Virbac Animal Health has launched a broad spectrum wormer for dogs called Endogard (praziquantel, pyrantel and febantel).
Virbac says Endogard offers treatment against most types of intestinal worms found commonly in dogs. It is presented in two tablet sizes for easy dosage.
Victoria Hudson, Product Manager for Endo and Ectoparasiticides, said: "While we're known for developing innovative products which help practices generate additional revenue streams, we can also support them by offering cost-effective and proven products for routine use.
Endogard is a perfect example. The efficacy of its active ingredients is well-established; it's simple for owners to administer and it's also affordable which will bring them back to the practice. It's an excellent addition to Virbac's strong range of parasite control treatments."
For further information, contact your Territory Manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
Elisa, pictured right next to Bill Oddie, is the founding member of a craft conservation charity called Blankets for Baby Rhinos. In less than three years the group has amassed a Facebook community of around 3,500 members, primarily knitters, crocheters and crafters, to make blankets and other items to supply to wildlife centres taking in orphaned and sick rhinos in Africa, as well as other wildlife threatened by poaching.
Originally from South Africa, Johannesburg-born Elisa had planned to work as a vet treating wildlife but found herself working in small animal practice in Cape Town before moving to the UK.
Still, colleagues and friends often told her of the injuries they saw inflicted on rhinos targeted for the illegal trade in their horns, so she and a friend decided to help.
After building a following and supplying thousands of blankets for a growing number of wildlife orphanages in Africa, she wanted to harness the enthusiasm of members to help meet the other practical needs of the centres, as well as helping rangers and dogs working in anti-poaching units.
Now a registered charity, members supply all kinds of equipment including animal feed, medicine and veterinary supplies to a wide list of centres, as well as food for anti-poaching dogs while continuing to run appeals which crafters can assist with. Currently they are asking knitters to knit hats, scarves and blankets in black or dark colours for rangers, so they can keep warm at night without being spotted by poachers.
James Sawyer, UK Director of IFAW, said: "Elisa’s pioneering approach to harnessing practical public support to help rhinos and other rescued African wildlife is really impressive and she is a great example of animal welfare in action. We hope her efforts will inspire the next generation of animal welfare and conservation campaigners. She is a very deserving winner of IFAW’s Vet of the Year Award."
The final deadline for paying the fee was 31 May 2019, with the 346 who did not pay being removed on 1 June 2019, compared to 308 last year.
Those who were removed from the Register but have subsequently paid to be restored are not named on the list.
The RCVS says it sent reminders to all MsRCVS, including emails and text messages, reminding them that the fee was due. Letters were sent to those members that the College does not have an email address or mobile telephone number for.
A list of those who have not paid their fee has now been published. Practices are encouraged to check the list to ensure that no employees are named.
The College also wants to remind veterinary surgeons that, although paying the fee is required to remain on the Register, to complete their registration in full they need to confirm they are compliant with the continuing professional development (CPD) requirement and complete the criminal disclosures form. Both of these are required by the Code of Professional Conduct and can be completed on the ‘My Account’ area.
Anyone with queries about completing the registration process should contact the Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk.
The Livestock Adviser of the Year Award recognises those who have made a real difference to the operations of livestock farmers.
Julian focuses on dairy cow health and his particular interests include nutrition and benchmarking herd performance. Amongst other things, he has helped one large Dorset dairy farm reduce its antibiotic usage by two thirds over an eight year period.
Julian said: "I was honoured to be named Livestock Adviser of the Year. This work is my passion – I love working together with farmers, getting involved in all aspects of herd management and thinking through different options to improve herd health and productivity."
Runners up for the award were Phil Baynes, Managing Director of Baynes Nutrition, and Ed Hill, veterinary surgeon at Thrums Veterinary Group.
Friars Moor, Baynes Nutrition and Thrums Veterinary Group are all members of the XLVets community of independent veterinary practices.
Alice Renner, Farm Marketing Executive of XLVets, said: "We were so pleased to hear of these awards going to such hard-working and deserving people. And it’s a great accolade for our members – reflecting how XLVets practices strive for clinical excellence and really get invested in the success of their clients."
The company says the like-for-like sales increase was at the upper end of its target of between 4% and 8%, and that it continues to see resilience in the veterinary sector, with membership of its Healthy Pet Club preventative healthcare scheme increasing in the year by 19,000 members (an increase of 4.0%) to 489,000.
CVS says its Board decided to enter the Australian marketplace because of its low levels of corporate consolidation, favourable market dynamics and strong similarities with the UK, including highly trained veterinary surgeons, shared language and culture, and the group's experience with UK vets working between Australia and the UK.
Earlier this month, the group signed agreements for the conditional acquisitions of four independent small animal first opinion veterinary practices in Australia: two in Brisbane, one in Queensland and one in Sydney, for an initial consideration of £16.8M.
Two of the acquisitions have now been completed, and the other two are expected to be completed shortly.
The company says it now plans to acquire more Australian practices in major urban conurbations, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Newcastle and Adelaide.
Ben Jacklin, Deputy CEO said: "Having worked as a vet in Australia earlier in my career, I know well their high standards of clinical care, and the dedication of highly talented veterinary professionals that work there.
"As a company dedicated to giving the best possible care to animals, I see a fantastic opportunity for us to enter this growing market, with low levels of corporate consolidation, and execute our vision of being the veterinary company people most want to work for.
"I have spent time in Australia over the last 12 months, including meeting some fantastic veterinary practices, and it is clear we have a significant opportunity.
"With the four outstanding practices that are joining us, and a strong pipeline of further acquisition opportunities, I am excited to build a significant CVS business in Australia with the same culture and values that have brought us success in the UK."
Overall, there has been a 17% decline in Kennel Club registrations of all dogs so far this year.
However, new registrations of Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs have declined by 42%, 39% and 34% respectively, putting these three breeds into the list of 'top five fallers' this year.
The Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is made up of vets, national animal welfare organisations, scientists, and dog breed clubs has welcomed the news.
Dan O’Neill, Chair of the BWG said: “The drop in puppy registrations for these flat-faced breeds is a welcome step in the right direction, although these should be seen with some caution.
“We hope this is a sign that more and more puppy buyers, owners and breeders are considering the serious health and welfare implications for flat-faced dogs.
ukbwg.org.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.
In common with the various other telemedicine platforms which have come to market in recent months, the app will allow veterinary professionals to give help and advice to clients and maintain a revenue stream whilst maintaining social distancing.
VisioCare is highlighting a number of features over and above standard video conferencing, including the ability for the clinician to take photos, video and produce a case file that can be added to the clinical record. The system also allows vets to access the client's smartphone and zoom into areas that need to be examined or turn on a flashlight to improve visibility.
Visiocare says it has also been able to address limitations in clarity due to poor smartphone reception.
Linkyvet includes a payment module - which will be integrated free of charge for orders taken during April - so practices can charge for services provided remotely.
Alexander Arpino, Managing Director of Veterinary Insights, said: "During the current COVID-19 situation, Linkyvet has real potential for triage, as well as enabling routine consultations, without putting anyone at risk. It's good news for patient care, staff wellbeing and also ensuring that the practice remains a viable business that's still there for everyone to return to when life returns to normality.
"Outside crisis times, the tool has ongoing value, providing a great way to generate revenue from services such as advisory consultations and follow ups provided remotely and giving clients a convenient alternative to visiting the practice."
VisioCare Linkyvet is available as a standalone tool or can be included in a bundle with other VisioCare products such as VisioCare Consult, which provides explanatory animations and videos that support clinician recommendations and the myBuddy app, which provides a secure and personalised communication channel between clinic and pet owner.
For more information, visit www.visiocareservices.com or contact your VisioCare Business Development Manager: telephone 01403 800135 or email enquiries@visiocareservices.com.
Ceva says the aim of the course is to enable vets to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
The course is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh.
It comprises of 10 short videos grouped into four sessions, along with a self-assessment quiz to consolidate learning for each module.
The course counts for a total of two hours’ CPD.
Course content includes: the patient/equipment set up and getting the most from an ophthalmoscope; determining what is normal and what is abnormal during ocular examinations; an overview of ocular pathologies associated with hypertension; avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes; and hints and tips on how to take photographs of the fundus on a mobile phone.
To register, visit www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva.
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.
Organisers Closer Still Media have published details of the small animal clinical sessions being held in the RVC Clinical Theatres 1, 2 and 3, and BVA’s farm theatre and equine stream (in partnership with BEVA).
Charlotte Ellicott, Head of Marketing and Content, said: “The clinical streams are shaping up to be cutting-edge this year.
"We are delighted to have the continued support of excellent CPD providers like the RVC and BVA.
"Later in the year we will also be able to supplement these key theatres with the line-ups from IDEXX’s Advanced Diagnostic Stream, IVC Evidensia’s Referral Theatre, Central CPD’s Wet Labs and many more.”
Professor Jill Maddison, Professor of General Practice at the RVC said: "We have a fantastic line-up of speakers gathering from near and far who will be delivering lectures covering all aspect of clinical practice.
"Our keynote international speaker will be Caroline Mansfield, Professional Research Fellow and Registered Specialist in Small Animal Medicine, who will be presenting six sessions covering all things gastroenterology."
British Veterinary Association President Malcolm Morley said: “This really is a remarkable programme and I would encourage all vets to take advantage of the high-quality CPD opportunities on offer at London Vet Show this year.
"We look forward to complementing these excellent clinical sessions with another round of thought-provoking BVA Congress discussions. The topics for these will be announced soon.”
Early bird tickets for the London Vet Show are on sale until 28th April for £289+VAT.
BVA and BEVA members receive further discounts.
London.vetshow.com.
The RCVS has released the results of a survey which has found that increasing numbers of graduates over the last five years have had little impact on veterinary job prospects.
The survey was carried out for the RCVS by the Institute for Employment Studies, which asked the last five years' UK graduates who have registered with the College how long it took them to find work, how long they stayed in their first jobs, and why they moved on.
The online survey, which achieved a 43% response rate (1,354 responders), found that an average of 94% of graduates seeking a role in clinical practice obtained work within six months of starting to look.
The actual figure ranged from a high of 96% in 2008 to a low of 92% in 2010, and did not change significantly over the five years under consideration, despite UK graduate numbers increasing by around a quarter during the same period (from 650 in 2007, to 819 in 2012). Meanwhile, the College has registered an average of 618 overseas graduates annually during this time.
The survey did show that it was taking graduates slightly longer to secure their posts, with a shift from 85% securing work under three months in 2008, to 71% in 2012.
The results seem to suggest some small differences in the time taken for men and women to find their first jobs, with men finding jobs slightly quicker, although the vast majority of both genders found veterinary work.
Jacqui Molyneux, RCVS President said: "After the announcement from the University of Surrey that it will be opening a new vet school in the near future, there was a great deal of discussion amongst the profession about how easily new graduates could find employment. I undertook to get some real facts and am pleased to find that the picture is not as gloomy as predicted.
However, Jacqui said she was concerned that there has been a slight increase in the proportion of respondents who left their first position after a relatively short period of time. Amongst 2012 graduates, over 40% of those who had left their first position did so within three months of starting work. However it must be stressed that only 18% of those answering the survey who graduated in 2012 had already left their first position. Jacqui said: "Although the turn-over in first jobs seems to be, in part, due to an increase in temporary posts, I am saddened to see that the most commonly-cited reason for graduates leaving their first job was lack of support from their employers or professional colleagues.
"This is an area that we, as a profession, must address. As I have told all the students I have admitted to the College, their first jobs will influence their whole careers, and getting adequate support is probably the single most important factor. Meanwhile, it is heartening to see that nearly all of those moving on have obtained further employment."
Although the survey was sent to all those UK graduates who had registered with the RCVS within the last five years, the contact details for those who had subsequently de-registered may not have been up to date, which may mean that those who had de-registered because they could not find work were not well represented. However, the College says it thinks it is more likely that these individuals would have switched to the 'non-practising' category.
A summary of the headline survey results will be available at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications. The full findings, which also looked at the time taken to complete the Professional Development Phase and the type and location of work sought, will be available in due course.
The Kennel Club has announced that it now recognises the Portuguese Pointer, bringing the total number of recognised pedigree breeds in the UK to 212.
The Portuguese Pointer is only the second new breed to be recognised by the Kennel Club in the last five years.
However, as exotic dog breeds have risen in popularity, the Kennel Club reports that many native breeds have fallen out of favour and have been put on its list of 'vulnerable native breeds'; those with less than 300 annual puppy registrations which could disappear from our streets and parks if their numbers continue to decline.
New statistics released by the Kennel Club have shown that whilst vulnerable native breeds have increased in number this year, certain breeds such as the Sealyham Terrier and Otterhound continue to decline. Recent years have seen the Old English Sheepdog and English Setter enter the 'at watch' list. Furthermore, with just 239 Pembroke Corgi registrations so far this year, it is feared the Queen's favourite breed could also become vulnerable for the first time.
By contrast, exotic breeds such as the French Bulldog and Smooth Coated Chihuahua (originally from Mexico) are increasing in popularity with 4,843 and 2,931 registrations respectively so far this year. Between 2003 and 2012 the breeds have increased by 1,232% and 700% respectively.
When the first ever Kennel Club stud book was produced in 1874, just 43 breeds were listed, including many native breeds that are now considered to be vulnerable, such as the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Clumber Spaniel, Otterhound and Skye Terrier.
Some native breeds continue to thrive, including the English Springer Spaniel, the Cocker Spaniel, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Bulldog, the Golden Retriever, and the Border Terrier, all top ten breeds. But others in the top ten are from abroad.
Visitors to Discover Dogs, which is taking place at Earls Court on November 9th and 10th will be able to meet more than 200 breeds of dog under one roof, including the vulnerable breeds and the latest pedigree dog breeds in the UK.
The newly added Turkish Kangal Dog will also be coming to the event. This breed was added earlier this year and was the first new breed to join the Kennel Club register in almost five years. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, officially recognised from 1 October 2008, was the last dog recognised by the Kennel Club prior to the two new additions for this year. Organiser of the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs event, Vanessa McAlpine, said: "The UK is lucky to have so many wonderful dog breeds, and at our Discover Dogs event people have a unique opportunity to meet more than 200 of them, including those that might never cross your path in day to day life because they are so rare, those that are new to our shores and those that have been working with people in Britain for hundreds of years."
To find out more about Discover Dogs, visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk/.
At the outset of the hearing, Mr Kashiv, from Vets & Pets, Broxbourne, denied all aspects of the charges against him. During the course of the inquiry, some heads of charge were not pursued and some he admitted, leaving the remaining heads of charge to be determined.
The charges concerned the treatment of a Scottish Terrier, called Tanzy, whose owner, Mrs Greenhill, brought her in to see Mr Kashiv on 5 March 2015. Mrs Greenhill was concerned about blood in Tanzy’s urine and swellings in her mammary glands. After carrying out a cytopathology test, Mr Kashiv advised Mrs Greenhill that Tanzy would require surgery to remove the mammary glands. There were no further tests conducted, and no alternatives to surgery suggested.
On 13 March another veterinary surgeon at Vets & Pets therefore undertook a right-side mammary strip on Tanzy, discharging her the following day. On 17 March Mrs Greenhill brought Tanzy back in for a post-operative check and was seen by a locum veterinary surgeon, who found her to be in good condition.
On 20 March Mrs Greenhill then became concerned about Tanzy’s deteriorating condition and returned her to see Mr Kashiv. He admitted Tanzy for observation over the weekend but did not conduct any further tests at that stage, apart from radiography on 22 March. The hospitalisation records were of poor quality and substantially incomplete.
On 23 March Mr Kashiv then informed Mrs Greenhill that Tanzy could be discharged, although he recommended an MRI scan to assist in the diagnosis; this was declined on cost grounds. He did not however explain clearly to Mrs Greenhill that Tanzy’s prognosis was bleak, and did not give adequate home care instructions.
Tanzy continued to deteriorate, and on 24 March Mrs Greenhill took Tanzy to the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital where a veterinary surgeon conducted tests which showed that Tanzy was in renal failure. The veterinary surgeon then called Mrs Greenhill and recommended that Tanzy was put to sleep, which was then performed in Mrs Greenhill’s presence.
The Committee found that Mr Kashiv had failed to conduct the necessary investigations when Tanzy was admitted from 20 to 23 March 2015, being satisfied that, by the time Tanzy had been hospitalised for a period of three days, it was mandatory for a blood test to have been performed, given her marked deterioration.
The Committee also found while Mr Kashiv did express his opinion that Tanzy’s prognosis was poor, he did not give the full explanation required in the circumstances of this case to enable Mrs Greenhill to understand fully the prognosis. The Committee also considered that Tanzy was not in a fit state to be discharged on 23 March 2015, and that he had failed to keep sufficiently clear and/or detailed and/or accurate records.
After full consideration, the Committee found that Mr Kashiv’s actions amounted to serious professional misconduct, and was satisfied that his actions fell far short of the conduct to be expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon in respect of heads of charge 1, 2 and 3 but not 4.
Although it was concerned "about the culture of care in the practice, in particular not having in place proper protocols and procedures and without necessary support from properly trained staff", in deciding on appropriate sanction, the Committee was satisfied that there were "a number of serious misjudgements by Mr Kashiv in this case".
The Committee decided to postpone judgement for a period of two years, whilst recommending that Mr Kashiv agree to undertake a structured programme to benefit his clinical practice including a Personal Development Plan, mentoring, practice visits, additional CPD and regular reports to the Disciplinary Committee.
Non-compliance with these undertakings may result in the hearing being resumed at a date earlier than the two-year period.
Stuart Drummond, Chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee considers that Mr Kashiv is a dedicated veterinary surgeon, as evidenced by the large number of testimonials, and that he provides a valuable service to the community, particularly with rescue animals.
"Nevertheless, the Committee considers that there were a number of fundamental failings in Mr Kashiv’s clinical competence which are required to be addressed during the period of postponement. For the reasons set out above the Committee considers that Mr Kashiv’s clinical practice will benefit from a structured programme over the period of postponement, whilst protecting the welfare of animals, maintaining public confidence in the profession and declaring and upholding proper standards of conduct."
For the full charges, findings and decisions, see: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings/
The model for the forecast was developed by the College with the Institute of Employment Studies using data from the RCVS Registers, the 2019 and 2024 Surveys of the Professions, Office for National Statistics data for projected economic growth and the PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Reports.
However, the model does not take account of the impact of the increasing costs of veterinary care on pet ownership trends, the full effect of which may not yet have been felt.
The main predictions of the model are:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive Officer, said: “In 2021, there were clear concerns about there being a workforce crisis within the veterinary professions, and while that certainly seemed to be the case, and is likely to continue to be so in the short-term, according to this model the future picture for the professions looks much better in most areas of veterinary practice.
“However, government service/public health looks to be an area where there is still a significant shortfall in supply, which is concerning considering the importance of government vets in food safety, disease prevention and international trade and we are willing to continue to work with government to find ways to remedy this shortfall.
“We are aware that there may be some concerns about the implications of the model, particularly concerning the potential oversupply of veterinary nurses.
"While we stand by the robustness of the data, demography is not destiny, and with the planned enhancement of the veterinary nurse role, and the likelihood of suppressed demand due to prior shortages, it is likely that the number of veterinary nursing roles will expand to encompass the number of veterinary nurses available to work in it.
“Finally, we are aware that there are also some limitations to the model in its current form, for example, in terms of regional data.
"This is a work in progress, and we will continue to update and improve the model as and when new data allows.”
The workforce modelling report is available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
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
Dr. Lauren Finka, a researcher at the University of Lincoln, has developed L-CAT, a new tool for assessing behaviour in cats at rehoming centres and help match them to the ideal new home.
During the course of her PhD studies, which were part funded by COAPE (Centre of Applied Pet Ethology), Lauren discovered inconsistencies in the current models and perceptions of behaviour traits used in re-homing cats.
For example, one of the most common behaviours associated with affection towards humans is the activity of rubbing. Initial results suggested that this is often very inconsistent, as are several other behaviours that were previously thought to to be important in assessing a cat's underlying temperament. Dr Finka’s studies showed that it all depends much more on the specifics of the physical and social context of interactions and that these may change on a daily basis. It was found that on one day a cat might rub against a person ten times, but the next day rub against the same person only once.
The Lincoln Cat Assessment Tool (L-CAT) was developed during this research. COAPE says it is the first of its kind to offer a suitably robust, reliable and easy-to-use way of assessing behaviour in cats at re-homing centres, as well in predicting new owner satisfaction based on those assessments.
The organisation goes on to say that the potential welfare implications of this research are substantial, enabling cats to be properly but rapidly assessed, optimally managed, and suitably matched with would-be owners and thus shortening the length of time cats might spend in the re-homing centre.
L-CAT was tested to establish the possibility of predicting the future behaviour of cats after they had been adopted, as well as gauging how satisfied owners were likely to be with their cats. COAPE says the results generally confirmed that these outcomes were indeed possible, meaning re-homing staff could also use L-CAT to help manage the expectations of owners and potentially improve their satisfaction.
For more information, visit: www.coape.org
Chris has been an elected member of Council since 2009 and, during this time, has served on the Education Committee, the Examinations Appeal Committee and the Operational Board as Chair of the Education Committee and Junior Vice-President.
He graduated with a veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow at the relatively advanced age of 30 having first attained a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Science from the University of Newcastle. Following graduation he worked in a mixed practice in Herefordshire before buying an equine and companion animal practice in West Berkshire, which currently employs five veterinary surgeons and five support staff.
In his maiden speech, Chris called on veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to be proud of themselves as people who are committed to the welfare of animals in their care and to not be so hard on themselves.
He also outlined several areas that he would like to prioritise during his presidential year. These included delivering the priorities set out in the Vet Futures Action Plan, exploring bringing veterinary paraprofessionals into the College’s regulatory remit, driving forward the College’s international profile and dealing with blame and fear culture in the profession.
He said: "I’ve seen first-hand in Africa and India what the delivery of veterinary care can do for the welfare of animals in these regions and the wellbeing of people that frequently depend upon them. As one of the richest nations in the world we will further investigate what we can do, through knowledge transfer and support, to help raise the standards of veterinary care in developing countries.
"Sadly we often hear that there are vets and nurses who live in fear of the RCVS. This is something of which I am personally ashamed. Being particularly mindful of the role that fear and anxiety play in mental health, I will do everything I can to replace this fear... I will encourage all hardworking vets and nurses, whichever field they are in, to wear their [MRCVS] ‘badge’ with pride. Feel good about what you do, feel great about what you do."
Chris’ first official duty upon receiving the presidential chain of office from outgoing President Dr Bradley Viner, was to welcome the new Junior Vice-President Professor Stephen May. He also praised Bradley for his calm authority, humour and wisdom throughout his year as RCVS President.
The company surveyed 1979 pet owners last December and found the main reason they didn’t take their cat to the vet more often was because the animal appeared to be healthy and therefore didn’t need medical attention.
The second biggest barrier to more regular vet visits was cost. Although almost half of the cat owners surveyed had pet insurance, almost a quarter said cost prevented them from taking their cat to the vet more often.
Despite there being 760 cat-friendly clinics across the UK and Ireland, 13% percent of owners said the stress put them off making more frequent trips to the vet.
If they were unable to take their cat to the vet, 40% said they would arrange for a vet home visit, 29% said they would search for information online and 26% would turn to friends and family for advice.
The survey also found that 11% of owners believed that their cat was overweight. However, according to a 2018 study, 39% of cats are overweight in the UK, which would suggest that over a quarter of cat owners surveyed were unaware that their cat was above a healthy weight.
References
Companion Care Vets has opened its first new standalone joint venture surgery in Ayr, Scotland.
At 3,071 sq ft the £300,000 surgery is the largest of the groups' 86 strong network and is the first standalone surgery to be opened under the joint venture partnership model that has been in place since 2001.
The surgery is located in a retail park environment, to give easy access for clients and their pets. It is a full service practice, which Companion Care says is fitted with all the latest equipment, including digital x-ray machines and a full operating suite.
Managing Director, Jane Balmain, said: "The opening of our first new standalone surgery in Ayr is a real milestone for us as a business because it opens up our offering to the vets and veterinary nurses who are interested in a joint venture partnership, but whose preference is to have a more traditional looking standalone surgery."
Whilst the Ayr surgery is standalone in its own right, due to the unique relationship Companion Care Vets has with Pets at Home, the surgery works in close partnership with the local Pets at Home store. This will help to drive client registrations and business development and further enable Pets at Home to develop the full pet care experience for its customers.
Jane added: "We believe that this new venture offers any potential partner the best of both worlds: a superb in-store surgery with footfall of thousands of customers a month, or a standalone new surgery linked to local store network to develop the business. I don't believe any other company can offer this unique proposition."
Veterinary surgeon, and joint venture partner of the Ayr surgery, Kirstin Fyfe says, "I am extremely proud to be opening the first standalone surgery alongside the Companion Care team and the facilities available to my team and I and local pet owners are fantastic. The latest equipment, coupled with a spacious and modern waiting area and the convenience of our location is what makes this a winning formula."
Animalcare has announced the UK and Ireland launch of Vitofyllin, a central nervous system stimulant for older dogs suffering from dullness, poor demeanour and unwillingness to exercise.
The launch of Vitofyllin is the result of a collaboration between Animalcare and three European partners.
The company says the project has enhanced its in-house expertise because the active ingredient for the product was unavailable in the market and had to be contract synthesised, a first for a new product development at Animalcare. The regulatory procedure was also the first time a bioequivalence bio-waiver had been successfully applied for and obtained in Europe. This made the development quicker, more cost effective, less risky and importantly avoided the need for animal testing.
Animalcare says that as in previous years, it has set itself a target of launching four new veterinary medicines during the year. This launch is the first of those planned for the new financial year.
Stephen Wildridge, CEO of Animalcare Group, said: "We are very pleased to be able to add our new generic medicine Vitofyllin to our range of licensed veterinary medicines. The launch represents the culmination of the biggest development project undertaken by Animalcare and is the product of successful collaboration with members of our European partnership network."
The definition agreed by VN Council is as follows:
Veterinary nursing aims to ease the suffering and pain of animals, and to improve their health and welfare.
This includes providing any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) to animals under the direction of a veterinary surgeon who has that animal under their care.
Veterinary nursing can be either proactive or reactive, and autonomous or collaborative. It is carried out in a wide variety of settings, for animals at all life stages, and considers the background and needs of the animal’s owner or keeper.
Matthew Rendle RVN, the Chair of VN Council, said: “Although it is just a few short lines, this definition of veterinary nursing has been in the pipeline for some time.
"While we as veterinary nurses have always been able to define ourselves by the type of tasks we carry out, or our relation to veterinary surgeons in terms of delegation, there hasn’t necessarily been a clear statement articulating the art and science of veterinary nursing.
“With the RCVS looking to expand its regulatory remit to include other veterinary paraprofessionals over the long term, we thought it was particularly important that we set out the stall for veterinary nursing and we hope that this clear statement will, in particular, aid the public in understanding the role of a veterinary nurse.
“It should be noted that this definition is VN Council’s own considered interpretation of the art and science of veterinary nursing.
"Other interpretations from other organisations, provided they conform with both Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, could sit comfortably alongside ours, and we hope there continues to be healthy discussion about the contribution of the profession to the veterinary team, as our role evolves.”
However, when asked by VetSurgeon.org which audience - veterinary professionals, it's staff or the public - it was referring to, or what threats to safety and wellbeing were posed by X, the College refused point blank to answer.
So the real motivation remains unclear.
On the one hand, it could be a ridiculously over-sensitive move to protect its unknown audience from opinions that its staff find objectionable.
On the other hand, it could perfectly well be argued that short form social media reduces every discussion or debate to "I'm effing right and you're effing wrong", which is not appropriate for a scientific profession.
Equally, one could also argue that engaging in polarised debate online is not terribly good for one's wellbeing.
Or one could just argue that it's a terrible platform owned by a strangely meddlesome and interfering American.
However, given the College's strange refusal to expand on the reasons for its withdrawal, the first explanation seems more likely.
But who knows?
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/rcvs-statement-on-x-formerly-twitter/
The RCVS Charitable Trust has released the results of a survey that suggests a lack of available, high-quality research could be hampering the implementation of evidence-based medicine (EVM) in veterinary practice.
Of the 70 survey respondents, although 70% said they were familiar with the concepts of EVM, only 36% said that they always used EVM principles or that EVM principles were deeply embedded within their practices. When asked about the barriers to implementing EVM, many vets commented that there was a lack of high-quality research available to them.
Trust director, Cherry Bushell said: "This survey was relatively small as our intention is for it to help spark discussion at our forthcoming symposium 'The Sceptical Vet: Eminence or Evidence? Finding the best way forward for the veterinary profession'. We want to consider the possibility of developing a range of evidence-based resources for the veterinary profession, so it's interesting to hear vets commenting about the lack of an available, high-quality evidence base."
All those completing the Trust's survey were entered into a prize draw for a chance to have their travel expenses to the event reimbursed. Veterinary surgeon Ariel Brunn (top right) from Vets Now, Maidenhead, was the winner. She said: "I'm really looking forward to this Symposium and the discussion that will come with it - along with clinical governance, evidence-based practice provides a means to offer the best care for our veterinary patients. Having been a practising vet for less than 5 years, I'm excited to learn more about how EVM can be incorporated into veterinary practice and I'm certainly pleased to have won the prize draw to support my travel to this event."
This symposium will take place on Tuesday 30 October 2012, at Church House Conference Centre, London. A limited number of places are still available for practising veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses only via the Trust (a.doorly@rcvstrust.org.uk or 0207 202 0741). For more information visit http://trust.rcvs.org.uk/grants-and-collaborations/the-sceptical-vet-eminence-or-evidence.
Zoetis has announced that following a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP), the European Commission has approved Apoquel (oclacitinib tablet) in the European Union for the treatment of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis and the treatment of clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 12 months of age.
Developed by Zoetis, Apoquel is the first Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for veterinary use. The company says it inhibits the function of a variety of allergic, itch and pro-inflammatory cytokines dependent on JAK enzyme activity and thus stops the cycle of itch and inflammation occurring in skin allergies.
Michael Stegemann, Senior Director Global Development Organisation at Zoetis said: "Apoquel is a targeted treatment that specifically inhibits JAK-dependent cytokines involved in allergic skin disease in dogs. Its rapid anti-pruritic effect along with its anti-inflammatory properties provide fast relief to dogs. Relief from itch and inflammation is maintained in dogs receiving long-term treatment with Apoquel. This exciting innovation molecule offers quick, effective, and sustained itch relief; improves skin lesions continuously and can be used safely short or long-term."
Zoetis says that in clinical trials, Apoquel demonstrated safety and efficacy for the treatment of itch and resulted in improved skin lesions in dogs diagnosed with a number of allergic skin diseases as well as atopic dermatitis and treated either short or long term. The decrease in itch scores was observed by pet owners as soon as 24 hours after administration, the first observation time point, and itch continued to decrease compared to baseline until the end of the study. Skin lesions scores assessed by veterinary surgeons were significantly improved after one week and continued to improve long term during the studies (4 months). In these studies, the most common side effects observed in dogs treated with Apoquel were vomiting and diarrhea. Other reported side effects included lethargy, decreased or lack of appetite, skin irritation or infection, and ear irritation or infection.
Apoquel will be a POM-V treatment. Apoquel tablets, dosed at 0.4 to 0.6 mg/kg, are administered orally, twice daily for up to 14 days, and then administered once daily for maintenance therapy if medium to long term treatment is required, such as in dogs with seasonal skin allergy and atopic dermatitis.
Zoetis plans to make Apoquel available to veterinary surgeons in the European Union during 2014. Meantime, Zoetis says it will be working with vets on the new science and research findings around itch and canine allergic diseases. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com, www.itchcycle.com.