Vetoquinol has launched www.epiphenonline.co.uk, to support the veterinary profession and dog owners in the management of epilepsy.

The company says it has developed the online service to complement its existing monitoring aids and booklets, and give the best possible support to vets and patients during the complex process of stabilising and managing seizures.

The online service enables owners to keep a seizure diary, and share it with their veterinary surgeon so that they can prescribe an appropriate medication and management programme.

According to Vetoquinol, approximately three to five per cent of dogs suffer from idiopathic epilepsy, (which accounts for 80 per cent of epileptic seizures). The condition is  inherited in some breeds, including Beagles, Dachunds, Keeshonden, German Shepherds and Belgian Tervurens.

Documenting the animal's history and seizure activity is crucial in assessing the progression of epilepsy. It also provides invaluable information for diagnosis and maintenance of effective therapeutic control.

Biobest is highlighting the benefits of using its canine prostate specific arginine esterase (CPSE) test to differentiate between those dogs which have benign prostatic hyperplasia and those suffering more serious conditions, such as neoplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common condition of entire dogs with over 50% of dogs over 5 years of showing histological evidence of BPH.

Paul Burr MRCVS from Biobest said: "While the clinical stages of prostatic disease are not difficult to diagnose, differentiating BPH from other causes of prostatic disease such as prostatic cysts, prostatitis, prostatic abscesses or neoplasia is less simple. Traditionally further investigation would include bacteriology and cytology on a prostatic wash or final needle aspirate, and prostatic ultrasonography."

Although the CPSE test has been available for a couple of years now, Paul says the benefits of the test have not thus far been well-explained: "I think most vets probably think it's just a test for Prostatic Disease, something which is easy enough to diagnose without testing.

"While the test can be used as part of an annual check up to look for pre-clinical BPH in entire male dogs, it's real value is that it is a simple, convenient non-invasive blood test that helps determine whether a dog presenting with signs of prostatic disease is most likely to be suffering from BPH or a more serious condition that requires further investigation."

For more information about the CPSE test, contact Biobest on 0131 440 2628 or email enquiry@biobest.co.uk.

The RCVS has published a summary of the goings on at its 6 November meeting.

Amongst other things, Council agreed to continue to display postnominals in the Register, undertake a consultation on whether members should be able to use the courtesy title 'doctor' and make amendments to the College's current registration regulations.

In addition, 

• Council discussed and approved the College's budget for 2015.
• Council heard that the new Royal Charter had been approved by the Privy Council the previous evening and approved new rules relating to the registration of veterinary nurses which need to be in place when the new RCVS Royal Charter comes into effect and new bye-laws to replace the existing ones which will be revoked when the Charter is sealed and brought into effect.
• Council agreed to amend a number of the current regulations for the registration of veterinary surgeons in order to make the process more convenient for registrants. Key changes include allowing veterinary surgeons to supply either a work or home address for publication in the Register, not charging a punitive additional restoration fee for those who are restored to the Register at the direction of the Disciplinary Committee and no longer levying an administrative charge on credit card payments - a change which will also now allow the College to accept debit card payments. The new registration regulations have now been submitted to the Privy Council, which will need to grant approval before they come into effect.
• Council confirmed that the College will continue to display postnominals for postgraduate qualifications in the Register - reversing a previous decision to remove all postnominals except those for the registerable degree and MRCVS or FRCVS. Council agreed that the following postnominals would be included on the Register - primary veterinary qualifications that the College has a legal obligation to display; qualifications approved for Advanced Practitioner and Specialist status; and other qualifications and honorary postnominals deemed relevant by Council including some non-veterinary/science-related qualifications.
• Council agreed to undertake a consultation on whether members of the College should be allowed to use the courtesy title 'doctor'. The proposals were brought forward by RCVS President Professor Stuart Reid who cited the fact that international veterinary surgeons used the title, that medical practitioners in the UK carry the courtesy title and a recent decision by the General Dental Council to allow dentists the use the title. Council agreed to open the issue to an online consultation with both the public and profession, which is likely to be launched before Christmas.
• Council members heard reports from VN Council and the Audit and Risk, Education, Standards, Preliminary Investigation, Disciplinary and PIC/DC Liaison Committees. Papers for each can be also be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/rcvs-council/council-meetings
• During the afternoon session of Council, members considered a range of possible options for reforming the governance structure of the College. The case for reform was outlined by Professor Reid who asked Council members to consider its decision-making functions, size, composition and frequency of meetings. Following group discussions various views were put forward, including a larger consultative Council which would meet less frequently, alongside an enlarged Operational Board which would meet monthly; and having a smaller Council which would meet more frequently. The Operational Board will now be considering these views and will put further proposals to Council in March.
• Council agreed a recommendation put forward by members Mark Elliott and Richard Stephenson that recognised that while much decision-making had been delegated to committees (eg the Standards and Education Committees), Council members should feel able to discuss decisions made in committee with which they disagree. Furthermore, the recommendation stated that committees should be encouraged to refer major policy decisions to Council for ratification. The majority of recommendations were accepted in principle by Council.

More information about these decisions can be found in the latest edition of RCVS News, copies of which have been sent to all veterinary surgeons and listed/registered veterinary nurses.

The full papers for the Council meeting can be found on the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/rcvs-council/council-meetings

VetKind, a collaboration between the Association of Veterinary Students of UK and Ireland and SkillsTree Training, are giving a webinar this Saturday which will offer advice for student vets about how they can look after their mental wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic.

The one-hour webinar, titled 'Calm in the Corona' takes place between 11am and 12 noon on Saturday 25 April and is being supported by the RCVS Mind Matters initiative.

The session will look at some of the common responses to uncertainty during the pandemic, with an emphasis on how to recognise and nurture more adaptive or helpful responses that do not lead to heightened anxiety or distress.

Topics will include creating routines, setting boundaries and how to seek social support despite quarantine measures.

Building on the interactive approach from previous VetKind conferences, student veterinary nurses and veterinary students will be invited to share their coronavirus experiences, ideas and successes with their colleagues.

Jenny Moffett, Managing Director of SkillsTree and VetKind facilitator said: "Although we’re all talking about social distancing right now, it’s more accurate to think of it as physical distancing. Social support is more important than ever, and webinars can be a really effective way to connect, and work together on a common challenge.

"We know that many students may be facing heightened stress and anxiety right now as they worry about the impact the pandemic may have on their own and their family’s health, their education, their finances, their housing and so on. We hope that this webinar will provide some effective coping strategies and an opportunity to share fears and worries and find constructive solutions to them."

Those that wish to take part in the webinar should email avsvetkind@gmail.com. An automatic reply with the link to participate in the webinar will then be emailed back.

Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine r/d has been reformulated following new findings regarding the role of protein in weight loss and the development of new fibre technology.

According to Hill's, trials of the new formulation resulted in some impressive results, with individual overweight animals losing at least 22% of their body fat in 8 weeks while still maintaining muscle mass.

In addition, the company has developed a range of support measures to help raise awareness about obesity and encourage pet owners to come forward. There's a new website: http://www.%20hillsweightloss.co.uk/ containing tips on weight loss and e-mailed reminders about returning to the surgery for weight checks; a pet passport containing information on helping the pet live a longer and healthier life, an anatomy poster that describes the dangers of excess weight gain and a practice display materials kit. Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill’s, “It can be time consuming to put together a really good wall or table display. This kit offers the opportunity for use in its entirety, while also giving scope to add individual elements for those who want to customize the display further.”

Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine r/d will be available in 1.5Kg, 4Kg and 12Kg bags. The recipe of the current 350g can remains unchanged.

For more information call Hill’s Customer Service on 0800 282 438 or (ROI) 1-800 626002.

Denmark-based consulting firm praQtice has launched a subsidiary in the UK to offer veterinary practice management consultancy services.

The company says it concentrates on six business areas: strategy and business development, marketing, employee and manager development, finance, research and analysis, and training.  

praQtice says it has worked with a wide range of practices, from the small local practice to the large hospital, helping them bring together their mission and vision. The company also has the benefit of having an in-house marketing and communication department which it says has had considerable success - not only in Scandinavia, but in the UK when last year praQtice won a Veterinary Marketing Association award.

The launch in the UK will primarily be driven by three praQtice consultants - founder and business developer Christian Kolthoff, Marketing Consultant Mario Riewerts and Business Developer Helen Kington.  

Helen said: "This will be great for UK vets, largely it has been the same group of consultants working with the same thoughts and ideas for the last 10 years. We need to look beyond our borders in order to evolve. In Scandinavia you can only put a mark up of 5% on your drugs, which does not make you a profit. Thus they have learnt to be much better in delivering and pricing for their professional service, I am sure we can learn a lot from them.  What we also see all over Europe is that practices are getting bigger and bigger. But as the practices grow, so does the number of problems and the partner's income rarely follows. praQtice is about quality of life and allowing yourself to dream, we then give you the tools along with helping you through the implementation to make those dreams and ambitions come true.

You can meet the team at the VPMA Congress in Oxford (28th-30th January), where founder and CEO Christian Kolthoff will be speaking. Meantime, if you would like more information about praQtice, visit www.praqtice.co.uk or telephone Helen Kington on 07765 338 607

The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) is calling on vets to support the #VaccinesWork campaign.

Starting in the New Year, the benefits of vaccination will be communicated to both farmers and pet owners, initially focussing on farm use. 

The aims of the campaign are to raise awareness of how and why vaccines work and the range of diseases they protect against, to review and improve how vaccines are stored and administered, and to encourage better uptake of existing vaccines. 

Further information and tips on storing and using vaccines correctly will be shared, to help ensure that vaccines used will be effective.

NOAH says that research has shown that:

• Only 53% farmers know the correct temperature for vaccine storage
• 73% do not have a separate thermometer or data logger
• Less than 10% check fridge temperatures daily

Dawn Howard, NOAH’s Chief Executive said: “It is encouraging that vaccination of the UK’s calves and sheep against livestock diseases has risen to one of the highest levels in seven years¹. This increase is encouraging, however still more needs to be done in relation to uptake, storage and usage. We are asking the vet profession to support the #VaccinesWork campaign by spreading the messages with their clients and engaging on social media."

"We will be providing information for farmers e.g. if vaccines are not stored correctly, it will impact on their potency, meaning they could be less effective – not only will there be the potential for the vaccine to fail to protect animals against disease but also farmers may have wasted their efforts – and may be deterred from vaccinating again."

Whilst correct use by farmers is the initial focus, the campaign will include pets. Dawn said: "The topic of vaccine hesitancy is becoming increasingly important. Recognised by the WHO as one of the top 10 global health threats for people in 2019, this phenomenon is translating to the veterinary sector as well, especially in companion animals. The PDSA reports an ‘alarming’ drop in pet vaccinations: the proportion of pet dogs, cats and rabbits receiving a primary course when young has fallen by 18% over the past 3 years, down to 66%³.”

"This is bad news for the health and welfare of the nation’s pets, who are increasingly at risk of disease, and we need to work to address this."

References

1. https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/use-of-vaccines-in-cattle-and-sheep-2018-sales-update

2. https://www.noah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NOAH-Vision-Paper-8pp-A4-Sep-19-vf.pdf

3. https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/7420/2019-paw-report_downloadable.pdf 

Animalcare, the distributor of Daxocox, has launched canine osteoarthritis ‘Lunch and Learn’ CPD for vets and RVNs.

The company says the sessions will help veterinary staff learn more about the condition - which affects up to 20% of dogs in the UK annually¹ - the causes and consequences of osteoarthritis pain, the main predisposing risk factors and the impact of chronic pain on central sensitisation.

The CPD will look at what steps practices can take to mitigate animal suffering and increase long-term owner compliance and will encourage practices to look at their current osteoarthritis management strategy. 

Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "Canine osteoarthritis is a growing concern for UK vets – latest figures suggest that over two million dogs are suffering, based on current population figures.

"Managing these cases can be challenging, but through this lunch and learn session, we aim to support veterinary staff and help them to expand their knowledge and implement an improved approach for managing canine osteoarthritis.’

www.animalcare.co.uk/lunch-and-learn 

Reference

1. Anderson, K.L., O’Neill, D.G., Brodbelt, D.C., et al, 2018. Prevalence, duration and risk factors for appendicular osteoarthritis in a UK dog population under primary veterinary care. Scientific reports, 8(1), pp.1-12.

Norbrook Laboratories has announced that Pestigon for Cats, the company's fipronil spot on solution against fleas and ticks, has been granted an extension to its licence which means it is now indicated against the Ixodes ricinus tick.

Previously, the cat product was only indicated for Dermacentor reticulatus.

The Pestigon dog spot on offers efficacy against the Dermacentor reticulatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and the Ixodes ricinus tick.

Michelle Jones, Norbrook's Small Animal Brand Manager said: "The extension of our licence for Pestigon in Cats is welcome news. The Ixodes ricinus tick is one of the most common ticks found in the UK. Pet owners need to be aware that choosing a treatment that kills ticks as well as fleas is vital, with ticks potentially spreading diseases such as lyme disease. We are therefore delighted that our Pestigon range now gives cat owners even more protection against fleas and ticks."

Michelle added: "Pestigon is only available through veterinary practices which means that pet owners have to visit their practice to purchase this flea and tick treatment. They can therefore receive expert advice at the point of purchase and discuss any concerns they may have."

Pestigon spot on is available from all wholesalers in packs of 3, 6 and 24.  Norbrook also makes a household spray, Permaguard, and a range of customer support materials available from Norbrook Territory Managers.

Image: Ixodes ricinus  Richard Bartz

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) has reached a final conclusion that the benefit-risk for veterinary medicines containing zinc oxide, used to prevent post weaning diarrhoea in piglets, is negative and that this class of products should be withdrawn.

The proposed withdrawal is vigorously opposed by the National Pig Association, which argues that zinc oxide is effective at controlling E.coli infections and can result in lower use of antimicrobials. Furthermore, the ban was proposed by France and the Netherlands, neither of which use zinc oxide.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has submitted evidence to support a proposal for a 10 year transition period if medicines containing zinc oxide are to be withdrawn. This will allow for changes in pig farming practices to avoid increases in the occurrence of diarrhoea at weaning, to ensure animal welfare and prevent increases in the use of antibiotics.

The European Commission will now make a final decision on zinc oxide products - taking into account the CVMP’s recommendation and evidence submitted by Member States - which is expected to be announced some time after June this year.

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has announced that it is offering a new, enhanced legal service for its members, in conjunction Harrison Clark Rickerbys. 

From 1st October, BSAVA members will be able to benefit from discounted rates and special fixed-fee packages for their personal and professional legal needs.

The BSAVA says that Harrison Clark Rickerbys' specialist team has a vast experience of acting for small animal veterinary practices, as well as referral practices and animal hospitals throughout the UK. 

Charlotte Thornton-Smith from Harrison Clark Rickerbys said: "The team is delighted to provide dedicated membership benefits to the BSAVA and keen to work with its members to advise on any of their legal issues. We have a longstanding relationship with the BSAVA which stretches back over twenty years and have substantial experience of acting for veterinary practitioners, both personally and professionally. We very much hope that members of the BSAVA will take advantage of the special packages and discounted rates we are offering."

For more information, visit www.bsava.com

The RCVS is inviting veterinary professionals to register for its free new Mind Matters mental health and wellbeing app ahead of its launch early this autumn.

The new Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) Kite App is the result of a collaboration with The Kite Programme. It offers a series of bespoke microlearning modules - known as 'kites' - about mental health and wellbeing. 

Microlearning is a type of learning which delivers content in bite-size modules. It usually combines a mixture of interactive activities, images and videos, which can be worked through in as little as five minutes. 

The first ‘Kites’ available on the app will cover subjects like breathing activities, mindfulness, time management and physical activity for mental health.

New modules will be added over the weeks and months ahead, in response to feedback from users. 

Angharad Belcher, RCVS Director for Advancement of the Professions, said: “Veterinary professionals undertake vital work for animal health and welfare, but the intensity and pressure of their work can take its toll on mental health and wellbeing. Sadly, research shows that compared to the general population, veterinary professionals are more likely to experience mental health distress, including depression and anxiety.

“We recognise how hard it can be for veterinary professionals to fit wellbeing activities into their busy workdays and understand that everyone’s mental health needs are different. By collaborating with The Kite Program, we wanted to create a wellbeing platform that was accessible, flexible and had a range of activities to meet a variety of mental health and wellbeing needs. This app will be another useful tool for the professions, and we are pleased to be able to offer it free of charge.

“We are really looking forward to hearing feedback from the professions about the platform and creating more modules based on their wants and needs.”

The College highlights that users cannot input any personal information into the app and the only data it will hold is a record of active users.

To register for the app, visit: https://www.vetmindmatters.org/mmi-app.

The app will also be demoed at BEVA Congress 2021 (5th-7th September, Birmingham ICC).