Surgeons at Pride Veterinary Centre have claimed a UK-first for a procedure in which they used a tailor-made titanium implant to replace a cancerous vertebra in a nine-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The dog presented to the Neurology and Neurosurgery Service at Pride after the dog's GP vet had diagnosed a tumour.

The neurological examination was consistent with a thoracolumbar lesion and the X-rays showed a radiopaque mass with bony lysis on the third lumbar vertebral body.

Annette Wessmann, an EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology at Pride said: “We chose to do a CT scan based on examination and the X-rays.

“It confirmed the suspicion of a neoplastic lesion and ruled out other tumoral focus along the rest of the spine and other organs."

A customised titanium implant was designed for the dog's spine in collaboration with BETA Implants.

Rosario Vallefuoco, an RCVS and EBVS Small Animal Surgery Specialist and Head of Small Animal Surgery at Pride said: “It was a case of combining our experience with that of the engineers.

“The original implants had been designed for humans, and we had to imagine what would be required for a dog and work out at every step what changes we would have to make.”

The surgery took place in three different stages, the first being L3 vertebra skeletonization and dorsal lamina removal.

The second step was vertebral body removal.

Finally, the third step was vertebral reconstruction using the designed implants.

The whole procedure took six hours, and the dog was up and walking again within 12 hours.

Subsequent histopathology assessment of the mass confirmed osteosarcoma, so the surgery is being followed up with chemotherapy.

Following the success of the surgery, Pride Veterinary Referrals says it now hopes to help other dogs with similar conditions.

www.prideveterinaryreferrals.com

Animalcare has launched ProGlan, a tasty soft chew designed to support faecal consistency and help anal glands in dogs empty naturally. 

Apparently, anal gland impaction is the fifth most common reason for owners to take their dog to the vets¹, and of course manual expression of impacted anal glands is unpleasant for everyone.

It also doesn’t address the underlying causes, such as poor stool consistency.

ProGlan contains pumpkin seeds and apple pectin, both sources of fibre to bulk out stools and increase faecal mass. 

The product also contains Bacillus velezensisi (DSM 15544), a probiotic registered for use in dogs.

Animalcare points to research which demonstrates that lactobacilli help support a desirable gastrointestinal microbiome, aiding digestion and improving stool consistency².

Lastly, the product contains a combination of Echinacea, vitamin C and vitamin E, which Animalcare says support a healthy immune and inflammatory response.

ProGlan is available in packs of 30 chews.

For further information or for orders, contact your local Animalcare territory manager or email info@animalcare.co.uk. 

References

1. O’Neill, D.G., James, H., Brodbelt, D.C., Church, D.B. and Pegram, C., 2021. Prevalence of commonly diagnosed disorders in UK dogs under primary veterinary care: results and applications. BMC Veterinary Research, 17, pp.1-14.
2. Schauf S et al. Effect of Calsporin® (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) addition to the diet on faecal quality and nutrient digestibility in healthy adult dogs. J Appl Anim Nutr 2019;7:e3;1–8.
    

The BBC reports that a new strain of MRSA has emerged in British cows and is thought to be infecting humans.

For more on this story, click here.

CVS has presented its 2017 charity of the year, Blue Cross, with a cheque for £50,886 raised through fundraising at its veterinary sites and businesses across the UK.

The company's charity of the year is chosen by employees at its annual conference in October. Fundraising then begins the following January. 

This year, fundraising activities included cake sales, 'wearing blue days' and dog shows. Others took a more energetic approach: a team from Tone Veterinary Centre in Taunton cycled the equivalent of Land’s End to John O’Groats on exercise bikes over a fortnight, raising £525, while groomer Ceri James from Petherton Vets in Cardiff climbed Ben Nevis.

Simon Innes, CVS Chief Executive said: "Each year, thousands of cats, dogs, small animals and horses rely on the hospitals, clinics and rehoming services run by Blue Cross so it was a very natural charity for us to support and the overwhelming winner of last year’s vote.

"Yet again, our teams have surpassed themselves by really getting behind our fundraising efforts and showing great creativity and dedication to the task. Judging by some of the photos, they also seem to have had a great deal of fun. We held a group-wide charity day during July in which all parts of the business participated. It was a fantastic event and really showed the power of collective fundraising."

Matt Cull, Deputy Director of Fundraising at Blue Cross, said: "The dedication from CVS to fundraise for our pets through many different activities is so inspiring. We are very grateful to all the teams for helping Blue Cross as the money raised will assist us in helping thousands of pets in need and support our other charitable activities, such as our education programmes and bereavement support service. Pets change lives and with this generous help, we can change theirs."

Photo: Simon Innes CVS Group Chief Executive; Diane James, Blue Cross; Piers Gibbon, CVS Conference compere

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT) have joined forces to set recognised standards for equine dental treatment.

The two organisations are working in association with the RCVS, BVA, BVDA, WWAED and LANTRA to develop National Occupational Standards that will pave the way to allowing equine dental technicians the freedom to work within the Law under an Exemption Order. This should make it safer and easier for owners to source the most suitable dental treatment for their horses.

Currently all equine dental care falls within the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) and should only be carried out by veterinary surgeons. Equine vets from BEVA and equine dental technicians from the BAEDT have been trying to address this anomaly with government for many years. In 2004 the organisations drew up a list (revised in 2009) of procedures that could be safely carried out by suitably qualified equine dental technicians and a list of those which should only be carried out by qualified veterinary surgeons because they involve sensitive tissues.

The envisaged Exemption Order will also provide better protection for horses and their owners by reinforcing the fact that only suitably qualified individuals are allowed to carry out equine dental care and treatments. While unqualified individuals should become easier to identify under the proposed new scheme, those qualified will also be held to account if their performance is not up to scratch.

The first step towards the Exemption Order is the drawing up of National Occupational Standards for Equine Dental Technicians. It is hoped that these will be formalised by LANTRA in early 2013.

Keith Chandler, BEVA President said: "After many years of working closely with the BAEDT on the continuing education and qualification of its members, we are thrilled that progress is finally being made towards an Exemption Order."

BAEDT Chair, Gemma Lilly, said: "BAEDT and its membership is very happy to be a key part of the team that hopes to put the Exemption Order in place - it will be good news for equine dental technicians, horse owners, and their animals."

Equine Dental Technician and member of the Worldwide Association of Equine Dentists, Martin Brookes, also supports the initiative. He said: "This will be a really important step forward for responsible Equine Dental Technicians. It will further improve the working relationships between EDTs and vets and help to protect the welfare of the horse."

The RCVS has announced plans to move out of its Westminster offices by 31st March 2022. 

The College sold the premises in March this year, with an option to lease it back for up to two years, giving time for Council to consider the future building requirements of the organisation and how they might have changed following the coronavirus pandemic.

Following easing of government restrictions this summer, the RCVS says that Council members and staff have started using the building for some meetings and day-to-day working, but occupancy has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.

RCVS Council therefore agreed at its meeting earlier this month that there is now a clear financial benefit to moving out at the first opportunity under the existing terms of lease.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: “As we all gradually emerge from the restrictions of the past 18 months, one of the things we, as an organisation, have learned from the pandemic is that we can cope well with remote and hybrid working, whilst continuing to provide a high level of service to the professions and the animal-owning public.

“Retaining the use of our current offices over the last few months has certainly helped us to do this, but our Estates Strategy Group recommended to Council that there was now little to be gained and much to lose financially if we continued to lease Belgravia House for another year.”

“In the coming weeks, we will be drawing up detailed plans for the safe removal and storage of our effects, including the library, historical collection and archives, which are maintained by RCVS Knowledge.

"To support the team until we can move into a permanent building, we will hire serviced office space and meeting rooms around London and elsewhere in the UK as and when we need them.

“We also plan to take Council meetings ‘on the road’ over the next 12 months to enable Council members to engage with more veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses around the country.

“Meanwhile, we remain fully committed to the purchase of a new permanent London home for the RCVS and are seeking a building that not only meets the needs of the professions both now and well into the future, but also aims to be a sound financial investment for the College in the years ahead.”

VetSurgeon.org and Improve International are this week hosting a Clinical Article Club session where all vets have the opportunity to put questions to Ed Hall, Emeritus Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at University of Bristol Ed about his article on the endoscopic retrieval of foreign bodies.

For those new to the club, the idea is that every two weeks, we pick an article in Veterinary Practice and invite the author to join us on VetSurgeon.org, so that you can ask questions and discuss the subject with one another. 

As a bonus, you can claim time spent reading or participating in the discussion towards your annual CPD requirement (press the claim CPD button at the top right of the question thread). 

To take part in this session, first read Ed's article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/endoscopic-retrieval-of-foreign-bodies.

Then come and post your questions or discussion points here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-clinical-discussions/30618/do-you-have-questions-about-endoscopic-retrieval-of-foreign-bodies-clinical-article-club

Zoletil, Virbac's 2-in-1, injectable anaesthetic for cats and dogs has had a licence change increasing its extended in-use stability from 24 hours to 8 days.

A single vial can now be used for 8 days after reconstitution when stored in a fridge at between two and eight degrees celsius.

This, says Virbac, will help maximise the use of each vial, ultimately reducing wastage and providing a cost-effective solution.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has dismissed a charge against Nicholas Robert William Horniman MRCVS, a veterinary surgeon from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, that alleged he was guilty of pet insurance fraud, along with one of his clients, and of dishonestly altering clinical records.

The charge was that, between December 1 2008 and June 30 2014, in relation to Cassy, a Labrador retriever belonging to Jayne Bowkett, Mr Horniman:

• suggested to Mrs Bowkett that she take out an insurance policy for the dog using owner's details that were different from those used for its current insurance policy;
• dishonestly arranged for or allowed practice records for the dog in the name of Bowkett to be discontinued and separate records to be started in the name Griffiths;
• and, dishonestly maintained practice records for the dog as if she were different from the one for which previous practice records had been maintained.

The Committee heard that Cassy, who had previously been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, had been registered with Pets Barn Veterinary Group in Gloucestershire in May 2008 when Mr Horniman was the Principal and owner of the three-practice group. Cassy was treated at the Cinderford branch of the practice where she received regular prescriptions for her condition.

At some point in 2008/2009, Mrs Bowkett had relayed concerns to Mr Horniman that her current pet insurance policy needed to be renewed, that the renewed policy would not cover Cassy's existing hip problems and that she would be unable to pay for any future operations herself. It was alleged that, in response to Mrs Bowkett's concerns, Mr Horniman told her that they could take Cassy off the practice computer and put her back on under a different insurance policy in a different name.

Mrs Bowkett took out a policy with Petplan, beginning on 13 August 2009, using her father's details instead of her own. It was alleged that Mr Horniman then arranged for new practice records to be set up in the name 'Cassy Griffiths'. These new records were first used substantively in May 2010 when Cassy returned to the practice with hip problems, following which two separate records were maintained for the dog under 'Cassy Bowkett' and 'Cassy Griffiths'.

In August 2010 Dariusz Drozdz MRCVS, a vet who had treated Cassy several times, had been told by Mrs Bowkett that the dog had two separate records. He told the Disciplinary Committee that he queried this with Mr Horniman who suggested that it was a mistake and that they 'RIP' the name Cassy Bowkett. Mr Drozdz disagreed on this course of action but was told by Mr Horniman to 'leave it to me' and the records were then changed to say that Cassy Bowkett had died.

Mrs Bowkett alleged that, at some point in 2011, Mr Horniman explained to her that it would no longer be possible to claim for treatment for Cassy's hip dysplasia under the Petplan policy in her father's name. However, the policy remained active, and was transferred into Mrs Bowkett's name upon her father's death.

In July 2011 Cassy Griffiths was seen by Jennifer Jones MRCVS, a part-time locum vet at the Cinderford practice, who told the Committee that she was puzzled about why there were very few clinical records relating to the animal. A receptionist explained to her that there were two sets of records for the same dog and that Mr Horniman had instructed her to mark the original pet as having been euthanased and close its records and create a second new record for the dog. Ms Jones tendered her resignation shortly afterwards citing concerns that a pet had been 'reincarnated to ensure continued income from insurance claims'. In November 2011 Ms Jones submitted a formal complaint to the RCVS.

During the course of the hearing the Committee heard evidence from Mrs Bowkett, Mr Drozdz and Ms Jones, amongst others.

In giving evidence Mrs Bowkett admitted that she had knowingly engaged in fraud but maintained that at all times she had acted with the knowledge and on the advice of Mr Horniman. However, the Committee found that she was unable to remember any relevant material dates and was unclear about the chronology of events. It was suggested on several occasions that she was lying to the Committee, which she denied. However, the Committee believed that she took no responsibility for her own fraudulent actions but merely blamed Mr Horniman and that she had a strong motive to engage in the insurance fraud.

In regards to the evidence given by Mr Drozdz the Committee noted that he did not record his suspicions of possible fraud, that he continued to treat Cassy Griffiths after he raised his concerns, and that he appeared to have accepted Mr Horniman's assurance that he had dealt with the issue.

The Committee found that Ms Jones was correct in her suspicions that there was only one dog. However, it felt she offered no evidence to support her suspicion that this was part of Mr Horniman's 'scheme to maximise income for the practice' as she alleged in her witness statement.

The Committee also heard oral evidence from and on behalf of Mr Horniman who categorically denied suggesting to Mrs Bowkett that she commit insurance fraud and attempting to cover this up through the maintenance of two separate records. He maintained that it was not until Ms Jones voiced her concerns that he realised that Cassy Bowkett and Cassy Griffiths were the same dog.

The Committee voiced a number of concerns about Mr Horniman's actions and behaviour and, at times, found his evidence to be unsatisfactory. For example, the Committee found it difficult to understand why 'alarm bells' did not ring that he was dealing with only one dog when he prescribed medication for two almost identical dogs in May 2010 when only one was presented for examination. It also queried why, when he became aware that the insurance policy for Cassy Griffiths was fraudulent, practice records were not updated and no attempt was made to contact Petplan to inform them of this, as is clearly advised by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.

Furthermore, the Committee was concerned that, in his correspondence with the RCVS, he was less than transparent, candid and honest. The Committee considered this to be unacceptable behaviour from a professional in dealings with investigations undertaken by the regulatory body.

In making its judgment, the Committee had to make a decision on whose account it felt to be more reliable in regards to the first element of the charge.

Noreen Burrows, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In coming to its conclusion ... the Committee is faced with conflicting evidence from Mrs Bowkett, who is an admitted fraudster, admits to acting dishonestly and to lying to Petplan. This is in contrast to the evidence from the Respondent, who is of good character, had an unblemished personal record over 23 years and is supported by impressive character references."

The Committee found the evidence of Mrs Bowkett to be "vague, lacking in clarity and inconsistent with the facts" and therefore rejected her evidence concerning the first element of the charge. In regards to the second element of the charge, the Committee was not satisfied that Mr Horniman had arranged for or allowed the records to be changed as was alleged. In regards to the third element it found that, since it had already rejected the charge that Mr Horniman suggested to Mrs Bowkett that she embark upon insurance fraud, it was unlikely that Mr Horniman would have acted dishonestly in the manner alleged.

Noreen Burrows added: "In the light of the above findings, all charges against the Respondent are dismissed."

The RCVS has launched its Veterinary Graduate Development Programme (VetGDP) e-portfolio platform to support graduates as they begin their working lives.

From this summer, all new veterinary graduates have had to be enrolled on the VetGDP when they start their first job as a qualified vet. This means that veterinary practices and other workplaces wishing to employ new veterinary graduates will need to become, or be working towards becoming, an RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice or Workplace. To date, over 1,800 VetGDP Advisers around the UK have registered for the training to help develop their new graduate colleagues.

All new veterinary graduates and their VetGDP Advisers will be able to use the new e-portfolio platform to record and monitor the graduate’s progress as they work through the programme.

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements (pictured right), RCVS Director of Education, said: “We recognise how important it is to support new veterinary graduates as much as possible during their first job as a fully-qualified veterinary surgeon. The transition from study to work can be a daunting one, and we wanted to create a resource that would help new graduates record and reflect on their journey through the programme and provide a space for the VetGDP Adviser to monitor and support their graduate as they progress.

“We believe the VetGDP programme will have a positive impact on graduates’ development and their confidence during their first role. The new e-portfolio will be a key resource for employers to help them support the professional development of the newest cohort of veterinary professionals.”

The RCVS will be holding two online workshops to provide VetGDP Advisers and veterinary graduates with support and advice about using the e-portfolio. The workshop dates and times are:

• Friday 17 September 1 PM – 2 PM
• Monday 20 September 7 PM – 8 PM

Further information and the online booking form can be found at https://www.rcvs.org.uk/vetgdpworkshops.

Some graduates may have completed forms to record their activities and progress as part of the VetGDP platform launch interim measures provided earlier this summer. Anyone who has manually completed any forms is encouraged to get in touch with the VetGDP team by emailing vetgdp@rcvs.org.uk who will be able to help transfer the data onto the e-portfolio if required.

Further information about becoming an RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice or Workplace can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetgdp

Dechra Veterinary Products has relaunched the Dechra Academy, its free online training hub, with a fresh format and improved functionality. 

Membership of the Dechra Academy is free and gives access to content from key opinion leaders examining topics such as diagnosis and treatment, monitoring and best practice.

The Academy covers subjects like anaesthesia, analgesia, endocrinology, dermatology and fluid therapy relating to exotics, equines, companion animals and food-producing animals.

The Academy includes webinars, eLearning, eBooks and videos, all of which provide CPD credits with downloadable certificates. 

Dechra is currently running a new series of webinars through the Academy about how to successfully manage cases with the constraints of the coronavirus outbreak as part of its enhanced support for veterinary professionals. 

Roddy Webster, Country Manager for the UK and ROI, said: "The Dechra Academy offers a vast range of valuable training support materials developed and led by our technical veterinary advisors and industry key opinion leaders. The platform reinforces our commitment to supporting the veterinary profession in the development of veterinary skills and knowledge.

“The refreshed Academy is more intuitive and flexible to use with improved functionality and navigation that makes it easier to access training as and when it suits the user.

“A community of more than 30,000 veterinary professionals are already benefiting from the learning opportunities available through the Academy and we would encourage anyone looking for exceptional and free CPD support to sign up now.”

To register for free access to the Dechra Academy, visit: www.dechra.co.uk/academy. 

Petplan has announced the finalists for this year's Veterinary Awards. 

This year, there have been over 30,000 nominations for the awards. 

The finalists this year are:

Vet of the Year
Andrew Hayes, Towcester Equine Vets, Towcester
Clare McCabe (pictured right), Claymill Veterinary Clinic, Cookstown
Laurence Behrens, Goddard Veterinary Group, Dagenham

Vet Nurse of the Year
Caroline Jones, Battle Flatts Veterinary Surgery, York
Helen Rooney, Pet Blood Bank, Loughborough
Lesley Ramsey, Debenham Veterinary Practice, Stowmarket 

Practice Support Staff of the Year
Rhiannon Lewis, Streatham Hill Vets, Streatham
Laura Cameron, Lomond Veterinary Clinic, Helensburgh
Louise O’ Reilly, Vets4Pets, Llanrumney 

Practice Manager of the Year
Kristen Lorimer, Blue House Veterinary Centre, Stoke-on-Trent
Louise Newman, Blue Cross Vets, Merton
Nicki Ridgeway, Vets4Pets, Ridgeway

Practice of the Year
Hollybank Veterinary Centre, Northwich
Lanes Vets, Poulton
Milfeddygon Williams Vets, Gwynedd 

The awards will be hosted at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester on 23rd March.

Bella von Mesterhazey, Sales & Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “This year’s finalist line-up includes an outstanding array of veterinary professionals and practices, and Petplan is delighted to be celebrating the highest achievements in pet healthcare once again."