Trilotab is licensed for the treatment of pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) caused by an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenoma, which accounts for 85% of spontaneous cases of Cushing’s, and for the treatment of adreno-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (ADH) caused by a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumour (ACT), which accounts for the remaining 15% of spontaneous cases1.
The new tablet is divisible into halves and quarters to facilitate dose adjustment and make administration easier.
Divided tablets remain stable outside of the blister packaging until the next dose is due, thereby avoiding wastage.
Trilotab tablets are chewable and chicken-flavoured to help improve treatment compliance.
They contain hydrolysed chicken flavouring so they can be prescribed for pets allergic to chicken.
Trilotab is administered once daily with food with a starting dose of 2mg trilostane/kg bodyweight.
The new tabs are available in three presentations: 10mg, 30mg, and 60mg presentations, which Virbac says should help practices reduce their dispensary stockholding.
Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director – UK & Ireland at Virbac, said: ‘The complex nature of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs can make it a challenging condition to manage for both the clinician and the pet owner.
"With the requirement for lifelong treatment, it is our hope that Trilotab’s easy administration and simplified dosing protocols will genuinely help to improve the lives of dogs affected by the disease, whilst making the clinician and pet owner’s lives just a little bit easier too!"
Reference
Presented by Louisa Graham PGcertVPS CertAVP(SAM) MRCVS (pictured right), the webinars offer two hours of CPD credits and can be accessed at: https://www.vitaanimalhealth.com/youtube-activation/
Louisa, who has a passion for internal medicine, mentoring and supporting vets and nurses, has built an online following with whom she shares tips and advice.
Vita has also produced two webinars for cat owners which include advice on how to spot signs of OA in cats, when to seek veterinary care and practical tips on how to reduce feline stress.
Vet nurses are encouraged to share these webinars with their clients as a learning tool and source of information.
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.”
At his first Disciplinary Committee hearing in January 2018, the Committee directed that Dr Gerhard Schulze Allen’s name be removed from the Register after finding him guilty of serious professional misconduct in respect of four charges against him. These related to an incident of petty theft in California in the United States, and his subsequent dishonesty in not disclosing this to the College.
Following the Disciplinary Committee hearing, Dr Schulze Allen submitted an appeal to the Privy Council. In July 2019, the Privy Council partially upheld his appeal, determining that the RCVS had not proven beyond all reasonable doubt that Dr Schulze Allen’s infraction for petty theft was a conviction under Californian law and therefore Dr Schulze Allen had not made false representations to the College when he said he did not have any criminal convictions or a criminal record.
However, the Privy Council partially upheld the College’s charge that Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest and made false representations when he had, in a written application for restoration to the Register, represented that he did not have any adverse findings and that he should have declared his infraction for petty theft. The Privy Council also set aside the Disciplinary Committee’s original sanction and remitted the task of sanction back to the Disciplinary Committee.
As a result of the Privy Council’s decision, the Disciplinary Committee held a further hearing in relation to Dr Schulze Allen to decide the sanction in relation to the upheld charge against him.
The Committee noted that the aggravating factors were the fact that Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest to his regulator and in making a false declaration, demonstrated a wilful disregard for the regulatory role of the RCVS. In mitigation the Committee considered that there was no harm to animals, that it was a single and isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career, and that he had accepted his wrongdoing, albeit at a late stage, and was developing some insight.
The Committee considered whether a reprimand or warning would be the most appropriate sanction but determined that this would not reflect the seriousness of the dishonesty in this case, nor maintain public confidence in the profession or uphold proper professional standards of conduct and behaviour.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee concluded that the appropriate and proportionate sanction is suspension from the Register for a period of three months. A period of three months reflects the seriousness of the charge. Such a sanction sends a clear message to Dr Schulze Allen, the profession and the public that behaving dishonestly towards the regulator is a serious matter. The Committee considered that removal from the Register would be disproportionate given that this is a single incident and Dr Schulze Allen now accepts his wrongdoing."
There are an estimated 100,000 Persian cats in the UK, popular for their luxurious coat and flattened face. However, many of the health issues identified in the study, including haircoat disorders, dental disease, overgrown nails and eye discharge, may be related to precisely the qualities which have made the breed popular.
The researchers say that the results of the new study will help breeders to select which cats to breed from, veterinary surgeons to spot diseases earlier and owners to ensure that they take preventive measures for common conditions in the breed. They will also help the public understand more about the welfare challenges relating to owning and caring for Persian cats.
By analysing the clinical records of 3,325 Persian cats using the RVC’s VetCompass programme, the researcher found:
64.9% of Persian cats had at least one disorder recorded.
The most common specific disorders were haircoat disorder (12.7%), dental disease (11.3%), overgrown nails (7.2%) and eye discharge (5.8%).
Dental disease was more common in males, while claw/nail problems were more common in females.
The most common causes of death were kidney disease (23.4%) and cancer (8.5%).
The average adult bodyweight of a Persian cat was 3.9 kg.
Male Persian cats (average 4.3kg,) were heavier than females (average 3.4 kg).
The average lifespan of a Persian cat is 13.5 years.
Dr Dan O’Neill, lead author and VetCompass veterinary epidemiologist at the RVC, said: "Welfare concerns over brachycephaly [flat faces) in dogs have been recognised for some years.
"Now, our new study of Persians provides evidence that cats with flattened faces are similarly predisposed to some unpleasant and debilitating conditions.
"Hopefully this evidence baseline will kick-start demands to reform the Persian breed’s health by breeding towards a less extreme body shape. Additionally, owners of Persians need to be especially alert to dental, eye and haircoat issues in their cats and seek treatment at the earliest signs of ill-health."
Danièlle Gunn-Moore, Professor of Feline Medicine, University of Edinburgh and co-author said: "Along with growing health and welfare concerns for brachycephalic dogs, our studies raise the same concerns for brachycephalic cats. It is essential we recognise that brachycephalic cats have many of the same problems as brachycephalic dogs, with the most severely brachycephalic individuals having the most serious health problems. We need to start breeding away from extreme brachycephalia before we cause even more harm to these gracious creatures."
Photo: Danièlle Gunn-Moore
With the new model, the 90-strong nursing team will increase by around five per cent, with four new Nurse Manager roles with specific operational, quality, pastoral and training responsibilities.
The practice says the objective is to encourage nursing staff, from all areas of the practice to develop career pathways which play to their strengths and personal interests, with job shares also available.
Lauren Emmett, Head of Nursing Services, said: “We’re over the moon to be launching what is a really innovative new structure here at NDSR. It moves away from the more traditional flat model and places an emphasis on giving our team balance and really clear career pathways in whichever area their passion lies.
"The introduction of our four Nurse Managers will allow them to spend 60 to 80 per cent of their time on the clinical floor in the hospital, making them visible and available to support, and work alongside our nursing community.
"Each Nurse Manager will have a number of team leaders working with them, who will support other RVNs, SVNs and nursing assistants.
"These additional roles provide more opportunities for career progression and allows our nurses to identify avenues which might be of personal interest. Those avenues can be quite diverse, for example, recruitment, rota management, clinical standards, mental health and wellbeing, or training and development.
“Nurses who have leadership ambitions but may not necessarily want to manage people on a day-to-day basis can still utilise their skills to support colleagues and the business by becoming clinical coaches and by sharing their experience and knowledge within certain disciplines and fields.
Gerry Polton, clinical director at NDSR, said: “We believe this new structure really is iconoclastic, hopefully defining a new ‘gold standard’ in veterinary nursing. What we’re doing is allowing individuals to create their own career pathways within the business. We’re giving them valuable support and allowing them to forge ahead in leadership roles, should they wish.
“We’re confident this will benefit patients, clients, referring vets and, of course, the entire nursing team, which will offer us added support, while also receiving added support and structure to build on the fantastic skillsets we have here.”
For more information, visit https://www.ndsr.co.uk/home.
The system consists of a number of small wireless sensors which are placed in each fridge and which transmit data to a base station. It records a temperature history for each fridge, transmitting the data in real time to secure cloud storage, from where it can provide reports on the changing temperature in each fridge for compliance and regulatory purposes.
RemoteM is self-installed and battery operated, and it transmits data using the mobile phone network, so it is not reliant on a power source or working internet connection. Temperature alarms can be sent to one or more recipients, using email, automated voice calls or SMS.
Dalehead Veterinary Group, which has practices in Settle, Bentham and Gisburn, began trialling the RemoteM system almost a year ago.
Dalehead has six fridges at its Settle practice. Before installing RemoteM, practice staff needed to record daily readings of fridge temperatures, taken at different times of the day. As well as being a time-consuming process, it risked being inaccurate, as simple in-fridge monitors do not record all fluctuations in temperature.
Practice Manager Emma Spence said: "RemoteM has already saved us at least £4,000.
"One of our small animal vaccine fridges failed overnight, and the instant alarm meant we were able to respond immediately, with our on-call vet moving the stock to another fridge without risk of deterioration. At various times of year when we can have high values of stock in individual large fridges, this could have been even more critical."
The practice says the system has also proved useful in alerting staff to fluctuating temperatures in warm summer months, helping to ensure that vaccines and medicines are used in optimum condition.
For this reason, RemoteM sensors are also used outside fridges to monitor stock held at ambient temperatures, where the alarm trigger is set at 25 degrees to ensure stock does not exceed manufacturers' recommended storage temperature limits.
Another benefit of the system has been that Dalehead's insurer has said that with RemoteM, it is happy for the practice to continue to use its older fridges, instead of stipulating that they are replaced every three years.
So, it's not just saving the practice money, then. It's helping reduce pollution too.
For more information, call 0330 223 4553, email: info@remotem.co.uk or visit: www.remotem.co.uk.
The study titled “Electrolyte measurements differ between point-of-care and reference analysers in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism” investigated the performance of two point-of-care analysers (IDEXX Catalyst Dx and IDEXX VetStat) against a reference laboratory method for the measurement of blood sodium, potassium and chloride concentrations, as well as sodium-to-potassium ratios, in dogs diagnosed with and treated for hypoadrenocorticism.
Forty-eight dogs with hypoadrenocorticism were enrolled into a prospective cross-sectional study at the University of Glasgow. In total, 329 paired samples were measured on the Catalyst analyser and by the reference laboratory method called an ion selective electrode (ISE), while another 72 paired samples were tested on both the VetStat analyser and by ISE. The clinical effects of any difference in the electrolyte results were investigated.
Sam Fowlie, corresponding author for the paper, said: “Our results indicate that the sodium, potassium and therefore the sodium-to-potassium ratios, as well as the chloride concentrations measured by the Catalyst and VetStat analysers may not be used interchangeably with those from a reference laboratory analyser using an indirect ISE method. Both analysers tended to give higher results than the reference method for all analytes, except for potassium when measured on the VetStat.”
The clinical relevance of the disagreement between these methods was investigated by assessing how often the point-of-care analysers produced results which fell outside their reference range when the ISE method found them to be within reference and vice versa. For the Catalyst, there were 21 cases (6%) with discordant sodium results, 27 cases (8%) with discordant potassium results and 46 cases (14%) with discordant chloride results. The VetStat, meanwhile produced results which disagreed with the ISE method in 19 cases (26%) for sodium, 3 cases (4%) for potassium measurement and 9 cases (13%) for chloride analysis.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP added: “This study reveals significant systematic differences (“bias”) between the three analysers in this study. Comparing numerical results from different analytical methods – be they point-of-care or reference laboratories – can be dangerous for patients. Clinicians should always use method specific thresholds and, if these are not available (for example the sodium-to-potassium ratios on some analysers), then they should exercise greater caution in their interpretation.”
The full article can be found in the October issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and be read online here, open access: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13205.
Photo: Ian Ramsey
Common ‘Pet Dangers’ include:
The poster also reinforces the importance of S.P.E.E.D when dealing with poisoned pets:
To get your free poster, visit https://www.tvm-uk.com/pet-dangers-order-free-display-materials-for-your-practice/ or email help@tvm-uk.com.
Taking place on 26th November, the event will focus on putting the Cat Friendly Principles into action within the veterinary clinic, including how to work with cats in challenging situations, the role of appropriate handling techniques and the use of anxiolytics and sedation.
Speakers include Dr Sarah Heath (Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine), Dr Matt Gurney (Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia), Linda Ryan (Veterinary Technician Specialist in Oncology and Behaviour) and Kelly Eyre (RVN).
Head of ISFM Dr Nathalie Dowgray said: “This has been a really exciting programme to put together.
"Some cats can be challenging in the veterinary clinic even when the team has made every effort to be cat friendly. We wanted to recognise that and include in our panel discussion real-life scenarios to equip vets and nurses with the tools they need for when things don’t go according to plan.”
The Feline Fine London congress is open to all veterinary professionals, including nurses and receptionists.
https://icatcare.org/isfmcongress-2022-london
The webinar is presented by Will Stirling, partner at VetsDigital, a digital marketing agency which supports the veterinary industry across Europe.
Will will offer practical advice and guidance on the growing importance of applying digital marketing and the effect it can have on both team morale and the bottom line.
To register for the webinar, visit to: https://tinyl.io/5aIi
The Veterinary Nursing School was commended for its excellent Quality Improvement initiatives.
The RCVS’s Knowledge Awards celebrate achievements in the veterinary profession for initiatives that use Quality Improvement methods that lead to better patient outcomes and system performance and enhanced professional development opportunities.
The School of Veterinary Nursing at the RVC was applauded for how it has incorporated Quality Improvement initiatives into its post-registration qualifications.
For example, teaching students how to write a Knowledge Summary, how to design, plan and carry out a clinical audit proposal and how to conduct and reflect on the results of an audit as well as running group discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Perdi Welsh, Director of Veterinary Nursing, Principal Teaching Fellow and Course Director for Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing at the RVC, said: “This award is important to us because it demonstrates how increased professional development opportunities can shape innovation in clinical practice and how RVNs can be perfect role models for all aspects of clinical governance, and evidence-based practice.”
All entrants to the survey will also be able to enter a draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.
Jenny Langridge (pictured), Editor of Veterinary Woman, said: “This is our third annual survey and we are seeking the opinions of both Veterinary Woman readers and the wider professions to highlight the key issues affecting women in the veterinary sector.
"We’re not just asking questions, we’re offering veterinary professionals a chance to take part in an ongoing conversation about the very real issues that women face in the veterinary workplace.
"The more diverse the information we can collate about these topics, the more we can work towards achieving changes that help for women to thrive in the professions.”
All data and responses will remain strictly anonymous.
https://bit.ly/vet-woman-readership-survey
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 year, there have been over 30,000 nominations for the awards.
The finalists this year are:
Vet Nurse of the YearCaroline Jones, Battle Flatts Veterinary Surgery, YorkHelen Rooney, Pet Blood Bank, LoughboroughLesley Ramsey (pictured right), Debenham Veterinary Practice, Stowmarket
Vet of the YearAndrew Hayes, Towcester Equine Vets, TowcesterClare McCabe (pictured right), Claymill Veterinary Clinic, CookstownLaurence Behrens, Goddard Veterinary Group, Dagenham
Practice Support Staff of the YearRhiannon Lewis, Streatham Hill Vets, StreathamLaura Cameron, Lomond Veterinary Clinic, HelensburghLouise O’ Reilly, Vets4Pets, Llanrumney
Practice Manager of the YearKristen Lorimer, Blue House Veterinary Centre, Stoke-on-TrentLouise Newman, Blue Cross Vets, MertonNicki Ridgeway, Vets4Pets, Ridgeway
Practice of the YearHollybank Veterinary Centre, NorthwichLanes Vets, PoultonMilfeddygon Williams Vets, Gwynedd
The awards will be hosted at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester on 23rd March.
Bella von Mesterhazey, Sales & Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “This year’s finalist line-up includes an outstanding array of veterinary professionals and practices, and Petplan is delighted to be celebrating the highest achievements in pet healthcare once again."
whatstherisk.co.uk has been created for all practice staff and contains advice from parasitologists Ian Wright and Eric Morgan.
Topics include advice on practical risk assessments, how risk-based prescribing can work with health plans as well as how to get owners involved to make risk assessment and personalised prescribing quicker and simpler.
Boehringer says that all the materials and advice have been developed in line with RCVS Practice Standards and the BVA's guidance on the responsible use of parasiticides.1,2
Sharron Woods, NexGard brands Franchise Manager said: “With knowledge about parasitic risk low among dog owners, alongside increasing scrutiny on the potential overuse of parasiticides, we’re delighted to be at the forefront of supporting vets, pet owners and the wider industry in driving best-practice risk assessment and responsible parasite control."
References
The event offers over 80 hours of CPD across seven streams – with everything from hypotension and sepsis to breaking bad news to clients – as well as world-renowned speakers and networking opportunities.
Søren Boysen from the University of Calgary in Canada and Sophie Adamantos from Paragon Referrals in Wakefield, are among several high-profile speakers at this year’s Congress.
Chief Executive for GB Snowsport, Victoria Gosling OBE, will open Congress as keynote speaker where she’ll focus on perseverance, resilience and teamwork.
Also speaking are Prof. John Williams, Richard Casey, executive director at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and VDS trainer Elly Russell.
Arlene Connor, an RVN and head of clinical operations at Vets Now and IVC Evidensia has planned the programme alongside national ECC lead Dan Lewis (pictured right).
She said: “We’re so excited to be returning to the Royal Armouries for our 19th Vets Now ECC Congress – around a theme which celebrates us all being together again.
"The past two years have been a challenge for all of us in the veterinary professions and we hope to mitigate that with a return to face-to-face learning and networking, as well as the chance to have some fun.
"Events like this can be hugely inspirational — for the organisers as well as the attendees — and we truly can’t wait to welcome everyone through the doors like old times.”
Dan added: “There’s a brilliant line-up of live speakers, workshops, a packed exhibition hall and more opportunities than ever for delegates to meet old friends and make new ones, as well as to learn from some of the world’s leading veterinary experts discussing emergency and critical care.
“Our programme again this year has been carefully tailored to provide an inclusive learning experience for vets and vet nurses no matter what stage they’re at in their career, from students through to specialists.
Tickets range in price from £45 + VAT for exhibition-only tickets, up to £470 + VAT for a vet to attend for 2 days plus the gala dinner.
To book your ticket, go to www.vets-now.com/congress2022
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:
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."
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
To date most of these imaging procedures have been performed by vets within the group’s small animal first opinion veterinary practices.
The company says its Foundations in Diagnostic Imaging for Nurses training is designed to give its nurses more clinical stature in first opinion practice.
The programme will teach nurses the workings of an x-ray machine, common X-ray positions and contrast material.
It will also cover the principles of CT and MRI, showing how to set up and operate each piece of equipment, and how to support patients through these imaging procedures.
Finally, the course will provide the training nurses need to be able to perform ultrasounds within the current RCVS legal frameworks.
CVS says it believes this is a first in the veterinary profession
Tara Ryan, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS said: “Imaging is a brand new area that we are starting to delegate to our nurses. Having heavily invested in our small animal first opinion practices over the last decade, we have a wide range of imaging equipment at many of our sites.
“Excitingly, this programme will open up the ability for nurses to start to contribute more information - to help vets identify and diagnose conditions and diseases in patients.
"It is another big step that we are taking to empower our brilliant nurses and to enable them to make a great clinical contribution towards the care of our patients – and to be the nurses they want to be.”
CVS is prioritising the consulting room and Schedule 3 delegated tasks as important areas for improving what it calls 'nurse optimisation'.
The company recognises that 'buy in' from veterinary surgeons is vital to the success of its efforts to optimise the role of its nurses, and the group has also published guidelines to provide clarity around effective delegation under Schedule 3.
2000 veterinary surgeons and nurses/technicians took part in the study, of which 545 completed all questions.
The biggest equipment barriers to BP measurement were 'cuff frustration' (cuffs pinging off) and difficulties hearing the pulse, which were experienced at least sometimes by 72.2% and 71.6% of participants respectively when using Doppler machines.
When asked about barriers relating to the procedure itself, the most significant issues were a lack of time, not having a colleague available to restrain the cat, and simply forgetting to include BP in the assessment.
Owner-related barriers included difficulties persuading clients to book a separate BP appointment, difficulties persuading clients to bring cats in for a BP check at all, and reticence over the cost.
Former Member, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who lead the study, said: “Feline hypertension is an extremely common condition which affects approximately one in five cats nine years or over4, however there are several challenges that we need to address to enhance the long-term health and welfare of the nation’s cats.
"The good news is that some of the barriers identified in the study can be overcome by taking a ‘practice makes perfect’ attitude towards taking blood pressure, in that the more experience vet professionals have, the easier the procedure will become.
"The study showed many VNs are confident and enthusiastic about blood pressure assessment in cats; this should be encouraged and expanded upon to ensure that as many older cats and those with conditions increasing their risk of hypertension, receive the BP monitoring they deserve.
Eye examinations are helpful in confirming a diagnosis of systemic hypertension, however the study revealed that while 96.5% of respondents had access to a direct ophthalmoscope, 73.1% reported that they felt under-confident in performing and interpreting ocular examinations when identifying hypertensive lesions in cats.
Ceva Animal Health, which funded the study, says that because between 50 and 100% of hypertensive cats have ocular lesions2,3, it is vital that clinicians feel able to identify ocular pathologies associated with high blood pressure.
Sarah added: "VNs and vets should be encouraged to ‘upskill’ their eye examination skills, as this can be extremely helpful in identifying cats with hypertension."
To that end, Ceva has published an online feline ophthalmology course ‘Looking hypertension in the eye’: www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva
The course, which is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh, is designed to help vets and vet nurses to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
https://easethepressure.co.uk.
Data from the survey will be used as a comparison to previous years (2019 and 2020), to determine whether the changes in puppy buying in the UK seen during the COVID-19 pandemic have returned to their pre-pandemic baseline or persisted into 2021.
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC said: “The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the way many of us bought our household goods, with online ordering and delivery a common feature of lockdown life.
"The pandemic also led to changes in the way the UK bought puppies during 2020, due to the many restrictions to travel and social contact during this period.
"Many of these so-called ‘Pandemic Puppies’ became much-cherished companions, helping households cope with lockdown life; however, there are concerns that some owners were duped into buying from unscrupulous breeders.
"We are interested in whether pandemic-related changes in puppy buying persisted into 2021, so we can best support owners of puppies bought during this period going forward."
For more information, visit: www.rvc.uk.com/Pandemic-Puppies-of-2021-research
The survey is at: www.rvc.uk.com/Puppy2021-survey
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.
Frontline wormer for cats contains praziquantel and pyrantel embonate, and for dogs it also contains febantel.
According to the company, Frontline Wormer is effective agains all types of intestinal worms found in the UK: roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms.
It is presented as a palatable tablet which can be given as a treat without food, or mixed with food.
The press release from the company says the new product "gives pet parents an easy way to worm their cats and dogs".
"Pet parents?"
Someone please pass me the sick bag.
If I get one more press release describing cat or dog owners as 'pet parents", so help me god I will turn up at the press office and chain myself - naked - to the photocopying machine in protest.
It's a ghastly, patronising, cloying way to refer to people who own an animal, besides which, if I really was the parent of a pet, I would expect to be serving time at His Majesty's pleasure.
Frontline Wormer is available in packs of two tablets for 3 pet sizes.
As an AVM-GSL-licensed product, it can be sold off the shelf.
In particular, the association says it is looking for people with expertise in the following areas:
VMG President Rich Casey (pictured right) said: “During the last two years alone, we have launched a new suite of ILM-accredited Award in Veterinary Leadership and Management (AVLM) qualifications, together with our evidence-based Leadership Standards Framework.
"We have also announced our intent to support the specific needs of our members more closely through our own congress and other initiatives, as well as helping to guide the wider veterinary profession through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
“We’re proud of what we have achieved so far but we have much more to do.
'We are looking for several new directors with specific skills to help us offer the highest level of support we can to our members in 2023 and beyond.”
The deadline for applications is 3 October 2022.
https://vetmg.com/vmg-new-director-search
Nutraplaque contains Ascophyllum Nodosum seaweed and decaffeinated green tea extract, presented in sprinkle capsules. Nutravet says the seaweed in nutraplaque has been shown to reduce plaque build-up by 35% after 4 weeks.
Nutravet says the new product also helps in the removal and control of tartar, supports healthy teeth and gums, reduces bad breath and is free of artificial preservatives, gluten and sugar
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director at Nutravet said: "We’re really excited to introduce nutraplaque into our market-leading range of veterinary exclusive nutraceuticals. Maintaining pets’ dental health is an important part of looking after a pet and our nutraplaque sprinkle capsules make it easy for pet owners to keep up with oral health in an easy to administer form.
“The unique formulation of nutraplaque works naturally within an animal’s body. The natural ingredients work through the saliva, where they help reduce new plaque from forming and soften existing tartar around the clock."
For further information about nutraplaque, visit www.nutravet.co.uk.