The RCVS has asked 6,700 veterinary surgeons to submit their CPD records for 2012-2014 as part of its second annual CPD audit.
The news came at more or less the same time that VetSurgeon.org announced that it is developing a new feature to make it easy for veterinary surgeons to document time they spend on the website towards their CPD requirement.
Under the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, members of the profession must undertake at least 105 hours of CPD over a rolling three-year period, averaging 35 hours per year.
Those being audited include 5,568 vets who failed to confirm whether or not they complied with the CPD requirement in this year’s annual renewal process; 488 vets who failed to respond to last year’s audit and did not confirm their compliance this year; 43 pre-2012 graduates who have not yet completed the Professional Development Phase; and 184 veterinary surgeons who specifically declared they were not compliant during this year’s annual renewal process.
In addition to these, a random sample of 400 veterinary surgeons who did declare they were compliant this year will be asked to share their records.
For last year’s audit, the College wrote to 3,975 veterinary surgeons, of whom 82% were found to be compliant. However, 910 veterinary surgeons did not respond to the request at all.
Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: “The purpose of the exercise is not only to gauge levels of compliance, but also to gain a greater understanding of why some people are unable to meet the requirement. Therefore, we will be asking those who are still non-compliant to provide us with an explanation as to why, and to submit a learning and development plan outlining the steps they will take to become compliant.
“Since 2012, the Code of Professional Conduct has made it very clear that, as professionals, veterinary surgeons have an obligation to maintain and improve their skills and experience so as to provide a better service to their patients and clients.
“Last year’s audit proved that the majority of the profession do take CPD seriously and do engage with it over-and-above what is required, but a small minority do not. It is important to remind this small minority that persistent failure to comply with CPD requirements, or to respond to requests from the College, may result in them being reported to the Preliminary Investigation Committee.”
Christine Warman, Head of Education at the RCVS, added: “This audit is also an opportunity to remind people that we are not prescriptive when it comes to CPD and that it is not the case that we only count attendance at courses as learning and development.
“Broadly, any activities that you undertake to further your competence and provide tangible learning that can be put to use in your professional life, can be classed as CPD. For example, this could include private reading, webinars, clinical audit activities, mentoring, work-based observation and many more activities besides.
“What we ask is that you record and document these activities, reflecting on what you learnt and how it will affect your practice.”
Veterinary surgeons who are being asked to submit their records can do so by allowing the RCVS to access their online Professional Development Record (PDR) or to send in their CPD record card via email or post. The deadline for responding is Friday 13 November.
Those who wish to sign up to the free, online PDR can do so by visiting www.rcvs-pdr.org.uk. More information about what constitutes CPD and the Code of Professional Conduct requirements can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd.
As part of the package of measures announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in mid-March, businesses in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors are eligible for a 100% business rates holiday for a year in England, Scotland and Wales, offering a vital economic lifeline when many may have had to close or operate with reduced turnover and staffing. In Northern Ireland, all businesses are eligible for a three-month business rates holiday covering April, May and June.
However, veterinary practices, many of which have remained open to provide essential care and treatment for pets and production animals, are not eligible for business rates relief, despite the fact that many are high street businesses and a significant proportion of their income comes from retailing medicines, treatments and other pet products.
The BVA says it has heard directly from hundreds of members who now fear for their future, and a recent survey released by the RCVS indicates that a quarter of practices have seen their weekly turnover reduced by 75%, and about 66% have seen it halved.
The Association has written to the Treasury and devolved government departments to ask why the veterinary profession has so far been overlooked for financial support, while other high street businesses that remain open including food retailers, hardware stores and pet shops are eligible for rates relief.
It has also mobilised its members to contact their local MPs and devolved parliamentarians with their concerns. Several hundred have already downloaded template letters from the BVA website, and parliamentarians representing a wide cross-section of regions and parties have already pledged their support. Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion, has also tabled a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (#339) recognising the value of vets and pushing for the profession to be given access to business rates relief.
Daniella Dos Santos, BVA President, said: “The Government has repeatedly given thanks to vets for continuing to maintain animal health and welfare and public health and support the food supply chain in these challenging times. But that makes it all the more disappointing that the profession’s pleas for financial support so far seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Veterinary practices are rightly remaining open to provide 24/7 essential care and fulfilling their duty to maintain animal health and welfare, but many are struggling to stay afloat as they grapple with dramatic reductions in turnover and scaling back their rotas to keep colleagues and clients safe.
"It’s been really heartening to see that parliamentarians across the political spectrum value their local vets’ role in their communities and have offered to put pressure on the Treasury and devolved governments to give practices access to vital financial support. We hope that such a strong and united call will be answered soon, and will continue to urge government to help practices to continue their valuable work in these difficult times."
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/
The RCVS has accredited four more universities to assess modules for its Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP). This means that there are now 78 modules for candidates to choose from, with many modules available through more than one university, giving veterinary surgeons a real choice as to how they work towards postgraduate qualifications.
The RCVS CertAVP Subcommittee has approved applications from the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and the West of England (in partnership with Hartpury College).
A very broad range of modules is now available, covering most species and many disciplines. They include some firsts for the CertAVP - equine modules will be available through both Edinburgh and Liverpool universities, and Edinburgh will also be assessing modules in equine dentistry, laboratory animal science and cattle and sheep medicine, amongst others. Glasgow's range includes modules in veterinary public health, as well as emergency critical care, while the University of the West of England's offering includes the key skills modules, and ‘B' modules in small animal, equine and production animal practice.
These universities now join the Royal Veterinary College and the Universities of Cambridge and Middlesex in being accredited to assess modules. While all of the accredited universities provide courses to support candidates working towards modules, including distance-learning options and online support, they must also offer an assessment-only route for those who prefer self-study, or who want to attend courses elsewhere.
The modular CertAVP was launched during 2007 and gives candidates the benefit of a mix and match style of learning. This aims to meet the needs of those who are committed to planned continuing professional development (CPD) but who need to balance this with busy practice life.
The new Certificate also better meets the needs of those whose practice interests change over the enrolment period, or who want to combine study across different species and disciplines to suit their practice caseload. Previously there was little flexibility built into the examination system.
"We are delighted that the list of modules available has nearly tripled this month," says Freda Andrews, RCVS Head of Education. "Interest in the new certificate is growing, and there are already around 200 people enrolled with RCVS for various modules. So it's great news that these universities are now backing the Certificate and enabling much greater choice for veterinary surgeons studying for the qualification."
Full details of the new modules are available on RCVSonline at www.rcvs.org.uk/modcerts
National Veterinary Services has announced that from 14th January, veterinary practices will be able to place their daily orders up to 8pm, 7 days a week.
The veterinary wholesaler will also be providing a telephone ordering service on Saturday mornings from 9am until 12pm.
Martin Riley, NVS Managing Director said: "We are always keen to understand practice needs and to deliver on their requests. This is a significant change for the industry and with the introduction of more new tools and services later in the year we believe NVS will make a great difference to our customers."
For further information please contact 01782 770319.
Specifically, remote assessments will make sure that practices are continuing to meet Veterinary Medicines Regulations, the Core Standards of the PSS and other key standards relating to the practice's accreditation type and level.
Mandisa Greene, RCVS President and Chair of the Practice Standards Group, said: “We have introduced these remote assessments as a means of being able to quality assure veterinary practices that are either in the Scheme or who wish to join it, while still making sure that public health is safeguarded and that the burden our face-to-face assessments may place on practices is reduced.
"All our Practice Standards Scheme Assessors will be trained in carrying out remote assessments, and practices that are due an assessment will be given the full details of how it will work in advance, just like if a physical assessment of the premises were taking place.
"In the immediate-term we will be prioritising those practices that were due assessment visits in March, April and May this year which were cancelled due to the nationwide lockdown and they are currently being contacted to make arrangements. We will then start a rolling programme of visits for the other delayed assessments over the next few months. We will aim to give all practices at least one month’s notice before a visit takes place."
In order to help veterinary teams at RCVS-accredited practices understand the changes and its implications, the RCVS has produced a list of anticipated FAQs containing the details of how remote assessments will work. These can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/practice-standards-scheme/remote-assessments.
Those with any additional enquiries should contact the RCVS Practice Standards Team on: pss@rcvs.org.uk.
The new Mars Equestrian Veterinary Research Scholar Programme offers the opportunity to conduct research alongside some internationally-renowned experts in equine health and veterinary welfare while pursuing two advanced credentials: the Graduate Certificate in Animal Welfare and Behavior at Penn Vet during year one, followed by the Master of Research (MRes) program at the RVC in year two.
The RVC says the new format offers an exclusive opportunity for the candidate to refine their critical research skills and expand animal welfare knowledge while learning on location at both the RVC in England and Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States.
The RVC’s MRes programme gives students the chance to develop into scientists who can work well across interdisciplinary teams, tackling problems of practical relevance to veterinary and medical science. Many of the courses’ graduates go on to work in some of the world’s leading scientific research institutes, as well as within industry and government.
Professor Richard Bomphrey, Interim Vice Principal for Research at the RVC said: “I am delighted that the RVC is able to support this new transatlantic initiative for veterinary graduates following a generous donation from Mars Equestrian. It strengthens the ties between the RVC, the University of Pennsylvania and Mars Equestrian while providing an outstanding training and research opportunity. We look forward to welcoming the successful scholar and helping them to make an impact in equine research."
The Veterinary Research Scholar program is open to interested UK, US and international candidates holding a veterinary degree (DVM/VMD/BVSc or equivalent). The chosen candidate will receive an annual stipend and tuition as well as travel expenses.
The programme will commence in September 2021 in the United States before moving to the UK in October 2022 until its conclusion in September 2023.
The deadline to submit applications for consideration is 30th June 2021 or until an acceptable candidate is identified.
Applications should be sent to the Penn Vet’s Dr. Kyla Ortved atkortved@vet.upenn.edu.
Virbac has announced the launch of Speed Trio, an in-house diagnostic test to enable the detection of FeLV (Feline Leukaemia Virus) antigens; anti-FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and anti-FCoV (Feline Coronavirus) antibodies in 15 minutes.
The company says Speed Trio is designed to facilitate the diagnosis of immunosuppressive diseases, such as FIP (feline infectious peritonitis); when a cat tests positive for Feline Coronavirus and either FeLV or FIV it is at increased risk of developing FIP¹ and serological testing for all three diseases is the logical step.
Virbac says it has also enhanced the entire Speed range to further improve the readability of the tests and the brightness of the test bands.
Product Manager Madeline Haynes said: "The Speed range, which has been proven in practice for more than 20 years, offers a comprehensive suite of in-house diagnostic tests, which are easy to perform and highly cost-effective to use in practice.
"Speed Trio is not only a unique test combination that helps to facilitate diagnosis of immunosuppressive diseases but also boosts client satisfaction and can support practice profitability."
Reference
Virbac Animal Health has developed a 'Yield Wheel' to show vets the additional income that farmers can achieve through taking a tailored and more flexible approach to the management of their dairy herd through the dry period.
The company says this approach is made easier using its Cephaguard DC dry cow therapy.
While a 60 day drying off period is required for some cows, others may not need to be withdrawn from milk production for the full period, including those with a high body condition score in late lactation, high yielders and older healthy cows with an increased tendency for weight gain. For cows in these categories, a shorter drying off period can mean additional days of milk production and extra income for the farmer with no negative impact on future lactations or the cow's overall health.
The Yield Wheel shows how production and income can be maximised on a sliding scale from a standard 60 day drying off period down to 36 days, the shortest drying off period. It also shows the benefits which can be gained in terms of reduced discarded milk days in the case of cows with an unclear calving date.
Cephaguard DC dry cow therapy is the most recent entrant to the dry cow therapy market. With its 35+1 day withdrawal period in milk, Virbac says it offers farmers increased flexibility for the management of dry periods.
Brigitte Goasduf, Ruminants Product Manager at Virbac said: "For dairy farmers, it's all about milk. They're looking to optimise production and reduce waste while also ensuring that they treat infections effectively at drying off and prevent new infections which may reduce yield during the next lactation.
We've produced the Yield Wheel to highlight the tangible benefits of taking a customised and more flexible approach to drying off using Cephaguard DC. The data is provided in a practical and straightforward way and demonstrates the potential yield benefits that can be achieved from an overall herd management and income perspective. We hope it will prove a useful tool."
Burgess Excel has announced the launch of a new app for Android and Apple devices called The Fibrevore Handbook.
The free app, which is available from Apple here, and from Google for Android here, contains a guide to the veterinary care of rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas:
In addition the Fibrevore Handbook contains links to a range of Academic Articles, CPD courses and information on Burgess Excel and its products.
Burgess says the app will be updated on an on-going basis with further research findings, articles, images and general information
Roy Geary, regional director for Northern Europe (including the UK) at Ceva Animal Health, said: “The manufacturing of vaccines is a complex process that involves stringent quality control measures and adherence to regulatory guidelines.
"Unfortunately, the anticipated vaccine batch has failed to meet the quality expected to be suitable for release, which has temporarily affected the ability to meet the demands of the UK sheep market within the main seasonal vaccination period for EAE."
“We anticipate that the issue in supply will be resolved, with some stock potentially available later in the season, however we recognise that for some farmers the supply will arrive too late for them to use.
"We are encouraging vets to explore alternative means of safeguarding the health of their clients’ flocks during this period.
"We recommend implementing robust biosecurity measures and adhering to existing vaccination protocols for other preventable diseases to ensure the overall wellbeing of livestock.
“We will provide vet practices and the wider industry with regular updates as we progress toward a resolution and return to normal supply levels.”
There are 10 candidates standing this year and vets can vote for up to three of them until 5pm on Friday 21st April 2023:
The biographies and statements for each candidate are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote23 where each candidate has also answered two questions of their choice submitted by members of the profession.
The three candidates who receive the most votes will take up their four-year terms on RCVS Council at the RCVS Annual General Meeting on Friday 7th July 2023.
Any veterinary surgeons who have not received their voting email should contact CES directly on support@cesvotes.com stating which election they intend to vote in.
The interviews give an insight into the career advice the interviewees got from their school, what steps they took to secure their place to study for their qualification, what hurdles they had to overcome and what can be done to address issues around the under-representation of some groups within the profession.
The College says the aim is to help inspire school age children to consider a veterinary career through frank conversations with role models who have chosen a vet or vet nursing career.
The first film is an interview with Rheanna Ellis, a 2021 Nottingham Vet School graduate who is now working as a veterinary surgeon at a West Midlands practice. In her interview she talks about her passion to become a vet from a young age, how she went about researching and preparing for her job, and the importance of perseverance.
To help promote the videos and the College’s ongoing work on diversity and inclusion, the RCVS has partnered with the official Black History Month campaign and website which will also be hosting the videos.
Many of the interviews have been carried out by Mandisa Greene, RCVS Senior Vice-President, who helped lead the RCVS Black History Month activities last year as the College’s first ever black President.
Mandisa said: “It’s important that we demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion and have a role in acknowledging and accentuating diverse voices within the professions. Throughout these video interviews I’ve had the opportunity to speak to some inspiring newly qualified and student veterinary professionals who are all clearly very passionate about supporting animal health and welfare.
“I hope that school children from all backgrounds who watch these videos will get the chance to see how rewarding and enjoyable a veterinary career can be and that they’ll be inspired to consider becoming a vet or vet nurse in the future.”
The RCVS will be publishing more video interviews on its YouTube channel through October and beyond.
The Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, has officially opened the new Wales Veterinary Science Centre.
The centre, which is located on the site of the former Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) Veterinary Investigation Centre, has been established by Iechyd Da, a consortium of independent veterinary practices based in Wales together with Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd, and Aberystwyth University.
Iechyd Da was recently appointed by APHA as a third party provider to deliver expert post-mortem examinations of new and re-emerging diseases of farm animals. The service has been operational since April 2015.
Deputy Minister Rebecca Evans AM said: "I am pleased to officially open the Wales Veterinary Science Centre, which will significantly strengthen and enhance the important contribution the veterinary profession makes to rural life in Wales and raises standards of animal health and welfare. It will also bolster the rural economy by securing technical jobs for the area, benefit the wider economy by supporting our farming communities, and be an asset to the UK by contributing valuable data to the surveillance network."
Professor Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales said: "The Centre will have a significant role in the protection of animals in Wales and will provide an important contribution to a successful and resilient farming industry, reflecting the essential role of the veterinary profession in Wales."
Phil Thomas, Director of Iechyd Da said: "Iechyd Da now looks forward to building on the post-mortem provision already available so that we can provide a range of services, from running training courses for animal keepers to dissection classes for students, continuous professional development for practicing vets, and supporting disease eradication schemes. The vision is of a One Health institute that recognises the interlocking, overlapping relationships between people, livestock, the wildlife and the environment around us."
Richard Irvine, Head of Scanning Surveillance and the Surveillance Intelligence Unit at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said: "I look forward to APHA working in close partnership with the Wales Veterinary Science Centre to provide expert diagnostic support and surveillance intelligence for veterinary practices and farmers in Wales. Only by working together can we create an effective disease surveillance network, and I urge farmers and vets in Wales to make use of the considerable expertise that exists within the Wales Veterinary Science Centre and APHA."
Emily Holbrook MRCVS, Garth Tozer MRCVS, Dr Richard Dixon and Ken Davison MRCVS have all won a Best Practice Employer Award from Novartis Animal Health after glowing nominations from the staff at their practices.
In addition, Katherine Corbett VN from Nine Lives Veterinary Centre won a special new award, worth £500, for the veterinary nurse that in the judges' opinion had best used the opportunities given to her by her boss, Emily Holbrook.
Katherine's first question when told of her win really demonstrates the commitment that veterinary nurses will give a good boss: "Can I spend it on buying one of Kruuse's Buster ICU cages for the practice? Emily has given me so much; I'd love to give something back."
Rachel Smithson, Marketing Manager at Novartis said: "All of our winners were asked what steps they take to ensure a happy team. Their answers were almost unanimous. Empower your staff. Give them responsibility, and if that means accepting the occasional mistake, then do so. Praise them for a job well done. Thank them regularly. Not only will it make your practice a better working environment, but as Katherine demonstrates, your staff will probably go to extraordinary lengths to support you. That translates into a more profitable practice, and higher standards of veterinary care."
The story is covered in full in the August and September editions of Veterinary Practice magazine, downloadable from www.vetsurgeon.org
Sarah Palmer (left) of Novartis Animal Health makes the presentation to head nurse Katherine Corbett and veterinary surgeon Emily Holbrook of Nine Lives Veterinary Practice; behind them are Anne Corbett (receptionist), Lindsay Harrison (nursing assistant), and Laura Steele (veterinary surgeon).
Kenneth Agnew from Novartis Animal Health prepares to present Kenneth Davison with his Best Practice Employer Award, whilst the team toast their boss.
Veterinary Nursing Assistant Abby Brown (left) and Abby Roberts from Novartis Animal Health toast Garth Tozer, Novartis Best Practice Employer Award winner.
Donna Lewis (BVNA), and Novartis Animal Health CEO George Gunn present Dr Richard Dixon with his award.
Ceva Animal Health, maker of the veterinary behaviour products DAP and Feliway, is once again sponsoring the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors' series of one day behaviour seminars to keep veterinary professionals up-to-date with companion animal behavioural issues.
Featuring presentations by top pet behaviourists, the seminars will cover a range of topics based on questions that pet owners frequently ask veterinary professionals in practice.
Contributing to six hours CPD per event, the topics covered in the seminars are:
Places on the seminars cost from £70. For further information, please contact the APBC on 01386 751151 or visit http://www.apbc.org.uk/
The leaflets are designed to be used as part of the veterinary consultation and provide information to help owners understand what is involved in the examination, including the reasons for the procedure, the preparation required, any associated risks, and what happens during and after the examination.
They are available in a PDF format which can be printed and stamped with the veterinary practice details or emailed to clients.
Philip Lhermette, Principal of Elands Veterinary Clinic, specialist in minimally invasive surgery and Past President of the BSAVA said: “Minimally invasive surgery is becoming commonplace in general veterinary practice and is much sought after by clients, especially for routine procedures such as bitch spays.
"It is important that clients are properly informed of all the risks and benefits of a minimally invasive procedure and these leaflets provide the first opinion practitioner with an ideal means of providing such information in a succinct and easily understood format."
The new leaflets are available via the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/cilgroupprocedures.
Access to the entire range of client information leaflets (including canine and feline behaviour, exotic pets, and medicines) is available for an annual subscription of £40.
BSAVA members have access to these leaflets as part of their membership benefits.
If you have any suggestions for further client information leaflets, email: publications@bsava.com.
The ‘Ear essentials – a holistic approach to the treatment of canine otitis externa’ webinar will include a presentation by Jonathon Elgie, veterinary technical advisor at Dechra UK and Ireland.
Jonathon will talk delegates through case examples to help them make decisions that can be used in practice and take a clear, practical and holistic approach to treatment.
He will also update vet professionals on Dechra support including the Lifelong Ear Partnership which provides education, tips and assistance to achieve better clinical outcomes and owner satisfaction.
The first webinar Does Ease of Use Have to Come at the Expense of Efficacy? is presented by Claire Harrison BSc (Hons) RVN VTS (Dentistry) AFHEA, Dentistry Nurse at the Hospital for Small Animals at the Royal ‘Dick’ School of Veterinary Studies.
Claire will consider the best practice of daily toothbrushing for oral homecare and explore what practices can do to contextualise care for the many owners who struggle to achieve this goal.
Animalcare highlights research which shows that the number of pet owners who brush their pet’s teeth daily is very small: one study in Sweden suggested that only 8% of dog owners and 4% of cat owners met this target¹.
Senior Brand Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: “With periodontal disease so common in dogs and cats, supporting owners to maintain an oral health regime for their pet is essential.
"Daily toothbrushing remains best practice but many owners are just not able to do this, so it is important to suggest effective alternatives in order to protect their pet’s oral health.
“During this webinar series dental experts will explore a range of approaches which can be used with owners & pets throughout the different stages of their pets’ lives, either as an alternative to toothbrushing, or as part of a programme to build up to toothbrushing.”
To register, visit: www.animalcare.co.uk/dentalwebinars
Further webinars in the oral homecare series will be delivered in January 2023.
The Kennel Club has announced it will be launching the Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health, a new guide to dog health for veterinary surgeons at the BVA Congress 2010 (Sept 23rd - 25th).
According to the organisation, The Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health has been specially developed to provide veterinary surgeons and other practice staff with a handy, updatable resource which covers a range of topics including breed specific information for all 210 recognised pedigree breeds and the range of health testing available to breeders and owners.
The guide contains information on the Kennel Club's Accredited Breeder Scheme, which currently has around 5,300 members who commit to good breeding practice, and the Fit For Function: Fit For Life campaign which aims to ensure that all dogs are able to lead their lives to the full by ensuring that they are fit enough to fulfil the function for which they were originally developed.
The guide provides details about the reporting of operations which alter the natural conformation of a dog, and a sample form which veterinary surgeons can copy and then use to report such operations to the Kennel Club. It also contains a full set of Kennel Club information guides covering a wide range of topics and examples of Kennel Club registration certificates for dogs from both standard registrations and Kennel Club Accredited Breeders to help advise puppy owners what to expect when buying a Kennel Club-registered dog.
Other topics included in the manual are a range of Kennel Club initiatives which veterinary surgeons may find useful to pass on to their clients, such as information on the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme, the UK's largest dog training programme, and Petlog, the UK's largest microchipping and pet reunification database.
The Kennel Club's Veterinary Advisor, Nick Blayney said: "The Kennel Club Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health is intended to assist veterinary surgeons and all practice staff gain information about the two hundred or more breeds of dog recognised by the Kennel Club and any related health issues.
"The Kennel Club is very aware that veterinary surgeons are keen to promote the breeding of healthy puppies, but would find it useful to obtain information about the many health tests and screening schemes available and recommended for each breed. This manual is intended to provide detailed advice on these tests and schemes on a breed by breed basis to assist vets in helping clients to understand the different conditions which may affect individual breeds."
The guide will be made available as an A4 ring binder, with the first fifty available at the BVA Congress. Recipients will be asked to agree to a follow-up visit from one of the Kennel Club's Accredited Breeder Advisors, whose role involves inspecting the breeding premises of the scheme's members to ensure that the standards required by the scheme are kept, and also establishing relationships with veterinary surgeons around the country. There are currently 14 Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Advisors across the UK and they will also be responsible for distributing the remaining copies to veterinary surgeries in the future.
Alongside the launch of the guide, a new dedicated area for veterinary surgeons has been added to the Kennel Club website at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/vets. This will include links to many of the subjects contained in the manual, and will initially feature the top 20 breeds registered in the UK. Future updated content will be added to the website as it becomes available, and the manual will subsequently be produced as a computer disk for wider distribution and convenience.
Veterinary surgeons who are not attending this year's BVA Congress, but wish to obtain a copy of the Veterinary Practice Guide to Dog Health, should visit the new section of the website and complete the request form. A representative of the Kennel Club's Health and Breeder Services team will then make contact to establish a suitable date and time for an Accredited Breeder Advisor to visit.
Nestlé Purina is launching a new diet this month which, according to the company, helps delay the canine brain ageing process.
The diet, Pro Plan Senior 7+ Original, is enriched with medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Research carried out by Nestlé Purina and published online in the British Journal of Nutrition (here's the abstract), apparently demonstrates improvements in senior dogs' memory, learning capacity and ability to adapt to novel situations when fed on this MCT-enriched formula.1 According to the company, the MCTs provide neurons with a readily accessible source of energy to counteract the decline in glucose metabolism that occurs naturally in ageing dogs, thus maximising brain function with demonstrable improvements in cognitive function.
Veterinary surgeon, Barton Stephen, BVM&S MRCVS, veterinary columnist for The People said: "When treating brain ageing or CCD in senior dogs I believe we vets need to adopt a more holistic approach. We can treat diseases like heart failure and kidney disease and offer advice on exercise, joint care and weight control. All of these can improve quality of life and encourage a pain free existence, but until now we have had nothing proven to help dogs stay younger for longer. This innovative new dog food has the added advantage of staving off cognitive decline which owners find very distressing."
For more information on Pro Plan Senior 7+ Original and the Pro Plan, diet range, please contact your Veterinary Business Development Manager or contact Nestlé Purina PetCare, telephone: 0800 212 161 (Freephone)
Reference:¹ Dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG has long-lasting cognition-enhancing effects in aged dogs. British Journal of Nutrition (Pan et al 2010)
Mars Veterinary is launching the Wisdom Panel Insights mixed breed dog DNA test at the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs event this weekend.
According to the company, more than 2 million dogs in the UK are mixed breed, and it is likely that many owners are unsure of their pet's parentage.
Now, with the swipe of a cheek swab, Wisdom Panel Insights can determine the ancestry of a mixed breed dog by testing for more than 185 breeds, which Mars Veterinary says is the largest database of any canine DNA test on the market. Within three weeks, dog owners are emailed an official Ancestry Report that reveals the dog's genetic background. This, it is claimed, will help owners provide better training, nutrition and exercise for their pet, and will also alert them to any disease predisposition their dog may have.
The test will be on sale for the first time at Discover Dogs at Earl's Court, and from the website: www.wisdompanel.co.uk. It costs £59.99 inc. vat, discounted for Kennel Club registered dogs.
Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club, said: "A dog's ancestry can influence him in surprising ways. Obvious and not-so-obvious physical traits plus behaviours like digging, herding and barking all come from the various breeds in a dog's family tree. Once an owner understands a dog's natural tendencies, it makes it possible to create a tailored training, exercise and nutrition program to fit his one-of-a-kind needs. This is one of many innovative products that dog owners and lovers will find at Discover Dogs this weekend."
Organisations including British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) also responded to the consultation on behalf of members.
The College’s Education Department is now in the process of analysing the consultation responses.
Christine Warman, Head of Education at the RCVS, said: "We are very pleased with the number of responses we have received to this consultation which demonstrates what an important issue CPD, and our approach to it going forward, is for the profession. I am also glad that there was a good split of responses between veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses as it is important we get as wide a range of views as possible from a wide range of individuals. I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to give us their views.
"Over the coming weeks we will be going through each response with a view to preparing proposals on the next steps for our CPD Working Party’s September meeting."
Proposals are expected to go to the Education Committee and to VN Council in October and then to the November meeting of RCVS Council.