In its updated position statement, the association emphasises its support of current UK legislation and says it would like to see improved implementation of current laws, in particular when informed by an evidence-based welfare outcomes approach.
The BVA also recommends that any proposals to improve welfare during transport should embrace all forms of transport and include welfare issues before, during and after movement. This, it says, would help ensure that a well-defined set of animal welfare standards are met for the entirety of any journey.
The BVA recommends that animals are slaughtered as close to the point of production as possible and supports the exploration of further opportunities which would assist this. It recognises that transportation of live animals can be unavoidable in some situations – for example, journeys between the Scottish Islands and Highlands – but says that no animal should be exported to a destination with unknown welfare standards, to one using systems currently banned in the UK or to a country where it would be slaughtered without stunning.
BVA President Simon Doherty said: "Any kind of movement has the potential to impact on an animal’s health and welfare. Ideally, we’d like to see livestock slaughtered close to the point of production, as long as all legislative health and welfare standards can be maintained. However, we recognise the high standards of welfare in the UK and support better implementation of current legislation.
"We have taken care to reiterate that any improvements made to live animal transport should consider welfare issues before, during and after movement so that a more complete approach is taken on this issue.
"We recognise that journey length is not the only influencer of welfare conditions for animals, and transport needs to be looked at as a whole rather than focusing on single factors. The most important thing for Government to do is to consider the evidence base when it weighs up options for making improvements."
The company says it's not just older horses suffering from joint disease, 36% of horses developed the condition by the time they were eight years old.
In the survey, 69% of horses needed up to five visits to their veterinary surgeon for treatment, while 21% needed as many as ten visits. Horse owners spent an average of £2,104 treating their horse’s joint condition while 5% spent more than £7,500 on the problem.
In addition, 53% said they've missed up to ten competitions due to joint disease, with 17% missing more than 20 competitions.
The survey revealed that joint problems are an ongoing concern for many. 76% of owners said they worry about their horse developing osteoarthritis and 30% had retired a horse earlier than expected owing to joint disease. In addition, 84% admitted that they would not buy a horse if they knew it had joint problems.
In terms of joint care, 74% of respondents said they give their horse a joint supplement. 69% check their horse's legs daily and 90% implement post-competition leg care measures.
Cavalor’s Lieselot Hamerlinck said: "It is good to see that so many horse owners are using a joint supplement but it’s important that they understand what to look for when choosing which product to use. They should look for anti-inflammatory products, not just joint support and for clinical evidence on any product claims. It’s not just about giving a joint supplement every day, it’s more about giving the right product tailored to the horse’s individual needs.
"Also horse owners should be mindful that it is equally important, if not more so, to take proper care of their horse’s joints all year round, not just during competition."
For further information, visit www.cavalor.com.
Reference
Chanelle's head of sales and marketing, Killian Gaffney said: "The total UK market is around 80,000 bottles annually. However, with the major supplier announcing some re-stocking in March but full availability still under question, there is a real sense of urgency for practitioners.
"The Chanelle team worked throughout December with our manufacturing division to ensure that the UK product shortfall could be alleviated.
"Air freighting supplies seemed the obvious course of action, and ensured we could supply the UK market as quickly as possible."
For further information, contact: Chanelle on 00353 91 841 788.
Jason has a very personal reason for supporting the charity: his wife is one of the 100 people diagnosed with MS each week: "My wife, Adele, was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and the support and information we have received from the MS Trust has been invaluable in helping us as a family to come to terms with the condition."
The MS Trust offers trusted information, a friendly voice to speak to and the funding and training of vital MS nurses. Each month the charity responds to on average 271 enquiries and sends out around 3,700 information booklets.
To support Jason's efforts, visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jasondavidson
Henry Schein said in a statement on Friday that it had sold the business in order to focus on its dental and medical markets and pursue new investment opportunities.
Covetrus says it will be using the experience, technology and global scale of the merged companies to provide veterinary practices with a more comprehensive set of integrated services and technology solutions, and tools to strengthen client relationships and grow their practice.
Covetrus launched on Nasdaq last Friday, when President and Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Shaw, said: "Today marks an important new chapter in the world of veterinary medicine, as we launch Covetrus as a new company listed on Nasdaq.
"We look forward to strengthening our customer relationships and expanding our veterinary practice partnerships worldwide as we bring more comprehensive and powerful solutions to market to meet their evolving needs and improve health and financial outcomes."
The company says that so far, it has had no cases of flu reported in horses vaccinated with Equip F or Equip FT in the UK. However, it cautions that in the present flu outbreak it is not clear if any of the current influenza vaccines will provide complete clinical protection against the mutated strain.
In addition, Zoetis highlights that:
Equip F and Equip FT are both indicated for reduction in clinical signs caused by Equine Influenza, including Florida Clade 1 strains.
Cross protection has been demonstrated by virulent challenge for representative strains of Florida Clade 1 (Paillot et al 20081, Bryant et al 20102) and Clade 2 (Paillot et al 20153).
Vaccination with Equip F stimulated a flu specific cell-mediated immune response to a Clade 1 strain which was detectable for up to one year after the third vaccination in primary course (Paillot et al 20153).
Zoetis says it is confident that the Equip range continues to be effective against its licensed indications.
If you have further questions about the vaccines, ring 0845 300 8034 and choose option 1 to speak to Zoetis' technical team.
References
Veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons, students and other veterinary professionals are all invited to take part in the anonymous survey and share incidents where they have witnessed discrimination or felt discriminated against.
The survey covers the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act: age, gender reassignment, marital or partnership status, being pregnant, disability, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. It also includes other forms of discrimination which might not fit under these characteristics, such as body weight and socio-economic background.
BVA Junior Vice President Daniella Dos Santos said: "The veterinary professions should be open, welcoming and supportive of everyone; however, it is clear from the reports we’re hearing that discrimination is still an issue. Worse still, we’re aware that some colleagues have faced a backlash when talking about their experiences of discrimination. This is completely unacceptable.
"If we hope to prompt meaningful change we need to fully understand the scale of the problems our colleagues are facing. To do that it’s important that we provide a safe, anonymous space for everyone to share their experiences. We hope this questionnaire will give people that opportunity and we would like to sincerely thank our colleagues for their willingness to share their personal experiences with us."
The survey was developed with the support of the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society (BVEDS) and British Veterinary LGBT+.
BVA says it intends to gather further quantitative data on discrimination via its Spring Voice of the Veterinary Profession Survey 2019.
The questionnaire is open from 2 February until 2 March and should take around 10 minutes to complete. A link to the questionnaire is available here.
The new guidance is being launched as part of the company's Keeping Britain’s Pets Healthy (KBPH) preventative healthcare initiative.
The guidance includes 18 recommendations designed to help all members of the practice team to implement consistent, effective improvements in preventative healthcare.
The recommendations were the result of a package of research carried out by Dr Rachel Dean, Dr Marnie Brennan, Dr Natalie Robinson and Dr Zoe Belshaw at the university’s vet school, including a systematic review of the literature, a survey of veterinary surgeons and in-depth interviews with vets and owners. A final study used the Delphi technique to achieve consensus amongst 26 first opinion practitioners and 8 pet owners.
The recommendations invite practices to consider a number of ways they might improve the consultation process, including: the purpose of the consultation, the role of each member of the practice team, and how pet owner expectations should be addressed and communicated during the process.
John Helps, Senior Technical Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Our new KBPH initiative marks a step change in our emphasis on preventative healthcare.
"It aims to champion the central role each member of the veterinary practice team plays as experts in educating and engaging our nation of pet lovers.
"These evidence-based guidelines are just the first step towards our increased emphasis on communicating the importance of the annual preventative health visit.
"They support the partnership between the practice and its clients around the health and welfare of their pets, and the significant contribution vaccines and parasiticides make to the health and welfare of their pets. They also help the whole team understand their specific role in the provision of preventative healthcare."
You can download the full recommendations here.
The latest figures from 2017/18 reveal that over 120 million animals were slaughtered in England and Wales without being stunned first1.
In an open letter to Environment Secretary Michael Gove, the BVA and the RSPCA urge the UK Government to change legislation in England which currently allows non-stun slaughter for religious purposes, and provide further public transparency on this issue by releasing the comprehensive 2018 slaughter survey results, which Mr Gove himself signalled would be published by Autumn 2018.
Until such legislation is in place the RSPCA and BVA are calling for:
The letter follows a recent, high profile decision to ban the slaughter of animals without prior stunning in the Flanders region of Belgium which came into force at the start of the year. Belgium joins several other European countries, including Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark in making this decision, demonstrating that a full ban on non-stun slaughter is possible within EU law.
RSPCA chief executive, Chris Sherwood said: "Until there is a change in the law to end non-stun slaughter, there are several measures the UK Government could introduce to reduce the suffering involved in this practice. For example, by ensuring trade deals with other countries do not include non-stun meat or live animals for non-stun slaughter, clear labelling should be adopted to enable consumers to make an informed choice about the meat they buy and how it was slaughtered."
BVA President Simon Doherty said: "The UK Government has repeatedly stated it would prefer to see all animals stunned before slaughter but has taken no action to address this critical welfare issue that affects millions of animals every year. It is doubly disappointing that data that would have provided a valuable benchmark for levels of non-stun slaughter in the UK has yet to see the light of day despite assurances throughout last year that it would soon be made public.
"There is a huge groundswell of support for a ban on non-stun slaughter, and recent developments in Belgium show that decisive change is possible where public support is matched by political will. Michael Gove has made clear that he wants to maintain and build on the UK’s reputation as global leader on animal welfare; banning non-stun slaughter is a surefire way of showing he will deliver on this commitment.
"If slaughter without stunning continues to be permitted in the UK, then meat and fish from this source must be clearly labelled, to help customers make informed choices about the food that they buy and eat."
You can sign the open letter at: www.rspca.org.uk/endnonstun and join the online debate using the hashtag #EndNonStun.
The company says the new product has been launched in response to demand from UK equine veterinary surgeons specialising in dentistry
Hexarinse for Horses is presented as a palatable, mint-flavoured, ready-to-use formulation in a five litre container.
Virbac says the antibacterial action of chlorhexidine supports the maintenance of oral health after dental procedures and may aid the management of periodontal disease, oral inflammation and the management of peripheral caries.
For further information, speak to your local Virbac territory manager or contact Virbac Limited on: 01359 243243 or enquiries@virbac.co.uk.
The PFMA says the factsheets have been produced with nutrition experts in response to demand from industry professionals.
Nicole Paley, Deputy Chief Executive, PFMA said: "We launched our factsheet range just over a year ago to tackle and dispel many of the myths around pet food. The range now covers sixteen subjects and with over 3,400 downloads, they have proved to be a valuable resource for pet professionals at the front line of pet care.
"We decided to add the Vegetarian Diets Factsheet and Food Allergy and Intolerance Factsheet to our range in response to demand for clarification on these topics. Owners are exploring alternative diets and whilst cats are obligate carnivores, dogs are omnivores and can adapt to vegetarian diets. As with all diets, they need to be well-balanced and our factsheet contains top tips.
"The Allergy Factsheet explains the difference between allergies and intolerances, which are both adverse food reactions but are very different conditions requiring different advice from veterinary professionals."
To see the full range of PFMA factsheets, visit: pfma.org.uk/fact-sheets.
Furthermore, the research found that among female dogs that had problems giving birth, French bulldog bitches are then 2.4 times more likely to undergo invasive caesarean sections than crossbred dogs.
This compared to brachycephalic bitches in general, which the RVC researchers found are 1.54 times more likely to need a caesarean compared with their longer-nosed pure breed or crossbred counterparts.
As part of the research, academics studied 20,000 bitches that required emergency treatment at 50 Vets Now veterinary clinics between 2012 and 2014.
Their findings, published in two papers in The Veterinary Record, highlight the substantial risks that bitches and their puppies face during the birthing process.
According to the first paper1, 3.7% of female dogs suffer from dystocia. Alongside French bulldogs, other pure breeds such as Boston terriers, chihuahuas and pugs, are also particularly at risk of birthing problems. Compared to crossbred bitches, Boston terriers are 12.9 times more likely to face birthing issues, pugs 11.3 times more likely and chihuahuas 10.4 times more likely.
The second paper2, which is available open access, examines the effects of difficult births more closely. It found that on average, 25% of puppies and 1.7% of the bitches do not survive problem births. Apart from the risk of death, problem births also mean that many bitches have to undergo painful and invasive surgery, with 48.6% of problem births needing caesarean surgery.
Bulldogs (also known as British Bulldogs), border terriers and golden retrievers were the top three breeds at risk of caesarean section once they have difficulty giving birth. Bulldogs are 7.6 times more likely, border terriers are 4.9 times more likely and golden retrievers are 4.1 times more likely to need the procedure compared with crossbreeds.
RVC veterinary epidemiologist and VetCompass researcher Dr Dan O’Neill said: "This new research is another piece of evidence suggesting that mankind may have gone too far in modifying dog breed shapes towards extreme conformation that can interfere with basic biological functions. We all need to fall back in love with dog-shaped dogs and move away from the current fascination with extreme-shaped dogs."
O’Neill, DG., O’Sullivan, AM., Manson, EA., Church, DB., McGreevy, PD., Boag, AK., Brodbelt, DC.(2019) Canine dystocia in 50 UK first-opinion emergency care veterinary practices: clinical management and outcomes Veterinary Record Published Online First:04 February 2019. doi: 10.1136/vr.104944.
Suitable for both puppies and adult dogs, Eradia is presented in a bottle with an award-winning1 'All-In-One Smart Cap' which stops the person administering the product from coming into contact with the solution, is child proof and offers flexible dosing options.
Available in 30ml and 100ml bottles to cater for all dogs, Eradia can be administered either directly into the mouth or on to food.
Virbac says that Eradia has been shown to be accepted by 100% of dogs2, thereby alleviating any possible problems administering metronidazole.
To find out more about Eradia and any of the other products in the Virbac antibiotic range, please contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
Gillian, pictured right, trained as a veterinary nurse at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (R(D)SVS) in Edinburgh before gaining further experience and becoming Head RVN in a small animal practice.
From 1997-2000 she lectured in veterinary nursing, becoming Centre Manager of The College of Animal Welfare in 2000. As Deputy Programme Leader, she helped set up Scotland's first degree in Veterinary Nursing – a collaboration between The College of Animal Welfare, Napier University and the R(D)SVS.
In 1999, Gillian then co-founded the Ayrton Veterinary Hospital near Edinburgh, making her one of the first RVNs to own a veterinary practice.
The business opened in a small Portakabin in 1999, progressing to a purpose-built RCVS-accredited Veterinary Hospital in 2006.
Gillian was part of the design team and co-project-managed the year-long build. She led the sale of Ayrton to Independent Vetcare in 2017 but continues in the role of Business Director, in which she oversees the smooth running of the hospital.
Gillian said: "In today’s competitive and fast-changing veterinary sector, strong leadership and management have never been more important. At the VMG, we support the professional and personal development of those working in leadership roles to help them to manage their teams effectively and to optimise the performance of their veterinary businesses.
"2018 was an exciting year as our membership reached almost 1,000 and I am looking forward to harnessing the skills and experience of my board colleagues to ensure that we provide an even higher level of support to our members in 2019."
Dr Bohnen faced two charges. The first was that in March 2017, she failed to attend to Belle, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in order to provide appropriate and adequate care including: assisting Belle with urination, monitoring her with a view to considering alternative treatment options, and monitoring her with a view to providing her owners with an update on her condition.
The second charge was that Dr Bohnen later claimed dishonestly that she had attended to the animal, both to the owners, in clinical records hospital records, in a note provided to colleagues and during internal disciplinary proceedings held at her practice.
At the outset of the hearing the Committee considered an application from Dr Bohnen for the hearing to be postponed as she was now based in her home country of South Africa, and said she could not apply for a visa to return to the UK until later in the year and internet access in her location was poor.
However, the Committee found that the RCVS had properly served the notice of inquiry to Dr Bohnen in accordance with the current rules, that she had had sufficient time and opportunity to apply for a visa since receiving the notice and that, in any case, she could remotely ‘attend’ the hearing via Skype or telephone if necessary by travelling to somewhere that did have adequate internet connectivity, and so it refused the application.
The Disciplinary Committee then considered the facts of the case and heard evidence from the owners of Belle, the clinical director of the practice that Dr Bohnen worked in at the relevant time and a veterinary nurse, who was a student doing her training at the practice during the time of the events in question.
Having considered all of the evidence, the Committee dismissed the parts of the first charge relating to considering alternative treatment options and updating the owners in relation to Belle’s condition. They did, however, find the charge proven in relation to Dr Bohnen failing to assist Belle with urination.
The Committee found all aspects of the second charge proven in its entirety after Dr Bohnen admitted in advance of the hearing, that her representations were false and misleading.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the second charge and the aspects of the first charge that were found proven amounted to serious professional misconduct both individually and cumulatively.
The Committee considered that Dr Bohnen’s conduct in failing to assist Belle with urination, whilst falling below the standard to be expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon, did not amount to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee did however find that Dr Bohnen’s conduct with regards to the second charge constituted serious professional misconduct.
Professor Alistair Barr, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee considers that the respondent’s dishonesty was the prime aggravating factor in this case. Although overall it could be regarded as a single incident, the Committee has found that it involved the fabrication of a number of notes and clinical records in the immediate aftermath of the death of the dog, but, thereafter, the respondent continued to deny the falsity of the fabricated records that she had created up to and until the conclusion of her interview by the practice on 30 March 2017.
"During that time, the respondent had contacted the alarm company responsible for the security of the premises of the practice, to enquire whether the security system would record the times of the alarm being switched on and off. This indicated that the respondent’s dishonesty continued over a significant period of time, and that her persistence in sticking to her story became premeditated. In other words, the respondent’s conduct over this time indicated a clear attempt to deceive."
Regarding the sanction for Dr Bohnen, the Committee considered that the principle aggravating factors in the case were serious dishonesty towards both her colleagues and the owners of the dog and involved clear breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct. By way of mitigation, the Committee noted that Dr Bohnen is of previous good character with no other professional findings against her and that she had demonstrated some insight into her behaviour and had admitted being dishonest and misleading prior to the hearing.
Summing up, Professor Barr said: "Because of the seriousness of this case, the Committee did not consider that it was appropriate to postpone judgement, take no further action, or to administer a reprimand and warning as to future conduct. The Committee considered that the respondent’s conduct, involving significant and admitted dishonesty over a period of time, required a significant penalty, in order to protect the welfare of animals and to serve the public interest.
"Accordingly, the Committee has decided to direct that the respondent’s registration be suspended for a period of nine months."
Dr Bohnen has 28 days from being informed of the Committee’s decision to lodge an appeal with the Privy Council.
In its statement, the company blamed the situation on the poor performance of 24 practices it bought in the Netherlands, and its new farm and equine divisions.
CVS says that another important factor has been employment costs, in particular the increase in market rates for locum veterinary surgeons and nurses on which it remains heavily reliant.
The company also blames its financial performance on the poor support of pharmaceutical companies, which it says it is continuing to push for transparent and 'appropriate' pricing.
Aside from trying to drive down the costs of drugs, the company says it has introduced 'additional procedures' designed to reduce the cost of employing locums, although it didn't specify what these are.
The group is also reevaluating its pipeline of acquisitions, in particular the multiples it is prepared to pay.
At the time of writing, the CVS share price had dropped over 28% to 465p overnight and 70% since the share price peaked at 1477p in November 2017.
In the game of acquisitions musical chairs, did the music just stop?
Full trading statement.
Bacteria isolated from human dental units analysed in other studies included Pseudomonas Sp, Mycobacteria and Legionella.
Bob said: "The Care Quality Commission (CQC) would have no hesitation in shutting down practices with the level of contamination we have seen. The dangers are real and significant for our teams as well as for our patients.
"Part of the problem is that dental units produce aerosols which can carry the bacteria into the depths of the lungs, bypassing normal defence mechanisms. Endotoxin levels have also been shown to be very high in untreated units, potentially resulting in problems when surgical extractions are performed.
Bob added: "The good news is that the biofilms which harbour the bacteria are treatable - but simply adding a little chlorhexidine will not do the trick."
Working with industry leaders, www.VetDentist.info has produced a Starter Kit for veterinary practices, which Bob says will clear biofilms and also provides a safe maintenance solution for ongoing use.
Bob says the cost of keeping your dental unit’s water lines safe for staff and patients is around 25-40p per day. Practices can also sign up for a regular monitoring scheme.
For more information and to get a VetDentist Starter Kit, visit www.VetDentist.info.
At the June 2017 meeting of RCVS Council, members decided to look into two models by which paraprofessionals working in the veterinary, animal health or related fields, might be regulated by the College under powers granted by the RCVS’s Royal Charter in 2015.
The first was an accreditation model, which would involve the RCVS accrediting an organisation which would regulate the profession in question. The second was an associate/ full regulation model, in which individual paraprofessionals would receive a similar level of regulation to that already received by veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
At its January 2019 meeting, RCVS Council agreed to proceed with both proposed models of paraprofessional regulation, with the suitability of each model being considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the profession applying for recognition.
Paraprofessions whose work will need to be underpinned by Schedule 3 reform would need to apply for the associate model, as the RCVS would be required to be directly responsible for the register of any individuals undertaking such minor acts of veterinary surgery.
Two paraprofessional groups that have already expressed an interest in being regulated by the College, namely meat inspectors and animal behaviourists, will now be invited to apply for associate or accredited status.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: "This is a very significant decision by Council to open up a pathway to related paraprofessions to apply to become regulated by the College.
"It is difficult to give a time-frame at this stage as to when these particular professions will be brought on board, as we will have to go through a process of developing a number of new regulatory structures including registration, education and investigation and disciplinary, as well as the appropriate governing bodies for each of the professions.
"However, we are very pleased that the Association of Meat Inspectors (AMI) and the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) have expressed an interested in being regulated by the College and we look forward to working with them to make this happen."
David Montgomery, President of the ABTC, said: "The ABTC enthusiastically welcomes the news that the RCVS is expanding its influence to include paraprofessionals. We look forward to exploring the opportunity to demonstrate the professional status of ABTC-registered Animal Trainers and Behaviourists by coming under the regulatory umbrella of the RCVS for the benefit of animal welfare."
Ian Robinson, a Trustee of the AMI, said: "The Association of Meat Inspectors welcome the news that the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons intends to invite paraprofessionals to be regulated under the ambit of the RCVS. We believe it will offer enhanced security, opportunity and status, and we look forward to further dialogue to explore the various models in due course."
The College says it is also in touch with a number of other paraprofessional groups, including those representing animal musculoskeletal practitioners and equine dental technicians, about the future of paraprofessional regulation. However, before such professions could become associates, there would need to be reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act in order to remedy some of the deficiencies of the current legislative regime and make sure that these groups have appropriate legal underpinning for their work. This, says the College, complements ongoing discussions on changes to the legislative framework to bolster the role of veterinary nurses.
On particular issue that the College says the new proposals are designed to remedy is that of equine dental procedures being carried out by well-trained but nevertheless unregulated paraprofessionals. Neil Townsend, Chair of the British Equine Veterinary Association’s (BEVA) Allied Professional Committee, said: "Change to the current situation, where legislative enforcement is impossible, horse owners are confused, and horse welfare is compromised, is long overdue. BEVA is really pleased that the RCVS has listened and is supporting a proposal for regulation of all equine dental procedures. We hope that Government will act."
RCVS President Amanda Boag, said: "This is a real milestone in the history of the RCVS and represents quite possibly the biggest change to our regulatory role since the introduction of the Register of veterinary nurses in 2007, and should Schedule 3 reform be achieved it would be the most significant change since the role of veterinary nurses was first recognised in law in 1991. It is particularly befitting for our 175th anniversary year, as it demonstrates we are an organisation that can evolve to meet the changes occurring in the wider veterinary and animal health sector and use our regulatory experience and expertise to ensure that animal health and welfare and public health is safeguarded in different, but related fields of endeavour."
The full approved paper regarding the review of the minor procedures regime and paraprofessional regulation can be found on the RCVS website at: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/policy/veterinary-legislation-review/
RCVS Knowledge is an independent charity which exists to advance the quality of veterinary care for the benefit of animals, the public and society. Liz will be joining 11 other trustees on the board, two of which are veterinary nurses.
Liz qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1986 and has been a member of the nursing team at Davies since the practice was founded in 1998. She is currently the Training Manager, responsible for the development of induction training programmes for new employees and the implementation of ongoing training for team members.
For further information on RCVS Knowledge visit https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/home/
To enter the competition, which will run during National Pet Dental Health Month in February, you need to share a picture of a dog or cat having its teeth brushed during a consultation or share a tip to make it easier for owners and pets to enjoy dental care at home.
The first 100 entries in each category will receive 10 finger brushes for their clinic, with Ceva’s favourite top five pictures and tips winning £50 Love2shop vouchers.
To share your photograph or tip, email it with your practice name and address to cevauk@ceva.com, post it on the Logic for Pets Facebook page or enter using the form on www.logicforpets.co.uk.
Make sure you have the owner’s permission before posting pictures. The competition closes on 1st March 2019.
Incidentally, Ceva provides free Logic samples to veterinary practices to offer to clients; contact your local Ceva territory manager or email cevauk@ceva.com for more information.
Tablets are divisible into 15mg increments to enable accurate titration of dosing, come blister-packed to facilitate dispensing and are liver flavoured to help with compliance.
TVM says that in a first for a phenobarbital generic, Soliphen has proven bioequivalence to the market leading brand, which provides the reassurance of staying on-label when switching from the leading brand is necessary or desirable.
William Peel, Product Manager at TVM UK, said: "Phenobarbital is the only veterinary licensed drug for use in idiopathic and structural epilepsy, benefiting a large proportion of epileptic dogs with an improvement in seizure frequency. As a result, phenobarbital is a mainstay of treatment in epilepsy cases. With Soliphen, we have developed a cost-effective, easier and more accurate solution."
Soliphen is supported with a range of materials for use in practice, including owner booklets on epilepsy and in practice guidelines for the management of status epilepticus and chronic seizure control.
For more information, speak to your local TVM-UK Territory Manager, email: help@tvm-uk.com, visit: www.tvm-uk.com or call: 0800 0385868.
Andrea Tarr BPharm MSC MRPharmS, the founder and director of Veterinary Prescriber said: "Prescribing is a neglected aspect of veterinary practice. When it comes to making treatment decisions, vets are very poorly supported by their professional organisations, the pharmaceutical industry has a hugely distorting influence and there's a lack of access to really helpful information.
"We're determined to use the expertise in Veterinary Prescriber to change this, and support vets in their use of medicines in the best interests of animals, their owners and the environment.
"With this in mind, we start the year with a learning module of good veterinary dispensing practice."
The module explains what constitutes a well-run dispensary, including how to organise, handle and store medicines correctly. It reviews the legal classifications of medicines, including controlled drugs and the cascade. It also considers why dispensing errors occur and what to do when they happen.
Veterinary Prescriber says its modules are evidence-based, peer-reviewed and independent of the pharmaceutical industry.
Subscription costs £7.50 per month, which you can cancel any time. To subscribe, visit: cpd.veterinaryprescriber.org
A free copy of the compendium has been sent to every veterinary practice in the UK, and it is also available online at: www.noahcompendium.co.uk. A special edition of the book commissioned by AMTRA will also be available for its SQPs shortly.
NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "The NOAH Compendium, in all its formats, remains a major part of NOAH’s efforts to ensure appropriate access and responsible use of medicines for all animals. We are pleased it is even more comprehensive this year, as we continue to expand its list of contributors.
"Every NOAH member, as well as the non-member participants in the NOAH Compendium, is a signatory to the NOAH Code of Practice on Promotion, which demonstrates their commitment to operate above and beyond any regulatory requirements."
She added: “As well as product datasheets, the Compendium includes another vital resource – the contact details for each participating company. Company veterinary and technical advisors have detailed knowledge about their company’s medicines. The NOAH Code includes the requirement for NCAH qualification for NOAH staff in technical dialogue with prescribers and users of animal medicines – meaning their advice can be regarded as a valuable and trusted resource. They are ready to talk to prescribers about the use of a medicine in a particular animal or in a particular situation, as well as to explain any queries about the data sheet."
Veterinary practices that have not yet received a copy, perhaps because they are new or have changed address in the past year should contact NOAH (noah@noah.co.uk).
Extra copies are also available to order, for £47.50. Special prices are also available for bulk orders.
All jobs posted on VetNurse.co.uk are valid for 60 days (double that normally offered elsewhere). They are also emailed automatically to any subscribers with matching search criteria, fed out onto Facebook and the like, and optimised for Google For Jobs.
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Remote consultations and prescribing have been the subject of much debate in the profession of late. A motion to conduct a trial of prescribing without a physical examination was considered by the RCVS Council in November, when a large number of serious concerns were raised.
However, none of those concerns related to the provision of remote consulting services for existing clients with animals who are already under the care of the veterinary surgeon. That's where systems like this could add real value to the service offered by veterinary practices.
George Kyriacou, Director at VVG said: "Telemedicine is happening, and it’s happening in a big way. Virtual consultations are becoming more and more popular with pet owners who are not really sure if they need to see a vet and would simply like some reassurance.
"An option to have a qualified vet in your pocket at anytime of the day is attractive. However, the option to have a convenient consultation with your own trusted vet is the holy grail."
The system allows those practices who wish to charge for online consults to take payment online. Some, however, offer free consultations, in particular post-op, because it saves everyone time.
VVG points out that the system can also be used to deliver nursing consultations, too.
Simon Power, Commercial Manager at Vets One referrals in Crimplesham, Norfolk said: "Since adopting the system we have had a number of post-op and medication reviews virtually; it not only saves us a consulting room but also allows our clients to have the expert advice our team provide from the comfort of their own home."
VVG costs £249 to set up, plus from £59 per month thereafter, per practice.
For more information, contact George Kyriacou at George@thevvg.com or call 01842558022.