Comedian Bill Bailey, actor and TV presenter David Harewood MBE and Paralympian Lauren Steadman MBE have marked the Blue Cross's 125th birthday by recreating scenes from the charity's history. 

Originally known as ‘Our Dumb Friends League’, the Blue Cross was formed in 1897 to help the working horses of London, who were often underfed, struggled to carry heavy loads and became injured on slippery asphalt roads created for new motor vehicles. 

Bill Bailey said: “I had a great time transforming into a Pearly King! I love all animals, so having an opportunity to celebrate Blue Cross’ heritage and highlight the support that they have continued to offer to horses, and other animals, since their inception was really special."

Iain Heaton, Deputy CEO and CFO at Blue Cross, says: “We are delighted to share these recreated historic images with our supporters, beneficiaries, and the British public. Bill, David, Lauren, and our hard-working rehoming team have done a phenomenal job at demonstrating how we have supported both pets and people over the last 125 years, and we can’t wait to see people’s response.  

To learn more about the Blue Cross's heritage, visit: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/125-years-of-blue-cross 

Janssen Animal Health has made what I am told is a 'very large' donation of Ripercol, a pour-on 20% levamisole w/v broad spectrum anthelminitic for cattle, effective against gastro intestinal nematodes and lungworm, to the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) – a UK registered charity (No.1100485) committed to improving the treatment and welfare of all animal species throughout the world.

Nigel Underwood, Livestock Marketing Manager at Janssen said: 'We are very pleased to be able to help improve the health of animals in the developing countries and in turn to help those people who need it most. I’d encourage other pharmaceutical companies and practices to support WVS whenever they can, as they do a fantastic job.'

Annie Cook, WVS Director of Veterinary Operations said: 'So far this year we have been able to help over 64 associated charities with nearly £73,000 worth of donated items. This incredibly generous donation of Ripercol from Janssen Animal Health will allow us to provide production animal welfare charities in India, East Africa and South America with a much needed resource'.

WVS is currently arranging a Disaster Emergency Response team of veterinary professionals to visit the Internally Displaced People Camps in Kenya created following the election violence. Luke Gamble, WVS Chief Executive Officer, who will be coordinating the team said: 'The high concentration of animals in these camps combined with poor sanitation will promote the spread of disease between animals and is also a public health concern. Simply deworming these animals will improve their productivity and survival, which is vitally important as they are an essential resource to the people in the camps.'

Virbac is running a special promotion through which UK-based practitioners who order from the company's reproductive product range can claim a free copy of the evidence-based book Clinical Canine and Feline Reproduction by Margaret V. Root Kustritz.

The book covers 100 separate questions across a range of reproductive issues, and currently retails for £47.99.

Virbac product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "We offered this book as part of a promotion in 2010 and it proved extremely popular. As a result we thought we would give vets another chance to get a free copy." 

As the Assistant Dean at the Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Margaret V. Root Kustritz is a leading figure in feline and canine reproduction and one of the world's most renowned experts in reproduction. Mr Geddes said: "The book is based on the questions veterinary surgeons have asked her over the years, and so is a valuable reference tool for any vet."

Numbers are limited, and the book is available on on a 'first come first served' basis. Anyone interested should either contact their territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.

The British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association is hosting a basic level, small group, practical orthopaedic course at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London on Wednesday the 11th October 2023.

Presented by Andy Moores and Alex Belch, 'Plates and Screws - An Introduction' is aimed at surgeons with no prior experience of applying plates and screws, and offers seven hours of CPD.

Andy said: "If you've ever wondered if orthopaedics is for you, or you just need an introductory course to get you started, this could be the perfect opportunity. 

"The course should be particularly useful for junior colleagues: the tutors are very friendly and it's great value thanks to sponsorship from Veterinary Instrumentation and the BVOA.  

Tickets cost £200 (plus £40 for non-members): https://bvoa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Plating-registration-form.pdf 

The BVOA 60th Anniversary Conference follows from 12th-14th October at the same venue. 

Titled "Back to the Future, the conference features talks by Mike Farrell, Antonio Pozzi, Stuart Carmichael and others, covering subjects such as fracture repair, joint pathology, imaging techniques and osteoarthritis.

There'll also be a chance to look round HMS Belfast, and a gala black tie dinner. 

Tickets start at £250 for a single day, up to £795 for the full conference package. 

Molar Ltd is launching a cross infection control product called Vetroxx^TM at this years' BSAVA Congress

Vetroxx^TM is a range of 100% natural disinfectant products approved by the Department of Health (HPA) for use as a hospital disinfectant and has been approved by the British Government's MAFF (now DEFRA) to control against outbreaks of significant agricultural diseases (e.g. Foot and Mouth Disease, Tuberculosis, Newcastle's Disease found in chickens & Swine Fever).

The range includes a convenient disinfectant hand gel, surface wipes and a multi-surface spray. According to Molar, Vetroxx^TM has been scientifically tested, proven to reduce microorganism numbers by up to 99.9998%, and kills most problem bugs, including: MRSA, Bird 'flu (H5N1), SARS, HIV, C diff and many others.

The range contains Citroxx®, a naturally-derived disinfectant made from orange pith. Molar says the product is both safe and highly biodegradable, and very kind on skin and surgery surfaces (such as examination tables, flooring and bench tops). The company adds that since Citroxx contains several antimicrobial elements, it is unlikely that resistance will develop.

During Congress, Molar will be challenging vets hand-washing skills using a special UVA (long wave UV) light box to highlight failures.

Hill's Pet Nutrition reports that more than 1,500 veterinary surgeons and nurses have already subscribed for its series of feline webinars, hosted by Professor Danielle Gunn Moore. Indeed, the company says the series has been so popular that vets are advised to register for a place to watch the rest of the series, as soon as possible.

The first Webinar's topic, hosted by Professor Gunn Moore, was feline liver disease, a condition that many find difficult to diagnose and treat. Using a case study approach, primary and secondary hepatopathies and conditions such as cholangiohepatitis and triaditis were discussed, as well as useful treatments and nutritional support. If you missed the lecture the first time round, or want to check specific details or doses, watch Professor Gunn Moore's presentation or download her notes at www.thewebinarvet.com/hills-webinars.

Martha Cannon BA VetMB DSAM (fel) MRCVS will present the next webinar in the series, entitled A Practical Approach to Renal Disease on 2^nd March.  

To register for any of Hill's Feline Webinar Series, free of charge please go to www.thewebinarvet.com/hills and enter code hillsnl

The Society for Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) and the Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) have extended the deadline for this year's Vet Wellbeing Awards nominations to Friday 15 December 2017.

The awards, which were first launched last year, are open to UK practices, branch surgeries or other organisations who employ veterinary surgeons or nurses. They were created to highlight wellbeing in the veterinary profession and celebrate workplaces where:  

• health and happiness are valued;
• there are systems and initiatives that motivate;
• staff are engaged;
• communication is positive;
• there is commitment to being a better place to work.

The prize for each category includes two registrations and banquet tickets for SPVS/VPMA Congress 2018 where the winners will be announced to the media and will be available for interview.

Practices that are thinking about applying can now access a free five-minute Wellbeing Checklist that can help provide examples of some simple activities that can improve the health and wellbeing of the veterinary team.

Nick Stuart from SPVS said: "Taking five minutes to fill out the Wellbeing Checklist is a great way to get a sense of how your practice is doing, and to identify ways in which you could improve. Practices are often doing a lot more than they realise and the Checklist shows how even such small steps as a having a fruit bowl in the staff room, or having a five-minute huddle at the start of the day, can make a huge difference."

Lizzie Lockett, MMI Director, said: "Having a supportive and constructive culture is key not just for the welfare of the staff, but for the animals they take care of. It allows all members of the team to feel comfortable coming forward with questions, clarifications, or even mistakes, and can ultimately lead to  safer and more consistent care for patients."

Entries can be made now via the website www.vetwellbeingawards.org.uk, where the Wellbeing Checklist is also available.

The closing date for entries is Friday 15 December 2017. You can follow the awards on twitter @vetwellbeing and Facebook /vetwellbeingawards/.

Improve Veterinary Education and the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS), has launched My Veterinary Career, a new points-based career pathway so vets can structure their training and qualifications around different clinical routes.

With this new system, you gain points by achieving different ISVPS qualifications.

In 2023, mini modular programmes will also be released to help delegates accumulate more points.

Once enough points have been reached, delegates are awarded the ultimate qualification: an ISVPS Grand Jedi Master General Practitioner (Ed's note: OK, maybe I made up the Grand Jedi bit).   

Improve says My Veterinary Career has been launched to tackle the growing problem of career dissatisfaction amongst vets. 

A 2019 survey of the veterinary profession by the ies reported that 55.2% of vets said they did not feel rewarded/valued in the profession¹.  

Additionally, the FVE Survey of the veterinary profession in Europe claimed that in the UK, 40% of vets and nurses wished to leave the industry. In other countries Improve Veterinary Education operates in, 51% in Portugal, 32% in Spain, 27% in Denmark, 25% in Germany and 17% in France also felt the same². 

Improve says that with My Veterinary Career, vets will now have a clearer pathway to advance their careers and they will be able to develop a bespoke learning journey.

This, the company hopes, will help with the recruitment and retention of veterinary professionals across both corporate and private practice and boost practice productivity and revenue.  

https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/myveterinarycareer-vets 

References

1. https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/publications/the-2019-survey-of-the-veterinary-profession 
2. https://fve.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/FVE_Survey_2018_WEB.pdf 

Mrs Jill Nute has been invested as president of the RCVS at the AGM and Awards Day, held on 4th July in London.

Mrs Nute graduated from Liverpool University in 1970 and initially assisted in mixed practice in the Lake District, Droitwich and Leominster. In 1976, she established a mixed practice with her husband Geoff, a fellow Liverpool graduate, in Wadebridge, Cornwall. 

The practice is now an eight-veterinary surgeon concern, a veterinary nurse Training Practice, an RCVS Accredited Tier 2 Small Animal General Practice and Farm Animal General Practice, and an equine practice accredited to Tier 1; it is also a Meat Hygiene Service approved contractor. 

Mrs Nute has been an RCVS Council member since 1993, serving on all of its committees. She has chaired many of these committees and additional working parties, including the Advisory and Public Affairs Committees. She served on the Officer team as Treasurer for three years, from 1996-1999, and is currently Chairman of the Practice Standards Group. Spending several years on the Councils of the British Veterinary Association and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), she was elected President of SPVS in 1991.

RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Dr Bob Moore, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, and Professor Sandy Trees took up the role of Junior Vice-President. 

Professor Sheila Crispin stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Dr Moore commenting that: “The veterinary profession is privileged to have such a knowledgeable and committed advocate.”

Retiring Council members included David McDowell, Debby Reynolds, Neil Smith and Wendy Harrison. New lay observer to the Preliminary Investigation Committee, Catherine Harvey, will replace retiring observer Diane Mark. The President paid particular tribute to long-standing Council member and past-President Stephen Ware, who retires from Council but will remain active in veterinary politics as Vice-President and Treasurer of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, he also remains Chairman of the RCVS Trust. 

As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Richard Stephenson, Charles Gruchy and Bertie Ellis were welcomed. A fourth new member, Catherine Goldie, was not present. It was also announced that Professor Michael Herrtage and Professor Duncan Maskell have been reappointed for further four-year periods by the University of Cambridge, and Professor Sandy Tress has been reappointed for the same term by the University of Liverpool.

Dot Creighton was re-elected to the Veterinary Nurses Council and Katherine Kissick was elected for the first time. New lay member Penelope Swindlehurst and appointed veterinary surgeon Helen Torrington were also welcomed to the VN Council and the President thanked retiring VN Council members Diane Guinan, Donna Hunter and Neil Smith.

President Dr Bob Moore conferred a range of awards, including an Honorary Associateship upon Petplan and Petplan Trust founders Mrs Patsy Bloom and Mr David Simpson who, he said, have had a “remarkable effect on the veterinary profession, animals and their owners.” 

Honorary Associateship was also awarded to Mr Geoff Davies, who has dedicated his 30-year career at the University of Bristol Veterinary School to the training, support and development of future veterinary surgeons. He has also served as a valued member of the RCVS Extra-Mural Studies Committee for many years. “It is his enormous contribution in supporting and encouraging the students that is being recognised today,”
said Dr Moore. 

Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Mr Gary Clayton Jones, Professor Paul Flecknell and Dr Christine Gibbs, and the Dame Olga Uvarov Award, a cash prize for a researcher under the age of 40, was awarded on behalf of the RCVS Trust to Dr Harriet Smythe (in her absence)

Johnson’s Veterinary Products Ltd has issued a recall of a single batch of Johnson’s 4fleas 80 mg Spot-on for Cats due because of a labelling error.

On the carton and leaflet, it states:

"For the prevention and treatment and prevention of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations on cats of less than 4 kg bodyweight."

However, it should state:

For the prevention and treatment and prevention of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations on cats greater or equal to 4 kg bodyweight.

Only one batch, KP0F3U7, is affected. Any other batches of Johnson’s 4Fleas 80mg Spot-on Solution for Cats are not impacted and may continue to be distributed.

Johnson’s Veterinary Products Ltd is contacting wholesale dealers to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.  

For further information regarding the recall, contact Grant Exall, Quality Assurance/WQP, email: Grantexall@johnsons-vet.com, or Nick Franks, Sales Director, email Nickfranks@johnsons-vet.com, or Tel: 0121 378 1684.

The lower age limit for student veterinary nurses - previously set at 17 - has been removed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, in order to comply with age discrimination legislation.

The entry requirements remain unchanged: five GSCEs at grade C or higher, or five Scottish Standards at grades one to three (including English Language, Maths and a Science subject).

Candidates must also have a place with an RCVS-approved Training Practice or on a recognised veterinary nursing degree course.

Libby Earle, Head of Veterinary Nursing said: "We hope that the removal of this age barrier will be seen as a positive step that will serve to improve access to training. Practices remain free to recruit as they see fit to meet the particular demands of their business."

New veterinary nursing careers leaflets have been produced to reflect the change and are available from vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk / 020 7202 0711, or to download from RCVSonline: www.rcvs.org.uk/publications

BSAVA Congress was invaded by Orangemen this year to promote the Vet Charity Challenge (VCC) taking place on 15^th September 2012.

Veterinary surgeons and industry colleagues are being encouraged to take part in the one day event in which teams of four will complete a series of physical tasks and puzzle-solving challenges. Teams can choose their own routes which include walking / running, cycling and kayaking stages and can make it as easy or hard as they like.

The Vet Charity Challenge is hoping to raise in excess of £20,000 for Hounds for Heroes; SPANA, and Pet Blood Bank. VCC says it will be a great PR opportunity for practices and an opportunity for team-building.

The event will take place at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and all details may be found on www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk or by phoning 01727 859259. The VCC will provide training guidelines and sponsorship forms. Places are limited so early booking is advisable. To be sure of a place, practices and business are urged to book their team of four by the deadline of Friday 29^th June 2012.

The Vet Charity Challenge is sponsored by BCF Technology, Kruuse UK Ltd and Vets2.net and is supported by the VPMA, Mojo Consultancy and JCA Media Group.