Jurox (UK) Limited has launched the Anaesthesia Academy CPD platform to help veterinary surgeons refresh their knowledge on premedicating patients, and to improve induction, maintenance and recovery protocols. 

The course counts for four hours CPD, split into six short sessions which can be completed in your own time. 

Presented by Dr Dan Cripwell BSc (Hons) BVSc CertAVP PgCert (VPS) MRCVS, Advanced Veterinary Practitioner and senior veterinary technical advisor at Jurox, the sessions consist of:

• Understanding pre-anaesthetic induction – the importance of pre-anaesthetic medication. Examining pre-medicant choice and appropriate selection leading.
• Understanding Methadyne – exploring the main clinical features of the widely-used opioid analgesic methadone.
• Understanding Buprelieve – investigating the main clinical features of the widely-used opioid analgesic buprenorphine.
• Understanding AceSedate – examining the main clinical features of the widely-used anxiolytic and sedative agent acepromazine.
• Introduction to Alfaxan – exploring the main clinical features of the injectable anaesthetic agent Alfaxan Multidose, including the basic pharmacology of the drug, its clinical use and how to use Alfaxan Multidose for best results.
• Achieving the best results with Alfaxan, cat and dog user guide – discussing practical advice which will help achieve the best clinical outcomes for patients and the veterinary team when using Alfaxan Multidose for the induction of general anaesthesia in dogs and cats.

There is a quiz at the end of each module, following which, you can download a CPD certificate.

Suzy Ramsay, head of sales and marketing at Jurox (UK) Limited, said: “We are committed to developing unique and world class anaesthesia and analgesic products and practices within the animal health industry through the provision of up-to-date technical support and education. Our new Jurox Anaesthesia Academy CPD platform will enable veterinary professionals to adopt an evidence-based approach to their anaesthetic product choice and, in turn, help achieve the best possible anaesthetic outcomes for their patients.”

For access to the Jurox Anaesthesia Academy CPD platform, visit https://cpd.jurox.co.uk.

For further information, contact your local Jurox account manager, phone 0800 500 3171 or email customerservice@jurox.co.uk.

The BSAVA is reminding small animal practice staff to make sure they know how to work safely with bats, after Defra published its latest stats on rabies in UK bats.  

The most recent case of rabies in a bat in Great Britain was in July 2020 in Wimbourne, Dorset and there were four cases in 2019.

Like many wild animals, bats can carry a number of different pathogens, including European Bat Lyssaviruses (EBLVs) 1 and 2 – also referred to as bat rabies. The rabies virus is present in the saliva of infected bats and is usually spread to humans or other mammals by the bite of an infected bat. The virus may also enter the body via open wounds or mucous membranes.

The BSAVA says that whilst the risk of transmission to humans is considered low, those handling bats may be at an increased risk of contracting the disease and those who regularly handle bats should be vaccinated against rabies.

Those who are not vaccinated against the disease should assume that all bats are possible carriers of rabies. Individuals handling bats should wear gloves of a suitable thickness for the species of bat they are handling to avoid being bitten or scratched. Further information on how to safely contain and handle a bat can be found on the Bat Conservation Trust website.

In the event that an individual is bitten or scratched by a bat or exposed to bat saliva or nervous tissue in any other way, they should seek immediate medical advice. The contact area should be washed with soap and water, and any wounds must be disinfected. Further information can be found on the APHA, PHE and NHS websites.

In 2008, a case involving an injured bat carrying EBLV type 2 was treated by a vet and her staff, who were unaware of the potential of rabies risk from bats. The bat handlers had previously been vaccinated as recommended by the Department of Health but despite sustaining a needlestick injury during surgery, the vet and her staff had neither sought nor received post-exposure prophylaxis.¹

Professor Ian Ramsey, president of the BSAVA, said: “Although this case was 12 years ago it is a pertinent reminder of why we need to be well-prepared when handling bats. Whilst the risk of human rabies infection from bats is low, the publication of the new statistics show that EBLVs are circulating in a small number of wild bats. Injured bats are often presented to small animal vets, so we have taken this opportunity to remind our members and others of the potential risks of rabies transmission, and how to mitigate against these.

"For more advice on the handling and treatment of wildlife casualties including bats, we advise vets to consult a reference book such as the BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties."

Reference

1. Veterinary Record 18 October 2008 https://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/163/16/491.2

Petplan has announced the results of a survey which shows that with less than a week to go before microchipping becomes compulsory in England, Scotland and Wales, there is still confusion about the law amongst pet owners.

In the survey of 2,000 British dog owners, 25% had not heard of the new law and 40% didn't know that it also requires owners to keep their microchip details up to date.

40% of respondents said they'd be happy to pay over £500 as a reward if their dog went missing. Despite this, 40% of those who were aware of the new law but had yet to chip their dogs admitted they had not done so because of reservations about the cost of the procedure.

The survey also highlighted the fact that even the most careful of owners lose their dogs. Nearly 40% of losses reported in the survey happened when the owner was taking their pet on a daily walk and 47.1% of respondents reported having a dog escape from an apparently secure garden. 

The survey also found that a third of lost dogs came to harm while missing, most of which (84.8%) needed veterinary care.

According to Petplan, despite more than half of dog owners citing expensive veterinary bills as one of their biggest concerns around dog ownership, over 45% of respondents reported not having their dogs insured.

Petplan has published information for pet owners about the new microchip law here: petplan.co.uk/microchip-dog-law-info.

Bristol Veterinary School is offering aspiring vets and nurses the opportunity to explore and experience life as a student and find out what it’s like to work in veterinary medicine at the Bristol Veterinary School on Saturday 27 October.

The one-day event, called VetQuest, will allow prospective students to spend the day being mentored by a current student whilst getting involved in interactive sessions, such as large animal skills, clinical skills and veterinary public health.

Participants will learn about the opportunities available to those interested in pursuing a veterinary career, have a tour of the school and attend talks on vet admissions and work experience.

Dr Louisa Slingsby, Teaching Fellow and Faculty Admissions and Recruitment Officer at the Bristol Vet School, said: "VetQuest allows those who are interested in a career in the veterinary professions to come along for a day to find out more about the roles of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

"They will also have the opportunity to learn what to think about when choosing and applying for courses and how to give themselves the best possible chance to make an informed decision about if vet medicine is the career for them."

There will also be an optional session for parents and carers to help them navigate the challenges of applying to study to be a vet or vet nurse. The morning starts with a tour and then a talk and a Q&A session and finishes around lunchtime.

The cost of the one-day event is £50 and there are a limited number of subsidised places at £10. Lunch is included in the registration fee. To book visit https://www.bristol.ac.uk/vetscience/events/2018/vetquest-2018.html.

The event is primarily aimed at years 11 and 12, although anyone is welcome to attend.

For further information about VetQuest, email: svs-vetquest@bristol.ac.uk or tel: +44 (0)117 928 9280.

Vetswest, the veterinary support services company, has been acquired by MWI Veterinary Supply, a subsidiary of the US multinational, AmerisourceBergen.

MWI already owns Centaur and VetSpace, and the agreement will allow it to further expand the range of services it offers the animal health profession in the UK. 

Jim Cleary, Executive Vice President of AmerisourceBergen and President of MWI Veterinary Supply said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to the success of veterinary practices across the globe. We’re proud to welcome Vetswest to the MWI family as we continue to expand our services in our mission to be the best resource to the animal health profession.”

Vetswest offers group business support services for its 235 member veterinary practices including negotiating manufacturer terms and a proprietary IT system that supports pricing intelligence, inventory information and reporting on purchasing activity. The company also provides access to ancillary services for veterinary surgeons to help manage human resources, continuing professional development, insurance offerings, pension services and other areas which support the growth of member practices. 

Vetswest's retiring managing director David Buckley said: “The resources of MWI and AmerisourceBergen will allow us to bring new innovation to the market and additional benefits to Vetswest members. I’m excited about Vetswest’s future under the leadership of Chris Sobey and as part of the MWI and AmerisourceBergen family.” 

Chris Sobey, who will become the new managing director of Vetswest following his tenure as Vetswest’s business development director said: “Our goal has always been to improve efficiencies and services for our members through scale and with our new relationship with MWI and AmerisourceBergen, we will be well positioned to further this core mission of our organisation.’’ 

Zoetis has announced the launch of Simparica, a once-monthly oral medication for the treatment of flea, tick and mite infestations in dogs beginning at eight weeks of age.

The company says the new product, which comes in the form of a tasty chewable tablet, acts quickly and provides continuous protection for 35 days without losing efficacy at the end of the month.

Simparica is effective against both Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis flea infestations in dogs.² It starts to kill fleas quickly within three hours³ and continues to kill fleas for at least 35 days², making it suitable as part of a treatment strategy for Flea Allergic Dermatitis.

The product also protects dogs against infestations with the most common ticks found to infest dogs in Europe^2,4, including  Dermacentor reticulatus, the species associated with the disease babesiosis, which has recently been reported in the UK. It’s also the only treatment for Ixodes hexagonus, one of the most prevalent ticks in the UK. The killing effect against Ixodes ricinus starts within 8 hours after a single oral administration and over 96% are killed within 24 hours.⁴

Zoetis says Simparica is also effective against Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Sarcoptes scabiei, and that laboratory evidence shows efficacy for Demodex Canis and Otodectes Cynotis. 

Zoetis believes that Simparica’s ability to provide continuous protection up to and beyond the monthly treatment period is very important for pet owners. Sixty three per cent of owners confess to giving flea and tick treatment later than when it was due, with the median being  5 days late.¹ Simparica gives vets and forgetful pet owners the peace of mind of extended duration of activity helping to minimise the potential risk of protection gaps. 

Ned Flaxman, companion animal business unit director at Zoetis said: "With Simparica, we bring to the market an advanced parasiticide solution, helping to deliver improved client and pet owner satisfaction. The chewable tablets are easy to administer and readily accepted by dogs. But more importantly, Simparica helps vets and dog owners minimise the potential risk of protection gaps, as it acts very fast to kill fleas and ticks and performs for at least 35 days without losing efficacy — well beyond the monthly treatment period.

"With its rapid onset, robust duration of activity and very good safety profile, Simparica is the only oral isoxazoline indicated for four species of ticks in Europe including Ixodes hexagonus and the two species of fleas, dogs are most frequently infested with. Unlike most treatments, Simparica protects from both types of ectoparasites for the same duration."

For more information please speak to your account manager or contact customer support on 0854 300 8034.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded one veterinary surgeon and suspended another for four months, following a joint hearing regarding their professional conduct while they were in practice in Slough, Berkshire in August 2016.

The Disciplinary Committee considered a number of charges against Javier Salas Navarro MRCVS and Roman Kristin over 35 days.

The charges against Dr Navarro concerned his treatment of a kitten named Marnie. They included: 

• In August 2016, failing to read the anaesthesia consent form in relation to a surgical spay he performed;

• When Marnie was readmitted for surgery, failing to read the anaesthesia consent form, failing to undertake adequate assessment of Marnie’s condition; performing surgery without adequately considering her condition; subjecting Marnie to anaesthesia without recognising the seriousness of her illness; failing to obtain informed consent from the owners; administering medication which was contra-indicated; and failure to make an adequate record of his involvement in Marnie’s care.

The charges against Dr Kristin also related to his treatment of Marnie. They included:  

• In August 2016, failing to undertake an adequate assessment of her condition; failure to recognise and record the fact that Marnie could not pass urine; failure to refer or offer her for specialist treatment; and failure to ensure Marnie received care and treatment overnight. 

• When admitting Marnie for surgery, that he made a number of clinical mistakes including failure to gain informed consent; and failure to recognise the seriousness of her illness;

• that there were a number of failings in relation to Marnie’s care, including failure to arrange adequate overnight care, failure to monitor and record her condition, and failure to gain informed consent for the overnight care.

• that he failed to advise Marnie’s owners that he suspected her uterers had been ligated during the spay, failed to advise Marnie’s owners that she required specialist veterinary treatment; and advised that Marnie undergo further surgery at the practice in spite of this meaning her having to undergo further anaesthesia in a week and with poor chances of survival;

• that the above conduct was misleading and dishonest.

The Disciplinary Committee found a number of the facts in the charges against both Dr Navarro and Dr Kristin proven (the full details can be found in the documentation at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary). 

The Committee found that Dr Navarro breached a number of aspects of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons including: making animal health and welfare the first consideration when attending to animals; the provision of appropriate and adequate veterinary care; responsible prescription, supply and administration of medicines; communication with professional colleagues to ensure the health and welfare of the animal; being open and honest with clients and respecting their needs and requirements; effective communication with clients; keeping clear and accurate clinical records; and working with the veterinary team to coordinate the care of animals. 

Of the proven charges, the Committee found that his initial failure to read Marnie’s anaesthesia consent form on 5 August did not amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, but that the repetition of this failure on 9 August did amount to disgraceful conduct. It also found that Dr Navarro’s failure to undertake adequate assessment and perform surgery without this assessment amounted to serious professional misconduct. Furthermore, the Committee found that subjecting Marnie to anaesthesia in spite of her being unwell, failure to obtain informed consent and failure to keep adequate records also amounted to serious professional misconduct. 

For Dr Kristin, in summary, the Committee found not proven the allegation that he had failed to respond on 5 August 2016 to concerns from Marnie’s owners about her condition while she was recovering from a surgical spay and also all the allegations relating to Dr Kristin’s admission of Marnie to the practice on 9 August on the basis that it was not satisfied so as to be sure that Dr Kristin had been the veterinary surgeon who admitted Marnie on that day. 

The Committee found proven the remaining charges and found he breached the following parts of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons: making animal health and welfare the first consideration when attending to animals; keeping within area of competence and referring responsibly; providing appropriate and adequate veterinary care; responsible prescribing, supply and administration of medicines; communication with colleagues to ensure the health and welfare of the animal; being open and honest with clients and respecting their needs and requirements; communicating effectively with clients and obtaining informed consent; keeping clear and accurate clinical records; and working with the veterinary team to coordinate the care of animals.

Of the proven charges, the Committee determined that his failure to adequately assess Marnie’s health, to obtain a clinical history, to undertake blood tests and recognise that she was seriously ill, amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect and led to “Marnie’s underlying condition going undetected and undoubtedly contributed to her eventual death two days later”. 

The Committee also found that Dr Kristin’s decision to hospitalise Marnie without adequate overnight care, place her on IV fluids without monitoring the treatment or her condition, and failure to obtain adequate informed consent – among other things – amounted disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.

Stuart Drummond, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "As a direct result of Dr Kristin’s acts and omissions, Marnie was left alone overnight on fluids when those fluids had nowhere to go. Had he done his job properly he would have known that and Marnie could have avoided the prolonged suffering caused by the chosen course of treatment that did not address the underlying condition. Every element of Dr Kristin’s behaviour was catastrophic for Marnie, and yet he took no personal responsibility for her welfare and just went home.” 

Following its findings on disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, the Committee then went on to consider its sanction for both Dr Navarro and Dr Kristin.

In respect of Dr Navarro, the Committee considered the mitigating factors including previous good character, admissions to some of the facts of the case from the outset; genuine insight and remorse into the seriousness of the actions; his youth and inexperience; and relevant and good-quality testimonials from colleagues. The Committee noted that the testimonials were universally positive and demonstrated that Dr Navarro had reflected on his conduct, had become more mature and confident in his practice and made efforts to rectify the areas in which he had fallen below standards. 

Stuart Drummond said: “Although the consequences for Marnie and her owners were clearly devastating, the Committee considered that Dr Navarro’s part in her demise has to be seen in the context of all the evidence. In light of the extensive mitigation, including significant evidence of insight and remediation, the Committee was able to conclude that Dr Navarro did not represent a future risk to animals or the public. In such circumstances, the Committee considered that it was not necessary to restrict Dr Navarro’s registration and that a reprimand was the appropriate and proportionate sanction in his case.”

In relation to Dr Kristin, the Committee took into account positive character evidence from Mr Karel Daniel, a semi-retired veterinary surgeon and Vice-President of the Czech Republic Veterinary Chamber, a similar body to the RCVS in that country, as well as other testimonials on his behalf. In mitigation, the Committee considered Dr Kristin’s previously unblemished career, the fact that it was a single case involving a single animal; some development of insight into his conduct; no evidence of repetition; expressions of remorse; the impact of a family bereavement during the course of proceedings; and his financial position.

However, the Committee also took into account aggravating factors including a lack of candour from Dr Kristin when he was giving evidence, demonstrated by a tendency to blame others rather than take responsibility, as well as his recklessness in suggesting a third operation on Marnie that was not in her interests, rather than referring her into specialist care.

The final decision of the Committee on the sanction for Dr Kristin was that, given the seriousness of the misconduct, it was satisfied that this warranted a six-month suspension period. However, given the mitigating factors, the Committee decided that four months was appropriate and proportionate. 

Commenting on the sanction Stuart Drummond said: “The Committee determined that it was important a clear message be sent that this sort of behaviour is wholly inappropriate and not to be tolerated. It brings discredit upon the respondent and discredit upon the profession and, most importantly, caused harm to Marnie and great distress to her owners.

"The Committee did consider whether to remove Dr Kristin from the Register. However, in light of the mitigation in this case, the fact that this was a single case in an otherwise unblemished career, together with the unlikelihood he would repeat his disgraceful conduct, the Committee decided that, in all the circumstances, to remove him from the Register would be disproportionate.

"The Committee therefore decided to order that the Registrar suspend Dr Kristin’s registration…. The Committee was satisfied that a period of four months was appropriate and proportionate in all the circumstances."

The full facts and findings from the case can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary 

Pets At Home Vet Group and Dick White Referrals have announced a strategic partnership in order to develop Pets at Home's strategy for providing specialist care.

Pets at Home says it is creating a new divisional structure comprised of the existing First Opinion Division (Vets4Pets and Companion Care joint venture practices) and the new Specialist Division, which comprises Dick White Referrals, Northwest Surgeons, Anderson Moores, and Eye Vet Referrals.

Dick White has been appointed Clinical Director of the new Specialist Division. 

Dick will remain as a shareholder in Dick White Referrals. He and three of the Specialist clinicians - Giunio Bruto Cherubini, Federico Corletto and Rob Foale - will retain 24% of the practice. 

Sally Hopson, CEO of Pets at Home Vet Group said: "We are delighted to have attracted a colleague of Dick White’s pedigree to join us, not only to help drive the future growth of Dick White Referrals, but also to play a key role in developing our Specialist Division. Professor White is a key figure in the development of the Specialist Veterinary segment; he has trained many of the leading Specialist veterinary practitioners. This is a tremendous step forward for the Vet Group. I’m also very pleased that Professor White and his colleagues have chosen to remain as equity partners in Dick White Referrals."

Dick said: "Forming this strategic partnership provides great opportunities for us to continue to develop Dick White Referrals as a world class referrals centre with a team of leading Veterinary Specialists. I am delighted to be working with a partner that shares our vision for Dick White Referrals and is committed to supporting its future development. Joining the Board of the Specialist Division will allow me to provide clinical leadership and governance across the division, input into the formulation of strategy and support M&A activity and veterinary recruitment."

IVC Evidensia reports that in the UK, the percentage of its patient visits given systemic and local antibiotic treatments and prescriptions in outpatient care have reduced from 11.1% in 2021 to 8.6% in 2023, a reduction of nearly a third over the last three years. 

IVC says this means its UK practices are on track to hit a group target of 5% by 2030, which follows in the footsteps of other IVC Evidensia territories such as Sweden and Norway, which have already reached figures of 4.9% and 5.9% respectively.

To achieve this progress, IVC says it has implemented a number of initiatives:

• Dedicated vets have been empowered as local leaders (known as Antimicrobial Stewards) and given bespoke training, support and all the necessary tools to be able to safely reduce antibiotics used in their practices
• In October 2023, an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Month was celebrated which raised awareness of the relationship between antibiotic use and hygiene, championing excellent hygiene standards in practice
• During London Vet Show in November, a partnership with RUMA CA&E was launched where vet professionals were able to access a free AMR Social Media Toolkit, designed to help raise awareness of the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

IVC says there has been a concerted efforts by its vets to become more aware of their own attitudes towards antibiotics and to educate their clients about the dangers of AMR.

One such example is Angharad Thomas, a veterinary surgeon from Fivelands Veterinary Centre in the West Midlands, who managed to reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed in dentistry by 17.8% between 2022 and 2023:

She said: “Long dental treatments are a great time to chat to vet students, but one day, instead of quizzing them, I was trotting out my thoughts on the decision-making for the case when I reached post-operative drugs.

"Stopping here I asked: ‘What are you taught about this these days?’

"I suppose I wasn’t surprised to hear that antibiotics didn’t feature. 

“It was a lightbulb moment: Why was I using post-operative antibiotics for my dental cases?

"I come from the generation of vets who were firmly taught never to give antibiotics to routine surgeries, so why was I continuing to use antibiotics in dentistry?

"All at once I felt terribly old and out-of-touch. I decided it was time for a change!”

“Given that reducing antibiotic usage is now fairly well recognised by the general public, owners have appeared very supportive.

"A day three post-operative check provides reassurance that their pet is healing and allows us an opportunity to intervene if required.”

“Being an ‘experienced’ vet can be a trade-off between textbook clinical decision-making and what we believe would work for our patients and their owners.

"Sometimes we need a paper or two to persuade us to change our ways, but here, going back to basic principles was enough for me. 

“Twelve months later, after watching my cases for any mild complications and reflecting on the whether such complications could be attributed to the lack of antibiotics, I am convinced that this change has had no negative effects on my patients.”

https://ivcevidensia.co.uk/positive-pawprint

Dechra and VetSurgeon.org have joined forces to offer veterinary surgeons the peri-operative analgesia CPD event of the year, which also marks the launch of a new Anaesthesia Group on VetSurgeon.org.

The CPD event is in two parts. The first is a webinar on Tuesday 30th April at 7:30pm by Dr Jo Murrell DipECVAA (pictured right) entitled: Analgesia for ovariohysterectomy in dogs and cats and the role of Comfortan.

Jo will present the results of studies she has conducted to investigate which opioid provides optimum analgesia for the procedure in both dogs and cats. In one study, she compared the analgesic effect of peri-operative methadone with peri-operative buprenorphine in dogs. In the other, she compared the analgesic effects of methadone with buprenorphine in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy using the QUAD anaesthetic protocol.

You can register now for Dechra’s webinar, here.

The webinar will be followed by the opportunity to put follow-up questions to Jo in a special forum in the new Anaesthesia group on VetSurgeon.org, where she has become a VetSurgeon Contributing Expert.

The webinar entitles you to one hour of CPD, which you can supplement with any additional time spent discussing the issue with Jo in the forum, using the ‘Claim CPD’ button.

The event also marks the official launch of the new Small Animal Anaesthesia Group on VetSurgeon.org, and I would like to invite all members of VetSurgeon.org with an interest in anaesthesia to come and join the group here (press the ‘Join’ button on the left hand side; you may need to rotate your mobile phone to see it).

In addition, you may wish to subscribe to the digest which will alert you to any new anaesthesia discussions on a daily or weekly basis, as you prefer.

Vets Now is expanding its referral service with the acquisition of Great Western Referrals, a referral hospital in Swindon.  

The acquisition is Vets Now Referrals' second permanent site to complement its original referral service in Glasgow and its first operation in England, allowing it to extend its specialised veterinary services across the South West.

Vets Now Referrals says it plans to enhance its new acquisition by improving the premises and extending the current referral team, beginning with the appointment of a new orthopaedic surgeon who will support the current RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Surgery:  Hannes Bergmann DrVetMed DipECVS MRCVS.

As part of the acquisition, Great Western Referrals will be renamed Vets Now Referrals. It will offer a full small animal referral service with specialists trained in Surgery (Orthopaedics, Soft-Tissue, Spinal), Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Cardiology, Diagnostic Imaging, as well as Avian and Exotic Medicine. In addition, an independent out of hours emergency service will also be available from Vets Now at the hospital for all member practices in the area.

Vets Now Referrals will incorporate the specialist care currently offered for exotic pets, Great Western Exotic Vets. This service will continue to be run as Great Western Exotics and will retain the expertise of Neil A Forbes BVEtMed DipECZM(avian) FRCVS, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist in Avian Medicine.

Richard Dixon, Founder of Vets Now Ltd said: "We are very excited to be extending our Referrals network and will be working hard with the local referring practices and their clients in the surrounding area. We want the local practices to have a strong and genuine say in how the business operates, and some of the early changes already planned have come from discussions with those practices."

"We have been hugely impressed by the exceptional levels of clinical experience within the existing team at Great Western Referrals, as well as their energy and commitment to deliver the best level of specialist care to pets. We will be building on this team and tailoring the service to individual practice needs.  Through our acquisition we will also bring resources to help the service grow, bringing added security to the clinical team in Swindon."

"In addition to the referral service, we are very pleased that Vets Now will be operating its highly regarded and well established out of hours emergency service, which we believe will continue to benefit local member practices and their clients."

For further information about the service, visit www.vetsnowreferrals.com/ or call 01793 603 800.

Richard Dixon and Neil Forbes announce Vets Now's acquisition of Great Western Referrals.

Davies Veterinary Specialists (DVS), the Hertfordshire-based private small animal referral practice, has launched a pro bono scheme to help deliver the practice's multi-specialist care to deserving patients and clients.

All first opinion practices are eligible to apply for the scheme, which will allow an average of one patient per month to receive free treatment.

Clive Elwood, managing director of DVS said: "The DVS board was unanimous in its desire to introduce a pro bono scheme to help the needy, specifically those patients that are likely to achieve a full recovery following specialist care, but are otherwise precluded from referral because of their owners' particular circumstances."

Pro bono requests are open to all practices. They will be based on advocacy from the clinical head of the referring practice and on genuine need.

To find out more visit http://www.vetspecialists.co.uk/ or call Dr Clive Elwood on 01582 883950.

The Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) has published a new study which it says supports the use of weekly proteinuria monitoring during the first month of masitinib treatment for neoplasia.

The study, titled “Development and progression of proteinuria in dogs treated with masitinib for neoplasia: 28 cases (2010 – 2019)”, also suggests that a urine protein: creatinine greater than 0.5 should prompt reassessment within one week.

For the study, the clinical records of 38 dogs referred to a single university teaching hospital between 2010 and 2019 for treatment of neoplasia with masitinib were retrospectively evaluated.

Data was collected at masitinib initiation and at various timepoints following the start of treatment.

Data gathered included the masitinib dose given and any changes to medication administration or dosing since the previous visit, presence of gross disease and the results of haematology and biochemistry profiles, urinalysis and urine cultures.

Urinalysis results were only included if they were performed at a reference laboratory.

At each timepoint, the urine was classified as non-proteinuric (UP:C ≤0.5) or proteinurinc (UP:C >0.5). Proteinuria was then categorised as likely pre-renal, post-renal, physiological renal or pathological renal.

Dogs were grouped based on the presence or absence of proteinuria at baseline. Non-proteinuric dogs were further divided, based on whether proteinuria developed following treatment during the study.

Of the 28 dogs in the study, five were being treated for epitheliotropic lymphoma, one for vulval lymphoma, one for malignant melanoma and 21 for mast cell tumours.

Twenty-two (79%) dogs were non-proteinuric and six were proteinuric at baseline.

Of the dogs that were non-proteinuric at baseline, four (18.2%) developed proteinuria within one month of treatment initiation. Median time to first detection of proteinuria was 14.5 days (range: 13 to 31).

Of the dogs with pre-treatment proteinuria (n=6), masitinib treatment was discontinued due to lack of efficacy in three dogs, and three were euthanased during treatment, two for disease progression and one for an unknown reason.

Dr Margaux Kuijlaars, corresponding author for the paper, said: “Patients developing proteinuria should be investigated to exclude non-renal causes. This should allow for more informed recommendations on the monitoring and management of proteinuria and further masitinib treatment in these patients to be made. Masitinib treatment can be considered in patients with pre-treatment proteinuria and does not inevitably cause worsening of proteinuria.

“The findings of this study add to the evidence base for the use of masitinib in treating neoplasia in small animal patients. The use of masitinib in dogs in this study was off-licence as C-KIT MCT expression was not determined, and many dogs were treated for other tumours.”

Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “Little is known about which dogs are predisposed to becoming proteinuric following treatment with masitinib for neoplasia. Due to the small number of dogs in this study that developed proteinuria, conclusions about predisposing factors cannot be definitely drawn.

"The findings of this study add to the evidence base and demonstrate the need for larger, prospective trials including a control population and longer period of follow-up.”

The full article can be found in the August issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and can be read online here: https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13305. It is open access and can be freely accessed by anyone.  

Reference

1. M Kuijilaars, J Helm and A McBrearty (2021) Development and progression of proteinuria in dogs treated with masitinib for neoplasia: 28 cases (2010-2019). Journal of Small Animal Practice, 62 (8). Available at: https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13305