Ceva Animal Health has launched a series of puppy training films to educate dog owners on new puppy ownership, from buying through to training.

The three films, which are available to view in the puppy section of www.adaptil.co.uk are presented by the leading dog trainer and behaviourist Carolyn Menteith and senior veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health, Sarah Endersby. The films, which range in length from 5 to 25 minutes, are entitled 'How to pick the right puppy', 'General healthcare of your puppy' and a 'Practical guide to basic training with your puppy'.

The first film - 'How to pick the right puppy' - features information on how to look for a puppy using adoption centres and Kennel Club registered breeders and the considerations to take into account when choosing a dog. These include how much exercise different breeds require, grooming (for example would an owner like a long or short haired dog) and whether a particular breed of dog is good with children. The first film also advises new dog owners on preparing a home for a new puppy and the equipment that they may wish to buy.

The second film - 'General healthcare of your puppy' - consists of information on how to settle a puppy when it is brought home and how to choose puppy classes.  It also features details on vaccinations, keeping control of fleas and worms and diet, together with educating dog owners about toilet training their new pet and the importance of socialisation and habituation.

The third film - a 'Practical guide to basic training with your puppy' - features practical demonstrations on how to start training a puppy including teaching a dog to sit, go down, recall and walk on a lead. It also advises owners on what to look for in a puppy class and the importance of training a puppy in a variety of locations, not just at home.

Emma Jackson, Adaptil product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "The puppy training films are ideal tools for animal health professionals to utilise to help educate puppy owners on every aspect of new puppy ownership. They can even be embedded into your own website via YouTube."

Students at the University of Cambridge Veterinary School have again been revealing almost all for the 2009 Trust Charity Calendar. 

This year's calendar is comprised of shots taken in and around the veterinary school, with various animals and props used to spare the blushes of the models. There's also a suggestion for how vets might put their clients more at ease in the consulting room (see right), though I can't see it really ever catching on.

The calendar has been produced to help raise money for the HOPE appeal which is working to raise £2 million needed to pay for the extension of the Cancer Therapy Unit and the new radiotherapy machine.

It was organised by Fiona Jacobs who also posed. She said: "We are all very happy to be involved in producing something fun and light-hearted, which could potentially help us raise a large amount of money for a very worthy cause."

The calendar is available for £9 (£11 p&p). For more information on the Trust's work or to order a copy please contact 01223 764475 or send a cheque to: University of Cambridge Veterinary School Trust, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES.

The British Veterinary Dental Association has officially launched its own new section on VetSurgeon.org to help its members share ideas and experiences amongst each other.

The new BVDA section on VetSurgeon contains a dedicated forum for discussing veterinary dentistry. There's also a photo and video sharing gallery in which to share and discuss interesting cases. Members can also catch up on association news and hold private 'conversations' between each other using VetSurgeon's sophisticated peer-to-peer networking system.

All veterinary surgeons can visit and read content in the BVDA section on VetSurgeon. However, only BVDA members can join and participate.

A downloadable application form for BVDA membership is available from the 'About us' section.  

Lisa Milella MRCVS, BVDA President said: "We're very excited about the potential that VetSurgeon offers us to share information about veterinary dentistry both amongst ourselves and with the wider profession" 

Arlo Guthrie, editor and publisher of VetSurgeon said: "I'm really pleased to welcome the BVDA to VetSurgeon. They now sit alongside the Small Animal Medicine Society on the site, and I hope will be joined by more veterinary associations in the future, so that they are all conveniently in once place for easy availability to all practitioners."

Click here to visit the new BVDA section on VetSurgeon.

To improve our understanding of the attitudes of vets to treating OA pain, a survey is being conducted in seven countries across Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK) by a group of top European veterinarians.

The Pain Expert Panel intends to publish the results for each country and also the combined European results. These publications will allow comparisons to be made between countries and types of practices.

In addition, individual vets will be able to compare their own behaviours with the findings of the survey. It is hoped that the results will highlight any areas where continuing education would be beneficial and also topics for clinical research.

The survey is web based, completely anonymous and should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. Access details are as follows:

Website: www.painsurvey.net 
Password: pain

There is no right or wrong answer; your opinion is the only thing that matters.

The members of the European Expert Panel on Canine Osteoarthritis are: Dr. Bernard Bouvy (Fr), Prof. Stuart Carmichael (UK), Dr. Emilio Feltri (It), Prof. Jean-Pierre Genevois (Fr), Prof. Herman Hazewinkel (NI), Prof. John Innes (UK), Prof. Martin Kramer (Ge), Prof. Duncan Laschelles (USA), Dr. Carlos Macias (Sp), Dr. Sabine Tackle (Ge), Dr. Peter Vandekerckhove (Be)

The RCVS is reminding the profession that the deadline is approaching for nominations from veterinary surgeons who wish to stand as candidates in next year’s RCVS Council elections.

The nomination period runs up until 5pm on Tuesday 31 January 2017 and, in order to stand, candidates need to submit a nomination form, a short biography and personal statement, and supply a high resolution digital photo.

Each candidate also needs two nominators: veterinary surgeons who are on the College’s Register but are not current RCVS Council members.

Dr Chris Tufnell, RCVS President, discusses RCVS Council and various committees in a video urging members of the profession to put themselves forward:

The election period starts around mid-March and will run until 5pm on Friday 28 April 2017. Ballot papers will be sent to veterinary surgeons who are eligible to vote in the week commencing Monday 13 March 2017.

Nomination forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions for prospective RCVS Council candidates can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil17. 

Vetlife is calling on all members of the veterinary community to lace up their boots and join the Northumberland Vetlife Day Hike on the 9th and 10th of May.

The two-day event, being held in collaboration with the Veterinary Voices Hiking Group, offers a great opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, get together, and raise vital funds for this crucial charity.

The event is being led by passionate hiking enthusiasts and Vetlife trustees Robyn Lowe and Paul Horwood.

Each day's route will cover 12-19 miles of stunning Northumberland coastline, but participants can opt for shorter distances.

Robyn said: "The Northumberland hike is more than just a walk – it's about coming together as a community, supporting one another, and embracing the mental health benefits of being in nature.

"We hope to see as many people as possible join us, not only to enjoy the experience but to help us continue Vetlife's essential work."

While fundraising is not compulsory, participants are encouraged to try and raise £365 for the charity, symbolising the number of days Vetlife provides support for the community each year.

To register your interest, email fundraising@vetlife.org.uk.

Photo: www.depositphotos.com

BCF has launched a series of instructional videos demonstrating how to perform an ultrasound examination of the bovine reproductive tract, now available online.

The videos were developed by BCF's in-house vet, Kimberly Palgrave, in collaboration with the University of Bristol Veterinary School. They show everything from machine set up and controls, to scanning techniques and features identified in pregnant and non-pregnant cows.

One hour of CPD can be earned by completing a self-assessment quiz after watching the videos.

Kimberly said: "Following the success of the small animal series of instructional videos, we were keen to bring something similar to the bovine market. Our aim for these videos is to give vets a resource to help them either transition from manual palpation to ultrasound or improve their existing ultrasound skills and gain confidence in their technique, as well as being a useful teaching resource for veterinary students. As always, we welcome feedback and suggestions for the future."

To see the videos, visit the farm animal learning section of the BCF website www.bcftechnology.com.

Almost 90% of the British public think that microchipping dogs should be compulsory, according to a new survey carried out by Petlog, the lost and found pet database.

A public consultation into compulsory microchipping, which proposes that microchips are used to help tackle the issue of dangerous dogs, closes today. Interestingly however, the survey showed that the main reason for compulsory microchipping should be to help speed up the return of a lost pet, although 38% of those who are in favour of compulsory microchipping also thought it would help to tackle dangerous dogs.

Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: "The results from this survey were very promising and showed that there is huge support out there for compulsory microchipping. I hope that the public consultation demonstrates the true extent of public support and that Defra will seriously take this on board.

"Unfortunately, press coverage surrounding compulsory microchipping has been focusing on the issue of dangerous dogs and has ignored the main objective of a microchip which is reunification.

The Microchipping Alliance which comprises animal welfare charities, veterinary organisations, assistance dog charities, dog membership organisations and others who are impacted by dog issues, released a briefing at the end of last year that looked into the economic consequences of compulsory microchipping. The briefing states that if compulsory microchipping was to be introduced to all dogs there is a potential saving of over £20 million from reduced kennelling and other costs associated with stray dogs.

Celia continued: "The reasons for compulsory microchipping are strong. We at Petlog along with the Microchip Alliance and a number of other organisations want to see microchipping made compulsory to help dog welfare and reduce the number of dogs needlessly rehomed or put to sleep because they couldn't be reunited with their owner."

Petlog conducted the survey using visitors to the London Pet Show to find out public feeling regarding compulsory microchipping.

This month is National Microchipping Month, an initiative run by Petlog to promote the benefits of microchipping to pet owners and also encourage people to make sure that their contact details are up to date.

If you would like to take part in Petlog's microchipping survey, you can still do so, here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Petlogmicrochipping. 

For more information, visit www.nationalmicrochippingmonth.org.uk.

Greater collaboration between disciplines to promote the 'One Health' approach for people and pets could save the NHS 2.5 billion a year, according to Danny Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at the University of Lincoln.

Professor Mills, an authority on companion animal behaviour, cognition and welfare, made the claim at Purina’s 'Better with Pets' European Forum in Brussels, where experts in the animal and human relationship gathered recently to discuss the benefits that pets can have to public health.

Professor Mills highlighted how animal assisted activities and therapy (AAT), where animals are used to improve social, emotional and cognitive functioning, supporting recovery and rehabilitation, can play an important role in the cost saving. He also noted how pets have been shown to reduce anxiety in those with autism, while also easing the stress levels of parents and carers.

Attendees at the event heard  an example of AAT in practice at the Sant Joan de Déu-Barcelona hospital in Spain where a functional unit has been in operation for the past six years. Here, sick children receive AAT on the advice of a doctor, both in the emergency room and on an inpatient basis. The hospital reports that the dogs help the children to have a better life and cope more effectively with their illnesses. Purina called on the public health community to recognise the advantages of AAT and to play an active part in supporting this vital element of public health care.

The panel – which also included Andrea Meisser, Vice-President of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on the Human-Animal Relationship, Ruud Tombrock, Director for the Europe Region of World Animal Protection, and Andrea Gavinelli, Head of Unit at the European Commission’s Health and food safety Directorate General – noted that while the benefits of the bond between people and pets are widely felt, they are sometimes hard to quantify empirically.

Professor Mills noted that it can be challenging for researchers to have papers accepted by journals or funding bodies, making it difficult for policymakers to promote the benefits of pets for public health. The panel agreed that greater partnership between all disciplines – from researchers to veterinarians and policymakers – was crucial to advancing the understanding of the public health benefits of pets and people.

Discussing how policymakers could play a part in promoting the One Health approach, Mr Gavanelli called on the pet care community to work together to provide scientific examples and data highlighting economic and social benefits. He also noted that policymakers in Europe had an important part to play by taking a holistic approach to the issue.

Professor Mills said: "The benefits of responsible pet ownership are clear. I’ve seen pets have dramatic effects on autistic children. Understanding the subtleties and nuances of how people and pets work together is vitally important for the well-being of both, and has the potential to make a massive difference to public health. But it is crucial that the industry is given an opportunity to analyse this further. Ignoring the evidence is a far greater problem than dismissing the research as being at an early stage."

Bayer Animal Health has launched its annual tick awareness campaign, this year titled 'No Bite is Right', with results of a survey which found that 44% of pet owners don't use regular preventative tick treatment. 

The OnePoll survey of 4000 pet owners, which was conducted on behalf of the company in January, also found that 60% of pet owners are worried about ticks spreading disease to their pet, and 28% have found one. 

As part of the 'No Bite is Right' campaign, owners are being encouraged to speak to their veterinary surgeon about using preventative tick products to help reduce the risk of their pet becoming infected by tick-borne diseases. 

Jenny Helm, University of Glasgow Veterinary Clinician, said: "In recent years I have noticed and been made aware from owners and other vets, of a steady rise in tick numbers across the country. With this there is an increased risk of potentially fatal tick-borne diseases being transmitted to pets. However, if a tick can be killed before it bites, this avoids the risk and provides vital protection to the pet."

Richard Wall, Professor of Zoology at Bristol University, said: "Research has shown that in recent years, tick abundance has increased and the period of seasonal activity has extended in many areas. Climate change, particularly warmer, wet winters have had direct effects on tick feeding as well as impacting indirectly on vegetation cover and creating a more suitable habitat. The increase in deer numbers, habitat modification by conservation and changes in farming practices have also all contributed to the growth in numbers."

Stella Huyshe-Shires, from charity Lyme Disease Action, says: "Lyme Borreliosis is a rapidly emerging disease in the UK and a number of experienced healthcare professionals believe the increase in reported cases reflects a genuine rise over the last 20 years, and not just increased awareness leading to more diagnosis. There appears to have been an increase in ticks and, in turn, an increase in the prevalence of Lyme borreliosis in ticks."

'No Bite Is Right' is part of Bayer Animal Health’s wider 'It’s a Jungle Out There' parasite protection initiative. A series of campaign roadshows for pet owners will be taking place this year at the Ayr, Devon and New Forest County Shows. You can find out more about how your practice can get involved with the campaign by following the conversation on www.facebook.com/jungleforpets and downloading campaign materials at www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk.