John Innes, CVS Referrals Director based at Chester Gates Veterinary Specialists (BVSc PhD CertVR DSAS (orth) FRCVS), said: "The main challenges around managing and treating osteoarthritis for vets is that it is a chronic, insidious problem.
"It’s also often lower down the priority list and owners don’t recognise the signs; they often ascribe it to ageing. Actually, osteoarthritis is such a common problem that it should be way up our priority list because something like 10-15% of adult dogs have OA."
The roundtable discussion also focused on the need for greater understanding of the condition among pet owners.
Duncan Lascelles, Professor of Small Animal Surgery and Pain Management at NC State Veterinary Medicine (BSc, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, CertVA, DSAS(ST), DECVS, DACVS) said: "The vet profession needs to take a much more active role in the education of owners, and osteoarthritis is a perfect example of this. Many owners consider osteoarthritis to be age related and an inevitable part of the ageing process – unfortunately both of those concepts are erroneous.
"Osteoarthritis can be a young dog disease, it is present in many young dogs because it is caused by developmental diseases, but we only recognise the obvious signs later on when the disability is severe. Also, we should not consider OA-related pain as an inevitable part of the ageing process, it is something that we can prevent by early intervention, early treatment and modification of lifestyle."
Meanwhile, a survey of 236 UK practising vets carried out by Elanco last June, revealed that 76% of veterinary surgeons believe owners fundamentally misunderstand OA and consider it just a symptom of old age, which results in a barrier to effective treatment of the disease.
The survey also found that although the illness is commonplace (49% of veterinary surgeons see OA cases every day), vets are often unable to give their preferred treatment for OA for a range of reasons, from owner misconception of the disease through to perceived side effects and compliance.
The issue of better education of owners was also discussed at the roundtable, in particular the role of CMIs (Clinical Metrology Instruments); owner-facing questionnaires designed to help veterinary surgeons evaluate the extent and seriousness of OA-related pain in dogs.
Duncan said: "The great thing about CMIs is that they have been constructed using language that owners understand, therefore are an easy way to ask owners the right questions in the way that they will understand.
"CMIs allow us to have what can be very difficult conversations with owners. Difficult because we have to think of all the different ways that osteoarthritis might be affecting pets. Because the CMIs include pre-constructed questions, it means that conversations with owners are much easier and, importantly, they’re consistent. Consistency is key to ensure you’re asking the same set of questions each time, every time, so you can follow the evolution of clinical signs over time and assess the beneficial impact of our therapeutics."
John added: "We often quiz the owner informally in a consultation, but CMIs gives us the tools needed to formalise this questioning of clients and allow us to put that in context of our knowledge of other patients."
Both John and Duncan said the need for more patient analysis highlighted the need for better use of existing tools, such as the LOAD (‘Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs’) questionnaire, a 13-item clinical metrology instrument (CMI) designed to help veterinary surgeons determine the severity of OA in all dogs, monitor disease progression and assess the patient’s response to treatment.
For more information contact your Elanco representative or call +44 (0)1256 353131.
The award has been granted to only a handful of practices and requires the achievement of high standards of care and a detailed understanding of the species.
Highcroft has three dedicated exotic species veterinary surgeons, including a European small mammal Specialist and four exotic species nurses, who have either obtained or are studying for their City and Guilds Exotic Species Veterinary Nursing Certificate.
The practice has a dedicated exotic species consulting room, waiting room, ward and an operating theatre, containing state-of-the-art equipment.
In addition to treating rabbits, both vets and nurses in the exotic species team lecture widely to promote the importance of providing a high standard of care to rabbits and to ensure that their welfare is optimised.
Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli DVM CertZooMed Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) MRCVS heads the exotic species team at Highcroft. A European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery) and a RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, she said: "We are very proud to have been awarded Gold Status by the RWAF. We will continue to enhance the level of care we provide, not just to rabbits but to all exotic species and strive to improve the welfare of all animals under our care, in hospital and at home."
You can complete the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) survey at: yougov.com/pdsa.
Rebecca Ashman, PDSA Policy and Campaigns Manager, said: "Since 2011, our PAW Report has provided valuable insight into pet health and wellbeing across the UK.
"It delivers a vital evidence base for education programmes, campaigns and collaborative work in the veterinary and welfare sectors. It also enables us to monitor the impact of welfare initiatives on pet wellbeing issues which are of most concern to the veterinary profession.
"The survey only takes 15 minutes to complete, and by taking part, you’ll be helping us to capture an accurate picture of the welfare issues that are of the biggest concern for the veterinary profession. You can also be entered into a prize draw to win a GoPro HERO5 Session Action Camera."
For more information and to download the 2017 PAW Report, visit pdsa.org.uk/pawreport.
The nomination period closes at 5pm on Wednesday 31 January 2018 with the election period set to start in mid-March and close at 5pm on Friday 27 April 2018.
Candidates need to submit a nomination form, contact details, a short biography and candidate statement and supply a high-resolution digital photograph to use in print and online materials.
In order for a candidacy to be accepted they will also need two nominators who should be veterinary surgeons on the RCVS Register but who are not current members of RCVS Council.
Registered addresses and original (hard copy) signatures of both the nominee and the proposers are required on the form in order for it to be valid.
The RCVS is also reminding candidates that the College is currently preparing for a change in its governance arrangements, including a reduction in the size of Council, as outlined in a Legislative Reform Order (LRO) that was agreed by Council members in March 2016.
As it stands, members of the profession are still electing six candidates to RCVS Council in the 2018 elections. However, if the LRO completes the legislative process and is passed by both Houses of Parliament, then only the three candidates with the most votes will take up their places as members of RCVS Council.
There will be no elections to VN Council this year as a decision was made to reduce the number of elected members.
More information on how to stand as a candidate for RCVS Council, as well as nomination forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil18
In the survey of 354 owners, 65% thought their cats get on well with each other. However, 60% reported signs of disharmony, including: chasing (65%), swiping paws (53%), hissing (48%), keeping a distance from one another (31%), fighting and acting aggressively (27%), staring (30%) and sitting in front of resources to block access (25%).
In addition, some of the cats were so stressed that they would often scratch furniture or household items (46%), hide from their housemates (26%), meow excessively (20%) or spray (17%).
Claire Russell, Feliway brand manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "There is the common misconception that cats need other feline companions, however they are naturally solitary survivors who are more than happy in their own company. Simple environmental changes and using Feliway Friends can help restore harmony between household cats who are displaying signs of multi-cat tension."
Reference
They say this approach could lead to a reduction in the number of vaccines that need to be administered to each bird.
Vaccines that target multiple diseases are in high demand due to the many viruses that can circulate simultaneously in flocks. Protecting against the most dangerous diseases with one vaccine could reduce overall vaccination costs for poultry producers and decrease the number of times that birds need to be handled.
The researchers demonstrated that a gene editing system called CRISPR/cas9 can be used to insert a gene of the IBD virus into the currently used Marek’s disease vaccine virus. The added genetic material protects poultry against IBD in addition to the protection already offered by the Marek’s disease vaccine, meaning that bird owners would only need to use one vaccine instead of two.
Other vaccines generated by conventional methods can achieve a similar result, but by using the CRISPR/cas9 system the Pirbright researchers say they have been able to insert the IBD gene far more quickly, easily and accurately than the methods that have been used before. This will significantly reduce the time needed to generate new vaccines.
Professor Venugopal Nair, joint leader of the research at Pirbright said: "The method we have created with CRISPR/cas9 really increases the scope of how we edit the Marek’s disease vaccine to include other virus components. Now we have shown that the gene-edited vaccine protects against both Marek’s disease and IBD, we are looking at inserting more genes from other viruses."
The team intend to generate a vaccine that will be able to protect against multiple avian diseases and will next target two high consequence poultry viruses - avian influenza virus and the Newcastle disease virus. The flexibility of the new method also means that as the viruses evolve, the vaccine virus can be easily edited to include new genes which protect against emerging strains.
The Pirbright Institute says there has been huge commercial interest in using this technology to develop novel vaccines, so it intends to partner vaccine manufacturing companies to bring CRISPR/cas9 edited vaccines to market.
This scientific paper can be found in the Vaccine journal and was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); grant numbers BB/P016472/1 BB/L014262/1.
Photo: Cells infected with the Marek's disease vaccine virus, HVT, (green) expressing the inserted infectious bursal disease virus gene, VP2 (red). Cell nuclei are shown in blue. © Dr Na Tang, The Pirbright Institute 2018.
In the past, few employers in the veterinary profession have chosen to advertise salary details, perhaps because they don't want to open a negotiation with their cards on the table, or perhaps they've been fearful of their existing employees finding out what they're prepared to offer a new candidate.
In the VetSurgeon forums, some employers have also remarked that the job isn't about money, and they wouldn't be interested in a candidate whose search criteria included the salary on offer.
The reality, of course, is that we all have bills to pay, children to feed or mortgages to cover and whilst few if any veterinary surgeons search for a job on the basis of salary alone, it's perfectly reasonable that the salary is part of their deliberations.
More than that, all the indications are that job advertisements which include salary details generate more, better qualified responses. Reed carried out a survey of 1000 jobseekers in 2016, 2/3rds of whom said they would be more likely to apply when a salary is displayed on the advert. Another company, Smart Recruit Online, found back in 2013 that job adverts which included a salary generated 30% more responses that those that didn't.
There are also indications that in the future, Google may start to prioritise jobs advertised with salary information in its search results.
To try and strike a balance between some employers' reluctance to display what they might be prepared to pay and the need for greater transparency, advertisers can now display a 'Minimum Offer' on VetSurgeon Jobs, described to the potential applicant as: "The minimum this employer is prepared to offer someone with the skills and experience needed to fulfil the job requirements. They may or may not be prepared to offer more. They may also be prepared to accept someone with a lower level of qualification or experience for an amount less than displayed."
Alternatively, employers can advertise a 'Pay Range', described to potential applicants as: "The employer expects to pay something within the displayed range, depending on their assessment of the value of the applicant's skills and experience to the practice."
In addition, employers can also display other benefits which are likely to be of more or less value to individual applicants, such as a RCVS fees, association subscriptions, health insurance and CPD allowances.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "This is entirely optional, but I do hope as many employers as possible will make good use of this new feature, because all the research and anecdotal evidence suggests it’s what candidates want to hear, and it should lead to a better response. Not to mention how time-saving it is for two people to come to the table with realistic expectations."
The campaign, taking place in February, will underline that responsible use of antibiotics starts with newborn calves, lambs and piglets receiving the right amount of colostrum within a couple of hours of birth – something all farmers have the potential to achieve.
A number of organisations will be releasing information and promoting best practice throughout the month, mainly based around getting the 3Qs (quality, quantity and quickness) of colostrum delivery right.
The FarmAntibiotics.org information website will be signposting to these resources, as well as highlighting hints and tips for more effective colostrum management.
RUMA chairman Gwyn Jones says that as a farmer, he recognises the pressures at lambing and calving, and just how easy it can be to take shortcuts with the all-important first feed.
"But it was a wake-up call when I found out calves receiving insufficient colostrum at birth are more than twice as likely to develop respiratory disease, and can have mortality rates as high as 13%," he said.
"Too often we see the animal start to suck or we give it a feed, and don’t think about the actual quantity of colostrum it consumes immediately after birth.
"All these factors have an enormous impact on the levels of antibodies in the bloodstream 24 hours later, and on the subsequent health of the animal and its need for antibiotic treatment during its whole life.
"Better colostrum management is an incredible opportunity – not just to ensure better health for the future, but to cut antibiotic use and produce a more valuable animal for onward rearing."
Research manager Dr Jenny Gibbons from AHDB says their recent 'Calf to Calving' campaign focusing on youngstock rearing has seen nearly 40% of attendees go on to buy equipment to test the quality of colostrum.
Jenny said: "With recent figures from the Royal Veterinary College indicating just 31% of dairy farmers have been testing the quality of the colostrum before feeding it, this uptake is good news.
"Another area to tackle is time of feeding. Only 5% are feeding within the ideal two hours after birth. Changing these practices would make a huge difference to calves for onward beef rearing as well as replacement heifers."
Specialist sheep vet Dr Fiona Lovatt says lambs receiving insufficient colostrum at birth is behind one of the sheep industry’s biggest antibiotic use 'hotspots', in what is otherwise a low-use sector.
She said: "It’s largely avoidable. The reality is that we simply don’t see Watery Mouth in lambs that have taken sufficient colostrum on board in that golden 24-hour window immediately after birth."
Fiona says a 5kg lamb at birth needs 1 litre of colostrum in its first 24 hours of life to give it essential levels of natural immunity, but importantly, the first feed should be within two hours of birth.
"Antibodies – essential in protecting against all disease including E coli infections – cannot cross through the placenta, so must be transferred through colostrum.
"While thin ewes or those that are not well fed in the run-up to lambing will produce too little colostrum of low quality, more often it’s simply not getting enough colostrum into the lamb quickly enough after birth."
Fiona says the sheep sector should not be relying on use of preventative antibiotics – because of image but also the very real problem of antibiotic resistance. "We know from government data that 50% of neonatal lamb E coli are already resistant to spectinomycin, the most commonly used dose. We need to protect these antibiotics, or we will lose them."
Veterinary lead at AHDB and pig specialist Dr Mandy Nevel says baby pigs need colostrum too, to maintain body temperature as well as protect them against disease.
Mandy said: "Baby pigs are born wet and with very little energy reserve. Ideally they need to get a feed in within the first 30 minutes to prevent hypothermia. This early feed will also provide essential immunity, giving them the best chance of survival in their first few weeks of life.
"Sow vaccination is the best way to boost antibody levels in the colostrum. That is why piglets who receive good levels of colostrum early will also be the healthiest at weaning. That extra care in the first hours of life will really make a difference."
Mandy includes post-weaning diarrhoea and respiratory disease as longer term threats for piglets receiving insufficient colostrum at birth. "Colostrum really is a golden opportunity to secure lower antibiotic use and a healthier animal for its whole life."
Veterinary surgeons and farmers looking for more information should search for the #ColostrumIsGold hashtag on Twitter, or go to the FarmAntibiotics.org website to be signposted to tools, resources and case studies from 1 February.
The decision comes after 13 dead wild birds were confirmed to have the virus in Warwickshire.
Last week 17 wild birds were tested positive in Dorset and 31 infected birds have now been identified at the Dorset site. At that time Defra responded by putting a local prevention zone in place and, now it is known the disease is not isolated to the Dorset site, the prevention zone has been extended across the country as a precautionary measure.
The prevention zone means bird keepers across the country must:
Those keepers who have more than 500 birds will need to take extra biosecurity measures that include restricting access to non-essential people, changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles.
The birds in Warwickshire are still being tested but it is expected that it will be the same H5N6 strain of bird flu that was found in the wild birds in Dorset and has been circulating wild birds across Europe. Public Health England have advised the risk to public health is very low with the Food Standards Agency also offering reassurance that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers. Defra has confirmed that the H5N6 strain is different to the strains which affected people in China last year.
Although it does not represent a threat to public, it is highly infectious and deadly to birds.
British Veterinary Association (BVA) President John Fishwick said: "I’d encourage vets to reassure their clients that this strain of Avian Influenza poses a very low risk to public health and the food chain. However, there is clearly a need to try to contain further spread of the disease, which has almost certainly come from migratory birds, and vets and poultry owners should follow the new prevention zone measures and remain vigilant for signs of bird flu."
British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) President Phil Hammond added: "It’s really important that all bird keepers heed biosecurity advice issued by Defra, and maintain the highest biosecurity standards. Any suspicion of Avian Influenza should be reported to the APHA as soon as possible."
Up-to-date advice and guidance on Avian Influenza is available on the Gov.UK website, including how to spot it, what to do if you suspect it, and measures to prevent it:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#about-avian-influenza
For further advice on Avian Influenza contact the Defra Helpline on 03459 33 55 77.
Photo: Wild Birds, Shutterstock / aDam Wildlife
This pilot was originally launched in February 2017 to trial proposed changes to CPD, which would concentrate less on hours logged and more on interactive, reflective learning and measuring the impact that CPD has on the individual’s practice and patient health outcomes.
Some 115 veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses volunteered, with 60 attending an induction days at the College’s office last year.
The College says the response to its proposals was largely positive, and at its meeting on 2 November 2017 RCVS Council agreed to an extension of the pilot for a further six-to-nine months, in order to increase the breadth of views on the changes and gather further evidence on its impact.
The proposed model for CPD has four key components: planning, doing, recording and reflecting. While an overall majority of the 3,357 people who responded to the College’s 2016 consultation agreed with the proposed changes to the CPD requirement, certain elements received less support than others.
The lowest amount of support was received for the ‘reflection’ component with 35% of respondents disagreeing with it.
Shona McIntyre MRCVS, a teaching fellow in small animal medicine at the University of Surrey and the practitioner representative on the CPD Pilot Working Group, said: "As a general practitioner involved in the initial phase of the CPD pilot I was thrilled that we had so many from the profession engage with the consultation, and later with the pilot.
"By extending the pilot further we are looking to get an even wider range of views on board and fine-tune how we will be asking members of the profession to engage with the reflection element of the proposals. We are looking for a mix of those who support the proposals and those who have a ‘healthy scepticism’ about them and I can only encourage those not yet involved to consider signing up for the extended pilot and make their voice heard."
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Naila Hassanali, RCVS CPD Officer, via cpd@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0701.
Volunteers will be supported by RCVS staff throughout the trial.
Further information, including the CPD Policy Working Party’s response to the consultation, is available on the College website: www.rcvs.org.uk/cpdconsultation/.
The charity, which helps around 200,000 cats and kittens in the UK each year needs someone with animal welfare skills to join its team of nine trustees who are responsible for the charity’s strategy, policy and oversight.
The ideal candidate will have a degree in veterinary medicine, animal behaviour or an equivalent qualification, together with an understanding of the voluntary sector and management experience gained at a large national organisation, university or veterinary practice.
Sue Field, Cats Protection’s Director of Volunteering, said: "This is an exciting role which focuses on further improving cat welfare, whether that be cats in Cats Protection’s care or the services that we offer to cat owners to help them better care for their pet.
"We deliver our work through over 10,000 volunteers and staff so we’re hoping to attract a strong team player who would enjoy the challenge of shaping strategy and policy across our large and multi-faceted organisation.
"In return we can offer the opportunity to develop new and existing skills at trustee level plus the opportunity to make a real difference to the welfare of cats and kittens. If this sounds like a challenge you’d relish, then we’d love to hear from you."
To apply for the role, visit https://www.cats.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/find-an-opportunity?id=3954.
If you would like an informal chat about the role, contact Clare Radlett on 01825 741211 or email: claire.radlett@cats.org.uk
The closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 19th February 2018.
The NOAH Compendium is also available online at www.noahcompendium.co.uk. A special edition of the book for SQPs, commissioned by AMTRA, will be also available shortly.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "The NOAH Compendium remains a major part of NOAH’s efforts to assist the appropriate and responsible use of all animal medicines.
"Every NOAH member, as well as the non-member participants in the NOAH Compendium, is a signatory to the NOAH Code of Practice on Promotion, which demonstrates their commitment to operate above and beyond any regulatory requirements.
"As always, our free of charge web-based Compendium, which is updated regularly, contains the most up-to-date information. If you have not been on the website lately you will see we have introduced a ‘Company Directory’ as well as ‘datasheets by company’, as well as improving the facility of the site to print individual datasheets.
Meanwhile, NOAH says the app version of the Compendium has been temporarily suspended while certain technical difficulties are resolved. Dawn said: "We have recently faced an unexpected issue with the NOAH Compendium App and have temporarily suspended the App’s availability on both the Apple store and Googleplay.
"The app is currently being updated and we are working to get it back online as soon as possible. If you have already downloaded the app, please note there will be no further updates to the information until we can resolve the issue, and the information it displays may not be the most recent update."
If your practice has not yet received its copy, perhaps because you are a new practice, or have changed address in the past year, contact Amy Davis at NOAH (a.davis@noah.co.uk).
Extra copies are also available to order now, for £46. Special prices are available for bulk orders.
Suvaxyn PRRS MLV offers the earliest piglet vaccination from the first day of age, securing immunity before the risk period which lasts until the end of the fattening. Pig protection is established 28 days after vaccination, and lasts for 26 weeks after vaccination in fattening pigs, and 16 weeks after vaccination in gilts and sows. Zoetis says the vaccine reduces viremia and nasal shedding of the virus.
Monica Balasch, Associate Director, Global Biologicals Development at Zoetis said: "In Europe, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome is known for severe impacts on reproduction including lowering birth rates, increasing abortion, stillbirth, mummified, as well as weak live-born piglets, and death.
"In clinical studies conducted with Suvaxyn PRRS MLV, we found excellent results vaccinating pigs from the first day of age. It is safe to be used as the earliest protection in piglets, and to protect the whole herd against PRRS, as it is also safe for use in gilts and sows.
"The new vaccine represents a flexible alternative to allow for new customized PRRS control programs developed by veterinarians for producers."
Alvaro Aldaz, Director, Commercial Development and Innovation, Swine, at Zoetis said: "We are excited to bring this innovative vaccine to Europe. Suvaxyn PRRS MLV has been developed using a very innovative vaccine technology which brings swine veterinarians a new advanced PRRS control tool.
"As well reducing viremia, nasal shedding and lung lesions in fattening pigs, the vaccine has been proven to overcome maternal immunity, which increases the efficacy of the vaccine when given to piglets during the first days of life. Additionally, it allows veterinarians for use PRRS mass vaccination within the claim; mass vaccination has become more and more popular in several European countries."
Suvaxyn PRRS MLV is a veterinary vaccine that contains a European PRRS virus strain (Genotype 1) that has been grown and attenuated in a uniquely modified cell line developed by Zoetis.
Jay Calvert, Research Director, VMRD Global Biologicals Research at Zoetis said: "Suvaxyn PRRS MLV is safe based on true loss of virulence, and not based on a temporary reduction in ability to replicate in macrophage cells in the lung of the pig."
Zoetis says the efficacy of Suvaxyn PRRS MLV is supported by a comprehensive program of clinical studies reviewed by the European Medicines Agency and included in the regulatory procedure approved by the European Commission in August 2017.
The European public assessment report is available at: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Summary_for_the_public/veterinary/004276/WC500235212.pdf
The company says the most common side effects with Suvaxyn PRRS MLV (which may affect more than one in 10 pigs) are a short-lived increase in body temperature (0.5°C on average and up to 1.4°C individually) within four days of vaccination, and in sows local reactions in the form of swellings which resolve without treatment within five to 32 days.
The introduction of the compulsory microchipping law in April 2016 has meant that puppies have to be microchipped by 8 weeks of age and the breeder has to be recorded as the first keeper. This has, up to now, incurred further and often unexpected costs for new puppy owners or breeders who have had to pay an additional fee for the transfer of keepership.
From 1st February practices using BackHome microchips will register their newly implanted microchips with the UK based reunification database, PETtrac, and the online transfer of keepership from breeders to new owners will be free. A postal transfer will cost 50p.
BackHome Product Manager Madeline Haynes said: "We have listened to feedback from the veterinary profession who have stressed the importance of not only providing a fast and reliable service from a pet reunification database, but also the need for free transfer of keepership from a breeder to a new owner.
"We are delighted to have been able to facilitate this through the move to PETtrac."
PETtrac is a UK based, DEFRA compliant reunification database that offers 24/7 customer service, 365 days of the year.
The move to PETtrac will not affect pets already registered with BackHome Microchips, whose lifelong registration with previous database supplier PetLog remains unchanged.
For more information, visit: www.virbac.co.uk
*Postal transfer of keepership from breeder to new owner will cost 0.50p
The protesters, which VetSurgeon.org understands comprise six veterinary surgeons and 30-40 pet owners, started their march in Parliament Square and are now bearing down on the RCVS Headquarters in Horseferry Road.
The campaigners are, we are told, protesting against the RCVS position statement on complementary and homeopathic veterinary medicines.
No word yet on how the College proposes to defend itself from the hoard; certainly no sign of any cauldrons of boiling oil atop the battlements, nor any riot police yet in evidence.
More news as it happens. VetSurgeon.org has a photographer on the ground ...UPDATES
1:00pm: The protesters have arrived at Belgravia House. A couple of protesters are armed with umbrellas, presumably to guard against the ever-present risk of overdose. It's getting messy: we're hearing that they've blocked the pavement. Wait up. Someone has emerged from the College to speak with them. Well hello, Mr President.
1:01pm: We were hoping that some of the protesters might, I dunno, handcuff themselves to Belgravia House or something. But after a tense standoff lasting over 36 seconds, it looks like the protest is petering out already. Apparently they've started dispersing to the park opposite.
1:02pm: Yup, they've all gone off to the park now. This may go down as one of the shortest protests in history.
1:16pm: Word has it they've headed off to the White Horse and Bower.More photos of this momentous occasion to follow ...
1. The seasoned campaigner is always careful to choose any banner that appears over their head with great care.
2. It was a beautiful march. A big march. The bigliest. Haven't seen that many people on the street since Donald Trump's inauguration.
3. The RCVS headquarters under siege.
4. Millie the dog (perhaps better called 'Millie the anecdote') illustrates the flawed thinking behind homeopathy.
5. Nobody told this campaigner than homeopathy wasn't banned in the first place. You can get it from any tap.
6. RCVS President, Professor Stephen May, presumably wishing he'd taken the day off work.
7. It took some hours moments before the crowd dispersed fully and life in London was able to return to normal.
3.43pm: The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has issued a statement following the march, which says:
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons today met a delegation of around 40 animal owners and veterinary surgeons who wished to voice their concern about a recent position statement by RCVS Council on the use of complementary and alternative medicines, including homeopathy.
President Stephen May and CEO Lizzie Lockett received a copy of an online petition that was set up following the statement, which has since received around 15,000 signatures, including around 11,000 from supporters in the UK.
Stephen and Lizzie also took time to hear accounts and stories from the supporters, and to listen to the points they wished to raise.
In view of the cold, wet weather, the College had laid on some hot drinks for all the visitors, and invited the delegation inside, but these were declined.
Stephen said: "We were pleased to be able to meet our visitors today and to receive their petition, although it was a little tricky trying to answer questions on a busy London pavement!
"We continue to recognise that homeopathy and other complementary therapies are popular amongst some animal owners and certain members of the veterinary profession, as indicated by today’s delegation, but it is worth reiterating that the RCVS Council statement does not ban their use.
"What it does state, is that in order to protect animal welfare, we regard such treatments as being complementary, rather than alternative, to treatments for which there is a recognised evidence base or which are based on sound scientific principles.
"This is similar to the position that we have held on complementary therapies for many years, but we will always be happy to receive and consider scientific evidence that demonstrates their efficacy."
I wouldn't hold your breath.
All photographs ©2017 Under licence to London News Pictures Ltd. +44 208 088 1155
This is the first confirmed finding of the virus in the UK this winter and tests have shown it is closely related to the H5N6 strain that has been circulating in wild birds across Europe in recent months. This is different to the strains which affected people in China last year and Public Health England have advised the risk to public health is very low. The Food Standards Agency have said that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers.
UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, said: "This is the first time avian flu has been identified in the UK this winter and while the disease does not represent a threat to the public, it is highly infectious and deadly to birds.
"As the virus has been circulating across Europe, this finding has not come as a surprise. But it is vital that anyone who keeps birds - whether a few in a back garden or thousands on a farm - is vigilant for any signs of disease, reports suspect disease to APHA and maintains good biosecurity to reduce the risk of their birds becoming infected."
Local measures will be put in place to manage the potential threat. These include a local Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in Dorset as a precautionary measure to prevent disease spread to other birds. This means all captive bird keepers in the area will have to implement enhanced biosecurity measures such as feeding and watering birds undercover so that wild birds do not co-mingle with kept birds; minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures; cleaning and disinfecting footwear; and keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy.
There are no plans for culling or movement restrictions.
BVA President John Fishwick said: "I’d encourage vets to reassure their clients that this strain of Avian Influenza poses a very low risk to public health and the food chain. Defra have acted swiftly to try and contain further spread of the disease, which has likely come from migratory birds, yet vets and poultry owners should remain vigilant for signs of the disease."
Up-to-date advice and guidance on Avian Influenza is available on the Gov.UK website, including how to spot it, what to do if you suspect it, and measures to prevent it: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#about-avian-influenza
Trade should not be affected following the findings in wild birds, according to the rules of the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).
The Disciplinary Committee heard four charges against Dr Schulze Allen.
The first charge related to the original criminal conviction in the County of San Bernardino in California dating from September 2013, where Dr Schulze Allen pleaded guilty to petty theft for which he was fined US $435 and ordered to pay a fee of US $35.
The second charge related to the fact that, on or around 3 December 2013 in a written application for restoration to the Register, Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest in representing that he did not have any cautions or criminal convictions.
The third charge related to the fact that on or around 4 December 2013 in a sworn affidavit before a Notary Public in Riverside, California, he dishonestly and falsely represented that he had, at no time, been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or elsewhere.
The final charge was that, in an email to the RCVS in June 2016, he dishonestly and falsely represented that he had "no criminal record whatsoever".
Having found Dr Schulze Allen guilty of all four charges the Committee then considered whether the conviction rendered him unfit to practise veterinary surgery and whether the remaining charges amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The Committee noted that the conviction was for a minor matter but had regard to all the evidence before it and considered that as an offence of dishonesty it represented a breach of one of the fundamental tenets of the profession. It further considered that Dr Schulze Allen’s dishonesty toward the College and his completing a legal document which he knew would be relied upon by the College was conduct that fell far short of the standard expected of a member of the profession.
With regard to the final charge, the Committee considered this a "clear attempt to deliberately misrepresent the fact that he had a conviction for a criminal offence." The Committee considered that Dr Schulze Allen’s conduct had been aggravated by the fact that it was protracted and repeated over a period of time.
Ultimately the Committee considered that the conviction rendered Dr Schulze Allen unfit to practise veterinary surgery and the remaining charges amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "His conduct represented a blatant disregard of the role of the RCVS and the systems that regulate the veterinary profession. The Committee also remained particularly concerned at Dr Schulze Allen’s very limited insight into his conduct."
He added: "In mitigation the Committee noted that this is not a case where harm was caused to any animals or humans. It noted that prior to these matters which are before the Committee that Dr Schulze Allen had an unblemished career and that he had been of good character. In respect of purely personal mitigation the Committee noted that Dr Schulze Allen is the main breadwinner of the family."
However, the Committee considered that Dr Schulze Allen’s conduct had fallen significantly short of standards expected of a veterinary surgeon.
Ian Green concluded: "The Committee considered that the only appropriate sanction is that of removal from the Register. Such a sanction is required to send a clear message to Dr Schulze Allen and to veterinary surgeons of the unacceptability of being dishonest to the RCVS. Such conduct undermines public confidence in the profession and fails to uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.
"Accordingly, the Committee has decided that removal from the Register is appropriate and proportionate in this case. The Committee will direct the Registrar to remove the respondent’s name from the Register forthwith."
Dr Schulze Allen has 28 days from the date of the decision to appeal the Committee’s decision.
The Committee’s full findings and decision is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary.
The draft code contains twenty recommendations to seek veterinary advice on the subject, compared to ten in the previous version, highlighting the crucial importance of veterinary surgeons' involvement in the welfare of meat chickens.
The new codes have been welcomed by the BVA, the British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) and Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA), who jointly responded to the Government consultation on the updating of the codes.
BVA President John Fishwick said: "We welcome the Government’s recognition of the vital role the veterinary profession plays in poultry welfare, with further references throughout the updated draft code to the importance of seeking veterinary advice.
"We are particularly pleased to see the recommendation that welfare outcomes should be used to assess and monitor the ongoing welfare of the birds as part of the farm health and welfare plan, and with the signposting to the Humane Slaughter Association’s Poultry Catching and Handling Technical Note within the code.
"The British poultry industry already has some of the highest welfare standards in the world and the veterinary profession and poultry industry will continue to work with Defra on further enhancing animal welfare codes to reflect best industry practice."
The draft code was placed in Parliament on 9 January 2018. If there are no objections from Parliament, it will come into force in March 2018.
Photo: Flock of Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) Roaming Freely in Front of Chicken Sheds on a Farm in the Rural Village of Chenson, Devon. Shutterstock / Peter Turner Photography
Domingo, pictured on the left with Southfields clinical director Henry L’Eplattenier, will join the Essex referral centre as head of cardiopulmonary service at the start of February.
After qualifying in Zaragoza in his native Spain, Domingo completed an internship and several years in practice in the UK, before joining the University of Bristol small animal hospital as a resident.
He then completed a three-year training programme in small animal internal medicine, followed by a four-year programme in cardiology to become an RCVS diplomate and specialist in veterinary cardiology and small animal internal medicine (ECVIM).
After being appointed as head of cardiology and respiratory medicine at Bristol, Domingo joined Dick White Referrals before his move to Southfields.
Domingo said: "I’m delighted to be joining such a progressive and forward-thinking practice as Southfields. It is clear everyone at the practice is dedicated to continuing its growth and dedication to providing the highest possible level of care."
Southfields’ operations manager Daniel Hogan said: "The arrival of Domingo adds another hugely talented specialist to our growing team of experts. He is, without doubt, at the top of his profession and his passion and dedication are traits which will fit perfectly at Southfields as we continue to grow."
Domingo is also a visiting lecturer in cardiology and respiratory medicine at the Catholic University of Valencia, while he is an active clinical researcher and has published widely in many areas of cardiology and respiratory medicine. His areas of special interest are arrhythmias and interventional cardiology.
For more information about Southfields Veterinary Specialists, go to www.southfields.co.uk.
The Envirobed cubicle bedding study found that cow comfort is farmers' number one priority, rated 'very important' by 89% and 'quite important' by 9%. A close second, scoring 81% 'very important' and 13% 'quite important', was reducing mastitis bugs. Allied to this, number three was high absorbency bedding, scoring 71% and 16% respectively. Farmers taking part used a variety of different bedding materials.
The importance of reducing humidity in cow housing was also well recognised. To improve ventilation, ridge tiles have been removed by 38% and fans installed by 9% of farmers. Another 18% and 10% respectively are considering these two options.
Sally Russell from Envirosystems points out that keeping cows clean and comfortable doesn't need be compromised by this winter's shortage and high cost of bedding straw: "Although this is driving up the cost of sawdust and some other materials, there are exceptions.
"For example, some farmers with beef cattle and dairy replacements in straw yards are using a deep bed of Envirobed Original, made from 100% dried recycled paper. Others place a 15cm layer on the floor and top it off with straw.
"For cubicles, the usual material of choice is EnviroBed Premium, a blend of dried paper and kiln dried virgin wood sawdust. Per cubicle, the recommended daily quantity and cost are just 1kg at less than 10p."
Envirosystems says both materials are 95% dry matter and mildly alkaline 7.4 pH, helping create a dry and comfortable area that is unfavourable to disease organisms and fly eggs. They are also biodegradeable and compatible with all manure systems.
Envirosystems has given the findings of its research to farming unions, Dairy UK and AHDB Dairy with permission to use the data if it helps them promote an accurate and caring image of farming, contrary to misleading propaganda put about all too often by the industry's numerous critics.
Photo: Comfy Cow, copyright Ivor Davey
The exhibition comprises 22 photographs showing a range of subjects from across the UK and overseas, including cattle during a TB testing day on the island of Arran, a surprising find during surgery, a look down the microscope at feline myofiber disarray and a practical session of bee veterinary medicine.
The photographs were selected from around 1,000 that were submitted to the association's photo competitions by its members in 2016 and 2017.
The exhibition was officially opened today by Neil Parish MP, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EfraCom) and BVA Honorary Member, at an opening ceremony attended by parliamentarians as well as many of the veterinary surgeons whose photographs feature in the exhibition.
Neil said: "These photos show the diverse range of things that vets are involved in. What we respect from BVA is that we get good clear, evidence-based advice when we need it."
BVA member and Director of Cambridge Veterinary Group Lucy Crosby was commended for her snake intubation picture last year. She said: "The exhibition is a really exciting opportunity for vets to show that their skills extend beyond the operating room to the arts.
"I personally feel privileged to have my photo shown here. The veterinary profession and what we do is diverse and it's important to broadcast to the general public just how important the profession’s contribution is to the country."
BVA President, John Fishwick said: "It's an honour to have the opportunity to exhibit our members’ photographs in the Palace of Westminster. Vets work in practices across the UK, in government policy, public health and food safety, industry and technology, the armed forces, and beyond.
"As a profession, we play a significant role in many areas of personal and political life; an issue that EU exit has brought into sharp relief. With the political landscape shifting so rapidly, it’s apt that we’re showcasing vets’ work to parliamentarians to make sure it’s at the forefront of their minds as they return for the New Year."
The exhibition will be open daily until Thursday 11 January in the Upper Waiting Room of the House of Commons, an area open to Members of Parliament, Peers and visiting members of the public.
To view the photographs exhibited, and many others from BVA’s photo competitions, visit BVA’s Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/britishvets/albums/
The practice is one of few in the UK to use radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, which, it says, has an average, a 95% success rate in treating cats with hyperthyroidism.
Stephanie Lalor MRCVS (pictured right), an RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine at Willows said: "The new therapy is non-invasive and is the gold standard of treatment for cats with hyperthyroidism. It is safe and highly effective and a single injection can be curative. Patients do need to be screened for their suitability and ideally they are treated with medical therapy prior to the RAI.
"Due to the radioactive nature of the treatment, patients must stay with us for 15 days after the injection. Our patients stay in luxury cat condos during their hospitalisation and their day-to-day care is over-seen by our lead radioactive iodine nurse, Vicky Maund."
The new unit is part of a £1 million investment in Willows which includes a dedicated operating theatre for minimally invasive procedures, a range of specialist treatment rooms and more than 40 new kennels.
Toby Gemmill, clinical director at Willows, said: "We are already extremely well placed to offer a wide variety of specialist treatments and this extension has provided us with the space to expand our services further. The new radioactive iodine unit is very exciting and allows us to build on our gold level cat-friendly clinic status."
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
Prevomax 10 mg/ml uses benzyl alcohol as a preservative, as opposed to the other injectable formulation of maropitant (Cerenia) which uses metacresol as the preservative.
Dechra says benzyl alcohol causes less injection site pain than metacresol.
Prevomax comes in a 20 ml bottle and has a 56-day broached shelf life.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "We are delighted to launch Prevomax to the UK and IE market.
"Human clinical studies have shown that an injection containing benzyl alcohol causes less pain than an injection preserved with metacresol.
"Prevomax is particularly useful for the treatment and prevention of nausea induced by chemotherapy and for treatment of vomiting, in combination with other supportive measures."
Dechra is inviting veterinary professionals to share their experience of using Prevomax for a chance to win a £100 Amazon gift card.
Entries must be received by February 28 2018 and should be submitted at www.dechra.co.uk/prevomax
Conducted in partnership with Royal Canin and led by Professor Alex German, the Feline Healthy Ageing Clinic, located at the University’s Small Animal Practice, will undertake extensive examinations of cats over 7 years of age.
Lead researcher Nathalie Dowgray BVSc MRCVS MANZCVS, and Kelly Eyre RVN are now recruiting mature cats in Liverpool and the surrounding area to offer health screenings and assessments of musculoskeletal, cardiac and retinal health.
Nathalie, said: "We are inviting 300 cats to take part in the Cat Prospective Ageing and Welfare Study (CatPAWS), a 5-year study; the largest of its kind.
"Cats will visit the practice every six months and we’re recruiting as many cats aged 7 to 10 years of age as we can at this stage.
"We will carry out a number of diagnostics including retinal examination and photography, blood and urine sampling and orthopaedic – including gait analysis - and dental examinations.
"The valuable data we collect will enable us to analyse the effects of ageing in more detail than ever before, and on a far larger scale.
"We’re ultimately aiming to improve the quality of life for these patients and instead of simply accepting what some may consider an inevitable decline in function, collectively take strides toward healthy ageing.”
Findings will be shared with Royal Canin, which will be trying to determine the role of nutrition alongside the many other factors affecting ageing in cats.
For more information, email: catpaws@liverpool.ac.uk
Brigite said: "We are leading an international multi-centre study to further investigate the impact of this heart disorder on the quality of life and life expectancy of affected dogs.
"This is an extremely important research project, so we need the co-operation of referring vets in the area to send cases to us to be included in the study. Clearly, the more cases we can assess then the more we can learn and the more we can help.
"The hope is this study will revolutionise the way in which this condition is treated in dogs around the world, both improving their day-to-day lives as well as giving them longer at home with their families."
For more information, visit: www.willows.uk.net