In the webinar, which is sponsored by Horiba, Ian will present an update on new exotic parasite infections and distribution across the UK and Europe, and what this means for pets, livestock and the people that care for them.
“New Exotic Parasites – Worming Their Way In?” is suitable for vets, nurses, students and veterinary care assistants.
https://horiba.link/4h2.
BCF Technology has launched a new bovine reproduction clinical booklet which can now be ordered free from the company.
BCF says the booklet has been specifically designed as a reference guide for the reproductive tract of the cow, providing key clinical commentary and scanning images to show various stages of the fertility and reproductive processes.
The booklet was written by Kimberly Palgrave, BS BVM&S RCVS, BCF's in-house vet, and aims to help the user understand the value in using ultrasound for heard fertility management.
The company says the booklet provides essential information which will be useful to its Easi-Scan and Duo-Scan customers. The correct evaluation of the bovine reproductive tract is an essential aspect of both beef and dairy herd management and this 16 page booklet could help the user either to decide or reaffirm its interpretation.
Kimberly said: "This booklet really demonstrates BCFs commitment to learning and hopefully it will provide a quick reference guide to be used on the farm. It's ideal for students and those new to using ultrasound for cattle reproduction."
To order your free copy, visit the BCF website http://www.bcftechnology.com/, telephone +44 (0)1506 460023 or email info@bcftechnology.com.
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.
According to the NFU, last year farm animals worth an estimated £2.4 million pounds were severely injured or killed by dog attacks last year.
Obtaining forensic samples after an attack can be difficult because so often they happen in remote places and rural police can't always attend quickly enough to get a sample.
Dr. Nick Dawnay from Liverpool John Moores University therefore developed Early Evidence Kits to enable samples to be collected by vets, famers and police from the crime scene immediately.
Following a successful proof of concept in Wales, the research team is now trialling the kits in ten regions of England and Wales, with support from IVC Evidensia farm practices.
Over the next twelve months the trial will refine best practices for collecting forensic samples from livestock attack scenes.
David Martin, Group Head of Animal Welfare at IVC Evidensia said: “This project marks an exciting step forward in collecting and analysing canine DNA from livestock.
"It offers police and farmers a means to hold irresponsible dog owners culpable for the damage and losses caused by their pets.”
“As a profession we can support this research by ensuring samples are taken from as many cases within the relevant force areas as possible so that the team at John Moores gets sufficient material to be able to complete this project as soon as possible.
"All IVC Evidensia farm practices in the participating regions are being encouraged to use the kits and we want to ensure all farm practices in those regions know about this important project.”
It is hoped new legislation for England and Wales will be brought in to give police officers the power to take a DNA sample from a suspected dog to compare to canine DNA left at an attack scene.
Dave Allen, North Wales Police and NPCC Livestock Offence Working Group Secretary said: “These kits are an exciting development and can be utilised for an issue that causes major concern to our UK rural communities”.
Veterinary practices are now being encouraged help raise awareness of the project, particularly to encourage farmers to take part and use the kits to collect evidence in the following regions:
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2024/5/17/forensic-science-to-help-farmers-foil-sheep-attacks
According to Intervet, a study undertaken in Germany last summer has proven the efficacy of Butox SWISH at killing the midges responsible for carrying the bluetongue virus, when applied monthly to cattle. The study showed that even brief contact between a midge and hair from a treated animal killed midges rapidly for up to four weeks post-treatment.
The standard dose, applied in the usual way (on the neck and topline of the animal) delivers full-body coverage of Butox SWISH’s deltamethrin, helped partly by its unique micronised formulation. The product is also highly lipophilic which means it binds onto the natural oil secretions of the coat helping to improve coverage.
The trial used six heifers (each weighing around 400kg) treated with 30ml Butox SWISH (the standard fly dose and method of application). Two un-treated heifers were also studied for comparison.
During the five week period, contact between midges and treated hair caused immediate paralysis, and the midges then died at varying intervals depending on contact time and the number of days post-treatment with Butox SWISH. The trial verified the application of Butox SWISH monthly at the standard dose for cattle.
Trial director, Professor Mehlhorn suggested that producers should be prepared to reduce vector contact by removing their breeding habitats and combining this with the use of a knock-down treatment like Butox SWISH, which is the only product of its type which has proven efficacy against midges. Used in conjunction with vaccination, these measures may not stop the disease entering the herd, but will help reduce the spread of disease.
James Beaumont, Product Manager at Animalcare, said: “Microchipping is an essential but simple way to safeguard the welfare of the UK’s horses. Animalcare was the first company to offer a microchipping service with its identichip microchips, so we know from first-hand experience that microchipping is the most important step owners can take to ensure that lost, abandoned or stolen animals are quickly identified.
“Ensuring the welfare of their patients is a guiding principle for equine vets and we know that they are working very hard to remind owners of the need to ensure that their animals are microchipped and to then keep their contact details up to date. We hope that they will find our social media toolkit useful and that, between us, we can ensure that as many horses as possible are microchipped in time for the new law coming into force.”
To request your social media toolkit, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or ring 01904 487687.
Ceva Animal Health has announced that it will be bolstering its spring Feliway TV advertising campaign with a campaign across the London Underground to help extend its reach to light TV viewers.
The campaign will once again feature the brand's 'That Purple Cat' character. Highlighting stress-related feline behaviour problems and encouraging cat owners to talk to their vet about Feliway, the advertisement will appear on channels such as ITV2, E4, More4 and Channel 4 (London only) from 14 February until 27 March.
The campaign will also be running on 50 high impact TV screens on the London Underground from 28 February until 13 March and 18 April until 1 May. So, according to the company, the ad will not only reach over 1.2 million people who commute and use the Underground every day, but will also be seen by millions on one of the busiest days of the year on the Underground, the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Julia Wood, product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "By extending our advertising campaign across the London Underground we are complimenting our TV campaign and targeting commuters with busy lifestyles - who spend little time watching TV - during a unique point in their day."
To support the campaign, Ceva is offering veterinary practices free merchandising material including client leaflets, double sided A3 posters and A5 window stickers. A range of offers are also available for free mini merchandisers and digital photo frames in return for purchasing product. In addition, Ceva is running a prize draw for £250 worth of Champneys Spa vouchers for that 'purrfect' pampering session.
For more information, please contact your Ceva account manager or call 01494 781510.
Vets Now has won the 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year' award in the Scottish Business Awards for Pet Blood Bank UK.
The charity was initiated by a Vets Now employee, Wendy Barnett, following a change in legislation which created the opportunity to establish a pet equivalent of the human national blood transfusion service. After a trial through Vets Now, Pet Blood Bank UK was set up in 2007 as an independent charity, with a loan and ongoing fundraising support from Vets Now.
Pet Blood Bank UK collects blood from donor dogs, processes it and supplies it to the veterinary profession to use in cases such as traumatic injuries or where major surgery is required. Last year 164 specially organised dog donor sessions were held where owners are encouraged to bring along their dog to 'donate a pint'. Each donation has the potential to save up to four lives. Nearly 9,000 units of blood have been collected in the past five years.
The charity, which has an education and animal welfare remit, charges veterinary practices just the costs incurred in collecting, processing and storing the blood. As well as providing blood, the Pet Blood Bank UK team are experts in transfusion medicine and receive numerous calls through their advice service. Regular lectures, educational talks to the profession and guidance is given to enquiries from all over the world on how to set up a blood bank.
Wendy Barnett, who is now Head of Clinical and Professional Services at Pet Blood Bank UK, said: "At the heart of our charity is a real desire to ensure that should a dog need blood there is a supply available and I'm delighted that our work, and the support of our many doggy donors and their owners, has been recognised through this award.
"Literally thousands of dog lives have been saved as a result of the service and this has been a real collective effort with Vet Supervisor Jenny Walton and the team here contributing to our success. However, we can't rest on our laurels. Demand from vets has been such that we've had to increase our donor sessions considerably. Like humans, there is a less common dog blood type and we desperately need dogs with negative blood type - such as Greyhounds, Weimaraners, Flat Coat Retrievers, Airedales, Boxers, Dobermans and German Shepherd Dogs to donate at our sessions."
Richard Dixon, founder of Vets Now, said: "Wendy was instrumental in setting up the charity and through her vision and leadership donation sessions have grown from one to three a week, with a 38% increase in donations year on year. We are proud of what Wendy has achieved and the role that the charity now plays in providing much needed blood and guidance to veterinary practices the length and breadth of the UK."
Bayer is highlighting a new study which, the company says, proves that a 'metaphylactic' treatment approach to coccidiosis - when the animal has been infected, but before the disease has had chance to take hold - produces the best long term results1.
The research spanned a two year period where heifer calves on two farms that had previously experienced problems with naturally acquired coccidiosis, were divided into two groups. One group was treated with Baycox and one group remained untreated. The calves were then monitored for two years to gather the long term results following the coccidiosis treatment.
Sharon Cooksey BVSc, MRCVS, Bayer Animal Health Group Product Manager said: "The results demonstrated that treatment with Baycox at the right time significantly reduced the average age to first service by 24 days in comparison with the non-treated control group.
"Other key long term benefits following treatment included positive effects on certain fertility parameters, including overall pregnancy rate, the first service conception rate and average services per conception as well as a significant reduction in oocyst shedding in the treatment group."
Sharon says the take home message of the new research is the paramount importance of getting treatment right at the right time, before coccidiosis develops and causes any long term implications: "The positive impact on heifer development from correct subclinical coccidiosis treatment is clear to see in this research, with the reduction of days to first service alone being a powerful reason for farmers to seek veterinary advice."
Reference
Research conducted by the PDSA in 2017 found that 75% of dogs had received a primary vaccination course when young, which dropped to 72% in 2019. According to the BSAVA, it's the first time that vaccination rates have seen a sustained drop over a three year period since vaccinations were first introduced to the UK in the '60s.
The project, titled 'A mixed methods approach to quantifying and characterising vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy in UK companion animals' will combine quantitative analysis of existing data from electronic health records with qualitative approaches. It will include interviews and focus-group discussions with vets and owners to gain an in-depth understanding of patterns of uptake of vaccination in UK.
Experiences, perceptions and behaviours around uptake of vaccination and the rise of vaccine hesitancy in UK pet owners will also be investigated.
Dr Gina Pinchbeck, project leader at the University of Liverpool said: “Vaccination is a vital component of preventive healthcare and it is well acknowledged that sub-optimal vaccination uptake may be associated with re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases in populations.
“It is essential that we understand the reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the pet population so that we can use the best methods to promote vaccine acceptance and uptake and this will be the primary focus of the study.”
The study will include the development of a knowledge and dissemination strategy, in association with PetSavers and BSAVA. This will include a project website, publication of scientific research and other articles for both practicing veterinary surgeons and for pet-owners, press releases, conference presentations and public-engagement presentations.
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey added: “This project will be of great value to the veterinary profession and continues the co-operation between BSAVA and the University of Liverpool to build on the successes of the original SAVSNET partnership.”
For information on how to apply for the PhD, contact Dr Gina Pinchbeck (ginap@liverpool.ac.uk).
The operation of the equipment is being overseen by Dr Rodney Ayl, a specialist in both medical and radiation oncology. He said: "The need for protection of personnel during preparation of cytotoxic drugs presents the most significant obstacle to the safe provision of chemotherapy, as most practices are not equipped with an appropriate biosafety cabinet. This is especially true when there is a high case-load of chemotherapy patients."
Dr Ayl says the dangers of repeatedly handling and administering cancer drugs can be severe. He added: “The likelihood of drug exposure must be taken into account when considering the safety of personnel who handle cytotoxic drugs.
"The cumulative toxicity to personnel that arises from repeated contact with these drugs can cause health problems in the nursing staff that are beyond those expected in the patient.
"The main routes of personnel exposure to cytotoxic drugs are by aerosolisation or by absorption through skin.
"Both types of exposure can occur when preparing drugs for administration. The act of withdrawing cytotoxic drug from the vial into a syringe is generally the step that presents personnel with the greatest potential for exposure to a high concentration of drug.
"Ideally, personnel are optimally protected from drug exposure, and patients are protected from contamination of the product, by the use of a laminar flow biosafety cabinet (BCS) during drug preparation, regardless of whether a closed delivery system is used.
"The Envair CytoFAST BSC has been designed to guarantee the product, personnel and environmental protection.
"It belongs to the latest generation of laminar airflow systems and is built to the highest quality to guarantee the strictest safety standards - and the safety of our people is paramount at Paragon."
The UK-Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance and Sales Surveillance (UK-VARSS) annual report shows that while sales of antibiotics increased slightly by 1.5 mg/kg to 31.0 mg/kg in comparison to the previous year, this was offset by a reduction in use of the more potent critical antibiotics.
UK veterinary antibiotic use in 2019 was the second lowest since the start of regular reporting, and the UK has one of the lowest levels in Europe.
Between 2018 and 2019 there was a 21% drop in of use of Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HP-CIAs) in food-producing animals, which account for 0.5% of total antibiotic sales. The UK has also seen an overall reduction in the level of resistance in E. coli from healthy pigs at slaughter since 2015 and resistance to HP-CIAs in E. coli is at very low levels.
Peter Borriello, Chief Executive Veterinary Medicines Directorate said: "In the last five years we have worked closely with the farming industry and veterinary profession to achieve huge reductions in use of antibiotics in animals.
"This demonstrates how farmers and vets have been working together to use antibiotics responsibly while safeguarding the health and welfare of our livestock.
"The UK Government will continue to work with industry to focus on infection control, reducing the need to use antibiotics to treat disease and maintain the UK’s world leading standards in animal welfare."
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: "I am delighted that the UK continues to lead the way as one of the lowest users of antibiotics in livestock across Europe.
"These findings are testament to the hard work of the UK’s farmers and vets to use antibiotics responsibly in order to tackle antibiotic resistance and protect our most critically important antibiotics in human health, while also reducing the burden of disease in animals."
Mr Seymour-Hamilton made previous unsuccessful applications for restoration in 1995, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was originally removed from the Register in 1994 following an inspection of his veterinary practice premises in Orpington, Kent, that found that the condition of the practice, including the equipment and facilities, were of such a risk to animal health and welfare that it brought the profession into disrepute.
In considering his current application, the Committee had to take several factors into account, including: whether Mr Seymour-Hamilton had accepted the findings of his original hearing; whether he demonstrated insight into his past conduct; protection of the public and the public interest; the future welfare of animals committed to his care should he be restored; length of time off the Register; his conduct since removal; and evidence that he’d kept up-to-date in terms of the knowledge and skills required of a practising veterinary surgeon.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton accepted the facts of the original charges but did not accept the conclusions of the two veterinary surgeons who inspected his practice, who, he claimed, had falsely accused him.
As a result, the Committee concluded that Mr Seymour-Hamilton did not accept the seriousness of the original findings against him, nor had he demonstrated any insight into either the original charges, nor what was required of him to enable a successful application for restoration.
Judith Webb, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee is driven to the conclusion that the applicant has displayed total disregard for rules and regulations. In his evidence he stated that he is professionally competent to spay a cat and he had done so in Calais. This was in recent years and whilst struck off by the RCVS, and after more than 25 years out of the profession. He was unable to see that he had done anything wrong in this.”
As to protection of the public and the future welfare of animals committed to his care, the Committee found that Mr Seymour-Hamilton continued to display a lack of understanding of the role and purpose of regulation. He had shown no insight into previous decisions or of what was required of him to enable a successful restoration, despite being given advice in that regard. He presented no compelling evidence to indicate that he would be safe to practise veterinary surgery were he to be restored to the Register.
Regarding Mr Seymour-Hamilton’s conduct since removal from the Register, the Committee found he did not demonstrate sufficient relevant conduct in relation to his fitness to practise. The Committee noted that, on previous occasions, he had indicated he had illegally practised veterinary surgery and admitted using his own animals to experimentally administer new and untested remedies.
The Committee found that, in relation to the 27 years since removal from the Register, Mr Seymour-Hamilton had not undertaken the prolonged, intensive and formal retraining needed to ensure he was now fit to practise. It also found that, since the last restoration hearing in 2020, Mr Seymour-Hamilton had undertaken very little continuing professional development, maintaining that he was too busy with his work relating to herbal remedies to attend formal veterinary training.
Judith Webb added: “He claimed that he does not find it difficult to keep up-to-date, because he is able to perform online searches if he is in need of information. He thinks that he is competent to operate even after 27 years out of the profession, and maintains that he could operate now. In the view of the Committee, the applicant is totally unaware of current veterinary principles such as it being an evidence-based profession, use of clinical audit and reflective learning. He does not appear to have accepted the purpose of the regulator in protecting public interest, including maintaining public confidence in the profession, nor its role in upholding professional standards and promoting animal welfare.
The Committee considers that where some 27 years have passed since the applicant has practised, there will inevitably be a serious risk to the welfare of animals if he is restored to the Register. In addition, the Committee is firmly of the opinion that it would not be in the public interest for the application for restoration to the RCVS Register to be granted in this case.”
The full documentation from the restoration hearing can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Elanco (maker of Comfortis) has released the results of a survey of 1006 dog owners which showed that nearly half are not aware that turning on their central heating can cause pupal fleas to hatch and go in search of a host to feed on.
50% of those questioned said their dog has had fleas at some point. Of those, 79% said their dog gets infested at least once a year. 20% said they did not believe fleas would be found in the carpet, dog bedding and soft furnishings, and over a third didn't treat their carpets or soft furnishings when their home became infested.
Elanco says it has extended its range of practice support materials available to help educate dog owners about flea infestation and the benefits of veterinary prescribed flea treatments. They include client leaflets, waiting room posters and assistance with bespoke direct mail client communications.
For further information, contact your local Elanco Animal Health key account manager.
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has launched its 2014 Salaries Survey.
SPVS is urging everyone involved in the veterinary sector to complete a questionnaire to ensure a comprehensive insight into the levels of pay amongst veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and those in industry.
The survey is open to members and non-members alike, and SPVS is offering three months' free membership to those non-members who complete the questionnaire.
Designed to provide a complete picture of remuneration levels, the questionnaire covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances, private medical insurance and pensions. The survey also includes questions on employment contracts, hours worked, out of hours and weekend working.
The 2013 Salary Survey revealed a dip in salaries among small animal practice vets for the second year running, with only mixed and large animal practices showing an increase. There were also large regional variations and a worrying gender gap.
Adi Nell, SPVS senior vice president said: "We are aiming for the 2014 Salaries Survey to be our biggest and best yet. To achieve this, we need as many of the veterinary profession as possible to complete the questionnaire so that the results give us a really accurate picture of what is happening to our salaries around the country."
To take part in the survey simply follow the link on www.spvs.org.uk or for a printed version telephone 01926 410454.
Tails.com, a UK pet nutrition company run by a team of people with backgrounds working for well known names as innocent, lovefilm.com and graze, has launched an innovative service delivering dog food optimised for each individual animal, direct to your door.
The concept behind tails.com was born when the company’s co-founder and head vet saw the impact of different diets on the pets in his surgery and realised that the best way to deliver effective health benefits through nutrition was to create unique diets for each animal.
Using research which included analysis of detailed pet growth curves and nutritional requirements based on a wide variety of physical and lifestyle variants, tails.com developed a system which it says offers an optimised feeding plan for each individual dog.
Visitors to tails.com are invited to complete a questionnaire which is then used to calculate their dog's individual feeding plan and the price. After that, the food is delivered to your door in packaging which displays the name of the dog it's for. Nice touch.
Another nice touch in these times of spiralling pet obesity is the inclusion of a free, vet-designed Perfect Portion Scoop, together with an individual feeding plan to help customers feed the correct amount of food in each meal.
The team’s lead nutritionist is Dr Samantha Ware MSc BSc (Hons), a pet nutritionist with over 15 years of experience in the pet food industry. She said: “Tails.com can create a bespoke diet and feeding plan to fulfil the unique nutritional needs and specific feeding preferences of your dog, for life. As a pet nutritionist, the most common question I face is ‘what is the best food that I can feed my pet?’ Despite the plethora of brands and products available in the market it can often be quite a challenge to find and select that perfect product to fit that specific pet, let alone within the budget of the owner. Bespoke diets are the ideal solution. With the ‘Tailored Nutrition’ proposition Tails.com has challenged the status quo, and has fully embraced and acknowledged that each pet is an individual and has its own unique nutritional needs.”
Any UK-based veterinary surgeon that would like to try tails.com free for 2 weeks (with a one-off £1 delivery charge), visit the site and enter the code VETSURGEON, valid from now till 28th September 2015.
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."
The redesign includes an overhaul of the layout, structure and navigation of all the College’s websites: Professionals, Animal Owners, Find a Vet and RCVS Knowledge.
Some of the main changes are:
Ian Holloway, Head of Communications, said: "We’re delighted to be launching our new-look site today and hope all the improvements we’ve incorporated will make using the site a much better experience for veterinary professionals and animal owners alike.
"Working closely with our website provider, NetXtra, over the past nine months, we’ve been able to develop a new-look site with vastly improved design, structure and navigation, whilst avoiding the major expense of building a completely new website from scratch.
"We’re very grateful to them, and to all those vets, vet nurses and members of the public who have helped us with user-testing and content mapping to improve the site as much as possible for everyone who uses it."
Anyone with any comments or feedback about the new-look site is invited to send it to communications@rcvs.org.uk.
Rob Rayward, an RCVS Orthopaedic Specialist at Davies Veterinary Specialists, Hertfordshire, is preparing to grease up and swim the murky waters of the English Channel this month, to raise funds for the Christian charity Derek Prince Ministries UK.
Rob is undertaking the 35km swim as a part of a Channel Swim Relay Team and has been in training for his chilly trip across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes for the past year. He is hoping to raise £1500 for the charity, which provides Christian teaching materials in over 1000 languages to Church leaders and Christian communities around the world. They also provide food and education to poor widows and orphans in Ethiopia.
Rob said: "Despite being a small animal vet I'm definitely not planning on doing the doggy paddle. All members of the team have different strengths and weaknesses but for me the cold water is proving to be a real challenge. It is likely to be about 16C on the day but as well as the cold we may have to swim part of it in the dark. Many people are aware that the Channel has debris floating in it but few are aware that we may also face jelly fish, basking sharks and if really lucky, sewage! We anticipate it taking us approximately 14 hours to complete the crossing but weather and tidal conditions can have a major impact on our time."
Rob will be completing his challenge when the conditions are favourable at some point between 19th and 28th July.
To sponsor him visit his JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/rob-rayward.
All donations are gratefully received.
Bioscience students from the Royal Veterinary College are more likely to be in industry relevant employment six months after graduation than any other institution in the UK, according to new university rankings.
The Guardian University Guide 2013 places the RVC's Bioveterinary Science programme eighth overall, out of 97 institutions across the UK. This represents a significant improvement on previous years - in the 2012 University Guide the RVC ranked 31st overall and in 2011 was placed 46th.
The RVC also ranks top for student satisfaction of both the course overall and the standard of teaching - 100% and 99% respectively. This success follows a focus on improving student experience across the College with the RVC picking up the 2012 Times Higher Education award for Most Improved Student Experience.
Professor Stephen May, vice-principal for teaching at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "It is a fantastic achievement to see our Bioveterinary Sciences programme performing so well, especially in terms of student satisfaction and employment. The success of this programme indicates the College's firm belief that veterinary science is much bigger than just veterinary practice; the combination of veterinary medicine, human medicine and environmental science will, in future, be essential to tackling some of the biggest health issues in society."
The RCVS Charitable Trust, has announced a complete rebranding that includes a change of name - RCVS Knowledge - and the refocus of its mission on supporting the flourishing evidence based veterinary medicine (EBVM) movement across the globe.
For the past 50 years, the charity has been known as a small funder of veterinary research and the home of the only freely-accessible library for the practising veterinary community in the UK.
Nick Royle, Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge said: "RCVS Knowledge is a name that encompasses our three core offerings: historical knowledge represented by our valuable Historical Collection, present knowledge, represented by our library, and future knowledge, represented by the new evidence based veterinary medicine project, which is underpinned by our grants programme."
The RCVS Knowledge re-launch goes further than a mere name change, and comes as the charity refocuses its efforts to become a global intermediary for EBVM, a direction reached following a period of consultation, and on the back of a successful symposium on the subject held at the end of 2012.
Nick, a former CEO of the human evidence based medicine resource, The Cochrane Collaboration, said: "Today, veterinary surgeons and nurses are required to take account of an ever-increasing pool of scientific data, the owners' values and preferences, and their own clinical expertise when making clinical decisions. RCVS Knowledge is ideally placed to generate, collate and distribute this information to support evidence based practices. We aim to develop tools to assist practitioners to quickly make well-informed treatment decisions."
As part of the new direction, the Historical Collection will be made accessible and available online, following a start-up grant from the Wellcome Trust. Clare Boulton, Head of Library and Information Services, said: "The Collection contains priceless and fascinating material, covering topics such as early horse-care and management, veterinary expeditions of discovery through Africa, and research that made the British Cavalry horses of 1914 the finest in the world. But this is just the beginning. If you have relevant experience or some funds that could help us, please get in touch."
Meanwhile, RCVS Knowledge's Library and Information Service will be re-designed to make it much more than shelves of journals, but rather a resource with the capacity to steer first-rate care and innovation, and an information engine capable of driving evidence based veterinary medicine at a global level.
The Grants and Awards program, for which the former RCVS Charitable Trust has been known, will be redesigned to celebrate professional excellence, and to address gaps in veterinary knowledge. Nick said: "We are aware of the responsibilities that veterinary surgeons and nurses face every day and feel we are in a position to support their decision making. We would like to urge every veterinary professional with an interest in EBVM, a curiosity about the history of their profession or a need to access up-to-date research to get in touch, so that we can keep you up to date with developments."
In addition to the UK, Vetigel will be marketed and distributed to veterinary surgeons throughout Europe and elsewhere via Veterinary Instrumentation's global distribution network.
Matt Lewis, Vice President of Sales at Cresilon said: "Our partnership with Veterinary Instrumentation will help us provide more veterinary surgeons with a revolutionary hemostatic gel that significantly improves the standard of care for pets and animals.
"Vetigel has been used by thousands of veterinarians thus far and helps veterinary clinics and animal hospitals save time, reduce operating costs, and improve patient outcomes."
https://vetigel.comhttps://veterinary-instrumentation.co.uk
Julia, who came to the UK in 2016, graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2021.
She then completed a master’s degree in animal welfare in Canada, before returning to the UK to join Crowshall in 2024.
Her interest was initially in companion animals, but she decided to focus her career on animal welfare and population medicine.
The judges said: “She has quickly become a dynamic leader in poultry health and welfare, helping farms achieve dramatic reductions in antibiotic use and improved performance.
"Her commitment to evidence-based advice, education and industry advocacy has earned widespread recognition.”
Photo: Julia presented with her award by Shaun Williamson and Emily Wilton from Zoetis.
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.