Emotional Resilience Skills for the Veterinary Profession, which the BSAVA presents in association with the RCVS Mind Matters initiative and Two Roads Charity, are half day events will be now held virtually by the BSAVA Regions.
Mary Harrison, Programme Director at Two Roads Charity, said: “Twice as many members of the Veterinary Profession suffer mental health issues as the general population; due to many reasons including overwork, trauma, imposter syndrome, unsupportive colleagues and overly demanding clients. Emotional Resilience is a major defence against many mental health issues including depression and anxiety and the good news is that it’s primarily learned behaviours."
The programme is designed to equip participants with an understanding of the role emotional resilience plays in protecting our mental health. Emotional resilience is mainly a learned behaviour, and there are recognised steps that can be taken to increase resilience and reduce the risk of developing mental health issues including depression.
Jennie Bartholomew, Education Coordinator at the BSAVA said: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer these courses to the veterinary profession again, especially given the exceptionally tough year we have all experienced which has placed additional strain on mental health and wellbeing for many. We know that this programme will be well received and will be helpful to all members of the profession, wherever they are based”.
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager, said: “We know how tough the last 18 months have been for the veterinary profession, and we’re pleased to be working in partnership with two organisations who are as passionate about supporting the mental health of the profession as we are. We are really looking forward to the launch of the programme and we are sure that anyone who attends will come away with a better understanding of their mental wellbeing and how to respond to emotional challenges.”
Designed for the whole practice team, the programme is suitable for anyone who wishes to increase their own resilience and develop the ability to help others at work or at home. Participants will work in groups, and no personal disclosures are necessary, although participants are welcome to discuss private issues after the programme.
The programme is free to BSAVA members; £40 to non-members. Spaces are limited and the sessions will not be recorded. You can book your place online now at: https://www.bsava.com/emotionalresilience.
The maps provide vets with a visual representation of targeted diagnostic tests conducted in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the UK, using data sourced from Idexx.
They show the percentage of positive test results for a range of parasites and parasite-associated infections in dogs and cats, including Giardia, roundworm, and whipworm, and Lyme (Borrelia burgdorferi), Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Leishmania in dogs.
Data can be filtered by country, region, animal species, parasite type, and time period.
ESCCAP highlights that the data reflects the percentage of positive tests in screened animals, not the overall prevalence of infection.
https://www.esccap.org/parasite-infection-map/
Taking over the Presidency from Julian Hoad, David will continue to focus on the Programme of Change and the BSAVA’s new strategy, which includes some new products and services.
David qualified from the RVC in 1988 and has had a career largely in small animal practice, including a year in Canada.
He and his wife Rosie started the first feline-only practice in England and David is now an Advanced Practitioner in small animal dermatology.
He has postgraduate qualifications in small animal dermatology and medicine, becoming board certified in feline practice, and has an RCVS Fellowship on Feline Osteoarthritis.
David helped to set up the BSAVA West Midlands committee, before then becoming a BSAVA Council member and Chair of the Regions for three years before joining the Board and the presidential ladder.
David said: “It is an honour being BSAVA President for 2025-2026, but this next year will not be about me.
"It will be about the renewal of BSAVA, it will hear us shouting out with an ever-increasing voice about the most exciting innovations and I promise to do my very best.”
Julian Hoad will now move into the role of Senior Vice President, whilst Niall Connell begins his new role as Junior Vice President alongside Jo Megarity, who joins the Board as Honorary Treasurer.
Royal Canin has announced the launch of two new veterinary diets designed to tackle obesity in cats and dogs.
'Satiety Small Dog' is for adult dogs with an ideal weight up to 10kg. 'Satiety Wet' has been developed for those dogs who prefer wet food, or who are used to eating a combination of wet and dry food.
Satiety Small Dog is available in 1.5kg, 3.5kg and 8kg bags and contains a blend of fibres that Royal Canin says increases the volume of stomach contents and promotes satiety. The company says the new diet also contains specific nutrients which contribute to maintaining good oral health, and a high protein content to help maintain muscle mass during the weight loss programme.
Satiety Small Dog is designed to improve digestive tolerance in smaller breeds, as it has a different blend of fibre and higher levels of butyrate than Satiety Canine, which is formulated for the needs of medium and larger dogs. The diet contains less dietary oxalate which Royal Canin claims is of benefit to smaller dogs that are at a greater risk of developing calcium oxalate uroliths.
The second new diet, Satiety Wet for Dogs, is available in 410g and 195g cans. The diet has a high protein content (14.1g per 100kcal), and is enriched with nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Royal Canin also highlights what it says is a particularly innovative feature: a high fibre content in a canned diet.
Ian Williams, Veterinary Scientific Support Manager at Royal Canin, said: "Almost 60% of dogs and 40% of cats in the UK and Ireland are overweight or obese. With obesity comes an increased risk of animals developing conditions affecting the upper respiratory tract, cardiopulmonary system, joints and urinary tract. In cats obesity is also a major risk factor for Type II diabetes mellitus. In essence, obesity can lead to a decreased life expectancy and a reduced quality of life.
"Royal Canin has a proven track record of developing innovative diets to help these pets and the latest additions to our range really will complement the existing choice for vets and their clients."
Researchers from Highcroft Veterinary Referrals, the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Zurich are asking veterinary surgeons to take part in a survey designed to identify the rate of complications associated with Angiostrongylus vasorum (lungworm) infection or treatment in dogs.
The research, which is led by Drs Kieran Borgeat, Jose Matos and David Connolly, is the first step of a larger project, which hopes to culminate in the development of a set of consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of lungworm in dogs.
The researchers say that the guidelines are needed because there is currently no consensus amongst veterinary practitioners as to how dogs infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum (lungworm) are best treated. In addition, whilst there are anecdotal reports of adverse reactions after treatment, none are currently published in the literature.
The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete, and all participants who leave their email address will be entered into a prize draw for £100 worth of Amazon vouchers.
No pharmaceutical or food companies have been involved in the design or funding of the research, and approval has been granted by the RVC Ethics and Welfare Committee.
The survey will close on 1st May 2016, or when 1000 responses have been completed. All information entered into the questionnaire will be completely anonymous and contact information will be held in a confidential database and not shared with any third parties.
To take part, visit http://tinyurl.com/lungwormsurvey
Virbac has announced that its recently launched parasiticide Neoprinil has been granted a shelf life extension from one to two years after first opening.
The company says the extension will help minimise the risk of wasted product and increase its convenience to farmers.
An eprinomectin pour-on solution, Neoprinil is indicated for use against internal and external parasites in cattle, including gut and lungworms, mange mites, sucking and chewing lice, horn flies and warbles. It is administered using the company's Farmpack and Flexibag, and offers a zero-day withdrawal period in milk.
Virbac's Product Manager for Large Animals Brigitte Goasduf MRCVS said: "Understanding the challenges our customers face and offering products to overcome them is our goal so we are delighted that Neoprinil has received a shelf life extension because this adds to its flexibility and convenience for farmers. It also brings it into line with Deltanil, our deltamethrin-based pour-on for use against a range of ectoparasites in cattle and sheep.
"We now offer a comprehensive and flexible parasiticide range administered with a dispensing system that sets a new standard for convenience and ease of use."
Neoprinil is presented in 2.5l, 4.5l and 8l pack sizes.
The increase has prompted a call by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) for equine professionals and owners to strengthen biosecurity and consider vaccination to help reduce disease spread.
EIDS has been monitoring diagnoses reported to SES and says the data indicates a genuine increase rather than normal year-to-year variation.
With the number of confirmed cases climbing, EIDS and the SES network are urging veterinary professionals and horse owners to revisit their yard management practices, saying that simple but consistent actions, such as isolating new arrivals, disinfecting shared equipment, and post-outbreak screening can make a substantial difference in controlling the disease.
In addition, they recommend the Strangvac vaccine, saying that when combined with good hygiene and daily temperature checking, can help reduce both the risk of infection and onward spread.
Dr Richard Newton of EIDS said, “These findings are a clear reminder that strangles remains an ever-present risk to the UK horse population.
"The increase in diagnoses underlines the importance of continued vigilance, prompt reporting, and proactive prevention measures.”
https://equinesurveillance.org/ses/
Defra has announced the detection of Bluetongue (Serotype 1) (BTV1) in five imported cattle on a premises near Blackpool in Lancashire.
The animals originated from within the BTV1 and 8 Restricted Zone in the south west of France and were detected as a result of post-import testing carried out by Defra on all Bluetongue susceptible animals arriving from continental Europe. The animals' documentation complied with the EU Bluetongue rules governing the movement of livestock as the movement occurred at least 60 days after they had been vaccinated.
This is the first case of BTV1 infection in the UK and the five animals have been culled as they may pose a disease threat to other animals. One further animal from the same consignment has also been culled. Test results for that animal were positive for bluetongue although it was not possible to determine the serotype.
There is no evidence that BTV1 is circulating in the UK and no additional control zones have been declared.
This response is in accordance with Defra's Bluetongue Control Strategy. The premises are now under restriction while an epidemiological investigation takes place. This will include further checks on the other animals present on the premises.
Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said: "This is the first case of BTV1 infected animals being imported into the UK. Taking into account the epidemiological evidence and the consideration of the risk represented to British livestock, I have taken the decision to cull these animals.
"This incident shows how important it is for farmers to consider potential disease risks when buying stock. Buyers need to consider how best to protect their own businesses and those of their neighbours and make sure they are clear about the stock they are intending to buy."
Defra continues to test all susceptible animals imported to the UK from continental Europe for all strains of Bluetongue and continues to urge industry to consider the risks and check the health and vaccination status of animals when sourcing any animals from within the UK or abroad.
In line with EU legislation, and our UK Control Strategy agreed with industry, control measures are in place in UK and abroad to prevent the spread of Bluetongue from existing zones around Europe:
Intervet/Schering-Plough has announced that Estrumate®, in both the 10ml and 20ml vial size is back in stock and available to order from your veterinary wholesaler.
The stock out situation had arisen as a result of increased demand during the early part of the year but the company is confident that there will be sufficient stock to supply the increased level of demand in the foreseeable future. Intervet/Schering-Plough would like to thank their clients for the patience and understanding.
Further information is available from Intervet/Schering-Plough Account Managers or the Veterinary Support Group (VSG) on 01908 685685.
With Christmas just around the corner, Petplan is giving practices the chance to win £1,000 towards a Christmas party.
Any member of a practice can enter the competition by visiting www.petplanvet.co.uk.
Petplan Marketing Manager Alison Andrew said, "It's been another busy year for vet practices and we want to thank them for their tireless efforts to keep the nations pets full of health. The £1000 will allow them to really celebrate the festive season in style."
Veterinary staff can also enter the competition at the Petplan stand at the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) from 8th-10th October and at the London Vet Show on 22nd-23rd October 2010.
The RCVS Charitable Trust is seeking two creative and energetic UK-based veterinary students to attend the British Science Festival in Aberdeen from 4-9 September 2012.
The Trust says that the students will be required to use their observations and experiences to help it develop future outreach activities to inform and inspire public audiences about aspects of veterinary clinical practice and research, and will have all their expenses paid by the Trust.
Entrants need to write to the RCVS Charitable Trust to say how they would go about meeting this challenge, ideally giving examples that demonstrate their proven innovative abilities. The deadline for entries is 9 July, after which the entries will be considered by a competition panel who will decide the winners. Entrants must be able to commit to attending the entire festival and to deliver a feedback presentation to the competition panel on 31 October. Entrants should also be willing and able to compile a video diary or blog to feedback their experiences.
Further information and details about how to enter are available at http://trust.rcvs.org.uk/home/. The successful applicants will be announced at the end of July.
The BSAVA is warning the profession to steer wide of a website which purports to offer hotel bookings for this year's Congress, but which is in no way affiliated to BSAVA or Congress.
The website - www.bsava2016.org - does have a distinctly fishy smell to it. Aside from the fact that it describes Birmingham as "one of the most beautiful places in the United Kingdom", noted for its "awe-inspiring architecture" and "many food joints", there are other clues that this website may not belong to someone familiar with the location or the event, such as the description of BSAVA being "founded to create an excellent forum that promotes research in Animal Veterinary".
Notably, the site also offers no offline contact details.
The association says it is seeking legal advice, but in the meantime, the Birmingham Convention Bureau is the official BSAVA Congress partner for accommodation and the team has a range of accommodation for all budgets. Their online reservation service has now closed so if you want to make a new reservation or amend an existing reservation, contact the Birmingham Convention Bureau by email at bcb.accommodation@marketingbirmingham.com or telephone on 0844 888 3052.
The company has prepared practice marketing materials to support the campaign to educate pet owners on the signs of anxiety in cats and dogs, which are available from its Account Managers.
The campaign is being fronted by TV personality and radio presenter, Kate Lawler (pictured), who has taken on the role of official ambassador having experienced anxiety in her rescue Terrier cross, Shirley.
Ceva has partnered with Battersea Dogs and Cats Home for the campaign and will be making a donation of £1 for every Adaptil product sold during March.
http://www.petanxiety.co.uk
In response to growing demand for graduates equipped for a wide range of careers in veterinary and biomedical science, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has developed the BSc (Hons) course in Bioveterinary Sciences.
The Bioveterinary Science degree supersedes the BSc Veterinary Sciences that has been offered by RVC since 2002. Graduates go on to pursue careers within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, veterinary-related professions, and biomedical research.
Prospective students interested in finding out more about the course are invited to attend an open day on Wednesday March 12 at the Camden Campus in London. Members of staff will be on hand to discuss aspects of the BSc in Bioveterinary Sciences degree, including entrance requirements and teaching and research facilities. In addition, current students will lead a tour of the London campus and talk about student life at the College. Further information and an online booking form can be found at http://www.rvc.ac.uk/
Janssen Animal Health has launched a new website providing information on the subject of coccidiosis in calves and lambs: www.takingcareofcoccidiosis.com.
The website builds on the findings of an expert workshop on bovine coccidiosis held at the First European Buiatrics Conference, which was facilitated by Janssen. In particular, the site looks at all of the areas that the experts focused on as being especially problematic, including immunity, sources of infection, risk factors, prevention and treatment.
According to the company, arriving at a diagnosis of coccidiosis is not always straightforward: it must be supported by history and clinical signs, as well as evidence of pathogenic species of the Eimeria parasite. Interpretation of oocyte counts can be particularly difficult and results have to be viewed in the context of the farm situation. The site contains explanations about the timing of sampling and how that can impact upon the results.
Janssen adds that treatment has traditionally relied on fluid therapy and the use of sulphonamide drugs but recommendations on the use of more recently introduced treatments such as diclazuril (Vecoxan) focus on single dose treatments administered 14 days after a stress factor - such as moving to a higher risk environment, weaning or transportation. The various treatment strategies including prophylactic and metaphylactic approaches are described for those who have experienced problems with coccidiosis in the past and want to avoid recurrence on an individual farm.
Janssen says the site is an ideal on-line resource for veterinary professionals, SQPs and farmers looking to update their knowledge, seeking a tool that explains the disease in greater depth or just searching for specific information that helps in their own individual situation or with interpretation of a difficult case, www.takingcareofcoccidiosis.com/.
Norbrook Laboratories has produced a new pet owner advice booklet: The Guide to Safe Flea Treatment with the help of the Veterinary Poisons Information Service.
The booklet, which sits alongside a range of marketing materials to support Pestigon, the company's new spot on for cats and dogs, details the dangers of certain spot on products when used in the incorrect species, the risks of buying veterinary medicines online and the benefits of implementing a complete flea treatment program to treat the household and animal.
Michelle Jones, Norbrook's Small Animal Brand Manager said: "For pet owners, an infestation of fleas can be a nightmare. The Guide to Safe Flea Treatment has been produced to help pet owners, under the advice of their vet, understand the potential issues that could be faced with purchasing decisions when dealing with flea and tick infestations."
She added: "Pestigon was launched recently as a POM-V product and is sold exclusively through veterinary practices. The Guide to Safe Flea Treatment is available as part of a wider number of support materials available from Norbrook Laboratories including a useful waiting room display pack which will help support vets when prescribing the product and discussing flea treatments with their clients. "
The Guide to Safe Flea Treatment and other supporting materials are available through your Norbrook representative.
Improve International has launched four new modules towards achieving a General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) and Post Graduate Certificate (PgC) in Western Veterinary Acupuncture and Chronic Pain Management.
The company says the new modules are designed to enable veterinary surgeons in practice to use acupuncture confidently and safely for a range of clinical conditions.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve International, said: "These new modules build on the Foundation course which has already proved very popular. Once delegates have completed this, they can progress to these new modules which focus on the role of acupuncture in relieving chronic pain and can lead to attaining a recognised qualification."
The modules are scheduled to start on 5 August 2015 at Improve's training centre in Swindon. Further modules in the PgC programme will be released in 2016.
For more information or to book, visit www.improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
The initiative seeks to understand the barriers and enablers to delivering contextualised care in companion animal practices, and to set out what contextualised care looks like when done well.
As part of the initiative, RCVS Knowledge is gathering perspectives from across the veterinary community and from pet owners to design a roadmap for the profession.
The work started last week at the National Forum for Contextualised Care in London, which brought together more than 60 people from across the veterinary sector, including leaders from veterinary associations, veterinary educators, students, practice staff, veterinary charities and rescues, pet insurers, regulators, representatives from corporate and independent practices and animal owners.
RCVS Knowledge will now be working with an independent research partner to conduct focus groups, surveys and interviews to gather a representative range of views from across the sector and pet owners.
The work will culminate in a summit in the summer that will use the findings of the research to design recommendations on:
Sally Everitt, Clinical Lead – Evidence at RCVS Knowledge said: “Contextualised care is the way of delivering veterinary care that acknowledges that there are different ways to approach the diagnosis and treatment of an animal, depending on the circumstances of the individual animal and their caregivers and the context in which the care is delivered.
"The term has been used increasingly over the past year, and is now the subject of much debate, alongside other aligned terms such as ‘spectrum of care’ and ‘pragmatic medicine’.
"However, we need to better understand what constitutes good-quality contextualised care, and the barriers and enablers to its delivery in practice.”
Katie Mantell, Chief Executive of RCVS Knowledge, said: “As an independent charity with a mission to advance the quality of veterinary care, we believe RCVS Knowledge is well-placed to bring together all parts of the veterinary community to seek consensus on what good-quality contextualised care looks like and how it can be delivered in practice.
"Our aim is to take a collaborative, robust approach to co-producing a roadmap for contextualised care that will support its widespread delivery for the benefit of animals, the veterinary professions and animal owners.”
To be updated about the progress of this work, and to hear about opportunities to take part in the focus groups, interviews and surveys to follow, sign up to receive RCVS Knowledge’s monthly email newsletter intheKNOW.
The British Veterinary Dental Association has officially launched its own new section on VetSurgeon.org to help its members share ideas and experiences amongst each other.
The new BVDA section on VetSurgeon contains a dedicated forum for discussing veterinary dentistry. There's also a photo and video sharing gallery in which to share and discuss interesting cases. Members can also catch up on association news and hold private 'conversations' between each other using VetSurgeon's sophisticated peer-to-peer networking system.
All veterinary surgeons can visit and read content in the BVDA section on VetSurgeon. However, only BVDA members can join and participate.
A downloadable application form for BVDA membership is available from the 'About us' section.
Lisa Milella MRCVS, BVDA President said: "We're very excited about the potential that VetSurgeon offers us to share information about veterinary dentistry both amongst ourselves and with the wider profession"
Arlo Guthrie, editor and publisher of VetSurgeon said: "I'm really pleased to welcome the BVDA to VetSurgeon. They now sit alongside the Small Animal Medicine Society on the site, and I hope will be joined by more veterinary associations in the future, so that they are all conveniently in once place for easy availability to all practitioners."
Click here to visit the new BVDA section on VetSurgeon.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that Metricure is now back in stock and available from the veterinary wholesalers with immediate effect.
Metricure is the only licensed intra-uterine antibiotic for the treatment of endometritis and is specially designed for the anaerobic intra-uterine environment.
The company would like to thank the profession for its patience and understanding, and looks forward to supporting vets striving to improve fertility on clients' farms.
Please contact the Intervet/Schering-Plough Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685 if you require any further information.
Norbrook has announced the launch of Total Pet Health Month 2012, a pet education campaign aimed at improving the health and welfare of dog and cats.
The campaign, which began on 13th August, offers advice and guidance to pet owners about a range of pet health problems. Norbrook says the main aim is to encourage owners to speak with their vet if they have any concerns about their pet.
The main vehicle for the campaign is the Norbrook's Pet Healthcare website on http://www.norbrook.com/pets-health/.
The first topic featured in Total Pet Health Month 2012 is parasite control and treatment. Norbrook commissioned petbuzz to carry out research on parasite concerns for pet owners.
Michelle Jones, Norbrook Small Animal Brand Manager said: "Almost 80% of pet owners reported seeing an increase in fleas and ticks in the summer so it is timely to launch Total Pet Health Month with a focus on parasite control. 70% of respondents were concerned about the risk of skin problems and discomfort in their pets due to fleas and ticks. We hope that our campaign will address these concerns and help pet owners manage what can be a very unpleasant and irritating problem."
The research highlighted that 63% of pet owners sought advice from a vet in relation to flea and tick treatment and 66% purchased treatments from a veterinary practice.
Michelle said: "It is very encouraging that two thirds of pet owners purchase treatments from a vet. Total Pet Health Month is a great opportunity for pet owners to find out more about concerns they have for their pets. We would actively encourage them to engage with animal health experts and veterinarians because they will get invaluable advice during the purchase which they may not otherwise get."
During Total Pet Health Month 2012, Norbrook will also look at conditions including gum disease and hip dysplasia.
Total Pet Health Month will run across the Total Pet Publishing network (a Europe-wide network of pet sites). Norbrook says it will engage with more than 3m pet owners, guiding them to the Norbrook pet healthcare portal and to seek solutions and treatments from their veterinary practice.
The petbuzz market research was conducted in May 2012 with 1,147 pet owners: 86% dog owners, 41% cat owners, 10% rabbit owners.
The new platform offers video tutorials, podcasts, webinars, scientific studies, blogs and downloadable resources, all designed to ensure users understand how the HT Vista screening device can support their day-to-day work.
Users can also ask for a free one-on-one training call with HT Vista for personalised guidance.
HT Vista’s Managing Director, Liron Levy-Hirsch said: “We’re excited to introduce this new platform for veterinary professionals alongside our latest diagnostic update to the device.
"Our goal with HT Vista Academy is to support users in expanding their expertise, not just in operating the device but also in understanding the technology behind it and learning the best practice of dermal and subcutaneous mass management.
"By offering valuable educational resources and hands-on support, we hope to enhance the overall experience for veterinary teams and, ultimately, the care they provide to their patients.”
The company says the screening device is being widely used in nurse clinics around the world and its academy is suitable for both vets and veterinary nurses.
www.ht-vet.com/academy
Pet owners who believe in preventative healthcare have maintained or increased the money they spend on their pets this year, and 84% visited their vet at least once in 2010, up from 78% in 2007, according to a survey commissioned by the National Office of Animal Health.
According to the survey of 1000 owners carried out by Noesis, 44% of 'preventers' increased their spending on their pets in the last year with only a very small number (5%) decreasing it. There has also been a significant increase in the number of dogs insured by this group since 2007, which now stands at 55% compared to 41% in 2007.
The research covered both 'preventer' and 'non-preventer pet owners and sought to understand: awareness of preventative medicine in cats and dogs; how the decision is made as to what areas of preventative medicine are important and which to adopt; what types of preventative medicine are carried out and the reasons and frequency of this behaviour as well as the sources of information.
In addition to visiting their vet more frequently and spending more on their pets, preventers also visited a pet shop significantly more often than non-preventers with nearly two thirds (61%) of preventers visiting at least once a month compared to 36% of non-preventers, a figure that has decreased from 43% in 2007.
Looking at specific preventative treatments, attitudes to vaccination had not changed between the 2007 and 2010 surveys, with preventers believing that being a responsible pet owner means regularly vaccinating your pet, while non-preventers did not believe vaccination was relevant to their situation. This points to a clear need to educate non-preventers to break habits that have sometimes been handed down from generation to generation.
Most owners from both groups had used a flea treatment on their pets in the past two years although 68% of preventers were much more proactive in their usage of flea products compared to only 40% of non-preventers. Cats (80%) are more likely to have been treated than dogs (69%) among both groups of owners although flea treatment of cats has significantly decreased among non-preventers since 2007.
Use of wormers was also in decline. Although 86% of preventers worm proactively as part of a healthcare routine for their pet, this figure has decreased from 96% in 2007. Non preventers chose not to worm because they did not see the need, citing reasons such as their pet being fit and well or not going outdoors. Likewise, although preventers are more likely than non-preventers to be aware of the zoonotic implications of pet parasites, this awareness had decreased since 2007 pointing to the need for more work to be done on this aspect of pet health. On a more upbeat note, those that were worming proactively wormed their pets more frequently with 50% worming at least every three months in 2010 which was significantly more than compared to 41% in 2007.
When asked where they obtained general healthcare advice, the vet was the most frequently cited source of information with 84% of preventers and 58% of non-preventers referencing their vet. The internet is an increasingly important information channel for non-preventers with almost a third (31%) citing it as their source for pet healthcare advice, an increase from 25% in 2007.
There was huge interest from both groups (87% of preventers and 79% of non-preventers) in using a dedicated website such as NOAH's http://www.pethealthinfo.org.uk/ which 10% of the pet owners surveyed had heard of. It was welcomed for providing easy access, immediate, independent advice and being written by veterinary experts.
Commenting on the research, Phil Sketchley, chief executive of NOAH said: "We commissioned the original piece of research in 2007 to understand the differences between both groups of pet owners and understand where they sourced their information in order to influence the pet healthcare habits of the non-preventers in particular. The importance of the internet as a source of information proved that our strategy to launch http://www.pethealthinfo.org.uk/ was on target and the latest survey shows that this channel is increasingly important, particularly among non-preventers.
"The 2011 survey also reveals some positive insights into the preventative healthcare habits of those pet owners that we termed preventers. This group are more likely to insure their pet (45% vs 12%), go to the vet at least once a year (84% vs 30%) and visit a pet shop at least on a monthly basis (61% vs 36%). And, as a final piece of good news, this group have increased their total spend on their pets in the last year and very few members of either group had decreased their spend.
"Whilst all pet owners consider themselves responsible clearly some do not see regular preventative healthcare as part of that responsibility. So there remains a clear need to educate pet owners, particularly the non-preventers, to change some of the patterns of behaviour and complacency regarding their pet's health that have become entrenched and seem to have been influenced by friends and family."
The BVA has responded to the Written Ministerial Statement from the Defra Secretary of State at the end of the licence for badger culling in Somerset.
BVA President Robin Hargreaves said: "The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has supported the pilot culls in England to determine whether badger culling can be delivered humanely, effectively, and safely by controlled shooting.
"We will not prejudge the report of the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which will consider data from the initial 6-week pilots in Somerset and Gloucestershire, but we are interested to note the Secretary of State's announcement that current indications suggest that the pilot has been safe and humane.
"Today our Veterinary Policy Group has discussed the issues surrounding the extensions to the licences. We agree with the Chief Veterinary Officer's advice that extensions in order to remove a greater number of badgers and get closer to achieving the 70% rate of the Randomised Badger Culling Trials (RBCTs) are justified to improve the bovine TB disease situation and mitigate the potential impact of badger perturbation.
"Following questions raised by our members we have been assured by Defra that monitoring of the culling will continue to ensure it is being carried out in accordance with the humaneness and safety stipulations in the licences. Although it is important to note that this data will not form part of the information being considered by the IEP.
"We await the report of the IEP and will engage members in considering what impact it will have on the overall bovine TB eradication strategy for England."
The webinar is being presented by Cassie Woods (RVN Cons) CertNCS, Equine Nurse and Partner at Lower House Equine Clinic in Shropshire.
Cassie has a degree in bio-veterinary science and many years experience working in equine and small animal practice.
She regularly lectures for BVNA and BEVA. She is a member of the BEVA equine nurse committee and works closely with the BEVA Trust.
Cassie will share insights and practical strategies to strengthen biosecurity for both clinic and ambulatory teams, and will offer advice and guidance for helping clients to improve their own biosecurity measures.
Horiba's Veterinary specialists will also be available to answer veterinary diagnostics-related questions and share information about the range of pathogen tests the company offers.
https://horiba.link/register-143bbc
Photo: www.depositphotos.com