Mike Martin, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology, has launched a new reference library of cardiology echo scans on VetSurgeon.org.
The movies show cardiac scans performed on normal dogs, and on cats and dogs with a variety of different conditions, both acquired and congenital.
Mike said: "I hope these movies will be a really helpful reference for colleagues who have an interest in cardiology. They provide so much more information than can be gleaned from a still image in a textbook, now that online video quality has improved so much."
Mike's gallery is an excellent example of the way in which a social networking website like VetSurgeon allows its members to share information and collaborate. Other referral practitioners interested in having their own gallery in which to share videos or images with colleagues in the profession should contact the site editor, Arlo Guthrie for further details.
Click here to visit Mike Martin's Cardiology Gallery
Maverick Television is looking for three veterinary surgeons and two veterinary nurses to front a new Channel 4 television show.
Maverick, makers of Embarrassing Bodies and Bizarre Animal ER, says the new show will be about embarrassing animal behaviours and their bizarre or weird medical conditions.
For further information, contact Laura Wolf on 0121 771 1812, or email her your CV and a recent photograph: l.woolf@mavericktv.co.uk.
Virbac has announced that Canine Prostate Awareness Month, its initiative to highlight the prevalence of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), will be running again in November, and is urging practices to join in.
The initiative is timed to coincide with Movember, the fundraising initiative for male prostate disease and testicular cancer. Virbac says it hopes CPAM will remind owners that men are not the only ones to suffer from prostate disorders. Indeed, more than 80% of entire male dogs over the age of five are thought to suffer from BPH1.
As part of CPAM, Virbac is providing participating practices with promotional materials including owner educational and display materials, a template press release for local media, and free branded slip leads to pass on to owners who have had their dog checked.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Senior Product Manager, said: "CPAM is a well-supported initiative and, running it at a time when the media spotlight is already on the dangers of prostate cancer in men, means we can spread the message that owners should also be monitoring older dogs for signs of prostate disease."
Virbac has introduced Odelis CPSE, the first ELISA test to screen for, diagnose and monitor BPH. It is available from three UK diagnostic laboratories. According to the company it is a cost-effective, precise and reliable alternative to rectal palpation. It also offers Ypozane, a tablet treatment for BPH, which takes effect within a week and lasts for six months.
Chris added: "The problem with BPH is that the majority of dogs suffer in silence. It is a painful condition that goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage, where the owner notices blood in the urine or painful urination.
"We're providing practices with all the materials they need to promote the campaign in their locality and hope that those getting involved will find it effective in terms of bringing clients into the practice for advice on BPH. We've also organised coverage in national dog magazines to drive clients to practices."
Practices that diagnose a dog with BPH during CPAM are asked to contact Virbac with details as it plans to collate a series of case studies from the initiative. Love2Shop vouchers to the value of £50 will be provided for the five most pertinent case studies submitted by the end of 2013.
For further information on CPAM, email cpam@virbac.co.uk, contact your Virbac Territory Manager or call the company direct on 01359 243243.
Reference
The redesign includes an overhaul of the layout, structure and navigation of all the College’s websites: Professionals, Animal Owners, Find a Vet and RCVS Knowledge.
Some of the main changes are:
Ian Holloway, Head of Communications, said: "We’re delighted to be launching our new-look site today and hope all the improvements we’ve incorporated will make using the site a much better experience for veterinary professionals and animal owners alike.
"Working closely with our website provider, NetXtra, over the past nine months, we’ve been able to develop a new-look site with vastly improved design, structure and navigation, whilst avoiding the major expense of building a completely new website from scratch.
"We’re very grateful to them, and to all those vets, vet nurses and members of the public who have helped us with user-testing and content mapping to improve the site as much as possible for everyone who uses it."
Anyone with any comments or feedback about the new-look site is invited to send it to communications@rcvs.org.uk.
The measures agreed by RCVS Council will allow UK-practising members to spread the cost of renewal over three instalments: paying 50% of the full cost by 30th April, 25% by 30th September, and the remaining 25% by 31st December.
Kit Sturgess, Treasurer, said: “We recognise that most veterinary businesses will be seeing a downtown during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, especially as veterinary practices reduce their workloads to emergency-only procedures or those that can be classed as urgent. Furthermore, we understand that many individual veterinary surgeons will no longer be working, and that this will cause financial difficulties for many vets and their families.
"We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the profession, and as part of our compassionate approach to regulation we wanted to do our bit to help people manage the difficult financial consequences of the coronavirus crisis, and to help them to return to work as soon as Government advice allows. While fees for veterinary nurses are not due until the end of the year, we will keep the impact of the coronavirus pandemic under review on an ongoing basis.”
Any UK-practising member wishing to switch to the payment-by-instalments system should cancel their existing Direct Debits immediately (the College has already temporarily deferred these direct debits for around 10-14 days to allow time for them to be cancelled).
The College says that any member who does not pay the first instalment of 50% of the total fee by the end of April will need to pay the full amount in one instalment by the end of May. Should they then fail to make this payment, the College would then have to remove their name from the Register.
Those who pay the initial 50% instalment but fail to pay one or both of the subsequent 25% instalments will be moved to the non-practising Register for up to one year. This would mean that they could transfer back to the UK-practising Register without incurring a restoration fee. However, they would no longer legally be entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon while on the non-practising Register until they had paid the retention fee in full and been transferred back to the UK-practising Register.
RCVS Council also agreed that the higher fee that usually applies for late payments, ie those made between 1 May and 30 May, will not be applied to any category of membership this year.
Members can opt to move to the new arrangements or continue with full payment. Details of how to pay under the new arrangements will be sent to members shortly. Any member who has already paid their fee in full and would like to switch to the payment-by-instalments mechanism should contact the College on refunds@rcvs.org.uk.
Further details about the scheme are available in a detailed Frequently Asked Questions guide via www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
COMMENTIt has been argued that at a time when many veterinary surgeons have lost a significant part of their livelihood, the College should have gone further and reduced the renewal fees, at least for the period of time that vets' earning ability is compromised. I'm not qualified to judge whether the College could have afforded that, and a spokesman would only say: "...we have to work within the framework of the legislation and the statutory instrument and, given this, the measures that RCVS Council has put in place is a reasonable outcome and will assist veterinary surgeons who may be struggling during these very tough times."
Anyone - clients, colleagues or mentors - can nominate a young vet who they think has exceptional clinical skills, a particular passion for equine welfare or great leadership skills.
To be eligible nominees need to be members of BEVA, have graduated within the past seven years and be a registered professional with the appropriate body (eg RCVS).
BEVA Council Member Gemma Dransfield said: “We all know that one superstar who's brilliant with patients, fantastic with clients, and just an all-round legend in the making."
“This is your chance to give them the recognition they deserve.
"The BEVA One To Watch Award recognises those who are shaping the future, setting new standards in equine care, and driving the next generation of equine veterinary excellence.
"Not only will they have the glowing accolade of winning, but they will also win some career-boosting perks.”
To put an individual forward for consideration, a seconder is needed and either the nominator or seconder must be a BEVA member.
All nominations will be reviewed by a panel of experts comprising a BEVA Careers Committee representative, a senior equine vet, a non-equine veterinary professional and an external industry representative or client.
Up to five finalists will be selected and invited for a friendly online chat with the judging panel.
The winner will be announced at BEVA Congress and will be presented with a trophy, one year of BEVA membership, a fully paid BEVA Congress experience (including a one-day pass, overnight stay, and ticket to the annual dinner) and an exclusive career-boosting opportunities with BEVA to help take their career to the next level.
All finalists will receive a one-day ticket to BEVA Congress.
www.beva.org.uk/About-us/What-we-do/BEVA-Awards/One-to-watch
Vets Now has won the 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year' award in the Scottish Business Awards for Pet Blood Bank UK.
The charity was initiated by a Vets Now employee, Wendy Barnett, following a change in legislation which created the opportunity to establish a pet equivalent of the human national blood transfusion service. After a trial through Vets Now, Pet Blood Bank UK was set up in 2007 as an independent charity, with a loan and ongoing fundraising support from Vets Now.
Pet Blood Bank UK collects blood from donor dogs, processes it and supplies it to the veterinary profession to use in cases such as traumatic injuries or where major surgery is required. Last year 164 specially organised dog donor sessions were held where owners are encouraged to bring along their dog to 'donate a pint'. Each donation has the potential to save up to four lives. Nearly 9,000 units of blood have been collected in the past five years.
The charity, which has an education and animal welfare remit, charges veterinary practices just the costs incurred in collecting, processing and storing the blood. As well as providing blood, the Pet Blood Bank UK team are experts in transfusion medicine and receive numerous calls through their advice service. Regular lectures, educational talks to the profession and guidance is given to enquiries from all over the world on how to set up a blood bank.
Wendy Barnett, who is now Head of Clinical and Professional Services at Pet Blood Bank UK, said: "At the heart of our charity is a real desire to ensure that should a dog need blood there is a supply available and I'm delighted that our work, and the support of our many doggy donors and their owners, has been recognised through this award.
"Literally thousands of dog lives have been saved as a result of the service and this has been a real collective effort with Vet Supervisor Jenny Walton and the team here contributing to our success. However, we can't rest on our laurels. Demand from vets has been such that we've had to increase our donor sessions considerably. Like humans, there is a less common dog blood type and we desperately need dogs with negative blood type - such as Greyhounds, Weimaraners, Flat Coat Retrievers, Airedales, Boxers, Dobermans and German Shepherd Dogs to donate at our sessions."
Richard Dixon, founder of Vets Now, said: "Wendy was instrumental in setting up the charity and through her vision and leadership donation sessions have grown from one to three a week, with a 38% increase in donations year on year. We are proud of what Wendy has achieved and the role that the charity now plays in providing much needed blood and guidance to veterinary practices the length and breadth of the UK."
BCF Technology has launched the Cuattro Small Animal DR, a digital radiography system which it describes as 'revolutionary for the small animal veterinary practice'.
BCF says the system transforms small animal practices' imaging function, producing diagnostic X-ray images in 5 seconds.
Craig Hoines from BCF said: "The Cuattro Small Animal DR is a smart investment for any practice looking to grow and expand. Investing in your imaging function is a perfect way to do this. The Small Animal DR will allow you to cut X-ray study time significantly, improve in-practice workflows and speed up patient care without increasing costs. The team at BCF can show you how."
According to the company. the Small Animal DR can be practical investment for any size of small animal practice.
For more information, visit www.bcftechnology.com or call +44(0)1506 460 023 to arrange a demonstration.
Research conducted by the PDSA in 2017 found that 75% of dogs had received a primary vaccination course when young, which dropped to 72% in 2019. According to the BSAVA, it's the first time that vaccination rates have seen a sustained drop over a three year period since vaccinations were first introduced to the UK in the '60s.
The project, titled 'A mixed methods approach to quantifying and characterising vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy in UK companion animals' will combine quantitative analysis of existing data from electronic health records with qualitative approaches. It will include interviews and focus-group discussions with vets and owners to gain an in-depth understanding of patterns of uptake of vaccination in UK.
Experiences, perceptions and behaviours around uptake of vaccination and the rise of vaccine hesitancy in UK pet owners will also be investigated.
Dr Gina Pinchbeck, project leader at the University of Liverpool said: “Vaccination is a vital component of preventive healthcare and it is well acknowledged that sub-optimal vaccination uptake may be associated with re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases in populations.
“It is essential that we understand the reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the pet population so that we can use the best methods to promote vaccine acceptance and uptake and this will be the primary focus of the study.”
The study will include the development of a knowledge and dissemination strategy, in association with PetSavers and BSAVA. This will include a project website, publication of scientific research and other articles for both practicing veterinary surgeons and for pet-owners, press releases, conference presentations and public-engagement presentations.
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey added: “This project will be of great value to the veterinary profession and continues the co-operation between BSAVA and the University of Liverpool to build on the successes of the original SAVSNET partnership.”
For information on how to apply for the PhD, contact Dr Gina Pinchbeck (ginap@liverpool.ac.uk).
New research, conducted by the WALTHAM-initiated Laminitis Consortium, has raised questions over the assumption that soaking hay will make it safe to feed to laminitis-prone horses and ponies1.
The Laminitis Consortium comprises world-leading equine veterinary, nutrition and research experts interested in collaborating on the important topic of laminitis. It includes the authors of this work: Dr Pat Harris of the WALTHAM® Equine Studies Group, Clare Barfoot of Mars Horsecare UK Ltd and Dr Annette Longland of Equine Livestock and Nutrition Services (ELNS).
Over-consumption of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) has been associated with the onset of laminitis. It has been recommended that hay with a non-structural carbohydrate (WSC and starch) content of less than 10% should be fed to obese animals as well as those at risk of laminitis2 and that hay should be soaked in water before being fed in order to reduce the WSC3,4,5. The study, which was completed earlier this year, examined the loss of water-soluble carbohydrates from nine different hays submerged in water for up to 16 hours. It was presented to the biannual Equine Science Symposium in America in May 2009.
Previous studies have shown that the prolonged soaking of chopped hay in large volumes of water can result in the leaching of nutrients, including soluble carbohydrates. However, because common practice in the UK tends to involve long-stemmed hay, soaked in relatively small volumes of water over varying timescales, the Laminitis Consortium's study aimed to replicate such a practice6.
The nine different hay samples were analysed for WSC and then soaked in cold water. The soaked samples were subsequently analysed at four intervals of 20 minutes, 40 minutes, three hours and 16 hours.
Clare Barfoot said: "The results showed a highly variable leaching of WSC and substantially less leaching than reported previously for chopped hay soaked for 30 minutes.3
"Very few samples reached below 10% WSC, despite prolonged soaking. The concern is that this strongly suggests that soaking may not be sufficient to render some hays safe to feed to horses and ponies prone to laminitis.
"Our current advice is that ideally you should analyse your hay before feeding it to an animal at high risk of laminitis and choose hay with the lowest WSC content you can find. Soaking hay provides an additional safeguard but should not be relied upon."
The study also highlights that if hay is soaked for extended periods, it may not meet the nutritional requirements of the animal because substantial amounts of other nutrients, protein, vitamins and minerals will also be lost 5. In such cases it is even more important that the horse or pony should receive a balanced supplementary feed.
The Laminitis Consortium is continuing its work in this area and hopes to be able to identify practices that will be of greater benefit to the horse owner faced with hay of unknown WSC content.
1Longland AC Barfoot C & Harris PA (2009) The loss of water- soluble carbohydrate and soluble protein from nine different hays soaked in water for up to 16 hours. J. Equine Vet Science 29 (5 ) p 383 - 384, 2 Frank N Equine Metabolic Syndrome J Equine Vet Sci 29 (5) p 259 - 267, 3Cottrell, E., Watts, K., Duarte, S. and Ralston, S. (2005). Equine Science Symposium, 2005, 4Kenny, D. (2007). Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science. 5Warr EM, Petch JL. Equine Vet Educ 1993;5:169-171, 6Longland, A.C. (2009) In preparation.
Robert Newcombe, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at the PDSA Plymouth PetAid Hospital, has won a £50 Marks and Spencer gift card after completing a survey sent to VetSurgeon members on behalf of Swann-Morton.
57% of 283 survey respondents said that they had always used Swann-Morton, with quality and reliability ranking highly amongst the reasons (83%). The survey showed a low awareness of the Swann-Morton website at www.swann-morton.com and the fact that there is a dedicated veterinary section. The site also has an extensive product section and an interactive training section with streaming videos and downloadable PDF copies of the product literature.
In addition, the survey found that 40% of veterinary surgeons feel that the number of surgical procedures being performed overall has increased over the last 3 years.
For further information on the full range of Swann-Morton products please contact Chris Taylor at Swann-Morton, telephone: 0114 234 4231 or email: christaylor@swann-morton.com
Virbac Animal Health has developed a 'Yield Wheel' to show vets the additional income that farmers can achieve through taking a tailored and more flexible approach to the management of their dairy herd through the dry period.
The company says this approach is made easier using its Cephaguard DC dry cow therapy.
While a 60 day drying off period is required for some cows, others may not need to be withdrawn from milk production for the full period, including those with a high body condition score in late lactation, high yielders and older healthy cows with an increased tendency for weight gain. For cows in these categories, a shorter drying off period can mean additional days of milk production and extra income for the farmer with no negative impact on future lactations or the cow's overall health.
The Yield Wheel shows how production and income can be maximised on a sliding scale from a standard 60 day drying off period down to 36 days, the shortest drying off period. It also shows the benefits which can be gained in terms of reduced discarded milk days in the case of cows with an unclear calving date.
Cephaguard DC dry cow therapy is the most recent entrant to the dry cow therapy market. With its 35+1 day withdrawal period in milk, Virbac says it offers farmers increased flexibility for the management of dry periods.
Brigitte Goasduf, Ruminants Product Manager at Virbac said: "For dairy farmers, it's all about milk. They're looking to optimise production and reduce waste while also ensuring that they treat infections effectively at drying off and prevent new infections which may reduce yield during the next lactation.
We've produced the Yield Wheel to highlight the tangible benefits of taking a customised and more flexible approach to drying off using Cephaguard DC. The data is provided in a practical and straightforward way and demonstrates the potential yield benefits that can be achieved from an overall herd management and income perspective. We hope it will prove a useful tool."
On 9 April, the College published a flowchart to help veterinary professionals to decide whether or not to carry out a particular type of work, whilst ensuring the health of their teams and clients, and working to uphold animal health and welfare.
The flowchart has been updated as follows:
Firstly, the box that previously said:
‘Can you effectively support the case while maintaining social distancing for your team and the public?’
now says:
‘Can you effectively support the case while abiding by the appropriate social/physical distancing guidance for workplaces to protect your team and the public?’
The College says this new wording better reflects the different language and varying guidance in place across devolved nations. It also recognises that the new government guidance is not just about maintaining a 2m distance, for which ‘social distancing’ appears to become a shorthand, but accepts that other biosecurity measures might be appropriate if the 2m rule cannot be followed in the workplace.
Secondly, the box that previously said:
‘Could the planned intervention have animal health and welfare or public health implications if not carried out within two months?’
‘Could the planned intervention have animal health and welfare or public health implications if not carried out?’
This change recognises that this phase of lockdown-exit may carry on for longer than a two-month period; it therefore leaves it to the clinician’s professional judgement in terms of the implications versus the risk, rather than seeing it within a specific time-period.
RCVS President Niall Connell said: "I’m grateful to the members of our Covid-19 Taskforce for continuing to keep under review our key guidance to the profession during the ongoing pandemic. Whilst these latest changes do not represent any significant changes for vets and vet nurses as they continue to care for the nation’s animals, it is important that we continually keep our guidance in line with that of the UK’s governments."
The updated flowchart is available to view and download from www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
James Beaumont, Product Manager at Animalcare, said: “Microchipping is an essential but simple way to safeguard the welfare of the UK’s horses. Animalcare was the first company to offer a microchipping service with its identichip microchips, so we know from first-hand experience that microchipping is the most important step owners can take to ensure that lost, abandoned or stolen animals are quickly identified.
“Ensuring the welfare of their patients is a guiding principle for equine vets and we know that they are working very hard to remind owners of the need to ensure that their animals are microchipped and to then keep their contact details up to date. We hope that they will find our social media toolkit useful and that, between us, we can ensure that as many horses as possible are microchipped in time for the new law coming into force.”
To request your social media toolkit, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or ring 01904 487687.
In the 15 minute podcast, Carolyn Kyte, a vet in general practice, talks to Natalie Barnard, a veterinary dermatology specialist from Highcroft Referrals, and together they share their experience of the challenges of treating animals with otitis and explain why owners play a important role in successful treatment of the condition.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “Otitis is very common, particularly in dogs, but there is no ‘quick fix’ when some underlying factors are causing the problem. This can lead to frustration for the pet’s owners and animals not getting the consistent treatment they need to get better.
“What Carolyn and Natalie bring to the table with their new podcast for the Dechra Academy is a light and insightful discussion about communication and education being the keystone for better otitis outcomes and how vets can improve on their consultation skills to handle cases better.”
The otitis podcast is here: https://academy.dechra.com/learn/course/internal/view/elearning/1034/think-differently-about-otitis
Elanco (maker of Comfortis) has released the results of a survey of 1006 dog owners which showed that nearly half are not aware that turning on their central heating can cause pupal fleas to hatch and go in search of a host to feed on.
50% of those questioned said their dog has had fleas at some point. Of those, 79% said their dog gets infested at least once a year. 20% said they did not believe fleas would be found in the carpet, dog bedding and soft furnishings, and over a third didn't treat their carpets or soft furnishings when their home became infested.
Elanco says it has extended its range of practice support materials available to help educate dog owners about flea infestation and the benefits of veterinary prescribed flea treatments. They include client leaflets, waiting room posters and assistance with bespoke direct mail client communications.
For further information, contact your local Elanco Animal Health key account manager.
By becoming a Stonewall Diversity Champion, the RCVS joins over 750 other organisations who are striving to create workplaces that are equal, inclusive and accepting.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Deputy CEO and Director of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: "We are delighted to be working with Stonewall and will benefit greatly from its expertise and energy. These may not be easy issues to tackle but we hope that this tie-up with Stonewall will, in itself, send a positive message of our intent to take the issues seriously and make the RCVS, and the veterinary profession at large, as inclusive as possible.
"There are three aspects to the work we plan: first, to ensure the RCVS is a welcoming and accepting employer by integrating inclusion and diversity into all aspects of our organisation; second, to review our policies and procedures around areas such as registration, to make sure that they take account of the diversity within the veterinary profession; and, finally, through our Mind Matters Initiative, we aim to work with our partners to develop inclusive workplaces throughout the veterinary profession. The ability to be oneself in the workplace has a big impact on mental health and wellbeing so it’s a core issue for Mind Matters."
The College says that the move to link up with Stonewall came about as a result of discussions with Mat Hennessey, President of the British Veterinary Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group, who said: "We are extremely excited about the collaboration between the RCVS and Stonewall, and feel this positive move to culture equality and inclusivity will benefit the profession as a whole. Stonewall is the largest LGBT+ charity in the UK and Europe and thus has a wealth of knowledge and resources relating to LGBT+ issues. We look forward to continuing to work with both parties during this important venture."
Abby Crawford, Public Sector Client Manager at Stonewall, said: "We know that LGBT staff can face specific barriers in the workplace and it’s great that the RCVS has taken a strong commitment to LGBT equality in this way. We look forward to working with them to create more inclusive environments for their staff and service users – working towards a world where all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are accepted without exception."
According to the NFU, last year farm animals worth an estimated £2.4 million pounds were severely injured or killed by dog attacks last year.
Obtaining forensic samples after an attack can be difficult because so often they happen in remote places and rural police can't always attend quickly enough to get a sample.
Dr. Nick Dawnay from Liverpool John Moores University therefore developed Early Evidence Kits to enable samples to be collected by vets, famers and police from the crime scene immediately.
Following a successful proof of concept in Wales, the research team is now trialling the kits in ten regions of England and Wales, with support from IVC Evidensia farm practices.
Over the next twelve months the trial will refine best practices for collecting forensic samples from livestock attack scenes.
David Martin, Group Head of Animal Welfare at IVC Evidensia said: “This project marks an exciting step forward in collecting and analysing canine DNA from livestock.
"It offers police and farmers a means to hold irresponsible dog owners culpable for the damage and losses caused by their pets.”
“As a profession we can support this research by ensuring samples are taken from as many cases within the relevant force areas as possible so that the team at John Moores gets sufficient material to be able to complete this project as soon as possible.
"All IVC Evidensia farm practices in the participating regions are being encouraged to use the kits and we want to ensure all farm practices in those regions know about this important project.”
It is hoped new legislation for England and Wales will be brought in to give police officers the power to take a DNA sample from a suspected dog to compare to canine DNA left at an attack scene.
Dave Allen, North Wales Police and NPCC Livestock Offence Working Group Secretary said: “These kits are an exciting development and can be utilised for an issue that causes major concern to our UK rural communities”.
Veterinary practices are now being encouraged help raise awareness of the project, particularly to encourage farmers to take part and use the kits to collect evidence in the following regions:
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2024/5/17/forensic-science-to-help-farmers-foil-sheep-attacks
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."
According to Intervet, a study undertaken in Germany last summer has proven the efficacy of Butox SWISH at killing the midges responsible for carrying the bluetongue virus, when applied monthly to cattle. The study showed that even brief contact between a midge and hair from a treated animal killed midges rapidly for up to four weeks post-treatment.
The standard dose, applied in the usual way (on the neck and topline of the animal) delivers full-body coverage of Butox SWISH’s deltamethrin, helped partly by its unique micronised formulation. The product is also highly lipophilic which means it binds onto the natural oil secretions of the coat helping to improve coverage.
The trial used six heifers (each weighing around 400kg) treated with 30ml Butox SWISH (the standard fly dose and method of application). Two un-treated heifers were also studied for comparison.
During the five week period, contact between midges and treated hair caused immediate paralysis, and the midges then died at varying intervals depending on contact time and the number of days post-treatment with Butox SWISH. The trial verified the application of Butox SWISH monthly at the standard dose for cattle.
Trial director, Professor Mehlhorn suggested that producers should be prepared to reduce vector contact by removing their breeding habitats and combining this with the use of a knock-down treatment like Butox SWISH, which is the only product of its type which has proven efficacy against midges. Used in conjunction with vaccination, these measures may not stop the disease entering the herd, but will help reduce the spread of disease.
Bioscience students from the Royal Veterinary College are more likely to be in industry relevant employment six months after graduation than any other institution in the UK, according to new university rankings.
The Guardian University Guide 2013 places the RVC's Bioveterinary Science programme eighth overall, out of 97 institutions across the UK. This represents a significant improvement on previous years - in the 2012 University Guide the RVC ranked 31st overall and in 2011 was placed 46th.
The RVC also ranks top for student satisfaction of both the course overall and the standard of teaching - 100% and 99% respectively. This success follows a focus on improving student experience across the College with the RVC picking up the 2012 Times Higher Education award for Most Improved Student Experience.
Professor Stephen May, vice-principal for teaching at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "It is a fantastic achievement to see our Bioveterinary Sciences programme performing so well, especially in terms of student satisfaction and employment. The success of this programme indicates the College's firm belief that veterinary science is much bigger than just veterinary practice; the combination of veterinary medicine, human medicine and environmental science will, in future, be essential to tackling some of the biggest health issues in society."
The Veterinary Benevolent Fund (VBF) has announced that the new Vet Helpline, which will now be answered by a live person 24 hours a day, has launched in time for Christmas - an especially difficult time for many people.
The new service runs on a new telephone number: 0303 040 2551. Add it to your address book now, if not for yourself, in case you need to pass on the information to a colleague who needs help.
The new Vet Helpline has been made possible with support from the new RCVS joint initiative “Mind Matters”
Rosie Allister, Chair of Vet Helpline said: “It’s so important that people who take the brave and positive step to seek help by calling Vet Helpline are able to connect with one of our trained volunteers as quickly as possible. We know many are deterred by reaching a voicemail, so connecting to a human being is vitally important and can have an important positive impact. We are so grateful for this vote of confidence in Vet Helpline from the Mind Matters initiative.
"Everyone involved in running Vet Helpline is a volunteer and the team is so incredibly passionate and keen to see the service continually improve. The launch of our confidential e-mail service last year, which hides all email addresses (accessible via www.vetlife.org.uk), was a huge positive step forward and now this evolution to live answering is another. We are adamant that although the phone number is changing, the non-judgmental, completely confidential and empathetic support that we offer will not."
As one of the four arms of support offered by the VBF, Vet Helpline sits alongside services offering financial support, help with mental health conditions, including drug and alcohol addiction, and a library of resources aimed at promoting well-being on the Vetlife website - www.vetlife.org.uk.
Each year, the company invites veterinary surgeons, practice managers and practice principals to enter the competition by telling them what makes their nurse or nursing team outstanding, and deserving of special thanks, at: http://www.glvets.com/thank-a-nurse.asp
In 2016, the winning nomination for an outstanding nurse was Louise Cornford (pictured right) from Withy Grove Veterinary clinic. Her manager said: "Louise works tirelessly in the practice promoting better standards for all our patients and is always around helping the students and advising them on inpatient care. She gives up her own time to come back and nurse overnight patients when clients have difficulty finding out-of-hours care for their pets. She is also a full-time mum to three children. She became a vet nurse as a career change studying whilst caring for the family and then went on to get an additional qualification in critical care."
The winning nurse team last year was from Ribble Vets. Their nomination read: "I would like to nominate my team of hard-working nurses for all the support they give to their colleagues, clients and especially the patients in their care. We have a wide age and experience range within the team and there is interest and expertise in surgical, medical, behavioural, rehabilitation and emergency nursing. Every patient counts and every nurse goes the extra mile on a daily basis. I am so proud of the team and they deserve a little thank you for all those bleary- eyed moments in the early hours dealing with an RTA, GDV, whelping or other emergency. They take it all in their stride - even the farm animal emergencies!"
Is your team, or a member of your team, deserving of a special thanks? If so, nominate them here: http://www.glvets.com/thank-a-nurse.asp
Ceva Animal Health has announced that it has made its cardiology webinar series, first broadcast in November and December 2013, available to view on demand at: www.cardaliscpd.co.uk.
Featuring some of the UK's leading veterinary cardiology specialists, the webinars that can be watched on demand include:
Each webinar lasts for around 1.5 hours. CPD certificates are then available after answering questions relating to each webinar.
Senior product manager Fraser Broadfoot MRCVS said: "We have been overwhelmed by the response to this webinar series, which shows how strong the demand is for high quality cardiology CPD. Ceva remains committed to continue supporting veterinary professionals by carrying out ongoing cardiology seminars, webinars and online CPD programmes."
For further information, please email Ceva Animal Health on customerservicesuk@ceva.com.
Spanish company Vital Dinamic has announced the launch of SD VET, a new stool designed to reduce the physical stress from prolonged standing whilst operating.
The stool is based on a multi-directional rocking design which gives the surgeon a wide range of movement whilst taking the weight off their legs (see video below).
In addition, the company says that SD VET protects the back from postural problems, helps circulation in the legs and puts the surgeon in a more relaxed posture, thereby helping to improve concentration on the task at hand.
For more information, contact: José de Benito, International Sales Director on +34 661 763 887 or email: jdebenito@vitaldinamic.com