Bayer Animal Health has launched a new marketing campaign for Drontal that celebrates the special roles pets play in people's lives.
As part of the campaign, the company has carried out research amongst 2,000 cat and dog owners to discover how owning a pet changes behaviour and positively impacts their daily routine.
The survey found that 76% of dog owners say their four-legged friend is like a personal trainer that motivates them to take exercise, with one in four saying they've lost weight since getting their pet. Of these, one in ten say they've lost half a stone or more.
As part of the Special Roles campaign, Bayer has launched a competition to find the nation's most interesting pets. People can upload their favourite pet photo and explain what it is that makes their animal so important to them. The winner of the Special Roles competition will be chosen on the 31st July by a judging panel which includes the editors of Your Cat and Your Dog magazines.
The winner will receive £500 as well as the chance to appear in a Drontal advertorial. The two runners-up will be decided by public vote and will receive £250 worth of vouchers to spend in Pets at Home. Entries to the competition can be submitted here: http://woobox.com/uahgp5
The Special Roles theme is being supported by a new TV and print advertising campaign that celebrates the role our pets play in our lives. The ad communicates the importance of regular worming with Drontal, with the tagline: "It's their job to be special, it's our job to keep them that way". The print and TV campaign will run for 2 weeks, from 14th April.
Kathrin Tetzner from Bayer said: "The Special Roles campaign for Drontal celebrates the joy, love and humour pets bring to our lives, while reminding owners that it is their responsibility to keep them happy and healthy in whatever role they play. The Special Roles competition will give pet owners nationwide the chance to show off their pet's special role and help us celebrate a nation of happy and healthy pets."
Dave (pictured right) says he has created the group to address two problems. Firstly, the chronic lack of support for new graduates in their early years leading to avoidable levels of stress and burnout. Secondly, the knock on side-effect of this poor support, that many graduates turn their back on the profession for good, leading to a national skills shortage and recruitment crisis.
Dave said: "Veterinary graduates across the UK have been crying out for more support for years and this lack of support is the main reason for career dissatisfaction and burnout.
"Through a coordinated program of lectures blended with group mentoring and access to a like-minded peer network beyond university, VetX delivers a level of support that is simply not available through any other current means."
Dave is quick to avoid pointing any fingers of blame at practices, saying: "In my experience employers start out with good intentions, but then the reality of clinical life sets in and most just run out of time to deliver the support required. VetX solves this problem by taking much of the mentoring workload away from the practice."
Although the programme is open to all and is designed to complement in-house training, Dave says VetX gives smaller, independent practices the chance to compete with larger corporate groups which offer in-house mentoring schemes in a very cost-effective way.
The VetX programme is now open for enrollment and will take in a maximum of 50 new or recent graduates beginning in September 2017. Dave says early enrollment is advised as places are filling fast.
For more information about VetX or enrolling on the new programme, visit: http://www.drdavenicol.com/vetxclinics
The review, which had been due to start in late 2019, will now start in April 2020.
Melissa Donald, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee (pictured right), said: "Regretfully, as the scope and complexity of the review became clearer following Council’s approval of the project, it was also apparent that the original methodology, and the timetable set for it, was not going to be suitable to the task.
"Therefore, over the past few months, the Standards Committee and College staff have been working hard with the external research agency to revise the methodology and we have now reached the stage where we are confident we have got it right, and can now proceed with the review.
“While we regret the delay, as this review relates to fundamental principles about the provision of veterinary care, it is vital we get it right and that the process is as comprehensive as possible. It is better that it is right than rushed.”
Under the new methodology the review has been split into the following stages:
Melissa added: “Invitations to our regional focus group discussions, which will be selected randomly from amongst the professions by our research agency, will be going out soon and I would urge anyone who receives an invitation to come along and share their views and ideas.”
For further information, see: www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare
New graduates will work through both programmes during their first two years in practice.
Linnaeus says the GDP will continue to focus on support and networking, giving access to mentors, social events and a structured education programme that covers 12 educational days.
The GDP will cover primary care skills development and things like veterinary business training, leadership skills and time management.
All graduates will then complete the ECP, which is designed to offer greater flexibility as the participants start to focus on different clinical areas.
Professional and clinical skills training will be more tailored to graduates’ topics of interest, and funding will be available to cover the cost of CPD courses that support individual areas of development.
Professor Séverine Tasker, Chief Medical Officer at Linnaeus (pictured right), said: "We decided to update the GDP after asking for feedback from across Linnaeus and our stakeholders.
“While many graduates need a lot of guidance in the first 12 months of their veterinary careers, they will then start to develop more specific areas of interest.
"By developing two separate programmes, we can offer education, guidance, networking and flexibility that is adapted to the progression of our graduates.”
The next Linnaeus GDP starts in the summer of 2022 and is open for applications from now until the end of May.
The ECP provision will be available from mid-2022 to support recent graduates that join Linnaeus outside of their GDP intake.
For more information, visit www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/careers/graduates-students-and-apprenticeships.
In contrast to the British Veterinary Association, The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has welcomed the decision by DEFRA not to proceed with the proposal contained in the draft Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2010 to prohibit the advertising of antimicrobials to farmers.
NOAH says it believes the proposal would have had a negative effect on farmers' ability to maintain their knowledge and awareness of animal health and welfare issues, and did not believe that it would reduce antimicrobial resistance profiles.
NOAH chief executive Phil Sketchley said: "Farmers, as professional producers of food, need to be kept well briefed on the antimicrobials they use, following prescription by their veterinary surgeons. Promotion by our members plays a key role in this and in educating farmers about animal welfare and disease."
NOAH members follow rigid rules on advertising and promotion through the longstanding Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines.
Phil added: "The NOAH Code already goes beyond the Veterinary Medicines Regulations and is reviewed each year - this year we will be particularly looking to ensure that it fully reflects the industry's commitment to disease education and information on responsible use, particularly in relation to antimicrobial promotion. We have planned, at our Code review meeting in February, further discussions within NOAH and with the VMD to finalise how this can best be achieved.
"Importantly we must always remember that antimicrobial medicines for all animals are POM-V, meaning they have to be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon, and therefore it should be the vet who makes the decision on whether an antibiotic is needed. If such therapy is indicated, the most appropriate antibiotic for an animal or group of animals is selected by the veterinary surgeon based on the clinical signs shown, the current disease situation on the farm and in the area and where appropriate and feasible, is based on bacterial culture and sensitivity testing."
Using promotion to encourage responsible use, NOAH launched its 'Use Medicines Responsibly' campaign in 2009. A recommendation was made that members include a strap line on promotional material advising users to 'use medicines responsibly'.
NOAH was a founder member of the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) and continues to be a strong contributor to and supporter of RUMA's communications to farmers including the antimicrobial guidelines. These guidelines are not intended to influence the veterinary surgeon's decision to prescribe but help support ways that the veterinary surgeon and farmer can work together to reduce the need to prescribe antimicrobials whilst ensuring they are used responsibly once prescribed in line with the principle of 'as little as possible but as much as necessary'.
Phil said: "Antibiotics are essential for the health and welfare of the UK's livestock population. NOAH accepts that antimicrobial resistance is a serious and growing subject of discussion for the medical and veterinary professions and we need to continue to take this matter seriously."
Improve International has announced that the role of Official Veterinarians in animal welfare is the theme of this year's OV Conference, taking place on the 29th & 30th September.
The conference programme includes lecture streams and round-table discussions on themes relating to both Large Animals and Small Animals, in addition to a series of lectures aimed at Equine Practitioners.
This second OV conference is a collaboration between Improve International, which handles OV registration and training in England, Scotland and Wales; 5m Publishing and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). They say their objectives are to provide a forum to discuss the latest developments in OV work and to offer an opportunity for OVs to network and share experiences and ideas.
Large animal topics to be discussed at the event include Bovine TB, Bluetongue and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea while small animal practitioners will focus on export regulations, certification, the Pet Travel Scheme, together with welfare and exotic disease issues. Equine lectures will include legislation updates and welfare and exotic diseases.
An exhibition of the latest products and services of interest to OVs will again run alongside the conference which will take place at the Alexandra House Hotel and Conference Centre, near Swindon, where Improve International is based.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve, said: "The enthusiastic discussions following many of the lectures at our first conference and the resoundingly positive feedback we received from the 250 delegates attending convinced us of the value of a forum that brings OVs together with experts from private practice, other animal health-related organisations and the APHA.
"Animal welfare is a particularly important topic for OVs so it is the theme for this year's event and all of the speakers will address it within the context of their lectures. We look forward to, once again, welcoming OVs from across the country to Alexandra House in September 2016."
For more information on the Official Veterinarian Conference and Exhibition or to register visit: www.officialvet.com
The company says the sessions will help veterinary staff learn more about the condition - which affects up to 20% of dogs in the UK annually1 - the causes and consequences of osteoarthritis pain, the main predisposing risk factors and the impact of chronic pain on central sensitisation.
The CPD will look at what steps practices can take to mitigate animal suffering and increase long-term owner compliance and will encourage practices to look at their current osteoarthritis management strategy.
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "Canine osteoarthritis is a growing concern for UK vets – latest figures suggest that over two million dogs are suffering, based on current population figures.
"Managing these cases can be challenging, but through this lunch and learn session, we aim to support veterinary staff and help them to expand their knowledge and implement an improved approach for managing canine osteoarthritis.’
www.animalcare.co.uk/lunch-and-learn
Reference
The six-floor building, which the College bought for £22.3m in 2022, was originally a warehouse.
Over the years it has been home to a range of businesses from leather manufacturers and papers makers to lithographic plate makers and shoe upping manufacturers, before becoming an office space.
The building remained tenanted until 2024, when £5.8m worth of renovation work to convert the building into a space suitable for a royal college began.
In addition to the working areas for RCVS and RCVS Knowledge staff, the building also has:
RCVS CEO, Lizzie Lockett, said: “After a few years in a rented co-working office space, we’re delighted to have moved into our new home, designed not only to meet the needs of College staff, but to support the broader ambitions of the RCVS as a whole.
“Our new strategic plan has collaboration at its heart – the idea of being stronger through working together – and our new building will help us to achieve that.
“Whether attending events, exploring RCVS Knowledge’s archives, using the members' area and meeting rooms, or benefitting from the outputs that the new space enables, the building has been developed with members and associates as a central focus.”
RCVS President, Linda Belton, added: "It’s great to see what’s been achieved through this project and my thanks go to the team who have managed the refurbishment and move.
“The new premises are equipped to ensure that the voice of the veterinary professions remains integral in assuring animal health, welfare, and public health in the UK, allowing for those all-important stakeholder conversations essential to setting, upholding and advancing veterinary standards.
“We look forward to welcoming members, associates, students and stakeholders alike in the coming months and years.”
Virbac Animal Health has launched an enhanced version of its flea and tick spot-on Effipro (fipronil) to help pet owners master the art of 'spotonologyTM - a Maureen-Lipmanesque term the company has coined to describe the optimum application of a spot on treatment.
Effipro is now presented in a clear pipette featuring 'Drop-lock' technology to provide precise finger tip control of the flow of liquid with no risk of drip or leakage. The pipette has also been redesigned to ensure it is simple to open and that users can easily check that all the treatment has been dispensed.
Virbac says Effipro is priced to offer an effective but affordable solution to parasite control. It is presented in client packs of four pipettes and in practice packs of 24 to offer flexible dispensing opportunities. It is also available in a spray form.
Victoria Hudson, Product Manager at Virbac, said: "Parasite control is a key revenue generator for many practices. It also presents a great opportunity to create loyal, bonded clients as fleas and ticks cause great concern to pet owners.
"Effipro is already a popular product but we know that some owners find using spot-ons difficult and worry about the risk of the liquid getting on to their fingers or on furniture, particularly if their pets move around while the treatment is being applied.
"With this in mind, we've taken a fresh look at the technology of spot-ons in order to ensure that we're providing a solution which is as simple and hassle-free as possible. As a first step, we've redesigned our pipette. Our unique Drop-lock technology means that owners can start or stop the flow of liquid with their finger tips, giving them full control over where and when the product is applied. The new see-through design and enhanced opening mechanism also make the new version of Effipro more convenient to use.
"We've had great feedback from practices which have trialled the product and believe it represents a significant step forward for users of spot-ons. We are, of course, providing a range of support materials and product promotions to support its launch and look forward to working with our customers to ensure that their clients become expert and enthusiastic 'Spot.on.ologists' during 2012.
For further information about Effipro contact your Territory Manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
Five time European champion and British record-holding athlete, Laura Muir MRCVS, will be in conversation with Gudrun Ravetz and Rob Pope for a keynote session at the virtual event. The line-up also includes Bake-Off star, Rosie Brandreth-Poynter, alongside a number of other expert session leaders for personal development, baking, exercise, crafts and social elements.
The day long programme will start with a run, meditation or yoga. The plenary sessions and workshops include topics such as change management, establishing a ‘new normal', and how to build wellbeing into daily life.
Wellvet co-founder Ru Tipney said: "We're delighted to host an event which brings together so many amazing people to lead valuable - and potentially life-changing sessions - for delegates. We have content for everyone, from student sessions to workshops designed for practice managers and owners."
To include a social aspect, the virtual conference platform provides opportunities for networking and connecting with fellow delegates during and after the event. Ru said: "The vibe we've had at the last two WellVet events has been pretty special. WellVet works because of the mutual encouragement, openness and support of delegates. We're delighted to have found a platform to give a rich social experience alongside all the great content."
The content and networking functions are available for a year after the event and the organisers are keen to stress there's no need to sit through the whole day in one go. Delegates are invited to dip in and out, revisit sessions, and connect with others afterwards. Tickets are subsidised at £40 for a full delegate pass and £10 for students and new graduates.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit: www.wellvet.co.uk
The survey, which is being carried out throughout June, was also conducted back in 2016 and is now being repeated to identify any developments and outcomes that have been made over the past four years, a time in which several new epilepsy management options have emerged.
The survey asks vets to prioritise how important they feel different areas of epilepsy research are and assess how much they think new therapies might improve epileptic dogs’ lives. This includes emerging therapies like MCT oil, cannabidiol oil, vagus nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, for which studies are currently being conducted across the globe.
The aim of the survey is to identify the priorities for future research for owners, vets and neurologists alike, and to see if there are any differences in their priorities.
Dr Rowena Packer, BBSRC Research Fellow and research lead in canine epilepsy at the RVC, said: "This survey was inspired by similar prioritisation activities undertaken by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) for human epilepsy patients. At the RVC, we believe that the benefits of such an open approach can be truly valuable for veterinary medicine too, and ensure a diversity of views influence future epilepsy priorities."
Dr Gareth Jones, Small Animal Intern at the RVC who is running the study, said: "While many have already undertaken the survey, we are keen to hear from more participants so I would like to implore any general practice vets to please help contribute to our work by taking part in our short survey."
To take part in this survey please visit www.rvc.uk.com/epilepsy-future, and do share this news story with colleagues. If you have any questions about the research, e-mail Dr Gareth Jones atgjones1@rvc.ac.uk.
Sebastian Griffin (pictured right), an advanced practitioner in small animal medicine at Vet4life in London is leading the research alongside Fabio Stabile, an expert in veterinary neurology at Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Essex, and Luisa De Risio, Clinical Research & Excellence Director at Linnaeus and a specialist in veterinary neurology.
Sebastian said: “There is so much more to learn about canine idiopathic epilepsy, to ensure that vets, pets and their owners have the best possible support when dealing with this disorder.
"We want to offer a more targeted, clinically applicable, and relevant approach to its diagnosis and treatment.
“Any vet who has recently treated dogs with idiopathic epilepsy in primary care is invited to respond.
"The survey only takes five to ten minutes but provides us with invaluable information that will help to inform and develop best practice.
"We are planning to share the results, along with educational resources and evidence-based guidelines, with our peers across the industry next year.”
The survey and further information can be found via https://bit.ly/3mfwVRe.
The study and survey results are due to be published in an open access peer-reviewed scientific journal by the end of 2022.
The survey, which is anonymous, closes on 15 January 2022.
The event, sponsored by Provet Cloud, will include interactive workshop sessions on ‘Finding Flexible Working Solutions’, ‘Financial Security and Negotiation Skills’, and ‘Developing Your Personal Brand’.
Women from all areas of the veterinary industry will also be sharing their inspirational career stories.
The speaker line-up for the event includes Flexee’s Silvia Janska, who takes a look at ‘Finding Flexible Working Solutions’, including how they can be implemented in practice to empower individuals and teams, and benefit the business.
Katie Ford and Paul Horwood from VetYou, will be addressing overcoming barriers in talking about, navigating, and creating security with money to arm delegates with negotiation tools and useable resources in their workshop session on ‘Financial Security and Negotiation Skills’
Hamzah Malik from Regent Animal Health will lead a workshop on ‘Developing Your Personal Brand’ to build delegates’ confidence in ways to explore and articulate personal identity and strengths, and apply brand marketing principles to boost career success.
The event will also feature ‘Seeing is Believing’ breakout sessions with female speakers from all spheres of veterinary practice, business, industry, nursing and education, sharing their career stories and taking part in Q&A sessions.
The event is suited to all those thinking about the next career step, considering leadership roles or already working within leadership positions in the veterinary sector.
Veterinary professionals and students can take advantage of an early-bird rate until 20th November.
For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://eu.eventscloud.com/website/7528/home/
As part of the University of Bristol, Langford is the only referral hospital in the South West which has an educational facility.
The new academy will also offer access to its Recent Graduate Scheme for vets that have been qualified for less than five years, advanced CPD delivered by specialists, the chance to be involved in research collaborations with Bristol Vet School, and rotating internships and residencies.
Chloe Higgins MRCVS, who is on the Recent Graduate Scheme, said: "I recently did my first splenectomy and having done the abdominal emergencies session last month, it made both the surgery and all the discussion points with the owner a lot easier and less stressful!”
For more information, email: brm@langfordvets.co.uk
Veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick, a pioneer of prosthetic implants, has launched what is being billed as Europe's most advanced neuro-orthopaedic centre for dogs and cats.
Fitzpatrick Referrals' £10m facilities at Eashing, near Godalming, Surrey, have been set up to offer a world-class "centre of excellence" in diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation.
Facilities at the centre include:
Noel was the first veterinary surgeon to successfully apply a prosthetic limb to a dog where both bone and skin can grow into metal - a technique with far-reaching cross-over potential for human surgery. He believes in "pushing the boundaries" and creating solutions for conditions that may never have previously been treatable, and says the work being done at Eashing also provides valuable experience for medical science as a whole. Examples include cartilage resurfacing, limb-sparing cancer surgery and spinal vertebral fusion.
Professor Gordon Blunn of the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculo-Skeletal Science at University College London said: "Orthopaedic conditions and diseases are common to both human beings and to animals. For example osteoarthritis is debilitating condition seen in humans, cats and dogs. Bone cancer which can lead to loss of life in humans and is usually associated with the peripheral skeleton is also seen in the peripheral skeleton of large dog breeds. Translation of ideas, orthopaedic practice and treatments, from humans to the veterinary field and visa versa has considerable advantages to all animals including dogs, cats and man. Noel Fitzpatrick is pioneering this concept and his work in limb reconstruction for dogs and cats has already had benefits in both veterinary and human orthopaedic practice."
DJ Chris Evans is one satisfied client. His dog, Enzo, a German Shepherd, was "written off" by other vets after becoming paralysed with two herniated discs. Noel fitted Enzo with two bolts to replace the collapsed disc and keep the vertebrae apart. The surgery was followed by extensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to enable Enzo to learn to walk again.
Chris said: "Noel lives out his dreams with boundless curiosity, ambition and genius, the product of which is hundreds, soon to be thousands, of fixed pets and happy owners - like me. I have huge respect for his endeavour, his integrity and his compassion and to me he's a superhero-vetman who will leave no stone unturned in his quest to heal, to create and to comfort. He thinks of solutions to medical problems that I'm sure no-one else could even dream of, let alone think of. Actually - I don't think he ever sleeps!"
VetSurgeon.org has launched a new register of veterinary locums as a resource for practices that need to find a locum quickly and at no cost.
Veterinary locums can add themselves to the register free of charge, and include full details of the service they offer.
Practices that need a locum can then search the register by area. After they've used the locum, they are encouraged to comment beneath the locum's entry on the register.
At the time of writing, about a dozen locums have added their details to the register, so it's still early days. Hopefully, however, this will grow into a really valuable resource for both practices and locums.
To add your name to the register, click here and follow the instructions linked to from the right hand side.
Ceva Animal Health, manufacturer of Adaptil and Feliway, has launched a competition in which the practices that build the top ten dog dens in their client waiting rooms will win a luxury hamper worth £50.
The competition is designed to encourage practices to show clients how they can build a dog den to calm their dog during the fireworks season
To enter the competition, you need to post a picture of your waiting room dog den on the Adaptil Facebook page in October: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adaptil/109397602429388?fref=ts.
Ceva also has a range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to use in the competition, including a hanging mobile, cut-outs, wobblers, posters and a leaflet and leaflet holder.
For additional hints and tips, a short film will also be available on the Adaptil website: www.adaptil.co.uk in due course. The footage includes information on preparing a den for a dog to hide in while the fireworks are going off.
For further information, contact your local Ceva territory manager or ,telephone 01494 781510.
‘Sheep Vets - Fit for the Future’ are being presented by well-respected industry leaders, vets and sheep farmers on Tuesday evenings during May, June and July.
Webinar organiser, Dr Fiona Lovatt from Flock Health Limited (pictured right) said: "We are optimistic about the future for the UK sheep industry, but to grasp the opportunities farmers need proactive vets who can demonstrate an added value approach. As vets we must think more holistically about the challenges sheep farmers face and that means optimising our understanding of how flock health issues, soil and grassland management, and environmental factors all link together with the economics.
"This webinar programme aims to help keen sheep vets consider how they can best engage with their sheep farmer clients."
The first webinar in the series was attended by more than 100 delegates, and is now available as a recording. It highlighted the current state of the UK sheep industry and what the future 10 years might look like.
Future topics include how to improve engagement with sheep farmers (26th May), how vets can best ensure successful lamb growth (9th June), understanding sheep farming economics (23rd June) and exploring the veterinary possibilities arising from different sources of flock data (7th July). Watch live at 7.30pm or catch up later with the recording.
Register for free by visiting www.sheepvetsoc.org.uk or www.flockhealth.co.uk
The operation of the equipment is being overseen by Dr Rodney Ayl, a specialist in both medical and radiation oncology. He said: "The need for protection of personnel during preparation of cytotoxic drugs presents the most significant obstacle to the safe provision of chemotherapy, as most practices are not equipped with an appropriate biosafety cabinet. This is especially true when there is a high case-load of chemotherapy patients."
Dr Ayl says the dangers of repeatedly handling and administering cancer drugs can be severe. He added: “The likelihood of drug exposure must be taken into account when considering the safety of personnel who handle cytotoxic drugs.
"The cumulative toxicity to personnel that arises from repeated contact with these drugs can cause health problems in the nursing staff that are beyond those expected in the patient.
"The main routes of personnel exposure to cytotoxic drugs are by aerosolisation or by absorption through skin.
"Both types of exposure can occur when preparing drugs for administration. The act of withdrawing cytotoxic drug from the vial into a syringe is generally the step that presents personnel with the greatest potential for exposure to a high concentration of drug.
"Ideally, personnel are optimally protected from drug exposure, and patients are protected from contamination of the product, by the use of a laminar flow biosafety cabinet (BCS) during drug preparation, regardless of whether a closed delivery system is used.
"The Envair CytoFAST BSC has been designed to guarantee the product, personnel and environmental protection.
"It belongs to the latest generation of laminar airflow systems and is built to the highest quality to guarantee the strictest safety standards - and the safety of our people is paramount at Paragon."
To enter the draw, visit http://www.noble-futures.com/veterinaryCPDgiveaway before the 31st March 2021 and complete the form.
There are ten £250 vouchers for Improve's modular programmes and fifty £50 vouchers for its Practical Surgery and Ultrasound short courses up for grabs.
Tony Noble, Managing Director at Noble Futures said: "At Noble Futures, we care deeply about the veterinary profession.
"Those who work within it are at the heart of our business and we are dedicated to looking after those that work in our industry.
"Recently we made the exciting move into recruitment for clinical veterinary roles, to support our long-standing success in recruitment for industry-based roles and with our huge £5,000 Improve International CPD Giveaway we are looking to give something back to the brilliant veterinary surgeons to whom we owe so much, not only for being at the heart of our business but also for the care and protection that they provide to the many animals in our lives."
The objectives of the study1 were to assess the impact of the pandemic on the management of laminitis susceptible horses and ponies, to identify challenges faced in implementing COVID-19 based guidance, and to ascertain areas of decision making and policy development which could undergo improvement in future pandemic or emergency scenarios.
Lead author Ashely Ward, a PhD student at SRUC said: "We discovered that lockdown-associated factors had the potential to compromise the welfare of horses and ponies at risk of obesity and laminitis.
“These included: disparate information and guidance, difficulties enacting public health measures in yard environments, and horses having reduced exercise during the pandemic.
"Our conclusion was that guidelines should be developed for the care of horses and ponies at risk through collaborative input from veterinary and welfare experts. This would help to reduce the negative impacts of future lockdown events in the UK.”
Clare Barfoot RNutr, Marketing and Research and Development Director at Spillers said: “This work carries important recommendations to reduce equine welfare risks during any future lockdowns.
“This summer our primary focus has been on helping horse owners keep their horses at a healthy weight to reduce the risks associated with obesity, in particular laminitis. Until formal guidelines are developed we hope our range of practical advice, available online and via our Care-Line will help, should there be another lockdown."
The study was conducted in tandem with research looking at how the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 lockdown affected horse on the human/animal interaction. The conclusion, disseminated by SRUC last week, concluded that the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of horse owners. https://www.sruc.ac.uk/all-news/horse-power-helps-owners-through-lockdown
The meeting follows growing concerns expressed both within the profession and in the national media about the shortage of veterinary surgeons in the UK.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO (pictured right), said: “Workforce shortages within the veterinary sector has been a concern for some time, however, in the past few months there has been a ‘perfect storm’ of circumstances, which have come together to exacerbate the problem. The issues include the ongoing impact of the pandemic, burnout and fatigue within the profession; the UK’s exit from the European Union, which has seen a significant reduction in the number of EU vets joining the Register as well as an associated increase in the need for veterinary certification; and an increase in pet ownership, and therefore demand for veterinary services, over the course of the pandemic."
In advance of the meeting, which is due to be help in November, the College will be conducting research to better gauge the extent of the problem both nationally and regionally.
The meeting will then consider how recruitment, retention and return to work might address the problem.
Lizzie added: “While there has already been a lot of focus and discussions around recruitment and retention, something less spoken about is return, and the summit will consider the reasons why members of the profession may move away from clinical practice, and if there’s more scope for different ways of working that could bring people back into clinical practice.
“Ahead of the summit we will be reviewing all the latest data that we and other organisations have shared to better understand the gap between capacity and demand, the push and pull factors on decisions to either join or leave clinical practice and build a more evidence-based picture of veterinary workforce trends.”
The summit itself, the date of which is yet to be confirmed, will involve key veterinary stakeholders including the veterinary schools, veterinary employers and representative bodies, coming together to ensure that there will be a joined-up approach in finding solutions to the issues confronting the profession.
Lizzie said: “It may not necessarily be easy to identify all the solutions in one day, and they won’t all come from the RCVS, but opening up the conversation and getting the professions focused on taking appropriate action is an important first step.”
Meanwhile, RCVS President Kate Richards this week wrote to all vets and nurses to reassure them them that the RCVS was aware of the problem and the additional pressures they are under as a result.
In the letter she wrote: “In the face of current shortages, I would like to stress that we support practice teams in prioritising cases strictly according to the health and welfare needs of their patients, and in informing their clients of the need to do so.
“We would also urge veterinary surgeons to share their caseload as much as possible, delegating permitted procedures to their veterinary nurse colleagues wherever appropriate to do so.
"And, we would like to remind veterinary surgeons that their current 24/7 emergency cover obligations, as set out in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, are limited only to taking steps to provide 24-hour emergency first-aid and pain relief to animals according to their skills and the specific situation."
She also added that, while members of the profession may be anxious about a potential increase in the number of concerns being raised by clients because they are not able to offer the level of service they would ideally like to, the RCVS would always take into account the entire circumstances surrounding a complaint as part of its investigation process.
She also said that the College would also continue to raise awareness amongst animal owners of the acute challenges currently facing veterinary teams around the country, and to request their ongoing patience and understanding.
To assist the profession, a series of FAQs have been produced to help with different situations that vets may encounter at the moment, particularly around the provision of 24/7 emergency cover, and to provide further guidance on delegating procedures to veterinary nurses. These can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/
Invetx specialises in developing protein-based therapeutics for chronic conditions in companion animals, with a focus on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
Dechra says these therapies have targeted modes of action and therefore are often more effective, provide an extended duration of activity and have fewer side effects, all of which help to extend and improve the quality of life for companion animals while decreasing the care burden for pet owners.
Jesper Nordengaard, Chief Executive Officer of Dechra, said: "I regard this acquisition as hugely important for Dechra, marking the start of a new chapter in our growth.
"It demonstrates our ambition to create further points of differentiation and relevance with veterinarians and pet owners alike, confidence in our ability to deliver highly innovative new products, and capacity to execute large scale transactions at speed."
Jesper added: “The half-life extension technology developed by Invetx allows for the generation of therapeutics that make treatment of chronic conditions far more convenient for pet owners and veterinarians through improved compliance.
"The pipeline of products currently being developed are all high value potential and will deepen our expertise in core therapeutic areas such as atopic dermatitis and osteoarthritis, allowing for synergistic product development, sales & marketing, and education efforts in the future.”
https://www.invetx.com
Virbac highlights research which shows that 90% of all dogs over one year are affected by dental issues, including plaque, tartar, gingivitis and halitosis1, but small breed dogs are 5 times more likely to have dental issues than large breeds2.
The new formulation of Veterinary HPM Small & Toy range contains Ascophyllum Nodosum, which Virbac says has been scientifically proven activity on four aspects of oral and dental health: calculus index, volatile sulphur compound concentration, plaque index and gingival bleeding index3.
Virbac points to research which shows that after being absorbed in the small intestine and then secreted into the oral cavity via saliva, Ascophyllum Nodosum inhibits some pathways involved in plaque or calculus development4.
Nutrition-wise, Virbac says the new diet offers 33% less carbohydrate and 34% more protein, on average, compared to other brands sold in veterinary practices5.
90% of the protein included in the diets is also from animal protein.
The updated range also features 2 new kibble sizes (10.5mm & 7.5mm), for smaller mouths.
References