The RCVS has brought out a new publication to help members of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions understand their legal and professional obligations regarding controlled drugs.
Controlled Drugs Guidance is a consolidation of existing advice and guidance on controlled drugs from a number of organisations including the RCVS itself, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and the Home Office. The guide also gives details of the existing legislation concerning controlled drugs, namely the Misuse of Drugs Act and associated regulations.
The guidance provides advice on a variety of topics to reflect the common queries the RCVS Advice Team receives, such as storage, destruction and disposal; keys and keyholders for controlled drugs cabinets; controlled drugs in vehicles; and veterinary nurses administering controlled drugs.
The publication also deals with specific controlled drugs such as ketamine which, on 30 November 2015, was rescheduled to a Schedule 2 controlled drug, meaning that it is now subject to the same strict storage, prescription, dispending, destruction and record-keeping requirements as other medicines in this Schedule.
Laura McClintock, Standards and Advisory Manager at the RCVS, said: “We hope that this publication will help members of the profession navigate the often complex legislative and professional requirements regarding controlled drugs, as well as imparting best practice advice on how they should be stored and disposed and so on.
"This publication has also been endorsed by our colleagues in the Home Office, VMD and BSAVA and, because this is an area that is subject to regular change, we will make sure to keep it up-to-date as and when the regulations change."
The publication is available to download from the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
The 45-minute webinar: Debt Management: Prevention Is Better Than Cure is presented by Mike Brooks from veterinary-specialist debt recovery agency, dsl.
VPMA President Renay Rickard (pictured right) said: "Debt can affect any business, but, because of the role vets play as care-giver in an emotionally-based animal-owner relationship, we are particularly vulnerable. This is something that is commonly brought up by members at our regional meetings and events, and it’s a real dilemma for them how to juggle being strict with payment policies against owner expectations and misperceptions of the cost of veterinary medicine.
"This has been a very popular topic in both our regional meetings and with our webinar and we wanted to open it up to more people to help them tackle this topic in their practices. The feedback on this webinar has been very positive. Mike gives clear guidance on how to set up payment protocols that will minimise debt in such a way that maintains the client-practice relationship. There’s also information on how to recover existing debts. It makes sense to prioritise tackling this issue as if we’re not paid, then we can’t deliver the service that we are expected to, and that our patients need.
"We’re pleased to open this webinar up to all practices as a Christmas gift, and hope it will also highlight the support that is available through VPMA membership."
The webinar can be accessed through a link on the home page of the VPMA website www.vpma.co.uk.
The company says that the number of studies related to the dog and cat microbiome has increased by over 800% between 2012 and 20221, but that practical implementation of the research lags behind.
The event will cover topics ranging from nutrition and faecal microbial transplantation (FMT) for chronic enteropathy to controversies in the use of gastric acid suppressants and the roles of the gut-brain and gut-kidney axes in disease.
Speakers include Jan Suchodolski, MedVet, DrVetMed, PhD, AGAF, DACVM, who has published more than 340 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the field of veterinary gastroenterology and the microbiome, Kathrin Busch, DVM, Dr Med Vet, DECVIM-CA, Head of Small Animal Gastroenterology at Ludwig-Maximilians University, and Jessica Quimby, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), PhD, International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) board member and winner of the IRIS Award 2018.
https://www.microbiomeforumevent2023.purinainstitute.com
Pfizer, manufacturer of the wormer Strongid™-P has launched a new promotional campaign. Love your horse is based on simple, straightforward and unbiased educational messages to help ensure the optimum health and wellbeing of horses and ponies in the UK.
Pfizer's veterinary adviser Ben Gaskell said: “Simplistically, the three key tools for the horse owner to understand are diagnostics, worming and pasture management. If these tools are used in combination with specialist advice, then the horse owner will be able to provide a sustainable, reliable and cost-effective worm control strategy for their horse.”
At the core of the campaign is a new range of four highly informative and uncomplicated leaflets directed at every type of horse owner: Do you need to worm; Choosing and using the right wormer; Managing your pasture and Worming and Your new horse.
“Each leaflet has been designed to work as a stand-alone piece or can be presented as a smart, matching series of four,” said Helen Shirley, brand manager for Strongid™-P. “The leaflets can be displayed in-store in a distinctive counter-top leaflet dispenser and are supported by eye-catching point of sale materials including posters and balloons." The new campaign packs will be rolled out to all stockists from early June, supported by a dramatic new Love your horse advertisement in national equestrian trade and consumer titles.
The campaign will build up momentum over the summer months and into autumn’s double dosing time with a series of authoritative, no-nonsense features and news stories from Strongid™-P’s veterinary advisor Ben Gaskell.
For further information please email: Strongid-P@pfizer.com
The PDSA has announced the start of its annual pet slimming competition, and revealed the 17 competitors who will be fighting to win the title of Pet Fit Club Slimmer Of The Year.
The competition is run to highlight the high level of pet obesity in the UK. According to the charity, around a third of all dogs (2.5M) and a quarter of all cats (2M) are estimated to be overweight.
PDSA research has shown that 87% of owners give their pets treats, despite the fact that 91% realise the resulting obesity can reduce their pet's lifespan. The PDSA's PAW Report, produced in conjunction with YouGov, discovered that a wide range of inappropriate treats are being fed to pets, including fast food, leftovers, crisps, biscuits, chocolate and chips.
Elaine Pendlebury, PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, said: "Obesity is one of the biggest welfare issues affecting pets in the UK today. Sadly, it also means millions of pets are at risk from potentially life-threatening health problems related to obesity."
For more information about the finalists, please visit www.pdsa.org.uk/petfitclub
Purina is inviting practices to participate in its inaugural UK Feline Dental Health Month, which starts on 1st July 2014.
As part of the initiative, participating practices are being asked to give their cat-owning clients free dental health checks throughout July to help improve the health of feline patients, build client loyalty and boost revenue.
Purina says Feline Dental Health Month has been created to help practices educate cat-owning clients about the importance of dental health. As many cat owners are unable or unwilling to check their cat's mouth and teeth due to the discreet nature of their pet, they rely on their vet to highlight potential problems. Feline dental disease is estimated to affect around three quarters of cats over the age of three, making it the most prevalent health condition seen amongst pet cats. Often painful and with the capability to cause systemic problems, dental problems in cats can represent a serious welfare problem if left untreated.
To help practices promote Feline Dental Health Month to their clients, Purina has prepared a support pack which includes waiting room promotional materials and client care leaflets with money off coupons. Practices will also be given a step-by-step publicity plan so they can promote the month in their local media and via their existing communications channels.
Purina says that signing up to the Feline Dental Health Month will mean that practices benefit from more contact with a client group that is potentially less engaged with their pet's health and also attract new clients via the promotional activity. This will provide an increase in opportunities to discuss other common health concerns with their clients and offer the potential to boost sales of products and services.
Chris Nickson, Senior Brand Manager, Purina Vet Channel said: "Feline Dental Health Month promotes the idea that prevention is better than cure. To avoid more serious procedures that can put stress on the owner and cat, Purina advocates ongoing management of dental hygiene. Our veterinary support packs provide everything a practice will need to have a very successful Feline Health Month."
Purina has also developed Pro Plan Cat Dental Plus, a diet designed to maintain healthy teeth and gums in cats. As part of Feline Dental Health Month, Purina is offering owners £5 off their first bag.*
To sign up for Feline Dental Health Month, speak to your Purina representative or call the Pro Plan Vet helpline on 0800 032 6418.
Benchmark Holdings has announced that it has acquired Improve International limited, the Swindon-based veterinary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) business.
Improve will be added to Benchmark's Technical Publishing division, which provides global knowledge transfer, technical insight, e-learning and market analysis for people and businesses working in agriculture, aquaculture and the food supply chain.
Established in 1998 by a group of veterinary surgeons, Improve organises CPD courses for veterinary professionals across the UK, Republic of Ireland, Scandinavia and mainland Europe from its bases in the UK and Portugal.
Improve's courses are run privately and are accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and/ or Harper Adams University.
In partnership with ESVPS and Harper Adams University, Improve also provides courses and qualifications for Official Veterinarians in England, Scotland and Wales.
Improve's veterinary directors, David Babington (pictured right), Heber Alves and Rui Lobao will all remain with the business.
Benchmark's management says it believes there is considerable scope for online development of the courses within the digital arm of its Technical Publishing division. The division currently offers 15 distance-learning courses, which are tailored to develop core industry skills.
Malcolm Pye, Chief Executive of Benchmark Holdings Plc said: "The acquisition of Improve will enable us to combine our digital and distance learning expertise with Improve's veterinary content across Europe, enhancing our ability to serve the professionals in our key veterinary markets.
"This is a significant step forward for our Technical Publishing division in both of the food and companion animal markets. We plan to take Improve's successful, face-to-face courses and deliver content digitally on an international basis."
The guidelines, which have produced by a panel of clinicians and analgesia researchers, summarise the current evidence and offer expert opinion and best practice recommendations for the use of analgesics for common scenarios.
Recommendations include:
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: "The BEVA primary care clinical guidelines provide up-to-date clarity on the fundamental aspects of equine pain management for the clinician and are essential reading for all those in first opinion ambulatory roles."
The guidelines are the first in a series being produced for primary care vets by BEVA. They can be downloaded here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13198
The dispensation was brought in during the spring 2020 lockdown to safeguard animal health and welfare, the health & safety of the veterinary team, and public health, by allowing prescriptions to be made by veterinary surgeons without having first physically examined the animal.
Since it was brought in, the temporary dispensation has been under constant review and, in September, was extended to midnight on Sunday 31st October 2021.
Last week, the Standards Committee met and decided to end the dispensation, although it has put back the end date for the guidance to midnight on Sunday 21 November to allow sufficient time for veterinary practices to change their protocols and policies accordingly.
Melissa Donald, RCVS Junior Vice-President and Chair of the Standards Committee, said: “Due to a number of factors, including evidence that there has been a decline in the amount of remote prescriptions taking place, the Committee took the decision to end the dispensation, albeit with a three-week extension period to allow those practices that are still prescribing remotely to change their policies, inform their clients and so on.
“While the dispensation is ending, it is worth noting that it will still be kept under review in light of any changes in the circumstances around the pandemic, including government advice and regulations.”
The full details about the temporary dispensation can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
Those with any questions about the guidance should contact the RCVS Standards & Advice Team on advice@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0789.
The course will cover reptiles, pet mammals and captive birds.
Marie says the course will teach you how to approach exotic emergencies confidently, from clinical examination and forming differential diagnoses to medical and surgical approaches for common emergency presentations.
Marie will discuss both clinical management and the stabilisation and care of the critical patient, including fluid therapy, analgesia, contra-indicated medications and hospital cage requirements.
Welfare-focused euthanasia approaches will also be covered for different species.
Tickets cost £300 and the course is open to veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and students on a recognised veterinary or nursing course.
Lunch, tea, coffee and biscuits included.
https://evolutionexoticsreferrals.co.uk/cpd-booking-form/
The company says the main breakthrough in this new authorisation is that the dose for cattle has been reduced from 4 ml to 2 ml, improving convenience and aligning with the latest regulatory data.
In cattle, the vaccine is indicated for active immunisation to reduce viraemia caused by BTV-3.
The onset of immunity is 3 weeks after completing the primary vaccination course.
The vaccine can be given to cattle from 2 months of age in naïve animals, or from 3 months if born to immune dams.
For the primary vaccination, two doses of 2ml are given, 3 weeks apart, intramuscularly.
In sheep, the vaccine is indicated for active immunisation to reduce viraemia, mortality, clinical signs and lesions caused by BTV-3.
The onset of immunity is 4 weeks after completing the primary vaccination course.
The vaccine can be given to sheep from 3 months of age, subcutaneously.
For the primary vaccination, one dose of 2 ml is given.
https://syva.es/en/
Bayer Animal Health has extended the range of Baytril presentations with the introduction of a new 250mg Baytril Flavour Tablet, for the treatment of enrofloxacin-sensitive bacterial infections in large breeds of dog.
One Baytril 250mg tablet contains 250mg of enroflaxacin which will treat a dog weighing 50kg, and help ensure client compliance.
Baytril Flavour Tablets have a wide range of indications in companion animals, including infections of the alimentary tract, respiratory tract, urogenital tract, secondary wound infections and otitis externa.
With the advent of the new 250mg Baytril Flavour tablet, vets can now choose from an even broader range of Baytril presentations and pack sizes, with four tablet strengths, two injectables, and one oral solution available.
Bayer says Baytril is unique in being the only antibiotic range with so many licensed treatments options for cats and dogs, as well as an oral solution and an injectable solution licensed for small mammals, reptiles and exotic species of birds.
For more information on Baytril and its wide range of presentations and indications, vets can contact their Bayer sales representative or telephone 01635 563000.
The University of Bristol, the Rabbit Council, the Pet Industry Federation, the RSPCA and the RWAF have come together for the first time to produce a vision for improving rabbit welfare.The new ten-point vision is based on recommendations resulting from research commissioned by the RSPCA and carried out by the university which found that the welfare needs of many companion rabbits are not being met. It has been endorsed by the Blue Cross, the BVNA, the National Office for Animal Health, PDSA and Wood Green.The Rabbit Welfare Vision Statement states that:All companion rabbits enjoy a good life in which they can experience positive welfare, ie good physical and psychological health) as well as being protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.All rabbits have access to an appropriate diet, known to optimise animal health and minimise the risk of disease. This includes having continual access to both good quality fibre-based material, eg hay or fresh grass, to eat and fresh, clean water.All rabbits live in an environment which meets their physical, social and behavioural needs, eg to run, jump, graze, dig, rest and stand up on their hind legs without their ears touching the roof.All rabbits are sold or rehomed to be kept in compatible pairs or groups.All rabbits are bred, reared and kept in a way known to minimise their chances of developing fear of handling and other stimuli.All rabbits are given regular preventative health care as recommended by veterinary experts, eg vaccinated against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), a virulent and fatal viral disease of rabbits, according to current vaccine licence recommendations.All rabbits are given appropriate and timely veterinary treatment to protect them from pain, disease and suffering.All those working with rabbits, including vets, retailers, breeders, rehoming organisations, undertake effective training programmes and have resources available to them on current good practice in housing and husbandry, the promotion of health and welfare, and the management of disease and welfare risks.All rabbit health and welfare advice and recommendations are based on international scientific knowledge and professional experience. The veterinary professions offers up-to-date expertise in recognition, management and prevention of disease and in practices to promote good welfare.The number of rabbits requiring rehoming, both privately and via rescue organisations, is minimised. Dr Nicola Rooney, Research Fellow in Animal Welfare and Behaviour at the University’s School of Veterinary Sciences, primary author of the strategy and who jointly led the original research, said: “We are delighted to have a vision for rabbit welfare that is strongly rooted in evidence-based information and it’s great that Bristol research is one of the key pieces of research underpinning the strategy.“There is a growing body of scientific understanding on how best to meet rabbits’ health and behavioural needs. Both myself and my colleague, Richard Saunders, are part of the strategy group moving this vision forward and we’re very happy that everyone has joined forces to take this on board.”Dr Jane Tyson, rabbit behaviour and welfare expert at the RSPCA said: “We are really excited that stakeholders in animal welfare, the pet industry, breeders and the veterinary profession have been able to come together to share this vision.“We share a common goal which is improving the lives of rabbits - one of Britain’s most popular pets, but also arguably one of the most misunderstood.”The University of Bristol says the next step will be to develop a roadmap to achieving the vision.
The RCVS Council has announced its agreement with wholesale reform of the College’s governance arrangements to improve the efficiency and accountability of its decision-making processes.
The changes agreed by Council included almost halving the number of Council members and formalising lay and veterinary membership.
Under the proposals approved by Council it would be reduced to 24 members – comprising 13 elected veterinary surgeons (constituting a majority of Council), six appointed laypeople, three members appointed on behalf of the UK veterinary schools and two veterinary nurses. There would also be the option to appoint an additional member on behalf of any allied professions that RCVS Council may choose to regulate as associates of the College.
Professor Stuart Reid, Senior Vice-President of the RCVS and Chair of the Governance Panel that developed the recommendations, said: "I am delighted that Council so fully supported our proposals for a new structure. The new composition will ensure that both veterinary nurses and laypeople have a guaranteed place at the Council table, as well as maintaining a majority of elected veterinary surgeons and important input from the veterinary schools.
"The proposal recognises the unique nature of the RCVS and will allow us to expedite our decision-making process, making us more fleet of foot and better able to respond to the needs of the profession and the public. It has also been constructed to allow Council to evolve its position, ensuring it remains relevant into the future. If all goes well we hope that the changes could come into force as soon as March 2017."
Liz Cox, the Chair of VN Council, particularly welcomed the changes in respect of veterinary nursing representation on RCVS Council, adding: "It is an historic decision for veterinary nurses and one that has been long awaited. It is only right that those who work so closely alongside veterinary surgeons in practice should have a direct input into regulation that affects us all."
Council’s approval of the recommendations was the culmination of two years of debate and consultation with the profession and other stakeholders. This included a formal consultation by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) last year which garnered 52 responses – including from the British Veterinary Association - most of which were supportive. Different options for reform had, in turn, been developed by a Governance Panel, chaired by Professor Reid, which was set up by Council in March 2015 to consider various options.
Defra will now run a short informal consultation to provide those who responded to the initial consultation the opportunity to comment on the proposed reforms. If no issues are raised Defra officials will seek approval from the Government to proceed with a legislative reform order (LRO) to make the necessary changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
This LRO will be scrutinised by parliamentary committee and voted on in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Once this has been passed there will be a three-year transitional period, agreed by Council members, during which Council’s numbers would be gradually reduced.
The company says it aims to provide an updated and practical approach to this area of practice, using a combination of review lectures, case-based discussions and practical sessions.
David Babington, Managing Director of Improve said: "We’re delighted that, once our delegates have successfully completed all the requirements of the PgC Small Animal Dermatology, awarded by Harper Adams University, they will be able to use this as evidence of their achievement in an application to the RCVS for Advanced Practitioner status."
The College says that although professional bodies advise their members to value their own wellbeing and seek help if unwell, there has been an absence of senior professionals who have felt able to say 'been there myself'.
By asking senior medical professionals to share their stories of overcoming struggles with mental health, &me aims to encourage other medical professionals to seek help, in part by showing that such experiences do not exclude people from achieving leading roles in healthcare.
With the addition of Dr Cathy Wield in August, there are now seven ambassadors for the &me campaign, and all of their stories can be read at www.vetmindmatters.org/&me:
Lizzie Lockett, Director of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: "Over the past eight months we have seen an incredible level of support for our &me ambassadors. Our Facebook post about Rob Pettitt, for example, reached nearly 25,000 people, many of whom posted stories about Rob helping them navigate veterinary school and better understand their own mental health issues. These kind of role models really do help reduce stigma, and we thank every one of our ambassadors for having the courage to share their own experiences with mental health."
Louise Freeman, Vice-Chair of the Doctors’ Support Network, said: "The &me campaign has really shown how the medical professions can work together when it comes to mental health. Medical professionals face many of the same challenges, and we needn’t face them alone – instead we can work as one to tackle stigma and speak openly about mental health issues. And it’s not just in the UK that health professionals can feel as if they are ‘not allowed’ to experience mental health problems. As a direct result of the &me campaign, health professionals from around the world including Australia and the U.S. have been in contact with DSN to confirm that they have similar issues within their local health culture."
The campaign is still interested in hearing from not only doctors and veterinary surgeons but also nurses, veterinary nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who want to open up about their experiences of mental ill health. To participate in the campaign, please email Dr Louise Freeman on vicechair@dsn.org.uk.
On social media tweets about the campaign are sent from @vetmindmatters and @DocSupportNet twitter accounts using the hashtag #AndMe.
The Bella Moss Foundation (BMF) is to launch the Human to Animal MRSA Advice Service at the offices of the British Veterinary Association on Friday 22nd October.
The charity says this new online service has been created to provide information and advice on resistant bacteria and their effects on animal health to veterinary professionals, pet owners and carers.
BMF clinical advisor David Lloyd, professor of veterinary dermatology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "There has been a worrying increase in the numbers of pets reported with MRSA Infections. The causes for this seem to be complex, and research to understand this emerging infection in animals and people is continuing. The Bella Moss Foundation has been very helpful explaining to pet owners the complexity of these issues, and the new Animal MRSA Advice Service will be an educational tool for lay people and veterinarians to learn more about resistant bacterial infections in animals."
For pet owners and carers the Animal MRSA Advice Service will provide education on bacteria, the risk factors for transmission between humans and animals, keeping pets healthy, finding a vet, and the importance of hand hygiene in protecting pets and people from unwanted infection.
For veterinary professionals and practice staff the service will also provide academic reports and international research, as well as information on CPD seminars.
If you would like to attend the launch of this new service, please contact info@thebellamossfoundation.com, or call Jill Moss on 07581 736774.
The Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) has announced that its first students have completed the COAPE Level 4 Diploma in the Principles of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training and the COAPE Level 5 Diploma in the Practical Applications of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training.
The qualifications are the first and currently only Ofqual-regulated qualifications for those working in the field of companion animal behaviour and training, and these are the first students to achieve the new qualification.
COAPE Co-Director, Prof. Peter Neville said "We are enormously proud of the successful students, 35 at Level 4 and 21 at Level 5, and wishes them all the very best as they embark on their professional careers and pursuits in the field of canine and feline behaviour, be it as behaviourists, trainers or adding to their present roles as veterinary nurses, veterinarians, assistance dog trainers, animal welfare professionals etc."
COAPE Co-Director, Robert Falconer-Taylor, BVetMed, DipCABT, MRCVS said "Our successful students are the first to be awarded these bespoke qualifications and to have validation and recognition of their ability to help owners and their pets, and especially those to be referred by veterinary practices. In addition they have the ongoing support, mentoring and CPD opportunities available to them as members of the COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers (CAPBT)".
Val Strong (Co-Director of COAPE) said: "This is a historic moment for both COAPE and our awarding body but more importantly for our students. It is also a landmark step in the field of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training Education that is of vital importance for veterinary practices in helping them identify people who have successfully completed a qualification specifically designed for those working in the field of companion animal behaviour and training.
Practices interested in the qualifications for developing behaviour referrals, or their career enhancement value for nurses, visit: http://www.coape.org
As of the start of this week, police forces and local authorities have new legal powers designed to reduce the number of dog attacks.
For the first time, police and local authorities will be able to demand that owners take action to prevent a dog attack or risk fine of up to £20,000. If a complaint has been made about a dog to the council or police, its owners can be ordered to do any or all of the following:
The government has published a manual called Dealing with irresponsible dog ownership: practitioner's manual, to guide police forces and local authorities in the use of their new legal powers to prevent dog attacks.
Animal Welfare Minister Lord de Mauley said: "Dog attacks are devastating for victims and their families which is why we are taking tough action against those who allow them to happen. Police and local authorities will now have more powers to demand that irresponsible dog owners take steps to prevent attacks before they occur. This is on top of the tougher prison sentences we introduced earlier this year for owners who allow their dogs to attack people and assistance dogs."
The National Policing Lead for Dangerous Dogs, DCC Gareth Pritchard said: "The Practitioners Manual gives police officers and other practitioners clear guidance on how to best implement the legislative changes, especially the early preventative measures such as Community Protection Notices, to help prevent more serious events occurring in the future. It also provides a platform to share good practice between police forces and partner agencies and it will form part of the ongoing training of Dog Legislation Officers across England and Wales."
Photo credit: iStockphoto/Thinkstock.
The RCVS has launched its new Fellowship scheme and is now accepting applications from veterinary surgeons who have made a meritorious contribution to their particular field.
The new Fellowship scheme was launched with three routes to membership: meritorious contributions to knowledge; meritorious contributions to clinical practice; and meritorious contributions to the profession.
The changes were approved by RCVS Council at its June 2015 meeting, following a public consultation on how the Fellowship could be developed to move it away from being an examination-based award, to becoming a learned society.
Dr Bradley Viner, President of the RCVS, said: "I am very proud to announce the launch of the new Fellowship scheme and I hope that, as a learned body, the Fellowship will help advance and develop clinical and professional standards by sharing their knowledge and expertise with the profession.
"The move from being an examinations-based award to the three new paths to entry is a significant development as it will widen the reach of the Fellowship, particularly to those who are working in clinical practice.
"I would strongly encourage all those who feel they have made a meritorious contribution to any of these three areas to apply as I am very hopeful we will be able to award our first group of new Fellowships at RCVS Day on Friday 15 July."
The criteria for achieving Fellowship includes sustained contribution to scholarship; producing a body of creative work that has been disseminated to others; indisputable advancement of their subject; providing leadership to the profession; and, advancement of the public understanding of the profession.
Each application will be assessed by a Credentials Panel to see if it meets the proposed criteria. Applications approved by the Panel will then be put to the Fellowship Board, which will meet once a year to consider the overall list of proposed applications.
The closing date for initial applications is Wednesday 11 May. Application forms for the three different routes to Fellowship, as well as further details about criteria and a list of relevant doctorate programmes, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/fellowship
All current Fellows, including Honorary Fellows, will retain their FRCVS/HonFRCVS status.
The two organisations are collaborating to produce a topical monthly webinar with an expert speaker, supported with a collection of resources in the BSAVA library
Idexx is also offering a bursary scheme with 10 places on a BSAVA course of choice.
Dr Jason Johnson, Chief Medical Officer of Idexx said: "Continuous learning is an essential part of veterinary clinic life and an area that is increasing in demand, particularly with so many new and innovative ways to engage.
"Education enables veterinary professionals to provide better care for their patients and we are delighted to support them through our collaboration with BSAVA."
The first two ‘Topic of the month’ webinars will be on anaemia in cats and increased SDMA on pre-anaesthetic testing.
The webinars will be free of charge to all BSAVA members.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, Head of Partnerships and Events at the BSAVA said: “We are thrilled to be working with Idexx. It is increasingly important to us that our members receive accessible CPD, and through this valuable collaboration we are able to continue to support the veterinary profession.”
You can access the webinars through the BSAVA Library.
Virbac Animal Health has launched a special scheme to encourage farmers to have milk samples analysed in line with the industry-wide campaign to promote the responsible use of antimicrobials.
Under the terms of the scheme, veterinary surgeons purchasing Virbac's Cephaguard DC therapy will receive vouchers to distribute to their farmer clients. These vouchers can be redeemed for milk bacteriology to determine the pathogens causing mastitis and so ensure treatment is more targeted and effective.
Brigitte Goasduf MRCVS, Ruminants Marketing Manager at Virbac, said: "Mastitis is a major concern for dairy farmers with reported numbers of cases ranging from 26-50 for every 100 cows.
"Experts agree that individual SCC monitoring and the accurate diagnosis of pathogens causing infection are key to treating mastitis effectively. Unfortunately many farmers are often deterred by the cost.
"Our scheme gives our veterinary customers the opportunity to foster good practice by encouraging farmer clients to submit milk samples for investigation at no cost to them. This will then enable them to treat the bacteria causing the infection in line with industry guidelines for the use of antimicrobials.
"Over time, we believe farmers will come to realise that adopting this more targeted approach is not only more cost-effective but will also preserve their ability to treat their herd, both now and in the future."
For further information on the scheme, contact your Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
NOAH’s Office Manager Joanne Jeffs said: "We know more people are accessing the site using mobile technology and in order that the site can be viewed more easily on mobile phones and tablets as well as traditional desktops, we needed to move the whole complex set of data to a new web platform.
"This is only one of the advantages of the move – it will enable us to finalise our Compendium app, for example, and further down the line will enable more bespoke information access to become available via an API* feed – and we needed to take this major step for progress to be made.
"The most important thing was to maintain the integrity of the data – prescribers and users of animal medicines rely on its accuracy to make their prescribing decisions and guide responsible use. We know this has been done.
She added: "With the move, we know there are some post launch issues that we are addressing. We are working on those as quickly as we can. We know users need to print datasheets, for example and this function will soon be back online. We welcome all feedback and thank all our users for their patience.
www.noahcompendium.co.uk
The collaborative study, which was sponsored by Norbrook, involved each practice blood testing a cohort of six lambs on 25 individual farms from 16 weeks of age, to look for evidence of antibodies to liver fluke.
Only 11 farms had positive results in the period from June, up to December, with most only showing one or two lambs out of the six sero-converting later in the year. Even farms located reasonably close by showed positive cases months apart.
Mark Thompson of Craven Farm Vets in Yorkshire said, “I did not expect to see positive results as late in the year. I expected a positive result earlier (September/October) as the farm is a very wet farm with a long-standing issue with fluke. Also, the weather in the area has been ideal for the intermediate host and fluke development on the pasture.”
Emily Baxter of Drove Farm Vets in Wiltshire said she thinks there is scope to use the results to improve the timing of dosing with flukicides and more responsible use: “We will use the results from this year’s testing to re-evaluate the farm’s fluke control protocol which will help reduce the level of use of flukicides earlier in the season for years with similar weather patterns and assist in planning of strategic grazing.
"We’re looking forward to continuing our work this year, no two years are ever the same, that’s why monitoring is so important. It will allow both ourselves and our clients to build up a picture over time of what’s happening not only on their individual farms, but potentially down to field level! This will allow us to provide more conclusive recommendations. For now, it’s clear that testing has great promise as a means to provide tailored advice to farms on how to control fluke and use the flukicides available to us responsibly.”
Emily says it’s important that farmers do not stop using flukicides based on the results of this study nor assume that there is less risk: “We all know how significant the losses from acute and chronic fascioliasis can be. We therefore encourage farmers to talk to their vet before they change their flukicide treatment protocols and discuss the possibility of using serology as an adjunct to determine how and when they treat.”
Veterinary professionals can find out more about the fluke sentinel project at https://xlvets-farm.co.uk/fluke-sentinel or the XLVets community at https://www.xlvets.co.uk/the-boss/.
Visitors to the company's stand will be invited to make a donation.
Anyone not attending the show, but who nevertheless wants to support this charity's work, will be able to do so via social media.
VetCT says it is hoping to raise a total of £6000 to fund the training of local veterinary teams in wildlife medicine.
Head of Communications, Liz Barton said: “We are learning so much about the far-reaching and important work of WVI through our charity partnership - how they are helping to preserve biodiversity and support the conservation of species, which is absolutely key to global sustainability.
"Education is core to everything we do at VetCT, and we are excited to be raising funds that will be used to support local vets and nurses to undergo comprehensive training in wildlife medicine, enabling the dissemination of knowledge and expertise to support conservation projects globally.”
Olivia Walter, Executive Director of WVI, said: “We are incredibly excited at the prospect of launching our education initiative with the support of VetCT and LVS delegates.
"Training local veterinary teams to provide exceptional care to wildlife is vital to the longevity and success of conservation projects.
"In addition to raising funds and awareness of our work, the direct clinical support from the VetCT experts is helping us to continue providing much needed veterinary input to conservation efforts around the world.”
WVI representatives, including Matthew Rendle RVN and Dr Asumah of the Wildlife Division, Forestry Department, Government of Ghana, will be on VetCT stand D44 at 12:30-1:30pm on Friday 17th November.
The charity will also be on Millpledge Veterinary stand J60, which also supports the work of WVI.