The London Fire Brigade has donated a life-size horse model to the Royal Veterinary College, to be used for student training.
The donation is in recognition of 11 years large animal handling training that the RVC has given firefighters from the London Fire Brigade.
The model horse has been named "Fireman Sam" by the students. Fireman Sam was officially presented to Vivienne Heys, the member of staff who organised and participated in the training throughout the entire 11 years, and to student trainers Vikki Wyse and Emma Howson, by London Fire Brigade Group Manager Andy Cane, Station Manager Mark Spier and Watch Manager Jim Wennell .
Andy Cane said how valuable the training has been for the London firefighters and how much the crews have enjoyed their visits to the Royal Veterinary College.
Vivienne emphasised that this programme would not have been possible without the students who have given their time on Wednesday afternoons to help firefighters learn the skills required when working with horses and cattle, and she also praised the staff who have volunteered their time and skills to keep this programme running for 11 years.
A review of past research papers on the treatment of feline diabetes carried out by Dr Stijn Niessen at the RVC has found that much of the research into the condition was based on low-level evidence, lacked a cooperative approach and, therefore, yielded questionable results.
According to Dr Niessen, current recommendations are often based on previous research studies which used small sample sizes; some included as little as 8 cats. The biggest sample sizes found contained from 50 to 60 cats, but Dr Neissen says that even this isn't a big enough sample size to yield effective results. He says that so-called power calculations, a statistical test performed as part of this new publication, indicate that at least 80-90 animals are needed to accurately compare the effectiveness of different insulin types and other treatments.
Stijn said: "The only way to improve the quality of research and its results is to design and implement well-structured clinical trials, similar to those used by pharmaceutical companies in human medicine.
"This sort of trial can have a powerful impact on a treatment and how it is used. They can more accurately gauge the pros and cons of specific diabetic treatments for cats, helping us pinpoint troublesome side effects as well as identifying the benefits.
"Current research into the condition is sporadic, lacking a long-term vision and not collaborative. A pet owner can, in theory, go to two different vets and get two very different treatments for the same condition. The owner could then go online and find a third way. These treatments aren't necessarily wrong, it is just one vet may have been trained in one methodology and another in a different way. This is why a collaborative approach is so important, so we can end these inconsistencies and can get closer to the actual truth about which way best to treat our feline friends."
For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/RVC.Diabetic.Remission.Clinic
The Waltham Equine Studies Group has published new research which highlights the effectiveness of grazing muzzles as a tool to help with weight management in ponies.
The research, which was conducted in collaboration with Dr Annette Longland of Equine and Livestock Nutrition Services (ELNS) in Wales2, also showed that longer grass can be more difficult for muzzled ponies to graze, and can cause frustration-related behaviour in some individuals.
According to Waltham, grazing muzzles have already been shown to reduce the pasture intake of ponies by around 80% by significantly reducing bite size and intake.1 Ponies fitted with grazing muzzles may spend more time engaging in foraging and eating than their non-muzzled counterparts, yet the majority either lose weight or retain their body condition. This in turn helps reduce susceptibility to obesity and related disorders, such as insulin dysregulation and laminitis.
Four mature ponies were selected for the study. Their dry matter (DM) and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) intakes were measured in spring, summer, and autumn pastures on four, three-hour occasions per pony per season when fitted with or without a grazing muzzle. In addition ponies, with and without muzzles, were allowed to take 10 bites of swards maintained at different heights.
When wearing grazing muzzles pasture intake was reduced by 77% during spring and summer and by 83% during the autumn. Without muzzles the ponies generally reduced the sward length by half with the first bite but when muzzled the reduction was variable and the ponies appeared to experience greater difficulty in accessing the longer versus the shorter swards.
The short (less than 10cm), upright, grass appeared to be the easiest to eat, as leaf blades and stems protruded through the holes in the muzzle. The medium and long swards proved more difficult. They bent under the pressure of the muzzle and became flattened, causing the ponies to adopt various strategies to access the grass. In some cases they pawed the ground to unearth the sward and access it through the muzzle. Alternatively they rammed the solid base of the muzzle hard onto the grass, causing it to buckle and make some blades or stems accessible. These were then yanked vigorously often causing the entire plant to be uprooted and eaten.
Water soluble carbohydrate levels in the sward were similar across the seasons although they were slightly higher in autumn. However, once muzzled the ponies’ intake of WSC wasn’t significantly different across the seasons; strengthening the evidence that the use of grazing muzzles is effective.
Clare Barfoot RNutr and the research and development manager at Spillers said: "While the frustration displayed when the muzzled ponies were on longer grass swards indicates that care should be taken to provide an accessible grass length, grazing muzzles remain an effective weight management tool. They allow turnout over large areas, increasing exercise and allow slow “trickle” feeding, to control weight gain and reduce the risk of obesity-related disorders, without significantly compromising the natural behaviour and wellbeing."
Waltham says grazing muzzles must be used with care, should be properly fitted and horses and ponies should be adapted gradually to wearing them. Group and individual behaviour should be monitored closely to observe any potential concerns caused by changes to the herd dynamics. Ensure that muzzled ponies are confident in drinking and eating through their muzzles before turning them out for prolonged periods. Muzzles must not be used continuously (not more than 10 hours per day) and total exclusion muzzles are not advised. Regular weight monitoring is recommended as some individuals can still gain weight when muzzled.
References
Drontal has renewed sponsorship agreements with councils throughout the UK in a bid to further encourage pet owners to scoop their dogs' poop.
The support will see thousands of council dog bins featuring Drontal branding to promote best practice amongst dog owners and urge them to clean up after their pets.
Dan White, product manager for Drontal, said: "Through our dog bin sponsorship we are highlighting the importance of responsible pet ownership which includes preventing the spread of worm eggs in the environment by scooping poop."
According to Bayer, Drontal is the only wormer that kills every type of intestinal worm commonly found in UK dogs and cats.
For further information please contact your Bayer representative or log on to www.drontal.com.
A poll carried out by The Children's Mutual has found that becoming a veterinary surgeon is one of the most popular career ambitions for 5-7 year olds, second only to becoming a teacher.
The Children's Mutual questioned over a thousand parents about what their children said they wanted to be when they grew up and found that the majority of today's children are looking for a career which requires further training and education. The top careers of doctor, teacher and vet have featured in the 'What I Want To Be' poll for the last three years, demonstrating that children consistently aspire to careers that will need higher education.
However, if you want your children to follow in your footsteps as a vet, you might like to start setting something aside now. According to The Children's mutual, it currently costs £74,700 to train to become a doctor and £75,100 to become a vet but these are set to increase by around £41,000 based on current projection levels over the next 18 years.
The top 10 career ambitions in 2010 (2009 in brackets) were:
Tony Anderson, Marketing Director of The Children's Mutual, said: "The children questioned for our research are lucky enough to have a Child Trust Fund account and with half of accounts opened with us receiving additional savings on a monthly basis, we hope these children face brighter financial futures. The question going forward is how parents will fill the savings black hole for children born from January 2011 if the Child Trust Fund is scrapped."
The British Veterinary Association and its specialist cattle division the British Cattle Veterinary Association have welcomed today's announcement by Defra that it is strongly minded to include a controlled cull of badgers as a key component of the bovine tuberculosis (TB) eradication plans for England.
The two associations have long supported the need to control TB in both cattle and wildlife, including the need for a targeted, humane cull of badgers in specific parts of the country.
Following a consultation exercise which closed in December 2010, Defra has today announced:
The BVA and BCVA jointly responded to Defra's 2010 consultation to say that the available science supported the case for a badger cull, alongside the need for stricter cattle control measures, in those areas where badgers are regarded as a significant contributor to the persistent presence of TB. The response also emphasised strongly that any cull of badgers had to be done in a humane and effective manner.
The BVA and BCVA say that today's announcement shows Defra has listened closely to their concerns. Through the consultation response the BVA and BCVA raised the issue of the efficacy of an industry-led cull using controlled shooting (as opposed to cage trapping and shooting) and stated firmly that any cull must be monitored for humaneness. Both of these issues have been considered in depth by Defra and appear to have been addressed in the plans.
The associations say they will be looking closely at the detail of the guidance issued today and will be responding to the consultation.
Harvey Locke, President of the BVA, said: "The BVA and BCVA have long argued for a targeted, humane badger cull to be used alongside stricter cattle controls. We believe that failure to tackle wildlife sources of TB infection has prolonged the presence and enhanced the spread of infection in all affected species populations.
"We recognise that this is a very emotive and difficult decision but we believe that the science supports this policy and we support Defra's commitment to tackling this devastating disease.
"We are particularly pleased that this announcement has not been delayed until after the summer recess, which demonstrates the seriousness of the need to tackle TB."
John Fishwick, President of BCVA, added: "We welcome today's announcement which indicates that a humane and carefully targeted cull of badgers can contribute to the control of this dreadful disease.
"We are particularly pleased that the veterinary profession's concerns that any cull must be humane and well monitored appear to have been listened to and we will now study the proposals in detail.
"An industry-led cull will be an enormous undertaking for everyone involved and it is vital that we get the detail right from the outset; for the sake of cattle, wildlife and industry."
Meanwhile, the RSPCA has expressed its devastation at the announcement.
According to the charity, new research has been published which shows that badger culling can more than double the risk of TB infecting cattle1. High-profile voices such as Sir David Attenborough and government adviser Lord John Krebs have also weighed in, saying a cull could "make the situation worse" and be "ineffective".
David Bowles, Director of Communications for the RSPCA, said: "Today is a black day for badgers - a day we have been dreading.
"At a time when the Welsh government has stepped back from a cull, the government in England is slowly shredding its own animal welfare credentials."
The RSPCA says it agrees that action is needed to combat bovine TB in cattle, but does not think action is synonymous with culling. The charity believes that vaccination of badgers, increased levels of testing, improved biosecurity and stricter controls on the movement of cattle are more effective ways of dealing with the problem in the long-term and eradicating bovine TB in cattle for good.
Colin Booty, senior scientist for the RSPCA, said: "The RSPCA is sympathetic to farmers struggling to cope with the effects of this crippling disease and thinks that the problem of bovine TB in cattle needs a sustainable and effective solution.
"But this is not such a solution. We believe that the government have taken the wrong fork in the road with this risky policy.
"This cull will contribute little or nothing to the long-term goal of eradicating TB nationally. Instead it will wipe out huge numbers of this much-loved species, including many animals which are healthy."
1 The New Medical Research Council study came from Imperial College London and were published in the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters. They were based on analysis of data from the 10-year Randomised Badger Culling Trial set up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 1998.
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is urging veterinary surgeons to be on the lookout for outbreaks of Atypical Myopathy (AM) this spring.
Atypical Myopathy is a serious muscle disease found in the UK and Northern Europe. It is linked to horses eating the seeds from trees in the Acer family, including sycamore and box elder. There were more than five times as many cases of AM last autumn than in the previous year and experts have warned that the disease tends to occur more frequently in the spring following an autumn surge, possibly because of the growth of seedlings. The prognosis is poor, with survival rates of less than 25%. Early diagnosis is essential to give the best chance of survival.
Horses that develop AM are usually kept on sparse pastures, near trees from Acer pleudoplatanus (sycamore) or Acer negundo (box elder, pictured right) that shed seeds containing the toxin hypoglycin A. They are often not fed any supplementary hay or feed and may be driven to browse on an accumulation of dead leaves, dead wood and trees in or around the pasture but sometimes well-fed animals are affected. While the tree seeds may not be directly palatable, horses on poor quality grazing may ingest considerable numbers of them.
The clinical signs of AM may include muscle weakness or stiffness, colic-like symptoms, laboured breathing, dark red-brown urine, recumbency or even sudden death. Often the disease will present as an outbreak. Confirmation of diagnosis is by a blood or urine test. The toxin directly targets aerobic energy metabolism so therapy should be targeted at promoting glucose metabolism and provided fluid dieresis.
Preventative advice for horse owners includes:
Professor Celia Marr, Partner at Rossdales, Newmarket, European Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine and Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "New, collaborative research, instigated last year between the University of Liege, the Irish Equine Centre and the Animal Health Trust should shed more light on the characteristics of the disease in this country. Once we know more about the specific causes we should be able to make more positive progress with prevention strategies."
BEVA has provided free online access to two articles from the journal of Equine Veterinary Education on the disease for all vets to help them address the threat.
Volume 25, Issue 5, pages 264-270, May 2013
Management of cases suffering from atypical myopathy: Interpretations of descriptive, epidemiological and pathophysiological findings. Part 1: First aid, cardiovascular, nutritional and digestive care (pages 264-270) G. van Galen and D -M Votion.
Volume 25, Issue 6, pages 308-314, June 2013
Management of cases suffering from atypical myopathy: Interpretations of descriptive, epidemiological and pathophysiological findings. Part 2: Muscular, urinary, respiratory and hepatic care, and inflammatory/infectious status (pages 308-314) G van Galen and D - M Votion.
The webinar programme includes both clinical and non-clinical topics.
Clinical topics include post mortem/diagnostics and calf pneumonia, parasitology – getting the basics right, and herd health planning – vaccination on farm.
Non-clinical topics include business skills, motivational interviewing techniques – facilitating effective communication between farmers and vets, and cow signals.
Webinars take place on the last Wednesday of each month, except August and December when there are no sessions.
Each webinar lasts for one hour, including a live question and answer session with the presenter. Those who are unable to view the live webinar will be able to access the content at a later date, but will not be able to pose questions.
To access the webinars, you need to register on Merial’s Nexus portal (merialnexus.co.uk). If you sign up in advance for individual webinars, you'll get reminder emails before they start.
The symposium, which offers up to 5 hours of CPD, is now available at: https://purinasymposium2022.vfairs.com/en/hall#exterior-view
In the recording, the following six experts share their knowledge:
Viewers can also download the delegate notes which provide a summary of the research explored in the talks.
Everyone taking part in the survey will receive a fob watch to thank them for their participation.
Sarah is leading the project, which is supported by Ceva Animal Health, alongside Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, fellow RCVS Feline Medicine Specialist and Professor in Feline Medicine at The University of Edinburgh.
Suzanne Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at Ceva, said: “There are many barriers to ensuring that all older cats and those with relevant concurrent diseases receive screening for hypertension.
"The survey will help us better understand what those barriers are and how these challenges can be addressed positively to improve animal welfare.
"It is also an issue that requires the whole practice team to come together to deliver a better outcome for their patients.
"We are therefore very keen to find out how all members of the practice team view these important issues and want to encourage all vets and veterinary nurses to share their perspective on the challenges they face in carrying out blood pressure measurements.”
Sarah is emphasising the importance of keeping feline patients calm and relaxed during blood pressure assessments: “The so-called ‘white coat effect’ or situational hypertension, has been observed in both people and animals.
"The survey will also explore the tools and techniques veterinary professionals use to minimise the impact of blood pressure assessments on their patients and will help us to develop some best practice approaches.”
The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/FelineHypertensionSurvey.
Launching this spring, CVS says it's the only programme of its type in the veterinary sector.
The programme will be open to all of CVS's young vets and will operate within all 12 of its farm practices in the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Each CVS farm graduate vet will be able to go on an exchange in their second year of the programme and every placement will last up to two weeks.
The subject matter of each exchange will be at the direction of the graduate rather than following a specific programme, so participating graduates have the freedom to explore their own areas of interest.
Anna Bruguera Sala, Programme Co-ordinator and vet at Alnorthumbria Farm Vets, said: “The major benefits of our new graduate exchange programme is that it is open to all young vets of different levels of experience and provides bespoke learning opportunities tailored to each individual.
"It will also create connections, so experienced colleagues can support an exchange student with their new skillset when they are back within their own practice.”
www.careerswithcvs.co.uk
CEVA Animal Health has announced that its live enzootic abortion vaccine, CEVAC® Chlamydophila, now has an added benefit. It can be used simultaneously with the only available toxoplasmosis vaccine. According to CEVA, infectious abortion, particularly enzootic abortion (Chlamydiosis), has been known to wipe out up to 50% of lambs. Strategic use of CEVAC® Chlamydophila, a live enzootic abortion vaccine, can not only prevent abortion but can also control excretion and the threat of infection.
The company says: "CEVAC® Chlamydophila makes practical and economic sense. A vaccination every four years will help your clients’ flocks remain chlamydiosis-free and the cost of treatment should work out at well under 75p per sheep per year. This is a tiny investment for your clients, to prevent the financial loss of an abortion. The fact that the product can now be used on the same day as the toxoplasmosis vaccine means that is now one of the most convenient and affordable methods currently available."
Ideally routine preventative measures should be taken prior to mating and when new sheep are introduced to the flock, to ensure abortion and infection rates always remain as low as possible.
All animals should be vaccinated in the first year, with replacements being vaccinated from six months of age, at least four weeks prior to tupping.
CEVAC® Chlamydophila is quick and easy to administer, using the special, multi-dose injector gun. One bottle of vaccine contains enough for 20 doses.
For further product information contact your local CEVA representative or CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG or visit the website at http://www.ceva.uk.com/
Petlog has kicked off its annual National Microchipping Month by joining forces with Hampden Veterinary Hospital in Aylesbury.
Petlog holds National Microchipping Month throughout June each year to promote the benefits of microchipping and the importance of keeping contact details up to date.
This year, Hampden Veterinary Hospital has been encouraging pet owners to make sure their pets are microchipped by offering half price microchipping at a 'responsible pet ownership' event hosted at the hospital.
Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: "National Microchipping Month is a fantastic chance to promote the benefits of microchipping, and we are thrilled that Hampden Veterinary Hospital took such a proactive role in encouraging responsible dog ownership through this event. Microchipping is a great way to permanently identify your pet, and ensure that if he or she goes missing that you are reunited as quickly as possible."
Petlog says that last year, it received almost 120,000 lost and found calls in total from around the UK.
This June, Petlog customers can upgrade to the Petlog Premium lifetime service online for £7.50, allowing them to update their contact information as often as needed with no extra costs.
For more information on National Microchipping Month or Petlog visit www.petlog.org.uk or www.thekennelclub.org.uk.
Invetx specialises in developing protein-based therapeutics for chronic conditions in companion animals, with a focus on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
Dechra says these therapies have targeted modes of action and therefore are often more effective, provide an extended duration of activity and have fewer side effects, all of which help to extend and improve the quality of life for companion animals while decreasing the care burden for pet owners.
Jesper Nordengaard, Chief Executive Officer of Dechra, said: "I regard this acquisition as hugely important for Dechra, marking the start of a new chapter in our growth.
"It demonstrates our ambition to create further points of differentiation and relevance with veterinarians and pet owners alike, confidence in our ability to deliver highly innovative new products, and capacity to execute large scale transactions at speed."
Jesper added: “The half-life extension technology developed by Invetx allows for the generation of therapeutics that make treatment of chronic conditions far more convenient for pet owners and veterinarians through improved compliance.
"The pipeline of products currently being developed are all high value potential and will deepen our expertise in core therapeutic areas such as atopic dermatitis and osteoarthritis, allowing for synergistic product development, sales & marketing, and education efforts in the future.”
https://www.invetx.com
Dorwest Herbs has launched its annual 'Dorwest Say Relax' fireworks phobia campaign, which includes free promotional packs for practices.
The promotional packs, which contain a poster, leaflets, flashing badges and a 'Dorwest Say Relax' t-shirt, being given free to the first 100 practices that request a product box (containing licensed Scullcap & Valerian Tablets and Organic Valerian Compound at a discounted price) from the company.
In addition, Dorwest is running a seemingly popular consumer facebook competition to find the most relaxed dog in the nation, the winner of which will be sent on a pet-friendly luxury weekend break.
Finally, the company is writing a blog written from the perspective of Merlin, the dog used in its logo - http://merlintakescontrol.wordpress.com - though quite who is going to read it, or why, is slightly beyond me.
The Vet Futures Action Plan included a series of 24 work-streams to be completed over five years (2016-2020), building on the six core themes of: animal health and welfare; veterinary professionals’ wider roles in society; the health and wellbeing of veterinary professionals; diverse and rewarding veterinary careers; sustainable businesses and user-focused services; and leadership.
Vet Futures reports that over the last twelve months, key activities have included:
VN Futures
The VN Futures project (Action X of Vet Futures) isolated six ambitions to achieve by 2020, with the shorter time-scale reflecting the faster rate of both turnover and training for veterinary nurses.
A number of development groups have been created, focusing on each of these ambitions and creating specific actions to ensure their completion. Of these:
RCVS President, Chris Tufnell said: "When we launched Vet Futures back in 2014, the scope of the project seemed daunting and some were sceptical of our ability to succeed. However, through a robust process of evidence-gathering, analysis, action planning and now taking action itself, we are starting to make an impact on some of those core areas that are so fundamental to the future of our profession, such as animal welfare, technology, veterinary skills and knowledge, and leadership.
"Our Action Plan set out a five-year timeframe and we have made some really excellent progress in year one. This will form the foundation of work yet to come – although it remains important to ensure we scan the horizon for new issues that will have an impact on the profession, navigating our way through challenges as they arise."
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz added: "The excitement was palpable at the Vet Futures Summit last year and it spurred us on to roll up our sleeves immediately to start working on the Action Plan, and so a lot has been achieved already.
"Many of the actions are interlinked and so BVA, RCVS and the VSC are working closely together to oversee their delivery, but we have been particularly pleased at the high level of engagement and enthusiasm from others. The success of Vet Futures will be in the profession coming together to bring about the changes we need for a sustainable future.”
Every two years, the Plowright Prize will offer £75,000 to recognise an individual working in Europe or the Commonwealth who has made a significant impact on the control, management and eradication of infectious diseases of animals.
Eligible activity must demonstrate animal, humanitarian or economic benefit. The prize money is intended to support the individual’s ongoing work in the field.
Potential recipients of the prize include veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and research scientists. Awardees may be working in a research setting, in academia, in practice or in other related sectors. Individuals must be nominated for the award, and the prize is not open to organisations.
Nominations are now invited for the inaugural prize, and must be received by 31st March 2020.
Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge Chris Gush said: "We are honoured to be launching the Plowright Prize in memory of one of the world’s most exceptional veterinary surgeons and scientists, and in celebration of decades of dedication to an area of substantial societal significance.
"It is our belief that this prestigious international prize will help stimulate further research and improvement activities, including supporting the development of expertise in the area of infectious disease within the veterinary profession."
Walter Plowright (1923-2010) was an acclaimed veterinary scientist whose major breakthrough in the battle against rinderpest – the tissue culture rinderpest vaccine (TCRV) – provided the key to eliminating the disease. In the year of Walter’s death, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations officially announced the complete eradication of the disease, only the second such feat in human history, alongside smallpox.
The story behind the profession’s eradication of rinderpest, commonly known as cattle plague, can be read in RCVS Knowledge’s publication Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Matters.
In 2023, the prize will celebrate 100 years since Walter Plowright’s birth with a special award of £100,000 to that year’s winner.
Full criteria for the Plowright Prize can be found on the RCVS Knowledge website: https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/grants/available-grants/plowright-prize-2019/.
Photo: Helen Leeds
In the video, VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie explains how the site has been developed to overcome various problems with using Facebook for clinical discussion.
One of the biggest problems with Facebook is that it lends itself to large number of short-form quick-fire replies which are often repetitive and can bury any really useful pearls of wisdom. Another issue is that on Facebook, everyone's post is given a misleading equivalence. In other words, it doesn't matter whether you're the leading veterinary cardiologist in the country or someone who left vet school last week, your opinion is given the same prominence. That's misleading.
The VetSurgeon.org discussion platform lends itself to longer, more thoughtful replies, and expert opinion is elevated above the rest. Information is curated by subject area and, using the Claim CPD button, easy to bookmark and refer back to later.
In the VetSurgeon Expert Help Forums, any member can post a question but only experts (those with referral practitioner, academia or industry membership categories) can reply. When you thank the experts for their help, their logo and contact details are embedded within their answer. This overcomes another problem with less tightly-controlled discussion formats, which is that they can occasionally get quite nasty. Aside from the fact that the experts are a fantastically nice and helpful bunch of people, who on earth wants their logo attached to anything less than helpful!
None of this is to say that Facebook doesn't have its place. The large volume of short-form replies make it a great place for non clinical discussion, such as veterinary politics and general banter.
However, when it comes to clinical discussion and information-sharing, VetSurgeon.org sets the standard.
If you agree with the points raise in the video, do press the 'Like' button on YouTube and share it with colleagues.
A special interest group has been established for vets, veterinary nurses and chartered physiotherapists interested in the rehabilitation of diseased and injured animals. 'Physiovet UK' aims to provide practical training in the field of veterinary rehabilitation and pain management.
The group's inaugural CPD meeting takes place on Wednesday 20th May this year in Cardiff and will be led by specialist in small animal surgery (orthopedics) Steve Butterworth and veterinary rehabilitation specialist Lowri Davies. Sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition and Merial Animal Health, the meeting will cost £80 for members or £100 for non-members (ex VAT) for the day long event. Membership of the group costs £50.
Lowri Davies, a founder member of Physiovet said: "At this first meeting, the focus is on helping to develop a protocol for diagnosis and management strategies for conditions of the hock, shoulder and lumbosacral cases. Practitioners will recognise that these are commonly occurring conditions that are often managed conservatively but treatment need not stop with a prescription of 'rest'. We will be describing a range of active interventions that build strength, flexibility and general fitness appropriate to lame animals to help restore function and mobility."
For a downloadable registration form for the event, to join as a member or for further information about the group visit http://www.physiovet.co.uk/. Places at the meeting can also be booked by calling 01626 867614 or by contacting kathrin@linhayvet.co.uk.
VetSurgeon.org has launched a survey to discover what veterinary professionals think of the food available for small furries, and how it is labelled.
The survey closes on 22nd September, when one completed survey entry will be drawn from the hat to win £50 worth of John Lewis shopping vouchers.
The survey consists of nine quick questions, which should only take a few moments to complete.
Click here to take part in the survey.
Novartis Animal Health has assumed marketing responsibilities for the joint health supplement Dasuquin in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Dasuquin is a veterinary formulation developed to deliver advanced cartilage support in dogs. It contains a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulphate, avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), and tea polyphenols. Novartis says these compounds work synergistically to protect the cartilage, thereby playing an important role in supporting and maintaining joint health.
Novartis highlights a 2007 study which, according to the company, demonstrates that the combination of ASU, chondroitin sulphate, and glucosamine hydrochloride delivers incremental benefits compared to the combination of chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine hydrochloride alone.1
Dasuquin is available in flavoured chewable tablets in 80-count containers. Dasuquin is available in two strengths: small-to-medium dogs weighing between 5 and 25 kg and for large dogs weighing over 25 to 50 kg.
Gaynor Hillier, General Manager UK & Ireland Novartis Animal Health said: "This is a fitting addition to our overall orthopaedic health offering for vets and pet owners. Dasuquin brings vets and dog owners advanced joint health support with the next generation of the popular Cosequin family."
Dasuquin is available from Novartis Animal Health in the United Kingdom and Ireland from licensed veterinary wholesalers. For more information on Dasuquin, contact your Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager
Reference:
BVA Congress 2008 will combine both political and CPD sessions under the theme ‘Vets in a changing environment’. Building on last year’s BVA Congress in Belfast, hailed by many delegates as ‘the best Congress for many years,’ Congress 2008 aims to provide excellent networking potential at a friendly, popular Congress where wide-ranging CPD and political sessions are all part of the attraction.
Alongside a thought-provoking and topical contentious issues programme will run three parallel wide-ranging CPD programmes run by partner organisations including the Association of Government Vets, Association for Veterinary Teaching & Research Work, British Cattle Veterinary Association, British Equine Veterinary Association, British Small Animal Veterinary Association (Metropolitan Region), British Veterinary Zoological Society, BVA Overseas Group, Laboratory Animals Veterinary Association, the Royal Veterinary College, Sheep Veterinary Society and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons.
BVA says Congress 2008 has something to offer everyone, whether Defra’s new chief scientist Professor Bob Watson talking on climate change - the global challenge, Stephen Gates on inspirational leadership, Neil Morrison OBE on empowerment through livestock, Adrian Boswood on cardiovascular medicine or Keith Chandler on field equine dentistry.
This year’s Congress will be held in the heart of London, at the Royal College of Physicians by Regents Park, a venue which offers exceptional conference, meeting and banqueting facilities with convenient links to transport on its doorstep. Having returned to London, BVA Congress will also make use of some of the facilities the capital has to offer with the Party Night at the world famous Café Royal and the Congress Banquet at Stationers Hall, one of the few ancient livery halls remaining in the City of London and certainly one of the most beautiful.
Date and location: 25 - 27 September, Royal College of Physicians, London
The Libel Reform Campaign is asking supporters to lobby their MP to make sure that a reform of libel law gets into next year's Queen's Speech, which sets the legislative agenda for 2012.
Two cases in particular serve to highlight the impact of current law on the open discussion of medical science, that of the British Chiropractic Association vs Simon Singh (the author and Guardian journalist) and Matthaias Rath, a vitamin pill manufacturer vs Ben Goldacre (also an author and Guardian journalist).
The proposed new law will, amongst other things, help safeguard free and robust debate about veterinary science, so I urge you to lobby your MP. You can do that by clicking here.
Investigation of the relationship between ionised and total calcium in dogs with ionised hypercalcaemia1 was undertaken by Tørnqvist-Johnsen et al. at the Hospital for Small Animals, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Initially, a normal reference interval for ionised calcium, total calcium and albumin, serum and plasma biochemistry was established by analysing samples from 351 healthy adult dogs.
After establishing a reference interval for ionised calcium, the laboratory’s database was searched for adult dogs with ionised hypercalcaemia that had attended the university small animal hospital between 2012 and 2017, a time frame when the same sample handling protocols and instrumentation was in use. The hospital records were searched for patient information and the biochemical parameters statistically analysed.
Of 63 dogs identified with ionised hypercalcaemia, 23 did not have a total hypercalcaemia (37%). 16 of these 23 dogs (70%) had albumin within the reference interval. To summarise the key findings; using total calcium, one third of patients with ionised hypercalcaemia were not identified. There was also no significant relationship between albumin and total calcium in these cases.
Camilla Tørnqvist-Johnsen, lead author of the paper, said: "Hypercalcaemia is a very important clinical abnormality, often revealing severe underlying disease in dogs who do not get idiopathic hypercalcaemia. This study reveals the true importance of doing an ionised calcium measurement when evaluating calcaemic status."
Nick Jeffery, Editor of JSAP said: "This study demonstrates that, if relying on total calcium alone, more than one third of dogs with ionised hypercalcaemia will be classified as normocalcaemic. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the discordance between ionised and total calcium cannot be routinely explained by a low protein-bound component.
"Whilst reference intervals are key in clinical practice to determine whether a result is an outlier from 95% of a healthy population, it is not inevitable that a patient with an outlying biochemical test result has a clinically relevant disease."
The full article can be found in the April issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13109
Reference
Janssen Animal Health has highlighted that enforcement of the Veterinary Medicines legislation will require thousands of poultry owners to change the way they worm in the future.
The company says that in the past many poultry keepers with small to medium sized flocks have used Flubenvet® 2.5% Medicated Premixture 240 gram pack. However, going forwards, it will no longer be possible to do so unless individuals (or companies) are approved and registered to mix medicines into feed. The Flubenvet® 1% 60 gram pack for domestic poultry launched in 2008 remains widely available and can still be used without having to register. Each 60 gram pack is suitable to treat around 20 chickens.
Registered retailers are also only able to sell medicated premixtures for mixing into more than 30kg of feed to customers who are specifically registered with the VMD to mix these into animal foods.
Janssen Animal Health vet Nigel Underwood said: "We are advising all poultry keepers of this legislation. We must comply with the law and are simply not able to supply unregistered wholesalers, merchants, pharmacies of vet practices with medicated premixtures unless they are approved.. The new 60 gram domestic poultry pack of Flubenvet® 1% was developed specifically for the smaller poultry owner and is exempt from the legislation. It is available from vets, pharmacists and suitably qualified animal health advisers and poultry owners do not have to be registered to use it."