The Animal Health Trust has cut the first sod of a new cancer centre for animals in Suffolk.
The AHT's Cancer Centre will provide all three treatment options: surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, on one site. The cancer facility is being purpose-built to treat horses, dogs and cats.
Sue Murphy, Head of Clinical Cancer Treatment at the AHT, said: "Having all three treatment options on one site means that whatever the diagnosis, we will be able to offer each and every patient the very best options for their specific case. With one in four dogs and one in six cats developing cancer at some time in their life this new centre will help many more animals - from Suffolk, East Anglia and all across the UK."
The new centre will also further research into cancer. Treating animals with all types of the disease will enable the AHT's vets and scientists to expand current knowledge about cancer. This will help with the development of new ways to diagnose and treat the disease.
Vets and scientists at the AHT already work collaboratively with cancer researchers looking at the disease in humans. There are a number of links between human and animal cancers which have already been identified. It is hoped that knowledge gained from the AHT Cancer Centre may also help in the understanding of cancer in people.
The AHT hopes the building will open in summer 2012 . It is launching an appeal to raise much needed funds to equip the centre with a linear accelerator. This piece of specialist equipment works by delivering high-energy radiation beams to break cancerous tumours down while sparing the surrounding normal tissue.
The AHT Cancer Centre will be one of only six veterinary facilities in the UK to house a linear accelerator.
Sue Murphy added: "Currently, there is no way to tell which animals will, and which animals won't, develop cancer. It could happen to any animal at any time. This new centre will give more animals a fighting chance of beating the disease, enabling them to lead long and healthy lives. The fact that treatments developed to benefit our pets may also lead to improvements in the prevention and treatment of cancer in humans makes this centre all the more important.
"I would urge you to donate whatever you can to help equip the centre. Your donation, however large or small, will help many more animals beat cancer and it may also help in the fight against cancer in people."
If you would like to make a donation to the AHT Cancer Centre please visit www.aht.org.uk or telephone 01638 555648.
Alternatively you can make a £5 donation by textingVETS24 £5 to 70070
Ceva Animal Health has highlighted a new meta-analysis1 which, according to the company, reveals that there is a significant (P< 0.001) association between the use of pharmacotherapy (fluoxetine and clomipramine) or pheromonatherapy (Feliway) and reduction or elimination of feline urine marking.
Ceva says this is the first time a meta-analysis technique has been used to evaluate the efficacy of interventions in veterinary behavioural medicine; the study assessed all published papers covering treatments for feline urine spraying. Ten studies in nine publications were analysed, despite their different study designs. In order to carry out the meta-analysis, the papers were rated according to importance and a 'placebo-effect' was calculated. Primary and secondary outcomes were also identified, with the primary outcome being the 'number of cats that either ceased or reduced spraying by at least 90%' and the secondary outcome being 'the number of cats that reduce spraying from baseline levels'.
Information is available by calling Lucy Brett at CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
1. A meta-analysis of studies of treatments for feline urine spraying. Daniel S Mills, Sarah E Redgate, Gary M Landsberg. PLos ONE, April 2011, Volume 6, Issue 4
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has suspended a Cardigan veterinary surgeon from the RCVS Register for five months, for failure to perform accurate bovine tuberculin testing and for falsely certifying the test results.
During the two-day hearing, Dewi Wyn Lewis, of Priory Veterinary Ltd, Cardigan, answered charges about inaccurate skin fold measurements and false certification relating to two visits he made as an Official Veterinarian to a farm in April 2009 to undertake tuberculin testing.
Mr Lewis accepted that he had not carried out the tuberculin tests in the way required by Animal Health (AH) - an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - and had taken short cuts to save time. However, he denied the charges, arguing that, although instructions to Official Veterinarians clearly required the use of callipers to measure the skin folds of cattle necks on Day One of testing, not using callipers and using his finger and thumb did not amount to failing to measure.
He also argued (and it was accepted by the Committee) that, regarding Day Two of testing, there was inconsistency in AH's instructions on calliper use, which in written form required using callipers for measuring every animal but in practice accepted use of callipers when a reaction could be detected by manually palpating the skin. On Day Two, Mr Lewis said, he had done what AH required: he had used callipers on the cattle he identified for closer examination.
The Committee, however, found that by failing to use callipers on the first day, as required by AH, Mr Lewis had failed to measure the skin folds of almost all of the 104 cattle. The Committee was also satisfied that, on the second day, 10-20% of the herd were not even touched by Mr Lewis and the Committee accepted the evidence of the three other witnesses present during the testing, which indicated that Mr Lewis had failed to carry out careful assessment and manual palpation of every animal.
The Committee then considered whether Mr Lewis had dishonestly signed the certificate, or had signed a false certificate which he ought to have known was inaccurate. The Committee noted that there were no previous Disciplinary findings against Mr Lewis, and was prepared to believe his assertion that, although he knew he had not carried out the tests in strict compliance with AH's instructions, he genuinely believed his methods to be at least as accurate as measuring with callipers and did not think he was doing anything wrong or dishonest. The Committee could not then be sure that Mr Lewis had realised what he was doing was dishonest. However, the Committee noted that 'false' also means 'inaccurate' and, as Mr Lewis ought to have known that as his testing methods were not adequate, he also should have known that a considerable number of measurements on the certificate were inaccurate and that the certificate itself was inaccurate.
After considering the facts of the case, the Committee concluded that Mr Lewis's actions amounted to serious professional misconduct and directed that he should be suspended from the Register for five months, after which he may return to practice. In relation to the sanction, the Committee said: "In reaching this decision it is relevant that the false certification was not dishonest and that there was professional and personal mitigation put forward on behalf of Mr Lewis. The Committee has paid regard to the fact that Mr Lewis is an experienced veterinary surgeon who is highly thought of in his local area. It does not believe that there is any likelihood that he will repeat his previous conduct."
The Committee also said it gave considerable weight to the fact that Mr Lewis had had to wait an additional three-month period for the hearing because of an earlier adjournment.
BCF has launched the CR7, a new dental x-ray system to add to the company's range of digital radiography equipment.
BCF describes the CR7 as a portable, desk-top sized, small format CR X-ray dental system which has been specifically designed for dental diagnosis in a veterinary practice, with intuitive operation and fast workflow integration.
Kat Evans from BCF said: "The image quality on this machine is fantastic. The CR plates are scanned at 25 line pairs per mm, giving over double the resolution of any traditional CR system. This allows for much more accurate diagnosis of dental disease. It can also be used with a normal X-ray generator."
For more information visit www.bcftechnology.com or call +44 (0)1506 460023 to arrange a demonstration. You can also join BCF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bcftechnology
Novartis Animal Health has launched a 0.5L pack of the anthelmintic Zolvix to make the product more readily available for quarantine dosing, and for the smaller sheep farmer.
Novartis says that because Zolvix is a broad spectrum anthelmintic that has the ability to kill all common sheep gastro-intestinal nematodes, including those resistant to existing treatments, it has a key role to play in quarantine treatment to keep parasite infection down to a minimum.
Simon Harris, Endoparasite Brand Manager at Novartis Animal Health, said: "As the first of the new generation of the Orange or 4-AD anthelmintic group, Zolvix has demonstrated effectiveness in killing worms, even those resistant to other products.
"Sheep farmers are being encouraged to use Zolvix as a quarantine treatment that can significantly reduce worm burdens on farm. I would stress that it is essential guidelines are followed in order to preserve Zolvix's ability to combat nematodes that have acquired resistance to other classes of wormers.
"This new pack size is aimed at farmers who are introducing new stock to their flocks, but will also be convenient for the smaller sheep farmer and smallholders who don't require such a large quantity of product."
Novartis says that because Zolvix is a short-acting anthelmintic, it does not encourage resistance to develop through a long duration of action. It has a high margin of safety so can be used to treat sheep and lambs including pregnant or lactating ewes and breeding rams. Its short meat withhold period of just seven days allows flexibility when marketing lambs.
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has opened registration for next year's BSAVA / WSAVA / FECAVA Congress, offering the added incentive of some high value prizes for booking early.
Every month between now and December, everyone registered for the event will be entered into a draw. So if you book now, that gives you five chances to win:
In addition, booking early qualifies you for the Early Bird discount, and means you should secure any Masterclass and social tickets you might want.
You don't have to do anything other than register - either for yourself or for your practice - every person who pays for a registration between now and 29th December will go into the draw.
Peter Renwick, Partner, Willows Veterinary Centre said: "Given our involvement in professional development we are proud to sponsor one of the Big Booking Bonanza prizes - a complete set of the latest BSAVA Manuals that make a great addition to any interested small animal practitioner's bookshelf."
The BSAVA says that tor this WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA Congress there is a really broad and fascinating programme for 2012, with more for vets and nurses, plus a brilliantly expanded management programme and a new registration option for practice managers.
Visit www.bsava.com/congress for full details and terms and conditions.
Ceva Animal Health UK has launched a new Galastop iPhone application to calculate the optimal date for spaying in order to reduce the risk of post-operative false pregnancy.
Enter the end of oestrus date (when the last season finished), and the app will calculate when to spay, i.e. 16 weeks later.
Ceva says it is important not to spay a bitch during a false pregnancy as post-operative chronic pseudopregnancy may develop, which can last longer and be more resistant to standard treatment. However, some cases of false pregnancy can be silent and difficult to detect. Product manager at Ceva Animal Health UK, Fraser Broadfoot MRCVS, said: "It is commonly recommended to wait until 12 weeks after the end of oestrus before spaying. However, silent pseudopregnancy can still occur at this stage so, to be on the safe side, many specialists are now recommending spaying later at 16 weeks after the end of oestrus."
Click here for more details, and to download the app in iTunes.
For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health UK representative or call the veterinary support team on 01494 781510.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched four new care products, enhancing its Professional Care range, available exclusively through veterinary practices.
The new products are:
Brand Manager Rachel Horton said: "At Dechra we're focused on providing a complete care solution for companion animals. Our Professional Care range provides products which owners can use at home to keep their pets in great condition.
With the launch of these new products, we believe the Professional Care range provides a cost-effective care solution for pet owners while providing significant additional revenue opportunities for practices."
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is seeking feedback on a new draft Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.
The new draft Code, which would replace the existing RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses, has been produced by a Working Party set up by the RCVS Advisory Committee to review the Guides for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
It is the benchmark for professional conduct against which registered veterinary nurses will be measured in any hearings on serious professional misconduct held by the recently-introduced VN Disciplinary Committee.
The purpose of the review is to ensure that guidance to the profession, and the public, is clear, for example, using consistent language to distinguish between what must be done and what is advised.
The new Code is a short, principles-based document, using the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe's Code of Conduct as the starting point. It will be supported by additional advice on specific areas of veterinary practice or issues, for example, clinical governance.
The consultation follows an earlier one for a new draft Code for veterinary surgeons that closed at the end of June: the new Code for veterinary nurses follows the format and style of that for veterinary surgeons. Comments made during the veterinary surgeon consultation will be taken account of alongside comments made during this new consultation.
For the first time, the draft proposes that veterinary nurses make a declaration on joining the VN Register, which underlines the primary importance of animal health and welfare: "I PROMISE AND SOLEMNLY DECLARE that my constant endeavour will be to ensure the welfare of animals committed to my care and that I will pursue the work of my profession with integrity and accept my responsibilities to my clients, the public, the profession and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons."
Comments on the proposed draft are invited from the veterinary nursing profession, the veterinary profession and the public, particularly on the issue of whether the Codes for veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons ought to be combined.
Andrea Jeffery, the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council member who led the group tasked with developing the new Code, said: "It is 50 years since the start of the veterinary nursing profession and the changes proposed in the Code reflect the development of our professional role over this time.
"This new Code is a simplified document that focuses on key principles and which will be supported by more detailed guidance. Although it follows the format of the draft Code for veterinary surgeons, it is important that we recognise our unique position as veterinary nurses."
The new Code, together with the consultation paper, can be downloaded at www.rcvs.org.uk/VNcodeconsultation.
Comments should be sent by email to Christopher Murdoch, Secretary to the Guides Review Working Party, at c.murdoch@rcvs.org.uk by Friday, 21 October 2011.
Pfizer Animal Health has launched PrintRoom, an online printing service to help equine practices deliver high quality communications to their clients, to support the company's Equip range of equine vaccines.
PrintRoom can be used to produce customised vaccination reminder cards, invitations, letterheads, stable name sheets, and more.
You can choose from a palette of designs, images and colours and can also upload your own logos and images to tailor your client communications to your preferred style.
PrintRoom has a MailMerge option to pre-address all your mailings and you can pay for postage and set the date of despatch online, to help ensure boosters are administered on time and passports stay up to date.
Paul Blanc, Equine Brand manager at Pfizer said: "Good communication with your clients plays a vital role in maintaining vaccination compliance and retaining and gaining business. Our print room service makes it easy to produce a broad range of customised practice marketing materials to a very professional standard that stand out from the crowd."
For further information visit http://www.pfizerprintroom.com/, call 0845 6027439 or contact your Pfizer Account Manager.
Virbac Animal Health has produced a Pet Oral Hygiene System point of sale kit for practice reception areas.
The pack includes information for owners on periodontal disease and gingivitis and advice on preventative routine care. It also provides guidance for owners who struggle to brush their pet's teeth correctly, including where to find Virbac CET 'You Tube' footage.
Virbac Oral Care product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS says still more is needed when it comes to oral home care: "Some experts state that four out of every five dogs over the age of three suffers from periodontal disease - despite this many pet owners have no form of oral care programme.
"The idea behind this kit is to highlight to owners the importance of oral hygiene at the time when they are in the most appropriate place to get expert advice!"
Packs are free to any practice spending £50.00 or more on the Virbac oral care range including VeggieDent chews and Vet aquadent drinking solution.
For more information contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
Merial Animal Health has announced that the duration of immunity for the tetanus component of Proteqflu-Te has been extended to 2 years.
Merial's Veterinary Technical Manager Kevin Whelan said: "This is a welcome new addition to the label claims for this advanced vaccine, which is the only equine flu vaccine in the UK to contain a recently updated influenza virus strain. The updated strain, innovative canarypox vector technology and now the extended tetanus duration of immunity claim make the vaccine an excellent choice for vets in the UK"
Merial says Proteqflu-Te can now be used on an alternate year basis in combination with the company's other flu vaccine, Proteqflu, which does not contain tetanus toxoid. The one year duration of immunity for the influenza component remains unchanged.
Please contact your local Merial Representative or the Merial Technical Support line on 0870 6000 123 for further information.
Alstoe Animal Health has launched Easeflex for Cats, a mobility support supplement containing Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM and anti-oxidants in a palatable triangular-shaped chew.
Alstoe says stiffness in cats may be linked to changes within the synovial joints and can often go unrecognised. To help owners identify the problem, Alstoe has invented "Chedda" the Easeflex cartoon cat. The client information pack that Alstoe offers to practices consists of leaflets with graphics which outline to the owner how stiffness affects Chedda's lifestyle. .
Sales of joint supplements for cats have lagged well behind those for dogs. Alstoe says this can be explained by the difficulty in administration to chronically affected cats, but that Easeflex's unique texture, shape and flavoured base of fish and cheese, should lead to a marked improvement in compliance rates amongst pets and owners.
Easeflex for Cats is now available at wholesalers and the client information material featuring "The adventures of Chedda" is available from Alstoe by calling 01347 878606 or contacting info@alstoe.co.uk.
From the beginning of October this year, the electronic recording of pig movements will be written into legislation.
Following a recent consultation, Defra intends to amend the existing Pigs, Records, Identification and Movements Order (PRIMO) 2007 to reflect the requirement of pre-notification of movements.
Dorothea Schiemann of BPEX said: "There will be a transitional period of six months for the phasing out of the paper-based AML2 forms, planned to start from 1 October 2011. This will give producers and businesses the opportunity to adjust to the change in process.
"From April 2012 the AML2 paper forms will cease to be a valid method of reporting movements. Pig movements will either have to be reported using the free eAML2 online service or the free eAML2 bureau service and there will also be third party agents such as marketing groups or the British Pig Association."
Following extensive trialling, the eAML2 system for farm to slaughter movements was launched in April 2011 across England and Wales. The functions for movements from farm to farm, market, collection centre and show, and for import and export, will be introduced in due course.
Benefits include the fact that the industry will have a realistic herd register providing accurate and timely information. This will enable better communication and control in the event of disease outbreak. There will be no need to fill in the same information again and again as the eAML2 service will pre-populate the basic information automatically. Also, when pigs are sent to slaughter, the system combines the movement licence and Food Chain Information (FCI) form in one, which will save producers time.
For more information and to register to use the system go to: http://www.eaml2.org.uk/
Norbrook Laboratories Ltd has relaunched its website with a focus on veterinary technical support, farmers and pet owners, and a new online recruitment system.
The new site has sections dedicated specifically to farm animal, equine and pet healthcare. Norbrook says each section will feature articles and information on relevant issues in addition to help and support for the company's animal health pharmaceutical product ranges.
Alanna Carty, European Marketing Director said: "Animal Healthcare is a massive area within which there are a range of very different users and requirements. On our new website, we have categorised three specific groups - Farm Animals, Horses and small companion animals or pets. Users can now easily navigate directly to the specific area they are interested in and obtain the information they need in an instant. In addition, we have included articles and information on relevant topics eg Bovine Respiratory Disease or Arthritis in cats and dogs which will help animal health carers to keep abreast of key issues in what is a fast-changing environment"
The new site also incorporates a Veterinary Technical Support section dedicated to veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and practice managers. Alanna said: "Time is a precious commodity for veterinary surgeons and nurses. They need information on drugs and treatments as quickly as possible and our new website has been designed to meet this need. Our quick search allows vets and assistants to quickly identify products they may wish to use and our full Product Compendium is also available online."
The site also includes a new online recruitment section which aims to streamline the process for the 3000 or so applications the company currently receives each year.
Mrs Louise Kirk, Head of Personnel said: "The beauty of the online recruitment system is that it makes life easier for everyone involved in the process. Applicants have more time to complete the application form because they can begin online as soon as they become aware of the advertised position. They can begin to complete the form, save it and return to it or amend it until they are happy to submit it, at which point they receive a confirmation email and a pdf copy of their application form. However the system also allows for the form to be downloaded and posted to applicants who are unable to use the online system."
www.norbrook.com
Five graduates from St George's University School of Veterinary Medicine (SGUSVM), in the Caribbean island of Grenada, have passed the Statutory Membership Examination of the UK's Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
According to the University, SGUSVM graduates have traditionally demonstrated impressive pass rates on this rigorous exam, but this year's 100% pass rate by SGU students - compared with an overall 44% pass rate for candidates overall - is an exceptional result for SGU students, and only the second time it has been achieved in the school's history.
In order to practice veterinary surgery in the UK, all graduates with foreign or Commonwealth qualifications must pass the RCVS examination. The exam consists of two days of written papers, followed by clinical, oral and practical exams at a UK veterinary medical school. Thirty-five St George's graduates have passed into the RCVS since the School's inception in 1999.
The RCVS sets no quota for this Statutory Membership Examination, meaning those who meet the standards will pass, regardless of the number of candidates sitting the exam.
Austin Kirwan, St George's Associate Dean of UK and Ireland Clinical Affairs stated: "St George's School of Veterinary Medicine once again produces an excellent set of results with a 100 percent pass rate for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Statutory Membership Examination for those SGU students who sat the examination. This is a credit to the school in the quality of education it provides, but also an indication of the calibre of person SGU attracts in its student cohort - outstanding success abounds by thinking beyond."
Presenting the graduates with a membership certificate at the Ceremony of Admissions at Belgravia House in London, RCVS President Dr Jerry Davies said: "I was delighted to welcome so many of this year's successful candidates to the College. Whether newly graduated or long qualified elsewhere, all of those registering today have succeeded in meeting the educational and professional requirements that enable them to call themselves veterinary surgeons and to practise in the UK."
Scientists at the Royal Veterinary College, contributing to a programme to tackle some of the most harmful and widespread endemic diseases that commonly affect farmed animals in the UK, have developed a severity estimation calculator for post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS).
Post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is a common disease of young pigs in the U.K. It is extremely debilitating, causes considerable suffering and poor welfare, and has a high mortality of up to 30%. It is estimated that the disease costs the UK farming industry £30m per year.
The £2.4m project - headed by Professor Dirk Werling from the Royal Veterinary College and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) through its "Combating Endemic Diseases For Farm-Animal Sustainability" programme (CEDFAS), the British Pig Executive (BPEX), and two industrial partners, Pfizer Ltd (UK) and BioBest - aims to identify why PMWS occurs and to develop new methods of controlling the disease.
One key-component of the project is the direct involvement of British pig farmers, thereby guaranteeing that pigs in Britain will be the first to benefit from this research, while collaboration with a major international pharmaceutical company will ensure that new veterinary products will be made available to pig farmers worldwide.
Now, two members of the team, Dr. Barbara Wieland and Pablo Alarcon-Lopez, a second year PhD student, have developed a novel approach to quantify severity of PMWS based on morbidity and mortality data and presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). They applied factorial analyses, using data collected from 147 pig farms in England to identify variables contributing to variation in PMWS severity in a biologically meaningful way.
Together with other known variables linked to PMWS, the resulting factors were used to derive an algorithm for PMWS severity. The derived algorithm was used to develop a PMWS severity calculator, which now can be used by farmers directly to assess the PMWS severity on their own farm (http://www.bpex.org.uk/articles/300874).
The levels of PMWS severities identified on farm level can now be used to identify risk factors related to the different severity-categories, to assess the efficacy of PCV2 vaccination and to investigate the economic impact of potential control measures on a farm.
Vetoquinol has launched the Vet-Touch Digital Atlas, an innovative communication tool to help veterinary practices explain complex conditions to clients at the touch of a screen.
Vetoquinol says the Vet-Touch Digital Atlas saves valuable time and will allow you to offer an improved service to your clients, by maximising their comprehension of the case.
The Vet-Touch Digital Atlas has a 15 inch (38cm) touch screen monitor and comes with a range of animated movies. It's available to buy from your Vetoquinol Territory Manager.
For further information visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/ or contact Vetoquinol on 01280 825 424.
Medivet is celebrating its 100th batch collection for Vet Blood Supplies, the north London-based bloodbank set up in 2007 to provide blood products for its branches around the country.
Veterinary nurse Laura Brind, who is responsible for collecting the blood, said: "We are really proud to celebrate the 100th collection. We travel to Retired Greyhound Trust kennels across south-east England who kindly agreed to arrange the donation in return for free preventative treatment for the dogs."
The collection was taken from Barn Kennels, the Portsmouth branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust, which has been donating blood for the past 18 months.
Petplan is calling for nominations for this year's 'Petplan Veterinary Awards 2011'.
The awards, which are now into their 12th year, are an opportunity for colleagues and pet owners to thank their local veterinary stars who go above and beyond the call of duty.
Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, said: "At Petplan, we work closely with vets and hear first hand about the incredible work that is carried out by the profession, so we believe that their invaluable care and support deserves special recognition. Nominating a colleague for an award is a fantastic way of expressing your appreciation for their hard work."
Alison added: "Last year, Petplan was inundated with over 1,800 nominations from across the UK, highlighting that more pet owners understand the great work vets do to help animals and their owners, and with 40% of pet-owners in the UK, stating that they trusted their vet more than their GP, it is not hard to see why the awards are so highly commended."
Closing date for entries is 4th February 2011. All finalists will be invited to a glittering awards ceremony in Birmingham on 31st March 2011, where the winners will be announced.
Winners will be selected based on the evidence given on the nomination forms by veterinary association presidents, so make sure you provide as much information as possible. To nominate today visit www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards
Fidavet has launched Surosolve, a vet wholesaler exclusive, non-prescription ear cleaner for cats and dogs.
Fidavet says the product has multiple uses for complete cat and dog ear cleaning:
Surosolve maintains healthy ears by acting as an antibacterial flush1, 2 and antibiotic potentiating agent2, 3 while contributing to restoring the normal microbiological balance of the ear canal.
According to the company, the product has already received positive feedback from veterinary practitioners that have used it: 79 per cent liked the appearance of the formulation and over 80 per cent appreciated the fragrance.
Helen Goldberg, marketing manager for Janssen Animal Health, said: "Surosolve has a unique, powerful yet non-irritant formulation, ideal for the ears of cats and dogs. This non-irritating solution with an almost neutral pH of 6.8 allows cleaning while respecting natural ear physiology.
"Surosolve also contains Tris-EDTA, which gives extra power to concurrent topical antibiotics. EDTA is a chelating agent, active in damaging the cell surfaces of bacteria, while Tris enhances the effect of EDTA by buffering the pH, ensuring the solution is not irritating to the ear and maximising the anti-bacterial effect."
Marion Lannegrace, Janssen Animal Health international product manager for Fidavet said: "The Fidavet range is only available through veterinary wholesalers because we firmly believe these products should be used only with veterinary advice. This gives clients peace of mind that their pet is receiving the best care."
For further information on Fidavet Surosolve, visit www.fidavet.com.
References:
1 Cole LK. Anatomy and physiology of the canine ear. Veterinary Dermatology, 2010, 20 (5-6), 412-4212 Cole LK, Nuttall TJ. Pseudomonas otitis. Advances in Veterinary Dermatology, Proceedings of the Fifth World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology, 2005, (5), 324-3303 Roberts NA, Gray GW, Wilkinson SC. The bactericidal action of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbios, 1970, (7-8), 189-208
The British Veterinary Association is calling on its members to consider standing in the upcoming elections for the organisation's primary representative body, BVA Council.
According to the association, there has been overwhelming support for changes to the Council structure which will see it slimmed down to 41 members, including 12 regional representatives for the UK. For the first time all UK members will have a directly elected representative on Council.
The BVA is now looking for members to stand as regional representatives in the 9 English government regions, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Ideal candidates must be committed to promoting the ideals of the BVA and the veterinary profession in general and have a willingness to devote time and effort to representing the members in their region. The BVA is developing an online communication structure to help regional representatives reach their members quickly and easily. Representatives will be expected to gather views and ideas to ensure there is a genuine two-way communication process between BVA Council and the wider membership. Regional representatives will also receive dedicated BVA staff support.
The BVA has written to every member with a copy of the role profile and details of how to nominate themselves. Any UK BVA members can nominate themselves for their region with a supporting statement of up to 500 words. All details are available on the BVA website www.bva.co.uk/councilchanges .
The Council will continue to be served by representatives from the BVA's specialist divisions, the chairs of the BVA's five standing committees, two recent graduates, three past presidents and the BVA's three officers. In addition there will be representatives from BVA Scottish Branch and BVA Welsh Branch and two non-voting representatives from BVNA and VPMA.
Harvey Locke, President of the BVA, said: "We want BVA Council to really drive our Association but it can only do that with representatives who are willing to communicate directly with the members in their region, bringing opinions and ideas to meetings and feeding back afterwards.
"Members should not rule themselves out of veterinary politics by saying they are 'just an ordinary vet'. We are looking for anyone who is committed to improving the BVA and who has good communication skills. It doesn't matter what your background is, it's about what you can offer to members in your region."
Andrew Parker, Cornwall Veterinary Association representative on BVA Council, added: "It is a privilege to be a member of BVA Council representing the diverse views of grassroots vets. There is certainly a time commitment, but it is a very rewarding and enjoyable experience and I see it as a way of giving something back to the profession which has given me a privileged working life.
"It is also a fantastic way to meet other veterinary surgeons from a wide range of backgrounds to share thoughts and ideas both on a political front and clinically. I would urge anyone with an interest in the future of our profession and our Association to stand as a regional representative."
Andy Trevan, a veterinary surgeon at the Gayton Veterinary Group in Redhill, has won the VetSurgeon.org prize draw to win an Apple iPad.
The draw was held to raise awareness in the profession of the growing community on VetSurgeon.org, and all UK-based veterinary surgeons that joined the site before 1st November 2010 were entered.
VetSurgeon.org welcomed nearly 600 new members to the site whilst the draw was open, bringing the site to just shy of 6000 members.
Congratulations to Andy - the shiny new toy will be winging its way over in the next few days.
The Royal Veterinary College has announced the appointment of Professor Stuart Reid as its new Principal and the successor to Professor Quintin McKellar.
Professor Reid BVMS, PhD, DVM, DipECVPH, FRSE, MRCVS, joins the RVC from the University of Glasgow, where he was Professor of Veterinary Informatics and Epidemiology and Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine. He will take up his new role on 1st January 2011.
Professor Reid began his career in 1987 as an Assistant Veterinary Surgeon before joining the University of Glasgow as a Clinical Research Scholar in 1988. In 1992 he assumed the role of Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the University and was promoted to Senior Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in 1994. He was appointed to the first joint Chair between the Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow in 1997, as Professor of Veterinary Informatics and Epidemiology. In 2004 he became Associate Dean of Research and, in 2005, he became Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow.
"I am delighted and honoured to be joining the Royal Veterinary College at this important time." said Professor Reid. "The RVC has an enviable heritage and is a world leader in terms of its innovation and leadership in veterinary education, research and clinical service. I recognise that I am enormously privileged to be moving from a great School to a great College and I look forward to building on the successes achieved by RVC under Principal McKellar at the same time as rising to the challenges of a new funding environment."
Professor Quintin McKellar was appointed Principal in August 2004. He leaves the RVC to take the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire.
Chairman of the RVC Council, The Right Hon the Baroness Shephard of Northwold, said: "Great strides have been made under Professor McKellar's dynamic leadership, and I am sure I speak for all at the College when I say we will be sad to see him go. We look forward to welcoming Professor Stuart Reid, and firmly believe that his experience and distinguished academic record will assist the Royal Veterinary College in strengthening its position over the coming years."
The Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has approved a new Health Protocol, which formalises a more compassionate approach to veterinary surgeons with health problems.
The Protocol will allow - in appropriate circumstances - veterinary surgeons (and, from next year, registered veterinary nurses) who suffer from health concerns affecting their ability to practise safely, to have the matter dealt with confidentially, without going to a full public Disciplinary Committee hearing.
It will allow individuals to access appropriate support and help away from the public spotlight, while ensuring that they do not put animals or the public at risk.
According to independent legal advice sought by the College, such an approach is appropriate and necessary in order for the College to fulfil its regulatory responsibilities - similar systems exist within other regulators.
The draft Protocol was the subject of consultation amongst the profession and the public over summer. Proposed amendments to the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct, to support the introduction of the Health Protocol, were also approved in the November meeting.
RCVS Head of Professional Conduct, Gordon Hockey said: "The Protocol encourages anyone coming into contact with veterinary surgeons - including other veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, members of practice staff, clients and healthcare professionals - who have concerns about a veterinary surgeon's health to report those concerns to the RCVS as soon as is reasonably practicable.
"Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who are concerned about the health of a veterinary surgeon must also take steps to ensure that animals are not put at risk and that the interests of the public, including those of their colleagues, are protected."