Bayer Animal Health, manufacturer of Advocate, is launching an advertising campaign to support its 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative, which aims to educate pet owners on the spread of Angiostrongylus vasorum and encourage them to seek advice from their local veterinary practice.
The campaign will see a new TV 'public information' style advertisement targeting dog owners. It will air on 20 national TV channels during April including ITV1, 2 and 3, Sky 1, 2 and 3, More 4 and Film4, with air time dedicated to GMTV and daytime ITV.
The TV advertising campaign will focus on the parasite's intermediate hosts - slugs and snails - and the ease in which dogs can become infected with the parasite by picking up something as simple as a toy with a slug attached to it.
Print advertisements will also be running in national newspapers and women's consumer magazines with a focus on publications read by pet owners.
Marketing support material is available for veterinary practices wishing to participate in the 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative. For further details, or to order the new practice materials, please contact your Bayer representative or ring 0845 2574798 quoting 'Be Lungworm Aware'.
The RCVS has extended the deadline for nominations for the RCVS Queen's Medal to 31 January, to allow time for the nominations paperwork to be completed on return from the Christmas and New Year break.
RCVS CEO Nick Stace said: "We received more enquiries about the Queen's Medal over the Christmas period but appreciated that people might welcome a little extra time in the new year to complete and submit their nominations. We're certainly keen to allow anyone who wishes to make a nomination for this very special award the chance to do so."
The Queen's Medal, launched at the House of Lords last November, is a new Honour that will be awarded to a veterinary surgeon for a lifetime of outstanding contributions to the profession and who has dedicated their career to working above and beyond the call of duty in the fields of veterinary medicine or science, or related areas.
It is the most prestigious Honour that the RCVS can bestow, and will be awarded at RCVS Day in London in July.
Full details about the nominations process are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/Queensmedal). Nominations should be received by the RCVS no later than 5pm on Friday, 31 January 2014.
Agria Pet Insurance has announced an 'age amnesty' in May, during which time the company will quote for cover regardless of the age of a pet.
The company says it is common for the owners of older pets to have difficulties finding insurance cover for older pets, and a lack of cover may be a barrier to presenting the animal for regular health checks and disease investigations.
Agria has been offering five weeks free pet insurance plus insurance quotes without an age limit for rehomed older pets from rehoming centres and charities for a year now, in order to give prospective rehomers greater confidence to take on the additional commitment of an older pet.
The company says that opening up the offer to all pet owners through May offers a rare opportunity to insure potentially vulnerable senior dogs and cats.
Alastair Cook, Head of Sales and Marketing, said: "It's a great way to reinforce to clients how much you care. The bond with an older pet is often special and it can be very distressing when they develop a condition that is going to require treatment on an ongoing basis. We don't want cost to be the pet owners biggest worry, or for people to feel that they can't afford to ask their veterinary practice for help. We're asking practices to reach out to pet owners and let them know about this time limited offer so we can help as many pets and people as possible."
Agria has produced an Age Amnesty waiting room poster, available on request by calling its veterinary helpline on 03330 30 83 90 or email admin.vet@agriapet.co.uk. Practices that work with charities are also encouraged to contact the company.
For more information, visit www.agriapet.co.uk/veterinary
The two organisations are collaborating to produce a topical monthly webinar with an expert speaker, supported with a collection of resources in the BSAVA library
Idexx is also offering a bursary scheme with 10 places on a BSAVA course of choice.
Dr Jason Johnson, Chief Medical Officer of Idexx said: "Continuous learning is an essential part of veterinary clinic life and an area that is increasing in demand, particularly with so many new and innovative ways to engage.
"Education enables veterinary professionals to provide better care for their patients and we are delighted to support them through our collaboration with BSAVA."
The first two ‘Topic of the month’ webinars will be on anaemia in cats and increased SDMA on pre-anaesthetic testing.
The webinars will be free of charge to all BSAVA members.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, Head of Partnerships and Events at the BSAVA said: “We are thrilled to be working with Idexx. It is increasingly important to us that our members receive accessible CPD, and through this valuable collaboration we are able to continue to support the veterinary profession.”
You can access the webinars through the BSAVA Library.
This year’s Horse Health Week, which ran at the end of September, focused on the small things that can be done to help keep Britain’s horses happy and healthy. Equine practices were encouraged to get involved and engage with their clients throughout the week with the support of a toolkit that offered both off and online communication materials.
The toolkit included a social media campaign for practices to run called #BonVoyageBuzz. Horse owners were invited to send 'Buzz' around the (virtual) world by sharing and tagging on Facebook. By the last count, he'd reached Denmark, the U.S., Canada and Saudi Arabia. The final part of Horse Health Week was a survey that gave the views of horse owners on preventative healthcare.
MSD says the week was welcomed and supported by a number of equine vet practices which reported that the campaign generated high levels of engagement from horse owners.
Peter Young, Equine Business Manager said: "Horse Health Week was created to help practices promote their businesses and educate and promote the benefits of preventative healthcare, so we are delighted that we’ve had such a good uptake of the resources we provided this year. A number of equine practices uploaded the daily animations we created to help encourage maximimum engagement. Some also reported the animations and posters being mentioned at yard appointments so, together with equine vet practices, we’ve successfully helped raise awareness and are eduating horse owners."
If you would like to provide feedback speak to your MSD Animal Health Equine Account Manager. For further details, visit: www.healthyhorses.co.uk/horse-week.
Genitrix has launched a new system called Osteokine, which produces Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP). PRP, an autologous solution containing therapeutically significant concentrations of platelets, is known to accelerate the healing of injuries and is already widely used in human medicine. It is increasingly being used in the treatment of horses.
The Osteokine system, developed by German company Orthogen which also manufactures joint therapy Irap, comprises two interconnected blood bags.
The system involves taking citrated whole blood from the horse and placing it into the first, red-capped Osteokine bag for processing in a centrifuge. The plasma and platelets are then transferred to the second bag, and a second centrifuge process separates the plasma and generates a pellet of PRP, which is extracted and used to treat the horse from which it was taken.
Treatment with PRP has been shown to accelerate wound healing in all kinds of tissue particularly tendons and ligaments and has also been used in bone healing. It has been noted to reduce perioperative traumatic pain while the higher collagen content provided by PRP can create improved scar resistance.
Commenting on the launch of the Osteokine system in the UK, Rob Watkins, Marketing Director of Genitrix, said: "Therapeutic care of equine lameness is an area of particular expertise for Genitrix and the innovative treatments we've brought to market, including Acell, HY50 and Irap already form part of the staple ‘toolkit' of many equine vets.
"The benefits of PRP in terms of accelerating wound healing and vasculerisation are already widely accepted as are the advantages of an autologous approach in terms of eliminating the risk of disease transmission. To date, however, the process of extracting PRP has proved complex and expensive and only provided in specialised laboratories.
"Osteokine, in contrast, offers a cost-effective approach based on a system which is simple to operate in practice and takes only 20 minutes. We believe it offers a highly effective approach to treating wounds and injuries in horses."
For further information on Osteokine, contact Genitrix on 01403 786345.
BVA Past President Peter Jones is appearing before an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Antibiotics today, to update parliamentarians and stakeholders on the efforts the association and the profession are making to tackle the issue. Speaking to the APPG, Peter will say: "We know that the biggest cause of antibiotic resistance in humans is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine and this was highlighted in the joint report on resistance from the Department of Health (DoH) and Defra.
"However, we are not complacent about the role of antibiotic use in veterinary medicine and we are one of the leading voices in the campaign for the responsible use of antibiotics in all species.
"We remain committed to the One Health principle and the need for the medical and veterinary professions to work together to tackle antimicrobial resistance. BVA and our specialist divisions are currently working on a plan to deliver the five-year strategy on AMR from the veterinary perspective. The actions being taken have been published along with those of our partners in the RUMA response to the DoH/Defra strategy.
"One of our key aims for the strategy will be to promote the importance of evidence-based responsible use among both vets and their clients. We are already encouraging education on minimising resistance and principles of responsible use through engagement with the veterinary schools and other stakeholders, and through our own continuing professional development (CPD) programme.
"The use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine in Europe in the future may well be different to how we have used them in the past, with certain constraints on certain classes of critically important medicines used in man. We will cooperate in adapting to this new environment but any changes must be based on sound scientific risk analysis and not on misrepresentation of the evidence, or at worse falsification of that evidence."
Another key action for BVA is the updating of BVA's responsible use guidance for the veterinary profession, and BVA's species divisions continue to work on advice tailored to their particular sectors.
BVA is also continuing to call for quicker, cheaper and more accessible accurate sensitivity and pen-side testing for veterinary use, and repeated this call in recent submissions to the Science & Technology Select Committee and the APPG on Eggs, Pigs and Poultry.
BVA has also agreed in principle that antibiotic use should be recorded and reported and will consider how such recording and reporting may be encouraged, how usage may be measured and audited, and how prescribing habits can be assessed. Such measures will help us to monitor trends in resistance development and track the progress we can make in addressing the problem.
Last year's event generated an impressive amount of media coverage about ticks on Radio Four's Today programme, BBC Radio 1, 2 and 5, BBC TV Breakfast, BBC TV News, Good Morning Britain, ITV News and Channel 5 news, amongst others, providing an opportunity for practices to convert heightened public awareness into more protected pets.
Amanda Melvin, Small Animal Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Last year’s Tick Awareness Month was a great success thanks to the high involvement of veterinary practices. We would like to give as many practices as possible the chance to get involved this year so are urging surgeries to get in touch early and we will ensure you get a pack of support resources for this nationwide event."
For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health representative or visit: www.bigtickproject.co.uk.
RCVS Day - the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards - will be held on Friday 1 July 2011 at One Great George Street, London.
All members and listed/registered veterinary nurses are invited to attend the day, which will start at 10am with AGM business, followed by the celebration of veterinary and veterinary nursing achievements. Professor Soraya Shirazi-Beechey will be receiving her Honorary Associateship and Dr James Kirkwood and Des Thompson will be accepting their Honorary Fellowships.
A new award to mark the 50th anniversary of veterinary nursing will also be presented, as well as a Lifetime Contribution Award from the RCVS Charitable Trust.
In his last official engagement as President, Peter Jinman will give a review of his year before formally welcoming new Council and VN Council Members, and Dr Jerry Davies to the role of President for 2011-2012.
To celebrate Vet2011, the RCVS is honoured to announce that there will be two guest speakers this year - Dr Christophe Buhot DVM and Professor Gary England FRCVS, who will deliver a talk about the history and future direction of veterinary education.
For tickets, which are free and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, please contact Fiona Harcourt at the RCVS on f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773.
A study carried out at the University of Leicester's School of Psychology has found that disagreeable younger people are more likely to prefer aggressive dogs, confirming the conventional wisdom that dogs match the personality of their owners.
Researchers found that low agreeableness was the best predictor of a preference for those dogs seen as more aggressive, such as bull terriers or boxers. Individuals low in agreeableness are typically less concerned with others' well-being and may be suspicious, unfriendly and competitive.
However, the study found no link between liking an aggressive dog and delinquent behaviour, or the possibility that liking an aggressive dog is an act of 'status display' to show off or attract romantic partners.
Dr Vincent Egan, lead researcher on the study, said: "This type of study is important, as it shows assumptions are not the whole picture. It is assumed owners of aggressive dogs (or dogs perceived as aggressive) are antisocial show-offs. But we did not find persons who expressed a preference for aggressive dogs had committed more delinquent acts, or reported showing off more.
"However, we did find a preference for a dog with an aggressive reputation was related to being younger and being lower in agreeableness (i.e., being less concerned with the needs of others, and being quicker to become hostile)."
The study looked at the reasons why some people prefer aggressive dog breeds. Professor Egan explained: "A lot of human behaviour involves status display and dominance, and evolutionarily this helps with finding mates. Basic personality also influences a lot of our behaviour. By measuring both at the same time, we could see whether they each had an influence on liking aggressive dogs, or whether one was due to another.
"We were surprised mating effort did not have an influence here, but think it might be because we looked at a wider age range. A preference for a non-aggressive dog may also make a statement about a person; liking a pedigree Labrador or a clipped Poodle may be as much a statement as having a pit-bull with a studded collar."
In the study, participants indicated their preference for different types of dogs, and filled in personality tests. The dogs were independently rated according to how aggressive people perceived them to be. Bull terriers were rated as most aggressive, followed by boxers; retrievers and cocker spaniels were seen as least aggressive.
Analysing the findings, the research team found that certain personality factors indicated a preference for dogs perceived to be more aggressive. Low agreeableness and higher conscientiousness were related to a preference for aggressive dog breeds. Younger people were also more likely to prefer the aggressive breeds.
Surprisingly, the results indicated a small effect suggesting that those who liked aggressive dogs showed signs of conscientiousness - being careful, reliable and thoughtful about their actions. This contradicts the perception that owners of aggressive dogs are always irresponsible.
Dr Egan said: "These results with conscientiousness were unexpected, but the effect is a small one, and needs to be repeated in a different group of people. Studies of this kind tend to only look at a restricted age ranges, which may exaggerate findings which do not occur across the entire lifespan, so we believe a stereotype is always true, whereas it may only be true under certain conditions. Our study employed a broader age range.
"We were surprised to find a small association between a preference for aggressive dogs and greater conscientiousness (i.e., valuing and following rules). However, dogs also prefer rules and firm boundaries themselves. We speculate that cheap dog-training classes would be enjoyable and beneficial for both dog and owner."
The findings were published last week in the journal Anthrozoos.
Kruuse has announced that it is now the exclusive veterinary distributor in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for Nurtured Pets' Anti-LickStrip pet plaster, a natural hypo-allergenic adhesive plaster that deters licking, biting and chewing.
Anti-LickStrip's plaster is made with active ingredients including cayenne pepper, oregano, lemon powder and peppermint that acts as a deterrent to the animal when sniffed, licked or bitten. The veterinary range of Anti-Lick products will be co-branded under the Kruuse 'Buster' brand as: Buster Anti-LickStrip (sizes: small, medium and large) Buster Anti-LickStrip Pro and Buster Anti-LickStrip Pro C.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director, Kruuse UK Ltd. said: "This agreement further expands Kruuse's small animal product portfolio with its customer in Scandinavia, mainland Europe and the UK; increasing the already extensive range of animal tamper deterrents available to the veterinary practitioner."
Lisa Huntsman, President, Lauren Manufacturing & Nurtured Pets said: "This exciting partnership will further expand our products presence within the veterinary industry expanding our delivery of focused health and wellness products to customers, using Kruuse's strong relationships within veterinary practices."
Eclipse Veterinary Software has released a new mobile addition to its equine veterinary practice management system.
Eclipse Mobile allows veterinary surgeons to access up-to-date clinical information wherever it is needed, be that on the yard, at the practice, or while making field visits.
When Eclipse Mobile is offline, all the information the vet needs is stored on the device. When next connected via 3G or Wi-Fi, any new details are sent to and from the practice - syncing notes made by the vet, adding follow-on appointments and To Do messages, services delivered and products administered to keep everyone up-to-date throughout the day.
Whilst online, client payments can be taken via debit/ credit cards within the app and detailed drug batch information recorded using the iPad/iPhone's camera as a barcode scanner, if required.
Jeanne Razzell, CEO of Eclipse said: "Many of the vets we work with have been keen to carry animal histories with them on visits, including the latest lab test results, together with recent clinical notes, and diagnostic imaging, e.g. x-rays, ultrasounds and MRI, CT or bone scans. Now, with Eclipse Mobile, every vet can have all of this information at their fingertips automatically - at every appointment; both in the consult room and on the road."
Eclipse Mobile is available for iPad, iPad mini, iPhone, Android smart phones/tablets and Microsoft Windows Surface
For more information, contact Jeanne Razzell, CEO, Eclipse Veterinary Software Limited, on +44 (0)1799 532988 or +44 (0)7515 906466. Website: www.eclipsesoftware.info
Davies Veterinary Specialists (DVS), the private small animal referral centre based in Hertfordshire, has installed two new state-of-the-art ESAOTE ultrasound machines.
DVS says The MyLab Twice Vet and the MyLab Class C Vet provide fast, efficient and highly accurate imaging in a wide range of applications, including high-definition abdominal, cardiac, musculoskeletal and ophthalmic scans.
The MyLab Twice Vet, with its range of probes including the broadband 18MHz linear probe, will be used for general ultrasonographic imaging at DVS. It is capable of the most refined contrast media examinations that, for example, can help to locate and identify a liver tumour that may be rendered invisible when using conventional diagnostic procedures.
The MyLab Class C will be used predominantly for advanced cardiac work, including trans-oesophageal echocardiography for interventional procedures in theatre.
Pedro Oliveira, European Veterinary Specialist in Cardiology at DVS said: "The trans-oesophageal probe is currently a very rare piece of equipment in veterinary diagnostics. It gives us the capacity to obtain unique views of the heart, especially the heart base which can be a very difficult area to examine with regular echocardiography. It also allows real-time and direct monitoring of procedures, such as deployment of devices to occlude patent ductus arteriosus, surgery and anaesthesia in critical patients."
The first patient to benefit from the new My Lab Class C was an 11-year-old, female German shepherd dog with suspected cardiac neoplasia following several episodes of haemorrhage into the pericardium. A normal echocardiographic examination identified a small suspect area but it was in a part of the heart that was very difficult to approach surgically.
However, a trans-oesophageal examination revealed that another small mass close to the tip of the right auricle was actually the origin of the bleeding. The dog underwent surgery to remove the mass and subsequently made a full recovery. Without the My Lab Class C there would have been no viable options for this dog.
Clive Elwood, Managing Director at DVS, said: "Combining the best possible on-site diagnostic equipment with some of Europe's finest clinicians enables us to provide the best possible service and outcome for our patients, across multiple disciplines."
The Clinical Supervisor course is designed to help veterinary surgeons to guide their students in developing the professional behaviours and Day One Skills they need to join the Register.
The course is also designed to complement any existing training that a vet who is a Clinical Supervisor has received from the college or university for which they are supervising the SVN.
RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing Julie Dugmore said: “This course will help you undertake your role as a coach and assessor, ensuring your student has achieved the RCVS requirements by the time they have completed the practical elements of their training.
“It comprises modules that include the role and functions of a Clinical Supervisor, the types of professional behaviours SVNs need to develop and understanding of the Day One Skills in which they need to become competent.
"In addition, it will enhance the training Clinical Supervisors will receive from the relevant educational institution by promoting understanding of the RCVS requirements.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/vndayonecompetences
The RCVS Charitable Trust is offering up to 10 grants worth around £500 each, to support UK veterinary surgeons looking to pursue themes of clinical or non-clinical research involving short-term visits to veterinary or medical centres, or research institutes, outside the UK.
The Travel Awards are open to registered members of the RCVS, as well as to candidates registered for a PhD at a UK veterinary school. The awards are available for up to 12 months from the award date, and awards cannot be made for projects taking place before 31 October 2011.
The successful candidates will be asked to submit an article to the veterinary press and provide the Trust with a diary record including photographs, and/or short video.
All applications must be received by 5pm on Monday 31 October 2011.
Further information including full application criteria, is available from www.rcvstrust.org.uk/grants/
Alternative, contact grants@rcvstrust.org.uk or call 0207 202 0741.
Ceva Animal Health has added a new module to its Cardio Academy website which will provide practical advice on the management of dilated cardiomyopathy in practice.
The module contains an interactive seminar hosted by leading cardiologist and professor of medicine and cardiology at North Carolina State University, Clarke Atkins. The seminar lasts around 30 minutes, after which you're are invited to answer quiz questions relating to the presentation in return for a CPD certificate.
Small animal product manager, Fraser Broadfoot, said: "Our online Cardio Academy is an extremely popular CPD resource that can be accessed at any time, day or night! By using leading specialists, the interactive seminars provide cutting edge and practical advice on a variety of cardiology subjects. We add a new module every month, so check the website regularly."
To access the Cardio Academy please visit www.cardioacademy.cevalearn.com.
Last year BEVA received a national Antibiotic Guardian award from Public Health England in recognition of its work to promote responsible use of antibiotics. It was the only organisation from the veterinary profession to be shortlisted. BEVA launched its Protect ME antimicrobial campaign in 2012 to coincide with European Antimicrobial Awareness day. The Association has launched additional resources each year to facilitate compliance and educate the public about the importance of antimicrobial awareness.
This year, to recognise World Antibiotic Awareness Week (16th to 22nd November, 2016) and European Antibiotic Awareness Day (18th November), BEVA is encouraging members to document their efforts to reduce the use of critically important antibiotics.
To enter for the award, veterinary surgeons need to share practice sales data (in mls) of chosen antibiotics. Practices that document a reduction in antibiotic sales of these drugs will be presented with a BEVA Antibiotic Champion Award to endorse their commitment to responsible use of antibiotics and to help promote public awareness of the campaign. Members are also encouraged to sign up to be antibiotic guardians at www.antibioticguardian.com
Gayle Hallowell, Co-Chair of the BEVA Health and Medicines Committee said: "We are extremely proud of the equine veterinary profession’s commitment to the responsible use of antibiotics. We hope the introduction of our Champion Award will inject new vigour into efforts to continue to reduce the use of our precariously limited antibiotic resources."
To apply for BEVA Antibiotic Champion Award status visit http://www.beva.org.uk/Antibiotic-Champion-Award The BEVA Protect ME toolkit is free to BEVA members and can be downloaded at www.beva.org.uk.
XLVets has called on experts in people development, legal, IT and HR, as well as its practice owners, managers and team leaders to develop a package of coronavirus resources. The package includes guidance and best practice, tips offered by XLVets members, expert guidance in the use of technology to support home workers, access to the XLVets Thriving in Practice wellbeing initiative and more.
To access the resources at www.xlvets.co.uk without charge or obligation, email admin@xlvets.co.uk.
Colm McGinn (pictured right), from XLVets said: "We are very good at working together to develop solutions for problems and supporting each other. This is a national challenge and while our members have faced some difficult decisions, they've been able to share that decision-making process with their peers, calling on them for ideas, guidance and support.
"It's a big ask for just one or two partners to interpret the guidance in a rapidly changing environment and to stay informed about advice from regulatory bodies and associations. We've all benefited from sharing knowledge and it's lifted some of the pressure that comes from taking individual action, while still having freedom to do what's right for your own practice and people. I can't think of a better time for us to share our learning and resources for the greater good."
For more information, visit: https://www.xlvets.co.uk/the-boss.
Dr Johanna Fink-Gremmels – Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology at Utrecht University – has warned that UK cattle producers need to plan for an on-going struggle with feed-borne mycotoxins, and says vets need to help farmers understand and mitigate the negative impact on animal health.
Speaking to cattle vets at a CPD meeting organised by Alltech, she said: "When you see a general inflammatory response, such as elevated somatic cell count, mycotoxicosis should always be on your radar. The mycotoxin threat to cattle is increasing in the UK, yet it is often the most neglected causative issue on any list of pathogenic suspects."
Johanna explained that natural toxins produced by diverse fungal species are proliferating worldwide, partly as a result of global climate change, but also because of changing agronomic practices in developed countries.
"Total mixed rations often now contain more than one fungal species, contributing to a complex mycotoxin picture and unresolved health issues in a herd as a result. Cow signals such as reduced feed intake, reproductive disorders, laminitis, mastitis, impaired liver function, a poor response to vaccination programmes and even increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral diseases can all be attributed to ingesting mycotoxin contaminated feed."
Johanna says the biggest challenge for UK dairy farmers is now multiple mycotoxin contamination of grass and maize silage.
"Cattle health problems with feeding obviously mouldy silage are relatively well understood. But new harder to detect fusarium toxins – such as, for example, Enniatins and Beauvericin contaminating cereal grains – are also now being found in pasture grass in Northern Europe. These will also adversely affect the efficiency and function of the rumen.
"The rumen determines the health and productivity of the cow. When rumen bacteria are suffering the liver does not function correctly initiating a cascade of adverse events; and often a generalised inflammatory response is triggered, which leads to a loss of production."
Johanna added that in the future farmers will need select feed crop plants that are more resistant to fungal invasion and will also have to re-adjust tillage methods to reduce mould contamination. "However, we know that this alone will not stamp out mycotoxin contamination without creating a biological vacuum that will be filled with other micro-organisms.
"Consequently, it will be essential to continue to apply strategies such as rigorous on-farm risk assessment and the use of appropriate in-feed mycotoxin-sequestration agents (binders) to prevent the production-limiting and adverse health effects in our farmed livestock."
The studies and articles include a look at the importance of ethics, artificial Intelligence in veterinary practice, retention in the veterinary nursing profession, canine corneal bacterial pathogens, canine appendicular soft tissue sarcomas and mast cell tumours, and autologous mesenchymal stromal cell treatment.
Professor Luisa De Risio, Clinical Research and Excellence Director at Linnaeus, said: “Innovation in clinical research can only happen if we embrace change in society – from new technology to improvements in animal welfare. As well as showcasing the latest research, our new report also brings together experts to consider the opportunities for our profession.”
https://bit.ly/42KFrMK
Novartis Animal Health UK has announced that it is committed to maintaining a reliable supply of Bovidec BVD virus vaccine throughout the coming season.
The announcement comes following concerns surrounding the availability of BVD vaccines. Novartis Brand Manager Eugene Smyth said: "We have been in discussion with the regulatory authorities to try and ensure we can meet the demand over the coming months and we have a large team of territory managers and technical services veterinarians dedicated to supporting our customers through the season".
Bovidec BVD virus vaccine, immunises adult cattle against the BVD Type 1 virus and for active immunisation of calves against BVD Type II virus.
The Blue Cross and National Veterinary Services (NVS) are celebrating the success of a new initiative to generate additional saleable items for the charity, with the help of vet practices across the UK.
Earlier this year, The Blue Cross teamed up with NVS to launch a campaign to sign up vet practices who use NVS services to encourage their staff and clients to donate bags of unwanted clothes and bric-a-brac for the charity to sell and raise funds. This week saw the arrival of the 5,000th bag of donated items arrive at The Blue Cross warehouse
Jonathan Chambers Blue Cross spokesperson said: "We are extremely grateful to NVS, the vet practices taking part in the scheme and their clients. We are overwhelmed at the response so far and looking forward to receiving many more bags of goods in the future. Although the donated items may be unwanted possessions to some, each bag generates about £20 of income for us. This means the scheme has so far provided an amazing £100,000 worth of income towards helping sick and homeless animals in the care of The Blue Cross."
Caitrina Harrison, Sales & Marketing Director for NVS said: "We are delighted to be supporting The Blue Cross with this worthwhile initiative. We have an experienced and flexible logistics team, who have been able to help with the delivery and collection of the clothing bags throughout the UK. We have had excellent feedback from many veterinary practices who have got involved and the requests for clothing bags keep coming in."
Veterinary practices who receive their stock and drugs from NVS that are not yet part of The Blue Cross donation scheme can sign up now by contacting julie.godwin@nvs-ltd.co.uk or Jonathan Chambers at The Blue Cross: trading@bluecross.org.uk.