North Downs Specialist Referrals in Bletchingley has announced the launch of a new specialist dentistry and oral surgery referral service led by Rachel Perry, an EBVS European Veterinary Specialist, RCVS Specialist in Dentistry and honorary lecturer in dentistry at the Royal Veterinary College.

Rachel has also qualified as a member of the dentistry chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, and regularly tends to the oral health of zoo and sanctuary animals, including bears, cheetahs, tigers and snow leopards.

She said: "I’m excited to be joining North Downs, which is renowned as a centre of excellence for specialist veterinary care, and I’m really looking forward to this new role. There is a clear benefit in having a multidisciplinary team on site to approach oral surgery cases.

"Dentistry is such a rewarding area and can deliver immediate changes to our patients’ health and well-being.

"Many dental diseases can also be prevented, so I am committed to educating owners about their pets’ oral health and also veterinary surgeons and nurses, about new techniques, best practice, materials and equipment."

North Downs hospital director Terry Emmerson said: "Our aim is always to provide first-class care for our patients and to give an excellent service to their owners and the vets who refer cases to us.

"Rachel’s new dentistry service will be yet another specialist discipline on offer at North Downs to further extend the excellent care and treatment we offer here."

The appointment means that North Downs has a total of 11 specialist services, and makes it one of only a handful of centres in the UK that offer a dentistry service run by a dentistry specialist.

North Downs Specialists Referrals in Surrey, has appointed Emily Jeanes, an EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology, and Vim Kumaratunga, an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Ophthalmology to its team.

Emily graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2013, then spent three years working in small animal practice.

Having developed a keen interest in ophthalmology, Emily began studying for the BSAVA postgraduate certificate in ophthalmology, then moved to the Animal Health Trust in Suffolk to complete a specialist internship in veterinary ophthalmology.

She then pursued her specialist residency training at the Royal Veterinary College in London and became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmology earlier this year.

She said: “I have a particular interest in microsurgery, particularly corneal and lens surgery, while I also enjoy feline ophthalmology and am interested in uveitis and glaucoma.”

Vim graduated from the University of Bristol in 2005 and spent seven years in a first opinion small animal, mixed and exotics practice in Bristol, gaining his RCVS certificate in veterinary ophthalmology in 2012.

He qualified as an advanced practitioner since 2015, working solely as an ophthalmologist at large private referral hospitals before embarking on a European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO) residency programme at Langford Vets, University of Bristol, in 2019.

He completed his final year of residency training and Master of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in August and is due to sit the ECVO certifying board exams next spring.

Vim said: “I always knew I wanted to become an ophthalmologist, even before I started vet school! It’s a wonderful opportunity to join the NDSR ophthalmology team. 

“I’m interested in all areas of ophthalmology and across all species. I have a particular interest in feline ophthalmology, infectious keratitis, ocular manifestations of systemic disease and wildlife/exotics species ophthalmology.

“I’m also passionate about teaching and mentoring junior vets and undergraduate students. I’ve been the veterinary intern mentor or director for more than 40 interns over the years and I hope to get involved with NDSR’s renowned internship programme.”

Vim will also be doing one day a week working at Southfields Veterinary Specialists at its recently-opened Basildon hospital.

www.ndsr.co.uk 

The RVC has published a qualitative study looking at the impact of owning a dog with idiopathic epilepsy, revealing that almost all owners make substantial lifestyle changes in order to care for their dog.

The researchers say that research thus far has focused on developing treatments to manage idiopathic epilepsy and little attention has been given to the emotional and logistical challenges for owners managing their dog’s condition.

This study used semi-structured interviews to explore how owners’ lives were changed following their dogs’ diagnosis and glean in-depth insights into their lives.

The research discovered that following their dog’s initial seizure, all interviewees recalled feeling negative emotions such as being distraught, fearful or uncertain regarding their dog’s future and disease progression. Prior experience with canine epilepsy was rare, and owners were shocked and distressed by the appearance of their dog’s seizures.

Whilst many owners discussed a very emotionally close dog-owner bond, owning a dog with epilepsy had a significant impact on their lifestyle. Impacts affected many aspects of daily routines, and in some cases, owners’ jobs. The unpredictable and sometimes inconvenient timing of seizures negatively impacted owners’ sleep and wellbeing. This unpredictability also made some owners feel that they were living with “a ticking time bomb”.

Other limitations included strict daily medication schedules and difficulty finding assistance in caring for their dog. This, combined with a fear of leaving their dog unsupervised, had social implications in some instances and led to increased use of the Internet and online groups for peer support. Owners also reported that friends, family and colleagues did not always understand the magnitude of commitment required.

Amy Pergande, Small Animal Intern at the RVC and primary author of the study, said: "We are sincerely grateful to the owners who participated in this study for providing us with such detailed and often emotive accounts of their experiences. Many of the participants had willingly altered many aspects of their daily routine for their dogs, both socially and professionally, and sometimes at the expense of their own quality of life."

This research highlights that further consideration of these factors by veterinary professionals and the friends and families of owners of these dogs could improve owner quality of life and facilitate the provision of additional, much needed support.

Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science and research lead in canine epilepsy at the RVC, said: "Epilepsy can be an extremely tough condition for owners to manage, where the love, time and money owners dedicate to their dogs is not necessarily matched by a significant improvement in their condition, with seizures often continuing unabated. Our study has revealed previously unrecognised or under-appreciated impacts that epilepsy introduced to these owners’ lives. Improved awareness and understanding of these challenges by veterinary professionals have the potential to improve communication with clients, to avoid owners feeling that social media is the only place they can go to feel supported and understood”.

These findings increase the understanding of the sometimes negative and often profound emotional effects and lifestyle changes experienced by owners managing a dog with idiopathic epilepsy. With better support and resources, the reported impacts could potentially be minimised to protect owner quality of life.

Zoe Belshaw, independent research collaborator, said: “The welfare of pets and their owners can be closely intertwined. This research exploring how owners’ lives change when their dogs develop epilepsy is another important piece in the jigsaw of understanding both what the veterinary profession can do to best support our clients, but also in starting to appreciate the substantial wider societal impacts of chronic ill health in our nations’ pets”.

The full paper is open access and available at: https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-020-02669-w

Reference

1. Amy E. Pergande and Rowena M. A. Packer, Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Zoe Belshaw, PDSA Pet Hospital Nottingham, and Holger A. Volk, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover.

Photo: The Melias Studio

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has accepted an undertaking from Lanarkshire vet Robert Andrew Crawford to voluntarily remove himself from the Register and to not apply to re-join.

At the hearing, Dr Crawford made no admissions to the charges against him which involved allegations of: failing to provide adequate and appropriate care; failing to provide adequate clinical histories to another practice in respect of several animals; failing to treat fellow veterinary professionals and other members of staff from another practice with courtesy and respect; failing to maintain adequate clinical records; failing to have in place Professional Indemnity Insurance or equivalent arrangements; and, failing to respond to reasonable requests from the RCVS.

Dr Crawford’s representative drew the Committee’s attention to the fact that Mr Crawford was 71 years old, had no previous disciplinary findings against him and had now ceased practising, including closing his practice premises and notifying his previous clients of the closure.

His representative confirmed that Mr Crawford was fully aware that if his application was accepted, he would no longer be able to practise as a veterinary surgeon or identify as a veterinary surgeon. The Committee also noted that the RCVS had consulted with the complainants who were satisfied with the case being disposed of in this way.

Dr Martin Whiting, chairing the Committee, and speaking on its behalf, said: “Having weighed the public interest in a hearing with the registrant’s interests, the Committee determined that this is not a case in which the public interest required there to be a full hearing. Protection of the welfare of animals would also not be further served by a full hearing. The Committee decided to accede to the respondent’s application.

"The Committee considered that the adjournment on undertakings served to protect the public interest, confidence in the profession and the welfare of animals.

"The Committee carefully considered the detail of the undertakings. It decided, after due consideration that it would accept the respondent’s undertakings in the terms offered and signed."

The Committee also heard that if Dr Crawford were to apply to re-join the Register at a future point, then the adjourned case would be re-opened and a full, public Disciplinary Committee hearing would be held.

The full documentation for the case can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

Essity, the global hygiene and health company, has announced dates for four wound care CPD events being held by the company's Veterinary Academy.

The Essity Veterinary Academy covers four topics of education: Anatomy and Physiology of Wound Healing, Infection Management, Exudate Management and a Wound Assessment Workshop. 

Richard Barker, Account Sales Executive said: "Essity Veterinary Academy events allow us to educate veterinary professionals with a full, comprehensive day of wound management.

"We have run our Academy events for the last two years and the feedback we have had has always been positive, therefore the decision to run four events again this year was an easy one.

"The events offer a great opportunity to share best practice with other veterinary professionals, and to obtain invaluable information from our Medical Education Manager, who has vast experience in dealing with all areas of wound management. We are very lucky to be able to offer these events free of charge and we can’t wait for the first event to begin on 18^th June."

Essity is hosting these events across four venues, with the days running from 09:00 – 16:00, refreshments and lunch provided. The venues available this year are:

• 18^th June, Huntingdon Racecourse

• 9^th July, West Midlands Safari Park

• 17^th September, Durham Cricket Club (Emirates Stadium)

• 24^th September, Edinburgh Zoo

To book your place, email animalhealthcare@essity.com, giving your name, job title, practice details, telephone number and any dietary requirements.

Alternatively, if you would like further information please dial 01482 670124. 

Virbac has launched Movoflex Soft Chews, a joint care supplement for dogs.

Movoflex contains eggshell membrane, hyaluronic acid, Astaxanthin, Boswellia serrata and krill meal, formulated to support joint health and help increase quality of life.

Virbac says that eggshell membrane, which has been shown to have an effect on mobility in dogs and humans¹, contains a number of naturally occurring elements involved in joint structure and function, including collagen, glucosamine and  chondroitin sulphate. 

The company claims that one palatable Movoflex Soft Chew per day can lead to a perceived increase in mobility in 7 days ², regardless of the activity levels or age of the dog.

This, the company says, compared to other supplements which can require multiple daily tablets to be given for up to six weeks before you start to see an effect.

Dan Johnson, Product Manager at Virbac said: ‘Movoflex Soft Chews offer pet owners an easy to give and reliable joint supplement, and as with all of Virbac’s joint health and mobility solutions, they are of the highest quality and developed based on science.’

Movoflex Soft Chews are available in Small (<15kg), Medium (15kg- 35kg) and Large Dog (35kg) packs, each containing 30 chews and are available to order from your usual veterinary wholesaler.

References

1. Aguirre et al., J. Vet. Med. Anim. Health, 2018
2. EC Veterinary Science 7.10 (2022): 13-21

Ascot-based Johanna Headley MRCVS from Sunninghill Veterinary Centre has won this year's Petplan Vet of the Year Award.

Petplan's Veterinary Awards are designed to celebrate the nation’s most outstanding vets, vet nurses, practices, practice managers and support staff who are nominated by their colleagues and clients for continually going that extra mile, keeping pets healthy and giving owners peace of mind. 

The independent panel of judges said that Johanna's nomination stood out for her ability to create a balance between leading a practice which maintains incredibly high clinical standards along with a welcoming, caring ethos with patients at the heart of everything they do.

Johanna said: "I’m absolutely ecstatic! I wasn’t expecting to win at all, so this is a real surprise – I just want to say thank you to those who nominated and all my staff for supporting me every day. What a brilliant feeling!"

The other big winner on the night was 387 Veterinary Centre. Two members of staff, Nicky Smith RVN and Joanne Civil, won 'Veterinary Nurse of the Year' and 'Veterinary Practice Support Staff of the Year' respectively, and the practice also took the overall 'Veterinary Practice of the Year' award.

'Veterinary Practice Manager of the Year' went to Anne Corson of Pennard Vets in Tonbridge. 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed new, stricter enforcement priorities to protect consumers from homeopathic drugs, particularly those marketed for serious conditions without evidence of any clinical benefit.

Despite the fact that homeopathic preparations are supposed to be diluted to the point where none of the original ingredient remains, the FDA says it has received increasing reports of products containing distinctly unhomeopathic quantities of things like belladonna being associated with serious adverse events.

The FDA has also had to issue warnings about homeopathic zinc-containing intranasal products which may cause a loss of the sense of smell and other homeopathic remedies which contain potentially toxic ingredients, such as nux vomica, which contains strychnine.

However, it is not just products with safety concerns that the new proposals are designed to address. Following in the footsteps of the NHS, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and more recently, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC), the new FDA proposals highlight the risk from homeopathic remedies being marketed for serious diseases or conditions when they have not been shown to offer clinical benefits.

The proposals also highlight the risk to vulnerable populations that: "may also be at greater risk of harm as a result of foregoing the use of medical treatments that have been found safe and effective."

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. said: "In recent years, we’ve seen a large uptick in products labeled as homeopathic that are being marketed for a wide array of diseases and conditions, from the common cold to cancer.

"In many cases, people may be placing their trust and money in therapies that may bring little to no benefit in combating serious ailments, or worse – that may cause significant and even irreparable harm because the products are poorly manufactured, or contain active ingredients that aren’t adequately tested or disclosed to patients.

"Our approach to regulating homeopathic drugs must evolve to reflect the current complexity of the market, by taking a more risk-based approach to enforcement. We respect that some individuals want to use alternative treatments, but the FDA has a responsibility to protect the public from products that may not deliver any benefit and have the potential to cause harm."

VetSurgeon.org supports the Campaign for Rational Veterinary Medicine.

Photo: Multicolored homeopathy tubes isolated on a white background. Lush. Shutterstock.

The Privy Council has dismissed an appeal lodged against the RCVS Disciplinary Committee’s decision in May 2018 that Dr Horia Elefterescu should be removed from the Register.

The Committee had found Dr Elefterescu guilty of serious professional misconduct in relation to a number of charges which covered issues such as dishonesty, poor record-keeping, and failure to carry out adequate clinical examinations.

The full charges and findings of the RCVS Disciplinary Committee can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council held the appeal hearing in October last year with three Justices of the Supreme Court - Lord Kerr, Lord Carnwath and Lord Kitchin – comprising the Board.

The basis of the appeal to the Privy Council was that the Committee’s findings on the facts of the case were flawed, with his counsel saying that Dr Elefterescu 'strenuously disputes the findings by the Committee of his dishonesty and lack of professional competence and submits that there is no adequate basis for them in the evidence’.

His counsel also told the Board that the Disciplinary Committee’s sanction failed to take into account mitigating factors and that the decision to remove Dr Elefterescu from the Register was disproportionate.

In relation to the appeal against the Disciplinary Committee’s findings on the facts, the Board was not persuaded by any of the arguments put forward on behalf of Dr Elefterescu. These arguments included that the RCVS had failed to call relevant witnesses and had failed to make Dr Elefterescu aware of the significance of some evidential matters, disclosed to him.

In respect of the sanction, the Board was also unpersuaded by the arguments put forward by Dr Elefterescu’s counsel, namely that it was too harsh in its assessment of aggravating factors, did not give adequate weight to mitigating factors, and that it failed to distinguish lack of competence from misconduct.

In its judgment on the arguments put forward by Dr Elefterescu’s counsel, the Board said: "It is the opinion of the Board that these criticisms are not well founded. The Committee considered with care Dr Elefterescu’s proven and admitted conduct in relation to each of the charges and whether it fell below or far below the standard to be expected. It is to be noted in this regard that a number of the charges which were either admitted or upheld were not the subject of any challenge on this appeal. 

"Overall, the Committee found that Dr Elefterescu’s clinical failures were very serious, involved failures in the basics of animal care, resulted in animal suffering and involved widespread breaches of the respondent’s [RCVS] code of professional conduct. It also expressed particular concern about its findings of dishonesty, and rightly so. That conduct was, in its view, ‘at the top end’ of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. What is more, Dr Elefterescu had a lack of insight into his failings and a wholly unjustified confidence in his abilities which constituted an ongoing risk to animal welfare."

"These were findings which the Committee was clearly entitled to make and, in the light of them, the Board is firmly of the view that the decision of the Committee to direct the removal of Dr Elefterescu’s name from the Register cannot be impeached. The Board rejects the criticisms made of the Committee’s reasoning and the conclusions to which it came. The direction that Dr Elefterescu’s name must be removed from the Register was appropriate and proportionate."

The Judicial Committee’s full findings can be found at www.jcpc.uk/cases/docs/jcpc-2018-0060-judgment.pdf.

IVC Evidensia has launched the latest in a series of products developed in collaboration with various partners for the exclusive use of its practices.

AniDent is a dental care range for cats and dogs - a rinse, a toothpaste and a gel - created with Virbac to help prevent periodontal disease. 

Anident joins VetSoothe, a range of dermatology products which includes shampoos, ear cleaners and skin wipes, developed with Vetruus.

Earlier in the year, IVC also launched Joints & Mobility with Omega-3s, an addition to it's VetPro range, developed with one of the company's orthopaedic experts, Jamie McClement.

On the equine side, the company has also launched EquiXcellence, a range of equine nutritional health and wellbeing supplements.

VetSurgeon asked what longer term plans the company has for its exclusive brand product range.

An IVC Evidensia spokesperson said: "We're developing own brand veterinary products specifically where we think we can see areas we can add value for our practices, pet owners, and patients. In the case of Anident, we saw there was an opportunity to make oral care easier by offering a range of options to suit pet owners' needs.

"In the case of Joints & Mobility with Omega-3s, there is research which has shown that high levels of Omega-3s EPA & DHA can greatly support freedom of movement and pain, which was the key focus when developing the product.

"We plan to continually enhance our own brand portfolio across our UK and Europe practices with some exciting product launches on the horizon."

Photo: Gerhard Putter BVSc MRCVS MANZCVS (Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery) Diplomate of the European Veterinary Dental College uses Anident on a big cat

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Cyclo Spray, an antibiotic spray for veterinary professionals treating hard to reach sites when handling cattle, sheep and pigs.

Dechra says the new product has been developed for use at any angle, even upside down.

Cyclo Spray (chlortetracycline hydrochloride 2.45%) is indicated for the treatment of superficial claw and hoof infections and the prevention of infections of superficial traumatic or surgical wounds.

Dechra Veterinary Products Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "Vets dealing with livestock can often find that they are twisting themselves into awkward positions to get to hard to reach sites with traditional spray can treatments. Not only are they having to find the right angle to ensure the can works, but also potentially the treatment can drip or take time to dry.

"We've introduced Cyclo Spray to our portfolio to help combat some of those difficulties - it is a new 360 degree spray can allowing users to mark the site of application with confidence from whatever angle. It is non-drip, fast-drying with excellent adhesive characteristics and contains a non-toxic colouring agent."

Cyclo Spray is available in 211ml and 422ml can sizes. No withdrawal days are required for meat and milk.

To promote the launch of the new product, Dechra has also launched a competition giving entrants the chance to win a two day trip to London for two people to ride the London Eye and experience the capital from a 360 degree vantage point.

To enter the competition, with the prize including return rail travel, and dinner, bed and breakfast in a 4* hotel, visit www.dechra.co.uk to download an entry form.

CVS reports that after running a clinical improvement project to improve the diagnosis of periodontal disease in cat and dogs, its participating first opinion practices have tripled the number of patients receiving dental x-rays.

The company points to research which showed that 42% of cats and 28% of dogs have lesions which are only detectable on x-ray¹.

Failing to identify teeth with root lesions can have a significant impact on patient welfare, causing ongoing pain and eventual tooth loss.

The first priority for the CVS clinical improvement project was to review how effective its first opinion small animal practices were at using radiography in dental examinations.

In July 2021, only 16.2% of dental cases had radiography performed and clinicians were mostly using visual examination to guide decision making.

The project then identified the barriers to using dental radiography as: a lack of dental radiography equipment in a practice, a lack of clinician confidence in taking and interpreting the radiographs and a belief that pet owners would not want to pay for it.

To address the first issue, CVS installed new dental radiography machines at over 104 sites, at a cost of £615,000 over the course of the year. 

The company then upskilled its vets and nurses in dental radiography - looking specifically at getting good quality radiographs and interpretation.

Finally, the company conducted an audit of each participating practice’s dental radiology data, updating it each month and sharing the results with the practices..

One year on, CVS says the data shows that 43% of dental cases in project practices are now using dental radiography as part of their consultation.

In the best cases, some practices have been using radiography in 100% of cases.

Hub Clinical Lead Deborah Komianos said: “When you open a patient’s mouth and look inside, seemingly normal teeth are oftentimes not normal.

"So vets and nurses can risk missing periodontal disease.

“Dental radiology has historically been underutilised but we believe it adds valuable information to dental consultations and is an important decision-making tool.

“We’re thrilled with the early results in our practices.

"It shows there’s been a real change of mind-set and behaviour towards using X-rays in dentistry – as well as increased confidence in execution."

Reference

1. ‘Diagnostic value of full mouth radiography in cats’, 1998, Verstraete, Kass and Terpak.

Humane Society International, an animal charity, has launched Vets for Ukrainian Pets, through which refugees can have access to free veterinary treatment in the UK and 38 European countries. 

Vets for Ukrainian Pets will cover the treatment costs of up to five dogs, cats, horses or other pet animals, up to 250 Euros per animal, for acute care and medication, rabies and other vaccinations as well as microchipping and medical examination required for safe passage through the EU.

The initiative is being funded by HSI, with support from Mars.

It is being run collaboration with Federation of Veterinarians in Europe and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations. 

Reimbursements for participating veterinary surgeons will be available wherever the FECAVA has members, including in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Romania and Poland, as well as Ukraine.

Ruud Tombrock, executive director of HSI/Europe, said: “In Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since WWII, millions of Ukrainians have had to take the decision to leave their country and flee the war.

"Along with a few possessions, many are also taking their pet animals, who they cherish as family members.

"The trauma of war as well as the stress of the evacuation journey, can make animals vulnerable to a variety of illnesses and so HSI’s Vets for Ukrainian Pets program aims to eliminate barriers to accessing veterinary care for the pets of refugees.

"It will provide a much-needed safety net for those families fleeing with their beloved pets so that at no point they feel compelled to leave their pets behind due to concerns about being able to care for them.”

Vets for Ukrainian Pets will run until 21st May 2022 and is open for all licensed veterinary clinics to apply throughout Europe, whether owned privately or as part of a corporate group.

Veterinary surgeons who want to join the program should visit apply.vetsforukraine.com.