The committee heard five charges against Dr Davies at a resumed hearing of an inquiry which was originally adjourned in January and then July 2018. The decision was made, at both the 2018 hearings, to postpone the final decision on the sanction.
The first two charges against Dr Davies related to convictions for drink driving in March 2014 and October 2015 for which she received driving bans of 17 and 45 months.
The third charge related to her breaching a number of undertakings she had entered into as part of the College’s Health Protocol, including her consuming alcohol on four occasions between May 2015 and January 2016 and missing a pre-arranged appointment with a consultant psychiatrist appointed.
The fourth and fifth charges related to being under the influence of alcohol on three occasions while she was on duty as a veterinary surgeon in December 2016 which was also in breach of her undertakings under the Health Protocol.
At Dr Davies' first Disciplinary Committee hearing in January 2018, she admitted all five charges against her and also accepted that her conduct was disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The Committee accepted her admissions and found, with the exception of one allegation, that her conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.
At the conclusion of its hearing on 23 January 2018 the Committee decided to postpone its decision regarding sanction for six months on the basis of Dr Davies’ entering into undertakings, including not to practise veterinary surgery and to remain abstinent from alcohol during the period of postponement and to undergo blood and hair tests for alcohol consumption every two months.
At the resumed hearing on 30 July 2018, Dr Davies’ Counsel submitted on her behalf that she wished to return to practise and the Committee reviewed evidence that she provided to demonstrate she had complied with her undertakings.
However, the Committee retained concerns about Dr Davies' return to practise and therefore required her to identify a veterinary surgeon who would agree to act as her mentor, noting that the mentor would have to be acceptable to the College as someone suitable to act in that capacity.
The Committee also required the continuation of the requirements for abstinence from alcohol and the programme of blood and hair testing.
A further requirement of the Committee was that Dr Davies should make a disclosure to any new employer of her appearances before the Committee in January 2018 and in July 2018 and of the decisions it made.
The final requirement of the Committee was that the respondent should not accept a ‘sole charge position’ at any time during her employment during this next period of postponement of sanction. The Committee then directed that the hearing be postponed for a further 12 months.
The Disciplinary Committee resumed its inquiry on 7th August 2019, when Dr Davies submitted documentary proof and medical records to demonstrate she had complied with all her undertakings given at the last hearing. The Committee also heard from Dr Davies’ appointed veterinary mentor who provided a statement that concluded that she no longer needed monitoring or supervision.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Davies.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The view of the Committee is that the respondent has to date overcome her addiction to alcohol and, given that her competence as a practising veterinary surgeon is not disputed, that she should therefore be permitted to return to her chosen profession. However, in the judgment of this Committee the seriousness of the offences to which the Respondent has pleaded guilty means that a sanction of “No Further Action” cannot be justified."
The Committee therefore decided that the most proportionate sanction was for Dr Davies to be reprimanded as to the conduct she admitted at previous hearings and that she be warned as to her future conduct.
Ian added: "The respondent must understand that she has been given an opportunity to prove that, for the remainder of her time in practice, she can meet the high standards expected of all registered veterinary surgeons from both other practitioners and from members of the public who entrust the care and treatment of their animals to members of this profession."
The awards, comprising academic book vouchers, were presented at the University’s RCVS ceremony after graduation earlier this month.
Jamie Rahman BVSc won the award for the most engaged veterinary student on EMS placement. Feedback about his placement included: 'Exceptional attitude'. 'Contributed actively to good clinical discussion'. 'Intelligent and engaging’. 'Shows true dedication to learning as much as he can whilst in practice, trying to spend as much time with the different specialists as possible'.
Meanwhile, Cheviot Vets in Alnwick won the students' award for outstanding clinical EMS placement 2019. Comments received from students included: ‘I would not be nearly as prepared and ready for practice without the support and training of the team at Cheviot Vets.’ ‘They invested an incredible amount of time into helping me develop my husbandry knowledge and skills.’ ‘Really supportive manner and encouraged me to develop my skills.’
Sarah Heming, Director of Public Affairs and Customer Relations at Zoetis said: "Zoetis has a high focus on supporting the professional advancement of the veterinary profession. We are proud sponsors of the EMS Recognition Awards for Bristol University alongside other initiatives such as the Young Vet of the Year Awards in partnership with the British Veterinary Association.
"The initial stages of a veterinary career are pivotal so helping winning individuals to invest in academic or professional resources to support their continued development in practice can be very beneficial. We would also like to formally thank the winning practices for their invaluable commitment and support."
People are invited to organise or join a walk to raise money for Canine Arthritis Management and its work to educate both dog owners and veterinary professionals about how even the smallest of changes can help to enhance the life of a dog with arthritis.
CAM highlights recent work from the Royal Veterinary College and University of Sydney through VetCompass, which highlighted some of the biggest welfare challenges facing our pet population including obesity, dental disease and osteoarthritis, with osteoarthritis identified as one of the most severe conditions.
Hannah said: "We need to start more conversations about arthritis; both dog owners and vets need to be more aware of the steps we can take to help prevent arthritis, and where dogs are affected, how we can take positive action to help them live fulfilled and comfortable lives."
Hannah says that arthritis is currently one of the biggest causes of owners choosing to euthanise their dogs, and she hopes that owners taking part in the walks will help spread the word that arthritis can be managed.
To find out more about the Big September Walks visit www.facebook.com/CAMBigSeptemberWalks
CVS says there has been a steady increase in the number of clinicians offering peripatetic services on the premises of host practices in almost every area of clinical work, including surgery, cardiology, diagnostic imaging and dermatology. It's a model for improving patient access to more advanced levels of clinical care.
The company has appointed Ben Walton BVSc DSAS(Orth) MRCVS (pictured right), an RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) at Chestergates Veterinary Specialists, to head up the new network (called the Advanced Clinical Services Network, or ASCN). In a previous life, he offered a peripatetic surgery service in the North West of England and North Wales for several years.
Ben said: "I believe that the new network will deliver huge advantages to a number of stakeholders. The peripatetic model is an attractive proposition from a number of perspectives.
"For the host practices, is allows cases to be managed to a greater depth in-house, improving their service offering, and increasing opportunities for development of the practice team. It also allows the retention of revenue from these cases, which in turn justifies investment in facilities.
"For the client and patient, it improves the level of care that they receive at their home practice. Visiting clinicians bring expertise into practices through their own knowledge and experience, but also through development of the practice team, thus improving standards across the board."
Ben believes the model also offers better clinical career progression for experienced vets: "I believe that clinically-satisfying roles can be hard to come by at the moment.
"As a profession, we tend to be good at looking after our recent graduates. CVS, other large groups and independent practices have worked really hard on this over the last few years. There are also plenty of opportunities to develop your career on a management track, especially in the large groups.
"What there is a real lack of, though, are jobs that allow genuine clinical development. Many vets are well-supported to gain certificates and Advanced Practitioner status, but often there isn’t a satisfying caseload at the end of it.
"Within the new network, experienced vets will have a caseload that is predominantly or exclusively within their preferred discipline, and as they will be performing higher-value work than they would in a GP position, better remuneration packages will be justifiable. Ultimately, we want to be able reward experienced vets well, for doing a job that is clinically satisfying, and provides a valuable service to host practices and their clients."
CVS says it intends to develop the Advanced Clinical Services Network in multiple disciplines nationwide over the next few years.
Ben added: "Primarily, the ACSN is being established to service CVS practices, but we envisage that many of the services will also be available to non-CVS practices."
For more information, visit careerswithcvs.co.uk
As a result of the new partnership, customers of Bought By Many will have access to free video consultations with UK-registered veterinary surgeons via the FirstVet app.
In their blurb, the companies say that: "Many common pet health issues can be treated in the comfort of their own home, meaning owners only need to take their pet to the vet when absolutely necessary. Bought By Many customers can save time, money and potential stress to their pet by using the free FirstVet service. When a referral to a local vet is needed, FirstVet provides detailed notes of the initial consultation to both the owner and the vet."
David Prien, FirstVet’s CEO & co-founder, said: "FirstVet couldn't be more excited to offer our veterinary video consultation service together with Bought By Many in the UK.
"From our first meeting with the Bought By Many team, we knew that our values were aligned. We both share a mission to bring the best that technology has to offer both to pet owners and to the veterinary care process.
"Offering pet owners the chance to speak face-to-face with an experienced veterinarian via a video call is a great way to make sure that all pets are getting the right treatment, as fast as possible, in the right location."
For more information on Bought by Many, visit boughtbymany.com/pet-insurance.
The poster grades faeces from one (kickable) to six (most certainly not kickable).
James Kyffin, Veterinary Director at Protexin Veterinary said: "We believe that Poop Points offers pet owners a fun and engaging way to monitor their pet’s faeces."
That, surely, must win James the "Oxymoronic Veterinary Quote of the Year Award 2019".
More seriously, he went on to say: "It is important to raise awareness of alterations in animal’s faecal scores and ensure that this is communicated to their veterinary surgeon in an effective way."
Practices in the UK and Ireland can order their free poster on Protexin's website: https://www.protexinvet.com/pooppoints, or by emailing info@protexin.com.
Protexin will also be promoting digestive health advice on its website and social channels (@Protexin Veterinary on Facebook and Instagram), which practices can share and use.
The company says the new test overcomes a major shortcoming in faecal egg counts: that they can only detect the presence of egg-laying adult worms. The new test, by contrast, can detect all stages of the small redworm life cycle, including the important encysted larval phase.
ADB says the new test will help protect the effectiveness of moxidectin, the only dewormer which is capable of eliminating the encysted stages and against which widespread resistance is not thought to have developed.
Whereas before, routine winter treatment was needed to target the encysted phase, this new test means the drug can be kept for when it is really needed, which will help prevent the development of resistance. ADB says it will also be of great value to equine vets in making differential diagnoses.
The blood test was developed by Prof Jacqui Matthews’ group at the Moredun Research Institute (MRI), with funding from The Horse Trust. She said: "It is great to see the commercialisation of this much-needed test to support sustainable worm control in horses. The test fills an important gap in our diagnostic toolbox and will enable horse owners to work with their veterinarians in targeting anthelmintic treatments against cyathostomin infections and hence help protect these important medicines for the future."
Dr Corrine Austin from ADB said: "ADB is now developing laboratory ELISA kits to enable independent veterinary laboratories to conduct blood testing; these kits are expected to reach market during 2020. Research into the saliva-based test is ongoing and is expected to be commercialised several years from now."
Veterinary practices can contact ADB at info@austindavis.co.uk to register interest in the diagnostic test service.
The charity says that although histiocytic sarcoma is rare, it is an aggressive form of cancer which Flatcoated Retrievers are particularly susceptible to.
According to the AHT, almost half of all affected Flat-coated Retrievers will have a tumour in multiple locations in the body at the time of diagnosis. The outlook for these dogs is very poor and, in most cases, means they receive a terminal diagnosis.
The new research revolves around microRNAs, abnormal levels of which are often found in tumours. In addition, different microRNAs are involved in different cancers. These cancer-specific microRNA signatures can be found within the blood of cancer patients, meaning that a tumour could potentially be diagnosed with a blood test.
To start with, the researchers say they plan to confirm if there is a specific microRNA signature that is unique to histiocytic sarcomas amongst tumours and normal tissue samples from Flatcoated Retrievers. If a signature is identified, the project will investigate if measuring the levels of these microRNAs within a Flatcoated Retriever tissue sample can be used to accurately identify a histiocytic sarcoma. If it can, additional funding will be sought for more research to identify if the microRNA signature is also detectable in the blood of affected dogs, and thence to develop a blood test.
If it comes off, this would mean that a blood sample from a Flatcoated Retriever that was lame, or was showing non-specific clinical signs of the disease such as depression, lethargy, appetite or weight loss, could be tested for the presence of the histiocytic sarcoma-associated microRNAs.
A dog with a positive test result could then have an early MRI scan and histopathology done to confirm the diagnosis, hopefully at a stage where treatment would be more successful.
Dr Anna Hollis, cancer researcher at the Animal Health Trust, said: "I have Flatcoated Retrievers and have lost one of them to histiocytic sarcoma - it is absolutely devastating. This research could make a significant difference, and that is a huge personal motivation for me. Histiocytic sarcoma is a particularly tricky cancer to diagnose, because the tumours are frequently located deep within or between the muscles of the upper limbs - underneath the shoulder is a common location.
"Often lame dogs are rested and given pain relief before imaging is sought. Delayed diagnosis is a potential problem with histiocytic sarcoma given its aggressive nature and ability to spread rapidly to other locations within the body. If we could identify affected dogs at an earlier stage, this may allow more successful treatment of the disease."
The research project has been funded by the Flatcoated Retriever Society (FCRS) and the FCRS Rescue, Rehousing and Welfare Scheme. The Flatcoated Retriever Breed Health Co-ordinator, Liz Branscombe, said "Sadly, there is a high incidence of this aggressive form of cancer in our beautiful breed. Early detection of the disease is key in optimising cancer treatment and prolonging survival time so the prospect of a diagnostic blood test for use in the future is exciting.'
Photo: Liz Branscombe, Dr Mike Starkey and Dr Anna Hollis of AHT and Brian Jones of FCRS Rescue, Rehousing and Welfare.
Vetemex has a 56-day broached shelf life and uses benzyl alcohol as the excipient, rather than metacresol.
Virbac points to a study in which benzyl alcohol achieved a 78% reduction in pain score immediately post-injection, and a 53% reduction in pain score in the 2-minute period post-injection, compared to Metacresol1.
Vetemex is presented in a 20ml bottle and is available from the veterinary wholesalers now.
Claire Lewis, Product Manager at Virbac said: "Vetemex is a valuable addition to the already extensive Virbac portfolio. We are pleased to be able to offer vets this new, and more comfortable to administer, antiemetic option."
For more information on Vetemex, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager.
Reference
The Disciplinary Committee had found Dr Schulze Allen guilty of four charges, namely that he had been convicted of the criminal offence of petty theft in the US which rendered him unfit to practise, and that on three subsequent occasions, twice to the RCVS and once to a notary in California, dishonestly represented that he had no criminal convictions.
Following the DC hearing, Dr Schulze Allen submitted an appeal to the Privy Council. The basis of his appeal revolved around whether, under Californian law, his conviction for petty theft was a conviction for a criminal offence or an infraction, and whether an infraction under US law was a criminal offence.
The RCVS had argued that while the theft is not a criminal felony in California, it would be considered so under English law.
However, the Board of the Privy Council which heard the appeal – comprising Lords Wilson, Carnwath and Lloyd-Jones, found the College had not proven beyond all reasonable doubt that Dr Schulze Allen was convicted of a criminal offence under Californian law. It therefore upheld his appeal against the DC’s finding that he had committed a criminal offence.
The Privy Council then considered Dr Schulze Allen’s appeal against the third and fourth of the charges against him - that he was dishonest in his representations to the College that he did not have a ‘criminal’ conviction and did not have a ‘criminal record’. The Privy Council found that, since the conviction for petty theft was an infraction, and was not a criminal offence and did not leave Dr Schulze Allen with a criminal record, then, strictly speaking, his representations to the RCVS were not false and so upheld his appeal against these two charges.
The Privy Council then considered Dr Schulze Allen’s appeal against the College’s second charge against him. This charge was that he had, in a written application for restoration to the Register, represented that he did not have any cautions, criminal convictions or "adverse findings". The College argued that he still had a responsibility to make a full and frank disclosure about his infraction, even if it did not meet the threshold of ‘criminal’ under Californian law.
The Board of the Privy Council said it had, on Dr Schulze Allen’s behalf, done its best to identify some argument that his conviction for a petty theft infraction did not amount to an "adverse finding", but failed. Rather, it found that "the conviction obviously amounted to an adverse finding."
The Board added that "there is no material by reference to which the Board [of the Privy Council] can depart from the [Disciplinary] Committee’s conclusion that, in answering “no” to that question, he knew that his answer was untrue. In other words, his denial was dishonest."
The Board therefore allowed the appeal against the DC’s conclusion on the first, third and fourth charges. But it dismissed the appeal against its conclusion on the second charge, namely that in that regard Dr Schulze Allen had been guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."
The Board then set aside the original sanction, that Dr Schulze Allen be removed from the Register, and tasked the Committee with identifying the appropriate sanction in relation to the second charge.
The Disciplinary Committee will now hold a further hearing to decide the sanction, at some time in the future. In the meantime Dr Schulze Allen remains on the Register of Veterinary Surgeons.
Amy Scott MRCVS, Boehringer Ingehlheim’s performance horse portfolio manager, said: "Arti-Cell Forte is the first 'ready-to-use' stem cell-based product to be licensed in any veterinary species, and the only stem cell treatment to contain induced cells, representing a significant leap forward in both stem cell therapies and medicine as a whole.
"Arti-Cell Forte contains stem cells that have been chondrogenically induced and therefore primed to develop into the cartilage cell lineage. Studies have shown that chondrogenically induced stem cells demonstrate an enhanced clinical outcome compared to un-induced stem cells in the treatment of joint disease in horses¹."
"This makes Arti-Cell Forte a highly targeted and effective treatment for cartilage damage associated with degenerative joint disease."
Arti-Cell Forte is available direct from Boehringer Ingelheim to veterinary practitioners.
It needs to be stored at ultra-low temperatures to maintain its two year shelf life from manufacture, either frozen at -70 ⁰C to -90 ⁰C (dry ice, -80 ⁰C freezer) or -196 ⁰C (liquid nitrogen) until immediately prior to injecting.
The company is providing full training on storage and administration via face-to-face CPD at practice meetings or specific CPD events*.
For more information, contact your local territory manager or ring Boehringer's Technical Services Team on 01344 746957, or email vetenquiries@boehringer-ingelheim.com
The company points to a study which showed that cats treated Bravecto Plus showed no visible signs of mites at 14 days and 100% efficacy was confirmed at 28 days1. This, says the company, means that Bravecto Plus now gives 12 week control of fleas and ticks, eight week prevention of heartworm disease, treatment of roundworm and hookworm, and treatment of ear mites.
Hannah Newbury, Companion Animal Technical Lead at MSD Animal Health said: "With 1 in 4 cats in the Big Flea Project study having fleas2, we can conclude that pet owner compliance to parasite prevention is currently poor.
"This new licence is an important development for vets and cat owners, offering greater convenience, while helping improve flea and tick compliance. Bravecto Plus builds on the qualities of Bravecto and offers vets and cat owners another tool in the fight against an even broader range of potentially harmful parasites.
"Research by MSD Animal Health shows that 82% of cat owners believe that the ideal flea and tick treatment lasts longer than 2 months3 and vets can offer their cat owners this and more with BRAVECTO PLUS due to its 12 week duration of activity4.
For further information contact your MSD Animal Health Account Manager.
References
The Disciplinary Committee heard three charges against Dr Dhami, relating to events which took place while he was in practice at Vets4Pets in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
The first charge against him was that, in November 2017, he used excessive force in kicking and stamping on a Staffordshire Bull Terrier he was treating.
The second charge was that, between in October and November 2017, he failed to pay adequate regard to the welfare of a Jack Russell in his care by leaving it in a sink without adequate reason and for an excessive period of time.
The third charge was that, between April and March 2018, he failed to have adequate regard to the welfare of a six-to-eight week old kitten, including providing bedding and warmth.
At the outset of the hearing Dr Dhami admitted to lightly kicking the dog, but denied forcefully kicking it and also denied that he had stamped on the dog, as well as denying the other two charges against him.
In considering the circumstances of the first charge, the Committee heard evidence from two of Dr Dhami’s colleagues stating that the dog had bitten him whilst he was cleaning its ears and, following this, he took the dog out of the consulting room, closed the door and whilst holding the dog’s lead then proceeded to kick her twice, knocking her along the floor both times, and then finally stamp on her when she was prone.
Dr Dhami disputed his colleagues' version of events and stated that he had only delivered two light kicks to the dog’s rump, that neither of these had made her fall to the floor and also denied in categorical terms that he stamped on the animal. Furthermore, he also denied the second and third charges against him.
In considering the evidence as to whether Dr Dhami kicked and stamped on the dog, the Disciplinary Committee found the evidence of his two colleagues to be credible and reliable, and so found all aspects of the charge proven.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "For the avoidance of doubt, the Committee finds that the admitted kicks administered to [the animal] by the respondent were of significant force. The Committee rejects the respondent’s assertion that the admitted kicks amounted to mere taps on the backside. The Committee finds that the ‘stamping’ was also of significant force."
In regards to the second and third charges, the Committee was not satisfied that the charges had been proven by the evidence it heard and therefore dismissed them both.
Having found all parts of the first charge proven, the Committee then went on to consider whether or not Dr Dhami’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct, something that Dr Dhami, following the Committee’s decision on the facts, through his counsel, had admitted.
The Committee identified a number of aggravating factors, including the real risk of physical harm to the animal and the deliberate nature Dr Dhami’s conduct against the animal, committed in anger.
In mitigation, the Committee accepted that this was an isolated incident and that Dr Dhami had been bitten and was in pain. The Committee therefore found that Dr Dhami’s admission of serious professional misconduct was ‘properly and prudently made’.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Dhami. In doing so it took into account some of the written testimonials and character witnesses called on behalf of Dr Dhami. The Committee was also satisfied that Dr Dhami had had a hitherto long and unblemished career, that he had apologised to colleagues immediately after the incident and that, since the events, he had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon without any problems.
In relation to insight about the event, the Committee accepted Dr Dhami had provided some evidence of reflection, in that he admitted kicking the dog and accepted that this conduct, once found proven, amounted to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee decided that suspending Dr Dhami from the Register for four months would be the most proportionate sanction.
Ian Green concluded: "Having regard to all the matters urged by way of mitigation, and having taken into account all the evidence that it has heard, the Committee is satisfied that a period of suspension is sufficient in this case to protect the welfare of animals, maintain public confidence and to declare and uphold proper standards of conduct."
Dr Dhami has 28 days from being informed of the outcome of the hearing in which to make an appeal to the Privy Council.
Open to anyone working in a veterinary setting at any stage of their career, the competition rewards teams and individuals (clinical and non-clinical), who have achieved better outcomes through QI initiatives for patients, clients, the business or the working environment.
Individual winners will be crowned 'Knowledge Champions' and one team will become RCVS Knowledge’s 'Champion Practice'.
Each winner will also receive a £250 reward, tickets to the awards ceremony next calendar year and the opportunity to work with RCVS Knowledge to further promote their quality improvement work.
Candidates can nominate themselves or others for an award.
If you want to nominate a colleague, the deadline is 17thOctober. The deadline to apply on your own behalf or that of your team/practice is 29th November 2019.
Full details are available online: bit.ly/KnowledgeAwards.
Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge, Chris Gush said: "The 2019 awards shed light on the very good work those in the profession are doing to continually enhance quality, so we are delighted to bring the competition back for 2020.
"It is a great opportunity for individuals and teams to showcase their quality improvement initiatives. Whether it is clinically focused or aiming to improve procurement, we are keen to hear about the work that is underway."
Last year's awards highlighted inspirational QI projects such as a drugs audit that led to a ten-fold improvement in usage discrepancy; a quarterly clinical audit that enhanced nursing expertise and trust from veterinary surgeons; and the introduction of guidelines that coincided with the subsequent treatment of 2,639 additional animals.
The case examples submitted by each winner are available to download for free:
'Champion Practice' Vets Now Macclesfield for its anaesthesia audit.
'Knowledge Champion' Louise Northway RVN, Wendover Heights Veterinary Centre, for her anaesthesia audit.
'Knowledge Champion' Alison Thomas MRCVS, Blue Cross, for her case study: Creating clinical guidelines.
'Knowledge Champion' Angela Rayner MRCVS, CVS Group plc, for her case study: Controlled drugs process audit.
For more case examples and QI resources, visit: bit.ly/QIKnowledge
The announcement came in the form of a written statement by the then Home Secretary Sajid Javid to the House of Commons on 23rd July, which said: "The Government is happy to accept all of the MAC’s recommendations on the composition of the SOL and the necessary amendments will be made in the Autumn Immigration Rules changes."
Being on the shortage occupation list means that employers do not need to advertise jobs for veterinary surgeons in the UK for 28 days before advertising abroad (the Resident Labour Market Test). In addition, there are lower visa fees and it provides exemption from the minimum income threshold.
RCVS President Niall Connell said: "Both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association worked together to ensure this outcome, which will see a lowering of the immigration barriers, for example, in terms of visa requirements, for overseas veterinary surgeons who wish to live and work in the UK.
"We also considered this a vital piece of preparation for the UK leaving the EU, as around half of those registering as veterinary surgeons with the RCVS in a given year are non-UK EU nationals and we would not want to see this vital supply of veterinary talent immediately dry up should ‘freedom of movement’ end when the UK leaves the EU.
"We thank Mr Javid for accepting the Committee’s proposals and congratulate his successor Priti Patel on her appointment and look forward to the decision being implemented. The new Prime Minister pledged on the steps of Downing Street to do more to promote the welfare of animals, and having veterinary surgeons on the Shortage Occupation List will help in our mission to uphold animal health and welfare and ensure that vital veterinary work can continue to get done, whatever happens with the relationship between the UK and the EU."
Dr Corsi consulted with Kika's owners about the management of her pregnancy at the end of November 2017, finding at least 4 puppies on an x-ray taken at the time.
The first of five charges against Dr Corsi was that on the 14th December, after being advised by Kika's owners that the dog had produced two live puppies and one dead puppy the previous night, she failed to advise them that Kika needed an immediate veterinary examination.
The second charge was that, having been telephoned for a second time by the owner, she still failed to advise the owners that Kika required an immediate veterinary examination.
The third charge was that, following an examination of Kika that afternoon, and having ascertained that Kika required a caesarean section to remove one undelivered puppy, Dr Corsi failed to perform the caesarean section that day and advised the owner that Kika could undergo the caesarean section (at the practice, performed by her) the next day (or words to the effect).
The charge also stated that she failed to advise the owner that Kika’s health and welfare required the caesarean section to be performed that day; and that she failed to advise them that, if she or another veterinary surgeon at the practice could not perform the surgery that day, Kika needed to be referred to the out-of-hours clinic so that the caesarean section could take place on the 14th December.
The fourth charge was that Dr Corsi failed to recognise that Kika’s health and welfare required a caesarean section to be performed on 14th December.
The fifth charge was that, on 16th December 2017, having been telephoned by the owner at about 5pm and having been informed that Kika was weak and had not been eating post-operatively, Dr Corsi failed to advise the owner that Kika should be presented urgently for a veterinary examination.
The Disciplinary Committee considered the facts of the case and heard evidence from a number of witnesses including the owners of Kika and Dr Corsi, and from Mr Maltman MRCVS who was called as an expert witness on behalf of the College and Mr Chitty, who was called as an expert witness on behalf of Dr Corsi.
Having considered all of the evidence, the Committee found all aspects of the first and second charges proven in their entirety.
The Committee found the majority of the third charge not proved, with the exception of the fact that it found that Dr Corsi did advise the owner that she could undertake the Caesarean section on 15 December 2017.
In light of the Committee’s findings in respect of the aspects of charge three that were not proved, charge four was also found not proved.
Finally, the Committee considered that charge five was found not proved.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the charges that were found proven amounted to serious professional misconduct either individually and/or cumulatively.
Committee Chair Cerys Jones said: "In light of the evidence of both parties’ experts, the Committee was of the view that there was a risk of harm or injury resulting from Dr Corsi’s failure - the Committee decided that this was an aggravating factor.
"However, the Committee took into account that, at the time of both calls, Dr Corsi had a rationale for her decision, that she asked appropriate questions and received answers which led her to make what she considered to be a reasoned assessment.
"She had also made arrangements in both calls to be kept updated either at a pre-arranged time or sooner if Kika’s condition changed. On this basis, the Committee was satisfied that, while this was an error of judgement, it did not fall so far short of what was expected as to amount to disgraceful conduct."
Therefore, the Committee decided that while Dr Corsi’s conduct in Charges 1 and 2 demonstrated a departure from professional standards, the falling short was not so grave as to amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The full decision can be read here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings/
A few examples of the products in J.A.K Marketing's 'ThinkGreen' portfolio include the Purfect Anaesorber, BAG’EMS biodegradable poop bags, Tick Twister products (made from recycled plastic) and Bamboo stick cotton buds.
The website also gives a snapshot of the sorts of things that J.A.K itself does to reduce its impact on the environment, including the use of environmentally-friendly brown paper and recycled cardboard boxes for packaging. The company has also switched to certified sustainable FSC paper for most of its printed marketing materials (including the master catalogue) and is working with courier companies who have targets in reducing CO2 emissions.
Managing Director, John Holland said: "J.A.K Marketing is committed to the protection and preservation of the world’s ecosystem. By undertaking our productivity and operations responsibly and sustainably, we recognise that reducing the environmental impact of our activities is very important. We will strive to achieve environmental excellence within the veterinary industry and will continue to work closely with our employees and commercial partners to establish and follow the principles of our ThinkGreen policy."
Sales Director, James Johnson said: "With growing interest towards the protection of the environment, we need to make it easier for veterinary practices to identify products where there is a benefit to the environment by simply switching to a like for like ‘greener’ alternative. As part of our long-term strategy, we are dedicated to growing this area of our business, welcoming feedback from the profession of how we can all work together to achieve this."
Those wanting to offer inspiration and feedback can do so on the form at the bottom of the ‘ThinkGreen’ page: www.jakmarketing.co.uk/thinkgreen.
The company says the product is highly effective against common bacteria including Staphylococci, Clostridia, Corynebacteria and Streptococci, and gram-negative bacteria including Bacteroides spp, Pasteurellae, and Proteus spp.
Clavubactin is available in a range of dose strengths to treat all sizes of patient. It is presented as a doubly divisible tablet for accurate and flexible dosing and to help avoid the development of antibiotic resistance associated with under dosing. The tablets come in blister packs of 10, designed to help reduce unnecessary exposure when dispensing in practice.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: "The introduction of Clavubactin to our antibiotic portfolio will give veterinary professionals even more choice of effective and targeted treatments in their day-to-day practice."
The survey was conducted after it was found that only 10% of job adverts on VetSurgeon.org and 16% on VetNurse.co.uk include an indication of the salary. By contrast, a quick analysis of the adverts on other leading job boards for professionals found that 66% of jobs advertised for doctors include salary details, 87% for human nurses, 64% for architects and 92% for computer programmers.
The survey received 1,147 responses: 524 from veterinary surgeons and 622 from veterinary nurses.
When asked how they would likely react to job advertisements seen online or in print:
61.5% of vets said they would read adverts which display a salary first (before those that don't)
51.5% of vets said they would respond to adverts which display the salary first (before those that don't).
21.9% of vets said they would ignore ads that don't show a salary.
Only 30.3% said they would consider the job adverts equally, regardless of whether or not they displayed a salary.
Respondents were then asked what impression it gave them if a practice advertised a job without stating a salary. 57% of vets said 'negative', 41.4% said 'neutral' and 1.3% said 'positive'.
The final question asked how annoying it is to read job adverts which only describe a salary using words like 'competitive' or 'generous'.
9.5% of vets said: 'Not at all annoying"
37.7% said 'Mildly irritating'
52.7% said 'Very annoying. It's a waste of my time to ring and find my definition of 'competitive' is not the same as the advertiser's.'
Interestingly, veterinary nurses were even more salary conscious, being much more likely to prioritise adverts which give salary details and ignore those that don't (full results of the nurse survey here).
The bottom line is that if you spend £99 to advertise a job on VetSurgeon and you don't advertise the salary, you're effectively throwing away £22 there and then. Might as well just set fire to a £20 note. Even if you think that is a price worth paying (and let's not forget that it'll be a considerably more expensive mistake if you advertise elsewhere), you then have to think of the monetary value of having sent someone away with a negative impression of your practice, or worse still if you described the salary as 'competitive' or 'generous'.
It is worth highlighting that on VetSurgeon and VetNurse, employers are invited to advertise the 'Minimum Offer', described to jobseekers as the starting point for discussions, or a salary range. Both are designed to give jobseekers something to go on, whilst still allowing room for negotiation.
To help employers get the most out of their recruitment adverts on VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk, we're sharing a special training video, which you can watch below. If nothing else, a quick reminder of what you need to include in the advert:
The study, which was conducted in in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and Nottingham Trent University, looked at the relationship between the owners of over 2000 Pugs, French and English Bulldogs and their pets.
The researchers found that while 20% of the brachycephalic dogs in the study had undergone at least one corrective surgery, only 6.8% of owners consider their dog to be less healthy than average for their breed.
Furthermore, despite 17.9% of owners reporting breathing problems and 36.5% reporting overheating, a staggering 70.9% of owners still considered their dog to be in ‘very good health’ or ‘the best health possible'.
The average age of the dogs in the study was a youthful 2.17 years, which suggests a particularly steep and recent increase in ownership, and points towards a looming health crisis as they age and their disorders worsen.
Furthermore, the study revealed that the dog-owner relationship is influenced by expectations in advance of owning a short-muzzled dog.
Dogs whose behaviour, maintenance and veterinary costs were worse than expected prior to ownership led to owners reporting ownership of their dog to be a greater burden.
With more brachycephalic dogs being relinquished to rescue centres across the UK, the researchers say realistic expectations of ownership are crucial to maintaining long-lasting relationships between owners and short-muzzled dogs.
Dr Rowena Packer, Research Fellow at the Royal Veterinary College and leader of the study, said: "With the UK experiencing a brachycephalic crisis, a greater understanding of the relationships between owners and dogs of these breeds is vital.
"Emotional forces may trump rationality, with owners clearly loving their dogs but considering high levels of disease as healthy for these breeds. With the welfare of many thousands of dogs at stake, along with emotional and financial burdens on their owners, research that unravels these complex relationships is much needed."
Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College and Chairman of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group, said: "After almost a decade working on brachycephalic dogs, I have come to realise that the issue is as much a human problem as it is a dog problem.
"As humans, we design, breed and choose the dogs we own but our dogs have to live, for better or worse, with those outcomes. With such great power comes great responsibility. Deeper understanding of the human reasons for our choices can help us make better decisions and to improve the welfare of our ‘best friend’."
Bill Lambert, Senior Health and Welfare Manager at the Kennel Club, said: "By contrasting perception and reality, this research provides vital insights which can help advance practical tools and resources to enable better understanding of the health conditions these popular breeds can suffer from and inform puppy buyers’ and owners’ decisions. Similarly, it highlights how crucial it is that all those who care about dog welfare continue to work collaboratively to raise awareness of brachycephalic-related conditions, and encourage puppy buyers to do thorough research and go to a responsible breeder who prioritises health. This is the remit of the Brachycephalic Working Group, made up of vets, welfare organisations and breed clubs, who will no doubt use the insight from this paper to inform future work."
Photo: Charles Bradbury
To win, OVs are asked to submit a question to a speaker of their choice by Monday 12 August.
The question judged the most interesting will win the free ticket and five runners up will each receive a 50% discounted ticket. In each case, the OV can choose their preferred day to attend.
The full programme can be found at: https://officialvet.com/programme/ and questions can be submitted to enquiries@improve-ov.com or by private message through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialvet/
Improve says this year's speakers will address an increasing threat from notifiable diseases in the UK, with evidence of M. bovis infection linked to a raw pet food diet identified in cats, an outbreak of equine viral arteritis in Dorset and cases of African swine fever recently reported in western Europe. The programme includes small animal and farm animal focused lecture streams on both days, an equine stream on the first day and a series of specialist workshops on the second.
Dr Andrew Soldan (pictured right), Veterinary Director at APHA, said: "Notifiable diseases are an ongoing threat to the health and welfare of animals and our farming industries in the UK. Animal keepers and vets play a vital role in their early detection. We’re particularly concerned by the risk of African swine fever following the disease being found in wild boar in Belgium last year.
"Small animal and mixed practice OVs can help us reduce the risk of ASF infecting UK pigs by informing pig keepers of the risk and advising them of the importance of not feeding kitchen scraps and catering waste to pigs.
"We’re currently in the vector season so bluetongue is another disease to look out for in cattle and sheep. Providing advice to livestock farmers on how they can minimise the risk of its introduction through vaccination and checking the source of imported animals is another important role for OVs."
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: "OVs play a crucial role in monitoring our exposure to notifiable diseases and in alerting us to possible outbreaks. For this reason, providing a full update on the current disease status is an important element of this year’s programme, though we will also cover other important topics, including illegal puppy imports, pet travel and, inevitably I’m afraid, Brexit."
For more information on the Official Veterinarian Conference and exhibition or to register visit: www.officialvet.com.
Dechra says the combination of triamcinolone acetonide and salicylic acid works to provide effective symptomatic treatment, particularly for certain types of otitis externa that are not caused by a bacterial or yeast infection, such as flare ups caused by allergies.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: "Otitis externa is a condition that causes inflammation of the external ear canal and it can have a debilitating effect on cats and dogs.
"Recicort is a moderately potent steroid with an anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive action that works by suppressing the inflammatory response and the symptoms of various disorders often associated with itching. It doesn’t contain an antibiotic or antimycotic so it won’t contribute to antimicrobial resistance either.
"This prescription-only treatment is an important addition to our dermatology portfolio for veterinary professionals who are looking for a suite of highly effective and cost effective treatments."
Recicort is available in 20 ml bottles. For more information visit: www.dechra.co.uk
This year’s Protect and Prevent campaign urged rabbit owners to get their rabbits vaccinated, following the continued outbreak of rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD2). Veterinary practices were also urged to make sure they were stocking the necessary vaccines to protect rabbits against RVHD2, RVHD and myxomatosis.
The company says that over 5000 campaign packs were downloaded from the Rabbit Awareness Week website and sales of RVHD2 vaccines in the veterinary sector in June 2019 were 55% up on June 2018.
Peter Lancaster, Marketing Manager at Burgess Pet Care said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to the RAW partners, veterinary practices, rescue centres, pet shop retailers and, of course, rabbit owners, for their continued support in helping us to improve the health and wellbeing of rabbits."
Dr Richard Saunders BVSc DZooMed MRCVS, veterinary advisor to RWAF said: "We heard lots of heart-breaking stories from owners and vets alike about rabbits, sometimes whole groups of rabbits, which had not been vaccinated. None of those people realised just how widespread the RVHD2 is, and how easy it is to pick it up. We will continue to campaign and share our message that it is very much better late than never to vaccinate rabbits against all three killer diseases of rabbits: myxomatosis, Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 1 and 2."
PDSA Vet Nurse, Kristiana Shirley, said: "Rabbit Awareness Week provided us with a great opportunity to engage with rabbit owners and raise awareness of the key preventative healthcare our bunnies so vitally need.
"During Rabbit Awareness Week in June, we saw a significant increase in the number of vaccines given when compared to previous months, and an increase in our rabbit MOTs too, which we hope is just the start of a trend which sees more owners protecting their rabbits from preventable, fatal diseases."
For more information on Rabbit Awareness Week, including free access to rabbit CPD, visit www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk
First prize went to the University of Edinburgh’s Molly Vasanthakumar (pictured right) for her Knowledge Summary comparing the ecological impact of woven versus disposable drapes. Molly found that there is not enough evidence that disposable synthetics reduce the risk of surgical site infections when compared to reusable woven drapes, based on her assessment of the available literature.
Molly said: “The Veterinary Evidence student competition gave me an opportunity to identify a specific issue, find and appraise the evidence and then apply it to a practical setting.
"Winning the competition has given me a chance to further my skills in evidence-based veterinary medicine [EBVM] and also raise awareness of an incredibly important and topical issue."
Molly received her prize at RCVS Day, and her published paper can now be read in Veterinary Evidence: http://bit.ly/MollyVasanthakumar
Second prize went to Honoria Brown of the University of Cambridge, whose paper asked: "Can hoof wall temperature and digital pulse pressure be used as sensitive non-invasive diagnostic indicators of acute laminitis onset?"
Honoria said: "Writing this Knowledge Summary was the perfect chance, not only to develop my ability to navigate and analyse databases, but also to present my findings for the benefit of other clinicians who face these issues.
"I feel that these skills will be very useful to me later in my career, and I am grateful to Veterinary Evidence for providing me with the opportunity."
Jacqueline Oi Ping Tong from the University of Edinburgh won third prize for her critical appraisal of the evidence for whether a daily probiotic improved clinical outcomes in dogs with idiopathic diarrhoea. She said: "This experience makes me recognise the importance of evidence-based veterinary medicine to the veterinary community; it connects scientific research to everyday practice.
"It was a great opportunity to engage in EBVM early in my veterinary career, and start learning how to critically appraise the current evidence."
Jacqueline and Honoria’s Knowledge Summaries have been accepted for future publication in Veterinary Evidence.
All submissions were subjected to the same standards and peer-review process as normal journal submissions.
RCVS Knowledge’s Executive Director, Chris Gush, said: "EBVM and its application into practice starts as part of the undergraduate degree, and we are delighted to encourage and champion student involvement.
"This new initiative from our journal taps into the student body’s potential to help grow the evidence base, whilst preparing the next generation of veterinary professionals for when they graduate."
The Veterinary Evidence Student Awards are running again for 2020 and are open for submissions.
The awards are open to all undergraduates studying veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing or bioveterinary science (and equivalent). More information can be found here: http://bit.ly/VEstudentawards
The focus groups are part of a study which will form part of Kerrie's MBA dissertation.
Kerrie says her research topic was triggered by an analysis of leadership statistics in the veterinary profession: "There is a dearth of information about the number of leadership roles occupied by women in the veterinary profession.
"We knew that in the XLVets community, our joint efforts to run leadership programmes and help aspiring owners have meant that one in five of our practice owners are women but we don't know how that compares with other veterinary sectors and business models.
"We'd like to see many, many more women in strategic positions within our community and in the wider profession. This research will look at the barriers to leadership that women might experience and will help us develop enabling and support strategies."
Kerrie says there is some interesting data coming from her own company: "When we look at the numbers, our entry level leadership programmes are almost completely female in terms of uptake and our recent aspiring owner meeting had an equal male-female split, which was great to see. So, our feeling is that we are starting to see the impact of more female graduates coming through. Whether that's happening as quickly as it should do throughout the profession is another matter and we hope the research will throw some light on this."
Female veterinary surgeons both within and outside the XLVet community, in leadership positions, aspiring to leadership, or leadership-averse and from any sphere of veterinary practice are invited to contact Kerrie to take part and contribute. She hopes to share the results of her work with the profession towards the end of the year.
Anyone wanting to take part should email Kerrie at kerrie.hedley@xlvets.co.uk.