A Market Harborough-based practice - Town & Country Veterinary Centre - has announced that it is entering a team into a 10km obstacle course race so gruelling it is called 'The Suffering'. 

The Suffering takes place in the grounds of Rockingham Castle, Leicestershire, on Saturday 12 March 2016. It includes more than 25 water, mud and rope-based obstacles.

The Town & Country team, which includes vets, nurses, students and receptionists, hopes to raise £1,000 for Vets for Change, which is fundraising to vaccinate dogs in Africa against rabies.

Michael Lander MRCVS said: "We are big supporters of the work of Vets for Change which is currently fundraising for its next mass vaccination programme in South Africa. The race does sound gruelling and I have done no training as yet although some of my colleagues have been hitting the gym for the past couple of months. We will all pull together on the big day and getting everyone round the course is our goal.

"We'd be very grateful for donations to help us reach our target for Vets for Change which does such fantastic work and have set up a just giving page at https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/townandcountry-veterinarycentre."

The team members are: Sarah Kay Robinson (Receptionist), Chloe Brown (Receptionist), Zara Lander (VN), Katy Kirkham (VN), Kathleen Gamble (VN), Grace Costall (Student VN), Kate Bodley (Small Animal Vet), Michael Lander (Small Animal Vet), Lucinda Ticehurst (Equine Vet).

Dechra Veterinary Products has added a new webinar: 'Otitis Externa - Recent advances in the treatment of ears' to The Dechra Academy, the online training suite from Dechra Veterinary Products. 

Presented by Sue Paterson, MA VetMB DVD DipECVD MRCVS RCVS & European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, the webinar accounts for 1.5 hours CPD and covers such topics as ear anatomy, cytology and the creation of treatment plans.

Carol Morgan, Dechra Brand Manager said: "We are dedicated to providing educational resources to support the veterinary profession. The otitis webinar is the latest addition to our range of high quality key-opinion-leader-led CPD on The Dechra Academy."  

The webinar is now available to view on demand at www.dechra.co.uk/academy.

The Westpoint Group has announced the divestiture of its small animal and equine veterinary practices in order to focus on production animal health and welfare.

From now, the production animal business - which includes veterinary practices providing services to pig, poultry, dairy, beef, sheep, game bird producers and small holders - will be known under the umbrella brand of Origin.

The company says that excellence and innovation in client service will continue to be the focus throughout the organisation.

Matt Dobbs, Managing Director of Origin said: "Origin is committed to supporting livestock farmers to enhance production by improving health and welfare. We have a unique group of vets, researchers, lab techs and paraprofessionals passionate about the success of UK agriculture, with other businesses committed to supporting the industry, joining us through the autumn.

"By focusing on supporting farmers, we will become a unique source of animal insight in livestock agriculture."

For more information, visit: http://www.westpointveterinarygroup.com 

Buckinghamshire-based Hamilton Specialist Referrals (HSR) has announced the various steps it is taking to maintain a near normal service for referring practices and clients in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. 

HSR, which provides emergency and routine specialist orthopaedic and neurology services, now offers video consultations with a specialist and a pet transportation service. It has also introduced strict strict biosecurity and operational preventative measures.

Clare Hamilton, Managing Director, says, “Our priority is to continue to offer gold-standard service for both routine and emergency orthopaedic and neurological cases whilst doing our utmost to limit the spread of Covid-19 as much as possible. We are to all intents and purposes, ‘business as usual’ with additional hygiene measures to protect clients and staff”.  

HSR is asking clients that if there is a chance that they have Covid-19 and/or have come into contact with anyone with the virus they do not attend the hospital in person, but instead contact via email or telephone to discuss their pet’s treatment on an individual basis. Clients visiting the clinic are being asked to wait in their cars until their appointment, whereupon the animal is collected from the car by one of the team for its clinical examination. The vets are then speaking to the clients by telephone to discuss and gain consent for any further investigation or treatment.

For vulnerable clients who are self-isolating and in need of their services, HSR is offering a pet ambulance service for collection and drop off of pets. They will then have a video consultation with the specialist. Medications will be posted out and advice given over email or telephone.

Clare added: “We are doing all we can to support colleagues and clients in what are unprecedented circumstances. We recognise the strain on many practices having to reduce the number of appointments in the face of staff shortages. We want to reassure vets that we are happy to offer advice and support with cases, and continue to take referrals during this difficult period. We also have free online CPD for practices via our website as meetings are postponed or cancelled”.

The practice advises clients and referring vets to check for further developments on social media, or sign up to their email list for updates.

Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advocate and organiser of the Be Lungworm Aware campaign, is warning that last year's damp summer and the mild winter conditions may lead to a continued spread of Angiostongylus vasorum in the UK.

Biodiversity & Conservation Officer for The Natural History Museum, Professor Fred Naggs, said: "An increase in the number of slug and snail populations this year would suggest there will consequently be a continued spread of the parasite. However, this depends on a number of factors: (i) the number of slugs and snails around last year, of which there were many (ii) the level of precipitation throughout the year, as slugs and snails will breed continuously when temperatures are mild to warm and there is adequate relative humidity. According to many reports in the press, last year was one of the wettest on record (iii) the survival of slugs and snails over the winter. As this winter has not been particularly harsh, reasonable numbers of slugs and snails should have survived."

In addition, a study by the RVC as shown that A. vasorum is spreading beyond the traditional geographic distribution with 20 per cent of veterinary practices across the country reporting at least one case of A. vasorum. ¹

To help raise awareness of the parasite, veterinary surgeons and nurses are being encouraged to support the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign. The scheme will offer support and education to owners and participating vet practices throughout this month, which has been labelled 'Lungworm Awareness Month'.

Caroline Braidwood, Group Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health said: "While dog owners are becoming more aware of A. vasorum, there is still a real lack of understanding as to the warning signs associated with the condition and how to prevent or treat it. Some owners still believe that Lungworm can be prevented by using normal intestinal wormers which is not the case - Advocate is the only product that can prevent A. vasorum, and from the first application. Our aim with the 'Be Lungworm Aware' campaign is to drive pet owners to their vet practice, where they can then be informed of the danger of the parasite and educated about correct preventative treatment."

Practices can request a range of materials including a practice press pack by calling their Bayer Territory Manager. The pack is designed to promote the awareness campaign to local dog owning clients and includes a regional press release, images and other collateral including leaflets, posters and a campaign DVD for display in waiting rooms.

For more information on lungworm, visit www.lungworm.co.uk

Reference

1. Royal Veterinary College survey 2012, 1,419 veterinary practices

Ceva Animal Health has launched a new guide to help vets set up and run Senior Pet Clinics with their nurses.

The publication of the guide follows a study of vet professionals published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery which revealed that the main barriers to blood pressure measurement are a lack of time (72.8%) and situational hypertension (92%)¹. 

Vet professionals also thought the main barrier for owners was cost (80%) whilst the least problematic aspect is the longer consultation needed to accommodate a blood pressure measurement  (48.8%).

The guide has been written to address these concerns and empower vet nurses to run nurse-led clinics for older pets.

Written by RVN, Beth Kirwan, the guide provides information on the benefits of vet nurse-led senior pet clinics, which can either be free or paid, together with hints and tips on how to get started and promotion. 

The guide also covers the importance of a senior health-check questionnaire, tips on preparing and setting up a clinic, a 10-point health check providing guidance on what should be covered and information on additional senior pet tests that can be carried out, such as blood pressure checks for senior cats aged seven years or older to help identify feline hypertension.

Beth said: "I was really excited to be asked by Ceva to create this resource for veterinary nurses and grateful for the opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge. 

"I have been a nurse for over 22 years, and I am passionate about making our nurses feel valued in practice. 

"Nurse clinics are a really good way to do this, but I feel that setting up a senior nurse clinic service in a practice creates so much value in many ways and for every member of the practice, from the receptionists to the vets.

"Our RVNs are the stars of the show with senior nurse clinics; they bring so much experience, care and compassion and are a great reflection of our practice values. 

"They often have the time that the vets don't have and will go home knowing they made a difference to a pet and an owner, or a family.

"Veterinary nurses can help identify disease early, support the owners with home adaptations or new medicine regimes. 

"They can also educate the clients in senior and super senior care as our pets are living longer and provide quality of life and end of life support. 

"The benefits are huge; as well as a financial benefit support like this will bond clients to a practice for life.

"We are all businesses, but we need to be caring businesses. 

"I hope the guide provides inspiration to many nurses and empowers them to set up a new service or helps them to improve their current one."

Dr Sarah Caney, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who led the study said: “Our recent survey had more VN participants than vets, showing just how enthusiastic and engaged nurses are when it comes to assessing blood pressure in cats.

"Owners very much appreciate nurse clinics and I’m delighted to hear that there is a new senior pet clinics guide to support nurses in setting up and running successful clinics.”

https://easethepressure.co.uk/feline-senior-health-clinics 

Reference

1. Caney S et al (2023). Understanding the barriers to blood pressure assessment in cats, J Feline Med Surg https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1098612X231183244 

The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) has published 'Consensus Guidelines on the Long-term use of NSAIDs in cats' in the July 2010 edition of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.

The society says it has developed the guidelines in order to try and address the major welfare issue of cats suffering unremitting and untreated chronic pain. Until recently, NSAIDs had only been licensed for short-term use in cats, but with changing licensing indications and recommendations, they are now also increasingly used for long-term treatment of cats, for example in the management of osteoarthritis.

However, in most cases where long-term use of pain relief in cats is required, there are concomitant problems with other diseases or other drugs that are being given. According to the ISFM, one of the most common concerns is whether NSAIDs can be used to treat arthritis in older cats with kidney disease. The society says that because of concerns like these, and the potential for adverse effects, cats often receive no treatment at all, and their quality of life can be severely compromised.

For this reason, the ISFM set up an international expert panel to develop practical and rational guidelines on the long-term use of NSAIDs in cats.  The aim was to provide guidelines that would empower clinicians, enabling them to make sensible and rational choices, and ensure much-needed therapy is not needlessly withheld from patients.

The panel was made up of Andrew Sparkes, Duncan Lascelles, Richard Malik, Sheilah Robertson, Margie Scherk, Polly Taylor, Llibertat Real Sampietro and Reidun Heiene.

Along with the veterinary information in the guidelines, the panel also developed a brief client-facing leaflet that can be given to owners when NSAIDs are prescribed for their cats - this leaflet provides simple, clear advice on why NSAIDs are used, why they are important, but also what simple precautions avoid adverse effects, with further advice on when to seek veterinary advice to reinforce the safety message.

Both of these publications are available to download from the website www.isfm.net/toolbox

The publicly supported Dog Control Bill moves a step closer towards changing dangerous dog legislation for good as it reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords today.

Over 10,000 people signed up to support it and animal welfare organisations and charities throughout the UK are backing it; Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill would replace the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), by targeting the inappropriate behaviour of any dog, and more importantly the owners of such dogs, to reduce the occurrence of serious dog incidents, rather than continuing to demonise specific breeds or types.

The Bill is championed by the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), a wide-ranging group representing animal welfare, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations who have been actively involved in resolving the inadequacies of the current 'dangerous dog' legislation for many years.

The DDASG considers that the Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be overhauled to better protect the public and that a new dog control regime which emphasises responsible dog ownership should be introduced.

DDASG Chairman Chris Laurence said: "We have had considerable input into the Dog Control Bill and are confident that the Bill takes huge steps towards changing the manner in which owners of dogs that are out of control will be dealt with; the emphasis being on the prevention of dog bites."

The Report Stage of the Dog Control Bill is listed as the first item of business in the House of Lords on this morning and comes as Defra's public consultation on dangerous dogs shows further support for this approach with 71% of respondents calling for breed specific legislation to be repealed.

In support of the Bill, the DDASG launched a petition which has received over 10,000 signatures. The petition can be found at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/repeal-and-replace-the-dangerous-dogs-act.html. The DDASG has also been working with other major stakeholders including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and will be issuing a joint briefing to government tomorrow, entitled 'Finding solutions to irresponsible dog ownership' which outlines where urgent action must be taken in existing dog legislation to improve huge inadequacies within the law.

Subject to the Bill passing the Report Stage, the Third Reading will take place after summer recess before moving to the House of Commons for further consideration. For more information on the DDASG, Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill and current legislation, visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/928.

Veterinary scientist, Dr Alex German and veterinary nurse, Shelley Holden are joining presenter and vet, Mark Evans in a new Channel Four series exploring the secret life of dogs, the first of which airs tonight at 8:00pm.

The three-part series looks at how people's lives and those of their dogs have radically changed in the last 50 years.

Using hidden cameras, episode one investigates how dogs gain weight when their owners are not present or out at work, as well as what research is being done to understand the UK's obesity epidemic in dogs and cats.

Alex, who is head of the University's Weight Management Clinic, said: "Obesity is common in dogs and can lead to a range of illnesses and diseases.

"Although treatment for weight loss has been in existence for some time it has not been without its problems, and owners, with busy lives, can find it difficult to even understand how their dog has gained weight in the first place.

"By showing what dogs get up to out of their owner's sight, this programme explores how understanding our animals' behaviour and habits can help in producing a healthy diet and exercise regime."

Dr German has also contributed to the Channel Four website, which provides information for owners and access to case studies: http://dogs.channel4.com/fat-dogs/

Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, a small animal referral hospital in Alton, Hampshire and part of the CVS Group, has announced a partnership with the Evelina London Children’s Hospital to promote the concept of ‘One Health’. 

The partnership happened after Lumbry Park’s Clinical Director, veterinary cardiologist, Dr Luca Ferasin and his wife Heidi had a son, Mattia, with multiple and life-threatening congenital heart defects. During their son's subsequent treatment, which involved seven hours of successful open heart surgery, Dr Ferasin and his wife got to know Dr Caner Salih, a consultant paediatric cardiac surgeon and member of the team caring for Mattia. So when Dr Salih acquired French Bulldog puppy called Büdu a few weeks later, and a heart murmur was detected during his first visit to the vet, he turned to Dr Ferasin for advice.

Dr Ferasin diagnosed Büdu with the congenital heart condition Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). A VSD is characterised by a hole between the left and right ventricles of the heart which causes an abnormal blood flow between the two chambers. Ironically, a large VSD was one of the multiple heart defects successfully corrected during Mattia’s life-saving cardiac surgery.  

Dr Salih said: "I first met Dr Ferasin and Heidi under one of the most stressful circumstances a parent can experience, that of waiting for a child to undergo life-saving cardiac surgery. Sometime later I had first-hand experience of something not comparable but nonetheless very stressful of having to wait for the results of a diagnostic test which Dr Ferasin was able to provide for our newly acquired puppy. I appreciated more than ever the importance of knowing that our newest family member was in the most capable of hands."

Dr Ferasin said: "The related stories of Mattia and Büdu highlight the remarkable similarities between paediatric and small animal medicine, not only in terms of medical conditions, diagnostic techniques and therapeutic procedures, but also in terms of the psychological, emotional and social importance of the human-animal bond –  in both directions. After all, just like babies and young children, veterinary patients cannot communicate with us - while their ‘parents’ have the same need for reassurance that their beloved ‘baby’ will recover. 

"Our partnership with the Evelina London Children’s Hospital will celebrate these similarities and promote the concept of ‘One Health’ in a bid to advance both human and veterinary medicine. By working closely with the Evelina London, we aim to contribute positively to the development of novel techniques, research and therapies in both our children and in companion animals. We’re planning a range of initiatives, including fundraising and collaborations with the clinical staff at Lumbry Park and the Evelina London, in particular with those in the cardiology and cardiac surgery departments. We’re also planning social events, such as advanced pet-therapy sessions for children undergoing treatment at the Evelina and their families, including direct interaction with our veterinary patients with similar conditions."

He added: "Thanks to the dedicated team at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Mattia is thriving and is a happy, healthy and fun-loving little boy. He will continue to visit the hospital for reassessments as he grows.  Büdu visited us again at Lumbry Park during 2016 for a reassessment and an ultrasound of his heart showed the spontaneous closure of his VSD, resulting in the resolution of his condition. This is a rare but fantastic outcome which, to the best of our knowledge, has only been reported in a couple of canine cases in the veterinary literature. What better reason to cement the bond between human and veterinary medicine!"

Dr Salih added: "Many people do not appreciate the amount of shared learning that has, for decades, occurred between the study of animals and medicine. Many of the advances in areas of human healthcare we embrace today simply could not exist without this relationship – and open heart surgery is one. The Evelina is delighted to be collaborating with Lumbry Park on this exciting venture."

The BVA has opened its annual Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition, inviting entries until Sunday 12th March 2023.

The competition, whi/ch is open to BVA members, has three categories:

• Vets at work: What does life as a veterinary surgeon look like? Capturing the day-to-day life of a vet and the veterinary team in any capacity.
• All creatures great and small. An opportunity to explore the vast diversity of the animal kingdom: domestic, agricultural and all aspects of wildlife
• Happy pets that make us smile - Reflecting the joy of a happy, contented animal, won last year by bob lehner for his singularly daring shot pictured right!

All BVA members are encouraged to take part, whether they are a semi-professional photographer or just handy with a smart phone. 

BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “This competition, showcases the unique talents, creativity and skills of BVA members.

“This year, we would love to see how our members can use their passion for photography to capture the essence of our profession. This is an opportunity to show what life as a vet is really like, to capture the hard work and challenges on camera but also to demonstrate the kindness, skills and compassion of our incredible colleagues – as well as the amazing animals they care for.

“This is your chance to show off your talents. We are so excited to see the stunning entries start to pour in and look forward to announcing the winner at this year’s BVA Live event in May.”

Images by the finalists will displayed at this year’s BVA Live event at Birmingham’s NEC on 11 – 12 May 2023.

Finalists will be contacted in advance and receive a free ticket to BVA Live so they can attend the event and the prizegiving to reveal the winners.

Winning photos will also be eligible for £250 worth of John Lewis vouchers.

www.bva.co.uk/photo-comp

HT Vista has enhanced the diagnostic function on its cancer screening device so that it can now diagnose lumps on dogs when the specificity exceeds 90%.

The update includes a new scoring system of low, moderate or high cancer risk which replaces the original numerical HDI scores and simplifies interpretation for clinicians, making the screening process easier to communicate with pet owners.

HT Vista says the device can now categorise cancer risk levels, based on malignant probability, with a sensitivity of 90% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98%.

The company says this translates to a “low cancer risk” result having a malignant probability of 10% or less, allowing veterinary teams to rule out cancer of lumps and bumps without the need for invasive procedures.

The tool can also now provide alerts for some of the low-risk cases, identifying them as lipomas, sebaceus adenomas or benign epithelial masses.

Liron Levy-Hirsch DVM MRCVS, Managing Director at HT Vista, said: "I am incredibly excited to enhance our already powerful HT Vista screening tool with a new diagnostic capability, providing veterinary teams with an even more comprehensive decision-support system.

"Our screening technology has already been a game-changer in early detection, and now, with the ability to flag specific tumour types, we are taking another significant step forward.

"This advancement empowers veterinary professionals to make even more informed decisions, supports shared decision-making with pet owners, and ultimately improves patient outcomes.

"By reducing the time from suspicion to diagnosis and treatment, we can detect cancer earlier, avoid the ‘wait and see’ approach, and help save more lives."

On the other end of the scale, a “high cancer risk” result has a malignant probability of 50% or more and indicates a stronger likelihood of malignancy.

HT Vista says these cases require additional diagnostic tests for mass identification.

The company highlights a big distinction between this and other screening modalities is that it can be nurse-led.

HT Vista will be on display and there will be live demonstrations at BSAVA Congress from the 20th to the 22nd of March 2025.

https://bit.ly/ht-vista-screening-tool 

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched the Healthy Ears Combi Kit, designed to help pet owners administer treatment for otitis externa correctly.

The kit contains a guide to effective ear cleaning, an illustrated step-by-step instruction guide on how to administer the Canaural, and a diary and consultation pack so owners can engage with the diagnosis and treatment of their pet’s ear infection.

The Healthy Ears Combi Kit comes in a resealable wipe-clean bag and is available free of charge from veterinary wholesalers.

Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "The new kit will give owners more confidence in the important role that they play in their pet’s ear health and encourage them to engage in the treatment plan, thereby supporting veterinary professionals in the cycle of care.

"As well as serving as practical storage for the products, it acts as a reminder to dispense CleanAural as well as Canaural, as the self-cleaning mechanism of the animal’s ears is often compromised by infection.

She added: "CleanAural does not compromise the antimicrobial activity of Canaural¹ so they are perfect partners for maintaining healthy ears."

Free Healthy Ears Combi Kit can be ordered via your veterinary wholesaler.

Reference

1. Trial Report GB225 (2007)