The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has directed that the name of a veterinary surgeon who formerly practised in Norwich should be removed from the Register, having found him unfit to practise veterinary surgery following his Crown Court conviction for fraud.
During the one-day hearing, the Disciplinary Committee heard how Francisco da Cruz had abused his position whilst practising as a veterinary surgeon at Hellesdon Vets, his then workplace in Norwich, by defrauding a insurance companies of around £10,000 with fictitious claims for veterinary treatment on non-existent pets.
Following an investigation by the City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), Mr da Cruz was convicted on five counts of fraud by false representation on 21 February 2013 at the Old Bailey in London, and later sentenced to eight months' imprisonment (suspended for two years) and 200 hours of unpaid community work; he was also ordered to pay just over £10,000 in compensation and costs.
Although Mr da Cruz had left the UK for Brazil shortly after his sentencing and was therefore not present at the hearing, the Committee was satisfied that he was deliberately evading the disciplinary proceedings, rather than being genuinely unable to participate in them, and so the hearing proceeded in his absence.
First accepting the copy certificate of conviction against Mr da Cruz as true, the Committee then had no hesitation in concluding that these convictions rendered him unfit to practise as a member of the veterinary profession. It found that the five counts of fraud were deliberate crimes of dishonesty, committed over a significant period of time and for significant financial gain. He had abused his position as a veterinary surgeon and abused the trust which the insurers placed in him as a professional.
Chairing and speaking on behalf of the Committee, Professor Peter Lees, said: "The Committee has no real confidence that there is no significant risk of repeat behaviour from the Respondent. His conduct subsequent to the criminal proceedings gives it no confidence that he has reformed himself to the extent that he will in the foreseeable future be fit to return to practice. So far from satisfactorily completing his criminal sentence, it appears that the Respondent has deliberately gone abroad to avoid doing so."
Bearing in mind that the purpose of any sanction it imposed was not to punish Mr da Cruz, but to maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold proper standards of conduct within it, the Committee concluded that the convictions were too serious to allow any sanction other than removal from the Register.
The full details of the Committee's decisions are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
Anna, who has been with the Hertfordshire-based referral centre for seven years, is now an RCVS, EBVS and American Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine.
She graduated from The University of Liverpool in 2007 and spent four years working in general practice in Kent.
She then went on to complete a rotating internship, followed by a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College where she gained her Master’s degree and Diploma.
Whilst enjoying all aspects of Internal Medicine, she has special interests in endocrinology and haematology. The latter, combined with her love for cats, has fuelled her interest in feline transfusion medicine.
Anna said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Head of Internal Medicine at Davies.
“The Internal Medicine team are the detectives who work to establish a diagnosis, and we often have the added bonus of working closely with other disciplines in our multi-disciplinary environment.
"It is a challenging and highly rewarding service, with a wide variety of cases and I am delighted to work with a first-class team of clinicians and nurses.”
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has directed that the name of a veterinary surgeon who had been practising in Essex be removed from the RCVS Register, having found him guilty of attempting to obtain medicines dishonestly.
James Alexander Lockyear, a graduate from Pretoria University in South Africa, was charged with two offences. The case was heard in his absence, although the Committee did not draw any adverse inference from this. One charge concerned his attempted purchase of steroids from a pharmacy in Colchester by dishonestly representing that the medicine was for legitimate veterinary use. The second charge related to several instances of what the Committee referred to as "inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour", including showing an offensive image to another staff member on a mobile phone, placing the testicle of a castrated dog in his mouth and the misuse of an endotracheal tube.
All of the incidents had taken place between April 2008 and September 2009, while Mr Lockyear was practising as a locum veterinary surgeon at St Runwald's Veterinary Surgery, Colchester, Essex.
The Disciplinary Committee heard evidence from a pharmacist, Mr Noble, to whom Mr Lockyear had presented an incomplete veterinary prescription for 12 ampoules of Sustanon, a prescription-only anabolic steroid for humans, and a further pharmacist, Mr Foskett MRPharmS, who outlined his suspicions that the steroids were in fact for Mr Lockyear's personal use (Sustanon is a substance which can potentially be misused in relation to body-building). Mr Lockyear had originally claimed the drugs were for general stock at the practice; he later returned with a second prescription, for double the amount of Sustanon, claiming it was for his own dog; later again, he said the prescription was for a friend's dog.
The Committee also heard evidence from the veterinary owner of the practice, a veterinary nurse and a student veterinary nurse working in the practice team, and from Dr Maddison MRCVS, an expert on small animal clinical pharmacology. Dr Maddison informed the Committee that there was a veterinary alternative to Sustanon, so it was not necessary for that drug to have been sought by Mr Lockyear. She was also of the view that Sustanon would not have been suitable to treat the ailments for which Mr Lockyear claimed it was to be used.
The Committee found Mr Lockyear guilty of the first charge - that is attempting to obtain medicines dishonestly. Chairing the Disciplinary Committee, Mrs Alison Bruce, said: "Whilst it was a one-off incident, it is conduct which falls far short of that which is expected of a member of the profession. It involves serious dishonesty; it represents an abuse of a veterinary surgeon's authority to prescribe drugs; it is conduct which tends to undermine public trust in the profession, and the honesty of its members; it is conduct which compromised other professionals, the pharmacists involved, and undermined the trust which ought to exist between pharmacists and veterinary surgeons generally, in the important area of drug prescription." The Committee therefore directed that Mr Lockyear's name be removed from the Register.
Regarding the second charge, the Committee was most concerned about the incident relating to the dog's testicles, which it felt offended against Mr Lockyear's duty to treat with respect all animals which were his patients. Taking the three incidents as a whole, the Committee felt that Mr Lockyear should be seriously criticised for behaviour that was "unprofessional... juvenile, inappropriate, disgusting and offensive". However, they felt that the conduct was not malicious, and did not occur in the presence of a member of the public, so concluded that this did not amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
Eurovet Animal Health has launched Marbiflox 10%, a new marbofloxacin preparation for the treatment of respiratory infections in cattle and pigs.
Eurovet says the product can be used flexibly to provide a single dose treatment, with a concentration-dependent effect and a relatively short withdrawal period. Marbiflox can be administered intravenously, subcutaneously or intramuscularly in cattle or intramuscularly in pigs.
The main indications, with reference to good prescribing practice, are for the treatment of respiratory infections caused by sensitive strains of Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Histophilus somni and acute forms of mastitis induced by marbofloxacin-sensitive Escherichia coli strains, during lactation. In pigs the main indication is in the treatment of MMA (metritis mastitis agalactia syndrome).
Further information about Marbiflox and the complete Eurovet range of products is available from Eurovet Animal Health. www.eurovet-ah.co.uk/.
Royal Canin has launched a range of new renal diets to help support cats and dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
According to the company, CKD patients are twice as likely to show signs of anorexia, food intolerance and loss of appetite than non-CKD pets, so the focus with the new diets has been on different aromatic profiles, textures and tastes to provide choice and encourage feeding without compromising the nutritional management of the pets with CKD.
Royal Canin says each of the diets in the new Renal range has been developed with a unique aromatic profile, so that cats and dogs can be attracted to their food bowl even after an episode of food aversion.
The new range also provides two different textures of dry diet for both cats and dogs. In addition to the classic kibbles found in Renal and Renal Special, the new Renal Select diet for cats has a pillow kibble with a thin, crunchy shell and a soft centre for cats who used to love crunching but are beginning to struggle with harder kibbles. The new kibbles for dogs are designed to be easy to rehydrate, providing the taste of a dry diet in a softer, easier to chew format. A new Renal Wet range is also available with a 'loaf' or 'chunks-in-gravy' texture and these can be combined with any dry diet to allow even greater variety of textures.
With CKD causing frequent fluctuations in an animal's sense of taste, Royal Canin has made the feline range available in smaller 500g bags, making it easier for owners to swap between the differing options as their pet's tastes alter.
Royal Canin's Veterinary Marketing Manager, Marianne Lomberg, said: "The efficiency of a renal diet depends upon it being fed on a continuing basis and so our new range provides a complete range of aromatic profiles and textures to keep your CKD patients enjoying every meal without compromising on their nutritional management. Royal Canin has a proven track record of developing innovative diets to help pets, and the new Renal Diets are an exciting new move for us."
Royal Canin is also offering a 'patient compliance guarantee' where vets and their clients can claim their money back if a pet does not like any of the many diet combinations offered by the range.
Christine said: "Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency have confirmed that the virus responsible for COVID-19 has been detected in a pet cat in England.
"This is a very rare event with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within in a few days.
"There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change."
Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: "This is the first case of a domestic cat testing positive for COVID-19 in the UK but should not be a cause for alarm.
"The investigation into this case suggest that the infection was spread from humans to animal, and not the other way round. At this time, there is no evidence that pets can transmit the disease to humans.
The pet cat was initially diagnosed by a vet with feline herpes virus, but the sample was also tested for SARS-CoV-2 as part of a research programme at the Centre for Virus Research at Glasgow University. Follow-up samples tested at the APHA laboratory in Weybridge confirmed the cat was also co-infected with SARS-CoV2 , the virus known to cause COVID-19 in humans.
BSAVA advice for practising vets about coronavirus is here and further information about testing is available here.
The Strategic Plan was developed throughout the course of 2016 with input from a number of stakeholders including RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses Council, key committees and College staff. Most importantly, the evidence for change came from the wide and deep consultations that took place within Vet Futures, the joint RCVS and British Veterinary Association project that aims to help the veterinary profession prepare for and shape its future.
The other four ambitions described in the plan are:
Nick Stace, RCVS CEO, said: "The hallmark of our 2014 to 2016 Strategic Plan was getting the basics right by clarifying our identity, improving our core functions, setting out our service agenda and strengthening our foundations. The plan gave us a firm foundation to build upon and improved levels of confidence in the College from stakeholders which has allowed us to be more ambitious and outward-looking with this new plan.
"Within the new plan there are challenging ambitions and stretching objectives that address some of the big issues affecting the veterinary team, whether that’s playing a more global role post-Brexit, the importance of embracing new technology, or the pressing need to consider culture change within the profession to ensure it continues to grow and learn.
"I would ask each member of the profession to take a look at the Strategic Plan and I am very happy to receive comments and feedback on the plan by email at nick@rcvs.org.uk."
To download the Strategic Plan, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
The company says it wanted to give vets a chance to kick back and relax with some first-rate comedy talent at the end of what has been an incredibly challenging year.
The Christmas Comedy Cracker is being hosted by stand-up comedian, Rhys James, who regularly appears on Mock the Week and Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central.
The line-up also includes the actress, comedian, ventriloquist and British Comedy Award winner, Nina Conti.
Nina will be joined by special guest comedian, Zoe Lyons, whose TV credits include Mock the Week, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, The Paul O’Grady Show and The Wright Stuff.
The final act is The Noise Next Door, a musical comedy troupe which has performed alongside the likes of Michael McIntyre, Al Murray and Harry Hill.
Jemima Mead, marketing lead at Boehringer Ingelheim said: "There’s no doubt that 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for the whole profession. We know that COVID-19 has also meant work Christmas celebrations have been cancelled. So, as part of our ongoing support for the profession we are bringing festive cheer direct to the homes of veterinary professionals to help round off the year with first-rate comedy talent and enable them to kick back, relax and hopefully laugh their festive socks off.”
To register for your free place at BI Animal Health’s Christmas Comedy Cracker online event, visit www.christmascomedycracker.co.uk.
Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml contains the short acting alpha-2 agonist xylazine and is licensed for I/V administration.
It is also licensed for I/M administration in cattle; it has zero milk withdrawal and short one day meat withdrawal and sedation occurs in cattle within two minutes I/V and five to 10 minutes I/M.
Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml joins Dechra’s Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml solution in the company’s anaesthesia and sedation range. Nerfasin vet also contains xylazine and is licensed for I/V administration for sedation and premedication prior to general anaesthesia in horses and cattle.
Alana McGlade, national sales manager at Dechra, said: “Dechra offers a comprehensive range of anaesthesia and sedation products allowing vets to customise protocols to the individual animal.
"Sedaxylan 20mg/ml and Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml solution provide vets with flexible and convenient dosing options.”
Both Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml and Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml are available in 25ml vials.
For more information, talk to your Dechra territory sales manager.
www.dechra.co.uk.
Ben trained in medicine at Oxford and London before becoming a household name through his weekly Bad Science column published in the Guardian between 2003 and 2011.
Ben is the author of three books. His first, Bad Science, published in 2008, sold over half a million copies worldwide and is published in 31 languages. His second, Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients was published in 2012 and his third, a volume of collected journalism entitled I think you’ll find it’s more complicated than that, in 2014. He currently works as an academic in epidemiology.
In his lecture, Ben will be talking about how quacks and charlatans misuse evidence, and the placebo effect, to bamboozle the public. It's an issue of particular interest for the veterinary profession, given the growing focus on evidence-based medicine.
The lecture is open to all London Vet Show attendees and will take place in the BVA Congress Theatre at London’s ExCeL between 12.30 – 1.30 on Friday 17 November.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We know that many people’s first point of call is the media or Dr Google when trying to decide what pet to purchase or how to treat their animal’s - or their own - health! So, I’m sure veterinary colleagues from all areas of the profession will find Dr Goldacre’s insight both engaging and inspiring in their day-to-day and working lives."
Other BVA Congress sessions at London Vet Show 2017 include Nudge, nudge – how can we change owner behaviour for better welfare?; Veterinary workforce crisis: what’s really going on? and Veterinary Surgeons Act: an open and shut case?. BVA Congress sessions as well as associated BVA Farm Animal, BVA/BEVA Equine, and BVA Career Development Streams count towards CPD.
BVA members can get access to the full BVA offering, as well as the usual London Vet Show programme, for 15% less than the lowest advertised price. To book, enter your BVA membership number and the code BVA 8 to claim your discount when you book online at www.londonvetshow.co.uk
Photo: John King 2012
The company says the aim is to identify the most effective ways to minimise the risks this common and debilitating infectious equine virus poses. The survey can be found here.
Equine Herpes Virus is a contagious virus, which can cause respiratory disease, abortion and more rarely neurological disease. In addition, sub-clinical infections can be associated with a syndrome of poor performance and have a potential effect on the health of the whole yard.1
The disease is transmitted from horse to horse through the respiratory tract, by inhalation of the viral particles shed by infected horses. Once a horse is infected with Equine Herpes Virus it is likely to be latently infected for life. Viral reactivation and nasal shedding can occur at any time, particularly during stressful periods such as when mixing with other horses at equine events. This can lead to acute disease episodes. Often affected horses are asymptomatic but if they do show symptoms these may include depression, lethargy, pyrexia, nasal discharge and a dry cough. Reduction of shedding through management and vaccination is key to disease control.2
Wendy Talbot, National Equine Veterinary Manager at Zoetis said: "EHV has potentially serious health, performance and financial implications across every sector of the equestrian industry.
"The aim of our survey is to find out more about current vet protocols in practice. The results should help us to identify and then ensure that the most effective prevention strategies are accessible to vets and their clients."
The survey runs from 4 – 22nd March 2019 in parallel to a separate survey for horse owners.
For further information, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0845 300 9084 choosing option 1.
References
The webinar, titled 'Creating a positive relationship with cats and their owners in practice', will take place at 8pm on Wednesday 20 November. It will cover understanding of the cat’s natural behavioural patterns and their influence on feline behavioural responses, which are essential in order for veterinary professionals to effectively handle feline patients.
It will also feature advice on how to see things from a feline perspective and consider ways in which confrontational encounters can be prevented. This, says Ceva, is essential for creating a positive relationship with cats and their owners in the practice environment.
To register for the webinar, which accounts for one hour’s CPD, email: cevauk@ceva.com with your full name, practice name and postcode and the name of the webinar.
The link needed to watch the webinar will be sent back via email.
Ceva says that due to high demand, this webinar will be on a first come, first served basis. The company also recommends that delegates log in via the link in good time on the night to ensure a place.
The marketing pack includes a poster, leaflet and a counter top display which highlight the stress factors facing pets and provide pet owners with an overview of how Feliway and Adaptil help pets cope with challenging situations.
Ceva will also be running a competition for pet owners to win £150 of John Lewis vouchers in a prize draw. To enter, they need to email cevauk@ceva.com with the subject 'Stress Free Christmas' and their name and contact number. The competition closes on 24 December 2017 and the winner will be contacted by telephone in January 2018.
Claire Russell, brand manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Big family gatherings, noisy toys and being home alone more often are just some of the stressful situations that pets can find themselves in during the festive period. Our new marketing pack will help highlight these stress factors amongst pet owners and raise awareness of how Feliway and Adaptil can help support their pets."
To request a Christmas marketing pack, contact your Ceva Animal Health account manager, email cevauk@ceva.com or contact customer services on 01494 781510.
The Royal Veterinary College has launched an appeal to the veterinary profession to raise a target of £10,000 to enable VetAid Kenya to help during what has become the worst drought in living memory in the Horn of Africa.
According to the RVC, the drought has already forced over one million cattle and small stock south into the Tana Delta district of Kenya in search of grazing. Crowded together, these weakened animals are at major risk of infectious and parasitic disease. In some cases 80-90% mortality can be expected in herds or flocks. Without veterinary intervention, breeding livestock for communities in the Horn of Africa drought area will be devastated.
Government veterinary services are stretched and they are assisted in a coordinated response involving Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (Belgium, Switzerland and Germany) and VetAid Kenya which has staff in the field protecting herds. The programme has been partly funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), but with funds running low this vital activity is at risk just as it is most needed. VetAid Kenya is now the only veterinary agency working in the area, implementing an emergency vaccination programme to protect the breeding stock.
Gabriel Turasha, Director of VetAid Kenya said: "We only have one team working in Tana River and desperately need funds to send out three more teams as soon as possible. £10,000 would cover the cost of three teams, transport and vaccinations to treat 20,000 animals per week. This will make a real difference as we are providing the only veterinary support in this vast area.
"Our vaccination teams are ready to go out into the field at a few days notice. We just need to mobilize them. This is where the UK veterinary profession can help - every pound donated will make a huge difference!"
RVC Principal Professor Stuart Reid said: "Veterinary services are seriously stretched in Kenya and the only organisations with the flexibility, initiative and expertise to respond this to emergency are the veterinary NGOs such as VetAid Kenya and its Vétérinaires Sans Frontières partners.
"FAO has limited budget to spend on disaster response and RVC has a longstanding relationship with VetAid Kenya and with the region in general. As a College, we strongly feel that we should do all we can to support pastoral farmers in the region, and mounting this appeal is one way in which we can respond to the ongoing disaster and support our veterinary colleagues in East Africa."
The RVC and all other agencies involved in this appeal are contributing their services pro-bono so that all funds raised will go to the programme to help the people and animals struggling with the drought.
To donate, visit: www.rvc.ac.uk/vetaidkenya
Divided into four modules, the course explores vaccines and the immune system; current and emerging strains of Leptospirosis; a practical insight into infectious disease and vaccination and the importance of getting early socialisation right.
Professor Sarah Gilbert from the Jenner Institute in Oxford presents the first CPD module. She is followed by Dr Paul Burr from Biobest Laboratories, Alan Radford from the University of Liverpool and Jon Bowen of the RVC.
John Toole, Zoetis Product Manager said: "We were extremely privileged to be able to work with such an eminent group of key opinion leaders for this CPD course. We hope participants find the interview video style of this course dynamic and insightful. Users can also find an additional module on our dog vaccine Versican Plus and how it helps meet today’s infectious disease challenges as discussed by our industry experts."
To take part in this new CPD, vets simply need to register at www.vetsupportplus.co.uk where they will be able to access all the free Zoetis learning content and receive a certificate once the CPD course is completed.
22% (6,785) of veterinary surgeons eligible to vote did so, compared to the previous record of 18.8%.
The votes were as follows:
For the two places available on VN Council one new member was elected and one existing member re-elected for four year terms. Andrea Jeffery was re-elected with 1,293 votes, while Susan Howarth was elected with 1,064 votes.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: "Congratulations to all those elected to RCVS Council and VN Council and thank you to all those who stood as candidates in both elections.
"We would especially like to thank Jerry Davies, Peter Jinman and Bradley Viner who are standing down from RCVS Council this year after deciding not to seek re-election, in addition to Chris Gray and Tom Witte for their contributions to RCVS Council and Marie Rippingale for her contribution to VN Council.
"Thank you also to all those who took the time to ask questions of our candidates and cast a vote. This year we made a concerted attempt to make it even easier for the electorate to vote, with secure links to the voting websites sent by email and regular email reminders to those who hadn’t yet voted. The fact that both record numbers and proportions of the professions voted this year is testament to our efforts to further increase engagement with veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
"However, while we welcome these significant increases, we recognise that it is still a relatively small proportion of the profession voting in these elections and so will continue to think of new ways to engage with the professions not just at election time, but across our many activities."
All the successful candidates will take up their positions at RCVS Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Day – on Friday 7 July 2017 at the Royal Institute of British Architects where the formal declaration of both election results will also take place.
Current estimates suggest that around 95,000 calves, 30 million chicks and 3,000 Billy kids are affected per year.
The new position calls for solutions based on the overarching principle that quality of life should take precedence over lifespan, with the longer-term aim to move away from the production of unwanted animals all together. In the meantime, the position calls for further research into solutions to reduce numbers of additional male offspring and for humane methods of killing surplus animals on-farm.
The dairy and egg industries have been advised to adopt a ‘3Rs’ (reduce, replace, refine) approach to the rearing and slaughter of animals which are surplus to the requirements of the specific industries. Reduction recommendations include selecting for sex (a technology used quite frequently within the dairy farming community) and increasing the length of time that an animal can produce milk through selective breeding.
In the absence of these options, the position recommends raising male offspring for meat, with the caveat that calves and billy goat kids should be raised within UK high welfare schemes only.
In the absence of any reduce or replacement options, veterinary experts advise that killing should be undertaken in the most humane way and that all the animal’s welfare needs must be addressed prior to slaughter.
In line with BVA’s sustainable animal agriculture position, this policy recommends that when animals are killed, every effort should be made to make sure that the carcass is used. For example, the carcasses of male chicks killed by controlled atmospheric stunning can be used in animal feed, such as for reptiles and birds of prey.
BVA Junior Vice President, James Russell (pictured right) said: "Unwanted male production animals in the dairy and meat industries are an ethical challenge on a number of levels. Firstly, for the producer who may have animals with little or no commercial value. Secondly, for the consumer who may find the notion of these unused animals a difficulty. Our new joint position is based around the principle of ‘a life worth living’ and looks at ways that the veterinary profession can work with the farming community to reduce the numbers of animals that this affects and ensure that high welfare is always front and centre.
"If slaughter of affected animals is undertaken humanely, it is not a welfare harm per se, but greater measures should be taken to make sure that these decisions are made with minimal carcass wastage and an eye to the economic, emotional and environmental impact at a farm level.
"With greater public understanding of ethical and animal welfare issues faced by the industry, the promotion of farm assurance schemes and further research into alternative breeding options such as selective sex technology, we hope to reduce these numbers and improve the welfare of the animals involved."
BCVA President, Professor David Barrett said: "The number of unwanted male dairy calves has fallen substantially in recent years, due in part to more efficient milk production meaning we now need fewer dairy cows to produce the same volume of milk, as well as the use of breeding technologies that mean we can select for female calves. Nevertheless, surplus males are still produced. Provided these calves’ welfare is protected they should become part of the meat production supply chain either as high-quality UK farm assured veal or beef."
"As we strive for improved sustainability and increase efficient use of resource in food production, we need to use every product from dairying, including calves that can be reared for meat. Our entire industry needs to work together to create a robust supply chains for high quality, farm assured British dairy beef and veal and we need to help consumers understand they should embrace these products. They are very different from intensively reared veal of the type produced in systems previously banned in the UK."
Norbrook Laboratories has launched powder and paste versions of Noroquin - its glucosamine-based supplement range - for horses.
Noroquin contains the active ingredients glucosamine, chondrotin sulphate, manganese sulphate, zinc sulphate, absorbic acid and N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, designed to maintain healthy cartilage, promote joint management and keep horses mobile.
Michelle Jones, Brand Manager at Norbrook said: "In recent years, horses are increasingly competing longer which means maintaining the longevity of the horse is vitally important for long term success. 60% of lameness is related to osteoarthritis and is regarded as the major cause of disability in the athletic horse.
"With increasing reliability on nutritional supplements and concerns from horse owners about their aging horse, our Noroquin for Horses range can be offered as alternative to traditional pain management products indicated for musculoskeletal ailments or alongside them as a completely safe addition to a joint management programme."
Michelle added: "The Noroquin paste for horses is a highly palatable apple flavored paste that can be fed directly to the horse as a tasty treat and offers an alternative to traditional methods while the Noroquin powder for Horses is a highly palatable powder that can be mixed with food. The product is available in handy single-use sachets for accurate dosing and waterproof 1kg tubs."
Noroquin Powder and Paste for Horses joins the newly launched tasty tablets for dogs and cats and powder for cats in the Noroquin range. It is available from wholesalers.
The awards, which have in the past recognised the welfare achievements of veterinary surgeons, nurses and animal welfare professionals, will this year also recognise farming professionals. There is also a new award for an 'Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare'.
The award categories include:
Chris Laurence Vet of the YearDedicated to the head judge, Christopher Laurence, in recognition of a veterinary surgeon (either companion or farm animal) who demonstrates their commitment to the continuous improvement of animal health and welfare.
Vet Nurse of the YearAn award for a veterinary nurse (either companion or farm animal) who excels in their role by demonstrating and/or educating to the highest level of animal health and welfare.
Charity Team of the YearFor an inspiring team whose drive and passionate dedication has changed the lives of animals for the better.
Charitable Contribution of the Year – sponsored by Blue CrossFor an individual, in either a voluntary or paid role, who is constantly committed to making a difference to animal welfare.
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year – sponsored by International Cat CareFor an individual who has made a significant contribution to the development of feline welfare. The winner of this award is selected by International Cat Care and therefore this category is not open to nominations.
Farmer of the YearFor a farmer who strives to provide and encourage a high standard of animal welfare on their farm(s).
Farm Educator of the Year – sponsored by NADISTo acknowledge the work of a SQP, advisor, university or other educational institute, that works hard to research and educate on the importance and benefits of farm animal welfare.
Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare – sponsored by Your Dog and Your Cat magazinesThis award is for an individual or team who stands out from the crowd by influencing and significantly contributing to making a visible difference in the world of animal welfare. This award is selected by our judging panel, from all nominations received for 2019 and therefore, this category is not open for direct nominations.
If there is a veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurse, farmer, animal welfare professional or animal welfare team that you feel deserves to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare, visit www.cevawelfareawards.com to nominate. Entries must be in by Friday 11th January 2019.
The winners and runners up will be honoured at a glittering ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 3rd April 2019.
Companion Care has opened its 80th surgery, within the Ilford Pets at Home store.
Companion Care Vets managing director, Jane Balmain said: "The opening of our 80th surgery proves the success of our joint venture partner business model. At present the majority of our surgeries are located inside Pets at Home stores but we also have four very successful standalone surgeries. Our standalone surgery network is now being developed to create further exciting opportunities for future growth, with our first new standalone surgery opening in Scotland this December."
Joint venture partner and veterinary surgeon at Companion Care Vets Ilford Alberto Arciniega said: "Alongside the fantastic team we have on board, my partners Nick and Claire and I are extremely proud to be opening our second surgery here in Ilford. Having been partners at the Romford surgery since July 2009 we have seen the company grow consistently and successfully. We feel honoured to be opening the groups' 80th surgery and look forward to the challenge of managing both practices and to delivering outstanding veterinary care."
With 102 Joint Veterinary Partners, 83 of whom are veterinary surgeons, 12 veterinary nurses, 6 practice managers and 1 receptionist and a further 789 staff employed by the group Companion Care Vets is one of the largest veterinary employers in the UK. Dividend payments to joint venture partners in the 2010/2011 period totalled £2.181 million and the group says it plans to open a further 10 surgeries across the UK before the end of year.
The guide reviews the definition and classification of pyoderma, history-taking and clinical examination, and diagnostic testing techniques. It also reviews current thinking on therapy options. Bayer says it hopes the practical and evidence-based guide will be an invaluable resource in veterinary practices.
Ross said: "With pyoderma cases appearing almost daily in veterinary consultations, it is vitally important that vets are well versed in treating cases appropriately and efficiently, particularly to ensure the responsible use of antimicrobials. Canine pyoderma commonly poses diagnostic challenges, due to its varied clinical presentation and tendency to be super-imposed on other skin diseases. We envisage that the article will provide readily accessible, clear and practical advice on diagnosing and treating the condition."
Bayer has also launched a new Veraflox website, where the first and second guides in the Education Now, Safeguarding Antimicrobials series (written by Simon Tappin, Head of Medicine at Dick White referrals, Matt Jones, Head of Microbiology at IDEXX, and Ross Bond), are also available for download in the Vet Training Centre section.
The website also offers a number of other resources in the Vet Training Centre, including webinars, case studies and videos.
Hannah Watts, Group Product Manager at Bayer, said: "The new Veraflox website has been built with the practical needs of vets in mind. We hope this will become a frequent resource for helping them overcome daily challenges in diagnosing and treating cases with an appropriate antimicrobial product."
In addition to being available for download at www.veraflox.co.uk, Focus on Pyoderma is also available in print by contacting your Bayer Territory Manager.
The outreach programme began earlier this month at the Devon County Show (pictured right), where the College used the opportunity to spread the word about its petsneedvets campaign, handing out over 1000 promotional bags in the process.
Next on the itinerary is the Royal Welsh Show near Builth Wells from the 23rd to 26th July. From there, the College will be heading to the BBC Countryfile Live event, held in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire from the 2nd to 5th August.
Ian Holloway, Director of Communications at the RCVS, said: "Following the success and popularity of our stand at Countryfile Live over the past two years we decided that this year we would broaden our horizons and attend some of the UK’s most prestigious and well-attended regional events.
"We have our ever-popular careers materials available, and it was wonderful to see dozens of young people at the Devon County Show asking us about how they can become veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as they always have the past two years at Countryfile. This is a really encouraging level of interest in the professions and we’re very happy to provide information to help them fulfil their aspirations.
"Attending more and different public events is a trend we are very keen on continuing with and we will be looking at other events to attend in different parts of the UK for next year."
For more information about upcoming events involving the RCVS visit www.rcvs.org.uk/events
Photo: Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
532 veterinary practices responded to the survey, which was sent to 3,096 veterinary practices for which the RCVS had a unique email address, on 3rd April.
The survey found that:
Three-quarters of those who responded to the survey answered a question on how the RCVS could better support veterinary practices through the crisis. The most frequent response (27%) was that the RCVS needed to provide clearer guidance, in particular as to what services it was permissible for veterinary practices to provide [the College published its updated guidance and flowchart on 9 April].
Of those who responded to the question, 15% felt that the RCVS was doing a good job or that there was nothing more it should do, while just 2% of responses expressed negative sentiment towards the RCVS.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: “I would like to thank all those practices who took the time in what is already a very fraught situation to respond to our survey and provide the evidence we need to gain a holistic picture of coronavirus’ impact on the business and economics of veterinary practices. We plan to continue running these surveys on a regular basis in order to gauge impact over time and the findings will feed into our policy and decision-making.
"This ongoing research will also be a vital tool when we are talking to Government and other bodies about the impact of policy on the veterinary sector. On this note, we are aware of the challenges of a minimum furlough period of three weeks given the need for practices to take steps to offer 24/7 emergency and critical care, and have written to government on this with some case studies around the impact this is having.
"To those on the ground it won’t come as too much of a surprise that the impact of the coronavirus has been profound in areas such as practice turnover and staffing, with many vets, veterinary nurses and other support staff being furloughed with the aim of signing them up to the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
"There are some bright spots in the data we’ve gathered – very few practices reported that they had made or were planning to make staff redundant, and many practices reported mitigating the challenge of social distancing by carrying out consultations with new and existing clients remotely.
"Since the survey took place we have also taken steps to meet some of the requests for greater clarity and guidance from the RCVS with the publication of our flowchart helping practices to decide what treatments it is appropriate to carry out safely amidst the COVID-19 pandemic."
The survey results can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications.
The next practice impact survey is planned for early May.
Canaural contains fusidic acid, framycetin and nystatin for their antibacterial and antifungal effects against the most common organisms associated with otitis externa.
Fusidic acid has skin penetrating properties and is active against staphylococci and streptococci1. Framycetin is active against Gram negative species. Dechra says the combination of the two provides an enhanced antibacterial effect on the most common bacterial cause of canine otitis2.
Nystatin is active against malassezia and prednisolone helps to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic action.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “The reintroduction of Canaural to the veterinary treatment market means that once again veterinarians have this reliable and effective treatment available to tackle one of the most common canine complaints.
"Canaural is a tried and tested product and a recent study showed that fusidic acid is highly efficacious against both methicillin sensitive and methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius3. Canaural remains as relevant today as it has ever been."
Canaural comes in 15 ml and 25 ml bottle sizes and is now available in veterinary wholesalers.
The Blue Cross is offering a lifeline to even more needy pets across the UK following an extension to its successful veterinary grant scheme.
Relaunched as “The Blue Cross Veterinary Care Fund”, the charity has increased available funding and doubled the maximum grant it will pay towards veterinary costs of a particular treatment, operation or neutering procedure if the owner can't afford it.
The initiative was first launched in 2005 to help pet owners on low incomes who do not live near Blue Cross hospitals or clinics. So far the charity has awarded thousands of grants through 1,100 veterinary practices, 28% of all private vets in the UK. The demand from needy pets around the country prompted The Blue Cross to increase the maximum grant to £200 towards the veterinary treatment costs.
Pet owners must be on a means tested benefit or state pension with no other income to be eligible for support through the Veterinary Care Fund. Those on a very low income may also be eligible for the grant and should contact The Blue Cross for further advice.
The charity is also opening a new veterinary welfare clinic on 3 June 2008. The clinic, based at the animal adoption centre in Tiverton, will carry out basic procedures such as microchipping and vaccinations, and treat minor ailments. More serious or complicated cases will be referred to a local veterinary practice where treatment will be subsidised by The Blue Cross.
For more information about the Veterinary Care Fund or how clients can apply please contact The Blue Cross customer care team on 01993 825593 or email info@bluecross.org.uk