Boehringer Ingelheim is offering a free stainless steel bolus applicators, worth £42.60/€ 59.39 (plus VAT), with the first 1,000 Bovikalc multipacks sold after 1st March in the UK and Eire.
According to the company, milk fever is recognised as the most common mineral deficiency affecting transition cows; one that has a significant impact on the overall health of affected animals, even those showing no outward symptoms. This offer aims to help combat this costly but preventable disease.
The offer is open to farmers, vets and suppliers of Bovikalc and one free applicator will be provided for each Bovikalc multipack - 6 x 4 boluses.
Farmers are required to apply for the free applicators through their veterinary surgeon or Bovikalc supplier.
For further information, including the terms and conditions of the offer, visit www.bovikalc.co.uk. Alternatively, contact your regional cattle specialist or call Boehringer on 01344 746959.
The London Fire Brigade has donated a life-size horse model to the Royal Veterinary College, to be used for student training.
The donation is in recognition of 11 years large animal handling training that the RVC has given firefighters from the London Fire Brigade.
The model horse has been named "Fireman Sam" by the students. Fireman Sam was officially presented to Vivienne Heys, the member of staff who organised and participated in the training throughout the entire 11 years, and to student trainers Vikki Wyse and Emma Howson, by London Fire Brigade Group Manager Andy Cane, Station Manager Mark Spier and Watch Manager Jim Wennell .
Andy Cane said how valuable the training has been for the London firefighters and how much the crews have enjoyed their visits to the Royal Veterinary College.
Vivienne emphasised that this programme would not have been possible without the students who have given their time on Wednesday afternoons to help firefighters learn the skills required when working with horses and cattle, and she also praised the staff who have volunteered their time and skills to keep this programme running for 11 years.
Defra has rejected the RCVS petition to protect the VN title, saying that criminalising the use of the term 'veterinary nurse' by other animal carers in a veterinary setting would be unduly harsh.
In rejecting the petition, which had gained nearly 22,000 signatures, Defra made the point that the term is often used colloquially, without intention to deceive or mislead, without undertaking unqualified practice, and without risk of harm to animals.
Noting the existing legal framework which exists to make sure that animals in veterinary care are only treated by trained and qualified individuals, Defra said it would not be in the public interest to prosecute individuals for colloquial use of the term.
BVNA President Sam Morgan said: "The BVNA are very disappointed to read the Government’s response. We feel that they have overlooked the emotions of the British public towards animal welfare and maintenance of trust within the veterinary profession. With no restriction on the use of the title it is confusing for the general public and for the veterinary profession. We hope that this response increases public awareness of the issues faced. As the representative body for Veterinary Nurses, BVNA will continue to work alongside the RCVS and BVA to raise awareness of this campaign and to encourage anyone who is interested to sign the petition."
The RCVS said that whilst the response was disappointing, it was heartened to be asked to work with the Defra to find new ways of bolstering the veterinary nursing profession.
A significant part of this work will be a review of Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, which allows certain minor acts of veterinary surgery to be delegated to veterinary nurses. The RCVS says it hopes that Schedule 3 can be simplified to give VNs more clarity and confidence over what tasks they can undertake, and augmented to strengthen the role of VNs in areas such as anaesthesia.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: “Veterinary Nurses are an essential part of the veterinary team and deserve full recognition for their roles. The VN Title campaign has received strong support from across the sector and with MPs, so it is disappointing that Defra has decided not to recommend that Parliament give legal protection to the hard-earned title.
"Given the current Government’s deregulatory agenda, this response does not come as a surprise yet nor does it signal the end of the campaign. Defra have stated that if this petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the Petitions Committee will consider it for a debate. We therefore ask anyone who supports the campaign but has not yet signed the online petition to do so now.
"In the meantime BVA and BVNA will continue to work with RCVS on the VN Futures project, taking a long-term view on the role of veterinary nurses and seeking to prepare for their future within the profession."
To enter the competition, veterinary practices need to build a den in the waiting room - with an Adaptil diffuser plugged in nearby - and decorate it to demonstrate the preventative measures clients can carry out at home to help manage their pets’ firework fears.
Then post a picture of the your den/waiting room display on the Ceva Animal Health Facebook page throughout October. Last year's winner is pictured above right.
The top 10 veterinary practice waiting room dens and displays will win a luxury chocolate hamper.
Ceva says it has a comprehensive range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to use in creating their entry, including new waiting room materials.
For further information contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Thousands of shipments of equine germinal product (semen, ova or embryos) are imported into the UK every year. It is a legal requirement for all imported equine semen to be accompanied to the place of destination (usually to the side of the mare) by an original, valid health certificate (ITAHC), issued in the country of origin.
The BEVA says that recently, consignments of equine semen have been imported without the appropriate health certificates meaning that there is no guarantee that the semen is free from the stated diseases or even that it is from the chosen stallion.
According to the Association, some well-known importing agents have been advising mare owners that these certificates are unnecessary and openly criticising veterinary surgeons who refuse to inseminate mares with uncertified imported semen.
The use of uncertified semen risks recipient mares being infected with diseases such as CEM or EVA, the potentially rapid spread of disease in breeding stock and eventual restrictions being placed on breeding premises. Recent outbreaks of Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) in Europe have increased the threat to the UK herd.
The personal and professional reputation of any veterinary surgeon involved with using uncertified semen is also in danger, with the RCVS likely to take a stringent line with any vets who disregard animal health laws and the high health status of British horses.
Malcolm Morley, Partner at Stable Close Equine Practice was recently placed in a difficult position with a longstanding client when semen arrived without the requisite documentation. Following a discussion between the semen importer and his client, where the client was told that Malcolm was being pedantic and that the client should find someone else to inseminate the mare, Malcolm contacted the importer saying: "We have no intention of inseminating the mare without the correct health papers. Please will you ensure that when you speak to the mare’s owner that you make it clear that you do not expect us to inseminate the mare in these circumstances and that the health papers should have been shipped with the semen."
Another BEVA member who wishes to remain anonymous said: "I have one very big client I think I may be about to lose because of my refusal to inseminate his mare without papers … (the importing stud) did not feel it worth a three hour drive to get papers done. The semen importer has made it clear to my client that (they believe) I am just being awkward."
Mark Bowen Senior Vice president of BEVA said: "Import agencies have placed additional pressure on the vets to inseminate mares without the necessary paperwork. Not only is this action illegal but places recipient mares under a direct threat from a notifiable and incurable disease. This seems particularly cavalier given the recent outbreaks of EIA across Europe."
Tullis Matson, Founder and Managing Director of Stallion AI Services said: "No one should be inseminating mares with imported semen that isn’t accompanied by the original health certificate. If the UK wants to retain its high health status and continue to utilise the international market it needs the breeding industry and the veterinary profession to use the disease controls that are currently place until such a time as we can implement more efficient system."
The BEVA says it is taking the following action:
Equine charity The Horse Trust has reported an unprecendented number of enquiries from people wanting to rehome their horses and ponies.
In the three weeks since the financial crisis resulted in repossessions, job losses and cash shortages, more than 500 people made inquiries about having their horses rescued or rehomed.
Susan Lewis, The Horse Trust's marketing manager said: "There is a new generation of horses which is being affected in this way. Animals which have been cherished for 20 years and are now approaching retirement age are becoming too expensive for owners to maintain at livery - especially as the winter season is approaching with its inherent requirements for additional feed, housing and veterinary care."
She added: "Most people are saying: 'Help, what can I do? I adore my horse which has lived with me since I was a tiny child - but now I can barely feed myself let alone my horse. He has always come first - but having lost my home and the field in which I keep him, I just don't know where to turn'.
"It isn't a new story - and we have for many years warned horse owners that they face the issues of cost, care and commitment well into the old age of a horse, which can be up to 30 years. Now, however, it seems that we are facing a more widespread crisis."
Like most other horse charities, the Trust's Home of Rest for horses is full to capacity.
"We simply can't take on any other animals," said Susan. "The charity pound is now stretched to breaking point as people's purses dry up - and with rising feed prices and veterinary charges, it now costs more than £17 a day to keep a horse here.
Maverick Television is looking for three veterinary surgeons and two veterinary nurses to front a new Channel 4 television show.
Maverick, makers of Embarrassing Bodies and Bizarre Animal ER, says the new show will be about embarrassing animal behaviours and their bizarre or weird medical conditions.
For further information, contact Laura Wolf on 0121 771 1812, or email her your CV and a recent photograph: l.woolf@mavericktv.co.uk.
Merial Animal Health is inviting practitioners to submit original clinical pain management cases for The Previcox & Equioxx European Clinical Case Award for Excellence.
Set up last year, the award recognises excellence in pain management in companion animals and horses. Submitted cases will be evaluated for successful management of pain associated with osteoarthritis, surgery or other conditions in companion animals and horses using firocoxib.
Two winners will be selected and each awarded €1,000 and an invitation to present their clinical case during Merial's next European Pain Management Symposium in 2012, with all travel and accommodation expenses paid.
Open to all veterinary practitioners, the deadline for submission is December 1st 2011. For an application form please email agate.vanopstal@merial.com
The RCVS has released the results of a survey it conducted which has found that the vast majority of recent graduates from UK veterinary schools consider extra-mural studies (EMS) to be an essential component of the veterinary degree.
The survey was launched earlier this year in order to help the RCVS build up a picture of how EMS placements are currently working and whether graduates felt that they had gained knowledge and experience from placements that they could not have learnt from their core studies. Some 287 veterinary graduates from 2012 and 2013 participated in the survey, the overwhelming majority of whom (95.6%) agreed that EMS was essential.
Furthermore, the majority of the recent graduates said that they had found EMS placements to be beneficial in terms of the variety of clinical skills, professional skills and working practices they encountered. The only area in which a large number of graduates (42.9%) said that they did not find EMS placements useful was in gaining experience of out-of-hours and weekend work.
Despite the overall positive results, however, a number of concerns about EMS were raised. Issues included variable quality of placements; significant numbers of respondents feeling they were not able to gain as much 'hands-on' experience from placements as they would like; costs of accommodation and travel; and a lack of farm/mixed animal practices for placements.
Other key findings included the fact that the vast majority of veterinary students identified and booked their own placements at EMS practices and that their placements were at the type of practice they were looking for.
Christine Warman, RCVS Head of Education, said: "We launched this survey as an information-gathering exercise to see how EMS placements are currently working, following our last review of EMS in 2009 - and the results have certainly been very interesting.
"What is clear is that the current system is working well and that there is no need for an immediate review or urgent action. Most graduates found the experience gained on placements useful for their studies and find that EMS sets them up well for their first job in practice.
"However, there are a number of issues that we will keep a watching brief over and we plan to repeat the survey every two years in order to monitor these."
The full results of the survey are available to view at www.rcvs.org.uk/emssurvey2014. Detailed guidance on EMS placements for students, university staff and EMS practices is also available at www.rcvs.org.uk/ems.
Any queries about EMS can also be directed to the RCVS Education Department on education@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0704.
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: “The original setup, which reorders a list of available positions by distance from a location, works very well when you know where you want to work.
"The new VetSurgeon Jobs Map, on the other hand, is ideal for when you’re not sure where exactly you want to work, and just want to know what’s out there.
"We’ve also added a 'World Jobs Map' so that there’s a quick and easy way to see any jobs outside the UK, such as those currently advertised in Bahrain, South Africa and Ireland."
The VetSurgeon Jobs Map is the latest in a string of new features added since a small charge was introduced for advertising jobs in May, including Find our jobs on VetSurgeon, Share & Reward and the VetSurgeon Locums Map. The same features have also been added over on VetNurse Jobs, too.
Arlo said: "Now that we charge for advertising on VetSurgeon Jobs, I’m interested in only one thing, which is offering both job seekers and recruiters the best service available anywhere."
Janssen Animal Health has highlighted that enforcement of the Veterinary Medicines legislation will require thousands of poultry owners to change the way they worm in the future.
The company says that in the past many poultry keepers with small to medium sized flocks have used Flubenvet® 2.5% Medicated Premixture 240 gram pack. However, going forwards, it will no longer be possible to do so unless individuals (or companies) are approved and registered to mix medicines into feed. The Flubenvet® 1% 60 gram pack for domestic poultry launched in 2008 remains widely available and can still be used without having to register. Each 60 gram pack is suitable to treat around 20 chickens.
Registered retailers are also only able to sell medicated premixtures for mixing into more than 30kg of feed to customers who are specifically registered with the VMD to mix these into animal foods.
Janssen Animal Health vet Nigel Underwood said: "We are advising all poultry keepers of this legislation. We must comply with the law and are simply not able to supply unregistered wholesalers, merchants, pharmacies of vet practices with medicated premixtures unless they are approved.. The new 60 gram domestic poultry pack of Flubenvet® 1% was developed specifically for the smaller poultry owner and is exempt from the legislation. It is available from vets, pharmacists and suitably qualified animal health advisers and poultry owners do not have to be registered to use it."
The Veterinary Marketing Association has 10 tickets available for its annual debate being held at the House of Lords on Tuesday October 12th, this year entitled: Internet Pharmacies - Opportunity or Threat?
The debate will be chaired by Professor Sandy Trees, and the panel will comprise:
The debate kicks off at 10:30am, and is followed by lunch at 12:30pm on the famous terrace, overlooking the Thames.
VetSurgeon members may buy tickets at the lower VMA member price of £120 + VAT, which includes the champagne reception and three course lunch with wine.
Click here for more information.
Carl Padgett has been elected President of the British Veterinary Association for 2011/2012.
Carl graduated from Glasgow University in 1989 and spent most of his career as a large animal practitioner. He is now a director of Bay Vets Ltd in Lancaster, and has particular interests in cattle health, production and welfare, veterinary politics and the role the profession has to play in the wider livestock industry and the companion animal world.
A former president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) and recent Chairman of Trustees of the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation, Carl has been involved in veterinary politics for over 15 years.
Carl said: "My representative roles for BVA, and prior to that BCVA, have enabled me to understand and realise my interest in the veterinary profession: ensuring the profession has a voice and our place in society is valued.
"Our multi-disciplinary education and training places the profession in a unique position to deliver a healthy future at many levels: representing the health and welfare of animals committed to our care, protecting the consumer by ensuring food safety and security at national and international levels by working within the agricultural world and ensuring public health in a variety of ways. Vets are not just part of the leisure industry making animals better; we fill a much wider role in underpinning society and its contact with animals at all levels."And so to the future. Although we do indeed live in a changing world, many of the challenges we face as a profession continue through from one President to the next, as they span beyond the year-long term of office. Over the last couple of years BVA has made a lot of progress on a number of policy issues and, in some instances, our lobbying efforts have paid off with Government announcements and new legislation reflecting our endeavours. Looking ahead, much of the coming year will be about putting those policies into practice, and that's why the theme of my presidential year will be 'Delivering a healthy future'.
"I am proud and honoured to be elected BVA President to continue serving the membership as part of the BVA Officer team."
Peter Harlech Jones was elected BVA President-elect for 2011/2012 at the same time.
The Libel Reform Campaign is asking supporters to lobby their MP to make sure that a reform of libel law gets into next year's Queen's Speech, which sets the legislative agenda for 2012.
Two cases in particular serve to highlight the impact of current law on the open discussion of medical science, that of the British Chiropractic Association vs Simon Singh (the author and Guardian journalist) and Matthaias Rath, a vitamin pill manufacturer vs Ben Goldacre (also an author and Guardian journalist).
The proposed new law will, amongst other things, help safeguard free and robust debate about veterinary science, so I urge you to lobby your MP. You can do that by clicking here.
A groundbreaking 3d printing service offered by Replica 3DM, a spin off of Salisbury NHS District Hospital, has helped referral veterinary orthopaedist Andy Moores in carrying out surgery on dog that won the 2013 Crufts Friends For Life Award.
Haatchi is an Anatolian shepherd dog whose back left leg and tail were amputated after he was tied to a railway line and hit by a train. As a rescue dog, he was adopted by the family of a young boy called Owen Howkins from Basingstoke. Owen has Schwartz‐Jampel syndrome, which causes his muscles to be permanently tense. The two bonded and became inseparable.
Earlier this year Haatchi developed mobility issues with his remaining hindlimb. He was referred to Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, in Hampshire, where a laterally luxating patella was diagnosed. The patella luxation was a result of a complex deformity of the femur and the tibia. Surgery was needed to enable Haatchi to use his leg better.
Replica 3DM, which normally uses its £70,000 printing equipment to make models of human bones and joints, created a 3d model of Haatchi’s hind leg from hip to paw. Normally the company charges around £200 for a human mandible. So, in order to keep costs down, it suggested a scaled down model which would still make Andy's preoperative planning a lot more straightforward and would help identify the correct surgical approach and likely abnormalities which would be encountered. Andy emailed the CT scans to Matt Sherry from Replica 3DM Ltd who converted them into a 3D model of Haatchi’s leg. Production of the model took six hours.
Andy said: "Having access to a scale 3D model of Haatchi's limb prior to surgery not only allowed us to better understand his deformity but it also allowed us to practice the femoral and tibial corrective osteotomies prior to surgery to be sure they would achieve what we intended."
Replica 3DM Ltd is based at Salisbury District Hospital and provides a service producing 3 dimensional products used in various types of surgery e.g. fractured neck of femur, cranioplasty procedures and jaw fractures. The company says that while of course not necessary in all procedures, visualisation of fractures and deformities prior to surgery can help in pre planning of surgery, reducing costs in time and equipment as well as enabling smaller incisions and less soft tissue intervention, so that patient recovery is enhanced.
For more information, visit www.replica3dm.com or ring Matt Sherry at Replica 3dm on 01722 429185.
Everyone taking part in the survey will receive a fob watch to thank them for their participation.
Sarah is leading the project, which is supported by Ceva Animal Health, alongside Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, fellow RCVS Feline Medicine Specialist and Professor in Feline Medicine at The University of Edinburgh.
Suzanne Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at Ceva, said: “There are many barriers to ensuring that all older cats and those with relevant concurrent diseases receive screening for hypertension.
"The survey will help us better understand what those barriers are and how these challenges can be addressed positively to improve animal welfare.
"It is also an issue that requires the whole practice team to come together to deliver a better outcome for their patients.
"We are therefore very keen to find out how all members of the practice team view these important issues and want to encourage all vets and veterinary nurses to share their perspective on the challenges they face in carrying out blood pressure measurements.”
Sarah is emphasising the importance of keeping feline patients calm and relaxed during blood pressure assessments: “The so-called ‘white coat effect’ or situational hypertension, has been observed in both people and animals.
"The survey will also explore the tools and techniques veterinary professionals use to minimise the impact of blood pressure assessments on their patients and will help us to develop some best practice approaches.”
The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/FelineHypertensionSurvey.
The College says it will be promoting its Find a Vet search tool and its new Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) at the event, which runs from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 August. It will also be giving career advice for prospective veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
The College’s Find a Vet search tool was relaunched earlier this year, allowing users to search for a veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse or veterinary practice all in one place. The tool also includes new features such as displaying a practice’s visiting information (including opening hours and car parking); enabling users to ‘get directions’ via Google Maps; advertising a practice’s PSS accreditations and awards; and returning individual profile pages for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
To promote the free search tool the College will be encouraging visitors to take part in its Find a Vet dice game, as well as hosting a random draw photo competition which will encourage members of the public to find and photograph one of our veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses who will be lost in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
Another of the College’s promotional focuses is the new PSS. The new PSS is designed to provide a greater focus on how practices use their resources to create a positive outcome for patients and clients, and allows for practices to distinguish the areas in which they excel through its awards system. The College says it is using BBC Countryfile Live to raise the profile of PSS and make animal owners more aware of the various available accreditation levels.
Ahead of the event, the RCVS is running social media competitions to give away 15 free pairs of tickets: on Facebook (/TheRCVS); Twitter (@RCVS_UK); and its new Instagram account (@thercvs). The competitions ends Friday 29 July, with winners being announced that day at 5pm. Tickets will allow entry on Thursday 4, Friday 5, and Sunday 7 August.
Investigation of the relationship between ionised and total calcium in dogs with ionised hypercalcaemia1 was undertaken by Tørnqvist-Johnsen et al. at the Hospital for Small Animals, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Initially, a normal reference interval for ionised calcium, total calcium and albumin, serum and plasma biochemistry was established by analysing samples from 351 healthy adult dogs.
After establishing a reference interval for ionised calcium, the laboratory’s database was searched for adult dogs with ionised hypercalcaemia that had attended the university small animal hospital between 2012 and 2017, a time frame when the same sample handling protocols and instrumentation was in use. The hospital records were searched for patient information and the biochemical parameters statistically analysed.
Of 63 dogs identified with ionised hypercalcaemia, 23 did not have a total hypercalcaemia (37%). 16 of these 23 dogs (70%) had albumin within the reference interval. To summarise the key findings; using total calcium, one third of patients with ionised hypercalcaemia were not identified. There was also no significant relationship between albumin and total calcium in these cases.
Camilla Tørnqvist-Johnsen, lead author of the paper, said: "Hypercalcaemia is a very important clinical abnormality, often revealing severe underlying disease in dogs who do not get idiopathic hypercalcaemia. This study reveals the true importance of doing an ionised calcium measurement when evaluating calcaemic status."
Nick Jeffery, Editor of JSAP said: "This study demonstrates that, if relying on total calcium alone, more than one third of dogs with ionised hypercalcaemia will be classified as normocalcaemic. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the discordance between ionised and total calcium cannot be routinely explained by a low protein-bound component.
"Whilst reference intervals are key in clinical practice to determine whether a result is an outlier from 95% of a healthy population, it is not inevitable that a patient with an outlying biochemical test result has a clinically relevant disease."
The full article can be found in the April issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13109
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.
The RCVS says this is the first time that two leading organisations in veterinary QI are collaborating to establish a new evidence-based model for QI specific to veterinary care.
The project is being overseen by Jocelyn Toner MRCVS, an experienced veterinary surgeon with a background in shelter medicine and an interest in evidence-based interventions to improve welfare outcomes.
The team will test the model against a prevalent problem in practice and measure the cost of making the changes against the benefit it brings.
They will refine the model based on lessons learned before they make it available to all veterinary practices, to tackle any area a practice wants to improve, regardless of practice type or specialism.
The aim is to help time-poor practitioners implement proven QI methods to improve outcomes and provide a return on investment.
Jocelyn said: “I’m looking forward to working with colleagues from across the sector to develop a model that will make Quality Improvement more accessible, and show that it can have a real economic benefit.
"We know that there is increased demand for veterinary teams to provide more efficient and effective care while maintaining high levels of animal welfare, improving team welfare and client satisfaction.
"Over recent years an increasing number of veterinary teams have embraced QI techniques.
"Now is the time to take this to the next level by creating an evidence-based model for QI, which can be applied systematically in any veterinary setting.
The project will involve bringing together veterinary professionals to co-design the model and test it in practice.
If you are interested in supporting this work, please register your interest at: rcvsknowledge.org.uk/forms/ktp-interest-form/
Mike Martin, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology, has launched a new reference library of cardiology echo scans on VetSurgeon.org.
The movies show cardiac scans performed on normal dogs, and on cats and dogs with a variety of different conditions, both acquired and congenital.
Mike said: "I hope these movies will be a really helpful reference for colleagues who have an interest in cardiology. They provide so much more information than can be gleaned from a still image in a textbook, now that online video quality has improved so much."
Mike's gallery is an excellent example of the way in which a social networking website like VetSurgeon allows its members to share information and collaborate. Other referral practitioners interested in having their own gallery in which to share videos or images with colleagues in the profession should contact the site editor, Arlo Guthrie for further details.
Click here to visit Mike Martin's Cardiology Gallery
Since 2014 the RCVS has trialled two different ADR services with the aim of helping resolve complaints between animal owners and veterinary practices that do not meet its threshold for serious professional misconduct.
Since October 2016, this has been in the form of the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), administered by Nockolds Solicitors. The VCMS is free for both animal owners and veterinary professionals and cases will only be taken with the consent of both parties.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: "We are very pleased that ADR in the form of mediation has received the unanimous support of RCVS Council members as part of the process for handling veterinary complaints.
"Throughout its trial period the VCMS has very much been complementary to our concerns investigation and disciplinary process. While we are bound by statute to investigate concerns, it has allowed our Professional Conduct Team to 'triage' cases, and to signpost complainants either to the College or the VCMS as appropriate. This has allowed greater time and resources to investigate concerns that could constitute serious professional misconduct.
"We also believe that the VCMS is good for both the public and the profession because it encourages both parties to communicate, find areas of agreement and come to constructive solutions, rather than being an adversarial process that assigns blame and adjudicates remedies."
Jennie Jones, a partner at Nockolds Solicitors which administers the VCMS, said: "The service is here to help veterinary clients and practices find a resolution for complaints that cannot be resolved within the practice. Complaints are referred to the VCMS by clients and practices where the relationship has become strained or communication may be difficult. Importantly the service does not look at who is right or wrong, but focuses on finding an outcome that both parties can live with and bringing an end to the complaint.
"In our experience this has ranged from reassuring clients and helping them to come to terms with what has happened, refunding fees, further explanations, apologies, small goodwill payments, securing procedural changes at the practice and agreement by the client to settle outstanding fees which have been withheld because of the complaint.
"We understand complaints are highly emotional and stressful for both parties, so the VCMS team will not ask parties to speak to one another directly. It is also not about assigning blame but is about moving forward to allow both parties to bring the complaint to a conclusion. When we hear from practices and clients alike that they can now sleep at night, or their relief that a complaint is resolved, I know ADR and the VCMS does help and make a difference."
The College says that during the trial period, 165 of the 870 enquiries received by the VCMS went to mediation. Of these, 129 were successfully mediated with the other 36 remaining unresolved. Of the other enquiries 297 resulted in the animal owner being referred back to the practice so that internal complaints processes could be exhausted first, 93 did not progress because the animal owner did not pursue the complaint, 73 were dealt with through advice, 66 did not progress as the practice declined to engage, 76 were outside the service’s remit and 100 are currently ongoing.
Taking into account the overall feedback received from both animal owners and veterinary professionals and the positive responses on the independence and fairness of the VCMS, Council agreed that Nockolds continue administering the scheme, with a review starting in 18 months’ time to take into account experience and learning as the scheme continues to evolve. During the Council meeting statements of support for the VCMS were also heard from a representative of the Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) and an independent consultant on consumer affairs.
A spokesperson for the VDS said: "The VDS assisted over 150 practices that agreed to participate in the ADR trial and developed a constructive working relationship with the VCMS staff. In the vast majority of cases mediation has resulted in a satisfactory outcome with little or no financial consequences.
"The Society considers this voluntary scheme particularly suited to the many client care complaints that are directed at the RCVS due to public misunderstanding of the College’s role, but the investigation of which creates disproportionate concern to the professionals involved. The independent nature of the VCMS has been a key feature of the trial, although access to experienced, non-judgemental, veterinary advice has provided the necessary professional expertise when necessary."
More information about the VCMS and its processes can be found on the service’s dedicated website: https://www.vetmediation.co.uk/
To contact the service directly call 0345 040 5834 or enquiries@vetmediation.co.uk
VetSurgeon.org has launched a survey to discover what veterinary professionals think of the food available for small furries, and how it is labelled.
The survey closes on 22nd September, when one completed survey entry will be drawn from the hat to win £50 worth of John Lewis shopping vouchers.
The survey consists of nine quick questions, which should only take a few moments to complete.
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A PR headache for Fortnum and Mason yesterday, as PETA employee Abi Izzard changed her name by deed poll to StopFortnumandMasonFoieGrasCruelty.com to try and shame the London store into stopping selling foie gras.
To produce foie gras, birds are force-fed several times per day in a controversial practice known as gavage, which causes their livers to swell to many times their normal size. PETA claims the practice causes the birds' livers to become diseased, that many animals bleed to death after their throats are punctured by force-feeding tubes, that surviving birds live in terror as they await the next assault, and become sick and lethargic.
However, Dr. Daniel Guemene, Director of Research & Senior Scientist at the National Agronomic Institute in France, says his research proves otherwise. In one study for example, stress levels in force-fed birds were guaged through the measurement of corticosterone blood levels. The study concluded that there was no significant increase in stress levels, except after the first instance of force-feeding, which researchers said was most likely due to holding the ducks, rather than the force-feeding. In addition, he claims to have demonstrated that ducks show no avoidance behaviour to the force-feeder or force-feeding, as would be expected if they feared these things.
The actor Roger Moore is a supporter of this girl's campaign. He said: "Many people know me as James Bond or 007, but I never went so far as officially changing my name from Roger Moore. I hope the young lady now known as StopFortnumAndMasonFoieGrasCruelty.com royally shames this store".
It is hoped that the treatment centre, which will use radio-iodine therapy to treat the condition, will be completed within three months at its base near Winchester.
The new centre will be one of only 11 in the UK and the aim is to reduce the waiting time for cats with hyperthyroidism to receive treatment.
Davina Anderson, European and RCVS Recognised Vet Specialist at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, said: "We’re delighted to be able to get the go-ahead to build this facility and will start construction work imminently.
"Radio-iodine therapy is the gold standard of treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats, far exceeding the results seen with surgery or oral medication.
"We intend to offer a service tailor-made to each individual cat and their family, with their clinical history and circumstances screened before they travel to us. This is to ensure that treatment with radio-iodine therapy is the correct therapeutic decision.
"The ten other centres in the UK providing this treatment are spread few and far between, and we hope that opening this facility will help to reduce waiting lists for cats awaiting treatment, particularly across southern England."
The centre at Anderson Moores will be run and managed by Boarded Specialists in Internal Medicine, supported by Boarded Cardiologists and qualified nurses.
It will also have the capacity to address other clinical concerns, if necessary. Davina said: "Cats that are presented with hyperthyroidism are older, more fragile and potentially have other concurrent conditions. It’s very rare for a cat under seven years of age to develop hyperthyroidism.
"The treatment of cats with hyperthyroidism involves a single injection of radioactive iodine, followed by isolation in a radiation-proof facility for two weeks.
"Cats usually respond extremely well to treatment, and if the condition is recognised early and treated appropriately, then the outlook for the affected cat is generally very good."