Common ‘Pet Dangers’ include:
The poster also reinforces the importance of S.P.E.E.D when dealing with poisoned pets:
To get your free poster, visit https://www.tvm-uk.com/pet-dangers-order-free-display-materials-for-your-practice/ or email help@tvm-uk.com.
The 2020 OV Conference will offer up to 25 hours of CPD with lectures, workshops and Q&A sessions from world-class speakers in streams covering small animals, farm animals and equines. There will also be exclusive offers from industry sponsors and online networking opportunities.
The OV Conference provides an opportunity for OVs to discuss current topics of interest and recent developments in their work. Themes this year will include notifiable diseases, biosecurity and disease control, and export certification.
In addition to the live lectures, delegates will be able to view recordings of all the sessions on-demand for three months following the conference. The CPD on offer counts towards OV revalidation qualifications with the event open to all vets, as well as animal health paraprofessionals, nurses and practice managers.
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: "Moving the OV Conference online has given us an opportunity to harness the technology we use regularly in all of our veterinary training to bring OVs an exceptional but affordable CPD experience.
"Our excellent speakers are looking forward to sharing the latest updates in all aspects of OV work with our delegates and to discussing the challenges ahead, particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the UK moving inexorably towards leaving the EU at the end of the year.
"We’re looking forward to meeting our delegates old and new online at the OV Conference in September.”
The full programme and tickets are now available from https://officialvet.com
The first 150 tickets will get an ‘Early Bird’ 25% discount from £160 to £120+ VAT using the code UK.OV.EARLYBIRD.
The company says it has made the test available in response to customer demand and growing evidence that in rare cases pets living with COVID-19-positive humans can be at risk of infection.
The test will be available to veterinary surgeons in North America this week and will roll out across most of the world in the coming weeks, via the company's worldwide network of laboratories.
Jay Mazelsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of Idexx Laboratories said: "We have continued to monitor the rapidly evolving public health crisis worldwide, paying special attention to the effects on pets.
"While there is currently no evidence that dogs or cats play a role in transmitting the disease to humans, it became clear offering the test was the right thing to do when we saw clinical evidence that pets—especially cats and ferrets—can in rare cases be at risk for infection. And, we heard from our customers around the globe that veterinarians needed a testing option."
Idexx recommends the test is used when three specific criteria are met:
Idexx says leading health authorities agree with the company that transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is primarily person-to-person and advise against testing asymptomatic pets. Since mid-February, the company has tested over 5,000 specimens for the virus, from cats, dogs, and horses with respiratory symptoms in 17 countries. To date, it has found no positive results, suggesting that dogs and cats living with infected people generally remain uninfected, except in rare and isolated cases.
For information about the Idexx SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) RealPCR Test for pets, visit idexx.com/covid19-pet-test.
The data shows a stable population of 12m pets, as follows:
There were also:
The survey also provides an interesting point at which to note some historical trends. Whilst cats and dogs have always been the most popular pets, 50 years ago it was budgerigars that held third place. Since then, the dog population has grown 76% and the cat population has grown 63%, whilst rabbits have moved into third place.
Nicole Paley, PFMA Deputy Chief Executive, said: "Almost half of UK households are benefitting from pet ownership and whilst cats and dogs continue to be the most popular pets, rabbits came in at third place followed by indoor birds, guinea pigs and domestic fowl.
"A key role of PFMA is to provide educational resources on how to ensure the full range of pets get the right nutrition and we really value the role of vets and vet nurses being at the front line to pass this information on.
"At PFMA we are here to support the veterinary profession and we have a series of factsheets on popular feeding topics such as ‘Do all small mammals eat the same food’ and ‘Nutrition for indoor birds. Our pet companions fill our lives with love and joy and in return, it’s important we provide the care they need. "
For more information, visit www.pfma.org.uk/statistics
References
The CVPM is the industry-recognised professional examination for veterinary managers. Covering six main areas – strategy, finance, marketing, personnel, communications and general management - it is available to VMG members who want to consolidate their knowledge and experience with a recognised qualification. Candidates must be employed in the veterinary sector in a management role.
The regional workshops are free to attend but registration in advance is required.
Saturday 7 March 2020, 10.30 am – 1.00 pmWorkshop 1: Coverdale House, Aviator Court, York YO30 4GZ. Workshop 2: Clue House, Petherton Road, Bristol, BS14 9BZ.
Saturday 21 March Workshop 2020Workshop 1: Goddard Veterinary Group Wanstead Veterinary Hospital, 84 New Wanstead, Wanstead, London E11 2SY.Workshop 2, Manchester: This workshop takes place at the Vets Now Hospital, 98 Bury Old Rd, Whitefield, Manchester M45 6TQ.
Those attending VMG-SPVS Congress 2020 at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, are also strongly advised to attend the Management Mastery Stream, on Friday 24 January 2020.
VMG Director Ms Georgina Hills (pictured right) said: "Those involved in practice management require expertise in all the key aspects of running a successful business, as well as a deep understanding of the veterinary sector. The CVPM is a testing qualification and is increasingly recognised as a benchmark for excellence. Our regional workshops are ideal preparation for those preparing to submit their applications in August and to undertake the examination in November 2020 so we look forward to meeting potential candidates around the country during 2020."
Miss Emma Hollingworth from the Park Vet Group in Cardiff, who achieved the qualification in 2018, said: "Coming from a nursing background where much of my knowledge was gained through experience, the CVPM required me to research and develop skills which are not taught to all veterinary nurses and I feel it has given me a strong platform from which to develop my career. The VMG provides excellent preparation days and I highly recommend attending one to those sitting the exam."
The CVPM examination consists of a written 3,000-word report and the examination itself which consists of a ten-minute presentation on a subject supplied by the examining board; a 15-minute discussion of the submitted report and two further 30-minute oral exams on related topics.
Further information is available at https://vetmg.com/cvpm-vpac/
The survey, which received 2445 responses from BVA members, found that 16% of vets and vet students have personally experienced discrimination within a veterinary workplace or learning environment in the past twelve months, while 20% had witnessed discrimination.
Senior colleagues were most commonly responsible for the discrimination (47% of incidents), with discrimination from clients accounting for 35% of incidents.
Sex discrimination was the most common type reported (44% of incidents) and was particularly prevalent in academic settings and in production animal, equine, and mixed practices.
Race discrimination was the next most commonly reported (27% of incidents).
Respondents also gave details of discrimination in relation to other protected characteristics, including age, sexuality, disability and gender reassignment.
Younger vets were more likely than older vets to have personally experienced discrimination in the past year (27% of those under 35 had experienced discrimination).
Female vets were more than twice as likely to have experienced discrimination than their male colleagues (19% and 8% respectively).
The incidence of discrimination was higher amongst vets from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. Those who described their sexual orientation as bi, gay or lesbian were twice as likely to have personally experienced discrimination in the past year.
Despite the high incidence of discrimination reported, responses to the same survey showed that only 56% of the profession feel concerned about discrimination.
British Veterinary Association Junior Vice President Daniella Dos Santos (pictured right) said: "This is the first time anyone has collected such a significant body of evidence on this issue and the results are truly shocking. It is completely unacceptable that so many members of the veterinary team are subject to discrimination not just from clients but from members of our own profession.
"Worryingly, it seems that the scale of the issue will come as a surprise to many members of our profession and so it is vital that we all join the conversation and reflect on what role we can play to improve equality and inclusion. The veterinary team must become a safe and supportive environment for everyone. We cannot accept anything less for ourselves, for our colleagues and for our profession."
Only 12% of respondents were satisfied with how their incident had been dealt, rising to 23% among those who felt able to report. Daniella said: "Many of the experiences documented in our report are shocking and distressing and this distress is often compounded by what comes next. It was very saddening to hear that so many people have felt unable to report their experiences or that their reports were handled badly by those who received them.
"Experiencing discrimination can be very traumatic, without the ‘double-whammy’ of having your complaint dismissed or mishandled by managers or senior staff. We need to make sure everyone who experiences discrimination is able to get the outcome they deserve.
"Through the discrimination questionnaire we heard many distressing stories from vets, students, vet nurses and other colleagues. We are incredibly grateful to them for sharing these with us so that we can raise awareness of what’s happening in our veterinary workplaces."
To raise awareness of the scale of the issue, the BVA is inviting all members of the veterinary team to join a "Big Conversation on equality and inclusion in the veterinary professions", starting with the release of its report on the current situation on discrimination, which can be downloaded here, then inviting everyone to join online engagement sessions through social media and BVA members to feed in views via their regional representatives ahead of Council on 24 July.
The VMD's ruling sets a chilling precedent for the curtailment of free speech by a Government body.
The ruling came to light after VetNurse.co.uk published an independent video news report relating to the launch of Bravecto Injectable, a new yearly flea treatment for dogs.
The film was neither paid for nor commissioned by the manufacturer, and nor did the maker exercise editorial control over its content.
The film was clearly labelled for and aimed at veterinary professionals, and its intent was not to promote the sale or supply of a prescription medicine, but rather to inform vets and nurses about the new product, albeit in an enthusiastic manner.
It was therefore not an advertisement, but journalism.
The Dictatorship nevertheless argued that it defines any social media content that mentions the brand name of a prescription veterinary medicine and which does not give a balanced overview of all the other treatment options for a given condition, as an advertisement.
This, it said, is regardless of whether content is created by the manufacturer or supplier of drug to promote sales of their product, or any member of the public or journalist who just wants to talk about or report on a prescription medicine publicly without any intent to promote sales.
The Dictatorship's position is that any such content can only appear in spaces dedicated to the appropriate audiences.
Notwithstanding the fact that all of VetSurgeon.org's social media channels are dedicated to the appropriate audiences, it leaves us in the almost laughable position where, according to the VMD, the BBC is allowed to report about powerful prescription medicines for humans in a way that inevitably promotes their supply, but VetSurgeon.org cannot report the launch of ... wait for it ... a flea treatment.
However the VMD then shared its incontinent interpretation of the law in a series of emails in which it was unable to provide a consistent definition of where it would allow content about prescription veterinary medicines to be published.
It first claimed (without any supporting evidence of any law to this effect), that:
"... it would need to be on a closed page which only followers could view would require active confirmation of the follower’s professional status before allowing access."
However, it swiftly backtracked, presumably realising that this definition would require Vet Times to remove most of its content from public view, including actual advertisements for veterinary prescription medicines published by the manufacturer.
When pressed, the VMD changed tack to a rather looser definition:
"Regulation 11(3) of the VMR does allow you to advertise POM-V products at vets and vet nurses, however to ensure this wouldn’t also be considered as advertising to the general public, it would need to be in a closed space, separate from the general public and directed at veterinary healthcare professionals. For example, on a website, or closed social media group."
However, it then presumably realised that Vet Times would still have to remove most of its content because it is not a closed space, and loosened its definition further still.
"Please note that, where an advertisement for POM-V or POM-VPS veterinary medicine appears in a space dedicated to the appropriate audiences this would not be a breach of Regulation 11(1)(a) due to Regulation 11(3) and Regulation 11(5)."
Clearly the Dictatorship was making it up as it went along.
Nevertheless, it threatened VetNurse.co.uk that it would contact TikTok and demand removal of the film.
So what does this matter?
Two reasons.
Firstly, it may just be a report about a flea treatment, but there is an important principle at stake here: it is simply not acceptable for the Government to censor free speech about medicines by journalists or members of the public.
This, you would think, is so blatantly obvious that it calls into question the overall competence of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Secondly, the ruling also demonstrates the VMD's backward-looking, Canute-like view of the world we now live in.
People talk and social media is awash with information about prescription veterinary medicines; just try typing 'Bravecto Injectable' into TikTok.
As we all know much of what you find online is false.
Fighting misinformation online is an un-winnable fight.
So perhaps instead, the VMD should promote the dissemination of accurate information in order to counter the misinformation.
Bear in mind, it is only the VMD's interpretation of the law which dictates that a manufacturer cannot publish information which mentions a brand name or give a balanced overview of all treatment options because it would promote the supply or prescription of a veterinary medicine.
It could equally well be argued that manufacturers publishing strictly factual information, ie devoid of hyperbole, would NOT be intended to promote the supply or prescription, but instead to counter false information and provide owners with information which time-poor vets are not always able to.
That would be a more pragmatic approach which would do far more good than trying to censor independent journalists and the public.
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a clinically significant pathogen for canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD), otherwise known as kennel cough, with 78.7% of dogs with acute respiratory signs testing positive for the bacteria1.
In the same study, 45.6% of clinically healthy dogs also tested positive for Bordetella bronchiseptica, illustrating that clinically healthy dogs can carry respiratory pathogens and could act as sources of infection for susceptible dogs1.
Administered via subcutaneous injection, Canigen Bb is an inactivated subunit vaccine which offers vets a new option when intra-nasal vaccination with a live aerosolised vaccine is not possible or preferred, for example when the dog is in contact with known immunocompromised individuals.
Licensed for use in dogs from 6 weeks of age, Canigen Bb extends protection against Bordetella bronchiseptica in dogs vaccinated with Canigen KC in the last 12 months for a further year with a single dose.
Canigen Bb is presented as a ready-to-use formula in a 10ml multi-dose bottle and can be stored at room temperature (2°C - 25°C) for up to 4 weeks once broached.
It can be administered concurrently (at the same time but separate injections) with Canigen DHP, Canigen DHPPi, Canigen Pi & Canigen Lepto 4.
Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director at Virbac, said: ‘It is our hope that Canigen Bb will increase the overall uptake of Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccination to provide increased protection against this widely prevalent and clinically significant disease’.
Reference
Floxabactin is indicated for use in dogs with lower UTIs including those associated with prostatitis, upper urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli or Proteus mirabilis in dogs, and superficial and deep pyoderma. For cats, the 15 mg dose can be used with upper respiratory tract infections.
Floxabactin is presented in blister packs: 15mg for cats and dogs, plus 50mg and 150mg for dogs.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “Floxabactin has been developed with the responsible administration of antibiotics in mind. We would always promote only using antimicrobials when an infection has been documented and based on the results of culture and sensitivity testing, and or cytology testing, if applicable.
"Other treatment options should also be considered before the systemic use of antibiotics such as topical treatment for superficial pyoderma."
For more information, visit: https://www.dechra.co.uk/new-from-dechra
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
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 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.
'Potential role of veterinary flea products in widespread pesticide contamination of English rivers1, was carried out by Professor Dave Goulson and Rosemary Perkins MRCVS from the University of Sussex and co-authored by Martin (pictured right) and Wayne Civil from the Environment Agency.
For the study, they looked at 3,861 samples taken from 20 rivers around the UK between 2016 and 2018. Fipronil was detected in 98% of the samples and imidacloprid in 66%.
Currently, there are no environmental quality standards for fipronil or the compounds it breaks down into (fipronil sulfone or fipronil sulfide) or for imidacloprid in British surface waters.
The authors therefore used the acute and chronic toxicity limits for fipronil from a report from the Department of Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Davis2, and from Morissey et al (2015)3 for imidacloprid.
They found that the average fipronil concentration across the rivers sampled by the Environment Agency exceeded chronic safety thresholds five-fold. The overall pollution levels in English rivers indicate that fipronil and its toxic breakdown products pose a high risk to aquatic ecosystems.
While, in most rivers, imidacloprid was found to pose a moderate risk, in seven out of the 20 rivers sampled there was a high environmental risk.
The paper, published in Science of the Total Environment, noted that the highest levels of pollution were found immediately downstream of wastewater treatment works, which the authors say supports the hypothesis that significant quantities of pesticide may be passing from treated pets to the environment via household drains.
Professor Dave Goulson said “Fipronil and imidacloprid are both highly toxic to all insects and other aquatic invertebrates. Studies have shown both pesticides to be associated with declines in the abundance of aquatic invertebrate communities. The finding that our rivers are routinely and chronically contaminated with both of these chemicals and mixtures of their toxic breakdown products is deeply troubling.”
Bathing of pets treated with spot-on fipronil flea products has been confirmed as a potentially important route to waterways for fipronil via sewers. The washing of hands, pet bedding or other surfaces that have come into contact with treated pets are potential additional pathways for entry to sewers.
Rosemary said: “We’ve identified a number of steps that can be taken to minimise or avoid environmental harm from pet flea and/or tick treatments. These range from introducing stricter prescription-only regulations, to considering a more judicious and risk-based approach to the control of parasites in pets, for example by moving away from blanket year-round prophylactic use."
Martin said: "The profession urgently needs to adopt ‘responsible use of parasiticides’ similar to the way it is adopting responsible use of antimicrobials. The VMD needs to strengthen the environmental assessment of pet pesticide products in the authorisation process, and they are currently considering this issue. The VMD should also collate and publish annual sales figures for these pesticides as they do for antimicrobials."
He added: "My veterinary hospital has never had a ‘pet health plan’ to provide year round flea products, because we believe that year-round, intensive treatment for almost all dogs and cats does not constitute responsible use of such powerful pesticides."
Morrissey, C.A., et al., 2015. Neonicotinoid contamination of global surface waters and associated risk to aquatic invertebrates: a review. Environ. Int. 74, 291–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.10.024.
BSAVA PetSavers is funding a research project at the University of Liverpool designed to help vets and owners provide the best care for senior and geriatric dogs.
In the first part of the study, veterinary professionals were interviewed about the services currently provided to senior dogs and their owners regarding preventative healthcare, treatment, and advice.
Owners were interviewed about their experiences of living with and accessing veterinary care for senior dogs.
The results of these interviews were then used to develop the online survey which researchers now need vets to take part in, to validate the interview findings in a quantitative way.
Dr Carri Westgarth said: “The veterinary survey focuses on the perceived barriers to care for senior dogs, end-of-life care including quality-of-life, and the potential design of the BSAVA PetSavers guidance tool.
"We would be grateful if any veterinary professional could take a few minutes from their day to help us with this project.”
The survey should take around 20–25 minutes to complete.
Survey participants will also have the opportunity to win an Amazon voucher.
The survey can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/PetsaversOAPVetSurvey.
Charlotte Fennell and Amber Cooke, senior vet nurses at Southfields (pictured right) have put together a presentation about the life of a vet nurse, which will be online on the Southfields website from Monday, May 11.
They'll be following that up on Thursday, May 14 with a Facebook Live session, in which they will tackle questions posted by members of the public and any would-be vet nurses who have tuned in.
Charlotte and Amber been stopped from doing a face-to-face presentation to interested teenagers due to the current COVID-19 lockdown restrictions but they’re hoping going online can attract an even bigger audience.
Southfields operations manager Sarah Stam said: "We’ll explain what qualifications are needed to start a nursing career, what sort of training is involved and exactly what a registered vet nurse does.
"The Facebook Live should be a really great, interactive experience, with Charlotte and Amber addressing specific questions sent in by members of the public in real time."
Charlotte said: "Being a vet nurse is a hugely rewarding and enjoyable job and we’re looking to connect with teenagers who may be wondering if this could be the career for them."
Amber, a senior ward nurse at Southfields, added: "Like Charlotte, I am really pleased to be involved in this project and to be able to share my RVN journey with our next generation of aspiring veterinary nurses."
For more information about Southfields’ Vet Nurse initiative, visit www.southfields.co.uk or search for Southfields Veterinary Specialists on Facebook.
Kate said: "In recent days we have watched the unfolding events in Ukraine in horror, shock and with tremendous sadness.
"We are determined to offer as much help and support as we can to our Ukrainian veterinary colleagues fleeing this crisis and seeking refuge in the UK.
To that end, the College offers a financial support scheme for refugees which is immediately available for Ukrainian veterinary surgeons with refugee status.
The scheme enables refugee vets to take the RCVS Statutory Examination for free, offers financial support to attend exams, free access to the RCVS library and free membership of BSAVA, BVA, BEVA, BCVA and VMG.
In addition, whilst Russian-based business interests comprise less than 0.1% of the College's investment portfolio, it has instructed its fund managers to get rid of all Russian investments at the very earliest opportunity.
Meanwhile, veterinary dentist Bob Partridge has donated a day's takings from his Harrogate-based, Specialist-led small animal dental referral practice, VetDentist, to the British Red Cross Ukraine.
He said: "I got home late and exhausted, turned on the news, and knew that my “tough day” was as nothing compared to the troubles, the fear and the pain experienced by the people of Ukraine."
Other members of Bob's team followed suit, as did the team at Training-Progress, and they hope others will do the same.
Bob said: "Please put your money where your mouth (or keyboard) is!"
https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0 Aleksej Leonov
To date most of these imaging procedures have been performed by vets within the group’s small animal first opinion veterinary practices.
The company says its Foundations in Diagnostic Imaging for Nurses training is designed to give its nurses more clinical stature in first opinion practice.
The programme will teach nurses the workings of an x-ray machine, common X-ray positions and contrast material.
It will also cover the principles of CT and MRI, showing how to set up and operate each piece of equipment, and how to support patients through these imaging procedures.
Finally, the course will provide the training nurses need to be able to perform ultrasounds within the current RCVS legal frameworks.
CVS says it believes this is a first in the veterinary profession
Tara Ryan, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS said: “Imaging is a brand new area that we are starting to delegate to our nurses. Having heavily invested in our small animal first opinion practices over the last decade, we have a wide range of imaging equipment at many of our sites.
“Excitingly, this programme will open up the ability for nurses to start to contribute more information - to help vets identify and diagnose conditions and diseases in patients.
"It is another big step that we are taking to empower our brilliant nurses and to enable them to make a great clinical contribution towards the care of our patients – and to be the nurses they want to be.”
CVS is prioritising the consulting room and Schedule 3 delegated tasks as important areas for improving what it calls 'nurse optimisation'.
The company recognises that 'buy in' from veterinary surgeons is vital to the success of its efforts to optimise the role of its nurses, and the group has also published guidelines to provide clarity around effective delegation under Schedule 3.
Laura Hughes, Veterinary Nurse Development Manager for Purina UK and Ireland (pictured right) said: “All of our CPD talks on the stand are certificated and each 20-minute session builds to produce a comprehensive suite of content on making nutritional recommendations.
"It’s the ideal complementary top up to all the wonderful CPD available at congress.”
“Sometimes nutritional conversations can be difficult, especially around weight management, but behavioural science has given us so many new ways in which to approach those to bring the pet owner on board in a positive way so they can be part of the solution.
"We’ll be sharing more about those evidence-based approaches.
"To support nurse clinics further, we’ll be demonstrating our tool kits in the area of gastrointestinal care and weight management, so nurses can see what is available to them.”
There will also be cupcakes and refreshments at the stand, as well as a competition where every day one veterinary nurse can win a spa day for two.
MSD says the new chip is compliant with ISO standards, has proven temperature accuracy1 and as yet is the only microchip on the market that combines identification and temperature monitoring.
The HomeAgain Thermochip has been designed to work for the lifetime of the pet, and it's being launched alongside the HomeAgain Pet Recovery Database, which is free of charge.
Michael Morrow BSc BVSc MRCVS, Director of St Vincents Veterinary Surgery in Wokingham, has been involved in trials of the new chip. He said: ''The launch of HomeAgain Thermochip is a real game-changer in the market.
“We have been trialling the Thermochip for some time and it’s now our default option to measure temperature.
"It’s incredibly useful in everyday practice, particularly when it comes to fractious cats or extremely nervous dogs, and it improves efficiency in consultations.
"We also use the Thermochip extensively during anaesthetic and post operative monitoring – with minimal handling.
“Reassuringly, we’ve never had any issues with the microchip reader or with the chip migrating to other parts of an animal’s body so it’s very reliable.”
In addition to the benefit of being able to measure temperature in a non-invasive way, MSD points to recent studies which suggest that a pet’s ‘normal’ temperature is not a specific number, rather a range of values that depend on numerous factors such as the time of day, the site of measurement, sex, breed, size, age, activity and stress levels2.
The HomeAgain Thermochip makes it easier to take multiple temperature readings easily over time, thereby establishing a pet’s individual temperature range.
For animal identification, the microchip works in much the same way as other microchips.
Once the owner registers their pet’s microchip with a recovery database, their animal – in theory – can be traced if lost.
The reality is often different, because owners' contact details are frequently out of date, making it difficult to reunite pets.
MSD says it aims to have the most comprehensive reunification platform, with a database which:
For more information, visit: homeagain.co.uk
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.
Mr Dobson was struck off in 2021 after the DC found that he'd carried out an act of veterinary certification after being removed from the Register for non-payment, failed to have professional indemnity insurance in place and failed to respond to requests from the RCVS about these things.
Mr Dobson submitted a restoration application by email at the start of June, but then didn't reply to any further correspondence from the College, didn't provide any detail supporting his application, didn't attend the hearing and didn't contact the RCVS to explain why.
The Committee decided to go ahead with the restoration hearing in Mr Dobson's absence.
It decided that although Mr Dobson's email on 2nd June 2023 did suggest that he accepted the original findings for which he was removed from the Register, there was not enough evidence of remorse or insight into the the failings which led to him being struck off in the first place, or that he had attempted to keep his continuing professional development (CPD) up-to-date or that, if restored, he would pose no risk to animal health and welfare.
Paul Morris, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Disciplinary Committee will only restore the name of the applicant veterinary surgeon to the Register where the applicant has satisfied it that he or she is fit to return to unrestricted practice as a veterinary surgeon and that restoration is in the public interest.
“The Committee’s real concerns about this application and this applicant are that it has before it no evidence of any value or substance to satisfy either of these criteria.
"There is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that the applicant is fit to return to unrestricted practice.
"In turn, there is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that it is in the public interest that this applicant’s name be restored to the Register.
“It is of importance to the profession and to members of the public that restorations to the Register should only occur when the applicant has established by clear evidence that the criteria which are set out in the public documents produce by the College have been satisfied.”
He added: “Having regard to the above criteria and its findings on them, the Committee considers that it remains the case that the protection of the public and the public interest requires that his name be not restored to the Register and therefore refuses this application.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
There are an estimated 100,000 Persian cats in the UK, popular for their luxurious coat and flattened face. However, many of the health issues identified in the study, including haircoat disorders, dental disease, overgrown nails and eye discharge, may be related to precisely the qualities which have made the breed popular.
The researchers say that the results of the new study will help breeders to select which cats to breed from, veterinary surgeons to spot diseases earlier and owners to ensure that they take preventive measures for common conditions in the breed. They will also help the public understand more about the welfare challenges relating to owning and caring for Persian cats.
By analysing the clinical records of 3,325 Persian cats using the RVC’s VetCompass programme, the researcher found:
64.9% of Persian cats had at least one disorder recorded.
The most common specific disorders were haircoat disorder (12.7%), dental disease (11.3%), overgrown nails (7.2%) and eye discharge (5.8%).
Dental disease was more common in males, while claw/nail problems were more common in females.
The most common causes of death were kidney disease (23.4%) and cancer (8.5%).
The average adult bodyweight of a Persian cat was 3.9 kg.
Male Persian cats (average 4.3kg,) were heavier than females (average 3.4 kg).
The average lifespan of a Persian cat is 13.5 years.
Dr Dan O’Neill, lead author and VetCompass veterinary epidemiologist at the RVC, said: "Welfare concerns over brachycephaly [flat faces) in dogs have been recognised for some years.
"Now, our new study of Persians provides evidence that cats with flattened faces are similarly predisposed to some unpleasant and debilitating conditions.
"Hopefully this evidence baseline will kick-start demands to reform the Persian breed’s health by breeding towards a less extreme body shape. Additionally, owners of Persians need to be especially alert to dental, eye and haircoat issues in their cats and seek treatment at the earliest signs of ill-health."
Danièlle Gunn-Moore, Professor of Feline Medicine, University of Edinburgh and co-author said: "Along with growing health and welfare concerns for brachycephalic dogs, our studies raise the same concerns for brachycephalic cats. It is essential we recognise that brachycephalic cats have many of the same problems as brachycephalic dogs, with the most severely brachycephalic individuals having the most serious health problems. We need to start breeding away from extreme brachycephalia before we cause even more harm to these gracious creatures."
Photo: Danièlle Gunn-Moore
For those not familiar with the term, moral injury is the damage to your conscience when you witness, perpetrate or fail to stop an event which conflicts with your moral beliefs. The study looking into this phenomenon in the veterinary profession is being conducted at King’s College London by Professor Neil Greenberg (pictured right), Dr Dominic Murphy and Dr Victoria Williamson, who will investigate the types of moral injuries veterinary professionals might encounter, their prevalence, the perceptions amongst professionals around how these moral injuries come about, and what support is needed when they occur.
The second project, titled 'Experiences of racism and its impacts on mental wellbeing in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people working and studying in the UK veterinary profession' is being conducted by the Royal Veterinary College and British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society. As well as gathering information about experiences of racism and their impact, the project will also determine what individuals from the BAME veterinary community think could, and should, be done to tackle racism in the veterinary professions, and gather the evidence to help design appropriate interventions for those whose mental health and wellbeing is impacted by racism and discrimination.
Professor Susan Dawson, Chair of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: “Though it was a tough decision to choose the recipients of this year’s grants as all the applications were of a high standard, these two stood out because they are investigating two issues that we know are there, but which we don’t yet have the evidence-base for to really determine their prevalence, their impact and how we, as a profession, can tackle them more effectively.
“They also stood out for being solutions-focused in that the evidence will be used to find the best interventions and support mechanisms for those whose mental health has been impacted by racism and moral injury. We would like to congratulate the two research teams and look forward to working with them over the coming years.”
Have you suffered from moral injury or racism in the veterinary profession? Come and discuss here.
Samantha, who was a recipient of the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Scholarship, has a degree in genetics, molecular biology and microbiology, and a PhD in cancer research from University College London.
She was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40, which led her to set up ADHD Girls, an organisation that helps people with ADHD access employment and works with businesses to help them understand ADHD.
Samantha's talk is part of a module on neurodiversity, which will open with an exploration of neurodiversity and the challenges of diagnosis, before looking at how you can better support those in practice teams, as well as neurodivergent clients and students.
The session will wrap up with a discussion about how to cultivate greater inclusivity and understanding around those who are neurodivergent within the veterinary professions.
Being neurodivergent means that your brain works differently from the average person, meaning there may be differences in social preference, ways of communicating, ways of learning and ways of perceiving the environment.
Samantha said: “No two brains are the same. But what if you were born with a brain that constantly makes you feel like everything you do differentiates you from everyone else?”
“My talk introduces neurodiversity in the context of society, casting light on ADHD and autism, and how this impacts the workplace and one’s quality of life, and what we can do to build a compassionate culture, starting with the conversations we have at work.
"I’m really excited to talk at the BSAVA Congress and meet other professionals in the veterinary field.”
After her lecture, she will be partaking in a panel discussion around the challenges of diagnosis of neurodivergence alongside Laura Playforth, a vet who has been diagnosed with both bipolar and autism and is currently Group Quality Improvement Director at IVC Evidensia.
Andy Green, Vice Chair of the BSAVA Congress Programme Committee chair said: “We are delighted to have Samantha delivering our keynote this year on such an important topic.
"Neurodiversity is becoming an increasingly important area of focus and understanding across society and we have a significant population of neurodivergent people working as vets, nurses and in other roles, many of whom may not as yet have a diagnosis.”
“We also need to recognise that many pet owners and clients are neurodivergent.
"Samantha is ideally placed to shine a spotlight on this subject, using her own story and life experience to deliver a greater understanding of what it actually means to be neurodivergent and how businesses/practices can understand, embrace and support neurodivergent members of the work force and community.”
Early bird tickets for BSAVA Congress 2023 are currently on sale with 3-day and 1-day tickets available to purchase. Get your ticket now: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/home.
The online risk checker, which is available at www.parassess.co.uk, asks pet owners a series of questions to assess their dog's risk from fleas, ticks, lungworm roundworm and tapeworm.
The test, which has been developed with parasitologists, takes a few minutes and appears to produce sensible results (not every test produces a "Danger, high risk, emergency, get to your vet NOW" result, as you might expect if this had been entirely produced bv the marketing department).
The subsequent report can then be shared with the vet to review it and make a treatment decision.
Being online, the test can be taken on a smartphone whilst in the practice waiting room, or on tablet or computer at home.
It might be worth sharing the test with your clients by email or social media, inviting them to book an appointment if their results suggest it is necessary.
To that end, Boehringer Ingelheim has produced a range of communication materials, such as waiting room displays and digital content for web, email, SMS, and social media.
For more information, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager or phone 01344 746957 (UK) or 01 291 3985 (Ireland).