Faecal calprotectin is a calcium-binding protein released into the gut lumen predominantly by neutrophils, and to a lesser extent by monocytes and macrophages, during intestinal inflammation.
Its presence in faeces reflects the degree of neutrophilic infiltration in the gut mucosa, making it a useful biomarker for identifying intestinal inflammation.
Faecal calprotectin lateral flow testing is already used in human health and included in the NICE guidelines for the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)1.
Determining the underlying cause of chronic diarrhoea, vomiting and weight loss in cats and dogs can be complex, often requiring invasive procedures such as endoscopy or biopsy - both of which carry cost, risk, and sometimes practical limitations in general practice.
GIQuest is designed to offer a non-invasive, rapid alternative to support clinical decision-making.
Carus says that whilst not a replacement for histopathology, faecal calprotectin concentrations have been shown to correlate with disease severity in dogs and cats, as measured by tools such as the Canine Chronic Enteropathy Clinical Activity Index (CCECAI).2
New data from the University of Bristol Vet School appears to confirm the test’s ability to differentiate dogs with histologically-confirmed inflammatory enteropathy from healthy controls with high sensitivity (94%) and specificity (96%) using a score threshold of 3mg/kg.2
Carus says the test also performed well in cats, distinguishing those with inflammatory enteropathy from healthy controls with a specificity of 100% and sensitivity of 92%.
In addition, the test detected elevated calprotectin levels consistent with inflammatory gastroenteropathy in 25% of dogs receiving oral NSAIDs, which highlights its potential not only in long-term monitoring but also early in treatment when GI side effects may first emerge.
Jolian Howell of Carus Animal Health said: “Faecal calprotectin testing can provide additional clarity in a range of clinical scenarios.
"It is particularly useful when diagnosing and managing suspected inflammatory enteropathy or food related reactions and for monitoring or screening for GI side effects of oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatories in long term OA therapy regimes.”
The Bristol study also showed that dogs with food-responsive enteropathy had a significant drop in calprotectin concentrations following dietary change, reinforcing the test’s role in tracking treatment response.
Georgie Louca, Veterinary Business Manager for Carus Animal Health, added: ”By providing a measurable, visual indicator of intestinal inflammation, GIQuest also helps support client communication and can improve compliance during treatment or dietary trials.”
GIQuest is designed for use in practice, including during consultations, delivering colour-coded results in 15 minutes.
GIQuest is now available to veterinary practices across the UK and can be ordered through veterinary wholesalers NVS, Covetrus and MWI.
https://carusanimalhealth.com/giquest
References
Squamous cell carcinoma affects horses’ genitalia, eyes, or skin around the eyes. The tumours typically have a guarded to poor prognosis, and the therapeutic approaches available have variable success rates. Euthanasia on welfare grounds is necessary in a significant number of cases.
Before this new research was published, pathologists and researchers Dr Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet and Professor Simon Priestnall, both from the RVC, had already undertaken research which showed that equine squamous cell carcinoma affecting the penis frequently acquires the ability to degrade the extracellular matrix and become much more biologically aggressive2. This is known as ‘epithelial to mesenchymal transition’.
This new study, recently published in Scientific Reports, is the product of a multi-institutional effort, which used both “classical” anatomic histopathology assessment and artificial intelligence to demonstrate a correlation between chronic inflammation, equine papillomavirus infection and progression of equine penile squamous cell carcinoma.
Several additional cancer-related signalling molecules, which are important in researchers’ understanding of human penile cancer, were also studied and the results obtained will lead to a much better understanding and treatment of the cancer.
Simon Priestnall, Professor of Veterinary Anatomic Pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: “Equine squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of cancer in horses, with a variable prognosis, so we are delighted to have made this breakthrough that provides a greater understanding and can lead to more effective treatments for horses and their owners.
"The RVC has always recognised the value of collaboration, and Alejandro and I enjoyed working alongside the teams at KCL, the University of Edinburgh and UCL. This project shows what can be achieved when different organisations work together with a common aim and we hope the similarities between the tumour in horses and people can offer a true One Health benefit."
Dr Alejandro Suárez-Bonnet, Lecturer in Comparative Pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "I am so pleased with the results of this study, which will hopefully pave the way for improved prognosis of horses diagnosed with equine squamous cell carcinoma.
"Our work is not over, however. Thanks to the help of a grant from the Horse Race Betting Levy, Simon and I are leading a Master’s degree project investigating equine penile, ocular and vulvar squamous cell carcinomas from a broader perspective.
"Our hope is to identify if variability exists between equine papillomavirus infectious status, morphological and microscopic difference, and cancer progression, with the aim of identifying potential therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic markers with prognostic implications for maximum benefit to the British equine population.”
Vet-AI's automated triage app offers instant advice to pet owners 24/7, early detection of health issues and advice as to whether they need to speak to a vet.
For the blinded test, which was conducted in April 2025, three UK veterinary surgeons reviewed the responses from Vet-AI, Gemini 2.0 and ChatGPT 4.0 to 48 simulated enquiries from owners.
The vets evaluated each on clinical accuracy, triage effectiveness and the subjective criteria of factuality, integrity, safety, empathy and readability.
Vet-AI’s Large Language Model (LLM) achieved an accuracy score of 81%, surpassing Gemini (69%) and ChatGPT (50%).
Vet-AI’s model also stopped triage at the correct point in 81% of cases according to the vets, compared with Gemini’s 75% and ChatGPT’s 56%.
Vet-AI’s tool also outperformed the leading LLMs on subjective measures, delivering more empathetic, thorough and factual responses to pet owners.
Samantha Webster, Chief Veterinary Officer at Vet-AI said: “These latest results are a significant milestone in the development of automated triage.
"We’re proving we can provide trustworthy online pet care by combining clinical and technical expertise.
"This tool can support the wider industry too, engaging more pet owners in the first step of vet care, ensuring their pets get the care they need - whether in practice or remotely.
"We know that an increasing percentage of the UK pet population is struggling to access veterinary care.
"Whilst AI will never replace a vet, the use of innovative technology can break down the barrier to access, leading to more pets getting the care they need, when they need it."
“With this level of clinical accuracy and technical innovation, we're helping to bring great pet care to more people. As well as helping to create more demand for vet services by making the triage of pets as accurate as possible,” said Paul Hallett, Vet-AI founder and exec chair.
https://www.vet-ai.com/automated-triage
Research amongst veterinary surgeons by Janssen Animal Health, maker of Cavalesse oral and Cavalesse topical, has revealed that owners could be doing more harm than good when it comes to managing sweet itch in their horses.
92% of vets questioned are aware that people follow old wives' tales by administering lotions and potions such as garlic and olive oil to ward off flies during the summer sweet itch season, when garlic actually has the opposite effect of attracting them.
According to Janssen, it is thought that only a quarter of horse owners are aware that it is important to carry out preventative measures before the start of the midge season to help alleviate sweet itch. 14% of people are thought to go to their vet for advice on sweet itch, while 30% seek help from their country store or tack shop, 27% search for information on websites and 26% ask other horse owners for guidance. This is despite the fact that 92% of those questioned believe that sweet itch would clear up quicker if people sought advice from their veterinary surgeon.
Nicki Glen, marketing manager at Janssen Animal Health said: "Sweet itch can be an incredibly difficult and frustrating condition to manage, however horse owners do not tend to seek advice from their vets. It is therefore important to educate horse owners while you are on yard visits with pro-active advice on the condition for the long-term health and welfare of horses."
Cavalesse is a natural food supplement containing a specialised formulation of water-soluble vitamins and minerals, including nicotinamide. Once a month the contents of each sachet are dissolved in water to form an oral solution, which can be administered daily via a special pipette, either by sprinkling over a small handful of feed or adding to a treat such as a sugar lump. Janssen says the supplement helps horses maintain a healthy skin and promotes normal immune function in horses prone to summer allergies.
Cavalesse Topical is a skincare gel that can be used in combination with the Cavalesse solution. The gel can be applied to the skin to help support natural immunity from the outside, whilst the oral solution works in partnership from the inside.
For further information on Cavalesse and Cavalesse Topical please contact your Janssen Animal Health account manager or phone 01494 567555.
Virbac has launched Milpro, a palatable milbemycin / praziquantel-based broad-spectrum wormer for dogs and cats.
Milpro is offered in tablet sizes suitable for dogs, small dogs or puppies, cats and small cats or kittens for ease of dosing. It is presented in 4, 24 and 48 packs.
As an aid to owner education and compliance, packs of Milpro use 'Blippar Augmented Reality'. Owners download the Blippar app and scan the front of a pack of Milpro or a dispensing envelope, whereupon the pack becomes animated and various interactive options appear, including educational videos, a built in reminder system and other product information.
Simon Boulton MRCVS, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at Virbac, said: "The practice team has a crucial role to play in reminding owners that regular worming is essential for their pet's health. With the introduction of Milpro, we are extending our parasiticide range and offering practices an alternative solution.
"With compliance such an issue, we want to use 21st century communication to help practices to get the message across. The result is the introduction of an interactive element to our packs with the use of the Blippar platform. It enables us to create 'Augmented Reality' experiences through which we can provide comprehensive information to owners in an eye-catching and easily accessible way with the aim of boosting compliance and, ultimately, welfare.
"We believe the combination of the small tablet sizes and the innovative packaging will prove attractive and convenient to owners, making Milpro a successful product for practices".
Practices can also request an interactive waiting room poster which enables owners to watch a video on the poster on the importance of worming.
The webinar, which is presented by equine internal medicine specialist David Rendle from Rainbow Equine Hospital, challenges some of the current perceptions of worm control in horses and explains why veterinary surgeons need to engage more with horse owners on the topic to ensure a sustainable approach to parasite control.
Supported by Virbac, maker of Equimax and Eraquell horse wormers, the webinar is free to BEVA members at http://www.ebeva.org/webinar74.
Andrea Tarr, Veterinary Prescriber’s founder and director said: "There is a lot of confusion about the various rules and regulations around medicine storage. This module makes sense of it all. It is an essential read for anyone who deals with veterinary medicines, particularly those preparing for a VMD or RCVS PSS medicines inspection."
Veterinary Prescriber’s reviews are presented as e-learning modules. All the modules are the result of a thorough literature search and collaboration between practising specialists, general practitioners and the publication's editorial team.
Veterinary Prescriber is supported by subscriptions which cost £9.95 per month (cancel anytime) for individuals or £25 per month (for a 12-month contract) for practices. The latter includes 12 months free access to https://cpd.veterinaryprescriber.org for your practice's vet nurses, vet receptionists and SQPs.
To subscribe visit: https://www.veterinaryprescriber.org/subscribe
For further information, contact: carlrussell@veterinaryprescriber.org telephone 07932 044904.
The recording of the VPMA’s GDPR webinar with the Information Commissioner's Office has been made available to the veterinary profession to help practices get ready for the 25th May 2018, when the new regulations come into force.
For access to the webinar, email: secretariat@vpma.co.uk
The Stablelab hand-held reader detects and quantifies the biomarker Serum Amyloid A (SAA), an acute phase protein produced by the liver that increases rapidly and dramatically in response to inflammation.
Zoetis says that by measuring SAA, vets can assess the severity of an infection more quickly, often before clinical symptoms start, and are able to monitor the horse’s response over the course of treatment.1
Zoetis vet Wendy Talbot said: “Zoetis is committed to providing vets and horse owners with the most effective health products to better predict, prevent, detect and treat equine disease.
“The Stablelab test kit enables convenient, off-site testing for quick and accurate detection of a reliable indicator of infection in horses.
“Point-of-care testing is one of the fastest-growing areas of diagnostics and this test is rapidly becoming a standard of care in equine practice. SAA testing will help vets to quickly determine an appropriate course of intervention, positively impacting case outcomes.”
For more information, visit: www.stablelab.com. To place an order, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0845 300 9084 (option 3).
Reference
The 'Room For Rabbits' campaign follows research in which 38% of vets said they think rabbits’ environment is the most neglected welfare need1, with over a quarter of the UK’s rabbits being kept in inadequate housing conditions, and almost half of them living alone2.
The RAW survey also found that 90% of vets believe that rabbits’ welfare in the UK is improving3.
Room for Rabbits will throw a spotlight on rabbits’ environment, with a variety of initiatives during RAW including vet blogs and videos on how to adapt bunnies’ housing for all seasons, boredom buster ideas, a competition to encourage owners to create a RAW ‘gold standard’ environment, and downloadable packs containing resources for practices to create their own RAW campaigns.
Holly Castle, Senior Brand Manager at Burgess Pet Care, RAAG member and organisers of RAW, said: “We are delighted that RAW continues to have a positive impact, with our survey showing that 90% of vets believe that the welfare of the UK’s rabbits is improving - but there is always more than we can do.
“Since the previous RAW campaign, we have successfully launched RAAG, which recognises that the welfare of these wonderful creatures needs to be high on the agenda year-round.
"By bringing together the expertise of the RAW partners, RAAG is focused on encouraging everyone involved with rabbits to support the first Good Practice Code for rabbits’ welfare in England to ensure it becomes enshrined in law.
"One of the ways to achieve this is through initiatives like RAW, which is the UK’s largest welfare campaign of its kind.
“We recognise that vets’ practices were really stretched last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant it was difficult to support campaigns like RAW.
"However, following a surge in demand for rabbit ownership in the UK during the past two years, it is vitally important that we educate more owners than ever before and continue to help improve rabbits’ welfare."
“The veterinary community plays a hugely important role in ensuring that owners have access to the right information, and we are urging practices to throw their support behind this year’s RAW to ensure that we reach as many owners as possible.
Professor Ian Ramsey, Past President of the BSAVA, which endorses RAW, said: "The BSAVA is once again delighted to support RAW and the theme of this year’s campaign.
"Rabbits remain one of the most misunderstood pets in the UK, but we are confident that vets across the UK will again show their support for this important campaign to improve the lives of pet rabbits.”
The RAAG is encouraging vets’ practices to sign up to receive updates about RAW at https://www.rabbitawarenessactiongroup.co.uk/raw-pack-reminder/.
Downloadable RAW vet packs will also be available from 6th June.
Bayer Animal Health has taken over the marketing and sales of the antibiotic Nisamox (tablets containing Amoxicillin and Clavulanic Acid), from Fort Dodge Animal Health.
Under the new arrangement, the design of Nisamox tablet packaging will change to reflect the change of ownership, however, Bayer says the quality of the tablets and the competitive pricing remain unchanged.
Nisamox tablets are licensed for use in cats and dogs to treat infections of the skin, urinary tract, and respiratory tract caused by susceptible Staphylococci, and also to treat enteritis and urinary tract infections caused by susceptible E.coli.
Nisamox tablets will continue to be available in three strengths: 50mg, 250mg, and 500mg. For information on Nisamox tablets, contact your Bayer territory manager.
Petplan has announced the results of a survey which shows that with less than a week to go before microchipping becomes compulsory in England, Scotland and Wales, there is still confusion about the law amongst pet owners.
In the survey of 2,000 British dog owners, 25% had not heard of the new law and 40% didn't know that it also requires owners to keep their microchip details up to date.
40% of respondents said they'd be happy to pay over £500 as a reward if their dog went missing. Despite this, 40% of those who were aware of the new law but had yet to chip their dogs admitted they had not done so because of reservations about the cost of the procedure.
The survey also highlighted the fact that even the most careful of owners lose their dogs. Nearly 40% of losses reported in the survey happened when the owner was taking their pet on a daily walk and 47.1% of respondents reported having a dog escape from an apparently secure garden.
The survey also found that a third of lost dogs came to harm while missing, most of which (84.8%) needed veterinary care.
According to Petplan, despite more than half of dog owners citing expensive veterinary bills as one of their biggest concerns around dog ownership, over 45% of respondents reported not having their dogs insured.
Petplan has published information for pet owners about the new microchip law here: petplan.co.uk/microchip-dog-law-info.
The first, carried out by Nanna Luthersson and colleagues and published online in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in March, evaluated the laminitis risk factors in a group of Danish horses and ponies.1 It confirmed that Cold-blooded type animals <149cm, such as certain native ponies, as well as those being kept on high quality pasture were at an increased risk of developing laminitis for the first time. It also highlighted the important role that a change in grass intake, in terms of both type and amount, may play at any time of the year not only the spring as commonly thought.
The second study, funded in part by the PetPlan Charitable Trust, British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation Norman Hayward Fund and the Laminitis Trust, was undertaken in conjunction with Nicola Menzies-Gow (Royal Veterinary College) and published online in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) in August. The study evaluated the risk factors for the development of laminitis prior to the occurrence of the disease.2 It identified that low concentrations of the adipose tissue derived hormone adiponectin, together with high serum insulin concentrations (at rest and as part of a diagnostic test for PPID) may predict an increased risk of future pasture-associated laminitis.
It is hoped that future studies will be able to generate more robust cut off values, which will more accurately predict future laminitis development in an individual animal.
The RVC in collaboration with Waltham is now taking this forward through a study in which these markers are measured regularly, in conjunction with a detailed management assessment, in a group of ponies with no known history of laminitis at the start.
Clare Barfoot RNutr and the research and development manager at Spillers said: "The Danish study gives us important practical facts about the susceptibility of cold-blooded types, and is particularly applicable to natives in the UK. The second study gives hope that there may soon be a test or series of tests that will help predict those at an increased risk of suffering from pasture associated laminitis in the future thereby reducing the number of animals affected by this debilitating condition. In the meantime until we fully understand the condition it is sensible to manage all the risk factors we currently know about, in particular keeping your horse at a healthy weight."
In 2014 ioLight co-founders, Oxford physicists Andrew Monk and Richard Williams, filed a patent application for a pocket-sized digital microscope with a performance that compares with expensive laboratory microscopes. They asked Cambridge Industrial Design to realise the product, briefing them that the device would need to deliver images with one micron resolution (required to view human or animal cells) onto a smartphone or tablet, be pocket-sized, easy to use, and economical to build in medium to high volumes.
One of the biggest challenges was in making the unit pocket-sized, which meant it had to be foldable, something which could have led to a loss in the rigidity needed to achieve high resolution images. This challenge was overcome with the use of a single hinge which the company says makes the ioLight both portable and robust.
Alex Jones, Managing director of Cambridge Industrial Design said: "We recognised immediately this was a great idea but the design brief was certainly a challenge. Fortunately, challenges can sometimes bring out the best in designers. The final design is a real success both aesthetically and ergonomically, and this award is a fantastic acknowledgement for the design process and the final product that we have created together with ioLight."
ioLight is also celebrating another success: closing its second round of equity funding after raising £320k from 335 investors on the Crowdcube platform (128% of the initial target).
The company says the new funding will allow it to promote the microscope to a wide range of target markets including veterinary surgeons, education, laboratory and field research, museums and public engagement as well as to international markets.
Andrew Monk, ioLight’s co-founder said: "The product is so simple to use that it is the ideal communication tool for explaining science to the public, students and customers. The microscope lets everyone see the same image so the discussion is about the picture not the tools. It’s a perfect fit for government public engagement campaigns, which are well funded at the moment. We are absolutely delighted that this funding provides us with the opportunity for both product development and to reach out and make microscopy available to so many more people."
The double-blind placebo-controlled study will examine whether the pheromone collar can help reduce the severity or development of certain potentially problematic behaviours in puppies and it is open to puppies less than 12 weeks of age.
Puppies will have to wear a collar until they are six months of age and their owners will be asked to complete a check sheet relating to their puppy’s behaviour every month. Each month a new collar will be sent direct to their home.
To encourage enrolment, the University of Lincoln is offering veterinary professionals a £10 voucher for every successful sign up to the trial.
Owners who complete all questionnaires will receive a pack of canine health and welfare goodies from Ceva Animal Health. The pack will include Adaptil Junior, Adaptil Transport and Logic Oral Hygiene Gel.
Owners will also be entered into a draw to win an iPad.
A marketing pack is available to raise awareness of the study and includes a waiting room poster, owner leaflets and a social media post for Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
For further information, email the University of Lincoln at puppydevelopment@lincoln.ac.uk.
Firstly, the BVA recommends that more work needs to be done in order to clarify and communicate the duties that can already be delegated to Registered Veterinary Nurses under Schedule 3.
In addition, the Association says that:
there should be an expanded role for RVNs in general anaesthesia, where the veterinary surgeon maintains overall responsibility
consideration should be given to granting RVNs expanded rights to dispense POM-V flea and worming treatments
consideration should be given to expanding the role of RVNs in the management of chronic cases, including repeat dispensing
consideration should be given to the potential role for RVNs in dispensing contraceptives, anthelmintics and vaccines in a zoo setting
it would be beneficial to incorporate the Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) role within RVN training
The BVA also recommends that there should be accessible, flexible and professionally recordable post-registration awards for RVNs from all academic backgrounds, and has reiterated its call for the protection of the title of 'Veterinary Nurse.'
BVNA Junior Vice President Jo Hinde RVN (pictured right) said: "BVNA strongly supports the vet-led approach as we believe working together as a team is the best way to improve both patient and staff welfare. We are delighted to be working on this project with BVA and are using our best efforts to continue to strive to strengthen the role of the RVN.
"We have always believed the VN title needs to be protected and this is increasingly important as the veterinary profession adapts to new challenges. It is vital that owners can be confident that their pet is being looked after by well-trained and RCVS-registered staff, as well as there being more clarity surrounding Schedule 3 procedures.
"The support for the advancement of the nursing role through post-registration qualifications is a welcome development and we believe this will help enable RVNs to follow their passion for a particular subject and allow them to significantly increase their knowledge in specific areas of interest. When following the vet-led model, this would result in a strong team of individuals with in-depth knowledge that can enhance their patients’ care."
The RCVS has launched a new College honour, the RCVS Queen's Medal.
RCVS President Col Neil Smith said: "The Queen's Medal will be the most prestigious honour that the RCVS can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon and will be reserved for those whose distinguished careers and outstanding lifetime achievements deserve wider recognition."
The honour was created following a review of the RCVS honours system, which demonstrated the need for a new aspirational award.
The RCVS wrote to the Cabinet Office last year, together with letters of support from Peers and MPs, many of whom attended the reception, to request permission to name this new honour after Her Majesty the Queen.
Col Smith said: "We are honoured that Her Majesty has supported the proposal and allowed the College to name the award after her, and express our sincere thanks to those Parliamentarians who supported our endeavour."
The first RCVS Queen's Medal will be presented at RCVS Day in July 2014. The nomination form for the Queen's Medal can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/Queensmedal.
Novartis Animal Health has announced that it will no longer be manufacturing and supplying the enzootic abortion vaccine, Mydiavac.
The company reassures its customers that current stocks will continue to be distributed as smoothly as possible.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Semintra, a new liquid treatment for cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The active ingredient in Semintra is telmisartan, the first angiotensin receptor blocker to be licensed in veterinary medicine.
Like benazepril, Semintra is indicated for the reduction of proteinuria associated with CKD in cats. Boehringer says it has a highly targeted mode of action that provides rapid and reliable reduction of proteinuria in cats with chronic kidney disease. The company adds that it is well tolerated and almost exclusively excreted in the faeces, so elimination is not dependent on renal function.2
Above all, Boehringer is highlighting the how easy the treatment is to use, pointing to a study that has shown it is well accepted by more than 90% of cats.1,3
Martha Cannon, RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine at the Oxford Cat Clinic, has already used Semintra in cats with CKD. She said: "For us at the Oxford Cat Clinic, ease of use is an enormously important part of any product that we use for cats. From our personal experience, we found that Semintra is very well accepted by cats, with owners finding it very easy to give and to build into their cat's daily treatment plan."
Semintra is available from veterinary wholesalers as a 4mg/ml oral solution. There is one 30 ml bottle size which will last the average 4kg cat 30 days.
A few CKD facts provided by Boehringer:
For further information on Semintra visit www.semintra.co.uk, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager or telephone +44 (0)1344 746959.
João, who graduated from Portugal’s Oporto University in 2009, was recruited from the University of Liverpool, where he was a lecturer in Small Animal Cardiology.
Willows Clinical Director Toby Gemmill said: "This is an exciting time for us. As part of our new extension, our state-of-the-art cardiology suite is now open and fully operational, while we have also appointed a hugely knowledgeable and experienced cardiologist to join the team.
"It is further evidence of our continued commitment to invest in top talent and the best facilities so we can provide the highest standards of care and treatment."
João said: "I’m very pleased to have joined a centre of excellence like Willows and to be working in the fantastic new cardiology suite.
"I enjoy all aspects of medical and interventional cardiology but I have a particular interest in feline cardiomyopathies, cardiorenal syndrome and atrial fibrillation."
RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett said: "I am so proud of our performance in the Great Place to Work Awards and the efforts of everyone at the College, and especially our HR team, who have been tirelessly and creatively striving to make the College a wonderful place to work.
"Consistently being placed in the top 50 Great Places to Work is also a testament to the sustained hard work all of our employees and the important part they play in creating a supportive, interesting and good-humoured workplace.
"We are a service-led organisation and we want to make sure that we give our best to the veterinary professions and the general public. If our team enjoys the work, and the workplace, that will improve the service we are able to offer and, ultimately, benefit animal health and welfare."
Merial Animal Health has launched Veloxa, a palatable broad spectrum dewormer for dogs, effective against roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm.
Merial says Veloxa uses a proprietary technology which coats the bitter active ingredients in the beef-flavoured chewable tablets. In the company's palatability tests it achieved 97% acceptance.
Veloxa tablets are scored for accurate dosing and come in two sizes:
Christine Male, Product Manager of Veloxa said: "Merial has a strong heritage in anti-parasitics and understands how difficult it can be for pet owners to administer worming tablets, so we are extremely pleased to be able to offer Veloxa as part of the Merial anti-parasitics range."
BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “Judging this competition has been genuinely both extremely enjoyable and really difficult.
"The entries this year have absolutely surpassed expectations and the level of talent on display is amazing.
"However, the photographs we have chosen are all well worthy of being finalists.
"From photos that made us laugh out loud, to others that made some of us feel close to tears, they evoked a range of emotions, but we were also impressed by the quality of the images, the creativity of the photographers and the composition of the photos, as well as the stories behind the lens.
The finalists are:
Vets at work
All creatures great and small
Happy pets that make us smile
The winners will be announced at BVA Live at Birmingham’s NEC in May, where this year there is also an opportunity for BVA Live delegates to vote for their favourite image from the shortlist, with a new ‘People’s Choice’ winner being announced in the weeks following the event.
Elanco Animal Health has announced the launch of Kexxtone this month, a new treatment which it claims can reduce the incidence of ketosis in dairy cows by 74%* following a single treatment.1
Kexxtone is a targeted solution for any dairy cow or heifer that is expected to develop ketosis around the period of calving. It is administered as a bolus,and provides coverage during the main risk period for the condition.
Ketosis often goes undetected because the signs are not immediately apparent. However, it is a common condition, affecting around 30% of cows2 and has a negative impact upon cow health, fertility and milk production. Ketosis can result, on average, in milk losses of around 350-500 litres per cow4 per lactation. The cost of production losses and disease related consequential losses due to subclinical ketosis has been estimated at around 250-600 EUR per cow.5
Elanco says this new approach is likely to significantly expand the array of options open to vets actively involved in dairy herd health management. Kexxtone comes with the benefit of a zero day milk and meat withdrawal3 and the formulation is based on monensin - a molecule with a long history of beneficial use.
According to the company, Kexxtone uses novel technology to allow a continuous and regular release of the active ingredient into the rumen which forms a gel when exposed to rumen fluid. This gel is progressively released into the rumen by a pressure sensitive spring in the Kexxtone device. The active ingredient shifts the microbial balance in the rumen to produce more of the glucose precursor propionic acid, therefore increasing glucose delivery and ultimately increasing the energy available to the cow. This improvement in energy utilisation buffers dairy cows against the tendency to drop into negative energy balance during the transition period around calving and early lactation - the major cause of ketosis.
Mike Steele, Technical Consultant at Elanco said: "Kexxtone offers an exciting opportunity in which everyone wins - vets who can offer positive interventions able to make a big impact on the bottom line, are going to be increasingly integral to their farm clients' herd health planning framework. It's no longer just about nutritional intervention and emergency salvage; it's about being able to proactively easily measure the true herd prevalence of ketosis and where appropriate, take preventative targeted action to really make a difference."
Kexxtone is available to order now from veterinary wholesalers - for further information contact the Elanco Territory Manager or call Elanco Animal Health on 01256 353131.
Warwick Seymour-Hamilton, a former veterinary surgeon who practised in Kent, has had his third application for restoration to the Register refused by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee this week.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was struck off in 1994 following an inspection of his premises, equipment and facilities in Orpington, which were found to be in such poor condition that it constituted a risk to the health and welfare of animals brought to the practice and brought the profession into disrepute.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton had made two previous restoration applications in July 1995 and June 2010. Both of these were refused on the grounds of poor preparation for re-entering practice life as, in both cases, he had made no attempt to engage in continuing professional development or visit and observe other veterinary practices.
Representing himself at this week's hearing, Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that, since the 2010 hearing, he had further developed an interest in herbal medicine and, after visiting a number of veterinary practices in continental Europe, had attended the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Dublin, gaining a qualification in herbal and naturopathic medicine. He told the Committee that he currently worked as a herbalist and naturopath with human patients but wanted to widen his work and research to include animal patients.
The Committee was concerned by his answers to a number of questions, Mr Seymour-Hamilton having described the hearing as an 'exploratory meeting' and indicating a lack of knowledge in a number of areas to do with veterinary practice and its regulation. The Committee felt that this demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding as to its function and terms of reference.
Professor Noreen Burrows, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee expresses its surprise and concern at the lack of preparation for this hearing by the applicant, given that these issues have arisen at his previous restoration hearings, and that the result of a positive finding in favour of him would be his ability to practise unfettered as a veterinary surgeon forthwith."
In particular the Committee highlighted Mr Seymour-Hamilton's lack of understanding of the regulatory framework for veterinary practice as set out in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, the requirements of continuing professional development and what 'fitness to practise' meant, beyond the practical issues of his physical and mental capacity.
Professor Burrows added: "Based on all of the evidence available to the Committee it is very clear that he has failed to satisfy... that he is fit to be restored to the Register and this application is therefore dismissed."
The Committee's full findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).