Vétoquinol has announced the return of Navilox powder (isoxsuprine hydrochloride), the only medication specifically licensed in the UK for use in cases of navicular disease in horses.
Navicular disease is a chronic degenerative condition of the navicular bone and associated structures. It is a syndrome with a complex pathogenesis which combines various underlying causes. Vétoquinol says it is a common cause of lameness in the middle aged riding horse.
Robert Simpson, Navilox Product Manager said: "Navilox has been sorely missed by equine vets in the UK which is why I am thrilled to be able to announce that it is available again."
To order Navilox powder, call Vétoquinol on 01280 825424 or contact your wholesaler directly.
Dr Russell, 64, who waived his right to attend the hearing, was convicted in 2023 of three offences: making indecent photographs of a child, possessing 2,280 prohibited images of a child and possessing 109 extreme pornographic images that included moving images that were grossly offensive.
After pleading guilty to making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child, and possessing extreme pornographic image/images portraying sexual acts with an animal, Dr Russell was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to a two-year community order, a 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 150 hours of community service and a forfeiture and destruction order of Seagate Drive, Toshiba hard drive and Lenovo tablet.
In addition, he was required to register with the police for 5 years and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.
He was also required to pay prosecution costs of £425 and £60 victim surcharge.
Counsel for the College submitted to the Disciplinary Committee that the nature and circumstances of the offences rendered Dr Russell unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
The Committee considered there to be several aggravating factors including, actual (albeit indirect) injury to an animal or child; the risk of harm to an animal or child; sexual misconduct; premeditated conduct; and, that the offences involved vulnerable children and animals.
Neil Slater, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee has reached the conclusion that Dr Russell’s behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with being a veterinary surgeon, namely grave offences of a sexual nature.
"Dr Russell’s behaviour was so serious that removal of professional status and the rights and privileges accorded to that status is considered to be the only means of protecting the wider public interest and of maintaining confidence in the profession.
“The Committee has not taken this decision lightly, and, lest it be misinterpreted, it has not taken it in order to satisfy any notional public demand for blame and punishment.
"It has taken the decision because, in its judgment, the reputation of the profession has to be at the forefront of its thinking and ultimately this is more important than the interests of Dr Russell.
"The decision is not simply based on the fact that these offences were of a sexual nature but because they were repeated over a significant period of time and at a time when Dr Russell must have known, on his own plea of guilty, that what he was doing was wrong.
"Further, the Committee can discern no evidence that Dr Russell has insight into the gravity of the offence he has committed.
"The Committee has therefore directed the Registrar to remove his name from the Register forthwith.”
Dr Russell has 28 days from being notified of his removal from the Register to lodge an appeal with Privy Council.
According to Mandadeals.co.uk, CVS has agreed to buy Veterinary Enterprise and Trading, including it's 27 surgeries in the South East of England which operate under the Pet Doctors brand and Greendale, its diagnostic and laboratory business, for £12.2M.
Mr Wood was convicted of three offences which involved the download of 38 videos and 13 indecent images of children, at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court in December 2017.
In January 2018, he was sentenced to a three-year Community Sentence for each offence, to run concurrently, and was made subject to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
He was also fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £340 and a victim surcharge of £85.
Mr Wood was also placed on the barring list by the Disclosure and Barring Service and required to register with the police pursuant to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 for a period of five years.
Mr Wood appeared before the Disciplinary Committee, admitted his conviction and accepted that it rendered him unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
In determining the sanction, the Committee says it took into account a number of mitigating factors: his conviction involved no actual harm or risk of harm to an animal; there was no financial gain; he had engaged in open and frank admissions at an early stage; he was experiencing mental ill-health at the time of the offence; he had taken subsequent steps to avoid a repetition of such behaviour; there had been a significant lapse of time since the incident; and he showed insight into the harm caused by his offence.
The Committee also considered that the purpose of a sanction is not to punish, but to protect the welfare of animals, as well as maintain public confidence in the profession and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct. On consideration of the appropriate sanction, the Committee decided that postponement of judgement was not appropriate, and that taking no action was not an option.
The Committee then considered whether a reprimand or warning was appropriate, but they considered that would not match the gravity of the offence – a period of suspension would also mean Mr Wood would automatically return to the Register after the period of time without the College being able to review his fitness to practise, rendering it an inappropriate sanction. The Committee therefore determined that the removal of Mr Wood from the RCVS Register was the only way to protect the wider public interest and maintain confidence in the profession.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee has not taken this decision lightly, and, lest it be misinterpreted, it has not taken it in order to satisfy any notional public demand for blame and punishment.
"It has taken the decision because in its perception, the reputation of the profession had to be at the forefront of its thinking and ultimately it was more important than the interests of the Respondent.
"The decision is not simply based on the fact that these offences were of a sexual nature but because they were repeated frequently over a significant period of time, and at the time, the Respondent knew on his own admission that what he was doing was wrong.
"Accordingly, the Committee had decided that removal from the Register is appropriate and proportionate in this case. The Committee will direct the Registrar to remove the Respondent’s name from the Register forthwith."
Mr Wood has 28 days to appeal the Committee’s decision after which, if no appeal is received, the Committee’s judgment takes effect.
The tool is available to all practices, free of charge.
The downloadable and printable guide chart, which has been created by a number of specialists, will help veterinary surgeons, nurses and receptionists to identify urgent, potentially urgent, non-urgent and delayable cases to help limited veterinary resources be used to best efficiency without compromise to animal health or welfare.
The chart, which can be printed and put on a practice wall or referred to as a webpage via a mobile phone or tablet, has a number of supporting resources produced by the same specialists.
Sue Paterson, BSAVA President, said: “During these exceptional and worrying times veterinary surgeons need as much practical help and support as possible.
"We are hugely grateful for the indefatigable support of an enthusiastic group of volunteers who have rapidly produced this triage tool, which we are now able to share. It should enable patient queries to be processed, reliably and efficiently, allowing for emergency patients to be seen as a matter of urgency, within the current government and RCVS guidelines."
The triage tool is free to download and share: https://www.bsava.com/TriageTool
BSAVA is working on a number of other initiatives to support veterinary professionals during the current crisis, including new guidance on obtaining consent remotely for veterinary treatment. for more information, visit: https://www.bsava.com/adviceforCOVID19
The survey, which this year had a record 1605 respondents, covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses and dividends to benefits such as accommodation, car allowance and pensions.
The survey found that the median salary package for all vets in 2021 was £48,325; £3000 more than in 2020.
For all nurses the median package was £24,227 in 2021 and for head nurses the figure rose to £31,013.
The median daily rate for a locum vet was £350 in 2021, a rise of over 16% since 2020.
The hourly locum rate increased by 36% to £41 per hour.
Similarly, locum nurse daily rates have risen by over 30% since 2020 to £144 and their hourly rate increased by 14% to £20.
New grad vets' salary packages actually dropped by £800 in 2021, to £32,700.
However, the 2021 new grad hourly rate increased to £15.66 from £15.04 in 2020.
SPVS says this could indicate that newly qualified vets are earning less because they are working, on average, three hours less a week.
This may suggest that they are prioritising their work life balance, with time off being more important than an overall salary.
SPVS also highlights a growing gender gap in salary.
81% of the respondents were female, and the median full time salary difference between men and women was 21%, compared to 15% in 2020.
SPVS hypothesises that this could be because there are more male vets in more senior positions, rather than because of gender per se.
The question, therefore, is why there are more male vets than females in senior positions.
The survey showed very similar numbers of males and females doing both clinical and non-clinical post graduate training. But more than twice as many men than women go on to take up positions of leadership or seniority, or in referrals.
More research is needed to understand why females are doing the extra training, but apparently not using it to further their career.
As in 2020 SPVS has also looked at satisfaction with remuneration, hours worked, conditions, support and prospects and is using this data to create a separate report which will be available soon.
For more information, visit: https://spvs.org.uk/spvs-survey/
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is to launch CICADA-Live, the second phase of its national initiative to monitor the awareness and regional prevalence of important diseases in cats, dogs and rabbits.
First launched in 2007 as a quarterly survey, the ground-breaking CICADA-Live project has now been developed to offer up-to-the minute data on infectious companion animal disease reports that can be updated and accessed by vet practices around the clock. The new scheme is now able to provide a real-time overview of companion animal infectious diseases being diagnosed in UK veterinary practices.
CICADA-Live is focusing on more than a dozen key infectious diseases of dogs, cats and rabbits. They include canine parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis, canine distemper, leptospirosis, kennel cough, angiostrongylosis. For cats, CICADA-Live will monitor feline panleucopaenia, cat flu, feline leukaemia virus infections. For rabbits the focus will be on myxomatosis, rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease, E.cuniculi, and fly strike.
The service is officially launched on 1st June to coincide with Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health's National Vaccination Month 2009, and is open to all first-opinion UK companion animal veterinary practices.
The system's developer, John Helps, Veterinary Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "Whereas our first edition of CICADA was useful in providing benchmarks so that seasonal and long term trends could be identified and communicated to both vets and pet owners, the further potential of a live on-line database is enormous in raising awareness of current pet disease risks to the public."
According to the company, there has been a lack of knowledge regarding the local and national incidence of small animal infectious diseases in the UK, and those sporadic reports that do occur are typically anecdotal and can prove hard to substantiate. It is feared that the lack of co-ordinated good quality information has potentially lead to pet owners being lulled into a false sense of security by a low awareness of disease risks.
John added: "Lack of data on the incidence and prevalence of even the most common infectious diseases has been an important issue faced by small animal practices reducing their ability to highlight these risks. A staggering lack of owner awareness to infectious disease threats in turn contributes to complacency among pet owners.
"Evidence suggests that some infectious diseases, such as parvovirus, may be on the increase in some areas and there continues to be a concern regarding the number of animals that remain unvaccinated.
"Not only will Cicada-Live provide the means for improving a gap in our collective knowledge but it will also prove invaluable in the promotion of good preventative healthcare.
"We have long believed that better epidemiological surveillance would an important tool in understanding trends in small animal infectious disease and with CICADA-Live, for the first time we have a tool to give us a better appreciation of what first opinion practices are currently seeing."
The CICADA-Live website, http://www.cicadasurvey.co.uk/, is simple to access and update. Registrations are limited to one per practice branch. A straightforward one-page survey format minimises the time investment, with no strict requirement to review written case records.
Once signed in, participating practices will be asked to complete the survey once every 6 months in order to grant continued access to maps and tables showing recent reports. In addition practices can set up e-mail alerts to give notification should disease reports be received in their area.
For further information about CICADA-Live from Intervet please contact Intervet /Schering-Plough Animal Health's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685. Or contact John.
The RCVS has extended its alternative dispute resolution (ADR) trial until October 2015 and broadened its remit, allowing more cases to be considered.
The idea of the ADR is to provide an alternative form of resolution for the many concerns raised with the RCVS which do not meet the College's threshold for serious professional misconduct and are, therefore, not taken through its disciplinary process.
The trial, which was originally due to end in May 2015, aims to gather evidence needed to develop a permanent scheme.
As well as the time-frame being extended, the trial will now also be widened to include concerns raised about the treatment of horses and other equines - in addition to those raised about small animals.
The RCVS has also lowered the maximum financial award that can be recommended by the Ombudsman Services, a not-for-profit complaints resolution service which is administering the trial, to £3,000 for small animal cases. The maximum financial award that can be recommended by the Ombudsman Services in relation to equine cases remains at £10,000.
Nick Stace, RCVS Chief Executive, said: "The trial got off to a slower start than we expected and so we have decided to extend its length and breadth to allow more time and scope to gather the evidence and testimonies which we need to assess the trial.
"It's important to stress again that the trial is free, voluntary, as both parties must agree to take part, and that the recommendations made by the Ombudsman Services are not binding - it is up to either party as to whether they accept them."
The results of the trial will now be reported to the November 2015 meeting of RCVS Council. For further information about the ADR trial please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/adr
Policyholders will get unlimited access to Joii Pet Care’s video consultations with UK veterinary surgeons, which usually cost £24 per call.
Pet owners with Asda Money pet insurance will also be able to access Joii Pet Care’s symptom checker, which is designed to help pet owners pinpoint issues from their home.
Paul Hallett, co-founder of Vet-AI, said: “We’re delighted to announce this major partnership, which completely opens up access to professional vet care for thousands of pet parents who will benefit hugely from accessing regular, preventative veterinary care from the comfort of their homes.
“Many pet owners are now facing high vet bills and difficulties accessing in-practice veterinary care.
"Both Markerstudy Broking and Asda Money share our commitment to put animal welfare first, and collectively we’ll ensure more owners have easily accessible choice to receive the very best care for their pets.”
The aim of the competition is to highlight top tips for pet owners and the benefits of building a den to help calm and reassure dogs during the fireworks festivities.
Practices that want to take part in the in the competition need to post pictures of their dens and waiting rooms on the Ceva Animal Health Facebook page in October. The winning practice will receive a £200 voucher and there are 10 runner up prizes of luxury chocolate hampers.
Abigail King, behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Our hugely popular fireworks display competition encourages veterinary practices to create eye-catching and imaginative displays that help educate pet owners on what can be done at home to help calm and reassure pets with firework fears."
Ceva has a range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to use in the competition, including waiting room materials.
For further information, contact your Ceva territory manager.
Following the news on Friday that a Bulldog and Pekingese had failed their vet checks at Crufts, a further four animals have failed: Chervood Snowsun, a Clumber Spaniel; Secret Charm Avec Dibest, a Mastiff; Ithani, a Neapolitan Mastiff and Ch Buzz Lightyear At Dereheath, a Basset Hound. All were disqualified from winning Best of Breed, or representing their breed for the remainder of the competition.
The veterinary checks have been introduced by the Kennel Club to ensure that Best of Breed awards are not given to any dogs that show visible signs of problems due to conditions that affect their health or welfare.
Dog World magazine appears to have got hold of a copy of the Clumber Spaniel's Veterinary Health Check Record, and interviewed the owner:
The vet checks have, predictably, polarised opinion. The owners of the Bulldog Mellowmood One In A Million have already setup a facebook page: 'A group dedicated to honoring the win of Ch Mellowmoods One in a Million AKA Jenny who was wrongfully stripped of her Best of Breed win at Crufts based on a political move by the Kennel Club.'
Elsewhere, there has been a considerable amount of support for the vet checks:
Urging vets to 'get off their backsides and respond to a VMD consultation' on the introduction of a new POM-EA category (Vet Times, 19th October) is premature.
Contrary to the report, the VMD has not yet launched a formal consultation.
Jo Cawthorne from the VMD said: "In fact, we've only launched an informal consultation on a concept note amongst a small group of key stakeholders from the RCVS, BVA, RPSGB, AMTRA, AHDA and NOAH, in order to decide whether this is a viable idea and merits a formal consultation."
She added: "There is no need for vets to respond to a consultation which doesn't yet exist. If there is a formal consultation, it will be announced formally on our website and everyone will be given the opportunity to respond."
NDSR’s European Specialist in neurology and neurosurgery Niklas Bergknut is performing the surgery.
He said: "This type of surgery for dogs is not performed in many clinics across the country.
"The pituitary gland is, of course, a very small gland which is very close to the brain, so it requires considerable expertise to perform the operation, followed by a lot of after-care to help the animal recover properly after surgery.
"The pituitary gland produces hormones which are essential for life, so it is then vital to constantly monitor the dog, its blood, hormones and fluid levels both during surgery and for a longer period after surgery.
"Although surgery may be challenging, the aftercare can be even more challenging and requires very skilled internal medicine specialists to manage the patients after surgery.
"Our medics and nurses carry out various blood tests and manage the fluid balance every hour after surgery and all the way through to the dog going home.
"Every department in the hospital has to work closely together to ensure the best possible treatment and the best possible outcome."
Niklas, who learned the technique from Bjorn Meij, Professor of Surgery at the University of Utrecht, described how the operation is performed. He said: "We go in through the mouth, up through the soft palate and into the underside of the cranium. Then you drill a little hole to access the tumour that way.
"It is obviously essential to make sure you are in exactly the right place or the outcome could be disastrous.
"It is also important to operate as early as possible before the tumour gets too big.
"Trying to remove a big tumour is more difficult and holds greater risks because of the damage that can be done to the surrounding brain in attempting to remove the tumour."
Niklas says that if surgery is successful, the results are impressive, with most dogs making a full recovery and not suffering any recurrence of the tumours, a better outcome than treating the dogs with traditional methods such as radiotherapy.
He added: "Removing the tumour like this is the only way of permanently treating tumours of this type. Radiotherapy is very good too but there is a much larger likelihood of the tumour growing back."
For more information, visit www.ndsr.co.uk.
Krka says Milprazon Chewable is the first wormer in its category with proven palatability for dogs based on EMA Testing Guidelines.
In a study¹, more than 85% of dogs ate the tablet ‘voluntarily’, with 75% taking it unprompted from their food bowl.
Milprazon chewable is available in a range of presentations suitable for puppies from two weeks old (0.5kg) and kittens from six weeks old.
Milprazon comes in colour-coded packaging for easier dispensing.
Will Ridgway, Krka’s National Sales Manager said: "Milprazon Chewable is a premium product.
"It offers pet owners the reliability of Milbemycin oxime and Praziquantel, together with enhanced palatability, while supporting practice profitability."
Reference
Founded by Peter Rossdale in Newmarket in 1959, the practice now boasts a team of 50 veterinary surgeons and has established an international reputation for providing world class ambulatory, referral and laboratory services. The team is led by RCVS, European and American recognised veterinary specialists and operates from four sites in Newmarket, Exning, Hertfordshire and Lambourn.
Each year, Rossdales Equine Hospital in Exning hosts a large number of CPD courses which often include internationally recognised guest speakers who lecture alongside Rossdales’ specialist clinicians, with delegates attending from as far afield as Europe, Singapore, Dubai and Australia.
To celebrate the practice’s Diamond anniversary, Rossdales is hosting a special 'Diamond Series' of CPD events in 2019 in addition to its usual programme of educational courses.
Mike Shepherd, Managing Partner at Rossdales, said: "Since the practice was established by Peter Rossdale in 1959, it has always prided itself on clinical research and the willing distribution of this and other information to the veterinary profession. This ‘Diamond Anniversary’ series of CPD events is an initiative that we hope will benefit many of our veterinary colleagues. The first of these special events, the Diamond Series Veterinary Nursing Congress, was held at the beginning of June and was fully subscribed. We’re very pleased by the excellent feedback it generated."
Two further ‘Diamond Series’ events are scheduled, for veterinary surgeons and veterinary students respectively:
The Diamond Series Veterinary Surgeons Congress takes place on Friday,12th and Saturday, 13th July 2019 and is for all veterinary surgeons with an interest in equine or mixed practice. The programme covers a wide area of subjects, with talks provided by 12 veterinary surgeons from Rossdales Equine Hospital and Rossdales Laboratories. It also includes admission to The Moët & Chandon July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse on Saturday, 13th July.
The Diamond Series Undergraduate Congress will take place on Saturday, 10th and Sunday, 11th August 2019. This course is aimed at all current veterinary undergraduates who want to gain more knowledge and experience in the fields of equine veterinary medicine and surgery. There will be talks and presentations from 9 veterinary surgeons from Rossdales Equine Practice, Rossdales Equine Hospital and Rossdales Laboratories. There will also be a course dinner on the Saturday evening.
For more information, visit www.rossdales.com/news-events.
In 2020, BSAVA Congress will have been held at the ICC Birmingham for thirty years. However, recent years have seen ever greater competition from the London Vet Show, so the plan to revitalise the event further north at an award-winning new venue with such good transport links seems to make a lot of sense.
Manchester Central's size also means that unlike in Birmingham, the commercial exhibition, lectures and demonstrations will all take place under one roof, maximising the use of delegates' time.
Angharad Belcher, Head of BSAVA Congress said: "We’ve had a first-class experience in Birmingham, and we could not have asked for more from the venue. We know that 2019 and 2020 will continue to be popular, however, it’s time to move BSAVA Congress forward and revitalise the offering to our delegates and exhibitors by bringing everything into one building. The move to Manchester enables us to invest even more in speakers and delegate experiences, to make BSAVA’s education programme truly unsurpassable."
BSAVA President Philip Lhermette said: "It’s very much a new city for a new Congress and celebrations will be in order. Manchester lends itself perfectly to a timely transformation for Congress. We will be completely re-branding the event, modernising the CPD programme and making the best possible use of every minute of every delegate’s time over the full four days. We have been working closely with the city and venue in practical terms to offer a whole suite of options to delegates and exhibitors, from irresistible new socials and extensive accommodation choices, to easy transport routes."
Shaun Hinds, CEO of Manchester Central said: "After getting to know the association and their vision, it was clear that they wanted to transform the experience of their delegates. The ambition of the association matches that of the city and Manchester has the perfect blend of venue and vibrancy to develop the BSAVA Congress of the future. We’re delighted to be welcoming them in 2021 and we’ll work hard with the organisers to create a unique and remarkable experience for their delegates, exhibitors, partners and all visitors."
Fitzpatrick Referrals has announced the launch of a new cancer and soft tissue surgery referral service headed by Professor Nick Bacon (pictured right) and Dr Laurent Findji.
Professor Bacon and Dr Findji are American and European Board-Certified Surgeons respectively, with extensive experience in cancer care and soft tissue surgery innovation.
Professor Bacon joins the service directly from his post as Head of Oncology at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine. He will also take up the position of part-time Chair of Oncology at the new University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr Findji joins the team from his prior role as director of the VRCC in Essex, bringing his expertise in cancer and soft tissue surgery advancements.
Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, founder of Fitzpatrick Referrals, said: "With these two eminent and globally recognised Specialists leading the new service, the UK will now be able to provide an innovative approach and comprehensive diagnosis, treatment, management and prognosis for all cancer and soft-tissue patients. The service will also be able to use the additional expertise available through the University of Surrey and both Specialists will be available for referring vets to discuss cases and to offer advice on the innovative treatment options available."
Professor Stuart Carmichael, the new service's director, said: "We would only introduce a service like this when we know it can provide the best options, the most comprehensive care and the highest level of expertise available. This is a referral service which will change the way that cancer patients are dealt with in the UK."
Noel added: "It's a testament to the reputation of Fitzpatrick Referrals and the University of Surrey, our partner in education, that we have been able to attract talents as great as Nick and Laurent. This is an exciting time not only for the hospital, but also for first-opinion practices throughout the UK who can avail of this world-class opportunity to offer a potentially life-saving service to their clients for their patients."
The service will operate initially from a self-contained clinic at the existing Fitzpatrick Referrals Orthopaedic + Neurology Hospital in Surrey and will be accepting patients from 1st October.
One of the consequences of veterinary price inflation has been a backlash from owners against vets, vet nurses and receptionists, so the first film kicks off by explaining why large vet bills are not the fault of the vet standing in front of them when their dog gets ill.
Currently, a further eight films are now in production, each looking at a different reason why the costs of veterinary care have increased and suggesting ways that owners can mitigate the impact. They are:
VetSurgeon.org Publishing Editor, Arlo Guthrie, who presents the films, said: "Above all, the aim here is to foster a better understanding between veterinary professionals and owners.
"I do hope the vets, nurses and support staff who have been bearing the brunt will feel my films are helpful.
"If you do feel they make useful points, then you need to share and 'like' the hell out of them on all the different social media platforms, in order that they reach the largest number of people.
"And if you have feedback about the content, or ideas for other topics we should cover, then come and post here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/non-clinical-questions/31062/why-have-vet-bills-gone-up-so-much/245723"
The film is available here:
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@vetsurgeon.vetnurse/video/7426457335880617248
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lg_EeamSbSI
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/reel/927062139289036
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vetsurgeon-org_veterinarysurgeon-veterinarynurse-activity-7252420794004205568-LzE3/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBM5i2XtfOB/
Amanda Melvin, Senior Product Manager, said: "We’re very excited about this approval as it will allow us to build on the success of our Bravecto chewable tablets for dogs and provide veterinarians and cat owners with another tool in the fight against ticks and fleas. Being able to offer a full 12 week protection means convenience for cat owners and improved compliance rates for veterinarians, so everyone benefits."
Bravecto is applied topically using the new "Twist’n’Use" pipette design which means the cap doesn’t need to be removed.
Full product details are described in the summary of product characteristics (SPC).
For more information, contact your MSD Animal Health representative.
The Animal Health Trust and the Kennel Club have announced that a new, non-invasive DNA test for the genetic mutation causing macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) in Labradors will be available from the Animal Health Trust DNA Testing Service from Monday 26 January 2015.
Macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) is a hereditary eye disease which, although painless, causes severe visual impairment in affected dogs.
The mutation for MCD is recessive; meaning only dogs that inherit two copies of the mutation will be affected. Dogs identified by the test as Clear have no copies of the mutation whereas Carriers have one copy of the mutation. Clears and Carriers cannot develop MCD, although Carriers will pass the mutation on to about half of their puppies if they reproduce. Dogs identified as Genetically Affected have two copies of the mutation and will develop MCD around middle-age. The DNA test can be used to screen dogs at any age and provides a means of eliminating the causal mutation from the Labrador Retriever gene pool.
Dogs affected with MCD will develop cloudy eyes, due to an abnormal accumulation of carbohydrates (known as glycosaminoglycans) in their corneas. The only treatment for the disease in people is to surgically perform a corneal transplant; however this has not yet been performed successfully in the dog for the treatment of MCD.
Dr Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the Animal Health Trust, said: "We're really pleased to be able to provide this new test in 2015. Screening Labradors for the mutation responsible for this condition will help to identify those dogs at risk of developing MCD, and/or passing it on to their puppies. Dogs don't typically develop MCD until middle age - so without a DNA test there is a chance that affected dogs are unknowingly bred from. Now, affected and carriers dogs can easily be identified through one simple test giving breeders peace of mind.
"By developing this test and encouraging screening within the Labrador population we hope that this horrible disease can now be eliminated from the breed. This is the aim behind all of our work in canine genetics and we're thrilled to have been able to make such good progress in developing this test after MCD was first reported in Labradors by one of own veterinary ophthalmologists in 2013. Since then we've worked closely with the ophthalmology team here at the Animal Health Trust and Labrador owners and breeders from various European countries and have managed to identify the mutation and launch this test within two years, which is great news for Labrador owners."
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "The Labrador is the most popular breed in the UK, so there is certainly a high demand for puppies, and it is crucial that those being bred are as healthy as possible.
"This test will further assist breeders of Labradors in breeding healthy, happy examples of the breed and we are delighted to be able to offer another tool to improve and maintain the breed's health.
"The work carried out at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust really does make a massive difference to the lives of dogs and we are thrilled that Labrador breeders will now be able to make use of another health test to protect the health of the breed they love."
For more information, visit www.ahtdnatesting.co.uk. The test costs £48 inc VAT, with a 10% discount when at least 20 samples are submitted within a month. Interested parties should contact dnatesting@aht.org.uk with a start date to request a discount code.
Following legislative changes, the British Veterinary Association has updated its 'Good Practice Guide to Handling Veterinary Waste' for England and Wales.
Supported by the Environment Agency the Guide primarily consists of a quick-reference poster enabling vets to categorise and segregate veterinary waste in line with Environment Agency requirements. The poster defines the types of hazardous waste, outlines the types of containers required and sets out the appropriate classification codes.
The Guide is complemented by more detailed web guidance which incorporates useful templates to download.
BVA President Carl Padgett said: "All businesses have a duty of care to ensure that all waste is stored and disposed of responsibly, that it is only handled or dealt with by those authorised to do so and that appropriate records are kept of all waste that is transferred or received.
"The BVA Guide has been a popular resource for the profession since we first launched it in 2008 making it considerably easier for vets to comply with Hazardous Waste Regulations. The revised poster is hopefully an incentive for practices to check if their requirements have changed and ensure they're still up-to-date."
The poster and web advice are available at http://www.bva.co.uk/activity_and_advice/1641.aspx and BVA members will receive a hard copy of the poster to display in their practice.
The company says Taurador Pour-on provides a stress-free, easy to use treatment, with persistent activity against a large number of cattle parasites, therefore ensuring effective coverage over long periods of the grazing season.
Matthew Swanborough BVSc MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor for Norbrook, said: "The farming industry will be aware that heavy worm burdens can significantly affect the health and productivity of cattle, potentially as much as £100 per head of cattle. We cannot simply ignore these parasites but we must tackle them responsibly. A comprehensive worming strategy is a vital component of any animal health plan, which should be composed of management strategies and any necessary anthelmintic treatments."
Norbrook highlights the product's efficacy against the gutworms Osterstagia osterstagi, Cooperia oncophora and lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparous, with persistent action against these parasites for 35 days, 28 days and 42 days respectively.
Doramectin, the active ingredient in Taurador, is an anthelmintic belonging to the macrocyclic lactones (3-ML) group, along with ivermectins. Norbrook says both compounds share a wide spectrum of antiparasitic activity and produce a similar paralysis in nematodes and parasitic arthropods.
Dr Leigh Sullivan, Norbrook Large Animal Product Manager, said: "Taurador is the company’s thirteenth new product introduction in the last four years and it is a significant addition to our portfolio. Internal parasites such as gutworms and lungworm can have a serious impact on animal health and welfare, as well as financial implications for farmers, so it is great to be able to provide another product to help reduce the economic impact of these parasites."
Taurador is available in three different pack sizes (1L; 2.5L and 5L) and an appropriate dosing applicator is also available.
The poster grades faeces from one (kickable) to six (most certainly not kickable).
James Kyffin, Veterinary Director at Protexin Veterinary said: "We believe that Poop Points offers pet owners a fun and engaging way to monitor their pet’s faeces."
That, surely, must win James the "Oxymoronic Veterinary Quote of the Year Award 2019".
More seriously, he went on to say: "It is important to raise awareness of alterations in animal’s faecal scores and ensure that this is communicated to their veterinary surgeon in an effective way."
Practices in the UK and Ireland can order their free poster on Protexin's website: https://www.protexinvet.com/pooppoints, or by emailing info@protexin.com.
Protexin will also be promoting digestive health advice on its website and social channels (@Protexin Veterinary on Facebook and Instagram), which practices can share and use.
Hysolv says the vaccine, which was developed by IDT Biologika, has been used successfully in Germany, where 1.7 million doses have been prescribed. The company says field trials have shown that vaccination not only protected against clinical signs of influenza but also resulted in improvements in reproduction and piglet performance.
Two 1 ml doses of the inactivated vaccine can be injected intramuscularly three weeks apart to pigs from 56 days old, providing immunisation to the majority of animals within seven days.
Hysolv director, Geoff Hooper said: "Swine flu can be devastating to a herd and this vaccine will broaden protection, particularly when used with our existing vaccine Respiporc FLU3, which we are strongly advising."
Respiporc FLU3 protects against three other strains of swine flu (H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2). Hysolv says that when used together, the two vaccines protect pigs against the most relevant strains in the British Isles.
Geoff added: "There have been several flu pandemics throughout the years – the latest in 2009. It is not possible to predict the emergence of a pandemic strain accurately but this vaccine combined with Respiporc FLU3 will greatly decrease the chance of pigs becoming infected."
Michael qualified from the University of Glasgow in 2009 and then worked in first opinion practice in Buckinghamshire and Northern Ireland. He then returned to the University of Glasgow in 2012 to further his training and experience in oncology by completing four years of additional training. He completed an ECVIM residency in oncology in 2016 and became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and a European Specialist in Oncology in 2017. Michael worked at a private referral practice in Surrey prior to joining Fitzpatrick Referrals. Earlier this year, Michael was awarded a Masters degree in Veterinary Medicine. This additional qualification researched canine mast cell tumours.
Michael said: "I am absolutely delighted to have joined Fitzpatrick Referrals Oncology and Soft Tissue hospital. I have had a long-standing ambition to work as part of the fantastic team here since visiting the hospital during my specialist training in 2015. At this visit, I immediately felt at home in a group of people driven to deliver the very best compassionate care for dogs and cats.
"My ambition is to develop the very best ways to minimise the impact that cancer has on animals. I know that Fitzpatrick Referrals is the best environment for me to be able to achieve this. Throughout the hospital, there is an amazing positive attitude and a collective drive to improve the overall care we can give to pets with cancer. I am also excited by the opportunity to be able to help others to achieve their goals in improving cancer care for pets."