The book covers things like the functions of various nutrients, nutrition for different life stages, proactive nutrition strategies and effective communication techniques for discussing nutrition with pet owners.
Natalia Wagemans, the global head of the Purina Institute, said: “Nutritional science has evolved significantly, and there are many facets to consider in a well-pet diet, not just from the pet’s perspective, such as life stage, activity level and body condition, but also the owner’s perspective – their lifestyle, budget and preferences.
“This resource simplifies the process of making informed recommendations and can be a vital tool for veterinary professionals to both facilitate nutrition conversations with their clients and provide informed responses to questions.”
https://www.purinainstitute.com
The one-hour CPD session is being given by Tom Dutton (pictured right), an EBVS specialist in avian medicine and surgery.
Tom said: “We are currently suffering from the biggest avian flu outbreak in UK history.
“As well as the widely reported effect on the UK commercial poultry industry, there have also been a number of cases in captive birds.
“Bird owners are naturally worried about their pets becoming infected and practice vets are also having to field requests from members of the public who are concerned about wild birds.
“This session will help vets to manage enquiries and handle any potential clinical situations with confidence.”
To register for the webinar, email Jess at: GWEReferrals@vets-now.com before 23rd January
The pathway allows receptionists to progress through five stages of seniority, from receptionist to head receptionist - then beyond into practice and regional leadership roles.
It also shows how receptionists can branch out laterally into different roles within the group’s other divisions.
For each stage, there's a detailed outline of the necessary skills and capabilities and a curriculum of learning.
Philip Webb, Learning Partner at CVS who led the development of the pathway, said: “Receptionists are one of the most important roles in practice.
"They are the first and oftentimes key point of contact for our clients and play an instrumental role in how the workload of a practice is managed.
“We hope that the structured information and learning within our pathway will build the skills of each of our front-line colleagues, enhance the role of the receptionist in our practices, and give clear guidance on how to progress.
Jonathan Hill (UK Country Manager) said: “I’m delighted to announce that TVM UK is changing its name to Dômes Pharma.
"This will align with the other operating companies within the group.
"TVM UK has always been owned by the Dômes Pharma group, and since the start of our journey in the UK market we have been synonymous with expertise and outstanding levels of customer service in selected speciality segments of the animal health market and this won’t change.”
“Under the Dômes Pharma name we will continue to build and grow on this very strong foundation.
"I’m looking forward to working with the entire Dômes Pharma team as we increase our presence as a leading specialty pharmaceutical company, bringing our ethos to new speciality segments with innovative products and solutions for vets in the UK.
"Dômes Pharma remains a family-owned business, and the culture of the company really reflects this and we live by our values of kindness, boldness and responsibility.”https://www.domespharma.com https://www.tvm-uk.com
The talk, which is sponsored by Supreme Petfoods, will be co-delivered by Craig Tessyman, who works alongside Molly as Exotics Veterinary Nurse Team Leader at Rutland House Veterinary Referrals.
The presentation will focus on the main aspects of emergency care, including best practice for managing these cases in first opinion practice.
Topics will include restoring and maintaining fluid balance, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), analgesia options and the importance of appropriate monitoring.
Molly said: “The basic principles of emergency care apply to all species, but with small herbivores, rapid intervention is crucial as their delicate physiology can quickly spiral into crisis when they become unwell.
"In this session, Craig and I will share practical tips that vets and nurses can implement immediately, without requiring specialist equipment, to help manage these challenging cases.”
The sixty minute talk will start at 12.50pm in the Gallery Suite 3-4.
For those unable to attend the live event, a recorded version of the presentation will be available here: https://supremepetfoods.com/vet-zone/cpd-webinars-and-videos/
Vita Referrals has been set up by Rob Quinn, an RCVS and EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, and Nick Blackburn and Stuart Cooke, both RCVS Advanced Practitioners in Small Animal Surgery.
They say that their aim is to ensure every pet owner has access to reasonably priced surgical care.
To that end, the clinic lists fixed costs for all of its major surgical specialities on its website, where it says clients should notice a significant reduction compared to other providers.
It also offers a 12-month post-surgical complications warranty.
Rob said: “Many pet-owners are unaware that there are three major companies which own the vast majority of veterinary practices in the UK.
"That is not necessarily of benefit to those using the services, as prices can rise when competition is low.
"Myself, Nick and Stuart felt very strongly that there was a different way to do things.
“No one becomes a vet to see animals suffer or pet-owners struggle to make tough financial decisions.
"We knew it was possible to offer a top quality service, with the best facilities and equipment available, whilst also keeping prices at a realistic level – and that is where the vision for Vita Referrals came from.
"We also wanted the freedom to offer collaborative decision-making, the removal of complex forms and bureaucracy and what we believe is an industry-leading 12-month complications guarantee on routine surgeries.
"It’s time there was more disruption and competition in the sector – and that will, ultimately, only be a good thing for pets, owners and vets.”
www.vitareferrals.co.uk
Purina says that assessing water intake can be difficult for pet owners and appreciating what is ‘normal’ is of course central to identifying when intake is excessive, requiring further investigation, or inadequate, requiring alternative hydration strategies.
The company developed the water calculator to help vets and nurses give guidance to pet owners on a pet’s recommended daily water intake, depending on lifestage, bodyweight and diet.
Libby Sheridan, Scientific Affairs Manager at Purina said: “All too often a pet has been suffering polydipsia for some time when they are presented at the clinic.
"That may be because water intake isn’t being measured or observed, but often there is a confusion with knowing what is normal for the individual pet.
"Cats, particularly when they are older may struggle to meet their water needs and this tool can be helpful in assessing their intake and suggests some strategies for improving hydration.”
Any member of the clinical veterinary team can email vettechline@purina.nestle.com to get access to webinars on hydration and a short video on how to use the water calculator within Vet Centre.
https://vetcentre.purina.co.uk
The company is also working with the UK charity to call for the creation of international standards in the training and deployment of sniffer dogs.
Earlier this week, Medical Detection Dogs announced the findings of its research on scenting COVID-19, confirming that dogs can play a major role in public safety through their ability to detect the virus’ odour.
Researchers will now move to trial the dogs at sites such as ports of entry and public spaces, where dogs can screen individuals rather than samples and contribute to the fight against the virus by detecting COVID-19 carriers.
Sniffer dog schemes are currently being piloted in countries including Finland, Russia, Italy and France, but there is currently no centralised best practice process for such programmes.
Medical Detection Dogs and Purina are calling for:
Medical Detection Dogs founder and CEO Dr Claire Guest said: “Sniffer dogs have the potential to make an important contribution to the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemics. Researchers around the world are urgently working to meet that need, but it is vital that we collaborate, share the knowledge we have gained on the incredible abilities of our dogs and formalise best practice in training and deployment.
"Along with Purina we want to call for international collaboration between organisations around the world on the implementation of disease detection and research. Our vision is to guarantee that dogs are well-treated and consistent in their performance, and support the reliable, safe creation of similar schemes in developing countries, where dogs could play a huge role in halting the spread of this disease and future pandemics.”
Jeff Hamilton, CEO at Nestlé Purina PetCare EMENA, said: “Purina and Medical Detection Dogs share a belief in the positive role and impact of dogs in society. These dogs could provide fast, effective and non-invasive diagnosis and help to create safer spaces for us all, but we should ensure that each of them is trained safely, humanely and able to effectively perform their important role in detecting COVID-19."
The awards fall into two categories, those which you need to be nominated for by other people and those which are also open to self-nomination:
Requiring nomination by another person:
Self-nominations allowed:
The deadline for the 2025 awards is Friday, 13 December 2024.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/how-we-work/rcvs-honours-awards
The journal provides free access to critical summaries of the best available evidence, called Knowledge Summaries, to help practitioners make informed evidence-based decisions in practice.
The new website has several new features, such as author and reviewer hubs, which contain information to guide contributors through the process of writing or reviewing papers for the journal.
A new ‘answer me’ button allows potential authors to pick a clinical query they are interested in answering and email it straight to the Editor, streamlining the process.
The new site also includes a new submission system, Editorial Manager, which streamlines the editorial process, communications with authors and reviewers, and the management of articles.
Kit Sturgess, Editor-in-Chief of Veterinary Evidence, says: “I am really excited by the new website; its look and functionality will significantly improve rapid access to information and further boost the engagement of the veterinary team with EBVM.
"After an impressive year for Veterinary Evidence, we have also moved to a new submission system, Editorial Manager, aimed at making the experience of submitting and reviewing papers easier and more efficient.
"Through the new website and publishing platform, the journal can get better metrics of how well we are supporting our readers, authors, and reviewers so we can use evidence to drive Quality Improvement.”
veterinaryevidence.org
For its research, the company surveyed 700 veterinary veterinary professionals.
The subsequent report, "Digital Adoption in Veterinary Medicine", provides up-to-date data on the levels of digital adoption by vets in the UK.
It also explores their attitudes to technology and digital communications tools, and the barriers to adoption. At the Zoom meeting, Scott Goodsir-Smyth, Provet Cloud’s VP of Growth for the UK & US will share and discuss some of the main findings of the report. He will also be answering questions about how practices can go digital, what the pitfalls are, how you can get the most value out of practice management software, and whether you should switch to the cloud. With the RCVS currently in the process of changing the rules regarding telemedicine, and only 23% of veterinary practices currently using telemedicine, this meeting could not be more timely. VetSurgeon.org/VetNurse.co.uk and Provet are now inviting questions from vet nurses about adopting digital technology, including online booking, integrated payments, pet owner apps, telemedicine, referral portals and digital whiteboards. The people who submit the best ten questions will be able to ask them before anyone else on the night and the best of the lot will get a bottle of champagne in time for Christmas.
To download the report, visit: https://www.provet.cloud/provet-cloud-digital-adoption-report To submit your question, email it to editor@vetnurse.co.uk by Wednesday 9th November at 11:00am.
To register to join the Zoom meeting, visit: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsdOugpzMoGd0mrFcC_cyz1kNrGcwpMULV
The new formula also contains crataegus, L-carnitine and magnesium taurate, and is designed to be used alongside all heart medications.
Alongside the launch of the new product, Vita has also created an infographic highlighting the common signs of heart disease in dogs.
https://vitaanimalhealth.com/common-signs-of-heart-disease
https://vitaanimalhealth.com/product/omnicardio-plus
The event, which took place in Manchester in October last year, saw veterinary mental health researchers from across Europe come together to share their insights into a variety of areas of veterinary mental health including moral injury, suicide and suicide prevention, the impact of racism, veterinary nurse mental health, and workplace stressors for autistic veterinary professionals.
There were 77 attendees, including a mix of academic researchers and veterinary professionals.
Talks included an address from Dr Leah Quinlivan on ‘Evidence-based care for people who have self-harmed: risk prediction, psychosocial assessments and aftercare’, presentations of research into the impact of racism on the mental health of veterinary professionals and the impact of moral injury on wellbeing.
Angharad Belcher, Director for the Advancement of the Professions and of the Mind Matters Initiative gave a talk about the work of MMI, including its newly published 5-year strategy and evaluation documents.
She said: “The fourth Mind Matters Mental Health Research Symposium was a massively inspiring and insightful day.
"The field of veterinary mental health research is still relatively small so it remains of utmost importance that we continue to band together to share our knowledge on this subject, so that we can continue to learn and grow together and put these important learnings into practice.
“For us, it is vital that these new ground-breaking research projects are made available to all who want to learn more about helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of those working within the veterinary professions.
"There is some truly fantastic work going on which provides us with hope that we can all continue to work together towards a brighter future.
“There is no doubt that there is a long way to go, but improvement starts with education and research so I would urge anybody who is interested in what is being done to help improve and support the mental health of those working within the veterinary professions, and who is keen to help us keep these vital conversations going, to have a look through the report or access videos of the talks.”
https://vetmindmatters.org/resources/videos-from-the-day-mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2023
https://vetmindmatters.org/resources/report-mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2023
Canine Arthritis Management says the service is designed to help address issues with the traditional veterinary care approach, such as short consult times, significant workplace pressure and lack of understanding of the caregiver.
The service offers expert consultations through which veterinary professionals and other caregivers can confer with a dedicated team of experts in canine arthritis for the latest insights and treatment strategies.
The telehealth service can also supplement the veterinary consultation, giving extra time to create personalised care plans for clients, tailored to their dog's specific needs.
Canine Arthritis Management says its care plans are designed with a holistic approach, considering not only the medical requirements of the dog but also its living environment and lifestyle.
Canine Arthritis Telehealth also offers ongoing support and educational resources.
Canine Arthritis Management Founder, Hannah Capon MRCVS said: “One of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding osteoarthritis is that it is simple to manage.
"It is not.
"The long term, waxing and waning nature of the disease, combined with the financial and physical commitments, leads to emotional exhaustion for the caregiver.
"Combining this with a lack of understanding of the disease, confusion regarding the myriad of ways to address it, and anxiety surrounding the future, caregivers of animals with chronic disease need more support, and that is exactly what this service offers.”
caninearthritisteleguidance.co.uk
The association says that its research has found that 94% of companion animal vets say they have clients who feed a raw diet, 42% who feed meat-free diets and 29% who feed insect-protein in place of meat.
However, 6 in 10 vets are unsure how many of the cats and dogs they see are fed meat-free diets.
In a new policy position, the BVA is now urging vets to talk to all cat and dog owners about what they feed their pet, and record nutritional histories and any resulting issues on their practice systems.
BVA President Anna Judson said: “We know that owners of cats and dogs are increasingly drawn to pet diets that reflect their own personal values and lifestyle choices, and this is leading to a surge in alternative approaches to pet food.
"We support owners making informed choices about what to feed their pets, but they must be aware that these choices play a pivotal role in the health of the animal and can also have a wider impact on human health and environmental sustainability.
“One of the key issues in these conversations is the lack of long-term, evidence-based research.
"If vet teams are to maintain our position as the ‘trusted voice’ in these conversations, it’s vital that we ask the right questions and also record as much data as possible so that we can understand the long-term impact of some of these newer diets.”
The BVA says its new policy position is not trying to dictate the ‘best’ diet for individual pets but to support pet owners in meeting their pets’ nutritional needs as well as meeting their own lifestyle choices.
The BVA is also recommending changes to veterinary education to include a new emphasis on the importance of nutrition in day one competencies for vets and nurses, and improved awareness of the need for supportive conversations with animal owners.
To support the profession, the BVA says it will create a new public facing resource and lobby for better labelling of pet food and better labelling and traceability of the animal by-products that represent one of the major sources of protein in many cat and dog foods.
Anna added: “The issues around pet food are complex and with so much information available to pet owners from breeders, friends, online forums and other sources, we want to support all members of the vet team to feel fully confident in guiding their clients through dietary decisions.
"We hope that these recommendations and our upcoming resources will improve the information available to both clients and vets, supporting owners to make healthy, informed choices for their pets.”
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/diet-choices-for-cats-and-dogs
The one-hours session: "How do you recommend parasite treatments to your clients?" will be presented by Zoetis Veterinary Consultant Ruth Moxon MVB MRCVS.
Ruth will discuss how to structure advice and how to take the conversation away from the idea of ‘selling’ and towards a confident recommendation based on the pet’s needs.
The course will cover:
Ruth said: “We are aiming for attendees to leave the session feeling confident about discussing recommendations to clients on parasiticides.
"The talk will enable them to comfortably explain the features and benefits of the right parasiticide for that pet and owner in an objective way.”
The course is free to BVNA members.
Non-members are welcome to join the webinar at a cost of £15.00 per ticket.
To book, email: cpd@bvna.co.uk
Photo: BVNA
The posters are designed to educate clients about what their pet should be drinking on a daily basis, according to their weight.
The company has also prepared a rehydration social media pack with content for practices to use on their social media feeds.
Posters can be requested and social media packs downloaded at: https://www.animalcare.co.uk/oralade-poster.
The webinar will be presented by Dr Abigail McGlennon from the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) team at the University of Cambridge who will present data from the Surveillance of Equine Strangles (SES) network to provide a detailed overview of strangles diagnoses across the UK.
Abigail will explore recent trends in outbreak reports, the genetic makeup of recent circulating strains and transmission links between UK outbreaks.
By linking research from her own PhD work on S. equi genomics and transmission with preventative strategies, Abigail show how to suggest and implement evidence-based prevention measures to clients.
The webinar will also offer advice on ‘the ates’ preventative measures – vaccinate, isolate, investigate and communicate – and will include information on when horse owners should be vaccinating with Strangvac and an outbreak management vaccination plan using the traffic light ‘green, amber and red’ system.
https://go.dechra.co.uk/preventative_strategies_for_strangles
The course is comprised of five modules, four of which are online and one taught in person. The syllabus includes:
To enter the competition, nurses are invited to write to tracey.jones@vahl-academy.com and explain why you believe you should be considered and what difference it would make to you and the practice you work at.
The closing date for entries is 14th May and the winner will be announced by email 14 days later.
All entries will also receive a 10% discount on any e-learning courses at www.vahl.vet.
The new clinic will be based in Uttoxeter and have an in-house 1.5T MRI, 32-slice CT, and three purpose-built theatres.
Building work has started and clinic is now recruiting for orthopaedic surgery Specialists, neurology Specialists and experienced veterinary nurses.
Mark Lowrie, RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology (pictured), will lead the new site day-to-day once up and running.
He said: “Our ethos is simple: we aspire to be the place that vets take their own pets.
"By focusing on responsive communication, exceptional clinical standards, and fair pricing, we aim to build trust with both veterinary professionals and clients.
"And for those who join our team, we are committed to creating a supportive and positive environment where everyone can thrive and grow."
“This is a rare chance to be part of something special from day one, to join and help build the culture and success of a dynamic, independent practice and a brand new state-of-the-art clinic.
"With cutting-edge facilities and a supportive team, we want fresh expertise and energy to help shape the future of veterinary care.”
https://www.movementvets.co.uk/
The new product, which is for the management of any condition where eye health is supported by providing additional moisture or lubrication, is suitable for dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and other animals.
Oculeze contains glycerine (0.8%), Aloe vera, chamomile and propolis extract, the latter of which contains polyphenols which Millpledge says have been shown to support corneal health by multiple mechanisms of action including modulation of the tear film and a reduction in inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress1.
Millpledge says Oculeze lasts longer on the ocular surface than non-lipid lubricants2 because it evaporates more slowly3.
This prolonged action means fewer administrations, which should help client compliance.
Oculeze comes in two sizes - a 10 millilitre bottle and a pack of ten resealable 0.6 millilitre vials, suitable for short term use and travel.
The 10ml bottle includes a filter, preserving sterility for up to three months after opening.
Oculeze is available direct from Millpledge or from your usual wholesaler.
https://millpledge.com/shop/oculeze
sales@millpledge.com
In the study: "Effects of human-animal interaction on salivary and urinary oxytocin in children and dogs1", oxytocin levels were recorded in 55 children and their pet dogs.
Oxytocin is associated with positive emotions, the reduction of stress and the formation of social bonds.
Oxytocin levels were tracked in both the children’s and dogs’ urine and saliva before and after they interacted.
Researchers say this is one of the first studies to examine the benefits of human animal interactions for both humans and dogs.
For the study, the children's oxytocin levels were measured when they interacted with their own pet dog, with an unfamiliar dog (a trained therapy dog), and when they engaged in solitary play.
The study found that:
The researchers concluded that the results support the hypothesis that oxytocin pathways may shape and respond to social interactions between children and dogs, highlighting an important role for companion animals in child development.
https://www.waltham.com/oxytocin-children-and-dogs
Reference
The day is open to all RVNs, trainee veterinary nurses and animal care assistants, and there will be content for all experience levels.
This year, Langford Academy is launching a second stream tailored specifically for animal care assistants and an optional practical suturing session open to veterinary nurses (limited availability).
For veterinary nurses, topics include:
For animal care assistants, topics include
Chloe Ackerman (Head Theatre Nurse and Nurse Congress Organiser) said: “Since its launch in 2022, the Congress has continued to grow and thrive. Our goal has always been to highlight the exceptional skills of our nursing and ACA team at the Small Animal Referral Hospital while supporting our local referring practices and the wider veterinary nursing community through knowledge-sharing. This event is truly driven by our dedicated nurses and ACAs, whose passion and expertise in their fields are both inspiring and invaluable.”
Tickets cost £100 for nurses and £50 for care assistants.
https://www.langfordvets.co.uk/events/vet-nurse-congress-2025/
The initiative seeks to understand the barriers and enablers to delivering contextualised care in companion animal practices, and to set out what contextualised care looks like when done well.
As part of the initiative, RCVS Knowledge is gathering perspectives from across the veterinary community and from pet owners to design a roadmap for the profession.
The work started last week at the National Forum for Contextualised Care in London, which brought together more than 60 people from across the veterinary sector, including leaders from veterinary associations, veterinary educators, students, practice staff, veterinary charities and rescues, pet insurers, regulators, representatives from corporate and independent practices and animal owners.
RCVS Knowledge will now be working with an independent research partner to conduct focus groups, surveys and interviews to gather a representative range of views from across the sector and pet owners.
The work will culminate in a summit in the summer that will use the findings of the research to design recommendations on:
Sally Everitt, Clinical Lead – Evidence at RCVS Knowledge said: “Contextualised care is the way of delivering veterinary care that acknowledges that there are different ways to approach the diagnosis and treatment of an animal, depending on the circumstances of the individual animal and their caregivers and the context in which the care is delivered.
"The term has been used increasingly over the past year, and is now the subject of much debate, alongside other aligned terms such as ‘spectrum of care’ and ‘pragmatic medicine’.
"However, we need to better understand what constitutes good-quality contextualised care, and the barriers and enablers to its delivery in practice.”
Katie Mantell, Chief Executive of RCVS Knowledge, said: “As an independent charity with a mission to advance the quality of veterinary care, we believe RCVS Knowledge is well-placed to bring together all parts of the veterinary community to seek consensus on what good-quality contextualised care looks like and how it can be delivered in practice.
"Our aim is to take a collaborative, robust approach to co-producing a roadmap for contextualised care that will support its widespread delivery for the benefit of animals, the veterinary professions and animal owners.”
To be updated about the progress of this work, and to hear about opportunities to take part in the focus groups, interviews and surveys to follow, sign up to receive RCVS Knowledge’s monthly email newsletter intheKNOW.
Movoflex contains eggshell membrane, hyaluronic acid, Astaxanthin, Boswellia serrata and krill meal, formulated to support joint health and help increase quality of life.
Virbac says that eggshell membrane, which has been shown to have an effect on mobility in dogs and humans1, contains a number of naturally occurring elements involved in joint structure and function, including collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate.
The company claims that one palatable Movoflex Soft Chew per day can lead to a perceived increase in mobility in 7 days 2, regardless of the activity levels or age of the dog.
This, the company says, compared to other supplements which can require multiple daily tablets to be given for up to six weeks before you start to see an effect.
Dan Johnson, Product Manager at Virbac said: ‘Movoflex Soft Chews offer pet owners an easy to give and reliable joint supplement, and as with all of Virbac’s joint health and mobility solutions, they are of the highest quality and developed based on science.’
Movoflex Soft Chews are available in Small (<15kg), Medium (15kg- 35kg) and Large Dog (35kg) packs, each containing 30 chews and are available to order from your usual veterinary wholesaler.
References