Alstoe Animal Health has launched Dolagis, a carprofen tablet for dogs that uses a unique delivery system which the company claims offers palatability and dosage benefits over other versions of this analgesic.
Called Delicament, the delivery system is essentially a clever tablet design which allows a single table to break easily and accurately into four pieces. That allows correct dosing for all dogs above 3kg, from just one tablet size. Delicament has also been designed to be highly palatable, both in terms of flavour (pig's liver, before you ask) and texture.
To further simplify practice stocking requirements, Dolagis comes in only one pack size, complete with dispensing envelopes that explain how to split the tablet.
Dolagis 50mg tablets are packed in individually perforated blister strips of 10 tablets to aid prescribing accuracy and product integrity. This also reduces the chance that high palatability can lead to patient self-consumption. There are 100 tablets per Dolagis pack, which are available from all wholesalers. For further information contact Alstoe on 01347 878606 or email info@alstoe.co.uk.
The RCVS has asked 6,700 veterinary surgeons to submit their CPD records for 2012-2014 as part of its second annual CPD audit.
The news came at more or less the same time that VetSurgeon.org announced that it is developing a new feature to make it easy for veterinary surgeons to document time they spend on the website towards their CPD requirement.
Under the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, members of the profession must undertake at least 105 hours of CPD over a rolling three-year period, averaging 35 hours per year.
Those being audited include 5,568 vets who failed to confirm whether or not they complied with the CPD requirement in this year’s annual renewal process; 488 vets who failed to respond to last year’s audit and did not confirm their compliance this year; 43 pre-2012 graduates who have not yet completed the Professional Development Phase; and 184 veterinary surgeons who specifically declared they were not compliant during this year’s annual renewal process.
In addition to these, a random sample of 400 veterinary surgeons who did declare they were compliant this year will be asked to share their records.
For last year’s audit, the College wrote to 3,975 veterinary surgeons, of whom 82% were found to be compliant. However, 910 veterinary surgeons did not respond to the request at all.
Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: “The purpose of the exercise is not only to gauge levels of compliance, but also to gain a greater understanding of why some people are unable to meet the requirement. Therefore, we will be asking those who are still non-compliant to provide us with an explanation as to why, and to submit a learning and development plan outlining the steps they will take to become compliant.
“Since 2012, the Code of Professional Conduct has made it very clear that, as professionals, veterinary surgeons have an obligation to maintain and improve their skills and experience so as to provide a better service to their patients and clients.
“Last year’s audit proved that the majority of the profession do take CPD seriously and do engage with it over-and-above what is required, but a small minority do not. It is important to remind this small minority that persistent failure to comply with CPD requirements, or to respond to requests from the College, may result in them being reported to the Preliminary Investigation Committee.”
Christine Warman, Head of Education at the RCVS, added: “This audit is also an opportunity to remind people that we are not prescriptive when it comes to CPD and that it is not the case that we only count attendance at courses as learning and development.
“Broadly, any activities that you undertake to further your competence and provide tangible learning that can be put to use in your professional life, can be classed as CPD. For example, this could include private reading, webinars, clinical audit activities, mentoring, work-based observation and many more activities besides.
“What we ask is that you record and document these activities, reflecting on what you learnt and how it will affect your practice.”
Veterinary surgeons who are being asked to submit their records can do so by allowing the RCVS to access their online Professional Development Record (PDR) or to send in their CPD record card via email or post. The deadline for responding is Friday 13 November.
Those who wish to sign up to the free, online PDR can do so by visiting www.rcvs-pdr.org.uk. More information about what constitutes CPD and the Code of Professional Conduct requirements can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd.
Virbac has announced the launch of Speed Trio, an in-house diagnostic test to enable the detection of FeLV (Feline Leukaemia Virus) antigens; anti-FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and anti-FCoV (Feline Coronavirus) antibodies in 15 minutes.
The company says Speed Trio is designed to facilitate the diagnosis of immunosuppressive diseases, such as FIP (feline infectious peritonitis); when a cat tests positive for Feline Coronavirus and either FeLV or FIV it is at increased risk of developing FIP¹ and serological testing for all three diseases is the logical step.
Virbac says it has also enhanced the entire Speed range to further improve the readability of the tests and the brightness of the test bands.
Product Manager Madeline Haynes said: "The Speed range, which has been proven in practice for more than 20 years, offers a comprehensive suite of in-house diagnostic tests, which are easy to perform and highly cost-effective to use in practice.
"Speed Trio is not only a unique test combination that helps to facilitate diagnosis of immunosuppressive diseases but also boosts client satisfaction and can support practice profitability."
Reference
According to the calculator, the most expensive animal is - by virtue of its longevity - the tortoise (£27,787 over 75 years), followed by a small dog (£19,224 over 15 years), a large dog (£17,234 over 11.5 years) and a medium-sized dog (£16,828 over 11.5 years). A cat comes in at £12,322 over 16 years. A chicken will set you back £4,701 (it's not clear whether they've offset the money you'll save in eggs). The cheapest is a fish, at £914.
Despite being a common disease, CVS says very little research has been undertaken into EPD in the UK.
In addition, numerous different treatments are currently used for EPD, for which there is not always robust scientific evidence.
The CVS study, which started in 2022 and will continue till early 2024, involves 20 practices.
Samples have been collected from over 70 cases from horses that have been diagnosed by EPD throughout the UK.
Full blood profiles have been assessed, in addition to bacterial culture analysis of the lesions, PCR analysis for dermatophytes (ringworm fungi), microscopy for ectoparasites (mites) and skin cytology.
An owner questionnaire has also been completed to gather information on EDP management.
Each horse’s lesions have been graded and descriptive data relating to the lesions were recorded.
Data collection is now complete and a team of researchers, led by vet Manuela Diaz Ramos, has started analysing the data.
A full report on the findings, along with treatment and management recommendations, is expected to be presented at a scientific conference later this year.
Millpledge has launched Promodulate Probiotic Powder, which, according to the company, combines beneficial bacteria with a pre-biotic, vitamins and electrolytes to rebalance gut flora, fluid and electrolyte balance in cats and dogs.
The powder is presented in a 5 day course of sachets for ease of dispensing, or in a 50g tub for longer term use.
Millpledge says micro-encapsulated Entrococcus Faecium SF68 NCIMB 10415 - 667 x 106 CFU/g helps to recolonise the gut and maintain competitive exclusion of harmful bacteria whilst the preferred prebiotic Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) provides a targeted source of sugars to fuel the Entrococcus Faecium. Electrolytes are included to help maintain the isotonic fluid balance in the patient, and vitamins to maintain the normal feed conversion ability of the gut to absorb and bind nutrients present in the diet.
Millpledge suggests that Promodulate is beneficial alongside antibiotic therapy and can be used as an aid to maintaining the immune response in newborns as well as animals in the later stages of life. Promodulate is also recommended as an aid to restoring normal digestive function and to help maintain normal cholesterol levels and electrolyte and fluid balance.
For more information, please click here.
The Kennel Club has announced it will be launching the Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health, a new guide to dog health for veterinary surgeons at the BVA Congress 2010 (Sept 23rd - 25th).
According to the organisation, The Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health has been specially developed to provide veterinary surgeons and other practice staff with a handy, updatable resource which covers a range of topics including breed specific information for all 210 recognised pedigree breeds and the range of health testing available to breeders and owners.
The guide contains information on the Kennel Club's Accredited Breeder Scheme, which currently has around 5,300 members who commit to good breeding practice, and the Fit For Function: Fit For Life campaign which aims to ensure that all dogs are able to lead their lives to the full by ensuring that they are fit enough to fulfil the function for which they were originally developed.
The guide provides details about the reporting of operations which alter the natural conformation of a dog, and a sample form which veterinary surgeons can copy and then use to report such operations to the Kennel Club. It also contains a full set of Kennel Club information guides covering a wide range of topics and examples of Kennel Club registration certificates for dogs from both standard registrations and Kennel Club Accredited Breeders to help advise puppy owners what to expect when buying a Kennel Club-registered dog.
Other topics included in the manual are a range of Kennel Club initiatives which veterinary surgeons may find useful to pass on to their clients, such as information on the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme, the UK's largest dog training programme, and Petlog, the UK's largest microchipping and pet reunification database.
The Kennel Club's Veterinary Advisor, Nick Blayney said: "The Kennel Club Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health is intended to assist veterinary surgeons and all practice staff gain information about the two hundred or more breeds of dog recognised by the Kennel Club and any related health issues.
"The Kennel Club is very aware that veterinary surgeons are keen to promote the breeding of healthy puppies, but would find it useful to obtain information about the many health tests and screening schemes available and recommended for each breed. This manual is intended to provide detailed advice on these tests and schemes on a breed by breed basis to assist vets in helping clients to understand the different conditions which may affect individual breeds."
The guide will be made available as an A4 ring binder, with the first fifty available at the BVA Congress. Recipients will be asked to agree to a follow-up visit from one of the Kennel Club's Accredited Breeder Advisors, whose role involves inspecting the breeding premises of the scheme's members to ensure that the standards required by the scheme are kept, and also establishing relationships with veterinary surgeons around the country. There are currently 14 Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Advisors across the UK and they will also be responsible for distributing the remaining copies to veterinary surgeries in the future.
Alongside the launch of the guide, a new dedicated area for veterinary surgeons has been added to the Kennel Club website at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/vets. This will include links to many of the subjects contained in the manual, and will initially feature the top 20 breeds registered in the UK. Future updated content will be added to the website as it becomes available, and the manual will subsequently be produced as a computer disk for wider distribution and convenience.
Veterinary surgeons who are not attending this year's BVA Congress, but wish to obtain a copy of the Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health, should visit the new section of the website and complete the request form. A representative of the Kennel Club's Health and Breeder Services team will then make contact to establish a suitable date and time for an Accredited Breeder Advisor to visit.
Ceva Animal Health, maker of Milbactor, Vectra 3D and Vectra Felis, has launched a new booklet for practices to give clients: Protecting your Pet from Parasites.
The booklet offers an overview of the common ecto and endoparasites that can affect dogs and cats in the UK, including fleas, ticks, roundworm, tapeworm and lungworm. It explains how pets can become infested, how to tell if a pet is infected and the potential health problems that may result from an infestation. It also highlights the importance of routine treatment to help prevent infestation and transmission of diseases.
At the end of the booklet there is a check list designed to help pet owners and their vets determine the parasites that pose the greatest threat to their pet, taking into account factors such as whether there is more than one pet in the household, whether the pet scavenges or hunts wildlife or whether there are children in the household.
Rob McLintock MRCVS, companion animal business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "Recent research1 carried out by Ceva demonstrated that pet owners are increasingly confused by what parasites are being treated by their current anti-parasitic regime. The new booklet will provide owners with a comprehensive overview of both ectoparasites and endoparasites and facilitate discussion between clients and their vets to assess the best treatments on a case by case basis."
Ceva has recently launched the Ceva Protection System for dogs, a simple two-step solution featuring Milbactor and Vectra 3D to provide comprehensive ectoparasite and endoparasite protection with one monthly topical treatment and one flavoured tablet. The Ceva Protection System also features Vectra Felis, offering fast-acting flea protection for cats, and Acclaim® for sustained treatment of the pet's home environment.
To request copies of the booklet, call Ceva Animal Health on 01494 781510 or contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager.
536 cat and dog owners, February 2015
According to the Associations, a number of practices have been offering unpaid work, and whilst these offers may seem attractive to newly qualified vets who want to gain access to veterinary workplaces, they devalue the individuals and the veterinary profession.
Offering unpaid roles also exacerbates the problems surrounding lack of access to the profession for those who can’t afford to work for free and contradicts efforts to widen participation in the veterinary sector.
In addition, there are governance issues associated with individuals undertaking veterinary roles before they are registered with the RCVS and there are concerns around individuals undertaking voluntary roles without indemnity insurance.
The Veterinary Defence Society has advised that the Veterinary Surgeons (Practice by Students) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 allow veterinary students to carry out acts of veterinary surgery under the direction and supervision of a veterinary surgeon. After graduating as a vet, individuals are no longer classified as “veterinary students” and must either revert to only doing work which would be delegated to a lay member of staff or register with the RCVS.
Once registered with the RCVS, graduates must abide by the Code of Conduct whether they are volunteering or paid. One such requirement is that veterinary surgeons must have professional indemnity insurance. Veterinary graduates cannot register as a veterinary nurse and if they are not registered as a veterinary surgeon, they must not undertake those acts of veterinary surgery that can lawfully be delegated to RVNs.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: “The Covid-19 crisis has thrown up many challenges for veterinary practices, but we make a plea to the profession not to exploit final year students and new graduates at this difficult time. These individuals are professionals and they deserve to be paid professional new graduate salaries, as we all were. There is a problem to be solved with regard to safe working, particularly in large animal and equine practice, but underpaying and undervaluing people is not the solution.
“BVA has been working with Vet Schools Council and others to champion diversity in our vet schools and the wider profession. If we only provide opportunities for those who can afford to work for free, we will be taking an enormous step backwards.”
Izzie Arthur, AVS President (pictured right), added: “We know that final year students are worried about job prospects and that these offers will be attractive, but we are deeply concerned that it devalues the skills and knowledge that have been built up throughout the degree.
"We’re asking vet practices to champion the next generation by providing paid opportunities for newly qualified (registered) vets and the support needed to get through the professional development phase so that they can become valued members of the team."
The BVA has welcomed reports that the Government will consult on a cull of badgers in areas worst affected by bovine tuberculosis
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "Reports that the Government wishes to move forward with a badger cull to tackle the spread of bovine TB in England are very welcome. The BVA has been championing the need to tackle the spread of the disease in wildlife for some time and we are delighted that the Government has listened to these calls.
"Bovine TB is a devastating disease in many parts of the UK and action must be taken to halt the spread.
"The BVA will consider the proposals in the consultation carefully, including any detailed information on how a cull will be managed. It absolutely must be humane, targeted in the right places and well managed.
"Whatever the Government proposes must be part of a package of measures to control the disease including controls in both cattle and wildlife."
The RCVS is encouraging vets to nominate members of their nursing team for this year's VN Golden Jubilee Award, which recognises exceptional contribution to veterinary nursing.
The award was launched in 2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first RCVS veterinary nursing training course and recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the profession, animal welfare and/or patient care. Nominees can be registered veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons or lay people.
Nomination forms need to be submitted by 5pm on Friday 24 April. The principal nominator must be a registered veterinary nurse or veterinary surgeon, although the two supporting proposers can be lay people.
Kathy Kissick, Chair of VN Council, said: "One of the main priorities of VN Council in the coming years is to raise levels of awareness of registered veterinary nurses, and awards which recognise the importance of VNs in the context of the veterinary team and animal welfare are crucial to enhancing the profession's profile.
"Therefore I would encourage veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons to think about those VNs who go above and beyond the call of duty for their cause and who would be excellent ambassadors for the profession and nominate them for the Golden Jubilee Award."
Last year's winner was Hayley Walters who was recognised for her contribution to animal welfare through her teaching, clinical and international outreach work. Previous recipients were Jean Turner in 2011 and Sue Badger in 2012. No award was made in 2013.
The nomination form for the VN Golden Jubilee Award can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/goldenjubilee
The winner will be chosen by a panel of VN Council members and will receive the Award at RCVS Day - the College's Annual General Meeting and Awards Day - on Friday 10 July 2015.
For further information about making a nomination for the award contact Annette Amato, Deputy Head of Veterinary Nursing, on a.amato@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0713.
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) is putting out a last call to take part in the SPVS Salaries Survey 2015, open to everybody working in the veterinary profession.
The long-standing survey provides a benchmark for veterinary surgeons, nurses and support staff to see trends in pay and conditions. Designed to provide a complete picture of remuneration levels, the survey covers basic earnings, bonuses, dividends, overtime and benefits such as accommodation, car allowances, private medical insurance and pensions. It also includes questions on employment contracts, hours worked, out of hours and weekend working.
Peter Brown, SPVS Treasurer and author of the Salaries Survey said: “I have been compiling the survey results for a number of years but it never fails to enlighten me as to what is happening in the profession. I know it is also the go to reference guide when practices are recruiting to help ensure they are offering competitive salary packages.
“Participation in the survey is open to all and the more practices that take part, the more accurate and useful the information will be so we would urge everyone working in the veterinary profession to take a few minutes to complete the survey. It can be done online and the information is completely anonymous.”
To complete the survey online, visit www.spvs.org.uk or, for a printed version, telephone 01926 410545. The survey is open until 30 November 2015.
XLVets has called on experts in people development, legal, IT and HR, as well as its practice owners, managers and team leaders to develop a package of coronavirus resources. The package includes guidance and best practice, tips offered by XLVets members, expert guidance in the use of technology to support home workers, access to the XLVets Thriving in Practice wellbeing initiative and more.
To access the resources at www.xlvets.co.uk without charge or obligation, email admin@xlvets.co.uk.
Colm McGinn (pictured right), from XLVets said: "We are very good at working together to develop solutions for problems and supporting each other. This is a national challenge and while our members have faced some difficult decisions, they've been able to share that decision-making process with their peers, calling on them for ideas, guidance and support.
"It's a big ask for just one or two partners to interpret the guidance in a rapidly changing environment and to stay informed about advice from regulatory bodies and associations. We've all benefited from sharing knowledge and it's lifted some of the pressure that comes from taking individual action, while still having freedom to do what's right for your own practice and people. I can't think of a better time for us to share our learning and resources for the greater good."
For more information, visit: https://www.xlvets.co.uk/the-boss.
Intervet / Schering-Plough has announced that its leptospirosis vaccine, Nobivac Lepto 2, is now back in stock at all wholesalers and that the production delay affecting supply has been fully resolved.
David Hallas, general manager, Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health, said: "We foresee no further supply difficulties on Nobivac Lepto 2. I very much regret the inconvenience experienced over this difficult period and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of our customers for their patience, understanding and support.
"A combination of advancing production and a very timely batch release process has enabled us to re-introduce Nobivac Lepto 2 ahead of the previously-indicated timing of early May, and we are pleased that we have been able to deliver on the assurances that we made back in January."
The company says that current stock levels and planned deliveries are all in place.
Ken Elliott, Marketing Manager for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health's Companion Animal Business, said: "Orders should be placed with wholesalers in the usual way but we advise practices that have outstanding orders, or think they may have outstanding orders, to check the status with their wholesaler."
Elanco Companion Animal Health has announced that Comfortis (spinosad) flavoured chewable flea control tablets have been licensed for cats.
In addition, the company has extended its range with the addition of two new sizes for toy dogs and smaller cats.
Comfortis chewable tablets for dogs and cats are fast-acting, monthly oral adulticides that start to kill fleas in cats and dogs in 30 minutes and, according to Elanco, rapidly achieve 100% efficacy.
Comfortis chewable tablets for dogs and cats kill adult fleas for a month and Elanco says the fast speed of kill means that adult fleas are killed before they can lay eggs, making Comfortis effective in preventing new infestations.
Patrick Bourdeau, Dip ECVD-Dip EVPC, of the Veterinary School of Nantes (Oniris), France said: "Comfortis offers a highly effective format to those owners who have not had relief with other forms of flea control. The tablet offers a high level of convenience to owners to ensure both cats and dogs receive immediate relief from flea infestation.
"This is especially pertinent to the nearly 30% of cat owners who have reported problems with administering other forms of flea treatment, including spot-ons, which can have an effect on efficacy1. This includes the animal escaping when they sense a topical treatment is about to be administered or during actual administration3".
He added: "Comfortis is a highly effective treatment for flea control for cats and dogs, and one that will aid with compliance because it is easier to administer correctly."
Charlotte Mayne MRCVS, principal and veterinary surgeon at The Mayne Veterinary Clinic in Colchester, Essex, said: "We have used Comfortis chewable tablets for cats in practice, with 94% of clients who were prescribed the product for their pet being able to administer Comfortis and 80% of owners able to give the treatment so easily that they did not need to pill it2. Indeed, all the clients who were able to administer the treatment said they would use it again with comments such as 'it's brilliant - the best product ever' to 'my cat ate it like sweets' and we had 'lots of dead fleas'."
Comfortis chewable tablets for dogs and cats are available in 90mg, 140mg, 270mg and 425mg packs of six. Comfortis chewable tablets for dogs is also available in 665mg, 1040mg and 1620mg packs of six.
For further information on Comfortis, please contact your Elanco Companion Animal Health key account manager or phone 01256 353131.
References
The Born Free Foundation, British Veterinary Association, Captive Animals' Protection Society and the RSPCA have welcomed the Government's draft legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in England, to be implemented in 2015.
The groups, which have worked closely together for a number of years on the campaign to seek an end to the use of wild animals in big tops in the UK said that they were "delighted" to see the ban brought forward in concrete terms.
A spokesperson, talking on behalf of all four leading organisations said: "We are pleased to see that the Government appear to have come good on their promise to ban the outdated practice of using wild animals in circuses.
"We have long argued that the complex needs of wild animals cannot be met in a travelling circus environment and were disappointed when the Government introduced a licensing regime earlier this year which appeared to legitimise a practice which we, and our hundreds of thousands of supporters, want to see abolished altogether.
"We are looking forward to seeing the ban fully implemented at the earliest opportunity".
BVA President Peter Jones said: "Whilst there are only 20 wild animals kept by two licensed circuses in the UK, their welfare is emblematic of the way we treat all animals."
The groups said that they would work to support Government in the formal enactment of the Bill and the Born Free Foundation and the RSPCA reiterated their pledge to offer to find safe homes for life for all wild animals currently being used in English circuses.
The measures agreed by RCVS Council will allow UK-practising members to spread the cost of renewal over three instalments: paying 50% of the full cost by 30th April, 25% by 30th September, and the remaining 25% by 31st December.
Kit Sturgess, Treasurer, said: “We recognise that most veterinary businesses will be seeing a downtown during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, especially as veterinary practices reduce their workloads to emergency-only procedures or those that can be classed as urgent. Furthermore, we understand that many individual veterinary surgeons will no longer be working, and that this will cause financial difficulties for many vets and their families.
"We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the profession, and as part of our compassionate approach to regulation we wanted to do our bit to help people manage the difficult financial consequences of the coronavirus crisis, and to help them to return to work as soon as Government advice allows. While fees for veterinary nurses are not due until the end of the year, we will keep the impact of the coronavirus pandemic under review on an ongoing basis.”
Any UK-practising member wishing to switch to the payment-by-instalments system should cancel their existing Direct Debits immediately (the College has already temporarily deferred these direct debits for around 10-14 days to allow time for them to be cancelled).
The College says that any member who does not pay the first instalment of 50% of the total fee by the end of April will need to pay the full amount in one instalment by the end of May. Should they then fail to make this payment, the College would then have to remove their name from the Register.
Those who pay the initial 50% instalment but fail to pay one or both of the subsequent 25% instalments will be moved to the non-practising Register for up to one year. This would mean that they could transfer back to the UK-practising Register without incurring a restoration fee. However, they would no longer legally be entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon while on the non-practising Register until they had paid the retention fee in full and been transferred back to the UK-practising Register.
RCVS Council also agreed that the higher fee that usually applies for late payments, ie those made between 1 May and 30 May, will not be applied to any category of membership this year.
Members can opt to move to the new arrangements or continue with full payment. Details of how to pay under the new arrangements will be sent to members shortly. Any member who has already paid their fee in full and would like to switch to the payment-by-instalments mechanism should contact the College on refunds@rcvs.org.uk.
Further details about the scheme are available in a detailed Frequently Asked Questions guide via www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
COMMENTIt has been argued that at a time when many veterinary surgeons have lost a significant part of their livelihood, the College should have gone further and reduced the renewal fees, at least for the period of time that vets' earning ability is compromised. I'm not qualified to judge whether the College could have afforded that, and a spokesman would only say: "...we have to work within the framework of the legislation and the statutory instrument and, given this, the measures that RCVS Council has put in place is a reasonable outcome and will assist veterinary surgeons who may be struggling during these very tough times."
The ‘Ear essentials – a holistic approach to the treatment of canine otitis externa’ webinar will include a presentation by Jonathon Elgie, veterinary technical advisor at Dechra UK and Ireland.
Jonathon will talk delegates through case examples to help them make decisions that can be used in practice and take a clear, practical and holistic approach to treatment.
He will also update vet professionals on Dechra support including the Lifelong Ear Partnership which provides education, tips and assistance to achieve better clinical outcomes and owner satisfaction.
Animal Health has today launched a free news alert service to help people keep in touch with the latest developments on notifiable animal disease.
The service is targeted mainly at the farming community, although it is available to everyone. By registering, subscribers will receive alerts on up to five notifiable animal diseases – foot and mouth disease, bluetongue, avian influenza, Newcastle disease and classical swine fever. Subscribers can choose to receive alerts via a voicemail on a landline telephone or mobile telephone, via text, fax or email.
To sign up online to the Animal Health Subscription Service visit the Animal Health website at www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth.
To sign up by telephone dial 0844 884 9888 and follow the press button instructions.
Virbac has announced that it will repeat its EasOtic promotion through which practitioners that make multiple purchases of the award-winning otitis treatment can claim an ear model and specialist ear instrument kit.
The models, which show the anatomy of a healthy canal on one side and the changes associated with chronic damage on the other, are approximately 15cm high and can be used as a visual aid to show clients the consequences of untreated chronic ear disease.
The specialist ear instrument kits, worth £100, have been designed in consultation with veterinary dermatologists. They consist of a haemostat, ear forceps, three various cerumen scoops and a Spreulls ear-flushing needle.
Product Manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "Basically it's the best ear equipment for daily use by practitioners. Last year we were overwhelmed by the demand of both promotions, so we've decided to repeat the offer again this year."
The models and kits are available with multiple purchases of EasOtic and the neutral pH glycotechnology ear cleaner Epi-Otic.
For details of how you can obtain a model and/or kit for your practice contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
WebLeC has launched a monthly online equine CPD service.
One hour live interactive sessions will take place every third Thursday at 7:30 pm. A single meeting costs £30 plus VAT, or savings can be made by taking out a flexible subscription that allows the user to choose any 12 meetings for the cost of 10 over a period of up to 24 months.
The next meeting is on 22nd September and is entitled: Colic Decision making: When to wake up the surgeon and what pain control to use. The presenter is Debra Archer form the University of Liverpool. Further details and registration links can be found at: http://www.ledstonequine.co.uk/weblec_lectures/colic.html
In addition, a recording of WebLeC's 6th meeting, which was held in partnership with BEVA and the VDS and dealt with the new guidelines and forms for pre-purchase examinations of horses, is now available to view free online at: www.bitly.com/weblecbevaPPE. Use the password: b3va to get access, and you will receive a CPD certificate if you fill in the registration form.
WebLeC has also been asked to host BEVA's online CPD and will be announcing further details of their meetings soon.
Mars Veterinary is launching the Wisdom Panel Insights mixed breed dog DNA test at the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs event this weekend.
According to the company, more than 2 million dogs in the UK are mixed breed, and it is likely that many owners are unsure of their pet's parentage.
Now, with the swipe of a cheek swab, Wisdom Panel Insights can determine the ancestry of a mixed breed dog by testing for more than 185 breeds, which Mars Veterinary says is the largest database of any canine DNA test on the market. Within three weeks, dog owners are emailed an official Ancestry Report that reveals the dog's genetic background. This, it is claimed, will help owners provide better training, nutrition and exercise for their pet, and will also alert them to any disease predisposition their dog may have.
The test will be on sale for the first time at Discover Dogs at Earl's Court, and from the website: www.wisdompanel.co.uk. It costs £59.99 inc. vat, discounted for Kennel Club registered dogs.
Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club, said: "A dog's ancestry can influence him in surprising ways. Obvious and not-so-obvious physical traits plus behaviours like digging, herding and barking all come from the various breeds in a dog's family tree. Once an owner understands a dog's natural tendencies, it makes it possible to create a tailored training, exercise and nutrition program to fit his one-of-a-kind needs. This is one of many innovative products that dog owners and lovers will find at Discover Dogs this weekend."
The Animal Health Trust has repeated its call for veterinary surgeons to take part in its survey study on breed differences in clinical features of canine hyperadrenocorticism.
40 veterinary surgeons have so far taken part in the survey, and preliminary results show that some breeds tend to present with fewer clinical signs than others, which fits with the study's initial hypothesis.
In addition, researchers say that the frequency of most of the clinical signs in dogs affected by hyperadrenocorticism, including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, abdominal distention, alopecia, panting, comedones and muscle weakness, seem to be lower than previously reported in earlier studies published decades ago.
The AHT says it hopes the results of this study will help veterinary surgeons in the diagnosis of canine hyperadrenocorticism. However, in order to progress the study and draw firm conclusions, more responses from veterinary surgeons are needed.
Michael Bennaim, veterinary surgeon at the AHT, said: "We need members of the veterinary profession to help us increase knowledge of this disease and to promote this study to their colleagues. The online questionnaire takes around 10 minutes to complete and all the information that is collected will be processed anonymously."
The AHT requests that the online questionnaire is completed for each case diagnosed with spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism . The questionnaire can be found at http://bit.ly/aht-cushing
Participants can request to be notified of the results of this study when available. Each questionnaire submitted has a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher.
If you have any questions about the study, contact michael.bennaim@aht.org.uk.