Under the scheme, 60 students will be given two weeks of supported clinical placements in more than 50 Vets4Pets practices across the UK, helping to prepare them for work in a clinical environment.
Successful applicants will receive £334 per week during their placements and will also have access to a fast-track application to the Vets4Pets Graduate Programme.
Emily Bridges, Vet & Graduate Programme Lead at Vets4Pets said: “While we know that great EMS placements are a key part of a student’s development, we also know that it has become increasingly difficult for students to fund EMS while they are studying.
"By launching the bursary scheme, we’re hoping to provide students with the support they need to get the most out of their placements, without the financial worry."
Jessica Windham, a veterinary graduate from the RVC, London, took part in the pilot. She said: “For me, the bursary helped to pay for my fuel and food while on placement.
"This meant I could go home and rest after eight hours in the practice, instead of going straight to my part-time bar job and working an extra four-hour shift like many students have to do.
"Ultimately because I was less tired, I performed far better as a student and learned a lot more.”
Applications will open in March 2022 for placements beginning in summer, and students can find out more at: www.vets4pets.com/ems
The company, which now has over 20,000 monthly subscribers in the UK, saw a massive growth during the pandemic, with a reported 1000% increase in monthly recurring revenue over the past two years.
Since March 2020, VetBox has shipped over quarter-of-a-million boxes.
Bought by Many says the acquisition is a major part of its expansion beyond insurance and into preventative wellness.
Will said: "I founded VetBox after seeing that far too many UK pets were missing out on essential parasite protection.
"I'm really proud of the progress that VetBox has made in solving this issue in just five years and can't wait to see what we can achieve as part of the Bought By Many family.
"As a vet I've seen first-hand the fantastic service Bought By Many offer pet owners, so it's been a pleasure seeing this partnership grow over the past few years."
In the study titled “Safety of early postoperative hydrotherapy in dogs undergoing thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy”, the medical records of a single referral hospital in Sweden were retrospectively reviewed to identify dogs that had been treated with hemilaminectomy for acute or chronic thoracolumbar IVDE and had commenced hydrotherapy within five days after surgery.
Information collected from the medical records included signalment, presenting clinical signs, severity of neurological signs, initiation and duration of hydrotherapy, postoperative complications and follow-up.
Postoperative complications were considered major if there was a need for hospitalisation, surgery or if the dog died or was euthanised as a direct consequence of the complication.
A complication was deemed minor if outpatient medical treatment was sufficient to rectify it.
A total of 83 dogs were included in the study.
Hydrotherapy was started within a mean of 2.7 (one to five) days after surgery and consisted of swimming without underwater treadmill (UWTM) in dogs with severe paraparesis or paraplegia.
With neurological improvement, and when supported ambulation was possible, UWTM was initiated.
Ninety-six percent of the dogs used swimming as postoperative hydrotherapy, starting with a mean of 2.7 days after surgery, fifty-seven percent of the dogs used UWTM as the postoperative hydrotherapy, starting with a mean of 13 days after surgery.
Forty-five percent of dogs used both hydrotherapeutic modalities.
Dr Abtin Morjarradi, corresponding author for the paper, said: “A total of 10 minor complications were recorded during the study period, including surgical site infection (SSI) (n=5), diarrhoea (n=4) and urinary tract infection (n=1).
Major complications were recorded in 26 dogs during the study period and included euthanasia (n=13), acute dermatitis (n=1), spinal abscess (n=1) and disc extrusion (n=1).
Reasons for euthanasia were urinary incontinence (n=5), lack of neurological improvement (n=2), clinical suspicion of progressive myelomalacia (PMM) (n=2), persistent pain (n=1), aggression (n=1) and widespread cellulitis with an abscess caudal to the right stifle without known cause (n=1).”
Abtin added: “Follow-up visits for 71 dogs were performed at a mean of 15.3 (9 to 30) days, and 68 dogs at a mean of 45.9 (30 to 111) days, after surgery.
"At the first follow-up visit 68% of the dogs were ambulatory with Modified Frankel Score (MFS) 4 or higher.
"At the last follow-up visit 97% of the dogs were ambulatory with MFS 4 or higher, with 34% demonstrating normal neurological function. None of these dogs deteriorated after the initiation time of hydrotherapy.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “Whilst previous studies indicate that early rehabilitation may be beneficial after acute spinal cord injury, the optimal timing to start hydrotherapy is unclear.
“Despite a high number of complications being recorded in the present study, it is not clear how many of these complications were directly related to the initiation time of hydrotherapy and therefore further research is required.”
The full article can be found in the December issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13412.
Reference
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “It’s clear that there are a number of workforce issues affecting the professions, such as high vacancy rates that employers are struggling to fill and a resultant increase in pressure on the professions in terms of caseload and hours worked, together with an increase in the number of people choosing to leave the professions.
“While many of these issues are long-standing, and due to complex and multifactorial reasons, the scale of the problem has been exacerbated by three things: the UK’s exit from the EU and the impact this has had on overseas registrants; the ongoing impact of the pandemic in areas such as staff absence and burnout; and an increase in demand for veterinary services.
The reports were published in advance of the College's Workforce Summit, held at the end of November to discuss potential solutions to the problems.
They can be downloaded here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/events/workforce-summit-2021/
A further report of the Workforce Summit is expected in due course, which the College says will include an action plan with commitments from a range of stakeholders.
1,500 volunteers were surveyed for the study, which was led by Dr Francois Martin.
As well as having lower depression scores, dog owners were more likely to report feeling loved and valued during the pandemic than those who did not own a dog.
Owners also had a significantly more positive attitude toward and commitment to pets.
The full study is available open access here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260676
Used to treat calf diarrhoea, Locatim is an orally administered product, indicated for the reduction of mortality caused by enterotoxicosis associated with E. coli F5 (K99).
The product is made from the colostrum of high health status cows hyperimmunised against Rotavirus, Coronavirus and E.coli.
Locatim is designed to work alongside the dam’s colostrum, enhancing protection against gastro-intestinal infection and helping to sustain calf health in the critical neo-natal period.
For optimal effect, Forte says Locatim should be given within 4 hours of birth, but can be used up to 12 hours post-natally.
Forte says Locatim is not designed to replace anti-scour vaccination programmes, rather to act as an extremely useful adjunct in cases where the response to vaccines has been less than ideal.
The company says Locatim is also extremely useful in managing outbreaks of scour in unvaccinated herds by protecting those calves born before a new vaccination programme can take effect.
Locatim is available from all UK veterinary wholesalers.
For more information, contact your Forte Territory Manager or enquiries@fortehealthcare.com.
The company points to an increasing trend across Europe towards feeding raw diets to pets, with 4% of UK cats and 10% of UK dogs now being fed raw meat and animal by-products.
The webinar, which will also look at the role of testing, offers an opportunity to learn more about the pathogens and parasites associated with raw feeding and the role of the right test at the right time.
Horiba says it's not just pets that need testing, but the raw materials used in their food.
Ian, who is Head of ESCCAP (the European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites) UK & Ireland, said: “The recent trend of increasing raw feeding opens up new opportunities for pathogen transmission.
"Where raw feeding is taking place, adequate tapeworm and protozoal parasite prevention is essential to reduce zoonotic risk and economic losses.
“Testing forms an essential part of their control, and understanding this role and the diagnostic test options available will prove valuable to all veterinary professionals.”
Following Ian's presentation, there will be an open Q&A session.
Horiba’s team of veterinary specialists will also be available at the end of the webinar to discuss and advise on any testing needs, including its veterinary PCR system, the POCKIT Central.
To register, visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4306408134214190348
Mr Samuel had been removed from the Register in 2018 for causing unnecessary harm to numerous animals.
After being tried and convicted of several animal welfare offences alongside his former partner at Leeds Magistrates Court, Mr Samuel was sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12-months on the condition that he did 150 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay a £100 fine and subjected to a disqualification order under the Animal Welfare Act for three years.
Mr Samuel’s application for restoration was based on the facts that he accepted the seriousness of his actions and that he did not challenge the DC’s 2018 decision.
The Committee also heard evidence that since his removal from the Register, Mr Samuel - who had run a first opinion veterinary practice for nine years prior to being struck off - has undertaken 340 hours of work experience with other veterinary surgeons and 20 hours of CPD.
Dr Samuel was represented by Counsel who outlined in his submissions to the Committee how Dr Samuel’s former partner had sole responsibility for the animals and that she was involved in rehoming dogs and cats and that their relationship was ‘stressful’, that this made Dr Samuel neglect his professional obligations, and that Dr Samuel was now in a different relationship and his life had been ‘transformed’ since his conviction.
The College opposed Dr Samuel being restored to the Register.
Ms Curtis, Counsel on behalf of the College, submitted to the Committee that Dr Samuel continued to represent a risk to the welfare of animals and that to allow him to be restored to the Register would undermine public confidence in the profession.
She explained that even though his sentence and Animal Welfare Act Disqualification Order had come to an end, and he was now legally able to own animals, this should not be equated with him now being fit to return to the Register.
Dr Austin Kirwan MRCVS, chairing the Committee, and speaking on its behalf, said: “Where a veterinary surgeon has shown himself to be capable of such indifference to the welfare of multiple animals, there remained, in the Committee’s view, a real risk of that indifference manifesting itself again.
"A registered veterinary surgeon is entrusted with the care of animals, often when they are at their most vulnerable, and sometimes for prolonged periods of time.
"Given the nature of the animal welfare offences committed by Dr Samuel, the Committee considered there would be a real and significant risk to animals if the high level of responsibility and trust that comes with registration were returned to him.
“For a veterinary surgeon, conduct involving neglect of animals is at the highest end of the spectrum of serious professional misconduct.
"For the reasons outlined above, the Committee considered Dr Samuel continued to represent a risk to animal welfare and thus allowing him to be restored to the Register would seriously undermine public confidence in the profession.
"For all these reasons the application to restore Dr Samuel to the Register is refused.”
The Committee’s full findings can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The College says the online library, which is free to access, aims to encourage people to develop their leadership skills, regardless of what stage of their career they are at.
The Library has a range of materials that learners can work through at their own pace, including presentations, interviews, videos, blogs, articles and webinars on key leadership topics such as Delegation Skills, Difficult Conversations and Inclusive Leadership.
The RCVS Leadership Team will be adding more content to the library, and the profession will have opportunities to suggest topics that they would like to learn more about.
Gurpreet Gill, RCVS Leadership and Inclusion Manager, said: “In terms of veterinary CPD, importance often tends to be placed more on clinical and technical capabilities, but leadership skills are a critical aspect of every veterinary practice and organisation.
“It is also assumed that leadership is a condition of status or position, but this is not necessarily the case.
"Leadership is an everyday practice that is applicable to everyone, regardless of their role.
"The Leadership Library provides learning opportunities for anyone looking to develop and reflect on their leadership skills, which will also count towards the annual CPD requirement.”
The Leadership Library can be accessed now from https://www.rcvs.org.uk/lifelong-learning/rcvs-leadership-initiative/rcvs-leadership-library/
For the study, Luisa De Risio, clinical research and excellence director at Linnaeus and a co-investigator, is collaborating with neurology specialists and primary care vets at Linnaeus practices to recruit cases.
Luisa said: “Canine idiopathic epilepsy is a disease that is common in many breeds of dog and can significantly impact the quality of life of both affected dogs and their owners.
"However, there is limited knowledge concerning the role of genetic factors in susceptibility to the disease in most breeds.
“The overarching aim of this large-scale collaborative study is to identify the genetic factors contributing to the risk of developing idiopathic epilepsy as this could help develop tools to lower the incidence of the condition in future generations.
“The study will initially focus on the Border Collie and Italian Spinone, as they can suffer from a particularly severe and life-limiting form of epilepsy, before expanding the study to other breeds in the future.
Dr Sally Ricketts, the geneticist leading the study at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, said: “We are very excited about this collaboration, which will facilitate our sample collections to enable study of this debilitating disease.
For more information on the study, visit www.canine-genetics.org.uk/research/epilepsy.
Photo: Sally Ricketts, senior research associate at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge; Luisa De Risio, clinical research and excellence director at Linnaeus and Christopher Jenkins, research assistant at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge.
This, says the company, highlights the need for increased awareness of MCTs, which, accounting for up to 21% of skin cancer cases2 in dogs, are the most common form of canine cutaneous neoplasia.
The incidence of MCTs is highest in dogs aged 6 to 10 years old3,4 with predisposition in some of the UK’s most popular breeds such as Labradors, French Bulldogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Golden Retrievers.
Virbac says that until the launch of Stelfonta, surgical removal of tumours was the standard of care, but surgery can pose challenges for the veterinary surgeon, such as the accessibility of the tumour in order to obtain sufficient margins and anaesthetic risks, particularly in senior and brachycephalic pets.
Apparently, however, 77% of delegates at London Vet Show said they were either likely or very likely to use Stelfonta on their next mast cell tumour case.
To help veterinary professionals and pet owners identify skin masses, Virbac has created a range of resources available at: vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta/education.
References
All existing bookings for the event, which takes place at the ICC Wales in Newport, have been transferred to the new dates.
Registration is still open for new bookings at www.spvs-vmg-events.co.uk.
Otherwise, everything else remains unchanged: same speakers, same commercial exhibition, same pre-Congress party.
No need to bring a bottle: organisers say they'll be working with ICC Wales to put necessary Covid safety protocols in place so all attendees can relax and make the most out of their Congress experience.
Developed by Zoetis, Apoquel is a prescription-only Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for veterinary use that targets the itch and inflammation pathway.
Ben Hurst, Product Manager, Zoetis UK said: "Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common allergies in dogs, affecting approximately 10% of the dog population1.
"Itching caused by an allergic skin disease can impact the quality of life for both the dog and its owner unless they are controlled with effective management.
"Apoquel chewable tablets now offer a new, convenient and palatable solution for dog owners."
Apoquel chewable tablets are administered twice daily for up to 14 days (at 0.4 to 0.6 mg/kg), then once daily for maintenance therapy.
Zoetis says marketing authorisation for the EU market is expected later this year following the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) positive opinion received on 7th October 2021.
The two-day ‘Save A Life Today’ (SALT) courses are being run in partnership with the Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER).
Vets and nurses are encouraged to attend together, as well as individually, so that they can go back to practice and share their learning as a team.
On day one, delegates will cover the practical aspects of resuscitation.
The second day will be focused on effective leadership during and after CPR and the critical care of patients that survive CPR, with an emphasis on techniques used in general practice.
The courses will be led by Emily Thomas BA VetMB FHEA DACVECC DECVECC MRCVS Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care at Dick White Referrals, supported by Kathryn Latimer DipAVN DipHE CVN CertEd CertVN (ECC) RVN, Head of Nursing Services at North West Veterinary Specialists in Cheshire.
Charlotte French (pictured right), Operational Head for Improve International in the UK, said: “When CPR is attempted, it can be stressful and distressing for those involved.
"It’s also a situation in which clear thinking and teamwork can save lives.
"Through our partnership with RECOVER, we hope to increase the competence and confidence of veterinary staff globally in conducting CPR and to facilitate the building of team-working which will radiate into other areas of day-to-day practice."
Emily Thomas said: “CPR training for vets and nurses has traditionally focused on individual tasks such as chest compressions.
"However, we’re now realising that human factors such as organisation, teamwork, and leadership are equally integral to success.
"This is an area of particular interest for me, and I’m hoping to bring some simple, evidence- based ideas to this course to help people improve these non-clinical aspects in their own practices.”
The course is comprised of an online training module, followed by a face-to-face course which together account for 20.5 hours of CPD. Successful delegates will become Basic and Advanced Life Support RECOVER Rescuer Certified.
The collection includes articles from BSAVA’s Companion magazine, webinars, and Congress lectures, covering topics such as ‘What does environmentally-friendly look like in practice?’, ‘20x20 visions of a greener future now’, and ‘One Health, One Planet: Why sustainability is a necessity’.
The collection builds on the work of the BSAVA Sustainability Working Group (SWG), which was formed to help small animal practices on their sustainability journey.
Carl Gorman, Junior Vice President of the BSAVA and Chair of the SWG said: “We are pleased to have created this collection of resources for veterinary professionals.
"It is increasingly important that we ensure sustainable working in small animal practice, and we hope that this collection highlights some of the ways in which staff can really make a difference in their practice”.
The collection is freely available in the BSAVA Library throughout December from: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/sustainability-in-practice
To find out more about the BSAVA SWG’s work, visit: https://www.bsava.com/aboutus/sustainability
Owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one implanted, or face a fine of up to £500.
Cats Protection, which has campaigned for years for the measure, says the new regulations will be a major step forward for cat welfare in England.
According to its research, 2.8 million or roughly 26% of the UK's 10.8 million pet cats are not currently microchipped.
Animal Welfare Minister Lord Goldsmith said: "These new rules will help protect millions of cats across the country and will be brought in alongside a range of other protections we are introducing under our Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
The Government is also reviewing the regulations on dog microchipping and the related microchipping database systems to consider whether improvements can be made.
The new cat microchipping rules will come into force once this review has completed.
Sponsored by Vetoquinol UK, manufacturers of Cimalgex, the webinar will consider the reasons for switching medications and the pharmacological properties which affect the decision process.
The session aims to better equip vets to make a more informed decision that balances risk of side effects with achieving optimal patient pain management and welfare.
Duncan said: "NSAIDs remain a useful therapeutic tool for pain management in companion animals, particularly for conditions such as canine osteoarthritis.
"Although their benefits are clear at a group level, individual animal response can vary significantly; this is one of the key reasons why a clinician may switch a patient to a different NSAID, but due to concerns around adverse effects this often involves a washout period which can lead to gaps in pain management."
In the webinar, hosted on the WebinarVet platform, Duncan will give an overview of the ‘Whens, Whys and Hows’ of switching NSAIDs in dogs.
This will include findings from scientific studies and recommendations around switching safely, including when the washout period should be observed.
Vetoquinol UK has also put together a free guide for vets on the topic, authored by Dr Lascelles.
Felicity Holford MRCVS, vet and Product Manager at Vetoquinol UK, said: "Vets are prescribing NSAIDs every day, but the existing information around switching and washout periods is limited and can be difficult to apply in practice.
"The webinar and guide will go into the science around the topic and the poster is there to act as a handy prompt for day-to-day use."
Veterinary professionals can register their interest for the webinar here: https://bit.ly/Vetoquinol-WebinarVet
The free NSAID guide and clinic poster are available here: https://bit.ly/NSAID-guide-Vetoquinol
BlueSky says that conventional treatment for equine sarcoids, which are induced by tumour antigens E6 and E7 of the bovine papillomavirus, have only limited effect and typically result in the recurrence of the tumours.
However, research published by the company in PLoSONE1 showed that sarcoids treated with delNS/E6E7 were completely and permanently eliminated.
For the study, 29 horses were treated with different regimes involving direct injection into the tumours over three years.
Visible and very significant regression of the sarcoids was achieved in 20 of the treated horses, and 100% regression of the sarcoids in 10 equine patients.
Thomas Muster, CEO of BlueSky Immunotherapies said: "The complete elimination of very aggressive and difficult-to-cure equine sarcoids is yet another important proof of the potential offered by our delNS platform."
In addition, the systemic delNS-mediated immune stimulation eliminated non-injected sarcoids and the papillomavirus that caused the sarcoids.
Thomas added: "We are therefore confident that we will also be able to successfully heal and/or eliminate the cervical tumours of the women enrolled in the clinical trials currently under way."
Vets4Ukraine2022 is the brainchild of a group of twenty veterinary Specialists who are raising money by offering their knowledge and expertise in the form of free CPD delivered online, via Facebook and Linkedin.
So far, they've raised £2,236 for the British Red Cross.
For details of this group's activities and the free CPD it is offering colleagues, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/1491854917875566/permalink/1497308427330215/
Meanwhile the FECAVA and The Webinar Vet are running the Vets for Ukraine Online Conference, a CPD event online on the 9th April from 10:00am to 10:00pm.
More details of that initiative, which is raising money for the Disasters Emergency Committee and Four Paws can be found here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/ukraine-veterinary-aid-conference/
Last but not least, British Veterinary Professionals for Ukraine is working to get essential medical supplies - both for animals and humans - delivered to Ukraine.
BVP4U is asking for supplies to be sent to BVP4UA c/o Hoermann Equine,Wrights Lodge East, Oakham Road, Whissendine, Rutland, LE15 7HA.
A list of specific requirements is available on the BVP4UA facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishvetsforukraine.
Alternatively, veterinary practices can buy supplies through their regular wholesalers (MWI/Covetrus/NVS) and have them delivered direct to BVP4UA by emailing their wholesaler with details of what they want to donate.
Other companies who do not operate through wholesalers may also be prepared to deliver direct.
Cash donations can be made via gofundme> to allow direct purchasing of the most needed veterinary supplies https://gofund.me/f7f25366.
As part of the scheme, Linnaeus offers one-to-one mentoring, professional and clinical skills development in primary care practices across the UK as part of the scheme.
The group, which now has more than 3,000 employees, delivers all clinical training in-house through its network of specialists, referral clinicians, certificate holders and primary care clinicians.
The 2021 programme applications will remain open until the end of May, unless all positions are filled sooner.
Chloe Roberts, clinical and educational development manager at Linnaeus, said: “This will be the fourth cohort to join our GDP and we’re looking forward to building on the successes we have enjoyed over the last three years.
“This has been a challenging year for obvious reasons, so it has been extremely heartening to see our new vets rise to that challenge and continue their professional journeys with our support.
“We’re excited to hear from the next intake of new vets and look forward to supporting them in their transition to clinical practice and recognise the additional challenges they faced joining the profession in the midst of a global pandemic.”
For more information, visit graduates.linnaeusgroup.co.uk or www.instagram.com/linnaeusgdp.
Last year, the company had more than 37,000 entries from pet owners and the veterinary community for the five award categories:
The winners will be announced later this year and will recognise the remarkable work carried out by some of the best veterinary professionals in the country.
James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan (pictured right), said: “Now more than ever it’s important to recognise the lengths the veterinary community goes to in looking after our pets. Every year we’re astounded by the quality and quantity of nominations which are a real testament to the hard work of all of those involved at practices who care for animals and clients all year round.
"The awards are a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your practice and your colleagues. If you haven’t already I’d invite you to nominate someone today.”
Nominate a colleague or your practice at www.petplanvet.co.uk/vetawards.
Su Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at CEVA, said: “If left untreated, hypertension can result in target organ damage (TOD), with ocular problems developing in at least 80% of hypertensive cases1.
"Other major body systems that are commonly affected include the brain, heart and kidneys.
"Despite the potential for catastrophic sequelae such as retinopathy and blindness, owners may see very little in the way of warning signs.
"That means these patients are completely reliant on a veterinary recommendation for blood pressure monitoring.”
Ceva says that ideally, all cats over nine should be screened regularly. But given the pressure the profession is currently working under, the priority is to address the needs of the most at risk cats, ie those with predisposing conditions such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism.
Su said: “There is a real danger that many of those cats will be close to crisis point right now and the sooner we can identify those that need help, the better a chance we have of extending their quality and quantity of life.”
Vets looking to update their knowledge on feline hypertension, including the importance of regular screening, blood pressure monitoring techniques, and appropriate treatment options, can complete Ceva's free Feline Hypertension Ambassador CPD course at: https://veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva/.
400 people took part in the research, of which 76% described their mental health as ‘reasonable’ or ‘very good’, while almost three quarters 71% said there was someone at work they could talk to about their mental health and 80% knew where to access information and support.
This compared to 2019, when only 50% had even recognised veterinary wellbeing as an issue.
So far so good.
However, on the flip side, 60% felt that their work/life balance was not right and 82% were worried about their financial situation.
As is well known, the pandemic placed further strain on veterinary professionals: 78% of respondents said their workload had increased since it struck, and 44% said they were working longer hours.
What's more, 63% felt that that changes in working practices introduced during the pandemic had not been beneficial to their mental health.
The survey results showed a number of interesting variations depending on the respondent's time in the profession and their role.
For example, people who've been in the profession for more than ten years appeared to be more resilient than those who've been in the profession for six years or less, with 66% of the older hands saying the pandemic had had an impact on their mental heath, compared to 71% of the younger respondents.
The older crowd also reported being more aware of where to access support and information (89% vs 71%) but feel they have fewer people they can talk to at work (68% vs 76%).
Interestingly, nurses felt they had more people they can talk to at work (76% vs 62% of vets)
The organisers say that overall, the research suggests that the veterinary profession is more aware of the pressures on veterinary teams and is taking some steps to mitigate it and support staff better.
97% said they felt supported by their colleagues, 75% said they felt that their practice had strong leaders and managers and 90% said that they loved their job.
50% said their practice offers online resources to support wellbeing at work, 41% offer counselling and 40% offer flexible working.
When asked what more could be done to improve their wellbeing at work, simple solutions such as taking a lunch break, having a pleasant room at work in which they could relax and receiving recognition for hard work were the most commonly proposed.
VET Festival will be offering a Wellness Hub, supported by MWI Animal Health, in which a range of practical activities will be offered to support delegates in improving their day-to-day wellbeing, with representatives of Vetlife also on hand to offer advice and support.
Tickets for VET Festival can be bought here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
Since qualifying as an RVN in 1998, Georgina, aka George, has had a number of veterinary management roles, including Head Nurse, Business Support Manager and Regional Operations Manager.
She is currently Practice Director for Irby and Neston Vets in Cheshire.
George joined the VMG Board in 2016 and takes over as President from Richard Casey, who becomes Senior Vice President of the association.
Stuart Saunders, Practice Manager at Devon-based Selworthy Vets, becomes Junior Vice President.
All will serve a one-year term.
George said: “Becoming a manager or leader has an impact on the individual, but has an even stronger impact on the work and day-to-day experience of those around them.
"These roles therefore bring with them a great responsibility to do them well.
“We know from our members that the support, teaching, coaching and other resources that the VMG offers are making a positive difference and I’m particularly excited to take on the presidency following the recent launch of our Certificate of Veterinary Leadership & Management, an accredited taught qualification.
"I believe rigorous qualifications are the most effectively way to create the 21st century leaders and managers the veterinary sector needs.
“During my presidency, I will continue to focus on extending the range of support and help we offer to leaders and managers."
The aim of the Working Party is to compare options, such as limited licensure, for increasing inclusion, source evidence both from the UK and other countries, and to identify any potential unintended consequences of change.
The College says that it is inviting representatives from the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BVCIS), the British Veterinary Nurses Association (BVNA) and Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) to join the Working Party.
Sue Paterson will be Chairing the Working Party.
She said: “The formation of this new Working Party is a significant and very welcome step in helping to make the veterinary professions more accessible for people with a disability.
"Fellow members of the Working Party include a broad range of colleagues, students and veterinary bodies, to ensure we take into account as many perspectives as possible when we propose recommendations.
"We recognise that many organisations have already begun to explore what we could do to make the veterinary professions more accessible, and we are keen to work collaboratively with them to ensure we keep up the momentum on this vital work.
"The Working Party will endeavour to find a way that those wishing to undertake a veterinary degree or a veterinary nursing qualification in the UK are not faced with barriers due to disability."
For more information, contact Rosie Greaves, Policy and Public Affairs Officer: r.greaves@rcvs.org.uk