A study led by the Royal Veterinary College’s VetCompass programme has revealed a significant difference between how clinicians diagnose epilepsy compared with current expert recommendations, supporting a call for clearer diagnostic guidelines for greater consistency of diagnosis and treatment in clinical practice.

For the study, 2,834 seizure incident cases  were identified from a population of 455,553 dogs attending VetCompass participating practices in 2013. 

The study found that that approximately 1 in 160 dogs under first opinion veterinary care are affected by seizures every year.

Many of those dogs will have underlying epilepsy, defined as dogs with two or more unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart. Seizures can be secondary to idiopathic epilepsy, structural epilepsy or epilepsy of unknown cause.

Until now, however, there has been little information on the classifications of seizures, diagnostic approaches, or clinical management of dogs with seizures in the veterinary first opinion population.

The main findings from the research were:

• The annual incidence risk of seizures in dogs was 0.62%.
• The most common breeds among seizure cases were Labrador Retrievers (8.6%), Staffordshire Bull Terriers (6.1%), Jack Russell Terriers (5.8%) and Yorkshire Terriers (5.0%).
• 579 (20.5%) seizure cases met the criteria for epilepsy based on the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force (IVETF) classification system, compared with just 245 (8.6%) that were formally recorded with epilepsy by the attending veterinary teams.
• Overall, 1,415 (49.9%) cases received diagnostic evaluation equivalent to or higher than IVETF Tier 1 diagnostic testing.
• Being under 12 years of age and being insured were risk factors for receiving IVETF Tier 1 or higher diagnostic evaluation among seizure cases. In addition, being at or above the breed and sex mean bodyweight, a clinically recorded diagnosis of epilepsy and being in the UK Kennel Club Terrier breed group were risk factors for receiving IVETF Tier 1 or higher.
• Dogs that received IVETF Tier 1 or higher diagnostic evaluation, MRI or CSF analysis were more likely to be recorded with epilepsy by the attending veterinary teams.
• Anti-seizure drug (ASD) treatment was not prescribed for 1,960/2,834 (69.2%) dogs in association with the incident seizure event. Of the remainder, 719 (25.3%) dogs received 1 ASD, whereas 155 (5.5%) an ASD combination.

Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animals Epidemiology at the RVC, and author of the paper, said: "Watching your dog undergo a seizure can be an incredibly scary moment for any dog owner. It is really important that dogs that seizure are rapidly diagnosed to decide whether they need no further treatment beyond careful monitoring or alternatively require a clinical work-up to define the cause of the seizures.

"There are now some excellent treatments for many seizure-related diseases. This study helps up to understand the current state of play for seizure management in dogs and identifies opportunities for improved care of these affected dogs."

Reference

1. Erlen A, Potschka H, Volk HA, Sauter-Louis C, O'Neill DG. Seizures in dogs under primary veterinary care in the United Kingdom: Etiology, diagnostic testing, and clinical management. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2020 doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15911

The full paper is freely available from Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and can be accessed here:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvim.15911

The Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss has reassured pet owners that there is no cause for alarm after a cat was diagnosed with coronavirus last week.

Christine said: "Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency have confirmed that the virus responsible for COVID-19 has been detected in a pet cat in England.

"This is a very rare event with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within in a few days.

"There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change."

Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: "This is the first case of a domestic cat testing positive for COVID-19 in the UK but should not be a cause for alarm.

"The investigation into this case suggest that the infection was spread from humans to animal, and not the other way round. At this time, there is no evidence that pets can transmit the disease to humans.

The pet cat was initially diagnosed by a vet with feline herpes virus, but the sample was also tested for SARS-CoV-2 as part of a research programme at the Centre for Virus Research at Glasgow University. Follow-up samples tested at the APHA laboratory in Weybridge confirmed the cat was also co-infected with SARS-CoV2 , the virus known to cause COVID-19 in humans.

BSAVA advice for practising vets about coronavirus is here and further information about testing is available here.

Bluetree Group, a Type IIR surgical face mask manufacturer, has published the results of a survey it conducted in July which has found that 35% of pet owners would consider changing their vets if they didn’t think their face mask met the standard required. 

Interestingly, the survey of 2000 people found that men were 11% more likely than women to change their veterinary surgery if they didn't like the look of the masks. There were also geographical variations in the levels of concern about masks, with Londoners (48%) and people from the South West (46%), the North East (41%) and the West Midlands (41%) being most concerned.

Still, there is some consolation for any practice that is using sub standard masks: 78% of UK adults wouldn’t know how to tell if a face mask was fake.

However, 26% of respondents said they would ask their vet to prove their medical grade face mask meets the certified standard and 22% of pet owners said they would expect their vet to wear a medical grade face mask during routine checkups for the foreseeable future.

James Kinsella, Director at Bluetree Group, said: “During such an unprecedented time, it’s no surprise that people are worried about the use of face masks. It is clear that the public has strong feelings about the quality of face masks in practices, with a third of pet owners saying they are worried about the standard of their vet’s face mask. It’s encouraging to see that where expectations are not met, people will seek an alternative.

"The majority of people admit they would not be able to identify a fake face mask, however it is encouraging that a third of those we spoke to would have the confidence to take action and change their vet if they didn’t think their face mask was up to standard."

For more information on Bluetree Group’s face masks, visit: https://bluetreemaskbox.co.uk.

The Purina Institute is hosting a free one hour webinar:  “Evidence-based selection of supplements in clinical practice” on 2nd May at 6:00pm.

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  

Former vet Warwick Seymour-Hamilton, who was removed from the Register in 1994, has had his eleventh attempt at restoration rejected by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee.

Mr Seymour-Hamilton was removed from the Register after his Kent practice was found to have unhygienic and unsterile conditions as well as poor record keeping, although he has always disputed this, maintaining that he was not actually practising at the time of the inspection. 

Mr Seymour-Hamilton made an application for restoration on the basis that he did not want to be restored to the Register in order to practise veterinary surgery, but so that he could more easily achieve recognition from academics and drug companies for his work on herbal and natural remedies.

Mr Seymour-Hamilton's dispute over the original findings of the 1994 case was ruled inadmissible.

In considering his application, the Committee took into account the fact that he had not accepted the original findings from 1994 nor had he, over the course of his various applications for restoration, shown any insight into his original conduct or the serious concerns about his fitness to practice raised in previous restoration hearings.

It also considered that Mr Seymour-Hamilton had been off the Register for 29 years and would need to have demonstrated prolonged, intensive and formal training to ensure he met the Day One Competences required of a veterinary surgeon.

The College submitted that he had made no such attempts and so would pose a significant risk to animal health and welfare if he were allowed to practice again.

The Committee also considered that Mr Seymour-Hamilton had indicated that he had practised veterinary surgery while off the Register – including conducting two spay procedures in Calais, France – and had used his own animals to try out new and untested ‘herbal remedies’.

The College submitted that this indicated someone who didn’t have due regard to the importance of the current level of skills, experience and qualifications required in order to undertake veterinary surgery competently, and therefore posed a risk to animal health and welfare.

Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The College invited the Committee to consider that where, as here, some 29 years have passed since this veterinary surgeon has practised, there has been no intensive, and prolonged re-training, no acceptance of the original findings and no insight into concerns about his fitness to practise, there will inevitably be a serious risk to the welfare of animals and the wider public interest if the applicant is restored to the Register.

The Committee agrees, and considers that the applicant has not shown the required insight as to the steps he needs to take to return to safe veterinary practice.”

Accordingly, the Committee decided that it would not be in the public interest to restore Mr Seymour-Hamilton to the Register.

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

Dan Sutcliffe, RVN and Area Manager for Medivet, is going to run the Great North Run half marathon in an inflatable rhino costume to raise funds for the Wilderness Foundation Africa's Forever Wild Rhino Protection initiative.

Dan, who is a novice runner, will be running the 13.1 miles between Newcastle and South Shields on Sunday 12 September. He said: “You’d think that lockdown would be the perfect opportunity to train hard and then breeze through the ‘world’s biggest and best half marathon’ but, perhaps like many others, I ate cheese and drank wine for 18 months, so the challenge is now really on.

“I’m raising funds to help save the rhino because the conservation of these magnificent animals is so important and I hope the added pressure of supporting the charity will propel me across the finish line. I’m also excited to be running in Newcastle at a time when Medivet is growing its presence in the North-East of England.

“Running in the rhino suit will be tough but it has an internal fan which I hope will keep me cool on the day.  Let’s hope the weather will be kind!”

Donations to support Dan's fundraising can be made at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DanSutcliffe1

CVS reports that over 300 RVNs have now completed its recently launched Surgical Schedule 3 Course, designed for nurses looking to upskill and perform minor surgical tasks that were previously undertaken by vets. 

The course covers wound management, making decisions on dressings, drain management, how to complete biopsies and fine needle samples, how to complete a number of suture patterns and how to remove cutaneous masses and complete other surgeries under Schedule 3 legislation.

The course includes eight hours of practical skills training on cadavers as well as 2 hours online training, covering suture selection and legislation.

On completion of the course, CVS nurses are able to recognise what nurses can complete under Schedule 3 legislation, identify the correct dressing for each stage of wound healing, identify the equipment and correct technique for a range of biopsies, complete a number of different suture patterns, and remove cutaneous masses and complete other surgeries under Schedule 3 legislation.

Each nurse has a skills checklist to inform their ongoing training needs and is encouraged to have regular, informal meetings with a local mentor – who is able to support their learning.

The next Surgical Schedule 3 Course is scheduled for 21^st March 2024.

Karen Learmonth, LED Nursing Lead at CVS said: “I am excited about the opportunity that Surgical Schedule 3 provides for nurses within CVS to further their skills and knowledge.

"Advocating nurses’ involvement in Schedule 3 procedures supports improved patient care and provides nurses with rewarding careers.

“It’s fantastic to see so many nurses completing the course to date and we’ll further develop nurse utilisation in 2024 where we’ll rollout both ultrasound and lab skills training.

"We hope this will encourage nurses to utilise all aspects of their role in line with Schedule 3 guidelines.”

Fran Wood, an RVN at Albavet - Rogers, Brock & Barker said: “I have been loving doing surgery and felt the course was the best CPD I have ever been on!

"It has given me the confidence to complete stitch ups, tail amputations and many other procedures.” 

One of the critical factors in allowing vet nurses to use all their skills is having vets who are comfortable delegating.

To that end, CVS has vets who have pledged to support nurses to achieve this work.

The group has also published guidelines for its vets to provide clarity around effective delegation under Schedule 3.

Neil Hudson MRCVS, one of three veterinary surgeons to stand in the general election, has been elected to represent Penrith and the Border for the Conservatives with a majority of 18,519.

Danny Chambers MRCVS had a disappointing night after seeing the Liberal Democrat share of the vote in North Cornwall decrease by 5.8%, leaving him trailing 14,752 votes behind the Conservative candidate Scott Mann who scored 30,671.

Meanwhile Ian Fleming MRCVS, who stood as an independent candidate for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency, got 190 votes. The winning Conservative candidate, James Morris, gained 25,607 votes.

Many people will no doubt feel that the overall Conservative majority of 80 seats is a disastrous result; people who simply cannot bear Boris and fear what he'll do with a majority; people who saw a land of milk and honey and free broadband and publicly-owned railways that run on time and an A&E waiting time of less than 30 seconds and guillotines for the rich, only to have their hopes dashed. They must be gutted.

Equally it can be argued that this is the best possible result for the country. A decisive vote. Now, finally, we can all move on from 3 years of interminable debate about whether we're staying or going or having another referendum or cancelling the whole thing and going down the pub instead. Now the government can concentrate on implementing brexit. Perhaps the country can at last unite around that purpose. 

Boris may not prove the disaster that some people think. He's not hard right. Quite the reverse. And having won all those safe Labour seats, he'll have to deliver for them. He has a good sense of humour ("Let's get breakfast done."), but that does not make him a fool or a charlatan. On the contrary, wit requires brainpower. And as for the accusations of being a liar, perhaps people will come to understand that flowery use of language does not itself make someone dishonest. Perhaps people will learn to stop interpreting his words so literally.

Time will tell, but there is cause for optimism this morning. Whichever side of the fence you sit, we must all be glad of one thing ... no more arguing about whether or not we're leaving.

Midlands-based Dr Lynn Jo Ann Davies MRCVS has been reprimanded and warned by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for serious professional misconduct involving drink driving convictions and being under the influence of alcohol whilst on duty as a veterinary surgeon.

The committee heard five charges against Dr Davies at a resumed hearing of an inquiry which was originally adjourned in January and then July 2018. The decision was made, at both the 2018 hearings, to postpone the final decision on the sanction.

The first two charges against Dr Davies related to convictions for drink driving in March 2014 and October 2015 for which she received driving bans of 17 and 45 months.

The third charge related to her breaching a number of undertakings she had entered into as part of the College’s Health Protocol, including her consuming alcohol on four occasions between May 2015 and January 2016 and missing a pre-arranged appointment with a consultant psychiatrist appointed.

The fourth and fifth charges related to being under the influence of alcohol on three occasions while she was on duty as a veterinary surgeon in December 2016 which was also in breach of her undertakings under the Health Protocol.

At Dr Davies' first Disciplinary Committee hearing in January 2018, she admitted all five charges against her and also accepted that her conduct was disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.

The Committee accepted her admissions and found, with the exception of one allegation, that her conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.

At the conclusion of its hearing on 23 January 2018 the Committee decided to postpone its decision regarding sanction for six months on the basis of Dr Davies’ entering into undertakings, including not to practise veterinary surgery and to remain abstinent from alcohol during the period of postponement and to undergo blood and hair tests for alcohol consumption every two months.

At the resumed hearing on 30 July 2018, Dr Davies’ Counsel submitted on her behalf that she wished to return to practise and the Committee reviewed evidence that she provided to demonstrate she had complied with her undertakings.

However, the Committee retained concerns about Dr Davies' return to practise and therefore required her to identify a veterinary surgeon who would agree to act as her mentor, noting that the mentor would have to be acceptable to the College as someone suitable to act in that capacity.

The Committee also required the continuation of the requirements for abstinence from alcohol and the programme of blood and hair testing.

A further requirement of the Committee was that Dr Davies should make a disclosure to any new employer of her appearances before the Committee in January 2018 and in July 2018 and of the decisions it made.

The final requirement of the Committee was that the respondent should not accept a ‘sole charge position’ at any time during her employment during this next period of postponement of sanction. The Committee then directed that the hearing be postponed for a further 12 months.

The Disciplinary Committee resumed its inquiry on 7th August 2019, when Dr Davies submitted documentary proof and medical records to demonstrate she had complied with all her undertakings given at the last hearing. The Committee also heard from Dr Davies’ appointed veterinary mentor who provided a statement that concluded that she no longer needed monitoring or supervision.

The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Davies.

Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The view of the Committee is that the respondent has to date overcome her addiction to alcohol and, given that her competence as a practising veterinary surgeon is not disputed, that she should therefore be permitted to return to her chosen profession. However, in the judgment of this Committee the seriousness of the offences to which the Respondent has pleaded guilty means that a sanction of “No Further Action” cannot be justified."

The Committee therefore decided that the most proportionate sanction was for Dr Davies to be reprimanded as to the conduct she admitted at previous hearings and that she be warned as to her future conduct.

Ian added: "The respondent must understand that she has been given an opportunity to prove that, for the remainder of her time in practice, she can meet the high standards expected of all registered veterinary surgeons from both other practitioners and from members of the public who entrust the care and treatment of their animals to members of this profession."

Novartis Animal Health has launched its Summer Worming Packs.

The packs are part of an ongoing campaign by the company to get pet owners to worm their animals at least 4 times a year (as recommended by the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites¹), as opposed to the current norm of 2.6 times per year².

The Summer Worming Packs include waiting room and client materials, and practice PR support materials. There is also a pet owner website http://www.wormpatrol.co.uk/.

For further details about the Summer Worming Pack or the Worm Patrol Campaign, veterinary practices should contact their Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager.

A survey of veterinary professionals conducted by the Veterinary Management Group and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons has concluded that veterinary leaders, chiefly vets and practice managers, lack the man management skills needed to improve staff motivation and retention.

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/ 

The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) is making its webinar channel free to access for all veterinary professionals during the coronavirus crisis.

Normally only accessible by ISFM members, the channel has been opened up as a free resource to help vet nurses keep on top of CPD and includes over 40 webinars presented by internationally recognised veterinary specialists.

Topics include: anaesthesia and analgesia, behaviour, emergency and critical care, feline medicine and neurology. Each webinar is worth 1 hour of CPD and you get a certificate.

The channel includes a new webinar: ‘COVID-19 – helping cats cope’ which looks at how you can advise owners to help their cats deal with changes at home.

ISFM’s Feline Medicine Consultant, Sam Taylor said: "ISFM is committed to educating veterinary professionals on all things feline, so we are delighted to be able to bring some of our normally member-only benefits to a wider audience during this challenging time."

To register for the ISFM webinar channel, visit: https://icatcare.org/event/isfm-vet-webinars/ 

The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS) has gone open source, so it is now accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.

The journal publishes original peer-reviewed papers of international or global significance that improve the veterinary care and welfare of domestic cats.

Until this year, access to JFMS for most veterinary practitioners was dependent on membership to the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) or the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), or a separate paid subscription.

Now that the journal is open access, there are no restrictions on who can access the journal and all articles past and present are free to view.

The journal's editors say that making it open access greatly improves their ability to improve the health and welfare of cats by providing high-quality peer-reviewed information.

The AAFP and ISFM say they have already seen the positive impact this has had, with low- and middle-income countries now accounting for a quarter of the 20 most common geographic locations for visitors to the JFMS website. 

Head of ISFM Nathalie Dowgray said: "Transitioning JFMS to an open access journal helps ISFM fulfil our parent charity’s (International Cat Care) mission of creating a cat friendly world through ensuring the latest knowledge in feline medicine and welfare is available to the global veterinary community."

For those interested in submitting to JFMS, authors can get a 50% discount on the article processing charge until 4 July 2023; after this date, a 22% discount will be in place for authors who are a member of ISFM or the AAFP.

Click here for more information about submitting an article to JFMS: https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/JFM 

https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jfm