Expert speakers at Advances in Diagnostics, a meeting held in Brussels last month, have said that molecular technology will play a vital role in safeguarding the health and productivity of food animals in the future.
Dr Willie Loeffen, President of the European Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (EAVLD) said: "Technology is taking over. Laboratory diagnosis used to be 99% labour and 1% technology, nowadays the emphasis is the other way around. Technology is now an integral and indispensable part of veterinary laboratories."
Dr Loeffen used the investigation of PRRSV infection in pigs and the more recent appearance of Schmallenberg virus in Europe to highlight how modern molecular techniques could help to characterise new disease threats rapidly.
"It took four years of laborious work for us to characterise the cause of PRRS, but thanks to sequencing technology Schmallenberg virus took just a few months.
"Technological developments mean that diagnosticians now do things that they could only dream about 10 or 20 years ago."
As well as providing a means of identifying new disease threats quickly, the meeting highlighted the increasing role of diagnostic tools as an integral part of maintaining animal health.
Dr Kirk Adams, Director of Product Management at Life Technologies, the meeting sponsor, said: "Diagnostics are no longer just a way of finding out what an animal died of - they have a multitude of uses on farm. They mean that we can take a more holistic and proactive approach to animal health; in contrast to the reactive, disease-driven approach of the past.
"As just one example, better diagnostics allow a more targeted approach to treatment, and the potential to reduce the use of broad-spectrum drugs - such as certain antibiotics - and thus comply with the wishes of consumers and legislators."
Dr Adams said that modern diagnostic tools also provided the means to improve vaccination programmes and biosecurity, and were essential for disease eradication schemes and for improving herd health status, for example by identifying persistently infected, asymptomatic animals.
They also enable veterinary surgeons to monitor herd health and build up an accurate and dynamic picture of health status and risk profile - and screen for emerging disease threats.
Dr Adams added: "Veterinarians now have access to a wider range of better diagnostics than ever before. Tests are now faster, more accurate and more precise than ever before.
"The next twenty years could see the biggest change in the way we manage production animals in over a hundred years."
The meeting was also addressed by Dr Kees van Maanen, from the Netherlands Animal health Service (GD), an expert in modern diagnostic technology and its application on both local and national levels. He called for greater international co-operation to protect European animals against threats from increasing global interaction. He said: "Pathogens and insects do not respect borders: trusting each other's results requires further harmonization and transparency for diagnostic procedures between laboratories and countries.
"Rapid and accurate diagnosis contributes to disease management, but does not stop epidemics. However, it has contributed significantly to gaining insight into the epidemiology of emerging diseases and formulating appropriate measures.
"The development of modern diagnostics has given us the potential to manage animal health and control infectious diseases in production animals far more effectively in the past - both on a local level and a national or regional level. Recent experience with unexpected disease outbreaks has shown that we can now characterise and track pathogens far more quickly and accurately than ever before.
"However, we need to make sure that we keep veterinarians and farmers informed about these developments, so they know how to apply them in practice in order to make the most of them.
"Diagnostics will continue to become a more integral part of animal health management in the next decade, we just need to make sure we can apply that knowledge in the best possible way."
J.A.K. Marketing has launched an LED surgical light, the Rimsa Tris-led, in the UK.
The compact light head has 28 LEDs that are arranged in a radial pattern in order to provide a cold, shadowless white light, which is adjustable by rotating a sterilisable handle.
The company says the Rimsa Tris-Led offers exceptional performance and excellent versatility. The technical specs are: 100,000 lux at a distance of 1m, Colour temperature: 4300°K, Colour Rendering Index (CRI): 96 Ra, Powder coated finish, 28 LEDs, 50,000 hours LED lifetime, Autoclaveable handle, Power usage 70VA
The Rimsa Tris-led is available in ceiling, wall and mobile versions. Price starts at £2450 ex VAT.
Protexin has launched what is billed as the first therapeutic veterinary GI diet to contain an added probiotic: Pro-Balance, with Enterococcus faecium.
For more information, see: http://www.protexin.com/
The webinars will include a presentation by Peter Geldhof, Professor of Molecular Veterinary Parasitology at Ghent University in Belgium, who will focus on the development of novel diagnostics and vaccines for parasitic infections in pigs, and share the results of some of his research and academic projects.
Tuesday: https://www2.dechra.com/l/877972/2023-05-11/2f43x8p
Thursday: https://www2.dechra.com/l/877972/2023-12-19/2f4ll1q
The badger culls planned to take place in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire this year have been postponed until 2013.
The postponement came at the request of The National Farmers Union (NFU), following new survey results which revealed higher than anticipated badger numbers in the two pilot areas (4,300 in West Somerset and 3,600 in West Gloucestershire ).
The NFU informed Defra that in light of these new figures they could not be confident of removing the required minimum 70% of the badgers in the two pilot areas this autumn.
Defra agreed to postpone the pilot culls until summer 2013 to allow farmers to continue their preparations and have the best possible chance of carrying out the cull effectively.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "Despite a greatly increased effort over the last few days and weeks, the farmers delivering this policy have concluded that they cannot be confident that it will be possible to remove enough badgers based on these higher numbers and considering the lateness of the season. It would be wrong to go ahead if those on the ground cannot be confident of removing at least 70% of the populations. Today I have received a letter from the President of the NFU, on behalf of the companies coordinating the culls, explaining why they do not feel they can go ahead this year and requesting that they be postponed until next summer. In these circumstances, it is the right thing to do and, as the people who have to deliver this policy on the ground and work within the science, I respect their decision.
"The Government is determined to tackle bovine TB by all the means available to us. Now, in the next few months, we will ensure that the pilot culls can be implemented effectively, in the best possible conditions, with the right resources. Having looked at all the evidence over many years, I am utterly convinced that badger control is the right thing to do, and indeed the higher than expected badger numbers only serve to underline the need for urgent action. I remain fully committed to working with the farming industry to ensure that the pilot culls can be delivered effectively, safely and humanely next summer."
The Government and NFU say they will now continue to plan so that the pilots can go ahead in Summer 2013.
MSD Animal Health has announced the launch of Take a Closer Look, a campaign to encourage dog owners to have their pet checked for dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) this summer.
According to the company, around 1 in every 22 dogs suffer from dry eye which in most cases is caused by destruction of the glands that produce tears needed to lubricate the surface of the eye. In many cases, owners can't see any sign of the early stages of the disease. So, as part of the campaign, owners are being encouraged to complete an online risk assessment and download a voucher for a free diagnostic Schirmer tear test to take to their local vet practice.
Practices can register to take part in the campaign at www.ukvetsonline.co.uk from the 1st June. MSD says that those that do will benefit from the additional footfall as well as the opportunity to make an early diagnosis. Registration also gives practices access to a free online CPD update on dry eye, free Schirmer tear tests and a variety of support materials. Participating practices will also be listed in the 'vet finder' area of the mypetonline website and will be given extra help in the form of client emails, texts and postcards to raise awareness in their local area.
The company is also preparing Informational videos to explain the condition, which practices will be able to embed in their websites and share on social media. There is also a quiz and prizes to win for pet owners visiting the dry eye pages on mypetonline. The summer campaign will open up to dog owners on 1st July and run right through to 31st August.
Zorica Agbabas, Optimmune Marketing Manager said: "There can be few things more likely to bond a pet owner to a practice than the ability to save their pet's sight. We know the vets and nurses are passionate about the health and welfare of the pets under their care and there is nothing more demoralising than the patient being presented after the condition has already progressed. The Take a Closer Look campaign seeks to drive pet owners into practices at an early stage to help vets and nurses do what they do best make pets' lives better."
Practices are encouraged to register early from 1st June to make sure they have all the materials in place to take full advantage of this important campaign. Register at www.ukvetsonline.co.uk
The BVA has announced the results of a survey which found that 64% of small animal veterinary surgeons have been injured in the line of duty in the past year alone.
By far the most common injuries were scratches and bites (90% and 78% respectively), however 17% rated their injuries as either 'quite' or 'very' severe.
Whilst small animal vets were shown to be at the greatest risk of injury in clinical practice (compared to 61% of equine vets and 53% of production animal vets), the injuries sustained by production and equine vets were predictably more severe. 19% of production vets and 27% of equine vets rated their injuries as either 'quite' or 'very' severe.
BVA President John Blackwell said: Vets accept the daily risk of injury at work, but these figures highlight just how common injuries are for vets who care for pets. Rather than simply accepting this as an ‘occupational hazard’, veterinary teams should ensure they are taking all appropriate measures to mitigate the risks of working with animals whenever possible. BVA provides guidance for vets, for example on preventing and dealing with dog bites in the practice."
Woodley Equipment Co Ltd has announced the arrival of its new (ABG) arterial blood gas syringes – featuring the Crickett™ Needle Protection System designed to provide for ultra safe collection. The company says that the new Pulset ABG syringe is a perfect example of product engineering, with its triple function system built in to the syringe it allows the user to sample in a choice of 3 modes, Pre-set, Pulsating and Aspirating. The needle protection system is designed to minimize the risk of needle stick injuries. The safety shield extends quickly and locks over the used needle to prevent accidents. Woodley claims that combining enhanced features from current venting and pulsating devices, the superior design of the Pulset ABG Syringe offers the most complete and accurate arterial blood gas and electrolyte sampling available today:
Hill's has launched Science Plan Snacks: a new range of treats which includes light, immunity support, healthy mobility, oral care and skin & coat variants for adults, and immunity support and skin & coat variants for puppies.
Market research has shown that 76% of UK dog owners feed their pet treats, and that snacks represent 33% of total market value in the dog food segment. Hill's has identified that 84% of pet owners want their pet's snack to be healthy and 67% want the snack to meet a specific need. However, the company says many pet snacks and table scraps are high in salt, sugar and fat and overfeeding can unbalance a nutritionally balanced diet provided by the main meal, as well as being a major cause of obesity.
Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's said: "Owners like to treat their pets to snacks as it helps cement their close bond but they are also aware that feeding unhealthy food is a bad idea. We believe that responsible snacking is the way forward and to that end have launched Science Plan Snacks. The range is not only low in calories and made with all the optimal nutrition principles that guides the formulation of Science Plan main meal but also features on-pack guidelines to indicate the number of snacks that can be given per day. "
Hill's says the new range outperforms other mainstream biscuit treats in taste tests, being up to 79% preferred. Science Plan Snacks offer fatty acid ratios and blends to support healthy mobility and patented fibre technology in the oral product, with controlled levels of calcium and salt. The resealable bag maintains freshness and the high impact premium black packaging provides great stand out on shelf.
For further information contact your Hill's Territory Manager or Hill's customer service on 0800 282438.
Telemedicine can be defined as any clinical healthcare service that is provided using remote telecommunications services.
The aim of the consultation, which starts on the 13th February, is to receive feedback to help the College develop an appropriate regulatory framework for such services in the veterinary sector. The College’s current Code of Professional Conduct and supporting guidance is generally concerned with face-to-face provision of veterinary services.
The consultation will consider issues such as who is responsible for veterinary care if it is provided remotely, how 'under veterinary care' is defined in the context of the telemedicine delivery of services, the potential risks as well as opportunities for improving animal welfare that may arise out of new technologies and the appropriate regulation of veterinary services provided directly to clients using new remote technologies.
Nick Stace, RCVS Chief Executive, said: "We want the UK’s veterinary surgeons to be at the forefront of innovation and to be making use of, and developing, new technology to extend the reach of veterinary services and thereby improve animal welfare.
"However, while the adoption of technology can greatly benefit veterinary services, we also need to develop a regulatory framework that takes into account the questions it poses, for example, in areas such as remote diagnosis and prescribing, to ensure that animal health and welfare is the foremost consideration."
David Catlow, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee that approved the consultation, added: "What we are looking for in this consultation are comments that will help inform a new position for the College on the use of telemedicine. There are questions that need to be answered around the principles of using telemedicine and we hope that we will get the views of a broad range of the profession.
"I would strongly encourage all members of the profession to engage with this survey so that we can build a better picture of how this technology is currently being used, how it might be used in the future and how we can best regulate it."
The consultation questionnaire will be available to complete for six weeks from Monday 13 February 2017 at www.rcvs.org.uk/telemedicine
CPD Solutions has announced an eight module course on Feline Medicine starting in September. The company says that the course, with Tim Gruffydd-Jones of Bristol University, will help vets to ensure that their knowledge and clinical skills are up to date in this fast-moving area.
The new course is designed for vets working in first opinion practice, who want to develop their skills and the services that they can offer to their cat-owning clients. A comprehensive grounding in all of the important areas of Feline Medicine is combined with areas in which there have been significant advances recently, such as infectious diseases, emerging endocrine disorders, blood groups and blood transfusions. Problems that owners find particularly distressing, such as adverse behaviour and lower urinary tract disease will be addressed in detail, together with emergency presentations and strategies to cope with them effectively. Vets can enrol on the whole course or select individual modules for their own tailored CPD programme. Susie Coughlan, Managing Director of CPD Solutions said: ‘We have put together key topics in feline medicine, with an emphasis on updating current approaches to the most commonly encountered feline problems. We will also cover the newly recognised disorders that vets are very likely to encounter in first opinion practice. Our aim is to help vets to develop a practical and effective approach to all of their feline patients'.
More information on the course, Keysteps Feline Medicine, is available from CPD Solutions on 0151 328 0444 or on the website at www.cpd-solutions.com.
Edinburgh-based charity the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) has announced three drug discovery contracts in an effort to combat animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT), a disease which is estimated to cost Africa US$5billion a year.
Animal African trypanosomosis, transmitted by the tsetse fly, is a parasitic disease which affects livestock, resulting in a chronic illness which often ends in death. An estimated 50 million cattle and 70 million sheep and goats are at risk, with around 3 million cattle dying annually from the disease.
AAT causes economic losses in livestock, reducing meat and milk production and leaving animals so weak they are unable to help cultivate land. It affects over 10 million square kilometres of fertile land spread across nearly 40 countries in Africa and therefore has a huge impact on food and nutritional security and livelihoods across the continent.
The drugs that are currently used were developed in the 1950s and 60s and drug resistance is now a commonly reported problem. With few other options available, these drugs are the most important method of controlling the disease.
In May 2011 the Department for International Development (DfID) awarded GALVmed 30 month grant for £8million to facilitate the development of drugs, diagnostics and potential vaccines for the control of AAT.
The first contract was awarded to Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., a California based biopharmaceutical company established in 2002.
As part of a Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) supported project, Anacor and their partners discovered a series of compounds to combat the human form of AAT, Human African Trysanosomsis (HAT). A number of compounds produced under this programme have properties which could make them suitable for the treatment and prevention of animal AAT. These relevant compounds will now be screened for efficacy and safety under the GALVmed contract.
The second and third contracts have both been awarded to the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee, one of Europe's top-ranked universities for life science research.
Dr Kevin Read, who is Head of Drug Metabolism and Pharmokinectics at the drug Discovery Unit is leading a piece of drug discovery and development research, which aims to develop new drugs for the treatment and possible prevention of AAT in cattle, and also a diagnostic test for use in the field. This builds on the university's work on HAT and drugs that were unsuitable for human treatment are now being re-evaluated as potential drugs for cattle.
Dr Read said: "I am very excited to be working in partnership with GALVmed to apply our extensive drug discovery expertise in HAT to identify and bring forward new potential drugs for the treatment and prevention of AAT. The new project offers an exciting opportunity to reposition compounds showing great promise for the treatment of first stage HAT into AAT, thus improving food security in some of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa."
Council members voted in favour of becoming a fully-appointed governing Council and to explore retaining elected representation on a future council or committee focussed on 'upstream regulation' and development of the profession
Council also voted to move towards greater parity between professional and lay RCVS Council members, but delayed a decision on the precise balance until it has the opportunity to consider the matter in more detail.
Council voted to remove veterinary school appointees from Council, agreeing to discuss the future composition of the RCVS Education Committee at a later date.
Council then voted to further investigate a number of alternative governance arrangement suggestions, including independent oversight of the College, and to review term limits across all appointed positions.
RCVS President Linda Belton said: “Thank you to all who took part in the consultation and made suggestions on alternative and additional arrangements that might be made regarding our governance.
"Thank you also to Council members for a robust discussion of these proposals.
“We still have a number of important governance issues to discuss at a future date and the proposals that Council members have voted to approve today will not be brought into immediate effect, but will be included in our proposals to government for new veterinary legislation.
“As we seek reform of veterinary regulation via new primary legislation, it is important that our governance arrangements not only inspire public confidence and trust but also allow us, as a Royal College that regulates, to work with the professions on our upstream regulatory activities, not only to ensure that individuals are fit for practice, but also that we maintain a profession fit for purpose.
“The decision to explore retaining an elected element on a future veterinary council or committee, responsible for work dedicated to the development of the professions, gives a clear indication of the value of our ‘Royal College that regulates’ model.
"We have also made a further commitment to public assurance by agreeing to explore independent oversight of the RCVS.
“Any future appointments process developed by the RCVS will be committed to adhering to the Public Standards Authority’s principles on appointments; these are merit; fairness; transparency and openness; and inspiring confidence.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil-nov24
The initiative seeks to understand the barriers and enablers to delivering contextualised care in companion animal practices, and to set out what contextualised care looks like when done well.
As part of the initiative, RCVS Knowledge is gathering perspectives from across the veterinary community and from pet owners to design a roadmap for the profession.
The work started last week at the National Forum for Contextualised Care in London, which brought together more than 60 people from across the veterinary sector, including leaders from veterinary associations, veterinary educators, students, practice staff, veterinary charities and rescues, pet insurers, regulators, representatives from corporate and independent practices and animal owners.
RCVS Knowledge will now be working with an independent research partner to conduct focus groups, surveys and interviews to gather a representative range of views from across the sector and pet owners.
The work will culminate in a summit in the summer that will use the findings of the research to design recommendations on:
Sally Everitt, Clinical Lead – Evidence at RCVS Knowledge said: “Contextualised care is the way of delivering veterinary care that acknowledges that there are different ways to approach the diagnosis and treatment of an animal, depending on the circumstances of the individual animal and their caregivers and the context in which the care is delivered.
"The term has been used increasingly over the past year, and is now the subject of much debate, alongside other aligned terms such as ‘spectrum of care’ and ‘pragmatic medicine’.
"However, we need to better understand what constitutes good-quality contextualised care, and the barriers and enablers to its delivery in practice.”
Katie Mantell, Chief Executive of RCVS Knowledge, said: “As an independent charity with a mission to advance the quality of veterinary care, we believe RCVS Knowledge is well-placed to bring together all parts of the veterinary community to seek consensus on what good-quality contextualised care looks like and how it can be delivered in practice.
"Our aim is to take a collaborative, robust approach to co-producing a roadmap for contextualised care that will support its widespread delivery for the benefit of animals, the veterinary professions and animal owners.”
To be updated about the progress of this work, and to hear about opportunities to take part in the focus groups, interviews and surveys to follow, sign up to receive RCVS Knowledge’s monthly email newsletter intheKNOW.
Hill's has issued an open invitation to vets and nurses to come along to its stand to see some unique personal and practice development tools, now available on-line.
Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager said: "These are tough times for anyone in business but for many years now we have been listening to vets about the key problems they face. We found that vets and nurses felt that long term compliance was one of their biggest issues and quantitative measurements have certainly backed that up. In response, we have, over the last few years, been developing and refining a very exciting new initiative, the CRAFTworks programme, the new on-line version of which we will be launching at BSAVA. Working with veterinary practice input, we have tailored this programme to really deliver in terms of patient care and profitability. We are very much looking forward to introducing this scheme and I believe that many practices will see real benefits in terms of their bottom line."
Training has been widely tipped as critical if the UK is to work its way out of recession but cost can be an issue. Hill's has responded by launching a new addition to the Vet Nutrition Academy (VNA) website. This latest on-line course is case based, provides training in clinical nutrition and is available absolutely free of charge to those who register with VNA. The course can be viewed at terminals on the Hill's stand and delegates will also be able to sign up at no cost and receive a gift on completion of registration. The clinical nutrition offering is just one of a stable of courses available through the VNA website, which also includes registration forms for key CPD events and a facility to earn rewards for studying.
Last year on the Hill's stand, rehabilitation specialist Lowri Davies introduced many vets to goniometry, a technique to measure mobility that was then still quite novel in the veterinary sector. The on-stand seminars were so popular that the format will be repeated this year with 15 minute CPD sessions focusing on the development of appropriate exercise programmes in a range of scenarios including the growing, geriatric and overweight dog. Four topics will be covered each day for an hour of certified CPD during breaks and lunchtimes.
There will be numerous opportunities for delegates to achieve work life balance with the popular Hill's speciality coffee bar available for those who want to chat through their nutrition dilemmas with technical staff or talk about the opportunities on offer. There is also a free gift for everyone who visits the stand and the chance to try out a Wii Fit - the latest product from Nintendo that combines fitness with having fun. There are three Wii Fit Bundles to be won by entering the daily competition.
Adrian said: "It's always good to talk to colleagues we already know but if it has been some time since you have talked to Hill's I really encourage you to come along for an informal chat and see just what we have to offer. The longer we work with veterinary practices the better we understand their needs and the better we can respond to those needs. We want to continue to learn from the profession and to use the resources we can bring to the table to help veterinary businesses to thrive and prosper."
The RCVS has announced that 19 people are standing in this year's RCVS Council elections, including, for the first time, more women than men, and a much lower average candidate age.
Of the 19 candidates - believed to be the highest number since records began - ten are women. Not only is this the most women ever to stand, but it is in direct contrast to last year where all 13 candidates were men. Additionally, whereas the average age of all elected Council members in March 2013 was 56.5 (57 for women and 56 for men), the average age of this year's candidates is 47 (45 for women and 48 for men).
The RCVS Council candidates are:
Last year, the all-male candidate list prompted concern from the profession and calls for the College to investigate the reasons behind the lack of women and to take steps to redress the balance. The then RCVS President Jacqui Molyneux invited feedback from the profession about the barriers to joining Council, and set up a working party, chaired by Council member Amanda Boag, to look at how participation could be widened, not only to women, but also younger members of the profession and those actively engaged in clinical practice.
The working party suggested a number of initiatives, including a mentoring scheme, providing more practical information about being a Council member (see www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos), and inviting prospective candidates to the RCVS to discuss the role in more detail.
Amanda said: "The College's efforts to broaden participation in its election process seem to have paid dividends. I'm delighted there is so much more diversity amongst the election candidates this year, and that so many women have decided to throw their hat into the ring, especially as women now form over 50% of the profession. I'm very much looking forward to the outcome of the elections, and hope that this dramatic increase in candidates in turn prompts an excellent turnout."
In a slightly later start to the voting period this year, ballot papers and candidate details will be posted on 19 March 2014, and all votes must be cast, either online or by post, by 5pm on Friday, 25 April 2014.
In the meantime, the College is inviting all voters to think about the one question they would like to put to the candidates and submit it in time for this year's 'Quiz the Candidates', to be broadcast by the Webinar Vet on the evening of 20 March. All questions received will be put to the candidates, who will each then answer two questions of their choice, as well as explaining what they consider sets them apart as a potential Council member. The candidates' answers will be pre-recorded (due to the large number of candidates) and made available online at around 8:00pm on 20th March.
Questions (one per person) for RCVS Council should be submitted to the RCVS by 12 March via its dedicated election websites, available soon at www.votebyinternet.com/vetvote14, on twitter using the hashtag #vetvote14, or by email to vetvote14@rcvs.org.uk.
The RVC is addressing a worldwide shortage of scientists who have the specialist skills necessary for research into the spread of infectious disease with it’s MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology.
According to the RVC, by June 2008, more than 60 countries had been affected by outbreaks of bird flu, resulting in millions of birds dying or being destroyed. A total of 14 countries had suffered human cases by the end of 2007, with a large proportion of cases being fatal. In 2006, bluetongue virus was introduced to Northern Europe and spread rapidly, so that by the end of 2007 over 50,000 outbreaks were reported from cattle and sheep farms in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Germany, France and the UK.
“The RVC has seen interest in epidemiology increase dramatically, but there still aren’t enough skilled professionals to service this growing global need.” said Professor Dirk Pfeiffer, Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College. “The course provides specialist training that integrates scientific knowledge from microbiology, ecology, social sciences and animal husbandry in order to understand how diseases such as avian flu and bluetongue are spreading.”
“At a time when such diseases are increasing globally it is vital that we have scientists that are able to understand how the infections are spreading and how outbreaks can be contained. The RVC is looking to hear from graduates in veterinary science, biological science, medicine, mathematics or statistics, who are ready to take up the challenge of this fascinating field of study.”
The RVC’s course is unique in that it is taught by 4 organisations; the RVC (animal epidemiology), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (human epidemiology), the Veterinary Laboratories Agency – VLA- (veterinary surveillance and epidemiology), and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Defra - (UK government animal disease surveillance).
The course attracts between 10 and 15 students per year. Successful candidates can move into roles in a variety of UK, European or international governmental organisations such as Defra, the VLA and the World Health Organisation, in addition to the prospect of working in academic or purely research environments.
Funding from the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) has enabled the RVC to offer 4 full-time scholarships for students resident in the UK to study veterinary epidemiology at postgraduate level. The scholarships cover the course fees and upkeep for the year of study, and are between £14,000 and £19,000 per candidate.
More information can be found at: http://www.rvc.ac.uk/postgrad
The EU Commission has approved the marketing authorisation variation of Boehringer Ingelheim's PCV2 vaccine Ingelvac CircoFLEX. This approval allows the combined use of the pig vaccines Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Ingelvac MycoFLEX in the European Union.
Boehringer says it will market this unique vaccine concept under the name FLEXcombo. The company highlights that protection against two of the most prominent and costly pig diseases, Porcine Circovirus Disease (PCVD) and Enzootic Pneumonia, can now be achieved with a single injection instead of up to four injections. More than 70% of European pigs are currently vaccinated against both these diseases.
According to the company, the combined use of Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Ingelvac MycoFLEX is already registered and widely used in North America and Asia. It is globally the first and only product combination of its kind.
Dr. Joachim Hasenmaier, global head of Animal Health within BI said: "We are very proud that we can now also supply EU veterinarians and farmers with this latest innovation that will help tremendously in reducing the number of injections to pigs, supporting the wellbeing of the animals and the farm economics by saving a substantial amount of labour."
A new study has revealed that owners of obese dogs which successfully lose weight notice significant improvement in their dogs' quality of life too.
The study, published in The Veterinary Journal and available online here, was conducted by scientists from the Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic at Liverpool University in conjunction with the Pain and Welfare Group at the University of Glasgow and the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition. It looked at fifty obese dogs that had been referred to Royal Canin's clinic.
The results showed that quality of life improved in the dogs that successfully lost weight, demonstrated by increased vitality scores and decreased scores for emotional disturbance and pain. The improvements in vitality score were greater the more body fat the dogs lost. The research also found that the dogs that failed to complete their weight loss programme had lower vitality and higher emotional disturbance scores than those successfully losing weight.
Dr. Alex German, Royal Canin senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool and lead author of the study, said: "Obesity is a risk for many dogs, affecting not only their health, but also their quality of life. The results indicate that, for obese dogs, weight loss can be important for staying both healthy and happy."
Owners completed a questionnaire to determine the health-related quality of life of their dog prior to weight loss, with a follow-up questionnaire for the owners of the thirty dogs that successfully completed the weight loss programme to reach target weight. The completed questionnaire responses were converted into scores corresponding to a range of factors, including vitality, emotional disturbance and pain.
Following issues with the implementation and associated costs of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' database (iMIS), independent IT specialists TFX Consulting Ltd have reported on both the implementation project and the long-term suitability of the database for the College's needs.
The TFX iMIS Report highlights inadequacies in the procurement process for the IT system, especially with regard to the drafting of the original brief. The Report suggests that this led to differing expectations from the College and ASI, the company licensing and assisting with the implementation of the software, in terms of the detail and complexity of the project.
Although TFX says it believes the iMIS system to be suitable for the finance functionality required, it is critical of its ability to support some other RCVS data structures, and considers it is a poor fit for the complex registration and education functions of the College. The Report writers note that the RCVS continues to fulfil its statutory duties in terms of fee collection and the maintenance of registration records.
The key recommendations of the Report are that the RCVS continues to work with the iMIS database in the immediate future, particularly with regard to core functions, but that a new partner is sought for ongoing support of the system. Thereafter, the Report recommends that a plan is put in place to migrate away from the system over a period of two to three years, as part of a natural upgrade path for RCVS IT systems.
As part of this programme, TFX recommends that a detailed analysis exercise is required, with the objective of more completely defining the College's complex requirements.
This is the second of two reports prepared by TFX; the first reviewed the College's technology more generally. The Technology Report provided valuable advice in areas of network security, staged replacement of legacy hardware and a coherent software and licensing programme, with associated staff training.
The TFX iMIS Report can be downloaded from http://www.rcvs.org.uk/TFX
The TFX Technology Report will not be published, as it concerns issues relating to security of the College's IT infrastructure.
RCVS President Jerry Davies said: "We are grateful to TFX Consulting, and Ben Murray in particular, for the depth and clarity of both of their reports. It has been very useful to have independent scrutiny of the iMIS project and our IT systems as a whole.
"Lessons can be - and have been - learned. For example, new project management protocols have been introduced by the College, and the instigation of an Audit and Risk Committee has been agreed".
Council accepted the findings of the Report at its recent meeting, and the new Chief Executive and Secretary, Nick Stace, will consider how the recommendations are best implemented, when he takes up his post in September 2012.
Topics include the pathogenesis of OA, the importance of personalised treatment plans, and practical tips for supporting both pets and caregivers.
The first podcast centres around understanding the pathogenesis of the condition and the importance of thorough clinical examinations, diagnostic imaging and early intervention, all of which can greatly influence long-term outcomes.
Stuart said: “We often see pain as a problem, but it’s also a signal that gives us the opportunity to act early and prevent further progression.
"By the time pain is obvious, the disease is often so advanced that our ability to make a meaningful impact is limited.
"Acting early can change this pattern, and that’s a critical message we need to communicate to pet owners.”
Stuart is joined in the series by Krka’s technical veterinary adviser, Renzo Di Florio.
In subsequent episodes they share their thoughts on the latest advances in osteoarthritis treatment, creating an effective management plan that is individualised for each patient and tips for engaging with caregivers.
Renzo said: “Our goal with this podcast series is to empower veterinary professionals - whether they are new graduates or experienced practitioners - with evidence-based knowledge they can trust and apply.
"We’re excited to share these insights and have more planned for 2025, so stay tuned!”
https://open.spotify.com/show/0uphORU03q29WncwmN2EIa
Defra has launched a public consultation on proposals that would enable the RCVS to reconstitute its disciplinary committees independently of the RCVS Council, to ensure that the same group of people are not responsible for setting the rules, investigating complaints and hearing cases. The Royal College is urging the profession to support the proposals.
The proposed changes will be made by a Legislative Reform Order that will amend a specific part of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, to require the RCVS Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees to be made up of veterinary surgeons and lay members who are not RCVS Council members, and who are appointed at arm's-length.
RCVS President, Dr. Jerry Davies said: "I am delighted that Defra is consulting on these long-anticipated proposals, which would allow the RCVS to deliver better, fairer and more effective regulation. I would urge members of the profession and the public to respond to this important consultation and to support the changes."
Under the proposals, following a transitional period, the Committees would cease to include Council members. The bodies which consider allegations of misconduct on the part of veterinary surgeons would thus be independently constituted and detached from policy discussions. The proposals would also improve the independence of the disciplinary processes by formally bringing lay people into the relevant Committees.
In addition, the College says that changes would increase the pool of people available to investigate complaints and sit on disciplinary hearings, thus allowing the case-load to be handled more efficiently, and ensuring that complaints are heard swiftly.
The full details of the proposals can be found in Defra's consultation documents, which can be accessed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2012/01/16/veterinary-surgeons-1201/