The PFMA says the factsheets have been produced with nutrition experts in response to demand from industry professionals.
Nicole Paley, Deputy Chief Executive, PFMA said: "We launched our factsheet range just over a year ago to tackle and dispel many of the myths around pet food. The range now covers sixteen subjects and with over 3,400 downloads, they have proved to be a valuable resource for pet professionals at the front line of pet care.
"We decided to add the Vegetarian Diets Factsheet and Food Allergy and Intolerance Factsheet to our range in response to demand for clarification on these topics. Owners are exploring alternative diets and whilst cats are obligate carnivores, dogs are omnivores and can adapt to vegetarian diets. As with all diets, they need to be well-balanced and our factsheet contains top tips.
"The Allergy Factsheet explains the difference between allergies and intolerances, which are both adverse food reactions but are very different conditions requiring different advice from veterinary professionals."
To see the full range of PFMA factsheets, visit: pfma.org.uk/fact-sheets.
A You Gov poll commissioned by Intervet/Schering Plough in the run up to National Vaccination Month (1st-30th June) shows the degree to which the recession is now biting into veterinary spending, and the impact it's having on vaccination levels.
The You Gov survey found that 19% of pet owners nationwide admit they have cut back on veterinary expenses such as vaccinations, health checks and treatments. Just under half are failing to vaccinate their animals with 53% of those polled not vaccinating their pets due to cost.
Other key findings of the You Gov survey include:
The You Gov survey also highlighted a lack of awareness among younger pet owners about pet health. Of the 18-24 year olds polled who had not taken their pet to be vaccinated, 44% said it was because they were unaware of any disease risk to their animals, compared to just 13% of those aged 55 and over. 22% of 18-24 year olds surveyed were not aware of zoonoses such as fleas and worms and diseases such as ringworm and Toxocara.
Matt Brash, BVetMed MRCVS, who runs a small animal veterinary clinic in North Yorkshire and is star of the TV show 'Zoo Vet at Large' said: "These figures are concerning and we could be sitting on a ticking time bomb. The simple fact is that many pet owners don't realise that their pets are at risk of disease. Less than half of all dogs and cats are vaccinated, which is well below the amount needed to protect the pet population through herd immunity."
Paula Boyden, a vet and Business Development and Corporate Marketing Project Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, who has steered the campaign for the company said: "There are clearly some strong messages coming out to vets here, not least where and how the credit crunch is hitting pet owners. The underlying message that National Vaccination Month offers a way of supporting pet owners during these difficult economic times is obviously important. While the data shows that pet owners will still make considerable sacrifices to care for their pets, it also highlights that vaccination is falling by the wayside. Clearly, practices will need to work harder than ever against the background of the credit crunch to bring home the message to pet owners that their pets are at risk of serious and often fatal disease and that cutting vaccination is a false economy. The You Gov poll also highlights the urgent need to educate the younger section of pet owners about the disease threat faced by their animals."
TV wildlife and science presenter Kate Humble, who with Matt and Clare Brash is spearheading the National Vaccination Month Campaign, said: "The really sad aspect is that people who are reducing veterinary care due to the recession may be making a false economy by putting their pets at risk of serious disease, which may lead to treatment at far greater cost than the price of the annual jab."
The You Gov survey suggests that where people have had to pay for unexpected vet bills they are paying for them on credit cards. One had to put the family pet down and many revealed that they had made personal sacrifices in order to keep looking after their animals including stopping smoking, cutting out luxuries, clothes and socialising.
The You Gov survey highlights how, despite lavishing affection and presents on their pets, people are not taking adequate steps to protect them from preventable killer diseases. The survey reveals that 65% of pet owners consider their animal to be an extremely important member of the family with over half (54%) buying them Christmas presents. However, only 56% of pets were vaccinated with just under a quarter (22%) of owners unaware of any disease risk.
Currently, an estimated 3 million dogs, 6 million cats, 1.8 million rabbits and 500,000 horses are unvaccinated.
In answer to this disease threat and to help owners during the recession, around 2,000 veterinary clinics across the UK have so far signed up to part in the National Vaccination Month campaign, offering pets a full vaccination course against a range of fatal diseases for the cost of a booster.
To participate in National Vaccination Month (www.vaccinationmonth.co.uk) - the biggest national consumer campaign of its kind, please contact your Intervet/ Schering-Plough Animal Health account manager or call Intervet/ Schering-Plough's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685, option 4.
The service, which has been set up by ex-Olympian Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen (badminton for Denmark, since you ask), is designed to complement the end-of-life care already offered by practices.
Lisbet says that veterinary surgeons already working with Cloud 9 told her they found it difficult to offer the compassionate care pet owners need during a 15 minute consult in a busy practice.
The new service is structured so they have time to spend with the grieving owner to help support them at this sensitive time.
Pet owners make their booking with a dedicated Care Coordinator trained to handle the situation with dignity and respect.
Because the care is then provided at home, the pet doesn’t have to experience the potential anxiety involved in transport to the practice and the owner doesn’t have to worry about trying to hide their grief from other clients in the waiting room, or driving home in a distressed state.
Veterinary surgeons who apply to join the service are given specific training in euthanasia and counselling for all members of the family. The average visit time is expected to be around 1.5 hours to allow the procedure to be carried out with sensitivity and care.
Cloud 9 says the new service offers vets, locum vets and practices a flexible additional revenue stream. Vets can select the days or hours they want to work, to fit around family or other work commitments, and Cloud 9 says it will handle all the paperwork, including payments.
Cloud 9 Vets also offers additional services such as a memory wall and pet cremation.
Lisbet is now inviting vets throughout the country to sign up with Cloud 9’s mobile service. She said: "We want to offer the service in as many locations as possible and welcome the opportunity to work with locums, mobile vets and practices."
For more information, visit: https://cloud9vets.co.uk/join-the-team/
Norbrook Laboratories has launched a long-acting cattle bolus which it says will reduce the risk of Milk Fever.
According to the company, Calcitrace D3 is the first and only long-acting bolus to offer slow and fast releasing calcium to provide sustained calcium levels for 48 to 72 hours. In addition, Calcitrace D3 provides Magnesium, Phosphate and Vitamin D3 making it the most comprehensive bolus available.
Calcitrace D3 is smooth gelatin coated bolus with a rounded tip designed for easier administration. Norbrook says it is smaller than other boluses making it less likely to cause trauma on the orpharynx during administration.
Dr Barry McInerney, Norbrook's GB Veterinary Advisor said: "Milk Fever is a common metabolic disorder in dairy cattle which generally affects older, high producing cows and is caused by a rapid decrease in calcium concentrations in the blood just before calving. It is estimated that 3-10% of cows are affected by Milk Fever with a cost of more than £200 per incident so it is crucial that farmers and vets reduce the risk as effectively as possible.
"Norbrook's new Calcitrace D3 bolus which should be administered just before calving, provides higher calcium blood levels during the critical 12 - 48 hour post calving period and provides sustained increased levels for well beyond 48 hours. With the addition of Magnesium, Phosphate and Vitamin D3, Calcitrace D3 provides additional protection against Milk Fever."
Andrew Hillan MVB MRCVS, Director of Veterinary Sciences at Norbrook, led the development of Calcitrace D3. He said: "The launch of Calcitrace D3 is another illustration of the very high quality of technical expertise that exists within our research and development department and underlines Norbrook's commitment to developing high quality and innovative products. It comes from a strong and exciting pipeline of new products which we will bring to the market over the next couple of years."
In August 2017, Georgina Bretman was found guilty of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to her two-year-old dog Florence by injecting the animal with insulin, causing the dog to suffer from hypoglycaemia, collapse, convulsions and seizures, for which it needed immediate veterinary treatment to avoid coma and death.
Following her conviction, Miss Bretman was sentenced to a Community Payback Order, with a requirement to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work. An order was also made to take Florence away from her and to ban her from owning a dog for two years.
At the VN Disciplinary Committee hearing, Miss Bretman admitted the facts as contained within the charge against her and the Committee found the charge proved.
The Committee went on to consider whether the charge rendered Miss Bretman unfit to practise.
The Committee heard from Miss Bretman’s counsel, Mr O’Rourke QC who indicated that Miss Bretman accepted that her conviction rendered her unfit to practise as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. The Committee found Miss Bretman’s actions in deliberately administering a poisonous substance to Florence thereby risking Florence’s death to be “very serious and deplorable conduct on the part of a veterinary nurse, a member of a profession specifically entrusted to look after and care for animals.” It also took into account the fact that Florence needed urgent veterinary treatment to avoid death and that Miss Bretman was in a position of trust over Florence as her owner.
Stuart Drummond, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "Miss Bretman’s conduct was also liable to have a seriously detrimental effect on the reputation of the profession and to undermine public confidence in the profession. The fact that she was a veterinary nurse was made clear at the trial and reported in the press. The Committee considered that members of the public would be rightly appalled that a Registered Veterinary Nurse had committed an offence of this kind.
The Committee was satisfied that this conduct fell far below the standard expected of a Registered Veterinary Nurse and that Miss Bretman’s conviction was of a nature and seriousness that rendered her unfit to practise."
The Committee then heard oral evidence from Miss Bretman in which she explained that she had always been passionate about working with animals and working in the veterinary profession and how she enjoyed her work as a veterinary nurse with a particular interest in hydrotherapy and rehabilitation.
She spoke about the devastating effect of the incident and the shame that was ‘brought down on her head’. She told the Committee that she had been suspended from her job and, since her conviction, had not worked as a veterinary nurse.
However, Miss Bretman said that, while she accepted and respected the verdict of the court, her stance remained that she had not done what was alleged and now hoped to rebuild her career as a veterinary nurse. She accepted that the offence of which she had been convicted was very serious, particularly for a veterinary nurse.
In considering Miss Bretman’s sanction the Committee took into account the aggravating and mitigating factors. Aggravating factors included the fact there was actual injury to an animal, that it was a pre-meditated and deliberate act against an animal for whom she was responsible, the fact that a medicinal product was misused, a lack of insight and a lack of remorse.
In mitigation the Committee took into account the fact she had no previous disciplinary history, had received positive references and testimonials and that, following the conviction, she demonstrated a willingness to be removed from the Register and to not work with animals to avoid causing embarrassment to the RCVS.
Stuart Drummond said: "The Committee was of the view that the nature and seriousness of Miss Bretman’s behaviour, which led to the conviction, was fundamentally incompatible with being registered as a veterinary nurse. The conduct represented a serious departure from professional standards; serious harm was deliberately caused to an animal; the continued denial of the offence demonstrated a complete lack of insight, especially in regard to the impact of her behaviour on public confidence and trust in the profession. In light of these conclusions, the Committee decided that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction was removal from the Register.
"In reaching this decision the Committee recognised the impact this was likely to have on Miss Bretman, which was unfortunate given her young age and her obvious passion for a career as a veterinary nurse. The Committee had considered with care all the positive statements made about her in the references and testimonials provided. However, the need to protect animal welfare, the reputation of the profession and thus the wider public interest, outweighed Miss Bretman’s interests and the Committee concluded that removal was the only appropriate and proportionate sanction. The Committee determined that it was important that a clear message be sent that this sort of behaviour is wholly inappropriate and not to be tolerated. It brought discredit upon Miss Bretman and discredit upon the profession".
The Committee then directed the RCVS Registrar to remove Miss Bretman’s name from the Register. Miss Bretman has 28 days from being notified of the Committee’s decision to submit an appeal.
Next year, in collaboration with the International Veterinary Students’ Association (IVSA), there will be a new category to recognise a veterinary student for his or her contribution towards animal welfare.
The WVA Animal Welfare Award 2019 will be presented to six veterinary surgeons from the WVA 6 geographical regions and to one veterinary student from around the world.
The Award Ceremony will take place during the 35th World Veterinary Association Congress on 28th April 2019 in San Jose, Costa Rica where the selected winners will be invited to collect their WVA Animal Welfare Award and a prize of €5,000.
Ceva and the WVA say they are now actively studying a plan to expand the awards to include veterinary schools, rewarding them for Animal Welfare Excellence in Veterinary Education.
For more information, visit http://www.worldvet.org/news.php?item=356
Mr Dobson was struck off in 2021 after the DC found that he'd carried out an act of veterinary certification after being removed from the Register for non-payment, failed to have professional indemnity insurance in place and failed to respond to requests from the RCVS about these things.
Mr Dobson submitted a restoration application by email at the start of June, but then didn't reply to any further correspondence from the College, didn't provide any detail supporting his application, didn't attend the hearing and didn't contact the RCVS to explain why.
The Committee decided to go ahead with the restoration hearing in Mr Dobson's absence.
It decided that although Mr Dobson's email on 2nd June 2023 did suggest that he accepted the original findings for which he was removed from the Register, there was not enough evidence of remorse or insight into the the failings which led to him being struck off in the first place, or that he had attempted to keep his continuing professional development (CPD) up-to-date or that, if restored, he would pose no risk to animal health and welfare.
Paul Morris, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Disciplinary Committee will only restore the name of the applicant veterinary surgeon to the Register where the applicant has satisfied it that he or she is fit to return to unrestricted practice as a veterinary surgeon and that restoration is in the public interest.
“The Committee’s real concerns about this application and this applicant are that it has before it no evidence of any value or substance to satisfy either of these criteria.
"There is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that the applicant is fit to return to unrestricted practice.
"In turn, there is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that it is in the public interest that this applicant’s name be restored to the Register.
“It is of importance to the profession and to members of the public that restorations to the Register should only occur when the applicant has established by clear evidence that the criteria which are set out in the public documents produce by the College have been satisfied.”
He added: “Having regard to the above criteria and its findings on them, the Committee considers that it remains the case that the protection of the public and the public interest requires that his name be not restored to the Register and therefore refuses this application.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
'Otitis Externa: Understanding Ear Disease’ will be presented by RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, Stephen Shaw BVetMed CertSAD DVD PhD PgCAP FHEA MRCVS (pictured).
Virbac says the webinar will explain how Cortotic can help you reduce antimicrobial use when treating otitis externa in dogs, whilst offering the same efficacy as a fixed-combination product.
https://bit.ly/CortoticWebinar
Ceva Animal Health UK has launched a new Galastop iPhone application to calculate the optimal date for spaying in order to reduce the risk of post-operative false pregnancy.
Enter the end of oestrus date (when the last season finished), and the app will calculate when to spay, i.e. 16 weeks later.
Ceva says it is important not to spay a bitch during a false pregnancy as post-operative chronic pseudopregnancy may develop, which can last longer and be more resistant to standard treatment. However, some cases of false pregnancy can be silent and difficult to detect. Product manager at Ceva Animal Health UK, Fraser Broadfoot MRCVS, said: "It is commonly recommended to wait until 12 weeks after the end of oestrus before spaying. However, silent pseudopregnancy can still occur at this stage so, to be on the safe side, many specialists are now recommending spaying later at 16 weeks after the end of oestrus."
Click here for more details, and to download the app in iTunes.
For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health UK representative or call the veterinary support team on 01494 781510.
The first cohort of students started the course in September 2014 and graduated in July 2019 this year. During that time, the College worked with the University to make sure its programme was developed to meet RCVS standards. That included interim visitations by a team of accreditation reviewers and a final accreditation visitation by representatives of the RCVS, the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC).
After the final visitation, a report was submitted to the RCVS Primary Qualifications Subcommittee (PQSC), which then recommended to the Education Committee that the RCVS recognises the University of Surrey’s veterinary degree (subject to satisfactory external examiner reports, which were subsequently received). In turn, the RCVS Council then approved the degree last week.
Dr Sue Paterson, the Chair of the Education Committee, said: "We are very glad to have reached the stage where we can formally welcome the University of Surrey on board as the eighth UK veterinary school to offer an approved degree, and that we will, from now on and pending Privy Council’s approval, be able to welcome its graduates onto the Register as proud members of the RCVS.
"We appreciate the immense hard work of both the faculty and the student body over the past five years in working to meet the College’s stringent accreditation standards and the effort that they have made to address our feedback and advice in a constructive and engaged way.
"When I observed at the final accreditation visit earlier this year I, along with the other visitors, was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff, the network of partner veterinary practices and the student body to the school’s ethos and success. We also recognised that, with its unique ‘distributive model’ meaning that students can get direct clinical experience across 49 veterinary practice partners, the students have access to a large and diverse medical and surgical caseload.
"The final report contained a number of further recommendations and we look forward to continuing to work with the school over the next two years to help them meet our recommendations and suggestions."
Professor Chris Proudman, Head of School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, added: "I am delighted that our new degree programme in veterinary medicine and science has been approved by RCVS Council for recognition by the Privy Council.
"This decision recognises the huge investment in veterinary education made by the university and the quality of the education that we offer. It is also validation of our innovative model of delivering clinical teaching through working in partnership with clinical practices and other organisations involved in animal health, which has proven very popular with our students."
“The commitment and enthusiasm of our partners has been truly inspiring and energising. I look forward to Surrey veterinary graduates making valuable contributions to the profession in a variety of ways over the coming years.”
A Recognition Order to recognise the University of Surrey’s Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Science (BVMSci Hons) will now be put before the Privy Council and, if it approves the Order, this will then be laid before Parliament. If the Order is approved by both the Privy Council and Parliament, the University of Surrey will then enter the cyclical RCVS accreditation process and be subject to annual monitoring.
The executive summary of the final visitation report can be found in the papers for the October 2019 meeting of RCVS Council: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council/council-meetings/3-october-2019/. The full report will be published in due course.
Picture shows:(from left to right) Dr Susan Paterson, Chair of the RCVS Education Committee; Professor Chris Proudman, Head of School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey; and Dr Niall Connell, RCVS President.
Consequently, the company says the sheep sector is going to have to take a more proactive approach to parasite control if it is to achieve the best possible environmental standards.
The research by SRUC and the Moredun Research Institute showed parasite infections in lambs can lead to a 33% increase in methane output1 and that parasitism is one of the top three livestock diseases which increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions2 and is cost-effective to manage.
Eurion Thomas, European operations manager at Techion, says that despite current emissions from sheep being over-exaggerated, the sector will need to act if the NFU’s aspiration for net zero emissions from agriculture by 2040, is to be achieved.
Eurion said: "While targets to further reduce GHG emissions may appear to be burdensome, there are some simple steps farmers can take that’ll help minimise emissions while also improving business profitability. This includes incorporating regular faecal egg counts (FEC) into routine flock management to increase the accuracy of worm control.
"Worms reduce performance, in particular feed conversion ratio (FCR) meaning animals take longer to finish at lower weights. In addition, the research shows animals with worms release more methane per day due to the upset they cause to the digestive system.
"Better parasite control can therefore reduce number of days to finishing, improving production efficiency and lowering methane emissions per unit of meat produced. The number of days to slaughter and FCR are also correlated to profit margins, providing an opportunity to improve the bottom line."
Eurion says one of the reasons endemic diseases such as worm burdens are so detrimental to production efficiency and emissions is because often the disease has significantly impacted animal performance before it has been identified. Regular faecal egg counts (FEC) and an accurate treatment programme are therefore crucial.
Eurion said: "FECPAKG2 is the latest in image-based, internet-connected, FEC technology and means testing can be carried out virtually anywhere by anyone, including on-farm by the farmer.
"Because digital images of parasite eggs are produced, analysed and stored online, FECPAKG2 provides rapid results while offering greater quality control and auditability. This is encouraging more frequent testing and better decision making at farm level."
A collaborative research project between Sainsbury’s and Techion3 showed accurate treatment of the right animals, with the right wormer, at the right time, improved daily liveweight gains (DLWG) while reducing wormer use in sheep by up to 50%.
Eurion said: "Addressing the environmental impact of red meat production is arguably one of the biggest challenges the sector faces and introducing FEC is one simple way farmers can proactively work towards this, while improving business profitability."
References
Vetnapp offers a secure alternative to traditional paper records, allowing for the entry of drugs administered, recording of physiological parameters (for example, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure), and recording complications occurring during an anaesthetic.
The final anaesthetic chart can be converted to a PDF and attached to patient records, simplifying the paper trail.
Alastair, who works at Willows Referrals, says his motivation for developing the app was born out of frustration with handwritten anaesthetic records which can often be incomplete, illegible and easily lost.
Alastair said: "Vetnapp is excellent for ease of data entry via the use of sliders and drop-down lists. It also stores records, allowing easy retrieval, which is not possible with paper records.
"Now the app is available for both Apple and Android devices, it is much more accessible. I have even had people downloading it in Australia, America and China, which is fantastic."
"It’s still very much early days and I hope its popularity grows over time. Ideally, I would like it to be downloaded by veterinary groups, as well as independent practices."
To download Vetnapp, visit the App Store or Google Play and search 'Vetnapp'.
The research also found that awareness of feline hypertension amongst cat owners is very low, with 80% of those questioned unaware that cats could have high blood pressure and nearly 20% believing that it was only an issue in humans.
Amongst those cat owners who are aware of feline hypertension, only 25% said they would consider asking their vet for a blood pressure check for their pet.
However, once made aware of the risks of high blood pressure, including blindness, seizures and kidney disease, 83% of owners said they would ask their vet for a blood pressure test for their cat.
Dr Natalie Borrill MRCVS, veterinary technical manager for cardionephrology at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Feline hypertension is a common condition in older cats; it is estimated that one in five cats from nine years of age are at risk of suffering from the condition3, but there is a low level of awareness amongst cat owners about this condition.
"By increasing awareness of the disease amongst owners, they will be more inclined to visit the vet with their older cat for regular blood pressure checks. It can also be very helpful for an owner to be present when blood pressure is measured because this can help reduce stress and anxiety in their cat. For more information cat owners can visit amadeus.vet."
The research results were released as part of Feline Hypertension Month, which is running until the end of May to raise awareness of hypertension and improve the detection and management of high blood pressure in cats. As part of the campaign, veterinary practices are being urged to measure their feline patients' blood pressure in cats over the age of seven.
Ceva says it will continue its Mercury Challenge throughout 2019 to increase veterinary professionals' confidence in measuring blood pressure and identifying feline hypertension. Participating practices are given the opportunity to win diagnostic tools to help them identify feline hypertension.
For information, contact cevauk@ceva.com or visit mercurychallenge.ceva.com.
In the study1, which was funded by Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), an online questionnaire was completed by 744 snake owners worldwide but predominantly from the UK (68.8%).
The questionnaire investigated housing and husbandry practices and snake health and welfare as measured by clinical signs and behavioural indicators.
Associations between clinical signs, behavioural indicators and housing and husbandry aspects were tested for the three most common snake families: Pythonoids, Boids and Colubrids.
The study found 54.7% of snakes were kept in enclosures shorter in length or height than their body, preventing them from stretching out fully.
10.2% of snakes in the UK were kept in enclosures that do not comply with current recommended guidelines (minimum enclosure length <0.66 of snake length).
Whilst most snake owners (93.1%) reported measuring the temperature in their snakes’ enclosures, 24% of these checked less than the recommended once daily.
When looking at the most commonly owned snake species (royal pythons, corn snakes and common boa constrictors), 47.2% were kept in sub-optimal temperatures for their species.
Furthermore, 48.1% of owners reported not measuring the humidity in their snakes’ enclosure.
Owners reported that many snakes experienced at least one of the listed clinical signs, with the most common issues being skin shedding (28.2%), parasites (11.2%), rostral cuts and scrapes (7.4%) and respiratory problems (5.6%).
Snakes that were kept in enclosures <1 snake length had significantly more clinical signs compared to those snakes kept in enclosures >1 snake length.
Similarly, most snakes were reported to experience at least one of the listed negative behaviours, most commonly interacting with transparent boundaries (52.8%), wincing or withdrawal of head when gently touched (52.4%), putting the head under the substrate (52.1%), unusually high level of activity (51.1%) and attempting to escape (45.9%).
All these negative behaviours have previously been described as associated with captive stress.
Snakes that were reported as having more clinical signs tended to show more reported negative behaviours.
Dr Nicola Rooney, Senior Lecturer in Wildlife and Conservation at Bristol Veterinary School and corresponding author for the paper, said: “Our study has highlighted various concerns for snake welfare.
"The first of these relates to enclosure size, with snakes commonly being kept in vivaria preventing straight-line postures and movement.
"Snakes that were unable to stretch out fully had more clinical signs than those that were able to stretch out fully.
“Whilst we did not find a significant association between temperature or humidity and measures of health and welfare in this study, it is a concern that many snakes were housed in conditions considered sub-optimal for their species.
"We know that appropriate temperature and humidity is vital for maintaining the health of snakes and it would therefore be prudent to investigate these associations further, using methods other than owner reporting.”
Dr Huw Golledge, Animal Welfare Editor-in-Chief, said: “Until now, there has been little empirical data on the housing and husbandry practices of privately kept snakes, and how these impact on their welfare.
"As the first study of this size, this research provides valuable baseline data against which future surveys or welfare interventions can be compared.
“As this survey relies on owner-reported information, it is very likely that many of the frequencies of clinical and behavioural signs are underestimated.
"This demonstrates the need for evidence-based recommendations, and the importance of such recommendations being made accessible to owners to improve snake welfare.”
Reference
Photo: Brown and Black Snake in Close Up Photography © deedee Pexels
Simon Wootton, Northern European Region CAG Marketing Manager at Idexx said: "It is widely accepted that 1 in 3 cats and 1 in 10 dogs will develop CKD. The adoption by IRIS of the Idexx SDMA™ renal function test is testament to its benefits, and should give vets much more time to intervene and prescribe an appropriate course of action to help improve longevity and quality of life in CKD patients."
Idexx has produced two new wall-charts for practices, intended to assist with the diagnosis, staging and treatment of CKD in dogs and cats. They are being distributed to all practices in the UK, and can also be downloaded from the Idexx website – www.idexx.eu or ordered from Idexx by ringing 00800 1234 33 99.
Adrienne Conroy, Head of BSAVA Policy and Chair of the Big Issues stream said: "As a profession, we have a history of successfully dealing with the unpredictable and rising to the challenge of the unexpected, which in many ways have been the hallmarks of the past year or so and no doubt will likely continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
"This year’s Big Issues stream will look at some of the uncertainties encountered by vets in practice and how resilience and resolve in the face of challenge can continue to serve the profession well for the future."
Big Issue subjects include:
The ABC of Achievements, Brexit and ChallengesProfessor the Lord Trees will aim to support vets’ understanding of the rationale underpinning the Government's Brexit decisions and their impact on the profession. A panel of speakers will also look at how the Government and the profession has worked collaboratively to introduce legislation and policies across a range of areas affecting the companion animal sector, and the practical implications for veterinary surgeons.
Medicines: Ensuring Supply Despite CrisesProfessor Peter Borriello, CEO of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Dawn Howard CEO of the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) will explore the unpredictable challenges, whether dependent on Brexit or other factors, that can potentially threaten the supply of medicines vital to companion animal veterinary practices and how these unexpected events can be tackled and resolved by working together.
The Perils of Passports and Certification: Avoiding LitigationBSAVA President Philip Lhermette, together with Dr Mauricio Lopez, Head of Veterinary Trade Facilitation, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Michael Stanford, Veterinary Claims Consultant, Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) will share for the first time the results of the BSAVA 2018 OV survey, and will endeavour to better equip and support vets in companion animal practice to manage the unpredictable aspects of pet passports and export certification.
Telemedicine: Patient Care in the Digital WorldDr Kate Richards, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee, Dr Thom Jenkins, CEO of Gula, Richard Guest, CEO of telemedicine consultancy Morgan Frey and Simon Doherty, President of the BVA aim to help delegates navigate relatively the unchartered territory of telemedicine and make informed decisions on the future of telemedicine and its potential impact on not just them, but also their clients.
More information on the Big Issues agenda and speakers here.
A new book written by a man who is both married to and brother of a veterinary surgeon (not the same one, I hasten to add), offers a husband's take on a vet's life.
Author Steve Ankers is married to Margaret Ankers MRCVS (Acorn Veterinary Surgery) and brother of John Prescott MRCVS (now retired, but remains a consultant to Robson & Prescott).
His book, called It's a Dog's Life for the Other Half, is brimfull of funny anecdotes, including: holding hands with a famous actress inside a cow's rectum; a dog who ate a Cliff Richard cassette; a cat who ate a Chihuahua but spat out the tail and a vulture who travelled hundreds of miles on a car roof-rack.
Terry Jones (you know, the Python) described the book as "Hilarious and eminently readable".
It's a Dog's Life for the Other Half may be the literary equivalent of a busman's holiday for the members of this site, but I'm half way through and it's one of those rare books that's guaranteed to bring a smile to your face at least once a page.
It's a Dog's Life for the Other Half is available now from all good bookshops, including Amazon RRP £12.99. It is also available as an e-book.
A new study carried out by academics at the University of Bristol's Animal Welfare and Behaviour research group has revealed that chickens empathise. So, if you've wondered why the chicken crossed the road, it was probably to help a friend.
More specifically, the research - funded by the BBSRC Animal Welfare Initiative and published online in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. - demonstrated that domestic hens show a clear physiological and behavioural response when their chicks are mildly distressed.
Researchers say the study is the first to demonstrate that birds possess one of the important attributes that underpins empathy, and the first study to use both behavioural and physiological methods to measure these traits in birds.
During one of the controlled procedures, when the chicks were exposed to a puff of air, the hens' heart rate increased and eye temperature decreased. The hens also changed their behaviour, and reacted with increased alertness, decreased preening and increased vocalisations directed to their chicks.
Some of these responses have previously been used as indicators of an emotional response in animals. In domestic chickens, time spent standing alert is associated with higher levels of fear. Previous research carried out by the same group has shown that hens also selectively avoid surroundings associated with high levels of standing and low levels of preening.
Jo Edgar, PhD student in the School of Veterinary Sciences, said: "The extent to which animals are affected by the distress of others is of high relevance to the welfare of farm and laboratory animals.
"Our research has addressed the fundamental question of whether birds have the capacity to show empathic responses.
"We found that adult female birds possess at least one of the essential underpinning attributes of 'empathy'; the ability to be affected by, and share, the emotional state of another."
The researchers say they used chickens as a model species because, under commercial conditions, chickens will regularly encounter other chickens showing signs of pain or distress due to routine husbandry practices or because of the high levels of conditions such as bone fractures or leg disorders.
Reference:'Avian maternal response to chick distress', J L Edgar, J C Lowe, E S Paul, C J Nicol, published online ahead of print Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 9 March 2011.
Picture:Gemma Richards, University of Bristol
The Practice Standards Group, which comprises representatives from all of the key veterinary and veterinary nursing organisations, has updated the standards of the Practice Standards Scheme and a draft of the new Manual is now available for comment.
The Scheme is a voluntary accreditation programme that aims to promote and maintain high standards of facilities and care within UK veterinary practices. When it was launched in 2005, a commitment was made that the standards would not change for five years, unless new legislation (such as the Veterinary Medicines Regulations) required it. Following a detailed review of the standards, to ensure they continue to be relevant to current veterinary practice, proposals have been made by the Group for new standards to be implemented during 2010.
Jill Nute, Chairman of the Practice Standards Group said: "It is unlikely that any already-accredited practices will be required to invest in additional facilities or equipment to meet the new standards.
"Instead, greater emphasis has been placed on clinical outcomes and training. For example, performance review has been introduced for all clinical staff, including the Professional Development Phase for new graduates. We are keen to hear feedback on the proposed new standards."
One recommendation is that the 'tiers' should be dropped. The categories will retain their descriptive names, for example, Small Animal General Practice or Equine Veterinary Hospital. Feedback suggests that clients, and the profession, found the tiers to be misleading.
The layout of the Manual has been revamped, to include guidance that was previously available online. Guidance for each relevant standard can now be seen at a glance. There is also an icon to indicate if documentary evidence will be required by the inspector. In addition, the new format clarifies the derivation of each standard, so that legislative requirements are distinguished from those required under the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and those indicated by better practice.
Membership of the Scheme continues to grow, with 126 applications to join the Scheme in the first six months of this year, representing 264 premises, compared with 61 applications in the whole of last year. There are currently 2,351 practice premises under the ambit of the Scheme - approximately 50%.
The draft new Manual is online at www.rcvs.org.uk/consultations.
Hard copies are available from Eleanor Ferguson, Practice Standards Scheme Manager: e.ferguson@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0720.
The deadline for comments is 31 August 2009. Responses will be considered by the Practice Standards Group at its September meeting and thereafter by Council in November.
Pfizer Animal Health and Central Veterinary Services are collaborating in a new venture to create a unified National Benchmarking Database open to all veterinary practices.
In what it says is an unprecedented move, Pfizer will integrate 15 years' worth of data from its Performance Index practice benchmarking service (formerly known as the Fort Dodge Index) with that of the Central Veterinary Services' Management Analysis Indices (MAI). These two benchmarking services have been in co-existence for a number of years, each using different databases. Combining the data from the participating practices within each benchmarking service will create a database of almost 300 practices, representing in excess of 10% of all UK companion animal and mixed practices. This, says the company, will provide a more accurate and relevant benchmarking of UK companion animal practice performance.
The first combined reports from this new National Database will be available in May providing a comprehensive analysis for the first quarter of 2012. For Performance Index practices, this will be available via a new web portal.
Participating practices will continue to access their reports and services independently via their respective portals for PI and MAI, but will benefit from the larger database providing greater accuracy, granularity and relevance of exactly who a practice chooses to benchmark itself against. This, in turn, should provide all participating practices with an even better understanding of both their critical success factors and where there are clear opportunities for growth. Pfizer says that as ever, practice data confidentiality will be guaranteed for all subscribing practices.
Ned Flaxman, Director Business Innovation, at Pfizer Animal Health said: "We have recognised that what veterinary practices really need is to be far more specific about who they benchmark themselves against. There is little relevance to a rural mixed practice in the Lake District employing 3 full time vets (FTVE) benchmarking themselves against a large 5 FTVE companion animal practice in the centre of Manchester - you are comparing apples and pears! My vision for creating the National Database was really to increase the business benefits of practice benchmarking and enable practices to compare apples with apples. With the new system, the large urban practice in Manchester should be able to compare its performance against other urban practices in the North of England employing 5FTVE!
"To ensure practices have accurate and relevant data from which to make informed decisions to grow and thrive in these turbulent conditions, the creation of a single national benchmarking database is the only sensible solution. Although we are effectively levelling the playing field by enabling other veterinary suppliers to offer benchmarking, we believe it is the right thing to do for veterinary practices and the market as a whole. For Pfizer Animal Health, the needs of our veterinary clients are the driving force for our business decisions, veterinary support services and product development."
Martin Barrow, Managing Director of Central Veterinary Services said: "We fully agree that a single benchmarking database is the right solution for the market. The creation of this National Database, open to all practices irrespective of their supplier, will provide the participants with unique tools to give them powerful insights for their practices' future continued success.
"MAI and the Performance Index have competed with each other for years and provided a very useful added value service for their respective subscribers but when we were approached to integrate the two databases, we immediately saw the bigger picture and recognised the significant benefits this could bring to a wider audience of UK veterinary practices.
"The national database uses open standards for data collection and data is accepted from all practices irrespective of which practice management system they use. We believe it is the right thing to do for veterinary practices and brings significant benefits to the whole veterinary profession."
Practices are urged to subscribe to the PI or MAI services either independently or through one of their practice development partners. Although run from a common database each service will continue to be provided with its own unique features.
For further information on Performance Index practices should contact their Pfizer Account Manager, email Pfizer at Vetsupportplusuk@pfizer.com.
For further information on MAI, practices should contact Central Veterinary Services at mai@centralvet.com, or telephone 01359 245310
Xperior Farm Health, one of the bidders for the government contracts to provide TB testing, has announced that it mounted a legal challenge to the procurement process, but has now withdrawn that challenge in the face of the 'aggressive' timeframe in which Defra demanded that it submit its case.
Xperior says it was made aware last month that all five Delivery Partner contracts would be awarded to members of the same veterinary group (XL Vets), which it felt would both compromise competition and make Defra overly reliant on one service provider.
In addition, Xperior said it believed the successful bids were unfeasibly low, which presents a potentially devastating threat to the viability of many rural vet practices and a seriously reduced quality of TB testing service to farmers.
Xperior says it initially notified a formal query to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA - the executive agency of Defra responsible for awarding the contracts) during the pre-announcement consultation period, and believes other bidders may have done likewise. The query was dismissed, as a result of which the company issued legal proceedings.
Xperior's Veterinary Director, Phil Elkins said: "We are concerned that proposed payment rates for TB testing are considerably lower than those proposed by other bidders, and at a level which questions the viability of practices continuing to provide TB testing services to their clients.
"The consequence would be either unfairly low payment rates for official veterinarians (OVs) who conduct TB testing, or an influx of inexperienced vets, potentially from other countries, into low paid positions. The loss of TB testing income would also challenge the viability of some rural veterinary businesses and the relationships held with their clients.
"Either way, this is contrary to a key tenet in the pre-tender documentation that Delivery Partners are expected to maintain a flow of TB testing work and revenue to contribute to the capability of the veterinary profession in rural areas to support food security and the rural economy."
Meanwhile, an APHA spokesperson said they were limited in how much they could say before the formal announcement of the award, except that: “APHA is confident in the robustness of the procurement process and that the selected bidders are the best candidates to deliver this vital service in the most effective way.”
VetSurgeon.org understands that now the legal challenge has been dropped, an official announcement of the winner will likely be made within days. However, it also seems likely that the payment rates for OVs will remain confidential even after the announcement of the award, so it may be some time before the prospects for OVs become clear.
The new code is one of a series of welfare codes currently being reviewed and updated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) following recent consultations.
BVA President John Fishwick said: "We warmly welcome these updates and we are particularly pleased to see the vital role the veterinary profession plays in maintaining poultry welfare recognised throughout the new code.
"We are also delighted to see the benefits of veterinary surveillance systems highlighted, with owners and keepers encouraged to use local and national disease surveillance sources to better understand poultry disease patterns and their local health and welfare landscape. This was a key element in our joint consultation response and reflects BVA’s recently published Position on veterinary scanning surveillance (animal health and disease monitoring).
"We are also pleased to see signposting within the Code of Practice to the Humane Slaughter Association’s Code of Practice for the Disposal of Chicks in Hatcheries, which outlines in detail information about humane methods of killing and good practice.
"The British poultry industry has some of the highest welfare standards in the world and the veterinary profession is fully committed to working with Defra on further enhancing animal welfare codes to reflect best industry practice."
Photo: Flock of Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) Roaming Freely in Front of Chicken Sheds on a Farm in the Rural Village of Chenson, Devon. Shutterstock / Peter Turner Photography
The aim of the survey, which closes on 16th June, is to recognise and help raise awareness of the multiple challenges faced by veterinary surgeons undertaking roles for Government as a distinct subset of the veterinary profession.
The Association of Government Veterinarians says that following the survey, it'll be producing a report which identifies issues which affect government vets' wellbeing, identifies existing tools to promote wellbeing within Government and considers developing new ones if necessary. It will also consider best practice and any gaps in the wellbeing services currently available that vets in Government roles would benefit from.
To take part in the survey, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/vetswellbeing
You can read more about the survey here: https://vets.blog.gov.uk/2018/04/06/how-are-you-feeling-association-of-government-vets-wellbeing-survey-launched/
Photo: Christine Middlemiss introduces the survey.
To carry out the practice of veterinary medicine, a veterinary practitioner must be registered in the jurisdiction in which they are practising ie a veterinary practitioner who practises veterinary medicine in the Republic of Ireland must be registered with the VCI; likewise, a veterinary surgeon who practises in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales, must be registered with the RCVS.
EU Directive 2005/36EC enables a veterinary surgeon who is lawfully established and registered in an EU member state to provide services on a temporary and occasional basis in another member state. This service allows registered veterinary surgeons to occasionally practise in other countries in the European Union for short periods, up to a maximum of 30 days per year.
From 1st January 2021, the Directive will no longer apply to veterinary practitioners from the Republic of Ireland who may want to provide veterinary services in the UK and that they would therefore need to be registered with the RCVS even if provision of these services is temporary and occasional.
However, in October 2019 the Presidents of the RCVS and the VCI signed a Mutual Qualification Recognition Agreement. The agreement means that the degree in veterinary medicine from University College Dublin can be recognised by the RCVS, and the current eight RCVS-recognised UK veterinary medicine degrees can be recognised by the VCI. The recognised qualifications are accepted as the basis for registration to practise veterinary surgery by the RCVS in the United Kingdom and veterinary medicine by the VCI in the Republic of Ireland.
The VCI and the RCVS emphasised that regardless of whether a trade agreement has been signed between the EU and the UK by 1 January 2021, this will have no bearing on the Mutual Qualification Recognition Agreement currently in place.
Niamh Muldoon, CEO and Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, said: “This historic agreement will enable graduates of Irish and UK veterinary schools to continue to seek to practise in the other country when they wish. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with our colleagues in the RCVS in the future for the benefit of the profession in both countries.”
Mandisa Greene, President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons said: “I am very glad to be able to affirm our continuing working partnership with our friends and colleagues in the Republic of Ireland. We know that veterinary surgeons based both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have clients and undertake work on both sides of the border, and this Mutual Recognition Agreement will help to ensure that UK and Ireland-qualified veterinary surgeons are able to register in each other’s jurisdictions where required. I too look forward to continuing to work closely with the VCI both on a bilateral basis, and via pan-European institutions such as the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe.”
Until now, the treatment has only been available in 20 and 40 pack sizes. The new two-tube pack option offers clients a pre-packaged treatment course for one ear.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “The introduction of a pre-packaged Osurnia treatment course provides a convenient solution to veterinarians treating otitis. Osurnia comes in pre-measured, single-dose tubes of the gel with a soft flexible applicator tip that ensures the dog receives the right dose, every time, all while minimising discomfort for the patient.
"The patented gel formulation provides reassurance that the solution is less likely to be dislodged from the patient’s ear, prolonging the contact of the active medicines directly at the infection site1.
"A treatment plan using Osurnia means that vets can help ensure compliance of treatment. The application of the second dose provides an additional opportunity to assess the patient to ensure it is responding as planned."
Osurnia two-tube packs are available from wholesalers. For more information, visit: www.dechra.com.