Everyone who takes part in the survey, which is also open to vets, practice support staff and veterinary students, will be entered into a free prize draw for the chance to win a 1 of 3 Amazon gift vouchers (up to the value of £200).
Lizzie Erian-Round, Head Veterinary Healthcare Advisor at Pegasus (pictured right) said: "With lockdown measures easing, it is a good time to take a deeper dive into what the future looks like. And importantly, how veterinary professionals feel about it. No one has a crystal ball but those on the veterinary frontline are already getting a sense of what could lie ahead. And we believe it’s important they get to share their view of what good support and communications look like.
Our last wave of research indicated that COVID-19 could be a major catalyst for future digital innovation and have lasting consequences for the way we practice. With that in mind we’ve focussed our new survey to be more forward facing."
Pegasus's last survey found that 84% of veterinary professionals thought that the coronavirus pandemic would change the way veterinary practices operate in the future. 78% thought more owners will buy their medicines online. 71% worried about their exposure to coronavirus at their work place and 68% worried about the impact of the pandemic on their mental wellbeing.
The survey closes at 9am GMT Tuesday 30th June The results will help animal health companies better understand how to best support and communicate with the veterinary profession beyond the pandemic.
To take part in the survey, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DRWSNWT
For a copy of the results, which will be available in July, email: animal@thisispegasus.co.uk.
Running from 14th-23rd July, the interactive webinars will be delivered in 5 half-day sessions, led by UK pet food consultants, scientists, and vets.
The course includes:
Sarah Hormozi, PFMA Head of Science & Education, said: "With some of the most credible industry experts as our speakers, this is a rare opportunity for pet professionals across the UK and EU to improve and refresh their knowledge of animal nutrition, pet food legislation, marketing regulations and manufacturing methods, from the comfort of their own home or office!”
For the full programme, list of speakers, registration details and prices, visit www.pfma.org.uk/pfma-training-webinar-series.
The new devices are an evolution of the original v-gel device launched in 2012, which is widely used in veterinary anaesthesia and resuscitation.
Dr Muhammed Nasir, inventor of v-gel and President of Docsinnovent, said: "Our original product has proven to be extremely popular globally because it makes airway management easier; quicker; more comfortable for patients; and most importantly, safer for patients and staff.
"However, since launch our R&D team have been hard at work to make the devices even better. They are now slimmed down so that there is more room in the mouth for dentistry; they seal even better; and they are single-use, improving standards of hygiene"
Chris Geddes MRCVS, Docsinnovent’s Marketing Manager, added: "Our newly-launched website www.docsinnovent.com includes plentiful information on the new products including two hour-long CPD webinars from Dr Ivan Crotaz detailing how the new devices can be utilised for optimal airway management in anaesthetised patients.”
Information on where to buy the new products can be found at www.docsinnovent.com/distributors
The company says the acquisition is a natural fit for its behavioural range and will bolster its Adaptil portfolio with a wider variety of anxiety solutions for dogs.
Abbie King, senior behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “We have always been fans of the ThunderShirt range and we are therefore delighted with the acquisition, which will further strengthen our extensive portfolio of behavioural products that work in synergy with one another to provide pet owners with comprehensive anxiety solutions.”
For more information, visit: www.thundershirt.com
In an internal study, Royal Canin found that Pill Assist Cat achieved over 91% pill acceptance.
Pill Assist Cat is enriched with vitamins and prebiotics to support a cat’s recovery, and each treat contains only three calories.
Elisabete Capitao, Royal Canin Veterinary Marketing Manager said: "We know that getting cats to take pills can be quite a challenge even for the most experienced pet owners! A quarter of owners leave the veterinary clinic with oral medication for their cat, but 40% find giving pills to their cat complicated. Pill Assist Cat makes giving cats medication easy and takes the stress out of pill time."
Royal Canin says Pill Assist Cat is suitable for most types of medication, from worming tablets to medication for an illness.
The re-categorisation means veterinary practices can sell the topical parasiticides to ‘walk-in clients’ without the need of a prescription.
Andrew Fullerton, veterinary surgeon and product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “The new NFA-VPS category for Vectra 3D spot-on solution for dogs and Vectra Felis 423mg/42.3mg spot-on solution for cats provides veterinary practices with greater flexibility to sell easy-to-use, fast and effective parasite prevention and treatment without a prescription."
For more information, contact your Ceva Animal Health account manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Floxabactin is indicated for use in dogs with lower UTIs including those associated with prostatitis, upper urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli or Proteus mirabilis in dogs, and superficial and deep pyoderma. For cats, the 15 mg dose can be used with upper respiratory tract infections.
Floxabactin is presented in blister packs: 15mg for cats and dogs, plus 50mg and 150mg for dogs.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “Floxabactin has been developed with the responsible administration of antibiotics in mind. We would always promote only using antimicrobials when an infection has been documented and based on the results of culture and sensitivity testing, and or cytology testing, if applicable.
"Other treatment options should also be considered before the systemic use of antibiotics such as topical treatment for superficial pyoderma."
For more information, visit: https://www.dechra.co.uk/new-from-dechra
Backed by RJD Partners, the directors bought the company back from Benchmark Plc for a reported £12.75M after it decided to divest itself of all non-aquaculture-related assets.
Improve says that under its new leadership, it plans to expand its e-learning portfolio significantly, harnessing technologies like video teaching and virtual/augmented reality to offer a richer learning experience.
In collaboration with its assessment partner, the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS), Improve will be developing new distance-learning programmes for veterinary nurses, including Anaesthesia and Surgical Nursing early in 2021.
Improve also plans further geographical expansion, including running programmes in languages including French, Spanish, German and Chinese.
Dr Heber Alves (pictured right) is Improve’s new CEO. He is supported by a management team that includes Improve founder Dr David Babington, Business Development Director and Mr John Douglass, UK Managing Director.
Heber said: “Improve is fully owned by a team of experienced veterinary and business professionals with a unique understanding of the profession’s training needs at a global level. Even better, we are backed by a private equity partner with a strong track record in professional education and a commitment to supporting our growth, both organically and through acquisition.
Mr Wood pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children at Portsmouth Magistrate’s Court in December 2017. Following his conviction, Mr Wood was given a community sentence, fined and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.
Mr Wood’s application for restoration was based on the argument that he was professionally competent to be restored to the Register, that he had strong mitigation for his original conviction (for which he had demonstrated remorse), that he had a low chance of reoffending, had engaged proactively with the Probation Service and rehabilitative courses, and that had completed his community service.
In considering Mr Wood’s application, the Disciplinary Committee took into account a number of factors including Mr Wood’s acceptance of the Committee’s original findings, the seriousness of the original findings, protection of the public, the future welfare of animals in his care should he be restored, the length of time off the Register, his conduct since removal from the Register, efforts by Mr Wood to keep up-to-date with his continuing professional development (CPD), the impact of removal from the Register on Mr Wood and public support for his restoration.
However, on balance, the Committee decided that Mr Wood was not currently fit to be restored to the Register.
Ian Arundale, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In essence, the Committee decided that the facts of the charge justifying removal from the Register and the underlying criminal behaviour were too serious for Mr Wood to be restored at this time. It concluded that because Mr Wood continued to be subject to a sexual harm prevention order, notification requirements for sexual offenders and because he remained on the Barring List by the Disclosure and Barring service until January 2023, he was not fit to be restored to the Register at this time.
"The Committee accepted that Mr Wood had made significant efforts to rehabilitate himself but it was not persuaded that he was fit to be restored to the Register because ancillary orders relating to the underlying criminal offences remained in force. The Committee noted that at the time those orders were made Mr Wood was described as having an addiction and although the Committee accepted that there was a low risk of future reoffending, it decided that because the orders were still in place for public protection reasons, Mr Wood was not fit to be restored to the Register."
The full report of Mr Wood’s restoration hearing can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The Stablelab hand-held reader detects and quantifies the biomarker Serum Amyloid A (SAA), an acute phase protein produced by the liver that increases rapidly and dramatically in response to inflammation.
Zoetis says that by measuring SAA, vets can assess the severity of an infection more quickly, often before clinical symptoms start, and are able to monitor the horse’s response over the course of treatment.1
Zoetis vet Wendy Talbot said: “Zoetis is committed to providing vets and horse owners with the most effective health products to better predict, prevent, detect and treat equine disease.
“The Stablelab test kit enables convenient, off-site testing for quick and accurate detection of a reliable indicator of infection in horses.
“Point-of-care testing is one of the fastest-growing areas of diagnostics and this test is rapidly becoming a standard of care in equine practice. SAA testing will help vets to quickly determine an appropriate course of intervention, positively impacting case outcomes.”
For more information, visit: www.stablelab.com. To place an order, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0845 300 9084 (option 3).
Reference
The survey was held in mid-June and gathered 196 responses from UK practices. That compared with the 532 responses to the initial survey conducted early in April and 251 responses to the second survey conducted at the start of May.
One of the main findings was a marked increase in the number of practices running a near-normal caseload, from 3% in May to 32% in June. Practice turnover data similarly reflected a shift back towards normality, with 46% now reporting a reduction of less than 25%, compared with 19% last month.
Other findings included:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "This latest survey has demonstrated a continuation of the previous survey’s positive trends including an increase in practice turnover with more practices approaching a ‘near normal caseload’ and with a reduction in the number of practices impacted by staff self-isolating or with confirmed cases of Covid-19.
“In this survey we also asked about what difficulties practices may be experiencing with EMS placements for vet students and VN training placements as a result of Covid-19, and this will help us to understand how we can better support students and practices in these areas.
“We will continue to monitor the situation via these regular surveys, with the next one planned for later this summer. I would urge as many practices as possible to continue to complete them, so that we can build up a stronger evidence-base on how veterinary businesses have been affected and how they are recovering.
"This information is not only vital for our own policy decisions but also allows us to present a stronger case to the Government and other public bodies where we wish to influence the decisions they make that will impact the veterinary professions and businesses.”
The survey results can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus-resources.
The information has been made available amid concerns from behaviourists and animal welfare organisations that there may be a rise in behavioural issues as lifestyle restrictions are lifted.
The Q&A explains what some of the behavioural concerns are and how they can be prevented and managed. Topics include separation-related issues, animals becoming anxious as the world around them becomes busier and noisier, and puppies lacking appropriate skills when greeting animals (including dogs and people) from other households.
The Q&A can be downloaded here.
Dr Hannah Donovan, vet, clinical animal behaviourist and Social Media Officer at the BVBA said: “We hope that this information will help practices to support their clients and their pets when faced with potential challenges as we transition out of lockdown.”
Professor Ian Ramsey, President of the BSAVA added: “This guidance has been developed in collaboration with the BVBA with the intention of supporting veterinary professionals in an ever-changing environment. It sits alongside other practical BSAVA resources vets and nurses can share with pet owners, such as Vaccination Guidance and Neutering Guidance, and follows the BSAVA’s core ethos – ‘By the profession for the profession.”
The BSAVA has also created a collection of resources for veterinary professionals relating to the prevention, management and treatment of behavioural issues in cats of dogs, which is freely available in the BSAVA Library until the end of July.
The collection includes chapters from the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine; for those wishing to buy the full manual, there is a £10 discount on both the print and online editions throughout July (using code BEHAV10 on checkout).
Further information for veterinary nurses can be found in the BSAVA’s COVID-19 resources here.
The award was due to be presented at the association's annual shindig in March, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
VMA Awards chair, Claire Edmunds, said: “This years’ winners will still get their moment of glory on stage next March at the rescheduled event. We can also announce that the event is likely to include some additional categories to recognise campaigns and initiatives undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Carlos Michelsen, managing director of award sponsor, CM Research, added: "Thanks to the continued success of Cytopoint, Zoetis achieved highly commended status. But it was Elanco that came in as award winners, with their novel veterinary pharmaceutical product Galliprant taking the crown. Congratulations to Elanco!"
Rebecca Bryant, Elanco’s marketing manager for Pet Health Therapeutics (pictured right), said “Elanco is delighted to be recognised by the veterinary community with this prestigious award for Galliprant. The UK team is proud to be part of the launch of this innovative, first-in-class product which has already enriched the lives of thousands of pet owners and their dogs living with osteoarthritis. It’s fantastic to hear from vets that managing OA with Galliprant has already made a positive impact on their practices.”
Zoetis product manager, Allison Henry said: “We are very proud to come such close second in this award category as it is a true testament to the lasting innovation Cytopoint has brought to our industry, customers and pets. At Zoetis, we always strive to develop innovative new medicines for the veterinary industry and we are thrilled to see how Cytopoint has done just that.”
The 8-week study1, which was part-funded by the ISAZ/Waltham Petcare Science Institute Collaborative Research Award and Canines Providing Assistance to Wounded Warriors (C-P.A.W.W.), compared the effects of walking with a shelter dog vs. walking with a human and the impact they had on psychological stress indicators, PTSD symptoms and the stress in reintegrating military veterans.
The veterans in the study who walked with shelter dogs experienced improved rate variability and decreased levels of salivary cortisol – both signs of relaxation and improved stress response.
Waltham points to a Journal of Psychiatric Research estimate that up to 25% of military veterans who have transitioned out of active duty would meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD2. This, says the Institute, could mean that up to 625,000 of the 2.4 million3 military veterans currently living in the UK could potentially be living with this mental health issue.
Dr Kay O’Donnell, Ph.D., Vice President of the Waltham Petcare science institute, said: “This study further highlights the potential of dog walking to improve the lives of both veterans and shelter dogs by offering veterans a way to make a difference in the lives of shelter animals – while dogs are simultaneously helping veterans with symptoms of PTSD.
"At the Waltham Petcare Science Institute we believe we have a responsibility to take scientific exploration further when evidence to date shows us that pets can be part of addressing conditions like PTSD. It’s important we undertake rigorous studies to understand how companion animals may provide a benefit and we’re proud to be part of this study, which takes us another step forward in understanding the human-animal bond."
References
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was originally removed from the Register following an inspection of his Kent practice in 1993 which found that his operating theatre “showed a total disregard of basic hygiene and care for animals and was such as to bring the profession into disrepute”.
Since being removed from the Register, Mr Seymour-Hamilton has made applications for restoration in 1995, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Each was rejected.
In his latest application, Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that he did not want to re-join the Register in order to practise but to facilitate his research in the area of herbal medicine.
The Committee found that while Mr Seymour-Hamilton had accepted some of the findings of the original case, he disagreed with important facts, such as whether or not his surgery was open at the time of the inspection, and showed ‘minimal insight’ into the seriousness of the findings.
The Committee also voiced concerns over public protection and animal welfare should he be restored, saying that he had demonstrated little or no understanding of the purpose of regulation. The Committee also noted that he had, by his own admission, spayed two cats at a practice in Calais in recent years despite his long absence from the Register and unregistered status as a veterinary surgeon in the UK or France.
In considering his conduct since leaving the Register, the Committee found that Mr Seymour-Hamilton had admitted to a number of instances of conduct which it found ‘reprehensible’. This included carrying out spays; not self-isolating after testing positively for coronavirus and, in fact, travelling through France and Spain in breach of the lockdown put in place due to the pandemic; deliberately trying to re-infect himself with coronavirus and then visiting a vulnerable person without maintaining social distancing; treating his own animals with untested herbal remedies; and using his own remedies to treat people, which, in one case, included a nine-year-old boy in Greece.
In summing up Judith Way, who was chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee has concluded that he has not satisfied it that he is fit to be restored to the Register. He has exhibited a disregard for regulation and compliance with the law. He lacks an understanding as to why he has not been restored in the past. He has not set about addressing any of his shortcomings. He relies wholeheartedly on his research, yet he does not support that research with any real peer-reviewed publications and he fails to acknowledge the consequences of being out-of-practice for so long. He has misplaced confidence in his own abilities and does not recognise that his approach and/or actions can represent a danger to animals and to the public. The Committee has therefore reached the conclusion that the applicant is not a fit person to be restored to the Register.”
The full findings of the restoration hearing for Mr Seymour-Hamilton can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
In his opening address Matthew, an elected member of VN Council since 2016, said: “In the position of Chair, I will continue to keep my fellow nurses very much at heart, whatever the species, environment and role they are working in.
“Veterinary nursing is not an easy profession. When I talk to nurses, they often highlight their biggest frustration with the profession is the extensive lack of understanding about our role and what we can and are very capable of doing. Achieving more clarity on our role as veterinary nurses, at all levels is my priority, as I know resolving this could in turn improve several other chronic issues in our profession.”
In another first at the RCVS AGM, Mandisa Green became the first black woman to be invested as the RCVS President.
She said: "When the College was founded in 1844, it would have been unthinkable that a woman, let alone a black woman, would become President of the institution one day. I am immensely proud of this achievement and, while it clearly demonstrates progress, there is still plenty to do in widening access to our professions.”
She said she hoped to use her position as President to act as a role model to young people from under-represented groups, to encourage them to consider careers in veterinary surgery, and to support those already in the profession.
“As recent weeks and the Black Lives Matter movement have highlighted, there is more to be done, and we are committed to doing the work necessary. It is essential that we support all members of the veterinary team to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and racism.”
The charity says that one of the biggest issues it faces with guinea pigs is multi-animal households where breeding has become out of control.
Dr Jane Tyson, the RSPCA’s rodent expert, said: "We would always advise owners to have their male guinea pigs neutered before introducing them to a female. We also find that they can sometimes be mis-sexed by the seller or previous owner which leads to accidental breeding so it’s also important to make sure that guinea pigs see a vet regularly who would be able to spot if they have been identified incorrectly.
“Many of the guinea pigs that come into our care have come from a multi-animal home where there have been large numbers of guinea pigs living in often cramped, dirty and unsuitable conditions. This also means that they may have experienced very little handling and are wary and fearful of human hands and need their confidence building up in RSPCA care.
“This is why, this Guinea Pig Appreciation Day, we wanted to encourage people to neuter their guinea pigs and help tackle the problem of overbreeding.”
With fewer than 72 female Suffolk Punches remaining in the UK and fewer than 300 in the world, every female born is vital to the survival of this endangered British horse.
In 2019 Tullis Matson, owner and managing director of Stallion AI Services, saw an opportunity to use a new technological advancement in the sex sorting of equine semen to provide a lifeline to Britain’s critically endangered rare and native horses.
Tullis said: “To be able to use our reproduction expertise in this way, to help preserve an irreplaceable part of our magnificent heavy horse heritage is something we have been working towards for many years. The challenges have been great and many, but watching the birth of this beautiful, healthy filly foal was a truly magical experience."
The sex sorting project uses specialist equipment to sex sort the semen prior to insemination based on the difference in DNA content between X and Y bearing spermatozoa.
Ruby, the Suffolk Punch mare and Holbeach Iggy, the Suffolk stallion were selected and matched based on their genetics as part of a project between The Rare Breed Survival Trust and Nottingham Trent University that uses pedigree information to enable the breeding of small populations in a way that minimises the risk of inbreeding and genetic decline.
Christopher Price, Chief Executive of the Rare Breed Survival Trust, said: “This is tremendous news for anyone concerned with the conservation of our native equines. The most effective way of increasing the population size of this very rare breed is by increasing the number of fillies being born.
“The project demonstrates the viability of using new techniques for selecting female foals in order to increase the breeding population much more rapidly than could be achieved through relying on traditional methods. We hope it will prove to be a model for more projects in the future.”
The winners were the first veterinary nursing students to place in the awards, which were launched by RCVS Knowledge last year to recognise and support students’ engagement with evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) and its application into practice.
The winning Knowledge Summary was written by Carla Husband, Abbie McMillan and Lauren Sweeney (pictured right), all studying veterinary nursing at the University of Bristol.
The team highlighted the paucity of evidence regarding the impact of educational interventions on hand hygiene compliance in small animal environments, a highly relevant topic during the COVID-19 pandemic, and called for more research to be carried out to support hand hygiene compliance in the veterinary professions.
Carla said: “I feel so proud of myself and my co-authors for winning this competition. We worked very hard on making this Knowledge Summary the best it could be and can’t believe our hard work has paid off. I also feel very proud to represent the vet nursing profession and to come out of university with a published paper.
"To any vet nursing or vet students out there who are thinking of submitting to Veterinary Evidence, I say go for it! The more evidence we can contribute to our knowledge base, the better our profession can become.”
Lauren said, “It was really exciting as a Student Veterinary Nurse to be able to submit our work into this competition. I truly believe that the Veterinary Science evidence base should be continually built upon and I am so glad this competition allowed our Knowledge Summary to do so!
Second and third place awards went to vet students Laura Pratley at the University of Liverpool and Lesca Sofyan at the University of Sydney in Australia, respectively.
RCVS Knowledge says the vet nurses' win underscores how an evidence-based approach can be embedded by all veterinary professionals. Peter Cockroft, Editor-in-chief of Veterinary Evidence, said: “I would like to congratulate the award winners on their outstanding achievements. We hope the student authors who have either won or been accepted for publication will feel encouraged to continue to practise EBVM in their future careers.”
The winning paper is available to read on the Veterinary Evidence website at: https://bit.ly/SAKSHandHygiene. The second and third place papers, along with the other submissions, will be published at a later date. The awards will be presented at the RCVS Day Honours and Awards virtual event in September. The Veterinary Evidence Student Awards 2021 are now open to submissions. All undergraduates studying veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, veterinary bioscience or bioveterinary science are eligible to apply.
Further information is available on the RCVS Knowledge website: http://bit.ly/VEstudentawards.
Earlier this year, the company called on veterinary team members to nominate nurse colleagues who had gone beyond the call of duty, particularly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And the winners are:
Claire Defries, VN Programme Leader at the College of Animal Welfare, who was instrumental in developing online training virtually overnight when the national lockdown was announced in order to support vet nurses in training and to enable third year students to sit their finals. She was also commended for the pastoral support she has provided to students during lockdown.
Ellie Tappenden from Albyn Veterinary Centre in Broxburn, was nominated for the long shifts she has been working before delivering regular medicines and ensuring that self-isolating clients are coping. She also created a local support network with other vets and organised a collection of spare PPE for the local hospital. She achieved this while managing her pain from Ehlers Danlos, a degenerative disease which she fights every day.
Tammy Jarvis from the RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre in March was nominated for the exceptional support she has provided to all 105 patients at the RSPCA centre and the veterinary surgeon. With other staff furloughed, she has also taken on additional duties, including maintenance and grounds management, and has recently started sewing facemasks for the team.
Bethany Lavill (pictured right) from Etwall Vets in Derby was nominated for the wide range of additional duties she has taken on, including collecting animals from owners who are self-isolating; coming in after hours to check up on in-patients and supporting bereaved clients. She has gone over and above the call of duty on many occasions and still asks what more she can do to help.
Student vet nurse Shannon Mills from Leeds Colton Vets4Pets was nominated for being a major asset to the team over the last few months, despite a recent diagnosis of epilepsy. She has willingly covered a range of roles and recently nursed a critical care rabbit throughout the day, whilst manning reception. She even managed to pass her mock exam with flying colours during lockdown with little time to study.
Each of the five winners was rewarded with a Betty’s Gift Box, brimming with treats, including Betty’s champagne truffles, chocolate desires, Yorkshire tea and shortbread.
Animalcare Product Manager James Beaumont said: “We wanted our competition to highlight the fantastic contribution vet nurses around the country are making to their colleagues, clients and patients – but the number and quality of entries hugely exceeded our expectations.
"At such a difficult time, the positivity, passion and care that each nomination exuded made reading them a moving experience and selecting only five as winners was no easy task. We thank all those who took the time to nominate their amazing colleagues and thank every vet nurse who was nominated for their extraordinary commitment and dedication."
The kittens had severe cat flu, were struggling to breathe, had no appetite and ulcerated eyes.
Rosie Levene-Barry, clinic director at White Cross Vets in Wolverhampton, said: “These poor kittens were in a terrible state when they arrived with us. Our nurses immediately set about administering medication to treat the symptoms of their cat flu but it quickly became apparent that because they were so critically ill, they would need round the clock care.
“Stray Cat Rescue Team couldn’t find any available foster homes and it would be very difficult for one person to look after all five, so three of our registered veterinary nurses, Jo, Danni and Sioned, volunteered to split the group and take them home. This meant they benefitted from 24-hour critical care, which included nebulising regularly to support breathing, administering medication and bottle feeding, as they weren’t eating by themselves."
The White Cross Team named the kittens Tommy, Polly, Ada, Grace and May, after leading characters in the hit TV series.
Rosie added: “May and Tommy were particularly ill, and we had doubts over whether they would survive the first night. Tommy had a ruptured eye and severe breathing difficulties and May was extremely weak. In addition, Ada’s eyes were both severely ulcerated and we were unsure whether we could save them. It was a heart-breaking scenario.
“Thankfully though, with the team’s hard work and commitment, over the next few days their breathing started to improve and eventually they all started eating independently and building their strength up. Once they hit 300g, we had to remove Tommy’s ruptured eye and one of Ada’s eyes, but they are all now doing brilliantly well and thriving. They have good appetites and are purring and playing like kittens should. In fact, we are so proud of our resilient Peaky Blinders that we haven’t been able to let them go!
“Polly now lives with Jo, Tommy lives with our receptionist Laura, Sioned kept May and Ada and Grace have stayed with Danni, so they can now all enjoy the lives they deserve in the loving care of our fabulous team.”
Rosie added: “Hopefully this story will demonstrate the importance of vaccinating and neutering cats, because although they’ve had a lucky escape, their suffering was avoidable.”
Zenalpha provides restraint, sedation and analgesia during non-invasive, non-painful or mildly painful procedures and examinations intended to last no more than 30 minutes2.
It is administered intramuscularly and takes effect within 5-15 minutes1, 2.
Dechra says patients also recover more rapidly2, potentially avoiding hospitalisation and allowing them to get home sooner.
Zenalpha contains the active ingredients 0.5 mg/ml medetomidine hydrochloride and 10mg/ml vatinoxan hydrochloride.
Medetomidine is an alpha-2 agonist used for its sedative and analgesic properties.
Vatinoxan is a peripherally selective alpha-2 antagonist which Dechra says has limited penetration across the blood-brain barrier, so it works to antagonise only the alpha-2 receptors located in the periphery, reducing cardiovascular side effects without impacting the quality of sedation or analgesia.
In a study of 223 dogs1 comparing a traditional alpha-2 agonist with Zenalpha, Zenalpha was found to minimise cardiovascular side effects while preserving reliable sedation and analgesia.
Claire Westoby, brand manager at Dechra said: ‘The next generation of alpha-2 agonists have evolved to provide the same effective and reliable sedation and analgesia, but with reduced cardiovascular side effects and a reduced chance of vomiting.
"This improves the sedation experience for the canine patient, as well as reducing the associated stress commonly experienced by veterinary teams and dog owners.”
Matt Gurney FRCVS, an RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and hospital director at Anderson Moores, said: “It is really exciting to see the launch of an innovative new product, especially one with a unique mechanism of action that will improve the sedation experience for the vet team and our patients.
"Zenalpha not only provides a solution to cases where IV placement is not possible and a rapid onset IM option is required, but it also offers a rapid and complete recovery which ensures that dogs can be reunited with their owners and return home as soon as possible.”
Zenalpha is presented in a 10 ml glass vial in individually packed cardboard boxes.
For more information: www.dechra.co.uk/zenalpha or contact your local Dechra territory manager.
To watch Matt Gurney’s ‘Zennovation in sedation – the next generation of alpha-2 agonists’: www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
For those new to the club, the idea is that every two weeks, we pick an article in Veterinary Practice and invite the author to join us on VetNurse.co.uk, so that you can ask questions and discuss the subject with one another.
As a bonus, you can claim time spent reading or participating in the discussion towards your annual CPD requirement.
Just press the claim CPD button at the top right of the discussion thread.
For this first discussion of 2023, author Shelly Jefferies RVN, NCertPT, a clinical coach with over twenty years experience as a veterinary nurse (and founder of the Facebook group SVN2RVN) will be joining us this week to answer questions about 'Becoming a Cat-friendly Clinic'.
To take part, first read her article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/becoming-a-cat-friendly-clinic
Then come and join the VetNurse Clinical Article Club and post your questions here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/vetnurse-clinical-article-club/
VetNurse.co.uk Editor, Arlo Guthrie said: "I hope lots of you will come and join the club. It really is a great opportunity to learn from experts in a professional, moderated forum, where you can be confident of a friendly welcome."
Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml contains the short acting alpha-2 agonist xylazine and is licensed for I/V administration.
It is also licensed for I/M administration in cattle; it has zero milk withdrawal and short one day meat withdrawal and sedation occurs in cattle within two minutes I/V and five to 10 minutes I/M.
Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml joins Dechra’s Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml solution in the company’s anaesthesia and sedation range. Nerfasin vet also contains xylazine and is licensed for I/V administration for sedation and premedication prior to general anaesthesia in horses and cattle.
Alana McGlade, national sales manager at Dechra, said: “Dechra offers a comprehensive range of anaesthesia and sedation products allowing vets to customise protocols to the individual animal.
"Sedaxylan 20mg/ml and Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml solution provide vets with flexible and convenient dosing options.”
Both Sedaxylan 20 mg/ml and Nerfasin vet 100 mg/ml are available in 25ml vials.
For more information, talk to your Dechra territory sales manager.
www.dechra.co.uk.
There'll be tours of the hospital, including the new consulting suite, together with the opportunity to meet NWVS specialists, clinicians, nurses and client care personnel.
Food and refreshments will be served throughout the day, and the practice is also laying on some physiotherapy demonstrations.
Clinical director Prue Neath said: “Our open day for veterinary practice teams is a great opportunity to showcase to the veterinary profession the modern facilities and cutting-edge equipment we have on offer, further enhanced by our major expansion.
“The upgrades ensure we can continue to deliver the very best of care and treatments to our pet patients, while offering a first-class working environment for our valued colleagues.”
To book a place: www.nwspecialists.com/vet-professionals/open-day/registration