Manchester-based Anca Bucur MRCVS has been suspended from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons for two months after she was found to have issued a veterinary prescription for tramadol intended for use by her father.

Ms Bucur MRCVS faced three charges against her.

The first charge was that in April 2024, she wrote a prescription for 60 tablets of tramadol 50mg, indicating that it was for the treatment of an animal, when it was intended for the treatment of a human.

The second charge was that she allowed the prescription to be presented at a pharmacy and/or failed to stop that.

The third charge was that her conduct, in relation to the first two charges was dishonest, and misleading, and took place in circumstances where she was not professionally qualified to write a prescription for human use.

At the outset of the hearing, Ms Bucur admitted all the charges and the Committee accepted her admissions.

In relation to charge three, the Committee found that Ms Bucur had been aware that she should not have written the prescription, that she should not have indicated that it was for an animal, that she should not have deleted the prescription for the clinical record on the practice management system, and she should not have allowed or failed to prevent the prescription from being presented for dispensing.

The Committee therefore found all charges proved.

In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee considered that Ms Bucur’s conduct had given rise to a risk of injury because she was not professionally qualified or sufficiently informed to issue a prescription for tramadol, that she had acted recklessly with regard to the potential effects of a controlled, potentially addictive drug and that her conduct had been premeditated.

It also accepted the submission that there was an abuse of Ms Bucur’s professional position as a registered veterinary surgeon, because this had allowed her to issue a prescription.

The Committee also found that Ms Bucur’s conduct was aggravated by her having involved other persons in her misconduct, namely her partner, in an attempt to have the prescription dispensed.

The Committee noted that the charges involved findings of dishonesty, which is regarded at the higher end in terms of the spectrum of gravity of misconduct.

In mitigation, the Committee took into account that the facts proved related to a single incident of the issuing and attempted use of a prescription.

The Committee was of the view that the Ms Bucur’s conduct had failed to promote protection of public health and had breached the legislation around access to controlled drugs.

Even though this was a single incident, the Committee considered that members of the public, if aware of the facts, would be alarmed and concerned at Ms Bucur’s actions.

As a result, the profession could be brought into disrepute and public confidence in the profession undermined.

The Committee therefore found that Ms Bucur’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct in a professional respect.

The Committee then considered whether there were any relevant additional personal aggravating or mitigating factors.

The Committee did not find any further aggravating factors; in mitigation it noted that Ms Bucur had no previous complaints of adverse matters in her career.

The Committee accepted that Ms Bucur had made early, open and frank admissions to her conduct.

She had also offered a fulsome and genuine apology and remorse in her witness statement and in the hearing.

The Committee also accepted that she had since worked without further incident and concluded from her witness statement and evidence that she had developed full insight into her misconduct.

She was able to provide a notable number of references and testimonials which were uniform in speaking to her positive qualities as a veterinary surgeon.

The Committee was able to conclude that this has been a very serious but single lapse of judgement, and that there was a relevant context in that Ms Bucur had clearly acted out of concerns to help her father, however misguided.

There were no suggestions of harm, or risk of harm, to animals.

However, the Committee could not ignore that Ms Bucur’s misconduct had occurred in relation to a controlled drug and had contravened important protections designed to protect the public.

Neil Slater, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee balanced the effect that a suspension would have on Dr Bucur, by depriving her of the ability to practise for a period, with the public interest.

"However, it decided that, in the circumstances, the interests of protecting the public, including the wider public interest, outweighed Dr Bucur’s interests.

“The Committee decided that, in all the circumstances, a suspension was the appropriate and proportionate sanction.

“The Committee considered for how long the suspension should be imposed.

"It considered that the suspension was not required to allow for Dr Bucur to gain any further insight.

"It would purely be required to mark the Committee’s disapproval of Dr Bucur’s misconduct, as a signal to the public and to the profession.

"The Committee concluded that the least period required in all the circumstances is two months.

“The Committee therefore directed to the Registrar that Dr Bucur’s registration be suspended for a period of two months.”

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings 

The Kennel Club is calling on the profession to support Get Fit With Fido, its new campaign to help tackle the growing dog obesity crisis by educating owners about the range of different ways to get fit with their dogs..

In addition to the education campaign, Get Fit With Fido also includes a challenge that rewards the dog and dog owner who jointly lose the most weight, and the dog owner and dog who individually lose the most weight, as a result of exercising together. Prizes include a one night stay at the dog friendly, 4* boutique townhouse hotel Flemings Mayfair; a luxury dog bed from Charley Chau and Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two at the Milestone Hotel.

All dog owners who enter Get Fit With Fido, will receive a 20% discount on Crufts and Discover Dogs tickets; as well as advice, tips and tools for owners.

Veterinary practices are being asked to support the campaign by requesting free flyers and posters from the Kennel Club and then displaying them at reception, or in the waiting room.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "Reports indicate that between 30 and 60% of all dogs are overweight so it is more important than ever we keep our dogs happy and healthy. One of the most serious findings in obesity studies that have proven to be related to being overweight in both humans and dogs is a reduced lifespan. An overweight dog is more likely to die younger than a dog of normal weight. 

"The findings are shocking and we are trying to educate as many dog owners as possible and call on vets to spread the message of keeping your dog fit and healthy."

To get involved in Get Fit With Fido and receive free flyers and posters, contact the Kennel Club press office at gfwf@thekennelclub.org.uk

For more information, visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getfitwithfido

Novartis Animal Health has launched Zolvix, billed as the first truly novel anthelmintic class for livestock to be launched in more than 25 years, together with a new drenching system designed to make drenching faster, easier and more accurate.

Zolvix contains a new active ingredient, monepantel, which kills all key sheep gastro-intestinal nematodes (roundworms), including those resistant to the existing treatments.

According to the company, the development of this new drench follows the persistent challenge from worms that have developed resistance to the three other classes of drench - white (benzimidazole or 1-BZ), yellow (levamisole or 2-LV) and clear (macrocyclic lactone or 3-ML) and combinations of these. Zolvix has a unique mode of action and so forms a fourth generation of anthelmintic, which will be known as the 4- AD, or orange drench class

Novartis Animal Health has prioritised the UK and Ireland as key launch countries for Zolvix to provide their sheep farmers with an answer to the pressing challenge of increasing anthelmintic resistance.

Lesley Stubbings, an Independent sheep consultant and Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) panel member, said: "Resistance has become an ever increasing threat since the last new anthelmintic group was introduced to the UK market more than 25 years ago. Zolvix offers farmers a valuable opportunity to maintain good worm control and prolong the effective life of the existing products. Following the SCOPS guidelines to carefully integrate Zolvix into worm control strategies, before the other groups fail, will allow our sheep industry to reap the full benefits of this new novel group."

A study carried out by Novartis in conjunction with the Hopkirk Research Institute showed that Zolvix treated sheep gained 33.5%, or 2.8 kg deadweight, more than sheep treated with a drench to which they were resistant.

Novartis Animal Health Brand Manager Simon Harris said: "Parasite resistance is a growing problem that decreases the productivity of sheep of all ages. Many veterinarians and farmers are concerned about this, with an increasing number of farmers reporting resistance to the three groups of wormers that have been available up to now, so the introduction of Zolvix is very timely."

At the same time, the company has also launched an award-winning new drenching system designed to offer 'a superior drenching experience for both animal and operator'. The new Optiline Drencher and Optivix backpack system were developed in collaboration with drenching specialists Simcro Tech Ltd.

The Optiline Drencher has already won several design and engineering awards, including a bronze award in the 2009 NZ BEST design awards, a coveted International Forum (IF) 2010 product design award from Germany and the prestigious Bayer Innovators Award for design and engineering.

It was also a finalist in the New Zealand Agritech Innovation Awards reached the finals in three categories of the 2009 New Zealand Trade and Enterprise International Business Awards.

The Optiline drencher is coupled with a durable, light Optivix backpack that has been specially tailored to provide left or right-handed operators with the same wide range of adjustment. It also has two drench cradles - at chest and hip level - to ensure maximum comfort.

Mr Harris said: "This drencher is best appreciated during use. Contact your local Novartis Animal health representative to arrange a trial."

Practices will be able to offer customers increased support for their worming programmes in 2010, as part of a new initiative from Eqvalan® manufacturer, Merial.  

Eqvalan product manager Claire Edmunds said: "The SMART worming campaign is designed to encourage owners to Simply Monitor, Assess Risk and, if necessary, Treat with the most appropriate wormer.

"We know that worming can be confusing for horse owners, so the SMART approach is designed to help them manage their worming programmes more easily, whilst also ensuring that wormers are used in a way that may help prevent the development of resistance.

Practices purchasing Eqvalan Duo during February and March can get 4 tubes free when they purchase 20. In addition, to kick start the SMART campaign for each order on the above offer, Merial will supply 20 free Worm Egg Count vouchers worth £10/€10 each. For those practices with their own testing facilities, the company is also offering promotional support to help encourage increased uptake and client buy-in.

Claire added: "As well as continuing with the successful free worm egg count campaign available for practices during February and March, owners will also have access to a personalised on-line planner, as well as text and email alerts.

"The campaign is being supported with new point of sale material and a prominent consumer advertising campaign. In addition we also have an extensive VN SQP CPD training programme planned for 2010. 

"With the consensus of expert opinion on the future of worming firmly behind the use of targeted programmes incorporating worm egg counts, there has never been a more important time to get closer to clients and help them with their worming strategies."  

If you would like further information, please contact your local territory manager or call the Merial Customer Support Centre on 0845 601 4236. 

The RCVS has published the results of a survey of UK practices to gauge the impact of the coronavirus and the associated government restrictions on veterinary businesses.

532 veterinary practices responded to the survey, which was sent to 3,096 veterinary practices for which the RCVS had a unique email address, on 3rd April.

The survey found that: 

• The majority (71%) of premises remained open but 5% of respondents had closed their main premises and 24% had closed branch premises
• 66% of practices reported their weekly turnover being reduced by more than half
• Around 30% of practices reported being impacted by veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses self-isolating/or with Covid-19, whilst almost 35% have ‘other support staff’ self-isolating
• 97% of practices reported limiting the service they provide to emergencies or emergencies and urgent cases (in accordance with RCVS guidance at the time)
• 62% of respondents had furloughed or intended to furlough veterinary surgeons, compared to 64% for veterinary nurses and 78% for other support staff
• Only 6% of respondents had made, or had immediate plans to make staff redundant
• All respondents answering the relevant question (n=451) reported that their practice was using remote consulting for existing clients/animals, whilst 45% were using it for new clients/animals
• 14% of respondents said they had donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the National Health Service for use by those tackling the pandemic on the frontline

Three-quarters of those who responded to the survey answered a question on how the RCVS could better support veterinary practices through the crisis. The most frequent response (27%) was that the RCVS needed to provide clearer guidance, in particular as to what services it was permissible for veterinary practices to provide [the College published its updated guidance and flowchart on 9 April].

Of those who responded to the question, 15% felt that the RCVS was doing a good job or that there was nothing more it should do, while just 2% of responses expressed negative sentiment towards the RCVS.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: “I would like to thank all those practices who took the time in what is already a very fraught situation to respond to our survey and provide the evidence we need to gain a holistic picture of coronavirus’ impact on the business and economics of veterinary practices. We plan to continue running these surveys on a regular basis in order to gauge impact over time and the findings will feed into our policy and decision-making.

"This ongoing research will also be a vital tool when we are talking to Government and other bodies about the impact of policy on the veterinary sector. On this note, we are aware of the challenges of a minimum furlough period of three weeks given the need for practices to take steps to offer 24/7 emergency and critical care, and have written to government on this with some case studies around the impact this is having.

"To those on the ground it won’t come as too much of a surprise that the impact of the coronavirus has been profound in areas such as practice turnover and staffing, with many vets, veterinary nurses and other support staff being furloughed with the aim of signing them up to the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

"There are some bright spots in the data we’ve gathered – very few practices reported that they had made or were planning to make staff redundant, and many practices reported mitigating the challenge of social distancing by carrying out consultations with new and existing clients remotely.

"Since the survey took place we have also taken steps to meet some of the requests for greater clarity and guidance from the RCVS with the publication of our flowchart helping practices to decide what treatments it is appropriate to carry out safely amidst the COVID-19 pandemic."

The survey results can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications.

The next practice impact survey is planned for early May.

Virbac has launched Neoprinil, an eprinomectin pour-on solution indicated for use against internal and external parasites in cattle, including gut and lungworms, mange mites, sucking and chewing lice, horn flies and warbles.

Neoprinil has a zero-day withdrawal period in milk and can be administered using the company's Farmpack and Flexibag.

The Farmpack is a backpack which holds a Flexibag of Neoprinil solution. The Flexibag is a bag designed to protect medication and preserve it once it has been opened. The two together were awarded the 2014 PharmaPack Award for Innovative Packaging.

Neoprinil offers a one year stability period once it has first been opened and requires no special conditions for storage. It is presented in 2.5L, 4.5l and 8l pack sizes.

Product Manager for Large Animals Brigitte Goasduf MRCVS said: "A high worm burden can have adverse effects on the herd's productivity and performance and so it is advisable to ensure infected animals are treated as part of a Herd Health Plan. Eprinomectin is a tried and trusted parasiticide and studies confirm that it can have a positive impact on both milk production and on weight gain. Its zero day withdrawal period is a major benefit for dairy farmers.

"With the launch first of Deltanil and, now, Neoprinil, we are reinforcing our commitment to work with veterinary surgeons and farmers to understand the everyday challenges they face and to provide practical, effective solutions. We offer a comprehensive parasiticide range with a dispensing system that sets a new standard for convenience and ease of use."

The RCVS has published two reports on the impact of the pandemic on the personal and professional lives of veterinary surgeons and nurses since March 2020.

The reports summarise the results of two surveys that were conducted between July and August last year.

Of the 28,718 veterinary surgeons who were sent the survey, 22% fully completed and submitted the questionnaire.

Some of the main findings included: 

• 67% of veterinary nurses experienced a change in shift patterns at some point in the pandemic, compared with 57% of veterinary surgeons;
• 49% of veterinary nurses worked additional hours due to others being furloughed, compared to 40% of veterinary surgeons;
• 37% of veterinary nurses were furloughed, compared with 23% of veterinary surgeons;
• Many veterinary nurses reported taking on extra responsibilities such as: general domestic cleaning (70%), clinical cleaning (65%) and reception work (63%);
• 53% of veterinary surgeons who worked extra hours did so completely unpaid or mostly unpaid, compared to 21% of veterinary nurses;
• 38% of veterinary surgeons and 40% of veterinary nurses had to self-isolate at some point during the pandemic;
• 38% of veterinary surgeons said they worked remotely at some point during the pandemic – with the peaks being in the earliest phase of the pandemic in March to May 2020. In comparison, 23.5% of veterinary nurses worked remotely during the pandemic;
• 7% of veterinary surgeons and 8% of veterinary nurses had to shield at some point during the pandemic due to being clinically vulnerable;

Around 40% of veterinary surgeons and over 40% of veterinary nurses said they had experienced concerns for their personal safety aside from catching Covid.

These safety concerns mostly related to client interactions at the practice either during the day or out-of-hours.

Many respondents experienced conflict between their personal wellbeing and professional role, and found it difficult to juggle their work and caring responsibilities.

Many respondents also said their mental health was adversely affected by the experience of working during the pandemic.

A large majority of respondents said they had personally seen an increase in caseload due to new animal ownership.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “While many of the results of the survey may not be especially surprising and confirm what we have already been told anecdotally, it is very important that we have this hard data to hand on the overall impact of the pandemic on individual members of the professions.

“These two reports complement the six surveys that we have conducted with veterinary practices on the economic impact of the pandemic to give us as clear and holistic a picture as possible about the challenges that the professions and the veterinary sector as a whole have faced since March 2020.

"This not only provides a useful historical snapshot, but builds an evidence base to inform future temporary changes should the pandemic continue into more waves, or should future such crises arise.

“The results of the two individual surveys make it clear it has been a tough time for the professions.

"A good proportion of respondents also acknowledged that positive developments have come from the past two years, including the way the profession has demonstrated remarkable resilience, flexibility and adaptability, as well as forging a stronger team spirit under such difficult circumstances.

“However, a large number of both vets and vet nurses who responded said that the experiences since March 2020 have left them feeling more pessimistic about veterinary work and their place within it.

"I would like to reassure members of the veterinary team that the RCVS is aware and understands.

"We tried throughout the pandemic to support the professions with relevant temporary guidance changes, and we are now working with a range of stakeholders on critical issues such as the workforce crisis, which has been in part caused by Covid.

"We are also developing tools, training and resources to support the professions, via our programmes such as RCVS Leadership and Mind Matters.”

The full coronavirus impact survey reports can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications. 

The PDSA has published its seventh annual Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, which highlights a worrying decline in the number of pet owners vaccinating their cats, dogs and rabbits.

The PAW Report, which monitors pet welfare issues across the UK, is produced in conjunction with YouGov. Over 63,000 pet owners have been surveyed since 2011, providing the most robust insight into the welfare of UK pets.

For the first time, each section of the report ends with a veterinary action area that highlights the main issues, suggests what veterinary surgeons and nurses can do to tackle them, and lists resources that are available to help.

This year's PAW Report shows that just 75% of dogs (7.0 million) and 65% of cats (6.7 million) received a primary vaccination course when young. These are the lowest levels ever recorded by the Report and compares with 82% of dogs and 72% of cats in 2011. 

Only 66% of owners (5.6 million cats, 7.3 million dogs, 500,000 rabbits) surveyed in 2017 have protected their pet with annual booster vaccinations.

Rabbits remain the most neglected with only 50% receiving a primary vaccination when young, a decrease from 63% in 2016, and 55% not receiving their annual booster vaccinations. 

PDSA Head of Pet Health and Welfare, Nicola Martin, said: "The decreasing number of dogs, cats and rabbits receiving primary and booster vaccinations is a great concern for the health and welfare of the nation's pets."

20% of both dog and cat owners and 10% of rabbit owners who hadn't vaccinated their pets gave 'too expensive' as their reason for not vaccinating.

Nicola added: "While the latest PAW Report confirms that many of us get pets for the companionship and love they bring to our lives, it also highlights many owners continue to misjudge the costs involved in owning a pet. Despite potential lifetime costs of dog ownership easily rising to £21,000, the Report revealed 98% of dog owners surveyed estimated that their dog would cost less than this over the dog’s lifetime. This shows that the veterinary profession and animal welfare organisations need to do more to raise awareness of the financial reality of pet ownership – including preventive care and veterinary treatment – before owners take on a pet."    

Of those owners who hadn't vaccinated their pets, 14% of dog owners, 22% of cat owners and 32% of rabbit owners felt vaccinations were unnecessary. 24% of pet owners who hadn’t vaccinated their pets said that this is because their pet didn’t come into contact with other pets.

Nicola continued: "These findings show there’s a real lack of knowledge of the devastating diseases pets are susceptible to if they’re not protected through vaccination.  It’s important we improve vaccination levels before we face a resurgence of pets suffering with vaccine-preventable diseases."

John Chitty, President of the BSAVA said: "The current vaccination levels in cats and rabbits are far below the levels expected to provide a 'herd immunity effect' with the consequence that significant reductions in these diseases are further away, and those pets not vaccinated are at even greater risk.

"In particular it is deeply worrying to see the fall in vaccinated rabbits. The recent advances in myxomatosis vaccines mean that it is now much easier and cheaper to ensure more complete protection of pet rabbits from what is a common and lethal disease. The advent of RHD-2 virus in the last couple of years also seems to have failed to stimulate more owners seeking vaccination for their rabbits, especially given the publicity that this has generated."

In response to the report findings, the PDSA is launching ‘Spread the word, not the disease’, a campaign to help raise awareness, spread the word about preventable deadly diseases, and encourage pet owners to get their pets vaccinated and ensure their boosters are up-to-date. 

The PDSA is asking people to pledge their support at: www.pdsa.org.uk/spreadtheword 

Nicola concluded: "It’s up to the veterinary profession to help educate pet owners on the importance and value of vaccination. This is an area which requires collaboration and a co-ordinated effort across veterinary bodies to ensure owners can make informed decisions about vaccination. By launching this campaign, we hope to raise awareness of the risks these diseases pose, and how important vaccinations are in protecting the long-term health and wellbeing of the nation’s pets."

The full report can be downloaded here: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/get-involved/our-current-campaigns/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report 

About the PAW Report

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4,153 dog, cat and rabbit owners aged 18+ who live in the UK. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23 February and 6 March 2017. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of the population by pet species (cat, dog or rabbit owners) and the owner’s gender, age and region.

Extrapolations to pet population figures are based on the following estimates of pet populations in the UK: 9.3 million dogs, 10.3 million cats, and 1.1 million rabbits.

Online veterinary triage company, Vidivet, has announced a partnership with the practice management software provider, Provet Cloud, whereby case notes from out-of-hours calls taken by Vidivet are automatically sent to the pet owner's practice so it can can follow up. 

Some 150 practices currently use Vidivet, which was set up by Ben Sweeney MRCVS (pictured) in 2020.

He said: “I started VidiVet as I wanted people to be able to access high quality, impartial care for their pets that allows them to make more informed decisions around their treatment with expert information, rather than resorting to the internet.

"As a vet I also wanted to make life easier for those working within veterinary practices.

"VidiVet relieves part of the burden veterinary practices face by offering a trusted digital triage service for their clients.

"Our digital service can provide a helpful extension to a practice which dramatically reduces admin and saves time for the in-house team.

"Crucially, we offer peace of mind and reduce anxiety for pet owners, and with over 96% of VidiVet out of hours calls redirected to the pet owner’s registered vet, it can really enhance the practice bond by using digital care to augment physical care."

Before the Provet partnership, OOH case notes were sent to client practices which then had to enter them onto their systems manually. 

Vidivet says the intregration with Provet means less admin and time savings for practices and a quicker follow up for pet owners.

https://vidivet.com 

https://www.provet.cloud 

Dechra has launched Fluboral (flubendazole), a water-soluble wormer for chickens and pigs.

Fluboral controls gastro-intestinal nematodes including Ascaridia galli (adult stages), Heterakis gallinarum (adult stages) and Capillaria spp. (adult stages) in chickens and Ascaris suum (adult and L4 intestinal stages) in pigs. 

Dechra says Fluboral’s formula allows it to mix in drinking water quickly and easily with five seconds of stirring. 

Fluboral has a guaranteed 24-hour stability without sedimentation of the suspension after dilution in drinking water and Dechra says there is no risk of inhomogeneous mixing.

Johnny Wells West, key account manager – pig and poultry at Dechra, said: “Fluboral is a welcome addition to our Solustab range of water-soluble products, providing effortless and efficient parasite control in drinking water to enable farmers and producers to start medication quickly and cost-effectively, as and when needed.”

https://www.dechra.co.uk/products/livestock/prescription/fluboral#Fluboral. 

The BVA, the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), the Goat Veterinary Society (GVS) and the British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) have launched a new policy position addressing the issues surrounding surplus male animals on farms, recommending that we all eat more UK veal and goat meat to help reduce the slaughter of unwanted male calves and goats.

Current estimates suggest that around 95,000 calves, 30 million chicks and 3,000 Billy kids are affected per year. 

The new position calls for solutions based on the overarching principle that quality of life should take precedence over lifespan, with the longer-term aim to move away from the production of unwanted animals all together. In the meantime, the position calls for further research into solutions to reduce numbers of additional male offspring and for humane methods of killing surplus animals on-farm.

The dairy and egg industries have been advised to adopt a ‘3Rs’ (reduce, replace, refine) approach to the rearing and slaughter of animals which are surplus to the requirements of the specific industries. Reduction recommendations include selecting for sex (a technology used quite frequently within the dairy farming community) and increasing the length of time that an animal can produce milk through selective breeding.

In the absence of these options, the position recommends raising male offspring for meat, with the caveat that calves and billy goat kids should be raised within UK high welfare schemes only.

In the absence of any reduce or replacement options, veterinary experts advise that killing should be undertaken in the most humane way and that all the animal’s welfare needs must be addressed prior to slaughter.

In line with BVA’s sustainable animal agriculture position, this policy recommends that when animals are killed, every effort should be made to make sure that the carcass is used. For example, the carcasses of male chicks killed by controlled atmospheric stunning can be used in animal feed, such as for reptiles and birds of prey.

BVA Junior Vice President, James Russell (pictured right) said: "Unwanted male production animals in the dairy and meat industries are an ethical challenge on a number of levels. Firstly, for the producer who may have animals with little or no commercial value. Secondly, for the consumer who may find the notion of these unused animals a difficulty. Our new joint position is based around the principle of ‘a life worth living’ and looks at ways that the veterinary profession can work with the farming community to reduce the numbers of animals that this affects and ensure that high welfare is always front and centre.

"If slaughter of affected animals is undertaken humanely, it is not a welfare harm per se, but greater measures should be taken to make sure that these decisions are made with minimal carcass wastage and an eye to the economic, emotional and environmental impact at a farm level.

"With greater public understanding of ethical and animal welfare issues faced by the industry, the promotion of farm assurance schemes and further research into alternative breeding options such as selective sex technology, we hope to reduce these numbers and improve the welfare of the animals involved."

BCVA President, Professor David Barrett said: "The number of unwanted male dairy calves has fallen substantially in recent years, due in part to more efficient milk production meaning we now need fewer dairy cows to produce the same volume of milk, as well as the use of breeding technologies that mean we can select for female calves. Nevertheless, surplus males are still produced. Provided these calves’ welfare is protected they should become part of the meat production supply chain either as high-quality UK farm assured veal or beef."

"As we strive for improved sustainability and increase efficient use of resource in food production, we need to use every product from dairying, including calves that can be reared for meat. Our entire industry needs to work together to create a robust supply chains for high quality, farm assured British dairy beef and veal and we need to help consumers understand they should embrace these products. They are very different from intensively reared veal of the type produced in systems previously banned in the UK."

The RVC has published a new VetCompass study which has concluded that prescribing antibiotics or nutraceuticals at first presentation of uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs causes no difference in clinical resolution of these cases.

The study¹ suggests that dogs with uncomplicated diarrhoea do not need antibiotics as part of their veterinary care plans. 

The study included a random sample of 894 dogs aged between three months and 10 years old diagnosed with uncomplicated diarrhoea in 2019.

Of these, 355 (39.7%) dogs were prescribed antibiotics, and 539 (60.3%) dogs were not prescribed antibiotics (with or without additional supportive treatment) at first presentation for diarrhoea.

For the analysis, the dogs were balanced for a range of other differences between the groups including age, breed, bodyweight, insurance status, the presence of two or more medical conditions, vomiting, reduced appetite, blood in faeces, raised temperature, duration of diarrhoea, additional treatment prescription and veterinary group.

The researchers say this effectively meant that the only difference between the two groups was that one group received antibiotic treatment while the other did not.

The likelihood of clinical resolution of diarrhoea in the dogs prescribed antibiotics was 88.3%, compared with 87.9% in dogs not prescribed antibiotics.

This tiny difference of 0.4% between the groups was not statistically significant, leading to the conclusion that antibiotic treatment did not cause any beneficial effects in the treatment of uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs.

Almost nine in 10 dogs with uncomplicated diarrhoea recovered after a single veterinary visit regardless of antibiotic treatment.

As an additional analysis, the study also explored gastrointestinal nutraceuticals (products derived from food sources that aim to restore digestive health such as probiotics and prebiotics) for treatment of uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs.

Gastrointestinal nutraceutical prescription (with or without other supportive treatment) at first presentation of uncomplicated diarrhoea caused no statistically significant difference in clinical resolution compared to dogs not prescribed gastrointestinal nutraceuticals.

Camilla Pegram, VetCompass PhD student at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: “This study used an exciting new approach that allowed us to determine ‘cause’ rather than being limited to ‘association’.

"Diarrhoea is a common condition in dogs and is often treated with antibiotics.

"However, this study highlighted that antibiotic prescription at first presentation of diarrhoea caused no difference in clinical resolution.

"Therefore, this arms veterinarians with the evidence-base for restricting antibiotics for uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs, and owners should be prepared to only have an antibiotic prescription if absolutely necessary.”

Fergus Allerton, project lead for the PROTECT ME guidelines and co-author of the paper said: “Rational antimicrobial use is critical to defend ourselves and our pets against the growing threat from antimicrobial resistance.

"This study provides vital evidence to strengthen recommendations to withhold antibiotics when treating dogs with acute diarrhoea. Knowing that the outcome will be the same without antibiotics should reassure veterinarians to adopt this approach consistently.”

Reference

1. PEGRAM, C., DIAZ-ORDAZ, K., BRODBELT, D. C., CHANG, Y., TAYLER, S., ALLERTON, F., PRISK, L., CHURCH, D. B. & O’NEILL D.G. 2023. Do antimicrobials or gastrointestinal nutraceuticals prescribed at first presentation for acute diarrhoea cause a better clinical outcome in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK? PLOS ONE. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0291057 

Royal Canin has launched a range of new renal diets to help support cats and dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

According to the company, CKD patients are twice as likely to show signs of anorexia, food intolerance and loss of appetite than non-CKD pets, so the focus with the new diets has been on different aromatic profiles, textures and tastes to provide choice and encourage feeding without compromising the nutritional management of the pets with CKD.

Royal Canin says each of the diets in the new Renal range has been developed with a unique aromatic profile, so that cats and dogs can be attracted to their food bowl even after an episode of food aversion.

The new range also provides two different textures of dry diet for both cats and dogs. In addition to the classic kibbles found in Renal and Renal Special, the new Renal Select diet for cats has a pillow kibble with a thin, crunchy shell and a soft centre for cats who used to love crunching but are beginning to struggle with harder kibbles. The new kibbles for dogs are designed to be easy to rehydrate, providing the taste of a dry diet in a softer, easier to chew format. A new Renal Wet range is also available with a 'loaf' or 'chunks-in-gravy' texture and these can be combined with any dry diet to allow even greater variety of textures.

With CKD causing frequent fluctuations in an animal's sense of taste, Royal Canin has made the feline range available in smaller 500g bags, making it easier for owners to swap between the differing options as their pet's tastes alter.

Royal Canin's Veterinary Marketing Manager, Marianne Lomberg, said: "The efficiency of a renal diet depends upon it being fed on a continuing basis and so our new range provides a complete range of aromatic profiles and textures to keep your CKD patients enjoying every meal without compromising on their nutritional management. Royal Canin has a proven track record of developing innovative diets to help pets, and the new Renal Diets are an exciting new move for us."

Royal Canin is also offering a 'patient compliance guarantee' where vets and their clients can claim their money back if a pet does not like any of the many diet combinations offered by the range.