Scientists from the Animal Health Trust, The Roslin Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh have launched a study which aims to create a diagnostic test that will allow breeders to assess genetic risk for hip and elbow dysplasia in their dogs.
Dr Sarah Blott, from the Animal Health Trust, said: "Currently the screening process for hip and elbow dysplasia is costly and requires dogs to undergo general anaesthetic so they can be x-rayed.
"Through our study we hope to create a non-invasive DNA-based test that will allow breeders to test much earlier than is currently possible and without the use of GA."
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the UK and worldwide. There were more than 40,000 puppies registered with The Kennel Club in 2010. The development of a DNA test will benefit dogs around the world by enabling breeders to make more informed breeding choices.
According to the Animal Health Trust, the introduction of a DNA test to identify genetic risk of hip and elbow dysplasia will:
Dr Pam Wiener, from The Roslin Institute, said: "We're very grateful to the BBSRC for funding this study. If we are able to gather enough information and samples there is a very real possibility that in the next few years we will be able to develop a DNA test that will make a major contribution towards eradicating hip and elbow dysplasia in Labrador Retrievers.
"It is also likely that we will be able to use what we learn from the Labrador Retriever study to benefit dogs of other breeds and to prevent other diseases."
To collect information for the study a simple questionnaire is being sent, through The Kennel Club, to owners of Kennel Club registered Hip Scored Labrador Retrievers who were born between 2004 and 2007. The study group is hoping to obtain questionnaires and samples from at least 2,000 Labrador Retrievers.
If you have a Kennel Club registered Hip Scored Labrador Retriever aged between four and seven years old and would like to participate in the study, please visit the AHT website (www.aht.org.uk/labrador.html) or email melissa.fitzgibbon@aht.org.uk
Once questionnaires have been received, the AHT will send each participant a DNA sampling kit to enable owners to provide a DNA sample from their dog through a simple mouth swab. Owners providing the first 1,500 analysed DNA samples will receive a free genetic profile for hip and elbow dysplasia on their dog.
The British Veterinary Association has welcomed the European Commission's Action Plan on Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), launched yesterday on the eve of European Antibiotic Awareness Day.
The Action Plan sets out 12 actions:
However, the association has expressed concern that the Commission has given only qualified support for new antimicrobials for veterinary use. Carl Padgett, President of the BVA, said: "There is much to be applauded in this action plan. In particular the BVA supports the calls for more and better coordinated research, more responsible use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, and the development of diagnostic tools to quickly and accurately identify the right drug for the right bug.
"The use of antimicrobials in the treatment and control of animal diseases is essential and the BVA supports the strong messages in this plan. Any option for managing AMR must be firmly rooted in sound scientific assessment of the risk.
"While the report recognises the difficulties that have led to the hampering of research into new antimicrobials for veterinary use, we are concerned that there is only qualified support from the Commission for the development of these new medicines for animal use.
"Research into new antimicrobials should be supported in both human and veterinary medicine. We need to ensure the creation of a more predictable regulatory environment to encourage new products for animals to be brought to the market.
"Finally, while the BVA supports the need for a new regulatory framework any new regulations must not impede the ability of veterinary surgeons to prescribe and dispense medicines according to their clinical judgement."
Meanwhile, Jill Moss of the Bella Moss Foundation added her voice to those calling for responsible use of antibiotics, highlighting recent research from the Royal Veterinary College that has established a clear link between pets with MRSA infection and human hospital-associated MRSA. What is less widely recognised, she says, is that resistant bacteria can be passed from human to animal.
The charity is now calling on health and veterinary professionals to work together to achieve a reduction in resistant infections by raising awareness and promoting the responsible use of antibiotics.
Ceva Animal Health has announced that it is now accepting nominations for its annual Animal Welfare Awards.
The awards recognise veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and charity professionals who go the extra mile to prevent and reduce welfare problems for animals.
If you think one of your colleagues, vet or nurse, should be recognised for their work improving animal welfare, you'll need to nominate them before the 15th February 2013 deadline.
The awards include:
Winners of all awards will have a choice of luxury prize - ranging from spa weekends, European city breaks, countryside retreats or an animal experience. All individuals who nominate will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win £250 of high street vouchers. Ginette Bryant from Ceva, said: "The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards are an opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals in the veterinary and animal charity industry. Our mission 'Together, beyond animal health', recognises that the health of animals, humans and the planet are inextricably linked, these awards are fitting way to work towards improving the health of all. "Whether it is improving animal welfare through client education in practice, championing good causes or helping specific cases, we know there are many people who share our ambitions in preventing and reducing companion animal welfare issues. It is these passionate individuals who are the unsung heroes of our industry and we're really excited to hear the inspiring stories from each nomination."
There are also three awards for people who work outside the veterinary or animal charity sector.
Nominations forms are available from www.ceva.com.
The deadline for entries is 15 February 2013.
For further details or additional nomination forms for your practice call Ceva on 01494 781 510 or email welfare.awards@ceva.com The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday 3 April 2013 during the BSAVA conference in Birmingham.
Vétoquinol - maker of Epiphen, the anti-epileptic phenobarbital for the control of epilepsy in dogs - has added a new client brochure and a fridge magnet to its Epiphen support packs, designed to help owners understand the condition and make it easier for them to comply with daily dosage requirements.
The new brochure is called What I need to know and is written for clients that have been prescribed Epiphen for their pet for the first time.
Abbie King, Product Manager for Epiphen, said: ''The inspiration for the new brochure came after spending time at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket and realising how much information an owner needs to take in when their dog is diagnosed with epilepsy."
The new brochure covers the important information owners need to help them understand and manage their dog's epilepsy, including how Epiphen works, what they can do to help their dog, how to monitor seizures, where to find further information and frequently asked questions.
The Epiphen Treatment fridge magnet is designed as a quick reference guide to prescribing information that is needed every day when living with a dog with epilepsy. The magnet leaves space for the owner to write in their dog's name, dosage details and timings and their vet's phone number. Vétoquinol says it is especially helpful as a reference if more than one person is caring for the dog.
The new items enhance the existing Epiphen support pack, which comprises an owner manual, medication record and seizure diary, dog tags, seizure report pads, free serum level monitoring vouchers and a free, online resource at www.epiphenonline.co.uk
Vétoquinol also invites practitioners who are dealing with challenging cases to take advantage of its free Ask the expert scheme on 0800 169 8197 or email a case history to epiphen@vetoquinol.co.uk.
To order the new Epiphen support materials, ring 0800 1698197. Alternatively, visit: www.vetoquinol.co.uk to find out more.
The RCVS has announced that the nomination period for the 2015 RCVS and VN Council elections has opened until 5:00pm on Saturday 31 January 2015.
Each year six RCVS Council seats are contested while two seats are available for VN Council. Successful candidates serve four-year terms.
Existing RCVS Council members Niall Connell, Professor Sheila Crispin, Mark Elliott, Lynne Hill, Dr Bob Moore and Professor the Lord Trees of the Ross are due to retire from Council next year but are all eligible for re-election. Elizabeth Branscombe and Elizabeth Cox are due to retire from VN Council but will also be eligible to stand again in 2015.
In order to stand, candidates for either RCVS or VN Council will need to complete a nomination form, submit a short biography, write a short personal statement and supply a high resolution digital photo.
Each candidate will also need to provide two nominations - for RCVS Council candidates this should be two veterinary surgeons on the RCVS Register who are not current RCVS Council members; for VN Council candidates nominators must be registered or listed VNs who are not current VN Council members.
The election period commences in early March 2015 and runs until Friday 24 April. Successful candidates for either Council will take up their seats at RCVS Day - the College's Annual General Meeting and Awards Day - on Friday 10 July 2015.
Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "After a record 19 candidates - of which over half were women - for last year's RCVS Council elections, and a good showing for VN Council as well, we hope to build on that momentum this year by attracting candidates of all ages and backgrounds.
"Through their participation in the Councils and their committees members can have a big impact on the future of their respective professions by developing policy and making decisions in areas of key importance such as education and professional standards."
Nomination forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions for RCVS Council candidates can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil15. The equivalent documents for VN Council candidates can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil15.
Last year the RCVS produced two short videos outlining what is involved in being a Council member, the benefits it can bring and the amount of time it requires. These can be found at www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos
Prospective candidates are also invited to attend a 'Meet the RCVS Day' at Belgravia House on Tuesday 25 November where they will have the opportunity to find out more about the role of the College and RCVS and VN Council members as well as having a tour of the building and the opportunity to talk to staff.
Those who are interested in attending should contact Fiona Harcourt, Events Officer, on f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773.
Zoetis Business Consulting has announced the launch of Profitsolver, a software tool designed to boost practice profits.
The software has already been rolled out in the US, where Zoetis says that it has delivered an average of £103,000 extra profit to veterinary practices within a year.
Profitsolver uses the practice's actual data - not benchmarks or accepted norms - to enable the practice to manage costs, set prices and gain return on investments. By using an activity-based costing model and using a variety of data such as practice costs, which staff perform which part of the procedure, how long the procedure takes and what equipment and materials are used, Profitsolver calculates the correct pricing to both cover costs and deliver a predetermined profit margin.
Zoetis says that Profitsolver helps practices to understand how the overall practice profit is being generated. For instance, for price sensitive procedures such as vaccination, the practice can match their prices with the competition, but maintain their profit margin by increasing the price for other clinical services.
Nick Steele, national consulting manager at Zoetis said: "Veterinary practices have no standard method for pricing their services and they are often unable to determine which services make money and which don't. This hampers the practice's ability to accurately value the business and, as a result, profit levels tend to be low for many practices. Profitsolver can turn this situation around and already has a very successful track record in the US."
Zoetis piloted the UK version of Profitsolver with John Goulding at St Georges Veterinary Group. He said: "By and large the veterinary profession still relies on the mark-up of medicines where profits are concerned. Even practices that have made a concerted effort to move away from this type of pricing structure are still making their money from the sale of medicines rather than from vets' fees. For years I have wanted to know exactly how to price our services and this new Profitsolver software does just that.
"Most costs have an element of staff time, an element of fixed assets or equipment and an element of disposable items. Profitsolver takes all of these into account, adds the predetermined profit margin and produces an accurate pricing structure for each procedure undertaken within the practice.
"It's important to take the time at the start to put accurate data in from the practice's latest set of accounts and the Zoetis business consultant will guide practices through this to make the initial set up as easy as possible. For instance, for major pieces of equipment such as X-ray machines, you have to work out how many times a year you are likely to use them.
"By using Profitsolver, we worked out that if we do exactly the same amount of work as last year we can increase our bottom line by at least £200,000 for our 18 vet practice. Since last November, when we installed Profitsolver, we have completely changed our pricing structure moving away from focusing on medicines and the size of the animal to rethink how we charge our clinical care.
"An unexpected benefit is that Profitsolver has made me much more confident about the prices we charge to clients as it is all broken down, so we can see exactly how the invoice is made up. I would be at a loss without it now."
For more information about Profitsolver, contact your Zoetis account manager.
The RCVS has announced that voting is now open for the 2016 Council elections.
Ballot papers with candidate details, biographies and manifestos have been posted to all veterinary surgeons this week.
Eight candidates are standing in the RCVS Council election this year, with the six who receive the most votes joining Council at RCVS Day on Friday 15 July 2016 for a four-year term. The candidates are:
Each candidate in both elections has produced a short video in which they answer two questions which they have selected from those submitted to the RCVS in advance by members of the professions. The videos can be viewed at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote16 along with their biographies, manifesto statements and contact details.
Bradley Viner, RCVS President, said: "Last year the candidate videos had over 3,500 views and we hope to increase that this year as it is a very direct and democratic way of finding out more about each candidate and their views. I would urge each member of the profession, whether vets or veterinary nurses, to make a vote for their preferred candidates as they really can make a difference when it comes to the future direction of the College."
All votes must be cast, either online or by post, by 5pm on Friday 29 April 2016. Online votes for RCVS Council candidates can be made at www.ersvotes.com/vetvote16.
Any veterinary surgeon who has not received a ballot paper should contact Ian Holloway, RCVS Communications Manager, on 020 7202 0727 or i.holloway@rcvs.org.uk.
The company has introduced a new online range of pack inserts for several of its key products including Vetoryl, Felimazole, Metrobactin and Thyforon so veterinary practices can download and print the latest pack inserts for the treatments.
The move will ensure that practices always have access to the most up-to-date information about the prescribed medication. Dechra says it will also save time as staff will not have to copy original documents from the pack.
The pack inserts will be available via www.dechra.co.uk and www.dechra.ie. In addition, Dechra has developed dispensing envelopes which are available at no charge from wholesalers in packs of 25.
Larry King, Marketing Manager, said: "Veterinary practices often dispense pharmaceuticals from bulk which involves having to copy original pack inserts for owners.
"By printing the online pack inserts, practices will no longer have piles of inserts to store and will be safe in the knowledge they are supplying the most up to date pack insert to their clients.
"When used together, the pack inserts and dispensing envelopes provide practices with an effective solution when dispensing from bulk."
The traditional method for detecting equine lameness is subjective, using expert visual evaluation of gait to identify the presence or absence and degree of asymmetries. The lame horse is described as having a disorder, defect or loss of function and this clinical diagnosis has associated welfare implications if the horse is still asked to perform.
The article explains how advanced computer technology is starting to change all this. Optic motion capture or the use of inertial measurement units (IMUs) is now enabling the detailed study and quantification of the horse’s gait; objective assessment against preset thresholds. The paper points out that while these digital systems can overcome the temporal and spatial limitations of the human eye they simply rely on one or a number of set gait parameters to decide about lameness and this can present obstacles.
Thresholds are forcibly based on a limited reference population, which doesn’t adequately reflect the millions of horses in the world. The individual environmental and mental conditions for each horse and its day-to-day gait variations are also not accounted for. On this basis to use the term ‘lame’ because a horse demonstrates a subtle gait alteration, causing it to fall below the threshold, could be inappropriate, particularly as it may not affect the horse’s welfare in any way.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "An important first step is for researchers and clinicians to start to discriminate clearly between 'asymmetry' and 'lameness' and not to use these as interchangeable terms when interpreting gait analysis data. Asymmetry is often, but not always, a hallmark of lameness, but is not a clinical term, whereas lameness is."
Police have advised veterinary practices to be on their guard following a spate of break-ins in the South East, linked to the theft of controlled drugs.
PC Steve Doswell, Controlled Drugs Liaison Officer in the East Sussex police area said: "Criminal elements in the South East are targeting practices in Surrey, Hampshire and East Sussex. They may well have targeted, or will target, other practices in all of the neighbouring counties".
"Methadone, Ketamine, Alprazolam and Diazepam are all commonly-abused by drug users, and nationally there have been a lot of problems with users buying street heroin that has been cut with Alprazolam," he added.
PC Doswell offered the following advice to practices:
More detailed information about the correct storage of controlled drugs can be found in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme Manual: www.rcvs.org.uk/practicestandards
Virbac Animal Health has launched an extra small version of its VeggieDent dental chews for dogs weighing less than 5kg.
Research commissioned by the company shows that 9% of all dogs in the UK weigh less than 5kg1 and that periodontal disease is over-represented in this group2.
According to the Kennel Club, celebrity culture is boosting the popularity of small breeds. Apparently there was a 25% increase in Kennel Club registrations of Chihuahuas in 2011, following publicity about Paris Hilton and her Chihuahua. Virbac says numbers of other small miniature breeds such as pugs are also growing rapidly.
Virbac says VeggieDent chews are designed to work with the animal's chewing action, 100% vegetable, highly palatable and feature a special design to increase chewing time. A recent study3 showed that a daily XS VeggieDent reduced halitosis as well as significantly reducing gingivitis, plaque, and tartar accumulation.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac said: "With growing numbers of very small dogs in the UK, we wanted to produce a chew which was exactly the right size for them.
VeggieDent Chews are already popular among dog owners because they are a nutritious and palatable plaque control aid, minimising tartar build up and improving breath odour. With the launch of the extra small size, we now offer the perfect chew for every size of dog."
For further information, contact your Territory Manager or call Head Office on 01359 243243.
References:
Ceva Animal Health has launched a new TV advertising campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of the veterinary behavioural product, Feliway.
The new advertisement, features the new 'Feliway' purple cat playing happily in the home with its family.
The advertisement will appear on the major UK channels including More 4, E4, ITV 1, Sky Channels and the Discovery Channel for one week from 16th September 2013, with an additional three weeks coverage during October 2013. Behind the scenes' footage of the filming of the advertisement can also be viewed on the Feliway YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtAXd5mReYc6JGufxRirvng?feature=watch
A Feliway video on demand and YouTube campaign will be available to viewers between 16th September 2013 and 21st October 2013 and will be repeated between 15th November 2013 and 2nd December 2013.
An Adaptil video on demand campaign will be aired between 21st October 2013 and 11th November 2013 to raise awareness of Adaptil in the run up to and during the firework season. The video on demand will be available across ITV player, Sky Anytime On Demand, 4oD and YouTube.
For more information, call 01494 781510 or contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Matt, who contracted Lyme disease early last year, has been out giving interviews about how he was bitten by a tick, his experience with Lyme disease and why he is supporting the Big Tick Project. He said: "It was a really scary time for me and my family, and I was shocked to find out that a tick bite in Chiswick – such a tiny creature – caused me to end up needing heart surgery. Even though I am free from Lyme disease now it really has impacted me. I still have to take daily medication and I now adjust my lifestyle in a number of ways."
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "This recent campaign is part of a series of high profile media campaigns that we’ve organised to help pet owners understand the risks posed by ticks and the importance of seeking advice from vets. Vet are central to this campagn.
"During our attendance this summer at DogFest and Countryfile Live we asked pet owners about their awareness of the risks. While this was very rough data the message that came back consistently was that many pet owners didn’t realise that not all flea treatments could also provide protection against ticks.
"We are therefore urging them to talk to their vet and vet nurses to better understand the treatments they are paying for. The conversation is important as the risks can be high."
For further information, visit: www.bigtickproject.co.uk
Horiba Medical has announced it is the official exclusive UK distributor of the fully automated Vet abc Plus+ veterinary haematology analyser from scil animal care company GmbH, Germany.
According to the company, the compact Vet abc Plus+ provides a complete blood count (CBC), including 4-part white blood cell (WBC) differential, from only 10 µl of EDTA whole blood, in only 60 seconds.
The Vet abc Plus+ provides pre-installed settings to analyse samples from dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, mice, rats, cattle, pigs and sheep. For dogs, cats and horses, the Vet abc Plus+ provides a 4-part WBC differential blood count, including a differentiation of the leucocytes to identify lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes and eosinophils. Results are available in 60 seconds on screen or can be automatically printed out and transferred to the practice information system or clinical notes. For ease-of-use, the Vet abc Plus+ also incorporates a self-contained reagent and waste system which provides a clean operation whilst being easy to replenish.
Borne from an existing manufacturing partnership, scil and HORIBA Medical already have over 6000 veterinary haematology analysers placed globally. Horiba says the new UK distribution agreement enables UK veterinary professionals to not only procure the Vet abc Plus+ analyser, but also receive expert service and support directly from the manufacturer HORIBA Medical and its team of UK specialists.
For more information, visit: www.horiba.com/uk/medical
Europe's largest private specialist veterinary practice, Davies Veterinary Specialists, has opened a new centre at the premises of the Hyde Park Veterinary Centre in Connaught St., London W2.
Davies Veterinary Specialists employs 40 veterinary surgeons, 23 of them RCVS Recognised Specialists and more than 50 nurses. The main hospital, based in Bedfordshire, has sophisticated diagnostic, surgical and treatment facilities and offers integrated multi-disciplinary care.
Clive Elwood, Managing Director of DVS, said: "We believe that pet owners should have easy access to the top veterinary specialists in the country. We are now bringing a team of specialists offering consultations in medicine, cardiology, ultrasonography, neurology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery to Davies London. This will make it much easier for London vets to offer their clients a convenient referral service, with full access to state-of-the-art facilities."
The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre is a long-established central London veterinary clinic. Recently expanded and refurbished, the clinic has invested heavily in the latest diagnostic and treatment facilities for the clinical care and treatment of London's pets. Head vet Andrew Prentis said: "We are all very excited about the collaboration with Davies: this new local access to top level specialists is really going to help London's vets offer their clients the very best in veterinary care at all times."
For more information, call 0207 535 0444 or visit www.vetspecialists.co.uk/london
Dan (MRCVS) & Kirsty (RVN) Forster, the husband and wife team behind Isle of Wight-based The Mobile Vet are celebrating a Queen's Award for Enterprise.
The Mobile Vet offers a mobile service in custom-designed vehicles and also has a fully-equipped surgery based in Newport where further consultations, operations and diagnostics can be performed, giving clients the option to choose between a home visit or a more traditional form of veterinary care for their pets.
News of the award landed on their doormat recently, in a letter saying: "I am delighted to inform you that Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the Prime Minister's recommendation that your organisation should receive a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation this year."
The Queen announced the winners of the awards as part of her 90th birthday celebrations yesterday, and Kirsty & Dan have been invited to Buckingham Palace to meet her at an official reception in July.
Dan said: "We have been fortunate enough to receive excellent feedback from our clients since starting our business & enjoy an immense amount of job satisfaction with the way we work. A nod from Her Majesty is truly the crowning glory for our business. It just goes to show what can be achieved with exceptional hard work and effort, the love & support of family/friends & a formidable staff. This award is for all these people that help to make our business great!
"We are very much looking forward to meeting the Queen and can't quite get our heads round it. Kirsty has spent hours looking for a dress and I am brushing up on my royal etiquette!"
Four separate studies are included in the collection, reporting novel risk factors for the disease, identifying key differences between EGS and botulism (questioning the hypothesis that EGS is caused by neurotoxins from Clostridium botulinum), reporting a novel diagnostic technique and showing the value of monitoring weight loss to help predict whether individual horses with chronic EGS are likely to survive.
The publishers say that despite more than 100 years of research, supported predominantly by the The Moredun Foundation Equine Grass Sickness Fund (www.grasssickness.org.uk), the cause of EGS remains unknown. Since it almost exclusively affects grazing horses, a pasture derived neurotoxin is implicated. EGS causes gut paralysis as a result of damage to parts of the nervous system that control involuntary functions. Acute and sub-acute EGS is invariably fatal while around 55% of chronic cases can survive and return to a useful working life. The UK has the highest incidence of EGS in the world; indeed it is estimated that the disease kills between 1 and 2% of horses in the United Kingdom annually. Cases are more common in spring.
In terms of risk factors, the study ‘Equine grass sickness in Scotland: A case-control study of environmental geochemical risk factors’ suggests that the high incidence of the disease in Eastern Scotland may be partly associated with the particular composition of macro and trace elements in the soil in the fields on which horses graze. Further work is required to determine whether interventions to alter concentrations of particular elements in soil could potentially reduce the risk of EGS.1
A second study identified key differences between EGS and botulism, which questions the currently favoured hypothesis that EGS is caused by neurotoxins from Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which commonly inhabits soil. The study ‘Equine grass sickness, but not botulism, causes autonomic and enteric neurodegeneration and increases soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor protein expression within neuronal perikarya’ suggests that EGS is unlikely to be caused by neurotoxins from this bacterium and concludes that further investigation of an alternative cause for EGS is needed.2
While the majority of horses with EGS can be readily diagnosed by experienced veterinary surgeons, some cases present a diagnostic challenge. Indeed the only way to definitively diagnose the disease in a live horse is to demonstrate the characteristic degeneration of nerves within biopsies of the intestine. Unfortunately these biopsies can only be collected by performing abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia. In the study ‘Neuronal chromatolysis in the subgemmal plexus of gustatory papillae in horses with grass sickness’ characteristic degeneration of nerves was identified in small biopsies collected from tongues of EGS horses during post mortem examination. Examination of these biopsies accurately differentiated control horses from EGS cases. While further validation of this technique is required, it could potentially provide a relatively non-invasive method of confirming the diagnosis in a live horse.3
While around 55% of horses with chronic EGS survive, objective criteria for predicting survival of these cases are currently lacking. The study ‘Bodyweight change aids prediction of survival in chronic equine grass sickness’ reported that non-survivors had greater rate and magnitude of bodyweight loss than survivors. Survival prediction curves were published to allow veterinary surgeons and horse owners to use body weight data to help determine whether an individual horse with chronic EGS was likely to survive or die.4
Professor Bruce McGorum, Head of the Equine Section at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, has been leading much of the research. He said: "Given that our recent research suggests that EGS is unlikely to be caused by neurotoxins from Clostridium botulinum we are now moving on to determine whether EGS is caused by ingestion of mycotoxins produced by pasture fungi. We are very pleased that The Horse Trust (www.horsetrust.org.uk) has provided funding for this three-year investigation."
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: “While the cause of equine grass sickness continues to evade us, these papers present an optimistic step in the right direction for the eventual prevention of this dreadful disease. It is only with the support of the Moredun Foundation Equine Grass Sickness Fund and more recently that of The Horse Trust that our world-leading veterinary researchers are able to continue to unravel the mystery.”
The EVJ equine grass sickness collection can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/2dC7Drr
References
Located in Wolverhampton, the new practice uses different lighting in different parts of the building: 'cool' for public areas such as the waiting room, 'comfortable warm' for the dog, cat and exotic wards and daylight for clinical areas. The LED system uses 60% less energy than conventional lighting and requires half the number of fittings. In addition, following research in the USA at Banfield, consulting rooms are fitted with dimmable lights to ease stress for patients and clients during euthanasia.
Other highlights include a specialist cat ward that White Cross says exceeds the iCatCare Cat Friendly Clinic requirements. The ward includes raised cat kennels that are carefully positioned so that cats can’t see each other, to further minimise stress-levels. There are also separate, sound-proofed wards for dogs and exotic pets.
To reduce anxiety in dogs and cats pre- and post-surgery, the practice uses pheromone diffusers and specially composed music played in the wards.
Managing Director, Tim Harrison said: "We’re delighted to launch our latest practice in Wolverhampton, which is our most environmentally-friendly yet. We’ve incorporated the most successful attributes from all of our 15 other UK practices into its design, and it’s immediately proving popular with clients and most importantly their pets."
Clinic Director James Millington says: "The facilities and attention to detail in this practice are the best I’ve ever seen. There’s no doubt this will translate into the quality of care that our clients receive and their pets deserve."
The programme starts at 9:00am on the 1st April with a keynote address by Professor Iain Chapple, Head of the Birmingham Dental School, and then spits into two streams, one for beginners, the other for advanced practitioners.
The beginners stream includes: 'Clinical examination and charting - a logical approach' and 'Malocclusions and Surgical extraction technique and complications', whilst the advanced stream includes: 'Canine Chronic Ulcerative Stomatitis', 'What are the Hidden Dangers in your Dental Unit?' and 'Case based Periodontal/ Gingival Histopathology'.
The BVDA Scientific Programme costs £140, and you can register here: https://www.bvda.co.uk/bvda/registersm
However, as BVDA President Paul Cooper MRCVS (pictured right) was keen to point out: "It does work out cheaper to join the BVDA and then get the member discount for the Scientific Programme!"
On the 2nd April, the association will also be running two drylab practical sessions (using models, not cadavers).
The first, with Tom Williams BVSc MANZCVS (Small Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery) MRCVS and Megan Clark BDS (Hons) Bsc (Hons) AKC offers a practical overview of root canal treatment.
The second, with Alix Freeman BVSc MRCVS and Andrew Perry BVSc DipEVDC MRCVS offers an introduction to composites and non-invasive jaw fracture repair.
Each drylab costs £100, and registration is via the BSAVA Congress registration page: www.bsavaevents.com.
The two sets of guidance cover:
RCVS President Dr Mandisa Green said: “I would like to reassure my colleagues once again that we understand the extreme challenges and difficult decisions they are facing.
"The College has no interest in taking anyone to task for considered professional judgement, providing they act reasonably in the circumstances, can justify their actions and take reasonable notes.
"Sadly, we’re seeing the pandemic situation deteriorating again in the UK, but to varying degrees across the country. This presents a significant challenge in ensuring our guidance is clear and straightforward, while remaining relevant to as many people as possible.
"We sincerely hope this new guidance achieves that aim and supports veterinary professionals working to uphold animal health and welfare, while maintaining the safety of their teams and clients."
For more information, visit: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19/
239 members took part in the survey, 46% from independent practices and the remainder in corporates.
60% were clinical directors, partners or owners and 30% were in an assistant or associate role.
Other than COVID, the main barriers to providing EMS were not having enough time or energy to support a student (approx 46%), too much work to do (approx 37%), not enough veterinary staff (approx 33%), and not having housing for a student (approx 19%).
The top four things which respondents felt would improve the quality of EMS were a clearer understanding of students' needs (92%), longer placements to allow more confidence to build (84%), free training on how to coach students (78%) and more resources to help students and mentors (73%).
It was also suggested that because universities are effectively asking vets to do their job for them, they should be offering free CPD to help all vets deliver EMS effectively.
To enhance the EMS experience, SPVS has produced a pre-placement preparation form which outlines the practice requirements, an EMS induction form to help students consider their priorities and expectations for the placement and the a Skills Matrix which provides a framework to structure learning objectives and record progress.
For the full survey report and to access the resources, visit the SPVS website https://spvs.org.uk/ems-free-resources-gateway/
Congratulations to VetSurgeon members Mike Martin, Malcolm Ness and Mark Patteson, who were amongst the winners of the 2010 BSAVA Annual Awards.
Mike Martin actually collected two awards this year: The Dunkin Award for the author of the most valuable article published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice (Canine dilated cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study of signalment, presentation and clinical findings in 369 cases), and the Blaine Award presented by Royal Canin for outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal medicine or surgery.
Malcolm Ness won the Simon Award for outstanding contributions in the field of veterinary surgery.
Mark Patteson picked up the Melton Award, presented annually by Royal Canin for meritorious contributions by veterinary surgeons to small animal veterinary practice.
Other winners included Iona Mathieson (Frank Beattie Travel Scholarship), Anne Vaughan-Thomas (deceased) (Amoroso Award), David Church (Woodrow Award), Luke Gamble (J.A. Wright Memorial Award), Olaf Reinhard Schaaf (Petsavers Award) and Steve Withrow (Bourgelat Award).
BCF, the veterinary imaging company, has launched a competition in which you can test your knowledge on a series of x-ray and ultrasound images for the chance to win a Sony Cyber Shot digital camera.
Visit the BCF website to enter - www.bcftechnology.com/
Entries to be in by 31st May 2011 and the winner will be drawn at random on the 6th of June 2011.
MSD Animal Health's equine division has launched a new series of materials to support its Keeping Britain's Horses Healthy Campaign.
For veterinary practices, there's a Vet Reception Pack designed to help receptionists educate owners why they should vaccinate and the benefits of preventive healthcare.
For yards, there are posters giving guidance and advice on prevention of Infectious Respiratory Disease and the steps which should be taken to control a potential outbreak. They can be tailor made for an individual yard.
Peter Young, MSD Animal Health Equine Business Manager said: "Our first wave of support materials focused very much on equine vets and owners - helping raise awareness of the importance of preventive healthcare and driving owners towards vets for advice. This phase of materials helps support yard owners and receptionists, aiming to fill some of those communications gaps where advice and guidelines on individual horse's vaccination requirements and yard protocols can play a vital role in preventing the spread of disease and controlling outbreaks."
Keeping Britain's Horses Healthy is a national campaign to educate horse owners on endemic infectious disease, vaccination, herd immunity and the importance of preventative healthcare. It includes a range of educational materials for veterinary surgeries and direct to owners. The campaign is supported by a national PR, advertising and social media programme, together with a dedicated website www.healthyhorses.co.uk. The website, aimed at driving owners back to their veterinary practices, includes a vet finder, exclusively for equine practices, and healthcare information.
For full details of the launch programme, talk to your account manager, call 01908 685685 or visit www.healthyhorses.co.uk.