The company says there is often an increase in admissions of hibernating species at this time of year, particularly hedgehogs, and it is thought that numbers of sick and injured wildlife handed over by the general public may increase this year as people spend more time in their gardens and local parks due to coronavirus restrictions.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggests that if uncertain about a hedgehog’s hydration status, it is always best to assume a degree of dehydration.
Macahl regularly donates Oralade to wildlife sanctuaries where it is in widespread use. One such sanctuary is the Wildlife Aid Foundation, based in Surrey, which says: "We frequently use Oralade to help our patients which are suffering from mild dehydration and are reluctant to eat. It works really well for species such as hedgehogs, foxes and badgers as the smell seems to encourage them to lap. It really does give them a boost and can get them eating solid food again which is critical for their rehabilitation."
Macahl says Oralade GI support is suitable for oral rehydration in many wildlife species, including hedgehogs. The suggested maintenance dose is 50ml per kg per 24hrs, with additional quantities needed to correct a hydration deficit. Identifying dehydration is similar to pet species, and includes assessment of skin tent, gum colour, and capillary refill time.
The Heroes 2020 award has been set up by insurance company, Urban Jungle. CEO Jimmy Williams said: "We think young adults have had to endure a lot in 2020 and want to do our bit to say ‘thank you’."
Ashleigh Walton, 25, was nominated for the award by her mum, Emma Walton, who said: "My daughter has worked consistently through both lockdowns, taking care of other people’s sick and injured pets as well as wildlife. She is a locum VCA and works all over Greater London and Surrey, travelling by public transport. She always goes the extra mile to ensure an animals' comfort."
Ashleigh, from Thornton Heath, said: "I don't consider myself to be a hero - I've loved animals all my life and I will do everything I can to make sure a sick or injured animal gets all the help it needs."
If you'd like to nominate a colleague for a Hero Award and a £250 Amazon voucher, visit: https://explore.myurbanjungle.com/blog/urban-jungles-heroes-2020/.
Nominations need to be in by 7th January 2021.
The government estimates that up to 5,000 primates are currently kept outside of licensed zoos in the UK. Marmosets are by far the most commonly held primates in the UK, with capuchins, squirrel monkeys, lemurs and tamarins also among the most common species.
The new proposals will mean that specialist primate keepers who do not hold a zoo licence will need to obtain a new specialist private primate keeper licence to ensure they are meeting the required high welfare standards. These plans will also place welfare restrictions on the breeding and transferring of primates.
The BVA has welcomed the consultation. BVA Senior Vice President, Daniella Dos Santos said: “For a long time, we have called for a ban on private individuals keeping primates as pets. As vets, we have significant concerns as to whether the health and welfare needs of primates can ever be met under these circumstances.
“Primates are long-lived, intelligent and socially complex animals whose needs are extraordinarily difficult to meet in captivity and we can think of no circumstances where a primate would benefit from being kept in this way.
“We welcome the Government’s move to open a public consultation on this and hope that it does indeed result in a ban. If the UK wants to maintain its reputation for some of the highest standards of animal welfare in the world and if the government wants to fulfil its promises of enhancing the welfare of animals as we leave Europe then we must put an end to the keeping and trade of primates as pets.”
To take part in the consultation, visit: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/animal-health-and-welfare/primates-as-pets-in-england/consultation/intro/
During June, Vets Now’s 1300 employees up and down the country will focus on activities which make them feel happy and supported at work including; Feelgood Friday which inspires lunchtime yoga sessions and taking time to unwind, Workout Wednesday which will see teams across the country taking 10,000 steps, and encouraging colleague picnics outside on National Picnic Day (18th June).
The company has also enlisted the help of nutritionist Lily Soutter (pictured right), a regular on ITV’s This Morning, to devise healthy and quick recipes for busy shift-working vets and vet nurses.
Laura Black, Vets Now’s head of health, safety and wellbeing said: "The issue of mental health is more prevalent than ever in the veterinary profession and we recognise that out-of-hours work, in particular, can present its challenges.
"That’s why, as an organisation, health and wellbeing is one of our key priorities. So whilst our Wellness Month has some fun elements, the overall goal is to make sure our teams feel they are supported at work."
Founder Professor Noel Fitzpatrick said: "It is a real joy to see the VET Festival growing and growing, not just in physical size, but from the immense goodwill that radiates from it. The weather didn’t get in the way of the wellness and there was nothing rainy about the atmosphere at VET Festival - in fact I think that the rain brought us closer together.
"I set out to build a community of compassion for our profession and I genuinely felt that there was a tangible sense of togetherness. There were loads of great conversations with each other and with the exhibitors. The educational content really was world class and the tents were packed. I hoped that VET Festival would be a breath of fresh air, where having an education event outdoors - combined with a focus on wellness of body and mind for all of us - could help vet professionals to be the very best that they could be - and so serve our patients better.
"Everyone there was part of something innovative and refreshing I felt – the delegates, the exhibitors, the team who have worked year-round to create the event, and the fantastic speakers. I’m very grateful to all of them and I sincerely hope that this feeling remains strong for each and every one all year round.
"The resonant theme this year was ‘kindness’ – to ourselves, to each other, to the families of animals and the animals we are lucky enough to take care of. Nobody is a nobody at VET Festival, and never will be. In that field, we’re all equal, no matter what we do in the vet profession - we all matter - we all want the same thing, which is wellness for each other and the animals we serve - and importantly, we’re all in it together for the greater good, rain or shine."
Led by Jacques Ferreira, an RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (pictured right), the new clinic will provide a bespoke pain management plan for pets referred both by external first opinion practices or internally by colleagues in other disciplines at the centre.
Jacques, who joined Willows in 2018 having previously lectured in Veterinary Anaesthesia at the University of Liverpool after specialising in the same subject in his native South Africa, said: "Just as with humans, our pets are living longer and, with that, there is an increased risk of developing chronic pain conditions.
"Traditionally, the most common patients are cats and dogs with chronic joint disease such as osteoarthritis but patients with a history of back problems and trapped nerves, cats with chronic cystitis and even those with some forms of cancer may benefit.
"We will work with first opinion vets who refer their patients to us, as well as internal referrals. The management of chronic pain is obviously ongoing but the aim for us would be to get to a stage where pain is effectively managed through the most appropriate avenue and check-ups are only needed every few months.
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
The review was recommended to Council by its Standards Committee following its exploration of the implications of new technologies for both animal health and welfare and veterinary regulation.
The main areas under consideration are the interpretation and application of an animal being under the care of a veterinary surgeon, and the provision of 24-hour emergency cover.
The College says that during the course of its research, which included numerous meetings and reports, a public consultation and examination of external legal advice, the Committee identified a number of anomalies in the College’s existing guidance that could affect how the Code’s provisions were applied across a range of different scenarios.
Chair of the Standards Committee, Dr Kate Richards, said: "It became clear to us that we could not consider telemedicine and remote prescribing in isolation and that it raised broader questions around the appropriateness of, and justification for, certain elements of existing RCVS guidance. I’m therefore pleased that RCVS Council has decided that the right and responsible approach is first to conduct a full review of these provisions."
The College anticipates that the review will require wide engagement from all relevant sectors, potentially including a Select Committee-style hearing in certain areas. This, it says, would help to ensure any decision to treat different groups differently, in relation to 'under care' and 'out-of-hours', is both reasoned and justified.
In the meantime, the College says that the current provisions of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance remain in full effect.
Further information about the review will be made available in due course.
UPDATE (19/06/2019)
Following a number of concerns raised by members of the profession about this story, the RCVS has issued a further statement as follows:
We would like to acknowledge and address a number of concerns that have arisen amongst the profession following RCVS Council’s discussion last week that followed up queries raised during the previous debate in November, around the provision of telemedicine services, including remote prescribing.
The RCVS Council decision, made unanimously, was to proceed with a wide-ranging review of RCVS supporting guidance concerning 24-hour emergency cover and the interpretation and application of ‘under veterinary care’, and to postpone the proposed telemedicine trial for the foreseeable future and certainly until the conclusion of this review. The review will encompass, but not be limited to, consideration of what restrictions or safeguards to place on remote prescribing in the form of vet-to-client telemedicine.
RCVS Council discussed this paper ‘in committee’ in order to be able to examine the confidential legal advice it had requested at its previous meeting. The decision to hold these discussions privately was purely related to the privileged nature of legal advice and in no way related to any ‘commercial interests’.
We recognise fully that this is a complex issue, with strong views held on all sides. However, it is entirely right and proper for RCVS Council members to be able to discuss and debate such topics in detail, before reaching a decision through a vote. In the course of such discussions, issues may arise that had not previously been identified, and which may alter the original direction of thinking.
We appreciate that Council’s decision was perhaps unexpected, especially as the original topic had been under consideration for some time. This is why we announced it as soon as possible, along with an indication of what Council would like to happen next.
Whilst it is far too early to have worked out the details of the agreed review, it will be open and inclusive in parallel with our previous consultations, which continue to receive considerable levels of engagement across the veterinary professions and wider industry stakeholders.
We will publish full details about our plans for this review over the coming weeks, and will continue to work hard to engage all veterinary professionals in these important decisions.
The range comprises of a detangling pre-wash, a cleansing shampoo and a fragrant conditioner, all of which are pH balanced and formulated using natural ingredients and a blend of essential oils designed to make bathtime a calmer experience.
The products all come in 300ml bottles with a list price of £6; RRP £12.
The Pet Remedy range can be ordered direct from Animalcare on 01904 487687 (orders@animalcare.co.uk) or from your veterinary wholesaler.
As part of the campaign, veterinary practices are being urged to measure their feline patients’ blood pressure from seven years of age and above, as recommended by ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) 1.
Ceva says it will also continue the Mercury Challenge, its study of feline blood pressure, throughout 2019 to help increase veterinary professionals' confidence in measuring blood pressure and identifying feline hypertension.
The company says that since June last year, 128 practices and over 1,000 cats have participated in the challenge. You can registered to take part at: mercurychallenge.ceva.com, where there's a chance to win diagnostic tools to help diagnose feline hypertension.
Dr Rosanne Jepson, American, European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "It is great to see that so many cats (over 1000!) and practices in the UK have been involved with the Mercury Challenge promoting the measurement of blood pressure and detection of hypertension.
"I would urge as many practices as possible to measure blood pressure; it’s simple, quick and easy to perform and means that we can help prevent target organ damage which at its most severe can leave cats sadly blind for the rest of their life. With careful identification and treatment this can so easily be prevented."
To help raise awareness of Feline Hypertension Month, Ceva has produced a range of marketing materials including waiting room displays, a pet owner leaflet and veterinary marketing packs, which are available upon request.
The initiative will be supported with an extensive PR campaign aimed at pet owners, including a radio day starring CBBC’s Rory the Vet.
For more information, contact cevauk@ceva.com or visit mercurychallenge.ceva.com.
References
The events offer six hours of CPD and the opportunity for discussion and interaction.
Erin Carr, Marketing Executive at Royal Canin, said: "We are delighted to partner with The Colourful Nurse Roadshows. As well as providing veterinary nurses with essential information on consultations, the course covers preventative care including long term medical management.
"Speaking alongside Stephanie Writer-Davies, BVSc, MRCVS will be Royal Canin’s Scientific Communications Manager, Clare Hemmings. A qualified vet nurse, Clare won Pet Health Counsellor of the Year for work with arthritic patients and has inspired many nurses over the past 20 years to start nursing clinics."
The dates and venues for the roadshows are: 15th May – Manchester; 5th June – Northern Ireland; 9th October – Bristol; 10th October - Solihull.
For more information or to book place on the Roadshow, visit https://www.colourfulconsultation.com/#tabs-nurses-2
Katie, who works at Milbourn Equine, is now preparing with her horse Templar Justice, or TJ for short, to take part in what is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's most difficult equestrian events.
Last year, she compete at the Burghley Horse Trials and was voted "Amateur Rider of the Year" by Horse and Hound magazine.
Katie says she is determined to build on that success with a strong showing at Badminton: "The Burghley Horse Trials were amazing last year. I was so excited to be there and it went so well. To now be competing at Badminton will be an awesome experience.
"It’s one of only six 'five-star' equestrian events in the world and to compete there really is my dream come true."
Nursing care plans provide nurses with an opportunity to develop their unique role in veterinary practice. This new book covers the theory and practice of nursing care planning, examining and critiquing the topic in depth.
It also provides basic definitions and explanations for those unfamiliar with nursing care plans and draws comparisons and contrasts between the veterinary and human nursing roles and contexts.
The author says she hopes that vet nurses will borrow tools from the pages of the book or use it as a resource for designing their unique care plans.
Sam Morgan (Cert Ed DipAVN(Medical & Surgical) RVN, BVNA President 2015/17) said: "Helen manages to take the important points for care plans and put them into a useable format that any veterinary nurse or student can learn from and develop their knowledge. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to enhance their nursing skills and documentation with patients."
<p">You can have a sneak peak at Chapter 5 of the book here: https://www.book2look.com/book/RvuJYQeqsl
If you like what you see, you can buy the book here in paperback for £20.79 https://www.crcpress.com/Veterinary-Nursing-Care-Plans-Theory-and-Practice/Ballantyne/p/book/9781498778664. I see it's nearly two quid more expensive as an ebook, which is weird. Either way, there's 20% off if you use the code SO59.
This is Vita's first foray into the companion animal sector after more than 20 years developing health solutions for honey bees.
The new range includes six products supporting a range of common health conditions; Omnicondro for joint health, Omnicardio for cardiovascular function, Omniomega containing essential fatty acids, Omnicutis skin support, Omnimatrix to aid skin healing and Omniotic ear cleaner. They are approved for use in different species according to product, including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.
The new products are available direct from the company's Sales Manager, Tara Evans RVN. She said: "I am delighted to introduce practices to this cutting-edge range of supplements. At Vita Animal Health we recognise the vital role of the veterinary team in supporting pet health and offering clients choice. The range of Vita products offers new and innovative solutions in some important areas."
The product launch includes promotional offers for veterinary practices and there is a loyalty card scheme for owners.
For more information, visit www.vitaanimalhealth.com, email info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone 01256 591032.
The two companies have agreed to jointly discover and develop species-specific therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for companion animals, a class of drug which they say is neglected in veterinary medicine but offers a variety of future therapeutic options for diseases that cannot be adequately treated today.
adivo will select species-specific antibodies using its proprietary fully canine phage display library. Bayer Animal Health will provide targets involved in severe animal diseases.
Dr. Douglas Hutchens, Bayer Animal Health’s Head of Drug Discovery, External Innovation & Chief Veterinary Officer, said: "Today’s agreement is another example of how we realize our innovation strategy
"By combining the know-how from creative start-up companies like adivo with opportunities derived from Bayer’s research, we broaden our space of therapeutic medicine options and complement our portfolio.
"We are constantly looking for innovative technologies that enable us to generate novel treatment options for the companion animal sector. Now, we will focus on evolving the options presented by adivo from research and development to market maturity."
Dr. Kathrin Ladetzki-Baehs, Managing Director of adivo said: "At adivo, we truly believe that pets have a positive impact on our society. By developing novel medicines for companion animals, we want to make a difference for veterinarians and pet-parents. Today, we are more than pleased and excited to have gained such a committed and experienced collaboration partner, to jointly develop new treatment options."
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.
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
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.
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.
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/
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/
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.
Kim, who is a veterinary nurse at Avonvale Veterinary Centres’ Heathcote practice, felt there was a lack of CPD events for nurses in her area, and made it her mission to do something about it.
She has already organised three CPD events for the remainder of 2019, with the first one taking place last month.
Kim said: "As a dedicated RVN who loves nothing more than a good webinar to watch or a CPD event to expand my knowledge, I thought it would be great if I could put that passion into providing CPD for fellow vet nurses.
"I contacted the BVNA asking if they needed a representative and it didn’t take long for them to get back to me saying they would like me to join the team.
"My main job is to provide high-quality CPD at affordable prices for veterinary nurses and the aim is to provide at least three evening CPD events a year or one full day course.
"Other aspects of the job role include taking part in Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month. You can do this by organising an event, coming up with stories for social media, or asking the local paper or radio station to interview you.
"We also go to the BVNA Annual Congress to raise awareness of the BVNA and the vital role nurses play."
Kim plans to focus on nurse consultations this year and the first CPD event will look at pet obesity which, she said, is a major concern in the UK, so feels it is important that veterinary staff have the most up-to-date information to give to the public.
She added: "I very much look forward to seeing as many veterinary nurses at my CPD events as possible and I hope my passion comes across in what I can provide for them.
"If anyone wishes to request a particular subject all they need to do is ask and we will endeavour to find a speaker and get something organised."
The recognised qualifications are expected to take 12 months to complete and are assessed via a combination of online written exams, a skills portfolio, case scenarios, assignments and practical exams.
VetSkill's Qualifications Manager, Sam McMillan, said: "It’s an exciting time within the veterinary nursing industry and to be involved in the creation of such iconic qualifications.
"We’re thrilled with the positive reaction gained by the industry and are confident that developing these skills based qualifications will give veterinary nurses the opportunity for further career growth and improve nurse retention in the industry."
The study, which was led by the College's VetCompass programme, found that British bulldog ownership has increased from 0.35% of all puppies born in 2009 to 0.60% in 2013.
At the same time, the study found that British bulldogs suffer more than other breeds from a number of conditions associated with their aesthetic characteristics, including: skin fold dermatitis (7.8%), prolapsed gland of the third eyelid or 'cherry eye' (6.8%), interdigital cysts (3.7%), entropion or inward turning of the eyelid (3.6%), and corneal ulceration (3.1%).
Worse still, only 3.5% of the 1,621 British bulldogs analysed in the study were diagnosed with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), despite an earlier study reporting that 84.8% of tested Bulldogs are affected by BOAS to some extent, with 44.0% exhibiting clinically relevant disease2.
This, say the researchers, suggests owners consider breathing problems such as snoring as normal and are not therefore taking their dogs for needed check-ups.
Other findings included:
12.7% of British bulldogs suffer from ear infections, 8.8% from skin infections and 8.7% from obesity
Males are more likely than females to develop skin infection, interdigital cysts, atopic dermatitis and aggression, whereas females are more likely to develop dental disease and obesity.
The average adult bodyweight for a British bulldog is 26kg.
The average lifespan of bulldogs is 7.2 years.
The most common causes of death are heart disease (11.8%), cancer (10.9%) and brain disorder (9.1%).
The RVC says that the results of the study will support initiatives by the Kennel Club and the UK Bulldog Breed Club to improve breeding and also help owners and vets prioritise tackling the leading issues British bulldogs face.
Dr Dan O’Neill, VetCompass epidemiologist at the RVC and Chairman of the Brachycephalic Working Group, said: "The UK has seen unprecedented increases in the popularity of certain short-faced breeds over the past decade. This has led to a series of well-documented welfare issues relating to how these dogs are bred and sold for the UK pet-owning market, high levels of dumping of unwanted dogs into the UK charities and health problems that are intrinsically linked to the extreme body shape of these dogs.
"This new study gives firm evidence for the first time on the true levels of popularity and also of disease diagnosed in the wider population of bulldogs in the UK. This information can help to move the conversation on welfare from 'what are the issues' to 'how do we deal with these issues'. Reliable evidence is pivotal to good decision-making."
Dr Rowena Packer, BBSRC Research Fellow at RVC, said: "The bulldog is an iconic breed but concerns over the health problems allegedly facing these popular dogs have mounted in the past decade. It is extremely valuable to have solid data on the health problems facing this breed, confirming a number of inherent breed predispositions that need to be tackled.
This data supports current initiatives encouraging breed reform, particularly regarding health problems inherently related to their looks, and the need for selection for healthier body shapes. For example, skin fold dermatitis was common in bulldogs and is associated with the desired wrinkled face in this breed – this calls into question the justification of this and other such breed traits that put dogs at risk of potentially avoidable disease."
Steve Dean, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust said: "The Kennel Club has put into place a number of crucial measures over the years to monitor, protect and improve bulldog health and to provide the many responsible breeders with the tools they need to do the same, but this paper highlights there is still work to be done."
The study is published open access in PLOS ONE.
References:
A 15-minute consultation with Online Vets on the IVC-owned www.myfamilypet.co.uk website costs £16, compared to the three other players in this marketplace: Pawsquad, Vet AI and Firstvet, which all charge £20.
The other significant difference is that Online Vets is backed by IVC's extensive network of 800+ bricks and mortar practices, so they have somewhere to refer cases that need treatment and they undertake to deduct the online consultation fee from the final bill if that happens.
Douglas Veitch MRCVS, Head of Online Vets (the affable-looking chap pictured right) said: "In human healthcare, an online doctor can prescribe medication to their patients. However under the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) legislation, vets cannot do that. This impacts the wallets of our clients, as it will often mean they pay twice; once for the online consultation and then for the subsequent consultation in practice. That’s why we have launched our Online Vets service as the digital vet team can refer into one of our 800+ practices and ensure the initial online fee is deducted from the bill."
That sounds like a bit of a pop at the RCVS being responsible for legislation that impacts clients' wallets, so it might be worth reflecting whether the GMC would allow doctors to prescribe medication online if their patients were all deaf, mute and had a mental age of less than one, which I assume is the intellectual capacity of the average dog.
That's by the by. It is this ability to offset Online Vets' consultation fee against any treatment needed offline that forms the basis of IVC's claim to save pet owners nearly £100 per annum on veterinary bills.
Of the other online service providers, only one (Vet AI) undertakes to refund the fee if offline treatment is then required. Online Vets says pets typically need 5 consultations per annum, and if they all need a subsequent consultation (and presuming none use Vet AI), £20 x 5 would therefore be down the drain, or, as the French would say, hors de la fenêtre.
I think that claim is a bit punchy myself. It would be interesting to see the research that shows pets need 5 consultations per annum. My dog rarely sees the vet more than once in a year. And even if it did, I'll bet at least a couple of those consultations could be handled online.
But really, isn't this a bit of a red herring? The truth is that all these services are still in their infancy, and online consultations still make up only a tiny fraction of the overall number of veterinary interactions. So really, whether you'll actually save a few quid using Online Vets vs one of the others is probably not the point.
The really big savings for pet owners will surely come when bricks and mortar veterinary practices, IVC included, offer online consultations between clients and their normal vet, who can already prescribe medications remotely if the animal has been seen recently enough. That'll save me a lot more than £20 a visit.
In the meantime, if I was using one of these services to consult about my dog (and I might), the bigger deal for me would be to have the reassurance of knowing the advice was backed by a bricks and mortar practice, which is why I find it curious that the only mention of IVC (and all its resources) on the www.myfamilypet.co.uk website is, er, in the cookie policy.