The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has launched an online quiz to test its members' knowledge of the Guide to Professional Conduct.
The Guide outlines what is acceptable professional and ethical behaviour for veterinary surgeons. It is developed and maintained by the Advisory Committee of the RCVS, which, in addition to veterinary members of RCVS Council, also includes lay members, a member of the Veterinary Nurses Council, and independent (ie non-Council) veterinary surgeons. The Guide is the benchmark against which a veterinary surgeon is judged, by both the Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees.
The quiz, which was road-tested at the London Vet Show on 6-7 November, is anonymous, but the College will be collating data on results to help focus future communications activities and see where extra guidance may be required.
On completion of the quiz, it is possible to review answers and view the relevant section of the online Guide.
The quiz is aimed at veterinary surgeons: if it's a success, a version for Registered Veterinary Nurses will follow.
To try the quiz, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/guidequiz It will initially be online for three months and reviewed thereafter.
The support pack features information on the role anaesthetic induction agents can play in the maintenance of anaesthesia to help veterinary surgeons provide appropriate care for their patients.
The pack includes a user guide to achieving the best outcome when using Alfaxan for the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia, a summary of peer-reviewed key clinical papers on the use of Alfaxan and how it can be used for the maintenance of anaesthesia, an article discussing the use of intravenous agents to maintain anaesthesia in the dog and cat, frequently asked questions and an Alfaxan dosage chart for CRI (Constant Rate Infusion) and intermittent bolus.
To download the pack, visit www.alfaxan.co.uk.
Richard Beckwith, country manager for Jurox (UK) Ltd. said: "We have received a significant increase in enquiries following the isoflurane supply issues.
"The new support pack will provide veterinary professionals with comprehensive information on Alfaxan to help practices develop options in providing appropriate anaesthesia for patients."
For more information, call Jurox customer services on 0800 500 3171, or e-mail: info@jurox.co.uk.
According to the company, it's the first large-scale EMS online booking system of its type in the veterinary profession and it will mean students can find practice placements at the touch of a button, instead of having to spend time contacting individual surgeries.
With the new system, the 200 CVS practices which currently offer EMS have their own page, where information is provided about the practice, along with a list of available placements.
Once registered, students can search for placements by practice name, location and date.
When a student finds a suitable placement a booking request is triggered, connecting the student to the host practice so that the booking can be confirmed.
CVS has also created a new EMS support framework, based on the RCVS day one competencies, to help practices and students structure each placement.
The company says the new framework puts health, wellbeing and professional skills on a par with clinical skills, to encourage students to take a holistic approach to their development - helping them to grow into happy, competent and confident veterinary surgeons.
Nigel Stansbie, Head of Online Course Creation at CVS, said: “As a major employer within the industry, we are fully committed to supporting the education and development of vet students, by offering high-quality EMS placements, to help them gain the skills and knowledge they will need to thrive when they join the workforce.
“Though we know that there is current debate about the future EMS requirements, we recognise the importance of EMS and are confident that the support we have put in place will enable students to make the most of these valuable work experience opportunties.”
The new CVS EMS online booking system is hosted on the company's knowledge hub: https://www.cvs-knowledgehub.com/.
Founded by Peter Rossdale in Newmarket in 1959, the practice now boasts a team of 50 veterinary surgeons and has established an international reputation for providing world class ambulatory, referral and laboratory services. The team is led by RCVS, European and American recognised veterinary specialists and operates from four sites in Newmarket, Exning, Hertfordshire and Lambourn.
Each year, Rossdales Equine Hospital in Exning hosts a large number of CPD courses which often include internationally recognised guest speakers who lecture alongside Rossdales’ specialist clinicians, with delegates attending from as far afield as Europe, Singapore, Dubai and Australia.
To celebrate the practice’s Diamond anniversary, Rossdales is hosting a special 'Diamond Series' of CPD events in 2019 in addition to its usual programme of educational courses.
Mike Shepherd, Managing Partner at Rossdales, said: "Since the practice was established by Peter Rossdale in 1959, it has always prided itself on clinical research and the willing distribution of this and other information to the veterinary profession. This ‘Diamond Anniversary’ series of CPD events is an initiative that we hope will benefit many of our veterinary colleagues. The first of these special events, the Diamond Series Veterinary Nursing Congress, was held at the beginning of June and was fully subscribed. We’re very pleased by the excellent feedback it generated."
Two further ‘Diamond Series’ events are scheduled, for veterinary surgeons and veterinary students respectively:
The Diamond Series Veterinary Surgeons Congress takes place on Friday,12th and Saturday, 13th July 2019 and is for all veterinary surgeons with an interest in equine or mixed practice. The programme covers a wide area of subjects, with talks provided by 12 veterinary surgeons from Rossdales Equine Hospital and Rossdales Laboratories. It also includes admission to The Moët & Chandon July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse on Saturday, 13th July.
The Diamond Series Undergraduate Congress will take place on Saturday, 10th and Sunday, 11th August 2019. This course is aimed at all current veterinary undergraduates who want to gain more knowledge and experience in the fields of equine veterinary medicine and surgery. There will be talks and presentations from 9 veterinary surgeons from Rossdales Equine Practice, Rossdales Equine Hospital and Rossdales Laboratories. There will also be a course dinner on the Saturday evening.
For more information, visit www.rossdales.com/news-events.
Morally injurious events are defined as experiences which violate one's moral or ethical code.
The research will consider the types of moral injuries veterinary professionals might encounter, their prevalence, the perceptions amongst professionals around how these moral injuries come about, and what support is needed when they occur.
The project is being led by psychologists Professor Neil Greenberg, Dr Dominic Murphy and Dr Victoria Williamson.
The research revolves around an online questionnaire which the researchers say should take no more than 20 minutes to complete: https://tinyurl.com/y7ue5ezw
Victoria said: “If you have experienced an upsetting event in your veterinary role, it would be really helpful if you could fill in our questionnaire which is anonymous and confidential. As part of this study, we are particularly interested in hearing about experiences that may have caused you to question the kind of person you are, or the kind of world we live in. These are things that you feel you may have done or failed to do, or things that others did or failed to do.
"We hope our results will help us to find better ways of meeting the needs of veterinarians in future so we would encourage veterinary professionals to also circulate this study to colleagues. Some participants may be invited to take part in a follow-up telephone interview; however, we would like to assure you this element of the project is completely voluntary.”
The survey will be followed by 1 hour telephone interviews with those who have indicated they are happy to be interviewed about their thoughts, feelings and beliefs since their challenging experience and how the event may have affected them.
The results of the study will be published in scientific journals and summaries will be made available for the relevant stakeholders with the aim of informing future research studies to support veterinary wellbeing, as well as clinical practice and policy.
Those who wish to find out more about the study before completing the survey can contact Victoria at: victoria.williamson@kcl.ac.uk
Almost half of the vets that watched a webinar about ferret medicine have said they would change their treatment protocols for adrenal disease and reproduction management as a result of what they learned.
The Virbac-sponsored webinar was led by John Chitty BVetMed CertZooMed CBiol MSB MRCVS and viewed by more than 600 practices, making it the most popular CPD event hosted by The Webinar Vet this year.
John Chitty said: "I provided an overview of treatment protocols for all of the common diseases but focused on adrenal disease as it's highly prevalent in neutered ferrets but may be reduced by the routine use of deslorelin implants. These implants can also be used to avoid surgical neutering."
According to a post-webinar questionnaire, 33% of clinicians said that they saw ferrets more than five times a year. Chris Geddes MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac said: "This confirms what we thought: ferrets are being presented more and more in practice and so education on this species is vital. An amazing 41% of respondents said that they would change their protocols for reproduction management and 40% their treatment of adrenal disease following the webinar, showing how useful it was to those attending."
Virbac recently announced that it has gained a marketing authorisation for the use of Suprelorin 9.4mg in male ferrets. Suprelorin, a slow-release implant containing the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist deslorelin, offers temporary sterilisation without the need for surgery.
For those who were unable to see it at the time, the webinar can now be viewed by visiting www.virbac.co.uk. A CPD certificate is also available for download as are six other webinars previously sponsored by Virbac.
For the study, which was funded by the charity Songbird Survival, researchers collected the nests of 103 blue and great tits, and tested them for the presence of 20 insecticides.
Fipronil, imidacloprid and permethrin were the main culprits, detected in 100%, 89.1% and 89.1% of the samples respectively.
Overall, a higher number of either dead offspring or unhatched eggs was found in nests containing a higher number of insecticides, higher total concentration of insecticides or a higher concentration of fipronil, imidacloprid or permethrin, which the authors say suggests contact exposure of eggs to insecticides in nest lining may lead to mortality and lower reproductive success.
The BVA responded by calling for more research and encouraging vets to work with clients to ensure responsible use of parasiticides.
BVA President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “Parasiticides play an important role in preventing and treating parasites in animals, which if left unaddressed can lead to bigger health and welfare issues in both animals and people.
"But it’s important they are used responsibly, and this work from the University of Sussex and SongBird Survival highlights the need for more research into how parasiticides affect the environment and wildlife and the associated risks.
“Rather than blanket use, we strongly encourage vets and owners to take a risk-based approach to prescribing or recommending these medicines, reflecting an animal’s exposure to parasites."
Reference
There were two charges against Mr Staton, the first being that he failed to comply with eight requests from the RCVS sent by letter between November 2014 and August 2017 in relation to his continuing professional development (CPD) records.
The second charge was that between 1st January 2012 and 7th November 2017 he failed to have professional indemnity insurance or equivalent arrangements in place.
Mr Staton’s request to adjourn the hearing and agree undertakings was not opposed by the RCVS. The Committee had regard to advice of the Legal Assessor and submissions from both counsel for the RCVS and legal advisor for Mr Staton. In accepting Mr Staton’s request for adjournment and his undertakings no admissions have been made in respect of the charges against him.
In deciding whether to accept the adjournment and undertakings, the Committee was asked to consider a number of factors including Mr Staton’s age and health, his unblemished career of more than 50 years, the fact that he had closed his practice and retired from clinical practice on 31 March 2018 and that he had no intention of practising as a veterinary surgeon again. For those reasons the Committee felt it would be disproportionate to take Mr Staton through a full hearing.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In coming to this decision the Committee considered the respondent’s application to adjourn this inquiry in the light of the evidence he adduced. It had regard to the interests of justice, the public interest in ensuring high standards are maintained by veterinary surgeons and the need to ensure the protection of animals and their welfare."
Should Mr Staton seek to apply to rejoin the Register then the proceedings will become active again and a Disciplinary Committee hearing will be scheduled.
A man who worked as a veterinary surgeon in Wiltshire, despite being neither qualified nor registered with RCVS, has received a 20-month sentence at Swindon Crown Court.
Peter Keniry (also known as Patrick Keniry), from Great Yarmouth, had been practising under the name of a properly qualified and legitimately registered veterinary surgeon, and was arrested on 23 August. At his initial hearing in Swindon Magistrates' Court, Mr Keniry pleaded guilty to charges of fraud by misrepresentation and unlawfully practising as a veterinary surgeon, and was released on bail.
At the Crown Court on Friday, Mr Keniry also pleaded guilty to additional charges before being sentenced. It is understood he will serve a number of months in prison, before being released on licence for the remaining period.
The RCVS assisted Wiltshire police in their apprehension of Keniry in August, having been alerted the previous day to his fraudulent activities. Mr Keniry is no stranger to the College or the police, having already been dealt with in 1998, 2001 and 2005 for similar offences. On each occasion, Mr Keniry has impersonated a member of the College whose name is legitimately on the Register, which makes it difficult even for practices that do check the credentials of prospective employees to pick up a problem.
Commenting on the recent sentencing, Gordon Hockey, RCVS Head of Professional Conduct said: "We are satisfied that the Court has clearly recognised the risk posed to both animal welfare and public safety by bogus veterinary surgeons. Anyone working as a veterinary surgeon when not qualified to do so, risks a custodial sentence.
"Mr Keniry's continued pattern of re-offending shows him to be a very convincing fraudster. By publicising his photograph, we hope to help any potential employer or locum agency reduce the chances of this happening again," he added.
The drug monographs for both formularies were revised and updated by the editorial panels in 2022, so the new edition contains the most up-to-date information about the medications used for dogs, cats and exotic pets.
The new formularies contain new drugs, new drug monographs, updated antimicrobial guidelines, parasiticide guidelines and sedation protocols.
The new formularies are available to buy at the BSAVA Publications stand at Congress, with a special 20% Congress discount.
Eligible members who are attending Congress can collect their copy of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 11th edition – Part A: Canine and Feline from the Exhibition Hall.
Any eligible members who are not going to BSAVA Congress will be sent their printed copy from April 2023 onwards.
Eligible members will be sent their printed copy of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 11th edition – Part B: Exotic Pets from April 2023 onwards.
All BSAVA members have access to the online version via the BSAVA Library and the BSAVA app.
Both Part A and Part B are available in print from www.bsava.com/shop (£55; £35.75 to BSAVA members), or as part of a 12-month digital subscription from www.bsavalibrary.com/formulary with Part A: Canine and Feline, Part B: Exotic Pets and the client information leaflets (£256 + VAT; free to BSAVA members).
According to the BVA, the problem is usually related to the cost of treatment, with 90% of vets saying that they or a member of their team have been challenged over their fees or charges and 98% saying that at some time they feel under pressure to waive fees or accept the promise of late payment.
Predictably, the problem is more commonly reported by those working in companion animal or mixed practice, with 89% reporting some form of intimidating experience. Younger vets and female vets were also significantly more likely to have experienced some form of intimidation.
The survey has prompted the BVA and the British Veterinary Nursing Association to issue advice concerning how to deal with intimidating clients.
BVNA President Sam Morgan said: "These statistics make for sad reading, but are certainly not surprising. Working within practice we have all either been subject to or witnessed that 'difficult' client, but we must remember any form of harassment is unacceptable. It’s important not to feel alone in these situations and to ensure there is awareness and support throughout the veterinary team."
BVA President John Fishwick, said: "Every situation is different and has to be dealt with on an individual basis, but it’s concerning to see the figures around challenging client behaviour and fees. Owning an animal is an important responsibility and will cost tens of thousands of pounds over its lifetime.
"It’s important for everyone in the vet team to take pride in the healthcare and treatment they deliver, and, equally, they must feel valued for their services. These figures emphasise the importance of managing expectations around fees by ensuring a two-way discussion about options and costs so clients can make a decision in collaboration with the veterinary team."
The BVA/BVNA advice for dealing with intimidating clients is as follows:
Photo: Dimitry A / Shutterstock
It is believed to be the first time the Royal Society of Medicine Pain Section Council, which comprises medical practitioners and consultants, has appointed a veterinary surgeon as President.
The Royal Society of Medicine is one of the country's major providers of postgraduate medical education and presents a neutral platform for informed debate about important, often controversial, healthcare topics.
The RSM has 56 Sections, encompassing all medical specialties. Membership of the RSM is diverse and whilst primarily catering for the needs of Medical Doctors its membership includes nurses, dentists, veterinary surgeons and other health professionals such as physiotherapists.
Louise took over the two-year Presidency on 1st October. Her immediate predecessor was Dr Anthony Ordman, Consultant in Pain Medicine and founder of the Pain Medicine Clinic at the Royal Free Hospital, London.
Louise said: "I am delighted to have the honour of serving as Section President and together as a Section Council we hope to build the profile of the RSM as a source of education for veterinary as well as medical specialists."
Bayer Animal Health has launched a next generation fluoroquinolone antimicrobial - Veraflox (pradofloxacin) - for the treatment of bacterial infections in cats and dogs.
Bayer Animal Health's marketing manager Dr Markus Edingloh said: "Veraflox, with its molecular compound pradofloxacin, developed exclusively for veterinary medicine, marks a major leap forward in veterinary antibiotic therapy and patient care.
"Veraflox has an enhanced spectrum of antimicrobial activity which encompasses Gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria. In addition, Veraflox has demonstrated high levels of bactericidal activity against target pathogens including activity against dormant bacteria typically found in chronic infections."
For cats, an oral suspension is available in which a fine-grained ion exchange agent binds to the antibiotic, apparently allowing it to pass the cat's taste buds undetected. Bayer says this innovation has been adopted specifically to ensure the product is palatable to cats, and help ensure owner compliance. The oral suspension comes with a syringe with both millilitre and gramme graduations, to help ensure accurate dosing.
Veraflox oral suspension is indicated for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, wound infections and abscesses. The 15mg tablet is also licensed in cats for treating upper respiratory tract infections.
Bayer says that in addition to its other indications, Veraflox is also very effective at combatting anaerobic bacteria that play a major role in aggressive bone destruction in canine periodontal disease, and it is the first fluoroquinolone to be licensed in dogs for the adjunctive treatment of severe infections of the gingiva and periodontal tissues.
In addition to its dental claim for dogs, Veraflox is also indicated for the treatment of wound infections, superficial and deep pyoderma, and acute urinary tract infections. It is given to dogs as a once-daily flavoured tablet.
Dr Edingloh added: "The unique chemistry and way in which Veraflox works gives it superior antibacterial activity compared with existing fluoroquinolones. In addition, during field studies, Veraflox was shown to be superior to other leading antibiotic products.
"Pradofloxacin has been proven to have a wide spectrum of activity, outstanding antibacterial activity, and an excellent safety margin. Its pharmacokinetic features ensure this active ingredient can rapidly get to the site of infection, at which it has a great impact on the pathogen population.
"One of the most common reasons for treatment failure where antibiotics are concerned is lack of owner compliance. The availability of Veraflox as an oral suspension with a graded syringe for cats, will enable more accurate dosing, far easier administration and so ensure higher cure rates.
"The launch of Veraflox is the first major advance in its class, since the introduction of Baytril, the first veterinary fluoroquinolone, over 20 years ago. Veraflox provides vets with more predictability, reliability and peace of mind, especially in difficult to treat infections."
For further information on Veraflox, please contact your Bayer representative or call 01635 563000.
The survey, which this year had a record 1605 respondents, covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses and dividends to benefits such as accommodation, car allowance and pensions.
The survey found that the median salary package for all vets in 2021 was £48,325; £3000 more than in 2020.
For all nurses the median package was £24,227 in 2021 and for head nurses the figure rose to £31,013.
The median daily rate for a locum vet was £350 in 2021, a rise of over 16% since 2020.
The hourly locum rate increased by 36% to £41 per hour.
Similarly, locum nurse daily rates have risen by over 30% since 2020 to £144 and their hourly rate increased by 14% to £20.
New grad vets' salary packages actually dropped by £800 in 2021, to £32,700.
However, the 2021 new grad hourly rate increased to £15.66 from £15.04 in 2020.
SPVS says this could indicate that newly qualified vets are earning less because they are working, on average, three hours less a week.
This may suggest that they are prioritising their work life balance, with time off being more important than an overall salary.
SPVS also highlights a growing gender gap in salary.
81% of the respondents were female, and the median full time salary difference between men and women was 21%, compared to 15% in 2020.
SPVS hypothesises that this could be because there are more male vets in more senior positions, rather than because of gender per se.
The question, therefore, is why there are more male vets than females in senior positions.
The survey showed very similar numbers of males and females doing both clinical and non-clinical post graduate training. But more than twice as many men than women go on to take up positions of leadership or seniority, or in referrals.
More research is needed to understand why females are doing the extra training, but apparently not using it to further their career.
As in 2020 SPVS has also looked at satisfaction with remuneration, hours worked, conditions, support and prospects and is using this data to create a separate report which will be available soon.
For more information, visit: https://spvs.org.uk/spvs-survey/
Teddy had initially been examined at another specialist centre where life-long medical management was recommended due to the complexity of his vascular abnormality.
His primary care veterinary surgeon, Dr Rachel Lang, then referred the case to Gerard.
The first step was a contrast CT scan of Teddy's liver to highlight the vascular abnormalities and take accurate measurements.
Teddy then underwent a transjugular coil embolisation of his shunts using fluoroscopic guidance.
This involved placing a stent in his caudal vena cava that spanned both abnormal communications, and then deploying multiple platinum coils into the shunts to occlude the vascular flow while ensuring portal hypertension did not develop. The entire procedure was completed in less than 60 minutes and was performed via a 2cm skin incision over his jugular vein.
Teddy made an excellent recovery from the procedure and is currently free of clinical signs and receiving no medication at home.
Rachel said: "I was really struggling to find a referral centre willing to take on Teddy's case as it was so unusual and had spent weeks contacting every local referral centre I had referred to in the past. I contacted Fitzpatrick's about his case and within an hour Gerard McLauchlan had rung back and actually sounded keen to see Teddy which was a delight after weeks of frustration. The referral process was very easy from my side and I've been kept well informed throughout. I wouldn't hesitate to refer a case again and only wish we were closer!”
Gerard said: “Teddy is a wonderful patient with an amazing family. We were delighted to be able to offer a solution to his problem that had been previously thought not possible. Teddy should now be able to enjoy an excellent quality of life without the need for long term medications or diet. Interventional Radiology provided new and minimally invasive options for many conditions including vascular abnormalities, urinary tract problems and various cancers.”
You can view the CTs in the VetSurgeon Clinical Reference Library here.
MSD Animal Health has announced a new claim for Bovilis BVD and Bovilis IBR Marker Live vaccines which means they can be mixed and administered in a single syringe.
MSD says the new mixing claim will offer significant advantages in herd health planning when controlling two of the more important infectious diseases in cattle.
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) remain major threats to cattle health and productivity. Vaccinations are commonly given at housing and/or turnout, which are both busy times for veterinary surgeons and on the farm in the herd health planning calendar.
The mixed vaccines are suitable only for booster vaccinations of animals from 15 months of age previously vaccinated separately with Bovilis IBR Marker Live and Bovilis BVD. The mixed vaccine needs to be used within three hours.
MSD says the mixing procedure is clear and easy, but there is an instructional video here: http://www.msd-animal-health.co.uk/Mixing_bovilis_BVD_Bovilis_IBR-Marker_Live.aspx
Hysolv Animal Health has announced the launch of Salmovac 440, a new live salmonella vaccine for poultry which the company claims gives earlier, stronger and longer-lasting immunity than other salmonella vaccines.
The vaccine is given orally through the water supply in a three-dose regime that protects against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). It also protects against other SE strains and the newly-emerging monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium strains.
Hysolv says the advantage for farmers is that the vaccine strain is robust and can survive in more hostile conditions. It therefore remains effective where the water delivery system is less than ideal.
The first dose is administered from Day 1 followed by a second dose at six weeks and a third as early as 11 weeks. Salmovac 440 protects chicks after six days and remains effective for up to 63 weeks after the third vaccination, providing an extra four weeks of protection.
Hysolv says another important benefit to egg producers is that the earlier final vaccination at 11 weeks means that the birds can be moved into the laying house as early as 16 weeks old if required — a significant management advantage on some farms.
During the development of the vaccine it was found that the third live vaccination tended to ‘shut down’ any prolonged shedding of the vaccine strain. This, coupled with the earlier vaccination at 11 weeks, helps solve the issue of the vaccine strain being found at transfer to the layer house. Dr Daniel Windhorst, salmonella vaccine specialist with IDT Biologika, said: "If any should be found, the new PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test shrinks the testing time to just two to three hours."
Daniel added: "Although the UK has one of the lowest percentages of salmonella in its flocks, almost one-third of cases were of S Typhimurium. In most continental countries the percentage is much higher, so the extra cover provided by this vaccine is important."
Salmovac 440 has been approved for use by the British Egg Industry Council, which administers the Lion Code.
The congress, which is now in its 6th year, also saw Millie Barnsley from Dudley scoop Nurse of the Year and Cassandra Pearson from Walsall win Client Care Co-ordinator of the Year.
Four more team members were also were singled out for their achievements, including Senior Vet Dr Laura Pugh, from Derby, who won the Quality Award, Veterinary Nurse Ann-Marie Mayren, who was presented with the Directors Choice Award, Dr Tom Cammack MRCVS, who was named Best New Team Member and Ed Newbold, who won the Leadership Award.
White Cross Vets' Managing Director Tim Harrison said: "It’s been a very special congress this year, as we are also celebrating 80 years since White Cross Vets was founded. It was really hard choosing the award winners, as there have been some fantastic examples of people going above and beyond, but Emily, Katherine, Millie, Cassandra, Laura, Ann-Marie, Tom and Ed were all very deserving winners, who are incredibly passionate about what they do.
Tim added: "In addition to recognising our award winners, we saw the culmination of our 80 prizes in 80 days competition on the final night of our congress, with veterinary nurse Amy Hood from Middlesbrough winning the star prize of an all-expenses paid trip to New York.
"As is now tradition at congress, we also randomly selected a Client Care Co-ordinator, vet nurse and vet to go to the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (formerly known as NAVC) in Orlando, Florida. Katrina Robinson, Isobel Hobbins and Dr Alex Beech will be heading to America for some sunshine and CPD in February next year."
"2017 has been a very successful year, we have opened two new practices, won several awards and were listed in The Sunday Times Top 100 companies to work for league table for the fifth year running. We also welcomed our 200th team member into the practice. The congress gave our whole family the chance to come together and celebrate all of our achievements and it was a huge success.
"The ethos of the White Cross Vets congress is to learn, make friends, have fun and reward success – and we certainly did that."
The company says that the composition and dosage of the new product has been optimised for maximum efficacy 1, 2. It offers three-five days on-label treatment options and does not need to be stored in a fridge.
According to Boehringer, the 600mg dose results in a concentration well above MICs for Strep. uberis and Staph. aureus for 24 hours, even after milking, which means it needs to be administered once a day1. In addition, its formulation enables optimum distribution of penicillin throughout the udder2.
Kath Aplin veterinary adviser at Boehringer Ingelheim said: "Traditionally, in the UK, we have favoured broad spectrum mastitis therapy as our first line approach, however in many other European countries, including The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark, penicillin is the treatment of choice.
"For farms with a mixed or unknown mastitis pattern, the traditional broad spectrum approach to mastitis therapy makes sense. However, many vets now have a good knowledge of common mastitis pathogens on clients’ farms and, for those where gram +ve pathogens predominate, penicillin as a first line treatment is well worth considering."
In a field trial assessing the prevalence of mastitis-causing pathogens and clinical cure rates after treatment with Ubropen3, mild and moderate cases of mastitis were treated for three to five days, with the causal pathogen being unknown at the time of treatment.
Kath said: “In 80% of cases of grade one or two clinical mastitis, the causative pathogen was found to be gram +ve and, following treatment with Ubropen, the overall clinical cure rate was 81%".
Ubropen is now available from the usual veterinary wholesalers in boxes of 20 tubes.
References:
1,219 farmers took part in the survey: 44% beef and 56% dairy. For the first time, the survey was also tailored for the regions. 488 responses came from famers in England, 380 from Scotland, 164 from Wales and 237 from Northern Ireland.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s Matt Yarnall, who led the project, said: "Headline findings are that farmers have regrets about holding onto persistently infected animals (PIs) which, at the end of the day, no-one should be doing.
"The financial benefit of being free of BVD was estimated as being over £90 per cow per year and when asked what impact BVD has had on their herd, the majority of producers highlighted poor fertility and high levels of disease in the herd.”
Boehringer says the identification of persistently infected animals (PIs) through tag and testing, supported by improved herd biosecurity and vaccination, could cost as little as £10 per cow per year, representing a significant return on investment for a disease with severe financial impact.
Matt said: "Herd biosecurity is also hugely variable. The most commonly selected response was operating a closed herd but, as most practitioners will know, the definition of a true closed herd and the real-life execution of that can be two very different things."
Highlighting one of the other major challenges for producers in cattle-dense areas, results from Scotland that showed that 51% of farmers with neighbouring cattle are worried about their neighbours' BVD status.
Matt said: "Perhaps the most alarming finding was the lack of awareness of the intricacies of some BVD vaccination courses, especially around when they need to be restarted, in order to achieve the protection needed."
2017 survey data from last year showed that 71% of producers were failing to achieve adequate protection when using a BVD vaccine that requires a booster six months after the primary course.
Boehringer says the results showed this is mostly down to not properly understanding the exact nature of the timings for the two-dose primary course, dates of service and calving and then the booster date.
Matt added: "For any practitioner advising clients, the 2018 finding that a shocking 85% haven’t restarted a vaccination course when the majority should have done, should ideally serve as a clear call to action."
For more information about the findings of the National BVD Survey, email bvdzero.uk@boehringer-ingelheim.com.
Hill's Pet Nutrition is to launch Prescription Diet y/d Feline for the nutritional management of feline hyperthyroidism in May.
According to the company, hyperthyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed endocrinopathy in cats globally, and is thought to affect around 10% of cats over the age of nine in the UK.1.
Prescription Diet y/d Feline is clinically proven to manage thyroid health in three weeks3 and gives vets a new management modality to address the needs of hyperthyroid cats. Hill's says that the new product is essentially a low iodine food; production of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 require iodine molecules, so limiting the amount of dietary iodine reduces the amount of thyroid hormones produced and released by the thyroid gland.
Hill's highlights three key studies in peer reviewed veterinary journals which the company says demonstrates the efficacy of y/d.2-4 The research identified that limiting the amount of iodine consumed resulted in a lowering of T4 (serum total thyroxine) to normal levels, with significant reductions in just 3 weeks.2
Hill's says that the availabillity of nutrition as a treatment option marks a major step forward from invasive surgery, treatment with radioactive iodine - which is available in only a few centres in the UK - or pilling, which can prove to be particularly difficult for some pet owners. The company adds that a gradual transition to y/d is also an option where medical treatment is proving problematic.
Cats with hyperthyroidism have a multisystemic disease and concurrent problems can develop, such as hypertension, cardiovascular abnormalities and recurrent urinary infections. Additionally, many older cats with hyperthyroidism have concurrent renal dysfunction, which is often 'unmasked' when the hypertension is bought under control. Therefore, y/d also has controlled levels of phosphorus and low sodium for renal and circulatory health, reduced magnesium and moderate urine pH target for urinary health and taurine and carnitine for heart health.
Hill's Prescription Diet y/d Feline will be available from 1st May.
For more information, visit www.catthyroidhealth.com
References
1. Symes H, Winter 2008/2009. Feline hyperthyroidism. The Endocrinologist. Issue 90, pp 10-12. Symes H, Winter 2008/2009. Feline hyperthyroidism. The Endocrinologist. Issue 90, pp 10-12.2. Controlled level of dietary iodine normalizes serum total thyroxine in cats with naturally occurring hyperthyroidism Yu S, Wedekind KJ, Burris PA, et al. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:683-684 (abstract).3. Titration of dietary iodine for reducing serum thyroxine concentrations in newly diagnosed hyperthyroid cats Melendez LD, Yamka RM, Forrester SD, et al. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:683 (abstract).4. Titration of dietary iodine for maintaining normal serum thyroxine concentrations in hyperthyroid cats Melendez LD, Yamka RM, Burris PA. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:683 (abstract).
The new Veterinary HPM Adult Neutered Wet with Salmon (a lifestage diet) and Urology Cat Wet (a clinical diet) have a high-protein low-carbohydrate formulation and a high share of animal protein.
Virbac points to studies which show that FLUTD is diagnosed in 8% of cats seen by vets for non-routine appointments1 and that there is a 51% risk of recurrence within one year of the initial diagnosis2.
Dr Rémi Mandray DMV MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac, said: "Feline specialists recognise the importance of nutrition and water intake in the management of FLUTD, so we are delighted to be able to add two high quality wet diets to the Veterinary HPM range and therefore offer advanced nutritional solutions to such an important health issue."
Virbac says that both diets have high levels of animal protein to stimulate water intake, increase the volume of urine and stabilise the pH for a healthy urinary system.
The lifestage diets include supplements to limit phosphorus excretion in the urine for improved prevention of struvite crystal formation.
The company also says the Urology diets in the clinical range meet the PARNUT requirements for dissolution and prevention of struvite stones or crystals, and prevention of oxalate formation.
Virbac claims the new chunks in gravy wet diets naturally increase water intake by up to 50%, due to their high water content.
Dry and wets can be fed together as part of a mixed nutritional programme, to meet pet owner preferences identified in Virbac's market research: 60% of cat owners use wet food, mostly mixed with kibbles4.
For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
The study was the first to use prospectively collected data to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for gingivitis in a cohort of domestic cats, using data from 860 cats aged up to six years enrolled in the Bristol Cats Study. Gingivitis was found to be a common condition in cats aged up to six years, with prevalence increasing with age, from 24.5% in cats less than 12 months old, up to 56.3% in cats between five and six years old. Odds of gingivitis in cats aged three to four years were higher in cats fed a wet only or mixed wet/dry diet compared to those on a dry only diet; cats not reported to hunt prey compared to reported hunters; cats reported to dribble whilst being stroked at age six months compared to reported non-dribblers; and cats with orange variants in their coat colour compared to non-orange cats. Sex was not found to be a risk factor for gingivitis (Ed's note: what a relief). Jess Williams, lead author of the study, said: “Periodontal disease is one of the most common conditions in cats, potentially causing issues with eating and behaviours like grooming.
"Our study showed that even young cats may have signs of gingivitis, so it is important to discuss and monitor dental health regularly and early on in a cat’s life, especially for those cats who may be more at risk.”
The study was funded by BSAVA PetSavers.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13737
Ms Hickman was charged with leaving three dogs, two of which had undergone surgery the day before and one of which was in for monitoring, unattended for more than three hours on 8th November 2022, after falling asleep.
She was then charged with falsifying clinical records to suggest she had made the relevant clinical checks and offered them water when in fact, she'd been asleep.
The final charge was that her actions in falsifying the records were dishonest and misleading.
At the start of the hearing, Ms Hickman admitted all of the charges.
As the charges had been admitted, the Committee considered whether they amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In doing so it noted sections of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses that relate to making animal health and welfare a veterinary nurse’s primary concern, the need to provide veterinary nursing care that is appropriate and adequate, and the need to keep clear, accurate and detailed clinical and client records.
Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee was in no doubt that the respondent’s failure to monitor properly three patients in an overnight ward in a hospital and the subsequent creation of false records to suggest that appropriate monitoring had taken place amounts to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
Having found serious professional misconduct, the Committee then went on to consider the most appropriate sanction, taking into account both aggravating and mitigating factors.
The Committee found that an adverse health condition had influenced the conduct that had led to the disciplinary hearing – including that she had unintentionally fallen asleep while she should have been monitoring the animals – and so considered this a mitigating factor.
Also, by way of mitigation, the Committee considered that Miss Hickman had fully appreciated the implications of her conduct and expressed remorse at the impact it could have on the public’s trust for the veterinary nursing profession.
It also took into account positive testimonials from current and previous employers, her hitherto unblemished career, and the fact that there was no longer any risk of repetition.
However, in terms of aggravating factors, the Committee took into account that it was a case involving dishonesty, and dishonesty which had not been admitted to the RCVS at an early stage.
In addition, it noted that the conduct involved a risk of injury to animals and a breach of trust towards the owners of those animals.
Dr Peaty added: “The Committee was satisfied that a significant period of suspension would properly reflect the gravity of the respondent’s disgraceful conduct, serve to maintain the reputation of the profession and promote and maintain proper standards of conduct.
"The Committee considered that a period of suspension of six months was sufficient to satisfy this public interest.”
Miss Hickman has 28 days from the sanction being announced to appeal the Committee’s decision.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
In 2020, BSAVA Congress will have been held at the ICC Birmingham for thirty years. However, recent years have seen ever greater competition from the London Vet Show, so the plan to revitalise the event further north at an award-winning new venue with such good transport links seems to make a lot of sense.
Manchester Central's size also means that unlike in Birmingham, the commercial exhibition, lectures and demonstrations will all take place under one roof, maximising the use of delegates' time.
Angharad Belcher, Head of BSAVA Congress said: "We’ve had a first-class experience in Birmingham, and we could not have asked for more from the venue. We know that 2019 and 2020 will continue to be popular, however, it’s time to move BSAVA Congress forward and revitalise the offering to our delegates and exhibitors by bringing everything into one building. The move to Manchester enables us to invest even more in speakers and delegate experiences, to make BSAVA’s education programme truly unsurpassable."
BSAVA President Philip Lhermette said: "It’s very much a new city for a new Congress and celebrations will be in order. Manchester lends itself perfectly to a timely transformation for Congress. We will be completely re-branding the event, modernising the CPD programme and making the best possible use of every minute of every delegate’s time over the full four days. We have been working closely with the city and venue in practical terms to offer a whole suite of options to delegates and exhibitors, from irresistible new socials and extensive accommodation choices, to easy transport routes."
Shaun Hinds, CEO of Manchester Central said: "After getting to know the association and their vision, it was clear that they wanted to transform the experience of their delegates. The ambition of the association matches that of the city and Manchester has the perfect blend of venue and vibrancy to develop the BSAVA Congress of the future. We’re delighted to be welcoming them in 2021 and we’ll work hard with the organisers to create a unique and remarkable experience for their delegates, exhibitors, partners and all visitors."