No word on the absolute number of 'concerns', but they included:
Jennie Jones, Head of VCMS and Partner at Nockolds Resolution (pictured right), said: "The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown period has impacted many pet owners and veterinary practices. The increased use of remote consultations, and online and remote prescription services has been a great help to many during this time, but it also has its challenges as we all adapt to different ways of working. At the VCMS, we are well-equipped to take on complaints that eventuate in these circumstances, drawing on our past experience with prescription-related grievances and their resolution."
During 2018-19, the VCMS concluded 88% of complaints mediated using the ADR process developed by Nockolds.
Nockolds says it anticipates a rise in prescription-related complaints, and welcomes communication from practices and clients regarding these or any other vet-related complaints. Visit: http://www.nockolds.co.uk
Kit, or, to give him his full title, Dr Kit Sturgess MA, VetMB, PhD, CertVR, DSAM, CertVC, FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine, has been working as an internist in private referral practice since 2003. In 2006 he became a founding partner in a multidisciplinary referral centre that he saw grow from five to 65 members of staff within five years.
He is also Chair of BSAVA Education Committee, Trustee of Cats Protection and Chair of Trustees of the Wildheart Trust. He was formerly an RCVS Knowledge Trustee and member of RCVS Council.
Kit has authored numerous articles and two textbooks, and presents lectures and research abstracts at conferences worldwide.
Kit will take up the editorship on 2nd September, succeeding Professor Peter Cockcroft. He said: “I am delighted to take on the editorship of Veterinary Evidence. With readers in 150 countries and output that has more than doubled over the past three years, the journal has quickly become a mainstay of evidence-based veterinary medicine, which is a testament to Peter’s enthusiasm and commitment to the development of the journal and its impact on the veterinary community.
"I am excited about leading Veterinary Evidence in its next stage of development, with recent events showing the critical importance of open online access. Veterinary Evidence is ideally placed to support an ever-growing and wide range of veterinary professionals by further developing a multimedia, multiplatform approach facilitating the use of evidence-based medicine in their daily practice."
Veterinary Evidence journal can be read at: veterinaryevidence.org
Vethelpdirect.com, the website founded by VetSurgeon.org member, Susie Samuel MRCVS, has launched a new system called VetReviews which allows your clients publish a review of your service directly from your own website.
To use the system, you (or perhaps more likely your website person) embed a small form on your website, called a widget, as shown on this example: www.baytreevets.co.uk (bottom right hand side).
Clients then click the link in the widget to submit a review of your practice, or to read existing reviews.
To ensure fair play, each review is checked by a person who removes any spammy or malicious reviews, and looks for any signs of fraudulent multiple reviews being submitted by one person.
In the event of a negative review, the practice is given 5 days to respond before the review is published, which means the review isn't displayed without the practice's side of the story.
However, as Susie points out, a single negative review is not necessarily a bad thing; most people are able to put one bad review into context. Indeed, a small number of negative, or less positive reviews tends to make the glowing ones seem more credible.
VetReviews are optimised for inclusion in Google search results, which should also help your search engine visibility.
For more information about VetReviews (which is a free upgrade for existing customers), email: vets@vethelpdirect.com, or telephone 0845 4961 204.
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are carrying out a survey of equine practitioners to discover, amongst other things, just how common Cushing's disease is internationally.
The 16-question survey was launched this month and will be available for a further six months at www.wcvm.com/veterinarians/cushings_survey.php
Dr. James Carmalt, an equine surgeon and associate professor in the WCVM's Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences said: "Our objective is to determine the true prevalence of Cushing's disease worldwide, because until now, previous surveys were only based in the U.S."
Dr. Carmalt is also a PhD student in equine neurophysiology through the western Canadian veterinary college's Department of Veterinary Pathology. He and his graduate supervisor, veterinary pathologist Dr. Andrew Allen, are beginning to explore a new treatment methodology for equine Cushing's disease.
Researchers will use practitioners' responses to the brief survey to determine the incidence of the disease and the most common treatment protocols being used by practitioners in countries around the world. They also want to evaluate the need for developing new treatment methodologies. Dr Carmalt said: "Right now, the only available treatment for Cushing's disease requires daily dosing of medications for the rest of the horse's life. It's onerous, time consuming and a huge management challenge.
"If the responses from this survey reflect our impression that practitioners need a new option to offer their clients, our ultimate goal is to develop a one-time treatment for the disease so daily medications for Cushing's disease become unnecessary."
For more information about the Cushing's disease survey for equine practitioners, please contact Dr. James Carmalt (james.carmalt@usask.ca). As part of the survey, practitioners can also provide their email addresses if they wish to receive a copy of the survey results.
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 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.
Vetbromide is presented as a 600mg double divisible tablet for both large and small dogs, and for greater flexibility with dose titration. Tablets are blister packed for ease of storage and dispensing, with a four-year unopened shelf life.
Alongside the launch, TVM has prepared a range of product support materials, including: product guidelines, treatment and monitoring guidelines, seizure management ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, and pet owner information.
TVM has also created a free e-learning tool which takes veterinary staff through the process of diagnosing, treating and monitoring dogs with suspected epilepsy.
Will Peel, product manager at TVM said: "The addition of Vetbromide to our epilepsy range allows vets more flexibility when treating epileptic patients. To further assist vets, we are also offering a wide range of free literature and in-practice support to ensure that veterinary staff are up to speed on such a common, yet at times complicated, topic.’
For more information, visit www.tvm-uk.com/epilepsy, or contact your TVM UK Territory Manager.
Merial has highlighted two new studies which the company says demonstrates the efficacy and safety of its canine NSAID, Previcox.
In the first study, Lecoindre and Pepin evaluated the beneficial effects of once daily administration of 5mg/kg Previcox to dogs suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) for 90 days. According to the company, response to treatment was excellent, with significant improvements observed in lameness scores, pain on manipulation of the affected joint and range of motion. Of particular note was the fact that the degree of improvement increased with duration of treatment, clearly demonstrating the benefits of longer term treatment. These results support the findings of a recent review of the safety and efficacy of long-term NSAID use in dogs with OA. The product's safety profile was also evaluated by means of biochemistry and haematology assessments. In addition, regular gastroscopic examinations were used to directly visualise the effect of treatment on the gastric mucosa. These safety assessments demonstrated that Previcox therapy was well tolerated, with no significant treatment related changes seen on biochemistry or gastroscopy, despite the fact that this was a geriatric population which included a number of dogs with a prior history of gastrointestinal tract disease.
Merials says the findings from a different study by Joubert, published in the South African Veterinary Journal, provide further confirmation of the beneficial effects of 90 days Previcox treatment in a geriatric population of dogs.
Commenting on the results of the two studies, Kevin Whelan, Merial's Veterinary Technical Manager said: "The outcome from these studies provide further evidence for the benefits of long term use of Previcox in dogs suffering from osteoarthritis. There is relatively little published information available on the use of NSAIDs in older dogs, and these results confirm that Previcox is well tolerated in this group of patients."
For further information about Previcox, please contact your local Territory Manager or call 0870 6000 123.
References:
The partnership includes a minimum donation of £10,000 which the company hopes to bolster with additional volunteering and fundraising support.
Gerard Ensink, Head of Animal Health UK and Ireland at Boehringer Ingelheim said: “We are truly delighted to be supporting StreetVet.
“There is already so much passion for the charity within our company.
"Even before we announced this charity partnership, several of our colleagues have been volunteers with StreetVet in a personal capacity.
"We look forward to supporting StreetVet and believe that together we can make a real difference to individuals and their pets who are experiencing homelessness.”
https://www.streetvet.co.uk
Co-edited by Paddy Dixon and Vicki Nicholls, the collection comprises ten studies on physiology, disease, diagnosis and treatment techniques in equine dentistry. The editors say it gives veterinary surgeons free access to some of the most important current research in the UK.
The studies include:
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "Care of the horse’s teeth is fundamental to good health. To this end a strong working knowledge of equine dentistry should be seen as an essential cornerstone for every equine practitioner. This diverse collection has the convenience of being easily accessible, online and in one place to help keep vets fully abreast of the excellent research currently being conducted in the UK."
Vicki Nicholls, incoming president of BEVA, continued: "Advances in equine dentistry continue to gather pace and it has been a pleasure and privilege to work with Paddy Dixon collating the most current dental research that will be relevant to all equine practitioners with any level of expertise."
The equine dentistry collection is available free online at: http://bit.ly/2bBDuMW.
The web based app, which has been launched in association with the BSAVA, provides a library of medical summaries drawn from global guidelines and peer-reviewed journals.
Vet2Vet co-founder Dr Zoe Coker said “There is rarely time during the working day to read all the necessary journals, articles and up-to-date texts. VETbytes collates all the evidence on a specific medical condition and consolidates it into a short synopsis called a Keep it Simple Summary (KISS)."
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “BSAVA is excited and proud to be involved in the VETbytes project, which should provide significant benefits and support for our members. Every busy small animal clinician should try out VETbytes as it is a real paradigm shift in mobile resources for vets.”
The VETbytes app currently covers more than 100 topics developed in consultation with more than 25 veterinary experts. Further benefits include drug (and CRI) calculators, a quick reference section and links to hundreds of source abstracts. The content encourages reflective learning and can be used towards CPD hours.
VETBytes is available on subscription with reduced rates for BSAVA members and free access for veterinary students.
To start a free trial or subscribe to the VETbytes app, visit www.vetbytes.co.uk.
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.
All veterinary surgeons, nurses and students over the age of 18 were invited to participate by email, which elicited 2,781 complete responses and a further 631 partial responses, 1682 from vets, 328 from vet students, 1,369 from nurses and 553 from student vet nurses.
80% of respondents were female, 16.8% male, 1.4% non-binary, 0.8% genderfluid and 0.9% preferred not to say or to self describe.
93.3% were white, 2% were Asian or Asian British, 0.6% were black, black British, Caribbean or African.
The remainder identified as 'other ethnic group', mixed or multiple ethnic groups, or preferred not to say.
90.4% of participants worked within clinical veterinary practice, three-quarters in small animal practice.
Almost two-thirds worked part time.
Paradoxically, although around 50% of respondents described their physical or mental health as 'good' or 'very good', 75.6% considered themselves to have at least one disability or chronic condition (61% chronic, 48% physical, 39% mental health and 30% neurodivergent).
Female veterinary surgeons were significantly more likely to suffer from a mental health condition (48.3%) than males (19.2%).
Mental health conditions were far more common amongst the young (51% of those aged 18-29), than the old (28% of 50-59 year olds, declining to 9% of 70-79 year olds)
Veterinary nurses were more likely to say they have a mental health condition (47.3%), than veterinary surgeons (27.9%).
As with mental health, the proportion of respondents identifying as neurodivergent decreased with age (42.3% of respondents aged 18-29 vs 6.7% of those in the 70-79 age group).
Whilst overall, 29.8% identify as neurodivergent, the figure was notably higher (83.3%) amongst those who identify as non-binary or genderfluid.
The number of people with a physical condition varied less with age and gender, although of course, broadly speaking, age brings with it an increase in physical problems.
60% of participants said they are affected by their disability/chronic condition every day, and 68% agreed or strongly agreed that they had to make significant changes to their life to continue working.
The most frequently reported symptoms of disability/chronic condition were mental health (45.2%), pain (36.4%), learning, understanding or concentrating (33.8%), and stamina or energy limitations (32.3%).
When asked if they were treated different at work because of their disability or chronic condition, 49.5% said they had not and 34.7% said they had.
Of those who felt they had been treated differently, 45% thought that disclosing their condition had contributed to this.
18% of those in education and 36% of those in work said they had experienced discrimination, bullying or harassment because of their disability/chronic condition.
Discrimination, bullying or harassment was more likely to be reported by those with a mental health condition or who identify as neurodivergent (47% and 46%), than those with a physical or chronic condition (38% and 37%)
Perceived discrimination, bullying or harassment was most likely to have come from managers (76%) and colleagues (64%) compared to clients and 'other' (15%).
63% of respondents believed there was a strong or moderate understanding of the Equality Act at their workplace but 12% thought their employer had no knowledge or understanding.
45% thought their employer had strong or moderate understanding of the Access to Work scheme, while 27% reported no understanding at their workplace.
Examples of good practice were given by some respondents about their existing or previous workplaces. These included reasonable adjustments such as adjusted working hours, environment and task adaptations, alongside good communication, support (from colleagues, managers and external sources), and additional resources.
Gurpreet Gill, Leadership and Inclusion Manager at the RCVS, said: “While there are some sobering elements in this report, and some clear and unfortunate examples of poor practice and discrimination, the overwhelming feeling is that there is goodwill and a desire to help people out there in the professions, but sometimes a lack of understanding and knowledge on how best to do this.
"Of course, there are also some excellent examples of good practice in terms of putting in place adjustments and accommodations for employees and staff with disabilities, as well as for students on placements.
“Overall, this should be taken as a call for more members of the professions to familiarise themselves with the Equality Act 2010 (https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/equality/equality-act-2010) and its provisions.
Under this legislation, it is unlawful to discriminate against people with protected characteristics, including disability.
"The act sets out the legal requirement for workplaces and educational institutions, among others, to make reasonable adjustments to avoid disabled people being placed at a disadvantage.
“We will now be considering how we, as the regulator and Royal College, can best support members of the professions in understanding their rights and responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, and what further training and education can be provided, looking at the RCVS Academy as a potential vehicle for doing so.”
Olivia Anderson-Nathan, a Director of BVCIS added: “Overall, the report demonstrates that although there are systemic issues that require a shift in workplace culture, there may be some relatively ‘easy wins’.
"For example, improving line manager knowledge of the Equality Act and providing reasonable adjustments that are typically inexpensive and simple to implement, such as providing seating and ergonomic equipment, and rota or shift changes.
"Many changes, like flexible working, will actually benefit everyone.
"Most importantly, employers and educators need to make sure that those with disabilities, neurodivergence, and chronic illnesses understand their rights and are given positive support to identify their needs.
"This means co-designing individualised adjustments and avoiding a one size fits all approach.
“BVCIS will continue our work to educate the profession, offering support and guidance for anyone not sure where to start.
"We also offer community support through our Veterinary Spoonholders Facebook page for disabled, chronically ill and/or neurodivergent people in the veterinary world so – please do come and join us if any of the experiences detailed in the report resonate with you.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
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
Part of the VN Futures project, the lunchtime webinars will be delivered between February and June 2020 via the Webinar Vet, and the College is encouraging all veterinary surgeons, nurses, practice managers and owners to attend, as it says the webinars will benefit the whole practice team.
All three webinars take place at 12.30pm and last one hour. They are as follows:
Tuesday 4 February 2020 – ‘Maximising the potential of the veterinary nurse’ presented by Louise Northway RVN, BVNA Council member and recipient of the RCVS Inspiration Award. The webinar will give an overview of the role of veterinary nurses under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, how VNs can develop their role in practice and take on extra responsibilities and how VNs can approach these conversations in practice through the creation of learning and development plans. This webinar will illustrate how fully utilising the nursing team not only hugely boosts the morale of the work force, but also enhances patient care and increases the efficiency of the business.
Tuesday 10 March 2020 – ‘Veterinary nurses’ time is valuable: How and why to charge for it’ presented by Stephanie Writer-Davies MRCVS, Career Progression Working Group member, and Jane Davidson RVN, VN Council member and regular blogger on veterinary nursing issues. This webinar will provide examples and case studies of how veterinary nurses contribute to practice finances, how practice pricing structures can be developed so that the financial value of veterinary nurses’ time and effort can be better highlighted, and how veterinary nurses can demonstrate their value to clients.
Tuesday 23 June 2020 – ‘Lead or Head RVN: What’s in a name?’ presented by Gillian Page RVN, President of the Veterinary Management Group. This webinar will look at the role of the traditional Head RVN and how development of ‘Lead RVNs’ in different areas of practice can help to allow for growth of other talented team members and provide increased and shared responsibility and progression. This webinar will explore how this enhances practice efficiency alongside development of team members, thus increasing job satisfaction and, ultimately, retention.
Racheal Marshall, Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council and the VN Futures Board, said: "We hope that veterinary nurses will engage with these webinars in order to gain some inspiration about how they can truly show their value to their team, their clients and the wider public.
"The VN Futures research clearly demonstrated that there was a desire from the veterinary nursing profession to find ways in which VNs could gain greater recognition for the work they do and progress in their careers. These webinars, and our talented presenters, will provide many practical examples and case studies on how this can be done, help build confidence and highlight opportunities for further learning and development."
To sign up to the free webinars, visit: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/sponsors/VN%20Futures.
Ceva Animal Health has launched Cystease Advanced, a new urinary tract support supplement for cats.
The new product, which contains N-acetyl glucosamine, L-tryptophan and Hyaluronic Acid, is described as an elaboration on the original product, Cystease S.
Ceva says Cystease Advanced has been designed to help support the bladder lining while also reducing stress-related behaviour in cats.
Fraser Broadfoot, small animal product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "It is well documented that stress can adversely affect the integrity of the bladder lining. There are many factors that cause stress in cats, for example inter-cat conflict, moving house, new arrivals to the home environment and car travel, to name just a few.
"Our new product has been developed to address both conditions; it contains N-acetyl glucosamine and Hyaluronic Acid which are key components of the GAG lining, whereas L-tryptophan has been proven to reduce stress-related behaviour in cats."
Cystease Advanced is taken orally and is available in pots of 30 and 300 tablets.
Ceva recommends that Cystease Advanced is used with Feliway, the company's appeasing pheromone for cats.
For further details please contact the customer support team on 01494 781510.
Six mixed-practice veterinary surgeons with over 200 combined years of experience have published a book of veterinary tips which they have collected from practising vets all over the UK in order to raise funds for VBF - the charity that supports veterinary professionals.
Alan Jeans, one of the authors, said: "The tips are ideas and techniques that we all use every day in practice but are the kind of thing that you only learn on the job. A range of vets from recent graduates through to veterinary teaching staff have checked the tips for suitability and, although many of the tips are aimed at new or recent graduates, vets of all ages and levels of experience will find plenty of very useful advice.
"The collection started as a 10-tip presentation on an annual CPD sailing trip in Turkey (pictured right) and grew from there. Throughout our careers we have all been impressed by the way that VBF has stepped in to help some of our colleagues in the profession through personal difficulties so we are delighted that we have found a way to fundraise for them."
Nick Short, VBF Director, said: "We are so grateful to all the authors listed in the book for their efforts on VBF's behalf. The tips can either be purchased as a complete collection in paperback by sending a suggested donation of £10 to VBF, 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ or you can subscribe to receive regular e-tips on the Vetlife website at www.vetlife.org.uk.
We will also be taking pre-orders at BCVA Congress where VBF is going to be on the BCVA stand this year together with some of the veterinary surgeons who collected the tips.
Bradley Viner reviewed the book. He said: "I defy anyone, however long qualified, to honestly say that they did not learn something worthwhile from this little treasure of a book. And the cartoons are a great giggle as well!"
The book also received good reviews from two BVA Past Presidents. Peter Jinman said: "This little gem of a book is a distillate of the 'art' of veterinary medicine written by those who daily use the science for the benefit of animals under their care." Carl Padgett said: "A great little book. Easy to read and full of those tips that rarely make the covers of academic texts. Tricks old and new that help get the job done written by those that are doing the job."
The BSAVA reports that two four month old puppies in The Netherlands have tested positive for rabies.
The puppies were imported into The Netherlands from Bulgaria on October 5th. Reports indicate that these puppies, which were both microchipped and travelling under the Pet Passport scheme, originated from a shelter in Bulgaria. They are still trying to trace the driver and passenger who delivered the puppies.
One puppy started showing signs of fever and paralysis on 10th October and was euthanased on 18th October, it has tested positive for rabies on both direct immunofluorescence (DIF) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The second puppy was euthanased because it originated from the same litter, although it was living in a different area of the country by this time. This dog was suffering from haemorrhagic gastro-enteritis (HGE), but showed no neurological signs. However it has also tested positive for rabies on both DIF and PCR.
The BSAVA says this aspect of the case will be of particular concern to veterinary professionals in the UK because HGE is commonly seen in unvaccinated (imported) puppies. Preliminary reports do not make clear the vaccination status of these dogs.
BSAVA President, Professor Michael Day, said: "Not only does this demonstrate the need for pet owners to comply with pet travel legislation, but also for vets to be alert to the possibility of disease with any imported animal.
"Whilst we have been concerned about the issue of illegal imports and the enforcement of the current legislation, this latest incident also raises the possibility of rabies cases in dogs that appear to comply with the current pet passport regulation."
This calls into question whether veterinary staff in first opinion practice should be offered the pre-exposure rabies vaccination. The current recommendations from Public Health England are that all individuals at continuous and frequent risk of exposure to the rabies virus, as well as some groups at infrequent risk, should be offered pre-exposure rabies vaccination. Professor Day said: "Whilst veterinary professionals in companion animal practice are not currently included in this list, this might be a timely point to undertake a review based on a new risk assessment. I would be in support of practitioners who believe they are at risk having the option of the subsidised occupational vaccination."
UK veterinary surgeons are reminded that responsibility for dealing with illegal imports rests with local authorities; usually Trading Standards or Environmental Health. However, if a veterinary surgeon in practice has any suspicion of rabies or any other notifiable disease they should inform their local Animal Health Office.
Mr Beveridge had been removed from the Register following a disciplinary hearing in May 2013 in which he was found guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect with the Committee finding that he had treated clients badly, kept inadequate clinical records, was dishonest in his dealings with the College and that animals in his care were placed at risk. He subsequently appealed to the Privy Council but this was later withdrawn, resulting in him being formally removed from the Register in March 2014.
He first applied to be restored to the Register in 2015 but his application was refused by the Disciplinary Committee at a hearing in November 2015. At the time the Committee found him unfit for restoration to the Register because, following his removal, his veterinary medicines account had been used on an unauthorised basis to order prescription-only veterinary medicines, which reflected a "cavalier attitude to practice". Furthermore, the Committee found that he had not fully accepted the Committee’s original findings, had made inadequate effort in regards to engaging in continuing professional development (CPD) and also considered the seriousness of the original findings.
At the opening of his second hearing Mr Beveridge, who represented himself, sought to address the concerns that the Disciplinary Committee had outlined upon refusing his first application for restoration. Regarding his acceptance of the original findings, the Committee heard that he now apologised "unreservedly for his failings that led to erasure of his name from the Register" and the Committee considered that he had demonstrated a significant change in attitude from the previous restoration hearing where he had not fully accepted the reasons for being removed.
In considering issues of public protection the Committee also accepted that Mr Beveridge, until his original Disciplinary Committee hearing, had an unblemished professional record and had run a successful small animal practice for over 30 years. It considered numerous client testimonials as well as a petition signed by 600 clients from 2013.
The Committee also considered that there was no risk to the future welfare of animals in the event of Mr Beveridge being restored to the Register, noting the testimonials and references to satisfactory care and treatment given by Mr Beveridge to his patients.
Regarding CPD, Mr Beveridge produced evidence before the Committee that he had attended courses run by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA). The Committee accepted that he had made "considerable progress" in terms of CPD.
In concluding the hearing Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "It is the judgement of the Committee that the conduct which resulted in the applicant’s name being removed from the Register is unlikely to be repeated. The applicant has satisfied the Committee that he is fit to be restored to the Register."
Fees will now be £340 for a UK-practising member, £170 for members practising outside the UK, £56 for non-practising vets under the age of 70, and free for non-practising vets over 70.
Restoration fees, charged in addition to retention fees, increase to £85 following voluntary removal, and £340 following removal for non-payment.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "This year we asked Council to agree a fee increase to help us prepare for unknowns such as Brexit, as well as fortify our proactive work to help support the professions.
"Over the past few years we have put increased resources into projects such as: Mind Matters, our mental health initiative; Vet Futures, our joint project with the British Veterinary Association; Vivet, our innovation hub; and our recently launched Leadership Programme. Unfortunately there has also been a rise in Disciplinary Committee hearings and we are having to allocate further funds to making our building fit for purpose, and so a small increase has been necessary.
"This still places us at the lower end of fees for regulatory bodies while providing a secure financial foundation."
The VetGDP, which replaced the Professional Development Phase (PDP), provides a period of structured support to aid the transition of newly-registered veterinary surgeons from veterinary studies to life in the workplace.
VetGDP is being rolled out during 2021 and this year’s veterinary graduates will need to enrol on it.
One of the main features of VetGDP is the requirement for a trained VetGDP Adviser to be available in the practice to provide their new graduate with one-to-one, meaningful support and guidance, to help develop their confidence and capabilities.
In order for veterinary surgeons to become VetGDP Advisers they must complete an online training package being developed by the RCVS and formally commit to supporting new graduates.
Practices that have trained VetGDP Advisers and make this commitment will receive the status of an RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice.
The original plan was that practices who wish to employ this year’s cohort of graduates should have obtained RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice status by June 2021.
This has now been amended in recognition of the additional pressures that veterinary practice teams are under as a result of the pandemic.
Practices who employ graduates this year will now have until December 2021 to achieve this status, provided they have started to work towards RCVS-Approved Graduate Development Practice status and commit to supporting their new graduate while they do so.
Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education, said: “The ongoing pandemic restrictions, specifically changes made by the government to veterinary professionals’ key worker status on 13 January, means that there are now significant additional pressures on practice teams, particularly in terms of staffing, as many members of the profession will be balancing their work with caring responsibilities. We recognise this and, as such, we have updated the timeframe for the completion of our training for VetGDP Advisers.
“I would also like to personally thank the 850 vets who have already registered their interest in becoming VetGDP Advisers. It is very reassuring to see so many members of the profession committed to supporting new members of the profession, and wanting to engage with the training and with VetGDP to help nurture and develop our future vets through their first few years in practice.”
The College will be holding three VetGDP workshops in February. Each workshop will feature the same content, so there’s no need to attend more than one.
They take place on:
The workshops are open to anyone in the veterinary team including veterinary surgeons who may be considering becoming a VetGDP Adviser, practice managers and others involved in graduate recruitment and anyone else who would like to find out more about VetGDP.
The sessions will be interactive and there will be a significant portion of time given over to Q&As. The RCVS Chair of Education Committee, Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS, and Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, will be available to answer any questions which can be submitted live during the event. You can also submit questions as you register for the workshop at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetgdpworkshops.
For more information, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetgdp
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
Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering a series of free webinars about feline medicine, delivered by some of the best-known experts in the field.
The first presentation on feline liver disease will be delivered by Danièlle Gunn-Moore BVM&S BSc PhD MACVSc MRCVS, on the 26th January 2011. Martha Cannon BA VetMB DSAM(fel) MRCVS (pictured right) will present the next two webinars on Renal disease on 2nd March and Chronic Diarrhoea on 4th May. Both speakers are RCVS Specialists in feline medicine. Norman Johnston BVM&S, Dipl. AVDC, Dipl. EVDC, MRCVS, will be discussing stomatitis in the cat - a particularly problematic disease - on the 18th May. Norman is an RCVS, American and European Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry. The series will end on 8th June with Duncan Lascelles BSc, BVSc, PhD, CertVA, DSAS (ST), DECVS, DACVS, Associate Professor in Small Animal Surgery at North Carolina State, talking about osteoarthritis in the cat.
The events kick off at 8.30 pm and are hosted by the Webinar Vet (www.thewebinarvet.com). One initial registration provides access to the complete series, with scheduled e-mail reminders sent out prior to the latest webinar. To register, go to www.thewebinarvet.com/hills and enter your details as well as the code hillsnl.
Webinars are ideal for time pressed individuals who may not always be able to travel to a distant venue, yet still offer a 'real- time' and interactive experience. No special equipment is required, other than a reasonable standard PC or MAC and a broadband connection. The events are open to both vets and nurses but early registration is advisable to take full advantage of the whole Hill's Feline webinar series.
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 College wants more vets to come and share their ideas and insights into how the role of the veterinary nurse can be strengthened within the team, particularly in the light of data gathered from the RCVS’s 2024 VN Vision workshops which showed that many nurses believe their skills and capabilities, and the scope of tasks that can be performed within the current legal framework, are not fully used.
The first two events, in South Wales and Belfast, were well-attended by veterinary nurses, but only about 10% of attendees were vets who arguably have the most to gain by sharing ways of enabling nurses to perform a more central role and relieve some of their workload.
There are four more events coming up:
RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, Julie Dugmore, said: “Last year’s VN Vision events focused specifically on veterinary nurses and resulted in some truly inspiring insights. Now, in this new series of events, we’re taking the next step, and need to get the wider practice team involved in order to understand how strengthening the VN role will feed into team dynamics and the professions as a whole.
“Our latest VN Vision events will play a key role in helping us to define long term goals, identify the practical steps needed to achieve them, and determine how success will be measured and shared with the wider public. To make it happen, we need voices from vets, practice managers, support staff, and VNs alike.”
The VN Vision workshops are free to attend, informal, informative and made up of small groups.
Supper will also be provided for the evening sessions, and lunch for the London day workshops.
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/vet-nursing-vision-events-3253639