Labrador Retrievers are the breed most likely to run away, according to a survey of 2000 pet owners commissioned by the Blue Cross.

In addition, the survey found that the average dog owner has had their pet run off three times. One in five haven't had their dog microchipped and half of those say they probably won't ever have it done. 

Only 23% of dog owners know it is already mandatory for dogs to wear a tag when in public, and only half of those knew the tag must bear the owner's name. 

1/3rd thought the maximum fine for a dog being without a tag would be £100, when it is actually £5000.

The full list of breeds most likely to do a runner was:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Cocker Spaniel
3. Jack Russell
4. German Shepherd
5. English Springer Spaniel
6. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
7. Border Collie
8. West Highland Terrier
9. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
10. Yorkshire Terrier
11. Boxer
12. Border Terrier
13. Pug
14. Poodle
15. Chihuahua

Ceva Animal Health, the manufacturer of Cevac Chlamydia, has published the results of a new survey which showed that 47% of farmers are not vaccinating against enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE)¹.

322 farmers took part in the survey, 83% of which had a flock of over 100 ewes.

Three quarters of them had experienced abortions in their ewes during both the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 lambing seasons. Of those that experienced abortions during the 2019/2020 lambing season, a quarter reported that the problem occurred in more than 2% of their flock and 44% of them did not ask their vet to investigate.

Katherine Timms, Ceva Animal Health’s ruminant veterinary advisor said: “Farmers who decide not to investigate why their ewes are aborting may well experience an abortion storm during the following year’s lambing season as Chlamydophila abortus, the bacteria that causes EAE, has the ability to lay latent in ewes until the next pregnancy. 

“This means that one infected sheep shedding at lambing has the potential to infect multiple ewes that will almost certainly abort at their next lambing.  The consequences can be financially and reproductively devastating for farmers and it’s advisable that vets raise awareness of EAE testing with their clients to help prevent this from happening.  Ceva’s Assure Ewe programme offers farmers subsidised farm serology testing for Chlamydia abortus.  Aborted ewes can be tested for Chlamydia abortus, ideally from three weeks to three months after lambing.”

Of the 47% of farmers that are not vaccinating against EAE,  57% said they would consider it. Reasons not to vaccinate included farmers believing that they had closed flocks (59%) and EAE not having been diagnosed (57%). Only 20% decided not to vaccinate because of cost and 25% because they did not feel it was worthwhile.

Ceva is continuing its ‘For Flock’s Sake – Vaccinate!’ initiative during 2021 to help raise awareness of EAE and highlight the importance of vaccination. This year, Ceva is also highlighting the importance of testing aborted ewes through its ‘For Flock’s Sake Get Tested’ campaign which encourages the submission of samples to a diagnostic laboratory or blood sampling after lambing has finished.

For more information, visit www.enzooticabortion.co.uk, contact your Ceva Animal Health account manager, call Ceva on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.

Reference

1. Ceva and NSA survey of 322 sheep farmers. July 2020

Photo: Ewe ewe looking at?

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched the first in a series of 'How To' videos for pet owners which are now available online at dechra.co.uk and via youtube

In the videos, Louise O'Dwyer, Head Nurse at Petmedics in Manchester demonstrates how pet owners can complete simple tasks to look after their animals.

Carol Morgan, Product Manager at Dechra, said: "The feedback we get from vets suggests that pet owners would welcome advice and guidance on how to complete simple tasks.  Many owners have a fear of getting it wrong so just don't do it. For example, when it comes to cleaning their pets ears, owners are concerned that it could be difficult to do or that they may hurt their pet.  As these simple tasks are very important to the health of all pets, we decided to produce the videos as helpful tools for pet owners. They show owners what to do in easy to follow steps. By effectively carrying out these procedures, owners can also reduce the risk of their pet having problems in the future."

In addition to "How To Shampoo Your Dog" and "How To Pill A Cat", "How To Clean A Dog's Ears" and "How To Clean A Cat's Ears" will be available shortly.

Louise O'Dwyer, Head Nurse at Petmedics in Manchester, added: "To us it is quite straightforward but any of the four activities we have focused on can be quite stressful for pet owners.  If anyone has ever had to give a pill to a cat, they will know how difficult this can be. The videos are simple to follow and demonstrate how to complete each task, with clear verbal instructions. We really hope this will help to overcome some of the fears and help pet owners in looking after their pets."

Incidentally, if your own practice website is short on video content, you might like to consider adding (or 'embedding') the videos on your site. Because they are hosted on youtube, it is very simple to do, even DIY.

Vetoquinol has announced that Epiphen® Solution, the phenobarbital anti-epileptic treatment for dogs, is now back in stock following a manufacturing issue that has been successfully resolved.

The company says the solution now completes the Epiphen® range to offer convenient dosing for all weights of animal as part of its overall epilepsy management package. 

To order, please contact your wholesaler or Vetoquinol Territory Manager.

The Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) has announced that following a review carried out by its Medicines Sub-committee, it is adopting the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) list of highest-priority Critically Important Antibiotics (CIAs), namely fluoroquinolones, 3^rd and 4^th generation cephalosporins and colistin.

The review coincided with a move last month from RUMA, the agricultural and food industry alliance which promotes responsible use of medicines in farm animals, to align with the EMA position.

The announcement means that under PVS guidelines, fluoroquinolones, 3^rd and 4^th generation cephalosporins and colistin will retain Class 3 status. This means they are only used when no other options are available and when supported by laboratory sensitivity testing – or exceptionally when all other options have failed.

Class 1 antibiotics form the standard prescribing list within responsible use guidelines and Class 2 are used only when sensitivity tests or clinical experience proves standard antibiotics are not effective. In all treatment decisions the health and welfare of the pigs must always take priority.

Betalactams with betalactamase inhibitors (clavulanic acid) were previously in the highest priority Class 3 but in light of the list defined by the EMA, which has been adopted by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate as well as RUMA, the PVS has reassessed the risk and moved them to Class 2 to align them with plain betalactams. This means they are still subject to voluntary restrictions, but their use would not necessarily be only as a last resort.

PVS president Mark White said that despite the ongoing review process and the potential to reclassify certain products, the Society’s underlying principles remain unchanged: "The total amount of all antibiotics used on pig farms to treat and prevent disease should be minimised, and the types of antibiotics used in pigs should be considered in light of the implications for antibiotic resistance challenges in both pigs and man.

"This policy is proving successful with AHDB Pork’s electronic pig medicine book (e-MB) recently showing that use of colistin appears to have fallen by over 70% in 2016 following its move to a Class 3 antibiotic in late 2015.

"We must also continue to be alert to the possibility of cross resistance, even in older antibiotics that have little or no use in humans. Risk must be acknowledged where it exists and overall reductions are still imperative."

RUMA has welcomed the review and alignment from the PVS. Secretary General John FitzGerald said: "Farmers and vets need boundaries within which to operate and clear objectives to meet, and we would urge all supply chains, from farmer to retailer, to align with the sector position on best practice use of antibiotics, as defined by each sector’s professional veterinary organisation."

Researchers at the Animal Health Trust are appealing for information from veterinary surgeons who have seen recent Eosinophilic Keratitis (EK) conditions, an emerging issue in UK equine ophthalmology.

The AHT says that despite the increased awareness of EK worldwide, the aetiopathogenesis of the disease remains poorly understood and probably underdiagnosed. The charity is looking to define the pathogenesis and determine why some horses are particularly susceptible to this condition, in particular looking for epidemiological links, environmental factors and parasitic infestation.

Many of the clinical signs of EK are non-specific and similar to other corneal conditions such as blepharospasm, chemosis, conjunctival hyperaemia, epiphora or perilesional oedema. More specific signs include caseous mucoid discharge and white/yellow plaques often localised in the peripheral cornea. The degree of pain varies and concurrent ulceration is almost always present. Conjunctivitis may also occur in association with the keratitis or as a unique disease entity.

EK can have variable clinical presentations, from a thick caseous accumulation to a more superficial plaque of “ground-glass” appearance. They may present as chronic non-healing ulcers that respond quickly to the use of topical steroids and/or ciclosporin, or present with marked ocular discomfort and require superficial keratectomy to resolve the condition.

Two different corneal locations are classically (though not exclusively) involved in EK, the medial perilimbal cornea, often under the third eyelid, or the lateral perilimbal cornea, which may progress axially towards the central cornea.

The charity is also providing free cytology tests for corneal scrapes to help vets diagnose EK earlier, thereby avoiding secondary complications that can lead to permanent visionary impairment.

If you have seen cases that have either been diagnosed as or that you suspect to be Eosinophilic Keratitis this year, contact Sonia Gonzalez-Medina on 01638 751000 Ext: 1203 or sonia.gonzalez-medina@aht.org.uk.

For more information and to download a copy of the submission form to accompany samples, visit www.aht.org.uk/EKstudy.

Animalcare has released the results of a survey in which 60% of respondents said a lack of time / staffing levels were the main barriers to setting up senior pet clinics. 

The survey was carried out to get an insight into how practices are currently helping clients ensure that their pets continue to enjoy life during their later years.

152 people took part: 60% nurses, 26% vets and 5% practice managers. 

Less than 3 in 10 practices run senior pet clinics, and they mostly run them infrequently (biannually or less).

Three quarters of respondents also said that clients don't see the benefits of attending a senior pet clinic regularly. 

It seems the current situation, then, is that few practices are providing a service that, er, apparently not many owners want. 

Yet few in the profession would argue that a preventative approach is essential in order to give pets the best chance of leading healthier lives for longer. 

To that end, Animalcare has produced some time-saving materials to help more practices run senior pet clinics, such as health check materials, handouts on age-related conditions and generic short articles for use in practice newsletters, which can be downloaded at: www.animalcare.co.uk/seniorpet

However, the problem is that these things alone cannot solve the underlying problem of a shortage of time. 

The only way to solve that one is probably to find more inventive, efficient ways to engage with the owners of older pets in a way that minimise the time pressures on veterinary practice staff. 

Pneumonia-induced lung damage could be costing some cattle almost 74kg a year in lost lifetime growth potential with even moderate damage resulting in animals losing 39kg over an 18 month beef finishing system.

These are the figures from a major collaborative study between Schering-Plough and Blade Farming, announced yesterday. They suggest that some producers may not be treating cattle pneumonia as effectively as they could. The project also highlights how better abattoir feedback can be used to improve cattle pneumonia management regimes on farm.

In the study, 645 commercial beef animals from 15 units were examined at slaughter for evidence of lung damage. Data on carcase weight, age and grade were also collected to allow estimated daily live weight gains (EDLWG) to be recorded.

According to project co-ordinator Paul Williams MRCVS from Schering-Plough, the research team recorded a significant level of pneumonia-induced lung damage in the slaughtered cattle.

“Nearly half the cattle (48%) examined on the slaughter line had some level of lung damage. But there was also huge variation between units, with all the cattle from one particular farm having damaged lungs,” he said.

The researchers also established that the extent of lung damage was strongly associated with reduced EDLWG. “The more lung lobes that are affected, the greater the potential daily liveweight gain loss and those cattle that had the most lung damage experienced a significant reduction in EDLWG of 202g per day throughout their entire lifetime.

“For the animals with any degree of lung damage (310 cattle), the average reduction in weight gain over 14 months was 15kg – equivalent to a financial loss of £16.90 per animal based on a live weight price of £1.10 per kg. So the overall loss for this group of animals was potentially £5,239 – money the industry simply cannot afford to lose,” Paul Williams stressed.

“In addition, those carcases with lung damage were significantly more likely to have a lower conformation grade and so receive an even lower price,” he explained.

Blade Farming managing director Richard Phelps pointed out that the study had convinced him that paying closer attention to minimising pneumonia-induced lung damage could easily make some beef producers an extra £40-£50 an animal.

“All the cattle we take look healthy, but I’ve been surprised at the level of undetected lung damage once the animals have been slaughtered. This lung scoring trial work in the abattoir is now helping us assess just how much lung damage diseases like pneumonia can cause. The feedback will be able to help producers reassess early stage rearing issues and be more vigilant. It’s not just grading issues that we are concerned about.

Blade Farming consultant veterinary surgeon Rob Drysdale from the Westpoint Veterinary Group stressed that whilst pneumonia prevention should be the number one objective for all cattle producers, having an effective disease treatment protocol in place is increasingly vital – and particularly one that prevents permanent lung damage from occurring. He said: "Pneumonia infections can quickly damage lungs and once this happens the animal will not be able to express its full genetic potential. This means that even if the affected animal survives it is likely to have damaged lungs for the rest of its life, and this will reduce productivity and growth."

T

Petplan has announced the winner of the 'ChiWOWhua' competition which took place at BSAVA Congress in April, and offers a guide to pet insurance in practice.

Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital was chosen out of more than 800 entries from across the UK. The staff at the practice were delighted after winning £1000 which they plan to spend on computer equipment which includes a new laptop and a state of the art printer.

Matt Ingram, Partner at Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital commented, "We were absolutely ecstatic when we found out that we won the competition. The prize money will allow us to promote pet health through weight watcher clinics by taking before and after photographs of clients' pets and educate our clients about responsible pet ownership. We will also use it to document the progression of a case study as part of our 'Pet of the Month' programme. We are very grateful and would like to thank Petplan for their ongoing support in the veterinary industry".

The competition's objective was to inform veterinary staff about the simple ways for practices to promote pet insurance to their uninsured client. There is still some confusion amongst staff as to what they can and cannot talk about. With this in mind, Petplan has produced a "Siameasy guide" for veterinary practices to show just how quick and easy promoting pet insurance can be. This guide provides ideas on when to mention insurance, the promotional materials available from Petplan as well as guidelines on insurance regulation.

Petplan says all practices can promote the benefits of pet insurance regardless of their regulatory status. For a free copy of the Siameasy guide, email vetline@petplan.co.uk or call Vetline on 0800 316 8800.

Research led by Eleanor Haskey, an Anaesthesia and Analgesia Nurse at the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals has identified multiple factors that can contribute to complications following the placement of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs). 

The multicentre observational study described 382 placements of catheters across 19 different institutions, recording the placement techniques and tracking resulting complications to determine the associated risk factors.

The majority of the data was collected by veterinary nurses across the country.

The risk factors identified included the number of insertion attempts, whether a second subsequent placement was required, the frequency that the catheter was flushed and if the flush solution was compound sodium lactate.

In addition to identifying the risk factors, the study also found that complications occurred in just over one-quarter of placements, with limb swelling and phlebitis being the most common (11.5%).

The second most common complication observed was PIVC dislodgement/patient interference (7.9%).

As a result of these findings, the researchers are calling for more vigilant monitoring of patients with a PIVC in situ, particularly if they have experienced any of the factors that increase their risk of complications.

Eleanor said: “PIVCs are placed every day in almost all veterinary practices, yet there is little evidence to inform how best to place and manage them.

"I am passionate about providing the best care for cats and dogs, and it was fantastic to work with like-minded nurses and vets who wanted to gather the evidence that we can use to improve the care of our patients.

"I look forward to continuing this area of research, and believe veterinary nurses are best placed to undertake this work as it is part our of daily working lives."

Dr Christopher Scudder, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College and senior author in the study, said: “The hope is that this study will stimulate more research about PIVCs, and that sufficient evidence will be developed to help reduce complications associated with these routinely placed devices.”

Reference

1. Haskey, E., Maund, V. et Al., ‘Placement, management and complications associated with peripheral intravenous catheter use in UK small animal practice’, Journal of Small Animal Practice, https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13782 

Midlands-based veterinary surgeon Richard Hillman, who will become the new President of Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons on May 25th, has outlined the issues he'll be championing during his term of office:

• On practice standards: “We need to influence the RCVS so that as the Practice Standards scheme evolves it produces genuine improvements in both clinical and non-clinical standards and is not just a bureaucratic box ticking exercise adding to the stress, workload and overheads of practices.”
• On clinical governance and audit: “The SPVS needs to ensure that the establishment of protocols does not impinge on clinical freedom while establishing ‘best practice’ and that they are used as a yardstick to encourage practitioners to engage with CPD and improve, not as an excuse for unnecessary procedures and profiteering.”
• On the Veterinary Surgeons Act: “We need to influence the RCVS in developing the Veterinary Surgeons Act review so that we bring about the best results for all of the stakeholders. We need to recognise that there are shortcomings in the present Act, particularly with regard to the disciplinary process, but we need to be sure of what we want from a review, as well as being confident we will get it, or else we may be opening up Pandora’s Box with our eyes half-closed and end up in a worse position than the current one. We must ensure that any disciplinary process punishes members who do not measure up to our standards in an appropriate way, while not putting an onerous burden on vets who are well-meaning, hard-working and doing a good job.”
• On 24 hour provision: “There is much debate on whether practitioners should lobby for 24-hour provision to become voluntary, especially in view of Working Time Regulations. We need to be careful on how we develop policy on this issue. There has to be a compromise somewhere between the needs and wants of practitioners to earn a reasonable living and have a reasonable work-life balance, and clients to have reasonable access to veterinary services when they need them (though not necessarily when they want them) while ensuring good welfare for our patients.”
• On Prescription charging: “Regulations forcing us to provide free prescriptions end in October and we enter a 12-month period of monitoring to see if we can be trusted not to operate a complex monopoly or over-charge for prescriptions. We need to be careful in how we handle this next 18 months. SPVS will work hard to ensure that vets can charge fairly for the work they are doing but not exploit our privilege to prescribe in the short term and give those who look for a reason to take that privilege off us an excuse to do so.”
• On support: During his year in office Richard also wants to support vets suffering from depression or mental health problems because of the “huge stress” of veterinary practice.

The owner of Hillman Vets, a five-clinic practice based in Walsall, Lichfield, Brownhills and Darlaston, Richard is a successful businessman with numerous achievements under his belt. During the 1990s, he developed the Hillman Vets practice as well as helping to launch the first out-of-hours animal clinic in the country, Northside Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Great Barr, Birmingham, and the Birmingham-based chain of Value Vets clinics, for pet owners wanting basic services.

Passionately committed to the veterinary profession, Richard wanted to be a vet even as a child, and has described his job as “a privilege, and the enduring cornerstone of my life”.

In recent years, Richard has become an activist on issues he feels strongly about, such as the rights of animals. He has called on shoppers to buy British organic or farm assured meat because of poor welfare standards in other countries. He has also backed plans to introduce “ASBOs for dogs” in a bid to reduce the growing number of attacks by dangerous dogs on children in their homes and on members of the public.

During his year as SPVS president, Richard intends to encourage UK veterinary practitioners to play a greater campaigning role on welfare issues. “We are the best placed, most motivated, and appropriately qualified people to ensure animal welfare, the responsible use of pharmaceuticals, and food safety,” he will tell fellow vets.

Richard is excited about his presidential year and says: “This year gives me the opportunity to drive the agenda from the front to make a difference, and to work tirelessly to promote, support and represent our profession.”

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a case study competition to find out how veterinary professionals are using Celox, its new haemostatic agent designed to stop heavy bleeding.

According to the company, Celox Veterinary forms a gel-like clot within 30 seconds when mixed with blood.

Dechra says it would like examples of how it has been used, whether for planned procedures or in an emergency, and is asking veterinary surgeons and nurses to send in case histories and photos for the chance to win an iPad2.

Rachel Horton, Dechra's Brand Manager for Woundcare, said: "Celox Veterinary was launched to the market last year, with the human version of the product being used with great success on the battlefield by the British military for several years.

"Now we are asking veterinary professionals to share their experiences of using Celox Veterinary in practice, whether used in its gauze or granular form. It is ideal for fast-acting haemostasis, and provides a quick and efficient solution wherever and whenever bleeding needs to be stopped fast.

"Entrants providing case histories with accompanying photos can enter as many times as they like and have a chance to win an iPad2. Learning about how veterinary professionals are using products is important to Dechra Veterinary Products and assists in developing the high level of support we offer to vets and vet nurses."

Dechra says Celox Veterinary is being used not only for trauma injuries and emergency first aid but also for planned operations including castration, mass removal, nasal polyps, dental extractions and soft palate resections.

Case histories should be emailed to Rachel.Horton@dechra.com before the closing date of July 20^th 2012 to be eligible for the draw. For further information about  Celox Veterinary, please visit see www.dechra.com