The Royal Veterinary College has announced the results of the world's largest study of West Highland White Terriers¹, which identified both the most common illnesses suffered by the breed and the most common causes of death.

The VetCompass study, which was based on the records of over 900,000 Westies under the care of UK first opinion veterinary practices in 2016, also found that ownership of Westies has fallen dramatically, to just a quarter of what it was a decade ago. Researchers found that the breed comprised only 0.43% of puppies born in 2015 compared to 1.69% of puppies born in 2004.

The average age of the Westies studied was a relatively elderly 7.8 years, suggesting an ageing population with fewer new puppies entering the population compared to other breed studies carried out by VetCompass.

The most common illnesses suffered by Westies were found to be dental disease (which affects 15.7% of Westies), ear disease (10.6%), overgrown nails (7.2%), allergic skin disorder (6.5%) and obesity (6.1%). Lower respiratory tract disease and cancer were the most common causes of death, with each accounting for 10.2% of deaths in the breed. Spinal cord disorders were the next biggest killer at 7.8%.

Other findings included: 

• Male Westies are more likely to be diagnosed with ear disease and aggression than female Westies.
• Female Westies are more likely, however, to develop dental disease.
• The average bodyweight of the Westie is 9.6kg, with males tending to be heavier with an average weight of 10.1kg compared to the 9.0kg average of females.
• The average lifespan of the breed is 13.4 years with males outliving females at 13.8 years compared to the latter’s 12.9 years.

Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer and VetCompass researcher at the RVC, who was the main author of the paper, said: "With the ascent of social media as a dominant influencer of public opinion, ownership preferences for dog breeds are becoming increasingly polarised and susceptible to the whims of internet celebrity endorsement and advertising.

"Previously, preferences for dog breeds used to wax and wane gently over time. But VetCompass breed data now show rapid changes in preferences among breeds that create bubbles and troughs of demand that can have far-reaching implications for these breeds.

"Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds are currently the darling of the nation but this has created huge welfare problems for breeds such as the Pug and French Bulldog. And breeds such as the West Highland White Terrier and Cavalier King Charles have fallen sharply out of favour."

Camilla Pegram, Veterinary Epidemiologist and VetCompass researcher at the RVC, who co-authored the paper, said: "The most common disorders of Westies shown in this study are also common in the wider UK dog population. However, the breed does seem predisposed to lower respiratory tract disease which was a common cause of death in the Westie. Owners should be aware of this as their Westie ages.

"What is particularly interesting is the level of skin disorders, which although relatively high, are still lower than might have been predicted a decade ago. It is possible that the reduction in Westie ownership has relieved the pressure on breeders to breed from less healthy individuals to meet demand and therefore contributed to improved skin health within the breed. Paradoxically, reducing popularity may have led to better health in the Westies that are now being born."

Reference

1. O'NEILL, D. G., BALLANTYNE, Z. F., HENDRICKS, A., CHURCH, D. B., BRODBELT, D. C. & PEGRAM, C. 2019. West Highland White Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016: demography, mortality and disorders. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology.

The RCVS has accredited Hartpury University to provide four CertAVN qualifications, bringing the number of accredited CertAVN providers to five.

The CertAVN was launched by the RCVS in May 2019 as an advanced professional qualification allowing veterinary nurses at all stages of their career to develop their professional skills and knowledge in specific areas.

The qualification, which can either be taken as a Level 6 graduate qualification or a Level 7 postgraduate qualification, is smaller and more focused than its predecessor, the Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.

The other CertAVN providers are Harper Adams University, the University of Glasgow, the University of Central Lancashire in partnership with Myerscough College, and the Royal Veterinary College which has also recently added another pathway to its existing provision.

In total the five providers are offering 23 different CertAVN qualifications, including two with an equine focus.

Matthew Rendle, Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council, said: “It is fantastic that, in just a few short years after it was launched, we already have five educational institutions accredited to deliver the CertAVN across a wide range of subject matter, covering everything from anaesthesia & analgesia, to dentistry, to teaching, coaching and mentoring, to equine critical care.

“We have more providers on the horizon, as well as a Zoo, Exotics and Wildlife course that I am particularly excited about.

"This demonstrates that there is clearly a demand for the CertAVN courses which are very manageable and can fit around work and personal life, while also offering opportunities to develop a greater focus in designated areas of practice and the career opportunities that may offer.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/certavn

The RCVS is to hold a series of in-person and virtual question times, starting this autumn.

The sessions will allow members of the profession to find out about upcoming College projects and put questions to the RCVS Officer Team, RCVS Council members and senior staff, in a friendly, informal atmosphere.

The first event is taking place at the Hilton Glasgow on William Street at 6:30pm, where there'll be supper and drinks before the main event at 7:30pm, when RCVS President Melissa Donald, RCVS Treasurer Niall Connell, RCVS Senior Vice-President Kate Richards, Junior Vice-President Sue Paterson, VN Council Chair Matthew Rendle, RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson and RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett will update everyone on College activities and take questions. 

The College says that the topics for discussion will be up to the audience but are likely to include workforce issues, the review of RCVS guidance on under care, proposals for legislative reform, VetGDP and the future of extra-mural studies.

Melissa said: “In my opening speech as RCVS President I said that one of the key missions of my presidential year was to talk – and especially listen – to as many members of the professions as I possibly can.

“Relaunching our question time programme after a hiatus will give me the opportunity to do exactly this, as well as giving members of the professions that all-important opportunity to put their questions and concerns directly to us.

"We might not be able to address every problem, but these events give an excellent opportunity for vets and nurses to raise issues, forge connections with their peers and work together to find solutions.

“I hope that many of you will be able to come to our first in-person event in Glasgow but we will also be holding these question times virtually in the future for those people who may struggle to make it to these evening events.

"Rest assured – if you want to be heard, we will find a way to listen.”

The next in-person event is due to take place in Nottingham in January 2023 while the first virtual question time will take place in November 2022.

To register for the Glasgow event visit: tinyurl.com/22pem3d6

TVM has become the new UK distributor of Sileo (dexmedetomidine), licensed for the alleviation of noise-related anxiety and fear in dogs.

Administered between the dog’s cheek and gum at the dose of 125 mcg/m2, dexmedetomidine is absorbed across the oral mucosa, delivering a micro-dose at approximately 1/4 of the IM dose.

It is given as soon as the dog shows signs of anxiety or fear, or when typical triggers of fear are detected by the owner.

Re-dosing of up to four times is possible with at least two hours pause between doses.

There's a new dial-to-dose syringe designed to make Sileo easier to administer, and redesigned packaging with a QR code which links to an instructional video for owners.

Emma Hancox, Veterinary Advisor at TVM, said: "Up to 50% of dogs suffer from noise anxiety, which can be extremely distressing both for pets and their owners.

"While many people associate their pet’s anxiety with occasions such as bonfire night, noise-anxiety can apply to everyday noises such as vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers and by social events or parties, which could have a much greater impact on the dog’s everyday welfare. 

For more information, email help@tvm-uk.com, call 0800 0385868 visit or contact your local Territory Manager.

The RCVS has published a report of the Veterinary Workforce Summit 2021, which includes potential solutions to the workforce crisis that were discussed at the event.

The Veterinary Workforce Summit was held last November, when 80 stakeholders from independent and corporate practices, veterinary schools, charities, government, the food hygiene sector, species associations and industry bodies came together to look at how the profession could address the workforce crisis. 

Prior to the Summit, preliminary research was carried out to assess the profession's views on the workforce crisis and how it was affecting them.

Based on findings from the preliminary research, six themes around the issue of workforce shortages were identified and used to structure the discussions of the day.

These were: readiness for work; work-life balance; workplace culture; client interactions; career development; and return to work.

The day was opened by Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, who focused on the issues underpinning the workforce crisis:

• ‘Recruitment’; despite the number of vet schools and the annual number of veterinary graduates, there are still not enough vets and vet nurses to fill the demand for veterinary services.
• ‘Retention’; high numbers of vets and vet nurses are leaving the profession every year, with many citing unsociable working hours and stress, among other factors.
• ‘Return’; there are significant numbers of vets and vet nurses who had left the profession who could potentially return to it but maybe feel that the culture of the profession may prevent them from doing so.

Later in the day, delegates were divided into groups and asked to develop ideas and pitch a solution to a problem the sector is facing.

Some of the solutions that the professions might use to address the key workforce issues which came out of the pitches included:

• Rebrand the GP role (for both vets and vet nurses) to emphasise its benefits and rewards, which will encourage people to choose general practice as an active career choice that they wished to pursue long term.
• Develop ways for practices to prioritise workload and to ensure that people’s skills are maximised. This could include developing legislation that allows nurses to take on greater responsibility and developing efficiency models which focus on delegation and outsourcing rather than working longer hours.
• Introduce a compulsory curriculum for developing interpersonal, leadership and personal skills to be considered as important as mandatory CPD. This could be achieved through developing a workplace charter and identifying leaders with a passion for personal progression who could spearhead the initiative.
• Create a compulsory communications skills programme which would be introduced in a sustainable way.
• Introduce a professions-wide career framework to help everyone in the veterinary team achieve job satisfaction at the time they wanted it, at a salary that recognised their value and met their needs.
• Create a flexible back-to-work package of support to help them return to the veterinary professions after leaving the Register.

Kate Richards, RCVS President, said: “Although the issues affecting the UK veterinary sector aren’t new, they have been exacerbated over the past few years by factors outside of the sector’s control.

"We know that putting in place solutions to address and solve the issues that the veterinary sector is facing will take time.

"We want to reiterate that the Summit was the first, albeit an incredibly important, first step in co-creating innovative solutions to workforce shortages.

"I look forward to working collaboratively with our veterinary colleagues from across the professions to bring the workforce action plan to life and work on the solutions that come out of it.”

The RCVS says the next steps from the Summit are to consider the feasibility of the suggested solutions and integrate those that seem likely to deliver effective results into an action plan, alongside other activities that are already underway.

The College says it is open to hearing additional ideas for the professions and encourages anyone who has suggestions to get in touch with Sophie Rogers, ViVet Manager, on s.rogers@rcvs.org.uk

The full Workforce Summit report can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has refused an application by Warwick Seymour-Hamilton to be restored to the Register of Veterinary Surgeons.

Mr Seymour-Hamilton was originally removed from the Register in June 1994 for failing to maintain his practice’s equipment and facilities in working order and for a total disregard of basic hygiene and care for animals, thereby bringing the profession into disrepute.

The restoration hearing on 20th May was Mr Seymour-Hamilton’s seventh application for restoration. Previous applications had been heard but refused in July 1995, June 2010, February 2015, March 2016, May 2017 and April 2018. However, as the Committee makes its decision on the merits of the case before it, those previous applications were not considered as relevant to its current decision.

The Committee heard oral evidence from Mr Seymour-Hamilton and were shown clear bottles with liquid, a container with tablets and petri dishes with grown cultures as detailed documentary evidence. In respect of any concerns regarding keeping his veterinary practice up-to-date, Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that “you never lose that skill” and explained that he kept up-to-date through extensive reading and conversations with veterinary surgeons in Europe. 

However, the Committee had significant concerns as to his fitness to practise safely as a veterinary surgeon for a number of reasons, including that nearly 25 years had passed since he was last in practice and that there was little, if any, evidence of him keeping up-to-date with the knowledge and skills required to practise as a veterinary surgeon.

Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The applicant worryingly did not accept that he was in any way deskilled by the passage of time. The evidence that the applicant has provided showed limited interaction with other veterinary surgeons and there is no documented evidence of the discussions or structure of the meetings he had with veterinary surgeons in Europe.

"There is no evidence of a prolonged and intense period of re-training by way of relevant study to demonstrate that a sufficient level of competence to return to practise has been achieved. In the absence of such evidence the Committee was of the view that there would be a serious risk to the welfare of animals if the applicant was restored to the Register.

"Further, it was a grave concern to this Committee that the applicant demonstrated worrying attitudinal issues towards individuals of a different religion and his attitude to employing a minor when he knew it to be against the law. Such attitudes are incompatible with professional standards the public would expect of a veterinary surgeon."

Finally, with no evidence of public support for the applicant, the Committee concluded that the application for restoration should be refused.

The Association of Veterinary Animal Care Assistants (AVACA) has launched a census to gather information about Veterinary Care Assistants (VCA) / Animal Nursing Assistants (ANA) and is asking practices to take part to record the number of people in these roles in their practice.

Currently, there is no data on how many VCA/ANAs are working in UK veterinary practice and the type of tasks they are performing.

The Census takes 10 minutes to complete and will provide valuable information to help in the recruitment, training and development of VCA/ANAs.

It can be completed online at https://bit.ly/avaca-2023-census before 18th August 2023.

Any team member can respond on behalf of their practice and all practices are encouraged to fill out the Census regardless of the number of VCA/ANAs employed.

The AVACA also wants to identify how many practices don’t employ VCA/ANAs and the barriers to them becoming team members, so every response will deliver useful information.

Kay Watson-Bray, CEO of the British Veterinary Receptionist Association and founder of AVACA, said: “With so much pressure on practices right now, the VCA role offers great potential to help manage workloads.

"But a picture is already emerging where the scope of the role varies widely between practices and even the name of the role is inconsistent.

"We believe that VCAs work mainly in the areas of caring, cleaning, communication, and coordination, but that’s not currently quantified, and while some see being a VCA as a route into veterinary nursing, again we don’t understand how many primarily aspire to progress into another role or how many want to become excellent VCAs.

"We’d like to clearly identify what VCAs want and need to help them develop as veterinary professionals.”

The Census is being sponsored by Purina Petcare, whose Scientific Affairs Manager, Libby Sheridan, said: “This is a project we are very keen to support.

"Practices need VCAs to help maintain high standards in animal care when everyone else is so busy.

"Coaxing a reluctant patient to eat again or ensuring the operating theatre is turned around quickly so it’s available for use after a long morning’s surgery, are time-consuming tasks that can be hard to squeeze into the working day.

"And as RVNs take on further practice responsibilities, it’s clear there is room for these highly-trained support roles within the team.”

Pfizer has released the results of its first Performance Index (formerly the Fort Dodge Index) which shows mildly improved trading conditions for the companion animal veterinary market in the first quarter of 2011. 

Those aspects of veterinary business that showed an improvement in the first quarter of 2011 include: turnover growth (+0.8%, up from -0.1% in March 2010); client retention (+0.1%); the average number of visits per year (+ 0.17%); annual transaction value (+ 1.1%); average transaction value (+0.8% to £41.74); fee per product service (+0.2%) and products and services sold per visit (+0.6%).

Leveraged sales (typically pet-care products), which were down 2% (from 40% to 38%) in 2010, have increased 0.9% in the first quarter of 2011 to make up 39% of practice transactions.

Less positively and pointing to the need for veterinary practices to implement ongoing marketing initiatives, the number of new clients coming into practice is down (-0.4%) as is the number of active clients (-0.26%). Revenue from loyal clients (those that visit the practice for additional products and services, particularly vaccination and other preventative healthcare programmes) was static. Although flat growth is an improvement on previous reports, this is still a concern, as it is these clients who are the driver for revenue growth in many practices. 

Pfizer Business Consultant, Simon Fowler said: "Although the figures are only very slightly improved this does mirror what we are seeing in practices that we visit. Practice turnover growth of 0.8%, while only small, is much better than any quarter in 2010. So we may be seeing the first green shoots of recovery, but there's still no room for complacency. Before we all breathe a collective sigh of relief, however, it should be remembered that as this is the first report for 2011 it is only an early picture, while a fuller story will be gleaned from the second report, which will show results from the first six months of the year.

"What is clear is the need for practices to market themselves in order to attract new clients, increase growth from active clients and increase client loyalty. VetSupport+ includes a range of marketing services to help practices in this respect. A practice has already achieved TV coverage via our Public Relations support service, while others are using PressRoom newsletter templates to keep potential and existing clients up to speed with the practice's news."

Further information about Pfizer's VetSupport+ service is available at www.vetsupportplus.co.uk.

The RCVS has launched a consultation on its standards framework for veterinary nurse training. 

The Standards Framework for Veterinary Nurse Education and Training sets out the professional values, skills and behaviours required of approved educational institutions (AEIs), delivery sites and the training practices (TPs) responsible for providing the training and support for student veterinary nurses.

The College reviews the standards framework every five years to ensure that AEIs, delivery sites and TPs have the structures to best provide contemporary and innovative approaches to education for student veterinary nurses, while being accountable for the local delivery and management of accredited programmes.

The new draft framework includes updates relating to sustainability and academic integrity.

Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: “We are looking for veterinary nurses in all walks of life – as well as student nurses and veterinary surgeons – to provide constructive and specific feedback on our proposals.

“Your insights will help us ensure that the standards continue to enable veterinary nurse educators to deliver the best training and support possible for our students, prepare them for life in clinical practice, and ensure that animal health and welfare is a foremost consideration.

“In fact, animal health and welfare and public safety is central to our standards.

Students will be in contact with patients and their owners throughout their education and it is important that they learn in a safe and effective way.”

The consultation runs until 5pm on Wednesday 3 April 2024 and all members of the veterinary team – including RVNs, student veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons – can take part in order to provide detailed feedback on each of the six core standards and each of individual requirements within these standards.  

A PDF version of the new draft Standards Framework is available to download from https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/our-consultations.

If you have any questions about the document or how to respond to the survey, contact the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Team on vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk

Vet-AI, the company behind the online veterinary consultation app, Joii, has announced a partnership with Markerstudy Broking, through which Asda Money pet insurance customers will get access to veterinary care via the app. 

Policyholders will get unlimited access to Joii Pet Care’s video consultations with UK veterinary surgeons, which usually cost £24 per call.

Pet owners with Asda Money pet insurance will also be able to access Joii Pet Care’s symptom checker, which is designed to help pet owners pinpoint issues from their home. 

Paul Hallett, co-founder of Vet-AI, said: “We’re delighted to announce this major partnership, which completely opens up access to professional vet care for thousands of pet parents who will benefit hugely from accessing regular, preventative veterinary care from the comfort of their homes.  

“Many pet owners are now facing high vet bills and difficulties accessing in-practice veterinary care.

"Both Markerstudy Broking and Asda Money share our commitment to put animal welfare first, and collectively we’ll ensure more owners have easily accessible choice to receive the very best care for their pets.”

MSD Animal Health is hosting four free training webinars looking at how to set up and run remote veterinary consultations.

The first webinar will be run by Dr Sarah Caney (pictured right), the CEO and founder of Vet Professionals, and Dr Hannah Newbury, technical lead vet at MSD Animal Health.

It will cover how telemedicine can benefit you, your practice and your patients. Sarah and Hannah will offer practical tips on how to set up a remote consultation, what you can do via telemedicine during the UK lockdown, and how to carry out these consultations and provide care during this time. There will also be an opportunity to ask specific questions in advance.

The series will also explain the financial benefits of remote consulting and the release of a new telemedicine platform. 

To register for the first webinar, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4735768510902351372. 

Click here to submit your questions before the webinar: https://getfeedback.com/r/hBY8qihT/q/1.

At a black tie dinner held during BVNA Congress at the weekend, the winner and runners-up of the Hill's Pet Nutrition Veterinary Healthcare Adviser (VHA) of the Year 2008 were announced.

The winner was Lisa Nix,RVN, from Holmefield Vet Clinic at Sherburn-in-Elmet, who won £1000 in holiday vouchers. As the standard of entries this year was so high, the judges decided this time to award two runners-up prizes to Samantha Kenny, RVN, Lancaster Vet Clinic, Lancaster, and Andrw Lipscombe, RVN from Park Vet Hospital, Sheffield and they were each given £500 holiday vouchers.

Lucy Woodburn of Three Rivers veterinary practice in Beccles is the winner of the top exam marks in the VHA exams held throughout 2007.

Picture shows (left to right): Andrew Lipscombe RVN, Park Vet Hospital, Sheffield (Runner-up); Samantha Kenny RVN, Lancaster Vet Clinic, Lancaster (Runner-up); Lisa Nix RVN, Holmefield Vet Clinic, Sherburn-in-Elmet, VHA of the Year 2008