Norbrook Laboratories has announced Arthritis Awareness Month, which will run from 15th October to 15th November 2011, during which the company will be running a series of special promotions and competitions.
Michelle Jones, Companion Animal Brand Manager said: "At Norbrook, we are focusing on arthritis during October when pet owner and veterinary practices can enjoy special promotions on arthritis treatment, enter competitions with a range of great prizes and receive expert advice from our own inhouse Veterinary Advisors on the dedicated Pet Healthcare section on our website."
Michelle added: "Our product range offers veterinary surgeons and pet owners a wide choice of treatments. Loxicom for cats and dogs is our meloxicam product available as an oral suspension or an injectable while Carprieve is our Carprofen product, available as an injectable for dogs and cats and in tablet form for dogs. We have also recently introduced a new liver-flavoured palatable tablet which is proven to be more successful in getting dogs to take the medication. In addition, Norbrook also supply a glucosamine supplement, Noractive, which can also be used for improving joint suppleness and mobility in cats and dogs."
More details about Arthritis Awareness Month will be sent to practices, or you can visit www.norbrook.com/vet-support/
Petsavers, the charitable division of the BSAVA, is calling for entries to its 2012 digital photography competition, this year themed 'Best Buddies'.
The competition is open to entries from pet owners and veterinary professionals alike. The judges will be looking for qualities like humour and character in the photos, as well as photographic skill.
If you need a little inspiration, you can see the winning images from previous years on the BSAVA website.
The competition has two categories: Adult (16 and over) and Junior (under 16). First prize in each category is £200 in photography vouchers, second prize is £100 in photography vouchers and third prize is £50 in photography vouchers. The closing date is Thursday 26 January 2012. To enter the competition, email your photographs to info@petsavers.org.uk. An application form must also be submitted; this can be emailed with your photograph or alternatively you can print and fax the form to BSAVA at 01452 726701.
Petsavers is also encouraging practices to help promote the competition by displaying leaflets in practice, and telling clients about it.
More information is available by emailing: info@petsavers.org.uk or visiting www.petsavers.org.uk/.
Bayer Animal Health has announced that following the success of its educational TV advertising campaign, which ran earlier this year and promoted the need to worm cats, a second advertising campaign will now run in September.
Bayer (makers of Profender Spot-on solution) says its first campaign, which ran in May, had the principal aim of driving pet owners to their vet to ask about spot-on worming for their cats.
As part of the same campaign, research was conducted on cat behaviour by interviewing cat owners and attaching 'cat cams' and 'cat navs' to nine cats around the country. The results were analysed by cat behaviour expert Roger Tabor and can be found on the website www.spotonwormer4cats.com/, both as a short video documentary and a 24-page report, entitled 'The Secret Lives of Cats'.
A consumer PR campaign was also run in parallel with the TV advertising, which Bayer says was very successful in attracting entrants to a competition to find the cat with the biggest personality. Winners of the Cats with Cat-titude competition have now been announced and profiled on www.spotonwormer4cats.com.
Dan White, Profender product manager, said: "Post campaign market research revealed there was a 5% increase in the awareness of spot-on cat worming.
"The second phase of TV advertising - using the same advert but without the online competition - will start on 4th September and will build on the success of the previous advertising. And over the following three weeks, it will be broadcast on ITV1, ITV2, Channels 4 and 5, and Sky One, and is expected to reach 7 million of our core target audience."
Veterinary practices can obtain a subtitled version of 'The Secret Lives of Cats' documentary to play in their waiting rooms, and a wide selection of support materials, by contacting their Bayer Territory Manager.
Virbac has launched a new 12 month version of Suprelorin, the reversible medical castration implant for dogs, widening the options for clients seeking an alternative to surgical castration.
Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "The launch of Suprelorin 12 gives practices the chance to offer dog owners a more convenient castration option. The implant renewal can now be included with their dog's annual boosters or health check.
"The slow-release implant is inserted at the back of the neck in the same manner as a microchip. There is no anaesthetic, no surgery and no scarring. The current implant, which contains 4.7mg active and lasts for around 6 months after insertion, will continue to be available for those wanting a more brief solution or as a trial.
"Deslorelin is a GnRH superagonist which causes suppression of LH/FSH, and therefore testosterone production, leading to temporary infertility."
For further information on Suprelorin/12, please call and ask to speak to one of our veterinary advisors on 01359 243243, or contact your local Virbac territory manager.
Neil Forbes FRCVS, Specialist in Avian Medicine at Vets Now Referrals, has been dealing with a rather interesting case: an owl that swallowed a sock.
John Dowling, the owner of a falconry business and keeper of the 13 week old Indian eagle owl called Lydon noticed he was not eating properly, and then looked dazed and confused when taking part in the Stonehouse Horticultural Show & Summer Jolly. After the show, Lydon looked like he was trying to vomit but couldn't, so John took him to Vets Now Referrals in Swindon for a consultation.
Neil examined Lydon and found there was a hard swelling in his abdomen. Radiographs confirmed a bloated and very full stomach. The decision was taken to operate on Lydon to remove whatever was inside. Fearing a growth or tumour, Neil was rather surprised to find instead a smelly old sock in Lydon's stomach. With the sock successfully removed, Lydon was able to go home a few hours later, none the worse for his experience.
Lydon's owner, John, said: "Lydon is a hand-reared Indian eagle and is often in and around the house. The sock is a toy he has played with since he was a owlet, and never did I think he would, or could, have eaten it!
"I was obviously surprised when Neil found the sock in Lydon's stomach but more relieved than anything. I feared the worst but was delighted to find out it wasn't something more sinister."
Neil said: "Never in my 28 years of avian medicine experience have I treated an owl that swallowed a sock, it's just unheard of. Thankfully John brought Lydon into our clinic for a consultation upon suspicion something wasn't quite right and we were able to remove the sock preventing further health deterioration.
"We would always advise owners of pets to be careful when leaving items around the house, as you can never predict how mischievous pets can be."
‘Is neutering dogs doing more harm than good?’ (BVA Congress Theatre, Thursday 16th November 2023 at 10.30am), will explore the latest research into the science of neutering and its impact on dog health and welfare, particularly on behaviour, and will also consider the role of non-surgical alternatives.
The session will be chaired by BVA President Dr Anna Judson, joined by:
The BVA says statistics from its Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey show that among clients who chose to neuter their dogs last year, only 6% picked non-surgical options.
Awareness of these options is low, with vets reporting that 9% of their clients had requested information about non-surgical options when considering neutering, such as sustained-release implants to suppress testosterone production in male dogs.
Among those who considered non-surgical options, clients cited the cost and need for repeat treatments as their main concerns (mentioned by 67% and 58% of vets, respectively), followed by individual variation in the effect and duration of non-surgical alternatives (22% of vets).
Anna said: “Canine neutering is a firmly established part of preventive pet healthcare in the UK, but it is also very much a live discussion within the veterinary profession, with a healthy ongoing debate around its merits and risks, based on evolving evidence.
"BVA’s survey shows low awareness among clients about all available neutering options for their pets, with only a tiny percentage choosing to go down the non-surgical route.
“Our BVA Congress discussion will offer vet professionals in small animal practice insight into the latest research on neutering, including potential longer-term impacts on a dog’s health and behaviour, and views on what that might mean for how vets discuss neutering options with clients.
"The panellists will also share useful tips on how to deal with clients’ questions about surgical and non-surgical options for their pets.”
https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20427670/2023/193/S1
The Forestry Commission, together with other agencies and landowners, is stepping up efforts to find out why some dogs have fallen ill while on countryside walks.
Over 50 cases of so called Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI) occurred during the autumn of 2009 and 2010 in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, East Anglia and Warwickshire, although there have been reports from further afield.
Symptoms include severe vomiting, diarrhoea, shaking / trembling and high temperature, and have generally been displayed by animals within 24 hours of walking in the countryside, especially in woodlands. A small number of dogs have died. The cause of Seasonal Canine Illness remains unknown.
Jo Atkinson, from the Forestry Commission, said: "Although no cases have yet been reported this year, we are working with our many partners to get a clearer picture of the distribution and reasons behind this upsetting sickness. Both dog owners and vets can play their part too in helping protect cherished pets."
Moves to tackle the illness include:
Veterinary surgeons are asked to:
Vetericyn VF, the vet-only wound and skin care spray from Innovacyn has been named product of the year by Animal Health International, one of the world's largest food and companion animal health distributors.
Commenting on the award, Innovacyn said: "for an organisation the size and reputation of Animal Health International to give this top honour to Vetericyn is a great vindication of the product's efficacy but also the very positive feedback they have received from professional users."
Vetericyn VF is available throughout the UK from all the leading veterinary wholesalers. Further technical resources are available at: www.vetericyn.com/veterinarians or email enquiries to uk@vetericyn.com
Vethelpdirect.com, the website founded by VetSurgeon.org member, Susie Samuel MRCVS, has launched a new system called VetReviews which allows your clients publish a review of your service directly from your own website.
To use the system, you (or perhaps more likely your website person) embed a small form on your website, called a widget, as shown on this example: www.baytreevets.co.uk (bottom right hand side).
Clients then click the link in the widget to submit a review of your practice, or to read existing reviews.
To ensure fair play, each review is checked by a person who removes any spammy or malicious reviews, and looks for any signs of fraudulent multiple reviews being submitted by one person.
In the event of a negative review, the practice is given 5 days to respond before the review is published, which means the review isn't displayed without the practice's side of the story.
However, as Susie points out, a single negative review is not necessarily a bad thing; most people are able to put one bad review into context. Indeed, a small number of negative, or less positive reviews tends to make the glowing ones seem more credible.
VetReviews are optimised for inclusion in Google search results, which should also help your search engine visibility.
For more information about VetReviews (which is a free upgrade for existing customers), email: vets@vethelpdirect.com, or telephone 0845 4961 204.
Mr Wood was removed from the Register in 2018 after being convicted of posessing indecent images of children and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.
Mr Wood first applied to rejoin the Register in 2020 but his application was rejected.
At the outset of his second application last month, Mr Wood’s counsel argued that he is professionally competent to be restored, that he had strong mitigation for his offending, that he had consistently and repeatedly expressed and demonstrated profound remorse, that he posed a low risk of re-offending, that he had proactively engaged with the Probation Service and voluntary counselling to gain further insight into his offending, and that he had completed his community sentence and was no longer subject to any of the court orders arising from his conviction.
The Committee then weighed up whether Mr Wood had accepted its original findings in 2018, the seriousness of the offences, whether he demonstrated insight, protection of the public and the public interest, the future welfare of animals should he be restored to the Register, the length of time off the Register, Mr Wood's conduct since he was removed and evidence that he had kept up-to-date with veterinary knowledge, skills and practice.
Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee is satisfied that Mr Wood has done everything required of him in order to be able to satisfy the Committee that he is fit to be restored to the Register.
“At the last application in June 2020, he was unsuccessful largely because of the outstanding ancillary Court Orders that did not conclude until early 2023. Those Orders have now concluded
“He has shown significant insight into his offending behaviour. He has been proactive in his rehabilitation and taken significant steps to ensure there would be no repetition.
“He has a small, but strong, network of people around him who appear to genuinely care about him and support him. He has worked hard at maintaining his skills and knowledge, in so far as he has been able to in light of not being able to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
“He is thoughtful and realistic about his prospects going forward. His responses to questions about addiction were appropriate and persuasive. He has expressed genuine remorse and there is, in the Committee’s view, a public interest in allowing him to be restored to the Register.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The study1 suggests that dogs with uncomplicated diarrhoea do not need antibiotics as part of their veterinary care plans.
The study included a random sample of 894 dogs aged between three months and 10 years old diagnosed with uncomplicated diarrhoea in 2019.
Of these, 355 (39.7%) dogs were prescribed antibiotics, and 539 (60.3%) dogs were not prescribed antibiotics (with or without additional supportive treatment) at first presentation for diarrhoea.
For the analysis, the dogs were balanced for a range of other differences between the groups including age, breed, bodyweight, insurance status, the presence of two or more medical conditions, vomiting, reduced appetite, blood in faeces, raised temperature, duration of diarrhoea, additional treatment prescription and veterinary group.
The researchers say this effectively meant that the only difference between the two groups was that one group received antibiotic treatment while the other did not.
The likelihood of clinical resolution of diarrhoea in the dogs prescribed antibiotics was 88.3%, compared with 87.9% in dogs not prescribed antibiotics.
This tiny difference of 0.4% between the groups was not statistically significant, leading to the conclusion that antibiotic treatment did not cause any beneficial effects in the treatment of uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs.
Almost nine in 10 dogs with uncomplicated diarrhoea recovered after a single veterinary visit regardless of antibiotic treatment.
As an additional analysis, the study also explored gastrointestinal nutraceuticals (products derived from food sources that aim to restore digestive health such as probiotics and prebiotics) for treatment of uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs.
Gastrointestinal nutraceutical prescription (with or without other supportive treatment) at first presentation of uncomplicated diarrhoea caused no statistically significant difference in clinical resolution compared to dogs not prescribed gastrointestinal nutraceuticals.
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass PhD student at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: “This study used an exciting new approach that allowed us to determine ‘cause’ rather than being limited to ‘association’.
"Diarrhoea is a common condition in dogs and is often treated with antibiotics.
"However, this study highlighted that antibiotic prescription at first presentation of diarrhoea caused no difference in clinical resolution.
"Therefore, this arms veterinarians with the evidence-base for restricting antibiotics for uncomplicated diarrhoea in dogs, and owners should be prepared to only have an antibiotic prescription if absolutely necessary.”
Fergus Allerton, project lead for the PROTECT ME guidelines and co-author of the paper said: “Rational antimicrobial use is critical to defend ourselves and our pets against the growing threat from antimicrobial resistance.
"This study provides vital evidence to strengthen recommendations to withhold antibiotics when treating dogs with acute diarrhoea. Knowing that the outcome will be the same without antibiotics should reassure veterinarians to adopt this approach consistently.”
Reference
The company says the Elekta Infinity linear accelerator is the only one of its kind for pets in England.
It features a multi-leaf collimator for very accurate shaping of the radiation beam and a six-degrees-of-freedom couch top designed so the patient can be positioned to reduce or eliminate radiation doses to critical organs.
CVS says the new machine will allow the centre to offer cutting edge treatments such as stereotactic radiation therapy, where high dose rates of focused beams are delivered with high precision over a shortened treatment course.
This, the company claims, will mean fewer, shorter sessions, fewer side effects and the best possible chance of improved outcomes for the animal.
Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our new hospital will be at the forefront of cancer care in animals.
“The linear accelerator is state of the art, and allows us to offer advanced, image-guided radiation treatments - for example intensity-modulated or stereotactic radiation therapy.
"The advantage to these treatments is that they will allow a more “hard-hitting” treatment of the tumour, with greater safety for the patient’s healthy tissue.
"It will draw many tumours into the realm of treatability.”
Based at Central Park, Avonmouth, Bristol Vet Specialists referral hospital is due for completion this Autumn.
Dechra Veterinary Products is warning veterinary professionals it is experiencing supply issues with Oxyglobin, Haemoglobin Glutamer-200.
Dechra has supplied Oxyglobin under an exclusive UK distributor agreement with Biopure Corporation since 2002. In 2009, the assets of Biopure Corporation were acquired by OPK Biotech, which has its headquarters in Cambridge, MA, USA. OPK Biotech is working to resume manufacture of Oxyglobin as soon as possible but it is not expected this will happen until well into 2011.
Bob Parmenter, Managing Director of Dechra Veterinary Products, said: "Unfortunately we are now out of stock of Oxyglobin and, due to the supplier's manufacturing issues, we are unlikely to receive new supplies in the immediate future. I would like to apologise to veterinary professionals for any inconvenience this will cause to their practice but unfortunately this situation is out of our control. We have written to all our Oxyglobin customers to inform them of the position and will keep in contact to advise them when the situation has changed."
Dechra is advising veterinary professionals that the Pet Blood Bank may be able to offer an alternative product, while Oxyglobin is out of stock. The Pet Blood Bank can be contacted on 01509 232 222, Monday to Friday between 0830 and 1830. The organisation offers a same day and next day delivery service, along with an advice line. Full details of products and services are available by logging on to www.petbloodbank.org
Although the disease is commonly diagnosed later in life, a 2022 study of 123 dogs found that 40% of those aged between one and four years old had radiographic osteoarthritis, of which about half had clinical signs and of those only 2 were being treated for pain1.
Another 2022 study found that 38% of dogs over the age of one had osteoarthritic pain, but only half of them were presented for lameness or stiffness2.
Geoffrey Guyot, Pain and Inflammation Franchise Lead at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, said: “Clinical signs of early osteoarthritis can be subtle.
"Some young dogs may present with overt lameness, but many compensate for years and manage to continue to perform their daily activities.
"Common compensations include gait or posture changes to unload the painful joint, which often go unnoticed.”
Boehringer says the aim of its campaign is to shift the perception of osteoarthritis as an old dog disease, to one which could affect dogs of all ages.
Boehringer also wants the campaign to bridge the gap between vets and dog owners, making it easier for owners to spot the early signs and initiate conversations about the condition.
Geoffrey added: "We hope the Arthritis AWARE campaign will raise awareness of early OA among owners to create more opportunities for you to diagnose and treat dogs with arthritis and improve their outcome.
"We encourage vet practices to join us on the journey so we can help improve dogs’ wellbeing together.”
Vet practices can help spread the word by downloading the Arthritis AWARE campaign pack which includes a waiting room video, a poster, owner-facing leaflets, and social media assets.
www.metacam.co.uk/aware
References
Alternative remedies which could be dangerous to pets are being targeted by the Government in a major drive to improve animal health and welfare. Some herbal and homeopathic products are claiming medicinal benefits without scientific proof, meaning they may not properly treat or prevent serious diseases, leaving pets at risk.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s (VMD) Director of Operations, John FitzGerald, said: "Some of these products are claiming to be effective and safe when no scientific evidence has been presented to us to show they are.
"Animal owners have a right to know if a product does what it claims. The products claim to treat diseases which can cause serious welfare problems and in some circumstances kill animals if not properly treated. So in some cases owners are giving remedies to their pets which don’t treat the problem."
A number of unauthorised products are being targeted, including:
From now on, the VMD will be contacting manufacturers to ensure that they demonstrate the products are safe and provide the benefits which they claim to. If this is not the case the manufacturers will be required to re-brand the products to make it clear they are not medicinal.
Supporting the action, British Veterinary Association President Harvey Locke said: "As veterinary surgeons we rely on the use of safe, effective and quality medicines for the health and welfare of animals under our care – and there must always be sound scientific evidence to back up medicinal claims made by the manufacturer of any product.
"Some of these unauthorised products may at the least be ineffective and at worst could cause harm because serious life-threatening diseases may go undiagnosed. We would urge animal owners always to check with their veterinary surgeon before giving any remedy or supplement to their pet."
Novartis Animal Health has issued the following statement concerning the supply of acepromazine (ACP) injectable in the UK:
"Recent upgrades to Novartis Animal Health’s manufacturing plant in the UK have resulted in the site becoming a worldwide centre of excellence for the production of bulk liquids. This upgrade has had an impact on the manufacture of ACP 2mg/ml and 10mg/ml injectable products, which will no longer be produced in the UK.
From January 2011, Novartis Animal Health will no longer be able to supply ACP Injection 2mg/ml or ACP Injection 10mg/ml to wholesalers. However, it is not Novartis’ intention to discontinue the supply of acepromazine injectable; in order to ensure consistency of supply to the UK market the company will be importing the Vetoquinol French product Calmivet.
Calmivet is a monovalent acepromazine injection licensed for use in dogs, cats and horses, available as a 5mg/ml injection, 50ml vial.
In order to obtain Calmivet from wholesalers, veterinarians will need to apply for a free of charge Special Import Certificate from the VMD. This can be completed on line at www.vmd.gov.uk.
It is anticipated that this situation will continue for at least the first 6 months of 2011, until an alternative manufacturing site is established. As soon as we have more information on the timelines this will be communicated.
A full communication including a prep room reminder poster and Calmivet product leaflet has been mailed to all UK practices.
Vetoquinol UK are not responsible for the distribution or technical support of this product, so any queries should be directed to Novartis Animal Health UK on 01276 694402.
The production and supply of ACP Tablets 10mg remains unaffected."
Hill's Pet Nutrition is offering veterinary surgeons, vet students and nurses in the UK an opportunity to look round its Pet Nutrition Centre in Topeka, Kansas, via a live webcast to be delivered at 7pm on Tuesday 11th January 2011.
To join the webcast, which will last around 1.5 hours, go to http://www.fc-tv.com/webcast/keystone/hills/jan-11-11 and enter the password pnctour. This event is specifically for veterinary surgeons, veterinary students and veterinary nurses only.
Tim Dobbins, Associate Veterinary Affairs Manager said: "We look forward to our colleagues joining us for this special live webcast and hearing some of the latest thinking that explains the science behind some of our most exciting products."
Open to everyone in the profession, Congress '24 will include over 130 hours of CPD across 32 different modules covering topics such as advanced diabetes, dermatology, nursing clinics, EDI and more.
The programme format caters to a variety of learning styles, from lectures and panel discussions to interactive sessions and free CPD workshops.
There'll be over 120 exhibitors in three commercial exhibition, offering insights into some of the latest industry innovations, from pharmaceuticals to cutting-edge equipment.
Andy Green, Chair of the Congress Committee said: "We know it's a significant commitment for individuals to give up one to three days, plus travel time, to join us, and we don't just aim to educate; we want our attendees to enjoy the experience.
"Our aspiration is not just to meet their expectations but to exceed them.
"The veterinary profession faces challenges, but we have so much to celebrate, and what better place to come together with many like-minded individuals to remind yourself why you wanted to be in this profession in the first place."
Early bird registration is open until 31st January, and prices start at £93 +VAT for BSAVA members for a one-day pass.
www.bsavacongress.com
Genitrix has launched a free epilepsy faxback advice service for veterinary practices prescribing Libromide.
A form downloadable from the Genitrix website will enable practices to provide detailed case histories, and challenging canine epilepsy cases will be reviewed by Dr Clare Rusbridge, RCVS and European Specialist in veterinary neurology. Clare runs a small animal neurology referral practice based at the Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in South London. She is board certified by the European College of Veterinary Neurology.
Launched earlier this year, Libromide is the first and only licensed formulation of potassium bromide for refractory canine epilepsy. Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said: "When we launched Libromide, it was our goal to ensure that generalist practices, which may not deal with cases every week, were given more accurate guidance and advice on treating canine epilepsy than was possible when only unlicensed products were available.
"Our subsequent launch of the discounted blood test, the dosing wheel and now the Libromide Epilepsy Advice Service through Clare, are examples of our commitment to achieving this goal.
"The advice service is aimed specifically at practices which are finding it difficult to control seizures or which have a patient experiencing unusual side effects, even after receiving dosing advice from Genitrix. I hope that having Clare's experience and expertise 'on tap' for challenging cases will prove reassuring for our customers."
For more information on the Libromide Epilepsy Advice Service, practices are asked to call Genitrix' head office on 01403 786345.
Pfizer Animal Health is advising vets and horse owners to be on guard against the threat of West Nile Virus (WNV) in the UK, following a spate of outbreaks of the disease in several European countries this year.
West Nile Virus has recently made headline news because of a human outbreak in Greece which resulted in a number of deaths. Outbreaks have also occurred in Russia, Romania and Italy during 2010. West Nile Fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, which carry the virus after biting infected birds. Primarily occurring between July and October, in line with typical peak activity of mosquitoes, it can have serious consequences on human and equine health, with severe cases resulting in fatal neurological disease.
There is no cure, though supportive treatment can aid recovery. However if the disease progresses to a state where the animal is not able to stand up, their chance of survival is considered low. Prevention of infection is difficult, but any steps that reduce mosquito numbers or the likelihood of horses and people being bitten may help to reduce the risk in areas where the disease is present. However, the only way to reduce the risk of an individual horse developing disease due to WNV is through vaccination.
Ben Gaskell, Pfizer's equine veterinary advisor said: "West Nile Virus may well become a very real threat to both horses and humans in Northern Europe. It is important for vets, horse owners and infectious disease experts to work together to mitigate its impact in the event of the virus becoming endemic across Europe. The rapid spread of the disease across North America is an illustration of what could potentially happen in Europe and it is important to remember there is no curative treatment - the only way to prevent clinical disease in horses is by vaccination."
Pfizer Animal Health supports the PrEquID (Prevention of Equine Infectious Disease) group, which consists of internationally recognised equine and infectious disease experts. The group was formed to develop guidelines on the prevention and control of a number of equine infectious diseases, on a global basis.
Klaus Osterrieder, Professor and Chair in the Institut für Virologie in the Veterinärfakultät at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany and a member of the PrEquID group advises: "Horse owners should ask their veterinarian for advice on appropriate prevention measures. Experience has shown that adopting a prudent prevention strategy can be a very effective way of managing this devastating disease."
Further information on WNV is available at www.westnile.eu.
Practices which want to buy the alternative imported vaccine will need to apply to the VMD for a Special Import Certificate (SIC).
Wholesalers have agreed to stock the alternative vaccine.
Zoetis says it acknowledges the concern and frustration this causes its customers and wants to reassure the equine community that it is working hard to resume Equip Rotavirus supply as soon as possible.
For further information, contact your Zoetis account manager or ring Zoetis HQ on 0345 300 8034.
The money, which was raised from the annual raffle and auction was nearly 50% more than last year's total, which was an already impressive £27,800.
When the total was announced, former Vetlife President and auctioneer for the evening, Graham Dick was visibly moved and rendered temporarily speechless.
Once he's had a chance to recompose himself, he said “Your continued selection of Vetlife as the nominated charity for your now legendary fundraising at your annual conference not only raises much needed funds to enable it to continue to fulfil its mission, but also provides an excellent opportunity to re-enforce its contribution to the wellbeing of so many fellow veterinary professionals.” \
“This amazing sum raised could not have been possible without the provision by so many of such a wide range of raffle prizes and high value lots for auction and the generosity of those who bid unstintingly for them.
"On behalf of those in our veterinary community for whom such generosity may have made a substantial difference Vetlife is extremely grateful.”
Vet Dynamics Director Vicky Robinson said: “Both Graham and I were virtually speechless to see the amazing generosity from our delegates and exhibitors and, of course, the kindness of the donors.
"It's such a pleasure to be able to contribute to a charity who work tirelessly to help our wonderful profession.”
Photo: Vicky Robinson and Graham Dick
Ceva Animal Health has announced the winners of it's firework waiting room display competition which, according to the company, had a record-breaking number of entries submitted this year.
To enter the competition, practices had to create an eye-catching display to help educate owners on firework fears in pets and how to prepare them for firework season with the help of pheromone products Feliway for cats and DAP for dogs. Ceva supplied entrants with marketing materials featuring Ceva's animated characters 'That Purple Cat' and 'Dap The Dog' from the company's TV advertising and marketing campaign.
South Beech Veterinary Surgery, Essex, Broadleys Veterinary Hospital, Stirling and The Avenue Veterinary Clinic in Ealing were the three winners, and each receive a pizza lunch for the whole practice to enjoy.
Rachel Levy, marketing support manager for Ceva said: "As always we received some fantastic entries and it was so hard to choose the winners. We would like to thank everyone who entered for their continued support and hard work in creating the displays.''
For further information on DAP and Feliway, visit www.secrettohappypets.com.
A study published in the Veterinary Record has shown that Plerion, the broad-spectrum anthelmintic combination preparation for dogs (5 mg pyrantel + 20 mg oxantel + 5 mg praziquantel per kg body weight) is an efficacious and well-tolerated treatment against all important endoparasites, according to manufacturers Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health.
In addition, because Plerion is formulated as a flavored chewable tablet, the product was readily consumed by the vast majority of dogs.
Although the product has been on the market in the UK since last year, this is the first time that the evidence for its efficacy has been published in the public domain.
Linda Horspool BVMS, PhD, DipECVPT, MRCVS, Global Technical Director Companion Animal Pharmaceuticals at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "Pyrantel, oxantel and praziquantel, the active ingredients of Plerion, are well-established anthelmintics, having been used successfully in humans and animals for decades. The combination of these ingredients in one preparation offers the possibility to eliminate relevant parasites from most dogs in a single treatment. Moreover, the good palatability of the flavored chewable tablets makes Plerion easy to give and helps owners to remember to treat their dogs regularly which contributes to adequate deworming".
The efficacy, safety and palatability of a single-dose treatment with Plerion were assessed after experimental as well as natural infection with common helminths such as whipworms, tapeworms and roundworms. In five controlled studies (48 treated dogs/49 untreated dogs) and three field studies (30 treated dogs), a total of 127 animals were included. In all comparisons, Plerion-treated dogs had statistically significantly lower worm counts than untreated dogs. Moreover, in treated dogs efficacy against whipworms (Trichuris vulpis) was more than 99 percent after experimental infection and 100 percent after natural infection. For roundworms (Toxocara canis), the corresponding figures were 94 and 100 percent, respectively. For tapeworms (Echinococcus granulosus), the efficacy was more than 99 percent after experimental infection.
The preparation was well-tolerated, evidenced by the finding that treatment of dogs with doses up to 6 times the recommended dose or twice the recommended dose on 3 consecutive days did not result in adverse changes in blood parameters, clinical findings or behavior.
In client-owned dogs, Plerion was readily consumed as demonstrated by the fact that 88 percent of dogs spontaneously accepted the tablet. The proportion of spontaneous acceptance appeared higher than the 78 percent that was obtained with another commercially available flavored reference preparation containing pyrantel, febantel and praziquantel.
Worm infestations in dogs are important parasites in terms of prevalence, pathogenicity and, occasionally, zoonotic impact. Therefore, the European Scientific Counsel on Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) has re-emphasized in its 2010 guideline update titled "Worm Control in Dogs and Cats" that veterinarians and pet owners (1) must take measures to protect pets from parasitic infestations, (2) protect the pet population from risks associated with travel and its consequent potential to change local parasite epidemiological situations through the export or import of non-endemic parasite species, and (3) should work together to reduce the risks associated with zoonotic transmission of parasitic diseases.
*ReferenceSchmid K, Rohdich N, Zschiesche E, Kok DJ, Allan MJ. Efficacy, safety and palatability of a new broad-spectrum anthelmintic formulation in dogs. Veterinary Record 2010;167:647-651
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched the first in a series of 'How To' videos for pet owners which are now available online at dechra.co.uk and via youtube
In the videos, Louise O'Dwyer, Head Nurse at Petmedics in Manchester demonstrates how pet owners can complete simple tasks to look after their animals.
Carol Morgan, Product Manager at Dechra, said: "The feedback we get from vets suggests that pet owners would welcome advice and guidance on how to complete simple tasks. Many owners have a fear of getting it wrong so just don't do it. For example, when it comes to cleaning their pets ears, owners are concerned that it could be difficult to do or that they may hurt their pet. As these simple tasks are very important to the health of all pets, we decided to produce the videos as helpful tools for pet owners. They show owners what to do in easy to follow steps. By effectively carrying out these procedures, owners can also reduce the risk of their pet having problems in the future."
In addition to "How To Shampoo Your Dog" and "How To Pill A Cat", "How To Clean A Dog's Ears" and "How To Clean A Cat's Ears" will be available shortly.
Louise O'Dwyer, Head Nurse at Petmedics in Manchester, added: "To us it is quite straightforward but any of the four activities we have focused on can be quite stressful for pet owners. If anyone has ever had to give a pill to a cat, they will know how difficult this can be. The videos are simple to follow and demonstrate how to complete each task, with clear verbal instructions. We really hope this will help to overcome some of the fears and help pet owners in looking after their pets."
Incidentally, if your own practice website is short on video content, you might like to consider adding (or 'embedding') the videos on your site. Because they are hosted on youtube, it is very simple to do, even DIY.