Ceva Animal Health has launched a National Pet Census to collect information about the UK's domestic dog and cat population.
The Pet Census includes a range of questions on pet ownership including: the number of dogs and cats in a household, where the animals came from and their names, colour and whether they have a passport. Pet owners will also have the opportunity to complete an online 'pet-ition' to campaign for pets to be included in the next Census, earmarked for 2021.
Rachel Levy, communications manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "The current Household Census states that everyone should be included - but it appears that they have forgotten to include pets, which are valued members of the family! While our National Pet Census is a bit of fun, there is a serious point to it as we will be able to gauge valuable information about pet ownership including where people get their pets from, popularity of breeds and how often a pet goes to the vet."
To fill out Ceva's National Pet Census, visit secrettohappypets.com or the 'That Purple Cat' page on Facebook by 30 April.
The University of Bristol and Companion Care have launched The Great Pet Travel Survey 2012 to assess disease risks in the UK following the simplification of Pet Travel Scheme rules.
Companion Care and The University of Bristol say that there is a great deal of concern about what risks changes in the Pet Travel Scheme Rules pose to the health of the human and dog population in the UK.
Robert White-Adams MRCVS from Companion Care said: "At present there is minimal data available to answer this question as current data logging is minimal and paperwork checking at ports can be variable. We therefore have little idea of how many UK-resident dogs travel abroad, where they visit, how long they stay and what they are doing whilst abroad.
The survey will collect and analyse information about the travel patterns of UK resident dogs, in and around mainland Europe, over the last decade.
Robert added: "The data to be collated by the survey will fill the data void and enable us to provide a quantitative assessment of the disease risk, as well as gaining an understanding of owner awareness of risks face by dogs travelling in Europe.
Owners of dogs with Pet Passports are being encouraged to fill in the short questionnaire, which is available now at http://www.greatpetsurvey.co.uk/. All completed questionnaires will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 of Pets at Home vouchers!
The questionnaire will be live online until 30th June 2012 and all data will be analysed by the University of Bristol.
Dr Morgan said: "Without this information we have only a vague idea of the risks that the loss of border controls may pose. The answer could be that there is little additional risk or it could be that the UK dog (and human) population could face some severe disease threats. As it stands now, we just don't know enough to make an informed judgement."
Invicta Animal Health has launched EthyCalm Spray, a cryoanalgesic for minor procedures.
The active ingredient, ethyl chloride, acts as a local analgesic (pain relief) when sprayed or wiped onto the skin.
According to the company, the product is effective in a few seconds and works for a few minutes until the skin warms up again. This makes it suitable for such things as venepuncture, tick removal or placing of PVC's, where it should help reduce stress for the patient and the practitioner.
Ethycalm is presented in a 50ml vial which provides up to 100 applications.
Rob Watkins, Managing Director of Invicta, said: "We are delighted to launch EthyCalm. During theatre training sessions for our product, ChloraPrep, we realised that the busy nurse doesn't have time to use traditional analgesia methods such as creams. They needed something instant yet cost-effective. Seeing the widespread use of ethyl chloride in places like Great Ormond Street Hospital, it was obvious that this product needed to be made available to veterinary practices".
For further information see www.invictavet.com or phone 01403 791313
The Hertfordshire-based referral centre Davies Veterinary Specialists, has announced it is to support Mission Rabies, a charity which aims to reduce the number of children in India that die as a result of contracting rabies from dogs.
According to the charity, it is estimated that at least one child dies from rabies every hour in India, normally contracted from dog bites. Mission Rabies aims to establish the country's first National Rabies Network to supply cheap, effective vaccines nationwide and monitor disease prevalence. The campaign will also include surgical training programmes in rabies danger zones, to train local vets in the best field techniques for dog population and vaccination control. The charity says it intends to vaccinate two million dogs in the key hotspot areas of India over the next three years.
Davies Veterinary Specialists is donating 50,000 rabies vaccines, to be used during the first month of the campaign, which launches this September.
VetSurgeon.org member Ian Battersby, one of Davies Veterinary Specialists' Internal Medicine team, is one of the organisers of the project, which is also supported by Dogs Trust, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and the Worldwide Veterinary Service. Ian will be travelling to India in September whilst other staff from DVS are planning various fund raising events, including marathons, evening talks to dog owners, a fund raising choir concert and an online auction to members of the veterinary profession. The auction will go live in June and lots will include in-house training seminars from members of the DVS clinical staff and gifts donated by local organisations.
DVS Managing director Clive Elwood said: "This is a very important project delivering veterinary care and expertise that will have a real impact on human lives. We are delighted to be able to help such a worthwhile cause."
The Practice Standards Scheme was launched in 2005 and then relaunched in 2015 to better recognise and reward how practices use their resources to create a positive outcome for patients and clients.
The modules and awards for all species groups (small animals, farm animal, and equine) have now been updated and a summary of the changes can be found at the end of each set of the respective modules.
Pam Mosedale, Lead Assessor, said: "These updates are part of our continuous efforts to ensure we have a flexible PSS, one that can respond to feedback and constantly reflect the realities of everyday practice.
"We would encourage all PSS-accredited practices to familiarise themselves with the updated modules, especially if they have an accreditation or awards assessment in the near future."
To view the updates, visit: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/practice-standards-scheme/ and download the appropriate 'related document' (v1.2)
The company points to research which showed that in the US, and despite the importance of annual health checks, 45.7% of cats did not visit a veterinary surgeon in the year the study was conducted. Of those, 41% cited the reason as their “cats did not get sick or injured.” Only 16% said they did not have the money to pay for a veterinary visit.1,2
Apparently, a more recent poll by International Cat Care (ICC) also found that 50% of cat owners struggle to get their cat into a carrier, which is obviously a barrier to taking their pet to the veterinary clinic.
To help more cats get to the vet, International Cat Care has developed educational materials and a range of training aids including free online training videos, podcasts, emails and giveaways. They're available at: https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day.
Dr. Michael McFarland, Chief Medical Officer at Zoetis, said: "Many cat owners find it incredibly difficult and stressful getting cats into a carrier. As a result, many are reluctant to take their cat to their veterinarian unless they have a major health issue.
“Cats are intelligent animals and we want owners to know that they respond well to training. The ICC survey found that owners who use positive training and rewards find it much easier to get their cats into a carrier, so we are delighted to support the #BeCatCurious campaign this year.
“Visits to the veterinarian and giving medicines when needed are essential if we want to keep our pets healthy and protected, for example against parasites. So, encouraging owners to be more curious and to learn something new with their cat can not only strengthen the bond between them but also make life easier and healthier for cats and their owners.
References
Dr David Reese, Director of VetCT Australia and a Diplomate in veterinary diagnostic imaging will present: "Leveraging CT to Diagnose and Manage Unusual Pets", followed by a Q&A session.
David said: “This webinar is a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge about optimising imaging for exotic animals to reach an accurate diagnosis.
"The field of exotics imaging has rapidly advanced in recent years.
"With the increasing use of CT alongside traditional radiography, we can see so much more and provide high-quality reports to our client practices that empower them to give great care.
"We’re excited to support Exotic Vet Support with this CPD programme.”
Attendees will also receive an exclusive discount for the Exotic Vet Support Asia-Pacific (EVSAP) Conference 1st-2nd March 2024 in Sydney.
A recording of the webinar will be available after the live session, and for attendees of the EVSAP Conference.
Register here: https://vetct.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i_8KgMbPSeGZ-i7AbxaDqw#/registration
Anyone - clients, colleagues or mentors - can nominate a young vet who they think has exceptional clinical skills, a particular passion for equine welfare or great leadership skills.
To be eligible nominees need to be members of BEVA, have graduated within the past seven years and be a registered professional with the appropriate body (eg RCVS).
BEVA Council Member Gemma Dransfield said: “We all know that one superstar who's brilliant with patients, fantastic with clients, and just an all-round legend in the making."
“This is your chance to give them the recognition they deserve.
"The BEVA One To Watch Award recognises those who are shaping the future, setting new standards in equine care, and driving the next generation of equine veterinary excellence.
"Not only will they have the glowing accolade of winning, but they will also win some career-boosting perks.”
To put an individual forward for consideration, a seconder is needed and either the nominator or seconder must be a BEVA member.
All nominations will be reviewed by a panel of experts comprising a BEVA Careers Committee representative, a senior equine vet, a non-equine veterinary professional and an external industry representative or client.
Up to five finalists will be selected and invited for a friendly online chat with the judging panel.
The winner will be announced at BEVA Congress and will be presented with a trophy, one year of BEVA membership, a fully paid BEVA Congress experience (including a one-day pass, overnight stay, and ticket to the annual dinner) and an exclusive career-boosting opportunities with BEVA to help take their career to the next level.
All finalists will receive a one-day ticket to BEVA Congress.
www.beva.org.uk/About-us/What-we-do/BEVA-Awards/One-to-watch
Petplan has announced the winner of the 'ChiWOWhua' competition which took place at BSAVA Congress in April, and offers a guide to pet insurance in practice.
Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital was chosen out of more than 800 entries from across the UK. The staff at the practice were delighted after winning £1000 which they plan to spend on computer equipment which includes a new laptop and a state of the art printer.
Matt Ingram, Partner at Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital commented, "We were absolutely ecstatic when we found out that we won the competition. The prize money will allow us to promote pet health through weight watcher clinics by taking before and after photographs of clients' pets and educate our clients about responsible pet ownership. We will also use it to document the progression of a case study as part of our 'Pet of the Month' programme. We are very grateful and would like to thank Petplan for their ongoing support in the veterinary industry".
The competition's objective was to inform veterinary staff about the simple ways for practices to promote pet insurance to their uninsured client. There is still some confusion amongst staff as to what they can and cannot talk about. With this in mind, Petplan has produced a "Siameasy guide" for veterinary practices to show just how quick and easy promoting pet insurance can be. This guide provides ideas on when to mention insurance, the promotional materials available from Petplan as well as guidelines on insurance regulation.
Petplan says all practices can promote the benefits of pet insurance regardless of their regulatory status. For a free copy of the Siameasy guide, email vetline@petplan.co.uk or call Vetline on 0800 316 8800.
A new award aims to ‘reward innovative and outstanding work' by a veterinarian, in the field of pain management in companion animals or horses.
The Merial Animal Health sponsored initiative was announced at a recent Pain Management Symposium held in Croatia.
Applications are now being invited for the first Merial European Pain Management Award. Case histories may relate to pain in connection with osteoarthritis, surgery, oncology or pain due to other causes.
Dr Frédéric Beugnet, technical director at Merial, Lyon explained: "The objective is to share knowledge for a better understanding, recognition, scoring and control of pain in companion animals."
Worth €3000 to the winner, the 2008 award will be presented at the 2009 Merial Pain Management Symposium to be held next spring. Applications should be made in English in an electronic format and include a short abstract (max. 500 words) of the work the applicant wishes to submit, a CV and a completed application form.
The deadline for submission is 1st November 2008. Application forms are available from Merial, please email: ukcompanionanimal@merial.com with "Merial Pain Management Award 2008" as the subject header.
Greendale Veterinary Diagnostics has announced a partnership with a referral practice in order to provide general practitioners with additional support and advice with their exotic cases.
Through this partnership, Birch Heath Veterinary Clinic will provide interpretation of test results and practical advice for Greendale clients wishing to discuss perplexing cases.
Steve Clarke, Business Development Manager at Greendale said: "Exotic veterinary work relies heavily on diagnostic laboratory investigation, and Greendale's technical excellence, combined with Birch Heath's clinical expertise, provides a unique service for veterinary surgeons treating the increasing number of exotic pets seen in the UK."
In addition, the company has produced a new brochure which gives advice concerning how to obtain blood samples from exotic species. Each brochure contains a voucher for one free sample submission to encourage vets to gain confidence in our new service.
For a copy of the brochure or further information, call: 01483 797707.
Merial has launched a new website where you can test your NSAID knowledge and get the chance to win a £50 book voucher. There’s a new winner every month.
The website, http://www.osteoarthritisindogs.co.uk is designed to help practice staff understand more about canine osteoarthritis (OA) and effective management of the condition. The site covers every aspect of canine OA, including treatments and non-pharmacological management strategies. There is also a section for dog owners where practice staff can direct their customers for further information.
Merial product manager Claire Parry-Baggott said: “The practice section is password protected but registration is quite straightforward. The test itself consists of 10 multi-choice questions and your test results are returned within a matter of a few seconds.”
Claire added: "Canine osteoarthritis is a challenging area on its own but is further complicated by the choice of NSAIDs that serve the market. All NSAIDs inhibit the COX-2 enzyme which plays the key role in the development of pain and inflammation. However, traditional NSAIDs also inhibit COX-1 to widely varying degrees. This is a beneficial enzyme that plays an important role in normal physiological functioning. The resulting unwanted side-effects of COX-1 inhibition may hinder therapy, however this is not yet recognised by many vet practices.
“This site will help vets and practice staff better understand canine OA, whilst giving a clearer picture of how different NSAID’s interact with COX-1 and COX-2. The new generation NSAID – firocoxib (Previcox®), selects COX-2 whilst sparing COX-1 and so is a real step forward in the treatment of canine OA.”
Bayer has unveiled a major TV marketing campaign to promote Drontal.
An advertising campaign featuring the Drontal Schnauzer will run for two months. In addition, the company is sponsoring the TV series The Dog Whisperer, which is due to be aired from October to December this year.
The company is also launching a competition to enable owners to show off their pets and win a number of prizes. They include appearing in a double page spread in Your Dog and Your Cat magazines, holidays at pet-friendly hotels, digital cameras, shopping vouchers, pet accessories and much, much more! Pet owners will be able to submit photos, videos and stories to http://www.mypetsuperstar.com/ which has four competition categories:
Dan White, Drontal product manager said: "My Pet Superstar aims to celebrate the unique traits and talents that make us love and take pride in our pets. Visitors to the website will be able to vote for their favourite entries and even post these to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. With four very different categories, this competition will be wide open to all dog and cat owners. Our motto is that healthy pets are happy pets, and we will use the competition to remind dog and cat owners about the benefits of regular worming.
Practices can get involved by displaying waiting room materials including A4 static window posters, shelf wobblers and mobile hanging devices by calling 0845 257 4798.
Seven veterinary surgeons who took their final assessments at the University of Liverpool on 6 September have become the first to receive the postgraduate RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice with equine designations.
Dr Mark Holmes, a member of the RCVS sub-committee for the CertAVP who observed the assessments at Liverpool said: "I was very impressed by the quality of all the candidates and the diligence of the examination process.
"It is clear that candidates putting themselves forward for 'named' certificates have demonstrated particular interest in their chosen fields and place considerable value on passing their synoptic examination."
The modular certificates were introduced in 2007 to be a more flexible replacement for the old-style postgraduate certificates. Vets can now choose from 79 subject modules, with RCVS-accredited assessments offered by a range of universities. These institutions may also offer associated courses which vets can take to support their studies, although candidates are free to choose where and how they wish to study.
To build their credits into the full CertAVP qualification candidates must first enrol with the RCVS, which keeps a record of modules achieved. Candidates need to take two compulsory modules, and several of a range of optional modules, within ten years in order to receive the award. Candidates aiming for a designated award must choose specific modules from amongst the options, and additionally pass an overarching 'synoptic' assessment.
For more information about the individual modules and the qualification as a whole, prospective candidates can visit www.rcvs.org.uk/modcerts.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has established a new Foundation with a remit to improve global companion animal care through science and education.
The WSAVA Foundation, a not-for-profit body, is now identifying a range of potential projects, which it says are likely to include:
It is also identifying sources of funding, grants and partnerships with the veterinary pharmaceutical and pet nutrition sectors and other potential donors.
Dr Larry Dee, WSAVA Foundation President, former WSAVA President and co-owner of a large companion animal practice in Florida, said: "The creation of this new Foundation is one of the WSAVA's most exciting initiatives to date. We have an ambitious vision to improve global companion animal care through science and education.
With its establishment, global veterinary medicine now has a wonderful opportunity to utilize the networking resources and global 'connectivity' of WSAVA to deliver on its goal of improving companion care everywhere. We will be announcing details of our first initiatives shortly."
For further information on the WSAVA Foundation, please contact the WSAVA Secretariat at wsavasecretariat@gmail.com.
The interactive module, which lasts around 30 minutes, is presented by leading cardiologist Clarke Atkins, professor of medicine and cardiology at North Carolina State University.
A CPD certificate can be downloaded after completing a quiz at the end of the module.
To access the Cardio Academy visit http://www.cardioacademy.cevalearn.com/.
Life Technologies has announced the launch of a new ELISA test for bluetongue virus (BTV) antibodies.
According to the company, studies have confirmed that the LSI VET Ruminant Bluetongue II-serum ELISA can detect antibodies to BTV in experimentally infected sheep after 6 days, and in cattle after 7-8 days - several days sooner than some other commercially available test kits, including the company's previous ELISA test which the new product has replaced.
Life Technologies asked the UK's Pirbright Institute, the European Union Reference Laboratory for BTV, to conduct a preliminary assessment of the new test. The new test was able to detect antibodies in all 24 BTV reference sera and BTV 26 held by Pirbright, and showed high sensitivity in a longitudinal study of experimentally infected animals.
The Pirbright study also demonstrated that the LSI VET Ruminant Bluetongue II-serum ELISA could detect BTV antibodies in cattle and sheep that had been vaccinated with an inactivated Bluetongue vaccine.
The new test was developed by Life Technologies Animal Health in its research laboratory near Lyon in France and will be available in EU countries via Life Technologies Animal Health distributors according to local regulatory requirements (see www.lifetechnologies.com/lsi-animal-health) for details.
The University of Bristol, the Rabbit Council, the Pet Industry Federation, the RSPCA and the RWAF have come together for the first time to produce a vision for improving rabbit welfare.The new ten-point vision is based on recommendations resulting from research commissioned by the RSPCA and carried out by the university which found that the welfare needs of many companion rabbits are not being met. It has been endorsed by the Blue Cross, the BVNA, the National Office for Animal Health, PDSA and Wood Green.The Rabbit Welfare Vision Statement states that:All companion rabbits enjoy a good life in which they can experience positive welfare, ie good physical and psychological health) as well as being protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.All rabbits have access to an appropriate diet, known to optimise animal health and minimise the risk of disease. This includes having continual access to both good quality fibre-based material, eg hay or fresh grass, to eat and fresh, clean water.All rabbits live in an environment which meets their physical, social and behavioural needs, eg to run, jump, graze, dig, rest and stand up on their hind legs without their ears touching the roof.All rabbits are sold or rehomed to be kept in compatible pairs or groups.All rabbits are bred, reared and kept in a way known to minimise their chances of developing fear of handling and other stimuli.All rabbits are given regular preventative health care as recommended by veterinary experts, eg vaccinated against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), a virulent and fatal viral disease of rabbits, according to current vaccine licence recommendations.All rabbits are given appropriate and timely veterinary treatment to protect them from pain, disease and suffering.All those working with rabbits, including vets, retailers, breeders, rehoming organisations, undertake effective training programmes and have resources available to them on current good practice in housing and husbandry, the promotion of health and welfare, and the management of disease and welfare risks.All rabbit health and welfare advice and recommendations are based on international scientific knowledge and professional experience. The veterinary professions offers up-to-date expertise in recognition, management and prevention of disease and in practices to promote good welfare.The number of rabbits requiring rehoming, both privately and via rescue organisations, is minimised. Dr Nicola Rooney, Research Fellow in Animal Welfare and Behaviour at the University’s School of Veterinary Sciences, primary author of the strategy and who jointly led the original research, said: “We are delighted to have a vision for rabbit welfare that is strongly rooted in evidence-based information and it’s great that Bristol research is one of the key pieces of research underpinning the strategy.“There is a growing body of scientific understanding on how best to meet rabbits’ health and behavioural needs. Both myself and my colleague, Richard Saunders, are part of the strategy group moving this vision forward and we’re very happy that everyone has joined forces to take this on board.”Dr Jane Tyson, rabbit behaviour and welfare expert at the RSPCA said: “We are really excited that stakeholders in animal welfare, the pet industry, breeders and the veterinary profession have been able to come together to share this vision.“We share a common goal which is improving the lives of rabbits - one of Britain’s most popular pets, but also arguably one of the most misunderstood.”The University of Bristol says the next step will be to develop a roadmap to achieving the vision.
Of particular note is the guidance that prescriptions should no longer be written in mg/kg, as it may lead to errors when the dose is calculated.
The Standards and Advice update also answers questions about:
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/features/prescribing-pom-vs-joint-guidance-from-the-rcvs-and-vmd/
A European study undertaken in horses to evaluate the efficacy of the key anthelmintic molecules fenbendazole, pyrantel, ivermectin and moxidectin in treating equine cyathostomins, has confirmed that resistance is developing against all the molecules with the exception of moxidectin.
Resistance to fenbendazole was highlighted as a particular issue with 80% of the yards tested in the UK and Germany showing resistance. Resistance to pyrantel also proved to be increasingly prevalent while cases of ivermectin resistance were emerging.
The Fort Dodge-sponsored study, the largest of its kind so far undertaken, took place during 2008 and was led by scientific teams from veterinary faculties in Italy and Germany. It was based on Faecal Egg Count Reduction Tests (FECRTs) of 1,704 horses at 102 yards in Italy, Germany and the UK. The calculation of FECR data was performed employing bootstrap analysis of group arithmetic means.
The study concluded that:
According to Dr Donato Traversa from the University of Teramo, Italy, who headed up the field work, the results confirm that single and even multiple drug resistance in equine cyathostomins is an increasing challenge in all three countries with resistance to fenbendazole and pyrantel a particular concern.
He said: "Our research highlights the necessity for vets, owners and managers to use those anthelmintic molecules that remain most effective in a manner which preserves their efficacy for as long as possible."
Professor Georg von Samson Himmelstjerna from Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine, which participated in the research, added: "Given the strong impact that resistant cyathostomins are likely to have on horse welfare, future parasite control plans should be based on integrated measures, involving both the correct use of anthelmintics, such as administering the correct dosing according to the animals weight, and only using products in the species for which it is licensed, as well as other approaches such as adequate pasture hygiene, low stocking rates and mixed grazing with other animals.
"We call on all concerned with equine health and welfare to take an active role in planning and monitoring effective worm control programs."
The RCVS President and Principal of the RVC, Professor Stuart Reid, has announced that he is to run the London Marathon on 26 April, in aid of the RVC Animal Care Trust, the Veterinary Benevolent Fund (VBF) and Mind.
The RVC Animal Care Trust will use the funds to assist the student bodies at all of the UK veterinary schools. The VBF, through Vetlife, the Vet Helpline and the Veterinary Surgeons' Health Support Programme, offers specific assistance to members of the veterinary team. Mind has been working with the profession and the veterinary schools at all levels in developing approaches to mental health and wellbeing.
Stuart said: "As President of the RCVS and Principal of the RVC I feel that I am in a privileged position and I would like to take every opportunity to help break down the stigma associated with mental health and wellbeing, and to raise what I can to assist these three excellent charities in dealing with what is, sadly, a major issue for us.
"Most of all, I am doing it for the nine people I know personally who are no longer with us, and the many more who have found, and will find, help in time."
If you'd like to help Stuart meet his sponsorship target of £10,000, you can sponsor him at: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartReid.
The British Equine Veterinary Association's (BEVA) Equine Rescue Fund (ERF) has taken delivery of 'Howie the Rescue Horse', the UK's first lifesized model of a horse designed specially for training vets and firefighters
Howie will be used for the practical elements of the Rescue and Emergency Medicine Training for Equine Vets courses run by BEVA in partnership with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service's animal rescue specialists. He will also be taken on the road to vet schools and be loaned to fire and rescue services wishing to train firefighters in manual emergency equine handling techniques.
Howie was designed to the animal rescue specialist's exacting specifications by Wales-based company Big Beasts, which more usually creates bespoke models, creatures, and props for the film and television industry, as well as for museums and theme parks.
Howie has been named after Genitrix' managing director, Howard Wilder after the company (which makes equine joint treatments such as irap HY-50®Vet) stepped in to cover the significant production costs of the model.
Howard said: "Horse rescue is a complex and hazardous operation, both for the animal and those trying to rescue it and treat any injuries. As a company actively involved in equine care, we felt it was important to make a significant financial contribution to the Equine Rescue Fund. It's great that Howie has safely arrived and we hope he'll prove an important asset to the ERF."
Picture shows: Howie the Rescue Horse with (left to right) Howard Wilder and Buster Brown and Jim Green, Animal Rescue Specialists, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons last week ordered a month's suspension for a veterinary surgeon from Dolgellau for dishonest certification of bovine tuberculin testing in the Gwynedd area in early 2007.
At a hearing that concluded last Friday, Iwan Parry, a partner of The Veterinary Surgery, Bala Road, Dolgellau, and an Official Veterinarian, was charged with serious professional misconduct for certifying on eight separate occasions that he had tested and inspected cattle for clinical signs of bovine tuberculosis (TB), when he had not done so. At the outset of the hearing, Mr Parry denied the charges.
The Committee heard that Animal Health (a DEFRA Executive Agency) had discovered irregularities in TB testing paperwork from Mr Parry's practice. These included two locum veterinary surgeons, who were not Local Veterinary Inspectors (LVIs), having carried out TB pre-movement testing, but the relevant paperwork being signed and certified by Mr Parry. It therefore suspended him from LVI duties and lodged a complaint with the RCVS.
The Committee heard that, at the time, Mr Parry's practice was in difficulty as all eight of his assistant veterinary surgeons had recently left and he was struggling to maintain services. It was also reported that the incidence of bovine TB in Mr Parry's area was very low.
Under questioning, Mr Parry admitted that he had not done the testing, but had allowed non-LVI veterinary surgeons to do so and then signed the certificates himself. Denying the charge of dishonesty, he maintained that he had thought his actions were legitimate, providing he questioned the veterinary surgeons afterwards and checked their results. However, he told the Committee he now deeply regretted this "honest mistake", made at a time of great personal pressure, and that it would not be repeated.
The Committee also heard evidence from a number of character witnesses, including Mr Elfyn Llwyd MP, testifying to Mr Parry's good character, integrity and good standing in the local community and agricultural sector.
Nevertheless, in view of Mr Parry's long experience as an LVI, his understanding of the importance of routine herd testing and accurate veterinary certification and his reputation for keeping up to date with legislative and professional developments, the Committee decided that his actions were not just inappropriate, but were the result of conscious impropriety on his part. It found that he was not only guilty of dishonesty, but of allowing non-LVIs to perform TB testing, both of which amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In passing judgment, the Committee emphasised that the integrity of veterinary certification was of the utmost importance, especially when carried out on behalf of the Government, in order to safeguard animal health and facilitate international trade. It also felt that Mr Parry could not have failed to have been fully aware of what he was signing and that he should not have done so.
It was, however, prepared to take account of some exceptional mitigating factors in this case, including the low risk of TB spread following Mr Parry's actions; that no financial gain had been sought or received by him; his unblemished career and uprightness of conduct to date; the esteem in which he was held in the farming community and the potential (financial) impact on that community if he were to be removed from the Register (therefore unable to practise) for a significant period of time.
Nigel Swayne MRCVS, chairing the Disciplinary Committee, concluded: "We are reminded that the primary purpose of any sanction is not punishment, but the maintenance of public confidence in the profession and to uphold professional standards of conduct.
"Whilst only a reprimand is not an appropriate sanction where dishonesty and false certification have been found proved, and such findings would normally attract at least a long period of suspension, given the wholly exceptional circumstances of this case and the strength of the mitigating factors, we direct that Mr Parry should be suspended for one month."
Merial has launched a 'Vaccination Back on Track' promotion via vet practices that administer Merial vaccines.
Under the scheme, owners of all horses over 12 months of age that have not yet been vaccinated against equine influenza or are overdue a booster obtain a primary vaccination course at an attractive discounted rate. A tetanus component is also available if required.
Dr Emma Batson from Merial said: "With continuing cases of equine flu recorded in the UK, and a global increase in the number of serious outbreaks, it has never been more important to ensure that horses are protected against this underestimated threat.
"It's often not fully understood that equine flu can be transferred indirectly via inanimate objects such as horse boxes, fencing or human clothing. With just 37% of horses in the UK estimated to be vaccinated, this leaves a significant naive and vulnerable population at risk".
Merial says there is no limit on the number of horses that can be vaccinated, making it a particularly attractive offer for those with more than one horse or yard(s).
Participating practices have the option to run the scheme in any month between now and December 2009. For information, contact your Merial Territory Manager.