Nigel Gibben said: "The Prevention Zone means anyone who keeps poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese, even as pets, must take action to stop them coming into contact with wild birds to protect them from avian flu.
"Birds should be moved into a suitable building, or if that isn’t possible owners must take sensible precautions to keep them away from wild birds, like putting up netting to create a temporary enclosure and keeping food and water supplies inside where they cannot be contaminated by wild birds.
"Even when birds are kept indoors a risk of infection remains so keepers must also practice good biosecurity, for example by disinfecting footwear and equipment and washing clothing after contact with birds.
"Recent H5N8 avian flu findings in wild birds and a backyard flock in Wales highlight just how essential it is to minimise contact between wild and captive birds and maintain good biosecurity to reduce the risk of infection.
"We must continue to be vigilant and do all we can to protect against this highly pathogenic strain of the disease, which is why we are extending the Prevention Zone, have introduced a ban on poultry gatherings and continue to strengthen surveillance to understand the extent of infection in wild birds."
The 'Tea-Time Training' webinar will be led by Animalcare’s Senior Veterinary Manager, Felicity Caddick.
Tea-Time Training was launched by Animalcare in April to support veterinary surgeons and nurses keep up their CPD. The webinars are short, free, refresher-style training sessions, designed to be enjoyed over a cup of tea.
Animalcare Product Manager James Beaumont said: “A missing microchipped pet is much more likely to be reunited with its owner than an animal which has not been microchipped. National Microchipping Month is a great opportunity for practices to remind clients of the benefits of microchipping and, in doing so, to strengthen their relationships with clients – relationships which are even more important given the difficult times we’re living through.”
To register for ‘4 Essentials for Successful Microchipping’, visit https://mailchi.mp/animalcare/tea-time-training.
The competition, whi/ch is open to BVA members, has three categories:
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
The survey of 102 UK veterinary students, which was carried out by Charlotte French MRCVS (pictured right) in 2020, also revealed that 74% of respondents had engaged in extracurricular CPD whilst at university, including university presentations, online conferences, webinars and in-person congresses.
98% said they were willing to be involved in extracurricular CPD if it was available.
Charlotte said: "Students are interested in CPD and their career progression, they just need a little extra help in finding the right providers and sources."
Nominations are now open for candidates wishing to stand in the 2012 RCVS Council and RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council elections.
Jane Hern, RCVS Registrar said: "The veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses that sit on the RCVS and VN Councils are vital to the governance of their professions, and in steering the activities the College undertakes under its Royal Charter. If you're interested in making sure that your profession is well-governed, its standards are upheld, and the interests of animals and the public are protected, why not consider standing in these elections?"
Six seats on RCVS Council and two on VN Council are due to be filled in the 2012 elections. Those elected will take their seats on RCVS Day next July, to serve four-year terms, and will be expected to spend at least six to eight days a year attending Council meetings, working parties and subcommittees (a loss-of-earnings allowance is available).
All prospective candidates need to provide the signatures and registered/listed addresses of two proposers, and should also submit a short biography, manifesto and photograph for inclusion in the RCVS News Extra election specials. Nobody may nominate more than one candidate, and no current member of the RCVS Council or VN Council may make a nomination.
Nominations must be made in writing on the prescribed form and received by the Registrar on or before the closing date of 31 January 2012. Full details and guidance notes for both elections will be available on the RCVS website shortly on the RCVS Council Election page and VN Council Election page.
Nomination forms and candidate information forms for RCVS Council may be requested from Mrs Gabi Braun (020 7222 0761 or executiveoffice@rcvs.org.uk) and those for VN Council from Mrs Annette Amato (020 7202 0713 or a.amato@rcvs.org.uk).
Vetoquinol has announced that the vouchers it provides as part of the Epiphen practice support package for monitoring and management of serum levels of phenobarbital will now be provided directly from the veterinary wholesaler and sent with each order.
One or two vouchers are provided with the 30ml and 60ml packs respectively. The vouchers come complete with a pre-paid envelope in which to send samples directly to the laboratory. Each test is valued at £19.80
For further information, contact your local Vetoquinol Territory Manager.
Jon Bowen, animal behaviour consultant at the Royal Veterinary College and Sureflap have declared 8th May 'Vet Cat Watch Day', and are asking the profession to record the reason why each cat seen that day is brought into the practice.
Jon explained: "There are more than 10 million pet cats in the UK, however there is little information about the prevalence of injuries, disease, cat fights and road traffic accidents on a national scale".
The absence of data became apparent when findings from research on over 1,000 cats - conducted as part of the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign, supported by SureFlap and Your Cat magazine - revealed cats that had suffered minor injuries from fights were more likely to develop other health issues, such as hair loss and eye infections.
Judith Bank from SureFlap said: "People often purchase a microchip-operated cat flap to help their pet to feel secure. Owners tell us that their pet is spraying in the house or has been losing fur and this motivated us to support research to look deeper into the problems that pet owners might be having. We soon realised that objective data from vets was not available to qualify the findings and this is where the idea of 'Vet Cat Watch Day' emerged."
Jon said: "The aim of Vet Cat Watch Day is to take a snap-shot of cats' health from veterinary practices across the nation, on one day. The results will be compiled alongside information from cat owners gained in 'Cat Watch Day' a few days earlier.
A report detailing preliminary findings from the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign is available from the SureFlap website. When complete the results will be used to help provide vets with an insight into the lives of domestic cats so they are better equipped to understand behavioural issues.
For more information on Vet Cat Watch Day please visit the SureFlap website The site hosts a PDF to print out and help record the feline cases that come through practice doors on the 8th May, which can be downloaded from www.sureflap.co.uk/vetwatch_info. At the end of the day, visit www.sureflap.co.uk/vetwatch to upload your data to the online survey.
The RCVS has launched a survey asking recent graduates from UK veterinary schools to share their experiences of the role played by extra-mural studies (EMS) while studying for their degree.
The aim of the online survey, which has been emailed to all of the 2012 and 2013 UK veterinary graduates for whom the College holds email addresses, is to take a snapshot of how EMS placements - whether pre-clinical or clinical - are working in practice and their value in educational terms.
Christine Warman, RCVS Head of Education, said: "In 2009 we carried out a review into EMS arrangements and, in light of this, we want to gather evidence on current practice in order to build up a picture of how EMS is now working and the role that it plays in the learning process for veterinary students. This evidence will inform any future discussions about EMS.
"So, for example, we would like to find out what students gained from EMS that they could not have learnt from their core studies alone and gather further information on the process of identifying and arranging EMS placements."
Recent graduates taking part in the survey, which takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, can supply their name and email address or, alternatively, there is the option of responding anonymously. The survey should be completed by Friday 14 February. Those 2012 and 2013 graduates who have not received an email with the link to the survey, and who wish to take part, should email: education@rcvs.org.uk
For more information on EMS, or the survey, contact the RCVS Education Department on 020 7202 0791 or education@rcvs.org.uk. Further guidance about EMS for both students and placement providers can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/ems which includes a link to the RCVS Find a Vet service where students can search for practices providing EMS.
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
The HT Vista device measures heat transfer rate differences between masses and adjacent normal tissues and then processes that data using machine learning algorithms to classify the masses.
The study evaluated a diverse canine population of 299 dogs with 525 cutaneous and subcutaneous masses.
In the study, the device correctly classified 45 out of 53 malignant masses and 253 out of 378 benign masses (sensitivity = 85% and specificity = 67%).
The negative predictive value of the system (i.e., percent of benign masses identified as benign) was 97%.
This study concluded that the data supports the use of the HT Vista device "as a screening tool and decision support tool for the everyday diagnosis of dermal and subcutaneous masses in general practice, enabling clinicians to differentiate between benign lesions and those requiring additional diagnostics".
Liron Levy-Hirsch, Managing Director of HT Vista’s UK subsidiary said: “We are thrilled to have scientific research validating the success of the HT Vista device.
"The veterinary teams who have already adopted the device into their practice are having great success with it, and with the backing of this newly published paper we hope to reach more practices and ultimately save more dog’s lives.”
www.ht-vet.com / www.ht-vista.uk
For practices planning to take part in National Microchipping Month, Virbac is providing a personalised poster design service and chip promotion throughout June.
According to product manager Gillian Brown, the idea is to offer additional tailored support to practices during the promotional period: "Obviously many practices will have National Microchipping Month materials in place, but the price each practice offers their clients is individual to them. These posters provide a visual platform to highlight the promotion.
"To take advantage of the scheme, practices just need to notify their territory manager of the price they propose to charge and we will then manage the design and print."
Virbac will also be offering a promotional chip price in June to support National Microchipping Month. Gillian said: "Microchipping is now the official means of pet identification approved by the EU Pet Passport Scheme. This will help practices provide an attractive promotion to pet owners and hopefully encourage greater up-take of microchipping."
Any practice interested in the initiative should contact their local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01379 243243.
Woodley Equipment Company Ltd has announced the launch of InSight rapid diagnostic test kits. The test range includes FeLV, FIV, FeLV-FIV Combi, Giardia, Canine Heartworm, Canine Parvovirus and with more tests in development.
The test kits are available to veterinary practices across the UK and to Woodley's global veterinary diagnostic distributors. Each test is based on a sandwich lateral flow immunochromatographic assay and contains 10 cassettes per box. The company says that the diagnostic kits are simple and easy to use and will provide point of care testing direct to the veterinary practice. The kits are stored at room temperature (2⁰C - 30⁰C).
The range of InSight Rapid Diagnostic Tests includes:
To place an order, email sales@woodleyequipment.com, fax 01204 669034, or telephone 01204 669033.
For more information, visit: http://www.woodleyequipment.com/.
Veterinary practices are being urged to raise awareness of summer skin conditions, such as sweet itch, following research carried out by Elanco Companion Animal Health, distributor of Cavalesse, which revealed that vets only tend to be consulted after horse owners have tried to manage the condition themselves (73%), or if the clinical signs have become severe (67%), potentially leading to major welfare implications.
According to the research, this is despite the fact that over half (55%) of owners of a horse with sweet itch showed concern that their horse will suffer, and nearly half being stressed about the way the condition will affect it (47%). While many horse owners are fairly knowledgeable about the causes of sweet itch and its clinical signs, over a quarter of respondents (26%) did not start managing the condition before the midge season in the spring, which may make managing the condition more frustrating. Nearly a third (31%) stated that they had to curtail their activities with their horse due to welfare, aesthetic and behavioural issues, such as head shaking, rubbing, unpredictability and aggression.
Ed Whittle, technical consultant at Elanco Companion Animal Health said: "86% of those questioned considered sweet itch to be a very serious welfare issue if left untreated, with the worst aspects of the condition being the suffering and distress caused by the constant irritation which affects the quality of life of the horse. Over half (55%) felt that sweet itch had adversely affected the behaviour of their horse, making them difficult to handle or ride. Veterinary practices should be proactively talking to their clients about summer skin conditions such as sweet itch to help alleviate the suffering and distress caused by this frustrating disease."
Elanco says it will be joining forces with the British Horse Society (BHS), The Blue Cross, The Horse Trust, Redwings Horse Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare (WHW) to raise awareness of summer skin conditions, such as sweet itch, during Sweet Itch Awareness Month (SIAM) in March. The campaign will highlight the preventative measures that should be carried out to help alleviate sweet itch and the importance of management of the condition before the start of the midge season in the spring.
Lee Hackett, head of welfare at the BHS, said: "The results of this survey show just how important raising awareness of sweet itch is. All of us, whether we are welfare organisations or vets, need to play our part in educating owners about sweet itch in the hope that they will seek expert advice at an earlier stage and reduce the number of horses that suffer as a result of this condition."
Kerry Taylor, education officer at The Blue Cross, said: "The Blue Cross is pleased to be supporting the sweet itch campaign to raise awareness of the physical and mental impact this condition has on horses. During our May 2011 National Equine Health Survey, skin problems came out the top syndrome affecting horses, and we continue to see many horses coming into our care suffering from sweet itch. Prevention and early treatment is key to managing the potentially debilitating condition."
For further information on sweet itch, Sweet Itch Awareness Month or Cavalesse, please visit http://www.fidavet.com/, or contact Elanco Companion Animal Health, Lilly House, Priestley Road, Basingstoke, RG24 9NL, 01256 353131.
Sweet itch - effect on horse and owner. Mo Gannon & Associates. Web survey in November 2011. 351 responses - owners who have owned horses with sweet itch in the last two years.
Dunfermline-based Vets Now Ltd has been announced as the winner of the Scotland regional final of the £35 Million Bank of Scotland Corporate Entrepreneur Challenge. The company, based on Pitreavie Drive, is the UK's leading provider of out of hours emergency care for animals and has secured an incredible funding package of up to £5 million, free of interest and charges for three years, to turn their expansion plans into reality.Richard Dixon, Managing Director of Vets Now Ltd, said, "I am absolutely thrilled that we have won the Scottish regional final of the Entrepreneur Challenge. A lot of time and effort went into our presentation and we knew that the competition was going to be tough. I'm very proud of our team, without who Vets Now would not be what it is today."Winning the Challenge is going to have a fundamental impact on Vets Now, taking our business to a completely new level. The funding will allow us to make substantial growth and move the business into Europe. It will also increase the range of services we can provide to customers and increase the overall profile of our organisation."Richard will now go through to the national final in December, where he will compete against the winners from six other regions across the UK for the chance to be named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year' and the opportunity to benefit from four days mentoring from one of Britain's most successful and high profile entrepreneurs.Vets Now was chosen as the winner after Richard Dixon presented his business case and plans for the future to a panel of judges, including Willie Haughey from City Refrigeration and John Anderson from The Entrepreneurial Exchange. Willie, John and the rest of the judging panel then questioned Richard in their search for an entrepreneur who displayed flair, vision and creativity, coupled with solid business acumen and impressive plans for the future. The judging was followed by a dinner and award ceremony at Stirling Castle, at which the winner was announced.For more information visit http://www.theboschallenge.co.uk/
Free places on Vétoquinol's webinar: 'Chronic Pain in the Geriatric Dog: Decision Making and Risk Management' are going fast, according to the company, and those wishing to attend are being advised to register as soon as possible.
Vétoquinol says that at one point, 200 vets registered in just 3 hours, demonstrating the extent to which vets are finding this to be a challenging topic when it comes to managing their day to day case load.
The webinar takes place at 8.30pm on Wednesday 15th June 2011 and the talk is being delivered by Dr. Jo Murrell, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Anaesthesia at Bristol Vet School and holder of The European Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. She said: "Decision making can be a complex business when so many factors have to be taken into account. We all see geriatric dogs with painful conditions reasonably frequently and concurrent diseases are common. I will be aiming to describe a way to balance out the risks and benefits, to take into account client's concerns and develop a more logical, rational approach to treatment."
To register for the free webinar go to www.thewebinarvet.com/vetoquinol. Enter the code veto11 to obtain the webinar free of charge.
The RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council has decided that the College should cease being an awarding body next year, which means it will no longer offer the vocational Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing.
The College says it will ensure that the Diploma continues to be available by transferring the intellectual property associated with the qualification, such as the question banks and systems, to another larger awarding body, in a move which is likely to take effect for the beginning of the 2012 academic year.
According to the College, this decision reflects recent changes in the regulatory Conditions of Approval for awarding bodies, which it would have been hard for the College to meet while continuing to offer the Diploma cost-effectively. The changes mainly relate to potential conflicts of interest between the College's primary role, as professional regulator that safeguards standards within the veterinary professions, and its role as an awarding body. The standards-setting role includes the regulation of education and training leading to the veterinary and VN registers, and it was felt that the College could no longer exercise this role effectively if it was also an awarding organisation, as it might be suspected of treating its internal qualifications more favourably, or of obstructing competitors.
Although the College says this has not been a problem in the past, the rules are now more stringent, and the costs of setting up a fully independent awarding body would be prohibitive.
The market for the Diploma is also likely to fragment in the future, with three other awarding bodies expressing an interest in offering a Level 3 Diploma. Any reduction in the number of students taking the RCVS Level 3 Diploma would further push up the costs, potentially making the RCVS Awarding Body unviable. A larger awarding body can take advantage of economies of scale across a range of awards in a way that the RCVS cannot.
Colonel Neil Smith, Chairman of the RCVS Awarding Body Board said: "The RCVS has been offering vocational qualifications since 1998 and the decision to cease being an awarding body has not been taken lightly.
"We have taken this decision in order to focus on our core responsibilities of professional regulation and standard setting. However, we remain committed to maintaining the Diploma, which has been carefully developed by the RCVS and the profession. This move ensures that it will stay in safe hands."
The name of the awarding body to which the qualification will be transferred has not yet been announced because the process is not complete. However, the College says it felt it was important to give those involved with the delivery of training as much notice as possible of the change. More information, and the change-over plan, will be released in due course.
Libby Earle, RCVS Head of Veterinary Nursing said: "Our priority will be effecting a smooth transfer for students, Colleges and training practices, and we are confident that the impact of the change will be minimal. Furthermore, it will be a condition of the transfer that the veterinary profession continues to have a say in the future development of the qualification."
Those students still in the process of completing the old NVQ qualifications, the accreditation of which is due to run out in 2013, will continue to be serviced by the RCVS.
As the professional regulator, the College will continue to issue RCVS certificates and badges to those who have successfully completed a registerable qualification - such as an approved vocational qualification run by another awarding body, or an RCVS-recognised veterinary nursing degree.
The Advanced Diploma in Veterinary Nursing will be unaffected by the change as the qualification is awarded by the College under its Royal Charter powers.
The Goddard Growlers are putting the final touches to their training ahead of the Vet Charity Challenge event which takes place at Pershore College in Worcestershire on 28 September.
The team comprises Stone Lion Head Vet Roger Bralow; Practice Manager for North West London, Adrian Hayter; Philippa Davis, Regional Manager for NE London and Lisa Cooper, VN and Hospital Manager for Wanstead Hospital.
Philippa Davis said: "Our training regime is going well despite the injuries we've sustained making us consider that we might be 'too old' for this malarkey. I've certainly had to stop saying 'I don't do' running as I've found that I'm enjoying it and will continue to do it after the challenge. We make a great team and while the events will be very tough, we'll have some laughs along the way.
We certainly have a will to win and our fellow teams will find us highly competitive and growling at them at every opportunity! Seriously though, we're all really looking forward to it and watching the long range weather forecast with unusual interest! We're also delighted to be helping the fantastic causes which the Vet Charity Challenge is fundraising for this year. Our colleagues across the Goddard Group are giving us great support and we have already raised more than £600. Bring it on!"
The Growlers' progress can be followed by 'liking' their facebook page, 'Goddard Growlers', which also provides links for anyone wanting to support them with sponsorship. Alternatively, donations can be made at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/goddardgrowlers
You can take part in the survey and share your views on the issues affecting the health and welfare of UK pets at www.yougov.co.uk/pdsa.
Vicki Betton, PDSA Policy and Campaigns Manager, said: "For the last nine years, the PAW Report has provided valuable insight into the reality of pet wellbeing in the UK.
"We’re excited to be celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the PAW Report in 2020, marking a decade of measuring key insights into the welfare of our nation’s pets. The report helps us deliver a robust evidence-base for our education programmes, campaigns and collaborative work, and enables us to track the impact of initiatives on the pet wellbeing issues which are of most concern to the veterinary profession. It also provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to voice their opinions and have their say.
"In 2019, our findings revealed a record decline in the number of pets receiving primary vaccinations when young, which may mean that millions of companion animals are left unprotected and exposed to potentially fatal diseases.
"In response to these troubling findings, we ran a vaccination campaign across our Pet Hospitals and social media channels which significantly improved uptake of vaccinations. Our key trends and insights will continue to inform our vital campaigns, to improve the health of pets across the country."
The PDSA says that whilst it has enjoyed some success with collaborative education campaigns, such as the annual Rabbit Awareness Week, there are still many issues which need to be addressed, and this survey provides an opportunity to feedback on these from the frontline of veterinary practice.
Vicki added: "It takes less than 15 minutes, so please help us maintain an accurate picture of the biggest welfare issues facing pets in the UK today."
Photo: PDSA Senior Vet Rachel Smith with patient Ruffin
A new expert panel has been formed to evaluate pain management in canine osteoarthritis following a recent shift to a more integrated approach to pain and disease research.
In the past, pain and joint disease have been considered as separate areas of research, with pain perceived simply as a consequence of disease. Over the last few years, however, it has become increasingly apparent that the relationship is far more complex and that pain may be a driver of disease rather than just a consequence of it. The expert panel hopes to apply the new knowledge to the management of joint pain in veterinary practice.
The panel, which had its inaugural meeting in Paris recently, brings together acknowledged veterinary experts in the fields of pain and joint disease. Its focus will be on the assessment and management of pain in canine osteoarthritis (OA), with the objective of educating veterinary surgeons to better understand and manage pain in canine OA and thereby improve the well-being of pets that suffer from this common disease.
'Central sensitisation' is one of the latest theories that has been suggested to explain the complex interaction between pain and disease progression in canine OA. Duncan Lascelles, Associate Professor of Surgery at North Carolina State University, said that research has shown that the components of the pain pathway can change in response to a pain stimulus. Pain receptors 'up-regulate' in response to painful stimuli and become more sensitive to subsequent pain.
CNS sensitisation is likely a significant contributor to chronic or maladaptive pain; this pain leads to decreased mobility, reduced muscle support and reduced muscle function, thus leading to disease progression. In other words, joint diseases cause pain, which in turn feeds back to create more disease.
Professor Lascelles said: "The link between the clinical signs associated with OA and joint pathology is not a simple one and may be much more complex than we have previously thought.
"There is some evidence that COX inhibition reduces central sensitisation. And some evidence suggests that reducing central sensitisation may have a modulatory effect on disease progression by reducing signals going out to the periphery.
"The relationship between pain and disease progression is a very new area of research, and is at the forefront of our knowledge of how pain and joint disease are linked."
Professor John Innes, Head of Division, Small Animal Studies, University of Liverpool Veterinary School, told the meeting that OA is likely to be one of the major reasons for euthanasia of pet dogs in Europe. He and two co-investigators have performed a systematic review of the published evidence for the use of long-term, continuous NSAID treatment (at least 28 days) in OA. They found that this form of management is associated with better outcomes than short-term NSAID therapy, with no evidence of additional safety issues. This review is to be published shortly.
The expert panel comprises:
Prof Dr Stuart Carmichael, Vets Now Ltd. Formerly at: Veterinary School, University of Glasgow, UKProf Dr John Innes, Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, UKDr Bernard Bouvy-Centre, Hospitalier Vétérinaire de Frégis, Arcueil, FranceProf Dr Jean-Pierre Genevois, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, FranceDr Carlos Macías, Centro Veterinario de Referencia Bahia de Malaga, SpainProf Dr Martin Kramer, Klinik für Kleintiere, Chirurgie , Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, GermanyDr Sabine Tacke, Klinik für Kleintiere, Chirurgie, Justus-Liebig-Universität GießenProf Dr Duncan Lascelles, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, USAProf Dr Herman A.W. Hazewinkel, Faculteit Diergeneeskunde, Departement Gezelschapsdieren, Utrecht, NetherlandsDr Emilio Feltri, Anaesthetist and specialist in Pain Management, Ambulatorio Veterinario Associato, Tortona, ItalyDr Peter Vandekerckhove, Specialist Surgeon Companion Animal, Wondelgem, Belgium
Following Intervet Schering-Plough's launch of Plerion, a chewable, flavoured wormer for dogs, the company has launched a consumer viral marketing campaign in which they invite pet owners to 'Primp Your Pooch' at the website www.plerion.co.uk.
In the press release, the company says: 'educating clients on worming has never been more fun'. Whilst you might not think that an especially big achievement, it is certainly a polished looking website, and there's a novel competition on the site: owners are invited to upload a photograph of their dog, 'primp' it with a variety of hairstyles and fashion accessories, and then get others to vote for them to win £1000 of luxury spa vouchers.
The launch of Primp Your Pooch follows the award-winning Plerion Showtime web campaign which featured a variety of singing and dancing dogs and achieved an average 1,500 hits a month on the Plerion micro site. Sarah-Jane Minter, marketing Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough said: "We are always trying to create new and interesting ways to engage with pet owners and have found the web to be a useful platform to drive consumer awareness, as owners enjoy the interactive element that this format offers. The site takes an uninteresting topic and gives it interest to owners. The viral aspect is achieved through social media as consumers are able to share the website with friends via Facebook or email."
As well as an extensive online advertising campaign the Primp Your Pooch campaign will be supported by in practice information. Speak to your local Intervet/Schering-Plough Veterinary Business Manager or phone the company's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685 for further information.
VetSurgeon member, Rachel Crowe is asking veterinary surgeons to help with a survey looking at the relationship between vets and drug companies.
The survey forms part of Rachel's dissertation for her MBA, titled: In harmony or out of tune? Perceptual gaps between expectations of vets and supplier.
The survey is being carried out in association with VetSurgeon.org. We've agreed to promote it to VetSurgeon members in return for being able to share the bulk of the results with our members, and, importantly, with all veterinary suppliers. Our hope is that as a result, the time you spend carrying out the survey will help influence the way drug companies do business, and help them give you a better standard of service. In addition, the survey is also being supported by Rachel's employer, Virbac Animal Health, which will have first sight of the results.
As a small thank you, everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a draw for one of 5 Marks and Spencer shopping vouchers.
Thus far, 182 members have already taken part in the survey. If you are one of the few that didn't complete it, please do, as Rachel needs as many completed surveys as possible. If you have only partially completed the survey, you should find that the system has stored your previous answers, so you won't need to start all over again.
To take part, please click here.
The British Veterinary Association has expressed concern about an increasing trend towards temporary contracts for new graduates following the release of headline figures of a survey by the Institute for Employment Studies on behalf of the RCVS.
The survey showed that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first three months has significantly increased for those who graduated in 2012 and who have already left their first position. Amongst vets who graduated in 2010 and had already left their first job 7.7% had done so within the first three months; for 2011 graduates this figure is 15.9%; and for 2012 graduates it is currently 42.6%, although this percentage is likely to decrease over the next year as more of the 2012 cohort leave their first roles. The two main reasons given for leaving first jobs are poor management and temporary contracts.
Besides this unexpected increase the survey showed little change in other areas for recent graduates, although there has been a slight increase in the amount of time taken for new graduates to find their first job. The survey also revealed that over the 5 year period 16% fewer graduates found jobs in under 3 months.
BVA President Peter Jones said: "Information in this survey and that conducted by the British Equine Veterinary Association recently is valuable evidence of how the changing environment affects those entering our profession and will feed into the on-going discussion at BVA on veterinary workforce issues.
"Perhaps most worrying is the statistic that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first 3 months has significantly increased. The main reasons cited are poor management and temporary contracts. The trend towards temporary contracts is very worrying in terms of job security for those just starting out in our profession.
"Poor management has long concerned the BVA and is what initially led us to establish initiatives such as the Young Vet Network, the recent graduate guide and our contracts of employment campaign. We are currently working on building that support and we are in the process of widening the network of graduate support meetings to help with moral support and networking opportunities. We also supporting the RCVS's Professional Development Phase to support new graduates in their first few years of practice and have produced a number of resources to assist with this process."
While the results show little evidence of a major impact on job prospects from the increase in graduates since the opening of Nottingham Veterinary School, BVA members remain concerned about the impact of a new school opening next year such as the one planned at the University of Surrey.
Peter Jones continued: "It is reassuring to see that overall trends are not changing significantly, however, the ease with which our graduates are getting jobs is changing. We will therefore be considering in some depth the impact that two, three or more new veterinary schools could have in the future. Rumours of yet more new veterinary schools elsewhere are a serious worry for the profession.
The traditional method for detecting equine lameness is subjective, using expert visual evaluation of gait to identify the presence or absence and degree of asymmetries. The lame horse is described as having a disorder, defect or loss of function and this clinical diagnosis has associated welfare implications if the horse is still asked to perform.
The article explains how advanced computer technology is starting to change all this. Optic motion capture or the use of inertial measurement units (IMUs) is now enabling the detailed study and quantification of the horse’s gait; objective assessment against preset thresholds. The paper points out that while these digital systems can overcome the temporal and spatial limitations of the human eye they simply rely on one or a number of set gait parameters to decide about lameness and this can present obstacles.
Thresholds are forcibly based on a limited reference population, which doesn’t adequately reflect the millions of horses in the world. The individual environmental and mental conditions for each horse and its day-to-day gait variations are also not accounted for. On this basis to use the term ‘lame’ because a horse demonstrates a subtle gait alteration, causing it to fall below the threshold, could be inappropriate, particularly as it may not affect the horse’s welfare in any way.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "An important first step is for researchers and clinicians to start to discriminate clearly between 'asymmetry' and 'lameness' and not to use these as interchangeable terms when interpreting gait analysis data. Asymmetry is often, but not always, a hallmark of lameness, but is not a clinical term, whereas lameness is."
For the survey, 565 respondents ranked their levels of concern about different aspects of veterinary life that may be affected by coronavirus.
The top concerns were:
In addition, 42% were very or quite concerned about contracting Covid-19 in their workplace, rising to 55% amongst those working in mixed practice and 50% in small animal/exotic practice.
Respondents were more concerned about stress and burnout amongst their colleagues (67% very or quite concerned) than the impact on themselves (45%), but more than half (58%) of small animal/exotics vets reported being concerned about their own stress and burnout. Managers and employees reported higher levels of concern around stress and burnout than business owners and those who are self-employed.
When it comes to employment, the profession is a bit more optimistic. 23% of respondents are not at all concerned about job security in the veterinary sector, with 43% a little concerned and 31% very or quite concerned. Equine vets (45%) and charity vets (64%) are very or quite concerned about job security in their own sectors, against an average of 23% across all areas of work.
However, 95% of respondents had some level of concern (a little, quite or very) about the potential impact of a recession on the veterinary sector, with government, equine and charity vets most concerned.
The findings will be used to inform BVA’s work on supporting the veterinary profession as the pandemic continues.
BVA President James Russell said: “Although this is just a snapshot survey, it tells us a lot about how our colleagues are feeling six months on from the national lockdown. It paints a worrying, but not surprising, picture about the health and wellbeing of a profession that has worked incredibly hard and in very difficult circumstances this year.
“I’m incredibly proud of the way the profession has adapted to working safely during Covid-19, but we know that it has taken its toll, for example with consults taking longer, needing to cover staff shortages, and dealing with anxious clients.
“BVA also shares the profession’s concerns about the impact on students and new graduates. EMS is the jewel in the crown of UK veterinary teaching and it’s frustrating that opportunities to gain practical training have been hampered by the Covid restrictions. The issue is at the top of our agenda with the RCVS and Vet Schools Council to make sure we can collectively support the next generation of vets through this difficult time.
“As the UK is braced for the second wave, we know we are much better prepared and far more able to work safely to do our bit to tackle the spread of coronavirus. But it’s vital that we continue to support one another, as well as continuing the spirit of collaboration with neighbouring practices that helped us get through the height of the pandemic.
The snapshot survey on Covid-19 is available to view at: https://www.bva.co.uk/media/3781/voice-covid-survey-2020-results.pdf
The company points to an increasing trend across Europe towards feeding raw diets to pets, with 4% of UK cats and 10% of UK dogs now being fed raw meat and animal by-products.
The webinar, which will also look at the role of testing, offers an opportunity to learn more about the pathogens and parasites associated with raw feeding and the role of the right test at the right time.
Horiba says it's not just pets that need testing, but the raw materials used in their food.
Ian, who is Head of ESCCAP (the European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites) UK & Ireland, said: “The recent trend of increasing raw feeding opens up new opportunities for pathogen transmission.
"Where raw feeding is taking place, adequate tapeworm and protozoal parasite prevention is essential to reduce zoonotic risk and economic losses.
“Testing forms an essential part of their control, and understanding this role and the diagnostic test options available will prove valuable to all veterinary professionals.”
Following Ian's presentation, there will be an open Q&A session.
Horiba’s team of veterinary specialists will also be available at the end of the webinar to discuss and advise on any testing needs, including its veterinary PCR system, the POCKIT Central.
To register, visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4306408134214190348