Horses and ponies that gain weight are more than twice as likely to develop laminitis than if they lose or maintain their weight, according to new research published last month in BMC Veterinary Research¹.

Carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Rossdales Equine Hospital, the study also revealed that the groups particularly at risk were native pony breeds and their crosses, as well as horses and ponies with a history of laminitis and those with lameness or soreness after routine hoof care.

This research, funded by World Horse Welfare, comes from the first ever online study that collected information on laminitis from a group of owners in real time.

The researchers say that the study is also the second largest to identify weight gain as a risk factor for laminitis. Data was collected from the owners of 1,070 horses and ponies in Great Britain, who reported their animal’s management, health and estimated weight via online questionnaires for 29 months. 

Owners were encouraged to use a custom weight tracking tool designed by the study/research team to help regularly track changes in their animal’s weight and body condition. The uptake of this tool was high, with over half of participating owners using it.

The tool is freely available at: www.aht.org.uk/research/lameness/laminitis.

Other study findings included:

• A high risk of laminitis was present in horses shod or trimmed at intervals of more than 8 weeks, and in those that took a long time to return to soundness after a bout of laminitis. 

• Diet, grazing management and health were factors closely associated with the development of laminitis and will be the subject of future investigation. 

• Researchers also noted that weight gain often occurred unintentionally, even when owners were aiming for their animals to maintain or lose it. This reiterates the need to consistently record weight and body condition in order to prevent undesirable weight gain.

Dr. Dee Pollard of the AHT, one of the study’s chief authors, said: "This is one of the largest, and the first, online laminitis studies where we collected regular information from the same group of owners in real-time. We assessed the relationship between laminitis and many potential management and health factors and identified those more likely to be present before a laminitis episode was reported.

"We now have good evidence to develop laminitis prevention guidelines, and a number of different avenues to explore in the future. We cannot emphasise enough how important systematic and regular weight and body condition monitoring are. It’s very easy to miss weight gain when you are just relying on your eyes and you see your horse or pony every day. You need to get hands on, feel for the fat deposits and take measurements, remember the figures don’t lie!"

Reference

1. BMC Veterinary Research: Pollard, D, Wylie, CE, Verheyen, KLP and Newton, JR (2019) Identification of modifiable factors associated with owner-reported equine laminitis in Britain using a web-based cohort study approach. BMC Veterinary Research 15:59. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-1798-8

Excel Lasers has launched Onemytis 2, a new type of electrosurgical "knife" which it claims will revolutionise veterinary surgery, in the UK.

Developed by Italian tech company, Otech Industry srl, the Onemytis 2 uniquely uses gas ionisation to vaporise tissue at lower temperatures and, claims Excel, with greater precision than is possible with conventional electrosurgery.

The knife works by a strong electromagnetic field through air. This releases plasma which vaporises tissue at a maximum operating temperature of 50°C (compared to more than 118°C in conventional electrosurgery).

During surgery, the electrode does not touch the patient. Plasma is formed when it is between 1 and 2 mm away from the patient, depending on the power setting. This means the surgeon does not apply any pressure when creating an incision, allowing greater precision. 

The Onemytis range starts from £4500 +VAT.

West Sussex first opinion vet, Julian Hoad, Head of Crossways Veterinary Group, started using Onemytis last year for a range or procedures including laparoscopic surgery and the removal of masses, often without the need for a general anaesthetic.

Julian said: "I’ve used electrosurgery for 20 years and this is an order of magnitude better. It is more precise, more reliable and results in a much better healing surface."

"I recently removed an enlarged lymph node. The mass was around the mesenteric root. Because Onemytis is so precise I was able to dissect around the blood vessels, removing tissue that was attached to them with no blood loss. Onemytis is also excellent for removing epulides. It cuts though gingival tissue with very limited burning and produces very good, pain-free healing."

"I now routinely use it for performing nostril widening surgery in brachycephalic dogs; it reduces surgery time dramatically and completely abolishes bleeding in most cases."

"I have also used it to remove a large mass from a dog’s spleen and, by using a combination of Onemytis and Ligasure, managed to do so with a total blood loss of less than 2 ml."

Steve Hayden, Director at Excel Lasers, said: “We are delighted to be bringing Onemytis 2 to the UK. An important part of our role is to identify the technological innovations we think are most likely to help vets and their patients and Onemytis really stands out. The feedback we have had from our clients has been extremely positive and we think it has a fantastic future in veterinary surgery.”

To find out more about Onemytis 2 and watch videos of it in action, visit: https://www.excellasers.com/airplasma/

Forte Healthcare (UK) has announced the launch of Utertab 2000mg (Tetracycline hydrochloride, POM-V) for the treatment and prevention of post parturient disorders in cattle.

Forte highlights that Utertab's intrauterine administration allows it to act directly in the target tissue. It is presented in a perforated blister pack for better sealing. 

Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: "Given the need to use appropriate first-line antibacterial drugs where possible we are delighted to bring vets a new Tetracycline pessary, ‘Utertab’, for the treatment of metritis and retained foetal membranes.

"In-situ therapy for these conditions has more recently been neglected in favour of injectables but still has much to recommend it. We look forward to highlighting these benefits over the next few months."

For further information on Utertab 2000mg, contact your local Forte Territory Manager or enquiries@fortehealthcare.com. 

The RCVS has announced a new student innovation competition called "What's Your Big Idea?", being held by ViVet ahead of the second Innovation Symposium in October.

The competition is open to all UK-based undergraduate veterinary students and offers them the opportunity to work as a team to brainstorm, develop and present an innovative idea to a board of industry professionals.

Students can enter either as a single applicant or as a group (of roughly five members), with single applicants then being placed in a group with other applicants from their university. There can be more than one team representing each university.

Each student’s project can cover any aspect of veterinary health innovation. The RCVS suggests potential projects might include: innovations within veterinary education, innovations to improve sanitation and hygiene, innovations to improve veterinary-public communication and innovations to improve patient safety.

Entries must show how they have improved upon – or extended beyond – current expectations of best practice in their chosen area.

Each applicant will receive support from one of the Association of Veterinary Students’ (AVS) Vet Futures Ambassadors, as well as a mentor session with a chosen industry professional to guide them on their project.

Teams will need to submit three components for judging: a log of their progress throughout the project (which can include social media updates using the hashtag #ViVetStudentInnovation), mentor engagement and feedback, and a five-minute video ‘business pitch’.

The three finalist groups of the competition will be invited to present their pitch to a board of industry professionals at a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event held at the RCVS ViVet 2019 Innovation Symposium on Tuesday 1 October 2019 in Manchester.

The winning and runner-up groups will then be selected and will be presented alongside the ‘mentor’s choice’ award. The Mentor’s Choice award will be selected by the team mentors. The prize will be awarded to an individual who shows excellence and enthusiasm within their work on the project.

Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership & Innovation (pictured right), said: "This competition provides a great opportunity for veterinary students to engage with their fellow classmates across different fields of study and to work on projects that could genuinely make a difference to animal health and welfare and the way veterinary services are delivered. Teams will receive one-on-one mentoring and will be guided through the innovation process, developing skills that will be useful throughout their careers. We look forward to seeing the three finalist teams presenting at the RCVS ViVet Innovation Symposium in Manchester on 1 October." 

Zoe Skinner, Vet Futures Student Representatives Team Leader, said: “This competition is a great opportunity for veterinary students to receive mentoring from experienced veterinary professionals and form contacts within our profession. It gives students a way to work together as a team and allows them to learn how to produce and develop innovative, problem-solving concepts as well as skills in delivering presentations. These are all important aspects of our career ahead, which will look brilliant on our CV’s.”

ViVet is now accepting registrations for the competition for the 2018/19 academic year. To enter, applicants must submit an online registration form. For further information, email info@vivet.org.uk.

Vetnapp, an anaesthesia app originally developed for Apple devices by European specialist in anaesthesia and analgesia Alastair Mair to save time and increase clinical accuracy, is now available for Android.

Vetnapp offers a secure alternative to traditional paper records, allowing for the entry of drugs administered, recording of physiological parameters (for example, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure), and recording complications occurring during an anaesthetic.

The final anaesthetic chart can be converted to a PDF and attached to patient records, simplifying the paper trail. 

Alastair, who works at Willows Referrals, says his motivation for developing the app was born out of frustration with handwritten anaesthetic records which can often be incomplete, illegible and easily lost. 

Alastair said: "Vetnapp is excellent for ease of data entry via the use of sliders and drop-down lists. It also stores records, allowing easy retrieval, which is not possible with paper records. 

"Now the app is available for both Apple and Android devices, it is much more accessible. I have even had people downloading it in Australia, America and China, which is fantastic."

"It’s still very much early days and I hope its popularity grows over time. Ideally, I would like it to be downloaded by veterinary groups, as well as independent practices."

To download Vetnapp, visit the App Store or Google Play and search 'Vetnapp'.

Skeldale Veterinary Centre reports that it has performed the world's first fish skin graft on a dog that was 'days from death' from a seriously infected wound.

The surgery was carried out in August 2018 and is, they say, the first time it has been performed on a companion animal anywhere in the world. The dog, a five-year old spaniel called Gigha, has now made a full recovery.

Gigha’s surgery was carried out by Dr Guy Killick and featured in a recent episode of The Yorkshire Vet. Guy said: "Gigha provides vital companionship to her owner, Mrs Taylor. She fell into a drainage ditch last summer and this caused a tiny cut on her elbow.

"The initial wound did not seem severe, however, despite intensive decontamination and treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics, the wound proved to have been infected with a resistant Haemolytic E. coli infection, causing a significant loss of skin from the medial aspect of the elbow. During this time, Gigha was hospitalised and was at significant risk of DIC and septicaemia."

"The skin loss was full thickness and, once the compromised tissue was debrided away, she was left with a large wound.

"We managed the wound in hospital for four days with daily dressing changes and an irrigation device to provide local anaesthesia and the delivery of topical antibiotics.

"Unfortunately, skin grafting in her case was not suitable given the infection and a lack of sufficient loose skin to donate. As such, we elected for healing by second intention but, given the large area, we felt it was important to explore novel methods to accelerate the healing process and reduce Gigha’s pain.

"Surgery using Tilapia fish skin grafts was pioneered at UC Davis in the USA and was used successfully on a horse with acid burns in the UK last year. It is still very rare, however, and had not been used to treat an infected wound before. Nor had it been used on a dog.

"Having done our research though and finding that these grafts have a natural anti-infective and analgesic effect, while also reducing the frequency of bandage changes that would cause discomfort and distress to the patient, we felt it was an appropriate treatment for Gigha and carried out the surgery a week after the initial wound."

Guy says the surgery was straightforward and simply involved tacking the skin in place. It adhered to the developing granulation bed, accelerating its growth and providing an antiseptic and analgesic effect. After application, Gigha’s owner reported that she was much brighter and seemed to be in less pain. Pain-scoring during check-ups confirmed this to be the case despite pain relief being voluntarily withdrawn by the owner.

This initial graft stayed in place for two weeks before breaking down and being removed. By this stage, granulation of the wound had been completed and around one cm of neo-epithelisation had occurred. A further graft was then placed which remained for a further two weeks until the wound was 50% of its initial size. No further grafts were placed as the team did not have access to further supplies so they simply bandaged the wound with traditional bandages. It was completely healed within nine weeks. Eight months on, Gigha has made a full recovery and the wound has healed completely.  

Guy said: "Given the large wound area and risk of further infection we decided on this novel approach to improve the quality of life for the patient while the wound was healing. While we were naturally apprehensive of making the first attempt at this potentially revolutionary technique, what we knew about fish skin grafts and suggested that they could work in her case so we were determined to give it a try.

"Looking at her now, you wouldn’t believe that she’d been days from death just a few months ago. Her case is a demonstration of the efficacy of fish skin grafts as a treatment for large wounds where there are no other suitable methods of closure – and for their use in dogs. We hope her story and her recovery will be useful to colleagues treating dogs with similar wounds in the future and are happy to discuss the case with them if this would be helpful.

"I would also like to thank Dr Jamie Peyton, Chief of Integrative Medicine Service at UC Davis for her invaluable help and advice during this case and her assistance in the use of the Tilapia graft."

MS Rubric, a Bristol-based law and HR firm which specialises in the veterinary sector, has announced the launch of Vantage, a Human Resource Management (HRM) and Employment Law advisory service.

The company says its service has been designed to help practices take a proactive approach to managing their workforce, keeping them out of the employment tribunal and providing continued support to help them achieve their goals. 

Melanie Davies, Head of Employment at MS Rubric (pictured right) said: "Whether a business employs 5 people or 500, is a start-up, or has been successfully trading for years, it is critical that it has a reliable legal advisory system in place to manage the range of challenges that arise.

"All businesses need to be able to access a professional source of advice and guidance to meet their objectives for best practice, compliance or to meet commercial goals and targets.

"With legislation changing so frequently, this legal expertise is sometimes missing from some businesses. As business owners realise its importance, they are relying more on external HR and legal experts like ourselves to provide this service. We think it’s so important, we are making this available to all sectors of business.”

MS Rubric adds that all its advice is covered by legal professional privilege. This means that unlike when businesses use HR or other consultancies, conversations between MS Rubric and its clients remain confidential and disclosure is not required.

For more information, contact Melanie Davies on 01454 800008 or mel.davies@msrubric.co.uk. 

A new study published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine has shown that just 25 minutes of light exercise may have health benefits for horses, even if it doesn’t result in additional weight loss¹.

The study "Influence of dietary restriction and low-intensity exercise on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in obese equids" was carried out by Nick Bamford and colleagues at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, in collaboration with Spillers.

A total of 24 obese horses and ponies were randomly divided into two groups; 'restricted diet only' or 'restricted diet plus exercise'. All horses and ponies were fed the same diet of restricted hay (no grazing), a small amount of alfalfa chaff and soya bean meal, and a vitamin and mineral supplement.

The exercise programme, which was designed following feedback from horse owners to help ensure it could be implemented relatively easily in the real world, consisted of 15 minutes of brisk trotting (with a five minute walk before and after) five days per week for 12 weeks.

The 'restricted diet only' group showed an overall reduction in body weight and body condition score. They had increased levels of adiponectin – a hormone produced by fat cells, low levels of which are a risk factor for laminitis. They had decreased baseline insulin, high levels of which have been linked to an increased risk of laminitis, and decreased leptin, high levels of which are associated with obesity.

Although exercise did not increase weight loss, it did produce additional benefits that were not seen in the 'restricted diet only' group, the most important one being improved insulin sensitivity. More insulin sensitive horses and ponies need to produce less insulin in order to control their blood sugar. This is important because high levels of insulin in the blood and/or reduced insulin sensitivity are risk factors for laminitis. Horses and ponies in the exercise group also had decreased levels of ‘serum amyloid A’, a protein that is a marker for inflammation.

Clare Barfoot RNutr, the research and development manager at Spillers said: "Reducing calorie intake and feeding a diet low in starch and sugar should be the priority for overweight horses and ponies. However, the results of this study suggest that exercise may offer additional health benefits for obese horses and ponies and/or those with ‘EMS’ that cannot be achieved by cutting calories and weight loss alone."

Reference

1. Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR. Influence of dietary restriction and low-intensity exercise on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in obese equids. J Vet Intern Med. 2019;33:280–286. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15374

Photo:  Spillers/Steve Bardens

Sense about Science and RCVS Knowledge need at least two veterinary surgeons to give feedback about a new booklet at a workshop in London on Wednesday 27th March.

The new publication is a guide to evidence-based medicine (EBM) in veterinary practice. It aims to secure a commitment to EBM from veterinary practices and help them implement an evidence-based approach.

The workshop will be held at The Bloomsbury Building, 10 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SL from 1:00pm till 3:30pm

Attendees will be asked for their opinion on the content, language and format of the new guide, and how clear they find it. 

Your involvement will directly help RCVS Knowledge make the evidence-basis of veterinary techniques understandable for a larger number of people.

No advance preparation is required and it sounds like it will be a very informative, engaging session.

An honorarium of £50 is available to anyone who attends. A sandwich lunch is provided and travel expenses will be covered.

If you’d like to participate, contact: Maryam Tehami at maryam@senseaboutscience.org

A group of feline welfare charities are asking UK-based veterinary surgeons to take part in a survey to help them better understand neutering practices.

The research is being carried out by Cats Protection, RSPCA, PDSA, Wood Green The Animal Charity, Blue Cross, Celia Hammond Animal Trust, Battersea, The Mayhew Animal Home, SSPCA and International Cat Care, with support from Bristol University.

The study involves four short (<15 minute) questionnaires spread over a 6-month period, for which you could also win a £50 voucher.

Click here to find out more and sign up www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/neutering

Glasgow-based Roundhouse Referrals is urging veterinary surgeons to be on guard for easily overlooked lateral humeral condylar fractures (LHCFs) in French Bulldogs.

Ross Allan (pictured right), an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery at Roundhouse, said: "It is well recognised that French Bulldogs have breed-related problems, specifically Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), yet they remain one of the most popular dog breeds of the moment.

"Through the work we do with French Bulldog charities and the large number of BOAS procedures we undertake, we encounter many of this breed and recognise the frequency and challenges in diagnosing lateral condylar fractures in French Bulldogs.

"We are keen to highlight the ‘red-flags’ for vets faced with French Bulldog forelimb lameness, and hope these will assist vets in diagnosing these common fractures:

1. Age: most lateral humeral condylar fractures occur between 3-4 months of age.

2. Trauma: in 90% of cases the trauma is minor; a fall from the arms, or tumble off the bed.

3. Non-weight bearing: a French Bulldog presents with a non-weight bearing lameness X-rays are required even if no fractures are obvious on palpation.

4. Physical: feel for the medial and lateral epicondyles of the humerus. If they are not in line with each other there will be a fracture (in LHCFs the lateral condyle will generally move proximally).

5. X-rays: perfect positioning for X-rays is essential to pick up these fractures. Slight rotation can ‘hide’ small, or incomplete fractures.

"We urge vets to be mindful of LCHFs when presented with a French Bulldog with a forelimb lameness and recommend that they add this condition to their differential list. Swift diagnosis greatly simplifies the surgery required and improves the likelihood of a successful outcome.

"French Bulldogs are well-muscled, stoical dogs, so these fractures are often problematic to detect on clinical examination. The key point when undertaking a medical examination of French Bulldogs is that vets feel for the medial and lateral epicondyles of the humerus to assess if they are in perfect alignment: if one is higher than the other, this suggests a fracture; even if a fracture is not readily visible on X-ray.

"And great care must be taken to ensure that X-rays are positioned perfectly because if the elbow is rotated – even slightly – these fractures can easily be overlooked. They are good at hiding!"

Roundhouse Referrals says it has recently treated several French Bulldogs with lateral humeral condylar fractures deploying various surgical techniques: usually a transcondylar lag screw along with a supracondylar K-wire, or additional supracondylar positional screw or plate.

To make an enquiry or refer a patient contact Roundhouse Referrals at 0141 649 1316 www.rhr.vet

MSD Animal Health has announced that Horse Health Week, which runs from 25th to 29th March 2019, will focus on helping owners and yards understand infection risk.

It's a subject that will be front of many people's minds following the recent cases of equine flu.

As part of the campaign, MSD has produced a range of veterinary practice support materials to help you engage with owners and yards on the subject of preventative healthcare best practice and compliance.

The range includes shareable social media content, videos, a 'What's Your Risk' practice poster, an online risk assessment tool and a number of downloadable information leaflets. Practices will also be supported through the Keep Britain's Horses Health (KBHH) web page, Facebook page and Twitter.

MSD says there are also planning and evaluation resources to help practices manage an effective campaign.

Vicki Farr, Equine Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health said: "The recent outbreaks of equine flu have rocked the horse-racing world, costing the industry millions and raising important animal welfare issues. Furthermore, they have highlighted the need for good preventative healthcare and, in particular, vaccination.

"HHW will therefore come at a relevant time for horse owners and yards when the impact of equine flu is still at the front of their minds.

"This year HHW will provide vital tools for practices; building on the knowledge and resources we’ve acquired throughout the KBHH campaign and from previous HHWs.

"Our focus is on engaging owners and yards on understanding the risk of disease for their horse, while rewarding them for best practice. We are again providing a wide range of resources for practices to help them create an engaging and successful campaign that helps build knowledge amongst the equine community."

For further information, talk to your MSD Animal Health Equine Account Manager, call 01908 685685 or refer to KBHH social media feeds on Facebook page and Twitter (@keepinghorseshealthy).

The International Society of Feline Medicine has announced that two 'giants of feline medicine and infectious disease' will headline its European Feline Congress, which is open to all and taking place in the beautiful Croatian town of Cavtat from 26th-30th June.

Richard Malik from the Centre for Veterinary Education at the University of Sydney and Mike Lappin from Colorado State University, known for their amusing and questioning presentations, will be joined by experts including Jayne Sykes, Séverine Tasker, Donato Traversa and Francesca Mancianti to present the latest information about the diagnosis and treatment of a veritable smorgasbord of feline infectious diseases, including heartworm, leishmaniasis, toxocara, aspergillus, bartonella, coronavirus, erlichia, anaplasma, rickettsia, lungworm, mycobacteria, FeLV, FIV, haemoplasmas, cryptococcosis, GI disease and  emerging feline pathogens.

Together with a mini-symposia organised by the congress sponsors – Idexx, Hill’s, Ceva, Bayer and Boehringer Ingelheim – the five-day event is worth 25 hours of feline CPD.

If you need more in-depth knowledge of feline infectious diseases, there are also three masterclasses planned.

The venue looks drop-dead gorgeous too. Set on a small wooded peninsula embraced by two harbours, Cavtat has a pretty waterfront peppered with restaurants, pebbly beaches and an interesting assortment of artsy attractions, making it one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the region. ISFM says it's a great base from which to explore Dubrovnik and the surrounding area.

The welcome party will take place at the congress hotel’s waterfront restaurant on Thursday evening.

Tickets cost £475 for ISFM members and £605 for non-members. Masterclasses are an additional £50 each.

That seems like an absolute steal to me, and I'm not even a vet. Where do I sign?

Ah, here it is: https://icatcare.org/isfm-congress