The toolkit has been developed in conjunction with the RSPCA and includes a welfare workflow, quick download guides and welfare case forms. It can be downloaded here .
Merry Smith, a BEVA council member who led the project on behalf of BEVA, said: "Welfare assessments can sometimes be intimidating and it’s natural to feel vulnerable, particularly when circumstances are difficult. Our new Welfare Case Toolkit gives you access to the information and resources, even when you are on the road, to support you in dealing with a welfare case."
The interactive Welfare Workflow provides a step-by-step guide to what happens when a vet is called upon to provide an opinion on the health and welfare of the animals involved. It has been produced in a mobile-friendly format or can be printed out and kept in the car. Supporting the Workflow is a series of quick downloads, covering all aspects of the process:
Approach to the welfare case
Letter of instruction
Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act (2006) certificate
Witness details sheet
Witness statement form
RSPCA vet exam form
Guidance notes on how to complete a vet exam welfare case form
Caroline Allen, Chief Veterinary Officer at the RSPCA said: "Vets are absolutely critical to the work of the RSPCA and while we know many vets get a lot of satisfaction from this work saving animals from cruelty and suffering, we know that this work can sometimes be daunting and the law confusing. We are delighted to have worked with BEVA on providing this guidance and hope it is the first step in us providing more support to vets doing this vital work- we literally couldn't do it without you"
The Welfare Case Toolkit is available free to BEVA members https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources-For-Vets-Practices/Clinical-Practice-Guidance/Welfare-guidance/Welfare-toolkit
The app allows trainers to store and share medical records and treatment plans, identify horses and, with a Bio Thermo chip, monitor temperature non-invasively.
In Ireland, the Irish Horse Racing Board (IHRB) requires every yard keep a Blue Book which has to be submitted monthly. In the Blue Book, every medication given to every horse is recorded, with the amounts, the name of the medication and its batch number all written in by hand. EquiTrace enables a trainer to email the blue book information direct from their mobile phone.
Vincent O’Connor, senior vet at Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital on the Curragh, Ireland, says he has found the app very easy to use and particularly appreciates the way it suggests stand down periods required for intraarticular medication, where injections into different joints require different numbers of days withdrawal before competition. The experience of John Oxx, whose winner I Know I Can was disqualified because of a positive test for TCA (triamcinolone acetonide) on 2 July 2020, is a case in point. Dr Lynn Hillyer, IHRB Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Anti-Doping, stated that the minimum recommended stand down time for TCA would be 14 days but added that the stifle is a complex joint and can be associated with longer excretion times than might be expected.
Kevin Corley said: "Keeping a horse’s identity straight might seem a simple thing, but when you have a yard where staff and horses can change frequently and records are kept in the office, far away from the stables and fields where the horses are, it is not as easy as you think. I remember a time when I was called out to genetically test four two year olds, each valued at over €50,000 because their registration documents had been lost before they had been filed and no one knew which one was which."
EquiTrace has been in trials in Ireland, England, USA, Sweden and Italy and Kevin says every yard which has tested the app has kept it in operation.
EquiTrace is a subscription service, with a basic service for $1/€1 per month per horse and a premium subscription at $2/€2 per month per horse. A scanner available from EquiTrace as a one-time cost is required to operate the system, ranging in price from €250 to €400 or USA $350 to $550.
EquiTrace works with all ISO-compliant microchips but some of the service offerings are dependent on the type of chip in the horse.
EquiTrace is available on Apple and Google appstores. Establishments with over 200 horses can contact EquiTrace directly to arrange a subscription. Current clients include DK Weld in Ireland, Ramsey Farm and Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky, USA, Kinsale Stud in the UK and Avantea in Italy.
For more information, visit: https://equitrace.app
Professor Steve Dean MRCVS has been elected as the 14th Chairman of the Kennel Club. He is the first veterinary surgeon to hold the post.
Professor Dean has been a Member of the Kennel Club since 1992 and has been a member of the General Committee since 2005. He has served on the Crufts and Finance & General Purposes Sub-Committees for the past two years and previously spent four years on the Disciplinary Sub Committee.
Professor Dean said: "I am honoured to be elected as Chairman of the Kennel Club and to be given the opportunity to help improve the lives of dogs by ensuring that they live healthily and happily with responsible owners.
"I am aware of the scale of some of the challenges that we face but am excited about the opportunities that exist to help us make a real difference for dogs. I look forward to supporting and working with the millions of responsible dog breeders and owners that there are in this country, and to standing shoulder to shoulder with vets and other individuals and organisations, who are dedicated to improving the health and welfare of dogs."
Professor Dean, who turns 60 in August, is currently the Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Crufts each year. He is a breeder, exhibitor and judge of Border Terriers and has been involved in the breed for 30 years. He is currently Chairman of the Southern Border Terrier Club as well as the overall breed health co-ordinator for all seven breed clubs. He is also President of Windsor Dog Show Society.
Away from the world of dogs, Professor Dean is a keen reader and gardener and is an avid supporter of rowing, treasuring his Henley Regatta medal equally to his achievements in the show ring.
Mr Antonovs faced three charges.
The first was that in September 2020 whilst in practice at Beverley Vets4Pets, he attended work when under the influence of alcohol.
The second was that between September and December 2020, whilst at Peel Veterinary Clinic, he attended work on two occasions when under the influence of alcohol.
The final charge was that between February 2021 and February 2023, Mr Antonovs failed to respond adequately to requests from the RCVS regarding concerns raised about his conduct and/or health.
Mr Antonovs admitted the facts of the charges and the Committee decided that the facts amounted to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee therefore decided, in the particular circumstances of this case, to impose a reprimand and warning as to his future conduct on the basis that it would be proportionate in order to maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.
The full details of the hearing and the Committee’s decision can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The new range allows for gradually increasing support for the CKD patient according to the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage, reducing phosphorous levels whilst avoiding early protein reduction and the associated lean mass loss correlated to a reduction in life expectancy.
Virbac says Veterinary HPM Kidney & Joint contains high quality protein, of which more than 85% is of animal origin, to support body condition and limit renal workload.
All of the products in the range contain Mobility Plus Complex, a mix of chondroprotective agents for joint support which are designed to increase joint flexibility and mobility with high levels of Omega 3 and DHA.
Dan Johnson, Product Manager at Virbac said: "CKD is the first cause of mortality at, or after, 5 years of age and osteoarthritis is highly prevalent but under-diagnosed in senior cats, with most cats being diagnosed at an advanced stage.
"So with Veterinary HPM Kidney & Joint, Virbac hopes to provide clinicians with a significant advancement in the nutritional management of these feline pathologies."
Veterinary HPM Kidney & Joint is presented in three dry and two wet formats:
Virbac has launched Milpro, a palatable milbemycin / praziquantel-based broad-spectrum wormer for dogs and cats.
Milpro is offered in tablet sizes suitable for dogs, small dogs or puppies, cats and small cats or kittens for ease of dosing. It is presented in 4, 24 and 48 packs.
As an aid to owner education and compliance, packs of Milpro use 'Blippar Augmented Reality'. Owners download the Blippar app and scan the front of a pack of Milpro or a dispensing envelope, whereupon the pack becomes animated and various interactive options appear, including educational videos, a built in reminder system and other product information.
Simon Boulton MRCVS, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at Virbac, said: "The practice team has a crucial role to play in reminding owners that regular worming is essential for their pet's health. With the introduction of Milpro, we are extending our parasiticide range and offering practices an alternative solution.
"With compliance such an issue, we want to use 21st century communication to help practices to get the message across. The result is the introduction of an interactive element to our packs with the use of the Blippar platform. It enables us to create 'Augmented Reality' experiences through which we can provide comprehensive information to owners in an eye-catching and easily accessible way with the aim of boosting compliance and, ultimately, welfare.
"We believe the combination of the small tablet sizes and the innovative packaging will prove attractive and convenient to owners, making Milpro a successful product for practices".
Practices can also request an interactive waiting room poster which enables owners to watch a video on the poster on the importance of worming.
Petplan has announced the results of a survey which shows that with less than a week to go before microchipping becomes compulsory in England, Scotland and Wales, there is still confusion about the law amongst pet owners.
In the survey of 2,000 British dog owners, 25% had not heard of the new law and 40% didn't know that it also requires owners to keep their microchip details up to date.
40% of respondents said they'd be happy to pay over £500 as a reward if their dog went missing. Despite this, 40% of those who were aware of the new law but had yet to chip their dogs admitted they had not done so because of reservations about the cost of the procedure.
The survey also highlighted the fact that even the most careful of owners lose their dogs. Nearly 40% of losses reported in the survey happened when the owner was taking their pet on a daily walk and 47.1% of respondents reported having a dog escape from an apparently secure garden.
The survey also found that a third of lost dogs came to harm while missing, most of which (84.8%) needed veterinary care.
According to Petplan, despite more than half of dog owners citing expensive veterinary bills as one of their biggest concerns around dog ownership, over 45% of respondents reported not having their dogs insured.
Petplan has published information for pet owners about the new microchip law here: petplan.co.uk/microchip-dog-law-info.
This study was conducted in collaboration with the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition as part of a larger study, led by Prof Claire Hughes at the University of Cambridge Centre for Family Research.
Researchers surveyed 12-year-old children from 77 families with one or more pets of any type and more than one child at home. Children reported strong relationships with their pets relative to their siblings, with lower levels of conflict and greater satisfaction in owners of dogs than other kinds of pets.
The authors say this research adds to increasing evidence that household pets may have a major influence on child development, and could have a positive impact on children’s social skills and emotional well-being.
Pets are almost as common as siblings in western households, although there are relatively few studies on the importance of child-pet relationships.
Matt Cassells, lead researcher, said: "Anyone who has loved a childhood pet knows that we turn to them for companionship and disclosure, just like relationships between people. We wanted to know how strong these relationships are with pets relative to other close family ties. Ultimately this may enable us to understand how animals contribute to healthy child development."
He added: "Even though pets may not fully understand or respond verbally, the level of disclosure to pets was no less than to siblings.
"The fact that pets cannot understand or talk back may even be a benefit as it means they are completely non-judgmental. While previous research has often found that boys report stronger relationships with their pets than girls do, we actually found the opposite. While boys and girls were equally satisfied with their pets, girls reported more disclosure, companionship, and conflict with their pet than did boys, perhaps indicating that girls may interact with their pets in more nuanced ways."
Waltham researcher Nancy Gee, a co-author of the study, said: "Evidence continues to grow showing that pets have positive benefits on human health and community cohesion. The social support that adolescents receive from pets may well support psychological well-being later in life but there is still more to learn about the long term impact of pets on children’s development."
Inigo’s abstract entitled “Predictive value of cardiac remodelling on survival in dogs with persistent atrial standstill – the UK perspective” sought to determine the survival of dogs in the United Kingdom with persistent atrial standstill (PAS) after pacemaker implantation and the prognostic value of cardiac remodelling. The Congress Programme Committee were impressed by Inigo’s innovative presentation, praising the planning and execution of the multi-centre project.
Ditte’s presentation was entitled “Evaluation of a point-of-care dot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to detect antibodies against canine parvovirus, distemper virus and adenovirus before revaccination”.
Her study described the findings of a prospective non-inferiority study of a point-of-care semi-quantitative titer test performed on canine serum samples and compared to gold standard analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the point-of-care titer test were determined for the gold standard titer cut-offs for canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus. Ditte was commended by the Congress Programme Committee for the quality of presentation as well as the practical and clinically applicable findings of the study.
The BSAVA Congress Clinical Abstracts, including the winners’ abstracts, are now available to view in the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/book/10.22233/9781913859039.
YORKTEST Veterinary Services has announced a change of name to Avacta Animal Health Ltd., following its acquisition by Avacta Group Plc.
The allergy testing and customer support that is synonymous with YORKTEST Veterinary Services will now appear under the brand name of SENSITEST® - the complete allergy service.
Janice Hogg, MD Avacta Animal Health said: "It is an exciting time for us at present and the change of name to Avacta Animal Health signifies this forward progression. Our extensive and high quality allergy portfolio is now branded "SENSITEST®. Previously this was only used in Europe but it will now be our global branding for the complete allergy service offered by Avacta Animal Health. "
For more information on Avacta Animal Health and SENSITEST® telephone 0800 8494 550 or visit website at http://www.animal-allergy.co.uk/.
Frontline wormer for cats contains praziquantel and pyrantel embonate, and for dogs it also contains febantel.
According to the company, Frontline Wormer is effective agains all types of intestinal worms found in the UK: roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms.
It is presented as a palatable tablet which can be given as a treat without food, or mixed with food.
The press release from the company says the new product "gives pet parents an easy way to worm their cats and dogs".
"Pet parents?"
Someone please pass me the sick bag.
If I get one more press release describing cat or dog owners as 'pet parents", so help me god I will turn up at the press office and chain myself - naked - to the photocopying machine in protest.
It's a ghastly, patronising, cloying way to refer to people who own an animal, besides which, if I really was the parent of a pet, I would expect to be serving time at His Majesty's pleasure.
Frontline Wormer is available in packs of two tablets for 3 pet sizes.
As an AVM-GSL-licensed product, it can be sold off the shelf.
Vetoquinol has announced the launch of Enisyl-FTM, the first L-Lysine supplement developed for veterinary use in the UK and Ireland.
Vetoquinol says a unique distributing pump and paste formulation will aid compliance in cats that require L-Lysine supplementation and make administration of L-Lysine much easier. Each pump action delivers 1ml of Enisyl-F paste at each press, which can be applied directly into the cat's mouth or on the paw to be licked off. It can also be added to food.
Zorica Agbaba, Enisyl-F's Product manager said: "We are delighted to have launched Enisyl-F and I am sure it will prove very useful to veterinary surgeons, especially when it comes to aiding compliance in cats that require L-Lysine supplementation."
To try Enisyl-F or for more information about the product, contact your local Vetoquinol representative or call Vetoquinol main office on 01280 814 500 (UK) or 1800 406 117 (ROI free phone number). Alternatively visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/ website.
A petition to protect the title Veterinary Nurse has received an impressive 1,285 signatures, including many from veterinary surgeons, and an official response from HM Government.
The petition, which was started by VetNurse.co.uk member Nick Shackleton Dip AVN (Surgical) VN on 6th June last year, explained: "The title veterinary nurse at present is not a protected title. A lot of people who work in practice call them selves veterinary nurses, when they have no theoretical training in such a position. As qualified nurses we feel that this issue should be addressed so that the general public are no longer confused as to the qualification and hopefully make them more aware of the hard work it is to gain the qualification. As we are heading for autonomy within the profession I think it is right and fitting that the title should be protected."
The Government response, whilst predictably noncommittal, did at least seem to recognise the issue: "The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) maintains the Statutory List of veterinary nurses. In order to qualify, nurses must undergo a two-year period of vocational training which is assessed at work and through examination by the RCVS Awarding Body.
On being added to the Statutory List they are entitled to undertake a range of veterinary treatments and procedures on animals under veterinary direction. Only listed nurses are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'VN'. The RCVS are introducing new arrangements for 'registered' veterinary nurses which provides greater accountability and transparency for those nurses whose names are entered on the register. These arrangements run in parallel with the Statutory List.
Some veterinary practices may employ staff who do not carry out the duties of a veterinary nurse but possibly use that title or wear a uniform which might imply that they are a trained veterinary nurse. We appreciate that there are issues surrounding best practice that the RCVS and the Veterinary Nursing Council to address.
It is generally accepted that the arrangements for regulating veterinary nursing could be modernised. This would, in due course, help provide greater protection for the title of veterinary nurses. Although Defra currently has no plans to undertake a fundamental review of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, we are regularly in touch with the RCVS to better understand its priorities for regulatory reform.
The inaugural BVA Photography Competition received more than 400 entries from all over the world last year, with Devon-based small animal vet Stephen Powles and equine vet Karen Coumbe’s images of an Egyptian fruit bat in flight and an operation on an infected horse's hoof being declared winners in their respective categories.
Karen said: "I was encouraged to enter the competition because I am fascinated by the amazing things I am privileged to observe in my day to day work, many of which provide exciting photo-opportunities."
The competition, which is open to BVA members, seeks to showcase images that highlight the human-animal bond and offer a tangible insight into the veterinary profession and its work.
Submissions should promote responsible animal ownership and/or interaction, as well positive animal health and welfare.
Photos can be of any species and the BVA says it would especially like to see images of native and domestic species found in the UK. Photos can be submitted under one of two categories:
The winners will receive a £250 John Lewis gift voucher each and get the chance to have their photographs displayed at BVA Members’ Day in September, at other BVA events and in BVA communications.
British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: "From sparrows to elephants, and cats to alpacas, veterinary colleagues submitted such a range, quantity and quality of photographs for our first-ever competition last year that we are really excited to be launching the competition for a second year running.
"We’re all passionate about animal health and welfare, so the way we interact with and capture images of the animal world offers a unique perspective. Whether you enjoy taking photos on your phone or have all of the kit, we’re encouraging all of the veterinary family to give it a go and get involved."
The competition closes at midnight on 19 August.
This year’s entries will be judged by an expert panel of judges from the veterinary and photography worlds.
More details about the competition, including terms and conditions, can be found at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/bva-photo-competition
To use the service, you order recycling boxes to suite your needs, and then place them where it will be most convenient for staff to throw the rubbish in.
Once full, you send the box back to TerraCycle via UPS.
It is then saved from incineration or landfills and recycled by TerraCycle.
Once collected, products and packaging are sorted and separated by material composition.
The separated items are then cleaned, shredded, and made into new recycled products such as outdoor furniture and decking, playgrounds, benches, or watering cans.
Hannah James, Head of Environment, Social & Governance at VetPartners said: “We started using the Zero Waste Boxes at our practices during the pandemic to recycle the large volumes of PPE being used, and they were instantly popular with practice teams.
"We’re now recycling plastic packaging, pet food packaging and medicine blister packs through TerraCycle as well, and since 2020 we’ve saved over 14 tonnes of waste from landfill and incineration.
"The Zero Waste Boxes are an important feature of our sustainability strategy, providing a solution for much of the waste generated by veterinary practice that isn’t hazardous and yet isn’t widely accepted for recycling.”
www.vetcycle.co.uk
The survey is very quick: sub two minutes. It asks simply whether you agree or not, and what you think are the benefits and drawbacks of remote consulting without otherwise knowing or seeing the animal.
All individual replies are strictly confidential and will not be shared with anyone. Your name is only asked for validation purposes.
To take part: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7235757/Remote-Consultation-Survey
The results will be published within a week.
The newsletter will include anaesthesia updates, bulletins and recaps, access to videos and downloadable resources.
Articles in Anaesthesia1ST are being written by Jurox’s technical advisors in collaboration with anaesthesia specialists such as Carl Bradbrook (European Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia) and Ian Self (European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Associate Professor in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham).
The first newsletter launched on 15th May and included: ‘Capnography I – not just a load of hot air’, ‘Perspectives on premeds – Alpha-2 agonists’ and ‘What’s new in anaesthesia? Highlights of recent preoxygenation paper’.
Articles in future editions will include: ‘Capnography II – what happened to the elephants?’, ‘Pain, what a pain! Local and regional nerve blocks improve outcomes and welfare of patients’, “The Big Chill – temperature management in sedated and anaesthetised patients’ and ‘Perspectives on premeds – a complete series of articles covering the ins and outs of the different agents, how they compare and recommended use in the different patient types’.
Jurox says that downloadable resources will include a capnography cheat-sheet detailing different traces and their meaning, premedication drugs comparison tables and pre and post rabbit anaesthesia check-lists.
Richard Beckwith, country manager of Jurox (UK) Ltd, said: "We take great pride in our investment in educational initiatives to enable veterinary professionals to deliver best practice anaesthesia to their clients. The new Anaesthesia1ST newsletter further demonstrates our commitment to educational support resources to enable veterinary professionals to attain and maintain 1ST class anaesthesia for all patients."
To sign up to the Anaesthesia1ST newsletter, click here, visit the Alfaxan website – www.alfaxan.co.uk, contact your local Jurox technical sales representative or email Jurox at: info@jurox.co.uk.
Vets Now is expanding its referral service with the acquisition of Great Western Referrals, a referral hospital in Swindon.
The acquisition is Vets Now Referrals' second permanent site to complement its original referral service in Glasgow and its first operation in England, allowing it to extend its specialised veterinary services across the South West.
Vets Now Referrals says it plans to enhance its new acquisition by improving the premises and extending the current referral team, beginning with the appointment of a new orthopaedic surgeon who will support the current RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Surgery: Hannes Bergmann DrVetMed DipECVS MRCVS.
As part of the acquisition, Great Western Referrals will be renamed Vets Now Referrals. It will offer a full small animal referral service with specialists trained in Surgery (Orthopaedics, Soft-Tissue, Spinal), Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Cardiology, Diagnostic Imaging, as well as Avian and Exotic Medicine. In addition, an independent out of hours emergency service will also be available from Vets Now at the hospital for all member practices in the area.
Vets Now Referrals will incorporate the specialist care currently offered for exotic pets, Great Western Exotic Vets. This service will continue to be run as Great Western Exotics and will retain the expertise of Neil A Forbes BVEtMed DipECZM(avian) FRCVS, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist in Avian Medicine.
Richard Dixon, Founder of Vets Now Ltd said: "We are very excited to be extending our Referrals network and will be working hard with the local referring practices and their clients in the surrounding area. We want the local practices to have a strong and genuine say in how the business operates, and some of the early changes already planned have come from discussions with those practices."
"We have been hugely impressed by the exceptional levels of clinical experience within the existing team at Great Western Referrals, as well as their energy and commitment to deliver the best level of specialist care to pets. We will be building on this team and tailoring the service to individual practice needs. Through our acquisition we will also bring resources to help the service grow, bringing added security to the clinical team in Swindon."
"In addition to the referral service, we are very pleased that Vets Now will be operating its highly regarded and well established out of hours emergency service, which we believe will continue to benefit local member practices and their clients."
For further information about the service, visit www.vetsnowreferrals.com/ or call 01793 603 800.
Richard Dixon and Neil Forbes announce Vets Now's acquisition of Great Western Referrals.
Squamous cell carcinoma affects horses’ genitalia, eyes, or skin around the eyes. The tumours typically have a guarded to poor prognosis, and the therapeutic approaches available have variable success rates. Euthanasia on welfare grounds is necessary in a significant number of cases.
Before this new research was published, pathologists and researchers Dr Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet and Professor Simon Priestnall, both from the RVC, had already undertaken research which showed that equine squamous cell carcinoma affecting the penis frequently acquires the ability to degrade the extracellular matrix and become much more biologically aggressive2. This is known as ‘epithelial to mesenchymal transition’.
This new study, recently published in Scientific Reports, is the product of a multi-institutional effort, which used both “classical” anatomic histopathology assessment and artificial intelligence to demonstrate a correlation between chronic inflammation, equine papillomavirus infection and progression of equine penile squamous cell carcinoma.
Several additional cancer-related signalling molecules, which are important in researchers’ understanding of human penile cancer, were also studied and the results obtained will lead to a much better understanding and treatment of the cancer.
Simon Priestnall, Professor of Veterinary Anatomic Pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: “Equine squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of cancer in horses, with a variable prognosis, so we are delighted to have made this breakthrough that provides a greater understanding and can lead to more effective treatments for horses and their owners.
"The RVC has always recognised the value of collaboration, and Alejandro and I enjoyed working alongside the teams at KCL, the University of Edinburgh and UCL. This project shows what can be achieved when different organisations work together with a common aim and we hope the similarities between the tumour in horses and people can offer a true One Health benefit."
Dr Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet, Lecturer in Comparative Pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "I am so pleased with the results of this study, which will hopefully pave the way for improved prognosis of horses diagnosed with equine squamous cell carcinoma.
"Our work is not over, however. Thanks to the help of a grant from the Horse Race Betting Levy, Simon and I are leading a Master’s degree project investigating equine penile, ocular and vulvar squamous cell carcinomas from a broader perspective.
"Our hope is to identify if variability exists between equine papillomavirus infectious status, morphological and microscopic difference, and cancer progression, with the aim of identifying potential therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic markers with prognostic implications for maximum benefit to the British equine population.”
References
The BVA, the Mayhew Animal Hospital, Dogs Today magazine and the Kennel Club are amongst various organisations that have criticised Morrisons for its Christmas advert - which can be seen here - in which a child is seen passing a slice of Christmas pudding to the family dog.
BVA President Peter Jones said: "It is vital that advertisers use animals responsibly and we are disappointed to see the Morrisons Christmas desserts TV commercial depicting a small boy feeding Christmas pudding to his dog. Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and mince pies - because they contain raisins or sultanas - are potentially harmful to pets and in some cases can lead to kidney failure.
"While we accept that many pet owners understand what is and what is not appropriate to feed their pets, children watch adverts and can be easily influenced by what they see. Veterinary organisations and animal welfare charities work really hard to promote messages about responsible pet ownership and TV adverts such as this one, with huge audiences, can undermine this work."
But hang on a second. Watching the advert, the child isn't actually feeding the dog anything. Rather, the dog is passed a bit of pudding which it then goes and places in a flowerpot, causing the plant to wilt. The dog isn't being fed the stuff, it's being asked to get rid of it.
Surely what this advert is really saying is: nobody likes Christmas pudding, least of all children and dogs.
Mind you, it does look like all this fuss is proving a very effective public awareness campaign about the danger of feeding a dog raisins or sultanas.
The CPD-qualifying webinar is being given by Professor Saul Faust, Professor of Paediatric Immunology & Infectious Diseases at the University of Southampton, and Ian Wright MRCVS, a veterinary parasitologist, Head of ESCCAP UK & Ireland and one of the owners of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Lancashire.
The webinar will reveal the real threat of this disease and its impact on sufferers, and give an insight to the challenges of diagnosing the condition.
Register for the webinar here: https://cloud.mc.zoetis.com/beneath-the-fur-webinar
The study, titled “The utility of combined urine dipstick analysis and specific gravity measurement to determine feline proteinuria”, assessed the utility of the urine dipstick alone and combined with the urine-specific gravity (USG) for detecting proteinuria in cats.
For the study, the clinical records of cats presenting to a referral hospital between January 2011 and January 2017 were reviewed retrospectively.
To be eligible for inclusion, feline urine samples had to have undergone a complete urinalysis including dipstick evaluation, USG and urine protein-to-creatinine (UPC) measurement.
A total of 121 urine samples were included and diagnostic agreement and test accuracy were calculated for the dipstick test alone and in combination with the USG, using different cut-off values for proteinuria. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also calculated.
Jorge Pérez-Accino, corresponding author for the paper, said: “The diagnostic agreement between the urine dipstick and UPC ratio was poor and did not improve if the USG was considered together with the dipstick.
"A dipstick result of equal or greater than “Trace” (0.1-0.3g/L) had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 31% to detect proteinuria.
"With regards the ROC curves, the area under the curve (AUC) of the urine dipstick alone was poor (0.57). When combined with the USG results, this improved to fair (0.78) but the specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) were still low.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP said: “These findings indicate that clinicians should not rely on the results of the urine dipstick test in combination with USG in cats for detecting proteinuria. Instead other quantitative methods, such as UPC ratio, should always be performed to detect proteinuria in cats.”
The full article can be found in the September issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13184
The BSAVA has put together a collection of resources relating to urinalysis and proteinuria, available here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/urinalysis--160
Reference
AniDent is a dental care range for cats and dogs - a rinse, a toothpaste and a gel - created with Virbac to help prevent periodontal disease.
Anident joins VetSoothe, a range of dermatology products which includes shampoos, ear cleaners and skin wipes, developed with Vetruus.
Earlier in the year, IVC also launched Joints & Mobility with Omega-3s, an addition to it's VetPro range, developed with one of the company's orthopaedic experts, Jamie McClement.
On the equine side, the company has also launched EquiXcellence, a range of equine nutritional health and wellbeing supplements.
VetSurgeon asked what longer term plans the company has for its exclusive brand product range.
An IVC Evidensia spokesperson said: "We're developing own brand veterinary products specifically where we think we can see areas we can add value for our practices, pet owners, and patients. In the case of Anident, we saw there was an opportunity to make oral care easier by offering a range of options to suit pet owners' needs.
"In the case of Joints & Mobility with Omega-3s, there is research which has shown that high levels of Omega-3s EPA & DHA can greatly support freedom of movement and pain, which was the key focus when developing the product.
"We plan to continually enhance our own brand portfolio across our UK and Europe practices with some exciting product launches on the horizon."
Photo: Gerhard Putter BVSc MRCVS MANZCVS (Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery) Diplomate of the European Veterinary Dental College uses Anident on a big cat
The awards are based on more than 11,000 pet owner reviews submitted to VetHelpDirect.com over the past 12 months.
The reviews cover 2,500 veterinary practices around the UK, with awards given to the practices with the highest number of four and five-star reviews from customers.
Tracey Morley Jewkes, Managing Director of Willows, said: “I am so proud of our team here and it’s fantastic to have won such a prestigious award based on client reviews.
"It was fabulous to receive such wonderful feedback as part of this award process. Our team at Willows is one of the best in the world, and we continue to strive for excellence in all that we do, providing the very highest standards of veterinary care to our patients, their owners and our referring vets."
Susie Samuel, managing director of VetHelpDirect.com, said: “The Best UK Vet awards are now in their eighth year and are a fantastic way to illustrate the strength of veterinary care in the UK.
“The awards are based on real-time customer reviews written over the past calendar year and recognise the very best veterinary practitioners.
“For animal owners, choosing a vet can be an anxious time, having access to reviews from other owners cuts down that anxiety. A vet who has been positively reviewed a number of times by different owners is clearly trusted and we know this provides peace of mind for new customers.
"The awards are categorised by geographical region, and also by type of practice and we have been delighted by the diversity of practices reviewed positively by their customers this year."
The silver award went to St Anne's Veterinary Group and the bronze award winning practice was Mayow Veterinary Surgery.
Photo: Toby Gemmill, Willows clinical director, Deputy Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Flo Nash, Tracey Morley Jewkes, managing director of Willows and Susie Samuels, founder and CEO VetHelpDirect
Research amongst veterinary surgeons by Janssen Animal Health, maker of Cavalesse oral and Cavalesse topical, has revealed that owners could be doing more harm than good when it comes to managing sweet itch in their horses.
92% of vets questioned are aware that people follow old wives' tales by administering lotions and potions such as garlic and olive oil to ward off flies during the summer sweet itch season, when garlic actually has the opposite effect of attracting them.
According to Janssen, it is thought that only a quarter of horse owners are aware that it is important to carry out preventative measures before the start of the midge season to help alleviate sweet itch. 14% of people are thought to go to their vet for advice on sweet itch, while 30% seek help from their country store or tack shop, 27% search for information on websites and 26% ask other horse owners for guidance. This is despite the fact that 92% of those questioned believe that sweet itch would clear up quicker if people sought advice from their veterinary surgeon.
Nicki Glen, marketing manager at Janssen Animal Health said: "Sweet itch can be an incredibly difficult and frustrating condition to manage, however horse owners do not tend to seek advice from their vets. It is therefore important to educate horse owners while you are on yard visits with pro-active advice on the condition for the long-term health and welfare of horses."
Cavalesse is a natural food supplement containing a specialised formulation of water-soluble vitamins and minerals, including nicotinamide. Once a month the contents of each sachet are dissolved in water to form an oral solution, which can be administered daily via a special pipette, either by sprinkling over a small handful of feed or adding to a treat such as a sugar lump. Janssen says the supplement helps horses maintain a healthy skin and promotes normal immune function in horses prone to summer allergies.
Cavalesse Topical is a skincare gel that can be used in combination with the Cavalesse solution. The gel can be applied to the skin to help support natural immunity from the outside, whilst the oral solution works in partnership from the inside.
For further information on Cavalesse and Cavalesse Topical please contact your Janssen Animal Health account manager or phone 01494 567555.