The project looked first at how effective CVS small animal first opinion practices were at conducting echocardiography.
It found that a barrier to wider uptake was a lack of up-to-date equipment, along with a lack of current knowledge and training - both in using ultrasound and echocardiography equipment and in interpreting images.
CVS says that as a result, many colleagues were routinely referring suspected cardiac disease cases.
The project leaders then reviewed and recommended practice equipment, so that clinicians had the tools to perform echocardiograms in practice.
This included buying echocardiography tables - so that practitioners could scan an animal’s chest from underneath, more advanced cardiac ultrasound machines and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines.
The company then produced a range of resources for vets and nurses, to help them to improve echocardiography scan rates and nurse cardiology clinics, including clinical guidelines, machine guides and client resources.
It then held a number of training sessions for its vets and nurses, focusing on the latest advancements in heart disease diagnosis and treatment for vets, and training nurses how to conduct nurse cardiology clinics, how to perform and interpret electrocardiography, how to take blood pressure readings and thoracic point of care ultrasound (POCUS).
Lynsay Morgan, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS who is responsible for the cardiac ultrasound clinical improvement project, said: “We want to empower our first opinion small animal vets to perform more echo evaluations and to work up their cardiology cases to a high standard.
"We also want our nurses to be involved in patients’ life-long care, and provide ongoing support to owners of pets with heart disease.
“We hope this project will improve case identification, increase skills and confidence, and see optimum diagnosis and management of cardiac disease.”
The Dogs Trust has officially launched the Free Microchipping Through Vets Campaign through which all owners can get their dog microchipped free of charge through participating veterinary practices.
Microchipping becomes compulsory for all dogs in England in April 2016 and Wales in March 2015, and with 20% of dogs in the UK still unchipped, the charity says it thinks demand for the procedure is likely to be significant over the coming year.
1500 practices have already joined the year-long campaign, as part of which they will be given free microchips in exchange for implanting them at no cost to the owner. The charity says it hopes that up to 75% of the UK's 3075 practices will have joined the campaign within the next few weeks.
Clarissa Baldwin, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, said: "We are delighted about the proposed new legislation and see it as the start of a very positive movement. From April 2016 in England and March 2015 in Wales it will be compulsory for each and every dog to be microchipped on first change of hands which represents a significant step forward for dog welfare and responsible dog ownership. To show its support for the implementation of this legislation, Dogs Trust is teaming up with vets to make sure that all dog owners can have the procedure done for free. We'd like to say a huge thank you to the vet practices already supporting the campaign and urge others to come on board. An essential element to the success of microchipping is for dog owners to take responsibility for updating their details with the database should their circumstances change.
"Last year 111,986 stray and abandoned dogs were picked up by Local Authorities across the UK, with only 40% reunited with their owners. This initiative will help to reduce that number dramatically."
To join the campaign vet practices should contact Dogs Trust at campaigns@dogstrust.org.uk
Vets Now will be opening the doors to its new clinic in Caterham on 31 March.
The company, which was launched in 2001, recently opened its Northolt clinic in North London and is now delighted to be offering an out of hours service in the South London area.
Based at The Animal Hospital, in Coulsden Road, Caterham, the clinic is the 31st Vets Now clinic to open in the UK and will provide Out of Hours cover for a number of member practice clinics in the East Surrey area.
Vetoquinol is offering veterinary surgeons and nurses the chance to win up to £500 worth of vouchers of their choice with Ipakitine, the phosphate binder.
To take part, call 0800 1698197 and request a copy of the company's renal guide, wall chart and an entry form. Then answer three simple questions and be in with a chance to win a first prize of £500 worth of vouchers. The second prize is £300 worth of vouchers, with £200 of vouchers for third prize.
Simon Boulton, product manager said: "Our renal guide is designed to illustrate factors which can affect both quality and quantity of life. These include hyperphosphataemia, hypertension, proteinuria, azotaemia and fibrosis in renal disease." The renal guide and wall chart contain information on the appropriate management of these factors.
From 2 April - 2 May, National Pet Month will be encouraging people to get happy and healthy spending time with their pets, with its theme of 'Happiness is... time with your pet'.
Organisers say that during the month, thousands of people will be celebrating happy times with their pets at hundreds of events up and down the country. While many of these events will raise funds for local animal charities, National Pet Month is not just about fund raising. It is also all about raising awareness of how pets make people's lives happier and healthier, and how they can repay the pets they love by looking after them responsibly.
Veterinary practices can get involved in National Pet Month, and show what they have to offer clients and potential clients. Details of how to join in and become a supporter are on the website http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/.
Last year's National Pet Month was apparently the most successful to date, with a record number of 1200 events and nearly £80,000 raised for at least 30 animal charities.
The 2010 overall best National Pet Month event was held by St Boniface Vets in Crediton, Devon. They participated by visiting local nursery and primary schools teaching children about pet health, and specifically raising awareness of exotic animals as pets. Phil Sketchley, Chairman of NPM said: "The 14 excellent educational visits that St Boniface made to local schools and nurseries were inspirational. They were a fantastic example of the partnerships that can be forged between practices and the community during National Pet Month."
He added: "School visits are one great way for practices to get involved - but there are many more. Our top veterinary practice 2010 event, for example, was held by Mill House Vets in Kings Lynn, and which focussed on educating owners on caring for older pets. National Pet Month is an opportunity to help your clients learn more about responsible pet care so they can enjoy their pets for many years to come."
The Badger Trust's legal challenge to Defra's plans for targeted badger cull pilots has failed in the High Court on all three grounds.
Whilst the RSPCA has expressed its disappointment, the British Veterinary Association and British Cattle Veterinary Association have welcomed the judgement.
BVA President Carl Padgett said: "We are pleased that the High Court has ruled Defra's policy lawful and that the pilot badger culls can now go ahead.
"The BVA and BCVA believe that the government's approach has been robust and justifiable as it is based on our current scientific knowledge.
"Bovine TB is a devastating disease and we must tackle the disease in wildlife alongside cattle controls if we are to get on top of it."
David Bowles, the RSPCA's Director of Communications, said: "We are bitterly disappointed that the UK Government in England is ploughing on with plans to kill badgers but the fight is not over yet.
"We believe culling is not a long-term, sustainable solution and will be of little help in reducing the disease - perhaps even making things worse in some areas. It will wipe out huge numbers of this much-loved species, virtually eliminating badgers from these areas, including many animals which are healthy.
"It is not as if there aren't alternatives to a cull. Vaccination could be a more effective and sustainable way of dealing with the disease, and one which does not involve killing most of the badger population in very large areas of the countryside."
The Veterinary Benevolent Fund has launched an electronic version of the Pocket Book of Tips for Practising Vets which will be given away free to all final year veterinary students in the UK.
At the launch party at the Royal Veterinary College's Hawkshead campus, the two authors spoke to final year students about making a success of their first year in practice and passed on tips gleaned from the collective experiences of veterinary surgeons from all over the UK. The audience then joined the authors at a party afterwards and took the opportunity to ask them more questions about what it will really be like when they start their first job in the profession.
Alan Jeans, one of the authors, said: "We are grateful to the VDS for funding the event and to Elanco for funding the publication of the book. Over the many years I and my colleagues have mentored new graduates, we have seen which attitudes and approaches seem to result in the most success in the early years of a veterinary career. We would like to pass this experience on to those joining the profession. Many final year students will currently be stressed about their exams and may be anxious about their first job so we wanted to reassure them that, although there will inevitably be highs and lows during their career, there is support available should they ever need it."
The collection of tips in the book was accumulated from practising vets all over the UK and is relevant to all areas of practice, small and farm animal, equine as well as some general practical suggestions. The book has raised over £7,000 for VBF - the charity that supports veterinary professionals.
All final year students can get a free pdf of the book by emailing a request to info@vetlife.org.uk and copies of the paperback can still be ordered on-line in return for a donation of £10 at www.vetlife.org.uk/vet-tips
According to reports in the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail yesterday, there's a new craze on the Internet called dog shaming, where owners post a photograph of a guilty-looking pet online, together with a witty caption.
A quick Google search reveals a number of websites dedicated to the practice, including: www.dogshaming.com, www.dog-shame.com, petshaming.net and shameyourpet.com.
However, according to research carried out by Bayer to promote Drontal, 40% of owners mistake the behavioural signs displayed in some of the photographs for guilt or shame, when in reality the dog is showing signs of fear.
Predictably, a number of organisations have condemned dog shaming. Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club said: "The idea of shaming a dog is daft. Dogs don't like having the mickey taken out of them and can undoubtedly plug into that. So why would you do that to your pet? You wouldn't mock your family or your friends like this, so why your dog?."
Veterinary surgeon and TV presenter Paul Manktelow had a more balanced take on it all. He said: "It is a positive thing that owners love their dogs enough to make light of bad behaviour at times, and can look back and laugh at their mischievous antics. However, it is important to note that dogs may in fact be expressing apprehension and fear, and not have been misbehaving in the first instance, just doing what comes naturally. People should also recognise the subtle behaviourial signs that indicate stress or an underlying health issue."
Organisers of The Vet Charity Challenge, which last year raised £50,000 for charity, have announced that the event will take place Saturday 27th September 2014 in Pewsey, near Marlborough, Wiltshire.
The event consists of teams of four walking/running, cycling and kayaking as well as some orienteering and mental and physical tasks.
Registration will open at the start of April. Organisers say that spaces are limited and in 2013 filled up very fast, so early booking is advisable.
The charities being supported in 2014 will be Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, SPANA and Cats Protection.
The Vet Charity Challenge is sponsored by BCF Technology, Kruuse and Vetoquinol and supported by the VMPA and Veterinary Practice magazine.
For more information visit www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk.
Centaur Services has launched a range of health supplement soft chews for cats and dogs which can be ordered in custom, practice-branded packaging.
Centaur says the practice branding is designed to reinforce client relationships by encouraging clients to buy vet-recommended products direct from the practice, thereby reducing the loss of sales to the high street or online stores.
The chews consist of a flavoured base with a crumbly texture, into which various health supplements are blended. Centaur says they are particularly popular with owners who find it difficult to encourage their pets to consume supplements within harder carriers, as the soft chews are more akin to food and easier for the animals to consume.
Colm McGinn, Sales and Marketing Director of Centaur Services, said: "We're always looking for ways to innovate the offer we provide to our customers and make their businesses more successful. Not only are the chews a high quality product with excellent health benefits for pets, they also offer practices a new way of engaging with their clients by providing own-labelled products that come not only with the recommendation of their vet but also the trusted brand of the practice."
The chews are launching in five varieties. For dogs, there's joint support and a heart-shaped multi-vitamin. For cats, there's joint support, bladder support and hairball relief. Additional varieties are in development.
For more information call Centaur Services on 01963 350005 to arrange a visit, or for existing customers, contact your Territory Manager.
Chris will also be donating any money he raises throughout the course of his Presidency to those same charities.
His chosen charities are: Vetlife, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), Hearing Dogs, and The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust (GHDT).
Chris said: "I chose the charities because I'm dedicated to charities that have a wide effect. The GHDT and the PDSA, by improving the health and welfare of animals, directly benefit the health and wellbeing of the communities in which they work. The GHDT dramatically improves peoples’ lives economically by increasing the working lives of their animals, almost all of which are transport animals, while the PDSA enhances the lives of the less well off by allowing them to keep animals and afford their veterinary care.
"Riding for the Disabled Association and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf then both use animals to help people, strengthening this vital human animal bond that runs through all of these charities. You have to witness the interaction between deaf or disabled people with the dogs and ponies respectively to fully appreciate how much this means to them. Unlike single interventions, these charities provide assistance that keeps on giving.
"Finally, none of this is possible without a healthy veterinary community and Vetlife plays a significant part in ensuring this. Good mental health and wellbeing is essential to the delivery of a good service, and it's important that we do everything we can to ensure that any veterinary professionals that suffer get the assistance they need.”
The charities have already been in touch to thank Chris and the College, and to detail how it will help their activities.
Graham Dick, Vetlife’s Honorary Treasurer, said: “Vetlife is currently expanding its vital support services to meet the changing needs of the veterinary community so we are sincerely grateful that Chris Tufnell has chosen our charity to benefit from his fundraising activities during his year as President. It is heartening that all the major veterinary organisations are so supportive of Vetlife and eager to work together to address the issues that many people in the veterinary community are struggling with."
Heather Armstrong, the Director of the GHDT, said: "We would like to give our very sincere thanks to Chris Tufnell, President of the RCVS for choosing us as one of his charities. Over the years we have relied on volunteer vets from UK to provide training to our staff and to Gambian livestock workers. This is helping to increase Gambian veterinary capacity and we hope is also giving British vets a small insight into global veterinary problems. The British veterinary profession should be very proud, it has enabled us to achieve so much in the last 14 years and we are immensely grateful to each and every vet who has been out to help including Chris, who has kindly helped us in the past with training."
Rosie Gibbons, Challenge & Community Events Fundraiser UK at the PDSA, said: "The donations received through the RCVS’ President’s Fund to PDSA will ensure that someone’s much loved pet will receive the treatment and healthy life they deserve. It will also ensure that our veterinary teams can continue to educate people about responsible pet ownership and issue preventative treatments, making the lives of so many animals much more bearable in the future."
Sal Atkinson, Fundraising Manager for the RDA, said: "We are thrilled that Chris has chosen RDA as one of this year’s RCVS President’s Fund charities. RDA relies on voluntary donations such as this to enable us to provide life changing therapy through horses to disabled adults and children in the UK. We currently have over 3,000 horses and ponies who work with our riders, carriage drivers, volunteers and equine advisors and this support will really help us to offer more opportunities to disabled people in the community."
The President’s Christmas Box donation is made every year in lieu of sending out RCVS Christmas cards. Previous recipients have included Worldwide Veterinary Service, Mind, Canine Partners, Hounds for Heroes, and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.
The new course will be led by Dr Pedro Malho, DipECVO CES OphtVet DVM MRCVS, a European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology. It is built around 14 modules covering the embryology, anatomy and physiology of the eye, ocular pharmacology and therapeutics, together with the full spectrum of ocular diseases seen in domestic species.
Modules are delivered using a range of learning techniques, including interactive online lessons supported by notes and videos, quizzes and a forum tutored by leading specialists.
Pedro said: “We have prepared an innovative and in-depth course to help veterinary practitioners with an interest in ophthalmology to develop their knowledge and skills in this demanding discipline. The course will enable delegates to develop a greater knowledge of ocular anatomy and physiology and master the handling of ophthalmic equipment.
“It will also help them to interpret clinical signs confidently to make a diagnosis and select the appropriate medical or surgical treatment.”
Dr Charlotte French (pictured right) from Improve, said: “With input from top global veterinary ophthalmologists, we have created an exciting and innovative learning experience that will offer maximum flexibility to veterinary surgeons keen to develop their expertise and knowledge in this field. The programme provides delegates with unique features such as the opportunity to share learning with colleagues from around the world and input from an Improve International Programme Tutor to support their studies.”
The programme, which has been submitted to RACE for approval, can also be undertaken as a face-to-face course. It offers a route to achieve academic qualifications - the General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) awarded by ISVPS and the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC), awarded by Harper Adams University. Gaining a PgC enables delegates to apply to the RCVS for Advanced Practitioner Status in the subject.
For further information and to register, visit: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/course/pgc-gpcert-small-animal-ophthalmology-distance-learning
Fort Dodge Animal Health has announced it is working with the authorities to put measures in place to make its West Nile Virus vaccine, licensed in the United States, available to the European equine market. These measures will ensure a vaccine is readily available in the event of an outbreak in the UK.
This news comes as the Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo, the Italian National Reference Centre for Exotic Diseases, has confirmed an outbreak of WNV among horses in stables in the northern province of Ferrara. About 20 horses are believed to have been affected.
Fort Dodge was the first company to develop and fully license a vaccine to protect horses against this potentially deadly disease. An inactivated whole virus vaccine, it was the only vaccine available in the United States at the height of the 2002 outbreak, which affected 15,000 horses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture credited the vaccine with contributing to the 70 per cent decline in U.S. equine West Nile cases since the height of the outbreak. WNV is now considered endemic in all areas of North America.
"As this latest outbreak of WNV in Italy highlights, the disease presents an increasing threat to the equestrian sector in Europe," says Helen Barnes, EMEA Equine Business Manager for Fort Dodge. "With little current natural immunity among the equine population, the consequences of a major outbreak could be devastating."
"Until now, horse owners in Europe have perhaps believed WNV is not a disease they should be concerned with but the outbreak in Ferrara came out of the blue, and at a time when a human case of WNV was also reported in the same province. This situation of both human and equine cases being reported is identical to that seen in the outbreaks in the United States. It's a stark reminder of the challenge this disease poses, particularly as environmental factors, such as global warming and heavy rains threaten to create mass breeding grounds for mosquitoes," says Barnes.
"Our experience with WNV in the United States has given us an exceptional understanding of the disease and the importance of vaccination. We now look forward to working in partnership with the European governments, the EU Commission and the veterinary community across Europe to help build understanding and knowledge of this dangerous emerging disease threat."
The Blue Cross and National Veterinary Services (NVS) are celebrating the success of a new initiative to generate additional saleable items for the charity, with the help of vet practices across the UK.
Earlier this year, The Blue Cross teamed up with NVS to launch a campaign to sign up vet practices who use NVS services to encourage their staff and clients to donate bags of unwanted clothes and bric-a-brac for the charity to sell and raise funds. This week saw the arrival of the 5,000th bag of donated items arrive at The Blue Cross warehouse
Jonathan Chambers Blue Cross spokesperson said: "We are extremely grateful to NVS, the vet practices taking part in the scheme and their clients. We are overwhelmed at the response so far and looking forward to receiving many more bags of goods in the future. Although the donated items may be unwanted possessions to some, each bag generates about £20 of income for us. This means the scheme has so far provided an amazing £100,000 worth of income towards helping sick and homeless animals in the care of The Blue Cross."
Caitrina Harrison, Sales & Marketing Director for NVS said: "We are delighted to be supporting The Blue Cross with this worthwhile initiative. We have an experienced and flexible logistics team, who have been able to help with the delivery and collection of the clothing bags throughout the UK. We have had excellent feedback from many veterinary practices who have got involved and the requests for clothing bags keep coming in."
Veterinary practices who receive their stock and drugs from NVS that are not yet part of The Blue Cross donation scheme can sign up now by contacting julie.godwin@nvs-ltd.co.uk or Jonathan Chambers at The Blue Cross: trading@bluecross.org.uk.
Vetoquinol has released the second set of results from a survey of over 1000 dog owners which the company says has revealed some surprising findings on owner attitudes to pain and pain relieving medications.1
In particular, Vetoquinol says it thinks veterinary surgeons will be surprised by the depth of feeling expressed by pet owners about the issue, and that there are areas where there is potential for the profession to relate to the concerns of clients and adapt communication accordingly.
The key findings highlight that dog owners are likely to be shocked by a diagnosis of long term painful illness in their pet and are very likely to search for further information on the Internet about the pet's condition. Most dog owners think that NSAIDs are likely to cause side effects, with the perceived risk being much greater than the actual level of risk. The results also indicate that even low levels of risk of side effects may be unacceptable to dog owners.
Mark Leddy, Marketing Manager at Vétoquinol said that the strength of the bond between pet and owner should always be front of mind: "A diagnosis of osteoarthritis, for instance, is such a common one, often being made several times a day, so it is easy to become matter of fact about it; yet for the client that news may actually be quite traumatic and the impact hugely underestimated."
Where clients get their information from is important:
The majority of respondents (95%) felt that treatment of osteoarthritis should be started as soon as signs appear and then long term, either consistently or as needed. However, despite recognising the need for treatment, many expressed concerns about side effects when giving their dog long-term medication, with 77% considering it important or very important to choose a medication with a limited range of side effects.
Vetoquinol says the reality is that one in a thousand pets given an NSAID is likely to experience side effects, which vets may feel is not something owners should worry about unduly. The reality for pet owners is that they perceive the risk to be much greater and if informed of the actual level of risk may still experience a significant level of fear that their pet, with whom they have a special relationship, could be that one in a thousand.
Mark Leddy says that, based on these results, there is great scope for the veterinary team to discuss the level and type of risk entailed in administering medication: "Such an approach will help pet owners make more informed decisions about treatment, allay their concerns and provide them with the support they need at what is probably a very difficult time for them."
1. A survey of 1048 dog owners, carried out by petbuzz, on behalf of Vétoquinol, March 2011
As part of its continued support of the 2016 regional events organised by VPMA and SPVS, in partnership with Zoetis, the company is sponsoring the ‘Focus on the Practice Team’ course on Thursday 13 October at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire. Four veterinary professionals will be selected at random to win a place worth £210.
Royal Canin says the day will bring together some of the best experts in leadership, management, employment law and staff training to ensure that practices are ahead of the game when it comes to trained, happy and well managed staff.
The first half of the day will concentrate on the impact front of house employees can have on client communication, whilst the second half will cover HR issues. Guest speakers include Brian Faulkner from The Colourful Consultancy, Nick Steele from Zoetis, Veterinary Mentor, Carolyne Crowe, and Alison Lambert from Onswitch.
To have a go at winning a free place, send an email with your name, job title, the name of your veterinary practice and the reason why you would like to attend to royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com by Friday 30 September. The company will then select four applicants at random and will inform the winners via email by Friday 7 October.
Places on the course can also be booked by calling 01453 872731 or by visiting www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk. Focus days cost £175 plus VAT for non-members and £125 plus VAT for VPMA and SPVS members (group/ bulk booking discounts are also available). The cost includes lunch and refreshments.
The British Veterinary Association has given a cautious welcome to the merger of the Animal Health Agency (AH) and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) announced yesterday by Secretary of State Caroline Spelman.
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA said: "On the face of it there could be significant benefits in merging these two key animal health organisations. Already, at local and national levels, the two agencies are required to work closely and if done properly we could have one body that is completed committed to animal health.
"However, every veterinary surgeon will want reassurance that the merger will not simply become another way to cut costs by reducing the number of people working on disease surveillance and research. It is vital that both organisations continue to deliver under the new body.
"The merger could have an impact on responsibility and cost sharing plans, the tendering exercise for Official Veterinarian (OV) work, and the future of animal health delivery in the devolved administrations. The BVA is therefore calling for a wide consultation on how the merged organisation will work to ensure the best for the veterinary profession, farming community and all other interested organisations."
Kruuse has announced that it is now the exclusive veterinary distributor in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for Nurtured Pets' Anti-LickStrip pet plaster, a natural hypo-allergenic adhesive plaster that deters licking, biting and chewing.
Anti-LickStrip's plaster is made with active ingredients including cayenne pepper, oregano, lemon powder and peppermint that acts as a deterrent to the animal when sniffed, licked or bitten. The veterinary range of Anti-Lick products will be co-branded under the Kruuse 'Buster' brand as: Buster Anti-LickStrip (sizes: small, medium and large) Buster Anti-LickStrip Pro and Buster Anti-LickStrip Pro C.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director, Kruuse UK Ltd. said: "This agreement further expands Kruuse's small animal product portfolio with its customer in Scandinavia, mainland Europe and the UK; increasing the already extensive range of animal tamper deterrents available to the veterinary practitioner."
Lisa Huntsman, President, Lauren Manufacturing & Nurtured Pets said: "This exciting partnership will further expand our products presence within the veterinary industry expanding our delivery of focused health and wellness products to customers, using Kruuse's strong relationships within veterinary practices."
A North Wales-based enviro-tech company called Streetkleen has launched PooPrints, a DNA test used to identify the dogs responsible for leaving faeces in public places, in the UK.
Dogs are first added to the DNA World Pet Registry by taking a cheek swab and sending it for analysis at a cost of £29.95. Local authorities and landowners can then test any stray dog mess they find and see if the culprit is on the database, at a cost of £69.95.
Of course it does beggar the question why pet owners would agree to have their dog added to the database (and pay for it).
Streetkleen believes that new new legislation: The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which gives communities the opportunity to set conditions to help prevent nuisances such as dog fouling, would allow local authorities to require all dogs that use a park, for instance, to be registered.
According to the company, having the PooPrints program operational has led to a drop of 90% in recorded dog fouling incidents in many locations as dog owners realise they can be held accountable.
Streetkleen Managing Director Gary Downie said: "As a dog owner myself the challenge was how do we combine positive dog ownership with access to open spaces whilst ensuring we have accountability to local dog policy? PooPrints is a cost effective, permanent solution to dog fouling that helps ensure that our open spaces are clean, safe and welcoming for dog owners and non-dog owners alike."
Elanco Animal Health has launched an updated Atopica Comfort Club, a support initiative for veterinary professionals treating either canine atopic dermatitis or feline allergic dermatitis cases with Atopica.
The Atopica Comfort Club loyalty scheme now has a new website which enables all members of the practice team to see the cases being managed and the offers available for new and existing users post diagnosis. The initiative provides veterinary practices with a free of charge Atopica redemption scheme through both induction and maintenance periods.
Elanco says the new website will also enable veterinary practices to view and redeem offers instantly, receive reminders about offers and updates together with emails to confirm offers have been redeemed and the products despatched.
Alice Laurens, DVM MRCVS, Dermatology Marketing Manager at Elanco Animal Health, said: “The Comfort Club loyalty scheme embraces a multi-modal approach and ensures better comfort is provided to Atopica patients with options to offer a flea product, shampoo, essential fatty acids and an adapted diet.”
To support the new Atopica Comfort Club loyalty program, Elanco has also produced a ‘practice log book’ to enable vets to record details on each case which can then be entered onto the Comfort Club website.
For further information, or to book a lunch and learn meeting, please contact your local Elanco Animal Health key account manager or email elancoCAH.uk@elanco.com.
VetViewer is currently used by over 400 small animal, mixed and equine practices in the UK to track their metrics.
The tool also allows users to run simulations - so for instance if the practice has had to stop offering routine consults, or has a reduced number of vets or RVNS available, they can immediately see the impact on the practice top line.
VetViewer can be used by all practices, independent or corporate, or individual branches. It can track performance for the past 18 months, allowing comparisons to be made with before, during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
VetViewer Director, Alex Arpino, says the service usually helps practices to thrive but right now offers potential to help them survive: "Many clinics are struggling to know what to do for the best and not knowing the magnitude of the economic impact of their decisions doesn't help.
"Everyone wants to protect their staff but also ensure they have jobs to return to. We can link data from nearly every PMS in the UK to VetViewer and the practice's management team is given access to a portal where they can see the data at a glance. Right now, being able to run simulations is central to current and future planning and could help alleviate stress for many practices managers and owners."
In normal circumstances, VetViewer allows practices to look at their performance over time and the effect of any changes they might make. The company says it can also help practices evaluate where they over and under-perform relative to their region and the UK as a whole.
The data available in VetViewer includes income from food, wormers and flea treatments and other provisions that many practices might find ways to sustain in the coming weeks.
Looking forward to a time when isolation and distancing can be lifted, the tool also shows where there is potential for practices to increase income - whether that's because they are under-charging for consults compared to the regional average, or performing fewer neutering procedures, or under-utilising potential diagnostic or imaging aids.
Such information is likely to be vital to recovery, providing a clear indication of the speed of recovery and the services that are making the biggest contribution to that recovery.
The VetViewer service can be demonstrated remotely by the company's dedicated team of Business Development Managers and the service can be activated at a distance, so practices can set up their account quickly and without any costs, either to set up or maintain.
For more information, visit: www.vetviewer.co.uk / www.veterinaryinsights.com or practice owners or managers can telephone 01403 800135 to make an appointment for an online meeting or to find out more.
According to the charity, hens have been badly neglected by the world of evidence-based academic research, with only two known papers written about their welfare.
However, researchers are now starting to take an interest and it is hoped that the new forum, nicknamed The Coop, will pave the way for ground-breaking studies around the world into hen welfare and hen keeping.
Jane Howorth MBE, Founder of the BHWT, said: “The research about to be undertaken ranges from exploring how hens benefit our mental health to seeking good veterinary care and appropriate drugs. They will also examine how the pet hen population has grown over the years and reasons for keeping them, and which homegrown remedies are used and which work.
One of the first bits of research to be supported by the BHWT is a study called ‘From the Backyard to our Beds’ by Jenny Mace BSc, MSc AWSEL, FHEA, Visiting Lecturer on the MSc in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law at the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester.
The survey will collect data on the care-taking practices and attitudes towards chickens of non-commercial chicken carers, and you can take part here: https://winchester.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/from-the-backyard-to-our-beds-the-spectrum-of-care-in.
Jenny said: “To my knowledge, this research constitutes the first quantitative study to distinguish between ex-commercial and ‘standard’ chickens. It is also the first to enquire about some niche care-taking practices, such as the use of hormonal implants as a possible means of healthcare in hens.
“The results should be fascinating and I urge all backyard chicken keepers/rescuers to make sure their experiences are captured by filling out this survey. Thank you so much!”
The BHWT is also supporting work undertaken by Keiran Ragoonanan, a student at the Royal Veterinary College in London, who is investigating backyard chicken husbandry and feeding practices in the UK.
For more information visit: https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/take-part-in-ground-breaking-research-to-help-pet-chickens/
The survey, which is being conducted in partnership with Hazlewoods accountants, will be used to provide anonymised benchmarking information to enable vets to compare their practice profitability and help identify areas where profitability could be improved.
The survey asks questions around a range of reporting figures including gross profit margin, staffing cost levels and EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation), to allow for benchmarking in greater detail.
The anonymised benchmarking results of the survey will be free to all participants, including non SPVS members.
SPVS members will receive the benchmarking results together with supporting commentary.
The deadline for completion is 4th November 2022.
https://spvs.org.uk/spvs-profitability-survey
The 2009 RCVS Continuing Professional Development Record Cards have been sent to all practising vets and Registered Veterinary Nurses.
Undertaking and recording Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is a mandatory professional requirement for these vets and RVNs. Vets must average at least 35 hours of CPD per year and RVNs 15 hours, although many will do far more.
The RCVS can ask to see CPD records - and they may be checked during practice inspections as part of the Practice Standards Scheme. For newly-qualified veterinary surgeons, completing the Professional Development Phase also fulfils the CPD requirements in their first year of practice.
Jill Nute, President of the RCVS, said: "CPD is about maintaining professional competence. Vets and RVNs are expected to make continuous improvements in their knowledge and skills, which will have benefits for their patients and clients, their own development and the profession at large. Undertaking CPD allows vets and RVNs to demonstrate their commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards."
As professionals, vets and RVNs are expected to evaluate what knowledge and skills they need to develop, and how they will do this. This may include activities such as going to particular case-conferences or asking for some in-house training. Getting together with other practices to organise training sessions or secondments or finding a mentor can also be useful.
Personal study - documented in a learning diary detailing the aims of the study, what was studied and the outcomes, for example, a change made to a practice protocol - can also be used. There is no limit on properly documented study, but vets cannot count more than 10 hours, and veterinary nurses five hours, each year of undocumented study.
All CPD activity should be systematically planned to meet identified professional needs, and clear records must be kept of what has been done.
Further information about CPD requirements for veterinary surgeons and Registered Veterinary Nurses can be found on the back of the CPD Record Card, and at RCVSonline (www.rcvs.org.uk).