The Livestock Adviser of the Year Award recognises those who have made a real difference to the operations of livestock farmers.
Julian focuses on dairy cow health and his particular interests include nutrition and benchmarking herd performance. Amongst other things, he has helped one large Dorset dairy farm reduce its antibiotic usage by two thirds over an eight year period.
Julian said: "I was honoured to be named Livestock Adviser of the Year. This work is my passion – I love working together with farmers, getting involved in all aspects of herd management and thinking through different options to improve herd health and productivity."
Runners up for the award were Phil Baynes, Managing Director of Baynes Nutrition, and Ed Hill, veterinary surgeon at Thrums Veterinary Group.
Friars Moor, Baynes Nutrition and Thrums Veterinary Group are all members of the XLVets community of independent veterinary practices.
Alice Renner, Farm Marketing Executive of XLVets, said: "We were so pleased to hear of these awards going to such hard-working and deserving people. And it’s a great accolade for our members – reflecting how XLVets practices strive for clinical excellence and really get invested in the success of their clients."
The gallery was traditionally held in-person at the NAVC’s annual Veterinary Expo & Meeting (VMX) in Florida.
Now, for the first time since it began in 2012, the gallery is accessible to everyone everywhere months before the live event in June.
The new Virtual VMX New Product Gallery went live this week and will run until 3rd September 2021. It showcases 21 new product innovations from the following companies: BioNote; Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health; Dechra Veterinary Products; Epicur Pharma; GVL; Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc.; Merck Animal Health; Neogen Corporation; Ogena Solutions; Purina; Royal Canin; Vetoquinol; Zoetis Petcare.
NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill said: "Each year, NAVC’s panel of experts select the most innovative new products and services to be showcased as part of the VMX Expo. We are excited to take this VMX staple and, for the first time, make it universally available to members of our global veterinary community everywhere.
"And they don’t have to wait until June to learn about and try these important new products. The VMX Virtual New Product Gallery launch is part of the NAVC’s expanding virtual portfolio which breaks down barriers of geography and time to make the best products the veterinary industry has to offer available to veterinary professionals worldwide.” The gallery is free to access. You can register here: https://vmxvirtual.simexpo.com/page/100
Nutraflex contains turmeric curcumin complex and boswellia extract, which Nutravet says work synergistically to support the natural systems that control inflammation.
The new product also contains glucosamine, a structural component of cartilage, and chondroitin sulphate to help maintain synovial fluid viscosity.
Nutravet claims the new product is fast acting, soothes stiff joints, aids long-term mobility, flexibility and joint structure, and supports the natural systems that control inflammation.
Chris Jones, Director at Nutravet said: “We’re delighted to be adding Nutraflex to our market-leading range of natural health products for pets.
"We’re always looking at ways of improving our products and Nutraflex provides our authorised stockists with a high strength veterinary exclusive joint support, supported by independent trial data, which works quickly to ultimately help pets that are suffering with joint stiffness.”
Nutraflex is available to order exclusively to authorised veterinary practices.
For more information, contact Nutravet on 0845 604 1688, email info@nutravet.co.uk or visit www.nutravet.com.
From the start of 2016, the RCVS will no longer allow veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses to enter undocumented continuing professional development (CPD) on their records.
Under the RCVS Codes of Professional Conduct, veterinary surgeons are required to record a minimum of 105 hours of CPD over a three-year period, while veterinary nurses are expected to carry out 45 hours of CPD over the same period.
Historically, vets and nurses have been able to record 10 and 5 hours as undocumented private study per annum respectively. The RCVS Education Committee decided to discontinue the allowance for vets in May and the Veterinary Nursing Committee followed suit in June.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Head of Veterinary Nursing, said: “As with the veterinary surgeons, this decision was made because it was felt that all CPD, including private study, should be properly documented on the CPD records of veterinary nurses.
“This change, however, is not intended to discourage private study which we recognise extends across a range of different types of learning, including reading, and can be very valuable for personal development, but merely that it should be properly documented.”
The College says it hopes the changes will also clear up uncertainty around the respective allowances for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as some were under the impression that private study, even if it was documented, could only be classed within that category.
The Education Department is also in the process of reviewing the information available to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses regarding what counts as CPD, in order to clear up uncertainty and provide more specific examples for each learning category.
Information about CPD for veterinary surgeons can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd, while for veterinary nurses the information is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/vncpd
The company surveyed 1979 pet owners last December and found the main reason they didn’t take their cat to the vet more often was because the animal appeared to be healthy and therefore didn’t need medical attention.
The second biggest barrier to more regular vet visits was cost. Although almost half of the cat owners surveyed had pet insurance, almost a quarter said cost prevented them from taking their cat to the vet more often.
Despite there being 760 cat-friendly clinics across the UK and Ireland, 13% percent of owners said the stress put them off making more frequent trips to the vet.
If they were unable to take their cat to the vet, 40% said they would arrange for a vet home visit, 29% said they would search for information online and 26% would turn to friends and family for advice.
The survey also found that 11% of owners believed that their cat was overweight. However, according to a 2018 study, 39% of cats are overweight in the UK, which would suggest that over a quarter of cat owners surveyed were unaware that their cat was above a healthy weight.
References
Ceva says the aim of the course is to enable vets to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
The course is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh.
It comprises of 10 short videos grouped into four sessions, along with a self-assessment quiz to consolidate learning for each module.
The course counts for a total of two hours’ CPD.
Course content includes: the patient/equipment set up and getting the most from an ophthalmoscope; determining what is normal and what is abnormal during ocular examinations; an overview of ocular pathologies associated with hypertension; avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes; and hints and tips on how to take photographs of the fundus on a mobile phone.
To register, visit www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva.
Pooch & Mutt has 20x 40-day trials of its new joint & bone supplement, Mobile Bones Concentrate, to give away to veterinary professionals.
Guy Blaskey from Pooch & Mutt said: "At The London Vet Show vets and vet nurses told us that they loved the new Mobile Bones Concentrate because at just £9.99 per month it costs less than other joint supplements (whilst having the same high quality ingredients), it takes up a very small amount of shelf space and it doesn't involve the client having to either change their dog's food or stuff pills down their dog's throat."
In response to requests from vets and vet nurses to try the new joint supplement, Pooch & Mutt have set up a dedicated website at www.jointsupplementfordogs.com where you can apply from one of twenty 40 day trials.
Guy continued, "We did not want to simply send samples out to everyone. By setting up the site we can choose a variety of dogs from different breed and with different conditions to send a full 40-day trial to. We hope to get regular feedback from the vets, vet nurses and dog owners involved in the trial and publish it on http://www.jointsupplementfordogs.com/ for everyone else to see."
The trials are available to all veterinary professionals and can be for their own dogs, or dogs belonging to their clients.
Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering a series of free webinars about feline medicine, delivered by some of the best-known experts in the field.
The first presentation on feline liver disease will be delivered by Danièlle Gunn-Moore BVM&S BSc PhD MACVSc MRCVS, on the 26th January 2011. Martha Cannon BA VetMB DSAM(fel) MRCVS (pictured right) will present the next two webinars on Renal disease on 2nd March and Chronic Diarrhoea on 4th May. Both speakers are RCVS Specialists in feline medicine. Norman Johnston BVM&S, Dipl. AVDC, Dipl. EVDC, MRCVS, will be discussing stomatitis in the cat - a particularly problematic disease - on the 18th May. Norman is an RCVS, American and European Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry. The series will end on 8th June with Duncan Lascelles BSc, BVSc, PhD, CertVA, DSAS (ST), DECVS, DACVS, Associate Professor in Small Animal Surgery at North Carolina State, talking about osteoarthritis in the cat.
The events kick off at 8.30 pm and are hosted by the Webinar Vet (www.thewebinarvet.com). One initial registration provides access to the complete series, with scheduled e-mail reminders sent out prior to the latest webinar. To register, go to www.thewebinarvet.com/hills and enter your details as well as the code hillsnl.
Webinars are ideal for time pressed individuals who may not always be able to travel to a distant venue, yet still offer a 'real- time' and interactive experience. No special equipment is required, other than a reasonable standard PC or MAC and a broadband connection. The events are open to both vets and nurses but early registration is advisable to take full advantage of the whole Hill's Feline webinar series.
Ceva says the course is aimed at vets and nurses who want to build their confidence and take the lead in finding hypertension in cats in their clinic.
The course is hosted by Sarah Caney BVSc DSAM(Feline) MRCVS, one of the UK's leading specialists in feline medicine, and will cover things like finding out which cats need screening for feline hypertension, how to become confident in recommending a blood pressure check to owners, hints and tips on taking a reliable blood pressure measurement and handling cats calmly to reduce ‘situational hypertension’.
The course consists of four 30-minute recorded sessions including course notes and self-assessment questions for each module. Once completed, the delegate will receive a Hypertension Ambassador pin badge and a certificate for four hours’ CPD. The first 500 delegates to complete the course will be offered either a cat hide or an eye atlas.
The course can be completed online at any time. There are also weekly feline hypertension live sessions at 1pm, from Wednesday 4th March until Wednesday 25th March. They offer the opportunity for you to ask questions, but they're also recorded so you can watch them any time thereafter.
Suzanne Page BVSc MRCVS, cardio-nephrology-hypertension product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Our HypertensionAmbassadors’ initiative will educate veterinary professionals on every aspect of feline hypertension to enable them to confidently talk to their clients about the condition, measure blood pressure in a cat-friendly way and offer advice on the different treatments available."
For more information, and to register, visit www.veterinarywebinars.com/feline-hypertension-ambassador.
The company announced last month that from 1st January next year, practices will have to order companion animal and ruminant products via either MWI or NVS (who will also fulfil the order), but will be invoiced direct by MSD.
Pig products will join aquaculture and poultry products to be supplied directly to customers by MSD Animal Health.
In its announcement, the company said that the new structure would allow the company to enhance the customer experience and more quickly adapt to changes in the market to better serve its customers.
VetSurgeon.org contacted the company for further clarification about how the customer experience would be improved.
The company explained that the two main benefits of the new structure concern price visibility and stock control.
A spokesperson for the company said: "Currently, customers may get a discount from us and separately a discount from wholesaler. With our new distribution model we will invoice monthly and all discounts will be on one invoice, so it will be easier to determine the actual price paid."
The spokesperson explained that with the old model, once stock was sold to wholesalers it would be allocated to customers, so there would be some held by MSD, some allocated and some in distribution: "The benefit of the new model is we will have full oversight of stock as it will be in our own warehouses or with distribution partners. If there are disruptions in the market, we will have better awareness of in market demand and we can allocate stock appropriately".
The study1 took the form of an online survey of over 5,500 owners, which exploring the the early socialisation, health and behaviour of ‘pandemic puppies’ purchased in 2020 compared to 2019 puppies.
The study found that puppies bought during the pandemic in 2020, in comparison to pre-pandemic in 2019, were more likely to have been ‘designer crossbreeds’, for example a Cockapoo or Cavapoo, instead of Kennel Club registered purebred dogs.
The 2020 cohort of pandemic puppies were also more likely to already hold a pet passport at purchase, indicating they may have been imported from Europe – perhaps illegally – to meet the greatly increased demand and prices for puppies.
Amongst the positive findings was the fact that many of the health and socialisation experiences examined didn’t vary significantly between puppies purchased in 2019 and 2020.
However, researchers say there was still a concern that 2020 ‘pandemic puppies’ were less likely than 2019 puppies to attend puppy training classes or to have experienced visitors to their homes (under the age of 16 weeks in both circumstances).
This, they say, means pandemic puppies may be more likely to experience stranger-related fear and anxiety and other behavioural problems related to insufficient socialisation, from being unable to attend puppy classes under 16 weeks of age; a critical period for the development of puppies.
In addition, those puppies sourced from Europe may have been transported over long distances without their mother, a stressful experience which the researchers say could cause problem behaviours in the future.
Pandemic puppies may therefore need extra support from the veterinary profession, particularly those specialising in animal behaviour.
Dr Claire Brand, Researcher in Canine Welfare at the RVC said: “Despite many owners’ concerted efforts to raise their puppies as well as possible, some puppies missed out on key experiences of puppyhood, such as going to puppy classes, or experiencing visitors in their homes.
"This has potential consequences for the future behaviour of ‘pandemic puppies’ and so we are encouraging owners to seek out training and behaviour advice from accredited professionals so that these now adult dogs can learn to live happily in our post-lockdown world.”
Reference
Overall, there has been a 17% decline in Kennel Club registrations of all dogs so far this year.
However, new registrations of Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs have declined by 42%, 39% and 34% respectively, putting these three breeds into the list of 'top five fallers' this year.
The Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is made up of vets, national animal welfare organisations, scientists, and dog breed clubs has welcomed the news.
Dan O’Neill, Chair of the BWG said: “The drop in puppy registrations for these flat-faced breeds is a welcome step in the right direction, although these should be seen with some caution.
“We hope this is a sign that more and more puppy buyers, owners and breeders are considering the serious health and welfare implications for flat-faced dogs.
ukbwg.org.uk
The RCVS has released the results of a survey which has found that increasing numbers of graduates over the last five years have had little impact on veterinary job prospects.
The survey was carried out for the RCVS by the Institute for Employment Studies, which asked the last five years' UK graduates who have registered with the College how long it took them to find work, how long they stayed in their first jobs, and why they moved on.
The online survey, which achieved a 43% response rate (1,354 responders), found that an average of 94% of graduates seeking a role in clinical practice obtained work within six months of starting to look.
The actual figure ranged from a high of 96% in 2008 to a low of 92% in 2010, and did not change significantly over the five years under consideration, despite UK graduate numbers increasing by around a quarter during the same period (from 650 in 2007, to 819 in 2012). Meanwhile, the College has registered an average of 618 overseas graduates annually during this time.
The survey did show that it was taking graduates slightly longer to secure their posts, with a shift from 85% securing work under three months in 2008, to 71% in 2012.
The results seem to suggest some small differences in the time taken for men and women to find their first jobs, with men finding jobs slightly quicker, although the vast majority of both genders found veterinary work.
Jacqui Molyneux, RCVS President said: "After the announcement from the University of Surrey that it will be opening a new vet school in the near future, there was a great deal of discussion amongst the profession about how easily new graduates could find employment. I undertook to get some real facts and am pleased to find that the picture is not as gloomy as predicted.
However, Jacqui said she was concerned that there has been a slight increase in the proportion of respondents who left their first position after a relatively short period of time. Amongst 2012 graduates, over 40% of those who had left their first position did so within three months of starting work. However it must be stressed that only 18% of those answering the survey who graduated in 2012 had already left their first position. Jacqui said: "Although the turn-over in first jobs seems to be, in part, due to an increase in temporary posts, I am saddened to see that the most commonly-cited reason for graduates leaving their first job was lack of support from their employers or professional colleagues.
"This is an area that we, as a profession, must address. As I have told all the students I have admitted to the College, their first jobs will influence their whole careers, and getting adequate support is probably the single most important factor. Meanwhile, it is heartening to see that nearly all of those moving on have obtained further employment."
Although the survey was sent to all those UK graduates who had registered with the RCVS within the last five years, the contact details for those who had subsequently de-registered may not have been up to date, which may mean that those who had de-registered because they could not find work were not well represented. However, the College says it thinks it is more likely that these individuals would have switched to the 'non-practising' category.
A summary of the headline survey results will be available at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications. The full findings, which also looked at the time taken to complete the Professional Development Phase and the type and location of work sought, will be available in due course.
The group, which opened in 2021, is also securing sites in Newcastle and Halesowen for a further two practices which are due to open in 2026.
Harrison Family Vets says at least £350,000 will be invested in each of the new practices which will be staffed by a team of six initially.
Operations director, Kristie Faulkner said: “In less than four years we’ve opened seven extremely successful practices and quickly established a reputation for being a great place to work.
"We’ve built a team where everyone’s individual strengths and personality traits contribute to what we do, in a family-orientated environment.
“We take pride in creating very modern and well-equipped surgeries that are designed around the pets we treat, and we push the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to pet care.
"In addition, all our team members are also trained, or currently in training for, the Fear Free Accreditation, to significantly reduce fear, stress and anxiety for both pets and their owners, which means every pet’s visit to Harrison Family Vets is as positive as possible.
“Crucially, we also offer pet owners far more affordable pet care than the large corporate chains and our total wellness plan is one of the best value offerings on the market.
"When this is combined with our exceptional team and pioneering practices, it’s not unusual for us to have hundreds of pet owners registering with us in new locations before we even open.
“We’re now looking forward to embarking on our next phase of growth and making our unique offering available to even more veterinary professionals and pet owners throughout the country.
"We would urge anyone interested in joining us in Stoke, Sheffield or Darlington, as well as Newcastle or Halesowen, which will launch in the next phase of openings, to contact us now.”
https://www.harrisonfamilyvets.co.uk/
Companion Care Vets has opened its first new standalone joint venture surgery in Ayr, Scotland.
At 3,071 sq ft the £300,000 surgery is the largest of the groups' 86 strong network and is the first standalone surgery to be opened under the joint venture partnership model that has been in place since 2001.
The surgery is located in a retail park environment, to give easy access for clients and their pets. It is a full service practice, which Companion Care says is fitted with all the latest equipment, including digital x-ray machines and a full operating suite.
Managing Director, Jane Balmain, said: "The opening of our first new standalone surgery in Ayr is a real milestone for us as a business because it opens up our offering to the vets and veterinary nurses who are interested in a joint venture partnership, but whose preference is to have a more traditional looking standalone surgery."
Whilst the Ayr surgery is standalone in its own right, due to the unique relationship Companion Care Vets has with Pets at Home, the surgery works in close partnership with the local Pets at Home store. This will help to drive client registrations and business development and further enable Pets at Home to develop the full pet care experience for its customers.
Jane added: "We believe that this new venture offers any potential partner the best of both worlds: a superb in-store surgery with footfall of thousands of customers a month, or a standalone new surgery linked to local store network to develop the business. I don't believe any other company can offer this unique proposition."
Veterinary surgeon, and joint venture partner of the Ayr surgery, Kirstin Fyfe says, "I am extremely proud to be opening the first standalone surgery alongside the Companion Care team and the facilities available to my team and I and local pet owners are fantastic. The latest equipment, coupled with a spacious and modern waiting area and the convenience of our location is what makes this a winning formula."
However, when asked by VetSurgeon.org which audience - veterinary professionals, it's staff or the public - it was referring to, or what threats to safety and wellbeing were posed by X, the College refused point blank to answer.
So the real motivation remains unclear.
On the one hand, it could be a ridiculously over-sensitive move to protect its unknown audience from opinions that its staff find objectionable.
On the other hand, it could perfectly well be argued that short form social media reduces every discussion or debate to "I'm effing right and you're effing wrong", which is not appropriate for a scientific profession.
Equally, one could also argue that engaging in polarised debate online is not terribly good for one's wellbeing.
Or one could just argue that it's a terrible platform owned by a strangely meddlesome and interfering American.
However, given the College's strange refusal to expand on the reasons for its withdrawal, the first explanation seems more likely.
But who knows?
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/rcvs-statement-on-x-formerly-twitter/
The RCVS Charitable Trust has released the results of a survey that suggests a lack of available, high-quality research could be hampering the implementation of evidence-based medicine (EVM) in veterinary practice.
Of the 70 survey respondents, although 70% said they were familiar with the concepts of EVM, only 36% said that they always used EVM principles or that EVM principles were deeply embedded within their practices. When asked about the barriers to implementing EVM, many vets commented that there was a lack of high-quality research available to them.
Trust director, Cherry Bushell said: "This survey was relatively small as our intention is for it to help spark discussion at our forthcoming symposium 'The Sceptical Vet: Eminence or Evidence? Finding the best way forward for the veterinary profession'. We want to consider the possibility of developing a range of evidence-based resources for the veterinary profession, so it's interesting to hear vets commenting about the lack of an available, high-quality evidence base."
All those completing the Trust's survey were entered into a prize draw for a chance to have their travel expenses to the event reimbursed. Veterinary surgeon Ariel Brunn (top right) from Vets Now, Maidenhead, was the winner. She said: "I'm really looking forward to this Symposium and the discussion that will come with it - along with clinical governance, evidence-based practice provides a means to offer the best care for our veterinary patients. Having been a practising vet for less than 5 years, I'm excited to learn more about how EVM can be incorporated into veterinary practice and I'm certainly pleased to have won the prize draw to support my travel to this event."
This symposium will take place on Tuesday 30 October 2012, at Church House Conference Centre, London. A limited number of places are still available for practising veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses only via the Trust (a.doorly@rcvstrust.org.uk or 0207 202 0741). For more information visit http://trust.rcvs.org.uk/grants-and-collaborations/the-sceptical-vet-eminence-or-evidence.
Chris has been an elected member of Council since 2009 and, during this time, has served on the Education Committee, the Examinations Appeal Committee and the Operational Board as Chair of the Education Committee and Junior Vice-President.
He graduated with a veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow at the relatively advanced age of 30 having first attained a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Science from the University of Newcastle. Following graduation he worked in a mixed practice in Herefordshire before buying an equine and companion animal practice in West Berkshire, which currently employs five veterinary surgeons and five support staff.
In his maiden speech, Chris called on veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to be proud of themselves as people who are committed to the welfare of animals in their care and to not be so hard on themselves.
He also outlined several areas that he would like to prioritise during his presidential year. These included delivering the priorities set out in the Vet Futures Action Plan, exploring bringing veterinary paraprofessionals into the College’s regulatory remit, driving forward the College’s international profile and dealing with blame and fear culture in the profession.
He said: "I’ve seen first-hand in Africa and India what the delivery of veterinary care can do for the welfare of animals in these regions and the wellbeing of people that frequently depend upon them. As one of the richest nations in the world we will further investigate what we can do, through knowledge transfer and support, to help raise the standards of veterinary care in developing countries.
"Sadly we often hear that there are vets and nurses who live in fear of the RCVS. This is something of which I am personally ashamed. Being particularly mindful of the role that fear and anxiety play in mental health, I will do everything I can to replace this fear... I will encourage all hardworking vets and nurses, whichever field they are in, to wear their [MRCVS] ‘badge’ with pride. Feel good about what you do, feel great about what you do."
Chris’ first official duty upon receiving the presidential chain of office from outgoing President Dr Bradley Viner, was to welcome the new Junior Vice-President Professor Stephen May. He also praised Bradley for his calm authority, humour and wisdom throughout his year as RCVS President.
The group is hoping to raise more than £5,000 for the hospital by donating £1 for every pet vaccinated at its West Derby, Gateacre, St Helens and Widnes practices over the next four months.
Sarah Kirkman MRCVS, from White Cross Vets in Gateacre, said: "It’s our job to care for pets, but we also really care about the communities in which we operate, and we have a real affinity with the hospital. This partnership means we’re protecting pets, by vaccinating them against a wide range of nasty diseases, as well as raising money to support the invaluable work that the hospital does."
Allan Eves from Alder Hey Children’s Charity said: "We care for over 275,000 children, young people and their families treating everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. We also lead research into children’s medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology and our charity has raised over £22m to support Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, funding life-saving medical equipment, research and vital facilities. We are so pleased to be working with White Cross Vets on this superb fund-raising initiative and can’t wait to meet the vets and nurses who are helping us."
Sarah added: "We are aiming to raise £5,000, but it could be more. We also want to support the hospital’s therapy dog by providing them with our Complete Wellness Plan for free. The plan provides free health-checks, veterinary care and preventative treatment on an ongoing basis. We already give free membership to several Fire Service Search Dog Teams, as we feel it’s really important to look after these amazing dogs which dedicate their lives to help people."
The charitable campaign is running from the 4th September until the 31st December and plans are also in place for the veterinary surgeons and nurses from White Cross Vets to visit the hospital regularly to talk to the children about pets.
Sarah said: "We give every one of our team four paid donation days a year, so that they can volunteer with a charity of their choice, and we are keen to further our partnership with the hospital by visiting regularly. We already do this in numerous schools across the region and know just how much children love to find out about our day to day roles, and they always have plenty of interesting questions for our nurses and vets to answer."
The £11m project, which is backed by Mars Petcare, will include a cutting-edge imaging suite, state-of-the-art treatment facilities and a new linear accelerator.
Plans also include separate cat and dog waiting areas and client walking and comfort areas, seven operating theatres, 15 consultation rooms, recovery suites, lecture halls, a dedicated ICU department and plans for a future hydrotherapy suite.
Daniel Hogan, operations manager at Southfields (pictured right), said: "This is a really exciting time for Southfields and our relocation will provide the region with one of the largest and best-equipped veterinary centres in the UK.
"The team and expertise have grown significantly in the past 18 months. We are very excited to continue to expand the unique and innovative offerings in patient care at our centre.
"Increasing in size will also enable us to provide a dedicated staff wellbeing area and an education centre and lecture hall, which will offer some very exciting qualifications and courses for the wider profession.
"Since our rebranding in 2017, we pride ourselves on leading the industry as a truly multidisciplinary centre with specialists from across the globe, including one of the most illustrious oncology teams in the country. Once this new site is launched, we will be able to offer an even more comprehensive service to our clients and patients."
For more information about Southfields, visit www.southfields.co.uk.
The company says the like-for-like sales increase was at the upper end of its target of between 4% and 8%, and that it continues to see resilience in the veterinary sector, with membership of its Healthy Pet Club preventative healthcare scheme increasing in the year by 19,000 members (an increase of 4.0%) to 489,000.
CVS says its Board decided to enter the Australian marketplace because of its low levels of corporate consolidation, favourable market dynamics and strong similarities with the UK, including highly trained veterinary surgeons, shared language and culture, and the group's experience with UK vets working between Australia and the UK.
Earlier this month, the group signed agreements for the conditional acquisitions of four independent small animal first opinion veterinary practices in Australia: two in Brisbane, one in Queensland and one in Sydney, for an initial consideration of £16.8M.
Two of the acquisitions have now been completed, and the other two are expected to be completed shortly.
The company says it now plans to acquire more Australian practices in major urban conurbations, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Newcastle and Adelaide.
Ben Jacklin, Deputy CEO said: "Having worked as a vet in Australia earlier in my career, I know well their high standards of clinical care, and the dedication of highly talented veterinary professionals that work there.
"As a company dedicated to giving the best possible care to animals, I see a fantastic opportunity for us to enter this growing market, with low levels of corporate consolidation, and execute our vision of being the veterinary company people most want to work for.
"I have spent time in Australia over the last 12 months, including meeting some fantastic veterinary practices, and it is clear we have a significant opportunity.
"With the four outstanding practices that are joining us, and a strong pipeline of further acquisition opportunities, I am excited to build a significant CVS business in Australia with the same culture and values that have brought us success in the UK."
Animalcare has announced the UK and Ireland launch of Vitofyllin, a central nervous system stimulant for older dogs suffering from dullness, poor demeanour and unwillingness to exercise.
The launch of Vitofyllin is the result of a collaboration between Animalcare and three European partners.
The company says the project has enhanced its in-house expertise because the active ingredient for the product was unavailable in the market and had to be contract synthesised, a first for a new product development at Animalcare. The regulatory procedure was also the first time a bioequivalence bio-waiver had been successfully applied for and obtained in Europe. This made the development quicker, more cost effective, less risky and importantly avoided the need for animal testing.
Animalcare says that as in previous years, it has set itself a target of launching four new veterinary medicines during the year. This launch is the first of those planned for the new financial year.
Stephen Wildridge, CEO of Animalcare Group, said: "We are very pleased to be able to add our new generic medicine Vitofyllin to our range of licensed veterinary medicines. The launch represents the culmination of the biggest development project undertaken by Animalcare and is the product of successful collaboration with members of our European partnership network."
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a new 50 ml bottle of its rapid acting dissociative anaesthetic licensed for cats, dogs and horses, Anesketin.
Anesketin solution for injection, containing Ketamine 100 mg/ml, is indicated for induction of anaesthesia.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "Anesketin has proved to be a very popular product in our range due to its versatility. It can be used in combination with appropriate sedatives and analgesics in cats, dogs and horses for induction of anaesthesia.
"As it does not require any special temperature storage conditions it makes it a very portable product for vets on the move."
He added: "We are very pleased to be able to add the larger Anesketin product to our wide range of analgesics and sedatives. This demonstrates our commitment to offering high quality products that support vets in small animal and equine practice."
Dechra says the product can also be used as a sole agent for restraint and minor surgical procedures where muscle relaxation is not required in cats.
Anesketin is also available in 10 ml vials. For further information, visit www.dechra.co.uk
The course is aimed at veterinary professionals across Europe who want to advance their knowledge and diagnostic skills, progress their academic qualifications and gain recognition in their field.
The GPAdvCert in Small Animal Medicine is for veterinary surgeons who have already completed a General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Medicine (GPCertSAM) or a Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Small Animal Medicine.
Accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and validated by Harper Adams University, the programme will be delivered in three, five-day blocks of training by globally recognised experts in three European training centres - Sheffield, UK; Porto, Portugal and Berlin, Germany. The programme includes a practical session in which delegates will perform an upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy under the guidance of their tutor.
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director of Improve International (pictured right), said: "Delegates attending our first GPAdvCert in Small Animal Medicine will enhance their skills and confidence in dealing with complex animal medicine cases. Each module will take their knowledge beyond Postgraduate Certificate level with more in-depth and advanced content covering topics as diverse as mycobacterial and ureteric disease. They will also learn how to design a detailed diagnostic plan and build an understanding of nuances in interpreting laboratory findings to enable them to manage cases requiring complex therapeutic management with confidence."
He added: "The qualification is a natural ‘next-step’ for veterinary surgeons wanting to further progress their knowledge of small animal internal medicine. It will help them to reduce the number of patients which are referred, retaining a higher level of income for their practice and will also provide them with skills which they can pass onto their team."
Improve says the successful achievement of the GPAdvCert will enable delegates to progress from a Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine (or equivalent) to the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences in the UK, which is awarded by Harper Adams University. This can, in turn, be used towards the award of a Masters Degree (MSc) in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences.
The Vet Wellbeing Awards, which are now in their fourth year, are designed to highlight positivity within the profession by sharing stories and initiatives from veterinary workplaces that demonstrate commitment to improving staff wellbeing.
The Awards also aim to support all practices to take a structured approach towards evaluating their own wellbeing support systems.
This year, for the first time, feedback will be given to practices that enter about the areas where they are doing well and those where they can improve. The organisers hope that this change to the Awards process will encourage practices to think of wellbeing support as an area of continuous development.
However, they also hope that practices will use the entry process as an opportunity to audit wellbeing even if they don't plan to enter.
Liz Barton, SPVS Board Member, said: "Going through the entry form and evaluation process is valuable for every vet practice, even if they don’t feel they’re ready to enter the Awards just yet. Sitting down as a practice team for a few hours and working through the questionnaire is a highly useful exercise for facilitating celebrating areas where your practice is doing well for wellbeing, and also highlighting some areas for improvement for years to come."
"We recommend all practices get into the habit of going through the process annually and choosing areas to focus and improve on, to build towards better wellbeing across all areas for all staff."
There are three award categories that practices can enter depending on the number of employees: small practice (15 or fewer full time equivalent team members (FTE)), medium practice (16 to 50 FTEs) or large practice (51 or FTEs).
The Award application form covers six aspects of work that, if well-managed, can promote wellbeing and reduce the risk of work-related stress, and the Award judges will be looking for evidence of commitment to enhancing wellbeing for each of these.
They are:
Promoting physical and psychological health at work
Relationships at work
Communication at work
Career development
Workload and work scheduling
Work demands
More examples of the type of evidence and initiatives that the Awards are looking for, together with the entry form, are available on the Vet Wellbeing Awards website: https://vetwellbeingawards.org.uk.
Winning and Highly Commended practices will receive a dedicated logo and certificate for display. The winners in each category will also receive two registrations and banquet tickets for SPVS/VMG Congress 2020.
In addition to the Wellbeing Awards, the RCVS and SPVS are also running the Practice Star nominations, which are open to all veterinary practices.
These nominations aim to support practices to thank someone in their team who has gone the extra mile to make the practice a happy place to work, whether this be through introducing an initiative that makes everyone’s work life better, going out of their way to support a colleague going through a tough time, or just making everyone smile.
To enter, practices need to send in their nominee’s name, job title and contact details, and a short paragraph explaining why they have been chosen. They will then receive a certificate congratulating them for being nominated as the practice’s very own ‘Practice Wellbeing Star’.
The closing date for both the Wellbeing Award entries and Practice Star nominations is Friday 22 November 2019.