The guidance was written by Hany Elsheikha, Head of the European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP).
For a copy of the bulletin, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or call Customer Support on 0345 300 8034.
HMRC has published advice concerning the forthcoming increase in the rate of VAT, from 17.5% to 20% on Tuesday 4th January 2011.
From 4th January, you will need to charge the new 20% VAT rate on all standard-rated sales you make and all retail takings your receive.
The new VAT fraction for the 20 per cent rate is 1/6 (used to calculate the VAT element of standard-rated gross takings).
If your business issues VAT invoices, you must use the new 20 per cent rate for all VAT invoices you issue on or after 4 January, which are issued within 14 days (or longer period that has been agreed with HMRC) of you providing the goods or services.
Supplies that span the rate changeIf you supply goods or services before 4 January 2011, but issue a VAT invoice on or after that date, you can choose to charge VAT at 17.5 per cent.
Continuous supplies of servicesFor a contract that started before 4 January you can choose to charge the old rate, 17.5 per cent, on services actually performed before 4 January, and the new rate of 20 per cent on the value of services actually performed after.
Reclaiming VATFrom 4 January 2011, you may receive VAT invoices with the new 20 per cent rate, as well as VAT invoices with the old 17.5 per cent rate for goods or services you bought before the rate changed. In such cases, you should claim back VAT at the rate shown on the invoice.
Completing a VAT returnThe deadlines for submitting VAT returns remain the same, so you should continue to submit VAT returns in the usual way - whether you send them monthly, quarterly or annually. For returns that span the change in rate, you will need to add together both the VAT on sales charged at 17.5 per cent and those charged at 20 per cent. You then put this total in box 1 of your VAT return.
Countering arrangements designed to take advantage of the VAT rate changeIn order to counter businesses taking advantage of the VAT rate change by making arrangements that aim to apply the 17.5 per cent VAT rate to goods or services to be delivered or performed on or after 4 January 2011, anti-forestalling legislation has been introduced. Further details of this can be found in the web link below.
Further informationHMRC has published detailed guidance on the rate change, which can be found at www.businesslink.gov.uk/vatratechange/.
Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advocate, has announced that it will be running its 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign in April.
The company says the campaign aims to help raise awareness of Angiostrongylus vasorum amongst dog owners and support the veterinary practice as a source of further information. The initiative will be backed by a national TV and print advertising campaign. Media vet Joe Inglis will also be supporting the initiative and will be talking about Angiostrongylus vasorum during a series of radio and web broadcasts.
Bayer has produced new support materials, including an updated lungworm PR pack. The materials are designed to allow veterinary practices to educate owners on the disease, whilst helping to raise the profile of the practice in the local community.
Meanwhile, the research carried out by the company has revealed some interesting insights into dog owners' understanding of lungworm.
Despite awareness being fairly high with nearly half of owners claiming to know about the condition, 84% of this group did not know any of the clinical signs associated with the infection, while only 60% were aware that the disease could be fatal if left untreated. Understanding of how dogs become infected was also relatively low with only 24% of owners recognising the role of slugs and snails as the intermediate host for the parasite. As well as playing a vital role in alerting owners to the emergence of the disease, the veterinary practice was cited as the primary source of information that owners would refer to if they needed advice on treating this parasite.
Eric Morgan from the University of Bristol said: "Angiostrongylus vasorum appears to be continuing its spread to new locations in the UK. It is therefore important that dog owners are educated on the infection and the signs to look out for, to enable them to seek treatment before it is too late."
For further details, or to order the new practice materials, please contact your Bayer representative or ring 0845 2574798 quoting 'Be Lungworm Aware'.
Ceva Animal Health has introduced Cevazuril, a toltrazuril-based oral solution for the control of diarrhoea in sucking pigs. Cevazuril is a one-dose treatment that comes in two pack sizes, both with dosing pumps, for convenient administration to large or small herds.
Ceva says newborn sucking piglets are especially sensitive to coccidiosis and infection may result in lost daily gain of almost 2kg in the first 28 days, due to diarrhoea. The control of coccidiosis using toltrazuril prevents damage to the intestinal mucosa caused by the developmental stages of Isospora suis, helping to preserve digestive function and maintain optimal growth rate.
Toltrazuril is absorbed very slowly in the intestine for longer-lasting action. It works on all intracellular developmental stages of coccidia and reduces oocyst production, even if administered after the appearance of the first oocysts in the faeces of the host.
According to the company, extensive trials showed that three day old piglets treated with toltazuril at 20mg/kg gained 801 grams at weaning and 1601 grams by the end of the post-weaning period compared to control pigs.
Cevazuril is available in a 250ml pack with a pump or a one litre pack with a multi-dose injector. It complements Ceva's swine portfolio which includes the antimicrobials Cevaxel, Coliscour, Florkem, Marbox, Spectam Scourhalt and Tiamvet.
For further product information contact Ceva Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG, telephone 01494 781510 or visit the website at www.ceva.uk.com
The BSAVA has announced that Nottingham Trent University will be the accrediting body for the new Postgraduate Surgery and Medicine Certificates being launched in January 2012.
BSAVA says the planning for this new education initiative has been exhaustive, ensuring that the needs of the profession and the individual vet can be met by a provider with an excellent legacy in veterinary education. And also, an organisation with a genuine interest in seeing the highest scientific standards are matched by a relevant, cost-effective, and accessible programme that fits with life in practice today. To that end, finding the right validation partner was a crucial part of the planning.
Dr Frances Barr, BSAVA Academic Director, said: "This is an exciting new venture in postgraduate CPD, and will ultimately lead to qualifications which are achievable for those in practice and directly relates to their experience. Yet of course, these qualifications must remain challenging enough to merit the respect of the profession and meet the standards of the clinical excellence we all want to see.
"We are confident that BSAVA is the provider to deliver just this, but finding the right partner to validate the programmes was especially important. We want to know that we can move forward with the support and backing of an accrediting body that encourages academic excellence and at the same time understands the need to remain relevant and engaging to busy professionals."
These new qualifications are primarily aimed at veterinary surgeons in small animal practice, who have a particular interest in small animal medicine or surgery. So busy professionals is exactly who they are designed for. This appeals particularly to BSAVA President Andrew Ash, who as well as running the Association heads a six site practice in Sussex. He said: "As an employer I see more and more people who want some recognition for the time they spend fulfilling their professional CPD requirement - and with these discipline-based certificates I can see a way that at any point in your career you can now be rewarded with not only a greater breadth of knowledge and confidence, but with a certificate to show for your efforts.
"I am a great advocate of continual education, and having made a commitment to postgraduate study myself in the past I know how important supported learning is, and how essential it is to have an environment that both acknowledges your other commitments and gives you the support to achieve your ambitions. We are determined to do that.
"Of course I am delighted that this is being launched in my year as President. I am even more delighted that we have Frances Barr to lead this - her experience and enthusiasm is as impressive in this role as it was when she was BSAVA president".
Gill Richards, Director of Professional Development at Nottingham Trent chaired the validation visit at Woodrow House. She said: "Nottingham Trent is especially interested in working with professions in this way to help ensure the quality of provision on postgraduate education for people at all stages of their careers. It was our pleasure to confirm validation today and we look forward to working with the team at BSAVA. It is unusual for anyone to receive the number of commendations that were made today, and what has impressed us most about BSAVA is the impressive quality of the teaching team and materials, and the innovative response to meeting a national demand for a course of this quality".
Enrolment will opening October. The courses will be limited to 30 in each programme. Anyone interested in enrolling for one of these certificate programmes can email academicdirector@bsasva.com or call 01452 726700.
The National Office of Animal Health has completed its annual review of its Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines, and a number of changes will come into effect on 1st July 2011.
One change spells out the way antimicrobial medicines are promoted to farmers, with a firm emphasis on correct use and education.
Advertisers will be required to describe the condition the product is aiming to treat, and to promote an understanding of the treatment of the disease.
The phrase "use medicines responsibly" will always be included in text, making the voluntary strapline introduced in 2009 a formal part of the NOAH Code. As with all promotions to people other than prescribers, farmers will always be reminded to consult their veterinary surgeon.
Advertising text will always state clearly the name of the company and the brand being promoted, and promotion must not be designed to disguise its real nature.
Withdrawal periods for products will be stated, but these must not be unduly prominent and not in a font size greater than the body copy containing recommended dosage and species description.
The changes were proposed by NOAH within its formal response to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's consultation on the Veterinary Medicines Regulation 2010. The Minister decided in December 2010 to continue to allow the advertising of antimicrobial veterinary products to farmers.
Phil Sketchley, NOAH Chief Executive, said: "Whilst welcoming the Government's decision in December not to further restrict the advertising of animal medicines, we feel that the industry should take a proactive role to ensure the system works properly. We believe it is important for farmers, who are legally responsible for the health and welfare of their animals and the food produced from them, to be aware of the medicines that are available to protect the health of their animals, and at the same time we want them to know that these medicines must be prescribed and used responsibly.
"The issue of antimicrobial resistance is one that affects us all. The way to promote best practice is through education by maintaining all lines of communication between farmers, vets, scientists and animal medicine producers.
"Antibiotics are essential for maintaining the health and welfare of all animals, but like any medicine they need to be used responsibly in order to maintain their effectiveness, and their availability for future generations."
The research, led by the Royal Veterinary College in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and Nottingham Trent University, also revealed that 66% of owners would recommend their flat-faced breed to others.
Although previous RVC studies found that owners are initially attracted to brachycephalic breeds due to their distinctive appearance, this latest study has revealed that behaviour traits are a core component of why owners ‘love’ their breed and would recommend them to others; essentially, owners come for the looks, but stay for the personality.
In order to gain a deeper understanding of these views, the study, which included over 2,000 owners of Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs, asked owners to describe which aspects of their current breed they would or would not recommend in their own words.
The main reasons for owners recommending their breed included:
Conversely, aspects of their breed that owners would not recommend included:
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the Royal Veterinary College and leader of the study, said: "With a multitude of stakeholders trying to tackle the current brachycephalic boom in the UK, our results are of real concern to these efforts. Understanding how breed loyalty develops towards brachycephalic breeds, and whether it can be changed once established, is key to reducing the popularity of short-muzzled breeds. If first time owners of flat-faced dogs choose these breeds for the rest of their lives, then the current crisis could continue for decades.
"Although strong focus has been placed upon dissuading new puppy buyers from purchasing brachycephalic breeds, as they are now some of the most popular breeds in the UK, attention should also be turned to current owners. Priority should be given to developing evidence-based strategies to help these owners consider lower risk, healthier breeds when acquiring future dogs. Our novel findings start this process by highlighting the key behavioural characteristics that this owner group value."
During June, Vets Now’s 1300 employees up and down the country will focus on activities which make them feel happy and supported at work including; Feelgood Friday which inspires lunchtime yoga sessions and taking time to unwind, Workout Wednesday which will see teams across the country taking 10,000 steps, and encouraging colleague picnics outside on National Picnic Day (18th June).
The company has also enlisted the help of nutritionist Lily Soutter (pictured right), a regular on ITV’s This Morning, to devise healthy and quick recipes for busy shift-working vets and vet nurses.
Laura Black, Vets Now’s head of health, safety and wellbeing said: "The issue of mental health is more prevalent than ever in the veterinary profession and we recognise that out-of-hours work, in particular, can present its challenges.
"That’s why, as an organisation, health and wellbeing is one of our key priorities. So whilst our Wellness Month has some fun elements, the overall goal is to make sure our teams feel they are supported at work."
The deal includes an option for the College to lease the building for up to two years to give it time to consider its options for the future, and how they may have changed as a result of the pandemic.
The decision to sell the property was made back in November 2018, when Council decided that the building was rapidly becoming unfit for purpose and the College needed more up-to-date and modern facilities with more room for a growing workforce. The College’s Estates Strategy Project Board was tasked with managing the process, chaired by former RCVS President Barry Johnson.
RCVS Treasurer Susan Dawson said: “Council recognised that this deal realised maximum value for the building, especially considering the impact the pandemic has had on property prices in Central London.
“It also provides a very valuable opportunity to reflect on the changing needs of the organisation and the professions and public it serves, and to consider the requirements and different working patterns of the College staff going forwards.
“It is likely that many staff members will wish to continue to work at home more than they did pre-Covid, so the need for pure desk-space may not be as great as we had planned for the 10-15 years ahead. However, the importance of in-person meetings for collaboration, creativity and the maintenance of good corporate culture is not to be underestimated, so our new requirements are likely to be different to that anticipated back in 2018.”
The College says it expects to welcome limited numbers of staff back to the office in June, to work in a socially distanced way, including virtual or partly-virtual meetings.
Changes to working patterns over the coming months will also help inform decisions around future remote working policies and the type and size of building that will best suit the future needs of the College and its workforce.
The first meeting takes place on Thursday 27th May from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. It will look at how veterinary practices have had to work differently and adapt to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Chris Tufnell, RCVS Council Member and Innovation Lead (pictured right), will be chairing the session. He said: “In the past 15 months we have been in innovation overdrive, adapting at a unprecedented pace to transform how we work, serve our clients and patients, and continue to function as veterinary businesses in less-than-ideal circumstances.
"This event is an opportunity to take a step back, look at what has happened, how we have changed and consider what aspects of these changes we might carry over when we return to near normal working conditions.
"For those who join us, we would like to know what kind of innovation solutions you and your colleagues have developed, and share your stories and ideas to help and inspire others.”
Joining Chris on the panel will be a selection of veterinary professionals who will share their own experience of how they have had to adapt the way they work during the pandemic. Participants include Anita Patel, an RCVS-recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, who runs her own dermatology referral service, and Richard Artingstall, Clinical Director of Vale Referrals in Gloucestershire.
The event, which will feature short presentations followed by a reflective discussion, is free to attend and can be signed up to via its Eventbrite page at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152857028487
More meetings are planned for later in the year:
If you have any questions about the sessions or would like to take part as a speaker, email the ViVet Manager, Sophie Rogers on s.rogers@rcvs.org.uk or info@vivet.org.uk
Formerly known as BSAVA’s Scottish Congress, Alba delegates will be treated to 28 lectures, four practicals, ten hours of CPD and a commercial exhibition.
There are three lecture streams: one for vets, another for vet nurses and another open to all.
Highlights include ‘Echocardiology’ with Kieran Borgeat, ‘Dermatology: What can nurses do?’ with Sue Paterson, and ‘Wildlife Triage’ with Jenna Richardson.
The practical sessions are open to all and include sampling techniques, suturing and a ferret clinical exam.
There's a gala dinner on Friday 16th from 7:30pm, starting with a drinks reception, followed by dinner and entertainment in the evening, with a live band and ceilidh dancing.
Angela McLaughlin, Scottish Regional Chair at the BSAVA said: “We are delighted that we are returning to Scotland after three years away as this is a great event that allows vets and nurses the opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge, while visiting an idyllic part of the country!”
For BSAVA members, tickets cost £240 +VAT for vets, £165 +VAT for veterinary nurses, and £65 +VAT for students.
Day tickets and non-member tickets are also available.
There's an additional fee of £10 +VAT for all practical sessions.
Tickets for the gala dinner are £35 for delegates and £55 for guests.
If you are looking for somewhere to stay, BSAVA’s hotel booking partner, BCD Meetings & Events, can help.
www.bsavaevents.com/bsavaalba2022
76 vets, 34 nurses and 7 other practice staff took part in the survey, which was conducted at the VetsNow ECC Virtual Congress. Participants were asked a number of questions on antibiotic resistance and UTI management.
47% of vets said they currently feel confident prescribing antibiotics for suspected UTIs in the absence of culture and sensitivity results. However, 84% would be confident if they were able to use a rapid in-house sensitivity test.
77% of the participants said they were concerned about the increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
Rachel Kirkby MRCVS, Business Development Director, said: "Antibiotic resistance is a huge threat to both human and animal healthcare across the world. We all need to work together to address it, and at Test and Treat we want to make it easier for vets in practice to do their bit by prescribing antibiotics according to best practice."
Test and Treat says the problem is that while many vets are keen to tackle resistance, it is not always easy to avoid empirical prescribing in practice. Of the vets surveyed, 65% reported that they are typically not able to obtain an accurate clinical diagnosis prior to prescribing antimicrobial therapy.
Rachel said: “It can be frustrating for vets to have to prescribe empirically when they don’t have any information on antibiotic sensitivity. But logistical constraints often mean that it’s not practical to send samples off to the lab.”
Test and Treat's U-Treat system consists of two rapid tests: a 5-minute assay that can confirm the presence of infection and a 30-minute assay that evaluates antibiotic sensitivity. With this diagnostic tool, vets can therefore select and prescribe the most appropriate antibiotic within an hour.
Rachel said: "Since you get results so quickly, you can use the test while the owner waits – or, in the current situation, more likely goes for a walk and comes back. This means that vets can get their patients started on the most appropriate treatment right away.”
U-Treat is currently validated for use in dogs and cats, but company says it is also looking to license it in rabbits and human healthcare.
To find out more about U-Treat, contact Test and Treat’s National Sales Manager Jo Nickerson on Jo.Nickerson@tandtreat.com or visit http://www.tandtreat.com.
The programme includes:
Chris Scudder will also be announcing the successful bids for funding from SAMSoc's new research grant initiative.
Co-organiser Caroline Kisielewicz (pictured right) said: "Despite the trials and tribulations of the ongoing pandemic, we are delighted that the spring SAMSoc meeting has returned this year! We are very excited about the upcoming meeting, which is packed full of great lectures that will stimulate some great talking points. Whilst it won't be the same as being there in person, we hope that everyone will enjoy connecting with colleagues and friends through the virtual world with what promises to be a fantastic event."
The association is also inviting entries now for the next poster/case report competition, details of which can be found at: https://www.samsoc.org/competitions/call-for-spring-2021-poster-entries.
The winning presentation will receive £250, and two runners up will each receive £100.
For the full programme, visit https://www.samsoc.org/meetings/2021-spring-meeting
Registration costs £100 for the day, with a discounted rate at £60 for SAMSoc members (membership costs £29).
To register, visit www.samsoc.org.
Vet-AI's automated triage app offers instant advice to pet owners 24/7, early detection of health issues and advice as to whether they need to speak to a vet.
For the blinded test, which was conducted in April 2025, three UK veterinary surgeons reviewed the responses from Vet-AI, Gemini 2.0 and ChatGPT 4.0 to 48 simulated enquiries from owners.
The vets evaluated each on clinical accuracy, triage effectiveness and the subjective criteria of factuality, integrity, safety, empathy and readability.
Vet-AI’s Large Language Model (LLM) achieved an accuracy score of 81%, surpassing Gemini (69%) and ChatGPT (50%).
Vet-AI’s model also stopped triage at the correct point in 81% of cases according to the vets, compared with Gemini’s 75% and ChatGPT’s 56%.
Vet-AI’s tool also outperformed the leading LLMs on subjective measures, delivering more empathetic, thorough and factual responses to pet owners.
Samantha Webster, Chief Veterinary Officer at Vet-AI said: “These latest results are a significant milestone in the development of automated triage.
"We’re proving we can provide trustworthy online pet care by combining clinical and technical expertise.
"This tool can support the wider industry too, engaging more pet owners in the first step of vet care, ensuring their pets get the care they need - whether in practice or remotely.
"We know that an increasing percentage of the UK pet population is struggling to access veterinary care.
"Whilst AI will never replace a vet, the use of innovative technology can break down the barrier to access, leading to more pets getting the care they need, when they need it."
“With this level of clinical accuracy and technical innovation, we're helping to bring great pet care to more people. As well as helping to create more demand for vet services by making the triage of pets as accurate as possible,” said Paul Hallett, Vet-AI founder and exec chair.
https://www.vet-ai.com/automated-triage
Andrew Robathan MP has opened Companion Care Vets latest surgery in Leicester, bringing the number of surgeries across the UK to 67.
The surgery is located within the brand new Pets at Home store at Fosse Park, and the joint veterinary partners are Shabbir Shariff and Sameer Bheda.
The surgery houses a full operating theatre, digital x-ray facilities, in-house laboratory and a hospital ward providing a full range of treatments from health checks to emergency operations.
Shabbir said: "I have always wanted to own my own surgery and jumped at the opportunity to work with Companion Care Vets."
Q Fever is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which can infect humans, cattle, goats, sheep and many other mammals, as well as reptiles, ticks and birds.
Known originally as Query fever, it was first identified in Australia in 1935 after an outbreak of disease in abattoir workers.
Ceva says half of UK dairy farms may be at risk of Q Fever1, 2.
The webinar, which will be presented by Jonathan Statham MA VetMB DCHP FRCVS (pictured right), an RCVS-registered specialist in cattle health and co-author of the ‘Dairy Herd Health’ textbook, will count towards 1.5 hours of CPD.
It will cover the UK prevalence of Q Fever in herds, its cause and transmission, together with identification and diagnostics.
It will also look at the variations between livestock species, disease prevention and its risk to humans as a zoonosis.
Jonathan said: "Q Fever is of much higher profile in many other parts of the world such as Australia and has been notifiable for some years with national testing programmes in a number of European countries such as Germany.
“Recently Q Fever has become notifiable in the UK and climate change is changing the future risk profile."
Renzo Di Florio, veterinary advisor at Ceva said: “The disease causes issues with reproduction and fertility and has the potential to have significant impact on livestock health and productivity.
"However, awareness is low amongst the farming industry.
“Our Q Fever webinar will help raise awareness of the disease and the preventative measures that can be put in place to help protect those working with livestock on a regular basis and reduce the impact of Q Fever on farms.
To register for the webinar or if you have further questions, e-mail cevauk-webinars@ceva.com
References
Following a two-year postponed judgment, the Disciplinary Committee (DC) of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons last week warned a Cambridgeshire veterinary surgeon as to his future conduct, after he had been convicted in 2006 for causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of alcohol.
In September 2007, the Committee heard that Peter Hanlon MRCVS, of Soham in Cambridgeshire, had been involved in a road traffic accident in February 2006. Mr Hanlon's car had drifted across the road and collided with an oncoming car driven by James Barber who was accompanied by his wife, Ivy. Mr Barber was pronounced dead at the scene and both Mrs Barber and Mr Hanlon sustained injuries.
At the initial hearing, Mr Hanlon admitted the conviction (for which he had been sentenced to 30 months in prison and received a four-year driving ban) and the charge that it rendered him unfit to practise veterinary surgery. The Committee decided to postpone its judgment for two years on the agreement that Mr Hanlon would undertake to abstain from alcohol and to submit quarterly medical reports and six-monthly CPD (continuing professional development) reports to the Committee chairman.
At the resumed hearing last week, the Committee carefully considered Mr Hanlon's written and oral submissions, and accepted that he had fully complied with these undertakings. He had abstained from alcohol since the day after the accident, produced an "exemplary" CPD record and provided impressive reports from his employers concerning his professional competence.
In addition, Mr Hanlon, who spent around 14 months in prison and remained on licence until July 2009, also reiterated to the Committee his remorse for the death of Mr Barber and respect for his family.
The Committee was mindful of its duty to maintain confidence in the veterinary profession and uphold proper standards of conduct. Whilst it did not consider it necessary to postpone judgment again, it felt that Mr Hanlon should be warned about his future conduct.
Caroline Freedman, chairing the Committee, concluded: "As this case has demonstrated, and as Mr Hanlon himself has fully recognised, abuse of alcohol can lead to far reaching consequences in personal and professional lives and the lives of others."
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has announced that it is reducing the cost of its CPD by 50% this year and making its webinars free to members.
David Mountford, Chief Executive of BEVA said: "Last year we were able to capitalise on some efficiencies in other areas of BEVA operations. We are delighted to be able to hand the resulting benefits directly back to our members across all our CPD programme during 2013."
The Association says its CPD covers a broad range of topics is aimed at busy vets who need to build CPD points, whether new graduates, equine or mixed practitioners. It takes the form of clinical workshops, regional meetings, nursing meetings, webinars and one, two and three day practical courses, held in the UK.
This year's courses include:
For more information, visit http://www.beva.org.uk/news-and-events/beva-courses or ring +44(0)1638 723555 or email info@beva.org.uk.
MSD Animal Health has announced the launch of KBHH Yard Master – a new preventative healthcare and biosecurity app - as part of its ongoing Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy (KBHH) campaign.
MSD says KBHH Yard Master has been created to link vets and yards where the majority of horses in Britain are kept. It aims to play a key role in protecting the health and welfare of the herd and in safeguarding the yard’s reputation and business.
Peter Young, Equine Business Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Good biosecurity is essential in building and maintaining the reputation of a yard which, in turn, impacts on owner satisfaction and retention. It remains, however, a poorly understood subject despite its importance. We’ve therefore invested in the creation of KBHH Yard Master to help vets, yard managers, their employees and horse owners focus on preventative health and biosecurity measures; making best practice seem more achievable and easier to implement.
He added: "We were also fortunate to have input from Professor Josh Slater, who has been heavily involved in developing the content, evaluation and grading system behind the app assessment."
KBHH Yard Master covers all aspects of biosecurity, including everyday husbandry practices, managing new arrivals, running isolation facilities, infection control and personnel movement. MSD says it will frame a dialogue with yard managers regarding preventative healthcare and biosecurity in situ and provide instant feedback on current practices and risk. Following the on-site assessment, a report can be sent to the yard manager with tailor-made recommendations and timings, detailing how they can improve their yard’s biosecurity performance.
Peter added: "Based on the data gathered through the KBHH campaign we know that approximately half of horses are vaccinated for ‘flu. This means that there will be horses on yards, visited by vets, that are not vaccinated. KBHH Yard Master will help identify those horses and allow the vet to recommend appropriate vaccination schedules."
MSD has produced a range of supporting KBHH Yard Master materials to promote understanding, participation and compliance amongst yard staff and owners, including posters and downloadable booklets which explain aspects such as disease prevention, infection control and outbreak control.
A certificate of excellence is also available to be awarded to those yards which, following assessment, have a low overall biosecurity risk.
For more information, contact your MSD Animal Health Equine Account Manager or call MSD on 01908 685685.
The 12-strong crew, aged between 18 and 60, left Marina San Miguel, Tenerife on 22nd March and rowed 2,875 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua 42 days, 2 hours and 30 minutes later.
Each of the crew of the 12-metre boat, Roxy, rowed more than 1.5million strokes and burned over 5000 calories a day.
During the journey, the team had to battle with ocean storms and seasickness, not to mention extreme blisters and callouses. Simon lost almost 10kg.
Simon, who was a rowing novice before this, raised almost £15,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support. He said: "It’s without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I can’t put into words how I’m feeling right now. The sense of achievement is a little overwhelming.
"The journey was everything I wanted it to be - tough both physically and mentally but hugely rewarding and one thing is for sure, I wouldn’t be standing here at the finish line if it hadn’t been for each and every one of the incredible crew. What a gorgeous group of people who will remain lifelong friends. After catching up with my family, the thing I was most looking forward to was a good meal!”.
The crew were welcomed to Antigua by a flotilla of smaller boats with many of the crew’s families onboard, before a reception at the Antigua Yacht Club.
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.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Veterinary View not only highlights some of the veterinary profession's fantastic work, but complements our joint project with RCVS, Vet Futures, in exploring how the profession can best shape its own future. We hope it will stimulate debate among vets, and the wider community in which we work, about both the big challenges and opportunities that the veterinary profession is facing."
The series includes a number of videos which showcase more recent industry developments:
Stem Cell therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (VetCell Therapeutics)
Pharmtrax, a mobile device for vets to record work and dispensing on the farm (Henry Schein Animal Health)
Hormone implants as an alternative to castration (Virbac Animal Health)
Practice management support from Zoetis
Preventing an epidemic of equine flu (Merial Animal Health)
The survey, conducted among 130 veterinary professionals around the UK, including vets, nurses, receptionists and practice managers, revealed that on-demand video-based CPD ranked as the top choice of learning platform for 47% of respondents, while online text-based learning was next at 22%.
15% preferred in-person workshops and 10% in-practice training.
Meanwhile, only 6% preferred live lunchtime or evening webinars, and only 1% event lectures.
The survey identified that the most popular non-clinical CPD topics were complaint management (57%), communication (43%) and customer service (44%).
Barriers to the more widespread adoption of online learning platforms within practices were cost (70%) and a lack of time for CPD completion (80%) as a significant challenge.
Emma Barnes, Managing Director for Veterinary at Agilio, said: “The veterinary workforce is stretched and finding time to attend in-person CPD can be challenging.
"Flexible online solutions that accommodate busy schedules empower vets, nurses and the wider practice team to fulfil their CPD requirements whenever and wherever they choose.”
https://agiliosoftware.com
The Blue Cross is calling for nominations from veterinary practices across the country for its Veterinary Nurse of the Year Award 2009.
The annual award is presented at the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Annual Congress. It recognises the contribution of veterinary nurses in educating the public about responsible pet ownership and the welfare of pets in the community. This year's Congress will take place on 9-11 October at the Kettering Conference Centre, Northamptonshire.
Last year's award was won by Rebecca Darbyshire for her outstanding contribution to animal welfare, both within her veterinary practice and among the local community in Pocklington, York.
Rebecca Darbyshire was nominated by vet and colleague Matt Brash at Battlefields veterinary clinic in Pocklington.
Mr Brash said: "Rebecca is an outstanding, unassuming professional nurse. She runs all of the clinics that a modern day nurse does, but still has the time for anybody - whatever they need, whenever they need it. She has developed such a close relationship with our clients that they would often rather see her than a vet!"
Nominations for this year's award can be made by completing the nomination form on The Blue Cross website at: www.bluecross.org.uk/BVNA2009 or by contacting Sally Leathem on 01993 825577. The deadline for nominations is Friday 14 August 2009.
The Blue Cross has taken the lead in animal care for over a hundred years. Its four animal hospitals provide a lifeline for pet owners on low incomes. Its community vet services also cater for elderly and disabled people. Without the charity's hospitals, and the services they provide, many people would be without the benefits that pet ownership can bring.
The Animal Health Trust is appealing to veterinary surgeons and nurses to encourage clients who keep their horses on premises that have been affected by Equine Grass Sickness to sign up to the second year of its nationwide EGS vaccine trial.
Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) occurs predominantly in Europe, with Britain experiencing the highest incidence worldwide. In 2014, 59 cases of EGS were reported through the EGS Surveillance Scheme, but it is likely that this represents only a fraction of cases occurring annually throughout Britain.
Almost all cases of EGS occur in horses with access to grazing. The AHT says there is growing scientific evidence to suggest that the disease may be caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum type C, commonly found within soil and capable of producing neurotoxins to which horses are particularly sensitive. EGS occurs when a combination of risk factors trigger the production of these toxins within the horse's intestinal tract, causing damage to the nervous system and paralysis of the gut.
As similar equine diseases such as tetanus and botulism can be prevented by vaccination, it is theoretically possible that a vaccine could prevent EGS. To this end the AHT, in collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh, Liverpool and Surrey launched the EGS field vaccine trial in 2014 in order to establish whether a vaccine could indeed be effective in reducing the risk of the disease. The trial is funded by a number of sources including Neogen Corporation; Animal Welfare Foundation; Horserace Betting Levy Board; Racing Foundation; Moredun Foundation Equine Grass Sickness Fund; Hong Kong Jockey Club; The British Horse Society and the EB Moller Charitable Trust.
Now entering its second year, the EGS vaccine trial involves enrolled horses and ponies receiving either a course of the C. botulinum type C toxoid vaccine or an inactive placebo, as well as an annual booster. The incidence of EGS is monitored throughout the trial to determine the efficacy of the vaccine, and enrolled horses and ponies are closely monitored through regular follow-ups for the duration of the trial.
With 60% of EGS cases occurring during April - June, the highest risk season for EGS is fast approaching. The AHT is appealing to owners who keep their horses on premises that have had at least one case of EGS in the past three years to enrol their horse in the vaccine trial and provide an invaluable contribution to this pioneering research prior to these high risk months. Veterinary practices with clients who fit this description are asked to help the recruitment process by encouraging suitable cases to sign up to the trial.
Dr Jo Ireland, the AHT's Equine Grass Sickness Research Co-ordinator, said: "We have been delighted with the overwhelmingly positive response to the EGS vaccine trial and many owners have welcomed the chance to be a part of such important research. We don't want any eligible horse owners to miss out on the opportunity to contribute towards a potential breakthrough in the prevention of EGS, so we are encouraging more owners to enrol their horses on the trial this year."
To find out more about the vaccine trial or how clients can enrol horses and ponies, visit the AHT's dedicated EGS website www.equinegrasssickness.co.uk or email equinegrasssickness@aht.org.uk.