The series looks in detail at some of the most important issues dental specialists are seeing in pets.
The first webinar in the series, which is going live on Tuesday 3rd November at 8:00pm, looks at the impact periodontal disease has on both cats and dogs.
Co-speaker and veterinary dental specialist, Jens Ruhnau DVM, DEVDC (above, left) discusses the importance of understanding and treating the condition: "Research has shown that over 80% of dogs over the age of three, and the majority of cats, are impacted by periodontal disease. Treating the disease early and correctly is key to reducing further spread, secondary infection, and ultimately improving the quality of life of the animal".
The second webinar in the series, which will be live on Tuesday 10th November at 8:00pm, shares advice on treating tooth fractures in pets. Looking at tips on how to perform an effective oral examination, along with reviewing recent studies on the fracture limits of teeth in pet dogs.
Co-speaker and founder of DentalVets, Norman Johnston (above, right) said: "Tooth fractures are very common in both cats and dogs, and can be caused by a variety of reasons. Looking in more detail at the diagnostic process, treatments options and being aware of what objects can cause damage will help veterinary professionals, and in-turn owners, understand more about the risk of fractures."
Both webinars are free to attend, to find out more information and to register click here. https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/mars-petcare-free-webinars-tooth-fractures-periodontal-disease
Probably the most noticeable part of the upgrade is the work we've done to make the site more mobile-phone friendly. But there are also a load of new features, including leaderboards so the most active contributors to the site can be rewarded, a group-based structure so that members can focus on their area of interest, more options for sharing content with colleagues and a brand new format designed especially for veterinary professionals, called the VetNurse Expert Help Forums. Mobile and desktop notifications of new content are also in the pipeline.
All of this builds on VetNurse.co.uk's existing strengths: providing the most popular job board for the veterinary nursing profession (made free of charge to support the profession during the pandemic) and the latest veterinary nursing news.
But it's the VetNurse Expert Help Forums we're most excited about, as they overcome the problems involved with discussing clinical issues on Facebook. The biggest of these is that Facebook gives everyone's opinion equivalence. In other words, it matters not whether you're the country's leading expert in something, or someone who really doesn't know what they are talking about, your post and your opinion is given the same level of prominence. That is fundamentally misleading.
Other problems inherent in Facebook are the fact that good quality replies get drowned in a sea of 'me too' responses, information is poorly curated, there is a lack of transparency because Facebook is not designed to highlight your professional qualifications, and experts get little or no recognition or reward for giving up their time and sharing their knowledge.
The VetNurse Expert Help Forums are designed to overcome all these issues. The concept is simple. Any veterinary nurse can come and ask a clinical question about any of thirteen nursing disciplines. But ONLY veterinary nurses and others who have advanced qualifications or experience can reply. When they do, you can verify their post as answering your question, which awards them points on a leaderboard and allows them to display a logo and contact details in their post (so they get recognition for their business or their employer).
What's more, both the person asking the question and the expert can claim the time spent towards their annual CPD requirement. Just press the 'Claim CPD' link at the top of the page and collect your certificate from the CPD section of your profile.
In due course, there will also be prizes for the most helpful experts and the best questions.
The system is already up and running on VetSurgeon.org, where it has proven very popular because it means members can ask questions without fear of having their question savaged, and know that the answers have come from people with advanced qualifications displayed in their profiles.
The VetNurse Expert Help Forums will be rolled out discipline-by-discipline in the coming weeks. We're currently looking for more nurses to become VetNurse Experts, so if you're interested, email: support@vetnurse.co.uk. The minimum requirements for being an expert are an advanced qualification and/or at least 10 years experience in a given field.
If you are a teacher at veterinary nursing college or a training practice, being VetNurse Expert is a great way to promote your courses or recruit new staff. Likewise if you are a nurse working in industry, it's a good way to highlight your employer's products or services. And finally, if you offer your own services, like referrals or locuming, it's a great way to promote those too.
Finally, we'll also be offering prizes for nurses who contribute to the normal discussion forums on VetNurse.co.uk. So come and get talking in the forums ... and get your name on the new leaderboard early!
Photo: VetNurse Publishing Editor Arlo Guthrie (Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else to illustrate the story with!)
Ian also discusses the most effective treatment and prevention strategies: "“With surveys showing deworming frequencies below those recommended by ESCCAP and concerns surrounding over treatment of cats and dogs, there has never been a more important time to examine the importance of routine roundworm prevention. Without adequate control of Toxocara canis and Angiostronglyus vasorum, the impact on owners and their pets can be considerable."
The webinar can be viewed here: https://www.elearning.vet/watch/65
The working group, which is led by Gudrun Ravetz, IVC's Group Chief Medical Officer, has been tasked with developing evidence-based, sustainable prescribing practices that protect animal health while safeguarding the planet.
The group comprises experts from within IVC Evidensia’s network who will collaborate with industry and academic partners including Vetoquinol, IDEXX, ESCCAP, and MSD Animal Health to deliver research, education, and practical tools for veterinary teams both inside and outside of IVC Evidensia practices.
Gudrun said: “We’re proud to be investing in this work and setting an example for the profession.
"Responsible parasiticide use is not just a clinical issue, it’s a sustainability imperative.”
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
The paper details the current and potential uses of this rapidly developing technology, and its benefits and risks.
It provides an introduction to AI and its uses in human medicine, small animal, farm and equine practice, radiology and veterinary education.
It also looks at the potential impact on the wellbeing and working life of veterinary teams.
Results from VetCT’s recent survey on the opinions of AI within the veterinary profession are included in the paper.
Julien Labruyère, Chief Innovation Officer at VetCT, said: “This is a crucial moment in the veterinary industry to ensure we have the knowledge and safeguards in place to apply AI safely, effectively and with confidence to support good clinical practice and ultimately, improve animal welfare.
"This white paper aims to provide a firm foundation for understanding AI and stimulate discussion on how it may impact both people and animals.”
The paper also calls for the development of industry-wide guidance, standards and regulations to safeguard veterinary teams and animal health and welfare as these tools are deployed.
Julien added: “AI development is accelerating rapidly, with global governments and industries racing to regulate to ensure the benefits outweigh the potential negative impacts of this far-reaching technology.
"It’s vital that opinion leaders, organisations and regulators from across the veterinary world come together and develop guardrails so we can have confidence that AI tools will benefit our teams and our patients.”
https://5345458.hs-sites.com/vetct-ai-white-paper
The webinar will look at what VNs can do to minimise and, in some cases, prevent surgical site infections and antibiotic resistance.
The lecture, which is presented by RVNs Rosina Lilywhite and Rosie Heath, will include discussion and top tip-sharing time.
It will also consolidate the role of the theatre nurse and provide updates on biosecurity, instrument care and how to run a theatre.
Rosina said: “We will be taking it back to basics and looking at where improvements can be made, often in areas that are so routine that we forget about their importance.
"It’s a great opportunity to see inside Liphook Equine Hospital, which is one of the largest equine hospitals in the UK and discover how to make your own set-up more gold standard.”
The course is free to BEVA Nurse members.
To register, visit https://www.beva.org.uk/Education/CPD/Event-Details/eventDateId/1707
If you are not a BEVA VN member you can join this CPD session and get a one-year BEVA membership for £49.
Photo: Safia Barakzai, Equine Surgeon
The multicentre observational study described 382 placements of catheters across 19 different institutions, recording the placement techniques and tracking resulting complications to determine the associated risk factors.
The majority of the data was collected by veterinary nurses across the country.
The risk factors identified included the number of insertion attempts, whether a second subsequent placement was required, the frequency that the catheter was flushed and if the flush solution was compound sodium lactate.
In addition to identifying the risk factors, the study also found that complications occurred in just over one-quarter of placements, with limb swelling and phlebitis being the most common (11.5%).
The second most common complication observed was PIVC dislodgement/patient interference (7.9%).
As a result of these findings, the researchers are calling for more vigilant monitoring of patients with a PIVC in situ, particularly if they have experienced any of the factors that increase their risk of complications.
Eleanor said: “PIVCs are placed every day in almost all veterinary practices, yet there is little evidence to inform how best to place and manage them.
"I am passionate about providing the best care for cats and dogs, and it was fantastic to work with like-minded nurses and vets who wanted to gather the evidence that we can use to improve the care of our patients.
"I look forward to continuing this area of research, and believe veterinary nurses are best placed to undertake this work as it is part our of daily working lives."
Dr Christopher Scudder, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College and senior author in the study, said: “The hope is that this study will stimulate more research about PIVCs, and that sufficient evidence will be developed to help reduce complications associated with these routinely placed devices.”
Reference
Kirsty and Susan scored 995 and 923 votes respectively.
The unsuccessful candidate, Stuart Miller, scored 669 votes.
In total, 1,710 RVNs cast their vote, narrowly beating the previous record low turnout of 7.5% in 2012.
By comparison, the largest turnout was 17.1% in 2020.
Kirsty and Susan will take up their post at the RCVS Annual General Meeting, which is open to all vet nurses to attend on Friday 5th July at the Royal Institute of British Architects.
www.rcvs.org.uk/vnvote24
In short, the old discussion forums have been replaced with a new format where we now invite members to post ONLY questions for the community instead.
Your question can be about anything you like: clinical, practice management, or even something which has nothing to do with work.
Then anyone in the community, which includes fellow veterinary nurses and representatives from industry, can earn points for answering your question.
In due course, points will mean prizes and there'll be rewards for the most helpful community members and the most interesting questions, as voted for by you.
The new VetNurse Community which now exists entirely to help you get good quality, authoritative answers to your questions has a very strict requirement that all participants treat each other with courtesy, respect and good manners.
There will also be a requirement for contributors to share their level of experience in their profile, to give their answers some context.
VetNurse Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "I've struggled for a while about the role of discussion forums in the Facebook era.
"But this, I think, will be a really useful platform which offers something completely different.
"In short, a community exclusively for answering each others' questions; somewhere you can be absolutely certain of a friendly welcome and an authoritative answer.
"If other members of the community don't know the answer to your question, then I personally will go and see whether I can find someone else to help with it"
"Plus I want to make it a bit more fun to help each other, which I think a competitive element, with a leaderboard and rewards will bring"
"The other great thing about asking and answering questions on VetNurse.co.uk is that you will be contributing to a searchable body of knowledge and experience everyone in the profession can benefit from.
"In due course, we'll be upgrading VetNurse.co.uk with all sorts of extra features which will make it easier for you to follow questions, refer back to ones you've had answered, and more."
Meantime, come and try it out.
Post a question for the community today: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/f
The Association says that the total cost of claims, which was up 17% on the previous year, largely reflects the cost of veterinary treatment, drugs and diagnostic equipment, resulting in more expensive claims.
Three quarters of the claims were for dogs, and the most common high-value claim was for spinal surgery, costing £8,000 - £10,000.
One fifth of the claims were for cats and the remainder were for other pets.
Meanwhile, Go.Compare pet insurance has calculated that if all pet owners had been insured, the total cost of claims for veterinary treatment and other emergency fees could have reached over £11bn1.
Over the same period, the ABI says pet insurance premiums only rose by 1% to £327.
Equine obesity is a growing problem not just in the UK but around the world. The debate explored how various sectors of the equestrian industry see the challenges faced by people who are struggling to manage their horse’s weight. It included the views of equine vet Lucy Grieve, horse owner Helen Gale, livery yard owner and coach Beth Maloney, nutritionist Liz Bulbrook, competition judge David Ingle and equine welfare officer Penny Baker.
The session was chaired by equine vet and nutrition specialist Professor Pat Harris with the support of Dr Tamzin Furtado, a social scientist with a special interest in human behaviour change for animals.
The panellists shared their views on what they believed to be the blocks for horse owners in recognising obesity and addressing the problem.
They identified the importance of empowering owners and working with them to make step by step changes with the support of a reliable and trusted team including vet, nutritionist, yard owner and farrier.
Lucy said: “Vets are in unique and privileged position to provide an achievable and effective tailor-made strategy for individual horses.
"We must all learn to overcome avoidance and engage recognise, accept and understand, and tailor a solution.”
Helen added: “Owners need to be able to recognise and acknowledge that their horse has a weight problem and be motivated to take action. Communication is key. It’s important for others to understand why you are following the advice form vets and other experts and how they can best help."
There was recognition that a bespoke approach is needed for every horse, owner and situation. Some livery owners may face challenges in changing management practices and peer pressure on a yard may prevent people implementing intake restriction measures such as a grazing muzzle or restricted turnout.
Beth said: “Peer pressure can be daunting and there can be a lack of confidence that you are doing the right thing."
Communication and proactive signposting to reliable advice and scientific information were identified as pivotal, not only in helping to identify weight changes but also to build horse owners’ knowledge and confidence. This would build a clearer understanding of the calorific value of feeds and of grass and forage, what constitutes a balanced diet, the importance of regular exercise and weight monitoring, being able to identify the difference between fat and muscle and being familiar and comfortable with the range of weight control tactics, such as grazing muzzles, restricted grazing and track systems.
The language used was also identified as important; gauging the needs and response of the individual and asking the owner what they think, would be more effective than using potentially inflammatory language - for example choosing the phrase ‘fat pad’ rather than the terms ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’.
Lucy said: “If we are all being really honest with ourselves obesity is neglect. I doubt many vets would walk away from an emaciated horse or an infected wound or a cloudy eye so why are we so willing to walk away from these ticking time bombs which are actually a real welfare issue as the animal is potentially at risk of losing their life?”
You can buy tickets for a replay of the debate for £5, here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-weight-debate-equine-playback-tickets-138080533593
The 29th National Equine Forum will be held online on Thursday 4th March 2021. Tickets will be available in February 2021. If you'd like to be notified when they become available, you can subscribe here: https://www.nationalequineforum.com/subscribe/
The Vital Support launch includes a new Feline Renal Multipack to support cats with chronic kidney disease and loss of appetite. The multipack contains four wet pouches with different aromatic profiles to help stimulate decreased appetite and deliver optimum food acceptance and compliance. Multipacks will be available from October 2020.
Royal Canin has also introduced new Early Renal diets to help support the kidneys at early stages of renal insufficiency, and will be discontinuing its Feline VCN Senior Consult Stage 2 diets.
The company is also introducing two new diets for small dogs: Renal Small Dogs to support small breed dogs in the more advanced stages of chronic renal insufficiency, and Mobility C2P+ Small Dogs, formulated to support healthy joint function.
Other changes include a switch to 100% sustainably sourced salmon in its renal wet pouches, and to vegetable sources of glucosamine, instead of shellfish.
For more information, visit: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk, speak to a member of the veterinary pillar team or contact the Nutritional Helpline.
The expansion has increased the hospital's footprint by 30%, adding three new operating theatres, six new consult rooms and new feline facilities, including a cat-only waiting room, consult room and treatment area.
Hospital owner, IVC Evidensia said the expansion has been driven in part by the pet ownership boom of the last few years and increased demand for the hospital’s services.
To meet the demand, Vale has expanded its office space, adding desk space for a further 25 vets.
There are also new ultrasound and cardiology rooms, a new dental suite and enlarged prep and recovery areas.
The existing kennel area has doubled in size with the addition of nine new walk-in kennels, a bespoke isolation ward and secure outdoor runs.
Richard Artingstall, clinical director at Vale Referrals, said: “We’ve been working on this expansion for a long time and it’s incredible to see it complete.
"Our new and improved facilities mean we can give even more pets across the Southwest the gold standard treatment that they deserve and support our colleagues from neighbouring vet practices with extensive referral services.
"The feedback from pets and owners so far has been very rewarding to hear.”
The feedback from pets?
Really?
VetSurgeon.org contacted recent patient Dougal McDoggins for comment.
He said: "Woof."
www.valereferrals.co.uk.
During the webinar, which took place earlier this month, senior officers and staff from the College explained the new guidance, what it will mean for the profession, and answered questions submitted by delegates.
The webinar was chaired by RCVS President Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS with a panel comprising Standards Committee Chair Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson, and RCVS Head of Standards Gemma Kingswell.
The webinar included an overview of the main changes, the considerations to take into account when prescribing POM-Vs remotely, the circumstances under which POM-Vs cannot be prescribed remotely, the prescription of antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics and antivirals, and how the guidance will be enforced.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: “We have also now published a range of practice-based scenarios to help explain how the new guidance should be followed in various circumstances, and in relation to different species.
"These scenarios cover a variety of different situations, including how the guidance applies to two or more practices with mutual clients, consultancy services and the prescription of long-term controlled drugs.”
A second webinar will be held on Monday 17th July, with priority for those who wanted to attend the June webinar but were not able to do because it was over-subscribed.
www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare
Mark Bordo, CEO and CoFounder, Vetster.com, said: “Our new mobile app is one more way we can provide veterinary professionals with a flexible platform to connect with pet parents in between appointments, traveling between clients, or from the comfort of home. With just a few taps on their mobile phone, veterinarians connect with pet parents with great video quality, and easy-to-use scheduling and follow-up features.”
So now, at long last, vets can diagnose disease in animals on an even smaller screen than ever before.
What a breakthrough.
The mobile app also means vets can diagnose whilst on the move.
So, no need for anyone to waste any more time reading a book on the 14:25 from Paddington to Bath Spa, instead vets could be consulting pet owners and examining their animal on their two inch mobile phone screens from the comfort of their train seats.
Client confidentiality could be a problem on the 14:25, but if they wear headphones and whisper into the phone, things should be alright.
Tunnels might also cause a bit of a problem, but hey, the pet owner can always call back when the train comes out the other side.
To register to practice on Vetster, visit vetster.com.
Once registered and approved, you can then download and use the app.
The offer has been made possible due to the generosity of Baker McVeigh, CVS Equine, IVC Evidensia, Newmarket Equine Hospital, Rossdales, VetPartners and XLVets.
Benefits of the free membership include:
Free student membership is one of several equine vet nurse initiatives introduced by BEVA over the past few months.
Earlier this year, the Association published new Schedule 3 Guidelines designed to support equine veterinary professionals and businesses by describing how equine Registered Veterinary Nurses (eRVNs) are permitted to work.
At its Congress in September, BEVA introduced a Vet Nurse Empowerment Award to highlight the skills and versatility of equine nurses.
It has also increased the amount of CPD it offers vet nurses and started a dedicated stream at BEVA Congress.
Vet nurses also have a direct voice within BEVA via the VN committee.
President David Rendle said: “Historically, equine veterinary nurses have been undervalued in practice but thankfully this is now changing."
“Veterinary nurses have invested huge amounts of time and effort to become highly skilled and it’s great that their talents, versatility and commitment are being supported and celebrated in these ways.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/Join-BEVA/vet-student
The academy will consist of three modules which will be launched in 2021. Those who complete all three modules will receive certification from Bimeda, and some exclusive branded goodies.
The first module is titled Bimeda Trace Elements in Dairy Cow Fertility & Pregnancy and is available now on Bimeda’s e-learning portal: https://bimeda-learning.co.uk. This module also accounts for 1 hour 15 minutes of CPD and vets can download a certificate when they complete the module. The module has also been accredited with 9 AMTRA points.
In the coming months Bimeda says it'll add a second module focused on the role of trace element nutrition in lamb and calf growth, and a final module focused on the role of trace elements in sheep fertility and pregnancy.
Bimeda UK General Manager Mark Cokayne said: "Trace elements play a critical role in the health and fertility of ruminants, yet historically this area has been somewhat overlooked in formal animal health education.
"Our customers tell us that they would like a deeper understanding of areas such as trace element deficiencies, toxicities and interactions, and the impact of these on ruminant health and fertility. We are pleased to respond to this market demand with our new academy, which will provide veterinarians and SQPs with additional knowledge to help inform their conversations with farmers."
To sign up to either Bimeda’s online Nutrition Academy or the Sheep Scab Academy, visit https://bimeda-learning.co.uk
For more information, speak to your Bimeda territory manager or call Bimeda on 01248 725 400.
“Tilts, Spins, and Tears: Approaches to head tilts in rabbits” will be presented by Dr Madonna Livingstone BVMS MRCVS, who will discuss a range of approaches, diagnostic and treatment options for rabbits presenting with head tilt symptoms.
Madonna has over 20 years experience in veterinary practice, and as Head Vet and Head of Exotics at Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd, she speaks widely on exotic animal medicine and surgery.
She also delivers clinical exotic lectures and practicals at Glasgow Vet School, holds a diploma in parrot behaviour and is publishing a textbook on rabbits and small exotic mammals this year.
The webinar aims to help veterinary staff to recognise the differential diagnosis list, know how to achieve a diagnosis, or most likely diagnosis within a restricted budget; know the available treatment options; and know how to manage owners’ expectations.
https://horiba.link/head-tilts-in-rabbits
The Association says it has produced the leaflet after seeing an increasing number of dogs diagnosed with clinical or subclinical infection, along with reports of its zoonotic impact.
The document outlines the most important considerations concerning B. canis including transmission, diagnosis, management, public health implications and legislative requirements.
It takes into consideration information available from relevant Government Departments.
BSAVA says the document is by no means exhaustive but is intended to provide useful information and signpost to further resources.
www.bsavalibrary.com/brucella_canis
Photo: Walker16/Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0.
The company says the return to a ‘new normal’ post-lockdown provides a significant opportunity for practices to apply a renewed focus to preventative healthcare, recommending parasiticides as a way to improve animal welfare and generate practice revenue, which is vital for economic recovery.
Caitrina Oakes, Vetoquinol Managing Director UK and Ireland, said: “With many pet owners spending more hours than ever with their pets during lockdown, companion animal parasiticides have never been more important – making Profender and Drontal highly relevant in the current environment.”
She added: “It’s a very challenging time for many veterinary practices as everyone adapts to the post-COVID world. I’m looking forward to seeing how the passion and ambition we bring to our brands helps Profender and Drontal to grow and helps us to better serve the needs of the veterinary community, both now and in the future.”
Up to date information on the brands and their distribution can be found on the Vetoquinol website, www.vetoquinol.co.uk, by calling 01280 814500, or practices can contact their Vetoquinol Territory Manager directly.
Tara Evans RVN from Vita said: "We wanted to raise awareness and start a discussion with rabbit owners about preventative ear care in rabbits, including how and when owners are cleaning their rabbits’ ears.”
91% of owners also agreed that cleaning is important for rabbits with ear health problems, but 49% have never cleaned their rabbit’s ears.
For the remainder, the most common reason owners gave for cleaning their rabbits’ ears was as a preventative measure (46%), followed by noticing signs of discomfort (25%) and following veterinary advice (25%).
Tara added: “These results show us that owners are aware cleaning their rabbits’ ears is important which leaves us plenty of opportunities to educate on what owners should be looking out for.
"The survey showed that 57% of rabbit owners correctly identified lop ears to be a risk factor in ear health yet a contradictory 28% thought straight ears posed more of a risk.
"It is our job as veterinary professionals to share facts and impart our knowledge to our engaged audience.”
The survey looked into different options available for ear cleaning and identified that 51% of respondents would choose ear wipes, 25% home prepared solutions and 31% a designated rabbit ear cleaning product.
Tara said: “We want to be encouraging owners to be looking at their rabbits’ ears and cleaning them, however wipes can fail to provide a thorough clean and reach the deeper ear canal effectively, and homemade remedies may be irritating to rabbit ears.
"It is important to use an ear cleaner which is designed for and safe to use in rabbits, such as Omniotic.
"Our survey underscores the critical need for increased education and awareness surrounding rabbit ear health.
"It's essential for owners to understand the significance of regular ear cleaning in maintaining overall wellness and preventing potential diseases.”
www.vitaanimalhealth.com
There are a mix of online and in-person events.
On the 27th February at 7:00pm, Derek Flaherty, Professor in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia will cover common complications with veterinary anaesthesia and how you can deal with them during this in person event.
On the 29th April and 30th September, Tobi Wagner, Head of Cardiology at Southern Counties (pictured), will test your echo interpretation skills in an interactive online webinar.
On the 11th March, 1st July and 11th November, Tobi will be hosting Echo Clinics: small-group four-hour practical sessions which will look at how to obtain the necessary echocardiography views that can aid decision making in day-to-day clinical practice. Echo Clinics cost £375.
For nurses specifically, Katie Foley and Tom Chapman will be hosting an in-person session looking at suture techniques on Thursday 6th February.
https://www.scvetspecialists.co.uk/vet-professionals/cpd
Anna was nominated by senior vet, Charlotte Botham, and vet, Hayley Stenning, from Pennard Vets.
Charlotte said: “Anna is a rare find, she brightens the lives of all she meets, including our furry and feathered friends!
"For the clients she serves and the team she works with, she is not just a friendly, smiley face when they walk in, she’s a safe place, a friend, a confident and a fabulous sounding board.
"She laughs and smiles with joy during the happy times and she’s a supportive shoulder to lean on during the sad times.
“Anna is not only manning the front desk and answering phones but doing the stock take, ordering food and prescriptions, dealing with insurance queries, keeping the place spick and span, sorting blood and other samples - the list goes on!
"She is also a feisty cat wrangler, a bouncy dog distractor, or is simply there to hold an anxious paw or hand, with treats or a cup of tea at the ready!
“Our clients, staff and suppliers, as well as every pet that walks through the door, is treated like family, any concern big or small is acknowledged with compassion and empathy and she finds an efficient and fair solution to every problem.”
CEO and founder of the British Veterinary Receptionist Association (BVRA), Kay Watson-Bray, said: “Anna's nomination instantly stood out and impressed the judges.
"She is clearly an exceptional receptionist who goes above and beyond for both her colleagues and her clients, and she truly deserves this award.”
Anna said: “I really love what I do, it’s more than a job, it’s a way of life and I find helping my team, our clients and their pets incredibly rewarding.
"As part of the award win, I will now have a place on the BVRA Council for the year, which means I will help shape the training courses and the support veterinary receptionists receive.
"I will also be part of the judging team for next year’s awards so it’s a very exciting role.”
https://www.bvra.co.uk
The event is merging with the new northern VETcpd Congress to give attendees a broader range of CPD subjects.
In the wound management streams, Shelly Jefferies (pictured right) will run a series of workshops on: ‘Wound preparation for optimum healing’, ‘Wound dressing selection’ and ‘Building a better bandage’.
On the first day of the lecture programme, Samantha Bell will be looking at various different aspects and considerations for wound management through all stages, from initial presentation and assessment of the traumatic wound patient, including lavage and debridement techniques, to selection of dressings for open wound management, to surgical closure.
Other speakers in the wound management stream will cover topics such as acute wound management in rabbits and other exotic species, coping with eye problems and what to do and what not to do after oral surgery to allow healing.
Alongside the wound management programme will be two streams for veterinary surgeons – open to nurses as well – with Dr David Williams (ophthalmology), Dr Bob Partridge (dentistry), Dr Molly Varga (rabbits and exotics), Dr Fergus Allerton (antibiotics and immune-mediated diseases), Professor John Innes (orthopaedics), Professor Jon Hall (small animal surgery), Dr Joanne Harris (cardiology), Dr Alison Hayes (oncology), Dr Samantha Lane small animal surgery), Dr Anita Patel (dermatology) and Angie Lloyd-Jones (ultrasound).
On day two, David Williams will conduct an interactive session on ethics in which he will present a series of cases and ask the audience to discuss what they would do in each.
There will also be a series of workshops on ultrasound, covering basic system controls and image optimisation, abdominal ultrasound assessment techniques, and other aspects.
Lastly, there will be a stream specifically for equine practitioners featuring Professor Michael Schramme of the University of Lyon, Dr Alison Talbot of the University of Liverpool, Dr Lesley Young from Newmarket, Dr Gemma Pearson from Edinburgh, David Green from the VDS and Philip Cramo of Hambleton Equine Clinic.
Accommodation is available in the Hilton Garden Inn on-site at £105 per night or £125 per night for double occupancy. This rate is available by emailing HGIreservations@doncaster-racecourse.co.uk, quoting VETcpd.
Early bird two day passes cost £195+VAT for veterinary nurses and £285+VAT for veterinary surgeons, with one day tickets also available.
www.vetcpdcongress.co.uk.
However, despite keeping this POM-V drug to hand, only 7% said they would seek advice for minor wounds and over 25% said they would not contact the vet even if their horse was lame.
This, says the company, raises concerns about the appropriate use of bute in wounded horses and suggests that practices should be providing first aid training for horse owners, covering basic wound management and when to seek veterinary advice.
The survey, which was posted on social media groups for horse owners, showed they were most likely to call out a vet if their horse had a deep wound (96% of respondents). However, only a third would seek veterinary advice for a wound that is bleeding.
Vita, which makes the veterinary-exclusive Omnimatrix skin cream, said that 84% of owners keep a topical treatment for minor wounds in their first aid box, but some use barrier creams that do not provide an antiseptic environment.
Tara Evans RVN, Head of Sales at Vita, said: "It is great to see that owners are equipped with a first aid box for their horses. However, our survey highlights that many are not seeking veterinary advice, even if their horse is lame. This raises concerns over horses receiving appropriate treatment in a timely manner. There is an opportunity for practices to review first aid boxes with owners to ensure they're stocking appropriate supplies, and discuss appropriate wound management."
Vita has created an owner guide for wound management in horses which you can download and give to clients, here: https://www.vita-europe.com/animalhealth/news/wound-healing-in-horses/