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.
From the beginning of October this year, the electronic recording of pig movements will be written into legislation.
Following a recent consultation, Defra intends to amend the existing Pigs, Records, Identification and Movements Order (PRIMO) 2007 to reflect the requirement of pre-notification of movements.
Dorothea Schiemann of BPEX said: "There will be a transitional period of six months for the phasing out of the paper-based AML2 forms, planned to start from 1 October 2011. This will give producers and businesses the opportunity to adjust to the change in process.
"From April 2012 the AML2 paper forms will cease to be a valid method of reporting movements. Pig movements will either have to be reported using the free eAML2 online service or the free eAML2 bureau service and there will also be third party agents such as marketing groups or the British Pig Association."
Following extensive trialling, the eAML2 system for farm to slaughter movements was launched in April 2011 across England and Wales. The functions for movements from farm to farm, market, collection centre and show, and for import and export, will be introduced in due course.
Benefits include the fact that the industry will have a realistic herd register providing accurate and timely information. This will enable better communication and control in the event of disease outbreak. There will be no need to fill in the same information again and again as the eAML2 service will pre-populate the basic information automatically. Also, when pigs are sent to slaughter, the system combines the movement licence and Food Chain Information (FCI) form in one, which will save producers time.
For more information and to register to use the system go to: http://www.eaml2.org.uk/
The poster can be downloaded free of charge from NOAH’s Pet Health Info website and a limited number are available from NOAH free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
Featuring pet photos from NOAH’s 'Happy healthy pets' project gallery, the planner contains independent seasonal expert tips and advice for pets: from exercise, diet and healthcare to keeping them safe and comfortable in different weather conditions.
Over the coming months, the campaign will continue to roll out tips and expert advice from NOAH and partners, tailored web content, as well as press and social media activity.
The poster is part of ’I Heart My Pet’ campaign, now in its third year, which includes the Happy, Healthy Pets Project – an interactive online gallery, where pet owners have already uploaded more than 2000 images of happy, healthy pets.
NOAH Chief Executive, Dawn Howard said: "We are thrilled that these three great animal welfare charities have joined forces with NOAH to help extend the reach of our collective networks on this project, with the ultimate objective of improving the health of the UK’s pets.
"PDSA’s sterling work through its PAW Report, highlighting areas where we need to focus to improve pet welfare made them an obvious choice and we are delighted to be working with them on this. Cats Protection helps thousands of cats every year and provides invaluable information on cat care. We hope that by working together we’ll be able to assist them in helping many more.
RWAF’s work on educating owners about the responsibility involved in taking on rabbits as pets, through campaigns such as Rabbit Awareness Week, is of vital importance and we look forward to working closely with them to spread the word even further."
Advance25 Courses provide 25 hours of CPD in important areas of small animal practice, including Small Animal Medicine Cases Challenges, Emergency Medicine, Abdominal Ultrasound and Thoracic and Abdominal Radiology.
Advance25 courses run for a 6 week period, with tutor support. Recorded and live sessions are combined with discussion of multiple cases. Course materials are then accessible for 12 months.
Susie Coughlan, Managing Director of CPD Solutions said: "We appreciate that there is a high demand for quality online options at the moment, with many vets limited to online CPD.
"With the new Advance25 courses we’ve added more tutor support and ongoing interaction for those who are looking for a more immersive experience providing extended CPD hours. We’re really excited about these courses, which are launching now and running in the autumn. They should help vets make a real difference in their practices; they’re fully flexible and will fit with many people’s family and work commitments.’
For more information and to enter a prize draw to win a free Advance25 course, visit: https://www.cpd-solutions.com/advance25
The project looked first at how effective CVS small animal first opinion practices were at conducting echocardiography.
It found that a barrier to wider uptake was a lack of up-to-date equipment, along with a lack of current knowledge and training - both in using ultrasound and echocardiography equipment and in interpreting images.
CVS says that as a result, many colleagues were routinely referring suspected cardiac disease cases.
The project leaders then reviewed and recommended practice equipment, so that clinicians had the tools to perform echocardiograms in practice.
This included buying echocardiography tables - so that practitioners could scan an animal’s chest from underneath, more advanced cardiac ultrasound machines and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines.
The company then produced a range of resources for vets and nurses, to help them to improve echocardiography scan rates and nurse cardiology clinics, including clinical guidelines, machine guides and client resources.
It then held a number of training sessions for its vets and nurses, focusing on the latest advancements in heart disease diagnosis and treatment for vets, and training nurses how to conduct nurse cardiology clinics, how to perform and interpret electrocardiography, how to take blood pressure readings and thoracic point of care ultrasound (POCUS).
Lynsay Morgan, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS who is responsible for the cardiac ultrasound clinical improvement project, said: “We want to empower our first opinion small animal vets to perform more echo evaluations and to work up their cardiology cases to a high standard.
"We also want our nurses to be involved in patients’ life-long care, and provide ongoing support to owners of pets with heart disease.
“We hope this project will improve case identification, increase skills and confidence, and see optimum diagnosis and management of cardiac disease.”
Novartis Animal Health has published a product usage chart aimed at vets and SQPs that gives guidance on the use of ectoparasites through the seasons.
The chart covers the use of blowfly preventatives CLiK and CLiKZiN, and the blowfly strike treatment Crovect, which also covers ticks, biting lice, headfly and fly maggots.
There is advice on the treatment of pre- and post-shearing ewes, and early season and main season lambs, plus recommendations for end of season treatments.
Helen Langham, Brand Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "The chart is designed to provide an overview of the ectoparasite challenges faced by sheep and lambs through the year, and explain which products should be applied and when.
"SQPs can download the chart and a full range of information about ectoparasites from the Novartis Farm Animal Health website."
The chart can be downloaded from www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk
Alstoe Ltd has launched Tempora, a chewable, flavoured, spironolactone tablet for dogs, indicated for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) arising from mitral valve disease.
Alstoe says Tempora's flavouring technology, tablet shape and two and four way break tablets facilitate ease of use and should improve compliance. The company also highlights the affordability of the new product, which can be used alone or in conjunction with standard therapies.
According to Alstoe, it is estimated that in 75% of dogs with CHF, degenerative mitral valve disease is the underlying cause. The company says spironolactone shows clear benefits in treating mxyomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs: acting as an aldosterone receptor antagonist it counteracts the negative consequences of aldosterone production such as myocardial fibrosis and myocardial and vascular remodelling.
To support the new product, Alstoe has designed a Sleep Respiratory Rate (SRR) chart to assist veterinary professionals with ongoing monitoring of their canine patients condition and response to treatment. The chart is available as a printable download or in pads. The company is also offering lunchtime practice seminars.
Tempora is available as 10mg, 50mg and 100mg tablets.
For further information, contact Alstoe Animal Health on 01347 878606, or via e-mail: adelaideellerington@alstoe.co.uk, or visit www.alstoe.co.uk
The Dogs Trust has officially launched the Free Microchipping Through Vets Campaign through which all owners can get their dog microchipped free of charge through participating veterinary practices.
Microchipping becomes compulsory for all dogs in England in April 2016 and Wales in March 2015, and with 20% of dogs in the UK still unchipped, the charity says it thinks demand for the procedure is likely to be significant over the coming year.
1500 practices have already joined the year-long campaign, as part of which they will be given free microchips in exchange for implanting them at no cost to the owner. The charity says it hopes that up to 75% of the UK's 3075 practices will have joined the campaign within the next few weeks.
Clarissa Baldwin, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, said: "We are delighted about the proposed new legislation and see it as the start of a very positive movement. From April 2016 in England and March 2015 in Wales it will be compulsory for each and every dog to be microchipped on first change of hands which represents a significant step forward for dog welfare and responsible dog ownership. To show its support for the implementation of this legislation, Dogs Trust is teaming up with vets to make sure that all dog owners can have the procedure done for free. We'd like to say a huge thank you to the vet practices already supporting the campaign and urge others to come on board. An essential element to the success of microchipping is for dog owners to take responsibility for updating their details with the database should their circumstances change.
"Last year 111,986 stray and abandoned dogs were picked up by Local Authorities across the UK, with only 40% reunited with their owners. This initiative will help to reduce that number dramatically."
To join the campaign vet practices should contact Dogs Trust at campaigns@dogstrust.org.uk
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that it is to sponsor the Equine Business Management Strategies (EBMS) program, a targeted business education program developed for equine veterinary surgeons and practice professionals.
According the company, this 5-day course has proven very successful in the United States. It had its European kick-off in Amsterdam on August 22, 2010, where a group of almost forty equine practitioners from North America and Europe gathered to discuss and learn how to apply business principles in their day-to-day work. The program was chaired by Dr. Joop Loomans, an equine veterinary surgeon responsible for equine business management education at the Department of Equine Sciences of the Veterinary Faculty of Utrecht University (The Netherlands).
Course participants worked with international specialists on strategic planning, benchmarking, branding and change management to create strategic plans to implement at their practices, and to share their knowledge, experience and ideas.
Intervet/Schering Plough says the launch of Equine Business Management Strategies program exceeded expectations of participants, sponsor and organizers. The chance to look at the day-to-day practice from a different angle and to learn about things like benchmarking exercises, revenue analysis and branding was highly appreciated. Participant Jeremy Mantell from Liphook Equine Hospital in the UK said: "The EBMS has given me a clearer understanding of what I need to change and develop in my practice."
Dr. Roberto Ragni-Alunni, Global Technical Manager Equine at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "We believe that running an equine practice is not based solely on technical and scientific skills but also on effective practice management. That is why our company has decided to support this initiative. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health also continues its custom of providing not only innovating products, but also new, value-added services to strengthen its bond with veterinarians."
Virbac has announced that it will repeat its EasOtic promotion through which practitioners that make multiple purchases of the award-winning otitis treatment can claim an ear model and specialist ear instrument kit.
The models, which show the anatomy of a healthy canal on one side and the changes associated with chronic damage on the other, are approximately 15cm high and can be used as a visual aid to show clients the consequences of untreated chronic ear disease.
The specialist ear instrument kits, worth £100, have been designed in consultation with veterinary dermatologists. They consist of a haemostat, ear forceps, three various cerumen scoops and a Spreulls ear-flushing needle.
Product Manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "Basically it's the best ear equipment for daily use by practitioners. Last year we were overwhelmed by the demand of both promotions, so we've decided to repeat the offer again this year."
The models and kits are available with multiple purchases of EasOtic and the neutral pH glycotechnology ear cleaner Epi-Otic.
For details of how you can obtain a model and/or kit for your practice contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
In what is believed to be a first for the profession, a group of experts have joined forces to publish 'Chronic Pain in the Dog', a blog about managing pain.
The blog, which is sponsored by Vetoquinol and available exclusively to VetSurgeon.org members, offers opinions and advice from Dr Jo Murrell, BVSc PhD CertVA DipECVA MRCVS, Head of Anaesthesia at Bristol Vet School, Kate L White MA Vet MB DVA Dipl ECVAA MRCVS, European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia & Analgesia, Associate Professor in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Clinical Sub Dean at Nottingham University Veterinary School and Krista Visser 't Hooft, DVM, DipACVIM (Internal Medicine), MRCVS, Specialist in Medicine.
A new blog entry is posted every few days, and each one focuses on just one aspect of pain management, to make it easy to digest in a busy day. The aim is to help build the clinician's understanding of the topic over time.
It is also hoped that the blog will build into a useful information resource, both to raise awareness of pain management and aid clinicians in making decisions about how to approach complex cases.
VetSurgeon members can subscribe to be alerted to new blog entries by email, and (at the time of writing) there is a prize of a £10 Amazon voucher for every 50th veterinary surgeon to do so.
Click here to read the blog and subscribe.
Kruuse has launched Krutex Polyisoprene Surgical Gloves, which are both powder and latex-free to minimise the risk of glove-related allergy to latex protein.
The gloves are made from synthetic polyisoprene, which has a molecular structure similar to natural rubber latex. This, says the company, means the gloves have a fit, sensitivity and comfort equal to natural rubber latex. The company says they are also designed to provide increased fingertip sensitivity.
Andrew Groom Managing Director, Kruuse UK Ltd said: "After feedback from our customers showed an increasing concern regarding latex allergies amongst clinicians, we were encouraged to develop this addition to our well established range of gloves."
Krutech latex free gloves join the existing Krutech range which includes; Vet Gel surgeons' gloves, Krutech latex surgical gloves, Krutech latex, vinyl and nitrile examination gloves and the widely used arm length gloves range. The new range is supplied in boxes of 25 sterile, single packed pairs and are available in half sizes from 6.0 to 9.0.
BVA Past President Peter Jones is appearing before an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Antibiotics today, to update parliamentarians and stakeholders on the efforts the association and the profession are making to tackle the issue. Speaking to the APPG, Peter will say: "We know that the biggest cause of antibiotic resistance in humans is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine and this was highlighted in the joint report on resistance from the Department of Health (DoH) and Defra.
"However, we are not complacent about the role of antibiotic use in veterinary medicine and we are one of the leading voices in the campaign for the responsible use of antibiotics in all species.
"We remain committed to the One Health principle and the need for the medical and veterinary professions to work together to tackle antimicrobial resistance. BVA and our specialist divisions are currently working on a plan to deliver the five-year strategy on AMR from the veterinary perspective. The actions being taken have been published along with those of our partners in the RUMA response to the DoH/Defra strategy.
"One of our key aims for the strategy will be to promote the importance of evidence-based responsible use among both vets and their clients. We are already encouraging education on minimising resistance and principles of responsible use through engagement with the veterinary schools and other stakeholders, and through our own continuing professional development (CPD) programme.
"The use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine in Europe in the future may well be different to how we have used them in the past, with certain constraints on certain classes of critically important medicines used in man. We will cooperate in adapting to this new environment but any changes must be based on sound scientific risk analysis and not on misrepresentation of the evidence, or at worse falsification of that evidence."
Another key action for BVA is the updating of BVA's responsible use guidance for the veterinary profession, and BVA's species divisions continue to work on advice tailored to their particular sectors.
BVA is also continuing to call for quicker, cheaper and more accessible accurate sensitivity and pen-side testing for veterinary use, and repeated this call in recent submissions to the Science & Technology Select Committee and the APPG on Eggs, Pigs and Poultry.
BVA has also agreed in principle that antibiotic use should be recorded and reported and will consider how such recording and reporting may be encouraged, how usage may be measured and audited, and how prescribing habits can be assessed. Such measures will help us to monitor trends in resistance development and track the progress we can make in addressing the problem.
Virbac has announced the launch of Speed Trio, an in-house diagnostic test to enable the detection of FeLV (Feline Leukaemia Virus) antigens; anti-FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and anti-FCoV (Feline Coronavirus) antibodies in 15 minutes.
The company says Speed Trio is designed to facilitate the diagnosis of immunosuppressive diseases, such as FIP (feline infectious peritonitis); when a cat tests positive for Feline Coronavirus and either FeLV or FIV it is at increased risk of developing FIP¹ and serological testing for all three diseases is the logical step.
Virbac says it has also enhanced the entire Speed range to further improve the readability of the tests and the brightness of the test bands.
Product Manager Madeline Haynes said: "The Speed range, which has been proven in practice for more than 20 years, offers a comprehensive suite of in-house diagnostic tests, which are easy to perform and highly cost-effective to use in practice.
"Speed Trio is not only a unique test combination that helps to facilitate diagnosis of immunosuppressive diseases but also boosts client satisfaction and can support practice profitability."
Reference
As part of the package of measures announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in mid-March, businesses in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors are eligible for a 100% business rates holiday for a year in England, Scotland and Wales, offering a vital economic lifeline when many may have had to close or operate with reduced turnover and staffing. In Northern Ireland, all businesses are eligible for a three-month business rates holiday covering April, May and June.
However, veterinary practices, many of which have remained open to provide essential care and treatment for pets and production animals, are not eligible for business rates relief, despite the fact that many are high street businesses and a significant proportion of their income comes from retailing medicines, treatments and other pet products.
The BVA says it has heard directly from hundreds of members who now fear for their future, and a recent survey released by the RCVS indicates that a quarter of practices have seen their weekly turnover reduced by 75%, and about 66% have seen it halved.
The Association has written to the Treasury and devolved government departments to ask why the veterinary profession has so far been overlooked for financial support, while other high street businesses that remain open including food retailers, hardware stores and pet shops are eligible for rates relief.
It has also mobilised its members to contact their local MPs and devolved parliamentarians with their concerns. Several hundred have already downloaded template letters from the BVA website, and parliamentarians representing a wide cross-section of regions and parties have already pledged their support. Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion, has also tabled a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (#339) recognising the value of vets and pushing for the profession to be given access to business rates relief.
Daniella Dos Santos, BVA President, said: “The Government has repeatedly given thanks to vets for continuing to maintain animal health and welfare and public health and support the food supply chain in these challenging times. But that makes it all the more disappointing that the profession’s pleas for financial support so far seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Veterinary practices are rightly remaining open to provide 24/7 essential care and fulfilling their duty to maintain animal health and welfare, but many are struggling to stay afloat as they grapple with dramatic reductions in turnover and scaling back their rotas to keep colleagues and clients safe.
"It’s been really heartening to see that parliamentarians across the political spectrum value their local vets’ role in their communities and have offered to put pressure on the Treasury and devolved governments to give practices access to vital financial support. We hope that such a strong and united call will be answered soon, and will continue to urge government to help practices to continue their valuable work in these difficult times."
The role was created last November when the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) started allowing para-professional staff to support vets in carrying out TB testing in England.
UK Farmcare says there are now 49 fully authorised ATTs in England with another 21 TB testing under veterinary supervision and three undergoing the theory part of the training.
To become an ATT, applicants must be at least 18 years old, hold a valid UK driving licence and passport, possess a clean criminal record and then be approved by the APHA. Applicants also need at least three graded GCSEs or equivalent in English, Maths and a science or food production subject and at least six months cattle handling experience.
https://ukfarmcare.com/an-introduction-to-the-att-role.
Tim, who is Managing Partner of Larkmead Vets and also a Director at the independent veterinary community XLVets, graduated from Liverpool Vet School in 1994 and joined Larkmead Vets in 1998.
He said: “I grew up in the South Yorkshire coalfields and worked in a city centre small animal practice in Wakefield before relocating to Oxfordshire to develop the small animal department of a mixed practice.
"First-opinion veterinary practice has been my life since starting cleaning kennels aged 12.
“I am passionate that whilst what we do is work with animals, how we do it is by working with people: our colleagues and the owners who entrust their animals to our care.
"As a first-opinion vet and practice owner I have had the privilege of growing and developing my practice (team and facilities) to meet the changing needs of our local community.
“At a time of great change for the veterinary profession, with the tantalising hope for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act set against the backdrop of the Competition and Markets Authority’s market investigation of the veterinary sector, it is an opportunity to bring this experience to the heart of our College.
“It was an unexpected honour to be elected to the position of JVP and I thank my colleagues on Council for entrusting the role to me.
"I also reflect on my initial university application which saw a clean sweep of rejections and hope that this can inspire others from the grass roots of our profession to get involved in shaping the future.”
Council also voted to confirm Professor Tim Parkin as RCVS President, Linda Belton as Senior Vice-President and reconfirmed Tshidi Gardiner as Treasurer (subject to her re-election), all effective from July.
Tim will take up his post at the College's AGM in July.
WebLeC has launched a monthly online equine CPD service.
One hour live interactive sessions will take place every third Thursday at 7:30 pm. A single meeting costs £30 plus VAT, or savings can be made by taking out a flexible subscription that allows the user to choose any 12 meetings for the cost of 10 over a period of up to 24 months.
The next meeting is on 22nd September and is entitled: Colic Decision making: When to wake up the surgeon and what pain control to use. The presenter is Debra Archer form the University of Liverpool. Further details and registration links can be found at: http://www.ledstonequine.co.uk/weblec_lectures/colic.html
In addition, a recording of WebLeC's 6th meeting, which was held in partnership with BEVA and the VDS and dealt with the new guidelines and forms for pre-purchase examinations of horses, is now available to view free online at: www.bitly.com/weblecbevaPPE. Use the password: b3va to get access, and you will receive a CPD certificate if you fill in the registration form.
WebLeC has also been asked to host BEVA's online CPD and will be announcing further details of their meetings soon.
BCF Technology has launched the Mindray DP-50 veterinary ultrasound system, a black and white entry level system that can be used in both the small animal and equine general practice.
According to the company, the DP-50 offers excellent black and white abdominal and cardiac images and the menu system for performing measurements, calculations and image review is very intuitive. The system allows you to save images and video clips to internal memory, as well as exporting to USB.
Nigel Perry from BCF said: "This is an excellent entry level system that provides high quality images at a great price - only £6,500 for the system including one probe. The Mindray DP-50's easy to use menu system and superb image makes this scanner such a useful tool for a general veterinary practice."
Angus McPherson from Lomond Hills Veterinary Practice in Fife said: "We were looking for a scanner that was mobile, easy to use and most importantly gave a good image. The scanner was delivered at 9.00am and by 9.30am we had used it on two dog cases. One with a pyometra and one with an enlarged abdomen."
The DP-50 is exclusively available through BCF. For more information, call +44 (0)1506 460 023 or visit www.bcftechnology.co.uk.
National Veterinary Services has announced that from 14th January, veterinary practices will be able to place their daily orders up to 8pm, 7 days a week.
The veterinary wholesaler will also be providing a telephone ordering service on Saturday mornings from 9am until 12pm.
Martin Riley, NVS Managing Director said: "We are always keen to understand practice needs and to deliver on their requests. This is a significant change for the industry and with the introduction of more new tools and services later in the year we believe NVS will make a great difference to our customers."
For further information please contact 01782 770319.
Invicta Animal Health has announced that that EquiChek test kits are now validated for use with synovial fluid, having originally been validated for whole blood only.
EquiChek is an animal-side test to assess the level of Serum Amyloid A (SAA) which is a major acute phase protein of inflammation in horses.
Invicta says that it has been shown that SAA levels in synovial fluid are not influenced by arthrocentesis*, which makes SAA an ideal biomarker to measure whilst monitoring or assessing joint function.
The company says this is the first test which is able to provide a visual semi-quantitative result within 15 minutes. The test will display 4 lines for a normal level of SAA and sequentially fewer lines depending on the severity of the inflammation.
Rob Watkins, Managing Director of Invicta, said: "EquiChek has proved to be a useful tool in the ambulatory toolkit. The validation of synovial fluid extends the use by allowing real-time monitoring of lameness and intra-articular therapies. Normally whilst medicating joints, excess synovial fluid is discarded. Now this can be utilised to assist diagnosis or to assess the response to medication."
Invicta will be at Stand A16 BEVA Congress 2013.
For further information see www.invictavet.com/ or ring 01403 791313
Royal Canin has announced that it has established a team of three specialist advisors to work directly with veterinary practices to help develop and improve their weight management clinics, client retention and product sales.
The Pet Weight Care Team will also provide practical training to all practice staff on how to recognise weight problems, communicate sensitively with pet owners and treat the problem effectively.
The first advisor to join the team is Shelley Holden VN (pictured right), who has 10 years' experience as the nurse for the Royal Canin Weight Management Referral Clinic at The University of Liverpool. Shelley has spent time running successful nursing clinics in general practice and lecturing internationally on the topic of obesity. She said: "I have spent many years dedicating my time caring for overweight pets, and the number of cases we see is continuing to rise. It's really important that as obesity specialists we can offer hands-on support to practices to assist them with helping to decrease the number of overweight pets they see.
"Our aim will be to offer specialist training through a number of sessions to practices who wish to improve their weight management clinics. We'll spend time with all members of staff helping them to feel more confident when dealing with owners who have overweight pets. The training will include all aspects of weight management including how to approach owners, Body Condition Scoring and the 30 minute consult. Staff will also be trained on how to support owners throughout the weight loss program and during the maintenance phase."
Royal Canin says the training will also cover the prevention of obesity in pets, how to advise owners on the appropriate diets post neutering and how to manage the animal's weight and calorie intake throughout their lives. The Pet Weight Care Team will be encouraging practices to carry out weight management assessments alongside medical examinations to ensure that potential weight problems are dealt with quickly.
The company says that practices that receive training will be followed up with on a regular basis to provide further support and training as needed.
For more information, contact your Royal Canin Veterinary Business Manager.
The International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force (IVETF), a group of 26 veterinary practitioner, neuropharmacology, neuropathology and neurology experts led by Holger Volk, Professor of Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery at the RVC, has issued new guidelines for treating and caring for dogs with epilepsy.
The guidelines have been adopted by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and published in the form of a ‘consensus statement’ in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (JVIM).
Professor Volk, who co-chaired the consensus statement process, said: "I was honoured to have been asked to co-chair such an important forum in American veterinary practice. This will be another landmark paper to help improve the care vets deliver for the patients with epilepsy, both in America and beyond.
"Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases encountered by veterinary surgeons and practitioners around the world. The prevalence of the condition means there have been numerous research studies carried out over the years. But, despite such frequent research, there has been a lack of consistency when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.
"This lack of cohesion and collaboration made it difficult for owners and veterinary professionals to communicate effectively on the issue of pet epilepsy. This has led to the global veterinary community changing its approach and, in recent years, working more closely together."
Professor Volk says the aim of these latest guidelines is to provide joined up and collaborative thinking, teaching and learning on various different aspects of the condition that specifically affect America. These include the development of treatment strategies and any potential issues with chronic anti-epileptic drug treatment.
The ACVIM guidelines follow on from seven in-depth consensus statements produced by the IVETF and published open access in BMC Veterinary Research last year, outlining recommendations and classifications on all aspects of canine epilepsy. It was the first time this many veterinary neurology clinicians and neuroscientists formally agreed on the key aspects of the condition.
Professor Volk, who is also the Clinical Director of the RVC’s Small Animal Referral Hospital, added: "There is a real exciting buzz around canine and feline Epilepsy currently. Finally getting to global consensus from the international veterinary community will accelerate research and lead to improved patient care and quality of life for owners and patients alike."
The guidelines, which are the result of a collaboration between veterinary dermatologists, clinical microbiologists and other specialists, are designed to reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use and help canine welfare.
The team conducted an evidence review and built a consensus of recommendations, combining scientific evidence with real-world insights.
The new guidelines are supported by the ISCAID (International Society for Companion Animal Infections) and provide veterinary practitioners with guidance on the diagnosis and investigation of canine bacterial skin infections.
The guidelines offer recommendations for when antimicrobials should be considered, and which classes of antimicrobials are most appropriate to choose from.
As part of this guidance, recommended drug dosages have also been updated based on newly available information.
The RVC says this will ensure that available antimicrobial drugs can be used as responsibly as possible and remain effective for a long as possible.
RVC has also produced a short synopsis of the main consensus statements and a ‘Seven Moments of Responsible Canine Pyoderma Treatment’ infographic.
Anette Loeffler, Professor in Veterinary Dermatology and Cutaneous Bacteriology at the RVC and chair of the ISCAID author group, said: “After several years of analysing evidence, updating information and evaluating experience, we are excited and relieved to finally see the guideline documents published and free to use around the world.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40338805
Veterinary surgeons are being called on to help recruit dogs for a clinical study called EPIC - the Evaluation of Pimobendan In dogs with Cardiomegaly caused by pre-clinical mitral valve disease (MVD).
The long-term study, which is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, will assess whether using pimobendan in the pre-clinical phase of MVD has a benefit in extending the time to the onset of clinical signs. It involves 36 centres globally with the aim of recruiting 360 dogs in total. In order for dogs to be eligible for the study they must:
The three veterinary cardiologists from the UK involved in the randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group study are Adrian Boswood MA VetMB DipECVIM-ca DVC MRCVS from the Royal Veterinary College (the RVC) in Hertfordshire, Sarah Smith MA VetMB DVC MRCVS from Sarah Smith Cardiology in Derbyshire and Mark Patteson MA VetMB, PhD DVC CertVR MRCVS from Heart Vets at Vale Referrals, Gloucestershire.
Adrian Boswood, veterinary cardiologist from RVC said: "The implications of this study for dogs and their owners could be enormous. If the research shows that pimobendan is effective before clinical signs of MMVD appear, this could lead to a new treatment option for practitioners."
For further information on the study or if you have a dog that may be suitable for the trial, please contact the nearest study investigator - Adrian Boswood on 01707 666605, Sarah Smith on 07515 359241 or Mark Patteson on 01453 547934.