The PAC offers pain scale apps for dogs, cats and rabbits, a library of downloadable resources and multiple webinars released via the Animalcare Learning Alliance.
Animalcare Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: “The PAC serves as a one-stop-shop for a wide range of resources, available in digital form and printed form if required. Whether you’re looking to offer clients educational materials on a particular clinical topic; refresh your own knowledge or take some online CPD via one of our webinars. The PAC will prove a useful and easily accessible tool for veterinary teams.
“In light of the current changes to the industry, having a fully-functional digital platform like this to provide to our customers is now more important than ever. We hope that The PAC can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere; no matter what your current circumstance is.
He added: “We would also like to extend our support and thanks to the many veterinary teams right across the UK, which are working so hard to deliver much-needed services in the challenging conditions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The PAC can be accessed here www.the-pac.co.uk.
Firstly, pets that haven’t received primary vaccinations due to the coronavirus outbreak and develop an issue that would have been prevented by a vaccination they were unable to access, will now have that condition covered under their Agria policy.
Secondly, the company has now made it possible for owners of cats and dogs under the age of five to set up a 'Four Weeks Free' policy - which would ordinarily be set up in practice - themselves.
Simon Wheeler, Managing Director of Agria Pet Insurance (pictured right), said: "We have introduced these additional products during the pandemic to ensure that pets remain covered despite new and significant challenges faced by vets and owners. We hope that they alleviate a little of the pressure faced by veterinary staff and worry felt by owners."
Robin Hargreaves, who is Agria's Vet Lead and helped develop the solutions said: "Times are pretty tough in practice right now, and operating on a restricted basis isn’t ideal for us or the pets registered with us. One thing that would make life even harder would be if the percentage of uninsured pets was to rise.
"With Agria making it possible for owners to activate their own 4 Weeks Free policies at this time, even owners that can’t see vets as usual can still protect their pets with insurance.
“Relaxing restrictions around cover for unvaccinated pets will come as a huge relief in some cases, enabling any pets that have missed primary vaccinations or gone past their booster date due to current restrictions to still be insured."
For more information, visit: agriapet.co.uk/guide
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has suspended a veterinary surgeon for a period of three months for practising veterinary surgery while not registered with the College.
At a hearing which concluded on 9 September, Silke Birgitt Lindridge, of the Consett Veterinary Centre, Medomsley Road, Consett, County Durham, was found guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect for practising when she ought to have known that her name had been removed from the RCVS Register for non-payment of fees.
The Committee heard that Mrs Lindridge, who qualified as a veterinary surgeon at the University of Berlin in 1997, had returned to Germany whilst on maternity leave in September 2006 but had continued to be the sole principal of two practices, the Consett Veterinary Centre, and the Winlaton Veterinary Centre in Tyne and Wear. She had continued to run the practices whilst in Germany, and had returned to the UK on several occasions during 2007, when she practised veterinary surgery on small animals and horses. She had not been registered with the College for the period between 5 June 2006 and 2 April 2008.
To practise veterinary surgery when unregistered is a criminal offence. However, after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, a decision was taken that it was not in the public interest to prosecute Mrs Lindridge and that the matter should be left with the RCVS Disciplinary Committee.
Mrs Lindridge claimed not to be aware that she was unregistered, stating that a fee notice and reminder, as well as a telephone call and correspondence from the College about her registration status, had not been brought to her attention by her practice administrators. The Committee accepted that she had not known, but decided that, as registration was a professional obligation, Mrs Lindridge should have known that her name had been removed from the Register, a charge that Mrs Lindridge accepted. The Committee felt that: "The failure of Mrs Lindridge to put in place proper systems for the administration of her practice, including the payment of her annual retention fee... was lamentable." The way in which the practice had paid its bills during her absence demonstrated an "utterly careless attitude to the administration of the practice".
Taking account of the fact that Mrs Lindridge had not knowingly practised while unregistered, and the positive support of her clients, the Committee decided that a three-month period of suspension from the Register was appropriate.
Beverley Cottrell, chairing the Committee, commented: "The Committee would like to make it clear that it is the personal responsibility of every practising veterinary surgeon to ensure that the annual retention fee is paid and that their names are on the Register. It is in the public interest that clients should be assured that the practitioner is a regulated person, who is capable of providing valid certificates."
She continued: "The record of Mrs Lindridge's practice during 2007 discloses that she was providing certificates for horses and small animals whilst she was unregistered. Those certificates are invalid. She was also prescribing prescription-only drugs when she was not entitled to do so. The Committee considers that a short period of suspension is proportionate to the nature and the extent of the charge, the public interest and the interests of Mrs Lindridge."
She said: "The veterinary family – which is my focus as BVA President – is part of the international scientific community, and we are a diverse profession with far-reaching influence and impact in so many areas of political and public life ... A healthy veterinary workforce is vital for UK animal and human health."
With the residence or working rights of UK-based EU vets a 'top five' priority for the profession in forthcoming Brexit negotiations, Gudrun highlighted workforce issues: "The UK veterinary profession relies heavily on EU graduates, who have felt the impact of the EU referendum result since day one … In the meat hygiene sector alone, some estimates suggest 95% of veterinary surgeons graduated overseas.
"That’s why our first action after 23 June was to call on UK governments to protect the status of EU veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses currently living and working in the UK. It was encouraging to see some of these key priorities … make it into the Prime Minister’s list of negotiating priorities. But we have said from the outset that our members need certainty and reassurance, so we urge the Government to make that firm commitment now."
"We know vets remain nervous about the changes to come, with many of our members concerned about the threat Brexit poses for UK animal health and welfare … Yet we can also see the opportunities Brexit presents, and BVA is determined to work with the Government to seize these opportunities, where they exist, to improve standards."
Highlighting opportunities that Brexit could offer in terms of improving animal health and welfare, Gudrun suggested a tightening up of the Pet Travel Scheme to reduce the growing trend of illegal puppy imports and improvements for welfare at slaughter. She said:
"The Welfare at Time of Killing or WATOK Regulations for England … are a case in point about the welfare-mismatch that could occur between domestic standards and those of our trading partners under the new Brexit arrangements. By failing to bring in evidence-based parameters for all waterbath stunning of poultry, [the] legislation has rendered it impossible for Official Veterinarians to protect the welfare of all chickens at slaughter. The regulations are simply not for fit for purpose, and could call into question England’s claim as a leader in high animal welfare."
The BVA President then shared a highlight of an early meeting between BVA and the then new Defra Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom MP last July: "We were pleased to hear [the Defra Secretary of State’s] vision to make the unique selling points of 'UK PLC' high animal welfare and food safety standards. It's a commitment that BVA fully backs ... To ensure our high standards continue, it is essential that we maintain existing veterinary certification and controls to satisfy our own consumer demand for quality and safety. Official statistics put the value of UK livestock outputs at £13 billion and not a penny of that could be realised without veterinary input."
Gudrun concluded by saying: "We can only make a success of Brexit if we harness our veterinary resource in clinical practice, public health, government services, conservation, academia, research and industry. We are a small profession but our impact is significant."
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Lord Gardiner of Kimble responded, saying: "In my role at Defra I am continually reminded of the importance of the relationship between vets and government - most recently in tackling the outbreak of Avian Influenza in the UK. Your thoughts and ideas are invaluable as we manage the many opportunities and challenges posed by exiting the European Union, ensure the highest standards of animal welfare, protect the country from new animal disease threats, and attract the brightest and best into the profession.
"I look forward to continuing to work closely together as we push ahead with our plans to create a world leading food and farming industry based on high standards of animal health and welfare."
To find out more about the BVA’s work on the UK’s exit from the EU, visit www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/future-of-the-profession/brexit/
The company says that with an estimated 3.2 million UK households welcoming a new pet into their family home during lockdown1, many experienced and new dog owners will be unaware of the risks to their dog of CCC when it socialises, hence the new risk assessment tool, which is available at: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/KBPH/contagious-canine-cough-risk-assessment.
The risk assessment campaign will be supported with 'Does your dog ...' posters for vets, information and advice for dog owners on the website and a social media campaign encouraging dog owners to spread the information to other dog owners.
Carley Chutter, Nobivac(r) Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "With so many new dog owners now socialising more, taking their dogs on holiday and even considering taking their dogs into the office, protecting their dogs as they socialise is vital.
"Currently only an estimated 1 in 3 vaccinated dogs in the UK are also covered against Bordetella2 so the 'Ask us to protect your dog' resources offers the chance for practices to start the conversation about protection with clients.
"A common barrier to vaccinating against CCC is the belief that it is only necessary for dogs going into kennels, rather than all social dogs. Most dogs meet others, however, while out walking, during training, or while attending the vets, CCC is infectious even at low levels. Indeed, dogs can be asymptomatic but infectious.
"So, improving protection levels against this disease which is distressing for both the owner and dog, is important in both reducing the risk of outbreaks and the need for antibiotic treatment."
Nobivac(r) Respira Bb injectable vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica, gives 12 months protection when used as a single-dose booster in dogs previously vaccinated with Nobivac(r) KC. Dogs not previously vaccinated against Bordetella bronchiseptica require two doses administered four weeks apart. Duration of immunity is 7 months after the primary course and 12 months after a booster with Nobivac(r) Respira Bb. It may also be given 12 months after a primary course in cases where the 7 months dose is missed.
To support the use of Nobivac(r) Respira Bb a range of tools are available to practices and further information can be found at www.nobivacrespiraBb.co.uk, or contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.
References
Francesca's initiative was recognised with a RCVS Knowledge ‘Highly Commended’ status at its 2024 awards.
The idea for the audit came about after Francesca noticed a trend for patients to become hypotensive during anaesthesia for routine feline neutering and need additional treatment.
CVS says clinical evidence suggests a minimum value of 60mmHg for perfusion of vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys.
So a clinical audit was undertaken to look at perioperative blood pressure in both cats and dogs having routine neutering procedures.
The target was for patients to maintain a mean arterial blood pressure of 60mmHg during their anaesthetic.
The animals chosen for auditing were to be classed ASA 1 and under 5 years old.
They received a pre-operative health check including a blood pressure reading to ensure they were normotensive.
A first audit looked at a standard premedication protocol of ACP at a dose rate of 0.02mg/kg combined with methadone at a dose rate of 0.3mg/kg.
A second audit initiated a change to the pre-medication drugs, using 0.005mg/kg medetomidine combined with the same dose of methadone.
Both received anaesthesia induction with Propoflo at a dose rate of 6mg/kg for cats and 4mg/kg for dogs.
All patients under anaesthetic were maintained using isoflurane and kept at a surgical plane of anaesthesia appropriate for that patient.
The patients were monitored throughout their surgical procedure using an oscilliometric monitoring machine - for systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure – and measurements recorded on an anaesthetic chart.
The collected data revealed that in the first audit, where patients received ACP and methadone, 42% (50% of cats and 38% of dogs) had a mean arterial blood pressure lower than 60mmHg after the first five blood pressure readings post induction.
In the second audit, with medetomidine combined with methadone, only 11% of patients (0% of cats and 15% of dogs) with a mean arterial blood pressure lower than 60mmHg.
In addition to the reduction in hypotensive patients during anaesthesia when the medetomidine/methadone combo was used, Francesca says the audit suggests a link to hypotension with ACP used as a premedication in anaesthetised patients.
Francesca said: “My passion in veterinary nursing is anaesthesia. And there is always room for improvement and striving to achieve gold standard care.
“These results clearly show that a change from our current premedication protocol of ACP and Methodone to Medetomidine and Methadone decreased the number of patients having hypotension during anaesthesia. The change means fewer patients were at risk of developing the side effects associated with hypoperfusion of the vital organs.
“Our quality improvement initiative has made a really positive impact in practice for both patient care and clinical team.”
The first steps have begun to find Petplan and The Veterinary Business Journal's Practice Manager of the Year for 2012.
Nominations are now being sought for the most accomplished UK practice managers and recommendations are welcome from any member of the veterinary team.
Three finalists will be chosen and the winner announced at the annual Petplan Veterinary Awards in April 2012.
Robin Fearon, editor of the Veterinary Business Journal, said: "It is a distinct pleasure to launch the awards programme each year knowing that at the end of it we will be able to announce another winning practice manager.
"These awards are so important in promoting the role and highlighting the crucial part that managers play in practice strategy and success - we can't wait to see your nominations."
Judges will assess candidates' applications and choose the three finalists based on their competency in areas such as staff development, financial strategy and marketing initiative.
Last year's winner Denise Coston is practice manager at Castle Veterinary Surgeons in County Durham. She said: "Winning this award has meant a lot to me because it makes you feel valued. I would say to anyone thinking of nominating their practice manager: 'just do it'.
"The role of practice manager varies in each practice and can be hard to quantify with specific measures, but it means a lot to celebrate someone getting it right. It is an excellent way to promote the role of practice manager and it is great to get recognition alongside vets and nurses."
This award is supported by the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary Practice Management Association.
As well as a plaque commemorating their achievements, the winner will once more receive one year's free membership to the VPMA.
Nominations for this year's award close on 10 February 2012. Application packs are available from: Jackie Morrison, The Veterinary Business Journal, Olympus House, Werrington Centre, Peterborough PE4 6NA, or e-mail jackiemorrison@vbd.uk.com.
Alternatively visit www.vetsonline.com/ to download yours direct.
Endell Veterinary Group Equine Hospital in Wiltshire has stationed an equine veterinary surgeon on the Isle of Wight permanently to ensure that the island's numerous horses can receive rapid treatment when they need it.
Florus Oskam MRCVS is providing a routine and emergency mobile ambulatory service around the island 24 hours a day. Florus also has the back up of mainland ambulatory vets who also spend time on the Island. Appointments with specific vets to visit the island can also be arranged.
Florus said: "We have been providing a veterinary service on the Isle of Wight for the past 30 years and have a very loyal client base. For years they have been asking us for a permanent service on the island and we are delighted to be able to provide it at last."
Anita Niccolls, dressage rider and trainer on the Isle of Wight, added: "It's very reassuring to know that a vet of Florus's calibre is now resident on the Island and that we are able to have continuity of vet care should a horse need further treatment at the practice's equine hospital in Salisbury."
The Codes were approved by RCVS Council and the Veterinary Nurses Council earlier this year, following a lengthy consultation and review process that began in 2009, and will replace the existing Guides to Professional Conduct.
The College says the new Codes are principles-based, easily accessible and, at 16 pages long compared to the 50-page Guides, much more concise. They bring the College's guidance into line with the codes of conduct of other regulatory bodies, and help to describe those professional responsibilities that are fundamental to veterinary surgeons' and veterinary nurses' practice.
To expand on and clarify these professional responsibilities, an additional 27 chapters of supporting guidance have been published on the RCVS website, which also consolidate and update all existing RCVS guidance for veterinary professionals.
Both Codes set out five principles of practice: professional competence; honesty and integrity; independence and impartiality; client confidentiality and trust; and, professional accountability.
The veterinary surgeons' Code features an update to the declaration made on admission to the profession and, for the first time, the veterinary nurses' Code includes a declaration to be made on professional registration.
Among the professional responsibilities introduced in the Codes are: mandatory recording of continuing professional development; a mandatory professional development phase for new veterinary surgeons and period of supervised practice for registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) returning to practice after a break; a Performance Protocol; and, notification to the RCVS of any matter that may affect fitness to practise, including convictions (although this will require further consideration by the College).
For the first time, mandatory clinical governance has been introduced, and minimum practice standards have also been incorporated, at equivalence to the core standards set out in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.
A pocket-sized hard copy of the Code will be posted to all vets and RVNs shortly, which will include references to where the supporting guidance and further information can be found on the RCVS website. The online versions - at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetcode and www.rcvs.org.uk/vncode - are fully searchable by keyword, and PDF versions will soon be available to download. A digital version is also being explored, to enable veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to access the Codes and supporting guidance on smart phones and tablets.
Although only registered veterinary nurses have agreed to abide by the VN Code of Professional Conduct, the College hopes that all veterinary nurses will consider it a useful benchmark of professional standards.
Dr Jerry Davies, RCVS President, said: "I am delighted that this significant piece of work has come to fruition. The RCVS has shown that, despite aged legislation, the Codes will, through imaginative interpretation of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, ensure the public and their animals continue to receive the level of professional service they have come to expect from veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the UK."
Headed by Stephanie Lalor, a European Specialist in Internal Medicine, the clinic provides initial assessment and treatment - from blood work and blood pressure - to ongoing care.
Suitable for cats with a wide range of medical conditions, including respiratory tract disease, gastrointestinal conditions and endocrinopathies, the clinic is housed in Willows iCatCare certified ‘cat-friendly’ facility, which has its own cat ward and waiting area.
Stephanie, who completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Edinburgh University (funded by International Cat Care) in 2014, and then completed the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine last year, said: "Here at Willows we do all we can to minimise the difficulties that cats and their owners might encounter when they come to see us.
"Our staff are trained to be aware of their needs and we have put in place not only the necessary facilities but also specific working practices in order to make any visit as stress-free as possible.
"These cat-specific clinics will be yet another string to our bow and we will work closely with referring vets to ensure that we meet each patient’s unique needs – providing a detailed written report following each visit."
For more information about the cat-specific internal medicine clinics taking place at Willows, or to make a referral, call 0121 712 7070.
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
With the profession currently suffering a staffing crisis, some now question the ability of the profession to provide a blanket OOH service, and whether it should remain a requirement for all practices.
A logical first step, however, might be to discover just what percentage of OOH calls really are genuine emergencies, and how many are simply the result of society's increasing demands for a 24 hour service, not just from the veterinary profession. Hence the survey.
The question is open to veterinary surgeons and nurses working in general practice only.
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6495987/Out-Of-Hours
The awards are given to practices across the UK with the most four- and five-star reviews from their clients.
To select the winners, awards organisers analyse over 10,000 reviews left by pet owners on vet practice websites over a 12 month period.
Warren House Veterinary Centre scored over 900 outstanding online reviews from clients.
Swanspool Veterinary Clinic, Northamptonshire, came in second, and Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service, West Midlands, third,
Winners of various sub-categories included:
Susie Samuel, CEO of VetHelpDirect.com, said: “The BestUKVets Awards were established to reward vet practices for outstanding feedback from clients.
"We are delighted for Warren House Veterinary Centre (Small Animal Services) – having read so many of their wonderful reviews, it no surprise that they won.
"Local pet owners are very fortunate to have this practice in their area”.
www.bestukvet.co.uk
Photo: vethelpdirect.com
Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering a 100 per cent money-back guarantee that new Hill's Prescription DietTM Canine r/dTM will help overweight and obese dogs to lose weight in just 8 weeks while still maintaining lean muscle mass.
Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's Pet Nutrition said: "We understand that there is a considerable amount of effort required from owners to help their pet lose weight. Along with the additional cost this can make it difficult to convince them to buy in to a prescription weight loss diet. In order to give vets and pet owners confidence, Hill's is offering a 100 per cent money-back guarantee to pet owners if they don't see any weight loss in just eight weeks."
New r/d, available in 1.5kg, 4kg and 12kg bags, helps with the nutritional management of overweight or obese dogs. According to Hill's, palatability has increased with 9 out of 10 dogs preferring new r/d and its high fibre formula also provides dietary bulk to aid satiety and avoid hunger. New r/d also has high levels of L-carnitine to help burn fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.
Hill's has developed a range of support measures and practice display materials to help raise awareness of obesity and encourage pet owners to try new r/d. For further information please contact your Hill's Territory Manager or call 0800 282438.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, manufacturer of the equine pergolide Prascend, has joined forces with the British Horse Society, Redwings Horse Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare to launch the 'Talk About Cushing's (TAC)' campaign.
The initiative, which will take place throughout September and October 2011, is aimed at raising awareness of Cushing's Disease and its clinical signs, perhaps the most familiar of which is hirsutism (abnormal hair growth, or delayed shedding). Horse owners can download a £15 money-off voucher from http://www.talkaboutcushings.co.uk/ throughout the TAC initiative, which can be redeemed through their veterinary practice against blood test costs.
Boehringer says Equine Cushing's Disease, also known as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), is the most common endocrine disorder in older horses and ponies1 ,and that some estimates suggest over 15% of horses and ponies over 15 years of age are affected2.
Unfortunately, the initial stages of Cushing's Disease are often difficult to detect, delaying the maximum benefit of early diagnosis and intervention. Blood testing is increasingly used to detect the disease and confirm diagnosis, however many horses with clinical signs, including recurrent laminitis, still go undiagnosed.
Craig Beck, vet and equine sales and marketing manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "More than 80% of horses suffering from laminitis may have an underlying endocrine disorder, such as Cushing's Disease3.
"The TAC campaign will raise awareness of Cushing's Disease amongst both veterinary professionals and owners. It should make it easier for vets to go ahead with endocrine testing in horses and ponies with recurrent laminitis, diagnosing and treating earlier in the course of the disease."
Lee Hackett, head of welfare at the BHS, added: "Cushing's Disease is relatively common in horses yet in our experience it frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated. This is why we are fully behind the 'Talk About Cushing's' campaign - anything that raises awareness and understanding of this disease has to be of benefit to equine welfare."
Redwings' head of veterinary services Nicky Jarvis said: "At Redwings we have many horses over the age of 15, all living very happy and healthy lives. 'Old age' is not in itself a disease so when a geriatric horse loses condition or appears unwell there is always an underlying cause. If a horse continually succumbs to laminitis or loses weight, Cushing's Disease could be one explanation. However, with early diagnosis, good management and the correct treatment a horse with Cushing's can live comfortably for many years."
"Early diagnosis of Cushing's Disease can be of great benefit, other conditions such as laminitis are often associated with it and it is important that clinical signs are recognised and treated appropriately. World Horse Welfare supports the 'Talk About Cushing's' campaign as it will help people to recognise the signs and take the right action to prevent horses from suffering," concludes Tony Tyler, deputy chief executive, World Horse Welfare.
Backed by an advertising and PR campaign in the equine consumer media, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has produced a marketing pack for veterinary practices to use in the run up to, and during TAC. This includes leaflets, invoice stickers, a veterinary practice toolkit featuring an owner evening presentation, editorial copy for newsletters and websites and images to support the campaign.
For further information on TAC or Prascend, the first licensed product for the treatment of Cushing's Disease, please visit http://www.talkaboutcushings.co.uk/, contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or call 01344 746959.
1. Donaldson et al. “Evaluation of suspected pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses with laminitis”. JAVMA, Vol 224, No. 7, April 1, 20042. McGowan. “Diagnostic and Management Protocols for Equine Cushings Syndrome” In Practice, November/December 20033. McGowan. “Epidemiology and Clinical Perspectives of Endocrinopathic Laminitis”, BEVA Congress 2009
In a short video produced by Elanco Animal Health, Natalie highlighted how critical pet behaviour is to achieve a clinical cure: "Many of our cases that are referred for surgery are because the owner can’t apply treatment. However, we still treat the majority medically, alongside behavioural therapy.
"Prioritising your diagnostics in the consult, especially ear cytology, being able to identify subtle behavioural cues and potentially taking treatment back into the practice can all help achieve first-line treatment success."
Emily said: "Treatment doesn’t need to be merely 'tolerated'; it should be a positive experience. Just one bad experience can be hard to overcome so it’s important to get it right first time."
According to a survey commissioned by Elanco1, 45% of owners struggle to administer ear medications at home. 55% of those said the dog finds it stressful, while 43% said their dog hides from treatment.
Natalie said: "Owners often won’t admit that they struggle to apply ear treatments so it is up to us to ask the right questions and make them feel at ease in order to find out."
Emily added: "Owners often feel guilty and think they should be able to apply the treatment. We frequently underestimate how stressful this can be; having to apply treatment once a day to a painful dog is really difficult for any owner and can seriously affect the bond with their pet."
Natalie says treatment choices should be influenced by subtle behavioural cues in the consultation and in some cases veterinary surgeons should consider taking the burden of treatment away from the owner and into the practice in the first instance, to prevent negative experiences and unnecessary stress. She said: "We often find that applying a long-acting treatment in the consultation can make a big difference. It has less of an impact on the pet-owner bond and can help prevent behavioural issues that develop all too commonly."
Elanco highlights a recent clinical study2 which looked at the impact of Osurnia on quality of life, which concluded that: "A veterinarian-administered otic gel provided equivalent efficacy and higher QoL to dogs with otitis externa and their owners, compared to an owner-administered topical otic therapy".
Natalie said: "It’s our responsibility to proactively prevent the negative association with ear handling, making ear treatment a positive and easy experience. By thinking more about how we handle our patients and what we’re dispensing, potentially using a product that can be applied in the practice and less frequently, we can make the whole experience a lot better for dogs and owners."
The speakers are:
Dr Lappin said: “There are a number of significant changes in the management of SARS-CoV-2 that impact companion animal medicine and our staff members since our first webinar. I believe the information to be presented will be extremely valuable in helping your veterinary team continue to successfully navigate this pandemic.”
David Sutton, Global Technical Director at webinar sponsors MSD Animal Health, said “COVID-19 has presented an extraordinary challenge to the global community. MSD Animal Health is proud to support WSAVA in providing quality education to veterinary professionals who continue to go above and beyond in the care of companion animals during the pandemic.”
To register for the webinar, visit: http://bit.ly/wsavawebinar-covd19-registration
There are a number of reasons why you may wish to raise your professional profile online.
For example, referral practitioners, it’ll help raise your profile as you build your client base.
Likewise, it will make it easier for clients to find general practitioners who’ve moved job.
Practice owners and managers might also like to encourage staff to create professional profiles with a link to the practice website, which will help push it up the search engine results.
Finally, any supplier of products or services to the profession can complete a profile about their business.
Activating your new professional profile is simple.
First, login and visit www.vetsurgeon.org/user/settings and enter your practice or business website, to appear on your profile (NB. You MUST include the http:// or https:// part of the address).
Then visit and complete your profile page from the ‘View/Edit my profile' link in the main site navigation.
Then press the link at the top right which says ‘Make Profile Public’ (it’s reversible at any time, if you change your mind).
A LIMITED amount of information from your profile will then be made visible to search engines and publicly on the site (ie without logging in).
You will need to allow a few days before your entry starts to appear in search engines like Google.
Importantly, your telephone number and address are NOT revealed, and nor is your extended career history (only the most recent career entry is displayed). Your interests, collaborations, and association memberships are also not shared.
To see an example of a public professional profile, visit vetsurgeon.org, make sure you are logged out, and then see: www.vetsurgeon.org/members/alasdair.
Log back into the site, visit that same link, and you'll see that further career details, interests, membership etc are visible to members only.
If you have any questions about VetSurgeon Professional Profiles, you can ask them here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30187/your-new-online-professional-profile/235777
Su Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at CEVA, said: “If left untreated, hypertension can result in target organ damage (TOD), with ocular problems developing in at least 80% of hypertensive cases1.
"Other major body systems that are commonly affected include the brain, heart and kidneys.
"Despite the potential for catastrophic sequelae such as retinopathy and blindness, owners may see very little in the way of warning signs.
"That means these patients are completely reliant on a veterinary recommendation for blood pressure monitoring.”
Ceva says that ideally, all cats over nine should be screened regularly. But given the pressure the profession is currently working under, the priority is to address the needs of the most at risk cats, ie those with predisposing conditions such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism.
Su said: “There is a real danger that many of those cats will be close to crisis point right now and the sooner we can identify those that need help, the better a chance we have of extending their quality and quantity of life.”
Vets looking to update their knowledge on feline hypertension, including the importance of regular screening, blood pressure monitoring techniques, and appropriate treatment options, can complete Ceva's free Feline Hypertension Ambassador CPD course at: https://veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva/.
Reference
Vetoquinol has announced the launch of Chrysanphyton, the latest addition to its range of Equistro feeding stuffs for horses.
Vetoquinol says Chrysanphyton is recommended for horses where support of a normal blood flow to the hoof is important. It contains Chrysantellum americanum, blackcurrant and hazelnut extracts which, according to the company, provide a rich source of nutrient bioflavanoids and vitamins.
The recommended administration of Chrysanphyton is 10ml twice a day in horses (500kg) and 5ml twice a day in ponies with the 1000ml pack lasting 50 or 100 days respectively.
A product information sheet is available on the Equistro website www.equistro.co.uk
For further information contact your local Vétoquinol Territory Manager.
The PDSA has announced the launch of a new graduate programme to help train the veterinary surgeons of the future.
Applications for PDSA's Veterinary Surgeon Graduate Programme open today, and the programme is open to all veterinary surgeon graduates - including the current 2013 graduating student cohort.
According to the PDSA, its Veterinary Surgeon Graduate Programme is one of the first comprehensive - UK wide - graduate schemes in the veterinary profession to combine clinical experience, development of surgical skills, promotion of preventive services and pet wellbeing education. It is delivered via a structured programme with dedicated support including mentoring, training and continuing professional development opportunities - within a busy small animal charity practice environment.
Following the framework of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Professional Development Phase (PDP), the duration of the programme is one year. Successful applicants will be based at one of five PDSA PetAid hospitals - Glasgow East, Bradford, Liverpool Kirkdale, Stoke-on-Trent or Bow - and will also work at several other PDSA PetAid hospitals within the geographic location, building up experience in different hospitals and working with different teams. There will also be dedicated time off the veterinary rota to be able to train and coach the new graduates to develop their clinical skills.
The charity says that the programme will provide the necessary experience for new graduates to complete their compulsory PDP. It is hoped that those successfully completing the graduate programme will continue their careers with PDSA taking on available permanent opportunities in the charity.
Richard Hooker, PDSA Director of Veterinary Services (pictured above left), said: "At PDSA, we have great talent within our veterinary teams and we are looking to add to that even further with the launch of our Veterinary Surgeon Graduate Programme; five outstanding graduates will join us in September 2013 to be part of PDSA's future and to develop their skills and experience as veterinary surgeons.
"On average, our PetAid hospitals see around 5,695 pets each working day - including consultations, emergency treatment, surgical procedures, through to preventative measures and education on pet wellbeing. The Veterinary Surgeon Graduate Programme will give our cohort the opportunity to gain invaluable small animal practice with the UK's leading veterinary charity, home to some of the most experienced and long-serving vets in our profession."
Applications are open until 29 March 2013. For further information and to apply, visit http://www.pdsa.org.uk/careers/graduate-programme/veterinary-graduates/apply-now or contact PDSA at hr.adminstration@pdsa.org.uk
This year’s theme is 'Feline Fine: how to create harmony between physical health and mental wellbeing in your treatment and management of feline cases'.
The scientific programme will include lectures, interactive sessions and in-depth masterclasses from feline experts including Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore (feline medicine specialist), Dr Sarah Heath (specialist in veterinary behaviour), Dr Matt Gurney (specialist in veterinary anaesthesia) and Professor Clare Rusbridge (specialist in veterinary neurology).
This is the third year that ISFM has hosted an annual congress event online, something the charity says has been a huge success, attracting over 3,000 veterinary professionals from 96 countries in 2021.
Dr Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM said: "Whilst it was fabulous to be back in person in Rhodes this year, we cannot lose sight of the opportunity providing a virtual option gives the veterinary community."
The 2022 ISFM Virtual Congress is open to all veterinary professionals, including nurses, technicians and behaviourists who are interested in the relationship between feline emotions and behaviour, and other disciplines such as neurology, pain management, and internal medicine.
The live launch will feature a short lecture followed by a live Q&A session with iCatCare’s Vicky Halls (Cat Friendly Homing Manager), Linda Ryan (Registered Veterinary Nurse and Behaviourist) and Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore.
ISFM Veterinary members will automatically receive a ticket to the Virtual Congress as part of their annual membership benefits.
https://icatcare.org/isfm2022congress-virtual/
'Managing Veterinary Medicines' teaches safe and responsible use of veterinary medicines and medicine regulations.
RCVS Knowledge says it will also show you how to put systems in place that will reduce errors, improve patient outcomes and improve practice systems.
It's worth six hours of CPD.
The course has been produced in collaboration between RCVS Knowledge and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), and includes a range of webinars, podcasts and articles.
Executive Director at RCVS Knowledge, Chris Gush said: “In England alone, more than 1,700 people die yearly because of medication errors.
"While we don't know the true figures in veterinary medicine, we do know that 30% of errors reported to the VDS's VetSafe system are due to medication errors.
“That's why we think it's vital to have good robust systems in place in the practice dispensary and to use QI tools like guidelines, protocols, and checklists.
CEO of the VMD, Abi Seager said: “Managing Veterinary Medicines will help teams comply with legislation as well as keep patients, team members and clients safe when prescribing and dispensing medicine.”
The course will also prepare practices for a VMD inspection or an RCVS Practice Standards Scheme assessment.
https://learn.rcvsknowledge.org
Conducted as a multicentric international study involving board-certified veterinary dermatologists, the trial included 35 dogs with CIF in at least two paws.
Each dog acted as its own control, and was treated with systemic antibiotics, with one paw being treated with FLE and the other paw without.
Paws were allocated based on a coin toss, and the study was single blinded: the principal investigator was responsible for the assessment of lesions, and the co-investigator was responsible for administration of FLE treatment.
The dogs were assessed over an 8-week period with check-ups every 14 days.
At every check-up the paws treated with FLE showed a greater improvement than paws without FLE treatment.
The lesions were assessed and scored with the global lesion score, the pruritic visual analogue scale, a cytological scoring, and photographic documentation.
The results of the study demonstrated that FLE combined with systemic antibiotics significantly reduced the time to clinical resolution compared to antibiotics alone.
By week four, 50% of paws in the FLE group had reached clinical resolution compared to 17% in the control group.
By week eight, 88% of paws in the FLE group had healed compared to 54% in the control group.
Dr Anja Lange, DVM, Department of Dermatology, AniCura Kleintierspezialisten Augsburg GmbH, Augsburg, Germany, said: “Canine interdigital furunculosis is a challenging condition to treat that can be prolonged and frustrating.
"Having FLE as an additional management tool is very exciting, not least because it speeds up time to healing, but it also requires us to use less antibiotics.
"The use of FLE was well accepted by all of the dog owners from the study and the dogs themselves tolerated it well, showing it can be a very useful adjunct to cases in clinical practice.”
Online registration for the BSAVA Congress 2011 is now open at www.bsava.com.
According to the BSAVA, web registration has been enhanced this year to provide a smoother process for individual, group and practice badge bookings. Plus, there is a 5% discount on registration fees.
BSAVA has brought forward the Early Bird deadline this year to 3 January 2011 to coincide with the impending VAT increase, so you'll need to register before this date to get the best price.
There is also a new 'Weekend Rate', which offers delegates access to the Saturday lectures, Party Night ticket, a Sunday exhibition pass, a delegate bag with proceedings, plus delegate lunch and refreshments on both days.
See www.bsava.com for further details and registration fees.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched four new care products, enhancing its Professional Care range, available exclusively through veterinary practices.
The new products are:
Brand Manager Rachel Horton said: "At Dechra we're focused on providing a complete care solution for companion animals. Our Professional Care range provides products which owners can use at home to keep their pets in great condition.
With the launch of these new products, we believe the Professional Care range provides a cost-effective care solution for pet owners while providing significant additional revenue opportunities for practices."