The RCVS is calling for its members to nominate veterinary surgeons and non-veterinary surgeons who merit the award of Honorary Associateship or Honorary Fellowship.
Honorary Associates are awarded annually to people, not necessarily vets, by reason of their special eminence in, or special service to, the veterinary profession. Council has agreed that these should only be people ineligible for election as Honorary Fellows.
Honorary Fellowships can be awarded to up to three veterinary surgeons in any year for their service to, or special eminence in, the cause of veterinary science. Nominees for Honorary Fellowships must be members of the RCVS and have been a member, or held a registrable qualification, for at least 20 years.
Nominations must be received by the President, Mr Peter Jinman, by Friday 3 September 2010. Members can obtain nomination forms from the RCVS Executive Office (0207 202 0761 or executiveoffice@rcvs.org.uk).
All nominations need to include the particular reasons why the honour/award should be conferred, along with supporting statements from two referees, at least one of whom must not be a working colleague of the person nominated.
Nominations will be considered at the meeting of the Nominations Committee on 14 October, and awards made at RCVS Day on 1 July 2011. Details of Honorary Fellowship and Honorary Associateship award holders can be found in the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, with the addition since 2 July 2010 of Dr Tony Lawrence and Professor Martin Shirley (Honorary Associates), and Professor Elizabeth Simpson and Professor Peter Roeder (Honorary Fellowships).
Vets are being asked to help pig producers assess their health status and biosecurity measures, as part of BPEX's new National Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP).
The national programme is currently running alongside existing programmes in East Anglia, Yorkshire and the East Midlands and will cover all the remaining regions. BPEX will now start to combine all programmes into the National PHIP. So all English pig producers and vets can join the industry-wide drive to improve pig health and reduce costs.
BPEX says the national Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP) project will need the support of veterinary surgeons to:
BPEX regional health coordinator Helen Clarke said: "The surveys are filled in by vets during quarterly farm visits to gather information on prevalence of four key diseases - swine dysentery, PRRS, enzootic pneumonia and mange. This is then used to populate a confidential online mapping service, which PHIP members can use to keep informed of health challenges in their area.
"The biosecurity audit is a series of simple to answer questions about current biosecurity practice of a unit. This then forms the basis for biosecurity planning and discussions to help clients make improvements and review their impact."
A further benefit when producers sign up to the PHIP is free-of-charge post-mortem information from the BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS). The BPHS provides producers with detailed post-mortem health reports when they submit pigs to participating abattoirs.
Clients who are:
Practices can claim £50 per unit for completing the survey and biosecurity audits. This still needs to be claimed through specific regional systems because of current funding contracts.
Contact Helen Clarke for details: helen.clarke@bpex.ahdb.org.uk or 07973 701369. Visit http://www.pighealth.org.uk/
The industry-led Cattle Health and Welfare Group of Great Britain (CHAWG) has published a review which identifies a practical approach to gathering antibiotic usage data on UK cattle farms.
The review outcomes, announced today at a joint conference held by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), highlight the significant benefits better data could deliver, such as improving the way antibiotics are administered strategically to tackle disease.
But CHAWG’s chair Tim Brigstocke says it’s also important that the industry is able to accurately report usage levels because of the rising levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which threaten human health.
"We found that while data is already stored at every vet practice and in every farm medicine book, it currently exists in many different forms. It’s also not collected or collated, and is further complicated by multi-species approvals for many of the antibiotics.
"This means we can’t always be sure in which type of animal a medicine has been used. For example, out of 420 tonnes of animal-authorised antibiotic active substance sold in the UK in 2013, only 14 tonnes was authorised solely for use in cattle. However, 63 tonnes was authorised for multi-species use in food producing animals and within the 217 products included in this, 201 are authorised for use in cattle."
Tim says that with the support of the VMD, which requested the review and will now act as secretariat, CHAWG will set up a working group to implement the report’s recommendations.
The starting point is likely to be the survey of vets carried out by the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), which formed part of the review. This suggested vets could be using as many as 15 different software programmes to log data, so CHAWG will be working with the BCVA and individual practices to look at how standard sets of data can be anonymised and exported.
"Then we will almost certainly look at how cattle farmers can be supported in migrating records from the physical ‘medicine book’ on the farm, into a spreadsheet or existing cattle management software for anonymous aggregation on a national level.
"There are undoubtedly areas where we can improve the effectiveness of how we use these powerful medicines to improve welfare. But the antibiotic resistance debate is an emotive one and we must also demonstrate accountability to ensure the preservation of antibiotics for future use in humans and animals; any future curbs on usage should be proportionate and informed, and not compromise animal wellbeing."
Mandatory reporting in Europe could be just over the horizon and the European Medicines Agency has focused in the past year on developing a method for data collection on the usage of antibiotics in the EU pig sector. In the UK, the VMD is encouraging the livestock sectors to develop systems appropriate to their own unique circumstances and industry characteristics.
Tim said: "It’s therefore in cattle farmers’ own interests to anticipate the kind of figures it might be asked to supply in the future, and develop a way of collecting that data which suits the way the UK industry works.
"Then we can retain control over the data and the methodology, and ensure the reporting is accurate – and this in turn will help the VMD represent our case better in Europe as this debate continues.
CHAWG says that throughout this project, it will be liaising with others – such as the pig sector – to ensure learnings are shared, duplication avoided and efficiencies realised where possible.
The CHAWG review report is available to download at www.chawg.org.uk.
Pfizer Animal Health has launched a new range of diabetes support materials, including a DVD, post-prescription leaflet and home recording chart for owners of diabetic cats and dogs; a vet detailer, poster and blood glucose monitoring chart for the practice.
The company says that diabetes is on the increase in pets, as the level of obesity in cats and dogs escalates. Current estimates put the disease prevalence at 0.32% in the dog population1 with similar levels suggested for cats with some being as high as 1 in 1002. With increasing economic pressures and busy lifestyles, many owners are reluctant to take on the challenge of a diabetic pet, yet most pets respond extremely well to treatment.
Susan Mitchell, Insuvet® Product Manager at Pfizer Animal Health, believes that communication is key: "Helping owners to understand that treatment need not be difficult and that routines can be flexible enough to fit in with their lifestyles is critical. Time and time again it has been shown that cost is not always the primary consideration when it comes to treating the pet that is viewed as a much loved member of the family.
"Ensuring that owners understand exactly what will be expected of them is likely to be pivotal to the success of diabetes management than might first be assumed. Our new range of support material focuses on that need and takes the owner right the way through the process, from that initial diagnosis when decisions hang in the balance, to improving compliance by providing all the tools necessary for effective day to day management of the disease."
The new support materials include a DVD that explains all that clients need to know about the condition. This, says Pfizer, is the ideal choice after initial diagnosis, to reinforce and support the dialogue that takes place in the clinic environment. Shock, fear and confusion may mean that many owners will simply fail to take in all that their vet has to tell them after the initial diagnosis. This, in turn may prevent the owner from making an objective decision about their pet's future.
Once emotions have settled the client can watch the DVD in their own home, start to approach the future more rationally and decide what adaptations may have to be made. A post prescription leaflet is available to provide reassurance about the daily routine of monitoring a diabetic pet and a home recording chart to aid long-term compliance.
Of course, diabetic patients can be just as challenging in the practice environment so a comprehensive vet detailer is available along with blood glucose monitoring charts, a poster detailing what to do in a keto-acidotic emergency, a veterinary nurse discharging list and a clinic letter.
For further information on the Insuvet® range or to request support materials for diabetic clinics or individual patients, vets and nurses should contact their Pfizer Business Account Manager. For any technical questions about the Insuvet range call the Pfizer Animal Health Technical Support Line on 0845 3008034.
Bayer Animal Health is to hold a free webinar for companion animal veterinary surgeons about its new fluoroquinolone for cats and dogs, Veraflox.
The one-hour webinar begins with a talk on mutant prevention concentration (MPC) from Dr Joe Blondeau, head of clinical microbiology at the Royal University Hospital & the Saskatoon Health Region, in Canada. He's followed by Dr E Bensignor, President of the European College of Veterinary Dermatology, who will present the findings of clinical studies. The final presentation by Dr Joy Olsen, global veterinary services manager for Bayer Animal Health, reviews the features and characteristics of Veraflox (pradofloxacin) and its use in cats and dogs.
The webinar can be watched live on Tuesday 25 October at 7:30pm, when you'll have the opportunity to put questions to the speakers. Alternatively, a recording of the event can be viewed at any point afterwards.
To register, visit http://nl.webcast3.animalhealth.be/nl/english-subscription#ht=944, to receive a login name and password.
For further information on Veraflox, contact your Bayer representative or call 01635 563000.
Bayer Animal Health and Tracer Advance have launched a new blog about microchips, designed to promote responsible pet ownership.
The blog will be introduced by a new "virtual" pet expert called "Tracey from Tracer", with the character providing information about the importance of microchipping. Weekly updates from Tracey will seek to highlight differences between microchips, the associated databases, and details the whole process of microchipping; including information such as who the pet owner should call if they lose their pet, how a lost pet is reunited with their owner, and what do pet owners need to do to ensure the best possible chance of being reunited.
With over 300,000 pets going missing each year, the blog also aims to encourage owners who have already microchipped their pet to locate their registration documents and ensure they have useful contact details to hand in order to take the necessary action should it be lost or stolen.
Bayer says that according to a survey it conducted recently there is confusion about microchipping, with just under half of those owners who have had their pets microchipped having no idea which brand of microchip their animal is implanted with, and nearly three quarters of those surveyed being unaware which database their details are registered to.
Markus Edingloh from Bayer Animal Health said: "We are delighted to introduce "Tracey" and the new blog which is a method of focusing pet owner's attention on the topic of microchipping their animals. Microchipping pets is an established method to help reunify pets with their owners, but it is also important that owners are fully aware of the range of technology available and the differences in services provided with the microchip, such as the associated database which provides the reunification service. Our new blog aims to provide information about all aspects of microchipping in a bid to increase microchipping awareness and the number of lost pets being reunited with their owners each year".
The blog can be seen at: www.tracermicrochippingblog.co.uk
MSD Animal Heath has launched a new dispensing pack to help veterinary practices develop retail sales for Cosequin DS, the joint supplement for pets.
The new dispensing pack, which doubles up as a display pack, contains 300 chews foil-wrapped for extra freshness in 30 packs of 10 strips, allowing Cosequin to stand in the waiting room or on reception.
The new pack, available now in wholesalers, replaces the previous 90, 120 and 180 DS chewable tablet pack sizes.
The Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS, Charity no 1100485) is appealing to veterinary practices, equipment suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to donate unwanted supplies to its Parcel Appeal 2008.
The charity, which exists to provide a sustainable veterinary resource to assist animal charities and non-profit organisations, sends donation parcels of veterinary supplies to 138 associated animal charities around the world.
Hannah Westen, WVS International Projects Co-ordinator said: "Last year we were able to help over 50 associated charities in this way with nearly £90,000 worth of donated items. This year we hope to double this but to do so we also need help to cover postage costs."
Some parcels are sent as responses to urgent requests, where it is essential that the parcel arrives within a matter of days, while others are a way of providing assistance to charities where it is not practical to send a veterinary team. Hannah added: "Donation parcels are a simple way for WVS to provide assistance for charities and shelters in even the most remote locations. We recently sent several parcels to St. Helena, one of the most remote islands on the planet."
For further information, visit: http://www.wvs.org.uk/, telephone: 01725 551123, or email: info@wvs.org.uk
The supermarket Morrisons is to launch new pet food packaging which will alert shoppers to the ideal portion size their cat or dog should be eating, in a bid to tackle the UK's growing pet obesity problem.
Morrisons is the first supermarket to add portion control guidance to the front of their pet food packaging, and it follows research from Petplan which found that 36% of all dogs and 29% of cats treated by vets are obese. In addition, 71% of vets agree that cases of obesity are continuing to rise.
Each packet of Morrisons pet food will provide the correct portion for a healthy weight pet and, according to the company, the packaging will communicate the amount of servings each product provides clearly.
Apparently, 70% of owners believe that their dog or cat has never been overweight, which shows that there is a level of confusion amongst owners as to how much their pet is eating. A further 83% do not even worry about giving their pet too much food. Morrisons is aiming to make it easier for pet lovers to ensure their animal doesn't put on any unnecessary weight especially with Christmas just around the corner and the temptation of being fed leftovers and treats.
According to vets asked by Petplan there are five main reasons for an obesity problem amongst household pets. They are:
John Cannan, New Product Development Manager for Pet Food at Morrisons said: "We've had feedback from our customers which says that they are often in the dark about how much food they should be buying and giving their pet. Our new packaging will ensure that shoppers have a clearer sense of portion sizes whilst also saving them some pennies"
Brian Faulkner Petplan Vet of the Year said: "It's great to see Morrisons taking the lead on this and helping shoppers make more informed decisions about what they are feeding their pet. Whilst it's normal to give your animal a treat every now and then, pets do need to follow healthy regimes just like we do. Keeping your pet fit and healthy will ultimately save you money on veterinary bills as well."
Pfizer has announced the results of research carried out as part of its Vet Support+ initiative, which shows that the three most important factors in engaging a veterinary team are: leadership, employee performance management and team effectiveness. Of the three, performance management is the most important.
The employee engagement survey was carried out to provide an insight to the veterinary market specifically. According to Pfizer more than 4,000 responses were received, providing insights from 749 practice owners, partners and practice managers and almost 3,500 individual veterinary practice employees. Analysis and modelling from an independent expert and the Vet Support+ team led to the identification of three drivers for an actively engaged team within a veterinary practice, and the creation of a national benchmark for employee engagement. Pfizer says Vet Support+ is committing to running the research on a regular basis so that employee engagement amongst all veterinary staff can be monitored on an ongoing basis.
Pfizer says that although recognised as the most important factor in generating good employee engagement, performance management was identified as an area of weakness in many practices. There were contradictory responses from management and staff regarding both formal appraisals and informal feedback taking place. In both cases, management tended to believe this was happening while staff disagreed. Of further frustration for staff was the management of poor performers, with 52% of staff stating that poor performers were not managed effectively.
Leadership is critical for any successful business, however the survey showed that while personal relationships between management and staff are good (79% of vets and 76% of staff agreed that the relationship between management and teams are generally good), there is a lack of trust between leadership and staff (80% of vets said they believe there is trust in the team, while only 62% of staff agreed).
Practice owners were more upbeat about team effectiveness: 76% said they believe the team was willing to put in more effort, while only 63% of staff agreed. There was another inconsistency regarding communication within the team, with only 49% of staff thinking that communication in practice is good versus 65% of practice owners.
Ned Flaxman, Director Business Innovation at Pfizer Animal Health said: "At face value this data makes for very interesting reading and the identification of the key drivers of engagement in practice is the practical benefit for practices to prioritise their focus of activity on staff management."
He added: "This research will enable us to work with practices to do their own employee engagement survey to be benchmarked against the national study. This will provide an evidence-based approach to identify the biggest gaps for improvement, and our Vet Support+ team can work with practices to deliver solutions for those challenges whether leadership, team effectiveness or performance management."
Practice owners and managers wishing to understand the data in more detail and measure levels of engagement within their own team against the evidence-based benchmarks the study provides should contact the Vet Support+ team at http://www.vetsupportplus.co.uk/
Key findings from the Employee Engagement Survey:
New research published in Epidemiology and Infection (Cambridge University Press) reveals that direct contact between badgers and cattle is rare, suggesting that it may be rare for bovine tuberculosis (TB) to be passed on through the two species meeting each other on pasture.
For the research, which was conducted by the Royal Veterinary College and the Food and Environment Research Agency, researchers investigated direct and indirect interactions between badgers and cattle by fitting automated high-tech proximity loggers to animals and placing base stations at badger latrines located on pasture, in an area of south-west England with a high-density badger population, over a period of 12-months.
Direct interactions (within 1.4 metres) between badgers and cows at pasture were very rare, with only four out of over 500,000 animal-to-animal contacts recorded between the two species.
Indirect interactions (visits to badger latrines) were far more frequent than direct contacts, with 400 visits by badgers and 1700 visits by cattle recorded. This suggests that indirect contacts might be more important than direct in terms of disease transmission at pasture.
During the study half of the badgers tested positive for TB, however the infection status of individual badgers did not affect the frequency or duration of their visits to latrines located on pasture grazed by cattle.
Bovine tuberculosis caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis is endemic in cattle in parts of England and Wales and its control is hindered by the presence of infection in the European badger. While M. bovis is clearly transmitted between cattle and badgers, it is has not previously been known where, when or how often transmission occurs.
Dr Julian Drewe from the Royal Veterinary College who led the study, said: "Our findings reveal that direct contacts between badgers and cattle at pasture are surprisingly rare, despite ample opportunity for interactions to occur, suggesting that the two species may be ignoring or even actively avoiding one another. The study was conducted in an area with a high badger population, so it is likely that such direct contact will be even less frequent in areas of the country where there are fewer badgers.
"Indirect visits by both species to badger latrines were significantly more common than direct contacts between badgers and cattle, which suggests that these represent the more typical nature of interspecies contact. Future research aiming to quantify TB risk to cattle from badgers might be best to focus on indirect contacts occurring at latrines and on contacts occurring away from pasture, for example in farm buildings.
"This clearly has disease management implications, and more work is now needed in this area to look at how such contact can be limited, to reduce the number of cases of bovine TB in the future."
Talking to The Guardian, Hamaseh said: "This has really shocked me. We just discovered at the airport when we went to check in. I want people to know that this is not just happening to refugees. I am a graduate and I have a PhD. It has happened to a person who is working and who pays tax."
Hamaseh, who thought she'd have to find thousands of pounds to pay for an alternative flight home via another country, was quickly saved by a crowdfunding appeal by Women for Independence, which raised over £6000 in a matter of hours. The charity says it is donating everything in excess of the £2600 needed to get Hamaseh home to the Scottish Refugee Council.
Professor Anton Muscatelli, Principal of the University of Glasgow, said: "When I became aware on Saturday evening that one of our postgraduate veterinary students, Dr Hamaseh Tayari, was being prevented from travelling back from a holiday in Costa Rica through the United States and on to Glasgow I was both concerned and appalled. Concerned for the safety and well being of a young woman who, through no fault of her own, was stranded in Central America. Appalled because the reason for her predicament was not because she had done something wrong. Not because she was a danger to the security of the United States. But simply because she holds an Iranian passport."
He added: "Having spoken with Hamaseh I have been hugely impressed at how she is coping with the nightmare situation in which she finds herself. But I have been impressed too by the huge outpouring of support that has been shown across Scotland and the UK, particularly on twitter and through direct emails that have come in to the University from people who are outraged and want to help. All of this, I know, has greatly touched and heartened Hamaseh. I think it also confirms what we all like to believe is true. In this country we value individuals for what they are and the worth they bring, not for the stamp on their passport, the colour of their skin or the religion they practise."
Photo courtesy University of Glasgow
The library currently has 28 on-demand recordings, covering a range of sessions on three main themes: people, planet and animals.
They include: ‘Managing emotions in stressful situation’ and ‘Shaping practice culture as a team’, and BVA Congress recordings, such as "Is neutering dogs doing more harm than good?".
BVA President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “All veterinary professionals will understand the crucial role that CPD plays in maintaining and enhancing our knowledge and skills.
"Whether you're catching up on missed sessions or looking to revisit key topics, the new BVA CPD library can help members stay up to date throughout your career.”
https://mybva.bva.co.uk/cpd-library.html
Royal Canin has announced it is to launch Catom, a piece of software developed to help educate cat owners during veterinary consultations, at this year's London Vet Show.
Initially, the software will be available for PC and Mac, with iPad and Android versions coming by the end of the year.
You can can find out more by visiting Royal Canin's stand at the London Vet Show, where the company says it will have a large touch-screen TV displaying the software, along with laptop demos running throughout the exhibition.
The RVC has picked up three of the twenty Wellcome Image Awards 2015.
The awards are internationally renowned for showcasing the best in science imaging talent and techniques.
Two of the images (below) were taken at the Lanyon Museum of Comparative Anatomy at the RVC by photographer, Michael Frank. One picture depicts a goat's oesophagus and reticulum, which is the second of four stomach chambers found in cattle, goats and sheep. Michael's second image is called 'Pregnant uterus, equine' and shows a detailed and unique view of a pony foal in its mother's womb.
Nick Short, Head of the eMedia Unit at the RVC, said: "These stunning photographs were taken by Michael Frank to help digitise the extensive collection of anatomical specimens displayed in the Royal Veterinary College museums. As well as providing a unique artistic resource, these digital images are now being actively used to enhance the teaching of anatomy at the College."
Michael added: "I feel immensely proud to be shortlisted with two photographs alongside the RVC in the Wellcome Image Award 2015. I am very pleased that we managed to combine a unique artistic vision with academic necessities and that such an outcome has been valued by the judges."
The third image comes from Structure and Motion Lab PhD student, Sophie Regnault. Sophie's entry is a digital 3D construction of the skull, shoulders and front legs of a Tuatara (pictured top right; click to enlarge).
The Tuatara is a species of rare reptile native to New Zealand, and is all that remains of an ancient group of animals called Rhynchocephalia. These animals shared the Earth with dinosaurs and are now all extinct apart from the Tuatara.
Sophie created the digital 3D model by using virtual X-ray 'slices' of a preserved specimen of the reptile. Using Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), she scanned the whole animal before digitally re-constructing it and separating the skull and front legs from the rest of the body.
Sophie said: "It is a great feeling to even be recognised this year, as some of the images are outstanding. I didn't expect to get through at all as I'm still relatively new to the techniques I used for my image. It is just fantastic to be nominated; there are some really unique and fantastic pictures in the competition."
Images in this year's competition include everything from a micrograph of a greenfly's eye to a picture showing drug-carrying particles in the lungs of a mouse.
The 20 winning images were chosen by nine judges from the Wellcome Images picture library in the past year. They will be awarded at a ceremony on Wednesday 18 March, 2015 where the overall winner will also be revealed. Sophie's image will also be on display at 11 science centres, museums and galleries around the UK and in America.
Catherine Draycott, Head of Wellcome Images and a member of the judging panel said: "This year's selection of winning images is not only beautiful; they bring to life an incredible array of innovative imaging techniques, and hint at stories and ideas that go beyond the visual. We are thrilled that they will be displayed in so many venues, and look forward to seeing the range of exhibitions, as diverse as the images themselves."
Goat's oesophagus and reticulum - photo credit: Michael Frank
Pregnant uterus, equine - photo credit: Michael Frank
The RCVS has announced that it will be holding a free lunchtime webinar next week about its alternative dispute resolution (ADR) trial and its outcomes.
The webinar, titled ‘Who ADRs wins’, takes place at 1pm on Monday 7 December via The Webinar Vet and will be presented by RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey and RCVS Council member Niall Connell who was part of the Advisory Panel to the ADR trial.
The trial, which has been administered by Ombudsman Services, began in November 2014 in order to develop a system that addresses the many concerns received by the RCVS about the conduct of veterinary surgeons which it cannot deal with under its statutory powers.
During the webinar, Gordon and Niall will explain the roles of Ombudsman Services and the Advisory Panel, as well as examine the outcomes of some of the concerns handled by the trial.
They will also discuss the future of the ADR scheme. Following the presentation, listeners will have the opportunity to put their questions to the speakers.
Visit www.thewebinarvet.com/the-rcvs-alternative-dispute-resolution-scheme to register for the webinar. A recording of the webinar will be made available shortly after the event.
Hill's Pet Nutrition has decided to make its library of symposia proceedings freely available to all vets. It's part of Hill's drive to support vets with training during tough times.
The library, which has been built up over 13 years, is made up of the proceedings and supporting articles from lectures covering topics as diverse as inflammatory bowel disease in the feline and nutrigenomics.
Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager, said: "These proceedings contain definitive texts on conditions that are commonly seen in practice, described at an advanced level but in an easy to assimilate format. We do have a number of proceedings still in stock and I would much rather see them being used and all that valuable knowledge put into practice."
Anyone in practice with an interest in a particular area can apply to receive a copy of their preferred symposium.
According to Hill's, these booklets are excellent tools for those seeking to fill their CPD requirement through self-directed learning and provide advanced material that can be difficult to access elsewhere (note that undocumented self learning can only account for up to 10 hours on the RCVS record card).
The service is completely free of charge and orders can be placed by calling 01923 814454. As copies of some seminars are available only in limited numbers, applicants are asked to select only those proceedings in which they have a genuine area of interest. Only one copy of each symposium proceeding will be supplied to each individual, although multiple topics can be selected.
Symposia Proceedings TitlesHill's European Symposium on Chronic Renal Disease 2004Hill's European Speaker Tour on Canine Joint Health- Advances in clinical management and Nutrigenomics 2005Hill's European Symposium on Advances in Feline Medicine 2006Hill's Symposium on Dermatology Palm Springs 2006 Hill's European Symposium on 'Moving on with mobility' 2007
Those who wish to supplement their learning further may wish to visit The Vet Nutrition Academy which also provides a number of free and subsidised courses to members of the veterinary healthcare team. Registration is free at www.myhillspet/vna. To complete registration the practice U number will be required and this is available by contacting Jane Quail at Hill's on 01923 814454.
Petplan has launched a video to promote its Veterinary Awards to the public.
Impressively, it has already notched up over 57,000 views on youtube.
Norbrook has launched an Android version of its existing free iPhone app: ‘the Veterinary Excellence Tool’ (VET).
VET offers a range of functions to assist veterinary professionals and farmers including a product dosing calculator. The Android version has been developed to meet customer demand and has the same features as the Apple version which is available for both iPhones and iPads.
Norbrook highlights the following features of the app:
The app can be downloaded for free by searching for “Norbrook” in either app store.
For further information please contact Laura Holmes, E-Marketing Manager, laura.holmes@norbrook.co.uk or 01536 741147.
Cat Professional is carrying out a survey to assess the use of Zylkène in cats with idiopathic cystitis (FIC), and is looking for owners whose cats are using the treatment to complete an online survey.
Zylkène is a nutritional supplement which has been reported to have positive effects in managing stress in cats and dogs. Zylkène is commonly used for reduction of stress in cats with FIC.
Veterinary practices that agree to help Cat Professional recruit clients whose FIC cats are receiving Zylkène will receive:
On completion of the survey, participants will receive a free electronic copy of the book 'Caring for a cat with lower urinary tract disease'.
For more information on the study, please visit our website: http://www.catprofessional.com.
The survey is accessible from the home page or directly at http://www.catprofessional.com/urinary-survey.html
Virbac Animal Health is calling on practices to prepare for Canine Prostate Awareness Month (CPAM), being held by the company in November to highlight the prevalence of the disease and to encourage owners and practices to test for it.
Last year, 400 practices sign up to support the event, and the company says that feedback from many taking part confirmed a significant lack of understanding among clients as to the risk of prostate disease in dogs.
Canine Prostate Awareness Month is timed to coincide with 'Movember', when thousands of men grow moustaches to raise funds for male prostate and testicular cancer. During the month, Virbac is providing promotional materials including dog leads; educational and display materials and a press release for local media.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Virbac Product Manager, said: "With more than 80% of entire male dogs over the age of five suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)¹, we wanted to give practices a reason to highlight the risk and encourage owners to test for it. Timing CPAM to coincide with Movember seemed a good way to interest dog owners at a time when some might be considering the state of their own prostate.
"The support we received last year confirmed that it was a topic which practices were keen to discuss with dog owners so we're already planning to make the initiative even bigger and better this year."
Stephen Bamber, Principal at participating practice Warwickshire-based Avonvale Vets, added: "CPAM was an attractive campaign as it was a bit different. It offered the opportunity to see some of our older patients with other, less obvious pathologies. Non-symptomatic testicular tumours in particular surfaced in the checks we did. Clients generally had little idea about dogs' prostates so it gave us a good platform to discuss prostate disease with them."
Virbac has introduced OdelisTM CPSE, the first ELISA test to screen for, diagnose and monitor BPH, available from three UK diagnostic laboratories. The company says it's a cost-effective, precise and reliable alternative to rectal palpation. Virbac also offers Ypozane, a tablet treatment for BPH which takes effect within a week and lasts for up to six months.
Chris added: "BPH is an unpleasant condition occurring in nearly all entire dogs as they get older, but one which is entirely treatable. We hope that, by running our Prostate Awareness Campaign at a time when the media spotlight is already on the dangers of prostate cancer in men, we can help spread the message that owners should be monitoring older dogs for signs of prostate disease."
For further information on the Prostate Awareness Campaign, email cpam@virbac.co.uk; contact your Virbac Territory Manager or contact the company direct on 01359 243243.
References
Research released today by the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA) reveals that only a minority of pet owners are able to identify what their pet should look like when it is at the right weight.
Eight out of 10 dog, cat and rabbit owners believe that their pet is just the right weight, but when asked which of a series of pictures most closely resembled their pet, only 33% of dog owners and 23% of cat owners chose the 'normal weight' picture.
The independent research, conducted by TNS, surveyed over 2,100 households. Other findings included:
Michael Bellingham, Chief Executive of the PFMA, said: "The figures are alarming and the problem won't go away without a fundamental shift in owners' attitude to feeding their pets. It is also worrying that most owners are not aware of the problem, because they are unable to recognise a fat pet in the first place. Perceptions of what is the correct size are seriously out of kilter with reality."
Only 25% of those surveyed said that they had ever sought advice on whether any of their pets were overweight. Up to a third admitted using trial and error when deciding how much food to give, indicating a sole reliance on their pet's appetite to determine optimium food portions. Less than a quarter referred to manufacturers advice on pet food labels, or sought advice from their vets.
Michael continued: "Thankfully, there is a solution and we have developed a tool to help owners identify the correct condition of their pet, along with steps to take if a problem exists. Prevention is at the heart of our awareness campaign. Feeding a good diet, and to the correct amount, is fundamental. And so is exercise. We know that a pet fed to its right condition will lead a longer and healthier life. Not only that, getting active with your pet can help pet owners achieve the same for themselves. We urge pet owners to start using our Pet Size-O-Meter and make sure they and their pets have the best chance for a long happy life together."
The PFMA has also produced a supporting White Paper entitled - Pet Obesity: The Reality in 2009 - which compares the obesity epidemic in humans with that of our pets. You can download it here.
The RCVS has announced that its Professional Standards Advice Team, which offers advice about the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, is now trialling extended hours and remaining open until 7pm Monday to Friday.
The trial will last for three months.
The closing time of 7pm was decided by the RCVS Standards Committee because research conducted by both the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons and the RCVS determined that this is the average closing time for veterinary practices in the UK.
On average the Professional Conduct Department deals with 7,500 calls a year (which includes calls from veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses looking for advice about professional responsibilities and standards) as well as around 2,000 written requests which are dealt with exclusively by the Professional Standards Advice Team.
Laura McClintock, Standards and Advisory Manager, said: "The aim of the trial is to determine if the profession would take advantage of these extended hours and, therefore, if our team should permanently extend its operating hours to provide a better service to the profession.
"However, it must be remembered that this is not an emergency service but an extension to our standard service and advice during the extended hours will not necessarily be any more immediate than at any other time during the day because it may need further research or input from members of the Standards Committee.
"Prior to launching the trial we also liaised with 10 other UK healthcare and professional regulators and found that our current professional advice service compared favourably to others and that we were providing a more extensive service than many."
The team aims to provide clear, concise and consistent advice to help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses understand their professional responsibilities and support compliance with the Code. It also distinguishes between professional requirements, legal requirements and suggested good practice and may offer suggestions about how professional responsibilities can be applied in practice.
However, there are some areas on which the team is unable to offer guidance. For example, it cannot offer clinical advice or advice on legal matters such as employment law, maternity rights, or contractual or civil disputes.
Advice is also available for members of the public, for example, to help animal owners understand what they can expect from their veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
To contact the team call 020 7202 0789 or, alternatively, email profcon@rcvs.org.uk
A new diagnostic blood test has been developed to combat the virulent horse disease Strangles.
The breakthrough has come after four years of research by scientists at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket.
The blood test identifies horses that have recently been exposed to Strangles, enabling it to be nipped in the bud.
Oliver Wilson, campaign director at The British Horse Society, said: "It is fantastic news. This big breakthrough is a real boon to horse owners and I believe will lead to a significant drop in Strangles outbreaks. But there is still much to be done.
"The AHT's work to develop and test a fully effective vaccine against Strangles is ongoing. To support it we need to raise another £120,000 by the end of this year to reach the campaign target of £250,000."
For more information about the Strangles campaign, visit http://www.strangles.org/