Nutraplaque contains Ascophyllum Nodosum seaweed and decaffeinated green tea extract, presented in sprinkle capsules. Nutravet says the seaweed in nutraplaque has been shown to reduce plaque build-up by 35% after 4 weeks.
Nutravet says the new product also helps in the removal and control of tartar, supports healthy teeth and gums, reduces bad breath and is free of artificial preservatives, gluten and sugar
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director at Nutravet said: "We’re really excited to introduce nutraplaque into our market-leading range of veterinary exclusive nutraceuticals. Maintaining pets’ dental health is an important part of looking after a pet and our nutraplaque sprinkle capsules make it easy for pet owners to keep up with oral health in an easy to administer form.
“The unique formulation of nutraplaque works naturally within an animal’s body. The natural ingredients work through the saliva, where they help reduce new plaque from forming and soften existing tartar around the clock."
For further information about nutraplaque, visit www.nutravet.co.uk.
Andy (pictured right) will be joined at the The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic by fellow surgical specialist Chris Jordan, and Managing Director Richard Hoile.
The clinic is situated just off the M3, thirty minutes from the M25.
It is equipped with a CT scanner, mobile digital radiography and two surgical theatres with a full complement of orthopaedic kit including for total hip replacement in cats and all sizes of dogs.
To ensure best patient outcomes the surgical suite has its own HEPA-filtered ventilation system, isolated from the rest of the clinic, which Andy says exceeds guidelines for human orthopaedic theatres and will reduce the risk of infection.
Andy said: “The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic fills a gap in the market to provide high-class specialist orthopaedic care at a reasonable price.
"We have two very experienced specialist surgeons and a clinic designed from the ground-up to reduce the risk of complications after surgery.
"We will be able to provide the very best orthopaedic care and the best possible outcomes after surgery.
"And without the high overheads many referral centres often face, we will be able to achieve this at a very competitive price.
"I can’t wait to start seeing cases in May.”
Non-urgent cases can be booked from April 2023 using the online referral form: https://mooresortho.com/contact/
In the lead up to opening in May, Andy is available for remote consultations, client visits, to consult/operate on select cases in your own clinic or to discuss cases via email andy@mooresortho.com
mooresortho.com
SPVS has announced that Professor Noel Fitzpatrick will appear ‘In Conversation’ with Martin Whiting, lecturer in ethics at the RVC, at the SPVS/VPMA Congress at the Celtic Manor Resort on 29/30th January 2016.
Noel is both an inspirational and a controversial figure. Few would question that his orthopaedic and neurology work has been both brilliant and life saving. Anyone close to him will tell you he is a dedicated workaholic who believes passionately in the sanctity of life.
However, some would argue that programmes like the BBC’s Bionic Vet and Channel 4’s Super Vet may raise expectations among pet owners as to what the average vet practice can do. And then there's the question of just how far practitioners should go to save / prolong an animal's life. Just because you can, does it mean you should?
These are the areas that will be explored in this hour long ‘conversation’ in a format borrowed from literary festivals. There will be an opportunity for the audience to submit their questions from the floor.
For further details and to to book, visit www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk or call 01453 872731.
Miss Panait faced the charge that on 3 April 2018, at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court, she was convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving for which she was sentenced to 10 months in prison, disqualified from driving for 41 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.
At the start of the hearing Miss Panait admitted to the charge against her which related to an accident on 15 May 2017 in which, following an attempt to overtake a number of vehicles, she lost control of her car and collided with a vehicle on the other side of the road, causing serious injuries to herself and life-changing injuries to the other driver. The Committee subsequently found this charge to be proved.
The Committee then considered whether the charge found proved made her unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
In doing so, it took into account the fact that Miss Panait was convicted of a serious crime which resulted in serious harm to another and for which she received a custodial sentence.
The Committee decided that the criminal conviction and the custodial sentence fell far below the standard expected of a veterinary surgeon and therefore rendered her unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
In considering her sanction, the Committee heard directly from Miss Panait who attended the hearing having been released from prison on licence.
Stuart Drummond, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "After the submissions the respondent spoke directly to the Committee. She was understandably emotional and was remorseful and apologetic. She acknowledged that she had made a mistake and apologised for bringing the profession into disrepute…. To the Committee her sense of personal responsibility or shame was palpable."
The Committee also took into account other aggravating and mitigating factors in the case.
The Committee recognised that it was a serious offence with significant consequences for both the victim and Miss Panait but accepted it was a single isolated incident, that Miss Panait has made efforts to avoid repetition of the incident by undertaking further driving instruction and recognised that she had displayed full insight and remorse. Furthermore, it also considered the many testimonials from colleagues and clients and that she had received significant support from her employers.
Mr Drummond added: "The Committee came to the conclusion that this was one of those exceptionally unfortunate and sad cases where it is appropriate and proportionate to take no further action. The respondent has insight and is deeply remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for what has happened.
"In the circumstances of this case the Committee determined that the public interest has been met by the finding that the respondent’s conviction renders her unfit to practise. The Committee was of the view that to impose any sanction now would be disproportionate."
The BVA has expressed its concern that almost two-thirds of food companies have no information on their commitment to stunning animals before slaughter – with only 4% having a "universal commitment".
The findings were published in the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare report (BBFAW, published 27 January) and also show that slaughter without pre-stunning is the only welfare measure showing a decline in the percentage of food companies that have a specific policy on the practice, down from 34% in 2014 to 32% in 2015.
BVA has run a long-standing and high profile campaign to end non-stun slaughter in the UK, with a public petition in 2015 gaining 120,000 signatures. BVA, together with all leading farm animal welfare organisations, believes that all animals should be stunned before slaughter to render them insensible to pain. Scientific evidence supports the use of pre-stunning to safeguard animal welfare. In 2015, two-thirds of BVA members listed the issue as one of their top priorities for government.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "Vets and the public are united in their concern about animal welfare at slaughter. There are several positive findings on the growing commitment of food companies towards farm animal welfare in the BBFAW report, which we welcome, but the report highlights a disappointing lack of commitment towards animal welfare at the time of slaughter. The European Commission’s study of 13,500 meat consumers across Europe found that 72% wanted information about the stunning of animals at slaughter. Food companies need to sit up and take consumers’ concerns about humane slaughter seriously. People want to be assured that farmed animals receive both a good life and a humane death."
Petplan's Veterinary Awards are designed to celebrate the nation’s most outstanding vets, vet nurses, practices, practice managers and support staff who are nominated by their colleagues and clients for continually going that extra mile, keeping pets healthy and giving owners peace of mind.
The independent panel of judges said that Johanna's nomination stood out for her ability to create a balance between leading a practice which maintains incredibly high clinical standards along with a welcoming, caring ethos with patients at the heart of everything they do.
Johanna said: "I’m absolutely ecstatic! I wasn’t expecting to win at all, so this is a real surprise – I just want to say thank you to those who nominated and all my staff for supporting me every day. What a brilliant feeling!"
The other big winner on the night was 387 Veterinary Centre. Two members of staff, Nicky Smith RVN and Joanne Civil, won 'Veterinary Nurse of the Year' and 'Veterinary Practice Support Staff of the Year' respectively, and the practice also took the overall 'Veterinary Practice of the Year' award.
'Veterinary Practice Manager of the Year' went to Anne Corson of Pennard Vets in Tonbridge.
Tony Noble, managing director at Noble Futures, said: "We have been working with organisations of all shapes and sizes since our foundation in 2002 and it became clear that while we can ensure that our clients recruit the top people for the job - through finding them the best permanent, contracting or temporary employees - the resources are not always present to ensure that this human resource potential is maximised. The team at The Partners deliver a world-class service and we are 100% confident that their professional and expert support services will make a real difference to our clients’ businesses."
Noble Futures and The Partners have launched three new services:
The Human Resources support service is aimed at organisations that need additional support or more expert advice within the human resources function, whether it relates to a particular employee issue such as managing a long-term illness, or a wider corporate challenge like implementing a company-wide performance management system.
The Psychometric Profiling service is designed to give unique insights into the individual traits of employees, to help with recruitment, promotion, coaching and career development.
Finally, the Management Development service has been developed to help ensure a company’s employees receive the right training for success.
Paula Summerscales (pictured right with husband Graham) from The Partners said: "We are delighted to partner with Noble Futures to deliver our range of people-building services to organisations in the animal health sector. Our unique mix of skills and experience allows us to bring a tailored approach to every single project we work on and we’re looking forward to working with Noble Futures clients to implement innovative solutions that gain commercial results."
For more information, contact Noble Futures on 0161 820 3510 or email: info@noble-futures.com.
Alternatively, contact The Partners directly on 01484 860849
Located on the Longbridge regeneration site near Birmingham, Blaise Referrals is IVC's first purpose-built, multi-disciplinary hospital in the UK and the company says it provides a blueprint for its future hospitals, with a clinician-led building design and a nurse-led clinical floor, both of which are fairly new practices for the profession.
Blaise Referrals will accept patients from first opinion practices across the UK and offer a wide range of services including orthopaedic and soft tissue surgeries, neurology, cardiology, internal medicine.
The hospital has a state-of-the art intensive care unit with a dedicated ICU team which can support other hospital departments with its advanced facilities.
The 36,000 square foot hospital also boasts a 1.5T Siemens MRI, a 64 slice Siemens CT scanner, multiple ultrasound machines and both fixed and digital radiography machines.
The team at Blaise is led by clinical director Andrew Kent and hospital director Julie Davis, both of whom have been hard at work over the last year amassing a team of veterinary professionals across multiple disciplines including Jacques Ferreira as head of anaesthesia, Jennifer Raj as head of internal medicine and Carlo Anselmi as head of diagnostic imaging.
Andy said: “We’ve worked incredibly hard to get to this point and I know I speak on behalf of the whole team here at Blaise when I say we are thrilled to officially be able to welcome pets and owners from all around Birmingham and the Midlands.
“Recent years have seen an ever-increasing need for specialist referral services in the veterinary industry and we are here to answer that demand by providing excellent high-quality and professional care for pets who need it.”
www.blaise-referrals.com
MSD Animal Health has announced the European launch of Activyl, a novel flea and tick treatment containing indoxacarb, an active that is new to animal health and which - uniquely - is activated by flea metabolism.
Activyl is licensed to treat and prevent flea infestations in cats and dogs. Activyl Tick Plus (indoxacarb + permethrin) controls fleas and ticks in dogs.
According to MSD, Activyl is the first flea control product to use metabolic activation, or bioactivation, to kill fleas. It is a topical, once-a-month ectoparasiticide containing indoxacarb, an agent that, because it is new, has no known flea resistance. Following application, indoxacarb is taken up by fleas where it is converted into an active metabolite. This metabolite causes fleas to stop feeding and they die within hours. Unlike insects, mammals mainly convert indoxacarb into non-toxic metabolites so they are not exposed to the active insecticide.
MSD says that Activyl also disrupts the flea life cycle by inhibiting the development of flea larvae. This aids in the environmental control of flea infestations and helps prevent re-infestation for up to four weeks. It may also be used as part of a treatment strategy for flea allergy dermatitis. In laboratory and field studies, Activyl has been shown to have a fast initial and persistent speed of kill that results in greater than 95% efficacy in preventing flea infestation for a full four weeks (MSD Animal Health, data on file).
Dr. Linda Horspool, BVMS, PhD, DipECVPT, MRCVS, global technical director for companion animal pharmaceuticals and parasiticides at MSD Animal Health said: "This innovation is the first time that a pro-insecticide, requiring activation by flea enzymes to produce a highly insecticidal active metabolite that kills adult and developing stages of fleas in the immediate environment of treated pets, has been used to provide flea control in dogs and cats."
Dispensed in clear pipettes that can easily be opened with one hand, Activyl is fragrance-free, dries quickly and remains effective following shampooing, swimming and exposure to sunlight. Seven sizes are available to treat small to extra-large dogs (five sizes) and small and large cats (two sizes). The product is approved for use in puppies and kittens from eight weeks of age.
Activyl Tick Plus is exclusively for dogs. In addition to indoxacarb, Activyl Tick Plus contains permethrin, an acaricide with proven efficacy against ticks. Studies have shown that Activyl Tick Plus kills more than 90% of common tick species including those known to carry such diseases as Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease (MSD Animal Health, data on file).
Once applied, Activyl Tick Plus kills fleas for up to four weeks and kills and repels ticks for three to five weeks. It remains effective following swimming and exposure to rain or sunlight. The product is also provided in easy to use applicators in a variety of different sizes and has been approved for use in puppies from as young as eight weeks of age. Activyl Tick Plus is not for use on cats.
David Hallas, BVSc and companion animal franchise leader at MSD Animal Health said: "Both products will be available strictly through licensed veterinarians, benefiting dogs and cats and their owners by controlling fleas in an innovative way."
The anti-emetic, Cerenia (maropitant citrate), has gained licenses for use in puppies from as young as eight weeks of age and in cats from 16 weeks of age in the prevention and treatment of vomiting and reduction of nausea.
Cerenia is an NK-1 receptor antagonist which Pfizer says is effective against both peripheral and central emetic stimuli by acting on the final common pathway for emesis. It is, according to the company, the only NK-1 receptor antagonist licensed for dogs and cats.
Pfizer adds that in addition to the use for general emesis in puppies, Cerenia can also be used for chemotherapy-induced nausea in dogs. Studies in human oncology show that some patients receiving chemotherapy consider nausea to be more distressing than vomiting1. and the use of NK-1 receptor antagonists has shown clear benefits in the prevention of nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy-treated humans2. Cerenia tablets are also for the treatment for motion sickness in dogs aged 16 weeks or older, delivering claimed efficacy up to 93% without sedating the dog.
Kate Grocott, Product Manager for Cerenia, said: "Already successfully used in the treatment and prevention of vomiting and chemotherapy nausea in dogs, the new licence is a positive step forward for the prevention and early treatment of vomiting for puppies as young as eight weeks of age and cats from 16 weeks old. Being able to deploy Cerenia in these cases, will improve quality of life, and increases the likelihood of the animal voluntarily taking food and water thereby assisting in the recovery where there is underlying disease."
The new licence for treatment of cats with Cerenia is associated with the injectable form, while puppies may be treated with either an injection or tablets.
For further information, contact your Pfizer Animal Health account manager or call 0845 300 8034.
References
Bayer Animal Health has launched Baytril® Max 100mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cattle and Pigs, which replaces the company's previously animal-specific Baytril Max products.
Bayer says the active ingredient, enrofloxacin, treats bacterial infection by inhibiting the action of bacterial DNA gyrase resulting in bacterial cell death.
In cattle, Baytril Max treats respiratory infections and mastitis caused by enrofloxacin-sensitive Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Mycoplasma spp., and enrofloxacin-sensitive E. coli respectively.
In pigs, Baytril Max targets bacterial bronchopneumonia caused by enrofloxacin-sensitive Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida and complicated by Haemophilus parasuis as a secondary pathogen in pigs.
Bayer advises that vets treating cattle for respiratory infections should inject subcutaneously. Mastitis cases should be treated intravenously and pigs should be injected intramuscularly in the neck muscles, behind the ear.
The development of the Baytril Max product family provides vets with greater treatment flexibility from one solution.
For further information please visit www.noahcompendium.co.uk
The BVA Board oversees the performance of the Association and is responsible for corporate and financial governance and for setting the BVA’s strategic direction. It consists of nine members: the three Officers of the BVA, four Directors appointed by BVA Council and up to 2 non-veterinary Directors appointed by the Board. The Chairman is elected by the Board.
Philip, a Bristol University Veterinary School graduate, spent seven years in mixed practice in Sussex, Kent and Suffolk before embarking on a career in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.
He became CEO of Novartis Animal Health UK Ltd in 1996 (where, incidentally, he was ultimately responsible for signing up a wet-behind-the-ears PR consultant by the name of Arlo Guthrie and giving the go-ahead for the development of vetnurse.co.uk, which in turn led to the launch of vetsurgeon.org). In 2003 he became the company's Head of Global Marketing, and in 2005, Head of Global Business Development.
Philip has also run business elective training at the Royal Veterinary College, which has provided first-hand experience of the concerns and opportunities facing new graduates within a changing profession.
Gudrun Ravetz, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "We are delighted to announce Philip Lowndes as the new Chairman of the BVA Board. His experience and expertise in business, knowledge of the veterinary profession and involvement with BVA will be of great value as we continue to grow our membership and expand our services and support for vets, especially during the uncertainty caused by Brexit."
Philip holds previous chair experience, as Chairman of the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) between 1997-2004, and currently sits as Chairman of both the Novartis UK Pension Trustee Board and its Investment Committee. He joined BVA’s Board in 2013 and was re-elected by BVA Council for a second term in 2016. He will be taking over from Derek Williams, who stepped down in March after seven years of tireless work as Chairman.
Gudrun said: "I also want to take this opportunity to thank Derek Williams for all the hard work he has put in over many years. In his role as Chairman Derek’s experience and expertise have been vital in helping BVA grow as an organisation."
Philip said: "I am honoured to be elected as the next Chairman of the BVA and look forward to chairing the Board as it addresses the challenges ahead. The veterinary profession needs and deserves vibrant representation and it is the Board’s role to ensure that the organisation has the ability and the resources to achieve this to the benefit of our membership."
The BVA Board also gained a new non-veterinary Board Director, Steven Anderson Dixon, from April. Mr Dixon brings with him a successful career in newspaper and magazine publishing, which will be an asset as BVA consolidates and continues to develop its portfolio of veterinary journals.
Gabbrovet Multi is the first and only ready-to-use solution licensed to treat both cryptosporidium and E.coli diarrhoea in calves.
The company highlights a study of 334 calves with severe diarrhoea, where those receiving Gabbrovet Multi showed a faster and more effective response than those given halofuginone1.
Harry Walby, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Gabbrovet Multi is the first and only ready-to-use solution for the convenient treatment of both cryptosporidium and E.coli, two of the most common causes of neonatal scour in calves."
Gabbrovet Multi can be administered in milk or water.
It is available with a dosing cap and comes in 250ml, 500ml or 1l presentations.
Gabbrovet Multi also treats gastro-intestinal infections caused by E.coli in pigs.
For further information, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
A campaign to reform English libel law to allow for robust criticism of scientific and medical claims without fear of legal action has been launched by journalist and author Simon Singh. It's a campaign which anyone working in the caring professions might wish to support.
The campaign comes as a consequence of legal action taken against Mr Singh by The British Chiropractic Association, which took exception (perhaps unsurprisingly) to an article he'd written in The Guardian. In the article, Mr Singh denounced claims on the BCA website that its members could use spinal manipulation to treat children with colic, ear infections, asthma, sleeping and feeding conditions, and prolongued crying as 'bogus', and criticised the BCA for 'happily promoting' these claims.
Out of curiosity, VetSurgeon rang the BCA press office this morning, and asked to be given the references for studies which it feels would support the original claims made on its site. Non have been forthcoming so far, which is a surprise. Under the circumstances, we'd have expected the BCA would have a raft of supporting evidence readily available.
But this isn't really about whether or not chiropractic works or not. The case seems to hinge upon whether Mr Singh's article implied that the BCA was being deliberately dishonest, or just delusional. He say's the latter. Unfortunately for him, Mr Justice Eady recently ruled the former, leaving Mr Singh with a bill for £100,000 worth of legal fees.
Mr Singh is to appeal. At stake is the freedom to be able to challenge scientific claims without fear of being sued. If you'd like to support this campaign, visit senseaboutscience.com and add your name to the 7000 others (including some pretty illustrious names) who have already done so.
From now on, accredited General Practices will need to employ at least one Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN), whilst at Veterinary Hospitals all patients should now have a nursing plan in place, and an RVN will need to be on duty at all times.
Other changes to the PSS requirements include:
The full list of changes to the Practice Standards Scheme, together with the new module and award documents, can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/PSSreview.
David Ashcroft leads the team of PSS Assessors responsible for undertaking practice visits and assessing if they meet the required standards. He said: “The changes will come into force later in the year, at the same time as we are planning to return to in-person assessments, and so timings will be subject to government guidance on coronavirus and the easing of lockdown restrictions.
“As the PSS returns to in-person assessments, practices will have the usual three-month period between booking the assessment and the assessment taking place with which to familiarise themselves with the changes and the modules documents relevant to their accreditation.
“If anyone has any questions about the changes then please make sure to contact the Practice Standards Team on pss@rcvs.org.uk and we will be happy to help in any way we can.”
1243 farmers took part in the survey, which was held in partnership with the National Beef Association, British Dairying magazine, the relevant farming unions and the four eradication programmes.
Matt Yarnall from Boehringer said: "Reliance on veterinary input for this decision shows how valuable client discussion and guidance is. And further interrogation of the data shows other areas of BVD control where veterinary input could be extremely valuable.
"Too many producers are still holding onto PI animals in the hope they can be reared successfully and too many are making basic mistakes when it comes to herd biosecurity.
"The survey data revealed that 43% of farmers in Wales have identified a PI, but it is hugely concerning that almost half (42%) of these producers would not cull them immediately; these animals will go on to spread virus throughout the herd."
In Northern Ireland, 26 individual producers said they have kept a PI. "However, 20 had to be put down before reaching adulthood or had to be treated for other health conditions," said Matt. "Even in Scotland, with its well-established scheme, a small percentage of farmers claim they would isolate a PI and try to rear to slaughter and it was exactly the same in England."
Similarly, when it came down to the definition of a closed herd, Boehringer reports that there was significant lack of understanding about what this actually means.
Matt said: "Of the 62% of English producers that state they are closed herds, 2% rear calves away, 19% bring bulls in, 2% buy in heifers or cows and 1% purchase fattening stock.
"Obviously, this means they are not truly a closed herd and supports previous years when 23% and 24% of ‘closed herd’ producers in 2018 and 2017 respectively also brought bulls onto the farm.
"Add to this that 10% of these herds do not currently vaccinate so will not be protected against the BVD virus, and it is clear to see how vulnerable they are."
In Wales, 56% of herds were classified as closed, yet 12% still brought bulls on to the farm. Likewise in Northern Ireland, 60% of farms classified their herds as closed but 20% brought bulls on to the unit. The vast majority of Scottish herds also claimed to be closed, yet there were still inconsistencies around buying policy and biosecurity.
Matt said: "A certain lack of awareness about both the BVD Stamp it Out initiative and Gwaredu BVD schemes (43% English and 27% of Welsh producers respectively claimed to have no knowledge of these programmes) could actually be a positive for vets. It could be the perfect opportunity to engage in proactive conversations with clients, covering issues such as testing, PI removal and biosecurity."
The entertainer Michael Ball yesterday opened the final phase of Fitzpatrick Referrals' new ultra-hi-tech patient ward, which, according to the practice, will elevate animal care to a whole new level in the UK.
The ward boasts bacterial-resistant wipe-down wall coverings and floor surfaces with underground heating, and air conditioning optimised for high efficiency particulate air to minimise the possibility of infection.
Instead of gates or bars, the kennels have reinforced glass doors which permit a wide field of view for the animals and allow them to feel as much at home as possible. Each kennel has a space for medication and notes, and a "quick reference" daily guide is written on the glass door each morning to ensure continuity of care and ease of visibility for all. Each kennel has a radio and many are equipped with televisions to provide auditory and visual stimulation - creating a home from home experience for patients.
The practice says light is an important part of the "care package" offered in the luxury wards, and numerous windows and night time dimmers provide a diurnal rhythm to help comfort anxious animals and help those with separation anxiety to settle. Webcams are easily connected for remote viewing, and each and every patient is checked hourly by the 24 hour care team of ward assistants, fully qualified veterinary nurses, surgical interns, residents and senior clinicians.
Noel Fitzpatrick said: "I've always felt that people who love animals are generally great people, and they absolutely want to know that when their animal friend is away from home, especially if severely ill, that they are receiving round-the-clock care in the best facility imaginable. This in my head does not involve bars, so I have a "no bars" policy. I want the patient to be super-comfortable and not to feel threatened or "in prison", especially when some of them will have severe physical disability."
Michael Ball said: "I saw the Bionic Vet on television but I never thought I would find myself here. Noel has an extraordinary talent for healing and has built an amazing team who truly do care deeply about each and every one of these patients as if they were their own pets. They really do provide an unparalleled level of care. What Fitzpatrick Referrals has managed to do is truly remarkable. When I look at the level of hands-on care and compassion shown by all of team, I'm overwhelmed. I am hugely honoured to be associated with Fitzpatrick Referrals and what this practice stands for. The work which is happening here is benefitting the veterinary world and the human world - it's incredible."
After cutting the ribbon and declaring the new facility officially open, Michael Ball met with Dr Fitzpatrick for the 'see out consultation' for his dog, Freddie, who has been recovering after a major hip operation at the practice.
The protocol provides evidence-based best practice criteria so that hospitals and other health settings can introduce animals into the care environment.
By following it, the RCN says services will be able to ensure the safety of patients and health care staff as well as the animals and their owners, while allowing patients to reap the benefits that interaction with animals can bring.
Publication of the protocol was prompted by an RCN survey last year which found that although the majority of respondents thought animals were hugely beneficial to patients, most nurses said animals were not allowed in their workplace.
The survey found that nine out of 10 nurses believe animals can help improve the health of patients with depression and other mental health problems with 60% of respondents also acknowledging that animals can help speed patient recovery.
Amanda Cheesley, RCN Professional Lead for Long-term Conditions and End-of-Life Care, said: "Anyone who’s worked in this area can see the amazing impact animals have on the health of adults and children alike.
"However there are so many myths around the dangers of having animals in health care settings that most organisations are too concerned to try it out.
"This protocol will help to dispel these fears by supporting hospitals to include animals in the care they deliver in a safe and professional way.
"We hope that it will encourage all health services to consider how animals can help their patients and help us to remove the taboo from what is a really remarkable area of care."
The protocol has been welcomed by the British Veterinary Association. Simon Doherty, BVA Junior Vice President, said: "This new protocol highlights the importance of the bond between humans and animals. It also serves as a welcome reminder at the start of Mental Health Awareness Week of how caring for and interacting with ‘man’s best friend’ can help to relieve stress and enhance wellbeing and a sense of companionship.
"It’s positive that the working group consulted with a wide range of organisations on welfare and safety considerations in developing this protocol, as ensuring the wellbeing of both humans and animals in these settings is paramount. As a fellow member of the UK One Health Coordination Group, BVA is very pleased to see a joined-up and forward-thinking approach to this important area of work."
Photo: Therapy Dog Visiting Young Female Patient In Hospital, Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock
Massimo (pictured left) qualified from Bologna Vet School in 1990 and spent two decades working as a specialist in veterinary neurology in Italy and Germany, following a three-year residency in neurology and neurosurgery at Bern in Switzerland.He has also spent almost 20 years lecturing at universities in Italy, including ten years as head of neurosurgery and advanced neurology diagnostics.
He said: "During my career I’ve spent short amounts of time in the UK and once I was aware of the opportunity to work with Northwest Veterinary Specialists, I jumped at the chance to move here.
"It has a fantastic reputation in providing the very best care to pets, and the recent investment in state-of-the-art facilities means we can offer the very best service to patients.
"I have a particular interest in continually improving our work around brain and spinal surgery and biopsies, and will be further researching technology and techniques to support treatment of epilepsy in pets."
Luca, who is currently a member of the Examinations Committee of the European College of Veterinary Neurology, also qualified in Italy (in 2007) at the University of Perugia, before moving to England where he completed his internship program in small animal medicine & surgery in 2009. He gained residency at a multi disciplinary referral hospital in the UK and was awarded the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN) in 2012.
Luca has authored scientific papers in peer reviewed international journals and he has also been a reviewer for the Journal of Small Animal Practice and for the BMC Veterinary Research.
He said: "We’ll be focusing on changing the way we do neurosurgery to ensure the pets referred to us receive the very best treatment for their condition.
"We often see patients with intervertebral disc disease and epilepsy, and I’m looking to increase work around my main interests, including surgery of the central nervous system and epilepsy."
Liz Cousins, hospital manager at Northwest Veterinary Specialists said: "This year we’ve been making significant investment in our facilities and people, so it’s fantastic to be able to attract two experienced neurology specialists in Luca and Massimo,” said Liz Cousins, hospital manager at Northwest Veterinary Specialists.
"Luca and Massimo’s appointments clearly demonstrate our emphasis on creating teams of experienced and extremely knowledgeable specialists across the centre."
Achieved by VMG members who have demonstrated an ability to effectively manage a veterinary practice, hospital or unit, the CVPM is aimed at experienced managers and members of the veterinary team in a leadership or management role. The qualification tests the knowledge of candidates in areas including management, HR, communication, marketing and financial planning.
VMG Director Georgina Hills (pictured right) said: "Effective veterinary leaders require expertise in all aspects of running a successful business, as well as a deep understanding of the veterinary sector and the CVPM is unique in testing their knowledge across the board. It is increasingly recognised as a benchmark for excellence and we are delighted to have seen an uplift in applications last year."
Further details on the CVPM and the application form are available here: https://www.vetmg.com/education/cvpm/
The competition is open to all UK-based undergraduate veterinary students and offers them the opportunity to work as a team to brainstorm, develop and present an innovative idea to a board of industry professionals.
Students can enter either as a single applicant or as a group (of roughly five members), with single applicants then being placed in a group with other applicants from their university. There can be more than one team representing each university.
Each student’s project can cover any aspect of veterinary health innovation. The RCVS suggests potential projects might include: innovations within veterinary education, innovations to improve sanitation and hygiene, innovations to improve veterinary-public communication and innovations to improve patient safety.
Entries must show how they have improved upon – or extended beyond – current expectations of best practice in their chosen area.
Each applicant will receive support from one of the Association of Veterinary Students’ (AVS) Vet Futures Ambassadors, as well as a mentor session with a chosen industry professional to guide them on their project.
Teams will need to submit three components for judging: a log of their progress throughout the project (which can include social media updates using the hashtag #ViVetStudentInnovation), mentor engagement and feedback, and a five-minute video ‘business pitch’.
The three finalist groups of the competition will be invited to present their pitch to a board of industry professionals at a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event held at the RCVS ViVet 2019 Innovation Symposium on Tuesday 1 October 2019 in Manchester.
The winning and runner-up groups will then be selected and will be presented alongside the ‘mentor’s choice’ award. The Mentor’s Choice award will be selected by the team mentors. The prize will be awarded to an individual who shows excellence and enthusiasm within their work on the project.
Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership & Innovation (pictured right), said: "This competition provides a great opportunity for veterinary students to engage with their fellow classmates across different fields of study and to work on projects that could genuinely make a difference to animal health and welfare and the way veterinary services are delivered. Teams will receive one-on-one mentoring and will be guided through the innovation process, developing skills that will be useful throughout their careers. We look forward to seeing the three finalist teams presenting at the RCVS ViVet Innovation Symposium in Manchester on 1 October."
Zoe Skinner, Vet Futures Student Representatives Team Leader, said: “This competition is a great opportunity for veterinary students to receive mentoring from experienced veterinary professionals and form contacts within our profession. It gives students a way to work together as a team and allows them to learn how to produce and develop innovative, problem-solving concepts as well as skills in delivering presentations. These are all important aspects of our career ahead, which will look brilliant on our CV’s.”
ViVet is now accepting registrations for the competition for the 2018/19 academic year. To enter, applicants must submit an online registration form. For further information, email info@vivet.org.uk.
Mr Dobson was struck off in 2021 after the DC found that he'd carried out an act of veterinary certification after being removed from the Register for non-payment, failed to have professional indemnity insurance in place and failed to respond to requests from the RCVS about these things.
Mr Dobson submitted a restoration application by email at the start of June, but then didn't reply to any further correspondence from the College, didn't provide any detail supporting his application, didn't attend the hearing and didn't contact the RCVS to explain why.
The Committee decided to go ahead with the restoration hearing in Mr Dobson's absence.
It decided that although Mr Dobson's email on 2nd June 2023 did suggest that he accepted the original findings for which he was removed from the Register, there was not enough evidence of remorse or insight into the the failings which led to him being struck off in the first place, or that he had attempted to keep his continuing professional development (CPD) up-to-date or that, if restored, he would pose no risk to animal health and welfare.
Paul Morris, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Disciplinary Committee will only restore the name of the applicant veterinary surgeon to the Register where the applicant has satisfied it that he or she is fit to return to unrestricted practice as a veterinary surgeon and that restoration is in the public interest.
“The Committee’s real concerns about this application and this applicant are that it has before it no evidence of any value or substance to satisfy either of these criteria.
"There is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that the applicant is fit to return to unrestricted practice.
"In turn, there is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that it is in the public interest that this applicant’s name be restored to the Register.
“It is of importance to the profession and to members of the public that restorations to the Register should only occur when the applicant has established by clear evidence that the criteria which are set out in the public documents produce by the College have been satisfied.”
He added: “Having regard to the above criteria and its findings on them, the Committee considers that it remains the case that the protection of the public and the public interest requires that his name be not restored to the Register and therefore refuses this application.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Centaur has launched a new service on the MyCentaur website which allows for 24-hour ordering from any broadband enabled computer.
A secure practice shopping list with controlled staff access to ordering and management information enables practices to safely control any buying.
According to the company, a key feature of the website is that any orders placed on line by 9pm will be delivered the following day, which gives practices even greater flexibility on ordering times over any existing vet wholesaling ordering service. As well as greater convenience, a financial benefit in using this method of ordering is that all on-line orders attract an additional two per cent discount.
Eleven members of staff at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons are growing moustaches this month in support of the Movember Challenge, a campaign which raises funds to help combat prostate cancer.
Simon Wiklund, Advisory Manager and instigator of the College's participation in Movember 2010, said: "Visitors to the College over the next few weeks shouldn't be alarmed if some members of staff begin to resemble a Village People tribute band. I suggested this to the chaps last week, and was delighted so many were willing to look daft for such a good cause."
According to the Movember website, the aim is simple: "One man dies from prostate cancer every day in the UK. Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men's health by growing a moustache. All MoBros should be clean shaven on 1 Movember and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men's health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men."
The RCVS team - 'All 'Taches Great and Small' - comprises at least one member of every department in the College, so whilst the team as a whole will be raising as much money as it can, the College says it expects interdepartmental competition to get "quite hairy".
"In spite of ourselves, reputations are at stake here," admits Simon. "We're a mixed-ability team, so it will be interesting to see who sports the best tache at the end of Movember. This is no trivial hirsute."
Lending his support to the team's efforts, and off to something of a head start in the facial forestry department, is RCVS President Peter Jinman. He said: "I'm impressed that so many of the gents on the staff have taken it upon themselves to support The Prostate Cancer Charity in this way. If it's true that eight out ten chaps really do prefer whiskers, they should raise a decent amount of money."
Anyone wishing to support the All Taches Great & Small team in their bristling endeavours should please visit their fundraising pages (via www.rcvs.org.uk/movember). Donations can be made to individual MoBros, or to the team as a whole.