ECC vet Shailen Jasani has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for further development of his pet bereavement website, www.theralphsite.com
The Ralph Site is a non-profit pet bereavement support online resource and Facebook community which Shailen set up in 2011 after the loss of his cat Ralph.
Shailen says that over the past three years, the site has proved to be a much needed resource, with many pet carers benefiting from what it offers and a growing number of practices referring their bereaved clients to the site for information and support, and a sympathetic and empathetic virtual ear. So far, the site has had approximately 60,000 visitors and the Facebook community now stands at an impressive 34,000 Likes.
Shailen manages the site by himself and has has also personally funded all of the expenses to date including design, development, on-going management and promotion costs, to the tune of £30,000.
However, he says he now needs further funds to make the site work properly on smartphones and tablets, improve the memorial section and promote it more widely to pet owners, for which he is turning to crowdfunding and hoping that members of the profession will support what he is doing, both with contributions and by helping spread the word amongst family, colleagues and clients.
Shailen said: "The issue of pet bereavement and the impact of pet loss on their carers is a serious one which is slowly but surely gaining increasing recognition. A resource such as the Ralph Site is invaluable for practices to be able to link and refer clients to. I very much hope colleagues will get behind my campaign."
To find out more about the campaign, visit: http://igg.me/at/theralphsite/x
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has dismissed a charge against Nicholas Robert William Horniman MRCVS, a veterinary surgeon from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, that alleged he was guilty of pet insurance fraud, along with one of his clients, and of dishonestly altering clinical records.
The charge was that, between December 1 2008 and June 30 2014, in relation to Cassy, a Labrador retriever belonging to Jayne Bowkett, Mr Horniman:
The Committee heard that Cassy, who had previously been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, had been registered with Pets Barn Veterinary Group in Gloucestershire in May 2008 when Mr Horniman was the Principal and owner of the three-practice group. Cassy was treated at the Cinderford branch of the practice where she received regular prescriptions for her condition.
At some point in 2008/2009, Mrs Bowkett had relayed concerns to Mr Horniman that her current pet insurance policy needed to be renewed, that the renewed policy would not cover Cassy's existing hip problems and that she would be unable to pay for any future operations herself. It was alleged that, in response to Mrs Bowkett's concerns, Mr Horniman told her that they could take Cassy off the practice computer and put her back on under a different insurance policy in a different name.
Mrs Bowkett took out a policy with Petplan, beginning on 13 August 2009, using her father's details instead of her own. It was alleged that Mr Horniman then arranged for new practice records to be set up in the name 'Cassy Griffiths'. These new records were first used substantively in May 2010 when Cassy returned to the practice with hip problems, following which two separate records were maintained for the dog under 'Cassy Bowkett' and 'Cassy Griffiths'.
In August 2010 Dariusz Drozdz MRCVS, a vet who had treated Cassy several times, had been told by Mrs Bowkett that the dog had two separate records. He told the Disciplinary Committee that he queried this with Mr Horniman who suggested that it was a mistake and that they 'RIP' the name Cassy Bowkett. Mr Drozdz disagreed on this course of action but was told by Mr Horniman to 'leave it to me' and the records were then changed to say that Cassy Bowkett had died.
Mrs Bowkett alleged that, at some point in 2011, Mr Horniman explained to her that it would no longer be possible to claim for treatment for Cassy's hip dysplasia under the Petplan policy in her father's name. However, the policy remained active, and was transferred into Mrs Bowkett's name upon her father's death.
In July 2011 Cassy Griffiths was seen by Jennifer Jones MRCVS, a part-time locum vet at the Cinderford practice, who told the Committee that she was puzzled about why there were very few clinical records relating to the animal. A receptionist explained to her that there were two sets of records for the same dog and that Mr Horniman had instructed her to mark the original pet as having been euthanased and close its records and create a second new record for the dog. Ms Jones tendered her resignation shortly afterwards citing concerns that a pet had been 'reincarnated to ensure continued income from insurance claims'. In November 2011 Ms Jones submitted a formal complaint to the RCVS.
During the course of the hearing the Committee heard evidence from Mrs Bowkett, Mr Drozdz and Ms Jones, amongst others.
In giving evidence Mrs Bowkett admitted that she had knowingly engaged in fraud but maintained that at all times she had acted with the knowledge and on the advice of Mr Horniman. However, the Committee found that she was unable to remember any relevant material dates and was unclear about the chronology of events. It was suggested on several occasions that she was lying to the Committee, which she denied. However, the Committee believed that she took no responsibility for her own fraudulent actions but merely blamed Mr Horniman and that she had a strong motive to engage in the insurance fraud.
In regards to the evidence given by Mr Drozdz the Committee noted that he did not record his suspicions of possible fraud, that he continued to treat Cassy Griffiths after he raised his concerns, and that he appeared to have accepted Mr Horniman's assurance that he had dealt with the issue.
The Committee found that Ms Jones was correct in her suspicions that there was only one dog. However, it felt she offered no evidence to support her suspicion that this was part of Mr Horniman's 'scheme to maximise income for the practice' as she alleged in her witness statement.
The Committee also heard oral evidence from and on behalf of Mr Horniman who categorically denied suggesting to Mrs Bowkett that she commit insurance fraud and attempting to cover this up through the maintenance of two separate records. He maintained that it was not until Ms Jones voiced her concerns that he realised that Cassy Bowkett and Cassy Griffiths were the same dog.
The Committee voiced a number of concerns about Mr Horniman's actions and behaviour and, at times, found his evidence to be unsatisfactory. For example, the Committee found it difficult to understand why 'alarm bells' did not ring that he was dealing with only one dog when he prescribed medication for two almost identical dogs in May 2010 when only one was presented for examination. It also queried why, when he became aware that the insurance policy for Cassy Griffiths was fraudulent, practice records were not updated and no attempt was made to contact Petplan to inform them of this, as is clearly advised by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct.
Furthermore, the Committee was concerned that, in his correspondence with the RCVS, he was less than transparent, candid and honest. The Committee considered this to be unacceptable behaviour from a professional in dealings with investigations undertaken by the regulatory body.
In making its judgment, the Committee had to make a decision on whose account it felt to be more reliable in regards to the first element of the charge.
Noreen Burrows, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In coming to its conclusion ... the Committee is faced with conflicting evidence from Mrs Bowkett, who is an admitted fraudster, admits to acting dishonestly and to lying to Petplan. This is in contrast to the evidence from the Respondent, who is of good character, had an unblemished personal record over 23 years and is supported by impressive character references."
The Committee found the evidence of Mrs Bowkett to be "vague, lacking in clarity and inconsistent with the facts" and therefore rejected her evidence concerning the first element of the charge. In regards to the second element of the charge, the Committee was not satisfied that Mr Horniman had arranged for or allowed the records to be changed as was alleged. In regards to the third element it found that, since it had already rejected the charge that Mr Horniman suggested to Mrs Bowkett that she embark upon insurance fraud, it was unlikely that Mr Horniman would have acted dishonestly in the manner alleged.
Noreen Burrows added: "In the light of the above findings, all charges against the Respondent are dismissed."
Invicta Animal Health has launched a new identification service for ChroMyco Duo dermatophyte kits in partnership with Axiom Veterinary Laboratories.
Veterinary practices can now send positive ChroMyco plates to Axiom and receive a species identification report for the specially discounted price of £8.00.
Rob Watkins, Managing Director of Invicta Animal Health said: "We are delighted to launch this service in response to customer feedback. This enables practices to gain a positive dermatophyte diagnosis in as little as three to six days so that treatment can be commenced promptly. Then, by sending the plate to Axiom, the actual species can be subsequently identified.
Axiom, with its innovative microbiology department and dedication to quality combined with its reliable network of courier services and postal processing systems are the ideal laboratory to provide this service".
Submission forms are available free of charge from Invicta Animal Health 01403 791313. ChroMyco Duo dermatophyte test kits are available from wholesalers and priced at £25.00 for 5 kits.
The wellbeing room is designed to offer staff a comfortable space to relax during breaks, or before or after shifts. It has comfortable seating and a small library of books covering topics such as personal development, mindfulness and stress reduction.
There are also two 'jars of joy' staff can dip into which feature top tips for emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Employees are also being invited to put forward their own top tips on wellbeing to share with colleagues.
It is hoped that the room will also provide employees with a sanctuary from social media, emails and telephones.
Sounds like a great idea to me, although the library titles look a bit uninspiring for my taste. My ideal wellbeing room would have a few John Grishams on the shelves, limitless music, a Sony playstation, oh, and a minibar.
The traditional approach is to use anatomical knowledge to inject pain relief in the area of the nerves to be blocked.
Liz is leading a move away from this approach to a more precise method which uses ultrasound guidance to visualise the nerves, allowing the local anaesthetic to be placed directly around the nerve itself.
For some nerve blocks, it is possible to block just the sensory branches of nerves, which means pets can walk better immediately after surgery while not feeling any pain.
Liz, a past president of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, said: “Local analgesia is now at the forefront of our post-operative care and reliably improves the quality of a pet’s recovery and reduces the need for opioid pain relief, which can cause side effects.
“We’re using the latest techniques to deliver the nerve-blocking anaesthetics to exactly where they’re needed.
“For many of the nerve blocks, the use of ultrasound guidance allows more precise delivery and a complete blockade of the sensory nerves, which is why, here at Paragon, we’ve invested in state-of-the art ultrasound machine designed specifically for superficial and deep nerve blocks.
“This means we can provide more effective immediate post-operative analgesia for our patients and minimise the need for further pain killers.
“The nerves can be directly visualised and local anaesthetic directly placed around the nerve bundles.”
Liz is keen to highlight the advantages of the increased use of local anaesthesia in the treatment of animals. She added: “We’re hoping we’ll soon be able to publish some clinical research on the use of some of the blocking techniques used to demonstrate our clinical impression of their effectiveness in patient management.”
In a 2019 BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession Survey, 89% of vets said that they would like to play a more active role in the UK sustainability agenda.
The new checklist includes four major areas for action that cover practising responsible resource use, being sustainable in your operation, using medicines responsibly, and sustaining the team. Each theme has a list of ways that these actions can be achieved.
Vet Sustain founder and director, Laura Higham said: "Veterinary professionals and members of the vet-led team are extremely well positioned to show leadership in sustainability, in their workplaces and in their communities.
"Our new checklist helps veterinary teams to put their sustainability intentions in to practice, through a number of practical steps that will ultimately support the wellbeing of our patients, ourselves and the natural world."
BVA Junior Vice President, Justine Shotton said: "We know that lots of our members are passionate about the environment, and the ‘Greener Veterinary Practice Checklist’ is a great place to start for any veterinary team wanting to work in a more environmentally friendly way.
Jo Oakden RVN BVNA President said: "Environmental Sustainability is really important to us at the BVNA; we are currently going through the process of Environmental Accreditation. Veterinary Nurses are ideally placed to get involved and drive eco-friendly changes within the veterinary practice."
For more information, visit: https://vetsustain.org/
At the meeting, Simon Biles from Moore Scarrott gave a 30 minute presentation, which was followed by a one hour discussion.
The recording can be watched on VetSurgeon.org here https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/nonclinical/m/meetings/138080, where you can also claim the time watching towards your annual CPD requirement. Press the 'Claim CPD' red button in the title bar towards the top.
To make it easier to find content that interests you, there are markers on the video timeline.
There is also a forum thread on vetsurgeon.org for further discussion of any of the points raised in the film. See: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/nonclinical/f/site-support-discussions/29784/vetsurgeon-zoom-ir35-locums-and-umbrella-companies
For more information about Moore Scarrott, visit: https://www.moore-scarrott.co.uk
This year, there have been over 30,000 nominations for the awards.
The finalists this year are:
Vet of the YearAndrew Hayes, Towcester Equine Vets, TowcesterClare McCabe (pictured right), Claymill Veterinary Clinic, CookstownLaurence Behrens, Goddard Veterinary Group, Dagenham
Vet Nurse of the YearCaroline Jones, Battle Flatts Veterinary Surgery, YorkHelen Rooney, Pet Blood Bank, LoughboroughLesley Ramsey, Debenham Veterinary Practice, Stowmarket
Practice Support Staff of the YearRhiannon Lewis, Streatham Hill Vets, StreathamLaura Cameron, Lomond Veterinary Clinic, HelensburghLouise O’ Reilly, Vets4Pets, Llanrumney
Practice Manager of the YearKristen Lorimer, Blue House Veterinary Centre, Stoke-on-TrentLouise Newman, Blue Cross Vets, MertonNicki Ridgeway, Vets4Pets, Ridgeway
Practice of the YearHollybank Veterinary Centre, NorthwichLanes Vets, PoultonMilfeddygon Williams Vets, Gwynedd
The awards will be hosted at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester on 23rd March.
Bella von Mesterhazey, Sales & Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “This year’s finalist line-up includes an outstanding array of veterinary professionals and practices, and Petplan is delighted to be celebrating the highest achievements in pet healthcare once again."
Hill’s Nurse Roadshows return in May with a 4 venue tour of the southern region. The theme is weight management and mobility and the organisers promise fun-filled, fact-packed events.
The evenings will address a broad ranging syllabus that includes setting up a weight management clinic using the latest dietary innovations alongside sessions on how to effectively promote it to your clients. It also will explain how to develop an individual exercise plan for both overweight but mobile animals, and for those overweight pets with mobility impairment.
Guest speakers include vet Lowri Davies who runs her own sports medicine and rehabilitation veterinary clinic in Swansea and is a holder of Certificates in both Veterinary Acupuncture and Canine Rehabilitation and Julie Corey Dip AVN (Med) Cert AAB MBIPDT (Adv) who qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1994 and has a Certificate in Applied Animal Behaviour as well as an Advanced Grade from the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers (BIPDT).
The roadshows are being held at Milton Keynes on 12th of May, Tunbridge Wells on 13th of May, Exeter on 14th of May and Cheltenham on 15th of May. All the roadshow events run from 7.00 pm for an 8pm start and include a buffet meal and refreshments.
To book a free place at any of the roadshows including the practice based event in Cardiff call Jane Quail, Education Coordinator at Hill’s on 01923 814454.
The BSAVA has released the final figures showing that 6,331 veterinary surgeons, nurses, practice managers and students attended the event, up from 6,178 in 2013.
Outgoing BSAVA President Professor Michael Day was delighted that so many attended. He said: "What continues to set BSAVA Congress apart is simply 'quality'. The quality of the faultless organisation, the quality of the scientific content, and the quality of our exhibition and incomparable social programme."
A few other numbers from Congress this year included:
Sunday saw the inauguration of the new BSAVA President Katie McConnell. She said: "Like so many previous presidents, I look back on my early volunteering days with deep affection but it would have been a great surprise to my earlier self to be told that one day I would be the BSAVA President.
"During my presidential year I would like to meet as many BSAVA members as I can, hopefully in their own regions. I plan to travel to regional BSAVA continuing education meetings, not to stand up and lecture but to listen to individual members and find out what the BSAVA means to them. The BSAVA is run by members for members and the only way to shape its work is to become engaged with it."
Norbrook Laboratories has launched Cefimam DC intramammary ointment, a new dry cow preparation containing the 4th generation cephalosporin, cefquinome.
The company has also released a Polish language version of its Best Practice Guide for On-Farm Mastitis Control, in response to demand from producers with non-English speaking farm-hands.
Norbrook vet Chris Geddes said: "I believe this is the first time that such a guide has been produced to cater for farm-hands of a different nationality working within the UK. Good mastitis management starts with good education; giving everyone on the farm the same opportunity for learning the best techniques for prevention means that we help minimise incidences of mastitis, which costs the dairy industry millions of pounds in lost revenue every year.
"This prevention includes a thorough and consistent approach to dry cow management. The early drying off period is often a risky time, when pre-existing subclinical infections can bed-in. The cow is also at increased risk of gaining new infections due to lack of udder hygiene procedures that would normally occur at milking, and weakened immunity as she approaches calving. Our new cefquinome preparation is a valuable addition to have in the treatment armoury for dry cow management. It has broad-spectrum activity and high cellular penetration to help tackle hard-to-manage cases with the aim of returning to maximum productivity by the start of the milking season."
Cefimam DC will be available at all veterinary wholesalers in packs of 24x and 120x 8g intramammary tubes. Vets can obtain both English and Polish versions of the Best Practice Guide for On-Farm Mastitis Control from Territory Managers.
For further information or copies of the Best Practice Guide for On-Farm Mastitis Control in English or Polish, contact your Territory Manager or call Norbrook GB head office on 01536 741 147.
The anaesthesia team has produced a fact sheet, infographic and CPD webinar to help practices minimise the oxygen and volatile anaesthetic agent used in animals safely.
The resources can all be found at: https://vetspecialists.co.uk/oxygen-conservation
Anaesthetist Sarah Gibson will be following up the webinar with a live online Q&A on Low Flow Anaesthesia on Tuesday 7th April at 2pm; to book your place please email CPD@vetspecialists.co.uk.
Managing Director Tim Richardson said: "By sharing our practical information on oxygen conservation, we hope we can help our colleagues safely use less oxygen during general anaesthesia and sedation, thus ensuring more of this valuable resource remains available."
Davies Veterinary Specialists' premises remain open for urgent and emergency cases. For all other cases, assistance is being provided via remote consultation, be that either telephone or video.
Available in packs of 56 (4 x 14 tablet blister packs), Lodisure tablets are divisible for accurate dosing.
The recommended starting dose is 0.125-0.25 mg amlodipine per kg bodyweight per day, which equates to half a tablet for cats weighing less than 4kg (and more than 2kg) and one tablet per day for cats weighing between 4kg and 8kg.
It can be administered directly to the cat or given with a small quantity of food.
Dechra companion animal brand manager, Sarah Musgrave, said: “Feline hypertension is very often part of a more complex diagnosis, therefore it is important that antihypertensive therapies are easy to dose and administer.
"Lodisure is a new, first-line, easy to dose and administer treatment to control systolic blood pressure in cats while the underlying primary cause is diagnosed and treated, which vets can rely on in their day-to-day practice.”
https://www.dechra.co.uk/products/cat/prescription/lodisure.
Norbrook Laboratories Ltd has launched the 2013 - 2014 edition of its UK Veterinary Surgeon's Product Compendium.
The compendium contains data sheets for the complete range of over 120 Norbrook products which are available in the UK and Northern Ireland, including 17 new products which have been launched since the last compendium was issued.
The compendium is available from your Norbrook representative or can be downloaded from www.norbrook.com. Norbrook also offers an iPhone App through which users can access essential product information including pharmaceutical presentation, uses, dosage and administration, withdrawal periods, contraindications & warnings and pharmaceutical precautions.
Sandymoor Vets and Westbrook Vets are headed by Clinic directors, Dr Becky Crossfield and Dr Rhys Peters, supported by a team of 18 vets, nurses and receptionists at each practice and a six-strong head office support team providing finance, marketing, property and HR expertise.
North Star Vets which was launched by Dr Sean Cleary, Dr Richard Thomas and chartered accountant, Jane Platt, opened its first practice about 11 months ago.
The company is aiming to grow to 10 practices over the next four years.
Sea, said: “The ethos of North Star Vets is about giving the next generation of ambitious vets an opportunity to own a share of their own practice and to run it the way they want, without the risk and substantial capital investment that would usually be required to open their own site.
“Our practices also have the added benefit of our central resources spanning clinical, financial, HR, marketing, procurement and property expertise, which are all required to create a successful business.
"In addition, clients enjoy the service levels and continuity that owner managed businesses are renowned for.”
“We knew our offering would be attractive to high quality vets who have the ambition and drive to go beyond heading up a corporate practice, and want to take their career, experience and earning potential to the next level.
“Burford Lane Vets has been very successful achieving a monthly turnover of £100,000 within its first 12 months and we’re very pleased to follow this with the opening of Westbrook Vets and Sandymoor Vets.
"Both practices are in great locations and have undergone high quality fit outs that incorporate all the latest equipment and facilities.
"When this is combined with the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of Becky and Rhys, it’s easy to see why both practices are proving popular, with almost 700 clients already registered at Westbrook Vets and more than 400 at Sandymoor Vets.
“We’re already planning to open two more sites in the North West, and are currently looking for high-calibre vets who want to be masters of their own destiny by becoming part of our unique co-ownership model.
"Anyone interested should contact us now.”
www.northstarvets.co.uk
Ceva Animal Health has announced the addition of a new CPD module to its Cardio Academy, covering the clinical significance of heart murmurs in cats.
Hosted by Virginia Luis-Fuentes, Professor of Veterinary Cardiology at the Royal Veterinary College, the online seminar provides guidance in deciding which heart murmurs are significant and working out which are more likely to develop complications, such as congestive heart failure or aortic thromboembolism.
According to the company, up to 40% of cats will have heart murmur at some point in their life, but are often clinically normal at presentation. To make things more confusing, says Ceva, 50% of cats with congestive heart failure do not have a heart murmur at all.
The module lasts for 20 minutes and, after viewing, delegates receive a CPD certificate by answering questions relating to the session.
To access this module, and 20 hours of online cardiology CPD, visit www.cardioacademy.cevalearn.com.
The Veterinary Capability and Capacity Project (VCCP) is co-chaired by the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens, RCVS Senior Vice-President Dr Chris Tufnell, and BVA Senior Vice-President Gudrun Ravetz. The project board also comprises the CVOs for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Sheila Voas, Christianne Glossop and Robert Huey, as well as the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Food Standards Agency.
The project’s objective is to work with the veterinary sector to better understand the UK’s workforce needs and ensure that both the Government and veterinary businesses can continue to protect animal health and welfare, safeguard the food chain and maintain levels of public health and public services, and enable trade in animals and animal products.
The project will include a joint BVA-RCVS submission to the Migration Advisory Committee’s call for evidence on workforce issues post-Brexit. Three working groups have been set up within the project to look specifically at issues of veterinary resources, recruitment and retention.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, said: "Leaving the EU provides us with an opportunity to develop gold standard policies on animal welfare. The UK Government is determined to get a good Brexit deal for Britain and Ministers have been absolutely clear we will maintain our world-leading animal welfare standards.
"The VCCP is a great example of collaborative working between government, professional bodies and regulators to prepare for our exit from the European Union.
"I am pleased the Prime Minister has set out the government’s aim to secure the status of the veterinary workforce as a top priority as we leave the EU. The UK’s vets - both Official Veterinarians and those in the private sector - play a key role in protecting our country from endemic and exotic diseases, tackling outbreaks when they occur, safeguarding our animals and tackling global challenges like antibiotic resistance."
Chris Tufnell said: "Since the vote to leave the European Union last year the RCVS has been working in partnership with BVA to highlight to Government and others the potential workforce shortages that could arise from a loss of non-UK EU-qualified vets, particularly in public health work where they tend to predominate. Our position was highlighted in our Brexit Principles published earlier this year and at an event organised by us and the BVA at the Palace of Westminster for MPs and Peers.
"We are very glad that Defra is working proactively with us and BVA to understand the scale of the issues and map out the risks and opportunities and to help us plan for a number of different scenarios in advance so that we do not find ourselves in a position whereby animal health and welfare or public health might be compromised by workforce shortages."
BVA Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Vets provide the foundation for the UK’s high animal health and welfare, and make an essential contribution to the UK economy and wider society. Veterinary teams up and down the country support the UK’s 11 million pet-owning households; not a penny of the UK’s £12.7 billion livestock industry could be realised without vets; and vets are vital to facilitating UK trade, through health certification and controls, so that consumers have confidence in the food safety and welfare of the products they buy.
"Non-UK EU vets make up around 50% of our new workforce each year yet, since the EU referendum; we are facing increasing problems in recruiting and retaining EU colleagues to the UK. The impact of the loss of even a small percentage of the veterinary workforce could have serious repercussions on the practices, communities and industries that vets serve. This profession-wide project is pivotal to ensuring we have a veterinary workforce that can serve the UK’s needs post-Brexit."
The BVA’s Brexit and the veterinary profession report can be found at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/future-of-the-profession/brexit/
To read the College’s Brexit Principles in full visit www.rcvs.org.uk/brexit
The Prime Minister has set out the government’s offer for EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU on their rights and status after the UK leaves the EU: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu
The government’s response to House of Lord’s EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee’s inquiry into Brexit: Farm Animal Welfare also addresses veterinary capability post-Brexit:https://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/eu-energy-environment-subcommittee/Brexit-farm-animal-welfare/Gov-Brexit-farm-anim.pdf
PBD Biotech says the Actiphage test offers the potential to revolutionise control of bovine TB by allowing detection of the disease within hours from a blood or milk sample.
Last November, the Welsh Government announced a new policy that allowed the use of non-validated tests such as Actiphage in herds affected by a TB breakdown. It followed a similar protocol to one authorised by the UK Government last year for cattle herds in England after the test was used as part of a successful private eradication plan on a Devon dairy farm.
Mossman Farming, in Ceredigion, is located in an area of chronic breakdown. It is a spring-calving milking herd with a total stock of 529, to date 312 dairy cows have been slaughtered. Farmer Chris Mossman agreed to trial Actiphage after hearing about the Gatcombe pilot.
Chris said: "TB is a massive problem in Ceredigion, so when I heard about Actiphage’s use at Gatacombe, helping to clear that dairy herd for the first time in six years, I wanted to try and replicate those findings here. Me – and many other farmers – are losing large numbers of animals. I’m trying to do all I can to get rid of this disease from my herd."
In Spring 2019, The Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales granted permission for Robert Price-Jones MRCVS to use Actiphage to screen high-risk cattle for M. bovis.
Robert, who has been leading the trial, said: "Actiphage is able to identify the presence of relatively low numbers of M. bovis in the blood stream of infected cattle. It is not dependent upon an immune system response to the pathogen - in contrast to current validated tests - and so has greater sensitivity than such as the official Tuberculin SICCT skin test.
"The benefit of using Actiphage is that it offers the potential for eradicating the disease from the farm; as early identification of animals at risk of bovine TB enables heightened disease management and control."
Under the terms of the Welsh Government’s protocol, cattle not condemned for slaughter can be tested with Actiphage. Those that give a positive result are identified with a ‘management’ marker, monitored and milked separately.
To prevent further contamination of the environment and to minimise risk to uninfected cattle, animals found to be ‘shedders’ are removed from the farm.
Although a decision to remove cattle based on a non-validated test will be at the farmers’ own expense, the APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) has confirmed that during the trial, where a positive result is confirmed with statutory tests, the animals will be removed with compensation as normal.
So far, 100 animals from Mossman Farming have been tested with Actiphage and Robert Price-Jones is preparing a paper to publish the findings in early 2020.
PBD Biotech is now seeking more farms to trial Actiphage in order to gain the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) validation. The company is offering reduced cost testing to support trials where the findings are made available to support validation of the test.
If they become law, the changes proposed by the working party will have a profound effect on all practising veterinary surgeons and nurses, so it could not be more important that you express your opinion, whether that is in support of the changes or against them.
The proposals fall under five main headings below, each of which is linked to a discussion thread on the subject. Of particular note is the 'fitness to practise' section which includes proposals for radical changes to the disciplinary process:
Do come and join in the discussions. Which of these things do you think will improve the veterinary care of animals? Could any of them have consequences that haven't been thought of? Do you think some of them show the College overreaching itself? Or do they not go far enough?
Come and tell us what you think. Hopefully the discussions will help you form your response to the RCVS survey.
The RCVS survey closes at 5pm on 23rd April 2021.
Petplan has launched nominations for its Petplan Insurance Advisor of the Year Award.
The award is to recognise the hard work and dedication that Pet Insurance Advisors (PIAs) do to highlight the importance of insurance to pet owners as a means of financial protection. To nominate your PIA visit http://www.petplan.co.uk/piaaward/
Petplan works with nearly 2000 vet practices to promote pet insurance within practice. Once a practice has received Appointed Representative status, employees can train to become a dedicated Pet Insurance Advisor by registering on http://www.petplan.co.uk/piaaward/
Petplan says that since pet owners often look to vets for advice about where they stand on insurance matters, having a dedicated member of staff there to explain insurance benefits can give an added value service to your practice. Also the PIA scheme can contribute to staff's CPD, and help them develop transferable skills such as confidently promoting products and handling client objections.
Kelly Cummings, the winner of the 2008 Petplan Insurance Advisor of the Year award said: "Encouraging owners to invest in pet insurance early on in their pet's life can help to ensure a stress-free future. The PIA scheme offers good advice about the basics of insurance which are easy to understand for vet staff. This information can then be simply conveyed to clients."
The PIA of the Year will receive a new laptop and their practice will receive £100 in vouchers! Nominations close on 31st August 2009 and the nominees will be judged by industry professionals. The winner will be announced at the annual BVNA Congress on 10th October.
Please note: due to insurance regulation, the PIA scheme is only available to veterinary staff employed at Petplan Appointed Representative practices.
European veterinary practitioners are to receive guidance on the appropriate use of the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics in treating a wide range of common diseases in companion animals.
The advice has been drawn up by the REQUEST team, a multinational and multidisciplinary group of experts which met for the third time last November. Their recommendations have been designed to help ensure the continued availability of this class of antibiotics in both veterinary and human medicine.
The REQUEST initiative aims to achieve a consensus on when and how to prescribe fluoroquinolones, based on a detailed assessment of published scientific data by its panel of nine acknowledged international experts. Following earlier meetings in Lyon and Vienna they have reached a stage in this ongoing project in which they can offer specific guidance on the use of fluoroquinolones in treating three important conditions in dogs: pyoderma, bacterial diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lower urinary tract infections. They will also be offering guidance on the appropriate use of this class of antibiotics in cats to avoid the development of retinal toxicities, which may occasionally result from treatment with one particular fluoroquinolone drug, enrofloxacin.
The guidance will be presented in papers to be submitted to those scientific journals which will be easily accessible to veterinary practitioners throughout Europe. Further papers will be produced and translated into the main European languages giving guidance on fluoroquinolones use in other important bacterial conditions in dogs and cats.
In the later stages of the project, the team will be highlighting priorities for future research and will use its influence to encourage collaborative studies involving the animal health industry, practitioners, veterinary schools and other research institutions, which will validate and redefine the current recommendations. They will also advise on studies which may provide the information needed in those clinical areas where there is currently insufficient published data on which to base any practical advice, such as the use of fluoroquinolones in minor companion animal species.
The REQUEST initiative is supported by Vetoquinol, a global supplier of fluoroquinolone medicines to the veterinary community. Further support is provided by the healthcare consultancy StratAdviser Ltd, which gives assistance on methodology and other scientific matters and also guarantees the independence of the expert group.
Carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Rossdales Equine Hospital, the study also revealed that the groups particularly at risk were native pony breeds and their crosses, as well as horses and ponies with a history of laminitis and those with lameness or soreness after routine hoof care.
This research, funded by World Horse Welfare, comes from the first ever online study that collected information on laminitis from a group of owners in real time.
The researchers say that the study is also the second largest to identify weight gain as a risk factor for laminitis. Data was collected from the owners of 1,070 horses and ponies in Great Britain, who reported their animal’s management, health and estimated weight via online questionnaires for 29 months.
Owners were encouraged to use a custom weight tracking tool designed by the study/research team to help regularly track changes in their animal’s weight and body condition. The uptake of this tool was high, with over half of participating owners using it.
The tool is freely available at: www.aht.org.uk/research/lameness/laminitis.
Other study findings included:
A high risk of laminitis was present in horses shod or trimmed at intervals of more than 8 weeks, and in those that took a long time to return to soundness after a bout of laminitis.
Diet, grazing management and health were factors closely associated with the development of laminitis and will be the subject of future investigation.
Researchers also noted that weight gain often occurred unintentionally, even when owners were aiming for their animals to maintain or lose it. This reiterates the need to consistently record weight and body condition in order to prevent undesirable weight gain.
Dr. Dee Pollard of the AHT, one of the study’s chief authors, said: "This is one of the largest, and the first, online laminitis studies where we collected regular information from the same group of owners in real-time. We assessed the relationship between laminitis and many potential management and health factors and identified those more likely to be present before a laminitis episode was reported.
"We now have good evidence to develop laminitis prevention guidelines, and a number of different avenues to explore in the future. We cannot emphasise enough how important systematic and regular weight and body condition monitoring are. It’s very easy to miss weight gain when you are just relying on your eyes and you see your horse or pony every day. You need to get hands on, feel for the fat deposits and take measurements, remember the figures don’t lie!"
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The BSAVA says the guidelines aim to bridge differing perceptions of welfare around the world and help veterinary surgeons tackle the ethical questions and moral issues which impact welfare. They also offer guidance to ensure that, in addition to providing physical health advice and therapy to their patients, vets can advocate for their psychological, social and environmental wellbeing.
Shane Ryan, President of the WSAVA and former Chair of the WSAVA Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, said: "As veterinarians, our responsibility extends far beyond the physical health of our patients. Animal welfare as a science is a new and rapidly developing discipline and veterinarians need current, evidence-based information to enable them to maintain the highest welfare standards and to provide knowledgeable, accurate advice for pet owners and communities.
"Our new Guidelines provide recommendations, checklists and other tools to promote optimal levels of welfare throughout the veterinary visit. They also offer guidance on increasing welfare beyond the doors of the clinic through outreach activities.
"As levels of pet ownership increase in many regions of the world, including Asia, it is essential that veterinarians champion animal welfare and the WSAVA hopes that these new Guidelines will encourage our members to adopt best practice and set the highest standards.”
According to the charity, one in ten homeless people have a pet, which is around 32,000 people in the UK. However, the majority of hostels do not accept animals, so they are unable to access accommodation.
The new StreetVet Accredited Hostel Scheme will make sure that hostels are well-equipped to support pet-owning residents. This includes having a variety of pet-friendly health, hygiene and safety policies; access to vet care including telemedicine, free provision of pet essentials, transport to vet practices when needed, emergency kennelling should the pet owner be taken ill and trained hostel team members able to offer support.
The scheme - which will roll out nationwide – has launched today with its first accredited site, The Elms in Hemel Hempstead.
The charity was able to launch the programme after winning £41,000 in funding from Purina’s BetterwithPets Prize which rewards social entrepreneurs and innovators seeking to harness the pet-human bond to tackle societal issues.
StreetVet co-founder Jade Statt MRCVS said: “Under current regulations, if people turn down housing due to 'no pets' clauses, they are told they are making themselves 'intentionally homeless' and are refused further housing assistance. Any pet lover will understand that choosing between a roof over your head and the company of your beloved pet is no choice at all.
"Our hope is that in setting up the StreetVet Accredited Hostel Scheme, fewer people will have to make this impossible choice. Access to pet-friendly hostels is their first step towards independent housing. With homelessness on the rise due to the economic impact of COVID-19, it was important to us to launch this scheme before Christmas, as winter sets in."
Bernard Meunier, Purina EMENA chief executive said: “This great achievement demonstrates how a programme built on deep love for pets and their owners, and belief in the power of the pet-human bond, can deliver positive change for both individuals and communities. And this is what we want to achieve with ourBetterwithPets Prize.”
For more information, visit https://www.streetvet.org.uk
Protexin Veterinary has launched Cystophan, a new product to aid in the management of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC).
Protexin says nearly 50% of cats with FIC will have a recurrent signs within one year, so it is important to offer a high quality product to manage the condition correctly.
Cystophan combines 3 key ingredients in a tasty artificial chicken flavour capsule for optimum effectiveness:
Cystophan is available in tubs of 30 and 240 capsules.
For further information please visit www.protexin.com.