Ceva Animal Health has launched Cystease Advanced, a new urinary tract support supplement for cats.

The new product, which contains N-acetyl glucosamine, L-tryptophan and Hyaluronic Acid, is described as an elaboration on the original product, Cystease S. 

Ceva says Cystease Advanced has been designed to help support the bladder lining while also reducing stress-related behaviour in cats.  

Fraser Broadfoot, small animal product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "It is well documented that stress can adversely affect the integrity of the bladder lining.  There are many factors that cause stress in cats, for example inter-cat conflict, moving house, new arrivals to the home environment and car travel, to name just a few.

"Our new product has been developed to address both conditions; it contains N-acetyl glucosamine and Hyaluronic Acid which are key components of the GAG lining, whereas L-tryptophan has been proven to reduce stress-related behaviour in cats."

Cystease Advanced is taken orally and is available in pots of 30 and 300 tablets.

Ceva recommends that Cystease Advanced is used with Feliway, the company's appeasing pheromone for cats.

For further details please contact the customer support team on 01494 781510.

The RCVS has published details about its plans for a comprehensive review of its guidance to the veterinary profession on ‘under care’ and out-of-hours emergency cover, including a broad timetable for evidence gathering, policy drafting, and public consultation.

The review, announced earlier this year, was recommended to RCVS Council by its Standards Committee following its exploration of the implications of new technologies for both animal health and welfare and veterinary regulation.

The main areas under consideration include the provision of 24-hour emergency cover and the interpretation and application of an animal being under the care of a veterinary surgeon.

The initial stages of this review had been drafted for Standards Committee to consider at its meeting on 9 September, where the outline timetable was also discussed.

Standards Committee Chair Melissa Donald, said: "This is set to become one of our most fundamental reviews of RCVS guidance in recent years.

"Considering the complexity of the issues in question, and their importance to animal owners and the professions alike, it is vital that we allow ourselves enough time to ensure this review is as thorough and comprehensive as possible.

"We have a clear responsibility to seek, understand and, where we can, accommodate the opinions and experiences of as many different people from within and around the professions and the public as possible. I would urge my fellow vets and vet nurses to please find some time to consider these issues very carefully over the coming weeks and months, and to send us their views."

The review will comprise several stages and is expected to take around 12 months to complete. The outline timetable, which may be subject to change, is as follows:

• October 2019 – January 2020: six-week Call for Evidence, followed by independent qualitative analysis of all evidence received 

• February – March: Select Committee-style meetings and independent qualitative analysis of additional evidence gathered [NB this stage is subject to Standards Committee requirements, depending on the evidence gathered.]

• April – June: Consider all evidence and draft any new policy 

• July – August: six-week public consultation on draft policy

• September – October: independent review of consultation responses, and production of any proposals for change

• November 2020: Finalise any proposals for change and publish any new guidance

To support and promote the various stages of the review the College is also planning a programme of stakeholder engagement, and will also provide regular updates on progress to both Council and the wider profession.

Members of the professions and the public will be able to follow the progress of the review via the RCVS website at: www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare

Ceva is using Feline Hypertension Month coming up in May to encourage more practices to conduct routine annual blood pressure checks in cats over seven years old. 

The International Society of Feline Medicine advises that blood pressure should be checked annually in cats aged seven years or over, but as they get older they should have their blood pressure checked every six months.

This is particularly important if cats have underlying health conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) or hyperthyroidism.

To support practices who want to take to their clients about feline hypertension, Ceva has produced a new feline hypertension toolkit.

The toolkit, which is available to download from www.easethepressure.co.uk/feline-hypertension-awareness-month, includes: posters, leaflets and stickers to use in practice, waiting room display materials, social media posts and email content and a communications guide.

The company will be holding a waiting room display competition to reward the most creative use of its materials, with a prize of a doppler machine for the winning practice.

Vet influencer ‘Louise the Vet’ will also be supporting the campaign by spreading the word about feline hypertension and the importance of routine blood pressure checks in cats on her social media channels.

Reference

1.  Taylor SS, Sparkes AH, et al.  ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Management of Hypertension in Cats. J Feline Med Surg.  2017.19(3):288-303

Dechra has published the results of a survey which shows how vets and horse owners could do more to prevent strangles. 

The survey of 50 vets carried out in May this year¹ found that only half of them are recommending strangles vaccination to their clients.

They also felt that horse owners could be doing more to combat the disease.

Less than half of vets questioned believed that yards and premises operated good biosecurity measures prior to a strangles outbreak, yet 85% brought in more stringent biosecurity after an outbreak, when it was too late.

Dechra says that vets and horse owners can help combat the estimated 300 outbreaks of strangles each year with the following steps:

• Vets should recommend vaccination to all horse owners. 
  Dechra says vaccination with Strangvac can protect up to 94 per cent of horses² and reduces clinical signs of the disease including a high temperature, coughing, inappetence, difficulty swallowing and changes in demeanour, while also reducing the number of lymph node abscesses
• Horse owners should practice good biosecurity and quarantine measures.
  This includes keeping horses isolated from other horses, washing hands after handling horses and cleaning and disinfecting equipment.
  Horse owners should also monitor their horses' temperatures regularly.

Sara Barker BVSc CertAVP(EM) MRCVS, equine field support manager at Dechra, said: “Strangles is one of the most common equine infectious diseases both in the UK and worldwide and a multi-factor approach is key to tackling the disease.

"Strangles vaccination is recommended, alongside good biosecurity, quarantine measures and regular temperature checking.

"By working together, vets and horse owners can help to keep horses healthy and prevent the spread of strangles.”

Reference

1. 50 vets surveyed in May 2023
2. Robinson et al, 2020, Vaccine

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has announced that Nick Stace has been appointed its Chief Executive and Secretary, and will take up his post on 3 September 2012.

Mr Stace leaves CHOICE, Australia's equivalent of consumer group Which?, after three and a half years as Chief Executive Officer. At CHOICE, Nick led the modernisation of the organisation, this year taking it to the number one spot as the most trusted media entity in Australia. A long-standing consumer champion, Nick also held the post of Deputy CEO at Which?, he was a director at Consumers' International and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Director of Strategic Communications.

RCVS President Jerry Davies said: "I am delighted that Nick Stace will be joining the College. With his impressive track-record, I believe that we have a Chief Executive who will lead the College into a new phase of modernisation and development. I am grateful to the Interview Panel, led by Council member Dr Barry Johnson, for all their hard work in securing this excellent appointment."

Nick Stace said: "It is an enormous privilege to be leading an organisation that seeks to ensure Britain has the best vets in the world. The College has a special place in the lives of every vet in the country, it also has a responsibility to animals and consumers to set high standards and ensure they are met. I look forward to helping the College continue to improve veterinary standards across the country and to lead the College through its next stage of development."

The role of Chief Executive and Secretary is a new one - previously the Registrar led the executive of the College. One of Nick Stace's first tasks will be to assist in recruitment of the Head of Legal Services/Registrar, a new role.

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:

• To improve ear hygiene in dirty or smelly ears
• For routine ear cleaning to reduce the chance of ear problems developing
• To enhance the efficacy of topical therapies.

Surosolve maintains healthy ears by acting as an antibacterial flush^{1, 2} and antibiotic potentiating agent^{2, 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), 412-421
2 Cole LK, Nuttall TJ. Pseudomonas otitis. Advances in Veterinary Dermatology, Proceedings of the Fifth World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology, 2005, (5), 324-330
3 Roberts NA, Gray GW, Wilkinson SC. The bactericidal action of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbios, 1970, (7-8), 189-208

A survey of veterinary professionals conducted by the Veterinary Management Group and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons has concluded that veterinary leaders, chiefly vets and practice managers, lack the man management skills needed to improve staff motivation and retention. 

330 people who took part in the survey were presented with a list of management and leadership skills. Those of the respondents who are leaders were asked to rate their confidence in applying the skills, whilst those in non-management positions were asked to rate their line manager's skills. Both sets of respondents were also asked to place the skills in priority order.

The management skills were: Setting clear tasks and objectives. Providing clear roles and responsibilities. Communicating clearly and effectively. Monitoring and evaluating. Planning and organising. Effectively managing difficult situations.

The leadership skills were: Providing rationale and explaining why. Regularly providing and seeking feedback. Building trust. Providing guidance and training. Creating development plans and opportunities.

Interestingly, the survey found a close correlation between how the leaders and the employees prioritise these things, with management skills being perceived as more important overall than leadership skills. 

Communicating clearly and effectively was deemed the most important skill of all (ranked 9 out of 10 by both groups). Meanwhile, creating development plans and opportunities for others was prioritised the least (ranked 3.7/10).

But hang on a moment. If both the managers and the employees agree that creating development plans and opportunities is the least important thing, then surely it is? In other words, if employees say that creating development plans is unimportant, then surely it is unimportant, and if leaders think the same, they would appear to be right.

Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps employees don't know what's good for them, and leaders don't know what employees don't know what is good for them. If you take my point. 

Veterinary leaders were then asked to rate their confidence in applying the listed leadership and management skills. The skills which elicited the largest number of 'not confident' responses were: monitoring and evaluating performance, regularly providing and seeking feedback, and creating development plans and opportunities for others.

The skills with which leaders were most confident were: communicating clearly and effectively, building trust, and providing rationale and explaining why. 

Again, there was a close correlation between prioritisation of these skills and confidence levels. 

VMG Vice President Richard Casey said: “The survey has helped us to identify priorities for learning and development both at our 2020 Congress and during our joint CPD programme next year.  It is striking that the very skills required to motivate colleagues to remain in veterinary medicine and to support them in doing so are the ones which so many veterinary leaders admit that they lack confidence. Given the challenges the profession faces, it is also concerning that they appear to be undervalued both by veterinary leaders and the team members who report to them.

"Delegates to SPVS-VMG Congress and our other 2020 CPD events will benefit from a wealth of evidence-based lectures from experts on all aspects of veterinary leadership and management, enabling them to improve their own performance and contribute to an overall raising of standards of leadership and management across the veterinary sector." 

Peter Brown, Senior Vice-President of SPVS, said: "We know that veterinary students receive an excellent clinical training and, in recent years, universities have started to include more non-clinical skills on the curriculum. However, these results suggest that when professionals move into more senior roles, be it leading a team or running their own practice, they find they still need to acquire new skills. SPVS’ role has always been to equip veterinary professionals to be effective leaders and SPVS-VMG congress is an excellent opportunity to both hear inspiring speakers and meet and learn from fellow leaders within the profession."

The VMG-SPVS 2020 joint Congress takes place from 23-25 January at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, and will feature dedicated streams on effective leadership, management mastery, practice profitability, preparing for a digital future and sustainability in practice.

Details on the VMG-SPVS 2020 CPD Programme can be found here: https://spvs-vmg-events.co.uk/cpd-events/ 

MSD Animal Health is promoting its diabetes support materials for practices after seeing a 121% increase in calls from veterinary professionals asking for help with diabetes cases during the first five months of the pandemic (1st March to 1st August 2020).

Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager for the Companion Animal Team at MSD Animal Health said: "Research has shown that up to 20% of diabetic pets die, or are euthanised, within a year of diagnosis¹ so we want to do everything we can to prevent any further increases in this figure.

"Recent circumstances have put most practices under a great deal of strain and it's become clear from the increase in calls we're receiving that there is a high demand for more information and resources to support the care of diabetic pets.

"We've therefore decided that with Pet Diabetes Month in November, our best way of supporting veterinary practices is to make them aware of, and know how to access the resources we have available to help them."

The diabetes resources include veterinary nurse clinics and training, getting the most out ofVetPen, monitoring support tools and case advice. 

Veterinary professionals can subscribe for access to the materials as individuals or as a practice team.

For further information, visit https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/ahp/caninsulin/tools.

References

1. Neissen, S.J.M. et al (2017). The big pet diabetes survey: perceived frequency and triggers for euthanasia. Vet. Sci. 4 (27) pp 1-13.

Does your vet practice or an individual in the team deserve to be recognised for their commitment and dedication to their job? If so, this is your last chance to nominate your practice or colleagues for the Petplan Veterinary Awards held at a glittering award ceremony at BSAVA in April.

You can nominate under four categories:  

• Vet of the Year
• Vet Nurse of the Year
• Receptionist of the Year
• Practice of the Year

Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, said: "Nominating your colleagues for an award is a fantastic way of expressing your appreciation for their hard work.  The veterinary profession is dedicated to animal welfare and at Petplan we believe that their invaluable care and support deserves special recognition.  The 11^th annual Petplan Veterinary Awards will bestow great accolades upon the stars of the industry."

Ben Jones was awarded Vet of the Year in 2009. He said: "It was a great honour to be named the 2009 Petplan Vet of the Year and it has had a really positive impact. The award has greatly increased the practice's exposure in the local and national press and we've also been able to use the award to generate our own publicity."

However Ben says the greatest impact of the award has been on his customers: "They were all delighted and I think it gave them a lot of reassurance in the service we provide. It has also generated more business with new clients saying they have come to us because of the award."

Ian Patterson, a partner at St Clair Veterinary Group in Fife, said being named the 2009 Practice of the Year has also had a tremendous impact on their practice. He said: "The award meant so much to everyone right across the practice and the team here is extremely proud of their efforts. It has also given us the opportunity to generate more business through the exposure that the practice has received since winning the award."

You can nominate online at www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards. Remember to also encourage your clients to nominate your team for the contribution you have made to their pets wellbeing.

The Veterinary Surgery in Lowestoft is launching a radioactive iodine therapy service for veterinary practices in the East of England to refer hyperthyroid cats from 5th June.

The service will be run by Dr Eloise Quince BVetMed CertAVP(SAM-F) PgCertVPS MANZCVS MRCVS and Dr Kate Allgood BVetMed CertAVP(SAM) MRCVS.

The practice says radioactive iodine therapy is the treatment of choice for hyperthyroid cats as it provides a permanent cure in up to 95% of cases.

It is administered by an iodine injection under the skin in a specialised unit by a trained vet and nurse. 

The practice says a benefit of RI is that it treats ‘ectopic tissue’ that may be present outside of the thyroid gland, for example in the chest, which is not treated by surgical methods of thyroid removal.

Normal thyroid tissue is also spared, so that there is normal thyroid function post-treatment.

Though some blood tests need to be taken post-treatment, there is no need for ongoing blood samples and the monitoring of the thyroid function once successful treatment has occurred.

Elissa Norman, Clinical Director, who initially developed the idea for the iodine unit said: “The iodine unit first started as a scribble on a piece of paper and a dream of our team back in 2017 and it has taken a huge amount of dedication and effort from a large team of people to get to the point of opening in 2023.

"Radioactive iodine offers a lifetime cure for our hyperthyroid cats and we are delighted to be able to bring this service to the cats of East Anglia.”

To refer a cat patient, vets should email iodine@veterinary-hospital.co.uk.

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.

DG Sanco, the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumers, has launched a worldwide photo competition to mark World Vet Year: 'Vets in your daily life'

Entries need to be photos of a vet (or vets) at work or in any situation which shows the diverse nature of the job. Five winners will win 1000 Euros worth of photographic equipment. The overall winner will win an additional 2000 Euros worth of photographic equipment. All winners will also be given travel and accommodation for the awards ceremonies in Paris and Brussels.

Anyone (except for employees of the European Institutions, and their families) can enter the competition, which closes on 31st March 2011. More details can be found at: www.vetsinyourdailylife.org.

Here's the promotional video for the competition: