In a statement, the company explained that elevated vitamin D can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. At high levels, it can lead to serious health issues in dogs including renal dysfunction.
The company is inviting 'pet parents' (dear god, spare me) whose dogs are suffering symptoms after eating the products to contact their veterinary surgeon.
Hill's also says it will cover the cost of testing total calcium, albumin and 25OH-Vitamin D3 metabolites in animals which have consumed affected products, at the VitDAL Lab at the Edinburgh Veterinary School.
The affected products are:
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has dismissed a case against a Staffordshire veterinary surgeon, having found that his convictions under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Public Order Act 1986 did not make him unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
At the one-day hearing, the Committee heard that Mr Richard Conlon of Warrendale Veterinary Care Centre, Biddulph, was convicted of one instance of common assault and one public order offence involving threatening, insulting or abusive language, both of which occurred during an altercation in a public house in Biddulph on 28 November 2009. The court ordered Mr Conlon to pay two fines of £300 each, a victim surcharge of £15, and £700 of court costs.
As the facts involved in Mr Conlon's offences had been proved by the court that convicted him, and Mr Conlon admitted to his convictions, the Committee considered only whether these offences made him unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
The Committee was advised that although the convictions were unrelated to Mr Conlon's professional practice, any criminal conviction may call into question a veterinary surgeon's fitness to practise if the conduct for which they are convicted raises doubts over their capability as a veterinary surgeon. Convictions that damage the wider public interest in the good reputation of the profession and public confidence can also raise questions about fitness to practise and may be considered.
Speaking on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, Vice-Chairman Professor Sheila Crispin said: "In reaching our decision, it is important to emphasise that the Disciplinary Committee does not condone Mr Conlon's behaviour in any way. We accept the submission of the College 'that it is incumbent on any veterinary surgeon to act with decorum and not to engage in any violent, aggressive or intimidating behaviour,' and, on any view, for a veterinary surgeon to get involved in a brawl in a public house is unacceptable behaviour.
"In the Committee's judgment this was a one-off incident of brief duration with no premeditation on Mr Conlon's part; fortunately no significant injury was suffered by anybody involved. From the nature of the charges and the sentence of the court, it can be seen that this was at very much the lower end of seriousness and, as is accepted by the College, involves no concern about Mr Conlon's ability to practise as a veterinary surgeon."
The Committee ordered the charges be dismissed.
Petplan Equine has announced the finalists for the fifth annual Petplan Equine Vet of the Year Award.
The winner of the award award, which is sponsored by Petplan Equine in association with Horse & Rider magazine, will be announced at the annual Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, being held at London's Lancaster Hotel on Thursday 1st November, 2012.
The finalists are:
Jess Hill BVM&S MRCVS Woodlands Veterinary Clinic, Cheltenham, Glos, EnglandJess, who qualified in 2003 at the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School for Veterinary Studies, is described as simply "brilliant" for her outstanding calm, capable and kind approach to her work and the way in which she makes herself readily available to her clients. One nomination typifies all those received in praise of Jess' work: "She is incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated and nothing is too much trouble. She is great with horses - always quiet, kind and gentle. She works quickly and confidently, doesn't suggest unnecessary expensive procedures and is always cheerful and a pleasure to be with."
Keith Chandler BVMS Cert EP MRCVS, Kessock Equine Vets, Inverness, ScotlandKeith Chandler, a senior partner at Kessock Equine Vets received several nominations which credited not only him personally for his dedication, knowledge, pragmatic and caring approach but also his practice for its outstanding customer service. Upon receiving news of his nomination, Keith was swift to praise his team and explained: "This nomination reflects the exceptional team I have around me - together we strive to offer continuity, consistency and a minimum level of care to all our clients irrespective of which vet is in attendance."
Lee Paul, BSC BVM&S Cert EP MRCVS, Bushy Equine, Gwaelod-y-Garth, WalesNominations for Lee Paul, a specialist in internal and stud medicine who qualified at Edinburgh University's Royal Dick Veterinary School in 2002, unanimously praised his willingness to 'never give up' and to go beyond the call of duty. He is said to be highly dedicated and is praised for his willingness to always be available such as on the occasion when a horse he had been treating for a swelling in her throat presented complications during a weekend when he was not on duty. Despite this Lee, who had been contacted by the duty vet for background information, attended the call himself within an hour complete with the stethoscope he'd collected from the surgery en route and with his family in his car!
This year's judges were David Stickles, Head of Fund Raising at the Animal Health Trust, Alison Bridge, Editor of Horse & Rider magazine, Ben Mayes, President of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and Gil Riley, 2009 Petplan Equine Vet of the Year.
Petplan says that the record number of high calibre nominations made it hard for the judges to choose three finalists. Isabella Von Mesterhazy, Head of Marketing for Petplan Equine said: "Anyone motivated to nominate their vet for this award must hold them in extremely high regard so once again we were very impressed by both the quality and quantity of nominations we received. It is heartwarming and inspiring to read the submissions that describe the outstanding contributions made by all the nominees in keeping owners happy and horses healthy. It has not been easy to select just three to go through to the final."
The winner will be posted on www.petplanequine.co.uk on Friday 2 of November.
The announcement came hot on the heels of announcements from Ceva and Boehringer that they too had vaccines in the pipeline.
Syvazul BTV3 is licensed to reduce viraemia, prevent mortality and reduce clinical signs and lesions in sheep and for the active immunisation against bluetongue virus serotype 3 in cattle.
Like all vaccines currently available for this serotype, the vaccine will not prevent infection and vaccinated animals will still be subject to bluetongue movement controls and trade restrictions currently in place.
Administered as a single 2ml dose subcutaneously in sheep and as two 4ml intramuscular doses 3 weeks apart in cattle, Syvazul BTV3 contains inactivated Bluetongue virus, serotype 3 (BTV-3), strain BTV-3/NET2023.
The vaccine is licenced for use during pregnancy and lactation in both sheep and cattle.
The onset of immunity is 28 days after the primary vaccine in sheep. A single booster revaccination dose of 2ml for sheep and 4ml for cattle is recommended after 12 months.
Presented in two pack sizes, 80ml and 200ml, Syvazul BTV3 vaccine has a shelf life of 2 years from manufacture and a broach life of 10 hours.
Licensing for use will be geographic, based upon high risk counties or by specific licence from the APHA.
"We would like to reassure vets, and through them dog owners, that we are constantly reviewing adverse event report data to ensure that the benefits of each UK licenced veterinary medicine product outweighs the risk posed by their potential side-effects.
There are a number of vaccines authorised in the UK containing either two (L2) or four (L4) strains of Leptospira. Based on the most recent periodic safety update report data received for each product, the incidence of adverse animal reactions for all L2 vaccine products combined is 0.015%; for L4 vaccine products this figure is 0.069%.
In other words, the VMD has received fewer than 2 adverse reactions for L2, and fewer than 7 for L4, for every 10,000 doses sold. This includes every suspected adverse event reported, even cases that were considered unclassifiable or were later found to be unrelated to the vaccine.
The overall incidence of suspected adverse reactions for both L2 and L4 vaccine products is therefore considered to be rare."
The plans developed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), involved the creation of a new role of Certification Support Officers (CSOs), non-veterinarians who would support the work of Official Veterinarians (OVs) in the signing of export health certificates for products of animal origin such as meat, dairy, processed products and animal by-products.
The proposals for the creation of CSOs by APHA has arisen due to concerns about the growth of exports in recent years and the potential for an up to 300% increase in products requiring OV certification if the UK has to certify exports of products of animal origin to the EU once the UK leaves the EU. Under APHA’s plans CSOs will work under the direction of veterinary surgeons and support their certification work (for example, verifying temperature checks), although the final certification will always need to be signed by OVs. The role will not involve certification relating to live animals or germinal products.
At the RCVS Council meeting on Thursday 1 November 2018 Council members agreed to facilitate APHA’s proposals and to make changes to the RCVS requirements so as to allow CSOs to support OVs in their certification work.
Amanda Boag, RCVS President, said: "As we have stated in our recent statement on ‘no-deal’ Brexit, it has been estimated that there would be 325% increase in veterinary certification requirements if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and with these proposals Defra and APHA are preparing for this by increasing the support available for Official Veterinarians. Furthermore the proposal is in line with the concept of a vet-led team, with veterinary surgeons focusing on tasks only vets can do, whilst delegating some tasks to suitably trained and quality-assured members of our teams.
"We appreciate that there were some concerns over the level of education and training required by CSOs and are glad that the APHA has accommodated those views by increasing the level of education to three A-Levels (or equivalent in Scotland) and clarifying the nature of the training required by CSOs.
"By signalling its support for the proposals, RCVS Council has been assured that the integrity and value of the veterinary signature will be upheld and we are glad that we can play a key role in helping the veterinary profession prepare the UK for leaving the EU."
The RCVS position statement on the potential impact of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit scenario is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/brexit
The survey was conducted by Mo Gannon & Associates, which asked 2,000 UK adults about their satisfaction with the service they and their animals received from veterinary surgeons, levels of trust in the profession, and whether the service provided by vets represents value for money.
32% of the respondents felt that veterinary surgeons represented excellent (8%) or good (24%) value for money. 38% thought that veterinary fees are fair. However, 29% thought that veterinary surgeons and their services provided poor (21%) or very poor (8%) value for money. The results were very similar to the last time the survey was conducted, in 2015.
Nevertheless, veterinary surgeons continue to enjoy very high levels of trust amongst the public. 94% said they either completely trust (34%) or generally trust (60%) vets. This put veterinary surgeons in third place amongst the most trusted professions, below opticians and pharmacists but above GPs and and dentists.
Satisfaction with the profession was also high. 80% said they were either very satisfied (39%) or satisfied (41%), putting vets in fourth place below opticians, pharmacists and dentists, but above general practitioners and accountants.
RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, pictured right (would you trust this man?) said: "These results clearly demonstrate that there is a great deal of good will towards the veterinary profession and the work they do in treating the nation’s animals and serving their communities. The basis of all good relationships is trust, and it is fantastic to see that our clients continue overwhelmingly to trust our knowledge and expertise and remain very happy with the service we provide them.
"The picture on value for money is clearly a bit more mixed, although clearly 70% of the respondents recognise that we at least charge fair fees in terms of our time and expertise. There is, of course, always more work that we can do in order to help the public understand veterinary costs and fees and promote the value of veterinary care, as demonstrated by last year’s joint Pets Need Vets social media campaign with BVA, in which we highlighted the benefits to pet owners of being registered with a vet."
A 2012 RVC graduate, Daniella is the Principle Exotics Vet at ParkVet Hospital and is studying towards a certificate in Zoological Medicine. She said: "Despite their amazing work, the AWF struggles for funds to continue its vital work, so I have decided not only to be the first ever person to run the London Marathon for the AWF, but to run it in costume!
"Those who know me will be aware that running is not among my favourite activities, but I am stepping up to the challenge to raise much-needed funds for this fantastic charity that’s making a real, tangible difference to animals worldwide."
"Working full time in clinical practice, including being part of an out-of-hours rota, means training must be factored in with military precision: so far, some of my longer runs are planned for 4 am!
"I also entered the Hastings Half Marathon on 18 March, and my final training run prior to the big day is scheduled for when I will be in Queensland, Australia for my brother’s wedding.
"If I can manage 22 miles in those hot and humid conditions, the London Marathon should be a breeze!”
Chris Laurence. AWF Chair of Trustees, said: "I am delighted that Daniella has chosen to raise funds for AWF in what is arguably one of the biggest sporting events in the world. On behalf of the organisation, I’d like to thank her for her support and wish her all the best for the marathon."
To support Daniella’s fundraising, visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DaniellaDosSantos
For updates on her training and to find out more about AWF, visit www.bva-awf.org.uk
The extension includes a new diagnostic imaging suite with both CT and MRI scanners, a fourth operating theatre, two more consulting rooms, an additional ward for dogs and an expanded office for clinicians.
North Downs hospital director Terry Emmerson said: "This significant investment illustrates our commitment to providing the highest standards of medical and surgical care for our pets in a caring, compassionate environment.
"It has provided us with a number of important new facilities, allowing us to continue to build on our services and our level of care.
As part of the expansion, North Downs has also recruited five more clinicians, two specialising in small animal surgery, one in neurology, one in ophthalmology and one in anaesthesia.
Mr Emmerson said: "All the investment in facilities and technology is very important and exciting but we also recognised the need to invest in recruiting more talented staff to help us make the most of it all.
"That’s why we have added five new clinicians in several key disciplines and in turn increased the size of our clinicians’ office to help incorporate those additional staff.
"It all means we can now offer an even better service, leading facilities and treatment within a far more structured and organised layout which helps makes everything more efficient and user-friendly for staff and patients."
For more information about North Downs Specialist Referrals, visit www.ndsr.co.uk.
The BVA is also calling on Government to tighten pet import rules.
The advice follows news about a positive Brucella canis test in a rescue dog imported from Belarus in March this year.
The woman fostering the dog was hospitalised after coming into close contact with it, in the UK’s first confirmed dog-to-human transmission.
The foster animal and four pet dogs who were exposed to the disease, three of whom also tested positive, all had to be euthanised.
Data released by the Government shows a steep rise in confirmed Brucella canis cases since the start of 2020, rising from just three before that year to 107 till July this year.
The dogs were all either imported, had returned from holiday overseas, or been bred with an imported dog.
BVA is asking veterinary teams to:
British Veterinary Association President Justine Shotton said: “This recent case of Brucella canis in a foster dog is extremely tragic and highlights why vets have long raised concerns over the real and serious risks of importing ‘Trojan’ rescue dogs with unknown health histories into the UK.
“We know there is an added public health risk too, including for veterinary teams who treat and handle these animals, from contact with an infected dog’s contaminated body tissues and fluids.
"BVA continues to call on the Government to take urgent action to introduce stricter pet import measures, including mandatory pre-import testing, so we can minimise the spread of Brucella canis and other emerging diseases.
"We are also calling for the strengthening of enforcement provisions and checks on dogs brought into the country through the commercial route."
The 2021 B. canis risk view and statement by Public Health England (now UK Health Security Agency) contains vital information and recommendations for veterinary professionals: here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/960013/20210210_Brucella_canis_statement.pdf
BVA’s recommendations on tightening pet travel legislation: https://www.bva.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Content/News,_campaigns_and_policies/Policies/Companion_animals/BVA%20Position%20on%20Pet%20Travel%20Full.pdf
The publishers say that many people who prescribe veterinary medicines or who handle them (or bodily fluids that may contain them or their active metabolites) are not aware of the potential harmful effects they can have on human reproduction.
'Handling Veterinary Medicines and Pregnancy' gives up-to-date, evidence-based guidance on which drugs and methods of handling are hazardous; information on the relevant regulations relating to the safe handling of such medicines; and practical guidance on avoiding harm in veterinary practice.
Veterinary Prescriber says that once you have completed the module, you will:
understand the principles of reproductive toxicity
understand how data on the harmful effects of medicines are generated
be aware of the evidence on reproductive harm in veterinary practice
understand what practical measures to take to avoid harm
know where to find helpful information on medicines and pregnancy
For more information, visit: https://www.veterinaryprescriber.org/subscribers/
The company says that practices transferring to its pet health plan portal will be able to take greater control of their pet health plans and benefit from a range of innovative services for the same cost. They include the VMD-approved Post2Pet home delivery service, a messaging system to advise clients on applying products, attending appointments or renewing prescriptions, reporting to give practice leaders the insights they need to drive plan performance, the ability for pet owners to sign up online rather than visit the practice, and 24/7 access to a marketing hub and the Premier Vet Alliance Learning Academy.
Premier Vet Alliance’s Business Development Director Andy Taylor said: "We are excited to be offering our high performing Premier Pet Care Plan to the many new practices joining us following our acquisition of Simplyhealth’s animal health business.
"We are working to make the transition seamless and believe that our new customers will be delighted at the expanded range of functionality our portal offers them, together with the reduced administrative burden. We will continue to invest in its development to ensure that all of our customers can be sure that their pet health plan offers the most powerful set of tools and services available to help them drive up the profitability of their practice, while offering gold standard care to their patients and peace of mind to their clients."
For more information, visit: https://premiervetalliance.com/uk/
Pergocoat contains pergolide, a long-acting dopamine receptor agonist.
It is available in 0.5mg (off-white) and 1mg (yellow) tablets for accurate dosing without the need to split tablets.
The tablets are film-coated to mask the bitter taste of pergolide and create a barrier between the horse owner and the active ingredient.
Available in two different pack sizes containing 60 or 160 tablets, Pergocoat tablets are packaged in double layered blister packs to help minimise the risk of accidental ingestion.
Rachel Addison BVM&S MRCVS, equine field support manager at Dechra said: “Pergocoat is available in two convenient tablet sizes to achieve an optimal treatment response.
"Horses can be monitored and reviewed every four to six weeks until stabilisation or improvement of clinical signs is observed.”
https://www.dechra.co.uk/products/horse/prescription/pergocoat#Pergocoat-0-5mg-60-film-coated-tablets-for-horses.
David, who is Head of Clinical Intelligence at Vets Now, came in eighth place with 1,756 votes in this year’s RCVS Council elections.
The place was originally offered to Dr Tom Witte, who came in seventh place. However, due to a change in personal circumstances, he decided not to accept.
Professor Stephen May, RCVS President, said: "The loss of such a young, talented and respected Council member as Sarah has been difficult to come to terms with and she is greatly missed by her fellow Council members and others amongst the profession.
"It is also important to recognise that the New Year will bring us fresh challenges and opportunities and we will face them best with a full complement of Council members. Therefore, I am delighted that David will be joining Council from January and is able to attend his first Council meeting, which will be held in committee, with us on Thursday 18 January.
"The circumstances under which David will be joining us have been extremely sad, but I am sure he will be an excellent addition to our team and I look forward to working with him."
More information about David Leicester, including his candidate biography and manifesto, can be found in the Council election booklet sent out earlier this year and available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications. A video of David talking about what he would bring to RCVS Council can also be found on the College’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos
238 veterinary surgeons responded to the survey which found that 52.3% of practices reported that they do not have all the veterinary surgeons they need, with the average shortfall being 21.6% or approximately 1/5th of the workforce.
28% reported that this lack of vets meant that they are unable to cover their OOH without unacceptable levels of overtime.
88% of practices had tried to recruit in the past 12 months, 31% of which had failed to find a candidate at the time of the survey.
SPVS carried out a similar survey in 2015 and a comparison between the two showed a worsening situation with only 22% of practices finding a new recruit within three months compared to over 30% two years ago. 90% of respondents also felt the recruitment situation had worsened since four years ago.
An unwillingness to do OOH and dissatisfaction with working hours was cited as the most common reason for candidates not accepting a position, mirroring the results of a survey carried out by VetSurgeon Jobs in 2016. This, combined with most respondents saying that personally they planned to reduce their working hours suggests that the crisis can only deepen and that to succeed in recruitment, employers will have to consider more flexible working.
Brian Faulkner, SPVS President said: "This survey provides valuable evidence to support the profession as they work with government and the colleges to try and counter this crisis in recruitment which threatens to get worse with Brexit. If not tackled it will become increasingly difficult for vets to provide a satisfactory 24 hour health service for the UK’s pets, horses and farm animals."
VetSurgeon.org Editor, Arlo Guthrie said: "This is precisely why recruitment adverts on VetSurgeon.org Jobs run for two months rather than the one month typically offered on other websites. In these difficult times, it is also important to try and use every trick in the book to spread the word about your job, and present it in a way that really stands out. On that score, we're working on some new features designed to help good employers stand out from the crowd. Watch this space."
The full survey is available on the SPVS website at: www.spvs.org.uk
The trial, which was conducted by a UK-French team of researchers from PBD Biotech and Biosellal, is being presented at the European Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (EAVLD) Congress in Brussels today.
Current tests only allow the reliable detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) from 18-24 month calves and are unable to distinguish between active and passive infection.
For the 16-month trial, calves from three different herds and born from MAP-positive and MAP-negative cows were tested monthly using PBD Biotech’s Actiphage Rapid kit and Biosellal’s Bio-T kit MAP PCR on blood samples, and the same PCR on faeces.
Researchers say the trial proves that early detection of live MAP infection is possible, and paves the way for improved Johne’s disease monitoring and control measures on farms.
Co-Author Dr Ben Swift, Research Fellow in Antimicrobial Resistance at the Royal Veterinary College and R&D Director at PBD Biotech, said: "Young animals are highly susceptible to infection and being able to identify Johne’s disease at this early stage is key to controlling disease spread.
The trial showed that the sensitivity and specificity of Actiphage enables detection of lower levels of MAP than the current culture methods, and provides results in 6 hours rather than weeks."
The Actiphage Rapid technology used in the trial identified live MAP infection at least 4 weeks’ earlier than the faecal PCR in 75% of cases: in one case, the new diagnostic detected MAP in the blood of a one-day old calf born from a MAP-positive cow.
Claire Pelletier, Directrice Générale of BioDev, consultant to Biosellal, will be presenting findings from the trial, which also showed the transient nature of the infection. She said: "The study showed that two calves, identified as MAP-positive by Actiphage-PCR on blood during the first monthly sampling didn’t shed MAP into their faeces until 10 and 11 months. This emphasises that early detection provides a short window of time that allow for control of the disease."
Other international trials using Actiphage are underway to investigate the presence of MAP in milk.
The study was based on VetCompass anonymised clinical records from more than two million dogs under first opinion veterinary care in the UK in 2019.
The study applied causal inference methods to the analysis of random samples of 815 dogs with CCL rupture aged between 1.5- and 12-years-old to replicate a randomised clinical trial and explore the impact of the different treatment methods.
Balancing the arms of the study for variables including age, breed and bodyweight, the researchers compared the outcomes for the dogs who received surgical management for CCL ruptures to those that were managed non-surgically.
The results showed that dogs managed surgically were 25.7% less likely to show short-term lameness at 3 months post-diagnosis and 31.7% less likely to show long-term lameness at 12 months post-diagnosis than dogs managed non-surgically.
Surgically managed dogs were 38.9% less likely to have a pain relief prescription at 3 months post-diagnosis, 34.1% less likely at 6 months and 32.7% less likely at 12 months than dogs managed non-surgically.
The RVC says these findings also similarly demonstrate lower longer term pain in surgically managed dogs.
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass PhD student at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: “This study used an exciting new approach that allowed us to determine ‘cause’ rather than being limited to ‘association’.
"Surgical management for CCL rupture is often considered as providing better outcomes than non-surgical management, but this study now provides an evidence base to support this.
"Whilst surgical management might not always be feasible for some dogs, the findings allow vets to quantify the benefit in their discussions with owners.”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106165
Reference
Jurox says the reformulation will also help reduce waste associated with unpreserved ampule formulations and will help streamline portfolios with a requirement for only one buprenorphine listing.
Dr Dan Cripwell BSc (Hons) BVSc CertAVP (EM) CertAVP PgCert (VPS) MRCVS, Advanced Veterinary Practitioner and senior veterinary technical advisor at Jurox (UK) Limited, said: “I am delighted that Jurox can provide the UK veterinary market with this evolution of our multidose buprenorphine formulation. We constantly strive to provide the veterinary profession with first class clinical and technical support and our ability to perform in-house product research and development is also a great strength; this allows us to remain agile enough to make adaptations in an area where not much has changed in the past few years.
“In this instance, we were able to examine what improvements could be made to our existing drug portfolio and respond to the profession’s feedback with the redevelopment of the commonly utilised opioid analgesic, buprenorphine. Our hope is that, as well as the recent mixing claims added to the product licence, this development will encourage the best clinical use of the drug and, in turn, improve patient experience and outcome.”
For more information, contact your local Jurox account manager, phone 0800 500 3171, visit www.jurox.com/uk or email customerservice@jurox.co.uk.
Norbrook Laboratories has launched a long-acting cattle bolus which it says will reduce the risk of Milk Fever.
According to the company, Calcitrace D3 is the first and only long-acting bolus to offer slow and fast releasing calcium to provide sustained calcium levels for 48 to 72 hours. In addition, Calcitrace D3 provides Magnesium, Phosphate and Vitamin D3 making it the most comprehensive bolus available.
Calcitrace D3 is smooth gelatin coated bolus with a rounded tip designed for easier administration. Norbrook says it is smaller than other boluses making it less likely to cause trauma on the orpharynx during administration.
Dr Barry McInerney, Norbrook's GB Veterinary Advisor said: "Milk Fever is a common metabolic disorder in dairy cattle which generally affects older, high producing cows and is caused by a rapid decrease in calcium concentrations in the blood just before calving. It is estimated that 3-10% of cows are affected by Milk Fever with a cost of more than £200 per incident so it is crucial that farmers and vets reduce the risk as effectively as possible.
"Norbrook's new Calcitrace D3 bolus which should be administered just before calving, provides higher calcium blood levels during the critical 12 - 48 hour post calving period and provides sustained increased levels for well beyond 48 hours. With the addition of Magnesium, Phosphate and Vitamin D3, Calcitrace D3 provides additional protection against Milk Fever."
Andrew Hillan MVB MRCVS, Director of Veterinary Sciences at Norbrook, led the development of Calcitrace D3. He said: "The launch of Calcitrace D3 is another illustration of the very high quality of technical expertise that exists within our research and development department and underlines Norbrook's commitment to developing high quality and innovative products. It comes from a strong and exciting pipeline of new products which we will bring to the market over the next couple of years."
The service uses an Xstrahl 100 superficial radiotherapy system, a £150,000 piece of equipment installed by Paragon after it was used successfully in the USA by the hospital's medical and radiation oncology specialist, Dr Rodney Ayl.
Rodney (pictured right) says the new equipment will transform the way Paragon can treat skin cancers, dermatological disorders and some other common superficial conditions.
He said: “This is a very exciting development for us and our clients because Xstrahl systems have been used so successfully in human medicine for many years.
“This prompted us to explore adapting the SRT system for veterinary use in the UK and we hope to collaborate with Colorado State University, which has a similar unit, to develop protocols for pets.
“We believe this will be a significant advance in the treatment and care of animals and we’re delighted to be at the forefront of introducing this new service.
“It is the only one of its kind for pets in the UK and there are very few units like this anywhere in the veterinary industry, so it really is an important move forward.”
Xstrahl radiotherapy systems were originally designed for the treatment of skin cancer, dermatological disorders, certain types of benign disease and some palliative care in humans.
Rodney says that having adapted the SRT system for animals will transform their treatment and the logistics and cost of getting radiation therapy for superficial skin conditions.
He added: “Superficial radiotherapy is particularly useful for treating some types of skin cancer where it may be preferable to surgery as it can deliver excellent non-invasive outcomes with curative or palliative intent.
“The treatment is less stressful from the outset and, thanks to its mechanism of action, it is also pain-free.
“Its use of different size cones, directly over the lesion, minimises effects on healthy skin and the fast treatment means a large reduction in time and impact on the patient’s day-to-day life, while providing a highly-effective treatment.
“The machine’s flexibility also makes it particularly suited for treating multiple lesions that are difficult to access, such as the head and neck, without changing patient positioning.
“The Xstrahl 100 system will help us to respond to the growing demand for radiation treatment and we can treat these patients on an outpatient basis, helping us to reduce surgical and hospitalisation costs.
“The technology is a real winner. It is easy to use and helps us to deliver safe and effective radiotherapy to our animal patients.
“It provides a quicker, easier, cheaper and non-invasive alternative for superficial tumours, especially in geriatric patients where surgery is not always an option. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive results here at Paragon.”
For more information, visit www.paragonreferrals.co.uk.
The recognition, management and treatment of pain in calves was identified by the BVA and the BCVA as a priority animal welfare problem following the launch of the BVA’s Animal welfare strategy last year, with the two organisations working closely together to progress an evidence-based best practice position and set of recommendations for the profession.
The new position statement specifically recommends the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in addition to local anaesthesia when conducting disbudding and castration in calves, as these are procedures that have been shown to cause acute pain at the time of the procedure and chronic pain afterwards. Analgesics have been shown to reduce the signs of pain in this post-operative period in a wide range of research studies.
The position also recommends the 'Three Rs' approach to castration and disbudding of calves, advocating that, where possible, these procedures are: Replaced by, for example, selecting polled sires to replace disbudding; Reduced by, for example, appropriate use of sexed semen to reduce the number of male calves requiring castration; or Refined, with the use of analgesics.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "BVA and BCVA’s joint position further reinforces the profession’s focus as animal welfare advocates, and conveys the need for adequate pain management that is reflective of current scientific understanding of pain recognition and treatment in cattle.
"Existing legislation requires a level of anaesthesia and we would encourage veterinary colleagues and stock-keepers to also discuss appropriate analgesic regimes used so that vets prescribe appropriately licensed NSAIDs and other analgesic medicines as required, as part of ensuring a good life for the animals we farm for food."
The recommendations support the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science’s study, published yesterday in the Veterinary Record, which has found that calf husbandry procedures were significantly less likely to include the use of analgesics in addition to the local anaesthetic (that is routinely used) for other similarly painful procedures. While local anaesthesia can reduce or eliminate much of the acute pain, chronic pain may still remain once the relatively short duration of local anaesthetic action wanes.
John Remnant, a member of BCVA Board and Clinical Assistant Professor in Farm Animal Health and Production at the Nottingham Vet School, said: "It appears that veterinarians’ awareness of pain in cattle and willingness to use analgesics in general has increased over the last decade. However, whilst this should be commended, the apparent lack of use of appropriate analgesia specifically in calves undergoing routine husbandry procedures such as castration and disbudding requires urgent action. I am delighted that the findings of Nottingham University’s study support BVA/BCVA’s statement."
BVA and BCVA’s joint position paper on Analgesia in calves can be found at: https://www.bva.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Content/News,_campaigns_and_policies/Policies/Ethics_and_welfare/Analgesia%20in%20calves%20BVA%20branded.pdf
Photo: A calf in England, New Forest national park. Jim Champion. Wikipedia.
Dr Neil Bryant from the AHT, who is leading the research, said: "EHV is a major welfare concern for horses and foals and causes emotional, as well as financial strains, on horse owners and breeders around the world. It can strike any horse at any time so a vaccine will be of global welfare benefit to all horses, including the thoroughbred and sports horse breeding industries, and would help control this serious and sometimes fatal disease."
As a viral infection, EHV can cause respiratory disease, abortion or fatal illness in new born foals and neurological disease in adult horses, with signs ranging from slight wobbliness through to complete paralysis. The disease can strike any horse at any time because the virus, like other herpesviruses (such as the cold sore virus in humans), becomes dormant within most horses early in their life. It then re-emerges when the animal is later stressed such as when transported or mixed with new horses. A seemingly healthy pregnant mare may suddenly, and without warning, abort her unborn foal or may show signs of respiratory disease including mild fever, coughing and discharge from the nose. A horse which appears fit and well may suddenly show abnormalities when walking and within hours may be unable to stand.
Despite the potential severity and impact of outbreaks, there is still no vaccine that is licensed to protect against the neurological form of the disease and abortions still occur in highly vaccinated horse populations. The AHT says protection afforded by existing vaccines currently in use is sub-optimal, something that was highlighted by the 2016 abortion storm in Hertfordshire in fully vaccinated animals.
Neil added: "We have become aware of a pressing need for progress towards a new and improved EHV-1 vaccine. Just last month, the AHT was again called upon to work with the racing industry and affected parties in dealing with confirmed cases of EHV-1 abortion in premises in Yorkshire and Suffolk."
To that end, the charity has now established the Equine Industries EHV Vaccine Steering Group. Chaired by Professor Joe Brownlie of the RVC, the steering group includes world-renowned experts on both human and equine herpes viruses from a number of research establishments, who have concluded that the most appropriate way forward is for the AHT to design a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine.
After securing funding from a large number of organisations, including the Alborada Trust, EBM Charitable Trust, Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Racing Foundation, Paul Mellon Estate, Thompson Family Charitable Trust, Coolmore Ireland, Newsells Park Stud, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and Juddmonte Farms, the AHT has begun its five-year research programme.
Neil added: "We’re at the beginning of a very exciting and potentially ground-breaking vaccine development. Through our research, we will construct different viruses with attenuating mutations and assess their suitability as MLVs. We hope our findings will enable further development by vaccine manufacturers in creating an effective vaccine to protect against the serious clinical signs induced by EHV-1."
A paper introduced by the RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson looked at the possibility of the RCVS prosecuting, for example, unqualified individuals undertaking veterinary work and courses falsely purporting to lead to a registerable qualification.
The paper also explored other options, including better educating animal owners about veterinary services and assisting people with concerns about the breaches of the VSA to raise them with the authorities.
Council heard that over the past year, the RCVS had assisted other agencies on investigations of suspected VSA breaches on a number of occasions.
It was considered that the RCVS could consider undertaking its own private investigations and criminal prosecutions when statutory prosecuting authorities did not have the resources to pursue these cases.
However, the RCVS has no statutory powers of investigation, so if it did pursue a private prosecution, it would have no powers to carry out a criminal investigation or compel evidence.
Council members voted for a further paper setting out a draft policy on private prosecutions, as well as what general information regarding breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act could be provided to members of the public and the professions.
John Innes, CVS Referrals Director based at Chester Gates Veterinary Specialists (BVSc PhD CertVR DSAS (orth) FRCVS), said: "The main challenges around managing and treating osteoarthritis for vets is that it is a chronic, insidious problem.
"It’s also often lower down the priority list and owners don’t recognise the signs; they often ascribe it to ageing. Actually, osteoarthritis is such a common problem that it should be way up our priority list because something like 10-15% of adult dogs have OA."
The roundtable discussion also focused on the need for greater understanding of the condition among pet owners.
Duncan Lascelles, Professor of Small Animal Surgery and Pain Management at NC State Veterinary Medicine (BSc, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, CertVA, DSAS(ST), DECVS, DACVS) said: "The vet profession needs to take a much more active role in the education of owners, and osteoarthritis is a perfect example of this. Many owners consider osteoarthritis to be age related and an inevitable part of the ageing process – unfortunately both of those concepts are erroneous.
"Osteoarthritis can be a young dog disease, it is present in many young dogs because it is caused by developmental diseases, but we only recognise the obvious signs later on when the disability is severe. Also, we should not consider OA-related pain as an inevitable part of the ageing process, it is something that we can prevent by early intervention, early treatment and modification of lifestyle."
Meanwhile, a survey of 236 UK practising vets carried out by Elanco last June, revealed that 76% of veterinary surgeons believe owners fundamentally misunderstand OA and consider it just a symptom of old age, which results in a barrier to effective treatment of the disease.
The survey also found that although the illness is commonplace (49% of veterinary surgeons see OA cases every day), vets are often unable to give their preferred treatment for OA for a range of reasons, from owner misconception of the disease through to perceived side effects and compliance.
The issue of better education of owners was also discussed at the roundtable, in particular the role of CMIs (Clinical Metrology Instruments); owner-facing questionnaires designed to help veterinary surgeons evaluate the extent and seriousness of OA-related pain in dogs.
Duncan said: "The great thing about CMIs is that they have been constructed using language that owners understand, therefore are an easy way to ask owners the right questions in the way that they will understand.
"CMIs allow us to have what can be very difficult conversations with owners. Difficult because we have to think of all the different ways that osteoarthritis might be affecting pets. Because the CMIs include pre-constructed questions, it means that conversations with owners are much easier and, importantly, they’re consistent. Consistency is key to ensure you’re asking the same set of questions each time, every time, so you can follow the evolution of clinical signs over time and assess the beneficial impact of our therapeutics."
John added: "We often quiz the owner informally in a consultation, but CMIs gives us the tools needed to formalise this questioning of clients and allow us to put that in context of our knowledge of other patients."
Both John and Duncan said the need for more patient analysis highlighted the need for better use of existing tools, such as the LOAD (‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’) questionnaire, a 13-item clinical metrology instrument (CMI) designed to help veterinary surgeons determine the severity of OA in all dogs, monitor disease progression and assess the patient’s response to treatment.
For more information contact your Elanco representative or call +44 (0)1256 353131.
A You Gov poll commissioned by Intervet/Schering Plough in the run up to National Vaccination Month (1st-30th June) shows the degree to which the recession is now biting into veterinary spending, and the impact it's having on vaccination levels.
The You Gov survey found that 19% of pet owners nationwide admit they have cut back on veterinary expenses such as vaccinations, health checks and treatments. Just under half are failing to vaccinate their animals with 53% of those polled not vaccinating their pets due to cost.
Other key findings of the You Gov survey include:
The You Gov survey also highlighted a lack of awareness among younger pet owners about pet health. Of the 18-24 year olds polled who had not taken their pet to be vaccinated, 44% said it was because they were unaware of any disease risk to their animals, compared to just 13% of those aged 55 and over. 22% of 18-24 year olds surveyed were not aware of zoonoses such as fleas and worms and diseases such as ringworm and Toxocara.
Matt Brash, BVetMed MRCVS, who runs a small animal veterinary clinic in North Yorkshire and is star of the TV show 'Zoo Vet at Large' said: "These figures are concerning and we could be sitting on a ticking time bomb. The simple fact is that many pet owners don't realise that their pets are at risk of disease. Less than half of all dogs and cats are vaccinated, which is well below the amount needed to protect the pet population through herd immunity."
Paula Boyden, a vet and Business Development and Corporate Marketing Project Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, who has steered the campaign for the company said: "There are clearly some strong messages coming out to vets here, not least where and how the credit crunch is hitting pet owners. The underlying message that National Vaccination Month offers a way of supporting pet owners during these difficult economic times is obviously important. While the data shows that pet owners will still make considerable sacrifices to care for their pets, it also highlights that vaccination is falling by the wayside. Clearly, practices will need to work harder than ever against the background of the credit crunch to bring home the message to pet owners that their pets are at risk of serious and often fatal disease and that cutting vaccination is a false economy. The You Gov poll also highlights the urgent need to educate the younger section of pet owners about the disease threat faced by their animals."
TV wildlife and science presenter Kate Humble, who with Matt and Clare Brash is spearheading the National Vaccination Month Campaign, said: "The really sad aspect is that people who are reducing veterinary care due to the recession may be making a false economy by putting their pets at risk of serious disease, which may lead to treatment at far greater cost than the price of the annual jab."
The You Gov survey suggests that where people have had to pay for unexpected vet bills they are paying for them on credit cards. One had to put the family pet down and many revealed that they had made personal sacrifices in order to keep looking after their animals including stopping smoking, cutting out luxuries, clothes and socialising.
The You Gov survey highlights how, despite lavishing affection and presents on their pets, people are not taking adequate steps to protect them from preventable killer diseases. The survey reveals that 65% of pet owners consider their animal to be an extremely important member of the family with over half (54%) buying them Christmas presents. However, only 56% of pets were vaccinated with just under a quarter (22%) of owners unaware of any disease risk.
Currently, an estimated 3 million dogs, 6 million cats, 1.8 million rabbits and 500,000 horses are unvaccinated.
In answer to this disease threat and to help owners during the recession, around 2,000 veterinary clinics across the UK have so far signed up to part in the National Vaccination Month campaign, offering pets a full vaccination course against a range of fatal diseases for the cost of a booster.
To participate in National Vaccination Month (www.vaccinationmonth.co.uk) - the biggest national consumer campaign of its kind, please contact your Intervet/ Schering-Plough Animal Health account manager or call Intervet/ Schering-Plough's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685, option 4.