'FLUTD and Dysuria – a frustration for many and not just the cat' will be presented by Dr Hanne Friis Lund (DVM) from Idexx and Katy Smith from Royal Canin (pictured right).
Hanne will be talking about diagnostics, focusing on urine analysis and laboratory tests, whilst Katy will discuss nutritional management of the condition.
Hanne said: "Feline lower urinary tract disease is a very common condition in both male and female cats affecting 1-3% of cats every year.
"It goes without saying that FLUTD causes great discomfort and pain for the feline, which is why the webinar will explore how best to manage the condition from a nutritional point of view.
"From the innovative Haematuria Detection by Blücare litter granules which turn blue when a urinary condition is detected to the new urinary range kibble from Royal Canin’s Veterinary Health Nutrition, the webinar will be leaving no stone unturned."
To register for the webinar, go to: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/cpd/webinar/
The box, which is aimed at both veterinary surgeons and nurses, contains two USB sticks which contain the wound care education sessions, a Bluetooth speaker, product samples, clinical literature, case studies and Time Out wafer bars to enjoy while you learn.
You can also book a timeslot with a representative from Essity to answer any clinical or product related questions raised by the contents of the box.
Richard Barker, Account Sales Executive at Essity said: "Time Out Training allows us to educate vets and vet nurses directly in practices within timescales that we could not previously achieve. We feel this is the future of education in busy veterinary settings, allowing for emergency interruptions, and allowing training of all staff within the convenient setting of their own practice."
Fiona Garrard RVN said: "I found this to be a very easy to follow and very informative webinar. It is full of content that is very useful and aids a good, underpinning knowledge of infections in wounds, and why they happen. It was packed with content and not long-winded or boring at any point."
Time Out Training takes an hour to complete. You can order it for your practice by emailing animalhealthcare@essity.com or dialing 01482 670124.
The app, which has been accredited by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, contains information about 36 different drug molecules in 10 different drug classes, including analgesics (NSAIDs, opioids and local anaesthetics), sedatives (acepromazine, alpha-2 agonists and benzodiazepines), induction agents, volatile agents, neuromuscular blocking agents, anti-cholinergics, sympathomimetics and antagonists where applicable.
It also offers 24 different dog and 15 cat anaesthetic protocols for procedures carried out in general practice. Each contains information on specific anaesthetic considerations for that condition or patient, any preoperative stabilisation required, premedication, perioperative analgesia, induction, maintenance and recovery.
Additional features include a dose calculator, summary sheets that can be saved or emailed to be attached to the patient’s clinical notes, and the option to save favourite protocols for repeated use.
The app was developed with the advice of two diplomat anaesthetists, Matthew Gurney BVSc CertVA PgCertVBM DipECVAA MRCVS and Joost Uilenreef DVM MVR DipECVAA, together with Elizabeth Barker BVetMed(Hons) Cert AVP(VA) PgCert MRCVS at Dechra.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "We are passionate about anaesthesia and the provision of excellent support for vets, nurses and students. The app can be used to build confidence and knowledge in less familiar procedures or to update protocols to ensure best anaesthetic practice for the more common routine procedures.
"All of the protocols and information particularly emphasise considerations around anaesthesia, patient monitoring and perioperative analgesia, including local and regional techniques."
She added: "We hope the app will help practitioners to move away from a ‘one protocol fits all’ approach and give them the confidence to tailor the protocols and medications chosen to the specific patient and condition they are treating and to generally improve the standard of anaesthesia and analgesia in small animal practice."
The Dechra Dog and Cat Anaesthesia App is available to download for iOS and Android devices. For more information, visit www.dechra.com/dcaa
Culture Change In Healthcare is presented by Simon Fleming, a trauma and orthopaedic registrar who has a special interest in combating bullying, undermining and harassment in human healthcare, and Sally Everitt MRCVS, the ex Head of Scientific Policy at BSAVA.
Simon will discuss the problem of bullying, the fallout from serious cases, and how you can work to eliminate bullying in your practice.
Sally will present the results of a survey carried out by VetNurse.co.uk and VetSurgeon.org in 2017, to investigate the incidence and impact of unpleasant behaviour in veterinary practice.
The webinar is hosted by The Webinar Vet and sponsored by RCVS Mind Matters. It counts as 1hr towards your annual CPD requirement.
Whether or not you think there is any bullying going on at your practice, I strongly urge you to watch this webinar. There can be few things as harmful to an effective practice team as bullying. Everyone needs to be able to spot it and stamp on it quickly.
Register for the webinar here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/culture-change-healthcare-2/
The wellbeing room is designed to offer staff a comfortable space to relax during breaks, or before or after shifts. It has comfortable seating and a small library of books covering topics such as personal development, mindfulness and stress reduction.
There are also two 'jars of joy' staff can dip into which feature top tips for emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Employees are also being invited to put forward their own top tips on wellbeing to share with colleagues.
It is hoped that the room will also provide employees with a sanctuary from social media, emails and telephones.
Sounds like a great idea to me, although the library titles look a bit uninspiring for my taste. My ideal wellbeing room would have a few John Grishams on the shelves, limitless music, a Sony playstation, oh, and a minibar.
The two companies have agreed to jointly discover and develop species-specific therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for companion animals, a class of drug which they say is neglected in veterinary medicine but offers a variety of future therapeutic options for diseases that cannot be adequately treated today.
adivo will select species-specific antibodies using its proprietary fully canine phage display library. Bayer Animal Health will provide targets involved in severe animal diseases.
Dr. Douglas Hutchens, Bayer Animal Health’s Head of Drug Discovery, External Innovation & Chief Veterinary Officer, said: "Today’s agreement is another example of how we realize our innovation strategy
"By combining the know-how from creative start-up companies like adivo with opportunities derived from Bayer’s research, we broaden our space of therapeutic medicine options and complement our portfolio.
"We are constantly looking for innovative technologies that enable us to generate novel treatment options for the companion animal sector. Now, we will focus on evolving the options presented by adivo from research and development to market maturity."
Dr. Kathrin Ladetzki-Baehs, Managing Director of adivo said: "At adivo, we truly believe that pets have a positive impact on our society. By developing novel medicines for companion animals, we want to make a difference for veterinarians and pet-parents. Today, we are more than pleased and excited to have gained such a committed and experienced collaboration partner, to jointly develop new treatment options."
This is Vita's first foray into the companion animal sector after more than 20 years developing health solutions for honey bees.
The new range includes six products supporting a range of common health conditions; Omnicondro for joint health, Omnicardio for cardiovascular function, Omniomega containing essential fatty acids, Omnicutis skin support, Omnimatrix to aid skin healing and Omniotic ear cleaner. They are approved for use in different species according to product, including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.
The new products are available direct from the company's Sales Manager, Tara Evans RVN. She said: "I am delighted to introduce practices to this cutting-edge range of supplements. At Vita Animal Health we recognise the vital role of the veterinary team in supporting pet health and offering clients choice. The range of Vita products offers new and innovative solutions in some important areas."
The product launch includes promotional offers for veterinary practices and there is a loyalty card scheme for owners.
For more information, visit www.vitaanimalhealth.com, email info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone 01256 591032.
Nursing care plans provide nurses with an opportunity to develop their unique role in veterinary practice. This new book covers the theory and practice of nursing care planning, examining and critiquing the topic in depth.
It also provides basic definitions and explanations for those unfamiliar with nursing care plans and draws comparisons and contrasts between the veterinary and human nursing roles and contexts.
The author says she hopes that vet nurses will borrow tools from the pages of the book or use it as a resource for designing their unique care plans.
Sam Morgan (Cert Ed DipAVN(Medical & Surgical) RVN, BVNA President 2015/17) said: "Helen manages to take the important points for care plans and put them into a useable format that any veterinary nurse or student can learn from and develop their knowledge. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to enhance their nursing skills and documentation with patients."
<p">You can have a sneak peak at Chapter 5 of the book here: https://www.book2look.com/book/RvuJYQeqsl
If you like what you see, you can buy the book here in paperback for £20.79 https://www.crcpress.com/Veterinary-Nursing-Care-Plans-Theory-and-Practice/Ballantyne/p/book/9781498778664. I see it's nearly two quid more expensive as an ebook, which is weird. Either way, there's 20% off if you use the code SO59.
Katie, who works at Milbourn Equine, is now preparing with her horse Templar Justice, or TJ for short, to take part in what is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's most difficult equestrian events.
Last year, she compete at the Burghley Horse Trials and was voted "Amateur Rider of the Year" by Horse and Hound magazine.
Katie says she is determined to build on that success with a strong showing at Badminton: "The Burghley Horse Trials were amazing last year. I was so excited to be there and it went so well. To now be competing at Badminton will be an awesome experience.
"It’s one of only six 'five-star' equestrian events in the world and to compete there really is my dream come true."
The events offer six hours of CPD and the opportunity for discussion and interaction.
Erin Carr, Marketing Executive at Royal Canin, said: "We are delighted to partner with The Colourful Nurse Roadshows. As well as providing veterinary nurses with essential information on consultations, the course covers preventative care including long term medical management.
"Speaking alongside Stephanie Writer-Davies, BVSc, MRCVS will be Royal Canin’s Scientific Communications Manager, Clare Hemmings. A qualified vet nurse, Clare won Pet Health Counsellor of the Year for work with arthritic patients and has inspired many nurses over the past 20 years to start nursing clinics."
The dates and venues for the roadshows are: 15th May – Manchester; 5th June – Northern Ireland; 9th October – Bristol; 10th October - Solihull.
For more information or to book place on the Roadshow, visit https://www.colourfulconsultation.com/#tabs-nurses-2
As part of the campaign, veterinary practices are being urged to measure their feline patients’ blood pressure from seven years of age and above, as recommended by ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) 1.
Ceva says it will also continue the Mercury Challenge, its study of feline blood pressure, throughout 2019 to help increase veterinary professionals' confidence in measuring blood pressure and identifying feline hypertension.
The company says that since June last year, 128 practices and over 1,000 cats have participated in the challenge. You can registered to take part at: mercurychallenge.ceva.com, where there's a chance to win diagnostic tools to help diagnose feline hypertension.
Dr Rosanne Jepson, American, European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "It is great to see that so many cats (over 1000!) and practices in the UK have been involved with the Mercury Challenge promoting the measurement of blood pressure and detection of hypertension.
"I would urge as many practices as possible to measure blood pressure; it’s simple, quick and easy to perform and means that we can help prevent target organ damage which at its most severe can leave cats sadly blind for the rest of their life. With careful identification and treatment this can so easily be prevented."
To help raise awareness of Feline Hypertension Month, Ceva has produced a range of marketing materials including waiting room displays, a pet owner leaflet and veterinary marketing packs, which are available upon request.
The initiative will be supported with an extensive PR campaign aimed at pet owners, including a radio day starring CBBC’s Rory the Vet.
For more information, contact cevauk@ceva.com or visit mercurychallenge.ceva.com.
References
The range comprises of a detangling pre-wash, a cleansing shampoo and a fragrant conditioner, all of which are pH balanced and formulated using natural ingredients and a blend of essential oils designed to make bathtime a calmer experience.
The products all come in 300ml bottles with a list price of £6; RRP £12.
The Pet Remedy range can be ordered direct from Animalcare on 01904 487687 (orders@animalcare.co.uk) or from your veterinary wholesaler.
Having listened to the recording, it strikes me that the Veterinary Record has misinterpreted Mr Innes, and the danger is that his perfectly valid point will now get drowned in a sea of outrage.
What Mr Innes actually said was: "I think it is time to start creating a more fulfilling, more rewarding career for our nurses, and I think that the Americans are showing us the way. They have vet techs and I think that we can do that; I think that isn't the, necessarily the answer, but one it will create a much more rewarding career for veterinary nurses and also some of the reason that vets leave is because they don't like the mundane stuff, so let's give the mundane stuff to nurses.
Considering the overall context of what he said, it is glaringly obvious Mr Innes champions the idea of giving nurses a more rewarding role. So the idea that he was saying: 'Let's give the shit jobs to nurses' is frankly ludicrous.
It is obvious that what he actually meant was 'Let's give some of the stuff that vets find mundane to nurses.' He just didn't express it as well as he might have done.
Mundanity is subjective. What is mundane for a vet is not necessarily mundane for a veterinary nurse, particularly one who has been relegated to sweeping floors for any length of time.
Mr Innes has come in for quite a lot of flack for some of his comments recently. I'm not sure about the other stuff, but on this, he is clearly not guilty.
You can agree or disagree with his view that nurses could be given greater responsibility and vets could delegate some of the tasks they find mundane.
But it would be a great shame if his point got drowned in a sea of outrage over semantics.
What do you think? Come and discuss the issue in the VetNurse Forums ...
Amongst other things, the plans offer 24/7 telephone counselling from GPs and trained counsellors.
Simplyhealth Professional’s Head Veterinary Officer, Gudrun Ravetz (pictured right), said: "Veterinary practice is a 24/7 job and it can be difficult for the veterinary team to access GP and counselling appointments during the day and of course, a mental or physical health crisis can hit at any time of the day or night. Access to the telephone care line ensures staff can freely access potentially life-saving advice and support at their time of greatest need, no matter when or where."
Optimise health plans also include access to the online myWellbeing portal which offers advice on a range of subjects, including childcare and eldercare responsibilities, finance and legal issues.
The plans also provide employees with free health evaluation tools and cashback on services including sight tests, dental treatment, diagnostics, physiotherapy and even prescription costs.
Lastly, Optimise health plans encourage leisure activities by offering discounts on sports equipment, gym membership and healthy family days out.
Gudrun added: "By providing access to talking therapies and removing some of the barriers to self-care, the Simplyhealth Optimise plans aim to support practices who want to ensure their staff can easily access the tools they need to maintain a healthy mind and body. Knowing that your practice cares enough about your wellbeing to put a care plan in place is very attractive to new recruits and existing staff alike."
Practice owners and managers can find out more by talking to their Simplyhealth Professionals Business Consultant, visit www.simplyhealthprofessionals.co.uk or call 0800 328 3233.
Davies says the new treatment is appropriate for dogs with severe diffuse elbow dysplasia, where cartilage wear results in bone rubbing against bone, called medial compartment disease (MCD). In these cases, Davies says that the prognosis is typically poor but now CUE is providing a promising alternative surgical option when arthroscopic and non-surgical options have failed.
The surgery involves partial resurfacing of the elbow joint. By focusing on the specific area of disease in the medial compartment, the CUE implant provides a less invasive bone-sparing option for resurfacing the bone-on-bone medial compartment while preserving the dog’s own good cartilage in the lateral compartment. Davies says that in most dogs, the technique significantly improves the pain and lameness that was caused by bone-on-bone grinding.
Unlike total elbow replacements, CUE does not require major bone cutting. On average, recovery tends to be significantly faster with progressive improvement peaking six months after surgery.
Mike Farrell, EBVS European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) at Davies recently performed a successful CUE procedure on Rubee, an 11-year-old Labradoodle diagnosed with severe MCD. At the recheck, six weeks after surgery Mike said: "Rubee’s early response to CUE has been nothing short of astonishing. I would have been pleased if she had made the improvement seen today after six months rather than six weeks."
Louise Clark Head of Anaesthesia and the Pain Clinic at Davies Veterinary Specialists continued: "CUE potentially provides a surgical alternative for what is currently an incredibly frustrating condition to manage and one that causes animals a lot of pain, and owners a great deal of angst.
"Arguably it is an ethically robust procedure because it can dramatically reduce patient pain with a relatively well defined risk of complications in a patient cohort that is otherwise at risk of euthanasia because of elbow disease."
For more information, visit: https://vetspecialists.co.uk/services/orthopaedics/
The Puppy Contract was launched in 2012 to help prospective buyers navigate the steps leading up to the purchase of a new puppy. It includes a ten-step guide which considers things like which type of dog is most suited to a buyer’s situation and specific needs, and the questions to ask a breeder about socialisation, vaccination, microchipping and health tests.
The latest BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey shows that while awareness of The Puppy Contract among companion animal vets has almost doubled since 2015 (from 29% to 56%), it is thought that no more than 2.5% of clients are actually using it.
Nevertheless, 85% of vets said using The Puppy Contract benefits and informs owners, and 20% recommend it to clients at least sometimes.
Half of the vets who were aware of The Puppy Contract said that pet owners did not come to them for advice on buying a puppy. That's a missed opportunity, both to start building a relationship with the prospective client at the earliest opportunity and to recommend the contract and thereby have a positive impact on animal welfare.
As regards the latter, it is worth noting some other BVA stats, notably that 10% of vets said they commonly saw dogs last year with health issues linked to where they were bought from, nearly a third noted brachycephalic issues or other congenital and conformation problems stemming from poor purchasing decisions and 22% saw dogs not suited to their environment.
BVA Junior Vice President and AWF Trustee Daniella Dos Santos said: "As vets, we see first-hand the tragic consequences resulting from puppies bought without proper research into breed suitability and welfare needs, the conditions they have been bred in, or vaccination and microchipping records. As a result, many of these puppies often present with disease, welfare issues and behavioural problems, leading to heartache and financial costs for the new owners.
"It’s extremely encouraging to see that more than half of companion animal vets are now aware of The Puppy Contract and recognise its immense benefits. But with many pet owners still not aware that their vet can be an invaluable first stop for advice on the right pet for them, it’s important that we promote pre-purchase consultations to ensure prospective owners make an informed choice and get a healthy, happy and well-socialised pet from a responsible breeder."
AWF Chair of Trustees Chris Laurence said: "We believe that every dog should be born with the best possible chance of living a healthy and happy life, which is why we created The Puppy Contract as a free tool to empower puppy buyers to make an informed decision when buying a puppy. As trusted experts, vets are in a unique position to use their influence to encourage clients to use The Puppy Contract, whether they are breeding dogs or looking for a new best friend to join the family."
For more information and to download the Puppy Contract, see: https://puppycontract.org.uk/
You can download and display AWF’s Puppy Contract poster in your practice: www.animalwelfarefoundation.org.uk/puppy-contract.
The urinary products, which are made to provide tailored nutritional solutions for cats and dogs with urinary issues, are available in both wet pouches and dry kibble.
The company simultaneously introduced a new urinary diagnostic tool: the Royal Canin Hematura Detection by Blücare.
The tool is made up of granules which are put in a cat’s litter tray and which turn blue if they detect blood in the urine. Royal Canin says it is a revolutionary diagnostic aid that will be able to prevent feline lower urinary tract disease developing any further.
John O’Connor, Corporate Affairs Director at Royal Canin, said: "We are constantly looking to evolve our offer and provide the very best in nutrition. We have simplified our ranges making it easier to navigate and choose the right product for each cat and dog, created a new premium pack design and developed our best veterinary nutritional solutions.
"It was imperative that we worked very closely with the veterinary community in making this bold transformation so we consulted with vets and vet nurses, in addition to pet owners from across the world."
Sue qualified from Cambridge in 1984 and then spent time in mixed practice in Devon before taking her Certificate and then British and European Diplomas in Veterinary Dermatology.
Sue has been an RCVS and European Specialist for more than 20 years. She has recently been elected as a Fellow of the RCVS for meritorious contributions to clinical practice, is an elected member of the RCVS Council and is the Senior Vice President of the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology.
Sue is the Veterinary Director of two companies: Veterinary Dermatological Ltd, a manufacturer of a range of veterinary dermatology supplements, and Virtual Vet Derms, a veterinary telemedicine company. She has published seven text books as well as writing numerous peer reviewed articles and contributing chapters to both small animal and equine text books. She lectures extensively in Europe and America.
During her Presidency, Sue intends to consolidate everything she believes to be great about the Association. She said: "BSAVA has just completed a three-year strategic plan and my Presidency is going to be all about driving this forward. There are so many new initiatives in the pipeline I can’t wait to get started. I am looking forward to working with my dynamic teams of BSAVA officers and our amazing Woodrow House staff to show just how great BSAVA really is."
Professor Ian Ramsey becomes Vice President.
The award is designed to develop veterinary nurses’ knowledge and skills in taking care of patients with wounds.
The course will last six months and offer a minimum of 30 hours of CPD. It will be delivered predominantly online with a practical attendance day. Topics include wound healing, infection control, bandaging technique and management of scar tissue.
All delegates will have access to an online resource with discussion forum as well as free membership of the Veterinary Wound Library for the duration of the course.
Lucie Goodwin, Head of Education at the BSAVA said: "We are proud to be partnering with the Veterinary Wound Library to deliver our latest Veterinary Nurse Merit Award.
"Vet nurses are an essential part of the veterinary team and the BSAVA is committed to supporting VNs in their academic development. The VNMA in Wound Management has been designed to equip VNs with skills that are immediately applicable to clinical practice which will maximise patient welfare and reduce bandaging complications."
Georgie Hollis, Founder of the Veterinary Wound Library (pictured right) said: "I’m absolutely delighted to be working with BSAVA to deliver the new VNMA in wound management. The role of the ‘wound’ nurse has certainly become a reality in recent years and this award aims to help nurses begin their journey towards influencing practice and improving outcomes for their patients and their team."
The BSAVA Veterinary Nurse Merit Awards are designed for nurses in primary care practice and offer structured CPD for those who have an interest in developing their knowledge and skills in particular topics, without the commitment of a certificate or diploma.
BSAVA currently offers six awards (ECC and anaesthesia, Dermatology, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Nursing, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy and Surgical Nursing).
The new award will bring the total to seven and there is also an award in small animal behaviour in development.
To find out more about the BSAVA Vet Nurse Merit Awards visit https://www.bsava.com/Education/VN-Merit-Awards
To find out more about the Veterinary Wound Library visit https://www.vetwoundlibrary.com/
Leishmaniosis is caused by the parasite Leishmania infantum, which is endemic in some areas of Europe, but not in the UK. The patient in this case had not travelled outside the UK.
In endemic areas, the infection is carried by female sand-flies and spread through sand-fly bites. Transmission has also been reported via dog bites from an infected dog and infected blood transfusions, although the RVC says these routes have not been reported in the UK before.
Dogs with Leishmaniosis display a range of signs that can take months to years to develop after initial infection. Typical signs include:
Weight loss
Lack of energy or enthusiasm
Increased thirst and increased urination
Changes to the skin (particularly around the eyes, ears and feet)
Vomiting or diarrhoea
Lameness due to joint pain
Sudden nose bleeds
Soreness around the eyes
Treatment is available for dogs with leishmaniosis, but infection is difficult to clear and long-term medication is therefore frequently needed. Leishmaniosis can be zoonotic - meaning it can be passed to people in rare situations.
Apparently there is another leishmaniosis case reported in the Veterinary Record this week, this time where the dog was suspected of contracting the disease via sand-flies unintentionally brought back in its owners' luggage following a trip to Spain.
Myles McKenna said: "It is important to take note of this first reported case of likely dog-to-dog transmission of Leishmania infantum in the UK. Historically we had considered this to be a condition affecting dogs with a travel history to areas where Leishmania infantum is endemic. Dog-to-dog transmission in non-endemic areas has previously been reported, for example in the USA, but this case serves as a reminder to UK veterinary surgeons that we must be vigilant for conditions such as Leishmania in non-travelled dogs and that alternative transmission mechanisms do exist."
Photo: Bone marrow cytology showing macrophages with numerous intracellular organisms consistent with Leishmania species amastigotes. Credit Charalampos Attipa
The awards, which recognise the achievements of remarkable people from the veterinary, farming and charity industries, were hosted by TV presenter and animal lover, Matt Baker, and Chris Laurence MBE FRCVS, who was also chair of the judging panel.
Chris said: "Once again the breadth of nominations for the Welfare Awards has amazed and enthused the judging panel. The new categories this year have been well supported and widened the field of nominees as well as increasing the number of nominations. There have been some outstanding finalists and those who have won should be justifiably proud to have done so against some stiff competition. Of course, the real winners in all this are the animals whose welfare has been improved and the message that has given about the importance of animal welfare to those who have come into contact with all the nominees."
The other award winners were:
Chris Laurence Vet of the Year Award in association with Vet RecordHannah Capon, Canine Arthritis Management
Charity Team of the Year Award in association with PDSAEbony Horse Club, Brixton
Charitable Contribution of the Year Award in association with Blue Cross Fiona Gammell, Wicklow Animal Welfare
Farmer of the Year Award in association with R.A.B.I.David Finlay, Rainton Farm, Castle Douglas
Farm Educator of the Year in association with NADISJames Griffiths from Taynton Court Farm, Gloucester
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year AwardIan MacFarlaine, chief inspector of SPCA in Bermuda
Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare Award in association with Your Dog and Your Cat Professor Jacky Reid, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow and CEO of the research company, NewMetrica.
Cuneyt Seckin, managing director of Ceva Animal Health UK and Ireland said: "The vision, dedication and hard work demonstrated by each and every award winner is truly outstanding. We had a brilliant evening celebrating our remarkable winners and would like to congratulate each and every one of them on their fantastic achievement."
Photo: Chris Laurence, Clara Nowak, Simon Wheeler, Wendy Wright, Matt Baker.jpg
You could otherwise call them "Britain's Best Places to Get Ill (if you are a dog)", or alternatively "Britain's Worst Places to Open (another) Veterinary Practice".
The best town, in the whole of the UK, for a dog to get ill, is, wait for it ... Worcester, which has a veterinary practice for every 7,308 people. Not far behind, Worthing, Chelmsford, Southampton, and Exeter all have a practice for every 9,916 people or less.
At the other end of the scale, the very worst place for a dog to get ill - and possibly the best place to open a practice - is Birmingham, where (according to this research) each practice serves 227,424 people. London was in second place (one practice for every 210,119 people), Manchester in third (1:181,833) and St Helens in fourth (1:179,331).
The research was part of a bigger analysis to see where in the country pets are best catered for, according to the number of pet shops, dog groomers, vets, parks, dog walkers and kennels in the area, as listed on yelp.co.uk.
Blackpool was the clear winner, with pet-friendly facilities for every 2,680 people. In fact, it was the only Northern town in the top ten. In second was Chelmsford and in third was Woking.
The full rankings of UK towns and cities by number of veterinary practices per capita was:
1. Worcester (.0001368)2. Worthing (.0001277)3. Chelmsford (.0001192)4. Southampton (.0001189)5. Exeter (.0001008)6. Cheltenham (.0000939)7. Gloucester (.0000930)8. Eastbourne (.0000872)9. Watford (.0000828)10. Cambridge (.0000801)11. Oxford (.0000776)12. Bath (.0000742)13. Maidstone (.0000715)14. Woking (.0000692)15. Reading (.0000675)16. Southend-on-Sea (.0000660)17. Ipswich (.0000650)18. Blackpool (.0000643)19. Norwich (.0000641)20. Swindon (.0000635)21. Crawley (.0000627)22. York (.0000625)23. Blackburn (.0000605)24. Telford (.0000569)25. Brighton (.0000555)26. Poole (.0000529)27. Newport (.0000528)28. Bournemouth (.0000513)29. Lincoln (.0000508)30. Peterborough (.0000503)31. Dundee (.0000471)32. Solihull (.0000467)33. Portsmouth (.0000466)34. Wolverhampton (.0000462)35. Rochdale (.0000458)36. Northampton (.0000443)37. Belfast (.0000441)38. Newcastle upon Tyne (.0000439)39. Bristol (.0000435)40. Basildon (.0000434)41. Warrington (.0000429)42. Nottingham (.0000425)43. Kingston upon Hull (.0000422)44. Luton (.0000419)45. Coventry (.0000416)46. Cardiff (.0000414)47. Slough (.0000403)48. Edinburgh (.0000390)49. Derby (.0000389)50. Oldham (.0000385)51. Plymouth (.0000380)52. Colchester (.0000368)53. Middlesborough (.0000356)54. Bolton (.0000351)55. Gateshead (.0000346)56. Basingstoke (.0000342)57. Glasgow (.0000338)58. Stoke-on-Trent (.0000313)59. Stockport (.0000275)60. Milton Keynes (.0000262)61. Doncaster (.0000259)62. Wigan (.0000246)63. Swansea (.0000244)64. Liverpool (.0000224)65. Aberdeen (.0000219)66. Wakefield (.0000205)67. Sheffield (.0000190)68. Sunderland (.0000180)69. Rotherham (.0000152)70. Leicester (.0000141)71. Salford (.0000119)72. Bradford (.0000112)73. Leeds (.0000102)74. St Helens (.0000056)75. Manchester (.0000055)76. London (.0000048)77. Birmingham (.0000044)
The Crafty Vet Project aims to ignite your interest in one of a range of creative hobbies, which include cheese, beer, candle, soap and teddy-bear making, with kits available for sale from the new 'Craft Corner' section of their website. £3 from the sale of each kit will go to Vetlife.
Sarah said: "We wanted other veterinary professionals to experience the same pleasure that we get from creative hobbies. It is a chance for people no matter what day you have had to switch off, follow a pattern or instructions and come out with something at the end that you can be truly proud of."
Your new hobby might even turn into a nice sideline business. Sarah said: "One evening over a catch-up Zoe and I were discussing items that we wished we had in practice to make our lives as nurses easier.
"Despite having drunk 2 bottles of wine together we felt that there and then was the best time to start our new business. Two hours later having chopped up an old pair of curtains, accidently sewn my jumper sleeve into the material and woken my husband up at 3am to our cackles, we had the first prototype of our Slumberpet Recovery Coat.
"Our business has grown nicely since then and we are still coming up with more ideas, albeit in a slightly more sober, professional manner."
To select and order your hobby kit, visit: https://www.vnpetproducts.co.uk/craft-corner
Fearne, who has been presenting live TV since she was 15 years old, has published eight books including the top 10 bestseller 'Happy', in which she talks about her own experiences of happiness and advocates raising awareness around the many ways people can build their own resilience and maintain good mental wellbeing.
Fearne has recently been appointed as a Princes Trust Goodwill Ambassador where she will be focussing on young peoples’ wellbeing and mental health.
She is also an ambassador for the charity Mind and has spoken about her wish to help stop the subject of depression being such a taboo.
Noel Fitzpatrick said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Fearne is joining us for the VETFest Conversation this year, continuing on what has become an integral and enlightening fulcrum of the wellness program of our event schedule.
"It means a great deal to myself and the organisers that all delegates who attend VET Festival have a very special and personally enriching experience - but they also feel part of a wider community of compassion too - within the industry among their peers but in a broader societal sense as well.
"With Fearne, we will explore many themes about health and well-being relevant to all of us. We hope to make you think, laugh and have a great time, and impart some wellness to take home into day to day life as well."
The VETFest Conversation is open to all delegates at VET Festival and takes place after the clinical programme on Friday 8th June at 6.00pm – 6.45pm.
You can book tickets for the event here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
Burgess reminds everyone that RVHD2 is a highly infectious strain of RVHD with few or no visible symptoms. It is fatal and can kill within hours. RVHD2 poses a significant threat to Britain’s rabbit population and outbreaks have been reported all over the UK and Ireland meaning no area is safe.
According to the company, the most recent sales figures show that only 137,405 RVHD2 vaccinations have been distributed in the last year1. This, says the company, shows a concerning number of practices are still not stocking the necessary vaccines to protect rabbits against RVHD2 and other fatal diseases.
Rabbits who have received the combined vaccination for RVHD and myxomatosis need a separate vaccination for RVHD2.
BSAVA President Sue Paterson said: "The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) supports the Rabbit Awareness Week 'Protect and Prevent' approach to saving the lives of rabbits in the UK. The BSAVA urges all rabbit owners to get their rabbits vaccinated against this disease and encourages all practices to remind their clients of the importance of doing this."
Richard Saunders BVSc DZooMed MRCVS said: "It's important for vets to be aware of the importance of vaccinating rabbits against all 3 viral diseases: Myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD2.
"We certainly don't want rabbits to go without their annual myxomatosis vaccine: this horrible disease is very much still around. RVHD1 appears to have been overtaken by the new variant, RVHD2, but should still be vaccinated against.
"RVHD2 is a recent strain of the RVHD virus, which the Nobivac Myxo-RHD vaccine does not cover, and it is, quite literally, everywhere. Transported by inanimate objects as well as animals, it can affect both indoor and outdoor rabbits anywhere in the UK.
"If you wait until you see the first case in your area before recommending vaccination, rabbits will die, when this could be avoided.
"Remember that rabbit owners are much more likely to bury their dead pets at home than cat and especially dog owners, who generally bring their pets to a vet for cremation, and so we, as a profession, are under-aware of the incidence of the disease out there.
"RVHD2 is a core vaccination requirement, being endemic in the UK. Additionally, it’s not just a fatal disease, it’s a fatal disease with a reservoir in the wild. We strongly recommend vaccination of rabbits with either Filavac or Eravac in addition to Nobivac Myxo-RHD."
For more information on this year’s campaign and to request your RAW veterinary pack with marketing materials and free samples, visit www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk
Reference