer consultation. It will make treatment more cost effective for dogs and allow a longer treatment period per pack purchased."
For further information please contact your Vetoquinol representative or telephone 0800 1698197.
The Animal Health Trust has presented the results of a study which has identified a significant link between hind limb lameness and saddle slip, showing consistent saddle slip in some horses with hind limb lameness, even when the lameness is fairly subtle and difficult to detect.
According to the AHT, saddle slip in sports horses is a well-recognised problem that can occur for a variety of reasons, including asymmetry in the shape of the horse's back, riders sitting crookedly and ill-fitting saddles. Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust, had also observed that saddle slip may occur because of hind limb lameness. The intention of the study, therefore, was to find out more about the interrelationships between the horse, saddle and rider and to document the frequency of occurrence of saddle slip in horses with hind limb lameness compared with other horses.
The research was undertaken by Sue Dyson and Intern Line Greve and was presented at the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Congress last month. It is thought to be the first study of its kind, and was supported by the Saddle Research Trust (SRT). The SRT is a charitable organisation, aiming to facilitate research and provide support as well as advice on the influence of the saddle on the welfare and performance of horses and riders.
The study assessed 128 horses of varying size, age and type. The degree of lameness of each horse was graded; back shape and symmetry were measured and saddles assessed for symmetry and fit. Each horse was ridden by at least two riders and rider straightness plus weight were recorded. The grade of saddle slip, whether it occurred with more than one rider, and whether saddle slip was influenced by the direction of movement or the diagonal on which the rider was sitting were also noted.
The saddle consistently slipped to one side in 54% of horses with hind limb lameness, compared with 4% of horses with fore limb lameness, 0% with back pain and/or sacroiliac joint region pain and 0% of non-lame horses. Diagnostic analgesia was subsequently used to abolish the hind limb lameness and this eliminated the saddle slip in 97% of cases.
Sue said: "Our findings emphasise the need to educate owners, veterinarians, physiotherapists, trainers, riders and saddle fitters that saddle slip is frequently an indicator of lameness, not necessarily a manifestation of an ill-fitting saddle or asymmetric shape of the horse's back. Detection of saddle slip provides an opportunity for the owner, riders and trainers to detect low-grade and subclinical lameness, with important welfare consequences."
Further scientific studies are planned, with the support of the Saddle Research Trust, in order to build on these findings. To this end the SRT is currently seeking an honorary fundraiser to help secure ongoing financial support. For further information contact Anne Bondi on 07775 912202 or email annebondi@me.com.
1An investigation of the relationship between hindlimb lameness and saddle slip, L. Greve and S.J. Dyson, Centre for Equine Studies, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7UU, UK.
Bayer Animal Health has launched a new marketing campaign for Drontal that celebrates the special roles pets play in people's lives.
As part of the campaign, the company has carried out research amongst 2,000 cat and dog owners to discover how owning a pet changes behaviour and positively impacts their daily routine.
The survey found that 76% of dog owners say their four-legged friend is like a personal trainer that motivates them to take exercise, with one in four saying they've lost weight since getting their pet. Of these, one in ten say they've lost half a stone or more.
As part of the Special Roles campaign, Bayer has launched a competition to find the nation's most interesting pets. People can upload their favourite pet photo and explain what it is that makes their animal so important to them. The winner of the Special Roles competition will be chosen on the 31st July by a judging panel which includes the editors of Your Cat and Your Dog magazines.
The winner will receive £500 as well as the chance to appear in a Drontal advertorial. The two runners-up will be decided by public vote and will receive £250 worth of vouchers to spend in Pets at Home. Entries to the competition can be submitted here: http://woobox.com/uahgp5
The Special Roles theme is being supported by a new TV and print advertising campaign that celebrates the role our pets play in our lives. The ad communicates the importance of regular worming with Drontal, with the tagline: "It's their job to be special, it's our job to keep them that way". The print and TV campaign will run for 2 weeks, from 14th April.
Kathrin Tetzner from Bayer said: "The Special Roles campaign for Drontal celebrates the joy, love and humour pets bring to our lives, while reminding owners that it is their responsibility to keep them happy and healthy in whatever role they play. The Special Roles competition will give pet owners nationwide the chance to show off their pet's special role and help us celebrate a nation of happy and healthy pets."
The figures, published as part of the RSPCA's Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, showed that the UK's 12 million dogs are over four times more likely to be the victims of intentional harm compared to cats, about which there were 14,825 incident reports.
There were also 3,226 incidents of deliberate harm to horses and 811 to rabbits.
RSPCA dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “We say we’re a nation of animal-lovers and that dogs are man’s best friend. And yet, every year, we see many dogs coming into our care bearing the physical and mental scars that were inflicted at the hands of the very people who were meant to keep them safe and love them unconditionally.
"Some of the cases I’ve seen have left me in tears and still stay with me today. Every time my own RSPCA rescue dog, Flo, comes to curl up beside me on the sofa I wonder what she suffered at the hands of people before she was found wandering the streets of London with a badly broken leg. Did someone do that to her deliberately? It doesn’t bear thinking about.
"But, tragically, that’s the reality for so many dogs. We’ve seen some of the most unimaginable cruelty inflicted on these gentle, sweet creatures. We’ve seen them beaten, drowned, set on fire, and poisoned. Our officers have been able to save some of them; getting to them just in time and finding them collapsed, bloodied, and hopeless. Others have died at the hands of their tormentors, but none should experience such cruelty.”
For more information, visit: www.rspca.org/stopcruelty.
The researchers hope that the study will help to increase a veterinary surgeon’s index of suspicion of a particular liver disease, particularly if a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis is not possible.
In the study titled “Histopathological frequency of canine hepatobiliary disease in the United Kingdom”, histopathology reports from canine liver tissues submitted to a commercial veterinary laboratory by UK first and second opinion practices were retrospectively reviewed.
Data collected included breed, age, sex, gross and histological descriptions, diagnosis and additional comments.
Data were then grouped into 23 categories according to WSAVA histological criteria for canine hepatobiliary diseases using the four main morphological groups of vascular, biliary, parenchymal and neoplastic disorders. Breed analysis was then performed on the top five ranking breeds within each individual category.
A total of 4584 histopathology reports of canine liver tissue were included in the analysis.
The most common histopathological diagnoses were reactive hepatitis (16.8%), chronic hepatitis (16.0%) and reversible hepatocellular injury (RHI) (12.9%).
Labrador retrievers were found to have increased odds for reactive hepatitis (OR 1.57, 95%CI 1.23-1.99), whilst crossbreeds demonstrated reduced odds (OR 0.65, 95%CI 0.54-0.79).
Breeds with increased odds of chronic hepatitis included the Labrador retriever (OR 4.14, 95%CI 3.47-4.93), springer spaniel (OR 6.30, 95%CI 5.10-7.79), cocker spaniel (OR 2.78 95%CI 2.20-3.53) and West Highland White Terrier (OR 3.23, 95%CI 2.24-4.65).
Within the RHI group, the schnauzer (OR 8.06, 95%CI 5.77-11.26) and Bichon Frise (OR 5.19, 95%CI 3.63-7.42) had increased odds of disease.
Dr Yuvani Bandara, corresponding author for the paper, said: “This is the first study to report the histopathological frequency of hepatobiliary diseases and to identify possible breed predispositions in a large cohort of dogs in the UK.
“Despite multivariable analysis not being performed to account for confounding factors, we hope that this information informs and supports future investigations for hepatic disease in particular breeds and potential predispositions.”
The full article can be found in the September issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and can be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13354.
Reference
The College says that its new WhatsApp channel will give alerts of upcoming RCVS events, feature articles, blogs, videos and podcasts.
To follow the RCVS on WhatsApp, you would normally click 'Updates' at the foot of the app and search for "Royal College of ...", but as of today, the channel is still so new, it is not yet listed in the search results.
Until it is, you can follow the RCVS on WhatsApp using this link: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb78yutE50UlFWxf4h07
The College's relaunched podcast will start with a news segment before going on to a more in-depth discussion on a specific topic.
The first episode - ‘Research with Purpose: An RCVS Perspective’ - discusses the integral role of research in supporting veterinary professionals in the workplace, as well as busting some common workforce myths.
Listening to the podcast can also count towards your CPD requirements.
Ian Holloway, RCVS Director of Communications, said: “We understand how busy veterinary professionals are and how challenging it can be to stay up to date with College updates – particularly for those working in settings with limited access to emails.
"By reintroducing our podcast and launching a WhatsApp channel, we aim to make information more accessible, giving professionals and animal owners alike new and more flexible ways to engage with us in a way that suits them.”
Petplan Equine is now seeking nominations for the Equine Vet of the Year Award 2009, an award to recognise vets that go above and beyond with their care of horses and their owners.
Andrew Dobson of The Barn Equine and Large Animal Practice in Great Wakering, Essex, is the current 2008 Equine of the Year. He was nominated by a number of his grateful clients and their glowing testimonials impressed the judges enough to give him the edge over his closest rivals for the title.
The 37 year old qualified in 1999 and for the last four and a half years has run his own practice. His involvement with horses evolved from a desire to work with large animals and the outdoor life it would bring.
Andrew said: "I was absolutely stunned. I'm so honoured and amazed to have received the Petplan Equine Vet of the Year award. I really enjoy what I do and would like thank all my clients, Petplan Equine and The Animal Health Trust for their support."
If you feel you know a vet that displays equine clinical excellence and fantastic customer care you can nominate online by visiting www.petplanequine.co.uk/events Nominations close 3rd October 2009. An independent panel will judge the nominations and the winning vet will be announced at the Animal Health Trust UK Equestrian Awards in London, in November 2009.
CEVA Animal Health has produced a leaflet to help horse owners understand the diagnosis and treatment of navicular disease.
Navicular disease can be difficult to diagnose and management of the condition can be a challenge for both vets and horse owners. The new leaflet helps owners get to grips with all aspects of the disease from the clinical signs to the procedures used to obtain a formal diagnosis. It then covers the various treatment options available including corrective farriery, analgesia, bisphosphonates and surgery. Diagrams and photographs help to ensure that the information is clear, concise and easy to follow.
The leaflet is available to equine vet practices as a useful information source for clients. Please order your free copies from your CEVA sales representative.
Vétoquinol (maker of Propalin) has announced the launch of a new canine urinary incontinence support website for pet owners.
canineui.co.uk contains information about the causes, diagnostic methods and treatment options for canine urinary incontinence. It also includes tips for living with a dog with the condition.
To help spread the word to owners and raise the awareness that this new resource is available, Vétoquinol is offering posters for your practice, together with business cards displaying the website address.
To obtain your copy call the Vétoquinol head office on 01280 825497 and quote 'Canine UI Poster'.
The company says the new diets are based on a formulation high in protein and low in carbohydrate, of which 90% of the protein is of animal origin, providing clinical nutrition closest to the needs of dogs and cats as carnivores.
Virbac adds that the compact range allows veterinary practices to meet the main nutritional needs encountered in practice with just 15 products, making it easier for practice teams to navigate, whilst also reducing stock holding requirements.
Andrew Connolly, Pet Food Manager at Virbac, said: "We’re really excited to introduce our new clinical diets to the profession as a genuine advancement in clinical nutrition."
He added: "We regularly hear from practices who are frustrated with working hard to promote diets only to lose the sale to alternative channels. This doesn’t have to be the case and I would encourage any practices in a similar situation to speak to their Virbac Territory Manager to see how we can help."
Over 500 practices took part in the 2016 initiative, and Avacta is hoping even more will get involved this year, helping to raise awareness of allergies in cats and dogs.
Marketing Manager Gary Skipper said: "This year’s PAW campaign will focus on the clinical signs associated with allergies in cats and dogs as well as what is involved in the diagnosis and treatment process."
To help raise the PAW profile, Avacta has created a series of cartoon characters, such as the one pictured right, to help engage pet owners with the initiative and demonstrate the clinical signs associated with allergies in pets. There'll be a competition to name the cartoon characters at Avacta's stand (808) at BSAVA Congress this year, for the chance to win a personal pet portrait.
Gary said: "There are a wealth of reasons to get the practice involved in the initiative. PAW aims to help boost awareness among clients of the common clinical signals associated with allergies in cats and dogs; we will be offering heavily discounted canine and feline allergy tests throughout June to help reduce costs, and the campaign also helps to encourage team work by getting everyone at the practice involved in the competition for the best PAW waiting room display using the pack materials – the winning practice will receive a luxury hamper!"
To register your practice for the 2017 Pet Allergy Week, complete the online registration form at www.avactaanimalhealth.com/PAW. Alternatively speak to your local Territory Manager or contact the Avacta Customer Services Team on 0800 3 047 047 or email customer.services@avacta.com.
The registration deadline to receive a pack is Friday 5th May.
The full day programme includes:
• Gastroprotectants in veterinary medicine – Julien Bazelle• An update on steroid responsive meningitis arteritis and meningoencephalitis of unknown aetiology – Jeremy Rose• An update on feline viral infections – Dr Jane Sykes• Guiding clinical decision making in Cushing’s syndrome – Imogen Schofield• What can’t TKIs be used for? – Aaron Harper• Case experiences – Professor Michael Herrtage
The society is also inviting entries for its Case Report competition, the deadline for which is the 6th March 2020.
The meeting costs £130 for members, £180 for non members and £75 for interns, residents and those graduating in 2020.
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.samsoc.org/meetings/2020-spring-meeting