Equine vets and farriers in South Wales who need horses x-rayed can now use a new mobile service offered by Equiray. Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Equiray's technicians travel to the site to take digital x-rays, using state-of-the-art imaging equipment.
At the heart of Equiray's service is the Uno Equine portable digital x-ray system; the only system in the world that has a capture screen built into the generator. All images taken can be viewed within minutes and decisions made there and then regarding further tests. The x-ray images are emailed to the veterinary surgeon immediately, or supplied to the practice on a CD or memory stick. They are also stored securely by Equiray for a 3 month period.
For farriers, the image can be displayed on screen so they can see the internal bone structures encapsulated within the hoof before they start remedial work, and then another x-ray taken after the work has been completed. Both images can be viewed together for comparison.
Equiray says its service means practices don't have to buy and maintain costly equipment, nor send a practice technician to attend with the vet, as all Equiray technicians are highly skilled in equine imaging.
Equiray currently operates mainly in South Wales but with requests coming from other areas of the country, the company says its technicians are travelling to x-ray several horses in a particular area, over a 2 day period. Remedial farriers requiring monthly x-rays of certain horses are also using the service and plans to extend the service nationally are in progress.
For more information, visit www.equiray.co.uk/
Protek Biochem Ltd., a company set up by champion horse-rider Debbie Topping, has won the rights to sell Envirocair Veterinary, a new range of disinfectants and sanitisers targeted at dogs, cats and other domestic pets, as well as horses and farm animals.
The product is claimed to kill 99.99% of all viral, bacterial and fungal infections, and lasts for 14 days.
Debbie said: "I did not consider myself a businesswoman, just a normal horse-rider and animal lover. However, I was so impressed when I tried Envirocair Veterinary that, when I was offered the opportunity to become the main UK distributor, I jumped at the chance."
According to the company, the product is being used by a number of the horses and trainers heading to the London Olympics in 2012. It is now being rolled out across the rest of the UK's animal care sector.
Debbie says that veterinary surgeons, farmers, dog kennels, animal rescue centres, breeders and others will all be able to benefit from the new product: "Envirocair Veterinary doesn't harm skin or irritate the respiratory tract, so you don't need to get dressed up in special clothing every time you use it.
"Used properly, it quite literally kills the threat of major animal diseases such as parvovirus in dogs, which can otherwise be fatal in less than 72 hours.
"It's not an exaggeration to say that Envirocair will protect the health and even save the lives of countless numbers of animals across the UK."
Debbie signed the distribution agreement with the manufacturer Biotech International Ltd last month, before officially launching Envirocair Veterinary this week.
For more information on Protek Biochem Ltd or Envirocair Veterinary, visit http://www.protekbiochem.com/.
Equine vets at the Animal Health Trust are appealing to horse riders to help with a research project, to assess the interaction between horse, saddle and rider.
Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust and Line Greve, PhD student, are conducting the study to find out how the horse, rider and saddle can influence each other. They are trying to understand better why a saddle may persistently slip to one side in some horses.
Line said: "Saddle slip is a problem seen in all sorts of horses and ponies and can contribute to back pain and thus impaired performance. Research suggests that 25% of British dressage horses have a history of back-related problems and subsequent reduced performance. Our preliminary studies involve just over 700 riders but for a more accurate picture we would like to bump this figure up to 1000 plus. We are urging all riders, whatever their level or ability, to help by completing the questionnaire."
The online questionnaire should take no more than 15 minutes to complete and all answers remain anonymous. The questions cover saddle types, fitting, use and maintenance; rider experience, training and 'handedness'; as well as horse type, use and any previous lameness or back-related problems.
To take part in the study, complete the questionnaire here: http://www.aht.org.uk/cms-display/premise_questionnaire.html. The AHT says that by doing so, you'll be helping to protect and improve the future health, welfare and longevity of the ridden horse.
The results will be presented at the Saddle Research Trust Conference in 2014.
RVC researchers say that the VetCompass study is the largest ever carried out into dental disease in cats using veterinary clinical records.
The study investigated a sample of 18,249 cats randomly selected from a study population of 1,255,130 cats in the UK in 2019.
Periodontal disease was recorded in 15.2% of the sample making it the most common disorder.
The cat breeds with the highest annual levels of this diagnosis were Siamese (18.7%), Maine Coon (16.7%) and British Short Hair (15.5%) as well as crossbreeds (15.4%).
The average bodyweight of cats with periodontal disease (5.7kg) was higher than for cats without periodontal disease (5.5kg).
The risk of periodontal disease rose steeply as cats got older, with cats aged 9 to 12 years being 6.7 times more likely to have periodontal disease compared with cats aged under 3 years.
Cats with periodontal disease were much more likely to have a range of other health conditions compared to cats without periodontal disease (x 1.8 risk).
These conditions included cardiac dysrhythmia (x 2.3 risk), ear discharge (x 2.3 risk) and hairball/furball (x 2.3 risk).
The researchers say that these findings suggest that periodontal disease should be acknowledged as a leading health and welfare issue in cats, and highlight the need for greater dental care in cats as they age.
The study was supported by an award from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and Agria Pet Insurance.
Michale Garvey (pictured) has the official title of National Property Coordinator and he will work with local surveyors to ensure that landlords have realistic expectations supported by evidence at rent reviews and lease renewals.
VLA Treasurer Nicky Paull said: "This should help speed up what are sometimes protracted and expensive negotiations to the mutual benefit of corporate tenant and landlord alike.”
Michael is a Chartered Surveyor who has worked in the commercial property sector for 35 years.
He is the Managing Director of Chandler Garvey, a Fellow of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, as well as being an RICS Registered Valuer.
He has specialised in rent reviews and lease renewals all of his career and has been a member of the RICS Arbitrators Panel for more than 10 years.
Michael also has extensive experience of the veterinary sector, having represented owners relating to disputed rent reviews, as well as acquisitions and lettings on different types of premises.
He said: “I am delighted to have been appointed by the VLA as the National Property Coordinator, with the intention of allowing the owners of veterinary premises, to have a better understanding of the rent review and lease renewal processes and in doing so even the playing field so that better outcomes are achieved.
Richard Hillman one of the VLA’s founders said: “Negotiating with large corporate groups can sometimes feel like trying to run through treacle for small landlords.
"Having an acknowledged expert on our team should help the VLA to give much needed support to our members.”
Further information about the VLA can be obtained from Richard Stephenson vicechair@vla.org.uk
https://vla.org.uk
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and British Small Animal Veterinary Association have issued a joint statement concerning the postgraduate qualifications CertAVP, PGCertSAM and PGCertSAS.
The statement follows the introduction earlier this year of the BSAVA's Postgraduate Certificates in Medicine and Surgery.
Dr Frances Barr, BSAVA's Director of Education (pictured right) said: "There has been a natural interest in how the BSAVA PGCertSAM and PGCertSAS compare with the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP). Detailed discussions over the last few months between BSAVA and the RCVS have resulted in agreement that the two qualifications are academically equivalent, as outlined in a formal position statement. Individuals can therefore choose to study for the qualification which suits them best."
For thirty years, veterinary postgraduate qualifications at certificate level have been available within the UK; until recently, these were organised through and awarded by the RCVS. In recent years the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice has been introduced, with assessment of accredited modules by a range of universities, and the final award made by the RCVS. With the development of the BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate programmes, questions have naturally arisen regarding the equivalence of these two programmes, and whether a stated requirement for 'a certificate' for a particular purpose refers to the general level of postgraduate qualification or to one particular qualification. It is natural that prospective candidates and employers should ask such questions when considering options for postgraduate study.
The joint position statement by the RCVS and the BSAVA:Representatives from the RCVS CertAVP subcommittee and BSAVA have therefore discussed the RCVS and BSAVA certificate programmes in detail. The statement here is intended to set out agreed principles which might be needed to allow resolution of any future questions about equivalence or accreditation.
The 'middle tier' postulated in the current RCVS Consultation on Specialisation, and the proposed 'acknowledged veterinarian' status under consideration in Europe, are not currently sufficiently defined to allow a position to be agreed.
The Education team will be talking to delegates about applying for 2013 places for the Postgraduate Certificates, its webinars and the new VN Merit Awards on the BSAVA Balcony at Congress from 11th-15th April.
330 people who took part in the survey were presented with a list of management and leadership skills. Those of the respondents who are leaders were asked to rate their confidence in applying the skills, whilst those in non-management positions were asked to rate their line manager's skills. Both sets of respondents were also asked to place the skills in priority order.
The management skills were: Setting clear tasks and objectives. Providing clear roles and responsibilities. Communicating clearly and effectively. Monitoring and evaluating. Planning and organising. Effectively managing difficult situations.
The leadership skills were: Providing rationale and explaining why. Regularly providing and seeking feedback. Building trust. Providing guidance and training. Creating development plans and opportunities.
Interestingly, the survey found a close correlation between how the leaders and the employees prioritise these things, with management skills being perceived as more important overall than leadership skills.
Communicating clearly and effectively was deemed the most important skill of all (ranked 9 out of 10 by both groups). Meanwhile, creating development plans and opportunities for others was prioritised the least (ranked 3.7/10).
But hang on a moment. If both the managers and the employees agree that creating development plans and opportunities is the least important thing, then surely it is? In other words, if employees say that creating development plans is unimportant, then surely it is unimportant, and if leaders think the same, they would appear to be right.
Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps employees don't know what's good for them, and leaders don't know what employees don't know what is good for them. If you take my point.
Veterinary leaders were then asked to rate their confidence in applying the listed leadership and management skills. The skills which elicited the largest number of 'not confident' responses were: monitoring and evaluating performance, regularly providing and seeking feedback, and creating development plans and opportunities for others.
The skills with which leaders were most confident were: communicating clearly and effectively, building trust, and providing rationale and explaining why.
Again, there was a close correlation between prioritisation of these skills and confidence levels.
VMG Vice President Richard Casey said: “The survey has helped us to identify priorities for learning and development both at our 2020 Congress and during our joint CPD programme next year. It is striking that the very skills required to motivate colleagues to remain in veterinary medicine and to support them in doing so are the ones which so many veterinary leaders admit that they lack confidence. Given the challenges the profession faces, it is also concerning that they appear to be undervalued both by veterinary leaders and the team members who report to them.
"Delegates to SPVS-VMG Congress and our other 2020 CPD events will benefit from a wealth of evidence-based lectures from experts on all aspects of veterinary leadership and management, enabling them to improve their own performance and contribute to an overall raising of standards of leadership and management across the veterinary sector."
Peter Brown, Senior Vice-President of SPVS, said: "We know that veterinary students receive an excellent clinical training and, in recent years, universities have started to include more non-clinical skills on the curriculum. However, these results suggest that when professionals move into more senior roles, be it leading a team or running their own practice, they find they still need to acquire new skills. SPVS’ role has always been to equip veterinary professionals to be effective leaders and SPVS-VMG congress is an excellent opportunity to both hear inspiring speakers and meet and learn from fellow leaders within the profession."
The VMG-SPVS 2020 joint Congress takes place from 23-25 January at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, and will feature dedicated streams on effective leadership, management mastery, practice profitability, preparing for a digital future and sustainability in practice.
Details on the VMG-SPVS 2020 CPD Programme can be found here: https://spvs-vmg-events.co.uk/cpd-events/
Membership of the Dechra Academy is free and gives access to content from key opinion leaders examining topics such as diagnosis and treatment, monitoring and best practice.
The Academy covers subjects like anaesthesia, analgesia, endocrinology, dermatology and fluid therapy relating to exotics, equines, companion animals and food-producing animals.
The Academy includes webinars, eLearning, eBooks and videos, all of which provide CPD credits with downloadable certificates.
Dechra is currently running a new series of webinars through the Academy about how to successfully manage cases with the constraints of the coronavirus outbreak as part of its enhanced support for veterinary professionals.
Roddy Webster, Country Manager for the UK and ROI, said: "The Dechra Academy offers a vast range of valuable training support materials developed and led by our technical veterinary advisors and industry key opinion leaders. The platform reinforces our commitment to supporting the veterinary profession in the development of veterinary skills and knowledge.
“The refreshed Academy is more intuitive and flexible to use with improved functionality and navigation that makes it easier to access training as and when it suits the user.
“A community of more than 30,000 veterinary professionals are already benefiting from the learning opportunities available through the Academy and we would encourage anyone looking for exceptional and free CPD support to sign up now.”
To register for free access to the Dechra Academy, visit: www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
In the study, which was supported by MSD and led by Rosie Lyle of Bishopton Veterinary Group, 18 farmers placed temperature loggers in the fridge where they normally store vaccines. Temperatures were then monitored between February and April. Throughout this period, 89% of loggers recorded a temperature outside the 2–8°C range at least once, and 43% recorded temperatures outside this range more than 50% of the time.
The authors say that these findings raise potential concerns about vaccine efficacy.
Rosie found that 55% of the loggers recorded a temperature over 8°C, and 39% recorded a temperature below 2°C.
Across all the fridges monitored, the maximum temperature recorded was 12°C and the minimum was -11.5°C.
Rosie said: "This is a surprisingly wide range. Obviously, these findings are concerning for farmers as we know that both too high and too low temperatures can impair vaccine efficacy.
"Live vaccines tend to be particularly sensitive to elevated temperatures, whereas inactivated vaccines are more affected by freezing, especially when the adjuvant contains aluminium salts".
"It’s important for both farmers and vets to be aware of potential concerns about vaccine efficacy, given the possible impact on herd health and the potential for vaccine failure to reduce trust in vaccines and herd health recommendations".
In light of Rosie’s findings, other XLVets practices are now encouraging farmers to take action to improve medicine storage, including using max/min thermometers or temperature loggers to track fridge temperature, as well as taking steps to maximise the efficiency of each fridge.
Susan Goodfellow, Marketing Manager at XLVets, said: "We wouldn’t have known that this is an important issue to highlight to farmers without collecting the information, so Rosie’s study was very valuable.
"In the XLVets community, we support clinical leadership with these kind of projects – we actively collect data and make sure that farmers can benefit from the latest findings. As a group of independent practices working together, we can achieve much more than we could in isolation."
The materials available include a scour management guide for farmers and a more detailed version for vets. They encourage a focus on three main areas for improved, sustained disease control: maximising calf immunity; identifying any causal agents and how to effectively manage an outbreak of calf scour on farm.
MSD Animal Health veterinary adviser Dr Kat Baxter-Smith (pictured right) said: "Even with good disease prevention protocols in place, calf scour outbreaks can still occur. But when they do, remedial action should focus on these three key areas to resolve the outbreak as quickly as possible and reduce the chances of another costly event happening in the future.
The company highlights a 202 survey of more than 300 farms, which found that over 80% of UK calf rearing units had seen a case of scour in the previous 12 months; with 50% of farms admitting to experiencing calf deaths due to the disease1. Costs are estimated at £57.94 per case but this does not include the longer-term impacts of the disease on future calf productivity.2,3
References
An environmental photojournalist, Mr Gekoski has won various well-known wildlife photography awards and is regularly featured in the press, most recently for his book Animosity: Human - Animal Conflict in the 21st Century.
Aaron will join BVA President James Russell, Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) Senior Vice President Izzie Arthur and two other judges nominated by the competition sponsor iM3 Veterinary Dentistry. The BVA photography competition has already had over 200 entries for this year's award since it launched in January. Split into three categories, entrants are asked to focus on images that capture the human-animal bond in day-to-day veterinary work, as well as photos of pets or wildlife taken outside of the working environment.
Submissions for each category can be taken on a phone or a high-spec camera, and should take into account responsible animal interaction and positive animal health and welfare.
The three categories are:
Aaron said: “It's a huge honour to be a judge for the BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year Award, the most prestigious photographic competition for the veterinary profession. The competition helps shine a light on the invaluable and relentless work carried out by vets around the world; work that may otherwise go unnoticed. I look forward to bringing my experience as an environmental photojournalist to the judging process."
The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year Award 2021 closes at 11.59 GMT on 8th March 2021. Winners will be announced in April. They will receive a £250 John Lewis voucher and their pictures exhibited by BVA.
Find out more and submit your entries at www.bva.co.uk/photo-comp
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has released the results of a survey carried out earlier this year which has found that there may be up to 5 times as many veterinary graduates wanting to work in equine practice as there are jobs available.
The survey was carried out amongst the 2,500 vets and vet students who are members of BEVA to help ascertain manpower requirements of equine practices in the UK.
Of the 819 new veterinary graduates in the UK in 2012, BEVA says it estimates conservatively that between 10-15% intend to work in equine practice. Meanwhile, the extrapolated results of the survey suggest that in 2012 there was less than 1% growth in full time equine vet positions and as few as 24 new permanent jobs available in the UK.
BEVA says that in line with the survey's suggestion of restricted opportunities, some of its members are also finding that internships, commonly the domain of new graduates to gain paid, supervised experience in practice, are now often taken by vets with some post-graduate experience. Furthermore, unpaid externships, which traditionally gave vet students valuable work experience, appear to be being filled by unemployed veterinary graduates wanting to gain experience in order to improve their chances of securing a job in equine practice.
Tim Mair, a partner at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic in Kent said: "Earlier this year we had more than 80 applications for just one internship. Several years ago we would expect 50 or so applications for an advertised intern post but now, without advertising at all, we are constantly receiving applications, not just from new graduates but also from those who have been qualified for a year or more."
Charlie Schreiber, a partner at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery in Berkshire, said: "We take on an average of two externs a month and over the past four years have had more than 350 applicants but their calibre is noticeably changing. We used to hear primarily from students but now it tends to be recent graduates or those who have already done a job in mixed practice and are keen to move into equine but can't find an internship."
Andrew Harrison, a partner at Three Counties Equine Hospital in Gloucestershire, said: "In addition to the numerous applications we received for our recently advertised internship position, we are inundated with unsolicited enquiries about job opportunities from recent veterinary graduates from across the globe. Our most recent advertisement for an equine veterinary nurse has attracted interest from a handful of recently qualified vets desperate to find work. This employment problem is not confined to internships; some of our recent interns have found it very difficult, if not impossible to find a job in horse practice, once they've completed their internship."
Amanda Piggot, a recent graduate, has first hand experience of the challenge of finding a suitable placement. She said: "I have always wanted to work in equine practice and my approach has been very strategic. It took me five months to find my current position at Kessock Equine Vets in Inverness, which necessitated moving 500 miles further north than I ideally wanted. For my next position I applied to Liphook twice and had no luck but I have now been accepted by Rossdales for a two year internship."
According to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) the problem isn't confined to equine practice. The Association's President Peter Jones said: "The findings of the BEVA survey make sober reading and reflect the growing concerns in the wider veterinary profession about opportunities for new graduates in all types of veterinary practice.
"The issue has recently been brought into sharp focus by the announcement of a new veterinary school opening at the University of Surrey in 2014, with many BVA and BEVA members worried about an oversupply of veterinary graduates into an already competitive market. We are expecting the results of the RCVS survey of recent graduates shortly and, alongside the findings of the BEVA survey, they will provide an evidence-base to build on as we continue to assess the UK veterinary manpower implications of potential new veterinary schools in the future."
BEVA is keen to help both potential employees and employers tackle the situation as constructively as possible. BEVA President Keith Chandler said: "BEVA is proud that equine practice is attractive to so many younger members of the profession and it can provide a rewarding and fulfilling career. However we urge all stakeholders to ensure that current and prospective veterinary students are fully aware of the very limited opportunities in equine practice. Most of all we urge the students themselves to consider carefully their career path and prospects before making their final decisions."
Next month the RCVS will be releasing details of a survey of vets who have graduated within the past five years and how easy they have found it to find a job that meets their needs.
The Kennel Club has announced the results of some research which shows that children's pester power was behind the decision to buy a dog for one in four households1.
One in ten said their children chose the breed or crossbreed that they ended up buying. One in ten also said they buy dogs as presents, something which the Kennel Club highlights as a concern in the run up to Christmas.
The Kennel Club's Discover Dogs survey, which has been conducted to highlight the event of the same name which takes place at Earls Court on 9th and 10th November, has also revealed that too many people are buying a dog without realising that there are great differences between the care needs of the different breeds and crossbreeds. One in ten admitted that they did no research about their chosen breed but bought their puppy because of the way that it looked. A further 40% said that they chose their puppy because they liked the way that the breed looked overall.
According to Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisations, 'wrong breed' and 'can't cope' account for 15% of the dogs that need to be rehomed, a situation that could be easily avoided with the right research2. Only 17% of people in the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs survey say that their choice of dog was influenced by whether it would suit their lifestyle.
To try and address this issue, the Kennel Club has launched a Discover Dogs homework pack for children, to help them to do vital research about dog ownership.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "Children have a major influence on their parents' decision to buy a dog in the first place, and then over which type of dog they buy. In the lead up to Christmas we want families to be thinking carefully about whether a dog is right for them, and if so which breed would suit their lifestyle, rather than buying on a whim, and this is what the Discover Dogs event is all about.
"We have released the Discover Dogs homework packs to help children get all of the information that they and their parents need to make the right choice about their lifelong companion. This ranges from the type of dog they buy, where they buy it from, and what that dog will need throughout its life."
Children under 12 years old go free to the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs event, where they will be entertained in the Young Kennel Club Kids' Zone with fun dog displays, face painting, treasure hunts and much more.
The Young Kennel Club is open to children aged 6-24 years old and it helps young dog lovers to learn new skills, understand more about dogs, to build confidence and to make new friends. The homework pack can be found at www.discoverdogs.org.uk/buyingadog.
The association says the new Recognised Internships significantly enhance its existing programme which just listed available internships in equine practice.
Over the past year BEVA has worked with veterinary practices across the UK to develop a set of core skills that should be covered during an internship.
These standards sit alongside BEVA's existing Employment Toolkit which outlines what a new graduate should be considering when applying for a job (such as working hours, pay, CPD allowance).
Roger Smith, BEVA Junior Vice President said: “The new programme gives practices constructive guidance to provide a positive and inspirational introduction to a career as an equine vet, rather than the perhaps rushed and unintentionally unstructured, labour focused junior positions that have been experienced in times past.”
BEVA Chief Executive David Mountford said: “We are delighted that nearly 40 equine veterinary practices have already signed up to our Recognised Internships initiative.
"It is such a positive sign that as a profession we are all committed to ensuring we can offer the best start to those entering the profession.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/internships
Practices interested in joining the scheme should contact Fiona Cunnington - fiona@beva.org.uk
The service will be run by Dr Eloise Quince BVetMed CertAVP(SAM-F) PgCertVPS MANZCVS MRCVS and Dr Kate Allgood BVetMed CertAVP(SAM) MRCVS.
The practice says radioactive iodine therapy is the treatment of choice for hyperthyroid cats as it provides a permanent cure in up to 95% of cases.
It is administered by an iodine injection under the skin in a specialised unit by a trained vet and nurse.
The practice says a benefit of RI is that it treats ‘ectopic tissue’ that may be present outside of the thyroid gland, for example in the chest, which is not treated by surgical methods of thyroid removal.
Normal thyroid tissue is also spared, so that there is normal thyroid function post-treatment.
Though some blood tests need to be taken post-treatment, there is no need for ongoing blood samples and the monitoring of the thyroid function once successful treatment has occurred.
Elissa Norman, Clinical Director, who initially developed the idea for the iodine unit said: “The iodine unit first started as a scribble on a piece of paper and a dream of our team back in 2017 and it has taken a huge amount of dedication and effort from a large team of people to get to the point of opening in 2023.
"Radioactive iodine offers a lifetime cure for our hyperthyroid cats and we are delighted to be able to bring this service to the cats of East Anglia.”
To refer a cat patient, vets should email iodine@veterinary-hospital.co.uk.
The session will provide a practical guide to dealing with various emergencies that may present to vets and nurses across multiple disciplines.
The full schedule includes:
Arlene Connor, Interim Hospital Director at Hamilton Specialist Referrals, said: “Being presented with an emergency patient can be an intense and high-pressure situation, and it’s one that all vet professionals should do their best to prepare for so they are comfortable making decisions under pressure.
"We have a brilliant team here at Hamilton Specialist Referrals, all of whom are well equipped and very experienced when it comes to dealing with emergencies and this is an unrivalled opportunity to learn from them.”
Tickets cost £80+vat, including lunch and refreshments
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-emergency-patient-tickets-861637851007
www.hamiltonspecialists.vet
Starting in 2022 ‘The context, consequence and prevention of veterinary workplace injuries: a qualitative and quantitative study in the UK’ study aims to explore the context, consequences and behaviours surrounding veterinary workplace injuries - to improve the safety of the profession.
The first phase of the research was a cross-sectional survey of 740 broadly representative veterinary professionals.
Initial analysis, published in Occupational Medicine1, explored how injuries and their context are perceived by veterinary profession.
Themes identified during this phase of analysis were:
CVS says the veterinary industry should take note of the discrepancy of perception of what constitutes work-related injury in its practices and reporting protocols.
Practices may need an individualised approach to minimise their workplace injuries: some may need to work on revisiting their ideas around acceptable risk, whilst others may be good at minimising work-related harm, but have a complex or blame-associated reporting system which needs to be simplified.
Dr. John Tulloch, Lecturer and European Specialist in Veterinary Public Health, at the University of Liverpool who is leading the research, said: “Injuries that occur within veterinary practice can tragically at times be life-changing and are often avoidable.
"The objectives of this study are to understand how veterinary professionals define injuries and to understand what injuries they do or do not deem reportable.
"The results of this stage of the research have been both startling and complex.
"They highlight a profession in drastic need of cultural change and personal attitudes, with respect to injury prevention and mitigation.”
Dr. Imogen Schofield, Director of Clinical Research at CVS, said: “Using these findings, we will be able to develop and strengthen injury prevention measures through safety policy, education, and training.
"We anticipate that this project will result in safer workplaces within the wider veterinary community and, indirectly, in improved animal treatment through a fitter, healthier and safer profession.”
CVS says the research will lead to the development of open access educational tools aimed at promoting injury awareness and prevention.
The tools will focus on understanding why reporting injuries is important, how to develop a culture of accountability without blame, and when to seek medical attention and take time off work.
They will also investigate how to encourage clients to be safety ambassadors, and how to empower colleagues in challenging situations regarding restraint, aggressive patients and equine safety.
In addition, they will look at improving cat handling via International Society of Feline Medicine training and Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation, facilitating a rise in usage of hard hats in equine, and raising awareness of the risks associated with sharps plus sharp bin provision.
Reference:
Fort Dodge has announced that a challenge study has demonstrated the ability of Duvaxyn® IE-T Plus equine influenza vaccine to cross protect against A/equi-2/Sydney/07 (H3N8) two weeks after a two dose primary course. This strain was responsible for the financially devastating equine influenza outbreak in Australia in August 2007.
Duvaxyn IE-T Plus is an inactivated whole virus equine influenza vaccine, adjuvanted with an aqueous-based adjuvant. According to Fort Dodge, experts at a recent WHO meeting on human vaccines expressed the view that whole virus vaccines have the potential to induce a stronger and more broadly based response to circulating influenza strains than those contained in sub-unit vaccines because of the presence of the full set of virus proteins in the vaccine*.
The study, conducted by the Animal Health Trust, involved two groups of EIV seronegative horses. The first group, consisting of seven vaccinates, were given two dose of Duvaxyn IE-T Plus, 28 days apart, and challenged with A/equi-2/Sydney/07 (H3N8) virus strain 14 days after the second vaccination. The second group of unvaccinated horses was challenged at the same time. Duvaxyn IE-T Plus caused a statistically significant reduction in both clinical signs of the disease and in viral shedding.
Helen Barnes, EMEA Equine Business Manager for Fort Dodge, said: "The results of this challenge study provide reassurance for owners that horses vaccinated with Duvaxyn will be protected against circulating strains of equine influenza, including the Sydney strain which proved so damaging.
"As the benefits offered by whole virus technology are increasingly recognised, the popularity of vaccines based on this technology is re-emerging, particularly to combat a potential pandemic.
"The entire Duvaxyn range of equine vaccines, including the recently licensed Duvaxyn WNV for West Nile Virus, are based on the whole virus approach as we believe it offers a broad and consistent level of protection."
Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, has teamed up with leading cardiac rehabilitation experts at Harefield Hospital to help patients in their final phase of coronary recovery.
The recovery programme, Hounds Help Hearts, is, according to the charity, a UK first and encourages post coronary patients to walk dogs as part of their recovery.
The Cardiac Rehabilitation team at Harefield Hospital aims to improve the physical, social and psychological well being of people after a heart attack or similar cardiac event. Among the recommendations for an ongoing healthy lifestyle, patients are being introduced to Dogs Trust Harefield where they can help staff, canine residents and themselves by walking some of the 150 dogs in their care. The charity hopes that heart hospitals UK wide will follow suit.
Hounds Help Hearts is part of a wider initiative to promote The Dog Prescription - a research document that highlights the ways dogs can improve human health. Dogs Trust is urging GPs all over the UK to prescribe a daily dose of dog with The Dog Prescription after research highlights the health benefits of dog ownership for both children and adults.
Lynda Evans, senior nurse /modern matron at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for patients recovering from a cardiac event and what better way to do it than alongside a grateful canine companion. We have been running the 'Care For Your Heart' Rehabilitation Programme for more than 20 years and as a leading specialist heart and lung hospital we are always looking for new ways to help patients to enjoy the best possible quality of life when they return home. We are delighted to be working with Dogs Trust on this initiative and partnering patients with dogs to help them reach their full potential through interaction and physical exercise."
The Dog Prescription highlights the mental and physical benefits of dog ownership and interaction and names dog ownership as an aid to the recovery of post coronary patients
Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust CEO said: "We undertook this research as we were aware of the health benefits of dog ownership but wanted to fully evaluate its potential. Amongst its ten points (which are not exhaustive), the prescription details health benefits including the fact that dogs can aid the recovery of post coronary patients. We want to spread the word about the health benefits of dogs and we hope that GPs and hospitals will start to encourage patients to engage with dogs for a healthier and happier lifestyle"
You can read the full research here.
Voting for this year’s election will take place from 15th March until 5pm on Friday 23 April 2021 and the 14 candidates are:
This year, four candidates will be elected to serve a four-year term.
For the first time, the RCVS Council election will be carried out completely online.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the election, said: “Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the issues that it has caused regarding disruption to the postal service, the RCVS has gained permission from the Privy Council to temporarily amend our Election Scheme, a document that governs how we run our elections, to allow voting to take place entirely online this year. This means that physical ballot papers will not be distributed to veterinary surgeons eligible to vote this year.
“The small number of veterinary surgeons for whom we do not hold an email address will receive a letter with instructions on how to vote online, in addition to their security code to allow them access to their unique voting website. If they need further help there will also be the opportunity for them to call Civica Election Services, which runs the election on our behalf, who will assist them with casting their vote.”
Ahead of the start of the election, the RCVS is also inviting members of the profession to submit one question each for the candidates. The candidates will then be asked to record a short video of themselves answering two of the questions of their choice which will be published when the election starts.
Questions can be submitted by emailing vetvote21@rcvs.org.uk or via the RCVS Twitter account (@theRCVS) using the hashtag #vetvote21.
The full candidate biographies and manifestoes have already been published on the RCVS website and are available to view at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote21
Members of the profession have until Wednesday 24 February 2021 to submit their question.
Belfast-based Des Thompson MRCVS was presented with the first ever RCVS Queen's Medal by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace this afternoon.
Des, pictured right showing off the new medal with his wife Rosalie, received two separate nominations for the medal, both citing his decades of active involvement in veterinary politics which includes being president of the RCVS, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) and the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association, among other organisations.
Also cited was his willingness to help other members of the profession, particularly young vets at the beginning of their careers, through his involvement with organisations such as the Young Vet Network in Northern Ireland and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.
The Queen's Medal was launched in 2013, with the approval of Her Majesty as Patron of the RCVS, and is now the highest award that can be bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon in recognition of a particularly outstanding contribution to the profession. In receiving the medal, Des was joined by Professor Stuart Reid, current RCVS President, Colonel Neil Smith, immediate past President, and Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar.
Des said: "It was a complete honour and a wonderful experience to be received by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace today, and I'm thrilled to have been awarded the RCVS Queen's Medal. Her Majesty was interested to hear about Northern Ireland, and the fact that I've been practising there since I qualified."
Until the arrival of Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), radiographs were the only feasible option. More recently, the availability of bigger, wider and more adaptable scanners has allowed horses to be examined in a standing position, significantly improving diagnostic and treatment strategies and avoiding the need for general anaesthetic.
Against this background the collection considers the advantages of cutting-edge modalities and draws comparisons with more readily available tools such as radiography.
Given the increase in use of CT in horses and the contamination hazards faced particularly by horse handlers, two practical articles in the collection describe the role of equine head CT, how to set up standing equine CT and the radiation exposure risks.1,2
The most revolutionary recent advance in diagnostic imaging for dental disease in horses is CT. However, a study of horses with diseased mandibular cheek teeth found that while CT is useful to identify defects in the bone and tooth it is far less useful for the identification of inflammation and tissue destruction which is far better served by MRI.3
The structure of the equine head is complex and subject to great variation so several articles focus on practical anatomy and interpretation of radiographs of this region.4.5 Advanced diagnostic techniques are helping with clinical and surgical approaches to problems with the equine head. The sphenopalatine sinus is challenging to assess radiographically because of its tricky position but CT can help overcome this obstacle. One of the studies describes how CT can help unravel the pathology of various equine sinonasal tumours. Other articles cover less common pathological conditions including the historical, clinical, diagnostic imaging findings and outcomes of five horses with pneumocephalus. 6,7,8
Practitioners recognise MRI as the gold standard for neurologic imaging because of the excellent soft tissue detail but the size of horses and the size of scanners makes it a challenge to use. An additional constraint is the longer acquisition time compared to CT. Notwithstanding these limitations three studies in the collection display the various benefits of using MRI for the spine and neck, including the evaluation of 84 equine head disorders, the diagnosis of cervical stenotic myelopathy, and the assessment of two foals with closed head trauma.9,10,11,12
Despite the significant advances in imaging, the horse’s back is still defying conventional systems, primarily because of its size, concludes a spinal evaluation article. New technologies such as robotic fluoroscopy and cone-beam CT, may provide a cross-sectional method to evaluate the equine spine, but for now radiographs are still better to help evaluate findings of spinous process impingement seen on scintigraphy. The take home message here is that the wide variety of abnormalities seen on scintigraphy and radiography in horses with and without back pain makes a diagnosis more likely to be achieved by physical examination rather than the imaging findings.13
Anthony Pease, associate editor of the EVJ said: "Advanced imaging is still in its infancy with sequences still being developed to help optimise the time and detail needed for diagnosing complex musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders. Continued research in a controlled environment and comparing to histopathology will allow clinicians to further their knowledge and understanding of the CT and MRI findings in the equine patients."
Davies Veterinary Specialists, the small animal referral hospital based at Higham Gobion in Hertfordshire, has reported treating four cases of serious lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) infection over the past couple of months, all within around 30 miles of each other.
The practice says it usually sees only two or three lungworm cases a year, at most. It is thought that the increase in cases could be the result of a lack of knowledge amongst some owners about the right wormers to use, as well as the fact that lungworm appears to be getting a stronger foothold in some areas, possibly due to factors such as climate change.
One of the cases referred to DVS was a Cocker Spaniel called Honey belonging to Irené O'Hanlon-Marin from Beaconsfield. Vets initially believed the dog's symptoms of neck pain, breathlessness, shaking and lethargy to be the result of a recent head injury. Serious alarm was raised when Honey appeared to suffer a fit three weeks later, became unable to walk and lost her vision in one eye. She was immediately referred to DVS as an emergency.
Peter Smith, Neurology Specialist at DVS, said: "Honey was in a pretty serious condition when admitted here and would, I suspect, have died if she'd been left another few hours. She's now back home and much improved, and appears to be regaining her sight."
Irené O'Hanlon-Marin said: "It scares me to think how little I knew about lungworm and the fact that I need to use a specific wormer for it. We have been so lucky with Honey but I am determined to help prevent other dogs going through what she suffered so we all need to help spread the word about the dangers of this parasite."
The other three cases referred to DVS were from High Wycombe, Pinner and St Albans. The practice reports that all patients have recovered well.
The RCVS has published new guidance for veterinary surgeons on 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief, providing greater definition of the professional and legal responsibilities of veterinary surgeons in the provision of emergency care, as well as owners' responsibilities for their animals.
Two sections of the supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct have been updated - Chapter 2 'Veterinary care' and Chapter 3 '24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief' - placing a greater emphasis on owners' legal responsibilities for their animals while obligating veterinary surgeons to provide full details of their 24-hour emergency cover provision to clients.
Although veterinary surgeons are professionally obliged to take steps to provide 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief, the new supporting guidance clarifies situations where delaying or declining attendance to an animal may be appropriate. It is hoped this will assist and empower vets to decline to attend an animal away from practice where they feel it is unnecessary or unsafe.
The changes are the culmination of an evidence-gathering process with both members of the profession and animal owners about each group's expectations around the provision of 24-hour emergency care.
This process began with a call for evidence at the end of 2013, which garnered some 656 pages of written evidence, as well as a petition on home visits with over 2,800 signatures. Following this, in March 2014 there was a three-day hearing in which 15 organisations and 10 individuals were invited to attend to give evidence to the RCVS Standards Committee. Also taken into account were more than 1,000 responses from veterinary surgeons taking part in the Survey of the Professions and an online survey with 1,250 animal owners.
After a thorough review of the evidence the Standards Committee developed the new supporting guidance, which was agreed in principle by RCVS Council in its June meeting.
Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "Following the considerable disquiet within the profession following the Disciplinary Committee's decision on the Chikosi hearing in June 2013, we decided that only a thorough evidence-gathering process with all parties could resolve the apparent gap between the expectation of the public regarding 24-hour emergency care and the profession's ability to meet this.
"We are very happy with the way that this process was carried out and would like to thank the many individual veterinary surgeons and animal owners, as well as representative organisations, who have contributed to this outcome.
"By making the legal and professional obligations of veterinary surgeons and the welfare obligations of animal owners clearer we hope that this new guidance should allay some of the frustrations and concerns of the profession."
The new supporting guidance for Chapter 3 '24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief' can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/247care, while the additional guidance for Chapter 2 'Veterinary care' can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetcare
A webinar in which Gordon Hockey and Clare Tapsfield-Wright, former Chairman of Standards Committee, explain the guidance in greater detail takes place at 8.30pm tonight.
Visit www.thewebinarvet.com/rcvs to register.
Bimeda has announced the launch of Bilovet, a new tylosin-based antibiotic for cattle and pigs.Padraig Hyland, Head of Technical Veterinary Services at Bimeda said: ''It is with great pleasure that I announce the launch of our much anticipated Bilovet 200 mg/ml solution for injection for cattle and pigs as the latest addition to Bimeda's range of essential antibiotics.
Bilovet contains Tylosin 200 mg/ml and is the second Tylosin-based injectable antibiotic to be licensed for cattle - including dairy cattle - in the UK. Bilovet is licensed in cattle for the treatment of respiratory infections, metritis, mastitis, interdigital necrobacillosis and calf diphtheria as well as a range of pig infections, including enzootic pneumonia, haemorrhagic enteritis, erysipelas, arthritis and metritis".
Bimeda's Head of Bimeda R+D, Xavier Molins said: "Bilovet is a completely new development for a product that includes a new species (cattle). Bimeda have made a significant investment in bringing Bilovet to market, including conducting new Environmental Risk Assessment studies according to current guidelines and regulations.''
For more information, ring 01248 725 400 or email: uksales@bimeda.com