The Veterinary Marketing Association has announced a Practice Marketing Award, with a prize of £500 worth of CPD, for which entries are now being sought.
The award, which is sponsored by Merial, is open to companion and farm animal practices that can demonstrate effective marketing to their clients during the course of 2012.
For more information, visit: www.vma.org.uk/awards, or email: secretary@vma.org.uk for entry details.
Merial has announced the launch of V LINE, a new range of parasiticides sold exclusively through veterinary practices.
The first two products, called Broadline for cats and NexGard for dogs, will be unveiled at the BSAVA Congress at the start of next month.
Broadline is a broad-acting POM spot-on for cats containing eprinomectin, praziquantel, s-methoprene and fipronil, indicated for use against tapeworms, ticks, roundworms and fleas.
NexGard is a POM flea and tick control product for dogs given monthly as a palatable soft chew. It contains a novel active ingredient called afoxolaner which, according to Merial, has a new and distinct mode of action that provides a fast speed of flea kill.
Roddy Webster, Head of Pets at Merial said: "We are pleased to announce the launch of Broadline and NexGard. Merial is a market leader with a strong heritage in anti-parasitics and we have leveraged that expertise as well as our understanding of what pet owners want, to deliver these truly consumer-focused solutions. Such prescription-only innovations also demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the veterinary profession."
Hill’s Nurse Roadshows return in May with a 4 venue tour of the southern region. The theme is weight management and mobility and the organisers promise fun-filled, fact-packed events.
The evenings will address a broad ranging syllabus that includes setting up a weight management clinic using the latest dietary innovations alongside sessions on how to effectively promote it to your clients. It also will explain how to develop an individual exercise plan for both overweight but mobile animals, and for those overweight pets with mobility impairment.
Guest speakers include vet Lowri Davies who runs her own sports medicine and rehabilitation veterinary clinic in Swansea and is a holder of Certificates in both Veterinary Acupuncture and Canine Rehabilitation and Julie Corey Dip AVN (Med) Cert AAB MBIPDT (Adv) who qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1994 and has a Certificate in Applied Animal Behaviour as well as an Advanced Grade from the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers (BIPDT).
The roadshows are being held at Milton Keynes on 12th of May, Tunbridge Wells on 13th of May, Exeter on 14th of May and Cheltenham on 15th of May. All the roadshow events run from 7.00 pm for an 8pm start and include a buffet meal and refreshments.
To book a free place at any of the roadshows including the practice based event in Cardiff call Jane Quail, Education Coordinator at Hill’s on 01923 814454.
MSD Animal Health has launched a new range of vaccination equipment to help sheep and cattle producers administer its portfolio of farm animal vaccines as effectively, cleanly and safely as possible.
The new vaccinators all incorporate the Sterimatic system, which is designed to take the worry out of administering injections to livestock by delivering an accurate dose of any given product, whilst also cleaning and protecting the needle automatically. MSD says the Sterimatic system also decreases the potential for disease transmission, minimises the risk of infection and abscessing at the vaccination site, and reduces needle-stick injuries.
The new equipment is colour-coded and ergonomically designed for comfort in the hand and comes in clear, sterile bags that list the recommended vaccines for use with each vaccinator.
The new vaccinators are now available from animal health product wholesalers.
The support pack is available now for existing stockists; others can sign up for a pack (whilst stocks last) at the London Vet Show in November, where Lintbells will be at stand U50.
According to the company, an estimated 15% of canine cases presented at first opinion practices are musculoskeletal and cats are also commonly affected.1
The Mobility Matters support materials are designed to help practices communicate the issues to clients, both in the waiting area and consulting room and online. There are also resources to help behind the scenes with setting up the clinics, including the new guide.
Gemma Cunningham, Lintbells Product Marketing Executive said: "We’re keen to bring attention to nurse-led clinics, which are not just great for patients but great for business too. Measurable outcomes include client satisfaction, incremental sales and improved patient comfort or quality of life. We’ve taken into account existing barriers based on what veterinary teams have told us and created the pack to address those needs. Our Mobility Matters referral cards, which help vets signpost clients to the clinics are a brilliant example of how the pack can help teams work more effectively together."
For more information, contact Lintbells on 01462 790886.
Reference
The traditional approach is to use anatomical knowledge to inject pain relief in the area of the nerves to be blocked.
Liz is leading a move away from this approach to a more precise method which uses ultrasound guidance to visualise the nerves, allowing the local anaesthetic to be placed directly around the nerve itself.
For some nerve blocks, it is possible to block just the sensory branches of nerves, which means pets can walk better immediately after surgery while not feeling any pain.
Liz, a past president of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, said: “Local analgesia is now at the forefront of our post-operative care and reliably improves the quality of a pet’s recovery and reduces the need for opioid pain relief, which can cause side effects.
“We’re using the latest techniques to deliver the nerve-blocking anaesthetics to exactly where they’re needed.
“For many of the nerve blocks, the use of ultrasound guidance allows more precise delivery and a complete blockade of the sensory nerves, which is why, here at Paragon, we’ve invested in state-of-the art ultrasound machine designed specifically for superficial and deep nerve blocks.
“This means we can provide more effective immediate post-operative analgesia for our patients and minimise the need for further pain killers.
“The nerves can be directly visualised and local anaesthetic directly placed around the nerve bundles.”
Liz is keen to highlight the advantages of the increased use of local anaesthesia in the treatment of animals. She added: “We’re hoping we’ll soon be able to publish some clinical research on the use of some of the blocking techniques used to demonstrate our clinical impression of their effectiveness in patient management.”
Virbac is offering a free Rapid Romanowsky stain kit and Coplin jars to practices buying easOtic and Epi-Otic in a new promotion which runs until the end of October.
easOtic is Virbac's treatment for otitis externa. It features a 1ml airless pump for precise measurement and an award-winning bottle design to aid compliance by ensuring easy and accurate application.
Epi-Otic is Virbac's antibacterial and antifungal ear cleaner for use in routine cleaning. It is pH neutral and contains sodium docusate, which dries the ear canal after application.
Practices making a qualifying purchase of both products will receive the Stain Kit, comprising the three staining solutions and three Coplin jars, free of charge.
For further information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
A new study, led by academics at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences and published online in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, has investigated the occurrence of dog aggression towards people with a survey of UK dog owners.
Nearly 15,000 questionnaires were distributed to dog owners of which 4,000 were returned and used in the analysis.
The researchers found that:
The study highlighted that the majority of dogs showing aggression do so in just one of these situations. Researchers say this indicates that the common tendency to categorise dogs as either generally 'safe' or 'vicious' is a misconception, and that most dogs show aggression as a learnt response to particular situations.
Dr Rachel Casey, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare, said: "Dog owners and members of the public need to be aware that any dog could potentially show aggression if it is anxious or feels threatened, even when it has never done so before.
"On the other hand, dogs which have shown aggressive signs in one situation are not necessarily 'dangerous' when in other contexts - an important consideration in the assessment of animals, such as in rehoming centres."
The study also compared the characteristics of those dogs reported to show aggression with those which had never done so. It was revealed that factors such as training classes attended, type of training method used, the sex and neuter status of dogs, the age category of owners, and the breed of dogs were all associated with the occurrence of aggression.
Different risk factors were found to be significant in statistical models examining aggression to family members and unfamiliar people. This suggests that different factors are important in the development of aggressive signs depending on the situation.
The research also highlighted that although general characteristics, such as breed type, are significant risk factors across large populations they explain only a small amount of the overall difference between aggressive and non-aggressive dogs. This suggests that it is not appropriate to evaluate the risk of aggressive behaviour in an individual dog using characteristics such as breed type.
Human directed aggression in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): occurrence in different contexts and risk factors, Rachel A. Casey, Bethany Loftus, Christine Bolster, Gemma J. Richards, Emily J. Blackwell, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, published online 11 December 2013.
Those who pay their fees after 30 April 2017 will be charged an extra £35 to renew their registration while those who have not paid by 31 May 2017 will be removed from the Register.
You will also need to confirm your registration details, confirm you've met the RCVS requirement for continuing professional development of 105 hours over a three-year rolling period and disclose any new or previously undisclosed convictions, cautions or adverse findings.
The annual renewal can be completed by logging into the ‘My Account’ area of the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/login). For those members who do not have a valid email address, or have requested a hard copy of the renewal form, a form has been sent by post.
Any veterinary surgeons who have not received their annual renewal form or security details for the ‘My Account’ area by 7 March should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk as soon as possible.
Those with queries about paying the annual renewal fee should contact the RCVS Finance Team on 020 7202 0723 or finance@rcvs.org.uk
The anaesthesia team has produced a fact sheet, infographic and CPD webinar to help practices minimise the oxygen and volatile anaesthetic agent used in animals safely.
The resources can all be found at: https://vetspecialists.co.uk/oxygen-conservation
Anaesthetist Sarah Gibson will be following up the webinar with a live online Q&A on Low Flow Anaesthesia on Tuesday 7th April at 2pm; to book your place please email CPD@vetspecialists.co.uk.
Managing Director Tim Richardson said: "By sharing our practical information on oxygen conservation, we hope we can help our colleagues safely use less oxygen during general anaesthesia and sedation, thus ensuring more of this valuable resource remains available."
Davies Veterinary Specialists' premises remain open for urgent and emergency cases. For all other cases, assistance is being provided via remote consultation, be that either telephone or video.
Invicta Animal Health has launched a new identification service for ChroMyco Duo dermatophyte kits in partnership with Axiom Veterinary Laboratories.
Veterinary practices can now send positive ChroMyco plates to Axiom and receive a species identification report for the specially discounted price of £8.00.
Rob Watkins, Managing Director of Invicta Animal Health said: "We are delighted to launch this service in response to customer feedback. This enables practices to gain a positive dermatophyte diagnosis in as little as three to six days so that treatment can be commenced promptly. Then, by sending the plate to Axiom, the actual species can be subsequently identified.
Axiom, with its innovative microbiology department and dedication to quality combined with its reliable network of courier services and postal processing systems are the ideal laboratory to provide this service".
Submission forms are available free of charge from Invicta Animal Health 01403 791313. ChroMyco Duo dermatophyte test kits are available from wholesalers and priced at £25.00 for 5 kits.
Equistro® has produced a dust-free pelleted presentation of Secreta Pro, following requests from clients. Secreta Pro-Max® was launched to vets at BEVA Congress.
Secreta Pro is a respiratory supplement used to support the bronchial system and natural defences on a long term basis.
For more information on Secreta Pro-Max® and all Equistro products, please visit http://www.equistro.co.uk/, or contact your Vetoquinol representative.
The BSAVA has released the final figures showing that 6,331 veterinary surgeons, nurses, practice managers and students attended the event, up from 6,178 in 2013.
Outgoing BSAVA President Professor Michael Day was delighted that so many attended. He said: "What continues to set BSAVA Congress apart is simply 'quality'. The quality of the faultless organisation, the quality of the scientific content, and the quality of our exhibition and incomparable social programme."
A few other numbers from Congress this year included:
Sunday saw the inauguration of the new BSAVA President Katie McConnell. She said: "Like so many previous presidents, I look back on my early volunteering days with deep affection but it would have been a great surprise to my earlier self to be told that one day I would be the BSAVA President.
"During my presidential year I would like to meet as many BSAVA members as I can, hopefully in their own regions. I plan to travel to regional BSAVA continuing education meetings, not to stand up and lecture but to listen to individual members and find out what the BSAVA means to them. The BSAVA is run by members for members and the only way to shape its work is to become engaged with it."
VetYogi’s new ‘VetYogi Collective’ offers an on-demand online hub of yoga, mental health and wellbeing sessions designed to meet the individual needs of vets, RVNs, practice managers, receptionists, students and paraprofessionals.
Subscription includes a monthly live yoga session and access to a library of content which includes yoga sessions lasting from minutes to over an hour.
There are also videos, and advice on guided meditation to help support wellbeing and manage stress.
Chloe says: “It’s important that everyone who has a need, has access to the type of wellbeing tools that they respond best to, so we have developed self-care sessions for all roles in the profession.
"If you have had a hard day or a stiff neck from working in theatre for hours, or are just feeling tense and unable to switch off, you need help there and then.
"The VetYogi Collective provides that support around the clock which we simply couldn’t deliver any other way.”
Individual subscriptions cost £12 per month.
Practices signing up their team are offered preferential rates and can use the VetYogi Collective badge on their materials to signal their commitment to supporting wellbeing.
collective.vetyogi.com
Petplan has been awarded an Insurance Times Tech Award for its social media campaign entitled "Like & Donate", which was devised to support two animal charities, the Dogs Trust and Cats Protection.
As part of the campaign, pet lovers are being encouraged to donate a food pouch to either charity by "liking" the Petplan Facebook page; with one "like" equalling one pouch of food for either the cat or dog charity.
The Facebook app also allows Petplan's Facebook fans to track the progress of donations and encourage friends to visit the page and support their chosen charity. The initiative has resulted in over 48,000 food pouches being donated to the charities with the Cats Protection receiving over 29,000 "likes" and the Dogs Trust gaining 19,500.
Petplan's Head of Marketing, Isabella von Mesterhazy said: "We are delighted our Like & Donate campaign has been awarded Best Use of Social Media. At Petplan we work with over 1,700 animal charities and our Like & Donate campaign has further helped to support the fantastic work of both the Dogs Trust and Cats Protection in rehoming dogs and cats across the UK."
To take part in Petplan's "Like & Donate" programme visit www.Facebook.co.uk/Petplan.
The company has created a waiting room board kit, social media pack and a video which surgeries can play on waiting room televisions.
The board kit comprises cut out images of items which are commonly found in a typical Christmas shopping basket which can be toxic or dangerous to pets. Meanwhile, the video explains the dangers pet owners need to be aware of throughout the year.
For practices which are limiting the number of people coming into the premises, TVM is also offering waterproof posters which can be displayed outside surgeries, along with Pet Dangers leaflets for clients to take home.
Will Peel, Product Manager of TVM UK, said: ‘We know that poisoning cases increase significantly over the Christmas period and while many pet owners are aware of the items which are toxic to their pets, it’s easy to get distracted during the festive season so the materials we have put together are intended as a reminder to be diligent and keep pets safe from harm.’
To claim your free Pet Dangers practice resource kit, visit https://www.tvm-uk.com/order-your-tvm-uk-christmas-pet-dangers-display-kit, contact your local territory manager, email help@tvm-uk.com or call 0800 0385868.
ECC vet Shailen Jasani has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for further development of his pet bereavement website, www.theralphsite.com
The Ralph Site is a non-profit pet bereavement support online resource and Facebook community which Shailen set up in 2011 after the loss of his cat Ralph.
Shailen says that over the past three years, the site has proved to be a much needed resource, with many pet carers benefiting from what it offers and a growing number of practices referring their bereaved clients to the site for information and support, and a sympathetic and empathetic virtual ear. So far, the site has had approximately 60,000 visitors and the Facebook community now stands at an impressive 34,000 Likes.
Shailen manages the site by himself and has has also personally funded all of the expenses to date including design, development, on-going management and promotion costs, to the tune of £30,000.
However, he says he now needs further funds to make the site work properly on smartphones and tablets, improve the memorial section and promote it more widely to pet owners, for which he is turning to crowdfunding and hoping that members of the profession will support what he is doing, both with contributions and by helping spread the word amongst family, colleagues and clients.
Shailen said: "The issue of pet bereavement and the impact of pet loss on their carers is a serious one which is slowly but surely gaining increasing recognition. A resource such as the Ralph Site is invaluable for practices to be able to link and refer clients to. I very much hope colleagues will get behind my campaign."
To find out more about the campaign, visit: http://igg.me/at/theralphsite/x
A research project funded by The Horse Trust has made important discoveries about how two peptides regulate the inflammatory response in horses. This knowledge could help with the development of improved anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used to treat a wide range of conditions in horses.
The research project was led by Professor Fiona Cunningham at the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire and Dr Karen Rickards at the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, assisted by Dr Andrew Brooks at the RVC, and by Dr Kirstie Pickles, now at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh.
Inflammation is associated with a wide range of equine diseases, including recurrent airway obstruction, laminitis and sweet itch. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as glucocorticosteroids, mainly work by blocking the formation and/or actions of compounds produced in the horse's body that cause inflammatory responses. However, these drugs are not always effective and can have unwanted side effects.
This research, funded by The Horse Trust, aimed to find out more about two naturally-occurring peptides - chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins - known as annexin-1 and CXCL8. Both have been shown to affect the inflammatory response but little research has been done on their effects in horses. In the long term, knowing more about these compounds could help in the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects.
During inflammation, neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) stick to the cells lining blood vessels and migrate into inflamed tissue, where they ingest and break down harmful agents. Using techniques that mimic these events, CXCL8 was found to cause adherence and migration of horse neutrophils. However, when it was used in combination with another pro-inflammatory substance, neutrophil migration and adherence were markedly decreased. This suggests that attempts to reduce inflammation by blocking the actions of CXCL8 might not be as beneficial as had been thought.
At the start of the project, the researchers had no information about horse annexin-1, other than its gene sequence, so their first step was to develop a method to detect the peptide in white blood cells. They established that it was present and, as horse annexin-1 has not yet been synthesised, they used a synthetic peptide derived from annexin-1, Ac2-26, to look at the effects on horse neutrophils.
They found that Ac2-26 decreased neutrophil adherence and migration in response to other pro-inflammatory compounds, although at high concentrations the peptide itself caused some cell activation, thereby increasing inflammation. They also found that dexamethasone (a glucocorticosteroid) increased the levels of annexin-1 in cells, indicating that, as in humans, this class of drugs is likely to act in part through the formation of annexin-1.
These findings suggest that the use of compounds which mimic the actions of annexin-1 may have limitations as anti-inflammatory drugs. As glucocorticosteroids partly work by forming annexin-1, further research is needed in order to find out how annexin-1 will act in the horse's body and establish how its formation contributes to the beneficial effects of these drugs.
Professor Cunningham said: "This Horse Trust-funded research has resulted in some very interesting findings about how inflammatory cells are regulated in horses. The receptors that annexin-1 and CXCL8 act upon could be targets for new equine inflammatory drugs, but more research is needed first to fully understand their actions and how they produce these effects."
The team's research has been accepted for publication by the journal Veterinary Immunology & Immunopathology.
BSAVA’s client information leaflets are designed to be used as part of the veterinary consultation and provide information to help owners understand what is involved in a procedure or examination, including the reasons for it, the preparation required, any associated risks and what happens during and after the procedure.
They are available in a PDF format which can be printed and stamped with the veterinary practice details or emailed to clients.
Elise Robertson, ABVS American Board-Certified Diplomate Feline Practice and author of the endoscopic Client Information Leaflets, said: ‘The client information leaflets were created due to the need for accurate and reliable information from reputable sources."
BSAVA’s Head of Publishing, Ian Mellor, said: "This new factsheet brings our total number of client leaflets to 178. Our client leaflets have been downloaded more than 10,000 times in the past year and are an important part of our drive to improve the health and welfare of small animals by providing practical resources to the veterinary profession.’
The new leaflet is available via the BSAVA Library (https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/cilgroupprocedures).
Access to the entire range of client information leaflets (including canine and feline behaviour, exotic pets and medicines) is available for an annual subscription of £40; BSAVA members have access to these leaflets as one of their membership benefits.
BSAVA welcomes suggestions for new topics to cover in its client information leaflets.
Send your ideas to publications@bsava.com.
Norbrook Laboratories Ltd has launched the 2013 - 2014 edition of its UK Veterinary Surgeon's Product Compendium.
The compendium contains data sheets for the complete range of over 120 Norbrook products which are available in the UK and Northern Ireland, including 17 new products which have been launched since the last compendium was issued.
The compendium is available from your Norbrook representative or can be downloaded from www.norbrook.com. Norbrook also offers an iPhone App through which users can access essential product information including pharmaceutical presentation, uses, dosage and administration, withdrawal periods, contraindications & warnings and pharmaceutical precautions.
Advances in mobile phone technology, combined with the simplification of video-editing software and the adoption of video in social media, have led to an explosion in the use of the medium over the past 12 years. YouTube, which had its first video posted in April 2005, now counts over a billion users.
To help veterinary professionals gain the skills needed to make the most of this increasingly important medium, 'Video-making for social media' will teach you how to use your mobile phone to create engaging video, in particular looking at script-writing, voice-overs, editing and mixing soundtracks.
The course takes place in Preston, Lancashire on 17th May.
To be in with a chance of receiving one of three free places on the course, send an email with 'Video-making for social media' in the subject line, followed by your details and why you would like to attend to: royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com. Entries will close 10 working days before the event.
Alternatively, places on the courses can be booked by calling 01453 872731 or by visiting www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk. Workshops cost £275 plus VAT for non-members and £195 plus VAT for VPMA and SPVS members (discounts offered on group/ bulk bookings). Cost includes CPD certificates, lunch and refreshments.
The materials include a 15-minute video in which Sarah (pictured right) gives her advice on the medical management of hyperthyroid cases. She also introduces Thiamacare, Animalcare's high strength (10mg/ml) thiamazole oral solution, launched by the company last year.
Sarah has also helped to produce an in-clinic infographic which offers practical tips on handling hyperthyroid cats in order to minimise stress, as low-stress handling is known to help benefit treatment outcomes. The infographic also contains tips for owners on transporting cats, gives advice to practices on how to make waiting rooms and consult rooms cat-friendly and suggests considerations for blood-sampling and therapeutic assistance.
The materials are all available free of charge from www.the-pac.co.uk
James Beaumont, Brand Manager, said: ‘’Hyperthyroid cats can be challenging to treat and to handle. We hope the educational resources we have developed with Dr Caney will support practice teams in strengthening the management of these cases, ensuring higher welfare for affected cats and supporting the human-companion animal bond.”
For more information, email: animalcare@animalcare.co.uk or telephone 01904 487687.
SPVS is inviting practitioners to a week-long CPD and diving course taking place at the Red Sea from June 14-21st.
Five days of diving at Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh will be combined with 16 hours of CPD on orthopaedics, including fracture planning presented by Malcolm Ness BVetMed DipECVS CertSAO FRCVS. Other subjects include the provocatively titled ‘So You Think You Know How to Run a Business?’ presented by Simon Robinson, Senior Business Manager at LloydsTSB.
The event has been organised to avoid the busy school holiday period and vets’ own family commitments.
Ewan McNeill, SPVS Senior Vice President, said: “This is a fantastic week of CPD and diving and demonstrates the wide variety of CPD-driven events SPVS is hosting, ranging from Snowscene to Sail Training. There’ll be a professional diving instructor present at all times, so even if you’re a beginner, this week is definitely one for the diary!”
The venue is the newly refurbished Bayview Hotel, which is situated five minutes from the centre of the resort, jetty and Oxygene dive centre, a BSAC school and PADI resort.
Cost per person is £750 including five days diving, flights from Gatwick, transfers, seven nights half board, boat diving at two dives a day, tanks and weights and Marine park fees. Any extra dives can be paid for locally.
Price quoted is for those who already hold an Open Water Diver certificate, but a referral course is available at an extra £105 for anyone wanting to qualify.
For more information, and to book your place, please contact the SPVS office on 01926 410 454 or email office@spvs.org.uk.
Vetsonic has taken over the marketing of Cavalesse, the oral nutritional supplement for horses that are prone to skin allergies, such as sweet itch.
Cavalesse contains a formulation of water-soluble vitamins and minerals, administered daily via a special pipette, either by sprinkling over a small handful of feed or adding to a treat. Vetsonic claims the supplement helps horses maintain a healthy skin and promotes normal immune function.
Ray Rochester, Managing Director of Vetsonic said: "It's an exciting phase in the development of Vetsonic which will see us rapidly expanding in the increasingly competitive small animal and equine market. Cavalesse is a welcome addition to our portfolio."
For further information, contact Vetsonic customer services on 01653 695333.
Norbrook Laboratories has launched Cefimam DC intramammary ointment, a new dry cow preparation containing the 4th generation cephalosporin, cefquinome.
The company has also released a Polish language version of its Best Practice Guide for On-Farm Mastitis Control, in response to demand from producers with non-English speaking farm-hands.
Norbrook vet Chris Geddes said: "I believe this is the first time that such a guide has been produced to cater for farm-hands of a different nationality working within the UK. Good mastitis management starts with good education; giving everyone on the farm the same opportunity for learning the best techniques for prevention means that we help minimise incidences of mastitis, which costs the dairy industry millions of pounds in lost revenue every year.
"This prevention includes a thorough and consistent approach to dry cow management. The early drying off period is often a risky time, when pre-existing subclinical infections can bed-in. The cow is also at increased risk of gaining new infections due to lack of udder hygiene procedures that would normally occur at milking, and weakened immunity as she approaches calving. Our new cefquinome preparation is a valuable addition to have in the treatment armoury for dry cow management. It has broad-spectrum activity and high cellular penetration to help tackle hard-to-manage cases with the aim of returning to maximum productivity by the start of the milking season."
Cefimam DC will be available at all veterinary wholesalers in packs of 24x and 120x 8g intramammary tubes. Vets can obtain both English and Polish versions of the Best Practice Guide for On-Farm Mastitis Control from Territory Managers.
For further information or copies of the Best Practice Guide for On-Farm Mastitis Control in English or Polish, contact your Territory Manager or call Norbrook GB head office on 01536 741 147.