A new study published this month in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ)1 has concluded that toxins from the seeds of the sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) are the likely cause of Atypical Myopathy (AM) in Europe.
However, to avoid confusion, the authors of the study point out that the American Sycamore (also just called 'the sycamore' in the USA), is a completely different species: Platanus occidentalis. Furthermore, the sycamore found in the UK is also known as the sycamore maple in other countries.
The new research follows on the heels of a study in the USA earlier this year that linked toxins from the box elder tree (Acer negundo) with Seasonal Pasture Myopathy (SPM), the US equivalent of AM2. The discovery marks an important step for the future prevention of this fatal disease.
Atypical Myopathy is a highly fatal muscle disease in the UK and Northern Europe. In ten years, approximately twenty European countries have reported the disease. Incidences tend to occur repeatedly in the autumn and in the spring following large autumnal outbreaks. Horses that develop AM are usually kept in sparse pastures with an accumulation of dead leaves, dead wood and trees in or around the pasture and are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed. SPM is a very similar disorder, prevalent in Midwestern USA and Eastern Canada that is now known to be caused by the ingestion of hypoglycin A, contained in seeds from the box elder tree.
The new European research1 was conducted by an international team led by Dominic Votion, University of Liege and involved 17 horses from Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands, suffering from Atypical Myopathy. High concentrations of a toxic metabolite of hypoglycin A, were identified in the serum of all of the horses. The pastures of 12 of the horses were visited by experienced botanists and the Acer pseudoplatanus, the sycamore maple, was found to be present in every case. This was the only tree common to all visited pastures.
Researchers believe hypoglycin A is the likely cause of both AM in Europe and SPM in North America. The sycamore and the box elder are known to produce seeds containing hypoglycin A and the pastures of the afflicted horses in Europe and the USA were surrounded by these trees.
Hypoglycin-A is found in various levels in the seeds of plants in the genus Acer as well as in various other genera in the family Sapindaceae such as ackee (Blighia sapida). In ackee, hypoglycin-A levels do vary with ripeness of the fruit and, if the fruit is eaten before it is mature, it causes hypoglycaemia to different degrees including a condition called "Jamaican vomiting sickness" (because of ackee's use in Jamaican cooking) and occasionally death in humans.
Researchers at the Universities of Minnesota2 and Liege are continuing their work to try to uncover exactly how the equine disease occurs. Dr Adrian Hegeman of University of Minnesota said: "It is likely that the most important contributing factors to horses becoming poisoned by hypoglycin-A are the availability of seed in the field combined with lack of other feeding options. The seeds from two species of maples (box elder and sycamore maples) that we have tested include significant quantities of hypoglycin-A.
"We know that seeds contain highly variable quantities from seed to seed, even within a single tree. We do not know yet how hypoglycin-A levels vary seasonally, nor do we know how its abundance varies with different levels of stress to the plant, though this may well explain seasonal variability in the occurrence of the malady. It is possible that conditions that stress the plants may contribute to significant seasonal changes in hypoglycin-A levels. At this point we just don't know. It is common held knowledge that trees under stress usually produce more seed."
Dr Jeff Gillman of University of Minnesota said: "Without question, further analysis of the seeds and other tissues from Acer species needs to be performed along with sampling of plant materials over multiple seasons and at various stress levels. Additionally, one cannot rule out more complex explanations for the seasonality of disease occurrence such as: animals may begin feeding on seed materials in response to depletion of more palatable choices under drought conditions; or simple explanations such as high wind events driving seeds into fields. These sorts of explanations for the occurrence of the disease do not depend on botanical variations in toxicity across seasons, sites or stress levels, yet also require consideration.
"Although limited examples are available, the experience of animals at a pasture site might also confer some degree of behavioral resistance to poisoning due to exposure at sub-lethal levels with prior exposure to seeds in the pasture."
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "This is an important advancement in our understanding of what causes AM and how it can be prevented. In immediate practical terms owners can take prompt measures to avoid exposing their horses to sycamore seeds this autumn. Where horses are grazing in the vicinity of sycamore trees, it is imperative that they are provided with sufficient supplementary feed as this will minimise the risk that horses might be tempted to ingest seeds containing this toxin. This must be done carefully and leaving wet hay on the ground should be avoided so providing extra carbohydrate feeds may be more practical."
References
White Cross Vets, a group with 11 surgeries in the Midlands and the North of England, has picked up two Veterinary Marketing Association awards at an event usually dominated entirely by big pharma.
The group was joint winner of Public Relations Award, alongside Bayer Animal Health.
White Cross Marketing Manager Justin Phillips also walked off with the Young Marketeer of the Year award, fighting off competition from Elizabeth Rawlings from Dechra and Beverly Hammond from Animalcare Ltd.
The practice group won the PR Award for a campaign in which it managed to generate a massive amount of media coverage for the business primarily by spotting a good opportunity, and acting quickly to make the most of it.
The story began last July, when a man spotted an exotic-looking bird walking around Guisely, near Leeds. When he tried to capture the bird, it told him to 'bugger off'. Undeterred, he picked it up and took it to White Cross Vets. Once the vets had examined the bird to make sure it was in good health, White Cross instructed its PR agency to begin a media campaign to reunite the animal with its owner. The resultant story generated over £145,000 worth of branded coverage in local and national media, including the Daily Mirror, Metro, the Yorkshire Post and ITV.
By contrast, Bayer Animal Health's winning campaign, which ingeniously used LED lights strapped to snails to bring the lungworm story to life, was nevertheless the product of month's of planning and what would have been a considerable budget.
The judges felt both entries were impressive in completely different ways, so a draw was the only option.
Picture shows, left to right: Heidi Bruckland (Pegasus), Emma Swain (Pegasus), Helen Moore (Markettiers4DC), Marcus Edingloh (Bayer), Luke Hopkins (Pegasus), Caroline Braidwood (Bayer); Jane Manning (Splash); Tim Harrison (White Cross Vets); Justin Phillips (White Cross Vets)
This year's National Equine Health Survey, conducted by the Blue Cross and supported by Zoetis, has revealed that 20% of owners who claimed to have treated for encysted small redworm (ESRW) used a wormer that was not indicated to treat the parasite.
3,669 horse owners took part in the survey, which was conducted in May 2014. It contained 25 questions on general horse health, care and management and was validated by Professor Josh Slater at the Royal Veterinary College.
Zoetis says the findings suggest that horses are being left at serious risk (untreated, encysted small redworm may develop and emerge en masse from the gut wall, causing diarrhoea and colic with a mortality rate of up to 50%1).
The company is now running an encysted small redworm awareness campaign at www.esrw.co.uk, where owners can test their knowledge before discussing the best treatment options with their vet.
1. Dowdall S.M.J. et al (2002) Veterinary Parasitology 106, 225‑242
This year’s Horse Health Week, which ran at the end of September, focused on the small things that can be done to help keep Britain’s horses happy and healthy. Equine practices were encouraged to get involved and engage with their clients throughout the week with the support of a toolkit that offered both off and online communication materials.
The toolkit included a social media campaign for practices to run called #BonVoyageBuzz. Horse owners were invited to send 'Buzz' around the (virtual) world by sharing and tagging on Facebook. By the last count, he'd reached Denmark, the U.S., Canada and Saudi Arabia. The final part of Horse Health Week was a survey that gave the views of horse owners on preventative healthcare.
MSD says the week was welcomed and supported by a number of equine vet practices which reported that the campaign generated high levels of engagement from horse owners.
Peter Young, Equine Business Manager said: "Horse Health Week was created to help practices promote their businesses and educate and promote the benefits of preventative healthcare, so we are delighted that we’ve had such a good uptake of the resources we provided this year. A number of equine practices uploaded the daily animations we created to help encourage maximimum engagement. Some also reported the animations and posters being mentioned at yard appointments so, together with equine vet practices, we’ve successfully helped raise awareness and are eduating horse owners."
If you would like to provide feedback speak to your MSD Animal Health Equine Account Manager. For further details, visit: www.healthyhorses.co.uk/horse-week.
Three bursaries are available - two in ruminant and one in companion animal research, each worth up to £4,000.
Annabelle Mohring, Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health said: "We appreciate that the last 18 months have been challenging for many veterinary surgeons and adding new research to this may not be considered a priority. But with the pace of change rapidly increasing, improving business skills and scientific knowledge will become more important than ever for the profession.
"Research forms the foundation of the industry and being awarded a bursary has proved to be a career-changing experience for some participants. We're now welcoming applications as part of our investment in the veterinary community."
Each project should be completed within one to two years and the veterinary surgeon proposals will be judged by objective third party university academics to ensure independent assessment.
The deadline for the MSD Animal Health Veterinary Surgeon Research Bursaries is 30th November 2021.
For further information, visit: www.msdahresearchbursary.co.uk.
Photo: Hattie Barnes who was awarded the 2020 Veterinary Surgeon Bursary in the companion animal sector. She was awarded £4,000 for her analytical, cadaver-based study to investigate different draping protocols in elective orthopaedic surgery. Hattie is currently undertaking a 3-year residency in Equine Surgery at the University of Liverpool.
The survey asks EU nationals about their experience of practising in the UK since the referendum and will seek to find out what their career expectations and aspirations are now.
The survey will also ask how they feel that the RCVS has supported EU vets to practise in the UK since the transition period ended on 31 December 2020.
The survey is being conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), an independent, not-for-profit research institute.
Respondents are encouraged to be as open as possible, as individual responses will not be seen by the RCVS and all survey data will be analysed independently by IES.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO said: “We are hearing anecdotal feedback from EU veterinary professionals about the impact of the EU Exit on their working lives, but it is important for us to have direct feedback as evidence for our recommendations.
"I would encourage everyone who receives the survey to share their thoughts with us, as the feedback we receive from this and the previous surveys, will help us to plan what training, resources and support the professions need from us post-EU Exit."
Everyone eligible to take part in the survey is being sent an email today from Dilys Robinson at the IES, with a link to the survey.
You have until Tuesday 16th November 2021 to complete it.
If you have any questions, contact Sara.Butcher@employment-studies.co.uk.
A study by Janssen Animal Health has, according to the company, demonstrated that a leading herbal wormer had no demonstrable efficacy against common poultry worms1.
The trial, done to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Standards, involved 48 chickens that had become naturally infected with three different poultry worms - Capillaria (Hairworm) species, Heterakis gallinarum (Caecal worm) and Ascaridia galii (Large roundworm). The birds were randomly assigned to one of three groups:
A. Flubenvet treated groupB. Herbal wormer treated groupC. Control (untreated) group.
The herbal treatment was administered for 3 days in-feed, as required by the 'on-pack' instructions and Flubenvet was given for 7 days as required on the product data sheet. Droppings were collected from individual birds and group pens at intervals for 2 weeks and examined for the presence of worm eggs
Table 1: Worm Count Summaries
Group
Minimum
Maximum
Median
A (Flubenvet treatment)
0.00
19.00
B (Herbal treatment)
108.00
1327.00
425.00
C (no treatment)
74.00
958.00
302.00
The results showed that very few worm eggs were present after one 7-day treatment with Flubenvet. In contrast, those that had no treatment or the herbal treatment still had hundreds of worm eggs in their droppings, suggesting that there were still many adult egg-laying worms present inside the chickens.
Janssen says poultry keepers who rely on preparations like this particular natural wormer may well be building up problems, as the additional numbers of worm eggs in the environment add to the infection pressure and can result in greater worm burdens for their birds. Birds with high worm burdens are more likely to become ill.
According to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2009 any product making veterinary medicinal claims needs to be licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. A licensed product has to show proven efficacy and safety for the animal species involved. Licensed veterinary medicines can be identified by their Vm number, which is shown on-pack. Products termed 'nutritional supplements', that are not licensed do not require the manufacturer to produce any proof of efficacy or safety. It is often easy to buy such products 'off the shelf' because they are not subject to any controls. Any poultry keeper who cares about the health and welfare of the birds is advised to think carefully about their choice of wormer and to seek advice from a vet pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP).
1 Evaluation of the efficacy of flubendazole in comparison with a herbal wormer in the treatment of naturally acquired infections of Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, and intestinal Capillaria spp in Chickens, Janssen Animal Health
The RCVS has issued a summary of the key decisions made at the June Council meeting.
The summary is below, but for those who prefer, Nick Stace has done a four-minute piece to camera:
24/7 & PostnominalsCouncil agreed in principal to changes to the supporting guidance of the Code of Professional Conduct regarding 24/7 emergency care and to put the brakes on a decision regarding the removal of all postnominals from the RCVS Register of Members.
AccountsAlso at the meeting, Council agreed to the 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements, which is this year in a new format - the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005) - on the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee. The Annual Report will be available to download shortly (www.rcvs.org.uk/publications).
In addition, Council agreed a freeze on retention fees for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for 2015 - the fifth year in a row, and an effective decrease over this period of over £40 for veterinary surgeons.
CharterCouncil also agreed to an amended version of the proposed new Royal Charter, which will now go to the AGM on 11 July 2014 for endorsement by members. The updated text, together with an explanation of the changes, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/newcharter.
Governance reviewNearly a year on from the introduction of the new Operational Board and other governance changes designed to streamline decision-making, Council took the opportunity to review how this new structure was working. It agreed that, going forward, the Operational Board would appoint members of all committees and that papers for Council meetings should include minutes of all committee meetings.
Council also agreed that the Operational Board should take responsibly for registration matters, which are currently within the remit of the Standards Committee. Terms of reference for the Audit and Risk, Specialist Recognition Appeals and Standards Committees will be revised. Whether the Education Committee should be responsible for all decisions on the recognition of registerable degrees (as opposed to Council in its entirety) will be discussed further at the November meeting of Council.
Registration RegulationsThe planned discussion on updated Registration Regulations was postponed until the November meeting, as feedback is awaited from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Alternative dispute resolutionCouncil agreed to the trial of an alternative dispute resolution service to start before the end of the year. The service will help the College to deal with complaints which, while they do not give rise to issues of serious professional misconduct, may have some substance. The trial will be carried out with Ombudsman Services and will focus on concerns relating to small animals received by the Professional Conduct Department. It will be limited to no more than 150 cases at a cost not to exceed £120,000.
Risk RegisterCouncil discussed and approved an updated Risk Register. The Risk Register is confidential.
Practice Standard Scheme updateCouncil gave approval for the general direction of travel of the review of the Practice Standards Scheme, including a new modular framework; an IT system that would be available to all practices, not just those in the Scheme; new training and assessment for inspectors; and increased practice fees to cover these developments.
Also at the meeting, Amanda Boag was elected Treasurer, a post she will take up at RCVS Day on 11 July.
Reports were also presented from the Audit and Risk, Education, Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Liaison, Standards, Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees, and the Veterinary Nurses Council.
Finally, on behalf of Council, President Neil Smith gave thanks to retiring Council members Christine Shield, Peter Robinson, Clare Tapsfield-Wright and Caroline Freedman, also thanking Peter Lees, in his absence.
More detail about these topics, and other issues discussed at Council, will be available in the minutes in due course. The papers for the Council meeting can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/rcvs-council/council-meetings/5-june-2014.
See also the June issue of RCVS News, which can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications shortly.
Delivered in a case-based style, the course will give students the chance to work through cases and apply practical theory before treating feline patients.
There are four modules: the consultation, further investigations, treatment, and post-operative and preventative care.
ICC says the emphasis is on providing practical skills that can be used in clinic.
On completion, students will have the confidence to identify a range of dental abnormalities, persuade cat owners to consent to further investigation and treatment, and formulate and carry out the ideal treatment plan for each cat.
Dr. Matthew Oxford BVM&S GPCert(SAS) MRCVS, who helped develop the course, said: "Dentistry is poorly represented in undergraduate veterinary courses, with feline specific dentistry perhaps only having one or two lectures, yet dentistry accounts for roughly 25% of all general surgery.
"This transformational course uses a very practical approach to case management taking vets from the initial consultation, through anaesthesia, dental radiography, surgery, and then postoperative care.
"Cases are worked through with extensive teaching material supplemented into cases to provide a pragmatic, case-based approach.”
Pre-registration for the course is available until 1st November with an early bird price of £299 (+VAT) available using the discount code NEWCBL50 at the checkout.
For more information, to check eligibility and prerequisites, and to sign up, visit https://bit.ly/3GpFXo4
Having sold Belgravia House – its Westminster offices since 1995 – to a private investor in March 2021 for £14.5m, RCVS Council agreed the purchase of the new building for £20.5m.
The additional cost has been funded from College reserves.
The new building is a converted Victorian warehouse with open-plan office space spread across six floors.
The new premises are large enough to accommodate more staff and for the College to host more meetings and events.
Alternatively, the space can be used for greater social distancing and hybrid working if needed.
The College says any unwanted space can be rented out.
Two existing tenants will continue to lease office space at the premises for the time being and some refurbishment work will need to be completed before the College and RCVS Knowledge teams can start moving in.
Following Council’s earlier decision to terminate the lease on Belgravia House at the end of March 2022, RCVS staff will continue to work either remotely, or in temporary office space leased from the workplace provider, WeWork, in Chancery Lane.
The College says this arrangement offers a significant saving over leasing back Belgravia House.
Chief Executive Lizzie Lockett said: “Like any property purchase, it has been an extremely long and difficult journey to get to this point, with many challenges to navigate along the way, but I am delighted that we are finally able to announce our new home.
“Whilst we will have to wait a while longer before we can enjoy everything 1-2 Hardwick Street has to offer, we are very much looking forward to welcoming members of the professions to visit our new offices, and being able to host a variety of meetings and new events there for them.
The Suckler Herd Performance Checklist is designed to help veterinary surgeons and farmers work together to draw up a workable action plan to address the main areas influencing optimum herd health and performance.
The new app works on tablet computers, as well as Apple and Android smartphones, and allows vets to e-mail audit results directly to farmer clients following an interactive on-farm assessment.
MSD Animal Health’s beef and youngstock marketing manager Robert Simpson said: “This additional engagement tool helps a vet assess performance across the five crucial time periods and processes impacting on the efficiency of beef suckler herds.
“For example, reducing calf morbidity and mortality rates in a suckler herd starts with management practices before conception.
"Optimum performance also requires following proper management protocols throughout the youngstock period from birth to weaning, including effective colostrum administration, vaccination, nutrition and hygiene.
“It can also be used to provide confidence to vets who are less experienced with suckler herds, allowing them to follow a structured evidence-based approach when on farm,” he said.
“Livestock and Climate Change - A Veterinary Perspective” is an online learning course designed to give vets the confidence to make changes in their own work and the tools to support farming clients in meeting their goals.
It includes modules such as ‘Introduction to Sustainability for Veterinary Professionals’, ‘Emissions from Livestock Production’, ‘Housed Livestock Systems - Welfare, Nutrition and Emissions’, ‘Impact of Disease State on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock’ and ‘Advantages and Trade-offs of Grazing Systems in Mitigating Climate Change’.
The 6-module course is expected to take up to 3 months to complete (equivalent to 15 hours of CPD) by remote learning, and participants will get a LANTRA-accredited certificate on completion.
Lewis Griffiths, Chair of VetSalus, said “The veterinary profession has always had a critical role to play in technology transfer and the development of new farming systems.
"This course will equip vets to assist their farm clients in the incredibly important work of adapting to more sustainable production.
"I believe this is one of the most important courses to be developed for farm based veterinarians in recent years.”
Rune Friis Kristensen, Managing Director of Dyrlæger & Ko, Executive Officer at VetSalus and module champion said of the course “Livestock vets play an important role in the discussion around/about sustainability.
"Whether it is discussion with farmers, colleagues, academia or future vets it is pivotal that livestock vets know what they talk about when addressing emission issues.
"We know from surveys that the key decision maker when it comes to animal health and robustness is the vet, and more robust animals are always more sustainable.
"This course will provide learners with the knowledge that without a doubt is expected of vets in 2024.”
The course is aimed at veterinary professionals and those working in vet-led businesses, and whilst there are no specific entry requirements, all students are expected to have undertaken an undergraduate degree, technical qualification as a paraprofessional, or a relevant diploma.
The course costs £495 +VAT per student (registered overseas businesses may be eligible for a VAT exclusive price).
https://learn.vetsalus.com
Intervet reports that a clinical trial of 489 cows on dairy farms in the south west last spring and summer has demonstrated some excellent efficacy levels for treating and preventing intramammary infections in the dry period and early lactation.
The trial compared Cephaguard® DC and a 600mg cloxacillin dry cow tube (OEDC) on its own, and in combination with a teat sealant. Cephaguard DC demonstrated superior efficacy in terms of infection prevention during and after the dry period relative to cloxacillin alone, and was statistically equal to the combination treatment group.
Indeed, cows treated with cefquinome (Cephaguard DC) were around half as likely to develop mastitis in the first 100 days post calving than those treated with cloxacillin alone.
The trial also demonstrated excellent efficacy levels against existing Strep. uberis infections when compared with cloxacillin (see table).
DRY PERIOD CURE RATES (%) OF KEY MASTITIS PATHOGENS
Cephaguard DC
Cloxacillin (600mg)
Strep. uberis
100
75
E. coli
92.31
Coagulase +ive Staphs
66.67
S. dysgalactiae
Intervet’s large animal veterinary adviser Rosemary Booth said: "With Intervet’s Cephaguard bacteriology scheme showing that Strep. uberis is responsible for 18% of high cell counts and 23% of clinical cases, the dry period offers a fantastic time to treat this persistent pathogen."
She added: "Several weeks of exposure to an effective dry cow antibiotic provides a particularly good opportunity to kill the cow-adapted strain of Strep. uberis. It lives quite happily in the udder and is tougher and harder to kill than the environmental strain."
The cloxacillin-treated group was significantly more likely to develop clinical mastitis compared to the cefquinome-treated group, as is shown in the table below:
First quarter clinical mastitis cases up to 100 days post calving in quarters not sampled in transition
OEDC
Total major pathogens
12
21
Total with enterobacterial involvement
6
Total cases
26
41
According to Intervet, the study results suggest that reviewing dry cow therapy this summer, and moving to a cefquinome-based treatment may help reduce the incidence of mastitis. Further information on the study will be presented at the Large Herd Seminar on 30 June 2008 and is available from Intervet.
Grahame Gardner has launched 'Smitten', a new range of scrubwear for women with a 20% introductory discount.
The company says the new range incorporates the influence of streetwear, resulting in a relaxed scrubwear collection which young and style conscious staff will love.
The fabrics used in the new range have been designed for the working environment. The first fabric to be launched to the UK market is 'Miracle' a stretchable and comfortable fabric which Grahame Gardner says feels great to the touch, but wears well and complements the fashionable garment styles.
James Greenlees, Managing Director at Grahame Gardner said: "There is no question that Scrubwear has come a long way over the past decade and at Grahame Gardner we have played a major part in this evolution, firstly with the hugely popular Urbane Scrubs and now Smitten. Smitten represents the next incarnation of scrubwear, and allows more individuality than ever before within healthcare uniforms. We cannot wait to get this out into the workplace as we know it will certainly make a real impact with our customers."
More information can be found at www.grahamegardner.co.uk, under scrubs and patientwear within the GG Collection.
Research published in EVE by Pearson in 2020 reported that 95% of equine vets work with “difficult” horses on at least a monthly basis, and that 81% of them had sustained at least one injury in the last 5 years.
The research also indicated that some vets overestimate their understanding of equine learning theory.
The BEVA says developing an extended understanding of how horses learn can make clinical care less stressful, and that reduced patient stress also improves workplace safety, which is important in a role that has been identified as one of the most dangerous civilian professions.
Gemma said: “Horses have limited cognitive skills and so we should try to better understand what motivates and reinforces unwanted behaviours rather than assuming the horse is being wilfully or maliciously disobedient.
“To do this we need to appreciate how horses learn.
"Better horse handling leads to happier horses, and this means happier vets and nurses and owners/clients with the ultimate knock on of better safety, better job satisfaction and better retention in the profession.”
The training sessions include:
Gemma added: “One of the biggest push backs I get from people that haven’t started to develop low stress vet care as a routine is that they haven’t got time. But those who do use it say that it saves them time and keeps them safer, this also brings obvious commercial benefit to the practice - so what’s not to like?”
https://www.beva.org.uk/elearning-redirect?redirect=/course/view.php?id=622
The introduction of the new Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing has seen an increase in numbers of both students and training practices, according to statistics released today by the RCVS.
Since January, the RCVS has approved over 30 more Training and Auxiliary Training Practices, bringing to a total of 1,559 the number of practices approved for veterinary nurse (VN) training. Scope for practices to train student VNs is increased through the emphasis on Auxiliary Training Practices (aTPs), an option for practices without the full facilities or caseload needed for student training. Students at aTPs complete their in-practice training at other aTPs or full Training Practices. Of the 31 new practices approved since January for student training, eight are aTPs.
The number of VN students enrolling with the RCVS has also increased, with almost double the number enrolling in January 2011, compared with January 2010. There were a total of 1,168 student enrolments in the 12 months from 1 February 2010, compared with 1,121 enrolments in the same period from 1 February 2009.
Libby Earle, Head of the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Department said: "The Level 3 Diploma has been in place for little more than six months, yet VN student numbers are already up. This bodes well for the supply of qualified, competent registered veterinary nurses demanded by veterinary practices, and for those keen to enter the veterinary nursing profession."
The qualification was introduced when the government abolished the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) system last summer, forcing a change in the vocational qualifications for VNs. The resulting Level 3 Diploma is designed to better meet the needs of practices, colleges, and students themselves.
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."
Boehringer Ingelheim has announced that its 'Talk About Laminitis' campaign will run from Mid March until the end of June.
Last year, the initiative saw over 9000 horses and ponies tested for PPID through its free ACTH test scheme. This year, to build on this success and support the testing of even more animals, the company has announced a high impact, co-ordinated campaign to drive awareness that up to 90% of laminitis cases may have an underlying endocrine cause1,2.
Once again, Boehringer is urging veterinary surgeons to carry out free ACTH blood tests on laminitic or foot-sore horses as part of the campaign, which is backed by Redwings, The British Horse Society and World Horse Welfare.
Professor Andy Durham from the Liphook Equine Hospital, where the ACTH tests are performed, said: "We are learning so much from these tests. For example, we are now recognising PPID routinely in laminitic horses and ponies as young as 10 years old, and in the spring when we might expect to see more EMS cases, where veterinary surgeons have also tested for PPID we are seeing both abnormally elevated ACTH and insulin. Unless the PPID is addressed, horses will continue to be at risk of painful recurrent laminitic episodes which is a significant welfare issue to the horse and extremely frustrating for owners."
To participate in the scheme, veterinary surgeons and horse owners can download ACTH blood test vouchers from www.talkaboutlaminitis.co.uk. Attach the voucher to the ACTH sample submission form and the ACTH laboratory fees will not be charged.
Lee Hackett from The British Horse Society said: "Without the 'Talk About Laminitis' initiative and the support of Boehringer Ingelheim, literally thousands of horses may not be receiving the appropriate treatment and management for their laminitis to help prevent recurrence. We hope as many veterinary surgeons as possible get involved this year to continue this welfare success."
To ensure that horse owners are fully aware of the initiative, a PR and advertising campaign in the equine consumer media will start in March. The ad campaign includes an infomercial on Horse & Country TV (SKY Channel 280), with viewer numbers in excess of 450,000 per month.
There will also be a live online broadcast for horse owners on endocrinopathic laminitis presented by David Rendle BVSc MVM CertEM(IntMed) DipECEIM MRCVS, from the Liphook Equine Hospital in Hampshire. The one-hour webinar, which takes place at 8.00pm on Wednesday 10 April, will educate horse owners on how the veterinary profession's understanding of this debilitating and devastating disease has been completely revolutionised over the past five years. It will be followed by an interactive Q&A session when viewers will be able to pose questions for David to answer.
David said: "As our knowledge of the two hormonal diseases responsible for the majority of cases of laminitis improves, veterinary surgeons can offer their clients more comprehensive advice on treatment options to prevent laminitis. For many owners who have struggled with this condition, this is an absolute revelation and has enormous welfare benefits".
Horse owners can register to view the online programme by visiting www.talkaboutlaminitis.co.uk.
To ensure that veterinary surgeons are versed in the most up to date research available, Boehringer Ingelheim will also be hosting a webinar for veterinary professionals at 8.00pm on Wednesday 13th March, presented by Professor Andy Durham BSc BVSc CertEP DEIM DipECEIM MRCVS. The online seminar, 'The laminitis revolution.... An update on our understanding of endocrinopathic causes of laminitis', will entitle the viewer to a downloadable certificate for one hour of CPD. To register, visit www.bi-academy.co.uk. Places are limited, so register early to avoid disappointment. The webinar will also be available to view after the event on demand.
For further information on how you can promote 'Talk About Laminitis' in your practice contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Territory Manager or call 01344 746959
1. Karikoski et al. (2011). The prevalence of endocrinopathic laminitis among horses presented for laminitis at a first-opinion/referral equine hospital. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 41 111-117
2. Donaldson et al. (2004). Evaluation of suspected pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses with laminitis. J Am Vet Med Assoc;224:1123-1127.
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.
BVA’s advice comes as the four nations of the UK launch contact tracing programmes to move from blanket lockdown restrictions to a more targeted approach, in line with strategies to ease lockdown restrictions.
Although slightly different across the UK, each programme will ask those who test positive for coronavirus to identify people they have been in recent contact with and those people will be contacted and asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Relevant contact appears to be spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of another person or being in direct face-to-face contact (less than one metre) with them. At present, the schemes are voluntary, but may become mandatory at a later stage.
Northern Ireland: Test, trace, isolate, supportEngland: NHS Test and TraceScotland: Test and ProtectWales: Test Trace Protect
Employees in self-isolation are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay for every day they are in isolation, as long as they meet the eligibility conditions. Further roll out of testing may enable people to return to work sooner that 14 days if they receive a negative test.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: "The next step in the Covid-19 response is shifting to a more targeted approach, but it’s clear that this could have a very significant impact on individual veterinary practices if a member of the team tests positive. The nature of veterinary work means we are in close contact with our colleagues in order to work safely with animals.
“Many veterinary teams will be understandably anxious about the impact on their ability to staff a full rota to maintain 24/7 care. And there are significant concerns about the impact on animal health and welfare if practices are unable to provide veterinary services.
"Our advice is to continue working in fixed pairs or small teams as much as possible to reduce your contact with different individuals and continue to practise good hygiene and biosecurity.
"We continue to ask neighbouring practices to work together to support those impacted by self-isolation and ensure full geographical cover for veterinary services.
"We recognise some veterinary professionals will be worried, but we urge everyone to comply with the contact tracing programmes."
According to the charity, hens have been badly neglected by the world of evidence-based academic research, with only two known papers written about their welfare.
However, researchers are now starting to take an interest and it is hoped that the new forum, nicknamed The Coop, will pave the way for ground-breaking studies around the world into hen welfare and hen keeping.
Jane Howorth MBE, Founder of the BHWT, said: “The research about to be undertaken ranges from exploring how hens benefit our mental health to seeking good veterinary care and appropriate drugs. They will also examine how the pet hen population has grown over the years and reasons for keeping them, and which homegrown remedies are used and which work.
One of the first bits of research to be supported by the BHWT is a study called ‘From the Backyard to our Beds’ by Jenny Mace BSc, MSc AWSEL, FHEA, Visiting Lecturer on the MSc in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law at the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester.
The survey will collect data on the care-taking practices and attitudes towards chickens of non-commercial chicken carers, and you can take part here: https://winchester.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/from-the-backyard-to-our-beds-the-spectrum-of-care-in.
Jenny said: “To my knowledge, this research constitutes the first quantitative study to distinguish between ex-commercial and ‘standard’ chickens. It is also the first to enquire about some niche care-taking practices, such as the use of hormonal implants as a possible means of healthcare in hens.
“The results should be fascinating and I urge all backyard chicken keepers/rescuers to make sure their experiences are captured by filling out this survey. Thank you so much!”
The BHWT is also supporting work undertaken by Keiran Ragoonanan, a student at the Royal Veterinary College in London, who is investigating backyard chicken husbandry and feeding practices in the UK.
For more information visit: https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/take-part-in-ground-breaking-research-to-help-pet-chickens/
The range will include Vetoryl 20mg, 30mg and 60mg hydrolysed chicken flavoured tablets, which can be broken into halves or quarters.
The new Vetoryl tablets will come in packs of 30 tablets, although no word from Dechra as to when they'll arrive.
Thomas Johnson, Vetoryl brand manager at Dechra, said: “We are delighted that Vetoryl Flavoured Tablets for Dogs will soon be available, which will provide vets and pets owners with easy to administer, flavoured tablets to provide additional dosing flexibility.
"This, together with our commitment to providing extensive technical support and resources, will ensure that Vetoryl continues to be the UK’s leading licensed medical treatment for Cushing’s syndrome.”
Now, when you advertise a job on VetSurgeon.org, the system can send a message to all your employees (and any contacts in the profession) asking them to pass it on if they know anyone suitable, and to share the advertisement on their other social networks, such as Facebook.
As a further option, practices can also now offer a cash reward for a successful introduction leading to the post being filled. In that case, the message sent to employees and contacts lets them know that there’s a reward for their help.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "Since we relaunched VetSurgeon Jobs, I’ve noticed a correlation between the number of times that job advertisements are shared by email or on Facebook, and the success that practices have in filling the vacancy.
"Of course, there is nothing to stop you emailing staff and contacts yourself, or offering a reward. But I suspect many don’t, and my hope is that this new feature will really help focus the mind, streamline the process and ultimately help you find the person who'll fit in with your team."
"Share & Reward is another feature exclusively available on VetSurgeon Jobs, alongside the VetSurgeon Locums Map and Find Our Jobs on VetSurgeon (a badge for your website that links to just your jobs).
"There's more on the way!"
The webinars will be delivered by board-certified equine diagnostic imaging specialists.
The first will cover equine cervical spinal radiographic interpretation presented by Erin Porter, DVM, DACVR, DACVR-EDI. Learning objectives include:
The second webinar will be on 7th February 2024, 1:00-2:00pm, when Marianna Biggi, DVM, PhD, FHEA, DipECVDI, MRCVS, will review a systemic approach to interpreting foot radiographs and the clinical significance of radiographic diagnoses.
In the final webinar on February 26th at 1:00pm, Lucy Meehan-Howard, BVSc, MSc, CertAVP(VDI), DipECVDI, MRCVS, will cover typical injuries to the fetlock in different kinds of horses and the optimal imaging strategy for each type of injury.
Information about all webinars is available here: welcome.vet-ct.com/equine-webinar-series. To learn more about VetCT, plus additional educational content and teleradiology services, visit https://uk.vet-ct.com/.
welcome.vet-ct.com/equine-webinar-series
Rig Vet Recruitment has added a new title to its range of personnel recruitment guides with the introduction of “Rig’s Practice VN Guide”.
The guide covers all the issues you might face when employing a locum nurse, and gives a handy checklist of things to cover with your temporary employee to help make sure that he or she gets up to speed as fast as possible.
“We were so pleased with the positive responses we received when we launched the locum vet guides last year that locum vet nurses’ versions were an obvious next step,” said Justin Carpenter, Rig Vet Recruitment Managing Director.
He added: “At the end of last year, we conducted a survey among some vet nurses and frankly were surprised at how little information on practice admin and procedures some VNs were given on their first day,” Justin continued. “For example, 88 per cent were not given a formal induction, 78 per cent were not advised on fire and health & safety regulations, and when expected to undertake reception work, 97 percent were not informed on phone protocols or appointment systems.
The guide is available free of charge from Rig Veterinary Recruitment: enquiries@rigvets.co.uk
Rig Vet Recruitment are on stand number 719 at BSAVA Congress 2008.