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.
Improve International has launched the latest tranche of online training for those seeking qualification as an Official Veterinarian (OV).
The company says completion of the new training modules will lead to qualification in the following areas:
Improve has developed the training modules in conjunction with its assessment partner, the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and Harper Adams University, which validates the qualifications.
Improve was appointed to handle OV registration and training in England, Scotland and Wales by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) earlier this year. In August, it launched www.improve-ov.com, a new OV registration and training website which contains details of the new process and the new OCQ(V) qualification. Under the new system, individuals or employers fund their own OV training but benefit from the fact that they can access the majority of course content 24/7 on the new website at a convenient time and without having to be absent from the practice.
Existing OVs have 'grandfather rights' as long as they register on the new database by 31 March 2015. In addition, a revalidation requirement has been introduced for the first time which ensures all OV's will remain up to date.
Bethan Stephens MRCVS from the Milfeddygon Deufor practice in Wales, who has recently undertaken some OV training, said: "I found the registration and training easy to understand and it was very useful to be able to tackle it in bite-sized chunks over a few weeks, as and when I had time."
David Babington (pictured right), Managing Director of Improve International, said: "We've received an enthusiastic response to the OV training already launched and the number of vets both registering and qualifying continues to show the desirability of these qualifications in an increasingly competitive veterinary sector. We are working to a tight schedule to deliver all of the new OCQ(V) training by February 2015 and are delighted to launch the latest set of courses."
For further information, visit www.improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
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."
The final deadline for paying the fee was 31 May 2017, with the 339 who did not pay being removed on 1 June 2017, compared to 296 last year.
A list of those who have not paid their fee has been published on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/about-the-rcvs-register/) and the College is encouraging practices to check the list to be sure that no employees are named. Those who have been removed from the Register but have subsequently paid to be restored are not named on the list.
Anyone removed from the Register can no longer call themselves a veterinary surgeon, use the postnominals MRCVS or carry out acts of veterinary surgery – to do so would be in breach of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
The College is also reminding veterinary surgeons that to complete their registration in full they need to confirm they are compliant with the continuing professional development (CPD) requirement and complete the criminal disclosures form. Both of these are required by the Code of Professional Conduct and can be completed on the ‘My Account’ area www.rcvs.org.uk/login.
Anyone with queries about completing the registration process should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk.
Perhaps the biggest initiative thus far has been the installation of solar panels which meet the electrical needs of the 25 vets, nurses and support staff at its Kirriemuir branch.
In recent months, the group has also invested in a water purifier and oxygen generation system, installed composting bins made from recycled pallets and changed food packaging to eco-friendly and recyclable materials.
Compostable paper towels are now being used across the practices and, through a partnership with PetsApp, appointment reminders, invoices and receipts are sent electronically.
Anything that does have to be printed is printed on FSC certified paper.
Eco-friendly cleaning supplies and sustainable office products are also being sourced from local suppliers.
Other initiatives include avoiding single-use plastic wherever possible, using water butts to collect rainwater for watering plants and washing vans, and planting wildflowers to encourage wildlife.
The group has also installed energy-efficient LED lighting, along with a system to prompt people to turn off lights, and is currently switching signage lighting to LEDs.
Katrin Lewis said: “As we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, we’ve clearly always been committed to providing the best care for our clients, but it’s vital that this also extends to the impact we have on the planet.
"We’ve therefore embarked on green mission to ensure our practices are as sustainable as possible.
“We’ve also taken inspiration and advice from practices within XLVets, the community of independently-owned veterinary practices that work collaboratively for the greater good of the industry.
"This has helped us to share best practice when it comes to sustainability and make further improvements to our procedures.
“We now have colleagues from all four of our practices in the green team and we’re continually looking at new ways of improving our green credentials.
"Even simple things like using spare Loxicom syringes for lab work, and washing lines instead of relying on tumble drying, as well as redesigning our recycling plan, are making a noticeable and positive difference.
“Since the start of the year, we’ve significantly reduced our carbon footprint and we’re now looking at a number of other exciting initiatives that we’ll be ready to unveil in the coming months.”
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched a unique and natural muscle building supplement for horses, Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls, containing 18 key amino acids.
The company says maintaining muscular condition in performance and sports horses can be challenging, especially when work load is increased or during periods of convalescence, as feeding high levels of concentrates can often lead to horses becoming 'fizzy' and bulking up on fats and oils.
Scientifically designed to support lean muscle growth, not bulk, Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls is great for optimising performance in horses in intensive training and competition, as well as bringing on young, breeding and injured animals, and for older horses which lose condition easily.
The product is endorsed by top British show jumper, Ellen Whitaker and veterinary surgeon and dressage rider, Christel Robbins BVSc MRCVS.
Craig Beck from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls is already one of the most popular equine supplements sold in Germany and is used by top riders in all disciplines to help ensure their horses reach their full athletic potential. We are certain that with the support of riders such as Ellen Whitaker, Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls will prove just as popular in the UK."
Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls is available in a 1.5kg tub (RRP £65) and can be fed separately or mixed with feed. Horses weighing less than 500kg should be fed one scoop (25g) per day, while larger horses should receive two scoops (50g). Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica recommends that Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls is fed for at least a month as results are normally visible within 3-4 weeks.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica is committed to supporting veterinary practices and Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls will be distributed exclusively by veterinary wholesalers. An extensive advertising campaign in professional equine publications will help raise awareness of Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls and, for a limited period, horse owners and equine professionals can download a voucher from http://www.equitop-myoplast.co.uk/ offering a £15 rebate against their first purchase. Veterinary practices can redeem these vouchers by returning them to Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica via a freepost address.
For further information on Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls, please contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica representative, visit www.equitop-myoplast.co.uk or call 01344 746959.
Veterinary charity PetSavers has launched its annual photography competition, and is inviting vet practices to get involved.
PetSavers is asking veterinary practices to help promote the annual PetSavers photography competition by encouraging their clients to take part. This year's theme is 'Mischievous Pets', and the competition is free to enter, with a closing date for entries on the 31 January 2014.
PetSavers' studies have already contributed a better understanding of many common diseases such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis and heart disease to the profession. However, there is obviously a lot more work to be done. By promoting the photo competition, you will help PetSavers to tell its story and encourage more pet owners to support the kind of veterinary science that helps vets improve the health of the nation's pets.
You can help promote the competition by placing a poster on you practice notice board or downloading a digital copy and placing it on your social networking sites or practice newsletters.
To request a poster of for more information about how you can get involved with PetSavers visit www.petsavers.org.uk or email Emma - e.sansom@bsava.com. Of course - all vet and VN photographers can enter too.
Pedigree® has announced the launch of national Oral Care Month, which will take place during March 2010.
Recognising that canine periodontal disease affects over 80% of dogs in the UK, yet with only 2% of owners following a regular oral care regime for their dog, Oral Care Month will seek to encourage owners to visit their veterinary practice for free dental check-ups.
The company says the initiative will be supported with a wide range of marketing material for practices, including striking waiting room posters, leaflets and free Pedigree DentaStix samples. A far-reaching national press and TV advertising campaign will also take place leading up to the campaign to encourage existing and potentially new clients to seek advice from their vet.
Pedigree's oral care expert, Dr Marie-Louise Baillon says that most owners simply aren't aware that four out of five dogs over the age of three are likely to have gum disease. "We've found that around 90% of owners rate their own dog's teeth and gums as being either good or perfect. What our campaign is aiming to do is educate owners to look out for the telltale signs, such as bad breath, which many will often wrongly accept as being normal, or bleeding and inflamed gums."
Practices can sign up to Oral Care Month from 1st January at: http://www.oralcaremonth.co.uk/.
Promotional materials will be sent to registered surgeries in the New Year. All practices that sign up will be listed on the campaign's consumer website so that dog owners can easily find their nearest participating vet.
All registered Oral Care Month practices will also be entered into a free prize draw. Prizes include a dental X-ray system worth £2,500, 25 free places on next year's 'Improving Periodontal Health' autumn lecture tour and 50 periodontal probes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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/
Virbac Animal Health has produced a Pet Oral Hygiene System point of sale kit for practice reception areas.
The pack includes information for owners on periodontal disease and gingivitis and advice on preventative routine care. It also provides guidance for owners who struggle to brush their pet's teeth correctly, including where to find Virbac CET 'You Tube' footage.
Virbac Oral Care product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS says still more is needed when it comes to oral home care: "Some experts state that four out of every five dogs over the age of three suffers from periodontal disease - despite this many pet owners have no form of oral care programme.
"The idea behind this kit is to highlight to owners the importance of oral hygiene at the time when they are in the most appropriate place to get expert advice!"
Packs are free to any practice spending £50.00 or more on the Virbac oral care range including VeggieDent chews and Vet aquadent drinking solution.
For more information contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
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.
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
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
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 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.
Bayer Animal Health, maker of Tracer microchips, has produced a new video in which Emma Milne and Petlog Executive Celia Walsom consider the implications for practices of the change in the law which will make it compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped from April 2016.
The 15-minute video considers various issues, such as:
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."
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.
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.
A research project funded by equine charity The Horse Trust has found that lameness is the most common reason for euthanasing a geriatric horse.
According to the charity, this research is the first in the UK to provide data on the causes of death in geriatric horses. Although post-mortem studies have provided some data regarding causes of death, "old age" was previously reported as a common reason for the euthanasia of adult horses.
The research was carried out by Joanne Ireland at the University of Liverpool and led by Dr Gina Pinchbeck. Ireland surveyed horse owners living in the North-West and Midlands areas of England and North Wales who have a horse aged 15 years or older. 918 owners of geriatric horses were followed in a cohort study and 118 mortalities were reported during the 18 month follow-up period, of which 111 were euthanased.
The researchers found that 24% of horses were euthanased due to lameness; an additional 12% were euthanased due to laminitis - a common cause of lameness. After lameness, colic was the next most common cause of euthanasia, with 21% of owners citing this as the main reason.
In an earlier stage of the project, the researchers had found that half the geriatric horses surveyed suffered from lameness, but only 24% of owners reported the problem.
Dr Pinchbeck said: "Although lameness is common in older horses, this is the first study to quantify its contribution to their mortality.
"Owners are often missing the early signs of lameness in their horse, which means the condition isn't being managed and may deteriorate faster."
Dr Pinchbeck said it would be useful to carry out further research into lameness in geriatric horses to find out the main causes of lameness and how these may be prevented or treated.
The research team also found that half of the horses euthanased were suffering from concurrent health problems and these influenced the owner's decision to euthanase in 43% of cases. The most frequently reported additional health problems were musculoskeletal problems, such as arthritis.
The mortality rate among the horses surveyed was 11 per 100 horse-years at risk, meaning that if 100 geriatric horses were followed for a year, an average of 11 would die. The mortality rate for horses over 30 years of age was over five times the rate than in horses aged 15 - 19 years.
Jeanette Allen, Chief Executive of The Horse Trust, said the data provided by this research is likely to provide useful information for both horse owners and vets to enable them to improve the welfare of older horses. She said: "As there are a significant number of geriatric horses in the UK, it is vital that we understand more about the health problems that affect them. We hope that more owners of older horses will give their horse an annual health-check to enable the horse to have a longer, healthier life."
The research was published in the September 2011 issue of Preventive Veterinary Medicine.