Andrew Robathan MP has opened Companion Care Vets latest surgery in Leicester, bringing the number of surgeries across the UK to 67.
The surgery is located within the brand new Pets at Home store at Fosse Park, and the joint veterinary partners are Shabbir Shariff and Sameer Bheda.
The surgery houses a full operating theatre, digital x-ray facilities, in-house laboratory and a hospital ward providing a full range of treatments from health checks to emergency operations.
Shabbir said: "I have always wanted to own my own surgery and jumped at the opportunity to work with Companion Care Vets."
The National Office of Animal Health has completed its annual review of its Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines, and a number of changes will come into effect on 1st July 2011.
One change spells out the way antimicrobial medicines are promoted to farmers, with a firm emphasis on correct use and education.
Advertisers will be required to describe the condition the product is aiming to treat, and to promote an understanding of the treatment of the disease.
The phrase "use medicines responsibly" will always be included in text, making the voluntary strapline introduced in 2009 a formal part of the NOAH Code. As with all promotions to people other than prescribers, farmers will always be reminded to consult their veterinary surgeon.
Advertising text will always state clearly the name of the company and the brand being promoted, and promotion must not be designed to disguise its real nature.
Withdrawal periods for products will be stated, but these must not be unduly prominent and not in a font size greater than the body copy containing recommended dosage and species description.
The changes were proposed by NOAH within its formal response to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's consultation on the Veterinary Medicines Regulation 2010. The Minister decided in December 2010 to continue to allow the advertising of antimicrobial veterinary products to farmers.
Phil Sketchley, NOAH Chief Executive, said: "Whilst welcoming the Government's decision in December not to further restrict the advertising of animal medicines, we feel that the industry should take a proactive role to ensure the system works properly. We believe it is important for farmers, who are legally responsible for the health and welfare of their animals and the food produced from them, to be aware of the medicines that are available to protect the health of their animals, and at the same time we want them to know that these medicines must be prescribed and used responsibly.
"The issue of antimicrobial resistance is one that affects us all. The way to promote best practice is through education by maintaining all lines of communication between farmers, vets, scientists and animal medicine producers.
"Antibiotics are essential for maintaining the health and welfare of all animals, but like any medicine they need to be used responsibly in order to maintain their effectiveness, and their availability for future generations."
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has announced that it is reducing the cost of its CPD by 50% this year and making its webinars free to members.
David Mountford, Chief Executive of BEVA said: "Last year we were able to capitalise on some efficiencies in other areas of BEVA operations. We are delighted to be able to hand the resulting benefits directly back to our members across all our CPD programme during 2013."
The Association says its CPD covers a broad range of topics is aimed at busy vets who need to build CPD points, whether new graduates, equine or mixed practitioners. It takes the form of clinical workshops, regional meetings, nursing meetings, webinars and one, two and three day practical courses, held in the UK.
This year's courses include:
For more information, visit http://www.beva.org.uk/news-and-events/beva-courses or ring +44(0)1638 723555 or email info@beva.org.uk.
Zoetis (maker of Cerenia, the anti-emetic) is using social media for its latest campaign to remind owners that vets have a solution for dogs that suffer from travel sickness.
The company highlights research which shows the problem is more common than one might think, with 62% of dogs experiencing travel sickness for the first time as puppies. What's more, 1/3rd of owners say they would travel with their dogs more often if they didn't get car sick.
Stephanie Smith, Marketing Manager for Cerenia said: "While less than half of vets in the UK report seeing at least one canine motion sickness case each month, we know that over one third (34%) of dogs that travel experience motion sickness. That's a lot of opportunity for vets to provide pets and owners with some relief."
To spread the word, the company has set up an educational microsite: www.nonstoptravelfun.co.uk which it is now promoting with an online social media campaign, including twitter #nonstoptravelfun and targeted bloggers and pet sites. The company has also been advertising the microsite on Facebook and Google, which I'm told has driven thousands of visitors over the past fortnight.
Stephanie added: "Motion sickness can impact the whole family, making travelling an unpleasant experience. Our new campaign aims to raise awareness for the issue and encourage pet owners to seek veterinary help for the problem, so they can enjoy non-stop travel fun, without the sickness."
'The new discovery in feline communication' symposium was held during the ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) International Feline Congress from 8th - 10th August.
The symposium was presented by Professor Patrick Pageat DVM MSc PhD HDR Dipl ECAWBM-BM Hon Dipl CLECVe, who researched and developed both Feliway and Adaptil, and Dr Andy Sparkes BVetMed PhD DipECVIM MANZCVS MRCVS, veterinary consultant at ISFM.
Patrick presented ‘the science behind the new pheromone discovery’ and covered how it was developed, how it works and why it is a step up from the existing pheromone products. Andy followed with ‘Feliway Optimum: clinical evidence’ and featured the clinical data behind the new product and how it outperforms existing pheromones.
To register for ‘the new discovery in feline communication’ symposium on demand, which equates to one hour’s CPD, email cevauk@ceva.com.
Whilst you're there, the company will doubtless use the opportunity to bend your ear about how its technology can save time, drive revenue, and strengthen patient care.
Still, all in a good cause, and the company says it expects to be making a significant donation towards supporting members of the veterinary community who are experiencing financial and mental health challenges.
ezyVet Chief Growth Officer Pete Brown said: ““As innovators in the veterinary software space, we’re passionate about bettering the lives of veterinary professionals and we recognise the critical work Vetlife is doing to support the hard-working veterinary community.
"We’re going to be donating £1 to Vetlife for every person that visits the ezyVet booth at the London Vet Show, so we encourage everyone to come down and help us support this very worthwhile cause.”
The Blue Cross is calling for nominations from veterinary practices across the country for its Veterinary Nurse of the Year Award 2009.
The annual award is presented at the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Annual Congress. It recognises the contribution of veterinary nurses in educating the public about responsible pet ownership and the welfare of pets in the community. This year's Congress will take place on 9-11 October at the Kettering Conference Centre, Northamptonshire.
Last year's award was won by Rebecca Darbyshire for her outstanding contribution to animal welfare, both within her veterinary practice and among the local community in Pocklington, York.
Rebecca Darbyshire was nominated by vet and colleague Matt Brash at Battlefields veterinary clinic in Pocklington.
Mr Brash said: "Rebecca is an outstanding, unassuming professional nurse. She runs all of the clinics that a modern day nurse does, but still has the time for anybody - whatever they need, whenever they need it. She has developed such a close relationship with our clients that they would often rather see her than a vet!"
Nominations for this year's award can be made by completing the nomination form on The Blue Cross website at: www.bluecross.org.uk/BVNA2009 or by contacting Sally Leathem on 01993 825577. The deadline for nominations is Friday 14 August 2009.
The Blue Cross has taken the lead in animal care for over a hundred years. Its four animal hospitals provide a lifeline for pet owners on low incomes. Its community vet services also cater for elderly and disabled people. Without the charity's hospitals, and the services they provide, many people would be without the benefits that pet ownership can bring.
Direct Line has revealed the results of a small survey which found that 78% of veterinary surgeons had treated pets for ingesting human medicines in the last year.
100 vets took part in the study, of which 28% reported that they had cases where owners had deliberately given their pet human medication in an attempt to help them. Some vets described incidents of owners believing paracetamol will help conditions like arthritis and limping. In one case an owner gave their cat a quarter of paracetamol every day in an attempt to stop its pain, which instead resulted in the cat dying.
The most common types of medication ingested were:
In total, the veterinary surgeons who took part in the survey reported 243 cases of accidental ingestion of human medicines. The majority (76%) of cases involved dogs. However incidents involving cats, rabbits and guinea pigs were also reported.
The programme includes:
Chris Scudder will also be announcing the successful bids for funding from SAMSoc's new research grant initiative.
Co-organiser Caroline Kisielewicz (pictured right) said: "Despite the trials and tribulations of the ongoing pandemic, we are delighted that the spring SAMSoc meeting has returned this year! We are very excited about the upcoming meeting, which is packed full of great lectures that will stimulate some great talking points. Whilst it won't be the same as being there in person, we hope that everyone will enjoy connecting with colleagues and friends through the virtual world with what promises to be a fantastic event."
The association is also inviting entries now for the next poster/case report competition, details of which can be found at: https://www.samsoc.org/competitions/call-for-spring-2021-poster-entries.
The winning presentation will receive £250, and two runners up will each receive £100.
For the full programme, visit https://www.samsoc.org/meetings/2021-spring-meeting
Registration costs £100 for the day, with a discounted rate at £60 for SAMSoc members (membership costs £29).
To register, visit www.samsoc.org.
The theme for the 2025 conference is how to make veterinary work sustainable, creating teams that can reliably work at their best, feel positive about work, and feel supported and valued by their team.
Keynote speaker, Amanda Oates BA (hons), MSc Strategic HRD, C.C.I.P.D. (pictured) will be talking about the concept of restorative veterinary practice, and how it relies on establishing a restorative workplace culture.
There will be three streams at the conference.
In the first stream, VetLed founder and Training Director, Dan Tipney will be joined by guest speakers to help delegates understand how they can make a difference to the way they work using human factors tools and techniques proven in human medicine and other safety-critical professions.
In the second stream, VetLed’s Community Lead, Hannah Godfrey, will be joined by human behaviour expert Katie Ford to help delegates understand themselves as humans, to acknowledge and accommodate their own needs and the needs of others, and to work better as a team.
The third stream will be hosted by VetLed Managing Director, Cat Auden, and a Chartered Psychologist, Ergonomist, and Human Factors Specialist. In this stream, delegates who are already familiar with human factors concepts will be encouraged to think big, share ideas, and shape the veterinary profession.
Tickets: £190.80
https://www.vetled.co.uk/conference
The webinars each last between three and five minutes and are part of the 2016 ‘Talk About Laminitis’ disease awareness initiative to help detect, manage and monitor PPID.
The webinars can be viewed on the Boehringer Academy website – www.boehringer-academy.co.uk - and podcast versions are also available enabling veterinary professionals to listen to them ‘on the go’.
The first series includes:
The second webinar series covers:
For further information on the webinars or podcasts visit www.boehringer-academy.co.uk or contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager.
Vétoquinol, manufacturer of Epiphen (phenobarbital), for the control of epilepsy in dogs, has announced the launch of a new starter pack for clients that are embarking on treatment.
The starter packs contain a variety of support materials designed to help owners better understand the condition and its treatment. They sit alongside other support given by the company, which includes an 'Ask the Expert' helpline through which Epiphen veterinary customers can speak to a neurology specialist at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, where Vetoquinol sponsors a neurology clinician.
Abbie King, Product Manager for Epiphen, said: ''Our 'Ask the Expert' helpline is a successful service that has been running for several years. 30% of the calls to Vetoquinol's technical team relate to this challenging condition meaning there are few queries our technical team have not tackled before. If extra help is necessary we have an excellent working relationship with The Animal Health Trust and regularly refer cases to them for further advice. We are very proud of this service and are delighted to be able to continue to provide this helpline for our Epiphen clients.''
To use the 'Ask the Expert' service, or order the support materials, ring 0800 1698197. Alternatively visit: www.vetoquinol.co.uk or www.epiphenonline.co.uk.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Veterinary View not only highlights some of the veterinary profession's fantastic work, but complements our joint project with RCVS, Vet Futures, in exploring how the profession can best shape its own future. We hope it will stimulate debate among vets, and the wider community in which we work, about both the big challenges and opportunities that the veterinary profession is facing."
The series includes a number of videos which showcase more recent industry developments:
Stem Cell therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (VetCell Therapeutics)
Pharmtrax, a mobile device for vets to record work and dispensing on the farm (Henry Schein Animal Health)
Hormone implants as an alternative to castration (Virbac Animal Health)
Practice management support from Zoetis
Preventing an epidemic of equine flu (Merial Animal Health)
Procanicare contains three live strains of canine-specific Lactobacillus bacteria, which, according to the company, make it an ideal GI support product to maintain balance in the GI intestinal microbiome of dogs, particularly when an alteration to the intestinal microbiome is a risk.
Animalcare says studies show that the strains of Lactobacillus found in Procanicare have been shown to promote indigenous intestinal commensal populations, reduce numbers of potentially pathogenic bacteria and improve stool consistency.1,2
Dr Shea Beasley, Product Development Manager at Vetcare Ltd said: "The strains of Lactobacillus found in Procanicare have been commercially available in Scandinavia for two years now. It has achieved great success, with Scandinavian vets frequently recommending it in situations where the gastrointestinal microbiota can become unstable such as following antibiotic use and in stressful situations such as travelling and kennelling, as well as when supporting the intestinal microbiome is particularly important, such as during pregnancy and lactation."
Available exclusively through vets, Animalcare has produced a range of waiting room materials to help you educate about and promote Procanicare in practice, including a poster, bunting, leaflet and leaflet holder.
There is also a free webinar for veterinary professionals on the importance of the intestinal microbiome, available to view at www.thewebinarvet.com/webinar/the-gastrointestinal-microbiome-and-its-effects.
To find out more or to try Procanicare in your practice, contact your local Animalcare representative via email animalcare@animalcare.co.uk or telephone 01904 487687 or visit www.procanicare.com.
References
The Arthrex Vet Systems Mobile Lab will be hosting hands-on sessions to help practitioners develop their arthroscopy and joint block skills in its state-of-the-art laboratory.
BEVA President Roger Smith said: “Our practical sessions are always highly popular and the wetlab experience takes things to the next level."
"The ability to practice ultrasound-guided injections at the conference provides the opportunity to hone your skills in ultrasound and enable you to cement to ultrasound-guided injections of tendons and ligaments and joints into your daily practice.
On the Thursday there will be three wetlab taster sessions at three different stations, giving delegates the chance to sharpen their skills with an ultrasound scanner, arthroscope and arthrobox.
Friday’s sessions will be focused on forelimb joint blocks and arthroscopic demonstrations of the needle locations.
The full BEVA Congress programme is now live and super early bird tickets are available until 7th June 2024.
Individual super early bird BEVA members prices are £524 for vets and £144 for vet nurses for all three days (with concessionary available for those in their first three years of graduation or earning less than £25,000).
Day tickets and practice passes are also available.
http://www.bevacongress.org
The one hour ‘Wake up to inappetence: practical solutions for the cat that won’t eat both in the clinic and at home’ breakfast meeting is being presented by Sam Taylor, feline specialist advisor at ISFM.
The session will focus on practical management for both in- and out- patients, covering when to use appetite stimulants and place a feeding tube and how to support caregivers.
Sarah Musgrave, brand manager for Mirataz at Dechra said: “Inappetence in cats is extremely common and has many underlying causes.
"Appetite stimulants, such as Mirataz, can play a significant role in supporting cats with unintended weight loss while further investigations are underway.
"Our breakfast meeting at ISFM Feline Congress will cover the practical management of inappetence in cats and provide delegates with hints and tips to take back to the clinic."
https://icatcare.org/congress-2023-dublin/programme.https://www.dechra.co.uk/mirataz
The survey, conducted among 130 veterinary professionals around the UK, including vets, nurses, receptionists and practice managers, revealed that on-demand video-based CPD ranked as the top choice of learning platform for 47% of respondents, while online text-based learning was next at 22%.
15% preferred in-person workshops and 10% in-practice training.
Meanwhile, only 6% preferred live lunchtime or evening webinars, and only 1% event lectures.
The survey identified that the most popular non-clinical CPD topics were complaint management (57%), communication (43%) and customer service (44%).
Barriers to the more widespread adoption of online learning platforms within practices were cost (70%) and a lack of time for CPD completion (80%) as a significant challenge.
Emma Barnes, Managing Director for Veterinary at Agilio, said: “The veterinary workforce is stretched and finding time to attend in-person CPD can be challenging.
"Flexible online solutions that accommodate busy schedules empower vets, nurses and the wider practice team to fulfil their CPD requirements whenever and wherever they choose.”
https://agiliosoftware.com
The range includes a spray, collars and diffusers.
Unlike many other pheromone diffusers which need to be plugged into a wall socket, Virbac's uses a patent-pending slow release technology which doesn't need power.
Virbac says the new range has been scientifically proven with published studies which demonstrate not only their effectiveness in managing stress-related behaviours in dogs and cats, but also an equivalent and superior efficacy to the current market leading pheromone products 1,2,3
Andrew Connolly, Virbac's Marketing Director for the UK and Ireland said: "Veterinary professionals have a crucial role to play in supporting their clients with the behavioural management of their pets, both when visiting the practice and at home, and the benefits of pheromones in helping to manage dog and cat behaviour are already very well recognised."
"With Zenidog and Zenifel we hope to make pheromone therapy easier, more cost-effective and better for the environment."
Zenidog and Zenifel are available to order from NVS, Covetrus and VSSCo now.
Following a nationwide search to find the UK's top veterinary professionals for 2010, Petplan has announced the winners of the Veterinary Awards.
The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise and applaud staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners.
Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, says she is thrilled by the ongoing success of the awards. "Britain is known to be an animal-loving nation and with millions of households owning cats and dogs, pets play a central part in family life. The Petplan Veterinary Awards give us the opportunity, on behalf of all pet owners across the UK, to thank the veterinary profession for the outstanding service they provide to our pets.
"This is the 11th year of the awards and we received over 1800 nominations, which really highlights the high regard that the profession and pet owners have for these awards."
VET OF THE YEARMike Hewitt, Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre, Buckinghamshire Having worked in the profession for over 20 years Mike is highly respected by clients, valued by colleagues and loved by pets. Having received so many heartfelt customer nominations, Mike's constant professionalism and approachable manner shone through.
VET NURSE OF THE YEARLouise Want, Feldon Veterinary Centre, WarwickshireThe constant support and care Louise provides to both her colleagues and clients really stood out. She is a great inspiration to all and having worked in the veterinary profession for 30 years, Louise is as passionate and dedicated, as when she first started.
VET RECEPTIONIST OF THE YEAR Carol Dawson, Kingsteignton Veterinary Group, Devon Carol's compassionate and professional manner really impressed all the judges. Clients instantly feel at ease because of her caring smile and welcoming attitude, while her colleagues find her a great inspiration.
VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR Mill House Veterinary Surgery and Hospital, Norfolk Mill House Veterinary Surgery and Hospital provides an incredibly high level of service to their clients, and as a collective are extremely dedicated and welcoming. Taking pride in their work they are known by their clients for being efficient, friendly and helpful.
Maggie Fisher MRCVS, the parasitologist and chairman of ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites), has highlighted studies which demonstrate an association between the common parasite, Toxocara spp. and human disease, and has called on the profession to help reduce the damaging and widespread effects of this parasite.
Maggie says that many in the profession may not be aware that Toxocara eggs aren't actually infective when they are first passed in an animal's stools, sometimes taking weeks to develop to this stage. Eggs persist long after pet waste has naturally washed away too, so the risk of infection still exists even in environments that appear to be clean and safe. Interestingly, there seems to be only a very loose (and according to some studies, entirely absent) link between owning a pet and an increased risk of human Toxocara infection, suggesting that most infections are acquired from the environment1,2 . Education of pet owners about responsible pet ownership, including appropriate worming and picking up their dog's waste quickly is essential to reduce this environmental infection risk.
The parasite's larval stages cause disease in humans as they migrate through body tissues, with retinal damage a previously well identified consequence. However, Maggie has identified studies which suggest a whole range of common conditions that may also be attributable to Toxocara infection. One study3 included 425 children displaying signs of a persistent cough and 1600 asymptomatic children as controls. Blood tests confirmed that a statistically significant 32% of the symptomatic group were positive for Toxocara antibodies, compared to just 17% of the asymptomatic control group. What's more, when given a week's course of an appropriate anthelmintic, the vast majority of symptomatic children had a greatly reduced and frequently absent requirement for inhaled corticosteroids to control their symptoms when re-examined by the study team a year later.
Numerous other studies from around the world have shown similar strong associations with asthma, allergies and epilepsy. One nationally representative US study even showed an alarming association with Toxocara infection and reduced cognitive function in children2 . Those that were positive for antibodies to the parasite on blood tests (proving prior exposure) scored significantly lower on tests assessing verbal and manual dexterity as well as maths and reading abilities2 .
So, what should veterinary staff and SQPs be telling clients? Maggie says you should be advising pet owners to worm pets regularly (at least four times a year) with an effective anthelmintic from an appropriately young age (2 weeks of age for puppies and 3 weeks of age for kittens, because transfer of the parasite to puppies before birth and to kittens via milk is a feature of the parasite lifecycle). Reducing pets' access to raw food and hunting activities can also help. This is in addition to more general recommendations including cooking food well and making sure children wash their hands before eating.
Maggie said: "Vets, nurses and SQPs are perfectly placed to make sure that pet owners are aware of the risks and take precautions to protect themselves and the wider general public."
For further information about effective control of Toxocara and a wide range of other companion animal parasites, visit www.esccapuk.org.uk. To view all the presentations from the 'Everyday Parasites' CPD day, visit www.esccapuk-cpd.co.uk.
References:
The College says it has become increasingly recognisant of how a blame culture can lead to a fear of making mistakes, something which can have a negative impact on both the mental health and wellbeing of members of the profession and, ultimately, animal health and welfare.
The anonymous online survey, which is being conducted by the Open Minds Alliance, is described by the College as a major step towards moving to a learning culture which has a greater focus on openness, reflective practice, learning and personal development.
Nick Stace, RCVS Chief Executive Officer, said: "Moving towards a learning culture is one of the key aims of our Strategic Plan 2017-19 and we have already started to make some progress in this area with our Mind Matters Initiative, for example. This survey will help establish a baseline against which we can measure any improvements over the course of the next three years.
"As a regulator this is part of our attempt to be much clearer about the kind of culture we would like to see in the professions; one that encourages members of the veterinary team to learn from each other, and from their mistakes, and to be more open about when things do go wrong in order to better manage public and professional expectations.
"By moving towards a learning culture we can also hopefully reduce levels of stress and mental ill-health within the profession, as practitioners will feel they can be more open about their mistakes and take steps to improve their practice – rather than feeling like they cannot talk about what goes wrong, which can lead to fear and anxiety.
"This is no easy task – particularly when public expectations of what veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses can and should do is increasing – but we hope that by being brave and open about this new ambition we can galvanise veterinary associations, educators, practices and individual veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses and make a real difference."
The survey will also be asking to what extent members of the profession feel that the College, as the regulator, contributes to any blame culture and where improvements could be made to the concerns investigation and disciplinary process to help combat it.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, added: "It is a common misconception that if you make a mistake then this will be investigated by the College and you will end up in front of a Disciplinary Committee.
"However, we recognise that mistakes can and will happen and that expecting 100% perfection is unrealistic. The real professional conduct issues arise when members of the profession try to cover up their mistakes, whether that is to professional colleagues or clients, which often does far more damage than if the person was open and honest about what had gone wrong.
"We do also accept that there is always room for improvement in our own processes and if there are positive steps we can take to make the investigation and disciplinary process less onerous for members of the professions then we would like to hear your suggestions."
Click here to take part in the survey.
In 2019, Jennifer Dykes won the ‘All creatures great and small’ category with her picturesque image of a misty UK mountainside and flock of sheep, entitled ‘Conversations at Dawn’.
This year’s award is split into three categories which focus on images that capture the human-animal bond in day-to-day veterinary work, as well as photos of pets or wildlife taken outside of the working environment.
Submissions for each category can be taken on a phone or a high-spec camera, and should take into account responsible animal interaction, and positive animal health and welfare.
The three categories are:
The winner or each category will get £250 worth of John Lewis vouchers and the plan is for the winning images, along with the highly commended entries, to be displayed at BVA Live on 24 – 25 June 2021.
BVA President, James Russell said: “The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year Award is something that we all look forward to, and the incredible array of eye-catching photos taken by people from across the veterinary community never ceases to impress me.
“In view of the current circumstances, we have introduced a new category: ‘A vet’s life in lockdown’, which we hope will produce some interesting documentation of how the profession has fared against a very challenging backdrop, like no other.
“Whether you’re a semi-professional photographer or a casual snapper, we encourage you to enter and showcase your daily interactions with animals either at work or play, or your skill at capturing wildlife at its most beautiful, even if it is in your back garden, or on the windowsill.”
The competition is open to all current BVA members. Membership must be active at the time of entering. It will be judged by BVA officers among others. Entries will close on 8 March 2021 and winners will be announced in April.
For more information and to submit your entry, visit: https://www.bva.co.uk/membership/photo-competition/.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has embarked upon the most extensive review of its veterinary nursing qualifications for many years, in order to meet the timetable for Ofqual's implementation of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in summer 2010.
The new QCF aims to provide a more user-friendly and flexible system. Under the new arrangements, all qualifications will carry a 'value' in terms of their level and the volume of learning involved. It's a similar system to that used in higher education for a number of years.
The new national awards framework means that NVQs as such will disappear and the process of review opens up the whole qualification structure, allowing for the creation of a more flexible system to suit better the needs of the veterinary nursing profession and employers.
Head of Veterinary Nursing, Libby Earle said: "Future options include potentially placing more of the responsibility for education and basic skills on the colleges, leaving practices to concentrate on providing quality mentorship and work experience, with less emphasis on assessment.
"Consideration will also be given to providing part of VN training and education within full-time further education, which is possible now that the lower age limit for VN students has been dropped."
The College is keen to hear the views of those involved with the delivery of training and employers of qualified nurses. A consultation letter has been sent to those involved and topics on which views are sought include the range and level of knowledge and skills delivered by the current awards, the impact of training on employers of student VNs, meeting the increased demand for qualified VNs, and providing VNs for mixed or equine practices.
Over the summer, evidence-gathering meetings will be held at the RCVS to explore the issues in more depth. Anyone who has not been sent a formal consultation letter and who would like to contribute is very welcome to submit their views. Please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/vnawardsreview for the consultation papers. Comments should be submitted by 30 June 2009.
The review of the RCVS awards will take place alongside Lantra's review of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for VNs: the NOS describe what a person needs to do, know and understand in their job to carry out their role in a consistent and competent way.
TR Biosurgical will be officially launching its new surgical treatment for canine glaucoma at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists annual conference in Chicago at the start of November.
TR-ClarifEYE is an sub-scleral implant placed in the eye in a procedure that takes around 30 minutes.
TR Biosurgical CEO Craig Woods DVM said: "TR-ClarifEYE is made from new silicone substrate subjected to a unique process which reduces fibrosis and enhances healing."
"Until now, the primary treatment options for canine glaucoma have been laser surgery, cryosurgery, evisceration or enucleation. Certain procedures can be either complicated and expensive, or fail to save the eye. Previous implants have met with only limited success, and TR-ClarifEYE appears to overcome many of the problems with glaucoma implants."
"This new implant is a relatively easy surgical approach. It has limited post-op complications. It seems to provide long term glaucoma management in the majority of patients, most of which are able to reduce medications."
For more information about TR-ClarifEYE, visit: http://www.petglaucoma.com
Practitioners interested in learning more about this procedure, click here and 'start conversation' with Craig
Supreme Petfoods Ltd has published the results of tests on small animal petfood which, according to the company, highlight significant problems with the on-pack declarations and contents of a number of the leading brands.
The tests, which were carried out by Campden BRI on behalf of Supreme Petfoods, discovered:
Issues regarding high sugar levels which are not required to be declared under current rules. The highest average levels of sugar were found in Wagg Optimum (4.57%), Beaphar Care + (5.00%), Burgess Supa Fruiti (5.10%), Beaphar Extra Vital (5.35%) and Burgess Excel (4.04%).
In the company's press release, Chris Childs, Managing Director of Supreme Petfood, commented: "The results greatly concerned us. We were shocked to find food that is marketed for rabbits - ie: herbivores - had traces of mammalian and avian DNA in it. In my opinion, this can only be compared to vegetarian food being contaminated with meat. This was our main concern amongst many other issues revealed."
That strikes me as overstating the case somewhat. Aside from the fact that bunnies don't get quite as het up about their diets as vegans, the report does not define what 'trace DNA contamination is'. Going on the shock expressed by Mr Childs, I'm expecting a pork chop or a drumstick in every bag of Burgess Excel at the very least.
Molly Varga, BVetMed, DZooMed (Mammalian), MRCVS told VetSurgeon.org that she would expect rabbits to be exposed to trace amounts of animal DNA naturally and that the amounts found in the tests were not likely to have any effect whatsoever on the health of rabbits. Nevertheless, she did feel that the report highlighted important issues concerning the fibre and sugar content of various diets.
As a consequence of the report, Supreme Petfoods is calling for an overhaul of the rules and regulations which apply to pet food for small companion animals. The company suggests the introduction of an accredited quality scheme aimed specifically at pet food for small companion animals, containing strict conditions for the production, packaging and marketing of food for herbivores.
In response, Burgess Pet Care issued a statement expressing considerable reservations as to the timing, purpose and potential negative outcome for the welfare of pet rabbits of Supreme's report. Commenting on behalf of Burgess, Sharon Redrobe, Head of Veterinary Services, Bristol Zoo Gardens, and Head of Rabbit Clinic, Bristol, said: "Any research into small animal health should focus on the crucial role of fibre in a balanced feeding plan and how this can be communicated to rabbit owners, so discussions centring around the detailed contents of pellets are irrelevant in my opinion to this central welfare issue."
To read Supreme's report, click here.