Gardner Llewlyn Veterinary Recruitment and VetSurgeon.org / VetNurse.co.uk have announced the winners of a competition in which people were invited to nominate nurses for a special thanks for the work they do.

67 entries from veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and pet owners made it onto the shortlist.

Jonathan Lewis from Gardner Llewlyn said: "I know it's a cliche, but it really was very hard to pick an outright winner. In the end, though, we just loved the sheer enthusiasm of Peter Howarth MRCVS's nomination for Louisa Bouchard RVN (pictured right) from the New Era Veterinary Hospital, and thought it takes a very special person to inspire the ringing endorsement of her work."

The team nomination was similarly difficult to pick. However, Stephanie Fursland MRCVS's nomination for the nursing team at The Oval Pet Centre stood out as an example of how a good nursing team can have a really profound effect on other members of the practice team.

A new iPad mini is on its way to Louisa, and a case of champagne is winging its way to The Oval Pet Centre. There was also a draw amongst all the nominators to win another iPad mini, the winner of which was Val Marsh, who nominated Kate Slack RVN from Blacks Veterinary Group.

Arlo Guthrie, Editor of VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk said: "We found a lot of the entries really rather moving and whether they came from members of the public or from colleagues in the profession, they all serve to demonstrate the importance - as if anyone needed reminding - of what a good nurse brings to the practice. The nominees should all be very proud.

"We decided that the nominations were too good to keep to ourselves, so we've published them on a publicly visible part of VetNurse (click here), with links back to the nominated practices' websites. Hopefully, it might be a nice thing for any of the nominees to add to their CV, and the links should in time result in these lovely endorsements appearing when people make a relevant search for the practice."

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) have developed a system that eliminates the need for antibiotics and resistance genes in the engineering of industrial and medical products. 

The method involves safer, less costly alternatives and is well suited for industrial production of many biofuels and biopharmaceuticals. This research has been published in the online access journal BMC Biotechnology.

Genetic engineering underpins much of biotechnology, and antibiotic selection of engineered strains is a key tool. Unfortunately, antibiotic selection methods risk spreading resistance traits, particularly as biotechnology products move into the environment and clinic.  There have been alternatives, but none are satisfactory for wide application. 

Gene targeting is the insertion of DNA into specific sites or genes within the genome of selected cells in order to alter gene expression for a particular purpose.

While working on gene targeting in bacteria, RVC researchers discovered that a well-known interaction between a cell membrane synthesis gene and the biocide triclosan could be exploited for strain selection. Surprisingly, triclosan selection performs better than conventional antibiotic selection. 

"We think this simple technology is well suited for industrial scale fermentations that produce a range of valuable products, including bio-fuels and bio-pharmaceuticals," said Dr Liam Good, at the Royal Veterinary College and lead researcher on the project. "More importantly, the new system is relatively safe and inexpensive, because the gene is native in all bacteria and triclosan is approved for use in many household applications."

The research was carried out with Dr Shan Goh of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm.

Denise Coston of Castle Veterinary Surgeons in Durham has won The Veterinary Business Journal Practice Manager of the Year 2011, and praised the award for promoting her role.

Denise, who was a manager at Lloyds TSB's lending centre and previously ran her own business, before joining Castle Vets three years ago, said: "I did not find out that I had been nominated until three weeks before the ceremony - it was totally out of the blue. To make it to the final three was brilliant, but to win was just incredible.

Denise also said the Practice Manager of the Year Award plays a vital part in promoting the role of practice managers to the wider industry: "It is so important in recognising and championing the efforts of practice managers. I'm sure there will be many people out there who still don't know what we do or how we could benefit their business and this award highlights our achievements.

"This is an evolving role and it is often a case of matching what each practice needs, but I think the fact that there is an award highlights the point that there is true value in having a practice manager."

Editor of The Veterinary Business Journal Robin Fearon said: "Denise is a deserving winner of the title Practice Manager of the Year because she understands the importance of helping to define business strategy for the practice, and I wish her every success in future."

The British Veterinary Association has welcomed a report published by The Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding, which sets out eight priority welfare problems.

Commenting on the report, BVA President Carl Padgett said: "We welcome the Dog Advisory Council's report which highlights key welfare issues of dog breeding and makes sound, practical recommendations for addressing them." 

The eight priority problems addressed are:

• Ocular problems linked to head conformation
• Breathing difficulty linked to head conformation
• Syringomyelia (SM) and Chiari-like malformation (CM)
• Idiopathic Epilepsy
• Heart disease with a known or suspected inherited basis
• Breed-related and inherited skin conditions
• Limb defects (including hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia), and
• Separation related behaviour: a serious but often hidden welfare issue for domestic dogs.

Mr Padgett continued:"The Dog Advisory Council has covered these high priority concerns in some detail. I am pleased that the recommendations give strong support to screening programmes including the BVA/KC schemes for hip and elbow dysplasia and syringomyelia and that they suggest ocular examination under the BVA/KC/ISDS eye scheme should be regarded as routine for all dogs used for breeding. 

"I am also delighted that the Council has recognised the value of using a reputable puppy contract, highlighting the puppy contract and puppy information pack (PIP) recently launched by the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation and RSPCA. The contract and PIP arm buyers with the knowledge to give themselves the best chance of getting a fit, healthy and happy, well socialised pet to join their household and they have been designed to help good breeders demonstrate the care and attention they have devoted to their puppies' breeding and upbringing.

"We must all continue to work together to address these welfare challenges and keep up the momentum to improve dog breeding."

Dechra has launched ‘They’ve got Cushing’s. You’ve got us’ marketing campaign to highlight the company’s support for Vetoryl.

Across Europe, the company has over 30 technical experts who get over 2,500 technical calls each year about Cushing’s. 

The company also publishes the Dechra Academy, which provides a range of free online courses for vets.

There's also Dechra’s endocrinology app which was developed using data from the Royal Veterinary College’s VetCompass database to help vets diagnose and manage the endocrine disorders Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism) and Cushing’s syndrome.

For owners, Dechra publishes the 'Suspecting Cushing’s' website and has created the Cushing’s monitoring app to help simplify the management process, improve compliance with medication and increase engagement in the dog’s care.

Sarah Musgrave, companion animal brand manager at Dechra, said: “Dechra has extensive experience in endocrinology. 

"Cushing’s can be a challenge to identify, diagnose and manage and our ‘They’ve got Cushing’s. You’ve got us’ initiative demonstrates the comprehensive support that we have available for both vets and dog owners to help ensure that dogs with Cushing’s live long and healthy lives.”

https://www.dechra.co.uk/cushings-connect 

Insulation manufacturer Saint-Gobain Isover has published the results of a survey of 2000 homeowners which found that 36% are annoyed by noise made by neighbours' pets.

The Noise Report was commissioned to discover how many homeowners suffered with noisy next-door neighbours, to which the answer proved to be one in four. 

According to the survey, which was carried out by Onepoll, Newcastle has the greatest percentage of owners who are disturbed by noise several times per day: 29.76% (click to enlarge infographic right).

In addition to noisy neighbours, 27% of homeowners said they are also disturbed by passing street traffic, while almost a third suffer from the sound of car and burglar alarms, and 36% are annoyed by noise from neighbours' pets.

The findings also suggested that external noise was more than just an irritation for homeowners. Almost a third of respondents said they lose sleep at night due to noise, while 15% claimed it causes them stress and anxiety. More than a fifth reported that they are unable to relax in their own home.

However, despite the impact of external noise on their quality of life, 45% of homeowners say they have not done anything about it. Only 6% report addressing the issue by installing insulation solutions in their homes.

Helen Tunnicliffe, head of marketing at Isover, said: "It is clear that noise from neighbours, traffic and other sources is a big problem for many homeowners. Not only is it irritating, it can have a major impact on people's emotional wellbeing.

"However, in spite of the seriousness of the issue, far too few people are taking measures to address it. There are many simple, easy-to-install solutions that prevent external noise in the home, such as insulation systems, which not only make the house warmer, but offer high acoustic performance too."

Alternatively, I suppose, move to Aberystwyth. 

A study partly funded by BSAVA PetSavers and published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice has concluded that female dogs neutered by laparoscopic ovariectomy experience fewer postoperative complications and unusual behaviours in the days following surgery compared to those undergoing open ovariohysterectomy via celiotomy.

According to the researchers, who came from the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Guide Dogs and Feldon Veterinary Centre, this was the first study to compare peri- and postoperative complications, behaviour after surgery, and surgery duration, for the two most common neutering procedures for female dogs; laparoscopic ovariectomy (LAP-OVE) and open ovariohysterectomy (celiotomy) (OVH-CEL). 

For the study, the researchers analysed data from 519 bitches neutered by either LAP-OVE or OVH-CEL at four UK veterinary practices.

Fewer bitches developed wound redness or swelling at the surgical site following LAP-OVE (16%), compared to those that underwent OVH-CEL (36%).

Intraoperative complications were reported for 2% of dogs neutered by LAP-OVE and 3% of those neutered by OVH-CEL.

Postoperative complications were reported for 0.5% of the LAP-OVE group and 1% of the OVH-CEL group.

Unusual behaviours (inappetence, discomfort, licking or chewing) in the postoperative period were less common in dogs neutered by laparoscopic ovariectomy.

There was no significant difference in surgical duration between the two techniques.

The researchers say that their findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that postoperative complications, including those related to wound healing and those requiring further veterinary intervention, are lower for laparoscopic than open surgeries for bitches neutered by experienced veterinarians.

Lead author, Dr Rachel Moxon, said: “While there is already evidence from other studies relating to complications following neutering surgeries in bitches, this is the first time that the outcomes have been compared between what are anecdotally reported to be the two most frequently performed neutering surgeries for female dogs in the UK.

"The results will be of interest not only to vets, but for pet owners and others that have to make choices about neutering their dogs. Understanding the surgical risks is an important factor to consider, and decision making is made easier when it can be informed by evidence”.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70013

CEVA Animal Health is launching a new TV advertising and marketing campaign to promote its veterinary behaviour products, DAP and Feliway, in the run up to this year's firework season.

The campaign will feature a new animated character 'Dap the Dog', who will join 'That Purple Cat' in educating pet owners on the behaviours expressed by pets that are fearful of loud noises during fireworks, and the benefits of using DAP and Feliway.  The adverts will be aired throughout October on ITV2, E4, More4 and Channel 4 (London only) starting on Monday 4^th October and will be seen by 11.5 million ABC1 women.

A range of firework marketing materials have been produced to support veterinary practices and help educate owners who have noise phobic pets. These include client leaflets, an A4 leaflet holder, waiting room display materials and a firework poster all featuring the characters from the advert. CEVA's petfireworkfear website - www.petfireworkfear.co.uk/ - has also been updated to include the new TV advert, downloadable versions of all materials and tips on how to prepare pets for fireworks.  In addition, www.dapfordogs.com/ and www.feliway.com/ will feature a voucher offering pet owners a free 60ml spray when they purchase a DAP or Feliway diffuser from their local veterinary practice.

The support comes in light of recent research¹, carried out by CEVA, that revealed 80% of pet owners have had a pet that has been afraid of fireworks, with more than half of dog owners wanting to ban them altogether because they are too upsetting for their animals.

Julia Wood, product manager at CEVA Animal Health, said: "Fireworks are the most stressful event that a pet can experience and, in most cases, owners have noticed their animals becoming visibly unsettled with 49% of dogs shaking¹ and 65% of cats hiding¹.  The new TV advertising campaign and marketing support will educate pet owners on behaviours expressed by pets with a fear of loud noises and the importance of taking proactive action by using DAP and Feliway."

CEVA will be running its annual firework display competition amongst veterinary practices throughout October for the best decorated waiting room. 

For further information on CEVA's firework campaign or its marketing support, please contact your local CEVA territory manager or call CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.

Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists has announced the first of its mostly free CPD events for vets and nurses in 2025.

There are a mix of online and in-person events.

On the 27th February at 7:00pm, Derek Flaherty, Professor in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia will cover common complications with veterinary anaesthesia and how you can deal with them during this in person event. 

On the 29th April and 30th September, Tobi Wagner, Head of Cardiology at Southern Counties (pictured), will test your echo interpretation skills in an interactive online webinar.

On the 11th March, 1st July and 11th November, Tobi will be hosting Echo Clinics: small-group four-hour practical sessions which will look at how to obtain the necessary echocardiography views that can aid decision making in day-to-day clinical practice. Echo Clinics cost £375.

For nurses, Katie Foley and Tom Chapman will be hosting an in-person session looking at suture techniques on Thursday 6th February.

https://www.scvetspecialists.co.uk/vet-professionals/cpd

Sheppard Robson, the architects behind the University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital, have been celebrating this week after their design received a prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) North West Award.

The Small Animal Teaching Hospital, located at the University’s Leahurst campus in Neston, was completed in 2007 and is considered to be one of the most advanced and complete animal veterinary facilities in the UK. It incorporates clinical services, undergraduate teaching and clinical research under one roof.




The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) annually presents regional awards for buildings that make a substantial contribution to the local environment and have high architectural standards.

Ian Butler, Managing Partner at Sheppard Robson North, said: "The Small Animal Teaching Hospital at Liverpool University is a fantastic building. It is very strong and bold yet it is also simple and unfussy. It combines truly cutting edge teaching and research facilities with a sustainable building that blends into its environment. It is fantastic for our design to be lauded by RIBA. The Sheppard Robson team is very proud."

The Small Animal Teaching Hospital, along with ten other North West buildings recognised by the regional judges, will now be considered for the National RIBA Awards in June.

Hill's Pet Nutrition and Cat Professional are working in partnership to improve knowledge of feline lower urinary tract disease by giving complimentary copies of 'Caring for a cat with lower urinary tract disease' by UK feline specialists Dr Sarah Caney and Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore to veterinary professionals and owners of cats affected by the condition.

Feline lower urinary tract disease is thought to affect up to 10% of cats, with particular prevalence in the indoor cat population and it is often a complex and distressing condition for cat owners to tackle. 

Hill's has sponsored 1000 copies of 'Caring for a cat with lower urinary tract disease' , and is giving away vouchers which allow the recipient to visit the Cat Professional website (http://www.catprofessional.com/) to download an interactive copy of the book. 

'Caring for a cat with lower urinary tract disease' is the third title in the successful 'Caring for a cat' series. Renowned cat behaviourist and bestselling author, Vicky Halls reviewed the book in glowing terms: "Feline lower urinary tract disease is a complicated subject for owners to fully appreciate so it is wonderful, at last, to have one book that contains all the necessary information that can be recommended to everyone"

Hill's Pet Nutrition are distributing the complimentary vouchers to owners who contact their customer service freephone line for advice on the condition (0800 282438 - 9am - 4pm, Monday to Friday).  Veterinary Professionals using the free Urolith Analysis Service offered by Hill's, or the Hill's Veterinary Technical Enquiry Line to gain help and advice on nutritional management of Feline Lower Urinary Tract diseases are also able to claim a complimentary voucher to redeem.

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager for Hill's comments "FLUTD is a difficult disease to manage, let alone explain to fully to an owner. What Sarah and Danielle have done here is fantastic and will help owners better understand their cat's problem. That can only be good for the pet"

The London Vet Show is getting ready to throw open its doors on the 11th and 12th November for what will be the first major vet gathering in two years. 

Rob Chapman, MD of the event organiser, CloserStill Media, said: "The London Vet Show in 2019 was the last major in-person event pre-Covid-19 pandemic

“We are delighted to be gathering once more. We had more tickets booked this September than any other year which has reinforced that there’s a real desire amongst the veterinary community to get back together and that confidence in events is returning.

"Our team is busy putting the final touches in place – including our new Covid-safety features, our speakers are excited to present to live audiences again, the delegates are making plans to see old friends. And, very importantly, our exhibitors are busy organising fantastic giveaways and getting stock ready. There has been so much fantastic R&D in the veterinary sector over the past two years and vet professionals will get to try it out first at the London Vet Show.”

BVA Senior Vice President, James Russell, said: “The London Vet Show is a highlight of the CPD and social calendar. The range of lectures we have on means there’s something for everybody – whether it’s clinical, non-clinical, BVA Congress or our career development stream. But the opportunity to see each other again after two years is something which I am so excited about. 

"I know that there will be some people feeling nervous about the idea of coming together again. But one of the tremendous privileges I’ve had during the past year is being in London and watching it slowly unlock. I have to say that my recent experiences of being out and about in London make me feel very safe here.

"I do recognise that different people are at different points on their journey with that, but I hope that everyone finds a way of getting to the London Vet Show in a way they feel comfortable with. CloserStill have put in measures when we are there that will make us feel as safe and as comfortable as we can do.”

Professor Jill Maddison, who programmes the Royal Veterinary College Clinical’s small animal streams, said: “After almost two years I am beyond excited that we will be back together again at the London Vet Show. As usual we have a great line up of speakers from abroad, the RVC and around the UK who will deliver lectures covering many different aspects of clinical practice.

"I hope that whatever sessions you attend and whatever exhibits you visit at the 12th LVS you will find something to interest, intrigue and inspire you that you can take back to your practice to enhance the welfare of your patients and clients, your team and of course, yourself.”

Rob added: “We also have some fantastic new and returning features in store for delegates. For example, I’m delighted to announce the return of the popular Community Masterminds where online peers can meet in person and discuss topics that matter most to them.

"We are also hosting our very first Very Happy Hour on the exhibition floor from 5.30-6.45 pm on Day 1 where there will be drinks available for everyone to enjoy in a relaxed, spread-out fashion to celebrate being back together again.”

“We do ask that delegates planning on attending pre-register so we can best lay out the event and cater for the audience in a Covid-secure manner.”

One day and two-day tickets are available now. Register before Friday, 22nd October to receive your badge in the post. You can book at: https://london.vetshow.com/, call +44 (0)2476 719 687.