Parasitologists from ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites) have been voicing their concern over the implications of the imminent changes to the UK's DEFRA-run Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).
Under the new regulations, which take effect from Jan 2012, tick control will no longer be mandatory. According to ESCCAP, a recent study has demonstrated that a population of exotic tick species has already become established in the south-east of England1. With up to 15,000 animals travelling under PETS each month, the possibility of exotic ticks (and their associated tick-borne diseases) entering and establishing in the UK becomes increasingly likely. The European Parliament has yet to rule on mandatory tapeworm control. The decision will impact on the future distribution of, and disease threat from, Echinococcus multilocularis.
ESCCAP UK is advising all veterinary surgeons to discuss the risks with their clients and to ensure they make an informed decision about tick control when the new legislation comes into effect.
In addition, the UK branch of ESCCAP is holding a free seminar in Bristol on 28th October to highlight the role that veterinary practices can play in helping clients understand how the changes could impact upon their pet's health.
ESCCAP says the seminar will provide all the information clinicians need to have an informed dialogue with clients. Presentations will provide an overview of the impact of the changes to PETS in relation to rabies, Echinococcus and ticks, as well as advice about how to communicate the information to pet owners and the tools and support available.
Additional support includes ESCCAP UK's website http://www.esccapuk.org.uk/, which offers updates on the PETS situation, guidelines for parasite control programmes and podcasts for veterinary surgeons, nurses and pet owners.
The seminar takes place at Engineers' House, The Promenade, Clifton Down, Bristol BS8 3NB.
To register, telephone: 01684 568998, or email: info@esccapuk.org.uk
Reference1. Smith F D, Ballantyne R, Morgan E R, Wall R (2011) Prevalence, distribution and risk associated with tick infestation of dogs in Great Britain. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2011.00954.x
The measures agreed by RCVS Council will allow UK-practising members to spread the cost of renewal over three instalments: paying 50% of the full cost by 30th April, 25% by 30th September, and the remaining 25% by 31st December.
Kit Sturgess, Treasurer, said: “We recognise that most veterinary businesses will be seeing a downtown during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, especially as veterinary practices reduce their workloads to emergency-only procedures or those that can be classed as urgent. Furthermore, we understand that many individual veterinary surgeons will no longer be working, and that this will cause financial difficulties for many vets and their families.
"We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for the profession, and as part of our compassionate approach to regulation we wanted to do our bit to help people manage the difficult financial consequences of the coronavirus crisis, and to help them to return to work as soon as Government advice allows. While fees for veterinary nurses are not due until the end of the year, we will keep the impact of the coronavirus pandemic under review on an ongoing basis.”
Any UK-practising member wishing to switch to the payment-by-instalments system should cancel their existing Direct Debits immediately (the College has already temporarily deferred these direct debits for around 10-14 days to allow time for them to be cancelled).
The College says that any member who does not pay the first instalment of 50% of the total fee by the end of April will need to pay the full amount in one instalment by the end of May. Should they then fail to make this payment, the College would then have to remove their name from the Register.
Those who pay the initial 50% instalment but fail to pay one or both of the subsequent 25% instalments will be moved to the non-practising Register for up to one year. This would mean that they could transfer back to the UK-practising Register without incurring a restoration fee. However, they would no longer legally be entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon while on the non-practising Register until they had paid the retention fee in full and been transferred back to the UK-practising Register.
RCVS Council also agreed that the higher fee that usually applies for late payments, ie those made between 1 May and 30 May, will not be applied to any category of membership this year.
Members can opt to move to the new arrangements or continue with full payment. Details of how to pay under the new arrangements will be sent to members shortly. Any member who has already paid their fee in full and would like to switch to the payment-by-instalments mechanism should contact the College on refunds@rcvs.org.uk.
Further details about the scheme are available in a detailed Frequently Asked Questions guide via www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
COMMENTIt has been argued that at a time when many veterinary surgeons have lost a significant part of their livelihood, the College should have gone further and reduced the renewal fees, at least for the period of time that vets' earning ability is compromised. I'm not qualified to judge whether the College could have afforded that, and a spokesman would only say: "...we have to work within the framework of the legislation and the statutory instrument and, given this, the measures that RCVS Council has put in place is a reasonable outcome and will assist veterinary surgeons who may be struggling during these very tough times."
The RSPCA has launched a campaign to try and help stamp out puppy trafficking. As part of the campaign, the charity has released the results of a survey of vets (June 2008) which shows that: 23% of you reported an increase in puppies being presented at your practice that may have been bred on a puppy farm (compared to three years ago). 73% of vets are 'fairly' or 'very' concerned about the trade in puppies. 33% of you have seen an increase in puppies presented with canine parvovirus (compared to three years ago), 34% with endoparasites (e.g. worms), 31% for ectoparasites (e.g. mites) and 35% with campylobacter. 54% of you say that you believe there is a higher incidence of parvovirus in puppies from puppy farms, 66% for endoparasites and 65% for ectoparasites and 44% for campylobacter. 36% of you report that there has been an increase in puppies presented at your practices in the last three years that have not been vaccinated at the appropriate age for their primary course. A separate survey found that nearly a third of 16-24 year olds are contemplating buying a puppy, and that half would consider buying from a pet shop. The RSPCA said it believes it's high time that people planning on buying a puppy know the risks they face if they don't do their research and get one from either a rescue centre or a responsible breeder.
The British Veterinary Association has given a cautious welcome to the merger of the Animal Health Agency (AH) and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) announced yesterday by Secretary of State Caroline Spelman.
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA said: "On the face of it there could be significant benefits in merging these two key animal health organisations. Already, at local and national levels, the two agencies are required to work closely and if done properly we could have one body that is completed committed to animal health.
"However, every veterinary surgeon will want reassurance that the merger will not simply become another way to cut costs by reducing the number of people working on disease surveillance and research. It is vital that both organisations continue to deliver under the new body.
"The merger could have an impact on responsibility and cost sharing plans, the tendering exercise for Official Veterinarian (OV) work, and the future of animal health delivery in the devolved administrations. The BVA is therefore calling for a wide consultation on how the merged organisation will work to ensure the best for the veterinary profession, farming community and all other interested organisations."
Novartis Animal Health has published a product usage chart aimed at vets and SQPs that gives guidance on the use of ectoparasites through the seasons.
The chart covers the use of blowfly preventatives CLiK and CLiKZiN, and the blowfly strike treatment Crovect, which also covers ticks, biting lice, headfly and fly maggots.
There is advice on the treatment of pre- and post-shearing ewes, and early season and main season lambs, plus recommendations for end of season treatments.
Helen Langham, Brand Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "The chart is designed to provide an overview of the ectoparasite challenges faced by sheep and lambs through the year, and explain which products should be applied and when.
"SQPs can download the chart and a full range of information about ectoparasites from the Novartis Farm Animal Health website."
The chart can be downloaded from www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk
Virbac has announced that it is running Canine Prostate Awareness Month (CPAM) in November, or 'Movember' as it's called by those fundraising for male prostate disease and testicular cancer.
With more than 80% of entire male dogs over the age of five suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)1, the aim of the initiative is to highlight the prevalence of the disease and to encourage practices and owners to check for and seek treatment for it.
As part of Canine Prostate Awareness Month, Virbac is providing participating practices with promotional materials including owner educational and display materials, postcards, an email/text message service, a template press release for local media and free branded slip leads for owners who get their dog checked during the promotion.
Sarah Walker BVM&S CertAVP MRCVS, Product Manager (Companion Animal), at Virbac, said: "CPAM aims to remind owners that men are not the only ones to suffer from prostate disorders. It's a well-supported initiative and, running it at a time when the media spotlight is already on the dangers of prostate cancer in men, means we can spread the message that owners should also be monitoring dogs for signs of prostate disease."
In the run up to the campaign, the company is highlighting OdelisTM CPSE, the first ELISA test to screen for, diagnose and monitor BPH, which is available from three UK diagnostic laboratories. Virbac says it is a cost-effective, precise and reliable alternative to rectal palpation. In addition, Virbac makes Ypozane, a tablet treatment for BPH, which it claims is effective within one week and last for six months.
Sarah added: "The problem with BPH is that the majority of dogs suffer in silence. It is a painful condition that too often goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage, where the owner notices blood in the urine or painful urination.
"We're providing practices with all the materials they need to promote the campaign locally and hope those involved will find it effective in terms of bringing clients into the practice for advice on BPH. We've also organised coverage in national dog magazines to drive clients to practices."
For further information on CPAM, email cpam@virbac.co.uk; contact your Virbac Territory Manager or call the company direct on 01359 243243.
Reference
In the study titled “Evaluation of urethral orifice cross-section dimensions following perineal urethrostomy in male cats”, 24 male cats with lower urinary tract disease underwent the procedure. The urethral orifice cross-section was estimated by the largest urinary catheter that could be easily inserted through the stoma at three time points: preoperatively, intra-operatively and 12 days postoperatively. Cases of obstruction recurrence and stricture were documented within the six month follow up period.
Uri Segal, corresponding author for the paper, said: “The intraoperative stoma ranged from 1 to 10 (median 10) Fr and the 12-day postoperative stoma ranged from 4 to 10 (median 8) Fr. There was significant reduction of stoma size 12 days postoperatively, compared to the measurements taken intraoperatively.
"Postsurgical stricture formation and re-obstruction was documented in five of 24 (21%) of cats. Obstruction recurrence is probable if the intra-operative stoma size is 8 Fr or less. Furthermore, if the stoma size is 6 Fr or less, re-obstruction is almost certain (all of these cases in the study were re-obstructions). Conversely, an intra-operative stoma of more than 8Fr had a low risk of recurrence.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, editor of JSAP said: “These findings may function as a guiding rule for surgeons performing perineal urethrostomy, by providing an intraoperative measure of how likely re-obstruction and stricture formation is to occur. It should be remembered, however, that the functional urethral stoma cross-section may vary during the urination cycle and the measurements in this study are likely to only represent a fraction of the functional urethral cross-section size.”
The full article can be found in the August issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13148
The new course will be led by Dr Pedro Malho, DipECVO CES OphtVet DVM MRCVS, a European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology. It is built around 14 modules covering the embryology, anatomy and physiology of the eye, ocular pharmacology and therapeutics, together with the full spectrum of ocular diseases seen in domestic species.
Modules are delivered using a range of learning techniques, including interactive online lessons supported by notes and videos, quizzes and a forum tutored by leading specialists.
Pedro said: “We have prepared an innovative and in-depth course to help veterinary practitioners with an interest in ophthalmology to develop their knowledge and skills in this demanding discipline. The course will enable delegates to develop a greater knowledge of ocular anatomy and physiology and master the handling of ophthalmic equipment.
“It will also help them to interpret clinical signs confidently to make a diagnosis and select the appropriate medical or surgical treatment.”
Dr Charlotte French (pictured right) from Improve, said: “With input from top global veterinary ophthalmologists, we have created an exciting and innovative learning experience that will offer maximum flexibility to veterinary surgeons keen to develop their expertise and knowledge in this field. The programme provides delegates with unique features such as the opportunity to share learning with colleagues from around the world and input from an Improve International Programme Tutor to support their studies.”
The programme, which has been submitted to RACE for approval, can also be undertaken as a face-to-face course. It offers a route to achieve academic qualifications - the General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) awarded by ISVPS and the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC), awarded by Harper Adams University. Gaining a PgC enables delegates to apply to the RCVS for Advanced Practitioner Status in the subject.
For further information and to register, visit: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/course/pgc-gpcert-small-animal-ophthalmology-distance-learning
The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has launched an online version of the Codes of Practice on equine diseases, ready for the 2011 Thoroughbred breeding season.
The website, codes.hblb.org.uk is a replica of the 2011 booklet, but with an easy to use navigator and built-in text search.
The 2011 online Codes of Practice set out minimum recommendations for the prevention and control of disease. Applying to all breeds of horse and pony, and to both natural mating and AI, the Codes cover:
The increasing mobility of horses creates a subsequent increased risk of spreading infectious disease. In recent years, most countries with active horse populations have seen incidents of these diseases, including in Britain the notifiable diseases of CEM, EIA and EVA.
Any of these diseases can have serious consequences for horse and pony breeding, compromising welfare, disrupting breeding activity and causing economic loss and distress.
Professor Willie Donachie, Chairman of the HBLB's Veterinary Advisory Committee said: "We recognise the changing ways in which vets, studs and individual breeder's access information. The new online version of the Codes is designed to reflect this and ensure that the Codes of Practice, a vital resource, are available where and when they are needed."
Kruuse has announced that it is now the exclusive veterinary distributor in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for Nurtured Pets' Anti-LickStrip pet plaster, a natural hypo-allergenic adhesive plaster that deters licking, biting and chewing.
Anti-LickStrip's plaster is made with active ingredients including cayenne pepper, oregano, lemon powder and peppermint that acts as a deterrent to the animal when sniffed, licked or bitten. The veterinary range of Anti-Lick products will be co-branded under the Kruuse 'Buster' brand as: Buster Anti-LickStrip (sizes: small, medium and large) Buster Anti-LickStrip Pro and Buster Anti-LickStrip Pro C.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director, Kruuse UK Ltd. said: "This agreement further expands Kruuse's small animal product portfolio with its customer in Scandinavia, mainland Europe and the UK; increasing the already extensive range of animal tamper deterrents available to the veterinary practitioner."
Lisa Huntsman, President, Lauren Manufacturing & Nurtured Pets said: "This exciting partnership will further expand our products presence within the veterinary industry expanding our delivery of focused health and wellness products to customers, using Kruuse's strong relationships within veterinary practices."
Eclipse Veterinary Software has released a new mobile addition to its equine veterinary practice management system.
Eclipse Mobile allows veterinary surgeons to access up-to-date clinical information wherever it is needed, be that on the yard, at the practice, or while making field visits.
When Eclipse Mobile is offline, all the information the vet needs is stored on the device. When next connected via 3G or Wi-Fi, any new details are sent to and from the practice - syncing notes made by the vet, adding follow-on appointments and To Do messages, services delivered and products administered to keep everyone up-to-date throughout the day.
Whilst online, client payments can be taken via debit/ credit cards within the app and detailed drug batch information recorded using the iPad/iPhone's camera as a barcode scanner, if required.
Jeanne Razzell, CEO of Eclipse said: "Many of the vets we work with have been keen to carry animal histories with them on visits, including the latest lab test results, together with recent clinical notes, and diagnostic imaging, e.g. x-rays, ultrasounds and MRI, CT or bone scans. Now, with Eclipse Mobile, every vet can have all of this information at their fingertips automatically - at every appointment; both in the consult room and on the road."
Eclipse Mobile is available for iPad, iPad mini, iPhone, Android smart phones/tablets and Microsoft Windows Surface
For more information, contact Jeanne Razzell, CEO, Eclipse Veterinary Software Limited, on +44 (0)1799 532988 or +44 (0)7515 906466. Website: www.eclipsesoftware.info
Locum vets Cristiana and Marco Tudini have had the holiday of a lifetime after winning a competition run by the recruitment consultants, Recruit4vets.
The couple, who came to the UK in 2006, were amongst 1000 people who entered the draw last year, when Cristiana was working for Companion Care in Folkestone.
Kelly Worrall from Recruit4vets said: "Our team called Cristiana on a typical day in the practice to deliver the news. She was obviously thrilled to get the call. Not only did we help find Cristiana her dream job, we sent her on a dream holiday too!"
Cristiana said: "My husband and I went to New York at the beginning of December. New York was full of festivities and was magical to go around Christmas time, we even visited Rockefeller Centre and watched the lights and singers. My husband and I are vegan, so we were delighted to find NYC filled with vegan restaurants and fast food outlets, we didn’t stop eating the whole trip!
"New York City was absolutely amazing, this really was a dream come true!"
Chris will also be donating any money he raises throughout the course of his Presidency to those same charities.
His chosen charities are: Vetlife, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), Hearing Dogs, and The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust (GHDT).
Chris said: "I chose the charities because I'm dedicated to charities that have a wide effect. The GHDT and the PDSA, by improving the health and welfare of animals, directly benefit the health and wellbeing of the communities in which they work. The GHDT dramatically improves peoples’ lives economically by increasing the working lives of their animals, almost all of which are transport animals, while the PDSA enhances the lives of the less well off by allowing them to keep animals and afford their veterinary care.
"Riding for the Disabled Association and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf then both use animals to help people, strengthening this vital human animal bond that runs through all of these charities. You have to witness the interaction between deaf or disabled people with the dogs and ponies respectively to fully appreciate how much this means to them. Unlike single interventions, these charities provide assistance that keeps on giving.
"Finally, none of this is possible without a healthy veterinary community and Vetlife plays a significant part in ensuring this. Good mental health and wellbeing is essential to the delivery of a good service, and it's important that we do everything we can to ensure that any veterinary professionals that suffer get the assistance they need.”
The charities have already been in touch to thank Chris and the College, and to detail how it will help their activities.
Graham Dick, Vetlife’s Honorary Treasurer, said: “Vetlife is currently expanding its vital support services to meet the changing needs of the veterinary community so we are sincerely grateful that Chris Tufnell has chosen our charity to benefit from his fundraising activities during his year as President. It is heartening that all the major veterinary organisations are so supportive of Vetlife and eager to work together to address the issues that many people in the veterinary community are struggling with."
Heather Armstrong, the Director of the GHDT, said: "We would like to give our very sincere thanks to Chris Tufnell, President of the RCVS for choosing us as one of his charities. Over the years we have relied on volunteer vets from UK to provide training to our staff and to Gambian livestock workers. This is helping to increase Gambian veterinary capacity and we hope is also giving British vets a small insight into global veterinary problems. The British veterinary profession should be very proud, it has enabled us to achieve so much in the last 14 years and we are immensely grateful to each and every vet who has been out to help including Chris, who has kindly helped us in the past with training."
Rosie Gibbons, Challenge & Community Events Fundraiser UK at the PDSA, said: "The donations received through the RCVS’ President’s Fund to PDSA will ensure that someone’s much loved pet will receive the treatment and healthy life they deserve. It will also ensure that our veterinary teams can continue to educate people about responsible pet ownership and issue preventative treatments, making the lives of so many animals much more bearable in the future."
Sal Atkinson, Fundraising Manager for the RDA, said: "We are thrilled that Chris has chosen RDA as one of this year’s RCVS President’s Fund charities. RDA relies on voluntary donations such as this to enable us to provide life changing therapy through horses to disabled adults and children in the UK. We currently have over 3,000 horses and ponies who work with our riders, carriage drivers, volunteers and equine advisors and this support will really help us to offer more opportunities to disabled people in the community."
The President’s Christmas Box donation is made every year in lieu of sending out RCVS Christmas cards. Previous recipients have included Worldwide Veterinary Service, Mind, Canine Partners, Hounds for Heroes, and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.
VetViewer is currently used by over 400 small animal, mixed and equine practices in the UK to track their metrics.
The tool also allows users to run simulations - so for instance if the practice has had to stop offering routine consults, or has a reduced number of vets or RVNS available, they can immediately see the impact on the practice top line.
VetViewer can be used by all practices, independent or corporate, or individual branches. It can track performance for the past 18 months, allowing comparisons to be made with before, during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
VetViewer Director, Alex Arpino, says the service usually helps practices to thrive but right now offers potential to help them survive: "Many clinics are struggling to know what to do for the best and not knowing the magnitude of the economic impact of their decisions doesn't help.
"Everyone wants to protect their staff but also ensure they have jobs to return to. We can link data from nearly every PMS in the UK to VetViewer and the practice's management team is given access to a portal where they can see the data at a glance. Right now, being able to run simulations is central to current and future planning and could help alleviate stress for many practices managers and owners."
In normal circumstances, VetViewer allows practices to look at their performance over time and the effect of any changes they might make. The company says it can also help practices evaluate where they over and under-perform relative to their region and the UK as a whole.
The data available in VetViewer includes income from food, wormers and flea treatments and other provisions that many practices might find ways to sustain in the coming weeks.
Looking forward to a time when isolation and distancing can be lifted, the tool also shows where there is potential for practices to increase income - whether that's because they are under-charging for consults compared to the regional average, or performing fewer neutering procedures, or under-utilising potential diagnostic or imaging aids.
Such information is likely to be vital to recovery, providing a clear indication of the speed of recovery and the services that are making the biggest contribution to that recovery.
The VetViewer service can be demonstrated remotely by the company's dedicated team of Business Development Managers and the service can be activated at a distance, so practices can set up their account quickly and without any costs, either to set up or maintain.
For more information, visit: www.vetviewer.co.uk / www.veterinaryinsights.com or practice owners or managers can telephone 01403 800135 to make an appointment for an online meeting or to find out more.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, Head of Partnerships and Events at BSAVA said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with CVS to support the small animal veterinary profession, through the development and upskilling of veterinary professionals.
"The BSAVA manuals are a go-to vet resource, and by providing this access to CVS they become even more valuable to the community through their use in practice and in consults.”
Joseph Williams, Veterinary Director for the CVS Small Animal Division said: “At CVS we are passionate about giving the best possible care to animals. We take our responsibility seriously to help colleagues to do that, investing in training and through the support given via our Hub Clinical Leadership team.
"BSAVA manuals have long been a trusted reference point for clinical information in our industry. We’re excited to partner with the BSAVA and now, with access to this great resource, every CVS clinician, whether in the consult room, prep room or on a visit, is now just a couple of clicks away from 46 manuals with over 1400 chapters covering all disciplines from anaesthesia to wildlife casualties.’’
Virbac highlights research which shows that 90% of all dogs over one year are affected by dental issues, including plaque, tartar, gingivitis and halitosis1, but small breed dogs are 5 times more likely to have dental issues than large breeds2.
The new formulation of Veterinary HPM Small & Toy range contains Ascophyllum Nodosum, which Virbac says has been scientifically proven activity on four aspects of oral and dental health: calculus index, volatile sulphur compound concentration, plaque index and gingival bleeding index3.
Virbac points to research which shows that after being absorbed in the small intestine and then secreted into the oral cavity via saliva, Ascophyllum Nodosum inhibits some pathways involved in plaque or calculus development4.
Nutrition-wise, Virbac says the new diet offers 33% less carbohydrate and 34% more protein, on average, compared to other brands sold in veterinary practices5.
90% of the protein included in the diets is also from animal protein.
The updated range also features 2 new kibble sizes (10.5mm & 7.5mm), for smaller mouths.
References
Paul Aldrige MRCVS has won £2000 from Hill's Pet Nutrition after removing a cluster of uroliths from the bladder of an English bulldog.
He won the prize after sending the uroliths to the Minnesota Urolith Center to participate in a competition sponsored by Hill's UK in support of the launch of new Prescription DietTM c/dTM Reduced Calorie for cats.
Hill's says that although the winner was a canine patient this time, it was good news for the Bulldog that the sample was sent in, as the uroliths in question were found to contain urate. Purine uroliths, including urate, accounted for 6.4% of uroliths submitted to the Minnesota Urolith Center between 1981 - 20071. Staff at Center said that urate uroliths can vary in size, color, and texture: "This particular sample represents a good example of the need to submit uroliths for quantitative analysis. Physical appearance alone is insufficient to characterise mineral composition."
English bulldogs are one of the 66 breeds identified by the Minnesota Urolith Centre known to be affected by urate urolithiasis. Hill's says that foods such as its Prescription DietTM u/dTM can be used to help reduce the risk of uroliths recurrence in the future. Sara Locke, Hill's Associate Marketing Manager said: "We were very pleased to award the prize to Paul and congratulate him on being instrumental in producing such a successful outcome for his patient. Accurate urolith analysis is key. In many cases, these results enable vets to make accurate dietary recommendations that improve the long term prognosis for the patient."
The urolith analysis service is subsidised in part by an educational gift from Hill's Pet Nutrition and is provided to veterinary surgeons at no charge. You can download forms to submit a sample of uroliths at www.hillspet.co.uk/urolith or www.hillspet.ie/urolith or by calling Hill's on 0800 282438 or ROI 1800 626002."
Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th Edition, Hand, Thatcher, Remillard, Roudebush, Novotny, p833
Ceva Animal Health has made a last call for anyone to nominate a veterinary professional, charity worker or volunteer for one of its Animal Welfare Awards.
The awards are designed to help identify and celebrate the people who work to help better the lives of animals
The deadline for nominations is 13th January 2015, after which entries will be judged by a panel of industry professionals, including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc. The 2015 ceremony will once again be taking place at BSAVA.
Awards judge, James Yeates, Chief Veterinary Officer of the RSPCA, said: “There is a growing welfare crisis that is faced by many animals across the world, and part of the answer to these issues lays in the important role that charities, vets and volunteers play in helping improve the lives of animals every day.
“These awards allow us the opportunity to recognise these people for the great work that they do, and hopefully help to inspire others to exercise the same level of dedication to animal welfare. Help us to make sure the selfless welfare heroes in your community are recognised by nominating them at www.cevawelfareawards.co.uk.”
The full list of award categories is:
The term ‘evidence synthesis’ describes a range of methodological approaches used to systematically review, appraise, and summarise evidence on a specific area.
The approaches differ from conventional literature reviews or narrative reviews, which are not required to have a specified search strategy or methodology for appraising evidence, and usually present a personal perspective or opinion.
There are three main types of evidence syntheses: rapid reviews, systematic reviews, and scoping reviews.
All have key principles in common, which includes the formulation of a structured question, a systematic search of the available literature, a defined process of reviewing and selecting suitable publications, and a methodology for analysing the final included evidence.
Evidence synthesis is still not widely used in the equine veterinary world, despite its recognised value in human evidence-based medicine.
In the new virtual collection, the EVJ discusses the what and the why of this important evaluation method, as well as providing free access to all the equine veterinary evidence reviews published to date, including:
“Evidence synthesis makes an important contribution towards generating the evidence base which underpins equine clinical practice,” said Professor Sarah Freeman. “The challenge compared to human medicine is that equine veterinary data sets are much smaller, and study approaches and methodologies often vary significantly which means that it may not be possible to combine or collate data sets.
“Given this shortfall, scoping reviews can be helpful to identify what information is out there, find areas where a systematic review could be performed, and provide a useful summary for all the studies in a particular area.”
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: “As increasing numbers of evidence syntheses are published, they will expand our understanding of the current bodies of evidence in veterinary medicine.
“The existing studies are already informing us on how we use evidence in our practices and policies, and it is encouraging to anticipate how they will shape our development of future research, to generate the best evidence as the norm, in every case.”
The virtual issue can be found at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.evidence-synthesis-collection
“Livestock and Climate Change - A Veterinary Perspective” is an online learning course designed to give vets the confidence to make changes in their own work and the tools to support farming clients in meeting their goals.
It includes modules such as ‘Introduction to Sustainability for Veterinary Professionals’, ‘Emissions from Livestock Production’, ‘Housed Livestock Systems - Welfare, Nutrition and Emissions’, ‘Impact of Disease State on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock’ and ‘Advantages and Trade-offs of Grazing Systems in Mitigating Climate Change’.
The 6-module course is expected to take up to 3 months to complete (equivalent to 15 hours of CPD) by remote learning, and participants will get a LANTRA-accredited certificate on completion.
Lewis Griffiths, Chair of VetSalus, said “The veterinary profession has always had a critical role to play in technology transfer and the development of new farming systems.
"This course will equip vets to assist their farm clients in the incredibly important work of adapting to more sustainable production.
"I believe this is one of the most important courses to be developed for farm based veterinarians in recent years.”
Rune Friis Kristensen, Managing Director of Dyrlæger & Ko, Executive Officer at VetSalus and module champion said of the course “Livestock vets play an important role in the discussion around/about sustainability.
"Whether it is discussion with farmers, colleagues, academia or future vets it is pivotal that livestock vets know what they talk about when addressing emission issues.
"We know from surveys that the key decision maker when it comes to animal health and robustness is the vet, and more robust animals are always more sustainable.
"This course will provide learners with the knowledge that without a doubt is expected of vets in 2024.”
The course is aimed at veterinary professionals and those working in vet-led businesses, and whilst there are no specific entry requirements, all students are expected to have undertaken an undergraduate degree, technical qualification as a paraprofessional, or a relevant diploma.
The course costs £495 +VAT per student (registered overseas businesses may be eligible for a VAT exclusive price).
https://learn.vetsalus.com
The procedure has already been performed in the US and Germany, where it is reported to have had a success rate of 70-80% in around 250 cases, many of which were show jumpers, eventers and dressage horses.
The team at Liphook, led by European Specialist Rachel Tucker (pictured), has now performed the procedure on six horses.
Rachel said: “Enlargement of the articular process joints of the lower neck is a relatively common finding in horses, but occasionally this can cause compression and irritation of the spinal nerves.
"The foraminotomy procedure means horses experiencing nerve pain can be made comfortable and have a good chance of returning to ridden work and a competition career.
“The surgery is minimally invasive but it is a very delicate procedure to perform because you are working very close to the spinal cord.
"Due to the location, the surgery is performed down a single portal under direct visualisation using a camera, guided by ultrasound and X-ray.
"What has been remarkable so far has been the rapid recovery of the horses, who have been home and out in a small paddock within a few days of surgery with some showing rapid signs of improved comfort and movement.
“We are very pleased with how the procedures at Liphook went.
"Our patients are continuing to recover well and we are looking forward to following their progress in the future.
https://liphookequinehospital.co.uk
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has opened registration for next year's BSAVA / WSAVA / FECAVA Congress, offering the added incentive of some high value prizes for booking early.
Every month between now and December, everyone registered for the event will be entered into a draw. So if you book now, that gives you five chances to win:
In addition, booking early qualifies you for the Early Bird discount, and means you should secure any Masterclass and social tickets you might want.
You don't have to do anything other than register - either for yourself or for your practice - every person who pays for a registration between now and 29th December will go into the draw.
Peter Renwick, Partner, Willows Veterinary Centre said: "Given our involvement in professional development we are proud to sponsor one of the Big Booking Bonanza prizes - a complete set of the latest BSAVA Manuals that make a great addition to any interested small animal practitioner's bookshelf."
The BSAVA says that tor this WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA Congress there is a really broad and fascinating programme for 2012, with more for vets and nurses, plus a brilliantly expanded management programme and a new registration option for practice managers.
Visit www.bsava.com/congress for full details and terms and conditions.
The Emergent Disease Foundation, One Health Initiative, Worldwide Veterinary Service, and UNISON have collaborated to launch Exotic pets: Reducing the of risk of human infection, a new leaflet which explains the hygiene measures that keepers of exotic pets should take.
The organisations say that they hope veterinary clinics, pet shops, medical centres, local authorities and schools will distribute the free leaflet which is also available to download.
The Emergent Disease Foundation says the advice contained in the leaflet is taken from an independent scientific paper entitled 'A review of captive exotic animal-linked zoonoses' published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research.
The leaflet takes the line that it is inadvisable to keep exotic animals as pets, but for those who already have them, recommended measures include: thorough hand-washing with antibacterial soap and alcohol-based gels after handing or feeding an exotic pet; being careful not to touch hair, clothes (including pockets), door handles and other items immediately after handling exotic pets; closely supervising children so that they do not put their mouths close to the animal; and keeping animals, cages and equipment away from kitchens.
Clifford Warwick of the Emergent Disease Foundation, a charity focused on animal-to-human infections, said: "The modern world enables all too easy acquisition of exotic animals into the home. The pet trade in general, with its high turnover and diversity of species available, offers a speed-dating reservoir for bugs from far corners of the globe. My own advice is simple - avoiding exposure to bugs from exotic pets in the home is difficult and best avoided by not keeping them in the first place."
Dr. Bruce Kaplan of the One Health Initiative, which focuses on the connection between health and the environment, said: "As a former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) trained epidemiologist, a retired private practice veterinarian and a public health and humanitarian minded 'One Health' activist for nearly 50 years, I wholeheartedly oppose private ownership of exotic pets due to the known scientific health and safety risks for people and animals. It is a dangerous, irresponsible and irrational practice."
Owen Evans of the Worldwide Veterinary Service, a charity that provides a veterinary resource to animal welfare organisations worldwide, said:"We work on a day-to-day basis with animal health issues, so we are very mindful of how animals and people can share pathogens. Avoiding transmission is best served by minimising risks, which is what this new brochure aims to achieve."
Typically, diagnosis of endocrine disease is based on a thorough history and physical examination, followed by laboratory tests.
However clinical signs vary substantially across animals with endocrine disorders, so this new app uses AI and big data from millions of dogs in the RVC VetCompass database to improve the chances of an accurate diagnosis.
Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor for Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC, said: "By applying the latest AI technology, the app is designed to assist primary care veterinary surgeons to better detect and diagnose Cushing’s Syndrome.
"The app provides a guide to the probability of Cushing’s syndrome as an explanation in patients showing both typical and atypical clinical signs for Cushing’s"
The app is free to download on both Apple and Android devices in the UK and EU countries by searching for 'the endocrinology app".
Dr Wendy Talbot BVSc DipECEIM MRCVS, Equine National Veterinary Manager at Zoetis said: “Fast equine faecal egg count results are crucial for the appropriate and timely treatment of gastrointestinal parasites, and to detect the increasingly concerning issue of dewormer resistance in horses.
"This technology is proven to be as accurate at identifying Strongyle spp. and Parascaris spp. as a board-certified parasitologist, delivering fast, reliable and shareable results within 10 minutes.1”
Zoetis says study results have demonstrated the AI capability within the Vetscan Imagyst to be up to 99% in agreement with board-certified parasitologist results1.
This, says the company, allows for rapid identification of high shedders versus low shedders to enable strategic targeted deworming protocols to be implemented.