Cefshot is indicated for treatment of subclinical mastitis at drying off with action against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Jude Roberts MRCVS from Zoetis says this makes possible three-way selective dry cow therapy with products from the company's dry cow portfolio: "With evidence-based triage, this covers teat sealant solo, in combination with narrow spectrum cloxacillin, or now with broader spectrum long-acting cephalonium.
"This is in keeping with the trend from milk buyers for increasing precision in the use of antibiotic dry cow therapy, and only when it is justified in the first place."
Dry periods longer that 54 days require milk withhold for 96 hours. For shorter dry periods, milk withhold is 58 days. Meat withhold period is 21 days.
Cefshot is available in multiples of 24 and 120 tubes, for delivery September onwards.
Pets At Home Vet Group and Dick White Referrals have announced a strategic partnership in order to develop Pets at Home's strategy for providing specialist care.
Pets at Home says it is creating a new divisional structure comprised of the existing First Opinion Division (Vets4Pets and Companion Care joint venture practices) and the new Specialist Division, which comprises Dick White Referrals, Northwest Surgeons, Anderson Moores, and Eye Vet Referrals.
Dick White has been appointed Clinical Director of the new Specialist Division.
Dick will remain as a shareholder in Dick White Referrals. He and three of the Specialist clinicians - Giunio Bruto Cherubini, Federico Corletto and Rob Foale - will retain 24% of the practice.
Sally Hopson, CEO of Pets at Home Vet Group said: "We are delighted to have attracted a colleague of Dick White’s pedigree to join us, not only to help drive the future growth of Dick White Referrals, but also to play a key role in developing our Specialist Division. Professor White is a key figure in the development of the Specialist Veterinary segment; he has trained many of the leading Specialist veterinary practitioners. This is a tremendous step forward for the Vet Group. I’m also very pleased that Professor White and his colleagues have chosen to remain as equity partners in Dick White Referrals."
Dick said: "Forming this strategic partnership provides great opportunities for us to continue to develop Dick White Referrals as a world class referrals centre with a team of leading Veterinary Specialists. I am delighted to be working with a partner that shares our vision for Dick White Referrals and is committed to supporting its future development. Joining the Board of the Specialist Division will allow me to provide clinical leadership and governance across the division, input into the formulation of strategy and support M&A activity and veterinary recruitment."
The inquiry in regard to Karen Tracey Hancock took place in her absence in January, after she indicated that she was content not to appear or to be represented.
The charges against Mrs Hancock related to an injury she falsely claimed she sustained to her knee while moving a euthanased dog in August 2015 that was then exacerbated while moving another dog a couple of weeks later.
The charges also stated that she made entries in the practice’s accident book also stating that she had injured her knee at work and then aggravated it later.
The charges also stated that, in County Court civil proceedings against the practice in relation to the alleged injuries, she falsely:
The Committee noted that the County Court claim made by Mrs Hancock was listed for a trial and concluded with a consent order dated 21 June 2019 which stated that the claim was dismissed.
It also considered evidence from eyewitnesses regarding the two alleged events that led to and exacerbated her knee injury in August 2015. In doing so the Committee found that, though Mrs Hancock did have an injury to her right knee, this was due to a horse-riding incident a number of years earlier and that her account of the incidents on 13 and 29 August, and therefore her claims to have been caused injury by them, were false and that her conduct had been dishonest.
The Committee therefore found all charges against Mrs Hancock proven.
The Committee then considered whether the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct. In doing so it considered submissions made by Counsel for the RCVS that there were a number of aggravating factors in the case of Mrs Hancock’s conduct including that the misconduct was sustained over a long period of time, was premeditated and involved lying for financial gain.
In commenting on whether the conduct was serious professional misconduct Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee found all of the aggravating factors set out… in this case applied to its decision on whether or not the conduct amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
"Such conduct would bring the profession of veterinary nurses into disrepute and would undermine public confidence in the profession because the dishonesty was directly concerned with the respondent’s work as a veterinary nurse in the veterinary practice.
"The Committee concluded that the dishonest behaviour was serious misconduct, particularly so because it took place at the respondent’s workplace. It considered that honesty and trust between veterinary nurses and their employers is essential to the profession and that such conduct as set out in the charges would be considered deplorable by other members of the profession."
The Committee was therefore satisfied that all four charges individually and cumulatively amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Committee members then considered the appropriate sanction for Mrs Hancock, taking into account the aggravating factors, including a lack of insight in that, in correspondence before the hearing, she continued to deny the charges. In mitigation it noted that there had been a significant lapse of time and that she had a long and hitherto unblemished career.
On balance it decided that removal from the Register was the appropriate and proportionate sanction and requested Mrs Hancock be removed from the Register, particularly as dishonesty is considered ‘in the top spectrum of gravity’ for misconduct.
Judith Way added: “The Committee acknowledged that the respondent was physically unwell with her knee between 2015 and 2019. However there was no evidence that her health had caused her to commit the misconduct. It noted the representations that the respondent made regarding the need to support herself financially but the Committee determined that the public interest outweighed the respondent’s own interests in this case because the proven dishonesty in the circumstances in which it took place was fundamentally incompatible with continued professional registration.
“In the Committee’s judgment without any evidence of remorse or insight by the respondent a suspension order could not meet the public interest in this case. It therefore concluded that removal of the Respondent’s name from the register was the proportionate and appropriate sanction in this case.”
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has agreed to adjourn multiple charges against a County Durham-based veterinary surgeon following her undertakings to request removal from the RCVS Register and never to apply to be restored to it.
At the hearing held yesterday, Silke Birgitt Lindridge was charged with disgraceful conduct in a professional respect in regard to four separate allegations, spanning the period of June 2011 to September 2012 whilst in practice at the Safe Hands Veterinary Group. Two of the allegations related to failures to euthanase or arrange the euthanasia of a cat and a dog and being dishonest and/or misleading about these failures, with their respective owners. The other two allegations related to administering a vaccine (Fevaxyn) which was more than two years past its expiry date to a cat, and failure to provide or take adequate steps to provide promptly all the relevant clinical information to a veterinary practice taking over the responsibility for the treatment of a Labrador Cross.
However, before the Disciplinary Committee had heard evidence in respect of these charges, Mrs Lindridge, who did not attend the hearing, had lodged her application for adjournment on the basis that she would request that the Registrar remove her name from the Register with immediate effect and undertake never to apply to be restored to it. The Disciplinary Committee made no enquiry into the facts of the four charges and emphasised that they had neither been proved against, nor admitted by, the respondent.
Removal from the RCVS Register removes a veterinary surgeon's right to practise in the UK. The respondent informed the RCVS that she had no wish to return to the practice of veterinary surgery in this country. Should she subsequently apply to be restored to the Register, the Disciplinary Committee would resume its consideration of the charges, along with the breach of her undertaking.
The Disciplinary Committee was advised that the views of the animal owners involved had been sought and that all had agreed with the proposed course of action.
Speaking on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, its Chairman, Professor Peter Lees, said: "Having considered the information before it, the Committee has decided it would not be in the public interest to proceed to a full hearing. It is satisfied that the undertakings offered by the respondent [Mrs Lindridge] protect the welfare of animals and uphold the reputation of the profession."
Professor Lees added: "The undertakings offered by the respondent to request the Registrar to remove her name from the Register with immediate effect and never to make an application for restoration to the Register, go beyond any sanction that this Committee could impose at the conclusion of a contested hearing. It does not consider that it would be proportionate for either party to incur the substantial costs of a contested hearing."
The service offers Galen myotherapy, a form of massage, together with diet, exercise, nutraceutical and weight advice, house management advice, and an owner awareness and pain indicator assessment.
Hannah, who spent 14 years in small animal practice, said: "During a very bad week in practice I put two dogs to sleep in quick succession who’d both gone off their back legs. They were mentally there but their bodies had given up. I realised that osteoarthritis needed to be approached much more thoroughly and at a much earlier stage in a dog’s life."
CAM’s home-visiting service assesses arthritic dogs in the calm of their own surroundings. Hannah says that treatment aims to improve a dog’s posture and movement, support their ability to exercise and give owners the tools they need to make life easier for arthritic dogs. She added: "In a consultation, it can be very difficult to get all the information across to an owner whose dog has just been diagnosed with arthritis. CAM is a unique service that fills a gap. It aims to go into a dog’s home and make adjustments that will be good for that individual long-term."
Hannah says that the new service is offered alongside the owner's existing veterinary surgeon, who will need to give consent and prescribe any other treatments, such as NSAIDs, which are needed as part of the larger treatment plan. In other words, it's an additional service that vets can offer to their clients, ensuring they are doing everything they can to help their many arthritic patients.
Hannah said: "Arthritis is a household name, it's massively prevalent in humans and there are huge support services for people dealing with the chronic pain associated with the condition. As a profession we know that dogs with arthritis suffer the same pain – it’s time we had a proper service for them too. CAM is that service – a tailored, multimodal approach to help successfully manage these patients."
Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) is currently available to dog owners throughout Sussex. If you would like to know more, email info@caninearthritis.co.uk
Charcovet Gel contains 30g of activated charcoal in a 60ml syringe.
Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare said: “In young animals with digestive disturbances, Charcovet Gel uses the adsorbent properties of activated charcoal to support the gut in a return to normal function.
"The value of using activated charcoal in cases of digestive upset in young animals has long been recognised, but the difficulty and mess involved in mixing such a fine dry powder in water presented considerable usability issues.
"With Charcovet Gel, the appropriate volume of activated charcoal gel is simply selected from the graduated syringe and administered directly into the animal’s mouth.
"Charcovet Gel can be given daily as needed to support the animal during the period of digestive upset.”
Each box of Charcovet Gel contains 12 syringes.
Charcovet Gel is available now from all major veterinary wholesalers, or directly from Forte Healthcare Ltd.
For more information contact your Forte Territory Manager, email enquiries@fortehealthcare.com or visit: https://www.fortehealthcare.com/product/charcovet-gel
Part of the Pets at Home Vet Group, the new centre was originally set for a Spring/Summer 2020 opening, but the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown set launch plans back to later in the year.
The 24/7 referral centre, which is led by Dr Sam Woods and Professor Dick White as co-Clinical Directors, takes referrals in orthopaedics, internal medicine, neurology, soft tissue surgery, diagnostic imaging and anaesthesia.
Sam said: "We are thrilled to finally be able to officially open our centre this week and to start welcoming patients from the surrounding area and throughout Scotland.
"This has been a strange and difficult year for us all, and as a profession we have faced some hard months. We hope our new referral hospital will be a great asset to the local first opinion professionals, as an extra support with any specialist referral cases, and we are really looking forward to building relationships with them.
"We are lucky to have a great team of veterinary Specialists, nurses and support colleagues at VSS, who are all dedicated to offering the best service and care possible. We are all excited to see what the next few months will bring.
The centre, based at Deer Park in Livingston, will also provide a CPD programme and internship and residency opportunities to those in the profession.
Professor Dick White said: “Since its original inception, our vision for VSS has always been to create a world-class facility, with state-of-the-art technology and outstanding levels of care, and it feels great that we have finally been able to open the doors, welcome patients in and start on our journey.
"We hope the referral centre not only supports local vets and pets, but also fosters new talent and helps develop the next generation of veterinary professionals through our CPD and Internship offering. We are looking forward to what the future will hold."
Miss Johnson was convicted at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court following a guilty plea of the offence of theft by employee in December 2023, after she stole buprenorphine belonging to Yatton Vets earlier that year.
She was sentenced to a fine of £120, a surcharge of £48, and costs of £85.
There were four further charges against Miss Johnson.
Charge one related to Miss Johnson stealing 5ml of methadone in December 2022 from her employer, Vets4Pets in Bristol, and injecting herself with the methadone.
The police investigated the incident and Miss Johnson accepted a conditional caution for the theft, the condition being she should attend a drug awareness course.
Charge two related to Miss Johnson dishonestly taking a syringe of methadone in August 2023 from her employer, the Langford Small Animal Hospital, and injecting herself with it.
Charge three related to two dates in September 2023 when she dishonestly took methadone, gabapentin and buprenorphine from Yatton Vets, her then employer, injecting herself with the buprenorphine and then working when unfit to do so.
Miss Johnson was later convicted of theft in relation to the buprenorphine (charge five).
Charge four related to an incident in November 2023, when Miss Johnson dishonestly took a syringe of buprenorphine from Bristol PDSA, for the purposes of self-administration, and was dishonest both to other members of staff and in the clinical records about the circumstances of taking the buprenorphine.
Charge five was in relation to Miss Johnson’s criminal conviction.
At the outset of the hearing, Miss Johnson admitted all charges in their entirety.
Having reviewed all the evidence and taken Miss Johnson’s admissions into account, the Committee found each of the charges proved.
After the criminal proceedings had finished and had been reported to the College, Miss Johnson wrote a letter expressing her deepest apologies to both the RCVS and the profession.
Within this she also made it clear that she took full responsibility for her actions.
In a later statement, she added that she had tried to use the experience to learn and improve in every aspect of her career and life and did not want to defend her behaviour.
Within this statement she also retracted a previous request to resign from the register, stating that she would accept any outcome to the investigation.
In deciding whether the proved charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, the Committee took the following aggravating factors into account:
The Committee identified no mitigating factors and concluded that for each of the individual charges Miss Johnson’s conduct fell far short of the conduct expected of a member of the profession and that each of the charges one to four amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In relation to charge five, the criminal conviction, the Committee noted that the nature and the circumstances of the offence involved dishonesty, abuse of her professional position regarding access to controlled drugs, breach of her employer’s trust, and that the misconduct took place notwithstanding an investigation by the police for similar conduct in December 2022.
The Committee therefore concluded that charge five rendered Miss Johnson unfit to practise.
When deciding on a sanction, the Committee took into account mitigating factors, which included:
The Committee found no further aggravating factors at this stage.
Kathryn Peaty, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf said: “The Committee considered that the overall misconduct proved so serious and was incompatible with remaining on the register.”
She added: “The Committee accepted that Miss Johnson was currently likely to be drug-free on the basis of her evidence and that of her referee, but it noted that independent testing proving she had been drug free for any period of time was not available to it.
"Furthermore, Miss Johnson had been unable to demonstrate that she had worked without any incident recently as she had accepted she had been dismissed from her recent job.
“Having taken into account all of the aggravating and mitigating factors, and balancing the public interest and the need to uphold and maintain standards within the profession, and having decided that Miss Johnson’s insight was limited, the Committee concluded that the sanction of ‘removal’ was the only proportionate sanction it could impose in this case.
"It also decided that such a sanction maintained public confidence in the veterinary profession, safeguarded animal welfare and protected the public from any future risk of repetition of similar behaviour.
“The Committee therefore directed that the Registrar remove Miss Johnson’s name from the register of veterinary nurses forthwith.”
According to the forthcoming PDSA Animal Welfare 2016 report, only 35% of pet owners are familiar with their pets' legal welfare needs, a figure which has remained persistently low over the past 6 years (45% in 2011, 31% in 2012, 38% in 2013, 36% in 2014 and 31% in 2015).
The same report revealed in 2015 that 97% of veterinary professionals agreed there is value in encouraging pet owners to better understand and provide for the five welfare needs of their pets.
The 2016 report will also report that pet owners who feel more informed about each of the five welfare needs are significantly more likely to provide preventive healthcare to their pets.
Gudrun Ravetz, President of the BVA said: "It’s concerning that, despite many veterinary practices’ best efforts, public awareness of the five welfare needs remains consistently low. There are so many strong voices for animal welfare, which is why it’s great that so many veterinary organisations – including BSAVA, BVNA and BVZS – are coming together within this coalition to highlight pet owners’ legal duty of care. We hope practices across the country will join us in spreading the message by continuing to deliver the welfare need-focused advice to clients that they already do, day-in, day-out."
The 2006 Animal Welfare Acts of England and Wales, and Scotland consolidated and replaced more than 20 pieces of outmoded legislation. They established a duty of care, enshrining in law five animal welfare needs, outlining housing, diet, behaviour, social interactions and health as the legal responsibilities that every owner should meet to ensure their pet is as happy and healthy as possible.
The veterinary animal welfare coalition says it recognises that veterinary practices across the UK already promote the five welfare needs through a range of methods, from displaying materials in their waiting rooms to providing health check consultations with vets and vet nurses to discuss pets’ needs. The seven organisations, which are all UK based and support or provide veterinary service delivery, are pooling their resources so that veterinary practices can more easily signpost clients to the wealth of resources that are available.
James Yeates, who chairs the veterinary animal welfare coalition as part of the Vet Futures Action Plan, said: "The five welfare needs are a fantastic 'umbrella' guide to taking care of our pets, yet each and every species has such differing welfare needs - from cats who tend to be solitary animals and usually prefer to be the only pet to rabbits that should live in pairs or groups of other rabbits and dogs, who should not be left on their own for more than a few hours a day - it’s vital that pet owners can translate theory into practice. Our understanding of animal welfare science has come such a long way over the past 50 years so we'd really like pet owners to visit their local veterinary practice, where they will be able to get tailored, up-to-date advice for their pets."
The BVA's Spring 2016 Voice of the Profession survey of over 1,600 veterinary surgeons found that the majority (60%) see diet as their main welfare concern, causing obesity, dental issues and a variety of other complex health problems. The coalition of veterinary organisations behind this campaign says it hopes it will encourage the 15% of pet owners not currently registered with a veterinary practice to seek out their local surgery for expert advice about issues such as these.
More information about the coalition and the resources available to practices can be found at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/newsroom/news-releases/uk-pets-at-risk-as-two-thirds-of-owners-unaware-of-legal-welfare-needs/
This year the congress is being organised in collaboration with the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group and will form the Group’s autumn meeting.
The main scientific topics are skin and ear surgery, skin biology, host-microbial interaction, dermatophytosis, exotics dermatology and clinical pharmacology. There will be a three-tiered programme:
Basic level: providing updates on the topics covered
Intermediate level: advanced information for those with a good grounding in veterinary dermatology
Advanced level: more specialist subjects, including human dermatology
For the first time, there will also be a dedicated nurses programme, taking place on Saturday 28th September.
Laura Buckley CertVD DipECVD MRCVS, Local Organising Committee (pictured right), said: "Congress is always a major event in the veterinary dermatology calendar, featuring some of the world’s leading specialists, and this year showcases some of Liverpool’s spectacular historic sites.
"As always there will be commercial and poster exhibitions featuring state-of-the-art veterinary products and leading research in veterinary dermatology respectively."
This year’s social programme includes the Welcome Reception on Thursday 26th and the Dinner Dance on Friday 27th September. The Welcome Reception will be held at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It is the largest Cathedral in the UK and the fifth largest in the world.
The Dinner Dance will take place at Revolución de Cuba overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Albert Dock.
For further information and to register please visit the congress website: www.esvd-ecvdcongress.com
Ane’s research interests lie in the surgical correction of neurological diseases leading to chronic pain and epilepsy. Amongst other things, she has developed an international database and phone application to help dogs and owners affected by epilepsy.
Ane began her veterinary studies in her native Spain before transferring to the Veterinary School of Paris (Ecole National Veterinaire d’Alfort) where she completed a three-year European residency in neurology. She then spent eight years working as a neurology-neurosurgery specialist in the UK.
Ane, who speaks five languages, then moved to the USA, where she joined Tufts University, training students, interns and residents and continuing her passion for research.
Henry L'Eplattenier, clinical director at Southfields, said: “We’re absolutely delighted Dr Uriarte has agreed to join the team.
"She is a very talented neurologist with a passion for neuro-oncology and will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, which will benefit our world-class team."
Ane said: “I’m thrilled for the opportunity of leading the neurology service of such an outstanding hospital.
"Pets are part of our family and having a neurological disorder can be devastation. I’m committed and looking forward to helping referring veterinarians and owners in such circumstances."
Andrea Tarr BPharm MSC MRPharmS, the founder and director of Veterinary Prescriber said: "Prescribing is a neglected aspect of veterinary practice. When it comes to making treatment decisions, vets are very poorly supported by their professional organisations, the pharmaceutical industry has a hugely distorting influence and there's a lack of access to really helpful information.
"We're determined to use the expertise in Veterinary Prescriber to change this, and support vets in their use of medicines in the best interests of animals, their owners and the environment.
"With this in mind, we start the year with a learning module of good veterinary dispensing practice."
The module explains what constitutes a well-run dispensary, including how to organise, handle and store medicines correctly. It reviews the legal classifications of medicines, including controlled drugs and the cascade. It also considers why dispensing errors occur and what to do when they happen.
Veterinary Prescriber says its modules are evidence-based, peer-reviewed and independent of the pharmaceutical industry.
Subscription costs £9.95 per month, which you can cancel any time. To subscribe, visit: www.veterinaryprescriber.org
The Swadlincote and Melbourne-based IVC practice worked with a Great Workplaces by BVA accreditor during the pilot of the new scheme, to demonstrate its strengths against an accreditation framework covering four key themes: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture and learning and development.
In the report, the accreditor was particularly impressed by the practice’s strong leadership and management; its emphasis on accommodating flexibility for team members in various forms; a robust teamworking ethos; and a focus on continuous improvement.
British Veterinary Association President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “We’re delighted to see Swadlincote Veterinary Centre become the first veterinary workplace to achieve Gold accreditation through Great Workplaces by BVA scheme.
"Congratulations to the whole practice team for this incredible recognition.
“Creating positive working environments and targeting areas for improvement are the key to tackling ongoing workforce challenges around recruitment and retention.
"We hope this first Gold accreditation inspires others to strive towards gaining recognition as workplaces where vet teams thrive.”
Ingrid Stevenson, Clinical Director at Swadlincote Veterinary Centre, said: “While we knew the practice was doing well, we didn’t go into this process expecting Gold at all.
"My practice manager and I were just both really keen to get some feedback and to find out what more we could do to help the team.
“We have several clinical accreditations in the practice, but it is the team that are responsible for achieving these and maintaining the high standards.
"I believe the team should be looked after, recognised and rewarded for their hard work and going above and beyond when necessary.
"The team were really pleased when I shared the news.
"It has certainly been good for team morale and a positive outcome to share with potential new recruits. '
“The accreditation process was a thorough assessment of the practice and our accreditor made us feel all at ease during the interviews.
"While we achieved Gold, which was unexpected, we have also learnt of areas to develop further over the coming months.
"Overall, it was a positive experience for our practice.”
www.bva.co.uk/take-action/good-veterinary-workplaces/
According to the AHT, there is undisputed evidence that owners, riders and trainers have a poor ability to recognise signs of pain seen when horses are ridden. As a result, problems are labelled as training-related, rider-related, behavioural, or deemed 'normal' for that horse because 'that’s how he’s always gone'.
This, says the AHT, means pain-related problems are often disregarded, the horse continues in work, and the problem gets progressively worse.
Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, believes it may be easier to educate riders and trainers to recognise changes in facial expression and behaviour rather than lameness. So she and her team set out to develop and test an ethogram to describe facial expressions in ridden horses and to determine whether individuals could interpret and correctly apply the ethogram consistently.
At this stage in the project, they concluded that their ethogram could reliably be used to describe facial expressions of ridden horses by people from different professional backgrounds (full paper here: http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(16)30184-8/fulltext).
In the next stage of the project, Sue and her team sought to demonstrate that the ethogram could be used to identify lameness.
The ethogram was applied blindly by a trained analyst to photographs (n=519) of the head and neck of lame (n=76) and non-lame (n=25) horses acquired during ridden schooling-type work at both trot and canter. These included images of seven lame horses acquired before (n=30 photographs) and after diagnostic analgesia had abolished lameness (n=22 photographs).
A pain score (0-3; 0=normal, 1-3=abnormal) was applied to each feature in the ethogram, based on published descriptions of pain in horses.
A total of 27,407 facial markers were recorded, with those giving the greatest significant difference between lame and sound horses including ears back, eyes partially or fully closed, an open mouth with exposed teeth and being severely above the bit.
Pain scores were higher for lame horses than non-lame horses (p<0.001). Total pain score (p<0.05), total head position score (p<0.01), and total ear score (p<0.01) were reduced in lame horses after abolition of lameness.
Severely ‘above the bit’, twisting the head, asymmetrical position of the bit, ear position (both ears backwards, one ear backwards and one to the side, one ear backwards and one ear forwards) and eye features (exposure of the sclera, the eye partially or completely closed, muscle tension caudal to the eye, an intense stare) were the best indicators of pain.
The researchers concluded that application of the ethogram and pain score could differentiate between lame and non-lame horses. Assessment of facial expression could potentially improve recognition of pain-related gait abnormalities in ridden horses (full paper here: http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(17)30019-9/fulltext)
Sue and her team are now working on the development of a whole horse ethogram and its application to non-lame and lame horses, to help to differentiate between manifestations of conflict behaviour, in response to the demands of the rider, and pain. They are also working towards the development of a practical tool for recognising facial expressions, similar to that of a body condition score chart, which they say could dramatically improve the health and welfare of all horses.
Photo: Signs of pain include ears back (pain score of 3), intense stare, muscle tension and mouth. Courtesy Dr Sue Tyson.
Feliscratch by Feliway is a synthetic copy of the feline interdigital semiochemical (FIS) naturally produced by cats and Ceva says it is the only product clinically proven to help divert scratching behaviour onto a desired location.
The company says it helps control both vertical and horizontal scratching and helps prevent inappropriate scratching with newly adopted cats or kittens.
The new pheromone is available in a pack of nine single use 5ml pipettes which should be applied on a scratching post to redirect the scratching.
The product attracts cats in three ways: the blue staining mimics the visual message (scratch marks), catnip helps attract the cat to the scratching post and the pheromone directs cat scratching on the surface where the product has been applied. One pack lasts for up to four weeks.
Feliscratch by Feliway can be used alongside Feliway Classic if the owner is experiencing stress-related scratching or alongside Feliway Friends for conflicts in the home.
Claire Russell, pheromone product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "Scratching is a major problem in cat owning households with many owners experiencing damaged carpets, sofas and other household furniture. Feliscratch by Feliway can help redirect scratching onto a desired location, such as a scratching post, and can be used in conjunction with Feliway Classic and Feliway Friends to help prevent other stress-related behaviours."
Ceva Animal Health has launched a range of marketing materials to support the launch of Feliscratch by Feliway including a pet owner leaflet, posters, wobblers and a digital pack containing social media posts, product pack shots, logo and videos.
For information on Feliway visit www.feliway.com/uk.
The practice was formed earlier this year by Jade Statt and Sam Joseph, two veterinary surgeons who, quite separately, had been inspired by the bond between homeless people and their dogs and decided to do what they could to help. Each hit the streets, Jade in Westminster and Sam in North London, offering healthchecks and basic flea and worm treatment to the homeless. Unbeknownst to each other, they worked under the same name of Streetvet.
Their paths crossed earlier this year, whereupon they decided to join forces and create a proper framework through which to deliver not just preventative care for the majority of animals that are well cared for and healthy, but treatment for those that need it. So Streetvet was born.
Since then, the practice has grown to a 65-strong team of volunteer veterinary surgeons and nurses providing a free, first opinion veterinary service across London, supported by drug companies, veterinary practices, animal welfare charities, social non-profit organisations and local councils.
Jade said: "We have vets out in the community at least 4 days a week and everything that can be done in a consultation room, we can perform on the street. This includes medicating, vaccinating, blood sampling, urine analysis, lump sampling, microchipping and more.
"When we meet a dog that needs more advanced treatment we are able to take them to one of the practices that we work at to perform procedures including neutering, dental work, surgery, diagnostic imaging and even hydrotherapy.
"Being vets, we love animals, but much of our day-to-day work involves caring for their owners as well. Many of the owners that we meet are vulnerable people and one of the main benefits of having vets out on the streets is that we get to know the owners and their dogs and gain their trust.”
Streetvet will be launching in Brighton on Sunday 26th November and in Bristol on 2nd December.
if you are in the Brighton or Bristol area and want to volunteer, offer practice support or get involved with fundraising, email: info@streetvet.co.uk.
Veterinary professionals across the UK are also encouraged to email their interest in volunteering, to help StreetVet build its database and in time set up StreetVet UK-wide.
RSPCA has launched a new website called 'Political Animal' to encourage voters to lobby their prospective parliamentary candidates about animal welfare issues ahead of the General Election.
The site offers an interesting timeline of the last 20 years of animal welfare law, leading up to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, showing landmark changes. It also gives details of the RSPCA's stance on issues like status dogs, higher welfare farming, wild animals in circuses and animals used in experiments.
RSPCA parliamentary officer Stacey Frier, said: "The Political Animal microsite is a unique project allowing our supporters to drive the debate by letting politicians know what they want them to do for animal welfare if they are elected.
"The RSPCA and its supporters have been instrumental in campaigning for change in animal welfare legislation since the Society's creation in 1824 and we're urging the incoming parliament to continue to work with us to achieve further animal welfare milestones."
For more information, please log on to http://www.politicalanimal.org.uk/
MSD says the new vaccine reduces the clinical signs of respiratory disease and viral shedding from infection with Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV) and Parainfluenza-3 Virus (Pi3V), and that no other UK-licensed BRD vaccine can be administered earlier in life.
According to the company, it also delivers the fastest on-farm protection, with an onset of immunity after administration of 5 days for BRSV and 7 days for Pi3V. The duration of immunity is 12 weeks for both viruses.
MSD Animal Health ruminant veterinary adviser Dr Kat Baxter-Smith MRCVS said: "Early-age protection of calves through intranasal vaccination can help prevent pneumonia and positively impact a calf’s productive future.
"The sooner and faster these young calves can be protected against viral BRD and the permanent lung damage it causes, the better their potential lifetime productivity, be it in terms of delivering expected milk yield in the dairy herd or growth performance on the beef unit1 2."
Kat added that Bovilis Intranasal RSP Live also activates non-specific immunity – stimulating receptors and cytokines in the innate immune system3: "This equates to protection against viral replication in the nasopharyngeal cavity, reduction of virus shedding and protection of the calf against subsequent clinical symptoms3."
MSD says a practical benefit of Bovilis Intranasal RSP Live to farmers is that it can be used on farm up to six hours after mixing with the solvent, which is the longest of all the available intranasal BRD vaccines. Additionally, the new vaccine is supplied as a farm-friendly, easy-to administer nasal suspension product that doesn’t need a specific applicator – although for maximum flexibility a new easy-clean injector and nozzle kit is available for farmers needing to vaccinate multiple animals.
References:
7,383 veterinary surgeons voted in this year's election, a turnout of 19.7%.
This compares to turnouts of 16.7% in 2023, 18.6% in 2022, 24.5% in 2021, and 26.2% in 2020.
Of the 14 candidates, Professor David Barratt, Sinead Bennett and Zara Kennedy were all elected to serve for a four year term, with 1,747 votes, 1,796 and 2,264 votes respectively.
Mark Bowen (1,404), Richard Brown (1,030), Paddy Gordon (1,612), Gerard Henry (1,157), Peter Higgins (496), Penelope Morgan (1,584), Kate Richards (1,264), Richard Sanderson (1,380), Sally Schroeder (1,630), Lara Wilson (1,399) and the inevitable Thomas Lonsdale (257) were all unsuccessful.
The winning candidates will take up their posts at Royal College Day, which is open to all vets to attend on Friday 5th July at the Royal Institute of British Architects.
www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote24
The company conducted the survey of 404 owners after news that the bio-pharma company Okava plans to trial a weight-loss drug for dogs that mimics the effects of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, tapping into a potential $10 billion market.
Of the pet owners who responded, it was the younger group aged 25-34 who were most receptive to the idea of a weight-loss drug for their pet (56%).
That figure fell to 21% of 45–54-year-olds and 20% among those aged 55 and above, most of whom were probably holding up their hands in horror: "Whatever next".
Alicia Hempsted, pet insurance spokeswoman from MoneySuperMarket, said: “If GLP-1 style treatments for obesity become available for dogs in the future, it’s likely that owners will have to pay out of pocket for them, which may affect their availability."
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/pet-insurance/
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
Two winners will be flown from a London airport to spend 2 nights at the Krka Terme Hotel Svoboda Strunjan, a night at the Grand Union Hotel Ljubljana and a night at the Grand Hotel Bled, plus car hire.
To enter, visit www.discoverkrka.co.uk and pick out the differences between the Dalmations.
Ned Flaxman from Krka said: "I’ve only recently joined KRKA and I’m sure like many people I imagined Slovenia to be some far-off country in Eastern Europe. But it’s much closer than you might think - being only a couple hour’s boat ride from Venice.
"I would urge anyone to enter the competition to be in with the chance of winning this truly memorable trip. From the cliffs and stunning beaches of Strunjan to the lively and beautiful city of Ljubljana, Slovenia is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered."
The awards celebrate the achievements of remarkable people who dedicate their lives to improving animal health and welfare both in the UK and abroad. They are open to vets, vet nurses, farmers, animal welfare professionals and animal welfare teams who can be nominated to receive an award by fellow peers, friends and family or the general public.
There are nine nomination categories including a new one this year to recognise an international individual or team that stands out from the crowd by influencing and significantly contributing to making a visible difference in the world of animal welfare.
The categories are:
Chris Laurence Vet of the Year supported by Vet Record.
Vet Nurse of the Year supported by Agria Pet Insurance
Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSA
Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year supported by International Cat Care
Farmer of the Year supported by R.A.B.I. and Farmers Guardian
Farm Educator of the Year supported by NADIS and Farmers Guardian
Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines
Outstanding International Contribution to Animal Welfare supported by Ceva International
Nominations can be made at https://www.cevawelfare.com/click-here-to-nominate with nominations closing on Tuesday 31 December 2019.
Finalists will be announced at the beginning of February and winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in Birmingham in April on the eve of BSAVA Congress.
Cuneyt Seckin, Managing Director of Ceva Animal Health UK and Ireland, said: "As an animal health company, animal welfare is a huge focus for us. The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards are an opportunity to formally recognise and congratulate outstanding animal welfare teams and individuals who contribute to the protection and welfare of animals in their daily lives."
For more information, visit www.cevawelfare.com.
Animalcare Ltd has launched Tilmodil (tilmicosin 300mg/ml solution for injection), a semi-synthetic macrolide antibiotic licensed for pneumonia in cattle and sheep, foul in the foot in cattle, and footrot and mastitis in sheep.
According to the company, Tilmicosin is fast-acting1, long-acting2 and highly effective against the major Gram-ve bovine respiratory pathogens.2,3 In addition, the company says tissue penetration is excellent.1 In calves a single SC injection at 10mg/kg bw results in lung concentrations exceeding the MIC90 of Mannheimia haemolytica for 72 hours.2
Animalcare says that pooled data from greater than 6000 cattle has confirmed the effectiveness of tilmicosin in the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in well-controlled, randomised field studies. Tilmodil treatment has been proven equally effective compared to antibiotics, such as florfenicol, marbofloxacin and danofloxacin.
A recent report by the Farm Animal Welfare Council estimates that three million of the national sheep flock are lame at any one time. It is estimated that footrot is responsible for greater than 90% of lameness and is present in 97% of flocks. Tilmicosin has good activity against the key Gram-ve pathogens2 and has been successfully used in the treatment of footrot.4
Tilmodil has been developed for animal use only and is administered by veterinary surgeons only. Dosage is 1ml per 30kg bw for respiratory disease and mastitis in sheep and 0.5ml per 30kg bw for interdigital necrobacillosis (foul in the foot/footrot/bovine pododermatitis).
Tilmodil is administered as a single, low volume subcutaneous (SC) injection dose and presented in 50ml multi-dose vials.
References
1. Apley M., Antimicrobial therapy of Bovine Respiratory Disease.Veterinary Clinics of North America.Food Animal Practice (1997) 13,3:159-5622. Tilmodil SPC3. Giguere S et al .,Antimicrobial therapy in Veterinary Medicine.4th edition 2006.Chp.12,2014. Winter A., Lameness in sheep. 2. Treatment and control. In Practice (2004),3, 130-139.
Lucy and Rosanna have joined the business in hybrid positions as Novice OVs and will do this alongside working in a clinical practice.
The company says this is a significant milestone for the industry, which has relied on overseas talent for many years.
Eville & Jones says it has now developed a compelling proposition for UK new graduates who want to combine OV work with traditional clinical practice, and vets looking for a lifestyle change or a move away from practice, working flexibly in export certification, abattoir work, certification against standards, or small animal vaccination.
Charles Hartwell, chief executive officer of Eville & Jones said: “The team at Eville & Jones has spent two years developing an attractive proposition to encourage UK-educated veterinary surgeons to consider a career in this field, whether combined with traditional clinical practice, or stand alone.
"We wish Lucy and Rosanna the best of luck and hope they become trailblazers for many others to follow in their footsteps.”
Lucy said: “I’m really excited to be starting my career in veterinary public health where, as an OV, you can positively affect the lives of 1000’s of animals."
Rosanna added: “I’m really proud to have joined the veterinary industry this summer; OVs are instrumental in monitoring and safe-guarding animal welfare in a way that many vets don't realise."
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded and warned a Clwyd-based veterinary surgeon on charges relating to falsifying prescriptions to obtain drugs for her own use.
At the outset of the two-day hearing, Mrs Alina Grecko admitted that in 2009 she had written out three prescriptions for her own use whilst working as a veterinary surgeon at Greenfield Veterinary Surgery, Holywell, Clywd, and that this amounted to serious professional misconduct. The Committee found this to be the case, and said she was right to admit it. The Committee also said this was deliberate wrong-doing on three separate occasions and involved an obvious breach of Mrs Grecko's legal duties in relation to prescription which was bound to diminish the profession and public confidence in it. It was also a flagrant breach of the Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons.
In the Committee's opinion the charge was a serious one; it involved falsehoods and disregard of legal obligations and of the profession's standards, as well as compromising another professional - a pharmacist. In mitigation, however, the Committee accepted that the offence involved no harm to any animal or person, nor risk of harm except to herself; nor was there financial gain. Mrs Grecko was a young and relatively inexperienced veterinary surgeon, and the Committee's view was that the offence was the result of her not thinking straight at a time of great stress in her personal and professional life, rather than a clearly thought out course of deliberate conduct. It was in no doubt that Mrs Grecko was genuinely remorseful about her behaviour and had insight into its seriousness.
The Committee also considered evidence relating to the circumstances in which the prescription came to be written. It accepted the general case that the original idea of self-prescribing did not come from Mrs Grecko; however, the Committee did not find that she had been encouraged or persuaded; the most that could be said was that Mrs Grecko had taken up a casual suggestion that she might write the prescription herself.
When deciding on sanction, the Committee took into account both the facts of the particular case and the mitigating factors. It reiterated that the primary purpose of the sanction is not to punish the Respondent but to protect the welfare of animals, to maintain public confidence in the profession, and to uphold proper standards of conduct and said the sanction applied must be proportionate to the nature and extent of the Respondent's conduct, and weigh the public interest with the interests of the Respondent. The Committee also said that in a case involving the writing of false prescriptions the importance of public confidence in the profession and of upholding the standards of the profession mean that the Committee would normally feel that at least a suspension from the Register should be imposed.
Having given anxious consideration to the question whether that course could properly be avoided in this case, the Committee felt able to take an exceptional course and the sanctions it has imposed are that the Respondent will both be reprimanded and warned as to her future conduct. It directed that these sanctions will remain on her record indefinitely.