The Privy Council has approved a Recognition Order for the University of Surrey’s veterinary degree and it will be formally accredited by the RCVS from late next month.

The new Order will come into force on the 18th February 2020, from when students who graduate with the University of Surrey’s veterinary degree will automatically be able to join the Register of Veterinary Surgeons and to practise veterinary medicine in the UK.

The university’s Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Science (BVMSci Hons) degree will enter the College’s cyclical accreditation process and be subject to annual monitoring for quality assurance.

Accreditation of the degree was a five-year process during which the RCVS worked with the University of Surrey to ensure that its curriculum and programme met the College’s quality standards, including two interim accreditation visitations in 2017 and 2018 and a final accreditation visit in 2019.

Dr Niall Connell, RCVS President, said: “We are very glad that the University of Surrey’s veterinary degree has now cleared the last hurdle and that, as of next month, it will join the roster as the UK’s eighth recognised veterinary degree. I commend the hard work that the faculty, students and the university’s clinical partners have put in to develop the course over the past five years and we look forward to continue to work with them to ensure that the high standards are maintained."

Professor Chris Proudman, Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, said: "I am delighted that the University of Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine has become the UK’s eighth provider of veterinary education. The support and enthusiasm of our partner practice network has been essential in delivering our vision of competent, confident and compassionate veterinary graduates."

The full RCVS accreditation standards for veterinary degrees can be found here: www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/accrediting-primary-qualifications/accrediting-veterinary-degrees/accreditation-standards/

Photo: (from l-r) Susan Paterson, Chair of the RCVS Education Committee, Professor Chris Proudman, Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, and Niall Connell, RCVS President.

Boehringer Ingelheim has launched an online educational hub to help practices use a risk-based approach to responsible parasiticide prescribing in their practice.

whatstherisk.co.uk has been created for all practice staff and contains advice from parasitologists Ian Wright and Eric Morgan.

Topics include advice on practical risk assessments, how risk-based prescribing can work with health plans as well as how to get owners involved to make risk assessment and personalised prescribing quicker and simpler.

Boehringer says that all the materials and advice have been developed in line with RCVS Practice Standards and the BVA's guidance on the responsible use of parasiticides.^1,2

Sharron Woods, NexGard brands Franchise Manager said: “With knowledge about parasitic risk low among dog owners, alongside increasing scrutiny on the potential overuse of parasiticides, we’re delighted to be at the forefront of supporting vets, pet owners and the wider industry in driving best-practice risk assessment and responsible parasite control."

References

1. PSS Small Animal Modules and Awards (V3.2). Available at www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/small-animal-modules. Accessed July 2023.
2. Responsible use of parasiticides for cats and dogs: The five point plan | British Veterinary Association (bva.co.uk). Available at https://www.bva.co.uk/resources-support/medicines/responsible-use-of-parasiticides-for-cats-and-dogs-the-five-point-plan/. Accessed July 2023.

Dechra has launched Felimazole Oral Solution 5mg/ml (thiamazole) for the stabilisation of hyperthyroidism in cats prior to surgical thyroidectomy and for the long-term treatment of feline hyperthyroidism.

The new presentation is honey-flavoured and is available in 30ml or 100ml bottles with a syringe for precise dosing. 

It has a two-year shelf life and a broached shelf life of six months. 

Dechra companion animal brand manager, Thomas Johnson, said: “The addition of Felimazole Oral to our product range will provide vets with the flexibility to prescribe Felimazole as either a tablet or oral solution to accommodate the preferences of both the cat and its owner. 

"This, combined with our extensive endocrinology resources, will ensure that vets have all the necessary tools to support their feline hyperthyroid cases.”

https://www.dechra.co.uk/cushings-connect 

https://www.dechra.co.uk/addisons-connect 

https://www.dechra.co.uk/search?q=felimazole#/search=Felimazole 

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/dechra-endocrinology-app/id1660737534

The RCVS's new Royal Charter has come into effect today, meaning that the whole of the veterinary nursing profession in the UK is now regulated.

The new Charter received the Great Seal of the Realm and was collected from the House of Lords by RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey and Policy Consultant Jeff Gill (pictured right). It had previously been approved at a meeting of the Privy Council on 5 November 2014.

Under the changes instituted in the new Charter, there are no longer listed veterinary nurses and all those formerly on the List have effectively been moved to the Register and become RVNs.

As a result they will now be expected to undertake the minimum requirement for continuing professional development (CPD) of 45 hours over a three-year period, will need to follow the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses,and will be subject to the College’s disciplinary system in cases of serious professional misconduct. Any veterinary nurse removed or suspended from the Register will not be entitled to give medical treatment or carry out minor surgery.

Gordon said: “This is a proud day for us and an important day for the profession as a whole. We worked very hard to get to this point and I would like to thank all those who helped us along the way including RCVS and VN Council members, College staff and the members of the profession and representative organisations, in particular the BVA and BVNA, that responded to our consultation on the proposed Charter last year.

“This Charter clarifies the role of the College and its aims and objectives while also modernising many of our regulatory functions. This represents another significant step towards the College becoming a first rate regulator.

“Critically, this Charter fulfils one of our long-term ambitions to create a coherent regulatory system for veterinary nurses and to recognise them as true professionals, dedicated to their vocation, their development and proper conduct.”

During this year’s renewal period for veterinary nurses (in the autumn), those formerly on the List will be expected to confirm that they are undertaking CPD and will also need to disclose any criminal convictions, cautions or adverse findings when they renew their registration. The annual renewal fee for veterinary nurses remains unchanged.

A detailed set of frequently asked questions for former listed veterinary nurses can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rvn.

The RCVS has announced that over the next few years, it is planning to roll out a new outcomes-based model of continuing professional development (CPD), whereby practitioners will be obliged to reflect upon what they learned and to record their reflections.

A shift towards a more outcomes-based model of CPD for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses has been under discussion for a number of years and one of its main proponents has been the current RCVS Senior Vice-President Professor Stephen May (pictured right), who chaired the CPD Policy Working Party. 

Stephen said: "There has been increasing recognition over a range of different professions that CPD records based on ‘inputs’ alone, for example, measuring the number of hours attending a lecture, do not necessarily prove that any significant learning has taken place or that this learning will be used to improve professional practice. 

"By contrast, research has demonstrated that CPD activities focused on outcomes encourage professionals to reflect on what they have learned, how they will apply their learning and how it will improve their practice, which has a positive impact on professionalism and patient health outcomes. Numerous other professions, including human medicine and dentistry, have moved to this model and the veterinary world has been somewhat ‘behind the curve’ as a result.

"However, as with any significant shift in policy, there has been a recognition that we needed to take the profession with us and not force through change. This is why, in March 2017, we launched a pilot scheme for the outcomes-based model with veterinary and veterinary nurse volunteers, including people who, during the initial consultation stage, had voiced some skepticism towards the concept.

"The overall feedback from volunteers was very positive and supportive towards the changes and I look forward, over the coming years, to talking to the professions at large about the benefits of the approach and how to best engage with the model."

In all, around 120 volunteers took part in the pilot, of whom 70% were veterinary surgeons and 30% veterinary nurses. When the pilot finished in October 2018, volunteers provided feedback as part of the evaluation process. Of the 57% of volunteers (n=70) who responded to the survey: 

• 77% said they would be willing to use an outcomes-based CPD model in the future; 

• 41% found it ‘easy’ or ‘very easy’ to implement outcomes-based CPD while only 11% thought it was either ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’;

• 61% thought that the outcomes-based model made CPD more meaningful for them and 25% said it encouraged them to undertake a wider range of CPD activities than previously;

• Other feedback included the need for a better CPD recording system and more information and guidance ahead of any future changes. 

Following the feedback, particularly around the need for a new approach to CPD recording, it was also recommended to Council that a new online CPD recording system should be introduced. This system will integrate the current disparate systems, such as the Student Experience Log (for vet students), Nursing Progress Log (for student VNs) and the Professional Development Phase (for recent vet graduates), making it a ‘one-stop shop’ professional development recording platform.

Richard Burley, RCVS Chief Technology Officer, said: "We will be building a new platform, consolidating all professional development-related capability for all members, into a single, integrated solution, seamlessly accessible via our ‘My Account’ online portal, and forthcoming mobile app. We have assembled a new, dedicated, software development team to drive this work and more details about this system will be published in coming months."

Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education, added:"Following the approval of the CPD proposals by RCVS Council, a phased roll-out of the new model and the accompanying IT system will take place. This includes recruiting a group of volunteers from the profession later this year to get some initial feedback around the guidance resources and online CPD platform, with members of the profession being voluntarily able to sign up to the new model and IT system from January 2020 onwards. 

"Implementation of the new CPD requirement for all members is expected to start in January 2022 but, prior to that, we will be working hard to talk to the profession about why an outcomes-based model is a more effective and meaningful way of undertaking CPD and this will include workshops, webinars and roadshows. Look out for more news on our plans over the coming months."

For more information about the College’s current CPD policy requirement and policy, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd

Pets at Home has announced the acquisition of the joint venture practice business, Vets4Pets, adding 93 stand-alone veterinary practices to the 116 in-store practices it already operates under the Companion Care brand.

Providing veterinary and grooming services to consumers is seen as the way for the retailer to overcome competition from the Internet.

Nick Wood, CEO of Pets at Home said: "The expansion of our veterinary business is a key element of our growth strategy for Pets at Home, providing additional services to our customers within our stores or close to our customers' homes. The acquisition of Vets4Pets is an important step in the delivery of this strategy. Vets4Pets is highly complementary to Companion Care, sharing fundamental beliefs and values, and is an excellent strategic fit for Pets at Home. I am delighted that Peter Watson has agreed to stay with the business. His knowledge and experience will be invaluable as we continue to build our veterinary business with both stand-alone and in-store practices. He will work closely with Jane Balmain, the Managing Director of our Companion Care business as we integrate the two businesses."

Peter Watson, Founder and CEO of Vets4Pets said: "Pets at Home holds a unique place in the retail landscape, built on a strong identity and a real passion for people and pets. It is clear to me that Nick and his team have a similar vision for their veterinary business. I'm delighted to be working with Nick to continue to expand the veterinary business by offering attractive joint venture opportunities for vets in stand alone locations to complement the offering in Pets at Home stores."

Companion Care MD, Jane Balmain added: "Companion Care and Vets4Pets each enjoy a strong reputation among both vets and customers. Both businesses have a common business model, offering joint venture partnerships with vets. I am looking forward to working alongside Peter as we bring the businesses together, continue to expand our joint venture partnerships and accelerate our growth."

Vets4Pets' UK operational centre will remain in the East Midlands, with its support functions being split between Companion Care's operation in Oxfordshire and Vets4Pets' Guernsey office.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed that bird flu has been detected in 17 wild birds in Dorset, with more expected over the coming days.

This is the first confirmed finding of the virus in the UK this winter and tests have shown it is closely related to the H5N6 strain that has been circulating in wild birds across Europe in recent months. This is different to the strains which affected people in China last year and Public Health England have advised the risk to public health is very low. The Food Standards Agency have said that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, said: "This is the first time avian flu has been identified in the UK this winter and while the disease does not represent a threat to the public, it is highly infectious and deadly to birds. 

"As the virus has been circulating across Europe, this finding has not come as a surprise. But it is vital that anyone who keeps birds - whether a few in a back garden or thousands on a farm - is vigilant for any signs of disease, reports suspect disease to APHA and maintains good biosecurity to reduce the risk of their birds becoming infected."

Local measures will be put in place to manage the potential threat. These include a local Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in Dorset as a precautionary measure to prevent disease spread to other birds. This means all captive bird keepers in the area will have to implement enhanced biosecurity measures such as feeding and watering birds undercover so that wild birds do not co-mingle with kept birds; minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures; cleaning and disinfecting footwear; and keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy.

There are no plans for culling or movement restrictions.

BVA President John Fishwick said: "I’d encourage vets to reassure their clients that this strain of Avian Influenza poses a very low risk to public health and the food chain. Defra have acted swiftly to try and contain further spread of the disease, which has likely come from migratory birds, yet vets and poultry owners should remain vigilant for signs of the disease."

British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) President Phil Hammond added: "It’s really important that all bird keepers heed biosecurity advice issued by Defra, and maintain the highest biosecurity standards. Any suspicion of Avian Influenza should be reported to the APHA as soon as possible."

Up-to-date advice and guidance on Avian Influenza is available on the Gov.UK website, including how to spot it, what to do if you suspect it, and measures to prevent it: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#about-avian-influenza

For further advice on Avian Influenza contact the Defra Helpline on 03459 33 55 77.  

Trade should not be affected following the findings in wild birds, according to the rules of the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).

Photo: Wild Birds, Shutterstock / aDam Wildlife

IVC Evidensia has opened two veterinary training centres, one at the Vets Now headquarters in Dunfermline and the other based at Blaise Referral Hospital in Birmingham. 

The centres have cutting-edge facilities, including high-tech audio-visual equipment with ceiling-mounted cameras to relay demonstrations, phantom models for abdominal ultrasound training and advanced simulators for practicing echocardiography.

The courses will be taught mainly by clinicians from across the IVC Evidensia network, 

IVC says the centres will deliver 20,000 hours of CPD for its staff this year, and it aims to make its training available to the broader veterinary community towards the end of 2025. 

Daniella Dos Santos, Director of Professional Culture at IVC Evidensia, said: “These centres will allow us to provide tailored training, whether you’re just starting your career or you’re looking to develop new skills and techniques.

"The training will help us deliver exceptional care for pets and their owners by ensuring our colleagues and eventually the wider profession continue to grow and develop their expertise.”

Excel Lasers has launched Onemytis 2, a new type of electrosurgical "knife" which it claims will revolutionise veterinary surgery, in the UK.

Developed by Italian tech company, Otech Industry srl, the Onemytis 2 uniquely uses gas ionisation to vaporise tissue at lower temperatures and, claims Excel, with greater precision than is possible with conventional electrosurgery.

The knife works by a strong electromagnetic field through air. This releases plasma which vaporises tissue at a maximum operating temperature of 50°C (compared to more than 118°C in conventional electrosurgery).

During surgery, the electrode does not touch the patient. Plasma is formed when it is between 1 and 2 mm away from the patient, depending on the power setting. This means the surgeon does not apply any pressure when creating an incision, allowing greater precision. 

The Onemytis range starts from £4500 +VAT.

West Sussex first opinion vet, Julian Hoad, Head of Crossways Veterinary Group, started using Onemytis last year for a range or procedures including laparoscopic surgery and the removal of masses, often without the need for a general anaesthetic.

Julian said: "I’ve used electrosurgery for 20 years and this is an order of magnitude better. It is more precise, more reliable and results in a much better healing surface."

"I recently removed an enlarged lymph node. The mass was around the mesenteric root. Because Onemytis is so precise I was able to dissect around the blood vessels, removing tissue that was attached to them with no blood loss. Onemytis is also excellent for removing epulides. It cuts though gingival tissue with very limited burning and produces very good, pain-free healing."

"I now routinely use it for performing nostril widening surgery in brachycephalic dogs; it reduces surgery time dramatically and completely abolishes bleeding in most cases."

"I have also used it to remove a large mass from a dog’s spleen and, by using a combination of Onemytis and Ligasure, managed to do so with a total blood loss of less than 2 ml."

Steve Hayden, Director at Excel Lasers, said: “We are delighted to be bringing Onemytis 2 to the UK. An important part of our role is to identify the technological innovations we think are most likely to help vets and their patients and Onemytis really stands out. The feedback we have had from our clients has been extremely positive and we think it has a fantastic future in veterinary surgery.”

To find out more about Onemytis 2 and watch videos of it in action, visit: https://www.excellasers.com/airplasma/

Virbac, the maker of Stelfonta, the new intratumoural treatment for mast cell tumours in dogs, has launched three free interactive online CPD modules.

The modules, which are presented by US veterinary oncology specialists Dr Chad Johannes and Dr Sue Ettinger, are titled: ‘Mastering Mast Cell Tumours’, ‘Treating Canine Mast Cell Tumours’ and ‘Stelfonta’. 

Each of the modules offer 30 minutes of bitesize, interactive CPD and are suitable for both veterinary surgeons and nurses.

Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: ‘We appreciate that for the majority of veterinary teams, finding time for CPD is pretty challenging at present. We therefore hope that the bitesize, on-demand format of these modules can provide the perfect solution, whilst still delivering high quality CPD’.

The modules can be accessed at: vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta/education

Virtual lunch and learn meetings are also available from Virbac Territory Managers. 

For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager, or visit vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta

VetHelpDirect has announced that it is launching a new video consultation platform through which veterinary practices of all sizes can offer video consultations to their clients.

The company is now inviting practices to sign up for the free Beta trial and shape the development of the new platform and how video consultations can be integrated into traditional ways of working.

The platform, which can be branded with the practice logo, uses an app which clients download onto their mobile devices and use to book appointments. The system has its own appointment booking system, but also integrates with Vetstoria. When an appointment is booked via video, practitioners see it in their PMS. They then visit their online account, select the relevant appointment and click ‘start video call’. Payment can be collected from the owner prior to the consultation.

Susie Samuel, Managing Director of VetHelpDirect said: "While developing this product, we have been mindful that the use of telemedicine in our industry has been hugely controversial. We believe that inviting local vets to trial and refine this technology, using their team to work with their own clients removes many of the risks and dangers otherwise inherent in the proposition."

I agree wholeheartedly. The controversy over telemedicine has been about the idea of allowing the prescription of drugs to animals that have not been seen in person. Using a service like this (or the one launched by the Virtual Vet Group last year) to offer video consultations to patients that are already under your care strikes me as an altogether different kettle of fish. I think it will help improve engagement with existing clients, by reducing unnecessary trips to the practice for follow-up or post-operative consultations, saving time,  money and the planet. 

Susie added: "In our fast-moving world pet owners are increasingly reliant on technology and expect to be able to access services easily. The results of our recent VetHelpDirect research of 419 owners showed 38% of survey respondents said they would like to have the option of a video consultation if it was offered by their own vet. If we are to keep up with this demand, we need to embrace new ways of working."

VetHelpDirect says that whilst it believes that the growth in the use of this technology will change the way veterinary medicine is practiced, video consultations will always work alongside in-person consultations, as just one tool in an overall strategy of care, and certainly will not replace face to face diagnosis.

Let's hope so.

Susie added: "What is clear from our research is that whilst clients would like to be able to have video consultations with a vet their strong preference is for this to be with their own vet; whilst 38% of people would use video consultations with their own vet this falls to only 7% if it is provided by a vet not known to them.

"Of course, telemedicine is by no means the answer in every case, what the new service does offer is flexibility for practitioners and the ability to work in new ways that will benefit the animals and owners. For example, giving free telephone advice has become common place in many practices but is very hard to monetise. Video consultations provide a commercial solution to this problem.”

For more information, or to join the trial, contact Susie Samuel susie@vethelpdirect.com

Warwickshire-based Avonvale Veterinary Centre has created the role of 'nurse dental champions', both to help fight against dental disease and to create a rewarding role for the latest generation of its nurses who have an interest in the subject.

Avonvale’s nurse dental champions are RVNs who have a special interest in dentistry. They receive additional career development and training, both in-house and via webinars. They also attend practical workshops.

They also get training and support materials from specialists at Eastcott Referrals, in Swindon.

They're then tasked with educating colleagues and clients about dental care and disease prevention.

Nurse dental champion, Jasmin Legge (picture right), said: "We increase owners' knowledge of what dental treatments can be performed at Avonvale and highlight the welfare benefits of dentistry to them.

"We give our patients a free consultation and take a look to see if they have any dental issues.

"If we believe they do, they will be referred to a vet for this to be confirmed and for them to assess what work is needed.

"We are also able to carry out scale and polishes on animals and we follow this up with educational post-dental checks, giving advice to owners on how to maintain good dental hygiene.

"Dental disease is a common problem and can cause misery for a lot of pets, which is why we want to do all we can to help alleviate the problem and to educate owners on how they can play their part.

"Here at Avonvale, when you have a particular area of interest, you are given amazing opportunities to help develop it. Nurse dental champions are a prime example of this."

The slightly inappropriately named poultry vet, Henry Lamb MRCVS, has been named Young Farm Vet of the Year in the National Egg & Poultry Awards organised by the magazine Poultry Business.

Henry, who works at Crowshall Veterinary Services in Norfolk, graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2018.

He is the lead products export vet for Crowshall and was instrumental in the business’s preparation for Brexit.

He is also one of the founding ‘green champions’ at the practice, which has become the first specialist poultry practice to be accredited with Investors in the Environment.

The panel of seven judges from said that within just three years Henry has gained much experience, showing evidence that he has contributed to reduced antibiotic usage as well as improved biosecurity and improved bird welfare, health and production for his clients.

They said: “He has clearly shown he has worked with colleagues as a team, and has introduced new initiatives in his practice including improving mental health of staff and assisting in sustainability.”

James Porritt, National Pig and Poultry Sales Manager of award sponsors Zoetis, said all three finalists were very strong candidates: “It was great to see the work they have all done recognised at the awards.

"It was fantastic to see Henry win and hope the award spurs him on to continue his bright future in the poultry industry.”

Photo: Henry Lamb holding the Young Farm Vet trophy, alongside Jonathan Agnew (left) and James Porritt of the award sponsors Zoetis