The first change has been made to paragraph 1.6 which now advises general practitioners to check whether the vet they are referring a case to is on the RCVS Specialist or Advanced Practitioner list, explaining the difference to the client and what sets them apart from other vets who might be prepared to accept a referral.
Also, practitioners who accept a referral should provide information to the referrer about the experience and status of those likely to be responsible for the case.
The guidance about conflicts of interest in paragraph 1.7 has also been amended such that referring surgeons should tell clients if they are referring their case to a practice owned by the same group.
There is new guidance about how vets and nurses talk about referral practitioners, with the new advice being to focus on accepted terms such as 'RCVS Specialist' and 'RCVS Advanced Practitioner', and avoid more general terms like 'referral surgeon' or 'consultant' to avoid confusion or implying that individuals hold more qualifications than they do.
Lastly, there is new guidance that vets may only use the name 'Specialist' in the name of their practice where there is genuine and meaningful involvement, and oversight, in case management by at least one RCVS specialist in all disciplines where any clinical services are offered under this business name.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/code-of-professional-conduct-for-veterinary-surgeons/supporting-guidance/referrals-and-second-opinions/
The new clinic is led by Marie Kubiak, an RCVS Specialist and diplomate in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine and one of only a small number Specialists that are accredited for reptiles, birds, pet mammals, wildlife, zoo species, fish and invertebrates.
The open day offers a chance to see the new clinic, meet the team, find out how it can support your practice and discuss any challenging cases you have.
Light snacks and drinks will be provided.
RSVP: evolutionexoticsreferrals@gmail.com
https://evolutionexoticsreferrals.co.uk
Evolution Exotics Referrals, Tenbury Road, Cleobury Mortimer, South Shropshire, DY14 0AD
There are two main streams – veterinary and nursing – alongside which there will be a number of workshops on dentistry, ophthalmology, electrosurgery and wound management
Speakers will include: Alasdair Hotston Moore, Matthew Oxford, David Williams, Sarah Heath and Molly Varga.
New for this year, there will be a separate two-day SPVS Leadership & Management programme (at extra charge) and interactive mental health sessions run by Vets in Mind.
There will also be sessions run by SCAS/Our Special Friends on 'the bond-centred practice'.
There's a commercial exhibition, a happy hour on day one, a hot buffet lunch, and tea, coffee and biscuits throughout both days.
For overnight accommodation, the organisers have secured a preferential rate (£125) at the on-site hotel – the Courtyard by Marriott – that includes breakfast and parking.
To book, use this link: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1709042444468&key=GRP&app=resvlink. There are lots of other options nearby.
Book directly at https://form.jotform.com/240863511432349.
To be invoiced rather than pay now, apply INVOICEME at checkout.
www.vetcpdcongress.co.uk.
The hub has been launched after research conducted by the company found that the most common reason for nurses resigning was career progression1.
CVS says it hopes the breadth of development, training and support on the new Nursing Hub will further advance colleagues’ skills and knowledge, develop their career pathways, and empower nurses to take on more responsibilities.
The hub comprises a range of peer-reviewed courses, training and support, including the facility for nurses to develop their own personal career pathway.
Courses range from ‘bite sized’ short courses, professional gyms, guides and webinars, to longer ‘in-depth’ courses and Level 5 certificate programmes.
Tara Ryan, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS Group, said: “This new hub brings together all of our nursing resources, training and support required by our colleagues – wherever they work.
"And for the first time it’s easy to access and all in one place.
"We hope that our veterinary nursing colleagues find it helpful and supportive – and that it inspires them to be the nurse they want to be.”
This, say the authors, could lead to shorter hospitalisation time and less stress for donor cats.
For the study, researchers at the Royal Veterinary College measured the systolic blood pressure of 100 client-owned cats which had been randomly assigned to receive IVFT or no fluid after blood donation.
Owners were also contacted following donation to record any changes in their cat.
The results showed no significant difference in blood pressure between cats that received post-donation IVFT and those that didn't.
The main reported changes were minor bruising at the venepuncture site and mild lethargy, with no significant difference between the IVFT and no-IVFT groups.
These findings suggest that IVFT post-blood donation may not be necessary, as haemodynamic stability appears to be maintained despite the loss of blood.
Dr Guedra Allais, lead author of the study, said: "Our study showed no significant difference in blood pressure at different time points in feline donors that received intravenous fluid compared to others that didn’t receive any fluid.
"Other perfusion parameters such as capillary refill time, heart rate and pulse quality were not evaluated, and we recommend considering intravenous fluid in any feline donors if any major changes are detected on post donation physical examination.”
Reference
The group will also be supporting members in how to reflect on their CPD as a way of consolidating learning, and considering plans for how the benefits of CPD and the VetGDP can be communicated to the professions.
RCVS Council member Dr Olivia Cook MRCVS will be chairing the group.
She said: “The Engagement Group has been set up in recognition that, although the majority of the professions are engaged with meeting their CPD requirements and completing the VetGDP, there are still those who feel confused about the requirements or remain uncompliant for other reasons, and we would like very much to help them.
“Therefore, this is an exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to play an active part in advancing veterinary standards by ensuring that as many members of the professions as possible have the benefits of lifelong learning in their own practice and their ongoing work for animal health and welfare. In doing so they will help grow public confidence in the professions.
“From the VetGDP perspective, we’re particularly keen that there’s a strong peer-to-peer element, so that those who are doing the VetGDP, or have just recently completed it, are using their recent experience and understanding to evolve the policy and drive engagement.”
Applicants who are interested will have until Friday 30 August to apply to become members of the CPD and VetGDP Engagement Group and are invited to send a concise email to CPD@rcvs.org.uk explaining their experience and how they feel that can contribute to work of the committee.
Cortotic contains hydrocortisone aceponate (HCA), a diester glucocorticosteroid to reduce inflammation.
In a clinical field study, published in Veterinary Dermatology, Cortotic was shown to be as effective in treating acute otitis as a fixed-combination product containing a corticosteroid, an antibiotic and an antifungal, with an equivalent improvement of clinical and cytological scores1.
A secondary reduction of bacterial and yeast overgrowth was demonstrated and a concomitant treatment with an antimicrobial was unnecessary.
The product was shown to provide rapid relief from clinical signs, pruritus and pain1.
Virbac says the lipophilic nature of the HCA diester provides enhanced penetration into the skin, a reservoir effect and low plasma availability for high local activity with reduced systemic secondary effects2.
Chris Newark, Product Manager at Virbac said: "With Cortotic we’re excited to offer clinicians the ability to reduce antimicrobial usage when treating otitis externa in dogs, whilst offering the same efficacy as a fixed-combination product.
"The product’s easy administration also makes it an attractive choice for pet owners with 94% of owners stating that they would choose to use Cortotic again3".
Cortotic is presented in an ear spray device with atraumatic cannula, which delivers a fine mist spray for even application.
Dosing is 2 pumps per application, whatever the dog’s size, once a day for 7-14 days.
References
The posters are designed to educate clients about what their pet should be drinking on a daily basis, according to their weight.
The company has also prepared a rehydration social media pack with content for practices to use on their social media feeds.
Posters can be requested and social media packs downloaded at: https://www.animalcare.co.uk/oralade-poster.
The new app has been specifically developed for CVS, is unique to the group, and is owned by the company.
It is powered by LocumBell technology.
When registering on the app, locums can input their work preferences - including their skills, desired travel radius and preferred shift times - so that they are only served up shift advertisements relevant to them.
Users can also set up notifications for upcoming jobs.
The app then allows locums to set minimum shift rates, submit the rate they would like to receive for a shift and negotiate their fees directly with a practice.
Shifts can be then be booked or cancelled on the app at the touch of a button.
All upcoming booked shifts appear on the users’ calendar.
Once a shift has been completed, locums can submit the invoice for their work using the app.
The app allows locums to see every CVS practice invoice and its status, which CVS says will allow queries to be resolved quicker and payments issued faster.
The app is being rolled out to all of CVS's practices from this August.
Amy Hughes, Head of Recruitment at CVS, said: “Locum administration can be time-consuming – as locums first have to identify work, liaise with a practice and our central support team, to negotiate and book a shift, then complete all invoice paperwork.
"We wanted to remove that pain and make it easier for locums to work with us.
The app is available for Apple devices on the App Store and for Android devices on the Play Store.
For any technical difficulties or assistance, contact: support@locumbell.com or call 0161 556 7685.
Dr Radev faced three charges concerning his treatment of an American Bulldog in 2021.
The first charge, which contained a number of sub-charges, was that he failed to provide appropriate and adequate care to the animal.
The second was that he failed to keep adequate records.
The final charge was that his failure to keep records was misleading and dishonest.
At the outset of the hearing Dr Radev admitted that, having recognised free fluid in the dog’s abdomen, he failed to take adequate and appropriate action and failed to aspirate the dog’s abdomen with regards to the possibility of it having septic peritonitis.
He also admitted writing the clinical notes approximately two months after the event.
After considering and rejecting an application by the RCVS to amend and withdraw elements of the first charge, the Committee then considered each of the remaining sub-charges in turn.
Sub-charge 1(a) was that Dr Radev repeatedly administered meloxicam to the dog when it had recently undergone intestinal surgery and had a recent history of vomiting.
The Committee found that this was not proven.
Dr Radev said it had been administered just once and the Committee was not satisfied so as to be sure that it was repeatedly administered.
Sub-charge 1(b) (i) was that Dr Radev failed to recognise free fluid in the dog’s abdomen as shown on an ultrasound scan.
The Committee found this not proven.
Sub-charge 1(c) (i) was that Dr Radev failed to recognise the possibility of septic peritonitis in the dog.
Sub-charge 1(e) was that Dr Radev failed to provide a full medical history when referring the dog to a different practice.
The Committee found the charge not proven.
Regarding charge 2 (ii), that Dr Radev had failed to include in clinical records a reference to the colonotomy surgery, the Committee found this charge not proven as it had been provided with clinical records disproving this charge.
Finally, regarding both aspects of charge 3, namely that Dr Radev had acted misleadingly and dishonesty, the Committee found this not proven.
The Committee then considered whether the charges that Dr Radev had admitted amounted to gross misconduct in a professional respect.
In all cases it found that, while Dr Radev’s conduct had fallen below what was expected of veterinary professionals, it did not fall so far below as to constitute serious professional misconduct.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The survey of 2067 past or present adult dog owners, of which 1,170 had experienced the loss of a dog, also found that about half had experienced barriers to opening up about their feelings following the death of their pet.
Some of the reasons given for not opening up included believing others wouldn’t understand their feelings (22%), fear of being judged for being upset (15%), feeling embarrassed about their levels of distress (12%) and not being able to find the right words to describe their feelings (13%).
74% felt they could turn to close family to share feelings of grief over the loss of the dog, but only 13% felt they could discuss it with employers and colleagues.
Samantha Davis, Legacy and In-Memory Manager at Dogs Trust, says: “The loss of a pet dog can be as devastating as losing a family member.
"Dogs hold a special place in our hearts, offering unconditional love and companionship, and when they pass away, the grief can be profound and, sadly for some, isolating.
“It's really important that owners who experience the loss of their canine companions can open up and share their feelings with friends and family.
"Many will find solace in knowing they are not alone."
To support people who have lost a dog, Dogs Trust is holding a 3.5km walk to bring people together to share their memories of their beloved animal.
Walk for Our Old Friends (WOOF) will take place in Salcey Forest, Northampton, on Sunday 6th October 2024 between 4pm-7pm.
As walkers make their way through the forest, there will be opportunities for moments of remembrance and celebration.
The charity will also provide support resources for those participating with a team onsite as well as online information to help people cope with their loss.
Dogs Trust is also providing online resources for people to organise their own walk in memory of their much missed four legged friends.
https://events.dogstrust.org.uk/event/walk-for-our-old-friends
COMMENT
Was this survey desperately flawed, or has our relationship with our dogs become unhealthily anthropomorphic?
It's hard to think of any other explanation for why such large proportion of people equate the death of a dog with the death of a brother, sister, parent or child.
Surely the death of a close family member is in an altogether different league than the death of even the most beloved dog.
If people are developing unhealthily close relationships with their animals, the question is why?
Are they being pushed by commercial interests which encourage people to think of themselves as 'pet parents' in order that they feel compelled to spend more on their 'child'.
Or is there some other factor in play?
Does it matter anyway?
Perhaps not.
But more and more we hear stories of people saddling themselves with crippling levels of debt on treatment because they cannot face the inevitable.
Perhaps it is time to return to a more healthy, more matter-of-fact relationship with our pets.
No less loving, just tempered by the acceptance of the fact that it is not human. It's a dog.
The talk, which is sponsored by Supreme Petfoods, will be co-delivered by Craig Tessyman, who works alongside Molly as Exotics Veterinary Nurse Team Leader at Rutland House Veterinary Referrals.
The presentation will focus on the main aspects of emergency care, including best practice for managing these cases in first opinion practice.
Topics will include restoring and maintaining fluid balance, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), analgesia options and the importance of appropriate monitoring.
Molly said: “The basic principles of emergency care apply to all species, but with small herbivores, rapid intervention is crucial as their delicate physiology can quickly spiral into crisis when they become unwell.
"In this session, Craig and I will share practical tips that vets and nurses can implement immediately, without requiring specialist equipment, to help manage these challenging cases.”
The sixty minute talk will start at 12.50pm in the Gallery Suite 3-4.
For those unable to attend the live event, a recorded version of the presentation will be available here: https://supremepetfoods.com/vet-zone/cpd-webinars-and-videos/
Ms Parody faced two charges, the first of which related to her treatment of a cat named Shadow, which had multiple elements:
The second charge was that her conduct in relation to all parts of the first charge was dishonest.
At the outset of the hearing Ms Parody’s counsel admitted to the majority of the elements of the first charge, although denied she had removed the microchip in order to mislead others about Shadow’s identity.
Ms Parody also admitted that her failures to inform the owner that euthanasia had not been carried out, of the treatment plan, of the removal of the microchip and that she had taken Shadow home was dishonest.
However, she denied dishonesty in relation to failing to make adequate records.
The Committee went on to consider the facts of the remaining, contested charges.
After hearing evidence from a number of witnesses, the Committee concluded that it was not proven that Dr Parody removed the microchip in order to mislead others about his identity, and that, in this respect, she had therefore not acted dishonestly.
In relation to whether Ms Parody was acting dishonestly in relation to failure to make adequate clinical records, the Committee also found this not proven.
Having determined the facts of the case, the Committee went on to consider if the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In terms of aggravating factors, it considered that there was actual injury to an animal – albeit small and while the cat was under sedation - and that Ms Parody had engaged in conduct that was in breach of a client’s trust.
In mitigation, the Committee considered the immense pressure that Ms Parody and her colleagues in the practice were under at that time due to the coronavirus pandemic and the fact that she had acted in a way which she thought was best for Shadow’s welfare and which clouded the rest of her decision making.
Furthermore, the Committee considered this was a single isolated incident, that she took the decision without the opportunity for full reflection and the length of time since the original incident.
However, it found Ms Parody guilty of serious professional misconduct in relation to all the proven charges.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “However well-intentioned, Dr Parody made some serious errors of judgment with regard to her approach to Shadow and embarked upon a course of dishonest conduct, which started with her failure to inform the owner about her decision not to euthanase Shadow, was followed by her treatment of Shadow, including his castration and microchip removal, all without the consent of the owner, and ended with her taking Shadow home over Christmas, again without the owner’s consent.
"In addition, she failed to make adequate clinical records with regards to Shadow.”
The Committee then went on to consider the most appropriate sanction for Ms Parody.
It heard a large number of positive testimonials as to her character and professionalism from both clients and former and current work colleagues.
The Committee also considered further mitigating factors such as the fact she had no previous disciplinary issues, had a long and unblemished career both before and since this isolated incident, her open and frank admissions regarding some of the charges, the significant impact she displayed regarding her misconduct, and her genuine expressions of remorse and apology.
Paul Morris added: “The Committee recognises that there is a scale of seriousness of dishonesty and therefore gave careful consideration as to where Dr Parody’s dishonest conduct fell to be judged.
"The Committee was concerned with her conduct between 20 December and 31 December 2021, as found proved.
"What led to what she has admitted as dishonest behaviour, was her acting to protect the welfare of the cat.
“The Committee was confident that she most certainly did not set out to act dishonestly.
"She made an initial error of judgement and everything that followed flowed from that.
"What she went on to do was something of a panicky attempt to cover up what she had done initially, so that she could decide on how to rectify it but, the Committee was satisfied, all done with the best of intentions and in the best interests of the cat and its owner.
"She had not acted out of any personal or financial gain or malicious intent.
"She had created a mess and she was trying to sort that mess out.”
After deciding that a reprimand was the most appropriate and proportionate sanction to impose, Paul Morris concluded: “In all the, somewhat exceptional, circumstances of this case, the Committee was satisfied that a reprimand would provide adequate protection to animals, as it was satisfied Dr Parody was most unlikely to ever make such a flawed set of decisions again.
"The Committee was satisfied that Dr Parody does not represent a risk to animals going forward, indeed from the character evidence it is clear that she always puts the welfare of animals first.
"She has also shown, since this episode, that she can work under pressure and not resort to making bad decisions and thus the Committee considered the wider public interest would be served in this case by a reprimand.”
The research is being carried out by James Glass MRCVS (pictured), a PhD researcher working in the Suicide Behaviour Research Lab at the University of Glasgow, supervised by Professor Rory O'Connor - current president of the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
To take part, vet nurses and students are being asked to complete a 15-25 minute survey, which must be done in one sitting.
Survey answers are strictly confidential.
Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of whether or not you have experienced suicidal thoughts, however James cautions that some of the questions may be upsetting for anyone currently experiencing suicidal feelings, and emphasises that participants are free to withdraw from the study at any point by closing the webpage, whereupon any answers already submitted with be discarded.
The study is open until 31st December 2024.
https://tinyurl.com/StudyTeamVet
The new clinic will be based in Uttoxeter and have an in-house 1.5T MRI, 32-slice CT, and three purpose-built theatres.
Building work has started and clinic is now recruiting for orthopaedic surgery Specialists, neurology Specialists and experienced veterinary nurses.
Mark Lowrie, RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology (pictured), will lead the new site day-to-day once up and running.
He said: “Our ethos is simple: we aspire to be the place that vets take their own pets.
"By focusing on responsive communication, exceptional clinical standards, and fair pricing, we aim to build trust with both veterinary professionals and clients.
"And for those who join our team, we are committed to creating a supportive and positive environment where everyone can thrive and grow."
“This is a rare chance to be part of something special from day one, to join and help build the culture and success of a dynamic, independent practice and a brand new state-of-the-art clinic.
"With cutting-edge facilities and a supportive team, we want fresh expertise and energy to help shape the future of veterinary care.”
https://www.movementvets.co.uk/
This year's event, titled “Nourish the Gut, Nurture the Future,” will have talks from over 17 experts, including:
Dr. Karen Shenoy, US Chief Veterinary Officer at Hill’s Pet Nutrition said: “The microbiome is a trending focus in human health, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition is proud to assemble leading minds to bring this emerging topic into deeper focus for the veterinary community.
“We’re bringing this powerful content to an even broader audience this year through livestreams in both Spanish and English. I’ll be hosting the English stream, and I’m excited about our plans for guest appearances from the speakers and sharing extra tidbits to make the virtual experience as engaging as it is informative.”
https://way.in/618A0oP
Some 150 practices currently use Vidivet, which was set up by Ben Sweeney MRCVS (pictured) in 2020.
He said: “I started VidiVet as I wanted people to be able to access high quality, impartial care for their pets that allows them to make more informed decisions around their treatment with expert information, rather than resorting to the internet.
"As a vet I also wanted to make life easier for those working within veterinary practices.
"VidiVet relieves part of the burden veterinary practices face by offering a trusted digital triage service for their clients.
"Our digital service can provide a helpful extension to a practice which dramatically reduces admin and saves time for the in-house team.
"Crucially, we offer peace of mind and reduce anxiety for pet owners, and with over 96% of VidiVet out of hours calls redirected to the pet owner’s registered vet, it can really enhance the practice bond by using digital care to augment physical care."
Before the Provet partnership, OOH case notes were sent to client practices which then had to enter them onto their systems manually.
Vidivet says the intregration with Provet means less admin and time savings for practices and a quicker follow up for pet owners.
https://vidivet.com
https://www.provet.cloud
Written by 16 internationally renowned cat welfare experts and endorsed by the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology (ESVCE), the programme is the start of a journey to becoming an iCatCare Behavioural Health Practitioner and replaces the Advanced Feline Behaviour for Veterinary and Cat Professionals courses.
The modular course is designed to fit into a busy schedule and includes up-to-date cat welfare science (including areas of behaviour, cognition, emotions, human-animal interactions and genetics)
On completing each module, participants will earn certificates which build up to the Level 1 Cat Behavioural Health Practitioner, which comprises four learning modules and a final project module.
Planning is currently underway for Level 2, which will build on the skills acquired in Level 1 with a focus on people-centric skills, such as communication, professionalism and ethics, and will include practical case studies.
International Cat Care says the programme will also help those interested in becoming an ABTC Animal Behaviour Technician, because it covers some of the knowledge and understanding requirements.
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at iCatCare and course director said: "Across the world are cats that are misunderstood due to a lack of caregiver understanding of their behaviour.
"Sadly, this can lead to inappropriate husbandry and interactions, which can, in turn, lead to problem behaviours.
"Preventative advice and early recognition of problem behaviours are both key to improving cat welfare.
"This programme allows anyone who works with cats, either directly or in a remote advisory role, to gain the knowledge and understanding required to help promote cat behavioural health.’
https://go.icatcare.org/catbehealth
The sessions will take place in Gallery Suite 17 and are first come, first served.
Dechra will also be sponsoring two equine sessions at LVS:
www.dechra.co.uk/events
The original TATE elbow replacement was first in clinical use in the 2010s and the revised 3rd generation version is apparently a much-improved implant, something which the clinical evaluation trial should demonstrate.
Andy Moores, head of the joint replacement programme at The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic, said: “Canine elbow replacement can be a game-changer for dogs living with chronic elbow pain but up until this point the elbow replacement systems have not been as reliable as we would like.
"The third-generation TATE implant has been in use with a small number of US surgeons for several years now and the results so far have been very promising.
"We are delighted that Biomedtrix have invited us to join the evaluation trial for this implant and that the RCVS Ethics Review Panel have approved this.
"We look forward to offering this surgery as an option for some of our most painful canine patients.”
www.mooresortho.com
In previous years, candidates were only asked to provide manifestos, which often contained information that wasn't especially relevant to whether or not they should be elected to Council.
Now, they are asked to share their reasons for wanting to be elected, what they can bring to Council and what experience they have.
This year’s candidates are:
Bethan Pinhey RVNHannah Welsman RVNLauren Whittaker RVN
The full biographies and election statements for each candidate are available to read at: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/vnvote25
The two candidates who get the most votes will take up their three-year terms on RCVS Council at the College’s Annual General Meeting on Friday 4 July 2025.
Simon Wiklund, Assistant Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “We are glad to see such a large number of veterinary professionals putting themselves forward as candidates for this year’s elections.
"It is worth noting that any future governance changes, including RCVS and VN Councils becoming all-appointed bodies, are contingent on new legislation and, until that happens, we will continue to hold our annual elections.
“You may have also noticed some differences with this year’s elections, particularly in terms of the candidate statements.
"This is thanks to a change to our election scheme, which provides greater flexibility about how we run our elections, and the information that we can ask the candidates to submit.
“This means that, rather than asking candidates for a broad manifesto statement, we’ve asked them to answer key questions that are relevant to the role of a Council member, including what skills and experiences they can bring to the table.”
Ahead of the elections, RCVS will be running its ‘Quiz the candidates’ initiative in which veterinary surgeons can submit questions to the candidates standing in their respective elections, in order to better understand them and their views.
However, due to the additional information now included in each of their statements, this year candidates will only answer one question of their choice each.
Before submitting questions to the candidates, please note the RCVS will only accept one question per person. Offensive, defamatory and inaccurate questions will be rejected by the Returning Officer and not be passed on to candidates.
Veterinary nurses can submit a question to the VN Council candidates by emailing vnvote25@rcvs.org.uk.
The MonitorME project, launched this month, collects antimicrobial usage data from equine practices around the UK, to better understand how antibiotics are used within the sector.
The project is being led by BEVA President Bruce Bladon (pictured) and it will be the main theme at BEVA Congress (10-13 September 2025, ICC Birmingham).
Bruce said: “Growing resistance to antibiotics is a very serious public health crisis, which is why I have chosen it as the overriding theme for my presidential year and for the forthcoming BEVA Congress.
“The World Health Organisation has the usage of veterinary antimicrobials firmly in their sights and the possibility of legislation being implemented to limit our access to these vital drugs is becoming ever more likely.
“It is important that we demonstrate, as a sector, that our usage of antimicrobials is responsible and proportionate, to ensure continued access.
"Taking part in a project like this is, without a doubt, the right thing to do.”
Practices are being asked to submit usage data from their practice management systems (PMS) to the BEVA office, where it will contribute to nationwide reporting of antibiotic use in UK equine practice.
Ideally, they need to record the total mg of each antimicrobial used, together with the number of horses treated last year (in total, not just those treated with antibiotics) and their average weight if available.
The data is analysed and then collated into annual reports, which are published on the BEVA MonitorME webpage.
The 2023 report is now available and will be updated periodically as practices continue to submit their 2023 data.
2024 data collection has started, so equine practices can send their data to antibiotics@beva.org.uk whenever they’re ready.
https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Medicines/Antibiotics/MonitorME#aims
https://www.bevacongress.org
The VetDebt Recovery Compass tool provides a way for practices to understand how outstanding payments affect their cash flow and practice value, and what steps to take next.
Mike Brooks, Chairman at DSL UK (pictured), said: “The VetDebt Recovery Compass offers a quick and easy way to see the true financial impact of unpaid debt.
"By making this information free and accessible to everyone, we hope to empower veterinary teams to take control of their finances.
DSL says that the new tool, which is available at www.dsluk.net, allows practices to see both the immediate recovery potential and the long-term value impact of their debts in less than 30 seconds.
The calculator also provides a species-specific breakdown, helping to identify where debt issues may be most significant and where to target first.
Mike has also appeared on the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) Practice Matters Podcast, discussing how practices can better manage the topic of debt: https://fivp.org.uk/ep023-fivp-practice-matters-at-spvs-the-farm-vet-journey-practice-debt.
The clinic will be led by Oscar Bautista MRCVS (pictured), a European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
It will offer an individualised approach for patients with chronic pain (such as osteoarthritis, neck, back and facial pain) and those suffering nerve or muscular pathologies, cancer pain, neuropathic pain or pain associated with certain neurological conditions.
Treatments may include adjustments to medications, acupuncture, lifestyle modifications or referrals to other Specialists and therapists.
Oscar said: “Many cats and dogs will experience pain - especially as many animals are now living longer. And we are aware that some cases can be very challenging to diagnose and treat, when both the local vet and owner have attempted various different therapies and are getting desperate.
“These difficult cases need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the cause of pain is properly identified and the right treatment provided - as instigating early management can help to reduce and regulate pain.
“So we are very pleased to be able to open our new Pain Management Clinic. With our specialist facilities and equipment - along with our depth knowledge multidisciplinary approach - we hope that it will provide an essential service for cat and dog owners in the Northwest.”
https://www.mvsvets.co.uk
Virbac says this is the only wet product to provide separate species-specific dog and cat convalescence diets tailored to the unique nutritional needs of both species.
In an internal study conduct by Virbac, 86% of dogs with digestive issues improved within a week of using the diet1
The new diets are high in protein and low in carbohydrate and they can be used alone or in combination with the company's dry diets (suggested 50/50 split).
Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director – UK & Ireland at Virbac said: “We’re thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive feedback we've received on our new Veterinary HPM Digestive Support wet diets.
“Practices and pet owners alike are commenting on the extraordinary palatability of the diets and their effectiveness, particularly with convalescing and inappetent pets”.