Porus One contains renaltec, a selective absorber that absorbs the precursors of uraemic toxins in the cat’s intestine that would normally be removed or regulated by healthy kidneys, so that they may be safely excreted in the cat's faeces.
The product is presented as a powder which can be sprinkled on wet cat food, or given with Add One as a treat.
Dechra says it is well-accepted by cats due to its neutral taste and smell.
Add One is a moist and tasty cat treat developed to encourage cats that prefer dry food to eat Porus One.
It is available in two flavours: creamy salmon and tasty liver.
Add One contains omega-3 and a high moisture content to help support kidney health.
It also contains taurine to support a cat’s eyes and heart.
One box of Porus One contains 30 single-dose sachets, each containing 500mg of renaltec.
One box of Add One contains 30 single-dose 10mg sachets.
https://porus-one.com.
Sam Joseph, co-founder of StreetVet said: "It is especially important for the dogs belonging to the homeless and vulnerably housed to be microchipped and not just because it is now a legal requirement, a registered microchip is often the only way for them to provide evidence of keepership."
We are so grateful to Animalcare for providing StreetVet with identichip microchips as we are now able to ensure that all the dogs that we treat are chipped and registered to their owners. Animalcare will also allow free, life-long change of address for microchips implanted by StreetVet meaning the homeless owners can easily change the registration details if they are able to find accommodation or if they move again in the future. This amazing support will give real peace of mind to the owners of the dogs we treat."
James Beaumont from Animalcare Ltd: "Animalcare provides the UK’s most advanced pet microchipping service through identichip, which has led the way for nearly 30 years. I’m pleased that Animalcare can support such a worthy cause, and hope this is the start of a long relationship with StreetVet."
Photo: Jade Statt of StreetVet and James Beaumont of Animalcare Ltd at BSAVA Congress.
Norbrook Laboratories has launched a ready-to-use suspension version of its Cefenil antibiotic.
Cefenil RTU (ceftiofur) is a 50mg/ml suspension for injection, indicated for cattle and swine.
Dr Barry McInerney, Norbrook's GB Veterinary Advisor said: "Cefenil RTU is a broad spectrum injectable antibiotic offering fast and effective treatment of bacterial respiratory disease, foot rot and acute post-partum metritis in cattle as well as bacterial respiratory disease in swine. It offers a zero milk withhold and a 5-day meat withhold which is the shortest on the market."
Norbrook's Cefenil Powder and Solution for Injection has been available for a number of years for the treatment of cattle and swine. It has recently been indicated for the treatment of BRD in horses in the UK. Cefenil RTU will offer vets an additional choice in the treatment of BRD.
Dr McInerney added: "Cefenil is a tried and tested antibiotic which vets have been using for a number of years. We are delighted to extend the Cefenil range with a RTU suspension for cattle and pigs and adding an indication for horses to our Cefenil Powder and Solution for Injection. It gives vets a wider choice for the treatment of BRD with a product with which they are already familiar."
For further product information, visit www.norbrook.com.
Virbac says Michelle is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading experts in companion animal reproductive biology.
She graduated from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, before completing a residency at Cornell University and becoming board-certified in Theriogenology.
She earned a PhD in physiology at Cornell University and is currently a Full Professor at Oregon State University.
Michelle is also a member of the WSAVA Reproduction Control Committee which recently previewed its new Global Guidelines for Reproduction Control during WSAVA Congress in September.
Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Manager at Virbac said: "The UK has the highest rate of surgical castration in Europe, but with new WSAVA global reproduction control guidelines expected to be published imminently, increasing evidence on the effect of surgical castration on long-term health and even the UK’s leading animal welfare charities updating their guidance on neutering dogs, there’s no better time to review practice neutering policies.
"In line with an evidence-based approach, we want to pose the question: is surgical castration right for every dog?"
www.bit.ly/caninecastration
Bovalto Respi vaccines contain a newly developed combination of viral and bacterial antigens. Merial says the recent vaccine isolates effectively target current European-circulating Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) strains. Bovalto antigens are also proven by challenge, including at six months post-vaccination to confirm long-lasting protection.
Henry Berger, Global Head of the Ruminant and Equine Business Unit at Merial, said: "Merial is committed to understanding the needs of cattle producers and delivering unique, targeted solutions. Merial is dedicated to expanding its portfolio of parasiticides, vaccines and other disease prevention solutions, with high-value products like Bovalto Respi, to improve productivity, and keep herds healthy."
Merial highlights that BRD is complex to manage and each year affects an estimated 1.9 million animals1, costing the UK cattle industry around £60 million2. In Ireland BRD is responsible for 30% of deaths in stock under one-year old3.
At a Merial symposium at WBC 2016, Prof. Sandro Cavirani, Director of the Department of Animal Health at the University of Parma, Italy highlighted the importance of successful BRD control programmes in calves to optimise herd immunity and productivity, including early, repeated and targeted BRD vaccination.
Bovalto Respi 3 contains strains of Parainfluenza Virus 3, Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A1. The combination in Bovalto Respi 4 combines the three pathogens in Bovalto Respi 3, with the added strain of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV).
References
505 people took part in the survey in August 2019, of which 85% were receptionists. The remainder were RVNs, VCAs or practice managers with some front desk responsibility.
The survey found that 45% were paid between £8 and £9 per hour, with 9% more falling into this salary bracket than in 2018. 5.32% were paid £8 or less per hour.
The Real Living Wage is a figure calculated from the costs of a basket of household goods and services by the Living Wage Foundation, and voluntarily paid by its 6000-odd member companies in the UK. The Living Wage Foundation argues it is a better measure of what people need to get by on than the Minimum Wage (£7.70 for those aged between 21 and 25) or the National Living Wage (£8.21 for those over 25).
63% of veterinary receptionists said they were unsatisfied with their pay. However, it was not the biggest cause of dissatisfaction uncovered by the survey. 67% were dissatisfied with the recognition of the value of their role, and 69% with the career progression options open to them.
70% of respondents said they would like to do more CPD and that the main benefit would be to clients and patients. However, 43% of receptionists said there is no time allowance set aside for them to complete CPD.
Co-founder of BVRA and Honorary Associate Professor In Veterinary Business, Nottingham University, Brian Faulkner (pictured right) said: "A large part of the client experience is centred around the waiting room and receptionist area and our members work hard to ensure that experience is positive.
"We have an increasing number looking to upskill and the appetite for CPD is clearly there. If we can envisage a scenario where the minimum wage is set at £10.50 an hour, that would mean that around 65% of veterinary receptionists would need a pay increase.
"I don't think any of us believe that veterinary receptionists are currently doing an unskilled job and a key mission of BVRA is to achieve greater recognition of the value they bring to practices, both as colleagues and commercially."
Developed by Nottingham Vet School’s Ruminant Population Health Group, the calculator is an online tool that veterinary surgeons and farmers can use 'in the field' to measure and monitor their prescribing and use of antibiotics in dairy cattle. It is available to download free at: https://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/technical-information/animal-health-welfare/amu-calculator/
The development follows a new study by the Nottingham Vet School showing that, in a large sample of dairy farms, 25% of farms used 50% of the total antibiotics used across all farms in a year – with antibiotic footbaths accounting for the biggest volume dispersed into the food chain. The study is published in the Veterinary Record1.
Senior Clinical Training Scholar and veterinary surgeon Robert Hyde said: "We felt it was crucial to provide the means with which to benchmark antimicrobial usage on farms, so that veterinarians and farmers can begin to monitor, and reduce, their levels of antimicrobial usage in a rational manner.
"Our new study provides the first published research into antimicrobial use in British dairy herds as well as factors associated with high usage. We looked at a sample of 358 dairy farms, over a 12-month period, with the total number of cattle being around 81,000 (7% of dairy cows in England). The survey found that most of the antibiotic use was via injections, which accounted for around 78% of the total antibiotics used or sold to the farms."
"What stood out as particularly surprising was the effects of the use of antibiotics in footbaths for conditions like digital dermatitis. Footbaths for cattle can use phenomenal quantities of antimicrobials, and represent an obvious target for the rapid reduction of antimicrobial usage."
Specialist cattle vet and Clinical Assistant Professor John Remnant from Nottingham Vet School said: “We need to be reducing the use of antibiotics on farms to the lowest level we can, but without failing to treat sick animals and reducing welfare standards. This means preventing disease – an area our research group has worked on for many years. Antibiotic use on UK dairy farms has been falling in recent years, as farmers and vets make efforts to turn towards prevention instead of treatment.
"The government has recently published figures showing the sale of antibiotics for food-producing animals has fallen from 62mg per kg of animal to 45mg per kg in the past two years but this is sales, not usage as we know some of the antibiotic products bought won’t be used. This is why our new study combined with the new online AMU tool is so important in helping farmers and vets instigate a more efficient protocol for the treatment of dairy cattle."
Edward Bailey from the George Veterinary Group in Wiltshire is already using the AMU calculator. He said: "This new tool is proving really useful to compare antimicrobial use between farms. It has helped cut through the confusion of different systems of measurement. It has been easier to effect change being able to display graphically to farmers their critically important antimicrobial usage and how particular patterns of use (e.g. footbath) can hugely affect how they compare with others."
Around 50 veterinary practices have already begun using the AMU calculator but the researchers say that antimicrobial benchmarking needs to happen a national level for the system to have maximum impact on antibiotic use in the cattle sector.
Reference
Now, when you search Google for something which includes the word 'job' or 'jobs', Google presents an easy-to-filter list of local vacancies. You can also search in other locations.
One of the criteria for a job advert to be listed in Google for Jobs is that it must first have appeared on a webpage written with special code which allows the search engine to read the advert correctly.
VetSurgeon Jobs has been upgraded to include this code, and jobs advertised on VetSurgeon.org are now appearing on Google for Jobs.
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "We've known this was coming for some time, so we made sure VetSurgeon Jobs would be ready as soon as Google unveiled the new system.
"It has yet to be seen how widely Google for Jobs will be used by veterinary surgeons looking for a job. Back in the day, you'd have to wait for the latest copy of Vet Times to arrive in the post in order to find a job. Then came the internet, and with it a small handful of job websites worth checking for veterinary vacancies, of which VetSurgeon Jobs is one.
"Now, Google for Jobs provides one-stop search from most of the big players, although not all veterinary job boards are compatible with the new system and notably Indeed is excluded from Google for Jobs search results.
"The question now is whether jobseekers will continue to go directly to their favourite job website, or search Google first. Either way, though, you'll find jobs advertised on VetSurgeon.org!"
What do you think of the new Google for Jobs feature? Comment below.
Somerset-based veterinary wholesaler, Centaur Services has been bought by US veterinary distributor MWI Veterinary Supply Inc.
According to MWI (the letters stand for Millard Wallace Ickes, the name of the company's founder), the transaction is valued at approximately $47 million, consisting of $45 million in cash and $2 million in a note payable in one year.
Jim Cleary, President and Chief Executive Officer of MWI, said: "MWI has positioned itself to continue its growth within the United States and now internationally. Centaur is a high-quality company that will allow us to serve veterinarians in the United Kingdom. We believe that it will be a great partnership and one that will bring further growth opportunities. We welcome the Centaur team to MWI."Paul Gerring, Managing Director of Centaur, commented: "We are looking forward to working with a strong company that has a great reputation in the animal health industry. Our team is excited to develop this relationship and be part of a company with proven success. Both Centaur and MWI are focused on providing high levels of customer service to veterinarians."
RCVS Council agreed, in principle, to the sale of Belgravia House and for the College and its London-based staff to move to different premises at its November meeting.
The sale of the building and the move will be overseen by the College’s Estate Strategy Project Board headed by former RCVS President Barry Johnson and including current and former RCVS Council members and RCVS staff.
The RCVS has been based at its current premises in 62-64 Horseferry Road for 25 years, but says it now needs more up-to-date and modern facilities to accommodate a projected increase in the number of staff.
The College says it has considered a number of alternatives, including expanding the current premises by adding or expanding floors. However, due to the fact that the building is in a conservation area, it has become clear that any such expansions would be unlikely to get planning permission from Westminster Council.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: "For a number of years it has become apparent that it is fast approaching the time at which our current premises will no longer be fit for purpose due to an increase in the number of RCVS staff – something that is projected to continue in the future – the ongoing need to use the building for Disciplinary Hearings, which take over the lion’s share of available meeting space, and the need for better and more modern facilities.
"Even putting our need for increased space on one side, Belgravia House requires major refurbishment in key areas such as air-conditioning and lifts, which would require staff to vacate the premises for up to 18 months, which would be costly and disruptive.
"We are therefore pleased that Council has recognised the need for the College to move somewhere that better reflects our needs and, over the coming months, we will be exploring a number of different options for new premises.
"In parallel to this we have put out an invitation to tender for agents to manage the sale of the building. The plan is for the arrangement to include lease-back so that we have time to find a suitable premises and enabling us to act quickly when we do."
Any organisations that are interested in putting forward a tender to manage the sale of the building should contact Corrie McCann, RCVS Director of Operations, on 020 7202 0724. Responses to tender are required by 30 November 2018.
Photo: Copyright Google 2018
Kruuse has launched the Buster Premium Dog Collar, described as the greatest innovation in Elizabethan dog collars since the original.
The company says the new collar has been designed with two things in mind. First and foremost, patient comfort. Secondly, ease-of-use. Both should help improve compliance.
The new product uses perforated neoprene to provide a snug fit round the neck with no need to attach a separate collar. It's fastened using Velcro, to give a quick but secure fitting. There's padded banding around the inner edge to provides extra comfort and prevent skin irritation, and additional banding around the outer edge to protect the dog's surroundings.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director at Kruuse said: "Worldwide, the Buster collar is the most trusted device to prevent canine patients from biting or licking their body or scratching their head and neck while wounds or injuries heal. The functionality of an e-collar is outstanding when it comes to postoperative care and prevention of self-inflicted trauma.
"The new Buster Premium Collar has been developed in association with vets, vet nurses and dog owners to provide an exceptional collar that is as stress-free as possible for the patient whilst providing exceptional functionality for the user both at the veterinary hospital and at home."
The Premium Buster Collar is available exclusively via NVS: www.vetwholesaler.co.uk
Merial has launched the latest edition of its Osteoarthritis (OA) Expert series, covering key aspects of management such acute OA flare up.
Produced by Steven J Butterworth MA VetMB CertVR DSAO MRCVS from Weighbridge Referral Centre Swansea, the update advises on key issues, including when surgery might be necessary. Steven is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) and this latest contribution to the guide also looks at patient monitoring and factors such as lifestyle, diet, physiotherapy and the role of NSAIDs.
Previcox product manager Claire Edmunds said: "The quarterly updates are each written by an expert in their field and provide an opportunity for practising vets to update their OA expertise.
"As with every update vets can put their knowledge to the test, and one lucky winner will receive £500 worth of CPD vouchers. Released quarterly, the updates have proved extremely popular. Each paper has a related quiz containing key questions from the discussion and the winner will be the first correct entry drawn at random."
The company will produce further editions next year covering topics including conservative management of canine osteoarthritis and rehabilitation.
If you haven't received a manual and would like a copy, please contact your local Merial territory manager or call the customer hotline on 0870 6000 123.
On 23rd October, Dr Hannah Capon MA Vet MB MRCVS will present 'OA management: more than just drugs', in which she will consider how best to manage canine osteoarthritis in first opinion practice and offer practical tips on how veterinary surgeons and nurses can help owners manage the condition better.
On 6th November, Dr Zoe Belshaw MA Vet MB PhD Cert SAM Dip ECVIM-CA AFHEA MRCVS (pictured right) will present 'Increasing compliance in OA treatment', during which she will discuss some of the reasons behind poor compliance and strategies to improve compliance by owners of dogs with osteoarthritis.
Forte Healthcare’s head of technical services and marketing, Dr Lucy Chadwick said: "We are delighted to have two well-recognised experts to deliver these webinars and we’ve made sure that they will be as equally relevant for vet nurses as they are for practising vets.
"For anyone who cannot join the live screenings, the webinars will be made available to watch on demand for a limited time after they are shown."
To register for the webinars, visit: www.fortehealthcare.com/oa-2018
Both veterinary professionals and clients can nominate people and practices for one of five awards.
Every professional nominated in the awards will be sent a personalised certificate.
An independent panel of judges from within the veterinary industry will then narrow down the entries to a shortlist of three finalists for each award, who will all be invited to awards ceremony in Manchester on Thursday 21st March 2024.
Bella von Mesterhazy, Sales and Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “Every year we think we’ve seen it all, but then we’re overjoyed by the sheer volume of and enthusiasm behind the latest nominations.
"So for anyone who’s considered nominating before but hasn’t got round to it, this year’s the time to get involved, as we all come together to champion the immense success of the UK’s veterinary industry, whilst celebrating the awards quarter-century anniversary.”
petplan.co.uk/vetawards
Nominations close on 8th January 2024.
Veteran campaigner and RCVS Councillor Danny Chambers MRCVS (pictured right) has started a petition to George Eustice on change.org that: Future trade deals must not compromise animal welfare and public health.
The petition has gathered an impressive 21,984 signatures, of which Danny says that more than 500 are from veterinary surgeons.
Meanwhile VetPartners is calling on the retail and food service sector to give priority to British produce, even if future trade deals enable the import of foods produced to lower standards.
Ian Cure, farm director at VetPartners, is contacting the UK’s main retailers to discuss how they can support British farmers in the months and years to come. He has the backing of the clinical directors at each of the 28 farm or mixed practices within the group, which collectively look after the health and welfare of over 30% of the UK’s dairy population and 45% of the pig population.
“We are asking retailers to prioritise a range of Red Tractor certified produce at varying prices, while avoiding designating shelf space to imports of a lower quality. Likewise, the food service sector can choose to source from UK food supply chains.
“These sectors have a high level of influence, as consumers will pick from what is clearly available, which is why we see it as the best way to support our farmers.
“We are incredibly concerned about how the higher welfare and production standards in UK agriculture will be protected long term, given that MPs failed to enshrine that protection in law when voting against the recent amendment to the Agriculture Bill last month.
“Future trade deals to allow the import of cheap food from countries outside of the EU would be a step in the wrong direction, as our farmers will not be competing on an even playing field as they attempt to compete with countries with lower costs of production.”
However, Ian adds that this is not just a welfare issue: "If the UK livestock sector is forced to adopt practices that are frowned upon in Europe to compete, such as the American applications of hormone growth treatments and chlorinated chicken, we would be severely risking our local, lucrative European export market.
“While trade with countries such as the USA and Australia may have benefits from an economical perspective, the carbon emissions associated with longer distance transport of food is a real concern.
“We see it as imperative that higher welfare standards are maintained, while reducing the carbon footprint of our food supply – it's the right, sustainable thing to do. As MPs have let down the sector, we are now calling on retailers and the food service industry to back UK farming."
The company has created a new waiting room board kit as a way for veterinary staff to remind owners of the importance of prompt diagnosis and management of dental disease.
Animalcare has also created a Pet Dental Health Month social media pack with content practices can use on their social media channels.
During the month, the company will be offering dental CPD and prizes for the most creative and engaging waiting room displays.
Will Peel, Animalcare Marketing Manager said: "According to the RVC's VetCompass data, periodontitis is the most common disease seen in cats and dogs however, it can often be difficult to identify and pet owners can often disregard the signs of dental problems, assuming that their pet’s bad breath is normal.
‘Our popular Lunch and Learn sessions have demonstrated to us that veterinary staff recognise the importance of raising dental health awareness, so we’ve created this range of materials specifically to support veterinary practices and their patients.’
The article looks at the practice, rationale and motivation for raw feeding before evaluating the existing evidence on both the benefits and risks of such diets.
The recent trend away from heat-treated, manufactured pet food for dogs and cats towards raw diets has been driven by suspicion of the former and perceived health benefits of the latter.
However, feeding raw diets, even commercially-prepared ones, does have risks: a recent paper described 13 cats in the UK that appeared to have been infected by Mycobacterium bovis2 by feeding Natural Instinct Wild Venison, a commercial raw mince for cats.
The leader of the investigation, Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore from the University of Edinburgh said: "Feeding raw food was the only conceivable route of infection in most cases; this outbreak of tuberculosis has now affected more than 90 individuals in over 30 different locations, with more than 50 of the cats developing clinical disease."
One of the authors of the review, Dr Andrew Wales, said: "Formal evidence does exist for claims by raw‐feeding proponents of an altered intestinal microbiome and (subjectively) improved stool quality. However, there is currently neither robust evidence nor identified plausible mechanisms for many of the wide range of other claimed benefits.
"There are documented risks associated with raw feeding, principally malnutrition (inexpert formulation and testing of diets) and infection affecting pets and/or household members. Salmonella has been consistently found and there is also a risk of introducing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria."
The full review article can be found in the June issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13000
Vétoquinol has released the results of a survey of 1000 dog owners, which looked into their attitudes towards long-term medication for their pet1.
Owners were asked to rate how important various factors were to them when it came to giving medicine long term to their dog. They were also asked to consider what they felt was most important to their vet when it came to choosing a medicine.
Vétoquinol says the fact that dog owners rate the effectiveness of a medication much more highly than the cost means there is very little reason to compromise on treatment based on a presumption of what clients will want to pay. These findings are also largely very positive in that they suggest that dog owners believe that in many areas vets are making decisions based on criteria that are important to owners. The area where there is the greatest mismatch is over the risk of side effects of medication.
Pet owners think that vets may take the risk of side effects from long-term medications less seriously than the owners themselves might prefer. It suggests that the risk of potential harm, no matter how small the risk of actual harm is, may be more unacceptable to the dog owner than vets and nurses might otherwise presume. When prescribing long-term medication there is a need to talk about the risks associated with medication more openly and to take the client's attitudes to risk into consideration.
1. A survey of 1048 dog owners, carried out by petbuzz, on behalf of Vétoquinol, March 2011
If you buy 12 bags from the listed Veterinary Care Nutrition and Satiety Range, you'll get three outers of feline wet food free. Order a minimum of 12 bags and you'll also get a free standing display unit, twelve 50th Anniversary tins and a 50th Anniversary promotional pack. If you buy another eight bags from the listed Canine and Feline Veterinary Care Nutrition and Clinical range, you'll get one box of 12 Anniversary Tins free.
The 50th anniversary promotion pack includes bunting, a window cling, bag stickers and posters.
Erin Biss, Marketing Executive at Royal Canin, said: "50 years on, we continue to put science at the heart of everything we do. From our specially developed diets, to investment in education, supporting important research projects and collaborating with the UK’s universities. We hope vet practices around the UK will join us in celebrating this milestone.”
For more information about Royal Canin's 50th anniversary offer, speak to your Veterinary Business Manager.
Vetoquinol is launching Cimalgex, a new NSAID for dogs this month.
Cimalgex (cimicoxib) is a new second generation COX-2 inhibitor which can be used for the treatment of pain and inflammation due to osteoarthritis and the management of peri-operative pain associated with orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, for which it can be given two hours before surgery and continued for 3-7 days post surgery.
Vetoquinol says that an important consideration in treating dogs with osteoarthritis, many of which are geriatric, is that there are no contraindications to using Cimalgex in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment.
According to the company, field trials showed that over 90 per cent of per owners and vets identified that animals experienced excellent analgesia post operatively*.
Available in a chewable, splitable tablet, Cimalgex can be given with or without food.
Vetoquinol says that the excellent tolerability, efficacy profile and ease of use of Cimalgex means that veterinary patients could benefit from pain relief in situations where clinicians are worried about the risks versus the benefits of prescribing a NSAID for pain management.
Further information about assessing pain and decision making when it comes to prescribing NSAIDs, will be presented in a free webinar on 19th October at 8.30pm. To register go to www.thewebinarvet.com/vetoquinol and enter code CIM1.
Reference*E. Grandemange: Field evaluation of the efficacy and the safety of cimicoxib in the relief of peri-operative pain in dogs; 2008, study number n°3008C2F1
According to the company, a similar percentage of respondents believe that senior cats would benefit clinically if they monitored blood pressure routinely in their senior years, and nearly 85% said that anti-hypertensive medication would increase the quality of life for their patients.
Time constraints were cited as the main barrier to routinely measuring blood pressure, but all of those questioned would be happy for a trained RVN to measure blood pressure in cats.
Ceva highlights studies which show show that hypertension affects one in eight cats over nine years old3, with the risk increasing as cats age or if they have other conditions such as chronic kidney disease (where one in three cats suffer with hypertension) or overactive thyroid disease (where an estimated one in four cats suffer with hypertension)4, 5, 6.
Rosanne Jepson, specialist in small animal internal medicine at the Royal Veterinary College said: "High blood pressure can cause severe damage to key body organs including the eyes, kidneys, heart and brain. Unfortunately, it is a condition that develops insidiously without early warning signs for the cat owner; a cat may seem perfectly fine until either the blood pressure is checked, or serious consequences of hypertension suddenly occur."
With this in mind, Ceva says it will host the first Feline Hypertension Month this May, to raise awareness of hypertension and improve the detection and management of high blood pressure in cats.
The company is also encouraging practices to take part in the 'Mercury Challenge', a study it is launching in the summer which will, it says, be the largest-ever European study into feline hypertension.
For information on feline hypertension, Feline Hypertension Month or the Mercury Challenge, contact your local Ceva Animal Health account manager.
Tim Harrison, managing director at White Cross Vets, said: "Our plan has been to open five new practices within a 12 month period and despite having a strong presence in West Yorkshire we didn’t have a practice in South Yorkshire. When we found out Dave wanted to move to Sheffield it made perfect sense for us to expand into the area and for him to lead the practice as clinic director.
"Dave is a hugely talented and compassionate professional and we certainly didn’t want to lose him. The Handsworth opening is the perfect fit for Dave who will lead a team of four. As the practice expands, we envisage that we will create a further 20 jobs over the next five years.”
White Cross says it has invested £250,000 in the practice, which is opening on the site of a former sausage factory which has recently been redeveloped at a cost of £1.1M.
Dave said: "I was so thrilled when Tim told me his plans for Sheffield. I love the area and my wife’s family have grown up there, I have been wanting to set up a long term family home for a while, and the fact that I have been able to move my young family to South Yorkshire, and still work for White Cross Vets, makes me really happy."
For the study1, treatment and outcomes of ureter injuries due to ovariohysterectomy complications in cats and dogs was undertaken at the Royal Veterinary College. A retrospective case series of cats and dogs with ureteric injuries resulting from ovariohysterectomy was obtained from patient records at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. Fourteen female cats and five female dogs were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to report presenting clinical signs, clinical pathology, treatment and outcomes.
Professor Vicky Lipscomb, lead author of the paper, said “Presenting clinical signs of ureter injury following neutering in this study were non-specific, such as anorexia, vomiting and lethargy. Importantly, the clinical signs consistently developed immediately or shortly after surgery in the majority of animals. Therefore, the appearance of one or more clinical signs following neutering should raise suspicion of a neutering complication.
"The overall outcome for the 19 animals was excellent in 13 (68%), good in one (5%), fair in one (5%) and poor in four (22%). Ureteroneocystostomy (ureteral re-implantation) is preferred to ureteronephrectomy (removal of kidney and ureter) to preserve renal function and is usually a requirement for bilateral ureteric injuries but carries a high complication rate resulting in additional surgery, albeit often with an excellent final outcome.”
Nick Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: “Ovariohysterectomy is a common surgical procedure in cats and dogs, but the procedure carries a (low) risk of injury to one or both ureters due to the close proximity of the female reproductive tract and the ureters. This research highlights the need for vigilance regarding clinical signs following neutering but demonstrates that surgical treatment of ureteric injuries can have good patient outcome."
The full article can be found in the March issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13100
Photo: Luisa Dormer BSAVA
Axiom Veterinary Laboratories has launched SLIT - sublingual immunotherapy treatment - for allergies in cats, dogs and horses.
According to the company, sublingual immunotherapy has been shown to be safe and effective in humans for over 20 years and a recent study has shown it to be a beneficial alternative way of administering immunotherapy to cats, dogs and horses, proving particularly effective in treating animals that failed to respond to allergy shots.
Patients can convert from shots to drops with an initial treatment kit.
Martyn Carpenter, Director of Axiom Laboratories Ltd, said: "Each ACTT Allergy Drop prescription is a custom formulation containing the specific allergens that are causing the pet's discomfort. Allergy drops are prepared in a glycerin solution to provide antigen stability, and have a slightly sweet taste, which assists in palatability and ease of administration. This method greatly reduces irritation and the likelihood of anaphylactic shock and can be administered easily at home by the client, freeing up consult slots and removing the stress which accompanies a visit to the surgery for many pets. This can be a particularly suitable alternative for those clients on a restricted budget, for whom on-going consult and injecting fees can be prohibitive to compliance with immunotherapy treatment. "
For more information, contact Axiom's Diagnostic Support Team on 01626 355655
The Pets at Home Vets Group has joined forces with the National Trust to help raise awareness of pet safety during the summer, for its latest marketing push.
The campaign will see veterinary surgeons and nurses from Vets4Pets and Companion Care practices touring the country hosting 'Out & About' roadshows at National Trust venues across England and Northern Ireland, from July through to September.
Huw Stacey, Head of Clinical services & Veterinary surgeon said: "The summer period presents a number of hazards for pets and we're holding the 'Out & About' roadshow to meet as many pet owners as we can to help raise awareness about how you can help keep pets happy and healthy over the summer. Visitors to the roadshow will have the opportunity to speak face-to-face with vets and nurses from their local Vets4Pets or Companion Care practice.
They'll be providing practical advice on everything from avoiding heat stroke and dehydration, to being aware of poisoning hazards such as wet creosote on garden fences and the dangers associated with taking dogs to the beach such as jellyfish stings and cuts from broken glass. We've teamed up with the National Trust as they have some excellent dog-friendly venues and are a great place for pet owners to get out and about with their dogs over the summer."
Dr Rod Hebden, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the National Trust said: "The National Trust has got hundreds of dog-friendly places to visit in the coast and countryside, and many of our gardens and parks welcome dogs on leads, so we are delighted to be working with Vets4Pets and Companion Care to help our visitors keep their pets healthy and happy this summer. Lots of our 4 million members are pet owners, so our partnership with Britain's largest veterinary group provides them with access to great tips and advice from Vets4Pets animal-loving experts, which is really relevant to our supporters."
The Out & About campaign has a dedicated website www.petslovesummer.co.uk where pet owners can search for their nearest event venue as well as watch short videos with help and advice on how to keep pets safe and healthy throughout the summer.