Novartis Animal Health has issued the following statement concerning the supply of acepromazine (ACP) injectable in the UK:
"Recent upgrades to Novartis Animal Health’s manufacturing plant in the UK have resulted in the site becoming a worldwide centre of excellence for the production of bulk liquids. This upgrade has had an impact on the manufacture of ACP 2mg/ml and 10mg/ml injectable products, which will no longer be produced in the UK.
From January 2011, Novartis Animal Health will no longer be able to supply ACP Injection 2mg/ml or ACP Injection 10mg/ml to wholesalers. However, it is not Novartis’ intention to discontinue the supply of acepromazine injectable; in order to ensure consistency of supply to the UK market the company will be importing the Vetoquinol French product Calmivet.
Calmivet is a monovalent acepromazine injection licensed for use in dogs, cats and horses, available as a 5mg/ml injection, 50ml vial.
In order to obtain Calmivet from wholesalers, veterinarians will need to apply for a free of charge Special Import Certificate from the VMD. This can be completed on line at www.vmd.gov.uk.
It is anticipated that this situation will continue for at least the first 6 months of 2011, until an alternative manufacturing site is established. As soon as we have more information on the timelines this will be communicated.
A full communication including a prep room reminder poster and Calmivet product leaflet has been mailed to all UK practices.
Vetoquinol UK are not responsible for the distribution or technical support of this product, so any queries should be directed to Novartis Animal Health UK on 01276 694402.
The production and supply of ACP Tablets 10mg remains unaffected."
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a 5 ml bottle of Comfortan (methadone), its titratable analgesia for cats and dogs.
The new sized bottle of Comfortan, designed for use with animals in, or about to experience, moderate to severe pain, is now available from veterinary wholesalers.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: “The new 5ml bottle is a great size for practices which would like to introduce Comfortan into their practice protocols, allowing them to do so in a cost-effective way.
“The availability of a smaller bottle will also be a benefit to practices which due to different surgical needs, currently only use Comfortan in a small number of cases. They will then be able to simply and easily trade up to the 10 ml bottle once they start to use Comfortan on more cases.”
The 5 ml has also been introduced in response to demand from branch practices which had been transferring 10ml bottles between sites and for cat-focused practices which use smaller volumes of the product.
Bovilis Rotavec Corona is used for the active immunisation of pregnant cows and heifers, 12-3 weeks pre-calving, to raise antibodies against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli F5 (K99). Calves gain protection by drinking the fortified colostrum from their vaccinated mothers.
The company says the new license indication will mean greater usage flexibility for UK cattle producers focusing on immunity-led prevention of infectious calf scours.
MSD ruminant veterinary adviser Dr Kat Baxter-Smith said: "On the old license, this vaccine needed to be used within eight hours of opening, so this will be a significant benefit-led change for suckler beef and dairy producers.
"For all-year-round calving dairy herds, for example – that may want to vaccinate successive pregnant dams on different days – it will make an opened bottle of vaccine last much longer. Those running batch calving herds with a long calving period should also benefit. We hope this will help reduce unnecessary wastage of the vaccine on farm and save farmers money.”
MSD says it will still be crucial to store the vaccine properly – upright and refrigerated (at 2-8°C) before and after broaching, and after first use. A broached vial will be able to be used once more during the next 28 days after the first vaccination event and then discarded. Vaccination equipment such as needles and syringes should be sterilized. Use of a multi-dose syringe to minimise vaccine contamination and excessive broaching is recommended.
The vaccine vials should still be shaken well before use. The injection should be made through an area of clean, dry skin with precautions taken against contamination.
VetSurgeon member Shailen Jasani MA VetMB MRCVS DipACVECC has launched the Ralph site (theralphsite.com), a website offering support and advice to those coping with pet bereavement.
The site contains forums, downloadable advice sheets, a directory of crematoria and cemeteries, and offers owners the ability to create a memorial for their pet.
The Ralph site was named after Shailen's own cat, which died after a car accident in 2010. Shailen funded the setup of the site, and it is a not-for-proft.
Rabbits are the third most commonly anaesthetised pet in the UK, however they have a seven times greater overall risk of perioperative death than dogs1.
Jurox says Alfaxan 10mg/ml solution for injection provides a wide safety margin, an excellent cardio-respiratory profile and is dosed to effect, making it an excellent choice for the anaesthetic induction of rabbits.
The company also says Alfaxan provides smooth and rapid induction and recovery, painless administration and good muscle relaxation with low impact on ventilation and blood pressure.
Richard Beckwith, country manager of Jurox (UK) Ltd said: "Rabbits are a growing pet population and increasingly play a more important part in UK vet practices, which is why Jurox has invested in research in this species.
"We are happy we can now support our vet and nurse clients by providing a new and reliable choice for induction of anaesthesia in pet rabbits that has been extensively trialed and researched.
"Alfaxan is a very versatile product as it is convenient for any type of situation, whether it is surgery on healthy animals or high risk patients such as pet rabbits. With Alfaxan we hope to make a contribution to the future of veterinary anaesthesia in the UK and are confident our clients will be able to deliver the best practice anaesthesia they believe in."
For more information, visit: Alfaxan.co.uk. Alternatively, contact your local Jurox technical sales representative, telephone the customer services team on 0800 500 3171 or e-mail: info@jurox.co.uk.
References
Through the new service, which is designed to save clients' time and improve compliance, practices can arrange for owners to receive Bravecto for 12 week flea and tick control, together with the wormer of the vet's choice for six months to a year.
To use the new service, practices need to register clients on a portal provided by Easy Direct Debit (EDD) during the appointment. The first prescription is then dispensed at the practice with subsequent prescriptions sent direct to the owner in the post.
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "We launched VetsDeliver at the London Vet Show and had an extremely positive response.
"It is designed to build on the trust pet owners already have with their veterinary practices and adds convenient delivery to their door that is now familiar to most consumers. All branding and packaging has been designed to be eye-catching while communicating a high quality, professional service that reflects the quality of the veterinary practice.
"Furthermore, VetsDeliver will be the first service to offer 12-week flea and tick protection and provide the practice with the ability to add its wormer of choice. It’s easy for vets to sign-up clients and by offering Bravecto we reduce the number of deliveries and packaging required compared to monthly treatments."
Amanda added: "Vet practices remain an important source of reminders for owners to apply respective parasite treatment, however, it is mostly owners themselves (65%1) who try to remember the treatment.
"VetsDeliver builds on the advantage of the well-established bond between veterinary practices and owners to improve the reminding system. The service will ensure these reminders coincide with the delivery of the product so veterinary practices play an even bigger role in aligning the service to the personal needs of owners."
For further information contact your MSD Animal Health account manager or visit: www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/vetsdeliver .
Reference
Whilst declawing is illegal in many countries of the world, it remains surprisingly common in others, including North America, where it is performed electively to stop cats from damaging furniture, or as a means of avoiding scratches.
The operation to declaw does not just remove the claw, but also the end bone of the toe. Previous research has focused on short-term issues following surgery, such as lameness, chewing of toes and infection, but the long-term health effects of this procedure have not to date been investigated.
For the study, the author group, based in North America, investigated a total of 137 non-declawed cats and 137 declawed cats, of which 33 were declawed on all four feet. All 274 cats were physically examined for signs of pain and barbering (excessive licking or chewing of fur) and their medical history was reviewed for unwanted behaviours.
They found that inappropriate toileting, biting, aggression and over-grooming occurred significantly more often in the declawed cats than the non-declawed cats (roughly 7, 4, 3 and 3 times more often, respectively, based on the calculated odds ratio).
A declawed cat was also almost 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with back pain than a non-declawed cat (potentially due to shortening of the declawed limb and altered gait, and/or chronic pain at the site of the surgery causing compensatory weight shift to the pelvic limbs).
International Cat Care has issued a position statement saying that even if surgical techniques were improved to negate some of the adverse effects of declawing, it would remain of the opinion that the procedure is unethical other than if required to manage a medical condition, and should be legislated against wherever possible.
The drug monographs for both formularies were revised and updated by the editorial panels in 2022, so the new edition contains the most up-to-date information about the medications used for dogs, cats and exotic pets.
The new formularies contain new drugs, new drug monographs, updated antimicrobial guidelines, parasiticide guidelines and sedation protocols.
The new formularies are available to buy at the BSAVA Publications stand at Congress, with a special 20% Congress discount.
Eligible members who are attending Congress can collect their copy of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 11th edition – Part A: Canine and Feline from the Exhibition Hall.
Any eligible members who are not going to BSAVA Congress will be sent their printed copy from April 2023 onwards.
Eligible members will be sent their printed copy of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 11th edition – Part B: Exotic Pets from April 2023 onwards.
All BSAVA members have access to the online version via the BSAVA Library and the BSAVA app.
Both Part A and Part B are available in print from www.bsava.com/shop (£55; £35.75 to BSAVA members), or as part of a 12-month digital subscription from www.bsavalibrary.com/formulary with Part A: Canine and Feline, Part B: Exotic Pets and the client information leaflets (£256 + VAT; free to BSAVA members).
The company says that of the 249 responses to its Puppy Tooth Census received so far (of which 40% were from vets, 21% vet nurses, 2% other veterinary professionals and 37% puppy owners), 25% were poodle crosses.
This, says the company, is in line with anecdotal reports that vets are seeing more dental conditions in poodle cross puppies.
VisioCare is now calling for more vets to take part in the survey at https://bit.ly/Visiocare_PuppyToothCensus.
With very few studies that address dental disease in puppies and a lack of current data, it is hoped that the survey will advance understanding and improve oral health and welfare.
Every veterinary respondent will be given access to a pack of educational materials to use in the consulting room, including digital animations and dental images that can be used to enhance client communication around the topic, together with explainer videos and puppy owner fact sheets and leaflets.
In addition, each month for the next three months, all responses will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £50 John Lewis gift voucher.
VisioCare is also offering a free webinar: "Challenges in Puppy Dentistry and Malocclusion" presented by Ingrid Tundo, Head of the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Department at the Royal (Dick) Vet School, viewable at: https://veterinarywebinars.com/register/puppy-dentistry-malocclusion.
Finally, Nicky Diver-Clarke, Marketing Manager at VisioCare Services is also offering a free marketing CPD session for practices that want to find the best way to amplify awareness of the Puppy Tooth Census within their practice.
Anyone interested in accessing the free support can contact her at nicky@visiocareservices.co.uk.
The company says the new product has been 10 years in development and uses 'Soft Mist' technology - developed originally for human use by its pharma business - to deliver medication deep into the horse's lungs.
The active ingredient in the Aservo EquiHaler is ciclesonide, a corticosteroid that is activated directly in the lung, reducing the lower airway inflammation associated with severe equine asthma and reducing the risks commonly associated with systemic corticosteroids.
The Aservo EquiHaler does not use a propellant, so it does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Boehringer also highlights that it is made from up to 50% recycled materials. In April, the product was awarded a Red Dot Design Award.
Dr Marc Laemmer, Head of Equine in UK & Ireland said: "It's another industry first and is a strong indicator of the commitment that Boehringer Ingelheim has to the health and welfare of horses, and to the investment that we make into continuing to advance therapies through collaboration and innovation.
"We understand that a product launch in this challenging time for the veterinary profession may seem surprising, but we have had such strong demand from equine vets for the product that we have committed to making Aservo EquiHaler available. Out team of territory managers and vet advisers will conduct remote meetings with customers to make sure that they have the information and support they require."
Dr Bohnen faced two charges. The first was that in March 2017, she failed to attend to Belle, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in order to provide appropriate and adequate care including: assisting Belle with urination, monitoring her with a view to considering alternative treatment options, and monitoring her with a view to providing her owners with an update on her condition.
The second charge was that Dr Bohnen later claimed dishonestly that she had attended to the animal, both to the owners, in clinical records hospital records, in a note provided to colleagues and during internal disciplinary proceedings held at her practice.
At the outset of the hearing the Committee considered an application from Dr Bohnen for the hearing to be postponed as she was now based in her home country of South Africa, and said she could not apply for a visa to return to the UK until later in the year and internet access in her location was poor.
However, the Committee found that the RCVS had properly served the notice of inquiry to Dr Bohnen in accordance with the current rules, that she had had sufficient time and opportunity to apply for a visa since receiving the notice and that, in any case, she could remotely ‘attend’ the hearing via Skype or telephone if necessary by travelling to somewhere that did have adequate internet connectivity, and so it refused the application.
The Disciplinary Committee then considered the facts of the case and heard evidence from the owners of Belle, the clinical director of the practice that Dr Bohnen worked in at the relevant time and a veterinary nurse, who was a student doing her training at the practice during the time of the events in question.
Having considered all of the evidence, the Committee dismissed the parts of the first charge relating to considering alternative treatment options and updating the owners in relation to Belle’s condition. They did, however, find the charge proven in relation to Dr Bohnen failing to assist Belle with urination.
The Committee found all aspects of the second charge proven in its entirety after Dr Bohnen admitted in advance of the hearing, that her representations were false and misleading.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the second charge and the aspects of the first charge that were found proven amounted to serious professional misconduct both individually and cumulatively.
The Committee considered that Dr Bohnen’s conduct in failing to assist Belle with urination, whilst falling below the standard to be expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon, did not amount to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee did however find that Dr Bohnen’s conduct with regards to the second charge constituted serious professional misconduct.
Professor Alistair Barr, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee considers that the respondent’s dishonesty was the prime aggravating factor in this case. Although overall it could be regarded as a single incident, the Committee has found that it involved the fabrication of a number of notes and clinical records in the immediate aftermath of the death of the dog, but, thereafter, the respondent continued to deny the falsity of the fabricated records that she had created up to and until the conclusion of her interview by the practice on 30 March 2017.
"During that time, the respondent had contacted the alarm company responsible for the security of the premises of the practice, to enquire whether the security system would record the times of the alarm being switched on and off. This indicated that the respondent’s dishonesty continued over a significant period of time, and that her persistence in sticking to her story became premeditated. In other words, the respondent’s conduct over this time indicated a clear attempt to deceive."
Regarding the sanction for Dr Bohnen, the Committee considered that the principle aggravating factors in the case were serious dishonesty towards both her colleagues and the owners of the dog and involved clear breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct. By way of mitigation, the Committee noted that Dr Bohnen is of previous good character with no other professional findings against her and that she had demonstrated some insight into her behaviour and had admitted being dishonest and misleading prior to the hearing.
Summing up, Professor Barr said: "Because of the seriousness of this case, the Committee did not consider that it was appropriate to postpone judgement, take no further action, or to administer a reprimand and warning as to future conduct. The Committee considered that the respondent’s conduct, involving significant and admitted dishonesty over a period of time, required a significant penalty, in order to protect the welfare of animals and to serve the public interest.
"Accordingly, the Committee has decided to direct that the respondent’s registration be suspended for a period of nine months."
Dr Bohnen has 28 days from being informed of the Committee’s decision to lodge an appeal with the Privy Council.
Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vets.
The company says this means that using Solacyl as an alternative to antibiotics could reduce overall antibiotic use by 4.4 tonnes a year.
The research was carried out by dairy veterinary consultant Owen Atkinson BVSc DHCP MRCVS, an RCVS recognised specialist in cattle health and production, at three English calf rearing units between November 2017 and May 2018. It involved four groups of beef calves from different dairy farms.
The 258 calves were given Solacyl (sodium salicylate) in-feed on the five days immediately upon arrival at the units (a high-risk period for animals to contract bovine respiratory disease).
According to Dechra, the use of Solacyl resulted in a reduction in antibiotic use of between 16% and 73% (based on doses), depending on the farm. Across all groups, the reduction was 43%.
Dechra says that neither the health of the calves nor the profitability of the rearing operations were compromised.
Owen Atkinson said: "I was involved in analysing the data and the data showed that there was no significant difference in growth rates or in mortality or in days to reach a target weight in the calves that had Solacyl, compared to previous batches of calves that had followed a prophylactic antibiotic protocol.
"I think this is an ideal protocol for those farmers who are competent, who are able to spot early pneumonia symptoms and are prepared to perhaps treat a slightly higher proportion of calves than they would otherwise have treated. They can now do that with higher confidence that their results should be as good as if they had used prophylactic antibiotics."
Dechra Farm Animal Veterinary Adviser Alana McGlade BVmedsci (hons) BVM BVS MRCVS added: "Sodium salicylate has the same fever-controlling, pain-managing and inflammation-reducing benefits in livestock as aspirin can have in humans.
"It can be administered conveniently to groups of animals, which means it can be given prior to known stress points in animals’ lives. This can be continued through and after those events, providing a welfare benefit and reducing the risk of a loss of appetite and its resulting effects.
"Solacyl can be administered without the supervision of a vet and that makes it a cost-effective and practical solution for farmers that can lead to a notable reduction in routine antibiotic use whilst protecting the welfare of a herd."
Dechra has now published a white paper which you can download here: "Enhancing welfare and combating antimicrobial resistance while maintaining productivity on calf units".
The results of the research will be presented at the BCVA Congress in October 2018.
The two-day event, now in its fifth year, aims to combine world-class CPD for the whole practice team with an outdoor ‘festival’ atmosphere.
The organisers say that the wellbeing of veterinary professionals has always been a strong focus of VET Festival, but the inclusion of Lara Heimann in the Wellness and Practice Development lecture, takes it to a new level. Laura has developed her own vinyasa yoga style and regularly leads international retreats and workshops.
Speakers in the clinical programme will include:
Dr Antonio Pozzi, Head of the Clinic for Small Animal Surgery at the University of Zurich, Switzerland
Dr Susan Little, co-owner of two feline specialty practices in Ottawa, Canada, and past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners
Dr Ronaldo da Costa, Professor in Neurology and Neurosurgery at Ohio State University, USA.
Veterinary cardiologist Professor John E Rush. A Diplomate of both the American Colleges of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care, Dr Rush has been a professor for 25 years at the Cummings Veterinary Medicine Centre at Tufts University in Massachusetts
Behaviourist Dr Sarah Heath. A founding Diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine
Soft-tissue surgeon Professor Christopher Adin. Professor Adin is Chair of the University of Florida’s Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and Associate Professor of Soft Tissue.
Veterinary nurses are welcome to attend any of the lectures, in addition to those in the dedicated nursing stream. An exhibition of the latest products and services for all veterinary professionals takes place in a dedicated arena.
Nicole Cooper, event director, said: "VET Festival is unique in bringing together cutting-edge, inspirational learning, fun and the great outdoors. CPD from our world-leading speakers is delivered in a high quality and contemporary setting but, once work is done, we encourage delegates to relax and enjoy free admission for them, their friends and family to the VETFest Live Party Night."
She added: "With the wellness and wellbeing of members of our profession increasingly in the spotlight, we’re delighted to welcome Lara Heimann for 2019 and hope that she will help our delegates to develop practical solutions to living healthier and more balanced lives."
Supported by MWI Animal Health, VET Festival also offers a 'Family Hub', a place where children can play whilst their parents listen to lectures.
Alan White Group Commercial Director at MWI Animal Health, said: "Balancing work and family life can often be a juggling act, particularly in the veterinary profession where time is in short supply. This can sometimes compromise the work-life balance of vets, nurses and other team members. At VET Festival, the 'Family Hub' means that there is no compromise and that both our attendees and their families can get the best out of their time with us."
You can buy tickets here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
According to the company, it's the first large-scale EMS online booking system of its type in the veterinary profession and it will mean students can find practice placements at the touch of a button, instead of having to spend time contacting individual surgeries.
With the new system, the 200 CVS practices which currently offer EMS have their own page, where information is provided about the practice, along with a list of available placements.
Once registered, students can search for placements by practice name, location and date.
When a student finds a suitable placement a booking request is triggered, connecting the student to the host practice so that the booking can be confirmed.
CVS has also created a new EMS support framework, based on the RCVS day one competencies, to help practices and students structure each placement.
The company says the new framework puts health, wellbeing and professional skills on a par with clinical skills, to encourage students to take a holistic approach to their development - helping them to grow into happy, competent and confident veterinary surgeons.
Nigel Stansbie, Head of Online Course Creation at CVS, said: “As a major employer within the industry, we are fully committed to supporting the education and development of vet students, by offering high-quality EMS placements, to help them gain the skills and knowledge they will need to thrive when they join the workforce.
“Though we know that there is current debate about the future EMS requirements, we recognise the importance of EMS and are confident that the support we have put in place will enable students to make the most of these valuable work experience opportunties.”
The new CVS EMS online booking system is hosted on the company's knowledge hub: https://www.cvs-knowledgehub.com/.
This list was originally prepared BVDA President, Alex Smithson after being asked by lots of colleagues which dentistry CPD he knows of or recommends.
To his list, we've also added events hosted by Improve International and Bob Partridge.
In addition to the following courses, Orosurgeon Ltd provides in-house, group and individual training throughout the year. Courses can cover all dentistry and oral surgery topics, basic to advanced, including restorative & endodontic dentistry.
Contact admin@orosurgeon.co.uk for details.
The company says that its own market research has found that two out of three pet owners have at least one dog with bad breath, and 90% of owners try a single chew before deciding to buy a bag of 15.
The company also says that in addition to dealing with halitosis, the chews have been scientifically proven to reduce calculus and plaque when given daily1.
Product Manager Claire Lewis said: "We are delighted to be able to add VeggieDent FR3SH singles to the Virbac oral healthcare range. Single chews make a great addition to practice waiting rooms, but can also be a useful tool to promote oral care in consult and even during puppy parties.
VeggieDent FR3SH™ singles are available to order from the veterinary wholesalers now.
For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
According to Davies, Sharpsmart is the world’s safest and most environmentally responsible sharps and clinical waste management system, proven to:
Ellie West, anaesthetist at Davies and Green Group leader said: "We are really excited to have the opportunity to be the first veterinary centre to be working with Sharpsmart and are already seeing great results in carbon reduction and we look forward to sharing our results later in 2019."
Adrian Giles, Total Waste Program Manager for Sharpsmart added: "Working with Davies has enabled us to showcase our safety engineered sharps system in a new and exciting arena where sharps safety and sustainability are a priority.
"The transition to Sharpsmart was seamless and was completed across the centre in a day without any challenges. Face-to-face training was provided to staff along with touch point education material. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Davies over the coming months and years."
As part of its green drive, Davies will be hosting 'Sustainability CPD' for referring vets on May 2nd 2019 at its HQ in Higham Gobion, Hertforshire.
Ellie West said: "Run by the Sustainability Leads at DVS, this evening aims to increase your carbon literacy, explore the challenges and barriers to improving sustainability in your daily practice and find some positive solutions to implement sustainability. The challenges which we have faced at DVS will be explored, along with the co-benefits of sustainability to our business, and useful resources to help your practice to be more environmentally friendly and resilient will be highlighted."
You can book your place here https://vetspecialists.co.uk/events/davies-first-sustainability-cpd-for-referring-vets/ or contact Ellie.West@vetspecialists.co.uk if you are interested in attending or would like more information.
Davies has also produced a suite of Waste Segregation Posters which are proving popular with their referring practices. You can find out more and view the posters here https://vetspecialists.co.uk/sustainability/sustainability-initiatives-at-davies-your-questions-answered/.
For more information or to receive print ready PDFs, contact marketing@vetspecialists.co.uk
Results for the 2010 RCVS Council elections have been released today and, following a slight increase in turnout for the second year running, four existing Council Members and one former Member have been returned for another four years. However, new to Council this year and securing the most votes was Preston-based veterinary practitioner David Catlow.
4,232 veterinary surgeons out of a possible 22,541 cast their votes this year, an increase of 0.6% from 18.2% in 2009. The results of the voting are as follows:
CATLOW, David Frederick. 2,383. Elected. TAPSFIELD-WRIGHT. Clare Joan. 2,352. Elected.SHIELD, Christine Fiona. 2,133. Elected.MOLYNEUX, Jacqueline Rosina. 2,111. Elected.SMITH, Neil Christopher. 2,089. Elected.PARTRIDGE, Robert Duncan. 1,971. Elected.NELL, Adi. 1,781. ANDERSON, Roy Paxton. 1,455. GODDARD, Philip Campbell. 1,385. LONSDALE, Thomas, 380.
Terms of office for the six successful candidates will (re)commence at RCVS Day on 2 July 2010.
Following a successful partnership last year, the RCVS again teamed up with this website to allow voters more opportunity to quiz the candidates directly and find out more about their views.
Once again, this seemed to prove popular with the electorate although it presented candidates with a large increase in their workload during the voting period. Page views in the election section rose 23% to 28,347 this year; 48 discussion threads were started (slightly down from 53) and total responses rose dramatically by 47% to 988.
A new incentive for members to vote this year was a pledge to donate 20p per voter to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal. A donation of just over £845 will therefore be made shortly.
RCVS Registrar Jane Hern said: "An increase in turnout, if only a small one, is to be welcomed and I hope we can continue to increase members' interest in the composition and activities of RCVS Council. I'd like to thank all ten candidates who stood for election this year; my congratulations to those elected and my commiserations to those who weren't successful this time."
Note: there was no VN Council election this year as only two nominations were received for the two available places. These will be filled by Suzanne May RVN and Hilary Orpet RVN.
Protexin has announced that preliminary data from a clinical trial supports the use of Denamarin® to protect against lomustine (CCNU)-induced hepatotoxicity in dogs.
The study is being performed at the University of California-Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, and the initial results were recently presented at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Annual Forum. Marketed in the UK by Protexin, Denamarin is the combination of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and silybin.
According to the company, most dogs treated with the chemotherapeutic agent CCNU experience liver enzyme elevation. Elevation of certain liver enzymes such as alanine transferase (ALT) is a key indicator of liver trauma; significant enzyme elevation may lead to a discontinuation, delay, or reduction in chemotherapy. The ongoing clinical trial was designed to evaluate Denamarin as a hepatoprotectant in dogs diagnosed with neoplasia that are undergoing CCNU therapy.
The trial consists of two groups of randomly assigned dogs. Dogs in Group 1 receive Denamarin beginning at the start of CCNU therapy. Group 2 dogs do not receive Denamarin unless they develop a Grade IV hepatotoxicity.
Results of a planned interim analysis completed on the first 30 dogs enrolled revealed that starting Denamarin when CCNU therapy was instituted (Group 1 dogs) appeared to provide hepatoprotection. While the mean post-therapy ALT elevation for Group 1 was 119 IU/L (p=0.1), for Group 2 dogs, the post-therapy ALT level was 815 IU/L (p=0.046). Chemotherapy was altered due to elevated liver enzymes in three Group 2 dogs but only one dog in Group 1.
Janine Barlow, Technical Manager at Protexin said: "We are extremely pleased by the initial findings of this research. The use of Denamarin with chemotherapy looks to help protect liver function allowing for successful completion of therapy and hopefully a longer, happier life for the pet. We look forward to the results of the full study."
Protexin says the SAMe and silybin in Denamarin support and maintain hepatic function by mechanisms including increasing levels of glutathione, the liver's main detoxifying agent; promoting protein synthesis; and stimulating bile flow. Denamarin is useful as part of a polymodal approach to the management of liver health.
Denamarin is available for both dogs and cats in an enteric-coated tablet.
The re-categorisation means veterinary practices can sell the topical parasiticides to ‘walk-in clients’ without the need of a prescription.
Andrew Fullerton, veterinary surgeon and product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “The new NFA-VPS category for Vectra 3D spot-on solution for dogs and Vectra Felis 423mg/42.3mg spot-on solution for cats provides veterinary practices with greater flexibility to sell easy-to-use, fast and effective parasite prevention and treatment without a prescription."
For more information, contact your Ceva Animal Health account manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Veterinary Review and Practice Heart magazines have ceased publication.
The former was first launched 15 years ago by John Alborough, and sold to Onstream Communications in May 2007.
Mark Johnston, Managing Director of Onstream Communications said: "It wasn't commercially viable running a full publishing team for two magazines, especially in the current economic environment, so we're consolidating our activities and concentrating on electronic media".
These include the peer-reviewed online clinical information services: Canis, Felis, Equis and Lapis and the provision of websites for veterinary practices and companies wishing to promote themselves and their products and services.
Willows, the Solihull-based multidisciplinary referral centre, has announced that it has acquired The Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Centre, the renowned referral service run by Mike Martin MRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology (pictured right).
Mike, together with Chris Linney and their team will shortly be moving half-an-hour up the road to join the team at Willows.
The company says that the move will offer a number of benefits to referring practitioners. Chief amongst these is the speed with which an accurate diagnosis can be made and treatment given, both as a result of having RCVS Specialists in neurology, imaging, medicine, soft tissue surgery (and now cardiology) under one roof and because of the state-of-the-art equipment at their disposal, including CT, MRI and digital fluoroscopy.
Lynne Hill, CEO, Willows Group said: ”I’m thrilled that Mike, Chris and their team are joining us at Willows. I have always held Mike in the highest regard and this is a tremendous opportunity for the practice to provide a truly collaborative ‘one-stop-shop’ for both clients and referring veterinary practices”.
Mike said: “I’m really looking forward to working at Willows Referral Service and being part of a multidisciplinary team. It's a logical move to provide Willows with the missing discipline of cardiology and I'm delighted Lynne Hill has allowed us to fulfil that role. There has been an increasing number of referrals between the two centres due to the complexity of cases - now that will be all under one roof and we can manage these much more effectively and offer the best service to our clients and their patients.”
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net
In the study titled “Safety of early postoperative hydrotherapy in dogs undergoing thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy”, the medical records of a single referral hospital in Sweden were retrospectively reviewed to identify dogs that had been treated with hemilaminectomy for acute or chronic thoracolumbar IVDE and had commenced hydrotherapy within five days after surgery.
Information collected from the medical records included signalment, presenting clinical signs, severity of neurological signs, initiation and duration of hydrotherapy, postoperative complications and follow-up.
Postoperative complications were considered major if there was a need for hospitalisation, surgery or if the dog died or was euthanised as a direct consequence of the complication.
A complication was deemed minor if outpatient medical treatment was sufficient to rectify it.
A total of 83 dogs were included in the study.
Hydrotherapy was started within a mean of 2.7 (one to five) days after surgery and consisted of swimming without underwater treadmill (UWTM) in dogs with severe paraparesis or paraplegia.
With neurological improvement, and when supported ambulation was possible, UWTM was initiated.
Ninety-six percent of the dogs used swimming as postoperative hydrotherapy, starting with a mean of 2.7 days after surgery, fifty-seven percent of the dogs used UWTM as the postoperative hydrotherapy, starting with a mean of 13 days after surgery.
Forty-five percent of dogs used both hydrotherapeutic modalities.
Dr Abtin Morjarradi, corresponding author for the paper, said: “A total of 10 minor complications were recorded during the study period, including surgical site infection (SSI) (n=5), diarrhoea (n=4) and urinary tract infection (n=1).
Major complications were recorded in 26 dogs during the study period and included euthanasia (n=13), acute dermatitis (n=1), spinal abscess (n=1) and disc extrusion (n=1).
Reasons for euthanasia were urinary incontinence (n=5), lack of neurological improvement (n=2), clinical suspicion of progressive myelomalacia (PMM) (n=2), persistent pain (n=1), aggression (n=1) and widespread cellulitis with an abscess caudal to the right stifle without known cause (n=1).”
Abtin added: “Follow-up visits for 71 dogs were performed at a mean of 15.3 (9 to 30) days, and 68 dogs at a mean of 45.9 (30 to 111) days, after surgery.
"At the first follow-up visit 68% of the dogs were ambulatory with Modified Frankel Score (MFS) 4 or higher.
"At the last follow-up visit 97% of the dogs were ambulatory with MFS 4 or higher, with 34% demonstrating normal neurological function. None of these dogs deteriorated after the initiation time of hydrotherapy.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “Whilst previous studies indicate that early rehabilitation may be beneficial after acute spinal cord injury, the optimal timing to start hydrotherapy is unclear.
“Despite a high number of complications being recorded in the present study, it is not clear how many of these complications were directly related to the initiation time of hydrotherapy and therefore further research is required.”
The full article can be found in the December issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13412.
The new Veterinary HPM Adult Neutered Wet with Salmon (a lifestage diet) and Urology Cat Wet (a clinical diet) have a high-protein low-carbohydrate formulation and a high share of animal protein.
Virbac points to studies which show that FLUTD is diagnosed in 8% of cats seen by vets for non-routine appointments1 and that there is a 51% risk of recurrence within one year of the initial diagnosis2.
Dr Rémi Mandray DMV MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac, said: "Feline specialists recognise the importance of nutrition and water intake in the management of FLUTD, so we are delighted to be able to add two high quality wet diets to the Veterinary HPM range and therefore offer advanced nutritional solutions to such an important health issue."
Virbac says that both diets have high levels of animal protein to stimulate water intake, increase the volume of urine and stabilise the pH for a healthy urinary system.
The lifestage diets include supplements to limit phosphorus excretion in the urine for improved prevention of struvite crystal formation.
The company also says the Urology diets in the clinical range meet the PARNUT requirements for dissolution and prevention of struvite stones or crystals, and prevention of oxalate formation.
Virbac claims the new chunks in gravy wet diets naturally increase water intake by up to 50%, due to their high water content.
Dry and wets can be fed together as part of a mixed nutritional programme, to meet pet owner preferences identified in Virbac's market research: 60% of cat owners use wet food, mostly mixed with kibbles4.
Elanco Companion Animal Health - maker of Comfortis, the flea treatment for dogs - is hosting an online evening webinar on Tuesday 10th January to highlight what pet owners want from their vets.
The free webinar follows research into the perceptions of clients and veterinary surgeons as to what attributes constitute a 'good vet'1. According to Elanco, the research revealed a distinct mismatch between what vets think and what pet owners think. The webinar will highlight these differences and the steps veterinary professionals can take to address them. Additionally, it will provide veterinary professionals with the opportunity to learn more about Comfortis and ask questions of Elanco's technical consultants.
Presented by Alan Robinson BVSc MRCVS DMS, a business development consultant for independent veterinary practices, the webinar will start at 8.00pm and will account for two hours CPD. Veterinary surgeons and nurses wishing to book a place should visit www.thewebinarvet.com/comfortis.
For further information, please telephone 01256 353131, email elancoCAH.uk@lilly.com or contact your local Elanco key account manager.