SQPs in small animal practice

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

bob lehner — Wed, 02 May 2018 18:20:52 GMT

Good point Michael.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 02 May 2018 10:29:24 GMT

They are not evenly distributed though. Some big farm practices have multiple SQPs working there. How do you count the SQPs working in a pets at home store that also has a vet on site? Mole Valley (large farm supplies company) have some vet practices down in the South West in their stores and they have lots of SQPs, are they counted as 'working in a vet practice'?

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

bob lehner — Wed, 02 May 2018 09:41:24 GMT

[quote user="Andrea Tarr"]

Thanks Bob. That makes sense. AMTRA's website says there are nearly 900 in veterinary practice.

It's struck me that the term SQP is sometimes used when talking about the staff involved in dispensing. Have you got this impression at all?

[/quote]

To me 900 sounds high - that would mean around 1 in 6 veterinary premises have an SQP, which does not seem to match my experience.

No - I don't think 'SQP' is used other than for those with the relevant qualification.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 01 May 2018 16:13:00 GMT

Thanks Bob. That makes sense. AMTRA's website says there are nearly 900 in veterinary practice.

It's struck me that the term SQP is sometimes used when talking about the staff involved in dispensing. Have you got this impression at all?

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Sarah Wheadon — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:24:43 GMT

[quote user="Iain Richards"]

VN training is level 3, SQP is level 4. VN degree is level 6.

It might be a problem therefore to add it in. It isn't a problem really, there's no reason a different level module can't be included in any course.

[/quote]If I'm correct, the ethics module is level 4 and was planned this way specifically so that an RVN could have an additional level 4 SQP qualification incorporated into the diploma.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

bob lehner — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:01:04 GMT

[quote user="Andrea Tarr"] Do any of your practices employ members of staff with an SQP qualification? What are the advantages?[/quote]

I have visited a large number of practices in the past 12 years on behalf of PSS and have to ask about any SQPs they employ.

Have to say I don't come across them that often at all. Probably more in FA and Eq practices - but still pretty thin on the ground. Not many at all in SA practices. Many of those I do meet (particularly on the SA side) say they don't really use their qualification that much.

More scope on the FA/Eq side perhaps - although most of these practices would likely find it difficult to compete price-wise on POM-VPS wormers etc. with the big agricultural merchants.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:38:25 GMT

Hi Chris

I admit mistake was the wrong word to choose. Rather, it makes little sense - and is unhelpful- to classify it as an NSAID because this suggests it has the same adverse effects, contraindications and interactions as those drugs that are conventionally known as NSAIDs. Plumb's Veterinary Drugs does not classify it (acetaminophen) as an NSAID.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Chris Geddes — Tue, 01 May 2018 11:48:08 GMT

[quote user="Andrea Tarr"]And there's a mistake in the SPC, which says not to use it with other NSAIDs, but it's not an NSAID of course.[/quote]

I'm not sure mistakes happen very often in SPCs. You say "it's not an NSAID of course". There is some debate about that. It is perhaps more commonly not considered an NSAID in human medicine, I'd say it is more commonly classified as an NSAID in veterinary medicine, as it does have some antiinflammatory activity.

For example, the following is written by a US veterinary pharmacologist in the Merck manual (https://www.msdvetmanual.com/pharmacology/anti-inflammatory-agents/nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs):

Acetaminophen:

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is a para-aminophenol derivative with analgesic and antipyretic effects similar to those of aspirin, but it has weaker anti-inflammatory effects than does aspirin and other NSAIDs. The reason for this anomaly is that acetaminophen’s selective COX-2 inhibition is via enzyme reduction; the high levels of peroxides in areas of inflammation are thought to interfere with COX-2 reduction peripherally, whereas the low peroxide levels in the brain and spinal cord account for any centrally mediated analgesia. Acetaminophen does not inhibit neutrophil activation, has little ulcerogenic potential, and has no effect on platelets or bleeding time. The recommended dosage of acetaminophen in dogs is 10–15 mg/kg, PO, tid. Dose-dependent adverse effects include depression, vomiting, and methemoglobinemia. Use in cats is contraindicated because of their deficiency of glucuronyl transferase, which makes them susceptible to methemoglobinemia and centrilobular hepatic necrosis.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 01 May 2018 10:39:30 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"]Slightly off topic, but I hadn't realised that parade wasn't POM-V... has this always been the case?[/quote]

As long as I've been a vet, anyway.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Iain Richards — Tue, 01 May 2018 10:33:39 GMT

VN training is level 3, SQP is level 4. VN degree is level 6.

It might be a problem therefore to add it in. It isn't a problem really, there's no reason a different level module can't be included in any course.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 01 May 2018 10:27:45 GMT

I hear that there are moves to integrate the SQP qualification into veterinary nursing qualifications. What developments might this promote?

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 01 May 2018 10:10:28 GMT

It's NFA-VPS. The change of legal category happened in 2007. I think there are a several things that are odd about Pardale. It's availability means that the cascade pushes towards the use of a combination of codeine with paracetamol, when paracetamol alone might be a better choice. And there's a mistake in the SPC, which says not to use it with other NSAIDs, but it's not an NSAID of course.

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Rob Davis — Tue, 01 May 2018 09:32:45 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"] but they could prescribe a few Pardale at a POC I guess[/quote]

Slightly off topic, but I hadn't realised that parade wasn't POM-V... has this always been the case?

RE: SQPs in small animal practice

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 20:54:18 GMT

We will train our SVN once she is qualified in all areas. We are a mixed practice and that is my main driving force, she already does egg counts and then could advise and prescribe suitable treatments.

If we were just small animal then less useful, but they could prescribe a few Pardale at a POC I guess. We generally sell POM-V flea and worm Tx, other than Panacur for puppies.