A new paper by D J Bartram and D S Baldwin, published in this week's Veterinary Record, has found that veterinary surgeons are four times as likely as the general public, and around twice as likely as other healthcare professionals, to die by suicide as opposed to other causes.
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "David Bartram's research in this difficult area is to be applauded. The more we can understand about the reasons behind the high suicide rate amongst veterinary surgeons, the more the BVA and other bodies can do to support vets in crisis.
"As part of the Vetlife Steering Group, the BVA supports fantastic initiatives such as the 24-hour Vet Helpline for vets, vet nurses and veterinary students, and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.
"The BVA's Member Services Group (MSG) also spends a lot of time looking at practical initiatives to improve individual vets' day-to day lives. The recent introduction of the mediation and representation services to help resolve issues between veterinary employees and veterinary employers is a good example of the positive ways in which the BVA can support its members in difficult situations.
"The MSG also recently produced a helpline sticker for all veterinary practices to display on the medicines cabinet and other prominent places to act as a constant reminder that help is available.
"Ours is a small profession and many vets will know a friend or colleague who has taken their own life. It is essential that this issue is kept in the open so that those who are struggling know where to turn for help."
The company has updated its waiting room board kit for veterinary staff to create a visual reminder of the importance of prompt diagnosis and management of dental disease and a tailored dental home care regime.
There is also a Pet Dental Health Month social media pack which includes imagery, videos and copy to use on your practice social media channels and client-facing waiting room screens.
Dental charts are also available to help explain dental aftercare in post-op appointments.
Will Peel, Marketing Manager at Animalcare said: "We know that veterinary staff recognise the importance of oral health, so we’ve created this range of materials specifically to support veterinary practices and to help people better understand how they can maintain good dental health in their pets.’
www.animalcare.co.uk/dentalhealthmonth
CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of pheromonatherapy products, D.A.P.® and Feliway®, has launched a new website - http://www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/ - and a new leaflet and waiting room poster to support its ‘Remember, remember your pets this November' campaign which is backed by the PDSA, FAB (Feline Advisory Bureau), the APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors) and Sound Therapy 4 Pets.
The website features a comprehensive range of information including hints and tips on preparing pets for the firework festivities, how to spot signs of stress in cats and dogs, what to do if pets go missing or are injured, fireworks and the law and information on pheromonatherapy.
"The new site is a one stop shop for information on how to look after pets during the firework season and the precautions that owners should take to help pets cope with their fear of loud noises," says Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health. "Veterinary practices can help highlight these precautions by linking their websites to the ‘Remember, remember your pets this November' site."
A downloadable PR toolkit is also available from the website to enable veterinary practices to highlight the campaign to local pet owners. To request a copy of the ‘Remember, remember your pets this November' information pack, which includes details on CEVA's ‘Promote Your Practice' competition, please call Lucy Brett at CEVA on 01494 781510.
Vets Now, the out-of-hours emergency services provider is to launch the Vets Now Hospital service in Glasgow city centre, where it will offer emergency and critical care together with a range of specialist referral options.
This follows on the heels of The University of Glasgow Small Animal Hospital, a new £15 million facility which opened at the end of August.
Vets Now says that the new hospitals and the range of clinical services on offer to the profession and pet owners will make the west of Scotland a centre of excellence in advanced clinical care for animals.
The opening of the two facilities will also offer both organisations a new platform on which to develop further their long standing relationship through future collaboration in the areas of teaching, training and investigation into animal disease.
Vets Now Group Managing Director, Richard Dixon said: "The opening of the two facilities presents a number of opportunities for both organisations to work collaboratively to develop teaching and training for undergraduates, residents, interns and nurses, and to work together to gain further understanding into animal disease through clinical investigation and the practice and promotion of evidence based medicine."
Professor Stuart Reid, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University said: "The expanded service which will be offered by the Small Animal Hospital and the new Vets Now Hospital obviously presents an enhanced range of choices for pet owners and first opinion vets in Scotland and an opportunity for both organisations to work collaboratively to ensure that undergraduates and clinical professionals have access to the best training and opportunities to develop professionally. We have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship for a number of years and we look forward to the new opportunities which the opening of the two hospitals will bring in the future."
The Small Animal Hospital opened on 31 August. The first Vets Now Hospital will open in Glasgow on 31 October.
Blue Cross has announced the results from its National Equine Health Survey (NEHS) which show that lameness is three times more likely to be caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis in the limb rather than problems in the foot.
Blue Cross runs NEHS in May each year, in partnership with the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA). It is sponsored by SPILLERS and Zoetis and supported by the UK’s leading equestrian organisations and charities. This year saw a 35% increase in participation compared to 2014, with survey records returned for almost 15,000 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.
The charity says that whilst of course the horse’s foot is fundamental to soundness and performance, NEHS results have shown consistently that limb lameness, as opposed to foot lameness, is in fact the biggest syndrome affecting horses.
In the latest survey, conducted in May, a total of 18% were recorded as lame. 13.5% of these were recorded as suffering with lameness such as osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (13.9% in 2014 and 14.8% in 2013).
Meanwhile foot lameness was recorded in 4.5% of returns, a similar figure to previous years.
Josh Slater from the Royal Veterinary College, who is member of BEVA’s Health & Medicines Committee and analysed the NEHS data, said: “NEHS is now producing important evidence that is replacing subjective opinion. While the lameness figures were initially surprising, given that the foot has been generally regarded as the main problem area, the fact that these figures have remained consistent over the past three years gives constructive credibility to the data. Our findings will help owner vigilance with day-to-day healthcare as well as help prioritise on areas for future veterinary education and research.”
The six most notable disease syndromes identified in the 2015 National Equine Health Survey were:
23.2% of horses were reported as being overweight with a Body Condition Score of 3.5-5, continuing the upward trend seen in previous years (16.9% in 2014 and 7.8% in 2013). Next year’s survey will explore links between obesity and the possible associated rise of obesity-related diseases such as equine metabolic syndrome (which was reported in 2.4% of 2015 returns) and laminitis.
The survey also enables participants to report on any health problems not covered in the survey questions, giving them a chance to shape future survey subjects.
Gemma Taylor, Education Officer at Blue Cross explains: “This year 11% of our free text answers mentioned gastric ulcers giving a valuable insight into the prevalence gastric ulcer syndrome in the principally leisure horse NEHS population. As a result we will be adding new questions to the 2016 survey to help us find out more.”
The 2015 NEHS survey results are now available from http://www.bluecross.org.uk/nehs2015results. To register for next year’s survey, visit www.bluecross.org.uk/nehs
Pet Blood Bank UK (PBBuk) launched its new mobile blood collection unit, donated by Royal Canin, at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science on Wednesday, simultaneously collecting enough blood to save the lives of up to 32 dogs.
The blood collection session offered third-year university students an opportunity to learn about transfusion medicine and to practice their clinical skills on real life subjects, as they performed the pre-donation checks and tests under the supervision of Pet Blood Bank UK veterinary advisers.
Vanessa Ashall, Pet Blood Bank UK welfare officer and veterinary surgeon, said: "It is great for students to be able to see these animals. Transfusion medicine is a new science and I certainly wasn't taught about it as a veterinary student. Collaboration with veterinary schools is such a positive step, as we are able to educate the vets of the future on the benefits of transfusion medicine and blood typing, whilst giving them some real hands-on experience."
Veterinary support manager for Royal Canin, Chris Geddes, said: "We are really pleased to be able to assist Pet Blood Bank UK become more mobile and reach more donors. The charity's work is so important to the emergency and critical care of patients, as shown by the tremendous gratitude of the owners of blood recipients."
Golden retriever Beau was one such recipient who had received a transfusion last month after suffering a haemorrhage after surgery for gastric dilatation and volvulus. His owners, Janet and David Liggins, attended the event with a fully-recovered Beau and their other golden retriever, Lotti who gave blood.
Mrs Liggins said: "We can't speak highly enough of all the vets and vet nurses that cared for him - they did a tremendous job looking after Beau, and us! The Pet Blood Bank provided the blood that saved Beau's life. We are really pleased that Lotti was able to give blood. She was a star - the perfect donor!"
Veterinary practices wanting to encourage their clients to put dogs forward as donors, or which would like to support the work of Pet Blood Bank UK, should visit http://www.petbloodbankuk.org/ or contact Pet Blood Bank UK on 01509 232 222 or 0844 800 9925 (5p/min). Blood donors are needed for a second blood collection session at the Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington campus, on Saturday, May 23: 10-4pm.
Until now, research in equine veterinary science has focused primarily on the information needed to prevent and cure disease, with little attention paid to the attitudes and actions of horse owners, veterinary surgeons, and numerous other professionals to implementing science-based advice.
This special EVJ collection showcases studies that seek to understand horse owner behaviour around their horse’s health, supplementing clinical evidence with information about the real-life behaviours of equine owners and professionals and the factors that influence them.
It includes papers on horse owner knowledge and opinions on recognising colic, treating infectious disease, uptake of some of the most basic preventive health measures such as vaccination and deworming as well as attitudes and behaviour around equine obesity and laminitis.
Other studies highlight the importance of professionals other than vets such as farriers, equine podiatrists, physiotherapists, dental technicians, chiropractors, and equestrian organisations such as the British Horse Society.
Guest Editor Tamzin Furtado added: “As our understanding of the drivers of behaviour develops, pre-existing behaviour change models will help us to understand the barriers and enablers to uptake.
“With dissemination of this knowledge, we have a better chance of communicating effectively and implementing change that will have a positive impact on equine welfare at individual, community, and national level.”
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: “This collection is both compelling and eye-opening.
"It is dangerous to assume an understanding of the motivators of horse owner behaviours and actions; these papers confirm the current lack of comprehension, providing an invaluable insight, which will ultimately help us to accelerate improvements in equine veterinary practice and, most importantly, equine welfare.”
The virtual issue can be found at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.owner-behaviours and will be free to view until 26 December 2022.
Krka says Arocenia provides fast, broad-spectrum anti-emetic efficacy with a 24-hour duration of action following a single daily dose.
It can be administered intravenously or subcutaneously and is supplied in 20 ml multi-dose vials, allowing up to 40 punctures per vial and a 60-day open vial shelf life.
Renzo Di Florio, Krka’s Technical Veterinary Adviser, commented “Vomiting is one of the most common presenting signs in small animal practice, and maropitant is a medication you’ll find on just about every vet’s dispensary shelf. With Arocenia, we’re adding a cost-effective formulation to the available options.”
https://www.krka.co.uk//products/our-products/animal-health/arocenia-10mgml-solution-for-injection
Veterinary practices are signing up fast for the opportunity to take part in Pet Smile Month in September 2010, according to organisers.
Participating practices carry out free dental checks in September as part of a nationwide campaign to promote dental health in pets.
Pet Smile Month founder, veterinary surgeon Bob Partridge said: 'Pet Smile Month is all about relieving pain and suffering in pets and educating owners on the importance of dental care for pets. It also highlights the caring nature of the profession and provides practices with an opportunity to promote the range of services it offers.'
Registered practices will receive information leaflets to give to clients, and an educational poster - illustrating the problems of dental disease and encouraging clients to seek dental care.
For Pet Smile Month 2010, as well as the Pet Smile Art Competition (with prizes for young clients), Kruuse has offered the iM3 42-12 dental scaler as a prize for the best waiting room Pet Smile Month display, together with runner-up prizes.
Pet Smile Month could not exist without the long-standing commitment of Petosan, Genitrix, CEVA, Kruuse, NVS, Centaur, Dunlops, Veterinary Surgeons' Supply Company and IGP UK Ltd.
To find a participating local veterinary practice, owners can use the 'Find-a-PSM-Vet' button at http://www.petsmile.org/. There is also a dedicated vet area on the website.
BEVA is giving its members the opportunity to participate in a free practice benchmarking survey, to help them ensure their business is being run as efficiently and profitably as possible. The results of the research will be released at BEVA Congress, 7th-10th September 2011.
The Association has worked with Hazlewoods, chartered accountants and business advisors to the veterinary profession, to develop a detailed benchmarking questionnaire for equine veterinary practices, which allows businesses to compare their practice, anonymously, with other similar practices. The report should identify areas for profit improvement, including practice structure and pricing and may also highlight other potential methods of income generation.
Mark Beaney, partner at Hazlewoods and specialist advisor to the veterinary profession, said: "This is a super opportunity for equine practices to obtain helpful, free advice on how to fine-tune their business for maximum efficiency, delivery and profit. The questionnaire should take no more than half an hour to complete and in return we will provide you with a confidential individual report, with your practice data benchmarked."
Mark will present an overall report on the equine veterinary market at BEVA Congress on Saturday 10th September. All participating practices will remain anonymous. The benchmarking survey can be downloaded from the BEVA website at: http://www.beva.org.uk/news/view/59 and must be completed by 30th June 2011.
BEVA Congress runs from 7th-10th September 2011 at the Liverpool Arena Convention Centre, Liverpool. This year BEVA will be celebrating its 50th anniversary - for further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/.
Of the seven awards, two are dedicated to recognising veterinary surgeons and nurses who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of animals: the Chris Laurence Vet of the Year and the Welfare Nurse of the Year.
The winners are decided by a panel of judges including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc and James Yeates, chief veterinarian at RSPCA. This year’s winners and runners up will be honoured at a ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 5th April 2017.
If there is a veterinary surgeon or nurse that you feel deserves to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare, you can nominate them for an award at: www.cevawelfareawards.com. Entries must be in by January 13th 2017, and nominations are also accepted from members of the public.
Ceva managing director Cuneyt Seckin said: "We really have been awed and humbled by the nominations for Ceva’s Animal Welfare Awards over the past seven years and we expect this year to be no exception.
"The lengths to which some wonderful people go to ensure the health and happiness of animals across the world really knows no bounds. Not only do the awards champion people involved in animal welfare, but they also raise awareness of this important work to wider audiences."
Sally Linghorn, Senior RVN at CVS and one of the team behind the initiative, said: “As far as we know, no other veterinary company has policy, support and specific training and guidance on this topic, in our female-biased profession.”
“We recognise how devastating pregnancy loss can be.
"Last year we launched a policy to provide special paid leave for pregnancy loss.
"But since implementing this we have noticed a gap.
"We felt our managers needed guidance and support on how to provide the more practical and emotional support on a day-to-day basis, if someone in their team experienced a loss."
The new guidance contains advice on how to understand each individual’s experiences and needs, help in the immediate situation of pregnancy loss at work, treat and record any time off directly related to a loss, understand how pregnancy loss can affect mental health, talk about pregnancy loss, facilitate a return to work and the importance of regular follow-ups and check-ins.
The VetCompass database now holds millions of anonymised veterinary clinical records collected from primary practices and referral centres across the UK.
The records allow researchers to investigate a range and frequency of companion animal health problems and identify important risk factors for the most common disorders.
This research can then be used by veterinary professionals in clinical practice to help improve education and outcomes related to animal welfare.
Dan’s nomination included recognition for VetCompass operating under non-profit and open-access principles and embedding mandatory welfare pathways into all studies.
VetCompass was also recognised for having supported more than 140 research papers supporting broad welfare initiatives spanning breed-related health, extreme conformations, welfare scoring, specific disorders, oncology, disease surveillance, prescribing practices, and more.
Dan said: “I am truly humbled to receive this recognition from the RCVS.
"When I moved from clinical practice to the RVC 15 years ago to develop VetCompass as my PhD project, I could only dream of the untapped potential for practising veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to contribute to cutting edge science and welfare.
"And now the amazing VetCompass team at the RVC have made that aspiration to redefine the clinical evidence base on companion animal welfare a reality.
"I now need to reset even higher animal welfare dreams for the next 15 years.”
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/vetcompass/about/overview
To mark its 20th anniversary, Woodley Equipment Company is holding a prize draw to win one of three bottles of Chateau Pitray 1989 Bordeaux red wine.
Woodley Equipment Company Ltd was established in 1989 by Mike Wickham, a biomedical scientist who specialises in haematology and blood transfusion.
Visit www.woodley20years.com to enter the draw. The winner will be drawn on Friday 30th October 2009.
Scientists at the Royal Veterinary College, contributing to a programme to tackle some of the most harmful and widespread endemic diseases that commonly affect farmed animals in the UK, have developed a severity estimation calculator for post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS).
Post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is a common disease of young pigs in the U.K. It is extremely debilitating, causes considerable suffering and poor welfare, and has a high mortality of up to 30%. It is estimated that the disease costs the UK farming industry £30m per year.
The £2.4m project - headed by Professor Dirk Werling from the Royal Veterinary College and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) through its "Combating Endemic Diseases For Farm-Animal Sustainability" programme (CEDFAS), the British Pig Executive (BPEX), and two industrial partners, Pfizer Ltd (UK) and BioBest - aims to identify why PMWS occurs and to develop new methods of controlling the disease.
One key-component of the project is the direct involvement of British pig farmers, thereby guaranteeing that pigs in Britain will be the first to benefit from this research, while collaboration with a major international pharmaceutical company will ensure that new veterinary products will be made available to pig farmers worldwide.
Now, two members of the team, Dr. Barbara Wieland and Pablo Alarcon-Lopez, a second year PhD student, have developed a novel approach to quantify severity of PMWS based on morbidity and mortality data and presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). They applied factorial analyses, using data collected from 147 pig farms in England to identify variables contributing to variation in PMWS severity in a biologically meaningful way.
Together with other known variables linked to PMWS, the resulting factors were used to derive an algorithm for PMWS severity. The derived algorithm was used to develop a PMWS severity calculator, which now can be used by farmers directly to assess the PMWS severity on their own farm (http://www.bpex.org.uk/articles/300874).
The levels of PMWS severities identified on farm level can now be used to identify risk factors related to the different severity-categories, to assess the efficacy of PCV2 vaccination and to investigate the economic impact of potential control measures on a farm.
Zoetis has released new surveillance results which show that Mycoplasma bovis is becoming an increasingly significant pneumonia pathogen in cattle1.
In more than 2,500 samples submitted by vets for analysis during 2014, 45% were positive, compared with 41% in 2013.
According to Dr Tim Potter MRCVS from Westpoint Veterinary Group, Mycoplasma bovis has emerged as an important pathogen of calves worldwide2. He said: "It is associated with a number of clinical presentations including respiratory disease, otitis media and arthritis.
"The role of Mycoplasma bovis in pneumonia is well established and there are a number of reports in the literature of respiratory disease outbreaks where it was the predominant bacterium isolated. However, as with most causes of pneumonia, colonisation by Mycoplasma bovis alone is not always sufficient to cause disease and it may present in combination with other respiratory pathogens."
For other pathogens, the surveillance found 83% of samples positive for Para-influenza 3 virus (Pi3v), 76% Bovine Respiratory Syncytial virus (BRSv), 32% IBR, and 25% for BVD. Apart from BVD, which saw a three-point reduction from 28% the previous year - these show little change from 2013.
According to Zoetis vet Carolyn Hogan, in pneumonia outbreaks involving Mycoplasma bovis, many of the clinical signs are similar to those caused by other pneumonia pathogens: coughing, raised temperature, rapid breathing and lethargy.
She said: "This can make it difficult for farmers and vets alike to identify Mycoplasma bovis as a possible cause of disease based on clinical signs alone, unless calves are also showing some of the other distinguishing signs associated with Mycoplasma infection.
"These include ear infections, head shaking or tilting, and arthritis. Poor response to treatment, with resulting chronic respiratory cases, may also be suggestive of Mycoplasma infection. For a definitive diagnosis, of course, analysis of blood or respiratory tract mucous is required."
Whilst vaccination protection is available against the viruses (BRSv, Pi3v, BVD and IBR) and Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, Carolyn points out that there is no ‘off the shelf’ vaccine available for Mycoplasma bovis. She adds that treatment can be challenging due to the insidious nature of disease, and lack of effectiveness of some antibiotics.
Once Mycoplasma bovis is present on a farm, Carolyn cautions that eradication can be very difficult. "It can be transmitted in milk from carrier cows, and in saliva among calves, particularly when multiple animals suckle the same teat feeders.
"Minimising this pathogen's impact on health and productivity relies on reducing its exposure to susceptible animals and maximising their resilience against it. For a comprehensive programme of control measures, farmers should consult their vet."
Carolyn suggests that such a programme is likely to include: testing the farm's Mycoplasma bovis status; effective biosecurity; not feeding infected milk; ample ventilation for adults and youngstock alike; rapid spotting of sick animals, isolation and vet-prescribed treatment; vigilance for poor response to treatment and development of chronic cases; vaccination against main viral pneumonia pathogens; and low stress through good stockmanship.
References
Photo: By Y tambe (Y tambe's file) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The company has set up the Group Veterinary Medical Board (GVMB) Research Fund to offer practical support and financial assistance.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Alistair Cliff (pictured right), said: "We introduced funding for research across our European Group at the beginning of this year and have been overwhelmed by the interest this has received. We understand the importance of these opportunities for professional development and also an individual’s job satisfaction.
“We believe it is incumbent upon us to increase this support for research to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, the development of our teams and our value as an employer. Ensuring our teams are content, with a diverse range of ways to develop, is important in allowing us to continue to attract the best people in the profession.
The GVMB Research Fund made its first awards in June 2021. Seven grants were provided to research teams from three countries – the UK, The Netherlands and France. In total, the funding will benefit some 21 researchers working as interns, residents, referral clinicians and specialists from a variety of different settings.
Chief Medical Officer Amanda Boag said: "It is incredibly satisfying to be able to provide support to our teams at critical points of their professional development. In some cases, funding has been provided to experienced researchers looking to contribute yet more to the understanding within their respective disciplines. In other examples, we have supported interns, who are at the very beginning of that journey and at a stage where funding can be difficult to secure.”
She added: “With additional interest from several general practitioners and nurses, the fund has quickly become a significant benefit to working for IVC Evidensia."
The GVMB also provides resources to guide teams on study design, ethical requirements, and statistical support. Less experienced researchers can access a network of Research Partners - a group of experienced clinicians from around Europe who have volunteered their own time to mentor colleagues through a collaborative approach to a project.
Denise Coston of Castle Veterinary Surgeons in Durham has won The Veterinary Business Journal Practice Manager of the Year 2011, and praised the award for promoting her role.
Denise, who was a manager at Lloyds TSB's lending centre and previously ran her own business, before joining Castle Vets three years ago, said: "I did not find out that I had been nominated until three weeks before the ceremony - it was totally out of the blue. To make it to the final three was brilliant, but to win was just incredible.
Denise also said the Practice Manager of the Year Award plays a vital part in promoting the role of practice managers to the wider industry: "It is so important in recognising and championing the efforts of practice managers. I'm sure there will be many people out there who still don't know what we do or how we could benefit their business and this award highlights our achievements.
"This is an evolving role and it is often a case of matching what each practice needs, but I think the fact that there is an award highlights the point that there is true value in having a practice manager."
Editor of The Veterinary Business Journal Robin Fearon said: "Denise is a deserving winner of the title Practice Manager of the Year because she understands the importance of helping to define business strategy for the practice, and I wish her every success in future."
The Animal Health Trust's (AHT) Dr Sue Dyson has been awarded a place in the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame, in recognition of her contribution to hoof care in horses.
Sue, who is Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, has lectured internationally and is known for both her clinical work with horses and an extensive research record, having published more than 200 refereed papers on lameness and diagnostic imaging in scientific journals. She has also co-authored several veterinary textbooks as well as training and competing as a high-level rider in international events.
Established in 1997, the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame honours veterinary surgeons who have contributed to the knowledge and recognition of proper hoof care for horses. Vets are nominated either as practicing equine vets who work closely with farriers in the field, or as college and industry vets involved in teaching, research or other important aspects of equine veterinary and hoof care.
Anyone can nominate an equine vet for the award, which is sponsored by the American Farriers Journal, but selection is completed by previous inductees into the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame. Awards are presented each year during the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sue said: "I was completely surprised, but absolutely thrilled, to learn that I had been selected to join the distinguished list of people who have previously been appointed to the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame.
"I think it is very humbling to recognise that, despite the knowledge that my team and I have amassed in the last 30 years, there is so much more to learn. From every new finding come many more questions. I hope that the enthusiastic dedication of my team will continue to result in learning and discovering more, and inspire others to do likewise, to the ultimate benefit of the welfare of our great friend, the horse."
Sue has has worked at the AHT for 30 years and is currently researching the association between hindlimb lameness and saddle slip. She has observed some association between the two for several years, however saddle slip has traditionally been attributed to an ill-fitting saddle, asymmetry of the horse's back shape or a crooked rider.
In 2011 Sue carried out a prospective research project with Intern Line Greve: 'Saddle slip may be an indicator of the presence of hindlimb lameness'. It was presented at the 51st Annual Congress of the British Equine Veterinary Association, Birmingham 2012, and identified that in some cases, saddle slip was directly linked to the presence of hindlimb lameness.
Research results showed that of 128 horses assessed for lameness grade and degree of saddle slip when ridden by two riders, the saddle consistently slipped to one side in 54% of the horses with hindlimb lameness, in comparison to just 4% of the horses with forelimb lameness. Diagnostic analgesia to abolish the hindlimb lameness eliminated the saddle slip in 97% of the horses observed in the study.
Sue and Line are currently undertaking further research to measure movement of the back, and forces under the saddle, with the aim of explaining biomechanically what is happening during the occurrence of saddle slip.
Eli Lilly and Company, which owns Elanco Animal Health, has announced an agreement to acquire Novartis Animal Health for approximately $5.4 billion in cash.
Lilly says that on completion of the deal, Elanco will be the second-largest animal health company in terms of global revenue. It will also solidify its number two ranking in the U.S., and improve its position in Europe and the rest of the world.
As part of the agreement, Lilly will acquire Novartis Animal Health's nine manufacturing sites, six dedicated research and development facilities, a global commercial infrastructure with a portfolio of approximately 600 products, a pipeline with more than 40 projects in development, and an experienced team of more than 3,000 employees.
The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2015, subject to clearance under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, similar requirements outside the U.S., and other customary closing conditions.
John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., Lilly's chairman, president and chief executive officer said: "Animal health continues to represent an attractive growth opportunity for Lilly. We intend to keep Elanco and to take advantage of the substantial synergies between our animal health and human health businesses.
"Significant investments in our animal health business in recent years have enabled Elanco to double its revenue since 2008, leading the industry in growth. Global trends suggest continued sustained demand for animal health products in the years ahead. Through this acquisition, which moves Elanco to top-tier in the industry, we intend to create value for our shareholders by adding to our promising pipeline of innovative animal health assets, increasing sales through a larger commercial footprint, and improving efficiencies and lowering costs."
Bayer Animal Health, the maker of Veraflox, has produced a new animation which explains the considerations veterinary surgeons should take into account when choosing which antibiotic to prescribe.
The animation outlines the key steps that should be taken when faced with a suspected bacterial infection and includes factors such as culture and sensitivity testing, resistance and the mutant prevention concentration.
The company says it produced the animation in response to research it carried out last year in which nearly 500 veterinary professionals (465 practising vets and 45 students) participated.
48% said they felt that not enough is being done to educate veterinary professionals on the responsible use of antibiotics and how to avoid exacerbating the urgent issue of antimicrobial resistance.
Vicky McAlister, Group Product Manager at Bayer said: "In response to this research Bayer is developing a suite of educational resources to arm vets with practical and applicable tools that help them look beyond the 'tip of the iceberg' of bacterial infections, educating about not just the clinical cure, but bacteriological cure, too."
The animation is part of a wider awareness programme entitled ‘What Lies Beneath‘ in which Bayer says it aims to better understand the challenges the veterinary industry faces when prescribing antibiotics, so that additional tools can be developed to help vets confidently use antibiotics responsibly.
The programme will also include a series of webinars led by experts in various fields including veterinary medicine, laboratory diagnostics experts, behavioural psychologists and microbiologists. The webinars are due to be released later in the year, and will present a different perspective on common issues such as compliance, how to make appropriate antimicrobial choices and the approach to and interpretation of relevant diagnostic tests.
Two award-winning independent practices, Glasgow-based Pets’n’Vets and Fife-based Inglis Vets, have joined forces to launch what they describe as a pioneering new graduate training programme.
The new.graduatevet programme (or ‘Dot’ programme) provides hands-on surgical training at Inglis Vets' in Cowdenbeath, seminars from Advanced Veterinary Practitioners at the Pets'n'Vets’ Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow and a new website accessible to all new and recent graduates: www.new.graduatevet.co.uk
Inglis Vets senior vet Graeme Eckford (pictured left, above), said: "This innovation has seen Scotland’s two leading independent vets, Inglis and The Pets’n’Vets Family, bring our considerable combined expertise and facilities together to create what we believe to be the best well-rounded, supported and unique new graduate training programme available in Scotland.
"Support is delivered through an integrated mentor system, peer-to-peer learning opportunities and regular case reviews, with the Dot programme designed to integrate with, and augment, the PDP requirements."
Ross Allan, a partner in The Pets‘n’Vets Family (pictured right, above), said: "The Dot programme will see the new graduates undertake advanced training and extra practice on surgery, consultations and general practice to accelerate their surgical skills and confidence at Inglis Vets ‘Care and Save’– Cowdenbeath before attending the Pets'n'Vets Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow’s Southside for a digest of seminars.
"We are proud to work with Inglis Vets to develop the programme which we believe will provide a platform for new graduates to apply the skills they’ve learned at university throughout the previous five years, and allow them to excel in their careers.
"We believe this exciting new venture demonstrates the willingness of progressive independent veterinary practices to work constructively together to allow both our new graduate vets, and in turn our practices, to thrive. There will be considerable opportunities for the new graduate vets when they have completed their training in the 16 practices which comprise our two ground-breaking vet practices."
The new.graduatevet website has been established to run alongside the new.graduatevet programme as an online mentor and with the aim of providing a community and learning space for all new and recent graduate vets; a much-needed resource for the next generation of vet graduates. Its range of blogs, news and advice on a range of relevant topics are available to all.
New veterinary graduates can apply for a place on the Dot programme by logging onto www.new.graduatevet.co.uk
The webinar will discuss the importance of self-compassion and provide an overview of Katherine and Sarah’s research into the effectiveness of an online compassion focused therapy (CFT) intervention in improving the mental wellbeing of veterinary professionals.
Katherine and Sarah will also go into more detail about how to get the most out of a CFT course they have created, which will be made freely available for veterinary professionals on the Mind Matters website and on the RCVS YouTube channel .
Katherine said: “Our recent randomised control trial has shown the course to significantly improve resilience and self-compassion and reduce rumination and self-criticism amongst veterinarians.
"Therefore, Sarah and I are delighted to now be disseminating the CFT course freely to the veterinary professions, so that as many people are able to benefit from the evidence-based resource as possible.
“Even though our research was conducted on veterinary surgeons, we hope that the course will be useful to all those working in the veterinary team as the content can be applied in a number of contexts.
“Our webinar will explain more about our research, as well as some of the science behind the effectiveness of the course in a veterinary context.
"So, if you are interested in learning more about how CFT may be able to help you and your team, both in a personal and professional capacity, please do come along.”
Katherine and Sarah’s compassion focused therapy course will be made available on the Mind Matters website in due course. In order to access the online compassion course, individuals are invited to complete a short questionnaire before and after watching one 10-15 minute video each day for 14 days, with the aim of the video intervention being to develop self-compassion skills and reduce self-criticism.
https://vetmindmatters.org/events/