A free copy of the compendium has been sent to every veterinary practice in the UK, and it is also available online at: www.noahcompendium.co.uk. A special edition of the book commissioned by AMTRA will also be available for its SQPs shortly.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "The NOAH Compendium, in all its formats, remains a major part of NOAH’s efforts to ensure appropriate access and responsible use of medicines for all animals. We are pleased it is even more comprehensive this year, as we continue to expand its list of contributors.
"Every NOAH member, as well as the non-member participants in the NOAH Compendium, is a signatory to the NOAH Code of Practice on Promotion, which demonstrates their commitment to operate above and beyond any regulatory requirements."
She added: “As well as product datasheets, the Compendium includes another vital resource – the contact details for each participating company. Company veterinary and technical advisors have detailed knowledge about their company’s medicines. The NOAH Code includes the requirement for NCAH qualification for NOAH staff in technical dialogue with prescribers and users of animal medicines – meaning their advice can be regarded as a valuable and trusted resource. They are ready to talk to prescribers about the use of a medicine in a particular animal or in a particular situation, as well as to explain any queries about the data sheet."
Veterinary practices that have not yet received a copy, perhaps because they are new or have changed address in the past year should contact NOAH (noah@noah.co.uk).
Extra copies are also available to order, for £47.50. Special prices are also available for bulk orders.
RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett said: "I am so proud of our performance in the Great Place to Work Awards and the efforts of everyone at the College, and especially our HR team, who have been tirelessly and creatively striving to make the College a wonderful place to work.
"Consistently being placed in the top 50 Great Places to Work is also a testament to the sustained hard work all of our employees and the important part they play in creating a supportive, interesting and good-humoured workplace.
"We are a service-led organisation and we want to make sure that we give our best to the veterinary professions and the general public. If our team enjoys the work, and the workplace, that will improve the service we are able to offer and, ultimately, benefit animal health and welfare."
The CPD-qualifying webinar is being given by Professor Saul Faust, Professor of Paediatric Immunology & Infectious Diseases at the University of Southampton, and Ian Wright MRCVS, a veterinary parasitologist, Head of ESCCAP UK & Ireland and one of the owners of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Lancashire.
The webinar will reveal the real threat of this disease and its impact on sufferers, and give an insight to the challenges of diagnosing the condition.
Register for the webinar here: https://cloud.mc.zoetis.com/beneath-the-fur-webinar
I invited Marc Abraham to come and answer some of the concerns raised on VetSurgeon about the ITV Pets Undercover programme.
His PR agency has instead pointed me in the direction of a response he has posted on his own website this morning. Click the link below.
http://www.marcthevet.com/response-to-%e2%80%98pets-undercover%e2%80%99/
Virbac says HCA targets specific affected topical areas with negligible systemic absorption, to provide direct and rapid relief from inflammation and pruritus, delivering significant clinical improvement in atopic cases, both lesion and pruritus scores, after 14 days1.
Cortavance can be applied daily for up to 28 days and included within multimodal treatment plans for prolonged use to control atopy.
Cortavance is presented in a new ergonomic-shaped bottle allowing the user to accurately target the problem area at any angle, with its no-hand-contact spray applicators - 31ml and 76ml sizes.
For further information, contact your local Virbac Territory Manager.
Reference
The Ear Protector sits on the back of the head and hooks onto face mask strings, pulling them backwards and away from the ears, thereby relieving pressure and stopping chafing.
The product was designed by AMufacture's Chief Operating Officer, William Howden, a former Olympic sailor who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He said: "Early in the pandemic, it became apparent to us that there was a serious need to address an unresolved problem with face masks – people were really beginning to suffer and were getting distracted from their work."
The Ear Protector is sterilisable in a dishwasher. It is also recyclable when it reaches the end of its life.
The Ear Protectors cost fifty pence each, for orders of two hundred. Contact the company direct for lower volume pricing.
For more information, visit: http://www.theearprotector.com
Virbac has announced the launch of Carprox Vet, a carprofen-based NSAID indicated for the alleviation of post-operative pain and inflammation following orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery in dogs and cats and for the treatment of chronic pain and inflammation in dogs.
Carprox is presented as a palatable tablet for dogs in three sizes - 20 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg. An injectable 50 mg/ml solution for dogs and cats has also been launched (in bottles of 20ml).
Virbac Marketing Manager for Companion Animals Simon Boulton MRCVS said: "We launched our meloxicam-based solution for acute and chronic pain, Inflacam, in 2013. With the arrival of Carprox Vet, we are now able to offer vets a carprofen-based alternative for added flexibility and choice. We are delighted to add it to our product range and are proud to say that Virbac now offers one of the widest ranges of products for the treatment of small animals in the UK."
At his first Disciplinary Committee hearing in January 2018, the Committee directed that Dr Gerhard Schulze Allen’s name be removed from the Register after finding him guilty of serious professional misconduct in respect of four charges against him. These related to an incident of petty theft in California in the United States, and his subsequent dishonesty in not disclosing this to the College.
Following the Disciplinary Committee hearing, Dr Schulze Allen submitted an appeal to the Privy Council. In July 2019, the Privy Council partially upheld his appeal, determining that the RCVS had not proven beyond all reasonable doubt that Dr Schulze Allen’s infraction for petty theft was a conviction under Californian law and therefore Dr Schulze Allen had not made false representations to the College when he said he did not have any criminal convictions or a criminal record.
However, the Privy Council partially upheld the College’s charge that Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest and made false representations when he had, in a written application for restoration to the Register, represented that he did not have any adverse findings and that he should have declared his infraction for petty theft. The Privy Council also set aside the Disciplinary Committee’s original sanction and remitted the task of sanction back to the Disciplinary Committee.
As a result of the Privy Council’s decision, the Disciplinary Committee held a further hearing in relation to Dr Schulze Allen to decide the sanction in relation to the upheld charge against him.
The Committee noted that the aggravating factors were the fact that Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest to his regulator and in making a false declaration, demonstrated a wilful disregard for the regulatory role of the RCVS. In mitigation the Committee considered that there was no harm to animals, that it was a single and isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career, and that he had accepted his wrongdoing, albeit at a late stage, and was developing some insight.
The Committee considered whether a reprimand or warning would be the most appropriate sanction but determined that this would not reflect the seriousness of the dishonesty in this case, nor maintain public confidence in the profession or uphold proper professional standards of conduct and behaviour.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee concluded that the appropriate and proportionate sanction is suspension from the Register for a period of three months. A period of three months reflects the seriousness of the charge. Such a sanction sends a clear message to Dr Schulze Allen, the profession and the public that behaving dishonestly towards the regulator is a serious matter. The Committee considered that removal from the Register would be disproportionate given that this is a single incident and Dr Schulze Allen now accepts his wrongdoing."
The Scottish Fold is bred for a cartilage abnormality which gives them their distinctive folded ears.
However, that same cartilage abnormality affects their joints, meaning that they go on to develop painful arthritis, even from a young age.
The charities say the impact of using this breed in a Hollywood film cannot be overstated and is likely to significantly increase their popularity with potential cat owners.
Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, said: “International Cat Care (iCatCare) and its veterinary division, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), believe that it is simply unethical to continue to breed cats with a genetic mutation that is known to cause significant painful disease – the rationale for breeding these cats was purely for traits considered attractive to humans, as some people believe the folded ears look appealing.
"This is an unnatural appearance for a cat, and the underlying genetic defect has far-reaching and severe consequences for the health of the cat.
"Health should always be more important than looks.”
The trailer for the film also shows a cat travelling in a backpack and subjected to rough handling, including being picked up by the scruff and thrown from a building.
ISFM says that although these scenes have been created using digital animation, the organisations share concerns that suggesting these interactions with cats are acceptable or entertaining may have a negative impact on the welfare of cats.
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at International Cat Care, said: “Scruffing a cat is an unacceptable form of restraint that can cause a cat considerable discomfort, fear and even pain, as the weight of its body is completely unsupported, and the cat cannot escape the pressure from its skin being grasped.
"Backpacks are not a cat friendly way to transport a cat; they can leave a cat cramped, without enough ventilation, struggling to control body temperature, and uncomfortable due to the unpredictable movement from being worn on a person’s back.
"Backpacks are simply not cat friendly - they do not respect the cat as a species and run the risk of psychological and physical suffering to the cat.”
The organisations have contacted Universal Pictures, asking them to adopt Cat Friendly Principles in future, and not to promote cat breeds with extreme features in future.
During the webinar, which took place earlier this month, senior officers and staff from the College explained the new guidance, what it will mean for the profession, and answered questions submitted by delegates.
The webinar was chaired by RCVS President Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS with a panel comprising Standards Committee Chair Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson, and RCVS Head of Standards Gemma Kingswell.
The webinar included an overview of the main changes, the considerations to take into account when prescribing POM-Vs remotely, the circumstances under which POM-Vs cannot be prescribed remotely, the prescription of antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics and antivirals, and how the guidance will be enforced.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: “We have also now published a range of practice-based scenarios to help explain how the new guidance should be followed in various circumstances, and in relation to different species.
"These scenarios cover a variety of different situations, including how the guidance applies to two or more practices with mutual clients, consultancy services and the prescription of long-term controlled drugs.”
A second webinar will be held on Monday 17th July, with priority for those who wanted to attend the June webinar but were not able to do because it was over-subscribed.
www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare
Currently Principal of the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, and previously Dean of the University of Glasgow’s School Of Veterinary Medicine, Stuart has been a member of RCVS Council since 2005, and served as RCVS President in 2014-15.
As chair of the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee in 2011, Stuart oversaw the College’s review of veterinary specialisation, which also led to the new Advanced Practitioner status.
He has also been a driving force behind the joint RCVS and BVA Vet Futures project since its inception in 2015.
As Chair of the RCVS Governance Panel, he recently saw through reform of the College’s governance arrangements to improve the efficiency and accountability of its decision-making processes.
Stuart has also chaired the RCVS Science Advisory Panel.
He continues to chair the College’s Mind Matters Initiative, which aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all those in the veterinary team.
A particularly notable achievement during his Presidential year was to allow UK veterinary surgeons to use the courtesy title ‘Doctor’ if they so wished.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive said: "We have been incredibly fortunate to have someone of Stuart’s calibre, character and international renown on our Council for so many years. His contributions and commitment to the RCVS, as well as to the wider veterinary professions, are as significant as they are often understated.
"On behalf of RCVS Council and all the staff, I should like to say how delighted we are that he has been honoured in this way. Such recognition is very much deserved and we send him our warmest congratulations."
Lots of April Fool's Day gags involving animals this year...
watch?v=1kC0OI9MYZc
The Sun reported that Sir Richard Branson's health club chain, Virgin Active, is launching a new gym for dogs only, to combat the pet obesity epidemic. Alton Towers supposedly launched a new rollercoaster ride for dogs only. Meanwhile, Pasante, a condom manufacturer, launched the 'condog', though this seems to be a variation on an idea that has been around for a while now.
My favourites, though, were two April fools unrelated to animals. The first was from Cadbury's, made more believable by the fact that it was planted in the Southampton Echo. The second was the announcement by BMW that Dr. Noit All, the company's Head of Innovation, had developed a fuel-saving system called Magnetic Tow Technology (MTT). Readers were invited to keep abreast with future developments from BMW by emailing Dr. Noit All's colleague at uve.vollenvorit@bmw.co.uk.
The consultation, which was held by the College early in 2017, asked for the views of veterinary surgeons and nurses, animal owners, and stakeholders on the use of telemedicine in veterinary clinical practice.
The consultation was designed to help identify potential risks associated with telemedicine, identify areas where it may help address the needs of both clinicians and the public, and support the potential development of new professional standards and guidance.
The online survey of veterinary professionals received 1,230 responses, while the public consultation received 229 responses and the survey of organisations/stakeholders received eight responses.
The headline question asked of veterinary professionals was whether RCVS 'supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct' should be amended to allow remote examination to take the place of physical examination in certain circumstances. 41% said 'Yes', 40% said 'No' and 18% were unsure.
Veterinary professionals and organisations were then asked a series of questions in order to establish how they rated the risk associated with telemedicine according to activity type, practice type, clinical sign or syndrome, mode of technology, and familiarity with client, animal or environment.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, the majority felt that providing just general advice presented a low risk. At the other end of the scale, most felt that the use of telemedicine to diagnose disease or injury would be either 'high risk', or 'not appropriate at all'.
Likewise, the majority said the risks would be low or medium where the client and environment were known and the animal seen before, for the same problem. By contrast, the majority said telemedicine would be either 'high risk' or 'not appropriate at all' when the client, animal and environment were all unknown.
When asked whether the current definition of 'under care' should be extended to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe veterinary medicines where there has been no physical examination of the animal, 69% said 'No', 16% said 'Yes' and 15% were unsure.
However, when asked whether certain types of veterinary medicines should be able to be prescribed without a physical examination of the animal, the majority of respondents to the professional survey (52%) were in favour.
The results of the consultation were first considered at a special meeting of the Standards Committee in August 2017, where it was noted how the consultation had revealed significant confusion around current supporting guidance to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and that, at a minimum, clarification as to what was currently permissible was needed.
The Committee determined a key issue going forward was whether to change the Supporting Guidance to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct regarding 'under care' to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe POM-V medicines based on telemedicine alone.
Given the complex nature of the issues and the wide-ranging implications, the Standards Committee presented a range of options for amending RCVS Guidance to RCVS Council at its meeting in November 2017. After discussion, Council asked the Standards Committee to continue their review and to present more detailed proposals to Council regarding the future of telemedicine in clinical veterinary practice.
Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership and Innovation, said: "We would like to thank all those who took the time to respond to the consultation – although Council has not yet made any firm decisions, we felt it would be useful to share our research so far.
"The use of telemedicine is growing rapidly in human healthcare and it is only right the RCVS assesses the opportunities it could bring to improve access to veterinary services. It is critical, however, that we understand the issues it presents 'at the coal face' and consider all the available evidence before making any changes to our Guidance. The RCVS should ensure its regulatory framework fosters innovation and maximises the opportunities to improve the quality, efficacy and accessibility of veterinary services, whilst at the same time protecting animal health and welfare."
The Standards Committee will meet again in April 2018 to take further evidence and develop proposals to take the issue forward.
Meanwhile, the full summary is available on the College’s website: www.rcvs.org.uk/telemeds-summary/.
The Best UK Vets Awards are given to the practices that accumulate the largest number of positive reviews from clients on vethelpdirect.com and any-uk-vet.co.uk over the course of the year.
Penmellyn Vets achieved 839 positive ratings; 200 more than their nearest rivals, reflecting the tremendous level of engagement they have with their clients, something which also shone through in the sentiments expressed in their client reviews.
Penmellyn Vets is an independent practice owned by six veterinary surgeons, who are all based in Cornwall. They have been providing veterinary care to the pets and horses of Cornwall for over 130 years. They still cover their own out of hours’ care and their services include preventative healthcare packages for their cat and dog-owning clients, ‘LifeCare’ and ‘LifeCare+’. The latter grants clients access to unlimited vet and nurse consultations 6 days a week – something that is currently only offered by Penmellyn Vets in Cornwall.
Philip Harris, one of the partners at Penmellyn Vets said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award and want to say thank you to each and every one of our clients who took the time to leave a review. And my thanks to the Penmellyn staff for their hard work and commitment to providing the outstanding customer service that has been recognised by this award. I couldn’t be more proud of them. We’re an independent practice and very traditional in many ways, so I think as we’ve grown as a group, with a goal of excellence always in patient care, our values have kept us grounded and very client-centric. We look forward to celebrating the award with our team at the awards ceremony in the coming weeks."
Blacks Vets in Dudley were awarded the Silver award after receiving a very commendable 620 qualifying client reviews.
Tracey Jewkes, Managing Director, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded Silver in the Best UK Vet 2017 Award and would like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful clients for voting for us again this year. Our consistency at the top of this award for the past 3 years is a reflection of both the calibre and heart Team Blacks give to pets, clients and each other year after year. We could not be more proud of each and every team member here, nor could we feel more privileged to take great care of so many much loved pets in our local community."
Inglis Veterinary Hospital in Dunfermline, Scotland received 358 qualifying reviews and received the Bronze award. They also went on to win the Best Scottish Vet Award 2017.
The full list of winners is:
This year’s winners of the small category awards are:
Ceva says this is the first time it has advertised Feliway Friends - designed to help cats live together in harmony - on television. It will be rotating the Feliway advert with one explaining the benefits of the Adaptil Calm On-the-Go Collar.
Both advertisements are 30 seconds long and the campaign runs until the end of June. It will target 24.5 million pet owners and will air on all Channel 4 and Channel 4 partner channels, including Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4, Drama, Good Food, Really, W and Home.
Abigail King, product manager for Feliway and Adaptil at Ceva, said: "Our summer TV advertising campaign will raise awareness of how Feliway Friends and Adaptil Calm On-the-Go Collar can help pets with behavioural issues and drive customers to veterinary practices for further information and to purchase product."
For further information, visit www.feliway.com or www.adaptil.com.
The survey found that 51% of cat and dog owners didn't research their pets breed before buying. Of the 22% who then regretted their decision, 31% said it was because they didn’t have enough time to look after the animal, 18% because they turned out to be allergic to the animal, and 16% because they didn’t like their pet’s personality.
Apparently dog owners were more likely to regret their new pet (26%) than cat owners (16%).
Sainsbury’s has therefore launched the Pawfect Match tool, designed to help future pet owners to make informed decisions when choosing the most suitable breed for them. The pet picker asks you a number of questions about your circumstances and makes a number of suggestions based on how you answer.
Sainsbury's campaign is being fronted by Scott Miller MRCVS, who said: "I am saddened to hear that so many pet owners are regretting the animals they have chosen as companions. Dogs and cats come in all shapes and sizes, and have different temperaments. Looking after a pet is a huge commitment so it is important that people undertake adequate research before buying a pet to ensure it is a happy experience."
COMMENT
I tried Sainsbury's pet picker and it recommended a Basset Hound as the first choice. Fair enough. I always think they look like the living embodiment of the word 'hangdog', which is not really my cup of tea. Luckily, the tool makes more than one suggestion. One of the criteria I'd specified was 'quiet and calm', so the second recommendation, a whippet, was fine. But the third caught my eye. A Border Collie. What? Whaaaaaat? Quiet and calm? A Border Collie. Are you having a laugh? I thought Border Collies usually need to be sent to some sort of asylum.
Still, if Sainsbury's tool encourages more people to think harder about their choice, that's no bad thing. But they might like to rethink the Border Collie recommendation.
Clive Elwood, Ian Battersby, Laurent Garosi, Nat Whitley and David Gould have all become Fellows for Meritorious Contributions to Clinical Practice. Meanwhile, Jerry Davies, founder of Davies Veterinary Specialists, has become a Fellow for Meritorious Contributions to the Profession.
In one case, Tigga, a 17-year-old cat with an itchy and destructive tumour on her nose, was in complete remission within 44 days. In another case, a tumour vanished in a dog where the aim of the treatment was only to shrink the mass before an operation to remove it.
NDSR, which is based in Bletchingley, is the only referral centre in the UK and one of very few in the world offering electrochemotherapy in pets.
Electrochemotherapy is given in two stages.
First, the patient is given a mild dose of intravenous chemotherapy in the normal way and then, using a probe, a precise electrical charge is given to the area on or around the tumour.
This temporarily opens up tiny holes in the cells, big enough to allow the drug to enter, which then close again in microseconds. This means the drug will only attack cancerous cells, unlike normal chemotherapy, which also kills healthy cells.
Gerry Polton, clinical director of oncology at NDSR, said: "Normal chemotherapy works on the principle of being more damaging to cancer than non-cancerous tissue. Some cancers are more resilient, so there are differences in how they respond to treatment, and this can cause more harm to the patient.
"Electrochemotherapy involves clever anatomical targeting of a specific site and is an effective way of protecting healthy cells.
"The results we are seeing in cases like Tigga’s are unprecedented and we are learning about the procedure all the time. We are always looking for better ways of treating cancer without the effect of harming the patient indiscriminately and this has proved to be a very effective way of doing this."
According to NDSR, the results could help inform the development of the targeted treatment in humans, where electrochemotherapy is used in a small number of cases in the NHS.
At present, many clinical trials are carried out on laboratory animals which are bred with no immune system – but dogs have similarities in genetics to humans and have working immune systems, meaning they can provide a more accurate parallel for how the treatment may work in people.
Gerry said: "A pet dog would be a good model for human cancer studies. It's a mammal with a heartbeat, blood supply and working immune system.
"Progress with electrochemotherapy in animals is being made in parallel with progress in electrochemotherapy in the human field, and what we are learning may even inform what is happening in people.
"Electrochemotherapy is a form of treatment which Cancer Research UK describe as 'fairly new' on its website, with limited information about its effectiveness. So maybe something would be gained from learning together."
The strange phenomenon was spotted by Veterinary Vision's clinical director Chris Dixon when he examined Dachshund called Margo, which had been referred for the treatment of a corneal ulcer and fungal infection.
Chris said: “I was assessing Margo’s eye and was very surprised to see a face smiling back at me.
"It perhaps doesn't bear quite the same resemblance as the Turin Shroud. Still, I've never seen anything like it before.
"The good news is that it does not appear to have affected her vision at all.”
Apparently the smiling face is still there, even after Chris performed a corneal graft.
Chris added: "I think we can safely say that Margo is a very happy dog, both inside and out!"
The Kennel Club has announced that the Crufts Best of Breed (BOB) winners in two of the high profile breeds - the bulldog and the Pekingese - failed their veterinary checks, so the breeds were not represented in the utility and toy group judging.
The British Veterinary Association says it welcomed the Kennel Club's initiative to put the veterinary checks in place for the BOB winner in the 15 high profile breeds at all championship dog shows starting at Crufts this year.
The 15 breeds have been identified as having particular health problems often due to poor conformation as a result of having been bred with exaggerated characteristics. The veterinary checks ensure the BOB winners are not suffering as a result of their conformation, such as eye problems, skin disease, lameness or breathing difficulties, which should have been identified by the judge.
Carl Padgett, President of the BVA, said: "Breeding dogs with exaggerated features must be tackled robustly. The veterinary checks are sending out a strong message that dogs with health problems will not win in the show ring, and only visibly healthy dogs will be rewarded.
"Dog showing can be a force for good for dog breeding and education but the veterinary checks on the first two groups at Crufts have highlighted the health problems that all too often affect man's best friend.
"We hope this strong action by the Kennel Club will be a wake-up call to those breeders and judges that still need to embrace the message that health should always be at the top of the agenda."
The study was part of a research project called VetCompass, through which the RVC, in collaboration with Vets Now, collects anonymised clinical information on over 6 million companion animals under veterinary care in the UK.
The study investigated bitches presented with difficulty giving birth (dystocia) from among almost 20,000 bitches attending 50 Vets Now surgeries. Researchers found that out of 20,000 bitches receiving emergency veterinary care, 3.7 per cent of these were treated because of difficulties encountered giving birth.
The most commonly affected breeds were the French Bulldog (15.9 times more likely), Boston Terrier (12.9 times more likely), Chihuahua (10.4 times more likely) and Pug (11.3 times more likely).
Dr Dan O’Neill, a companion animal epidemiologist within the VetCompass Programme, said: "Giving birth in dogs is not always a benign process and our research shows this risk is especially exacerbated in some common brachycephalic and toy breeds. Prospective owners should bear these welfare costs for high risk breeds in mind when choosing their new puppy."
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'VetCompass' research will not only enable dog breeders to make responsible breeding choices to improve the health of these dogs, it will help to highlight what puppy buyers need to be looking out for if they are intent on owning one of these breeds. If people are choosing a breed simply for its looks and are not going to a reputable breeder, they are likely to face high vet costs and a lifetime of heartache."
This study builds on previous 'purchasing' research by the RVC which found that appearance is the number one reason why owners purchase flat-faced breeds, even though their large, round, wide-set eyes, and flat rounded faces are linked with a variety of inherited diseases.
Dr Rowena Packer, lead author of the study and Research Fellow at RVC, said: "Potential puppy buyers attracted to the appearance of these breeds should seriously consider whether they are emotionally and financially prepared to take on a breed with high risks of health complications, and consider whether alternative, lower-risk breeds would better fit their lifestyle."
Ms Mulvey faced a number of charges relating to the treatment of a cat called Spooky: that she failed to provide Spooky’s owner, Mrs Parsons, with either Spooky’s lab results or an adequate explanation as to why they could not be provided; that she failed to respond adequately or at all to communications from Mrs Parsons; that she failed to respond to requests from the College for information relating to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), her professional indemnity insurance (PII), and her correspondence with Mrs Parsons.
At the beginning of the hearing Dr Mulvey admitted the facts to all the charges, and accepted that they constituted disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. The Committee had been provided with written evidence from Mrs Parsons, her husband, and four College staff, namely Gemma Crossley, Maria Fearon, Robert Girling and Michael Hepper.
Mrs Parsons provided a statement in which she spoke of how, in August 2016, she had taken Spooky to CornYard Veterinary Centre for a skin irritation where she was seen by Dr Mulvey.
Dr Mulvey decided to take blood tests and send them to the laboratory, but they agreed to defer them actually being tested until Mrs Parsons gave permission. Mrs Parsons then returned to the practice with Spooky to take said samples, after which followed a series of attempts to contact Dr Mulvey for the test results. Finally, in October, she demanded a refund, after which she began a small claim in County Court.
Mr Parsons went to the practice at the beginning of December 2016 and obtained the refund. At this point Mrs Parsons made a complaint to the College. The Committee received information from Mr Parsons, who corroborated the facts of the complaint, and from College staff who confirmed the many attempts to contact Dr Mulvey, starting with requests for documents by Ms Crossley and Ms Fearon, repeated requests for CPD and PII information from Mr Girling, and finally a hand-delivered letter by Mr Hepper, during which he learnt that her PII had lapsed at the beginning of 2017.
The College submitted that Dr Mulvey’s conduct fell far below the standard expected of a veterinary surgeon. It submitted that failing to provide the test results and communicate with the Parsons could have had a negative impact on animal welfare and damaged the reputation of the profession, while having PII is a fundamental obligation of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct. Finally, not responding to the College about the concern raised, CPD or PII compromised the College’s ability to maintain public confidence in its regulatory processes.
The Committee considered that no harm had actually come to Spooky and that there were problems with the testing laboratory which slowed down the process. In addition, some of the lack of communication was due to a receptionist not following protocol, and Dr Mulvey was going through a particularly difficult part of her life and was clinically understaffed. The Committee heard from four different character witnesses, and were given 16 more written testimonials.
The Committee heard that in 2013 there had been complaints from three separate clients, all of which concerned Dr Mulvey’s failure to communicate and to process insurance claim forms, after which she agreed to participate in the Performance Protocol and entered into undertakings with the College.
The Committee having considered all the facts and background circumstances found that Dr Mulvey’s conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.
The Committee went on to consider what sanction was appropriate. In reaching its decision the Committee took into account a number of aggravating factors, namely that there was a slight risk to the health of Spooky and that the disgraceful conduct occurred over a prolonged period of time. The Committee also considered that there was blatant disregard of the role of the RCVS and the systems regulating the profession.
In determining the sanction the Committee also considered mitigating factors, including that Dr Mulvey, apart from those previous concerns, had a long and unblemished career and that she’s made a huge difference to the health of the animals within her care. She also admitted her shortcomings, and had very impressive references.
The Committee therefore determined to postpone its decision on sanction for a period of one year on condition that Dr Mulvey enter into the following undertakings:
To agree to the appointment of a veterinary surgeon as a work place supervisor by the College and meet with them at least once every month
Allow the supervisor access to all aspects of running of the practice and to implement any recommendations made by the supervisor relating to the administration of the practice and the provision of out of hours’ cover.
To allow the supervisor to provide a report in relation to the matters set out in 2 above to the RCVS at least one month before the resumed hearing of this case.
To appoint within two months an experienced Practice Manager (who does not need to be full time).
To enrol in the voluntary Practices Standards Scheme and to achieve the Core standards of the Scheme within the next 12 months.
To submit a plan to the supervisor of CPD for the next twelve months within one month of agreeing to these undertakings. The plan should then be implemented and shall include aspects of practice management.
To pay all of the costs of complying with the undertakings, with the exception of the costs associated with the appointment and performance of the supervisor.
Ian Green, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee recognised that Dr Mulvey has been subject to undertakings before and yet committed the disgraceful conduct the subject of this inquiry. But it bore in mind the context of that conduct and it observes that the undertakings previously imposed in reality address a particular aspect of her practice.
"This Committee hopes that when the matter is relisted before it, the Respondent will be able to demonstrate that she has finally been able to address her administrative shortcomings. If she cannot do so, she will know that the Committee that sits on her case at the resumed hearing is likely to have more restricted options for disposal of her case."
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Prascend, the first licensed product for the treatment of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in horses, commonly known as Equine Cushing's Disease.
Prascend contains pergolide mesylate, and is supplied in 60 and 160 tablet packs of 1mg tablets.
Craig Beck, equine sales and marketing manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "Many horses and ponies with Cushing's Disease benefit from treatment with pergolide, however, with less than 200 people still being treated with pergolide in the UK, many vets and horse owners have expressed concern that they will not be able access treatment in the future.
"We have invested in dedicated veterinary manufacturing of this product, and can assure our customers that the future supply of Prascend is guaranteed irrespective of any changes of in the human generic market."
For further information, visit www.prascend.co.uk or call 01344 746959
Available for download now, the MobiVet Veterinary Formulary App is designed to make drug calculations and prescribing faster, easier and safer. It contains dose rate and interval data for over 250 drugs commonly used in small animal practice.
Searchable by drug name or trade names, with species-specific dosing information, the app calculates doses based on the patient type, weight, or body surface area as appropriate. MobiVet also provides a checklist of known relevant drug interactions for each medication, to prevent prescribing errors.
Stuart says an iOS version is in production.
To download the Android version, visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.project.user.drug_formulary&hl=en
The newsletter will include anaesthesia updates, bulletins and recaps, access to videos and downloadable resources.
Articles in Anaesthesia1ST are being written by Jurox’s technical advisors in collaboration with anaesthesia specialists such as Carl Bradbrook (European Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia) and Ian Self (European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Associate Professor in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham).
The first newsletter launched on 15th May and included: ‘Capnography I – not just a load of hot air’, ‘Perspectives on premeds – Alpha-2 agonists’ and ‘What’s new in anaesthesia? Highlights of recent preoxygenation paper’.
Articles in future editions will include: ‘Capnography II – what happened to the elephants?’, ‘Pain, what a pain! Local and regional nerve blocks improve outcomes and welfare of patients’, “The Big Chill – temperature management in sedated and anaesthetised patients’ and ‘Perspectives on premeds – a complete series of articles covering the ins and outs of the different agents, how they compare and recommended use in the different patient types’.
Jurox says that downloadable resources will include a capnography cheat-sheet detailing different traces and their meaning, premedication drugs comparison tables and pre and post rabbit anaesthesia check-lists.
Richard Beckwith, country manager of Jurox (UK) Ltd, said: "We take great pride in our investment in educational initiatives to enable veterinary professionals to deliver best practice anaesthesia to their clients. The new Anaesthesia1ST newsletter further demonstrates our commitment to educational support resources to enable veterinary professionals to attain and maintain 1ST class anaesthesia for all patients."
To sign up to the Anaesthesia1ST newsletter, click here, visit the Alfaxan website – www.alfaxan.co.uk, contact your local Jurox technical sales representative or email Jurox at: info@jurox.co.uk.