Long-term help for pet firework fears has been written by clinical pet behaviourist, Charlotte Carr MSc BSc (Hons), technical behaviour manager at Ceva Animal Health.
The booklet covers the impact of loud noises on pets, the signs to look out for, the importance of planning ahead, tips on finding the right recordings for desensitisation, preparing a room for therapy and appropriate rewards and reactions.
It also includes a plan on how to implement desensitisation by associating noises with a pleasant experience, such as high value treats or a game.
The booklet encourages the use of an Adaptil Calm Diffuser or Feliway Optimum Diffuser to support therapy and positive association.
To order copies of the ‘Long-term help for pet firework fears’ booklet, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
The company says that its own market research has found that two out of three pet owners have at least one dog with bad breath, and 90% of owners try a single chew before deciding to buy a bag of 15.
The company also says that in addition to dealing with halitosis, the chews have been scientifically proven to reduce calculus and plaque when given daily1.
Product Manager Claire Lewis said: "We are delighted to be able to add VeggieDent FR3SH singles to the Virbac oral healthcare range. Single chews make a great addition to practice waiting rooms, but can also be a useful tool to promote oral care in consult and even during puppy parties.
VeggieDent FR3SH™ singles are available to order from the veterinary wholesalers now.
For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
Reference
The service is being led by Isuru Gajanayake, a board-certified specialist in veterinary nutrition. He said: “Since launching our clinical nutrition service last year, we have seen a number of cases in which patients have been either dehydrated or malnourished, sometimes both.
“Working alongside our other services in a truly multidisciplinary approach, we have been able to offer suitable treatment to support a significant number of dogs and cats.
“With the launch of the parenteral nutrition service, we can now expand this offering and, in doing so, become one of only a very few referral centres across the UK to provide this as a specialist service.
“Patients who are given parenteral nutrition will be hospitalised in our advanced intensive care unit to ensure they can be monitored closely by our specialist emergency and critical care (ECC) team, who provide exceptional expertise in critical care and treatment for every patient when they need it most.
Isuru added that the addition of the clinical nutrition and parenteral nutrition services at Willows ensures that there is a much greater emphasis on nutrition and hydration for all patients at the centre, whatever their underlying illness.
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net or search for Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service on Facebook.
The £11m project, which is backed by Mars Petcare, will include a cutting-edge imaging suite, state-of-the-art treatment facilities and a new linear accelerator.
Plans also include separate cat and dog waiting areas and client walking and comfort areas, seven operating theatres, 15 consultation rooms, recovery suites, lecture halls, a dedicated ICU department and plans for a future hydrotherapy suite.
Daniel Hogan, operations manager at Southfields (pictured right), said: "This is a really exciting time for Southfields and our relocation will provide the region with one of the largest and best-equipped veterinary centres in the UK.
"The team and expertise have grown significantly in the past 18 months. We are very excited to continue to expand the unique and innovative offerings in patient care at our centre.
"Increasing in size will also enable us to provide a dedicated staff wellbeing area and an education centre and lecture hall, which will offer some very exciting qualifications and courses for the wider profession.
"Since our rebranding in 2017, we pride ourselves on leading the industry as a truly multidisciplinary centre with specialists from across the globe, including one of the most illustrious oncology teams in the country. Once this new site is launched, we will be able to offer an even more comprehensive service to our clients and patients."
For more information about Southfields, visit www.southfields.co.uk.
Veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians and certain veterinary paraprofessionals around the world will soon be able to enrol for the first Distance Learning Veterinary Nurse (NCert)/ Veterinary Technician (VTCert)/Veterinary Paraprofessional (VPP) programmes.
The NCert, VTCert and VPP are due to launch in March 2021.
They each consist of eight modules, delivered using interactive online learning techniques. Delegates are guided through each module by a module tutor, while a discussion forum offers them the opportunity to share experiences and ideas with colleagues from around the world. Training in study skills and reflective practice is built into the programme to ensure that a holistic approach is taken to the learning experience.
Dr Charlotte French, Head of Curriculum and Quality at Improve International, said: “We wanted to create an exciting, practical and innovative learning experience that would offer the maximum flexibility to ambitious veterinary nurses and veterinary technicians anywhere in the world, who are keen to advance their career but need to fit their learning around their work and home responsibilities.
"We believe the modular structure and phased delivery of our programmes will offer a new level of accessibility and convenience to our delegates while giving them unique features, such as the opportunity to share their learning with colleagues from around the world and to gain support from vets and vet nurses who are specialised in their field.”
Assessment for the certificates will be undertaken by Improve’s assessment partner the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS), and comprises:
Both examinations will be taken online with remote invigilation.
Dr Sheila Wills, Director of ISVPS, said: “Following feedback from candidates and our examiners, we have recently enhanced the examination process we offer to candidates to provide a robust assessment, while giving them the opportunity to clearly demonstrate that their learning has been understood and that they can apply it in a clinical setting.”
Further information on both programmes can be found here: https://www.improveinternational.com/uk/distance-learning-nurse/
The association says it had been contacted by a number of its members, exhibitors and speakers to express concerns about their health and safety if they attended this year’s event. Others said their employers were not allowing them to travel to external events until after Christmas.
The final decision to call off the event was due to the continued uncertainty facing large-scale events.
However, the BVNA says it now plans a virtual event to replace Congress, which will include first-class keynote speakers, interactive workshops, live interviews, themed virtual networking, and evening social quizzes.
The event will be free for BVNA members to take part but open to all.
BVNA President Jo Hinde said: "This is the first time that the BVNA have not been able to hold our congress and it was an exceptionally sad decision to have to make, however it is vital that we play our part in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and put public safety first.
"However, we cannot let the occasion pass without marking it hence offering a weekend that celebrates all things vet nurse!
"Our congress has always been about more than just high quality CPD: it’s where the BVNA family get together with friends – old and new.
"We understand just how isolated and exhausted the veterinary community are feeling right now, and how this has negatively affected individual’s mental health. As such, we want to provide an online space to facilitate those catch ups, hear from inspiring speakers and most of all…have fun!
"I am very excited about the new event and hope vet nurses and the wider veterinary community can join us for what promises to be a fabulous time."
The charity says that many of the calls and emails were linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
Vetlife Helpline Manager Dr. Rosie Allister said: "It has been a very difficult time for many people in the veterinary community, and we are glad so many people have been in touch.
"As well as calls relating to the effects of the pandemic, other stresses haven’t gone away and we are still offering support for people experiencing stress, concerns about mental health, work demands, support at work, and many other concerns.
"It is a privilege to support the veterinary community and I would like to reassure anyone thinking about contacting Vetlife Helpline that we are here to listen confidentially. Anyone who thinks they might need to talk can contact by phone or email.”
The Vetlife Health Support service also saw a record number of referrals.
Katie Moore, Chair of Helpline and Health Support said: "Given the extraordinary challenges faced by our profession both in 2020 and now in 2021, it is not surprising that not only Vetlife Helpline but also Vetlife Health Support have experienced their busiest 12 month period, with a large increase in referrals to our Health Support service over recent months. I would strongly encourage anyone who is concerned about any aspect of their mental health to get in contact as soon as possible.”
The charity is also appealing for help with donations and fundraising to meet the extra demand. Donations can be made at https://www.vetlife.org.uk/donate/, and anyone who is planning a fundraiser is urged to contact the charity. If you are interested in volunteering, there are a number of ways to get involved. For more information, visit: https://www.vetlife.org.uk/volunteer/.
Vetlife Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on: 0303 040 2551 or via anonymous email at: https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk/
VetNurse.co.uk has seen copies of correspondence from IVC which claims that its Pet Health Club has built up goodwill amongst the group's customers, and that the use of the term by other practices risks confusing the public and taking unfair advantage of the reputation built up by IVC.
One wonders which bright spark at IVC thought this was a good idea.
Bullying small independent businesses is not a great look, particularly in a caring profession such as this.
Besides which, where is the evidence that other practices using the term 'Pet Health Club' has any impact on IVC's business whatsoever?
After all, pet health plans, or clubs, are inexorably linked to the practice providing the subscription services they offer.
Nobody goes online looking for which practice offers the best pet health club, like they were choosing between the Hurlingham and the Groucho. It's something offered to the existing clients of a practice.
So there is literally zero chance of confusion over who is providing the service.
And on what planet does IVC think a client of another practice might be presented with an option to join a pet health club and think: "Oh this is that wonderfully smashy nicey club I have seen elsewhere. I must join it."
Ironically, given the CMA investigation, IVC's Pet Health Club website is opaque about which practice group (or practice) provides its own service.
How it is therefore possible to argue that it has built up a reputation is also unclear.
Finally, if you Google "Pet Health Club", you'll see that IVC already dominates the search results in a way that makes it vanishingly unlikely that its service is going to be confused with anyone else's.
This would all be laughable, except it's not if you're one of the 20 or 30 practices that VetNurse.co.uk hears have been on the receiving end of a threatening letter.
Natalie Morris-Webb MRCVS from Malthouse Veterinary Group, one of the affected practices, said: “I was stunned to receive a letter from IVC claiming that our Pet Health Club, which we launched in 2017, is an infringement under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and that we’re using a registered word mark without the consent of the proprietor.
“It’s a ubiquitous term that lots of practices use and it quickly became apparent that these letters have been sent out far and wide.
"There are practices that have been using the term for well over 10 years and to rebrand will be very expensive and time-consuming for what are mostly small businesses.
“We’ve had some conversation with IVC’s representatives to discuss how else we can resolve the situation and whether such a heavy-handed approach is really necessary, because surely IVC don’t want a legal spat with so many independent businesses.
“It’s also very worrying to receive aggressive legal threats from a huge organisation, so it was reassuring to hear from other practices that are facing the same dilemma, and we want to extend our support to others in the same position.
"We’ve therefore launched We Are Spartacus where any practices that are affected can register their details.
"We can then work together and decide how to move forward as a collective."
Hopefully, there will be no need.
Hopefully, someone higher up the chain at IVC will stop this madness, admit that it called this one wrong and immediately write to the businesses it has already contacted, apologise profusely and withdraw its threat.
But if the company persists and wins it'll probably be a pyrrhic victory.
After all, pet health plans have largely been sold on the back of routine flea, worm and tick control, the need for which is starting to be questioned by the profession, particularly in the light of research pointing to the possible harm to other species, but also because of the greater focus on the cost of veterinary care.
The hearing took place in Mr Prichard's absence after he failed to respond to Colleges attempts to contact him, including by email, post, telephone and personal service of documents.
However, in its decision to proceed in Mr Prichard’s absence, the Committee confirmed that it would not hold his non-attendance against him or attach any adverse inference to that fact.
Mr Prichard was charged with taking quantities of the controlled, prescription-only drug Vetergesic from the practice’s stock other than for legitimate veterinary use.
He was further charged that he took Vetergesic from the practice by drawing it into a syringe for the purposes of self administration, and that in doing so, his conduct was dishonest.
In another set of charges, it was alleged that on five separate occasions, Mr Prichard had attended the practice to work as a veterinary surgeon whilst unfit to do so.
The final charge related to Mr Prichard’s failure to respond adequately or at all to all reasonable requests from the RCVS for his response to concerns raised about his conduct.
At the beginning of the hearing Nicole Curtis, acting on behalf of the College, read the written evidence from 11 separate witnesses outlining the facts related to the charges against Mr Prichard, including the record of an investigative meeting held by the practice in which he admitted his theft and use of the controlled drug and following which, he was dismissed from his employment.
The Committee found all the charges proven and then considered whether they amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In terms of aggravating factors the Committee found that there was a risk of injury, recklessness, premeditated and sustained misconduct, and that there was an abuse of his professional position in accessing prescription-only controlled drugs for reasons other than legitimate veterinary use.
In mitigation, the Committee considered that he had made admissions as part of the practice’s internal disciplinary investigation.
Overall, the Committee found he had breached aspects of the Code of Professional Conduct related to honesty and integrity, making animal health and welfare his first priority, appropriate use of veterinary medicines, taking steps to address physical and mental health conditions that could affect fitness to practise, responding to reasonable requests from the RCVS, and bringing the profession into disrepute.
Therefore, the Committee found him guilty of serious professional misconduct in relation to all of the charges charges.
The Committee felt that, considering the seriousness of the misconduct, removal from the Register was the most appropriate decision.
Austin Kirwan, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “This is a case involving serious dishonesty, sustained over a period of time, and conduct potentially detrimental to animal welfare, as well as wilful disregard of professional regulations.
“Regrettably, Mr Prichard’s failure to engage with the College and with the regulatory process limited the options open to the Committee.
"Notwithstanding this, Mr Prichard’s disgraceful conduct is so serious that removal from the Register is the only means of protecting animals and the wider public interest which includes the maintenance of public confidence in the profession and the upholding of standards.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The Kennel Club has confirmed that the BBC has pulled out of broadcasting Crufts next year.
According to the Kennel Club, the decision was reached following what it described as 'unreasonable demands' from the BBC, including the exclusion of certain breeds of dog from the group competition at the show.
The Kennel Club says the BBC's demands took no account of the measures it has in place to improve the health of pedigree dogs, or of the fact that judges will be trained to help ensure that all dogs being awarded prizes at Crufts will be healthy representatives of their breed.
Ronnie Irving, Kennel Club Chairman, said "I am very sorry that BBC audiences around the world will not be able to join us in celebrating all dogs in 2009 and to see the remarkable diversity of dogs and activities on show at Crufts; ranging from the show classes to agility displays, the Friends for Life competition and the unsung heroes who take part in breed rescue.
"However, we have been forced to reject the insupportable conditions imposed by the BBC, who have told us they will only televise the show in 2009 if certain breeds are excluded from participating.We are unable to agree to these demands, as it would compromise both contractual obligations and our general responsibility to dog exhibitors and our audience and we believe it would be inappropriate and counterproductive to exclude any recognised breed from Crufts.
"We are obviously disappointed and confused with this outcome as we hoped the broadcast would have supported our focus on health and welfare issues, given advice about caring for and training dogs and showcased the charitable work that we support. This TV exposure would have benefited all dogs and given viewers a well-rounded picture of what the new Crufts in 2009 is all about."
In October 2008 the Kennel Club announced a strategy to show how it is focusing its activities on the health and welfare of all dogs. It announced mandatory compliance with a strict code of ethics for all breed clubs registered with the Kennel Club.
Earlier this month, it completed a review for each of the 209 pedigree dog breeds in the UK and announced revised standards that it says will have far-reaching benefits for the health and welfare of dogs. These new breed standards and health plans will benefit from research that has been funded by the Kennel Club in conjunction with veterinary research centres over a number of years. The overall aim is that all pedigree dogs should be fit for function and that breeders and judges should not reward dogs with obvious conditions or exaggerations, which would be detrimental in any way to their health.
The Group has trained almost 100 of its staff as 'mental health first aiders'.
Michelle O’Connor, the Linnaeus Group’s people and culture director (pictured right), said: "Veterinarians are three to four times more likely to die by suicide than workers from any other industry.
"Because of this alarming statistic, we have put wellbeing at the very forefront of our strategy and have so far trained nearly 100 mental health first aiders within the group.
The Linnaeus volunteers, who are taken from both office and clinical roles, have all attended a training course run by Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA) to acquire the skills to support their own and others’ wellbeing.
The MHFA course trains people to identify the signs of mental ill health, to break down the stigma and barriers surrounding mental health and listen to colleagues in a non-judgemental way, and to help direct those suffering from issues to the support and guidance that’s available.
Michelle added: "We realise training on how to spot signs of a crisis and become a mental health first aider alone does not address the prevailing stigma around mental health in the workplace.
"So, in addition, we are developing a culture where support and conversations about mental health are normalised, so that colleagues feel able to reach out for the important support they need."
The awards were announced during a virtual evening event last Saturday called 'This Is Us 2020', which started with a presentation by Dr Jane Goodall DBE, followed by the award presentation by the BVNA’s Junior Vice President, Jo Oakden.
Christine Robinson won the St Francis Award, which is given to the nurse who has gone above and beyond for their team, for their patients and for the veterinary nursing profession over the past 12 months.
Christine said: "I am delighted to have won this award, and very surprised! In my very long and diverse career, I have never won an award at all. It’s been lovely to have been acknowledged by others and seen as a role model, and for my nursing to be recognised."
Bethany Scott won the Help in the Community Award, which is for a nurse who has gone above and beyond to help animal owners and/or their clinical teams during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bethany said: “I am absolutely shocked and I really wasn’t expecting this! Thank you to those who nominated me and congratulations to everyone else.”
Last but by no means least, Courtney Scales won the VNJ Writer of the Year Award for writing articles which have encouraged positive change, discussions or improved clinical standards in practice.
Courtney said: "This has made my entire year! I am just super super proud, having presented the topic at Congress last year and then going on to write the articles. I really think I have changed quite a few nurses’ perceptions, protocols and patience, and it’s just so exciting."
Jo Oakden said: “It was fantastic to see all the worthy nominees and finalists for our new BVNA awards and Hills and Blue Cross awards.
"The high standards, dedication and resilience of our profession was demonstrated with all of our nominees and winners of the awards, showing they can adapt and overcome to be champions in our profession to help educate and inspire those within and outside of our profession.
"It was a huge honour to be able to present these awards and still keep the celebratory feel in these unusual times. A huge congratulations to all our winners.”
Hear hear!
Colin graduated from the RVC in 1992 and has worked as a clinical veterinary surgeon in a variety of first opinion practices and referral centres. He trained as a veterinary anaesthetist at Bristol and Cambridge Universities before moving into the pharmaceutical industry, gaining experience in drug development and technical support, and pre- and post-marketing, at a number of companies.
Colin said: “Animalcare is introducing a number of new and innovative medicines, such as Daxocox, its weekly NSAID to reduce breakthrough pain in dogs with osteoarthritis, to the veterinary sector. This makes it an exciting environment in which to provide technical support.
“I’m looking forward to exploring how my experience can be most useful in supporting Animalcare’s expansion and, more importantly, ensuring that the company’s customers receive the guidance and advice they need to optimise the effectiveness of Animalcare’s product range in treating their patients.”
For technical support, email: technical@animalcare.co.uk
Omniotic combines three ingredients to remove ear wax and debris: a detergent, a solvent and an emulsifier. It also contains Octoxynol-9, lactic acid, salicylic acid and parabens, which Vita says have anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
The product is sold in 120ml bottles with a transparent flexible tip designed to be comfortable even in stenosed, tender ear canals.
Omniotic can be used for regular daily cleaning, especially in predisposed breeds such as spaniels and lop-eared rabbits where ear conformation increases the risk of ear disease.
The product can also be used alongside other antibiotics or anti-fungal medications, something which Vita highlights as being especially important in rabbits, the ear canals of which are less prone to inflammation and stenosis, and for which topical treatment can be very effective.
Tara Evans, RVN and sales manager said: "Omniotic is an ear cleaner for dogs, cats and rabbits which combines features to meet the needs of owners and vets at the same time. The feedback from our customers is very positive; they are finding the soft, flexible applicator tip is easy to use and well tolerated. The unique combination of ingredients and the multi-species use means Omniotic can be used to support ear health across a wide variety of indications."
For more information and for the latest promotional offers, contact Tara Evans, via email: info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone: 01256 591032.
The disease, which originally appeared in the late 1980s, was first detected in the UK in 2012. It affects the kidneys and has a 90% mortality rate.
The team at Anderson Moores, which has been leading research into this disease, wants to alert colleagues to these new cases, which have been confirmed since 1st January.
By comparison 18 cases were reported in the whole of 2018, 19 in 2019, and 47 in 2020.
The new cases have been identified in Herefordshire, Greater London and Exeter.
David Walker, American, RCVS and EBVS European specialist in small animal internal medicine, leads the team at Anderson Moores Vet Specialists and is the UK’s foremost authority on the disease. He said: “We’re very sad to confirm three new cases of CRGV already in 2021. Unfortunately, we find ourselves at the time of year when cases are most commonly identified.
"As well as these confirmed cases, we are awaiting results on a number of other dogs that have sadly been euthanised with suspected CRGV. It is understandably a worrying time of year for dog owners with regards to CRGV; however, the disease remains rare.
"We’re advising dog owners across the country to remain calm but vigilant and seek advice from their local vets if their dog develops unexplained skin lesions.”
Previous cases have been identified in Gloucestershire, Surrey, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cornwall, Devon and Staffordshire.
Mr Walker added: “If a dog becomes affected by CRGV, the best chance of recovery probably lies with early and intensive veterinary care which may be best provided at a specialist facility such as Anderson Moores.
“Treatment primarily revolves around intensive management of the acute kidney injury and is sadly only successful in around 10% of cases.
“However, the team here at Anderson Moores successfully treated a suspected case of CRGV in a Labrador Retriever. Molly was referred to our internal medicine team just before Christmas due to limb swelling and a deep, painful ulcerative lesion on one of her legs.
“Following four days’ intensive treatment, her condition started to improve and we began to cautiously hope she would survive the disease.
“Molly continued to slowly improve and, after two nerve-wracking weeks, she was discharged to continue her recovery at home."
To find out more about CRGV, visit www.andersonmoores.com and the Alabama Rot Research Fund at www.arrf.co.uk.
The poster gives information about common dangers such as:
As well as focusing on common dangers, the poster also reinforces the importance of S.P.E.E.D when dealing with poisoned pets:
Will Peel, Product Manager at TVM UK said: "While most pet owners are mindful of the danger that certain foods and plants can pose, when you’re enjoying the spring sunshine and the long Easter weekend, it can be easy to overlook potential pet hazards. It’s vital to reinforce the dangers that can come with the warmer weather to help protect pets from poisoning which can cause serious illness or worse.’
To get your waterproof poster, contact your local TVM territory manager or email help@tvm-uk.com
Sarah is a Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine & Science, and leads the Nottingham Equine Colic Project, which works with organisations such as the British Horse Society to raise awareness of the condition.
Sarah's talk, 'Generating an evidence-based educational campaign on colic', will discuss new evidence from the project, and how it led to the REACT colic campaign. She will also be sharing experiences of how the campaign has worked and asking whether we can change people's attitudes and behaviours.
The evening starts at 6.15pm with food and refreshments with Sarah's talk starting at 7pm, after which there will be an update on the College’s latest projects and initiatives. That'll be followed by a question and answer session with senior officers and staff from the RCVS - including RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, and Chair of RCVS Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council Racheal Marshall.
Dr Connell said: "Thank you to Professor Freeman for agreeing to speak about the colic project which, through its Colic Awareness Week, is helping to raise knowledge of the early signs of colic amongst horse owners, allowing them to get their horses treated in good time and saving their lives.
"I also look forward to talking to members of the profession about some of the issues currently on their minds – the evening is very much led by what those who attend want to discuss – from mental health, to our under care review, to the Practice Standards Scheme. Attending the event can also count to up to three hours towards your continuing professional development (CPD) requirement."
The event is open to all members of the practice team including veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers and others. The event is free and places can be booked via the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/nottingham.
In the afternoon before the event, between 12 noon and 5pm, the College will also be holding a series of free 45-minute Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) surgeries with PSS Lead Assessor Pam Mosedale.
The surgeries are open to both RCVS-accredited practices and those considering joining the Scheme and allows delegates to discuss the assessment process, how to apply for awards, how to meet particular requirements and any other questions they may have about the PSS.
Places at the surgeries are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be booked at: www.rcvs.org.uk/PSSsurgeries
In addition, BEVA is also giving free access to one of its most popular online CPD courses, ‘How to heal wounds’, for the duration of May to all nurse members.
The course covers the main concepts of wound physiology and introduces new treatment ideas designed to optimise wound healing.
The course includes 12 on-demand lectures, presented by Dr Dylan A Gorvy, Ms Georgie Hollis, Prof Derek Knottenbelt and Dr Patrick J Pollock.
David Mountford, Chief Executive of BEVA, said: "We are delighted to be able to do something practical and supportive to celebrate the vital role RVNs play in every equine practice.
“We know how much our members value our online learning and hope that RVNs everywhere can enjoy a month of first class free membership benefits as well as access to our one of most highly subscribed courses.”
To become a BEVA member and to subscribe for your free membership during May, visit: https://www.beva.org.uk/Nurses
This year the congress is being organised in collaboration with the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group and will form the Group’s autumn meeting.
The main scientific topics are skin and ear surgery, skin biology, host-microbial interaction, dermatophytosis, exotics dermatology and clinical pharmacology. There will be a three-tiered programme:
Basic level: providing updates on the topics covered
Intermediate level: advanced information for those with a good grounding in veterinary dermatology
Advanced level: more specialist subjects, including human dermatology
For the first time, there will also be a dedicated nurses programme, taking place on Saturday 28th September.
Laura Buckley CertVD DipECVD MRCVS, Local Organising Committee (pictured right), said: "Congress is always a major event in the veterinary dermatology calendar, featuring some of the world’s leading specialists, and this year showcases some of Liverpool’s spectacular historic sites.
"As always there will be commercial and poster exhibitions featuring state-of-the-art veterinary products and leading research in veterinary dermatology respectively."
This year’s social programme includes the Welcome Reception on Thursday 26th and the Dinner Dance on Friday 27th September. The Welcome Reception will be held at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It is the largest Cathedral in the UK and the fifth largest in the world.
The Dinner Dance will take place at Revolución de Cuba overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Albert Dock.
For further information and to register please visit the congress website: www.esvd-ecvdcongress.com
As part of the new arrangement, Battersea will give StreetVet operational and logistical support, including advice from its staff, clinical support, and kennel space for animals in urgent need of care.
Battersea also plans to work with StreetVet on a range of projects that will help the charity to reach more dogs in need. For example, providing advice and training to hostel staff to promote and facilitate hostels accepting dogs – creating more safe places to sleep for both dogs and their owners.
Battersea’s Deputy Chief Executive, Peter Laurie, said: "I’m excited at the prospect of Battersea and StreetVet coming together for a partnership that aligns both organisations’ strategic values. Both of us care deeply about the welfare of dogs, particularly those most in need. StreetVet relies almost entirely on the support of a growing network of volunteers, including members of the Battersea clinic team, and is a great example of a volunteer-led organisation delivering significant impact on a wide geographical scale. By working together, we can increase our collective impact and help more animals in need."
Sam Joseph MRCVS, a co-founder of StreetVet, said: "We are really excited about the official partnership between StreetVet and Battersea. As a small, growing charity, StreetVet will hugely benefit from the expertise, infrastructure and resources of one of the country's most loved and respected animal charities."
He added: "This partnership will help StreetVet continue to provide free, accessible veterinary care to those most in need, while further increasing the impact that Battersea has on the welfare of dogs and cats across the UK."
Photo: L-R Peter Laurie (Battersea), Jade Statt and Sam Joseph (StreetVet), Shaun Opperman (Battersea) and Blue the Staffie
Kathryn hosts one of Ireland’s highest rated TV programmes which helps people to improve their health, lose weight and get fit. As part of the campaign, she will be encouraging pet owners to think about their feeding habits and sharing top dietary tips with over 100,000 followers on her Instagram feed.
John O’Connor MRCVS, Corporate Affairs Director at Royal Canin said: "There are some simple steps pet owners can take to help manage their pet’s weight. For example, measuring cups can lead to pet owners potentially feeding up to 80% more than they should1. Using digital kitchen scales to weigh the food ensures they are feeding their pet exactly the right amount."
John continued, “While it can be hard to resist the temptation to give our pets a little extra treat to show we love them, feeding a dog a rawhide bone could provide them with 67% more calories than they need each day and feeding a cat just 30g of cheese increases their daily energy intake by 60%."
The research project, which is being carried out by RVC student Collette Taylor for her PhD, is looking at the development of novel diagnostic targets to establish the specific leptospira implicated in canine clinical cases.
Collette said: "Existing leptospirosis diagnostics have a number of limitations. MAT serological testing may provide information that can be supportive of a serogroup diagnosis but may also provide false positives due to previous vaccination or indeed be confounded by cross-reactivity. It can also be difficult to interpret serology in the absence of paired samples.
"PCR tests are sensitive, usually specific, but are dependent on timing of sampling and do not tell you which serovar is concerned.
"My research is focused on offering more specialised diagnostic tests which can differentiate antibodies associated with infection from those due to vaccination. Extending this theme, our group is interested in further typing of samples where the Leptospiral DNA is identified using Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). I am now at the stage of validation and we are able to offer additional testing of serum or blood test samples from confirmed clinical cases."
If you'd like to send in a sample for further tests, you will need to complete a questionnaire, and samples must be from confirmed cases of leptospirosis that have already undergone leptospirosis diagnostics from another laboratory.
John Helps, Senior Technical Manager, Companion Animals, MSD Animal Health said: "As a 3rd year PhD student Collette has two main areas of study. The first is looking at the risk factors of leptospirosis including ecological niche modelling for specific serogroups in different regions across the country. The second part is the development of new specialised diagnostic tests that can provide better targeted serological approaches to diagnosis of this disease."
Pockit Central is a benchtop analyser which completes tests in 85 minutes.
The new PCR tests include: Lyme disease, Dirofilaria immitis, Neospora caninum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mec A gene for MRSA, IBR and C. difficile. The system has tests tailored to small animal, equine and farm practice, with specialist assays also available for poultry and aquaculture.
The new additions extend the capabilities of the Pockit to more than 190 assays, testing up to 8 pathogens in one run. Horiba says the Pockit is so easy to set up that a laboratory can be up and running within 30 minutes with staff training provided.
Horiba has also published its recent veterinary CPD webinar in which the value of in-house PCR analysis for pathogen screening is discussed with the Head of ESCCAP (European Scientific Council for Companion Animal Parasites) UK & Ireland, in conjunction with the importance of screening imported dogs: The webinar is available to watch on-demand at: https://www.horiba.com/en_en/veterinary/support/webinars/
Last year, the company had more than 37,000 entries from pet owners and the veterinary community for the five award categories:
The winners will be announced later this year and will recognise the remarkable work carried out by some of the best veterinary professionals in the country.
James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan (pictured right), said: “Now more than ever it’s important to recognise the lengths the veterinary community goes to in looking after our pets. Every year we’re astounded by the quality and quantity of nominations which are a real testament to the hard work of all of those involved at practices who care for animals and clients all year round.
"The awards are a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your practice and your colleagues. If you haven’t already I’d invite you to nominate someone today.”
Nominate a colleague or your practice at www.petplanvet.co.uk/vetawards.
According to the Associations, a number of practices have been offering unpaid work, and whilst these offers may seem attractive to newly qualified vets who want to gain access to veterinary workplaces, they devalue the individuals and the veterinary profession.
Offering unpaid roles also exacerbates the problems surrounding lack of access to the profession for those who can’t afford to work for free and contradicts efforts to widen participation in the veterinary sector.
In addition, there are governance issues associated with individuals undertaking veterinary roles before they are registered with the RCVS and there are concerns around individuals undertaking voluntary roles without indemnity insurance.
The Veterinary Defence Society has advised that the Veterinary Surgeons (Practice by Students) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 allow veterinary students to carry out acts of veterinary surgery under the direction and supervision of a veterinary surgeon. After graduating as a vet, individuals are no longer classified as “veterinary students” and must either revert to only doing work which would be delegated to a lay member of staff or register with the RCVS.
Once registered with the RCVS, graduates must abide by the Code of Conduct whether they are volunteering or paid. One such requirement is that veterinary surgeons must have professional indemnity insurance. Veterinary graduates cannot register as a veterinary nurse and if they are not registered as a veterinary surgeon, they must not undertake those acts of veterinary surgery that can lawfully be delegated to RVNs.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: “The Covid-19 crisis has thrown up many challenges for veterinary practices, but we make a plea to the profession not to exploit final year students and new graduates at this difficult time. These individuals are professionals and they deserve to be paid professional new graduate salaries, as we all were. There is a problem to be solved with regard to safe working, particularly in large animal and equine practice, but underpaying and undervaluing people is not the solution.
“BVA has been working with Vet Schools Council and others to champion diversity in our vet schools and the wider profession. If we only provide opportunities for those who can afford to work for free, we will be taking an enormous step backwards.”
Izzie Arthur, AVS President (pictured right), added: “We know that final year students are worried about job prospects and that these offers will be attractive, but we are deeply concerned that it devalues the skills and knowledge that have been built up throughout the degree.
"We’re asking vet practices to champion the next generation by providing paid opportunities for newly qualified (registered) vets and the support needed to get through the professional development phase so that they can become valued members of the team."