Petlog is announcing details of National Microchipping Month at BSAVA, which this year will include a special offer through which pet owners can update their registered details free of charge, and a 10% discount on SureFlap microchip cat flaps to all veterinary practices that agree to stock SureFlap and take part in the June initiative.  

Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: "On top of the launch of National Microchipping Month 2011 we will be releasing details about the 'Petlog's Featured Practice' competition, our social media campaign enabling veterinary practices to send in images of themselves with their happy customers: selected images will be featured online and there will be a unique prize for the overall winners.

She added: "Visitors to the Petlog stand will also be able to pick up their own personal copy of the Kennel Club's Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health on a handy disk."

Meanwhile, you can see SureFlap on stand 203 at Congress or visit: www.sureflap.co.uk/trade.

CVS has presented its 2017 charity of the year, Blue Cross, with a cheque for £50,886 raised through fundraising at its veterinary sites and businesses across the UK.

The company's charity of the year is chosen by employees at its annual conference in October. Fundraising then begins the following January. 

This year, fundraising activities included cake sales, 'wearing blue days' and dog shows. Others took a more energetic approach: a team from Tone Veterinary Centre in Taunton cycled the equivalent of Land’s End to John O’Groats on exercise bikes over a fortnight, raising £525, while groomer Ceri James from Petherton Vets in Cardiff climbed Ben Nevis.

Simon Innes, CVS Chief Executive said: "Each year, thousands of cats, dogs, small animals and horses rely on the hospitals, clinics and rehoming services run by Blue Cross so it was a very natural charity for us to support and the overwhelming winner of last year’s vote.

"Yet again, our teams have surpassed themselves by really getting behind our fundraising efforts and showing great creativity and dedication to the task. Judging by some of the photos, they also seem to have had a great deal of fun. We held a group-wide charity day during July in which all parts of the business participated. It was a fantastic event and really showed the power of collective fundraising."

Matt Cull, Deputy Director of Fundraising at Blue Cross, said: "The dedication from CVS to fundraise for our pets through many different activities is so inspiring. We are very grateful to all the teams for helping Blue Cross as the money raised will assist us in helping thousands of pets in need and support our other charitable activities, such as our education programmes and bereavement support service. Pets change lives and with this generous help, we can change theirs."

Photo: Simon Innes CVS Group Chief Executive; Diane James, Blue Cross; Piers Gibbon, CVS Conference compere

The RCVS has established a new working group to develop proposals for how it will regulate veterinary practices on a statutory basis in the future.

The mandatory regulation of veterinary practices, including statutory powers of entry and inspection, is one of the main parts of the College's proposals for new primary legislation that would replace the current Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

The working group, which is expected to present the details of a Mandatory Practice Regulation system to Council by the end of 2024, will be chaired by RCVS President Sue Paterson FRCVS.

It will include Standards Committee Chair Linda Belton MRCVS and Practice Standards Group Chair Belinda Andrews-Jones RVN, alongside veterinary, veterinary nursing, lay and external representatives.

Sue said: “With over 70% of practice premises currently under its ambit, our Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) has shown how keen practices are to maintain high standards.

"However, it is a voluntary scheme and, as a result, there is no mechanism to ensure standards across all practices, or to ensure change in those rare situations where it is needed.

“At present, the RCVS only regulates individual veterinary surgeons and nurses, and the veterinary sector does not have an equivalent to the Care Quality Commission, which considers human healthcare premises.

"This means that the onus for maintaining standards within the workplace falls on regulated individuals rather than the business structure.

"We will consider what a scheme that puts more statutory responsibility on business owners to maintain standards should look like.

“I look forward to working with colleagues in RCVS Council, VN Council and other veterinary organisations via this group to really flesh out what this regulatory system might look like in the future, to make sure it is appropriate, robust, proportionate and enforceable.

"Establishing these details will also prove invaluable in our lobbying work with government, ministers and MPs.”

The RCVS has published the conclusions of The McKelvey Report, a review into the circumstances leading to a substantial overspend on the College's new database and development works at Belgravia House.

The review was carried out by Professor Bill McKelvey - a member of the College's Governance Review Group - and two of the College's Privy Council-appointed Council members to consider all aspects relating to the College's budgeting and expenditure process, and propose lessons that could be learned.

Whilst the full report has not yet been published, its conclusions highlight:

• A lack of a credible audit capability, either internal or external.
• The above despite a recommendation following an investigation into a previous overspend, which Council apparently failed to act upon.
• Lack of responsibility / accountability for project planning and management.
• Lack of control over budget, with no spending limits found for Officers or staff.
• As a consequence of its elected nature, a lack of appropriate skills within Council, particularly for the role of Treasurer.

Overall, the report concluded that:

Weaknesses exist in the governance of the RCVS which pose significant risks to the proper conduct of its business. Executive staff have not been provided with a robust governance framework by the Council, and this has led to a number of unnecessary misunderstandings between Executive staff and Non Executive members of Council. These matters should be urgently addressed by Council in order to ensure that the confidence of ordinary members of the profession in their College can be restored.

Dr Jerry Davies, RCVS President said: "That such a review was required is regretted, but I would like to thank Professor McKelvey, Richard Davis and Judith Webb for their diligence in this work. Their recommendations will be a very helpful addition to the work that is currently underway to ensure corporate governance is fit for purpose and, in particular, that the management of capital projects within the College is optimised."

The full report is available here.

Virbac has announced a special promotion in which practices can earn a specialist ear instrument kit worth £100

The kit, which has been designed by Virbac vets in consultation with a number of veterinary dermatologists, is available with multiple purchases of the otitis treatment EasOtic, and the neutral pH glycotechnology ear cleaner Epi-Otic.

Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "Each kit contains a haemostat, ear forceps, 3 various cerumen scoops and a Spreulls ear-flushing needle. Basically it's the best ear equipment for daily use by practitioners. For a limited period we are giving away one set FOC with every purchase of 25 bottles of EasOtic and 25 bottles of Epi-Otic."

Chris added: "When it comes to treatment of otitis, we know that client compliance is a key issue. The award-winning design of EasOtic makes it an extremely easy product to use. The 'one pump' delivery system helps deliver more accurate dosing and minimises animal stress during application. This means that treatment courses are more likely to be completed, thus optimising results and client satisfaction all round."  

For further information, please contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.

The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) has launched a new guide on feline stress and health to help veterinary professionals better understand, prevent and manage stress and distress in cats.

Feline Stress and Health: Managing Negative Emotions to Improve Feline Health and Wellbeing is the result of a collaboration between a number of leading authors in feline behaviour, veterinary medicine and welfare, and has been supported by Ceva.

Aimed at veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and veterinary students, the purpose of the guide is to help understand why cats can become stressed and distressed in the many environments where veterinary care is provided, including the veterinary surgery and the welfare environment.

The 160-page guide has been broken down into twelve chapters, covering what stress and distress are, why cats become stressed and/or distressed and how stress impacts on the behaviour and health of the cat.

The guide looks at the causes of stress and distress in different environments, including the veterinary clinic, homing centres, at home and in multi-cat households, and how it can be prevented and managed. The guide also offers some basic ideas, principles and tips which can be implemented by all veterinary professionals, which the ISFM says will make a huge difference to the cats in their care.

Sarah Ellis, co-editor of the guide and Feline Behaviour Specialist at International Cat Care said: "Most of us are well aware that cats can be negatively affected by the veterinary clinic and other confined environments. But how can we really tell what a cat is experiencing and what can we do to improve the situation? This guide offers a great deal of insight into negative emotions underlying the causes of stress and distress in cats and offers practical solutions on how to prevent and manage them."

The guide is available from International Cat Care’s shop (http://icatcare.org/shop), priced at £20.00.  

The RCVS has launched its Veterinary Graduate Development Programme (VetGDP) e-portfolio platform to support graduates as they begin their working lives.

From this summer, all new veterinary graduates have had to be enrolled on the VetGDP when they start their first job as a qualified vet. This means that veterinary practices and other workplaces wishing to employ new veterinary graduates will need to become, or be working towards becoming, an RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice or Workplace. To date, over 1,800 VetGDP Advisers around the UK have registered for the training to help develop their new graduate colleagues.

All new veterinary graduates and their VetGDP Advisers will be able to use the new e-portfolio platform to record and monitor the graduate’s progress as they work through the programme.

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements (pictured right), RCVS Director of Education, said: “We recognise how important it is to support new veterinary graduates as much as possible during their first job as a fully-qualified veterinary surgeon. The transition from study to work can be a daunting one, and we wanted to create a resource that would help new graduates record and reflect on their journey through the programme and provide a space for the VetGDP Adviser to monitor and support their graduate as they progress.

“We believe the VetGDP programme will have a positive impact on graduates’ development and their confidence during their first role. The new e-portfolio will be a key resource for employers to help them support the professional development of the newest cohort of veterinary professionals.”

The RCVS will be holding two online workshops to provide VetGDP Advisers and veterinary graduates with support and advice about using the e-portfolio. The workshop dates and times are:

• Friday 17 September 1 PM – 2 PM
• Monday 20 September 7 PM – 8 PM

Further information and the online booking form can be found at https://www.rcvs.org.uk/vetgdpworkshops.

Some graduates may have completed forms to record their activities and progress as part of the VetGDP platform launch interim measures provided earlier this summer. Anyone who has manually completed any forms is encouraged to get in touch with the VetGDP team by emailing vetgdp@rcvs.org.uk who will be able to help transfer the data onto the e-portfolio if required.

Further information about becoming an RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice or Workplace can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetgdp

Dog's Trust has conducted a survey of dog owners in which 89% said that losing a dog is like losing a close family member.

The survey of 2067 past or present adult dog owners, of which 1,170 had experienced the loss of a dog, also found that about half had experienced barriers to opening up about their feelings following the death of their pet. 

Some of the reasons given for not opening up included believing others wouldn’t understand their feelings (22%), fear of being judged for being upset (15%), feeling embarrassed about their levels of distress (12%) and not being able to find the right words to describe their feelings (13%). 

74% felt they could turn to close family to share feelings of grief over the loss of the dog, but only 13% felt they could discuss it with employers and colleagues. 

Samantha Davis, Legacy and In-Memory Manager at Dogs Trust, says: “The loss of a pet dog can be as devastating as losing a family member.

"Dogs hold a special place in our hearts, offering unconditional love and companionship, and when they pass away, the grief can be profound and, sadly for some, isolating.  

“It's really important that owners who experience the loss of their canine companions can open up and share their feelings with friends and family.

"Many will find solace in knowing they are not alone."  

To support people who have lost a dog, Dogs Trust is holding a 3.5km walk to bring people together to share their memories of their beloved animal. 

Walk for Our Old Friends (WOOF) will take place in Salcey Forest, Northampton, on Sunday 6th October 2024 between 4pm-7pm.

As walkers make their way through the forest, there will be opportunities for moments of remembrance and celebration.

The charity will also provide support resources for those participating with a team onsite as well as online information to help people cope with their loss.  

Dogs Trust is also providing online resources for people to organise their own walk in memory of their much missed four legged friends.

https://events.dogstrust.org.uk/event/walk-for-our-old-friends 

COMMENT

Was this survey desperately flawed, or has our relationship with our dogs become unhealthily anthropomorphic?

It's hard to think of any other explanation for why such large proportion of people equate the death of a dog with the death of a brother, sister, parent or child.

Surely the death of a close family member is in an altogether different league than the death of even the most beloved dog. 

If people are developing unhealthily close relationships with their animals, the question is why?

Are they being pushed by commercial interests which encourage people to think of themselves as 'pet parents' in order that they feel compelled to spend more on their 'child'.

Or is there some other factor in play?

Does it matter anyway? 

Perhaps not.

But more and more we hear stories of people saddling themselves with crippling levels of debt on treatment because they cannot face the inevitable.

Perhaps it is time to return to a more healthy, more matter-of-fact relationship with our pets. 

No less loving, just tempered by the acceptance of the fact that it is not human. It's a dog.

The RCVS issued a reminder today that there is just over a month left before the 1 April deadline for all veterinary practice premises from which medicines are to be supplied to be registered with the College.

Just over 4,500 premises have applied for registration since November 2008. This includes about 750 premises not previously listed with the College, demonstrating the usefulness of the process, which will enable the government to fulfil its obligations under European law to maintain and improve traceability of, and accountability for, veterinary medicines.

From 1 April it will be an offence for a veterinary surgeon to supply a veterinary medicinal product from any practice premises not registered with the RCVS. On conviction, those committing the offence may be liable to prosecution, which may include a fine or prison sentence. Veterinary surgeons convicted of criminal offences are also considered by the College's Preliminary Investigation Committee to decide whether the conviction would affect the individual's fitness to practise and should be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.

In addition to ensuring their practice premises are registered, veterinary surgeons also need to keep a record of other places where medicines are stored, so these can be considered during an inspection - such as vets' homes or cars, or perhaps a charity premises from which veterinary work is carried out and where medicines are stored. Such records will not be published, although some of those premises may need to be registered in their own right.

Practices accredited under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme will be inspected by the RCVS; non-compliance with medicines standards will be dealt with under the rules of the Scheme. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will carry out inspections of other registered premises to ensure compliance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. Where non-compliance is noted, the VMD will take a proportionate enforcement approach ranging from issuing advice to, where appropriate, serving an improvement notice or seizing medicines.

Hugo Schmokel, an EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery at IVC Evidensia, has discovered malformations in Ice Age animals which may have developed as a result of inbreeding and which are also common in modern dogs.

For his research, Hugo visited the La Brea museum in Los Angeles, which gave him permission to study its collection of skeletal remains found in the La Brea tar pits.

“During my first visit, I concentrated on stifle diseases like cranial cruciate ligament rupture, which are very common in our modern-day dog companions.

"But in addition to cruciate disease, I also found OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) defects in the stifles and shoulders – which is again very common in modern dogs."

"My second visit was more focused on the changes in the spine of the dire wolf and the Sabre-toothed cat.”

"Some dire wolves had cruciate ligament ruptures, but it was uncommon compared to the most affected dog breeds.

"This is very similar to modern-day grey wolves which also suffer rarely from cruciate damage.

"In contrast, the prevalence of stifle OCD in these fossilised remains is amazingly high, especially in the sabre-toothed cat.

"This could indicate some degree of inbreeding, a factor which is predicated for species close to extinction. 

“Malformations of the lumbosacral area are linked to inbreeding in modern grey wolves, and I found that the sabre-toothed cat also had a high prevalence of the same malformations we see in these wild modern inbred wolves, and some dog breeds today."

Hugo concluded: "The fact that some of the most common joint diseases in growing dogs can be found in the Ice Age under circumstances which could have caused inbreeding should alert pet owners and breeders to look out for inbreeding in our dog breeds.

"Careful evaluation and monitoring of dog breeding using DNA analysis could reduce painful joint damage."

Virbac Animal Health has launched a new pet owner information pack to help practices raise awareness of reproductive health issues in dogs and cats.

The pack consists of a leaflet holder with four different leaflets covering unwanted sexual behaviour, castration, prostate disease and misalliance. The holder has a small footprint so will sit nicely in any practice reception area.

Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS says that the pack will make it easier for vets and VNs to raise the sensitive issue of pet reproductive health with owners. "For example, prostate disease in men is well documented and public knowledge is high, but we believe that few people know that it can affect pets too.

"It is estimated that 80% of male dogs over the age of five suffer from prostate problems, but experts agree that it is underdiagnosed at present. This is possibly due to a combination of a lack of awareness and client unease on discussing reproductive subjects at their vet practice."

To obtain your free pack or for further information, please contact your local territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.  

Ceva Animal Health has announced that nominations are now open for its Animal Welfare Awards 2018.

Outstanding veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, animal welfare professionals and animal welfare teams can now be nominated to receive an award by their peers and the general public. Nominees can come from all walks of life, all ages, and from anywhere in the world.

The award categories include:

The Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines
This award is in recognition of a veterinary surgeon working in practice that follows the footsteps of head judge, Chris Laurence, by educating pet owners and consistently demonstrating their commitment to the continued improvement of animal welfare.

Vet Nurse of the Year supported by Agria Pet Insurance
This award is to give recognition to a veterinary nurse working in practice, who has shown real commitment to improving and championing excellent animal welfare within their surgery.

Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSA
This award is for an awe-inspiring team whose drive, passion and dedication has changed the lives of animals for the better, improving the standard of animal welfare where they can and working tirelessly to promote and champion their cause.

Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross 
This award is for an individual who works within a charity, either in a paid or voluntary role, who is consistently driven to the best of their ability, with a single-minded goal of helping save and improve the lives of animals in need.

Farm Animal Welfare Award supported by R.A.B.I. and NADIS
This award is for an individual or team which have dedicated their careers to the health and welfare of production animals.

International Cat Care Welfare Award supported by International Cat Care
This award recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution to the development of feline welfare. The recipient of the award is chosen by International Cat Care and therefore the category is not open to nominations.

Since the first Ceva Awards in 2010, hundreds of people and teams have been nominated, with the winners decided by a panel of judges including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc and James Yeates, chief veterinarian at RSPCA.

The winners and runners up will be honoured at a ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 4^th April 2018. 

Ceva Animal Health managing director, Cuneyt Seckin said: "Over the last eight years we have been consistently humbled by the inspirational nominations that we receive from all over the world and we envisage this year to be no exception.

"The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards champion people involved in animal welfare, but they also raise awareness of this important work to wider audiences."

If there is a veterinary surgeon, nurse, animal welfare professional or animal welfare team that you feel deserves to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare, visit www.cevawelfareawards.com to nominate. 

Entries must be in by Friday 26 January 2018.