Sam Joseph, co-founder of StreetVet said: "It is especially important for the dogs belonging to the homeless and vulnerably housed to be microchipped and not just because it is now a legal requirement, a registered microchip is often the only way for them to provide evidence of keepership."
We are so grateful to Animalcare for providing StreetVet with identichip microchips as we are now able to ensure that all the dogs that we treat are chipped and registered to their owners. Animalcare will also allow free, life-long change of address for microchips implanted by StreetVet meaning the homeless owners can easily change the registration details if they are able to find accommodation or if they move again in the future. This amazing support will give real peace of mind to the owners of the dogs we treat."
James Beaumont from Animalcare Ltd: "Animalcare provides the UK’s most advanced pet microchipping service through identichip, which has led the way for nearly 30 years. I’m pleased that Animalcare can support such a worthy cause, and hope this is the start of a long relationship with StreetVet."
Photo: Jade Statt of StreetVet and James Beaumont of Animalcare Ltd at BSAVA Congress.
Both veterinary professionals and clients can nominate people and practices for one of five awards.
Every professional nominated in the awards will be sent a personalised certificate.
An independent panel of judges from within the veterinary industry will then narrow down the entries to a shortlist of three finalists for each award, who will all be invited to awards ceremony in Manchester on Thursday 21st March 2024.
Bella von Mesterhazy, Sales and Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “Every year we think we’ve seen it all, but then we’re overjoyed by the sheer volume of and enthusiasm behind the latest nominations.
"So for anyone who’s considered nominating before but hasn’t got round to it, this year’s the time to get involved, as we all come together to champion the immense success of the UK’s veterinary industry, whilst celebrating the awards quarter-century anniversary.”
petplan.co.uk/vetawards
Nominations close on 8th January 2024.
So, it suggested, "Kill two birds with one stone" should become "Feed two birds with one scone", "Taking the bull by the horns" should become "Take the flower by the thorns", and "Bring home the bacon", "Bring home the bagels."
Oh honestly. This really gets my goat.
The elephant in the room, of course, is that there's always more than one way of skinning a cat.
Still, PETA went to the dogs years ago.
Virbac says Michelle is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading experts in companion animal reproductive biology.
She graduated from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, before completing a residency at Cornell University and becoming board-certified in Theriogenology.
She earned a PhD in physiology at Cornell University and is currently a Full Professor at Oregon State University.
Michelle is also a member of the WSAVA Reproduction Control Committee which recently previewed its new Global Guidelines for Reproduction Control during WSAVA Congress in September.
Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Manager at Virbac said: "The UK has the highest rate of surgical castration in Europe, but with new WSAVA global reproduction control guidelines expected to be published imminently, increasing evidence on the effect of surgical castration on long-term health and even the UK’s leading animal welfare charities updating their guidance on neutering dogs, there’s no better time to review practice neutering policies.
"In line with an evidence-based approach, we want to pose the question: is surgical castration right for every dog?"
www.bit.ly/caninecastration
Taking place at Code Node, VSGD Live will bring together 300 veterinary professionals, offering TED-style talks, Q&A sessions, small group workshops, panel discussions, a VSGD art gallery, awards, and time for networking.
On day one, the event will explore the options open to veterinary surgeons, with talks from those who've stayed in practice, left the profession or diversified their career paths.
There to share their experiences will be Julie Ross (From the clinic to consultancy), Niall Connell (Discovering life after ill health retirement), James Greenwood (Presenter, vet, potter), Jade Statt (Starting Streetvet), Greg Dickens & Guen Bradbury (Work to innovate), Chris Tufnell (Advocating for the profession in practice), Rob Petitt (Mind over matter and surgery), Kimberly Wells (Talk is cheap action is priceless lessons from welfare and Cal Major (Paddling against plastic).
On day two, there will be small group workshops and panel discussions to help you build the confidence and knowledge to move into a new career path or gain a new skill. Subjects include:
Working out what you want: Vet Your Life!
Stop selling yourself short: CV clinic
Taking an idea to business
Practice makes perfect: Starting a veterinary business
Becoming a portfolio professional or a part-time pro
Working in science and communications
Careers in education
Carving out a charitable career
Beyond veterinary: working in the civil service
Locumming: be the independent professional
Lunch on both days is included, as well as drinks and nibbles on Saturday night.
All ticket holders will also receive a follow up e-book with top tips, videos and advice from the inaugural VSGD LIVE! event.
Bovalto Respi vaccines contain a newly developed combination of viral and bacterial antigens. Merial says the recent vaccine isolates effectively target current European-circulating Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) strains. Bovalto antigens are also proven by challenge, including at six months post-vaccination to confirm long-lasting protection.
Henry Berger, Global Head of the Ruminant and Equine Business Unit at Merial, said: "Merial is committed to understanding the needs of cattle producers and delivering unique, targeted solutions. Merial is dedicated to expanding its portfolio of parasiticides, vaccines and other disease prevention solutions, with high-value products like Bovalto Respi, to improve productivity, and keep herds healthy."
Merial highlights that BRD is complex to manage and each year affects an estimated 1.9 million animals1, costing the UK cattle industry around £60 million2. In Ireland BRD is responsible for 30% of deaths in stock under one-year old3.
At a Merial symposium at WBC 2016, Prof. Sandro Cavirani, Director of the Department of Animal Health at the University of Parma, Italy highlighted the importance of successful BRD control programmes in calves to optimise herd immunity and productivity, including early, repeated and targeted BRD vaccination.
Bovalto Respi 3 contains strains of Parainfluenza Virus 3, Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A1. The combination in Bovalto Respi 4 combines the three pathogens in Bovalto Respi 3, with the added strain of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV).
References
Kruuse has launched the Buster Premium Dog Collar, described as the greatest innovation in Elizabethan dog collars since the original.
The company says the new collar has been designed with two things in mind. First and foremost, patient comfort. Secondly, ease-of-use. Both should help improve compliance.
The new product uses perforated neoprene to provide a snug fit round the neck with no need to attach a separate collar. It's fastened using Velcro, to give a quick but secure fitting. There's padded banding around the inner edge to provides extra comfort and prevent skin irritation, and additional banding around the outer edge to protect the dog's surroundings.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director at Kruuse said: "Worldwide, the Buster collar is the most trusted device to prevent canine patients from biting or licking their body or scratching their head and neck while wounds or injuries heal. The functionality of an e-collar is outstanding when it comes to postoperative care and prevention of self-inflicted trauma.
"The new Buster Premium Collar has been developed in association with vets, vet nurses and dog owners to provide an exceptional collar that is as stress-free as possible for the patient whilst providing exceptional functionality for the user both at the veterinary hospital and at home."
The Premium Buster Collar is available exclusively via NVS: www.vetwholesaler.co.uk
A survey of almost 1400 ferret owners carried out by the Ferret Education & Research Trust (FERT) and pet food manufacturers James Wellbeloved has revealed that 40% of the UK's ferret owners never take their animals to a vet, with a further 9% saying they visit the vet only occasionally.
In addition, 76% of ferret owners have not had them microchipped, 64% have not bothered with vaccination against distemper and 74% with vaccination against rabies.
Almost three quarters are registered with a vet for emergency treatment, but 26% are not registered at all.
Ian Kearns from FERT said: "This is quite an alarming picture in terms of ferret welfare; however it offers a clear opportunity for vets to address the issue. Ferrets are growing fast in popularity as pets, and it may be that as their role changes they will visit the vet more - but we believe that vets can seize an opportunity by promoting ferret welfare via the waiting room."
The survey also showed that 65% are fed on mixed biscuits and meat. James Wellbeloved Ferret Complete Food was the clear leader, outselling its' nearest rival by almost five times to one. Over half are kept outdoors, and there is a wide choice of bedding material including commercially made washable fabric, straw and paper.
Peter Lancaster, James Wellbeloved marketing director said: "Ferrets are growing in popularity, but because owners sometimes don't do enough research a worrying number are ending up in rescues. Veterinary practices are of course very well-placed to focus on ferret welfare, and we'd urge any vets and vet nurses who want to know more to get in touch with the team at FERT."
10 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT FERRETS...
A group of brave veterinary nurses and a student nurse leapt out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft last weekend, both to raise money for children with epilepsy, and to highlight the need to protect the title 'Veterinary Nurse' in law.
Vicky Couzens, Jenny Cook, Kim Blowing, Michelle Dickens, Gillian James and Leigh Martin, none of whom had parachuted before (in fact, Gillian hadn't even been in a plane before), were raising money for the Muir Maxwell Trust, a charity which funds research into childhood epilepsy, and supports the families of some of the 70,000 children affected by it in the UK.
The daredevil nurses also wanted to highlight the fact that anyone can call themselves a veterinary nurse, regardless of whether they've ever even set foot inside a veterinary practice, let alone passed the demanding examinations. They argue that the title 'Veterinary Nurse' should be protected in law, in exactly the same way as 'Veterinary Surgeon', so that the pet-owning public can have the reassurance of knowing when their animal is being cared for by a qualified professional.
To support these nurses' efforts, and help them reach their fundraising targets, click the links below:
http://www.justgiving.com/Victoria-Couzens http://www.justgiving.com/Jenny-Cook23 http://www.justgiving.com/KimBlowing http://www.justgiving.com/Michelle-Dickens
Meanwhile, one of the children that has benefitted from the work done by the Muir Maxwell Trust is Emily Guthrie, daughter of the editor of VetNurse.co.uk and VetSurgeon.org. She sent the jumpers her own message of thanks:
505 people took part in the survey in August 2019, of which 85% were receptionists. The remainder were RVNs, VCAs or practice managers with some front desk responsibility.
The survey found that 45% were paid between £8 and £9 per hour, with 9% more falling into this salary bracket than in 2018. 5.32% were paid £8 or less per hour.
The Real Living Wage is a figure calculated from the costs of a basket of household goods and services by the Living Wage Foundation, and voluntarily paid by its 6000-odd member companies in the UK. The Living Wage Foundation argues it is a better measure of what people need to get by on than the Minimum Wage (£7.70 for those aged between 21 and 25) or the National Living Wage (£8.21 for those over 25).
63% of veterinary receptionists said they were unsatisfied with their pay. However, it was not the biggest cause of dissatisfaction uncovered by the survey. 67% were dissatisfied with the recognition of the value of their role, and 69% with the career progression options open to them.
70% of respondents said they would like to do more CPD and that the main benefit would be to clients and patients. However, 43% of receptionists said there is no time allowance set aside for them to complete CPD.
Co-founder of BVRA and Honorary Associate Professor In Veterinary Business, Nottingham University, Brian Faulkner (pictured right) said: "A large part of the client experience is centred around the waiting room and receptionist area and our members work hard to ensure that experience is positive.
"We have an increasing number looking to upskill and the appetite for CPD is clearly there. If we can envisage a scenario where the minimum wage is set at £10.50 an hour, that would mean that around 65% of veterinary receptionists would need a pay increase.
"I don't think any of us believe that veterinary receptionists are currently doing an unskilled job and a key mission of BVRA is to achieve greater recognition of the value they bring to practices, both as colleagues and commercially."
Merial has launched the latest edition of its Osteoarthritis (OA) Expert series, covering key aspects of management such acute OA flare up.
Produced by Steven J Butterworth MA VetMB CertVR DSAO MRCVS from Weighbridge Referral Centre Swansea, the update advises on key issues, including when surgery might be necessary. Steven is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) and this latest contribution to the guide also looks at patient monitoring and factors such as lifestyle, diet, physiotherapy and the role of NSAIDs.
Previcox product manager Claire Edmunds said: "The quarterly updates are each written by an expert in their field and provide an opportunity for practising vets to update their OA expertise.
"As with every update vets can put their knowledge to the test, and one lucky winner will receive £500 worth of CPD vouchers. Released quarterly, the updates have proved extremely popular. Each paper has a related quiz containing key questions from the discussion and the winner will be the first correct entry drawn at random."
The company will produce further editions next year covering topics including conservative management of canine osteoarthritis and rehabilitation.
If you haven't received a manual and would like a copy, please contact your local Merial territory manager or call the customer hotline on 0870 6000 123.
The business is led by RCVS Specialists in Small Animal Orthopaedics, Professor John Innes and Ben Walton, alongside American veterinary orthopaedic specialist and investor, Dr Brian Beale.
Two more Specialists are due to join the senior team in May.
Building work is apparently well underway on the 8000ft2 premises in Abbots Park, Preston Brook, which will be equipped with CT, high-field MRI, and three operating theatres.
The centre, which is located near Junction 11 of the M56, will provide referral services to veterinary practices from the conurbations of the North of England and the surrounding English and Welsh counties.
Ben Walton said: “For me, it is an honour to team up with John and Brian who have unparalleled international reputations, and I’m eagerly anticipating the arrival of our two additional colleagues.
"For veterinary professionals and clients, we are concentrating on responsive and clear communication, high clinical standards, and fair pricing.
"And finally, for prospective employees, we’re determined to foster a positive and supportive culture where vets, nurses and support staff can grow, thrive and enjoy a career.”
Until the opening of the new centre, Movement Referrals offers a peripatetic orthopaedics referral service based out of third party veterinary practices in the North West of England and North Wales.
www.movementvets.co.uk
Photo: from left to right: Prof. John Innes, Ben Walton, Dr Brian Beale
Tim Harrison, managing director at White Cross Vets, said: "Our plan has been to open five new practices within a 12 month period and despite having a strong presence in West Yorkshire we didn’t have a practice in South Yorkshire. When we found out Dave wanted to move to Sheffield it made perfect sense for us to expand into the area and for him to lead the practice as clinic director.
"Dave is a hugely talented and compassionate professional and we certainly didn’t want to lose him. The Handsworth opening is the perfect fit for Dave who will lead a team of four. As the practice expands, we envisage that we will create a further 20 jobs over the next five years.”
White Cross says it has invested £250,000 in the practice, which is opening on the site of a former sausage factory which has recently been redeveloped at a cost of £1.1M.
Dave said: "I was so thrilled when Tim told me his plans for Sheffield. I love the area and my wife’s family have grown up there, I have been wanting to set up a long term family home for a while, and the fact that I have been able to move my young family to South Yorkshire, and still work for White Cross Vets, makes me really happy."
Now, when you search Google for something which includes the word 'job' or 'jobs', Google presents an easy-to-filter list of local vacancies. You can also search in other locations.
One of the criteria for a job advert to be listed in Google for Jobs is that it must first have appeared on a webpage written with special code which allows the search engine to read the advert correctly.
VetSurgeon Jobs has been upgraded to include this code, and jobs advertised on VetSurgeon.org are now appearing on Google for Jobs.
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "We've known this was coming for some time, so we made sure VetSurgeon Jobs would be ready as soon as Google unveiled the new system.
"It has yet to be seen how widely Google for Jobs will be used by veterinary surgeons looking for a job. Back in the day, you'd have to wait for the latest copy of Vet Times to arrive in the post in order to find a job. Then came the internet, and with it a small handful of job websites worth checking for veterinary vacancies, of which VetSurgeon Jobs is one.
"Now, Google for Jobs provides one-stop search from most of the big players, although not all veterinary job boards are compatible with the new system and notably Indeed is excluded from Google for Jobs search results.
"The question now is whether jobseekers will continue to go directly to their favourite job website, or search Google first. Either way, though, you'll find jobs advertised on VetSurgeon.org!"
What do you think of the new Google for Jobs feature? Comment below.
The publishers say that with a global donkey population estimated at around 46 million, it’s imperative for the veterinary profession to stay well-informed about the unique biology and disease susceptibility of this species.
The virtual collection addresses the previous shortfall of pathophysiological information, with articles on pharmacology, diagnostics, disease prevalence and management practices relating to donkeys as working, companion and production animals.
Preventative healthcare is addressed with a study of a companion population of donkeys in the UK and clinicians are encouraged to focus on client education, promotion of vaccination, regular dental care, strategic parasite control programmes and weight management.
Several papers address decision-making around treatment options, emphasising the need for a good understanding of the pharmacology of the available therapeutic agents in relation to donkeys and the pathophysiology of the diseases, as well as the value of pain assessment and control.
Another important aspect of disease detection and management is the availability of accurate diagnostics. Several papers address aspects of diagnostic testing, with emphasis on the caution that must be taken when extrapolating from horses because of the minimal data relating specifically to donkeys.
Donkeys are often described as silent carriers of, or as being more resistant to, infectious agents. Two articles demonstrate that they can in fact develop severe clinical signs when exposed to certain known equine pathogens, raising the importance of surveillance, accurate diagnosis, outbreak management, disease control and clear communication and education.
Less common conditions in donkeys as well as awareness of zoonotic risk are addressed within the collection, emphasising the value of owner-driven reporting as part of a disease surveillance and control programme to inform decision making on relevant interventions.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ, said: “This impressive collection shines a spotlight on the important advances that have been made to donkey medicine and welfare and helps us to identify the research gaps yet to be filled
“By sharing this work, we aim to improve disease prevention and enhance the welfare of donkeys around the world as well as highlight the continued importance of owner education and improve the public perception of this enduring species.”
The virtual issue can be found here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.donkey-medicine-welfare.vi
The new study, which was conducted by the RVC's VetCompass Programme found that 33% of deaths in dogs aged under 3 years (roughly 21,000 dog deaths in the UK) are caused by undesirable behaviours which may reflect poor training by owners, or be caused by undiagnosed medical conditions.
The study also found that male dogs and smaller dogs were more likely to die from undesirable behaviours than female or larger dogs and that certain breeds were hugely predisposed.
It is hoped that this research can raise awareness of the most common undesirable behaviours in dogs and encourage owners to improve the health and welfare of their animals through better choices when getting a puppy and improved training afterwards.
The RVC conducted this study using its analytics programme, VetCompass, to explore the de-identified data of a quarter of a million dogs in the UK.
From this data, the researchers identified 1,574 dogs that had died before the age of 3 years.
Analysing the patterns of deaths, they found that:
33.7% of all deaths in dogs (or roughly 21,000) aged under 3 years in the UK are due to undesirable behaviours
The most common undesirable behaviours that led to death were aggression (54.0% of deaths) and road traffic accident [which may have behavioural components such as straying and poor recall] (39.0% of deaths).
Crossbred dogs were 1.4 times more likely to die from an undesirable behaviour than purebred dogs.
Dogs weighing under 10 kg were more than twice as likely to die from an undesirable behaviour as dogs weighing over 40 kg.
Compared with the Labrador Retriever, the breeds with the highest risk of death from an undesirable behaviour were the Cocker Spaniel (8 times the risk), West Highland White Terrier (5.7 times the risk), Staffordshire Bull Terrier (4.5 times the risk), and Jack Russell Terrier (2.7 times the risk). The Labrador Retriever was chosen as the baseline breed as it is a common and well-known breed.
Male dogs were 1.4 times more likely to die from an undesirable behaviour than females.
Of the dogs that died from an undesirable behaviour, the owners of 12.9% dogs had sought veterinary behavioural advice.
Behavioural drug therapy was used in 3% of dogs that died from an undesirable behaviour.
12.2% of dogs that died from an undesirable behaviour had been previously rehomed.
76.2% of the dogs that died from an undesirable behaviour were euthanised (i.e. put to sleep).
The paper raises severe concerns about the high numbers of dogs that are put to sleep due to undesirable behaviours which accounts for over three-quarters of all dogs that die from undesirable behaviours.
Dr. Dan O'Neill, Senior Lecturer at the RVC and supervisor of the study, said: "This study is the biggest study ever undertaken on behavioural reasons for deaths in young dogs in the UK.
"It suggests the importance of good socialisation of puppies by breeders, of sensible breed selection by owners and of careful dog training after acquiring a dog, to ensure that the lives of dogs and owners are fulfilling for all parties involved.
"Dogs with behaviours that their owners find unacceptable are at risk of compromised welfare, either because of their own underlying emotional motivations for the behaviour (e.g. anxiety or fear) or because of how their owners might seek to resolve the problem (e.g. the use of punishment such as beating or electric shock collars).
"Greater awareness of the scale of this issue can be the first step towards reducing the problems and making the lives of thousands of our young dogs happier."
Reference
The nurse, who admitted the charges against her, successfully applied for anonymity at the outset of the case, on the basis that the shock factor of the removal of the animals' heads could greatly upset members of the public and veterinary staff, leading to a backlash which would present a threat to her safety.
The Disciplinary Committee heard that the nurse, who was working as a locum, asked a permanent member of staff if she could take a couple of skulls from the strays, because she had a friend who 'cleaned up' dead strays and wildlife and displayed the skulls at home.
The College’s case was that the nurse’s actions amounted to serious professional misconduct because she failed to afford the dead animals with the respect and dignity they deserved, there was a risk to human health because she failed to comply with biosecurity measures, and her actions had the potential to undermine public confidence in the profession.
Although she admitted that her conduct fell short of what was expected, the nurse countered that her actions were not intended to be disrespectful to the animals, that she was an animal-lover who had three cats of her own, and that her actions were not malicious but misjudged.
Weighing up the case, the Committee found that the aggravating features of her conduct were around biosecurity and abuse of her professional position, while in mitigation it found that there was no financial gain in her actions and that it was a one-off incident.
Kathryn Peaty, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The respondent’s conduct represented a biosecurity risk.
"Any body part would be in some degree of decomposition.
"As the cats were strays, it was unclear as to whether or not they had been in good health.
"Although the respondent transferred the body parts to her home and kept them in the freezer in cadaver bags, there was a risk that they could leak.
"In short, her actions were not without risk to human or animal health.
“The respondent abused her professional position.
"She had an obligation to treat the cadavers with respect.
"Her professional position gave her access to the cadavers.
"She abused her professional position by severing the cats’ heads and, using a scalpel, body bags and other equipment she pursued an interest of her own, rather than performed the role she was employed to undertake.
"Although she may say that she obtained permission to remove the cats’ heads from a permanent member of staff, she was a Registered Veterinary Nurse and therefore an autonomous professional.
"Whatever permissions she received should not have made her believe she had a licence to act as she did.”
Considering the appropriate sanction, the Committee took into account her relative youth and inexperience, the fact she made open and frank admissions at an early stage, the fact she made efforts to avoid a repetition of the behaviours, the insight she had shown into why her conduct was wrong, and the amount of time that had passed since her conduct relative to the total length of her four-year veterinary nursing career.
The Committee also considered positive character references from fellow veterinary nurses with whom she worked and trained.
Kathryn added: “The Committee considered that a reprimand was the sanction it should impose.
"A reprimand marks the Committee’s view of the respondent’s behaviour, thereby satisfying the public interest.
“The Committee did consider issuing a warning as to future conduct, but it had no concerns that the respondent would fail to follow the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses in the future.
"It therefore rejected a warning as an appropriate alternative.”
The full findings of the Disciplinary Committee can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The article looks at the practice, rationale and motivation for raw feeding before evaluating the existing evidence on both the benefits and risks of such diets.
The recent trend away from heat-treated, manufactured pet food for dogs and cats towards raw diets has been driven by suspicion of the former and perceived health benefits of the latter.
However, feeding raw diets, even commercially-prepared ones, does have risks: a recent paper described 13 cats in the UK that appeared to have been infected by Mycobacterium bovis2 by feeding Natural Instinct Wild Venison, a commercial raw mince for cats.
The leader of the investigation, Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore from the University of Edinburgh said: "Feeding raw food was the only conceivable route of infection in most cases; this outbreak of tuberculosis has now affected more than 90 individuals in over 30 different locations, with more than 50 of the cats developing clinical disease."
One of the authors of the review, Dr Andrew Wales, said: "Formal evidence does exist for claims by raw‐feeding proponents of an altered intestinal microbiome and (subjectively) improved stool quality. However, there is currently neither robust evidence nor identified plausible mechanisms for many of the wide range of other claimed benefits.
"There are documented risks associated with raw feeding, principally malnutrition (inexpert formulation and testing of diets) and infection affecting pets and/or household members. Salmonella has been consistently found and there is also a risk of introducing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria."
The full review article can be found in the June issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13000
On Tuesday 8th September Dr Owen Davies, an RCVS and American Specialist in Veterinary Oncology, will present ‘Mast Cell Tumours: An Update’, in which he will review mast cell tumours and diagnostic approaches before appraising the current treatment options.
On Wednesday 9th September Dr Pam Jones, a double board certified Specialist in Veterinary Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology from the US, will present ‘Stelfonta: Seeing is Believing’.
Dr Jones will introduce delegates to the unique mode of action of tigilanol tiglate, review the efficacy data behind the new product and demonstrate how this treatment can be used to provide a high tumour elimination rate, wound healing and a speedy return to a good quality of life for the pet.
Dr Neil Mottram, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: “The effects of Stelfonta really do need to be seen to be believed, so we’re excited to offer vets the opportunity to learn more about this ground-breaking advancement in veterinary oncology. We are lucky to have secured some fantastic speakers for the webinars so delegates can be assured of some top quality CPD.”
Both events will be hosted by The Webinar Vet and begin at 7:30pm. Registration for the event is now open and can be found at www.thewebinarvet.com/stelfonta
For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager or visit vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta
According to the company, a similar percentage of respondents believe that senior cats would benefit clinically if they monitored blood pressure routinely in their senior years, and nearly 85% said that anti-hypertensive medication would increase the quality of life for their patients.
Time constraints were cited as the main barrier to routinely measuring blood pressure, but all of those questioned would be happy for a trained RVN to measure blood pressure in cats.
Ceva highlights studies which show show that hypertension affects one in eight cats over nine years old3, with the risk increasing as cats age or if they have other conditions such as chronic kidney disease (where one in three cats suffer with hypertension) or overactive thyroid disease (where an estimated one in four cats suffer with hypertension)4, 5, 6.
Rosanne Jepson, specialist in small animal internal medicine at the Royal Veterinary College said: "High blood pressure can cause severe damage to key body organs including the eyes, kidneys, heart and brain. Unfortunately, it is a condition that develops insidiously without early warning signs for the cat owner; a cat may seem perfectly fine until either the blood pressure is checked, or serious consequences of hypertension suddenly occur."
With this in mind, Ceva says it will host the first Feline Hypertension Month this May, to raise awareness of hypertension and improve the detection and management of high blood pressure in cats.
The company is also encouraging practices to take part in the 'Mercury Challenge', a study it is launching in the summer which will, it says, be the largest-ever European study into feline hypertension.
For information on feline hypertension, Feline Hypertension Month or the Mercury Challenge, contact your local Ceva Animal Health account manager.
If you buy 12 bags from the listed Veterinary Care Nutrition and Satiety Range, you'll get three outers of feline wet food free. Order a minimum of 12 bags and you'll also get a free standing display unit, twelve 50th Anniversary tins and a 50th Anniversary promotional pack. If you buy another eight bags from the listed Canine and Feline Veterinary Care Nutrition and Clinical range, you'll get one box of 12 Anniversary Tins free.
The 50th anniversary promotion pack includes bunting, a window cling, bag stickers and posters.
Erin Biss, Marketing Executive at Royal Canin, said: "50 years on, we continue to put science at the heart of everything we do. From our specially developed diets, to investment in education, supporting important research projects and collaborating with the UK’s universities. We hope vet practices around the UK will join us in celebrating this milestone.”
For more information about Royal Canin's 50th anniversary offer, speak to your Veterinary Business Manager.
Finn, a seven-year-old German Shepherd dog, sustained stab wounds to the head and chest as he and his handler, PC David Wardell, pursued a suspect in Stevenage. PC Wardell sustained stab wounds to his hand.
Finn was rushed to Roebuck vets in Stevenage where his wounds were dressed and he was stabilised before being transferred to Davies Veterinary Specialists near Hitchin for emergency surgery.
DVS soft tissue surgeon Rob Adams (pictured above) operated on Finn. He said: "For legal reasons we cannot disclose the full extent of Finn’s injuries. We are however able to confirm multiple knife injuries were sustained to his head and chest involving several of his vital organs. Major surgical intervention was required including open chest surgery to save Finn’s life. Several drains were placed after surgery to manage the degree of trauma and contamination risk from the knife. The surgery went very well and Finn was transferred to intensive care for recovery.
"It is a testament to Finn’s incredible bravery, tenacity and loyalty to his handler, to know he continued to stand firm in the line of duty with no regard to the extent and severity of the injuries he suffered."
DVS says that Finn has exceeded all expectations and recovered very quickly. He has been discharged back into PC Wardell’s care and will hopefully be back up and running again just before Christmas.
PC Wardell said: "I’ve had Finn since he was about nine months old and we’ve been out on the street for just over six years together. It’s just great to have him home. I knew he was in safe hands with Rob Adams but because of the extent of his injuries I was so worried I was going to lose him. Finn’s not only my loyal partner at work but he’s also a part of our family. He has a home for life with me - I can’t imagine life without him."
Meanwhile, a campaign is underway to give police dogs and horses the same status as officers if they are injured in the line of work, so that people who attack police animals face charges similar to those for attacking a person.
You can sign the 'Finn's Law Petition' here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/168678
The campaign also has a twitter feed here: https://twitter.com/FinnsLaw
Ceva Animal Health has announced the launch of Cardalis for the treatment of canine heart failure caused by degenerative valvular heart disease.
Cardalis contains what the company says is a unique combination of benazepril and spironolactone in one tablet which provides "dual blockade" of the RAAS system.
Benazepril reduces the production of angiotensin II, which causes narrowing of the blood vessels, while spironolactone blocks the harmful effects of aldosterone, which include cardiovascular remodelling and fibrosis.
Cardalis tablets are small, beef flavoured and designed to be administered once a day with food. Each pot contains 30 tablets and there are three sizes available. Ceva says it should be given as part of standard heart failure therapy as soon as clinical signs, such as exercise intolerance, coughing or dyspnoea, appear.
Fraser Broadfoot, small animal product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Through our clinical studies, it has been found that dogs receiving benazepril and spironolactone (compared with benazepril alone) have a better quality of life and, at any one time, are three times less likely to die from heart failure.
"We have also assessed 101 dogs in a field study that were prescribed Cardalis for three months, followed by separate benazepril and spironolactone tablets for two weeks. In the study, 97 per cent of dog owners found Cardalis easier to administer than the two separate tablets and 89 per cent of vets found Cardalis easier to prescribe."
For further information about Cardalis, or to receive marketing materials for the product (which include a waiting room poster and client information booklets), visit www.ceva.com.uk, or contact the practice support team on 01494 781510.
For the study1, treatment and outcomes of ureter injuries due to ovariohysterectomy complications in cats and dogs was undertaken at the Royal Veterinary College. A retrospective case series of cats and dogs with ureteric injuries resulting from ovariohysterectomy was obtained from patient records at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. Fourteen female cats and five female dogs were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to report presenting clinical signs, clinical pathology, treatment and outcomes.
Professor Vicky Lipscomb, lead author of the paper, said “Presenting clinical signs of ureter injury following neutering in this study were non-specific, such as anorexia, vomiting and lethargy. Importantly, the clinical signs consistently developed immediately or shortly after surgery in the majority of animals. Therefore, the appearance of one or more clinical signs following neutering should raise suspicion of a neutering complication.
"The overall outcome for the 19 animals was excellent in 13 (68%), good in one (5%), fair in one (5%) and poor in four (22%). Ureteroneocystostomy (ureteral re-implantation) is preferred to ureteronephrectomy (removal of kidney and ureter) to preserve renal function and is usually a requirement for bilateral ureteric injuries but carries a high complication rate resulting in additional surgery, albeit often with an excellent final outcome.”
Nick Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: “Ovariohysterectomy is a common surgical procedure in cats and dogs, but the procedure carries a (low) risk of injury to one or both ureters due to the close proximity of the female reproductive tract and the ureters. This research highlights the need for vigilance regarding clinical signs following neutering but demonstrates that surgical treatment of ureteric injuries can have good patient outcome."
The full article can be found in the March issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13100
Photo: Luisa Dormer BSAVA
Somerset vet Stewart Halperin MRCVS has launched CarefreeCredit, a service designed to help pet owners pay for unforeseen veterinary bills, and take the burden of unpaid bills away from veterinary surgeons.
The new service is very simple. First, participating practices need to apply to CarefreeCredit and register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). CarefreeCredit will hold your hand through the FCA registration process, which is currently taking about three weeks.
Thereafter, you can then offer CarefreeCredit to any client who is faced with an unexpected bill which they can't pay immediately. They'll need to make an online application which can be done at any time of day, 365 days a year - crucial for out-of-hours emergencies. The application takes 4 minutes and decisions are instant.
Loans repaid over 12 months are interest-free for the pet owner. Loans repaid over 24 months attract interest at 7.9% APR.
Once the loan is approved, confirmation is sent to the veterinary practice, which can then drawdown the funds into the practice bank account via the CarefreeCredit online dashboard. The practice gets paid within 5 days of requesting a drawdown.
The cost to the practice of all this is 7% of the bill. Offered strategically to the right clients, that seems like a small price to pay. According to CarefreeCredit, practice revenue increases by 22% and debtors decrease by 58% in practices where finance facilities are offered. But that is, of course, only half the story. This also offers a professional and businesslike 'way out' when vets are at the receiving end of emotional blackmail (or worse) from clients who find they don't have the money to pay for their much-loved pet to get the medical care it needs.
Stewart, himself the owner of a six-practice business, said: "The only way a credit facility like this works is that if it is so simple to use that front office staff see it as a help rather than a hindrance - a tool to make their lives easier rather than just another piece of admin to do. In order to get to this point, we have been through discussions with a number of consumer credit institutions as well as major retail banks. The system we can now provide is the market leader by a long way. The great thing is, vets love it as they can do gold standard work, get paid properly for it and receive the funds straight away. Owners love it as they can spread the cost at no or very low cost to themselves - and of course, the pets get treated immediately!"
For more information, visit: www.carefreecredit.co.uk