Vetoquinol has announced the winners of the 2008 Marbocyl Achievement Awards. Six veterinary schools took part in the award scheme, which enabled them to recognise the achievements of either staff or students, with a prize fund of £2000 for each university.
Five of the vet schools have announced their 2008 winners, the University of Liverpool will announce its winners in January 2009. Those who have already received their awards this year are:
University of Bristol Dr Catherine Fuller, MRCVSMs Kathryn Murphy, MRCVSMichael Steele, MRCVSChristopher Hudson, MRCVSSamantha Taylor, MRCVS
All of the winners are members of staff nominated by their students for excellence in teaching.
University College DublinDr Carmel Mooney, MVB MPhil PhD DECVIM-CA MRCVS, for an outstanding performance as Clinical Director of the Veterinary Hospital at UCD.
University of CambridgeAdrian Wallace, BVSc (Hons), MACVSc (SAS), MRCVS for his clinical research paper , ‘A biomechanical comparison of six double-loop configurations for use in the lateral fabella suture technique for the cranial cruciate ligament deficient canine stifle', Journal of Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2008. Catherine Stalin, MA, VetMB, MRCVS for her paper ‘Radiographic morphology of the cranial portion of the cervical vertebral column in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and its relationship to syringomyelia', American Journal of Veterinary Research, 2008 Penny Watson, MA, VetMB, CertVR, DSAM, Dip ECVIM, MRCVS, European Specialist in Small Animal Medicine for her clinical research paper ‘Prevalence and breed distribution of chronic pancreatitis at post-mortem examination in first opinion dogs' Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2007.
University of GlasgowMark Lowrie, MA VetMB MRCVS, for his Clinical Research Abstract - "Acute phase proteins and immunoglobulin A in steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis"
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies EdinburghLesa Longley, MA BVM&S Cert ZooMed MRCVS for an exceptionally high level of achievement during her residency programme.
Mark Leddy, Vetoquinol's Marketing Department Manager said: "We are delighted to have been able to help these universities recognise and reward the achievements of staff and students over the past three years."
Guillaume Fournié and Dr Javier Guitian from the Royal Veterinary College - working with colleagues from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College - have developed a model to understand how live bird markets act as a "hub" of infection for domestic poultry and if rest days, during which such markets are emptied and disinfected, may reduce transmission.
The results are published today in Interface - the Journal of The Royal Society. PhD student Guillaume Fournié, who led the research, said: "Live bird markets can be a reservoir of infection for domestic poultry and may therefore be responsible for sustaining H5N1 HPAI virus circulation.
"Compared to interventions applied in farms - such as stamping out and vaccination - our model shows that frequent rest days are an effective means with which to reduce H5N1 HPAI infection rates. Furthermore, our model predicts that full market closure - as has been implemented in some countries such as Egypt and Vietnam - would only be slightly more effective than rest days to reduce transmission of the disease."
The models used in the study are based on the live bird market chain in Hong Kong and the analysis restricted to chickens. Fournié, who qualified to be a vet in Alfort in his native France, was awarded fully-funded studentships (tuition fees and a living allowance) in 2007 by The Bloomsbury Colleges - a consortium of six colleges of the University of London: Birkbeck, IoE, LSHTM, RVC, School of Oriental and African Studies, and The School of Pharmacy - to conduct the research.
Since December 2003 outbreaks of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPA1) affecting domestic poultry have been reported in 50 countries across the world. Massive economic losses and the pandemic threat make H5N1 HPAI one of the greatest current public health concerns.
A full copy of the report can be seen in Interface at http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org
Vets Now has produced a new set of guidelines for pet owners about how to deal with the top 10 emergency situations seen by the out-of-hours care provider.
The guidelines are presented as an infographic - which is free to download from the Vets Now website - which provides some basic steps to help owners deal with the more common emergency situations before being able to get their sick or injured pet to the vet.
Vets Now says it is hoping it will be deemed useful by other vets who are welcome to share the infographic on their social media sites and their websites, or display it in their waiting rooms.
Lisa Maxwell, Head of Client Care said: "Pet owners should always call a vet in an emergency and we promote that in the infographic. As emergency and critical care providers, we're used to dealing with owners who are scared, or in shock when they call us. What we hoped to achieve by creating the infographic, was to reassure pet owners that these situations happen all the time and to give them more sense of control of the situation. If more pet owners were aware of some of the basic actions they could perform at the scene, at the very least it could help owners cope more readily and keep their animals calm and, at best, it could save lives."
Lisa added: "These days, the fastest way to spread an important message seems to be through social media, so we've specifically designed this infographic to be shared on Facebook, Twitter, G+ etc, as well as practice websites.
"Our intention was to create a useful resource for practices across the UK - not just Vets Now clinics. If we all get behind this and make our clients aware, maybe we'll be going that extra mile by educating our clients and helping to save even more lives."
The infographic can be downloaded at www.vets-now.com/infographic
The research will specifically focus on Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.hyop), the causative agent of the disease, and aim to progress vaccine development.
Zoetis has stumped up another £300K in kind to support the research.
M.hyop is present in 80% of UK pig herds, which can result in a 16% reduction of growth and a 14% reduction in feed conversion in pigs.
This therefore, is not only a welfare issue for pigs but can significantly increase production costs for farmers.
Piglets are at particular risk of contracting the disease alongside secondary pathogens during lactation.
There are currently no commercial vaccines available that would prevent initial infection, and while M.hyop is susceptible to a variety of antibiotics, their use needs to be reduced to avoid overuse and the occurrence of multi-drug resistant strains.
The priority for the RVC researchers will therefore be developing new vaccines.
The team will also research the optimisation of protocols to eliminate M.hyop from pig herds in an effort to further minimise potential transmission.
Professor Dirk Werling, Professor of Molecular Immunology at the RVC, said: “Infection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a really debilitating disease in pigs that causes huge economic losses for farmers.
"I am very pleased that we will be able to continue working with a pharmaceutical partner to develop a new vaccine using state-of the-art technologies.”
The Kennel Club has confirmed that the BBC has pulled out of broadcasting Crufts next year.
According to the Kennel Club, the decision was reached following what it described as 'unreasonable demands' from the BBC, including the exclusion of certain breeds of dog from the group competition at the show.
The Kennel Club says the BBC's demands took no account of the measures it has in place to improve the health of pedigree dogs, or of the fact that judges will be trained to help ensure that all dogs being awarded prizes at Crufts will be healthy representatives of their breed.
Ronnie Irving, Kennel Club Chairman, said "I am very sorry that BBC audiences around the world will not be able to join us in celebrating all dogs in 2009 and to see the remarkable diversity of dogs and activities on show at Crufts; ranging from the show classes to agility displays, the Friends for Life competition and the unsung heroes who take part in breed rescue.
"However, we have been forced to reject the insupportable conditions imposed by the BBC, who have told us they will only televise the show in 2009 if certain breeds are excluded from participating.We are unable to agree to these demands, as it would compromise both contractual obligations and our general responsibility to dog exhibitors and our audience and we believe it would be inappropriate and counterproductive to exclude any recognised breed from Crufts.
"We are obviously disappointed and confused with this outcome as we hoped the broadcast would have supported our focus on health and welfare issues, given advice about caring for and training dogs and showcased the charitable work that we support. This TV exposure would have benefited all dogs and given viewers a well-rounded picture of what the new Crufts in 2009 is all about."
In October 2008 the Kennel Club announced a strategy to show how it is focusing its activities on the health and welfare of all dogs. It announced mandatory compliance with a strict code of ethics for all breed clubs registered with the Kennel Club.
Earlier this month, it completed a review for each of the 209 pedigree dog breeds in the UK and announced revised standards that it says will have far-reaching benefits for the health and welfare of dogs. These new breed standards and health plans will benefit from research that has been funded by the Kennel Club in conjunction with veterinary research centres over a number of years. The overall aim is that all pedigree dogs should be fit for function and that breeders and judges should not reward dogs with obvious conditions or exaggerations, which would be detrimental in any way to their health.
Petplan has been named the UK's Best Pet Insurance Provider at the Consumer Moneyfacts awards.
Voted for by over 17,000 consumers, the awards recognise the best financial products available to consumers in the UK.
Petplan, which says it has recently strengthened its policies to provide pet owners with more comprehensive cover, was chosen by consumers for its market leading policies and outstanding customer service.
Petplan Director Neil Brettell said: "The award is great recognition for the fantastic job that our team at Petplan does to keep pets healthy and owners happy.
"Our Covered for Life policies truly do what they say, they ensure that a pet can get the best possible treatment throughout its life without the owner having to worry about the cost. It's great to be recognised for the service that we've been providing to the nation's pets for over 35 years."
For information about how working with Petplan can help your practice call Vetline on 0800 316 8800 or visit www.petplanvet.co.uk
The deadline for nominations for Practice of the Year, Vet of the Year, Vet Nurse of the Year, Practice Manager of the Year and Practice Support Staff of the Year, is 16th January.
The award ceremony will take place on 2nd April 2020 in Birmingham.
James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan, said: "We’ve been recognising the brilliant work of the UK’s veterinary professionals through the Petplan Veterinary Awards for 21 years now and every year the standard of entries just gets higher.
"The nominations are a testament to the hard work of all of those involved at practices who care for animals and clients all year round.
"The awards are a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your practice and your colleagues. Being acknowledged is great for team morale and a wonderful opportunity to raise the profile of the practice to new and existing clients alike. If you haven’t already I’d invite you to nominate someone today!"
You can nominate a colleague or your own practice at petplanvet.co.uk/vetawards, before nominations close on 16th January 2020.
The offer runs until 17th September 2023 and vets who sign up for the face-to-face programmes will also get 25% off a practical short course.
The Small Animal Surgery course is split over two years, with a significant practical component and 10-days practical wet-lab training sessions.
Delegates learn about orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, and neurosurgery.
The Small Animal Medicine course is also split over two years and covers all major canine and feline body systems.
On completion, delegates can also earn an ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) or achieve a Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) awarded by Harper Adams University.
Dr Charlotte French (pictured right), UK Head of Business Development, said: ‘When I qualified over 25 years ago, there was very little postgraduate education available.
"Over the years Improve Veterinary Education have been the leaders in development and delivery of world leading CPD.
"This is the opportunity for even more members of the profession to take advantage of that high quality education, enabling them to further their careers and improve animal welfare.’
The flagship programmes are run in various learning formats to support the different learning environments vets operate in and include:
www.improveinternational.com
The service is designed to make vital support more accessible to those clients who may face challenges visiting the practice, whether that's down to limited mobility, transport difficulties, or simply a pet’s anxiety with travel.
Led by experienced RVNs, the service includes:
Judith Lee, Small Animal Director at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, said: “Our Community Vet Nurse service is all about making it easier for our clients to access the help they need."
https://www.oakhill-vets.com/pets/community-vet-nurse/
Three new learning aids launched by BVA:
Practical Animal Handling - Online Tutorial The BVA AWF have launched an online tutorial on practical animal handling which has been prepared in conjunction with Newcastle University. The tutorial is primarily aimed at veterinary students and nurses. It features videos of expert veterinary staff demonstrating the correct procedures for handling small animals for clinical examination and medication and its aim is to show that the primary consideration should be for the welfare of the animal. To access the online tutorial visit http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/resources/tutorials/.
Disbudding of Kid Goats The Goat Veterinary Society (GVS) has produced a DVD designed to help veterinary surgeons to disbud goats. Produced in association with the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation the DVD is in memory of the late Mike Teale MRCVS, following a donation from his family. The DVD discusses the potential problems associated with disbudding kid goats and provides guidance on how to avoid them. It shows the best technique for disbudding from start to finish and discusses anatomical considerations, methods of anaesthesia and analgesia and disbudding, with particular attention drawn to the regulatory aspects as they currently apply in the UK. For further information on the GVS DVD, including obtaining a copy, at a cost of £10, please visit http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/headlines/news/Disbudding_of_kid_goats_DVD__2_.pdf.
Bat Care Guidelines - a Guide to Bat Care for RehabilitatorsThe Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) has produced Bat Care Guidelines, in association with the BVA AWF, RSPCA and RCVS Trust, aimed at veterinary professionals, wildlife hospitals and new rehabilitators. The document is split into basic sections including 'health and safety', 'rescue and collection' and 'ailments and treatments' which aim to provide minimum guidelines for bat care. The new initiative is part of an ongoing partnership focusing on the rehabilitation of wild bats in the UK. Visit http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/grants/projects/BCT_workshop_article_08.pdf for further information
Researchers from the School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Bristol have had a study into domestic dogs' fear responses to noise published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
According to the University, the study provides an important insight into dogs' fear of noises, and could improve our understanding of behavioural signs of fear or anxiety.
In the study two approaches were taken to investigate the occurrence of, and risk factors for, behaviours caused by a fear of noise: a postal survey of dog owners to investigate general demographic factors and a structured interview of a sub-set of owners to gather more detailed information.
It seems that while owners are often aware of their pet's behavioural response when exposed to a loud noise, they do not necessarily recognise it as being indicative of fear or anxiety. This has relevance both for awareness of compromised welfare, and the methodology for surveying such behaviour.
According to the researchers, other behavioural signs, such as decreased activity or salivation, may not be as easily recognised by owners as signs of fear, and may be under-reported. Also, signs of urination, salivation and destruction may make owners disappointed or angry, and this may influence their interpretation that such behaviours are associated with fearfulness.
The risk factors for owner-reported fear of noises included:
The researchers suggest a dog's early life experience is an important factor in the development of fear responses to specific loud noises.
Dr Rachel Casey, European Specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine and Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Bristol University, said: "Our results suggest that the characteristics of dogs, their early environment, and exposure to specific loud noises are involved in the development of fear responses to noises. Interestingly, less than a third of owners sought professional advice about treatment for their pet's response to noises."
Disappointingly, less than a third of owners currently seek professional advice about treatment for their pet's fear. The researchers recommend there is a need for veterinary surgeons to increase awareness among the general dog owning public that treatment is both available and effective in dealing with fears of loud noises, and to direct them towards appropriate sources of help.
Information for vets and dog owners on finding an expert to help treat behaviour problems including fear of noises can be found at www.rspca.org.uk/findabehaviourist
Paper: Fear responses to noises in domestic dogs: Prevalence, risk factors and co-occurrence with other fear related behaviour, Emily J. Blackwell, John W.S. Bradshaw, Rachel A. Casey, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, published online 22 January 2013.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has produced a new Orf Vaccination Starter Pack to help vets better inform their sheep farmer clients about the disease.
The new campaign Vaccination Starter Pack includes a practical guide to Orf and its control in UK sheep flocks, a DVD profiling vet and farmer experiences of managing the disease, an 'Orf questions answered' handout and a best practice vaccination protocol. Additional practice support materials highlighting the problems caused by Orf and its control with Scabivax Forte are also available.
The Starter Pack and full range of promotional materials are available from local Intervet/Schering-Plough Account Managers or by contacting the Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
The sample was submitted by the Inglis Veterinary Hospital in Dunfermline, part of the group that has been practising in the area for over 50 years. To mark the occasion, Idexx territory manager Sandie Crawford visited the team at Inglis to present a commemorative plaque and find out what aspects of the service they find most useful.
Rachel Motion MRCVS from Inglis said: "VetConnect Plus allows me to check when a sample has arrived at the lab and what its status is. This can be particularly useful as it allows me to reassure owners that might be worried about the health of their pet. It’s also really helpful to be able to add on any extra tests if they are required."
Scandinavian Micro Biodevices (SMB) has launched its new diagnostic device: QuickVet Analyzer. The device brings novel ‘point of care’ testing to the clinic.
The QuickVet Analyzer and QuickVet COAG test cartridge provide analytical results in pets’ blood samples to help diagnose a range of conditions such as:
Investigating potential coagulation problems is an important pre-operative procedure.
SMB Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ole Kring, said: “The QuickVet Analyzer is simple to use, requires no routine maintenance and delivers results of high precision.”
The SMB device brings state of the art, ‘lab-on-a-chip’ concept from human diagnostics to the veterinary clinic, giving vets diagnostic test results in approximately ten minutes. Instead of waiting until the next day for the result, vets can offer pet owners an instant diagnosis.
The Quickvet Analyzer uses individual test cartridges based on microfluidic technology. The first test cartridge to be launched - the QuickVet COAG test - will analyse the intrinsic activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and extrinsic partial thromboplastin time (PT) coagulation cascade from citrated whole blood in just minutes at an unmatched precision level of 7% CV in the relevant diagnostic range.
With touch screen operation, the instrument requires minimal training and is very user-friendly – the vet just adds a blood sample on the disposable cartridge and reads the result on the 7” colour screen.
The Quickvet COAG test is the first of several test cartridges being rolled out by SMB, which will be used in conjunction with the QuickVet Analyzer. They will all use whole blood samples and provide novel in-clinic diagnostic capabilities within the areas of infectious diseases, parasites and parasite transmitted diseases, toxicology, hormones, oncology and cardiology.
For further information on the QuickVet Analyser and QuickVet COAG test cartridges please contact:
Mr Ole Kring CEO Scandinavian Micro Biodevices ApS Gammelgaardsvej 87C DK-3520 Farum Denmark http://www.quickvet.net/ Telephone: +45 203 378 58
Janssen Animal Health has released the results of a survey which suggests incorrect worming strategies on many pig units in the UK are costing the industry dearly.
Most state they do not worm weaners, growers or finishing pigs at all and, while most sows are wormed, only a third treat newly-arrived gilts and boars in quarantine.
Phil Macdonald, UK and Ireland pig business manager at Janssen said: "Worm infestations can harm growth rate and feed efficiency, they can reduce abattoir returns and increase the cost of medication".
According to the company, the survey responses point to confusion among some producers on what constitutes a strategic worming programme. Most, 68 per cent, state they have implemented strategic programmes, but fewer than two-thirds of these cover all pigs on a unit and even fewer correctly base their programmes on the pre-patent period of worms.
Phil said: "It's important that all pigs on a unit are covered by the programme, otherwise there is a higher potential for reinfection. To be effective, the anthelmintic treatment periods need to be based on the pre-patent period of worms, so that treatment interrupts their life cycle.
"It requires a strategic worming programme with a broad spectrum anthelmintic such as Flubenol and Solubenol 100mg/g, which is the first and only water-soluble benzimidazole in the market. These are effective against larvae and worm eggs of a number of worm species as well as the large roundworm, Ascaris suum. Migrating larvae of the large roundworm cause Milk Spot lesions in pig livers, which are damaging to animal welfare and unit economics."
The make-up of UK units in the survey was 58 per cent breeder/finisher, 39 per cent finisher, 3 per cent weaner/finisher. Most, 68 per cent, use dry pelleted feed, 16 per cent wet feed and 16 per cent have both feed systems.
There is wide variation in worming programmes among producers. Most breeders worm their sows - 17 per cent once a year, 56 per cent twice and 11 per cent three times. With boars, 28 per cent worm them once a year, 44 per cent twice and 11 per cent three times. But only one-third (34 per cent) of breeders worm newly-arrived gilts and boars in quarantine.
72 per cent of producers with breeding sows who responded do not worm weaners and 80 per cent do not worm growers. Of the total responses, including specialist finishers, 68 per cent do not worm finishing pigs.
Most producers, 81 per cent, stated that they are aware that livers with Milk Spot lesions have to be trimmed or totally condemned, adding significant annual costs for disposal.
68 per cent admit to Milk Spot lesion levels of 25 per cent in consignments of pigs. Another 10 per cent experience up to 75 per cent livers with Milk Spot damage, and 3 per cent have had every pig liver in a consignment trimmed or condemned because of lesions. The feedback to producers comes from the BPEX Pig Health Scheme, of which 88 per cent of producers are members.
Only 58 per cent of producers are aware that more traditional worming methods allow pigs continuously to reinfect each other and their environment. Traditional programmes do not take the worm's life cycle into account.
The detrimental effect of worm damage that causes most concern to producers is lost growth/poorer feed conversion (29 per cent). Others considered the most important to be:
Phil says research shows that losses in daily liveweight gain alone add up to £2.31 per slaughter pig where liver condemnations are 30 per cent. "The frightening fact is that the loss is for every slaughter pig, not just those with Milk Spot lesions.
"In a 300-sow herd producing 23 pigs per sow per year that's a loss of £15,939 a year. On a 1,000-sow unit that exceeds a horrendous £53,000 annually, and these figures take no account of other areas of loss mentioned."
An adult female worm can shed hundreds of thousands of eggs each day, which pigs pass out in their dung. Worm eggs can remain infective for up to 10 years. Other pigs ingest them and the reinfection process begins.
Phil said: "A strategic worming programme that treats all pigs on a unit simultaneously is the only effective way to almost completely eliminate the problem. The survey has shown there is considerable potential for a large proportion of producers to improve productivity and cut costs by focusing on this critical area of management."
Improve International has announced that it is to launch new 'mini-modular' courses in dentistry, oncology, neurology and ultrasound for those practitioners that want to develop a more in-depth knowledge than they would gain from a one-day course without undertaking a Certificate.
The courses, which begin in the Autumn, include two days of study each month for three months, making six days of CPD in total. Ultrasound delegates study for two days each month for two months, making four days of CPD in total. Each course, with the exception of Neurology, contains a practical element.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve, said: "Veterinary surgeons wanting to develop specialist skills in specific areas currently have two choices - either to embark on a full-scale Certificate programme or to attend one day sessions in their area of interest. For those without the time or resource to commit to a Certificate programme but who are keen to develop their skills to a high level, attending a one-day course may not give them the expertise - or the practical experience - they seek."
He continued: "Our Mini-Modular courses aim to bridge that gap. They are high quality programmes, led by recognised international experts, and each gives a thorough grounding in the subject, specifically geared to the requirements of the small animal general practitioner. They aim to give delegates in-depth knowledge, practical experience and the confidence to take their new skills back into practice."
The Mini-Modular courses are open to veterinary surgeons from across Europe with teaching based at Improve's training headquarters in Swindon, which offer wet-lab facilities.
For further information, visit www.improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
Virbac says this is the only wet product to provide separate species-specific dog and cat convalescence diets tailored to the unique nutritional needs of both species.
In an internal study conduct by Virbac, 86% of dogs with digestive issues improved within a week of using the diet1
The new diets are high in protein and low in carbohydrate and they can be used alone or in combination with the company's dry diets (suggested 50/50 split).
Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director – UK & Ireland at Virbac said: “We’re thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive feedback we've received on our new Veterinary HPM Digestive Support wet diets.
“Practices and pet owners alike are commenting on the extraordinary palatability of the diets and their effectiveness, particularly with convalescing and inappetent pets”.
References
Vets Now will be opening the doors to its new clinic in Caterham on 31 March.
The company, which was launched in 2001, recently opened its Northolt clinic in North London and is now delighted to be offering an out of hours service in the South London area.
Based at The Animal Hospital, in Coulsden Road, Caterham, the clinic is the 31st Vets Now clinic to open in the UK and will provide Out of Hours cover for a number of member practice clinics in the East Surrey area.
Genitrix has launched a new system called Osteokine, which produces Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP). PRP, an autologous solution containing therapeutically significant concentrations of platelets, is known to accelerate the healing of injuries and is already widely used in human medicine. It is increasingly being used in the treatment of horses.
The Osteokine system, developed by German company Orthogen which also manufactures joint therapy Irap, comprises two interconnected blood bags.
The system involves taking citrated whole blood from the horse and placing it into the first, red-capped Osteokine bag for processing in a centrifuge. The plasma and platelets are then transferred to the second bag, and a second centrifuge process separates the plasma and generates a pellet of PRP, which is extracted and used to treat the horse from which it was taken.
Treatment with PRP has been shown to accelerate wound healing in all kinds of tissue particularly tendons and ligaments and has also been used in bone healing. It has been noted to reduce perioperative traumatic pain while the higher collagen content provided by PRP can create improved scar resistance.
Commenting on the launch of the Osteokine system in the UK, Rob Watkins, Marketing Director of Genitrix, said: "Therapeutic care of equine lameness is an area of particular expertise for Genitrix and the innovative treatments we've brought to market, including Acell, HY50 and Irap already form part of the staple ‘toolkit' of many equine vets.
"The benefits of PRP in terms of accelerating wound healing and vasculerisation are already widely accepted as are the advantages of an autologous approach in terms of eliminating the risk of disease transmission. To date, however, the process of extracting PRP has proved complex and expensive and only provided in specialised laboratories.
"Osteokine, in contrast, offers a cost-effective approach based on a system which is simple to operate in practice and takes only 20 minutes. We believe it offers a highly effective approach to treating wounds and injuries in horses."
For further information on Osteokine, contact Genitrix on 01403 786345.
Fiona Knight, a Customer Care Manager from the Woodcroft Veterinary Group in Cheshire, has won the 'Petplan Insurance Advisor Award 2011'.
The award, announced at the British Veterinary Nursing Congress in Kettering, recognises the hard work and dedication that Petplan Insurance Advisors do to highlight the importance of insurance to pet owners.
Fiona said: "It was such a shock to actually win the award, I'm very pleased!. All the finalists, including me, have worked incredibly hard to carry on promoting something we feel so strongly about. It's not something we can do on our own which is why I am so grateful for the dedication and support from my team at the practice.
"The Petplan PIA is such a great scheme as it helps increase the awareness of pet insurance, and really helps owners have financial security and their pets get the best treatment should anything happen."
The finalists were judged by Petplan Business Developers Lisa Allen and Spencer Jones.
Spencer said: "All three finalists have worked extremely hard to educate pet owners about pet insurance so that they are able to give their customers informed and up-to-date advice, however Fiona's commitment and dedication really stood out and she is a very deserving winner."
As part of her award Fiona receives a 16GB Ipad2 with WiFi, worth £399. The other finalists were Harriet Goulden, veterinary nurse at the Feldon Veterinary Centre in Leicestershire, and Alison Sawyer, receptionist at Medivet in Watford.
For information on how to become a PIA contact Vetline on 0800 316 8800 or alternatively log onto www.petplanpia.co.uk.
Centaur Services has launched a range of health supplement soft chews for cats and dogs which can be ordered in custom, practice-branded packaging.
Centaur says the practice branding is designed to reinforce client relationships by encouraging clients to buy vet-recommended products direct from the practice, thereby reducing the loss of sales to the high street or online stores.
The chews consist of a flavoured base with a crumbly texture, into which various health supplements are blended. Centaur says they are particularly popular with owners who find it difficult to encourage their pets to consume supplements within harder carriers, as the soft chews are more akin to food and easier for the animals to consume.
Colm McGinn, Sales and Marketing Director of Centaur Services, said: "We're always looking for ways to innovate the offer we provide to our customers and make their businesses more successful. Not only are the chews a high quality product with excellent health benefits for pets, they also offer practices a new way of engaging with their clients by providing own-labelled products that come not only with the recommendation of their vet but also the trusted brand of the practice."
The chews are launching in five varieties. For dogs, there's joint support and a heart-shaped multi-vitamin. For cats, there's joint support, bladder support and hairball relief. Additional varieties are in development.
For more information call Centaur Services on 01963 350005 to arrange a visit, or for existing customers, contact your Territory Manager.
Hysolv Animal Health has announced that it is offering a free swine flu laboratory diagnostic service to veterinary surgeons in the UK and Ireland.
The company will supply kits to veterinary surgeons with which to take samples from pig herds they suspect are infected with swine flu. The samples, nasal swabs or blood, will be sent direct to Germany where vaccine and biological company IDT Biologika is using a special facility to detect which viruses or antibodies against certain serotypes are present.
The virological tests will be conducted by the Institute for Virus Diagnostics, part of the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health. Antibody titres against H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, panH1N1 and panH1N2 will be looked for. Hysolv says these tests, including histopathology, can provide the only conclusive proof of influenza infection.
Results from the test — which would normally cost 230 Euros (about £185) to conduct — will be available within a week. IDT is believed to be the first company offering this type of test.
According to the company, the PCR test — from nasal swabs — is much more precise than previous testing regimes and will identify and type circulating strains as well as emerging strains.
Hysolv says that when swine flu strikes a farm, the signs seen are no longer just typically flu-like but a show whole range including fever, coughing, dyspnoea as well as returns to oestrus and abortions in sows. These may be in combination and concurrent with other diseases which makes accurate diagnosis difficult.
IDT will be offering the newly-branded vaccine Respiporc Flu 3 where the veterinary surgeon feels vaccination in indicated.
Hysolv director Richard Brealey said: “IDT is raising the bar in flu testing and this is a significant advance on what has been done in the past. In 2014 one-third of 1353 nasal swabs sent for testing proved positive for swine flu in Germany. In the UK the samples will help give an insight into the epidemiological status quo of the national pig herd.”
A Dogs Trust Glasgow resident who made the news last January for being so obese he could not even walk has lost almost half his body weight.
Patch, a six year old Beagle Cross, weighed the same as an average six year old child - 4.5 stones (28.45kg) - when he was brought to the Rehoming Centre last year.
Staff desperately hoped 2009 would see him find a new home and see him shed almost half his bodyweight to reach his goal of 2.4 stone (15kg). After finding a new home with the MacLean family in Motherwell, exactly one year after hitting the headlines Patch is within sniffing distance of his target by weighing in at 2.9 stone (18kg).
Vets had warned that a rapid weight loss would put strain on Patch's organs and could actually harm him, so it has been a slow, careful process. He follows a strict diet and his exercise levels have been built up gradually, with careful monitoring by veterinary staff.
Claire Kelman, Dogs Trust Glasgow Assistant Centre Manager, said: "When Patch first came to us he was so obese he couldn't even walk and needed a sling to be moved from one place to another. Now he's lost the weight he can run around and properly enjoy his walks like any other dog.
It just goes to show a good diet and careful exercise can make a real impact, so maybe he can be a shining example for everyone feeling a bit bloated after the Christmas break!"
Images courtesy Centre Press Agency