Recent changes in the way veterinary schools teach clinical and practical skills, coupled with increasing financial pressure on students and new graduates, have triggered the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to review its guidelines for Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) and clinical education.

A requirement has been in place for the last 75 years that veterinary students ‘see practice' for at least 26 weeks in their clinical years.

The purpose of EMS has always been to ensure that veterinary students have the right mix of practical and theoretical teaching and understand the realities of commercial clinical practice before they graduate. This objective does not change, but the College's Education Policy and Specialisation Committee believes it is now time to look again at what is covered in the clinical curriculum of the undergraduate degree to ensure that guidelines are kept up to date.

EMS was last reviewed in 1996, but in the interim veterinary schools have introduced new ways of teaching practical and clinical aspects of the curriculum. There has also been an increase in the role played by the veterinary schools' own first opinion practices.

In addition, having to carry out EMS not only restricts students' capacity to work during the holidays, but often incurs substantial travel and accommodation expenses. With students facing increasing amounts of debt, the financial impact of EMS needs to be reviewed.

The review group, which will be chaired by RCVS Council Member and practitioner Dr Barry Johnson, will gather evidence from a broad range of stakeholders. It aims to make a report to Council by the end of 2009.

Diverse Undertakings Ltd. has announced that it is extending its services to include support for veterinary practices in securing their RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) accreditation.

The company was originally formed to provide business advisory services to small and medium sized enterprises across a range of industry sectors. Its services range from general H.R. advice, health & safety guidance and facilities management to candidate sourcing and call-centre services.

However, with previous experience supporting a substantial veterinary practice in Kent for both employment challenges and PSS accreditation, Company Director Neal Palk decided to extend the company's capability to support other veterinary practices in securing their PSS accreditation.

He says that because the needs of each practice vary, Diverse can adapt its service to reflect both the individual circumstances relating to accreditation as well as the capability/capacity with the practice to undertake necessary tasks itself. By using a network of associates, he says Diverse can call upon other specialities (for example - competitively priced office/building equipment) to smooth the progress to accreditation.

Diverse says it offers a range of transparent pricing options to suit the client which, without the overheads of large consultancies, often result in PSS accreditation being achieved for less cost than a typical administrative temp for a month. Monthly retention fee alternatives for other services are available, beginning at £95+ VAT.

Neal said: "Several organisations offer professional services to the veterinary practice sector, but few can claim to have 'been there, done that' and really understand the climate and culture the sector operates within. Diverse Undertakings Ltd. values its experience in the sector and aims to work with other practices to achieve both accreditation and wider business success."

For more details please contact Neal on 07771 843719, e-mail: info@diverseundertakings.com, or visit: http://www/diverseundertakings.com

CEVA Animal Health is drawing vets' attention to research which has found a possible link between autism and pyrethrin-based flea shampoos.

Findings from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment study, which is funded by the US National Institutes of Health, have raised the possibility that pyrethrins found in pet shampoos are linked to an increased risk of autism.

Mothers who used flea treatments containing pyrethrin based flea shampoos while pregnant were found to be twice as likely to have a child with an autistic spectrum disorder as those who did not.

The scientists who undertook the research have emphasised that the findings remain preliminary.

CEVA points out that while veterinary on-animal and household flea products have undergone extensive testing for safety and efficacy, parents may abandon flea control regimes over fears of pesticide use (as they abandoned the MMR vaccine).

Anxiety about the use of pesticides in the home is actually nothing new; a survey carried out in 2007, showed that two out of three pet owners were concerned about safety when using a pesticide-based flea spray in their homes.

CEVA highlights its own environmental flea control, Skoosh, as a possible alternative for concerned parents. Instead of pesticides, Skoosh uses inert silicones, commonly used in skin creams, make up, headlice lotions and oral medications, to physically engulf the fleas. CEVA says that Skoosh™ is not only effective against mature fleas, eggs and larvae but also physically prevents the hatching and development of pupae, which are not affected by traditional household sprays.

Ed's note: Fleas are something I know a little bit about (having worked on behalf of Novartis Animal Health for many years); I'd say that Program is another good alternative for pet owners that want to use a flea control product that does not put them into contact with pesticides. And no, I wasn't paid to write that, just force of habit!

The RCVS has written to the MPs drawn in today's private members' Bill ballot to call upon them to introduce legislation to protect the title 'veterinary nurse' and introduce an effective regulatory system that would ensure that those veterinary nurses found guilty of serious professional misconduct are prevented from carrying out medical treatment to or surgery on animals.

Currently the title 'veterinary nurse' is not protected, so anyone can legally refer to themselves as a veterinary nurse, regardless of their level of training.

Furthermore, veterinary nurses (VNs) are not subject to statutory regulation; the RCVS uses powers under its Royal Charter to award certificates to VNs who have undergone approved training. Qualified VNs (whose names appear in a List of certificate-holders published by the RCVS) are allowed to give medical treatment to, or carry out minor surgery on, animals under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA).

In 2007, the RCVS introduced a non-statutory Register of Veterinary Nurses. Registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) commit to follow a code of professional conduct, keep their skills and knowledge up to date and submit to a disciplinary system.

RVNs found guilty of serious professional misconduct can be suspended or removed from the Register at the direction of the RVN Disciplinary Committee (DC), but the RCVS has no power to remove them from the List. This means they can still legally give medical treatment or carry out minor surgery and perform other nursing duties specified under VSA (although they will then be formally listed as 'DC removal - Listed').

The RCVS has been working for some time to develop a framework for the regulation of veterinary nurses and has sent the ballot MPs a pre-prepared Bill, drafted by leading Counsel.

The statutory regulation of VNs is widely supported by the veterinary nursing profession and the public. This is evidenced by a 2012 HM Government e-petition, calling for the statutory regulation of veterinary nurses, which received over 2,500 signatures. Furthermore, the regulation of veterinary nurses by statute is supported by the British Veterinary Nursing Association and the British Veterinary Association, the representative bodies for veterinary nurses and surgeons in the UK.

RCVS Chief Executive Nick Stace said:"I urge MPs selected in today's Ballot to take forward legislation for the statutory regulation of veterinary nurses and the protection of the title veterinary nurse. The nation's animals and owners deserve better than the current situation.

"There is widespread support amongst the public and profession for such legislation, so the RCVS has had a Bill drafted by leading Counsel and is prepared to offer significant support to any MP willing to pick up this worthy cause."

The Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) has announced that following a review carried out by its Medicines Sub-committee, it is adopting the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) list of highest-priority Critically Important Antibiotics (CIAs), namely fluoroquinolones, 3^rd and 4^th generation cephalosporins and colistin.

The review coincided with a move last month from RUMA, the agricultural and food industry alliance which promotes responsible use of medicines in farm animals, to align with the EMA position.

The announcement means that under PVS guidelines, fluoroquinolones, 3^rd and 4^th generation cephalosporins and colistin will retain Class 3 status. This means they are only used when no other options are available and when supported by laboratory sensitivity testing – or exceptionally when all other options have failed.

Class 1 antibiotics form the standard prescribing list within responsible use guidelines and Class 2 are used only when sensitivity tests or clinical experience proves standard antibiotics are not effective. In all treatment decisions the health and welfare of the pigs must always take priority.

Betalactams with betalactamase inhibitors (clavulanic acid) were previously in the highest priority Class 3 but in light of the list defined by the EMA, which has been adopted by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate as well as RUMA, the PVS has reassessed the risk and moved them to Class 2 to align them with plain betalactams. This means they are still subject to voluntary restrictions, but their use would not necessarily be only as a last resort.

PVS president Mark White said that despite the ongoing review process and the potential to reclassify certain products, the Society’s underlying principles remain unchanged: "The total amount of all antibiotics used on pig farms to treat and prevent disease should be minimised, and the types of antibiotics used in pigs should be considered in light of the implications for antibiotic resistance challenges in both pigs and man.

"This policy is proving successful with AHDB Pork’s electronic pig medicine book (e-MB) recently showing that use of colistin appears to have fallen by over 70% in 2016 following its move to a Class 3 antibiotic in late 2015.

"We must also continue to be alert to the possibility of cross resistance, even in older antibiotics that have little or no use in humans. Risk must be acknowledged where it exists and overall reductions are still imperative."

RUMA has welcomed the review and alignment from the PVS. Secretary General John FitzGerald said: "Farmers and vets need boundaries within which to operate and clear objectives to meet, and we would urge all supply chains, from farmer to retailer, to align with the sector position on best practice use of antibiotics, as defined by each sector’s professional veterinary organisation."

The European Parliament has voted 618 votes to 17 for an extension to the transitional arrangements contained within the regulation on the non-commercial movement of pet animals which afford the UK additional protection against rabies, ticks and tapeworms.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have been lobbying MEPs to support the extension and have strongly welcomed this decision.

The transitional arrangements allow the UK to impose stricter measures on the entry of pet animals and are designed to protect the UK from rabies, ticks and tapeworms (Echinococcus multilocularis).

The vote in the European Parliament today supports an extension of these arrangements until the end of 2011 and puts in place a system so that permanent measures can be imposed in the future for entry to specific Member States based on scientific evidence. The decision will have to be ratified by the European Agriculture Council before coming into force.

Parasitologist Maggie Fisher from ESCCAP said: "This provides the UK with invaluable time to mount a solid scientific case for retaining the requirement for tick and tapeworm treatment indefinitely."

Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA, said: "The BVA and BSAVA have worked closely with Defra to secure this extension to the arrangements and we will now be pushing for investment in additional scientific research that will give us a clearer picture of the threat of the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis and other exotic and emerging diseases."

Dr Richard Dixon, President of BSAVA, added: "This decision in Europe is strongly welcomed and we are pleased that veterinary associations across Europe supported our position. The next stage is to gather further evidence to ensure the UK is protected in the future.

"In the meantime, the key message for pet owners is that they must talk to their vets as early as possible to find out how to protect them from disease and parasites when travelling abroad."

he leaflet has been produced following changes in legislation concerning maternity, paternity and adoption, and covers issues such as:

• When employees need to tell their employer that they're pregnant, when maternity pay starts, all about paternity rights, and what to do when they're ready to return to work
• For employers, a timeline of when to do what, what to do when a locum tells them they're pregnant, and all about paternity and adoption rights
• Where locums stand on maternity, paternity and adoption

The leaflet includes timelines for quick reference together with health and safety advice, including a template risk assessment form.

Professor Bill Reilly, BVA past president, chaired the members services sub group which developed the document. He said: "This Guidance tells everyone in the practice team what they need to know about pregnancy in the workplace.

"Developed with the help of human resources and legal experts this Guidance answers common questions, gives a great overview of what should happen when, as well as who has which rights and responsibilities.

"It is specifically tailored to the veterinary environment so vets, vet nurses and practice managers should all find the clear advice useful."

BVA members can download the guide from www.bva.co.uk/guides.

The BSAVA has announced Richard Dawkins as its headline speaker at BSAVA Congress 2013 next April.

Richard follows in the footsteps of Lord Robert Winston and Susan Greenfield as the special speaker for the BSAVA lecture.

The talk, sponsored by Anistel, takes place on the Thursday afternoon of in Hall 1 and is open to all Congress delegates.

Dawkins is a prolific writer who first came to prominence with his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, his strident manifesto for secularism. However it is The God Delusion that now finds him so frequently called upon for comment. Along with Stephen Hawkins, he is one of the few scientists that members of the public can easily identify, in part due to his willingness to engage in academic and media debates.

Dawkins was born in Nairobi in 1941 where his father worked for British colonial service. He returned to Britain after the war to grow up on the family's estate farm. He studied zoology at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was tutored by Nobel Prize-winning ethologist Nikolaas Tinbergen, graduating in 1962. He received his M.A. and D.Phil. degrees by 1966, and remained a research assistant for another year, when his research concerned models of animal decision-making.

He has since been an assistant professor of zoology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a lecturer and reader in zoology at University of Oxford. In 1995 he was appointed Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, a position that had been endowed by Charles Simonyi with the express intention that the holder "be expected to make important contributions to the public understanding of some scientific field", and that its first holder should be Richard Dawkins.

Image courtesy Zoe Margolis

Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses will be able to try their hands at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons code-cracking competition at the London Vet Show at Olympia on 24-25 November.

At the RCVS breakfast session on the Friday morning (8.30, part of the Business Stream), President Dr Jerry Davies will unlock the secrets of the proposed new Codes of Professional Conduct for vets and VNs. 

To promote this breakfast session, the RCVS is inviting visitors to come to its stand (J90) to solve photo enigmas, using clues provided to decipher a series of words that appear in the proposed new Codes. The winner will be in line to receive a pair of super sleuthing video glasses.

VNs who missed BVNA Congress can also get their hands on a 50^th anniversary commemorative chocolate medallion by visiting the RCVS stand.

Coffee and pastries will be served at the morning session on Friday - there's no need to book, just turn up.

The VDS is now selling tickets for its Graduate Support Day 2021, which will take place online on Saturday 2nd October 2021.

The event, which is open to 2019 and 2020 graduates, offers a day to catch up with classmates, network and create new connections, whilst accumulating six hours of CPD. 

During the day, delegates will be able to practise their skills with real-life actors who play the part of clients, recreating difficult situations they may be facing in practice, which will then be dissected by the audience.

You will also be able to talk to the heads of the main veterinary organisations and get advice from representatives of the BVA, RCVS, VMG, BSAVA, SPVS and SPVS Educational Trust.

Ticket holders will also have access to a digital delegate bag with exclusive content from VDS Training, Supporters & Sponsors.

Tickets are £35 and can be bought at: https://www.bit.ly/VDSGraduateSupportDay2021 or for further information, contact info@vds-training.co.uk 

David Godfrey has moved into his post as BSAVA President for 2025-26.

Taking over the Presidency from Julian Hoad, David will continue to focus on the Programme of Change and the BSAVA’s new strategy, which includes some new products and services.

David qualified from the RVC in 1988 and has had a career largely in small animal practice, including a year in Canada.

He and his wife Rosie started the first feline-only practice in England and David is now an Advanced Practitioner in small animal dermatology.

He has postgraduate qualifications in small animal dermatology and medicine, becoming board certified in feline practice, and has an RCVS Fellowship on Feline Osteoarthritis.

David helped to set up the BSAVA West Midlands committee, before then becoming a BSAVA Council member and Chair of the Regions for three years before joining the Board and the presidential ladder.

David said: “It is an honour being BSAVA President for 2025-2026, but this next year will not be about me.

"It will be about the renewal of BSAVA, it will hear us shouting out with an ever-increasing voice about the most exciting innovations and I promise to do my very best.”

Julian Hoad will now move into the role of Senior Vice President, whilst Niall Connell begins his new role as Junior Vice President alongside Jo Megarity, who joins the Board as Honorary Treasurer.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, has launched a new guide entitled ‘Your guide to Exotic Diseases', to educate horse owners on these potentially fatal, insect-borne diseases, some of which are zoonotic.

Joining the company's guides on respiratory disease and vaccination, the leaflet features information on West Nile Virus, African Horse Sickness, Equine Infectious Anaemia (Swamp Fever) and Equine Encephalitis including overviews of each of the diseases and their clinical signs. 

Spread by a variety of insect-borne vectors including midges, mosquitoes and horseflies, climate change is increasing the risk of exotic diseases having a severe impact on the country's equine industry.  What's more, African Horse Sickness is transmitted from animal to animal by infected biting Culicoides midges, the same midges that carry the Bluetongue virus which has threatened UK livestock this year.

"It's essential that horse owners are aware of the threat of exotic diseases coming in from overseas and the clinical signs to look out for, especially during the summer and autumn months when diseases transmitted by insects are more likely to appear." comments Tim Zoch, Marketing Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health.  "Our new leaflet features easy-to-understand overviews of each of the diseases to help educate owners, and practices can expect strong demand from their clients"

For further information about Intervet/Schering-Plough's range of horse owner guides, including ‘Your guide to Exotic Diseases', please contact your Intervet/Schering-Plough Account Manager or call the Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.