DSL a debt recovery company which specialises in veterinary debt, has launched a free tool to help practices understand the impact of bad debt on the business. 

The VetDebt Recovery Compass tool provides a way for practices to understand how outstanding payments affect their cash flow and practice value, and what steps to take next. 

Mike Brooks, Chairman at DSL UK (pictured), said: “The VetDebt Recovery Compass offers a quick and easy way to see the true financial impact of unpaid debt.

"By making this information free and accessible to everyone, we hope to empower veterinary teams to take control of their finances.

DSL says that the new tool, which is available at www.dsluk.net, allows practices to see both the immediate recovery potential and the long-term value impact of their debts in less than 30 seconds.

The calculator also provides a species-specific breakdown, helping to identify where debt issues may be most significant and where to target first.

Mike has also appeared on the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) Practice Matters Podcast, discussing how practices can better manage the topic of debt: https://fivp.org.uk/ep023-fivp-practice-matters-at-spvs-the-farm-vet-journey-practice-debt.

Veterinary scientist, Dr Alex German and veterinary nurse, Shelley Holden are joining presenter and vet, Mark Evans in a new Channel Four series exploring the secret life of dogs, the first of which airs tonight at 8:00pm.

The three-part series looks at how people's lives and those of their dogs have radically changed in the last 50 years.

Using hidden cameras, episode one investigates how dogs gain weight when their owners are not present or out at work, as well as what research is being done to understand the UK's obesity epidemic in dogs and cats.

Alex, who is head of the University's Weight Management Clinic, said: "Obesity is common in dogs and can lead to a range of illnesses and diseases.

"Although treatment for weight loss has been in existence for some time it has not been without its problems, and owners, with busy lives, can find it difficult to even understand how their dog has gained weight in the first place.

"By showing what dogs get up to out of their owner's sight, this programme explores how understanding our animals' behaviour and habits can help in producing a healthy diet and exercise regime."

Dr German has also contributed to the Channel Four website, which provides information for owners and access to case studies: http://dogs.channel4.com/fat-dogs/

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), British Equestrian (BEF) and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) are working together to assess and minimise the impact of a shortage of equine influenza vaccine.

They say that they've been aware of minor interruptions to the supply of such vaccines throughout 2022.

However, a significant, pan-European logistical problem being experienced by Boehringer Ingelheim has raised the prospect of a further reduction in supplies in the coming months.

BEVA is liaising with the three vaccine manufacturers to quantify the impact of the shortage and to consider solutions, both to minimise the threat to equine health and to prevent disruption to equestrian competition.

Marc Laemmer, equine business head at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, said: “We are currently experiencing a European-wide supply issue relating to our equine influenza and influenza-tetanus vaccines. 

"This has been caused by unexpected issues following the implementation of a technology upgrade and is not a product or quality issue.

"This means that some vet practices will have difficulty obtaining sufficient influenza vaccines and there may be a shortage in the UK market. 

"We understand the importance of these vaccines to equine welfare, and we are continuing to work tirelessly to find a solution so that we can return to normal supply as soon as possible.”

Amanda Melvin, equine business manager at MSD Animal Health, said: “Based on prior demand, MSD’s equine vaccines Equilis Prequenza and Equilis Prequenza Te are in full supply.

"MSD have taken steps to protect as many horses as possible at this time.

"We will continue to supply existing customers with the available MSD stock on ‘allocation’ and, where possible, to allocate stock to additional customers. Allocations are being made to our veterinary customers based on their historical demand which we believe is the most efficient way to manage the available supplies.”

Rebecca Cabrejas, equine business unit manager at Zoetis, said: “Demand for our vaccines currently exceeds what we can supply.

"Whilst we have adequate stocks to fulfil current customers’ orders unfortunately, we are not in a position to be able to supply new customers at this time.

"We will continue to work with BEVA to limit the impact of the current shortages.”

Woodley Equipment Company Ltd has announced the launch of InSight rapid diagnostic test kits. The test range includes FeLV, FIV, FeLV-FIV Combi, Giardia, Canine Heartworm, Canine Parvovirus and with more tests in development.

The test kits are available to veterinary practices across the UK and to Woodley's global veterinary diagnostic distributors. Each test is based on a sandwich lateral flow immunochromatographic assay and contains 10 cassettes per box. The company says that the diagnostic kits are simple and easy to use and will provide point of care testing direct to the veterinary practice. The kits are stored at room temperature (2⁰C - 30⁰C).

The range of InSight Rapid Diagnostic Tests includes:

• FeLV: for the detection of feline leukaemia antigen in cat serum, plasma or whole blood.
• FIV: for the detection of feline immunodefinciency virus antibody in cat serum, plasma or whole blood.
• FIV-FeLV Combi: for the detection of feline immunodefinciency virus antibody and feline leukaemia antigen in cat serum, plasma or whole blood.
• Giardia: for the detection of Giardia antigen in animal faeces.
• Heartworm: for the detection of heartworm antigen in dog serum, plasma or whole blood.
• Parvo: for the detection canine Parvovirus antigen in dog faeces or vomit.

To place an order, email sales@woodleyequipment.com, fax 01204 669034, or telephone 01204 669033.

For more information, visit: http://www.woodleyequipment.com/.

The British Veterinary Association has expressed concern about an increasing trend towards temporary contracts for new graduates following the release of headline figures of a survey by the Institute for Employment Studies on behalf of the RCVS.

The survey showed that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first three months has significantly increased for those who graduated in 2012 and who have already left their first position. Amongst vets who graduated in 2010 and had already left their first job 7.7% had done so within the first three months; for 2011 graduates this figure is 15.9%; and for 2012 graduates it is currently 42.6%, although this percentage is likely to decrease over the next year as more of the 2012 cohort leave their first roles. The two main reasons given for leaving first jobs are poor management and temporary contracts. 

Besides this unexpected increase the survey showed little change in other areas for recent graduates, although there has been a slight increase in the amount of time taken for new graduates to find their first job. The survey also revealed that over the 5 year period 16% fewer graduates found jobs in under 3 months.

BVA President Peter Jones said: "Information in this survey and that conducted by the British Equine Veterinary Association recently is valuable evidence of how the changing environment affects those entering our profession and will feed into the on-going discussion at BVA on veterinary workforce issues.

"Perhaps most worrying is the statistic that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first 3 months has significantly increased. The main reasons cited are poor management and temporary contracts. The trend towards temporary contracts is very worrying in terms of job security for those just starting out in our profession.

"Poor management has long concerned the BVA and is what initially led us to establish initiatives such as the Young Vet Network, the recent graduate guide and our contracts of employment campaign. We are currently working on building that support and we are in the process of widening the network of graduate support meetings to help with moral support and networking opportunities. We also supporting the RCVS's Professional Development Phase to support new graduates in their first few years of practice and have produced a number of resources to assist with this process."

While the results show little evidence of a major impact on job prospects from the increase in graduates since the opening of Nottingham Veterinary School, BVA members remain concerned about the impact of a new school opening next year such as the one planned at the University of Surrey.

Peter Jones continued: "It is reassuring to see that overall trends are not changing significantly, however, the ease with which our graduates are getting jobs is changing. We will therefore be considering in some depth the impact that two, three or more new veterinary schools could have in the future. Rumours of yet more new veterinary schools elsewhere are a serious worry for the profession.

The BVA has opened its annual Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition, inviting entries until Sunday 12th March 2023.

The competition, whi/ch is open to BVA members, has three categories:

• Vets at work: What does life as a veterinary surgeon look like? Capturing the day-to-day life of a vet and the veterinary team in any capacity.
• All creatures great and small. An opportunity to explore the vast diversity of the animal kingdom: domestic, agricultural and all aspects of wildlife
• Happy pets that make us smile - Reflecting the joy of a happy, contented animal, won last year by bob lehner for his singularly daring shot pictured right!

All BVA members are encouraged to take part, whether they are a semi-professional photographer or just handy with a smart phone. 

BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “This competition, showcases the unique talents, creativity and skills of BVA members.

“This year, we would love to see how our members can use their passion for photography to capture the essence of our profession. This is an opportunity to show what life as a vet is really like, to capture the hard work and challenges on camera but also to demonstrate the kindness, skills and compassion of our incredible colleagues – as well as the amazing animals they care for.

“This is your chance to show off your talents. We are so excited to see the stunning entries start to pour in and look forward to announcing the winner at this year’s BVA Live event in May.”

Images by the finalists will displayed at this year’s BVA Live event at Birmingham’s NEC on 11 – 12 May 2023.

Finalists will be contacted in advance and receive a free ticket to BVA Live so they can attend the event and the prizegiving to reveal the winners.

Winning photos will also be eligible for £250 worth of John Lewis vouchers.

www.bva.co.uk/photo-comp

Dunfermline-based Vets Now Ltd has been announced as the winner of the Scotland regional final of the £35 Million Bank of Scotland Corporate Entrepreneur Challenge. The company, based on Pitreavie Drive, is the UK's leading provider of out of hours emergency care for animals and has secured an incredible funding package of up to £5 million, free of interest and charges for three years, to turn their expansion plans into reality.

Richard Dixon, Managing Director of Vets Now Ltd, said, "I am absolutely thrilled that we have won the Scottish regional final of the Entrepreneur Challenge. A lot of time and effort went into our presentation and we knew that the competition was going to be tough. I'm very proud of our team, without who Vets Now would not be what it is today.

"Winning the Challenge is going to have a fundamental impact on Vets Now, taking our business to a completely new level. The funding will allow us to make substantial growth and move the business into Europe. It will also increase the range of services we can provide to customers and increase the overall profile of our organisation."

Richard will now go through to the national final in December, where he will compete against the winners from six other regions across the UK for the chance to be named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year' and the opportunity to benefit from four days mentoring from one of Britain's most successful and high profile entrepreneurs.

Vets Now was chosen as the winner after Richard Dixon presented his business case and plans for the future to a panel of judges, including Willie Haughey from City Refrigeration and John Anderson from The Entrepreneurial Exchange. Willie, John and the rest of the judging panel then questioned Richard in their search for an entrepreneur who displayed flair, vision and creativity, coupled with solid business acumen and impressive plans for the future. The judging was followed by a dinner and award ceremony at Stirling Castle, at which the winner was announced.

For more information visit http://www.theboschallenge.co.uk/

Vetoquinol has announced that the vouchers it provides as part of the Epiphen practice support package for monitoring and management of serum levels of phenobarbital will now be provided directly from the veterinary wholesaler and sent with each order.

One or two vouchers are provided with the 30ml and 60ml packs respectively. The vouchers come complete with a pre-paid envelope in which to send samples directly to the laboratory. Each test is valued at £19.80

For further information, contact your local Vetoquinol Territory Manager.

Veterinary practices are being urged to raise awareness of summer skin conditions, such as sweet itch, following research carried out by Elanco Companion Animal Health, distributor of Cavalesse, which revealed that vets only tend to be consulted after horse owners have tried to manage the condition themselves (73%), or if the clinical signs have become severe (67%), potentially leading to major welfare implications.

According to the research, this is despite the fact that over half (55%) of owners of a horse with sweet itch showed concern that their horse will suffer, and nearly half being stressed about the way the condition will affect it (47%).  While many horse owners are fairly knowledgeable about the causes of sweet itch and its clinical signs, over a quarter of respondents (26%) did not start managing the condition before the midge season in the spring, which may make managing the condition more frustrating.  Nearly a third (31%) stated that they had to curtail their activities with their horse due to welfare, aesthetic and behavioural issues, such as head shaking, rubbing, unpredictability and aggression.

Ed Whittle, technical consultant at Elanco Companion Animal Health said: "86% of those questioned considered sweet itch to be a very serious welfare issue if left untreated, with the worst aspects of the condition being the suffering and distress caused by the constant irritation which affects the quality of life of the horse. Over half (55%) felt that sweet itch had adversely affected the behaviour of their horse, making them difficult to handle or ride. Veterinary practices should be proactively talking to their clients about summer skin conditions such as sweet itch to help alleviate the suffering and distress caused by this frustrating disease."

Elanco says it will be joining forces with the British Horse Society (BHS), The Blue Cross, The Horse Trust, Redwings Horse Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare (WHW) to raise awareness of summer skin conditions, such as sweet itch, during Sweet Itch Awareness Month (SIAM) in March. The campaign will highlight the preventative measures that should be carried out to help alleviate sweet itch and the importance of management of the condition before the start of the midge season in the spring.

Lee Hackett, head of welfare at the BHS, said: "The results of this survey show just how important raising awareness of sweet itch is. All of us, whether we are welfare organisations or vets, need to play our part in educating owners about sweet itch in the hope that they will seek expert advice at an earlier stage and reduce the number of horses that suffer as a result of this condition."

Kerry Taylor, education officer at The Blue Cross, said: "The Blue Cross is pleased to be supporting the sweet itch campaign to raise awareness of the physical and mental impact this condition has on horses. During our May 2011 National Equine Health Survey, skin problems came out the top syndrome affecting horses, and we continue to see many horses coming into our care suffering from sweet itch. Prevention and early treatment is key to managing the potentially debilitating condition."

For further information on sweet itch, Sweet Itch Awareness Month or Cavalesse, please visit http://www.fidavet.com/, or contact Elanco Companion Animal Health, Lilly House, Priestley Road, Basingstoke, RG24 9NL, 01256 353131.

Reference

Sweet itch - effect on horse and owner.  Mo Gannon & Associates.  Web survey in November 2011.  351 responses - owners who have owned horses with sweet itch in the last two years.

Europe's largest private specialist veterinary practice, Davies Veterinary Specialists, has opened a new centre at the premises of the Hyde Park Veterinary Centre in Connaught St., London W2.

Davies Veterinary Specialists employs 40 veterinary surgeons, 23 of them RCVS Recognised Specialists and more than 50 nurses. The main hospital, based in Bedfordshire, has sophisticated diagnostic, surgical and treatment facilities and offers integrated multi-disciplinary care.

Clive Elwood, Managing Director of DVS, said: "We believe that pet owners should have easy access to the top veterinary specialists in the country. We are now bringing a team of specialists offering consultations in medicine, cardiology, ultrasonography, neurology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery to Davies London. This will make it much easier for London vets to offer their clients a convenient referral service, with full access to state-of-the-art facilities."

The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre is a long-established central London veterinary clinic. Recently expanded and refurbished, the clinic has invested heavily in the latest diagnostic and treatment facilities for the clinical care and treatment of London's pets. Head vet Andrew Prentis said: "We are all very excited about the collaboration with Davies: this new local access to top level specialists is really going to help London's vets offer their clients the very best in veterinary care at all times."

For more information, call 0207 535 0444 or visit www.vetspecialists.co.uk/london

The publicly supported Dog Control Bill moves a step closer towards changing dangerous dog legislation for good as it reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords today.

Over 10,000 people signed up to support it and animal welfare organisations and charities throughout the UK are backing it; Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill would replace the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), by targeting the inappropriate behaviour of any dog, and more importantly the owners of such dogs, to reduce the occurrence of serious dog incidents, rather than continuing to demonise specific breeds or types.

The Bill is championed by the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), a wide-ranging group representing animal welfare, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations who have been actively involved in resolving the inadequacies of the current 'dangerous dog' legislation for many years.

The DDASG considers that the Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be overhauled to better protect the public and that a new dog control regime which emphasises responsible dog ownership should be introduced.

DDASG Chairman Chris Laurence said: "We have had considerable input into the Dog Control Bill and are confident that the Bill takes huge steps towards changing the manner in which owners of dogs that are out of control will be dealt with; the emphasis being on the prevention of dog bites."

The Report Stage of the Dog Control Bill is listed as the first item of business in the House of Lords on this morning and comes as Defra's public consultation on dangerous dogs shows further support for this approach with 71% of respondents calling for breed specific legislation to be repealed.

In support of the Bill, the DDASG launched a petition which has received over 10,000 signatures. The petition can be found at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/repeal-and-replace-the-dangerous-dogs-act.html. The DDASG has also been working with other major stakeholders including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and will be issuing a joint briefing to government tomorrow, entitled 'Finding solutions to irresponsible dog ownership' which outlines where urgent action must be taken in existing dog legislation to improve huge inadequacies within the law.

Subject to the Bill passing the Report Stage, the Third Reading will take place after summer recess before moving to the House of Commons for further consideration. For more information on the DDASG, Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill and current legislation, visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/928.

Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advocate and organiser of the Be Lungworm Aware campaign, is warning that last year's damp summer and the mild winter conditions may lead to a continued spread of Angiostongylus vasorum in the UK.

Biodiversity & Conservation Officer for The Natural History Museum, Professor Fred Naggs, said: "An increase in the number of slug and snail populations this year would suggest there will consequently be a continued spread of the parasite. However, this depends on a number of factors: (i) the number of slugs and snails around last year, of which there were many (ii) the level of precipitation throughout the year, as slugs and snails will breed continuously when temperatures are mild to warm and there is adequate relative humidity. According to many reports in the press, last year was one of the wettest on record (iii) the survival of slugs and snails over the winter. As this winter has not been particularly harsh, reasonable numbers of slugs and snails should have survived."

In addition, a study by the RVC as shown that A. vasorum is spreading beyond the traditional geographic distribution with 20 per cent of veterinary practices across the country reporting at least one case of A. vasorum. ¹

To help raise awareness of the parasite, veterinary surgeons and nurses are being encouraged to support the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign. The scheme will offer support and education to owners and participating vet practices throughout this month, which has been labelled 'Lungworm Awareness Month'.

Caroline Braidwood, Group Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health said: "While dog owners are becoming more aware of A. vasorum, there is still a real lack of understanding as to the warning signs associated with the condition and how to prevent or treat it. Some owners still believe that Lungworm can be prevented by using normal intestinal wormers which is not the case - Advocate is the only product that can prevent A. vasorum, and from the first application. Our aim with the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign is to drive pet owners to their vet practice, where they can then be informed of the danger of the parasite and educated about correct preventative treatment."

Practices can request a range of materials including a practice press pack by calling their Bayer Territory Manager. The pack is designed to promote the awareness campaign to local dog owning clients and includes a regional press release, images and other collateral including leaflets, posters and a campaign DVD for display in waiting rooms.

For more information on lungworm, visit www.lungworm.co.uk

Reference

1. Royal Veterinary College survey 2012, 1,419 veterinary practices

The EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee has published Brexit: farm animal welfare, a report which highlights both the need for the UK to retain EU veterinary surgeons who currently comprise over 90% of the country's Official Veterinarians, and the risk that post-Brexit trade deals could compromise animal welfare.

The report says the greatest threat to farm animal welfare standards post-Brexit would come from UK farmers competing against cheap, imported food from countries that produce to lower standards than the UK. Therefore, the Government's wish for the UK to become a global leader in free trade is not necessarily compatible with its desire to maintain high animal welfare standards.

Noting the UK's overwhelming reliance on non-UK EU citizens to fill crucial official veterinary positions in the UK, the Committee called on the Government to ensure that the industry is able to retain or recruit qualified staff to fill these roles post-Brexit.

Responding to the report, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The report offers strong leadership and a clear message, emphasising the consumer and cross-sector consensus that current animal health and welfare standards must be at least maintained in Brexit negotiations. Prioritising these standards in trade negotiations could guarantee a unique selling point for the UK. As the report recommends, as consumers we must make sure we do not compromise quality for cost-savings in order to avoid a race to the bottom for welfare standards. We now need clarity from the Government on how underpinning processes and overarching principles, like Article 13 which ensures animal welfare requirements are fully considered in policy-setting, will be incorporated into domestic law. 

"The report supports our view that animal welfare should be considered a public good and we reiterate our calls following the Secretary of State’s recent speech that a replacement CAP scheme should encompass animal welfare, animal health, disease surveillance, biodiversity and environmental stewardship to benefit not only UK producers, but consumers and wider society too.

"The EU Committee’s recognition of the vital role vets play in animal health, welfare and public health is extremely encouraging. Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in abattoirs protect and reassure UK consumers, certifying and supervising the import and export of animals and animal products to third countries. As I outlined in my evidence to the Committee, some estimates suggest 95% of OVs working in UK abattoirs graduated overseas, mostly in the EU. However, we are already hearing of fewer applicants for veterinary public health roles since the referendum.

"There are significant concerns about the potential impact of a post-Brexit veterinary workforce shortage on the UK's £100 billion agri-food sector, in terms of risking business and consumer confidence as well as the UK’s future export capability. A strong, sustainable veterinary workforce is absolutely vital to safeguarding animal health, welfare and public health post Brexit."