For the randomised controlled trial, 528 dairy heifers were monitored for 34 months to investigate the effects of routine treatment with a NSAID at calving and during treatment for lameness, on the future probability of lameness and culling.
The cows were exposed to normal farm conditions and were split into four groups:
During the study, the probability of lameness was assessed by a lameness outcome score collected every 14 days.
Data on culling was also extracted from farm records.
438 animals were included in the final analysis which revealed that treating a cohort of cows following the group three protocol led to an absolute reduction in lameness of approximately 10% and severe lameness of 3%, compared with animals treated in accordance with conventional best practice (group one).
James Wilson BSc(Hons) PhD, foot health consultant and lead researcher on the trial, said: “It appears that through giving heifers a NSAID at critical time points, we have imparted a substantial, long-lasting benefit to them.
"When freshly calved heifers enter the herd for the first time, we understand that they are (typically) naïve to lameness and have good hoof health.
"By utilising NSAIDs strategically, we believe that we have preserved the functionality of the foot, thereby reducing the risk of lameness.
"This is a highly efficacious, cost-effective means of managing lameness on farm.”
Herd Health Consultancy says that in dairy cows, it is advisable to consider using a zero milk-withhold NSAID which is fully licensed to treat lameness in cattle to avoid any need to discard milk, however no NSAID is currently licensed in the UK to treat the pain associated with calving, so careful advice should be given to farmers based on the farm type and production methods.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21329
Reference
The 'Lifelong Ear Partnership' resources, which were developed in conjunction with a panel of vets, are designed to help vets in practice improve their owner communication and achieve owner buy-in about otitis.
To that end, Dechra has developed various owner communication tools for use in practice or to refer owners to after the consultation.
They include an owner website: www.ear-inflammation.co.uk and a postcard with QR code links to educational videos which cover clinical recommendations, treatment options and the importance of revisits.
There is also a brochure for owners and an online 4D ear model: www.4d-earmodel.com, which demonstrates a healthy ear and an ear with mild, moderate or severe otitis.
Finally, Dechra has also launched an ear cytology webinar series on Dechra Academy: www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
The course consists of tips for everything from greeting the patient to performing and interpreting cytology slides.
Claire Westoby, companion animal brand manager at Dechra, said: “Otitis externa in dogs is not a quick fix and to successfully treat a case several factors need to be considered.
"Most cases call for a thorough investigation of the primary causes, a correct diagnosis and treatment of potential secondary dysbiosis, handling of perpetuating factors and constructing a long-term plan that ensures owner compliance and reduces the risk of recurrent problems.
“Our extensive new range of Lifelong Ear Partnership resources will ensure that vets can refresh their knowledge on otitis externa and educate clients on all aspects of the condition within a limited consult time.”
www.dechra.co.uk/otitis-externa.
Following supply issues over the past 12 months, the company has gained regulatory approval to begin supplying Aqupharm through a new manufacturer.
Will Peel, marketing manager at Animalcare said: "We are aware of the challenges vets have faced over the past 12 months due to the shortage in supply, so we have been working hard to manage stock availability, however we are pleased that we are now able to supply the product on demand.
"We’d like to thank all our customers and wholesalers for their support and patience over the past year."
All existing Aqupharm products are available to order except Aqupharm no.3 which has been discontinued due to low market demand.
For product advice, contact: technical@animalcare.co.uk.
For further information or for orders, contact your local Animalcare Territory Manager or email animalcare@animalcare.co.uk.
https://www.aqupharm.co.uk
Two new edition's of Veterinary Focus, Royal Canin's free journal for companion animal veterinary surgeons are now available free of charge to UK vets.
Focus on Respiratory Disease includes features on brachycephalic syndrome, feline asthma, thoracic radiography of respiratory cases, canine fungal rhinitis, tracheobronchial foreign bodies in dogs and cats, emergency care of patients with acute respiratory distress, and respiratory parasitic diseases. Contributors include representatives from veterinary universities in Germany, Spain, Italy, the USA, and Argentina, and from the UK, Martin Sullivan BVMS, PhD, DVR, Dipl. ECVDI, MRCVS from Glasgow University and Mike Stafford Johnson, MVB, MRCVS, DVC Cert, SAM, MACVS from the Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Centre in Kenilworth.
Focus on Liver Disease includes features on feline inflammatory liver disease, canine portosystemic shunts, jaundice in the dog, extra-hepatic biliary system surgery, laboratory tests for liver disease, liver enzyme testing, diagnosis and treatment of liver tumours, and liver biopsy sampling. Contributors include representatives from veterinary universities in France, Spain, Italy, the USA, New Caledonia, Argentina, and Grenada, and from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Danielle Gunn-Moore, BSc. BVM&S, PhD, FHEA, MACVSc, MRCVS, Nicki Reed, BM&S, Cert VR.DSAM (Feline) Dipl. ECVIM-CA, MRCVS, and Kathryn Pratschke, MVB. MVM, Cert SAS, Dipl. ECVS, MRCVS.
Lee Danks, Royal Canin Veterinary Support manager, said: "Focus is a really interesting and informative publication, and with each issue focusing on a particular body system it offers a complete review of the latest thinking in each area. The contributors are all highly renowned in their individual fields, and being able to provide this kind of expertise to our veterinary partners is something we are really proud of."
Veterinary Focus is published in English, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Greek and Russian and reaches over 80,000 veterinary surgeons worldwide.
For a free copy of Focus, speak to your Royal Canin veterinary business manager, who will add you to the subscription list.
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/
According to the company, participating practices more than doubled the number of blood pressure checks they conducted, within 12 months.
The CVS’ clinical improvement project initially looked at how effective its first opinion small animal practices were in screening older cats for hypertension.
In line with the veterinary industry norm, it found that less than two per cent of cats over the age of seven were receiving an annual blood pressure check.
This initial research also found that the common barriers to conducting blood pressure checks by vets and veterinary nurses in practice were due to time constraints, availability of equipment and simply remembering to discuss blood pressure checks with owners.
Each CVS site chose two people to lead the initiative at their site, to aid communication and delivery.
A document was created to help, providing background, aims, summary of resources and planning sections.
Contributory factors preventing delivery of blood pressure checks were outlined and practices were encouraged to identify additional barriers and resources needed.
A suite of resources were then produced to support the practice team - from reception to veterinary surgeons - in improving annual blood pressure check rates.
The resources included new clinical frameworks and veterinary guidelines on how to treat hypertension; in-practice educational resources to highlight the benefits of hypertension screening and information sheets and blood pressure diaries to help clients manage their pets condition.
To upskill and develop colleagues in how to identify and treat hypertension and resulting conditions, a collection of training materials was created and training sessions held.
These included a series of webinars which explained why hypertension is important to identify, how to overcome common challenges encountered when looking for hypertension in cats, how to use the ophthalmic exam to help diagnose hypertension and how to treat hypertension.
Three in-person CPD days were hosted with the support from Ceva six months into the project where feline specialists Sarah Caney and Samantha Taylor shared the latest evidence base in this field and practices were encouraged to share barriers, queries and tips, so that ideas could be taken away to make blood pressure screening a simpler process in practice.
Practices were also encouraged to organise lunch and learn CPD sessions, to share best practice and generate discussion within their team.
In addition, a website was created to host all resources in one place, including webinars, clinical frameworks, client resources, a discussion forum and data.
An audit of each participating practice’s blood pressure check data was conducted at the start of the project.
Results were then shared with each participating practice every month - including the total number of blood pressure checks performed each month and the percentage of cats over the age of seven who had an annual blood pressure check.
Twelve months after its nation-wide launch, results reveal that the number of blood pressure checks have more than doubled (110%) within participating CVS practices and an additional 5,984 blood pressure checks have been performed year on year.
A number of practices were able to implement systems that allowed them to perform over 40 blood pressures each month.
The number of cats on amlodipine (the first choice medication to treat hypertension in cats) increased by 303 patients year-on-year, hinting many more cats had been diagnosed with hypertension.
Kate Allgood, Hub Clinical Lead at CVS who was responsible for the hypertension clinical improvement project, said: “There is a huge benefit in treating hypertension.
"No one wants to see a cat suddenly become blind due to hypertension that wasn’t recognised in time.
"So many associated longer-term feline complications and conditions can be avoided if annual blood pressure checks in cats over the age of seven are routinely performed.
"Increasing blood pressure screening is not a simple task though, and this focus has allowed space and time for practices to give this topic the recognition it deserves; to identify and implement systems that make it easier to identify patients at risk, discuss with clients and perform these checks with ease.
"We have created a robust clinical structure, produced some easily accessible materials and supported our practices to make small and simple changes that add up.
"Our practices have done an outstanding job at delivering this project to date and I look forward to seeing what can be achieved in the future. We strongly believe that this work will contribute towards providing some of the best clinical care for cats in the veterinary profession.”
The 4% increase was approved by the Privy Council and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Dr Tshidi Gardiner, RCVS Treasurer, said: “As with last year, RCVS Council recognises that we are living in difficult economic times, and have tried to keep the fee increase to a minimum.
"However, it is important that we increase fees in line with inflation, as well as take into account additional related costs, to ensure we are fulfilling our regulatory remit to the best of our abilities and meet our strategic priorities.”
Veterinary surgeons need to pay their annual renewal by 1st April and will be sent their fee notices within the first two weeks of March.
Anyone who has not paid their fee by 1st May will incur a higher fee charge of £36, with non-payment by 1st June risking removal from the Register and ineligibility to practise.
As part of the annual renewal process, all individual vets will also need to log into their online MyAccount to confirm their registration and contact details and declare any convictions.
Anyone who expects to encounter any difficulties in paying their fees should contact the RCVS Finance Team on finance@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0722.
Vetoquinol has launched Rimifin® a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for dogs, containing carprofen. Carprofen can reduce inflammation and pain caused by musculo-skeletal disorders and degenerative joint disease. It can also be used as a follow-up to parenteral analgesia in the management of post-operative pain following soft tissue surgery. Rimifin® is available in a range of tablet sizes, 20mg, 50mg and 100mg. A single 100mg tablet can treat a 50kg dog.
Following a nationwide search to find the UK’s top veterinary professionals for 2008 and judged by an independent panel of experts, Petplan has announced the winners of the prestigious Petplan Veterinary Awards, which were presented at a black-tie gala dinner on 3rd April in Birmingham.
The winners of the awards, which acknowledge achievement in the veterinary world, are: VET OF THE YEAR Brian Faulkner of the Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge Brian’s understanding and compassion for his clients’ pets impressed judges. He receives literally hundreds of cards and letters expressing appreciation for his efforts, care and dedication and can deliver devastating news with the gentlest touch. Brian, often known as ‘Uncle Brian’ by his clients, continuously goes over and above the call of duty and fully deserves the title ‘Vet of the Year 2008’.
VET NURSE OF THE YEAR Louisa Baker of the Priors Leaze Veterinary Centre, Chichester The judges believe that Louisa is an excellent role model for those interested in veterinary nursing. She spends quality time supporting and training those around her and has the unusual ability to win people over instantaneously with her kind and gentle manner. Louisa shows a deep-rooted compassion for owners and their animals and truly deserves the title of ‘Veterinary Nurse of the Year’. According to her clients, friends and colleagues she is “one in a million”.
VET RECEPTIONIST OF THE YEAR Margaret Gait of Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates, Lydd Margaret has worked at Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates for 15 years, and is now a popular, much loved member of the local community. She is a hard working, conscientious team player, who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty – and often stays late to help with emergencies or to clean up after surgery. She constantly goes the extra mile and Petplan is delighted to name her ‘Vet Receptionist of the Year’.
VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR Orwell Veterinary Group, Ipswich Orwell Veterinary Group was described as having a number of ‘remarkable’ qualities by the panel of judges. The high level of customer care, staff’s dedication to continued professional development and the emphasis on developing strong client relationships were all described as exceptional.
Charles Bagnall, the practice owner and practicing vet, explains: “I am very proud of what my brother, I and our dedicated team have achieved over the past 14 years – we have built a well recognised and respected multi-centred practice and accredited veterinary hospital, while still providing friendly, professional and personal care.”
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD In addition to these awards, a Special Recognition Award, voted for by the general public, was also presented to Matt Brash who has become a popular TV vet. More recently, Matt’s ITV series, ‘Zoo Vet’ and ‘Zoo Vet at Large’ have received widespread appeal the world over.
Matt explains: “I am absolutely delighted to have received this award for my work in the
Burgess Pet Care has announced that it'll be running Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) from 9th - 17th May.
Last year, almost 3,000 veterinary practices signed up to participate in the initiative by offering free health checks for rabbits for the whole of May.
Burgess points to a study published at the end of last year: The current state of welfare, housing and husbandry of the English pet rabbit population, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol for the RSPCA. Dr. Jane Tyson, Rabbit Behaviour and Welfare Expert at the RSPCA, said: "The study showed that 59% of rabbits live in hutches and less than a quarter of rabbits have continual access to an exercise area*. Rabbits should have constant access to an appropriate exercise area to allow them to exhibit their natural behaviours and for their mental and physical wellbeing."
The report highlights the need to educate rabbit owners on the housing, exercise and foraging needs of rabbits, so the focus of RAW this year is on improving rabbits' environment.
Other organisations partnering with Burgess for the initiative include: MSD Animal Health - the producers of Panacur Rabbit, the RSPCA, the PSDA, the Blue Cross, Wood Green and the RWAF (Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund).
Suzanne Moyes, Veterinary Manager at Burgess Pet Care, said: "It is fantastic that RAW keeps on growing and is going from strength to strength. We hope to increase the number of vet practices, rescue centres, schools and retailers signing up this year and attract new corporate partners to make it even bigger and better.
"The sole aim of RAW is to educate owners about responsible rabbit ownership and improve the wellbeing of one of Britain's most popular pets. It couldn't be easier for vets to sign up to offer free health checks and help us educate the nation on rabbit health and welfare."
Vets, rescue centres, schools and retailers can sign up to RAW 2015 by visiting, www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk. Supporters will receive free support kits which include posters and leaflets.
A collaborative team of researchers from the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition has shown that adding moisture to a cat's diet leads to an increase in activity and may help slow down weight gain.
In a series of studies conducted in partnership with the University of Aberdeen, Waltham scientists found that cats fed a dry diet with added water were more physically active and gained less weight than those cats fed the dry diet alone. According to the Centre, this is the first time reduced energy density diets have been associated with an increase in physical activity levels in cats.
Waltham scientist and author of the study, Dr. Penelope Morris, said: "These findings advance our understanding of the factors that influence body weight in cats and provide a strong basis for further research.
"Obesity is a growing problem in the cat population, recent figures indicate that up to 50 per cent of cats are either overweight or obese. These findings could have important implications for developing tailored diets that meet cats' energy and nutritional needs."
The research is part of a wider programme of ongoing collaborative research into the effect of food and nutrition on body weight in both cats and dogs.
The research has been published in the June edition (Volume 95, Issue 3) of the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition and is available in print and online: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01107.x/abstract
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has refused to release the McKelvey Report in full, despite Freedom of Information requests made by VetSurgeon.org and others.
According to the College, it had always been the intention of RCVS Officers that the full report, which considered the building works in the Lower Ground Floor of the RCVS offices in Belgravia House, and the implementation of a new database, would be published.
However, on the advice of solicitors (Penningtons), only the recommendations of the Report were published initially, in November.
This publication followed discussion of the full report (one sentence was redacted on legal advice) by RCVS Council on 3 November.
Freedom of Information requests for the full report were then received by the College, so further, external senior legal advice was sought.
This advice, from Counsel, confirmed the original view from solicitors that it would be inappropriate to publish the report in full because it includes personal data, which ought not to be made public, under the Data Protection Act.
The College claims the meat of the report is in the recommendations, which account for approximately 50% of the report, and which are being taken forward by Officers and RCVS Council, with plans to put an Audit and Risk Committee in place taking priority.
The recommendations of the report, which were adopted by Council, were published online on 11 November and are available to download from the 'Related documents' box, above right.
The journal provides free access to critical summaries of the best available evidence, called Knowledge Summaries, to help practitioners make informed evidence-based decisions in practice.
The new website has several new features, such as author and reviewer hubs, which contain information to guide contributors through the process of writing or reviewing papers for the journal.
A new ‘answer me’ button allows potential authors to pick a clinical query they are interested in answering and email it straight to the Editor, streamlining the process.
The new site also includes a new submission system, Editorial Manager, which streamlines the editorial process, communications with authors and reviewers, and the management of articles.
Kit Sturgess, Editor-in-Chief of Veterinary Evidence, says: “I am really excited by the new website; its look and functionality will significantly improve rapid access to information and further boost the engagement of the veterinary team with EBVM.
"After an impressive year for Veterinary Evidence, we have also moved to a new submission system, Editorial Manager, aimed at making the experience of submitting and reviewing papers easier and more efficient.
"Through the new website and publishing platform, the journal can get better metrics of how well we are supporting our readers, authors, and reviewers so we can use evidence to drive Quality Improvement.”
veterinaryevidence.org
Vétoquinol has announced plans to raise £10,000 for The Blue Cross pet charity through sales of Propalin, its fast acting treatment for incontinence in dogs.
From 1st July to 31st December this year, for every 100ml bottle of Propalin ordered, Vétoquinol will give 18p to The Blue Cross and 7p for every 30ml bottle.
To boost the amount raised for The Blue Cross, Vétoquinol is offering vets a free bottle of Propalin for every six bottles ordered of both the 100ml and 30ml sizes.
For example, if you order 18 100ml bottles of Propalin, you will receive 6 free bottles and The Blue Cross will receive £4.32.
Vanessa Rossiter, corporate fundraising officer for The Blue Cross said: “As a charity, The Blue Cross relies on donations to support our adoption centres and animal hospitals around the country. We are very grateful to Vétoquinol for their pledge to raise funds for the hundreds of needy animals in our care.”
According to Vétoquinol, Propalin is the UK’s best selling licensed veterinary treatment for urinary incontinence in the ***. It contains phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, which acts to increase the tone in muscles that make up the urethal sphincter. It takes effect within 30 minutes of administration and, as a liquid, is highly palatable.
CEVA Animal Health has extended its behavioural range of products with the launch of Senilife®, a nutritional supplement which is specifically formulated to help manage signs of brain ageing in dogs and cats.
Senilife® contains a combination of three essential brain nutrients - phosphatidylserine, vitamin B6 and vitamin E - which the company says help maintain membrane fluidity and normalise neurotransmission. In addition, two natural but potent anti-oxidants - gingko biloba and resveratrol - support brain metabolism and help to neutralise free radicals and reduce amyloid deposits.
According to CEVA, common signs of brain ageing in dogs and cats include playing or interacting less, barking or howling at night, loss of house-training/litter box training, apathy or increased tiredness and disorientation. A study has shown that up to 75% of dogs over seven years of age and 35% of cats 11 years and over suffer from at least one geriatric behavioural problem1.
In a recent clinical study, 86% of owners were satisfied with the results achieved after one month of using Senilife®, with 73% of dog owners and 67% of cat owners noticing fewer signs of brain ageing within the first seven days2.
Juliet Penaliggon, small animal marketing manager at CEVA Animal Health, says: "Many typical signs of brain ageing in dogs can be controlled by nutritional management. Senilife® is a fast-acting, nutritional supplement that contains proven nutrients and neuroprotectives to help manage these signs."Senilife® capsules are easy to administer either directly into the mouth of the pet or emptied onto the pet's food."
For further information, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.
References1 Behaviour problems in geriatric pets. Lansberg G and Araujo J. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 35 (2005) 675-698.2 Isaka N, Baysse B, Lopez A, Ovaert P and Penaliggon J. CABSTG Spring Meeting April (2009).
Lucy Evans and Jamie Hollis, who work in the RCVS Professional Conduct Department, will join RCVS Trust Director Cherry Bushell to raise funds in the British 10K London Run on 12 July.
None of the three runners have run any kind of race since their school sports days - and are appealing for support as they aim to raise at least £300 each for the Trust.
To sponsor a runner, you can log onto http://www.justgiving.com/rcvstrust and, if you are a UK tax-payer, this also means the Trust gets your tax back. Or, if you prefer to send a cheque, sponsorship forms are available from info@rcvstrust.org.uk or 020 7202 0743.
Lucy said: "The RCVS Trust is a great charity which supports veterinary education and has specialist library and information services for vets and VNs to use. Small charities like the Trust can get overlooked in big fundraising events so I'm glad to be able to help out - even if the thought of running 10K is a bit daunting!"
The race will be broadcast through the British 10K London Run website: http://www.thebritish10klondon.co.uk/.
An international group of scientists has published new results that herald a breakthrough in finding a vaccine against the most commonly diagnosed infectious disease of horses, strangles.
UK experts from the Animal Health Trust collaborated with scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), the Karonlinska Institutet Medical University and Intervacc AB, on the project - the results of which could benefit humans as well as animals.
Professor Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the AHT, said: "We have been working towards developing a vaccine for 7 years, and finally it seems as if all the hard work is paying off. We've already developed better ways of diagnosing exposure to the infection, and now, with the success of creating a safe and effective vaccine, it looks as if we're finally bringing together the tools necessary to eradicate this terrible disease."
The vaccine consists of seven different Streptococcus proteins and results from early tests published in PLoS Pathogens have been incredibly positive showing a high level of protection and no side effects. It is hoped that the strangles vaccine could be commercially available in the near future.
Streptococcus equi, the bacterium that causes strangles, shares 80 per cent identity with Streptococcus pyogenes - the leading cause of bacterial pharyngitis, tonsillitis and rheumatic fever in humans, which kills thousands of people each year. Scientists hope that the knowledge gained through developing the strangles vaccine will also help in developing vaccines to combat these human conditions.
Research leader, Professor Bengt Guss of SLU, said: "This is a most exciting project, where research is generating new applications and knowledge that can be used to develop vaccines against these important bacteria. This is particularly important considering the increased number of infectious diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria."
The vaccine development work was only made possible thanks to information from the Streptococcus equi genome sequencing project funded by The Horse Trust.
The Horse Trust's Chief Executive Brigadier Paul Jepson, said: "We are absolutely delighted that by pulling apart the genome of this plague of the horse world scientists have generated a truly safe and effective strangles vaccine. That this work could also benefit other animal and human health is beyond our wildest hopes."
Full text of the research findings can be found in PLoS Pathogens online at http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1000584
A survey carried out by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health to launch Plerion, a chewable, flavoured wormer for dogs, has shown that most UK dog owners turn to their vet rather than a pet shop for advice on worming.
Over 83% of owners who took part in the survey said they follow their vet's advice on worming whilst fewer than 8% would follow the advice of their local pet shop. 63% choose to buy wormers from their vet against 35% buying wormers from a pet shop or online pharmacy.
Survey participants understood the importance of carrying out a regular worming programme with almost 80% stating that a dog should be wormed every three to four months. However, some owners cited forgetfulness as a reason for not worming their pet regularly and expressed a need for a reminder from their local vet practice.
Almost 85% of those who took part in the survey believed that not all wormers provide the same level of protection and almost 75% said that vet recommendation is the reason they purchase a specific brand of wormer. 94% of owners are aware that worms can affect people as well as dogs.
The survey revealed that 1 in 5 owners experienced difficulty in administering a complete dose due to their dog spitting out part or the entire tablet.
Intervet/Schering Plough says that Plerion should help reduce compliance issues; its innovative and tasty soft chew formulation meaning that most dogs will take it right out of the hand.
Sarah-Jane Minter, marketing manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough said: "When developing Plerion we knew it was essential to launch a product that made life easier for dog owners by being easy, and even fun, to administer as this would increase the likelihood of owners sticking to a regular worming programme. We are delighted by the feedback we are receiving from owners who report their once fussy dogs are taking the flavoured, chewable Plerion tablets as though they were treats."
Plerion is available in two tablet sizes that provide a combination of Pyrantel, Praziquantel and Oxantel which, the company says, gives effective treatment for the major endoparasites in a single dose including tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, as required by the Pets Travel Scheme (PETS).
For further information, please contact your local Intervet/Schering-Plough Veterinary Business Manager or phone the company's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
A quick survey of VetSurgeon members1 has found that of those that didn't vote in the 2011 council elections, 37.9% 'did not believe that voting in the RCVS elections will have any impact on my working life'
However, as Wynne Richards pointed out, decisions made by the RCVS, or which have involved the RCVS have had a seismic impact on the profession over the years, things like:
... and so on, and so on.
So perhaps the issue is not whether or not the College is relevant to the working lives of its members. Clearly it is. More to the point, the College and its Councillors need to find ways to engage more with the profession and better demonstrate how the decisions it takes on the issues of the day will impact on its members.
This message is further hammered home by the 26% of voters who didn't vote because they: 'considered the candidates' manifestos / forum posts, but did not feel that any of the candidates deserved my vote'. Again, if the councillors had concentrated on explaining why their work would make a difference, perhaps that number could have been improved.
Of the remainder, 21% 'forgot', 8.7% 'didn't have the time to consider who to vote for, and vote', 4.9% gave other reasons. Again, all things which might be improved if members felt that the RCVS was relevant to their working lives.
1% 'weren't aware that the elections were taking place'.
One wonders if that 1% knows that Clement Attlee is no longer the Prime Minister.
1. VetSurgeon Poll 6th May - 8th August 2011. 103 respondents.
Virbac has announced that it is to increase production of cat vaccines at its French plants to help practices in the UK manage a shortfall in supply.
The predicted shortfall follows warnings by other manufacturers of stock shortages of between three and six months.
Virbac, which makes the Feligen RCP, Leucogen and Leucofeligen cat vaccines, says it wants to reassure practices that it will do its utmost to ensure continuity of supply during this period and is urging them to order as usual and not stockpile product, which could exacerbate the problem.
Simon Boulton MRCVS, Product Manager for Virbac's vaccine range, said: "Our priority is to keep stock flowing to our existing customers. With this in mind, we've now ceased to supply wholesalers with our cat vaccines. Once wholesaler stocks have been depleted, we ask customers to contact us directly so that stock can be despatched to them from our own warehouse.
By taking this step, we can manage our own stocks effectively and, while we'll be putting our existing customers first, we also stand ready to help supply the rest of the veterinary sector during this period. As a primary manufacturer of vaccines, we're well placed to react quickly to stock shortages and expect to have significantly increased supply by November."
Practices wanting further information should contact their Virbac Territory Manager. Direct orders to the company should be made by calling Virbac on 01359 243243 and selecting Option Three (Direct Orders).
Ceredigion veterinary surgeon Robert Alun Merfyn Evans has been suspended from the Register for six months by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after he admitted to misconduct relating to tuberculin testing for cattle he owned and failing to register the births and deaths of cattle.
Mr Evans appeared before the Committee on the 11th February, when he admitted the two heads of charge of misconduct against him.
The first head of charge related to the fact that, between 24 June and 29 June 2013, he deliberately failed to bring to attention of Wyn Lewis MRCVS, an Official Veterinarian (OV) and fellow director of Mr Evans’ practice in Cardigan, the cattle on his farm requiring intradermal comparative tuberculin tests; that he tested certain of the cattle himself despite not being the OV for those tests and having a conflict of interest; and that he provided inaccurate and incomplete information to his practice for the completion of a report on the testing to be sent to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA). This misconduct was then repeated the following year between 19 June and 1 August 2014.
The second head of charge against Mr Evans related to breaches of the Cattle Identification (Wales) Regulations 2007 between 4 July 2005 and 20 June 2014, namely the fact that he failed to register the birth of five calves and the death of nine cows. These were accepted as being specimen charges reflecting a much larger total number of breaches over the whole nine year period.
Mr Evans’ misconduct first came to light when a late return was sent to the AHVLA in August 2014 regarding the TB testing of 51 live animals on his farm in June 2014. When the report was scrutinised the AHVLA noticed that 26 animals shown on the return as dead were still registered, while 20 animals that were tested were not registered. When the AHVLA investigated, Mr Evans immediately admitted that he had misled Mr Lewis on two occasions and carried out his own testing despite not being the OV.
The Committee heard that he did this because he did not want it to be found out that he had unregistered cattle on his farm. Regarding the unregistered cattle, the Committee heard that this stemmed from a mistake made by Mr Evans in 2005 or 2006 whereby he mislaid a batch of around nine bovine passport application forms sent to him to register the birth of calves on his farm, a legal requirement for the purposes of animal health, disease control and safeguarding the food chain.
As a result of poor IT skills and being profoundly deaf, Mr Evans felt unable to seek support online or by telephone, was too embarrassed to tell others and, furthermore, felt that it was impossible to correct his mistake without being in breach of the law. So, for a period of nine or 10 years, he failed to register the birth of calves on his farm. His failure to register the deaths of cattle, was also caused by administrative failings. His breaches of the cattle registration regulations were subject to criminal proceedings and on 14 October 2015 he plead guilty at Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Magistrates Court to 14 offences for which he was given a conditional discharge for 18 months and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.
The Committee considered that a suspension from the Register would be in line with the seriousness of the charges against Mr Evans. Professor Alistair Barr, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee agrees that the lengthy period over which these offences took place, his betrayal of his colleague, and the undermining of the reputation of the profession and of the system of disease control, taken together with his dishonesty, make it impossible to impose a lesser sanction than suspension.
"The Committee finds that the respondent, who is a man of good character, has fully accepted his guilt, and has real insight into the seriousness of his conduct. He cooperated fully with the investigations and with the County Council who prosecuted him in the Magistrates [Court], and with the College. He made an open and frank admission about his misconduct from the outset.
"The course of conduct on which he embarked and which has led to these charges was the result of a simple mistake at a time of considerable stress to him. He was not guilty of deliberate misconduct at the outset but… what started as an innocent mistake took on a life of its own and led him to deliberate and dishonest misconduct because he did not know how to get himself out of the predicament he was in."
Professor Barr also said that there was no financial gain in Mr Evans’ actions and that animal welfare had not been compromised as the cattle were well cared for and in good health and that Mr Evans’ actions in carrying out the tuberculin tests on the unregistered cattle himself demonstrated that he was concerned about identifying any disease in his herd.
He added: “In all the circumstances the Committee has decided a proportionate sanction is that the respondent’s registration should be suspended for a period of six months.”
The Committee’s full findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
Intervet/Schering-Plough has announced that the license for Leptavoid-H has been improved allowing concurrent use with Bovilis BVD.
Intervet/Schering Plough says that given both vaccines are typically administered in the busy pre-turnout period, this will ease on-farm workload and should help to ensure that all primary courses or boosters take place sufficiently in advance of the period of risk.
Each vaccine is to be given by separate routes and sites, to animals of 8 months or older. The concurrent use in cattle may result in fewer animal interventions, less stress and better welfare.
The studies, undertaken by Intervet/Schering Plough's R&D division in the UK, focussed on both the safety and efficacy aspects of the concurrent administration of Leptavoid-H with Bovilis BVD. The company says no systemic adverse events occurred, there was no effect on the outcome of pregnancy or milk yields and the efficacy in cattle was not compromised.
Leptavoid-H is licensed to reduce the shedding of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in urine. Leptavoid-H is the only Leptospirosis vaccine licensed to improve herd fertility when Leptospira hardjo is the cause of herd infertility, and the only vaccine proven to protect stock against both strains in the UK.
Companion Care Vets has announced it will work in partnership with VetAbroad, an e-learning company that has been established to help vets who qualified outside the UK to develop a successful career within it.
Companion Care is the first veterinary group in the UK to enter into partnership with VetAbroad, with the aim that all new non-UK employees will complete the course.
According to the company, almost 30% of vets registered in the UK are from overseas and statistics show that one in three will leave the register in less than 24 months and 20% in less than 12 months. Statistics also highlight the likelihood of a non-UK vet to be struck off or suspended is six times higher than for a UK vet.
Jane Balmain, Managing Director of Companion Care Vets said: "Whilst we as a company offer as much support as possible to our team members from overseas and support their continued learning , we are delighted to be working in partnership with VetAbroad to utilise their training solutions and further enhance what we offer to team members who come from overseas. All new employees will be required to take the course and we will also be encouraging our current overseas vets to complete it."
The e-course covers social and professional adaptation, compliance with current legislation, teamwork, productivity, client care and communication skills and VetAbroad states that those taking the course will substantially increase their chances of retaining and obtaining a job in the UK.
Vet and founder of VetAbroad Luis Sainz-Pardos said: "The primary aim of our course is to help vets who have qualified overseas to swiftly integrate into the UK system. Vets who have taken the course will be aware of UK legislation and should be able to interact with colleagues, clients and patients to a UK standard. As a result, the problems often associated with employing non-UK vets to work in UK practices are greatly reduced. I am thrilled to be working in partnership with Companion Care Vets, a company that I believe is thriving due to its investment in its most important asset - people."
For further information about VetAbroad please visit www.vetabroad.com
The RCVS has removed 333 veterinary surgeons from the Register for non-payment of their annual renewal fees.
The final deadline for payment of the annual renewal fee passed on 31 May and the RCVS has written to those who have not paid to inform them of their removal from the Register. In 2013, 369 veterinary surgeons were removed from the Register for non-payment.
A list of the veterinary surgeons who have been removed - and who have not been subsequently restored to the Register - has today been published on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/vetremovals2014).
This list is published to alert those veterinary surgeons who have not responded to RCVS communications to check their registration status, and to remind employers to check the registration status of their employees. The registration status of any veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse can also be checked online at www.rcvs.org.uk/check-the-register.
Any veterinary surgeon whose name appears on the list who believes they have paid their fee should contact the RCVS Finance Department as soon as possible on 020 7202 0723.
Veterinary surgeons and employers are reminded that, under the Veterinary Surgeons Act, it is illegal to allow anyone who is not on the RCVS Register to practise veterinary surgery. They can also no longer use the postnominal 'MRCVS' and any professional indemnity insurance the veterinary surgeon may have is also rendered invalid.
Further information about restoration to the Register, and a restoration application form, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/registration or by contacting the Registration Department on membership@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0707.
In order to be restored to the Register, veterinary surgeons must pay a fee of at least £299, in addition to the outstanding annual renewal fee. The restoration fee increases each successive year a removed member remains off the Register.
The event aims to deliver the latest knowledge on parrot nutrition and welfare and provide an opportunity to collaborate on education and potential next steps for research.
The full programme is as follows:
Sarah Hormozi, Head of Science & Education at PFMA said: “We are hoping to make it a worthwhile event, where parrot experts, welfare groups and parrot food industry can share their knowledge and experience.
"Through discussions we will come up with collective decisions and steps forward to improve the health and welfare of parrots that are kept in captivity, especially from a diet and nutrition perspective."
For ticket prices and to register: https://www.pfma.org.uk/pfma-parrot-symposium-2022