The event is merging with the new northern VETcpd Congress to give attendees a broader range of CPD subjects.
In the wound management streams, Shelly Jefferies (pictured right) will run a series of workshops on: ‘Wound preparation for optimum healing’, ‘Wound dressing selection’ and ‘Building a better bandage’.
On the first day of the lecture programme, Samantha Bell will be looking at various different aspects and considerations for wound management through all stages, from initial presentation and assessment of the traumatic wound patient, including lavage and debridement techniques, to selection of dressings for open wound management, to surgical closure.
Other speakers in the wound management stream will cover topics such as acute wound management in rabbits and other exotic species, coping with eye problems and what to do and what not to do after oral surgery to allow healing.
Alongside the wound management programme will be two streams for veterinary surgeons – open to nurses as well – with Dr David Williams (ophthalmology), Dr Bob Partridge (dentistry), Dr Molly Varga (rabbits and exotics), Dr Fergus Allerton (antibiotics and immune-mediated diseases), Professor John Innes (orthopaedics), Professor Jon Hall (small animal surgery), Dr Joanne Harris (cardiology), Dr Alison Hayes (oncology), Dr Samantha Lane small animal surgery), Dr Anita Patel (dermatology) and Angie Lloyd-Jones (ultrasound).
On day two, David Williams will conduct an interactive session on ethics in which he will present a series of cases and ask the audience to discuss what they would do in each.
There will also be a series of workshops on ultrasound, covering basic system controls and image optimisation, abdominal ultrasound assessment techniques, and other aspects.
Lastly, there will be a stream specifically for equine practitioners featuring Professor Michael Schramme of the University of Lyon, Dr Alison Talbot of the University of Liverpool, Dr Lesley Young from Newmarket, Dr Gemma Pearson from Edinburgh, David Green from the VDS and Philip Cramo of Hambleton Equine Clinic.
Accommodation is available in the Hilton Garden Inn on-site at £105 per night or £125 per night for double occupancy. This rate is available by emailing HGIreservations@doncaster-racecourse.co.uk, quoting VETcpd.
Early bird two day passes cost £195+VAT for veterinary nurses and £285+VAT for veterinary surgeons, with one day tickets also available.
www.vetcpdcongress.co.uk.
RCVS Council recommended the increase due to inflationary pressures and increased business costs.
Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS, RCVS Treasurer, said: “We recognise that these are difficult economic times, so Council has endeavoured to limit the fee increase as far as possible; however, in proposing these new fees, Council has had to take account both of increased costs due to inflation, and of additional costs related to ensuring we are fulfilling our regulatory remit to the best of our abilities and meeting our strategic priorities.
“For example, increased costs related to the additional number of veterinary degrees coming on stream, modernising our membership database, our Charter Case Committee, the trial of our private prosecutions protocol against non-vets breaching the Veterinary Surgeons Act, and much more besides.”
Tara Evans RVN from Vita said: "We wanted to raise awareness and start a discussion with rabbit owners about preventative ear care in rabbits, including how and when owners are cleaning their rabbits’ ears.”
91% of owners also agreed that cleaning is important for rabbits with ear health problems, but 49% have never cleaned their rabbit’s ears.
For the remainder, the most common reason owners gave for cleaning their rabbits’ ears was as a preventative measure (46%), followed by noticing signs of discomfort (25%) and following veterinary advice (25%).
Tara added: “These results show us that owners are aware cleaning their rabbits’ ears is important which leaves us plenty of opportunities to educate on what owners should be looking out for.
"The survey showed that 57% of rabbit owners correctly identified lop ears to be a risk factor in ear health yet a contradictory 28% thought straight ears posed more of a risk.
"It is our job as veterinary professionals to share facts and impart our knowledge to our engaged audience.”
The survey looked into different options available for ear cleaning and identified that 51% of respondents would choose ear wipes, 25% home prepared solutions and 31% a designated rabbit ear cleaning product.
Tara said: “We want to be encouraging owners to be looking at their rabbits’ ears and cleaning them, however wipes can fail to provide a thorough clean and reach the deeper ear canal effectively, and homemade remedies may be irritating to rabbit ears.
"It is important to use an ear cleaner which is designed for and safe to use in rabbits, such as Omniotic.
"Our survey underscores the critical need for increased education and awareness surrounding rabbit ear health.
"It's essential for owners to understand the significance of regular ear cleaning in maintaining overall wellness and preventing potential diseases.”
www.vitaanimalhealth.com
Reference
Launched by the VMG in 2021, the VMG Veterinary Leadership and Management course has three levels, the Award, the Certificate and the Diploma.
There are 151 Award holders, 39 Certificate holders and now one holder of the Diploma.
144 veterinary professionals are currently studying for the CVLM, which is accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
In addition to the core modules, participants also select an additional topic tailored to their current or future needs, such as practice finance, HR, mental health and leading change.
Gemma said: “I wanted to study for the full qualification because I’m very interested in the whole subject of practice management and I really love learning.
"I experienced a few lightbulb moments, especially early on in the course when I was trying to work out what kind of leader I was.
"This section of the course opened my eyes to different leadership styles and the type of leader I wanted to become.
"I put this into practice over time, so when I came to study the team management section towards the end of my course, I could see my development over the past two years.”
She added: “Overall, I found the course very enjoyable. There is time to really dig into each topic and many different modules to choose from. The support on offer from the tutors is also excellent.”
The deadline for registration for the Winter term is 31st October.
www.vetmg.com/cvlm
Kirsty and Susan scored 995 and 923 votes respectively.
The unsuccessful candidate, Stuart Miller, scored 669 votes.
In total, 1,710 RVNs cast their vote, narrowly beating the previous record low turnout of 7.5% in 2012.
By comparison, the largest turnout was 17.1% in 2020.
Kirsty and Susan will take up their post at the RCVS Annual General Meeting, which is open to all vet nurses to attend on Friday 5th July at the Royal Institute of British Architects.
www.rcvs.org.uk/vnvote24
The symposium will be launched by Dr Leah Quinlivan (pictured right), a research fellow and chartered psychologist at the University of Manchester.
Her talk ‘Evidence-based care for people who have self-harmed: risk prediction, psychosocial assessments, and aftercare’, will outline the importance of improving mental health services for patients who have harmed themselves, via discussion of evidence, policy, and practice for risk prediction, psychosocial assessment, and aftercare.
Leah's talk will be followed by presentations delivered by veterinary mental health researchers from across the UK and Europe.
Topics will include post-Covid wellbeing amongst veterinary professionals, the impact of companion animal euthanasia, workplace stressors and how they change with career stage, and the quality of mental health support received by veterinary nurses.
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative project manager, said: “This year, the event promises once more to be a supportive and thought-provoking event, where we can gather to share findings, information and best practice for the good of the professions.
“The recent publication of MMI’s five-year strategy has outlined our recognition that we need to expand the conversation beyond mental health awareness and into looking at more systemic and cultural issues, as well as exploring how the insights gained from research might be implemented in practice.
"These ambitious aims are reflected in the breadth of the talks and presentations at the symposium and so I look forward to hearing more from those who share our values and aims, and to continuing the conversation about how and where we can do more.
The company says it estimates that 75% of its staff have periods and many will find themselves caught short without a pad or tampon when they have an earlier or heavier period than expected.
This can be very embarrassing and stressful, so tampon/towel dispensing machines are being installed in the loos at every CVS veterinary practice and site in the UK.
Helen Finney, Group HR Director at CVS, said: “We want to provide dignity and peace of mind for all of the colleagues who work at CVS.
"We wouldn't expect colleagues to have to bring their own toilet paper to work.
"So those who experience periods shouldn't fear being caught short either.
"In a busy practice it can be difficult to ask a colleague if they have a tampon or towel, or to find time to go out to buy supplies.
“By providing free period products to colleagues while at work, we are seeking to help in one small but meaningful way.”
When one stops to think about this (albeit as the male editor of a veterinary website), it is something of a wonder that it has taken this long. Helen's quote about loo paper hits the nail on the head. Why do all work loos not have period products by default?
The programme includes more than 130 hours of CPD delivered by over 100 speakers from home and abroad, with talks for all members of the practice team.
The UK speakers include Rebecca Geddes on kidney medicine and nursing; Amy Newfield on IV access techniques; Rob White on brachycephalic surgery and acute abdomen surgical techniques; Penny Watson on liver disease; Dick White on the surgical team; Butty Villiers on cytology for vets and nurses; John Chitty on several rabbits, small furries and exotics topics.
BSAVA President, Professor Ian Ramsey, said: “Following months of meticulous planning we are thrilled that the programme is now live
"The sheer range and high quality of our speakers and content, together with our new, more dynamic format takes webinar learning to a new level."
“Delegates will be able to develop their skills and knowledge on topics they see regularly in practice. To make things even easier we will be providing practical resources such as client handouts for delegates to take back to their clinics. This, coupled with many speakers sharing their own notes and practical resources means less note-taking and a quicker and easier way for delegates to share what they have learnt with their colleagues.”
There will be three keynote speakers; Jenny Campbell, a former Dragon on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, will be sharing her experiences as an entrepreneur and business leader. Two other keynote names will be announced shortly.
On the social side the focus is on bringing people together online to share light-hearted entertainment and laughter. Delegates can exercise their taste buds with some wine and whisky appreciation, throw some shapes with a virtual disco, exercise their bodies as well as their minds with yoga and unwind with some restorative meditation practices.
Ian added: “This year’s BSAVA Congress is going to be the most innovative ever and deliver like never before. There is plenty of relevant and engaging CPD for every practice professional, with all the convenience of a virtual event. If you haven’t already taken a look at the programme and registered, I urge you to do so now. With prices starting at just £99 +VAT for members it represents really great value.”
To register now visit https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2021/en/page/home
The Association says it has produced the leaflet after seeing an increasing number of dogs diagnosed with clinical or subclinical infection, along with reports of its zoonotic impact.
The document outlines the most important considerations concerning B. canis including transmission, diagnosis, management, public health implications and legislative requirements.
It takes into consideration information available from relevant Government Departments.
BSAVA says the document is by no means exhaustive but is intended to provide useful information and signpost to further resources.
www.bsavalibrary.com/brucella_canis
Photo: Walker16/Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Bringing together people working at the cutting edge of small animal and equine osteoarthritis treatment with the companies driving technology, supplies and services, the Veterinary Osteoarthritis Congress is open to both VOA members and non-members, including veterinary surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and others engaged in hydrotherapy and rehabilitation.
Day 1 has two small animal streams – session headings include ‘Managing OA’ and ‘Dealing with chronic pain’; and an equine stream looking at ‘Multidisciplinary management of OA’, ‘OA treatment options’ and ‘Unusual presentations’.
On day 2, ‘Biomodulation in OA’, ‘Working dogs’, ‘Mobility clinic’, and ‘Feline OA focus’ will run alongside sessions on ‘Rehab in action’, ‘Surgery in OA’ and ‘Dietary supplements’.
There’ll also be case presentations and interactive sessions on both days, with demonstrations and lectures from some of the leading firms.
Seven sessions in each stream offers two days of CPD.
After the first day’s sessions there’ll be a happy hour followed by a gala dinner in the Kings Hall. The event is being sponsored by Animalcare (Platinum), TVM UK and the Canine Hydrotherapy Association (Gold) with more to be announced soon.
Professor Stuart Carmichael, co-founder and director of the VOA, said: “Exciting developments are happening in veterinary OA, so we felt now is the right time to put this event on.
"There’s nothing specialist about osteoarthritis treatment and management: every small animal and equine practice deals with OA every day.
“There’s a real need and enthusiasm for bringing the latest thinking to as wide an audience as possible, so VOACON offers sessions for all members of the practice, whatever their interest is, along with rehab and physio teams.
"It’s actually been pretty difficult fitting everything in, but we’re confident we’ve got a great programme offering real, practical CPD that will benefit practices, their clients and their patients.”
Delegate rates for VOA members are:
Non-members (who can join the VOA when booking to qualify for members’ rates):
Rates include a hot buffet lunch, congress book and CPD certification.
To book or to download the programme, visit www.vet-oa.com/voacon.
The range includes a spray, collars and diffusers.
Unlike many other pheromone diffusers which need to be plugged into a wall socket, Virbac's uses a patent-pending slow release technology which doesn't need power.
Virbac says the new range has been scientifically proven with published studies which demonstrate not only their effectiveness in managing stress-related behaviours in dogs and cats, but also an equivalent and superior efficacy to the current market leading pheromone products 1,2,3
Andrew Connolly, Virbac's Marketing Director for the UK and Ireland said: "Veterinary professionals have a crucial role to play in supporting their clients with the behavioural management of their pets, both when visiting the practice and at home, and the benefits of pheromones in helping to manage dog and cat behaviour are already very well recognised."
"With Zenidog and Zenifel we hope to make pheromone therapy easier, more cost-effective and better for the environment."
Zenidog and Zenifel are available to order from NVS, Covetrus and VSSCo now.
References
The offer has been made possible due to the generosity of Baker McVeigh, CVS Equine, IVC Evidensia, Newmarket Equine Hospital, Rossdales, VetPartners and XLVets.
Benefits of the free membership include:
Free student membership is one of several equine vet nurse initiatives introduced by BEVA over the past few months.
Earlier this year, the Association published new Schedule 3 Guidelines designed to support equine veterinary professionals and businesses by describing how equine Registered Veterinary Nurses (eRVNs) are permitted to work.
At its Congress in September, BEVA introduced a Vet Nurse Empowerment Award to highlight the skills and versatility of equine nurses.
It has also increased the amount of CPD it offers vet nurses and started a dedicated stream at BEVA Congress.
Vet nurses also have a direct voice within BEVA via the VN committee.
President David Rendle said: “Historically, equine veterinary nurses have been undervalued in practice but thankfully this is now changing."
“Veterinary nurses have invested huge amounts of time and effort to become highly skilled and it’s great that their talents, versatility and commitment are being supported and celebrated in these ways.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/Join-BEVA/vet-student
The 2023 PAW Report will assess how lifestyle changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis have affected the nation’s pets.
The survey, which is open to vets, veterinary nurses and students, closes on 10th February 2023.
Entrants will be in with a chance of winning a £100 One4all voucher, accepted in over 130 high street stores.
Rebecca Ashman, PDSA’s Veterinary Engagement and Communication Manager said: “The PAW Report provides invaluable insight into key areas of pet wellbeing in the UK.
"Lifestyles had to adapt and change through the pandemic, and now as we navigate a cost of living crisis, this research is more vital than ever before.”
Rebecca added: “It takes less than 15 minutes to complete the survey, and by taking part you’ll be helping us maintain an accurate picture of the biggest welfare issues facing pets in the UK today.”
Survey: https://start.yougov.com/refer/vz7hC0lZ0d10nG
The multicentre observational study described 382 placements of catheters across 19 different institutions, recording the placement techniques and tracking resulting complications to determine the associated risk factors.
The majority of the data was collected by veterinary nurses across the country.
The risk factors identified included the number of insertion attempts, whether a second subsequent placement was required, the frequency that the catheter was flushed and if the flush solution was compound sodium lactate.
In addition to identifying the risk factors, the study also found that complications occurred in just over one-quarter of placements, with limb swelling and phlebitis being the most common (11.5%).
The second most common complication observed was PIVC dislodgement/patient interference (7.9%).
As a result of these findings, the researchers are calling for more vigilant monitoring of patients with a PIVC in situ, particularly if they have experienced any of the factors that increase their risk of complications.
Eleanor said: “PIVCs are placed every day in almost all veterinary practices, yet there is little evidence to inform how best to place and manage them.
"I am passionate about providing the best care for cats and dogs, and it was fantastic to work with like-minded nurses and vets who wanted to gather the evidence that we can use to improve the care of our patients.
"I look forward to continuing this area of research, and believe veterinary nurses are best placed to undertake this work as it is part our of daily working lives."
Dr Christopher Scudder, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College and senior author in the study, said: “The hope is that this study will stimulate more research about PIVCs, and that sufficient evidence will be developed to help reduce complications associated with these routinely placed devices.”
Spread over two floors, the 3,300 sq ft flagship practice is unusually large for a London clinic, and has a dedicated dental suite and laboratory, as well as six spacious and bright consulting rooms.
Notably absent from the practice are a reception desk and continuously ringing telephones.
Instead, customers receive a warm welcome in the members’ area, with separate spaces for cats and dogs.
Shades of lilac on the walls have been carefully chosen to keep animals calm, while a pick and mix wall filled with toys and treats helps pets to develop positive associations with vet visits.
Co-founders Russell Welsh MRCVS and online estate agent entrepreneur Daniel Attia say that a large portion of Creature Comforts’ customers have signed up as ‘All Access’ members, paying £20 per month to get unlimited access to expert care from vets and nurses.
This includes as many consultations as they need, annual vaccinations and discounted routine treatments e.g. 50% off microchipping.
The remainder have opted to pay as they go for treatment.
Creature Comforts’ chief veterinary officer, Dr Simon Hayes, says: “One of the biggest problems with UK veterinary care is that, due to the expense of consultations, pet owners are understandably reluctant to book in to see a vet until their animals are really sick.
"With a subscription model that includes unlimited consultations, we’ve removed the cost barriers to accessing expertise easily and quickly, so pets are seen more frequently, and conditions can be identified and treated earlier in the disease process, meaning a vastly better outcome for pets and hopefully greater financial savings over their lifetime, too.”
Simon added: “Many people comment on the peace and quiet.
"The absence of phones ringing or receptionists permanently on calls is unusual.
"But because our customers book in, submit queries and request medications via our app, we don’t need these things.
"While our virtual care team can take calls, they’re not based in the practice.
"This frees up our people to welcome customers and make a fuss of their pets so we can turn what has long been a stressful appointment into a positive experience.
"People have told us their pets, who trembled and cried at their previous vet, are now pulling to come inside because they know they’re going to get a treat and lots of attention.
"We’re still doing all the things vets do, in terms of offering excellent care, expertise and advice, but the entire experience around it has been totally transformed.”
Creature Comforts’ third site, also in London, will open towards the end of this year, and the company is keen to hear from veterinary surgeons, nurses and others who may be interested in upcoming vacancies.
The aim of the Working Party is to compare options, such as limited licensure, for increasing inclusion, source evidence both from the UK and other countries, and to identify any potential unintended consequences of change.
The College says that it is inviting representatives from the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BVCIS), the British Veterinary Nurses Association (BVNA) and Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) to join the Working Party.
Sue Paterson will be Chairing the Working Party.
She said: “The formation of this new Working Party is a significant and very welcome step in helping to make the veterinary professions more accessible for people with a disability.
"Fellow members of the Working Party include a broad range of colleagues, students and veterinary bodies, to ensure we take into account as many perspectives as possible when we propose recommendations.
"We recognise that many organisations have already begun to explore what we could do to make the veterinary professions more accessible, and we are keen to work collaboratively with them to ensure we keep up the momentum on this vital work.
"The Working Party will endeavour to find a way that those wishing to undertake a veterinary degree or a veterinary nursing qualification in the UK are not faced with barriers due to disability."
For more information, contact Rosie Greaves, Policy and Public Affairs Officer: r.greaves@rcvs.org.uk
The company says that practices transferring to its pet health plan portal will be able to take greater control of their pet health plans and benefit from a range of innovative services for the same cost. They include the VMD-approved Post2Pet home delivery service, a messaging system to advise clients on applying products, attending appointments or renewing prescriptions, reporting to give practice leaders the insights they need to drive plan performance, the ability for pet owners to sign up online rather than visit the practice, and 24/7 access to a marketing hub and the Premier Vet Alliance Learning Academy.
Premier Vet Alliance’s Business Development Director Andy Taylor said: "We are excited to be offering our high performing Premier Pet Care Plan to the many new practices joining us following our acquisition of Simplyhealth’s animal health business.
"We are working to make the transition seamless and believe that our new customers will be delighted at the expanded range of functionality our portal offers them, together with the reduced administrative burden. We will continue to invest in its development to ensure that all of our customers can be sure that their pet health plan offers the most powerful set of tools and services available to help them drive up the profitability of their practice, while offering gold standard care to their patients and peace of mind to their clients."
For more information, visit: https://premiervetalliance.com/uk/
Anna was nominated by senior vet, Charlotte Botham, and vet, Hayley Stenning, from Pennard Vets.
Charlotte said: “Anna is a rare find, she brightens the lives of all she meets, including our furry and feathered friends!
"For the clients she serves and the team she works with, she is not just a friendly, smiley face when they walk in, she’s a safe place, a friend, a confident and a fabulous sounding board.
"She laughs and smiles with joy during the happy times and she’s a supportive shoulder to lean on during the sad times.
“Anna is not only manning the front desk and answering phones but doing the stock take, ordering food and prescriptions, dealing with insurance queries, keeping the place spick and span, sorting blood and other samples - the list goes on!
"She is also a feisty cat wrangler, a bouncy dog distractor, or is simply there to hold an anxious paw or hand, with treats or a cup of tea at the ready!
“Our clients, staff and suppliers, as well as every pet that walks through the door, is treated like family, any concern big or small is acknowledged with compassion and empathy and she finds an efficient and fair solution to every problem.”
CEO and founder of the British Veterinary Receptionist Association (BVRA), Kay Watson-Bray, said: “Anna's nomination instantly stood out and impressed the judges.
"She is clearly an exceptional receptionist who goes above and beyond for both her colleagues and her clients, and she truly deserves this award.”
Anna said: “I really love what I do, it’s more than a job, it’s a way of life and I find helping my team, our clients and their pets incredibly rewarding.
"As part of the award win, I will now have a place on the BVRA Council for the year, which means I will help shape the training courses and the support veterinary receptionists receive.
"I will also be part of the judging team for next year’s awards so it’s a very exciting role.”
https://www.bvra.co.uk
Mark Bordo, CEO and CoFounder, Vetster.com, said: “Our new mobile app is one more way we can provide veterinary professionals with a flexible platform to connect with pet parents in between appointments, traveling between clients, or from the comfort of home. With just a few taps on their mobile phone, veterinarians connect with pet parents with great video quality, and easy-to-use scheduling and follow-up features.”
So now, at long last, vets can diagnose disease in animals on an even smaller screen than ever before.
What a breakthrough.
The mobile app also means vets can diagnose whilst on the move.
So, no need for anyone to waste any more time reading a book on the 14:25 from Paddington to Bath Spa, instead vets could be consulting pet owners and examining their animal on their two inch mobile phone screens from the comfort of their train seats.
Client confidentiality could be a problem on the 14:25, but if they wear headphones and whisper into the phone, things should be alright.
Tunnels might also cause a bit of a problem, but hey, the pet owner can always call back when the train comes out the other side.
To register to practice on Vetster, visit vetster.com.
Once registered and approved, you can then download and use the app.
As part of the package of measures announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in mid-March, businesses in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors are eligible for a 100% business rates holiday for a year in England, Scotland and Wales, offering a vital economic lifeline when many may have had to close or operate with reduced turnover and staffing. In Northern Ireland, all businesses are eligible for a three-month business rates holiday covering April, May and June.
However, veterinary practices, many of which have remained open to provide essential care and treatment for pets and production animals, are not eligible for business rates relief, despite the fact that many are high street businesses and a significant proportion of their income comes from retailing medicines, treatments and other pet products.
The BVA says it has heard directly from hundreds of members who now fear for their future, and a recent survey released by the RCVS indicates that a quarter of practices have seen their weekly turnover reduced by 75%, and about 66% have seen it halved.
The Association has written to the Treasury and devolved government departments to ask why the veterinary profession has so far been overlooked for financial support, while other high street businesses that remain open including food retailers, hardware stores and pet shops are eligible for rates relief.
It has also mobilised its members to contact their local MPs and devolved parliamentarians with their concerns. Several hundred have already downloaded template letters from the BVA website, and parliamentarians representing a wide cross-section of regions and parties have already pledged their support. Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion, has also tabled a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (#339) recognising the value of vets and pushing for the profession to be given access to business rates relief.
Daniella Dos Santos, BVA President, said: “The Government has repeatedly given thanks to vets for continuing to maintain animal health and welfare and public health and support the food supply chain in these challenging times. But that makes it all the more disappointing that the profession’s pleas for financial support so far seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Veterinary practices are rightly remaining open to provide 24/7 essential care and fulfilling their duty to maintain animal health and welfare, but many are struggling to stay afloat as they grapple with dramatic reductions in turnover and scaling back their rotas to keep colleagues and clients safe.
"It’s been really heartening to see that parliamentarians across the political spectrum value their local vets’ role in their communities and have offered to put pressure on the Treasury and devolved governments to give practices access to vital financial support. We hope that such a strong and united call will be answered soon, and will continue to urge government to help practices to continue their valuable work in these difficult times."
She said: “My theme will be focussed on recruitment and particularly widening participation, as one of the three themes of the RCVS Workforce Action Plan.
"I want to get out during my presidential year and talk to school children and teachers, especially head teachers at their conferences, to make them aware of the opportunities that are available to a veterinary science graduate.
“I want to continue to work with the Veterinary Schools Council’s Widening Participation Vet Schools Network to make school children from all backgrounds aware, whether they are from a large, single-sex private school, or a mixed-faith inner-city comprehensive, that veterinary science is accessible to them.
“A veterinary science degree equips graduates with the appropriate skillset to follow a myriad of different career paths.
"For example, in clinical practice caring for people’s beloved pets or working with farmers to produce high-welfare food in an economical and sustainable way. Not to mention groundbreaking research into human and animal diseases, public health to help safeguard food security, the pharmaceutical industry to develop new and innovative treatments, and the armed forces to maintain the health and welfare of military working animals. I could go on.
“As professions, and this means not just veterinary surgeons but veterinary nurses, we need to get out there and sell ourselves to the wider public.
"We have made a start, but we need to become more inclusive and diverse.
"We need to do some myth-busting about the real requirements needed to be a vet or vet nurse.
"There is no doubt you do need to have good A levels to study veterinary medicine, but, beyond that, bright students from any background can join our professions.
"You can be a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse if you are black or white; Muslim or Christian; and from any socioeconomic background.”
Sue's speech is available to read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/features.
The plenary speaker was Professor Rory O’Connor, Chair of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow’s Institute of Health & Wellbeing whose talk: "When it is darkest: understanding suicide risk" opened the day with an outline of his 25 years of work looking into suicide prevention.
Rory discussed his recent investigation into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s mental health and wellbeing, and how to reduce the risk of suicidal ideation turning into suicidal action.
He said: “In the last 10 to 15 years there has been an increased focus in particular on psychological and psycho-social interventions for helping people who are suicidal.
"Although suicide is complex, interventions, even brief interventions, can be effective.”
Rory was followed by presentations from a number of teams, including those who'd been awarded the MMI’s Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant in 2019 and 2020:
The full report of the day’s talks can be found here https://www.vetmindmatters.org/resources/report-mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2021
The company has also carried out research amongst 60 practices which found that despite the fact that over 80% of dogs over the age of three reportedly suffer from dental disease1, only 48% opened discussions about dental care at the earliest opportunity: vaccination time. 16% only discussed dental care if the dog developed a dental problem and 52% also admitted that they did not follow up discussions on dental compliance.²
Eleanor Workman Wright, Product Manager at Animalcare, said: "The key to successful dental care is to start early, both in educating owners and getting puppies and kittens used to brushing or other forms of dental care. If discussions are delayed until the animal is a year old, it is possible that some disease may already be present while the animal may be less receptive to brushing or other efforts to care for their teeth.
"We see the dental sector as important and one that is likely to grow, particularly in the light of the pandemic-induced increase in the number of dogs and cats. We hope that our new Owner Guide will support veterinary teams in initiating early discussions with owners about the importance of dental care, while the addition of an affordable and effective oral gel in Orozyme, to our range will give them a key tool to offer to owners to use as part of their homecare routine."
For more information, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or visit: www.animalcare.co.uk .
The FAQs cover everything within the College’s guidance on veterinary medicines, including questions around controlled drugs, their storage, destruction and prescription, supplying medicines under the cascade, and prescriptions in general including topics such as what written information to provide, broach dates, and repeat prescriptions.
Lisa Price, RCVS Head of Standards, said: “Queries about veterinary medicines are some of the most frequent questions that our Standards & Advice Team deal with and we recognise that this is quite a complex and potentially confusing area of practice, with information being contained in a variety of places including the RCVS Codes of Professional Conduct, the Veterinary Medicines Regulations and the Practice Standards Guidance.
“We felt it would be helpful to try and draw much of this information into one place and provide answers to questions applicable to common scenarios that veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses encounter within everyday practice.
“The 17 questions and answers have all been approved by the RCVS Standards Committee and we hope members of the professions find them useful.
"We are also open to feedback and suggestions for further questions to be added to the FAQs and you can contact us on advice@rcvs.org.uk if you have any.”
The full FAQs can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/medicines-faqs
The RCVS Code of Professional Conduct’s chapter of supporting guidance on veterinary medicines can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/medicines
In the Horiba-sponsored webinar, Kit will draw on personal experience and case study examples to illustrate how the innovative use of adjunctive tests can support rapid clinical decision-making when triaging patients.
For example, Kit will consider whether inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A can be used to assess if current signs are likely associated with inflammatory diseases, such as pancreatitis, or whether further investigation is required to determine cause of illness.
Kit will also consider the case of Ollie a 10-year-old German shorthaired pointer presenting as vaguely unwell with reduced appetite.
Is this just a flare-up of his chronic osteoarthritis and likely to respond to pain relief and anti-inflammatory treatment, or something else?
Attendees will be able to questions in a live Q&A session at the end of the webinar.
Horiba's team will also be on hand to answer questions on in-house diagnostics.
For free registration, visit: https://bit.ly/3wGADcm