The RCVS has removed 563 veterinary surgeons from the Register from 1 June for non-payment of retention fees.
A list of those who remained off the Register as of 31 July 2012 is available here: www.rcvs.org.uk/removals2012.
The College says it is publicising the list to help make sure that those who have been removed, and their employers, are aware; it includes only those not restored prior to 31 July.
Christine Fraser, RCVS Head of Registration said: “If you know anyone who appears on this list and who is still working in the UK, you may wish to advise them they need to contact the RCVS as a matter of urgency to restore their name to the Register."
The RCVS is asking veterinary surgeons who have not yet confirmed their registration details, which is now part of the annual renewal process, to please make sure this is done by 30 September. A form was enclosed with the annual fee-reminder, or this can be done online at www.rcvs.org.uk/registration.
Information about how veterinary surgeons removed after non-payment can restore themselves to the Register is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/registration, or by contacting the RCVS Registration Department (membership@rcvs.org.uk or 0207 202 0707).
Bayer Animal Health has launched a new version of Drontal which is presented as a bone-shaped tablet.
The company says that this is the UK's first worming tablet shaped like a bone, and that the product is designed to help improve client compliance.
Dan White, Group Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health said: "Almost half of dog owners - surveyed prior to launch - indicated that new Drontal bone would encourage them to worm their dogs more routinely. This is clearly great news for practices especially during these difficult economic times.
The launch of Drontal bone will be supported by a marketing drive that includes a new advertising creative concept which will be featured as part of a national TV advertising campaign, and an online consumer-facing competition called Give Your Dog A Bone designed to engage further with dog owners and communicate the benefits of having a worm-free dog.
Dan added: "The online and supporting consumer PR campaign will bring to life the special bond between pet and owner, and celebrate the happiness that dogs bring to our lives when they are happy, healthy and worm-free."
Practices can request a practice support pack to promote the availability of Drontal bone which will include a notice board picture-pack aimed at dog owning clients by calling their Bayer Territory Manager or 01635 563380.
The Give Your Dog a Bone competition and PR campaign has been devised by leading healthcare communications agency Pegasus. The new 'bone-shaped' TV and print creative has been developed by the recently-appointed advertising agency Dinosaur and will launch in early 2012.
Drontal's Give Your Dog a Bone competition will be launched on 1st March 2012 at www.giveyourdogabone.co.uk.
The study, which was carried out by researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences at the University of Nottingham, is one of the first to look at colostrum hygiene in Great Britain. The researchers analysed data from 328 colostrum samples from 56 British dairy farms.
Samples collected from collection and feeding equipment had higher levels of bacteria than those collected directly from the cows’ teat, suggesting that whilst colostrum from the cow is relatively low in bacterial levels, improperly cleaned equipment can be a major source of bacterial contamination. Over one third of samples collected from collection or feeding equipment were over the threshold for high bacterial levels and represented a significant risk to the health of calves.
Dr Robert Hyde (pictured right), one of the researchers on the study, said: “By analysing colostrum collection protocols on the farms, we were able to identify a small number of management practices likely to have a substantial impact on colostrum hygiene for the majority of farms.
"For example, the use of scalding hot water to clean collection and feeding equipment could reduce bacteria levels by over 90% compared with using cold water only. Less than half of farms used scalding hot water to clean colostrum collection and feeding equipment, suggesting there are a large number of farms that could make this simple change.”
The main recommendations from the research are that colostrum hygiene protocols should include the cleaning of colostrum collection and feeding equipment after every use with hot water as opposed to cold water, and hypochlorite or peracetic acid as opposed to water or parlour wash.
Cows' teats should be prepared with a pre-milking teat disinfectant and wiped with a clean, dry paper towel prior to colostrum collection, and colostrum should be pasteurised where possible.
The AHDB guide to colostrum hygiene can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FziQX0B9yb4
Robert added: “This study provides a first look at bacteria levels in Great Britain, and the results suggest there are a few simple changes to collection and cleaning protocols that could have a significant impact on colostrum hygiene levels on British dairy farms. By making these simple changes there is likely to be significant improvement in colostrum hygiene, which is essential in minimising the risk of disease and ensuring the optimum health and welfare of calves on dairy farms.”
The full study is open access and can be found here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.601227/full
The University of Nottingham herd health toolkit contains a “Colostrum bacteriology” section, where vets and farmers can use the results from this study to see what management changes might have the largest impact on colostrum hygiene, can be found here: https://herdhealth.shinyapps.io/toolkit/
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The new bars are designed specifically for owners who want a sustainable choice. They contain no harmful preservatives or foaming agents and are SLS and parabens free. Sue says that all the ingredients in the soaps have been selected to minimise their environmental impact and help maintain a healthy skin and coat.
Sue said: "Dog owners are environmentally conscious and recognise that in addition to their own carbon footprint their furry family member also has an important part to play when it comes to sustainability."
Apparently, Zurich’s Institute of Environmental Engineering has shown liquid soap has ten times the carbon footprint of bar soap: bottles need more energy and water to produce them, they are less efficient to transport, and many contain synthetic chemicals which can cause damage to the ecosystem if they get into water sources.
Sue added: “We need to make the same sustainable choices for our pets as we make for ourselves. One shampoo soap bar is the equivalent of two bottles of shampoo so they are not only good for the planet they are great for your pocket as well. It makes it easy for pet owners to make the right choice and reduce their pet’s carbon footprint without compromising on their care.”
For more information visit: https://virtualvetderms.com/login/product/antibacterial-shampoo-bar or https://virtualvetderms.com/login/product/soothing-shampoo-bar.
Elanco says Baycox Iron offers a time-saving flexible dosing treatment which complements the company’s existing piglet gut health portfolio.
Louise Radford, marketing manager at Elanco, said: "By treating piglets at two or three days old, it’s possible to allow enough exposure to the coccidiosis parasite to enable them to develop natural immunity, while preventing any damage to the gut caused by subclinical and clinical coccidiosis which leads to poor growth and low weaning weights.
"By combining treatments, it's possible to limit the number of times they are handled, which in turn reduces stress and enhances growth”.
Elanco also makes the Coliprotec vaccine against post weaning diarrhoea (PWD).
Louise added: “As farmers and vets prepare for the removal of zinc oxide as a treatment option next year, focusing on gut health throughout all stages of development has never been more crucial.
For more information, contact your Elanco pig team specialist or visit https://www.myelanco.co.uk/cpd/swine/hub.
The 1CPD homepage now displays two progress bars: one to track the number of CPD hours currently achieved and recorded, and another to show how many hours have been reflected on.
Once the number of required CPD hours has been recorded and reflected on, a message appears to tell the user that they're CPD compliant.
This change will not affect existing CPD records, and all previously inputted activities and reflections will remain in the system.
Jenny Soreskog-Turp, RCVS Lead for Postgraduate Education, said: “We hope that the changes to the 1CPD platform will allow people to track their CPD more easily.
"A key element in outcomes-focused CPD includes reflecting on what you have learned as this is known to have a positive impact on both personal professionalism and patient-health outcomes.
“It should be noted that any CPD you have already undertaken for this year but have not yet reflected on will still remain in the system.
"However, in order to be compliant for 2023, you must reflect on every CPD activity completed.
"If you have completed your hours but have not reflected, this will show as non-compliant.
"In order to make those hours count, you simply need to go back and add your reflections.
"This doesn’t have to be a long and onerous task – uploading audio notes, adding an attachment, or writing a few notes stating what you learnt and how you will use this newly acquired knowledge moving forward will all suffice.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd
The Veterinary Benevolent Fund has launched a short film about a veterinary surgeon's experience of severe depression and her inspiring recovery.
The charity says it hopes the film, published on the Vetlife website today, will encourage the veterinary profession to talk more openly about stress and depression in the workplace and will motivate veterinary employers to adopt best practice in supporting their staff's mental health.
Nick Short, the VBF Director responsible for the development of the Vetlife website, said: "We are so grateful to the veterinary surgeon concerned for having the courage to share her story and for her insights into what could be done to make recovery easier for other vets. We were delighted to hear that she felt she was treated well and got the help she needed from the Veterinary Benevolent Fund and the Veterinary Surgeons' Health Support Programme.
"Recent press reports have estimated that the cost to the UK economy of stress, depression and suicide is £26 billion per year. We know that the profession has a high incidence of these problems, so it follows that depressive illness must have an alarming economic effect on it. This means it is essential to invest in improving awareness and support.
"The VBF wants to produce more web videos on issues that veterinary surgeons, students or nurses commonly encounter such as debt, addiction, professional conduct or employment problems. However, we need to secure additional sponsorship in order to fund this work - each 5 minute video will cost about £2,500 to produce. If you or your organization would be interested in supporting this work, please contact the VBF office at 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ, telephone 020 7908 6385 or email info@vetlife.org.uk. Donations can also be made online at www.justgiving.com/VBF"
Rory O'Connor, National Co-ordinator at the Veterinary Surgeons' Health Support Programme said: "Many of us will have mental health problems at some point in our lives but most can make a full return to work with the right support. As highlighted in the film, it is really helpful if employers are willing to explore adjustments to working conditions or to the working environment such as flexible working hours or changes to working responsibilities. I am always available to help both employers and employees with these kinds of discussions and we are currently developing content on mental health support in the workplace for the Vetlife website. All advice is completely confidential."
The film was made by John Somers and Ben Sheriff at the University of Exeter using an actress to speak the words of the veterinary surgeon.
Phovia is a two-part FLE system consisting of a chromophore gel that is applied to the affected skin and a blue light LED lamp.
When used together they produce light of varying wavelengths that penetrates the skin to different depths, which Vetoquinol says helps to control bacteria and reduce inflammation on the surface of the skin and stimulates regeneration in the epidermal and dermal layers.
The unit is portable, and applications take four minutes once a week.
After diagnosis and subsequent recommendation by a veterinary surgeon, any trained member of the clinical team can use Phovia.
For the study, which was led by Dr. Andrea Marchegiani, nine female dogs that had undergone unilateral or bilateral mastectomy for mammary neoplasia had half their wounds treated with FLE, whilst the other half served as the control and received no FLE.
To assess the potential benefits of FLE in reducing infection risk, swabs were taken for culture and sensitivity three, five and seven days after surgery.
The swabs from all FLE-managed wound portions showed no bacterial growth, in contrast to the control wounds, in which three dogs had positive culture results.
Andrea said: “For many reasons healing of surgical wounds can become challenging, especially after removal of mammary gland lumps.
"Veterinary clinicians have to face the three-fold challenge of meeting owner expectations of prompt and trouble-free wound healing, recognising those wounds in which healing may be prolonged or impaired and also following the principles of antibiotic stewardship.”
The study concluded that the research underscores the value of Phovia as a significant adjunct to conventional postoperative care in veterinary medicine, offering the dual benefits of reducing potential infection risks and lessening the home care burden for pet owners.
FLE’s application could potentially replace certain topical treatments and improve overall compliance by simplifying the administration of home therapies, thereby relieving pet owners of some responsibilities associated with postoperative care.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/8/1250
This year the event delivered more than 90 hours of CPD lectures, workshops and practicals across six separate streams, over three days. Over 100 veterinary industry leaders showcased their wares in the commercial exhibition hall and there were a number of social events for delegates.
Delegates awarded the scientific programme an average score of 4.7 out of 5 stars, and 94% of delegates said they will put what they learnt into practice and use it in their day-to-day role. 94% also said Congress was good value for money.
Swissvet, a company which makes power dentistry equipment, won the Veterinary Practice Best New Exhibitor Award. CEO Dr Ruedi Steiger said: We have distributors throughout Europe, but it is the first time Swissvet has exhibited at BEVA. It has been a fantastic experience and I am thrilled to have won this award. I definitely plan to come back next year."
Next year’s BEVA Congress will be held in Birmingham from 9-12 September 2020. For further information visit www.beva.org.uk.
Photo: David Boughey
Vets and farmers must do more to improve dairy cow welfare in the UK, according to the British Veterinary Association (BVA). The call comes after careful consideration of major reports and opinions on the welfare of dairy cattle by FAWC (Farm Animal Welfare Council) and EFSA (European Food Safety Authority).
In a new policy statement, released last week, the BVA outlined the need for veterinary surgeons to take an active role in educating farmers and promoting better welfare, as well as working with farming clients towards a 'Herd Welfare Plan' that can be followed alongside the 'Farm Health Plan'.
The BVA says it recognises that some improvements have been made in certain welfare areas, such as longevity, but that issues relating to lameness, mastitis, housing and infectious diseases, such as TB, continue to be of concern.
Veterinary surgeons are well placed to offer help and advice in order to educate farmers on welfare aspects and how they affect herd health, productivity and ultimately, profit.
The policy also addresses issues around breeding for certain traits, which should always be discussed with a vet through a breeding plan, and the challenges of housing dairy herds. The BVA believes much can be done to achieve high welfare standards through good housing.
Finally, the BVA supports retailers who reward farmers financially for improving welfare standards for dairy cows and their calves.
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA, said: "Recent reports have highlighted a number of major concerns about the welfare of dairy cows and their calves, and the BVA feels strongly that vets can take a leading role in addressing these issues.
"Lameness, mastitis, inadequate housing and infectious disease can all lead to poor welfare. Not only is this unacceptable for the animals, but it can be bad for the farmer's business.
"By working together, vets and farmers can and should do more to improve dairy cow welfare through Herd Welfare Plans, breeding plans and improved housing conditions."
Keith Cutler, President of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), added: "While the UK enjoys higher standards of dairy cow welfare than many other countries, there are still some issues that need to be tackled.
"Vets and farmers need to work together to address problems. In my experience most farmers are pleased to discuss issues with their vets and then work in conjunction to improve the health and welfare, and ultimately the productivity and profitability, of their herds."
The voluntary scheme, which has been welcomed by Farming Minister George Eustice and Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, improves a herd’s ‘score’ every year it is free from a bTB breakdown, awarding a status of 0-10.
This new bTB scheme will require the herd vet and cattle owner to work together on following a number of biosecurity measures already successfully implemented in five other cattle disease control programmes.
As well as reducing risk of infection, the country-wide programme could present informed purchasing opportunities. In particular, it could benefit farmers selling cattle from regions with a high risk of the disease or who wish to minimise exposure from bought-in animals. It could also give recognition for a farmer’s efforts to complement Government and industry strategies to control infection.
Farming Minister George Eustice (pictured left above, with BCVA President Andrew Cobner) said: "Dealing with Bovine TB is costing us £100 million a year and causing devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities across the country. 33,000 cattle were slaughtered because of the disease last year alone and many farms are subject to movement restrictions which can affect their trade.
"But we know some 40% of herds in the high-risk area in England have never had a breakdown, and the CHeCS scheme will help them to communicate this so they can carry out risk-based trading to support their businesses.
"The scheme will also recognise those practicing good biosecurity, which is a core part of our long-term plan to tackle bovine TB."
The scheme complements the Government’s 25-year plan to eradicate Bovine TB in England, and will provide another tool for farmers who want to show they are following best practice. It follows the launch of the TB Hub (www.tbhub.co.uk), which offers practical advice and guidance as well as background into the disease.
The Cabinet Secretary, Mrs Griffiths, said: "The Welsh Government has been supportive of this initiative from the start. By focusing on individual herds, the scheme complements our proposed regional approach, for example those herds in the high TB areas which have not recently had TB will be able to demonstrate they are a lower risk.
"This industry-led initiative aimed at reducing TB is to be welcomed and fits in with our principles of working in partnership and promoting the benefits of disease prevention. I urge Welsh farmers to engage with the scheme and reduce the risk of disease being introduced into their herd."
Across Great Britain, CHeCS has over 14,000 member herds, representing around 14% of cattle holdings in some form of monitoring, control and eradication of disease.
Keith Cutler, CHeCS board member and partner in the Endell Veterinary Group, said: "CHeCS so far has focused on control of non-statutory diseases – Johne’s Disease, IBR, BVD, Leptospirosis and Neospora. Participating health schemes have been monitoring the health status of participating herds for some years.
"With this programme, we will be working with Government to receive official TB test data with the agreement of the farmer. It’s an exciting development for CHeCS, but there is a natural fit because of the expertise CHeCS-accredited health schemes already have with monitoring biosecurity measures on their members’ farms."
Andrew Cobner, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association, who has been technical lead on the project since the start, said: "All too often we are confronted with the view that there is little or nothing that we can do to control TB. We wouldn’t accept this attitude with any other infectious disease so it’s time farmers and vets fought back. We have a government that is willing to embrace all of the measures necessary and we have a 25 year plan in place. Part of this will involve increasing biosecurity and risk-based trading, and CHeCS is leading the way."
The CHeCS bTb Herd Accreditation scores run from 0 (following all CHeCS measures but had a herd breakdown within the past 12 months), to 1 (following CHeCS measures and one year since the last herd breakdown) all the way though to 10 (following CHeCS measures and 10 years or more since the last herd breakdown).
Veterinary surgeons who think their clients might want to know more can point them in the direction of: www.checs.co.uk to read the technical standard, programme handbook and Q&A. If it sounds advantageous to their farm, they should discuss joining with you, then contact one of the participating CHeCS-accredited health schemes listed on the website. The application form includes a privacy agreement to allow the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to send test data automatically to the health scheme, and a declaration from the herd vet. After the form is sent back, a starting score will be awarded.
More information on bTB is also available at www.tbhub.co.uk.
The Committee heard a number of charges against Dr Davies.
Two of the charges related to convictions for drink driving in March 2014 and October 2015, for which she received driving bans for 17 months and 45 months respectively.
The third charge related to her breaching a number of undertakings she had entered into as part of the College’s Health Protocol, including her consuming alcohol on four occasions between May 2015 and January 2016 and missing a pre-arranged appointment.
The fourth charge related to being under the influence of alcohol on three occasions while she was on duty as a veterinary surgeon in December 2016 which was also in breach of her undertakings under the Health Protocol.
At the outset of the hearing Dr Davies admitted all five charges against her and that this meant she was unfit to practise veterinary surgery and that she was guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. The Committee accepted her admissions and found, with the exception of one allegation, that her conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.
In considering the sanction for Dr Davies, the Committee considered a number of aggravating factors including the risk of injury to animals in her care; the fact that the misconduct was sustained or repeated over a period of time; the fact that her conduct contravened the advice issued to her by the Preliminary Investigation Committee upon entering the Health Protocol; and the fact that Dr Davies was in a position of trust and responsibility during the occasions she was under the influence of alcohol in December 2016 as she was the sole veterinary surgeon on duty.
In its consideration of sanction the Committee heard a submission from counsel for Dr Davies for the decision on sanction to be postponed for six months on the basis of Dr Davies complying with nine separate undertakings, including one not to practise as a vet. In making this application Dr Davies’ counsel told the Committee that her client was remorseful over her conduct and that she had been abstinent from alcohol since August 2017 after referring herself for treatment.
The Committee decided to postpone the hearing for six months on the basis of Dr Davies’ fulfilling her undertakings. These include not to practise veterinary surgery and to remain abstinent from alcohol during the period of postponement.
Alistair Barr, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee accepted Dr Davies’ evidence and found her to have genuine remorse. Further it recognised that Dr Davies was fully committed to understanding and addressing her alcohol problem. Her efforts to avoid any repetition of misconduct were evident from the detailed undertakings which she had volunteered.
"The Committee took into account that Dr Davies had a hitherto unblemished career prior to her alcohol problem, having qualified in 1996. Further it noted that she had not worked as a veterinary surgeon since December 2016.
"The Committee therefore decided to postpone judgement so that Dr Davies could continue to demonstrate her improved insight and her abstinence from alcohol.”
The divestment is expected to be concluded in mid-2020, and Bayer intends to exit its stake in Elanco over time.
Bayer says that combining Elanco and Bayer Animal Health will create the number two animal heath company, with top three positions across a broad range of species and geographies. It also enhances Elanco’s portfolio of leading global brands and bolsters its innovation capabilities and R&D pipeline.
Jeffrey N. Simmons, president and chief executive officer of Elanco, said: "Combining Elanco’s strong relationship with veterinarians and Bayer’s leadership in retail and e-commerce will ultimately benefit all our customers. We look forward to joining our complementary portfolios and capabilities to build a fully focused animal health company, providing a sustained flow of innovation for farmers, veterinarians and pet owners."
Vetoquinol is advising vets and farmers to be on the lookout following the discovery of counterfeit Marbocyl on two farms in Northern Ireland.
The counterfeit product contains an unapproved source of Marbofloxacin in an untested formulation which presents an unknown risk to animal and human health if used.
Vetoquinol has informed the national authorities about this situation. It is illegal either to sell or supply the product or to knowingly buy and/or use it.
The withdrawal period of this counterfeit product is unknown. Should the product be used it could be detected in milk or after slaughter. Vetoquinol advises the veterinary community to be aware of the risk, to carefully check the product packaging before use and to continue to source the product from reputable suppliers.
Vetoquinol urges vets and farmers to take the following actions if you find this product on farm or are approached to purchase it:
Vetoquinol says vets can rest assured that it will do all that is necessary to remove this product from the market.
If you need further information or advice, do not hesitate to contact Vetoquinol on 0800 1698197.
Royal Canin has announced the launch of its Christmas promotion through which practice clients will be rewarded with activity balls for cats and leashpods for dogs.
The stocking fillers will be distributed to practices along with promotional materials such as posters and shelf wobblers, to encourage clients to buy Royal Canin Veterinary Care Nutrition (VCN) pet food.
Veterinary Marketing Manager, Lindsay Calcraft, said: "Customers who purchase any 1.5kg bag of feline VCN or any 3.5kg bag of canine VCN from their vet will receive a cat activity ball or a leashpod to thank them for their custom and support.
"For those who don't know what a leashpod is, it's a fantastic dog lead handle to help you carry all those essential items needed for walking a dog. It has an integrated bag dispenser, its own scented mini bin for storing smelly used bags and two secure pockets for treats, keys, money or your mobile phone."
For more information about the Christmas promotion, visit www.royalcanin.co.uk or contact your Veterinary Business Manager.
The case came after the NHS issued new guidelines for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) in November 2017 which listed homeopathy alongside herbal medicine and glucosamine/chondroitin as treatments which should not now be prescribed to new patients and which CCGs should assist in de-prescribing in all patients, on the grounds that they are "products of low clinical effectiveness, where there is a lack of robust evidence of clinical effectiveness or there are significant safety concerns."
The British Homeopathic Association challenged the decision on the grounds that the public consultation which preceded the guidelines was, amongst other things, conducted unfairly and biased/predetermined.
The judge, however, ruled otherwise, saying in his ruling that the consultation was "fair and balanced" and there was "no evidence of bias or predetermination on NHSE's part".
NHS chief Simon Stevens welcomed the decision, saying: "There is no robust evidence to support homeopathy which is at best a placebo and a misuse of scarce NHS funds.
"So we strongly welcome the High Court’s clear cut decision to kick out this costly and spurious legal challenge."
Photo: Multicolored homeopathy tubes isolated on a white background. Lush. Shutterstock.
Kerrie was inspired in this by the results of her MBA dissertation, which looked at both enablers and barriers to leadership experienced by veterinary women and found that when it comes to partnership, women were much more likely to wait to be asked, rather than actively discussing the likelihood with the current practice partners.
Kerrie said: "The 29th of February was historically a time when it was acceptable for women to propose marriage. That's obviously a really outdated concept but we think it presents a great opportunity to encourage women in the profession to change their mindset and actively ask their boss if a partnership is a possibility either now or in the near future.
"It's the sort of proposal that will have a big impact on their future and we'd love to see more women take the driving seat and steer their own destiny. The message is: you don't have to wait to be asked - use the 29th as your excuse to pop the question!"
Kerrie's research also identified that enablers for female practice ownership included identifying as a leader at an early stage in a veterinary career, having parents who were business owners and being perceived to have more assertive or dominant personality traits.
However, Kerrie said: "While those are the factors that have helped women become leaders in the past, it doesn't mean our leaders of tomorrow have to meet those criteria and during my focus groups I found many women in the profession had a tremendous desire to lead, grow and inspire. We're looking within XLVets at ways we can remove barriers for women and increase access to leadership at every level, including supporting new start-up practices.
"We hope on the 29th February there will also be practice partners out there who might wonder why ‘she's never asked' and use this as an opportunity to talk about forming a lasting partnership. It's 2020 and there's no need for anyone to be shy about starting this important conversation."
One of Carl's main presidential tasks will be implementing the BSAVA’s new strategy for 2024, which comes from a current project looking into the wider veterinary profession and how BSAVA can support the community.
Carl is the clinical director of a busy small animal and exotics practice in Newbury, which is also a partner practice for Surrey University, helping to train final year vet students.
He has been a member of BSAVA for 40 years and started volunteering for the Southern Regional Committee in 2013.
Carl said: “BSAVA has always been important to me in my professional life.
"Since becoming a volunteer, I have admired even more the dedication of the staff and volunteers who make up the association.
“I see my time on BSAVA Board as a service to the association and to the small animal veterinary world.
"Becoming President is a huge honour but is part of an ongoing commitment to doing what I can to help BSAVA thrive.”
The Animal Health Trust has begun a pilot study to investigate a possible link between seasonal canine illness (SCI) and harvest mites, continuing an initial study on the possible cause of SCI funded by the Kennel Club.
SCI is a mystery illness which in recent years has made a number of dogs walked in woodlands suddenly become ill.
Cases of SCI are usually seen from August to November, with dogs showing clinical signs of vomiting, diarrhoea and/or lethargy within 24 to 72 hours of walking in woodland. Dog owners are advised to seek immediate veterinary advice should they see these signs in their dog following a woodland walk.
So far this year, there have been 49 cases in total reported to the AHT, from across all of its current investigation sites. A number of cases reported to the charity have shown evidence of harvest mite infestation.
Charlotte Robin, SCI Research Co-ordinator at the AHT, said: "To enable us to eliminate harvest mites as a potential cause of SCI, we are advising dog owners to treat their dogs with a fipronil spray directly before walking in woodlands."
There are currently no licenced products that will specifically prevent against harvest mites, however fipronil spray is believed to be effective in preventing other mites. The researchers believe that it is important that dog owners use the spray and not the spot-on treatment, which may not provide the same level of localised protection on vulnerable areas.
Charlotte added: "Dog owners need to be aware that using fipronil spray may not protect their dog from SCI, but it could protect them from harvest mites and other external parasites. What we are trying to do with this study is eliminate the harvest mite and other external parasites from our enquiries.
In addition to advising all dog owners walking their dogs in woodlands during autumn to use fipronil spray as an external parasite treatment, the AHT is working with the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk to offer to offer dog owners who wish to participate in the study access to the spray free of charge, if deemed appropriate by their veterinary surgeon.
As this is a prescription only medicine, the charity is issuing vouchers to dog owners which they can redeem for fipronil spray through their local vet practice, on the proviso their dog is deemed a suitable candidate by their vet.
Dog owners who meet the criteria and wish to participate in the study will be required to complete a SCI online questionnaire following their visit to the Estate, and an additional follow-up questionnaire regarding the pilot study, regardless of whether their dog was taken ill or not.
You can register to take part in the pilot study at www.aht.org.uk/scipilotstudy
Image courtesy: Luc Viatour / www.Lucnix.be
New legislation will be introduced in the New Year making slaughterhouse CCTV a legal requirement in all areas where live animals are present, with unrestricted access to at least 90 days of footage for Official Veterinarians. The new law will come into force in the spring, with slaughterhouses allowed an adjustment period of up to six months.
The new legislation followed a public consultation which was overwhelmingly in favour of compulsory CCTV. Defra says that out of almost 4,000 respondents, more than 99% were supportive of the plans.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: "We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and want to cement our status as a global leader by continuing to raise the bar.
"The reaction to this consultation highlights the strength of feeling among the public that all animals should be treated with the utmost respect at all stages of life and be subject to the highest possible welfare standards.
"These strong measures also provide a further demonstration to consumers around the world that as we leave the EU we continue to produce our food to the very highest standards."
BVA Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The mandatory installation of CCTV is a vital tool to ensure high standards of animal health, welfare and food safety in all slaughterhouses.
Official Veterinarians carry out an essential role in slaughterhouses by independently assessing and reporting breaches of animal welfare, and unrestricted access to CCTV footage will allow them to carry out this role even more effectively.
We have been campaigning for these measures for a number of years and it is reassuring to see such a high level of support for their implementation from industry and the public."
Heather Hancock, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency, said: "The Secretary of State’s decision to require CCTV in all slaughterhouses is a welcome step towards ensuring that animal welfare and hygiene standards are met across the meat industry.
"Last year, the FSA Board concluded that, without mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, we would see minimal further progress in businesses improving animal welfare or complying with official controls to protect public health.
"We look forward to working with the industry as CCTV plans are implemented, and to seeing public confidence rise as a result."
The government will now further discuss the details of bringing in the proposals and present draft legislation to Parliament as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Photo: Lititz, Pennsylvania. Hoisting a slaughtered steer in Benjamin Lutz's slaughterhouse, 1942. Wikipedia.
The Soil Association is calling on the Government to issue guidelines that will limit the veterinary use of the most modern penicillin-type antibiotics, to prevent the spread of a serious new superbug.Recently released minutes of a Government committee reveal that Ministers have been briefed about the emergence on a British dairy farm of a mutant strain of antibiotic-resistant E. coli which causes life-threatening cases of food poisoning, including hemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
The bug, known as E. coli O26 is a vera-toxin producing E. coli (VTEC), similar to the infamous E. coli O157. According to the Soil Association, what makes the discovery of this variant so significant is that this is the first time in the UK, and only the third time in the world, that VTEC E. coli has been found with an enhanced type of antibiotic resistance known as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), which makes it resistant to almost all antibiotics. ESBL resistance has previously been found on 57 UK farms, but until now only in strains of E. coli that cause urinary tract infections and blood poisoning.Although antibiotics are not recommended for the treatment of VTEC E. coli, scientists warn that the emergence of resistance is undesirable because these resistant bacteria are encouraged every time certain antibiotics are used, resulting in increased spread and greater risk of contaminated food products. On non-organic dairy farms, cows are routinely given antibiotics at the end of their lactation to prevent mastitis. In addition, milk from cows given antibiotics for treatment, or prevention, is often fed to calves when it contains residues and cannot be sold. However, because ESBL E. coliO26 is resistant to all the antibiotics used in ‘dry cow therapy' and many of those used for treatment, the high use of antibiotics on dairy farms will promote the rapid spread of these dangerous bacteria.Soil Association Policy Adviser, Richard Young said: "This is one of the most worrying developments in the continuing rise of ESBL E. coli. Today is the first European Antibiotics Awareness Day, but there is a distinct lack of awareness that the continuing high use of antibiotics in farming is contributing to the increase in antibiotic-resistant infections in humans."The Government often calls on doctors to prescribe antibiotics less often. But similar advice needs to be given to veterinary surgeons and farmers. Half of all antibiotics are given to animals, and there is mounting evidence that antibiotic-resistant bacteria in farm animals pass to humans. If we want antibiotics to save lives in the future as they have done in the past then the Government must provide specific recommendations based on scientific advice, and vets need to pull together with doctors to limit the use of problematic drugs."
The recategorisation means that pharmacists and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) will be able to prescribe Zolvix.
The VMD says that making the anthelmintic more widely available will increase its usage as part of strategic worm control programmes on farms, which could in turn result in long term health benefits for sheep, for example by reducing the development and spread of anthelmintic resistance, thereby prolonging the effective use of anthelmintics.
The VMD adds that SQPs will now have additional training to ensure they are sufficiently familiar with Zolvix and how to prescribe it effectively and responsibly so that it is used appropriately. A new compulsory training module will be implemented by The Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) to augment the skills of all AMTRA-registered SQPs permitted to prescribe farm animal products. New SQPs will be required to undertake a revised and extended module before gaining their farm animal registration with AMTRA.
Pharmacists and SQPs will be able to prescribe Zolvix from 1st July 2017.
UPDATE 16th March:
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz has issued a statement expressing concern over the recategorisation of Zolvix:
"We know that resistance to anthelmintics is increasing in grazing animals and needs to be addressed if the livestock industry is to avoid a potentially disastrous situation of being unable to tackle parasites. The reclassification of Zolvix from POM-V to POM-VPS is in direct opposition to the trend in Europe, where we are seeing increased control over dispensing of anthelmintics in species where resistance is a serious threat to animal welfare and profitable production; we're extremely concerned that we might start seeing resistance develop in group 4 as a result.
"BVA believes that prescribing of anthelmintics requires a level of control best provided by a veterinary surgeon who has the animals under his/her care, and is based on a sound clinical diagnosis, in order to protect animal welfare and safeguard the efficacy of these products for the future."
Further information on BVA's policy on anthelmintics can be found on BVA’s website: www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/medicines/anthelmintics.
The BSAVA reports that two four month old puppies in The Netherlands have tested positive for rabies.
The puppies were imported into The Netherlands from Bulgaria on October 5th. Reports indicate that these puppies, which were both microchipped and travelling under the Pet Passport scheme, originated from a shelter in Bulgaria. They are still trying to trace the driver and passenger who delivered the puppies.
One puppy started showing signs of fever and paralysis on 10th October and was euthanased on 18th October, it has tested positive for rabies on both direct immunofluorescence (DIF) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The second puppy was euthanased because it originated from the same litter, although it was living in a different area of the country by this time. This dog was suffering from haemorrhagic gastro-enteritis (HGE), but showed no neurological signs. However it has also tested positive for rabies on both DIF and PCR.
The BSAVA says this aspect of the case will be of particular concern to veterinary professionals in the UK because HGE is commonly seen in unvaccinated (imported) puppies. Preliminary reports do not make clear the vaccination status of these dogs.
BSAVA President, Professor Michael Day, said: "Not only does this demonstrate the need for pet owners to comply with pet travel legislation, but also for vets to be alert to the possibility of disease with any imported animal.
"Whilst we have been concerned about the issue of illegal imports and the enforcement of the current legislation, this latest incident also raises the possibility of rabies cases in dogs that appear to comply with the current pet passport regulation."
This calls into question whether veterinary staff in first opinion practice should be offered the pre-exposure rabies vaccination. The current recommendations from Public Health England are that all individuals at continuous and frequent risk of exposure to the rabies virus, as well as some groups at infrequent risk, should be offered pre-exposure rabies vaccination. Professor Day said: "Whilst veterinary professionals in companion animal practice are not currently included in this list, this might be a timely point to undertake a review based on a new risk assessment. I would be in support of practitioners who believe they are at risk having the option of the subsidised occupational vaccination."
UK veterinary surgeons are reminded that responsibility for dealing with illegal imports rests with local authorities; usually Trading Standards or Environmental Health. However, if a veterinary surgeon in practice has any suspicion of rabies or any other notifiable disease they should inform their local Animal Health Office.
Dr Guillaume Leblond, an American specialist in veterinary neurology at NDSR said: “Traditionally, bone cement has been used to provide support and stabilisation when treating veterinary spinal instability cases.
“Polyaxial pedicle screws have proven a very reliable and efficient way of treating such spinal problems in human medicine.
“These special screws can be inserted in the vertebrae and connected to strong metal rods instead of bone cement and we’re now very excited to be offering this new service to our patients.
“The main advantage to this cutting-edge procedure is its flexibility.
"Once cement is set in place it is obviously very hard to move, manipulate or remove should you need to adjust or correct.
“With the metal rod and screw system, it is more adaptable and you can adjust it far more easily and quickly.
“It may also be less prone to infection compared to cement, which has been known to harbour bacteria sometimes causing infections several years after the surgery.
"Another hope we have for this system is that it will be less prone to failure compared to cement, especially on extended stabilisation constructs.
Guillaume added: “The neurology team at NDSR has been training in applying this new system as soon as it became available and we have already used it to treat two dogs, both of them having surgery on the same day.
“One was a golden retriever treated by my colleagues Rodolfo Cappello (head of neurology) and Natalie West (neurology resident), and the other was a whippet under my care.
"They were two very different sizes of dog but both operations went well.
“We are grateful to OrthomedTM, the company manufacturing the stabilization system, provided all necessary details to plan the surgeries as precisely as possible.
“We also collaborated with Vet3DTM to create patient specific 3D printed guides to ensure the precise placement of screws and it proved a great solution in both cases.”
“Admittedly, it is still early days for the introduction of this new spinal stabilisation system but we are optimistic it will prove a significant advancement in treating many spinal problems.”
www.ndsr.co.uk
The courses are:
MMI Manager Lisa Quigley commented: “I am really proud of this new tranche of training.
"Whereas our previous training has focused on the individual experience, for example, mental health awareness and resilience, these new courses recognise that individual instances of poor mental health and wellbeing can often be caused by systemic issues – whether that’s a poor workplace culture where bullying and incivility thrive, or discrimination on account of someone’s protected characteristics.
The full range of courses, including the dates and times and details on how to register, can be found at www.vetmindmatters.org/training
Feedback about any of the courses can be sent to info@vetmindmatters.org