The Bella Moss Foundation (BMF) and Oncore Online Learning have announced the launch of a 2 week online training course developed to help veterinary professionals implement rigorous, tailored infection controls in practice.
Practical Infection Control is delivered online as a fully tutored course and students will have access to Oncore's virtual learning environment which will host a lecture, learning materials and discussion forums.
Course materials and ongoing tutor support and assessment will be provided by VN lecturer and BMF advisor Louise O'Dwyer. As part of the course, students will be able to create and implement their own tailored infection control standard operating procedures for their practice, which will be evaluated by Louise.
Course registration is now open, and as soon as a minimum of eight students are booked, the first two week course will go live. Practical Infection Control costs £129 and counts for six hours of documented CPD. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to BMF, to help the charity continue to fund veterinary education and support for pet owners seeking advice on antimicrobial resistant infections.
Louise O’Dwyer said: "This will be a highly interactive course which will be tailored to the individual delegate, and therefore the individual practices. "It will have a different learning format to many other CPD courses, being interactive and very much driven by delegate feedback, meaning those undertaking the course can gain the specific information they need on aspects such as prevention of surgical site infections, cleaning and disinfection, surgical patient preparation and hand hygiene." Jill Macdonald, RVN and founder of ONCORE Online Learning, said: "Infection control is a key component of any practice routine, but in my experience having clear and up-to-date practice guidelines and protocols – that everyone actually uses – can sometimes be overlooked.
"This module, especially timely given new official focus on infection safeguards in the PSS, will empower nurses and other staff to implement the most recent and robust infection control methods, whatever their place of work, whether it be a small local practice or a large veterinary hospital."
To register for Practical Infection Control or find out more about the range of courses offered by ONCORE, visit www.oncoreepd.co.uk or contact info@oncoreepd.co.uk or 07717 335484 To find out more about BMF, visit: www.thebellamossfoundation.com
Instead of the traditional format, where one expert, perhaps two, come and lecture on a subject, IVC has gathered together experts from different disciplines to give their differing perspectives on a subject, each talking for 30 minutes.
For example, you'll be able to hear about BOAS surgery from the perspective of a Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine, an anaesthetist, a Specialist in Small Animal Surgery and a Specialist Surgical Nurse.
Collapse will be covered by a neurologist, a cardiologist and an ECC specialist.
IVC says the aim is to make the sessions as concise and to-the-point, but as practical as possible, and you'll be able to come and meet the speakers on the stand afterwards.
Richard Artingstall (MBA, MA, Vet MB, CertSAS, MRCVS, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery) from Vale Referrals and the IVC Evidensia Referrals Strategy Group, said: "Working our Referrals and Equine streams like this gives delegates the opportunity to gain a real insight, from different disciplines, into how our specialists work up a case.
"The lectures will offer practical, discipline-based guidance, looking at clinical presentations and problems from different discipline perspectives. Our hope is that this will help delegates in decision making and planning case management plans for these more tricky case presentations in practice. I think it will be incredibly useful for them and I can’t wait to be there."
More information: https://london.vetshow.com/ivc-clinical-theatre
The SPVS Salary Survey provides a benchmark of remuneration levels in the profession, including basic earnings, bonuses, dividends, overtime, accommodation, car allowances and pensions.
The main survey findings will be published in a report which will be shared with anyone who takes part and gives their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be given the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
The Association says all responses are treated as strictly anonymous and totally confidential, and thanks everyone in advance who decides to take part.
To take part, visit: https://spvs.org.uk/salary-survey-2021.
If you have any questions about the survey, email office@spvs.org.uk.
The survey of 76 vets and nurses, which was conducted by the company in September and October 2024, found that 43% believe that staff wellbeing could be improved within their practice.
It also found that 93% agreed it is important for staff wellbeing to be taken seriously (Ed's note: one wonders what the other 7% think).
The most common strategies were:
NVS, which also sells a range of natural calming products for animals including NVS Select Calming Chews, also asked veterinary professionals how often they encounter nervous or stressed animals.
The answer from 92% of respondents was, perhaps a little unsurprisingly, daily.
82% said they use medications and supplements to support nervous animals.
https://www.nvsweb.co.uk/products/big-chill/
https://www.nvsweb.co.uk/our-brands/select-from-nvs
Mike Martin, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology, has launched a new reference library of cardiology echo scans on VetSurgeon.org.
The movies show cardiac scans performed on normal dogs, and on cats and dogs with a variety of different conditions, both acquired and congenital.
Mike said: "I hope these movies will be a really helpful reference for colleagues who have an interest in cardiology. They provide so much more information than can be gleaned from a still image in a textbook, now that online video quality has improved so much."
Mike's gallery is an excellent example of the way in which a social networking website like VetSurgeon allows its members to share information and collaborate. Other referral practitioners interested in having their own gallery in which to share videos or images with colleagues in the profession should contact the site editor, Arlo Guthrie for further details.
Click here to visit Mike Martin's Cardiology Gallery
Earlier in the year, we conducted a survey of veterinary surgeons to ask what you felt were the biggest problems with using Facebook as a way to share or discuss clinical information.
According to the survey, veterinary surgeons felt the greatest problem with Facebook is that you cannot see the professional qualifications of those contributing to a discussion, so unless you know them offline, you have no context for what they post. Even in closed groups, it can be hard, if not impossible to know whether you are talking to someone with many years' experience, or virtually none; an RCVS Specialist, or a general practitioner, or a veterinary nurse.
The father of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee recognised transparency as one of the most significant problems with the Internet during the Dimbleby Lecture at the end of last year. He said:
“Another problem people are perhaps increasingly aware of, particularly more recently, has to do with the fact that much of the web has insufficient accountability. There is by design, no approval system people need to go to, to share their information online. They don’t have to come and ask me to post something. So as soon as someone posts something on the web it can be viewed by a huge number of people. This seemed to work when people posted as individuals with their own reputations at stake. But now we have systems which create fake accounts and there are millions of automated systems, bots we call them, for robots, on social media platforms spreading messages of hate and conflict
"Because of this, misinformation has been spreading rapidly. There are not enough systems holding these people and this information to account. They should be testing the truthfulness of the information organisations and individuals are putting online.”
Whilst it is perhaps unlikely that malign foreign governments have been infiltrating veterinary Facebook groups to spread discord or indeed that there are many individuals deliberately spreading misinformation in this small profession, Sir Tim's point is still highly relevant to the sharing of clinical information, advice, experience or opinion.
The problem is that Facebook gives equivalence to everyone's opinion, an equivalence they simply do not deserve.
Sir Tim is right, you should indeed be questioning the truthfulness, or rather the accuracy of clinical information and opinions posted by colleagues online, and the starting point for that is knowing who posted it, and what qualifications they hold.
The new VetSurgeon.org discussion forums make an important step forward with that, by displaying the year and place of qualification next to posts, together with veterinary postnominals, taken from members' full VetSurgeon Profiles. We're also going to make it compulsory for contributing referral practitioners to complete their profile before posting.
The other biggest problems identified in the survey are how quality information gets drowned in a sea of 'me too' replies on Facebook, how it is difficult to refer back to old posts with useful information and how information is badly curated, making it hard to find what interests you.
On VetSurgeon.org content is now curated both by type, for example forum or news posts, and by areas of clinical interest, which each have their own group you can join and subscribe to. That makes it easier for referral practitioners or postgrad students to follow just their specific area of interest, or for anyone just trying to find information quickly.
We also asked what we could do to encourage you to visit VetSurgeon.org more often for clinical discussions. 62% of you said: 'improve the ease of use on smartphones' and 50.9% said: 'create a way for you to put a question to a group of expert clinicians'.
So that is what we've done (or are doing).
The new VetSurgeon discussion forums have been significantly enhanced for mobile phones. The new main navigation makes it far easier to find your way around the site. You can now reply to forum posts on the same page as the original post, which may sound like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. Elsewhere, we've optimised our use of the more limited space available.
Very soon, we'll be unveiling another feature designed to improve the quality of online clinical discussions, and to stop them drowning in a sea of me too replies. In our new Expert Help Forums, all members will be able to ask a clinical question, but only referral practitioners and selected expert general practitioner members will be able to reply (so long as they display their credentials, of course). When they do, they'll get proper recognition for their help, something which is again missing from Facebook.
With all this talk of better standards of clinical discussions on VetSurgeon.org, it is also worth reminding everyone that time spent in the forums counts towards your annual CPD requirement too. Just click the 'Claim CPD' button in the title.
Finally, as with any building project of this magnitude, there are inevitably some snags. Things that don't work or display as expected, especially on older or more obscure devices. If you come across something like that, please do email details (your browser, version and device type) to support@vetsurgeon.org and we'll endeavour to get it fixed, pronto.
Photo: Arlo Guthrie, Editor www.vetsurgeon.org
Rubén Del Pozo Sacristán (pictured right), technical manager for pigs at MSD Animal Health UK, will be delivering the seminars.
He said: “At MSD Animal Health UK, we’re committed to helping further the knowledge and expertise of vets, so we have put together a series of seminars which will focus on common and demanding production challenges and diseases facing pig producers.”
The monthly seminars will be suitable for all vets, but especially those who are new to pig medicine.
Each seminar will be worth two to three hours of CPD time, with certificates available for all participants.
Rube added: “Of the 12 seminars we have planned, we’re hoping to hold four of these in a face-to-face capacity, with dinner included for those who attend, to allow for networking and further discussion.
The programme is as follows:
For more information on the academy, or to register your interest, speak to your MSD Animal Health account manager.
All MsRCVS were set an email with a voting link and a unique voter code.
The College says it will be writing to the few vets for whom it has no unique email address with further instructions.
There are 14 candidates standing this year and you can now cast your votes for up to three of them by 5pm on Friday 26 April 2024.
The candidates are:
The full biographies and statements for each candidate are available to read at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote24 where each candidate has also answered two questions of their choice submitted by members of the profession.
The three candidates who receive the most votes will take up their four-year terms on RCVS Council at the Annual General Meeting on Friday 5 July 2024.
Any vets who have not received their voting email should contact CES directly on support@cesvotes.com.
Virbac Animal Health has produced a Pet Oral Hygiene System point of sale kit for practice reception areas.
The pack includes information for owners on periodontal disease and gingivitis and advice on preventative routine care. It also provides guidance for owners who struggle to brush their pet's teeth correctly, including where to find Virbac CET 'You Tube' footage.
Virbac Oral Care product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS says still more is needed when it comes to oral home care: "Some experts state that four out of every five dogs over the age of three suffers from periodontal disease - despite this many pet owners have no form of oral care programme.
"The idea behind this kit is to highlight to owners the importance of oral hygiene at the time when they are in the most appropriate place to get expert advice!"
Packs are free to any practice spending £50.00 or more on the Virbac oral care range including VeggieDent chews and Vet aquadent drinking solution.
For more information contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
The British Veterinary Association has warned that political measures to reduce antimicrobial resistance in Europe and the UK are in danger of becoming kneejerk reactions that are not based on sound science.
The warning comes ahead of European Antibiotic Awareness Day on 18th November.
To mark the Awareness Day BVA President Peter Jones delivered a webinar to over 300 veterinary surgeons titled "Resisting antimicrobials - are we acting responsibly?" hosted by The Webinar Vet and available to view at www.thewebinarvet.com/bva-webinars.
Peter said: "Any measures to tackle antimicrobial resistance must be based on sound science. At the moment we are resisting calls from parliamentarians and pressure groups in Europe and the UK to significantly restrict a veterinary surgeon's right to prescribe and dispense medicines according to clinical and professional judgement.
"These calls do not reflect the available science. We know from the USA and Denmark that banning or restricting the use of certain antimicrobials in certain species has not reduced the incidence of resistance to certain organisms in humans. Banning the veterinary use of antimicrobials could have a severe impact on animal health and welfare without achieving the desired impact in humans.
"Scientists also agree that human prescribing is more likely to have an impact on human medicine than veterinary use; but that responsible prescribing is essential in both sectors.
"We fully support measures to encourage responsible veterinary use, particularly of those classes of antimicrobial that are critical for human use such as fluoroquinolones and 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins. The BVA responsible use poster states that these medicines should be reserved for clinical conditions that respond poorly to other classes of antimicrobials and where antibiotic sensitivity has been carried out, and that they should not be administered systematically to groups or flocks of animals except in very specific situations.
"Vets in the UK should be aware that the new Code of Professional Conduct states that they must be accountable for choices made on antimicrobial use. This is a very positive step forward in promoting the importance of responsible use."
The Waltham Equine Studies Group has announced the results of two pieces of research designed to improve understanding of the best nutritional support for older horses, whether they are healthy or diagnosed with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID or Cushing's).
The first study: A comparison of nutrient digestibility between adult and aged horses, conducted by the Department of Large Animal clinical Sciences and Animal Science, Michigan State University and The Waltham Equine Studies Group, confirmed (in contrast to earlier work) that there was no difference in digestibility between healthy adult and aged horses when fed a variety of common equine diets.1
In the second study: Characterisation of the faecal bacterial community in adult and elderly horses fed a high fibre high oil or high starch diet, the Institute of Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, The Waltham Equine Studies Group and Michigan State University used the same horses as the previous study but this time looked at their gut microflora. The results showed that although no significant differences in individual species of bacteria were found, ageing was, however, associated with a reduction in bacterial diversity. This, say the authors, may in part explain why older animals can be at increased risk of intestinal disturbances.2
An abstract that summarised part of the Waltham Equine Studies Group's work on the effect of additional supplementation on aged horses with and without PPID was presented at the 2nd Dorothy Havermeyer Geriatric Workshop in the USA last November.3 This work, carried out in conjunction with Dr Amanda Adams at the University of Kentucky showed that age is key in influencing inflammation and metabolism rather than whether the horse is PPID positive or not.
Professor Pat Harris, head of the Waltham Equine Studies Group, said: "For the parameters we monitored, the research showed that it is being old that is the issue, rather than having PPID."
Clare Barfoot RNutr and the research and development manager at Spillers said: “This should give us a better understanding of the effects of diet and age on metabolism in order to determine optimal nutrition for the senior horse. Preliminary work suggests that this new research may change the way we think of feeding the older horse. Waltham’s work continues to ensure that Spillers feeds remain at the forefront of equine nutrition, for the better health of horses everywhere.”
References
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: “The original setup, which reorders a list of available positions by distance from a location, works very well when you know where you want to work.
"The new VetSurgeon Jobs Map, on the other hand, is ideal for when you’re not sure where exactly you want to work, and just want to know what’s out there.
"We’ve also added a 'World Jobs Map' so that there’s a quick and easy way to see any jobs outside the UK, such as those currently advertised in Bahrain, South Africa and Ireland."
The VetSurgeon Jobs Map is the latest in a string of new features added since a small charge was introduced for advertising jobs in May, including Find our jobs on VetSurgeon, Share & Reward and the VetSurgeon Locums Map. The same features have also been added over on VetNurse Jobs, too.
Arlo said: "Now that we charge for advertising on VetSurgeon Jobs, I’m interested in only one thing, which is offering both job seekers and recruiters the best service available anywhere."
The Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs has marked the 10th anniversary of the Pet Travel Scheme with the release of some interesting facts and figures...
The scheme started on 28 February 2000 when owners were first able to travel to and from the UK without placing their pets in quarantine, as long as they fulfilled certain important disease control criteria.
A pug called Frodo Baggins was the first animal to travel with a pet passport and since then, 660,000 pet journeys have been made using pet passports.
60 per cent of the pets that have travelled under the scheme belong to UK owners. Animals from Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands make up about another 20 per cent.
According to Defra, the scheme was set up in response to growing demand from owners to travel with their pets, and the declining risk of disease allowed these changes to be made. In 2004 the European Union followed the UK's lead and introduced a similar system for all Member States which has also proved very successful.
Defra says the success of the scheme is fully demonstrated by the fact that it has not been associated with a single case of rabies. Animal Welfare Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "The Pet Travel Scheme was set up to enable British animal owners to enjoy travelling with their pets when they need to. The success of the scheme shows that responsible pet ownership makes a large contribution to managing disease risks effectively."
As rabies in Europe steadily reduces, and with EU harmonised rules continuing to successfully control rabies, Defra says it is monitoring developments in vaccination and disease management in the EU and round the world to ensure that the UK has the most effective and proportionate controls possible as circumstances continue to change.
National Veterinary Services has announced the winners of its 'Cyclone' competition held at BSAVA this year.
Visitors to the company's stand were asked to climb into a perspex box and grab as many fast-moving balls as they could in 45 seconds. Balls meant points. Points meant prizes
Julie Godwin, NVS Marketing Manager said: "All entrants appeared to have a fabulous time with some coming back for more! It bought fabulous traffic to our stand and provided light hearted relief between lectures."
The four people who obtained the highest scores from each day were:
They were put into a prize draw with Paul Wilson being drawn for first prize of a mini laptop. The rest received quality food & wine hampers.
Merial Animal Health is inviting practitioners to submit original clinical pain management cases for The Previcox & Equioxx European Clinical Case Award for Excellence.
Set up last year, the award recognises excellence in pain management in companion animals and horses. Submitted cases will be evaluated for successful management of pain associated with osteoarthritis, surgery or other conditions in companion animals and horses using firocoxib.
Two winners will be selected and each awarded €1,000 and an invitation to present their clinical case during Merial's next European Pain Management Symposium in 2012, with all travel and accommodation expenses paid.
Open to all veterinary practitioners, the deadline for submission is December 1st 2011. For an application form please email agate.vanopstal@merial.com
Royal Canin has launched a new Skin Care family of dermatological diets, designed for the nutritional support of skin function in dogs with dermatosis unrelated to food intolerance or allergy.
At the same time, Royal Canin has also launched DermAlliance, a campaign to improve skin care knowledge in general veterinary practice. The 2011/2012 DermAlliance campaign will include educational initiatives such as free CPD webinars, a training roadshow, case study collaborations and competitions to win skin disease reference materials.
Gudi Stuttard BVSc MRCVS, Royal Canin's Veterinary Support Manager, said: "The Skin Care diets (available for adult dog, adult small dog and junior small dog) offer veterinarians a proven1 option for the nutritional management of dogs with common skin problems.
She added: "The large volume of skin cases we see in general practice necessitates a certain level of expertise in small animal dermatology and we believe our new Skin Care range, coupled with the creation of our dedicated DermAlliance educational campaign, will help promote greater clarity in an often confusing clinical area."
According to Royal Canin, Skin Care diets help in the nutritional management of dogs with reactive skin; they contain a patented complex to help maintain the barrier effect of the skin and high levels of essential fatty acids to help support healthy skin reactions. They also contain a synergistic complex of antioxidants to help support natural defences, and nutrients to help maintain a healthy digestive system and contribute to good oral health.
Reference
1 In a multi-centre trial on 47 dogs, the average CADESI (canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index) score of all dogs improved by a factor of three over three months of being fed Skin Care exclusively. Average CADESI scores increased again after dogs returned to their original diets.
The RCVS reports that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has now finalised the new microchip regulations for England, which include a provision that dog breeders and other individuals who wish to implant microchips and have no previous approved training, must undergo a compulsory training course.
While veterinary surgeons were exempted from this training, Defra initially envisaged that veterinary nurses would be required to undertake it. In a joint letter, that was followed by negotiations with Defra, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), stressed that registered veterinary nurses are already sufficiently trained to be able to safely implant a microchip, and would be doing so under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.
Defra subsequently has agreed that registered veterinary nurses are already sufficiently qualified to implant microchips, and will therefore be exempt from further training requirements when new legislation comes in for England. Wales and Scotland are currently considering the details of implementation.
The Royal College says it is also aware of new Defra microchipping guidelines for England which make it compulsory to report adverse reactions (including migration from the site of implantation) or the failure of a microchip. Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "There is some concern in the profession about this requirement, but Defra have said that they would not enforce this regulation via the courts, or seek to impose fines. The RCVS is likely to amend its supporting guidance later this year to clarify that veterinary surgeons should make appropriate reports, similar to reports for adverse reactions to veterinary medicines. In each case reports can be made online to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate."
To help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as well as practices, raise awareness of owners' legal obligation to microchip their dogs, the BVA has posters available for all three regions (England, Scotland and Wales) that can be displayed in waiting rooms and surgeries. The posters are available to download from the BVA website: www.bva.co.uk.
BVA President John Blackwell said: "As a founding member of the Microchipping Alliance, which campaigned for compulsory microchipping together with dog welfare organisations, local authorities and others, BVA is delighted with the progress that has been made and it is very good indeed to be less than a year away from mandatory microchipping across the UK.
"But this is where the work begins for veterinary surgeons and nurses. We need to work hard to make owners aware of the new law throughout this year, with animals microchipped as far in advance of the deadline as possible.
"We also need to ensure that microchipping does the job it is intended to do. This process will be helped very much by not compelling veterinary nurses to undertake additional training when they already undertake minor acts of veterinary surgery that are much more complex procedures than implanting a microchip."
The final deadline for paying the fee was 31 May 2017, with the 339 who did not pay being removed on 1 June 2017, compared to 296 last year.
A list of those who have not paid their fee has been published on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/about-the-rcvs-register/) and the College is encouraging practices to check the list to be sure that no employees are named. Those who have been removed from the Register but have subsequently paid to be restored are not named on the list.
Anyone removed from the Register can no longer call themselves a veterinary surgeon, use the postnominals MRCVS or carry out acts of veterinary surgery – to do so would be in breach of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
The College is also reminding veterinary surgeons that to complete their registration in full they need to confirm they are compliant with the continuing professional development (CPD) requirement and complete the criminal disclosures form. Both of these are required by the Code of Professional Conduct and can be completed on the ‘My Account’ area www.rcvs.org.uk/login.
Anyone with queries about completing the registration process should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk.
Thousands of shipments of equine germinal product (semen, ova or embryos) are imported into the UK every year. It is a legal requirement for all imported equine semen to be accompanied to the place of destination (usually to the side of the mare) by an original, valid health certificate (ITAHC), issued in the country of origin.
The BEVA says that recently, consignments of equine semen have been imported without the appropriate health certificates meaning that there is no guarantee that the semen is free from the stated diseases or even that it is from the chosen stallion.
According to the Association, some well-known importing agents have been advising mare owners that these certificates are unnecessary and openly criticising veterinary surgeons who refuse to inseminate mares with uncertified imported semen.
The use of uncertified semen risks recipient mares being infected with diseases such as CEM or EVA, the potentially rapid spread of disease in breeding stock and eventual restrictions being placed on breeding premises. Recent outbreaks of Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) in Europe have increased the threat to the UK herd.
The personal and professional reputation of any veterinary surgeon involved with using uncertified semen is also in danger, with the RCVS likely to take a stringent line with any vets who disregard animal health laws and the high health status of British horses.
Malcolm Morley, Partner at Stable Close Equine Practice was recently placed in a difficult position with a longstanding client when semen arrived without the requisite documentation. Following a discussion between the semen importer and his client, where the client was told that Malcolm was being pedantic and that the client should find someone else to inseminate the mare, Malcolm contacted the importer saying: "We have no intention of inseminating the mare without the correct health papers. Please will you ensure that when you speak to the mare’s owner that you make it clear that you do not expect us to inseminate the mare in these circumstances and that the health papers should have been shipped with the semen."
Another BEVA member who wishes to remain anonymous said: "I have one very big client I think I may be about to lose because of my refusal to inseminate his mare without papers … (the importing stud) did not feel it worth a three hour drive to get papers done. The semen importer has made it clear to my client that (they believe) I am just being awkward."
Mark Bowen Senior Vice president of BEVA said: "Import agencies have placed additional pressure on the vets to inseminate mares without the necessary paperwork. Not only is this action illegal but places recipient mares under a direct threat from a notifiable and incurable disease. This seems particularly cavalier given the recent outbreaks of EIA across Europe."
Tullis Matson, Founder and Managing Director of Stallion AI Services said: "No one should be inseminating mares with imported semen that isn’t accompanied by the original health certificate. If the UK wants to retain its high health status and continue to utilise the international market it needs the breeding industry and the veterinary profession to use the disease controls that are currently place until such a time as we can implement more efficient system."
The BEVA says it is taking the following action:
The Veterinary Marketing Association has 10 tickets available for its annual debate being held at the House of Lords on Tuesday October 12th, this year entitled: Internet Pharmacies - Opportunity or Threat?
The debate will be chaired by Professor Sandy Trees, and the panel will comprise:
The debate kicks off at 10:30am, and is followed by lunch at 12:30pm on the famous terrace, overlooking the Thames.
VetSurgeon members may buy tickets at the lower VMA member price of £120 + VAT, which includes the champagne reception and three course lunch with wine.
Click here for more information.
By becoming a Stonewall Diversity Champion, the RCVS joins over 750 other organisations who are striving to create workplaces that are equal, inclusive and accepting.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Deputy CEO and Director of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: "We are delighted to be working with Stonewall and will benefit greatly from its expertise and energy. These may not be easy issues to tackle but we hope that this tie-up with Stonewall will, in itself, send a positive message of our intent to take the issues seriously and make the RCVS, and the veterinary profession at large, as inclusive as possible.
"There are three aspects to the work we plan: first, to ensure the RCVS is a welcoming and accepting employer by integrating inclusion and diversity into all aspects of our organisation; second, to review our policies and procedures around areas such as registration, to make sure that they take account of the diversity within the veterinary profession; and, finally, through our Mind Matters Initiative, we aim to work with our partners to develop inclusive workplaces throughout the veterinary profession. The ability to be oneself in the workplace has a big impact on mental health and wellbeing so it’s a core issue for Mind Matters."
The College says that the move to link up with Stonewall came about as a result of discussions with Mat Hennessey, President of the British Veterinary Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group, who said: "We are extremely excited about the collaboration between the RCVS and Stonewall, and feel this positive move to culture equality and inclusivity will benefit the profession as a whole. Stonewall is the largest LGBT+ charity in the UK and Europe and thus has a wealth of knowledge and resources relating to LGBT+ issues. We look forward to continuing to work with both parties during this important venture."
Abby Crawford, Public Sector Client Manager at Stonewall, said: "We know that LGBT staff can face specific barriers in the workplace and it’s great that the RCVS has taken a strong commitment to LGBT equality in this way. We look forward to working with them to create more inclusive environments for their staff and service users – working towards a world where all lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are accepted without exception."
There are three awards, two ruminant and one companion animal, of up to £4,000 each. Each project needs to be completed within 1-2 years and the veterinary practitioner proposals will be judged by university academics to ensure independent assessment.
Michelle Townley, Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health (pictured right), herself a winner of an MSD bursary in 2001, said: "Our existing Research Bursaries are well-known amongst practitioners focusing on ruminants, having run for 6 years. For the first time, however, we are offering a broader level of support which includes both ruminant and companion animal practitioners. Our aim is to engage as many people as possible as we view our investment in research, and the pursuit of new knowledge, as the lifeblood of the veterinary industry."
The deadline for entries is 30th November 2017.
For further information, visit: www.msd-animal-health.co.uk/researchbursary.aspx.
BCF Technology has launched a new bovine reproduction clinical booklet which can now be ordered free from the company.
BCF says the booklet has been specifically designed as a reference guide for the reproductive tract of the cow, providing key clinical commentary and scanning images to show various stages of the fertility and reproductive processes.
The booklet was written by Kimberly Palgrave, BS BVM&S RCVS, BCF's in-house vet, and aims to help the user understand the value in using ultrasound for heard fertility management.
The company says the booklet provides essential information which will be useful to its Easi-Scan and Duo-Scan customers. The correct evaluation of the bovine reproductive tract is an essential aspect of both beef and dairy herd management and this 16 page booklet could help the user either to decide or reaffirm its interpretation.
Kimberly said: "This booklet really demonstrates BCFs commitment to learning and hopefully it will provide a quick reference guide to be used on the farm. It's ideal for students and those new to using ultrasound for cattle reproduction."
To order your free copy, visit the BCF website http://www.bcftechnology.com/, telephone +44 (0)1506 460023 or email info@bcftechnology.com.
Novartis Animal Health has announced the launch of a new campaign called Prepare, Predict, Prevent and designed to raise awareness of blowfly strike management in sheep.
The campaign will include new industry research, an expert-led report, and information tailored to farmers, veterinary surgeons and SQPs. The campaign is aimed at improving awareness of blowfly strike management, with a particular focus on prevention.
In the UK, blowfly strike (myiasis) occurs on over 80 per cent of sheep farms2. If untreated, strike can severely affect the welfare of infested sheep, and may result in death. For farmers, poor management of blowfly strike brings economic costs in terms of the loss of animal, production losses and in terms of treatment and control of the disease, which is easily spread.
Furthermore, previous research from the University of Bristol4, which simulated the pattern of parasite growth in different climate-dependent environments, showed that an increase in average temperature of 3 degrees Celsius would be enough to quadruple the incidence of strike in ewes and double the rate in lambs. This is a growing concern, with climate change models for the UK suggesting that over the next 50 years summer temperatures are set to increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius and winter temperatures by 2.5 degrees Celsius5.
Research conducted at the 2013 Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA) Annual Conference indicated that, in the past five years, many believe the blowfly strike season is lasting longer and beginning earlier in the year, with the majority of early reported cases occurring unexpectedly in March. The findings have prompted a wider survey from Novartis Animal Health, which is urging SQPs, farmers and key opinion leaders nationwide to contribute answers at: www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk/fleecebind-questionnaire.
Katherine Openshaw, Ectoparasiticides Category Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "This has always been a serious issue for the sheep industry and elevated temperature is likely to bring about increased levels of blowfly strike and a longer season.
"We recognise the need to evolve attitudes towards parasite control and to provide farmers and prescribers with the knowledge and tools needed to facilitate a better management of blowfly strike. The 'Prepare, Predict, Prevent' campaign is all about simple, yet effective, measures to prevent the occurrence of blowfly strike, which can be enough to ensure farmers are protected from the potentially devastating impacts of flock infestation, offering season peace of mind.
"We have developed a range of materials to aid prescribers in promoting preventative solutions to farmers; these include farmer leaflets, posters and counter displays. We will also be offering training support so prescribers are best equipped to help farmers make informed decisions about preventative blowfly solutions."
The Animal Health Trust is calling for all small animal practitioners to help with a prospective survey study on breed differences in clinical features in canine hyperadrenocorticism.
The Trust is asking vets that diagnose a case of spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism to complete an online questionnaire at bit.ly/aht-cushing.
The questionnaire should take 10 minutes to complete and all the information will be processed anonymously. Each questionnaire submitted has a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher. On completing the survey, participants can ask to be notified of the results of this study when available.
Researchers say they hope this data will help veterinary surgeons in the diagnosis of canine hyperadrenocorticism, and ask that everyone helps spread the word about the study.
If you have any queries about this study, please contact michael.bennaim@aht.org.uk