The UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG) has published its five-year strategy to improve the health and welfare of both current and future generations of flat-faced dogs.

The five-year strategy outlines actions required from the group and its members until 2025, as well as focusing on changing wider public attitudes to extreme conformations in brachycephalic dogs.

It identifies three core challenges:

• Dramatically reducing numbers and popularity of dogs with brachycephaly
• Promoting a more moderate and healthier phenotype of the remaining dogs with brachycephaly
• Reducing the negative impacts of brachycephaly on the current generations of flat-faced dogs

Some of the actions committed to include working to prevent the inappropriate use of imagery of brachycephalic dogs in advertising, promoting relevant health testing schemes and sharing research with breeders and would-be owners, alongside developing and promoting a Brachycephalic Health Assessment veterinary consultation framework.

Dr Dan O’Neill, chair of BWG said: “BWG understands that the serious health problems associated with the flat-faced body shape can cause many dogs to suffer and considers that the health and welfare problems linked to breeding for a flat face are one of the UK’s leading canine welfare priorities.

"This new strategy lays out a plan to redress many of these issues and we call on everybody to ‘Stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog’.”

www.ukbwg.org.uk/?page_id=801

Linnaeus has appointed Patient Care Assistants Alice Boyle and Lilly Barnes to its Clinical Board.

This is the first time Linnaeus has appointed PCAs to its 68-strong clinical board, which aims to make it more inclusive by including a wider range of experience and expertise from every level in clinical practice.

The appointment of Alice Boyle from Maven Veterinary Care in Sutton, and Lily Barnes from Paragon Veterinary Referrals in Wakefield (pictured L-R), means PCAs are represented at a national senior level within Linnaeus.  

Professor Séverine Tasker, Chief Medical Officer at Linnaeus and Chair of the clinical board said: “When it comes to clinical excellence, a broad range of perspectives will strengthen our ability to explore and follow best practice.

"Everyone’s views and experiences are important.

"Our nursing teams are critical to the care of our patients, but until recently we only had RVN representation on the clinical board and wanted to involve our excellent team of PCAs as well." 

www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/medical-and-nursing/clinical-board

Pets Choice Limited has established a veterinary division to develop a range of cannabidiol (CBD) oral dosage formats capable of being prescribed under the cascade.

The new division has been granted a ManSA license by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

Glesni Owen, Head of Veterinary Sales, said: “Veterinary professionals across the world increasingly prescribing CBD products to their patients for a variety of health conditions including osteoarthritis, epilepsy, pain management and a variety of other behavioural issues.

“Research into the use of CBD is advancing daily which provides veterinary professionals with an increased knowledge base to help clients make informed decisions about treating their pets.”

Pets Choice have been working closely with veterinary professionals in the United States where CBD therapy is far more widely prescribed, collating and sharing the latest supporting evidence and guidance for vets here in the UK to feel comfortable discussing it with their clients. 

Glesni said: “We have developed a CPD-accredited educational webinar and also recorded a podcast with the Vet Times, interviewing highly-respected US-based veterinarian Jeffrey Powers, who has extensive experience prescribing CBD to his patients.” 

https://petschoice-2.wistia.com/medias/cn1g7dr2rc 

For further information, contact specials@petschoice.co.uk or 01934 831000.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded David Henry Eccles MRCVS and warned him about his future conduct after he admitted to clinical failings relating to his treatment of a cat.

Mr Eccles had first appeared before the Disciplinary Committee in November 2018 where he admitted a number of clinical failings regarding his diagnosis of a cat, the keeping of accurate and detailed clinical records, giving the animal appropriate treatment, surgery and care, and failing to provide the cat’s owners with adequate information on the cat’s care upon discharge.

After Mr Eccles admitted the two charges against him, and the Committee found him guilty of serious professional misconduct, the Committee then postponed its decision on sanction on the condition that Mr Eccles agreed to abide by a set of undertakings in the interim. They included: the preparation of a personal development plan, the enrolment of his practice in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme, the appointment of a veterinary mentor, the completion of additional training and CPD, and his agreement to pay any costs of complying with the undertakings, including the appointment of and work undertaken by the appointed mentor.

At the resumed hearing last week, the Committee received evidence from Mr Eccles confirming that he had complied with all the original undertakings agreed to in 2018. It also considered some further undertakings that Mr Eccles had agreed to in October 2020 when his reconvened hearing was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. They included: confirming his compliance with the personal development plan he had drawn up in 2019, his practice achieving the Core Standards accreditation level within the Practice Standards Scheme, continuing to meet with his veterinary mentor, and undertaking additional CPD – all of which were found to be completed.

The Committee also heard evidence from both the veterinary mentor and Mr Eccles himself. In his evidence, Mr Eccles apologised to the owners of the cat for the care he had provided, admitting that he had let them and himself down by not having sufficient knowledge to recognise the cat’s needs and to provide him with a sufficient level of care. He also confirmed he was continuing to make improvements to his practice and that he had enjoyed the process of being mentored.

Dr Martin Whiting, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “In November 2018, Mr Eccles practice had fallen significantly short of an acceptable and adequate standard. He was a sole practitioner who had drifted away from professional standards.”

“The Committee today considers that Mr Eccles has met the undertakings which he accepted in November 2018 and again in October 2020 when the resumed hearing was adjourned owing to Covid-19. It accepts the College’s analysis as to how those standards have been met. It notes that Mr Eccles’ practice has achieved accreditation in Core Standards under the Practice Standard Scheme, something which is voluntary in ordinary practice. That is an exacting scheme. He has engaged with his mentor and had indicated that he will continue to do so as the need arises in order to maintain his development.”

Dr Whiting added: “The Committee also recognises that this was a single incident in a long career. It accepts that he has shown insight into his shortcomings. He understands what went wrong and why. The Committee was impressed with Mr Eccles’ statement of apology in his oral evidence today.”

“The Committee found the language which he used in answering its questions, as to the effect compliance with the undertakings has had upon him professionally, reassuring. He said he had been rejuvenated and stimulated; he had renewed enthusiasm for the profession. The Committee commends him for exceeding the minimum requirement of the undertakings, despite the stressful context of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

In considering its sanction for the original admitted charges from November 2018, the Committee considered that a reprimand and warning as to future conduct was the most appropriate and proportionate sanction.

The full findings for the case can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

The RCVS is inviting all vet nurses to attend its Annual General Meeting, taking place online, on Friday, 9 July 2021.

The proceedings will begin at 10am with the formal adoption by RCVS Council of the Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2020, which will be published prior to the event.

The College will then answer any written questions that have been submitted about the Annual Report by veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

If you have any questions about the Annual Report, you'll need to submit them to RCVS Events Manager Deborah Rowlanes on d.rowlanes@rcvs.org.uk no later than Friday 2 July 2021.

RCVS President Mandisa Greene will then formally welcome the newly-elected RCVS Council members – Louise Allum, Danny Chambers, Tshidi Gardiner and Colin Whiting – onto Council for their four-year terms, and newly-elected VN Council members Susan Howarth and Donna Lewis for their three-year terms, as well as saying farewell to retiring members of both Councils.

After a short break, the AGM will reconvene at 11am to approve Kate Richards (pictured right) as President for 2021-22, Melissa Donald as Junior Vice-President, Mandisa as Senior Vice-President, and Niall Connell as Treasurer.

There will then be addresses from Matthew Rendle as Chair of Veterinary Nurses Council, and from Mandisa as the outgoing RCVS President for 2020-21, followed by the formal investiture of the new RCVS Officer Team.

There will then be closing remarks from Kate Richards as the newly invested RCVS President.

If you'd like to attend the AGM, you'll need to register here: www.rcvs.org.uk/agm21-registration.

The BVDA has teamed up with IM3 to launch a new course to help veterinary surgeons improve their knowledge and practical skills in dentistry.

The 2-day course, which includes both theory and practical sessions, will be taught by Sarah Ramsden RVN (pictured right), aka 'The Dental Nurse' on social media, at IM3's Advanced Centre for Education near Dublin on the 8th and 9th September 2021.

The course will cover all the basic aspects of veterinary dentistry including oral examination and charting, dental radiography, local anaesthetic techniques, nurse consults and maintenance of dental equipment..

The cost of the course is £430 and there's a 15% discount for BVDA members (so if you're interested in the course, then joining the BVDA is a bit of a no-brainer). 

To register, visit: https://www.bvda.co.uk/education/courses/essential-dentistry-for-vet-nurses, or email Rob Davis (BVDA Education Officer) at davis4ginger@yahoo.co.uk for further information.

The RCVS has launched an independent service to provide emotional support to veterinary nurses and surgeons who are under investigation by the College after a complaint about their professional conduct.

The ProfCon Investigation Support (PCIS) service is a free, confidential listening and support service funded by the RCVS and its Mind Matters Initiative mental health project but delivered independently by VetSupport.me, an organisation that already offers general support services to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

The service is provided by a group of trained and experienced volunteers who will also be able to offer support to any veterinary surgeon or nurse who is acting as witness.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “At the RCVS we recognise that being investigated in respect of alleged professional misconduct is a very stressful and trying experience that can knock confidence and, in some cases, lead to distress amongst practitioners.

“While part of the social contract of being members of regulated and protected professions is that, when accusations around professional misconduct are made, they have to be fully investigated by a regulator to determine if there is a case to answer. As a compassionate regulator we want to make sure that individuals going through this process can access the help and support they need.

“This service is staffed by a team of brilliant volunteers who already have experience in  providing help and support on matters of mental health and wellbeing and have received additional training to augment their ability to provide emotional support to vets and nurses who may be under investigation.

“In our Strategic Plan for 2020-24, one of our key ambitions is to strengthen our credentials as a compassionate regulator that acts with empathy and understanding. The ProfCon Investigation Support Service is an important step in fulfilling this ambition, and I hope that it can deliver help to the people that need it.”

David McKeown, from VetSupport, added: “Whether via a phone call, an email conversation, or a meet-up over Zoom, our team of trained volunteers, all of whom are registered vets or vet nurses themselves, will support service users through the duration of an RCVS investigation.

“Through their support we will aim to help individuals going through this process maintain good mental health and wellbeing and strive to prevent more serious issues arising. The service is completely confidential and no conversations that individuals have with our volunteers will ever be shared with anyone else, including the RCVS. Nothing will be fed back to the College nor be used as part of the investigation process. It is also completely within the individual’s control as to how much information is shared with the VetSupport volunteer. There is no obligation to disclose any information other than perhaps a first name.

“We look forward to working with the RCVS to provide this very important service. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on info@vetsupport.me or visit www.vetsupport.me to find out more about the service and meet our team of supporters.”

Mrs Muriel Taylor, who worked as a receptionist at Pennard Vets in Kent for a staggering 70 years, has been presented with the British Veterinary Receptionist Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award at a celebration with more than 100 staff at the practice.

Muriel joined Pennard Vets as an office junior on 7th January 1950, when she was 15 years old

She earned a weekly wage of £1 10 shillings, equivalent to £1.50 in today’s money.

Andy Green, a Director at Pennard Vets, said: “Few people in this country have achieved what Muriel has.

"Pennard Vets has been around for over 125 years and Muriel’s journey with us has encompassed a staggering 70 years of that, making her one of only a handful of people in the UK who have completed 70 years with a single employer.

“Muriel is ever-present, reliable, caring, dependable and she makes the best biscuits around.

"She started work at our Sevenoaks practice as a 16-year-old in 1950, when it was just as likely a client would be bringing in a sheep, goat or horse as a dog or cat, and we used loose boxes outside for examinations, treatments isolation and even post-mortems.

“During the subsequent 70 years she was part of the growth in the practice from a single site to multiple sites.

"She was also fantastic at embracing the latest technology as the practice went from handwritten ledgers, double entry bookkeeping and dealing with the terribly difficult to decipher handwritten notes of the vets, to digitalisation, computers, online systems, email, mobile phones and a host of other technological advances.

“Throughout the years her role changed dramatically, and she learned new skills, adapted, and moved with the times, demonstrating our core values of continuous improvement, client focus, compassion and clarity every step of the way.

“When Muriel retired in 2020, sadly lockdown rules denied us the chance for a proper celebration, so we are very pleased to have been able to celebrate together with such a fabulous party.”

Muriel said: “When I started at Pennard Vets, the practice cared for large animals including horses, sheep and cattle on the local farms, but we also had some more unusual clients.

"A special highlight was fielding telephone calls from former Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, who lived at Chartwell country house, near Westerham, in Kent and employed the practice to look after the health of the black swans living on the estate’s lake.

“Two of the biggest changes I saw during my seven decades at the practice were the business giving up farm work to focus on small animal work as dogs and cats became a bigger part of our families, and the transition from my handwritten notes in ledgers to modern computer systems, but I have always embraced change and enjoyed learning new skills.

"I miss everyone at Pennard Vets but will keep in touch and keep baking for them!”

The RCVS has announced dates for a range of new mental health and wellbeing training opportunities for veterinary professionals this year.

Expanding on the training available in autumn 2022, which was launched based on the results of an extensive training pilot, MMI is offering a total of 14 sessions taking place both online and in person over the next few months. Sessions will be running from January to April 2023. The courses will cover areas that have been identified as priority topics from previous MMI surveys, feedback from the professions, and evaluation of the training pilots.

Mind Matters Initiative Manager, Lisa Quigley, said: “Mental health and wellbeing are impacted by a whole host of structural and societal factors and maintaining a healthy workforce goes far beyond supporting people on an individual level.

"Whilst it is undoubtedly important to provide people with the skills they need to look after themselves, we are aiming to expand on this by providing individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to recognise and address wider collective issues. For example, the importance of creating and maintaining a positive workplace culture.

Session dates and specific topics are as follows:

Mental Health First Aid (£30 in-person)

9am – 5pm

• Wednesday 15 February – Exeter
• Friday 24 February – Swansea
• Monday 13 March – Liverpool
• Wednesday 22 March – Norwich 

Psychological Safety and Civility (£20 in-person, £15 online)

In-person – 9am – 4pm

• Wednesday 8 February – Oxford
• Wednesday 22 March – Peterborough
• Thursday 27 April – Edinburgh

Online – 9am – 1pm

• Tuesday 24 January
• Tuesday 21 February
• Tuesday 7 March
• Tuesday 4 April

Sustaining Your Emotional Health (£15 in-person)

2pm – 5pm

• Monday 13 March – Glasgow
• Wednesday 15 March – Newcastle
• Friday 17 March – Manchester 

For more information on the training courses, visit: https://vetmindmatters.org/training/ 

The RVC has published two studies which give a greater insight to the 2021 outbreak of feline pancytopenia.

The outbreak, which was widely covered in the media, caused concern amongst cat owners.

The findings of an investigation found a link between high concentrations of trichothecene T-2/HT-2 mycotoxins (both poisonous substances, produced by fungi) in certain cat foods.

The first study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, describes 580 cats recorded by the RVC’s database during the initial outbreak, the epidemiology of the cases and the link with mycotoxin exposure. 

The cats presented with severe reductions in vital blood cells, including white blood cells responsible for fighting infection and platelets responsible for blood clotting.

The research recounts how analysis of these cats’ data – provided both by pet owners and vets - revealed three diets that had been consumed by the majority of affected cats and how this subsequently led to a UK wide recall in June 2021. 

Examining the subsequent analysis of the feed samples and the discovery of mycotoxin contamination, which is known to be toxic to bone marrow, and thereby negatively impacting the production of key blood cells, the study concludes that mycotoxin contamination should be considered as the cause of the outbreak.

The second study examines 50 cats identified as having pancytopenia in more depth, providing a detailed picture of clinical findings to better understand the disease process in these cats affected by the outbreak.

Records and data of 50 of the affected cats were assessed to identify additional clinical signs which indicated contact with mycotoxins.

Following examination of the cats’ bone marrow, it was found that all cats suffered a marked toxic insult to their bone marrow.

From this, the study concluded that a differential diagnosis of mycotoxin-induced pancytopenia should be considered in cats presenting with pancytopenia.

Lead author of the research, Dr Barbara Glanemann, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College and Co-head of the Small Animal Internal Medicine Service at the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, said:

“These pieces of research involved a great deal of work from many people (noted as authors and acknowledgements in the papers) and we really appreciate the teamwork involved, and the collaborative support we received.

“We know first-hand how much devastation and concern this outbreak caused for many cat owners across the country and so it is our hope that the studies will help people better understand what happened to cause this outbreak and can be used to not only provide some closure to those affected but also reduce the chances of something similar occurring in the future.”

References

1. Glanemann, B., Humm, K, et al. (2022). An investigation into an outbreak of pancytopenia in cats in the United Kingdom, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The full paper is available at: http://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16615
2. Glanemann, B., Humm, K, et al. (2022). Clinical and clinicopathological features and outcomes of cats with suspected dietary induced pancytopenia,Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The full paper is available at: http://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16613 

The British Equine Veterinary Association is encouraging veterinary practices to recognise and reward their nurses.

The initiative comes after BEVA's new nurse committee ran a survey which found a poor understanding within the profession and amongst clients of what equine nurses can do.

Nurses said they believed they could be given more responsibility and do more within their roles and that there was a lack of opportunity for progression.

BEVA President David Rendle, who is championing this initiative, said: “RVNs are a significant an asset to any equine practice.

“They have invested a lot of time and effort to become highly skilled but in some instances their significant attributes are not being utilised to the full.

“Allowing RVNs to perform the clinical tasks that they are qualified to carry out under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, will provide better job fulfilment and career development as well as free up veterinary surgeons to carry out other tasks, all increasing the efficiency of the veterinary team.

“I feel, and the RVN survey results would seem to confirm, that veterinary surgeons and practice managers do not appreciate how much veterinary nurses are allowed to do in equine practice.

"We all know veterinary nurses have the ability; look at what they do in small animal and human nursing, but we have felt unnecessarily constrained by Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and the associated RCVS guidelines.

"If you actually look at Schedule 3 it is clear that we can and should be letting our qualified equine nurses do far more. 

“There are so many things in equine practice that nurses do better than vets.

"In addition to performing clinical tasks they can add wider value; they are generally (or are perceived by clients to be!) more patient, empathetic and caring so we should utilise these skills and get nurses to take on some of the roles that take more time and require longer client interactions – discussing parasite control programmes,  running weight loss clinics, reviewing healthcare plans, making follow-up phone calls and visits to name just a few.

"Nurses can take a lot of pressure off vets and can add a significant revenue stream for the practice.” 

On the 9th February, the BEVA will be hosting an online discussion forum for all members of the practice team to discuss the role of nurses and how their skills, experience and knowledge can be better-used. 

It's free for BEVA members: https://www.beva.org.uk/Home/Events/BEVA-Events/Event-Details.aspx?eventDateId=1716  

In addition, the Association is organising a number of other career events for nurses throughout the year: 

• 09 March 2023: A practical CPD day for nurses on setting up nurse-led weight management clinics: https://www.beva.org.uk/Home/Events/BEVA-Events/Event-Details.aspx?eventDateId=1706
• 18 April 2023: Online CPD course for nurses on holistic care of surgical cases, pain scoring, physiotherapy and environmental enrichment. https://www.beva.org.uk/Home/Events/BEVA-Events/Event-Details.aspx?eventDateId=1704 
• 13 September 2023: Presentation of the new BEVA equine nursing award at BEVA Congress
• 16 September 2023:  Dedicated nursing sessions at BEVA Congress including a debate on the role of equine nurses and the interpretation of Schedule 3
• Winter/Spring 2023: Podcasts with nurses – discussing how nurses feel about their careers in equine nursing, and how practices can up their game to keep them happy and fulfilled members of the team.

Marie Rippingale Chair of the BEVA Nurse Committee said: “Last year’s recruitment and retention survey revealed that 50% of nurse respondents were earning less than £25,000 per annum and 48% of nurses said they were likely to look for a new job in the next two years.

"When asked their top reasons for leaving, salary was the biggest reason, and common themes on what would help the retention of nurses included salary, work-life balance and career progression.

“The review of Schedule 3 is important so we can encourage delegation of tasks to RVNs.

"This will allow RVNs to demonstrate their value and worth, earning money for the practice and achieving job satisfaction at the same time. This will contribute positively towards the current retention crisis.”

To find out more about what equine veterinary nurses can do in practice visit https://www.beva.org.uk/nurses 

Photo:  Liphook Equine Hospital.

Veterinary Evidence, RCVS Knowledge’s peer-reviewed, open access journal, has launched its new website.

The journal provides free access to critical summaries of the best available evidence, called Knowledge Summaries, to help practitioners make informed evidence-based decisions in practice.

The new website has several new features, such as author and reviewer hubs, which contain information to guide contributors through the process of writing or reviewing papers for the journal.

A new ‘answer me’ button allows potential authors to pick a clinical query they are interested in answering and email it straight to the Editor, streamlining the process.

The new site also includes a new submission system, Editorial Manager, which streamlines the editorial process, communications with authors and reviewers, and the management of articles.

Kit Sturgess, Editor-in-Chief of Veterinary Evidence, says: “I am really excited by the new website; its look and functionality will significantly improve rapid access to information and further boost the engagement of the veterinary team with EBVM.

"After an impressive year for Veterinary Evidence, we have also moved to a new submission system, Editorial Manager, aimed at making the experience of submitting and reviewing papers easier and more efficient.

"Through the new website and publishing platform, the journal can get better metrics of how well we are supporting our readers, authors, and reviewers so we can use evidence to drive Quality Improvement.” 

veterinaryevidence.org