"We would like to reassure vets, and through them dog owners, that we are constantly reviewing adverse event report data to ensure that the benefits of each UK licenced veterinary medicine product outweighs the risk posed by their potential side-effects.
There are a number of vaccines authorised in the UK containing either two (L2) or four (L4) strains of Leptospira. Based on the most recent periodic safety update report data received for each product, the incidence of adverse animal reactions for all L2 vaccine products combined is 0.015%; for L4 vaccine products this figure is 0.069%.
In other words, the VMD has received fewer than 2 adverse reactions for L2, and fewer than 7 for L4, for every 10,000 doses sold. This includes every suspected adverse event reported, even cases that were considered unclassifiable or were later found to be unrelated to the vaccine.
The overall incidence of suspected adverse reactions for both L2 and L4 vaccine products is therefore considered to be rare."
Unite and the British Veterinary Union (BVU) have written to the government asking for the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), which regulates such governing bodies as the General Medical Council, General Dental Council, and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), to have 'scrutiny' of the RCVS.
In a letter to junior minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice, the BVU chair Dr Shams Mir cited the case of Munhuwepasi Chikosi struck off the register of veterinary surgeons by the RCVS in June 2013.
Dr Mir said that this case was "widely seen by the veterinary profession as blatant miscarriage of justice and many expressions of 'outrage' were published in the veterinary press and online.
"One popular online veterinary forum recorded over a thousand posts criticising and challenging various aspects of the decision."
The current statutory duties of the RCVS, established by Royal Charter in 1844, are determined by the Veterinary Surgeons Act (VSA) of 1966, which Unite says is now 'outdated.
Dr Mir said: "BVU petitions the government to extend the remit of the PSA to incorporate the RCVS to ensure appropriate overview and scrutiny.
"The RCVS proposed new Royal Charter could be exploited by the RCVS to give itself proxy powers to introduce incontestable new regulatory measures."
Unite has asked for an urgent meeting with Mr. Eustice.
Unite professional officer Jane Beach said: "Our initiative is designed to safeguard the interests of both the public, and practicing vets and veterinary nurses in the UK.
"Basically, the way that the RCVS is presently constituted means that it is both judge and jury in disciplinary matters. It sets the rules and hands down the judgements - and we believe that an extra layer of scrutiny needs to be introduced which we would like to be the PSA."
The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and adverse effect profile of each individual AED by analysing all available data published and then evaluating how reliable it was.
The researchers gathered, screened and assessed all the information published in peer-reviewed journals and publications. The individual studies were then evaluated based on the quality of evidence, study design, study group sizes, subject enrolment quality and overall risk of bias, as well as the efficacy and safety outcome measures.
Lead-author, Marios Charalambous from Ghent University, said: "We recruited systematic methods to combine, compare and summarise the results of independent studies and, therefore, create more objective and reliable conclusions based on the current evidence. It was a time-consuming, demanding and challenging process, and we hope we provided the clinicians now with essential information which they can use for daily practice."
The researchers found that much of the evidence for the medical treatment of feline epilepsy was based on below-par reporting of efficacy and adverse effect, worse than what was formerly reported in dogs.
The lack of good quality evidence led authors to conclude that it would be: "...rather inaccurate to make definite statements on which one [AED] should be considered as a first or second choice in terms of both efficacy and safety profile. However, if clinicians focus on AED’s efficacy, phenobarbital can be used as first-choice monotherapy and if they focus on AED’s safety, imepitoin or levetiracetam can be used."
Holger Volk, Head of the Department Clinical Science and Services and Professor of Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery at the RVC, said: "Not only does this study offer a new perspective on the management of feline epilepsy, but also highlights the importance of the need for trials which provide high quality evidence in order to have more reliable and objective results about the efficacy and safety of the AEDs in feline epilepsy."
The study was published in BMC Veterinary Research (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-018-1386-3).
Nebojsa Petrovic faced eight charges, although charge four was withdrawn at the start of the hearing.
At the outset of the hearing, Dr Petrovic admitted a number of allegations, including:
Charge 1 - that in November 2021, he falsely represented to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that blood samples he submitted in respect of four horses were from the same horses as the samples he submitted on 1 November 2021.
Charge 2 – that in November 2021, he told APHA’s Veterinary Head of Border Control that he had checked the microchips and/or passports of the four horses when he hadn’t done so;
Charge 3 – that in November 2021, he signed Export Health Certificates for the four horses, in which it was stated that blood samples taken from these horses on October 2021 had been submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency laboratory, Weybridge, with a negative result for Leptospirosis when in fact those samples had tested positive;
Charge 5 – that he failed to send the APHA’s Centre for International Trade, within seven days of signing, certified copies of the export health certificates;
Charge 7 – that in January 2022, he told an APHA officer that he was satisfied that he had properly identified the horses for which you had submitted the two samples when he had not done so;
Charge 8c – that he risked undermining government procedures designed to promote animal health and international relations in relation to the charges he admitted; and
Charge 9 – that in February 2022, he failed to have in place any or any adequate Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).
Dr Petrovic, who was at the time of all the allegations carrying his duties as an Official Veterinarian on behalf of the APHA, denied charge 6 – that in November 2021, he failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the four horses being exported to Serbia, when he had been informed that there were concerns and/or doubts about whether those horses had tested negative for Leptospirosis.
He also denied charge 8 – that in relation to the allegations relating to his submitting the blood samples to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency on 8 November 2021, certification of the Export Health Certificates on 16 November 2021 and his subsequent conversations with members of APHA staff regarding both sets of documentation he had acted in a misleading (Charge 8a) and/or dishonest (Charge 8b) way.
The Committee considered evidence presented by the College including hearing from APHA staff witnesses called by the College and also hearing from a witness and character evidence presented by Dr Petrovic. Dr Petrovic also gave evidence to the Committee.
It found most charges proven with the exception of Charge 6, and also found that Dr Petrovic had not acted dishonestly in submitting the blood samples or certifying the EHC’s as alleged in charges 1 and 3.
The Committee concluded that Dr Petrovic had acted in a dishonest and misleading way in his conversations with the APHA staff as detailed in charges 2 and 7.
The Committee then considered whether the individual proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, determining that, with the exception of charges 3 and 5, all proven charges amounted to disgraceful conduct.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “In the Committee’s judgement, the respondent’s position as an Official Veterinarian also meant that he had a responsibility to ensure that the trust which was delegated to him was not breached.
"In his role, the respondent was acting in a position of trust, as a representative of the government, and the Committee found that he had breached that trust…. It took these matters into account when determining that the respondent’s behaviour cumulatively amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
Regarding the sanction for Dr Petrovic, the Committee considered his request that it consider suspension, rather than removal, from the Register.
In terms of aggravating factors – the Committee found that Dr Petrovic had acted without integrity, recklessly and without regard for the APHA’s systems relating to the export of animals.
In mitigation, it took into account: the fact that no animal was harmed by his conduct, albeit there was risk of harm; his long and unblemished career in the UK since 1994; admissions he had made to the APHA and Disciplinary Committee at the first day of the hearing; had remediated his lack of professional indemnity insurance by putting in place a retrospective policy; the significant amount of time that had elapsed since the conduct; and six positive character references from experienced fellow veterinary surgeons who held him in high regard.
Paul Morris added: “The Committee took into account that the respondent had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon with no subsequent complaints and that he had a previous long and unblemished record and there was support by several positive character references.
"The Committee also took into consideration the pressures of Brexit and the pandemic which the respondent had faced at the time, but which were unlikely to occur again.
“The Committee had concluded that the respondent was unlikely to repeat similar behaviour or to pose a risk to animals, particularly because he was no longer involved in certifying animals for export.
"Furthermore his admissions to most of the matters it had found proved showed that he had some insight.
"The Committee was also satisfied that the respondent had a genuine concern for the welfare of animals and it noted that the Respondent did not require any further training to continue in practice as a veterinary surgeon.
“The Committee therefore concluded that a suspension from the Register was the proportionate sanction in this case taking into account the seriousness of the conduct it had found proved but also all of the mitigating factors.”
The Committee recommended that Dr Petrovic be suspended for six months to reflect the seriousness of the conduct and the damage it could do to public confidence in the profession, while meeting the public interest and sending a clear message of deterrence.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The WellVet Weekend will include a variety of sporting activities, yoga classes, wellbeing workshops and social times, all finished off with a gala dinner. Something for everyone.
Speaking at the gala dinner on the Saturday evening will be Rob Pope. Rob, also known as the 'real-life Forrest Gump' is an emergency vet by night and a marathon runner by day. He's the first person ever to run across the USA four times in one year and he's currently running across the USA for the fifth time. This will be Rob’s first public event following his completion of this epic journey.
Liz Barton, Founder of Vetsnet said: "I love sport and I love this profession, so it's fantastic to be able to organise a weekend dedicated to the physical and mental wellbeing of vets and vet nurses. It promises to be a brilliant weekend, and I’m excited to have Rob Pope join us to share his stories from the road."
Ru Clements, Founding Partner of VetLed said: "We’re excited to create a community which supports veterinary professionals to thrive. The WellVet Weekend is a very special concept with a core mission that we wholeheartedly believe in. We hope we can make a long-lasting positive difference to those who attend the first WellVet Weekend."
For more information and to buy your ticket, visit www.wellvet.co.uk
The paper details the current and potential uses of this rapidly developing technology, and its benefits and risks.
It provides an introduction to AI and its uses in human medicine, small animal, farm and equine practice, radiology and veterinary education.
It also looks at the potential impact on the wellbeing and working life of veterinary teams.
Results from VetCT’s recent survey on the opinions of AI within the veterinary profession are included in the paper.
Julien Labruyère, Chief Innovation Officer at VetCT, said: “This is a crucial moment in the veterinary industry to ensure we have the knowledge and safeguards in place to apply AI safely, effectively and with confidence to support good clinical practice and ultimately, improve animal welfare.
"This white paper aims to provide a firm foundation for understanding AI and stimulate discussion on how it may impact both people and animals.”
The paper also calls for the development of industry-wide guidance, standards and regulations to safeguard veterinary teams and animal health and welfare as these tools are deployed.
Julien added: “AI development is accelerating rapidly, with global governments and industries racing to regulate to ensure the benefits outweigh the potential negative impacts of this far-reaching technology.
"It’s vital that opinion leaders, organisations and regulators from across the veterinary world come together and develop guardrails so we can have confidence that AI tools will benefit our teams and our patients.”
https://5345458.hs-sites.com/vetct-ai-white-paper
Vetoquinol has announced the launch of Enisyl-FTM, the first L-Lysine supplement developed for veterinary use in the UK and Ireland.
Vetoquinol says a unique distributing pump and paste formulation will aid compliance in cats that require L-Lysine supplementation and make administration of L-Lysine much easier. Each pump action delivers 1ml of Enisyl-F paste at each press, which can be applied directly into the cat's mouth or on the paw to be licked off. It can also be added to food.
Zorica Agbaba, Enisyl-F's Product manager said: "We are delighted to have launched Enisyl-F and I am sure it will prove very useful to veterinary surgeons, especially when it comes to aiding compliance in cats that require L-Lysine supplementation."
To try Enisyl-F or for more information about the product, contact your local Vetoquinol representative or call Vetoquinol main office on 01280 814 500 (UK) or 1800 406 117 (ROI free phone number). Alternatively visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/ website.
David, who is Head of Clinical Intelligence at Vets Now, came in eighth place with 1,756 votes in this year’s RCVS Council elections.
The place was originally offered to Dr Tom Witte, who came in seventh place. However, due to a change in personal circumstances, he decided not to accept.
Professor Stephen May, RCVS President, said: "The loss of such a young, talented and respected Council member as Sarah has been difficult to come to terms with and she is greatly missed by her fellow Council members and others amongst the profession.
"It is also important to recognise that the New Year will bring us fresh challenges and opportunities and we will face them best with a full complement of Council members. Therefore, I am delighted that David will be joining Council from January and is able to attend his first Council meeting, which will be held in committee, with us on Thursday 18 January.
"The circumstances under which David will be joining us have been extremely sad, but I am sure he will be an excellent addition to our team and I look forward to working with him."
More information about David Leicester, including his candidate biography and manifesto, can be found in the Council election booklet sent out earlier this year and available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications. A video of David talking about what he would bring to RCVS Council can also be found on the College’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos
Vetoquinol is launching Forcyl, an injectable anti-infective for the targeted therapeutic treatment of respiratory infections in cattle, in November.
Forcyl is a patented 16% marbofloxacin solution, registered as a single intramuscular injection, which the company says will ensure a high level of compliance.
Forcyl follows the SISAAB concept (single injection short acting antibiotic), with an optimised dosage to minimise the risk of development of antibiotic resistance. Shorter exposure time limits the opportunity for resistance to develop. The formulation means a lower volume of administration (10 ml for 160 kg body weight) is required. Vetoquinol says that other benefits of Forcyl include excellent injection site tolerance and short withdrawal periods (meat: 5 days, milk: 48 hours).
For further information on implementing the SISAAB concept in your practice, please contact one of Vetoquinol's large animal team on 01280 814500.
Sarah qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1998, gained an MSc in Clinical Oncology in 2003, the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology in 2010 and RCVS Advanced Practitioner status in 2015. She is now the President of the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group.
Sarah previously ran two dermatology referral services before co-founding Vet-AI, a company working on artificial intelligence and an online consultation service for pet owners, where she is now the Chief Veterinary Officer.
Sarah said: "Many diseases that are primarily non-pruritic often become pruritic when the animal develops secondary bacterial or yeast infection. These cases require a thorough dermatologic history and physical examination and successful treatment very often depends on identification of the underlying cause."
"Providing the right nutrition should also be implemented to ensure optimal levels of nutrients required for skin repair, barrier function and health. I will be including a complete pruritus work up, discussing how diet can be part of the management of this particular condition."
To register for the webinar, visit: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/cpd/webinar/
Ceva says Adaptil Junior has been proven to reduce night crying and whining by 86%2 and helps puppies to adapt to their new homes and unfamiliar situations in three days3, 4.
According to the company, puppies with Adaptil Junior are also less fearful and anxious during puppy classes, resulting in better long-term socialisation3.
Research carried out by the company found that over 60% of dog owners buy their dogs as puppies, with half of those questioned getting their dogs before they are three months old1.
Abigail King, product manager for Adaptil at Ceva Animal Health said: "Adopting a puppy is an exciting, yet challenging time with puppies facing stressful situations such as separation from their mother, socialisation, staying home alone and experiencing new sights, sounds and noises.
"Adaptil Junior is an effective, natural solution to help comfort newly adopted puppies and facilitate their education while helping them to learn and adapt to their new lives. This, in turn, will ensure that puppies get off to the best start in life, which will help keep rehoming numbers down."
Adaptil Junior comes in the form of a translucent blue collar which fits necks up to 37.5cm in circumference. The collar releases dog appeasing pheromone over a period of four weeks and should be worn continuously.
To support the launch of Adaptil Junior, Ceva Animal Health has introduced a puppy party marketing pack to provide puppy party organisers with the tools they need in order to stage puppy parties.
Produced in collaboration with the leading dog behaviourist, Gwen Bailey, the pack features display materials, webinars, gifts and literature including leaflets, puppy party invites and posters and is available with Adaptil Junior orders.
For more information, visit www.adaptil.com/uk.
References
The publishers say that many people who prescribe veterinary medicines or who handle them (or bodily fluids that may contain them or their active metabolites) are not aware of the potential harmful effects they can have on human reproduction.
'Handling Veterinary Medicines and Pregnancy' gives up-to-date, evidence-based guidance on which drugs and methods of handling are hazardous; information on the relevant regulations relating to the safe handling of such medicines; and practical guidance on avoiding harm in veterinary practice.
Veterinary Prescriber says that once you have completed the module, you will:
understand the principles of reproductive toxicity
understand how data on the harmful effects of medicines are generated
be aware of the evidence on reproductive harm in veterinary practice
understand what practical measures to take to avoid harm
know where to find helpful information on medicines and pregnancy
For more information, visit: https://www.veterinaryprescriber.org/subscribers/
The study, titled “The utility of combined urine dipstick analysis and specific gravity measurement to determine feline proteinuria”, assessed the utility of the urine dipstick alone and combined with the urine-specific gravity (USG) for detecting proteinuria in cats.
For the study, the clinical records of cats presenting to a referral hospital between January 2011 and January 2017 were reviewed retrospectively.
To be eligible for inclusion, feline urine samples had to have undergone a complete urinalysis including dipstick evaluation, USG and urine protein-to-creatinine (UPC) measurement.
A total of 121 urine samples were included and diagnostic agreement and test accuracy were calculated for the dipstick test alone and in combination with the USG, using different cut-off values for proteinuria. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also calculated.
Jorge Pérez-Accino, corresponding author for the paper, said: “The diagnostic agreement between the urine dipstick and UPC ratio was poor and did not improve if the USG was considered together with the dipstick.
"A dipstick result of equal or greater than “Trace” (0.1-0.3g/L) had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 31% to detect proteinuria.
"With regards the ROC curves, the area under the curve (AUC) of the urine dipstick alone was poor (0.57). When combined with the USG results, this improved to fair (0.78) but the specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) were still low.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP said: “These findings indicate that clinicians should not rely on the results of the urine dipstick test in combination with USG in cats for detecting proteinuria. Instead other quantitative methods, such as UPC ratio, should always be performed to detect proteinuria in cats.”
The full article can be found in the September 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.13184
The BSAVA has put together a collection of resources relating to urinalysis and proteinuria, available here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/urinalysis--160
Reference
Bayer Animal Health has taken over the marketing and sales of the antibiotic Nisamox (tablets containing Amoxicillin and Clavulanic Acid), from Fort Dodge Animal Health.
Under the new arrangement, the design of Nisamox tablet packaging will change to reflect the change of ownership, however, Bayer says the quality of the tablets and the competitive pricing remain unchanged.
Nisamox tablets are licensed for use in cats and dogs to treat infections of the skin, urinary tract, and respiratory tract caused by susceptible Staphylococci, and also to treat enteritis and urinary tract infections caused by susceptible E.coli.
Nisamox tablets will continue to be available in three strengths: 50mg, 250mg, and 500mg. For information on Nisamox tablets, contact your Bayer territory manager.
It is hoped the survey will capture the experiences vets have had reporting ADRs, as well as identifying barriers to the current process which could be used to improve the ease with which ADRs are reported in the future.
PhD student Heather Davies (pictured right), who is leading the research project, said: "The survey is an important opportunity to gain insights into the issues that vets face when dealing with ADRs.
"We want to make the process easier in order to improve the safety of veterinary medicines, and ultimately, we need the help of professionals on the front line in order to do that."
She added: "The survey is relatively short and can be completed anonymously.
"We’re really keen to gather as many of your experiences as possible so we’d like to encourage veterinary professionals to complete it."
The research is being carried out as part of a PhD project funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in collaboration with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET), based at the university.
The survey is now open and you can take part here: https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/adrs-vet
Any questions about the survey can be addressed directly to the researchers: Heather Davies (PhD student): H.H.Davies@liverpool.ac.uk and/or Dr David Killick (Supervisor): David.Killick@liverpool.ac.uk.
Eurovet Animal Health has launched a new product, Bovocycline 2000 mg pessary for cattle.
Bovocycline 2000 is the only veterinary licenced antibiotic pessary for the treatment of retained foetal membranes in cattle. It is licenced for the treatment of post parturient disorders in cattle, for administration after dystocia, retained foetal membranes (RFMs) and endometritis.
According to Eurovet, the incidence of retained foetal membranes in cows varies from zero to 25 per cent, but the average is around 4 per cent in most herds. RFMs result in reduced cow fertility and a higher risk of culling due to poor fertility. Pessaries are still considered the preferred treatment for vulval discharges in cattle by farmers.
Ruth Vernon, Technical Services Manager for Eurovet said: "The control of post partum problems in cattle is rarely straight forward, but it is great to have a veterinary licensed treatment designed specifically for this purpose, in one pessary that contains 2000mgs tetracycline".
For more information please contact Eurovet Animal Health. Tel: 01223 257933. E-mail: office@eurovet-ah.co.uk www.eurovet-ah.co.uk
Dr Neil Bryant from the AHT, who is leading the research, said: "EHV is a major welfare concern for horses and foals and causes emotional, as well as financial strains, on horse owners and breeders around the world. It can strike any horse at any time so a vaccine will be of global welfare benefit to all horses, including the thoroughbred and sports horse breeding industries, and would help control this serious and sometimes fatal disease."
As a viral infection, EHV can cause respiratory disease, abortion or fatal illness in new born foals and neurological disease in adult horses, with signs ranging from slight wobbliness through to complete paralysis. The disease can strike any horse at any time because the virus, like other herpesviruses (such as the cold sore virus in humans), becomes dormant within most horses early in their life. It then re-emerges when the animal is later stressed such as when transported or mixed with new horses. A seemingly healthy pregnant mare may suddenly, and without warning, abort her unborn foal or may show signs of respiratory disease including mild fever, coughing and discharge from the nose. A horse which appears fit and well may suddenly show abnormalities when walking and within hours may be unable to stand.
Despite the potential severity and impact of outbreaks, there is still no vaccine that is licensed to protect against the neurological form of the disease and abortions still occur in highly vaccinated horse populations. The AHT says protection afforded by existing vaccines currently in use is sub-optimal, something that was highlighted by the 2016 abortion storm in Hertfordshire in fully vaccinated animals.
Neil added: "We have become aware of a pressing need for progress towards a new and improved EHV-1 vaccine. Just last month, the AHT was again called upon to work with the racing industry and affected parties in dealing with confirmed cases of EHV-1 abortion in premises in Yorkshire and Suffolk."
To that end, the charity has now established the Equine Industries EHV Vaccine Steering Group. Chaired by Professor Joe Brownlie of the RVC, the steering group includes world-renowned experts on both human and equine herpes viruses from a number of research establishments, who have concluded that the most appropriate way forward is for the AHT to design a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine.
After securing funding from a large number of organisations, including the Alborada Trust, EBM Charitable Trust, Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Racing Foundation, Paul Mellon Estate, Thompson Family Charitable Trust, Coolmore Ireland, Newsells Park Stud, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and Juddmonte Farms, the AHT has begun its five-year research programme.
Neil added: "We’re at the beginning of a very exciting and potentially ground-breaking vaccine development. Through our research, we will construct different viruses with attenuating mutations and assess their suitability as MLVs. We hope our findings will enable further development by vaccine manufacturers in creating an effective vaccine to protect against the serious clinical signs induced by EHV-1."
The 'Room For Rabbits' campaign follows research in which 38% of vets said they think rabbits’ environment is the most neglected welfare need1, with over a quarter of the UK’s rabbits being kept in inadequate housing conditions, and almost half of them living alone2.
The RAW survey also found that 90% of vets believe that rabbits’ welfare in the UK is improving3.
Room for Rabbits will throw a spotlight on rabbits’ environment, with a variety of initiatives during RAW including vet blogs and videos on how to adapt bunnies’ housing for all seasons, boredom buster ideas, a competition to encourage owners to create a RAW ‘gold standard’ environment, and downloadable packs containing resources for practices to create their own RAW campaigns.
Holly Castle, Senior Brand Manager at Burgess Pet Care, RAAG member and organisers of RAW, said: “We are delighted that RAW continues to have a positive impact, with our survey showing that 90% of vets believe that the welfare of the UK’s rabbits is improving - but there is always more than we can do.
“Since the previous RAW campaign, we have successfully launched RAAG, which recognises that the welfare of these wonderful creatures needs to be high on the agenda year-round.
"By bringing together the expertise of the RAW partners, RAAG is focused on encouraging everyone involved with rabbits to support the first Good Practice Code for rabbits’ welfare in England to ensure it becomes enshrined in law.
"One of the ways to achieve this is through initiatives like RAW, which is the UK’s largest welfare campaign of its kind.
“We recognise that vets’ practices were really stretched last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant it was difficult to support campaigns like RAW.
"However, following a surge in demand for rabbit ownership in the UK during the past two years, it is vitally important that we educate more owners than ever before and continue to help improve rabbits’ welfare."
“The veterinary community plays a hugely important role in ensuring that owners have access to the right information, and we are urging practices to throw their support behind this year’s RAW to ensure that we reach as many owners as possible.
Professor Ian Ramsey, Past President of the BSAVA, which endorses RAW, said: "The BSAVA is once again delighted to support RAW and the theme of this year’s campaign.
"Rabbits remain one of the most misunderstood pets in the UK, but we are confident that vets across the UK will again show their support for this important campaign to improve the lives of pet rabbits.”
The RAAG is encouraging vets’ practices to sign up to receive updates about RAW at https://www.rabbitawarenessactiongroup.co.uk/raw-pack-reminder/.
Downloadable RAW vet packs will also be available from 6th June.
Merial has launched Supleneo flex, a nutraceutical supplement designed to be part of a Total Joint Health programme for dogs, administered once daily.
Merial says the new product supports its market position as a leading force in canine pain management, supported by the canine NSAID Previcox.
According to the company, Supleneo flex is suitable for all breeds, sizes and ages, and contains three key ingredients associated with joint health: glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulphate and mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E). It is designed to be used as part of an all-round joint care programme, alongside nutrition, weight management and exercise.
Merial says the soft chews are highly palatable and when tested against a range of competitor products, a significant difference was observed, with Supleneo flex readily taken and preferred by dogs.1
Supleneo flex is supported by printed and digital materials to help with owner education, including a waiting room video and an online information website at www.supleneoflex.co.uk for clients.
For veterinary surgeons, Merial is offering product advertising support and a loyalty programme.
For more information, telephone Merial on 0870 6000 123 or contact your Territory Manager.
The new product contains a combination of Omega-3s, toxin binders and antioxidants which the company claims flush out toxins, aid blood flow to the kidneys and maintain kidney architecture.
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director of nutravet said: "We’re really excited to launch nutraren, it’s a product our team have been working on for some time to make sure we have developed the best renal product for vets to recommend to their clients.
"Using independent trial data, we’ve been able to develop a unique formulation for nutraren containing 100% natural ingredients to benefit a pet’s long-term kidney health."
Authorised veterinary practices can now order nutraren from nutravet.
For more information, contact nutravet on 0845 604 1688, visit: www.nutravet.co.uk or email: info@nutravet.co.uk.
The two-month campaign is comprised of a series of very polished videos which are now being shared on YouTube.
The videos share the experiences of a number of veterinary professionals from PSS practices who talk to the camera first as owners themselves, and then as vets.
The College says the aim is to demonstrate to the public that their animals will receive veterinary care from empathetic practice teams committed to delivering the kind of veterinary care they would want for their own animals.
Mandisa Greene, Chair of the Practice Standards Group, said: "In order for a veterinary practice to be accredited under the Practice Standards Scheme it needs to demonstrate that it is meeting a broad range of stringent standards and undergo a rigorous independent assessment every four years.
"However, we know that awareness and understanding of the Scheme amongst animal owners is relatively low, and that there is always more we can do to help change this. We have therefore developed this digital campaign to help RCVS-accredited practices explain to animal owners what RCVS-accreditation means, and why they should care about it.
"We think it’s important that RCVS-accredited practices, which go through a great deal of effort and work to achieve their accreditation, receive the recognition they deserve and we hope that they will help us to spread the word far and wide."
Ian Holloway, RCVS Director of Communications, said: “A vital ingredient of this campaign will be the support and involvement of RCVS-accredited practice teams right across the country. Throughout the two-month campaign, we will be posting lots of wonderful video stories, pictures and PSS infographics across all of our social media channels, along with other fun ways to help spread the word.
"We’re posting launch packs to all accredited-practice premises this week, which include a variety of campaign posters to display in waiting rooms and details of how to download all the digital resources from our campaign website for use in practice and online.
"We really hope that everyone associated with an RCVS-accredited practice, including their clients, will be able to share this campaign across their own channels as widely as possible, remembering to use the campaign hashtag #YourKindOfVets, of course!"
Anyone wanting more information about the campaign should email: yourkindofvets@rcvs.org.uk.
Omniotic combines three ingredients to remove ear wax and debris: a detergent, a solvent and an emulsifier. It also contains Octoxynol-9, lactic acid, salicylic acid and parabens, which Vita says have anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
The product is sold in 120ml bottles with a transparent flexible tip designed to be comfortable even in stenosed, tender ear canals.
Omniotic can be used for regular daily cleaning, especially in predisposed breeds such as spaniels and lop-eared rabbits where ear conformation increases the risk of ear disease.
The product can also be used alongside other antibiotics or anti-fungal medications, something which Vita highlights as being especially important in rabbits, the ear canals of which are less prone to inflammation and stenosis, and for which topical treatment can be very effective.
Tara Evans, RVN and sales manager said: "Omniotic is an ear cleaner for dogs, cats and rabbits which combines features to meet the needs of owners and vets at the same time. The feedback from our customers is very positive; they are finding the soft, flexible applicator tip is easy to use and well tolerated. The unique combination of ingredients and the multi-species use means Omniotic can be used to support ear health across a wide variety of indications."
For more information and for the latest promotional offers, contact Tara Evans, via email: info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone: 01256 591032.
The practice is one of few in the UK to use radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, which, it says, has an average, a 95% success rate in treating cats with hyperthyroidism.
Stephanie Lalor MRCVS (pictured right), an RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine at Willows said: "The new therapy is non-invasive and is the gold standard of treatment for cats with hyperthyroidism. It is safe and highly effective and a single injection can be curative. Patients do need to be screened for their suitability and ideally they are treated with medical therapy prior to the RAI.
"Due to the radioactive nature of the treatment, patients must stay with us for 15 days after the injection. Our patients stay in luxury cat condos during their hospitalisation and their day-to-day care is over-seen by our lead radioactive iodine nurse, Vicky Maund."
The new unit is part of a £1 million investment in Willows which includes a dedicated operating theatre for minimally invasive procedures, a range of specialist treatment rooms and more than 40 new kennels.
Toby Gemmill, clinical director at Willows, said: "We are already extremely well placed to offer a wide variety of specialist treatments and this extension has provided us with the space to expand our services further. The new radioactive iodine unit is very exciting and allows us to build on our gold level cat-friendly clinic status."
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
Stewart Halperin (pictured right), the vet who founded CarefreeCredit, said: "We originally started out by helping vets provide loans to treat pets needing medical attention which wasn’t covered by insurance, allowing them to provide the care needed, while also being paid immediately, improving cash flow and reducing bad debts.
"With this new service, vets can make their services better known in their local communities, which will also boost their turnover and allow them to care for even more animals."
Practices that use CarefreeCredit are given access to an online application process that takes around five minutes, providing loans from £250 upwards for use against any veterinary bills.
A range of credit terms are available from 0% APR upwards. They are also the only company to offer loan rates based on risk, which they say means more clients are likely to be accepted for finance.
CarefreeCredit practices that want to use the PR service need to contact the company, whereupon they'll arrange for an award-winning public relations consultant to provide the support they need - free of charge.
For further information, visit: www.carefreecredit.co.uk or call 0345 313 0177.
Professor Steve Dean MRCVS has been elected as the 14th Chairman of the Kennel Club. He is the first veterinary surgeon to hold the post.
Professor Dean has been a Member of the Kennel Club since 1992 and has been a member of the General Committee since 2005. He has served on the Crufts and Finance & General Purposes Sub-Committees for the past two years and previously spent four years on the Disciplinary Sub Committee.
Professor Dean said: "I am honoured to be elected as Chairman of the Kennel Club and to be given the opportunity to help improve the lives of dogs by ensuring that they live healthily and happily with responsible owners.
"I am aware of the scale of some of the challenges that we face but am excited about the opportunities that exist to help us make a real difference for dogs. I look forward to supporting and working with the millions of responsible dog breeders and owners that there are in this country, and to standing shoulder to shoulder with vets and other individuals and organisations, who are dedicated to improving the health and welfare of dogs."
Professor Dean, who turns 60 in August, is currently the Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Crufts each year. He is a breeder, exhibitor and judge of Border Terriers and has been involved in the breed for 30 years. He is currently Chairman of the Southern Border Terrier Club as well as the overall breed health co-ordinator for all seven breed clubs. He is also President of Windsor Dog Show Society.
Away from the world of dogs, Professor Dean is a keen reader and gardener and is an avid supporter of rowing, treasuring his Henley Regatta medal equally to his achievements in the show ring.