The technology, developed by US firm SignalPET, sends X-rays through an AI machine algorithm to get a more or less instantaneous report, rather than needing a radiology specialist to analyse results, which can take up to three days.
IVC starting trialling the system with 22 of its practices last November and it quickly became clear that there were huge benefits, including saving time for clinicians, cost, and improving confidence in the diagnosis.
The majority of IVC's trial teams said they viewed the technology as a positive diagnostic aid, supporting their own professional opinion.
It also served as a learning tool, increasing the confidence and clinical independence of younger or newly qualified vets.
Sarah Merrell, Clinical Director at Lincvet, a group of IVC Evidensia practices in Lincoln and one of the trial clinics, said: “SignalPET has proved really valuable – giving us excellent support for radiography.
"It has been used by both our highly experienced and newly graduated clinicians to get a second set of ‘eyes’ on our cases giving reassurance and support when reading our radiographs.
“Overall, it has improved clinician confidence, reduced the pressure on senior vets, given us an additional tool for training and development, and greatly enhanced client understanding of our findings.”
Alistair Cliff, IVC Evidensia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said: “The AI radiology process developed by SignalPET represents a real revolution in how results are analysed.
"The overwhelming success of our initial trial in November means we are confident in pushing ahead with rolling out the technology in the UK this year and eventually, in Europe too."
The British Veterinary Association has responded to 'alarmist' headlines linking contact with cats to schizophrenia due to the risks posed by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
The report in today's Independent contains some important messages regarding the need for good personal hygiene and the need for pregnant women and immuno-compromised groups to be aware of the risks. However, the BVA says it is concerned that the headlines could cause significant alarm to cat owners.
Most people who become infected are asymptomatic but 10-20% can show transient symptoms which are flu-like. There is a more serious risk to pregnant women and those who are immuno-compromised, but as with all infections common sense and good personal hygiene reduces the risk significantly and the BVA says there is no reason that families with, or those intending to have, children shouldn't have pet cats.
As outlined in the article sources of infection include eating undercooked meat and vegetables that have not been washed properly and contact with cats. It is not known which the greater source of infection is but according to the BVA, anecdotal evidence suggests that meat is likely to be more important than contact with cats. The BVA says it echoes advice that meat should be prepared and cooked properly, and offers the following hygiene advice for cat owners:
BVA Past President and veterinary surgeon Harvey Locke said: "While the facts are true, the headlines in this story have been quite alarmist and we are very keen to reassure cat owners that the risks can be managed with good basic hygiene and common sense.
"The biggest threat is to pregnant women and those who are immuno-compromised, which we have known for some time. It is useful to reiterate that they should take extra care but there is no need for people to get rid of their pet cats or choose not to have cats as pets."
Rominervin contains 10 mg/ml romifidine hydrochloride, equivalent to 8.76 mg romifidine, presented in a 20 ml vial.
It can be used as a sedative to facilitate handling, examination, minor surgical interventions and minor procedures or as a premedication prior to administration of injectable or inhalation anaesthetics.
Rominervin can also be used in combination with synthetic opiates such as butorphanol to provide deeper sedation or analgesia.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "Rominervin is highly effective as it has a longer duration of action than other alpha-2 agonists1. It starts to work within one to two minutes with maximum sedation achieved between five and 10 minutes.
"It is yet another valuable addition in our equine anaesthesia and analgesia range that has been designed to provide vets with the therapies they need to operate successfully in day-to-day practice."
Rominervin can be used in conjunction with Dechra’s equine anaesthesia and analgesia app, designed to help veterinary professionals choose optimal anaesthetic protocols and calculate anaesthetic drug doses and administration rates.
For more information visit: www.dechra.co.uk/products/equine
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.
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 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 patient was a four-year-old Labrador called Vinny who, in 2019, became the first dog in the UK to receive a BioMedtrix canine ankle replacement system, implanted by Wear's Head of Orthopaedic Surgery, RCVS Specialist Neil Burton, assisted by Maciej Krukowski.
That first surgery, on Vinny’s right ankle, was successful. However, two years later he needed similar treatment to his left leg.
Neil said: “Vinny first presented to us at Wear Referrals in 2019 with hind limb lameness.
“He was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in his hock joints bilaterally due to a developmental condition called osteochondrosis of the talus causing him ongoing pain and lameness. We operated on the right ankle, with Vinny becoming the first dog in the UK to have this ankle replacement system placed.
“Vinny was significantly more comfortable on this limb postoperatively but his lameness progressively worsened in the left hind limb. The decision was made to perform the same surgery on the left ankle, making Vinny the first dog in the world to have this surgery performed bilaterally.
“Vinny has made another fine recovery from surgery and is now off medication, meaning he can exercise unrestricted and pain-free without a lifetime reliance on painkilling drugs.
“For our team at Wear to be able to offer him this pioneering surgery has been a great opportunity. He’s now a unique case, being both the first UK recipient of this BioMedtrix joint replacement as well as the world's first bilateral ankle replacement with the same system.”
For more information, visit www.wear-referrals.co.uk.
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.
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.
Hot on the heels of Eurovet, Ceva Animal Health has launched Emeprid, containing the anti-emetic and pro-kinetic metoclopramide. Emeprid is licensed in cats and dogs for the symptomatic treatment of vomiting and reduced gastro-intestinal motility associated with gastritis, pyloric spasm, chronic nephritis and digestive intolerance to some drugs.
There are two formulations available; a 10ml multi-dose vial containing 5mg/ml metoclopramide for IV, SC or IM injection and a 125ml 'sweet orange and apricot flavoured' oral solution containing 1mg/ml metoclopramide. They are priced at £7.99 for the 10ml injectable bottle and £9.99 for the oral solution.
For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health representative or call the veterinary support team on 01494 781510.
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.
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.
The awards celebrate the achievements of remarkable people from the farming, veterinary and charity industries, who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of animals around the world. Nominations were submitted by friends, family, clients and colleagues.
Spanning six categories, the shortlist for the 2018 Ceva Animal Welfare Awards is as follows:
Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines
Vet Nurse of the Year Award supported by Agria Pet Insurance
Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSA
Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross
Farm Animal Welfare Award supported by R.A.B.I. and NADIS
International Cat Care Welfare Award
International Cat Care will be choosing the winner of this award from its extensive membership base. The winner will be announced at the awards’ ceremony.
In addition to the scheduled categories, the judges have granted one additional award in special recognition of an individual’s lifetime commitment to animal welfare.
The shortlist for each award was decided following a day of deliberations by a panel of judges chaired by retired veterinary surgeon, Chris Laurence MBE FRCVS. Chris is chairman of the Animal Welfare Foundation, the Canine and Feline Sector Group of the Animal Health and Welfare Board and BVBA (British Veterinary Behaviour Association) and before retiring he was chief veterinary officer at the RSPCA and veterinary director of Dogs Trust. He is also involved in a number of charities and is a trustee of the Pet Blood Bank and the Bella Moss Foundation.
Chris said: "Judging the ever-increasing number of nominations takes a lot of work, just to read them all let alone deciding who should go forward as a finalist. The standard of nomination improves every year and each is an inspiration to the judges because of the selfless effort put in by each nominee to improve animal welfare, often in the most difficult circumstances."
Cuneyt Seckin, managing director of Ceva Animal Health, added: "Year-on-year we are amazed and humbled by the individuals and organisations who dedicate their lives to enhance and improve animal welfare both in the UK and abroad. We are delighted to be able to honour these people, while highlighting their important work to a wider audience."
The winners will be announced and presented with their awards during a ceremony held in Birmingham ahead of BSAVA Congress on 4th April 2018.
To find out more about the awards, visit: www.cevawelfareawards.com.
Dechra Veterinary Products has announced that it will be launching Zycortal, a new medication for the treatment of canine hypoadrenocorticism at the BSAVA Congress in April.
Zycortal is a prolonged-release suspension used as replacement therapy for mineralocorticoid deficiency in dogs with Addison’s disease. Dechra says it has proved highly effective in clinical trials with more than 80% of dogs responding positively to treatment1.
Zycortal contains desoxycortone pivalate (DOCP) which Dechra says controls serum electrolytes more effectively than fludrocortisone2 (the human treatment currently prescribed for dogs with Addison’s disease) and is considered the preferential drug for mineralocorticoid supplementation.
Zycortal is the only European licensed treatment for canine hypoadrenocorticism and adds to Dechra’s existing endocrinology range.
Visitors to the BSAVA Congress will be able to find out more about Zycortal at the Dechra stand (500). Delegates are also invited to attend a presentation by Professor Ian Ramsey BVSc PhD DSAM DipECVIM-CA FHEA MRCVS on Saturday, April 9, at 11.10am.
The presentation, New developments in the diagnosis and management of Addison’s disease aims to give delegates an insight into the condition.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "We are very excited to be able to bring Zycortal to veterinary professionals in the UK. Addison’s disease can be very hard to diagnose as it mimics so many other illnesses.
"Each injection of Zycortal lasts approximately one month, providing long-term control of primary Addison’s disease. The prognosis for dogs with Addison’s disease is excellent provided that treatment is maintained for life. Our team will be on hand at the BSAVA Congress to explain and discuss the benefits that Zycortal can bring to their day to day practice in the fight against this illness."
References
Dechra says that Dexacortone, which is presented as a flavoured double-divisible tablet, is approximately 25 times more potent than short-acting substances such as hydrocortisone.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “Dexamethasone works to suppress the inflammatory response and should be combined with treatment of the underlying disease.”
The chewable tablets have been developed with a chicken flavour to encourage greater acceptance by animals and have Dechra’s double divisible SmartTab format to help accurate and flexible dosing.
Dexacortone is available in blister packs.
Carol added: “The dose and duration of treatment should be determined by the veterinarian based upon the desired effect and on the nature and severity of each individual case and our SmartTab format makes Dexacortone tablets easily divisible. The tablet portions have a six day shelf life that also reduces the wastage of medicine.”
For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk
The product was one of eight NSAIDS that had been suspended following a European ruling that an excipient, diethanolamine, may pose a risk to human health.
Allevinix is licensed for both intravenous (I/V) and intramuscular (I/M) administration over one to three days in cattle. It has a dose rate of 4ml per 100kg liveweight in cattle, and milk withdrawal times of 24 hours after I/V injection and 36 hours after I/M injection.
Ceva says Allevinix reaches peak plasma levels (CMax) approximately 30 minutes following I/M injection. It is available in 100ml and 250ml vials.
Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Allevinix is the only flunixin licensed for both intramuscular and intravenous administration in cattle and provides both vets and farmers with a cost-effective, fast-acting and versatile NSAID that is a useful addition to the range of NSAID options available."
For more information, contact your Ceva account manager, email cevauk@ceva.com or call the ruminant marketing department at Ceva on 01494 781510.
The congress, which is now in its 6th year, also saw Millie Barnsley from Dudley scoop Nurse of the Year and Cassandra Pearson from Walsall win Client Care Co-ordinator of the Year.
Four more team members were also were singled out for their achievements, including Senior Vet Dr Laura Pugh, from Derby, who won the Quality Award, Veterinary Nurse Ann-Marie Mayren, who was presented with the Directors Choice Award, Dr Tom Cammack MRCVS, who was named Best New Team Member and Ed Newbold, who won the Leadership Award.
White Cross Vets' Managing Director Tim Harrison said: "It’s been a very special congress this year, as we are also celebrating 80 years since White Cross Vets was founded. It was really hard choosing the award winners, as there have been some fantastic examples of people going above and beyond, but Emily, Katherine, Millie, Cassandra, Laura, Ann-Marie, Tom and Ed were all very deserving winners, who are incredibly passionate about what they do.
Tim added: "In addition to recognising our award winners, we saw the culmination of our 80 prizes in 80 days competition on the final night of our congress, with veterinary nurse Amy Hood from Middlesbrough winning the star prize of an all-expenses paid trip to New York.
"As is now tradition at congress, we also randomly selected a Client Care Co-ordinator, vet nurse and vet to go to the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (formerly known as NAVC) in Orlando, Florida. Katrina Robinson, Isobel Hobbins and Dr Alex Beech will be heading to America for some sunshine and CPD in February next year."
"2017 has been a very successful year, we have opened two new practices, won several awards and were listed in The Sunday Times Top 100 companies to work for league table for the fifth year running. We also welcomed our 200th team member into the practice. The congress gave our whole family the chance to come together and celebrate all of our achievements and it was a huge success.
"The ethos of the White Cross Vets congress is to learn, make friends, have fun and reward success – and we certainly did that."
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 Animal Health has announced the launch of Salmovac 440, a new live salmonella vaccine for poultry which the company claims gives earlier, stronger and longer-lasting immunity than other salmonella vaccines.
The vaccine is given orally through the water supply in a three-dose regime that protects against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). It also protects against other SE strains and the newly-emerging monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium strains.
Hysolv says the advantage for farmers is that the vaccine strain is robust and can survive in more hostile conditions. It therefore remains effective where the water delivery system is less than ideal.
The first dose is administered from Day 1 followed by a second dose at six weeks and a third as early as 11 weeks. Salmovac 440 protects chicks after six days and remains effective for up to 63 weeks after the third vaccination, providing an extra four weeks of protection.
Hysolv says another important benefit to egg producers is that the earlier final vaccination at 11 weeks means that the birds can be moved into the laying house as early as 16 weeks old if required — a significant management advantage on some farms.
During the development of the vaccine it was found that the third live vaccination tended to ‘shut down’ any prolonged shedding of the vaccine strain. This, coupled with the earlier vaccination at 11 weeks, helps solve the issue of the vaccine strain being found at transfer to the layer house. Dr Daniel Windhorst, salmonella vaccine specialist with IDT Biologika, said: "If any should be found, the new PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test shrinks the testing time to just two to three hours."
Daniel added: "Although the UK has one of the lowest percentages of salmonella in its flocks, almost one-third of cases were of S Typhimurium. In most continental countries the percentage is much higher, so the extra cover provided by this vaccine is important."
Salmovac 440 has been approved for use by the British Egg Industry Council, which administers the Lion Code.
Robexera is a COX2 NSAID formulation which delivers anti-inflammatory pain relief with a once-a-day dosing regime2,3,4.
The product is presented as a flavoured chewable tablet for easier administration by pet owners.
For simplicity when dispensing, it comes in four strengths with colour coded boxes, perforated blisters and a set of PIL sheets that convert to prescribing envelopes in each pack.
Charlotte Read, Krka’s UK Key Account Manager, said: “Delivering reliable, cost-effective perioperative pain relief for soft tissue surgery is an everyday concern for veterinary practices, while OA is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs5.
"This is why we’re particularly pleased to announce the first generic robenacoxib, Robexera.
“Bioequivalent to the originator product6, Robexera provides fast-acting and targeted pain relief, giving enhanced value to veterinary practices and enabling them to offer their clients improved affordability, particularly for those whose animals are on long term pain-management programmes or have other health issues.”
Viktor Kozjan, General Manager Krka UK, added: “The launch of Robexera is further confirmation of Krka’s commitment to develop solutions that are tried and trusted but also flexible and affordable for our customers and their clients.”
Robexera is now available to order from all national UK veterinary wholesalers.
According to the BVA, the problem is usually related to the cost of treatment, with 90% of vets saying that they or a member of their team have been challenged over their fees or charges and 98% saying that at some time they feel under pressure to waive fees or accept the promise of late payment.
Predictably, the problem is more commonly reported by those working in companion animal or mixed practice, with 89% reporting some form of intimidating experience. Younger vets and female vets were also significantly more likely to have experienced some form of intimidation.
The survey has prompted the BVA and the British Veterinary Nursing Association to issue advice concerning how to deal with intimidating clients.
BVNA President Sam Morgan said: "These statistics make for sad reading, but are certainly not surprising. Working within practice we have all either been subject to or witnessed that 'difficult' client, but we must remember any form of harassment is unacceptable. It’s important not to feel alone in these situations and to ensure there is awareness and support throughout the veterinary team."
BVA President John Fishwick, said: "Every situation is different and has to be dealt with on an individual basis, but it’s concerning to see the figures around challenging client behaviour and fees. Owning an animal is an important responsibility and will cost tens of thousands of pounds over its lifetime.
"It’s important for everyone in the vet team to take pride in the healthcare and treatment they deliver, and, equally, they must feel valued for their services. These figures emphasise the importance of managing expectations around fees by ensuring a two-way discussion about options and costs so clients can make a decision in collaboration with the veterinary team."
The BVA/BVNA advice for dealing with intimidating clients is as follows:
Photo: Dimitry A / Shutterstock
Teddy had initially been examined at another specialist centre where life-long medical management was recommended due to the complexity of his vascular abnormality.
His primary care veterinary surgeon, Dr Rachel Lang, then referred the case to Gerard.
The first step was a contrast CT scan of Teddy's liver to highlight the vascular abnormalities and take accurate measurements.
Teddy then underwent a transjugular coil embolisation of his shunts using fluoroscopic guidance.
This involved placing a stent in his caudal vena cava that spanned both abnormal communications, and then deploying multiple platinum coils into the shunts to occlude the vascular flow while ensuring portal hypertension did not develop. The entire procedure was completed in less than 60 minutes and was performed via a 2cm skin incision over his jugular vein.
Teddy made an excellent recovery from the procedure and is currently free of clinical signs and receiving no medication at home.
Rachel said: "I was really struggling to find a referral centre willing to take on Teddy's case as it was so unusual and had spent weeks contacting every local referral centre I had referred to in the past. I contacted Fitzpatrick's about his case and within an hour Gerard McLauchlan had rung back and actually sounded keen to see Teddy which was a delight after weeks of frustration. The referral process was very easy from my side and I've been kept well informed throughout. I wouldn't hesitate to refer a case again and only wish we were closer!”
Gerard said: “Teddy is a wonderful patient with an amazing family. We were delighted to be able to offer a solution to his problem that had been previously thought not possible. Teddy should now be able to enjoy an excellent quality of life without the need for long term medications or diet. Interventional Radiology provided new and minimally invasive options for many conditions including vascular abnormalities, urinary tract problems and various cancers.”
You can view the CTs in the VetSurgeon Clinical Reference Library here.
Hill's Pet Nutrition is to launch Prescription Diet y/d Feline for the nutritional management of feline hyperthyroidism in May.
According to the company, hyperthyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed endocrinopathy in cats globally, and is thought to affect around 10% of cats over the age of nine in the UK.1.
Prescription Diet y/d Feline is clinically proven to manage thyroid health in three weeks3 and gives vets a new management modality to address the needs of hyperthyroid cats. Hill's says that the new product is essentially a low iodine food; production of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 require iodine molecules, so limiting the amount of dietary iodine reduces the amount of thyroid hormones produced and released by the thyroid gland.
Hill's highlights three key studies in peer reviewed veterinary journals which the company says demonstrates the efficacy of y/d.2-4 The research identified that limiting the amount of iodine consumed resulted in a lowering of T4 (serum total thyroxine) to normal levels, with significant reductions in just 3 weeks.2
Hill's says that the availabillity of nutrition as a treatment option marks a major step forward from invasive surgery, treatment with radioactive iodine - which is available in only a few centres in the UK - or pilling, which can prove to be particularly difficult for some pet owners. The company adds that a gradual transition to y/d is also an option where medical treatment is proving problematic.
Cats with hyperthyroidism have a multisystemic disease and concurrent problems can develop, such as hypertension, cardiovascular abnormalities and recurrent urinary infections. Additionally, many older cats with hyperthyroidism have concurrent renal dysfunction, which is often 'unmasked' when the hypertension is bought under control. Therefore, y/d also has controlled levels of phosphorus and low sodium for renal and circulatory health, reduced magnesium and moderate urine pH target for urinary health and taurine and carnitine for heart health.
Hill's Prescription Diet y/d Feline will be available from 1st May.
For more information, visit www.catthyroidhealth.com
1. Symes H, Winter 2008/2009. Feline hyperthyroidism. The Endocrinologist. Issue 90, pp 10-12. Symes H, Winter 2008/2009. Feline hyperthyroidism. The Endocrinologist. Issue 90, pp 10-12.2. Controlled level of dietary iodine normalizes serum total thyroxine in cats with naturally occurring hyperthyroidism Yu S, Wedekind KJ, Burris PA, et al. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:683-684 (abstract).3. Titration of dietary iodine for reducing serum thyroxine concentrations in newly diagnosed hyperthyroid cats Melendez LD, Yamka RM, Forrester SD, et al. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:683 (abstract).4. Titration of dietary iodine for maintaining normal serum thyroxine concentrations in hyperthyroid cats Melendez LD, Yamka RM, Burris PA. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:683 (abstract).
The company says it thinks the film is an industry first because it depicts veterinary professionals in a way that they have never seen themselves before: cinematically showing the highs and lows of a typical day in veterinary practice.
Vets4Pets also says it wants the film to generate greater recognition for everyone working within the industry, not just its own staff, by showcasing the passion, dedication and commitment that unites them.
Keith Leonard MRCVS, Practice Owner at Vets4Pets Leeds Birstall where some of the video was filmed, said: “While there are no words that can do justice to the sheer passion and determination demonstrated by the entire veterinary community, taking part in this campaign and seeing the result is really emotional.
“After an unimaginably turbulent few years, this campaign makes me feel incredibly proud of my whole team.
"It genuinely shows what it’s like to work in veterinary practice and I can’t thank each and every one of my team enough for their outstanding dedication to the care of our clients – both the pets we care for and their owners.
"We all live and breathe what we do, and I hope they feel a sense of pride when they see this campaign.”
Gordon Dunn, People Director at Vets4Pets, said: “The veterinary sector has experienced immense pressure following years of unprecedented challenges and as an industry we need to do our utmost to ensure that veterinary professionals are supported in their development and careers. But alongside this, we need to understand that recognition goes a long way too.
The new service was reported in The Times, in an article titled "How much should your vet cost? Pet owners bitten by untamed fees."
Since launch, VetHelpDirect has offered owners information to help them pick a veterinary practice, including reviews, ratings (including a value for money score), RCVS accreditation, cat/ rabbit friendly status, health plan details and how out of hours cover is provided.
It has now added some basic information about each practices' charges, specifically the first consultation fee, a dog castrate and health plans, and then categorised them according with £££££ signs to indicate how far above or below the average they sit.
Susie Samuel said: “Most practices will give out these prices over the telephone, but there’s no way for the client to find them without directly getting in touch, something people are less and less likely to want to do nowadays.
"Our research data suggests that people want to find this information online, just as they would in any other service industry.
"When they can’t find any information at all on pricing, there can be a perception of secrecy that can do damage to the vet-owner relationship.”
Susie added: “True comparison for vet practices is of course very complex and no basket of services is ever going to capture the whole complexity.
"Every practice is different, from facilities and team qualifications; to the time allotted for consultations; to monitoring equipment for surgery; and of course the level of investigations undertaken which can also vary from vet to vet.”
“We can’t solve all this straight away but we started from a good place, over the years we have built up more information about vet practices than any other website.
"The aim is to provide commonly requested prices for owners to easily access and to add more and more detail on the vet practices over time so that owners can make the most informed choice on the vet that's most appropriate for them and their pet”.
VetHelpDirect says it will soon be adding prescription fees and out of hours consultation, and a much wider range of species-specific fees in the near future.
The company also points to the Competition and Markets Authority investigation into pricing in the UK, highlighting that in its 2019 Report into Funerals in the UK, the CMA noted that weaknesses in the sector included the fact that less than 40% of funeral directors posted any form of pricing online, and those that did were frequently not in a form that made for easy comparison.
Susie says the veterinary sector has an even lower rate of online pricing transparency.
To add your pricing information to VetHelpDirect, email: info@vethelpdirect.com.
COMMENT
Whilst greater transparency over pricing in almost any field is surely to be welcomed, it seems questionable whether comparing prices for consultations and standard procedures will be of much help to pet owners, because things like the level of investigations, how defensively a clinician practises and the owner's own relationship with risk are likely to have a far greater impact on the bill than whether a consult costs £20 more or less up the road.
There is perhaps also a risk of practices rated as '£££££ / more expensive than average' will be seen as just that. Expensive and nothing more.
It's not like a restaurant where £££££ usually means particularly delicious.
Whilst this may not matter much whilst so many practices are having to turn away business, it may become more important in the future.
Discuss here.