RCVS Junior Vice-President (JVP) Professor David Argyle has resigned from RCVS Council and his position as its Junior Vice-President, after the Preliminary Investigation Committee (PIC) closed a case against him and decided to take no further action. 

The PIC decision marked the conclusion of its investigation into a concern that was raised formally last November involving allegations of bullying at Professor Argyle’s workplace, the University of Edinburgh.

Professor Argyle, who had previously decided to step aside from his JVP and Council duties until the concern was investigated and concluded, said: “Despite this outcome from the PIC discussions, I have now made the challenging decision to stand down from my position at the RCVS. This is to ensure there is no further distraction to the College’s important work and activities and that whoever becomes the next JVP has the full support of Council and RCVS members.

"It is also to reduce the toll this situation has taken on my family, colleagues and students, and on me personally. I am proud and privileged to have served on RCVS Council for nearly ten years and wish it well as it navigates the next chapter in its history."

RCVS President Mandisa Greene said: “I appreciate that this has been an exceptionally difficult situation and very upsetting for all involved.

"I understand why David has taken the difficult decision to stand down from RCVS Council and would like to thank him for his many years of service to the RCVS since joining Council in 2012.

"I would also like to reassure colleagues once again that, throughout, the College has remained firmly committed to following due, proper and fair process in all its regulatory activities."

Following Professor Argyle’s decision to step down, the process for electing a new JVP for the current presidential year will commence.

As Professor Argyle was a Veterinary Schools Council appointee on RCVS Council, it will be for that body to elect a replacement Council member.

Further details will be announced in due course.

Mars Petcare has announced two free webinars to support veterinary surgeons in treating common dental issues in cats and dogs. 

The series looks in detail at some of the most important issues dental specialists are seeing in pets.

The first webinar in the series, which is going live on Tuesday 3rd November at 8:00pm, looks at the impact periodontal disease has on both cats and dogs. 

Co-speaker and veterinary dental specialist, Jens Ruhnau DVM, DEVDC (above, left) discusses the importance of understanding and treating the condition: "Research has shown that over 80% of dogs over the age of three, and the majority of cats, are impacted by periodontal disease. Treating the disease early and correctly is key to reducing further spread, secondary infection, and ultimately improving the quality of life of the animal".

The second webinar in the series, which will be live on Tuesday 10th November at 8:00pm, shares advice on treating tooth fractures in pets. Looking at tips on how to perform an effective oral examination, along with reviewing recent studies on the fracture limits of teeth in pet dogs.

Co-speaker and founder of DentalVets, Norman Johnston (above, right) said: "Tooth fractures are very common in both cats and dogs, and can be caused by a variety of reasons. Looking in more detail at the diagnostic process, treatments options and being aware of what objects can cause damage will help veterinary professionals, and in-turn owners, understand more about the risk of fractures."

Both webinars are free to attend, to find out more information and to register click here. https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/mars-petcare-free-webinars-tooth-fractures-periodontal-disease 

Animalcare has appointed a new technical vet, Colin Capner, to give support and advice about its products to practices in the UK. 

Colin graduated from the RVC in 1992 and has worked as a clinical veterinary surgeon in a variety of first opinion practices and referral centres. He trained as a veterinary anaesthetist at Bristol and Cambridge Universities before moving into the pharmaceutical industry, gaining experience in drug development and technical support, and pre- and post-marketing, at a number of companies.

Colin said: “Animalcare is introducing a number of new and innovative medicines, such as Daxocox, its weekly NSAID to reduce breakthrough pain in dogs with osteoarthritis, to the veterinary sector. This makes it an exciting environment in which to provide technical support.

“I’m looking forward to exploring how my experience can be most useful in supporting Animalcare’s expansion and, more importantly, ensuring that the company’s customers receive the guidance and advice they need to optimise the effectiveness of Animalcare’s product range in treating their patients.”

For technical support, email: technical@animalcare.co.uk

The RCVS has announced that it has withdrawn from X (formerly Twitter), saying that the move reflects its "commitment to the safety and wellbeing of its audience".

However, when asked by VetSurgeon.org which audience - veterinary professionals, it's staff or the public - it was referring to, or what threats to safety and wellbeing were posed by X, the College refused point blank to answer.

So the real motivation remains unclear.

On the one hand, it could be a ridiculously over-sensitive move to protect its unknown audience from opinions that its staff find objectionable. 

On the other hand, it could perfectly well be argued that short form social media reduces every discussion or debate to "I'm effing right and you're effing wrong", which is not appropriate for a scientific profession.

Equally, one could also argue that engaging in polarised debate online is not terribly good for one's wellbeing. 

Or one could just argue that it's a terrible platform owned by a strangely meddlesome and interfering American. 

However, given the College's strange refusal to expand on the reasons for its withdrawal, the first explanation seems more likely.

But who knows?

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/rcvs-statement-on-x-formerly-twitter/ 

Cheam-based Maven Veterinary Care is celebrating becoming one of only 12 practices in the country to be rated as 'outstanding' in four categories by the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.

The first opinion Linnaeus Group practice, which also holds RCVS hospital status, is run by a team of nine vets, 14 nurses, nine receptionists and four animal care assistants.

It was given an outstanding rating for client service, inpatient service, patient consultation service and team and professional responsibility.

Maureen Geraghty Sathi, Practice Manager at Maven said: "We’re always asking ourselves how could we do this better? Everyone has to be on board or it would not work."

The practice had a focus team look at awards and the improvements it would need to make to achieve the required standards. Amongst the various things that were highlighted as exceptional were:

• A genuinely separate cat waiting area and cat consult room.

• An extensive pain monitoring system with pain scoring for all patients in hospital and an outpatient system which enables clients to monitor and chart their pets pain levels at home and review them with their vet.

• Daily clinical rounds which involve the entire clinical team as well as management and a member of the customer care team. Aside from discussing clinical cases for the day this platform also enables daily review of any significant events or morbidity and mortality cases to be highlighted and time allocated for review.

• A system whereby vets at the practice email clients in advance of any surgical procedure with information on the procedure itself as well as any potential risks associated with the procedure allowing time for further discussion with the client as needed

• Consistent use of surgical and GA checklists to maximise patient safety.

In the final report, the RCVS practice standards assessor wrote: "The structures and management in place were of the very highest order. I was really impressed by the commitment of this practice to provide the very highest standards of clinical care to its clients."

Maureen said: "I am massively proud of the team, to see the pride in how they work. It is lovely to be told that you are working to an extremely high level and genuinely reflects the standards of the team day by day."

IVC Evidensia has been certified as a UK Top Employer 2025 by the Top Employers Institute. 

IVC is one of 115 companies certified in the UK, including Vodafone, Bentley, Amazon and Pfizer, and the first veterinary organisation. 

The certification benchmarks organisations globally on their people practices, including strategy, work environment, talent acquisition, learning, diversity, equity & inclusion, and wellbeing. 

IVC says the certification reflects a series of initiatives introduced to enhance the colleague experience, including private healthcare options for all staff, a family-friendly policy, a growing network of wellbeing champions and mental health first aiders, and the launch of two new training centres.

Duncan Phillips, IVC Evidensia CEO UK & Ireland, said: “This certification is a welcome acknowledgement of the progress we’ve made, and a motivator to keep improving the experience for every colleague across the UK.”

Androna Benade, Regional Manager for UK and Ireland, Top Employers Institute said: “With veterinary professionals playing a vital role in animal health, food safety, and public wellbeing, this recognition sends a powerful message about the importance of valuing and investing in the people behind the profession.

"As the UK faces ongoing workforce challenges in the veterinary sector, IVC Evidensia’s achievement sets a benchmark for how the profession can be supported, retained, and celebrated as a critical part of the UK economy and society.”

www.top-employers.com

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has announced plans to create Scotland's first new vet school in 150 years, in Aberdeen.  

SRUC, which is the biggest provider of veterinary nursing, livestock husbandry and animal care training in Scotland, says it will offer a core veterinary programme to address existing shortages in veterinary provision, in areas such as rural veterinary practice, food production, food safety and animal and public health.

The College is first establishing a working group to progress the plans for the school. The group will be chaired by Professor Sir Pete Downes, former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee.

Sir Pete will be joined by Sheila Voas, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, former NFUS President Nigel Miller, SRUC Board member Jane Craigie, and Dr Kate Richards, who is a non-executive director on the SAC Commercial Board and currently the junior vice president of the RCVS, in line to become President in July.

Professor Caroline Argo, currently Dean of SRUC’s North Faculty, will lead the project for SRUC. 

A report from BiGGAR Economics has found that the vet school could add £26 million GVA and 242 jobs to Scotland by 2030. 

Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said: “We are an ambitious institution with a bold vision for the future. This is a ground-breaking model to expand access to educational opportunities and broaden the range of potential students who would not ordinarily be able to attend a vet school. It will also help solve existing skills shortages across Scotland.

“We see a key role of the new vet school in sustaining primary agriculture and hence food and drink productivity, with the welfare of both livestock and companion animals at its heart. The school will produce champions for best-in-class animal welfare in support of these industries, which will help improve productivity, effectiveness, and sustainability.” 

“Building on the excellent new facilities we have already announced for Aberdeen and Inverness, there is a lot of work still to be done, but we are ready to seize the opportunity.”

Following the launch of two oral hypoglycaemic agents (SGLT2-inhibitors) for feline diabetes, Bexacat (bexagliflozin, Elanco) in the US and Senvelgo (Velagliflozin, Boehringer) in the UK and US, BSAVA Congress will be hosting a talk to explore how they might transform the management of diabetes, why they work well in feline but not canine diabetes, and why the FDA was moved to write to US vets about safety issues associated with the use of these drugs. 

The ‘Advances in Diabetes’ module, taking place at BSAVA Congress 2024 in Manchester Central, will offer delegates the chance to hear first-hand from the clinical researchers and specialists who have used these drugs, such as Dr Ellen Behrend, Prof Ian Ramsey, Prof Stijn Niessen, and Dr Anna Lena Kramer.

Stijn said: “Although not suited as a sole therapeutic for dogs, the current data suggests that a majority of diabetic cats could be treated with once daily oral formulations of these drugs.

“Some of the past barriers to successful long term diabetic treatment included the owner having to inject insulin twice daily and having to watch for hypoglycaemia.

"These lifelong impacts on the owner’s lifestyle are now being taken away.”

Delegates will also be able to learn about advances in the monitoring of canine diabetes, such as the use of Freestyle Libre monitors and haemoglobin A1c, as well as a review of recent developments and management practices for ‘complicated’ cases.

Stijn added: “Gone are the days that we saw diabetes mellitus as a disease; instead, it is the consequence of one or many diseases.

“As such we now ought to approach diabetic cases with a much more open mind and being willing to try and determine the exact aetiology of the diabetes mellitus, doing so can pay off and prevent a diabetic case from becoming a complicated case.”

Ellen added: “Although diabetic ketoacidosis is no more common with the use of SGLT2-inhibitors, it is more likely to be euglycemic with a blood glucose <13.9 mmol/L.

"The recognition of euglycemic ketoacidosis and the correct approach of treatment is crucial.”

Stjn concluded: “Each patient is an individual and therefore diagnosis, treatment and monitoring practices should be adapted to the individual pet-owner combination.

Vets must adjust their approaches significantly when using these drugs, the ‘Advances in Diabetes’ module will provide an in-depth look at these adjustments.”

Delegates will also be able to get their hands on the brand new fifth edition of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endocrinology, which includes a chapter on feline diabetes mellitus that discusses various treatments including the use of SGLT2-inhibitors.

Jacquie Rand, author of the chapter said: “SGLT2-Inhibitors will be a game-changer for diabetic cats and their owners. However, it is important that cats are diagnosed earlier in the disease process while some insulin secretory capacity is present, for these to be used as the sole drug therapy.”

The BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endocrinology will be available to purchase on the BSAVA Publications Stand in the Exhibition Hall. ‘Advances in Diabetes’ will take place on Thursday 21^st March in the Exchange Hall.

Registration for BSAVA members starts at £115 +VAT for a one-day event pass.

https://www.bsavacongress.com.

Illustration: What a presentation about SGLT2-Inhibitors might look like (this has been photoshopped)

CVS has launched an ‘Equipment Optimisation’ project to maximise the use of the diagnostic equipment it has invested in since the start of 2023.

The company says that over that time, it has invested £122 million in sites, equipment and technology, but for some vets and nurses, a lack of training and confidence and a perceived lack of time has been a barrier to getting the most out of it.

The new CVS ‘Equipment Optimisation’ project will focus on CT, X-ray, dental X-ray, microscopy, endoscopy and laparoscopy, aiming to maximise its value and longevity.

The project plans to do this by helping to increase colleague confidence in the equipment’s ability, and to improve its maintenance - thereby reducing down time. 

Each CVS practice will select one piece of equipment as a focus area for the next 12 months.

Each practice will create a plan, set project goals and then evaluate and share what works.

To support practices in their work, CVS has created a new clinical projects hub offering information and guidance on equipment set up, use, clinical interpretation, maintenance and troubleshooting.

The company is also offering additional training in the form of in-practice mentoring, radiation protection supervisor training, and a variety of online courses. 

Lizzie McLennan Green, CVS Companion Animal UK Veterinary Director, said: “We’ve invested significantly in clinical equipment to improve patient diagnoses.

"And this project will help teams to feel confident in using and maintaining it.

"It offers a huge opportunity to continuously improve; offering better treatment and improved services to our clients and their animals.

“Each practice is being given the chance to select a piece of equipment that best fits their client base, their team and the way they work.

"We’re getting everyone involved from the start to tailor their own project – to make the process more targeted and meaningful.

“And to help colleagues, our clinical projects hub will be the go-to space containing all of the information, tools and support they need to get involved.

"It’ll also allow colleagues to connect with others, share ideas and build confidence as a wider team.”

From 1st March vets can sign up to be alerted to all recorded equine influenza cases in the UK, thanks to a new service from the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Merial Animal Health.

Tell Tail is the UK's first equine influenza (EI) text alert service exclusively for equine vets, set up to provide practices and their clients with what could be invaluable information in the face of a potential outbreak. 

Dr Emma Batson from Merial said: "Vets will be notified of an EI outbreak within 48 hours of confirmed diagnosis. Not only will this allow them to alert their clients, but we believe that it will also help to encourage horse owners to become more compliant with vaccination schedules.

"Currently it is estimated that only a third of the UK horse population is vaccinated for EI. This situation is not only a potential welfare issue, but it also provides practices with a significant opportunity to increase the number of horses protected against EI, resulting in a win-win situation for all."

Dr Richard Newton, Head of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance at the AHT, believes the text alert service will also help improve awareness and knowledge of EI, and he hopes all equine vets will sign up for the scheme. He said: "We believe that the launch of the alert service for vets marks an important step in the quest to help minimise the risk of an EI outbreak in the UK.

"EI doesn't have a carrier state, which means that it never goes away and re-emerges, instead it circulates continuously. So without continued surveillance we could easily lose track of it.

"We hope that as well as allowing practices to track and respond to outbreaks in their area, the alerts will also encourage vets to send in samples from animals with cold and flu-like symptoms. This is a free service which in turn provides us with more information to circulate within the industry, allowing everyone to be more effective at managing the disease.

"Vaccination is our best defence against EI, but to remain effective the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Expert Surveillance Panel, needs to make any update recommendations based on the latest position in the field. And this information can only be gathered via effective surveillance."

Dr Batson agrees and hopes that the combination of the Tell Tail text alert service and surveillance scheme will help to reduce the risk of an outbreak occurring in the UK. She said: "In the UK we continue to see regular confirmed outbreaks of EI, so we can never afford to become complacent about the risks.

"You only have to look at the relatively recent major outbreaks in Australia, South Africa, India and China, to see the devastating effects which can ripple throughout equine industries, both in financial as well as welfare terms."

Tell Tail is a free service. To register your interest, text your name, practice and postcode to 07797 801863. Alternatively, visit http://www.merial.com/ and click on the Tell Tail link, or speak to your Merial territory manager.

Ceva Animal Health has Douxo Care Auricular Lotion, an ear cleaner to remove excess ear wax and debris from the ear canal and skin in cats and dogs.

Douxo Care Auricular Lotion can be used for routine ear cleaning and removal of ear wax and as an ear cleaner prior to treatment in order to clean the ear canal of debris. Ceva says it is fast drying and pleasant to use and the lotion can also be adapted for the routine cleaning of skin folds and around the eyes.

Andrew Fullerton BVSc (Hons) MRCVS, Douxo product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Following requests from dermatologists to launch this product in the UK, we are very excited to add Douxo Care Auricular Lotion to the UK Douxo range. It will provide a gentle yet effective and soothing option for dogs and cats needing regular ear cleaning and all under the Douxo brand we know and love.”

To support the launch of Douxo Care Auricular Lotion, the company is running a buy one, get one free offer (used once and up to a maximum of five units ie pay for five and receive five free of charge). For information on the offer, which runs until 31 October, contact cevauk@ceva.com, use the offer QR code or call 01494 781510 to request an order form or to process an order.

For more information, contact cevauk@ceva.com, call 01494 781510 or visit www.douxo.com/uk.

Simplyhealth Professionals, a provider of preventive health plans for cats, dogs, rabbits and horses, is launching two new online resources for veterinary practices.

The first is Design Hub, a self-service marketing portal which allows practices to choose from a variety of designs for posters, social media posts and other collateral and brand them with the practice logo. The portal includes a planner which details noteworthy dates, veterinary campaigns and events that practices might want to include in their marketing plans.

Member practices using the new portal during February also have the chance to enter a competition to win £500 Love2shop vouchers.

The second resource is a pets portal which the company says will make it easier to access live information about pets enrolled on its health plans, make administrative changes, process refunds or cancellations and soon, add new pets. 

From July the pets portal will compatible with tablets and other mobile devices, so practice staff can move out from behind the desk and have conversations with pet owners in the waiting or consulting rooms. 

Paul Bates, Practice Development Specialist, said: "We had already identified that practices wanted to be able to register plans and change details online. It was important for us to also ensure that the tool we developed had the desired functionality and was robust enough to handle large volumes of data being entered simultaneously across the country.

"We also wanted it to be fit for purpose so that if we want to develop more advanced features going forwards, we don’t have to recreate the wheel and can build on what we have already. The portal will be really useful in its own right and gives us a great launching pad for future development."

To access the new portals, email: pethealthplanscomms@denplan.co.uk, or contact your Simplyhealth Professionals Practice Support Advisor or Business Development Consultant.

For more information about Simplyhealth Professionals visit http://www.pethealthplans.co.uk/vets.

An online presentation by Danielle Gunn-Moore, Professor of Feline Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, has been launched by Dechra Veterinary Products as part of its Dechra Academy training suite.

During the presentation, Professor Gunn-Moore uses a case study approach to discuss all aspects of the condition from diagnosis through to its treatment, management and on-going monitoring.  She reminds viewers that an individual approach must be taken in treating affected cats as the clinical signs can be subtle and starting treatment with the lowest possible dose of anti-thyroid medication is likely to prove physiologically beneficial.

"The study I've recently been involved in showed that the treatment of hyperthyroid cats can result in iatrogenic hypothyroidism*. Hypothyroid cats are significantly more likely to develop azotaemia than euthyroid cats - and hypothyroid cats that developed azotaemia in the study had significantly shorter survival times*. 

"The message for practitioners is that there is no 'standard recipe' in treating hyperthyroidism. The clinical signs aren't always obvious and it's important to check for concurrent heart and kidney disease. You then need to tailor treatment, starting with a low dose of medication and, if necessary, increasing it by the smallest increments possible."

To watch Professor Gunn-Moore's presentation, visit www.dechra.co.uk/hyperthyroidism. 

Reference:
* Williams, T. et al (2010) JVIM 24: 1086-1092