John said: "This is a great opportunity to raise awareness for what is a very serious problem in our profession - we all know someone within the veterinary community who has had mental health problems - and I am very proud that it is a strong community trying to tackle this issue.
"But it is not just about one day – we can’t forget about it for the rest of the year. We all live extremely busy lives and if we are not functioning as people, we are not going to function as professionals."
John says veterinary professionals must take a balanced and holistic view of their lives and develop strong teams at local, regional, national and even international level, to build resilience in dealing with stress and dispelling the stigma about mental illness that may prevent people seeking help.
Mental ill-health will affect one in four people over the next 12 months[i] and in England, one in six people experience a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week[ii]. There are particular issues within the veterinary profession, with higher than average rates of suicide, and patterns of distress, anxiety and depression, among other illnesses.
The BSAVA will launch a new ‘Beyond the Clinics’ personal development stream at Congress next April, including a non-clinical series of lectures on physical and mental health, and, with RCVS, it hosts a series of Mind Matters CPD courses across all 12 regions – all of which were sold out in 2016.
John added: "I’m looking forward to inviting colleagues to Beyond The Clinics on the Sunday of Congress, which is a great opportunity for the whole profession to think more deeply about how we look after each other, by increasing knowledge about mental wellbeing, building resilience in dealing with stress and dispelling the stigma about mental illness that may prevent people seeking help.
"I’m also very proud of the BSAVA’s involvement in the Mind Matters initiative, set up by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. All 12 of our regions hosted sold out courses during 2016, which is part of the profession’s response to research showing that the stress of working in modern veterinary practices has taken a heavy toll on the mental wellbeing of many staff."
Limited places are available for the BSAVA’s Mind Matters regional meetings – more information is available at www.bsava.com/Education/CPD/Mind-Matters
The meetings provide training for all members of the practice team to help them recognise any signs of mental problems in their colleagues – and, perhaps, in themselves. The training aims to help individuals know how to communicate with people they are concerned about and offers tips on stress management and staying well.
John, who has suffered mental health difficulties himself, says it is important to reach out and respond as a profession to this serious problem.
"My main advice is to be aware of others, be supportive, understand and appreciate them, notice when someone isn’t acting normally, and also remember that you are in a team together with people to talk to and you should do that. You can’t take stress away completely but you can’t put everything on the practice owner, this is a whole team responsibility – upwards, sidewards and downwards."
References
Feliway Help! comes as a starter pack with a pheromone cartridge which lasts seven days and covers 50m2.
The cartridge is inserted into a diffuser which is plugged into an electrical socket, two days before the stressful event.
Ceva says that 83% of cat owners saw an improvement in their cat’s signs of stress after using Feliway Help!1.
The company adds that the Feliway Help! is particularly useful for clients of those practices which Feliway on the premises, with Feliway helping keep the cat calm at the practice, and Feliway Help! taking over when they return home.
Sarah Heath BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FRCVS, an RCVS and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine and Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, said: “Cats can find the veterinary visit challenging and when they go home they can sometimes find it hard to settle.
"Feliway Help! can be very beneficial in easing the transition between home and the practice.
"This can be particularly helpful when cats have had a stay in hospital.”
For more information, visit www.feliway.com/uk, call the Ceva Animal Health head office on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Reference
The procedure involves introducing a catheter through the jugular, then using fluoroscopy and transoesophageal echocardiography to guide it from the right atrium through to the left side of the heart to relieve abnormal high pressures in the left atrium.
Willows says it is one of only a few centres across Europe equipped to carry out the procedure and that typically, patients who undergo TSP can be discharged from hospital the day after surgery.
Fabio Sarcinella (pictured right), an RCVS and European specialist in small animal cardiology at Willows, said: “Early clinical evaluation of the TSP procedure in humans over the last few years has shown improved quality of life and reduced clinical signs in patients with heart failure.
“The procedure has also been associated with low-risk and a meaningful drop in left atrial pressure of the affected patients.”
Fabio added: “As well as being minimally invasive, the improvement in heart chamber pressures via TSP often allows for a reduction in the dose of water tablets which are used to control the heart failure signs in the lungs.
"Lowering the dose reduces the risk of side effects related to these drugs such as kidney failure.”
Willows says TSP is most commonly used for left atrial decompression in dogs with heart failure and concurrent renal disease or that have advanced heart failure but continue to have symptoms despite optimal medical treatment.
www.willows.uk.net
The UK's first online gastric ulcer risk assessment for horse owners has just been launched as part of the 2009 Gastric Ulcer Awareness Month (GUAM), organised by Merial Equine Health.
Merial has developed the risk online questionnaire to enable owners to evaluate their horse's risk of ulcers. By logging on to the website http://www.gastriculcerrisk.co.uk/, owners, trainers and riders can complete a form which then returns the results via email. Where an animal is considered to be at medium to high risk, owners will be advised to consult their veterinary practice.
The company's Dr Emma Batson said: "Since the first GUAM in 2007, significant progress has been made in developing awareness and understanding of equine gastric ulcer syndrome.
"However there is still more to do! Our goal is to move gastric ulcers further up the diagnostic process, such that the condition is an early consideration for all horses presented with the vague symptoms associated with ulceration. We know that due to the vague nature of the symptoms, many of horses are suspected of other ailments such as back and teeth problems, general poor performance, or behavioural issues prior to being diagnosed with ulcers.
"This new initiative has been developed through consultation with practising internal medicine specialists. We hope it will help to highlight more cases and encourage clients into the practice with horses that are at genuine risk of ulcers. Further diagnosis, treatment and management measures can then be considered in consultation with the client.
"The website also has a veterinary page so that follow up information and any gastroscopy results can be recorded by the vet. We hope that this feedback will help generate some valuable data for the industry."
To help you promote this initiative, Merial has produced an impactful poster for use in practice waiting rooms, along with educational literature. The poster will be available as a loose insert in various publications during April and May.
For those practices which require a referral scoping service, Merial can put you in touch with three specialist consultants; Rachael Conwell (North) Dr.Tim Brazil (Midlands/nationwide) and Richard Hepburn (South West) who each provide a mobile scoping clinic.
Merial is also promising support for the mobile scoping service for the five practices that direct the largest number of clients to http://www.gastriculcerrisk.co.uk/
A number of events are also taking place during the month for vets, trainers and horse owners, including the following CPD events:
GUAM is supported by BEVA and Dr Batson hopes that the 2009 initiatives will further boost awareness, understanding and diagnosis of this underrated condition.
Petplan has launched a new system through which veterinary staff at Appointed Representative (AR) practices can activate 4 weeks Immediate Veterinary Cover (IVC) for clients' puppies, kittens and rabbits at www.petplanvet.co.uk.
Petplan says the new system will greatly improve its service to the veterinary industry, enabling same day information transfer, reducing the amount of paperwork and admin for veterinary staff as well as ruling out the chances of paperwork getting lost or delayed in the post.
Simon Masding, Petplan Head of Sales and Partnerships said: "Petplan has the most established cover note scheme in the market and due to the strength of our brand and the products we offer is able to generate more insured clients for practices than any other provider. Our team of Account Executives visit practices across the UK on a daily basis which means we understand the pressures of day-to-day practice life. Our new online IVC service is just one of the innovative ways we try to make things easier for veterinary staff so they can focus on looking after clients and their pets."
For more information about becoming a Petplan AR practice, and Immediate Veterinary Cover, call Petplan's Vetline on 0800 316 8800.
Any practices that activate IVC online at petplanvet.co.uk before 31st July 2012 will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPad.
Idexx Laboratories has launched a new renal function test, Idexx SDMA, which the company says can detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) in dogs or cats months or even years earlier than traditional methods.
The test is based on a new renal biomarker - symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) - and is the result of collaboration with a number of global experts.
Simon Wootton, UK CAG Marketing Manager at Idexx said: "The high sensitivity of this marker for detecting CKD will allow vets to diagnose the disease a lot sooner than has been previously possible. Identifying the disease earlier will give vets more time to intervene and prescribe an appropriate course of action."
The company says that the Idexx SDMA test can identify renal disease in dogs up to nine months earlier than previous methods, while in cats the detection time can be up to 17 months earlier.
Dr Martha Cannon, BA VetMB DSAM(fel) RCVS Recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine of the Oxford Cat Clinic, said: "The launch of SDMA testing is very exciting. It offers the prospect of identifying chronic kidney disease at an earlier stage, which should mean we can treat it more effectively and allow us to maintain cats in the asymptomatic phase. This can improve longevity, but more importantly could help maintain a better quality of life for longer.
"SDMA is also unaffected by muscle loss, which will allow us to assess the true extent of CKD in our elderly and underweight cats. This will lead to improved treatment choices, better quality of life and more peace of mind for owners."
The value of the new test has been validated by the adoption of SDMA into the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) guidelines as a biomarker for the early detection of CKD.
Jonathan W. Ayers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Idexx Laboratories, said: "Idexx SDMA is a result of our commitment to lead the industry in sustained research investments that serve to advance veterinary medicine. It represents a significant achievement in veterinary diagnostics. Hospitals in the USA already using Idexx SDMA have told us that it has transformed the way renal disease is diagnosed and treated."
Idexx SDMA is available to UK and Ireland reference laboratory customers now. Further information is available at www.idexxsdma.com.
Video shows Sylvia Conway MRCVS, UK Medical Affairs Consultant at Idexx, talking about the new test (can also be viewed here).
The survey of 97 cat owners and 156 vets conducted in June last year found that currently only 30% of cat owners give supplements to their cat but 74% would be willing to try them.
The survey also found that whilst 80% of vets thought the main reasons to be hesitant about recommending feline supplements were palatability and the owner’s ability to give products, owners were less concerned about the ease of giving the supplement (53%), and more concerned about the cost (45%) and being unsure of the benefits (39%).
Tara Evans RVN, head of sales at Vita, said: “It is interesting that the majority of vets believe that practicalities around administering oral supplements is the main drawback to giving these products, whereas only 53% of owners were concerned about this.
"Understanding owner concerns regarding efficacy and price could help vets support more owners to move forward with supplements for their cats.”
According to the survey, the most frequently used supplements, by both vets and owners are those made to support joints.
Cat owners also showed an interest in giving supplements for general wellness (61%).
Tara added: “Owners are open to supplementing for general health, as well as more specific health-related issues.”
www.vitaanimalhealth.com
The practice is now accepting dental referrals, including for dental, oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Hannah said: “I am proud to join the Fitzpatrick Referrals team to extend their referral offering to include this very important aspect of small animal veterinary treatment.
"Working alongside a world-class team with state-of-the-art facilities is a fantastic opportunity.”
https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/services/dentistry/
Animalcare has launched a new broad spectrum fluoroquinolone antimicrobial (Enrofloxacin) which the company says is highly effective in the treatment of a wide range of conditions and easy to inject, with excellent tissue penetration.
Enrocare solution for injection is presented in three strengths: A 25mg/ml (2.5%) injection for dogs, cats and exotic animals including reptiles, small mammals and avian species. The 50mg/ml (5%) injection is licensed for use in cattle, pigs, dogs and cats, whilst the 100mg/ml (10%) injection is licensed for cattle and pigs. In the case of dogs and cats a single daily dose is needed.
Animalcare says it has priced Enrocare competitively. In addition, the range has been launched with three offers: "Buy one get one free on the 50 and 100mg/ml" and "Buy two get one free offer" on the 25mg/ml pack size. These offers will last for four months until the end of September.
In cattle, Enrocare 50mg/ml, given by the subcutaneous route, is licensed for respiratory disease of bacterial or mycoplasmal origin and the 100mg/ml strength is licenced for both respiratory disease and E.coli mastitis (the latter given by slow intravenous injection). According to Animalcare, its low dose volume makes it particularly suitable for the treatment of respiratory disease in calves. In pigs >25kg Enrocare is licensed for the treatment of the respiratory and alimentary tract diseases of bacterial or mycoplasmal origin and multi-factorial diseases such as atrophic rhinitis and enzootic pneumonia.
Tony Liepman, Animalcare Market Manager said: "The recent successful launch of Cephacare flavour raised Animalcare's profile as a supplier of more up-to-date antibiotics and this is our latest addition which offers excellent efficacy at an attractive price."
The Animal Health Trust is appealing to veterinary surgeons and nurses to encourage clients who keep their horses on premises that have been affected by Equine Grass Sickness to sign up to the second year of its nationwide EGS vaccine trial.
Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) occurs predominantly in Europe, with Britain experiencing the highest incidence worldwide. In 2014, 59 cases of EGS were reported through the EGS Surveillance Scheme, but it is likely that this represents only a fraction of cases occurring annually throughout Britain.
Almost all cases of EGS occur in horses with access to grazing. The AHT says there is growing scientific evidence to suggest that the disease may be caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum type C, commonly found within soil and capable of producing neurotoxins to which horses are particularly sensitive. EGS occurs when a combination of risk factors trigger the production of these toxins within the horse's intestinal tract, causing damage to the nervous system and paralysis of the gut.
As similar equine diseases such as tetanus and botulism can be prevented by vaccination, it is theoretically possible that a vaccine could prevent EGS. To this end the AHT, in collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh, Liverpool and Surrey launched the EGS field vaccine trial in 2014 in order to establish whether a vaccine could indeed be effective in reducing the risk of the disease. The trial is funded by a number of sources including Neogen Corporation; Animal Welfare Foundation; Horserace Betting Levy Board; Racing Foundation; Moredun Foundation Equine Grass Sickness Fund; Hong Kong Jockey Club; The British Horse Society and the EB Moller Charitable Trust.
Now entering its second year, the EGS vaccine trial involves enrolled horses and ponies receiving either a course of the C. botulinum type C toxoid vaccine or an inactive placebo, as well as an annual booster. The incidence of EGS is monitored throughout the trial to determine the efficacy of the vaccine, and enrolled horses and ponies are closely monitored through regular follow-ups for the duration of the trial.
With 60% of EGS cases occurring during April - June, the highest risk season for EGS is fast approaching. The AHT is appealing to owners who keep their horses on premises that have had at least one case of EGS in the past three years to enrol their horse in the vaccine trial and provide an invaluable contribution to this pioneering research prior to these high risk months. Veterinary practices with clients who fit this description are asked to help the recruitment process by encouraging suitable cases to sign up to the trial.
Dr Jo Ireland, the AHT's Equine Grass Sickness Research Co-ordinator, said: "We have been delighted with the overwhelmingly positive response to the EGS vaccine trial and many owners have welcomed the chance to be a part of such important research. We don't want any eligible horse owners to miss out on the opportunity to contribute towards a potential breakthrough in the prevention of EGS, so we are encouraging more owners to enrol their horses on the trial this year."
To find out more about the vaccine trial or how clients can enrol horses and ponies, visit the AHT's dedicated EGS website www.equinegrasssickness.co.uk or email equinegrasssickness@aht.org.uk.
The campaign comprises of a series of live interviews, articles and surveys aimed at exploring the impact of breast cancer, menopause, infertility and baby loss women, and men, and how the veterinary profession can better support people having to cope with these issues in the workplace.
The campaign includes free access articles and live online sessions with VetYourBreasts campaign organiser, veterinary surgeon Anna Beber, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month; VetMINDS co-founder, vet Nat Scroggie, on 12th October during Baby Loss Awareness Week; Dr Karen Morton, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist on World Menopause Day 18th October; and SPVS Senior Vice President, Catriona Curtis, talking about her personal experiences with infertility on 2nd November during National Fertility Week.
A survey on the impact of the menopause, particularly on working life, is being run in partnership with SPVS in the run up to World Menopause Day. The survey seeks to gain a broad understanding of both awareness and experience across the profession, and responses are encouraged from all ages and genders, whether personally affected or not. The survey can be accessed here until 15th October: https://bit.ly/2FVXIkv
SPVS President, Anna Judson, said: "Having experienced the effects of the menopause working as a practice owner, I wish I had known more about the impact and that I was not alone in how I was feeling. There is a growing appetite to tackle these issues and we want to hear from anyone affected by the menopause, in order to put the right support mechanisms in place. We're proud to sponsor the menopause webinar and partner with Veterinary Woman on raising awareness about health issues, which are often brushed under the carpet."
Liz Barton, editor of Veterinary Woman, said: "I have been incredibly moved to see the deep empathy and encouragement amongst veterinary colleagues beginning to open up about the impact of health challenges, particularly at work. When I realised the campaigns in October were topics we need to talk about more as a profession, it seemed right to use this as a platform to tackle some of the hidden, emotive health challenges we bear throughout our life and work. We are looking for partners to help us develop the conversations and practical assistance for individuals and practices, to better support those who are silently living with these burdens."
Companies and organisations wishing to support the work should contact liz@veterinarywoman.co.uk. Individuals can register for updates about how to access the sessions by joining the Veterinary Woman email list for updates (www.veterinarywoman.co.uk), or following Veterinary Woman on social media.
According to today's Daily Mail, veterinary surgeon Lis Crowsley may have been killed as she tried to protect her dogs from cows that were with their newly-born calves.
Click here for the full story.
BCF has released a new bovine foetal sexing quick guide as a free download from the farm animal learning section of the company's website - www.bcftechnology.com.
To help vets learn the skill of foetal sex determination with ultrasound, the guide includes:
BCF says that using ultrasound for foetal sex determination can be useful to herd management programmes: you can estimate the number of replacement heifers, further justify the culling of a cow with chronic disease (mastitis, lameness etc.) and determine pricing for a sale and/or purchase.
The guides have been created by BCF in-house vet Kimberley Palgrave who said: "The bovine foetal sexing guide was created with the aim of giving vets a few tips to help them develop confidence in foetal sex determination using ultrasound. Hopefully this guide can help people feel more assured in their technique and enable them to obtain additional information that the farmer can use in their herd management programme."
Idexx Laboratories has announced the addition of pradofloxacin (Veraflox, Bayer Animal Health) to the list of antibiotics that it tests samples sent for culture and sensitivity testing against.
The company says that in the past, only a small percentage of the 350-400 samples it processes every day included a specific request from veterinary surgeons to include sensitivity testing to pradofloxacin. The now-routine testing for pradofloxacin is a positive move toward better clinical outcomes in difficult cases, including specific indications such as wound infections, superficial and deep pyoderma, and in cases with infections resistant to other antibiotics.
Idexx says that as the only next generation fluoroquinolone, pradofloxacin has been shown to be the least likely veterinary fluoroquinolone to select for resistance1, giving vets a lower risk option, when they decide to use an antibiotic from this class.
Matt Jones, Microbiology Manager at Idexx Laboratories said: 'Removing the need to specifically request samples to be tested for sensitivity to pradofloxacin has streamlined the culture and sensitivity testing process for vets and will make it easier for them to adhere to good practice in antibiotic prescription.
"This is important, as antimicrobial resistance is an area of deep international concern. Idexx are pleased to be helping vets identify those cases for which pradofloxacin may be effective and believe that, where indicated, it will lead to improved compliance and excellent clinical outcomes with the added benefit of reducing the likelihood of selecting for resistance, when compared to older generation fluoroquinolones."
The company says this move is in line with BSAVA's PROTECT initiative, which stresses the importance of culture and sensitivity, especially when prescribing antibiotics of the fluoroquinlone class.
On top of that, over 25% of vets said they don't talk to their farmer clients about the disposal of empty pharmaceutical waste.
The survey also found that while veterinary surgeons are aware that both glass and shatterproof plastic vials are incinerated, over 65% of those questioned believed that glass vials were more environmentally friendly, when in fact, the company says its CLAS (Ceva Layered Anti Shatter) shatterproof plastic vials have 33% less impact on the environment from cradle to grave2.
Ceva is producing a range of support materials, including tailored social media and newsletter content, to help vets to raise awareness of their pharmaceutical waste disposal service and drive improvements across the industry.
Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "As an industry we should be doing all that we can to improve our environmentally friendly credentials.
“Ceva will continue to invest in innovative eco-friendly technology for livestock injectables and pioneer improvements to help ensure best practice throughout the industry.”
For further information, or to request a pharmaceutical waste disposal service support pack, contact your local Ceva account manager or call 01494 781510.
The first phase of research is being conducted this January and February 2023 and will analyse the amount and distribution of UK canine health research funding over the past decade.
Veterinary associations, societies and charities which support canine health research tend to identify funding priorities aligned with their own strategy and scope, taking account of independent peer review from experts in the field of research.
However, the RVC says that as there are many research funders working independently, some important research topics may be overlooked and separately funded projects can inadvertently overlap in their work.
This study endeavours to investigate these issues and consider how resources are prioritised across different areas of canine research.
Participating stakeholders will be asked their opinions on future research funding and this information will contribute to developing a long-term strategy for not-for-profit UK canine health research.
Thereafter, the aim is to create a pilot consultation process for developing a central prioritisation platform for future collaborative canine research.
The RVC’s says it has already got data and support from several major funders but is keen to maximise the scope of this research, so it is now looking for participation from specialist veterinary societies that fund research, and non-university organisations, such as charities, corporates or independent referral practices which conduct their own in-house canine research.
Dr Alison Skipper, Postdoctoral Researcher into Canine Research Funding within VetCompass at the RVC said: “We are really keen to hear from as many non-profit organisations involved with canine health research funding as possible. The breadth and depth of this data is vital to ensure that our findings accurately reflect this sector."
For more information about how to get involved, please visit https://rvc.uk.com/canine-research-funding-analysis.
Presented by Andy Moores and Alex Belch, 'Plates and Screws - An Introduction' is aimed at surgeons with no prior experience of applying plates and screws, and offers seven hours of CPD.
Andy said: "If you've ever wondered if orthopaedics is for you, or you just need an introductory course to get you started, this could be the perfect opportunity.
"The course should be particularly useful for junior colleagues: the tutors are very friendly and it's great value thanks to sponsorship from Veterinary Instrumentation and the BVOA.
Tickets cost £200 (plus £40 for non-members): https://bvoa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Plating-registration-form.pdf
The BVOA 60th Anniversary Conference follows from 12th-14th October at the same venue.
Titled "Back to the Future, the conference features talks by Mike Farrell, Antonio Pozzi, Stuart Carmichael and others, covering subjects such as fracture repair, joint pathology, imaging techniques and osteoarthritis.
There'll also be a chance to look round HMS Belfast, and a gala black tie dinner.
Tickets start at £250 for a single day, up to £795 for the full conference package.
Petplan has announced the finalists for the 2009 Veterinary Awards.
The company says it was inundated with more than 2300 nominations this year and that the public response was 'astonishing', with tales ranging from midnight rescues to simple acts of kindness and this year was no exception.
The finalists for each of the categories are as follows:
Vet of the YearJamie Rushton, Village Vet Hampstead, LondonBen Jones, Ben Jones Veterinary Surgery, Chester, FlintshireMatthew Fry, Quarrington Veterinary Surgery, Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Vet Nurse of the YearCharlotte Maude, Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Chesterfield, Markham, ChesterfieldKaren McQuaid, The Old Golfhouse Veterinary Group, Watton, NorfolkRachel Smith, 608 Veterinary Group, Solihull, West Midlands
Vet Receptionist of the YearYasmin Morowa, Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge, SuffolkJackie Crampton, Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Chesterfield, Markham, ChesterfieldSara Abbott, Pet Doctors, East Horsley, Surrey
Vet Practice of the YearAshfield House Veterinary Hospital Limited, Long Eaton, NottinghamshireCarrick Veterinary Group CVS (UK) Ltd, Newbold, ChesterfieldSt Clair Veterinary Group, Kirkcaldy, Fife
Simon Wheeler, Petplan's Head of Marketing said he was thrilled by the record number of nominations received:
"This year we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Veterinary Awards which were launched so pet owners could thank their practice for the tireless and wonderful work they carry out. We are delighted that the awards, which we often hear referred to as the 'Vet Oscars', are still going strong. This year we have received over 2300 nominations and the quality and standard really challenged the skills of our esteemed judging panel. We would like to wish those short listed every success on the night."
All finalists will be invited to a 'glittering' awards ceremony that will take place on 2nd April at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham where the winners will be announced.
Avid, the maker of pet microchip indentification products has developed its registration system so that Avid MicroChips can now be registered via practice management software using the VetXML schema.
This instantly registers the microchip directly on to the UK PETtrac Database, managed by Avid. All the implanter needs to do is add the microchip number to the client record, then click to register.
The practice has the option to print a receipt for the client before they leave the surgery, and a certificate confirming the registration will be posted to the client by PETtrac, usually the same day.
The microchip registration is completed in real time on the UK PETtrac Database, and is automatically checked to ensure the microchip being registered was sold to the practice completing the registration. In the event of any errors, the practice will be contacted by PETtrac to obtain the correct information.
Simon Clark, IT developer for Avid said "Avid already has direct registration via a number of practice management software packages and we are working with others to get this feature implemented as soon as possible. Registrations are now easier and quicker than ever before, and really can be completed with just one click!"
For full details about how the Avid microchip system can benefit your practice please contact the Avid sales office on 0800 652 7 977 or visit www.avidplc.com
Petplan has announced the winners of its annual Veterinary Awards.
The awards recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners.
Isabella von Mesterhazy, Petplan's Head of Marketing, said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 35 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK. The Veterinary Awards is a great way to celebrate the fantastic work that goes on helping keep pets healthy and their owners happy."
She added: "This year saw over 11,000 nominations which goes to show the appetite from both staff and clients for celebrating exceptional work. We had an outstanding selection of finalists and I'd like to congratulate all the winners who thoroughly deserve their awards."
The winners for each category are:
VET OF THE YEAR - Laura Pugh, Ashfield House Veterinary Hospital - Long Eaton, NottinghamWhat really stood out was Laura's willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. As well as Laura's stressful day job she is very involved with the local community. Laura writes an animal column in her local neighbourhood magazine, runs evening talks on a variety of subjects and visits local schools.
VET NURSE OF THE YEAR - Catherine Raw, Broadleys Veterinary Hospital - Stirling, ScotlandCatherine's passion for her role within the practice and her dedication to providing the best service for her clients put her above the other finalists. Catherine is not only committed to her professional role of delivering the highest standard of clinical care for her patients and the best service for her clients, but she also devotes a lot of her own time to animal welfare. Catherine is a fantastic role model for her nurses.
VET SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR - Vivienne Jeffs, Arvonia Animal Hospital - Cheltenham, GloucestershireVivienne's reliability, empathy and selflessness really stood out for the judges. Whether it is knowing the name of a pet owner during telephone conversations, or entertaining toddlers in the waiting area, Vivienne is the type of receptionist vet surgeries dream of. The practice would not be the same without her according to those that nominated her.
VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR - Bridge Veterinary Surgery - Highbridge, SomersetThe practice's hard work and dedication to their clients really impressed the judges. The practice is open 24 hours a day and the dedication the veterinary, with a small practice of only four staff members, it is a particularly well deserved award.
VET PRACTICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR - Cery Lawson-Tankred, Golden Valley Veterinary Hospital - Nailsea, SomersetCery has worked at Golden Valley for over five years, during which time the practice has seen a large degree of upgrade and reinvigoration. Investments made in new equipment and facilities have meant improved care for an expanding array of animals that come through the surgery doors. It was clear to the judges that Cery is the glue that holds the Golden Valley Veterinary Hospital together.
Culture Change In Healthcare is presented by Simon Fleming, a trauma and orthopaedic registrar who has a special interest in combating bullying, undermining and harassment in human healthcare, and Sally Everitt MRCVS, the ex Head of Scientific Policy at BSAVA.
Simon will discuss the problem of bullying, the fallout from serious cases, and how you can work to eliminate bullying in your practice.
Sally will present the results of a survey carried out by VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk in 2017, to investigate the incidence and impact of unpleasant behaviour in veterinary practice.
The webinar is hosted by The Webinar Vet and sponsored by RCVS Mind Matters. It counts as 1hr towards your annual CPD requirement.
Whether or not you think there is any bullying going on at your practice, I strongly urge you to watch this webinar. There can be few things as harmful to an effective practice team as bullying. Everyone needs to be able to spot it and stamp on it quickly.
Register for the webinar here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/culture-change-healthcare-2/
Together, these two cancers account for almost a third of all canine cancers.
Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University and Chief Medical Officer of Volition Veterinary Diagnostics said: "The proof of concept results in these two very prevalent canine cancers give us confidence to move forward with other Nu.Q Vet assays in our pipeline, and with the larger range of cohorts and trials we have collected and planned.
"Clearly, we still have work to do as this single assay did not detect one of the other top five canine cancers, canine osteosarcoma, which was the third cancer tested in this study. However, I am delighted to see such positive results in these two significant cancers and look forward to reporting further data over the coming quarters with additional Nu.Q Vet assays, this time tested on an automated platform.”
Dr. Terry Kelly, Chief Scientific Officer of Volition America said: “It is exciting to see such strong results from our first Nu.Q Vet study conducted at Texas A&M University Veterinary Hospital. It is also interesting to note the similar patterns of detection seen in both canine and human samples confirming that the Nu.Q platform does appear to be useful in more than just human diagnostics.
"As with human diagnostics, there are currently no accurate, simple, affordable cancer screening tests available in veterinary medicine and yet 25% of dogs will develop cancer at some stage of their life. I look forward to completing the planned trials and to launch our first Nu.Q Vet product in the U.S. that we expect to occur in 2020."
Kruuse UK has announced that it will be launching its new Android telemetric ECG system at BEVA 2011.
The original Televet 100 supports transmission of ECG data to a range of approx 100m (330ft), allowing recording and displaying of real time data only within a confined lunging or riding arena. By linking this system to a mobile network via 3G Android phone and a Windows 7 based tablet PC, the new Televet system overcomes this range limitation.
The new system requires the rider/horse to carry a 3G mobile phone which transmits data over the mobile internet, allowing the veterinary surgeon to display and record real time data on any PC/laptop with internet access or mobile internet connection. This also includes GPS information collected by the phone allowing the ECG, heart rate and velocity of the horse to be displayed in parallel.
The Android Telemetric ECG system is specifically targeted towards veterinary applications in the field of sports horses where extended range is particularly useful, such as endurance riding, three day eventing and racing.
Televet software can now also be integrated in Dicom infrastructures in practice for data capture and recording.
Sarah Stokes, Kruuse Equine Territory Manager said: "the flexibility and simplicity of the system along with immediate access to ECG data of patients will be an invaluable diagnostic tool for UK vets allowing vital support for patients and owners wherever they are."
Visitors to the Kruuse stand at BEVA 2011 will also have the chance to win an Acer ICONI W500 tablet worth £500.