Amongst the speakers were Catherine Oxtoby MRCVS, Risk Manager at the Veterinary Defence Society, and Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vets4Pets.
Dr Stacey explained how Vets4Pets and Companion Care practices are embracing a culture of sharing information when things don’t go according to plan in practice.
He said: "We all face challenges in the workplace, and this event focused on how different professions can share ideas and good practice and how they find solutions to any challenges.
"The culture of aviation and maritime is one of minimising risk and putting safety first, and it is fascinating to compare their approach to that found in medicine and veterinary.
"One common theme we discussed was the wellbeing of both professionals and patients or clients, with tiredness being at the top of the list of things that can negatively affect wellbeing and performance.
"Both aviation and maritime recognised that long shifts, particularly overnight, needed to be reduced in order to improve the outcome for everyone.
"In veterinary and human medicine, tiredness and long shifts are often worn as a badge of honour and being tired at work was something that should be admired, rather than addressed.
"But, tired vets are effectively neglecting themselves and their own wellbeing, which in turn leads to pets not receiving the best level of care in practice.
"This is something we’re taking seriously at Vets4Pets and Companion Care, and we’re currently looking at ways to decrease the risk of overworked and tired vets and vet nurses."
Another area of discussion was around the reporting of near misses and when things don’t go right, and how veterinary professionals need to identify and share the learnings from these events, not only within their practice, but with the wider profession too.
He said: "We need to continually emphasise the concept of a ‘just’ culture, to ensure our colleagues feel confident about reporting incidents open and honestly."
"It is not in the interests of the professional, the patient or the client to bottle things up, and at Vets4Pets and Companion Care we’re encouraging all of our practices to adopt the VDS VetSafe system, which provides a mechanism for sharing incident reports across the profession, enabling us all to learn from them to the benefit of our patients."
Tolracol is a 50mg/ml suspension of toltrazuril which can be used in all three species to prevent coccidiosis infections in youngstock on farms with a history of the disease.
Krka’s head of sales and marketing, Killian Gaffney said: "Coccidiosis can have a devastating impact on young animals, resulting in ill-thrift, weight loss and potentially death, making its prevention a vital component of herd or flock management.
"Importantly, this is a tri-licence single dose product which requires vet prescription. The involvement of the vet in prescribing coccidiostats is important as their use should be part of a whole management approach to prevention."
Krka says Tolracol should be used ahead of the peak infection period on farms with a pre-existing coccidiosis problem, with it recommended for use in neonatal pigs at three to five days old and as soon as required in calves and lambs.
Mr Gaffney added: "This product has been proven in trials and offers a cost-effective option for farmers, it is also easily administered which farmers will find attractive. Krka is launching a new farmer campaign to support Tolracol.
"With lambing and spring calving now taking place across the country vets are likely to be asked in the coming weeks and months about coccidiosis prevention. Tolracol provides another valuable tool in the armoury when it comes to preventing this nasty condition and should be considered as a first-choice product."
For more information, see the SPC or contact Krka UK Limited on +44 (0) 2071 646 156.
Eurovet Animal Health has launched Cardisure, a new look pimobendan which the company claims will help deliver more precise dosing in the treatment of cardiac disease.
Dogs have the widest range in bodyweight of any species, and it's long been a problem accommodating the wide variation in dosage requirements that this leads to. Having to give too many tablets in a day or the need to split small tablets can be very discouraging to owners and may lead to poorer rates of compliance.
Cardisure is available in 1.25 mg, 2.5 mg, 5 mg tablets and a 10 mg tablet size. Eurovet says the tablets are easily divisible and palatable, making it easier all round for pet owners to administer the right dose of medication to their pet.
Eurovet says the benefits of treating heart disease with pimobendan are well-established and that Cardisure gives clinicians a few more client-friendly options when it comes to treating heart disease, as well as being available in smart and professional blister packs for easy dispensing.
Andrew Harrison, a partner at Three Counties Equine Hospital in Gloucestershire, has been appointed as the new President of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) for 2014/15.
Andrew took over the role from Paul Jepson at the end of BEVA Congress last week. Mark Bowen, Associate Professor of Veterinary Internal Medicine at The University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, becomes President Elect.Andrew said: "It is a privilege and an honour to take up the presidential reins for the next 12 months. It is unrealistic to expect to "change the world" in such a short time frame so the plan is to target certain areas, such as progressing New Safer Horse Rescue courses, strengthening BEVA's relationship with the BHA and moving forward with the regulation of Musculoskeletal Paraprofessionals. Not least it is a priority this year to make sure we keep aspiring vets realistically informed about future employment in our profession given the proliferation of undergraduate places available at UK and English speaking mainland European vet schools."
For further information visit www.beva.org.uk.
A graduate of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Johnny went on to spend three years working as a general practitioner in England before starting a rotating internship at Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge.
Following a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Royal Veterinary College he was awarded the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN) in 2014 and joined Davies in the same year.
Johnny has been Chairperson of the Education Committee of the ECVN College since 2018, has been the main author and co-author of numerous publications and regularly lectures in the UK and abroad.
Johnny said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to lead Davies’ neurology team to continue to build on the excellent reputation that we have established in neurology and neurosurgery over the past decade. Specialist and supportive care for neurological patients is paramount and we take pride in treating our patients as if they were our own pets.”
Themed 'Controlling Disease Threats at Home and from Abroad’, this year's conference will highlight the increasing importance of OVs in safeguarding the UK’s international trade and in protecting human health through disease surveillance and control.
The conference programme includes dedicated lecture streams aimed at large animal, small animal and equine practitioners. Improve says that lecture content has been tailored to cover areas of key relevance for more than 8,000 OVs due to revalidate their qualifications in March 2019. The programme also includes interactive workshops, including drop-in question and answer sessions offering practical advice and guidance on the revalidation process.
An exhibition of products and services for OVs runs alongside the conference.
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve, said: "This conference remains the only event dedicated to the needs of OVs. They receive industry updates from leading figures in the veterinary sector, attend lectures on OV work from experts and, in so doing, work towards their CPD revalidation requirements. We’re currently finalising a packed programme for this year’s conference and urge OVs to take advantage of our time-limited Early Bird offers and register without delay."
For more information on the Official Veterinarian Conference and Exhibition or to register visit: www.officialvet.com
The five-part series, which is hosted on Elanco’s customer portal MyElanco.co.uk, covers topics including managing social media communities, how to build a presence using social media advertising and how to respond to new regulations around personal data.
According to a report on Bloomberg, Facebook is reported to be on track to have 32.6 million regular users in the UK despite its falling audience of younger users. Meanwhile Instagram's UK user base was believed to be 16.7 million at the end of 2017. Hence why 81% of small and medium businesses are reported to use some kind of social platform.
Elanco Customer Experience Manager Matthew Rowe said: "The global popularity of social media sites means people now expect businesses to have a social media presence and veterinary practices are no different.
"More veterinary practices are launching business profiles, recognising how vital it is to have a social presence so they can engage with their clients outside of the consultation room. But we realise that it can seem like an intimidating and complex process.
"The workshops have been created to help more vet practices get started with social media and gain more confidence to make the most out of it for the benefit of their business."
To watch the videos, register at MyElanco.co.uk and visit: https://www.myelanco.co.uk/CPD/video-workshop-part1
The study "Influence of dietary restriction and low-intensity exercise on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in obese equids" was carried out by Nick Bamford and colleagues at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, in collaboration with Spillers.
A total of 24 obese horses and ponies were randomly divided into two groups; 'restricted diet only' or 'restricted diet plus exercise'. All horses and ponies were fed the same diet of restricted hay (no grazing), a small amount of alfalfa chaff and soya bean meal, and a vitamin and mineral supplement.
The exercise programme, which was designed following feedback from horse owners to help ensure it could be implemented relatively easily in the real world, consisted of 15 minutes of brisk trotting (with a five minute walk before and after) five days per week for 12 weeks.
The 'restricted diet only' group showed an overall reduction in body weight and body condition score. They had increased levels of adiponectin – a hormone produced by fat cells, low levels of which are a risk factor for laminitis. They had decreased baseline insulin, high levels of which have been linked to an increased risk of laminitis, and decreased leptin, high levels of which are associated with obesity.
Although exercise did not increase weight loss, it did produce additional benefits that were not seen in the 'restricted diet only' group, the most important one being improved insulin sensitivity. More insulin sensitive horses and ponies need to produce less insulin in order to control their blood sugar. This is important because high levels of insulin in the blood and/or reduced insulin sensitivity are risk factors for laminitis. Horses and ponies in the exercise group also had decreased levels of ‘serum amyloid A’, a protein that is a marker for inflammation.
Clare Barfoot RNutr, the research and development manager at Spillers said: "Reducing calorie intake and feeding a diet low in starch and sugar should be the priority for overweight horses and ponies. However, the results of this study suggest that exercise may offer additional health benefits for obese horses and ponies and/or those with ‘EMS’ that cannot be achieved by cutting calories and weight loss alone."
Reference
Photo: Spillers/Steve Bardens
Tuloxxin contains Tulathromycin and Krka says it is based on the same formulation as the market leader.
In cattle Tuloxxin is administered using a single subcutaneous injection; in sheep Tuloxxin is licensed for use in the treatment of foot rot associated with Dichelobacter nodosus and also in pigs for swine respiratory disease (SRD) administered via a single intra-muscular injection. Krka says it is fast-acting, and that the one dose formulation supports compliance and so reduces stress to herds and flocks.
Charlotte Read, Key Account Manager – Farm, at Krka, said: "Whenever Krka launches a generic product, we aim to add some extra value to it. Tuloxxin is a good example. It is based on a tried and trusted active and delivers efficacy; with formulation and delivery method technology at exceptional value. We hope its launch will support vets in their appropriate choice of antibiotic for specific cases. In so doing, they will be protecting their clients’ cattle and profitability while also playing their part in reducing antimicrobial use.”
Tuloxxin is available now from all wholesalers.
The Swadlincote and Melbourne-based IVC practice worked with a Great Workplaces by BVA accreditor during the pilot of the new scheme, to demonstrate its strengths against an accreditation framework covering four key themes: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture and learning and development.
In the report, the accreditor was particularly impressed by the practice’s strong leadership and management; its emphasis on accommodating flexibility for team members in various forms; a robust teamworking ethos; and a focus on continuous improvement.
British Veterinary Association President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “We’re delighted to see Swadlincote Veterinary Centre become the first veterinary workplace to achieve Gold accreditation through Great Workplaces by BVA scheme.
"Congratulations to the whole practice team for this incredible recognition.
“Creating positive working environments and targeting areas for improvement are the key to tackling ongoing workforce challenges around recruitment and retention.
"We hope this first Gold accreditation inspires others to strive towards gaining recognition as workplaces where vet teams thrive.”
Ingrid Stevenson, Clinical Director at Swadlincote Veterinary Centre, said: “While we knew the practice was doing well, we didn’t go into this process expecting Gold at all.
"My practice manager and I were just both really keen to get some feedback and to find out what more we could do to help the team.
“We have several clinical accreditations in the practice, but it is the team that are responsible for achieving these and maintaining the high standards.
"I believe the team should be looked after, recognised and rewarded for their hard work and going above and beyond when necessary.
"The team were really pleased when I shared the news.
"It has certainly been good for team morale and a positive outcome to share with potential new recruits. '
“The accreditation process was a thorough assessment of the practice and our accreditor made us feel all at ease during the interviews.
"While we achieved Gold, which was unexpected, we have also learnt of areas to develop further over the coming months.
"Overall, it was a positive experience for our practice.”
www.bva.co.uk/take-action/good-veterinary-workplaces/
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was removed from the Register after his Kent practice was found to have unhygienic and unsterile conditions as well as poor record keeping, although he has always disputed this, maintaining that he was not actually practising at the time of the inspection.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton made an application for restoration on the basis that he did not want to be restored to the Register in order to practise veterinary surgery, but so that he could more easily achieve recognition from academics and drug companies for his work on herbal and natural remedies.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton's dispute over the original findings of the 1994 case was ruled inadmissible.
In considering his application, the Committee took into account the fact that he had not accepted the original findings from 1994 nor had he, over the course of his various applications for restoration, shown any insight into his original conduct or the serious concerns about his fitness to practice raised in previous restoration hearings.
It also considered that Mr Seymour-Hamilton had been off the Register for 29 years and would need to have demonstrated prolonged, intensive and formal training to ensure he met the Day One Competences required of a veterinary surgeon.
The College submitted that he had made no such attempts and so would pose a significant risk to animal health and welfare if he were allowed to practice again.
The Committee also considered that Mr Seymour-Hamilton had indicated that he had practised veterinary surgery while off the Register – including conducting two spay procedures in Calais, France – and had used his own animals to try out new and untested ‘herbal remedies’.
The College submitted that this indicated someone who didn’t have due regard to the importance of the current level of skills, experience and qualifications required in order to undertake veterinary surgery competently, and therefore posed a risk to animal health and welfare.
Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The College invited the Committee to consider that where, as here, some 29 years have passed since this veterinary surgeon has practised, there has been no intensive, and prolonged re-training, no acceptance of the original findings and no insight into concerns about his fitness to practise, there will inevitably be a serious risk to the welfare of animals and the wider public interest if the applicant is restored to the Register.
The Committee agrees, and considers that the applicant has not shown the required insight as to the steps he needs to take to return to safe veterinary practice.”
Accordingly, the Committee decided that it would not be in the public interest to restore Mr Seymour-Hamilton to the Register.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Zoetis, formerly Pfizer Animal Health has launched Ovatec Plus, which it claims will make equine faecal collection and in-practice worm count testing quicker and easier.
Ovatec Plus is designed to facilitate the in-house detection of worm burdens by enabling the coproscopic examination of parasite eggs, larvae and cysts. Zoetis says the built-in sample collection scoop allows for hands-off, quick, clean sample collection and controlled sample size, while the built-in cap, which can be written on for easy identification, snaps shut to seals the contents safely for contamination-free transport.
The system is based on zinc sulphate flotation technology, with a flotation time of ten minutes to provide rapid analysis. The Ova-Spin feature will break up difficult samples. The positive-locking filter chamber prevents any spill of test samples and reduces operator exposure to potential hazards. The overflow reservoir prevents overfills leaking onto the lab bench.
Zoetis says the high sensitivity and excellent specificity of Ovatec Plus enable informed treatment decisions to be made. A study has shown that samples proving negative with Ovatec Plus provide 95% certainty that the sample is <150epg and 100% certainty that the sample is <250epg, which means treatment may not be necessary1. Samples that prove positive, with one or more eggs seen, can be verified using a quantitative technique if needed, alternatively treatment may be indicated.
Ben Lacey, equine business unit manager at Zoetis, said: "Ovatec Plus is an excellent addition to our equine worm control portfolio. It's ideal for use in many test situations, giving a quick, easy and convenient solution."
To find out more, speak to your Zoetis Account Manager, call 0845 300 8034 or email CustomerSupportUK@zoetis.com.
Dilaterol is an oral syrup containing 25 mgs/ml clenbuterol hydrochloride, indicated to treat respiratory disease in horses. It causes intense bronchodilation, inhibits histamine release and increases ciliary mucous clearance. It can be used as a frontline or adjuvant therapy.
Dilaterol is administered via food and comes in a 355 ml bottle with a pump dispenser for easy and accurate dosing.
Emma Jennings, Equine Brand Manager at Dechra said: “We are very pleased to have added Dilaterol to our comprehensive range of equine therapies as it is an established and effective treatment for bronchial conditions.
"It is particularly useful in cases of respiratory allergy, bronchospasm and equine asthma and is already regarded as a valuable tool for veterinary professionals."
Dilaterol will be available to order through wholesalers. For more information, visit www.dechra.co.uk.
The Kennel Club has announced the results of a survey of 329 Breed Kennel Rescue organisations which has revealed that over 50% of dogs given up for rehoming are given up by women, compared to 17% by men and 27% by couples who made the decision jointly.
The Kennel Club said the survey also revealed lifestyle changes, a lack of training and time to look after the family pet adequately are the main reasons why dogs are rehomed.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "People really need to explore their reasons for wanting a dog in the first place, do the research properly and invest time into training their dog. We are seeing an increasing number of owners being driven by celebrity trends in choice of dog breed, such as the French Bulldog, owned by Millie Mackintosh, Jessie J and Jonathan Ross.
"Every year dogs are abandoned or given up when the novelty wears off. Dogs are a lifelong commitment and anyone considering getting a pet needs to be sure that they will be able to properly care for the animal for the rest of its life."
Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisations last year rehomed over 20,000 dogs, more than Dogs Trust and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home combined. January was revealed to be the busiest month, highlighting the impact of many families being unprepared for getting a dog and potentially still buying them as a Christmas gift, despite advice to the contrary. More than one in three breed rescue organisations reported an increase of dogs needing to be rehomed compared with 2012.
Caroline continued: "Although not as well-known as other organisations, Kennel Club Breed Rescues work incredibly hard to support their breed. They are set up and run by people passionate about dogs and their particular breed in particular. There is a breed rescue organisation for almost every one of the 212 breeds of pedigree dog in the UK, and more than one in three of the breed rescue organisations also accept crossbreeds as well as pedigrees.
"Breed rescue is a fantastic place to consider when looking for a dog. The expert staff and volunteers will often know the full history of the dogs in their care and provide you with invaluable knowledge on the breed and tips for caring for individual dogs to make sure the dogs find a family for life."
Pets At Home Vet Group and Dick White Referrals have announced a strategic partnership in order to develop Pets at Home's strategy for providing specialist care.
Pets at Home says it is creating a new divisional structure comprised of the existing First Opinion Division (Vets4Pets and Companion Care joint venture practices) and the new Specialist Division, which comprises Dick White Referrals, Northwest Surgeons, Anderson Moores, and Eye Vet Referrals.
Dick White has been appointed Clinical Director of the new Specialist Division.
Dick will remain as a shareholder in Dick White Referrals. He and three of the Specialist clinicians - Giunio Bruto Cherubini, Federico Corletto and Rob Foale - will retain 24% of the practice.
Sally Hopson, CEO of Pets at Home Vet Group said: "We are delighted to have attracted a colleague of Dick White’s pedigree to join us, not only to help drive the future growth of Dick White Referrals, but also to play a key role in developing our Specialist Division. Professor White is a key figure in the development of the Specialist Veterinary segment; he has trained many of the leading Specialist veterinary practitioners. This is a tremendous step forward for the Vet Group. I’m also very pleased that Professor White and his colleagues have chosen to remain as equity partners in Dick White Referrals."
Dick said: "Forming this strategic partnership provides great opportunities for us to continue to develop Dick White Referrals as a world class referrals centre with a team of leading Veterinary Specialists. I am delighted to be working with a partner that shares our vision for Dick White Referrals and is committed to supporting its future development. Joining the Board of the Specialist Division will allow me to provide clinical leadership and governance across the division, input into the formulation of strategy and support M&A activity and veterinary recruitment."
In a statement given to the Veterinary Record earlier this year, the College said:
"In 2017, our commitment to equality for our LGBTQ+ employees, members of the professions and other stakeholders, was cemented when we became a Stonewall Diversity Champion, with the aim of ensuring that all people in the community are accepted, without exception, within the veterinary professions.
In subsequent years this commitment has been demonstrated by the establishment of our Diversity & Inclusion Group, for which LGBTQ+ representation is a key component and has been incorporated into both our internal and external diversity and inclusion strategies.
Focusing on our internal diversity and inclusion strategy, the insight from Stonewall and our internal LGBTQ+ group, has aimed to make the RCVS a safe space for people from the LGBTQ+ community by creating a fully inclusive workplace.
These insights have also fed into the profession-facing work of the Diversity & Inclusion Group and its strategy.
After six years as a Stonewall Diversity Champion, we have decided this year not to renew our contract with the organisation, on the basis that we feel we no longer need to work with an external organisation to continue to deliver on our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
The RCVS will continue to demonstrate allyship and be a safe space for all groups within the LGBTQ+ community, as demonstrated by the fact we are creating a staff network representing RCVS colleagues from marginalised communities.
We may in future decide to work with another accredited organisation, but until the staff network is in place, no decisions have been made. For example, we have recently brought in a staff policy regarding how best to support RCVS employees who are going through the process of gender reassignment, reiterating the current legal position, how to report experiencing or witnessing transphobic discrimination, as well as advice for colleagues supporting those undergoing gender reassignment and those who have family members going through the process. We are grateful for Stonewall for working with us over the past six years and helping us, through its Workplace Equality Index, to finesse our policies and procedures in relation to LGBTQ+ rights and issues and drive forward our agenda to be a diverse and inclusive workplace and regulator."
MSD Animal Health has launched Bovilis IBR Marker Inac, an inactivated marker vaccine for use in the control of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR).
The company says the new product complements Bovilis IBR Marker Live and creates a range now offering greater simplicity and additional flexibility for veterinary surgeons seeking optimum control protocols for their clients' herds.
MSD Animal Health ruminant veterinary adviser Drew McGurren MRCVS said: "Farmer compliance is an important part of any successful vaccination programme. With this extended Bovilis IBR Marker programme, farmers can now start IBR vaccination of their cattle from three months of age with a single shot primary course of Bovilis IBR Marker Live, easily followed by boosters every six months using a single dose of either Bovilis IBR Marker Live or Bovilis IBR Marker Inac. Both primary course and boosters can be administered by the same intramuscular route.
"Alternatively, Bovilis IBR Marker Inac can be administered to cattle from three months of age as a primary course of two injections four weeks apart. The programme then follows a six monthly single dose booster regime.
"The availability of Bovilis IBR Marker Inac provides a simple control option in defined farm situations, not least where an alternative to the live vaccine is preferred or required. Overall, we see this development adding convenience, ease of use and flexibility for veterinary surgeons as they work with their clients to control a significant disease threat in dairy and beef cattle in the UK."
Bovilis IBR Marker Inac is a prescription-only medicine (POM-V). The product is available from wholesalers now in 10 and 50 dose vials. For further information, contact the MSD Animal Health Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has announced that it is opening its membership to RCVS registered veterinary nurses for the first time.
BSAVA has always been keenly involved with veterinary nurse issues and has representation on the RCVS nurse Awarding Body Board and observers on VN Council. Membership Development Committee Chair Patricia Colville said: "The association strongly believes that are nurses are integral to the care the profession offers to patients, and we have always taken advice from our members on ways we can support nurses on the many issues that they have been faced with over the last number of years, from the change in nurse training to compulsory CPD and the future change to self-regulation. Now it is time to formally recognise the services we offer to VNs and bring them into a package of benefits that they can collect as a member of the Association".
Patricia added: "There have been many changes over the last 50 years, during which nurse training has developed in its own right. The depth and breadth of knowledge that nurses have, and the amount of work that they have to do to gain the VN qualification is vast and it is a great credit to the veterinary world that this level of dedication has developed. It is fantastic to see the amount of CPD on offer now and the enthusiasm and dedication that nurses show in continuing to develop their skills, which has contributed to the betterment of practice life and animal welfare".
Membership for VNs is being launched at the first year introductory price of £66 in 2011, rising to £100 per annum in 2012.
Practices interested in how BSAVA membership can support their nursing staff, and veterinary nurses interested in membership should register at http://www.bsava.com/, email administration@bsava.com or call 01452 726700.
According to the AHT, there is undisputed evidence that owners, riders and trainers have a poor ability to recognise signs of pain seen when horses are ridden. As a result, problems are labelled as training-related, rider-related, behavioural, or deemed 'normal' for that horse because 'that’s how he’s always gone'.
This, says the AHT, means pain-related problems are often disregarded, the horse continues in work, and the problem gets progressively worse.
Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, believes it may be easier to educate riders and trainers to recognise changes in facial expression and behaviour rather than lameness. So she and her team set out to develop and test an ethogram to describe facial expressions in ridden horses and to determine whether individuals could interpret and correctly apply the ethogram consistently.
At this stage in the project, they concluded that their ethogram could reliably be used to describe facial expressions of ridden horses by people from different professional backgrounds (full paper here: http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(16)30184-8/fulltext).
In the next stage of the project, Sue and her team sought to demonstrate that the ethogram could be used to identify lameness.
The ethogram was applied blindly by a trained analyst to photographs (n=519) of the head and neck of lame (n=76) and non-lame (n=25) horses acquired during ridden schooling-type work at both trot and canter. These included images of seven lame horses acquired before (n=30 photographs) and after diagnostic analgesia had abolished lameness (n=22 photographs).
A pain score (0-3; 0=normal, 1-3=abnormal) was applied to each feature in the ethogram, based on published descriptions of pain in horses.
A total of 27,407 facial markers were recorded, with those giving the greatest significant difference between lame and sound horses including ears back, eyes partially or fully closed, an open mouth with exposed teeth and being severely above the bit.
Pain scores were higher for lame horses than non-lame horses (p<0.001). Total pain score (p<0.05), total head position score (p<0.01), and total ear score (p<0.01) were reduced in lame horses after abolition of lameness.
Severely ‘above the bit’, twisting the head, asymmetrical position of the bit, ear position (both ears backwards, one ear backwards and one to the side, one ear backwards and one ear forwards) and eye features (exposure of the sclera, the eye partially or completely closed, muscle tension caudal to the eye, an intense stare) were the best indicators of pain.
The researchers concluded that application of the ethogram and pain score could differentiate between lame and non-lame horses. Assessment of facial expression could potentially improve recognition of pain-related gait abnormalities in ridden horses (full paper here: http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(17)30019-9/fulltext)
Sue and her team are now working on the development of a whole horse ethogram and its application to non-lame and lame horses, to help to differentiate between manifestations of conflict behaviour, in response to the demands of the rider, and pain. They are also working towards the development of a practical tool for recognising facial expressions, similar to that of a body condition score chart, which they say could dramatically improve the health and welfare of all horses.
Photo: Signs of pain include ears back (pain score of 3), intense stare, muscle tension and mouth. Courtesy Dr Sue Tyson.
Agria Pet Insurance has announced the launch of a new campaign to highlight the threat to animals from everyday poisons and toxins.
As part of its campaign, the company is encouraging vets and nurses to help clients keep their pets safe by sharing knowledge about specific toxins - increasing awareness of substances which can cause harm.
To support vets in advising clients, Agria has produced a poster designed for in-practice display (pictured right, click to enlarge), covering some of the main threats to cats and dogs that owners may come across in their everyday lives. Dangers include: ingestion of antifreeze and paracetamol by cats, certain human foods and rock salt by dogs.
International Cat Care, currently running the campaign ‘Keeping Cats Safe’ in conjunction with Agria, feels that many poisonings could be prevented if only owners knew the risks.
Claire Bessant, from the charity, said “Accidental poisonings are heartbreaking because they are so often preventable - owners just weren’t aware of the dangers. Even worse, sometimes people are trying to help their animals - such as when owners give paracetamol, unaware that it can be lethal for cats.
"We’re delighted that Agria is helping reduce the risk of poisoning with this veterinary campaign and we encourage vets to do their bit and display a poster." To order a copy of Agria’s poster – ‘Responsible Pet Ownership Month – taking extra care of your pet!’– to display in your practice, email the Agria vet team at admin.vet@agriapet.co.uk, or call them on 03330 30 83 90.
A new solution to a problem vets encounter when using a conventional, usually human health, laryngoscope on small animals has been devised by Prof Paul Flecknell of Newcastle University in collaboration with Alstoe Animal Health.
Called the FlecknellTM , this small animal laryngoscope uses a specially-designed, streamline, slimmed-down blade to maximise the view of the larynx, particularly with rabbits in mind. According to Alstoe, the new design also greatly reduces the risk of damage to an animal's gums or pharynx as the blade is inserted.
Prof Flecknell, MA, VetMB, PhD, DECLAM, DLAS, DECVA, (Hon) DACLAM, (Hon) FRCVS said: "Many practitioners have complained that existing blades were not suitable for small animal work and they were not happy with using a blind technique, as they really wanted to see the larynx and intubate under direct vision.
"So, over several years of development, we worked through prototypes and changed both the shape of the blade and the type and position of the light source. As well as trying the prototypes ourselves, Alstoe carried out trial work with vets in practice, resulting in this final design, which we think is much easier to use than other blades currently on the market.
"We hope this will encourage vets to intubate more rabbits, since this will enable them to be anaesthetised more safely. One of the commonest problems seen is depressed respiration progressing to apnoea, and trying to assist ventilation using a face mask often results only in inflation of the stomach, making matters worse. Once an endotracheal tube is in place, ventilation can be assisted easily if needed."
Niall McFerran from Alstoe said: "The Flecknell still requires some practice to master the use of the blade, and so we have produced a DVD and leaflet demonstrating its use. The Flecknell blade can be used to intubate a range of small animals, cats, dogs, as well as the original target rabbits.
"We were delighted to have worked with such an eminent specialist as Prof Flecknell and his team on a genuinely vet-led need to help with animal welfare. And this is just the start, as 2009 is going to be the busiest ever year for new product introductions for Alstoe Animal Health."
For more information, contact Alstoe Animal Health www.alstoe.co.uk
Elanco is highlighting new research which shows that using monensin in dairy cows at high risk of developing subclinical ketosis reduces curative antibiotic use by 25%.
According to the company, good herd management before calving is known to mitigate antimicrobial use in cows suffering from subclinical ketosis related conditions, but to date little research has quantified it.
The new research, by the University of Toulouse, was presented to leading cattle vets, academics and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry by veterinary cattle health specialist, Professor Didier Raboisson at the European Buiatrics Forum in Rome in October.1 It showed that using a monensin bolus in cows at high risk of getting subclinical ketosis led to a 25% reduction in antibiotics to treat and cure conditions associated with the metabolic condition.
Fiona Anderson MRCVS of Elanco said: "Responsible use of antimicrobials must be the target for veterinary medicine. Reducing use by whatever means could help improve the antimicrobial resistance situation. This new study shows that using monensin, which is available in the form of a Kexxtone bolus, is a powerful way to cut antibiotic use in the dairy herd. This is in addition to monensin already proven to be a valuable tool to reduce the risk of ketosis and subclinical ketosis and its associated losses in dairy herd productivity and profitability."
Subclinical ketosis is very common. It can affect up to 30% of cows in early lactation with a large variation between herds.2 It can be very costly for a dairy herd. A study from 2015 found that for a 100 cow herd with 30% ketosis, the direct and indirect costs can be around £10,416 or around £347 per affected cow.3
Cows affected by subclinical ketosis are at a higher risk of getting mastitis and metritis. They are also at higher risk of developing displaced abomasum, retained placenta and cystic ovaries and consequently face a higher culling risk. Subclinical ketosis also lowers milk production, reduces conception rates and lengthens calving intervals.4
If ketosis is an issue in a dairy herd, targeted administration of monensin in a Kexxtone bolus to cows at high risk of developing ketosis reduces the incidences of ketosis by 74%.6
The bolus is given three weeks before calving and provides coverage during the main risk period for the condition. Kexxtone uses monensin to improve rumen function and increase glucose delivery. This ultimately increases the energy available and buffers the dairy cow against the tendency to drop into negative energy balance.5
To make a big difference to clients’ profitability, Fiona encourages vets to not just consider the traditional nutritional intervention and the emergency treatment of ketosis cases, but to develop an effective strategy to highlight cows at risk of subclinical ketosis and to take targeted preventative action. She said: "Vets who can offer positive interventions to subclinical ketosis and its associated losses in the dairy herd are going to be increasingly important to their clients’ herd health planning."
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According to statistics from the RCVS, almost 40% of veterinary surgeons that have registered in the UK since 2005 qualified from veterinary schools elsewhere in the EU.
Of course, it's not just in general practice that veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses from other EU member states make such an important contribution. They work across all areas of veterinary science, including the fields of animal health and welfare, animal disease surveillance, scientific research and education, wildlife conservation, and public health and food safety.
Figures from the Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) estimate that over 90% of vets in meat hygiene services are non-British EU citizens.
To highlight the impact of Brexit on the veterinary profession, the BVA has written to the Secretary of State, Liz Truss MP, and to Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, requesting an early statement to the effect that non-British EU vets and vet nurses who are currently living, studying or working in the UK will continue to be able to do so in future.
BVA is also seeking reassurance for UK veterinary professionals working and studying in other EU member states.
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "It is not yet possible to comment on the reality of ‘Brexit’ since much will depend on forthcoming negotiations and the decisions that will be taken by the Government regarding, for example, whether or not to maintain existing EU legislation and rules. However, we recognise that these unanswered questions are having a profound impact on many of our members – particularly members who are non-British EU citizens, or have family members who are, and members who work alongside colleagues from other European Member States."
In the letters, Mr Wensley wrote: "I am sure there are many significant issues that your Department needs to consider [and] given the profound personal impact that the uncertainty caused by the referendum outcome is having on some of our members, we wanted to contact you at the earliest opportunity. In the forthcoming negotiations about the future relationship between the UK and the EU, we strongly urge you to make the case for all EU citizens and EU-qualified veterinary surgeons and nurses to have ongoing rights to live, work and study in the UK."
In the letter to the Northern Ireland (NI) Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Michelle McIlveen MLA, the BVA President and BVA NI Branch President Seamus O’Kane highlighted NI’s land border with EU member state the Republic of Ireland and called for the maintenance of the Common Travel Area to facilitate movement in an all-island context for both work and study purposes.
VPHA President Lewis Grant said: "Due to the particular focus on public health in many European veterinary degree courses, EU vets make an enormous contribution to both public health and animal health and welfare in the UK - often behind closed doors, monitoring and protecting public health in Approved Premises as well as welfare at slaughter to ensure slaughterhouses meet the standards that are required by law and expected by the public. Without their input and expertise, it would be difficult to ensure that Statutory requirements within the food industry are complied with."
The new bill - Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) - would increase the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty tenfold, from six months to five years, in England and Wales.
The draft bill also sets out that the government "must have regard to the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings in formulating and implementing government policy".
Subject to consultation on the draft bill, the government says it will legislate to deliver both aims.
In fact, the draft bill goes further than Article 13 as it applies to all areas of government policy, rather than specified areas of policy. If passed, the law would apply to the whole of the UK.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: "Animals are sentient beings who feel pain and suffering, so we are writing that principle into law and ensuring that we protect their welfare. Our plans will also increase sentences for those who commit the most heinous acts of animal cruelty to five years in jail. We are a nation of animal lovers so we will make Brexit work not just for citizens but for the animals we love and cherish too."
BVA President John Fishwick said: "Vets have been clear in our calls that the duty on the state to have due regard for animal welfare - as captured in Article 13 of the EU Lisbon Treaty - must be enshrined in UK law. This Bill captures the substantive obligation that Article 13 currently puts on the national government to consider animal welfare, as well as explicitly recognising animals as sentient beings."
"Today’s draft Bill lays out in black and white the Government making good on its promises, to ensure the UK remains a global leader in animal welfare post-Brexit."
Alstoe Animal Health has announced that Vetergesic (buprenorphine), the UK's most commonly used injectable opiate for small animal use, is now registered for use in horses.
Developed and manufactured in the UK, Alstoe took over marketing Vetergesic 11 years ago. Two years ago the company introduced the Multi-Dose Pack, which it says allows veterinary surgeons to manage the larger liquid volumes required in horses more easily.
Alstoe says Vetergesic potentiates sedative drugs for standing sedation or routine premedication and provides profound centrally acting analgesic effects for up to nine hours. In routine procedures, this allows good recoveries and a rapid return to normal behaviour patterns.
Alstoe also says that in a thermal anti-nociceptive study carried out at Bristol University, Vetergesic showed significantly better analgesic effects than butorphanol. Field studies carried out in the UK also confirmed that when combined with a sedative, Vetergesic can provide up to 60 minutes of operating time, with smooth and quick recoveries.
John Nellis of Alstoe said: "We have invested heavily in this product and are confident that the rewards enjoyed by small animal vets will also be appreciated by their equine colleagues. We call Vetergesic 'the thoroughbred of pain management'."
Vetergesic Multidose is available for dogs, cats and horses in a 10 ml vial.
Alstoe offers an hour long explanatory seminar, which can be delivered directly to practice members. An 8 page brochure and 'pocket-sized' dose chart are also available. Further details from Alstoe on: 01347 878606 or email: info@alstoe.co.uk .