Cats Protection and Dogs Trust have launched an awards scheme inviting veterinary students to submit a series of three feline or canine case studies.
The Clinical Cases Study Awards 2010 encourage students to highlight the differential diagnoses and treatment regimes in a 1,500 word report.
The selected cases should be related, and animals can be from the UK or overseas. Reports should include a brief introduction, common presenting signs, possible causes of the animal's condition or illness and a diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan for each animal, with photographs included as appropriate.
There will be separate prizes for the best feline report and the best canine report. Each winner will receive £500 and the chance to have their report summary published in a Cats Protection or Dogs Trust magazine, whilst runners-up in each category will receive £250.
Guidance notes to help students draft their report are available from either charity. Reports should be sent with a covering letter and a CV to veterinary@cats.org.uk to arrive no later than 1 March 2010.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a judging day on 6 April at Dogs Trust's Rehoming Centre in Kenilworth. Selected finalists will have the opportunity to attend the BSAVA Congress in Birmingham, where the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 9 April.
Maggie Roberts, Cats Protection's Director of Veterinary Services said: "As a charity that helps over 193,000 unwanted cats each year, Cats Protection works closely with the veterinary profession and recognises how important today's veterinary students are to the future of feline welfare. Cats are intriguing creatures and their diseases can be complex. It will be interesting to see the range of cases the students present."
Chris Laurence, Veterinary Director at Dogs Trust added: "This is the first time we have invited veterinary students to submit case studies for the awards and I hope that universities will support the scheme by encouraging their students to enter. We see the awards as an introduction point for students to engage with two of the leading welfare charities - something that will be a beneficial experience and potentially assist them with their future careers."
Further information can be obtained from either Gemma Lovegrove at Cats Protection on 01825 741991 or email veterinary@cats.org.uk or from Chris Laurence at Dogs Trust on 02078 337 662 or email chris.laurence@dogstrust.org.uk
BCF has launched the Easi-Scan remote display, designed for on-farm use.
The company says the Easi-Scan offers unprecedented display performance, is very portable (weighing less than 2Kg) and very rugged. According to the company, Its 8.4" transflective LCD screen provides excellent quality images for fertility and pregnancy scanning meaning it can be used as the sole display for BCF's Easi-Scan and Duo-Scan ultrasound scanners. And with a dedicated channel button, you can switch between all available ultrasound channels, allowing you to view a number of examinations at once.
The Easi-Scan is also available with a Gorilla pod allowing it to be attached to railings and a carry strap.
Gavin Mitchell from BCF said: "At BCF innovation is key; we have invested a lot of time developing a remote display monitor that is well suited to the needs of the market. Through listening to our customers, we feel we have successfully achieved this. It is ideal for training purposes and viewing multiple exams. It is also the only wireless and splashproof remote ultrasound display on the market."
For more information call 01506 460023 or visit http://www.bcftechnology.com/.
Novartis Animal Health has launched its Summer Worming Packs.
The packs are part of an ongoing campaign by the company to get pet owners to worm their animals at least 4 times a year (as recommended by the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites1), as opposed to the current norm of 2.6 times per year2.
The Summer Worming Packs include waiting room and client materials, and practice PR support materials. There is also a pet owner website http://www.wormpatrol.co.uk/.
For further details about the Summer Worming Pack or the Worm Patrol Campaign, veterinary practices should contact their Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager.
Lax-a-Past is a palatable paste that can be administered orally to kittens and cats aged over 6 months.
It can be used weekly to help stop hairballs from forming or in higher doses over a consecutive three-day period to help eliminate them.
Carol Morgan, Brand Manager from Dechra Veterinary Products (pictured right) said: “Hairballs are a well-known issue for cats. Lax-a-Past is a complementary feed that offers a simple, easy-to-administer solution to help relieve the digestion problems caused by hairballs.
“It is very easy for owners to administer as the required dosage can be squeezed out and spread on a front paw or given directly into the mouth."
Lax-a-Past is available in a 70g tube.
For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk.
The new award, sponsored by Krka UK, will recognise an exceptional farm vet who has been working in the dairy industry for three to five years and who has contributed significantly to the health and wellbeing of herds under their care.
Sarah Tomlinson, veterinary surgeon at Westpoint Farm Vets in Derbyshire, Technical Director of the TB Advisory Service (TBAS) and recipient of the 2020 Dairy Vet of the Year, said: “In recognising achievement among more recently qualified vets with this new award, Krka is giving the boost every young vet needs to shake off the ‘new grad’ title and instead become an ‘high performing’ vet, judged by their industry peers to be one of the best. Many vets can suffer with imposter syndrome so it is important that we accept positive acknowledgement of our work and our everyday achievements so that we can be rightly proud of what we do.”
More information about the CREAM Awards and the nomination process can be found here: https://www.britishdairying.co.uk/cream-awards-2021/
There have been major changes to the format for Congress this year.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, BSAVA Head of Partnerships and Events, said: “Last year’s online event proved this can all be delivered in a much more interactive and engaging way.
"Returning to a face-to-face format enables us to take that even further and provide delegates with a truly immersive experience."
Many of the sessions at this year’s event will have two speakers delivering different perspectives on a topic, followed by a Q&A.
With 15-20 minutes to get into the detail, lectures will get straight to the point, be fast-paced and rich in content.
Programme committee lead, Paul Higgs (pictured right) said: “Each subject will be delivered in a mix of formats, lectures, debates and interactive sessions, for example.
"It means delegates won’t find themselves sat for hours passively listening, instead they’ve the opportunity to actively engage with the topics, which will promote deeper learning.
“Where topics overlap subject areas, module delegates will come together to explore diagnostics, treatments and ethics.”
For the first time, delegates will also be able to get hands-on in practical sessions at no further cost.
BSAVA’s President, Sheldon Middleton, said: “I can’t wait to get to BSAVA Congress in 2022.
"The new venue, new format and new exhibition layout will enhance everything that BSAVA Congress is known for.
"Now we’ve got a hybrid format, the on-demand feature means that for the first time I can catch up with friends and not miss the CPD!”
Delegates can also attend online, through an interactive virtual platform, which will run alongside the live event.
To buy your tickets before the touts get hold of them visit: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2022/en/page/home.
A series of exchanges between pilots and control towers, which you might find amusing. Would be nice to have some veterinary equivalents, so do feel free to comment beneath this story with any quick-witted exchanges you've heard between vets and vets / nurses / clients.
San Jose Tower to a DC-10 that had come into land too fast, and thus had an exceedingly long roll out after touching down:"American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able. If you are not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights and return to the airport." ***************************************************************
Tower: "TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 degrees." TWA 2341: "Center, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?" Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?" ***************************************************************
Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7" Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the way,after we lifted off we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway." Tower: " Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7. Did you copy that report from Eastern 702?" BR Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern... we've already notified our caterers." ****************************************************************
A BA 747, callsign Speedbird 206 landed at Frankfurt aiport and was just pulling clear of the runway
Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway." Frankfurt ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven." The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop. Frankfurt ground: "Speedbird 206, do you not know where you are going?" Speedbird 206: "Stand by, ground, I'm looking up our gate location now." Frankfurt ground (with quite arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?" Speedbird 206: "Er yes, just the once. It was 1944 ... We didn't land."
Genitrix is encouraging practices to capitalise on the growing market opportunity for dental treatments by offering a free pack of its Dentagen Dental Wax and a special offer of six products for the price of five for the rest of its Dentagen dental range during March 2010.
The company is also urging practices to declare March 'Dental Care Month' and to use it as a platform to step up the education they offer to pet owners on this important welfare issue.
According to Genitrix, the Dentagen range uses a plant extract called RF2 which operates as an 'anti-biofilm' treatment, modifying the membrane of oral bacteria to prevent them from producing plaque even at low concentrations. Dentagen Wax is applied to dogs or cats at the end of dental procedures in practice, while the animal is still sedated. It forms a protective coating over the teeth, which lasts for several days.
Each pack of wax contains five syringes enabling practices to offer free wax applications to pets during Dental Care Month. Pet owners can then maintain the protective coating by giving their pet either Dentagen plaque prevention chews every other day or the Dentagen Aqua drinking water additive.
For dogs, the chews are supplied in two sizes with the larger size designed for dogs over 8 kg and a smaller size for dogs less than 8 kg. Dentagen Aqua is a drinking water additive containing RF2. The company says the palatable liquid, which is added to a pet's drinking water, has proved particularly effective in treating cats which don't respond well to tooth-brushing or dental chews.
Rob Watkins, Genitrix' marketing director said: "It's well known that dental disease affects 80% of pets over three years' old and, if left untreated, can go on to cause serious health problems.
"Data from veterinary practices also confirms that many of them are not achieving the revenue they could from offering dental treatments to their clients. We want them to get their teeth into this important revenue opportunity so we're calling on practices to make March 'Dental Care Month' and are offering them a special deal on Dentagen products to get them started.
"The efficacy of the Dentagen range in inhibiting plaque formation has been proven in clinical trials and it has proved popular with pet owners, increasing their compliance with preventative health regimes."
To order your free pack of Dentagen Wax and to take advantage of the special offer on the rest of the range, contact Genitrix on 01403 786345 or by email at mail@genitrix.co.uk
The Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust has identified a genetic mutation which causes progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) in Golden Retrievers, and developed a DNA test to identify carriers.
PRA is a retinal disease which causes loss of vision and leads to blindness. PRA cannot be treated - the most successful way to combat the inherited condition is to identify dogs that carry the mutation and develop informed breeding strategies.
The new DNA test has been developed following the identification of the mutation which causes the most common form of PRA among Golden Retrievers in Europe - known as GR_PRA1. The mutation which causes a second form of PRA is still to be identified.
Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the AHT, said: "Our research shows that this mutation is present in the UK Golden Retriever population, so it's likely that several hundred new carriers are being born each year and that Golden Retrievers are invariably going blind as a result.
"This new DNA test will enable breeders to learn whether their dogs are carriers of the mutation. This, in turn, will enable them to make better informed breeding decisions and therefore produce puppies which will not go blind as a result of this mutation."
Mike Townsend, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, said: "This is a real breakthrough and one which we hope will help to prevent blindness in many Golden Retrievers in the years to come. Every dog deserves to lead a healthy, happy life and it is important that we do all we can to ensure that future generations are given this opportunity. Our knowledge about inherited diseases in dogs is growing every day and the development of DNA tests such as this one allows breeders to ensure that the healthiest genes are passed down through the generations."
The DNA test for PRA follows the success of the AHT's DNA test launched last year to identify carriers of a mutation that causes primary lens luxation. This test identifies carriers in more than 12 breeds of dog, including Miniature Bull Terriers, Jack Russell Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers and Patterdale Terriers. To date more than 6,500 samples from 36 countries have been tested.
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has committed £1.2 million to the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the AHT, which will undertake research into approximately 25 inherited diseases over the next five years, facilitating the creation of further diagnostic tests which will improve the health and welfare of generations of dogs.
Full information on the Golden Retrievers PRA DNA test, and information on ordering sample kits, will be available from http://www.aht.org.uk/ from 15 November.
Elanco has announced the results of a survey it conducted amongst European dermatology diplomates which found that nearly 90% of them consider Comfortis (spinosad) is the first choice of flea control for cats and dogs.
The research was conducted at the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology (ESVD) and European College of Veterinary Dermatology (ECVD) Congress 2013. 49 Dip ESVD holders from around Europe were asked:
Research has shown that dermatological cases account for approximately 20% of small animal consultations conducted by general practitioners1. According to Elanco, further industry investigations have found that skin diseases are two to three times more common than the next disease category, and dermatological problems are a common secondary reason for an examination.
Anna Jackson, national veterinary manager at Elanco Companion Animal Health, said: “Skin diseases are a huge part of a practicing vet’s workload and one which can prove challenging to effectively address. By creating a fast acting oral flea control product that can work alongside other topical dermatological treatments, we’re helping to alleviate the discomfort and consequences of flea allergy dermatitis, which is one of the most common causes of skin disease. It’s fantastic to receive such strong endorsements from some of the leading dermatologists in Europe and this underlines the benefits of using Comfortis for flea control.”
Reference
The map gives an overview of the regulation applying to virtual care in different countries and it shows how virtual veterinary care is regulated predominantly in Western European countries only.
For the countries where veterinary virtual care is subject to regulation, the new map shows which countries:
https://vvca.org/resources/europe
Defra has today published reports from the Health and SafetyExecutive and Professor Brian Spratt, of Imperial College London,into the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Surrey. The report is available here.
New Horse Passport Guidelines come into force from 1 July 2009 which will require horses to be microchipped. However a recent poll on Horse & Hound Online has revealed that 75 per cent of those questioned were unaware of the new microchip legislation.
With this in mind, Bayer has produced a comprehensive marketing support package for equine vets which provides an overview of the new Horse Passport Guidelines 2009 together with a clear and concise summary of its requirements for vets and horse owners.
The Tracer Advance equine package contains a handy laminated bullet point guide to the new regulations, practice posters, client leaflets, client leave pieces, pre-written articles for use in practice newsletters and local press, and PowerPoint presentations for client evenings.
Practices can apply for any of these items by contacting their Bayer Territory Manager.
London's Savile Row was turned into a sheep field today, to highlight The Campaign For Wool; a coalition of industry groups convened by HRH The Prince of Wales to educate consumers about the benefits of wool.
As the sheep grazed, the Row's famous tailoring houses held events where the public could find out more about the natural, sustainable qualities of wool.
Douglas Cordeaux, Managing Director of West Country woollen mill Fox Brothers, one of the organisations behind the promotion said: "We have a collective responsibility to champion this versatile, sustainable and natural fibre, the production of which involves far lower carbon emissions than man‐made alternatives. We need to support farmers who are the custodians of our rural landscape and truly value the qualities of this wonderful resource, which is used to weave the finest luxury cloth you can buy."
John Thorley of the Campaign for Wool said: 'I'd like to see wool re-established as a fibre of consequence where workers get paid properly and people recognise that this animal is useful to the farming sector in a multitude of ways.'
For more information, see www.campaignforwool.org and www.savilerowfieldday.com
A new company supplying pet chews to the veterinary profession has launched this month.
The Soft Chew Company has been set up by Kevin Ingram, owner of the veterinary supplier J.A.K Marketing and Niall McFerran, who has in the past worked for a number of veterinary healthcare companies including Animalcare, Ceva and Alstoe.
Kevin said: "The healthcare supplement market in the UK is worth over £20 million and rising but most customers are asked to use products which were designed for use on humans. The aim of The Soft Chew Company is to provide those health benefits in the form of treats that the dogs and cats will readily accept."
The new company's product range will be branded: "Chewz" and marketed as palatable healthcare supplements in order that they will not be confused with pharmaceutical products.
The range will initially consist of:
The Chewz range can be obtained from all wholesalers or directly from J.A.K Marketing.
For further information contact; info@thesoftchewcompany.co.uk or 01347 293150
The University of Bristol, the Rabbit Council, the Pet Industry Federation, the RSPCA and the RWAF have come together for the first time to produce a vision for improving rabbit welfare.The new ten-point vision is based on recommendations resulting from research commissioned by the RSPCA and carried out by the university which found that the welfare needs of many companion rabbits are not being met. It has been endorsed by the Blue Cross, the BVNA, the National Office for Animal Health, PDSA and Wood Green.The Rabbit Welfare Vision Statement states that:All companion rabbits enjoy a good life in which they can experience positive welfare, ie good physical and psychological health) as well as being protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.All rabbits have access to an appropriate diet, known to optimise animal health and minimise the risk of disease. This includes having continual access to both good quality fibre-based material, eg hay or fresh grass, to eat and fresh, clean water.All rabbits live in an environment which meets their physical, social and behavioural needs, eg to run, jump, graze, dig, rest and stand up on their hind legs without their ears touching the roof.All rabbits are sold or rehomed to be kept in compatible pairs or groups.All rabbits are bred, reared and kept in a way known to minimise their chances of developing fear of handling and other stimuli.All rabbits are given regular preventative health care as recommended by veterinary experts, eg vaccinated against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), a virulent and fatal viral disease of rabbits, according to current vaccine licence recommendations.All rabbits are given appropriate and timely veterinary treatment to protect them from pain, disease and suffering.All those working with rabbits, including vets, retailers, breeders, rehoming organisations, undertake effective training programmes and have resources available to them on current good practice in housing and husbandry, the promotion of health and welfare, and the management of disease and welfare risks.All rabbit health and welfare advice and recommendations are based on international scientific knowledge and professional experience. The veterinary professions offers up-to-date expertise in recognition, management and prevention of disease and in practices to promote good welfare.The number of rabbits requiring rehoming, both privately and via rescue organisations, is minimised. Dr Nicola Rooney, Research Fellow in Animal Welfare and Behaviour at the University’s School of Veterinary Sciences, primary author of the strategy and who jointly led the original research, said: “We are delighted to have a vision for rabbit welfare that is strongly rooted in evidence-based information and it’s great that Bristol research is one of the key pieces of research underpinning the strategy.“There is a growing body of scientific understanding on how best to meet rabbits’ health and behavioural needs. Both myself and my colleague, Richard Saunders, are part of the strategy group moving this vision forward and we’re very happy that everyone has joined forces to take this on board.”Dr Jane Tyson, rabbit behaviour and welfare expert at the RSPCA said: “We are really excited that stakeholders in animal welfare, the pet industry, breeders and the veterinary profession have been able to come together to share this vision.“We share a common goal which is improving the lives of rabbits - one of Britain’s most popular pets, but also arguably one of the most misunderstood.”The University of Bristol says the next step will be to develop a roadmap to achieving the vision.
Leading human and animal health organisations – the British Medical Association (BMA), British Dental Association (BDA), British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) - have joined forces for the first time to promote a ‘One Health’ approach to ensure responsible guardianship of antibiotics and their proper public use on European Antibiotics Awareness Day tomorrow.
Antibiotics are obviously a vital medicine for both animal and human health, and modern health systems rely on the availability and effectiveness of a range of antimicrobials to treat and prevent infections. Yet inappropriate use – such as prescribing for self-limiting infections, not finishing a prescribed course of antibiotics or habitual prophylactic use in healthy animals to prevent disease - all contribute to the development of resistant bacteria in both humans and animals.
Whilst antibiotic resistance in animals does not perhaps present the greatest immediate existential threat, there is a strong argument for a united message to the public coming from doctors, dentists, chemists and veterinary surgeons.
Quite simply, some 13M households own a pet. Pretty much all of them visit a vet at some stage, and most will be a human patient at some point in their lives. So, what a veterinary surgeon says about the use of antibiotics in animals has the potential to help transform how owners think about them when they come to visit the doctor.
A survey of general practitioner doctors last year found that 90% feel pressured by patients to prescribe antibiotics and 28% have prescribed them several times a week when not sure they are medically necessary. If veterinary surgeons refuse to prescribe them for pets unless medically necessary, explaining that they are a precious resource which can no longer be wasted, it could help relieve the pressure on doctors. The same goes for the importance of compliance; if owners learn the importance of their pet taking the full course, there's a greater chance they'll understand why they need to complete their own course of treatment.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is too important an issue for uncoordinated approaches amongst the medical professions. We need to work together to share knowledge and successful approaches, as well as taking responsibility for not just the immediate clinical situations before us, but also for our role in supporting the health and wellbeing of wider society. An effective approach to tackling AMR is about professions and patients working together for the greater good."
BMA board of science Chair Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins said: "Doctors have expressed significant concern about the threat of a ‘post-antimicrobial age’. It is vital that we see action to improve antimicrobial prescribing across all disciplines. Only by different professionals working together to improve antimicrobial stewardship will we start to address this major public health issue."
BDA President Professor Nairn Wilson said: "All health professionals have a responsibility to draw a line under inappropriate or unnecessary use of antibiotics. One in ten prescriptions in the UK are provided by dentists, so we’re determined to do our bit. We are facing a clear and present danger to public health, and it will only be overcome if we act together."
For further information about EAAD 2015, visit www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/EAAD
To mark EAAD 2015, BVA has produced a range of new posters to promote the responsible use of antibiotics for use in veterinary practices or as a source of information for pet owners which can be found on their website www.bva.co.uk/eaad.
The PDSA has announced that it is offering free workshops to help veterinary professionals deliver new welfare checks called 'PetWise MOTs'.
The PetWise MOT checks focus on the five welfare needs, and the workshops count for seven hours CPD. The charity says that while the workshops are suitable for all members of the practice team, they should be of particular interest to nursing teams and those with a keen interest in engaging clients with the needs of their pets.
The aim of the MOT Checks is to improve pet wellbeing in the UK, following reports of a reduced level of awareness amongst the public of the five welfare needs defined by the Animal Welfare Acts.
Richard Casey, PDSA Pet Wellbeing Project Manager, said: "We know there is more to a pet’s wellbeing than just providing for their basic health needs. This unique consultation structure was developed in response to falling awareness among owners of their pets’ welfare needs, with millions of pets suffering unnecessarily. The PetWise MOTs use a simple traffic light system and personalised action plans to reverse this trend by helping to inform and engage owners about what their pets need to be healthy and happy."
The consultations were first trialled on the charity’s mobile PetCheck vehicles, then expanded to PDSA’s 51 pet hospitals. According to the charity, over 100,000 PetWise MOTs and follow up checks have now been completed in the last few years, with outcomes including:
Alison Case, a Senior Vet at Bow PDSA Pet Hospital, said: "PetWise MOTs give a really practical approach to running clinics based on the pet’s welfare needs. We’ve seen a positive impact on patient care by looking at husbandry at home as well as the clinical concerns of the patient. The consultations help to strengthen the clinic-client bond through professional support and advice. We’ve had great feedback from our clients, who are now much more aware of the routine needs of their pets and often attend for further check-ups as well as regularly purchasing preventive treatments."
The workshops will focus on dogs, cats and rabbits, although the consultations are transferable to all species.
For more information or to book a place, visit www.pdsa.org.uk/petwise or email petwise@pdsa.org.uk.
NOAH’s Office Manager Joanne Jeffs said: "We know more people are accessing the site using mobile technology and in order that the site can be viewed more easily on mobile phones and tablets as well as traditional desktops, we needed to move the whole complex set of data to a new web platform.
"This is only one of the advantages of the move – it will enable us to finalise our Compendium app, for example, and further down the line will enable more bespoke information access to become available via an API* feed – and we needed to take this major step for progress to be made.
"The most important thing was to maintain the integrity of the data – prescribers and users of animal medicines rely on its accuracy to make their prescribing decisions and guide responsible use. We know this has been done.
She added: "With the move, we know there are some post launch issues that we are addressing. We are working on those as quickly as we can. We know users need to print datasheets, for example and this function will soon be back online. We welcome all feedback and thank all our users for their patience.
www.noahcompendium.co.uk
The original deadline for nominations for the three honours (the Queen’s Medal, Golden Jubilee Award and Honorary Associateship) was Friday 16 September – this has now been moved to Friday 21 October 2016.
Chris Tufnell, President of the RCVS, said: "Do you know someone who goes above-and-beyond the call of duty? Whose achievements have had a tangible impact on their profession or the veterinary and animal health and welfare sector at large? Then we would strongly encourage you to nominate them for an RCVS Honour. Those who are successful will receive their award at our Annual General Meeting and Awards Day where their achievements will be described and recognised in front of their peers."
The Queen’s Medal was introduced in 2013 and is the highest honour that the College can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon in recognition of those who have achieved a highly distinguished career and outstanding achievements. Nominations can be made by any Member of the RCVS in respect of another veterinary surgeon.
The Golden Jubilee Award was introduced in 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first RCVS training course for veterinary nurses and now recognises those nurses who are taking a leadership role within the profession. Nominations can be made by either veterinary nurses or veterinary surgeons in respect of a veterinary nurse.
Finally, nominations can also be made for Honorary Associateship which is eligible for those who, while not veterinary surgeons or nurses, have had a significant impact in the veterinary field. Previous winners have included scientists, farmers, farriers, educationalists and journalists.
Further information about making nominations for each of these awards, including nominations forms, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/honours. All awards will be bestowed at RCVS Day 2017 in July next year.
Those with questions about making a nomination can contact Peris Dean, Executive Secretary, on p.dean@rcvs.org.uk
The dispensation was brought in during the spring 2020 lockdown to safeguard animal health and welfare, the health & safety of the veterinary team, and public health, by allowing prescriptions to be made by veterinary surgeons without having first physically examined the animal.
Since it was brought in, the temporary dispensation has been under constant review and, in September, was extended to midnight on Sunday 31st October 2021.
Last week, the Standards Committee met and decided to end the dispensation, although it has put back the end date for the guidance to midnight on Sunday 21 November to allow sufficient time for veterinary practices to change their protocols and policies accordingly.
Melissa Donald, RCVS Junior Vice-President and Chair of the Standards Committee, said: “Due to a number of factors, including evidence that there has been a decline in the amount of remote prescriptions taking place, the Committee took the decision to end the dispensation, albeit with a three-week extension period to allow those practices that are still prescribing remotely to change their policies, inform their clients and so on.
“While the dispensation is ending, it is worth noting that it will still be kept under review in light of any changes in the circumstances around the pandemic, including government advice and regulations.”
The full details about the temporary dispensation can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
Those with any questions about the guidance should contact the RCVS Standards & Advice Team on advice@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0789.
According to the RCVS, 86% of veterinary surgeons, and 92% of veterinary nurses have so far failed to vote in this year's council elections.
There's still time: voting for the RCVS Council and VN Council doesn't close till 2nd May and 28th April respectively.
Voting can be done online: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=205006, where you can also read each candidate's manifesto.
Hill's Pet Nutrition has announced an average price reduction of over 5 per cent across almost 80 per cent of its product range from 1st March 2010.
The company says this is the first time in its history that such a big price reduction has been implemented, and it comes with a promise that superior nutritional quality won't be compromised.
The price cut comes following market research by Hill's which shows that after one of the deepest recessions in 50 years, more pet owners are becoming cost-conscious, and many are now buying their petfood in the grocery channel or mixing premium foods with economy products.
Another factor in decision-making for some pet owners is the cost per pack, particularly on the larger bag sizes. From April 2010, some Hill's Prescription Diet products will be resized to make them a more affordable purchase. Canine Prescription Diets c/d, d/d, i/d, k/d and j/d will be moved from a 14 Kg bag to a 12 Kg bag. Feline Prescription Diets c/d, k/d, r/d, i/d and s/d will be moved from a 2 Kg bag to a 1.5 kg bag. The price reduction will also be applied proportionately alongside the smaller bag size, so many clients should see a significant reduction at point of purchase. The smaller bags are also easier for practices to store and can increase frequency of client visits providing more opportunities to offer advice and support.
Blake Hawley, Hill's General Manager for UK and Ireland said, "We would like to thank vets, nurses and support staff for their continued support and dedication. Every pet needs and deserves a nutritional assessment and this price reduction will make it easier for vet teams to recommend the best Hill's product, confident those pets are getting high quality nutrition at new, lower prices. Having listened to what the profession had to say in 2009, this year we will demonstrate our commitment to the veterinary profession in very clear and visible ways."
For an up to date price list and support material to assist in communicating the change to clients, please contact your Hill's Territory Manager or call 0800 282438