Mr Gove ministerial statement followed the brouhaha last week when MP's voted against transferring the EU protocol on animal sentience into UK law.
However, Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith said in a tweet that the vote had not been about whether or not MPs recognise animals as sentient, but about the best legal framework within which to deliver high standards of animal welfare. Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch also weighed in, saying that the idea that MPs had voted against animals as sentient beings was 'fake news'.
Mr Gove's ministerial statement reads as follows:
"This Government is committed to the very highest standards of animal welfare. As the Prime Minister has set out, we will make the United Kingdom a world leader in the care and protection of animals.
It has been suggested that the vote last week on New Clause 30 of the EU Withdrawal Bill somehow signalled a weakening in the protection of animals - that is wrong. Voting against the amendment was not a vote against the idea that animals are sentient and feel pain - that is a misconception.
Ministers explained on the floor of the house that this Government’s policies on animal welfare are driven by our recognition that animals are indeed sentient beings and we are acting energetically to reduce the risk of harm to animals – whether on farms or in the wild. The vote against New Clause 30 was the rejection of a faulty amendment, which would not have achieved its stated aims of providing appropriate protection for animals.
The Prime Minister has made clear that we will strengthen our animal welfare rules. This government will ensure that any necessary changes required to UK law are made in a rigorous and comprehensive way to ensure animal sentience is recognised after we leave the EU. The Withdrawal Bill is not the right place to address this, however we are considering the right legislative vehicle.
We are already proposing primary legislation to increase maximum sentences for animal cruelty from six months to five years, and the creation of a new statutory, independent body to uphold environmental standards.
The current EU instrument – Article 13 – has not delivered the progress we want to see. It does not have direct effect in law – in practice its effect is very unclear and it has failed to prevent practices across the EU which are cruel and painful to animals.
In contrast, here in the UK, we are improving animal welfare standards without EU input and beyond the scope of Article 13. We are making CCTV mandatory in all slaughterhouses – a requirement which goes above and beyond any EU rule. We will consult on draft legislation to jail animal abusers for up to five years – more than almost every other European nation. We propose combatting elephant poaching with a ban on the ivory trade which is more comprehensive than anywhere else in Europe. Our ban on microbeads which harm marine animals has been welcomed by Greenpeace as “the strongest in the world”, and is certainly the strongest in Europe.
Once we have left the EU there is even more we could do. EU rules prevent us from restricting or banning the live export of animals for slaughter. EU rules also restrict us from cracking down on puppy smuggling or banning the import of puppies under 6 months. Article 13 has not stopped any of these practices – but leaving the EU gives us the chance to do much better. We hope to say more in these areas next year.
This government will continue to promote and enhance animal welfare, both now and after we have left the EU."
Photo: Curious cattle on farmland in Cornwall UK. Shzphoto/Shutterstock
Prilactone Next is replacing the spironolactone products Prilactone and Tempora, which will be discontinued.
Prilactone Next is available in three presentations of 10mg, 50mg and 100mg. It comes in easy-break, chewable tablets, designed to make it easier to give the required dose. The 10mg tablet has a two-way split for a dog between 2.5kg and 5kg, while the 50mg and 100mg tablets have a four-way patented clover-shaped design with the 50mg for dogs between 18.1kg and 25kg and 100mg for dogs between 37.6kg and 50kg.
Prilactone Next is available in boxes of three blisters of 10 tablets for the 10mg and 50mg presentations and three blisters of eight tablets for the 100mg presentation, for easy dispensing and storage in practice.
Nicola Barclay, product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Prilactone Next is an improved, easy to administer spironolactone that enables owners to accurately treat their pets and will further enhance our existing cardiology range."
For further information, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager.
The plan is designed to help mimic the way cats eat in the wild and so provide them with both physical and mental stimulation. It also encourages cats to hunt, explore, climb and play – activities which boost cats’ positive behaviour and wellbeing.
Developed by feline behaviour specialist Dr. Sarah Ellis and Dr. Lizzie Rowe at International Cat Care, the plan is also designed to help to prevent overeating and promote a balance between energy intake and energy output, in order to avoid weight gain, as well as encouraging weight loss in overweight cats.
It is estimated that there are 10 million pet cats in the UK1 and the charity points to data which suggests that 39 – 52% of them are overweight or obese2,3, something which is a major health and welfare issue4-9, and can ultimately lead to early death10.
The charity says research shows that current feeding practices are contributing to this obesity epidemic, with a number of factors associated with a cat’s modern lifestyle leading to overeating. For example, most cats need little or no exertion to obtain their food, making it more likely that the calories they take in through eating will outweigh the calories they use up through exercise (leading to weight gain). Furthermore, the way we feed our cats generally does not match the lifestyle they were designed for, resulting in a lack of mental stimulation and reduced opportunity to express natural, instinctive hunting behaviours. This can lead to boredom, apathy, anxiety, frustration and stress in cats, resulting in reduced wellbeing and potentially the development of problem behaviours.
Sarah said: "By making a few simple changes to the way we feed our cats, we can help them to live longer, healthier and happier lives."
The plan recommends:
A detailed version of the feeding plan, along with the full report behind the development of the plan, can be found on International Cat Care’s website:
https://icatcare.org/advice/general-care/keeping-your-cat-healthy/feeding-your-cat-or-kitten
A short version of the feeding plan can also be found there.
References
Betafuse contains 5mg/g fusidic acid and 1mg/g betamethasone gel. It is available in 15g and 30g polyfoil tubes, designed to reduce the likelihood of splitting and loss of product during use.
Richard Palmer, Global Head of Sales and Marketing at Norbrook said: "We are delighted to be bringing this new product to the market in 16 European countries including the UK and Ireland. Betafuse is particularly exciting for us as we have improved the packaging and we have extended the 'in use' shelf life to eight weeks in comparison to six weeks for the pharmaceutically equivalent pioneer.
"This continued investment in our companion animal portfolio comes on the back of our recent launch in the US of Carprofen Chewable Tablets, an anti-inflammatory also for dogs. Our £40 million multi-year investment programme which we are currently engaged in, includes a significant emphasis on new product development including investment in R&D and our facilities infrastructure."
Lizzie Barnard, UK Product Manager added: "Betafuse offers the prescribing veterinary surgeon greater choice and it complements our existing companion animal skin care portfolio which includes Marbodex, a treatment for otitis externa in dogs.
"“Product support material is available and includes a guide for dog owners on how to apply Betafuse simply and effectively. This leaflet is available by contacting your territory manager or by downloading it from our website."
For more information, visit: https://www.norbrook.com/
The company says that the Phillips tuberculin gun is easier to use, clean and maintain than the most commonly used device, and it also offers practices doing government TB testing work the opportunity to make substantial savings on the cost of consumables.
Dave Gilbert MRCVS, director with Dairy Insight said: "There is no official requirement to use a single make of gun for TB testing work, so with tightening margins for work in this arena it makes sense for practices to explore valid cost-saving options.
"Having trialled this NJ Phillips gun over the last 12 months in our own farm practice we’ve been very pleased with it, particularly when it comes to changing needles. I’ve always found this process fiddly, especially when you have cold hands. We’ve also made substantial savings on consumables, which are over 70p per needle cheaper for the V-Grip."
The V-Grip is precision engineered for optimum dosing accuracy and comes with a visible chamber, to help ensure correct administration of tuberculin.
For more information, contact Dairy Insight at: info@dairyinsight.co.uk
IMV Technologies is a reproduction biotechnology company which has worked in the field of animal artificial insemination and embryo transfer for over 50 years, with operations in more than 130 countries and subsidiaries in the USA, India, China, Italy and the Netherlands.
The newly-formed IMV Imaging now has over 500 employees, which, it says, will make it better placed to deliver the best quality ultrasound, X-ray and three-dimensional veterinary-specific imaging equipment.
The directors and senior management team from BCF and ECM are remaining to lead IMV Imaging.
Alan Picken, CEO of IMV imaging said: "The merger and creation of IMV imaging is a very exciting development for our companies. Building on our strong legacy, it allows us to deliver a wider portfolio of products and services to our customers worldwide and ultimately to deliver improved animal care.”
With fewer than 72 female Suffolk Punches remaining in the UK and fewer than 300 in the world, every female born is vital to the survival of this endangered British horse.
In 2019 Tullis Matson, owner and managing director of Stallion AI Services, saw an opportunity to use a new technological advancement in the sex sorting of equine semen to provide a lifeline to Britain’s critically endangered rare and native horses.
Tullis said: “To be able to use our reproduction expertise in this way, to help preserve an irreplaceable part of our magnificent heavy horse heritage is something we have been working towards for many years. The challenges have been great and many, but watching the birth of this beautiful, healthy filly foal was a truly magical experience."
The sex sorting project uses specialist equipment to sex sort the semen prior to insemination based on the difference in DNA content between X and Y bearing spermatozoa.
Ruby, the Suffolk Punch mare and Holbeach Iggy, the Suffolk stallion were selected and matched based on their genetics as part of a project between The Rare Breed Survival Trust and Nottingham Trent University that uses pedigree information to enable the breeding of small populations in a way that minimises the risk of inbreeding and genetic decline.
Christopher Price, Chief Executive of the Rare Breed Survival Trust, said: “This is tremendous news for anyone concerned with the conservation of our native equines. The most effective way of increasing the population size of this very rare breed is by increasing the number of fillies being born.
“The project demonstrates the viability of using new techniques for selecting female foals in order to increase the breeding population much more rapidly than could be achieved through relying on traditional methods. We hope it will prove to be a model for more projects in the future.”
Animalcare has launched Emdocam (meloxicam 20mg/ml), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the oxicam class for use in cattle, pigs and horses.
According to the company, Emdocam disrupts the inflammatory cascade by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. It is a potent and preferential inhibitor of COX-2, permitting sufficient COX-1 sparing activity. It has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. When administered in a single dose to cattle, it has long acting anti-endotoxic, anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory effects for up to three days.1,2
In cattle, it is indicated for bovine respiratory disease (BRD), clinical mastitis and calf scour. Animalcare says early use of meloxicam for BRD reduces pyrexia and pain, especially in young calves and improves feed intake. Meloxicam plus an antibiotic significantly reduced the extent of lung lesions, leading to improved clinical efficacy and daily liveweight gain in comparison with animals treated with antibiotics alone, for example oxytetracycline,3 florfenicol4and tilmicosin. 5
In the case of clinical mastitis, Animalcare says that used adjunctively with an antibiotic, Emdocam helps relieve local and systemic inflammation, returns the udder to a normal condition and reduces the polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) response. In a large scale, double-blinded study in New Zealand, the addition of meloxicam to antibiotic therapy resulted in lower Somatic Cell Counts and a reduced risk of culling in dairy cows with mild clinical mastitis.6
Calf scour treated with meloxicam, as a supportive therapy, can improve calf well-being and reduce morbidity. In a double-blinded, controlled study, the use of meloxicam improved daily water and feed intake, added greater average bodyweight (bw) gain and helped calves to wean earlier. 7
In horses, administered IV at 3.0ml/100kg bw, Emdocam can be used for musculo-skeletal disorders, as well as colic, resulting in reduced pain and inflammation. In a study of 18 horses comparing flunixin with meloxicam and designed to determine the effect on recovery of ischemic-injured jejunum, meloxicam was found to be a useful alternative for the post-operative treatment of colic. 8
Emdocam is also indicated in pigs for non-infectious locomotive disorders and as an adjunctive therapy with an antibiotic in puerperal septicaemia and toxaemia (mastitis-metritis-agalactia syndrome).
Tony Liepman from Animalcare said: "Emdocam is competitively priced whether used on its own or adjunctively with a long-acting intramuscular (IM) antibiotic, such as Florgane suspension for the treatment of BRD in calves. This, coupled with its long lasting, low volume (2.5ml/100kg bw in cattle), single dose administration, by intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) injection, makes Emdocam a highly efficacious and practical NSAID."
Emdocam is a POM-V medicine and available as 50 and 100ml multi-dose vials. Withdrawal period in cattle for meat and offal is 15 days and in pigs for meat and offal is 5 days. In horses for meat and offal it is 5 days. In Florgane [POM-V], the withdrawal period for meat and offal is 37 days in cattle and not to be used in cattle producing milk for human consumption
Cattle
Using practices developed for human healthcare measurement, NewMetrica developed VetMetrica, which the company says can measure how an animal “feels” about its circumstances from its individual perspective.
Jim Brick, Vice President Commercial Development and Lifecycle and Innovation at Zoetis said: "This novel approach supports a significant shift in veterinary care and animal welfare more generally towards the attainment of good or excellent quality of life in companion animals.
"The benefits of NewMetrica’s digital instruments have been validated through scientific publications and the FDA, and the EMA has confirmed the algorithms that produce the results.”
Jamie Brannan, President International Operations, Zoetis added: "We expect NewMetrica’s tools and algorithms to support earlier detection and treatment of diseases as we gain more insight into the quality of life of our pets and be an important element of future product development.
“NewMetrica’s instruments will give us scientifically validated results for alleviation of OA pain that veterinarians and pet owners will appreciate and value.”
https://www.newmetrica.com
The statistic came to light as a result of Ceva's Mercury Challenge1, in which veterinary practices from around Europe took blood pressure readings from over 10,000 cats over seven years old, 4000 of which were from the UK.
The Challenge results, which were recently presented at Ceva Cat Expertise 2021 by the international feline medicine specialist, Dr Andy Sparkes, showed that more than 40% of cats enrolled in the Mercury Challenge were hypertensive, with a blood pressure about 30% higher than the blood pressure value found in healthy cats.
Ceva says this high percentage suggests that feline hypertension may be even more common than suspected, especially in the ageing cat population, with the mean age of hypertensive cats found to be 13 years old in the Challenge.
The study also found that up to one in three cats had both hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Feline hypertension is also associated with hyperthyroidism.
Jodie Tanner, veterinary surgeon at Lime Tree Vets in Staffordshire who participated in the Mercury Challenge said: “We were surprised by how many of the cats whose blood pressure we measured as part of the Mercury Challenge were actually hypertensive and were taken aback at the number of hypertensive cats which lacked clinical signs or target organ damage.
"These hypertensive cats would have previously gone undetected prior to us screening our older patients and they would probably have only presented when they had advanced target organ damage, such as blindness.
“Measuring blood pressure in cats is now incorporated into our bespoke preventative health care plan – The Pet Plus Membership – and our ‘Gold Plan’ is tailored to our patients over eight years of age.
"Included in the Gold Plan are twice yearly blood pressure checks, so we can pick up hypertension cases as early as possible, and the plan also includes twice yearly urine screens and yearly blood screens to pick up other common diseases seen in older cats such as hyperthyroidism and CKD.”
Ceva has a range of resources available to support veterinary practices, including those that want to set up vet nurse blood pressure clinics. There's a digital hypertension tool kit available by registering at www.easethepressure.co.uk, where you will also find information on the Hypertension CPD Hub, an Ease the Pressure pack containing resources to support vet practices, owner communications materials and information about Ceva’s online Hypertension Ambassador CPD course. A vet practice social media pack is also available.
For further information, visit www.easethepressure.co.uk or contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Reference
Ceva says the adverts, which will air on Channel 4 and Channel 4 partner channels until 20th January, will reach 15 million people. That might prove a conservative estimate though, because the Adaptil advert on YouTube has already had over 800,000 views, whilst the Feliway advertisement has had very nearly as many.
In addition, Adaptil has partnered with The Times to support its 'Walking the Dog' podcast series hosted by radio presenter and journalist Emily Dean.
During the podcasts, Emily talks with celebrities like Noel Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Carr, Rob Bryden and Jonathan Ross as they walk their dogs. An Adaptil advert airs at the start, middle and end of each podcast.
You can hear the podcasts on itunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/walking-the-dog-with-emily-dean/id1220510307
Abigail King, behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "Our new TV advertising campaigns and podcast partnership will boost awareness of both Adaptil and Feliway throughout the festive period and into January, when changes to routine, visitors in the household and loud noises from Christmas crackers and fireworks can challenge even the most laid-back pet."
For more information, visit: www.adaptil.com or www.feliway.com.
The referral centre recently extended its floor space at its base in Cheshire to support a major expansion of the services being offered, which include orthopaedic, soft tissue and spinal surgery and internal medicine; with specialist support in anaesthesia and pain management, a diabetes clinic, intensive care, cardiology, diagnostic imaging, neurology (medical and surgical) and oncology.
Liz Cousins, hospital manager at Northwest Veterinary Specialists, said: "The success of NWVS is down to the dedication of our highly skilled clinical, nursing and support teams.
"Our clinicians are well respected specialists in their chosen disciplines and it’s fantastic to be able to offer new services to pets and first opinion vets.
"The hospital is home to 88 colleagues and the change of name now reflects the growth and dedication by everyone here at Northwest Veterinary Specialists since opening in 2002."
Northwest Veterinary Specialists provides specialist veterinary services to veterinary practices in north west England and north and mid Wales.
Liz added: "At Northwest Veterinary Specialists we treat pets from as far apart as Carlisle, North Yorkshire and Staffordshire.
"The facilities are state-of-the-art, demonstrating a quality of service both for our clinicians and our clients, but most importantly the pets that we treat."
European Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry Lisa Milella has revealed in an interview with the Sunday People that she has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a condition which few people survive for more than 2-5 years.
It's hard to imagine anything much worse than being told in advance when your appointment with the Grim Reaper is booked, and for many the temptation might be just to give up there and then. Not Lisa. She embarked on the most extraordinary mission to fulfill ten of her life's ambitions.
The day after her diagnosis last August, she closed her veterinary practice in Byfleet. In December, she went sledging with huskies in Norway. In January, she flew to Borneo to carry out dental surgery on an orangutan. Three days later, she visited International Animal Rescue in Java and trained vets there to carry out dental work on slow lorises. She then celebrated her 40th birthday surrounded by friends and family in February. In May, she headed out to Peru to visit the Inca trail and the Amazon rainforest. From there, it was on to the Galapagos Islands. Then last week she went to India, where she trained another team to perform dental surgery on bears, and fulfil the 8th and 9th ambitions on her list, which were to operate on a leopard and a tiger.
Lisa closed her interview in the Sunday People saying: "I'm never going to get better and today is as strong as I'm ever going to be. You've got to make the most of now and not worry about tomorrow. Go out there and do it. You're never going to have that time again."
Oh. One other thing. Lisa's 10th wish was to get 100 strangers to donate £100 to International Animal Rescue. I hope you'll join me: https://www.justgiving.com/Lisa-Milella-100/
The new rules will make it illegal to sell puppies younger than eight weeks and require anyone breeding and selling three or more litters of puppies a year to apply for a formal licence.
Those needing a licence, including online sellers, will also be required to display their permit in any advertising, and to give owners information about the five welfare needs that owners must meet under the Animal Welfare Act.
The penalty for breaking the new law will be an unlimited fine and/or up to six months in prison.
The plans also cover how pet shops, boarding houses and riding stables are licensed, introducing a single 'animal activities licence' to improve the process and make enforcement easier.
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: "Everyone who owns a pet or is looking to introduce one into their life will want to know that the animal has had the very best start to life. Yet for thousands of puppies born each year to irresponsible breeders, from smaller operations to larger puppy farms, their first weeks are spent in cramped and squalid conditions without the care and attention they need. That is why we are cracking down on the worst offenders by strengthening the dog breeding licence and giving councils the power they need to take action.
With more and more pet sales now taking place on the internet, it’s right that this market is subject to the same strict licensing criteria as other breeders and pet shops so that consumers are not misled. The plans announced today will help people choosing new family pets to be confident the animals have been properly bred and cared for from birth and are ready to move safely to their new homes.
Gudrun Ravetz, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "This is a significant step in the right direction to improve the welfare of puppies and dogs in the UK, an issue our members are extremely concerned about as increasing numbers of poorly bred puppies are brought into veterinary practices.
"Poorly bred and badly socialised puppies cause terrible health and welfare problems for dogs so it is right that Defra has made irresponsible dog breeding a priority. We particularly welcome the move to make the sale of a puppy under eight weeks illegal, the reduction in the number of litters bred requiring a formal breeder’s licence, and the moves towards a single animal activities licence. In the future we would also like to see that anyone breeding from a dog should be required to register with their local authority.
"For these new measures to work in practice local authorities must have the necessary resources and support to fully enforce the legislation, supported by local veterinary expertise.
"We hope the new legislation will encourage owners to stop and think about where they’re getting their puppies from to tackle irresponsible breeding both at home and abroad. Prospective owners should do their homework and always use the puppy contract and information pack to make sure they ask breeders the right questions for a happy, healthy puppy."
The Kennel Club and Dogs Trust have welcomed the announcement.
Dogs Trust Veterinary Director, Paula Boyden said: "As the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust welcomes the Government’s review of animal establishments licensing in England and the range of measures it sets out.
"We are particularly pleased that it will be illegal to sell a puppy below the age of 8 weeks and that there will be tighter licensing rules which will require sellers of pets to display their licence when advertising. We also applaud the move towards a risk based single licensing system which will incorporate those breeders that have gained UKAS approval rather than exempting them.
We believe that Local Authority Inspectors need support to enforce these tighter licensing rules. As such, moves to mandate the use of Model Conditions and for inspectors to be offered training and standards to be set is most welcome."
Established over 100 years ago, Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital is based in a purpose-built clinic; one of four International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) recognised Cat Friendly Practices in Derbyshire.
Dr Nick Pine MA VetMB MRCVS has been at Alfreton Park since 1999 and has become a Medivet Branch Partner following the acquisition, together with his colleague Dr Matt Ingram CertSAS MRCVS. He said: "We are excited about joining the Medivet Partnership. It will help us to continue to develop what is an already successful, trusted and highly respected local practice and enable us to offer even more opportunities for our people."
Medivet Chief Executive Officer Dr Arnold Levy, said: "Alfreton Park is an impressive practice with a great team and we are delighted to welcome them to Medivet. Our model is focused on adding value to every practice that joins our partnership, and we look forward to working with Nick and Matt to build an even brighter future for the practice, its clients and patients."
If, as is predicted, social distancing methods need to be employed to reduce the spread of the virus, or clients find themselves having to self-isolate, video consultations may offer a way in which veterinary practices can continue to serve their clients, maintain animal welfare and, importantly, revenue.
VetHelpDirect's video consultation system, which was announced earlier this year, is still in the Beta testing phase, and the plan had been to roll out the full service in May.
Under the circumstances, however, the company has decided to offer the service to all practices immediately, free of charge for the next three months.
To use the video consultation service, you do need to subscribe to use VetHelpDirect, a service through which you can manage client reviews of your practice. That costs £38 per month, per practice and a further £16 for branch practices.
Susie Samuel, CEO of VetHelpDirect said: “The Coronavirus presents a very real business risk to veterinary practices and a health risk to staff.
"As cases increase, animal owners in quarantine will not be able to visit the vet when their animals become unwell. In these cases, veterinary practitioners will not be able to discuss an animal’s symptoms with their owner in person and could end up relying solely on telephone consultations which would most likely be conducted free of charge.
"Our video platform allows vets to collect payment for a consultation as usual, hold the consultation with the animal’s owner and if a pet needs to be seen, the owner could, in theory, drop it off at the surgery without making personal contact with the vet clinic staff."
VetHelpDirect has not yet decided precisely what the video consultation service will cost after the free period, but it is likely to be around the £20 per month mark. In addition, there is a 4.8% transaction fee.
For more information, contact Susie Samuel susie@vethelpdirect.com
COMMENTDespite the emergence of a number of online-only, limited-service veterinary video consultation providers, it seems like very few, if any independent practices are yet offering this service. There is a danger that unless they do so very soon, they will find themselves at a real disadvantage to the first movers. But there is still time; according to VetHelpDirect's research, 38% of people say they would use video consultations with their own vet but only 7% with a vet they don't know..
It strikes me that now is a very good moment to start offering clients this kind of service, because regardless of government advice, there will doubtless be some who will want to avoid a trip to the vets whilst the outbreak persists.
Mr Roger faced three charges: that he had failed to provide adequate care, failed to communicate with the owner adequately and failed to keep adequate clinical records for Honey, a Shiih Tzu dog who, it transpired, had hypergycaemia.
At the initial consultation, Mr Roger took a blood sample which showed that there was an elevated blood glucose, an elevated white blood cell count, an elevated ALT and an elevated ALP (which Mr Roger took to be indicative of liver damage secondary to infection).
Mr Roger prescribed a cholagogue (ursodeoxycholic acid), an antibiotic (Synulox) and a diuretic (Frusemide).
In its findings of fact, the Committee found it likely that Mr Roger would have realised that Honey had a potential diabetes mellitus diagnosis with an elevated blood glucose of 28.
However, Mr Roger explained that he had believed the elevated blood glucose was due to the stress Honey had undergone in taking the blood samples.
The Committee therefore accepted that Mr Roger’s actions did not indicate a complete failure by him to notice the elevated blood glucose because he had explained he believed at the time it was due to stress.
Honey’s owner took her back to the veterinary practice that Mr Roger worked at three days later.
A different veterinary surgeon examined Honey and flagged that her blood sugar was high and that her liver was damaged.
She was taken to an alternative veterinary practice for follow-up but died later that day.
Mr Roger admitted failing to ask Honey’s owner if there was a history of diabetes mellitus, failing to take repeat blood glucose tests or carry out urine analysis or carry out additional blood tests, failing to communicate adequately with Honey’s owner about the significance of the hyperglycaemia and the options for investigation/management and failing to keep adequate clinical records in regard to Honey’s blood glucose levels.
The Committee found the admitted facts proved.
The evidence presented to the Committee included the clinical notes taken during Honey’s consultations, emails sent from Honey’s owner to the RCVS outlining the complaint, and evidence from experts in small animal veterinary practice.
Although the Committee found some matters not proved, it did find proved that Mr Roger had failed to recognise and/or pay adequate regard to Honey’s elevated blood glucose levels, had failed to manage Honey’s hyperglycaemia either by treating it or by documenting an appropriate plan to do so and had failed to communicate adequately with Honey’s owner about the significance of her elevated glucose and the reason for it.
Having reached its decision in relation to the facts, the Committee went on to consider whether the facts it had found proved either individually or cumulatively amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Judith Way, Chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf said: “The Committee found that the charges and particulars it had found proved did not amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect either individually or cumulatively.
"In its judgment, the conduct found proved fell short of the standard to be expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon but not far short of the standard which is expected of the reasonably competent veterinary surgeon.”
As a result of the Committee finding that Mr Roger was not guilty of serious professional misconduct on any of the proven charges, either individually or in any combination, the hearing did not proceed further.
On 23rd March, the Government demanded that the majority of public-facing businesses close their doors. Veterinary surgeries, however, have been exempted and are allowed to remain open.
However, the number of clients seen face-to-face should be kept to an absolute minimum and veterinary teams must insist on strict social distancing measures at all times.
In addition, the RCVS/BVA say that:
The College has updated its FAQs for veterinary professionals, which can be found here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19/
The BVA is now developing some further guidance to provide examples of what constitutes routine, urgent and emergency care.
The study “Approach to initial management of canine generalised epileptic seizures in primary-care veterinary practices in the United Kingdom” used the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network to review electronic health records equating to 3,150,713 consultations (917,373 dogs) from 224 veterinary practices2.
Five hundred and seventeen cases were included. Dogs older than 6 years were excluded.
Of 321 dogs presented for a single seizure, seven (2.1%) were prescribed AEDs, which is in accordance with International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations.
20% of the dogs in this group which had at least a 6-month follow-up, 20% did not have subsequent seizures recorded.
However, of 86 dogs which had suffered a seizure cluster at first presentation, only 38 (44%) were prescribe an AED, despite the task force recommendation that long term treatment in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy should be started immediately in the case of 2 or more seizures within 6 months, status epilepticus or a seizure cluster, severe post-ictal signs, or a deteriorating epileptic presentation.
Imepitoin was frequently selected in the treatment of cluster seizures despite no authorisation for this purpose.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP said: “Studies like this one are instrumental to understand how primary care clinicians comply with current recommendations.
"Additional efforts may be required to fully adhere to the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations; being aware of these gaps is the first step towards improvement.”
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Worcester vet David Denny MRCVS accidentally euthanised a Jack Russell in the presence of its owner, who believed he was giving the animal antibiotics.
Mr Denny told VetSurgeon.org that it had been the result of a dreadful misunderstanding between himself and his secretary, for which he had apologised, but that he couldn't say much more because the VDS had advised him not to talk to the media.
The dog, called Gunner, was 14 years old; old enough that alarm bells obviously didn't go off when it was presented to Mr Denny for euthanasia (or so he thought).
The story does serve as a reminder of the importance of communicating with absolute clarity, both written and oral, when performing euthanasia. In this case, the Daily Mail reports that Mr Denny asked the client: "if Gunner had had enough". Under any other circumstances, that would seem a sensitive comment to make. In this case, though, the owner thought he meant the dog had had enough of its cough.
The website has been redesigned to help pet owners improve their understanding of the disease and support their commitment to treating their pet, thus improving the survival rates of diabetic pets.
The site includes videos which show how to give insulin injections to dogs and cats. There are also links to the Pet Diabetes Tracker App, which helps owners of diabetic pets monitor and record their pets’ progress. There are also tools to help pet owners build glucose curves they can share with their veterinary practice, and FAQs that will answer their main concerns.
The company is also offering additional support to help veterinary practices raise awareness of pet diabetes in the form of staff training and a Pet Diabetes Month Resource Pack.
Caroline Darouj, Senior Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Pet diabetes continues to rise in the UK1,2 due to the growing prevalance of obesity in our pets. Research has shown that up to 20% of diabetic pets die, or are euthanised, within a year of diagnosis3. Many of these early deaths however, are avoidable and effective management can result in good outcomes in most pets. A diabetes diagnosis should not be a life sentence for our pets.
"This campaign and new website will make a big difference, giving practices the tools to engage pet owners, provide treatments plans and explain effective disease management. Diabetes is a disease with many elements that can feel overwhelming for pet owners so it’s vital that all veterinary practice team members have the right resources to be able to advise and support them so their pets can lead long and happy lives."
To sign up for a pack practices should go to www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/PDM
The Vital Support launch includes a new Feline Renal Multipack to support cats with chronic kidney disease and loss of appetite. The multipack contains four wet pouches with different aromatic profiles to help stimulate decreased appetite and deliver optimum food acceptance and compliance. Multipacks will be available from October 2020.
Royal Canin has also introduced new Early Renal diets to help support the kidneys at early stages of renal insufficiency, and will be discontinuing its Feline VCN Senior Consult Stage 2 diets.
The company is also introducing two new diets for small dogs: Renal Small Dogs to support small breed dogs in the more advanced stages of chronic renal insufficiency, and Mobility C2P+ Small Dogs, formulated to support healthy joint function.
Other changes include a switch to 100% sustainably sourced salmon in its renal wet pouches, and to vegetable sources of glucosamine, instead of shellfish.
For more information, visit: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk, speak to a member of the veterinary pillar team or contact the Nutritional Helpline.
Researchers studied 840 patients with breast, prostate, lung or colorectal cancer. 280 patients that had received only alternative medicine were matched to 560 control patients who chose conventional cancer therapy.
Overall, cancer patients who used alternative medicine were 2.5 times more likely to die within a 5 year period than those who chose conventional cancer therapy.
However, people with breast cancer were 5.7 times more likely to die in the same period if they used alternative medicine rather than conventional medicine.
This evidence flies in the face of the British Association of Veterinary Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons' claim that homeopathy cures cancer.
But more importantly, one of the main reasons why practitioners in both human and veterinary medicine so often acquiesce to their patients' use of alternative medicine is because of the perception that they do no harm. After all, homeopathy is only water, right?
This study provides perhaps the first evidence that the reverse may be true. That if you do not actively deter clients from using discredited forms of alternative medicine, you may be allowing them to sentence themselves, or rather their dog, to an early death.
The survey was promoted to the profession via the websites, by Veterinary Times and through the RCVS Mind Matters newsletter. The data was then anonymised, analysed and reported on by Sally Everitt MRCVS, ex Head of Scientific Policy at BSAVA.
677 participants reported being on the receiving end - within the last year - of at least one of 15 types of unpleasant behaviour which ranged from being physically intimidated through to being on the receiving end of sly glances. However, on average, each respondent experienced no less than five different types of unpleasant behaviour.
Of these, 390 were veterinary nurses, 252 were veterinary surgeons and 13 were practice managers.
The most frequently reported behaviours were: 'being belittled in front of other staff' (73%), 'being criticised minutely, repeatedly and seemingly unfairly' (65%), 'being aware of management or senior staff talking negatively about you behind your back' (51%), and '‘having your authority undermined to others in the practice, for example by having your instructions countermanded commonly and without consultation' (50%).
Seen in isolation, some might question whether these sorts of behaviour amount to bullying. It is important therefore to stress both that they typically formed part of a pattern of behaviour (the five different behaviour types reported, on average, by each respondent), and that the survey specifically asked only for reports where the behaviour was repeated.
Separately, 344 people also said they were currently on the receiving end of sustained patterns of behaviour, usually from one person, which seemed designed to make their life unpleasant.
Respondents were also invited to describe in more detail how they felt they had been mistreated at their practice.
Sally said: "Reading the responses, four main themes stood out: not feeling part of the team, lack of respect, lack of support and issues around management including not being listened to and perceptions of being treated unfairly."
Participants in the survey were then asked to describe what impact the behaviour had on their working life.
Sally said: "The answers to this question often demonstrated that the respondents had been very upset by the behaviours. Of the 560 replies to this question, 220 described an impact on their mental health, from anxiety to breakdowns and suicidal thoughts. 120 respondents talked specifically about the impact on their lack or loss of confidence, and 207 talked about leaving their job or the profession entirely."
Survey participants were then asked what they planned to do about it. Out of 680 replies, 195 talked about moving practice as soon as they can, 164 said they would take it up with the practice manager (however, of the 55 who reported this in the free text answer, 30 said it led to no change or made things worse), and 109 said they had no choice but to suffer in silence. 45 said they had or would leave the profession and only 35 said they would take it up with the perpetrator themselves.
As regards who is bullying who, more or less the same number of people reported being bullied by a veterinary surgeon as a veterinary nurse. What was interesting, and important for those in positions of leadership to note, is that veterinary nurses were much more likely to be bullied by other nurses and vets by other vets.
Finally, respondents were asked a series of questions about whether there was a zero tolerance of bullying or conflict resolution policy in force and enforced at their practice. Only 24 and 28% of respondents respectively were aware of such policies being in place. What was also clear was that having such policies and enforcing them correlated with lower levels of being on the receiving end of sustained patterns of unpleasant behaviour at the practice.
Arlo Guthrie, Editor of VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk said: “Above all else, I want to thank everyone who shared their experience so that others can draw comfort in knowing they are by no means alone in this. I also want you to know that you’ve been heard.
"Given the survey design, it is not possible to draw any conclusions concerning the prevalence of bullying in the veterinary profession. What we can say for sure is that there have been 680 reports. If, as the data indicates, these are from different practices, then it is something that goes on in a significant proportion of veterinary practices."
"The million dollar question is what needs to be done next. It seems to me that the first and most important thing is that the profession needs to talk about behaviour and its impact openly and candidly, mirroring the great strides forward in the area of mental health."
In addition, the survey report proposes further discussion - at both a practice and professional organisation level - about things which:
As one veterinary nurse commented: "Pay is obviously important when you have a mortgage and bills, but not dreading going into work every day, it’s priceless!"
To download the report in full, click the link below:
PDF
Salmoporc gives protection against Salmonella Typhimurium and its monophasic variants. It is administered orally to piglets and through subcutaneous injection in sows.
According to the company, Salmoporc is the only live, attenuated salmonella vaccine licensed for pigs in the UK and Ireland.
Ceva says salmonella in UK and Irish herds is the highest in the EU, with a prevalence of 19.5% and 17.5% respectively. It is particularly difficult to control in outdoor herds since the bacteria can survive in soil for a year, even longer in dried dung and has been detected in fields two years after being vacated by pigs.
Outdoor bred, or reared, pigmeat accounts for 12% of retail sales and the majority of this is processed.
Dr Rike Schmelz from Ceva said: "Salmonella is an increasing problem on pig farms and the bacteria are transmitted through breeding pyramids which eventually supply finishing pigs. Clinical cases of diarrhoea often occur after weaning and tend to be treated with antibiotics."
Rike added: "The monophasic variant of S. Typhimurium is already multi-drug resistant and vaccinating pigs can help farmers to substantially reduce their use of expensive antibiotics. In addition, with the removal of zinc oxide at therapeutic levels from the feed in mid-2022, salmonella and other enteric diseases are likely to become more apparent."
Ceva says that by immunising their pigs against S. Typhimurium, farmers will gain an economic benefit from lowered mortality and improved daily liveweight gain (DLWG) among their pigs.
In independent trials at the University of Ghent in Belgium, between three and 29 weeks, vaccinated piglets from three herds gained between 30g and 39g, significantly more per day than unvaccinated controls.
Trials in Germany have shown that, with vaccination of sows and gilts at the top of the breeding pyramid, combined with a competent hygiene programme, it is possible to eliminate salmonella from the supply chain.