Oxyglobin, Dechra’s unique haemoglobin-based oxygen carrying fluid for the treatment of anaemia in dogs, is now readily available in the UK.
“Over the past year, demand for this leading product has outstripped our limited supply from the manufacturer Biopure®,” explains Carol Morgan, product manager at Dechra Veterinary Products. “Production and supply issues in the US have now been resolved which means we can assure the future supply of Oxyglobin via the wholesaler to practices.”
Dechra is the sole distributor of Oxyglobin in the UK. The product requires no typing or cross matching and ensures no transfusion reactions or disease transmissions. “Its effectiveness can be measured by a rapid improvement in clinical signs, increased plasma haemoglobin concentration and arterial oxygen content. Oxyglobin has certainly proved itself as a valuable product to have in any practice,” adds Carol Morgan.
Oxyglobin can be stored at room temperature and has a shelf life of three years. For further details, please contact your local territory manager or phone Dechra on 01743 441 632.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, makers of Caninsulin, is launching Pet Diabetes Month, a call to arms for owners to check if their pets might be at risk of diabetes. To enable the testing, urine glucose test strips will be made available free of charge to vet practices to dispense during Pet Diabetes Month (1 - 30 November 2009).
ISPAH says that despite general awareness of the signs of diabetes in humans, many pet owners still have little understanding of the condition in their animals. The urine-sampling aspect of the campaign, entitled the Great Pet 'Pee' Test, intends to address this by making test strips freely available. It is hoped that many of the undiagnosed diabetics in the UK's pet population will be identified during the campaign and appropriate treatment plans undertaken.
Practices wishing to participate in Pet Diabetes Month and the Great Pet 'Pee' Test will benefit from practice leaflets containing the test strips, waiting room posters, the website http://www.petdiabetesmonth.co.uk/ and the opportunity to be included in a regional PR campaign.
Shoumik Das BVM&S MRCVS, Marketing Manager for Caninsulin, said; "The tremendous success of National Vaccination Month clearly demonstrates that pet owners are keen to take an active interest in the care of their pet, but often don't know where to start. By providing the test strips free to practices to distribute to pet owners we are once again giving them the tools to take control of their pets' health. If we can identify even a few of the missing thousands of pets potentially at risk from diabetes, that has to be good news for the pets and also vet practices."
Interested practices should contact their local Intervet/Schering-Plough Territory Manager or phone the company's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
The RCVS has restored its full approval to the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Science.
The full approval was granted by the RCVS Council in March, at the recommendation of the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee (EPSC), following the positive report of a visitation carried out in mid-December 2011 under the chairmanship of former RCVS President Stephen Ware.
The School had been under conditional approval since a visit in March 2007, and a subsequent revisit in October 2009 had identified that although progress had been made, work still needed to be completed to improve some of the facilities, particularly in small animal surgery and on the farm.
The RCVS Council commended the hard work and improvements displayed by the School, and was pleased to restore it to full approval status.
Professor Stuart Reid, EPSC Chairman said: "The University has demonstrated a welcome and continued commitment to the development of the School, and is to be congratulated on making significant financial investments in staffing and facilities, despite the current difficult economic climate.
"There is a positive and constructive atmosphere, which is a credit to the Head of School and all the staff who have clearly worked extremely hard to meet the challenges presented to them at a time of change within the university sector as a whole."
The School is next scheduled for a full visitation in 2014.
Public Health England has released figures showing that the number of people testing positive for Lyme disease was up over 30% in the period July to September 2015, from 300 lab confirmed cases to 421.
The figures are being highlighted by MSD Animal Health, organisers of the Bravecto 'Big Tick Project', a campaign to raise awareness of tick-borne disease amongst vets and pet owners.
The TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham said: "The rise in the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the UK reported by Public Health England suggests the need for greater awareness of this damaging illness. Vets have a huge part to play in educating pet owners.
"As well as highlighting the risks that ticks present to both human and companion animal health we need to be more alert to the signs and symptoms of tick-borne disease and the sensible steps we can all take to protect ourselves and our animals.”
Professor Richard Wall who has led Bristol University’s Big Tick Project team said: "Given the reported increase in cases of Lyme disease, the results of the Big Tick Project study will help us to understand these changes both in terms of the longer seasonal activity of ticks and their increasingly widespread geographic location and could have important implications for both human and animal health by quantifying the diversity and prevalence of the pathogens they may be carrying."
According to the NHS around 2,000 to 3,000 people in the UK are affected by Lyme Disease each year but charities campaigning for greater awareness of the disease suggest this could be as many as 15,000.
Growing concern over the rise in the tick-borne infection has prompted Government ministers to set up a network of regional experts to help diagnose and treat the problem.
Last autumn, Health Minister Lord Prior told a House of Lords debate: "Some patients suffer debilitating illness with symptoms that persist after treatment for several months or longer."
Lord Prior revealed that the Department of Health is to set up a network of experts around the country to support GPs and hospital staff, most of whom have never seen cases of the disease. The increase in the disease is being blamed on rising numbers of tick populations which are active for longer due to climate change, a rise in numbers of wild mammals such as deer that host them.
The clinical signs of Lyme disease in dogs include recurrent lameness due to inflammation of the joints. Sometimes the lameness lasts for only three to four days either in the same leg or in other legs and the joints may be swollen, warm, and painful. In some cases, kidney failure may occur and the dog may exhibit such signs as vomiting, diarrhoea, lack of appetite, weight loss, increased urination and thirst.
The masterclass, which will be 50% lectures and 50% practical, will give veterinary surgeons with some experience in neurology with the opportunity to develop their skills under the guidance of neurosurgeons, Dr Andrew Craig, Dr Harry Scott and Dr Nadia Shihab.
The course aims to equip delegates with the confidence to perform a range of procedures, including routine hemilaminectomies, corpectomies and ventral slots. It will also offer a grounding in lumbosacral stabilisation, thoracolumbar fractures, disc associated wobblers syndrome and atlantoaxial subluxation.
Dr Alison Babington MRCVS (pictured right), Business Development Coordinator at Improve International, said: “Veterinary neurology is a rapidly developing discipline and this Masterclass course offers delegates and their practices a welcome opportunity to reduce referrals and generate additional revenue by providing the skills in-house to deal with the increasing number of neurological cases.”
The masterclass is limited to 18 delegates.
For more information, visit www.improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
Burgess Excel and the PDSA are urging veterinary surgeons and nurses to get their clients to sign up to the free PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge by the closing date of Friday 22 November.
According to the organisers, the PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge is designed to help all rabbit owners understand and meet their pets' five welfare needs - the five things that all pet rabbits' need to be healthy and happy. Since the campaign was launched in June, more than 1,000 rabbit owners have signed up to take the challenge, and veterinary practices are now being urged to ensure their clients take advantage of this free resource by visiting www.rabbitneeds.org.uk to register.
The Challenge website allows owners to take a monthly quiz to find out how well they are currently meeting their rabbits' needs, with advice on how to further improve their health and wellbeing. At the end of the challenge, owners will be presented with a Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge certificate and receive monthly vouchers together with money-off coupons for the Excel Feeding Plan. They will also be entered into a prize draw to win a 16gb iPad.
The Challenge is being featured on stickers on every pack of Burgess Excel Rabbit Nuggets. One million packs will have been sold by the final date for sign ups on the 22 November.
Burgess Pet Care Veterinary Surgeon, Suzanne Moyes, said: "With help from the veterinary community we really can make a difference by raising awareness about important rabbit welfare issues and in turn change rabbit owner behaviour. Working together, we are can improve the health and wellbeing of the UK's third most popular pet by educating pet owners, especially in relation to diet and regular veterinary check-ups."
Sean Wensley, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at PDSA, added: "Sadly, the welfare needs of pet rabbits are often not met. Common problems include a poor diet, living alone in a small hutch with no exercise run, and a lack of preventive healthcare. The PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge is a great tool for owners to assess how well they are currently meeting their rabbit's five welfare needs and to get advice on making practical, positive improvements. Most owners want their pets to be healthy and happy, and we hope this Challenge will help tackle some of the preventable health and welfare problems commonly seen in pet rabbits."
For further information on The PDSA Rabbit Wellbeing Challenge visit www.rabbitneeds.org.uk or for further details on the Burgess Excel Feeding Plan visit www.excelfedingplan.co.uk
The RCVS has announced the launch of its final consultation in the latest review of the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS), and is seeking feedback on the proposed detail of the revised Scheme.
The College says that in particular, it needs feedback about the new system of Awards for RCVS-accredited practices.
Following the College's commitment to review the PSS every five years, this is the second such review since the voluntary practice accreditation system was launched in 2005. After gaining extensive feedback from PSS members and the wider profession through previous consultations and focus groups, and the collaborative approach taken by members of the Practice Standards Group, there have been a number of significant redevelopments to the Scheme, which are due to be rolled out later this year.
The revised Scheme will no longer just consider facilities and equipment at a particular site, but will focus on all areas of the practice, emphasising the outcomes and behaviours that impact on the veterinary care of animals. Whilst the existing accreditation categories of Core Standards, General Practice and Veterinary Hospital will remain, the revised Scheme will provide a pathway for practices to improve and more easily demonstrate where they excel.
Jacqui Molyneux, Chairman of the Practice Standards Group said: "One of the most significant additions to the Scheme is that practices will be able to apply to be inspected for additional Awards in specific areas. If successful, they would then be able to promote themselves as 'Good' or 'Outstanding' in these areas to their clients.
"The main aim of this consultation is to seek feedback on the Awards, and to check we have set the Awards criteria appropriately, so I would urge the profession to have a look at the proposed framework, and to send us their views."
The consultation, which is available to complete via the RCVS website, also seeks feedback on the guidance that's provided to help practices meet the Scheme requirements, along with a small number of questions about specific areas. The requirements themselves remain largely unchanged, so are not subject to review.
The modules, requirements, guidance and Awards framework for small animal, equine and farm animal practices are detailed in three separate documents that are available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/pssconsult2015. This page also contains further details about the consultation and instructions on how to submit feedback.
The consultation is open until 5pm on Monday, 23 March 2015.
The webinars are open to veterinary clinics across the UK and the US, including those not affiliated to Premier Vet Alliance.
The programme is as follows:
Jo Wells, Premier Vet Alliance’s Business Relationship Manager said: “We’ve concentrated on providing a blend of practical advice and insights, people management support and also some inspiring motivational ideas.
“Because we operate globally, we’ve engaged speakers from both sides of the Altlantic which presents insights into alternative ways of working and thinking. We’ve also kept the webinars to just an hour-long in length so they are time efficient.
“As well as providing what we hope will be valuable content, the webinars will also encourage a platform for networking and on-going communication.
To register for the first event on Thurday 24th February, visit: https://tinyl.io/5ZtP
CEVA Animal Health is drawing vets' attention to research which has found a possible link between autism and pyrethrin-based flea shampoos.
Findings from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment study, which is funded by the US National Institutes of Health, have raised the possibility that pyrethrins found in pet shampoos are linked to an increased risk of autism.
Mothers who used flea treatments containing pyrethrin based flea shampoos while pregnant were found to be twice as likely to have a child with an autistic spectrum disorder as those who did not.
The scientists who undertook the research have emphasised that the findings remain preliminary.
CEVA points out that while veterinary on-animal and household flea products have undergone extensive testing for safety and efficacy, parents may abandon flea control regimes over fears of pesticide use (as they abandoned the MMR vaccine).
Anxiety about the use of pesticides in the home is actually nothing new; a survey carried out in 2007, showed that two out of three pet owners were concerned about safety when using a pesticide-based flea spray in their homes.
CEVA highlights its own environmental flea control, Skoosh, as a possible alternative for concerned parents. Instead of pesticides, Skoosh uses inert silicones, commonly used in skin creams, make up, headlice lotions and oral medications, to physically engulf the fleas. CEVA says that Skoosh™ is not only effective against mature fleas, eggs and larvae but also physically prevents the hatching and development of pupae, which are not affected by traditional household sprays.
Ed's note: Fleas are something I know a little bit about (having worked on behalf of Novartis Animal Health for many years); I'd say that Program is another good alternative for pet owners that want to use a flea control product that does not put them into contact with pesticides. And no, I wasn't paid to write that, just force of habit!
Vets, consultants and other advisors should encourage dairy farmers to make use of available information to help improve their herd's performance and profitability through breeding. This is the message from DairyCo breeding+ director, Marco Winters, who says farmers should use genetics to improve not only milk production, but also health, welfare, management and type traits.
Breeding briefs, a new booklet from DairyCo, identifies some genetic improvement tools that allow farmers to make better breeding decisions and concentrates on how to use them in practice. And for those who feel confronted by an overload of information, the booklet helps identify the figures to seek out and prioritise.
Breeding decisions are cumulative: their effects build up over the generations so a problem can be introduced or cured over just a few years. A series of poor breeding decisions can mean the difference between profit and loss; even between a business's survival and failure. Yet the time, cost and effort needed for a good breeding decision to be made is much the same as those needed for a bad one.
Mr Winters says: "High quality cattle are at the heart of profitable dairy farming and this requires good quality genetics. Without these, however good farmers' management, there is a ceiling to their herd's performance and profitability. Vets, consultants and other dairy advisers have an important role to play in helping farmers access the information they need to make informed decisions."
DairyCo Breeding briefs is available to download from http://www.dairyco.org.uk/. To request a pdf version by email call 01285 646510 or email: publications@dairyco.org.uk.
CEVA Animal Health is launching a new TV advertising and marketing campaign to promote its veterinary behaviour products, DAP and Feliway, in the run up to this year's firework season.
The campaign will feature a new animated character 'Dap the Dog', who will join 'That Purple Cat' in educating pet owners on the behaviours expressed by pets that are fearful of loud noises during fireworks, and the benefits of using DAP and Feliway. The adverts will be aired throughout October on ITV2, E4, More4 and Channel 4 (London only) starting on Monday 4th October and will be seen by 11.5 million ABC1 women.
A range of firework marketing materials have been produced to support veterinary practices and help educate owners who have noise phobic pets. These include client leaflets, an A4 leaflet holder, waiting room display materials and a firework poster all featuring the characters from the advert. CEVA's petfireworkfear website - www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/ - has also been updated to include the new TV advert, downloadable versions of all materials and tips on how to prepare pets for fireworks. In addition, www.dapfordogs.com/ and www.feliway.com/ will feature a voucher offering pet owners a free 60ml spray when they purchase a DAP or Feliway diffuser from their local veterinary practice.
The support comes in light of recent research1, carried out by CEVA, that revealed 80% of pet owners have had a pet that has been afraid of fireworks, with more than half of dog owners wanting to ban them altogether because they are too upsetting for their animals.
Julia Wood, product manager at CEVA Animal Health, said: "Fireworks are the most stressful event that a pet can experience and, in most cases, owners have noticed their animals becoming visibly unsettled with 49% of dogs shaking1 and 65% of cats hiding1. The new TV advertising campaign and marketing support will educate pet owners on behaviours expressed by pets with a fear of loud noises and the importance of taking proactive action by using DAP and Feliway."
CEVA will be running its annual firework display competition amongst veterinary practices throughout October for the best decorated waiting room.
For further information on CEVA's firework campaign or its marketing support, please contact your local CEVA territory manager or call CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
'The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation' is presented by Georgia Woods RVN CertCFVHNut VTS(Nutrition), one of the editors of the new BSAVA Guide. It covers the main points that need to be considered when offering a nutritional recommendation to a pet owner.
Georgia said: "Nutrition discussions with clients can be challenging, not least given the plethora of diets available for pets.
"This webinar aims to cover the main points to support an evidence-based decision-making process to help vets engage owners in a meaningful discussion about nutrition and provide guidance on the most suitable diet for their pet."
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is an independent guide comprising a series of factsheets for veterinary professionals on four different diet options; each of these is accompanied by a factsheet for owners that can be provided as part of the consultation. The factsheets cover:
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is available exclusively through the BSAVA Library (£25; £15 to BSAVA members). Georgia’s lecture on ‘The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation’ can be accessed via the BSAVA Webinar Library.
The pack contains:
For more information, contact your local Dechra equine sales manager.
One Health – the symbiotic relationship between human, animal and environmental health – is becoming increasingly important, encompassing things like sustainability, the increase in antimicrobial resistance and the link between human and animal obesity.
Krista Arnold, Honorary Secretary of BSAVA said: "The complicated relationship between human and animal health has been the subject of scientific investigation since the 19th century.
"Important discoveries and the recognition of disease connections have helped to develop strategies for disease prevention in humans and animals alike.
"This collection in the BSAVA Library will contribute to further understanding and knowledge of this important topic."
The collection can be accessed via the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/one-health
It is freely available until the end of December 2022; after this time access is £16.25 for BSAVA members and £25 for non-members.
Cats Protection is urgently calling for compulsory microchipping of all pet cats.
The feline welfare charity says that two in three cats taken into its care are not microchipped, costing the organisation over £190,000 to microchip them. In addition, the charity says it ends up dealing with around 40 ownership disputes per year - the majority of which involve cats handed in as strays that are not microchipped.
The charity says unchipped animals are a major drain on its resources, which are already stretched looking after over 7,000 unwanted cats at any one time.
Peter Hepburn, Cats Protection's Chief Executive said: "I cannot stress enough how important it is for cats to be microchipped. The heartache and upset that a lost cat can cause is immense, as is the suffering to the cat. It could be so easily solved by a tiny 'chip that is no bigger than a grain of rice.
"When a cat comes into our care, the first thing we do is look for some sort of identification, including scanning for a 'chip. In a lot of cases, there is no 'chip so then we have no option but to trawl lost and found registers and to advertise the cat as missing. However, this is a very time consuming process with no guarantee that we will ever locate the owner, despite the best efforts of our volunteers and staff.
"It is a heartbreaking experience when an owner loses their beloved pet and is never reunited with them. Making sure a cat is easily identifiable is vital to increase the chances of a happy reunion so, if compulsory microchipping was brought in, many of these problems would be solved."
The company says that this year, its focus is on communicating the benefits of microchipping cats, which can roam significant distances from the home. The support pack, which reflects this focus, contains resources that can be used both in the practice waiting room and online.
In addition, the company is running a competition exclusively for cat owners: any that get their animal microchipped with the 8mm BackHome MiniChip in June can enter a prize draw to win a GPS tracker for their collar to help them find out just how far their cat can roam.
Dr Sarah Dixon MRCVS, BackHome Product Manager, said: "There is no legal requirement for cats to be microchipped but the benefits are clear. We looked at a recent study which showed that, in a 24 hour period, cats ranged on average 2 hectares with an average maximum of 7 hectares – or about 10 football pitches.1 One cat roamed nearly 34 hectares! The competition should reinforce the message about why microchipping is beneficial to all pets.
"Whilst compulsory microchipping for dogs has been in place for a year, practices must continue to highlight to owners the advantages of getting their pets microchipped. To enable practices to engage with their clients, and to reward the hard work done by staff in practices to make these campaigns a success, we are hosting a competition for the best displays. Prizes include a 32-inch TV for waiting rooms to the winner and luxury chocolates to the runners up."
Reference
Thomas, R.L., Baker, P.J. & Fellowes, M.D.E. (2014). Ranging characteristics of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in an urban environment, Urban Ecosystem, 17, p911-921.
Woodley Equipment Co Ltd has announced that it has been appointed by Synermed International as the exclusive distributor in the UK & Europe for the IR202 Series Near-Infrared Biochemistry reagents.
Woodley will supply regular maintenance visits, support and a monthly supply of reagents to IR202 analyser customers.
For further information, visit www.woodleyequipment.com, www.synermedinc.com, email sales@woodleyequipment.com or telephone 01798 813659.
The RCVS is calling for comment on a proposed new Case Management Protocol for its Disciplinary Committee.
The new protocol provides additional guidance to all parties, ensuring that evidence is agreed or considered well before the hearing. Its emphasis is on the Committee being able to read skeleton arguments and bundles of evidence from respondents before the hearing takes place, which speeds up the process and enables decisions to be made more quickly. At present, this is not always possible, as the information is not always made available.
Gordon Hockey, Head of Professional Conduct said: "The new protocol formalises the standard procedural direction for cases to be heard by the Committee, with the aim of promoting the timely and efficient preparation of cases and the smooth running of hearings. This is in the interests of all parties."
The Disciplinary Committee hears between ten and 15 cases per year. Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, the Committee can consider charges of serious professional misconduct, fraudulent registration and criminal convictions that affect a veterinary surgeon's fitness to practise.
A disciplinary system for registered veterinary nurses was set up in April 2011 and the nurses' Disciplinary Committee would follow the new protocol, as and when it is finalised.
The proposed new Case Management Protocol can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/consultations. Comments are welcomed from members of the veterinary team and from the public, by Monday, 8 August 2011, and should be sent to Carrie Gage, Clerk to the Disciplinary Committee, on c.gage@rcvs.org.uk.
As well as recycling its own blister packs used for pet medication, White Cross Vets, which has 21 practices, is urging local residents to bring in their empty blister packs to be recycled in a collection box in its reception areas.
MYGroup will process the collected blister packs, separating it back into its constituent parts so it can be fed back into supply chains and used to make new materials, including MYboard, a product which is used for construction, joinery, shop and event fittings.
Tom Ward, clinic director from White Cross Vets in Guiseley, said: “Very few local authorities or waste companies can recycle blister packs, which are used to package tablets and pills, meaning they usually end up in landfill or incineration.
“As a practice we use thousands of blister packs every year and we’re conscious that we need to look after our environment, so when we discovered there is now a ground-breaking recycling solution through MYGroup, it was obvious we needed to get involved.
“We’re also pleased to be able to make it available to local people in the surrounding area who can collect the blister packs they use at home and drop them off with us for recycling, regardless of whether or not they’re a client or even a pet owner.
"The initial feedback we’ve received has been very positive and we’re now beginning to see more and more blister packs being recycled each week as the scheme begins to grow.”
Steve Carrie, group director from MYGroup, said: “MYGroup offers the only circular solution on the market for recycling blister packs and we’re only just getting started in this critical waste space to save such a ubiquitous item from landfill or incineration.
MYGroup launched its first blister pack recycling scheme earlier this year across a series of GP surgeries and pharmacies in York, with over 185,000 waste blister packs collected so far.
Each full box that White Cross Vets collects carries an approximate carbon saving of 30kg, which is roughly the equivalent of driving nearly 800 miles in a car.
https://mygroupltd.com
The Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS, Charity no 1100485) is appealing to veterinary practices, equipment suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to donate unwanted supplies to its Parcel Appeal 2008.
The charity, which exists to provide a sustainable veterinary resource to assist animal charities and non-profit organisations, sends donation parcels of veterinary supplies to 138 associated animal charities around the world.
Hannah Westen, WVS International Projects Co-ordinator said: "Last year we were able to help over 50 associated charities in this way with nearly £90,000 worth of donated items. This year we hope to double this but to do so we also need help to cover postage costs."
Some parcels are sent as responses to urgent requests, where it is essential that the parcel arrives within a matter of days, while others are a way of providing assistance to charities where it is not practical to send a veterinary team. Hannah added: "Donation parcels are a simple way for WVS to provide assistance for charities and shelters in even the most remote locations. We recently sent several parcels to St. Helena, one of the most remote islands on the planet."
For further information, visit: http://www.wvs.org.uk/, telephone: 01725 551123, or email: info@wvs.org.uk
Following an outdoor advertising campaign that ran earlier this year, Drontal has launched a new national campaign, which will see the iconic Schnauzer featured on over 6,000 outdoor sites across England, Scotland and Wales.
Drontal product manager, Dan White said: "The last Drontal outdoor advertising campaign was a huge success in driving pet-owning clients into practices and we're hoping to build on this with our new advertising push.
"Approximately, 20% of the new advertising sites will be located within a 500 metre radius of veterinary practices serving to drive pet owners to visit local practices to purchase Drontal. We're not only highlighting the benefits of regular worming which results in healthier cats and dogs, but we're also improving the health of practice business."
For further information on Drontal, please contact your Bayer territory manager.
The BSAVA is reminding everyone that the closing date for the BSAVA PetSavers' 40th Anniversary Awards is Friday 1st August .
To celebrate 40 years of funding veterinary projects, the charity has up to £5000 for each vet school to fund veterinary undergrad student projects, and also a £5000 award going to veterinary nursing projects, both RVNs and undergrad students.
Derek Attride, chairman of the grants awarding committee, said: "The PetSavers 40th anniversary grants reflects the charity's commitment to ensuring that first-class research into small companion diseases continue in the future. This grant is the first of its kind for PetSavers and is a great opportunity for veterinary students and veterinary nurses to work on a companion animal clinical research project."
The closing date for applications will be the 1st August 2014. Veterinary students should apply through their university and veterinary nurses can apply directly to the BSAVA. Each university will be able to submit five applications.
The awards will be announced in December 2014 and the projects will have to be completed and written up by December 2015.
Further information about the anniversary grants can be found at www.petsavers.org.uk
Janssen Animal Health is encouraging vets and nurses to think 'chicken' this spring.
According to the company, all the evidence suggests that there has been a massive increase in the number of people keeping a few chickens in their garden, resulting in a new breed of chicken owner who often has different expectations regarding healthcare, and views their birds as 'pets'.
Vet Nigel Underwood from Janssen Animal Health said: "It is very tempting for small animal practitioners to think that domestic poultry keepers are the preserve of large animal practices but it is very likely that many cat and dog owners will own chickens too and trust their vet to give them advice about the basic healthcare needs of all their pets."
This spring there is a big opportunity to make poultry owners aware of the need to worm their birds. The return of warmer weather can signal an increase in poultry worm numbers as the ambient temperature increases above 10 degrees centigrade and more worm eggs become infectious. Studies have shown that peak worm counts often coincide with peak chicken egg production. Unless chickens, turkeys and geese are de-wormed there is a risk that egg production could suffer, just when poultry keepers should be enjoying their best yields. Some may even notice smaller eggs and loss of shell and yolk colour. Birds may suffer weight loss, become anaemic or even die.
One study has shown that older birds are more likely to harbour worms and many domestic poultry keepers find themselves with an ageing flock because they allow their birds to live a full natural lifespan. Free range birds are also much more at risk of picking up parasitic worms because of increased exposure to the outdoors, more contact with wild birds and the opportunities to ingest intermediate hosts such as earthworms, beetles and snails.
Janssen Animal Health's Flubenvet® 60 gram pack is an in-feed treatment that, according to the company, is practical even for those with just a few hens in their garden. Flubenvet 60 gram contains enough wormer to treat around 20 chickens, with no egg withdrawal.
While worms are a year-round problem in poultry it is especially important to treat in the spring to tackle the increasing threat of worm infection. Thereafter, poultry owners will also get the best results if they continue to treat regularly in spring, summer and autumn, when new birds are acquired and before putting birds out to pasture. This helps to ensure that contamination of the chickens' environment with worm eggs is kept at a manageable level, reducing the risk of future infections.
Free client leaflets about worms affecting chickens, geese and turkeys are available by calling Janssen Animal Health on 01494 567555.
The Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) has unveiled a new brand identity and fresh new website design to kick-start its 30th anniversary celebrations.
According to the charity, market research had shown that most respondents thought its old logo was unrecognisable. The new one aims to strengthen the charity's identity by making it more visually appealing and by representing the wide range of species the charity covers in its research funding, information leaflets and its advice to vets.
The new website remains at www.bva-awf.org.uk and combines the new logo with a fresh design to help guide vets, researchers and the public to the relevant resources and information quickly.
New features include a revised grants section which now includes a list of past and present projects and advice to guide potential grants recipients through the application process. To emphasise the Foundation's reliance on donations and legacies the donation button has been made more prominent and the new site also contains case studies which help veterinary students work through welfare dilemmas.
The charity's unique selling point and strapline 'The charity led by the veterinary profession' is also clearly displayed to further strengthen the AWF brand.
AWF Chair Dr Tiffany Hemming said: "We have tried to make the site as appealing, well-structured and easy to navigate as possible to show off all our areas of activity and to encourage use of our excellent resources.
"In the year of our 30th anniversary I am pleased to have this fresh new image to help us stay in people's minds where animal welfare is concerned, whether it is a veterinary practice wanting to provide clients with easy-to-understand leaflets, a researcher looking for funding or a member of the public who has heard of our initiatives and resources.
"We have more exciting plans in the pipeline to celebrate AWF at 30 so visit the website and look out for more information."
BVA President Peter Jones added: "With a strong new brand and website I hope AWF becomes an increasingly popular destination for vets in particular and for the general public with its simple and practical advice for everyone concerned with animal welfare.
"I also hope that the profession will find renewed enthusiasm for its own animal welfare charity which needs to attract donations to continue its work to promote animal welfare through research, education and debate."
The new facilities use teaching aids and models to allow students to refine their practical skills and build confidence before being let loose on real patients.
As part of the official opening, Princess Anne toured the School of Veterinary Medicine, where she met with staff and students and saw a demonstration of a new equine gut model that offers an alternative to using live animals for research into the gut microbiota of horses and how they are affected by diet, disease and medication.
Professor Chris Proudman, Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine, said: "We are honoured to welcome The Princess Royal to the Vet School today, and very grateful that Her Royal Highness has officially opened the Large Animal Clinical Skills Facilities. Preparing students for life as a vet is our number one priority; the hands-on experience they will get through the use of this facility is invaluable and enables them to give the best possible care to all animals.
"We are also very grateful to the Longhurst family, without whom these teaching resources would not have been possible – their generosity is helping us to teach the vets of the future."