The Farm Vet Champions initiative has been set up to build a supportive community of farm animal veterinary professionals to collaborate in championing good antibiotic principles.
Led by RCVS Knowledge and funded by the VMD, the project has brought together a number of UK veterinary and agriculture organisations to develop free learning materials for farm veterinary professionals.
The new online course covers:
A course offers a total of 20 hours of free on-demand CPD.
The second phase of the initiative, due to start development over Summer 2021, will provide online and in-person networking opportunities for Farm Vet Champions to learn from one another by sharing their experiences and working together towards the common goal of good antibiotic stewardship.
Chris Gush, Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge, said, “With antimicrobial resistance being one of the top 10 health threats facing our planet, we are delighted with the quality of the Farm Vet Champions course and we look forward to connecting with farm vets across the UK to tackle AMR. Farm Vet Champions is just the beginning of our work in antimicrobial prescribing, and we look forward to building on our resources that will benefit all animals, the public and society.”
Fiona Lovatt, Farm Vet Champions Clinical Lead, said, “I am incredibly proud of the Farm Vet Champions project and extremely grateful to every member of our steering group who have been instrumental in the creation of high-quality and engaging learning materials. I encourage all UK farm vets to sign up and join us on the journey to tackle AMR.”
Farm Vet Champions can be accessed for free at https://learn.rcvsknowledge.org/
Alison (pictured right) was nominated for making a significant difference to the lives of aquatic animals, for creating strong, positive relationships with clients, and for always making a difference through her work as a fish vet.
Kirsty has been nominated for excelling at her clinical work as a small animal vet, co-leading her practice’s environmental strategy and becoming a member of the Vets4Pets sustainability strategy steering group, on which she represents all practice colleagues across the group.
Hannah was nominated for her impressive surgical and clinical skills, enthusiasm and positive attitude.
BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “With over 100 nominations for this year’s Young Vet of the Year award, it was a tough job to select just three vets for our shortlist.
“These inspiring and dedicated finalists are a credit to the veterinary profession, and we know they have shining careers ahead of them. Congratulations to them all, this is a fantastic achievement, and they should be very proud.”
The winner of the award will receive a prize package which includes £1,000 prize money, a year of free BVA membership, a mentoring/engagement opportunity with Zoetis and career development opportunities.
The winner will be announced at the BVA’s Gala Dinner at London Vet Show on Thursday 17th November at Excel London.
Edited by Matthew Rendle and Jo Hinde-Megarity, the manual covers a wide range of species, including cats, dogs, exotic companion and zoo animals.
The book integrates ethics and theory with quantifiable measurement of welfare and evidence-based practical solutions.
It also takes into consideration the welfare of the veterinary team.
The BSAVA says that the book will be relevant to all veterinary professionals and animal carers, as well as those studying animal welfare and behaviour.
Dr Sean Wensley, Chair of the Animal Welfare Working Group, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, said: "implementing animal welfare policies and activities in a range of settings … can improve patient welfare, client satisfaction, staff morale, staff health and safety, and professional reputation.
"This valuable book will make a significant contribution to helping ensure all of these benefits are realised".
The BSAVA Manual of Practical Veterinary Welfare is available from the BSAVA store: https://bsavaportal.bsava.com/s/store#/store/browse/detail/a1B8d000000icQ9EAI (£90; £58.50 for BSAVA members).
The programme covers everything from diagnostic imaging and ophthalmic emergencies to using echocardiography to help with day-to-day decision-making in practice.
SCVS says the programme has been made possible by the addition of a new lecture theatre during SCVS’s recent expansion, which was supported by the hospital's owners IVC Evidensia.
Stephen Collins, SCVS Hospital Director and IVC Evidensia’s National Cardiology Lead, said: “We’re proud to announce one of the UK’s most comprehensive CPD programmes and share the vast knowledge that our specialist team has with the rest of the veterinary community.
“Our programme is packed full of informative and practical sessions that every vet can benefit from - whether that’s specialist skill development or improving everyday advice and practices in clinic.”
A full list of CPD events is available here: https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/events-and-cpd.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
Drontal has renewed sponsorship agreements with councils throughout the UK in a bid to further encourage pet owners to scoop their dogs' poop.
The support will see thousands of council dog bins featuring Drontal branding to promote best practice amongst dog owners and urge them to clean up after their pets.
Dan White, product manager for Drontal, said: "Through our dog bin sponsorship we are highlighting the importance of responsible pet ownership which includes preventing the spread of worm eggs in the environment by scooping poop."
According to Bayer, Drontal is the only wormer that kills every type of intestinal worm commonly found in UK dogs and cats.
For further information please contact your Bayer representative or log on to www.drontal.com.
The Royal Veterinary College has announced that it is to launch the Online Veterinary Anatomy Museum next Tuesday (20th November).
According to the College, the museum is one of the world's largest online veterinary anatomical resource collections. The College says it hopes the museum will support veterinary students in their studies and inspire learners everywhere to engage with animal anatomy and science in an interactive and informative way.
The Online Veterinary Museum will offer various resources including:
The RVC says that the project, which began in November 2011, is an example of exceptional collaboration within the higher education sector, both in the UK and overseas as well as between the public and private sectors. Led by a small team based at the RVC, the project involved all seven of the UK's vet schools as well as international institutions, educational trusts, commercial publishers and web developers. Student Curators were recruited from the partner institutions involved, enabling students to develop new skills and, of course, contribute to this fantastic resource.
Project Director Nick Short said: "The teaching of anatomy forms a core part of the veterinary curriculum in every veterinary school in the world. With digital media increasingly used to enrich and support conventional lectures it therefore makes sense to share what we have to provide students with the best possible support for their studies.
"More than that the online museum will help to bring the world of veterinary anatomy alive not just for veterinary students but also for anybody with an interest in knowing more about animal's structure and function. OVAM provides access to some of the most amazing virtual resources contributed from all over the world. Here you can explore the 3D anatomy of a horse's foot from London, view beautiful animations of the abdomen of a pig from Spain or watch a selection of lectures from India!"
The resource will be live from the 20th November 2012: www.onlineveterinaryanatomy.net.
Eukanuba's Longevity Council has published a new video in which the panel of experts offer their thoughts about how veterinary surgeons can educate clients about helping their pets grow old gracefully.
The video includes contributions from the following council members, discussing things like preventative medicine and the importance of good diet/body weight and exercise:
watch?v=JRjCWhnGaGY
Ceva says the new service is designed to help veterinary surgeons improve their consultations and client compliance with:
The site includes a considerable amount of video content, including talks by Cardio Academy's international experts, advice and demonstrations of blood pressure measurement, and training in radiography and echocardiography procedures and interpretation. The videos are supplemented with a number of reference publications to support and assist veterinary surgeons in everyday clinical and diagnostic procedures in the areas of cardiology, nephrology and hypertension. There are also interactive tools to help in the selection of treatments according to the stage of the disease or clinical objectives.
There are a number of communication tools which can be used during a consultation to support the veterinary surgeon's advice, manage client expectations and improve adherence to their recommendations. They can also be e-mailed to the pet owner so they can share the assessment with other family members.
An instant fitness test and an application for measuring resting respiratory rate allows owners to actively participate in the medical assessment of their pets and become more involved.
Finally, in order to maintain contact with pet owners between follow-up visits, the site offers several customisable clinical fact sheets and template newsletters containing content such as seasonal advice for a pet that has a heart condition.
For further information, contact your local Ceva account manager or visit www.vetintermed.ceva.com
Inocul8 and the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), have launched vetvac.org a free new online database of information about livestock and poultry vaccines.
Currently the Vetvac database contains information on nearly 2,000 livestock vaccine products produced by more than 95 manufacturers. This included cattle, sheep, goat, pig and poultry vaccines available in the UK, Australia, Africa, India, South America and the United States. It is being expanded and updated on a continuous basis, and aims to cover all markets, providing the most complete compendium of licensed livestock vaccine products available worldwide.
The database developers say that they hope Vetvac.org will be especially useful to vaccine manufacturers and developers, and animal health professionals and livestock keepers.
Josef Geoola, Vetvac's co-founder, said: "Although there are a number of on-line databases and websites that focus on livestock vaccines, none provide the global coverage that Vetvac.org aims to achieve - our product will be unique."
Six individuals have been announced as the winners of the second annual Ceva Animal Welfare Awards, honoured for their contributions to the prevention and reduction of animal welfare problems in the UK and abroad.
All winners were originally nominated by friends, colleagues or family. The judging panel consisted of panel chairman and veterinary surgeon Chris Laurence MBE, Ross Tiffin of the International Cat Care (formerly the Feline Advisory Bureau), Dennis Baker, OBE, Chief Executive at Wood Green, the Animal Charity and media vet, Joe Inglis. Marc Abraham also assisted in the Volunteer categories.
Dr. Pascal Raoul, Ceva's Head of Global Pharmaceuticals, said: "Ceva is delighted to host these Animal Welfare Awards as they help to highlight the incredible affection and care that people have for animals. With 6 billion people living in megacities in the future, companion animals will often be their major link to nature. The benefits that animals have on improving human health are well documented; in turn we all have a duty to protect them and this evening we have seen some of the best examples, from professionals, members of the public, young and old as to how that should be done."
Timothy Phillips, a Plymouth-based vet from the Elm Veterinary Group (above right), was awarded the Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award for his 15 years of charitable work in the Greek Islands with Friends of the Strays of Greece. Tim performs surgeries and other treatments, helping to establish a re-homing system, with dogs fully vaccinated and declared healthy by the vets before being flown out of Greece.
Veterinary Nurse Scott Parry of Bridge Veterinary Surgery was awarded Welfare Nurse of the Year for his work with the RSPCA's Brent Knoll Animal Centre. Scott has spent hours of his own time raising funds and helping with the rehabilitation of a number of traumatised dogs. He also recently assisted in an RSPCA visit to a travellers' camp to vaccinate more than 50 dogs following an outbreak of Parvo Virus on the site.
Other award winners included Logan McKerron, aged 6, who was awarded Young Person of the Year for his fundraising for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People; Kim Taylor, co-founder of the charity Animal Care Egypt, was awarded the Charity Professional of the Year accolade for her work setting up a large animal hospital helping more than 26,000 animals every year; Faye Stacey of People4Ponies in Devon was awarded the UK Volunteer of the Year Award for the large part she has played in stopping ear cutting, notching and tagging of equines in the UK; Jen White has been named International Volunteer of the Year for her work with the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.
Each week, the email will cover a different topic concerning either dairy, beef, sheep, pigs, poultry or gamebirds. The information, which is personalised with the practice details, can then be forwarded to clients who have an interest in that particular area, for example a resource on mastitis could be sent to dairy farmers and their staff.
Mike Howe, Veterinary Director at NADIS said: "We are confident that practices will recognise the value of the NADIS material and utilise this free service, as it will not only help to raise disease awareness, but will also assist vets in encouraging farmers to think about optimising their herd health. All NADIS materials promote veterinary health planning as the most effective way of preventing disease, and promote the vet’s role on the farm."
The resources also offer an opportunity for farmers and their staff to gain a City & Guilds unit of accreditation. A module can be completed by passing all the quizzes from each disease resource, providing an easy and flexible way for farmers and farm employees to gain recognised qualifications.
For more information, visit: www.nadis.org.uk.
Veterinary charity PetSavers has launched its annual photography competition, and is inviting vet practices to get involved.
PetSavers is asking veterinary practices to help promote the annual PetSavers photography competition by encouraging their clients to take part. This year's theme is 'Mischievous Pets', and the competition is free to enter, with a closing date for entries on the 31 January 2014.
PetSavers' studies have already contributed a better understanding of many common diseases such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis and heart disease to the profession. However, there is obviously a lot more work to be done. By promoting the photo competition, you will help PetSavers to tell its story and encourage more pet owners to support the kind of veterinary science that helps vets improve the health of the nation's pets.
You can help promote the competition by placing a poster on you practice notice board or downloading a digital copy and placing it on your social networking sites or practice newsletters.
To request a poster of for more information about how you can get involved with PetSavers visit www.petsavers.org.uk or email Emma - e.sansom@bsava.com. Of course - all vet and VN photographers can enter too.
Novartis Animal Health has assumed marketing responsibilities for the joint health supplement Dasuquin in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Dasuquin is a veterinary formulation developed to deliver advanced cartilage support in dogs. It contains a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulphate, avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), and tea polyphenols. Novartis says these compounds work synergistically to protect the cartilage, thereby playing an important role in supporting and maintaining joint health.
Novartis highlights a 2007 study which, according to the company, demonstrates that the combination of ASU, chondroitin sulphate, and glucosamine hydrochloride delivers incremental benefits compared to the combination of chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine hydrochloride alone.1
Dasuquin is available in flavoured chewable tablets in 80-count containers. Dasuquin is available in two strengths: small-to-medium dogs weighing between 5 and 25 kg and for large dogs weighing over 25 to 50 kg.
Gaynor Hillier, General Manager UK & Ireland Novartis Animal Health said: "This is a fitting addition to our overall orthopaedic health offering for vets and pet owners. Dasuquin brings vets and dog owners advanced joint health support with the next generation of the popular Cosequin family."
Dasuquin is available from Novartis Animal Health in the United Kingdom and Ireland from licensed veterinary wholesalers. For more information on Dasuquin, contact your Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager
Reference:
In the most recent Petplan Pet Census, an annual study of pet ownership in the UK, 97% of vets reported that a lack of funds had led to owners choosing euthanasia over treatment.
Whilst some cases are the result of one-off ‘emergency' treatment, manageable long-term conditions are often at the root of much unnecessary euthanasia because owners simply cannot afford the cost of ongoing treatment. Reported increases in pet obesity and diabetes, arthritis and behavioural problems have all been cited in the Pet Census as common causes of increased and ongoing vet bills.
Vets have been reporting a rise in diseases that are related to obesity in companion animals for some time and with the Petplan Pet Census panel of almost two hundred (198) UK veterinary practices reporting that more than one third (36%) of all dogs and one quarter (29%) of cats they treat are obese, the future for many pets looks bleak. More than half (53%) of vets say that cases of cat and dog diabetes are on the increase. Obesity is actually bucking the trend of more historically significant diseases, including kennel cough and feline leukaemia, which are either remaining static or decreasing.
The number of pets with behavioural problems is also on the rise, with more than half of vets (55%) reporting an increase and most (95%) practices offering support for these animals. Effective treatment is not a quick-fix solution and requires changes to the owner's lifestyle and lengthy work with experts in the field.
Petplan Vet of the Year, Brian Faulkner said: "I think it is a common misconception that the predicament forcing pet owners to euthanase their pet is the out-of-the-blue, one-off vet fees for emergencies. But in fact we are noticing that owners whose pets have on-going illnesses such as diabetes and even behavioural problems that are very manageable are being faced with the dreadful decision to have to euthanase than face the ongoing financial burden. It's even more devastating when the owners have actually taken out an insurance policy but the nature of the policy only covers treatment of any one condition for up to one year. I always advise people to make sure their policies do not cap the time period over which any one condition is covered to avoid this very problem as more comprehensive insurers are then unable to offer cover on a pre-existing condition."
Simon Wheeler, Head of Marketing at Petplan, said: "We receive over 8,700 claims per week and of the top ten claims, six could be recurrent manageable conditions, such as diabetes or arthritis - the very animals that are currently most at risk of being euthanased."
Research announced simultaneously by Sainsbury's Finance has reached similar conclusions. Sainsbury's found that:
Sainsbury's believes that there are two main reasons for this tragic problem: advances in veterinary care leading to increased costs, and the large number (55%) of pets that remain uninsured.
Ed's note: Isn't it time that pet insurance became compulsory?
Vet Futures, the joint initiative by the RCVS and BVA to stimulate debate about the future of the profession, has opened a new discussion exploring the issue of mental health problems.
The discussion has been opened by this month's Vet Futures guest blogger, Rosie Allister, Chair of the Vet Helpline and a Director of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.
Rosie, who is also a researcher at the University of Edinburgh specialising in veterinary wellbeing, writes that members of the profession should be more willing to open up about their own mental health problems and intervene by talking and listening to colleagues who may be suffering from mental ill-health. She said: "Looking to the future, we need to better understand who is most at risk, how to reach out to them, and how we can start to change our culture so that it is OK to ask for help."
Her blog also proposes that, due to the caring nature of the occupation and high client expectations, members of the profession routinely put work and animal welfare ahead of their own needs and that, in order for there to be wider cultural change, individuals need to change their own attitudes towards asking for help. This includes the discussion of 'taboo subjects' such as suicide: "Perhaps all of us have to start trying to change our culture to one that is more accepting and supportive and looks out for those in need even when they aren't able to reach out themselves."
As part of the discussion, Vet Futures is running a poll which asks: "Could you recognise the signs of mental ill-health in a colleague?"
To read Rosie's blog and take part in the poll, visit and take part in the poll, visit: http://goo.gl/EmLhhF
The Association says that the qualification is intended to give vets the chance to conduct clinical research relating to their work – in particular vets working in general practice.
The qualification, validated by Nottingham Trent University, is aimed at people who already have any accredited Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits at Level 7) relevant to some aspect of veterinary medicine or surgery.
The programme is based on a further 1,200 study hours and could be flexibly achieved in two years of part-time study or up to five years, depending on the project type and an individual’s availability.
Frances Barr, BSAVA Academic Director, has developed the most extensive CPD programme in the 60-year history of the organisation. She said: "It’s a really significant addition to the BSAVA CPD programme and another step supporting lifelong learning, which we hope will have a very positive impact on the profession."
"Anyone who has an interest in clinical research – such as evaluating risk factors for a particular disease or factors that might influence an outcome – will find this an ideal way to satisfy their enquiring mind.
"If they have the motivation to keep developing a deeper understanding, we can provide encouragement and support for how to answer those clinical questions."
The Masters programme starts with online study into the principles of clinical research, which students will then apply to their own research project.
Students will be allocated a ‘matched’ supervisor who will provide project advice and guidance, plus the BSAVA team will be on hand to ensure ongoing support and encouragement.
The programme starts in January 2017 and applications open this October.
Frances added: "It can sometimes be quite difficult to get going in research when you don’t know how to do it, so having taken the first step in a supported environment we hope many will go on to do extend their clinical research ambitions.
"BSAVA’s mission is to support vets at every stage of their careers. There are often limited opportunities for practitioners to conduct clinical research, so this is a qualification that enables vets to do just that."
For more information, please contact the BSAVA Education team at masters@bsava.com
The five-minute survey includes questions on the number of otitis externa cases seen in practice, consultation times, common compliance issues, cytology uptake and client behaviour change frameworks.
Completed entries will be entered into a draw for a Fortnum & Mason hamper worth £100.
Charlotte Hill, brand manager at Dechra said: “The otitis externa in dogs survey will provide us with valuable insight into vets’ experiences of the condition.
"It will also allow us to identify any trends that may exist to help us improve how we as a profession approach otitis externa, while supporting owners when treating the condition which can be frustrating to manage.
https://forms.office.com/e/J7frrbL56A
A survey conducted earlier this year by Novartis Animal Health1 has shown that owners of dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis want to learn more about the condition after their veterinary consultation.
When asked about what would help them understand and cope with their dog receiving a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, 42% of dog owners said that they want reliable information about the condition on the Internet that they can read at their own pace. 27% said that hearing or reading about case studies of dogs that were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis would be a source of help and reassurance.
That isn't to take anything away from the importance of the relationship between owner and vet: 49% of respondents said that having enough time to discuss everything with their vet is the most important thing following a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis.
However, the reality of busy small animal practice means that some vets are apparently finding themselves short of time, with 62% saying that they would like to have more time in consultations to explain the diagnosis fully.
To support both vets and owners, Novartis has produced a range of education materials available at www.itchfreepet.co.uk. They include information about a variety of skin conditions in dogs and cats, including causes, clinical signs, diagnostics and treatment options, which can all be used to support recommendations made during consultations.
Novartis says it is also continuing to support vets with the 'Comfort Club' scheme, through which owners get the 2nd, 6th and 12th month of Atopica treatment free of charge. The club also allows clients to try other dermatology products that might help their pet's condition free of charge, including shampoo, EFA's and specialist diets.
Ricardo Garvao, category manager at Novartis said: "By providing reliable information and tools to help re-iterate and expand on the information given to owners by their vets, we hope to help both parties make the most of the face to face time that they have with each other. Ultimately this will strengthen the vet-client relationship, which can only improve long-term clinical outcomes.
"Good client education is vital, demonstrated by the fact that nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of pet owners that admit to giving up on their vet's advice claim that this is because they haven't understood it. A large part of the trust building process is being able to recommend a management strategy with proven efficacy and safety data for long-term use, such as Atopica. Atopica has been keeping dogs with atopic dermatitis comfortable for a decade due to its proven ability to safely provide long-term reduction of pruritus and skin lesions associated with the disease, as demonstrated by the recently published independent paper 'The use of ciclosporin: a decade of experience in veterinary dermatology."
Reference
Improve International has launched the latest tranche of online training for those seeking qualification as an Official Veterinarian (OV).
The company says completion of the new training modules will lead to qualification in the following areas:
Improve has developed the training modules in conjunction with its assessment partner, the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and Harper Adams University, which validates the qualifications.
Improve was appointed to handle OV registration and training in England, Scotland and Wales by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) earlier this year. In August, it launched www.improve-ov.com, a new OV registration and training website which contains details of the new process and the new OCQ(V) qualification. Under the new system, individuals or employers fund their own OV training but benefit from the fact that they can access the majority of course content 24/7 on the new website at a convenient time and without having to be absent from the practice.
Existing OVs have 'grandfather rights' as long as they register on the new database by 31 March 2015. In addition, a revalidation requirement has been introduced for the first time which ensures all OV's will remain up to date.
Bethan Stephens MRCVS from the Milfeddygon Deufor practice in Wales, who has recently undertaken some OV training, said: "I found the registration and training easy to understand and it was very useful to be able to tackle it in bite-sized chunks over a few weeks, as and when I had time."
David Babington (pictured right), Managing Director of Improve International, said: "We've received an enthusiastic response to the OV training already launched and the number of vets both registering and qualifying continues to show the desirability of these qualifications in an increasingly competitive veterinary sector. We are working to a tight schedule to deliver all of the new OCQ(V) training by February 2015 and are delighted to launch the latest set of courses."
For further information, visit www.improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that Optimmune - which is used to treat Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) in dogs - is back in stock three weeks ahead of schedule following a temporary shortage in January.
Melanie Dass, product manager at Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "We were aware that the shortage would happen so took steps to manage the supplies that were available and to resume production as soon as possible.
"We wrote to all our veterinary customers informing them of the likely shortage and fortunately, as a result of doing everything we could to minimise disruption, the product is now back three weeks earlier than expected and we are confident in our long term supply."
Melanie added: "We will be allocating stock in February to ensure all practices receive enough product to meet the needs of clinical cases, which amounts to approximately 125% of average monthly usage. This should allow a smooth return to normal deliveries in March.
"We would like to thank all our veterinary customers for helping us manage the allocation of the product and for their understanding during this difficult situation."
Any practices that require additional stock for clinical cases during February, should contact their Intervet / Schering-Plough account manager or the Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
Petlog has kicked off its annual National Microchipping Month by joining forces with Hampden Veterinary Hospital in Aylesbury.
Petlog holds National Microchipping Month throughout June each year to promote the benefits of microchipping and the importance of keeping contact details up to date.
This year, Hampden Veterinary Hospital has been encouraging pet owners to make sure their pets are microchipped by offering half price microchipping at a 'responsible pet ownership' event hosted at the hospital.
Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: "National Microchipping Month is a fantastic chance to promote the benefits of microchipping, and we are thrilled that Hampden Veterinary Hospital took such a proactive role in encouraging responsible dog ownership through this event. Microchipping is a great way to permanently identify your pet, and ensure that if he or she goes missing that you are reunited as quickly as possible."
Petlog says that last year, it received almost 120,000 lost and found calls in total from around the UK.
This June, Petlog customers can upgrade to the Petlog Premium lifetime service online for £7.50, allowing them to update their contact information as often as needed with no extra costs.
For more information on National Microchipping Month or Petlog visit www.petlog.org.uk or www.thekennelclub.org.uk.
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has launched its 2014 Salaries Survey.
SPVS is urging everyone involved in the veterinary sector to complete a questionnaire to ensure a comprehensive insight into the levels of pay amongst veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and those in industry.
The survey is open to members and non-members alike, and SPVS is offering three months' free membership to those non-members who complete the questionnaire.
Designed to provide a complete picture of remuneration levels, the questionnaire covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances, private medical insurance and pensions. The survey also includes questions on employment contracts, hours worked, out of hours and weekend working.
The 2013 Salary Survey revealed a dip in salaries among small animal practice vets for the second year running, with only mixed and large animal practices showing an increase. There were also large regional variations and a worrying gender gap.
Adi Nell, SPVS senior vice president said: "We are aiming for the 2014 Salaries Survey to be our biggest and best yet. To achieve this, we need as many of the veterinary profession as possible to complete the questionnaire so that the results give us a really accurate picture of what is happening to our salaries around the country."
To take part in the survey simply follow the link on www.spvs.org.uk or for a printed version telephone 01926 410454.
The webinar will allow veterinary teams to learn from three expert speakers how they can make small practical changes to have positive impacts in their own settings.
Helen Ballantyne, Chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group (UKOHCG) and both a human and animal health nurse, will provide a ‘human’ view of One Health and the strategies in the NHS.
She will highlight areas of excellent practice she has experienced, and from a One Health angle where the veterinary profession could learn from the NHS, and vice versa.
Fergus Allerton MRCVS, an Internal Medicine Specialist and lead on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at Linnaeus will talk about, amongst other things, the optimal use of antimicrobials for infection control.
In collaboration with the NHS, he launched Veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty activity which saw a 19% reduction of antimicrobial use across the Linnaeus veterinary group.
Fergus will also talk about the PROTECT ME guidelines on the responsible use of antibacterials, such as for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis.
Simon Doherty, past-president of the British Veterinary Association and one of two BVA representatives at the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, will focus on the history of One Health and One Agriculture; highlighting how improved communication and collaboration at the intersection of people, animals and the environment can drive productivity and sustainability in food production.
Simon will also share some of Vet Sustain’s farm animal resources and how the principles can be applied.
To register, visit: https://horiba.link/one-health-webinar