The Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow has launched a new veterinary referrals service which, it says, is set to revolutionise access to advanced veterinary care throughout west central Scotland.

The practice has assembled a team of post-graduate certificate holding veterinary surgeons, supporting specialists, nurses and front-of-house staff to offer a comprehensive range of services, including advanced orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery and outpatient diagnostic imaging.

In order to make its service more accessible, the practice has also developed a number of innovative aspects to its service, including a 'fixed price fix', a guaranteed 'same week solution' and an interest-free credit payment option.

Lead veterinary surgeon Ross Allan (pictured right) said: "We consider the launch of Roundhouse Referrals to be one of the most exciting developments in the provision of advanced veterinary services to clients in the West of Scotland for many years.

"While there are existing referral options, we want to remove some of the current challenges that prevent vets and pet owners from accessing these services. 

"We all know how frustrating waiting lists can be for vets and their clients, and by creating the 'same week solution' we pledge to arrange an appointment and provide a referral consultation within one week, something we feel will be reassuring to referring vets and clients.

"In addition, we are delighted to improve provision for pet owners with financial restrictions such as low value or no insurance policies. Roundhouse Referrals has been established to address these concerns through the provision of a high quality, highly accessible service and 'same week solution' for referring veterinary practices, and through such services as our 'fixed price fix' and interest free credit.

"Similarly, we are committed to the principle of an easy-to-use service for referring vet and client: price certainty, the personal touch and great communication." 

Roundhouse Referrals says it can undertake an extensive range of investigative and surgical orthopaedic procedures including: fracture repair; lameness investigation; growth deformities; arthrodesis; arthroscopic surgery and ligament or tendon injury. Its soft tissue services include: endocrine surgery; ENT; gastrointestinal; hernia surgery; oncological; thoracic; urogenital; vascular; wound management and reconstructive surgeries. 

The practice also says it undertakes to work in partnership with referring veterinary practices to provide an easier referral system that will always return satisfied clients to the referring practice. 

For further information, contact 0141 649 1316 or visit: www.rhr.vet

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a respiratory relief product to treat bovine respiratory disease (BRD), swine respiratory disease (SRD) and infectious pododermatitis (foot rot) in sheep.

Rexxolide contains 100 mg/ml of tulathromycin, which is widely used to treat BRD and SRD. It also has a single dose and low injection volume of 1 ml/40 kg BW, to make it more convenient.

Dechra says Rexxolide has an immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory action and offers equal viscosity and syringability as other products on the market¹. It can be used for treatment and metaphylaxis of BRD and SRD and offers early-stage treatment for infectious pododermatitis.  

Dechra’s Equine and Food Producing Animal Brand Manager, Emma Jennings said: “Launching Rexxolide into the market provides an alternative option to existing BRD, SRD and foot rot treatments for farm vets across the UK and Ireland.  

"We support an integrated approach to the control of BRD, with good husbandry, early detection and correct therapy being vital tools in managing the multi-factorial condition."

Rexxolide is available in 50ml and 100ml vials. For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk. 

New research published online by the Veterinary Record suggests that puppies separated from their litters early are significantly more likely to develop potentially problematic behaviours as adults than puppies who stay with the litter for at least two months.

This is important, say the Italian authors, because behavioural problems affect relationships with owners and the risk of subsequent abandonment.

The authors based their findings on 140 adult dogs, half of whom had been taken from the litter and adopted between the ages of 30 and 40 days, and half of whom had been taken from the litter at 60 days.

The dogs' owners, who were clients of several veterinary practices in Naples, Italy, were all asked to complete a telephone questionnaire about their pets, including their provenance, breed, and a range of potentially problematic behaviours.

These included destructiveness, excessive barking, possessiveness around food and/or toys, attention seeking, aggressiveness, play biting, fearfulness on walks, and reactivity to noises.

The dogs were aged 18 months to seven years at the time of the study. Half had come from a pet shop, while one in three came from a friend or relative, and the remainder were sourced from a breeder.  None of the dogs had been in a shelter or been obviously traumatised.

Attention seeking and reactivity to noises were the most commonly reported behaviours. And younger dogs (under 36 months) were significantly more likely to be destructive and to tail chase than older animals.

But with the exception of pica eating, aggression towards the owner, paw licking and shadow staring, all behaviours were significantly more likely among dogs who had been separated from their litters before 60 days, irrespective of their breed, neuter status and size.

Similarly, some behaviours were more common among pet shop dogs who had been taken early from their litters than among pet shop dogs taken from their litters at 60 days.

The authors write: "It is generally accepted that dogs go through a sensitive period, the socialisation period, during which social experiences and stimuli have a greater effect on the development of their temperament and behaviour than if they occur in later life."

They say that the evidence increasingly points to a mix of early genetic, environmental and experiential factors that may permanently reconfigure the DNA, so leaving lasting effects.

"Early separation from the dam and littermates, especially when combined with housing in a pet shop might affect the capacity of a puppy to adapt to new environmental conditions and social relationships later in life.

"Behavioural intervention can address the development of problem behaviours and improve the dog's relationship with the owners, ultimately reducing the number of dogs that are relinquished or abandoned."

Click here to read the paper in full.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has restored Joseph Lennox Holmes to the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, two years after he was originally struck off.

Mr Holmes was removed from the Register in February 2012 after the Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of multiple charges of serious professional conduct. Mr Holmes lodged an appeal against the decision, which was heard and dismissed by the Privy Council.

The original charges related to two separate complaints; the first involved numerous charges in respect of Mr Holmes' treatment of a King Charles Spaniel between October 2007 and March 2008; the second, several charges in relation to his treatment of three cats in 2008.

The Committee found that the majority of the charges amounted to serious professional misconduct. In removing Mr Holmes from the Register, the Committee found that "aggravating factors in both... cases included actual injuries to the animals... and a serious breach of the trust which Mr Holmes' clients had placed in him to make the welfare of the animals his primary consideration according to the standards to be expected of the profession". In addition, the Committee cited 10 further aggravating factors including lack of reference to continuing professional development (CPD) in clinical policies and practices; lack of reference to accepted practice; lack of appreciation of the importance of adequate pain relief when performing painful surgical procedures; reluctance to consider referral as an option; and lack of understanding about what information is required by a client to enable fully informed consent to be given.

Following the dismissal of Mr Holmes' appeal by the Privy Council, his first application for restoration was heard by the Disciplinary Committee in February 2013. The Committee was not satisfied that he was fit to be restored to the Register, citing the fact that his application was "premature" and that he had failed to truly appreciate the seriousness of the findings against him. The Committee was also unimpressed with the efforts he had made to keep up-to-date with skills and developments in practice and with his CPD, noting in particular that he had made very limited attempts to observe the function and experience the culture of a modern first opinion practice.

However, in this week's two-day hearing, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Holmes was now fit to be restored to the Register. It heard that Mr Holmes had made a concerted effort to engage in CPD and bring his skills and knowledge up-to-date. During a period of observation at a veterinary practice, he had gained insight into modern practice and the need for veterinary general practitioners to be aware of the advantages in referring patients to specialists.

Professor Noreen Burrows, who chaired and spoke on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, said: "The Committee has concluded that, in the course of genuine efforts to do what was necessary to address the deficiencies identified during the original Inquiry and at the last restoration hearing, the Applicant has at last understood the seriousness of his previous misconduct and has learned new skills and, most importantly, to recognise his limitations from the extensive course of study, reflection, and other training that he has undertaken."

Furthermore, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Holmes had gained a proper understanding of the importance of securing the informed consent of his clients and building a relationship of trust with them and, in addition, recognising the importance of maintaining close relations with fellow professionals and engaging with CPD opportunities.

Additional factors considered when making the decision included: that he had been off the Register for two years; that, through self-improvement, he had equipped himself to treat animals appropriately; the impact that being removed from the Register had in both personal and financial terms; his conduct since being removed from the Register; and, a number of positive testimonials from previous clients and professional colleagues.

The Committee's full findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).

VetSurgeon.org member Sam Westhead, a vet from Farnborough, has secured sponsorship from Vets Now and Vet Times in his entry to the grueling Ironman 70.3 World Championship challenge in Clearwater in Florida this November

The two organisations will each sponsor Sam £250 for taking part in the challenge.

Sam, who works at Grazely Vets in Farnborough, qualified for the World Championship event earlier this year in the Singapore Ironman 70.3, coming first in the veterans group and a not too shabby 30^th overall!

Clearly not for the faint hearted, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship consists of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56-mile bike and a 13.1 mile run, adding up to 70.3 miles of total racing.

Speaking about his entry to the race, Sam commented; "The training is going well and I'm trying to focus on keeping up the momentum and enthusiasm for the race as the countdown is now on!  I'm obviously looking forward enormously to arriving in Florida in a few weeks time and competing in the event - it's a real achievement to have got to this stage.  I would like to say a big thank you to Vets Now and the Vet Times for their extremely kind donations which will go some way to covering the cost of my flights to and from the event."

Richard Dixon, Group Managing Director for Vets Now said; "Sam is an extremely dynamic individual who displays wonderful passion for both his career and in living life to the full.  I know he has trained hard to qualify for the event and to get to this stage and Vets Now is delighted to be backing Sam in this particularly grueling and ambitious challenge.  We wish him well in his final few weeks of training and of course in the event in November."

The RCVS has updated its Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) with new environmental sustainability requirements, updates to current standards to incorporate sustainability and a new Environmental Sustainability Award.

The new changes are being introduced in the following phases:

• The new Environmental Sustainability Award is available to apply for now, with assessments starting from January 2023
• The social sustainability changes and other clarifications are effective immediately and will be assessed from October 2022
• The new and amended Core Standards and General Practice level environmental sustainability standards will be effective from June 2023

The new Environmental Sustainability Award allows practices to demonstrate that they have embedded environmentally sustainable behaviours and are excelling with their sustainability goals.

The Award includes points for reducing waste, consolidating medicines orders and minimising drug wastage, and calculating the practice’s carbon footprint and setting reduction targets.

The changes and additions to the standards at Core Standards and General Practice level cover the sustainability of a wide range of practice areas, including requiring a sustainability policy, communicating sustainability achievements, and minimising anaesthetic gas usage.

As well as improving environmental sustainability, the new and amended standards also include requirements to help make practices more socially sustainable, through measures including increasing diversity and inclusion.      

The PSS has produced a list of resources to support veterinary practices with meeting the new environmental sustainability standards and implementing sustainable practices in general.

Mandisa Greene, Chair of the Practice Standards Group, said: “We want to assure PSS-accredited practices that the new standards won’t mean an overhaul of ways of working or result in expensive investment in resources.

"Instead, the standards explain ways that practices can increase their sustainability by putting in place new measures gradually over the next 12 months, in time for them becoming mandatory.

"As with all standards updates, the PSS team are always available to answer any questions that practices have and anyone who is unsure about how to apply them is encouraged to get in touch with the PSS team.”

During the last Standards Committee meeting, there were also several approved clarifications to the standards in the form of guidance notes and minor changes across a range of accreditation levels.

These include updates to the guidance notes for requirements on sterilisation of dental instruments, environmental swabbing of clinical areas, and anaesthetic monitoring.

The new version of the standards that includes all the latest changes, and a separate document listing all the updates, are available to download here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/practice-standards-scheme/additional-resources 

Any questions from practices about the updates can be sent to the PSS team at pss@rcvs.org.uk

VetPlus has announced that it has taken over the worldwide distribution for Vetigel, a haemostatic gel which stops bleeding in seconds and which can now be used for all types of surgery.

Vetigel is a plant based gel which was first introduced to the UK for orthodontic surgeries last year.

It is supplied in a pre-filled syringe and applied directly to the site of bleeding where it creates an initial mechanical seal and then supports the formation of the platelet plug below.

VetPlus says it can be used in many situations where bleeding is an issue and the gel can be applied directly to the site of bleeding, including liver biopsies, mass removals, amputations and enucleations. 

Jackie Marshall, VetPlus Technical Advisor, said: “This innovative product is already transforming the way vets perform both dental and surgical procedures, and we have had really positive feedback from those practices where it is being used already.

"Vetigel isn’t intended to replace a surgeon’s technique, but it is designed to stop bleeding where pressure or other methods are ineffective or impractical.

"Because it is a gel, it can conform to a wide range of wound shapes, making it a rapid, effective way of controlling bleeding.

“We believe this product will make a lasting impact on veterinary care, transforming the way surgeries are carried out and assisting haemostasis in animal patients.”

Zak Leavold, a vet based at Calster Vets in Great Yarmouth used Vetigel in an emergency situation, out of hours, on a dog with a bleed due to a kidney laceration.

He said: ‘I genuinely believe the product saved the dog’s life that night.

"I will certainly be keeping Vetigel on hand for any future soft surgeries – just in case!’

Links

• Videos of Vetigel in action: https://store.vetigel.com/pages/library 
• Further info: https://www.vetplus.co.uk 

Peter Myatt and Stephen Ashman MsRCVS have won the BVA's third annual BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition, fighting off competition from over 500 other entries.

Stephen, who works for the PDSA, wowed the judges with his photograph of a pair of wild ponies, entered into the 'All creatures great and small' category. He said: "I had a great day out photographing these wild grey ponies on a similarly grey January dayon the Long Mynd, a heath and moorland plateau in the Shropshire hills. I was simply out on a photo walk to take in the scenery and wildlife, look for a good shot and get a breath of fresh air; I’m chuffed that the judges have selected it as a category winner!"

Peter, who graduated from Nottingham University this summer and works at a practice in Bicester, won in the ‘Human:animal bond’ category with his entry: 'Best part of a job', which shows a laid-back 10-week-old cocker spaniel puppy lounging contentedly on his lap. Peter said: "This photo was taken whilst on placement in Chipping Norton as a student. The puppy was in to have her second vaccinations and a general health check after she had been with her new family for a week, and she was on my lap so that I could calm her, examine her, and socialise her. Working in the veterinary world is by no means easy, which is why moments like this are so important. Everyone needs a puppy cuddle!"

This year, the judging panel included David Tipling, one of the world's most widely published wildlife photographers. He said: "Helping to judge this year’s competition was for me a fascinating insight into a vet’s working life. Photography, like any art form, is subjective, but I was looking for pictures that had been composed and thought about and most importantly would linger in the mind long after they had been viewed. Much debate and discussion led us to some clear favourites from which to choose two overall winners."

"The winning shot [by Stephen] is beautifully composed, has a symmetry and used the dark and light tones of the ponies to complement each other, resulting in a striking image that we were all drawn to. I was drawn to [Peter’s] image partly by its abstract nature; on first view it is not obvious the dog is on someone’s lap. It is a strong, engaging image and because of that slightly abstract feel means it stays long in the memory.”

Peter and Stephen each receive £250 worth of gift vouchers from John Lewis. 

Vets attending the first veterinary-led European Equine Transport Forum, held in Brussels last November, have agreed that the profession needs to take a leading role to help enforce the current regulation governing the long-distance transport of horses, in order for equine welfare standards to be improved.

In support, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Trust has announced the introduction of the BEVA Trust Equine Transport Enforcement Award of €1000, to be given annually to the individual or group doing the most to improve enforcement of the current transport regulation.

The Forum was initiated by BEVA President Madeleine Campbell in conjunction with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and is sponsored by the BEVA Trust and World Horse Welfare. It attracted representatives from 38 nations; including a strong turnout from Eastern Europe where horses sourced for slaughter often start their journeys and Italy which is the end destination for the majority of these horses.

The plight of horses sourced for slaughter was the main focus for discussion and the key issues raised were:

• The practical enforcement of the current regulation at the beginning, middle and end of journeys
• Consistent enforcement of the current regulation across all Member States
• That horses transported for slaughter should receive the same regard for their welfare as competition and leisure horses
• The lack of adequate assessments of fitness to travel, leading to diseased horses being transported greatly increasing the risk of transmitting infectious diseases across Europe. These non-compliant shipments should be tackled through robust and thorough veterinary examination at each stage of the journey, coupled with rigorous identification procedures for every horse to ensure traceability.

Delegates also examined the long-term need to change the attitude of Italian consumers, raising awareness of the current welfare issues related to their preference for fresh meat, labelled as Italian produce. In addition they discussed the impact on equine welfare of increased profits in sourcing horses in Eastern Europe and then transporting them long distances for slaughter.

Dr Madeleine Campbell said: "The atmosphere throughout the day was one of collaboration and determination to succeed. Proper enforcement of the current regulation is the key to welfare improvements, as is the need for a system of best practice to drive a change in cultural attitudes about how horse meat is produced. A process of education is necessary so that consumers understand the welfare issues associated with long-distance transport and start demanding accurate information about where the meat which they are buying originally came from, and how far the horses travelled to slaughter. We are all in agreement that vets have a pivotal role to play in both education and enforcement, and that they want to play it."

Nominations for the annual BEVA Trust Equine Transport Enforcement Award are open and can be made via the FVE and the BEVA Trust. The award will be judged by the FVE Working Group on Transport, and will be awarded for the first time in November 2011. The programme, abstracts and presentations from the Forum can be found at: http://www.fve.org/events/index.html#conferences

Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Laindon, Essex, has appointed an expert in zoo and wildlife medicine to spearhead a new 24/7 specialist exotics treatment service. 

Daniel Calvo Carrasco, an RCVS specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine and a European Specialist in Avian Medicine and Surgery, will be heading up the new service, which opens its doors to patients in January.

Daniel graduated from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in 2010. He began his career at first opinion practices in Birmingham and Wiltshire, where he developed his skills as a vet in small animals, while still having the chance to look after small furries from a local pet shop where he was based. He then completed an exotic animal medicine and zoological medicine internship, followed by two years of small animal and exotic practice in the UK. 

In May 2016 he gained his RCVS CertAVP(ZooMed) and later that year he completed his European College Zoological Medicine Avian residency.

For the next two years, he worked at Great Western Exotics before joining the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in 2018, where he combined conservation work with managing and caring for its living collection.

Daniel said: “I’ve always had a passion for zoological medicine and caring for the more exotic mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and I’m excited to be leading this new service at Southfields. 

“I really enjoy all aspects of exotic, zoo and wildlife medicine and have a particularly keen interest in orthopaedics and advanced surgery in exotic species. 

“I have treated all sorts of species in my time from parrots and lizards to wading birds such as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Aldabra tortoise, Hyacinth Macaw, Toucans, Seriemas and many birds of prey.”

Southfields hospital director Daniel Hogan said: “We are delighted to have recruited Daniel to lead this exciting addition to the services we offer. 

“He is highly experienced and will lead our new exotic animal service, which is the first such service in the whole of the South East and will be available 24/7 to offer the best and most comprehensive zoo and wildlife care in the region.” 

For more information, visit: https://www.southfields.co.uk/

The RCVS Registered Veterinary Nurse Disciplinary Committee has suspended a Northants-based registered veterinary nurse who admitted to acting dishonestly with her employer, a client and a pet database company by taking home a patient that was supposed to have been euthanised.

During the two-day hearing, the Committee heard how Sally-Ann Roberts, formerly of the Best Friends Veterinary Group in Thrapston, had deliberately gone against the wishes of the owners of a 14-year-old Maine Coon cat called Jason that he be euthanised, rather than treated further, and instead had taken the cat home with her for "intensive nursing". Jason had subsequently escaped from Ms Robert's residence, leading her to fabricate a story, first to the pet database company, and then to Jason's owners and her employer, that he had escaped from the practice, before being returned by a member of the public two days later and then euthanised as originally requested.

Ms Roberts acted with her veterinary surgeon colleague Przemyslaw Bogdanowicz, who chose not to euthanise Jason and who, for his part, received a three-month suspension from the RCVS Disciplinary Committee in December 2012. She repeated the false account on a number of occasions, both orally and in written statements, and also forged the signature of Jason's owner on official documentation in order to substantiate her story.

Only when Ms Roberts was interviewed for a second time by her then employer's area manager, did she finally admit to what had actually happened. Shortly afterwards, Ms Roberts was suspended from the practice and, following an internal disciplinary hearing a few days later, was dismissed by them for gross misconduct, along with Mr Bogdanowicz. There was no evidence available as to what ultimately happened to Jason.

Explaining her actions to the Committee, Ms Roberts said she was upset that Jason's owners wanted him to be euthanised and felt that he could recover if given some love and attention. She had asked Mr Bogdanowicz to discuss this possibility with Jason's owners, but he had refused, agreeing instead that she could continue Jason's treatment at her home. After Jason escaped, Ms Roberts said she was "devastated" and had "panicked", inventing the story of Jason's escape to cover her actions, which she now acknowledged were "wrong" and "stupid", and which she "bitterly regretted". Ms Roberts expressed sorrow and remorse for her behaviour, which she said would never occur again, and stated that being a veterinary nurse was everything to her.

In view of the admitted facts, the Committee judged that Ms Robert's dishonesty and breach of client trust, as well the distinct risk of injury to which she exposed Jason, amounted to serious professional misconduct. In deciding on an appropriate sanction, the Committee balanced a number of aggravating factors (in particular, the forged signature) against Ms Roberts' "strong mitigation", which included her admitting the entirety of the charges against her, her medical and personal problems at the time, the insight she had shown into the effects of her actions on Jason's owners and her previous unblemished career.

Professor Peter Lees, chairing and speak on behalf of the Committee, said: "The Committee has concluded that the Respondent has shown insight into the seriousness of her misconduct and that there is no significant risk of repeat behaviour. In light of the Respondent's admission, her insight, her remorse and the high regard in which she is held by her professional colleagues, it is the Committee's view that the sanction of two months' suspension is appropriate and proportionate."

The Committee's full decisions on facts and sanction are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary.

Paul Meiring MRCVS from Companion Care in Chesterfield and Jason Davidson MRCVS from Companion Care in Derby, together with Brendan Tindall from Plettenburg Bay and his riding partner, Robin Beetge from Johannesburg, have completed the 900km joBerg2c Mountain Bike Challenge, raising £6,600 to help combat rhino poaching.

Jason (pictured right with Paul), said: "Let me tell you, that was hard! Nine days and 900km of mountain bike riding, with 250km technical single track and only about 10 km tar, but we did it! We are so proud to be able to contribute to a future for rhinos!"

The veterinary velocipedists were raising money for The Chipembere Foundation, which specialises in sourcing, testing and funding technology for monitoring rhinos. They fund K9 handlers and their tracking and apprehension dogs, as well as funding and providing anti-poaching teams with vital equipment needed to translocate rhinos across Southern Africa. 

It costs about £38000 to translocate a rhino from South Africa to neighbouring Botswana where there is less poaching (for now). Satellite tracking leg collars cost £1500 with an annual service and VHF collars and transmitters costing around £220. Dog and dog handler training is in the region of around £5000 per dog and there are additional costs for kennels, transport vehicles and day to day items like bowls, brushes, leads etc.

If you want to support Jason and Paul in their efforts to make a positive difference to the plight of the fast-dwindling numbers of rhino, visit www.justgiving.com/teams/rhinocycle.