Omics refers to a field of biological sciences including genomics (studying DNA), transcriptomics (RNA), proteomics (proteins) and metabolomics (metabolites).
Guest Editor Carrie Finno has contributed an editorial in support of the nine EVJ articles demonstrating how genomic and transcriptomic approaches have been used to investigate equine diseases.
She said: “While equine genomics and transcriptomics continue to evolve, improvements in the annotation of the equine genome will undoubtedly accelerate the rate of discovery.
"With the need for large sample sizes of well-phenotyped horses to study the most complex diseases, equine genomics and transcriptomics research will likely become increasingly collaborative, similar to the current status of human genomics initiatives.
"Aligned with this collaborative effort is the strong need for publicly available genomic and transcriptomic data that are accessible to all researchers.”
Guest Editor James Anderson prefaces five papers on advances made in equine medicine within the disciplines of proteomics, metabolomics and lipidomics (a subset of metabolomics).
He said: “Omics technologies have enhanced our knowledge of the molecular world and provided fascinating insight into the composition and functions of these components across a range of different animal species.
"Particularly for equine science and medicine they have increased our understanding of molecular changes in disease and informed the development of diagnostic tests.
"Although still in its infancy within equine veterinary science, this field looks likely to have a significant impact in the coming years.”
The virtual Issue is available to all at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.OmicsEVJ
The RCVS has announced a number of senior staff changes.
Gordon Hockey has been ratified by Council as Head of Legal Services and Registrar. This is a new role created when the post of Registrar and Secretary was split into two: Chief Executive and Secretary; and Head of Legal Services and Registrar.
Gordon, who was previously Assistant Registrar/Head of Professional Conduct, and then Acting Registrar, will have oversight responsibility for registration and professional conduct.
At the same time, Eleanor Ferguson, formerly Acting Head of Professional Conduct, has been confirmed in the position.
The post of Head of Registration has been made redundant, with a new role of Customer Experience Manager created to ensure that the customer (public and profession) journey improves across the organisation. This position will also report into Gordon Hockey.
There have been other changes on the Senior Team at the College. The post of Head of Corporate Services that had been vacant since the departure of Richard Holford last December will not be filled, and Head of Finance Corrie McCann has been promoted to the new role of Head of Operations, which will incorporate finance, corporate services (IT, mailing, reception) and facilities.
Two other posts have been made redundant: Special Projects Manager and RCVS Charitable Trust Director. A new post of Executive Director for the Trust will be developed, with a view to taking the Trust through a full strategic review.
Chief Executive Nick Stace said: "I believe that an engaged and well-purposed team of staff, with a focus on customer service and driving improvements, lies at the heart of any successful organisation. These changes will enable the College to move into the next stage of its development towards becoming a first-rate regulator."
The changes will mean that the Senior Team is reduced from 11 people to seven, being the Chief Executive plus Heads of Legal Services, Operations, Human Resources, Education, Veterinary Nursing and Communications.
The company, which has added over 50 practices to the business this year alone, puts its success down to the group's family feel, and the 'hub and spoke' model it operates.
Arnold Levy, CEO at Medivet, said: "There are lots of things that have led to us being in the position we are now: our wonderful team and partners across the country, our passion for offering the best treatment, and the opportunities we offer vets wanting to run and own their practice."
"Much of that stems from our unique hub and spoke model. Without it, we wouldn’t be where we are – it really is central to all we do."
Medivet’s hub and spoke model is comprised of nine 24-hour centres (hubs) located around the UK with state-of-the-art facilities. The rest of the Medivet group consists of an integrated network of practices, or 'spokes'.
Medivet says the model allows smaller branches to offer pet owners services that otherwise wouldn’t be possible – referrals or specialist diagnostics, for example, can be passed on to another nearby practice or the bigger 'hub' if needs be.
Alison Jones heads up Medivet’s 200th practice in Gloucester and celebrated the opening in October with the practice team and other senior partners from Medivet.
Alison said: "The vast expertise in both the clinical and management fields that Medivet has to offer can take a huge strain off a busy practitioner. In addition, the inter-site communications, along with help via the Support Centre from a team of specialists in areas such as health and safety, employment law and marketing means each clinic can still operate as a local practice, but has the back-up of the whole Medivet team when needed.
"I have been impressed by how even the managers have not forgotten what it means to be a practising veterinary surgeon and have not lost their compassion for animals or passion for our profession. I feel I am working with people 'like me' and that makes me feel secure and understood."
I'm delighted to welcome Celia Marr from Rossdales and Edd Knowles from Bell Equine, who have kindly agreed to be our contributing experts. They'll drop in from time to time to add anything helpful they can to the forum discussions.
As elsewhere on VetSurgeon.org, reading content in the new groups or participating in discussions can count towards a VetSurgeon.org CPD certificate. Just press 'Claim CPD' at the top of the page, then collect the record and certificate from your profile.
All members of the site with an interest in equine medicine are now invited to press the join button on the left hand side of the group home page (when viewed on tablet or bigger). You may also wish to select the option to receive a daily or weekly digest of new content by email, which you can cancel at any time.
Equine is the third special interest group launched on VetSurgeon.org. The other two are Small Animal Medicine and Small Animal Dentistry.
Mrs Jill Nute has been invested as president of the RCVS at the AGM and Awards Day, held on 4th July in London.
Mrs Nute graduated from Liverpool University in 1970 and initially assisted in mixed practice in the Lake District, Droitwich and Leominster. In 1976, she established a mixed practice with her husband Geoff, a fellow Liverpool graduate, in Wadebridge, Cornwall.
The practice is now an eight-veterinary surgeon concern, a veterinary nurse Training Practice, an RCVS Accredited Tier 2 Small Animal General Practice and Farm Animal General Practice, and an equine practice accredited to Tier 1; it is also a Meat Hygiene Service approved contractor.
Mrs Nute has been an RCVS Council member since 1993, serving on all of its committees. She has chaired many of these committees and additional working parties, including the Advisory and Public Affairs Committees. She served on the Officer team as Treasurer for three years, from 1996-1999, and is currently Chairman of the Practice Standards Group. Spending several years on the Councils of the British Veterinary Association and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), she was elected President of SPVS in 1991.
RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Dr Bob Moore, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, and Professor Sandy Trees took up the role of Junior Vice-President.
Professor Sheila Crispin stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Dr Moore commenting that: “The veterinary profession is privileged to have such a knowledgeable and committed advocate.”
Retiring Council members included David McDowell, Debby Reynolds, Neil Smith and Wendy Harrison. New lay observer to the Preliminary Investigation Committee, Catherine Harvey, will replace retiring observer Diane Mark. The President paid particular tribute to long-standing Council member and past-President Stephen Ware, who retires from Council but will remain active in veterinary politics as Vice-President and Treasurer of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, he also remains Chairman of the RCVS Trust.
As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Richard Stephenson, Charles Gruchy and Bertie Ellis were welcomed. A fourth new member, Catherine Goldie, was not present. It was also announced that Professor Michael Herrtage and Professor Duncan Maskell have been reappointed for further four-year periods by the University of Cambridge, and Professor Sandy Tress has been reappointed for the same term by the University of Liverpool.
Dot Creighton was re-elected to the Veterinary Nurses Council and Katherine Kissick was elected for the first time. New lay member Penelope Swindlehurst and appointed veterinary surgeon Helen Torrington were also welcomed to the VN Council and the President thanked retiring VN Council members Diane Guinan, Donna Hunter and Neil Smith.
President Dr Bob Moore conferred a range of awards, including an Honorary Associateship upon Petplan and Petplan Trust founders Mrs Patsy Bloom and Mr David Simpson who, he said, have had a “remarkable effect on the veterinary profession, animals and their owners.”
Honorary Associateship was also awarded to Mr Geoff Davies, who has dedicated his 30-year career at the University of Bristol Veterinary School to the training, support and development of future veterinary surgeons. He has also served as a valued member of the RCVS Extra-Mural Studies Committee for many years. “It is his enormous contribution in supporting and encouraging the students that is being recognised today,”said Dr Moore.
Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Mr Gary Clayton Jones, Professor Paul Flecknell and Dr Christine Gibbs, and the Dame Olga Uvarov Award, a cash prize for a researcher under the age of 40, was awarded on behalf of the RCVS Trust to Dr Harriet Smythe (in her absence)
Animalcare has been found in breach of Clause 18.2 of the NOAH Code of Practice for offering and supplying infusion pumps/equipment in exchange for veterinary practices entering into written contracts for the purchase of a range of its products, including the POM-V Benazecare.
The value of the equipment offered by Animalcare equated with a discount agreed with the veterinary practice, and was applied as medicinal products were purchased. The equipment was supplied on the signing of a contract. The terms of the contract required a particular quantity of medicinal products to be purchased, and if the veterinary practice failed to meet that requirement, there was a liability to pay a pro-rata element of the equipment purchase price.
The Code of Practice Committee was of the view that a piece of equipment was neither 'price' nor 'product' within the meaning of Clause 18.2 of the Code of Practice; and as such amounted to a gift being offered in relation to the sale; or purchase; or prescription of animal medicine. The Committee took into account that Guidance Note 4, paragraph 7, states that the word "gift" includes any pecuniary advantage being offered, with the exception of price or product itself.
To comply with Code of Practice Clause 18.2, the offer or inducement based on price had to be one of cash as rebated discount. If then there were facilities to enable the veterinary practice to use that rebated discount to purchase the equipment from the supplier, that might be acceptable, but there was a necessity for cash as rebated discount to be provided in the first instance.
Full details of the Committee's rulings are available on the NOAH website at www.noah.co.uk/code.
Supreme Petfoods has announced that Think Rabbit Fortnight, a campaign to help practices engage with rabbit owners, will run from Monday 21st May to Friday 1st June.
Practices can decide how much they wish to participate in the campaign and can opt to receive goodie bags, a 'Think Rabbit' manual detailing how the practice can be more rabbit-friendly, or take the 'Small Furry' Promise.
The event is being backed by RCVS Exotics Specialist, Molly Varga. She said: "I'd encourage all practices to take part in Think Rabbit Fortnight to help improve the health and welfare of the nation's rabbits."
Supreme says that practices which take part in the Think Rabbit Campaign will also have the opportunity to sign up for Level 1 of its 'Better for Bunnies, Better for Business' programme, which it says can double turnover derived from rabbits through an increase in new clients, average visit transaction spend and attendance rates of existing clients.*
Claire Hamblion, Marketing Manager at Supreme says she hopes that it will really encourage practices to focus on how they can develop protocols and routines that will remove barriers to rabbit owners seeking healthcare advice and presenting their pet for treatment.
Binky - voted Britain's Cutest Bunny - will play a starring role in the Think Rabbit campaign to attract the attention of rabbit owners who will also be asked to nominate their rabbit as a VIP (Very Important Pet). Claire said: "Our VIP won't necessarily be the most prettiest, fastest or cleverest bunny but one that has special qualities in the eyes of its owner. I hope vets and nurses will help spread the word and maybe even nominate some very important patients."
To sign up for Think Rabbit Fortnight, visit www.supremepetfoods.com/thinkrabbit, email thinkrabbit@companionconsultancy.com, or telephone 01284 761107.
*Supreme - Better for Bunnies, Better for business programme, Onswitch March 2012
CVS has launched a buying group open to independently-owned practices to benefit from the knowledge, experience and strength of the 250 practices which form CVS.
The new buying group is called MiVetClub. It offers a range of services, including:
Sara Armitage, Director of Product and Buying at CVS, said: "There are many thriving independent practices out there which have the potential to be even more successful if they just had the time and expertise to negotiate better deals and had access to the business resources and support to help them run their practices more efficiently and cost-effectively.
"That's where MiVetClub can help. CVS' stature in the veterinary sector means that we can negotiate the very best discounts and rebates for the group's members. But MiVetClub isn't just about saving money. It's also about helping independent practices raise clinical standards and run better businesses. MiVetClub experts are constantly on-hand to advise members on all aspects of running their practice, freeing up their time to concentrate on what they do best, caring for their patients."
For more information, visit: http://www.mivetclub.com/
Moral Maze, a debate held by members at the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Congress earlier this month, has concluded that equine practice needs to adapt to accommodate family life.
92% of voters agreed with the motion: Equine practice needs to change to become more compatible with family life.
BEVA says the result may reflect in part the changing demographics of the profession, with females now accounting for 76% of new graduate intakes.
Traditionally vets have worked together in practices, able to share resources and expertise as well as the out-of-hours rota. Until recently, men from the Baby Boomer Generation dominated the profession and many vets focused their efforts on work at the expense of their family. However, as Generation Y takes hold and more females are joining equine practice, there are different personal expectations with many vets now wanting greater commitment to family life and a better work-life balance.
The session took the form of a moral maze debate, chaired by Malcolm Morley, in which expert witnesses were challenged by informed interrogators. The proposers contended that it is possible to achieve a good work-life balance as an effective vet in a successful equine practice by working smarter, not harder and adopting a flexible approach.
Carolyne Crowe, veterinary coach and mentor, said: “Choosing to be an equine vet shouldn’t go hand in hand with giving up the rest of your life. Allowing flexibility within job roles should result in more engagement, productivity and thus economic benefit for the practice.”
Job share that included a proportionate allocation of the out-of-hours rota, was cited as a tenable solution for those juggling maternity leave and parenthood. The consistency of attending vets so often demanded by clients could be achieved by introducing two vets of equal calibre to the client, from the outset. Members of the audience outlined successful examples of job sharing and the consensus was that the turnover generated by part time, job share employees was often higher than their full time equivalents.
Mark Bowen, President of BEVA, said: “I’m not surprised that 92% of voters supported the motion, given the fact that the recent Vet Futures survey has shown a high rate of job dissatisfaction in equine practice. It reiterates the importance of moving with the times to evaluate the needs of working parents and make the equine veterinary workplace more adaptable to family life.”
BEVA is already working on various projects to help address and support the needs of members who are striving for a better work-life balance. CPD on personal effectiveness, covering work-life balance and time management is scheduled for the New Year. Further information on other initiatives will be released towards the end of the year.
The debate can be viewed online for free at beva.org.uk in the webinar tab.
Visitors will be given a behind-the-scenes look and have the opportunity to chat with Specialist surgeons Andy Moores and Chris Jordan.
Andy said: “We have had a fantastic first six months, and to say thank you to those who have referred cases to us, and to show off our facilities to those who haven’t seen the clinic, we are thrilled to be holding an open evening.
"I’m looking forward to providing tours of the clinic and having a chance to talk to vets about our services and how we can help.”
All veterinary professionals and their families, and pet owners are welcome.
The clinic is situated just off the M3 and 30 minutes from the M25, in the village of Upton Grey, near Basingstoke.
To register your interest and book a place at the open day please contact Marie at Marie@mooresortho.com or 01256 632100.
Epiphen, Vétoquinol's canine anti-epileptic drug, has been re-launched with new packaging and a useful dosing syringe.
"Some of our customers reported that they were having difficulty administering the drops accurately," explains Slavica Sobot, Product Manager. "So with this in mind, we have introduced a new plug-on syringe which will make it even easier for pet owners to dose accurately. The syringe will prevent the risk of inaccurate dosing through ‘flooding' from the dropper."
For more information, please call the Vétoquinol help line on 0800 169 8197 or contact your Vétoquinol representative.
The lower age limit for student veterinary nurses - previously set at 17 - has been removed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, in order to comply with age discrimination legislation.
The entry requirements remain unchanged: five GSCEs at grade C or higher, or five Scottish Standards at grades one to three (including English Language, Maths and a Science subject).
Candidates must also have a place with an RCVS-approved Training Practice or on a recognised veterinary nursing degree course.
Libby Earle, Head of Veterinary Nursing said: "We hope that the removal of this age barrier will be seen as a positive step that will serve to improve access to training. Practices remain free to recruit as they see fit to meet the particular demands of their business."
New veterinary nursing careers leaflets have been produced to reflect the change and are available from vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk / 020 7202 0711, or to download from RCVSonline: www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
Dechra Veterinary Products has published a new series of video presentations about the diagnosis and treatment of canine hypoadrenocorticism to help veterinary surgeons who are prescribing Zycortal for the condition.
The six videos, which were recorded by Dechra's technical team, range in length from 10 minutes to 37 minutes.
Episode one describes the pathophysiology of Addison’s disease, different types of Addison’s disease and helps veterinary surgeons recognise the common clinical presentations of chronic hypoadrenocorticism.
Episode two examines the similarities in clinical presentation between hypoadrenocorticism and other disease processes.
The third episode looks at the changes commonly seen in the haematology, biochemistry and urinalysis of Addison’s patients. This section also covers how to perform and interpret hormone testing with the knowledge of the common causes of false positive results.
The fourth looks at a clinical presentation of an acute Addisonian crisis and best practice for emergency treatment of these patients, as well as the transfer of an acute patient onto maintenance treatment with Zycortal.
The final two films explore the treatment and monitoring of a patient on Zycortal and how to switch existing Addisonian patients from fludrocortisone acetate to Zycortal. It also documents the help which is available for those more complex cases.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "These short films are an important support tool for any veterinary professional who is treating patients with hypoadrenocorticism or who may be presented with cases in their practice.
"Addison’s disease can be very hard to diagnose as it mimics so many other illnesses and we hope these presentations will give insights into a complex disease. The introduction of Zycortal has been a vital development in the treatment of the disease and we hope the new resources will be beneficial to veterinary professionals."
The presentations complement resources that Dechra has already produced for dog owners, including a website -www.myaddisonsdog.co.uk - which provides information and resources to help dog owners understand the condition and monitor their pet's progress.
Originally known as ‘Our Dumb Friends League’, the Blue Cross was formed in 1897 to help the working horses of London, who were often underfed, struggled to carry heavy loads and became injured on slippery asphalt roads created for new motor vehicles.
Bill Bailey said: “I had a great time transforming into a Pearly King! I love all animals, so having an opportunity to celebrate Blue Cross’ heritage and highlight the support that they have continued to offer to horses, and other animals, since their inception was really special."
Iain Heaton, Deputy CEO and CFO at Blue Cross, says: “We are delighted to share these recreated historic images with our supporters, beneficiaries, and the British public. Bill, David, Lauren, and our hard-working rehoming team have done a phenomenal job at demonstrating how we have supported both pets and people over the last 125 years, and we can’t wait to see people’s response.
To learn more about the Blue Cross's heritage, visit: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/125-years-of-blue-cross
The series comprises of six half-hour modules presented by leading European Specialists, starting with ‘Feline anorexia in clinical practice’ by Tommaso Furlanello Dr Med Vet, PhD, EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Clinical Pathology and clinical director at San Marco Veterinary Clinic and Laboratory in Veggiano, Italy.
In the subsequent five sessions, participants will be able to work through a variety of real-life, interactive patient case studies presenting with complex underlying conditions, include sessions on chronic kidney failure (CKD) and cancer.
Completing the first two modules unlocks the remaining four modules needed to gain ‘Purrfect Partner’ accreditation.
The series counts for three hour's CPD.
www.dechra.co.uk/academy
The company says AI Masses will allow veterinary professionals to analyse lesions suggestive of cancer in-clinic and with a fast turnaround.
The AI technology, which has been trained by human clinical pathologists, should enable individualised treatment outcomes earlier for more cases.
Zoetis says AI Masses only needs a single round of sample preparation and the results can, at additional cost, be supplemented with an expert review from a network of specialists through Zoetis’ Virtual Laboratory.
Dr. Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, Global Chief Medical Officer at Zoetis said: “Waiting for results can be stressful for pet owners – even more so when it involves a cancer screening.
"Our research shows that up to 75% of pet owners find abnormal results highly stressful.1
"AI Masses is yet another point-of-care capability to deliver results in-clinic, further exemplifies Zoetis’ purpose to advance care for animals, shortening anxious wait times to allow for faster care decisions that help provide the best possible outcome.”
Pre-orders will be announced for US customers in Q2 2025.
VetSurgeon.org understands AI Masses will be coming to the UK some time in 2025.
https://www.zoetisdiagnostics.com
Reference
The RCVS has published new guidance for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses on the use of social media and online forums, such as those on VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk.
The guidance sets out the professional standards expected of veterinary professionals, as well as providing advice on good practice, how to protect privacy, maintaining client confidentiality and dealing with adverse comments from clients.
The guidance has been developed by the Standards Committee, partly in response to demands from the profession and partly in light of recent decisions by the courts and other regulatory bodies which demonstrate that professionals can be at risk of legal or disciplinary action where their online conduct is unprofessional or inappropriate.
Laura McClintock, RCVS Advisory Solicitor said: "Whilst social media is likely to form part of everyday life for veterinary professionals, who are just as free as anyone else to take advantage of the personal and professional benefits that it can offer, its use is not without risk, so vets and vet nurses should be mindful of the consequences that can arise from its misuse."
The new guidance explains that vets and vet nurses are expected to behave professionally online, whether publishing material as themselves or anonymously. The College highlights the fact that demonstrably inappropriate behaviour on social media may place registration at risk, as the professional standards expected online are no different to those in the 'real world'.
Laura added: "Understanding and applying our new guidance should help vets and nurses to meet their professional responsibilities and reduce the risks of receiving complaints from clients or others, as well as potential civil actions for defamation."
The new guidance can be found on the RCVS website at: www.rcvs.org.uk/socialmedia
Ed's comment: The new guidance seems like common sense to me. A couple of things stand out as useful reminders, though. The first is to anonymise details of the cases you discuss on vetsurgeon.org, or get your clients' prior permission to discuss their animal in a professional forum. The other is the fact that being disparaging about a colleague online is as much of a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct as if you do it offline. So don't!
The day included a number of CPD sessions on parasitology from ESCCAP board member Dr Hany Elsheikha, Associate Professor of Veterinary Parasitology at Nottingham University. In between, delegates were put through their paces by former Bake-off winner, Nancy Birtwhistle, after which there was a competition which Derek and Vici won with their pet- and parasite-themed cup-cakes.
Josien Woolmer, Virbac Senior Territory Manager, said: "Awareness and knowledge of parasite diseases in companion animals is increasing both in Europe and in the UK so it’s more important than ever that veterinary professionals are kept up to date with the latest developments. With the start of the 2016 series only weeks away, we thought we’d ‘spice up’ this CPD session by inviting delegates to show Nancy their baking skills. We also asked them to show creativity in carrying the pets and parasites theme across to their cup-cakes and they certainly rose to this challenge!"
Picture shows: Monique Noronha MRCVS from the Park Veterinary Centre in Watford with some of her creations.
Molar Ltd is launching a cross infection control product called VetroxxTM at this years' BSAVA Congress
VetroxxTM is a range of 100% natural disinfectant products approved by the Department of Health (HPA) for use as a hospital disinfectant and has been approved by the British Government's MAFF (now DEFRA) to control against outbreaks of significant agricultural diseases (e.g. Foot and Mouth Disease, Tuberculosis, Newcastle's Disease found in chickens & Swine Fever).
The range includes a convenient disinfectant hand gel, surface wipes and a multi-surface spray. According to Molar, VetroxxTM has been scientifically tested, proven to reduce microorganism numbers by up to 99.9998%, and kills most problem bugs, including: MRSA, Bird 'flu (H5N1), SARS, HIV, C diff and many others.
The range contains Citroxx®, a naturally-derived disinfectant made from orange pith. Molar says the product is both safe and highly biodegradable, and very kind on skin and surgery surfaces (such as examination tables, flooring and bench tops). The company adds that since Citroxx contains several antimicrobial elements, it is unlikely that resistance will develop.
During Congress, Molar will be challenging vets hand-washing skills using a special UVA (long wave UV) light box to highlight failures.
The book, titled Health and Welfare of Brachycephalic Breeds: A Guide for Veterinary Professionals, includes contributions from 29 internationally recognised experts on a wide range of aspects related to brachycephalic health.
The authors say that dogs in particular are now suffering from a ‘perfect storm’ because the welfare harms from conformation-related predispositions to several health issues are being amplified by a population boom for certain brachycephalic breeds, such as the French Bulldog, Pug and English Bulldog.
Although flat-faced dog breeds were invented by man over a century ago, they are currently rising rapidly in popularity. From 2000 to 2020, Kennel Club registrations for English bulldogs rose by 488%, for pugs by 601% and a staggering 17,198% for French bulldogs, breeds which have been shown to be predisposed to things like corneal ulceration, difficulty giving birth, slipping kneecap, dry eye, upper respiratory tract disorders and heatstroke.
The book provides the context of how and why we are in this flat-faced animal crisis, offering in-depth historical, social, ethical, communication, nursing, welfare, epidemiological, genetics and international perspectives. It also provides clinical support, covering the background, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the unique healthcare needs of flat-faced (brachycephalic) animals.
Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science said: “We hope this book helps veterinary and animal professionals globally, who are faced with the often challenging task of protecting the welfare of brachycephalic animals. Most importantly, we hope this book is another step towards improving the lives of so many animals who have been impaired by the body shape they have been bred for.”
The book is available as an ebook, paperback or hardback, priced from £35.99 to £88.99: https://www.routledge.com/Health-and-Welfare-of-Brachycephalic-Flat-faced-Companion-Animals-A-Complete/Packer-ONeill/p/book/9780367207243
However, the attainment of clinical remission did reduce the likelihood of subsequent death due to gastrointestinal disease.
In the study titled “Outcome of chronic inflammatory enteropathy in cats: 65 cases (2011-2021)”1, cats diagnosed with chronic inflammatory enteropathy were retrospectively identified from three medical records databases, and follow-up information obtained from the referring veterinary surgeon.
This information was used to determine if clinicopathological variables were associated with death due to gastrointestinal disease in diagnosed cats.
Sixty-five cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy were included in the study, with follow-up information available for 54 cats (83%).
Of these, 37% (n=20) were euthanised due to gastrointestinal disease and 46% (n=25) were alive and in clinical remission, with 64% (n=16) of these diagnosed with food-responsive enteropathy.
The study did not find a correlation between the tested clinicopathological variables, measured at the time of histopathological diagnosis, and death due to gastrointestinal disease, or length of survival in these cats before death due to gastrointestinal disease.
This, the authors say, suggests that alternative diagnostic measures should be identified to definitively investigate outcome and survival in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy.
The study also adds weight to previous research which recommends the use of therapeutic diets in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy, although further research is needed to clarify a favourable treatment protocol.
First author, Dr Yuvani Bandara, said: “Knowledge that the attainment of clinical remission reduces the likelihood of subsequent death due to feline chronic inflammatory enteropathy is important for veterinary surgeons and owners.
"We hope that our findings can act as a foundation for further research to investigate factors that support the attainment of clinical remission in affected cats.
"Thank you to BSAVA PetSavers for funding this study.”
William McEwan BSc MRes PhD, now working at the MRC-Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, has been awarded the ABCD and Merial Young Scientist of the Year Award 2010 for his work on the replication and cross-species transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in domestic cats and lions, and the restriction factors in these species in particular.
Dr McEwan said: "Understanding the means by which host species are able to prevent viral replication gives us insight to the mechanisms of infection and may allow us to engineer therapy based on similar mechanisms or by enhancing immune responses."
The award was presented by Professor Marian C. Horzinek, Chair of the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD) and of the award jury. He said: "William McEwan presented a very original, high quality paper. His research has indicated the ability of hosts to potently restrict retroviral replication - given sufficient evolutionary time. It has also highlighted felids as a taxon that is potentially highly prone to cross-species transmission of immunodeficiency viruses".
The ABCD and Merial Young Scientist Award, created in 2008 and worth 1000 €, is funded by Merial and is presented to a young scientist in veterinary or biomedical science, who has made an original contribution in the field of feline infectious diseases and/or immunology. Applicants should have published their findings in a journal listed in PubMed or Web of Science or have had them accepted by another recognised assessing body.
Candidates should be based in Europe, have completed a veterinary or biomedical curriculum, and be under 35 years of age at the time of application. Applications for the 2011 award are now being invited (deadline 15 January 2011). For more information, visit: www.abcd-vets.org
BCF Technology will be offering a new imaging service at this year's BSAVA Congress.
The company is inviting delegates to have a comical caricature drawn on the first floor concourse area of the BSAVA exhibition hall, and then visit the BCF stands - 514 & 516 to collect a frame and hang it in your practice when you get back.
Kimberly Palgrave, BCF's new in-house vet (pictured right) said: "We wanted to do something new and innovative to support BSAVA this year, we are a veterinary imaging company and the caricatures at BSAVA are an innovative form of imaging. Come and talk to us about learning more about ultrasound and X-ray and see some of our new equipment such as the very affordable Vita CR X-ray system."
For more information about BCF at BSAVA visit http://www.bcftechnology.com/ or follow BCF at www.facebook.com/bcftechnology
RCVS President, Dr Jerry Davies, has committed to prioritise the establishment of a new Audit and Risk Committee, following publication of the recommendations of a report into two overspends at the College.
Earlier this year, outgoing President Peter Jinman had announced that a review would be carried out into the circumstances that led to higher-than-expected expenditure on the College's new database and building development works in the Lower Ground Floor at Belgravia House.
The RCVS Officer team asked Professor Bill McKelvey - a member of the College's Governance Review Group - and two of the College's Privy Council-appointed Council members to look at all aspects that related to its budgeting and expenditure process of those projects, and propose lessons that should be learned.
Dr Davies said: "That such a review was required is regretted, but I would like to thank Professor McKelvey, Richard Davis and Judith Webb for their diligence in this work. Their recommendations will be a very helpful addition to the work that is currently underway to ensure corporate governance is fit for purpose and, in particular, that the management of capital projects within the College is optimised."
The full Overspend Report (one sentence was redacted on legal advice) was considered by Council at its meeting on 3 November. Council agreed that the recommendations should be made public. The College is currently seeking further legal advice on whether it is proper for the report to be made available under the Freedom of Information Act.
Dr Davies added: "The recommendations of the report are under consideration by a group of five past Presidents, together with Richard Davis and Judith Webb as lay members of Council, under the Chairmanship of Peter Jinman, and their proposals will be considered by Council in due course.
"The recommendation that an Audit and Risk Committee be set up will be prioritised, as this was highlighted as an imperative. Other related activities, such as the development of a protocol for the management of major projects, had already been put in place by Officers prior to the overspend review."
Regarding the two projects at the heart of the report, the College says building work in the Lower Ground Floor at Belgravia House has been complete for some time and the new rooms and their facilities are being used, particularly when Disciplinary Committee hearings render much of the rest of the building out of bounds. The new data management system is also in use and an external consultant is currently looking at the work that has been carried out so far, and will make recommendations for the future.
"Meanwhile, although there are many lessons to be learned from the report, it's business as usual in terms of bringing to a conclusion many of our important ongoing initiatives, such as the introduction of the new Code of Professional Conduct, the consultations on the recommendations of the Specialisation Working Party and a draft Performance Protocol, and, of course, the ongoing work of the Disciplinary and Preliminary Investigation Committees," said Dr Davies.
The recommendations of the report, which were adopted by Council, can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/McKelvey.
Pulborough-based Arun Veterinary Group has been awarded the title of Best UK Vets, having achieved the largest number of positive online reviews on www.vethelpdirect.com.
The awards are based on the number of positive reviews (4 stars and above) left by owners on the site over the course of the year, with owners asked to review the practice on five key areas: respect for my animal, professionalism, friendliness, cleanliness and value for money.
Comments attached to the 182 reviews for Arun included: "Nothing is too much trouble", "Fabulous vets" and "More like good friends."
Vet Help Direct said: "A good online reputation is so valuable to both local people looking for a service and to business owners. That's why online vet reviews are at the heart of our vet directories. Vet Help Direct is determined to provide a fair reflection of the vet practices in their online directories; all reviews are subject to rigorous tests of authenticity, all are checked for duplicate IP addresses, email addresses and some reviewers are asked to provide evidence that they are recent clients of the practice."
In second place was St Georges Veterinary Group, Wolverhampton, which is now up to 132 reviews and in third place was Goddard Veterinary Group, Gidea Park in London, with 122 reviews.