The survey is the second stage of a three stage review recommended to RCVS Council by the College’s Standards Committee in 2019, after it looked at the implications of new technologies for both animal welfare and veterinary regulation.
The main areas under consideration include the provision of 24/7 emergency cover and the interpretation and application of an animal being under the care of a veterinary surgeon. The review also encompasses remote consulting.
In stage one of the review, the RCVS commissioned a research agency to conduct a series of focus group discussions with veterinary professionals working in a variety of roles and sectors. The information gleaned from the discussions was then used to develop the questions for this survey.
The survey will ask veterinary professionals to reflect on what, for them, should underpin good regulations and guidelines for practice.
It will then ask respondents how these principles should be applied in particular situations relating to 24/7 emergency cover and 'under care' before inviting their views on how they would like regulations on these two areas to deal with any tensions between different desirable regulatory aims.
The survey results will be used to help produce any changes to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance concerning ‘under care’ and the provision of 24/7 emergency cover, which will then be put out for full public consultation later this year.
Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee, Dr Melissa Donald, said: “This review addresses fundamental questions about how we should continue to interpret ‘under care’ in a profession, and a society, that is largely unrecognisable to the one that first defined the term, and, at the same time, how we can continue to provide 24/7 emergency cover for those animals under our care.
“The original Vet Futures report also emphasised the impact that technological advances may have on the veterinary professions, so we must ensure we have in place a regulatory framework that gives consideration to these potential changes whilst ensuring animal health and welfare remain at its heart.
“These are challenging but hugely important questions on which we are hoping to receive as much feedback as possible. I do understand the huge pressures my vet and vet nurse colleagues continue to work under at the moment, so would like to thank them in advance for taking a little time out of their busy days to send us their views.”
The survey will open on Wednesday, 19th May 2021 for all UK-based veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
All responses will be used and reported anonymously, so respondents will not be identified.
The survey will be open for four weeks, closing at 5pm on Wednesday, 16 June 2021.
It should take 15-20 minutes to complete, but can be returned to and completed in stages if preferred.
Further background information about the Under Care Review is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare.
Vetoquinol UK Ltd has launched a new flea and tick treatment for cats and dogs.
Flevox is a spot-on solution containing fipronil and comes in unique pack sizes of either single pipettes or large clinic packs of 36.
Product Manager Helen Walker said: "With only 55% of pet owners buying their flea and tick treatment from the vet, we recognise there is a huge opportunity to develop and grow this essential market. In the modern age the consumer expects maximum flexibility, and that is what we aim to provide with Flevox.
Whether it be persuading the price-conscious customer away from buying their flea treatments in supermarkets and the internet, or encouraging those who don't treat their pet at all to give it a try without breaking the bank, we're confident we can help grow flea treatment sales in practice."
Vetoquinol says it is supporting the new product with a range of materials dedicated to veterinary surgeries, providing incentives to encourage client bonding and repeat business with your practice.
Helen continued: "We have also teamed up with the fantastic charity Dogs for the Disabled by making a donation for every pipette of Flevox sold. We're really looking forward to raising the profile of this organisation where these amazing dogs give life changing independence to disabled people. We're confident the donation will strike a chord with clients and really engage them with the charity, the Flevox brand and the practice".
To find out more, contact your Vetoquinol territory manager or visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/
Procanicare contains three live strains of canine-specific Lactobacillus bacteria, which, according to the company, make it an ideal GI support product to maintain balance in the GI intestinal microbiome of dogs, particularly when an alteration to the intestinal microbiome is a risk.
Animalcare says studies show that the strains of Lactobacillus found in Procanicare have been shown to promote indigenous intestinal commensal populations, reduce numbers of potentially pathogenic bacteria and improve stool consistency.1,2
Dr Shea Beasley, Product Development Manager at Vetcare Ltd said: "The strains of Lactobacillus found in Procanicare have been commercially available in Scandinavia for two years now. It has achieved great success, with Scandinavian vets frequently recommending it in situations where the gastrointestinal microbiota can become unstable such as following antibiotic use and in stressful situations such as travelling and kennelling, as well as when supporting the intestinal microbiome is particularly important, such as during pregnancy and lactation."
Available exclusively through vets, Animalcare has produced a range of waiting room materials to help you educate about and promote Procanicare in practice, including a poster, bunting, leaflet and leaflet holder.
There is also a free webinar for veterinary professionals on the importance of the intestinal microbiome, available to view at www.thewebinarvet.com/webinar/the-gastrointestinal-microbiome-and-its-effects.
To find out more or to try Procanicare in your practice, contact your local Animalcare representative via email animalcare@animalcare.co.uk or telephone 01904 487687 or visit www.procanicare.com.
References
The Congress, which is organised by Improve International, has separate streams for small animal medicine and small animal surgery and a dedicated veterinary nursing stream.
There will also be an exhibition of the latest innovations in veterinary products and services running alongside the lectures.
Helen Richmond, Head of Publishing at Improve said: “While technological innovation has made online congresses much more engaging and accessible over the last year, we felt the time was right to bring Vets North back in a face-to-face environment. Many of our previous delegates have already told us how much they are looking forward to being able to learn and enjoy some social time together again.
“As usual this year’s programme will include presentations and lectures from global experts, who will give advice and share knowledge that can be implemented in practice immediately. We would like to thank Elanco as our lead sponsor of this year’s Vets North and we also thank our other partners and sponsors for their support and loyalty during this difficult year.”
"Naturally, keeping delegates safe is our highest priority so we are working with the venue to ensure that the Government’s recommendations are implemented to the full and that Haydock Park is a COVID-secure venue.”
Early Bird tickets are available until the end of June.
For more information visit www.vetsnorth.com or call 01793 20805.
Vétoquinol, manufacturer of Epiphen (phenobarbital), for the control of epilepsy in dogs, has announced the launch of a new starter pack for clients that are embarking on treatment.
The starter packs contain a variety of support materials designed to help owners better understand the condition and its treatment. They sit alongside other support given by the company, which includes an 'Ask the Expert' helpline through which Epiphen veterinary customers can speak to a neurology specialist at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, where Vetoquinol sponsors a neurology clinician.
Abbie King, Product Manager for Epiphen, said: ''Our 'Ask the Expert' helpline is a successful service that has been running for several years. 30% of the calls to Vetoquinol's technical team relate to this challenging condition meaning there are few queries our technical team have not tackled before. If extra help is necessary we have an excellent working relationship with The Animal Health Trust and regularly refer cases to them for further advice. We are very proud of this service and are delighted to be able to continue to provide this helpline for our Epiphen clients.''
To use the 'Ask the Expert' service, or order the support materials, ring 0800 1698197. Alternatively visit: www.vetoquinol.co.uk or www.epiphenonline.co.uk.
The webinars each last between three and five minutes and are part of the 2016 ‘Talk About Laminitis’ disease awareness initiative to help detect, manage and monitor PPID.
The webinars can be viewed on the Boehringer Academy website – www.boehringer-academy.co.uk - and podcast versions are also available enabling veterinary professionals to listen to them ‘on the go’.
The first series includes:
The second webinar series covers:
For further information on the webinars or podcasts visit www.boehringer-academy.co.uk or contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager.
Supreme Petfoods Ltd has published the results of tests on small animal petfood which, according to the company, highlight significant problems with the on-pack declarations and contents of a number of the leading brands.
The tests, which were carried out by Campden BRI on behalf of Supreme Petfoods, discovered:
Issues regarding high sugar levels which are not required to be declared under current rules. The highest average levels of sugar were found in Wagg Optimum (4.57%), Beaphar Care + (5.00%), Burgess Supa Fruiti (5.10%), Beaphar Extra Vital (5.35%) and Burgess Excel (4.04%).
In the company's press release, Chris Childs, Managing Director of Supreme Petfood, commented: "The results greatly concerned us. We were shocked to find food that is marketed for rabbits - ie: herbivores - had traces of mammalian and avian DNA in it. In my opinion, this can only be compared to vegetarian food being contaminated with meat. This was our main concern amongst many other issues revealed."
That strikes me as overstating the case somewhat. Aside from the fact that bunnies don't get quite as het up about their diets as vegans, the report does not define what 'trace DNA contamination is'. Going on the shock expressed by Mr Childs, I'm expecting a pork chop or a drumstick in every bag of Burgess Excel at the very least.
Molly Varga, BVetMed, DZooMed (Mammalian), MRCVS told VetSurgeon.org that she would expect rabbits to be exposed to trace amounts of animal DNA naturally and that the amounts found in the tests were not likely to have any effect whatsoever on the health of rabbits. Nevertheless, she did feel that the report highlighted important issues concerning the fibre and sugar content of various diets.
As a consequence of the report, Supreme Petfoods is calling for an overhaul of the rules and regulations which apply to pet food for small companion animals. The company suggests the introduction of an accredited quality scheme aimed specifically at pet food for small companion animals, containing strict conditions for the production, packaging and marketing of food for herbivores.
In response, Burgess Pet Care issued a statement expressing considerable reservations as to the timing, purpose and potential negative outcome for the welfare of pet rabbits of Supreme's report. Commenting on behalf of Burgess, Sharon Redrobe, Head of Veterinary Services, Bristol Zoo Gardens, and Head of Rabbit Clinic, Bristol, said: "Any research into small animal health should focus on the crucial role of fibre in a balanced feeding plan and how this can be communicated to rabbit owners, so discussions centring around the detailed contents of pellets are irrelevant in my opinion to this central welfare issue."
To read Supreme's report, click here.
TR Biosurgical will be officially launching its new surgical treatment for canine glaucoma at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists annual conference in Chicago at the start of November.
TR-ClarifEYE is an sub-scleral implant placed in the eye in a procedure that takes around 30 minutes.
TR Biosurgical CEO Craig Woods DVM said: "TR-ClarifEYE is made from new silicone substrate subjected to a unique process which reduces fibrosis and enhances healing."
"Until now, the primary treatment options for canine glaucoma have been laser surgery, cryosurgery, evisceration or enucleation. Certain procedures can be either complicated and expensive, or fail to save the eye. Previous implants have met with only limited success, and TR-ClarifEYE appears to overcome many of the problems with glaucoma implants."
"This new implant is a relatively easy surgical approach. It has limited post-op complications. It seems to provide long term glaucoma management in the majority of patients, most of which are able to reduce medications."
For more information about TR-ClarifEYE, visit: http://www.petglaucoma.com
Practitioners interested in learning more about this procedure, click here and 'start conversation' with Craig
Xavier (pictured right), who graduated from Cardenal-Herrera University in Valencia, Spain, in January 2006, has joined Southfields from the Royal Veterinary College, where he was working on the high profile Mitral Valve Repair Programme.
Xavier moved to the UK in 2009 to specialise in cardiology, first spending two years in Scotland where he completed a general and a cardiology internship at the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, before beginning a cardiology residency at the University of Liverpool which he completed in March 2016.
He then continued at the University of Liverpool as a lecturer in cardiology for 16 months, before becoming a cardiology clinician at the Royal Veterinary College.
Henry L'Eplattenier, clinical director at Southfields, said: “We’re extremely pleased to welcome Xavier to Southfields and look forward to him progressing his career with us.
“He’s a very talented cardiologist who brings with him a wealth of expertise and experience which makes him a very valuable addition to our world-class team.”
Xavier said: “The move to Southfields is a wonderful opportunity for me and I’m really energised and motivated for the challenge ahead.
“This is one of the leading veterinary referral centres in the UK and it is set to become even better when we move into a new, purpose-built building boasting the finest facilities and most up-to-date equipment.
For more information, visit www.southfields.co.uk.
The one hour ‘Wake up to inappetence: practical solutions for the cat that won’t eat both in the clinic and at home’ breakfast meeting is being presented by Sam Taylor, feline specialist advisor at ISFM.
The session will focus on practical management for both in- and out- patients, covering when to use appetite stimulants and place a feeding tube and how to support caregivers.
Sarah Musgrave, brand manager for Mirataz at Dechra said: “Inappetence in cats is extremely common and has many underlying causes.
"Appetite stimulants, such as Mirataz, can play a significant role in supporting cats with unintended weight loss while further investigations are underway.
"Our breakfast meeting at ISFM Feline Congress will cover the practical management of inappetence in cats and provide delegates with hints and tips to take back to the clinic."
https://icatcare.org/congress-2023-dublin/programme.https://www.dechra.co.uk/mirataz
The RCVS is reminding veterinary surgeons and nurses that there is one week left till the deadline for nominations for the 2012 RCVS and RCVS VN Council elections.
Nominations must be made in writing on the prescribed form and received by the RCVS on or before 31 January 2012.
Prospective candidates need to provide the signatures and registered/listed addresses of two proposers, and should also submit a short biography, manifesto and photograph for inclusion in the RCVS News Extra election specials.
Nobody may nominate more than one candidate, and no current member of the RCVS Council or VN Council may make a nomination.
Full details and guidance notes for both elections are available online from the RCVS Council Election page (www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil12) and VN Council Election page (www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil12).
Nomination forms and candidate information forms for RCVS Council may also be requested from Mrs Gabriella Braun (020 7202 0761 or executiveoffice@rcvs.org.uk) and those for VN Council from Mrs Annette Amato (020 7202 0713 or a.amato@rcvs.org.uk).
Six seats on RCVS Council and two on VN Council are due to be filled in the 2012 elections.
Those elected will take their seats on RCVS Day in July, to serve four-year terms, and will be expected to spend at least six to eight days a year attending Council meetings, working parties and subcommittees (a loss-of-earnings allowance is available).
Eurovet Animal Health has launched Thyforon Flavoured (levothyroxine sodium, POM-V), which replaces the company's canine hypothyroid treatment Forthyron.
Eurovet says that Thyforon Flavoured has the same clinical efficacy of Forthyron and veterinary surgeons won't need to make any dose adjustments when transitioning to the new product.
However, Thyforon Flavoured, with its palatable formulation, now offers the benefit of being voluntarily accepted by over 70 per cent of dogs in taste trials1. In addition there is a new 800 mcg formulation which gives more prescribing options, particularly for the treatment of large and giant breeds.Thyforon Flavoured comes as easy-break tablets to make dose adjustment straightforward, in an easy-to-dispense blister pack.
Thyforon Flavoured is available now - the person responsible for placing the practice drug order should just ask for Thyforon Flavoured when placing the next drug order and where appropriate, the practice management system should be updated to reflect the new name.
Reference1. Eurovet Animal Health Internal Study report, acceptance study, November 2011
New research from the USA, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ), has shown that a toxin from the box elder tree is the likely cause of Seasonal Pasture Myopathy (SPM), the US equivalent of the European disease known as Atypical Myopathy (AM).
According to the British Equine Veterinary Association, preliminary comparisons of these results with cases of AM in Europe suggest that the European condition may be linked to similar trees which could have an important bearing on the future prevention of the disease in Europe.
Seasonal Pasture Myopathy is a highly fatal muscle disease in Midwestern USA and Eastern Canada. A similar disorder called Atypical Myopathy is becoming increasingly frequent in the UK and Northern Europe. Outbreaks of both diseases tend to be seasonal, with most cases occurring in the autumn. Horses that develop SPM and AM are usually kept in sparse pastures with an accumulation of dead leaves dead wood and trees in or around the pasture and are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed.
The research1 identified that seeds from box elder trees were consistently present in the autumn pastures of all 12 horses enrolled in the study. These horses were from 11 different farms and had all presented with the clinical signs of SPM, which include muscular weakness and stiffness, dark urine, periods of recumbency, colic-like signs and muscle trembling. The toxic amino acid hypoglycin A, which is known to cause acquired multiple acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) was shown to be present in the box elder seeds and hypoglycin metabolites were identified in the serum or urine of all the horses. All but one of the cases proved fatal.
Professor Valberg DVM PhD of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, who instigated the study, said: "The fact that another acquired form of MADD in rats and humans is caused by hypoglycin A ingestion strengthens our conclusion that hypoglycin A is the likely toxic cause of SPM in horses. We are intending to conduct further studies to determine the factors that affect the highly variable hypoglycin A concentrations in box elder seeds."
Professor Valberg has established collaborative links with groups in Europe in order to investigate if a similar toxin is involved in European Atypical Myopathy. Working with Professor Vince Gerber and Dr Lucia Unger at the University of Bern, Professor Valberg has obtained seeds from a tree related to the Box Elder found on many pastures where Atypical Myopathy has occurred.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "This is a really important step forwards. We don't yet know for sure that the cause of European disease, Atypical Myopathy, is the same as Seasonal Pasture Myopathy in the US. But the clinical signs and MADD aberrations are identical and both conditions have a high fatality rate. It remains to be seen whether this research will help European horses, but there is no doubt that it will allow American horse owners to prevent this devastating condition affecting their horses with immediate effect."
1 Seasonal Pasture Myopathy/Atypical Myopathy in North America associated with Ingestion of Hypoglycin A within Seeds of the Box Elder Tree Stephanie J Valberg DVM PhD1, Beatrice T Sponseller Dr. med. vet2, Adrian D Hegeman PhD3, Jennifer Earing PhD, Jeffery B. Bender DVM MS1, Krishona L Martinson PhD4, Steven E Patterson PhD5, Lawrence Sweetman PhD1
Sheila Wills BSc BVetMed CertSAM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS, specialist in internal medicine, has joined Wey Referrals, the Surrey-based multi-disciplinary veterinary referral practice.
Professor John Innes, Referral Director at CVS (of which Wey Referrals is a part) said: "We are delighted to welcome Sheila to our specialist team at Wey Referrals. Her experience and knowledge will further strengthen the service we offer and her appointment is another important step in the development of our referral team in the South East. Attracting the highest calibre talent is important to CVS because we want to build a referral team, whose members are not only clinically excellent but who also possess first rate communication and inter-personal skills."
Sheila said: "I am excited to be joining the CVS specialist team and look forward to working with like-minded colleagues who are passionate and dedicated to providing the highest level of patient care and client communication. I am delighted to be able to offer a specialist internal medicine service in both feline and canine medicine and look forward to offering a comprehensive service to CVS clients and expanding the internal medicine service further in the future."
Sheila graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1998 and spent five years in small animal practice before undertaking an FAB Residency in Feline Medicine at the University of Bristol.
Shortly after her residency, she was appointed Head of Small Animal Medicine and the Feline Centre at the Animal Health Trust where she was based for two years before moving to a major veterinary laboratory in December 2009. She recently returned to the University of Bristol as a teaching fellow in feline medicine.
Sheila acquired her ECVIM Diploma in Internal Medicine in September 2010 and is a Recognised European Veterinary Specialist in Internal Medicine. She became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine in March 2012 and enjoys all aspects of feline medicine with a specialist interest in feline renal and ureteric disease. She is a member of the ICC Feline Expert Panel and an editorial board member for the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
In 2019, Jennifer Dykes won the ‘All creatures great and small’ category with her picturesque image of a misty UK mountainside and flock of sheep, entitled ‘Conversations at Dawn’.
This year’s award is split into three categories which focus on images that capture the human-animal bond in day-to-day veterinary work, as well as photos of pets or wildlife taken outside of the working environment.
Submissions for each category can be taken on a phone or a high-spec camera, and should take into account responsible animal interaction, and positive animal health and welfare.
The three categories are:
The winner or each category will get £250 worth of John Lewis vouchers and the plan is for the winning images, along with the highly commended entries, to be displayed at BVA Live on 24 – 25 June 2021.
BVA President, James Russell said: “The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year Award is something that we all look forward to, and the incredible array of eye-catching photos taken by people from across the veterinary community never ceases to impress me.
“In view of the current circumstances, we have introduced a new category: ‘A vet’s life in lockdown’, which we hope will produce some interesting documentation of how the profession has fared against a very challenging backdrop, like no other.
“Whether you’re a semi-professional photographer or a casual snapper, we encourage you to enter and showcase your daily interactions with animals either at work or play, or your skill at capturing wildlife at its most beautiful, even if it is in your back garden, or on the windowsill.”
The competition is open to all current BVA members. Membership must be active at the time of entering. It will be judged by BVA officers among others. Entries will close on 8 March 2021 and winners will be announced in April.
For more information and to submit your entry, visit: https://www.bva.co.uk/membership/photo-competition/.
The ‘Midgeater' device introduced by Calor in 2003 to combat biting midges causing irritation to humans, has now been successfully tested by leading scientists as a monitoring device in the fight against bluetongue.
Leading midge scientist Dr Alison Blackwell, who is the Managing Director of University of Edinburgh based Advanced Pest Solutions, presented her company's findings in her keynote speech to the Royal Entomological Society in Belfast on November 19th.
The current method of trapping midges when monitoring the deadly bluetongue virus is a light trap, but Alison and her team have established that a modified Midgeater can be more effective in catching the main midge species that carry the virus.
Alison said: "During trials this year, we found that Calor fuelled Midgeater traps modified with a simple ‘black' light source and fitted with an octenol / ammonia bait, proved to be far more effective at catching the main species of midge known to carry the bluetongue virus than the light traps which are currently used to monitor midge populations in relation to the disease".
Farmers throughout the UK recently commenced a vaccination programme to protect their animals from the only strain of the bluetongue virus that has so far been encountered in the UK, serotype 8, but there is still a real need to carefully monitor biting midge populations, as other strains of the virus are approaching our shores.
Alison added: "In the last few weeks serotype 1 and serotype 6 have been found in Northern Europe and there are currently no vaccines available in the UK for these types of the bluetongue virus, so it is important that we remain vigilant and monitor midges throughout the UK".
Advanced Pest Solutions have tested their modified Midgeater traps in England and Wales. The English, project which was carried out at a specialist bull breeding facility, also included the use of the Barrfly air curtain, from fellow Scottish business Innovent.
Alison explained: "Innovent's air curtain is designed to prevent midges passing through it into sensitive areas. The insects simply aren't strong enough to fly through the air currents it produces.
"The air curtain, combined with the Calor supplied traps and APS's consultancy and analysis creates a comprehensive ‘assess, protect and stop', midge management system that businesses can use to reduce the exposure to the risks of midge borne diseases."
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has embarked upon the most extensive review of its veterinary nursing qualifications for many years, in order to meet the timetable for Ofqual's implementation of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in summer 2010.
The new QCF aims to provide a more user-friendly and flexible system. Under the new arrangements, all qualifications will carry a 'value' in terms of their level and the volume of learning involved. It's a similar system to that used in higher education for a number of years.
The new national awards framework means that NVQs as such will disappear and the process of review opens up the whole qualification structure, allowing for the creation of a more flexible system to suit better the needs of the veterinary nursing profession and employers.
Head of Veterinary Nursing, Libby Earle said: "Future options include potentially placing more of the responsibility for education and basic skills on the colleges, leaving practices to concentrate on providing quality mentorship and work experience, with less emphasis on assessment.
"Consideration will also be given to providing part of VN training and education within full-time further education, which is possible now that the lower age limit for VN students has been dropped."
The College is keen to hear the views of those involved with the delivery of training and employers of qualified nurses. A consultation letter has been sent to those involved and topics on which views are sought include the range and level of knowledge and skills delivered by the current awards, the impact of training on employers of student VNs, meeting the increased demand for qualified VNs, and providing VNs for mixed or equine practices.
Over the summer, evidence-gathering meetings will be held at the RCVS to explore the issues in more depth. Anyone who has not been sent a formal consultation letter and who would like to contribute is very welcome to submit their views. Please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/vnawardsreview for the consultation papers. Comments should be submitted by 30 June 2009.
The review of the RCVS awards will take place alongside Lantra's review of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for VNs: the NOS describe what a person needs to do, know and understand in their job to carry out their role in a consistent and competent way.
A new study published in Equine Veterinary Journal's (EVJ) in partnership with the American Association of Equine Practitioners, has shown that a wireless, inertial sensor-based system can effectively measure a horse's response to a flexion test.
The authors say that opinions on the value of flexion tests in assessing equine lameness have been divided for many years, but their research should turn what has always been regarded as a subjective process into a wholly objective one.
Flexion tests are used routinely in horses with subtle or imperceptible lameness, to exacerbate the problem and make it apparent to the observer. The test involves applying a short period of pressure to the joints of the limb before re-examination, and evaluating any change in gait. However, flexion tests rely on the ability of the observer to identify and interpret changes in the horse's gait and in that respect these tests are subjective and not necessarily consistent between observers.
The research study was conducted by orthopaedic surgeons based at the University of Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine1. A total of 17 healthy adult horses, all in work, were fitted with sensors before being trotted in a straight line. The sensors measured vertical pelvic movement asymmetry for both right and left hind limb strides and the average difference in maximum and minimum pelvic height between right and left hind limb strides. A hind limb was randomly selected for 60 seconds of proximal flexion, after which the horse was trotted for a minimum of 10 strides. Response to the flexion was blindly assessed as negative or positive by an experienced observer.
John Marshall, lecturer in equine surgery at the University of Glasgow, who led the study, said: "A positive response to flexion resulted in significant changes to objective measurements of pelvic symmetry, supporting the use of inertial sensor systems to objectively assess response to flexion tests."
Professor Jim Moore, North American Editor of the EVJ, said: "The introduction of an objective approach to documenting lameness examination will not only help vets and trainers to investigate equine lameness more accurately. It will also serve as an unbiased method of communicating lameness examination findings among vets, trainers, farriers and other professionals."
The next phase of research will be to establish cut-off values for objective assessment of other equine lameness diagnostic procedures, such as nerve blocks.
Reference
AmpliSpec LAB Mastitis uses isothermal amplification technology, which means laboratories can use less expensive equipment.
It also uses the company's lyophilised bead platform, designed to make the test stable and easy to use.
Biotangents says its new test will offer notable cost, speed and accuracy benefits over the traditional culture and PCR testing used by animal health laboratories and veterinary clinics around the world.
CEO Fiona Marshall said: “With 93% sensitivity and 95% specificity, this is a highly sophisticated assay that will help farmers, vets and laboratories to better treat mastitis.
http://www.biotangents.co.uk
The new tool is part of a package that also includes posters and SMS texts to support veterinary practices in raising awareness of gastric ulcers to horse owners.
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a serious and common condition and any type of horse can be at risk.1 EGUS can have a profound impact on a horse’s condition and performance and can be life threatening in foals. It is a challenging condition to diagnose as the clinical signs are often vague and not always present.1
Gastroscopy is the only method currently available for a definitive diagnosis. Of the two types of disease equine squamous gastric disease is graded on a numeric scale with 1 being the least severe and 4 being the most serious. Equine glandular gastric disease can be very varied in terms of location and type so grading this disease on a score system is no longer recommended. Instead it is now usually described in terms of location, severity and appearance.2
The new tool has been designed to help vets to map the area affected by gastric disease and record the details in an accessible format. This information, together with treatment and management recommendations, can be shared easily with the client. Posters explaining gastric ulceration have been designed to help increase awareness and understanding of EGUS amongst horse owners.
Zoetis says effective treatment usually involves a combination of management and medical treatments. UlcerGold is indicated to treat and prevent the recurrence of gastric ulcers in horses, administered once-daily for 28 consecutive days at the full dose of 4mg/kg bodyweight followed by the reduced dose of 1mg/kg bodyweight for a further 28 days.3 It contains omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor that suppresses gastric acid secretion.3,4 One syringe contains enough UlcerGold for a daily dose for a horse weighing up to 700kg. It can be used for foals as young as four weeks of age that weigh over 70kg and for breeding stallions.
Horiba says subclinical hypocalcaemia (SCH) is a significant and under-diagnosed metabolic problem in dairy cattle affecting up to 50% cows annually.
After lactation, total calcium levels in the cows’ blood drop which can lead to sub-optimal health and yield.
The webinar will be presented by James Husband BA, VetMB, DipECBHM, DCHP, MRCVS, who will offer the benefit of his research and experience on the subject.
At the end, there'll be a Q&A session.
During the webinar, Horiba will also introduce its patient-sideLAQUAtwin Ca-11C pocket meter, which measures blood ionised calcium levels fast and is currently on special offer until 30th June 2022.
To register, visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6274625209458361872
Open to all veterinary professionals looking to enhance their knowledge and skills in emergency and critical care, this year's Congress has a lineup of over 30 internationally-renowned speakers and leading clinicians and offers up to 70 hours of CPD.
This year’s keynote speaker is specialist transplant nurse and chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group, Helen Ballantyne, and organisers will also be welcoming veterinary nurse Ken Yagi, formerly program director of the CPR simulation lab at Cornell University, who’ll deliver an update on the new RECOVER (CPR) guidelines being released this year.
Simon Hagley, ECC Specialist and Clinical Director at Vets Now hospital in Manchester said: “We are confident our 2024 programme offers something for everyone, no matter what stage of your ECC career you are at, from students through to specialists and everything in between.
"We listened to delegate feedback from last year’s event, and we have brought back some firm favourites including our ’Controversies’ and ‘Joined Up Thinking sessions’, but we have introduced exciting new streams including 'Catastrophic case conversations'.
“We’ve also we’ve extended the popular nursing streams from last year to span two entire days and lunchtime case presentations from interns across the country are also on the programme.”
https://www.vets-now.com/congress
Polypropylene or plastic-based wipes, which have been industry standard due to their reliable nature and compatibility with biocidal active materials, are due to be banned in the UK, because they take up to 100 years to break down.
Byotrol says its new wipes are made using a plastic-free 100% biodegradable substrate that deteriorates 3 months after disposal.
The company adds that the new wipes are proven to destroy bacteria, yeast, enveloped viruses, and fungi on non-porous surfaces and are effective against animal-specific pathogens such as: Brucella canis, Streptococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Coronaviruses, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes
Jane Kiely, Head of Marketing at Byotrol said: “Launching the Anigene Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes is the final step in removing plastic wet wipes from our portfolio and a significant milestone in Byotrol’s sustainability journey.
"We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainability in the veterinary industry, offering an effective and regulatory-compliant product range that meets the needs of our customers”
Byotrol will be on Stand F18 at the London Vet Show.
https://byotrol.com
Pfizer's Vet Support+ has launched the Practice Management Academy, which offers online training in the key management disciplines required to run a successful veterinary business.
There are twelve courses which cover four key areas of management: financial operations, staff management, client relations and marketing. Participants can choose to study individual courses, a specific area of management, or enrol in the full Practice Management Academy.
The courses are four weeks in length and contribute up to ten hours of CPD learning through a mix of interactive activities, case studies, questions and a student learning forum.
Each course is also allocated a Pfizer Business Consultant to work as an online expert tutor, posing questions and stimulating forum discussion amongst the students.
Pfizer says that the significant cost saving e-learning represents over external CPD is making the Academy a popular choice for all members of the practice team, especially those who may be taking on new management responsibilities or those looking for a refresher. According to the company, one large vet group has already taken twenty places on each of the courses to improve the practice management skills across its extensive team.
Ned Flaxman, Director Business Innovation said: "Using an E-Learning platform is a well-trodden path, ideal for busy individuals wishing to improve or gain new practice management skills without leaving the surgery, or sofa. However, unlike some e-learning which can leave the participant feeling like they are gaining theoretical know-how only, and working in somewhat of a silo, our Academy offers an 'online campus'. This provides a flexible, convenient and supportive training environment for shared theory and practical learning with other colleagues from the veterinary profession under the guidance of e-tutors and experts."
For further details visit http://www.vetsupportplus.co.uk/
Special interest groups on VetSurgeon are areas where discipline-specific news, forum discussions, CPD events and clinical images are curated in one place. They also help members with shared interests connect with each other and interact with experts in the field.
In the Small Animal Medicine Group, I am delighted to welcome two contributing experts. Firstly, Andy Kent from Willows Referral Centre, who is already well-known on VetSurgeon for his helpful, knowledgeable and thoughtful contributions. Secondly, the pharmacist Andrea Tarr who, as the founder of Veterinary Prescriber, is something of a font of knowledge.
All VetSurgeon members with an interest in small animal medicine are warmly invited to come and join the new group. You need to login, navigate to the section here, and press the 'join' button on the left hand side (you may need to rotate your mobile phone to see it). You can also subscribe to a monthly or weekly digest of content added to the section.
Whilst you're there, I'm going to offer a bottle of good wine (ie not any old plonk) to the member who starts the most interesting discussion in the forum over the next couple of weeks. It could be a general topic, or, better yet, an interesting case discussion. If the latter, it doesn't matter how old it is. If you have an interesting case in your personal archives, dig it out and share it!
Don't forget ... sharing content and contributing to the discussion it starts (or indeed just reading content in the group) can count towards your annual CPD requirement. Just click the 'Claim CPD' button at the top of the page and the system will keep a record of the page you were on, the time you spent and how you found it useful.
The Small Animal Medicine Group is the second special interest group launched so far, after the Small Animal Dentistry Group. Watch this space, there are more on the way ...