Bayer Animal Health has taken over the marketing and sales of the antibiotic Nisamox (tablets containing Amoxicillin and Clavulanic Acid), from Fort Dodge Animal Health.

Under the new arrangement, the design of Nisamox tablet packaging will change to reflect the change of ownership, however, Bayer says the quality of the tablets and the competitive pricing remain unchanged.

Nisamox tablets are licensed for use in cats and dogs to treat infections of the skin, urinary tract, and respiratory tract caused by susceptible Staphylococci, and also to treat enteritis and urinary tract infections caused by susceptible E.coli.

Nisamox tablets will continue to be available in three strengths: 50mg, 250mg, and 500mg. For information on Nisamox tablets, contact your Bayer territory manager.

Hill's Pet Nutrition has enhanced its portfolio of prescription diets for the management of FLUTD with the launch of Feline c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie and a 'taste upgrade' for Feline c/d Multicare.

Prescription Diet Feline c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie is a new dry product designed to manage the higher incidence of FLUTD in overweight cats (FLUTD is 49% more prevalent in overweight and obese cats²). According to Hill's, the controlled fat and calorie levels in c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie and clinically proven levels of L-carnitine help to reduce fat build up and maintain lean muscles mass. Like c/d Multicare, its formula also dissolves sterile struvite uroliths in 14 days¹.

Hill's says Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie is formulated with omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the distress and discomfort associated with conditions such as FIC (Feline Idiopathic Cystitis); in addition obesity has been associated with systemic inflammation³ for which omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial^4,5.

Prescription Diet Feline c/d Multicare Chicken dry kibble has had its taste improved; Hill's says studies show it is now preferred over the leading competitor's brand by a wide margin⁶. Apparently, the improvement in flavour is partly down to the new shape of the kibble.

Lastly, Hill's is highlighting a prospective study by MacLeay et al, the preliminary results of which were reported at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in May 2010. In the study, cats with uroliths suspected to be struvite (based on radiographic appearance) were fed Prescription Diet Feline c/d Multicare and rapid dissolution of the stones occurred in as little as two weeks.

References

• 1. Dry formula only. Feline Sterile Struvite Urolith Dissolution Study. Interim Report of Five Cats with Struvite Uroliths. J Vet Intern Med 2010;24:704.
• 2. Lund EM, Armstrong PJ, Kirk CA, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for obesity in adult cats from private veterinary practices. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 2005; Vol. 3, No.2 : 88-96.
• 3. Nathan C. Epidemic Inflammation: Pondering Obesity Molecular Medicine, Molecular Medicine 2008; 14 (7-8): 485-492
• 4. James MJ, Gibson RA, Cleland LG. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory mediator production. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71 (suppl.) 343S-348S.
• 5. Calder PC. Dietary modification of inflammation with lipids. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2002; 61: 345-358.
• 6. Palatability test. November 2010

Bayer Animal Health has announced that its parasiticide -  Advocate Spot-On Solution - is now licensed to be used weekly, and for a prolonged period of time, in severe cases of demodicosis in dogs.

According to the company, recent work carried out to obtain the new weekly indication shows a number of benefits of this increased application frequency for severely affected animals. Dogs treated on a weekly basis showed a greater reduction in mite numbers, fewer clinical signs, and improved hair regrowth and weight gain over the trial period, when compared to dogs treated monthly.

Advocate remains licensed for monthly use on mild to moderate presentations.

A spokesperson for the company said: "The new claim for the weekly use of Advocate should give veterinary surgeons a more effective route to go down when dealing with more severe cases, compared to monthly use. However, demodicosis is a complex condition which presents the practitioner with many challenges. So, from past experience with this condition, we would urge vets to be patient and also recognise the importance of treating any underlying disease process likely to exacerbate the situation."

Advocate Spot-on Solution has also been recently licensed for the prevention of Angiostrongylus vasorum, and the treatment of Crenosoma vulpis.

For further information, please contact your Bayer representative or the Bayer technical advice line on 0845 1305995.

45% of British pet owners believe their four legged friends share their human emotions and can sense when they are upset or unwell, according to a new survey announced by Bayer Animal Health.

The 'Pets are Human Too' study of 3,000 British dog and cat owners was commissioned by the company to celebrate Drontal's www.mypetsuperstar.com competition.

According to the study:

• 32% of cat and dog owners say their pet is a much better listener than their partner.
• 15% of those questioned admit they love their pet so much that they have their dog or cat's image as their own Facebook profile picture, and a quarter have a picture of their pet as their office PC screensaver.
• Forget traditional names like Spot and Scrappy, 33% of the nation would rather give their animal a human name such as Dave, Alan or Sharon.
• One in five pet owners (19%) always sign greetings cards with their pet's paw print, and one in 10 (8%) even throw their dog or cat an annual birthday party, inviting their pets' best friends over for their favourite pet food cake.
• 9% confess to telling their pet a personal secret that they would not have dared to share with their closest human confidants, whilst one in 10 pet owners believes their pet has psychic powers or shares the personality traits of a deceased loved one.
• 41% of dog owners feel that their pet loves them more than their partner, whilst 24% admit they would rather spend quality time with their animal companion over their husband or wife.

TV vet and My Pet Superstar Judge Emma Milne, said: "The joy and companionship our pets bring to our lives is unquestionable and it is no wonder that many consider them to be 'man's best friend'.  Britain is a nation of proud pet owners and now, with the launch of My Pet Superstar, we all have a chance to show them off!"

From 2 April - 2 May, National Pet Month will be encouraging people to get happy and healthy spending time with their pets, with its theme of 'Happiness is... time with your pet'.

Organisers say that during the month, thousands of people will be celebrating happy times with their pets at hundreds of events up and down the country. While many of these events will raise funds for local animal charities, National Pet Month is not just about fund raising. It is also all about raising awareness of how pets make people's lives happier and healthier, and how they can repay the pets they love by looking after them responsibly.

Veterinary practices can get involved in National Pet Month, and show what they have to offer clients and potential clients. Details of how to join in and become a supporter are on the website http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/.

Last year's National Pet Month was apparently the most successful to date, with a record number of 1200 events and nearly £80,000 raised for at least 30 animal charities. 

The 2010 overall best National Pet Month event was held by St Boniface Vets in Crediton, Devon. They participated by visiting local nursery and primary schools teaching children about pet health, and specifically raising awareness of exotic animals as pets. Phil Sketchley, Chairman of NPM said: "The 14 excellent educational visits that St Boniface made to local schools and nurseries were inspirational. They were a fantastic example of the partnerships that can be forged between practices and the community during National Pet Month."

He added: "School visits are one great way for practices to get involved - but there are many more. Our top veterinary practice 2010 event, for example, was held by Mill House Vets in Kings Lynn, and which focussed on educating owners on caring for older pets. National Pet Month is an opportunity to help your clients learn more about responsible pet care so they can enjoy their pets for many years to come."

BEVA is giving its members the opportunity to participate in a free practice benchmarking survey, to help them ensure their business is being run as efficiently and profitably as possible. The results of the research will be released at BEVA Congress, 7^th-10^th September 2011.

The Association has worked with Hazlewoods, chartered accountants and business advisors to the veterinary profession, to develop a detailed benchmarking questionnaire for equine veterinary practices, which allows businesses to compare their practice, anonymously, with other similar practices. The report should identify areas for profit improvement, including practice structure and pricing and may also highlight other potential methods of income generation.

Mark Beaney, partner at Hazlewoods and specialist advisor to the veterinary profession, said: "This is a super opportunity for equine practices to obtain helpful, free advice on how to fine-tune their business for maximum efficiency, delivery and profit. The questionnaire should take no more than half an hour to complete and in return we will provide you with a confidential individual report, with your practice data benchmarked."

Mark will present an overall report on the equine veterinary market at BEVA Congress on Saturday 10^th September. All participating practices will remain anonymous. The benchmarking survey can be downloaded from the BEVA website at: http://www.beva.org.uk/news/view/59 and must be completed by 30^th June 2011.

BEVA Congress runs from 7^th-10^th September 2011 at the Liverpool Arena Convention Centre, Liverpool. This year BEVA will be celebrating its 50^th anniversary - for further information and to register visit http://www.beva.org.uk/.

Virbac Animal Health has launched Microbex, a POM-V shampoo for the control of Malassezia proliferation and associated clinical signs.

The arrival of Microbex extends the Virbac shampoo range to eight, providing vets with the most comprehensive specialist options in the management of skin conditions, says the company.

Microbex (POM-V) contains 3% chlorhexidine. Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "Chlorhexidine at this level provides a complete treatment for Malassezia.

"The shampoo also has a flexible application schedule and simple dosing cap, both of which are designed to help improve client compliance and treatment success rate.

Chris added: "Microbex is available in 200ml bottles making it an attractive purchase option for clients."

Further details can be found in the NOAH compendium http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/. For details on launch promotion contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.

Virbac Animal Health has launched Allerderm, a topical spot on product designed to rebuild the epidermal barrier in dogs and cats with skin problems.

According to the company, Allerderm Spot-On contains a mimic of the normal lamellar lipids found in the stratum corneum: essential fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol.

Virbac Product Manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: The "outside-in" theory of inflammatory skin disease is now widely accepted - that is, the belief that a faulty epidermal barrier is the primary problem, allowing penetration of allergens which then triggers inflammation in the underlying skin.

"A healthy epidermal barrier is designed to keep in water and moisture, and keep out allergens and pathogens. The 'barrier repair' approach has been developed in human medicine and is now proving true in companion animal care.

"It is currently possible to help restore this barrier with oral essential fatty acid supplements like Complederm and with Allermyl shampoo, but this is an exciting new addition to the armoury."

Mr Geddes added: "In a study of allergic dogs¹, researchers found that Allerderm spot on caused the level of lipids on the stratum corneum to return to almost the level of normal dogs." 

Allerderm Spot-On is applied along the back of the dog or cat initially at weekly intervals, eventually reducing to monthly applications. It is available in packs of 6 pipettes in 2ml (suitable for cats and dogs less than 10kg) and 4ml (suitable for dogs over 10kg).

For further information on Allerderm Spot-On, contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.

Reference
1. Effects of a Topically Applied Preparation of Epidermal Lipids on the Stratum Corneum Barrier of Atopic Dogs, A. Piekutowska, D. Pin, C.A. Réme, H. Gatto and M. Haftek, Journal of Comparative Pathology 2008, Vol. 138, 197-203

According to MORE TH>N pet insurance, men aren't just upset by the loss of a pet, 13% of them take a week or more off work if their pet is lost or stolen.

Notably, that compares to just 5% of women who have taken that much time off work to get over the upset caused by a pet going missing or being stolen.

According to the company, men are also more likely to cancel social engagements if a pet goes missing (15%) compared to women (12%).

In addition, men are prepared to spend more trying to find their pet than women, with almost 20% prepared to spend between £100 and £1000 for the safe return of an animal, compared to 14% of women.

Chartered psychologist, Beverly Stone said: "These findings highlight the inherent differences between men and women. Whereas women tend to fear for the potential loss of their pet when it goes missing and mourns the loss if their pet dies, a man not only experiences a similar fear and mourning but may also feel a strong sense of responsibility.

"As a consequence, they are likely to feel that they have failed to protect their pet. Men need more time to get over the guilt, and they would not want to be exposed to people asking what happened in social events, if they feel responsible''.

The research, conducted amongst 3000 British pet owners in March 2011, also revealed that a third of pet owners do not invest in pet insurance.  

A survey commissioned by a new Sky TV series, Pets for Life, carried out in association with The Blue Cross, has found that 500,000 (2%) of Britain's 24 million pet owners say they no longer have money for their pet's food and are reduced to feeding the household animal with leftovers.

The survey also found that while two-thirds of pet owners dig deep into their pockets to find an average of £11.04 each week to care for their pets, one in five (21%) say they are dropping essentials such as visits to the vet in a bid to bring the weekly pet bill to under £5. 

The poll of 1,200 pet owners indicated that higher insurance premiums, rising vet bills and rocketing pet-food prices have pushed the cost of owning a pet up to £574.08 a year.  Nearly half of pet owners (47% or 12.2 million people) now spend an average of £9.40 on their pet each week, with a further 15% (3.9 million people) spending £19.50 a week, and 7% (1.8 million people) forking out more than £60 a week to keep their animals healthy and happy.

This comes as The Blue Cross revealed a 19% increase in stray and abandoned animals taken into its adoption centres in the last year compared to the same period the year before, with a total of 38 rabbits, 979 cats, and 419 dogs left to wander the streets. In addition, over 4,000 animals were given up voluntarily, many for financial reasons such as the owner being made homeless, having to move house or losing their job.

Laura Sleight, head of media relations at The Blue Cross said: "We pride ourselves on being a nation of animal lovers, but the sad reality is that some pet owners can either no longer afford to keep their pets or are unable to provide a suitable home for them.  Animals add so much to our lives but it's important that people understand the cost, time and commitment involved before taking one on. Pets for Life aims to tackle these issues and provide real solutions to the everyday problems that can result in animals being given up or abandoned."

Pets for Life is on Sky Showcase (Channel 201, Freesat 403) on Sunday 8th May at 6:00pm and on Tuesdays at 7:30pm (repeated on Sundays) for at least a further seven weeks thereafter. 

A YouGov poll commissioned at the start of this month's National Vaccination Month Campaign by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has shown that pet vaccination rates nationally have remained stable between 2009 and 2011 despite the recession.

This could suggest that pet owners who do vaccinate generally accept that vaccination is not a discretionary item of spending which can be dropped in financially hard times. This is in contrast to worming, pet insurance and health checks, things which the survey found that between 6% and 9% of owners have cut back on.

Nevertheless, the survey supported industry data which shows that very considerable numbers of Britain's pets are left unvaccinated, with strong regional variations:

• North West: 43% of pets have either lapsed immunity or never been vaccinated.
• North East: 24% unvaccinated
• Yorkshire/Humber: 35% unvaccinated
• East Midlands: 24% unvaccinated
• West Midlands: 50% unvaccinated
• East of England: 28% unvaccinated
• London 35%: unvaccinated
• South East 29% unvaccinated
• South West 26% unvaccinated
• Wales 25% unvaccinated
• Scotland 20% unvaccinated

According to the YouGov survey, cost is a factor in more than 39% of cases where owners of a cat, dog, rabbit or horse are failing to vaccinate.

However, during National Vaccination Month, pet owners can download a voucher for a discounted vaccination offering savings of around £30 from participating surgeries throughout May. Unvaccinated and eligible dogs, cats, rabbits and horses are all included in the scheme and more than 2000 vet practices are taking part in the campaign nationwide.

Angus Robinson from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "The survey suggests that not only is there a demand for National Vaccination Month - 76% of those not vaccinating said they would take advantage of a scheme like this. But there is also a real need for client education. A staggering 91% of those polled said they would get their pet vaccinated if they were aware that there was disease in their area. Without wishing to scare people, we do need to alert pet owners to the fact that pet disease is out there. It is the kind of thing that they never think is going to happen to their beloved pet but when it does, it is devastating."

The British Veterinary Association has expressed disappointment at the Government's decision to introduce a licensing regime rather than impose an outright ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses.

Defra Secretary of State Caroline Spelman announced today that a ban on circus animals could not be introduced in the UK now because a ban introduced in Austria is currently being challenged under European law. In a written ministerial statement she said that the Government will now draw up standards for a new licensing regime.

BVA President Harvey Locke said: "The BVA strongly supported a ban because we believe the welfare of these animals is emblematic of the way we treat all animals under the care of humans. 

"The welfare needs of non-domesticated, wild animals cannot be met within the environment of a travelling circus; especially in terms of accommodation and the ability to express normal behaviour.  A licensing scheme will not address these issues."

Together with the RPSCA, Captive Animals' Protection Society and the Born Free Foundation, the BVA has wholeheartedly supported The Independent's campaign to ban wild animals in circuses.  Over 15,000 people have signed The Independent's online petition, which is still open. Mr Locke will be joining representatives from these groups to present the petition to Downing Street next week.

Mr Locke added: "Although it only affects a small number of animals at present there is no guarantee that the number of wild animals in circuses won't increase in the future and, despite the best intentions, the needs of these animals cannot be met adequately by the environmental conditions of a travelling circus.

"As soon as the Austria situation is resolved, we would urge the Government to reconsider and take action to prohibit the exploitation of these majestic animals whose existence in the confines of a circus is solely to entertain people."