The company says that with an estimated 3.2 million UK households welcoming a new pet into their family home during lockdown1, many experienced and new dog owners will be unaware of the risks to their dog of CCC when it socialises, hence the new risk assessment tool, which is available at: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/KBPH/contagious-canine-cough-risk-assessment.
The risk assessment campaign will be supported with 'Does your dog ...' posters for vets, information and advice for dog owners on the website and a social media campaign encouraging dog owners to spread the information to other dog owners.
Carley Chutter, Nobivac(r) Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "With so many new dog owners now socialising more, taking their dogs on holiday and even considering taking their dogs into the office, protecting their dogs as they socialise is vital.
"Currently only an estimated 1 in 3 vaccinated dogs in the UK are also covered against Bordetella2 so the 'Ask us to protect your dog' resources offers the chance for practices to start the conversation about protection with clients.
"A common barrier to vaccinating against CCC is the belief that it is only necessary for dogs going into kennels, rather than all social dogs. Most dogs meet others, however, while out walking, during training, or while attending the vets, CCC is infectious even at low levels. Indeed, dogs can be asymptomatic but infectious.
"So, improving protection levels against this disease which is distressing for both the owner and dog, is important in both reducing the risk of outbreaks and the need for antibiotic treatment."
Nobivac(r) Respira Bb injectable vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica, gives 12 months protection when used as a single-dose booster in dogs previously vaccinated with Nobivac(r) KC. Dogs not previously vaccinated against Bordetella bronchiseptica require two doses administered four weeks apart. Duration of immunity is 7 months after the primary course and 12 months after a booster with Nobivac(r) Respira Bb. It may also be given 12 months after a primary course in cases where the 7 months dose is missed.
To support the use of Nobivac(r) Respira Bb a range of tools are available to practices and further information can be found at www.nobivacrespiraBb.co.uk, or contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.
References
Speakers include Dr Ian Stroud, founder and veterinary director of Pet People, an independent small animal practice in Richmond, South West London, Jack Peploe, a veterinary IT expert and Certified Ethical Hacker, and Ciaran Milford, ezyVet’s EMEA sales manager, who has worked with every type of veterinary practice, from aspiring independents right through to established universities and corporate groups.
Lance Rice, creative director at ezyVet, who will moderate the webinar, said: “This webinar is for anyone who feels as though they’ve gone as far as they can in a senior vet or clinic director role, and thinks it might be time to follow their dream of opening their own practice.
“Our speakers are all vastly experienced and ideally positioned to explain what makes a successful launch, as well as the key mistakes and common traps that new owners fall into.
"Ian has a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved with starting a veterinary practice.
"Jack is an expert in helping practices leverage technology to save time, whilst delivering exceptional patient care and bolstering their security posture.
"Ciaran is passionate about helping practices find the right solutions for their needs and business goals."
To register, visit: https://www.ezyvet.com/webinar/starting-a-vet-practice-uk
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has also granted a marketing authorisation in exceptional circumstances (Article 25, 26 EU Reg 2019/6) for Bultavo 3 in Ireland.
The company says that so far, more than 40 million doses of Bultavo 3 have been distributed in Europe to help limit the spread of BTV-3.
Boehringer points to a recent field study published by the German reference laboratory Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), which showed that vaccination of sheep and cattle with Bultavo 3 induces immunity against the virus1.
According to the study, animals vaccinated with Bultavo 3 consistently showed evidence of a protective antibody response to BTV-3, although animals vaccinated with other BTV-3 vaccines did not1.
Boehringer says it is now compiling the data needed to obtain a full marketing authorisation in accordance with Article 8 of EU Regulation 2019/6.
Reference
Over half way through Intervet's National Vaccination Month, and according to the company, over 2100 practices are taking part.
Various statistics the company has released, which you might find interesting:
Nearly two thirds of all vet practices have seen parvovirus, in the past year, while 43% have seen leptospirosis, which is spread by rats.
62% of pet owners consider their animal to be an extremely important member of the family with over half (58%) buying them Christmas presents and over one in four (27%) taking time off work for their pet.
However, only 56% of these pets were vaccinated and around more than quarter (28%) of owners were unaware of any disease risk.
Currently, 3 million dogs, 6 million cats and 1.8 million rabbits are unvaccinated, leaving them at risk of a range of fatal diseases, many of which are untreatable.
Intervet has put together an impressive range of support materials for National Vaccination Month, including a pet-owner website: http://www.vaccinationmonth.co.uk/, a discount voucher scheme (on the website) for use in participating practices, TV advertising and a Vaccination Month Podcast primarily aimed at owners.
The story of ‘Spliff' the Staffy has clinched the title of the National Office of Animal Health nationwide search for the most striking ‘it shouldn't happen to a pet' anecdote. Submitted by Vets4Pets in Grimsby, the practice will receive a prize of £500 towards the staff Christmas party.
In a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of animal health and welfare considerations amongst pet owners and potential owners, NOAH has recently launched the new Pet Health Information website (www.pethealthinfo.org.uk) to enable them to make informed decisions about their pet's healthcare.
In Spliff's case, the website could have helped solve a number of queries. For Spliff it all started with a visit to the vet for a minor operation to cure a simple earache.
The problems started as Spliff was about to leave the practice, with a shiny new bucket collar. However, his owner explained that Spliff is a bit of a snappy dresser, and if it isn't bling, he's not interested. Despite the practice's advice, he insisted the collar was removed so he could take Spliff home to recover.
The very next day, the phone started ringing ‘Spliff's scratching his ear - we need a collar.' Far too busy to bring him round, the owner sent his girlfriend to pick it up.
Problem solved - surely? Nope. The phone continued to ring. Spliff was ‘going nuts!' Apparently the dog was unable to walk, and was getting very distressed.
Finally, after nearly 24 hours of increasingly frantic calls, Spliff's owner brought him in. He arrived insisting that the vet came out to the car, as Spliff still couldn't walk. Not a common side effect of a minor operation on the ear, so it was a worry.
All became very clear when the vet reached the car, the ear was healing up nicely, and Spliff's paralysis was easily solved. They had put his bucket collar on the wrong way round, and every time he took a step - his front feet got trapped in the collar.
Rather than collapse in a heap, Spliff, in one of the first sensible decisions of his life, chose not to move at all. Mystery duly solved, Spliff went on to make a full recovery.
Sounds like the owner should probably smoke a bit less of it.
Scans had showed that as a result of the PDA failing to close after birth, Teddy's heart had become significantly enlarged, with fluid building up on his lungs, causing dyspnoea.
The closure operation required a 1cm incision and involved passing catheters via an artery in the hind leg and then plugging the PDA. The whole procedure, including anaesthetic, took about 90 minutes to complete.
Mike Martin, RCVS Specialist Veterinary Cardiologist at Willows who led the operation, said: "Teddy was already suffering heart failure, with severe heart enlargement. His breathing was very heavy and fast due to the fluid build-up in his lungs. He was not going to survive another week without the PDA being plugged.
"We’ve gained a lot of experience over the years and we’re pushing the boundaries as best we can. We had previously operated on dogs weighing around four or five kilos, then three kilos, but Teddy, at 2.2kg, has been our smallest by some way.
"It all went according to plan and Teddy was up, running and playing happily the same afternoon. There was a slight added pressure to the procedure, in that maybe he would be too small, but we made his owners aware of the fact it may not be successful and he might need traditional surgery. He’d been prepped and was ready for that if needed.
"A lot of little dogs such as Yorkies and Chihuahuas suffer from heart problems when they are too small for cardiac catheterisation but instead have to undergo traditional surgery, so this type of interventional procedure is increasingly important."
To find out more information about Willows Referral Service, visit www.willows.uk.net.
Eilona's is one of 50 new jobs created by the company in the last 12 months alone, across a range of positions including veterinary surgeons, nurses and client care co-ordinators.
Eilona said: "White Cross Vets has an unrivalled reputation for offering exceptional pet care, as well as being recognised as a great place to work, which really appealed to me. To become the group’s 200th employee is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead."
Tim Harrison, Managing Director of White Cross Vets, said: "Welcoming 50 new team members into the White Cross family in the last 12 months is a major coup and we’re delighted to have created a 200 strong team with Eilona’s appointment. We are already planning to expand our team further over the coming months, with three new practices due to open before the end of this year, which makes it a very exciting time for us."
Grahame Gardner Ltd has announced the launch of a classically styled tunic, the M559, now stocked in bottle green for the first time.
The company says that although there have been numerous ladies tunics available in bottle green, this is the first time Grahame Gardner has stocked a male tunic in the characteristic veterinary colour.
The contemporary design of the M559 incorporates side fastening with the option of contrasting epaulettes, alongside practical pockets and side slits. According to the company, it's a tunic that looks great and performs exceptionally well in the veterinary practice. Stocked in sizes from 34" to 50" (chest), the M559 is one of several new styles introduced within Grahame Gardner's latest 124 page brochure.
To explore Grahame Gardner's collection please take a look at http://www.grahamegardner.co.uk/, or call 0116 255 6326 to order a copy of the new brochure.
The European Commission has agreed with the BSAVA and BVA that controls must be maintained to keep the UK free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, and adopted a regulation that will permit pre-movement treatment for dogs travelling to listed Member States (i.e. the UK, Ireland, Finland and Malta).
In June Defra announced that the UK's derogation from European pet travel rules, which allows additional protection for the UK against rabies, ticks and tapeworms, would end on 31 December 2011. The movement rules on rabies and ticks will now be harmonised with the rest of Europe.
However, due to the significant public health risk posed by Echinococcus multilocularis, the BVA and BSAVA (working with Defra, the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe [FVE] and colleagues in Veterinary Ireland) continued to lobby the European Commission for controls on tapeworms to be maintained.
The regulation will ensure that a dog must be treated by a veterinary surgeon 24 to 120 hours (1-5 days) before entering one of the listed countries.
The BVA and BSAVA say they made a scientific case for a treatment window of 24-48 hours, but accept that the Commission had to find a compromise that would assist pet owners travelling during national holidays.
Harvey Locke, President of the BVA said: "This has been a long process but the BVA and BSAVA put forward the strong scientific case for the UK to maintain tapeworm controls and we are delighted that the European Commission has adopted this resolution.
"In our role as guardians of public health, vets were deeply concerned that the removal of tapeworm controls would see the introduction of EM to the UK and Ireland.
"Although relatively benign in dogs, the resulting disease in humans - alveolar echinococcosis - is an invasive, cancer-like cystic stage of the parasite, and is invariably fatal if not treated.
"The next stage of our lobbying will be to ensure that Member States and MEPs from across Europe support the UK's case for the additional controls."
Andrew Ash, President of BSAVA said: "Echinococcus multilocularis is a significant public health threat and we have worked hard to ensure the European Commission understands the potential impact of allowing this zoonotic disease to enter our country.
"The BVA and BSAVA will continue to promote the best possible health and welfare advice for pet owners taking their animals abroad. Our advice to owners is to speak to a vet as early as possible to make sure pets are protected from all diseases and parasites encountered abroad."
The government has confirmed that tests carried out on a poultry farm in Dunfirmline have indicated the presence of a notifiable strain of avian influenza.
At this stage, officials say that the clinical picture indicates that this is a low pathogenic strain which poses little risk to human health.
All birds at the premises - 40,000 according to the Daily Mail - will be humanely culled, and a 1km Temporary Control Zone has been put in place to prevent the movement of birds, carcasses and eggs.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "This suspected outbreak is further evidence of the vital surveillance role played by frontline vets in protecting animal and, by extension, human health. We commend the veterinary surgeon involved in detecting the outbreak in Fife, which has enabled a swift and effective response by the Scottish Government and all other organisations involved.
"We urge poultry keepers and vets working in the area to remain vigilant and to report any concerns to their local Animal Plant & Health Agency (APHA) office. We would like to emphasise that there is no food safety risk to the public."
Photo: RonaldDuncan at en.wikipedia
Clare (pictured) who is currently the General Dental Council’s Interim Executive Director for Legal and Governance, will be joining the RCVS as its most senior legal officer at the end of March 2025.
A qualified solicitor, Clare started her practice as a Solicitor Advocate in criminal law, before undertaking roles in regulatory bodies in the healthcare and financial sector.
She joined the General Dental Council in March 2023 and has been in her current role there since March last year.
When she joins the College, Clare will have a dual role.
As Registrar she will be responsible for keeping, maintaining and publishing Registers of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, including oversight of the various mechanisms via which veterinary professionals can join the Register, what they need to do to stay on the Registers, how they may leave or be removed and registration appeals.
As Director of Legal Services, she'll provide leadership and guidance on legal matters within the organisation, including guiding RCVS Council through the development of oral and written legal advice, as well as sitting on committees and working groups in order to ensure the College’s activity is within its legal remit and represents best practice.
RCVS Chief Executive Officer Lizzie Lockett said: “I am sure the RCVS, the professions and the public will benefit from her very relevant experience from senior roles within the General Dental Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Financial Conduct Authority, as well as her private sector legal experience.
“She joins the College at a time of change, with our continued push for new veterinary legislation, the ongoing Competition and Markets Authority investigation of the sector, and a new strategic plan for the College due to be approved this spring.
“The Registrar is the senior legal figure within the organisation, and I am looking forward to Clare contributing her legal expertise on these significant areas of work.
"She joins our very capable legal team, who I am sure will benefit from her leadership, as she will benefit from their sector expertise.”
Clare said: “I am delighted to join the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to contribute to the valuable work of safeguarding the interests of the public and animals by supporting veterinary professionals to provide the highest standards of care.”
VetSurgeon.org extends a warm welcome to Clare and wishes her all the very best in her new position.
One small but nevertheless important point is that perhaps a better aim would be to support veterinary professionals in providing just a 'high' standard of care, rather than the 'highest' standards.
It's this constant striving for the 'highest' standards from both a regulatory and clinical perspective that is driving up the cost of veterinary care and making it unaffordable.
During a welcome reception, leaders and representatives of the veterinary profession were given tours of the facility and shown the advanced surgical training and ultrasound equipment available.
The wet-lab is equipped with 13 electrically-adjustable surgical tables, each with their own operating light and an audio-visual (a/v) system connecting them to the lecturer. The a/v system enables the lecturer to carry out demonstrations of procedures and to provide individual or group guidance to delegates practising surgical and other practical techniques.
Delegates are able to use the latest surgical and diagnostic equipment, including IM3 dental equipment, Logic E ultrasound machines and new surgical instrumentation for a range of orthopaedic and soft tissue procedures.
Improve's Managing Director, David Babington MRCVS, said: "Newly qualified vets have a huge need for additional training in practical skills and this demand extends into their ongoing professional life as new techniques are developed and existing ones refined.
"We already offer practical training facilities to delegates attending our training programmes at our HQ in Swindon but wanted to make it easier for vets and nurses in the north of the UK to access these facilities. This new 'wet-lab' offers an ideal training environment for our delegates to accelerate their learning and take new skills back to their practice."
He added: "Learning new techniques, whether surgical or diagnostic, is a proven way to boost practice profitability because it reduces the need to refer more complex cases. We hear from many of those who have trained with us that their increased skillset has enhanced their job satisfaction and increased the volume of cases they treat. In many cases, the training has paid for itself many times over. We are excited at the prospect of helping even more veterinary professionals to advance their skills."
The talk, by Stephanie Sorrell, Director of The Mindful Vet, will provide insights and tips on how to support staff, promote wellbeing and reduce the stigma associated with mental health in the workplace.
Hillary Noyes, Hill’s Veterinary Affairs Manager, UK & Republic of Ireland said: “Following an unprecedented two years the veterinary profession is still hugely affected by the pandemic with long working hours and limited staff leading to burnout and increased stress for many. “We hope this webinar will raise awareness of this prevalent issue, highlight the importance of burnout awareness and produce valuable insights into recognising the early signs, so that practices are equipped to tackle the crisis.”
To register for the webinar, visit: https://veterinarywebinars.com/register/hills/prevent-and-manage-burnout/
The VetDebt Recovery Compass tool provides a way for practices to understand how outstanding payments affect their cash flow and practice value, and what steps to take next.
Mike Brooks, Chairman at DSL UK (pictured), said: “The VetDebt Recovery Compass offers a quick and easy way to see the true financial impact of unpaid debt.
"By making this information free and accessible to everyone, we hope to empower veterinary teams to take control of their finances.
DSL says that the new tool, which is available at www.dsluk.net, allows practices to see both the immediate recovery potential and the long-term value impact of their debts in less than 30 seconds.
The calculator also provides a species-specific breakdown, helping to identify where debt issues may be most significant and where to target first.
Mike has also appeared on the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) Practice Matters Podcast, discussing how practices can better manage the topic of debt: https://fivp.org.uk/ep023-fivp-practice-matters-at-spvs-the-farm-vet-journey-practice-debt.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Charitable Trust has awarded five new bursaries in its latest grants round.
Two student bursaries were for UK veterinary undergraduates to attend the British Science Festival in Aberdeen from 4-9 September 2012. The bursary winners were Liv Nathan (pictured on right), a third-year veterinary student at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, and Alahel Mahdmina, a second-year veterinary student at the Royal Veterinary College.
Liv said: "I am very enthusiastic about providing real-life context to science and giving people a space to consider issues arising around science."
The students were required to use their observations and experiences to help the Trust develop future outreach activities to inform and inspire public audiences about veterinary clinical practice and research. Their bursary packages covered all their attendance expenses over the four-day event. One of their achievements was to film an interview with Dr Maggie Aderin-Pockock MBE, a space scientist (pictured on left). Both students will be reporting back in full to the RCVS Charitable Trust with their ideas at the end of October.
Two further bursaries were given to attend a joint symposium on antimicrobial resistance (AMR): 'Antimicrobial Resistance in Human and Veterinary Medicine - One Health, One Problem' to be held at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on Tuesday 2 October 2012.
One winner was Cahir King, a practitioner from Downe Veterinary Clinic in County Down, Northern Ireland. He said: "It will be a privilege to attend a symposium at which so many experts in their field will be speaking. Any vet who has worked on farms will be more than familiar with bugs that are resistant to antibiotic treatment."
The other winner was James Swann, a Junior Clinical Training Scholar (Small Animal) at the Royal Veterinary College. James said: "I am particularly interested in the application of clinical audit in practice to assess problems like AMR, and design effective strategies to deal with them. I believe it should be possible to provide simple audit kits for practices to download and implement, removing much of the inertia that prevents such ideas from being initiated."
The bursary winners will be offered free delegate passes, including lunch, worth £90, and travel expenses.
The final bursary is to attend the Veterinary Biomedical and Pharma Sciences (VBMPS) Congress on 15-16 October, in Birmingham.
The winning entry was from Alexander Stoll, a final-year student at the Royal Veterinary College, who acted as the Royal Veterinary College and UK student ambassador to the European Commission for the 'One Health' message. The Trust was impressed with Alexander's enthusiasm and active engagement in subjects related to One Health. He is a member of the Royal Society for Public Health and a member of the Society of Biology.
Alexander said: "I hope to be inspired to enter a cross-disciplinary career path and also to communicate the potential of a One Health approach, inspired by this congress."
Alexander won a package that includes entry to the conference and admission to all scientific sessions, worth £175, as well as transport costs and overnight food and accommodation.
Vetoquinol - makers of the NSAID Cimalgex - has announced the launch of its updated website www.CiMyDog.co.uk.
The company says the website has been developed to provide reliable online information about pain in dogs to cater for the increasing needs of pet owners and vets.
The website has two sections. The first is a pet owner focussed, educational tool which takes the visitor on a journey through the process of pain; from spotting the signs of pain all the way through to ways of relieving pain, culminating in the recommendation that the visitor seeks advice from their veterinary practice.
The second section requires registration as it contains more in depth information on the pain process and potential treatment options available, this section is for veterinary professionals only. Also on this section of the website there are many scientific abstracts related to pain and treatment with links to enable the veterinary visitor can view this peer reviewed material.
Robert Simpson, Cimalgex Product Manager said: "The internet is a very powerful tool in terms of increasing education, especially in areas such as canine pain. Unfortunately there can also be a lot of misinformation online and so we felt it was important for Vetoquinol to try and redress the balance by producing www.CiMyDog.co.uk. This can be used as a reliable and up-to-date resource by pet owners and veterinary professionals alike. -
www.CiMyDog.co.uk is a very interactive site which aims to demystify the pain treatment process, ensure pet owners look out for behavioural signs of pain and looks to improve overall canine health with assistance from their veterinary practice. We hope that this will be a valuable resource to which vets can refer their pet owners."
The study, Urinary incontinence in bitches under primary veterinary care in England: prevalence and risk factors, which will be published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, also found that other factors such as weight, neuter status and age also play key roles.
The authors hope that the study findings will provide an evidence base that allows veterinary surgeons to enhance their clinical recommendations for higher risk bitches.
The study was based on a population of 100,397 bitches attending 119 veterinary clinics across England. The main findings included:
The study also gave evidence on the welfare impact from urinary incontinence. Almost half of cases (45.6%) received medical therapy for the condition. In addition, of the bitches that died during the study period, urinary incontinence was recorded as either contributory or the main reason for death in 16.7 % of these deaths.
RVC veterinary epidemiologist and VetCompass researcher Dr Dan O’Neill said: "This urinary incontinence study has uncovered dramatic breed predispositions that have previously been hidden to vets and owners.
"Overall, about 3% of bitches were affected but this rose to over 30% in the Irish Setter and over 20% in the Dobermann with many other breeds also predisposed.
"Vets can now use these results to alert owners to typical clinical signs in order to ensure earlier treatment and better outcomes. The study also suggests increased risk in heavier and neutered bitches.
"Following on from this study, a VetCompass Masters project supported by BSAVA PetSavers is working to unravel these associations in order to identify potential preventive strategies, especially in those highly predisposed breeds."
The paper is available in Early View on Wiley Online Library ahead of publication in the JSAP at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.12731/full
Photo: ©Diane Peace Collection / The Kennel Club
Eight veterinary surgeons have put themselves forward to compete for the three available places. They are:
The RCVS has uploaded each of the candidates’ biographies and election statements on to its website, at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote20.
The elections will start from Monday 16th March when the ballot papers and candidates’ manifestos will be posted and emailed to all members of the profession who are eligible to vote.
All votes, whether postal or online, must then be cast by 5pm on Friday 24 April 2020.
As with previous years, the RCVS is also inviting members of the profession to get a better idea of why each candidate is standing by taking part in 'Quiz the candidates' and submitting a question which will then be put directly to the candidates.
Each candidate for both elections will be invited to choose two questions to answer from all those received, and produce a video recording of their answers.
Recordings will be published on the RCVS website and YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos) on the week the election starts.
The College says only question per person is allowed, and any which it deems offensive, inappropriate, misleading, libellous or otherwise unlawful will not be distributed to the candidates.
Vets should email their question to vetvote20@rcvs.org.uk or send it to the College’s Twitter account @theRCVS using the hashtag #vetvote20 by midday on Friday 28 February 2020.
COMMENT
With the veterinary profession facing two of the biggest regulatory changes seen in most people's lifetimes, namely changes to the rules over remote prescribing without performing a physical examination and a possible change to the standard of proof used in disciplinaries, there has never been a more important time to make sure that practising veterinary surgeons are properly represented on Council. Nor has there been a time I can remember when a protest vote would represent such a shocking waste. Don't forget, you don't need to use all your votes. Use them wisely.
Avid has released a new version of it's microchip registration system, which offers a significantly enhanced statistical analysis of the microchipping done at your practice.
The new MicroChip Plus section of the site is specifically for implanters, and contains the following:
Avid says the registration system, which has built-in postcode software, can now re-use more registration details, so that registering a complete litter will take less time. This is especially important when microchips are being registered for or by breeders.
Denise Chaloner, Manager at Avid said: “Avid MicroChip Plus gives our customers more control of how they manage pet microchipping within their organisation. Listening to feedback has inspired Avid to develop a more tailor-made and efficient system for the end user, also enabling the generation of reports, statistics and targets”.
Customers with supporting practice management systems may register microchips directly from their software using VetXML and VetEnvoy.
For more information contact Avid on freephone 0800 652 7 977 or email sales@avidplc.com
Underlying the plan are three 'Brexit Principles', devised by the College and formally adopted by RCVS Council, which will guide the College’s relationship with the Government during the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.
The College says each Principle is supported by a number of specific policies that the College will lobby for in the coming months, all designed to positively engage with the post-referendum reality and with government policy.
The Principles are:
RCVS Chief Executive Nick Stace said: "It is crucially important for the College and the profession as a whole to think boldly about the post-Brexit future; we cannot expect government to give us all of the answers, instead we must work to find solutions ourselves so as to shape the future of the profession from within."
The College has also asked the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) to undertake research into the attitudes and intentions of all EU-graduated veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses currently working in the UK. They will all have receive a personalised email from IES with a link to this online survey, and their answers will help inform the College’s approach to Brexit. This research will help the College to understand better the impact that Brexit may already be having, how it can support EU veterinary professionals working in the UK, and build an evidence base regarding the potential impact that Brexit may have on the veterinary workforce.
For more information on the College’s Brexit activities, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/brexit
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that it has received approval for the intramuscular (IM) route of administration of Nuflor Minidose 450 mg/ml, a florfenicol-containing broad-spectrum antibiotic for the management of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
Nuflor Minidose was approved initially in 2008 for subcutaneous (SC) use only and the now approved IM administration route is a line extension. According to Intervet/Schering Plough, IM administration (20 mg/kg administered twice, 48h apart) offers additional flexibility for the veterinary surgeon when treating cattle for BRD.
The company adds that Nuflor Minidose is the florfenicol injectable formulation which offers the lowest injection volume, which in particular is practical when treating heavier animals (thereby avoiding large injection volumes). The withdrawal period after IM administration of NUFLOR Minidose is only 37 days and is considerably shorter as compared to 64 days after SC use (40 mg/kg body weight injected once).
Francis Adriaens, Global Marketing Director, Global Ruminants Business Unit at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "Our customers requested the IM claim when Nuflor Minidose was first introduced and we are delighted to be able to recommend this route of administration hence forth."
Nuflor Minidose is indicated for preventive and therapeutic treatment of BRD in cattle caused by Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multicoda and Histophilus somni susceptible to florfenicol. The presence of the disease in the herd should be confirmed before administering preventive treatment.
Henry Schein Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire RxWorks Inc., the veterinary practice management software provider.
Founded in 1988 and with headquarters in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, RxWorks has 68 team members and an installed base of more than 1,500 veterinary clinics in 19 countries worldwide (primarily Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the Netherlands).
Henry Schein says RxWorks will become part of it's Global Animal Health Practice Solutions business, led by its current management team.
Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. said: "RxWorks has an excellent reputation for helping veterinarians increase practice efficiency and improve quality health care through its innovative practice management software solutions.
"The addition of RxWorks further strengthens our growing practice management software solutions business, which helps deepen relationships in the regions served by RxWorks with our animal health customers, including large corporate customers. The addition of RxWorks will nicely complement our expanding animal health technology businesses. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues from RxWorks to Henry Schein."
Nathan Basha, Chairman of RxWorks said: "RxWorks software is designed to facilitate consistency of patient care, enable practice growth, achieve enhanced profitability and optimize professional time, all the while improving the quality of life for patients. Aligning with Henry Schein, a global company committed to serving animal health professionals and bringing innovation to the marketplace, allows RxWorks to provide even further value to customers while expanding industry reach."
Henry Schein says it expects the acquisition to close in the second half of January 2016. Financial details and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The initiative comes after BEVA's new nurse committee ran a survey which found a poor understanding within the profession and amongst clients of what equine nurses can do.
Nurses said they believed they could be given more responsibility and do more within their roles and that there was a lack of opportunity for progression.
BEVA President David Rendle, who is championing this initiative, said: “RVNs are a significant an asset to any equine practice.
“They have invested a lot of time and effort to become highly skilled but in some instances their significant attributes are not being utilised to the full.
“Allowing RVNs to perform the clinical tasks that they are qualified to carry out under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, will provide better job fulfilment and career development as well as free up veterinary surgeons to carry out other tasks, all increasing the efficiency of the veterinary team.
“I feel, and the RVN survey results would seem to confirm, that veterinary surgeons and practice managers do not appreciate how much veterinary nurses are allowed to do in equine practice.
"We all know veterinary nurses have the ability; look at what they do in small animal and human nursing, but we have felt unnecessarily constrained by Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and the associated RCVS guidelines.
"If you actually look at Schedule 3 it is clear that we can and should be letting our qualified equine nurses do far more.
“There are so many things in equine practice that nurses do better than vets.
"In addition to performing clinical tasks they can add wider value; they are generally (or are perceived by clients to be!) more patient, empathetic and caring so we should utilise these skills and get nurses to take on some of the roles that take more time and require longer client interactions – discussing parasite control programmes, running weight loss clinics, reviewing healthcare plans, making follow-up phone calls and visits to name just a few.
"Nurses can take a lot of pressure off vets and can add a significant revenue stream for the practice.”
On the 9th February, the BEVA will be hosting an online discussion forum for all members of the practice team to discuss the role of nurses and how their skills, experience and knowledge can be better-used.
It's free for BEVA members: https://www.beva.org.uk/Home/Events/BEVA-Events/Event-Details.aspx?eventDateId=1716
Marie Rippingale Chair of the BEVA Nurse Committee said: “Last year’s recruitment and retention survey revealed that 50% of nurse respondents were earning less than £25,000 per annum and 48% of nurses said they were likely to look for a new job in the next two years.
"When asked their top reasons for leaving, salary was the biggest reason, and common themes on what would help the retention of nurses included salary, work-life balance and career progression.
“The review of Schedule 3 is important so we can encourage delegation of tasks to RVNs.
"This will allow RVNs to demonstrate their value and worth, earning money for the practice and achieving job satisfaction at the same time. This will contribute positively towards the current retention crisis.”
To find out more about what equine veterinary nurses can do in practice visit https://www.beva.org.uk/nurses
Photo: Liphook Equine Hospital.
The company points to data from the Animal Poison Control Center in the US which showed that in 2022, recreational drugs, including marijuana-based drugs, hallucinogenic mushrooms and cocaine made the list of top ten reasons for animals needing its help, knocking gardening products into 11th place.
In addition, the APCC reports a nearly 300% increase in calls about potential marijuana ingestion over the past five years
With this in mind, TVM has developed guidelines to support vets with these cases, both in terms of treatment options and tips on how to discuss the issue with clients and glean the information needed to help with the diagnosis and treat the animal.
TVM has also launched its new ‘Seasonal Suspects’ board kits to help vets educate pet owners on the common Christmas hazards commonly found around the house at this time of year.
The eye-catching waiting room display, which shows veterinary staff as seasonal superheroes, covers the dangers posed by items such as alcohol, batteries, plants and nuts, and advises pet owners on the necessary action needed should their pet digest any toxic substance.
TVM will also be sharing ‘Seasonal Suspects’ posts on its Facebook page for veterinary staff to share with their followers over Christmas.
For more information, email help@tvm-uk.com, call 0800 0385868 or contact your local Territory Manager.