Bayer Animal Health, makers of Profender, has launched a campaign to reignite the age-long debate, 'Cats vs Dogs', to highlight the importance of protecting cats against intestinal worms.
Aiming to spark discussion between pet owners and vets, the campaign emphasises key differences between cats and dogs, including the challenges they present when it comes to worming control, such as cats' independent nature.
Previous research by Bayer Animal Health found that 42% of cat owners worry their pet does not swallow worming tablets, 38% are concerned that it will spit it out and 21 per cent say their cat runs away. This leaves potentially more than 750,000 cats unprotected from the parasite.
Launching in September, the campaign microsite http://www.catsvdogs.co.uk/, invites the public to vote for who they think rules, while uniting and educating owners over their common foe: intestinal worms. Voting closes at the end of November, with a tribute video to the winning species as voted for by the nation.
Alongside the microsite, a nationwide survey of pet owners is being conducted in partnership with Your Cat and Your Dog magazine to uncover pet owner perceptions of cats vs dogs, including parasite protection attitudes.
Campaign materials will also be supplied to veterinary practices, including an educational poster about worming control and applying spot-ons. For further information and campaign materials please get in touch with your local Bayer Animal Health Territory Manager.
For further information about Profender, or parasite control in companion animals, visit: http://www.itsajungle.co.uk/.
She said: "The veterinary family – which is my focus as BVA President – is part of the international scientific community, and we are a diverse profession with far-reaching influence and impact in so many areas of political and public life ... A healthy veterinary workforce is vital for UK animal and human health."
With the residence or working rights of UK-based EU vets a 'top five' priority for the profession in forthcoming Brexit negotiations, Gudrun highlighted workforce issues: "The UK veterinary profession relies heavily on EU graduates, who have felt the impact of the EU referendum result since day one … In the meat hygiene sector alone, some estimates suggest 95% of veterinary surgeons graduated overseas.
"That’s why our first action after 23 June was to call on UK governments to protect the status of EU veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses currently living and working in the UK. It was encouraging to see some of these key priorities … make it into the Prime Minister’s list of negotiating priorities. But we have said from the outset that our members need certainty and reassurance, so we urge the Government to make that firm commitment now."
"We know vets remain nervous about the changes to come, with many of our members concerned about the threat Brexit poses for UK animal health and welfare … Yet we can also see the opportunities Brexit presents, and BVA is determined to work with the Government to seize these opportunities, where they exist, to improve standards."
Highlighting opportunities that Brexit could offer in terms of improving animal health and welfare, Gudrun suggested a tightening up of the Pet Travel Scheme to reduce the growing trend of illegal puppy imports and improvements for welfare at slaughter. She said:
"The Welfare at Time of Killing or WATOK Regulations for England … are a case in point about the welfare-mismatch that could occur between domestic standards and those of our trading partners under the new Brexit arrangements. By failing to bring in evidence-based parameters for all waterbath stunning of poultry, [the] legislation has rendered it impossible for Official Veterinarians to protect the welfare of all chickens at slaughter. The regulations are simply not for fit for purpose, and could call into question England’s claim as a leader in high animal welfare."
The BVA President then shared a highlight of an early meeting between BVA and the then new Defra Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom MP last July: "We were pleased to hear [the Defra Secretary of State’s] vision to make the unique selling points of 'UK PLC' high animal welfare and food safety standards. It's a commitment that BVA fully backs ... To ensure our high standards continue, it is essential that we maintain existing veterinary certification and controls to satisfy our own consumer demand for quality and safety. Official statistics put the value of UK livestock outputs at £13 billion and not a penny of that could be realised without veterinary input."
Gudrun concluded by saying: "We can only make a success of Brexit if we harness our veterinary resource in clinical practice, public health, government services, conservation, academia, research and industry. We are a small profession but our impact is significant."
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Lord Gardiner of Kimble responded, saying: "In my role at Defra I am continually reminded of the importance of the relationship between vets and government - most recently in tackling the outbreak of Avian Influenza in the UK. Your thoughts and ideas are invaluable as we manage the many opportunities and challenges posed by exiting the European Union, ensure the highest standards of animal welfare, protect the country from new animal disease threats, and attract the brightest and best into the profession.
"I look forward to continuing to work closely together as we push ahead with our plans to create a world leading food and farming industry based on high standards of animal health and welfare."
To find out more about the BVA’s work on the UK’s exit from the EU, visit www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/future-of-the-profession/brexit/
Congratulations to VetSurgeon members Mike Martin, Malcolm Ness and Mark Patteson, who were amongst the winners of the 2010 BSAVA Annual Awards.
Mike Martin actually collected two awards this year: The Dunkin Award for the author of the most valuable article published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice (Canine dilated cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study of signalment, presentation and clinical findings in 369 cases), and the Blaine Award presented by Royal Canin for outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal medicine or surgery.
Malcolm Ness won the Simon Award for outstanding contributions in the field of veterinary surgery.
Mark Patteson picked up the Melton Award, presented annually by Royal Canin for meritorious contributions by veterinary surgeons to small animal veterinary practice.
Other winners included Iona Mathieson (Frank Beattie Travel Scholarship), Anne Vaughan-Thomas (deceased) (Amoroso Award), David Church (Woodrow Award), Luke Gamble (J.A. Wright Memorial Award), Olaf Reinhard Schaaf (Petsavers Award) and Steve Withrow (Bourgelat Award).
The RCVS has launched a research project into the extent to which veterinary surgeons are able to meet its requirement that steps are taken to provide 24-hour emergency cover.
The College's 24-hour Emergency Cover Working Party (24-7 WP) has been considering the ongoing practicality of the current requirement in the Guide to Professional Conduct, and whether it should remain, be removed, or be amended in some way. The research aims to build a sound evidence base on which a decision can be made.
"Changes in practice profiles and owner demands, health and safety issues, the desire for an improved work-life balance, veterinary and animal density... all these factors affect the ability of veterinary practitioners to meet our 24-7 requirement. The Working Time Regulations - which prescribe maximum working hours and minimum rest periods - have also affected practices' ability to run out-of-hours services," according to RCVS President Jill Nute.
"However, we are frequently reminded by members that the profession is proud to offer a 24-hour emergency service to animals and their owners. There seems to be no single majority view in the profession, so we need to understand exactly how people are meeting the requirement before any changes are made," she says.
To ensure that the research is independent and representative, the RCVS has contracted a specialist market research agency, Cognition Market Intelligence.
The first step is to build a robust and unbiased questionnaire that takes account of all of the issues. To this end, in-depth interviews will be carried out over summer with a small number of veterinary surgeons from a range of different practice types, and across different gender/age/role categories.
The 24-7 WP will then meet in September to hear the findings and agree the questionnaire, which Cognition Marketing Intelligence will then use during autumn as part of a quantitative phone interview exercise with 440 veterinary surgeons, again covering a spread of individuals, practice types and geographies. The phone interview approach will ensure that the views of a range of different practitioners are heard, which is not always the case with a paper survey.
Should changes to the Guide to Professional Conduct be recommended by the Working Party on the basis of the findings, a consultation exercise may be undertaken.
The RCVS President has sent a letter to all home-practising members to explain the activities. She has urged veterinary surgeons to assist the research team, saying "your contribution will make a difference".
Dan Forster MRCVS and his wife Kirsty, a veterinary nurse, run The Mobile Vet Ltd, which offers a 24/7 mobile service to clients and their animals on the Isle of Wight. The team work out of custom-designed vehicles, as well as their fully equipped static veterinary clinic in Newport.
In launching The Mobile Vet, their vision was to create a mobile clinic which could provide all of the services normally provided in a traditional clinic rather than just some. The veterinary team uses the latest technology and veterinary software to communicate with clients and works from vehicles specifically designed by Dan and Kirsty.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are awarded to businesses for outstanding achievement in International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. Winners of the Innovation Awards are judged to have shown outstanding success as the result of an innovation.
Dan said: "We aim to offer a caring and professional service to Islanders and their pets while also maintaining a good work/life balance. We can do almost everything from our vehicles but, when necessary, we utilise our fully equipped static clinic. We aim to offer a highly professional veterinary service using state-of-the-art equipment, which is also convenient to our clients. We have recently introduced a CT scanning service and laparoscopic surgery to expand our clinical services further.
"We are honoured to receive this prestigious award and had a fantastic day. The Award would never have been achievable without the support of our wonderful team. We look forward to continuing to provide an exemplary level of service to our clients."
The two-day collaborative workshop was hosted by the Jockey Club Estates, Newmarket and sponsored by The Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust and the Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust, together with a number of other industry contributors.
Injuries to the racehorse fetlock are rare: it is one of a number of racecourse musculoskeletal injuries which are collectively estimated to occur in around 8 of every 10,000 race starts in the UK. Nevertheless, fetlock injury can be extremely impactful and can be career-ending in some injured horses.
On the first day of the workshop an expert panel discussed how diagnostic imaging prior to racing can contribute to risk reduction.
Radiography is currently the most widely available tool used to identify tiny fractures which will heal effectively, providing exercise is reduced. However, advanced imaging such as standing MRI, standing CT and PET scanning, have the potential to identify pathology even earlier. At the workshop, the expert panel reviewed existing knowledge and discussed how to generate the research evidence, which is essential if these novel technologies are to gain a place in effective pre-race risk assessment programmes.
The following day a larger group of stakeholders reviewed the expert panel’s conclusions and discussed the need for greater transparency, education and communication amongst the racing industry stakeholders, all of whom share responsibility for ensuring racing continues to collaborate and enhance racehorse safety and welfare.
Prof Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal, who chaired the meeting said: “Racing has an excellent safety record and the injuries we are talking about are extremely rare. The low prevalence of fetlock injury makes it very difficult to pinpoint the affected individuals. But it is essential that we continue our efforts to do so ever more effectively because if silent injury is not detected it can progress to become much more serious."
Pete Ramzan, Partner at Rossdales LLP, who co-ordinated the workshop said: “There was a great need to get some of the key experts leading these new technologies together in the same room to correlate their findings and work out how to translate them into tangible reductions in serious injury rates. One of the somewhat unexpected outcomes of the discussions was that despite the fact that we are riding the crest of a wave of technological advances, basic radiography still has much to offer; better education around the application and interpretation of radiographs has real potential to allow vets like myself at the coal face to detect injuries at an early and recoverable stage”.
Photo: A radiograph showing of a racing thoroughbred’s fetlock joint. The arrow points to linear radiolucency in the parasagittal groove of the lower cannon bone, a finding that is frequently detectable before progression to serious injury. Image courtesy of Dr P. Ramzan, Rossdales LLP, Newmarket.
Each charge related to fraudulent pet insurance claims that Mr Johnston had made for the treatment of animals when he was in practice in Banbridge, County Down, two of which were fictitious, and where he had arranged for the insurance claims to be diverted and paid into a personal bank account, rather than the practice’s bank account.
At an initial hearing, which concluded on April 2022, Mr Johnston had admitted all the charges against him as well as admitting that his conduct was dishonest and amounted to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee was satisfied that his conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct, with Committee Chair Paul Morris saying: “The Committee has no hesitation in concluding that the respondent’s dishonest conduct will have severely undermined the confidence of the public in the veterinary profession and, further, that his conduct fell far short of the standards and conduct properly to be expected of a member of the veterinary profession.
"The Committee is satisfied that this conduct by the respondent brought the profession into disrepute.”
The proceedings were then adjourned to allow a psychiatric report and other mitigation to be prepared.
At its resumed hearing in November 2022 the Committee considered what sanction to impose in relation to Dr Johnston’s actions.
At this point, the Committee decided to postpone its decision on sanction for a period of two years on the condition that Dr Johnston enter into undertakings to the Committee including refraining from any form of gambling, subjecting himself to a close regime of support and supervision, and repaying some of the sums he had defrauded.
The hearing reconvened in October 2024 to decide on an appropriate sanction.
The Committee noted that Mr Johnston had complied with the undertakings and provided the Committee with the interim reports required of him.
He also continued with the therapeutic interventions and programmes specified, as well as implemented measures designed to minimise the risk of a relapse into gambling.
The Committee also noted that reports from the gambling support services, to which Mr Johnston had signed up, all spoke positively about his involvements and confirmed the progress he had achieved in managing his addiction.
The Committee also took into account a psychiatric report as well as evidence under oath from Mr Johnston’s wife who confirmed his compliance with the undertakings.
As a result, the Committee was satisfied that the prospects of a repeat of the conduct which led to the charges laid against Dr Johnston were now greatly reduced.
The Committee said it was less impressed with the evidence provided by Mr Johnston.
While he had largely complied with the letter of the undertakings he gave in 2022, it remained troubled by his apparent unwillingness or inability, on account of lack of effort, to fulfil the assurances previously given that he was in the process of changing his name to Johnston, from Fegan, on official documentation in order to be consistent with his legal name, when he had not done so.
The only formal name change in place was on the RCVS Register, and he had failed to alter his name on his driver’s licence, on his registration with the Veterinary Council of Ireland, his passport, bank accounts, and one of his email addresses.
As a result, the Committee did not find Dr Johnston to be an entirely satisfactory witness.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Having made the progress that he has over the period since the commission of the charges found proved in 2019, the Committee considers that the imposition of a sanction of suspension on top of the period of postponement would be excessive, in the particular circumstances of this case.
“For the same reasons, as stated above, it is considered that it would be excessive now to impose a sanction of removal from the register.
“That process of reasoning has driven the Committee to the conclusion that the sanction of a reprimand and warning as to future conduct is what the facts and circumstances of this case call for.
"That is because the respondent can be under no illusion about the outcome were he to appear again before this Committee.
"A failure to take advantage of the exceptional course adopted by this Committee on this occasion would be regarded as a serious aggravating factor were he to appear before the Committee at any time in the future.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advocate and organiser of the Be Lungworm Aware campaign, is warning that last year's damp summer and the mild winter conditions may lead to a continued spread of Angiostongylus vasorum in the UK.
Biodiversity & Conservation Officer for The Natural History Museum, Professor Fred Naggs, said: "An increase in the number of slug and snail populations this year would suggest there will consequently be a continued spread of the parasite. However, this depends on a number of factors: (i) the number of slugs and snails around last year, of which there were many (ii) the level of precipitation throughout the year, as slugs and snails will breed continuously when temperatures are mild to warm and there is adequate relative humidity. According to many reports in the press, last year was one of the wettest on record (iii) the survival of slugs and snails over the winter. As this winter has not been particularly harsh, reasonable numbers of slugs and snails should have survived."
In addition, a study by the RVC as shown that A. vasorum is spreading beyond the traditional geographic distribution with 20 per cent of veterinary practices across the country reporting at least one case of A. vasorum. 1
To help raise awareness of the parasite, veterinary surgeons and nurses are being encouraged to support the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign. The scheme will offer support and education to owners and participating vet practices throughout this month, which has been labelled 'Lungworm Awareness Month'.
Caroline Braidwood, Group Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health said: "While dog owners are becoming more aware of A. vasorum, there is still a real lack of understanding as to the warning signs associated with the condition and how to prevent or treat it. Some owners still believe that Lungworm can be prevented by using normal intestinal wormers which is not the case - Advocate is the only product that can prevent A. vasorum, and from the first application. Our aim with the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign is to drive pet owners to their vet practice, where they can then be informed of the danger of the parasite and educated about correct preventative treatment."
Practices can request a range of materials including a practice press pack by calling their Bayer Territory Manager. The pack is designed to promote the awareness campaign to local dog owning clients and includes a regional press release, images and other collateral including leaflets, posters and a campaign DVD for display in waiting rooms.
For more information on lungworm, visit www.lungworm.co.uk
Reference
1. Royal Veterinary College survey 2012, 1,419 veterinary practices
Firstly, pets that haven’t received primary vaccinations due to the coronavirus outbreak and develop an issue that would have been prevented by a vaccination they were unable to access, will now have that condition covered under their Agria policy.
Secondly, the company has now made it possible for owners of cats and dogs under the age of five to set up a 'Four Weeks Free' policy - which would ordinarily be set up in practice - themselves.
Simon Wheeler, Managing Director of Agria Pet Insurance (pictured right), said: "We have introduced these additional products during the pandemic to ensure that pets remain covered despite new and significant challenges faced by vets and owners. We hope that they alleviate a little of the pressure faced by veterinary staff and worry felt by owners."
Robin Hargreaves, who is Agria's Vet Lead and helped develop the solutions said: "Times are pretty tough in practice right now, and operating on a restricted basis isn’t ideal for us or the pets registered with us. One thing that would make life even harder would be if the percentage of uninsured pets was to rise.
"With Agria making it possible for owners to activate their own 4 Weeks Free policies at this time, even owners that can’t see vets as usual can still protect their pets with insurance.
“Relaxing restrictions around cover for unvaccinated pets will come as a huge relief in some cases, enabling any pets that have missed primary vaccinations or gone past their booster date due to current restrictions to still be insured."
For more information, visit: agriapet.co.uk/guide
To coincide with National Microchipping Month in June this year, Avid will update the details of any pet with an Avid microchip registered on the UK 24hr PETtrac microchip database free of charge, saving their owner £6 for a change of address and £12 for a change of ownership.
In addition, anyone who contacts the company via its website during June will also be entered into a prize draw to win one year's worth of free pet insurance.
To update registration details free of charge, visit www.petchipupdate.com (the update service activates in June), or call 0800 652 8977.
Any microchipper who would like a Pet Chip Update Campaign pack can send a request via www.petchipupdate.com or call the AVID MicroChip sales line on 0800 652 7 977.
Vetoquinol has revamped its Epiphen complimentary voucher scheme for testing serum levels of phenobarbital, and is offering vet practices a chance to win £100 of high street vouchers.
New voucher pads will be posted to participating veterinary practices in August. The re-vamped scheme also includes freepost envelopes to make the free serum monitoring programme more user-friendly.
Practices are being asked to send back the old vouchers, which can be found in both the 30mg and 60mg Epiphen packs, to take part in a monthly prize draw to win £100 of high street vouchers. To enter, return the vouchers with the practice name on the back of each voucher. There will also be a quarterly prize draw for a "Touch Screen" client education tool.
The old vouchers should be sent to: Voucher Amnesty, Vetoquinol, Vetoquinol House, Great Slade, Buckingham Industrial Park, Buckingham, MK18 1PA.
The six-floor building, which the College bought for £22.3m in 2022, was originally a warehouse.
Over the years it has been home to a range of businesses from leather manufacturers and papers makers to lithographic plate makers and shoe upping manufacturers, before becoming an office space.
The building remained tenanted until 2024, when £5.8m worth of renovation work to convert the building into a space suitable for a royal college began.
In addition to the working areas for RCVS and RCVS Knowledge staff, the building also has:
RCVS CEO, Lizzie Lockett, said: “After a few years in a rented co-working office space, we’re delighted to have moved into our new home, designed not only to meet the needs of College staff, but to support the broader ambitions of the RCVS as a whole.
“Our new strategic plan has collaboration at its heart – the idea of being stronger through working together – and our new building will help us to achieve that.
“Whether attending events, exploring RCVS Knowledge’s archives, using the members' area and meeting rooms, or benefitting from the outputs that the new space enables, the building has been developed with members and associates as a central focus.”
RCVS President, Linda Belton, added: "It’s great to see what’s been achieved through this project and my thanks go to the team who have managed the refurbishment and move.
“The new premises are equipped to ensure that the voice of the veterinary professions remains integral in assuring animal health, welfare, and public health in the UK, allowing for those all-important stakeholder conversations essential to setting, upholding and advancing veterinary standards.
“We look forward to welcoming members, associates, students and stakeholders alike in the coming months and years.”
Virbac highlights research which shows that 90% of all dogs over one year are affected by dental issues, including plaque, tartar, gingivitis and halitosis1, but small breed dogs are 5 times more likely to have dental issues than large breeds2.
The new formulation of Veterinary HPM Small & Toy range contains Ascophyllum Nodosum, which Virbac says has been scientifically proven activity on four aspects of oral and dental health: calculus index, volatile sulphur compound concentration, plaque index and gingival bleeding index3.
Virbac points to research which shows that after being absorbed in the small intestine and then secreted into the oral cavity via saliva, Ascophyllum Nodosum inhibits some pathways involved in plaque or calculus development4.
Nutrition-wise, Virbac says the new diet offers 33% less carbohydrate and 34% more protein, on average, compared to other brands sold in veterinary practices5.
90% of the protein included in the diets is also from animal protein.
The updated range also features 2 new kibble sizes (10.5mm & 7.5mm), for smaller mouths.
References
Identics, an animal identification company run by veterinary surgeon Egbert de Vries, has launched Labtags, a system with which you can tag animals and takes tissue samples simultaneously.
Egbert said: One of the diseases for which this tag has proven to be useful is Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). BVD Antigen testing is an important method of identifying the persistently infected (PI) animals in a herd.
"Use of labtags can be integrated in an accreditation scheme to achieve BVD Free status. It removes the need for taking blood samples and therefore simplifies the implementation of the accreditation scheme.
"BVD Antigen testing is not solely used for achieving an accreditation status. Persistently infected (PI) animals in your herd allow for the circulation of the BVD virus and have a negative impact on herd fertility and calf health. Identifying these animals is necessary for good herd management."
Two different labtags are available from IDENTICS. The first is the green button tag with a sequential number, which can be used as a complimentary tag to your double tagged animal. The second is a DEFRA approved tag with your UK herd number and individual animal number, allowing you to tag and sample your newborn calves with the correct tag without any extra work.
For more information, visit www.identics.co.uk, start a conversation with Egbert, email: info@identics.co.uk, or telephone: 01994 342100 / 07787 420646
Lanes Health, manufacturer of the mobility supplement, LitoVet, has announced the nominees for the inaugural Litovet Equine Scientific Achievement Award, part of the annual Animal Health Trust (AHT) awards.
The award which has been set up to recognise a person or group whose clinical or scientific work has made a substantial difference to the equine veterinary world will be judged by a panel of leading veterinary surgeons and scientists.
The nominees are:
Peter Clegg - MA VerMB PhD CertsES DepEVCS MRCVS. Dr Clegg is Professor of Equine Surgery and Deputy Head of the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, The University of Liverpool. Peter's current research focus is equine orthopaedics, in particular identifying the basic mechanisms of injury and repair in equine joints and tendons. He has supervised 13 successful PhD students and is currently supervising a further nine.
Andy Durham BSc, BVSc, DEIM, Dipl.ECEIM, MRCVS (RCVS & European Specialist in equine internal medicine). Liphook-based Andy Durham exemplifies the premise that veterinarians in practice can maintain an active interest in current research, undertake clinically relevant research projects, interact with researchers on an international stage and contribute to CPD through scientific papers, book chapters and lectures.
Tim Mair BVSc PhD DEIM DESTS DipECEIM MRCVS. Dr Mair ha been innovative in veterinary practice (e.g., an early adopter of standing magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), has an extensive publication list recently focusing on evidence-based medicine for colic, but spanning the full breadth of common medical disorders in horses. He has made an enormous contribution to veterinary practice within both Europe and America in his role as Editor of Equine Veterinary Education.
Chris Proudman MA VetMB PhD CertEO FRCVS.Dr Proudman is Professor of Equine Studies at the University of Liverpool. His research interests are related to the aetiology and surgical management of acute intestinal disease (colic) in the horse: specifically, the diagnosis of intestinal parasites associated with colic and understanding dietary determinants of colic. Most recently this has involved using metabolomics and molecular microbiology to investigating the intestinal microbiota and its response to dietary change.
The LitoVet Equine Scientific Achievement Award can be granted to any individual or group that is currently undertaking, or has successfully implemented within the past ten years, one or more clinical or other research projects which has, or will, make a significant contribution to equine health and welfare.
The award will be presented to the recipient, or recipients, at the UK Equestrian Awards held at the Lancaster London on Thursday 3 November 2011.
Animalcare has announced the launch of a new epilepsy monitoring programme to support users of its Phenoleptil (phenobarbital) tablets.
As part of the programme, veterinary surgeons can have patients' phenobarbital plasma levels analysed by Carmichael Torrance Diagnostic Service (CTDS). CTDS Veterinary Director Nick Carmichael (RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Clinical Pathology) and his team will also be available both to interpret results and discuss all aspects of therapeutic monitoring at no extra cost.
In addition, veterinary surgeons can opt for additional chemistry, including bile acids to assess hepatic function plus haematology. All Phenoleptil users are eligible for 50% discount off these services.
Animalcare has also expanded the Phenoleptil range and launched new strength tablets of 25mg and 100mg. Presented as new "snap- tabs" with a four-way score for more accurate dosing, whatever the weight of the dog, this enables fine adjustments to be made thereafter, reducing the risk of sub-optimal dosing.
The 100 tablet packs are designed for quick and easy dispensing with flavoured tablets to aid compliance. The 12.5mg and 25mg strengths are the only phenobarbital tablets licensed for dogs under 12kg and make it possible to treat dogs as low as 2.5kg (assuming a 2.5mg/kg bid starting dose) in weight. The 100mg tablets are useful to treat larger dogs.
For more information, contact your local Animalcare representative.
At the same time as paying the fee, all veterinary surgeons must annually confirm their Register and correspondence details, declare any convictions, cautions or adverse findings and confirm they are compliant with RCVS continuing professional development (CPD) policy.
The deadline for completing the annual renewal, 1 April 2019, has now passed and all veterinary surgeons who are yet to pay their fees must do so before the end of May 2019. As of 1 June 2019, any non-payers will be removed from the Register.
If paid by 30 April 2019, the annual fee is £340 for UK-practising veterinary surgeons, £170 for veterinary surgeons practising outside the UK, and £56 for non-practising veterinary surgeons. Following this date, the fee goes up by £35 across all these groups and veterinary surgeons will have until 31 May 2019 to pay.
If the renewal fee is not received in full by 31 May 2019, then non-paying veterinary surgeons will be removed from the Register. In order to restore their name to the Register, a restoration fee of £340 will need to be paid, in addition to the appropriate retention fee. During this time they will not be able to use the postnominals MRCVS and UK-practising vets will need to cease practising.
Annual renewals can be completed online on the RCVS website and all the information needed to complete the annual renewal is in the renewal notice that has been sent to veterinary surgeons. Those who need any help or have any questions about completing their renewal and paying fees should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk.
Believed to be the first course of its type produced specifically for the veterinary sector, it aims to help educate colleagues about the subject of Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and is relevant to anyone working in the veterinary community, including non-clinical staff.
The course looks at how to create a more inclusive environment for colleagues and clients.
It also covers definitions of diversity and inclusion, and investigates the difference between equity and equality - and why it is so important.
Course learning materials also consider the topics of bias, prejudice, protected characteristics and discrimination - and how colleagues might challenge any non-inclusive behaviours through interactive veterinary context scenarios.
Nimisha Patel-Cook and Claire Dennison, Learning Partner and Employee Experience Lead at CVS, who jointly developed the course, said: “We want to increase the levels of diversity within the veterinary community, but to achieve and sustain more diverse workforces we know we need to foster inclusive and equitable workplaces.
"Everyone plays a part in that.
“So we have created this new course and are making it available to any colleague working the veterinary community.
"In time we hope that it contributes to an inclusive and psychologically safe culture for all within the sector.”
The course is available at https://knowledgehub.cvsukltd.co.uk.
Husky, a rather aptly named refrigeration company, has announced it is to launch a veterinary vaccine fridge.
According to the company, the new fridge is a specially adapted version of its SS1 model, one of the most popular refridgerators for caterers because of its performance, reliability and durability.
The new unit is designed to ensure the safe storage of a wide range of vaccines at 2º - 8º degrees Celsius. The unit also incorporates an audible door open alarm, failed temperature alarm, and a fail-safe secondary back-up digital display thermometer as an added safeguard.The vaccine refrigerator door includes security lock as standard, and the refrigerant used in manufacture is R600, a highly efficient hydrocarbon refrigerant coolant - CFC-free and a natural non-greenhouse gas.
Geoff Thomasson, Chief Executive of the Husky team of companies said: "The SS1 has long been a winner with the hospitality trade and we believe we will enjoy similar success with this medical version. The potential market is enormous."
For more information, ring 01455 555340 or email: info@husky-global.com
The survey of 102 UK veterinary students, which was carried out by Charlotte French MRCVS (pictured right) in 2020, also revealed that 74% of respondents had engaged in extracurricular CPD whilst at university, including university presentations, online conferences, webinars and in-person congresses.
98% said they were willing to be involved in extracurricular CPD if it was available.
Charlotte said: "Students are interested in CPD and their career progression, they just need a little extra help in finding the right providers and sources."
Merial Animal Health has announced that the duration of immunity for the tetanus component of Proteqflu-Te has been extended to 2 years.
Merial's Veterinary Technical Manager Kevin Whelan said: "This is a welcome new addition to the label claims for this advanced vaccine, which is the only equine flu vaccine in the UK to contain a recently updated influenza virus strain. The updated strain, innovative canarypox vector technology and now the extended tetanus duration of immunity claim make the vaccine an excellent choice for vets in the UK"
Merial says Proteqflu-Te can now be used on an alternate year basis in combination with the company's other flu vaccine, Proteqflu, which does not contain tetanus toxoid. The one year duration of immunity for the influenza component remains unchanged.
Please contact your local Merial Representative or the Merial Technical Support line on 0870 6000 123 for further information.
International Cat Care (formerly the Feline Advisory Bureau) is once again raising the issue of cats accidentally poisoned by dog flea products containing permethrin.
The charity is undertaking a campaign to warn owners of the dangers of using dog flea products on their cats because cats are still dying unnecessarily. While the incidents outlined here occurred in the UK, previous reports have shown that this is the most common cause of poisoning of cats in many countries because products are widely and easily available.
Gary Rutland RVN DipAVN(Surgical), Head Nurse and Cat Advocate at the Cat Friendly Millennium Veterinary Practice in Essex was moved to get in contact with International Cat Care after the death of a nine-week-old kitten treated with a permethrin-containing dog spot-on bought at a local pet store. Understandably, both the owners and the practice staff were greatly distressed. The owner used it on her dog and, because it was cheap, assumed it would 'not be strong' and would be fine to use on the kitten. A video of the kitten on the ICC website (www.icatcare.org/permethrin/cat-deaths) shows the resulting seizures.
The second incident concerned two 7-year-old cats treated accidentally after Donna, their owner, bought a dog spot-on containing permethrin from a local shop without wearing her glasses. Someone had placed a dog treatment among the cat treatments and she picked it up. No advice was given to Donna in the shop. She said that the flea treatments were on the shelves, 'just like selling smarties in a children's candy store'.
Although both products had a warning on the packaging, this was either not seen or not taken seriously enough because such products are so freely available and nobody thinks that a drop of a dog product could kill their cat.
International Cat Care is demanding that dog spot-on flea products containing permethrin should not be available without verbal advice at the point of sale. Currently these products are categorised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in the UK as AVM-GSL, which means that they can be bought directly off the shop shelf without the need for advice. The charity says they should be recategorised as NFA-VPS so that they can only be purchased if there is someone in the shop who is suitably qualified to speak to and advise the buyer. The shop should advise that they are only for use on dogs, and ask if there are any cats in the home which could come into contact with a recently-treated dog. The owners can then be warned to keep the dog and cat apart, or advised to use a different product. Advice must be given with some other current non-permethrin containing spot-on products sold through pet shops under the NFA-VPS authorisation and many of these products have a much safer profile if used accidentally on cats, than those containing permethrin.
Dr Andy Sparkes, Veterinary Director for International Cat Care, said: 'Many practices see permethrin poisoning in cats several times a year but do not contact the VMD because the product is not a POM or they feel that the Directorate already knows about the problem. We feel strongly that the problem is greatly under-reported. Nothing will be done unless the full extent of the problem is realised by the VMD, so please report each one by going on the website at https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/adversereactionreporting/. These cat deaths are totally preventable - you can sign our petition at www.icatcare.org/permethrin/petition to change the categorisation.'
The charity is also asking the pet trade to voluntarily class these dog spot-on products containing permethrin as NFA-VPS and to provide advice to their customers accordingly. Pets at Home is working with International Cat Care and the company will be adding a till prompt so that the product cannot be sold without customers being asked whether they have a cat and given appropriate advice.
Maeve Moorcroft, Head of Pets at Pets at Home which earlier this year launched its Flea Fight Force said: 'We take the risk of permethrin poisoning in cats very seriously. We are introducing prompts at our tills so that customers are asked during the checkout process if they are aware of the risk to cats in the home when purchasing a permethrin based spot-on dog flea treatment, and also advised to wait at least 72 hours after treating the dog before the dog and cat can come into close contact.'
International Cat Care is urging veterinary practices to ensure that if concentrated permethrin-containing spot-on products are prescribed and dispensed for use on dogs, adequate warnings are given, including when owners come in for repeat prescriptions. Asking if there is a cat in the house each time a product is dispensed is critical in case a cat has recently been added to the home.
Information on the veterinary treatment of permethrin poisoning cases can be found on the ICC website at www.icatcare.org/permethrin/vet-info
Ceva Animal Health has produced a new advisory leaflet about enzootic abortion control and vaccination strategy in sheep to help vets explain the best prevention protocols to clients.
According to the company, it is estimated that around half of the 400,000 infectious abortions in UK sheep each year are from enzootic abortion caused by Chlamydophila abortus, but timely vaccination programmes can prevent such dramatic losses.
The eight-page leaflet explains how enzootic abortion can spread, why prevention is better than cure, the importance of timely vaccination of ewe lambs and replacement stock, how vaccination programmes make good economic sense and the benefits of using Cevac Chlamydia, Ceva Animal Health's live enzootic abortion vaccine as part of the control programme.
Carol Atkinson, reprodAction's product manager said: "Cevac Chlamydia receives consistently good feedback from vets, many of whom have enthusiastically volunteered their praise for the product to our territory managers. We thought a leaflet would be a constructive way to share views, giving vets the chance to hear about the advantages of vaccination and to provide them with the tools to explain to their clients why vaccinating against enzootic abortion is cost worthy."
For further information contact Ceva Animal Health Ltd, Unit 3, Anglo Office Park, White Lion Road, Amersham, Bucks, HP7 9FB, Telephone +44 (0) 1494 781510.