The study was based on VetCompass anonymised clinical records from more than two million dogs under first opinion veterinary care in the UK in 2019.
The study applied causal inference methods to the analysis of random samples of 815 dogs with CCL rupture aged between 1.5- and 12-years-old to replicate a randomised clinical trial and explore the impact of the different treatment methods.
Balancing the arms of the study for variables including age, breed and bodyweight, the researchers compared the outcomes for the dogs who received surgical management for CCL ruptures to those that were managed non-surgically.
The results showed that dogs managed surgically were 25.7% less likely to show short-term lameness at 3 months post-diagnosis and 31.7% less likely to show long-term lameness at 12 months post-diagnosis than dogs managed non-surgically.
Surgically managed dogs were 38.9% less likely to have a pain relief prescription at 3 months post-diagnosis, 34.1% less likely at 6 months and 32.7% less likely at 12 months than dogs managed non-surgically.
The RVC says these findings also similarly demonstrate lower longer term pain in surgically managed dogs.
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass PhD student at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: “This study used an exciting new approach that allowed us to determine ‘cause’ rather than being limited to ‘association’.
"Surgical management for CCL rupture is often considered as providing better outcomes than non-surgical management, but this study now provides an evidence base to support this.
"Whilst surgical management might not always be feasible for some dogs, the findings allow vets to quantify the benefit in their discussions with owners.”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106165
Reference
Canaural contains fusidic acid, framycetin and nystatin for their antibacterial and antifungal effects against the most common organisms associated with otitis externa.
Fusidic acid has skin penetrating properties and is active against staphylococci and streptococci1. Framycetin is active against Gram negative species. Dechra says the combination of the two provides an enhanced antibacterial effect on the most common bacterial cause of canine otitis2.
Nystatin is active against malassezia and prednisolone helps to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic action.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “The reintroduction of Canaural to the veterinary treatment market means that once again veterinarians have this reliable and effective treatment available to tackle one of the most common canine complaints.
"Canaural is a tried and tested product and a recent study showed that fusidic acid is highly efficacious against both methicillin sensitive and methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius3. Canaural remains as relevant today as it has ever been."
Canaural comes in 15 ml and 25 ml bottle sizes and is now available in veterinary wholesalers.
References
The RCVS is looking to recruit two veterinary surgeons as part-time Postgraduate Deans, to help oversee new veterinary graduates during their Professional Development Phase (PDP).
Freda Andrews, RCVS Head of Education said: "The PDP is an online recording system to guide new graduates as they work towards achieving the "year one competences" - the competences expected of a new graduate who's had about a year's experience in practice. Postgraduate Deans monitor PDP participants' progress and respond to their queries, and ultimately sign-off the graduates once their PDP is complete."
The roles have become available as two of the current post-holders, Stephen Ware and Professor David Noakes, wish to hand over to new colleagues. Both Stephen and David have served as Postgraduate Deans since 2007, when the PDP first became a requirement for all new veterinary graduates.
Stephen said: "Being a Postgraduate Dean gives you the opportunity to assist new graduates in the early stages of their career. It is also a way to encourage employers to take a responsible attitude towards new vets, particularly during their first job or two."
Postgraduate Deans are expected to spend up to 20 days a year working mainly online from home, and attend occasional meetings at the RCVS in London. They need experience of general practice, and to be used to dealing with and advising students, or employing and supporting new graduates. A sympathetic understanding of the challenges faced by newly qualified veterinary graduates is also required.
Further information about the role can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/jobs, and information about the PDP, including a preview, at www.rcvs.org.uk/pdp.
Applicants should send a brief CV, and a covering letter setting out their relevant experience, to education@rcvs.org.uk by 7 March 2011.
The Westpoint Veterinary Group and Eville & Jones, a veterinary control provider, have joined forces to form Xperior Farm Health, which will bid for appointment as a Delivery Partner for bovine TB and other farm animal disease testing under AHVLA's Veterinary Delivery Partnership Programme.
The Delivery Partnership Programme, under which the AHVLA will cease to contract OVs directly and instead procure disease testing services from around ten Delivery Partners, is expected to roll out in the summer.
Eville & Jones is an experienced service provider in inspection and testing services in the fields of animal health, public health and animal welfare. The company employs more than 450 veterinary staff nationwide and already provides fully managed Official Veterinarian (OV) services to UK Competent Authorities.
Westpoint Veterinary Group is a specialist, farm-animal-only veterinary practice operating from 17 sites countrywide to provide farmers with specialist and locally based services. It is the largest veterinary group in the UK specialising in production animals, employing more than 50 veterinary surgeons.
Veterinary Director Phil Elkins MRCVS says the resources and experience of the two parent companies in both farmer-facing and back office dimensions make Xperior Farm Health well equipped to fulfil a Delivery Partner service expected by AHVLA. He said: "Our ambition is to provide an exemplary standard of accurate and trustworthy on-farm animal health testing services, where possible using subcontracted practices. If appointed, of course, these will be farmer friendly, provide an ongoing source of work and revenue to subcontractor Official Veterinarians, and represent excellent value for money to the taxpayer."
Practice Plan for Vets, a provider of client loyalty schemes to the veterinary profession, has signed with The Best Friends Group, one of the largest sole principal veterinary groups within the UK.
Best Friends is the latest veterinary group to introduce Practice Plan for Vets' Healthy Pet Plan, and will be rolling it out across its 32 veterinary sites. Healthy Pet Plans allow the owner to budget for the annual preventative health requirements of their pets whilst providing the veterinary practice with a regular income, secured client loyalty, improvements in client compliance and a much needed increase in client footfall.
Andrew Bennett (pictured right) is partnering with Practice Plan for Vets to advise on the promotion of Best Friends' membership plan and manage the pet owner direct debit collection process. Mike Hadfield from Practice Plan for Vets (pictured left) said: "Practices are realising that clients are shopping around for best price and value for many of the services and products that a practice competes for. When your clients pay monthly, their loyalty is improved significantly. With our veterinary focus, dedicated team and over twelve years' experience, our services are in high demand and are very appealing to all practices."
To find out more about Practice Plan for Vets, visit http://www.practiceplanforvets.co.uk/ or Stand 903 at BSAVA, or ring 0845 371 4495.
A former pet industry nutritionist has created a stir in the national newspapers with the launch of whichdogfood.co.uk, a website which dismisses veterinary diets as no different to the "awful" standard pet foods sold in pet stores and supermarkets.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and Daily Express, David Jackson says the objective of his website is to change the way people buy pet food because "pet food manufacturers have been able to get away with producing frankly awful foods for our pets."
Explaining why veterinary surgeon sell prescription diets, Mr Jackson trots out some well known arguments which will be familiar to anyone who has followed the propaganda put out by the raw meaty bones (RMB) lobby: that veterinary surgeons are not taught enough about nutrition; that those training modules that exist are largely sponsored by manufacturers, and that veterinary practices benefit from 'massive cash incentives' from the manufacturers and distributors of veterinary diets.
Mr Jackson does say that there are exceptions to the rule, notably those veterinary diets developed to help pets with intolerance, allergies or uroliths.
Game players have to 'catch' falling symbols marked with a '+' or the Credelio Plus ingredients, milbemycin oxime and lotilaner to win points, and avoid ones with fleas, ticks and worms, which lose points.
In addition to the £50 vouchers, there are goody packs for four runners up each month.
William Hawker, Parasiticides Marketing Manager at Elanco Animal Health said: "We are excited to showcase our novel new game at BVA Live with this exciting drop and offer all attendees the first chance to play Plus Plummet and win some great prizes by topping the leaderboard every month."
To play the game, visit: https://www.myelanco.co.uk/brand/plus-plummet
Incidentally, if you're at BVA Live, you're invited to join Elanco at the Exhibitor Showcase Theatre tomorrow from 09:00-09:50 for ‘Parasitology: Testing Times? Navigating the current challenges in practice’.
Cat Henstridge (BVSc MRCVS, small animal vet) will be interviewing Ian Wright (head of ESCCAP) and answering questions on everything from when to test, when to treat and how to communicate with pet owners about choice and the parasiticide treatment options available.
Photo: Elanco launches Plus Plummet at BVA Live
Interested parties are invited to share their views by the 2nd May 2018.
The ban is being explored by the government as part of a package of reforms designed to drive up animal welfare standards.
A number of other measures to tighten up the regulation of puppy breeders are also being laid before Parliament today, to come into force later in the year:
Banning licensed sellers from dealing in puppies and kittens under the age of eight weeks;
Ensuring that licensed dog breeders show puppies alongside their mother before a sale is made;
Tackling the sale of weak underage puppies and the breeding of unhealthy dogs and dogs with severe genetic disorders;
Introducing compulsory licensing for anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs;
Requiring puppy sales to be completed in the presence of the new owner, preventing online sales where prospective buyers have not seen the animal first;
Insisting licensed dog breeders can only sell puppies
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: "We need to do everything we can to make sure the nation’s much loved pets get the right start in life. From banning the sale of underage puppies to tackling the breeding of dogs with severe genetic disorders, we are cracking down on sellers who have a total disregard for their dogs’ welfare.
"This is a further step to raise the bar on animal welfare standards. We are also introducing mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses and increasing maximum prison sentences tenfold for animal abusers."
BVA President John Fishwick said: "As vets, we see first-hand the tragic consequences that can result from poorly bred puppies so it’s encouraging to see the Government announce this raft of measures to improve dog welfare.
"We support the principle that puppies should not be sold by third parties, but this is a complex area that must consider advertising, internet sales and pet owners’ buying habits to ensure illegal puppy sales won’t be driven underground.
"Effective legislation must be backed by enforcement, so it’s essential that local authorities are equipped with adequate resources to help guarantee the welfare of millions of dogs across the UK.
The consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-third-party-sales-of-pets-in-england-call-for-evidence
The app, which has been accredited by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, contains information about 36 different drug molecules in 10 different drug classes, including analgesics (NSAIDs, opioids and local anaesthetics), sedatives (acepromazine, alpha-2 agonists and benzodiazepines), induction agents, volatile agents, neuromuscular blocking agents, anti-cholinergics, sympathomimetics and antagonists where applicable.
It also offers 24 different dog and 15 cat anaesthetic protocols for procedures carried out in general practice. Each contains information on specific anaesthetic considerations for that condition or patient, any preoperative stabilisation required, premedication, perioperative analgesia, induction, maintenance and recovery.
Additional features include a dose calculator, summary sheets that can be saved or emailed to be attached to the patient’s clinical notes, and the option to save favourite protocols for repeated use.
The app was developed with the advice of two diplomat anaesthetists, Matthew Gurney BVSc CertVA PgCertVBM DipECVAA MRCVS and Joost Uilenreef DVM MVR DipECVAA, together with Elizabeth Barker BVetMed(Hons) Cert AVP(VA) PgCert MRCVS at Dechra.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "We are passionate about anaesthesia and the provision of excellent support for vets, nurses and students. The app can be used to build confidence and knowledge in less familiar procedures or to update protocols to ensure best anaesthetic practice for the more common routine procedures.
"All of the protocols and information particularly emphasise considerations around anaesthesia, patient monitoring and perioperative analgesia, including local and regional techniques."
She added: "We hope the app will help practitioners to move away from a ‘one protocol fits all’ approach and give them the confidence to tailor the protocols and medications chosen to the specific patient and condition they are treating and to generally improve the standard of anaesthesia and analgesia in small animal practice."
The Dechra Dog and Cat Anaesthesia App is available to download for iOS and Android devices. For more information, visit www.dechra.com/dcaa
Vetoquinol has announced the launch of its new support package to help vets and owners manage canine epilepsy with Epiphen, the company's phenobarbital medication.
Each Epiphen support package contains:
Accurate information is vital to help control epilepsy patients and the Owner Record Manual will enable owners to keep on top of this information. It contains charts to monitor seizure frequency and patterns, medication changes, blood test results and seizure characteristics.
The new "ask the expert" scheme offers vets the opportunity to ask for advice on epilepsy cases. Email epiphen@vetoquinol.co.uk with the query (and your contact details) and you will be put in touch with a neurology expert at a leading referral centre. Vets can also contact the Technical Helpline on 0800 1698197.
The Seizure Reports for vets provide a much more detailed tool for use at initial presentation or for owners to fill in when seizures differ in character. There is a pad of 30 tear-off sheets in each Epiphen support package.
Simon Boulton, Epiphen product manager said: "We understand that epilepsy is an emotional condition and wanted to provide vets and owners with more than just a tablet. I am convinced that with the Epiphen Support Package we are providing them with the tools they need to make the most of epilepsy management."
Epiphen also offers a free phenobarbital monitoring service. There is a voucher in each 30mg pack and 2 in each 60mg pack.
For more details on the Epiphen Support Package, to obtain a free practice starter pack or get extra copies of materials, please contact Vetoquinol on 0800 1608197 or contact your Vetoquinol representative.
The company says the acquisition is a natural fit for its behavioural range and will bolster its Adaptil portfolio with a wider variety of anxiety solutions for dogs.
Abbie King, senior behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “We have always been fans of the ThunderShirt range and we are therefore delighted with the acquisition, which will further strengthen our extensive portfolio of behavioural products that work in synergy with one another to provide pet owners with comprehensive anxiety solutions.”
For more information, visit: www.thundershirt.com
Movoflex contains eggshell membrane, hyaluronic acid, Astaxanthin, Boswellia serrata and krill meal, formulated to support joint health and help increase quality of life.
Virbac says that eggshell membrane, which has been shown to have an effect on mobility in dogs and humans1, contains a number of naturally occurring elements involved in joint structure and function, including collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate.
The company claims that one palatable Movoflex Soft Chew per day can lead to a perceived increase in mobility in 7 days 2, regardless of the activity levels or age of the dog.
This, the company says, compared to other supplements which can require multiple daily tablets to be given for up to six weeks before you start to see an effect.
Dan Johnson, Product Manager at Virbac said: ‘Movoflex Soft Chews offer pet owners an easy to give and reliable joint supplement, and as with all of Virbac’s joint health and mobility solutions, they are of the highest quality and developed based on science.’
Movoflex Soft Chews are available in Small (<15kg), Medium (15kg- 35kg) and Large Dog (35kg) packs, each containing 30 chews and are available to order from your usual veterinary wholesaler.
The guide explains:
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/features/standards-and-advice-update-advice-published-on-amended
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/veterinary-medicines-guidance-notes-vmgns
MSD Animal Health has launched Zuprevo Cattle, which contains a novel antibiotic molecule to help combat bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
Zuprevo Cattle contains the active ingredient tildipirosin (180mg/ml), a new 16-membered, tribasic macrolide unique to animal health. It is licensed for the treatment and prevention of BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni.
According to MSD Animal Health livestock veterinary adviser Paul Williams MRCVS, the new product works extremely quickly in the animal, as well as offering the longest duration of activity in the lungs of all the macrolide antibiotics currently on the market. He says it is also extremely convenient to use: "Zuprevo is readily absorbed by the animal, reaching peak plasma concentrations within 23 minutes of injection. Zuprevo is readily distributed around the body and reaches lung concentration well above MIC90 for all of the three BRD target pathogens within four hours of administration. In addition, it maintains lung concentration above the MIC90 for up to 28 days, which will appeal to many practitioners."
Paul says that it is Zuprevo's 16-membered, tribasic macrolide structure that allows it to deliver these significant pharmacological benefits for the management of BRD in cattle: "Zuprevo works by diffusing into the bacterial cell where its binding action inhibits protein synthesis of the bacterial ribosome. Its unique 16-membered, tribasic structure enables enhanced penetration of the bacterial cell wall, as well as having the ability to bypass some potential bacterial resistance mechanisms."
Paul says Zuprevo also offers vets and their farmer clients important practical usage advantages: "Zuprevo is an easily syringeable solution for injection available in convenient 20ml, 50ml and 100ml vial sizes to suit different usage requirements. At a dose rate of 1ml/45kg, it offers the lowest macrolide dose volume per kg of bodyweight. At 47 days, Zuprevo also has the shortest macrolide meat withdrawal period."
Further information on this new macrolide antibiotic is available from the MSD Animal Health territory managers or by calling the company's Veterinary Services Group on 01908 685685.
The charity points out that with the arrival of winter, so comes an increase in the number of cats poisoned by antifreeze. For this reason, it has produced the poster to try and raise awareness of the fact that due to their specialised metabolism, a teaspoon or less of antifreeze can be enough to cause serious illness or death and even a curious lick of a small spillage can be enough to poison a cat.
The poster can be downloaded free of charge here: https://icatcare.org/sites/default/files/PDF/antifreeze-campaign-poster.pdf.
Alternatively, a hard copy can be ordered from the iCatCare shop for a small fee to cover postage: https://icatcare.org/product/antifreeze-poster
More information for pet owners can be found at: https://icatcare.org/advice/keeping-cats-safe/antifreeze
The award has been granted to only a handful of practices and requires the achievement of high standards of care and a detailed understanding of the species.
Highcroft has three dedicated exotic species veterinary surgeons, including a European small mammal Specialist and four exotic species nurses, who have either obtained or are studying for their City and Guilds Exotic Species Veterinary Nursing Certificate.
The practice has a dedicated exotic species consulting room, waiting room, ward and an operating theatre, containing state-of-the-art equipment.
In addition to treating rabbits, both vets and nurses in the exotic species team lecture widely to promote the importance of providing a high standard of care to rabbits and to ensure that their welfare is optimised.
Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli DVM CertZooMed Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) MRCVS heads the exotic species team at Highcroft. A European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery) and a RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, she said: "We are very proud to have been awarded Gold Status by the RWAF. We will continue to enhance the level of care we provide, not just to rabbits but to all exotic species and strive to improve the welfare of all animals under our care, in hospital and at home."
The Puppy Contract was launched in 2012 to help prospective buyers navigate the steps leading up to the purchase of a new puppy. It includes a ten-step guide which considers things like which type of dog is most suited to a buyer’s situation and specific needs, and the questions to ask a breeder about socialisation, vaccination, microchipping and health tests.
The latest BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey shows that while awareness of The Puppy Contract among companion animal vets has almost doubled since 2015 (from 29% to 56%), it is thought that no more than 2.5% of clients are actually using it.
Nevertheless, 85% of vets said using The Puppy Contract benefits and informs owners, and 20% recommend it to clients at least sometimes.
Half of the vets who were aware of The Puppy Contract said that pet owners did not come to them for advice on buying a puppy. That's a missed opportunity, both to start building a relationship with the prospective client at the earliest opportunity and to recommend the contract and thereby have a positive impact on animal welfare.
As regards the latter, it is worth noting some other BVA stats, notably that 10% of vets said they commonly saw dogs last year with health issues linked to where they were bought from, nearly a third noted brachycephalic issues or other congenital and conformation problems stemming from poor purchasing decisions and 22% saw dogs not suited to their environment.
BVA Junior Vice President and AWF Trustee Daniella Dos Santos said: "As vets, we see first-hand the tragic consequences resulting from puppies bought without proper research into breed suitability and welfare needs, the conditions they have been bred in, or vaccination and microchipping records. As a result, many of these puppies often present with disease, welfare issues and behavioural problems, leading to heartache and financial costs for the new owners.
"It’s extremely encouraging to see that more than half of companion animal vets are now aware of The Puppy Contract and recognise its immense benefits. But with many pet owners still not aware that their vet can be an invaluable first stop for advice on the right pet for them, it’s important that we promote pre-purchase consultations to ensure prospective owners make an informed choice and get a healthy, happy and well-socialised pet from a responsible breeder."
AWF Chair of Trustees Chris Laurence said: "We believe that every dog should be born with the best possible chance of living a healthy and happy life, which is why we created The Puppy Contract as a free tool to empower puppy buyers to make an informed decision when buying a puppy. As trusted experts, vets are in a unique position to use their influence to encourage clients to use The Puppy Contract, whether they are breeding dogs or looking for a new best friend to join the family."
For more information and to download the Puppy Contract, see: https://puppycontract.org.uk/
You can download and display AWF’s Puppy Contract poster in your practice: www.animalwelfarefoundation.org.uk/puppy-contract.
Cat Henstridge, a small animal vet from South Yorkshire, has started a Facebook page to add the veterinary profession's voice to the campaign against the practice of puppy farming.
Cat said: "I write a blog on my website and recently touched on the subject of puppy farming. I was contacted by members of the 'PupAid' organisation and was shocked to learn that the veterinary community has no real public opinions on the subject. I found it really surprising that none of our professional bodies had spoken out, especially as we are supposed to be the bastions of animal welfare and see the consequences of poorly bred puppies all the time in our clinics."
"I am hoping the Facebook page will just be the start of a movement within the profession. Not only can we add our very powerful opinions to the discussion but this will be a way of driving the general public into our clinics to ask our advice, before they purchase a poor quality, sickly puppy and find themselves in trouble.
"Please join the page, add your stories about these dogs (we all have one!). At the risk of sounding cheesy, by coming together, we can really make a difference!"
The WellVet Weekend will include a variety of sporting activities, yoga classes, wellbeing workshops and social times, all finished off with a gala dinner. Something for everyone.
Speaking at the gala dinner on the Saturday evening will be Rob Pope. Rob, also known as the 'real-life Forrest Gump' is an emergency vet by night and a marathon runner by day. He's the first person ever to run across the USA four times in one year and he's currently running across the USA for the fifth time. This will be Rob’s first public event following his completion of this epic journey.
Liz Barton, Founder of Vetsnet said: "I love sport and I love this profession, so it's fantastic to be able to organise a weekend dedicated to the physical and mental wellbeing of vets and vet nurses. It promises to be a brilliant weekend, and I’m excited to have Rob Pope join us to share his stories from the road."
Ru Clements, Founding Partner of VetLed said: "We’re excited to create a community which supports veterinary professionals to thrive. The WellVet Weekend is a very special concept with a core mission that we wholeheartedly believe in. We hope we can make a long-lasting positive difference to those who attend the first WellVet Weekend."
For more information and to buy your ticket, visit www.wellvet.co.uk
Sessions in the 'Back to Practice' series will include updates on changes in practice, and refresh knowledge in key areas such as ophthalmology, dermatology and veterinary medicines.
The BVA says its research has found that around one in five veterinary surgeons who started their careers in clinical practice report that they do not currently work in practice.
There are, of course, various reasons why veterinary surgeons take a break from practice or change their career path, including having a family, working abroad, taking a sabbatical, because of health reasons, or to search for a new challenge.
Whatever the reason for taking a break, returning to practice can be both exciting and daunting.
Natalie Russell MRCVS is a companion animal veterinary surgeon who has taken time off on maternity leave. She said: "For me the main challenge about returning to practice was the self-confidence. Not only in my knowledge but also in my people skills. Many of those skills hadn’t gone and the knowledge was still there but a course like the 'Back to Practice' series would have helped me prepare and feel more confident in what I knew and how to apply it."
Ex-BVA President Robin Hargreaves also returned to practice after his year away on presidential duties. He said: "It was quite a shock when I returned and, on reflection, I think it would have been valuable to have attended a course like the BVA Back to Practice series.
"Firstly, because after a year there were new approaches and medicines with which I wasn’t familiar and, secondly, because a course like this would have helped to reassure me that I hadn’t forgotten everything and also highlight what I needed to brush up on. It would perhaps have been easier to do this in a collegiate environment with fellow vets rather than in the consulting room."
The first Back to Practice CPD session: 'Return to work with confidence and clarity', will be held on 20 February 2018 at the BVA offices in central London. There will be five other sessions in the series and the BVA is offering a three-for-two offer on the courses.
Jack Fellows, Elanco swine sales leader, said: "With the potential zinc oxide restrictions coming into place next year, it’s crucial that vets work with their farmers to start trialling alternative PWD prevention strategies now, while the use of zinc is still permitted.
“Keeping PWD at bay going forward will require a multifaceted approach to piglet management. Gradually reducing the level of zinc oxide, while simultaneously incorporating alternative preventive techniques, will reduce the likelihood of problems arising during this transition.
“It’s far more convenient to have the vaccine in a 200 head dose, rather than the current pack size that offers 50 treatments. This will greatly cut down the time required to dilute and stabilise multiple individual packs, while helping to minimise any margin of error during administration."
Research has shown over 90% of farmers1 would head to their vet as the first port of call when it comes to advice on treating PWD.
“It’s crucial that vets are aware of all the preventive tools and options for managing the disease as over half of farmers surveyed2 also said they would treat PWD with antibiotics, which is obviously something we’re trying to steer away from as an industry, and why vaccines play such an important role going forwards.
“The Coliprotec vaccine is proven to prevent against these issues, delivering healthy pigs that reach a heavier market weight up to 7 days earlier3, while substantially reducing the in-nursery use of antibiotic treatments."
To mark the launch of the new 200 dose pack size, Elanco is offering veterinary practices the chance to buy five packs for the price of four, a total of 1000 doses, through their wholesaler.
For more information, contact Jack Fellows at jack_michael.fellows@elancoah.com or call 07771 798157.
This is despite the fact that 84% of the 524 veterinary professionals that were polled said they believe that veterinary wellness is very important to the success of their practice.
Perhaps as a consequence, the survey found many respondents taking steps to look after their own wellness, with 57% saying they have started an exercise regime, 54% saying they have taken up other hobbies outside work and 44% saying they are talking more openly to colleagues to share problems and offer support.
When questioned about the obstacles to improving wellness in their practice, 'staff not having the time to focus on it' was cited by 76% as the main barrier. 52% said it was not recognised as an issue, while a further 49% said that the lack of trained personnel to champion wellness was the biggest problem.
Of those practices which had initiated a wellness programme, 83% said it made a positive difference. The most commonly reported wellness initiatives were the provision of a counselling service (38%), online resources (32%), and appointing a practice wellness champion (30%).
When asked what one thing their practice could do to enhance veterinary wellness, the two most popular suggestions were:
Improved communication and support with more openness and empathy (26%)
Improved team working with more breaks and a quiet area for staff (24%)
10% said that an acknowledgement that wellness was actually an issue would be a start.
VET Festival organiser Nicole Cooper said: "What we find startling about these results is that, despite a growing appreciation of the importance of veterinary wellness, almost half of the UK’s practices still don’t recognise it as an issue.
"The good news from this survey is that many veterinary professionals are now starting to take responsibility for their own mental health, whether through taking up interests outside work or sharing problems and experiences more openly at work. We urge more practice leaders to step up and to prioritise enhancing the wellness and wellbeing of their dedicated teams.
Veterinary wellness is a focus for this year’s VET Festival, which takes place on 7-8 June at Loseley Park in Surrey. There'll be expanded Wellness Hub offering sessions run by the charity VetLife, yoga and talks on meditation and reducing stress.
Tickets for VET Festival can be purchased here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
The Osurnia Ear Health Hub includes information about the treatment of canine otitis externa from dermatologists Sue Paterson and Natalie Barnard, advice about responsible antibiotic use, expert tips for vets to use in the consulting room and dog owner educational materials that veterinary staff can use in practice and online. It will also include a podcast interview with Sue.
The hub also provides information, videos and research about Osurnia.
Elanco Animal Health UK Marketing Manager, Rebecca Bryant said: "We know all too well the challenges vets face when treating canine OE and the significant impact the condition has on the quality of life of both the dog and the owner.
"The Osurnia Ear Health Hub is a new disease resource hub on MyElanco, which provides helpful resources for veterinary professionals looking for answers or to enhance their understanding of the disease. We hope that with more easily accessible information, this will help vets to treat OE cases and communicate with their clients."
Visit the canine ear health hub at: www.myelanco.co.uk
Whilst on the subject of information resources, this one has come to my attention. It's a list of other veterinary blogs and resources: https://blog.feedspot.com/veterinary_blogs.
A new study carried out by academics at the University of Bristol's Animal Welfare and Behaviour research group has revealed that chickens empathise. So, if you've wondered why the chicken crossed the road, it was probably to help a friend.
More specifically, the research - funded by the BBSRC Animal Welfare Initiative and published online in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. - demonstrated that domestic hens show a clear physiological and behavioural response when their chicks are mildly distressed.
Researchers say the study is the first to demonstrate that birds possess one of the important attributes that underpins empathy, and the first study to use both behavioural and physiological methods to measure these traits in birds.
During one of the controlled procedures, when the chicks were exposed to a puff of air, the hens' heart rate increased and eye temperature decreased. The hens also changed their behaviour, and reacted with increased alertness, decreased preening and increased vocalisations directed to their chicks.
Some of these responses have previously been used as indicators of an emotional response in animals. In domestic chickens, time spent standing alert is associated with higher levels of fear. Previous research carried out by the same group has shown that hens also selectively avoid surroundings associated with high levels of standing and low levels of preening.
Jo Edgar, PhD student in the School of Veterinary Sciences, said: "The extent to which animals are affected by the distress of others is of high relevance to the welfare of farm and laboratory animals.
"Our research has addressed the fundamental question of whether birds have the capacity to show empathic responses.
"We found that adult female birds possess at least one of the essential underpinning attributes of 'empathy'; the ability to be affected by, and share, the emotional state of another."
The researchers say they used chickens as a model species because, under commercial conditions, chickens will regularly encounter other chickens showing signs of pain or distress due to routine husbandry practices or because of the high levels of conditions such as bone fractures or leg disorders.
Reference:'Avian maternal response to chick distress', J L Edgar, J C Lowe, E S Paul, C J Nicol, published online ahead of print Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 9 March 2011.
Picture:Gemma Richards, University of Bristol
The Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Dr Martin Whiting, considered two charges against Mr Shah.
The first charge alleged that in June 2018 Mr Shah allowed a kitten to be anaesthetised for a castration without having first undertaken a clinical examination.
Then, having failed to locate a second testicle during the surgery, it was alleged that Mr Shah failed to contact the owner to inform her of this failure and to discuss the treatment options arising as a result, before ending his attempts at the castration.
The charge then alleged that Mr Shah failed to devise an adequate plan for the completion of the castration, failed to take adequate steps to ensure that the owner was fully informed of the details of the surgery, and failed to make adequate clinical notes in relation to the kitten.
The second charge alleged that, in relation to the conduct in charge one, Mr Shah failed to have adequate regard to previous advice and warnings from the RCVS about his conduct in relation to neutering surgery and related clinical note-keeping and communication with clients.
In particular, this related to a reprimand issued in September 2016 by the Disciplinary Committee following its finding of disgraceful conduct with regards to his discharge of a dog following castration in 2014, and advice issued to Mr Shah by letter of 21 March 2018 by the College’s Preliminary Investigation Committee with regards to circumstances surrounding canine spay surgery performed by him in 2016.
At the outset of the hearing Mr Shah denied all of the charges.
Nevertheless, the Committee found the following charge one sub-charges proved: that Mr Shah allowed the kitten to be anaesthetised without having first undertaken a clinical examination of the kitten and/or ensuring that they had undergone a clinical examination by another veterinary surgeon; that Mr Shah failed to devise an adequate plan for the completion of the castration, that he failed to take adequate steps to ensure that the owner was fully informed post-operatively of the details of the said surgery; and that he failed to make adequate clinical notes in relation to the findings of his examination under anaesthesia, his surgical approach, post-operative communication with the owners and his plan for completion of the castration.
The Committee also found all of charge two proved.
The Committee then went on to consider whether or not, in relation to the proved charges, Mr Shah’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In considering the aggravating factors, the Committee took into account the risk of injury to an animal, the contravention of previous advice given by the College, lack of insight, and the previous adverse findings of the Disciplinary Committee and the Preliminary Investigation Committee.
With regards to mitigating factors, the Committee accepted that the conduct was not premeditated, that there was no financial gain and that, notwithstanding the contents of charge two, the first charge was a single and isolated incident.
Considering both the aggravating and mitigating factors, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Shah’s conduct fell far below the standard expected of a registered veterinary surgeon and consequently that it amounted to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Mr Shah. The Committee first considered lesser sanctions, including postponement with undertakings and a reprimand and warning. Neither would be sufficient to protect animals and the wider public interest and uphold proper standards because Mr Shah had already been given a reprimand and warning in 2016, which appeared, to the Committee, to have had no effect.
Speaking on behalf of the Committee, Dr Whiting said: "It is clear to the Committee that in this case, the respondent has failed to demonstrate any insight into the seriousness of his misconduct.
"In this case, the Committee considers that there is evidence of a harmful deep-seated personal attitude problem so far as the respondent is concerned. His pervasive denial of wrongdoing and lack of insight, in spite of the findings of this Committee, is of grave concern.
"The respondent’s persistent abdication of personal responsibility and accountability for anything that went wrong, coupled with his sustained blaming of the nursing staff with whom he worked, displays an attitude which is fundamentally incompatible with being a member of the veterinary profession.
"The Committee cannot be confident that there is no significant risk of repeat behaviour in the event that suspension was found to be the appropriate sanction and that the respondent is fit to practise after any period of suspension.
"This is particularly due to the fact that Mr Shah has failed to have adequate regard to previous advice and warnings from the RCVS, coupled with multiple previous adverse findings of the Disciplinary Committee and the Preliminary Investigation Committee. The Committee has reached this conclusion having regard to the seriousness of its findings in this hearing, and the previous advice and warning given to the respondent, none of which appears to have been recognised or heeded."
The Committee therefore concluded that the only sanction which reflects the seriousness of this case, in the light of the previous findings and advice given to the Mr Shah by the College, is to remove him from the Register.
The Committee’s full facts and findings can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary.