The first webinar will be run by Dr Sarah Caney (pictured right), the CEO and founder of Vet Professionals, and Dr Hannah Newbury, technical lead vet at MSD Animal Health.
It will cover how telemedicine can benefit you, your practice and your patients. Sarah and Hannah will offer practical tips on how to set up a remote consultation, what you can do via telemedicine during the UK lockdown, and how to carry out these consultations and provide care during this time. There will also be an opportunity to ask specific questions in advance.
The series will also explain the financial benefits of remote consulting and the release of a new telemedicine platform.
To register for the first webinar, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4735768510902351372.
Click here to submit your questions before the webinar: https://getfeedback.com/r/hBY8qihT/q/1.
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:
Laura Hughes, Veterinary Nurse Development Manager for Purina UK and Ireland (pictured right) said: “All of our CPD talks on the stand are certificated and each 20-minute session builds to produce a comprehensive suite of content on making nutritional recommendations.
"It’s the ideal complementary top up to all the wonderful CPD available at congress.”
“Sometimes nutritional conversations can be difficult, especially around weight management, but behavioural science has given us so many new ways in which to approach those to bring the pet owner on board in a positive way so they can be part of the solution.
"We’ll be sharing more about those evidence-based approaches.
"To support nurse clinics further, we’ll be demonstrating our tool kits in the area of gastrointestinal care and weight management, so nurses can see what is available to them.”
There will also be cupcakes and refreshments at the stand, as well as a competition where every day one veterinary nurse can win a spa day for two.
BSAVA PetSavers is funding a research project at the University of Liverpool designed to help vets and owners provide the best care for senior and geriatric dogs.
In the first part of the study, veterinary professionals were interviewed about the services currently provided to senior dogs and their owners regarding preventative healthcare, treatment, and advice.
Owners were interviewed about their experiences of living with and accessing veterinary care for senior dogs.
The results of these interviews were then used to develop the online survey which researchers now need vets to take part in, to validate the interview findings in a quantitative way.
Dr Carri Westgarth said: “The veterinary survey focuses on the perceived barriers to care for senior dogs, end-of-life care including quality-of-life, and the potential design of the BSAVA PetSavers guidance tool.
"We would be grateful if any veterinary professional could take a few minutes from their day to help us with this project.”
The survey should take around 20–25 minutes to complete.
Survey participants will also have the opportunity to win an Amazon voucher.
The survey can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/PetsaversOAPVetSurvey.
The new app has been specifically developed for CVS, is unique to the group, and is owned by the company.
It is powered by LocumBell technology.
When registering on the app, locums can input their work preferences - including their skills, desired travel radius and preferred shift times - so that they are only served up shift advertisements relevant to them.
Users can also set up notifications for upcoming jobs.
The app then allows locums to set minimum shift rates, submit the rate they would like to receive for a shift and negotiate their fees directly with a practice.
Shifts can be then be booked or cancelled on the app at the touch of a button.
All upcoming booked shifts appear on the users’ calendar.
Once a shift has been completed, locums can submit the invoice for their work using the app.
The app allows locums to see every CVS practice invoice and its status, which CVS says will allow queries to be resolved quicker and payments issued faster.
The app is being rolled out to all of CVS's practices from this August.
Amy Hughes, Head of Recruitment at CVS, said: “Locum administration can be time-consuming – as locums first have to identify work, liaise with a practice and our central support team, to negotiate and book a shift, then complete all invoice paperwork.
"We wanted to remove that pain and make it easier for locums to work with us.
The app is available for Apple devices on the App Store and for Android devices on the Play Store.
For any technical difficulties or assistance, contact: support@locumbell.com or call 0161 556 7685.
Ms Bucur MRCVS faced three charges against her.
The first charge was that in April 2024, she wrote a prescription for 60 tablets of tramadol 50mg, indicating that it was for the treatment of an animal, when it was intended for the treatment of a human.
The second charge was that she allowed the prescription to be presented at a pharmacy and/or failed to stop that.
The third charge was that her conduct, in relation to the first two charges was dishonest, and misleading, and took place in circumstances where she was not professionally qualified to write a prescription for human use.
At the outset of the hearing, Ms Bucur admitted all the charges and the Committee accepted her admissions.
In relation to charge three, the Committee found that Ms Bucur had been aware that she should not have written the prescription, that she should not have indicated that it was for an animal, that she should not have deleted the prescription for the clinical record on the practice management system, and she should not have allowed or failed to prevent the prescription from being presented for dispensing.
The Committee therefore found all charges proved.
In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee considered that Ms Bucur’s conduct had given rise to a risk of injury because she was not professionally qualified or sufficiently informed to issue a prescription for tramadol, that she had acted recklessly with regard to the potential effects of a controlled, potentially addictive drug and that her conduct had been premeditated.
It also accepted the submission that there was an abuse of Ms Bucur’s professional position as a registered veterinary surgeon, because this had allowed her to issue a prescription.
The Committee also found that Ms Bucur’s conduct was aggravated by her having involved other persons in her misconduct, namely her partner, in an attempt to have the prescription dispensed.
The Committee noted that the charges involved findings of dishonesty, which is regarded at the higher end in terms of the spectrum of gravity of misconduct.
In mitigation, the Committee took into account that the facts proved related to a single incident of the issuing and attempted use of a prescription.
The Committee was of the view that the Ms Bucur’s conduct had failed to promote protection of public health and had breached the legislation around access to controlled drugs.
Even though this was a single incident, the Committee considered that members of the public, if aware of the facts, would be alarmed and concerned at Ms Bucur’s actions.
As a result, the profession could be brought into disrepute and public confidence in the profession undermined.
The Committee therefore found that Ms Bucur’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct in a professional respect.
The Committee then considered whether there were any relevant additional personal aggravating or mitigating factors.
The Committee did not find any further aggravating factors; in mitigation it noted that Ms Bucur had no previous complaints of adverse matters in her career.
The Committee accepted that Ms Bucur had made early, open and frank admissions to her conduct.
She had also offered a fulsome and genuine apology and remorse in her witness statement and in the hearing.
The Committee also accepted that she had since worked without further incident and concluded from her witness statement and evidence that she had developed full insight into her misconduct.
She was able to provide a notable number of references and testimonials which were uniform in speaking to her positive qualities as a veterinary surgeon.
The Committee was able to conclude that this has been a very serious but single lapse of judgement, and that there was a relevant context in that Ms Bucur had clearly acted out of concerns to help her father, however misguided.
There were no suggestions of harm, or risk of harm, to animals.
However, the Committee could not ignore that Ms Bucur’s misconduct had occurred in relation to a controlled drug and had contravened important protections designed to protect the public.
Neil Slater, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee balanced the effect that a suspension would have on Dr Bucur, by depriving her of the ability to practise for a period, with the public interest.
"However, it decided that, in the circumstances, the interests of protecting the public, including the wider public interest, outweighed Dr Bucur’s interests.
“The Committee decided that, in all the circumstances, a suspension was the appropriate and proportionate sanction.
“The Committee considered for how long the suspension should be imposed.
"It considered that the suspension was not required to allow for Dr Bucur to gain any further insight.
"It would purely be required to mark the Committee’s disapproval of Dr Bucur’s misconduct, as a signal to the public and to the profession.
"The Committee concluded that the least period required in all the circumstances is two months.
“The Committee therefore directed to the Registrar that Dr Bucur’s registration be suspended for a period of two months.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
The online risk checker, which is available at www.parassess.co.uk, asks pet owners a series of questions to assess their dog's risk from fleas, ticks, lungworm roundworm and tapeworm.
The test, which has been developed with parasitologists, takes a few minutes and appears to produce sensible results (not every test produces a "Danger, high risk, emergency, get to your vet NOW" result, as you might expect if this had been entirely produced bv the marketing department).
The subsequent report can then be shared with the vet to review it and make a treatment decision.
Being online, the test can be taken on a smartphone whilst in the practice waiting room, or on tablet or computer at home.
It might be worth sharing the test with your clients by email or social media, inviting them to book an appointment if their results suggest it is necessary.
To that end, Boehringer Ingelheim has produced a range of communication materials, such as waiting room displays and digital content for web, email, SMS, and social media.
For more information, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager or phone 01344 746957 (UK) or 01 291 3985 (Ireland).
The company points to research which showed that 42% of cats and 28% of dogs have lesions which are only detectable on x-ray1.
Failing to identify teeth with root lesions can have a significant impact on patient welfare, causing ongoing pain and eventual tooth loss.
The first priority for the CVS clinical improvement project was to review how effective its first opinion small animal practices were at using radiography in dental examinations.
In July 2021, only 16.2% of dental cases had radiography performed and clinicians were mostly using visual examination to guide decision making.
The project then identified the barriers to using dental radiography as: a lack of dental radiography equipment in a practice, a lack of clinician confidence in taking and interpreting the radiographs and a belief that pet owners would not want to pay for it.
To address the first issue, CVS installed new dental radiography machines at over 104 sites, at a cost of £615,000 over the course of the year.
The company then upskilled its vets and nurses in dental radiography - looking specifically at getting good quality radiographs and interpretation.
Finally, the company conducted an audit of each participating practice’s dental radiology data, updating it each month and sharing the results with the practices..
One year on, CVS says the data shows that 43% of dental cases in project practices are now using dental radiography as part of their consultation.
In the best cases, some practices have been using radiography in 100% of cases.
Hub Clinical Lead Deborah Komianos said: “When you open a patient’s mouth and look inside, seemingly normal teeth are oftentimes not normal.
"So vets and nurses can risk missing periodontal disease.
“Dental radiology has historically been underutilised but we believe it adds valuable information to dental consultations and is an important decision-making tool.
“We’re thrilled with the early results in our practices.
"It shows there’s been a real change of mind-set and behaviour towards using X-rays in dentistry – as well as increased confidence in execution."
Reference
Administered between the dog’s cheek and gum at the dose of 125 mcg/m2, dexmedetomidine is absorbed across the oral mucosa, delivering a micro-dose at approximately 1/4 of the IM dose.
It is given as soon as the dog shows signs of anxiety or fear, or when typical triggers of fear are detected by the owner.
Re-dosing of up to four times is possible with at least two hours pause between doses.
There's a new dial-to-dose syringe designed to make Sileo easier to administer, and redesigned packaging with a QR code which links to an instructional video for owners.
Emma Hancox, Veterinary Advisor at TVM, said: "Up to 50% of dogs suffer from noise anxiety, which can be extremely distressing both for pets and their owners.
"While many people associate their pet’s anxiety with occasions such as bonfire night, noise-anxiety can apply to everyday noises such as vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers and by social events or parties, which could have a much greater impact on the dog’s everyday welfare.
For more information, email help@tvm-uk.com, call 0800 0385868 visit or contact your local Territory Manager.
Samantha, who was a recipient of the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Scholarship, has a degree in genetics, molecular biology and microbiology, and a PhD in cancer research from University College London.
She was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40, which led her to set up ADHD Girls, an organisation that helps people with ADHD access employment and works with businesses to help them understand ADHD.
Samantha's talk is part of a module on neurodiversity, which will open with an exploration of neurodiversity and the challenges of diagnosis, before looking at how you can better support those in practice teams, as well as neurodivergent clients and students.
The session will wrap up with a discussion about how to cultivate greater inclusivity and understanding around those who are neurodivergent within the veterinary professions.
Being neurodivergent means that your brain works differently from the average person, meaning there may be differences in social preference, ways of communicating, ways of learning and ways of perceiving the environment.
Samantha said: “No two brains are the same. But what if you were born with a brain that constantly makes you feel like everything you do differentiates you from everyone else?”
“My talk introduces neurodiversity in the context of society, casting light on ADHD and autism, and how this impacts the workplace and one’s quality of life, and what we can do to build a compassionate culture, starting with the conversations we have at work.
"I’m really excited to talk at the BSAVA Congress and meet other professionals in the veterinary field.”
After her lecture, she will be partaking in a panel discussion around the challenges of diagnosis of neurodivergence alongside Laura Playforth, a vet who has been diagnosed with both bipolar and autism and is currently Group Quality Improvement Director at IVC Evidensia.
Andy Green, Vice Chair of the BSAVA Congress Programme Committee chair said: “We are delighted to have Samantha delivering our keynote this year on such an important topic.
"Neurodiversity is becoming an increasingly important area of focus and understanding across society and we have a significant population of neurodivergent people working as vets, nurses and in other roles, many of whom may not as yet have a diagnosis.”
“We also need to recognise that many pet owners and clients are neurodivergent.
"Samantha is ideally placed to shine a spotlight on this subject, using her own story and life experience to deliver a greater understanding of what it actually means to be neurodivergent and how businesses/practices can understand, embrace and support neurodivergent members of the work force and community.”
Early bird tickets for BSAVA Congress 2023 are currently on sale with 3-day and 1-day tickets available to purchase. Get your ticket now: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/home.
Mr Dobson was struck off in 2021 after the DC found that he'd carried out an act of veterinary certification after being removed from the Register for non-payment, failed to have professional indemnity insurance in place and failed to respond to requests from the RCVS about these things.
Mr Dobson submitted a restoration application by email at the start of June, but then didn't reply to any further correspondence from the College, didn't provide any detail supporting his application, didn't attend the hearing and didn't contact the RCVS to explain why.
The Committee decided to go ahead with the restoration hearing in Mr Dobson's absence.
It decided that although Mr Dobson's email on 2nd June 2023 did suggest that he accepted the original findings for which he was removed from the Register, there was not enough evidence of remorse or insight into the the failings which led to him being struck off in the first place, or that he had attempted to keep his continuing professional development (CPD) up-to-date or that, if restored, he would pose no risk to animal health and welfare.
Paul Morris, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Disciplinary Committee will only restore the name of the applicant veterinary surgeon to the Register where the applicant has satisfied it that he or she is fit to return to unrestricted practice as a veterinary surgeon and that restoration is in the public interest.
“The Committee’s real concerns about this application and this applicant are that it has before it no evidence of any value or substance to satisfy either of these criteria.
"There is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that the applicant is fit to return to unrestricted practice.
"In turn, there is no basis on which the Committee could conclude that it is in the public interest that this applicant’s name be restored to the Register.
“It is of importance to the profession and to members of the public that restorations to the Register should only occur when the applicant has established by clear evidence that the criteria which are set out in the public documents produce by the College have been satisfied.”
He added: “Having regard to the above criteria and its findings on them, the Committee considers that it remains the case that the protection of the public and the public interest requires that his name be not restored to the Register and therefore refuses this application.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The two cases came from Bristol and Kingsbridge, Devon, taking the total number this year to five countrywide.
David Walker, American, RCVS and EBVS European specialist in small animal internal medicine, who leads the team at Anderson Moores, said: “We’re very sad to confirm two further cases of CRGV.
"Unfortunately, we find ourselves at the time of year when cases are most commonly identified."
There were 47 confirmed cases in 2020 and 28 in 2021.
The two new cases bring the total to 284 since the disease was first detected in the UK in 2012.
Anderson Moores has launched a website dedicated to Alabama Rot, which offers advice and information for owners and veterinary professionals, including a live map of confirmed cases across the UK: www.alabama-rot.co.uk.
For those not familiar with the term, moral injury is the damage to your conscience when you witness, perpetrate or fail to stop an event which conflicts with your moral beliefs. The study looking into this phenomenon in the veterinary profession is being conducted at King’s College London by Professor Neil Greenberg (pictured right), Dr Dominic Murphy and Dr Victoria Williamson, who will investigate the types of moral injuries veterinary professionals might encounter, their prevalence, the perceptions amongst professionals around how these moral injuries come about, and what support is needed when they occur.
The second project, titled 'Experiences of racism and its impacts on mental wellbeing in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people working and studying in the UK veterinary profession' is being conducted by the Royal Veterinary College and British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society. As well as gathering information about experiences of racism and their impact, the project will also determine what individuals from the BAME veterinary community think could, and should, be done to tackle racism in the veterinary professions, and gather the evidence to help design appropriate interventions for those whose mental health and wellbeing is impacted by racism and discrimination.
Professor Susan Dawson, Chair of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: “Though it was a tough decision to choose the recipients of this year’s grants as all the applications were of a high standard, these two stood out because they are investigating two issues that we know are there, but which we don’t yet have the evidence-base for to really determine their prevalence, their impact and how we, as a profession, can tackle them more effectively.
“They also stood out for being solutions-focused in that the evidence will be used to find the best interventions and support mechanisms for those whose mental health has been impacted by racism and moral injury. We would like to congratulate the two research teams and look forward to working with them over the coming years.”
Have you suffered from moral injury or racism in the veterinary profession? Come and discuss here.
At a black tie dinner held during BVNA Congress at the weekend, the winner and runners-up of the Hill's Pet Nutrition Veterinary Healthcare Adviser (VHA) of the Year 2008 were announced. The winner was Lisa Nix,RVN, from Holmefield Vet Clinic at Sherburn-in-Elmet, who won £1000 in holiday vouchers. As the standard of entries this year was so high, the judges decided this time to award two runners-up prizes to Samantha Kenny, RVN, Lancaster Vet Clinic, Lancaster, and Andrw Lipscombe, RVN from Park Vet Hospital, Sheffield and they were each given £500 holiday vouchers. Lucy Woodburn of Three Rivers veterinary practice in Beccles is the winner of the top exam marks in the VHA exams held throughout 2007. Picture shows (left to right): Andrew Lipscombe RVN, Park Vet Hospital, Sheffield (Runner-up); Samantha Kenny RVN, Lancaster Vet Clinic, Lancaster (Runner-up); Lisa Nix RVN, Holmefield Vet Clinic, Sherburn-in-Elmet, VHA of the Year 2008
Written by 16 internationally renowned cat welfare experts and endorsed by the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology (ESVCE), the programme is the start of a journey to becoming an iCatCare Behavioural Health Practitioner and replaces the Advanced Feline Behaviour for Veterinary and Cat Professionals courses.
The modular course is designed to fit into a busy schedule and includes up-to-date cat welfare science (including areas of behaviour, cognition, emotions, human-animal interactions and genetics)
On completing each module, participants will earn certificates which build up to the Level 1 Cat Behavioural Health Practitioner, which comprises four learning modules and a final project module.
Planning is currently underway for Level 2, which will build on the skills acquired in Level 1 with a focus on people-centric skills, such as communication, professionalism and ethics, and will include practical case studies.
International Cat Care says the programme will also help those interested in becoming an ABTC Animal Behaviour Technician, because it covers some of the knowledge and understanding requirements.
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at iCatCare and course director said: "Across the world are cats that are misunderstood due to a lack of caregiver understanding of their behaviour.
"Sadly, this can lead to inappropriate husbandry and interactions, which can, in turn, lead to problem behaviours.
"Preventative advice and early recognition of problem behaviours are both key to improving cat welfare.
"This programme allows anyone who works with cats, either directly or in a remote advisory role, to gain the knowledge and understanding required to help promote cat behavioural health.’
https://go.icatcare.org/catbehealth
The new service was reported in The Times, in an article titled "How much should your vet cost? Pet owners bitten by untamed fees."
Since launch, VetHelpDirect has offered owners information to help them pick a veterinary practice, including reviews, ratings (including a value for money score), RCVS accreditation, cat/ rabbit friendly status, health plan details and how out of hours cover is provided.
It has now added some basic information about each practices' charges, specifically the first consultation fee, a dog castrate and health plans, and then categorised them according with £££££ signs to indicate how far above or below the average they sit.
Susie said: “Most practices will give out these prices over the telephone, but there’s no way for the client to find them without directly getting in touch, something people are less and less likely to want to do nowadays.
"Our research data suggests that people want to find this information online, just as they would in any other service industry.
"When they can’t find any information at all on pricing, there can be a perception of secrecy that can do damage to the vet-owner relationship.”
Susie added: “True comparison for vet practices is of course very complex and no basket of services is ever going to capture the whole complexity.
"Every practice is different, from facilities and team qualifications; to the time allotted for consultations; to monitoring equipment for surgery; and of course the level of investigations undertaken which can also vary from vet to vet.”
“We can’t solve all this straight away but we started from a good place, over the years we have built up more information about vet practices than any other website.
"The aim is to provide commonly requested prices for owners to easily access and to add more and more detail on the vet practices over time so that owners can make the most informed choice on the vet that's most appropriate for them and their pet”.
VetHelpDirect says it will soon be adding prescription fees and out of hours consultation, and a much wider range of species-specific fees in the near future.
The company also points to the Competition and Markets Authority investigation into pricing in the UK, highlighting that in its 2019 Report into Funerals in the UK, the CMA noted that weaknesses in the sector included the fact that less than 40% of funeral directors posted any form of pricing online, and those that did were frequently not in a form that made for easy comparison.
Susie says the veterinary sector has an even lower rate of online pricing transparency.
To add your pricing information to VetHelpDirect, email: info@vethelpdirect.com.
COMMENT
Whilst greater transparency over pricing in almost any field is surely to be welcomed, it seems questionable whether comparing prices for consultations and standard procedures will be of much help to pet owners, because things like the level of investigations, how defensively a clinician practises and the owner's own relationship with risk are likely to have a far greater impact on the bill than whether a consult costs £20 more or less up the road.
There is perhaps also a risk of practices rated as '£££££ / more expensive than average' will be seen as just that. Expensive and nothing more.
It's not like a restaurant where £££££ usually means particularly delicious.
Whilst this may not matter much whilst so many practices are having to turn away business, it may become more important in the future.
The petition follows the news that IVC is to launch its own telemedicine service, joining three others already in the game, at least one of which is pushing for a relaxation of the rules surrounding the prescription of POM-V medicines.
For clarity, veterinary surgeons are currently allowed to remote prescribe medicines for animals that meet the definition of 'under his care' (i.e. seen immediately before, or "recently enough or often enough for the veterinary surgeon to have personal knowledge of the condition of the animal or current health status of the herd or flock to make a diagnosis and prescribe").
In other words, there is nothing to stop bricks and mortar practices offering video consultations and prescribing medicines to those of their existing clients that they have seen recently enough.
What Shams and the BVU are petitioning against is the idea of allowing companies staffed by veterinary surgeons to prescribe veterinary medicines for animals that they have never seen in the flesh.
They argue that remote prescribing will:
First and foremost risk animal patient welfare and herd health
Create a two-tier system of care within the profession
Break down the practice-based vet-client relationship
Disrupt veterinary services due to complications related to out-of-hours emergency cover, transfer of patient and patient histories etc. of remotely treated patients
Cause clients to face increased costs by paying for telemedicine consultations and then requiring examination and treatment in practice
Negatively impact the financial condition of veterinary practices and professionals.
These all seem very possible consequences of allowing remote prescribing, indeed some have already come to pass in the world of human medicine following the launch of Babylon.
The counter argument is that remote prescription will improve access to veterinary care as people don’t have to flog down to the practice for a flea treatment and the cost of a consultation is reduced. There is surely truth in that.
The other point that is fundamental to this debate is the type of drug being prescribed remotely. With so many small animal parasiticides having already gone OTC, is it really necessary to talk to a veterinary surgeon before buying a POM-V flea treatment? Perhaps not.
However, that doesn’t necessarily present a case for remote prescribing such drugs; if they don’t need veterinary input, then you could equally argue they just need reclassifying.
So, should you sign this petition? Well, I think so, yes. Remote prescribing will come. It’s inevitable. But given the risks, surely the pragmatic starting point is to trial remote prescribing amongst existing clients of bricks and mortar practices, and only if that is successful to broaden it to non-clients of bricks and mortar practices.
If both those proved successful, and with technology advancing in the background, it might then be sensible to look at whether non bricks and mortar practices could remote prescribe. But that’s quite a big ‘might’.
Meantime, you can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/royal-college-of-veterinary-surgeons-stop-authorising-prescription-of-pom-v-without-physical-examination-of-the-patient
You can discuss the petition with Shams here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/nonclinical/f/5/t/31671.aspx
The placebo-controlled study is designed to investigate whether or not a dog pheromone collar may help to reduce the severity or development of potentially problematic behaviours in puppies.
Participating owners will be sent collars (which may or may not contain pheromones) to put on their puppy for 6 months, during which time they will need to complete a monthly questionnaire.
As a thank you, all owners will receive a bag of doggy goodies and will be entered into a draw for a new iPad. There is more information for pet owners here: https://www.adaptil.com/uk/Puppy/node_49121
If you'd like to help recruit participants, you'll need to register your practice to take part here. Ceva has produced information packs and posters which will be sent out after registration.
Photo: Shutterstock
The NHS doctor, television presenter, author and columnist will be sharing his insights on the mental health challenges of working within a caring profession under the constraints of the pandemic.
Dr Ranj is the second keynote speaker to be confirmed, the first being Jenny Campbell and the third to be revealed next month. They will be joining a line-up of more than 100 UK and International contributors during the three days of the event.
Dr Ranj is familiar with the intense pressure that many veterinary professionals are facing when juggling working in a sometimes emotionally stressful environment with that of home life. When the pandemic started Dr Ranj took a step back from media work to focus on supporting the NHS in his role as a paediatric emergency medicine specialist. He said: "Maintaining wellbeing is all about doing the basics right.
“We are in a pandemic and people are under intense pressure - from work, from home life, from a health perspective and so much more. So, despite everything going on around you, make sure you have a routine every day.
"Get out and about safely. Build some physical activity into your schedule. Nourish your body with everything it needs, and make sure you allow yourself some treats too! Take a moment for yourself every day to do something that makes you feel good.
"Take time to connect with others safely and check in on the vulnerable too. Celebrate the little victories and achievements that you have. And at the end of the day, make sure you look after your sleep because that's when your brain and body recover from the stresses of everyday. Everything else we do is a bonus on top of those basics. And if you are struggling, make sure you reach out for help and speak to someone."
BSAVA President Ian Ramsey said: "We are delighted to welcome Dr Ranj as one of our three keynote speakers this year. One of the many advantages of Congress evolving into a virtual event for 2021 is that we can be more flexible and creative with our sessions and how we fulfil the needs and expectations of every member of the practice, from clinical, interactive, wellbeing and social perspectives. Our three keynote presentations are eagerly anticipated.”
Prices for BSAVA Virtual Congress start at £99 +VAT for members. To register visit https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2021/en/page/home
Overall, there has been a 17% decline in Kennel Club registrations of all dogs so far this year.
However, new registrations of Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs have declined by 42%, 39% and 34% respectively, putting these three breeds into the list of 'top five fallers' this year.
The Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is made up of vets, national animal welfare organisations, scientists, and dog breed clubs has welcomed the news.
Dan O’Neill, Chair of the BWG said: “The drop in puppy registrations for these flat-faced breeds is a welcome step in the right direction, although these should be seen with some caution.
“We hope this is a sign that more and more puppy buyers, owners and breeders are considering the serious health and welfare implications for flat-faced dogs.
ukbwg.org.uk
Canaural contains fusidic acid, framycetin and nystatin for their antibacterial and antifungal effects against the most common organisms associated with otitis externa.
Fusidic acid has skin penetrating properties and is active against staphylococci and streptococci1. Framycetin is active against Gram negative species. Dechra says the combination of the two provides an enhanced antibacterial effect on the most common bacterial cause of canine otitis2.
Nystatin is active against malassezia and prednisolone helps to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic action.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “The reintroduction of Canaural to the veterinary treatment market means that once again veterinarians have this reliable and effective treatment available to tackle one of the most common canine complaints.
"Canaural is a tried and tested product and a recent study showed that fusidic acid is highly efficacious against both methicillin sensitive and methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius3. Canaural remains as relevant today as it has ever been."
Canaural comes in 15 ml and 25 ml bottle sizes and is now available in veterinary wholesalers.
References
Neptra contains florfenicol, an antibiotic which Bayer says is ideal for dealing with the Staphylococcus pseudintermedius found in the majority of otitis externa cases, together with terbinafine hydrochloride, which is effective against Malassezia pachydermatis, and mometasone furoate, a corticosteroid that provides anti-inflammatory activity to improve patient comfort.
A single, 1ml dose in each affected ear treats dogs of all breeds and in trials, continuous clinical improvement was seen until day 28.
Neptra was approved for use in the USA back in 2015, where it has apparently gone down a bit of a storm, becoming the number one product for otitis externa in the country, with over 4.7 million doses prescribed since 2017.
Dr Ken Kwochka, DVM, DACVD, President of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology (pictured right) said: "This solution is trusted by thousands of vets across the USA, it’s now time for UK vets to benefit from the convenience and confidence Neptra offers. Neptra is the ideal and easier way to treat the majority of otitis externa cases you see and can (and should) be used first-line."
Donna Tomlinson, Senior Brand Manager at Bayer said: "It’s not every day that you’re able to launch a solution that has the potential of Neptra to change treatment practices for the better and improve outcomes for dogs. Across the UK and Europe, our brilliant team at Bayer have put months of effort into this launch and developed an exciting marketing support package. Our veterinary business managers are already out on the road, ready to talk to you all about it."
Neptra is available now to order as one SKU via your regular wholesaler or speak to your Bayer veterinary business manager.
Practice support materials are also available via www.vetcentre.bayer.co.uk.
Organised by The Veterinary Edge in association with Simon Guiton of VETcpd, there will be three streams running throughout, with delegates able to gain 14 hours of CPD – or 16 if prepared to skip the tempting two-course lunches.
Speakers include:
Sessions run from 10am to 6pm on the first day (followed by a happy hour in the exhibition) and from 9am to 5.15pm on day two.
A two-day pass for vet nurses costs £195 and a one-day pass £110 plus VAT.
The prices will increase after 31st August.
Passes include access to all three streams, a two-course lunch, other refreshments and the congress handbook, which will include summaries of the sessions.
Accommodation is available at the recently opened Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at Sandy Park; other hotels nearby include a Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express.
www.theveterinaryedge.com.
The Veterinary Workforce Summit was held last November, when 80 stakeholders from independent and corporate practices, veterinary schools, charities, government, the food hygiene sector, species associations and industry bodies came together to look at how the profession could address the workforce crisis.
Prior to the Summit, preliminary research was carried out to assess the profession's views on the workforce crisis and how it was affecting them.
Based on findings from the preliminary research, six themes around the issue of workforce shortages were identified and used to structure the discussions of the day.
These were: readiness for work; work-life balance; workplace culture; client interactions; career development; and return to work.
The day was opened by Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, who focused on the issues underpinning the workforce crisis:
Later in the day, delegates were divided into groups and asked to develop ideas and pitch a solution to a problem the sector is facing.
Some of the solutions that the professions might use to address the key workforce issues which came out of the pitches included:
Kate Richards, RCVS President, said: “Although the issues affecting the UK veterinary sector aren’t new, they have been exacerbated over the past few years by factors outside of the sector’s control.
"We know that putting in place solutions to address and solve the issues that the veterinary sector is facing will take time.
"We want to reiterate that the Summit was the first, albeit an incredibly important, first step in co-creating innovative solutions to workforce shortages.
"I look forward to working collaboratively with our veterinary colleagues from across the professions to bring the workforce action plan to life and work on the solutions that come out of it.”
The RCVS says the next steps from the Summit are to consider the feasibility of the suggested solutions and integrate those that seem likely to deliver effective results into an action plan, alongside other activities that are already underway.
The College says it is open to hearing additional ideas for the professions and encourages anyone who has suggestions to get in touch with Sophie Rogers, ViVet Manager, on s.rogers@rcvs.org.uk
The full Workforce Summit report can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
Human Factors is the application of human psychological and physiological principles and limitations to the design of processes and systems to reduce human error, increase productivity and enhance safety.
Trainetics has operated in various sectors such as aviation, ergonomics and human healthcare for many years.
As part of its move into the veterinary sector, it is working with a team of team of well-known figures in the profession: Bradley Viner, Holger Volk, Vicky Lipscombe, Tom Cardy and Andy Fiske-Jackson.
Tom said: “The potential impact of human factors on the veterinary industry is huge. What we are able to offer delegates is a unique experience to improve their situational awareness and decision-making.
“It is something which I believe delegates will find incredibly insightful as part of their career progression and it can improve how we treat our patients every day.
“Within the veterinary profession, human factors is still relatively new, however, its true scope within the industry lies in understanding and applying systems-thinking methodology to our complex, adaptive profession.”
Holger said: “When I first had the chance to become consciously incompetent in a flight simulator at BA with Trainetics, it was a fantastic opportunity to learn about my own limitations and how to better overcome them.
“Part of the immersive experience is learning about human factors, situational awareness, decision-making, workload management, system performance and health and wellbeing.
“We can learn so much from the aviation industry and vice-versa, and these unique courses can provide real opportunities to better ourselves as a profession and as individuals.
www.trainetics.co.uk