The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has suspended a veterinary surgeon from the Register for nine months for convictions regarding docking puppies' tails and driving offences, and for failing to obtain a client's consent to treatment or explore other treatment options.
At the conclusion of the four-day hearing, Dr Adetunji Ayinla Jolaosho, formerly principal veterinary surgeon at City Vet Clinic in Syston, near Leicester, was found unfit to practise following two convictions for tail docking plus 17 driving and related offences, which also brought the profession into disrepute.
They further found that he failed to obtain consent to remove tissue from Jemma, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier owned by Mrs Hill, and to discuss a reasonable range of treatment options with her, and that this also amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In December 2008, Mrs Hill brought Jemma to Dr Jolaosho to have a lump on her flank drained. Mrs Hill said she made it clear that she had limited finances and nothing other than this treatment should be done without her consent. Dr Jolaosho undertook a biopsy and removed tissue. He told the Committee that he asked his practice manager to contact Mrs Hill and obtain her consent, however, this was not consistent either with the clinical records or a letter sent to Mrs Hill in December 2008.
Caroline Freedman, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee said: "The Committee is satisfied that Dr Jolaosho did not seek to obtain consent from Mrs Hill before he decided to carry out exploratory surgery. It does not consider that there was any attempt to explore treatment options with Mrs Hill before the surgery other than draining the mass."
On 16 June 2009, Dr Jolaosho pleaded guilty at Market Harborough Magistrates Court to two offences of docking the tails of Rottweiler and Doberman puppies. He was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay court costs of over £3,000. During 2003 to 2008, he was also convicted of 15 driving and related offences and twice of obstructing a police officer.
At the outset of the hearing, Dr Jolaosho admitted his criminal convictions, telling the Committee of his difficulties following the death of his wife in October 2002 and subsequent sole responsibility for his three teenage children. He also said that the tail docking resulted as an oversight on his part and that as the puppies were docked within five days of birth, there were no welfare issues. He emphasised that he had not carried out tail docking since being visited by the RSPCA in July 2008. He also drew to the Committee's attention the fact that, until 2003, he had been of good character.
The Committee accepted that for at least part of the period in question he was suffering from emotional problems following his wife's death, and his continuing financial responsibility for two of his children.
It was however, concerned, that having received a custodial sentence for driving whilst disqualified, he committed further driving offences on release. Nor did they accept that the tail docking was an oversight: in 2006 the RCVS advised Dr Jolaosho to comply with the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and not dock dog's tails unless for "truly therapeutic or prophylactic reasons." In view of the seriousness of the charges admitted and proved, the Committee concluded that a period of nine months suspension from the Register would be a proportionate penalty.
Mrs Freedman said: "The primary purpose of the sanctions is not to punish but to protect the welfare of animals, maintain public confidence in the profession, and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct."
She added: "Bearing in mind the financial consequences of the suspension of Mr Jolaosho, the Committee does not consider that any useful purpose would be served by imposing a longer period of suspension. However, Mr Jolaosho should be aware that any further convictions or failure to observe the College's Guidelines are likely to lead to the removal of his name from the Register."
The Privy Council has dismissed the appeal of a Lincolnshire veterinary surgeon against the RCVS Disciplinary Committee's decision to strike him off the Register in January 2011 for serious professional misconduct.
At a two-week Disciplinary Committee hearing in January, Joseph Lennox Holmes of Waltham Veterinary Clinic, Grimsby, was found to have advised on and undertaken surgical procedures without sufficient clinical grounds or consideration of alternative treatment options; failed to obtain the informed consent of his clients; undertaken procedures outside his area of competence; failed to refer or discuss the option of referral to a specialist; and, failed to provide his patients with adequate pain relief. These findings related to two separate complaints and a total of 31 charges, of which 28 were found to amount to serious professional misconduct.
The Appeal was heard by Baroness Hale, Lord Wilson and Lord Kerr on 1 November 2011, and their judgment was delivered on Tuesday by Lord Wilson.
There were two principal parts to Mr Holmes's appeal: firstly, that RCVS procedures for investigating and determining complaints were biased against him and infringed his human right to a fair hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal; and, secondly, a number of complaints about the DC's findings and conclusions.
According to the RCVS, their Lordships recognised that the College's regulatory framework was constrained by the existing Veterinary Surgeons Act and "support[ed] statutory reform so as to enable members of the disciplinary committees to be chosen from outside the council"; but, they were satisfied that the College had made "strenuous attempts" to ensure its disciplinary procedures were fair and in accordance with human rights legislation.
They also remarked that the College had made "elaborate efforts" to separate the membership and work of the three RCVS Committees that produce guidance, investigate complaints and adjudicate on complaints, respectively. Their Lordships considered that "a fair-minded and informed observer [having considered all the facts] would not conclude there was a real possibility that the DC was biased against Mr Holmes".
Their Lordships also dismissed all of the 'deficiencies' that Mr Holmes had sought to identify in the DC's findings and conclusions. They generally preferred the College's evidence, witness accounts and expert witness testimony, and felt the DC had correctly considered the multiple charges before it.
They also found that the expertise of the DC in assessing the standards of the profession was "entitled to substantial respect" and agreed that the only sanction appropriate to Mr Holmes' "catalogue of egregious misconduct" was the removal of his name from the Register.
"[This sanction] was the only disposal which could properly reflect the primary need to serve both the interests of animal welfare and the reputation of the veterinary profession," they concluded.
Their Lordships' decision is now subject to approval by the Crown, following which, Mr Holmes would be removed from the Register and no longer entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
Petplan has announced the finalists for the 2013 Petplan Veterinary Awards.
Now in its 14th year, the Petplan Veterinary Awards received its biggest response yet, with 11,000 nominations submitted for exceptional veterinary staff across the UK.
The finalists for each of the categories are:
Vet of the Year
Vet Nurse of the Year
Vet Support Staff of the Year
Vet Practice of the Year
Practice Manager of the Year
Isabella von Mesterhazy, Petplan's Head of Marketing, said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 35 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK. The Veterinary Awards is a great way to recognise and celebrate the fantastic work that goes on helping keep pets healthy and their owners happy. This year we have seen a near fourfold increase in nominations which goes to show the appetite from both staff and clients for celebrating exceptional work, it is going to be a fantastic night."
Gyles Brandreth will compère the award ceremony on the 4th April at Birmingham Town Hall.
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall made her first visit to the RVC's Camden campus today, in her role as patron of the College's charity, the Animal Care Trust.
The Duchess became Patron of the Animal Care Trust in 2005, and was visiting to see how funds raised by the charity help to provide cutting edge equipment for the College's hospitals, provide assistance to the College's research teams and support the commitment to excellence in veterinary education.
During the tour of the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital (BSAH), the Duchess saw how donations from the ACT have helped to purchase laparascopic surgical equipment enabling the hospital to provide key-hole surgery for routine neutering procedures, bringing welfare benefits to the animals and allowing students to develop their first-day skills needed in veterinary practice.
The Duchess also met the specialist exotics team that forms part of a newly launched Small Animals Referral Service based at the BSAH and which receives funding from the ACT.
Professor Stuart Reid, Principal of the RVC, said: "The generous donations to the ACT are invaluable in helping us to deliver the best possible care to our patients and world-leading veterinary education to our students. We were delighted to welcome The Duchess of Cornwall to our teaching hospital in Camden so that she could see just how much of an impact these donations have on the work that we do."
As well as spending time in the hospital the tour also took in the RVC's anatomy museum where the Head of Anatomy Service at the College, Andrew Crook MBE, demonstrated how an investment from the ACT in plastination facilities is helping the College to preserve valuable anatomical samples in a form that can be handled by students without fear of decomposition.
The visit finished with a reception, where supporters and donors of the Trust, as well as some of the College's students had the chance to meet the Duchess.
The challenge is part of Merial’s #CALFMATTERS calf pneumonia vaccination awareness campaign.
In total, the group aims to walk over 70,500 miles and raise £15,000 for Farm Africa, a charity which helps farmers and communities in developing countries by giving the advice and products they need to lift themselves out of poverty.
So far the challengers have covered one fifth of their total target, and completed the equivalent of several iconic distances including the Appalachian Trail, Lands End to John O’Groats, and ‘virtually’ crossed entire countries including Australia, China and Japan.
The participants have committed to the challenge by upping their physical activity. Merial has provided them with Fitbit fitness trackers to record their daily steps, which count towards the virtual teams’ total progress. The goal is 141 million steps in 20 weeks.
Robert Smith MRCVS from Farm First Vets is one of the highest steppers of the group. He recently scaled Ysgyryd Fawr (The Big Skirrid), one of the Black Mountains in Wales’ Brecon Beacons, for the challenge. He said: "I used to think of myself as a coiled spring ready for action, but the steps challenge has forced me to realise there is plenty of scope to increase my activity levels significantly. Hopefully when it is all over I will see the benefits and feel physically fitter for it."
Robert has taken the challenge one step further by encouraging his wife, two daughters, and Farm First Vets practice staff to join him in the challenge, with an added incentive. Between now and the BCVA Congress on 19th October, Farm First Vets will donate £50 to Farm Africa for every member of Robert’s team who completes the #CALFMATTERS challenge. Additionally, for every member of staff that achieves an average of 10,000 or more steps per day, the practice will donate £50 to XL Vets’ and BCVA 50th Anniversary charity, Send a Cow.
If you want to support those taking part in the challenge, you can do so at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/calfmatters.
Veterinary surgeons who want to pay in full must do so before before 1st June 2021. For those UK-practising vets who want to pay the fee in three instalments, the first payment should be received before 1st June, the second payment before 1st October and the final payment before the end of the year.
Any vets who do not pay either the fee in full or the first instalment before 1st June will be removed from the Register. If they want to be restored, they'll need to pay an additional restoration fee as well as the registration fee.
Professor Susan Dawson, RCVS Treasurer, said: “Due to the ongoing disruption to the profession because of the lockdown, we are glad to say that RCVS Council has again approved the ability for members of the profession to pay their fee in instalments and therefore spread the cost during this already difficult year.
"We would like to remind members of the profession that the option to pay in instalments is only available to UK-practising veterinary surgeons. For any UK-practising veterinary surgeons who have a Direct Debit set up but who wish to pay by instalments, please make sure to cancel your Direct Debit as soon as possible."
Payments can be made via the My Account area of the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/myaccount) where you will also need to confirm that you meet the annual continuing professional development (CPD) requirement and declare any convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings.
Any questions, contact the Registration Department: registration@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0707.
For advice about making payments or submitting a remittance form, contact the Finance Department on finance@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0723.
Further details about paying in instalments can also be found in a series of FAQs at: www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19/retention-fee-faqs/
So far this year the charity says it has received 144 requests from people asking for it to take in or help rehome their horse or pony through the Blue Cross Home Direct service.
More than 70% cited personal or financial circumstances as the reason.
In comparison for the full year of 2021, 43 (or around 15%) of a total of 277 intake and rehoming requests specified financial reasons.
In 2020 a total of 32 (around 14%) out of 231 requests stated financial reasons.
Annabelle Taylor, Rehoming Coordinator at Blue Cross, said: “It is distressing to see that the number of people seeking rehoming support because of financial reasons is already more than double last year’s annual total and we still have a third of the year to go.
Dentistry Specialists: Andrew Perry, Jose C. Almansa Ruiz, Rachel Perry, and Bob Partridge, together with veterinary dentists Dr Matthew Oxford FRCVS, Evelyn Barbour-Hill and Susan Thorne join the team of Small Animal Medicine Specialists who are also on hand to answer questions posted by GP vets on VetSurgeon.org
All questions asked on VetSurgeon.org are added to a searchable knowledge base for the benefit of everyone in the profession. So anyone who asks a question is not just doing it for their own benefit, but for everyone.
Questions can be case-related, or broader questions asking what the team thinks about a drug, technique or piece of research.
Anyone who subscribes to the VetSurgeon Digest of questions here, and posts a dentistry question here before 30th September 2023 will have their name put in the hat for a bottle of Moet champagne.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: “One other thing. Do share this news story with your colleagues in general practice. For them to be able to tap into the minds of some of the leading lights in both dentistry and medicine is a really amazing resource, especially for more recent grads."
Lanes Health, manufacturer of the mobility supplement, LitoVet, has announced the nominees for the inaugural Litovet Equine Scientific Achievement Award, part of the annual Animal Health Trust (AHT) awards.
The award which has been set up to recognise a person or group whose clinical or scientific work has made a substantial difference to the equine veterinary world will be judged by a panel of leading veterinary surgeons and scientists.
The nominees are:
Peter Clegg - MA VerMB PhD CertsES DepEVCS MRCVS. Dr Clegg is Professor of Equine Surgery and Deputy Head of the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, The University of Liverpool. Peter's current research focus is equine orthopaedics, in particular identifying the basic mechanisms of injury and repair in equine joints and tendons. He has supervised 13 successful PhD students and is currently supervising a further nine.
Andy Durham BSc, BVSc, DEIM, Dipl.ECEIM, MRCVS (RCVS & European Specialist in equine internal medicine). Liphook-based Andy Durham exemplifies the premise that veterinarians in practice can maintain an active interest in current research, undertake clinically relevant research projects, interact with researchers on an international stage and contribute to CPD through scientific papers, book chapters and lectures.
Tim Mair BVSc PhD DEIM DESTS DipECEIM MRCVS. Dr Mair ha been innovative in veterinary practice (e.g., an early adopter of standing magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), has an extensive publication list recently focusing on evidence-based medicine for colic, but spanning the full breadth of common medical disorders in horses. He has made an enormous contribution to veterinary practice within both Europe and America in his role as Editor of Equine Veterinary Education.
Chris Proudman MA VetMB PhD CertEO FRCVS.Dr Proudman is Professor of Equine Studies at the University of Liverpool. His research interests are related to the aetiology and surgical management of acute intestinal disease (colic) in the horse: specifically, the diagnosis of intestinal parasites associated with colic and understanding dietary determinants of colic. Most recently this has involved using metabolomics and molecular microbiology to investigating the intestinal microbiota and its response to dietary change.
The LitoVet Equine Scientific Achievement Award can be granted to any individual or group that is currently undertaking, or has successfully implemented within the past ten years, one or more clinical or other research projects which has, or will, make a significant contribution to equine health and welfare.
The award will be presented to the recipient, or recipients, at the UK Equestrian Awards held at the Lancaster London on Thursday 3 November 2011.
The RCVS has announced the results of the 2015 RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council elections.
Turnouts in both elections rose this year, with 4,838 veterinary surgeons (18.1%) and 1,379 veterinary nurses (11%) voting, which compares to 4,137 (16.1%) and 1,157 (10%) in 2014. The College says these represent the highest numbers of vets and VNs ever to vote in RCVS elections, noting however that there are more vets and veterinary nurses on the Registers. Average turnouts over the past ten years are 17.4% (4051 veterinary voters) and 9% (833 VN voters).
Current members Niall Connell and Lynne Hill were returned to two of the six available seats on RCVS Council, with 2,575 votes and 1,889 votes respectively (the four other current members of Council eligible for re-election will all be retiring this year). Peter Robinson (2,308 votes) was elected again, having previously served on Council in 2013/14.
Joining Council for the first time will be Timothy Greet (2,550 votes), Joanna Dyer (2,383 votes) and Katherine Richards (1,905 votes).
Disappointing news, however, for the RMB brigade this year: Tom Lonsdale scored 374 votes, down 13.5% on 2014, despite the increasing number of voters.
The two available places on VN Council were taken by new member Lucy Bellwood (914 votes) and existing member and Vice-Chair, Elizabeth Cox (630 votes).
Turnouts in both elections rose this year, with 4,838 veterinary surgeons (18.1%) and 1,379 veterinary nurses (11%) voting, which compares to 4,137 (16.1%) and 1,157 (10%) in 2014. These represent the highest numbers of vets and VNs ever to vote in RCVS elections, although there are increasing numbers of vets and veterinary nurses on the Registers. Average turnouts over the past ten years are 17.4% (4051 veterinary voters) and 9% (833 VN voters).
RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey, said: "My sincere thanks to all those who stood for election this year and to all those who voted, and many congratulations to the successful candidates. Once again we have an excellent mix of people joining Council, who will be able to bring a diverse range of skills and experience to Council discussions and activities. I very much look forward to welcoming them to Council at our AGM in July."
Chair of VN Council Kathy Kissick, said: "It's encouraging that voter numbers have risen slightly in this year's election, especially in such an auspicious year where the introduction of the new Royal Charter for the RCVS means that we are now formally regulated by the College and recognised as true professionals in our own right. My congratulations to both Lucy and Liz on their success."
In addition to their usual written biographies and manifesto statements, all candidates produced a 'Quiz the candidates' video this year, where they answered questions put to them directly by fellow members of the professions. Still available to watch via the RCVS website and YouTube channel, the 11 RCVS Council candidate videos have been viewed 2,967 times, and the three VN Council candidate videos 509 times.
Once again veterinary surgeons and VNs could cast their votes by post or online, with the former remaining the more popular method. A higher proportion of veterinary surgeons (30%) voted online than did veterinary nurses (23%).
The 2015 RCVS and VN Council elections were run on behalf of the RCVS by Electoral Reform Services.
Believed to be the first course of its type produced specifically for the veterinary sector, it aims to help educate colleagues about the subject of Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and is relevant to anyone working in the veterinary community, including non-clinical staff.
The course looks at how to create a more inclusive environment for colleagues and clients.
It also covers definitions of diversity and inclusion, and investigates the difference between equity and equality - and why it is so important.
Course learning materials also consider the topics of bias, prejudice, protected characteristics and discrimination - and how colleagues might challenge any non-inclusive behaviours through interactive veterinary context scenarios.
Nimisha Patel-Cook and Claire Dennison, Learning Partner and Employee Experience Lead at CVS, who jointly developed the course, said: “We want to increase the levels of diversity within the veterinary community, but to achieve and sustain more diverse workforces we know we need to foster inclusive and equitable workplaces.
"Everyone plays a part in that.
“So we have created this new course and are making it available to any colleague working the veterinary community.
"In time we hope that it contributes to an inclusive and psychologically safe culture for all within the sector.”
The course is available at https://knowledgehub.cvsukltd.co.uk.
The VetDebt Recovery Compass tool provides a way for practices to understand how outstanding payments affect their cash flow and practice value, and what steps to take next.
Mike Brooks, Chairman at DSL UK (pictured), said: “The VetDebt Recovery Compass offers a quick and easy way to see the true financial impact of unpaid debt.
"By making this information free and accessible to everyone, we hope to empower veterinary teams to take control of their finances.
DSL says that the new tool, which is available at www.dsluk.net, allows practices to see both the immediate recovery potential and the long-term value impact of their debts in less than 30 seconds.
The calculator also provides a species-specific breakdown, helping to identify where debt issues may be most significant and where to target first.
Mike has also appeared on the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) Practice Matters Podcast, discussing how practices can better manage the topic of debt: https://fivp.org.uk/ep023-fivp-practice-matters-at-spvs-the-farm-vet-journey-practice-debt.
Success in Veterinary Practice by Dr. Bradley Viner DProf BVetMed MSc(VetGP) MRCVS is now available from Wiley Blackwell at £28.99. Teeside general practitioner Rob Reid BVM&S MRCVS has reviewed the book for members of VetSurgeon.org:
There are many self-help books available in a variety of fields, covering topics which range from stress management and emotional control through to furthering one's career and professional development. Until now, there has been no such publication that has covered these issues in the veterinary context, and it is here that Bradley Viner has identified a niche in the market with his new book Success in Veterinary Practice.
The aim of book is to help veterinary practitioners of all levels to develop and nurture their professional skills, both on a personal and at a practice level. The book will be of interest to vets in all fields and contains a lot of information that will be particularly relevant to vets who are embarking on the Professional Key Skills Module of the RCVS CertAVP. It may also be of interest to other members of the veterinary practice team and is also marketed at individuals who are considering a career in the veterinary field.
The book is organised into nine chapters, with the first eight providing content matter on areas such as personal development, communication techniques, improving clinical performance and developing leadership skills, with the final chapter summarising the information presented. The first eight chapters are structured in such as way that information is presented in a digestible format. The material is detailed enough to provide understanding without being overburdening and the summary and exercise sections presented at the end of each chapter help the reader to review what they have read and pick out the key ideas.
There were many areas of the book I found interesting and I liked the way that the author has looked at the psychological and sociological aspects of one's actions, both in relation to colleagues in the workplace and in relation to dealing with clients. From a personal point of view, I also liked the section on communication skills - an area which probably doesn't receive enough coverage in both undergraduate and postgraduate education.
On the negative side, there are some minor typographical errors and I feel some of the diagrams could have been better produced. The pure academics among us may also be somewhat critical about the author's stance towards the relevance of some aspects of clinical research. And of course some people may be put off by the price, with the truly cynical among us possibly seeing the close relevance of the content to the syllabus of the CertAVP 'A' module as a cunning marketing ploy!
As a general practitioner, however, I found the book to be informative and thought-provoking. I have found it has encouraged me to take a look at certain aspects of my work which I have almost done instinctively in the past, analyse my reasons for doing them and then look at how I can improve on these in the future, for the good of patients, my clients, the rest of the working team and of course for myself. It is certainly an interesting read, and I would recommend it to be of value to any vet who sees the term 'professional development' to mean far more than a simple sharpening of one's clinical skills.
The British Veterinary Association, some of the UK's largest animal charities, law enforcement agencies and unions have today called on the leaders of the main political parties to work together to introduce improved and updated legislation to protect dog welfare and public safety.
The 20 groups have come together to demand action against irresponsible dog owners by the Government and the provision of necessary resources for those tasked with policing dog control laws.
It comes ahead of the summary of responses from Defra's consultation on dog legislation which is expected this autumn. The consultation received more than 4,000 responses by the time it closed in June, indicating the scale of interest in the subject.
The joint statement will be sent to Prime Minister David Cameron MP, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP and acting leader of the opposition Harriet Harman MP.
The statement says: "We believe that irresponsible dog ownership, whether it is allowing dogs to stray, be dangerously out of control or indiscriminately breeding them, causes significant problems for the safety and welfare of both humans and animals. Current legislation is proving inadequate in many cases to ensure sufficient protection.
"We believe that both the provision of sufficient resources at a local level for local authorities and the police, and updated and consolidated legislation that has a genuine preventative effect, are needed to address this problem.
"We call on the coalition Government to act and bring forward legislation that addresses these areas effectively."
BVA President Professor Bill Reilly added: "The Government must not ignore this overwhelming call for action to protect dog welfare and public safety.
"The problems caused by dangerous dogs will never be solved until dog owners appreciate that they are responsible for the actions of their animals. The BVA believes very strongly in the principle of deed not breed - targeting dogs for their actions, not what they look like - and new legislation must tackle the actions of irresponsible pet owners that can cause dogs to become aggressive. Current legislation is not tackling irresponsible owners who increasingly put the public and other animals at risk.
"Compulsory microchipping - and an effective and workable registration system - should be put in place for all dogs, not only to reunite stray dogs with their owners, but also to help prevent puppy farming and to promote responsible ownership.
"I cannot stress too strongly that responsible ownership is the key to resolving the issue of dangerous dogs."
RCVS Council has unanimously elected Mrs Jacqui Molyneux to become its new Junior Vice-President. She will take up office on RCVS Day, 1 July 2011.
Jacqui said: "As I have become more and more involved with the RCVS and the work of its committees I am amazed at the amount of work being done behind the scenes by both Council Members and the RCVS staff. It's sad that many of the profession live in fear of the RCVS as they are only aware of its regulatory function.
"During my time on the Officer team, communication with the profession will be a priority, not for the vocal minority, but with the silent majority who have no idea of the breadth of the work that the RCVS undertakes each year."
Jacqui graduated in 1981 from the University of Bristol and started her career in small animal practice in Liverpool, before moving to the North East, and setting up her own practice. Following its rebuilding, the practice was accredited as a Veterinary Hospital in 2002 and, four years later, has become RCVS Practice Standards Scheme accredited.
Since her election to the RCVS Council in 2005, Jacqui has chaired the Small Animal Certificate Board and served for four years on the Disciplinary Committee. She has also been Vice-Chairman of the Veterinary Nurses Council since 2007.
From 2009, Jacqui has chaired the RCVS Awarding Body Board, including the review of Veterinary Nursing.
Jacqui is currently President of the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS). She is studying for a Masters in Clinical Oncology with the University of Birmingham, and holds an RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Surgery awarded in 2000.
BCF has released a new bovine foetal sexing quick guide as a free download from the farm animal learning section of the company's website - www.bcftechnology.com.
To help vets learn the skill of foetal sex determination with ultrasound, the guide includes:
BCF says that using ultrasound for foetal sex determination can be useful to herd management programmes: you can estimate the number of replacement heifers, further justify the culling of a cow with chronic disease (mastitis, lameness etc.) and determine pricing for a sale and/or purchase.
The guides have been created by BCF in-house vet Kimberley Palgrave who said: "The bovine foetal sexing guide was created with the aim of giving vets a few tips to help them develop confidence in foetal sex determination using ultrasound. Hopefully this guide can help people feel more assured in their technique and enable them to obtain additional information that the farmer can use in their herd management programme."
The course helps veterinary practices manage their dispensaries with up-to-date information on medicines regulations. It covers the main aspects of dispensing including an overview and update on legislation, using the cascade and the storing and disposal of medicines. There will also be sessions covering controlled drugs, dispensing mishaps and what to expect from an inspection.
Tutors Pam Mosedale, Donal Murphy, Michael Stanford, Mike Jessop and John Millward will deliver lectures via webinars throughout the day, which ends with a live streamed interactive Q+A session.
The course is suitable for vets, vet nurses and other staff who deal with the dispensing of medicines and the pharmacy.
Attendees will have access to supporting resources for approximately two weeks after the course, including electronic course notes and lectures from the day and an active discussion forum.
The Association says course meets the RCVS practice standards veterinary hospital dispensing course requirements and is ideal for the new PSS Medicines Award CPD requirement.
It is also AMTRA accredited and carries 43 AMTRA CPD points.
Attendance for the day is compulsory and an attendance register will be taken for the Live Q&A session.
Course organiser Pam Mosedale said: “We are very excited to be able to deliver the BSAVA Dispensing Course online and still allow for interaction between speakers and delegates in the live session. With Practice Standards and VMD visits restarting, it is fantastic that we are still able to support practices in these difficult times by ensuring they are complying with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations.”
The course costs £150.00 (incl. VAT) for BSAVA members and £225.00 (incl. VAT) for non-members. To book visit https://www.bsava.com/Education/CPD/Event-Detail/dateId/2099
Identics, an animal identification company run by veterinary surgeon Egbert de Vries, has launched Labtags, a system with which you can tag animals and takes tissue samples simultaneously.
Egbert said: One of the diseases for which this tag has proven to be useful is Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). BVD Antigen testing is an important method of identifying the persistently infected (PI) animals in a herd.
"Use of labtags can be integrated in an accreditation scheme to achieve BVD Free status. It removes the need for taking blood samples and therefore simplifies the implementation of the accreditation scheme.
"BVD Antigen testing is not solely used for achieving an accreditation status. Persistently infected (PI) animals in your herd allow for the circulation of the BVD virus and have a negative impact on herd fertility and calf health. Identifying these animals is necessary for good herd management."
Two different labtags are available from IDENTICS. The first is the green button tag with a sequential number, which can be used as a complimentary tag to your double tagged animal. The second is a DEFRA approved tag with your UK herd number and individual animal number, allowing you to tag and sample your newborn calves with the correct tag without any extra work.
For more information, visit www.identics.co.uk, start a conversation with Egbert, email: info@identics.co.uk, or telephone: 01994 342100 / 07787 420646
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has announced a £15,000 bursary to the Animal Health Trust. The bursary will be used to help fund the development of a rapid result blood test to identify horses infected with Strangles.
The AHT has already developed a test that can detect the disease, however the result is not known for 48 hours. The aim of the new research is to develop the test to produce a result within 10 minutes. The test, which is being developed in conjunction with Forsite Diagnostics Ltd, will be a useful tool for disease screening at sales and competitions.
"As an independent charity we receive no government funding and this bursary is extremely important to us and we are delighted to be working in partnership with The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials on this specific project," said Dr Richard Newton of the AHT who is carrying out the research in partnership with Professor Andrew Waller. "Without this vital funding to carry out the painstaking work that will give us the confidence to launch the test, it will remain no more than a theoretical possibility."
The Bursary will be presented at this year's Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (1- 4 September 2011) - in recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the event.
"With increasing horse movement, not only world-wide but closer to home between competitions and livery yards, preventing the spread of disease is an increasingly important challenge facing the horse world," said Elizabeth Inman Director of the Trials. "We are delighted to be able to play a part in this challenge and hope that this anniversary bursary will help to fast-track this new test out of the laboratory and into the field and thereby help reduce the spread of what is a horrible disease for horses and owners."
The RCVS Charitable Trust has announced that it is working in partnership with Imperial College London and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to co-fund a doctorate entitled 'Veterinary training and veterinary work: a female perspective, 1919-2000.'
This will look at the shift in women's expectations, experiences, professional networks and career trajectories, and examine how and why certain veterinary activities came to be regarded as suitable (or unsuitable) work for women. In the course of this research the personal collections of two prominent members of the veterinary profession, Connie Ford and Olga Uvarov, will also be catalogued, to make these papers more accessible to both professional researchers and more generalist readers.
Clare Boulton, RCVS Charitable Trust Librarian and the Trust's project supervisor said: "This exciting project is an opportunity to really use the archival material held by the RCVS Charitable Trust Library, interview transcripts and surveys, to describe and analyse the educational and work experiences of successive generations of female British vets. It's great to be able to work with other academic institutions on a project of this nature so we can share expertise - and make the most of the research findings."
The research will be carried out by Julie Hipperson, who holds an MA in Modern History from King's College London, and whose interests include women in the professions in the twentieth century, and rural environments and communities. She said: "I hope new insights will be gained into the most famous of veterinary female pioneers.
"More than this, however, I will be looking at the mainstream of female vets, their aspirations, motivations and achievements since 1919, and also the obstacles they encountered, in order to contextualise the 'feminisation' of the profession. This is a sizeable challenge, but one which I hope will be invaluable not only to the veterinary profession, but also to understand more fully women in the professions throughout the twentieth century."
More information can be found on the Trust's website http://trust.rcvs.org.uk/pioneers-and-professionals/ and on Julie's 'Pioneers and Professionals' blog at http://pioneersandprofessionals.wordpress.com/
Edited by Philip Lhermette, David Sobel and Elise Robertson, the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endoscopy and Endosurgery, Second Edition provides a guide for vets who want to practice minimally invasive techniques.
Seven videos have been added to Chapter 12, Rigid Endoscopy: Laparoscopy, which has been expanded to include more detailed step-by-step guidance on laparoscopic spays. The new videos show a laparoscopic ovariectomy in a bitch and a cat, a liver and a pancreatic biopsy in a cat, and cholecystocentesis in a cat.
Chapter 16, An Introduction to Laser Endosurgery also has a new video showing nasopharyngeal stenosis in a cat being treated with lateral laser resection and balloon dilation. The use of lasers improves the quality of surgical interventions and provides a valuable component for veterinary practices that are already making use of endoscopy and endosurgery.
Philip Lhermette said: "As a minimally invasive technique, endoscopy is an important diagnostic and surgical tool for clinicians. Our new videos provide valuable visual guidance to support the manual, helping our members to develop and revise their skillset using the most current techniques.”
You can watch the videos on the BSAVA library: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/book/10.22233/9781910443620
To buy a physical copy of the BSAVA Endoscopy Manual, visit: https://www.bsava.com/Shop/Veterinary-books#!prod/8fa461ab-3119-eb11-8100-005056be4acd/curr/GBP, or for a digital version, visit: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/book/10.22233/9781910443620.
The PAC offers pain scale apps for dogs, cats and rabbits, a library of downloadable resources and multiple webinars released via the Animalcare Learning Alliance.
Animalcare Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: “The PAC serves as a one-stop-shop for a wide range of resources, available in digital form and printed form if required. Whether you’re looking to offer clients educational materials on a particular clinical topic; refresh your own knowledge or take some online CPD via one of our webinars. The PAC will prove a useful and easily accessible tool for veterinary teams.
“In light of the current changes to the industry, having a fully-functional digital platform like this to provide to our customers is now more important than ever. We hope that The PAC can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere; no matter what your current circumstance is.
He added: “We would also like to extend our support and thanks to the many veterinary teams right across the UK, which are working so hard to deliver much-needed services in the challenging conditions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The PAC can be accessed here www.the-pac.co.uk.
The Canine Cruciate Registry is a free, anonymised, data collection audit tool that will enable veterinary surgeons to share information on techniques and procedures to improve patient care.
RCVS Knowledge will collect data from both vets and dog owners on patients recovering from cruciate surgery to identify which procedures and techniques give the best outcomes and have the fewest complications.
According to the charity, injury to the cruciate ligament is one of the most common causes of lameness and the most common type of orthopaedic problem in dogs, affecting about 1 in every 200 individuals in the UK each year.
Surgery is widely accepted to result in better outcomes for cruciate patients, however, there is a lack of high-quality evidence comparing which surgical techniques and implants are most effective and have the fewest complications. The Canine Cruciate Registry aims to fill this gap and provide evidence that veterinary surgeons worldwide can access to help guide decision-making about techniques for every patient they see with a cruciate rupture.
RCVS Knowledge has developed the registry with Amplitude Clinical Outcomes, a global leader in online registry software. It involves a web-based series of questions that vets, and dog owners are asked to complete throughout the dog’s care, to monitor their long-term progress.
In human medicine and surgery, outcome measures are common practice, with many human surgeries involving mandatory data entry onto a national registry.
Clinical Lead for the RCVS Knowledge Canine Cruciate Registry is veterinary orthopaedic surgeon Mark Morton. He said: “Thanks to several years of hard work and development from a group of vets across the UK and the team at RCVS Knowledge, I am delighted that the Canine Cruciate Registry is now up and running.
“We want to work with as many vets and dog owners as possible, we want to know about complications, we want to know about different techniques and how dogs recover so we can build a knowledge base for vets around the world to improve the quality of care they provide.
“As vets, it's our job to advise owners on treatments options, as well as what can go wrong with those treatment options and how often these potential complications may occur.
“I invite all vets in the UK as well as owners caring for dogs having cruciate surgery to join us and help improve outcomes for all patients in the future.”
Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Board of Trustees, Amanda Boag said: “This is a hugely exciting step forward in developing quality improvement initiatives within the veterinary profession and potentially transformational in terms of consistency and quality of care for our patients.
“I applaud the vision of the surgeons in setting this registry up and am keen to see how the same approach can be applied in other common disease conditions.”
Orthopaedic Surgeon, Richard Whitelock said: “The benefits of the Canine Cruciate Registry are immense – for dogs, owners and veterinary surgeons. Owners will be able to make better-informed decisions and their feedback on outcomes will be included. Surgeons will be able to monitor and compare their results, adapting and improving their treatments accordingly.
“I believe that the Canine Cruciate Registry could trigger a widespread change in the veterinary profession, we look forward to owners and surgeons across the UK engaging with it.”
The Canine Cruciate Registry has been endorsed by the British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association (BVOA), and all UK vets performing cruciate surgery are encouraged to sign up to the registry.
For more information, visit: www.caninecruciateregistry.org
Nominations will remain open till 5pm on Tuesday 31 January 2023 and the elections will take place in March and April 2023.
RCVS President Dr Melissa Donald, a member of RCVS Council since 2016, said: “I am a general practitioner by background, and so having the opportunity to serve on Council and be at the heart of decision-making that has a real and consequential impact on how we as vets work and conduct ourselves, has been a real privilege.
“In my six years on Council I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in fascinating debates and discussions, to represent the RCVS and its activities at country fairs and congresses, and to talk to and get the views of peers and colleagues from across the UK.
"Serving your profession in the RCVS is a fantastic opportunity and I would recommend anyone who wants to have a real say and impact on the future of the profession to stand for next year’s Council elections.”
The full eligibility criteria, info and FAQs for vets who want to stand can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil23.
Prospective candidates for RCVS Council can also contact Melissa Donald for an informal conversation about what it means to be an RCVS Council member: president@rcvs.org.uk.
There is also an opportunity for prospective candidates to attend a meeting of the RCVS Council on Thursday 19th January 2023 at the University of Nottingham Veterinary School, as an observer.
Contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, on d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk if you'd like to go.
However, the attainment of clinical remission did reduce the likelihood of subsequent death due to gastrointestinal disease.
In the study titled “Outcome of chronic inflammatory enteropathy in cats: 65 cases (2011-2021)”1, cats diagnosed with chronic inflammatory enteropathy were retrospectively identified from three medical records databases, and follow-up information obtained from the referring veterinary surgeon.
This information was used to determine if clinicopathological variables were associated with death due to gastrointestinal disease in diagnosed cats.
Sixty-five cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy were included in the study, with follow-up information available for 54 cats (83%).
Of these, 37% (n=20) were euthanised due to gastrointestinal disease and 46% (n=25) were alive and in clinical remission, with 64% (n=16) of these diagnosed with food-responsive enteropathy.
The study did not find a correlation between the tested clinicopathological variables, measured at the time of histopathological diagnosis, and death due to gastrointestinal disease, or length of survival in these cats before death due to gastrointestinal disease.
This, the authors say, suggests that alternative diagnostic measures should be identified to definitively investigate outcome and survival in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy.
The study also adds weight to previous research which recommends the use of therapeutic diets in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy, although further research is needed to clarify a favourable treatment protocol.
First author, Dr Yuvani Bandara, said: “Knowledge that the attainment of clinical remission reduces the likelihood of subsequent death due to feline chronic inflammatory enteropathy is important for veterinary surgeons and owners.
"We hope that our findings can act as a foundation for further research to investigate factors that support the attainment of clinical remission in affected cats.
"Thank you to BSAVA PetSavers for funding this study.”
Reference