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 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submitted evidence to support a proposal for a 10 year transition period if medicines containing zinc oxide are to be withdrawn.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.
Vetoquinol has announced that packs of Rubenal 300mg are now available in bottles of 60 tablets instead of the previous 20.
Rubenal, which was launched earlier this year, is a complementary nutritional feeding stuff for the support of renal function in case of chronic renal insufficiency in dogs and cats. It is used as an aid to the maintenance of the normal renal fibrous architecture.
Simon Boulton, Rubenal's product manager said: "This increased pack size is a direct result of customer consultation. It will make treatment more cost effective for dogs and allow a longer treatment period per pack purchased."
For further information please contact your Vetoquinol representative or telephone 0800 1698197.
VetSurgeon member Simone Kirby Dip EVDC MRCVS, a veterinary dental specialist in London and Hertfordshire, will be running the BUPA London 10,000 for SPANA: Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad.
The charity provides free veterinary care to working animals (donkeys, mules, horses and camels) in some of the poorest parts of the world. They treat around 400,000 hard-working animals every year, ensuring that they can continue providing an income and livelihood for their impoverished owners. Through an extensive education programme, SPANA speak to animal owners to teach them how to improve husbandry and management. They also have initiatives of visiting schools to encourage positive attitudes to animals in school children.
Simone said: "Please give generously for this worthy cause. It would be wonderful if I can meet my fund-raising target of £1,500 - and every penny counts! Thank You!"
To support Simone, please visit her fund-raising website www.justgiving.com/Simone-Kirby
Ceva Animal Health has launched a competition - open to veterinary surgeons and nurses - to support Cardalis (benazepril and spironolactone), its dual-acting treatment for heart failure in dogs.
To enter the competition, which will run till the end of April, visit www.cardaliscompetition.co.uk and answer 4 questions about Cardalis. There's a £400 Amazon gift voucher up for grabs.
Fraser Broadfoot, small animal product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Cardalis is proving extremely popular and we are therefore very excited to offer veterinary professionals the chance to win a great prize by sharing their knowledge of the product."
The Veterinary Animal Welfare Coalition was formed to meet the recommendations in the Vet Futures project and aims to deliver awareness raising and behaviour change communication campaigns, based around responsible pet ownership and the five welfare needs as outlined in the Animal Welfare Acts.
Over 500 vets and vet nurses took part in the survey, 23% of which said the number one thing they wished their client knew about their pet was diet-related, with suggestions ranging from considering "Am I feeding them the right food?" to "Pets need a lot less food than we think!", and "We have to protect them from themselves and not give into that 'look', especially where food is concerned!"
The answers given fell into 26 different themes, covering a wide variety of pet care issues. The top five most frequently mentioned things veterinary professionals wished all pet owners knew are:
Gudrun Ravetz, President of the British Veterinary Association said: "Every owner loves their pet; however, the vet team often see animals with problems that could be avoided. Vets and vet nurses are invaluable sources for pet care information with years of training and experience under their belts, and will be more than happy to answer any queries or concerns owners may have about their pets."
The BVA says that every day throughout National Pet Month, the Veterinary Animal Welfare Coalition – the British Veterinary Association, British Veterinary Nursing Association, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, British Veterinary Zoological Society, Blue Cross, PDSA and RSPCA – will be tweeting the various things vets and vet nurses wished pet owners knew. To find out more, check out their Twitter feeds or follow the hashtag #Wewishyouknew.
Samantha Morgan, President of the British Veterinary Nursing Association, said: "People bring their pets to the veterinary practice when they are sick, however, what they also do not realise is that the Veterinary team can also provide a lot of advice for keeping pets healthy too. From diet and exercise to flea and worming treatments, veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons have the knowledge to keep pets happy."
The map gives an overview of the regulation applying to virtual care in different countries and it shows how virtual veterinary care is regulated predominantly in Western European countries only.
For the countries where veterinary virtual care is subject to regulation, the new map shows which countries:
https://vvca.org/resources/europe
The survey, which is being carried out throughout June, was also conducted back in 2016 and is now being repeated to identify any developments and outcomes that have been made over the past four years, a time in which several new epilepsy management options have emerged.
The survey asks vets to prioritise how important they feel different areas of epilepsy research are and assess how much they think new therapies might improve epileptic dogs’ lives. This includes emerging therapies like MCT oil, cannabidiol oil, vagus nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, for which studies are currently being conducted across the globe.
The aim of the survey is to identify the priorities for future research for owners, vets and neurologists alike, and to see if there are any differences in their priorities.
Dr Rowena Packer, BBSRC Research Fellow and research lead in canine epilepsy at the RVC, said: "This survey was inspired by similar prioritisation activities undertaken by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) for human epilepsy patients. At the RVC, we believe that the benefits of such an open approach can be truly valuable for veterinary medicine too, and ensure a diversity of views influence future epilepsy priorities."
Dr Gareth Jones, Small Animal Intern at the RVC who is running the study, said: "While many have already undertaken the survey, we are keen to hear from more participants so I would like to implore any general practice vets to please help contribute to our work by taking part in our short survey."
To take part in this survey please visit www.rvc.uk.com/epilepsy-future, and do share this news story with colleagues. If you have any questions about the research, e-mail Dr Gareth Jones atgjones1@rvc.ac.uk.
This brings the total reported the UK so far this year to eight, following 28 last year and 287 in total.
For a map of all confirmed cases and information for veterinary professionals and pet owners about CRGV, visit: www.alabama-rot.co.uk.
Hill's Pet Nutrition has released the results of a survey of how last year's graduates feel about clinical nutrition.
Despite teaching of clinical nutrition moving up the agenda for most vet schools, over one third of respondents said that they did not feel confident about applying their knowledge of pet nutrition to clinical cases. The remaining two thirds claimed to be reasonably confident but no respondent felt very confident in this area.
When it comes to advising clients 86 per cent would make a nutritional recommendation for their clinical cases but of those, half left it up to the nurse to decide on the brand of food. For 14 per cent of the new graduates, the decision was made to allow nurses to decide on the type of nutrition and brand.
The respondents were also asked about their preferred form of nutritional CPD support. Despite the advances in on-line CPD, the majority expressed a preference for face-to-face teaching in the form of in-clinic updates from reps, speaker tours and roadshows. However e-updates and on-line courses were preferred over paper correspondence courses.
Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's Pet Nutrition said: "We recognise that our short survey dealt with only a small number of respondents but it gave us much food for thought. It's disappointing, for ourselves, but more so for the newly qualified vets, that a significant number don't feel confident about making nutritional recommendations. Having been in those 'new vet' shoes, I have to wonder whether this is a crisis of confidence or actually founded on a real or perceived lack of knowledge and also whether this is a finding that applies only to nutrition or affects other areas too. We would very much like to know the answers to these questions because we think that this could be a source of very considerable stress to the individuals concerned.
"Our survey doesn't really tell is whether this is resulting in vets delegating nutritional matters to their nurses because nurses are seen to have at least equivalent, or possibly greater knowledge of nutritional matters and are respected as fellow professionals, or whether these cases are being passed to the nurses with a sigh of relief because the vet doesn't feel able to deal with them. I also found it interesting that vets did not want to be seen to be actively recommending a particular brand, despite the wide variations in clinical evidence and nutritional make up between brands. I do wonder if there could be a perception here that 'brand' is a commercial decision that can be made by another member of the healthcare team, rather than a clinical decision."
Marge Chandler, DVM, MS, DACVN, MACVSc, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, MRCVS is one of the two American College of Veterinary Nutrition diplomates in the UK (along with Dr Dan Chan) and believes that nutrition is well integrated at the R(D)SVS, "In addition to the general basics, we also teach the basics of small animal nutrition for healthy adult cats and dogs, kittens and puppies, with some emphasis on the special needs of cats. During the clinical lectures there is information provided for disease specific nutritional needs, for example with chronic kidney disease, liver disease, and gastrointestinal disorders. In their final year, our students are given an interactive tutorial on clinical nutrition for hospitalized small animal patients. In addition to this tutorial, we discuss the patients' nutritional requirements and supplementation during rounds, and there is a nutrition form for each medicine in-patient requiring supplementation."
For those who need access to good quality post-graduate CPD on the topic, Hill's has just launched the latest Veterinary Nutrition Academy (VNA) course. VNA Level 3 is all about applying nutritional principles to make a recommendation appropriate to a clinical case. Anyone who would like to brush up on the topic can register with VNA - registration and the course itself is free of charge. VNA also gives access to booking forms for Hill's roadshows and other events.
Adrian said: "While face-to-face training events are still proving to be highly popular, it is clear that travel time and cost can significantly hinder access to CPD particularly for those with family commitments or in geographically remote locations and our on-line training courses are continuing to grow in popularity."
Registration to VNA is free at www.myhillspet.com/vna. To complete registration the practice U number will be required and this is available by contacting Jane Quail at Hill's on 01923 814454.
The BSAVA's Scientific Committee has issued a policy statement on the management and treatment of firework phobias in dogs.
The statement says: "It is recognised that dogs may show signs of fear or phobia of the loud noises associated with fireworks. It is the duty of veterinary surgeons to recommend and support evidence-based therapies for this noise fear or phobia in order that they may improve the welfare of animals under their care"
The statement goes on to offer recommendations and guidance for short-term management and longer-term therapy, available here.
Virbac Animal Health is offering a client e-shot and text alert service for practices taking part in its Canine Prostate Awareness Month initiative this year.
Canine Prostate Awareness Month takes place during November 2012 following its debut last year when more than 400 practices signed up to support it.
Timed to coincide with 'Movember' when thousands of men grow moustaches to raise funds for male prostate and testicular cancer, Canine Prostate Awareness Month aims to highlight the prevalence of the disease in dogs and to encourage practices and owners to test for it. In addition to the new e-shot and text alert service, Virbac already provides post card reminders; free dog leads; educational and display materials and a press release for use by practices with their local media.
Participating practices that diagnose a dog with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia during Canine Prostate Awareness Month are being asked to contact Virbac with details, as the company plans to collate a series of case studies from the initiative this year. The five best cases studies submitted before the end of the year will win Love2Shop vouchers to the value of £50.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Virbac Product Manager, said: "There's a lot of interest already in this year's Canine Prostate Awareness Month so we're working hard to ensure it's even bigger and better than last year.
The serious message is that more than 80% of entire male dogs over the age of five suffer from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia¹. Canine Prostate Awareness Month gives practices a reason to highlight the risk and encourage owners to test for it. Timing Canine Prostate Awareness Month to coincide with Movember is a good way to interest dog owners at a time when some might be considering the state of their own prostate."
For further information on Canine Prostate Awareness Month, email cpam@virbac.co.uk; contact your Virbac Territory Manager or contact the company direct on 01359 243243.
Reference
1. O'Shea J.D. Studies on the canine prostate gland: Factors influencing its size and weight. J. Comp. Pathol. 1962 72: 321-331.
Origin (previously known as Westpoint) has announced that FarmVets SouthWest has joined the group, giving further geographical coverage to its veterinary practice network.
FarmVets SouthWest has practices at Ilminster and North Petherton in Somerset and Honiton in Devon.
Eoghan McAlonan, a director of the practice, said: "We are delighted to be joining Origin. The Origin group delivers the highest standards in veterinary services to UK agriculture, and we will bring our farmer friendly services to further enhance the groups activities".
In turn Origin says it plans to bring the wide benefits of group membership, including lab services, dairy consultancy and paraprofessional services, to further enhance the high level of service the vet team at Farmvets SouthWest provide to producers in Somerset and Devon.
Jon Mouncey, Managing Director of Westpoint Farmvets, said: "Working alongside our other Origin practices in the South West region, we can now offer all livestock producers our advanced services, ensuring their stock receive the very best in veterinary care. Our group offers a unique approach to integrated veterinary services and by applying the latest technology and research we ensure that animal health and welfare is optimised, delivering real value for our clients in a challenging agricultural climate."
There are 13 candidates standing in this year’s election for RCVS Council, the voting period for which will open on the week commencing Monday 14 March and close at 5pm on Friday 22 April 2022.
The candidates are:
The full biographies and manifesto statements for each candidate are available to read at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote22.
To submit a question to the candidates, email: vetvote22@rcvs.org.uk or post it on the RCVS Twitter account (@theRCVS) using the hashtag #vetvote22.
Candidates will then be asked to record a short video of themselves answering two questions of their choice which will be published when the election starts.
You have until Monday 21 February 2022 to submit your question.
To celebrate the launch of its brand new keep reproduction simple advertisement campaign, CEVA Animal Health is giving British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) Congress delegates the chance to win an iPod by entering a special spot the sperm competition.
BCVA Congress runs from 26-28 November 2009 in Southport. Delegates just need to spot five sperm lurking in the banner-sized cartoon for CEVA's GnRH product Ovarelin®. The correct answers will be entered into a draw to win an iPod.
The company says its new ad campaign brings together a series of cartoons with a clever play on words to highlight the importance of a simple protocol for success with reproduction. You can follow this irresistibull series in the farm media throughout the autumn.
For further information contact your local CEVA representative or CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG, www.ceva.uk.com
For the first time ever, an educational advertisement about the importance of worming cats and the availablity of spot-on treatment, is to be broadcast on TV.
The advert has been produced by Bayer Animal Health, makers of Profender Spot-on, with the aim of driving pet owners to their vet to ask about spot-on worming for their cats.
Bayer product manager Dan White said: "Profender Spot-on solution is a POM-V product. So we have produced a public information style advert which is educational rather than commercial, in accordance with industry regulations on advertising this animal medicine category to the public. It informs and reminds cat owners of the importance of worming, and encourages them to ask their vet for more information.
"In addition, the advert also features details about a competition to find the cat with the biggest personality to celebrate responsible cat ownership, and invites them to upload images and/or videos of their cat onto the website http://www.spotonwormer4cats.com/."
The 20 second advertisement will be broadcast throughout May on ITV1, ITV2, Channels 4 and 5, and Sky One, and is estimated to reach 7 million cat owners.
Practices can obtain a range of campaign support materials by contacting their Bayer Territory Manager or by calling the Bayer Leaflet Line on 0845 2574798 and quoting 'spot-on'.
B&W Equine Group has opened a brand new, state-of-the-art equine clinic at Breadstone in Gloucestershire.
The new facility opened on 1 October 2011. It cost over £2.2 million and is, according to the company, one Europe’s most advanced diagnostic and surgical centres.
B&W Equine Group was created in 2008, following a merger between Willesley Equine Clinic and Bushy Equine Vets. The 23 vet practice has four local equine clinics in Breadstone, Cardiff, Failand and Willesley.
The new clinic, located on a four acre site at Breadstone, close to the M4 and M5 intersections, provides state-of-the-art diagnostics and advanced laboratory facilities. It houses the only equine MRI scanner in Wales and the South West, as well as a CT scanner and scintigraphy unit. Orthopaedic and colic theatres, adult and neonatal intensive care suites and separate isolation units have all been custom-designed and are supported by five examination rooms and two knock down boxes.
Clinical and referral services are led by RCVS and European Recognised Specialists in surgery, orthopaedics, diagnostic imaging and internal medicine and include gynaecological management of breeding mares and pre-season disease screening. The on-site laboratory is one of only 30 in the UK to be certified by the HBLB to test for CEM and EVA.
Ian Camm, BVSc CertEP MRCVS, Group Director, said: “We are all extremely excited about the new clinic but our day-to-day first opinion work remains a top priority. For all our local clients it’s very much a case of business as usual but the fact that we have invested in the latest portable equipment, including video endoscopes, digital radiography and ultrasound scanners, means we can undertake more specialist work at client’s yards, as and when needed.”
For further information, visit www.bwequinevets.co.uk.
Supreme PetFoods has published a series of rabbit lectures for veterinary surgeons and nurses by world-renowned experts.
The lectures, which were held at London Vet Show last year, covered a variety of topics in rabbit medicine and surgery, including dental disease, digestive disorders, calcium metabolism, urinary disease and 'sticky bottom' syndrome. The round table of case-based discussions also provided an opportunity for the audience to have their questions answered by rabbit specialists and discuss the complexities of some example cases.
Claire Hamblion, Marketing Manager at Supreme Petfoods said: "The success of Think Rabbit Month really highlighted that raising awareness and expanding rabbit-related expertise is becoming increasingly important for vets. However, in comparison to cats and dogs, specialist information is less widely available - even though rabbits can often be the trickiest patients! This is why we're so thrilled to able to make contemporary thinking from world-class specialists available at the click of a few buttons."
In addition to the lectures, vets and nurses also have access to an array of free Supreme support materials including a series of professional waiting room videos and a variety of downloadable practice documents, available at http://www.supremepetfoods.com/vet-zone/.
Expert speaker, Molly Varga, BVetMed DZooMed MRCVS,RCVS Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, whose lecture was entitled, 'Rabbits and Calcium: how much is too much?'said: "With current concepts in rabbit medicine and surgery rapidly evolving, access to convenient, concise and cutting edge information is crucial for the whole veterinary team. The only way this is possible is through initiatives such as this seminar series, which drives our knowledge and expertise forwards."
Other speakers in the seminar series included, Charly Pignon DVM (pictured right), Head of the Exotics Medicine Service at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vétérinaire d'Alfort in France, Professor Anna Meredith MA VetMB CertLAS DZooMed MRCVS, Livia Benato MRCVS, Lecturer in Rabbit and Exotic animal Husbandry and Nutrition and Wendy Bament RVN BSc (Hons) MSc, Exotic Animal Veterinary Nurse.
Claire added: "Not only are these specialists regarded as academic leaders in their profession but they are also renowned successful speakers, which makes for superb presentations. The watch-again capability of the online seminars makes it easy for vets and nurses to dip in and out at their leisure, gaining maximum value for minimum effort."
Nominations can be made for three RCVS Honours: the Queen’s Medal, the Golden Jubilee Award and Honorary Associateship.
The Queen’s Medal was introduced in 2013 and is the highest honour that the College can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon in recognition of those who have achieved a highly distinguished career and outstanding achievements. Nominations can be made by any Member of the RCVS in respect of another veterinary surgeon. The 2016 winner of the award was Professor Randolph Richards who was honoured for his contribution to the development of aquaculture in Scotland.
The Golden Jubilee Award was introduced in 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first RCVS training course for veterinary nurses and now recognises those nurses who are taking a leadership role within the profession. The 2016 winner of the award was Louise O’Dwyer who was recognised for her pioneering role within the profession. Nominations can be made by either veterinary nurses or veterinary surgeons in respect of a veterinary nurse.
Nominations can also be made for Honorary Associateship which is eligible for those who, while not veterinary surgeons or nurses, have made a significant impact in the veterinary field. Previous winners have included scientists, farmers, farriers, educationalists and journalists. This year an Honorary Associateship was awarded to Professor David Lane for his support in launching the College’s Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice.
Further information about making nominations for each of these awards, including nominations forms, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/honours.
The deadline for nominations is Friday 16 September 2016 and all awards will be bestowed at RCVS Day 2017 in July next year.
Those with questions about making a nomination can contact Peris Dean, Executive Secretary, on p.dean@rcvs.org.uk.
Mrs Angie Scullion (pictured right) from Okehampton joined the Healthy Pet Club in May 2017 at Okeford Veterinary Centre with her Border Collie, Cassie. She was awarded a year’s free membership by the practice to celebrate the milestone.
Launched in 2010 with 11,000 members, the Healthy Pet Club helps pet owners budget for their pets’ healthcare by spreading payments over a year. They also make savings on vaccinations, flea and worm treatments and receive access to a wide range of other benefits.
Mr Mukesh Rughani, Healthy Pet Club Manager at CVS, said: "Pet owners want value so we constantly research the market to check that the discounts and benefits we offer through the Healthy Pet Club are the ones that we know they will find most meaningful.
"We are delighted that the Healthy Pet Club has reached the 300,000-member mark and we have a number of exciting developments planned for later this year which we believe will make it an even more useful tool for our member practices while setting a new standard in value for our clients."
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 charity reports that 2020 was its busiest year ever, with 3,921 calls to its Helpline - a 25% increase over 2019.
Similarly, Vetlife's Health Support service saw a record number of referrals in 2020. There were 190 referrals made over the year, compared to 149 in 2019.
At the same time, the charity says it has seen a decrease in income, putting a strain on its resources. The pledge from the RCVS comes in addition to the annual donation of £100,000 made by the Mind Matters Initiative towards the Health Support service. On top of this, the Mind Matters Initiative also helps to fund other essential running costs for the charity, including the Helpline call directing service and by its contribution to the annual Helpline training for volunteers.
Graham Dick, Vetlife President (pictured right) said: “The last 12 months have brought significant challenges for Vetlife as restrictions in fundraising have combined with a significant uplift in demand for our Vetlife Helpline and Health Support services. Against this background the substantial ongoing financial support provided by the RCVS through MMI, both for the costs of professional mental health support and for the necessary call-handling facilities which underpin our Helpline, continues to be an invaluable contribution to the wellbeing of the veterinary community we serve."
Medivet has announced the appointment of John Bower MBE BVSc MRCVS to its Panel of Enquiry set up following coverage of the company on Panorama.
Mr Bower has been President of the British Veterinary Association, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, and the Veterinary Practice Management Association.
Mr Bower said: "Medivet is a large partnership with numerous branches and I am looking forward to helping the partners assess and review the management of their practice to eliminate the sort of incidents and situations that were alleged in the Panorama programme. This panel will look deeply into the management and I have been convinced by the partners that they are determined to take appropriate measures where necessary."
Adi Nell, Medivet central partner and fellow member of the panel said: "We are delighted that John Bower is to be a part of our panel. John is not only an eminent vet of unquestionable ethical standing, but he set up and ran a medium-sized veterinary partnership for 38 years. His expertise will be crucial to Medivet, as the panel carries out its investigations and makes its recommendations over the next few months."
Mr Bower, who retired from general practice in 2007, is currently Veterinary Advisor to Petplan Insurance Company and a trustee of two national charities - Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and The Petplan Charitable Trust. Mr Bower was awarded the BSAVA Melton Award for meritorious contributions to Small Animal Practice in 1991, the MBE in 2010 for services to the BVA:AWF, and has authored or co-authored a number of books including Veterinary Practice Management, The Dog Owner's Veterinary Handbook and The Cat Owner's Veterinary Handbook.
The RCVS is reminding veterinary surgeons that their renewal fees to remain on the Register for 2014/15 are now due.
Registration renewal forms have been sent to all vets reminding them that payment to remain on the Register is due by 31 March 2014. If the College does not receive payment before 1 April, £35 will be added to the renewal fee and any vets who have still not paid before 1 June will be removed from the Register.
This year the RCVS has updated its online 'My Account' area (www.rcvs.org.uk/login) to allow vets to manage their details and pay their renewal fees more quickly and easily. Login details have been sent to all vets and the system is now operational. The changes to the area are the first phase of a project to make it more accessible and user-friendly and to allow vets to better manage their details online.
As part of the renewal process, vets are asked to confirm that their details on the Register are correct, including membership category and correspondence details. Those who are in the 'UK Practising' or 'Practising outside the UK' membership categories should also confirm - via the registration renewal form or the online 'My Account' area - that they are compliant with the requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) of 105 hours over three years. Vets with any cautions, convictions or adverse findings against them dating from 1 January 2006 onwards, should also declare them. For further details on these declarations vets should visit www.rcvs.org.uk/convictions.
Fees can be paid by credit card through the 'My Account' area or by cheque, bank draft or credit card via the registration renewal form sent in the post. Details of how to pay by bank transfer are also on the form.
Vets who have any concerns or questions about renewing their registration, logging in to 'My Account' or who need to request a registration renewal form, can contact the Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or email membership@rcvs.org.uk.