The EU Commission has approved the marketing authorisation variation of Boehringer Ingelheim's PCV2 vaccine Ingelvac CircoFLEX. This approval allows the combined use of the pig vaccines Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Ingelvac MycoFLEX in the European Union.
Boehringer says it will market this unique vaccine concept under the name FLEXcombo. The company highlights that protection against two of the most prominent and costly pig diseases, Porcine Circovirus Disease (PCVD) and Enzootic Pneumonia, can now be achieved with a single injection instead of up to four injections. More than 70% of European pigs are currently vaccinated against both these diseases.
According to the company, the combined use of Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Ingelvac MycoFLEX is already registered and widely used in North America and Asia. It is globally the first and only product combination of its kind.
Dr. Joachim Hasenmaier, global head of Animal Health within BI said: "We are very proud that we can now also supply EU veterinarians and farmers with this latest innovation that will help tremendously in reducing the number of injections to pigs, supporting the wellbeing of the animals and the farm economics by saving a substantial amount of labour."
Apparently the commonly reported use of AI technology was for radiography diagnostics and reporting (44%), followed by laboratory diagnostics and reporting (27%), communications with clients (11%) or to assist with administrative work (7%).
Vets were asked about the benefits and risks of using AI technology in their work.
The most common reported benefit was data interpretation (55%), followed by diagnostic testing (49%), saving time more generally (40%) and for routine admin tasks or note taking (38%).
The most commonly reported risks of AI were the possibility that results are interpreted without context (83%) or that AI is used incorrectly, without follow up checks (82%).
The other reported risks were an overreliance on AI undermining human skills (68%) and a lack of data protection (25%).
BVA Junior Vice President Rob Williams said: “It’s fascinating to see how many vet teams are already using AI technology in their daily work.
"The massive boom in the use of these tools represents an exciting opportunity for the profession, particularly around diagnostics and interpreting large data sets.
"But as well as benefits there are clear challenges and risks, so this timely session is a great opportunity to address some of the ethical questions around the use of technology when it comes to treating animals and ensuring their welfare.
"It’s set to be an interesting debate, with the chance for delegates to pose questions to our incredibly knowledgeable panel, and I hope many of you will join us to add your voice to the discussion.”
On the AI discussion panel at BVA Live will be: Nick Jackson, Director, Veterinary Surgeon, Council Member - NGJ Locum Ltd, Ben O'Halloran, Policy Officer - BVA and Nicolò Frisiani, Co-founder and CEO - Lupa Pets.
https://bvalive.vetshow.com/conference-programme
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
The RCVS has announced that 19 people are standing in this year's RCVS Council elections, including, for the first time, more women than men, and a much lower average candidate age.
Of the 19 candidates - believed to be the highest number since records began - ten are women. Not only is this the most women ever to stand, but it is in direct contrast to last year where all 13 candidates were men. Additionally, whereas the average age of all elected Council members in March 2013 was 56.5 (57 for women and 56 for men), the average age of this year's candidates is 47 (45 for women and 48 for men).
The RCVS Council candidates are:
Last year, the all-male candidate list prompted concern from the profession and calls for the College to investigate the reasons behind the lack of women and to take steps to redress the balance. The then RCVS President Jacqui Molyneux invited feedback from the profession about the barriers to joining Council, and set up a working party, chaired by Council member Amanda Boag, to look at how participation could be widened, not only to women, but also younger members of the profession and those actively engaged in clinical practice.
The working party suggested a number of initiatives, including a mentoring scheme, providing more practical information about being a Council member (see www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos), and inviting prospective candidates to the RCVS to discuss the role in more detail.
Amanda said: "The College's efforts to broaden participation in its election process seem to have paid dividends. I'm delighted there is so much more diversity amongst the election candidates this year, and that so many women have decided to throw their hat into the ring, especially as women now form over 50% of the profession. I'm very much looking forward to the outcome of the elections, and hope that this dramatic increase in candidates in turn prompts an excellent turnout."
In a slightly later start to the voting period this year, ballot papers and candidate details will be posted on 19 March 2014, and all votes must be cast, either online or by post, by 5pm on Friday, 25 April 2014.
In the meantime, the College is inviting all voters to think about the one question they would like to put to the candidates and submit it in time for this year's 'Quiz the Candidates', to be broadcast by the Webinar Vet on the evening of 20 March. All questions received will be put to the candidates, who will each then answer two questions of their choice, as well as explaining what they consider sets them apart as a potential Council member. The candidates' answers will be pre-recorded (due to the large number of candidates) and made available online at around 8:00pm on 20th March.
Questions (one per person) for RCVS Council should be submitted to the RCVS by 12 March via its dedicated election websites, available soon at www.votebyinternet.com/vetvote14, on twitter using the hashtag #vetvote14, or by email to vetvote14@rcvs.org.uk.
Defra has launched a public consultation on proposals that would enable the RCVS to reconstitute its disciplinary committees independently of the RCVS Council, to ensure that the same group of people are not responsible for setting the rules, investigating complaints and hearing cases. The Royal College is urging the profession to support the proposals.
The proposed changes will be made by a Legislative Reform Order that will amend a specific part of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, to require the RCVS Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees to be made up of veterinary surgeons and lay members who are not RCVS Council members, and who are appointed at arm's-length.
RCVS President, Dr. Jerry Davies said: "I am delighted that Defra is consulting on these long-anticipated proposals, which would allow the RCVS to deliver better, fairer and more effective regulation. I would urge members of the profession and the public to respond to this important consultation and to support the changes."
Under the proposals, following a transitional period, the Committees would cease to include Council members. The bodies which consider allegations of misconduct on the part of veterinary surgeons would thus be independently constituted and detached from policy discussions. The proposals would also improve the independence of the disciplinary processes by formally bringing lay people into the relevant Committees.
In addition, the College says that changes would increase the pool of people available to investigate complaints and sit on disciplinary hearings, thus allowing the case-load to be handled more efficiently, and ensuring that complaints are heard swiftly.
The full details of the proposals can be found in Defra's consultation documents, which can be accessed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2012/01/16/veterinary-surgeons-1201/
The BSAVA has launched a new guide to help practices navigate compulsory canine microchipping legislation which comes into force on 6th April.
The 18-page guide provides information on all aspects of microchipping, including the differing implications of the legislation across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It explains exemption certificates that veterinary surgeons may be asked to sign, provides clarity on roles and responsibilities and more details on adverse event reporting, which will become a legal requirement under the new rules.
It also contains advice on when it is required or advisable to scan a dog in order to read the microchip and links to the updated RCVS guidance on microchips, microchipping and animals without microchips.
The guide has been accepted by the VMD and is supported by the RCVS.
The new microchipping legislation is aimed at improving animal welfare, promoting responsible ownership and tackling the illegal puppy trade. It is also hoped compulsory microchipping will improve collection of data on inherited diseases and disease outbreaks.
BSAVA President Tricia Colville (pictured right) said: "The BSAVA supports the permanent identification and registration of all dogs and cats, and other companion animals as appropriate, since the ability to individually identify an animal and trace the owner has the potential to improve animal welfare.
"Responsible pet ownership is at the core of the new legislation so as a profession we need to be clear on our responsibilities and do all we can to inform pet owners. We acknowledge that it may take time for the profession to adapt to the changes but this guide brings clarity and will prove helpful to vet practices across the UK."
The BSAVA is inviting members to report any problems they encounter to the BSAVA's Scientific Policy Officer Sally Everitt - s.everitt@bsava.com. The Association plans a further consultation at the end of the year to discover how the legislation enforcement has been received.
The guide will be available to members from the BSAVA website: www.bsava.com
Mike Brampton, inventor of the CAT Doppler blood pressure system and Managing Director of Thames Medical, is to start the 'Tour de Vet', a 1,300 mile tour of the UK during which he'll be stopping to give BP CPD and coaching to veterinary surgeons and nurses in return for a donation to the charity Canine Partners.
Mike says the CAT Doppler system is the most widely used in the UK. He also lectures at Nottingham Vet School and normally charges something in the order of £600 for talks and training sessions.
During the 'Tour de Vet', however, he'll be giving his talks free, in exchange for a donation to the charity of £250-£300.
Mike said: "At a recent BVNA Congress, 85% of nurses said they would like more skills and information in BP techniques. This is your chance to book some quality, certified, hands-on CPD at a massively reduced price, which will benefit not only your staff and practice but also help train a puppy for Canine Partners".
Mike's target is to raise £10,000.
The tour starts in Worthing on May 19th 2014. It ends three weeks and 1300 miles later at the Vettrust Conference in Stirling.
To book your blood pressure monitoring CPD or nurses' coaching, call Mike on 01903 522911 or email mike@thamesmedical.com.
Alternatively, if you just want to support his efforts, text 70070 with the code TDEV55 and your donation or visit http://www.justgiving.com/Tour-De-Vet
Members of the XLVets, a collaborative group of independent veterinary practices across the UK, have raised over £35,000 in a recent charity challenge to travel the world without an engine.
To mark the 10th anniversary of XLVets, all 53 member practices together travelled a total of 34,727 miles to complete the challenge, the equivalent of almost one and a half times around the world, by running, kayaking, swimming, cycling and walking their way thoughout the UK.
Alex Cooper of Pembrokeshire based Fenton Vets raised the most, totalling £1,966.04, whilst his practice also clocked up the furthest distance, travelling 4,516 miles. He said: "The day took some coordinating with a horsebox carrying bikes and kayaks. The enthusiasm created amongst the team meant it became the talking point within the practice for weeks. It even reached the local press!"
He added: "We have already decided that it will become an annual event with invites extended to clients as well as all XLVets member practices."
Organiser Jane Simpson said: "The money raised has been split between member practices’ local chosen charities and Send a Cow, which will receive a cheque for £15,571.00."
Sophie Porfirio, corporate partnerships manager for Send a Cow is delighted with the donation: "It’s a big fat thank-moo(!) from everyone at Send a Cow to everyone at XLVets who have made this fabulous donation possible. We don’t put cows on planes anymore, so they aren’t doing the mileage the XLVets teams have been achieving in recent months, but we do go to great lengths to provide the skills training, livestock and support so that some of Africa’s poorest families are able to help themselves. This donation ensures hundreds of people have food security and the knowledge to future-proof their families for generations to come. It’s an incredibly special gift and we really appreciate it."
Jane said: "The XLVets practices have shown how independent practices can work together to achieve amazing results. The generosity of all those that have supported our efforts will make a real difference to the charities. It's a great achievement and I am sure that the resourceful and competitve nature of all of our members will mean that our fundraising efforts will not stop here."
Genitrix is offering a free poster-sized treatment and dispensing guide for small animals. Designed to be pinned on the consulting room or dispensary wall, the poster sets out key data, including active ingredients, species information and application advice for the company's range of anti-parasite treatments for rabbits, ferrets, rodents, reptiles, birds and other exotic pets.
These include the ivermectin-based Xeno topical spot-on and spray range; Xenex Ultra, the permethrin-based topical spot-on preventive treatment for flystrike; Lapizole, a fenbendazole-based oral treatment for E.cuniculi and Mycozole, a miconazole-based spray for fungal infections, including ringworm.
Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said: "The treatment guide provides easy to use and clear information on all our small animal products and their use for the practice team."
To request a free poster, please contact Genitrix on 01403 786345 or by email to mail@genitrix.co.uk
Bayer Animal Health has announced the launch of three new educational videos which look at some common concerns in the profession about antimicrobials, including owner compliance, laboratory testing, and prescribing policies in different clinical scenarios.
The videos follow research conducted by Bayer as part of its Veraflox What Lies Beneath campaign in which 73% of veterinary surgeons cited owner compliance as a frequent cause of treatment failure when tackling bacterial infections, and only 5%1 of vets said that they send samples for culture and sensitivity testing routinely in cases where they suspect bacterial involvement.
In the first video presentation, Matt Jones, Microbiology Manager at IDEXX Laboratories, focuses on the importance of culture and sensitivity testing, and how to interpret results from these tests. Matt discusses the merits and drawbacks of various testing techniques available, both in-house and from external laboratories.
In the second presentation, Liz Watkins, founder of Chunk Training, a veterinary training provider which specialises in customer service, provides communication tips to improve consultation technique and increase owner compliance when a course of antimicrobials has been prescribed.
In the final presentation, Ian Battersby, Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Davies Veterinary Specialists answers commonly asked questions submitted by vets about antibiotics. Questions include how to adopt a practice antimicrobial policy, how to decide when it is appropriate to use antibiotics in GI disease and how to approach cases that are not responding as expected to antimicrobial treatment.
Hannah Watts, Group Product Manager at Bayer said: ‘‘The issues highlighted by the research need to be addressed in order to help promote responsible antimicrobial use. One of the key findings from the survey was the relatively low number of culture and sensitivity tests that are routinely performed. This may in part be due to financial constraints, but in addition to assisting in appropriate antimicrobial selection, culture and sensitivity tests often save money for the client in the long run, as well as helping to resolve the condition as quickly as possible, leading to improved treatment outcomes for the pet.‘’
Watching the videos can be used to count towards your annual CPD requirement. They're now available at www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk.
Congress offers two days of lectures and workshops and up to 14 hours CPD delivered by experts on the most cutting-edge OA management, treatment, techniques and technology.
There is also a large trade exhibition showcasing many of the latest products and services, not to mention a happy hour and gala dinner.
The organisers say veterinary surgeons and nurses, physiotherapists, hydrotherapists, and anyone working to prevent, treat and manage osteoarthritis will find the congress hugely rewarding.
This year there’s a focus on comparative disciplines, including human and equine practice.
Tickets cost from £190 to £370, plus VAT.
www.vet-oa.com/voacon
The merger brings together Improve International’s global reach and postgraduate qualification programmes with Central CPD’s practitioner-led Continuing Professional Development training and digital learning infrastructure.
Improve says the merger will better position the two companies to meet the growing and evolving needs of the profession.
However, the veterinary training marketplace has been hit recently by news that IVC Evidensia has opened two in-house training centres, one in Scotland and one in the Midlands, perhaps precipitating some consolidation, especially since IVC has announced plans to offer CPD to the wider profession later this year.
Poor sex education amongst cat owners may be leading to more than 200,000 unplanned litters - or 850,000 kittens every year in the UK, according to research published online in the Veterinary Record today.
Authors Dr Philippa Welsh, Professor Tim Gruffydd-Jones, Margaret Roberts and Dr Jane Murray based their findings on a survey of almost 10,500 UK households and more than 3000 completed returns (30% response rate).
Information was gathered on pet ownership, with specific questions asked of owners of female cats about how many planned or accidental litters their pets had had. The survey also aimed to probe the prevalence of common misconceptions about the breeding patterns of cats.
In all, data was collected from 715 cat-owning households, of which 426 owned one or more female cats. Around 1 in 8 (13%) of these owners said that their pets had had one or more accidental litters.
A total of 128 litters had been produced by 91 (out of 552) female cats; 65 of these had given birth to 102 unplanned litters, meaning that just under 80% of all litters had been accidental.
Unplanned litters were more than twice as likely in households owning more than one cat and more than four times as likely if the owner mistakenly believed that a female cat should have a litter before being neutered, the responses showed. Men were more than twice as likely as women to hold this belief.
The authors calculate that if this belief were dispelled, there could be around 213,000 fewer litters and more than 851,000 fewer kittens born in the UK every year.
Half (49%) of 682 cat owners surveyed believed that cats should either have a litter before being neutered (23%) or were unsure if they should (26%), despite there being no evidence whatsoever that this benefits feline health.
Similarly, among the 659 owners who answered the question about puberty, most (83.5%) mistakenly believed that the youngest age at which a cat could get pregnant was five months, with a further one in four (26%) believing that an unneutered female cat (queen) couldn't get pregnant before the age of 12 months. The authors point out that whilst it is not common for a four month old kitten to get pregnant, it does happen.
Furthermore, one in seven cat owners incorrectly thought that unneutered related cats wouldn't mate with each other, and a further one in four (24.5%) were unsure.
The authors said: "The vast majority of litters born to cats in the UK are not planned. This study suggests that improving cat-owner knowledge of the reproductive capacity of cats is likely to have a significant impact on the numbers of accidental litters."
The authors concluded that dispelling the commonly held belief that cats should have a litter before neutering would probably have the single biggest impact on the figures.
Read the full paper
Ceva Animal Health, maker of Vectra 3D, has released the results of some market research which gives a little insight into current levels of owner compliance with veterinary flea treatment advice.
Of the 228 owners surveyed:
When selecting a flea treatment:
Looking at the first set of stats, it seems like the year-round message is getting through, but that perhaps with greater awareness of fleas' prodigious egg-laying habits, and the difficulty of eliminating an infestion once established, might just help improve monthly compliance.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition has launched a new website - www.hillsweightloss.co.uk - featuring the company’s weight management programme to help address the UK’s spiralling pet obesity epidemic.
Nearly 50 per cent of pets are obese or overweight and the company hopes that the site will act as a valuable support tool for vets, providing clients with an interactive, tailored weight loss and exercise programme to follow with their cat or dog.
The website also includes a series of animated illustrations and videos to demonstrate how to check a pet’s Body Condition Score (BCS) by feeling its ribs along with feeding and exercise hints and tips.
To help keep pet owners motivated, the site features a weekly weight loss programme email newsletter consisting of additional support, handy tips and helpful reminders.
Libby Sheridan, veterinary affairs manager at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, comments: “Obesity in animals is soaring and the new website is a useful and effective support tool which advises on both diet and exercise regimes and helps keep owners and their pets on track to reach their target weight.”
Hill’s Pet Nutrition's pet foods to aid and maintain weight loss include Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d, m/d and r/d, which has recently been reformulated. In a recent trial, dogs fed Prescription Diet r/d lost 22 per cent of their body fat in eight weeks. Hill’s Science Plan Light can also help pets prone to weight gain. Science Plan NeuteredCat is formulated to meet the needs of cats that have been neutered as they are significantly different in their energy needs.
Fitzpatrick Referrals has launched a new sports medicine and rehabilitation centre for dogs at its referral centre in Surrey.
Fitzpatrick Referrals has been running a dedicated rehabilitation centre since the practice opened at Eashing in 2007. It has now extended the offering to include sports medicine clinics and osteoarthritis clinics, creating what it claims is the largest centre of its kind in the country.
Building work has now been completed at the centre and Fitzpatrick Referrals has appointed David Prydie MRCVS, a small animal rehabilitation expert, to head up the centre.
Speaking about the launch of the new service, Noel Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of Fitzpatrick Referrals said: "At Fitzpatrick Referrals, we believe that appropriate rehabilitation is integral to the success of orthopaedic and neuro-surgical intervention and fundamental in promoting pain free functional quality of life.
"Traditionally, the rehabilitation centre has been geared towards treating post-op patients. While the new centre will continue to treat animals which have been referred to Fitzpatrick Referrals for surgical procedures, helping to restore function, reduce pain and speed up the recovery process, we will now offer new dedicated Sports Medicine and Osteoarthritis clinics, of which there are currently only a handful in the UK. This will provide referring practitioners and clients with a new range of options for dealing with sports injuries and the on-going management of Osteoarthritis.
"For the first time, minimally invasive arthroscopic investigation and advanced diagnostic imaging with MRI and CT will be available side-by-side with a team of clinicians who truly understand the unique anatomy, physiology and exercise demands of working and sports dogs and who adopt an integrated approach to achieving maximum mobility for dogs of all ages. We intend that the new centre will create a new standard of integrated care for the active performance or pet dog because we will match function with form and intention with action. Every plan will be tailor made for the individual with sincere attention to the very special environment and demands of the sporting dog. I'm extraordinarily excited about this new horizon."
David Prydie added: "We expect to see cases where there are specific injuries which the canine athlete is prone to and which require specialist knowledge to identify and treat. Our goal is to help the dogs return to their performance event as soon as possible. We will also be offering advice on training regimes for the various activities. The centre will offer a new osteoarthritis clinic, treating osteoarthritis in all ages of dog using a multimodal approach such as weight management, exercise regimes, physiotherapy techniques and use of tools such as the therapeutic laser. There is a wealth of experience already present within the practice and I will be working with Noel and the other surgeons to develop our offering in sports injury management and also with Professor Stuart Carmichael in the development of osteoarthritis management schemes."
The practice will celebrate the launch of the new centre with its first festival for pets, 'Dogfest', built around the theme of the 'Active Dog'. The festival will take place on 10th and 11th of August and will feature a number of agility and flyball events, canine sports medicine lectures delivered by world experts, a range of tents and stalls, 'Have a Go' agility sessions, an agility display by former Fitzpatrick patients who have returned to compete in the agility circuit, a 'Meet the Fitzpatrick Heroes' display and a special '999' display by the Sussex Police Dogs on both days.
For information on the new Fitzpatrick Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre services and to discuss referrals, contact the reception team on 01483 423 761.
The award, which is sponsored by Zoetis, celebrates vets in the first eight years of their career who have shown outstanding care, dedication or success.
Nominees may have delivered exceptional care to a patient, made a positive contribution to their community or the wider veterinary profession, or shown their dedication to a cause.
Early career vets who are keen to demonstrate their ambition and dedication to the profession can also self-nominate for the award.
British Veterinary Association President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “We know how hard all vets work to care for the UK’s animals and to protect both human and animal health and welfare.
"Our young and early career vets deserve to have their incredible work recognised and this award is an opportunity to highlight their compassion, skills and positive contribution to the profession.”
The winner will be announced on Thursday 16th October 2025 at the BVA Awards in London, where they will be awarded a prize package which includes £1,000, a year of free BVA membership and mentoring/engagement opportunity with Zoetis.
The deadline for entries is 9am on Monday 4th August 2025.
www.bva.co.uk/YVOTY
Photo: Last year's winner, David Charles.
The framework offers a structured career development pathway for equine and farm general practitioners over four levels, including a new role of Senior Veterinary Surgeon in General Practice.
The CVS Vet Career Progression Framework gives guidance on the experience, skills and competencies which need to be demonstrated at each of its four capability levels.
Level One is an entry level Graduate Vet, Level Two is a Progressive Vet, Level Three is an Experienced Vet and Level Four role is a Senior Veterinary Surgeon who is recognised as highly proficient and who will have a highly supportive and responsible position in practice.
The roles and responsibilities of the new CVS Equine and Farm Senior Veterinary Surgeons will include setting and maintain clinical standards in practice and leading clinical advancement initiatives.
They will also assist Clinical and Practice Directors with regulatory compliance and maintaining professional standards, act as role models and support Clinical and Practice Directors in delivering and monitoring the practice’s performance.
James Kennedy, Large Animal Director at CVS said: “A clearer career trajectory is needed for our equine and farm general practitioners.
"This new framework clearly outlines and roles and responsibilities each level will undertake, and offers vet colleagues a sustained and progressive development throughout their career with CVS.
"We feel the new Senior Veterinary Surgeon position and its accompanying rewards both recognises and harnesses the breadth of valuable skills and expertise that these very experienced veterinary colleagues bring to CVS.”
Arden Grange has launched new Adult Sensitive with ocean white fish and potato, specially developed to meet the growing demand for grain free pet foods.
Arden Grange Sensitive is a nutritionally complete dry food. According to the company, it is ideally suited to dogs susceptible to digestive disorders and skin irritation. Ocean white fish provides a primary protein source that is easily metabolised for efficient bodily functioning. Completely cereal and grain free, Arden Grange Sensitive provides all breeds of dog with a hypoallergenic, wholesome diet full of natural goodness. Potato, as the carbohydrate source, ensures a sustained energy release throughout the day providing all dogs with the health and vitality they need.
Arden Grange also highlights its ‘Not Tested on Animals’ guarantee, found on all its packaging, company literature and on its website. The company guarantees it has not and never will fund any invasive research projects conducted in relation to the development or refinement of pet foods manufactured or sold by Arden Grange.
CPD Solutions has announced an eight module course on Feline Medicine starting in September. The company says that the course, with Tim Gruffydd-Jones of Bristol University, will help vets to ensure that their knowledge and clinical skills are up to date in this fast-moving area.
The new course is designed for vets working in first opinion practice, who want to develop their skills and the services that they can offer to their cat-owning clients. A comprehensive grounding in all of the important areas of Feline Medicine is combined with areas in which there have been significant advances recently, such as infectious diseases, emerging endocrine disorders, blood groups and blood transfusions. Problems that owners find particularly distressing, such as adverse behaviour and lower urinary tract disease will be addressed in detail, together with emergency presentations and strategies to cope with them effectively. Vets can enrol on the whole course or select individual modules for their own tailored CPD programme. Susie Coughlan, Managing Director of CPD Solutions said: ‘We have put together key topics in feline medicine, with an emphasis on updating current approaches to the most commonly encountered feline problems. We will also cover the newly recognised disorders that vets are very likely to encounter in first opinion practice. Our aim is to help vets to develop a practical and effective approach to all of their feline patients'.
More information on the course, Keysteps Feline Medicine, is available from CPD Solutions on 0151 328 0444 or on the website at www.cpd-solutions.com.
Petplan is making a last call for entries to its Veterinary Awards, which recognise members of the veterinary profession who continually go above and beyond what is expected of them.
Nominations for the awards close on 31st January.
Nominations for all categories which include Vet of the Year, Vet Nurse of the Year, Vet Practice of the Year, Vet Support Staff of the Year, Practice Manager of the Year and Petplan Insurance Advisor of the Year are judged by an independent panel of industry experts. Every nominee receives a Petplan certificate so even if your nominee isn't one of the lucky finalists they'll still know and feel appreciated that someone has taken the time and effort to nominate them.
Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships, Simon Masding said: "Petplan knows that the veterinary world is full of brilliant professionals. The Petplan Veterinary Awards create a wonderful opportunity to recognise high performance, and demonstrate to your clients and to the wider industry what a great job your staff do. As well as the feel-good factor, there's a commercial benefit for being nominated too, one previous winner saw a 30% growth in their business as a result of winning. So if you would like to be in with a chance, you have just one month left to encourage your clients and staff to nominate!"
Finalists are invited to attend an award ceremony held at the Birmingham Town Hall on Thursday 3rd April 2014.
To nominate a friend or colleague, or register your interest in attending the awards evening, visit www.petplanvet.co.uk.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has launched the UK’s first free diagnostics service to assist vets in diagnosing Lyme disease in dogs.
The introduction of the new Lyme Disease Surveillance Service (LDSS) reflects concerns that the increasing incidence of the disease in humans could be followed by a similar increase in dogs.
Canine Lyme disease, while still rare in the UK, is known to be difficult to diagnose with vague symptoms and a variety of clinical presentations.
Infest-Nation, the ProMeris Parasite Report launched in late 2007 and based on interviews with 2,000 vets and pet owners, cited figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) which reported 768 cases of human Lyme disease in 2006, an increase of 263% since 2003. The increase in human incidence is believed to be attributable to an increase in the human population, better diagnosis and more favourable climatic conditions for ticks as the vector for the disease.
According to Fort Dodge, it’s possible that the increase in Lyme disease in humans will be mirrored in the canine population. Forty per cent of vets contacted for Infest-Nation had reported a significant rise in the tick problem over the last five years and 75% of dog owners didn’t know how to check their dogs for parasites and didn’t treat them as frequently as the recommended once a month.
Participation in the LDSS is free for veterinary practices registering with the scheme. You can do this by contacting Fort Dodge on 01489 781711 or by email at fortdodgeuk@fdah.com. You will then be provided with testing kits and full instructions on the submission of blood samples.
Protexin has launched what is billed as the first therapeutic veterinary GI diet to contain an added probiotic: Pro-Balance, with Enterococcus faecium.
For more information, see: http://www.protexin.com/