European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology Natalie Barnard MRCVS and Clinical Animal Behaviourist Dr. Emily Blackwell are calling on general practitioners to think more carefully about treating otitis externa to make it a positive experience for both dog and owner.

In a short video produced by Elanco Animal Health, Natalie highlighted how critical pet behaviour is to achieve a clinical cure: "Many of our cases that are referred for surgery are because the owner can’t apply treatment. However, we still treat the majority medically, alongside behavioural therapy.

"Prioritising your diagnostics in the consult, especially ear cytology, being able to identify subtle behavioural cues and potentially taking treatment back into the practice can all help achieve first-line treatment success."

Emily said: "Treatment doesn’t need to be merely 'tolerated'; it should be a positive experience. Just one bad experience can be hard to overcome so it’s important to get it right first time."

According to a survey commissioned by Elanco¹, 45% of owners struggle to administer ear medications at home. 55% of those said the dog finds it stressful, while 43% said their dog hides from treatment. 

Natalie said: "Owners often won’t admit that they struggle to apply ear treatments so it is up to us to ask the right questions and make them feel at ease in order to find out."

Emily added: "Owners often feel guilty and think they should be able to apply the treatment. We frequently underestimate how stressful this can be; having to apply treatment once a day to a painful dog is really difficult for any owner and can seriously affect the bond with their pet."

Natalie says treatment choices should be influenced by subtle behavioural cues in the consultation and in some cases veterinary surgeons should consider taking the burden of treatment away from the owner and into the practice in the first instance, to prevent negative experiences and unnecessary stress. She said: "We often find that applying a long-acting treatment in the consultation can make a big difference. It has less of an impact on the pet-owner bond and can help prevent behavioural issues that develop all too commonly."

Elanco highlights a recent clinical study² which looked at the impact of Osurnia on quality of life, which concluded that: "A veterinarian-administered otic gel provided equivalent efficacy and higher QoL to dogs with otitis externa and their owners, compared to an owner-administered topical otic therapy".

Natalie said: "It’s our responsibility to proactively prevent the negative association with ear handling, making ear treatment a positive and easy experience. By thinking more about how we handle our patients and what we’re dispensing, potentially using a product that can be applied in the practice and less frequently, we can make the whole experience a lot better for dogs and owners."

References

MSD Animal Health, the maker of Nobivac(r) Respira Bb, has launched a new risk assessment campaign for Contagious Canine Cough (CCC), to direct dog owners to ask their local vet for protection.

The company says that with an estimated 3.2 million UK households welcoming a new pet into their family home during lockdown¹, many experienced and new dog owners will be unaware of the risks to their dog of CCC when it socialises, hence the new risk assessment tool, which is available at: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/KBPH/contagious-canine-cough-risk-assessment. 

The risk assessment campaign will be supported with 'Does your dog ...' posters for vets, information and advice for dog owners on the website and a social media campaign encouraging dog owners to spread the information to other dog owners.

Carley Chutter, Nobivac(r) Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "With so many new dog owners now socialising more, taking their dogs on holiday and even considering taking their dogs into the office, protecting their dogs as they socialise is vital.

"Currently only an estimated 1 in 3 vaccinated dogs in the UK are also covered against Bordetella² so the 'Ask us to protect your dog' resources offers the chance for practices to start the conversation about protection with clients.

"A common barrier to vaccinating against CCC is the belief that it is only necessary for dogs going into kennels, rather than all social dogs. Most dogs meet others, however, while out walking, during training, or while attending the vets, CCC is infectious even at low levels. Indeed, dogs can be asymptomatic but infectious.

"So, improving protection levels against this disease which is distressing for both the owner and dog, is important in both reducing the risk of outbreaks and the need for antibiotic treatment."

Nobivac(r) Respira Bb injectable vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica, gives 12 months protection when used as a single-dose booster in dogs previously vaccinated with Nobivac(r) KC. Dogs not previously vaccinated against Bordetella bronchiseptica require two doses administered four weeks apart. Duration of immunity is 7 months after the primary course and 12 months after a booster with Nobivac(r) Respira Bb. It may also be given 12 months after a primary course in cases where the 7 months dose is missed.

To support the use of Nobivac(r) Respira Bb a range of tools are available to practices and further information can be found at www.nobivacrespiraBb.co.uk, or contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.

References

1. Pet Food Manufacturers' Association
2. Nobivac L4, Nobivac Lepto 2 & Nobivac KC, number of doses, Kynetec VetTrak Data (calendar year November 2020)

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced the replacement of its Bovilis^® IBR with Bovilis® IBR Marker Live vaccine, a move that brings the UK into line with the rest of Europe where marker vaccines are favoured.

Many EU member states, including Scandinavia and Austria are now declared IBR-free, and others (Germany and Hungary) operate national eradication programmes. Using a marker vaccine will help farmers wishing to export animals, or semen, or those working towards an eradication programme in their herds.

Recent bulk milk and blood screening via Intervet/Schering-Plough's complimentary BeefCheck and DairyCheck has revealed that 72% of herds tested were positive for IBR exposure. Given the latent nature of infection, and the rumbling losses associated with subclinical disease, it should come as no surprise that farmers are increasingly interested in controlling IBR. Studies have shown that IBR infection can result in a milk yield reduction of 173 litres per infected animal, or over £400 a year, for a 100-cow herd.

According to Intervet/Schering-Plough, Bovilis IBR Marker Live is Europe's leading IBR vaccine. It can be given intra-muscularly or intra-nasally to calves as young as two weeks old, as well as pregnant dams. It is also licensed to be given together with the pneumonia vaccine Bovilis^® Bovipast RSP. The primary course involves one dose in cattle over three months of age, with immunity in just four days from the intra-nasal method, and 14 days from injection. Stock need re-vaccination every six months.

The vaccine reduces the amount of virus excreted into the environment, so minimising the risk to stressed cattle which may have been brought into the herd, and be latently infected.  It also makes it an excellent choice for producers with breeding bulls, which should not be vaccinated. Bulls have to be kept naïve, however, the marker vaccine can be used on females in the herd to minimise virus circulation. This way the threat is minimised, and bulls can be kept infection free.

BCF has announced a number of special deals available on a variety of ultrasound and X-ray products.

With the launch of the new Mindray DP-50 ultrasound scanner, available exclusively from BCF, the company is offering a free trolley and a year's supply of gel.

If you buy a Carestream Vita CR X-ray system and generator from BCF, the company will update your X-ray protection with 3 gowns and 2 thyroid protectors (worth £600, €750) free.

Purchase an Easi-Scan with one battery, and you'll get a second battery and carry bag for free.

Buy an equine DR X-ray system and you'll receive £1,000 (€1,250) to spend on Podoblocks accessories.

Call +44 (0)1506 460 023 or visit www.bcftechnology.com for further information. Offers valid until 31^st June.

World Horse Welfare and Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations (FEEVA) have announced the publication of a new set of practical guidelines on assessing the fitness for transport of equidae (horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids).

The publication was produced by a collaboration of agri-food, transport, veterinary organisations and animal welfare groups supported by the European Commission. 

The guidelines are designed to set out clear and simple methods of assessing the fitness of equidae for transport to support a number of objectives including: helping maintain good health among animals and humans, reducing the risk of disease transmission and preventing animal suffering. The guidelines also support transporters in avoiding penalties, financial losses, and withdrawal of the transporter’s authorisation or driver’s certificate of competence.

The guidelines also offer a health and transport checklist and a quick reference guide to assess vital signs and health concerns.

Whilst the guidelines have been produced to protect animal welfare, they also aim to help protect the health and safety of anyone involved in the transport of equidae, supporting transport professionals in the enforcement and understanding of EU Regulation 1/2005 which states that 'No animal shall be transported unless it is fit for the intended journey'.

Andrea Gavinelli, Head of Unit for Official Controls and Eradication of Diseases in Animals, said: "These guidelines will be an essential resource for anyone involved in the transportation of horses, donkeys, mules or their hybrids and I am pleased that the Commission has been able to support their production and dissemination."

The guidelines also received recognition from Dr Bernard Vallat Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for 15 years before recently leaving the position. He said: "It is my pleasure to commend this visual guide to health conditions that may impact on the fitness of animals to travel. This clear and simple guide will help all those involved in animal transport to quickly and easily assess the situation and understand what course of action to take."

The guidelines are available by registering via FVE (Federation of Veterinarians of Europe) www.fve.org

Following a survey which indicates that veterinary surgeons are largely using unproven supplements to manage early-stage osteoarthritis, Hill's Pet Nutrition is calling upon vets to use evidence-based clinical nutrition to manage the condition.

The survey, which was carried out by independent market research firm Zyman Group, found that vets are more likely to give supplements than any other treatment in early stage osteoarthritis: 66% of cases receive supplements, 45% are given NSAIDs, and only 20% receive dietetic pet food.²

According to Hill's, its Prescription Diet j/d dry is clinically proven to improve mobility in osteoarthritic dogs in as little as 21 days; and 28 days in cats.^3,4 Furthermore, the clinical study assigned to j/d is classified as Grade 1 level evidence - the highest grade reflecting the validity of clinical evidence.  Another study has shown that Prescription Diet j/d also helps reduce NSAID dosage by up to 25 percent in dogs.⁵ This quality of evidence is, says Hill's, in contrast to many supplements.

John Innes, Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Liverpool, was involved in some of the early work on j/d: "Our results showed that the EPA in Hill's Prescription Diet j/d Canine pet food helped to reduce proteoglycan loss from cartilage. This would have beneficial effects in helping to preserve loss of cartilage. By preserving the cartilage, we can reduce pain in the long-term and ensure greater mobility for dogs with osteoarthritis."

Hill's has also announced that because a substantial majority of vets and nurses said that they felt that natural GACs have a positive effect in osteoarthritis¹, its Prescription Diet j/d dry has been enriched with glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate.

Hill's j/d programme is now backed with money off vouchers, to improve client acceptance of veterinary recommendation. Clients who register on the website http://www.hillspetmobility.co.uk/,or http://www.hillspetmobility.ie/, will receive  two £10 (or €10) money off e-coupons to use in clinic on their next purchases of j/d. They will also receive monthly e-mails containing information on how to take care of their pet with mobility problems, and help drive them back into the clinic for check-ups.

Veterinary surgeons who would like more information on the studies proving clinical efficacy, or score cards and trial guides for clients, should contact their Hill's Territory manager or call 0800 242438 or in ROI 1 800 626002. Clients can also fill in the scorecard online at www.hillspetmobility.co.uk  or http://www.hillspetmobility.ie/

References

1. Hill's data on file
2. Zyman group, Hill's funded brand equity research - mobility - Jan 2009
3. Fritsch D, Allen T A , Dodd C E, et al. Dose-titration effects of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids in osteoarthritic dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2010; 24:1020-1026.
4. Sparkes A, Allen T A, Fritsch D, and Hahn K A. Effective dietary management of spontaneous appendicular osteoarthritis in cats. Unpublished.
5. Fritsch D, Allen TA, Dodd C E, et al. A multicenter study of the effect of a therapeutic food supplemented with fish oil omega 3-fatty acids on the Carprofen dosage in dogs with osteoarthritis. J. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc.Vol 236, No. 5, March 1, 2010; 535-539.
6. Caterson B,Little C B, Cramp J et al. Eicosapentaeonate supplementation abrogates canine articular cartilage degradation in 'in vitro' explant culture systems, in Proceedings, Hill's European Symposium on Osteoarthritis and Joint Health 2005; 14-19.
7. Innes J, Gabriel N, Vaughan-Thomas A. Feline Arthritis: Changes in Articular Cartilage, Development of a Degradation Model, and Testing of Candidate Nutrients. In: Proceedings of Hill's Global Mobility Symposium Sunny Isles Beach,Florida, USA April23-25,2008:pp.24-28.
8. Frantz N. Effect of Prescription Diet j/d^TM Canine on clinical measures, cartilage biomarkers, and metaboloic changes in dogs with osteoarthritis. J. Vet. Int. Med. 2010; 24: 718 Abstract 156.
9. Hill's Data on File.

BVA President Gudrun Ravetz has argued that recognising and retaining the vital roles that vets play across animal health, animal welfare and public health is pivotal to securing successful outcomes from Brexit, in her speech at the BVA's annual London Dinner in Westminster last night.

She said: "The veterinary family – which is my focus as BVA President – is part of the international scientific community, and we are a diverse profession with far-reaching influence and impact in so many areas of political and public life ... A healthy veterinary workforce is vital for UK animal and human health."

With the residence or working rights of UK-based EU vets a 'top five' priority for the profession in forthcoming Brexit negotiations, Gudrun highlighted workforce issues: "The UK veterinary profession relies heavily on EU graduates, who have felt the impact of the EU referendum result since day one … In the meat hygiene sector alone, some estimates suggest 95% of veterinary surgeons graduated overseas.

"That’s why our first action after 23 June was to call on UK governments to protect the status of EU veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses currently living and working in the UK. It was encouraging to see some of these key priorities … make it into the Prime Minister’s list of negotiating priorities. But we have said from the outset that our members need certainty and reassurance, so we urge the Government to make that firm commitment now."

"We know vets remain nervous about the changes to come, with many of our members concerned about the threat Brexit poses for UK animal health and welfare … Yet we can also see the opportunities Brexit presents, and BVA is determined to work with the Government to seize these opportunities, where they exist, to improve standards."

Highlighting opportunities that Brexit could offer in terms of improving animal health and welfare, Gudrun suggested a tightening up of the Pet Travel Scheme to reduce the growing trend of illegal puppy imports and improvements for welfare at slaughter. She said:

"The Welfare at Time of Killing or WATOK Regulations for England … are a case in point about the welfare-mismatch that could occur between domestic standards and those of our trading partners under the new Brexit arrangements. By failing to bring in evidence-based parameters for all waterbath stunning of poultry, [the] legislation has rendered it impossible for Official Veterinarians to protect the welfare of all chickens at slaughter. The regulations are simply not for fit for purpose, and could call into question England’s claim as a leader in high animal welfare."

The BVA President then shared a highlight of an early meeting between BVA and the then new Defra Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom MP last July: "We were pleased to hear [the Defra Secretary of State’s] vision to make the unique selling points of 'UK PLC' high animal welfare and food safety standards. It's a commitment that BVA fully backs ... To ensure our high standards continue, it is essential that we maintain existing veterinary certification and controls to satisfy our own consumer demand for quality and safety. Official statistics put the value of UK livestock outputs at £13 billion and not a penny of that could be realised without veterinary input."

Gudrun concluded by saying: "We can only make a success of Brexit if we harness our veterinary resource in clinical practice, public health, government services, conservation, academia, research and industry. We are a small profession but our impact is significant."

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Lord Gardiner of Kimble responded, saying: "In my role at Defra I am continually reminded of the importance of the relationship between vets and government - most recently in tackling the outbreak of Avian Influenza in the UK. Your thoughts and ideas are invaluable as we manage the many opportunities and challenges posed by exiting the European Union, ensure the highest standards of animal welfare, protect the country from new animal disease threats, and attract the brightest and best into the profession.

"I look forward to continuing to work closely together as we push ahead with our plans to create a world leading food and farming industry based on high standards of animal health and welfare." 

To find out more about the BVA’s work on the UK’s exit from the EU, visit www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/future-of-the-profession/brexit/

Professor Sandy Trees has been invested as the new President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons during RCVS Day, held on 3rd July. 

Sandy is an Edinburgh graduate, qualifying from the Dick Vet in 1969. After graduation, he undertook a mixture of research posts at home and overseas, plus a spell in general practice, before completing his PhD in 1976, also at Edinburgh. He then spent some time in the animal health industry before moving into academia in the early 1980s, starting as a lecturer in veterinary parasitology in Liverpool University's Faculty of Veterinary Science, based in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He was awarded a personal chair in veterinary parasitology and became Head of the Parasite and Vector Biology Division in 1994. Sandy held the post of Dean of Faculty from 2001 until 2008, and still teaches BVSc, MSc and PhD students.

Sandy's broad veterinary political experience includes spells on the BVA's Veterinary Policy Group and Education Group, President of the Association of Veterinary Teachers and Research Workers, Vice-President of the European College of Veterinary Parasitology and Chairman of the Heads of Veterinary Schools. Serving on RCVS Council since 2000 as one of the Liverpool veterinary faculty's appointed members, Sandy has been a member of the Education Policy and Specialisation, Planning and Resources, and Preliminary Investigation Committees.

RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Jill Nute, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, Peter Jinman took up the role of Junior Vice-President, and Dr Jerry Davies was confirmed as Treasurer for another year.

Dr Bob Moore stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Jill Nute commenting that: "Bob has been an extremely valued member of the Officer Team and I would like to express my grateful thanks for the unstinting support he has given me during my term as President."

Retiring Council members included David Harding, Nigel Swayne and Brian Jennings, a Privy Council appointee.

As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Chris Tufnell and Chris Gray were welcomed. It was also announced that Professor Stephen May had been appointed for a further year by the Royal Veterinary College, Professor Stuart Reid had been appointed for a further four-year term by the University of Glasgow, and likewise Caroline Freedman by the University of Edinburgh. Dr Frank Taylor, whose role as Head of Bristol Veterinary School is due to conclude at the end of the month, will stay on Council until a successor is appointed.

The President then made her outgoing address, in which she described how she had been keen during her presidential year to ensure that the College is "open, approachable, accountable and transparent," citing the work of the Corporate Governance Group as a good example of activities to this end: "Under the guidance of Sir Anthony Holland, Chairman of the Group, we have robust procedures in place for managing conflicts of interest and have put in place arrangements to keep corporate governance under regular review," she said.

Discussing the activities of the College during the year, she made mention of work with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to produce the Register of Veterinary Practice Premises and with the Office of Fair Trading regarding monitoring the reintroduction of prescription charges. She also touched on the review of the Practice Standards Scheme and the work of the 24/7 Working Party. She conceded that the College faced a challenge with regards to out-of-hours cover, which the majority of vets questioned in a recent survey would like to maintain: "The question is, how can this be achieved within the law [Working Time Regulations] and without a hike in charges that might, perversely, have a negative effect on animal welfare by reducing take-up of veterinary services?" she asked.

Finally, Jill paid tribute to the hard work of College and Trust staff, Council members and her fellow Officers: "One thing you learn as President is that you are just part of the bigger picture and things can only be achieved with the support and collaboration of those across the profession."

Incoming President Sandy Trees described Jill Nute as having "presided over the College with utter fairness and even handedness, working incredibly hard for the interests of the College and its members, certainly delivering on your aim for openness and accessibility". He looked forward to his own presidency with "honour, excitement and trepidation".

A new programme to help reduce the stress of pets suffering a reaction to sudden loud noises such as fireworks and thunderstorms, has been launched by the makers of Zylkène.

Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health, which manufactures Zylkène, a product to help manage stress in dogs and cats, has developed the programme in association with animal behaviour experts at Bristol University.

The Zylkène Sound Desensitisation Programme, to be used in conjunction with Zylkène, features sound tracks, advice, written and verbal instructions and a practice track designed to help pet owners find a long-term solution to a common and distressing problem. The CD features fireworks, thunder and lightening and gunshots sounds and includes component sound tracks to avoid overwhelming very sensitive pets.

One CD will be given away free of charge with every box of Zylkène purchased between 1 September and 30 November, while stocks last.

The Zylkène Sound Desensitisation Programme complements an educational waiting room display and owner information sheets which provide owners with practical advice and techniques to help pets cope throughout the firework season.

Melanie Dass, product manager at Intervet /Schering-Plough Animal Health, said: "The sad fact is that just under half the UK dog population reacts to sudden loud noises, as do many cats. Stress caused by unexpected sounds manifests in many ways from hiding, house soiling or attempts to escape.

"Unfortunately, if this problem is not correctly managed, firework-related stress reactions can become progressively more severe and can extend to other sounds such as thunder and even everyday noises such as car doors being slammed. Desensitisation is a proven method of changing a pet's response to sudden loud noises. This new Zylkène Sound Desensitisation Programme means we can now offer pet owners short and long term problems to a common and distressing problem."

Fashion website Lyst caused a bit of a storm amongst pet lovers on the twitosphere this week after announcing the 'launch' of The Canine Collection, a range of puppies sold as accessories to the company's range of fashion clothing.

The Canine Collection was described as comprising 33 different dog breeds, 'from petite XS puppies to oversized companions, in a choice of six wearable colourways'. Visitors to the site were invited to: 'Find the right dog to match your wardrobe from our curated selection of breeds that are as stylish as they are lovable'.

Whilst the launch was obviously a PR stunt (after selecting what size you wanted your new dog in, pressing 'buy' just sent an email), some people were obviously taken in, branding the collection 'DISGUSTING', 'despicable' and 'sick' on Twitter.

Later in the day, the RSPCA stepped in, telling the MirrorOnline: "Whether this is real or just a publicity stunt by Lyst, it sends out an extremely worrying message to people who are looking to get a new canine companion… We have tried to make contact with Lyst to discuss with them the implications a stunt like this might have."

Lyst's website has now been updated with the message: "Of course you can't buy puppies and dogs here, we sell clothes not canines. But unfortunately, thousands of puppies and dogs are bought and abandoned every year. According to Blue Cross, the number of small "handbag" dogs and puppies needing to be re-homed has increased by 120% in the last five years, with "fashionable" toy dog breeds in particular being given up in record numbers. A dog is for life, not just for Instagram."

Whether that was added hastily in response to the reaction, or planned all along, is unclear. Either way, Lyst points out that the number of people talking about puppy farming on Twitter last week was 158, compared to 10,000+ pet owners expressing outrage at the idea of puppies as fashion accessories in just 2 days. So perhaps some good has come of it all.

A world-first clinical audit which looked at the outcomes of minimally-invasive surgical procedures in dogs, published in The Journal of Veterinary Cardiology, has concluded that the process of performing a clinical audit in veterinary clinical interventions across different centres is achievable.

The audit¹ was led by Paragon Veterinary Referrals’ head of cardiology, Chris Linney (pictured), to review treatment for patent ductus arteriosus. 

He set up the study whilst working at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, and the other centres collaborating on the study were Anicura Oslo Animal Hospital, Heart Vets; Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, University Hospital of Companion Animals, Copenhagen and Veterinary Cardiology Consultancy.

Other clinicians taking part included Brigite Pedro, Mike Martin and João Neves, formerly of Willows, along with Jo Harris and Dave Dickson, of HeartVets.

Chris, an RCVS and EBVS specialist in cardiology, said: “This published multicentre prospective clinical audit was a first of its kind in the cardiology world. 

“This type of audit acts as a quality control to improve patient outcomes through systematic review of care, comparing to predefined criteria and then implementing change, and so the process repeats.

“Improving patient outcomes and benchmarking against existing standards is essential for elevating patient outcomes.

In the centres in this study, we are already delivering excellent patient outcomes but with room for improvements, however small, this audit will help future patients but also colleagues across the cardiology world.”

Reference

1. Martin M, Pedro B, Dickson D, Neves J, Harris J, Martinez-Pereira Y, Oliveira MI, Willesen JL, Vatne L, Culshaw GJ, Linney C. Outcome clinical audit: Analyses of interventional closure of patent ductus arteriosus in dogs. J Vet Cardiol. 2022 Jul 5;43:27-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jvc.2022.06.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35947914. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35947914/ 

Norbrook Laboratories has launched NoroQuin, a nutritional glucosamine-based supplement which the company claims will help maintain healthy cartilage and joint fluids in cats, dogs and horses.

The NoroQuin range has six active ingredients including glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, manganese sulphate, zinc sulphate, absorbic acid and N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine which combine to maintain glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) levels in joints and, according to Norbrook, ease and reduce the onset of joint damage and cartilage degeneration.

Michelle Jones, Norbrook Brand Manager, said: "Our new NoroQuin range is an exciting new development to our joint-management range.

"NoroQuin offers more ingredients than the competition with 6 active ingredients working together to help improve mobility. The main ingredient, glucosamine stimulates natural repair and prevents cartilage degeneration and thinning while it is widely considered that glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate have anti-inflammatory properties, making Noroquin ideal for assisting with pain management. The addition of manganese sulphate helps stimulate natural cartilage repair."

NoroQuin is available in a range of meat flavoured tablet sizes that have been formulated to treat all dogs from growing puppies to the largest dogs. For cats, the range is available in a tablet form or as a powder which can be added to a cat's food.

NoroQuin for dogs and cats is available to order from wholesalers now.