Matthew's address looked at the significance of 2021 as veterinary nursing’s Diamond Jubilee – representing 60 years since the first RCVS-approved Auxiliary Nursing Assistant course.
He spoke about how this was likely to be a year of firsts for the profession, including the awarding of the first Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing, the recruitment of the first VN Practice Standards Scheme Assessors and the first time there would be 20,000 veterinary nurses on the RCVS Register.
He also spoke about the planned activities to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee including webinars, podcasts and the publication of an eBook about the history of the profession.
Matt said: “For my own first podcast I interviewed Jean Turner who – I don’t think she’ll mind me saying – has been a member of the profession for a good chunk of the last 60 years.
“She’s a real professional hero of mine and I had a fascinating conversation with her about what has changed, what hasn’t changed and what really needs to change!
“Speaking to Jean reminded me that we all stand on the shoulders of giants. Where we are as a profession is down to those who came before us and we owe it to them, and future generations of veterinary nurses, to make sure we are always progressing and improving.”
Matt said that with RCVS Council’s adoption of the proposals for legislative reform in June this year, the veterinary nursing profession had a bright future ahead of it, with protection of title and a bolstered role in areas such as anaesthesia being included in any future legislation.
“I still sometimes hear my veterinary nursing colleagues refer to themselves as ‘just a veterinary nurse’. Whenever I hear it said, I challenge it.
“With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations this year I think we will be making a very big challenge to that mindset, and it will remind all veterinary nurses that we are brilliant professionals, with a long and proud history and that we are a force for good in society.”
Duncan, an 85kg miniature horse, was first admitted to the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital in July this year for investigation of severe hind limb lameness. A CT scan revealed that Duncan had dislocated the left hip joint and damaged it irreparably.
Equine surgical specialist Dave Stack said: "Treatment options for this problem are very limited, especially with extensive damage to the head of the femur.
"I discussed Duncan’s predicament with two small animal surgical specialists, Professor Rob Pettitt and Andy Tomlinson, who agreed that performing a total hip replacement offered Duncan the best chance for recovery."
The procedure had been attempted in small ponies before, however, all known previous attempts had failed. The surgery required careful preparation and the combined knowledge of specialists in both small animal and equine surgery, as well as colleagues from the anaesthesia and internal medicine departments.
Working together, the teams were able to replace Duncan's left hip using implants designed for use in large dogs.
Equine Surgical Resident, Matthew Cullen said: “Although always complex, hip replacements are relatively common in dogs, so the experience of the small animal surgeons was absolutely vital as Duncan presented a highly unique challenge.
"Despite that he has made an excellent recovery and was able to walk and trot almost normally at his last check up!”
Duncan was hospitalised for over three weeks and required round-the-clock supervision in the first few days after surgery. As he grew stronger, physiotherapy formed a large part of the postoperative care to help him get back on his feet.
Rob Pettitt, Professor of Small Animal Orthopaedics at the University’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital, said: "The opportunity to provide Duncan with a normal life using a procedure that we perform regularly in dogs but that has never been successful longer term in equids was a unique experience. Our role as surgeons was just a small part of the huge teamwork that has resulted in this successful outcome."
Dave Stack added: “I would like to express my gratitude to all who contributed to the success of Duncan’s recovery, not least Rob Michael of Thompson House Equine Clinic, Duncan’s vet at home, whose care of him has been invaluable. I am thrilled that Duncan will live a comfortable life and delighted that Duncan’s owners have the opportunity to continue to spoil him for many years to come."
The event offers over 30 hours of CPD, covering topics which have been chosen to represent the current areas of practical interest for veterinary professionals, from ethics and behaviour to critical care and pain assessment.
The online event was developed after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of ISFM's annual European Congress.
There will be two separate lecture streams, one for vets and one for veterinary nurses and technicians, alongside several sponsor-led symposiums, live question and answer sessions, and a virtual exhibition hall.
In recognition of attendance, CPD certificates will be available to download from the platform.
In the veterinary nurse and technician stream, lectures will cover pain assessment and anaesthesia, geriatric cats, ethical dilemmas, specific to veterinary nurses and techs. Additionally, there will be two emergency and critical care lectures. All of this is complimented by a variety of other speakers, who will give talks on behaviour, dentistry, neurology, endocrinology plus many more topics to reflect the diverse and important role vet nurses have in clinics.
The ISFM is at pains to recognise the generosity of Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva, Hill’s, Purina, Idexx and Royal Canin, which has made it possible to provide the congress free of charge.
Registration opens today. For more information and to register, visit: https://icatcare.org/isfm-international-congress/
The webinar will be presented by Marge Chandler DVM, MS, MANZCVS, DACVIM (SAIM, Nutrition), MRCVS and Dr Michael Lappin DVM, PhD, DACVIM.
Marge is an independent consultant in small animal nutrition and internal medicine and Chair of the FEDIAF Scientific Advisory Committee, founding member of the European Veterinary Nutrition Educators Group, and Co-Chair of the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee.
Michael is the Kenneth W. Smith Professor in Small Animal Clinical Veterinary Medicine and Director of the Center for Companion Animal Studies at Colorado State University. He is on the editorial board of Feline Medicine and Surgery and Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian and is the editor of the textbook, Feline Internal Medicine Secrets.
The webinar will discuss the value supplements can offer to pets who are already on complete diets, how supplements are regulated and the importance of quality control.
The session will also cover the challenges for vet nurses in selecting supplements for their clinical practice, what factors can determine the choice of supplement, and how you can critically evaluate the evidence supporting a supplement.
Marge and Michael will also provide tips for communicating the benefits of supplements to clients.
Daniel Rodes Moltó of the Purina Institute said: “We are pleased to offer this interactive webinar on how to evaluate and select supplements using an evidence-based approach in a non-promotional setting.
"Webinar attendees are welcome to submit questions for our speakers in advance and to ask questions during the live event, which promises to be an enjoyable and lively session supporting the aim of improving the lives of pets.”
https://webapp.spotme.com/login/eventspace/CollaborativeCareMay2023
This brings the total number of UK pet insurance companies that offer FirstVet veterinary consultations with their policies to 19, including Co-op, Costco, PETtrac, ManyPets and CoverMyPet.
Launched in 2016, FirstVet now operates in seven markets: the UK, US, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, delivering more than 30,000 consultations per month.
David Prien, CEO at FirstVet said: “FirstVet was founded with the passionate goal of making pet care more accessible for everyone.
"Our new partnership with Petwise Senior reflects our commitment to ensuring all pets, including senior pets, receive the best possible care they deserve after all those years of companionship, friendship and loyalty.
"Since launching, FirstVet has helped nearly one million pet owners around Europe.
"I really look forward to supporting Petwise Senior pets through our FirstVet app and to the many stories that will come from this great partnership!”
Ceva says the aim of the course is to enable vet nurses to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
The course is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh.
It comprises of 10 short videos grouped into four sessions, along with a self-assessment quiz to consolidate learning for each module.
The course counts for a total of two hours’ CPD.
Course content includes: the patient/equipment set up and getting the most from an ophthalmoscope; determining what is normal and what is abnormal during ocular examinations; an overview of ocular pathologies associated with hypertension; avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes; and hints and tips on how to take photographs of the fundus on a mobile phone.
To register, visit www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva.
The initiative is called Project NURSE, which stands for Nurturing and Using REVN Skills and Experience.
The first stage of Project NURSE is to survey horse owners to find out what they understand about the role of REVNs and if they would be receptive to nurses visiting yards to carry out certain procedures, under the direction of a vet and within the scope of what is permissible by the RCVS.
Phillippa Pritchard (pictured right), an equine veterinary nurse and training manager at Liphook Equine Hospital, one of VetPartners’ practices, has been awarded a £1,000 grant by MSD Animal Health to promote the survey and is helping lead Project NURSE on behalf of VetPartners.
Phillippa said: “REVNs have an important role to play in equine practices and hospitals, but many nurses would welcome the opportunity to be more involved in yard visits and put their skills to the best possible use.
“There are many procedures we are qualified to do, including changing wound dressings, taking blood samples and administering prescribed doses of sedation, and by making more use of these skills we feel we would be able to help our practices provide an even better service to patients and clients.
“I also believe that having more interaction with owners and their horses would have a positive impact on job retention because equine nurses would be more fulfilled in their role and feel they have opportunities to develop their careers.”
VetPartners equine director Julian Rishworth added: “Our central ethos revolves around practices being a great place to work and striving for clinical excellence. Equine veterinary nurses are such an integral part of practice teams and if we don’t allow them to fully use their skills and fulfil their potential we are failing the team, our clients, their horses and our own group aspirations.”
It's believed that VetNurse.co.uk and VetSurgeon.org, which run on a platform that predates Facebook, may be the first online communities to require good manners.
Under the new policy, anyone who posts anything in the forums which is sarcastic, belittling, snide, rude or unkind towards another member will face immediate removal from the website.
This marks a very radical change to the previous policy in which members were free to say pretty much what they wanted.
VetNurse.co.uk Publisher Arlo Guthrie said: "For years, I felt the right to free speech trumped all, and would rarely intervene.
"When I did, the worst anyone faced was a temporary suspension.
"As time has passed, I've realised the limitations of the written word, especially the short-form, hastily-written word, which can cause real distress.
"We all moderate our language offline, it's just a question of realising that we need a different set of standards online, to account for the lack of facial expression and immediacy of reply, and the public nature of the discussion.
Some people have questioned the new policy, and whether it will stifle proper debate.
Arlo added: "I believe not. It is perfectly possible and OK to disagree with someone, and express that disagreement forcefully, without being sarcastic.
"On the contrary, I think that allowing bad manners has a far more chilling effect on free speech, because it scares off opinions from the majority of more moderate members"
Others have asked whether this new policy is the consequence of the new partnership with Improve International, or proposed new laws surrounding social media.
Arlo said: "Again, no. It was a very personal decision I reached after years of wrestling with the problem. It was precipitated by a series of unkind posts and I just thought 'enough's enough'.
"That said, I am really excited about the prospect of working with Improve to grow the community as somewhere its members can come for high quality clinical content and authoritative opinion, which for sure would be hard to achieve if we don't have a friendly, collaborative atmosphere."
Another issue raised about zero tolerance is whether it is fair that there may be no second chance.
Arlo said: "I've tried loads of things over the years. Warnings. Red cards. Suspensions. None of them work. People just push the boundaries.
"But the moment I said 'zero tolerance', it seems people get the message and moderate themselves accordingly."
"I'm delighted. I want people to think of VetNurse.co.uk as somewhere everyone can come for authoritative advice and support, confident of a friendly welcome and the highest standards of online behaviour."
The VetCompass study, which was based on the records of over 900,000 Westies under the care of UK first opinion veterinary practices in 2016, also found that ownership of Westies has fallen dramatically, to just a quarter of what it was a decade ago. Researchers found that the breed comprised only 0.43% of puppies born in 2015 compared to 1.69% of puppies born in 2004.
The average age of the Westies studied was a relatively elderly 7.8 years, suggesting an ageing population with fewer new puppies entering the population compared to other breed studies carried out by VetCompass.
The most common illnesses suffered by Westies were found to be dental disease (which affects 15.7% of Westies), ear disease (10.6%), overgrown nails (7.2%), allergic skin disorder (6.5%) and obesity (6.1%). Lower respiratory tract disease and cancer were the most common causes of death, with each accounting for 10.2% of deaths in the breed. Spinal cord disorders were the next biggest killer at 7.8%.
Other findings included:
Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer and VetCompass researcher at the RVC, who was the main author of the paper, said: "With the ascent of social media as a dominant influencer of public opinion, ownership preferences for dog breeds are becoming increasingly polarised and susceptible to the whims of internet celebrity endorsement and advertising.
"Previously, preferences for dog breeds used to wax and wane gently over time. But VetCompass breed data now show rapid changes in preferences among breeds that create bubbles and troughs of demand that can have far-reaching implications for these breeds.
"Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds are currently the darling of the nation but this has created huge welfare problems for breeds such as the Pug and French Bulldog. And breeds such as the West Highland White Terrier and Cavalier King Charles have fallen sharply out of favour."
Camilla Pegram, Veterinary Epidemiologist and VetCompass researcher at the RVC, who co-authored the paper, said: "The most common disorders of Westies shown in this study are also common in the wider UK dog population. However, the breed does seem predisposed to lower respiratory tract disease which was a common cause of death in the Westie. Owners should be aware of this as their Westie ages.
"What is particularly interesting is the level of skin disorders, which although relatively high, are still lower than might have been predicted a decade ago. It is possible that the reduction in Westie ownership has relieved the pressure on breeders to breed from less healthy individuals to meet demand and therefore contributed to improved skin health within the breed. Paradoxically, reducing popularity may have led to better health in the Westies that are now being born."
Reference
It’s very simple.
If you’re a member of VetNurse.co.uk, visit the site as soon as possible, and login.
You will then see a red box inviting you to subscribe to a NEW daily or weekly email digest of new questions posted by fellow nurses. The box is on the main site home page, and on the community home page.
Subscribe. Today. Now. No time like the present!
Then, whenever you have a question, post it on the site and it will be added to the digest and sent to all subscribed members of the community.
When you get your VetNurse Digest, you’ll be presented with a list of the latest questions from other nurses to skim, both clinical and non-clinical.
Some may catch your eye because you can help, others because you too are interested to know the answer.
Either way, time spent helping others with their questions, or reading answers, counts towards your annual CPD requirement for which you can generate a certificate on the site.
Furthermore, all questions and answers are databased as a searchable knowledge resource for everyone, so whether you’re asking or answering, you’re giving something back to your profession.
So, subscribe now! Did I say that already?
BENEFITS FOR VETERINARY NURSES
In short, this offers all the benefits of social media for knowledge-sharing, but with none of the baggage that so often comes with it.
Under the protocol trial, the RCVS can launch private prosecutions against unqualified people practising veterinary surgery or using the title 'veterinary surgeon'.
The College says that where breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act cross over to other criminal offences, for example, fraud by false representation, they will be more properly dealt with by the relevant police force.
Local authority trading standards agencies will also deal with issues around, for example, misleading courses that purport to lead to registration with the RCVS but do not; concerns about dog grooming businesses and concerns about dog breeding establishments (other than where there is illegal practice of veterinary surgery by unqualified persons).
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, said: “This protocol recognises that there are constraints on the time, resourcing, and budgets of both the police and public prosecutors which means that the pursuit of these breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, both of which carry minor criminal penalties, is not necessarily a priority.
“While we are always willing to work with the police and other agencies to pursue such breaches, the protocol details how we can act independently where appropriate and ensure we are fulfilling our stated ambition to safeguard the interests of the public and animals, as well as the reputation of the professions, by ensuring that only those registered with us can carry out acts of veterinary surgery.
“We would like to manage expectations around this trial period as we will only be launching private prosecutions where they meet the criminal evidential standards of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ and it is judged to be in the public interest to do so.
"We will also be relying on members of the professions and the public to report breaches and provide sufficient evidence to us, as we have no statutory investigatory powers.”
The trial period will last for one year and the College has set aside £50,000 to pursue private prosecutions.
The trial will be overseen by the Disciplinary Committee/ Preliminary Investigation Committee Liaison Committee while decisions on whether to pursue private prosecutions will lie with the Registrar/ Director of Legal Services.
Suspected breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act can be reported to the RCVS Professional Conduct Department on breachvsa@rcvs.org.uk.
The new line, which is available from veterinary wholesalers, is described as a complete feeding solution with everyday wet and dry food and treats. It is made with a minimum of 95% fresh, organic ingredients from controlled and certified origins, presented in an eco-friendly packaging. This, says Dechra, means it is tasty, nutritious and better for the environment.
The wet diets for cats contains organic chicken or fish whilst the dog food contains organic beef or fish.
The Specific treats are made with more than 80% fresh chicken, beef and pork. Dechra says that in taste tests, nine out of ten cats, and 100% of dogs accepted the treats1.
Dechra highlights that unlike competitor products, which use layers of different plastic in their packaging which cannot be recycled, Specific uses single layers of the same plastic with a gas barrier in between. This makes its dry pet food bags fully recyclable, as well as lighter and stronger than PET/PE laminates of the same thickness2.
Once Specific dry pet food bags have been used and recycled, they can be processed into granules and made into a film which can be used to make new things – including dry pet food bags.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: “The exciting new range of organic food that’s as kind to the environment as it is to pets.
"The Specific organic range provides a new option for owners who are committed to providing their animals with the optimum chance of good health. The tried and trusted Specific brand is already available for vets to stock so this is a useful addition for practices looking to add value to the service they provide to pet owners.
"We have committed to making all of our packaging fully recyclable by 2023, starting with the Specific organic range. As well as providing a more ethical and environmentally sound choice for eco-conscious pet owners, it’s part of Dechra’s ‘Circle of Good’ commitment to reduce our business’ impact on the world.”
For more information visit: www.specific-diets.co.uk.
References
Kit, who has served on Council as an elected member since 2013, is currently the Chair of the RCVS Finances & Resources Committee and has been RCVS Treasurer for the past three years.
He is also a member of a range of committees and project groups across the RCVS including: the Audit and Risk Committee; the PIC/ DC Liaison Committee; the Certification Subcommittee; the Estate Strategy Project Board; the RCVS Knowledge Board of Trustees; and the Advanced Practitioners Panel.
Since 2003 Kit has been working as an internist (he is an RCVS-recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine) in private referral practice. In 2006 he became a founding partner in a multidisciplinary referral centre that he saw grow from five to 65 members of staff within five years.
His interests include workforce issues, communicating the diverse clinical and non-clinical skills of veterinary surgeons to the general public and government, and facilitating life-long learning through achievable further professional qualifications and effective CPD.
Kit said: "It was a great honour to be elected as the next Junior Vice President by my fellow council members. I feel that I can make a positive contribution to the work that the RCVS is already undertaking in ensuring the veterinary team remains healthy and respected. In particular I am keen to look at how the RCVS can help find solutions to our workforce issues - improving retention as well as encouraging and facilitating vets and nurses back into the profession."
In addition to Kit being elected as JVP, the current holder of that office, Dr Mandisa Greene, was confirmed as President for 2020-21 and current President, Dr Niall Connell, was confirmed as Senior Vice-President for this period.
Professor Susan Dawson was voted in as RCVS Treasurer, and she will be formally invested in this role at Royal College Day on Friday, 10 July.
Professor David Argyle has been elected as Chair of Advancement of the Professions Committee for a second year, Dr Susan Paterson has been elected as Chair of Education Committee for her second year, and Dr Melissa Donald has been elected Chair of Standards Committee for her second year.
Kit and Melissa's positions are subject to their successful re-election in the 2020 RCVS Council Elections
More information on the RCVS Council and its members can be found on the RCVS website: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council.
Nine-year-old Nigel the puma, from Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, was suffering from a deteriorating arthritic condition, which was causing loss of function in his front leg.
His veterinary team consulted an orthopaedic specialist and trialled medical management including steroids and Solensia, but Nigel was unresponsive to treatment.
This led to a severe debilitating limp and pain, leaving a choice between amputation or euthanasia.
Nigel's treatment was funded by donations from visitors to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, which is a registered charity that was originally established as a sanctuary for parrots in the early 1990s, who raised nearly £5,000 following a fundraising campaign.
The operation took place in a sterile theatre set up in Nigel’s enclosure, where the entire limb was removed, including the scapula.
After an intense five-hour operation, led by Iain Cope, veterinary surgeon and practice owner at Vets4Pets Newmarket, and Shannon Grimwood, veterinary nurse at Vets4Pets Newmarket, Nigel is now on the road to recovery and adapting well to life with three legs.
Iain said: “Nigel’s case was certainly unique and one we haven’t come across before. Working alongside Lincolnshire Wildlife Park and a team of local vets and veterinary nurses, we applied our knowledge of domestic cat amputations to a big one.
“The approach was extremely similar, and the operation ran as smoothly as possible.”
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
Claire Gotto, Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health said: "With increasing numbers of pets travelling abroad1 and the risk of exposure to exotic diseases, we need to ensure Britain’s pets are protected by providing owners with advice on comprehensive preventative healthcare for their travelling pets.
"This is particularly important as pet travel legislation is primarily in place to protect human health, and pet owners may be unaware of the similar risks to their pets.
"As an industry, we should therefore be advocating preventative healthcare, in addition to the legislation, in order to protect not only individual travelling pets from exotic disease, but also the UK pet population as a whole."
MSD says the risk of exotic disease to travelling pets was highlighted by the results of the Big Tick Project which showed that 76% of dogs travelling abroad returned with ticks2. This included Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Dermacentor reticulatus, the latter of which was found to carry Babesia canis3, a potentially life-threatening pathogen.
The risk to the UK pet population from travelling pets have been highlighted by recent cases of babesiosis4 and leishmaniasis5 in untravelled dogs within the UK.
The Safe Journey campaign includes educational materials about potential exotic disease risks abroad, including Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Rabies, Dirofilariasis (heartworm), Leishmaniasis, Leptospirosis and Echinococcus multilocularis (tapeworm), and the preventive healthcare required to reduce the risk.
Materials available include veterinary practice posters, social media material and leaflets.
For further information contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.
Firstly, pets that haven’t received primary vaccinations due to the coronavirus outbreak and develop an issue that would have been prevented by a vaccination they were unable to access, will now have that condition covered under their Agria policy.
Secondly, the company has now made it possible for owners of cats and dogs under the age of five to set up a 'Four Weeks Free' policy - which would ordinarily be set up in practice - themselves.
Simon Wheeler, Managing Director of Agria Pet Insurance (pictured right), said: "We have introduced these additional products during the pandemic to ensure that pets remain covered despite new and significant challenges faced by vets and owners. We hope that they alleviate a little of the pressure faced by veterinary staff and worry felt by owners."
Robin Hargreaves, who is Agria's Vet Lead and helped develop the solutions said: "Times are pretty tough in practice right now, and operating on a restricted basis isn’t ideal for us or the pets registered with us. One thing that would make life even harder would be if the percentage of uninsured pets was to rise.
"With Agria making it possible for owners to activate their own 4 Weeks Free policies at this time, even owners that can’t see vets as usual can still protect their pets with insurance.
“Relaxing restrictions around cover for unvaccinated pets will come as a huge relief in some cases, enabling any pets that have missed primary vaccinations or gone past their booster date due to current restrictions to still be insured."
For more information, visit: agriapet.co.uk/guide
MSD says the new chip is compliant with ISO standards, has proven temperature accuracy1 and as yet is the only microchip on the market that combines identification and temperature monitoring.
The HomeAgain Thermochip has been designed to work for the lifetime of the pet, and it's being launched alongside the HomeAgain Pet Recovery Database, which is free of charge.
Michael Morrow BSc BVSc MRCVS, Director of St Vincents Veterinary Surgery in Wokingham, has been involved in trials of the new chip. He said: ''The launch of HomeAgain Thermochip is a real game-changer in the market.
“We have been trialling the Thermochip for some time and it’s now our default option to measure temperature.
"It’s incredibly useful in everyday practice, particularly when it comes to fractious cats or extremely nervous dogs, and it improves efficiency in consultations.
"We also use the Thermochip extensively during anaesthetic and post operative monitoring – with minimal handling.
“Reassuringly, we’ve never had any issues with the microchip reader or with the chip migrating to other parts of an animal’s body so it’s very reliable.”
In addition to the benefit of being able to measure temperature in a non-invasive way, MSD points to recent studies which suggest that a pet’s ‘normal’ temperature is not a specific number, rather a range of values that depend on numerous factors such as the time of day, the site of measurement, sex, breed, size, age, activity and stress levels2.
The HomeAgain Thermochip makes it easier to take multiple temperature readings easily over time, thereby establishing a pet’s individual temperature range.
For animal identification, the microchip works in much the same way as other microchips.
Once the owner registers their pet’s microchip with a recovery database, their animal – in theory – can be traced if lost.
The reality is often different, because owners' contact details are frequently out of date, making it difficult to reunite pets.
MSD says it aims to have the most comprehensive reunification platform, with a database which:
For more information, visit: homeagain.co.uk
The company says Locox TT has been developed to have high levels of EPA and DHA Omega-3, with independent lab analysis showing it contains over four times more Omega-3s than the market leading supplement.
The new product also chondroprotective ingredients and antioxidants.
Locox TT comes in tablet form: 1-2 tabs per day, with no loading phase required.
Will Peel, TVM UK’s product manager said: "Locox TT has undergone extensive independent testing so vets can be assured that the information they give to pet owners is verified and can be trusted.
"With an abundance of joint supplements on the market, we believe it is important that vets are able to make informed decisions when selecting their chosen brand, by providing clear, trustworthy information, alongside a high-quality product.’
TVM says it will be making client leaflets and waiting room questionnaires to help pet owners identify the symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs.
For more information, visit www.tvm-uk.com/locoxtt or contact your local TVM territory manager.
The webinars will provide practical information to help manage renal cases, focusing on the importance of early diagnosis.
Led by feline medicine experts, Dr Tommaso Furlanello PhD ECVCP Dip and Dr Sarah Caney BVSc PhD DSAM(Feline) MRCVS, the webinars will provide practical information to help manage renal cases, focusing on the importance of early diagnosis.
On 7th June, Tommaso's talk will address early diagnosis of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) and recognition and management of its complications.
On the 28th, Sarah's talk will focus on supporting and communicating with cat owners around early diagnosis and achieving optimal long-term management.
The webinars will be available to watch live or as a recording after the event.
To register for the event, visit: https://purinaproplan-webinarseries.vfairs.com/
If you attend the live event, you'll have the chance to put questions to Sarah and Tommaso, but if you can't make it on the night, there'll be a recording afterwards.
Feliway Help! comes as a starter pack with a pheromone cartridge which lasts seven days and covers 50m2.
The cartridge is inserted into a diffuser which is plugged into an electrical socket, two days before the stressful event.
Ceva says that 83% of cat owners saw an improvement in their cat’s signs of stress after using Feliway Help!1.
The company adds that the Feliway Help! is particularly useful for clients of those practices which Feliway on the premises, with Feliway helping keep the cat calm at the practice, and Feliway Help! taking over when they return home.
Sarah Heath BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FRCVS, an RCVS and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine and Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, said: “Cats can find the veterinary visit challenging and when they go home they can sometimes find it hard to settle.
"Feliway Help! can be very beneficial in easing the transition between home and the practice.
"This can be particularly helpful when cats have had a stay in hospital.”
For more information, visit www.feliway.com/uk, call the Ceva Animal Health head office on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
330 people who took part in the survey were presented with a list of management and leadership skills. Those of the respondents who are leaders were asked to rate their confidence in applying the skills, whilst those in non-management positions were asked to rate their line manager's skills. Both sets of respondents were also asked to place the skills in priority order.
The management skills were: Setting clear tasks and objectives. Providing clear roles and responsibilities. Communicating clearly and effectively. Monitoring and evaluating. Planning and organising. Effectively managing difficult situations.
The leadership skills were: Providing rationale and explaining why. Regularly providing and seeking feedback. Building trust. Providing guidance and training. Creating development plans and opportunities.
Interestingly, the survey found a close correlation between how the leaders and the employees prioritise these things, with management skills being perceived as more important overall than leadership skills.
Communicating clearly and effectively was deemed the most important skill of all (ranked 9 out of 10 by both groups). Meanwhile, creating development plans and opportunities for others was prioritised the least (ranked 3.7/10).
But hang on a moment. If both the managers and the employees agree that creating development plans and opportunities is the least important thing, then surely it is? In other words, if employees say that creating development plans is unimportant, then surely it is unimportant, and if leaders think the same, they would appear to be right.
Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps employees don't know what's good for them, and leaders don't know what employees don't know what is good for them. If you take my point.
Veterinary leaders were then asked to rate their confidence in applying the listed leadership and management skills. The skills which elicited the largest number of 'not confident' responses were: monitoring and evaluating performance, regularly providing and seeking feedback, and creating development plans and opportunities for others.
The skills with which leaders were most confident were: communicating clearly and effectively, building trust, and providing rationale and explaining why.
Again, there was a close correlation between prioritisation of these skills and confidence levels.
VMG Vice President Richard Casey (pictured right) said: "The survey has helped us to identify priorities for learning and development both at our 2020 Congress and during our joint CPD programme next year. It is striking that the very skills required to motivate colleagues to remain in veterinary medicine and to support them in doing so are the ones which so many veterinary leaders admit that they lack confidence. Given the challenges the profession faces, it is also concerning that they appear to be undervalued both by veterinary leaders and the team members who report to them.
"Delegates to SPVS-VMG Congress and our other 2020 CPD events will benefit from a wealth of evidence-based lectures from experts on all aspects of veterinary leadership and management, enabling them to improve their own performance and contribute to an overall raising of standards of leadership and management across the veterinary sector."
Peter Brown, Senior Vice-President of SPVS, said: "We know that veterinary students receive an excellent clinical training and, in recent years, universities have started to include more non-clinical skills on the curriculum. However, these results suggest that when professionals move into more senior roles, be it leading a team or running their own practice, they find they still need to acquire new skills. SPVS’ role has always been to equip veterinary professionals to be effective leaders and SPVS-VMG congress is an excellent opportunity to both hear inspiring speakers and meet and learn from fellow leaders within the profession."
The VMG-SPVS 2020 joint Congress takes place from 23-25 January at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, and will feature dedicated streams on effective leadership, management mastery, practice profitability, preparing for a digital future and sustainability in practice.
Details on the VMG-SPVS 2020 CPD Programme can be found here: https://spvs-vmg-events.co.uk/cpd-events/
On the carton and leaflet, it states:
"For the prevention and treatment and prevention of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations on cats of less than 4 kg bodyweight."
However, it should state:
For the prevention and treatment and prevention of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations on cats greater or equal to 4 kg bodyweight.
Only one batch, KP0F3U7, is affected. Any other batches of Johnson’s 4Fleas 80mg Spot-on Solution for Cats are not impacted and may continue to be distributed.
Johnson’s Veterinary Products Ltd is contacting wholesale dealers to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.
For further information regarding the recall, contact Grant Exall, Quality Assurance/WQP, email: Grantexall@johnsons-vet.com, or Nick Franks, Sales Director, email Nickfranks@johnsons-vet.com, or Tel: 0121 378 1684.
The full eligibility criteria, including FAQs and guidance notes, for veterinary nurses who wish to stand for VN Council can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil21. The deadline for nominations is 5pm on Sunday 31 January 2021.
Due to the ongoing postal problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, RCVS Council has approved a temporary change to the RCVS Election Scheme this year to allow nominations to be submitted electronically, rather than in hard copy. This temporary change is currently before the Privy Council for final approval.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the elections, said: "For prospective RCVS and VN Councils election candidates this will mean that, rather than having to send us hard copies of your nomination documents in the post, these can simply be emailed to the College along with the relevant digital photographs and electronic signatures."
The College has also updated its information and guidance for prospective candidates, including an informal ‘job description’, to help them better understand what it means to be members of VN Council, their responsibilities, commitments and how they help the College meet its strategic goals, as well as the principles and rules governing their conduct.
Prospective candidates for VN Council can contact Matthew Rendle, VN Council Chair, for an informal conversation on what it means to be a Council member on vncchair@rcvs.org.uk.
Matthew said: “I was very proud to recently be appointed as Chair of VN Council with responsibility for overseeing it and its role in important decision-making on some of the big issues for veterinary nursing around training and education, post-registration qualifications and registration.
“Over the past years, the role, responsibility and stature of VN Council has really grown. Its members have been at the forefront of important projects such as VN Futures, which is helping the profession identify and plan for its future, and have been ambassadors for the profession at events such as our recent VN Evening.
“Last year we had a record number of veterinary nurses standing for election to VN Council, a fantastic development that I hope will be repeated this year as you really can make a difference on VN Council and play a role in speaking up for and promoting our profession. Please do get in touch with me if you wish to find out more.”
There is one more RCVS Council meeting before the nomination period ends. It will take place online on Thursday 21st January 2021 and prospective candidates who would like to get a feel for it are welcome to attend as observers: contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, on d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk.
The framework sets out the professional values, skills and behaviours required of the approved education institutions, delivery sites and training practices responsible for providing training and support for veterinary nurses.
The new version includes updates relating to sustainability and academic integrity.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: “The Standards Framework for Veterinary Nurse Education and Training last underwent an extensive review in 2019, with a small interim review taking place in 2021.
“In November 2023, RCVS VN Council agreed to set up a task-and-finish group to look at the potential changes, before these changes then went to consultation back in January this year.
“Animal health and welfare and public safety is central to our standards, and it is important that we continue to review them on a regular basis with input from veterinary nurses from across the profession.
"Nurses play a central role in upholding animal health and welfare and public health, and so it is important that students receive the best training possible in order to prepare them for life in clinical practice.
“Over the summer, we held a number of educator meetings to help familiarise AEIs, delivery sites, and TPs with the new framework, in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.
The new standards came into force on 1 September 2024.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/publications/vn-standards-framework