The Kennel Club has announced that the Crufts Best of Breed (BOB) winners in two of the high profile breeds - the bulldog and the Pekingese - failed their veterinary checks, so the breeds were not represented in the utility and toy group judging.
The British Veterinary Association says it welcomed the Kennel Club's initiative to put the veterinary checks in place for the BOB winner in the 15 high profile breeds at all championship dog shows starting at Crufts this year.
The 15 breeds have been identified as having particular health problems often due to poor conformation as a result of having been bred with exaggerated characteristics. The veterinary checks ensure the BOB winners are not suffering as a result of their conformation, such as eye problems, skin disease, lameness or breathing difficulties, which should have been identified by the judge.
Carl Padgett, President of the BVA, said: "Breeding dogs with exaggerated features must be tackled robustly. The veterinary checks are sending out a strong message that dogs with health problems will not win in the show ring, and only visibly healthy dogs will be rewarded.
"Dog showing can be a force for good for dog breeding and education but the veterinary checks on the first two groups at Crufts have highlighted the health problems that all too often affect man's best friend.
"We hope this strong action by the Kennel Club will be a wake-up call to those breeders and judges that still need to embrace the message that health should always be at the top of the agenda."
A free copy of the compendium has been sent to every veterinary practice in the UK, and it is also available online at: www.noahcompendium.co.uk. A special edition of the book commissioned by AMTRA will also be available for its SQPs shortly.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "The NOAH Compendium, in all its formats, remains a major part of NOAH’s efforts to ensure appropriate access and responsible use of medicines for all animals. We are pleased it is even more comprehensive this year, as we continue to expand its list of contributors.
"Every NOAH member, as well as the non-member participants in the NOAH Compendium, is a signatory to the NOAH Code of Practice on Promotion, which demonstrates their commitment to operate above and beyond any regulatory requirements."
She added: “As well as product datasheets, the Compendium includes another vital resource – the contact details for each participating company. Company veterinary and technical advisors have detailed knowledge about their company’s medicines. The NOAH Code includes the requirement for NCAH qualification for NOAH staff in technical dialogue with prescribers and users of animal medicines – meaning their advice can be regarded as a valuable and trusted resource. They are ready to talk to prescribers about the use of a medicine in a particular animal or in a particular situation, as well as to explain any queries about the data sheet."
Veterinary practices that have not yet received a copy, perhaps because they are new or have changed address in the past year should contact NOAH (noah@noah.co.uk).
Extra copies are also available to order, for £47.50. Special prices are also available for bulk orders.
Andrea Tarr, Veterinary Prescriber’s founder and director said: "There is a lot of confusion about the various rules and regulations around medicine storage. This module makes sense of it all. It is an essential read for anyone who deals with veterinary medicines, particularly those preparing for a VMD or RCVS PSS medicines inspection."
Veterinary Prescriber’s reviews are presented as e-learning modules. All the modules are the result of a thorough literature search and collaboration between practising specialists, general practitioners and the publication's editorial team.
Veterinary Prescriber is supported by subscriptions which cost £9.95 per month (cancel anytime) for individuals or £25 per month (for a 12-month contract) for practices. The latter includes 12 months free access to https://cpd.veterinaryprescriber.org for your practice's vet nurses, vet receptionists and SQPs.
To subscribe visit: https://www.veterinaryprescriber.org/subscribe
For further information, contact: carlrussell@veterinaryprescriber.org telephone 07932 044904.
Zoetis has launched a 4ml vial of the antibiotic, Convenia.
Zoetis says Convenia gives veterinary surgeons control by providing an assured injectable treatment course, relieving clients of the burden of daily dosing. This avoids missed or mistimed doses, lost tablets, or courses stopped too soon, thereby eliminating a major reason for treatment failure, non-compliance. Poor compliance is also a significant factor in the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Convenia is licensed for skin, soft tissue and urinary tract infections in dogs and cats, as well as severe gingivitis/periodontitis in dogs (as an adjunct to mechanical or surgical periodontal therapy). A 4ml vial can treat up to 40kg of bodyweight, making it appropriate for treating cats and smaller dogs.
Zoetis says that the launch of the new vial demonstrates its commitment to the 'Respect Antibiotics' campaign launched last year. The Respect Antibiotics campaign encourages careful and informed selection of appropriate antibiotic therapies for the treatment of dogs and cats.
Product Manager, Andrew Page, said; "We are committed to encouraging responsible antibiotic usage, and reducing the incidence of antibiotic resistance. Non-compliance plays a key role in the development of antibiotic resistance and we hope that by making Convenia more accessible through the introduction of a 4ml vial we can help alleviate compliance issues."
For further details about Convenia please contact your Zoetis Account Manager.
IVC says this means its UK practices are on track to hit a group target of 5% by 2030, which follows in the footsteps of other IVC Evidensia territories such as Sweden and Norway, which have already reached figures of 4.9% and 5.9% respectively.
To achieve this progress, IVC says it has implemented a number of initiatives:
IVC says there has been a concerted efforts by its vets to become more aware of their own attitudes towards antibiotics and to educate their clients about the dangers of AMR.
One such example is Angharad Thomas, a veterinary surgeon from Fivelands Veterinary Centre in the West Midlands, who managed to reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed in dentistry by 17.8% between 2022 and 2023:
She said: “Long dental treatments are a great time to chat to vet students, but one day, instead of quizzing them, I was trotting out my thoughts on the decision-making for the case when I reached post-operative drugs.
"Stopping here I asked: ‘What are you taught about this these days?’
"I suppose I wasn’t surprised to hear that antibiotics didn’t feature.
“It was a lightbulb moment: Why was I using post-operative antibiotics for my dental cases?
"I come from the generation of vets who were firmly taught never to give antibiotics to routine surgeries, so why was I continuing to use antibiotics in dentistry?
"All at once I felt terribly old and out-of-touch. I decided it was time for a change!”
“Given that reducing antibiotic usage is now fairly well recognised by the general public, owners have appeared very supportive.
"A day three post-operative check provides reassurance that their pet is healing and allows us an opportunity to intervene if required.”
“Being an ‘experienced’ vet can be a trade-off between textbook clinical decision-making and what we believe would work for our patients and their owners.
"Sometimes we need a paper or two to persuade us to change our ways, but here, going back to basic principles was enough for me.
“Twelve months later, after watching my cases for any mild complications and reflecting on the whether such complications could be attributed to the lack of antibiotics, I am convinced that this change has had no negative effects on my patients.”
https://ivcevidensia.co.uk/positive-pawprint
An article by Consultant Biologist Clifford Warwick DipMedSci CBiol CSci EurProBiol FOCAE FSB in the current issue of the Journal of AWSELVA (the Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association) is calling for greater scrutiny of the relationship between the veterinary profession and exotic pet trading.
The article, entitled 'Veterinary accountability and the exotic pet trade', was co-authored by biologist Catrina Steedman BSc(Hons) MSB and veterinary surgeon Emma Nicholas MA VetMB MRCVS
The authors accuse some vets of serving their own vested financial interests by directly aligning themselves with exotic pet trading. They say that these vets are effectively causing the wild-capture and intensive breeding, cramped storage, transport and sale of hundreds of thousands of fish, amphibians, reptiles and other animals.
The article points to scientific evidence showing that stress, disease and premature mortality commonly accompanies 'wild pets' at all stages of the trade and private keeping process.
The authors argue that promoting the trade in exotic animals runs counter to the veterinary profession's obligation to provide impartial guidance for the benefit of animal health and welfare, and that the issue of vets selling or promoting exotics in the home requires greater scrutiny for possible conflicts of interest and for contributing to harmful practices.
Lead author, Clifford Warwick DipMedSci CBiol CSci EurProBiol FOCAE FSB said: "By their nature, vets want to be and are obliged to be part of a solution to animal and human health and welfare matters. That a vet might have a hand in selling or promoting exotic pets is, in my view, tantamount to being part of a problem. And whether or not that represents a formal conflict of interest or questionable practice, I think the spotlight will continue focusing until there are no shaded areas."
He added: "In my view, the avoidance of unnecessary harm is a general responsibility we should all share, but I think veterinarians, like some other professionals, have a special responsibility in this regard. However, unnecessary harm is largely unavoidable with the exotic pet business. Whether wild-caught or captive-bred, animal suffering, species and environmental degradation, and public health concerns frequently go hand-in-hand with all stages of exotic pet trading and keeping practices."
Co-author Catrina Steedman BSc(Hons) MSB said: "Many vets are understandably critical of the exotic pet trade and its minefield of animal welfare, public health and environmental problems. It is unfortunate that a few vets, possibly with vested interests, feel it is appropriate to condone and even promote a trade that has such obvious negative consequences for animals and people."
Co-author, Emma Nicholas MA VetMB MRCVS said: "Vets have a responsibility to be approachable and impartial; animal welfare and also public health must be their priorities at all times. I believe it is pertinent that as a profession, we open the discussion as to how we best improve the welfare (health and quality of life) of existing exotic pets, and also educate and inform potential owners of "wild" or exotic animals of the associated welfare and public health considerations."
The article concludes that vets should '...occupy a detached position with no interest in the success or failure of the 'business' of exotic pet-keeping' and that 'any vet who recommends or endorses buying or keeping an exotic pet arguably imparts guidance that is not fully consistent with ensuring good animal welfare or human health'.
Zesti comprises three ranges:
The Spirit range is a more standard looking scrub, manufactured from Alsi-Flex. The ‘Mode’ range looks a little more figure hugging, with an exclusive colour palette, and the Power range has a more sporting look.
Greg Houlston, General Manager, said: “Our healthcare workers need clothing that is practical and comfortable above anything else, yet our market research showed us that when it comes to scrubs with stretch, choice is limited in the UK compared with other markets such as the US.
“Veterinarians in particular need workwear that is especially hard wearing as the nature of their work means their clothing can be especially susceptible to rips, tears and soiling.
“We set out to create a brand that answered the need for more flexibility while challenging the perception that workwear should be dull and boring, and Zesti was born – a vibrant and contemporary range of garments, sustainably designed, to inspire confidence and positivity.”
Sara Catanzaro, Design Manager, added: “Our tailored garments offer exceptional attention to detail while being strong, hard wearing and resilient.
"They can be laundered domestically or industrially up to 60 degrees which is ideal for infection control.
"We’re already witnessing considerable demand as we believe we’ve hit the perfect balance between function and fashion.”
For more information, visit www.zesti.co.uk
The Best UK Vets Awards are given to the practices that accumulate the largest number of positive reviews from clients on vethelpdirect.com and any-uk-vet.co.uk over the course of the year.
Penmellyn Vets achieved 839 positive ratings; 200 more than their nearest rivals, reflecting the tremendous level of engagement they have with their clients, something which also shone through in the sentiments expressed in their client reviews.
Penmellyn Vets is an independent practice owned by six veterinary surgeons, who are all based in Cornwall. They have been providing veterinary care to the pets and horses of Cornwall for over 130 years. They still cover their own out of hours’ care and their services include preventative healthcare packages for their cat and dog-owning clients, ‘LifeCare’ and ‘LifeCare+’. The latter grants clients access to unlimited vet and nurse consultations 6 days a week – something that is currently only offered by Penmellyn Vets in Cornwall.
Philip Harris, one of the partners at Penmellyn Vets said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award and want to say thank you to each and every one of our clients who took the time to leave a review. And my thanks to the Penmellyn staff for their hard work and commitment to providing the outstanding customer service that has been recognised by this award. I couldn’t be more proud of them. We’re an independent practice and very traditional in many ways, so I think as we’ve grown as a group, with a goal of excellence always in patient care, our values have kept us grounded and very client-centric. We look forward to celebrating the award with our team at the awards ceremony in the coming weeks."
Blacks Vets in Dudley were awarded the Silver award after receiving a very commendable 620 qualifying client reviews.
Tracey Jewkes, Managing Director, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded Silver in the Best UK Vet 2017 Award and would like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful clients for voting for us again this year. Our consistency at the top of this award for the past 3 years is a reflection of both the calibre and heart Team Blacks give to pets, clients and each other year after year. We could not be more proud of each and every team member here, nor could we feel more privileged to take great care of so many much loved pets in our local community."
Inglis Veterinary Hospital in Dunfermline, Scotland received 358 qualifying reviews and received the Bronze award. They also went on to win the Best Scottish Vet Award 2017.
The full list of winners is:
This year’s winners of the small category awards are:
Kriptazen is supplied with a twist-adjustable and weight-graduated dosing pump which means farmers can administer a precise dose up to 60kg without having to calculate it in ml’s first. Virbac says this will help to reduce the risk of incorrect dosing and toxicity issues.
Virbac’s Technical Product Manager Rosie Naylor said: "We are delighted to bring Kriptazen to the market. The trusted active halofuginone, along with the innovative weight graduated dosing pump, provides practices with added peace of mind when it comes to treatment."
For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
Titled 'Animal Welfare For The Many, Not The Few' (uh?), the policy proposes appointing an Animal Welfare Commissioner to ensure Government policy across Whitehall is informed by the latest scientific evidence on animal sentience.
The proposed policies in the document include a number of things the Conservatives have already been working on, such as:
Prohibiting the third party sale of puppies. All puppies will need to be sold with their mother on site.
Increasing maximum sentences for those convicted of animal cruelty.
Introducing mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses.
Enshrining the principle of animal sentience in law, covering all policy areas to prevent practices that expose animals to cruel and degrading treatment.
Introducing a ban on ivory trading.
However, Labour propose a number of additional ideas which are now open for a public consultation, including:
Improving accessibility to vets for those on low incomes/receiving financial support, working with organisations like the PDSA to explore how access to affordable vet care can be expanded.
Banning the use of animal shock collars, including sale and importation.
Expanding mandatory microchipping to cats.
Consulting with landlords and tenants on the ability for tenants to keep pets as default unless there is evidence that the animal is causing a nuisance.
Ending the badger cull.
Strengthening the Hunting Act, closing loopholes that allow for illegal hunting of foxes and hares.
Banning Foie Gras (which the Conservatives say is impossible under EU rules which Labour has said it wishes to continue following post-Brexit)
Mandatory labelling of domestic and imported meat, including country of origin, method of production and slaughter (stun or non-stun)
Requiring motorists to report accidents where an animal has been injured.
Banning wild animals in circuses.
Sue Hayman MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary, said: "Labour is the party of animal welfare. From bringing in the ban on fox hunting to tightening the rules on the transport of live animals, Labour has always been consistent in our leadership on matters of animal welfare.
"Today we’re making proposals for real, long-term progress. Our vision is one where no animal is made to suffer unnecessary pain and we continue to drive up standards and practice in line with the most recent advances and understanding."
Conservative MP Steve Double said: "Labour are belatedly playing catch-up with the huge progress made by this Government on animal welfare.
However, Labour wouldn’t even be able to deliver some of these promises because they want to keep following EU rules after Brexit.
From introducing mandatory CCTV into slaughter houses to increasing the maximum sentence for animal cruelty ten-fold, the Conservatives will continue taking the action needed to ensure animals receive the proper protection they deserve."
The survey found that 51% of cat and dog owners didn't research their pets breed before buying. Of the 22% who then regretted their decision, 31% said it was because they didn’t have enough time to look after the animal, 18% because they turned out to be allergic to the animal, and 16% because they didn’t like their pet’s personality.
Apparently dog owners were more likely to regret their new pet (26%) than cat owners (16%).
Sainsbury’s has therefore launched the Pawfect Match tool, designed to help future pet owners to make informed decisions when choosing the most suitable breed for them. The pet picker asks you a number of questions about your circumstances and makes a number of suggestions based on how you answer.
Sainsbury's campaign is being fronted by Scott Miller MRCVS, who said: "I am saddened to hear that so many pet owners are regretting the animals they have chosen as companions. Dogs and cats come in all shapes and sizes, and have different temperaments. Looking after a pet is a huge commitment so it is important that people undertake adequate research before buying a pet to ensure it is a happy experience."
COMMENT
I tried Sainsbury's pet picker and it recommended a Basset Hound as the first choice. Fair enough. I always think they look like the living embodiment of the word 'hangdog', which is not really my cup of tea. Luckily, the tool makes more than one suggestion. One of the criteria I'd specified was 'quiet and calm', so the second recommendation, a whippet, was fine. But the third caught my eye. A Border Collie. What? Whaaaaaat? Quiet and calm? A Border Collie. Are you having a laugh? I thought Border Collies usually need to be sent to some sort of asylum.
Still, if Sainsbury's tool encourages more people to think harder about their choice, that's no bad thing. But they might like to rethink the Border Collie recommendation.
Apoquel chewable tablets were approved by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in November 2021.
Apoquel Chewable contains the same active ingredient, at the same dosing regime, for the same indications as original Apoquel, but in a palatable formulation which, in a field-study of client-owned dogs, was found to have a 91.6% acceptance rate.1
Dr Carly Mason, President of the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group (BVDSG), said: “The new chewable form of Apoquel provides owners with a means of controlling itch using a tablet that can be given like a treat or mixed with a meal, making it much easier for owners and more acceptable to their pet.
“In many cases, the chewable formulation will be the obvious first-line Apoquel for veterinarians to prescribe to control canine itching while the underlying cause of allergic dermatitis is investigated.”
Reference
Andrew, who is head of dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery at Eastcott Referrals in Swindon simultaneously became an RVCS Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry.
Eastcott Referrals managing director Peter Southerden, who is also a recognised EVDC specialist in dentistry, said: "This is a terrific achievement by Andrew.
"He’s spent six years studying on the EVDC’s training programme which finally culminated in four days of intense examinations.
"He now joins just eight other veterinary dentists in the UK who are recognised by the EVDC."
Andrew is now planning to build on his qualifications. He said: "I aim to start studying again in January when I hope to begin a Fellowship of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
"The Fellowship is overseen by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and is a post-specialist qualification indicating further specialisation in maxillofacial surgery.
"It’s two more years of study, including the need for publication in an international journal, and then an exam in the US.
"The primary benefit is the continued development of my skills, insuring that, here at Eastcott, we are operating to the highest international standards and can treat patients with the most complex problems.
"Peter is an ACVS Founding Fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, currently the only fellow of the ACVS in Europe, so I’m proudly following in his footsteps to become the first resident of the Fellowship in Europe.
"It shows our commitment to dental and maxillofacial work and we believe we are leading the way with our cutting-edge surgical procedures and innovations within our state-of the-art facilities.
"We are not just one of the foremost centres of excellence for this specialist work in the UK but throughout Europe, too."
YORKTEST Veterinary Services has announced a change of name to Avacta Animal Health Ltd., following its acquisition by Avacta Group Plc.
The allergy testing and customer support that is synonymous with YORKTEST Veterinary Services will now appear under the brand name of SENSITEST® - the complete allergy service.
Janice Hogg, MD Avacta Animal Health said: "It is an exciting time for us at present and the change of name to Avacta Animal Health signifies this forward progression. Our extensive and high quality allergy portfolio is now branded "SENSITEST®. Previously this was only used in Europe but it will now be our global branding for the complete allergy service offered by Avacta Animal Health. "
For more information on Avacta Animal Health and SENSITEST® telephone 0800 8494 550 or visit website at http://www.animal-allergy.co.uk/.
The expansion, which was completed last year, added a whole floor dedicated to emergency and critical care, a new specialist oncology treatment area and additional theatre space.
Davinia Arnott (pictured right), a European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, is leading the new residency programme. She said: "To be awarded the ability to run a residency, you have to be accredited to the highest possible standard, and there is a range of stringent ECVS criteria that we needed to meet.
"We were able to put ourselves forward following the expansion of our hospital and all the new facilities we have added. We are all really proud to be in a position to offer this new small animal surgical residency.
"We now have four theatres so we can do multiple surgeries at the same time, allowing us to greatly increase our caseload. We can also do fluoroscopy for orthopaedics and soft tissue. We just didn’t have that capability before.
"To achieve specialist status, the standard is exceptionally high so we’ll only have one resident every three years. This is to ensure they’re mentored and guided properly throughout."
Leo Roses is the first small animal surgery resident to join the new Vets Now programme. She began her three-year tenure in January after completing a surgical internship in the hospital. Leo, who is originally from Majorca and has also worked for Vets4Pets, Fitzpatrick and PDSA, is realising a long-held dream by embarking on a surgery residency.
She said: "I realised during my degree that I wanted to specialise in surgery. I did two surgical internships before coming to Glasgow to do a third. I applied for a position here because I was aware of the incredible reputation of the surgeons and had been told they were really keen to teach."
The new tool uses aggregated data from Banfield Pet Hospital medical records to identify whether a dog has a high, medium, or low risk of having PD based on the breed size1,2,3,4,5, age, and body condition the owner has stated3,4.
It also makes oral care recommendations based on the dog's history (e.g., diet, previous extractions, halitosis), clinical signs (e.g., bleeding gums) and current dental routine (e.g., tooth brushing).
Global Petcare R&D VP at Mars Pet Nutrition, Dr. Elise Malandain said: “This new risk assessment tool will help indicate to pet owners what level of risk their pet is at for developing this disease to help inform conversations with veterinary professionals about prevention or treatment.”
https://www.uk.pedigree.com/gum-disease-risk-checker
References
Bayer Animal Health has launched Remend Wound Spray Gel for cats, dogs and horses.
The new gel contains Remend's structurally modified hyaluronic acid (HA). Bayer says it provides a matrix for cellular events that occur during the proliferative phase of the healing process, which has been shown to enhance healing1, and can promote rapid wound closure
Georgie Hollis BSc from www.vetwoundlibrary.com said: "Managing wounds can be challenging in veterinary practice; the progression of wound healing can be influenced by many factors, and selecting an appropriate product to apply should be based on the needs of the individual wound. A product that provides a moist healing environment and support of the proliferative phase ensures that cellular activity is optimised, helping to improve healing times and minimise scar tissue."
Bayer says Remend Wound Spray Gel is designed for use as part of the overall management of wounds; additional measures such as lavage, debridement and control of infection are equally important, as is giving consideration to any secondary factors that may delay healing if not addressed. The product aims to achieve greater compliance amongst owners by providing an effective management option that is easy to apply. A single application may be sufficient to enhance wound closure in fresh uncomplicated wounds; however more complex wounds may require multiple applications in order to accelerate closure.
For more information, visit: www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk
The study analysed information from a random sample of 29,865 dogs that died over a one-year period, taken from a study population of 905,544 dogs from 626 clinics in the VetCompass database.
From the sample, 26,676 (91.5%) of deaths recorded in practice involved euthanasia and 2,487 (8.5%) of deaths were unassisted. However, it is unknown how many dogs die unassisted and unreported to a practice.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the findings indicated that certain types of diseases and conditions were more likely to lead to death by euthanasia than unassisted death.
by contrast,
Larger bodyweights, increasing age and certain breeds of dog were also additional risk factors for euthanasia. Rottweilers were more likely to die by euthanasia compared to Labrador Retrievers as the standard baseline breed. In contrast, breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs and West Highland White Terriers were more likely to have unassisted deaths, and these deaths were more likely caused by traumatic injury, foreign body and heart disease.
Additional findings from the study included:
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass Epidemiologist at the RVC, and author of the paper, said: “End-of-life discussions between veterinarians and owners can be particularly difficult for both parties. This study provides benchmark data for the relative proportion of deaths that involve euthanasia and for the relative impact from demographics and disorders on euthanasia decision-making. Owners and veterinary professionals may find it easier to discuss end-of-life options, to reach a final decision and be comfortable with these decisions based on a feeling of broader support from the reported actions of others in similar situations.”
Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Companion Animal Epidemiology, at the RVC, and co-author of the paper, said: "The decision for many animal owners to put a beloved dog to sleep is often the hardest decision of their life. The moment of euthanasia often lives with owners forever. Hopefully, the information from this study can at least help some owners come to terms with the responsibility of helping their dog go with dignity. Understanding that over 90% of other owners also opted for euthanasia may help anyone struggling to make this final and hardest decision.”
Dr Carol Gray, Research Associate at the University of Liverpool and co-author of the paper, said: "Decision-making around euthanasia is shared between veterinarian and owner, although it is the owner who must give consent for euthanasia. Providing this final authorisation is potentially a burden for owners. This paper will help to ease that burden by allowing veterinarians to provide reassurance that they are not the only dog owners to make a decision for euthanasia in similar circumstances.”
Pegram, C., Gray, C., Packer, R.M.A. et al. Proportion and risk factors for death by euthanasia in dogs in the UK. Sci Rep 11, 9145 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88342-0
This study was conducted in collaboration with the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition as part of a larger study, led by Prof Claire Hughes at the University of Cambridge Centre for Family Research.
Researchers surveyed 12-year-old children from 77 families with one or more pets of any type and more than one child at home. Children reported strong relationships with their pets relative to their siblings, with lower levels of conflict and greater satisfaction in owners of dogs than other kinds of pets.
The authors say this research adds to increasing evidence that household pets may have a major influence on child development, and could have a positive impact on children’s social skills and emotional well-being.
Pets are almost as common as siblings in western households, although there are relatively few studies on the importance of child-pet relationships.
Matt Cassells, lead researcher, said: "Anyone who has loved a childhood pet knows that we turn to them for companionship and disclosure, just like relationships between people. We wanted to know how strong these relationships are with pets relative to other close family ties. Ultimately this may enable us to understand how animals contribute to healthy child development."
He added: "Even though pets may not fully understand or respond verbally, the level of disclosure to pets was no less than to siblings.
"The fact that pets cannot understand or talk back may even be a benefit as it means they are completely non-judgmental. While previous research has often found that boys report stronger relationships with their pets than girls do, we actually found the opposite. While boys and girls were equally satisfied with their pets, girls reported more disclosure, companionship, and conflict with their pet than did boys, perhaps indicating that girls may interact with their pets in more nuanced ways."
Waltham researcher Nancy Gee, a co-author of the study, said: "Evidence continues to grow showing that pets have positive benefits on human health and community cohesion. The social support that adolescents receive from pets may well support psychological well-being later in life but there is still more to learn about the long term impact of pets on children’s development."
The webinar, which is presented by equine internal medicine specialist David Rendle from Rainbow Equine Hospital, challenges some of the current perceptions of worm control in horses and explains why veterinary surgeons need to engage more with horse owners on the topic to ensure a sustainable approach to parasite control.
Supported by Virbac, maker of Equimax and Eraquell horse wormers, the webinar is free to BEVA members at http://www.ebeva.org/webinar74.
In 2009, Chiara (pictured right) was the first to be awarded by examination the title of European Veterinary Specialist in Oncology after completing a one-year small animal internship at the University of Glasgow and a three-year residency in internal medicine and oncology at the University of Edinburgh.
Alongside her clinical work, Chiara is an honorary lecturer at the University of Liverpool and a multi-lingual specialist consultant, writer and lecturer at events in the UK and Europe. Her focus is on postgraduate training in small animal oncology and internal medicine and online education of pet owners and animal carers. Chiara is a member of the general and oncology examination committees of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM).
She said: "My aim is to provide veterinarians and owners on a daily basis with the most up-to-date information on cancer diagnosis and treatment options so pets can spend more time with their families whilst protecting their quality of life and preventing suffering."
Samuela is a European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology with a special interest in ocular pathology as well as corneal disease and surgery.
She said: "Working at Willows allows me to be part of a talented and passionate team, and a chance to become the best ophthalmologist I can. Willows offers a very high level of patient care, and working here gives me the opportunity for constant scientific and clinical development."
RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett said: "I am so proud of our performance in the Great Place to Work Awards and the efforts of everyone at the College, and especially our HR team, who have been tirelessly and creatively striving to make the College a wonderful place to work.
"Consistently being placed in the top 50 Great Places to Work is also a testament to the sustained hard work all of our employees and the important part they play in creating a supportive, interesting and good-humoured workplace.
"We are a service-led organisation and we want to make sure that we give our best to the veterinary professions and the general public. If our team enjoys the work, and the workplace, that will improve the service we are able to offer and, ultimately, benefit animal health and welfare."
The Disciplinary Committee heard three charges against Dr Jones.
The first and second charges were that, in March 2018, Dr Jones made signed entries in the passports and made corresponding entries in clinical records of four horses indicating that he had administered an influenza vaccination booster to each horse on 15 March 2018 and in relation to another horse a tetanus booster, when in fact he had administered the vaccination boosters on 21 March 2018, and that his conduct was misleading, dishonest and undermined the integrity of a vaccination process designed to promote animal welfare.
The third charge was that, on or around 21 March 2018, Dr Jones failed to make any entries in the clinical records for a horse in relation to an examination on 21 March 2018.
At the outset of the hearing Dr Jones admitted the facts in the first and second charges, and accepted that his actions were misleading, dishonest and that they undermined the integrity of a vaccination process. However, he disputed certain aspects of the written statements of the College’s witnesses. In particular he wanted his conduct to be taken in the context of the pressures that he was working under on that day, primarily that he was in a stressed state having had to euthanase a valuable stallion at the conclusion of his previous client appointment.
Dr Jones did not admit the third charge, explaining that he did not remember examining the horse on 21 March 2018 as alleged.
Based on Dr Jones' own admissions, the Committee found the first and second charges proven.
Regarding the third charge, the Committee heard evidence from the horse’s owner who said they were present during the examination taking place and the Committee was satisfied that the respondent did examine the horse on 21 March 2018 and that he had a duty to make a brief clinical note on the examination. As Dr Jones admitted that he made no such note, the Committee found the charge to have been proven to the requisite standard.
Having found the charges proven, the Committee then went on to consider whether or not Dr Jones’ proven conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct. The Committee, having considered the aggravating and mitigating factors, found that Dr Jones’ conduct as found proved in relation to both charges one and two, did constitute serious professional misconduct.
However, with regards to charge three, the Committee accepted that the respondent simply forgot that he had examined the horse and, therefore, the Committee was not satisfied that the failure to compile a record entry covering the horse’s examination constituted serious professional misconduct.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Jones in relation to the facts found proven in charges one and two. In doing so it took into account the 78 written testimonials and 4 character witnesses called on behalf of Dr Jones.
Ian Green, who chaired the Committee and spoke on its behalf, said: "The Committee’s decision on sanction has been based on an acceptance that the respondent’s conduct on this occasion was out-of-character, as the evidence of his character witnesses and the contents of the letters submitted in his support by his clients and other veterinary colleagues assert. The Committee also accepts that the respondent self-reported himself to his employer and to the College and has made a full and frank admission of his wrongdoing.
"Consideration was given to whether the sanction of a reprimand and/or warning as to future conduct would adequately reflect the gravity of the misconduct, however, after careful reflection it was concluded that such a sanction could not be justified. The reason is that acts of falsification involve acts of dishonesty by a professional person acting in a professional capacity, and the gravity of the matter arises not simply from the dishonesty but also from the possible consequences of the false certification. It should be clearly understood by members of the veterinary profession that, in appropriate false certification cases, the sanction of removal from the Register is one which may well be imposed."
The Committee therefore decided that suspending Dr Jones from the Register for two months would be the most appropriate sanction.
Nebojsa Petrovic faced eight charges, although charge four was withdrawn at the start of the hearing.
At the outset of the hearing, Dr Petrovic admitted a number of allegations, including:
Charge 1 - that in November 2021, he falsely represented to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that blood samples he submitted in respect of four horses were from the same horses as the samples he submitted on 1 November 2021.
Charge 2 – that in November 2021, he told APHA’s Veterinary Head of Border Control that he had checked the microchips and/or passports of the four horses when he hadn’t done so;
Charge 3 – that in November 2021, he signed Export Health Certificates for the four horses, in which it was stated that blood samples taken from these horses on October 2021 had been submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency laboratory, Weybridge, with a negative result for Leptospirosis when in fact those samples had tested positive;
Charge 5 – that he failed to send the APHA’s Centre for International Trade, within seven days of signing, certified copies of the export health certificates;
Charge 7 – that in January 2022, he told an APHA officer that he was satisfied that he had properly identified the horses for which you had submitted the two samples when he had not done so;
Charge 8c – that he risked undermining government procedures designed to promote animal health and international relations in relation to the charges he admitted; and
Charge 9 – that in February 2022, he failed to have in place any or any adequate Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).
Dr Petrovic, who was at the time of all the allegations carrying his duties as an Official Veterinarian on behalf of the APHA, denied charge 6 – that in November 2021, he failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the four horses being exported to Serbia, when he had been informed that there were concerns and/or doubts about whether those horses had tested negative for Leptospirosis.
He also denied charge 8 – that in relation to the allegations relating to his submitting the blood samples to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency on 8 November 2021, certification of the Export Health Certificates on 16 November 2021 and his subsequent conversations with members of APHA staff regarding both sets of documentation he had acted in a misleading (Charge 8a) and/or dishonest (Charge 8b) way.
The Committee considered evidence presented by the College including hearing from APHA staff witnesses called by the College and also hearing from a witness and character evidence presented by Dr Petrovic. Dr Petrovic also gave evidence to the Committee.
It found most charges proven with the exception of Charge 6, and also found that Dr Petrovic had not acted dishonestly in submitting the blood samples or certifying the EHC’s as alleged in charges 1 and 3.
The Committee concluded that Dr Petrovic had acted in a dishonest and misleading way in his conversations with the APHA staff as detailed in charges 2 and 7.
The Committee then considered whether the individual proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, determining that, with the exception of charges 3 and 5, all proven charges amounted to disgraceful conduct.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “In the Committee’s judgement, the respondent’s position as an Official Veterinarian also meant that he had a responsibility to ensure that the trust which was delegated to him was not breached.
"In his role, the respondent was acting in a position of trust, as a representative of the government, and the Committee found that he had breached that trust…. It took these matters into account when determining that the respondent’s behaviour cumulatively amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
Regarding the sanction for Dr Petrovic, the Committee considered his request that it consider suspension, rather than removal, from the Register.
In terms of aggravating factors – the Committee found that Dr Petrovic had acted without integrity, recklessly and without regard for the APHA’s systems relating to the export of animals.
In mitigation, it took into account: the fact that no animal was harmed by his conduct, albeit there was risk of harm; his long and unblemished career in the UK since 1994; admissions he had made to the APHA and Disciplinary Committee at the first day of the hearing; had remediated his lack of professional indemnity insurance by putting in place a retrospective policy; the significant amount of time that had elapsed since the conduct; and six positive character references from experienced fellow veterinary surgeons who held him in high regard.
Paul Morris added: “The Committee took into account that the respondent had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon with no subsequent complaints and that he had a previous long and unblemished record and there was support by several positive character references.
"The Committee also took into consideration the pressures of Brexit and the pandemic which the respondent had faced at the time, but which were unlikely to occur again.
“The Committee had concluded that the respondent was unlikely to repeat similar behaviour or to pose a risk to animals, particularly because he was no longer involved in certifying animals for export.
"Furthermore his admissions to most of the matters it had found proved showed that he had some insight.
"The Committee was also satisfied that the respondent had a genuine concern for the welfare of animals and it noted that the Respondent did not require any further training to continue in practice as a veterinary surgeon.
“The Committee therefore concluded that a suspension from the Register was the proportionate sanction in this case taking into account the seriousness of the conduct it had found proved but also all of the mitigating factors.”
The Committee recommended that Dr Petrovic be suspended for six months to reflect the seriousness of the conduct and the damage it could do to public confidence in the profession, while meeting the public interest and sending a clear message of deterrence.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Virbac has launched Milpro, a palatable milbemycin / praziquantel-based broad-spectrum wormer for dogs and cats.
Milpro is offered in tablet sizes suitable for dogs, small dogs or puppies, cats and small cats or kittens for ease of dosing. It is presented in 4, 24 and 48 packs.
As an aid to owner education and compliance, packs of Milpro use 'Blippar Augmented Reality'. Owners download the Blippar app and scan the front of a pack of Milpro or a dispensing envelope, whereupon the pack becomes animated and various interactive options appear, including educational videos, a built in reminder system and other product information.
Simon Boulton MRCVS, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at Virbac, said: "The practice team has a crucial role to play in reminding owners that regular worming is essential for their pet's health. With the introduction of Milpro, we are extending our parasiticide range and offering practices an alternative solution.
"With compliance such an issue, we want to use 21st century communication to help practices to get the message across. The result is the introduction of an interactive element to our packs with the use of the Blippar platform. It enables us to create 'Augmented Reality' experiences through which we can provide comprehensive information to owners in an eye-catching and easily accessible way with the aim of boosting compliance and, ultimately, welfare.
"We believe the combination of the small tablet sizes and the innovative packaging will prove attractive and convenient to owners, making Milpro a successful product for practices".
Practices can also request an interactive waiting room poster which enables owners to watch a video on the poster on the importance of worming.