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The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has directed that a Leeds-based veterinary surgeon, whose convictions for threatening behaviour, theft, and assault made him unfit to practise, should be removed from the Register.
At the outset of the two-day hearing, Dr Gary Samuel admitted his convictions. These related to his actions near his property in Cardiff on 10 July 2011, and were received at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on 22 November 2011. The Committee was asked to decide if these convictions made Dr Samuel unfit to practise veterinary surgery, and to decide upon any sanction.
The facts of the offences, as set out at the magistrates' court by the prosecution, were that Dr Samuel took a camera and memory card from a neighbour who was taking photographs of construction works behind his property. In doing so, he grabbed the neighbour from behind, twisting her arm, and later threatened her and her partner with a large piece of wood.
Although Dr Samuel wrote to the College saying he had pleaded guilty to the charges, he also denied some of the offences charged, suggesting that it was the neighbour who had been abusive towards him.
The Committee allowed the possibility that Dr Samuel was provoked by the taking of photographs and may have been subjected to offensive abuse by the neighbour, and considered that he acted impulsively and lost control of his actions. However, the convictions were for serious offences: the assault resulted in injury to the victim; the threatening behaviour involved a risk of injury to the victim and her partner; and, the theft involved dishonesty. Dr Samuel's conduct at the time was "reckless", and he had since displayed very limited insight into his behaviour.
Professor Peter Lees, chairing and speaking on behalf of the Committee said: "The Committee considers that the offences of which the Respondent was convicted, and to which he pleaded guilty, were serious, as is reflected in the suspended sentences, community service orders, fines, restrictions and penalties imposed by the court. The Committee accepts that this is not a case in which the welfare of animals has been put at risk, but takes the view that a serious sanction is required in order to uphold the reputation of the veterinary profession, and public confidence in it, and to uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour on the part of its members."
The Committee directed Dr Samuel's name should be removed from the Register.
TVM, which has a wide range of products in ophthalmology, neurology, geriatrics, gastroenterology, anti-poison management and health and wellness, says that the acquisition is designed to boost the company's international scope, building market share and expanding its leadership in the fields of ophthalmology and neurology beyond France.
The acquisition will also strengthen TVM’s position in the area of animal anti-poison treatment as Forum Animal Health already supplies a canine emetic which it has been marketing in the UK for three years with an awareness campaign about the dangers of toxic products to dogs. This, the company says, has contributed to a significant increase in early interventions by veterinary surgeons in cases of poisoning. A similar campaign is currently being led in France by the TVM laboratory.
To accompany the change, Forum Animal Health is adopting a new visual identity, shown above right.
Following last year's campaign, Merial commissioned a survey to learn more about how horse owners seek and receive information about the wider aspects of preventative healthcare, and in particular about the relationship with their veterinary practice.
In the survey of 455 horse owners, which was carried out by CMI Research, 78% said their veterinary surgeon was the most important source of information. The next most important influencers were yard managers/grooms at just 22%.
Louise Radford MRCVS from Merial said: "We wanted to learn more about client education and the opportunities for practices to get more from their client relationships, including vaccination and booster uptake. However we hadn’t estimated just how much horse owners rely on their vet for information!"
"However there appears to be a significant gap between vets as a source of information, and their client’s purchasing habits. Health plans are a great example of the potential for improved compliance, with benefits to the horse, client and practice. Yard health plans present an opportunity to increase booster uptake and also to include animals that might not otherwise be vaccinated.
"Of those horse owners and grooms surveyed who did not vaccinate some or all of their horses, their reasons included horses that never leave the yard, or are old, young, or do not interact with other horses. Yet we know that horses that don’t travel are still at risk of equine flu, as virus can travel up to a mile as an aerosol on the wind, in addition to being carried on objects such as buckets and tack.
"So as the key influencers on preventative healthcare, there is much that practices can do to further engage with clients to increase uptake of products and services, improve client loyalty, and ultimately boost the practice business."
For more information on Equine Flu Awareness Month- 2017, including client materials and video content, visit www.equinefluawareness.com
Titled ‘The Five Steps of Seizure Management’, the sessions will update veterinary surgeons and nurses on:
Will Peel, Product Manager at TVM UK said: "The Lunch and Learn sessions have proved very popular with veterinary practices. Our aim is to update vets and nurses on diagnosis and management of epilepsy in general practice whilst educating them about products and services which can help them better support their patients."
TVM says it will also provided supporting literature, including guidelines and owner educational tools, designed to help veterinary staff in diagnosing and treating pets with epilepsy.
To book a Lunch and Learn, contact your local TVM UK territory manager or email help@tvm-uk.com.
'Period prevalence and mortality rates associated with hypocholesterolaemia in dogs and cats: 1,375 cases1' determined the period prevalence of hypocholesterolaemia and the associated mortality rates in dogs and cats at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis.
The medical records of cats and dogs presenting to the hospital from 1st September 2011 to 30th August 2016 were retrospectively reviewed to identify all animals that had at least 1 cholesterol measurement; a total of 16,977 dogs and 3,788 cats were identified. Patient signalment and clinical information were collated from the medical records, including the primary disease processes in patients with moderate to severe hypocholesterolaemia. The period prevalence and mortality rate of hypocholesterolaemia were calculated.
The period prevalence of hypocholesterolaemia was 7.0% in dogs and 4.7% in cats. The mortality rate of hypocholesteraemic dogs and cats was 12% in both species, which was significantly higher than that of animals with normal serum cholesterol.
Steven Epstein, corresponding author for the paper, said: 'The odds of death in dogs and cats with hypocholesterolaemia were 3.2 and 2.5 times higher than in those with normocholesterolaemia respectively. Furthermore, there was a significant linear trend towards higher mortality in association with more severe hypocholesterolaemia in both species.
'Disease of the hepatic, gastrointestinal and lymphoreticular systems were most commonly associated with hypocholesterolaemia, and infectious and neoplastic disease were the most commonly associated pathophysiological processes in both species. In dogs with neoplasia, lymphoma was over-represented.'
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP said: 'These findings suggest that low cholesterol levels are associated with mortality in canine and feline patients. It is not clear whether hypocholesterolaemia is simply a marker for disease severity, or if it has active physiological effects contributing to poor outcomes. At this stage, it seems indicated to enhance intensity of diagnostic effort and therapy for affected animals.'
The full article can be found in the November issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13204
Reference
Sophia Salmon MRCVS from Central CPD said: "All of the major corporate chains in the UK now deliver a significant proportion of their clinical and non-clinical staff training via online learning platforms. These systems form an important part of professional development, training standardisation and even performance evaluation.
"However, learning platforms can be expensive to procure and develop, as well as being time-consuming to maintain, and therefore may not be viable for smaller businesses."
Central CPD has used its experience providing online learning to several of the UK’s major corporate veterinary groups to create 'Central CPD On-Demand', which features over 1500 clinical and non-clinical CPD videos for vets, nurses, managers and receptionists.
There's a new practice subscription package which, developed with whole-team learning in mind, costs £2000 per year for up to twenty people (veterinary surgeons, nurses or management staff).
Central CPD says the new package allows individuals and practices to set their own learning plan for the year, and for mentors to build and supervise training programmes for other staff members.
Practices can add their own content, such as policy documents, in order to assist with the delivery of compulsory elements of staff training.
Central CPD says its service is a fraction of the cost of procuring and populating an off-the-shelf learning platform, and the company is staffed by vets and vet nurses who are available to provide one-to-one advice and support to help practices set up their team’s platform and get the most out of the system.
For more information, visit: https://centralcpd.co.uk/
Presented by Andy Moores and Alex Belch, 'Plates and Screws - An Introduction' is aimed at surgeons with no prior experience of applying plates and screws, and offers seven hours of CPD.
Andy said: "If you've ever wondered if orthopaedics is for you, or you just need an introductory course to get you started, this could be the perfect opportunity.
"The course should be particularly useful for junior colleagues: the tutors are very friendly and it's great value thanks to sponsorship from Veterinary Instrumentation and the BVOA.
Tickets cost £200 (plus £40 for non-members): https://bvoa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Plating-registration-form.pdf
The BVOA 60th Anniversary Conference follows from 12th-14th October at the same venue.
Titled "Back to the Future, the conference features talks by Mike Farrell, Antonio Pozzi, Stuart Carmichael and others, covering subjects such as fracture repair, joint pathology, imaging techniques and osteoarthritis.
There'll also be a chance to look round HMS Belfast, and a gala black tie dinner.
Tickets start at £250 for a single day, up to £795 for the full conference package.
Rachel Wells, an RVN and Pet Health Counsellor (PHC) from Pype Hayes Veterinary Centre in Birmingham, has won Royal Canin's annual 'Pet Health Counsellor of the Year' Awards 2013.
The ceremony, which took place earlier this month at the Forest of Arden Marriot Hotel in Birmingham, saw Rachel beat 25 other finalists to claim the Gold Award. Royal Canin presented Rachel with £1,500 worth of high-street vouchers at the annual ceremony, which celebrates veterinary professionals for promoting preventative health care and running pet health clinics in practice.
The Erdington-based PHC, was chosen by animal behaviour expert Sarah Heath for her work in weekly puppy parties, general 'nutrition mission' clinics and firework and weight clinics. She was also recognised for her one-off work in running an 'Embarrassing Pet Bodies' workshop in the summer, similar to the 'Embarrassing Bodies' Channel 4 TV documentary.
Royal Canin's Veterinary Sales and Marketing Director, Andrew Doyle, said: "It's a privilege to be able to present Rachel with the award. She has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to Pype Hayes Veterinary Centre, by running a variety of specialist sessions for owners which have proven very popular and beneficial. The Royal Canin Pet Health Counsellor scheme was set up to encourage Veterinary Nurses to advance their professional development, so it was great to see such a high level of entries this year detailing the PHCs who have set up effective clinics and services in their practice."
Rachel said: "It is an honour to receive Royal Canin's Pet Health Counsellor of the Year award. It's a fantastic opportunity and the scheme they run has given me the chance and confidence to develop specialist clinics at Pype Hayes Veterinary Centre. We have set up many sessions including weight and nutrition clinics to give our clients the specific advice and training for their pets' needs."
The BSAVA and Vets Now have signed a partnership agreement to develop a new postgraduate certificate in emergency and critical care (ECC).
The programme, which will follow the same broad structure as BSAVA's existing postgraduate certificate, will take its first group of students in May 2014.
Prof Michael Day, pictured above with Amanda Boag at BSAVA, said: "This is an exciting development to develop a qualification which will be relevant and accessible to vets in practice."
Amanda Boag added: "The combined expertise of both organisations will result in an engaging and high quality qualification in this field."
Novartis Animal Health has announced that it has assumed marketing responsibilities for the joint health supplement Cosequin in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Cosequin, which contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, is available in a range of presentations for dogs, cats, and horses.
The product, which was previously marketed by MSD, is the leading joint health supplement among veterinary surgeons in the US and Europe.
Novartis says Cosequin is an important addition to its Orthopaedic Health Category, which in 2009 introduced Onsior (robenacoxib), the first tissue-selective pain relief for cats and dogs.
Gaynor Hillier, General Manager UK & Ireland Novartis Animal Health said: "Our strategic intent is to expand our presence in orthopaedic health to address prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in a more comprehensive manner. Cosequin represents an important step toward achieving this objective".
Cosequin is available from Novartis Animal Health in the United Kingdom and Ireland, from licensed veterinary wholesalers. For more information on Cosequin, contact your Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager.
The procedure involves introducing a catheter through the jugular, then using fluoroscopy and transoesophageal echocardiography to guide it from the right atrium through to the left side of the heart to relieve abnormal high pressures in the left atrium.
Willows says it is one of only a few centres across Europe equipped to carry out the procedure and that typically, patients who undergo TSP can be discharged from hospital the day after surgery.
Fabio Sarcinella (pictured right), an RCVS and European specialist in small animal cardiology at Willows, said: “Early clinical evaluation of the TSP procedure in humans over the last few years has shown improved quality of life and reduced clinical signs in patients with heart failure.
“The procedure has also been associated with low-risk and a meaningful drop in left atrial pressure of the affected patients.”
Fabio added: “As well as being minimally invasive, the improvement in heart chamber pressures via TSP often allows for a reduction in the dose of water tablets which are used to control the heart failure signs in the lungs.
"Lowering the dose reduces the risk of side effects related to these drugs such as kidney failure.”
Willows says TSP is most commonly used for left atrial decompression in dogs with heart failure and concurrent renal disease or that have advanced heart failure but continue to have symptoms despite optimal medical treatment.
www.willows.uk.net
The talk, which is sponsored by Supreme Petfoods, will be co-delivered by Craig Tessyman, who works alongside Molly as Exotics Veterinary Nurse Team Leader at Rutland House Veterinary Referrals.
The presentation will focus on the main aspects of emergency care, including best practice for managing these cases in first opinion practice.
Topics will include restoring and maintaining fluid balance, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), analgesia options and the importance of appropriate monitoring.
Molly said: “The basic principles of emergency care apply to all species, but with small herbivores, rapid intervention is crucial as their delicate physiology can quickly spiral into crisis when they become unwell.
"In this session, Craig and I will share practical tips that vets and nurses can implement immediately, without requiring specialist equipment, to help manage these challenging cases.”
The sixty minute talk will start at 12.50pm in the Gallery Suite 3-4.
For those unable to attend the live event, a recorded version of the presentation will be available here: https://supremepetfoods.com/vet-zone/cpd-webinars-and-videos/
The review will consider whether the UK Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, which were were originally derived from EU legislation, protect animal and public health without adding unnecessary regulatory burden.
Anyone is able to share their views and experiences of the regulations, but the VMD is especially interested in hearing from vets, vet nurses, SQPs, marketing authorisation holders, farmers and pet owners.
Responses must be submitted before 23:59 on 26th September 2025
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/vmd-policy-development-and-delivery-office/mmd-act-2021-stakeholder-survey
A donation of 200 Tracer microchips by Bayer is helping to save one of the world's largest and rarest species of frog against extinction. A deadly fungal disease, responsible for decimating global amphibian populations, is threatening the last known wild population of the 'mountain chicken' frog (Leptodactylus fallax).
The eastern Caribbean island of Montserrat is the last global stronghold for this species - known locally as mountain chicken due to its taste. As recently as 2002, chytridomycosis wiped out the majority of mountain chicken frogs on the island of Dominica. Recent tests on dead frogs found in the west of Montserrat have confirmed the presence of this disease.
The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has been working in Montserrat since the early 1990s to support the local government in the protection of the island's vast biodiversity. The mountain chicken has been an important species, and Durrell holds the largest safety net population at its Jersey headquarters.
In response to the positive identification of the disease, Durrell has launched an emergency plan to rescue healthy frogs and put in place longer treatment and management plans for the protection of the species.
Bayer's donation of 200 Tracer microchips will be used to individually identify the captive mountain chickens held by Durrell to help manage a breeding programme. Durrell is also testing the feasibility of treating the frogs with antifungals in their natural habitat, and the use of the donation of microchips will be essential to allow individual frogs to be monitored to assess the outcomes of treatment regimes.
Durrell's head of veterinary services, Javier López, has worked with mountain chickens for a number of years, and explains that the disease could very quickly wipe out the species. Captive populations of healthy frogs, such as the one in Jersey, could be used to initiate re-introductions back to the wild or in disease-free areas.
Following a nationwide search to find the UK's top veterinary professionals for 2010, Petplan has announced the winners of the Veterinary Awards.
The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise and applaud staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation's pets and their owners.
Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, says she is thrilled by the ongoing success of the awards. "Britain is known to be an animal-loving nation and with millions of households owning cats and dogs, pets play a central part in family life. The Petplan Veterinary Awards give us the opportunity, on behalf of all pet owners across the UK, to thank the veterinary profession for the outstanding service they provide to our pets.
"This is the 11th year of the awards and we received over 1800 nominations, which really highlights the high regard that the profession and pet owners have for these awards."
VET OF THE YEARMike Hewitt, Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre, Buckinghamshire Having worked in the profession for over 20 years Mike is highly respected by clients, valued by colleagues and loved by pets. Having received so many heartfelt customer nominations, Mike's constant professionalism and approachable manner shone through.
VET NURSE OF THE YEARLouise Want, Feldon Veterinary Centre, WarwickshireThe constant support and care Louise provides to both her colleagues and clients really stood out. She is a great inspiration to all and having worked in the veterinary profession for 30 years, Louise is as passionate and dedicated, as when she first started.
VET RECEPTIONIST OF THE YEAR Carol Dawson, Kingsteignton Veterinary Group, Devon Carol's compassionate and professional manner really impressed all the judges. Clients instantly feel at ease because of her caring smile and welcoming attitude, while her colleagues find her a great inspiration.
VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR Mill House Veterinary Surgery and Hospital, Norfolk Mill House Veterinary Surgery and Hospital provides an incredibly high level of service to their clients, and as a collective are extremely dedicated and welcoming. Taking pride in their work they are known by their clients for being efficient, friendly and helpful.
Zoetis has launched PetDialog and HorseDialog, the only treatment reminder apps for pet and horse owners which veterinary practices can customise with their own branding.
The app is downloadable from the Apple and Android app stores, but is only accessible by inputting a unique practice identity code.
Once the app is unlocked, owners can then input details of any medications their pet is taking and the date its healthcheck / vaccinations are due, after which they'll receive a practice-branded email reminder.
It's a similar idea to Bayer's reminder app released earlier this year, but with the very clever addition of practice branding.
John Toole, Product Manager at Zoetis said: "This is absolutely the right time to launch this app. Smartphone ownership has rapidly increased from 38% to 60% in the last three years and by 2015 it is predicted that 73% of the UK population will own a Smartphone. The use of Smartphones is no longer just the domain of the young - use and ownership is pretty evenly spread among age groups between 24 and 64, with greatest growth among the 44 -74 age group over the past three years. It comes as no surprise that recent market research confirms 57% of UK pet owners own an Android or iOS device.
"Health businesses are the most trusted by UK mobile users when it comes to receiving mobile messages. More than 11 million consumers have opted in to receive mobile messages from health companies, particularly to take advantage of appointment reminders. This form of communication can really boost loyalty where vet practices are concerned, as 74% of users say that mobile messages that had a use or benefit would maintain or enhance their loyalty to that brand.
"PetDialog has been a significant investment for us and with the help of our customers we plan to re-invest in a robust development stream to ensure the app becomes a valuable tool for pet owners and practices alike. To help practices launch and market the app we've developed an extensive bespoke range of marketing support materials from web pages and email templates to practice posters that come alive in the waiting room with augmented reality."
VetSurgeon gave the app a very quick trial. We found registration simple and easy. Clear navigation. Very good first impression.
Except ...
Honestly, whose idea was it that even the most pathologically insane pet owner would possibly, even once in a million years, want to record (and chart) the amount of time they spend hugging their pet. And not just that, but also to categorise their pet-hugging activities according to whether it was 'Morning Cuddles', 'Afternoon Hugs' or 'Evening Snuggles'. Someone at Zoetis' digital agency must have been smoking something very strong when they came up with that one.
Similarly, the ability to record the amount of time spent playing with the dog, breaking it down into specific activities such as: 'Fetch', Tug of War', 'General Playing', is surely targeted at the 0.0000000001% of the pet owning population that really should be getting some sort of professional help.
That said, the overall idea and execution is top notch. Provided Zoetis removes the madder elements of the app at the next upgrade, it'll get 5 stars out of 5. Meantime, it's still highly recommended.
For more information about the app, contact your Zoetis Account Manager
Novartis Animal Health has launched a 0.5L pack of the anthelmintic Zolvix to make the product more readily available for quarantine dosing, and for the smaller sheep farmer.
Novartis says that because Zolvix is a broad spectrum anthelmintic that has the ability to kill all common sheep gastro-intestinal nematodes, including those resistant to existing treatments, it has a key role to play in quarantine treatment to keep parasite infection down to a minimum.
Simon Harris, Endoparasite Brand Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "As the first of the new generation of the Orange or 4-AD anthelmintic group, Zolvix has demonstrated effectiveness in killing worms, even those resistant to other products.
"Sheep farmers are being encouraged to use Zolvix as a quarantine treatment that can significantly reduce worm burdens on farm. I would stress that it is essential guidelines are followed in order to preserve Zolvix's ability to combat nematodes that have acquired resistance to other classes of wormers.
"This new pack size is aimed at farmers who are introducing new stock to their flocks, but will also be convenient for the smaller sheep farmer and smallholders who don't require such a large quantity of product."
Novartis says that because Zolvix is a short-acting anthelmintic, it does not encourage resistance to develop through a long duration of action. It has a high margin of safety so can be used to treat sheep and lambs including pregnant or lactating ewes and breeding rams. Its short meat withhold period of just seven days allows flexibility when marketing lambs.
The Veterinary Development Council (VDC) is conducting a survey to investigate the role of paraprofessionals and technicians in veterinary practice, and is asking vets in large animal, equine, and mixed practices to complete a short survey.
The VDC says that information from the survey will help inform discussions on the regulation of technicians.
The survey will take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete and can be found on the BVA website at www.bva.co.uk/vdc. The BVA has also emailed the survey directly to practices.
The survey has been devised by the VDC working group looking at the role of the veterinary-led team, chaired by BVA Past President Professor Bill Reilly. This is one of three working groups that will report to the VDC:
Professor Reilly said: "The relationship between veterinary surgeons and technicians is vital but it varies from practice to practice.
"The working group on the role of the veterinary-led team aims to take a snapshot of how services, such as artificial insemination and foot trimming, are currently delivered, and gauge how veterinary surgeons feel about other services being delivered by non-veterinarians in the future.
"I hope veterinary surgeons in large, mixed and equine practice will take 10 minutes to complete our survey to help us map the current use of technicians in veterinary practice and help shape our future discussions."
Complete Veterinary Care (CVC) is to launch the BooBooLoon, a new alternative to the Elizabethan collar at BSAVA Congress.
According to the company, the inflatable collar offers comfort and protection advantages over old style Elizabethan collars and other devices that restrict pets from harming surgical wounds and irritating skin disorders.
The BooBooLoon, which is made in the US by a manufacturer called Headroom, will be distributed by CVC to veterinary professionals and pet shops. The collar will be available in five sizes from extra small through to extra large.
Marcy Colangelo, President of Headroom invented the device when her boxer dog Mitzi had surgery for skin cancer. She said: "I just couldn't stand leaving that cone on her. It was like putting her head in a tunnel."
Inspired by her own travel pillow, she came up with the BooBooLoon.
Marcy added: "I know the entire CVC Group administrative and veterinarian management team are enthusiastic about their upcoming BooBooLoon inflatable pet recovery collar launch. The CVC Group is very experienced and is committed to providing excellent service and quality to the veterinary profession and to independent pet shops throughout the United Kingdom."
The RCVS has announced that the Code of Professional Conduct has been updated to restrict - from April 2016 - the use of the word specialist and its derivatives in veterinary practice marketing and promotional materials, except when referring to an RCVS Recognised Specialist.
Alternatives for practitioners who want to describe a special area of expertise in their marketing materials, but who are not on the RCVS list of Specialists include: 'Special interest in ...', 'Experienced in ...', 'Advanced qualifications in ...', or, for those who hold the status, 'Advanced Practitioner'.
The College says the changes will also apply to European Veterinary Specialists fully recognised by the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation, who will now need to join the RCVS list if they wish to use the title in the UK. However, European Specialists will be offered a simplified application process and a 50% reduction in the fee, because their revalidation is carried out by their specialist European college.
The College has also extended the deadline for new applications for Specialist Status to 30th September 2015. The deadline for re-applications by existing RCVS Specialists remains 14th August 2015.
In addition to changing the Code, the College has also amended Chapter 23 of its supporting guidance ('Advertising and publicity') to give more detailed advice on use of the terms 'specialist' and 'specialising in' in the context of advertising and referrals.
Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "Specialist status is not easy to achieve. Those who hold it have achieved a postgraduate qualification at a minimum of Diploma level and have satisfied us that they make an active contribution in their speciality, for example, through publishing academic papers.
"The change to the Code of Professional Conduct is therefore intended to ensure the integrity of the specialist list and title, so that those who do not have RCVS-recognised qualifications, experience and expertise do not claim or imply they hold such a status.
"These changes will benefit the public and, ultimately, animal welfare by clearly identifying those who have specialised knowledge and skills. They should also aid members of the broader profession in the UK when they are deciding who they should refer cases to.
"We recognise this represents a significant change which is why we have allowed a 'bedding in' period before the change comes into force, as well as extending the deadline for applications."
To find out more about applying for Specialist status, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/specialists. The List of RCVS Specialists is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/listofspecialists. Details of the updates made to the Code can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetcode. These changes have also been reflected in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct app which can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/codeapp.
The original survey was sent last year to more than 5,000 UK-registered veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who gained their qualification from a non-UK EU institution, with a response rate of around 55%.
This year the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), on behalf of the RCVS, contacted over 6,000 veterinary surgeons and almost 50 veterinary nurses – including those previously surveyed as well as EU registrants who have joined since the last survey – who trained in non-UK EU countries to seek their views on the implications of Brexit for European veterinary professionals.
Chris Tufnell, RCVS Senior Vice-President and Chair of the College’s Brexit Taskforce, said: "The aim of this survey is to gain a greater understanding of the views and expectations of our EU colleagues now that certain elements of the UK’s withdrawal process from the European Union, as well as the timing, have become clearer. The survey will also be looking for the views of colleagues on how the College has addressed the challenges of Brexit so far.
"It is particularly important that those who responded to last year’s survey do so this year because the aim is to get a sense of how their views and plans are shifting as the Brexit process moves forward."
As with last year’s survey, the views collated through the consultation will help the College understand the immediate and longer-term impact of the UK’s exit from the EU, gather evidence that could be used to make a case for special treatment of veterinary professionals with regard to future immigration policies and allow the College to provide informed advice to European veterinary professionals as they make decisions about their future careers.
Dr Tufnell added: "I would strongly encourage EU veterinary professionals to respond to this survey, even if they didn’t do so last year, as their views really do matter to us and really do have an impact on our Brexit policies and the views we put forward to the government in these critical times."
The deadline for sending responses to the IES is Wednesday 18 July 2018 and all data will be managed and analysed by IES, an independent not-for-profit research institute, on a confidential basis with no individual responses being seen by the RCVS.
The College says it intends to conduct a third survey when the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, and the impact of this on non-UK EU nationals, are better defined.
PBD Biotech says the Actiphage test offers the potential to revolutionise control of bovine TB by allowing detection of the disease within hours from a blood or milk sample.
Last November, the Welsh Government announced a new policy that allowed the use of non-validated tests such as Actiphage in herds affected by a TB breakdown. It followed a similar protocol to one authorised by the UK Government last year for cattle herds in England after the test was used as part of a successful private eradication plan on a Devon dairy farm.
Mossman Farming, in Ceredigion, is located in an area of chronic breakdown. It is a spring-calving milking herd with a total stock of 529, to date 312 dairy cows have been slaughtered. Farmer Chris Mossman agreed to trial Actiphage after hearing about the Gatcombe pilot.
Chris said: "TB is a massive problem in Ceredigion, so when I heard about Actiphage’s use at Gatacombe, helping to clear that dairy herd for the first time in six years, I wanted to try and replicate those findings here. Me – and many other farmers – are losing large numbers of animals. I’m trying to do all I can to get rid of this disease from my herd."
In Spring 2019, The Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales granted permission for Robert Price-Jones MRCVS to use Actiphage to screen high-risk cattle for M. bovis.
Robert, who has been leading the trial, said: "Actiphage is able to identify the presence of relatively low numbers of M. bovis in the blood stream of infected cattle. It is not dependent upon an immune system response to the pathogen - in contrast to current validated tests - and so has greater sensitivity than such as the official Tuberculin SICCT skin test.
"The benefit of using Actiphage is that it offers the potential for eradicating the disease from the farm; as early identification of animals at risk of bovine TB enables heightened disease management and control."
Under the terms of the Welsh Government’s protocol, cattle not condemned for slaughter can be tested with Actiphage. Those that give a positive result are identified with a ‘management’ marker, monitored and milked separately.
To prevent further contamination of the environment and to minimise risk to uninfected cattle, animals found to be ‘shedders’ are removed from the farm.
Although a decision to remove cattle based on a non-validated test will be at the farmers’ own expense, the APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) has confirmed that during the trial, where a positive result is confirmed with statutory tests, the animals will be removed with compensation as normal.
So far, 100 animals from Mossman Farming have been tested with Actiphage and Robert Price-Jones is preparing a paper to publish the findings in early 2020.
PBD Biotech is now seeking more farms to trial Actiphage in order to gain the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) validation. The company is offering reduced cost testing to support trials where the findings are made available to support validation of the test.
This, says the company, will make vaccination easier for vets and clients.
Eravac is an injectable emulsion ready for administration without the need for reconstitution beforehand.
Each box contains 10 individual doses which can be given to pet rabbits from 30 days of age.
Head nurse Nicola Atkins (pictured right) said: “We are very happy and proud to have achieved our silver accreditation for cat-friendly clinic status.
“To earn this internationally-recognised award, we had to prove that we met all of the ISFM criteria, including allocating a nurse and vet at each centre who are dedicated to caring for our cats and providing ‘cat only’ waiting areas to reduce their stress.”
“We provide cats with carefully-tailored care from our stress-free waiting areas and high standards of anaesthetic protocols, which deliver an enriched stay at our hospitals.
“This also reassures owners and makes them feel more at ease about visiting our clinics with their cats.”
For more information, visit www.veterinaryvision.co.uk.
Although developed by the RCVS and VSC BAME Student Support Working Group ostensibly for use by Universities, EMS placement host practices and other educational establishments, it is recommended that all veterinary practices review the guidance.
The Guidance on Religious Clothing and Beliefs covers issues such as: balancing accommodations for religious dress with clinical considerations, and making accommodations for religious observance in academic timetabling and exams.
Gurpreet Gill, RCVS Leadership and Inclusion Manager said: “This document is about recognising that personal religious beliefs should be respected and accommodated as far as possible, while also not compromising professional responsibilities such as infection control, effective communication and the health and safety of individuals and their colleagues.
"Most importantly, it is about creating a welcoming and inclusive environment and ensuring that all students are able to express their religious identity whilst participating in educational and workplace settings.
“Although the guidance is not exhaustive, we would highly recommend that, where relevant, educators, practices and other veterinary workplaces review, adopt and adapt this guidance for their own settings to ensure that all members of the professions are welcomed and included.”
The Guidance on Religious Clothing is available to download from: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/publications/guidance-on-religious-clothing-and-beliefs/