The RCVS assessor’s report said: "The premises are genuinely state of the art, with all the space and equipment needed to provide a full multi-discipline referral service.
"The outstanding feature of this visit was the level of inpatient care, which is impressive with dedicated team leaders and thorough handovers for continuity of care, and the depth of knowledge of the clinical and nursing teams.
"Special mention must be made of infection control and inpatient modules in which all the award points available were obtained."
The assessor's report added: "You have all produced a centre to be proud of, and the feeling of pride and commitment of the team, came across very clearly. I wish you every success as your reputation grows."
Rebecca Lunn, operations co-ordinator at Paragon, said: "Pets always come first at Paragon so to receive four “outstanding” awards from the RCVS is a great compliment and achievement.
"Naturally we are delighted. It’s a real tribute to our entire team and our determination to deliver quality care, excellent service and a compassionate approach to ensure the best possible treatment for our animals.
"To achieve this, we have invested heavily, not only in the best, highly-experienced diplomates but also the most advanced specialist equipment within veterinary science.
"That level of commitment will continue on all fronts as we strive to be the very best we can be."
All those taking part in the survey will be entered into a draw for one of two £25 Amazon vouchers, unless you don't want to give your email address. Either way, entries to the survey, which has been approved by the RVC Ethics Committee, will be anonymised.
Ayesha said: "My survey is about acquiring knowledge from RVN perspectives on canine enrichment mediums such as kong feeders, food chews and pheromonal sprays such as DAP. There is a lot of literature out there about feline stress reducing activities but not as much about the types, why used and whether enrichment mediums are used by RVNs in veterinary practice specifically for dogs."
She added: "My survey takes a few minutes to complete and it is aimed at RVNs currently working with dogs in veterinary practice in the UK."
You can take part in the survey here: https://rvc.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/comparing-the-use-of-canine-specific-environmental-enrichm
The survey closes on 4th February 2020.
The range comprises four products: Calm, Seb, Pyo and Care. All four contain a new active ingredient derived from Ophiopogon japonicus called ophytrium, which Ceva says has been shown to strengthen the mechanical skin barrier1, restore the balance of protective microbial flora2 and sooth the skin1.
The new range consists of both shampoo and mousse formulations: Douxo S3 Calm is designed to sooth itchy, irritated skin while maintaining the skin barrier. Douxo S3 Pyo contains ophytrium and chlorhexidine at 3% which is both antibacterial and antifungal. Douxo S3 Seb contains ophytrium and seboliance and includes an extract from the peel of pomegranate. Ceva says it has an anti-odour action and will help with oily or flaky skin. Lastly, Douxo S3 Care (available as a shampoo only) contains ophytrium and is designed for regular use and maintenance.
The products are all free from soap, parabens, sulphates, phthalates, colourants and nanoparticles. A new, hypoallergenic ‘summertime’ fragrance has been added to the range which pet owners apparently liken to coconut and vanilla.
The Douxo S3 range comes in eye-catching packaging with a pump that can be used with one hand, an ergonomic bottle designed to be easy to grip, even with wet hands, and a visibility line so you can see the remaining quantity of the product.
Dr Melanie Rougier, corporate marketing manager at Ceva, said: “Our new range is the result of over 10 years of clients’ experience with Douxo and a robust programme of market research with four specific studies that included more than 2,000 vets and pet owners and represented over eight months of contact with pet owners. This has allowed us to gain a thorough understanding of our clients’ needs, in terms of performance, formulas, fragrance and ergonomic packaging."
Andrew Fullerton BVSc (Hons) MRCVS, product manager for Douxo at Ceva, added: "The new Douxo S3 range has been developed following extensive market research and field studies to ensure that the shampoos and mousses are not only innovative and effective, but that they are also safe and easy-to-use."
Dr Tim Nuttall BSc BVSc CertVD PhD CBiol MSB MRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Dermatology at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, said: "I like that the performance has been proven on a basic science screening level and innovative skin model and then moving on to the in-field trials. This is what we would like to see from topical products."
Douxo S3 shampoo and mousses will automatically replace the current Douxo products via veterinary wholesalers and Ceva says it is working to convert other products in the Douxo range to S3.
For further information, contact cevauk@ceva.com, your local territory manager or visit https://www.douxo.com/uk/Pet-Skin-Care/douxo-s3.
References
The deadline for nominations for Practice of the Year, Vet of the Year, Vet Nurse of the Year, Practice Manager of the Year and Practice Support Staff of the Year, is 16th January.
The award ceremony will take place on 2nd April 2020 in Birmingham.
James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan, said: "We’ve been recognising the brilliant work of the UK’s veterinary professionals through the Petplan Veterinary Awards for 21 years now and every year the standard of entries just gets higher.
"The nominations are a testament to the hard work of all of those involved at practices who care for animals and clients all year round.
"The awards are a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your practice and your colleagues. Being acknowledged is great for team morale and a wonderful opportunity to raise the profile of the practice to new and existing clients alike. If you haven’t already I’d invite you to nominate someone today!"
You can nominate a colleague or your own practice at petplanvet.co.uk/vetawards, before nominations close on 16th January 2020.
The survey was conducted by Mo Gannon & Associates, which asked 2,000 UK adults about their satisfaction with the service they and their animals received from veterinary surgeons, levels of trust in the profession, and whether the service provided by vets represents value for money.
32% of the respondents felt that veterinary surgeons represented excellent (8%) or good (24%) value for money. 38% thought that veterinary fees are fair. However, 29% thought that veterinary surgeons and their services provided poor (21%) or very poor (8%) value for money. The results were very similar to the last time the survey was conducted, in 2015.
Nevertheless, veterinary surgeons continue to enjoy very high levels of trust amongst the public. 94% said they either completely trust (34%) or generally trust (60%) vets. This put veterinary surgeons in third place amongst the most trusted professions, below opticians and pharmacists but above GPs and and dentists.
Satisfaction with the profession was also high. 80% said they were either very satisfied (39%) or satisfied (41%), putting vets in fourth place below opticians, pharmacists and dentists, but above general practitioners and accountants.
RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, pictured right (would you trust this man?) said: "These results clearly demonstrate that there is a great deal of good will towards the veterinary profession and the work they do in treating the nation’s animals and serving their communities. The basis of all good relationships is trust, and it is fantastic to see that our clients continue overwhelmingly to trust our knowledge and expertise and remain very happy with the service we provide them.
"The picture on value for money is clearly a bit more mixed, although clearly 70% of the respondents recognise that we at least charge fair fees in terms of our time and expertise. There is, of course, always more work that we can do in order to help the public understand veterinary costs and fees and promote the value of veterinary care, as demonstrated by last year’s joint Pets Need Vets social media campaign with BVA, in which we highlighted the benefits to pet owners of being registered with a vet."
Starting in the New Year, the benefits of vaccination will be communicated to both farmers and pet owners, initially focussing on farm use.
The aims of the campaign are to raise awareness of how and why vaccines work and the range of diseases they protect against, to review and improve how vaccines are stored and administered, and to encourage better uptake of existing vaccines.
Further information and tips on storing and using vaccines correctly will be shared, to help ensure that vaccines used will be effective.
NOAH says that research has shown that:
Dawn Howard, NOAH’s Chief Executive said: “It is encouraging that vaccination of the UK’s calves and sheep against livestock diseases has risen to one of the highest levels in seven years1. This increase is encouraging, however still more needs to be done in relation to uptake, storage and usage. We are asking the vet profession to support the #VaccinesWork campaign by spreading the messages with their clients and engaging on social media."
"We will be providing information for farmers e.g. if vaccines are not stored correctly, it will impact on their potency, meaning they could be less effective – not only will there be the potential for the vaccine to fail to protect animals against disease but also farmers may have wasted their efforts – and may be deterred from vaccinating again."
Whilst correct use by farmers is the initial focus, the campaign will include pets. Dawn said: "The topic of vaccine hesitancy is becoming increasingly important. Recognised by the WHO as one of the top 10 global health threats for people in 2019, this phenomenon is translating to the veterinary sector as well, especially in companion animals. The PDSA reports an ‘alarming’ drop in pet vaccinations: the proportion of pet dogs, cats and rabbits receiving a primary course when young has fallen by 18% over the past 3 years, down to 66%3.”
"This is bad news for the health and welfare of the nation’s pets, who are increasingly at risk of disease, and we need to work to address this."
NOAH is asking practices to support the campaign by sharing messages and materials which will be published on its website (https://www.noah.co.uk/campaigns/vaccineswork) and on social media, @UKNOAH
https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/use-of-vaccines-in-cattle-and-sheep-2018-sales-update
https://www.noah.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NOAH-Vision-Paper-8pp-A4-Sep-19-vf.pdf
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/7420/2019-paw-report_downloadable.pdf
Prior to the start of the hearing, the RCVS received correspondence from Mr Kombert confirming that he did not intend to attend the hearing, either in person or via a video-link, nor did he intend to send legal representation in his stead.
The Committee, chaired by Dr Martin Whiting, decided to proceed with the hearing in the absence of Mr Kombert and any legal representation, on the basis that it was in the public interest and the interests of justice to proceed and that Mr Kombert had been given the opportunity to attend or be represented.
The Committee heard that staff at the practice where Mr Kombert was working as a locum had undertaken a check of the medicines kept in the practice’s controlled drugs cabinet and discovered that 5.5ml of ketamine and 1.5ml of methadone was missing. After the code to the controlled drugs cabinet was changed, Mr Kombert was observed taking an additional 3ml of methadone, which he then administered to himself while on duty at the practice.
After Mr Kombert was confronted with the evidence, he was given the details of the Vetlife charity for support and asked not to return to the practice.
The police were contacted and, on 4 January 2019, Mr Kombert was arrested and interviewed. He received a police caution for theft, with conditions that he should attend and complete a drug-use awareness course, and engage in a restorative justice process, which involved attending the practice to discuss his offences. At this meeting, Mr Kombert admitted stealing the drugs and administering them to himself while on duty, which meant he was not in a fit state to see patients. He apologised for his actions and the matter was then also reported to the RCVS.
In relation to the fact that Mr Kombert had accepted the police caution, made the admissions at the restorative justice meeting and had emailed the RCVS apologising for his actions, the facts of the case were found proven.
The Committee then went on to consider if Mr Kombert’s actions amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect (henceforth called ‘serious professional misconduct’), something which Mr Kombert had admitted to in correspondence with the RCVS.
The Committee found that Mr Kombert’s actions did amount to serious professional misconduct. Dr Martin Whiting, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The respondent’s conduct was dishonest; it constituted both a breach of trust and an abuse of his position with regards to access to veterinary medicines; it risked animal welfare and jeopardised the reputation of colleagues. It fell far short of the conduct expected of a member of the profession and amounts to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."
The Committee then considered what the appropriate sanction against Mr Kombert should be, taking into account both aggravating and mitigating factors.
In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee took into account the risk of harm to animals, his dishonesty, the premeditated nature of the misconduct, the breach of trust and the fact it was repeated.
It also took into account three previous matters recorded against Mr Kombert in the United States of America.
These were: a letter of admonition from the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine for practising when his licence had expired; a stipulation order from the same body in which he agreed to relinquish his licence in that state following an allegation that he took controlled substances from a veterinary practice and self-administered them; and a criminal conviction in New York State for obtaining an opioid controlled drug by deception, for which he was sentenced to three years’ probation. The Committee was made aware of the New York State criminal conviction after Dianne Norris, a Probation Officer based in that state, had contacted the RCVS after hearing about the inquiry and informed the College that Mr Kombert was in breach of his probation conditions.
Dr Whiting said: “The Committee has considered the witness statement of Ms Dianne Norris, a probation officer employed by Putnam County Probation in New York, who was responsible for supervising the respondent as part of his probation. Ms Norris explained that the respondent breached his probation on numerous occasions, which took place from November 2017 to 2018…. As a result of the breaches, Ms Norris required the respondent to increase his attendance at support groups to an inpatient treatment program for 28 days from 13 July 2018. He failed to attend.
"Ms Norris explained that warrants were issued for the respondent’s arrest…. The Committee noted that the conduct of the respondent in relation to obtaining controlled drugs from his employers for his own use while in the United States of America was similar to his conduct … [described in] the charges."
In mitigation the Committee considered that Mr Kombert had consistently admitted the charges against him as well as accepting and agreeing with the evidence against him.
However, the Committee decided that in light of the seriousness of his misconduct, including dishonesty and risk of serious harm to animals, removal from the Register was the most appropriate and proportionate sanction.
Summing up, Dr Whiting said: "The respondent has failed to uphold the requisite standards to be expected of him on multiple occasions. The Committee considers that the only sanction that is sufficient to protect the welfare of animals, maintain public confidence in the profession and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct is one of erasure."
Mr Kombert has 28 days from being informed of the outcome of the hearing in which to make an appeal to the Privy Council.
The full facts and findings from the case can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The Disciplinary Committee considered a number of charges against Javier Salas Navarro MRCVS and Roman Kristin over 35 days.
The charges against Dr Navarro concerned his treatment of a kitten named Marnie. They included:
In August 2016, failing to read the anaesthesia consent form in relation to a surgical spay he performed;
When Marnie was readmitted for surgery, failing to read the anaesthesia consent form, failing to undertake adequate assessment of Marnie’s condition; performing surgery without adequately considering her condition; subjecting Marnie to anaesthesia without recognising the seriousness of her illness; failing to obtain informed consent from the owners; administering medication which was contra-indicated; and failure to make an adequate record of his involvement in Marnie’s care.
The charges against Dr Kristin also related to his treatment of Marnie. They included:
In August 2016, failing to undertake an adequate assessment of her condition; failure to recognise and record the fact that Marnie could not pass urine; failure to refer or offer her for specialist treatment; and failure to ensure Marnie received care and treatment overnight.
When admitting Marnie for surgery, that he made a number of clinical mistakes including failure to gain informed consent; and failure to recognise the seriousness of her illness;
that there were a number of failings in relation to Marnie’s care, including failure to arrange adequate overnight care, failure to monitor and record her condition, and failure to gain informed consent for the overnight care.
that he failed to advise Marnie’s owners that he suspected her uterers had been ligated during the spay, failed to advise Marnie’s owners that she required specialist veterinary treatment; and advised that Marnie undergo further surgery at the practice in spite of this meaning her having to undergo further anaesthesia in a week and with poor chances of survival;
that the above conduct was misleading and dishonest.
The Disciplinary Committee found a number of the facts in the charges against both Dr Navarro and Dr Kristin proven (the full details can be found in the documentation at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
The Committee found that Dr Navarro breached a number of aspects of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons including: making animal health and welfare the first consideration when attending to animals; the provision of appropriate and adequate veterinary care; responsible prescription, supply and administration of medicines; communication with professional colleagues to ensure the health and welfare of the animal; being open and honest with clients and respecting their needs and requirements; effective communication with clients; keeping clear and accurate clinical records; and working with the veterinary team to coordinate the care of animals.
Of the proven charges, the Committee found that his initial failure to read Marnie’s anaesthesia consent form on 5 August did not amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, but that the repetition of this failure on 9 August did amount to disgraceful conduct. It also found that Dr Navarro’s failure to undertake adequate assessment and perform surgery without this assessment amounted to serious professional misconduct. Furthermore, the Committee found that subjecting Marnie to anaesthesia in spite of her being unwell, failure to obtain informed consent and failure to keep adequate records also amounted to serious professional misconduct.
For Dr Kristin, in summary, the Committee found not proven the allegation that he had failed to respond on 5 August 2016 to concerns from Marnie’s owners about her condition while she was recovering from a surgical spay and also all the allegations relating to Dr Kristin’s admission of Marnie to the practice on 9 August on the basis that it was not satisfied so as to be sure that Dr Kristin had been the veterinary surgeon who admitted Marnie on that day.
The Committee found proven the remaining charges and found he breached the following parts of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons: making animal health and welfare the first consideration when attending to animals; keeping within area of competence and referring responsibly; providing appropriate and adequate veterinary care; responsible prescribing, supply and administration of medicines; communication with colleagues to ensure the health and welfare of the animal; being open and honest with clients and respecting their needs and requirements; communicating effectively with clients and obtaining informed consent; keeping clear and accurate clinical records; and working with the veterinary team to coordinate the care of animals.
Of the proven charges, the Committee determined that his failure to adequately assess Marnie’s health, to obtain a clinical history, to undertake blood tests and recognise that she was seriously ill, amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect and led to “Marnie’s underlying condition going undetected and undoubtedly contributed to her eventual death two days later”.
The Committee also found that Dr Kristin’s decision to hospitalise Marnie without adequate overnight care, place her on IV fluids without monitoring the treatment or her condition, and failure to obtain adequate informed consent – among other things – amounted disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
Stuart Drummond, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "As a direct result of Dr Kristin’s acts and omissions, Marnie was left alone overnight on fluids when those fluids had nowhere to go. Had he done his job properly he would have known that and Marnie could have avoided the prolonged suffering caused by the chosen course of treatment that did not address the underlying condition. Every element of Dr Kristin’s behaviour was catastrophic for Marnie, and yet he took no personal responsibility for her welfare and just went home.”
Following its findings on disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, the Committee then went on to consider its sanction for both Dr Navarro and Dr Kristin.
In respect of Dr Navarro, the Committee considered the mitigating factors including previous good character, admissions to some of the facts of the case from the outset; genuine insight and remorse into the seriousness of the actions; his youth and inexperience; and relevant and good-quality testimonials from colleagues. The Committee noted that the testimonials were universally positive and demonstrated that Dr Navarro had reflected on his conduct, had become more mature and confident in his practice and made efforts to rectify the areas in which he had fallen below standards.
Stuart Drummond said: “Although the consequences for Marnie and her owners were clearly devastating, the Committee considered that Dr Navarro’s part in her demise has to be seen in the context of all the evidence. In light of the extensive mitigation, including significant evidence of insight and remediation, the Committee was able to conclude that Dr Navarro did not represent a future risk to animals or the public. In such circumstances, the Committee considered that it was not necessary to restrict Dr Navarro’s registration and that a reprimand was the appropriate and proportionate sanction in his case.”
In relation to Dr Kristin, the Committee took into account positive character evidence from Mr Karel Daniel, a semi-retired veterinary surgeon and Vice-President of the Czech Republic Veterinary Chamber, a similar body to the RCVS in that country, as well as other testimonials on his behalf. In mitigation, the Committee considered Dr Kristin’s previously unblemished career, the fact that it was a single case involving a single animal; some development of insight into his conduct; no evidence of repetition; expressions of remorse; the impact of a family bereavement during the course of proceedings; and his financial position.
However, the Committee also took into account aggravating factors including a lack of candour from Dr Kristin when he was giving evidence, demonstrated by a tendency to blame others rather than take responsibility, as well as his recklessness in suggesting a third operation on Marnie that was not in her interests, rather than referring her into specialist care.
The final decision of the Committee on the sanction for Dr Kristin was that, given the seriousness of the misconduct, it was satisfied that this warranted a six-month suspension period. However, given the mitigating factors, the Committee decided that four months was appropriate and proportionate.
Commenting on the sanction Stuart Drummond said: “The Committee determined that it was important a clear message be sent that this sort of behaviour is wholly inappropriate and not to be tolerated. It brings discredit upon the respondent and discredit upon the profession and, most importantly, caused harm to Marnie and great distress to her owners.
"The Committee did consider whether to remove Dr Kristin from the Register. However, in light of the mitigation in this case, the fact that this was a single case in an otherwise unblemished career, together with the unlikelihood he would repeat his disgraceful conduct, the Committee decided that, in all the circumstances, to remove him from the Register would be disproportionate.
"The Committee therefore decided to order that the Registrar suspend Dr Kristin’s registration…. The Committee was satisfied that a period of four months was appropriate and proportionate in all the circumstances."
Rominervin contains 10 mg/ml romifidine hydrochloride, equivalent to 8.76 mg romifidine, presented in a 20 ml vial.
It can be used as a sedative to facilitate handling, examination, minor surgical interventions and minor procedures or as a premedication prior to administration of injectable or inhalation anaesthetics.
Rominervin can also be used in combination with synthetic opiates such as butorphanol to provide deeper sedation or analgesia.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "Rominervin is highly effective as it has a longer duration of action than other alpha-2 agonists1. It starts to work within one to two minutes with maximum sedation achieved between five and 10 minutes.
"It is yet another valuable addition in our equine anaesthesia and analgesia range that has been designed to provide vets with the therapies they need to operate successfully in day-to-day practice."
Rominervin can be used in conjunction with Dechra’s equine anaesthesia and analgesia app, designed to help veterinary professionals choose optimal anaesthetic protocols and calculate anaesthetic drug doses and administration rates.
For more information visit: www.dechra.co.uk/products/equine
Earlier in the year, we conducted a survey of veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons to discover what you feel are the biggest weaknesses in social media for the sharing of knowledge and experience.
By far the biggest problem was that on Facebook, you cannot tell how well qualified someone is to answer your question. So unless you know them offline, you simply do not know whether they are an expert in their field, or not.
As part of the VetNurse upgrade, we'll be launching new 'VetNurse Expert Forums', where any member can come and ask for help, but only those who have applied and been validated as 'Experts' can reply. When they do, their answer can be branded with their logo and contact details. They'll also be rewarded with points. And points mean prizes!
So, you may wish to become a VetNurse Expert because you find it rewarding helping others in the profession, or because you want to promote something - such as your training establishment or perhaps that your practice is a nice place to work, or perhaps you have just written a book! Or maybe you'd just like to be in with a chance of winning some prizes. It doesn't matter which!
Either way, time spent asking or answering questions can also be claimed towards your CPD requirement, using VetNurse.co.uk's 'Claim CPD' feature which produces a certificate with a record of those Q&A discussions you have taken part in, completely free of charge.
If you'd like to be a VetNurse.co.uk Expert, please enrol here: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5375658/VetNurse-Experts
If you have any questions, do come and discuss here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/nonclinical/f/16/t/31865.aspx
The research is being conducted by Sarah Mansell under the supervision of Dr. Malgorzata Behnke. They say this parasite hasn't been studied in depth in the UK since the 1970's, because the symptoms can be controlled by routine worming measures. However, as the industry moves away from routine worming as a measure of reducing the risk of parasites developing resistances to treatments, a condition such as this which is now considered to be quite rare in the UK can start to re-emerge.
Sarah is asking vets to fill out a short questionnaire to assess awareness of Onchocerca Cervicalis in veterinary practices. The survey includes specific questions about the parasite as well as questions about cases of unresponsive skin conditions because a similarity in symptoms can lead to misdiagnoses that could, in fact, turn out to be Onchocerca Cervicalis.
Sarah said: "Hopefully the findings will raise awareness of this problem and help shape future research in this area."
She added: "I want to get vets thinking about this issue much more than perhaps they are at the moment."
To take part in the survey, visit: https://harper-adams.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/assessing-the-awareness-of-onchocerca-cervicalis-amongst-e-2
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.
Neptra has been approved for the treatment of acute canine otitis externa or acute exacerbations of recurrent otitis caused by mixed infections of susceptible strains of bacteria sensitive to florfenicol (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius) and fungi sensitive to terbinafine (Malassezia pachydermatis), by the European Commission.
Mario Andreoli, Head of Marketing at Bayer Animal Health, said: "Otitis externa is a common disease in dogs and a leading cause why owners take their dog to a veterinarian.
"Neptra offers a key advantage, unlike competing products, it requires just one dose, administered by the veterinarian in the practice."
No at-home applications by the dog owner are required. The treatment stays in the hands of the vet who has full control over compliance.
Mario added: "With Neptra we provide a high-quality veterinary treatment that is convenient for the dog owner and ensures the well-being of dogs with a proper, effective application."
VetSurgeon understands the new product will be available in the UK in January 2020.
The centre was launched in February last year after an 8-month briefing and design period, followed by a 9-month construction and fit-out process.
Paragon and DesM also picked up the top prize in the Conversion category, awarded to practices which have made use of buildings previously used for other purposes.
John Marsh said: "Our aim was to build on our experience with two previous small animal hospitals for the RVC and Lower Langford Veterinary School, in designing a 'practitioners' answer' to veterinary care, but adapted to a more commercial facility, mindful of a practical but bright working environment for both the clinicians and owners, where it is a pleasure to work and a catalyst for enabling the best possible animal care."
Paragon managing director Ian Monteith said: "Every year, the BVHA seeks out and rewards the very best veterinary hospitals across the UK and we are delighted the high standards we set here at Paragon have been recognised.
"This is a terrific compliment to the very careful planning that went into designing the building and equipping it with the very latest equipment and technology."
In their report, the BVHA assessor said: "The premises are spectacular in design and appearance, creating an immediate impression of clinical excellence and quality patient care to both clients and visiting clinicians.
"The quality of the clinical work being undertaken was easy to see. There was a very positive attitude to training and induction routines, as well as mental health and team welfare."
The winners and runners up will be honoured at a ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 1st April 2020.
The television presenter Matt Baker will be hosting the Ceva Animal Welfare Awards for the third consecutive year, alongside head judge Chris Laurence MBE FRCVS, who puts his name to the Vet of the Year Award.
The award categories include:
Chris Laurence Vet of the Year – sponsored by Vet Record
Vet Nurse of the Year – sponsored by Agria Pet Insurance
Charity Team of the Year – sponsored by PDSA
Charitable Contribution of the Year – sponsored by Blue Cross
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year – sponsored by International Cat Care
Farmer of the Year – sponsored by R.A.B.I. and Farmers Guardian
Farm Educator of the Year – sponsored by NADIS and Farmers Guardian
Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare – sponsored by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines
To nominate someone, visit wwww.cevawelfare.com. They can come from all walks of life and will be assessed on the evidence provided in the original nomination.
Entries must be in by Tuesday 31 December 2019.
It is not the first time Roundhouse Referrals has innovated in this area. Last year, it launched the first 'Fixed Price TPLO' - a guarantee that pet owners will have no additional costs, should complications arise and further treatment be required following surgery.
Ross Allan, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery and Surgical Lead at Roundhouse Referrals, said: "We loved the idea of providing price certainty for referral clients, allowing those with no or lower levels of insurance to access our services and plan their finances. We also realised that in putting 'Fixed Price Fix' first and foremost we are also immediately highlight the possibility of complications and we felt the very best way to provide context for owners and referring vets would be to be open about our outcomes."
Following on from this Roundhouse Referrals has published the first of what it says will be a series of reports on TPLO+ clinical outcomes and customer satisfaction.
Ross said: "I think we're the first in Scotland to publish this kind of information outside scientific journals in a way that is easily accessible for pet owners, maybe in the whole of the UK."
The clinical outcome data was collected using a previously published questionnaire which enabled clients to give feedback on their pet’s recovery and status following their TPLO+ surgery.
According to Roundhouse, the results show that over 97% of dog owners rated their pets’ outcome as either excellent (85.29%) or good (11.76%) based on the first 70 TPLO+ surgeries performed. A figure which Ross says compares favourably with studies that have been previously published.
Additionally, 94.1% of pet owners agreed that if faced with having to make a similar decision again, they would choose to have the TPLO+ surgery done at Roundhouse Referrals, compared to 84.6% of owners in the previous study.
The results from the Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire showed that 100% of Roundhouse Referrals’ clients felt supported throughout the referral process, 96.97% of clients felt that the TPLO+ surgery was adequately explained and 100% would recommend Roundhouse Referrals to a friend or colleague.
Ross said: "Pet owners whose dogs’ had been through TPLO+ surgery and rehabilitation completed this questionnaire, enabling us to start measuring the outcome of the surgery, our aim being to ensure the surgery is optimal for the pet, and that owners feel supported throughout the entire surgical journey.
"We are delighted with these results, and will continue to monitor our outcomes and commit to publish our TPLO+ clinical outcome and customer satisfaction questionnaire results in the months and years ahead".
The new maternity policy will offer enhancement at 100% of full pay for 10 weeks, and 50% of full pay for a further 10 weeks, without any clawback provision should mothers decide not to return to CVS after their leave.
As part of the Time To Change Pledge, CVS will submit a plan for introducing evidence-based interventions and policy to help its employees work in ways that promote positive mental wellbeing.
CVS's plan includes the appointment of 250 Wellbeing Champions who will be trained in first aid for mental health. The company also plans to roll out further training on managing stress and mental health issues for line managers in 2020.
Richard, pictured right, said: "We are proud to be the first major veterinary employer to sign the Time to Change Pledge. The CVS wellbeing working party have made much progress in the last 12 months delivering our plan which has been formalised through participating in the Time to Change pledge.
"We recognise that the pressures in our industry are significant and unique, and that there’s more work to do. We remain committed as a company and wellbeing working party to changing the way we all think and act about mental health in the workplace for the better."
Animal Friends is launching a pilot programme through which its customers will be able to check their pets' symptoms, get advice on treatment or find out if they need to visit a vet clinic on Joii.
Paul Hallett, co-founder of Vet-AI said: "Animal Friends is a perfect partner for Vet-AI, not only do we share common goals around animal welfare and the profession as a whole, but strategically we are both laser focused on the customer. In the coming few years we will support their customers by providing them with 24 hour expert-led care, at the click of a button. This will drive our business forward, helping us reach more pet owners and improve the care their pets receive."
Wes Pearson, Managing Director of Animal Friends said: "This partnership demonstrates our commitment to provide our pet parents with innovative options to ensure their pet receives the best care. Being able to access professional advice from the comfort of their own home and at a time that suits them can dramatically reduce stress for both the pet and the pet parent. We are excited to be working with Vet-AI and believe that the Joii app will bring expert knowledge and extra peace of mind to our customers."
Oh no, not another company talking about 'pet parents'. Is it just me, or is it not rather patronising?
The Pitpat was designed in Cambridge, launched in 2016 and is now the leading dog activity monitor on the market, with over 50,000 sold.
I was invited to review the Pitpat by one of the company's non-executive directors, Myra Forster-van Hijfte FRCVS, a European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine who was also one of the angel investors.
I wasn't convinced that this was something every dog owner would want to use regularly. You'd have to be a bit obsessed to be routinely reviewing the activity levels of a perfectly fit young dog. But I think there is real potential for it to add value to veterinary nurses' obesity clinics and also to measure a response to treatment for things like osteoarthritis (OA). As such, it is perhaps something for practices to consider buying for themselves, and then loaning it out to the owners of dogs on a weight loss programme or which are getting treatment for OA.
Myra said: "PitPat gives an objective measurement of the actual activity the dog has done and the app gives the owner tailored advice (based on breed, age and sex of the dog) on how much exercise their dog should be doing and an estimate of daily calories their dog has burnt. This will help owners keep their dogs fit and healthy and in the correct body condition.
"PitPat is useful in weight management clinics by improving owner engagement through the associated weight app. Encouraging exercise also provides the owner with a positive contribution towards weight management.
"Monitoring activity pre- and post treatment, for instance dogs with osteoarthritis on NSAID's, provides vet and owner with an objective measure of whether treatment is effective or not."
You can watch the full review here. If you're interested in technology that is designed to make life easier, do subscribe to the channel!
For more information about Pitpat, visit: https://www.pitpat.com/. Veterinary practices that want to buy a Pitpat for use with their clients will get a trade discount. Contact the company for more details.
The flowchart, which was produced in partnership with the National Animal Health and Welfare Panel (NAHWP) and with support from Dogs Trust, outlines what vets and nurses should consider when a client presents an animal with a pet passport and aim to help them navigate client confidentiality, how to report concerns of illegal imports, and an overview of how local authorities are likely to respond.
The Association says that in recent years, vets have mentioned finding it 'difficult' or 'very difficult' to report concerns to Trading Standards in the BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession surveys. Other concerns included breaching client confidentiality, a lack of proof or sufficient evidence to investigate, a perceived lack of interest from local authorities if a case was reported, and uncertainty about whom to contact and how to report suspicions.
Findings released by Dogs Trust earlier this week show broadly similar concerns about reporting suspected illegal pet import cases.
BVA and NAHWP have issued the following advice for veterinary professionals:
Report any suspicions that the animal in your care does not comply with Pet Travel Scheme requirements to your Local Authority Animal Health Function – either Trading Standards or Environmental Health Services.
Find out how to contact your local authority via a pre-agreed number for your practice. Find a direct contact number for your local Trading Standards or call Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06, who will refer you directly to the relevant local authority.
Note this number down on the joint BVA and NAHWP compliance flowchart and put up the poster in visible locations around your practice for staff to refer to.
BVA is also in talks with local authority forums in Wales and Scotland and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland to launch similar guidance and compliance resources for vets in the devolved administrations.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: "Veterinary teams can often be the first to suspect that an animal may have been illegally imported when an owner takes their pet for its first check-up. But our surveys have identified a compelling need for clearly defined routes and mechanisms for vets to more easily report suspected cases of illegal import.
"Our flow chart and supporting guidance aim to empower vets to report any such cases, thus helping to tackle the scourge of illegal importation and protecting animal welfare, both of the imported dogs and the larger canine population in the UK.
"I would encourage veterinary teams to put up the poster in their practices and use it to help report any suspicions to relevant authorities with ease."
The flowchart is available as a pull-out poster in this week’s Vet Record and can also be downloaded along with accompanying guidance notes here: www.bva.co.uk/illegalimportguidance
The new course equates to 50 CPD hours and is delivered entirely online to give busy vet nurses the flexibility to fit their studies around their job.
The BSAVA Veterinary Nurse Merit Awards are designed for the motivated nurse in primary care practice, offering structured CPD for those who have an interest in developing their knowledge and skills, without the commitment of a certificate or diploma.
To achieve the award certificate and badge students must show understanding through a final online assessment.
BSAVA Head of Education Lucie Goodwin said: "Nurses who have completed a VNMA tell us that they return to practice enthusiastic about putting their new knowledge to work, and feedback shows that practices are keen for their nurses to complete the awards and are sending their nursing teams on multiple courses."
The new Behaviour VNMA, which will be available in early 2020, will be led by IAABC Certified Dog and Cat Behaviour Consultant Linda Ryan RVN (pictured right).
The course aims to give delegates:
an introduction to and grounding in companion animal behaviour.
practical instruction in working with pet behaviour concepts and how to apply them.
veterinary nurse-focused training.
an understanding of pets’ behavioural requirements and learning ability, in the context of their emotion and welfare needs.
an understanding of pet behaviour, which in turn allows effective communication to effect positive changes in human-animal interactions.
a foundation in detecting abnormal behaviours, and how they should be approached for the best patient outcome.
The other VNMA subjects on offer during 2020 are ECC and Anaesthesia (March), Dermatology (April) Wound Management (May) Diagnostic Imaging and Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy (September).
For further information and bookings, visit https://www.bsava.com/Education/VN-Merit-Awards
In next year's election, there are two places on Council for elected veterinary nurses, with successful candidates serving three year terms.
The nomination period runs until 5pm on Friday 31 January 2020. In order to stand, candidates need to complete a nomination form, submit a short biography and personal statement and supply a high resolution digital photo.
Each candidate also needs to have two nominators who need to be veterinary nurses who are on the RCVS Register but are not current RCVS Council members.
The College says nominations will be particularly welcome for VN Council as, due to governance changes, no election took place in 2018 and there was also no election in 2019, because only two candidates stood for the two available places.
Racheal Marshall, Chair of VN Council, said: "Although we are delighted with the two VN Council members who came on board this year, I think all would agree that it was a shame that there was no opportunity for the profession to exercise their democratic right and cast a vote for their preferred candidates.
"Being a member of VN Council and, latterly, its Chair has been a professional highlight for me – I have helped shape recommendations for how we can take the profession forward through the VN Futures project, have played a part in developing the postgraduate Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and have welcomed many new veterinary nurses to the Register by taking them through their professional declarations.
"We know that veterinary nurses sometimes feel that they struggle to be seen and heard – being a member of VN Council who can shape policy on education and professional conduct and attend events as an ambassador for the profession all helps give veterinary nursing the voice it deserves. So please consider standing for VN Council and I am very happy to talk to people about what it involves and how to fit it around your work and life."
Veterinary nurses who wish to find out more about becoming a candidate for VN Council can arrange an informal conversation with Racheal by contacting Annette Amato, VN Council Secretary, on a.amato@rcvs.org.uk
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer said: "As always, we would encourage those who are interested in having their say in some of the key debates in the regulatory sphere, such as our under care review, our policies around the impact of Brexit and our vision for new veterinary legislation, to become a candidate.
"RCVS Council is at its best when it encompasses a broad range of perspectives, experiences and knowledge, and so we encourage people from all areas of veterinary life and all levels of experience to put themselves forward and share their expertise and insight."
Nomination forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions for prospective RCVS VN Council candidates can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil20.
Prospective candidates for Council are welcome to contact the Registrar, Eleanor Ferguson (e.ferguson@rcvs.org.uk) and the RCVS CEO, Lizzie Lockett (l.lockett@rcvs.org.uk) for more information about the role of the College and/or Council.
RCVS Council will also be holding its next public meeting on Thursday 23 January 2020, prior to the closure date for Council candidate nominations. Prospective candidates are welcome to attend the Council meeting as an observer. Contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, on d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk if you wish to attend.
Andreea Maria Bacaintan was convicted by the Bucharest Court of Law in October 2017 of bribing a professor during her final year at university in order to pass an examination, a charge to which she had pleaded guilty.
Miss Bacaintan was fined and sentenced to a period of one year and four months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, with requirements for supervision and unpaid community service work. The case against Miss Bacaintan was that this conviction renders her unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
However, the Committee also heard and accepted that Miss Bacaintan had been the victim of a dishonest scheme perpetrated by members of staff at the University to extort money from students before they would let them pass the exam.
At the outset of the hearing the respondent admitted the facts as contained in the charge and that her conviction rendered her unfit to practise veterinary surgery. However, notwithstanding Miss Bacaintan’s acceptance that she was unfit, the issue of whether or not she was fit to practice remained one for the Committee’s judgement.
The Committee considered whether or not Miss Bacaintan’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct. In coming to its decision, the Committee took into account the submissions it had heard from Nicole Curtis, acting for the College, and from Miss Bacaintan, who represented herself.
Ms Curtis submitted that the nature and circumstances of the offence, which involved an element of dishonesty and which led to the conviction, were such as to render Miss Bacaintan unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon in the UK. Miss Bacaintan’s conduct was also liable to have a seriously detrimental effect on the reputation of the profession, as it undermined the examination system.
The Committee also considered the mitigating factors associated with the conviction, namely that this was a single, isolated incident and that Miss Bacaintan was clearly the victim of a dishonest scheme perpetrated by staff at the University.
Considering both the aggravating and mitigating factors, the Committee was satisfied that Miss Bacaintan’s conduct fell far below the standard expected of a Registered Veterinary Surgeon.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Miss Bacaintan. In doing so it took into account some of the written testimonials submitted on her behalf. The Committee was satisfied that Miss Bacaintan understood the magnitude of what she had done and was highly unlikely to repeat her dishonest behaviour.
Speaking on behalf of the Committee, Ian Green said: "This was a truly exceptional case where, whilst she had been dishonest, which the Committee in no way condoned, she had felt compelled to act in this way. The Committee was persuaded that Miss Bacaintan had herself been the victim of a corrupt system and had acted out of desperation in the final stages of her degree and with the genuine fear that if she did not “play the game” she would not graduate, thereby throwing away six years of hard work.
"It was notable that she did not succumb to the corrupt scheme until the third time of trying to pass this exam. It was clear from the evidence that she was not alone in paying up to try and pass this exam and that at least 30 and possibly many more students had done the same thing."
In such circumstances and with the significant mitigation, the Committee decided that the appropriate and proportionate sanction was to reprimand Miss Bacaintan and to warn her about her future conduct.
Based on the reported facts, what I'd like to know is why the DC even reprimanded a veterinary surgeon who was clearly being extorted herself, and what action was taken against the University staff?
The Committee’s full facts and findings can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The grant has been awarded to Dr Carri Westgarth, a Lecturer in Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Liverpool, for her project entitled Using citizen science to develop a ‘Canine Ageing and Wellbeing’ tool for use in veterinary practice.
Dr Westgarth’s initiative aims to determine what senior dog preventative healthcare and treatment advice is currently offered in UK veterinary practices and then take steps to build a practical tool to facilitate knowledge-sharing between owners and veterinary professionals.
Carri said: "Dogs are living up to twice as long as they did 40 years ago and there are implications for senior dogs’ healthcare and wellbeing.
"As life expectancy increases, so does the amount of time spent in poor health. Many dog owners may not be aware of the signs of serious age-related diseases as they attribute them to normal age-related changes."
The Citizen Science project will investigate owner expectations, experiences and attitudes to ageing in dogs, including preventative care and general understanding of normal and abnormal changes during ageing.
A number of in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys with veterinary professionals and dog owners will be conducted, and pet owners will be invited to submit diaries, photographs or videos to share their experiences of living with an older dog. The study will also examine electronic health records of senior dogs reported in the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network.
The findings will be used to develop the Petsavers Canine Ageing and Wellbeing tool, to guide on best practice discussions in consultations with senior dogs.
There's a complimentary counter top unit and pillow packs to help veterinary surgeons and nurses communicate the benefits of probiotics to clients. The unit can hold a cat and dog 30 sachet box of Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora from practice stock and the pillow packs can be used to dispense single sachets, so the client can trial the product with their pet at home.
At the same time, the company is encouraging vets and nurses to look at the evidence behind the probiotics they recommend. Although carried out a while ago now (2003 and 2011), two studies have shown that other diets claiming to contain probiotics generally did not meet the label claim when evaluated1,2.
Libby Sheridan, MVB MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, UK & Ireland says the efficacy of probiotics is thought to be strain-specific3 and recommends that clinicians critically assess the evidence for the particular strain and preparation of probiotics stocked or used.
Libby said: "The quality and efficacy of probiotics can vary and while in some cases there is strong evidence for efficacy in the targeted species, for others, the evidence is scant. Having experienced it myself, I know it's not always easy when working in a busy practice to take the time to ensure the evidence is there, but the studies back up that we should assess these things carefully before making a robust recommendation to our clients."
Most of the probiotics commercially available to veterinary professionals use the lactic acid bacterium Enterococcus faecium.
The particular strain and preparation of any probiotic will affect its ability to reach the large intestine, the expected site of action, intact. The evidence for the SF68 strain of Enterococcus faecium has been validated in a number of studies4-11 over recent years. Proven benefits of the SF68 strain include those focused on the gastrointestinal system where it supports canine and feline intestinal health and microflora balance and those with wider implications, such as support for a healthy immune system.
To obtain a unit or discuss the science, contact your Purina Veterinary Nutrition Partner or telephone the Purina Veterinary Nutrition Team on 0800 212161 quoting code VETPRESS.