The RCVS is inviting responses from veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and animal owners to a call for evidence on the provision of 24-hour emergency veterinary care, in order to understand how best to meet the expectations of all those involved.

In an open letter to the profession and the public published on the RCVS website, the Chairman of the RCVS Standards Committee, Clare Tapsfield-Wright, said:

"Over the past two years, lay people working with the RCVS have raised questions about the veterinary profession's ability to provide 24/7 to the extent required by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, and said there is a disconnect between the public's expectations and the profession's capacity to meet those expectations."

Clare also refers to an RCVS Disciplinary Committee Inquiry in June 2013, which raised a number of issues on home visits by veterinary surgeons, including: speed of response; travelling time and distance; daytime versus out-of-hours obligations; individual versus corporate responsibility; and, staffing levels and contingency plans.

The letter is accompanied by a range of background information, including the reports of Lay Observers to the RCVS Preliminary Investigation Committee; Working Party reports from the College's 2009 consultation on 24-hour emergency cover; and, further details about the June 2013 DC Inquiry.

The College says additional feedback will be sought through next year's RCVS Survey of the Professions, and via focus group research for animal owners. Once all responses have been collated, a number of individuals and organisations will be invited to a Standards Committee meeting to present and discuss their views.

Responses in writing are invited by 5pm on Monday, 17 February 2014, and should be emailed to 24-7@rcvs.org.uk or posted to the Professional Conduct Department, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF.

Alstoe Animal Health has announced that Vetergesic (buprenorphine), the UK's most commonly used injectable opiate for small animal use,  is now registered for use in horses. 

Developed and manufactured in the UK, Alstoe took over marketing Vetergesic 11 years ago. Two years ago the company introduced the Multi-Dose Pack, which it says allows veterinary surgeons to manage the larger liquid volumes required in horses more easily.

Alstoe says Vetergesic potentiates sedative drugs for standing sedation or routine premedication and provides profound centrally acting analgesic effects for up to nine hours. In routine procedures, this allows good recoveries and a rapid return to normal behaviour patterns.

Alstoe also says that in a thermal anti-nociceptive study carried out at Bristol University, Vetergesic showed significantly better analgesic effects than butorphanol. Field studies carried out in the UK also confirmed that when combined with a sedative, Vetergesic can provide up to 60 minutes of operating time, with smooth and quick recoveries.

John Nellis of Alstoe said: "We have invested heavily in this product and are confident that the rewards enjoyed by small animal vets will also be appreciated by their equine colleagues. We call Vetergesic 'the thoroughbred of pain management'."

Vetergesic Multidose is available for dogs, cats and horses in a 10 ml vial.  

Alstoe offers an hour long explanatory seminar, which can be delivered directly to practice members. An 8 page brochure and 'pocket-sized' dose chart are also available. Further details from Alstoe on: 01347 878606 or email: info@alstoe.co.uk .

Zoetis, formerly Pfizer Animal Health has launched Ovatec Plus, which it claims will make equine faecal collection and in-practice worm count testing quicker and easier.

Ovatec Plus is designed to facilitate the in-house detection of worm burdens by enabling the coproscopic examination of parasite eggs, larvae and cysts. Zoetis says the built-in sample collection scoop allows for hands-off, quick, clean sample collection and controlled sample size, while the built-in cap, which can be written on for easy identification, snaps shut to seals the contents safely for contamination-free transport.

The system is based on zinc sulphate flotation technology, with a flotation time of ten minutes to provide rapid analysis. The Ova-Spin feature will break up difficult samples. The positive-locking filter chamber prevents any spill of test samples and reduces operator exposure to potential hazards. The overflow reservoir prevents overfills leaking onto the lab bench.

Zoetis says the high sensitivity and excellent specificity of Ovatec Plus enable informed treatment decisions to be made. A study has shown that samples proving negative with Ovatec Plus provide 95% certainty that the sample is <150epg and 100% certainty that the sample is <250epg, which means treatment may not be necessary¹. Samples that prove positive, with one or more eggs seen, can be verified using a quantitative technique if needed, alternatively treatment may be indicated.

Ben Lacey, equine business unit manager at Zoetis, said: "Ovatec Plus is an excellent addition to our equine worm control portfolio. It's ideal for use in many test situations, giving a quick, easy and convenient solution."

To find out more, speak to your Zoetis Account Manager, call 0845 300 8034 or email CustomerSupportUK@zoetis.com.

Reference

1. Rosyn R.  et al., EVALUATION OF THE OVATEC PLUS FLOTATION METHOD AS A DECISION TOOL FOR SELECTIVE ANTHELMINTHIC TREATMENT AGAINST STRONGYLES IN HORSES.  Joint Meeting of the Belgian and Dutch Societies for Parasitology,  Antwerpen,  Belgium,  19 October 2012

Cambridge-based Dick White Referrals (DWR) is to become one of only a handful of sites globally to offer open-heart surgery in small animals. 

The referral centre has invested in a new heart and lung machine, and an oxygen cage, and is expected to take its first patients in the autumn. 

The service will be established and led by head of cardiac surgery Poppy Bristow (pictured right) and head of cardiology Anne Kurosawa, who have already performed this kind of surgery on more than 100 dogs to date.

DWR is also setting up its own blood transfusion service to collect blood from staff and clients’ pets to support the service. 

The blood collected will also be used to support the practice’s emergency and critical care service and its planned dialysis programme. 

Poppy said: “There are hardly any other centres in the world offering this type of surgery, especially with this level of expertise that comes from the collective team we have gathered at DWR. 

“Mitral valve disease is the most common heart condition in dogs and sadly, many dogs die every year as there are very few options for treatment. To be able to offer surgery to more dogs and their owners is really exciting. 

“DWR is the perfect environment for this pioneering programme, due to the state-of-the-art equipment and depth of expertise on hand to support this life-saving initiative.”

Rob Foale, clinical director at Dick White Referrals, added: “It’s a hugely significant step for us to be launching this service, drawing on Poppy’s expertise in this field. 

“We’re also starting our own blood transfusion service to complement the launch, as the pandemic has led to a huge drop in pet blood donations.

“Any excess blood we collect will be donated to the national Pet Blood Bank charity, which supplies blood to veterinary practices across the UK and does a fantastic job.”

For more information, visit www.dickwhitereferrals.com.

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has announced that it is opening its membership to RCVS registered veterinary nurses for the first time.

BSAVA has always been keenly involved with veterinary nurse issues and has representation on the RCVS nurse Awarding Body Board and observers on VN Council. Membership Development Committee Chair Patricia Colville said: "The association strongly believes that are nurses are integral to the care the profession offers to patients, and we have always taken advice from our members on ways we can support nurses on the many issues that they have been faced with over the last number of years, from the change in nurse training to compulsory CPD and the future change to self-regulation. Now it is time to formally recognise the services we offer to VNs and bring them into a package of benefits that they can collect as a member of the Association".

Patricia added: "There have been many changes over the last 50 years, during which nurse training has developed in its own right. The depth and breadth of knowledge that nurses have, and the amount of work that they have to do to gain the VN qualification is vast and it is a great credit to the veterinary world that this level of dedication has developed. It is fantastic to see the amount of CPD on offer now and the enthusiasm and dedication that nurses show in continuing to develop their skills, which has contributed to the betterment of practice life and animal welfare".

Membership for VNs is being launched at the first year introductory price of £66 in 2011, rising to £100 per annum in 2012. 

Practices interested in how BSAVA membership can support their nursing staff, and veterinary nurses interested in membership should register at http://www.bsava.com/, email administration@bsava.com or call 01452 726700.

TVM has relaunched Copro-nil, a treatment to stop dogs eating faeces.

According to the company, coprophagia affects 23% of dogs, with 16% being repeat offenders. 

Copro-nil is a powder which, when added to food, makes the resultant faeces unpalatable. This, says the company, breaks the coprophagia habit and gives the owner an opportunity to implement training to eradicate the behaviour long-term. 

Copro-nil has been relaunched in smaller 100g pots with a new look designed to make the product more appealing. 

The product comes with advice about behavioural training methods to help owners understand how they can break the coprophagia habit in the long term.

Will Peel, product manager at TVM UK said: "The new format and packaging have been designed to help deal with this very unpleasant problem which many owners believe is a behaviour that dogs will grow out of.

"The new format is intended to demonstrate that Copro-nil, combined with effective behavioural training, can help resolve the problem effectively.’

Copro-nil also provides a comprehensive B vitamin source as deficiencies in B vitamins may contribute to coprophagia.​

Downloadable advice sheets for veterinary staff to share help and advice with clients are available from www.tvm-uk.com/coprophagia.

Ceva Animal Health, the maker of Ketofen 10%, has launched ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’, a campaign to highlight the impact of pain relief in lame cattle and the role it can play in improving recovery time and results.

The company says the initiative, which is targeted at veterinary professionals and farmers, will be supported by an extensive social media, advertising and PR campaign.

The social media campaign will take the form of social media content, newsletter articles and images for veterinary practices to use on their social media channels and will include information on the cost of dairy cow lameness and tips to manage lameness.

Rose Jackson BVSc DBR CertVBM MRCVS is the farm clinical director at Scarsdale Vets which has already trialled the new materials. She said: “The ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ social media content has ensured that we are able to post eye-catching and thought-provoking content to continue to engage with our clients and raise awareness of the ‘triple works’ approach to lameness in cows, which includes using a NSAID such as Ketofen, alongside a trim and block for a more complete recovery from lameness than trimming alone.”

The ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ campaign was launched following a study by Nottingham University which revealed that NSAIDs have a synergistic effect when given alongside effective hoof trimming and blocking to treat lameness¹. 

The study looked at claw horn disease of the hind foot and found that trimming alone resulted in a 69% rate of return to mobility without lameness in 35 days. Adding a block into an effective trimming protocol raised the success rate to 72%; trimming and administering a NSAID raised it to 76%. Interestingly, using all three techniques together - trimming, applying a block and administering an NSAID - resulted in 85% of cases being successfully resolved (Mobility score or 0 or 1).

Gemma Robinson BVM BVS MRCVS, ruminant veterinary adviser at Ceva Animal Health, said: “The study highlights that effective and prompt pain relief with NSAIDs can quickly help restore animals back to full productivity. Attitudes on the use of pain relief have changed significantly over the last 10 years and dairy farmers can have a positive influence by ensuring they recognise the value of NSAIDs and prioritise their use on-farm.  It is important that vets discuss NSAIDs with their clients, both to manage illness and for routine procedures, and our ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ campaign will help encourage farmers to think about their current pain management plan, take action and seek help from their vet.

“Some concerns have been raised that the issues associated with antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic administration are causing farmers to avoid the use of all injectable treatments. We need to be clear that NSAIDs are anti-inflammatories, not antibiotics, and it is important they are used for pain management, fever and the clinical signs associated with many common conditions. With zero milk-withhold NSAIDs available - there really is no reason to hesitate when it comes to administering pain relief in otherwise healthy cattle.”

For more information on the ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ campaign visit the website designed for farmers (www.wavegoodbyetopain.co.uk), contact your local Ceva territory manager or call 01494 781510. 

To request a copy of the ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ social media pack (including pre-developed posts and images which you can send out to your own clients), speak to your Ceva territory manager or email: cevauk@ceva.com with your name, practice name and address details.

References

1. Thomas H.J. et al. 2015. Evaluation of treatments for claw horn lesions in dairy cows in a randomized control trial. J. Dairy Sci. 98: 4477-4486.

Royal Canin has launched Pill Assist Cat - a treat designed to make it easy for owners to give medication to their cats.

In an internal study, Royal Canin found that Pill Assist Cat achieved over 91% pill acceptance.

Pill Assist Cat is enriched with vitamins and prebiotics to support a cat’s recovery, and each treat contains only three calories. 

Elisabete Capitao, Royal Canin Veterinary Marketing Manager said: "We know that getting cats to take pills can be quite a challenge even for the most experienced pet owners! A quarter of owners leave the veterinary clinic with oral medication for their cat, but 40% find giving pills to their cat complicated. Pill Assist Cat makes giving cats medication easy and takes the stress out of pill time."

Royal Canin says Pill Assist Cat is suitable for most types of medication, from worming tablets to medication for an illness.

An unnamed veterinary nurse, of an unspecified gender, working at an undisclosed location, has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for drug-related offences.

Jane (or John) Doe was charged with having stolen midazolam, butorphanol and promethazine hydrochloride from their practice for use other than for veterinary purposes, making false clinical records concerning the use of drugs on their own dogs to disguise the fact that the drugs were instead being used for non-veterinary uses, and drawing up medication taken from the practice into a syringe for the purpose of self-medicating.

In addition, they were charged that their conduct was dishonest.

The Committee found it proven that Jane/John Doe had taken approximately 150 vials of midazolam, 87 ampoules, 112 tablets and one elixir bottle of promethazine hydrocholoride, and 0.2mls of butorphanol together with Iml of midazolam for their dog at a time when their dog was, in fact, dead.

The Committee also found it proven that the defendant had drawn up medication for the purpose of self-medicating, and had created false clinical records.

In deciding the sanction, the Committee concluded that the respondent had abused their position of trust, that their actions were dishonest, prolonged and repeated in nature, and undermined the reputation of the profession as a whole.

Therefore the only appropriate action was removal from the Register.

Unusually, the RCVS did not issue a press release about this case, as it normally does.

There was also a protracted delay between the hearing and the report of the hearing being published on the College website.

Furthermore, when it was finally published, the report had been redacted to remove any reference to the name, gender or location of the respondent.

When asked why, the College said: "Matters of a highly confidential nature arose following the hearing which led to a delay in the decisions being published.

“The decisions have been redacted and we cannot provide the reasons for the redactions as that would necessarily involve disclosure of confidential and personal information.

"However, the circumstances are considered to be exceptional and the College’s decision to make the redactions was only made following very careful consideration of evidence provided to the RCVS.

"The decision has been published on the RCVS website in its redacted form and in view of the timeframe and the circumstances, it has not been considered appropriate to issue a press release.”

Comment
The College will for sure have had very good reasons for redacting the name of the respondent in this case.

One has to assume there must have been a very real threat to the respondent’s life, and under those circumstances, confidentiality is absolutely right and proper.

However, whatever the reason, secrecy is never a good look, especially when it comes in the form of a cape worn by a regulator.

So it is frustrating to hear that the College has again made a rod for its own back, when it could so easily have included a very general one-line explanation for why it felt redaction was necessary, without compromising the individual’s confidentiality.

It would have been enough, for example, just to say that the College felt there was a risk to life. People would accept that.

Hipra has announced the launch of a new, single-dose presentation of Eravac, its monovalent vaccine for the prevention of rabbit haemorrhagic disease type 2 (RHD-2) for pet rabbits.

Eravac is an injectable emulsion ready for administration without the need for reconstitution beforehand. Containing 10 vials with individual doses, the new presentation is is indicated for the immunisation of pet rabbits from 30 days of age.

For more information, visit: https://www.hipra.com/portal/en/hipra/animalhealth/products/detail/eravac-pets 

Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturer of Prascend, has launched an Equine Endocrine Pioneers Circle webinar to provide vets with evidence based and personal opinions of PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction) diagnosis, appropriate testing and case management.

The online seminar, which equates to one hour’s CPD, features six UK experts in equine endocrinology, with the objective of supporting equine and mixed practice vets in using the clinical history to guide their interpretation of the basal ACTH test results and subsequent treatment decisions.

The speakers participating in the Equine Endocrine Pioneers Circle are:

• Harry Carslake MA VetMB DipACVIM MRCVS: Senior lecturer in equine medicine at the University of Liverpool

• Edd Knowles MA VetMB MVetMed DipECEIM MRCVS: Specialist in Equine internal medicine at Bell Equine Veterinary clinic

• Professor Cathy McGowan BVSc DipVetClinStud MACVSc PhD DEIM DipECEIM FHEA MRCVS: Head of Department of Equine Clinical Science and Director of Veterinary Postgraduate Education at the University of Liverpool

• Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow MA VetMB PhD DipECEIM Cert EM(Int Med) MRCVS: Reader in equine medicine at the Royal Veterinary College

• Victoria South MA VetMB CertAVP(EM) DipECEIM MRCVS: Senior assistant at Liphook Equine Hospital

• Nicola Steele BVM&S CertAVP(EM) MRCVS: Fyrnwy Equine Clinic and Director of Veterinary CPD (Equine and Large Animal)

The webinar considers when vets should test for PPID and decision-making on the best test to use, how to interpret grey zone results and also how to interpret problematic follow up tests. The experts have different opinions on some of these areas, allowing vets in practice to see the different ways in which cases can be viewed and managed. 

These principles are then reinforced by the use of three clinical case scenarios with the patients all having the same basal ACTH result but a different selection of clinical signs.

Liz Barrett, equine business head at Boehringer Ingelheim said: "Since the launch of our Talk About Laminitis initiative in 2012, more than 50,000 horses have benefited from complimentary basal ACTH tests to aid the diagnosis of PPID, however two common areas of uncertainty in interpreting ACTH results still exist. Firstly, the interpretation of borderline, equivocal or ‘grey-zone’ results and when PPID treatment should or shouldn’t be recommended and secondly, the interpretation of follow-up ACTH test results and when to advise altering the treatment dose.

"The Equine Endocrine Pioneers Circle webinar allows vets to update their knowledge on this broad subject area and illustrates that there is often more than one way to approach the diagnosis, treatment and management of the PPID case."

To view the Equine Endocrine Pioneers Circle webinar on the Boehringer Academy visit https://www.boehringer-academy.co.uk/webinar/bil205

The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has launched a new oncology referral service led by Stefano Zago DVM (Hons) MSc (Clin Onc) MRCVS.

Stefano qualified in Parma, Italy and has a Master’s in Clinical Oncology. He has worked in a number of referral practices, managing and treating small animal oncological cases. He also has an interesting history of working with animals across the globe: he has a Master’s in Tropical Veterinary Medicine and worked with the United Nations in Somalia, Malaysia and Guyana in wildlife management.

Founder, CEO and Clinical Director of The Ralph, Shailen Jasani said: "We had always planned to include an oncology service here at The Ralph though not quite this soon after opening. However, over the last eight months, this has been one area of veterinary medicine where we have not been able to serve our patients, their carers or our referral community. This did not sit well with us. Serendipity being what it is, our path crossed with Stefano's and we were able to extend our services."

For more information, visit www.theralph.vet