The BVA has reported the results of its 2019 joint survey with the Association of Veterinary Students, which found that 50% of vet students now find they have to work part-time to meet their living expenses. 

This compares with 38% in 2016 and just 25% in 2012.

The survey found that on average, students are having to make up an annual shortfall of £2000 per annum, and those in the mid and later years of study are more likely to have a part-time job than those in the earlier years. 

Significant numbers of students are now also reporting mental health problems: 68% report feeling overwhelmed, 52% experiencing anxiety and 35% reporting depression, with 78% citing their studies as the cause, 57% the lack of free time and 44% financial worries. 

As part of the survey, students were asked which area they saw themselves working in after graduation.

Overall, 85% said they intend to go into clinical practice (increasing from 79% in the 1st year to 90% in the final year).

When they think about their first job, 43% said the graduate support offering and 28% the type of practice are the most important considerations.

When it comes to extra-mural studies (EMS), the survey found hands-on experience is the top priority for vet students when choosing their placements and cost is the biggest barrier (37%). 

Katie Roberts, AVS President, said: "I’m really pleased that we’ve got an up-to-date overview of the thoughts, concerns and aspirations of our membership population. Our new comprehensive data set on the mental health and welfare concerns of our students is concerning, as are the number of students facing financial concerns during their degree. However, such shocking findings will provide us with really strong, quantitative support when we work to tackle these issues over the coming months."

BVA President, Daniella Dos Santos said: “This survey is a really important snapshot of veterinary student life today. High levels of mental health concerns and funding gaps continue to be a significant worry and it’s essential that both the vet schools and the wider veterinary community provide as much support as possible. We’ll be sharing the results with the vet schools to help them help their students.

"The increasing pressure to work part-time to makes ends meet is a stark reminder that a vet degree can be really expensive. This isn’t only a concern for current vet students who are facing financial hardship but it’s also a significant barrier to widening participation to students from non-traditional backgrounds. It’s an issue that BVA is working on with AVS, RCVS and the Vet Schools Council."

Dechra is conducting a survey about strangles to better understand veterinary surgeons' approach to managing the disease.

The survey will assess vets’ experiences of the disease, biosecurity and the role of vaccination to help prevent strangles.

It includes questions on the number of strangles cases diagnosed in the last year, how the diagnosis was reached and in what instances they would recommend strangles vaccination.

The survey, which is approximately two minutes long, is at: https://forms.office.com/e/wH1UeVFmVW. 

All participants will be entered into a prize draw for a £50 Amazon voucher.

For further information on Strangles Awareness Week: https://www.redwings.org.uk/strangles/strangles-awareness-week.

Northern Ireland-based Ciga Healthcare is launching a veterinary division, marketing a range of lateral flow rapid diagnostic tests under the Suresign Veterinary brand.

The Suresign range consists of: 

• Canine Parvovirus Antigen Rapid Tests  
• Canine CRP Rapid Test  
• CPV Antigen/CCV Antigen/Giardia Lamblia Antigen Rapid test  
• Canine Distemper Antigen Rapid Test  
• Canine Leishmania Antibody Rapid Test  
• Feline Panleukopenia Virus Antigen Rapid Test  
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Antibody Rapid Test  

Shane Brewer, Veterinary Business Development Manager at CIGA Healthcare, said: "We are very excited to be branching out into the veterinary field with our very affordable veterinary rapid tests. With the recent increase in pet ownership over the previous year, it is important to offer vets and their clients an affordable alternative to the tests they are currently using."

Ciga says its tests are easy to perform and interpret, competitively priced and offer results in 5-10 minutes. 

For more information (in due course), visit: www.suresignveterinary.com

Janssen Animal Health has produced a new DVD called 'Fluke: That's a Fact', which is available free from the company.

The 18 minute film features TV presenter Michaela Strachan discussing the big issues surrounding fluke in sheep, such as the effects on productivity and fertility and the need to adapt treatment regimes to reflect the current challenge in the environment, weather patterns and the possibility of resistance to commonly used flukicides. There is also a section on Haemonchus, the Barber's Pole worm, as the parasite has been reported in a number of farms in the last few years.

According to the company, fluke is becoming increasingly common and is moving into new areas of the UK. There is increasing evidence that a single autumn / winter dose of flukicide may not always be enough to control the disease on some farms and more frequent dosing programmes are now often proposed that look more long term to reduce the level of the disease on farms, especially  on those  farms with high infection pressure. The film clearly explains these different approaches and the benefits of treating at various times of the year.

Janssen's Livestock Marketing Manager Nigel Underwood hopes the film will be a great educational tool that will help both farmers and SQPs better understand the disease: "With ten easy to watch sections, people will be able to listen to the whole story or just dip into those areas where they feel they need to know more. With her long standing interest in the countryside and wildlife, Michaela Strachan was the perfect choice to present what can be a rather complex story and I'm sure everyone will enjoy her clear explanation of the facts."

To request a DVD or for further information, please contact Janssen Animal Health, 50-100 Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 4EG. Tel 01494 567555 Fax 01494 567556 Email: ahealth@its.jnj.com www.janssenanimalhealth.com/uk

Animalcare has announced that its injectable anaesthetic pre-medication Acecare can now be broached 40 times.

Acepromazine-based Acecare is used alongside other opioids and reduces the amount of anaesthetic necessary to induce anaesthesia by approximately one third.

Animalcare Product Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: "Practices are looking for greater cost-effectiveness in the products they use and are also keen to reduce waste.

"We are delighted to announce that Acecare, a trusted staple of anaesthetic protocols in use at many practices is now offering improved performance in both of these areas.”

For more information, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or contact Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687.

Ceva Animal Health has launched Cystease Advanced, a new urinary tract support supplement for cats.

The new product, which contains N-acetyl glucosamine, L-tryptophan and Hyaluronic Acid, is described as an elaboration on the original product, Cystease S. 

Ceva says Cystease Advanced has been designed to help support the bladder lining while also reducing stress-related behaviour in cats.  

Fraser Broadfoot, small animal product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "It is well documented that stress can adversely affect the integrity of the bladder lining.  There are many factors that cause stress in cats, for example inter-cat conflict, moving house, new arrivals to the home environment and car travel, to name just a few.

"Our new product has been developed to address both conditions; it contains N-acetyl glucosamine and Hyaluronic Acid which are key components of the GAG lining, whereas L-tryptophan has been proven to reduce stress-related behaviour in cats."

Cystease Advanced is taken orally and is available in pots of 30 and 300 tablets.

Ceva recommends that Cystease Advanced is used with Feliway, the company's appeasing pheromone for cats.

For further details please contact the customer support team on 01494 781510.

One of this year’s recipients of the RCVS Impact Award, Professor Sarah Freeman, will be talking about her pioneering public awareness project on equine colic at an upcoming Regional Question Time in Nottingham on 25th November 2019.

Sarah is a Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine & Science, and leads the Nottingham Equine Colic Project, which works with organisations such as the British Horse Society to raise awareness of the condition.

Sarah's talk, 'Generating an evidence-based educational campaign on colic', will discuss new evidence from the project, and how it led to the REACT colic campaign. She will also be sharing experiences of how the campaign has worked and asking whether we can change people's attitudes and behaviours.

The evening starts at 6.15pm with food and refreshments with Sarah's talk starting at 7pm, after which there will be an update on the College’s latest projects and initiatives. That'll be followed by a question and answer session with senior officers and staff from the RCVS - including RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, and Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council Racheal Marshall.

Dr Connell said: "Thank you to Professor Freeman for agreeing to speak about the colic project which, through its Colic Awareness Week, is helping to raise knowledge of the early signs of colic amongst horse owners, allowing them to get their horses treated in good time and saving their lives.

"I also look forward to talking to members of the profession about some of the issues currently on their minds – the evening is very much led by what those who attend want to discuss – from mental health, to our under care review, to the Practice Standards Scheme. Attending the event can also count to up to three hours towards your continuing professional development (CPD) requirement."

The event is open to all members of the practice team including veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and others. The event is free and places can be booked via the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/nottingham. 

In the afternoon before the event, between 12 noon and 5pm, the College will also be holding a series of free 45-minute Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) surgeries with PSS Lead Assessor Pam Mosedale. 

The surgeries are open to both RCVS-accredited practices and those considering joining the Scheme and allows delegates to discuss the assessment process, how to apply for awards, how to meet particular requirements and any other questions they may have about the PSS. 

Places at the surgeries are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be booked at: www.rcvs.org.uk/PSSsurgeries

The British College of Veterinary Specialists (BCVSp) has launched a new website, www.yourvetspecialist.org to promote the services of RCVS and European Veterinary Specialists to the pet-owning public.

The new website explains what Veterinary Specialists are, how they may be able to help, and how the referral process works. The BCVSp says it has been designed to be a useful resource which primary practices can direct their clients to if a referral is being considered.

As well as being able to search for a Specialist by location and by discipline, owners can also read some real life patient case studies following the referral, treatment journeys and outcomes of animals that have benefited from Specialist care and meet some of the Specialists via podcast links.

BCVSp Trustee Celia Marr said: "While most happy healthy animals will never need Specialist veterinary care, if they do we want their owners to know that we are here to help.

"There are many hundreds of Specialists working at the forefront of veterinary care and also those working in research, pathology and academia, helping to advance animal health and welfare, every day. We believe our new website should help to spread the word and make referral more understandable and accessible."

Visit the new website at www.yourvetspecialist.org 

The RCVS has published a report summarising the latest research presented by mental health and wellbeing researchers at last November's Mind Matters Initiative Research Symposium. 

The plenary speaker was Professor Rory O’Connor, Chair of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow’s Institute of Health & Wellbeing whose talk: "When it is darkest: understanding suicide risk" opened the day with an outline of his 25 years of work looking into suicide prevention.

Rory discussed his recent investigation into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s mental health and wellbeing, and how to reduce the risk of suicidal ideation turning into suicidal action.

He said: “In the last 10 to 15 years there has been an increased focus in particular on psychological and psycho-social interventions for helping people who are suicidal.

"Although suicide is complex, interventions, even brief interventions, can be effective.”

Rory was followed by presentations from a number of teams, including those who'd been awarded the MMI’s Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant in 2019 and 2020:

• Dr Victoria Crossley and Dr Navaratnam Partheeban - Experiences of racism and its impacts on mental wellbeing in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people working and studying in the UK veterinary sector. 
• Dr Victoria Williamson - Experiences and impact of moral injury in UK veterinary professional wellbeing. 
• Dr Kate Stephen - How farm vets cope: An exploration of how vets cope with the daily challenges of farm animal practice and how best these coping mechanisms might be developed into tools which can be easily accessed by the livestock veterinary community.
• Camille K Y Chan from the University of Hong Kong: Cyberbullying and mental wellbeing of veterinarians in Hong Kong.
• Makenzie Peterson MSc from Wellbeing at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC): Veterinary intern and resident wellbeing.
• Dr Nadine Hamilton: Understanding and supporting veterinary mental health.
• Dr Brad Hill from the University of Nottingham: Integrated mental health awareness in the veterinary undergraduate curriculum.
• Sabine Tötemeyer from the University of Nottingham: Perception and impact of online mental health awareness teaching in year one during the pandemic.
• Fergus Mitchell a vet student from the University of Nottingham: The effects of an exercise programme on the mental wellbeing of veterinary students.
• Anna Garrity from Medivet, Orrell Park: Do registered veterinary nurses feel stigmatised by acknowledging stress and accessing support?
• Mark Turner, independent quality improvement researcher: The relationship between patient safety culture and staff burnout. conundrum or cure?
• Charlotte Bullard from the British Veterinary Nursing Association: Mindset, resilience and perception of reactions to workplace challenge in RVNs.
• Kris van den Bogaard from MSD Animal Health: Explanatory research on satisfaction in the Dutch veterinary practice.
• Dr Kirstie Pickles from the University of Nottingham: Students’ perceptions of using two mental health apps during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Sabine Tötemeyer and Georgina Bladon from the University of Nottingham: On using a co-created interactive game to engage students with mental health awareness.
• Sharon Cooksey, PhD student at the University of Liverpool: Emotional intelligence and its relationship with work engagement amongst veterinary surgeons in UK veterinary practice.

The full report of the day’s talks can be found here https://www.vetmindmatters.org/resources/report-mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2021

The RCVS is now accepting disclosures from veterinary surgeons about any criminal cautions, convictions or adverse findings they may have against them, as part of a voluntary period before the requirement to disclose commences in 2014.

The requirement that veterinary surgeons notify the College about criminal cautions, convictions or adverse findings on registration, and on an annual basis as part of their registration renewal each March, was introduced as part of the Code of Professional Conduct in 2012 (section 5.3, see Notes to Editors). However, the College has allowed a bedding-in period for the Code before enforcing the requirement.

From 2014, new registrants will have to disclose any criminal cautions, convictions or adverse findings that may affect registration (for example, those from university fitness to practise procedures).

Veterinary surgeons already on the Register (including overseas and non-practising categories, as well as UK-practising) will only be required to disclose criminal cautions, convictions or adverse findings that have occurred since April 2006. Fixed-penalty motoring offences are excluded.

The veterinary profession has fallen under the Notifiable Occupations Scheme since April 2006, which means that serious convictions are already passed to the College from the police.

If a veterinary surgeon declares a criminal conviction, this will be initially considered by the Registrar, and, if necessary, referred to the Preliminary Investigation Committee. In some cases, the matter will be referred on to the Disciplinary Committee to decide if the nature of the caution or conviction affects the veterinary surgeon's fitness to practise - in which case the usual sanctions of removal or suspension from the Register could apply.

Eleanor Ferguson, Head of Professional Conduct said: "We hope, through this new requirement, to increase the public's confidence in the veterinary profession, and to safeguard animal health and welfare. The move brings the veterinary profession into line with many others - including registered veterinary nurses, who have made such a disclosure since their Register was introduced, in 2007."

The RCVS has launched a dedicated advice line to assist affected veterinary surgeons, on 07818 113 056, open Monday to Friday, 11am-4pm.

Callers will speak to one of three RCVS solicitors who can advise on the process and the possible outcomes of disclosure. Alternatively, veterinary surgeons can contact disclosure@rcvs.org.uk.

Detailed information regarding the requirement, including examples of the kinds of convictions that may be referred to the Preliminary Investigation Committee, and a disclosure form, can be found on www.rcvs.org.uk/convictions.

Devon-based White Lodge Veterinary Surgery has achieved a 32.6% reduction in the use of a critically important antibiotic by carrying out a clinical audit.

The CVS practice aimed to change its prescribing culture by adopting an evidence-based, case-by-case approach and supporting its vets in only using antibiotics where absolutely necessary. 

The practice identified the use of antibiotics in the treatment of cat bite abscesses (CBAs) as worthy of investigation.

Cefovecin, a third-generation cephalosporin and critically important antibiotic, is often used in the treatment of CBAs.

The practice first sought guidance from a dermatology specialist with an active research programme involving the study of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

It then developed a clinical guideline advising that if a cat has a discrete abscess, with no pyrexia (raised temperature) and no cellulitis, antibiotics are not required.

White Lodge then conducted an eight-month clinical audit across its Exmouth Hub, with the aim of measuring the effect of the new guideline.

The practice treated patients with CBA’s with NSAIDS, lancing and flushing (if necessary), and cleaning of the abscess.

Owners were advised to flush the affected area at home once daily.

An antibiotic awareness leaflet was given to clients with an explanation of the reasoning behind not prescribing antibiotics.

Cats presented 5-7 days after treatment for a nurse re-examination.

A consultation template was created for both the vet at initial presentation and another for the nurse’s post treatment check, to gather standardised information. 

The measure of successful treatment was whether, on re-examination, the CBA site appeared free from infection and wound healing was evident.

If the wound had not started to heal or if there was infection or pyrexia, the treatment was deemed to have failed and further treatment was provided.

Analysis of the results showed that of the 22 cats included in the audit, 19 (86%) did not need antibiotics to successfully treat the abscess.

There was also a 32.6% reduction in the number of times cefovecin was dispensed in the eight-month period after the audit started, compared with the previous eight months.

Emily Parr, Head Veterinary Surgeon at White Lodge, said: “We think, due to lack of confidence in treatment without antibiotics as well as client pressure or expectation, the profession tends to default to the prescribing of antibiotics.

“However, this clinical audit has given our veterinary colleagues increased confidence in treating CBA’s without antibiotics.

"There has also been an improved client understanding in accepting treatment without antibiotics.

"Clients have also been positive when minimal intervention has been required, particularly as it eliminates the cost of antibiotics.

"This has had a positive impact on the vet-client relationship and trust in our practice.

“Antimicrobial resistance is continuing to threaten the efficacy and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections.

"So we hope that our CBA clinical audit outcome results will help to set a benchmark and shape clinical guidelines for the wider veterinary profession in this area.”

The RCVS is holding a session at the London Vet Show on Saturday 23rd October from 8:30am-9:30am to provide guidance and advice concerning the work your nursing team does in practice.

As the RCVS says, the recent Panorama programme "It shouldn't happen at a vets'" was a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring that all practice staff are working within the appropriate legal framework.

The session will answer such questions as:

• Are your veterinary nursing staff working legally?
• Do their job titles mislead the public?
• Is your veterinary team delegating appropriately?
• Do you understand Schedule 3?
• Are your VN 'students' really students?

Because of the early start, the RCVS is providing breakfast from 8:15am, though I wouldn't get your hopes up for eggs benedict and freshly smoked Loch Fyne kippers.

The RCVS says the session will be relevant for all members of the practice team, but that if you can't make the session, they will be on hand to discuss VN legislation on stand M26. 

The Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) has announced the launch of #ColostrumIsGold, a new campaign to promote the 'liquid gold' properties of colostrum in reducing the need for antibiotics in farm animals.

The campaign, taking place in February, will underline that responsible use of antibiotics starts with newborn calves, lambs and piglets receiving the right amount of colostrum within a couple of hours of birth – something all farmers have the potential to achieve.

A number of organisations will be releasing information and promoting best practice throughout the month, mainly based around getting the 3Qs (quality, quantity and quickness) of colostrum delivery right.

The FarmAntibiotics.org information website will be signposting to these resources, as well as highlighting hints and tips for more effective colostrum management.

RUMA chairman Gwyn Jones says that as a farmer, he recognises the pressures at lambing and calving, and just how easy it can be to take shortcuts with the all-important first feed.

"But it was a wake-up call when I found out calves receiving insufficient colostrum at birth are more than twice as likely to develop respiratory disease, and can have mortality rates as high as 13%," he said. 

"Too often we see the animal start to suck or we give it a feed, and don’t think about the actual quantity of colostrum it consumes immediately after birth.

"All these factors have an enormous impact on the levels of antibodies in the bloodstream 24 hours later, and on the subsequent health of the animal and its need for antibiotic treatment during its whole life. 

"Better colostrum management is an incredible opportunity – not just to ensure better health for the future, but to cut antibiotic use and produce a more valuable animal for onward rearing."

Research manager Dr Jenny Gibbons from AHDB says their recent 'Calf to Calving' campaign focusing on youngstock rearing has seen nearly 40% of attendees go on to buy equipment to test the quality of colostrum.

Jenny said: "With recent figures from the Royal Veterinary College indicating just 31% of dairy farmers have been testing the quality of the colostrum before feeding it, this uptake is good news.

"Another area to tackle is time of feeding. Only 5% are feeding within the ideal two hours after birth. Changing these practices would make a huge difference to calves for onward beef rearing as well as replacement heifers."

Specialist sheep vet Dr Fiona Lovatt says lambs receiving insufficient colostrum at birth is behind one of the sheep industry’s biggest antibiotic use 'hotspots', in what is otherwise a low-use sector.

She said: "It’s largely avoidable. The reality is that we simply don’t see Watery Mouth in lambs that have taken sufficient colostrum on board in that golden 24-hour window immediately after birth."

Fiona says a 5kg lamb at birth needs 1 litre of colostrum in its first 24 hours of life to give it essential levels of natural immunity, but importantly, the first feed should be within two hours of birth. 

"Antibodies – essential in protecting against all disease including E coli infections – cannot cross through the placenta, so must be transferred through colostrum.

"While thin ewes or those that are not well fed in the run-up to lambing will produce too little colostrum of low quality, more often it’s simply not getting enough colostrum into the lamb quickly enough after birth."

Fiona says the sheep sector should not be relying on use of preventative antibiotics – because of image but also the very real problem of antibiotic resistance. "We know from government data that 50% of neonatal lamb E coli are already resistant to spectinomycin, the most commonly used dose. We need to protect these antibiotics, or we will lose them."

Veterinary lead at AHDB and pig specialist Dr Mandy Nevel says baby pigs need colostrum too, to maintain body temperature as well as protect them against disease.

Mandy said: "Baby pigs are born wet and with very little energy reserve. Ideally they need to get a feed in within the first 30 minutes to prevent hypothermia. This early feed will also provide essential immunity, giving them the best chance of survival in their first few weeks of life.

"Sow vaccination is the best way to boost antibody levels in the colostrum. That is why piglets who receive good levels of colostrum early will also be the healthiest at weaning. That extra care in the first hours of life will really make a difference."

Mandy includes post-weaning diarrhoea and respiratory disease as longer term threats for piglets receiving insufficient colostrum at birth. "Colostrum really is a golden opportunity to secure lower antibiotic use and a healthier animal for its whole life."

Veterinary surgeons and farmers looking for more information should search for the #ColostrumIsGold hashtag on Twitter, or go to the FarmAntibiotics.org website to be signposted to tools, resources and case studies from 1 February.