Supreme Petfoods has announced that Think Rabbit Fortnight, a campaign to help practices engage with rabbit owners, will run from Monday 21st May to Friday 1st June.

Practices can decide how much they wish to participate in the campaign and can opt to receive goodie bags, a 'Think Rabbit' manual detailing how the practice can be more rabbit-friendly, or take the 'Small Furry' Promise.

The event is being backed by RCVS Exotics Specialist, Molly Varga. She said: "I'd encourage all practices to take part in Think Rabbit Fortnight to help improve the health and welfare of the nation's rabbits."

Supreme says that practices which take part in the Think Rabbit Campaign will also have the opportunity to sign up for Level 1 of its 'Better for Bunnies, Better for Business' programme, which it says can double turnover derived from rabbits through an increase in new clients, average visit transaction spend and attendance rates of existing clients.*

Claire Hamblion, Marketing Manager at Supreme says she hopes that it will really encourage practices to focus on how they can develop protocols and routines that will remove barriers to rabbit owners seeking healthcare advice and presenting their pet for treatment.

Binky - voted Britain's Cutest Bunny - will play a starring role in the Think Rabbit campaign to attract the attention of rabbit owners who will also be asked to nominate their rabbit as a VIP (Very Important Pet). Claire said: "Our VIP won't necessarily be the most prettiest, fastest or cleverest bunny but one that has special qualities in the eyes of its owner. I hope vets and nurses will help spread the word and maybe even nominate some very important patients."

To sign up for Think Rabbit Fortnight, visit www.supremepetfoods.com/thinkrabbit, email thinkrabbit@companionconsultancy.com, or telephone 01284 761107.

*Supreme - Better for Bunnies, Better for business programme, Onswitch March 2012

The BBC has broadcast an investigation in which the RSPCA is accused of various acts of inappropriate and uncharitable behaviour towards a veterinary surgeon, a barrister, an aged pet owner and the owners of an animal sanctuary.

The accusations were broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Face the Facts, and included:

• The case of a vulnerable 68-year-old woman called Georgina Langley who was forced to sit outside in her nightie whilst her home was raided by RSPCA inspectors. Her 13 rescued cats were removed by the charity, and five of them put down. The charity laid 13 charges against her. Her vet, David Smith, was 'aghast' when he heard what had happened. He demanded to see the animals, and even sent two for a post mortem at the Royal Veterinary College.  The post mortem apparently demonstrated that the RSPCA's charges against Mrs Langley were entirely false. 
• Colin Vogel, a veterinary surgeon from Norfolk, said he had been at the receiving end of a smear campaign by the charity after he had appeared as a defence expert in a number of cases brought by the RSPCA. His accusations appear to be borne out by incriminating emails written by the charity in which it talks about trying to discredit Mr Vogel.
• Bridget and Fred Brimley, who run an animal sanctuary, were visited by the charity and advised to change to a branded wormer and fix a bit of fence. When the RSPCA returned for a follow-up visit, the couple were told that if they did not hand over half their dogs and 3 of their ponies, the charity would 'storm in and remove them mob-handed'. It was agreed that there would be further discussions, but before they had taken place, the RSPCA raided with so many inspectors that the local lawyer who attended could not count them all. Not to mention two van loads of police. According to the lawyer, the charity attempted to remove all the animals, including two pets which the charity 'admitted there and then that there were no welfare issues with'. The animal sanctuary's reputation was destroyed by the raid, which was reported in a national newspaper. Months later, after the charity still had not pressed any charges, the lawyer investigated further, discovering that the raid was carried out on the basis of an entirely fabricated accusation about a fictitious cat.  
• A defence barrister who said he was 'hounded' by the charity after he successfully defended a large number of cases. 

Responding to the accusations, RSPCA's Chief Executive Gavin Grant sounded by turns arrogant and defiant, dismissing accusations of harassment of vets and barristers as 'a nonsense' and saying that the idea that the police/CPS should take over prosecutions (as happens in Scotland) is 'fanciful'. When the interviewer suggested that the charity was losing its reputation as a 'helpful' organisation and becoming known as 'heavy-handed', Mr Grant seemed unapologetic, deflecting the question by talking about the values of those that founded the charity.

An unnamed veterinary nurse, of an unspecified gender, working at an undisclosed location, has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for drug-related offences.

Jane (or John) Doe was charged with having stolen midazolam, butorphanol and promethazine hydrochloride from their practice for use other than for veterinary purposes, making false clinical records concerning the use of drugs on their own dogs to disguise the fact that the drugs were instead being used for non-veterinary uses, and drawing up medication taken from the practice into a syringe for the purpose of self-medicating.

In addition, they were charged that their conduct was dishonest.

The Committee found it proven that Jane/John Doe had taken approximately 150 vials of midazolam, 87 ampoules, 112 tablets and one elixir bottle of promethazine hydrocholoride, and 0.2mls of butorphanol together with Iml of midazolam for their dog at a time when their dog was, in fact, dead.

The Committee also found it proven that the defendant had drawn up medication for the purpose of self-medicating, and had created false clinical records.

In deciding the sanction, the Committee concluded that the respondent had abused their position of trust, that their actions were dishonest, prolonged and repeated in nature, and undermined the reputation of the profession as a whole.

Therefore the only appropriate action was removal from the Register.

Unusually, the RCVS did not issue a press release about this case, as it normally does.

There was also a protracted delay between the hearing and the report of the hearing being published on the College website.

Furthermore, when it was finally published, the report had been redacted to remove any reference to the name, gender or location of the respondent.

When asked why, the College said: "Matters of a highly confidential nature arose following the hearing which led to a delay in the decisions being published.

“The decisions have been redacted and we cannot provide the reasons for the redactions as that would necessarily involve disclosure of confidential and personal information.

"However, the circumstances are considered to be exceptional and the College’s decision to make the redactions was only made following very careful consideration of evidence provided to the RCVS.

"The decision has been published on the RCVS website in its redacted form and in view of the timeframe and the circumstances, it has not been considered appropriate to issue a press release.”

Comment
The College will for sure have had very good reasons for redacting the name of the respondent in this case.

One has to assume there must have been a very real threat to the respondent’s life, and under those circumstances, confidentiality is absolutely right and proper.

However, whatever the reason, secrecy is never a good look, especially when it comes in the form of a cape worn by a regulator.

So it is frustrating to hear that the College has again made a rod for its own back, when it could so easily have included a very general one-line explanation for why it felt redaction was necessary, without compromising the individual’s confidentiality.

It would have been enough, for example, just to say that the College felt there was a risk to life. People would accept that.

A group of 36 newly-qualified veterinary nurses visited the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons on Friday 13 June for two admissions ceremonies.

Veterinary Nurses Council Vice-Chairman, Elizabeth Branscombe, began the ceremonies by welcoming guests to both Belgravia House and the start of the VNs' professional careers. She emphasised that the title of Veterinary Nurse is one to be proud of, and spoke about the exciting times ahead for the profession.

‘Having successfully completed your portfolio and exams you are now eligible to enter the Veterinary Nurses Register and follow the Guide to Professional Conduct. It is a satisfying and challenging career which can lead onto many other opportunities, such as practice management or teaching future veterinary nurses.'

Family, friends and colleagues were present to see the new VNs receive their certificates and badges from RCVS President, Dr Bob Moore, who congratulated them on their achievements, and also recognised the support they had received from those around them.

‘Congratulations to each and every one of you in reaching the first stage of your career. Now is the time to thank your colleagues, family and friends for helping you get to where you are today. Their support is crucial for your success, now and in the future. Today is for celebrating; enjoy what you have achieved,' he said.

The VNs and their guests then enjoyed a drinks reception with the President.

Alstoe Animal Health has introduced a new, palatable joint nutrient supplement for horses.

According to the company, the benefits of feeding equine joint nutrient supplements to assist with maintaining mobility and supporting health joint function has been well documented, but until now, their flavours have often had to be disguised by mixing them into the feed in an attempt to ensure compliance.

Easeflex Equine palatable pellets include alfalfa, an equine favourite which has been used in the USA for some time, and shown to be readily accepted by horses, without the need to mix with the feed.

Alstoe says Easeflex Equine contains high levels of glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulphate, which are important in the production of glycosaminoglycans, and which have chondroprotective properties that aid in the natural renewal of cartilaginous tissue. Easeflex Equine palatable pellets also include MSM (methyl-sulphonyl-methane), a source of bioavailable sulphur, a key component of connective tissue and important in the synthesis of articular cartilage. Antioxidants are also present to help prevent damage by free radicals, as well as the essential trace minerals, copper, zinc and manganese.

Easeflex Equine palatable pellets can be fed to horses, ponies and donkeys of any age. The company recommends initial daily feeding of a double loading quantity for the first four to six weeks, thereafter reducing to a maintenance level or as directed by the veterinary surgeon. The amount of pellets to be fed depends on the weight of the animal, one small scoop containing 28g of pellets can be a daily dose for a horse of up to 450kg. Easeflex Equine palatable pellets are available in 1.7kg and 4.54kg tubs.

The RCVS has announced the results of the RCVS Council and VN Council elections.

Re-elected to three of the six seats available on RCVS Council were current President Neil Smith (1,687 votes), incoming Standards Committee Chairman David Catlow (1,656) and Vice-President Jacqui Molyneux (1,304); and, from RCVS Day on 11 July 2014, they will be joined by new members David Bartram (1,674), Susan Paterson (1,496) and Mandisa Greene (1,296).

The two available places on VN Council were taken by existing member Hilary Orpet (611 votes) and new member Amber Richards (371).

Notably, half of the successful RCVS Council candidates this year were women, two of whom being elected for the first time.

Overall turnouts in both elections fell, with 4,137 (16.1%) veterinary surgeons and 1,157 (10%) veterinary nurses voting. These turnouts and voter numbers compare with 4,661 (18.8%) and 1,329 (12.5%) last year, and ten-year averages of 3,927 (17.4%) and 869 (9.9%), respectively.

RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey, said: "It was always going to be tough to beat last year's record turnout, even with a record number of candidates standing this year, but it's encouraging that voter numbers are still the third highest in the last ten years.

"I'd like to be amongst the first to publicly congratulate all the successful candidates this year, and to encourage those who weren't successful this time to stand again in the future. I'm very much looking forward to working with our three new RCVS Council members whilst, at the same time, delighted that the profession has returned three existing members to their seats, enabling them to continue their work for the College."

Chair of VN Council, Kathy Kissick, says: "Many congratulations to Hilary, who has been returned to the VN Council for the third time running, and to Amber, who I'm looking forward to welcoming to VN Council in July. Hilary's experience and Amber's fresh input will, I'm sure, combine to provide an excellent contribution to our ongoing work."

VetNurse.co.uk has joined forces with the Veterinary Wound Library to give veterinary nurses a new, NURSE ONLY source of help and advice for their questions and queries on veterinary wound care.

The new Wound Management Expert Help Forum is a completely new social media format through which any veterinary nurse can come and ask a question which is then shared amongst experts in their field for a reply. Importantly, only the nurse who asked question and the experts can take part in the discussion.

For the new forum, VetNurse.co.uk has joined forces with Georgie Hollis from The Veterinary Wound Library and her team of Bandaging Angels, who include Shelly Jefferies RVN, Zara Clephane RVN and Louis Pailor RVN.

The idea was inspired by Sir Tim Berners Lee, the so called 'father of the Internet', who gave a speech last year in which he bemoaned the lack of provenance and transparency for information and opinions shared on Facebook. What’s more, expert opinion is often drowned amongst the opinions of people who are certainly not experts, and who quite often don’t know what they are talking about.

This new format overcomes this problem because only veterinary experts with a completed profile which shows their qualifications are allowed to reply to questions in the Expert Help Forums on VetNurse.

Furthermore, the forum is a safe NURSE ONLY space to discuss your remit, challenges and responsibilities in a friendly, peer-led environment that can support nurses working in diverse teams.

Aside from giving you the confidence of knowing that you are getting help from someone whose qualifications you can see, there are a number of other benefits of this format. First, because the discussion is kept between someone who is looking for help and someone who is there to help, there is no risk of the discussion becoming hostile, as sometimes happens in less controlled discussion formats.

Second, unlike Facebook, where posts are very much ‘here today, gone today’ your questions will become part of a searchable knowledgebase that others can refer to. By working with the Vet Wound Library team we will be able to ensure the very best evidence-based support is offered alongside the opportunity for further education and telemedicine support if required.

Last but not least, both the question author and the experts can claim time spend in the Expert forums towards their annual CPD requirement. Just click ‘claim CPD' at the top of the thread and then collect a certificate from time to time in your profile.

To encourage our first raft of questions VetNurse.co.uk and The Veterinary Wound Library are offering a £25 Amazon voucher for the best four questions about veterinary wound care submitted to the Wound Management Expert Help Forum by August 20th 2020. Don’t hold back, your question can be a general one about techniques or materials, process or procedure or even a specific case.

To submit your question, login to www.vetnurse.co.uk and visit the Wound Management Expert Help Forum.

And please do share the news about this new resource amongst your fellow nurses.

The RCVS announced in a tweet yesterday afternoon that it will be retaining postnominals on the Register.

#RCVScouncil agrees to retain postnominals on Register. Proposals to improve clarity to come back to future meeting.

— RCVS (@RCVS_UK) June 5, 2014

VetSurgeon understands that the proposals to improve clarity may yet involve some rationalisation of the postnominals that will be displayed, but that RCVS Certs and Diplomas will remain.

The decision represents something of a victory for Victoria Lilley’s campaign and yet another indication that under the stewardship of Nick Stace, the RCVS really is evolving to become a more open, responsive organisation.

Insulation manufacturer Saint-Gobain Isover has published the results of a survey of 2000 homeowners which found that 36% are annoyed by noise made by neighbours' pets.

The Noise Report was commissioned to discover how many homeowners suffered with noisy next-door neighbours, to which the answer proved to be one in four. 

According to the survey, which was carried out by Onepoll, Newcastle has the greatest percentage of owners who are disturbed by noise several times per day: 29.76% (click to enlarge infographic right).

In addition to noisy neighbours, 27% of homeowners said they are also disturbed by passing street traffic, while almost a third suffer from the sound of car and burglar alarms, and 36% are annoyed by noise from neighbours' pets.

The findings also suggested that external noise was more than just an irritation for homeowners. Almost a third of respondents said they lose sleep at night due to noise, while 15% claimed it causes them stress and anxiety. More than a fifth reported that they are unable to relax in their own home.

However, despite the impact of external noise on their quality of life, 45% of homeowners say they have not done anything about it. Only 6% report addressing the issue by installing insulation solutions in their homes.

Helen Tunnicliffe, head of marketing at Isover, said: "It is clear that noise from neighbours, traffic and other sources is a big problem for many homeowners. Not only is it irritating, it can have a major impact on people's emotional wellbeing.

"However, in spite of the seriousness of the issue, far too few people are taking measures to address it. There are many simple, easy-to-install solutions that prevent external noise in the home, such as insulation systems, which not only make the house warmer, but offer high acoustic performance too."

Alternatively, I suppose, move to Aberystwyth. 

The RCVS has announced that nominations are now open for the RCVS VN Council Elections and launched a new video which explains why you should consider putting your name forward.

Two seats are available on VN Council, each for a four-year tenure. Suzanne May and Hilary Orpet will be retiring from VN Council, but will be eligible to stand again in 2014.

To help veterinary nurses learn more about what's involved in being a Council Member, the benefits it can bring and the amount of time it requires, the College has produced a short video featuring the experiences of some existing members of Council and their reasons for standing.

Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "We have chosen the theme 'People like you' for these videos because people on the Councils really are no different to their colleagues across all aspects of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions. The thoughts and experiences they describe on camera will sound very familiar to many of their colleagues and peers! We need people of all ages and of varying experiences and professional backgrounds to ensure there is a healthy and diverse range of views available."

The College will also be hosting a special 'Meet the RCVS' day on Tuesday, 10 December for anyone considering standing for election but wanting to find out more first. Further information and bookings are available from Fiona Harcourt, Communications Officer (020 7202 0773 / f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk).

Nominations are open until 5pm on Friday, 31 January 2014, allowing plenty of time to find out more about what's involved and to find two proposers.

Details about how to stand in the election are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil14.

A new study has found that the UK domestic cat and dog population is larger than previously reported by industry figures. Cats and dogs are amongst the most popular pets in the UK but it has been over 20 years since domestic cat and dog population estimates in the UK have been published in scientific peer-reviewed journals.

The paper published in the Veterinary Record by Dr Jane Murray in the Department of Clinical Veterinary Science at Bristol University and colleagues, aimed to estimate the number of UK domestic cats and dogs and identify the characteristics of their owners. The figures are also useful to the animal health and welfare professions, including rescue charities, which can use these and future estimates to assess population changes.

In 2007, a telephone survey of households randomly selected from the electoral roll revealed that cats and dogs were owned by 26 per cent and 31 per cent of households, respectively. The number of owned cats and dogs were predicted by two variables: the number of people in the household and the geographical location (London/rest of UK) of the household. UK census information and mid-year population estimates of the number of households and the average household size in 2006 in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were used to estimate that UK households owned approximately 10.3 million cats and 10.5 million dogs in 2006.

Dr Murray said: "Our 95% confidence intervals were 9.4-11.3 million cats and 9.6-11.4 million dogs".

This compares with PFMA estimates of 7.2 million cats and 7.3 million dogs in 2007, and 8 million cats and 8 million dogs in 2009.

Characteristics associated with cat and dog ownership were also identified. Cats were more likely to be owned by; households with gardens, semi-urban/rural households, households with someone qualified to degree level, respondents who were female and respondents who were aged less than 65 years. Cats were less likely to be owned by households with one or more dogs.

The likelihood of dog ownership increased as the household size increased. Dogs were more likely to be owned by households with gardens, rural households and less likely to be owned by households with someone educated to degree level and households with cats or children aged less than 11 years.

Female respondents and those aged less than 55 years were more likely to report dog ownership than other respondents. Dogs were less likely to be owned by households with one or more cats.    

Dr. Murray added: "The study has shown many common factors relating to cat and dog ownership, such as a garden and rural location, but it has also identified some notable differences.  

"In particular, the difference in the level of education achieved by a household owning cats and dogs. The reason for this association is unclear.  It is unlikely to be related to household income as this variable was not shown to be significant but it could be related to household members with longer working hours having less time available to care for a dog.

"Past reports have suggested that the number of pet cats exceeds the number of pet dogs in the UK. However, results from our study suggest that there are similar numbers of pet cats and dogs."

The researchers recommend the study is repeated in 2011, (the year of the next scheduled UK census), as any increase or decrease in population numbers will enable pet ownership trends to be monitored.

The RCVS Operational Board has announced that it will ask Council to review its decision to remove postgraduate postnominals from the Register, following the largely negative response from the profession to the idea, including a petition from Derbyshire surgeon, Victoria Lilley.

The original decision was made by Council in June 2012 as part of a package of measures aimed at developing clarity around postgraduate skills and knowledge.

The College says that the removal of postgraduate postnominals from the Register was intended to help dispel confusion amongst the public and some members of the profession about the level of various qualifications, by introducing the Advanced Practitioner status alongside the existing Specialist list.

Chairman of the Operational Board, CEO Nick Stace, said: "Over the last few days we have listened to the disquiet amongst the profession - which has included direct contact with staff and Operational Board members, a petition and discussion on fora and social media - and feel that we should address some misunderstandings but also give Council the opportunity to review the decision at its 5 June meeting.

"Many good points have been made by members of the profession and I am pleased that the Operational Board has agreed to reflect on them and consider whether there is a better way to achieve the clarity we were seeking for the public and the profession.

"The introduction of Advanced Practitioner status is a positive move for both the profession and the public, and underlines the College's commitment to lifelong learning.

"It is important to have the profession's support for the direction we are taking in advancing standards across the sector."

The College has also provided some Q&A's concerning the original decision made by Council in 2012, as follows.

1. When did this process start?
   A Specialisation Working Party was set up in spring 2010 under the chairmanship of Professor Sir Kenneth Calman to review routes to specialisation, and clarity around postgraduate qualifications. It was, in part, in response to a report produced by Professor Philip Lowe, on behalf of Defra, around veterinary expertise in food animal production, although the Working Party's remit went wider.
2. Was the profession consulted?
   The recommendations of the Working Party were sent out to consultation amongst the profession and the public in November 2011. The story featured on the front page of the November 2011 issue of RCVS News, which was sent to every member of the College, and received media coverage. We received 290 responses: 265 from individuals and 25 from organisations or groups of individuals.
3. To what has Council agreed?
   Council unanimously agreed recommendations from the Specialisation Working Party in June 2012. As well as recommending increasing scope of the Specialist list, changing the wording in the Code of Professional Conduct, and setting up the Advanced Practitioner status, it was agreed that: "The RCVS should simplify significantly the listing of postnominal letters for qualifications against Members' names in the published Register and on the RCVS website (Find a Vet). Official lists should show only the registerable degree (eg BVMS, or DVM, or BVetMed etc), followed by either MRCVS or FRCVS, and indicating whether the individual is on the list of specialists or the list of advanced practitioners. Thus: i. John Brown BVSc MRCVS ii. Jane Smith BVM&S MRCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery iii. Peter Jones, MVB, FRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Anaesthesia" This change would only have taken effect once the Advanced Practitioner list was in place and had bedded in.
4. Why was this proposal made?
   There were three key reasons for the decision in 2012: a) A qualification marks knowledge acquired at a specific point in time and is not necessarily an indicator of current knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, the status of Advanced Practitioner or Specialist will be revalidated every five years and require the individual actively to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. b) Market research has indicated that members of the public were unsure about the various postnominals and what they stood for. Veterinary surgeons are also confused about the level of different qualifications. c) It is increasingly difficult to adjudicate on which postnominals should be included in the Register, and new requests are made on a regular basis, including qualifications that are not straightforward to assess in terms of their quality or relevance. While it may seem easy to say that just RCVS postgraduate qualifications should be included, since we began phasing out the RCVS Diplomas and encouraging veterinary surgeons to take European ones, this has been less clear-cut.
5. Is the RCVS removing our qualifications?
   No. There has never been an intention to remove anyone's qualifications.
   The original decision in 2012 was not to print them in the Register or include on the RCVS website. Individuals would have been free to use them as they wished, for example, in practice marketing, on stationery etc.
6. How are veterinary nurses affected?
   There is no change to the position for veterinary nurses.
7. Is the RCVS devaluing non-modular certificates?
   Both modular (CertAVP) and non-modular certificates are valid for those wishing to apply to join the Advanced Practitioner list. Those with the non-modular certificates are asked to complete either the RCVS 'A' module in the CertAVP or other equivalent modules or 100 hours of CPD that covers the same ground, over their first five-year accreditation period.
8. Is Advanced Practitioner status just a money-making exercise for the RCVS?
   The Advanced Practitioners status is being introduced to give a clear signal to the profession and the public that a practitioner has developed their skills and knowledge in a specific area, and is committed to maintaining them. An administration fee is paid to the College to join and remain on the list, in the same way that it is for Specialists. It is not a money-making scheme and the fees are set to cover costs.
9. What's happening now?
   The RCVS Operational Board met on 24 April and considered the decision that had been made by Council in June 2012 and the subsequent unhappiness amongst the profession that had been catalysed by recently-published information about the Advanced Practitioner status. The Board felt that although the rationale behind the original 2012 decision was sound, the issues that the change aimed to address could now be tackled in other ways. It has therefore requested that Council review its decision at its 5 June meeting. A paper will be developed which outlines possible routes forward, which will be available on the RCVS website in due course.

Vetoquinol has announced that packs of Rubenal 300mg are now available in bottles of 60 tablets instead of the previous 20.

Rubenal, which was launched earlier this year, is a complementary nutritional feeding stuff for the support of renal function in case of chronic renal insufficiency in dogs and cats. It is used as an aid to the maintenance of the normal renal fibrous architecture.

Simon Boulton, Rubenal's product manager said: "This increased pack size is a direct result of customer consultation. It will make treatment more cost effective for dogs and allow a longer treatment period per pack purchased."

For further information please contact your Vetoquinol representative or telephone 0800 1698197.