The charity says that although histiocytic sarcoma is rare, it is an aggressive form of cancer which Flatcoated Retrievers are particularly susceptible to.
According to the AHT, almost half of all affected Flat-coated Retrievers will have a tumour in multiple locations in the body at the time of diagnosis. The outlook for these dogs is very poor and, in most cases, means they receive a terminal diagnosis.
The new research revolves around microRNAs, abnormal levels of which are often found in tumours. In addition, different microRNAs are involved in different cancers. These cancer-specific microRNA signatures can be found within the blood of cancer patients, meaning that a tumour could potentially be diagnosed with a blood test.
To start with, the researchers say they plan to confirm if there is a specific microRNA signature that is unique to histiocytic sarcomas amongst tumours and normal tissue samples from Flatcoated Retrievers. If a signature is identified, the project will investigate if measuring the levels of these microRNAs within a Flatcoated Retriever tissue sample can be used to accurately identify a histiocytic sarcoma. If it can, additional funding will be sought for more research to identify if the microRNA signature is also detectable in the blood of affected dogs, and thence to develop a blood test.
If it comes off, this would mean that a blood sample from a Flatcoated Retriever that was lame, or was showing non-specific clinical signs of the disease such as depression, lethargy, appetite or weight loss, could be tested for the presence of the histiocytic sarcoma-associated microRNAs.
A dog with a positive test result could then have an early MRI scan and histopathology done to confirm the diagnosis, hopefully at a stage where treatment would be more successful.
Dr Anna Hollis, cancer researcher at the Animal Health Trust, said: "I have Flatcoated Retrievers and have lost one of them to histiocytic sarcoma - it is absolutely devastating. This research could make a significant difference, and that is a huge personal motivation for me. Histiocytic sarcoma is a particularly tricky cancer to diagnose, because the tumours are frequently located deep within or between the muscles of the upper limbs - underneath the shoulder is a common location.
"Often lame dogs are rested and given pain relief before imaging is sought. Delayed diagnosis is a potential problem with histiocytic sarcoma given its aggressive nature and ability to spread rapidly to other locations within the body. If we could identify affected dogs at an earlier stage, this may allow more successful treatment of the disease."
The research project has been funded by the Flatcoated Retriever Society (FCRS) and the FCRS Rescue, Rehousing and Welfare Scheme. The Flatcoated Retriever Breed Health Co-ordinator, Liz Branscombe, said "Sadly, there is a high incidence of this aggressive form of cancer in our beautiful breed. Early detection of the disease is key in optimising cancer treatment and prolonging survival time so the prospect of a diagnostic blood test for use in the future is exciting.'
Photo: Liz Branscombe, Dr Mike Starkey and Dr Anna Hollis of AHT and Brian Jones of FCRS Rescue, Rehousing and Welfare.
The new series comprises six online discussions taking place over the course of the spring, covering everything from diversity to creativity to identity.
The upcoming programme of events is as follows:
Tuesday 1st March 2022 7pm to 8pm: Celebrating diversity Chaired by Gurpreet Gill, RCVS Leadership & Inclusion Manager. Panel members Lacey Pitcher RVN, Dr Olivia Anderson-Nathan MRCVS and Samantha Payne RVN will be talking about what celebrating diversity means to people, exploring how this links to mental health, and sharing their thoughts on why – and how – the professions should be working towards greater inclusivity, both in and out of the workplace.
Monday 21st March 2022 7pm to 8pm: The joy of creativityThis discussion will look at why creativity is so important for people’s lives and how it can be used to support mental health and wellbeing with a panel comprising Dr Silvia Janksa MRCVS and Olivia Oginska MRCVS.
Tuesday 5th April 2022 7pm to 8pm: Overcoming self-doubt and stressing outThis discussion will consider the main causes of stress in the veterinary workforce and how this may have shifted throughout the pandemic. The discussion will encompass coping strategies, the ways in which stress can be channelled in a more constructive way, and overcoming feelings of self-doubt.
Thursday 21st April 2022 7pm to 8pm: Identity – who am I away from work? This discussion will consider to what extent veterinary professionals should let their careers define them, the importance of understanding oneself in and out of a work setting, and how people can learn to value, accept, and appreciate their whole selves.
Tuesday 3rd May 2022 7pm to 8pm: Saying goodbye…letting go and learning to growThis discussion will consider how best to cope with the various types of loss that may be encountered in an individual’s professional and personal life, and how to learn, adapt and grow from these losses.
Thursday 12th May 2022 7pm to 8pm: Tackling loneliness in a hyperconnected worldThis Campfire Chat will discuss why meaningful connection and having a sense of belonging matters, and how individuals and communities can tackle loneliness in a hyperconnected world.
Angharad Belcher, Director of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: “We all lead busy professional and personal lives and sometimes it means that self-care, which includes talking to others about how we’re feeling and about issues that we find important to us, can fall by the wayside.
“Our Campfire Chats offer a perfect opportunity – and excuse – to take a bit of time out of your schedule to engage in a structured but informal discussion about all manner of subjects, expertly led by a chair and panel with experience, lived and otherwise, on the topic being talked about.
“These events are for the whole veterinary team, we keep the sessions very informal, and there is also the opportunity to share or ask questions of the panel.”
To sign up for the first session, visit https://bit.ly/3GnQK0G.
For further information about the events contact Abi Hanson, Mind Matters Initiative Officer, on a.hanson@rcvs.org.uk
Propomitor can be used for the induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia for procedures lasting up to five minutes by the administration of incremental doses or as a constant rate infusion (CRI).
It can also be used for the induction of general anaesthesia where maintenance is provided by the inhalation of anaesthetic agents.
Animalcare Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: "Propofol is the ‘go to’ solution for short-acting anaesthesia in many practices so we are delighted to add Propomitor, our new affordable propofol solution, to our range. It complements our already extensive anaesthetic toolkit, which offers options for analgesia, sedation, gaseous anaesthesia and recovery."
Propomitor is available in boxes of 5 x 20 ml bottles.
For more information, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687.
The company says the sessions will help veterinary staff learn more about the condition - which affects up to 20% of dogs in the UK annually1 - the causes and consequences of osteoarthritis pain, the main predisposing risk factors and the impact of chronic pain on central sensitisation.
The CPD will look at what steps practices can take to mitigate animal suffering and increase long-term owner compliance and will encourage practices to look at their current osteoarthritis management strategy.
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "Canine osteoarthritis is a growing concern for UK vets – latest figures suggest that over two million dogs are suffering, based on current population figures.
"Managing these cases can be challenging, but through this lunch and learn session, we aim to support veterinary staff and help them to expand their knowledge and implement an improved approach for managing canine osteoarthritis.’
www.animalcare.co.uk/lunch-and-learn
Reference
Skin diseases and palpable masses are a common presentation in guinea pigs brought for veterinary care2.
However, few studies have thus far looked at the prevalence of spontaneously arising diseases in pet guinea pigs.
"Lumpy bumpy guinea pigs: a retrospective study of 619 biopsy samples of externally palpable masses submitted from pet guinea pigs for histopathology" retrospectively analysed 619 biopsy samples submitted for histopathology from pet guinea pigs that had presented with externally palpable masses.
The purpose was to determine the most common tissue origins of these masses and the most frequent pathological diagnoses, together with signalment data for the most commonly diagnosed lesions.
Of the 619 samples submitted from 493 animals, 54 (8.7%) had arisen from the mammary glands3 and 15 (2.4%) from the thyroid glands, with the remaining 550 (88.9%) involving the skin and subcutis, muscle (n = 1), salivary glands (n = 4), lips (n = 2), ears (n = 4) and peripheral lymph nodes (n = 23).
Forty-seven (7.6%) of the masses were diagnosed as inflammatory in nature, including dermatitis, panniculitis, lymphadenitis, cheilitis, myositis, sialoadenitis, abscess and chronic inflammation with osseous metaplasia.
Non-neoplastic, non-inflammatory lesions accounted for a further 31 (5.0%), namely cysts, hamartomas, hyperplastic lesions, polyps, ectopic bone formation and salivary gland steatosis.
The remainder of the samples were neoplastic in nature (541; 87.4%), with 99 masses classified as epithelial in origin, 347 as mesenchymal, 23 as round cell, five as melanocytic and eight as unclassified malignant neoplasms.
Of these, mesenchymal neoplasms were further subdivided into benign (288) and malignant (59).
Lipomas were the most common neoplasm diagnosed, accounting for 286 of all samples submitted.
Of all 619 samples included in the study, the eight most commonly diagnosed lesions were lipoma (46.2%), trichofolliculoma (12.3%), sarcoma (of various subtypes: 9.5%), inflammation (all sites 7.6%), lymphoma / leukaemia (3.4%), mammary carcinoma (4%), mammary adenoma (3.2%) and thyroid carcinoma (1.5%).
Overall these eight diagnoses accounted for 87.7% of all submissions from the externally palpable masses from the pet guinea pigs submitted for histopathology.
Melanie said: “Guinea pigs are an increasingly popular household pet.
"Skin diseases, including palpable masses, are a common reason for veterinary presentation. But few studies have been published to date that provide information for clinicians about these conditions.
“This study illustrates the importance of neoplasms of the skin and subcutis in pet guinea pigs, with over 87% of the cases analysed having one of eight diagnoses.
"While most of these neoplasms are benign, a substantial minority are malignant and identifying those lesions is especially important in treatment planning.
"Clinicians dealing with pet guinea pigs should also be aware that some externally palpable masses may arise from the thyroid or mammary glands rather than the skin or subcutis, and that male guinea pigs may also develop mammary lesions.”
The paper has been selected as ‘Editor’s Choice’ by the Journal of Comparative Pathology and will be free to access until September on Lumpy, bumpy guinea pigs: a retrospective study of 619 biopsy samples of externally palpable masses submitted from pet guinea pigs for histopathology - ScienceDirect.
References
The annual survey gives an overview of remuneration levels within the veterinary sector.
It covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime, to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances and pensions.
SPVS is asking everyone in the veterinary profession to take part, whether they're in a clinical or non-clinical role, a vet, a nurse, a practice manager, support staff or working in industry.
The main findings of the survey will be published in a report and freely available to any participant who gives their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be able to access the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
All survey data is treated as strictly anonymous and totally confidential.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/LOZS6O
Any questions: office@spvs.org.uk
The training sessions are taking place both online and in person and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Upcoming training dates are as follows:
https://www.vetmindmatters.org/training/
For the study, which was conducted in 2018 and published this year in Medical and Veterinary Entomology1, practices from around the UK sent in combings from 812 cats and 662 dogs for analysis.
28% of the cats and 14% of the dogs were found to be carrying fleas, with cats from central Wales and the Welsh Borders being more than twice as likely to have fleas than elsewhere in the country. Likewise, dogs from North Wales, the North Wales borders, South Wales and South West England were between 3 and 4.5 times as likely to have fleas as elsewhere.
Of the cats treated with fipronil, 62% (n=57) were still found to be carrying fleas despite treatment. Of the dogs, 44% (n=49) of those treated with fipronil were still carrying fleas. By contrast, 4.1% of cats and 1.4% of dogs treated with fluralaner (Bravecto) were found to have fleas (the lowest of any treatment).
Professor Richard Wall, Veterinary Entomologist at the University of Bristol said: "There is a clear need for greater owner education about the importance of flea treatment and a better understanding of the efficacy of different flea and tick prevention products.
"It is critical for vets to not only recommend the best product for a pet’s needs but to also give a better understanding of the effectiveness and correct application of the different treatments."
Photo: Professor Richard Wall, University of Bristol
The Pitpat was designed in Cambridge, launched in 2016 and is now the leading dog activity monitor on the market, with over 50,000 sold.
I was invited to review the Pitpat by one of the company's non-executive directors, Myra Forster-van Hijfte FRCVS, a European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine who was also one of the angel investors.
I wasn't convinced that this was something every dog owner would want to use regularly. You'd have to be a bit obsessed to be routinely reviewing the activity levels of a perfectly fit young dog. But I think there is real potential for it to add value to veterinary nurses' obesity clinics and also to measure a response to treatment for things like osteoarthritis (OA). As such, it is perhaps something for practices to consider buying for themselves, and then loaning it out to the owners of dogs on a weight loss programme or which are getting treatment for OA.
Myra said: "PitPat gives an objective measurement of the actual activity the dog has done and the app gives the owner tailored advice (based on breed, age and sex of the dog) on how much exercise their dog should be doing and an estimate of daily calories their dog has burnt. This will help owners keep their dogs fit and healthy and in the correct body condition.
"PitPat is useful in weight management clinics by improving owner engagement through the associated weight app. Encouraging exercise also provides the owner with a positive contribution towards weight management.
"Monitoring activity pre- and post treatment, for instance dogs with osteoarthritis on NSAID's, provides vet and owner with an objective measure of whether treatment is effective or not."
You can watch the full review here. If you're interested in technology that is designed to make life easier, do subscribe to the channel!
For more information about Pitpat, visit: https://www.pitpat.com/. Veterinary practices that want to buy a Pitpat for use with their clients will get a trade discount. Contact the company for more details.
The association says that the day of lectures is mainly targeted at those who are starting on their path of ophthalmology, but old hands may also learn a few new tricks.
Topics will include how to get the most from the ophthalmic examination, diagnostics and what options there are for career growth in our specialty.
There will be live panel discussions to give attendees the opportunity to ask any questions they have.
Tickets costs £100+VAT for BrAVO members, £60+VAT for nurses and interns, and £40+VAT for students.
The deadline for registration is Tuesday 16th March at 5:00pm.
To book your ticket, visit: https://www.eventbee.com/v/bravo-spring-meeting-2021/event?eid=164693974#/tickets
Danny Chambers MRCVS had a disappointing night after seeing the Liberal Democrat share of the vote in North Cornwall decrease by 5.8%, leaving him trailing 14,752 votes behind the Conservative candidate Scott Mann who scored 30,671.
Meanwhile Ian Fleming MRCVS, who stood as an independent candidate for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency, got 190 votes. The winning Conservative candidate, James Morris, gained 25,607 votes.
Many people will no doubt feel that the overall Conservative majority of 80 seats is a disastrous result; people who simply cannot bear Boris and fear what he'll do with a majority; people who saw a land of milk and honey and free broadband and publicly-owned railways that run on time and an A&E waiting time of less than 30 seconds and guillotines for the rich, only to have their hopes dashed. They must be gutted.
Equally it can be argued that this is the best possible result for the country. A decisive vote. Now, finally, we can all move on from 3 years of interminable debate about whether we're staying or going or having another referendum or cancelling the whole thing and going down the pub instead. Now the government can concentrate on implementing brexit. Perhaps the country can at last unite around that purpose.
Boris may not prove the disaster that some people think. He's not hard right. Quite the reverse. And having won all those safe Labour seats, he'll have to deliver for them. He has a good sense of humour ("Let's get breakfast done."), but that does not make him a fool or a charlatan. On the contrary, wit requires brainpower. And as for the accusations of being a liar, perhaps people will come to understand that flowery use of language does not itself make someone dishonest. Perhaps people will learn to stop interpreting his words so literally.
Time will tell, but there is cause for optimism this morning. Whichever side of the fence you sit, we must all be glad of one thing ... no more arguing about whether or not we're leaving.
Dan, who is a novice runner, will be running the 13.1 miles between Newcastle and South Shields on Sunday 12 September. He said: “You’d think that lockdown would be the perfect opportunity to train hard and then breeze through the ‘world’s biggest and best half marathon’ but, perhaps like many others, I ate cheese and drank wine for 18 months, so the challenge is now really on.
“I’m raising funds to help save the rhino because the conservation of these magnificent animals is so important and I hope the added pressure of supporting the charity will propel me across the finish line. I’m also excited to be running in Newcastle at a time when Medivet is growing its presence in the North-East of England.
“Running in the rhino suit will be tough but it has an internal fan which I hope will keep me cool on the day. Let’s hope the weather will be kind!”
Donations to support Dan's fundraising can be made at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DanSutcliffe1
The 2021 Nursing Programme, which was launched in January, is a new course that provides CVS employees with over 150 hours of foundation training and is open to all registered veterinary nurses across the company's practices.
The programme offers a range of courses and is designed to help nurses complete their mandatory CPD requirements, while providing learning and development opportunities for colleagues to further their careers.
CVS says it has capped the cost of the course so it remains accessible to all its nurses.
The company added that it plans to introduce an intermediate course in 2022, and an advanced some time thereafter, so that it can meet the CPD requirements of all of its nurses, at any stage in their career.
Lucy Turner, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS Group (pictured right), said: “At CVS, we place our people at the heart of we do and are always searching for ways in which we can be the veterinary company that people most want to work for.
"This foundational programme, which is available almost entirely online, is a way in which we can support, nurture and build on the extensive talent we have across our Group and we greatly look forward to hearing feedback from the nurses who take part in the programme’s first year.”
The Registrar and Secretary of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Jane Hern, has announced that she will be standing down at the end of the year.
After 15 years in the job, Jane says she has been pleased to oversee a number of significant reforms and new initiatives in her time leading the organisation, but has decided that it is time to move on and pursue other interests.
The College says it is now embarking on a comprehensive review of its governance, committee and management structures, during which the Officers and Council will consider how best the executive should be led in future.
Jane said: "I have greatly enjoyed my time with the College and the Trust. Working with a profession held in such high regard by the public has been a real pleasure. I wish veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and all my colleagues all the very best for the future."
The President, Dr Jerry Davies said: "The Royal College has been very fortunate in having the benefit of Jane's wisdom and guidance for so many years, and we wish her every success in the future."
Nutritional researcher Brian Zanghi from the Purina Institute will also share some of his work, which has focused on nutrient-enriched ‘water supplements’ and the impact on voluntary water intake.1
Purina says various studies have shown an association between increased water intake and improved outcomes in cases of feline lower urinary tract conditions.2,3 Encouraging water intake may also benefit cats with renal disease or chronic constipation, as well as older animals with osteoarthritis who might be less keen to make repeated trips to their water bowls.
Libby Sheridan, MVB, MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, UK & Ireland, said: "The importance of good hydration is often under estimated and there are so many factors that can influence intake – from the position of the water bowl, to materials used in the bowl construction and even the level of fill. Deciding when and how to promote increased intake can be difficult and we hope this session will help vets and vet nurses to make those decisions.”
The lecture programme will include a review of clinical evidence, discussion of the benefits of increasing water intake and practical case-based advice from Sarah and Andy. The event will be recorded for registrants who cannot attend on the day and registrations are accepted until the event starts on the evening of 9th December.
Registration is now open at https://www.bigmarker.com/closerstill-media/You-can-lead-a-cat-to-water-but-how-do-you-make-them-drink. All registrants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of ten goody bags which will include a premium water bottle.
For more information, contact the Purina Veterinary Nutrition Team on 0800 212161.
The journal publishes original peer-reviewed papers of international or global significance that improve the veterinary care and welfare of domestic cats.
Until this year, access to JFMS for most veterinary practitioners was dependent on membership to the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) or the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), or a separate paid subscription.
Now that the journal is open access, there are no restrictions on who can access the journal and all articles past and present are free to view.
The journal's editors say that making it open access greatly improves their ability to improve the health and welfare of cats by providing high-quality peer-reviewed information.
The AAFP and ISFM say they have already seen the positive impact this has had, with low- and middle-income countries now accounting for a quarter of the 20 most common geographic locations for visitors to the JFMS website.
Head of ISFM Nathalie Dowgray said: "Transitioning JFMS to an open access journal helps ISFM fulfil our parent charity’s (International Cat Care) mission of creating a cat friendly world through ensuring the latest knowledge in feline medicine and welfare is available to the global veterinary community."
For those interested in submitting to JFMS, authors can get a 50% discount on the article processing charge until 4 July 2023; after this date, a 22% discount will be in place for authors who are a member of ISFM or the AAFP.
Click here for more information about submitting an article to JFMS: https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/JFM
https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jfm
Asked why the CMA had decided to launch the review, its Senior Director for Consumer Protection told BBC R4's Today programme this morning that: "the costs of many vet services are rising higher than the cost of inflation, and it can be really hard to find out how much it's going to cost you, both for routine treatments or if something goes wrong and you need to find emergency care for your pet."
George added: "There's many other [veterinary] services and costs that people cannot have predicted and they can find themselves unexpectedly facing some really high bills, and when other household bills are going up very steeply at the moment we want to do everything we can to make sure that people can predict how much it is going to cost to see a vet, both for routine stuff but also for things if there's a crisis."
The authority is also looking at whether there is enough transparency over practice ownership.
With the percentage of independent practices falling from 89% in 2013 to 45% by 2021, the authority says people may not be clear if their vet is part of a group which owns other vet practices in their area or that the services which are being sold to them (such as diagnostic tests or treatments at a specialist animal hospital) are provided by that group.
This, it says, could impact pet owners’ choices and reduce the incentives of local vet practices to compete.
The CMA is now asking veterinary professionals, people who supply veterinary products and services and pet owners to take part in the review by completing an online questionnaire: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-respond-to-the-veterinary-services-market-for-pets-review
In particular, it wants to hear practitioners' experiences of:
The questionnaire will remain open for six weeks.
The CMA will outline the issues it identifies and announce its next steps early in 2024.
The new division has been granted a ManSA license by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).
Glesni Owen, Head of Veterinary Sales, said: “Veterinary professionals across the world increasingly prescribing CBD products to their patients for a variety of health conditions including osteoarthritis, epilepsy, pain management and a variety of other behavioural issues.
“Research into the use of CBD is advancing daily which provides veterinary professionals with an increased knowledge base to help clients make informed decisions about treating their pets.”
Pets Choice have been working closely with veterinary professionals in the United States where CBD therapy is far more widely prescribed, collating and sharing the latest supporting evidence and guidance for vets here in the UK to feel comfortable discussing it with their clients.
Glesni said: “We have developed a CPD-accredited educational webinar and also recorded a podcast with the Vet Times, interviewing highly-respected US-based veterinarian Jeffrey Powers, who has extensive experience prescribing CBD to his patients.”
https://petschoice-2.wistia.com/medias/cn1g7dr2rc
For further information, contact specials@petschoice.co.uk or 01934 831000.
The RCVS awards for which nominations can be made this year are:
Matthew Rendle RVN, Chair of the RCVS VN Council, said: “In my involvement with VN Council and through events such as our Diamond Jubilee celebrations, I get to see the sheer amount of talent and dedication in our profession, people who have spent their careers going the extra mile for their animals, their clients, their colleagues and their students.
"If you know a veterinary nurse who can demonstrate the real and tangible impact that veterinary nurses can make over a long and sustained career, please consider nominating them for this award.”
The deadline date for the 2023 awards is 5pm on Friday, 27 January 2023.
To read the guidance on making a nomination and to download the PDF nomination forms for each of the awards, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/awards
The Action Plan presents what the College is doing to tackle the issue and explains how collaboration, culture change, career development and leadership, among other things, could help with workforce shortages by improving retention of current members of the professions, encouraging more people to join, and making it easier for those who have left the professions to return.
The report lists seven main areas to be addressed:
The full list of actions, with context about what has fed into ambitions, can be found in the Action Plan which is downloadable at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications.
Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS, Junior Vice-President and Chair of the RCVS Advancement of the Professions Committee, said: “This is a very complex, broad and multi-faceted area of concern so the Action Plan has been a long time in the making to ensure that we adequately capture what needs doing and how, in order to enable us to work collaboratively with all veterinary organisations going forward.
"This is not a finished list, but gives all within the veterinary sector the ability to look at the key areas of work that need to be done and prioritise the ones that most suit their organisational needs."
Trilotab is licensed for the treatment of pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) caused by an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenoma, which accounts for 85% of spontaneous cases of Cushing’s, and for the treatment of adreno-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (ADH) caused by a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumour (ACT), which accounts for the remaining 15% of spontaneous cases1.
The new tablet is divisible into halves and quarters to facilitate dose adjustment and make administration easier.
Divided tablets remain stable outside of the blister packaging until the next dose is due, thereby avoiding wastage.
Trilotab tablets are chewable and chicken-flavoured to help improve treatment compliance.
They contain hydrolysed chicken flavouring so they can be prescribed for pets allergic to chicken.
Trilotab is administered once daily with food with a starting dose of 2mg trilostane/kg bodyweight.
The new tabs are available in three presentations: 10mg, 30mg, and 60mg presentations, which Virbac says should help practices reduce their dispensary stockholding.
Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director – UK & Ireland at Virbac, said: ‘The complex nature of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs can make it a challenging condition to manage for both the clinician and the pet owner.
"With the requirement for lifelong treatment, it is our hope that Trilotab’s easy administration and simplified dosing protocols will genuinely help to improve the lives of dogs affected by the disease, whilst making the clinician and pet owner’s lives just a little bit easier too!"
DuoTox is the first product to combine activated charcoal and diosmectite, providing a wider spectrum of absorbency against various toxic substances.
Accidental poisoning poses a significant threat to pets, with vets in the UK reporting over 30001 cases a week and making an average 60 calls a day to the VPIS for assistance2
In 2020, 7.1 million pets fell ill after eating something poisonous1 and the VPIS reported a 40% increase in poisoning enquiries in 20212.
The most commonly used product for accidental ingestion is activated charcoal, but it only has affinity for certain substances.
Diosmectite also only binds to select substances, but is not as widely used.
Up until now, the two have not been used together in one product, leaving situations where the chosen binder has no effect.
NVS says that in cases of potential ingestion, identifying the exact substance consumed, and relying on vets to know which binder to use for each substance, is a barrier to successful toxin binding.
Malcolm Dickinson, Category Manager for Select from NVS, said: “Activated charcoal has affinity for substances that are, for example acidic, non-ionised or poorly water soluble, leaving a gap for substances that are alkaline, cationic, hydrophilic etc.
"This is where the absorbency profile of diosmectite comes in to create one product with a much wider spectrum of adsorbency.”
“This will be hugely beneficial to vets in practice: vets can reach for one product, knowing it will be effective.”
DuoTox is available in both paste and liquid forms, designed with palatability in mind.
https://www.nvsweb.co.uk/product-brand/select-healthcare/
References:
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.
Joii has announced that its free vet nurse consultations and £20 consultations with veterinary surgeons will now be available 24 hours a day. The out-of-hours service will be delivered by eight UK-trained vets based overseas in countries such as Australia, to ensure its UK-based staff continue to enjoy a healthy work-life balance with no interruptions from nighttime working.
Meanwhile FirstVet has announced that for the next six weeks, all consultations via its platform will be free of charge. Appointments will be available for five hours per day, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
Veterinary practices that wish to provide their own online consultations have a couple of options to consider: The Virtual Vet Group, and VetHelpDirect.
The session, which will be led by Catherine Oxtoby, will introduce VDS's VetSafe tool, designed both to help prevent a blame and shame culture, and to reduce clinical errors.
It will also provide an opportunity for delegates to share the challenges faced by RVNs with the VDS, and suggest how the organisation can develop and improve what it does for veterinary nurses.
The session will start at 12.00 noon for an early informal lunch (provided by VDS!) and discussion, finishing at 2pm.
To register for the event, visit: https://r1.dotmailer-surveys.com/a22wqh55-253ynf4e.