Organisers of The London Vet Show 2009 report that the event was a great sucess, greeted with 'considerable delight' by delegates and exhibitors alike.

The event, which featured clinical and commercial lectures as well as a major exhibition, ran on 6^th and 7^th November at London's Olympia Conference Centre. 2410 veterinary professionals attended, and most were there for both days.

VetSurgeon.org attended the event, asking commercial exhibitors: "What's New?" Those of you that didn't make it to the show can click here to watch a video of their answers.

Overall feedback from vets about the quality of the CPD programme was overwhelmingly positive. Delegate feedback forms rated the quality of speakers in the programme as 4.39 out of 5, and rated the event as 4.68 out of 5 in terms of value for money.

Rachel Bolus of Riverside Veterinary Practice said: "All the lectures were to a really good standard - a lot of CPD for a very cheap price."

Bridget O'Farrell of Dick Vet Small Animal Practice agreed: "Very cheap for two days of CPD and the quality of the speakers has been very good. I went to five lectures yesterday and planning on six today. It's been a very worthwhile exercise and I would certainly recommend this to my peers".  

Event organiser Phil Nelson said: "We have witnessed an amazing two days, surpassing all delegate estimates and it's gone down really well. The 2010 exhibition is already 40% bigger than this year almost 12 months out and looks set to sell out. We are carefully listening to the delegates and exhibitors comments, and have already a number of plans to develop and build the event going forward. But as a starting point we could never have dreamt for the launch event to be so well received."  

For 2010 the London Vet Show is moving to the bigger Olympia National Hall having out grown the Conference Centre. It will run on October 22^nd and 23^rd. It is committed to retaining the same approach to offering affordable and World Class CPD qualifying clinical and commercial content for all the UKs vets. Having very quickly established itself as a major part of the veterinary calendar the organisers expect to announce their 2010 programme in the early part of 2010.

Zoetis has been granted a Wholesale Dealer Import Certificate (WDIC) to supply practices with an alternative rotavirus vaccine after being hit by manufacturing delays with this year’s season of Equip Rotavirus.

Practices which want to buy the alternative imported vaccine will need to apply to the VMD for a Special Import Certificate (SIC).

Wholesalers have agreed to stock the alternative vaccine.

Zoetis says it acknowledges the concern and frustration this causes its customers and wants to reassure the equine community that it is working hard to resume Equip Rotavirus supply as soon as possible.

For further information, contact your Zoetis account manager or ring Zoetis HQ on 0345 300 8034.

The UK dog-owning public is being duped into buying dogs from puppy farms says Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, inadvertently fuelling the cruel trade and potentially landing themselves with huge vet bills.

In a recent survey the charity asked dog owners if they would consider buying a dog from a puppy farm. Although almost 95% said no, when asked where they had got their dog from 15.1% - potentially 900,000 dog owners - admitted they had got them from an advert in the newspaper, the internet, a pet shop or a pet superstore, all outlets often supplied by puppy farms.

In the past six months Dogs Trust has seen a marked increase in calls from concerned members of the public on the subject of puppy farming, many from dog owners whose pets have suffered illness and in some cases died as a result of having been bred at puppy farms.

Dogs Trust is calling for immediate measures to help to stop the puppy farming trade:

1. General public
Dogs Trust is introducing the term 'battery farming of dogs' to associate the practice in the minds of the public with that of battery farming of chickens, and wants to educate the public as to where they can safely go to buy a 'cruelty free dog'. 

Dogs Trust's message to the public is:

• Be wary of buying a dog from the internet, from a newspaper, from a pet shop or garden centre
• Always ask to see the puppy interacting with its mother and be concerned if excuses are made as to why you can't
• Check paperwork and be suspicious if previous owner details have been removed or disguised
• If you suspect a puppy has come from a farm don't buy it. You may be saving a dog but you'll be fuelling the battery farm trade

2. Government & Local Authorities
Dogs Trust is calling for the review of existing breeding licensing legislation.

Clarissa Baldwin, CEO of Dogs Trust, said: "Battery farming of dogs is an appalling practice, abhorrent to all decent members of society. Breeding bitches are kept in unthinkably cruel conditions and bred from continuously until they are too old, then discarded. Puppies often suffer from medical problems and behavioural issues as a result of being inadequately socialised. While most people would never consider buying a dog from such a place, it seems that a large number are inadvertently doing so.

"Most reputable breeders would never sell their dogs through newspaper adverts, pet shops or superstores, garden centres or internet websites. Anyone who sees an animal for sale in any of these places should be suspicious. Newspaper adverts and online websites are of particular concern since unscrupulous breeders or middle men (dealers) are difficult to identify, often posing as members of the public selling 'puppies from unplanned litters'."

What's wrong with battery farms?
Breeding bitches at battery farms:

• are kept in small pens without natural daylight or contact with other dogs
• suffer the mental cruelty of having little contact with people and having no space to exercise or opportunity to play
• are bred from continuously in these conditions until they are too old, then discarded

A battery farmed puppy could have genetic or other health problems relating to its poor breeding conditions. It could also have behavioural problems as a result of being taken from its mother at too young an age.

Common problems for a puppy farmed dog are:

• Parvovirus - can be fatal but cost up to £1,000
• Worms - can be fatal but if it causes bad diarrhoea requiring a drip it could cost £500
• Hip dysplasia - two total hip replacements would cost £7,000
• Patella luxation (dislocating knee-caps) - surgery on both knees would cost £1,500
• Congenital heart problems - if surgery required would cost £5,000-6,000

Dogs Trust has published a guide for anyone looking to buy a puppy. It can be downloaded from http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/b/buyingadog/default.aspx

Fitzpatrick Referrals scooped two awards at last week's Vet Marketing Awards, held at the London Vet Show.

The practice picked up the Training Initiatives Award, in recognition of its CPD, Internship and Residency programmes, the launch of Fitzpatrick Learning Academy and the commitment of Fitzpatrick Referrals to pushing the boundaries to advance the veterinary profession.

Noel Fitzpatrick was also awarded the 2011 Science prize for his dedication and commitment to moving the profession forward through scientific and technological development, his research, philosophy and practice.

Organised by Grove House Publishing, who produce OvertheCounter magazine,Vet Marketing and Farm Business, the Vet Marketing Awards are designed to award best practice companies and individuals who are driving innovation in branding, communications and product development, in a way that promotes health and wellbeing for the good of practice, customer, and animals in their care.

Commenting on the Training Initiatives Award, the judges said: "The mission of Fitzpatrick Referrals is to deliver 'the best level of surgical, medical and compassionate care for small animals,' and they have certainly achieved this since the opening of their state-of-the-art practice in 2008. To offer their unparalleled level of care means a high level of training for their staff, and for vets and trainees from across the country. The judges were impressed that they offer more residencies, internships and fellowships than any other private practice in Europe, their commitment to CPD and the in-depth nature of their entry."

Presenting Noel Fitzpatrick with his Science Award, host of the awards ceremony, Alan Whibley, publisher of Vet Marketing said: "For the judges, this is was by far the winner in this category. Noel Fitzpatrick advances scientific and technological development in the veterinary profession, based on the moral and ethical obligation to adopt these new techniques responsibly. He pushes the boundaries, through technology, and also his support for his fellow veterinarians, through internships, CPD lectures and key note speeches, such as the one earlier today. He promulgates the moral imperative to ensure that whilst the client is fully aware of every procedure possible, that a pet is a member of the family and should be treated as such."

The Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss has reassured pet owners that there is no cause for alarm after a cat was diagnosed with coronavirus last week.

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.

New research published online by the Veterinary Record suggests that puppies separated from their litters early are significantly more likely to develop potentially problematic behaviours as adults than puppies who stay with the litter for at least two months.

This is important, say the Italian authors, because behavioural problems affect relationships with owners and the risk of subsequent abandonment.

The authors based their findings on 140 adult dogs, half of whom had been taken from the litter and adopted between the ages of 30 and 40 days, and half of whom had been taken from the litter at 60 days.

The dogs' owners, who were clients of several veterinary practices in Naples, Italy, were all asked to complete a telephone questionnaire about their pets, including their provenance, breed, and a range of potentially problematic behaviours.

These included destructiveness, excessive barking, possessiveness around food and/or toys, attention seeking, aggressiveness, play biting, fearfulness on walks, and reactivity to noises.

The dogs were aged 18 months to seven years at the time of the study. Half had come from a pet shop, while one in three came from a friend or relative, and the remainder were sourced from a breeder.  None of the dogs had been in a shelter or been obviously traumatised.

Attention seeking and reactivity to noises were the most commonly reported behaviours. And younger dogs (under 36 months) were significantly more likely to be destructive and to tail chase than older animals.

But with the exception of pica eating, aggression towards the owner, paw licking and shadow staring, all behaviours were significantly more likely among dogs who had been separated from their litters before 60 days, irrespective of their breed, neuter status and size.

Similarly, some behaviours were more common among pet shop dogs who had been taken early from their litters than among pet shop dogs taken from their litters at 60 days.

The authors write: "It is generally accepted that dogs go through a sensitive period, the socialisation period, during which social experiences and stimuli have a greater effect on the development of their temperament and behaviour than if they occur in later life."

They say that the evidence increasingly points to a mix of early genetic, environmental and experiential factors that may permanently reconfigure the DNA, so leaving lasting effects.

"Early separation from the dam and littermates, especially when combined with housing in a pet shop might affect the capacity of a puppy to adapt to new environmental conditions and social relationships later in life.

"Behavioural intervention can address the development of problem behaviours and improve the dog's relationship with the owners, ultimately reducing the number of dogs that are relinquished or abandoned."

Click here to read the paper in full.

Ceva Animal Health has launched a Feliway and Adaptil Christmas marketing pack to help highlight festive stress factors.

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 RCVS Disciplinary Committee has restored Joseph Lennox Holmes to the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, two years after he was originally struck off.

Mr Holmes was removed from the Register in February 2012 after the Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of multiple charges of serious professional conduct. Mr Holmes lodged an appeal against the decision, which was heard and dismissed by the Privy Council.

The original charges related to two separate complaints; the first involved numerous charges in respect of Mr Holmes' treatment of a King Charles Spaniel between October 2007 and March 2008; the second, several charges in relation to his treatment of three cats in 2008.

The Committee found that the majority of the charges amounted to serious professional misconduct. In removing Mr Holmes from the Register, the Committee found that "aggravating factors in both... cases included actual injuries to the animals... and a serious breach of the trust which Mr Holmes' clients had placed in him to make the welfare of the animals his primary consideration according to the standards to be expected of the profession". In addition, the Committee cited 10 further aggravating factors including lack of reference to continuing professional development (CPD) in clinical policies and practices; lack of reference to accepted practice; lack of appreciation of the importance of adequate pain relief when performing painful surgical procedures; reluctance to consider referral as an option; and lack of understanding about what information is required by a client to enable fully informed consent to be given.

Following the dismissal of Mr Holmes' appeal by the Privy Council, his first application for restoration was heard by the Disciplinary Committee in February 2013. The Committee was not satisfied that he was fit to be restored to the Register, citing the fact that his application was "premature" and that he had failed to truly appreciate the seriousness of the findings against him. The Committee was also unimpressed with the efforts he had made to keep up-to-date with skills and developments in practice and with his CPD, noting in particular that he had made very limited attempts to observe the function and experience the culture of a modern first opinion practice.

However, in this week's two-day hearing, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Holmes was now fit to be restored to the Register. It heard that Mr Holmes had made a concerted effort to engage in CPD and bring his skills and knowledge up-to-date. During a period of observation at a veterinary practice, he had gained insight into modern practice and the need for veterinary general practitioners to be aware of the advantages in referring patients to specialists.

Professor Noreen Burrows, who chaired and spoke on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, said: "The Committee has concluded that, in the course of genuine efforts to do what was necessary to address the deficiencies identified during the original Inquiry and at the last restoration hearing, the Applicant has at last understood the seriousness of his previous misconduct and has learned new skills and, most importantly, to recognise his limitations from the extensive course of study, reflection, and other training that he has undertaken."

Furthermore, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Holmes had gained a proper understanding of the importance of securing the informed consent of his clients and building a relationship of trust with them and, in addition, recognising the importance of maintaining close relations with fellow professionals and engaging with CPD opportunities.

Additional factors considered when making the decision included: that he had been off the Register for two years; that, through self-improvement, he had equipped himself to treat animals appropriately; the impact that being removed from the Register had in both personal and financial terms; his conduct since being removed from the Register; and, a number of positive testimonials from previous clients and professional colleagues.

The Committee's full findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).

BCF Technology has launched a new series of CPD videos on VetSurgeon.org, this time showing how to conduct a basic cardiac ultrasound examination in small animals. The videos are followed by a short online quiz.

BCF in-house vet Kimberly Palgrave BS BVM&S GPCert(DI) MRCVS presents a series of free online instructional step-by-step videos demonstrating how to perform a basic cardiac ultrasound examination in the general practice setting.

These 3-5 minute videos, which were produced in collaboration with The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, also cover how to alter the controls on your ultrasound machine to get the most from your equipment.

The cardiac ultrasound videos follow the very popular series of videos created by BCF on scanning the small animal abdomen last year. The abdominal videos have had in total over 25,000 views on YouTube so far.

Kimberly Palgrave said: "Following some fantastic feedback on the abdominal ultrasound videos, we decided to produce this series of basic echocardiography videos. People were asking for help with cardiac examinations and we were happy to help. Please do let us know what you think and what you would like us to cover next."

Gavin Mitchell from BCF said: "We are committed to helping you learn more to ensure you and your team get the very best from your ultrasound equipment. These videos are just one way that BCF contribute to veterinary learning. We run and support training courses and we can also arrange for a member of our team to come into your practice and provide a day of training. At BCF we do so much more than just sell ultrasound and X-ray kit. We strive to help you learn how to use your diagnostic imaging equipment and support you with advice, technical back-up, service and repair."

To see the new cardiac ultrasound videos visit the BCF Technology Gallery here on VetSurgeon.org. Complete the short online quiz at the end, and you will also receive a CPD certificate. 

For more information, or to arrange a demo for your veterinary practice, call +44 (0)1506 460 023.

The BSAVA has announced that it is increasing the number of practical sessions at Congress by a quarter.

The practical, wet lab, small group and 'Breakfast with a Specialist' programme has expanded to enhance the CPD experience and to meet rising demand, alongside more than 450 lectures for delegates to choose from.

Wet lab sessions, introduced at Congress 2017, will again be held at the University of Birmingham’s Medical School and include topics on cytology, haematology, basic eye surgery, rabbit dentistry and dental radiography for dogs and cats.

'Breakfast with a Specialist' sessions give delegates exclusive access to world-renowned experts to discuss challenging cases informally, in a small group setting: endocrinology cases with David Church on Friday, epilepsy cases with Holger Volk on Saturday and jaw fracture fixation in the dog and cat with Peter Southerden on Sunday.

BSAVA Congress Programme Committee Chair Sue Murphy said: "Responding to the excellent delegate feedback from 2017’s programme, we are increasing the number of practical and small group sessions to enable more delegates to benefit in 2018. These sessions represent excellent, value for money education and a unique opportunity for delegates to practice vital skills with guidance from experts in their respective disciplines.’"

Each workshop or small group is available to purchase when registering for Congress and a full summary of each practical and small group session is available at: http://www.bsavacongress.com/programme

The 61st annual BSAVA Congress takes place at the Birmingham ICC and Arena Birmingham from 5-8 April, including a new non-clinical stream on Sunday – Beyond the Clinics.

Animal Trust, a veterinary group with nine surgeries across Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and North Wales, has become the first and only practice registered as a community interest company, providing a bridge between commercial veterinary care and charity provision. 

The company says that as a community interest company, it can help to bridge the gap between charities, which provide help only for those who are eligible, and commercial practices, which are becoming increasingly unaffordable as they are acquired by corporates and private equity companies.

The rules governing CIC companies mean that their assets can only be used for their social objectives and there is a limit to the money that can be distributed to shareholders: 5% above the Bank of England base rate to a maximum of 35% of profits.

Animal Trust does not charge consultation fees, so all pets are initially seen free of charge. If it turns out there’s nothing wrong, there's no charge. If treatment or medicine is required, prices are published on the website, so clients can see exactly what everything costs.

Founder Owen Monie says: “We are here to provide a comprehensive vet service for people who earn a real, living wage. We want to deliver the best access to good vet care and to remove the barriers that stop people getting care for their animals – that’s why we provide free consultations. This means pet owners can get professional advice without worrying about having to pay a consultation fee. If no treatment is needed – there’s no fee. It’s as simple as that.”

Owen says that large corporations argue they can bring better management, efficiency and innovation to the sector, and claim that costs have gone up in part due to advances in animal medicine and clients’ expectations.

"That may well be true, but big isn’t always better. In addition to its legal status as a CIC, Animal Trust lives by a set of core values (straightforward, accessible, sustainable and fair) that are becoming increasingly meaningful to customers and clients as an alternative to companies who appear to be only interested in the bottom line. There isn’t an NHS equivalent for animals – so is becoming a CIC the model that all vet practices should be looking to adopt?"

Building on research undertaken by VetSurgeon.org and Veturse.co.uk in 2017, the RCVS Mind Matters initiative has published the results of a survey which found that 96% of student and newly qualified veterinary nurses feel that bullying and incivility are a serious problem in the profession.

The work done by vetsurgeon.org and vetnurse.co.uk attempted to identify the sorts of unpleasant behaviour that veterinary surgeons and and nurses found themselves on the receiving end of, and the impact that it had on them. It was not, however, able to quantify the prevalence of these types of behaviour other than to the extent that there were 677 reports. 

The new survey of over 650 vet nurses and student vet nurses found that not only did 96% agree or strongly agree that bullying and incivility is a serious problem in the profession, but 70% of respondents had personally experienced a mental health concern as a result.

Other findings from the survey were:

• 20% of respondents had witnessed or experienced discrimination in an educational setting and around 33% of respondents had witnessed or experienced discrimination in a practice setting
• Only 18% of respondents said they believed that veterinary nursing is a well-respected profession
• 82% said that they thought veterinary nursing was a stressful career.
• Just over half (51%) feel positive about their future in veterinary nursing
  However, the survey suggested there was a good level of awareness within the profession about how to access mental health support, with three-quarters (75%) of respondents saying that they knew where to access support for mental health if they need it and almost three-quarters (70%) found their clinical coach supportive.

The full findings of the survey will be revealed at the MMI Student Veterinary Nurse Wellbeing Discussion Forum, taking place on Wednesday 3rd November.

Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the challenges highlighted in the survey and how they can be addressed. The results will also be published at a session led by Jill McDonald, VN Futures Project Coordinator at BVNA Congress, taking place Saturday 2nd  – Monday 4th October.

Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager, said: “A number of our survey findings are extremely concerning, particularly the high levels of bullying, incivility and discrimination reported by participants. We conducted the survey with the intention of finding out more about what systemic issues across workplace practices were impacting on the profession’s mental health.

"We want to thank everyone who took part and shared their experiences with us. There were some upsetting accounts shared with us about experiences of bullying and discrimination – no one should go through this at any point in their life, let alone at their place of work.

"Decisive action needs to be taken to tackle this and we will be using the findings of the survey to help form our 2022-2027 strategy and decide what resources and training we create for the profession. Supporting the wellbeing of veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses is one of our key priorities, and will be part of all future MMI activities.”

“I would encourage as many veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses as possible to attend the upcoming Student Veterinary Nurse Wellbeing Discussion Forum and our session at BVNA to have your voice heard about what steps need to be taken to improve the mental wellbeing of the profession.

"We recognise that these results may bring some difficult emotions to the fore for many people, and we would encourage anyone who has experienced bullying or discrimination to seek help from an organisation such as Vetlife or the National Bullying Helpline.

"I would urge anyone who witnesses bullying or discrimination in the workplace to speak out, wherever it is safe to do so. This takes immense courage, but it is only by calling out this behaviour that it can begin to be addressed. We will be launching Active Bystander training in early 2022, to equip people with the confidence to call out unacceptable behaviour, and the skills to proactively support colleagues who have been targeted.”

Matthew Rendle, Chair of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council, added: “As a veterinary nurse some of these results were a difficult read and I would like to thank those student vet nurses and newly qualified vet nurses who came forward with great honesty and bravery with their views and experiences, as it couldn’t have been easy.

“We take these matters very seriously and opening up the conversation is an important first step. I hope that, following these results, we can take look at things such as strengthening reporting mechanisms for bullying and discrimination and encouraging better workplace practices to mitigate against these incidents.

“While it’s easy to focus on the negatives, I do think that these survey results have given us positive steps to build on, not least that people know how to access mental health support so they’re not suffering in silence and the role that our amazing clinical coaches are playing in supporting people with their mental health, and how we can better give them the tools for this support.”