The survey of 1,019 dog owners was conducted by petbuzz in December 2022.
Veterinary cardiology specialist, Dr Rachel James, said: “The CKCS has long been a very popular breed of dog in high demand, due to their loving and placid nature making them perfect family pet.
"We know that sadly at least 50% of CKCS have evidence of MVD disease by the time they are five, with 98% of dogs affected in their lifetimes.
"However, we can help our clients when selecting this breed to choose a puppy that is less likely to develop MVD at an early age, by utilising the heart testing scheme (Doppler heart testing).
"Prospective owners should be asking to see test results for the parents, grandparents, and even better great grandparents too, on both maternal and paternal sides.
"In addition breeders need more support and education to encourage the use of the heart testing scheme and how this can enable them to choose the best dogs to breed from.
"Furthermore we should be encouraging breeders to breed from dogs only when they are at least 3 years of age.”
Vita Animal Health commissioned the survey to raise awareness of the condition and to remind owners to use their vet’s expertise.
Vita’s veterinary nurse, Tara Evans, said: “The CKCS is a very popular breed of dog, perhaps set to be more so now King Charles III is reigning monarch.
"This survey has shown that awareness of mitral valve disease – which is very common in this breed – is not as good as it could be.
"We want to support vets in raising awareness and have useful resources such as our heart disease infographic (www.vitaanimalhealth.com/common-signs-of-heart-disease) that we welcome all vets in using.”
Janssen Animal Health has produced a new DVD called 'Fluke: That's a Fact', which is available free from the company.
The 18 minute film features TV presenter Michaela Strachan discussing the big issues surrounding fluke in sheep, such as the effects on productivity and fertility and the need to adapt treatment regimes to reflect the current challenge in the environment, weather patterns and the possibility of resistance to commonly used flukicides. There is also a section on Haemonchus, the Barber's Pole worm, as the parasite has been reported in a number of farms in the last few years.
According to the company, fluke is becoming increasingly common and is moving into new areas of the UK. There is increasing evidence that a single autumn / winter dose of flukicide may not always be enough to control the disease on some farms and more frequent dosing programmes are now often proposed that look more long term to reduce the level of the disease on farms, especially on those farms with high infection pressure. The film clearly explains these different approaches and the benefits of treating at various times of the year.
Janssen's Livestock Marketing Manager Nigel Underwood hopes the film will be a great educational tool that will help both farmers and SQPs better understand the disease: "With ten easy to watch sections, people will be able to listen to the whole story or just dip into those areas where they feel they need to know more. With her long standing interest in the countryside and wildlife, Michaela Strachan was the perfect choice to present what can be a rather complex story and I'm sure everyone will enjoy her clear explanation of the facts."
To request a DVD or for further information, please contact Janssen Animal Health, 50-100 Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 4EG. Tel 01494 567555 Fax 01494 567556 Email: ahealth@its.jnj.com www.janssenanimalhealth.com/uk
The theme for this year's event, which takes place on 7th November, is the cornea. Lectures will include 'Medical Cornea', 'Cross Linking' and 'Surgical Cornea'. There will be Q&A sessions after each one.
Amongst the speakers are Chris Dixon, CertOphthal MRCVS MRCVS from Veterinary Vision Ophthalmic referrals, Christine Heinrich, RCVS & European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology from the Eye Clinic and Sara Thomasy, Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of California from UC Davis University.
As is customary, abstracts will be presented throughout the day.
Tickets are £100 +VAT, or £60+Vat for students, interns and veterinary nurses: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/bravo-virtual-winter-conference-2020-tickets/
Virbac has launched an iPhone app designed to support veterinary surgeons in the diagnosis of canine dermatological conditions.
Called Virbac-Derm-Diag it enables clinicians to create a clinical history (including photographs) of a patient then recommends a clinical chronological approach for the diagnosis of many of the canine skin diseases seen most commonly in practice. It also contains a library of downloadable monographs, videos and images of skin diseases which can be used to support discussions with owners about diagnosis and potential treatment regimes.
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Product Manager, said: "Dog skin disorders are among the most common health problems seen in practice and have a wide range of causative factors. We are really excited about the launch of the app, which should prove really useful as vets work through the various steps of history-taking and examination required to reach an accurate diagnosis.
It also provides a wealth of materials to help them explain the implications of diagnosis to owners and recommended treatment options."
Veterinary dermatologist Anthony Chadwick said: "This is an ideal app for those vets who have an interest in dermatology and want readily accessible information at their fingertips. The images of lesions are likely to be particularly helpful."
Virbac Derm-Diag, it is available by searching for 'Virbac' in the app store (or click here). The content is restricted to veterinary surgeons, who must register at www.virbacderm.com to gain an access code.
Virbac says an iPad version will be available within weeks and there are plans to launch the app on other platforms shortly.
At the heart of the new system is a transportable monitor (pictured right) which starts automatically after you connect two sensors and press the power button.
The system uses the handheld Darvall H100N Pulse Oximeter, which uses Nellcor OxiMax pulse oximetry technology.
It also comes with veterinary blood pressure NIBP small animal cuffs which are designed for accurate pressure detection in exotic animals, cats, and all sizes of dog.
Completing the Darvall Express system is the Darvall Capnograph which continuously measures the EtCO2 and respiratory rate, and features EtCO2 waveform Cardiac Oscillation artifact detection, for correct respiratory rate determination.
There's a default system set-up for cats and small dogs, a colour-coded display and a ten-hour battery life.
Darvall says the monitor has been thoroughly tested at veterinary practices in Australia, where it displayed outstanding performance in small dogs and cats, which are notoriously difficult to get reliable readings.
Darvall founder, Dr Colin Dunlop said: “Anaesthetic monitoring plays a vital role in keeping patients safe, giving peace of mind to the hospital veterinary team, and boosting pet owner confidence in the care their pet is receiving.
"This is vitally important when you remember mortality in veterinary patients is many times higher than in human hospital practice”.
http://www.aasmedical.co.uk
Dechra Veterinary Products, maker of the feline hyperthyroidism treatment Felimazole®, has launched a range of waiting room materials for practices to raise awareness with owners about the disease.
Using Dechra's cartoon cat, which already features in their client booklets on feline hyperthyroidism, the materials are intended to create a focal point in the waiting room, with factual posters detailing what feline hyperthyroidism is and the symptoms to look out for. Also included is a selection of display enhancers.
The new waiting room display has been designed to complement Dechra's existing materials: client booklets, the website www.hyperthyroidcat.co.uk, website posters and hand-out cards.
Matthew Olsen, product manager at Dechra Veterinary Products said: "Our complete range of materials makes it easier for practices to communicate with owners on the subject and will help owners better understand and manage hyperthyroidism in their cats".
Practices can order their pack of waiting room materials by contacting Dechra on 01743 441632 or email marketing@dechra.com.
The aim of the week is to help pet owners identify common symptoms of eye disease and to seek prompt veterinary attention where appropriate.
To support the initiative, TVM UK is supplying veterinary practices with a kit to create their own waiting room display to inform owners about the common symptoms of eye disease. Pet owners can obtain further, more in-depth information by scanning a QR code on their smartphone camera which takes them directly to the webpage www.tvm-uk.com/eyehealth.
There is also a ‘Who’s Got Their Eye on You’ mini quiz to help engage clients to see if they can spot one of their pets in the animal line up.
Will Peel, Product Manager at TVM UK said: "Eye problems in pets can sometimes be hard for pet owners to pick up so we have launched Pet Eye Health Awareness Week to raise awareness of common symptoms of poor eye heath so problems can be identified early and pet owners can seek veterinary advice quickly."
For more information, contact your local territory manager, email help@tvm-uk.com or call 0800 0385868. You can find additional eye-health related social media content at: www.tvm-uk.com.
BVA Scottish Branch President Grace Webster said: "We commend the Scottish Government on seizing the opportunity to improve animal welfare through the introduction of a Bill to ban of the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. While the use of wild animals in travelling circuses may not affect a great number of individual animals, it is emblematic of the way we treat all animals and we would urge the rest of the UK to follow this precedent, introduced on ethical grounds.
"However, this package of measures seems a bit of a mixed bag. Until recently Scotland also led the way on dog welfare with a complete ban on tail docking, so we are extremely disappointed at the decision to reverse this stance. We have carefully considered all the evidence and remain convinced that tail docking in dogs, even specific breeds, is detrimental to their welfare. This is a retrograde step for animal welfare in Scotland, amidst an otherwise progressive package of animal welfare measures."
At the end of May, BVA Scottish Branch Junior Vice President Melissa Donald will be giving evidence to the Environment Committee in the Scottish Parliament ahead of a vote on whether or not to approve the change in law relating to tail docking.
Today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham MSP also included the introduction of controls to restrict the use of electronic training collars and a commitment to update regulations to combat the irresponsible breeding and sale of dogs, cats and rabbits.
Gudrun Ravetz, BVA President, added: "Animal welfare starts right at the beginning of a pet’s life, so the focus on pet licensing and breeding regulations is welcome. We know that a third of vets are seeing puppies they believe to have been illegally imported and an increasing number of owners are buying brachycephalic or designer breeds, like Scottish fold cats; pets must be purchased with owners prioritising animal health and welfare, rather than making an impulse buy based on looks alone.
"Yet we are saddened at the shortfall on legislation around aversive training aids for dogs, which we expect will still permit the use of training collars under expert guidance. We know using fear as a training tool is not only less effective than positive reinforcement, but can take its toll on a dog’s overall welfare. Without an outright ban, we have grave concerns over how enforceability will work. This raft of measures seems to give with one hand and take away with the other."
New subject areas include emergency planning, traffic accidents, excessive bleeding, seizures, poisonings, choking and breathing problems, caesareans, GDV and abdominal emergencies, and pain assessment and management.
ECC is the first element of the new Practical and Clinical Skills section of the BSAVA’s online Professional Development Phase (PDP) Resource Bank, and takes the total to more than 100 hours of free online CPD support matched directly to the RCVS PDP competences.
The BSAVA PDP resource bank is designed to help veterinary surgeons to enhance practice expertise, develop their practices’ professional and business skills, and advance an ethos of reflective learning and continuous professional development (CPD) alongside veterinary expertise.
Members can pick and choose the most appropriate content for their professional development from more than 250 resources in multiple formats to suit a range of learning preferences, including short ‘how to’ videos, webinars written by and featuring veterinary specialists, podcasts, documents and interactive PDFs and web links.
BSAVA President John Chitty said: "BSAVA continues to lead the way in CPD learning resources and this easily accessible and flexible PDP Resource Bank has proven very popular in helping members to meet the challenges of delivering 21st century veterinary medicine."
The BSAVA PDP Resource Bank content is reviewed by committee and there will be ongoing development of new resources – including employer specific resources for practices supporting new graduates.
For more information visit www.bsava.com/pdp
The Vet Wellbeing Awards, which are now in their fourth year, are designed to highlight positivity within the profession by sharing stories and initiatives from veterinary workplaces that demonstrate commitment to improving staff wellbeing.
The Awards also aim to support all practices to take a structured approach towards evaluating their own wellbeing support systems.
This year, for the first time, feedback will be given to practices that enter about the areas where they are doing well and those where they can improve. The organisers hope that this change to the Awards process will encourage practices to think of wellbeing support as an area of continuous development.
However, they also hope that practices will use the entry process as an opportunity to audit wellbeing even if they don't plan to enter.
Liz Barton, SPVS Board Member, said: "Going through the entry form and evaluation process is valuable for every vet practice, even if they don’t feel they’re ready to enter the Awards just yet. Sitting down as a practice team for a few hours and working through the questionnaire is a highly useful exercise for facilitating celebrating areas where your practice is doing well for wellbeing, and also highlighting some areas for improvement for years to come."
"We recommend all practices get into the habit of going through the process annually and choosing areas to focus and improve on, to build towards better wellbeing across all areas for all staff."
There are three award categories that practices can enter depending on the number of employees: small practice (15 or fewer full time equivalent team members (FTE)), medium practice (16 to 50 FTEs) or large practice (51 or FTEs).
The Award application form covers six aspects of work that, if well-managed, can promote wellbeing and reduce the risk of work-related stress, and the Award judges will be looking for evidence of commitment to enhancing wellbeing for each of these.
They are:
Promoting physical and psychological health at work
Relationships at work
Communication at work
Career development
Workload and work scheduling
Work demands
More examples of the type of evidence and initiatives that the Awards are looking for, together with the entry form, are available on the Vet Wellbeing Awards website: https://vetwellbeingawards.org.uk.
Winning and Highly Commended practices will receive a dedicated logo and certificate for display. The winners in each category will also receive two registrations and banquet tickets for SPVS/VMG Congress 2020.
In addition to the Wellbeing Awards, the RCVS and SPVS are also running the Practice Star nominations, which are open to all veterinary practices.
These nominations aim to support practices to thank someone in their team who has gone the extra mile to make the practice a happy place to work, whether this be through introducing an initiative that makes everyone’s work life better, going out of their way to support a colleague going through a tough time, or just making everyone smile.
To enter, practices need to send in their nominee’s name, job title and contact details, and a short paragraph explaining why they have been chosen. They will then receive a certificate congratulating them for being nominated as the practice’s very own ‘Practice Wellbeing Star’.
The closing date for both the Wellbeing Award entries and Practice Star nominations is Friday 22 November 2019.
The new programme, which starts in May 2021, will address the fundamental principles underlying cardiac disease, discuss common presentations and review current diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
Modules are delivered using a range of blended learning techniques, including interactive online lessons, supported by notes and videos.
While studying, delegates will have a module tutor – a recognised veterinary Specialist in their field - and a dedicated programme tutor, who works with individual delegates to support them through the programme.
Delegates can also choose three optional practical attendance sessions covering ECGs, thoracic radiography and echocardiography.
The programme offers a route through to achieving academic qualifications - General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) and the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC), in partnership with the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS) and Harper Adams University. Gaining a PgC enables delegates to apply to RCVS for Advanced Practitioner status in the subject.
Course Director Kieran Borgeat BSc BVSc MVetMed CertVC DipACVIM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS, said: "Improve International’s Cardiology DL programme features a diverse array of speakers from a variety of backgrounds, who will bring the latest information about veterinary cardiology to delegates. Our module leaders are world experts in their field so bring a thorough and uniquely engaging approach to the course material. Being able to discuss the topic with them and other course delegates online during each module of teaching during a two-year, in-depth course is a fantastic opportunity to connect with the topic as never before."
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: “Our cardiology programme has been designed to equip delegates with all of the skills and knowledge they need to confidently investigate, diagnose and treat cardiac patients.
“As we start to look ahead to a time beyond lockdowns, many veterinarians are taking stock and considering the next step in their career. For some, an additional qualification may be part of their plan. By offering a distance learning solution, we can ensure that, wherever in the world they are in practice, they have the opportunity to develop their clinical skills and achieve a postgraduate qualification.”
Registration information can be found here: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/course/pgc-gpcert-small-animal-cardiology-distance-learning/
The gallery was traditionally held in-person at the NAVC’s annual Veterinary Expo & Meeting (VMX) in Florida.
Now, for the first time since it began in 2012, the gallery is accessible to everyone everywhere months before the live event in June.
The new Virtual VMX New Product Gallery went live this week and will run until 3rd September 2021. It showcases 21 new product innovations from the following companies: BioNote; Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health; Dechra Veterinary Products; Epicur Pharma; GVL; Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc.; Merck Animal Health; Neogen Corporation; Ogena Solutions; Purina; Royal Canin; Vetoquinol; Zoetis Petcare.
NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill said: "Each year, NAVC’s panel of experts select the most innovative new products and services to be showcased as part of the VMX Expo. We are excited to take this VMX staple and, for the first time, make it universally available to members of our global veterinary community everywhere.
"And they don’t have to wait until June to learn about and try these important new products. The VMX Virtual New Product Gallery launch is part of the NAVC’s expanding virtual portfolio which breaks down barriers of geography and time to make the best products the veterinary industry has to offer available to veterinary professionals worldwide.” The gallery is free to access. You can register here: https://vmxvirtual.simexpo.com/page/100
Invicta Animal Health has launched SynVet-50, a licensed synthetic Sodium Hyaluronate (HA), for intra-articular treatment of lameness caused by joint dysfunction associated with non-infectious synovitis in horses.
The product is Invicta's first licensed medicine.
According to the company, the functional mechanisms of HA are directly dependent on the molecular weight and concentration of HA. 1 Therefore, SynVet-50 has been formulated with a molecular weight of 1.5m Daltons which is the highest of any synthetic HA available in the UK.
Invicta says that at 20mg per ml, SynVet-50 is also the most concentrated HA available.
Storage is at ambient temperature.
SynVet-50 is a 2.5ml solution containing 50mg HA, conveniently presented in a 5ml glass syringe.
Rob Watkins, Managing Director of Invicta said: "We are excited to be launching our first licensed medicine in the UK. The management team of Invicta have over 10 years experience in this market which has allowed us to provide a product strongly focussed on the clinicians needs, not just in terms of technical ability, but also in convenience of presentation".
For further information see www.invictavet.com or phone 01403 791313
Reference
It's just over a year since microchipping became compulsory for dogs and according to Defra, 95% of dogs are now chipped.
However, the PDSA PAW Report 2016 showed that only 20% of Britain's 11m cats live an indoor-only life, meaning that there are 9 million 'free-range' cats at risk of getting lost if they stray too far from home.
The PDSA report also found 91% of veterinary professionals in the UK believe microchipping should be compulsory for cats.
Bayer says that advice to dog owners this year should focus on the importance of keeping their chip registration details up to date, after a BVA survey found 44% of veterinary surgeons still cannot reunite missing or stray dogs with their owners due to incorrect chip information being stored on the databases.1
Hannah Watts, Product Manager at Bayer said: "Until microchipping becomes compulsory in cats, vets will need to play a crucial role in helping increase the number of UK cats that are microchipped. National Microchipping month provides a great opportunity for vets to raise the subject with owners and to take advantage of the increased awareness and interest in the subject throughout June. With so many dogs now microchipped, ensuring owners are aware of the need to update their details on the microchipping database is an equally important educational message for vets to convey."
Bayer says that during National Microchipping Month, it will be actively driving pet owners into veterinary practices across the country to discuss the benefits of microchipping with their veterinary surgeon. It will also be trying to ensure pet owners understand the importance of keeping the details stored on their pet’s microchip database up to date.
To help drive home the message, Bayer has also developed a range of new marketing and support materials for practices to display throughout June.
To order National Microchipping Month support materials, visit www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk or speak to your Bayer Territory Manager.
The company has won the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) 'Best Graduate Onboarding and Induction Activities Programme.' (Dear god. Not to take anything away from Vets4Pets' considerable achievement, but is it just me that finds it like fingernails on a blackboard when people take a perfectly serviceable preposition like 'on board' and turn it into a verb?).
Gordon Dunn, People Director at Vets4Pets, said: “As a leading UK veterinary employer, we view it as our personal responsibility to fully prepare graduates at the beginning of their career. This includes, but isn’t limited to, ensuring they are equipped with the right skills and behaviours to forge their own individual career pathway, and increase the chances of them remaining in the profession.
"The induction and onboarding of our graduates forms the lynchpin of our programme, and clearly sets out what is to come. Being recognised for the work we’re doing to develop the next generation of veterinary talent is a huge celebration for us and is a testimony to the investment made and hard work over the last few years to develop and evolve a world-class development programme. We’re extremely proud to be recognised for this achievement.”
Referral Centre VRCC reports that its first Small Animal Veterinary Education Conference Weekend in Kenya, held in November and supported by Merial, has been a great success. Over 30 East African vets from all over Kenya gathered at the elegant Leopard Beach Hotel, just south of Mombasa, to learn from some of the leading specialists in the UK.
The Kenyans, all with an interest in small animals, were a real cross section of the African profession. They ranged from prosperous vets with large practices in Nairobi to a young vet who'd undertaken a gruelling 7 hour bus ride accompanied by armed guards from his clinic on Lamu, near the Somali border.
A challenging 2 day programme had been devised by VRCC specialists including Dr Susan North, one of the most experienced and highly qualified veterinary oncologists in Europe and also a European Specialist in Internal Medicine. Also lecturing were VRCC's Head of Surgery, Henry L'Eplattenier and Merial's Dr Hein Hesse, an expert in pain management and parasite control. The weekend finished with a prolonged question and answer session with the enthusiastic delegates hungry to gain as much knowledge as possible from the visiting specialists before their long journey home.
Malcolm Holland at VRCC was delighted with the first time turn-out at the conference. He said: "The Conference Weekend was successful on so many fronts. The delegates had access to first-hand information not readily available to them - the last lecturing team visited over 20 years ago! They were able to interact with each other, form networks, and renew friendships.
"VRCC was not seeking any material gain, just fulfilling a desire to pass on some of our experience for the improved welfare of small animals in East Africa."
VRCC expects attendance to more than double now Kenyan vets know that commitments will be fulfilled. Specialists keen to participate in future events or companies with interests or ambitions in Kenya should contact Malcolm Holland at VRCC.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Buprenodale, an opioid analgesic for cats, dogs and horses presented in a 10ml multi-dose vial.
Carol Morgan, Brand Manager said: "Following on from the introduction of Comfortan and Anesketin, our Buprenodale Multidose, 0.3 mg/ml solution for injection for dogs, cats and horses, is the latest addition to the portfolio.
"The active substance in Buprenodale is buprenorphine, the most commonly used opioid analgesic in small animal practice in the UK.
"Buprenodale Multidose joins a portfolio of Dechra products covering a wide range of species, different levels of analgesic efficacy and duration of action.
"The product is now available in a 10 ml multidose vial. It is suitable for post-operative analgesia in dogs and cats; post operative analgesia, in combination with sedation, in horses and potentiation of the sedative effects of centrally acting agents in the dog and horse."
For more information www.dechra.co.uk .
MSD Animal Health (Merck in the US and Canada), has launched Finadyne (flunixin), the NSAID for cattle, as a pour on.
According to the company, Finadyne Transdermal is the world's first non-parasiticide cattle product to be made available as a pour-on.
Dr. Martin Behr, technical manager at MSD Animal Health said: “Finadyne Transdermal is uniquely designed for rapid absorption into the bloodstream and its antipyretic effect has been demonstrated as early as two hours after treatment. This is because innovative penetration enhancers are included in the formulation to improve the absorption of the active ingredient flunixin through the skin.”
The new product comes in pre-calibrated packaging and uses a bottle designed for easy application along an animal’s back.
Dr. Behr added: “It’s much simpler for farmers to treat cattle in this way – as opposed to administering an injection, which can also mean needle-site lesions that can reduce the value of a carcass or compromise hide quality.
“The time taken to handle and treat animals will be much reduced with a transdermal NSAID. There will also be a saving on syringes and needles.”
Finadyne Transdermal (POM-V) is available now from veterinary wholesalers. Further information is available from the MSD Animal Health veterinary support group on 01908 685685.
The group is hoping to raise more than £5,000 for the hospital by donating £1 for every pet vaccinated at its West Derby, Gateacre, St Helens and Widnes practices over the next four months.
Sarah Kirkman MRCVS, from White Cross Vets in Gateacre, said: "It’s our job to care for pets, but we also really care about the communities in which we operate, and we have a real affinity with the hospital. This partnership means we’re protecting pets, by vaccinating them against a wide range of nasty diseases, as well as raising money to support the invaluable work that the hospital does."
Allan Eves from Alder Hey Children’s Charity said: "We care for over 275,000 children, young people and their families treating everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. We also lead research into children’s medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology and our charity has raised over £22m to support Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, funding life-saving medical equipment, research and vital facilities. We are so pleased to be working with White Cross Vets on this superb fund-raising initiative and can’t wait to meet the vets and nurses who are helping us."
Sarah added: "We are aiming to raise £5,000, but it could be more. We also want to support the hospital’s therapy dog by providing them with our Complete Wellness Plan for free. The plan provides free health-checks, veterinary care and preventative treatment on an ongoing basis. We already give free membership to several Fire Service Search Dog Teams, as we feel it’s really important to look after these amazing dogs which dedicate their lives to help people."
The charitable campaign is running from the 4th September until the 31st December and plans are also in place for the veterinary surgeons and nurses from White Cross Vets to visit the hospital regularly to talk to the children about pets.
Sarah said: "We give every one of our team four paid donation days a year, so that they can volunteer with a charity of their choice, and we are keen to further our partnership with the hospital by visiting regularly. We already do this in numerous schools across the region and know just how much children love to find out about our day to day roles, and they always have plenty of interesting questions for our nurses and vets to answer."
Burgess reminds everyone that RVHD2 is a highly infectious strain of RVHD with few or no visible symptoms. It is fatal and can kill within hours. RVHD2 poses a significant threat to Britain’s rabbit population and outbreaks have been reported all over the UK and Ireland meaning no area is safe.
According to the company, the most recent sales figures show that only 137,405 RVHD2 vaccinations have been distributed in the last year1. This, says the company, shows a concerning number of practices are still not stocking the necessary vaccines to protect rabbits against RVHD2 and other fatal diseases.
Rabbits who have received the combined vaccination for RVHD and myxomatosis need a separate vaccination for RVHD2.
BSAVA President Sue Paterson said: "The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) supports the Rabbit Awareness Week 'Protect and Prevent' approach to saving the lives of rabbits in the UK. The BSAVA urges all rabbit owners to get their rabbits vaccinated against this disease and encourages all practices to remind their clients of the importance of doing this."
Richard Saunders BVSc DZooMed MRCVS said: "It's important for vets to be aware of the importance of vaccinating rabbits against all 3 viral diseases: Myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD2.
"We certainly don't want rabbits to go without their annual myxomatosis vaccine: this horrible disease is very much still around. RVHD1 appears to have been overtaken by the new variant, RVHD2, but should still be vaccinated against.
"RVHD2 is a recent strain of the RVHD virus, which the Nobivac Myxo-RHD vaccine does not cover, and it is, quite literally, everywhere. Transported by inanimate objects as well as animals, it can affect both indoor and outdoor rabbits anywhere in the UK.
"If you wait until you see the first case in your area before recommending vaccination, rabbits will die, when this could be avoided.
"Remember that rabbit owners are much more likely to bury their dead pets at home than cat and especially dog owners, who generally bring their pets to a vet for cremation, and so we, as a profession, are under-aware of the incidence of the disease out there.
"RVHD2 is a core vaccination requirement, being endemic in the UK. Additionally, it’s not just a fatal disease, it’s a fatal disease with a reservoir in the wild. We strongly recommend vaccination of rabbits with either Filavac or Eravac in addition to Nobivac Myxo-RHD."
For more information on this year’s campaign and to request your RAW veterinary pack with marketing materials and free samples, visit www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk
The specialist-led lectures will start on 5th May and run until October 2021, with a session every couple of weeks, alternating between vets and nurses.
RCVS-recognised specialist in ECC, Tobias Grave, and Racheal Marshall RVN, head of clinical nursing at Vets Now, are among the speakers who will be covering topics such as damage control resuscitation, traumatic brain injury and neurotoxins. You can view the full programme here.
Dan Lewis, ECC specialist at Vets Now, who devised this year’s veterinary CPD programme, said: “Because emergencies don’t only happen out of hours we’re committed to working with general practitioners to deliver the best possible care to pets at the time they need it most. With that in mind, we are also committed to bringing relevant and pioneering CPD and training to veterinary clinicians and vet nurses.
“As emergency and critical care experts, we appreciate the value of flexibility and are always looking to adapt our services. In 2021, with social distancing still expected to be the norm, we’re offering two CPD streams, available live and on-demand.
“We delivered a successful interactive learning experience for virtual delegates through our ECC Congress at the end of last year, so we have a strong foundation from which to build on innovative and expert virtual CPD, and we’ll aim to leave delegates feeling well-informed and assured.
“We will obviously miss seeing everyone in person but gathering together online like this is beneficial as we can reach more vets and vet nurses with valuable CPD. Importantly, the format can fit around busy schedules, with all content available as videos after the events have taken place.”
Dan added: “Delegates from our ECC Congress commented on some added benefits of the virtual format including things like less environmental impact and waste through less travelling, and more flexibility due to being able to look back on the content after the event. Delegates also felt it was easier to ask questions of the speakers without feeling intimidated.”
The event series is priced at £72 for the vet stream (working out at £12 per session) and £60 for the vet nurse stream (£10 per session). You can also attend both for £110 (working out at £9.16 per session).
You can book your place at www.vets-now.com/bitesize.
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?"
The study1 took the form of an online survey of over 5,500 owners, which exploring the the early socialisation, health and behaviour of ‘pandemic puppies’ purchased in 2020 compared to 2019 puppies.
The study found that puppies bought during the pandemic in 2020, in comparison to pre-pandemic in 2019, were more likely to have been ‘designer crossbreeds’, for example a Cockapoo or Cavapoo, instead of Kennel Club registered purebred dogs.
The 2020 cohort of pandemic puppies were also more likely to already hold a pet passport at purchase, indicating they may have been imported from Europe – perhaps illegally – to meet the greatly increased demand and prices for puppies.
Amongst the positive findings was the fact that many of the health and socialisation experiences examined didn’t vary significantly between puppies purchased in 2019 and 2020.
However, researchers say there was still a concern that 2020 ‘pandemic puppies’ were less likely than 2019 puppies to attend puppy training classes or to have experienced visitors to their homes (under the age of 16 weeks in both circumstances).
This, they say, means pandemic puppies may be more likely to experience stranger-related fear and anxiety and other behavioural problems related to insufficient socialisation, from being unable to attend puppy classes under 16 weeks of age; a critical period for the development of puppies.
In addition, those puppies sourced from Europe may have been transported over long distances without their mother, a stressful experience which the researchers say could cause problem behaviours in the future.
Pandemic puppies may therefore need extra support from the veterinary profession, particularly those specialising in animal behaviour.
Dr Claire Brand, Researcher in Canine Welfare at the RVC said: “Despite many owners’ concerted efforts to raise their puppies as well as possible, some puppies missed out on key experiences of puppyhood, such as going to puppy classes, or experiencing visitors in their homes.
"This has potential consequences for the future behaviour of ‘pandemic puppies’ and so we are encouraging owners to seek out training and behaviour advice from accredited professionals so that these now adult dogs can learn to live happily in our post-lockdown world.”
Pooch & Mutt has 20x 40-day trials of its new joint & bone supplement, Mobile Bones Concentrate, to give away to veterinary professionals.
Guy Blaskey from Pooch & Mutt said: "At The London Vet Show vets and vet nurses told us that they loved the new Mobile Bones Concentrate because at just £9.99 per month it costs less than other joint supplements (whilst having the same high quality ingredients), it takes up a very small amount of shelf space and it doesn't involve the client having to either change their dog's food or stuff pills down their dog's throat."
In response to requests from vets and vet nurses to try the new joint supplement, Pooch & Mutt have set up a dedicated website at www.jointsupplementfordogs.com where you can apply from one of twenty 40 day trials.
Guy continued, "We did not want to simply send samples out to everyone. By setting up the site we can choose a variety of dogs from different breed and with different conditions to send a full 40-day trial to. We hope to get regular feedback from the vets, vet nurses and dog owners involved in the trial and publish it on http://www.jointsupplementfordogs.com/ for everyone else to see."
The trials are available to all veterinary professionals and can be for their own dogs, or dogs belonging to their clients.
CEVA Animal Health has launched a double-sized version of Cyclo Spray, the company's chlorotetracycline-based treatment for the clinical symptoms of foot rot in sheep and digital dermatitis in cattle.
CEVA says that Cyclo Spray's superior spray performance makes it very cost-effective: the aerosol generates a narrow, condensed spray with limited dispersion for accurate application and minimal drip. The spray adheres cleanly and dries fast on the treatment area, to ensure that the antimicrobial has maximum efficacy within the shortest possible spray time.
CEVA adds that each spray of Cyclo Spray covers the skin with a concentration of chlorotetracycline that is thousands of times greater than is actually required to kill the causative bacteria.
The original size can is also available if required.
For further information contact CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG.