Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering a 100 per cent money-back guarantee that new Hill's Prescription Diet^TM Canine r/d^TM will help overweight and obese dogs to lose weight in just 8 weeks while still maintaining lean muscle mass. 

Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's Pet Nutrition said: "We understand that there is a considerable amount of effort required from owners to help their pet lose weight. Along with the additional cost this can make it difficult to convince them to buy in to a prescription weight loss diet. In order to give vets and pet owners confidence, Hill's is offering a 100 per cent money-back guarantee to pet owners if they don't see any weight loss in just eight weeks."

New r/d, available in 1.5kg, 4kg and 12kg bags, helps with the nutritional management of overweight or obese dogs. According to Hill's, palatability has increased with 9 out of 10 dogs preferring new r/d and its high fibre formula also provides dietary bulk to aid satiety and avoid hunger. New r/d also has high levels of L-carnitine to help burn fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.   

Hill's has developed a range of support measures and practice display materials to help raise awareness of obesity and encourage pet owners to try new r/d.   For further information please contact your Hill's Territory Manager or call 0800 282438.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Charitable Trust has awarded five new bursaries in its latest grants round.

Two student bursaries were for UK veterinary undergraduates to attend the British Science Festival in Aberdeen from 4-9 September 2012. The bursary winners were Liv Nathan (pictured on right), a third-year veterinary student at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, and Alahel Mahdmina, a second-year veterinary student at the Royal Veterinary College.

Liv said: "I am very enthusiastic about providing real-life context to science and giving people a space to consider issues arising around science."

The students were required to use their observations and experiences to help the Trust develop future outreach activities to inform and inspire public audiences about veterinary clinical practice and research. Their bursary packages covered all their attendance expenses over the four-day event. One of their achievements was to film an interview with Dr Maggie Aderin-Pockock MBE, a space scientist (pictured on left). Both students will be reporting back in full to the RCVS Charitable Trust with their ideas at the end of October. 

Two further bursaries were given to attend  a joint symposium on antimicrobial resistance (AMR): 'Antimicrobial Resistance in Human and Veterinary Medicine - One Health, One Problem' to be held at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on Tuesday 2 October 2012. 

One winner was Cahir King, a practitioner from Downe Veterinary Clinic in County Down, Northern Ireland.  He said: "It will be a privilege to attend a symposium at which so many experts in their field will be speaking.  Any vet who has worked on farms will be more than familiar with bugs that are resistant to antibiotic treatment."

The other winner was James Swann, a Junior Clinical Training Scholar (Small Animal) at the Royal Veterinary College. James said: "I am particularly interested in the application of clinical audit in practice to assess problems like AMR, and design effective strategies to deal with them. I believe it should be possible to provide simple audit kits for practices to download and implement, removing much of the inertia that prevents such ideas from being initiated."

The bursary winners will be offered free delegate passes, including lunch, worth £90, and travel expenses.

The final bursary is to attend the Veterinary Biomedical and Pharma Sciences (VBMPS) Congress on 15-16 October, in Birmingham.

The winning entry was from Alexander Stoll, a final-year student at the Royal Veterinary College, who acted as the Royal Veterinary College and  UK student ambassador to the European Commission for the 'One Health' message. The Trust was impressed with Alexander's enthusiasm and active engagement in subjects related to One Health.  He is a member of the Royal Society for Public Health and a member of the Society of Biology.

Alexander said: "I hope to be inspired to enter a cross-disciplinary career path and also to communicate the potential of a One Health approach, inspired by this congress."

Alexander won a package that includes entry to the conference and admission to all scientific sessions, worth £175, as well as transport costs and overnight food and accommodation.

To celebrate 30 years since it launched its first microchips in the UK, Animalcare is providing identichip veterinary customers with a free 'Chip & Check' waiting room display pack.

The materials are designed to help educate pet owners on the benefits of microchipping and the importance of keeping their microchip details up to date. 

The company highlights research which shows just how important it is to encourage owners to keep microchip details up to date. In 2017, the BVA found that 44% of vets were unable to reunite stray dogs with their owners due to incorrect information on the microchip database. The Dogs Trust Stray Dogs Survey Report 2017–18 also found that 75% of all microchipped dogs that were unable to be returned to their owners had incorrect contact information on their chip.

To order your 'Chip & Check' display, contact your Animalcare Territory Sales Manager, or call Animalcare's head office on 01904 487687. Display packs are subject to an order of identichip microchips and while display stocks last.

Dechra Veterinary Products has produced a pair of presentations, aimed at pet owners, for vets to use in receptions and at client events. The presentations cover canine hyperadrenocorticism, aka Cushing's syndrome, and feline hyperthyroidism.  

Matthew Olsen, Product Manager, said: "We are committed to delivering a wide range of support materials and tools to enable vets to provide help and information to their customers.  We have developed an owners' booklet on both Cushing's and hyperthyroidism and have now backed this up with PowerPoint presentations for vets to use with their clients.  Some veterinary practices are using technology to revolutionise waiting room displays and we have responded to their needs by producing a presentation they can use on their waiting room information screens."

The Dechra Hyperadrenocorticism presentation covers what Cushing's is, what causes it and what owners need to look for. The presentation also explains the treatment options available. The Hyperthyroidism presentation details what the condition is and gives information on the thyroid gland. It highlights what cat owners need to look out for, including weight loss in spite of a ravenous appetite, increased fluid intake and increased restlessness.  The presentation also advises people of what to do should they suspect their cat has hyperthyroidism and what the treatment options are.       

Garden Lodge Veterinary Clinic in Holywood, County Down, has used the Hyperthyroidism presentation at both its practices. Partner Tom Fitzsimons said: "We have used the presentation on our reception information screens.  The presentation has raised owners' awareness and shown them it is a manageable condition.  It's led to an increase in the number of cats we are now testing for Hyperthyrodism.  We also plan to run the Cushing's presentation in the future." 

Veterinary Practices interested in getting hold of a free copy of the Hyperthyrodism and Hyperadrenocorticism presentations should contact Matthew Olsen at Dechra on 01743 441 632 or email matthew.olsen@dechra.com

Jon Bowen, animal behaviour consultant at the Royal Veterinary College and Sureflap have declared 8th May 'Vet Cat Watch Day', and are asking the profession to record the reason why each cat seen that day is brought into the practice.

Jon explained: "There are more than 10 million pet cats in the UK, however there is little information about the prevalence of injuries, disease, cat fights and road traffic accidents on a national scale".

The absence of data became apparent when findings from research on over 1,000 cats - conducted as part of the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign, supported by SureFlap and Your Cat magazine - revealed cats that had suffered minor injuries from fights were more likely to develop other health issues, such as hair loss and eye infections.

Judith Bank from SureFlap said: "People often purchase a microchip-operated cat flap to help their pet to feel secure. Owners tell us that their pet is spraying in the house or has been losing fur and this motivated us to support research to look deeper into the problems that pet owners might be having. We soon realised that objective data from vets was not available to qualify the findings and this is where the idea of 'Vet Cat Watch Day' emerged."

Jon said: "The aim of Vet Cat Watch Day is to take a snap-shot of cats' health from veterinary practices across the nation, on one day. The results will be compiled alongside information from cat owners gained in 'Cat Watch Day' a few days earlier.

A report detailing preliminary findings from the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign is available from the SureFlap website.  When complete the results will be used to help provide vets with an insight into the lives of domestic cats so they are better equipped to understand behavioural issues.

For more information on Vet Cat Watch Day please visit the SureFlap website The site hosts a PDF to print out and help record the feline cases that come through practice doors on the 8th May, which can be downloaded from www.sureflap.co.uk/vetwatch_info. At the end of the day, visit www.sureflap.co.uk/vetwatch to upload your data to the online survey.

The RCVS Standards Committee has decided to end the temporary dispensation allowing remote prescribing of prescription-only veterinary medicines on Monday 14th March 2022.

The dispensation was originally introduced during the spring 2020 lockdown to safeguard animal health and welfare, the health and safety of the veterinary team, and public health, by allowing prescriptions to be made by veterinary surgeons without their having first physically examined the animal, subject to conditions and safeguards.

The RCVS says the Committee considered the ongoing challenges posed by Covid-19 and recognised that staff absences due to isolation requirements were still causing issues.

However, given the relaxation of the requirement to work from home in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and relaxation of restrictions generally across the UK, the Committee felt it was time to end the dispensation.

Chair of the Standards Committee, Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, said: “The safety and wellbeing of veterinary professionals, as well as the health and welfare of the animals they care for, have remained uppermost in our minds when considering this temporary position on remote prescribing.

“We are pleased to have been able to support the professions through a very difficult time by introducing this dispensation, however, it was only ever a temporary measure and, given the relaxation of restrictions across the UK, we feel the time has come to revert to our usual guidance.

“We will continue to keep the position under review in light of any changes, including governments’ advice and regulations, as we have throughout the pandemic.”

Dickson Company has launched the Dickson Alarm Thermometer, a tool to ensure that vaccine and drug storage temperatures in both refrigerators and freezers fully comply with regulatory requirements.

Featuring tamper-resistant audible and visual alarms, the Dickson Alarm Thermometer costs US$59 for a two probe model (MM125) that can monitor both refrigerators and freezers simultaneously and US$49 for a single probe model (MM120).

Both the MM125 and MM120 models are continuous, calibrated and certified thermometers that are able to monitor temperatures in the -58 to +158°F (-50 to +70°C. For more technical details on Dickson Alarm Thermometers see (www.dicksondata.com/product/model_MM120.php).

Product inquiries can be directed to Dickson customer service at dicksoncsr@dicksondata.com, or calling 800-757-3747 or +1-630-543-3747 outside the US, FAX +630-543-0498 or by writing Dickson, 930 South Westwood Avenue, Addison, IL 60101, USA.

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Rycarfa carprofen tablets for dogs and injection for cats and dogs into its Veterinary Essentials range.

Dechra's Veterinary Essentials range comprises a series of post patent products designed to offer practices the reassurance of proven, quality solutions to meet their everyday clinical needs.

In its flavoured tablet form, Rycarfa is presented in easy-to-dispense blister packs which, according to Dechra, offer the most cost-effective standard size range on the market* - 20 mg x 100 tabs; 50 mg x 100 tabs, 50 mg x 500 tabs, 100mg x 100 tabs. The tablets are licensed in dogs for the reduction of inflammation and pain caused by musculoskeletal disorders and degenerative joint disease, and as a follow up to parenteral analgesia in the management of post operative pain. 

In injection form, Rycarfa is provided as a 50mg/ml solution in a 20 ml glass vial. In dogs it is indicated for the control of post-operative pain and inflammation following orthopaedic and soft tissue (including intraocular) surgery. In cats, it is indicated for the control of post-operative pain following surgery.

Roger Brown at Dechra said: "Carprofen is a well-established, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Through our Veterinary Essentials range, we are offering Rycarfa in a wide range of sizes to provide the maximum flexibility with cost effectiveness."

For further information on Rycarfa, please contact Dechra on 01939 211200.

*Gfk sales data 1 July 2011

White Cross Vets, the family-run veterinary group with 16 practices across the West Midlands and the North of England, has recruited its 200^th employee: Eilona Savage (pictured right), who joins the company's Kings Heath practice as a client care co-ordinator.

Eilona's is one of 50 new jobs created by the company in the last 12 months alone, across a range of positions including veterinary surgeons, nurses and client care co-ordinators. 

Eilona said: "White Cross Vets has an unrivalled reputation for offering exceptional pet care, as well as being recognised as a great place to work, which really appealed to me. To become the group’s 200^th employee is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead."

Tim Harrison, Managing Director of White Cross Vets, said: "Welcoming 50 new team members into the White Cross family in the last 12 months is a major coup and we’re delighted to have created a 200 strong team with Eilona’s appointment. We are already planning to expand our team further over the coming months, with three new practices due to open before the end of this year, which makes it a very exciting time for us."

Animalcare, distributor of the Plaqtiv+ range of dental products, has launched dental ‘Lunch and Learn’ CPD for veterinary practices interested in learning more about dental health in cats and dogs.

Participating practices will learn about dental disease pathophysiology and diagnosis, gain insights in pet owner behaviour and learn how to increase client engagement while implementing a dental home care plan.

Animalcare has also made available free social media packs and waiting room materials to help educate clients on pet dental health.

Will Peel, Marketing Manager at Animalcare said: ‘We know that UK veterinary surgeons consider dental disorders to be one of the most important health related welfare issues currently affecting UK dogs.

"We’ve introduced our CPD sessions to help the entire veterinary team learn more about dental disease and to help them educate their clients about implementing an at home dental regime which works for them and their pets.'

To book your Lunch and Learn or request a social media pack and other materials, contact your local Animalcare territory manager or email animalcare@animalcare.co.uk.

Brian Cullen Bowles has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after he was found to have put public health at risk by dishonestly certifying cattle test results.

Mr Bowles faced four charges, but did not respond to the College's notification about the hearing, so the Committee decided to proceed in his absence.

The first charge was that in 2020, while attending a farm in Lincolnshire in his capacity as an Official Veterinarian (OV), Mr Bowles carried out Intradermal Comparative Tuberculin (ICT) tests on a herd of cattle but failed to measure the skin thickness of all the cattle using callipers and failed to take and record measurements for the cattle.

The Committee was provided with evidence that Mr Bowles had, in earlier correspondence with the College, admitted that he had failed to follow Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) standard operating procedures for ICT testing at the farm and so the charge was found proven.

The second charge was that he then certified the results of the inaccurate ICT test he'd performed earlier.

The Committee found this charge proven on the basis that, without using callipers to measure skin thickness, he was not entitled to certify the test.

The third charge was that his conduct in relation to the first two charges was dishonest, misleading and risked undermining government testing procedures designed to promote public health and animal welfare.

The Committee found all elements of the charges proven.

The final charge was that Mr Bowles's conduct took place despite warnings, advice and re-training being given by the APHA.

These included: a letter sent to Mr Bowles’s by APHA in 2014 about the suspension of his OV status after he failed to comply with APHA rules; a letter sent by the APHA to Mr Bowles’s employer in October 2016 regarding issues of non-compliance it had found during a September 2016 audit; and the suspension of Mr Bowles’s OV duties by his employer, pending further training, following issues of non-compliance.

Given Mr Bowles’s history of non-compliance with APHA standard operating procedures and standards, the Committee found the charge proven.

The Committee found that charges 1 to 3 amounted to serious professional misconduct but that charge 4, while making the conduct in the other charges more serious, did not in and of itself constitute serious professional misconduct.

In determining the most appropriate sanction for Mr Bowles, the Committee found that he had paid ‘scant regard’ to the testing procedures set out by APHA and breached the RCVS certification requirements set out in the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons in ‘numerous and serious’ ways.

Hilary Lloyd, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee’s view is that the respondent’s conduct in refusing to follow the OV Instructions when testing cattle in May 2020 constituted conduct of an egregious kind.

"In addition, there are several aggravating elements which can be applied to his misconduct, including a risk to animal or human health; his lack of probity and integrity in certifying test results which he knew were non-compliant and unreliable; recklessness in reaching a conscious decision to ignore the OV Instructions; his failure to comply with the requirements of the position of trust and responsibility which attached to his APHA authorisation; and against a backdrop of sustained pattern of behaviour that displayed blatant disregard of the system that regulated TB testing by OVs.

"It follows that the respondent manifested no insight into the seriousness of his misconduct when acting as an OV.”

The Committee considered whether there were any mitigating factors regarding Mr Bowles’ conduct.

It took into account that Mr Bowles had not secured any financial advantage, that there was no actual harm to animals, and that he had a long career as a veterinary surgeon, although with a history of non-compliance.

It noted that there had been some late admissions of misconduct by Mr Bowles when he tendered an apology, but found this mitigation was undermined by the fact his explanations lacked consistency and that he had also initially asserted that he had used callipers during the testing.

Due to the seriousness of the non-compliance, the dishonesty and the potential risk to public health, the Committee considered that removing Mr Bowles from the Register was the only proportionate and appropriate response to the scale of misconduct.

Hilary added: “Given the amount of advice received and re-training which the respondent was required to undertake, he has already had ample opportunity to remediate his practice but has not done so.

"The Committee is therefore concerned that there is a very real risk of further repetition of this conduct in the future were he to be permitted to remain on the Register.

“The Committee’s concern in this regard stems from the fact that the dishonesty of which the respondent has been found guilty, was not dishonesty committed on the spur of the moment.

"The respondent had ample opportunities for reflection before resolving to act as he did.

"This places his acts of dishonesty in the most serious category.

“The public is entitled to expect that it can have confidence in the certifications of a veterinary surgeon who is carrying out a public duty on behalf of that public body.

"Indeed, that is the whole purpose behind the requirement that OVs undertake additional and specialised training before being permitted to undertake OV duties.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

Horiba UK is hosting a free webinar for vets about controlling parasites associated with raw feeding, presented by parasite guru Ian Wright MRCVS, on Thursday 27th January at 7:30pm. 

The company points to an increasing trend across Europe towards feeding raw diets to pets, with 4% of UK cats and 10% of UK dogs now being fed raw meat and animal by-products.

The webinar, which will also look at the role of testing, offers an opportunity to learn more about the pathogens and parasites associated with raw feeding and the role of the right test at the right time. 

Horiba says it's not just pets that need testing, but the raw materials used in their food. 

Ian, who is Head of ESCCAP (the European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites) UK & Ireland, said: “The recent trend of increasing raw feeding opens up new opportunities for pathogen transmission.

"Where raw feeding is taking place, adequate tapeworm and protozoal parasite prevention is essential to reduce zoonotic risk and economic losses.

“Testing forms an essential part of their control, and understanding this role and the diagnostic test options available will prove valuable to all veterinary professionals.”

Following Ian's presentation, there will be an open Q&A session.

Horiba’s team of veterinary specialists will also be available at the end of the webinar to discuss and advise on any testing needs, including its veterinary PCR system, the POCKIT Central.

To register, visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4306408134214190348