The toolkit has been developed in conjunction with the RSPCA and includes a welfare workflow, quick download guides and welfare case forms. It can be downloaded here .
Merry Smith, a BEVA council member who led the project on behalf of BEVA, said: "Welfare assessments can sometimes be intimidating and it’s natural to feel vulnerable, particularly when circumstances are difficult. Our new Welfare Case Toolkit gives you access to the information and resources, even when you are on the road, to support you in dealing with a welfare case."
The interactive Welfare Workflow provides a step-by-step guide to what happens when a vet is called upon to provide an opinion on the health and welfare of the animals involved. It has been produced in a mobile-friendly format or can be printed out and kept in the car. Supporting the Workflow is a series of quick downloads, covering all aspects of the process:
Approach to the welfare case
Letter of instruction
Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act (2006) certificate
Witness details sheet
Witness statement form
RSPCA vet exam form
Guidance notes on how to complete a vet exam welfare case form
Caroline Allen, Chief Veterinary Officer at the RSPCA said: "Vets are absolutely critical to the work of the RSPCA and while we know many vets get a lot of satisfaction from this work saving animals from cruelty and suffering, we know that this work can sometimes be daunting and the law confusing. We are delighted to have worked with BEVA on providing this guidance and hope it is the first step in us providing more support to vets doing this vital work- we literally couldn't do it without you"
The Welfare Case Toolkit is available free to BEVA members https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources-For-Vets-Practices/Clinical-Practice-Guidance/Welfare-guidance/Welfare-toolkit
Ceva says this is the first time it has advertised Feliway Friends - designed to help cats live together in harmony - on television. It will be rotating the Feliway advert with one explaining the benefits of the Adaptil Calm On-the-Go Collar.
Both advertisements are 30 seconds long and the campaign runs until the end of June. It will target 24.5 million pet owners and will air on all Channel 4 and Channel 4 partner channels, including Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4, Drama, Good Food, Really, W and Home.
Abigail King, product manager for Feliway and Adaptil at Ceva, said: "Our summer TV advertising campaign will raise awareness of how Feliway Friends and Adaptil Calm On-the-Go Collar can help pets with behavioural issues and drive customers to veterinary practices for further information and to purchase product."
For further information, visit www.feliway.com or www.adaptil.com.
Ceva Animal Health has added to its joint care range with the launch of Meloxidyl Oral Suspension for Cats, licensed for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and alleviation of post-operative pain.
Meloxidyl Oral Suspension for Cats is available in 15ml bottles containing 0.5mg/ml meloxicam. Each pack contains a tailored maintenance dosing syringe with a 'kg scale' for all sizes of cat. In addition, Meloxidyl's sweet tasting formulation helps to maximise ease of administration.
Meloxidyl Injection complements Ceva Animal Health's joint care range, which also includes Meloxidyl Injection for dogs and cats and Meloxidyl Oral Suspension for dogs.
For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.
The Kennel Club has announced that the Crufts Best of Breed (BOB) winners in two of the high profile breeds - the bulldog and the Pekingese - failed their veterinary checks, so the breeds were not represented in the utility and toy group judging.
The British Veterinary Association says it welcomed the Kennel Club's initiative to put the veterinary checks in place for the BOB winner in the 15 high profile breeds at all championship dog shows starting at Crufts this year.
The 15 breeds have been identified as having particular health problems often due to poor conformation as a result of having been bred with exaggerated characteristics. The veterinary checks ensure the BOB winners are not suffering as a result of their conformation, such as eye problems, skin disease, lameness or breathing difficulties, which should have been identified by the judge.
Carl Padgett, President of the BVA, said: "Breeding dogs with exaggerated features must be tackled robustly. The veterinary checks are sending out a strong message that dogs with health problems will not win in the show ring, and only visibly healthy dogs will be rewarded.
"Dog showing can be a force for good for dog breeding and education but the veterinary checks on the first two groups at Crufts have highlighted the health problems that all too often affect man's best friend.
"We hope this strong action by the Kennel Club will be a wake-up call to those breeders and judges that still need to embrace the message that health should always be at the top of the agenda."
The group won the award in recognition of how it put social media at the heart of the its 80th birthday celebrations, offering employees 80 prizes over 80 days with daily draws broadcast on Facebook Live and uploaded to YouTube. The prizes included a weekend for two in New York, European holidays, festival tickets, a 40” smart TV, an extra week holiday, an Apple watch, a chance to be the MD for the day and more.
The IoIC’s judging panel praised the campaign’s recognition of staff, fun and innovation, as well as saying there was so much to love about the award entry and one even said it brought a lump to their throat.
Justin Phillips, head of marketing at White Cross Vets, said: "Celebrating our 80th birthday, with more than 200 team members spread across the North and Midlands, meant we had to come up with an accessible event, that would bond everyone and reinforce our reputation as the employer of choice within the veterinary industry.
"Broadcasting 80 prize draws in 80 days on Facebook Live ticked every box and was a fantastic spectacle that all our team members engaged with and talked about every day."
"The IoIC awards is one of the marketing industry’s most prestigious events, in a spectacular venue and surrounded by a wide range of global brands. These awards celebrate success, reward endeavour, inspire creativity and nurture best practice within the marketing community. For our campaign to have been recognised and rewarded by our peers is a huge source of pride within our business and has put a spring in the step of every single team member."
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "I've always admired the marketing and communications that comes from Justin and the rest of the team at White Cross. I think it's because as well as being fun, it's always sincere, something which is so often lacking in contemporary marketing communications. Anyway, with a little luck IVC will recognise the talent they've taken on, and sprinkle a bit of the White Cross magic across the rest of the group!"
Other category winners included household names like Oxfam, Volkswagen, Barclaycard, Sainsburys, Pets at Home, EDF Energy, Rolls Royce and Carlsberg.
The expansion, which was completed last year, added a whole floor dedicated to emergency and critical care, a new specialist oncology treatment area and additional theatre space.
Davinia Arnott (pictured right), a European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, is leading the new residency programme. She said: "To be awarded the ability to run a residency, you have to be accredited to the highest possible standard, and there is a range of stringent ECVS criteria that we needed to meet.
"We were able to put ourselves forward following the expansion of our hospital and all the new facilities we have added. We are all really proud to be in a position to offer this new small animal surgical residency.
"We now have four theatres so we can do multiple surgeries at the same time, allowing us to greatly increase our caseload. We can also do fluoroscopy for orthopaedics and soft tissue. We just didn’t have that capability before.
"To achieve specialist status, the standard is exceptionally high so we’ll only have one resident every three years. This is to ensure they’re mentored and guided properly throughout."
Leo Roses is the first small animal surgery resident to join the new Vets Now programme. She began her three-year tenure in January after completing a surgical internship in the hospital. Leo, who is originally from Majorca and has also worked for Vets4Pets, Fitzpatrick and PDSA, is realising a long-held dream by embarking on a surgery residency.
She said: "I realised during my degree that I wanted to specialise in surgery. I did two surgical internships before coming to Glasgow to do a third. I applied for a position here because I was aware of the incredible reputation of the surgeons and had been told they were really keen to teach."
The CPD-qualifying webinar is being given by Professor Saul Faust, Professor of Paediatric Immunology & Infectious Diseases at the University of Southampton, and Ian Wright MRCVS, a veterinary parasitologist, Head of ESCCAP UK & Ireland and one of the owners of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Lancashire.
The webinar will reveal the real threat of this disease and its impact on sufferers, and give an insight to the challenges of diagnosing the condition.
Register for the webinar here: https://cloud.mc.zoetis.com/beneath-the-fur-webinar
Cognitive aids are visual prompts that aim to reduce human error in critical processes by providing a supportive framework that ensures tasks are performed and communicated appropriately. They are designed for use whilst a task is being undertaken and enable individuals to concentrate on problem-solving and decision-making.
The BSAVA Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice, written by veterinary anaesthesia specialist Matt McMillan, includes both routine checklists, such as pre-anaesthetic assessment, equipment checks and postoperative handover, and crisis checklists for potential complications that may be encountered during surgery, such as hypotension, bradycardia and haemorrhage.
The guide also includes downloadable forms, which can be used in practice to ensure safety checks are completed and help improve clinical outcomes (available from www.bsavalibrary.com).
Ian Self, Principal Clinical Anaesthetist at the University of Cambridge Department for Veterinary Medicine said: "This handbook should be viewed as a ‘second pair of eyes’ throughout a procedure, especially if an anaesthetised patient deteriorates; consider it as having an experienced anaesthetist looking over your shoulder offering words of advice… I am very happy to endorse this exciting new BSAVA resource."
The BSAVA Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice is now available from the BSAVA website (www.bsava.com/shop) or by phone on 01452 726700 (£25; BSAVA members: £15).
Virbac has launched Milpro, a palatable milbemycin / praziquantel-based broad-spectrum wormer for dogs and cats.
Milpro is offered in tablet sizes suitable for dogs, small dogs or puppies, cats and small cats or kittens for ease of dosing. It is presented in 4, 24 and 48 packs.
As an aid to owner education and compliance, packs of Milpro use 'Blippar Augmented Reality'. Owners download the Blippar app and scan the front of a pack of Milpro or a dispensing envelope, whereupon the pack becomes animated and various interactive options appear, including educational videos, a built in reminder system and other product information.
Simon Boulton MRCVS, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at Virbac, said: "The practice team has a crucial role to play in reminding owners that regular worming is essential for their pet's health. With the introduction of Milpro, we are extending our parasiticide range and offering practices an alternative solution.
"With compliance such an issue, we want to use 21st century communication to help practices to get the message across. The result is the introduction of an interactive element to our packs with the use of the Blippar platform. It enables us to create 'Augmented Reality' experiences through which we can provide comprehensive information to owners in an eye-catching and easily accessible way with the aim of boosting compliance and, ultimately, welfare.
"We believe the combination of the small tablet sizes and the innovative packaging will prove attractive and convenient to owners, making Milpro a successful product for practices".
Practices can also request an interactive waiting room poster which enables owners to watch a video on the poster on the importance of worming.
Warwick Seymour-Hamilton, a former veterinary surgeon who practised in Kent, has had his third application for restoration to the Register refused by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee this week.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was struck off in 1994 following an inspection of his premises, equipment and facilities in Orpington, which were found to be in such poor condition that it constituted a risk to the health and welfare of animals brought to the practice and brought the profession into disrepute.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton had made two previous restoration applications in July 1995 and June 2010. Both of these were refused on the grounds of poor preparation for re-entering practice life as, in both cases, he had made no attempt to engage in continuing professional development or visit and observe other veterinary practices.
Representing himself at this week's hearing, Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that, since the 2010 hearing, he had further developed an interest in herbal medicine and, after visiting a number of veterinary practices in continental Europe, had attended the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Dublin, gaining a qualification in herbal and naturopathic medicine. He told the Committee that he currently worked as a herbalist and naturopath with human patients but wanted to widen his work and research to include animal patients.
The Committee was concerned by his answers to a number of questions, Mr Seymour-Hamilton having described the hearing as an 'exploratory meeting' and indicating a lack of knowledge in a number of areas to do with veterinary practice and its regulation. The Committee felt that this demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding as to its function and terms of reference.
Professor Noreen Burrows, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee expresses its surprise and concern at the lack of preparation for this hearing by the applicant, given that these issues have arisen at his previous restoration hearings, and that the result of a positive finding in favour of him would be his ability to practise unfettered as a veterinary surgeon forthwith."
In particular the Committee highlighted Mr Seymour-Hamilton's lack of understanding of the regulatory framework for veterinary practice as set out in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, the requirements of continuing professional development and what 'fitness to practise' meant, beyond the practical issues of his physical and mental capacity.
Professor Burrows added: "Based on all of the evidence available to the Committee it is very clear that he has failed to satisfy... that he is fit to be restored to the Register and this application is therefore dismissed."
The Committee's full findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
Dr Stephen Hearns, a consultant in aeromedical retrieval (human) medicine, who delivers pre-hospital critical care for major trauma patients, will open Congress as the keynote speaker.
He'll also present a limited-seat session where he’ll focus on performance under pressure.
Joining Stephen in the speaker line up are Simon Cook from the RVC, Megan Brashear from Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, Tim Travail, Chloe Fay, Dan Tipney, Jenny Guyat, Ashton Hollworth and Dr Craig Joyce, an educational psychologist who will be offering his insights into dealing with imposter syndrome.
This year, participants will have the opportunity to follow a trauma case from arrival to departure on the first day of Congress, gaining real-time insights into the decision-making process and management strategies.
On day two, speakers will delve into lessons learned, allowing attendees to deepen their understanding of emergency and critical care practices
Simon said: “Get ready for a fantastic speaker line-up, an array of workshops and learning experiences, a bustling exhibition hall and more opportunities than ever for veterinary and nursing delegates to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.
"Brace yourselves to absorb knowledge and tips from some of the world’s leading veterinary experts discussing emergency and critical care.”
The ECC Congress programme for 2023 is open to veterinary professionals of all levels, including veterinarian surgeons, vet nurses, students and graduates.
Tickets range in price from £50+ VAT for exhibition-only tickets, up to £520+ VAT for a vet to attend for 2 days plus the Gala dinner.
https://www.vets-now.com/congress/
Severn Edge was formed six years ago with the merger of two long-standing neighbouring practices, and now employs 135 people, including 43 veterinary surgeons.
Mrs Karyn MacKenzie, Director of CVS’ Practice Division, said: "Severn Edge is an impressive practice with an outstanding leadership team and an ambitious and exciting vision for the future which we share. We are delighted to welcome the team to CVS and look forward to working with them to help them build an even more successful future."
Dr John Brentnall BVSc MRCVS, a Director of Severn Edge, will continue in the role of CVS Regional Director. He said: "It was clear from our early discussions that CVS understood what we are trying to achieve. We have embarked on a significant investment programme, including upgrading our surgery at Madeley outside Telford, and the redevelopment of the site of an additional clinic which we have recently acquired in Craven Arms.
"In order for us to continually upgrade our clinics, provide the widest range of career opportunities for our staff and steer our practice through an increasingly competitive world, we believe that the best interests of us all lie in joining forces with CVS. It is known for its interest in equine and farm practice, as well as companion animal practice, and has a policy of significant investment in both infrastructure and staff. We believe it offers the best fit with Severn Edge."
The study was part of a research project called VetCompass, through which the RVC, in collaboration with Vets Now, collects anonymised clinical information on over 6 million companion animals under veterinary care in the UK.
The study investigated bitches presented with difficulty giving birth (dystocia) from among almost 20,000 bitches attending 50 Vets Now surgeries. Researchers found that out of 20,000 bitches receiving emergency veterinary care, 3.7 per cent of these were treated because of difficulties encountered giving birth.
The most commonly affected breeds were the French Bulldog (15.9 times more likely), Boston Terrier (12.9 times more likely), Chihuahua (10.4 times more likely) and Pug (11.3 times more likely).
Dr Dan O’Neill, a companion animal epidemiologist within the VetCompass Programme, said: "Giving birth in dogs is not always a benign process and our research shows this risk is especially exacerbated in some common brachycephalic and toy breeds. Prospective owners should bear these welfare costs for high risk breeds in mind when choosing their new puppy."
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'VetCompass' research will not only enable dog breeders to make responsible breeding choices to improve the health of these dogs, it will help to highlight what puppy buyers need to be looking out for if they are intent on owning one of these breeds. If people are choosing a breed simply for its looks and are not going to a reputable breeder, they are likely to face high vet costs and a lifetime of heartache."
This study builds on previous 'purchasing' research by the RVC which found that appearance is the number one reason why owners purchase flat-faced breeds, even though their large, round, wide-set eyes, and flat rounded faces are linked with a variety of inherited diseases.
Dr Rowena Packer, lead author of the study and Research Fellow at RVC, said: "Potential puppy buyers attracted to the appearance of these breeds should seriously consider whether they are emotionally and financially prepared to take on a breed with high risks of health complications, and consider whether alternative, lower-risk breeds would better fit their lifestyle."
In one case, Tigga, a 17-year-old cat with an itchy and destructive tumour on her nose, was in complete remission within 44 days. In another case, a tumour vanished in a dog where the aim of the treatment was only to shrink the mass before an operation to remove it.
NDSR, which is based in Bletchingley, is the only referral centre in the UK and one of very few in the world offering electrochemotherapy in pets.
Electrochemotherapy is given in two stages.
First, the patient is given a mild dose of intravenous chemotherapy in the normal way and then, using a probe, a precise electrical charge is given to the area on or around the tumour.
This temporarily opens up tiny holes in the cells, big enough to allow the drug to enter, which then close again in microseconds. This means the drug will only attack cancerous cells, unlike normal chemotherapy, which also kills healthy cells.
Gerry Polton, clinical director of oncology at NDSR, said: "Normal chemotherapy works on the principle of being more damaging to cancer than non-cancerous tissue. Some cancers are more resilient, so there are differences in how they respond to treatment, and this can cause more harm to the patient.
"Electrochemotherapy involves clever anatomical targeting of a specific site and is an effective way of protecting healthy cells.
"The results we are seeing in cases like Tigga’s are unprecedented and we are learning about the procedure all the time. We are always looking for better ways of treating cancer without the effect of harming the patient indiscriminately and this has proved to be a very effective way of doing this."
According to NDSR, the results could help inform the development of the targeted treatment in humans, where electrochemotherapy is used in a small number of cases in the NHS.
At present, many clinical trials are carried out on laboratory animals which are bred with no immune system – but dogs have similarities in genetics to humans and have working immune systems, meaning they can provide a more accurate parallel for how the treatment may work in people.
Gerry said: "A pet dog would be a good model for human cancer studies. It's a mammal with a heartbeat, blood supply and working immune system.
"Progress with electrochemotherapy in animals is being made in parallel with progress in electrochemotherapy in the human field, and what we are learning may even inform what is happening in people.
"Electrochemotherapy is a form of treatment which Cancer Research UK describe as 'fairly new' on its website, with limited information about its effectiveness. So maybe something would be gained from learning together."
According to the College, other research suggests that comorbidities - such as anxiety and cognitive impairments - are common in dogs with epilepsy, meaning there is a need for new epilepsy management options which help to control seizures and improve behavioural and cognitive comorbidities.
Led by canine behaviour and welfare scientist Dr. Rowena Packer from the RVC and veterinary neurologist Professor Holger Volk from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), alongside RVC PhD student Dr. Benjamin Andreas Berk, the team of researchers tested the effects of an oil supplement on seizure frequency in dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Multiple studies from the RVC have shown that medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oils-enriched diets can improve seizure control in difficult to treat, drug-resistant dogs with epilepsy. This controlled clinical study used non-invasive cognitive tests and a validated psychometric tool to show that dogs had improved spatial and working memory when treated with MCTs.
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare at RVC, said: "Our ground-breaking research into the behavioural and cognitive comorbidities of canine epilepsy was the first to identify cognitive impairments in this population. We have now gone one step further and found a promising way to boost the impaired memories of these patients and reduce their seizure frequency, by a simple dietary change."
Professor Holger Volk, Department Chair for Small Animal Diseases at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, said: "Our guts influence how well we think – this study highlights the importance of diets and the power of the gut-brain axis. We are just at the beginning of understanding how diets can influence complex diseases such as epilepsy and dementia. MCT oil could offer a promising addition to our management tool-kit."
Reference
The Best UK Vets Awards are given to the practices that accumulate the largest number of positive reviews from clients on vethelpdirect.com and any-uk-vet.co.uk over the course of the year.
Penmellyn Vets achieved 839 positive ratings; 200 more than their nearest rivals, reflecting the tremendous level of engagement they have with their clients, something which also shone through in the sentiments expressed in their client reviews.
Penmellyn Vets is an independent practice owned by six veterinary surgeons, who are all based in Cornwall. They have been providing veterinary care to the pets and horses of Cornwall for over 130 years. They still cover their own out of hours’ care and their services include preventative healthcare packages for their cat and dog-owning clients, ‘LifeCare’ and ‘LifeCare+’. The latter grants clients access to unlimited vet and nurse consultations 6 days a week – something that is currently only offered by Penmellyn Vets in Cornwall.
Philip Harris, one of the partners at Penmellyn Vets said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award and want to say thank you to each and every one of our clients who took the time to leave a review. And my thanks to the Penmellyn staff for their hard work and commitment to providing the outstanding customer service that has been recognised by this award. I couldn’t be more proud of them. We’re an independent practice and very traditional in many ways, so I think as we’ve grown as a group, with a goal of excellence always in patient care, our values have kept us grounded and very client-centric. We look forward to celebrating the award with our team at the awards ceremony in the coming weeks."
Blacks Vets in Dudley were awarded the Silver award after receiving a very commendable 620 qualifying client reviews.
Tracey Jewkes, Managing Director, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded Silver in the Best UK Vet 2017 Award and would like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful clients for voting for us again this year. Our consistency at the top of this award for the past 3 years is a reflection of both the calibre and heart Team Blacks give to pets, clients and each other year after year. We could not be more proud of each and every team member here, nor could we feel more privileged to take great care of so many much loved pets in our local community."
Inglis Veterinary Hospital in Dunfermline, Scotland received 358 qualifying reviews and received the Bronze award. They also went on to win the Best Scottish Vet Award 2017.
The full list of winners is:
This year’s winners of the small category awards are:
Ms Mulvey faced a number of charges relating to the treatment of a cat called Spooky: that she failed to provide Spooky’s owner, Mrs Parsons, with either Spooky’s lab results or an adequate explanation as to why they could not be provided; that she failed to respond adequately or at all to communications from Mrs Parsons; that she failed to respond to requests from the College for information relating to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), her professional indemnity insurance (PII), and her correspondence with Mrs Parsons.
At the beginning of the hearing Dr Mulvey admitted the facts to all the charges, and accepted that they constituted disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. The Committee had been provided with written evidence from Mrs Parsons, her husband, and four College staff, namely Gemma Crossley, Maria Fearon, Robert Girling and Michael Hepper.
Mrs Parsons provided a statement in which she spoke of how, in August 2016, she had taken Spooky to CornYard Veterinary Centre for a skin irritation where she was seen by Dr Mulvey.
Dr Mulvey decided to take blood tests and send them to the laboratory, but they agreed to defer them actually being tested until Mrs Parsons gave permission. Mrs Parsons then returned to the practice with Spooky to take said samples, after which followed a series of attempts to contact Dr Mulvey for the test results. Finally, in October, she demanded a refund, after which she began a small claim in County Court.
Mr Parsons went to the practice at the beginning of December 2016 and obtained the refund. At this point Mrs Parsons made a complaint to the College. The Committee received information from Mr Parsons, who corroborated the facts of the complaint, and from College staff who confirmed the many attempts to contact Dr Mulvey, starting with requests for documents by Ms Crossley and Ms Fearon, repeated requests for CPD and PII information from Mr Girling, and finally a hand-delivered letter by Mr Hepper, during which he learnt that her PII had lapsed at the beginning of 2017.
The College submitted that Dr Mulvey’s conduct fell far below the standard expected of a veterinary surgeon. It submitted that failing to provide the test results and communicate with the Parsons could have had a negative impact on animal welfare and damaged the reputation of the profession, while having PII is a fundamental obligation of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct. Finally, not responding to the College about the concern raised, CPD or PII compromised the College’s ability to maintain public confidence in its regulatory processes.
The Committee considered that no harm had actually come to Spooky and that there were problems with the testing laboratory which slowed down the process. In addition, some of the lack of communication was due to a receptionist not following protocol, and Dr Mulvey was going through a particularly difficult part of her life and was clinically understaffed. The Committee heard from four different character witnesses, and were given 16 more written testimonials.
The Committee heard that in 2013 there had been complaints from three separate clients, all of which concerned Dr Mulvey’s failure to communicate and to process insurance claim forms, after which she agreed to participate in the Performance Protocol and entered into undertakings with the College.
The Committee having considered all the facts and background circumstances found that Dr Mulvey’s conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.
The Committee went on to consider what sanction was appropriate. In reaching its decision the Committee took into account a number of aggravating factors, namely that there was a slight risk to the health of Spooky and that the disgraceful conduct occurred over a prolonged period of time. The Committee also considered that there was blatant disregard of the role of the RCVS and the systems regulating the profession.
In determining the sanction the Committee also considered mitigating factors, including that Dr Mulvey, apart from those previous concerns, had a long and unblemished career and that she’s made a huge difference to the health of the animals within her care. She also admitted her shortcomings, and had very impressive references.
The Committee therefore determined to postpone its decision on sanction for a period of one year on condition that Dr Mulvey enter into the following undertakings:
To agree to the appointment of a veterinary surgeon as a work place supervisor by the College and meet with them at least once every month
Allow the supervisor access to all aspects of running of the practice and to implement any recommendations made by the supervisor relating to the administration of the practice and the provision of out of hours’ cover.
To allow the supervisor to provide a report in relation to the matters set out in 2 above to the RCVS at least one month before the resumed hearing of this case.
To appoint within two months an experienced Practice Manager (who does not need to be full time).
To enrol in the voluntary Practices Standards Scheme and to achieve the Core standards of the Scheme within the next 12 months.
To submit a plan to the supervisor of CPD for the next twelve months within one month of agreeing to these undertakings. The plan should then be implemented and shall include aspects of practice management.
To pay all of the costs of complying with the undertakings, with the exception of the costs associated with the appointment and performance of the supervisor.
Ian Green, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee recognised that Dr Mulvey has been subject to undertakings before and yet committed the disgraceful conduct the subject of this inquiry. But it bore in mind the context of that conduct and it observes that the undertakings previously imposed in reality address a particular aspect of her practice.
"This Committee hopes that when the matter is relisted before it, the Respondent will be able to demonstrate that she has finally been able to address her administrative shortcomings. If she cannot do so, she will know that the Committee that sits on her case at the resumed hearing is likely to have more restricted options for disposal of her case."
In the study titled “Outcomes of treatments for keratomalacia in dogs and cats: a systematic review of the published literature including non-randomised controlled and non-controlled studies”, a systematic review of the current literature was undertaken to determine the evidence base for the various treatments of keratomalacia in dogs and cats.
The aim of the review was to assess the evidence base and identify recommended treatment(s) based on globe survival, visual outcome, and time to resolution (while maintaining a globe).
An online literature search found 18 relevant studies which were then reviewed and assigned a level of evidence base as described in the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) Levels of Evidence Working Group.
Each study was assessed for type of study described (e.g. retrospective, prospective, controlled, random/non-random, cohort study, case series/study), the number of animals included, criteria for assessing outcome (e.g. vision, corneal clarity, anatomic repair) and duration of follow-up and time to resolution.
Systematic reviews of randomised trials, randomised trials or observational studies with dramatic effects would have provided the most reliable evidence on which to base recommendations for treatment(s) but none were available for inclusion.
Only one study was classified as level 3 evidence (non-randomised controlled trial) and considered the use of corneal cross-linking (CXL) in the treatment of keratomalacia.
Most studies were level four evidence reporting the outcome of a single treatment, with three prospective studies and seven retrospective studies.
The remaining seven studies were level five evidence (mechanism-based reasoning) and were considered not to provide good evidence for answering the particular study question.
The findings of the study suggest that the evidence for improved outcome of one proposed treatment over another proposed treatment for keratomalacia in dogs and/or cats is very weak.
A combination of treatments – both medical and surgical – may be the most appropriate depending on the individual case.
Studies utilising mechanism-based reasoning would suggest that medical treatment with anti-collagenase treatment is a minimum requirement for keratomalacia cases to prevent globe loss through perforation, with associated pain and suffering.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “The findings of this study highlight once more the infrequency of randomised controlled trials in the veterinary literature, and the need for such studies to expand the evidence base in this field.
“Focussing on collecting available evidence in well-conducted systematic reviews is a critical step in order to improve accessibility of the literature for general practitioners and specialists alike.”
The full article can be found in the October issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and can be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13326. It is open access and can be freely accessed by anyone.
Photo courtesy BSAVA
Titled 'Animal Welfare For The Many, Not The Few' (uh?), the policy proposes appointing an Animal Welfare Commissioner to ensure Government policy across Whitehall is informed by the latest scientific evidence on animal sentience.
The proposed policies in the document include a number of things the Conservatives have already been working on, such as:
Prohibiting the third party sale of puppies. All puppies will need to be sold with their mother on site.
Increasing maximum sentences for those convicted of animal cruelty.
Introducing mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses.
Enshrining the principle of animal sentience in law, covering all policy areas to prevent practices that expose animals to cruel and degrading treatment.
Introducing a ban on ivory trading.
However, Labour propose a number of additional ideas which are now open for a public consultation, including:
Improving accessibility to vets for those on low incomes/receiving financial support, working with organisations like the PDSA to explore how access to affordable vet care can be expanded.
Banning the use of animal shock collars, including sale and importation.
Expanding mandatory microchipping to cats.
Consulting with landlords and tenants on the ability for tenants to keep pets as default unless there is evidence that the animal is causing a nuisance.
Ending the badger cull.
Strengthening the Hunting Act, closing loopholes that allow for illegal hunting of foxes and hares.
Banning Foie Gras (which the Conservatives say is impossible under EU rules which Labour has said it wishes to continue following post-Brexit)
Mandatory labelling of domestic and imported meat, including country of origin, method of production and slaughter (stun or non-stun)
Requiring motorists to report accidents where an animal has been injured.
Banning wild animals in circuses.
Sue Hayman MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary, said: "Labour is the party of animal welfare. From bringing in the ban on fox hunting to tightening the rules on the transport of live animals, Labour has always been consistent in our leadership on matters of animal welfare.
"Today we’re making proposals for real, long-term progress. Our vision is one where no animal is made to suffer unnecessary pain and we continue to drive up standards and practice in line with the most recent advances and understanding."
Conservative MP Steve Double said: "Labour are belatedly playing catch-up with the huge progress made by this Government on animal welfare.
However, Labour wouldn’t even be able to deliver some of these promises because they want to keep following EU rules after Brexit.
From introducing mandatory CCTV into slaughter houses to increasing the maximum sentence for animal cruelty ten-fold, the Conservatives will continue taking the action needed to ensure animals receive the proper protection they deserve."
An article by Consultant Biologist Clifford Warwick DipMedSci CBiol CSci EurProBiol FOCAE FSB in the current issue of the Journal of AWSELVA (the Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association) is calling for greater scrutiny of the relationship between the veterinary profession and exotic pet trading.
The article, entitled 'Veterinary accountability and the exotic pet trade', was co-authored by biologist Catrina Steedman BSc(Hons) MSB and veterinary surgeon Emma Nicholas MA VetMB MRCVS
The authors accuse some vets of serving their own vested financial interests by directly aligning themselves with exotic pet trading. They say that these vets are effectively causing the wild-capture and intensive breeding, cramped storage, transport and sale of hundreds of thousands of fish, amphibians, reptiles and other animals.
The article points to scientific evidence showing that stress, disease and premature mortality commonly accompanies 'wild pets' at all stages of the trade and private keeping process.
The authors argue that promoting the trade in exotic animals runs counter to the veterinary profession's obligation to provide impartial guidance for the benefit of animal health and welfare, and that the issue of vets selling or promoting exotics in the home requires greater scrutiny for possible conflicts of interest and for contributing to harmful practices.
Lead author, Clifford Warwick DipMedSci CBiol CSci EurProBiol FOCAE FSB said: "By their nature, vets want to be and are obliged to be part of a solution to animal and human health and welfare matters. That a vet might have a hand in selling or promoting exotic pets is, in my view, tantamount to being part of a problem. And whether or not that represents a formal conflict of interest or questionable practice, I think the spotlight will continue focusing until there are no shaded areas."
He added: "In my view, the avoidance of unnecessary harm is a general responsibility we should all share, but I think veterinarians, like some other professionals, have a special responsibility in this regard. However, unnecessary harm is largely unavoidable with the exotic pet business. Whether wild-caught or captive-bred, animal suffering, species and environmental degradation, and public health concerns frequently go hand-in-hand with all stages of exotic pet trading and keeping practices."
Co-author Catrina Steedman BSc(Hons) MSB said: "Many vets are understandably critical of the exotic pet trade and its minefield of animal welfare, public health and environmental problems. It is unfortunate that a few vets, possibly with vested interests, feel it is appropriate to condone and even promote a trade that has such obvious negative consequences for animals and people."
Co-author, Emma Nicholas MA VetMB MRCVS said: "Vets have a responsibility to be approachable and impartial; animal welfare and also public health must be their priorities at all times. I believe it is pertinent that as a profession, we open the discussion as to how we best improve the welfare (health and quality of life) of existing exotic pets, and also educate and inform potential owners of "wild" or exotic animals of the associated welfare and public health considerations."
The article concludes that vets should '...occupy a detached position with no interest in the success or failure of the 'business' of exotic pet-keeping' and that 'any vet who recommends or endorses buying or keeping an exotic pet arguably imparts guidance that is not fully consistent with ensuring good animal welfare or human health'.
The newsletter will include anaesthesia updates, bulletins and recaps, access to videos and downloadable resources.
Articles in Anaesthesia1ST are being written by Jurox’s technical advisors in collaboration with anaesthesia specialists such as Carl Bradbrook (European Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia) and Ian Self (European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Associate Professor in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham).
The first newsletter launched on 15th May and included: ‘Capnography I – not just a load of hot air’, ‘Perspectives on premeds – Alpha-2 agonists’ and ‘What’s new in anaesthesia? Highlights of recent preoxygenation paper’.
Articles in future editions will include: ‘Capnography II – what happened to the elephants?’, ‘Pain, what a pain! Local and regional nerve blocks improve outcomes and welfare of patients’, “The Big Chill – temperature management in sedated and anaesthetised patients’ and ‘Perspectives on premeds – a complete series of articles covering the ins and outs of the different agents, how they compare and recommended use in the different patient types’.
Jurox says that downloadable resources will include a capnography cheat-sheet detailing different traces and their meaning, premedication drugs comparison tables and pre and post rabbit anaesthesia check-lists.
Richard Beckwith, country manager of Jurox (UK) Ltd, said: "We take great pride in our investment in educational initiatives to enable veterinary professionals to deliver best practice anaesthesia to their clients. The new Anaesthesia1ST newsletter further demonstrates our commitment to educational support resources to enable veterinary professionals to attain and maintain 1ST class anaesthesia for all patients."
To sign up to the Anaesthesia1ST newsletter, click here, visit the Alfaxan website – www.alfaxan.co.uk, contact your local Jurox technical sales representative or email Jurox at: info@jurox.co.uk.
The companies are encouraging the use of CT to direct early, targeted surgical intervention and improve outcomes.
Dr Dean Felkler, Founder and CEO of Exotic Vet Support and senior clinician at Tai Wai Small Animal and Exotic Hospital in Hong Kong, says a recent case of his highlights the importance of accurate and early diagnosis.
A 7yr old rabbit was presented for anorexia and hadn’t passed faeces for over 12hrs.
Dean said: “A full diagnostic investigation was performed.
"From the radiographs it is difficult to appreciate the GDV.
"However, on the CT scan, reported by VetCT, it was very obvious when compared to the normal stomach orientation.”
After initial stabilisation the patient underwent surgery to re-orientate the stomach and an incisional gastropexy was performed.
Following surgery the rabbit recovered well and was eating and passing faeces within 24 hours.
Dr David Reese, Director of VetCT Australia and exotics expert said: “We are able to identify several life-threatening pathologies much more accurately with CT than radiographs.
"This is vital for early correction of acute surgical abdominal conditions to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.”
VetCT is offering a free trial of its specialist teleradiology and teleconsulting services at: www.vet-ct.com
Photo: VetCT report of a CT scan showing GDV in a rabbit - The pylorus (lime green star) denoted by the thick pyloric wall is located on the left side of the abdomen and the fundus (dark pink star) is right laterally located.
The survey found that 51% of cat and dog owners didn't research their pets breed before buying. Of the 22% who then regretted their decision, 31% said it was because they didn’t have enough time to look after the animal, 18% because they turned out to be allergic to the animal, and 16% because they didn’t like their pet’s personality.
Apparently dog owners were more likely to regret their new pet (26%) than cat owners (16%).
Sainsbury’s has therefore launched the Pawfect Match tool, designed to help future pet owners to make informed decisions when choosing the most suitable breed for them. The pet picker asks you a number of questions about your circumstances and makes a number of suggestions based on how you answer.
Sainsbury's campaign is being fronted by Scott Miller MRCVS, who said: "I am saddened to hear that so many pet owners are regretting the animals they have chosen as companions. Dogs and cats come in all shapes and sizes, and have different temperaments. Looking after a pet is a huge commitment so it is important that people undertake adequate research before buying a pet to ensure it is a happy experience."
COMMENT
I tried Sainsbury's pet picker and it recommended a Basset Hound as the first choice. Fair enough. I always think they look like the living embodiment of the word 'hangdog', which is not really my cup of tea. Luckily, the tool makes more than one suggestion. One of the criteria I'd specified was 'quiet and calm', so the second recommendation, a whippet, was fine. But the third caught my eye. A Border Collie. What? Whaaaaaat? Quiet and calm? A Border Collie. Are you having a laugh? I thought Border Collies usually need to be sent to some sort of asylum.
Still, if Sainsbury's tool encourages more people to think harder about their choice, that's no bad thing. But they might like to rethink the Border Collie recommendation.
IVC says this means its UK practices are on track to hit a group target of 5% by 2030, which follows in the footsteps of other IVC Evidensia territories such as Sweden and Norway, which have already reached figures of 4.9% and 5.9% respectively.
To achieve this progress, IVC says it has implemented a number of initiatives:
IVC says there has been a concerted efforts by its vets to become more aware of their own attitudes towards antibiotics and to educate their clients about the dangers of AMR.
One such example is Angharad Thomas, a veterinary surgeon from Fivelands Veterinary Centre in the West Midlands, who managed to reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed in dentistry by 17.8% between 2022 and 2023:
She said: “Long dental treatments are a great time to chat to vet students, but one day, instead of quizzing them, I was trotting out my thoughts on the decision-making for the case when I reached post-operative drugs.
"Stopping here I asked: ‘What are you taught about this these days?’
"I suppose I wasn’t surprised to hear that antibiotics didn’t feature.
“It was a lightbulb moment: Why was I using post-operative antibiotics for my dental cases?
"I come from the generation of vets who were firmly taught never to give antibiotics to routine surgeries, so why was I continuing to use antibiotics in dentistry?
"All at once I felt terribly old and out-of-touch. I decided it was time for a change!”
“Given that reducing antibiotic usage is now fairly well recognised by the general public, owners have appeared very supportive.
"A day three post-operative check provides reassurance that their pet is healing and allows us an opportunity to intervene if required.”
“Being an ‘experienced’ vet can be a trade-off between textbook clinical decision-making and what we believe would work for our patients and their owners.
"Sometimes we need a paper or two to persuade us to change our ways, but here, going back to basic principles was enough for me.
“Twelve months later, after watching my cases for any mild complications and reflecting on the whether such complications could be attributed to the lack of antibiotics, I am convinced that this change has had no negative effects on my patients.”
https://ivcevidensia.co.uk/positive-pawprint
Nebojsa Petrovic faced eight charges, although charge four was withdrawn at the start of the hearing.
At the outset of the hearing, Dr Petrovic admitted a number of allegations, including:
Charge 1 - that in November 2021, he falsely represented to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that blood samples he submitted in respect of four horses were from the same horses as the samples he submitted on 1 November 2021.
Charge 2 – that in November 2021, he told APHA’s Veterinary Head of Border Control that he had checked the microchips and/or passports of the four horses when he hadn’t done so;
Charge 3 – that in November 2021, he signed Export Health Certificates for the four horses, in which it was stated that blood samples taken from these horses on October 2021 had been submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency laboratory, Weybridge, with a negative result for Leptospirosis when in fact those samples had tested positive;
Charge 5 – that he failed to send the APHA’s Centre for International Trade, within seven days of signing, certified copies of the export health certificates;
Charge 7 – that in January 2022, he told an APHA officer that he was satisfied that he had properly identified the horses for which you had submitted the two samples when he had not done so;
Charge 8c – that he risked undermining government procedures designed to promote animal health and international relations in relation to the charges he admitted; and
Charge 9 – that in February 2022, he failed to have in place any or any adequate Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).
Dr Petrovic, who was at the time of all the allegations carrying his duties as an Official Veterinarian on behalf of the APHA, denied charge 6 – that in November 2021, he failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the four horses being exported to Serbia, when he had been informed that there were concerns and/or doubts about whether those horses had tested negative for Leptospirosis.
He also denied charge 8 – that in relation to the allegations relating to his submitting the blood samples to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency on 8 November 2021, certification of the Export Health Certificates on 16 November 2021 and his subsequent conversations with members of APHA staff regarding both sets of documentation he had acted in a misleading (Charge 8a) and/or dishonest (Charge 8b) way.
The Committee considered evidence presented by the College including hearing from APHA staff witnesses called by the College and also hearing from a witness and character evidence presented by Dr Petrovic. Dr Petrovic also gave evidence to the Committee.
It found most charges proven with the exception of Charge 6, and also found that Dr Petrovic had not acted dishonestly in submitting the blood samples or certifying the EHC’s as alleged in charges 1 and 3.
The Committee concluded that Dr Petrovic had acted in a dishonest and misleading way in his conversations with the APHA staff as detailed in charges 2 and 7.
The Committee then considered whether the individual proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, determining that, with the exception of charges 3 and 5, all proven charges amounted to disgraceful conduct.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “In the Committee’s judgement, the respondent’s position as an Official Veterinarian also meant that he had a responsibility to ensure that the trust which was delegated to him was not breached.
"In his role, the respondent was acting in a position of trust, as a representative of the government, and the Committee found that he had breached that trust…. It took these matters into account when determining that the respondent’s behaviour cumulatively amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
Regarding the sanction for Dr Petrovic, the Committee considered his request that it consider suspension, rather than removal, from the Register.
In terms of aggravating factors – the Committee found that Dr Petrovic had acted without integrity, recklessly and without regard for the APHA’s systems relating to the export of animals.
In mitigation, it took into account: the fact that no animal was harmed by his conduct, albeit there was risk of harm; his long and unblemished career in the UK since 1994; admissions he had made to the APHA and Disciplinary Committee at the first day of the hearing; had remediated his lack of professional indemnity insurance by putting in place a retrospective policy; the significant amount of time that had elapsed since the conduct; and six positive character references from experienced fellow veterinary surgeons who held him in high regard.
Paul Morris added: “The Committee took into account that the respondent had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon with no subsequent complaints and that he had a previous long and unblemished record and there was support by several positive character references.
"The Committee also took into consideration the pressures of Brexit and the pandemic which the respondent had faced at the time, but which were unlikely to occur again.
“The Committee had concluded that the respondent was unlikely to repeat similar behaviour or to pose a risk to animals, particularly because he was no longer involved in certifying animals for export.
"Furthermore his admissions to most of the matters it had found proved showed that he had some insight.
"The Committee was also satisfied that the respondent had a genuine concern for the welfare of animals and it noted that the Respondent did not require any further training to continue in practice as a veterinary surgeon.
“The Committee therefore concluded that a suspension from the Register was the proportionate sanction in this case taking into account the seriousness of the conduct it had found proved but also all of the mitigating factors.”
The Committee recommended that Dr Petrovic be suspended for six months to reflect the seriousness of the conduct and the damage it could do to public confidence in the profession, while meeting the public interest and sending a clear message of deterrence.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary