Norbrook Laboratories has announced that Pestigon for Cats, the company's fipronil spot on solution against fleas and ticks, has been granted an extension to its licence which means it is now indicated against the Ixodes ricinus tick.
Previously, the cat product was only indicated for Dermacentor reticulatus.
The Pestigon dog spot on offers efficacy against the Dermacentor reticulatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and the Ixodes ricinus tick.
Michelle Jones, Norbrook's Small Animal Brand Manager said: "The extension of our licence for Pestigon in Cats is welcome news. The Ixodes ricinus tick is one of the most common ticks found in the UK. Pet owners need to be aware that choosing a treatment that kills ticks as well as fleas is vital, with ticks potentially spreading diseases such as lyme disease. We are therefore delighted that our Pestigon range now gives cat owners even more protection against fleas and ticks."
Michelle added: "Pestigon is only available through veterinary practices which means that pet owners have to visit their practice to purchase this flea and tick treatment. They can therefore receive expert advice at the point of purchase and discuss any concerns they may have."
Pestigon spot on is available from all wholesalers in packs of 3, 6 and 24. Norbrook also makes a household spray, Permaguard, and a range of customer support materials available from Norbrook Territory Managers.
Image: Ixodes ricinus Richard Bartz
VetsSouth, the new CPD congress and commercial exhibition being held in Exeter on 11th and 12th February, has announced that it will lead with a discussion about what practices can do to reduce bovine TB in clients' herds in 2015.
The congress, which is open to practising vets throughout the UK but aimed specifically at those in the west and south of the UK, will have three-and-half hours of discussion led by Roger Blowey (pictured right) and Richard Gard, with contributions from a number of practices in Gloucestershire, Devon, Somerset and Cornwall.
During a day on "cattle" on the Wednesday, Roger Blowey will also lead two sessions on "Recent dramatic changes in our understanding of cattle lameness", covering anatomy and foot lesions in the first and moving on to digital dermatitis and other infectious lesions in the second.
The rest of the programme is concerned mainly with small animals, the line-up of speakers including Dr David Williams on ophthalmology, Matthew Oxford on dentistry, Dr Andy Sparkes on feline medicine and surgery, Sarah Health on canine and feline behaviour and Anthony Chadwick on dermatology; plus six speakers from the Bristol veterinary school: Dr Jo Murrell and Gwen Covey-Crump on pain management, Dr Domingo Casamian Sorrosal and Dr Sonia Fonfara on cardiology, and Guillaume Chanoit and Ivan Doran on soft tissue surgery.
In addition, Professor John and Mrs Margaret Cooper will lead a day-long seminar on veterinary forensic medicine; the VDS will be running half-hour one-on-one sessions on improving consultation techniques; and there will be workshops on "ocular examination and pathology", "cat-friendly clinics" and "practical tooth extraction".
Exhibitors include Langford Veterinary Services, Vets4Pets/Companion Care, Protexin, Summit Veterinary Pharmaceuticals, Dechra Veterinary Products, Royal Canin, Bayer Animal Health, Natures Menu, Pet Medic Recruitment/Mi Vet, Teignview Veterinary Group, Henry Schein Animal Health, Axiom Veterinary Laboratories, iM3 Dental, Medimark Scientific, Merial Animal Health, Nova Laboratories, Improve International, DVH Veterinary Sales, Centaur Services, A. Menarini Diagnostics, The Webinar Vet and Improve International.
The event is being run by VP CPD in association with Improve International and The Webinar Vet, with generous sponsorship from Dechra Veterinary Products. Attendance on both days is priced at £145 (plus VAT); one-day passes cost £80 (plus VAT) with additional charges for the workshops and VDS sessions. The prices include speaker notes, refreshments throughout each day and a buffet lunch. CPD certificates will be sent on request after the event.
Full details and a booking form are on www.vetssouth.com.
The British Veterinary Asssociation and British Small Animal Veterinary Association have strongly welcomed moves to tighten up the rules on dog breeding in Wales with the publication of the proposed Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2011.
The draft proposals follow a report by an expert Task and Finish Group, including veterinary representatives, which made recommendations for new legislation to tackle the significant problem of puppy farming.
The BVA and BSAVA were both represented on the Task and Finish Group and have welcomed the proposals, which include:
The draft legislation is now out for consultation until 13 January 2011.
Harvey Locke, BVA President, said: "The Welsh Assembly Government should be congratulated for driving forward legislative changes to tackle the abhorrent practice of puppy farming.
"The Task and Finish Group brought together everyone with an interest in dog health and welfare so the Minister should be confident that these proposals will gain widespread support.
"Puppy farming is not only a problem in Wales and it is clear that the rest of the UK is now lagging behind. We will be encouraging England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to follow suit and ensure dog health and welfare is promoted across the country."
Grant Petrie, President of BSAVA, added: "Vets are often faced with the terrible consequences of puppy farms and bad breeders, which can lead to suffering for both the animals and their owners.
"We are delighted that this action is being taken by the Welsh Assembly Government.
"The compulsory microchipping of dogs and puppies on licensed premises is a particularly welcome move but the veterinary profession will continue to campaign for this to be extended to all dogs."
The BSAVA's Scientific Committee has issued a policy statement on the management and treatment of firework phobias in dogs.
The statement says: "It is recognised that dogs may show signs of fear or phobia of the loud noises associated with fireworks. It is the duty of veterinary surgeons to recommend and support evidence-based therapies for this noise fear or phobia in order that they may improve the welfare of animals under their care"
The statement goes on to offer recommendations and guidance for short-term management and longer-term therapy, available here.
The one-hour webinar, titled 'Calm in the Corona' takes place between 11am and 12 noon on Saturday 25 April and is being supported by the RCVS Mind Matters initiative.
The session will look at some of the common responses to uncertainty during the pandemic, with an emphasis on how to recognise and nurture more adaptive or helpful responses that do not lead to heightened anxiety or distress.
Topics will include creating routines, setting boundaries and how to seek social support despite quarantine measures.
Building on the interactive approach from previous VetKind conferences, student veterinary nurses and veterinary students will be invited to share their coronavirus experiences, ideas and successes with their colleagues.
Jenny Moffett, Managing Director of SkillsTree and VetKind facilitator said: "Although we’re all talking about social distancing right now, it’s more accurate to think of it as physical distancing. Social support is more important than ever, and webinars can be a really effective way to connect, and work together on a common challenge.
"We know that many students may be facing heightened stress and anxiety right now as they worry about the impact the pandemic may have on their own and their family’s health, their education, their finances, their housing and so on. We hope that this webinar will provide some effective coping strategies and an opportunity to share fears and worries and find constructive solutions to them."
Those that wish to take part in the webinar should email avsvetkind@gmail.com. An automatic reply with the link to participate in the webinar will then be emailed back.
The company says AI Masses will allow veterinary professionals to analyse lesions suggestive of cancer in-clinic and with a fast turnaround.
The AI technology, which has been trained by human clinical pathologists, should enable individualised treatment outcomes earlier for more cases.
Zoetis says AI Masses only needs a single round of sample preparation and the results can, at additional cost, be supplemented with an expert review from a network of specialists through Zoetis’ Virtual Laboratory.
Dr. Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, Global Chief Medical Officer at Zoetis said: “Waiting for results can be stressful for pet owners – even more so when it involves a cancer screening.
"Our research shows that up to 75% of pet owners find abnormal results highly stressful.1
"AI Masses is yet another point-of-care capability to deliver results in-clinic, further exemplifies Zoetis’ purpose to advance care for animals, shortening anxious wait times to allow for faster care decisions that help provide the best possible outcome.”
Pre-orders will be announced for US customers in Q2 2025.
VetSurgeon.org understands AI Masses will be coming to the UK some time in 2025.
https://www.zoetisdiagnostics.com
Reference
Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine r/d has been reformulated following new findings regarding the role of protein in weight loss and the development of new fibre technology.
According to Hill's, trials of the new formulation resulted in some impressive results, with individual overweight animals losing at least 22% of their body fat in 8 weeks while still maintaining muscle mass.
In addition, the company has developed a range of support measures to help raise awareness about obesity and encourage pet owners to come forward. There's a new website: http://www.%20hillsweightloss.co.uk/ containing tips on weight loss and e-mailed reminders about returning to the surgery for weight checks; a pet passport containing information on helping the pet live a longer and healthier life, an anatomy poster that describes the dangers of excess weight gain and a practice display materials kit. Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill’s, “It can be time consuming to put together a really good wall or table display. This kit offers the opportunity for use in its entirety, while also giving scope to add individual elements for those who want to customize the display further.”
Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine r/d will be available in 1.5Kg, 4Kg and 12Kg bags. The recipe of the current 350g can remains unchanged.
For more information call Hill’s Customer Service on 0800 282 438 or (ROI) 1-800 626002.
Denmark-based consulting firm praQtice has launched a subsidiary in the UK to offer veterinary practice management consultancy services. The company says it concentrates on six business areas: strategy and business development, marketing, employee and manager development, finance, research and analysis, and training. praQtice says it has worked with a wide range of practices, from the small local practice to the large hospital, helping them bring together their mission and vision. The company also has the benefit of having an in-house marketing and communication department which it says has had considerable success - not only in Scandinavia, but in the UK when last year praQtice won a Veterinary Marketing Association award. The launch in the UK will primarily be driven by three praQtice consultants - founder and business developer Christian Kolthoff, Marketing Consultant Mario Riewerts and Business Developer Helen Kington.
Helen said: "This will be great for UK vets, largely it has been the same group of consultants working with the same thoughts and ideas for the last 10 years. We need to look beyond our borders in order to evolve. In Scandinavia you can only put a mark up of 5% on your drugs, which does not make you a profit. Thus they have learnt to be much better in delivering and pricing for their professional service, I am sure we can learn a lot from them. What we also see all over Europe is that practices are getting bigger and bigger. But as the practices grow, so does the number of problems and the partner's income rarely follows. praQtice is about quality of life and allowing yourself to dream, we then give you the tools along with helping you through the implementation to make those dreams and ambitions come true.
You can meet the team at the VPMA Congress in Oxford (28th-30th January), where founder and CEO Christian Kolthoff will be speaking. Meantime, if you would like more information about praQtice, visit www.praqtice.co.uk or telephone Helen Kington on 07765 338 607
Pfizer Animal Health, maker of the equine wormers Equest and Equest Pramox, has unveiled www.wormingyourhorse.info, a new website which aims to make it easier for horse owners to understand and follow the most up-to-date principles of sustainable worm control.
Based on the company's Manage, Test, Plan, Dose campaign, Pfizer says the new website is designed to take the confusion out of equine worm control with clear, logical and easy-to-understand guidance and advice.
The four main sections use diagrams and text to explain how and why it's important to manage the worm challenge on the pasture; the role of faecal worm egg counts (FWECs); how history and management play a part in planning the best worm control programme and how to choose and use the right wormer at the right time of year.
There's an interactive and educational parasite page that shows the parasites that can affect the health of your horse. There are click through buttons on parts of the horse's anatomy revealing details about the appearance of each particular parasite, their lifecycle and the symptoms they can cause. In addition there's a section on frequently asked questions which provides no-nonsense answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about worm control.
Paul Blanc, Pfizer's equine brand manager said: "In developing our new website we have listened carefully to what horse owners really want and need to know. The result is a source of plain-speaking, unbiased facts and advice, providing horse owners with the most current thinking on sustainable worm control in a format they can really identify with."
The RCVS has launched a survey to discover what the profession thinks it does well and what it could improve upon.
The confidential online survey asks about your recent interactions with the College, what you think the organisation does well and what can be improved upon.
The survey is one of several activities that the College is undertaking as part of its First-Rate Regulator initiative. Others include a survey amongst those who have made complaints; research amongst RCVS staff and Council / VN Council members; in-depth phone interviews with veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and practice managers; and, questionnaires aimed at stakeholder organisations that work regularly with the College.
Desk-based research is also being carried out, to see how the RCVS shapes up when compared to other similar regulators, both in the UK and overseas.
Following this evidence-gathering stage, an assessment will be made about where gaps exist between how the College performs and what it ought to be achieving, together with recommendations for change.
Nick Stace, RCVS CEO said: "Becoming a first-rate regulator is the aim, building on the good things we do, and challenging ourselves to be better where we fall short."
"Although the RCVS has a long and proud history, we also need to have a sustainable future. Careful scrutiny of what we do, and how we can improve, will ensure this. I would urge all members of the veterinary team to take this unique opportunity to help improve the regulation of their professions."
The survey closes on 4 January 2013. All veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for whom the RCVS holds unique email addresses will be sent a link to the survey. Others are invited to visit www.rcvs.org.uk/firstratesurvey to take part. Practice managers, and student vets and VNs are also encouraged to complete the survey. Individuals who are not veterinary surgeons, nurses, students or practice managers, and who have views about how the College could improve, are invited to contact Nick Stace on nick@rcvs.org.uk.
The RCVS has published a summary of the goings on at its 6 November meeting.
Amongst other things, Council agreed to continue to display postnominals in the Register, undertake a consultation on whether members should be able to use the courtesy title 'doctor' and make amendments to the College's current registration regulations.
In addition,
More information about these decisions can be found in the latest edition of RCVS News, copies of which have been sent to all veterinary surgeons and listed/registered veterinary nurses.
The full papers for the Council meeting can be found on the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/rcvs-council/council-meetings
Starting in the New Year, the benefits of vaccination will be communicated to both farmers and pet owners, initially focussing on farm use.
The aims of the campaign are to raise awareness of how and why vaccines work and the range of diseases they protect against, to review and improve how vaccines are stored and administered, and to encourage better uptake of existing vaccines.
Further information and tips on storing and using vaccines correctly will be shared, to help ensure that vaccines used will be effective.
NOAH says that research has shown that:
Dawn Howard, NOAH’s Chief Executive said: “It is encouraging that vaccination of the UK’s calves and sheep against livestock diseases has risen to one of the highest levels in seven years1. This increase is encouraging, however still more needs to be done in relation to uptake, storage and usage. We are asking the vet profession to support the #VaccinesWork campaign by spreading the messages with their clients and engaging on social media."
"We will be providing information for farmers e.g. if vaccines are not stored correctly, it will impact on their potency, meaning they could be less effective – not only will there be the potential for the vaccine to fail to protect animals against disease but also farmers may have wasted their efforts – and may be deterred from vaccinating again."
Whilst correct use by farmers is the initial focus, the campaign will include pets. Dawn said: "The topic of vaccine hesitancy is becoming increasingly important. Recognised by the WHO as one of the top 10 global health threats for people in 2019, this phenomenon is translating to the veterinary sector as well, especially in companion animals. The PDSA reports an ‘alarming’ drop in pet vaccinations: the proportion of pet dogs, cats and rabbits receiving a primary course when young has fallen by 18% over the past 3 years, down to 66%3.”
"This is bad news for the health and welfare of the nation’s pets, who are increasingly at risk of disease, and we need to work to address this."
References
https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/use-of-vaccines-in-cattle-and-sheep-2018-sales-update
https://www.noah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NOAH-Vision-Paper-8pp-A4-Sep-19-vf.pdf
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/7420/2019-paw-report_downloadable.pdf
The objectives of the study1 were to assess the impact of the pandemic on the management of laminitis susceptible horses and ponies, to identify challenges faced in implementing COVID-19 based guidance, and to ascertain areas of decision making and policy development which could undergo improvement in future pandemic or emergency scenarios.
Lead author Ashely Ward, a PhD student at SRUC said: "We discovered that lockdown-associated factors had the potential to compromise the welfare of horses and ponies at risk of obesity and laminitis.
“These included: disparate information and guidance, difficulties enacting public health measures in yard environments, and horses having reduced exercise during the pandemic.
"Our conclusion was that guidelines should be developed for the care of horses and ponies at risk through collaborative input from veterinary and welfare experts. This would help to reduce the negative impacts of future lockdown events in the UK.”
Clare Barfoot RNutr, Marketing and Research and Development Director at Spillers said: “This work carries important recommendations to reduce equine welfare risks during any future lockdowns.
“This summer our primary focus has been on helping horse owners keep their horses at a healthy weight to reduce the risks associated with obesity, in particular laminitis. Until formal guidelines are developed we hope our range of practical advice, available online and via our Care-Line will help, should there be another lockdown."
The study was conducted in tandem with research looking at how the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 lockdown affected horse on the human/animal interaction. The conclusion, disseminated by SRUC last week, concluded that the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of horse owners. https://www.sruc.ac.uk/all-news/horse-power-helps-owners-through-lockdown
New graduates will work through both programmes during their first two years in practice.
Linnaeus says the GDP will continue to focus on support and networking, giving access to mentors, social events and a structured education programme that covers 12 educational days.
The GDP will cover primary care skills development and things like veterinary business training, leadership skills and time management.
All graduates will then complete the ECP, which is designed to offer greater flexibility as the participants start to focus on different clinical areas.
Professional and clinical skills training will be more tailored to graduates’ topics of interest, and funding will be available to cover the cost of CPD courses that support individual areas of development.
Professor Séverine Tasker, Chief Medical Officer at Linnaeus (pictured right), said: "We decided to update the GDP after asking for feedback from across Linnaeus and our stakeholders.
“While many graduates need a lot of guidance in the first 12 months of their veterinary careers, they will then start to develop more specific areas of interest.
"By developing two separate programmes, we can offer education, guidance, networking and flexibility that is adapted to the progression of our graduates.”
The next Linnaeus GDP starts in the summer of 2022 and is open for applications from now until the end of May.
The ECP provision will be available from mid-2022 to support recent graduates that join Linnaeus outside of their GDP intake.
For more information, visit www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/careers/graduates-students-and-apprenticeships.
A report published by the Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs committee this week has concluded that The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 is in need of updating. However, lack of available budget in the current Comprehensive Spending Review period means that further work on a White Paper won't happen till 2011 at the earliest. In particular, the report found consensus within the profession that the disciplinary procedure is in urgent need of updating. However, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons does not have majority support for its proposals on compulsory practice standards and compulsory continuing professional development. The report crticised the RCVS for not having done enough to provide a clear picture of its proposals for a new statutory framework for the regulation of the profession. However, an RCVS spokesman said: "In fact, we have invested considerable time and resources in the development of proposals, led by a working party that included stakeholders. However, we have been awaiting further input from Defra before taking matters further." Chairman of the Committee the Rt Hon Michael Jack said: "We urge the profession to coalesce round some specific proposals to amend the disciplinary process for veterinary professionals. We believe that a working party should be set up between Defra, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association to produce a new Bill for introduction in 2009." Responding to the publication of the report, BVA President Nick Blayney said: "While we will certainly consider EFRACom’s proposal that BVA work with Defra and RCVS to produce a draft bill, the BVA is a voluntary association and our focus is the benefit of our members. Given that we are not even persuaded of the need for a new Act, it is likely that our contribution will be advisory and not financial." Click here for the full report
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has announced that it is offering a new, enhanced legal service for its members, in conjunction Harrison Clark Rickerbys.
From 1st October, BSAVA members will be able to benefit from discounted rates and special fixed-fee packages for their personal and professional legal needs.
The BSAVA says that Harrison Clark Rickerbys' specialist team has a vast experience of acting for small animal veterinary practices, as well as referral practices and animal hospitals throughout the UK.
Charlotte Thornton-Smith from Harrison Clark Rickerbys said: "The team is delighted to provide dedicated membership benefits to the BSAVA and keen to work with its members to advise on any of their legal issues. We have a longstanding relationship with the BSAVA which stretches back over twenty years and have substantial experience of acting for veterinary practitioners, both personally and professionally. We very much hope that members of the BSAVA will take advantage of the special packages and discounted rates we are offering."
For more information, visit www.bsava.com
Pam Mosedale, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor, said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but based on the UK Government’s advice and our duty of care to our team of Assessors, as well as team members and clients at veterinary practices, our only option was to postpone and reschedule all visits in the short-term.
"Although we have cancelled all assessments until the end of April, we will be constantly monitoring the situation over the coming weeks, and it is likely that there may be some further postponement of assessments planned for May and beyond."
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate, which carries out assessment inspections of veterinary premises that are not within the ambit of the Practice Standards Scheme, has also confirmed that it has postponed its forthcoming inspections. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-vmd-remains-open-for-business.
The RCVS Practice Standards Team can be contacted on pss@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0767 for further advice.
‘Sheep Vets - Fit for the Future’ are being presented by well-respected industry leaders, vets and sheep farmers on Tuesday evenings during May, June and July.
Webinar organiser, Dr Fiona Lovatt from Flock Health Limited (pictured right) said: "We are optimistic about the future for the UK sheep industry, but to grasp the opportunities farmers need proactive vets who can demonstrate an added value approach. As vets we must think more holistically about the challenges sheep farmers face and that means optimising our understanding of how flock health issues, soil and grassland management, and environmental factors all link together with the economics.
"This webinar programme aims to help keen sheep vets consider how they can best engage with their sheep farmer clients."
The first webinar in the series was attended by more than 100 delegates, and is now available as a recording. It highlighted the current state of the UK sheep industry and what the future 10 years might look like.
Future topics include how to improve engagement with sheep farmers (26th May), how vets can best ensure successful lamb growth (9th June), understanding sheep farming economics (23rd June) and exploring the veterinary possibilities arising from different sources of flock data (7th July). Watch live at 7.30pm or catch up later with the recording.
Register for free by visiting www.sheepvetsoc.org.uk or www.flockhealth.co.uk
The broached bottle must be kept refrigerated between 20C and 80C until the next use.
Virbac says that whilst this may not seem a huge change, it significantly increases the cost-effectiveness and convenience to farmers.
The SPC changes mean that
Bovigen Scour is available in 5 and 30 dose bottles.
The RCVS and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will be holding a free Masterclass offering practical guidance on the requirements of the Veterinary Practice Premises Register, on Saturday 4 April, at BSAVA Congress.
If you are concerned about medicines inspections and would like further information about complying, this is your chance to find out what you need to do.
By 1 April, all practice premises from which medicines are supplied should be registered with the RCVS. All such premises are then subject to inspection - by either Practice Standards Scheme inspectors, if accredited under the Scheme, or VMD inspectors. Will you be ready if an inspector calls?
Suitable for veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and practice managers, the interactive session will be held from 10am - 12noon, with presentations from VMD and the Chief Inspector of the Practice Standards Scheme, followed by group discussion and plenty of time for questions and answers.
Attendance at the Masterclass, which will be held in Hall 6 of the ICC in Birmingham, is free to BSAVA passholders.
For your free ticket, contact Fiona Harcourt on 020 7202 0773, f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk, or during Congress visit the RCVS Stand, number 918, opposite the catering stand in the Exhibition hall.
In their report, RCVS assessors highlighted the calm and professional environment at Lumbry Park, which they said, taken together with the enthusiasm of the team provided a very positive overall feel. Its provision of separate dog and cat patient visiting rooms was also singled out as a good use of space and support for clients, especially with the potential for long stay cases.
Lumbry Park Hospital Director Ray Girotti said: "We wanted to participate in the Practice Standards Scheme to benchmark the service we offer to our patients and their owners against the best veterinary hospitals in the country. The whole team has worked together to get us to this stage and we are delighted that our efforts have been recognised by the RCVS with the award of Hospital status."
The company points to research which found that 89% of the veterinary profession wants to play a more active role in the sustainability agenda1.
For that reason, Boehringer says it put sustainability at the heart of Aservo EquiHaler, which uses no propellant gasses and the container for which is made from up to 50% recycled materials.
Now Boehringer has launched the first recycling programme for a prescription medicine in the UK to support the responsible disposal of the Aservo EquiHaler.
To join the programme, you need to visit: https://equihaler.uk/recycling, set up a TerraCycle account and register your practice. Boehringer says it only takes 10 minutes.
Once signed-up, a Boehringer Ingelheim Territory Manager will arrange for a collection box to be delivered, along with supporting practice display posters. When the box is full, there is a free pick-up service.
Practices that sign-up for the programme before 31st July 2021 will be entered into a prize draw, with the chance to win a year’s supply of ethically-sourced chocolate for their practice.
Reference:
Veterinary surgeon Marc Abraham and social media expert Andrew Seel have launched a new website for pet owners: ThePet.net
The site uses the power of social networks on the internet - in a similar way to Facebook and Tripadvisor - to allow pet owners to join together, share and rate their own pet-related experiences, and ultimately help each other find the ‘best their pet can get'. The service, completely free, aims to be the most trusted and up-to-date source of pet information available anywhere.
Pet owners can find reviews of pet friendly services, such as hotels, groomers, kennels and vets, written by other pet owners. They will also be able to connect online with friends and their pets.
Pet friendly businesses can list their service on the website for free and interact directly with their customers.
Marc said: "After working in the pet industry as a vet for 13 years, I believe it's time for a much-needed shake-up. Increasing corporate attitudes, widespread complacency and a lack of the personal touch are turning pets into luxury items when they were once just a normal part of everyone's family."
Genitrix has launched a free epilepsy faxback advice service for veterinary practices prescribing Libromide.
A form downloadable from the Genitrix website will enable practices to provide detailed case histories, and challenging canine epilepsy cases will be reviewed by Dr Clare Rusbridge, RCVS and European Specialist in veterinary neurology. Clare runs a small animal neurology referral practice based at the Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in South London. She is board certified by the European College of Veterinary Neurology.
Launched earlier this year, Libromide is the first and only licensed formulation of potassium bromide for refractory canine epilepsy. Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said: "When we launched Libromide, it was our goal to ensure that generalist practices, which may not deal with cases every week, were given more accurate guidance and advice on treating canine epilepsy than was possible when only unlicensed products were available.
"Our subsequent launch of the discounted blood test, the dosing wheel and now the Libromide Epilepsy Advice Service through Clare, are examples of our commitment to achieving this goal.
"The advice service is aimed specifically at practices which are finding it difficult to control seizures or which have a patient experiencing unusual side effects, even after receiving dosing advice from Genitrix. I hope that having Clare's experience and expertise 'on tap' for challenging cases will prove reassuring for our customers."
For more information on the Libromide Epilepsy Advice Service, practices are asked to call Genitrix' head office on 01403 786345.
For the first time ever, an educational advertisement about the importance of worming cats and the availablity of spot-on treatment, is to be broadcast on TV.
The advert has been produced by Bayer Animal Health, makers of Profender Spot-on, with the aim of driving pet owners to their vet to ask about spot-on worming for their cats.
Bayer product manager Dan White said: "Profender Spot-on solution is a POM-V product. So we have produced a public information style advert which is educational rather than commercial, in accordance with industry regulations on advertising this animal medicine category to the public. It informs and reminds cat owners of the importance of worming, and encourages them to ask their vet for more information.
"In addition, the advert also features details about a competition to find the cat with the biggest personality to celebrate responsible cat ownership, and invites them to upload images and/or videos of their cat onto the website http://www.spotonwormer4cats.com/."
The 20 second advertisement will be broadcast throughout May on ITV1, ITV2, Channels 4 and 5, and Sky One, and is estimated to reach 7 million cat owners.
Practices can obtain a range of campaign support materials by contacting their Bayer Territory Manager or by calling the Bayer Leaflet Line on 0845 2574798 and quoting 'spot-on'.