The 'Lifelong Ear Partnership' resources, which were developed in conjunction with a panel of vets, are designed to help vets in practice improve their owner communication and achieve owner buy-in about otitis.
To that end, Dechra has developed various owner communication tools for use in practice or to refer owners to after the consultation.
They include an owner website: www.ear-inflammation.co.uk and a postcard with QR code links to educational videos which cover clinical recommendations, treatment options and the importance of revisits.
There is also a brochure for owners and an online 4D ear model: www.4d-earmodel.com, which demonstrates a healthy ear and an ear with mild, moderate or severe otitis.
Finally, Dechra has also launched an ear cytology webinar series on Dechra Academy: www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
The course consists of tips for everything from greeting the patient to performing and interpreting cytology slides.
Claire Westoby, companion animal brand manager at Dechra, said: “Otitis externa in dogs is not a quick fix and to successfully treat a case several factors need to be considered.
"Most cases call for a thorough investigation of the primary causes, a correct diagnosis and treatment of potential secondary dysbiosis, handling of perpetuating factors and constructing a long-term plan that ensures owner compliance and reduces the risk of recurrent problems.
“Our extensive new range of Lifelong Ear Partnership resources will ensure that vets can refresh their knowledge on otitis externa and educate clients on all aspects of the condition within a limited consult time.”
www.dechra.co.uk/otitis-externa.
Scientists from the Animal Health Trust, The Roslin Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh have launched a study which aims to create a diagnostic test that will allow breeders to assess genetic risk for hip and elbow dysplasia in their dogs.
Dr Sarah Blott, from the Animal Health Trust, said: "Currently the screening process for hip and elbow dysplasia is costly and requires dogs to undergo general anaesthetic so they can be x-rayed.
"Through our study we hope to create a non-invasive DNA-based test that will allow breeders to test much earlier than is currently possible and without the use of GA."
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the UK and worldwide. There were more than 40,000 puppies registered with The Kennel Club in 2010. The development of a DNA test will benefit dogs around the world by enabling breeders to make more informed breeding choices.
According to the Animal Health Trust, the introduction of a DNA test to identify genetic risk of hip and elbow dysplasia will:
Dr Pam Wiener, from The Roslin Institute, said: "We're very grateful to the BBSRC for funding this study. If we are able to gather enough information and samples there is a very real possibility that in the next few years we will be able to develop a DNA test that will make a major contribution towards eradicating hip and elbow dysplasia in Labrador Retrievers.
"It is also likely that we will be able to use what we learn from the Labrador Retriever study to benefit dogs of other breeds and to prevent other diseases."
To collect information for the study a simple questionnaire is being sent, through The Kennel Club, to owners of Kennel Club registered Hip Scored Labrador Retrievers who were born between 2004 and 2007. The study group is hoping to obtain questionnaires and samples from at least 2,000 Labrador Retrievers.
If you have a Kennel Club registered Hip Scored Labrador Retriever aged between four and seven years old and would like to participate in the study, please visit the AHT website (www.aht.org.uk/labrador.html) or email melissa.fitzgibbon@aht.org.uk
Once questionnaires have been received, the AHT will send each participant a DNA sampling kit to enable owners to provide a DNA sample from their dog through a simple mouth swab. Owners providing the first 1,500 analysed DNA samples will receive a free genetic profile for hip and elbow dysplasia on their dog.
Intervet/Schering-Plough has announced that the license for Leptavoid-H has been improved allowing concurrent use with Bovilis BVD.
Intervet/Schering Plough says that given both vaccines are typically administered in the busy pre-turnout period, this will ease on-farm workload and should help to ensure that all primary courses or boosters take place sufficiently in advance of the period of risk.
Each vaccine is to be given by separate routes and sites, to animals of 8 months or older. The concurrent use in cattle may result in fewer animal interventions, less stress and better welfare.
The studies, undertaken by Intervet/Schering Plough's R&D division in the UK, focussed on both the safety and efficacy aspects of the concurrent administration of Leptavoid-H with Bovilis BVD. The company says no systemic adverse events occurred, there was no effect on the outcome of pregnancy or milk yields and the efficacy in cattle was not compromised.
Leptavoid-H is licensed to reduce the shedding of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in urine. Leptavoid-H is the only Leptospirosis vaccine licensed to improve herd fertility when Leptospira hardjo is the cause of herd infertility, and the only vaccine proven to protect stock against both strains in the UK.
The publicly supported Dog Control Bill moves a step closer towards changing dangerous dog legislation for good as it reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords today.
Over 10,000 people signed up to support it and animal welfare organisations and charities throughout the UK are backing it; Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill would replace the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), by targeting the inappropriate behaviour of any dog, and more importantly the owners of such dogs, to reduce the occurrence of serious dog incidents, rather than continuing to demonise specific breeds or types.
The Bill is championed by the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), a wide-ranging group representing animal welfare, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations who have been actively involved in resolving the inadequacies of the current 'dangerous dog' legislation for many years.
The DDASG considers that the Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be overhauled to better protect the public and that a new dog control regime which emphasises responsible dog ownership should be introduced.
DDASG Chairman Chris Laurence said: "We have had considerable input into the Dog Control Bill and are confident that the Bill takes huge steps towards changing the manner in which owners of dogs that are out of control will be dealt with; the emphasis being on the prevention of dog bites."
The Report Stage of the Dog Control Bill is listed as the first item of business in the House of Lords on this morning and comes as Defra's public consultation on dangerous dogs shows further support for this approach with 71% of respondents calling for breed specific legislation to be repealed.
In support of the Bill, the DDASG launched a petition which has received over 10,000 signatures. The petition can be found at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/repeal-and-replace-the-dangerous-dogs-act.html. The DDASG has also been working with other major stakeholders including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and will be issuing a joint briefing to government tomorrow, entitled 'Finding solutions to irresponsible dog ownership' which outlines where urgent action must be taken in existing dog legislation to improve huge inadequacies within the law.
Subject to the Bill passing the Report Stage, the Third Reading will take place after summer recess before moving to the House of Commons for further consideration. For more information on the DDASG, Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill and current legislation, visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/928.
Medivet has announced that the Pilgrims Veterinary Clinics based in Dartford and West Kingsdown have become the 100th and 101st practices to join the Medivet Veterinary Partnership
Arnold Levy, Managing Director of Medivet said: "We are delighted to welcome the Pilgrims group. Medivet was founded in 1986, and we have been growing steadily ever since. Our model is based on acquisition or partnership with existing practices. That means we are still entirely vet owned and vet managed - and I strongly believe this traditional partnership model is the reason for our success."
He added: "We invest alongside our partner practices. We share the cost of investment for new equipment, and we share the profits. This has been a consistently successful approach for us. It's given our group the resilience to thrive whatever the competition, or the state of the economy."
The report says the greatest threat to farm animal welfare standards post-Brexit would come from UK farmers competing against cheap, imported food from countries that produce to lower standards than the UK. Therefore, the Government's wish for the UK to become a global leader in free trade is not necessarily compatible with its desire to maintain high animal welfare standards.
Noting the UK's overwhelming reliance on non-UK EU citizens to fill crucial official veterinary positions in the UK, the Committee called on the Government to ensure that the industry is able to retain or recruit qualified staff to fill these roles post-Brexit.
Responding to the report, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The report offers strong leadership and a clear message, emphasising the consumer and cross-sector consensus that current animal health and welfare standards must be at least maintained in Brexit negotiations. Prioritising these standards in trade negotiations could guarantee a unique selling point for the UK. As the report recommends, as consumers we must make sure we do not compromise quality for cost-savings in order to avoid a race to the bottom for welfare standards. We now need clarity from the Government on how underpinning processes and overarching principles, like Article 13 which ensures animal welfare requirements are fully considered in policy-setting, will be incorporated into domestic law.
"The report supports our view that animal welfare should be considered a public good and we reiterate our calls following the Secretary of State’s recent speech that a replacement CAP scheme should encompass animal welfare, animal health, disease surveillance, biodiversity and environmental stewardship to benefit not only UK producers, but consumers and wider society too.
"The EU Committee’s recognition of the vital role vets play in animal health, welfare and public health is extremely encouraging. Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in abattoirs protect and reassure UK consumers, certifying and supervising the import and export of animals and animal products to third countries. As I outlined in my evidence to the Committee, some estimates suggest 95% of OVs working in UK abattoirs graduated overseas, mostly in the EU. However, we are already hearing of fewer applicants for veterinary public health roles since the referendum.
"There are significant concerns about the potential impact of a post-Brexit veterinary workforce shortage on the UK's £100 billion agri-food sector, in terms of risking business and consumer confidence as well as the UK’s future export capability. A strong, sustainable veterinary workforce is absolutely vital to safeguarding animal health, welfare and public health post Brexit."
Running from 14th-23rd July, the interactive webinars will be delivered in 5 half-day sessions, led by UK pet food consultants, scientists, and vets.
The course includes:
Sarah Hormozi, PFMA Head of Science & Education, said: "With some of the most credible industry experts as our speakers, this is a rare opportunity for pet professionals across the UK and EU to improve and refresh their knowledge of animal nutrition, pet food legislation, marketing regulations and manufacturing methods, from the comfort of their own home or office!”
For the full programme, list of speakers, registration details and prices, visit www.pfma.org.uk/pfma-training-webinar-series.
The sessions will allow members of the profession to find out about upcoming College projects and put questions to the RCVS Officer Team, RCVS Council members and senior staff, in a friendly, informal atmosphere.
The first event is taking place at the Hilton Glasgow on William Street at 6:30pm, where there'll be supper and drinks before the main event at 7:30pm, when RCVS President Melissa Donald, RCVS Treasurer Niall Connell, RCVS Senior Vice-President Kate Richards, Junior Vice-President Sue Paterson, VN Council Chair Matthew Rendle, RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson and RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett will update everyone on College activities and take questions.
The College says that the topics for discussion will be up to the audience but are likely to include workforce issues, the review of RCVS guidance on under care, proposals for legislative reform, VetGDP and the future of extra-mural studies.
Melissa said: “In my opening speech as RCVS President I said that one of the key missions of my presidential year was to talk – and especially listen – to as many members of the professions as I possibly can.
“Relaunching our question time programme after a hiatus will give me the opportunity to do exactly this, as well as giving members of the professions that all-important opportunity to put their questions and concerns directly to us.
"We might not be able to address every problem, but these events give an excellent opportunity for vets and nurses to raise issues, forge connections with their peers and work together to find solutions.
“I hope that many of you will be able to come to our first in-person event in Glasgow but we will also be holding these question times virtually in the future for those people who may struggle to make it to these evening events.
"Rest assured – if you want to be heard, we will find a way to listen.”
The next in-person event is due to take place in Nottingham in January 2023 while the first virtual question time will take place in November 2022.
To register for the Glasgow event visit: tinyurl.com/22pem3d6
The guide, which was first published in 2020, is designed to help veterinary professionals give pet owners sound, independent advice about what to feed their animals.
The guide originally launched with factsheets for both veterinary professionals and pet owners about commercially manufactured, grain-free, raw and home-prepared cooked diets.
The new factsheets cover:
The new factsheets build on considerations for feeding healthy dogs and cats by providing information on the formulation of diet types for pets under veterinary care and those with even more specific nutritional requirements.
The new BSAVA Guide to Nutrition cost £40, reduced to £26 for BSAVA members from: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/
According to the company, participating practices more than doubled the number of blood pressure checks they conducted, within 12 months.
The CVS’ clinical improvement project initially looked at how effective its first opinion small animal practices were in screening older cats for hypertension.
In line with the veterinary industry norm, it found that less than two per cent of cats over the age of seven were receiving an annual blood pressure check.
This initial research also found that the common barriers to conducting blood pressure checks by vets and veterinary nurses in practice were due to time constraints, availability of equipment and simply remembering to discuss blood pressure checks with owners.
Each CVS site chose two people to lead the initiative at their site, to aid communication and delivery.
A document was created to help, providing background, aims, summary of resources and planning sections.
Contributory factors preventing delivery of blood pressure checks were outlined and practices were encouraged to identify additional barriers and resources needed.
A suite of resources were then produced to support the practice team - from reception to veterinary surgeons - in improving annual blood pressure check rates.
The resources included new clinical frameworks and veterinary guidelines on how to treat hypertension; in-practice educational resources to highlight the benefits of hypertension screening and information sheets and blood pressure diaries to help clients manage their pets condition.
To upskill and develop colleagues in how to identify and treat hypertension and resulting conditions, a collection of training materials was created and training sessions held.
These included a series of webinars which explained why hypertension is important to identify, how to overcome common challenges encountered when looking for hypertension in cats, how to use the ophthalmic exam to help diagnose hypertension and how to treat hypertension.
Three in-person CPD days were hosted with the support from Ceva six months into the project where feline specialists Sarah Caney and Samantha Taylor shared the latest evidence base in this field and practices were encouraged to share barriers, queries and tips, so that ideas could be taken away to make blood pressure screening a simpler process in practice.
Practices were also encouraged to organise lunch and learn CPD sessions, to share best practice and generate discussion within their team.
In addition, a website was created to host all resources in one place, including webinars, clinical frameworks, client resources, a discussion forum and data.
An audit of each participating practice’s blood pressure check data was conducted at the start of the project.
Results were then shared with each participating practice every month - including the total number of blood pressure checks performed each month and the percentage of cats over the age of seven who had an annual blood pressure check.
Twelve months after its nation-wide launch, results reveal that the number of blood pressure checks have more than doubled (110%) within participating CVS practices and an additional 5,984 blood pressure checks have been performed year on year.
A number of practices were able to implement systems that allowed them to perform over 40 blood pressures each month.
The number of cats on amlodipine (the first choice medication to treat hypertension in cats) increased by 303 patients year-on-year, hinting many more cats had been diagnosed with hypertension.
Kate Allgood, Hub Clinical Lead at CVS who was responsible for the hypertension clinical improvement project, said: “There is a huge benefit in treating hypertension.
"No one wants to see a cat suddenly become blind due to hypertension that wasn’t recognised in time.
"So many associated longer-term feline complications and conditions can be avoided if annual blood pressure checks in cats over the age of seven are routinely performed.
"Increasing blood pressure screening is not a simple task though, and this focus has allowed space and time for practices to give this topic the recognition it deserves; to identify and implement systems that make it easier to identify patients at risk, discuss with clients and perform these checks with ease.
"We have created a robust clinical structure, produced some easily accessible materials and supported our practices to make small and simple changes that add up.
"Our practices have done an outstanding job at delivering this project to date and I look forward to seeing what can be achieved in the future. We strongly believe that this work will contribute towards providing some of the best clinical care for cats in the veterinary profession.”
Participating practices will learn about dental disease pathophysiology and diagnosis, gain insights in pet owner behaviour and learn how to increase client engagement while implementing a dental home care plan.
Animalcare has also made available free social media packs and waiting room materials to help educate clients on pet dental health.
Will Peel, Marketing Manager at Animalcare said: ‘We know that UK veterinary surgeons consider dental disorders to be one of the most important health related welfare issues currently affecting UK dogs.
"We’ve introduced our CPD sessions to help the entire veterinary team learn more about dental disease and to help them educate their clients about implementing an at home dental regime which works for them and their pets.'
To book your Lunch and Learn or request a social media pack and other materials, contact your local Animalcare territory manager or email animalcare@animalcare.co.uk.
Following the launch of Libromide, the only licensed formulation of potassium bromide in the UK for canine epilepsy, Genitrix has linked up with NationWide Veterinary Laboratories to offer a discounted blood test service to veterinary practices.
Genitrix says it is offering the discounted blood tests to help practices and encourage owners to test regularly, thus ensuring that the level of Libromide in dogs undergoing treatment remains within the recommended therapeutic range.
According to the company, factors which can cause the level to move out of therapeutic range include an increase in the chloride content of the diet or the administration of other drugs. Because Libromide takes a few weeks to reach a steady therapeutic state, testing at four, eight and twelve weeks is also recommended at the commencement of treatment to confirm that the rise to therapeutic level takes place.
To take advantage of the discount scheme, practices can download a test form from the Genitrix website (http://www.genitrix.co.uk/) or call its head office on 01403 786345. Copies are also available from wholesalers.
Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said: "Regular blood testing of epileptic dogs is an essential element of a successful treatment regime and is recommended by all canine epilepsy specialists. Unfortunately, feedback from practices suggests that owners are sometimes reluctant to comply with this advice and that the cost of testing is frequently an issue.
"We've launched the scheme to help practices increase compliance by making it significantly cheaper. Taking advantage of this scheme for blood testing is also convenient for practices now that the test forms can be downloaded as well as ordered by phone.
"Recent data suggests that canine epilepsy affects four in every hundred dogs making it a common disease affecting dogs in the UK. Following on from the launch of Libromide, we hope that the discounted blood test scheme will be another step forward in the move to improve treatment approaches for this distressing disease."
Merial Animal Health has announced that the duration of immunity for the tetanus component of Proteqflu-Te has been extended to 2 years.
Merial's Veterinary Technical Manager Kevin Whelan said: "This is a welcome new addition to the label claims for this advanced vaccine, which is the only equine flu vaccine in the UK to contain a recently updated influenza virus strain. The updated strain, innovative canarypox vector technology and now the extended tetanus duration of immunity claim make the vaccine an excellent choice for vets in the UK"
Merial says Proteqflu-Te can now be used on an alternate year basis in combination with the company's other flu vaccine, Proteqflu, which does not contain tetanus toxoid. The one year duration of immunity for the influenza component remains unchanged.
Please contact your local Merial Representative or the Merial Technical Support line on 0870 6000 123 for further information.
Ceva Animal Health has announced that it is now accepting nominations for its annual Animal Welfare Awards.
The awards recognise veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and charity professionals who go the extra mile to prevent and reduce welfare problems for animals.
If you think one of your colleagues, vet or nurse, should be recognised for their work improving animal welfare, you'll need to nominate them before the 15th February 2013 deadline.
The awards include:
Winners of all awards will have a choice of luxury prize - ranging from spa weekends, European city breaks, countryside retreats or an animal experience. All individuals who nominate will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win £250 of high street vouchers. Ginette Bryant from Ceva, said: "The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards are an opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals in the veterinary and animal charity industry. Our mission 'Together, beyond animal health', recognises that the health of animals, humans and the planet are inextricably linked, these awards are fitting way to work towards improving the health of all. "Whether it is improving animal welfare through client education in practice, championing good causes or helping specific cases, we know there are many people who share our ambitions in preventing and reducing companion animal welfare issues. It is these passionate individuals who are the unsung heroes of our industry and we're really excited to hear the inspiring stories from each nomination."
There are also three awards for people who work outside the veterinary or animal charity sector.
Nominations forms are available from www.ceva.com.
The deadline for entries is 15 February 2013.
For further details or additional nomination forms for your practice call Ceva on 01494 781 510 or email welfare.awards@ceva.com The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday 3 April 2013 during the BSAVA conference in Birmingham.
The National Office of Animal Health has issued a statement criticising the All Party Parliamentary Group on Antibiotics report: "Non-human uses of antibiotics: time to restrict their use?”, saying it fails to recognise the steps that have already been taken by vets and farmers to prevent disease and minimise antibiotic use on farms where possible.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "NOAH fully supports the need for responsible prescribing, by both the veterinary and medical professions.
"On the veterinary side, NOAH has been very actively involved with responsible use initiatives, such as the RUMA Alliance, which publishes guidelines supporting responsible use and has produced an action plan on livestock antibiotic resistance to implement Government strategy.“
NOAH highlights two particular aspects of the report. Firstly that it is critical of the treatment of groups of animals through medicated feed and water.
Dawn said: "There are many animal-friendly reasons why medicines can be prescribed in this way by a veterinary surgeon.
"For groups of animals, fish or birds there is less stress than injection or individual oral dosing. Where treatment is needed, the vet supplies a prescription for treatment through medicated feed or through the water, depending on the product being used. The whole process is highly regulated through European and national legislation."
The report also suggests certain classes of antibiotics should be reserved for humans. NOAH says it believes that veterinary surgeons need to retain the full range of currently licensed antibiotics in order to be able to treat the range of conditions that affect animals, and if they are restricted, animal welfare will undoubtedly suffer.
NOAH adds that removal of some classes from the veterinary sector would place undue selective pressure on the remaining classes which could increase resistance to those classes – having the opposite effect to what the committee probably intends.
Dawn said: “NOAH is disappointed not to have been consulted in advance of the publication of the report. We believe that responsible use of veterinary antibiotics is the best way to help preserve these precious medicines for us all, without compromising the health and welfare of our animals.”
With recruitment and retention issues in many sectors of the profession, the Association says flexible working might improve job satisfaction and therefore retention.
Other statistics from the survey showed that whilst levels of flexible working have risen from 44% in 2019 to 50% in 2021, 36% of those who already work flexibly 36% would like more flexibility.
The most common reasons vets gave for wanting to work more flexibly were: to allow more time for leisure activities (56%), lifestyle needs (50%), caregiving responsibilities (28%), health reasons (28%), for professional development (22%) and for voluntary work (16%).
The type of flexibility vets were hoping to achieve also varied. Working part time was the most common type of flexible working sought (31%), followed by homeworking (16%), flexitime (13%) and compressed hours (5%).
As part of its campaign, the BVA has launched "Flexible working: Embracing flexibility in the veterinary profession", a booklet which includes facts, figures and case studies to help demonstrate how flexible working can benefit both employers and employees in a range of different veterinary teams.
The booklet also offers tips and advice on tackling some of the challenges that can arise when introducing increased flexibility into a clinical workplace.
BVA Junior Vice President Malcolm Morley said: “The statistics clearly show that there is a huge appetite for more flexibility in working hours, particularly in clinical practice, where employers have previously been quite hesitant to explore this option.
"We understand that there are potential challenges to allowing more flexibility but we’re hoping to demonstrate that these are not insurmountable.
“It’s vital that the profession recognises that inflexible working patterns contribute to poor retention—recognition is the first stage in finding a solution.
"Embracing developments in flexible working could increase job satisfaction for many team members and ultimately improve retention.”
Malcolm added: “The profession continues to face serious staffing shortages and we understand that the increased pressures on vet teams may make some employers anxious about introducing flexible working at a time when they are already struggling to cover shifts.
"However, the solution does not lie with vet teams working increasingly longer hours; a successful solution will need team members to be involved in supporting each other’s working patterns.
"Promoting a better balance between home and work could be key to supporting many staff who are currently unsure about remaining in the profession or returning to work."
www.bva.co.uk/flexible-working
The centre, which is one of the largest animal hospitals in the UK, offers 14 specialist-led services.
Hospital director Daniel Hogan said: “The new hospital will provide the region with one of the largest and best-equipped veterinary centres in not only the UK, but also throughout Europe, with an extensive range of expertise in a wide variety of disciplines all under one roof.
“There will be seven operating theatres, 16 consultation rooms, recovery suites, lecture halls, a dedicated ICU department and there are plans for a future hydrotherapy suite.
“The facilities also include a cutting-edge imaging suite, comprehensive treatment facilities and a new linear accelerator to assist our illustrious oncology team.
"We also plan to launch our emergency and critical care service in the first half of 2023.”
Southfields says it also aims to lead the industry in terms of staff wellbeing and sustainability.
Daniel said: “The increased size of the hospital will enable us to provide a dedicated staff wellbeing area and offer a range of activities which will benefit our team in both body and mind.
“Along with exercise and relaxation classes such as yoga and boxercise, we will have an education centre which will be able to offer some really exciting qualifications and courses for the wider profession.
“We’ll also be striving to care for both our community by working with Investors in the Environment (iiE) to introduce a bold green initiative to substantially reduce our environmental impact and enhance our sustainability.
https://southfields.co.uk/veterinary-professionals/new-hospital
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded a veterinary surgeon for submitting a certificate of Clinical Inspection for Veterinary Inspectors ("TB52") for tuberculin tests he had undertaken on cattle, despite knowing that he had not fully complied with the standard operating procedures (SOP) for these tests.
At the outset of the three-day hearing, John Wilson admitted that, when acting as an Official Veterinarian (OV) he had not carried out tuberculin tests on cattle at a Wiltshire farm on 19 May 2011 strictly in accordance with the SOP required by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), an executive agency of Defra.
The admitted shortcomings were that on 19 May, the second day of testing, Mr Wilson had failed to confirm the identity of all the animals, failed to inspect the animals digitally (ie using his hands) and had not measured the fold of skin at the injection site of all the animals. The College argued that this was contrary to the directions of the AHVLA and, in subsequently signing the TB52 certificate, he was either dishonest or should have known that the certification was incorrect. Mr Wilson admitted that he ought to have known the certification was incorrect but denied dishonesty, because he believed that he had conducted the test in a satisfactory manner and had correctly identified all the reactors in the herd.
Mr Wilson was a veterinary surgeon of over 40 years experience and unblemished record, and the Committee found his account of events to be accurate and honest. He said the farm involved was unprepared and test arrangements were chaotic, with poor handling facilities, and he would have been concerned for the safety of the animals and their handlers if he had complied fully with the SOP. He had advised the farmer to delay the test but his advice was rejected.
The Committee accepted that the testing had been carried out under exceptional and difficult circumstances. It noted that Mr Wilson had identified a reactor and taken appropriate actions, knowing that the outcome would be the quarantining of the whole herd. He had made no financial or other gain, other than the nominal fee charged for the work. Although failing to comply with the SOP fell short of what was expected of a veterinary surgeon, because of these circumstances, and as he had acted in what he considered to be the best interests of the animals and personnel, these actions did not amount to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee found that, even allowing for these difficulties and concerns, in signing the TB52 certificate a few days later, without any qualification, Mr Wilson ought to have known that it was incorrect, and his actions fell far short of the standards expected of the veterinary profession. They did not however find that he had been dishonest.
The Committee stressed the importance attached to accurate and reliable certification, in maintaining the confidence of the public and the profession, and in ensuring animal welfare.
Professor Lees, chairing and speaking on behalf of the committee said: "The Committee is aware, as confirmed by AHVLA, that this is a single, isolated event and the first offence in some 40 years of the Respondent working as a LVI [local veterinary inspector] or OV. After considering all the mitigating factors.and, given the exceptional circumstances of this specific case, the decision of the Committee is to reprimand Mr Wilson."
Pulborough-based Arun Veterinary Group has been awarded the title of Best UK Vets, having achieved the largest number of positive online reviews on www.vethelpdirect.com.
The awards are based on the number of positive reviews (4 stars and above) left by owners on the site over the course of the year, with owners asked to review the practice on five key areas: respect for my animal, professionalism, friendliness, cleanliness and value for money.
Comments attached to the 182 reviews for Arun included: "Nothing is too much trouble", "Fabulous vets" and "More like good friends."
Vet Help Direct said: "A good online reputation is so valuable to both local people looking for a service and to business owners. That's why online vet reviews are at the heart of our vet directories. Vet Help Direct is determined to provide a fair reflection of the vet practices in their online directories; all reviews are subject to rigorous tests of authenticity, all are checked for duplicate IP addresses, email addresses and some reviewers are asked to provide evidence that they are recent clients of the practice."
In second place was St Georges Veterinary Group, Wolverhampton, which is now up to 132 reviews and in third place was Goddard Veterinary Group, Gidea Park in London, with 122 reviews.
Public Health England (PHE) is urging veterinary surgeons, nurses, other healthcare professionals and the public to become Antibiotic Guardians by visiting antibioticguardian.com and pledging to make better use of antibiotics, to help make sure they work now and in the future.
The website first asks users to choose whether they would like to make a pledge as a member of the public or as a healthcare professional or leader.
Those who pledge as a Healthcare Professional > Veterinary Practitioner can select one of the following pledges:
Those who pledge as a member of the public can elect to do so as an adult, a family member, a pet owner or a farmer.
The available pledges change according to category and those who respond will be asked if PHE can follow-up to confirm they did keep their pledge.
The campaign forms part of activities that support European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD). Dr Diane Ashiru-Oredope, Lead for EAAD 2014 at Public Health England, said: "Everybody can help to tackle antibiotic resistance and we really urge people to help us do this. There is a lot to be done but we can start by making inroads into inappropriate prescribing.
"There are 2 elements to this. One is that we need patients to not always expect to receive an antibiotic for those self-limiting illnesses which are typically caused by viruses. This generally includes those where the symptoms include coughs, runny noses, muscle aches and fever. And the other is for GPs not to feel pressurised into prescribing antibiotics when they aren't really necessary.
"Community pharmacists and their teams also have a key role and should be seen as the first port of call for many winter illnesses caused by viruses. They can also help to manage patients' expectations by explaining the normal duration of these symptoms, what warning signs to look out for and providing effective over the counter treatments that will help relieve the symptoms.
Nicholas Brown, President at the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), said: "Recently published research in BSAC's Journal, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, confirms that despite government recommendations to reduce prescribing for viral illnesses there are still many GPs who do this. Of course GPs don't want their patients to feel unwell but there are many medicines which are available over-the-counter which can really help to reduce symptoms and make people feel better.
"We want to encourage everyone to self-treat as much as possible when it is safe and appropriate to do so. By using antibiotics only when they are needed we can all help to make sure that we keep our antibiotics working for everyone in the future.
"Antibiotic resistance is one the biggest threats to public health and PHE is delivering 4 key aspects of the 5-year UK strategy to help combat antibiotic resistance. These are improving infection prevention and control practices to reduce the number of infections in patients; optimising prescribing practice, improving professional education, training and public engagement and enabling better access to and use of surveillance data."
Children learn lots of important lessons about life, sickness and death from animals and veterinary practitioners. There seems to be an important role here for the profession to educate adult animal owners why antibiotics need to be used carefully both in pets and in humans.
A new study1 lead by led by Dr Séverine Tasker at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences and published in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology (CVI), has shown that cats previously infected with the blood-borne bacteria M. haemofelis develop immunity from re-infection.
Haemoplasmas are a group of blood borne bacteria found in a wide range of mammals, including domestic and wild cats, and can cause severe anaemia. The findings of the new study have significantly advanced researchers' knowledge of immunity for these pathogens.
Information about the immune responses that occur in animals following haemoplasma infection is relatively unknown, largely due to the fact that researchers struggle to study these bacteria as they are unable to grow them in the laboratory. Antibiotics do not consistently clear infection and without correct treatment the anaemia can be fatal. Recently haemoplasma associated anaemia has been reported in a human too.
The aim of the study was to determine whether cats who had previously recovered from M. haemofelis infection were protected from re-infection. The researchers found that they were, representing a significant advancement in scientists' knowledge of immunity for haemoplasma infections.
The exact methods of protective immunity could not be clearly identified despite extensive investigations, but the study's results suggest that a vaccine, using a weakened form of the bacteria, may offer protection against haemoplasma infection.
Séverine said: "This is the first study to demonstrate protective immunity against M. haemofelis reinfection and it provides important information for a possible future haemoplasma vaccine.
"Our findings could help prevent the disease in cats and could also be of particular importance to farm animal species where haemoplasma infections can cause huge financial losses."
The study recommends future research should explore whether the bacterial animal infection could be transmitted to humans and how the immune system targets the pathogen.
Reference
The organisers have invited veterinary experts to share their knowledge and expertise in gastroscopy, sinoscopy and upper respiratory tract (URT) endoscopy, using cadaver heads and state of the art models, during daily practical sessions.
Practical sessions will guide delegates through the most commonly used equine endoscopy procedures, including how to perform gastroscopy, how to perform upper respiratory tract endoscopy and exploration of the guttural pouches and how to get the most out of sinoscopy.
Each session will include a review of the anatomy involved and helpful tips from experts Jonathan Anderson, Tim Barnett, Imogen Comyn, Ollie Crowe, Sarah Mack, Patrick Pollock, Alex Rafferty, Richard Reardon, Neil Townsend, Sophie Wilford and Tom Witte.
The gastroscopy practical will make use of a custom synthetic model of a horse’s oesophagus and stomach, uniquely developed by BEVA, Burtons and DeLegge Medical Design in the USA. The URT endoscopy practical will utilise cadaver heads on stands so delegates can look at laryngeal components, sinus drainage angle, ethmoids, guttural pouch ostia and can then scope/ pass foley catheters/chambers catheters in to guttural pouches. Pre-prepared cadaver heads will also be used for the sinoscopy practicals. Frontal sinus trephine holes will allow a scope to be inserted and one side will be broken through the maxillary septal (ventral conchal) bulla so delegates can compare the differences in anatomy.
At the end of each demonstration Burtons, who have sponsored the event and supplied the endoscopic equipment, will be providing advice on how to clean and maintain scopes properly.
Mark Bowen, President of BEVA, said: "BEVA is committed to providing innovative and practical CPD through its entire CPD programme, including congress and these practical sessions showcase the excellent and varied education provided to members. At a time when the RCVS are considering the value of certain types of CPD in improving professional competence, BEVA is committed to leading the field and challenging perceptions of what a modern conference can be."
The practical sessions will run on all three days of Congress on the balcony above the exhibition hall. Each session will comprise a demonstration and then three practical slots, each for a maximum of ten delegates. Places can be secured on a first come first served basis by signing up on the day.
Visit www.beva.org.uk to find out more and to sign up.
The service will be headed by José C. Almansa Ruiz DVM (Hons) MSc (Vet) MRCVS.
José qualified from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 2008, before completing an honours degree in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery while working in an after-hours veterinary emergency hospital in Madrid.
In 2009, he relocated to South Africa where he undertook an internship in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery at the academic hospital of the faculty of veterinary science of the University of Pretoria. In 2011, he relocated to the UK and, in 2012, began the European Veterinary Dental College diploma.
In 2015, he returned to South Africa, working in referral hospitals, before being appointed as an extraordinary lecturer in veterinary dentistry and maxillofacial surgery at the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria in January 2018.
This summer, José will sit the exams to become a European Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry.
Tim Richardson, managing director of both Southfields and Davies, said: “We look forward to welcoming José to the teams at both Southfields and Davies. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge in his field and is a highly-respected clinician.
"The launch of dentistry and maxillofacial services at our multi-disciplinary referral centres is another exciting addition and we’re looking forward to accepting referrals from colleagues across the profession as we continue to lead the industry in the breadth of treatments that we can now offer.”
José said: “I’m delighted to be joining the teams at Southfields and Davies, and my plan is to establish and really grow a dentistry and maxillofacial surgery service over the coming 12 months.
“I would like to start offering reconstruction techniques for those patients undergoing mandibulectomies, while I have been hoping for some time now to begin using 3D printing as part of the planning for big surgeries.
“We will be offering a very complete and advanced veterinary dentistry service. From the maxillofacial surgery point of view, fracture repair procedures will see the introduction of non-invasive techniques for repair of maxillomandibular fractures.
“Craniofacial trauma cases will be worked up more in-depth together with anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging, ophthalmology, critical care and neurology, which will offer a truly multidisciplinary approach.”
For more information, visit www.southfields.co.uk or vetspecialists.co.uk.
Ian (pictured right) qualified from Glasgow University and has a master’s degree in veterinary parasitology. He is head of ESCCAP - the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) UK and Ireland, guideline director for ESCCAP Europe and editorial board member for Companion Animal. and VetCPD Journal. He is also a practising vet and co-owner of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire.
Lockdown has seen a rise in the numbers of dogs and cats in the UK, including imported pets. Horiba says some of these are coming in via the official route, which includes preventative measures to reduce health risks. However, many are moved outside of UK regulations and some will become ill in the days or even months after they arrive. Ian will explain how timely, accurate testing will help detect the threat to these animals.
Lisa Martin from Horiba said: "I hope that as many veterinary surgeons, nurses, students and support staff as possible will join us for our Educational Premiere! We are looking forward to this first webinar in our veterinary CPD series, with expert Ian Wright highlighting the best ways to keep pets and people safe. Join us on 1st July at 7.30pm to hear more and to ask Ian your questions on this very topical subject. Dress code: casual."
To register, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5429203015286962191
The new guidance replaces Chapter 25 of the Supporting Guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct.
Routine Veterinary Practice describes the procedures and techniques performed on animals by veterinary surgeons (or veterinary nurses under their direction) in the course of their professional duties, which ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to their care.
CVR is when routine procedures are undertaken for the benefit of the animal/s, with the concurrent intention to generate new knowledge that benefits animals, such as developing new procedures, improving a diagnosis, changing a routine procedure, or comparing existing procedures.
While the idea of CVR is not new, this is the first time that the RCVS has provided specific guidance on it.
The guidance also introduces an obligation, which comes into effect on 1st September, to obtain ethics review for all studies where one would be expected to obtain permission from the owner/keeper of an animal prior to being enrolled, or when consent is needed for use of previously collected samples or the use of data from an animal.
The newly drafted Chapter 25 gives extra guidance on the following areas:
Chair of the Standards Committee and incoming RCVS President, Dr Melissa Donald (pictured right), said: “We hope that the guidance will inspire confidence in our veterinary colleagues at all levels to undertake treatment routes which develop veterinary knowledge as a whole, while still being for the benefit of the animal being treated.”
For further information or advice on whether a proposed procedure would be covered by the guidance, contact the Standards and Advice team via advice@rcvs.org.uk.
The new guidance will be found on the RCVS website from the 1st July: www.rcvs.org.uk/recognised
For further information in relation to ethics review of proposed veterinary clinical research studies, contact the Secretary to the RCVS Ethics Review Panel via ethics@rcvs.org.uk or visit www.rcvs.org.uk/ethics