Petplan is urging members of the veterinary profession to put their colleagues forward for the 2021 Petplan Veterinary Awards before the nominations close on 18th January. 

Last year, the company had more than 37,000 entries from pet owners and the veterinary community for the five award categories:

• Practice of the Year
• Vet of the Year
• Vet Nurse of the Year
• Practice Manager of the Year
• Practice Support Staff of the Year.

The winners will be announced later this year and will recognise the remarkable work carried out by some of the best veterinary professionals in the country.

James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan (pictured right), said: “Now more than ever it’s important to recognise the lengths the veterinary community goes to in looking after our pets. Every year we’re astounded by the quality and quantity of nominations which are a real testament to the hard work of all of those involved at practices who care for animals and clients all year round.

"The awards are a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your practice and your colleagues. If you haven’t already I’d invite you to nominate someone today.”

Nominate a colleague or your practice at www.petplanvet.co.uk/vetawards.

Macahl Animal Health, manufacturer of Oralade, is highlighting the need to consider the hydration status of wildlife patients admitted to veterinary practices as we head into the winter months.

The company says there is often an increase in admissions of hibernating species at this time of year, particularly hedgehogs, and it is thought that numbers of sick and injured wildlife handed over by the general public may increase this year as people spend more time in their gardens and local parks due to coronavirus restrictions.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggests that if uncertain about a hedgehog’s hydration status, it is always best to assume a degree of dehydration.

Macahl regularly donates Oralade to wildlife sanctuaries where it is in widespread use. One such sanctuary is the Wildlife Aid Foundation, based in Surrey, which says: "We frequently use Oralade to help our patients which are suffering from mild dehydration and are reluctant to eat. It works really well for species such as hedgehogs, foxes and badgers as the smell seems to encourage them to lap. It really does give them a boost and can get them eating solid food again which is critical for their rehabilitation."

Macahl says Oralade GI support is suitable for oral rehydration in many wildlife species, including hedgehogs. The suggested maintenance dose is 50ml per kg per 24hrs, with additional quantities needed to correct a hydration deficit. Identifying dehydration is similar to pet species, and includes assessment of skin tent, gum colour, and capillary refill time.

What you can do to protect your small animal patients from reflux and regurgitation during anaesthesia will be explored at BSAVA this year in a lecture hosted by Docsinnovent for veterinary surgeons and nurses with an interest in anaesthesia.

The lecture, which will take place at 4:30pm on Friday 6th April in the Premier Lounge, Arena Birmingham, is presented by Dr Ivan Crotaz BVetMed MRCVS and human anaesthesiologist Dr Muhammed Nasir MBBS BSc FFARCSI MRCA (pictured right).

Chris Geddes MRCVS, Marketing Manager for Docsinnovent, says the lecture is not to be missed for two reasons: "Firstly, the topic is very current – a lot of new information is emerging about regurgitation and reflux in our veterinary patients. We are learning that the starving times we have all been recommending for years may not be ideal after all.

"Secondly, the lecture will be presented by both a vet with an interest in airway management (Dr Crotaz) and a renowned human anaesthesiologist (Dr Nasir) – so we as a profession can learn from what is happening in the field of human medicine."

The session will include a review of the situation in human anaesthesia. The anatomy of the upper airway and oesophagus of the major small animal veterinary species will be examined as well as the pathogenesis, occurrence and disease associated with reflux. 

Pre-, intra- and post-operative management will be discussed, as well as current recommendations for starving veterinary patients.

The lecture is free for BSAVA attendees to attend and will be followed by drinks and nibbles supplied by Docsinnovent, who are also exhibiting at BSAVA congress on stand 1006.

With the upcoming introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) in May 2018, the Veterinary Practice Management Association has published a webinar presented by Helen Thomas (Senior Policy Officer at the Information Commissioners Office), to deliver the key facts and help veterinary practices prepare for the changes ahead.

The new law, which replaces the Data Protection Directive, come into effect from 25^th May 2018. All businesses will be affected, including the veterinary profession, and failure to comply could result in heavy financial penalties. It is important, therefore, that all practices start to prepare for them and ensure that they will be compliant when the new legislation comes into play next year.

Renay Rickard, president of the VPMA said: "These new regulations concern how we will manage personal data, both that of our clients and our staff, and it’s imperative that we understand them and act on them. We arranged this webinar to inform our members, and were very lucky to have such a tailored presentation directly from the regulator – helped by the fact that Helen, the speaker, comes from a veterinary practice background. It was so useful, we felt that the wider veterinary community would benefit from listening to it, so we’re pleased to open it up to non-members."

The webinar content guides listeners through the key changes ahead and the steps that practices will need to take to ensure they are compliant with the new legal requirements. This includes the impact the changes will have on marketing strategies and practice positioning on sending client reminders (e.g. vaccination, appointment); sharing case histories; passing on data regarding 'bad-debtors', as well as how to approach 'tagging' clients records (for example, re debt) in compliance with the GDPR.

The webinar also provides useful information on where to turn if practices need help and advice, as well as what to do if a data breach is detected. Finally, a detailed questions and answers session covers the day-to-day scenarios in practice that involve handling or sharing client data.

The recording can be accessed on request by emailing the VPMA Secretariat, secretariat@vpma.co.uk.

Photo: GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation. data 25 may 2018. Map EU and flag. Shutterstock/a_Jarm

One of this year’s recipients of the RCVS Impact Award, Professor Sarah Freeman, will be talking about her pioneering public awareness project on equine colic at an upcoming Regional Question Time in Nottingham on 25th November 2019.

Sarah is a Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine & Science, and leads the Nottingham Equine Colic Project, which works with organisations such as the British Horse Society to raise awareness of the condition.

Sarah's talk, 'Generating an evidence-based educational campaign on colic', will discuss new evidence from the project, and how it led to the REACT colic campaign. She will also be sharing experiences of how the campaign has worked and asking whether we can change people's attitudes and behaviours.

The evening starts at 6.15pm with food and refreshments with Sarah's talk starting at 7pm, after which there will be an update on the College’s latest projects and initiatives. That'll be followed by a question and answer session with senior officers and staff from the RCVS - including RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, and Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council Racheal Marshall.

Dr Connell said: "Thank you to Professor Freeman for agreeing to speak about the colic project which, through its Colic Awareness Week, is helping to raise knowledge of the early signs of colic amongst horse owners, allowing them to get their horses treated in good time and saving their lives.

"I also look forward to talking to members of the profession about some of the issues currently on their minds – the evening is very much led by what those who attend want to discuss – from mental health, to our under care review, to the Practice Standards Scheme. Attending the event can also count to up to three hours towards your continuing professional development (CPD) requirement."

The event is open to all members of the practice team including veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and others. The event is free and places can be booked via the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/nottingham. 

In the afternoon before the event, between 12 noon and 5pm, the College will also be holding a series of free 45-minute Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) surgeries with PSS Lead Assessor Pam Mosedale. 

The surgeries are open to both RCVS-accredited practices and those considering joining the Scheme and allows delegates to discuss the assessment process, how to apply for awards, how to meet particular requirements and any other questions they may have about the PSS. 

Places at the surgeries are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be booked at: www.rcvs.org.uk/PSSsurgeries

Claudia Elena Surdila has been warned and reprimanded by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee following a conviction in Romania of unlawfully obtaining funds from the EU for a bee-keeping enterprise.

The Disciplinary Committee heard that the offence took place in 2013, when Dr Surdila was not a registered veterinary surgeon.

However she pleaded guilty to the charge in 2019, by which time she was. 

Dr Surdila testified that in 2010, she and her family owned a few beehives and applied for EU funding to help expand their operation into a business. 

A requirement of the funding was that Dr Surdila and her sister belong to a licensed bee-keeping co-operative. 

They joined their local co-operative, and paid a consultant to manage their funding application.

Three years later, their consultant switched Dr Surdila and her sister to a different cooperative, for reasons they did not understand. 

After another three years or so, Dr Surdila's family decided to close the business because she was at university and the others had other commitments.

Dr Surdila later moved to the UK and joined a practice in Motherwell, Scotland.

Then, in 2019, when Dr Surdila had been in the UK for four years, it transpired that the second co-operative they had joined was unlicensed and they had therefore not been entitled to received the funds from the EU (which amounted to a few thousand euros), and would be prosecuted by the National Department of Anti-Corruption.

Meanwhile, the consultant they had paid to manage their funding application had died. 

Dr Surdila stated that everything she had signed for the unlicensed co-op had been signed in good faith, but she was advised by her lawyer that as she had signed legally binding documents for the funding, and because the consultant had died, her only option was to plead guilty.

She was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, 60 days of community service and was required to pay 19,544.7 Romanian Lei (approximately £3,300) in damages.

Her lawyer advised her to appeal her sentence which was harsh considering the circumstances.

However, the appeal was postponed several times because of Covid-19 and was ultimately unsuccessful.

In concluding whether the conviction rendered Dr Surdila unfit to practise, Mrs Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Dr Surdila’s conviction was of a nature and seriousness that required a finding that she was unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon on public interest grounds”.

The Committee then turned to sanction and in reaching its decision, Mrs Way said: “This was a serious conviction with a significant sentence, involving an element of bad faith.

"The Committee considered it important to mark this behaviour in some way because Dr Surdila should have been more cognisant of what she was signing.

“The Committee noted that her offending behaviour took place a significantly long time ago, when Dr Surdila was young and inexperienced and before she had qualified as a veterinary surgeon.

"There had never been a risk to animals or the public, she had demonstrated significant insight into her failures and exhibited genuine remorse.

"The Committee was satisfied that it was highly unlikely she would ever commit such an offence again.

 “In light of the lack of aggravating factors and the extensive mitigation in this case, the Committee concluded that it was appropriate and proportionate to reprimand Dr Surdila and to warn her of the need to ensure she reads and understands all documents that require her signature.”

The Committee’s full findings can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

Devon-based White Lodge Veterinary Surgery has achieved a 32.6% reduction in the use of a critically important antibiotic by carrying out a clinical audit.

The CVS practice aimed to change its prescribing culture by adopting an evidence-based, case-by-case approach and supporting its vets in only using antibiotics where absolutely necessary. 

The practice identified the use of antibiotics in the treatment of cat bite abscesses (CBAs) as worthy of investigation.

Cefovecin, a third-generation cephalosporin and critically important antibiotic, is often used in the treatment of CBAs.

The practice first sought guidance from a dermatology specialist with an active research programme involving the study of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

It then developed a clinical guideline advising that if a cat has a discrete abscess, with no pyrexia (raised temperature) and no cellulitis, antibiotics are not required.

White Lodge then conducted an eight-month clinical audit across its Exmouth Hub, with the aim of measuring the effect of the new guideline.

The practice treated patients with CBA’s with NSAIDS, lancing and flushing (if necessary), and cleaning of the abscess.

Owners were advised to flush the affected area at home once daily.

An antibiotic awareness leaflet was given to clients with an explanation of the reasoning behind not prescribing antibiotics.

Cats presented 5-7 days after treatment for a nurse re-examination.

A consultation template was created for both the vet at initial presentation and another for the nurse’s post treatment check, to gather standardised information. 

The measure of successful treatment was whether, on re-examination, the CBA site appeared free from infection and wound healing was evident.

If the wound had not started to heal or if there was infection or pyrexia, the treatment was deemed to have failed and further treatment was provided.

Analysis of the results showed that of the 22 cats included in the audit, 19 (86%) did not need antibiotics to successfully treat the abscess.

There was also a 32.6% reduction in the number of times cefovecin was dispensed in the eight-month period after the audit started, compared with the previous eight months.

Emily Parr, Head Veterinary Surgeon at White Lodge, said: “We think, due to lack of confidence in treatment without antibiotics as well as client pressure or expectation, the profession tends to default to the prescribing of antibiotics.

“However, this clinical audit has given our veterinary colleagues increased confidence in treating CBA’s without antibiotics.

"There has also been an improved client understanding in accepting treatment without antibiotics.

"Clients have also been positive when minimal intervention has been required, particularly as it eliminates the cost of antibiotics.

"This has had a positive impact on the vet-client relationship and trust in our practice.

“Antimicrobial resistance is continuing to threaten the efficacy and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections.

"So we hope that our CBA clinical audit outcome results will help to set a benchmark and shape clinical guidelines for the wider veterinary profession in this area.”

The London Cat Clinic has announced the launch next month of what it says is the UK’s first and only dedicated ophthalmology clinic for cats.

The clinic will be headed up by Dr Ursula Dietrich, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology, who will be stepping down as senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at The Royal Veterinary College to take up her new post.

Ursula has held a number of prestigious positions including Chair of the Scientific Committee of European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists from 2007-2012, member of the Examination Committee of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists from 2002-2006 and Associate Editor (Ophthalmology) of the Journal of Small Animal Practice since 2012-18. She also holds Diplomas from the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Opthalmologists.

Ursula said: “I am thrilled to take on this new role, heading up The London Cat Clinic’s new opthalmology centre. The clinic is doing wonderful things in feline veterinary care as the largest specialist practice devoted solely to cats in the UK. The ophthalmology service is the next exciting development in achieving our goal of being a centre of excellence in feline veterinary medicine."

London Cat Clinic Founder, Dr Jeremy Campbell, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Dietrich to the team, as she brings with her a wealth of experience in the field of feline ophthalmology. She will be a wonderful asset to The London Cat Clinic, as we embark on an exciting new chapter.”

For more information about referring a case to The London Cat Clinic, visit: https://www.thelondoncatclinic.co.uk/

Gemma Louise Cole has been struck off by the RCVS Veterinary Nurse Disciplinary Committee following her conviction for pet insurance fraud in 2024.

Mrs Cole pleaded guilty to fraud in July 2024 at Crawley Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months, 20 days rehabilitation activity and a £187 victim surcharge.

The College opened its own disciplinary investigation against Mrs Cole after receiving the certificate of conviction, which related to more than £13,000 of pet insurance fraud.

It then proceeded with the hearing in Mrs Cole’s absence as she had not responded to any of the communications sent to her by the College on the matter.

Having found the charge against her proven by the certificate of conviction, the Committee then determined that the conviction amounted to serious professional misconduct.

Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The respondent’s conduct… was plainly dishonest and contravened a fundamental tenet of the profession.

"She abused her professional position in order to commit the offence.

"The dishonest conduct in this case related directly to the respondent’s professional life, as she was working as a veterinary nurse when she completed and submitted the fraudulent claims.

“Her conduct also constituted a breach of the trust owed to her employer and to the insurance company to which her dishonest claims were submitted.

"She put her professional colleagues at risk as their names were used on the clinical records which purportedly supported her dishonest claims.

“Her misconduct was repeated and sustained over a period of many years.

"Her modus operandi was sophisticated and premeditated.

“The respondent’s conduct clearly had the potential to bring the profession into disrepute and to undermine public trust in the profession.

"A member of the public would be rightly appalled to learn that a veterinary nurse had abused her position by submitting false claims in this way.”

The Committee found that there were no mitigating factors, and that aggravating factors included the premeditated nature of Mrs Cole’s fraud, the clear breaches of trust in respect of her colleagues, her clients and the insurance companies, the significant financial gain made from her fraud and the fact that the fraudulent activities were sustained and repeated over a period of four and a half years.

Kathryn added: “Taking into account the gravity of her misconduct, the need to maintain standards of probity in the profession, especially in relation to practice records and the submission of insurance claim documents, as well as the maintenance of public confidence in the profession, the Committee has resolved to direct the Registrar to remove the respondent’s name from the Register.

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

The College of Animal Welfare has opened a business school at its training and education centre in Chord Business Park in Godmanchester.

CAW Business School provides accountancy courses accredited by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and leadership and management courses accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Leslie Heaton Smith, Director at The College of Animal Welfare, said: "The opening of our Business School is a new development in a long line of achievements and marks an exciting new venture. Whilst our focus has always been towards developing technical animal and veterinary related knowledge and skills to make significant improvements in animal welfare and veterinary care, we also recognise that quality of care is also highly dependent on the management and leadership of those controlling and investing the organisation's often scarce resources. Thus in order to provide high quality welfare to animals entrusted into their care, organisations need to be able to employ people with such skills".

The leadership and management courses are already underway and can be studied entirely online, or online with study weekends.

The College says the majority of AAT courses will start in September 2013, however an 8 week Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping course starts at the beginning of June. The College is also an AAT approved exam centre, meaning that students can sit their exams whilst at college.

For further information, call the College on 01480 422060 and speak to one of the Business School tutors. Alternatively, visit www.caw.ac.uk or book a place on the next open day on Wednesday 22 May from 9am-12pm or 6-9pm.

The RCVS has tightened up the guidance on remote prescribing, such that veterinary surgeons may now only remote prescribe for animals that are not already under their care if it is impossible to physically examine the animal. 

RCVS Council had introduced temporary guidance allowing the remote prescription of drugs for animals not under care back in March, to ensure that animal health and welfare could be maintained during lockdown without risking the health of veterinary teams or their clients.

Since then, the College has twice extended this guidance, because of the ongoing situation. 

However the College says it now recognises that many practices are returning more to 'business as usual' and that the guidance and associated flowchart should be updated according. 

Consequently, before deciding to prescribe POM-Vs remotely, the updated guidance now requires veterinary surgeons to first consider whether the animal is already under their care; or, if not, whether it is possible to physically examine the animal in order to bring the animal under their care. If the answer to both questions is ‘no’, POM-Vs may still be prescribed remotely providing the guidelines set out in the College’s coronavirus advice hub are adhered to.

Surprisingly, the College says that its surveys of the profession have thus far identified no immediate safety concerns around remote prescribing. 

RCVS President Dr Mandisa Greene, who chairs the Taskforce, said: “The reason for maintaining the possibility of remote prescribing without a physical examination was that we recognised that the current situation is unpredictable, and while the ability for the public to visit practices in person has improved over the last few months, we felt that situations might still arise where that would not be possible, and where access to remote prescribing would be necessary. These could include further local lockdowns, ongoing quarantine arrangements, and the remaining fact that some members of both the veterinary team and the public continue to shield.

“It remains our intention that this guidance will continue to be a temporary measure and may be subject to further extensions or updates given the uncertain nature of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

RCVS Council will review the position on 8 October, with any changes being effective by 1 November at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the RCVS review of ‘under care’ and out-of-hours emergency cover has now resumed, starting with a number of virtual focus groups and consultation with stakeholders within the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions.

The findings from these focus group discussions will then inform a wider survey to be sent to all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in early 2021, along with stakeholder organisations and the animal-owning public. Remote prescribing will continue to form a part of this review.

Boehringer Ingelheim has launched SoundTalks, an AI device which listens to and analyses the frequency and intensity of pigs coughing, allowing for the earlier detection of respiratory disease. 

Each SoundTalks device has a microphone which covers up to a 10-metre radius.

Noises are transmitted to the cloud where sounds are analysed using algorithms which Boehringer says use many years of data, and with the use of AI are constantly evolving. 

The company says the device, which monitors coughing 24/7, has already been shown to detect respiratory disease in pigs up to five days sooner than conventional methods, allowing vets and farmers to respond quicker, improving health outcomes, and minimising the risk of infection across the herd. ^1,2

Paul Thompson BA VetMB MRCVS from Garth Pig Practice said: “The earlier we can detect the onset of disease the quicker we can intervene.

"By taking action earlier we can aim to reduce morbidity and mortality, and potentially lessen treatments including antibiotic use.

"This will help improve the wellbeing of the pigs and reduce the time commitments and costs for the farmer.

"Having heard how SoundTalks is already transforming the practices of producers and vets in other parts of Europe, I am excited to use it in my own day-to-day role.

"This innovation has the potential to provide robust data as to when respiratory disease starts, allowing us to refine our prevention plans and improve the overall health of the pigs.” 

www.soundtalks.com

www.soundtalks.com

1. https://www.soundtalks.com/paper/field-application-of-cough-monitor-technology-a-swine-practitioners-perspective
2. https://www.soundtalks.com/paper/using-sound-based-monitoring-of-respiratory-health-status-to-improve-grow-finish-production-performance-in-commercial-pig-farms