The study, titled “The utility of combined urine dipstick analysis and specific gravity measurement to determine feline proteinuria”, assessed the utility of the urine dipstick alone and combined with the urine-specific gravity (USG) for detecting proteinuria in cats.
For the study, the clinical records of cats presenting to a referral hospital between January 2011 and January 2017 were reviewed retrospectively.
To be eligible for inclusion, feline urine samples had to have undergone a complete urinalysis including dipstick evaluation, USG and urine protein-to-creatinine (UPC) measurement.
A total of 121 urine samples were included and diagnostic agreement and test accuracy were calculated for the dipstick test alone and in combination with the USG, using different cut-off values for proteinuria. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also calculated.
Jorge Pérez-Accino, corresponding author for the paper, said: “The diagnostic agreement between the urine dipstick and UPC ratio was poor and did not improve if the USG was considered together with the dipstick.
"A dipstick result of equal or greater than “Trace” (0.1-0.3g/L) had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 31% to detect proteinuria.
"With regards the ROC curves, the area under the curve (AUC) of the urine dipstick alone was poor (0.57). When combined with the USG results, this improved to fair (0.78) but the specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) were still low.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP said: “These findings indicate that clinicians should not rely on the results of the urine dipstick test in combination with USG in cats for detecting proteinuria. Instead other quantitative methods, such as UPC ratio, should always be performed to detect proteinuria in cats.”
The full article can be found in the September issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13184
The BSAVA has put together a collection of resources relating to urinalysis and proteinuria, available here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/urinalysis--160
Reference
The survey was conducted by Mo Gannon & Associates, which asked 2,000 UK adults about their satisfaction with the service they and their animals received from veterinary surgeons, levels of trust in the profession, and whether the service provided by vets represents value for money.
32% of the respondents felt that veterinary surgeons represented excellent (8%) or good (24%) value for money. 38% thought that veterinary fees are fair. However, 29% thought that veterinary surgeons and their services provided poor (21%) or very poor (8%) value for money. The results were very similar to the last time the survey was conducted, in 2015.
Nevertheless, veterinary surgeons continue to enjoy very high levels of trust amongst the public. 94% said they either completely trust (34%) or generally trust (60%) vets. This put veterinary surgeons in third place amongst the most trusted professions, below opticians and pharmacists but above GPs and and dentists.
Satisfaction with the profession was also high. 80% said they were either very satisfied (39%) or satisfied (41%), putting vets in fourth place below opticians, pharmacists and dentists, but above general practitioners and accountants.
RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, pictured right (would you trust this man?) said: "These results clearly demonstrate that there is a great deal of good will towards the veterinary profession and the work they do in treating the nation’s animals and serving their communities. The basis of all good relationships is trust, and it is fantastic to see that our clients continue overwhelmingly to trust our knowledge and expertise and remain very happy with the service we provide them.
"The picture on value for money is clearly a bit more mixed, although clearly 70% of the respondents recognise that we at least charge fair fees in terms of our time and expertise. There is, of course, always more work that we can do in order to help the public understand veterinary costs and fees and promote the value of veterinary care, as demonstrated by last year’s joint Pets Need Vets social media campaign with BVA, in which we highlighted the benefits to pet owners of being registered with a vet."
A paper introduced by the RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson looked at the possibility of the RCVS prosecuting, for example, unqualified individuals undertaking veterinary work and courses falsely purporting to lead to a registerable qualification.
The paper also explored other options, including better educating animal owners about veterinary services and assisting people with concerns about the breaches of the VSA to raise them with the authorities.
Council heard that over the past year, the RCVS had assisted other agencies on investigations of suspected VSA breaches on a number of occasions.
It was considered that the RCVS could consider undertaking its own private investigations and criminal prosecutions when statutory prosecuting authorities did not have the resources to pursue these cases.
However, the RCVS has no statutory powers of investigation, so if it did pursue a private prosecution, it would have no powers to carry out a criminal investigation or compel evidence.
Council members voted for a further paper setting out a draft policy on private prosecutions, as well as what general information regarding breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act could be provided to members of the public and the professions.
Professor Steve Dean MRCVS has been elected as the 14th Chairman of the Kennel Club. He is the first veterinary surgeon to hold the post.
Professor Dean has been a Member of the Kennel Club since 1992 and has been a member of the General Committee since 2005. He has served on the Crufts and Finance & General Purposes Sub-Committees for the past two years and previously spent four years on the Disciplinary Sub Committee.
Professor Dean said: "I am honoured to be elected as Chairman of the Kennel Club and to be given the opportunity to help improve the lives of dogs by ensuring that they live healthily and happily with responsible owners.
"I am aware of the scale of some of the challenges that we face but am excited about the opportunities that exist to help us make a real difference for dogs. I look forward to supporting and working with the millions of responsible dog breeders and owners that there are in this country, and to standing shoulder to shoulder with vets and other individuals and organisations, who are dedicated to improving the health and welfare of dogs."
Professor Dean, who turns 60 in August, is currently the Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Crufts each year. He is a breeder, exhibitor and judge of Border Terriers and has been involved in the breed for 30 years. He is currently Chairman of the Southern Border Terrier Club as well as the overall breed health co-ordinator for all seven breed clubs. He is also President of Windsor Dog Show Society.
Away from the world of dogs, Professor Dean is a keen reader and gardener and is an avid supporter of rowing, treasuring his Henley Regatta medal equally to his achievements in the show ring.
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
The new product contains a combination of Omega-3s, toxin binders and antioxidants which the company claims flush out toxins, aid blood flow to the kidneys and maintain kidney architecture.
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director of nutravet said: "We’re really excited to launch nutraren, it’s a product our team have been working on for some time to make sure we have developed the best renal product for vets to recommend to their clients.
"Using independent trial data, we’ve been able to develop a unique formulation for nutraren containing 100% natural ingredients to benefit a pet’s long-term kidney health."
Authorised veterinary practices can now order nutraren from nutravet.
For more information, contact nutravet on 0845 604 1688, visit: www.nutravet.co.uk or email: info@nutravet.co.uk.
The CAMadvocate course (http://www.cameducation.co.uk), which is delivered online, consists of 10 modules with video presentations, course notes, downloads, owner-focused tools, further online learning, and social media uploads.
The course is designed to help canine professionals improve their understanding of canine arthritis, and to define their role in the identification, diagnosis, and management of the condition.
Hannah Capon MRCVS, the founder of Canine Arthritis Management said: "Dog walkers, groomers, trainers, kennel owners, etc., are all influencers! They have the ability to support a long-term veterinary-derived management plan. Or they have the ability to destabilise it!
"Owners listen to these people because they have more available time; they may appear less like a business and more like a friendly service or even a peer; or they may offer advice that seems more convincing. Whatever the reason, we should harness their powers and ensure they are disseminating reliable information whilst servicing their own needs!"
Canine Arthritis Management believes that a multidisciplinary team is required to better manage this disease, that this includes professionals outside the veterinary practice, and by harnessing their influence, the profession can educate more owners, identify this disease earlier, action appropriate management plans and give owners more years with their pets.
Hannah added: "I hope the profession will support this initiative and consider applying it to other chronic diseases that are prone to misinformation due to lucrative product sales."
CommentA training course / qualification developed by a veterinary surgeon and designed to educate influencers. It's genius. Surely there's huge scope for this kind of initiative beyond canine arthritis? What do you think pet owners are most ill-informed about, where it could be really effective to better educate canine influencers, so that they in turn will pass it on. Post your thoughts here.
Brian (pictured right), said: “I am absolutely delighted that Colourful CPD has joined Agilio and I see this as a win-win-win for Colourful CPD, Agilio and the veterinary profession.
"Colourful CPD’s courses complement Agilio’s vast array of existing statutory and mandatory courses which they already distribute within the UK as well as all around the world, thus enabling Colourful CPD to make the move up to the next level, both here and abroad.
I believe veterinary practices, as well as all the roles working within them, will benefit from being able to access a range of new courses and management services from Agilio.”
To mark its expansion into the veterinary sector, Agilio will be launching iTeam, its HR and rota software, together with iLearn, an online training and CPD accredited platform at the London Vet Show in November.
https://www.colourfulcpd.comhttps://agiliosoftware.com
Tony Noble, managing director at Noble Futures, said: "We have been working with organisations of all shapes and sizes since our foundation in 2002 and it became clear that while we can ensure that our clients recruit the top people for the job - through finding them the best permanent, contracting or temporary employees - the resources are not always present to ensure that this human resource potential is maximised. The team at The Partners deliver a world-class service and we are 100% confident that their professional and expert support services will make a real difference to our clients’ businesses."
Noble Futures and The Partners have launched three new services:
The Human Resources support service is aimed at organisations that need additional support or more expert advice within the human resources function, whether it relates to a particular employee issue such as managing a long-term illness, or a wider corporate challenge like implementing a company-wide performance management system.
The Psychometric Profiling service is designed to give unique insights into the individual traits of employees, to help with recruitment, promotion, coaching and career development.
Finally, the Management Development service has been developed to help ensure a company’s employees receive the right training for success.
Paula Summerscales (pictured right with husband Graham) from The Partners said: "We are delighted to partner with Noble Futures to deliver our range of people-building services to organisations in the animal health sector. Our unique mix of skills and experience allows us to bring a tailored approach to every single project we work on and we’re looking forward to working with Noble Futures clients to implement innovative solutions that gain commercial results."
For more information, contact Noble Futures on 0161 820 3510 or email: info@noble-futures.com.
Alternatively, contact The Partners directly on 01484 860849
A 2012 RVC graduate, Daniella is the Principle Exotics Vet at ParkVet Hospital and is studying towards a certificate in Zoological Medicine. She said: "Despite their amazing work, the AWF struggles for funds to continue its vital work, so I have decided not only to be the first ever person to run the London Marathon for the AWF, but to run it in costume!
"Those who know me will be aware that running is not among my favourite activities, but I am stepping up to the challenge to raise much-needed funds for this fantastic charity that’s making a real, tangible difference to animals worldwide."
"Working full time in clinical practice, including being part of an out-of-hours rota, means training must be factored in with military precision: so far, some of my longer runs are planned for 4 am!
"I also entered the Hastings Half Marathon on 18 March, and my final training run prior to the big day is scheduled for when I will be in Queensland, Australia for my brother’s wedding.
"If I can manage 22 miles in those hot and humid conditions, the London Marathon should be a breeze!”
Chris Laurence. AWF Chair of Trustees, said: "I am delighted that Daniella has chosen to raise funds for AWF in what is arguably one of the biggest sporting events in the world. On behalf of the organisation, I’d like to thank her for her support and wish her all the best for the marathon."
To support Daniella’s fundraising, visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DaniellaDosSantos
For updates on her training and to find out more about AWF, visit www.bva-awf.org.uk
The first is that the College will allow veterinary surgeons and nurses to carry over some of the CPD hours they have accrued in 2019 into 2020, to smoothen the transition to an annual hourly requirement.
Vets will be allowed to carry over 25 hours and VNs 10 hours of accumulated CPD from 2019 through to 2020.
This will apply once, in 2020 only, and is only applicable to vets and VNs who have been CPD-compliant from 2017 to 2019 and have a surplus number of hours to carry over.
Secondly, the College is going to allow vets and VNs to take a six-month 'CPD pause' for planned periods away from work, such as parental leave, and exceptional circumstances, such as serious ill health or unforeseen changes to family responsibilities, without the need to make up the hours when they return to work. This will reduce the burden on vets and VNs returning to work after a break.
RCVS Director of Education, Dr Linda Prescott-Clements said: "We hope that these changes to the CPD policy will support vets and VNs to make the transition to an annual hourly requirement.
"We received a sample of feedback from some members of the veterinary professions regarding the move to annual hourly CPD requirements and these additions have been introduced support members during this transition and to mitigate some of the concerns raised."
For more information about the CPD requirement for both vets and vet nurses, what activities might count as CPD, how to record your CPD and a series of frequently asked questions about CPD please visit our dedicated page: www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd.
The webinars will be given by RCVS Specialists from Virtual Veterinary Specialists and recorded so that you and your team can watch them at your convenience, either from your practice or at home.
The first webinar in the series ‘Is Cancer an Emergency’ by Dr Clare Knottenbelt, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine and VVS Oncology Consultant.
Nuala Summerfield, Founder and Director of VVS said: "We are really excited about this first webinar and anticipate that it will be a very popular topic!"
The webinar can be viewed here https://www.thewebinarvet.com/webinar/veterinary-care-in-the-face-of-covid-19-is-cancer-an-emergency
Email: admin@vvs.vet or visit https://vvs.vet/covid-19/ to register interest in the series or see VVS's other free coronavirus resources.
EQVALAN® manufacturer Merial Animal Health is extending its free egg worm count promotion, allowing practices to re-run the offer this autumn.
During September and October Merial is giving away 20 free faecal egg count tests with each order of 20 tubes of EQVALAN® DUO (ivermectin + praziquantel). In addition, for every 20 tubes ordered, stockists will get a further 4 tubes of EQVALAN® DUO free.
EQVALAN's product manager Claire Edmunds said: "During the spring campaign, over 1000 horse owners took part in the worm egg count promotion, many of whom we believe had never used testing kits before.
"The tests highlight which horses need treatment and which do not, allowing practices to advise specifically on the necessary treatment*.
For those practices with their own testing facilities, Merial is also offering promotional support to help encourage increased uptake and client buy-in. "The autumn campaign will provide participating practices with another opportunity to add value whilst encouraging loyalty from clients.
Claire added: "Promoting a targeted approach to responsible worming means that only those horses which need treatment are wormed with an appropriate wormer selected for the worms identified from the test."
For further information please contact your local territory manager or call the Merial Customer Support Centre on 0845 601 4236.
The BVA, the Mayhew Animal Hospital, Dogs Today magazine and the Kennel Club are amongst various organisations that have criticised Morrisons for its Christmas advert - which can be seen here - in which a child is seen passing a slice of Christmas pudding to the family dog.
BVA President Peter Jones said: "It is vital that advertisers use animals responsibly and we are disappointed to see the Morrisons Christmas desserts TV commercial depicting a small boy feeding Christmas pudding to his dog. Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and mince pies - because they contain raisins or sultanas - are potentially harmful to pets and in some cases can lead to kidney failure.
"While we accept that many pet owners understand what is and what is not appropriate to feed their pets, children watch adverts and can be easily influenced by what they see. Veterinary organisations and animal welfare charities work really hard to promote messages about responsible pet ownership and TV adverts such as this one, with huge audiences, can undermine this work."
But hang on a second. Watching the advert, the child isn't actually feeding the dog anything. Rather, the dog is passed a bit of pudding which it then goes and places in a flowerpot, causing the plant to wilt. The dog isn't being fed the stuff, it's being asked to get rid of it.
Surely what this advert is really saying is: nobody likes Christmas pudding, least of all children and dogs.
Mind you, it does look like all this fuss is proving a very effective public awareness campaign about the danger of feeding a dog raisins or sultanas.
Inigo’s abstract entitled “Predictive value of cardiac remodelling on survival in dogs with persistent atrial standstill – the UK perspective” sought to determine the survival of dogs in the United Kingdom with persistent atrial standstill (PAS) after pacemaker implantation and the prognostic value of cardiac remodelling. The Congress Programme Committee were impressed by Inigo’s innovative presentation, praising the planning and execution of the multi-centre project.
Ditte’s presentation was entitled “Evaluation of a point-of-care dot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to detect antibodies against canine parvovirus, distemper virus and adenovirus before revaccination”.
Her study described the findings of a prospective non-inferiority study of a point-of-care semi-quantitative titer test performed on canine serum samples and compared to gold standard analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the point-of-care titer test were determined for the gold standard titer cut-offs for canine adenovirus, canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus. Ditte was commended by the Congress Programme Committee for the quality of presentation as well as the practical and clinically applicable findings of the study.
The BSAVA Congress Clinical Abstracts, including the winners’ abstracts, are now available to view in the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/book/10.22233/9781913859039.
Virbac Animal Health has launched CaniLeish, the first vaccine for canine leishmaniosis in the European Union.
Leishmaniosis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by infection with protozoa of the genus Leishmania (L infantum in Europe). Leishmaniosis is transmitted by the bite of infected sandflies. In south-western Europe 2.5 million dogs are believed to be infected1,2 with the parasite and the disease is spreading northwards,3 as more people travel with their dogs or import infected animals from endemic areas.4 So far preventative methods have been limited to reducing the habitat of sandflies, minimising the physical contact of dogs with sandflies and using insecticides on dogs (sprays, spot-ons, repellent-collars, etc).
According to Virbac, CaniLeish's ability to protect dogs was demonstrated in an experimental challenge study, where the benefit of vaccination was still evident after one year.5 In an extreme condition natural challenge trial lasting two years under environmental conditions rarely encountered in reality, 93% of dogs vaccinated with CaniLeish did not develop symptomatic leishmaniosis. CaniLeish provides a fourfold reduction in the risk of developing this fatal disease. 6 Its safety profile has been shown in laboratory testing and field trials.7 In addition, Virbac says it contains no whole parasites that could be virulent in any host.
David McGahie BVMS Bsc (VetSci) MRCVS, Medical Department Manager at Virbac SA, said: "The development of this vaccine is a key milestone in the battle against this challenging disease which is a major problem in many regions of the world. Although in the past it was considered a rather exotic disease here in the UK, the advent of the Pet Travel Scheme means it has become increasingly important as a problem for dogs which regularly travel abroad to endemic regions."
CaniLeish can be given to dogs as young as six months of age: the primary course consists of three injections given over six weeks. Dogs should be re-vaccinated annually, with a single dose administered one year after the third injection and annually thereafter.
References:
Novartis Animal Health has been found in breach of the National Office of Animal Health Code on promotion.
The complaint related to a promotion at the National Sheep Association's 'Scotsheep 2012' on 6 June 2012, where Novartis had used the strapline 'Zolvix - the World's most effective wormer'.
The NOAH Committee unanimously took the view that the phrase constituted an all-embracing claim and a superlative which could not be substantiated.
Accordingly, the Committee found the promotion in breach of Clause 5.2.
The full details of the NOAH Committee's rulings is published on the NOAH website at www.noah.co.uk/code. The full report of this particular case will be available shortl.
Nebojsa Petrovic faced eight charges, although charge four was withdrawn at the start of the hearing.
At the outset of the hearing, Dr Petrovic admitted a number of allegations, including:
Charge 1 - that in November 2021, he falsely represented to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that blood samples he submitted in respect of four horses were from the same horses as the samples he submitted on 1 November 2021.
Charge 2 – that in November 2021, he told APHA’s Veterinary Head of Border Control that he had checked the microchips and/or passports of the four horses when he hadn’t done so;
Charge 3 – that in November 2021, he signed Export Health Certificates for the four horses, in which it was stated that blood samples taken from these horses on October 2021 had been submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency laboratory, Weybridge, with a negative result for Leptospirosis when in fact those samples had tested positive;
Charge 5 – that he failed to send the APHA’s Centre for International Trade, within seven days of signing, certified copies of the export health certificates;
Charge 7 – that in January 2022, he told an APHA officer that he was satisfied that he had properly identified the horses for which you had submitted the two samples when he had not done so;
Charge 8c – that he risked undermining government procedures designed to promote animal health and international relations in relation to the charges he admitted; and
Charge 9 – that in February 2022, he failed to have in place any or any adequate Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).
Dr Petrovic, who was at the time of all the allegations carrying his duties as an Official Veterinarian on behalf of the APHA, denied charge 6 – that in November 2021, he failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the four horses being exported to Serbia, when he had been informed that there were concerns and/or doubts about whether those horses had tested negative for Leptospirosis.
He also denied charge 8 – that in relation to the allegations relating to his submitting the blood samples to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency on 8 November 2021, certification of the Export Health Certificates on 16 November 2021 and his subsequent conversations with members of APHA staff regarding both sets of documentation he had acted in a misleading (Charge 8a) and/or dishonest (Charge 8b) way.
The Committee considered evidence presented by the College including hearing from APHA staff witnesses called by the College and also hearing from a witness and character evidence presented by Dr Petrovic. Dr Petrovic also gave evidence to the Committee.
It found most charges proven with the exception of Charge 6, and also found that Dr Petrovic had not acted dishonestly in submitting the blood samples or certifying the EHC’s as alleged in charges 1 and 3.
The Committee concluded that Dr Petrovic had acted in a dishonest and misleading way in his conversations with the APHA staff as detailed in charges 2 and 7.
The Committee then considered whether the individual proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, determining that, with the exception of charges 3 and 5, all proven charges amounted to disgraceful conduct.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “In the Committee’s judgement, the respondent’s position as an Official Veterinarian also meant that he had a responsibility to ensure that the trust which was delegated to him was not breached.
"In his role, the respondent was acting in a position of trust, as a representative of the government, and the Committee found that he had breached that trust…. It took these matters into account when determining that the respondent’s behaviour cumulatively amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
Regarding the sanction for Dr Petrovic, the Committee considered his request that it consider suspension, rather than removal, from the Register.
In terms of aggravating factors – the Committee found that Dr Petrovic had acted without integrity, recklessly and without regard for the APHA’s systems relating to the export of animals.
In mitigation, it took into account: the fact that no animal was harmed by his conduct, albeit there was risk of harm; his long and unblemished career in the UK since 1994; admissions he had made to the APHA and Disciplinary Committee at the first day of the hearing; had remediated his lack of professional indemnity insurance by putting in place a retrospective policy; the significant amount of time that had elapsed since the conduct; and six positive character references from experienced fellow veterinary surgeons who held him in high regard.
Paul Morris added: “The Committee took into account that the respondent had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon with no subsequent complaints and that he had a previous long and unblemished record and there was support by several positive character references.
"The Committee also took into consideration the pressures of Brexit and the pandemic which the respondent had faced at the time, but which were unlikely to occur again.
“The Committee had concluded that the respondent was unlikely to repeat similar behaviour or to pose a risk to animals, particularly because he was no longer involved in certifying animals for export.
"Furthermore his admissions to most of the matters it had found proved showed that he had some insight.
"The Committee was also satisfied that the respondent had a genuine concern for the welfare of animals and it noted that the Respondent did not require any further training to continue in practice as a veterinary surgeon.
“The Committee therefore concluded that a suspension from the Register was the proportionate sanction in this case taking into account the seriousness of the conduct it had found proved but also all of the mitigating factors.”
The Committee recommended that Dr Petrovic be suspended for six months to reflect the seriousness of the conduct and the damage it could do to public confidence in the profession, while meeting the public interest and sending a clear message of deterrence.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Zea Sciences has announced that its natural rodenticide has been certified under the European Biocide Directive Program, known as Annex1/1A BPD 98/8EEC.
The rodenticide is made from powdered corn cob (PCC) which, according to Zea Sciences, causes rats and mice to die of hypovolemic shock within 4-7 days of starting to feed on it.
The company says PCC poses no health risk to human or non target animal species, such as cats, dogs and birds. It is also the first of its type and class to be officially acknowledged as using naturally biodegradable and environmentally friendly material.
PCC is available from a number of retail and trade outlets, under various different brand names. However, the company said that if there was sufficient interest by vets in stocking the pet-friendly product, it would look at making it available through veterinary wholesalers.
Martin Holland, Managing Director of Zea Sciences said: ''I hope the profession will help spread the word about PCC-based rodent control - it might mean you have to reach for the vitamin K a little less often."
Having been told at school that he'd never cut it as a veterinary surgeon, Julian qualified from Liverpool in 1981. He became a partner at Banovallum Vets in Horncastle in 1989 and later the sole owner. Along the way, he also gained AP status in Sheep and Animal Welfare and served as President of the Sheep Veterinary Society and the Lincolnshire Veterinary Association. Oh, and in 1991, he was part of a team that set a world record relay time cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats, raising £8,500 in the process.
Then, in 2012, everything changed. Julian had a cycling accident during a road race in Lincolnshire. He fractured his skull and suffered multiple brain haemorrhages, broken ribs, a fractured shoulder and a punctured lung. Doctors told his wife he'd be unlikely to survive.
But survive he did, and with his injuries precluding a return to practice, he's reinvented himself as an author and approved para-cyclist.
His book is a collection of light-hearted anecdotes and memories from his life in practice, with practical advice about what to try and avoid when working as a veterinary surgeon.
And yes, he was once called out to attend a cow stuck in a tree!
You can buy the book on Amazon in hardcover for £12.95, here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Julian-Earl/e/B01EVCT67K/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1461874827&sr=1-1
Felpreva contains emodepside and praziquantel, with tigolaner, a novel bispyrazole active ingredient.
Felpreva is licensed for treatment of cats with, or at risk from, mixed parasitic infestations/infections.
Vetoquinol points to a survey revealed conducted last year in which 43% of cat owners said that giving parasite protection to their cat makes them feel guilty, stressed, or worried1.
Felpreva provides an option to reduce the frequency of treatments, lessening stressful interactions between owners and their cats.
Vetoquinol says that with Felpreva’s convenience and longer-lasting flea and tick protection, it aims to help support compliance and thus improve the wellbeing of feline companions.
Helen Hunter, Senior Product Manager at Vetoquinol UK, said: “The launch of Felpreva is a truly proud moment for Vetoquinol, demonstrating our expertise, passion, and commitment to innovation in this essential category of companion animal medicine.
"It will allow us to safeguard the health of cats by bringing longer-lasting protection, convenience, and ease of use – for both pet owners and veterinary professionals.
"At a time when vets are treating more pets than ever before, the need for a breakthrough endectocide solution like Felpreva has never been greater.”
Felpreva is in wholesalers now.
For more information, contact your local Vetoquinol representative.
VetSurgeon.org has announced the launch of VetSurgeon Jobs, a new service designed to change the way veterinary surgeons are hired, saving veterinary practices hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds.
Since 1761, when the veterinary profession first came into existence, employers have had no choice but to advertise job opportunities for veterinary surgeons and practice managers in magazines.
Editing, printing and publishing a magazine is an eye-wateringly expensive business, costs which have been reflected in the price advertisers have had to pay.
The Internet has brought those costs right down. Furthermore, in a survey of job seekers carried out last earlier this month by VetSurgeon.org, 70% said they spend most time browsing jobs online these days, as opposed to in a magazine.
However, when you look at the costs of advertising on websites published by veterinary magazine publishers, which start at £395 and quickly rise to £795 for a 28-day online advert, it is clear that these prices still reflect the considerable costs of magazine production.
Today, VetSurgeon.org launches it’s online-only job advertising service, priced simply at £99+VAT, which gets you a 60-day advert on the website most followed by UK veterinary surgeons.
That price doesn’t just offer a considerable saving over alternatives in the veterinary profession, it also beats the major online-only players outside the profession (including Monster, Reed and Totaljobs)
There’s more to it than just price, though. Unlike the alternatives, VetSurgeon Jobs is not an 'off-the-shelf' solution, but something designed from the ground up for the veterinary profession.
For jobseekers, VetSurgeon Jobs has been designed to make finding the right job as simple and straightforward as possible. Just enter the postcode and search radius, and the available jobs re-order by distance. You can subscribe to be alerted of only those jobs that meet your very specific criteria (such as locum positions within a given radius). Perhaps most importantly, VetSurgeon Jobs is an integral part of the thriving community on VetSurgeon.org. So you can add your CV to your online profile and then engage directly with employers on the site.
For employers, VetSurgeon offers the opportunity to publish a more engaging, interesting advertisement than is currently offered anywhere else, including maps, photos, logos and headline propositions.
Arlo Guthrie said: "It’s a cliche, but if ever there was a 'win-win' situation, this is it. I’m able to offer you the chance to save a small fortune, whilst making some for myself and to reinvest in yet more features designed to support your profession."
For more information, visit https://www.vetsurgeon.org/jobs/, ring 0207 183 2511 or email support@vetsurgeon.org.
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The newly refurbished and extended HQ at Woodrow House in Gloucestershire includes a practical wetlab equipped to share learning with a remote audience, hi-tech lecture rooms and a second teaching room where equipment such as microscopes or X-ray screens can be used.
Meeting rooms include video conferencing technology and giant presentation screens, and there are modern working environments, energy-saving innovations and pleasant break-out areas, all designed to make the building more inspiring, welcoming and comfortable.
Outside there are electric car charge points, bicycle racks and a landscaped area for wildlife with five bird boxes, a small pond and a log pile.
The two-year transformation was unveiled today with an opening address by Lord Trees (pictured right, on the right with Phil Lhermette), who said: "The BSAVA has always been a very dynamic and innovative organisation and this development is the latest example.
"Following their mission to pursue excellence in small animal practice through education and science, the wonderful facilities of this new building will provide a great resource for veterinary education and CPD which of course not only benefits vets and vet nurses but more importantly will ultimately benefit the health and welfare of our pet population.
"The building offers the very latest facilities to deliver high quality teaching and learning and has the capacity to be expanded as necessity dictates. I’m delighted to see the BSAVA investing in the future of the profession and this building, and the online technology it houses including the new digital library, will enable the organisation to continue to deliver its mission well into the future."
BSAVA President Phil Lhermette said: "Over the past 60 years BSAVA has put science and education at the heart of our organisation, and our successful growth includes delivering high quality CPD in an exciting new environment, which will be perfect for everyone to learn in the most conducive way.
"It has been 20 years since we moved into Woodrow House, so it was time for a one-off, ethical transition to create a modern, fit-for-purpose facility for all our members to enjoy."
BSAVA Head of Education Lucie Goodwin said: "These state-of-the-art, scientific-based education facilities will support highly valued, practical CPD for all veterinary professionals, and disseminate learning to a remote audience through video technologies in the classroom - a model that is poised to accelerate because of the proliferation of portable devices and the explosion of mobile phone capabilities."
The companies are encouraging the use of CT to direct early, targeted surgical intervention and improve outcomes.
Dr Dean Felkler, Founder and CEO of Exotic Vet Support and senior clinician at Tai Wai Small Animal and Exotic Hospital in Hong Kong, says a recent case of his highlights the importance of accurate and early diagnosis.
A 7yr old rabbit was presented for anorexia and hadn’t passed faeces for over 12hrs.
Dean said: “A full diagnostic investigation was performed.
"From the radiographs it is difficult to appreciate the GDV.
"However, on the CT scan, reported by VetCT, it was very obvious when compared to the normal stomach orientation.”
After initial stabilisation the patient underwent surgery to re-orientate the stomach and an incisional gastropexy was performed.
Following surgery the rabbit recovered well and was eating and passing faeces within 24 hours.
Dr David Reese, Director of VetCT Australia and exotics expert said: “We are able to identify several life-threatening pathologies much more accurately with CT than radiographs.
"This is vital for early correction of acute surgical abdominal conditions to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.”
VetCT is offering a free trial of its specialist teleradiology and teleconsulting services at: www.vet-ct.com
Photo: VetCT report of a CT scan showing GDV in a rabbit - The pylorus (lime green star) denoted by the thick pyloric wall is located on the left side of the abdomen and the fundus (dark pink star) is right laterally located.