The British Veterinary Association has expressed concern about an increasing trend towards temporary contracts for new graduates following the release of headline figures of a survey by the Institute for Employment Studies on behalf of the RCVS.
The survey showed that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first three months has significantly increased for those who graduated in 2012 and who have already left their first position. Amongst vets who graduated in 2010 and had already left their first job 7.7% had done so within the first three months; for 2011 graduates this figure is 15.9%; and for 2012 graduates it is currently 42.6%, although this percentage is likely to decrease over the next year as more of the 2012 cohort leave their first roles. The two main reasons given for leaving first jobs are poor management and temporary contracts.
Besides this unexpected increase the survey showed little change in other areas for recent graduates, although there has been a slight increase in the amount of time taken for new graduates to find their first job. The survey also revealed that over the 5 year period 16% fewer graduates found jobs in under 3 months.
BVA President Peter Jones said: "Information in this survey and that conducted by the British Equine Veterinary Association recently is valuable evidence of how the changing environment affects those entering our profession and will feed into the on-going discussion at BVA on veterinary workforce issues.
"Perhaps most worrying is the statistic that the percentage of graduates leaving their first job within the first 3 months has significantly increased. The main reasons cited are poor management and temporary contracts. The trend towards temporary contracts is very worrying in terms of job security for those just starting out in our profession.
"Poor management has long concerned the BVA and is what initially led us to establish initiatives such as the Young Vet Network, the recent graduate guide and our contracts of employment campaign. We are currently working on building that support and we are in the process of widening the network of graduate support meetings to help with moral support and networking opportunities. We also supporting the RCVS's Professional Development Phase to support new graduates in their first few years of practice and have produced a number of resources to assist with this process."
While the results show little evidence of a major impact on job prospects from the increase in graduates since the opening of Nottingham Veterinary School, BVA members remain concerned about the impact of a new school opening next year such as the one planned at the University of Surrey.
Peter Jones continued: "It is reassuring to see that overall trends are not changing significantly, however, the ease with which our graduates are getting jobs is changing. We will therefore be considering in some depth the impact that two, three or more new veterinary schools could have in the future. Rumours of yet more new veterinary schools elsewhere are a serious worry for the profession.
A new study1 lead by led by Dr Séverine Tasker at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences and published in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology (CVI), has shown that cats previously infected with the blood-borne bacteria M. haemofelis develop immunity from re-infection.
Haemoplasmas are a group of blood borne bacteria found in a wide range of mammals, including domestic and wild cats, and can cause severe anaemia. The findings of the new study have significantly advanced researchers' knowledge of immunity for these pathogens.
Information about the immune responses that occur in animals following haemoplasma infection is relatively unknown, largely due to the fact that researchers struggle to study these bacteria as they are unable to grow them in the laboratory. Antibiotics do not consistently clear infection and without correct treatment the anaemia can be fatal. Recently haemoplasma associated anaemia has been reported in a human too.
The aim of the study was to determine whether cats who had previously recovered from M. haemofelis infection were protected from re-infection. The researchers found that they were, representing a significant advancement in scientists' knowledge of immunity for haemoplasma infections.
The exact methods of protective immunity could not be clearly identified despite extensive investigations, but the study's results suggest that a vaccine, using a weakened form of the bacteria, may offer protection against haemoplasma infection.
Séverine said: "This is the first study to demonstrate protective immunity against M. haemofelis reinfection and it provides important information for a possible future haemoplasma vaccine.
"Our findings could help prevent the disease in cats and could also be of particular importance to farm animal species where haemoplasma infections can cause huge financial losses."
The study recommends future research should explore whether the bacterial animal infection could be transmitted to humans and how the immune system targets the pathogen.
Reference
Tatiana graduated from the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal in 2005.
She worked for more than 10 years in general practice in Portugal, where she dedicated most of her time to dermatology.
She started a three-year residency in 2016 at the at the Hospital Clinic Veterinari of the Fundació Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and became a diplomate of the ECVD in 2020.
Tatiana’s appointment means NDSR will now offer a specialist-led dermatology service five days a week.
Tatiana said: “I am so excited to be a part of such an amazing multi-disciplinary hospital like NDSR.
“It’s not often that you come across hospitals which have all the equipment and services at hand to provide expert diagnosis to animals quickly and efficiently.
“My mission is to build on NDSR’s excellent service to primary care vets and pet owners in the region and hope that we can continue to act as a real extension of their teams.”
Gerry Polton, clinical director at NDSR, said: “Tatiana is clearly a very experienced and respected dermatologist and we are so pleased she has joined NDSR."
For more information, visit www.ndsr.co.uk/home.
Research published this week by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS), with funding from the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA), confirms what many veterinary professionals will already know from first-hand experience - many elderly people are suffering from distress after being forced to give up much-loved pets to move into care.
The study of 234 care homes and sheltered housing units in six UK cities revealed that only 29% routinely allowed pets, despite the growing body of evidence of the health and social benefits of pets to older people. And many of these facilities specifically excluded cats and dogs even though these are the most commonly kept species of pet. The importance of pet ownership seemed to be largely ignored with only 24% of facilities asking potential residents whether they have a pet and only 35% having any formal policy about pets.
Chairman of SCAS Elizabeth Ormerod BVMS MRCVS said: "Many vets will already be aware that the importance of pets to older people cannot be understated; for some they are their best friend, their family and their only lifeline to the outside world. People of all ages should have the right to benefit from animal companionship, as long as this is managed responsibly. So we're encouraging all housing and residential care providers to develop clear and carefully considered pet policies."
The SCAS study was carried out by psychologist Dr June McNicholas B.Sc.Ph.D, a renowned researcher of the human-animal bond. She contacted 44 veterinary surgeries in the study area to investigate the implications of these pet policies for animals, and veterinary surgeons reported that they were presented with between two and four pets per month for euthanasia for the known reason that an elderly owner was going into care. This equates to over 1,000 pets per year in the study area alone and many thousands more across the UK.
Elizabeth Ormerod continued: "Sadly, it is common practice for animals to be given up to an animal shelter or presented at a veterinary practice for euthanasia because their elderly owners are going into care. The impact on the owners is devastating. But vets should be aware that many care facilities do now take pets and if not, it may be possible to rehome them through charities like The Blue Cross."
Vets questioned in the study said that they tried to avoid the euthanasia of healthy pets except when they were very elderly or infirm and would therefore be difficult to rehome. But both vets and vet nurses expressed concerns that pets were sometimes brought in by the relatives of an elderly owner, who may have been unaware of the fate of their beloved pet.
The ‘Pets and Older People in Residential Care' research findings are published in full on a dedicated area of the SCAS website (www.scas.org.uk/petsforlife), which also offers essential information for veterinary practices, care home providers and older people who are thinking about moving into care. This includes:
A leaflet has also been produced with key advice for older people and contact details for more information. This is being distributed to veterinary surgeries but is also available to download free from the website or it can be ordered by calling SCAS on 01993 825 597. A SCAS publication ‘Older people and pets: a comprehensive guide' is also available to order online or by phone for £12.50 plus postage.
Inocul8 and the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), have launched vetvac.org a free new online database of information about livestock and poultry vaccines.
Currently the Vetvac database contains information on nearly 2,000 livestock vaccine products produced by more than 95 manufacturers. This included cattle, sheep, goat, pig and poultry vaccines available in the UK, Australia, Africa, India, South America and the United States. It is being expanded and updated on a continuous basis, and aims to cover all markets, providing the most complete compendium of licensed livestock vaccine products available worldwide.
The database developers say that they hope Vetvac.org will be especially useful to vaccine manufacturers and developers, and animal health professionals and livestock keepers.
Josef Geoola, Vetvac's co-founder, said: "Although there are a number of on-line databases and websites that focus on livestock vaccines, none provide the global coverage that Vetvac.org aims to achieve - our product will be unique."
BCF has announced a number of special deals available on a variety of ultrasound and X-ray products.
With the launch of the new Mindray DP-50 ultrasound scanner, available exclusively from BCF, the company is offering a free trolley and a year's supply of gel.
If you buy a Carestream Vita CR X-ray system and generator from BCF, the company will update your X-ray protection with 3 gowns and 2 thyroid protectors (worth £600, €750) free.
Purchase an Easi-Scan with one battery, and you'll get a second battery and carry bag for free.
Buy an equine DR X-ray system and you'll receive £1,000 (€1,250) to spend on Podoblocks accessories.
Call +44 (0)1506 460 023 or visit www.bcftechnology.com for further information. Offers valid until 31st June.
The Royal College is inviting veterinary surgeons to the first-ever Virtual Question Time, which is being held online with The Webinar Vet, from 8-9.30pm on Wednesday 24 April.
Lizzie Lockett, Head of the RCVS Communications Department said: "This is an ideal opportunity to put your burning questions to members of the RCVS Officer team and to VN Council. Our regular Question Time meetings are popular, so we are following their format by asking delegates to set the agenda via their choice of questions. This time there is the extra advantage that busy vets and nurses can take part from the comfort of their own homes. If the Virtual Question Time proves successful, we may hold these events regularly."
The meeting will be run as a free, live-audio webinar. RCVS President Jacqui Molyneux will open proceedings, and introduce the panel, before answering questions from the participants.
Questions may be put to the College in advance and can also be submitted as discussion unfolds on the night. These can be on any issues affecting the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions - there is no set agenda - and might range from the First Rate Regulator initiative, new vet schools, veterinary nurse training and clinical governance, to proposed changes to the Practice Standards Scheme and recent amendments to the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
The session will also be recorded so those unable to attend on the night can still listen afterwards.
The meeting can be counted towards continuing professional development for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. Registrations and questions can be submitted online at http://thewebinarvet.com/rcvs/#.
Matt, who contracted Lyme disease early last year, has been out giving interviews about how he was bitten by a tick, his experience with Lyme disease and why he is supporting the Big Tick Project. He said: "It was a really scary time for me and my family, and I was shocked to find out that a tick bite in Chiswick – such a tiny creature – caused me to end up needing heart surgery. Even though I am free from Lyme disease now it really has impacted me. I still have to take daily medication and I now adjust my lifestyle in a number of ways."
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "This recent campaign is part of a series of high profile media campaigns that we’ve organised to help pet owners understand the risks posed by ticks and the importance of seeking advice from vets. Vet are central to this campagn.
"During our attendance this summer at DogFest and Countryfile Live we asked pet owners about their awareness of the risks. While this was very rough data the message that came back consistently was that many pet owners didn’t realise that not all flea treatments could also provide protection against ticks.
"We are therefore urging them to talk to their vet and vet nurses to better understand the treatments they are paying for. The conversation is important as the risks can be high."
For further information, visit: www.bigtickproject.co.uk
The Elekta Infinity linear accelerator is the only one of its kind for pets in England.
CVS says it allowing the centre to offer “cutting edge” image-guided radiation treatments for cancer in cats and dogs – meaning fewer, shorter sessions, fewer side effects and the best possible chance of improved outcomes for the animal.
Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our new hospital is now at the forefront of cancer care in animals.
"We have invested in this state-of-the-art technology to bring cancer treatment in pets to the next level.
“Our unique linear accelerator allows us to offer advanced image-guided treatments - for example intensity-modulated or stereotactic radiation therapy.
"The advantage of these treatments is that high dose rates of focused beams are delivered with high precision over a shortened treatment course, with greater safety for the patient’s healthy tissue.
“It has now drawn many tumours into the realm of treatability, it is improving the quality of life for patients, and it is making it easier for owners to manage their pet’s treatment and aftercare.”
Still, the installation of the linear accelerator will probably have cost the same again, and then you've got the running costs.
That's not an inconsiderable cost per patient.
Professor Sandy Trees has been invested as the new President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons during RCVS Day, held on 3rd July.
Sandy is an Edinburgh graduate, qualifying from the Dick Vet in 1969. After graduation, he undertook a mixture of research posts at home and overseas, plus a spell in general practice, before completing his PhD in 1976, also at Edinburgh. He then spent some time in the animal health industry before moving into academia in the early 1980s, starting as a lecturer in veterinary parasitology in Liverpool University's Faculty of Veterinary Science, based in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He was awarded a personal chair in veterinary parasitology and became Head of the Parasite and Vector Biology Division in 1994. Sandy held the post of Dean of Faculty from 2001 until 2008, and still teaches BVSc, MSc and PhD students.
Sandy's broad veterinary political experience includes spells on the BVA's Veterinary Policy Group and Education Group, President of the Association of Veterinary Teachers and Research Workers, Vice-President of the European College of Veterinary Parasitology and Chairman of the Heads of Veterinary Schools. Serving on RCVS Council since 2000 as one of the Liverpool veterinary faculty's appointed members, Sandy has been a member of the Education Policy and Specialisation, Planning and Resources, and Preliminary Investigation Committees.
RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Jill Nute, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, Peter Jinman took up the role of Junior Vice-President, and Dr Jerry Davies was confirmed as Treasurer for another year.
Dr Bob Moore stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Jill Nute commenting that: "Bob has been an extremely valued member of the Officer Team and I would like to express my grateful thanks for the unstinting support he has given me during my term as President."
Retiring Council members included David Harding, Nigel Swayne and Brian Jennings, a Privy Council appointee.
As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Chris Tufnell and Chris Gray were welcomed. It was also announced that Professor Stephen May had been appointed for a further year by the Royal Veterinary College, Professor Stuart Reid had been appointed for a further four-year term by the University of Glasgow, and likewise Caroline Freedman by the University of Edinburgh. Dr Frank Taylor, whose role as Head of Bristol Veterinary School is due to conclude at the end of the month, will stay on Council until a successor is appointed.
The President then made her outgoing address, in which she described how she had been keen during her presidential year to ensure that the College is "open, approachable, accountable and transparent," citing the work of the Corporate Governance Group as a good example of activities to this end: "Under the guidance of Sir Anthony Holland, Chairman of the Group, we have robust procedures in place for managing conflicts of interest and have put in place arrangements to keep corporate governance under regular review," she said.
Discussing the activities of the College during the year, she made mention of work with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to produce the Register of Veterinary Practice Premises and with the Office of Fair Trading regarding monitoring the reintroduction of prescription charges. She also touched on the review of the Practice Standards Scheme and the work of the 24/7 Working Party. She conceded that the College faced a challenge with regards to out-of-hours cover, which the majority of vets questioned in a recent survey would like to maintain: "The question is, how can this be achieved within the law [Working Time Regulations] and without a hike in charges that might, perversely, have a negative effect on animal welfare by reducing take-up of veterinary services?" she asked.
Finally, Jill paid tribute to the hard work of College and Trust staff, Council members and her fellow Officers: "One thing you learn as President is that you are just part of the bigger picture and things can only be achieved with the support and collaboration of those across the profession."
Incoming President Sandy Trees described Jill Nute as having "presided over the College with utter fairness and even handedness, working incredibly hard for the interests of the College and its members, certainly delivering on your aim for openness and accessibility". He looked forward to his own presidency with "honour, excitement and trepidation".
The Dogs Trust has released the results of its 2010 Stray Dog Survey, which shows that 51% of stray dogs picked up by local authorities in the UK were reunited with their owners.
According to the charity, this compares with 42% last year and is only the second time the figure has gone through the 50% barrier since survey records began in 1997.
Where the method used to return stray dogs was identified, the proportion of dogs returned through microchipping was 35% - up from 31% last year.
Dogs Trust is repeating the call for the introduction of a compulsory microchipping system for all dogs in the UK. It believes this will help reunite even more owners with their lost pets, trace abandoned pets back to irresponsible owners and ultimately reduce the number of healthy dogs unnecessarily put to sleep in the UK.
The annual Stray Dog Survey, conducted by GfK NOP on behalf of Dogs Trust, shows an overall increase in instances of straying from 107,228 to 121,693. However, taking into account the number of dogs reclaimed or returned to owner (45,329 in 2009 and 61,908 in 2010) we can estimate that this year the number of dogs actually abandoned (approximately 59,785) as opposed to being wanted pets that simply strayed has fallen by 3%.
There has been a considerable decline in the number of dogs being put to sleep by Local Authorities due to ill health, aggression (under the Dangerous Dogs Act) or simply for want of a home. Down from 9,310 in last year's survey to 6,404 this year. Dogs Trust is delighted at the progress Local Authorities have made in bringing down these numbers and their efforts in rehoming and returning so many dogs to their owners.
Dogs Trust Chief Executive Clarissa Baldwin said: "Dogs Trust is encouraged to see that although the instances of straying in the UK has increased in the last two years, the percentage of these dogs being reunited with their owners has increased and, more importantly, the numbers being put to sleep has fallen drastically.
"We are delighted to see that microchipping is having a serious impact on the stray dog situation in the UK. Dogs Trust runs subsidised microchipping campaigns across the country and in particular those areas with the biggest stray dog problems. A compulsory microchipping system would undoubtedly improve the situation further."
Dogs Trust says the introduction of compulsory microchipping would:
The Brexit Barometer report draws on insights from 16 animal medicines companies and other stakeholders. 95% of those who contributed to the report, drawn up after NOAH’s Brexit event in May, said that they are optimistic about the future of animal health and welfare in the UK.
On the broader future of the industry, contributors to the report were more uncertain: 40% 'in the middle', 30% 'optimistic' and 25% 'pessimistic'. In contrast to animal welfare, contributors were most pessimistic about the future of trade and exports in relation to animal health.
While optimism about animal welfare remains high, NOAH says the animal medicines industry needs a continuation of its high standards of health and welfare to help tackle antibiotic resistance and to put the UK in a strong influencing position with our ability to trade. Six key measures in relation to health and welfare that Government needs to take to realise the opportunities were outlined in the report. They are:
• Maintaining the current Animal Welfare Acts and evolving them to secure the UK’s position from ‘Day 0’• Ensuring the industry is not disadvantaged by lack of veterinary medicines availability during the transition period and beyond, as new products come on the market• Ensuring that veterinary services are available in inner city and rural areas throughout the UK• Ensuring that a cross-border programme is in place to maintain cooperation between the UK and Europe• Recognising that animal diseases do not respect borders and to co-operate with our European neighbours to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to prevent and control disease outbreaks• Balancing first-class welfare standards with creating a level playing field for UK farmers and ensuring that British product does not become uncompetitive.
NOAH Chief Executive, Dawn Howard said: "While the Barometer showed that a large proportion of the industry was undecided when it comes to overall future of our sector, it tells us loudly and clearly that the sector sees a very clear opportunity for the UK to show leadership when it comes to animal health and welfare. What is vital now is that Government collaborates closely with industry and heeds its advice to realise this opportunity and leverage these high levels of optimism. We must not forget that veterinary medicines support the health and welfare of the UK’s livestock and pets and we stand ready to work with industry and Government to help make this happen."
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We have a unique selling point as 'UK PLC' around our high standards of animal welfare and food safety and these must be maintained in the wake of Brexit. This means tackling issues including veterinary involvement from farm to fork to underpin animal health, welfare and public health, through to guaranteeing working rights for vets and veterinary nurses. It is therefore vital that animal welfare is included in all trade negotiations."
The report can be read in full here: https://www.noah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/NOAH-Brexit-Barometer-Summer-17-6pp-A4-vf.pdf
The guide, which was first published in 2020, is designed to help veterinary professionals give pet owners sound, independent advice about what to feed their animals.
The guide originally launched with factsheets for both veterinary professionals and pet owners about commercially manufactured, grain-free, raw and home-prepared cooked diets.
The new factsheets cover:
The new factsheets build on considerations for feeding healthy dogs and cats by providing information on the formulation of diet types for pets under veterinary care and those with even more specific nutritional requirements.
The new BSAVA Guide to Nutrition cost £40, reduced to £26 for BSAVA members from: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that it is re-introducing Equilis StrepE, the only strangles vaccine for horses in Europe. The vaccine was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 2007 for stability reasons.
Equilis StrepE, which has already been relaunched in the Netherlands, is now scheduled to arrive in Italy in September and the United Kingdom in October this year. Further re-launches in European countries are scheduled later in 2010 and beyond.
According to Intervet/Schering-Plough, three years of additional research and development have resulted in several improvements to the vaccine, including a better manufacturing process to ensure that the product maintains its characteristics throughout its shelf-life. A more user-friendly applicator has been developed, which enables the needle to slot into place, thereby making it easier to administer the vaccine.
Equilis StrepE is administered through a submucosal injection in the upper lip of the horse and provides immunity for three months following two initial injections, four weeks apart. The vaccine significantly reduces clinical signs of strangles and occurrence of lymph node abscesses in horses that are at risk of infection.
Dr. Peter Daels, veterinarian at the Keros Insemination and Embryo Transfer Center in Beselare (Belgium) said: "In our recipient embryo transfer herd, we have used this strangles vaccine on over 500 mares. After a few applications, the vaccine was easy to administer and did not cause any serious side effects. Despite a steady flow of new horses, only eight cases of strangles were noted - all were mild and most were newly acquired horses that had apparently been exposed shortly before vaccination. I believe that the vaccine provided solid protection against the disease, reduced the severity of clinical cases and eliminated the risk of a widespread outbreak in our herd."
Dr. Roberto Ragni-Alunni, Global Technical Manager Equine at Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health said: "The re-launch of Equilis StrepE in Europe is an important milestone in our efforts to fully meet the needs of our customers in the equine industry. We continue to work in a very intense and comprehensive way to ensure adequate supply of our equine vaccine range".
Petplan is running its television advertising campaign from now until October.
The advert (below) is airing on Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, ITV2, ITV3, More 4, Gold and USA.
Suzanne Cheadle, Acting Head of Marketing at Petplan said: "As the UK market leader, it is imperative that pet owners recognise and understand who we are and what we stand for. We need to help pet owners understand not only why pet insurance is so important, but explain why they should choose Petplan over any other provider. In 36 years, there's not an illness or accident that we haven't seen, and our Covered For Life policies have been developed with unrivalled knowledge and experience."
The University of Liverpool’s Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital has installed a standing equine MRI scanner from Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging.
Horiba Medical has announced it is the official exclusive UK distributor of the fully automated Vet abc Plus+ veterinary haematology analyser from scil animal care company GmbH, Germany.
According to the company, the compact Vet abc Plus+ provides a complete blood count (CBC), including 4-part white blood cell (WBC) differential, from only 10 µl of EDTA whole blood, in only 60 seconds.
The Vet abc Plus+ provides pre-installed settings to analyse samples from dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, mice, rats, cattle, pigs and sheep. For dogs, cats and horses, the Vet abc Plus+ provides a 4-part WBC differential blood count, including a differentiation of the leucocytes to identify lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes and eosinophils. Results are available in 60 seconds on screen or can be automatically printed out and transferred to the practice information system or clinical notes. For ease-of-use, the Vet abc Plus+ also incorporates a self-contained reagent and waste system which provides a clean operation whilst being easy to replenish.
Borne from an existing manufacturing partnership, scil and HORIBA Medical already have over 6000 veterinary haematology analysers placed globally. Horiba says the new UK distribution agreement enables UK veterinary professionals to not only procure the Vet abc Plus+ analyser, but also receive expert service and support directly from the manufacturer HORIBA Medical and its team of UK specialists.
For more information, visit: www.horiba.com/uk/medical
The Office of Fair Trading has concluded that it has no grounds to take action against IDEXX Laboratories Limited following an investigation into alleged abuses of a dominant position in the veterinary diagnostic testing sector.
The OFT opened its investigation in November 2010 after it received a complaint alleging that IDEXX was abusing a dominant position in the market for the supply of in-clinic pet testing equipment in order to foreclose competition.
The conduct assessed by the OFT included alleged practices of:
The full reasoning for the OFT's conclusion, including details of the methodologies used by the OFT to assess potential theories of harm relating to alleged mixed bundling (also known as multi-product rebates) and alleged predatory pricing in systems markets, is available from the OFT's website, here.
Petplan has announced the winners of its annual Veterinary Awards.
The awards recognise and celebrate staff and practices throughout the country who have delivered an exceptional level of care, going above and beyond the call of duty in keeping the nation's pets healthy and owners happy.
Suzanne Cheadle, Petplan's Acting Head of Marketing said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 36 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK. The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise and celebrate the fantastic work that goes on across those practices."
She added: "This year saw over 12,000 nominations which demonstrates the appetite from both staff and clients for celebrating exceptional work. We had a wonderful selection of first class finalists and I'd like to congratulate all the winners who thoroughly deserve their awards."
The winners for each category are:
VET OF THE YEAR: Hector Low, Old Mill Veterinary Practice, Isle-of-LewisThe judges said: "What really stood out was Hector's dedication to the profession and how he moved his practice to a new premises so it could offer better facilities and a wider range of services for animals and owners alike. He has always got his clients and their pets at the forefront of all his decisions and is truly passionate about his role within the profession". VET NURSE OF THE YEAR: Tina Wright, Warbeck House Veterinary Centre, MerseysideThe judges said: "Tina is particularly responsible for setting up an Ear Care Club for animals at the centre who suffer from recurrent ear problems, which she has put her heart and soul into over the last year, while also tutoring student veterinary nurses and running puppy socialisation classes which have proved hugely popular among clients. Tina is a shining example of how vital the role of the vet nurse is when delivering outstanding service to clients and their pets. She is enthusiastic, passionate and always puts her clients' needs first". PRACTICE SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR: Henrietta Fidler, Beech House Veterinary Centre, SurreyThe judges said: "Henrietta is somebody who loves her role within the veterinary profession, thriving on the interaction she has between both the clients and animals. She has nurtured and developed strong and solid client relationships as well as good working relationships with her colleagues. If there is anything that the Veterinary Awards highlights, it is that team work is a vital part of the job, and Henrietta is proof of that". PRACTICE OF THE YEAR: The Vets' Place, CheshireThe judges saiod: "Wendy and Michael Hough set up their practice, The Vets' Place, from scratch in 2009. Since then, the practice has grown from strength to strength. As a small practice they have plenty of opportunity to really get to know their individual clients and their pets and have built strong relationships that their customers value. The Vet's Place is a shining example of the exceptional service a practice can deliver". PRACTICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Sharon Lane-Kieltyka, Shepton Veterinary Group Ltd, SomersetThe judges said: "Sharon is a people person through and through which feeds the passion she has for a role that extends beyond the care of clients and their pets. Sharon has overseen a large scale building project that saw the practice double in size and been a key driver in the recent rebranding of the practice, highlighting not only her steadfast can-do attitude, but her ability to drive change in the interest of her clients. Her enthusiasm for the industry is something to be admired".
Merial Animal Health has revealed the latest MOO test figures which suggest that the productivity of four out of five UK dairy herds is compromised by high levels of gutworm.
The company says it has been helping dairy farmers to assess the level of gutworm challenge in their herds since 2009 by supporting and promoting MOO tests. The test measures the level of antibody to gutworm (Ostertagia ostertagii) that is present in a bulk milk sample and can determine if the herd has been exposed to low, medium or high challenge.
Data from five years of MOO tests shows that whilst there was a steady reduction in the number of herds with a high challenge between 2009 and 2013, the figure rose in 2014. In 2009, 93% of herds tested high and by 2013 this had fallen to 71% but this rose again to 88% last year.
Merial says that whilst these figures show an overall reduction in challenge since 2009, levels of gutworm across the UK dairy herd are still very high. Those animals affected will suffer from the negative impact of a parasite burden on productivity and fertility.
Between 2009 and 2014 nearly 900 dairy herds across the UK have been tested. During that time several counties had significant numbers of herds with high gutworm challenge results. This included Cheshire (85%), Cornwall (93%), Cumbria (91%), Dyfed (92%), Lancashire (90%), North Yorkshire (83%), Shropshire (86%), Somerset (86%), and Staffordshire (83%).
Sioned Timothy, veterinary adviser for Merial Animal Health, said: “Gutworm can significantly reduce the productivity of the herd. Although adult dairy cows develop immunity to gutworm that makes them resilient to outward clinical signs of infection, it does not prevent them from becoming infected with Ostertagia ostertagi. This parasite burden can reduce milk yield by as much as 2.6 litres per cow per day1”
She continued: “Gutworm may also have a negative impact on fertility. Removing damaging gutworms from dairy cows may improve their fertility and has been linked to reduced calving to conception intervals and improved conception rates2 to levels comparable with animals without a gutworm burden.
"Calving is another key period in the production cycle. Optimising cow and heifer management during this period is critical to the animal’s health and productivity throughout the subsequent lactation. Cows treated for gutworms around the time of calving have been shown to increase their grazing time by almost an hour compared to untreated cows3. Improved appetite and higher dry matter intake helps cows to bridge the energy gap; maximising their production, and reducing the time it takes to get them back into calf4.”
The MOO test figures show that the UK dairy herd continues to be affected by high levels of gutworm challenge. At a time when maximising productivity is vital to dairy business success, farmers should seriously consider testing their herd this autumn and develop a treatment plan with their vet or animal health adviser based on the result.”
MOO tests will be available in autumn 2015. The results of MOO tests are sent to both the farmer and their vet or animal health advisor, to enable them to determine the best course of action and treatment.References1 Reist et al, Effect of eprinomectin treatment on milk yield and quality in dairy cows in South Tyrol, Italy. Veterinary Record 2011 168, 484-487 Vet Rec 2002151:377-3802 McPherson et al. Proceedings of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. 44th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 1999 Abstr. 28.3 Forbes et al. Behavioural mechanisms underlying production responses in dairy cows treated with eprinomectin. 19th WAAVP Congress 2003, New Orleans4 Sanchez et al. The effect of eprinomectin treatment at calving on reproduction parameters in adult dairy cows in Canada. Preventative Veterinary Medicine 2002 56:165-177
Nigel Gibben said: "The Prevention Zone means anyone who keeps poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese, even as pets, must take action to stop them coming into contact with wild birds to protect them from avian flu.
"Birds should be moved into a suitable building, or if that isn’t possible owners must take sensible precautions to keep them away from wild birds, like putting up netting to create a temporary enclosure and keeping food and water supplies inside where they cannot be contaminated by wild birds.
"Even when birds are kept indoors a risk of infection remains so keepers must also practice good biosecurity, for example by disinfecting footwear and equipment and washing clothing after contact with birds.
"Recent H5N8 avian flu findings in wild birds and a backyard flock in Wales highlight just how essential it is to minimise contact between wild and captive birds and maintain good biosecurity to reduce the risk of infection.
"We must continue to be vigilant and do all we can to protect against this highly pathogenic strain of the disease, which is why we are extending the Prevention Zone, have introduced a ban on poultry gatherings and continue to strengthen surveillance to understand the extent of infection in wild birds."
Currently, there is no data on how many VCA/ANAs are working in UK veterinary practice and the type of tasks they are performing.
The Census takes 10 minutes to complete and will provide valuable information to help in the recruitment, training and development of VCA/ANAs.
It can be completed online at https://bit.ly/avaca-2023-census before 18th August 2023.
Any team member can respond on behalf of their practice and all practices are encouraged to fill out the Census regardless of the number of VCA/ANAs employed.
The AVACA also wants to identify how many practices don’t employ VCA/ANAs and the barriers to them becoming team members, so every response will deliver useful information.
Kay Watson-Bray, CEO of the British Veterinary Receptionist Association and founder of AVACA, said: “With so much pressure on practices right now, the VCA role offers great potential to help manage workloads.
"But a picture is already emerging where the scope of the role varies widely between practices and even the name of the role is inconsistent.
"We believe that VCAs work mainly in the areas of caring, cleaning, communication, and coordination, but that’s not currently quantified, and while some see being a VCA as a route into veterinary nursing, again we don’t understand how many primarily aspire to progress into another role or how many want to become excellent VCAs.
"We’d like to clearly identify what VCAs want and need to help them develop as veterinary professionals.”
The Census is being sponsored by Purina Petcare, whose Scientific Affairs Manager, Libby Sheridan, said: “This is a project we are very keen to support.
"Practices need VCAs to help maintain high standards in animal care when everyone else is so busy.
"Coaxing a reluctant patient to eat again or ensuring the operating theatre is turned around quickly so it’s available for use after a long morning’s surgery, are time-consuming tasks that can be hard to squeeze into the working day.
"And as RVNs take on further practice responsibilities, it’s clear there is room for these highly-trained support roles within the team.”
Ridgeway Research Ltd has a surplus supply of short-dated Target IgG kits on special offer.
The kits are to test for passive transfer to foals via colostrum. Each kit contains 20 tests and normally costs £74. They have been reduced to £20 to clear. The use by date is end February 2010.
If you are interested, please email jo@ridgewayresearch.co.uk, or ring 01594 530809 for further information.
HRH The Princess Royal has opened the Animal Health Trust's new cancer treatment and research facility in Suffolk.
The facility has been purpose-built to treat horses, dogs and cats with cancer. It will also assist in furthering understanding of the disease in animals.
Peter Webbon, Chief Executive of the AHT, said: "2012 marks 70 years of the AHT fighting disease and injury in animals, and the addition of the Cancer Centre is a landmark achievement in our history. We believe this is the first facility of its kind in Europe, purpose-built to treat horses, dogs and cats with cancer. We now have a short commissioning process to undertake but anticipate welcoming the first patients through the doors in early 2013."
The Kennel Club Cancer Centre at the AHT houses a linear accelerator (pictured right) and brachytherapy machine used in radiotherapy treatment, along with a 16-slice CT scanner to aid radiotherapy planning.
The new facility complements the AHT's existing cancer treatment options of surgery and chemotherapy meaning the Suffolk-based charity will be able to offer each and every patient the very best options for their specific case, whatever the diagnosis. With one in four dogs and one in six cats developing cancer at some time in their life the new centre will help many more animals fight cancer.
Peter Webbon, added: "It was thanks to a generous donation from the late Tom Scott, a long-term supporter of the AHT, that we were able to start this development. His donation, along with that from many other AHT supporters, and an interest-free loan of £1.5 million from the Kennel Club has meant this ambitious project has come to fruition so quickly."
It has taken just over a year to build the Cancer Centre which contains more than 2,600 tonnes of concrete and has eight-feet wide solid concrete walls.
On opening the facility, HRH The Princess Royal, President of the AHT, said: "This Cancer Centre is an exciting development at the AHT and will make a real difference for animals with cancer, here and now. It will improve the chances, for many animals, of beating this pernicious disease.
"Countless other horses, dogs and cats across the world with cancer, who will never be seen by an AHT clinician, will also benefit from knowledge gained from research in The Kennel Club Cancer Centre at the AHT."
The AHT has a strong history in cancer research and the Kennel Club Cancer Centre will enhance the charity's well established cancer research programme. Knowledge gained through the treatment of animals in the facility will contribute to the study of cancers, their causes, early diagnosis and treatment, and ultimately hopefully the prevention of some forms of the disease.
Steve Dean, Kennel Club Chairman, said: "I am very proud to be here today to celebrate the opening of the Kennel Club Cancer Centre. Thanks to the expertise available here at the Animal Health Trust, the Cancer Centre will provide advanced techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, to the benefit of many animals. It is exciting to consider how synergy between the Kennel Club Cancer Centre and the Kennel Club Genetics Centre can help to further the understanding of the inheritance factors that influence the development of cancer."
The new publication is a guide to evidence-based medicine (EBM) in veterinary practice. It aims to secure a commitment to EBM from veterinary practices and help them implement an evidence-based approach.
The workshop will be held at The Bloomsbury Building, 10 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SL from 1:00pm till 3:30pm
Attendees will be asked for their opinion on the content, language and format of the new guide, and how clear they find it.
Your involvement will directly help RCVS Knowledge make the evidence-basis of veterinary techniques understandable for a larger number of people.
No advance preparation is required and it sounds like it will be a very informative, engaging session.
An honorarium of £50 is available to anyone who attends. A sandwich lunch is provided and travel expenses will be covered.
If you’d like to participate, contact: Maryam Tehami at maryam@senseaboutscience.org