Vetoquinol has revamped its Epiphen complimentary voucher scheme for testing serum levels of phenobarbital, and is offering vet practices a chance to win £100 of high street vouchers.
New voucher pads will be posted to participating veterinary practices in August. The re-vamped scheme also includes freepost envelopes to make the free serum monitoring programme more user-friendly.
Practices are being asked to send back the old vouchers, which can be found in both the 30mg and 60mg Epiphen packs, to take part in a monthly prize draw to win £100 of high street vouchers. To enter, return the vouchers with the practice name on the back of each voucher. There will also be a quarterly prize draw for a "Touch Screen" client education tool.
The old vouchers should be sent to: Voucher Amnesty, Vetoquinol, Vetoquinol House, Great Slade, Buckingham Industrial Park, Buckingham, MK18 1PA.
Grahame Gardner Ltd has announced the launch of a classically styled tunic, the M559, now stocked in bottle green for the first time.
The company says that although there have been numerous ladies tunics available in bottle green, this is the first time Grahame Gardner has stocked a male tunic in the characteristic veterinary colour.
The contemporary design of the M559 incorporates side fastening with the option of contrasting epaulettes, alongside practical pockets and side slits. According to the company, it's a tunic that looks great and performs exceptionally well in the veterinary practice. Stocked in sizes from 34" to 50" (chest), the M559 is one of several new styles introduced within Grahame Gardner's latest 124 page brochure.
To explore Grahame Gardner's collection please take a look at http://www.grahamegardner.co.uk/, or call 0116 255 6326 to order a copy of the new brochure.
Petplan is calling for nominations for this year's 'Petplan Pet Insurance Advisor Award'.
The award is to recognise the hard work and dedication that Pet Insurance Advisors (PIAs) do to highlight the importance of insurance to pet owners so that they are protected financially. You can nominate a PIA at your practice by visiting www.petplan.co.uk/pia. The winner will receive a new laptop and their practice will receive £100 in vouchers.
Petplan Marketing Manager Alison Andrew said: "At Petplan we are proud to recognise the dedication and hard work that Pet Insurance Advisors put in to give their customers informed and up-to-date advice. So please get your nominations in!"
Nominations close on 3rd September and the nominees will be judged by industry professionals. The winner will be announced at the annual BVNA Congress on 9th October.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has called for comment on a new draft health protocol which aims to deal compassionately with veterinary surgeons who have health problems, such as alcohol or drug addiction or mental health issues, while continuing to protect the public interest.
According to independent legal advice sought by the College, such an approach is appropriate and necessary in order for the RCVS to fulfil its regulatory responsibilities - similar systems exist within other regulators.
RCVS President Peter Jinman said: "At present, where veterinary surgeons suffer from health problems that affect their fitness to practise, they may be referred to a formal and public Disciplinary Committee inquiry and stopped from practising. But it is recognised that this is not always in the public interest, which could be protected by a more compassionate approach, involving medical help, workplace supervision and continued practice, subject to conditions."
As a result, the draft Protocol has been developed by the RCVS Preliminary Investigation and Advisory Committees. It formalises and builds on steps taken by the Preliminary Investigation Committee in the past to help veterinary surgeons to recover from health problems affecting fitness to practise, without referral to the RCVS Disciplinary Committee. Often those veterinary surgeons are also receiving help from the Veterinary Benevolent Fund's Veterinary Surgeons' Health Support Programme.
The Protocol encourages anyone coming into contact with veterinary surgeons - including other veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, members of practice staff, clients and healthcare professionals - who have concerns about a veterinary surgeon's health to report those concerns to the RCVS as soon as is reasonably practicable. Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who are concerned about the health of a veterinary surgeon must also take steps to ensure that animals are not put at risk and that the interests of the public, including those of their colleagues, are protected.
A similar protocol would be introduced for Registered Veterinary Nurses when the equivalent disciplinary system comes into force next year.
The draft protocol, together with recommended changes to the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct to support the change, is available online (www.rcvs.org.uk/healthprotocol) and comments are requested by 8 October 2010. The comments will be considered by Advisory Committee and then RCVS Council.
Comments should be sent to Simon Wiklund, Advisory Manager, on s.wiklund@rcvs.org.uk. A hard copy of the consultation document is available on request.
A study by Janssen Animal Health has, according to the company, demonstrated that a leading herbal wormer had no demonstrable efficacy against common poultry worms1.
The trial, done to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Standards, involved 48 chickens that had become naturally infected with three different poultry worms - Capillaria (Hairworm) species, Heterakis gallinarum (Caecal worm) and Ascaridia galii (Large roundworm). The birds were randomly assigned to one of three groups:
A. Flubenvet treated groupB. Herbal wormer treated groupC. Control (untreated) group.
The herbal treatment was administered for 3 days in-feed, as required by the 'on-pack' instructions and Flubenvet was given for 7 days as required on the product data sheet. Droppings were collected from individual birds and group pens at intervals for 2 weeks and examined for the presence of worm eggs
Table 1: Worm Count Summaries
Group
Minimum
Maximum
Median
A (Flubenvet treatment)
0.00
19.00
B (Herbal treatment)
108.00
1327.00
425.00
C (no treatment)
74.00
958.00
302.00
The results showed that very few worm eggs were present after one 7-day treatment with Flubenvet. In contrast, those that had no treatment or the herbal treatment still had hundreds of worm eggs in their droppings, suggesting that there were still many adult egg-laying worms present inside the chickens.
Janssen says poultry keepers who rely on preparations like this particular natural wormer may well be building up problems, as the additional numbers of worm eggs in the environment add to the infection pressure and can result in greater worm burdens for their birds. Birds with high worm burdens are more likely to become ill.
According to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2009 any product making veterinary medicinal claims needs to be licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. A licensed product has to show proven efficacy and safety for the animal species involved. Licensed veterinary medicines can be identified by their Vm number, which is shown on-pack. Products termed 'nutritional supplements', that are not licensed do not require the manufacturer to produce any proof of efficacy or safety. It is often easy to buy such products 'off the shelf' because they are not subject to any controls. Any poultry keeper who cares about the health and welfare of the birds is advised to think carefully about their choice of wormer and to seek advice from a vet pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP).
1 Evaluation of the efficacy of flubendazole in comparison with a herbal wormer in the treatment of naturally acquired infections of Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, and intestinal Capillaria spp in Chickens, Janssen Animal Health
Vetoquinol is introducing Equistro Kerabol Biotin, a complementary feeding stuff for horses which the company says can help maintain healthy hoof and hair growth when used daily.
Equistro Kerabol Biotin will replace Biometh Z and will be automatically supplied in its place when wholesaler stocks of Biometh Z are exhausted.
Equistro Kerabol Biotin is a complex of D-biotin, methionine and Ipaligo zinc in combination with organic selenium and Ipaligo manganese.
Available as a powder in a 3kg bucket which will last 200 days, Vetoquinol says Equistro Kerabol Biotin offers a cost-effective method of ensuring good quality hoof horn.
For more information about any Equistro product, please call 0800 169197 or speak to your local equine territory manager.
Medivet has reported a wide range of public reaction to the recent Panorama programme 'It shouldn't happen at a vets', most of which has been at one extreme or the other.
On the one hand, says the company, many clients have gone out of their way to show their support, whilst on the other, staff have faced considerable anger from members of the public (not known to be Medivet clients).
After transmission, staff at a handful of practices received abusive comments and threatening behaviour. The day after transmission, a veterinary nurse in uniform who was not shown in the programme was called 'dog beater' in the street in Oxford, leaving her feeling very shaken. Staff from other branches have received similar treatment when out in uniform; Medivet recommended that its staff cover up their uniforms when outdoors, and has been working with the Metropolitan Police and other forces.
Two individuals named in the film - Arnold Levy, Medivet's managing partner, and a veterinary nurse who was shown admitting to having struck a dog - received emailed death threats. The nurse has since resigned.
At practices, a receptionist was sworn at, several received abusive phone calls and one of Medivet's kennel staff in Oxted, Surrey was woken in the early hours one morning by people banging on the doors and shouting abuse. Most incidents occurred within the first 48 hours following the programme.
In contrast, Medivet says several practices have been overwhelmed by the level of support shown to staff by clients. Some have brought in gifts of flowers, biscuits and chocolates, and one client visited his practice specifically to tell staff of his and his wife's support.
Staff and managers have received many supportive emails, cards, letters and verbal comments contrasting between the picture portrayed by the programme and their personal experience of Medivet and the level of care their pets receive.
Medivet says that discussions with clients about the programme have been balanced, with many appreciating that the programme was not made in a balanced or fair way. The company also says it believes that, in the vast majority of cases, the strength of the relationship of trust between clients and the teams that look after their pets has not been undermined.
Medichem International has produced an A4 sized laminated poster which illustrates the correct way to wash and disinfect hands thoroughly.
The poster has a sticky back enabling it to be placed near to hand washing facilities in the practice.
If you would like copies of the poster, they are available free of charge by emailing info@medichem.co.uk and stating your name, practice, address and postcode.
Genitrix has announced the reformulation of Cerusolve, which cleans and deodorises the external ear canal of cats and dogs.
According to the company, the reformulation has enhanced Cerusolve's exfoliant and keratolyic properties and has given it a new fresh fragrance. Cerusolve ingredients now include:
Cerusolve is presented in a 100 ml bottle with a soft canula for application. It is priced at £5.65.
Genitrix Marketing Director Rob Watkins said: "Cerusolve has proved itself in practice as a gentle but effective ear cleaner in dogs and cats. The reformulation has given us the opportunity to increase the acidity of the product following a recent study which suggested that topical acidifying products could be therapeutically beneficial for cutaneous yeast infections.
"We believe the new ingredients will enhance the product and, to celebrate its arrival, we're offering practices the opportunity to buy five bottles of Cerusolve and get one free."
Further details are available from Genitrix on 01403 786345.
BEVA Congress Registrations this year show that many more vet practices are now recognising the benefits of Veterinary Nurses attending Congress (8-11 September 2010) and are actively encouraging their VN teams to attend, say the organisers.
Apparently, Veterinary Nurse registrations are already looking healthy compared to 2009.
BEVA Congress hosts a Vet Nursing day each year, with themed lectures aimed specifically at the profession and presented by a combination of vets and vet nurses. Pete Ravenhill MRCVS, partner at Willesley Equine Clinic (now part of B&W Equine Group Ltd) at Tetbury, Gloucestershire, who will be speaking at Congress this year, is always keen for as many of his practice's VNs as possible to attend. He said: "We tend to send three or four of our vet nurses each year, as a part of their annual CPD budget. In our experience they come back informed and enthusiastic, having received masses of information and ways to apply it in their own day-to-day jobs. It also enables our Vet Nurses to realise how much we value them as professionals and how heavily reliant the quality of our service is on their skills and professionalism."
This year the VN day will run on Thursday 9 September and will encompass a broad programme, including Ethics in Nursing. This sensitive topic promises to generate strong interest and debate as well as extend knowledge on making decisions on euthanasia and how to manage bereavement issues.
James Yeates BVSc BSc CertWEL of the department of clinical veterinary science at the University of Bristol, will be exploring Coping with sick horses - when is enough enough. He will consider how improvements in quality of life can be maximised with the use of pain assessment tools, quality of life methodologies and welfare-based care plans. He will also examine the risk of perpetuating suffering, how best to assess and balance the welfare harms and benefits and how best to communicate assessments to owners.
Belinda Johnston, MA VetMB MRCVS, at West End House vet practice at Higham, Suffolk, will explore the topic of Bereavement management - supporting the grieving owner. She will explain the normal grief patterns that can be expected and why it is so important to provide compassionate, empathic care for grieving owners and how practices need to have a clear, proactive idea of how they handle bereaved clients.
Other subjects to be covered on Vet Nursing day at BEVA Congress include Complementary Therapeutics and Rehabilitation, Medical Nursing and Nutrition and Supportive Care. The full day counts as 7 hours of Vet Nursing CPD.
BEVA Congress runs from 8-11 September 2010 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham. For further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/
The Recruitment Investment Group (RIG) has established a new recruitment agency that specialises in the supply of skilled professionals to the veterinary animal health market.
The newly formed RIG Animal Health Recruit will be working in the "industry" side of the profession to provide a permanent and temporary recruitment service in areas such as sales, technical product, academia, and laboratory work. The company's activities will not be confined to the UK alone, but, due the nature of this work, it will also operate in Europe.
The new company is headed up by James Roadnight, who has over 14 years' experience in working in specialist recruitment within professional and high integrity industries.
James said: "There comes a time in some vets or vet nurses' careers when they can want a change from working in practice and would like to move their skills to industry or academia. And we can help with this transition. Similarly, companies and institutions have a need to recruit personnel and will benefit from working with an agency that specialises only in this sector and should therefore have the strongest candidates available."
For more information, see www.rigahr.co.uk
CEVA Animal Health has published a trial which, according to the company, shows that horses suffering lameness caused by bone spavin can show marked improvement following treatment with a Tiludronate infusion, in combination with controlled exercise.
Bone spavin is a chronic aseptic osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints which, says CEVA, is considered to be one of the most common forms of hindlimb lameness in the horse.
The double-blind, multicentric, placebo-controlled trials were carried out on a total of 108 pleasure horses, show jumpers and eventers of a variety of sizes and breeds, all of which had been clinically diagnosed with bone spavin. The horses were rigorously selected, having to show clinical signs of spontaneous lameness of at least six weeks but less than a year's duration and had to be in daily exercise. Horses suffering proximal suspensory desmitis were excluded.
Horses were defined as suffering from bone spavin if they displayed a chronic hindlimb lameness which improved with distal tarsal joint analgesia and showed radiographic evidence of bony changes associated with bone spavin in the distal tarsal joints. The horses were treated at day zero with a single Tiludronate infusion or a placebo and reassessed 60 days later after a period of controlled exercise.
Eighty seven horses completed the trials, comprising 42 Tiludronate treated horses and 45 placebo cases. By day 60 approximately 60% of the Tiludronate treated horses had improved in lameness by two grades or more, scored on a ten point system.
Horses with bone spavin experience abnormal bone remodeling changes, occasionally with excessive bone resorption in the tarsal bones. Tiludronate works by regulating this bone remodeling through a decrease in the resorptive process, slowing down the degradation of the bone structure when the condition is progressing and alleviating the pain associated with abnormal bone lysis.
CEVA has recently produced a leaflet specifically to help horse owners to understand the diagnosis and treatment of bone spavin. For copies of this leaflet and CEVA's comprehensive veterinary brochure on the product please contact CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510 or visit the website at http://www.tildren.com/
Tiludronate infusion in the treatment of bone spavin: A double blind placebo-controlled trial
Reference M. R. GOUGH*, D. THIBAUD† and R. K. W. SMITH‡ (*CEVA Animal Health, Bucks, UK; †CEVA Animal Health USA, Kansas, USA; and ‡Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK). Equine vet. J. (2010) 42 (5) 381-387 doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00120.x
So, after months of speculation, the Panorama documentary: It shouldn't happen at a vets' finally aired last night. Early reaction from most of the profession seems to be one of mild relief that by focussing so heavily on Medivet, the documentary has left everyone else more or less unscathed.
There's also a great deal of sympathy for those hard-working and professional vets and nurses who work at Medivet. They're the biggest losers in all of this, tarred by the indefensible behaviour of a very small number of colleagues, and by the very nature of most of the filming in the documentary (give me a fish-eye lapel camera, and I could make even Mother Theresa look like a crack dealer).
But can everyone else really sit back, think 'not my problem', 'sensationalist rubbish', or 'it'll blow over in a week' and move on?
If you consider only the more headline-grabbing elements of the documentary, any of those would be a reasonable position to take. But look beyond 'Vet Makes Fraudulent Insurance Claim', and it seems the producers might accidentally have hit upon some big challenges facing the profession. Might now be a good moment to reflect on and debate some of these issues?
The first story covered by the documentary was that of an owner who'd found their cat 'weeing blood', taken it to Medivet and been quoted £815.05 for a bank of tests. They'd left in disgust, and visited another practice. This one gave a diagnosis without tests, the bill for which came to 75 quid, including £28 worth of food.
Veterinary costs were a recurring theme throughout the documentary. At the start, Jeremy Vine pointed out the £20,000 lifetime cost of owning a dog, and the £15,000 cost of owning a cat. He said vet bills have trebled in a decade. Mid-way through the programme, the voice-over read: "Veterinary medicine is increasingly high tech, and increasingly expensive. The new generation of vets is taught that working up to an accurate diagnosis may involve extensive tests. More veterinary work means more costs. And later in the documentary, Alex Lee, the reporter, was said to have found evidence of two clients that had spent over £100,000 on their pets over a ten year period.
At the end of it all, the real issue is not about the disparity between one vet's bill and another's, but whether the profession is becoming over-qualified or over-equipped for the job, and consequently at risk of pricing itself out of the market.
Commenting on state-of-the-art care, Professor Innes from the University of Liverpool said in the programme: "We would never push clients into procedures that are unnecessary, but if people want to access the best healthcare for their pet, that's up to them."
Surely every pet owner wants to access the best healthcare for their pet? Of course, Professor Innes is right, there is a market for complex procedures and diagnostic tests. But there's a very fine line between 'pushing' a client into a procedure, and recommending a procedure (to someone who feels emotionally duty-bound to do the best for their cherished pet).
For me, it was ironically one of the Medivet staff who seemed to hit the nail on the head when she said: "The 'Medivet Way' is to work it up to find out why straight away, so... And people can't afford it now really, you know."
Is the word 'Medivet' in her quote interchangeable with a growing list of practices? Does something need to give? Is it time to call a halt to the development of increasingly complex procedures and diagnostic tests developed to save the life of what is, after all, just a cat or a dog?
Or is it a question of veterinary surgeons ceasing to recommend any particular treatment above a certain cost, and instead simply laying out the options available to the client: "Mrs Jones, you've got three options here. Option one is my best guess, and I might be wrong. Option two is my best guess plus these tests, which will help confirm whether I am right and will cost x. Option three is referral to the world's leading expert, who is based in Dallas, but that'll give time for the MRI on board the specially chartered 747". I'm being flippant, but my point is a serious one: as more expensive treatment and diagnostic options become available, so it becomes ever riskier recommending them, rather than simply informing the owner of their choices.
The next story was an important one too. It was the one where a student nurse and the unqualified reporter were tasked with catheterising a dog unsupervised. They struggled. As did the dog. Thanks to the hidden camera, and the reporter interjecting: 'What a nightmare', it made for dramatic TV. But as many have commented in the VetSurgeon forums, a difficult to catheterise dog is not exactly out of the ordinary. And who thinks this was the first time the procedure has been done by lay staff?
More interesting was the polar opposite interpretations of the law on this issue expressed by Medivet on the one hand, and Professor Sandy Trees for the RCVS on the other. In response to the question of whether a trainee should be placing a catheter, Jeremy Vine read from a statement in which Medivet insisted that everything it allows its trainees to do is legal, and that there was no definitive list of procedures that could be carried out by trainees. Two minutes later, and we had Professor Trees appearing to contradict Medivet's statement.
Then we see the reporter and a student nurse taking a blood sample from a cat, before the arrival of a vet. Medivet says: "This procedure was completely legal, normal and was carried out at the direction of a vet. This means that the vet does not have to be present at the time. [The tasks] were not illegal. The trainee veterinary nurses were properly trained and experienced. RCVS inspectors have never raised this as an issue, and it is common practice." But when Jeremy Vine then asked Professor Trees: "Would it be OK for a student veterinary nurse to take a blood sample before a vet arrived into the practice", the answer is no. When pressed: "So supervision means that the vet has to be in the building", Professor Trees hesitates before delivering his more ambiguous reply: 'I would say so, yes'.
How on earth did that happen? How did one of the biggest veterinary groups come to be at loggerheads with the regulator on TV? Remember that Medivet would have had some time to prepare its response, and presumably had it checked by a team of lawyers first. Professor Trees may or may not have had the luxury of as much warning. Still, if el Presidente himself cannot give more than a personal opinion in answer to such an important question, something is amiss. After all, people's careers are at stake here.
The issue here is whether regulation needs to become more prescriptive. For example, is it fair that the responsibility for defining precisely what is 'minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity)', and therefore able to be performed by a qualified veterinary nurse, currently rests with the individual veterinary surgeon. And if it comes to it, the only way the veterinary surgeon is going to know whether he or she made the right call is if and when it comes to be tested in court.
Talk about closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Surely it is time now, particularly in the (like it or not) increasingly corporate and less personally accountable world we live in, for the profession and everyone in it to have clearer leadership in terms of what is and what is not acceptable.
I won't dwell on any of the other stories covered by the documentary, because I don't think any of them are individually revealing of very much.
A student nurse struck a dog. 'Walloped' according to the reporter; 'smacked' according to an onlooker. There's a difference. Either way, a difficult one to defend.
Then a member of staff (and I couldn't work out whether it was the vet or the nursing assistant) started playing with an anaesthetised kitten as if it were a puppet. That was damning for the lack of humanity it showed.
Next we saw a new grad trying to intubate a cat. For some reason, it didn't go as smoothly as it should. Some speculation in the VetSurgeon forums as to whether she applied the local anaesthetic correctly or not, but the cat was fine. Mistakes happen.
Next we saw a dog that had a condition which made it susceptible to cuts. A 'new girl' says she thinks she must have accidentally cut its pad as she closed the kennel door. Not the end of the world, except we then see the staff plotting to tell the owner that it happened before the dog arrived at the practice, and that they would need £13 worth of Fuciderm. Again, it isn't what you would call the crime of the century. But it was nevertheless a damning piece of film for the lack of honesty shown by the staff.
Then we had the case of the dodgy insurance claims, where the practice allegedly split what should have been one claim into three 'by accident', so that they could effectively increase the total amount the owner would be able to claim. Difficult to get really het up about this one. I mean, I know it's wrong. But it wasn't exactly in the same league as Lord Brocket taking the oxyacetylene torch to his car collection. And as far as I could see, the unwitting beneficiaries of this one were the dog and its owner. No, the real problem was that in the same breath as Medivet proclaimed its innocence, its employee was there in technicolor explaining exactly how and why the deed was done.
Guy Carter, one of the Medivet partners was next on the rack. The Panorama reporter alleged that he instructed staff to bill a client for a monitor that wasn't used. The company says it was. So it's their word against hers. Unfortunately, the company's word wasn't looking that good by this stage in the proceedings.
As I said earlier, these things don't individually tell anyone much. But collectively, I wonder whether they don't highlight another important issue, which is the apparent 'disconnect' (hate using the word like that, just can't think of a better alternative at this time of night) between what the public wants (i.e. a close, trusting relationship with an accountable James Herriot-type-figure, personified in the film by Bob Stevenson), and what the corporates can realistically deliver.
I was chatting about this with a locum vet this afternoon. His experience is that in small practices where the owner is present, there is always a better atmosphere. Staff take more pride in their work, and deliver a higher standard of care than in the corporates.
Isn't that really what the documentary showed? Yes, they were especially excruciating examples of how people behave when they don't have a real sense of ownership in a business. But isn't a lower, less personal standard of care an inevitable consequence of corporatisation?
Incidentally, my apologies for labelling Medivet a corporate rather than a partnership, but like it or not, that's the public perception of a chain.
Finally, the star of the show made his grand entrance. Kfir Segev, charged with recommending £2200 worth of MRI scan for a dog that was obviously dying. Now that is despicable. He's found guilty of unprofessional conduct, and struck off. I suppose 'vet commits fraud, is found out and punished' is not the stuff of which great documentaries are made, so Panorama tried to make something of the fact that he continued to work for 28 days whilst deciding whether to exercise his right to appeal. And? Perhaps sensing they still had a bit of a non-story on their hands, they tried to make an issue out of the fact that he'd continued to work as a practice manager after being struck off. It was all a bit lame, really.
Still, not as lame as the finale, which was the 'revelation' that Medivet collected blood from rescue dogs, in return for donations of food and supplies. Panorama claimed the blood was sold at a profit. Medivet claimed it is subsidised. Does anyone actually care either way?
Since the documentary was broadcast last night, Medivet has issued a further statement in which it does the honourable thing, and takes responsibility for everything it needed to. Medivet will recover from this. If the professionalism of the response is anything to go by, it will emerge stronger. Still, the big questions remain. How to address the spiralling costs that accompany the latest advances. Can the profession afford, any longer, to leave so much to the discretion of the individual, or is it time to demand a more prescriptive regulatory environment? And finally, how can the corporates deliver the kind of service that the public seems to want? Doubtless there will be some who'd like them to fail in this regard. But as we've just seen, it does nobody any favours if they are allowed to do so in a way that threatens to bring the whole profession into disrepute.
Pfizer Animal Health has launched a dedicated Equine Business Unit to provide a higher level of service and a comprehensive range of products to equine vets across the UK.
Created following the merger with Fort Dodge, the Pfizer Equine Business Unit is headed by Ben Lacey MA Vet MB MRCVS, who has previously held both technical and sales roles at Pfizer. Ben and his team have a brief to offer a breadth of product, support and flexibility not previously available to equine vets.
The product range offered by the Pfizer Equine Business Unit includes the Equest range of parasiticides; the Duvaxyn vaccines for Equine Herpes Virus, West Nile Virus and Rotavirus and products such as Equimidine and Torbugesic. Also offered are existing Pfizer brands such as the Equip vaccine range, the antibiotic Excenel Sterile Powder, the NSAID Rimadyl for Horses and Depo-MedroneV.
Five experienced account managers with a strong track record in the equine sector have been appointed by Pfizer to build relationships with equine vet practices on a regional basis. They are:
South East England Mark BakerWest Midlands, Cheshire, Wales Laurie MayEast Anglia, East Midlands Penny McCannSouth West, South Wales Anna CunninghamThe North, Scotland Alexandra Cox
Ben Lacey said: "Building our new team and combining the highly regarded products offered previously by both Fort Dodge and Pfizer has proved a stimulating process. We've also worked closely with many of our existing practice customers to look at how we can develop the service we provide to them.
"We're now able to offer a product range which I believe is unrivalled in the market and a highly committed team of equine professionals, who share a vision and passion for equine health. We're looking forward to building our business with both existing and new customers in the months ahead."
The Daily Mail has today published an interview with the 'nurse' who worked undercover at Medivet for tonight's Panorama documentary: It shouldn't happen at a vets (tonight, BBC1 9pm).
Looks like the communications departments at the RCVS, BVA and BSAVA will be run off their feet today. So far, the following radio stations and newspapers have run stories:
BBC Online has published a longer trailer for the programme here.BBC Radio 4 Today - interview with the mole, followed by Sandy Trees (in the recording of the entire programme, it starts at 1:09:05 on the iPlayer timeline)BBC Radio 5 live - interview with Jacquie Molyneux (not available on iPlayer)BBC Radio Tees - 7:50am interview with Bill Reilly (BVA)BBC Radio Somerset - 8:00am interview with Bill Reilly (BVA)BBC Radio Shropshire - 8:40am interview with Bill Reilly (BVA)Aberdeen Press & JournalBBC TwitterChina News (in Chinese)BBC Radio 2 - Jeremy Vine interviews Steve Leonard (starts at 1:10:56 on the iPlayer timeline. Continues through at least a couple of songs. At one point, Jeremy Vine says there are lots of reports coming into the show of good vets too!).dogmagazine.netThe Guardian (TV Review)
I'll be updating the list of news reports over the course of the day.
And reaction to the story elsewhere on the Internet ...
UK Labradoodle forumDigital SpyYahoo AnswersPet forumshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31MgikMLneU (well worth watching, this one).Horse & Hound forums
Incidentally, in case anyone is asked for an interview, BVA has produced an advice sheet on the subject for its members, plus a briefing document. The association has also published a response to the Daily Mail story on its website.
CEVA Animal Health has published an information booklet on Q Fever to help broaden awareness and understanding of the disease.
Q Fever is an emerging, worldwide disease that affects goats, cattle and sheep as well as humans. It is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii and can induce late abortions, metritis, fertility problems, mastitis and low vitality in neonates born from carrier animals.
The new booklet explains how the disease is transmitted, the symptoms, diagnosis and how it can be managed and prevented. CEVA already have expertise in the treatment of diseases caused by Coxiella burnetii and have developed a vaccine that has been used under temporary license to control outbreaks in France and the Netherlands.
To obtain a copy of the booklet please contact CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG. The proceedings from CEVA's recent symposium on Q fever, held in Marseilles in December 2009 are also available on request.
Genitrix has announced the launch of Prilben (benazapril hydrochloride). The product joins its 'Standards' range, created to offer veterinary practices cost-effective versions of frequently used products.
Prilben is indicated for the treatment of congestive heart failure in dogs and for chronic renal insufficiency in cats. It is provided in packs of 14 x 5mg tablets at a veterinary list price of £4.50, which equates to 32p per tablet.
Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said: "Benazapril hydrochloride is a tried and trusted medicine used in countless practices and homes across the country every day. Prilben offers a win for both practices and pet owners because its pricing structure enables practices to maintain profitability on the product whilst still providing their clients with an economical alternative."
The first product in Genitrix' Standards range, Dormilan, was launched in late 2009 and offers fast-acting sedation and analgesia for dogs and cats.
The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) has published 'Consensus Guidelines on the Long-term use of NSAIDs in cats' in the July 2010 edition of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
The society says it has developed the guidelines in order to try and address the major welfare issue of cats suffering unremitting and untreated chronic pain. Until recently, NSAIDs had only been licensed for short-term use in cats, but with changing licensing indications and recommendations, they are now also increasingly used for long-term treatment of cats, for example in the management of osteoarthritis.
However, in most cases where long-term use of pain relief in cats is required, there are concomitant problems with other diseases or other drugs that are being given. According to the ISFM, one of the most common concerns is whether NSAIDs can be used to treat arthritis in older cats with kidney disease. The society says that because of concerns like these, and the potential for adverse effects, cats often receive no treatment at all, and their quality of life can be severely compromised.
For this reason, the ISFM set up an international expert panel to develop practical and rational guidelines on the long-term use of NSAIDs in cats. The aim was to provide guidelines that would empower clinicians, enabling them to make sensible and rational choices, and ensure much-needed therapy is not needlessly withheld from patients.
The panel was made up of Andrew Sparkes, Duncan Lascelles, Richard Malik, Sheilah Robertson, Margie Scherk, Polly Taylor, Llibertat Real Sampietro and Reidun Heiene.
Along with the veterinary information in the guidelines, the panel also developed a brief client-facing leaflet that can be given to owners when NSAIDs are prescribed for their cats - this leaflet provides simple, clear advice on why NSAIDs are used, why they are important, but also what simple precautions avoid adverse effects, with further advice on when to seek veterinary advice to reinforce the safety message.
Both of these publications are available to download from the website www.isfm.net/toolbox
Medivet, the practice group which is to feature in the forthcoming Panorama documentary It shouldn't happen at a vets' (9pm, July 22nd), has issued a statement concerning the programme.
The statement, which can be read in full here, includes an interview with a Medivet client who was in turn interviewed for the documentary:
New research released today by Petplan has revealed that at a time when marriage is in decline and the average child bearing age is increasing, a new breed of pet owner has emerged: women between the ages of 25 and 34 who bought their pet as a substitute for a child.
More than 10,000 pet owners were surveyed for the research and the results apparently reveal 'pet parenting' as a growing trend. According to the survey, women not only look to their furry friend for companionship but also treat them like they would a child, with nearly 70% buying them birthday and Christmas presents, 28% adapting their homes for their pet and 20% changing their holiday destinations to allow their pet to come along too.
Just like working parents, owners worry about leaving their pet alone when they're working. So much so that they make a concerted effort to make sure their pet is not left alone for more than five hours a day - employing dog walkers and cat sitters to stem their concern (approaching 1 in 7). When an 8 hour working day is the national norm and the average parent only spends 49 minutes a day with their children, this demonstrates considerable pet commitment.
Dr Deborah Wells, expert in the study of the psychology of the pet-human relationship said: "Dogs and cats can offer their owners many of the benefits frequently provided by children, including companionship, entertainment and happiness. For some owners, notably women, pets can provide a useful training ground in 'motherhood', in some cases helping to shape important decisions on whether or not children are to be a part of their future. For others, pets can serve as a child 'substitute', offering people who choose not to have, or cannot conceive, children, an outlet for emotional attachment and nurturing behaviour."
Petplan's marketing manager Alison Andrew said: "This pet parenting theme is one of the most significant trends to come out of Petplan's biggest body of research to date - the Petplan Pet Census - which looks into the realities of pet ownership. We see the amazing lengths that owners go to for their pets every day and the level of worry that goes with it. Our job is to give owners peace of mind through our insurance plans, so they can be confident their beloved companion will always receive the best care and treatment without having to worry about the financial costs. We want to use this research to truly understand modern pet ownership in the UK so that we can better provide help and guidance for our nation of pet lovers!"
If you'd like to take part in the Petplan Pet Census, documenting the picture of pet ownership in Britain, visit www.petplan.co.uk
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched free online Fluid Therapy Calculators to help veterinary staff calculate their patients' fluid requirements.
There are two versions available, small animal and equine. Both are available as an online tool or as a download to your desktop (note that to get hold of the desktop version, you need to try out the online calculator first).
For small animals, there are three options available. The M1/M2/M3 Plan calculates simple multiplications of the maintenance rate, while the Comprehensive Plan calculates fluid required to provide maintenance requirements, correct dehydration or replace ongoing losses. The third option, the Simple Rate Calculator, is a tool for calculating resuscitation fluid rates and can also be used for large animals. The Equine Plan calculates fluid requirements and infusion rates for both adult horses and foals.
Dechra says it has launched the calculators as the next component of its Vetivex Fluid support package. Along with the Fluids Knowledge Programme, this initiative aims to help veterinary staff across the UK to deliver effective fluid therapy.
Larry King, Product Manager at Dechra, said: "The calculators are a quick and easy reference tool for today's busy vet. You simply fill in the body weight and animal type, key in a few details and you have an instant but very accurate fluid rate calculated for you. It saves time and effort and ensures the animal is given the correct amount of fluid. The more effective the fluid therapy regime the faster the animal recovers."
The free Fluid Therapy Calculator is just one of a number of tools Dechra uses to support its Vetivex range of fluids. There is a range of downloadable reference documents, charts and guides available on the website http://www.fluidtherapy.co.uk/ including the Fluid Knowledge Programme and a full CPD Programme focused on effective fluid therapy.
The long-awaited Panorama programme about the veterinary profession will air on Thursday 22 July at 9pm on BBC One.
Rumour has it that the programme will cover a range of issues, including the role of unqualified nursing staff in the practice, support for new graduates, over-charging in relation to insurance and regulation of corporate practices.
The RCVS says it expects increased public interest in the regulation of the profession following the programme and is gearing itself up to address any concerns it raises. A statement will be posted on www.rcvs.org.uk immediately following the programme, and the RCVS has said that it will work with the British Veterinary Association and other organisations to ensure that the robust nature of the regulatory system is communicated to the public, from undergraduate degrees through the Professional Development Phase and the Guide to Professional Conduct, to mandatory continuing professional development and the voluntary Practice Standards Scheme and Register for Veterinary Nurses.
In a statement issued today, the RCVS said: "We currently receive around 700 complaints a year - about one every 15 years of a member's practising life. It's a record to be proud of. However, if the programme raises areas of genuine concern, we will do all we can to act on them and we have already made it clear to the BBC that we would expect their support in this."
I know it's a little way off yet, but if you feel like a good night out and contributing to a good cause, VetNurse member Leigh Fisher is organising the "Moon Bear Dinner Dance" which is to be held in Warwickshire later in the year.
Leigh says the aim of the evening is to bring veterinary personnel from around the country, together to celebrate the role of the veterinary nurse as well as raise much needed funds and awareness for BVNA's charity of the year: the Animals Asia Foundation. Intervet Schering-Plough and Bayer Animal Health are both lending their support with sponsorship.
Although being publicised throughout VN Week, the event itself is being held on Saturday the 2nd of October at The Cameo Suite, Coleshill Hotel, 152-156 High Street, Coleshill, Warwickshire, B46 3BG. It's open to all veterinary personnel, Animals Asia supporters and the general public. Tickets are £25 per person which includes:
Raffle tickets will be sold on the evening for fantastic prizes including free days out, wonderful artwork, meals at an array of different restaurants and beauty vouchers to name but a few! Guests are asked to arrive for 7pm in order for dinner to be served promptly at 7.30pm.
If you would like to book tickets or have any further questions please contact Leigh at moonbeardinnerdance@hotmail.com or ring 07834 267053.
Members of Parliament have recognised the British Veterinary Association's contribution to the promotion of microchipping dogs and the campaign for compulsory microchipping through an Early Day Motion (EDM) tabled by Andrew Rosindell MP (Conservative, Romford).
The EDM is gaining signatures from across all political parties as MPs show their support for a compulsory microchipping scheme that would have a significant and positive welfare impact on dogs by:
The EDM is also supported by Dogs Trust (who coordinated the EDM), Cats Protection, Blue Cross, and NOAH (National Office for Animal Health).
Earlier this week Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones AM announced proposals for the compulsory microchipping of all dogs and puppies sold or homed by licensed breeders, to improve traceability.
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), said: "Microchipping is part of responsible pet ownership and the BVA believes that all dogs should be permanently identified by microchip before the first change of ownership or at the first veterinary examination.
"Compulsory microchipping allows stray dogs to be reunited with their owners and would help the authorities to crack down on shameful puppy farms, where the health and welfare of both puppies and bitches is compromised, by improving the traceability of the animals.
"It could also assist with the reporting of hereditary health problems and surgical procedures to help us gain as much knowledge and research as we can to improve the health of all dogs.
"I would urge all Members of Parliament to show their support for dogs and their owners by signing this EDM."
Dechra Veterinary Products has produced a pair of presentations, aimed at pet owners, for vets to use in receptions and at client events. The presentations cover canine hyperadrenocorticism, aka Cushing's syndrome, and feline hyperthyroidism.
Matthew Olsen, Product Manager, said: "We are committed to delivering a wide range of support materials and tools to enable vets to provide help and information to their customers. We have developed an owners' booklet on both Cushing's and hyperthyroidism and have now backed this up with PowerPoint presentations for vets to use with their clients. Some veterinary practices are using technology to revolutionise waiting room displays and we have responded to their needs by producing a presentation they can use on their waiting room information screens."
The Dechra Hyperadrenocorticism presentation covers what Cushing's is, what causes it and what owners need to look for. The presentation also explains the treatment options available. The Hyperthyroidism presentation details what the condition is and gives information on the thyroid gland. It highlights what cat owners need to look out for, including weight loss in spite of a ravenous appetite, increased fluid intake and increased restlessness. The presentation also advises people of what to do should they suspect their cat has hyperthyroidism and what the treatment options are.
Garden Lodge Veterinary Clinic in Holywood, County Down, has used the Hyperthyroidism presentation at both its practices. Partner Tom Fitzsimons said: "We have used the presentation on our reception information screens. The presentation has raised owners' awareness and shown them it is a manageable condition. It's led to an increase in the number of cats we are now testing for Hyperthyrodism. We also plan to run the Cushing's presentation in the future."
Veterinary Practices interested in getting hold of a free copy of the Hyperthyrodism and Hyperadrenocorticism presentations should contact Matthew Olsen at Dechra on 01743 441 632 or email matthew.olsen@dechra.com