Ceva Animal Health, the manufacturer of Ketofen, has announced it is sponsoring a professional foot trimming course for cattle in order to encourage vets, farmers and professional foot trimmers to work more closely together.

The four-day course, which is organised by Embryonics, will take place in Cheshire and runs from Monday 24 February to Thursday 27 February. 

The course will cover the five-step Dutch method of foot trimming, which Ceva says is the most successful tried and tested method of trimming for reducing the incidence of lameness in the herd. 

Course tutors include John Dawson MRCVS BVMS CertCHP Dip Cattle footcare and a Ceva representative will also present information on how the management of pain and inflammation fits into a comprehensive lameness treatment programme. The practical course is a recognised route to becoming a NACFT (National Association of Cattle Foot Trimmers) licensed foot trimmer.

Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva, comments: "We would like to encourage livestock vets, farmers and professional foot trimmers to work more closely together, as a team, to help prevent lameness in cattle. We are therefore delighted to be supporting the industry by sponsoring this course, which will help raise welfare standards across the industry."

For further information on the Professional Foot Trimming course, please visit www.embryonicsltd.co.uk.

Petplan has announced the winners of its annual Veterinary Awards. 

The awards recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country who have delivered an exceptional level of care, going above and beyond the call of duty in keeping the nation's pets healthy and owners happy.   

Suzanne Cheadle, Petplan's Acting Head of Marketing said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 36 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK. The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise and celebrate the fantastic work that goes on across those practices."

She added: "This year saw over 12,000 nominations which demonstrates the appetite from both staff and clients for celebrating exceptional work. We had a wonderful selection of first class finalists and I'd like to congratulate all the winners who thoroughly deserve their awards."

The winners for each category are:

VET OF THE YEAR: Hector Low, Old Mill Veterinary Practice, Isle-of-Lewis
The judges said: "What really stood out was Hector's dedication to the profession and how he moved his practice to a new premises so it could offer better facilities and a wider range of services for animals and owners alike. He has always got his clients and their pets at the forefront of all his decisions and is truly passionate about his role within the profession".
 
VET NURSE OF THE YEAR: Tina Wright, Warbeck House Veterinary Centre, Merseyside
The judges said: "Tina is particularly responsible for setting up an Ear Care Club for animals at the centre who suffer from recurrent ear problems, which she has put her heart and soul into over the last year, while also tutoring student veterinary nurses and running puppy socialisation classes which have proved hugely popular among clients. Tina is a shining example of how vital the role of the vet nurse is when delivering outstanding service to clients and their pets. She is enthusiastic, passionate and always puts her clients' needs first".
 
PRACTICE SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR: Henrietta Fidler, Beech House Veterinary Centre, Surrey
The judges said: "Henrietta is somebody who loves her role within the veterinary profession, thriving on the interaction she has between both the clients and animals. She has nurtured and developed strong and solid client relationships as well as good working relationships with her colleagues. If there is anything that the Veterinary Awards highlights, it is that team work is a vital part of the job, and Henrietta is proof of that".
 
PRACTICE OF THE YEAR: The Vets' Place, Cheshire
The judges saiod: "Wendy and Michael Hough set up their practice, The Vets' Place, from scratch in 2009. Since then, the practice has grown from strength to strength. As a small practice they have plenty of opportunity to really get to know their individual clients and their pets and have built strong relationships that their customers value. The Vet's Place is a shining example of the exceptional service a practice can deliver".
 
PRACTICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Sharon Lane-Kieltyka, Shepton Veterinary Group Ltd, Somerset
The judges said: "Sharon is a people person through and through which feeds the passion she has for a role that extends beyond the care of clients and their pets. Sharon has overseen a large scale building project that saw the practice double in size and been a key driver in the recent rebranding of the practice, highlighting not only her steadfast can-do attitude, but her ability to drive change in the interest of her clients. Her enthusiasm for the industry is something to be admired".

Two years since BVA launched its Good Veterinary Workplaces campaign, the association has launched new awards to recognise veterinary workplaces which have embraced the campaign ethos by going above and beyond to support the wellbeing of their teams. 

Veterinary teams are now being invited to nominate their workplaces for the awards, detailing the ways in which the team’s wellbeing has been supported.

Entrants must show evidence in their workplace of:

• A positive workplace culture where mental and physical wellbeing is prioritised, and workplace stress is managed.
• Good communication between the team to make sure all staff members are heard and valued.
• Clear processes in place for making suggestions and enabling change.
• Flexible working is supported, and regular breaks encouraged.

Entires can be submitted for the following categories

• Small/Medium Practice (Up to 25 employees)
• Large Practice (Over 25 employees)
• Non-Clinical Workplace (such as in animal charities, government, industry or academic teams)

The BVA is strongly encouraging people to submit nominations as a team.

Entrants will also be required to submit photos showcasing team culture, demonstrating initiatives to aid staff wellbeing or moments of positivity.

BVA Junior Vice President Anna Judson, who will also be one of the judges for the awards, said: “The culture in a workplace has an impact on every aspect of a business, but most especially when it comes to building a happy, healthy and resilient workforce.

"That’s why it’s so important that staff feel heard, valued and supported.

"BVA’s Wellbeing Awards are an important opportunity for teams to shout about innovative practices that are going the extra mile to support wellbeing.

"After all, good veterinary workplaces are good for people, good for animals in their care and ultimately good for business.” 

The awards are open to the entire veterinary profession and there is no requirement to be a BVA member.

Winners will be announced at BVA’s Gala Dinner during the London Vet Show in November.

Nominations close on Monday, 11th September 2023.

www.bva.co.uk/wellbeing-awards

The Competition and Markets Authority has confirmed that it will now launch a full market investigation into the veterinary sector, following its initial review in September 2023.

The CMA says its main concerns remain the same as it outlined in March, namely whether consumers are getting enough information to make informed decisions, whether corporatisation is stifling competition in certain areas, whether corporate groups have incentives to act in ways that reduce choice, whether pet owners might be overpaying for medicines and whether the regulatory framework is outdated 

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: "The message from our vets work so far has been loud and clear – many pet owners and professionals have concerns that need further investigation.

"We’ve heard from people who are struggling to pay vet bills, potentially overpaying for medicines and don’t always know the best treatment options available to them.

"We also remain concerned about the potential impact of sector consolidation and the incentives for large, integrated vet groups to act in ways which reduce consumer choice.

"In March we proposed that a formal market investigation was the best route to fully explore these concerns and, if appropriate, take direct action to address them.

"That proposal has been overwhelmingly endorsed through our consultation.

"While we’re aware of acute staff shortages and difficult working conditions for vets, we consider a formal market investigation is essential to ensure good outcomes for the millions of pet owners in the UK as well as professionals working in the sector.

"The independent inquiry group will now take this investigation forward and, in the meantime, we’re publishing some tips to help pet owners better navigate vet services."

Meantime, the CMA has published 3 tips for pet owners, which are to look further than their nearest vet, to question treatment options and to consider buying medication elsewhere.

Eukanuba's Longevity Council has published a new video in which the panel of experts offer their thoughts about how veterinary surgeons can educate clients about helping their pets grow old gracefully.  

The video includes contributions from the following council members, discussing things like preventative medicine and the importance of good diet/body weight and exercise: 

• Dr Penny Watson (pictured right) - MA, VetMD, CertVR, DSAM, DipECVIM, MRCVS. Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine, Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge.
• Dr Vicki Adams – BSc, DVM, MSc, PhD, MRCVS. Veterinary Epidemiology Consultant. Editor, Veterinary Record Open. Acting Chief Executive, Animal Cancer Trust.
• Professor Stuart Carmichael – BVMS, MVM, DSAO, MRCVS. Managing Director at Fitzpatrick Referrals. Professor of Veterinary Science, University of Surrey.
• Professor Steve Dean – BVetMed, DVR, MRCVS. Former Chairman of the UK Kennel Club. President of Windsor Dog Show Society. Author of A Vet’s View, Dog World UK.
• David M. Morgan – BSc, MA, VetMB, CertVR, MRCVS. Eukanuba Scientific Communications Senior Manager.

watch?v=JRjCWhnGaGY

The BVA is now reaching out to non-members with a three-month, no strings attached, free trial. The offer ends on 31 August.

Over the past few years the BVA membership package has changed significantly in response to the needs of veterinary surgeons across the UK at all stages of their careers.

Harvey Locke, BVA President, said: "The well-documented stresses that put members of our profession at risk of mental health problems are unacceptably high. With their focus on conflict resolution and individual support, however, we hope the BVA legal services will come to be seen as a safety net for BVA members should things go wrong at work.

"These kinds of employment issues can be hard to talk about so we hope by highlighting a few stories it will encourage others to seek the help they need from the BVA.

"The three-month free trial is an opportunity for the BVA to reach out to non-members and show them the impact of our complete membership package - from the legal and employment services and free and discounted CPD to our popular publications and money-saving financial services."

An animal heath company is conducting a survey into veterinary surgeons' thoughts on digestive health conditions, including diarrhoea. 

Everyone who participates in the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 worth of John Lewis vouchers.

To take part, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/digestive-health-survey. 

The survey will remain live till 28th March 2014, and the results will be shared with participants in due course.

The BSAVA has launched a new Masters in Clinical Veterinary Research. 

The Association says that the qualification is intended to give vets the chance to conduct clinical research relating to their work – in particular vets working in general practice.

The qualification, validated by Nottingham Trent University, is aimed at people who already have any accredited Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits at Level 7) relevant to some aspect of veterinary medicine or surgery.

The programme is based on a further 1,200 study hours and could be flexibly achieved in two years of part-time study or up to five years, depending on the project type and an individual’s availability.

Frances Barr, BSAVA Academic Director, has developed the most extensive CPD programme in the 60-year history of the organisation. She said: "It’s a really significant addition to the BSAVA CPD programme and another step supporting lifelong learning, which we hope will have a very positive impact on the profession."

"Anyone who has an interest in clinical research – such as evaluating risk factors for a particular disease or factors that might influence an outcome – will find this an ideal way to satisfy their enquiring mind.

"If they have the motivation to keep developing a deeper understanding, we can provide encouragement and support for how to answer those clinical questions."

The Masters programme starts with online study into the principles of clinical research, which students will then apply to their own research project.

Students will be allocated a ‘matched’ supervisor who will provide project advice and guidance, plus the BSAVA team will be on hand to ensure ongoing support and encouragement.

The programme starts in January 2017 and applications open this October.

Frances added: "It can sometimes be quite difficult to get going in research when you don’t know how to do it, so having taken the first step in a supported environment we hope many will go on to do extend their clinical research ambitions.

"BSAVA’s mission is to support vets at every stage of their careers. There are often limited opportunities for practitioners to conduct clinical research, so this is a qualification that enables vets to do just that."

For more information, please contact the BSAVA Education team at masters@bsava.com

Vetoquinol has launched Rimifin® a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for dogs, containing carprofen.

Carprofen can reduce inflammation and pain caused by musculo-skeletal disorders and degenerative joint disease. It can also be used as a follow-up to parenteral analgesia in the management of post-operative pain following soft tissue surgery.

Rimifin® is available in a range of tablet sizes, 20mg, 50mg and 100mg. A single 100mg tablet can treat a 50kg dog.

Vet Futures, the joint initiative by the RCVS and BVA to stimulate debate about the future of the profession, has opened a new discussion exploring the issue of mental health problems.

The discussion has been opened by this month's Vet Futures guest blogger, Rosie Allister, Chair of the Vet Helpline and a Director of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.

Rosie, who is also a researcher at the University of Edinburgh specialising in veterinary wellbeing, writes that members of the profession should be more willing to open up about their own mental health problems and intervene by talking and listening to colleagues who may be suffering from mental ill-health. She said: "Looking to the future, we need to better understand who is most at risk, how to reach out to them, and how we can start to change our culture so that it is OK to ask for help."

Her blog also proposes that, due to the caring nature of the occupation and high client expectations, members of the profession routinely put work and animal welfare ahead of their own needs and that, in order for there to be wider cultural change, individuals need to change their own attitudes towards asking for help. This includes the discussion of 'taboo subjects' such as suicide: "Perhaps all of us have to start trying to change our culture to one that is more accepting and supportive and looks out for those in need even when they aren't able to reach out themselves."

As part of the discussion, Vet Futures is running a poll which asks: "Could you recognise the signs of mental ill-health in a colleague?"

To read Rosie's blog and take part in the poll, visit  and take part in the poll, visit: http://goo.gl/EmLhhF

Vets should now consider Angiostrongylus vasorum a countrywide parasite and not one that is restricted to the traditional hotspots of the South East, the Midlands and south Wales. This was the main message delivered by Shelia Brennan of University College Dublin to almost 300 vets attending the recent Bayer-sponsored A vasorum CPD meetings, held across the north of England and Scotland.

Sheila said: "Until recently, angiostrongylosis was only recognised in limited areas of the UK, and confirmed cases were few and far between. Now we are hearing reports of the disease as far afield as Kent and Glasgow and dogs are dying as a result. If caught early enough, the disease can be treated successfully. Vets should be aware of the many and varied symptoms and consider this parasite as a differential in any dog with suspicious clinical signs."

Dogs of any age can be infected with the parasite, but the majority presenting with clinical disease are less than two years of age. A number of clinical presentations are recognised. Dogs may present with respiratory signs (cough, exercise intolerance), coagulopathy, neurological signs, syncope and in a small number of cases hypercalcaemia. These signs can occur in isolation or in combination, and not all dogs have respiratory signs. Haemorrhage following routine neutering has been anecdotally reported. Dogs with a history of eating the parasite's intermediate hosts (slugs and snails) should be considered as being at high risk.

Chris White, Bayer's Advocate product manager said: "The attendance of nearly 300 vets at the four-meeting series, in areas not normally associated with the disease, is further evidence that vets are becoming increasingly concerned about the threat posed by A vasorum. This is the third series of meetings we have held, reaching around 1,000 vets and vet nurses across the country."

A survey conducted earlier this year by Novartis Animal Health¹ has shown that owners of dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis want to learn more about the condition after their veterinary consultation.

When asked about what would help them understand and cope with their dog receiving a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, 42% of dog owners said that they want reliable information about the condition on the Internet that they can read at their own pace. 27% said that hearing or reading about case studies of dogs that were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis would be a source of help and reassurance.

That isn't to take anything away from the importance of the relationship between owner and vet: 49% of respondents said that having enough time to discuss everything with their vet is the most important thing following a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis.

However, the reality of busy small animal practice means that some vets are apparently finding themselves short of time, with 62% saying that they would like to have more time in consultations to explain the diagnosis fully.

To support both vets and owners, Novartis has produced a range of education materials available at www.itchfreepet.co.uk. They include information about a variety of skin conditions in dogs and cats, including causes, clinical signs, diagnostics and treatment options, which can all be used to support recommendations made during consultations.

Novartis says it is also continuing to support vets with the 'Comfort Club' scheme, through which owners get the 2nd, 6th and 12th month of Atopica treatment free of charge. The club also allows clients to try other dermatology products that might help their pet's condition free of charge, including shampoo, EFA's and specialist diets.

Ricardo Garvao, category manager at Novartis said: "By providing reliable information and tools to help re-iterate and expand on the information given to owners by their vets, we hope to help both parties make the most of the face to face time that they have with each other. Ultimately this will strengthen the vet-client relationship, which can only improve long-term clinical outcomes.

"Good client education is vital, demonstrated by the fact that nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of pet owners that admit to giving up on their vet's advice claim that this is because they haven't understood it. A large part of the trust building process is being able to recommend a management strategy with proven efficacy and safety data for long-term use, such as Atopica. Atopica has been keeping dogs with atopic dermatitis comfortable for a decade due to its proven ability to safely provide long-term reduction of pruritus and skin lesions associated with the disease, as demonstrated by the recently published independent paper 'The use of ciclosporin: a decade of experience in veterinary dermatology."

Reference

1. All statistics taken from the Atopica Decade of Comfort surveys, which asked 1000 dog owners and 132 practicing vets across the UK to give their opinions, experience and understanding of canine atopic dermatitis.