Dechra Pharmaceuticals has signed an agreement with Piedmont Pharmaceuticals LLC which gives Dechra exclusive worldwide rights to the sale and distribution of veterinary products which use Piedmont's proprietary soft chew platform to deliver the active ingredient.
The agreement will allow Dechra to conduct studies necessary to achieve regulatory filings and government approvals within the US, Europe and other key countries.
According to Dechra, Piedmont's soft chew formulation is a unique delivery technology which overcomes the traditional problems in formulating a broad range of active drug compounds in a highly palatable chewy treat for both cats and dogs.
Ian Page, CEO of Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, said: "We are very excited about licensing this unique delivery technology, which will be the first soft chew product with this new patent pending technology in the veterinary market. The agreement will provide Dechra with the opportunity to expand our presence in the companion animal market with a truly differentiated product."Roland Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Piedmont Pharmaceuticals, said: "This is our initial development partnership for our soft chew technology and we welcome the opportunity to license our technology to Dechra. Our goal is to provide pet owners the added benefit of a tasty treat at medicine time, creating a fun and rewarding interaction, while improving compliance with the vet prescribed treatment regimen."
Animalcare has launched Florgane, a novel, patented, long acting florfenicol 300mg/ml suspension which the company says has significant advantages over existing organic solvent-based florfenicol products on the market when used for the treatment and prevention of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
Florgane is an aqueous, low viscosity advanced formulation, which, claims Animalcare, means that it is easier to inject even at temperatures as low as 5°C. Low temperature syringeability is important, as a large number of calves may need to be treated during colder weather at a time when the challenge from infectious agents is greatest. A syringeability study apparently demonstrated that Florgane is up to five times faster to administer when compared to the leading florfenicol non-aqueous formulation.
A paper on the treatment of naturally occurring respiratory disease with Florgane was presented recently at the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) Congress in Torquay. According to the company, the multi-centre field studies in Belgium, Germany and Italy, in over 400 cattle with bodyweights ranging between 73-180kg, demonstrated that Florgane given by a single intramuscular injection, at a 25% lower dose of 30mg/kg, is as efficacious as non-aqueous florfenicol 40mg/kg administered by subcutaneous injection, measured by treatment success and relapses.
Post mortem examination at day 27 (meat withdrawal of 37 days) confirmed that, despite being given via the intramuscular route, Florgane is well tolerated at the site of injection due to its aqueous base and physiological pH. Maximum volume per injection site is 15ml allowing calves up to 150kg to be treated.
Animalcare adds that a further advantage of Florgane is that it persists in plasma above the MICs for the three most common pathogens for significantly longer than conventional extended action 300mg/ml florfenicol solution preparations - thereby prolonging bacterial killing time. Therefore, owing to its improved bioavailability and excellent pharmacokinetics, Florgane can be given at an easy to remember dose of 1ml per 10kg.
Tony Liepman, Marketing Manager at Animalcare said: "Using Florgane will result in faster administration, resulting in less stress for the calves and a saving in time and money for the farmer."
Florgane is presented in polypropylene 100ml and 250ml multi-dose vials with a three year shelf-life.
For more information, visit www.animalcare.co.uk
Researchers from the University of Bristol have published the results of a study which has identified risk factors for syringomyelia (SM) and which could help breeders select away from characteristics which predispose dogs to the disease.
Syringomyelia, which more commonly affects toy breeds such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Chihuahua, causes fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord. In these toy breeds, SM is usually secondary to a specific malformation of the skull called Chiari-like Malformation (CM).
The research looked at the relationship between head shape and the incidence of CM/SM. Dogs were measured in several countries using a standardised "bony landmark" measuring system and photos analysed by researchers.
The researchers found two significant risk factors associated with CM/SM in the skull shape of the CKCS: brachycephaly (the broadness of the top of skull relative to its length) and the distribution of doming of the skull. The study suggests that brachycephaly, with resulting doming towards the front of the head, is associated with CM/SM.
Thomas Mitchell, the undergraduate student who conducted the study under the supervision of Dr Clare Rusbridge, said: "Dog breeders are very experienced at selecting for a certain conformation or appearance in dogs. Our findings may allow breeders to select away from the condition over fewer generations by choosing appropriate matings and offspring to continue breeding programmes. The identification of an appearance that might protect against developing the disease is a significant step forward in tackling this painful condition.
"The study also provides guidance to breed clubs, breeders and judges that have a responsibility to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be harmful in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of the breed. It will also provide vets with verified advice to provide to breeders outside the show ring and to occasional hobbyists."
The study has been published online in the journal Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, and a video animation which shows the differences in head shape is available on YouTube.
The work was funded by a grant from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and the Companion Cavalier Club provided a grant for the publication of the research.
Reference
According to the charity, the fire broke out in an adjacent building in the early hours of the morning and caused considerable damage before it was put out by the fire brigade.
Luckily, the building was unoccupied at the time and nobody was hurt.
Structural damage was caused to the building and the charity reports that much of its office contents were damaged or destroyed by fire, smoke or water, including its servers.
However, because of coronavirus, the charity had already put systems in place to operate remotely, so it expects to continue service more or less as normal.
The company says both programmes will be delivered using a range of high-quality blended learning techniques, including interactive online lessons supported by notes and videos.
The Small Animal Surgery programme will offer ten practical sessions held at training centres.
Delegates for Improve’s new DL Certificate programmes get both a module tutor – a recognised Specialist - and a dedicated programme tutor to support them through the course.
Alison Babington MRCVS, Business Development Coordinator at Improve International (pictured right), said: "We recently set out our strategy to make the achievement of a postgraduate qualification a realistic goal for every veterinarian and the launch of these new DL programmes will help us to deliver on this goal. Our DL Small Animal Medicine Certificate was launched in January 2019 and has attracted veterinarians from around the world, who are keen to study for a programme in their own time at a place of their choosing.”
“The new DL Small Animal Surgery course focuses on soft tissue surgery in the first year and orthopaedics and spinal work in the second. Reflecting the latest thinking and techniques for small animal surgery, it offers an excellent platform for surgeons keen to extend their surgical capabilities. High-quality surgical videos will support every module which delegates will have access to throughout their programme.
“The Feline Practice programme offers an in-depth look at some of the more common medical and surgical issues affecting cats, as well as those which can be more challenging to diagnose and treat.”
Delegates for both programmes have the opportunity to progress to achieving a recognised qualification, General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) or a Postgraduate Certificate (PgC).
To register, visit: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/distance-learning.
Launching this spring, CVS says it's the only programme of its type in the veterinary sector.
The programme will be open to all of CVS's young vets and will operate within all 12 of its farm practices in the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Each CVS farm graduate vet will be able to go on an exchange in their second year of the programme and every placement will last up to two weeks.
The subject matter of each exchange will be at the direction of the graduate rather than following a specific programme, so participating graduates have the freedom to explore their own areas of interest.
Anna Bruguera Sala, Programme Co-ordinator and vet at Alnorthumbria Farm Vets, said: “The major benefits of our new graduate exchange programme is that it is open to all young vets of different levels of experience and provides bespoke learning opportunities tailored to each individual.
"It will also create connections, so experienced colleagues can support an exchange student with their new skillset when they are back within their own practice.”
www.careerswithcvs.co.uk
For the first time BSAVA is running a Case Report Competition to be held at the annual Scottish BSAVA Congress (26-28th August 2011 at the Edinburgh Conference Centre).
Veterinary surgeons, nurses and students are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 400 words detailing a case and interesting discussion points.
Cases will then be selected for a short presentation at the congress
Successful selection will entitle the presenter to free congress registration on that day.
At the end of the session, a BSAVA manual of the winner's choice will be awarded to the case report deemed favourite by the audience.
Abstracts should be submitted via email by the 15 June 2011 and notification of acceptance will be given by the 30 June 2011.
Please send any enquires or submissions to Gerard McLauchlan (g.mclauchlan.1@research.gla.ac.uk) or Yvonne McGrotty (yvonne.mcgrotty@vets-now.com).
Ceva Animal Health has highlighted a new meta-analysis1 which, according to the company, reveals that there is a significant (P< 0.001) association between the use of pharmacotherapy (fluoxetine and clomipramine) or pheromonatherapy (Feliway) and reduction or elimination of feline urine marking.
Ceva says this is the first time a meta-analysis technique has been used to evaluate the efficacy of interventions in veterinary behavioural medicine; the study assessed all published papers covering treatments for feline urine spraying. Ten studies in nine publications were analysed, despite their different study designs. In order to carry out the meta-analysis, the papers were rated according to importance and a 'placebo-effect' was calculated. Primary and secondary outcomes were also identified, with the primary outcome being the 'number of cats that either ceased or reduced spraying by at least 90%' and the secondary outcome being 'the number of cats that reduce spraying from baseline levels'.
Information is available by calling Lucy Brett at CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
1. A meta-analysis of studies of treatments for feline urine spraying. Daniel S Mills, Sarah E Redgate, Gary M Landsberg. PLos ONE, April 2011, Volume 6, Issue 4
Ceva Animal Health has launched a new travel size 20ml bottle of Feliway Spray to help cat owners keep their pet comfortable whilst travelling this summer.
To promote the launch Ceva is giving away thousands of prizes to Feliway customers, offering them the chance to win a top prize of a spa day at Champneys, cat carriers, soft toys and travel stickers, whilst stocks last. To take part, customers need to enter their unique pack code via the Feliway Facebook page to toss an online coin to see what they have won.
In addition, veterinary surgeries that purchase a 12 pack of the 20ml spray will get a second 12 pack free.
Julia Wood, product manager at Ceva said: "Transporting cats even short distances, for necessary trips to the vet, cattery or to a local show, can easily become a nightmare for both the cat and the owner. We've introduced the new travel size spray to make it even more convenient for cat owners when they are on the move and we hope the extra competition incentive will drive sales for veterinary clinics."
Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advantage, has produced a new animation to educate pet owners about fleas.
The three minute animation, which is available on YouTube (below), is also available from Bayer for practices to play in the waiting room.
For a copy of the animation, contact your local Bayer Animal Health Territory Manager. More information is also available at http://www.advantagespoton.co.uk/.
The webinar is presented by Will Stirling, partner at VetsDigital, a digital marketing agency which supports the veterinary industry across Europe.
Will will offer practical advice and guidance on the growing importance of applying digital marketing and the effect it can have on both team morale and the bottom line.
To register for the webinar, visit to: https://tinyl.io/5aIi
In the study: "Effects of human-animal interaction on salivary and urinary oxytocin in children and dogs1", oxytocin levels were recorded in 55 children and their pet dogs.
Oxytocin is associated with positive emotions, the reduction of stress and the formation of social bonds.
Oxytocin levels were tracked in both the children’s and dogs’ urine and saliva before and after they interacted.
Researchers say this is one of the first studies to examine the benefits of human animal interactions for both humans and dogs.
For the study, the children's oxytocin levels were measured when they interacted with their own pet dog, with an unfamiliar dog (a trained therapy dog), and when they engaged in solitary play.
The study found that:
The researchers concluded that the results support the hypothesis that oxytocin pathways may shape and respond to social interactions between children and dogs, highlighting an important role for companion animals in child development.
https://www.waltham.com/oxytocin-children-and-dogs
Dr. Tracy Hill, a specialist in internal medicine, has joined the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, bringing with her expertise in interventional radiology.
Tracy completed a fellowship in interventional radiology and endoscopy at the Animal Medical Centre in New York, will be researching new techniques in this developing field.
She will also work in the clinic at the School's Hospital for Small Animals and as a senior lecturer.
She said: "Interventional radiology is an emerging and expanding area in veterinary medicine. Interventional radiology employs the use of fluoroscopy and endoscopy to enable minimally invasive treatments for diseases in many body systems. These techniques often reduce morbidity, mortality, or cost associated with more invasive procedures. The Dick Vet has been performing interventional cardiac procedures for some time and we are looking to expand this field into treatment of non-cardiac diseases."
Tracy, who carried out her residency in small animal internal medicine at North Carolina State University, where she also completed a PhD, will help the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh to provide interventional radiology procedures.
This includes a minimally invasive treatment for certain liver shunts using a procedure only being regularly performed at a handful of veterinary hospitals in the world. In this procedure, fluoroscopic guidance is used to access the abnormal vessels in the abdomen via a catheter placed in the jugular vein in the neck. The abnormal shunt vessel is then closed using coil embolization, without the need for abdominal surgery.
Tracey said: "I am delighted to join the Dick Vet. There is no denying the expertise at the vet school, as well as its partnership with The Roslin Institute for research."
The President of the British Veterinary Association has written to the Badger Trust to clarify the BVA position on the pilot badger culls in England, stating that it will not be supporting the Trust's application for a judicial review.
The BVA Council agreed a position on the continuation of controlled shooting in the pilot areas on 16 April. The position states that the BVA could only support further culling using controlled shooting in the pilot areas if steps are taken to improve both its effectiveness and humaneness and if there is robust monitoring and collation of results and independent analysis and auditing by a non-governmental body. It also states that the BVA supports the Independent Expert Panel's (IEP) recommendations for improving effectiveness and humaneness and urges Defra to implement all the IEP's recommendations fully.
The BVA says that since 16 April, it has been in dialogue with Defra to seek assurances that these issues will be addressed, and those discussions are ongoing. It will not be taking a further position on the pilot culls until BVA Council has had the opportunity to consider Defra's plans in full, when they are made available.
In a press release dated 20th May, The Badger Trust CEO Dominic Dyer said: "It is not acceptable for the DEFRA Secretary of State to now push aside the concerns of both the Independent Expert Panel and the British Veterinary Association, by moving ahead with a further badger cull in Gloucestershire and Somerset this summer without any independent monitoring in place."
The BVA says it is concerned that this misrepresents its position, and has led to some media reports suggesting that the BVA has withdrawn its support for badger culling as part of the overall strategy to eradicate bovine TB. It has not. The BVA says it continues to believe that the TB eradication strategy for England will only be successful if we are able to use all of the available tools, including targeted, humane badger culling.
The Animal Health Trust has repeated its call for veterinary surgeons to take part in its survey study on breed differences in clinical features of canine hyperadrenocorticism.
40 veterinary surgeons have so far taken part in the survey, and preliminary results show that some breeds tend to present with fewer clinical signs than others, which fits with the study's initial hypothesis.
In addition, researchers say that the frequency of most of the clinical signs in dogs affected by hyperadrenocorticism, including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, abdominal distention, alopecia, panting, comedones and muscle weakness, seem to be lower than previously reported in earlier studies published decades ago.
The AHT says it hopes the results of this study will help veterinary surgeons in the diagnosis of canine hyperadrenocorticism. However, in order to progress the study and draw firm conclusions, more responses from veterinary surgeons are needed.
Michael Bennaim, veterinary surgeon at the AHT, said: "We need members of the veterinary profession to help us increase knowledge of this disease and to promote this study to their colleagues. The online questionnaire takes around 10 minutes to complete and all the information that is collected will be processed anonymously."
The AHT requests that the online questionnaire is completed for each case diagnosed with spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism . The questionnaire can be found at http://bit.ly/aht-cushing
Participants can request to be notified of the results of this study when available. Each questionnaire submitted has a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher.
If you have any questions about the study, contact michael.bennaim@aht.org.uk.
Royal Canin is running summer marketing campaign focusing on felines, to help small animal practices further develop their relationships with cat-owning customers.
The 'Summer of the Cat' campaign runs till the end of August and aims to help practices boost sales with an offer of £10.99 on 1.5kg bags from the VCN Neutered range, as well as money off next purchases if bought at the same practice, to encourage return custom. The campaign is being supported with a free display package (consisting of products, posters, a temporary cardboard stand and other point of sale items) to provide maximum impact in the waiting room.
In addition, Royal Canin is rewarding clients already using its diets. The first 100 pet owners at every practice that buy any bag of Royal Canin cat food during July and August will be able to feed a homeless cat in a rescue centre on Royal Canin food for a day, and to vote for their 'rescue cat of the year' (the rescue centre of the winning cat will get food to feed up to 50 cats for a month).
Veterinary Marketing Manager, Marianne Lomberg, said: "The RSPCA has reported an 8% increase in cats entering their rescue centres from 2010 to 2012 and the trend continues. We want to help by supporting local rescue centres across the UK and Ireland. With every purchase of Royal Canin cat food during our Summer of the Cat campaign, practice customers can donate a day's worth of Royal Canin cat food to a local rescue centre."
Another part of the campaign this year is promoting responsible and respectful cat ownership. Royal Canin is doing this by giving participating practices 20 flyers for their clients to use to register at www.catwyse.co.uk - a new online cat owner education programme covering topics such as choosing a cat, grooming and managing your cat's weight.
Finally, Royal Canin is rewarding practices for the best Summer of the Cat display. Send your Veterinary Business Manager a photo of your waiting room display and you'll get a £10 high street voucher and be entered into the best display competition to win an additional £100 in high street vouchers.
Marianne added: "We know that the best way to get cats and their owners to love our diets is to try them, because their quality, benefits for the cat's health and great taste speak for themselves. Therefore, this year's campaign aims to encourage cat owners to trial our products whilst also rewarding the loyalty of our existing customers and their practices by supporting rescue centres local to them."
For more information, contact your Veterinary Business Manager.
The Royal Veterinary College has launched the Pet Diabetes App - designed to bring diabetes management in animals into the 21st century and help ongoing research into the condition.
The free app - which was designed by Dr Stijn Niessen, a Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine and pet diabetes expert at the RVC - allows owners to help control their pet's condition by recording the factors that indicate success or failure in diabetes management.
The veterinary care team can then fine-tune treatment according to the data recorded by the owner, thereby avoiding complications associated with low and high blood sugars, as well as the costs associated with such complications.
Stijn says he had two main objectives in designing the new app. Firstly to allow owners of diabetic pets to get actively involved in the medical management of their beloved pet. Secondly to gather strictly anonymous data about diabetic pets to enable further research and development into better treatment options.
The Diabetes Log feature of the app allows users to record and then share various essential parameters with their veterinary surgeon. They include clinical signs like weight, appetite, thirst and urination changes, as well as urine and blood sugar values (for those owners who perform home blood or urine glucose testing).
The app also features:
The Diabetes App is now available for free download onto smartphones and tablets, from Android (http://bit.ly/1q3jCV5) and iPhone App stores (http://apple.co/203OoK2).
The App was developed with the support of the Rumba Foundation which helps pioneer clinical care for companion animals. You can support the work of the Rumba Foundation here: www.justgiving.com/therumbafoundation”
The survey asks EU nationals about their experience of practising in the UK since the referendum and will seek to find out what their career expectations and aspirations are now.
The survey will also ask how they feel that the RCVS has supported EU vets to practise in the UK since the transition period ended on 31 December 2020.
The survey is being conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), an independent, not-for-profit research institute.
Respondents are encouraged to be as open as possible, as individual responses will not be seen by the RCVS and all survey data will be analysed independently by IES.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO said: “We are hearing anecdotal feedback from EU veterinary professionals about the impact of the EU Exit on their working lives, but it is important for us to have direct feedback as evidence for our recommendations.
"I would encourage everyone who receives the survey to share their thoughts with us, as the feedback we receive from this and the previous surveys, will help us to plan what training, resources and support the professions need from us post-EU Exit."
Everyone eligible to take part in the survey is being sent an email today from Dilys Robinson at the IES, with a link to the survey.
You have until Tuesday 16th November 2021 to complete it.
If you have any questions, contact Sara.Butcher@employment-studies.co.uk.
At 9.00am on Thursday and 1.45pm on Friday, Dr Sam Taylor, Feline Specialist and academy lead at the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), will present ‘feline pawsative’, a talk about about cat inappetence and the remedy offered by Mirataz.
At 11.20am on Thursday and 9.00am on Friday, Matt Gurney, clinical director at Anderson Moores will be sharing the latest developments in sedation in dogs including Zenalpha.
At 12.30pm on Thursday and 12.35pm on Friday, Andrew Waller (pictured right), chief scientific officer at Intervacc AB, will be discussing how to rein in the impact of strangles using Dechra’s new protein-based vaccine, Strangvac.
The CPD sessions are first come, first served, and Dechra says it expects the presentations to be well-attended, so it could be worth getting there a little early, although probably no need to pitch a tent outside the night before.
The BVA says that securing 'Great Workplaces' will be a collaborative assessment process.
Each workplace will have a dedicated, experienced accreditor from a veterinary background, who will work with leadership teams and employees to gather a full picture of their workplace.
Workplaces will be assessed in four main areas: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture, and learning and development.
Successful workplaces will achieve either gold or silver accreditation.
Those that don’t meet the criteria yet will be recognised as ‘working towards’ accreditation and will be supported to make the changes needed to achieve success next time around.
Successful workplaces will hold their accreditation for three years and at the end of that period they will be required to undergo reassessment to retain their accredited status.
BVA President Anna Judson said: “As well as attracting more people to join our veterinary profession, ensuring we retain the incredible talent we already have is critical to building a resilient and sustainable veterinary workforce.
"Positive workplace culture is central to achieving this and Great Workplaces by BVA is an innovative new approach that puts the well-being of vet teams front and centre.
"The knock-on impact will be good for vets and vet practices, good for clients and ultimately, good for animal welfare.
Photo: BVA
“Workplaces accredited under this new scheme, will be seen as employers of choice, attracting top talent who seek fulfilling careers and a healthy work-life balance.
"For existing team members, working in a recognised Great Workplace could enhance job satisfaction.”
A number of workplaces have already undertaken Great Workplaces accreditation during a series of pilots in 2023.
Two, Westport Veterinary Clinic in Linlithgow and South Moors in Devon, have become the first veterinary workplaces to receive a silver accreditation.
Fiona Leathers at Westport Veterinary Clinic, said: "At Westport Veterinary Clinic, our collaboration with the British Veterinary Association and its Great Workplaces accreditation scheme has been transformative.
"It has given us invaluable insights into how this initiative positively impacts workplace culture and employee well-being.
“The simplicity of the accreditation process and the approachable nature of BVA’s accreditors facilitated seamless integration of the scheme’s principles into our daily routines.
"The tangible impact of the Great Workplaces accreditation has been profound.
"It's fostered a more inclusive, supportive, and cohesive environment, elevating employee satisfaction and bolstering team morale significantly.
"This experience extends beyond personal growth; it solidifies our belief in cultivating healthy work cultures.”
www.bva.co.uk/great-workplaces
Almost all rabies cases are as a result of being bitten by an infected dog, with around half of all dog bites and rabies deaths occurring in children under 15 years of age. Rabies, which is preventable, is categorised as one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The End Rabies Now campaign aims to significantly raise the profile of rabies as a global neglected tropical disease with policy makers and journalists, explaining what is being done to control and eliminate the disease. The campaign is led by Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), and has three key messages:
Ahead of the tenth World Rabies Day, BVA has also recognised vet Professor Sarah Cleaveland OBE for her work in rabies control by awarding her the Chiron Award, one of the Association’s most prestigious awards for outstanding contributions to veterinary science.
Sarah said: "Awards like this are recognition of the contributions not only of one person, but the work of many. We are deeply committed to continuing our efforts towards the global elimination of canine rabies and tackling other zoonotic diseases that affect the health and livelihoods of many of the poorest people in the world."
The End Rabies Now campaign is based around the strong scientific evidence that vaccinating dogs is fundamental to disrupting the cycle of rabies transmission to humans. The target of 2030 was chosen because one of the UN’s sustainable development goals, launched in September 2015, includes the ambition to end by 2030 neglected tropical diseases such as rabies.
With 120 countries still affected by canine rabies, the End Rabies Now campaign advocates that collaborative cross-sector efforts are needed to end zoonotic diseases such as rabies: rabies elimination plans must include human and animal government agencies, veterinary and human health professionals, educators, scientists and community groups.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The work being done worldwide by vets, human health professionals and others to combat this horrific disease that senselessly kills thousands each year is of the utmost importance and BVA is proud to support the End Rabies Now campaign and help get those key messages out to policy makers and governments worldwide – every rabies death is entirely preventable and we can end rabies by 2030 through vaccinating dogs."
MSD says Lawsonia intracellularis is found on many finishing farms throughout the UK, and can affect weight gains, feed conversion ratios (FCR) and lead to increased mortality.
The new vaccine means that if piglets are vaccinated at three weeks, they will be protected against the bacteria from seven weeks.
Rubén Del Pozo Sacristán, technical manager for pigs at MSD Animal Health, said "Lawsonia intracellularis is present on most UK farms and can hamper a farm’s true potential as it spreads rapidly in faeces and on people or rodents, but symptoms can be hard to identify, as they’re often similar to many other diseases.
"Acute forms are often noticeable with symptoms such as diarrhoea or an increase in mortality, but the subclinical form, which is most common, can be hard to identify. Diarrhoea is not always present and often indicators are an increase in FCR and a reduction in weight gain leading to variation in pig performance, but this is similar to many other health issues.
"Administering an intramuscular vaccination will ensure every animal receives the correct dose, compared to other administrative routes. Porcilis Lawsonia can help reduce the clinical signs, production losses and mortality caused by Ileitis."
For more information on Porcilis Lawsonia, refer to the SPC sheet.
The leaflets are designed to be used as part of the veterinary consultation and provide information to help owners understand what is involved in the examination, including the reasons for the procedure, the preparation required, any associated risks, and what happens during and after the examination.
They are available in a PDF format which can be printed and stamped with the veterinary practice details or emailed to clients.
Philip Lhermette, Principal of Elands Veterinary Clinic, specialist in minimally invasive surgery and Past President of the BSAVA said: “Minimally invasive surgery is becoming commonplace in general veterinary practice and is much sought after by clients, especially for routine procedures such as bitch spays.
"It is important that clients are properly informed of all the risks and benefits of a minimally invasive procedure and these leaflets provide the first opinion practitioner with an ideal means of providing such information in a succinct and easily understood format."
The new leaflets are available via the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/cilgroupprocedures.
Access to the entire range of client information leaflets (including canine and feline behaviour, exotic pets, and medicines) is available for an annual subscription of £40.
BSAVA members have access to these leaflets as part of their membership benefits.
If you have any suggestions for further client information leaflets, email: publications@bsava.com.
The Animal Medicines Distributors Association (AHDA) and the Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) have both come out against the BVA's call for all anthelmintic medicines to be reclassified as POM-V, which would prevent them being prescribed by Suitably Qualified Persons (SQP).
Ian Scott, Secretary General of AHDA, said that instead of launching an attack on SQPs, the BVA should be working with them and animal owners to tackle anthelmintic resistance: "The BVA has written to the VMD to ask that all anthemintics be classified to POM-V only. This will monopolise the supply and distribution of anthelmintics for vets only. It effectively places the blame for anthelmintic resistance squarely on SQPs.
"An attempt by BVA to create a division between vets and SQPs demonstrates that the BVA is out of touch with its members.
"Both prescribing channels must work together to tackle the problem and AHDA has been working hard with vets at national and local level to ensure customers receive consistent, high quality, up-to-date and relevant advice from both channels.
"What is worrying is that the BVA attack also infers that farmer producers and equine owners are incapable of making decisions that not only affect their livelihood but cast doubt on their ability to care for their animals' welfare."
Meanwhile, Stephen Dawson, Secretary General of AMTRA said: "The large majority of SQPs deal with parasite control on a daily basis, having trained and been examined to a syllabus developed with BVA input. SQPs have to undertake compulsory continuing professional development, the majority of which includes good practice in parasite control. Therefore AMTRA has every confidence that qualified SQPs have excellent knowledge of parasitology to advise their clients on the correct choice and use of anthelmintics.
"It is important to recognise the hard work, knowledge and dedication of thousands of SQPs throughout the UK. The implication of what BVA say is that they are laying a proportion of the blame for resistance to these medicines at the door of SQPs. But the evidence isn't there: countries in Europe and elsewhere with different prescription systems, mainly though vet-only channels, still have major resistance problems. Prescription of antimicrobials by veterinary surgeons hasn't prevented concerns about prescribing practices and developing resistance. The key point is good advice from the prescriber and how they are then used in practice, rather than who prescribes them. The challenge for us all is not just to seek excellence in prescribing but also in usage on farm, something SQPs are ideally placed to do with their frequent farmer contact.
"I would urge all parties to work in partnership to ensure that best practice in prescription and use is followed by all prescribers and users. It is up to all prescribers to act responsibly, but to single out one group over another is unjustified. A pseudo-monopoly by vets on supply would do nothing to help farmers in difficult times."
Mr Dawson also expressed doubts about permanent POM-V status for new livestock anthelmintics: "While we fully support VMD's and VPC's need to be sure that the risk associated with wider availability of a new product is low, AMTRA considers that the current division in distribution classes and consequent low uptake of the newer products means that the much bigger risk is that widespread reliance on the three aging classes may be followed by reliance on just the two new classes when the older classes become unusable. Much better to have responsible prescription of all five classes now, by appropriately trained SQPs, vets and pharmacists, to ensure that there is a prospect of long term availability of effective parasite control."
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) is putting out a last call to take part in the SPVS Salaries Survey 2015, open to everybody working in the veterinary profession.
The long-standing survey provides a benchmark for veterinary surgeons, nurses and support staff to see trends in pay and conditions. Designed to provide a complete picture of remuneration levels, the survey covers basic earnings, bonuses, dividends, overtime and benefits such as accommodation, car allowances, private medical insurance and pensions. It also includes questions on employment contracts, hours worked, out of hours and weekend working.
Peter Brown, SPVS Treasurer and author of the Salaries Survey said: “I have been compiling the survey results for a number of years but it never fails to enlighten me as to what is happening in the profession. I know it is also the go to reference guide when practices are recruiting to help ensure they are offering competitive salary packages.
“Participation in the survey is open to all and the more practices that take part, the more accurate and useful the information will be so we would urge everyone working in the veterinary profession to take a few minutes to complete the survey. It can be done online and the information is completely anonymous.”
To complete the survey online, visit www.spvs.org.uk or, for a printed version, telephone 01926 410545. The survey is open until 30 November 2015.