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VetNurse.co.uk publishes a curated feed of veterinary nursing news for registered veterinary nurses (RVNs), students (SVNs) and veterinary nursing assistants, with a primary focus on the UK profession.
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We report across all areas of practice, including companion animal, referral and specialist settings, with a focus on issues affecting veterinary nurses in clinical and professional roles.
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The new clinic will be based in Uttoxeter and have an in-house 1.5T MRI, 32-slice CT, and three purpose-built theatres.
Building work has started and clinic is now recruiting for orthopaedic surgery Specialists, neurology Specialists and experienced veterinary nurses.
Mark Lowrie, RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology (pictured), will lead the new site day-to-day once up and running.
He said: “Our ethos is simple: we aspire to be the place that vets take their own pets.
"By focusing on responsive communication, exceptional clinical standards, and fair pricing, we aim to build trust with both veterinary professionals and clients.
"And for those who join our team, we are committed to creating a supportive and positive environment where everyone can thrive and grow."
“This is a rare chance to be part of something special from day one, to join and help build the culture and success of a dynamic, independent practice and a brand new state-of-the-art clinic.
"With cutting-edge facilities and a supportive team, we want fresh expertise and energy to help shape the future of veterinary care.”
https://www.movementvets.co.uk/
This year's event, titled “Nourish the Gut, Nurture the Future,” will have talks from over 17 experts, including:
Dr. Karen Shenoy, US Chief Veterinary Officer at Hill’s Pet Nutrition said: “The microbiome is a trending focus in human health, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition is proud to assemble leading minds to bring this emerging topic into deeper focus for the veterinary community.
“We’re bringing this powerful content to an even broader audience this year through livestreams in both Spanish and English. I’ll be hosting the English stream, and I’m excited about our plans for guest appearances from the speakers and sharing extra tidbits to make the virtual experience as engaging as it is informative.”
https://way.in/618A0oP
Some 150 practices currently use Vidivet, which was set up by Ben Sweeney MRCVS (pictured) in 2020.
He said: “I started VidiVet as I wanted people to be able to access high quality, impartial care for their pets that allows them to make more informed decisions around their treatment with expert information, rather than resorting to the internet.
"As a vet I also wanted to make life easier for those working within veterinary practices.
"VidiVet relieves part of the burden veterinary practices face by offering a trusted digital triage service for their clients.
"Our digital service can provide a helpful extension to a practice which dramatically reduces admin and saves time for the in-house team.
"Crucially, we offer peace of mind and reduce anxiety for pet owners, and with over 96% of VidiVet out of hours calls redirected to the pet owner’s registered vet, it can really enhance the practice bond by using digital care to augment physical care."
Before the Provet partnership, OOH case notes were sent to client practices which then had to enter them onto their systems manually.
Vidivet says the intregration with Provet means less admin and time savings for practices and a quicker follow up for pet owners.
https://vidivet.com
https://www.provet.cloud
Written by 16 internationally renowned cat welfare experts and endorsed by the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology (ESVCE), the programme is the start of a journey to becoming an iCatCare Behavioural Health Practitioner and replaces the Advanced Feline Behaviour for Veterinary and Cat Professionals courses.
The modular course is designed to fit into a busy schedule and includes up-to-date cat welfare science (including areas of behaviour, cognition, emotions, human-animal interactions and genetics)
On completing each module, participants will earn certificates which build up to the Level 1 Cat Behavioural Health Practitioner, which comprises four learning modules and a final project module.
Planning is currently underway for Level 2, which will build on the skills acquired in Level 1 with a focus on people-centric skills, such as communication, professionalism and ethics, and will include practical case studies.
International Cat Care says the programme will also help those interested in becoming an ABTC Animal Behaviour Technician, because it covers some of the knowledge and understanding requirements.
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at iCatCare and course director said: "Across the world are cats that are misunderstood due to a lack of caregiver understanding of their behaviour.
"Sadly, this can lead to inappropriate husbandry and interactions, which can, in turn, lead to problem behaviours.
"Preventative advice and early recognition of problem behaviours are both key to improving cat welfare.
"This programme allows anyone who works with cats, either directly or in a remote advisory role, to gain the knowledge and understanding required to help promote cat behavioural health.’
https://go.icatcare.org/catbehealth
The sessions will take place in Gallery Suite 17 and are first come, first served.
Dechra will also be sponsoring two equine sessions at LVS:
www.dechra.co.uk/events
The original TATE elbow replacement was first in clinical use in the 2010s and the revised 3rd generation version is apparently a much-improved implant, something which the clinical evaluation trial should demonstrate.
Andy Moores, head of the joint replacement programme at The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic, said: “Canine elbow replacement can be a game-changer for dogs living with chronic elbow pain but up until this point the elbow replacement systems have not been as reliable as we would like.
"The third-generation TATE implant has been in use with a small number of US surgeons for several years now and the results so far have been very promising.
"We are delighted that Biomedtrix have invited us to join the evaluation trial for this implant and that the RCVS Ethics Review Panel have approved this.
"We look forward to offering this surgery as an option for some of our most painful canine patients.”
www.mooresortho.com
In previous years, candidates were only asked to provide manifestos, which often contained information that wasn't especially relevant to whether or not they should be elected to Council.
Now, they are asked to share their reasons for wanting to be elected, what they can bring to Council and what experience they have.
This year’s candidates are:
Bethan Pinhey RVNHannah Welsman RVNLauren Whittaker RVN
The full biographies and election statements for each candidate are available to read at: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/vnvote25
The two candidates who get the most votes will take up their three-year terms on RCVS Council at the College’s Annual General Meeting on Friday 4 July 2025.
Simon Wiklund, Assistant Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “We are glad to see such a large number of veterinary professionals putting themselves forward as candidates for this year’s elections.
"It is worth noting that any future governance changes, including RCVS and VN Councils becoming all-appointed bodies, are contingent on new legislation and, until that happens, we will continue to hold our annual elections.
“You may have also noticed some differences with this year’s elections, particularly in terms of the candidate statements.
"This is thanks to a change to our election scheme, which provides greater flexibility about how we run our elections, and the information that we can ask the candidates to submit.
“This means that, rather than asking candidates for a broad manifesto statement, we’ve asked them to answer key questions that are relevant to the role of a Council member, including what skills and experiences they can bring to the table.”
Ahead of the elections, RCVS will be running its ‘Quiz the candidates’ initiative in which veterinary surgeons can submit questions to the candidates standing in their respective elections, in order to better understand them and their views.
However, due to the additional information now included in each of their statements, this year candidates will only answer one question of their choice each.
Before submitting questions to the candidates, please note the RCVS will only accept one question per person. Offensive, defamatory and inaccurate questions will be rejected by the Returning Officer and not be passed on to candidates.
Veterinary nurses can submit a question to the VN Council candidates by emailing vnvote25@rcvs.org.uk.
The MonitorME project, launched this month, collects antimicrobial usage data from equine practices around the UK, to better understand how antibiotics are used within the sector.
The project is being led by BEVA President Bruce Bladon (pictured) and it will be the main theme at BEVA Congress (10-13 September 2025, ICC Birmingham).
Bruce said: “Growing resistance to antibiotics is a very serious public health crisis, which is why I have chosen it as the overriding theme for my presidential year and for the forthcoming BEVA Congress.
“The World Health Organisation has the usage of veterinary antimicrobials firmly in their sights and the possibility of legislation being implemented to limit our access to these vital drugs is becoming ever more likely.
“It is important that we demonstrate, as a sector, that our usage of antimicrobials is responsible and proportionate, to ensure continued access.
"Taking part in a project like this is, without a doubt, the right thing to do.”
Practices are being asked to submit usage data from their practice management systems (PMS) to the BEVA office, where it will contribute to nationwide reporting of antibiotic use in UK equine practice.
Ideally, they need to record the total mg of each antimicrobial used, together with the number of horses treated last year (in total, not just those treated with antibiotics) and their average weight if available.
The data is analysed and then collated into annual reports, which are published on the BEVA MonitorME webpage.
The 2023 report is now available and will be updated periodically as practices continue to submit their 2023 data.
2024 data collection has started, so equine practices can send their data to antibiotics@beva.org.uk whenever they’re ready.
https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Medicines/Antibiotics/MonitorME#aims
https://www.bevacongress.org
The VetDebt Recovery Compass tool provides a way for practices to understand how outstanding payments affect their cash flow and practice value, and what steps to take next.
Mike Brooks, Chairman at DSL UK (pictured), said: “The VetDebt Recovery Compass offers a quick and easy way to see the true financial impact of unpaid debt.
"By making this information free and accessible to everyone, we hope to empower veterinary teams to take control of their finances.
DSL says that the new tool, which is available at www.dsluk.net, allows practices to see both the immediate recovery potential and the long-term value impact of their debts in less than 30 seconds.
The calculator also provides a species-specific breakdown, helping to identify where debt issues may be most significant and where to target first.
Mike has also appeared on the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) Practice Matters Podcast, discussing how practices can better manage the topic of debt: https://fivp.org.uk/ep023-fivp-practice-matters-at-spvs-the-farm-vet-journey-practice-debt.
The clinic will be led by Oscar Bautista MRCVS (pictured), a European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
It will offer an individualised approach for patients with chronic pain (such as osteoarthritis, neck, back and facial pain) and those suffering nerve or muscular pathologies, cancer pain, neuropathic pain or pain associated with certain neurological conditions.
Treatments may include adjustments to medications, acupuncture, lifestyle modifications or referrals to other Specialists and therapists.
Oscar said: “Many cats and dogs will experience pain - especially as many animals are now living longer. And we are aware that some cases can be very challenging to diagnose and treat, when both the local vet and owner have attempted various different therapies and are getting desperate.
“These difficult cases need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the cause of pain is properly identified and the right treatment provided - as instigating early management can help to reduce and regulate pain.
“So we are very pleased to be able to open our new Pain Management Clinic. With our specialist facilities and equipment - along with our depth knowledge multidisciplinary approach - we hope that it will provide an essential service for cat and dog owners in the Northwest.”
https://www.mvsvets.co.uk
Virbac says this is the only wet product to provide separate species-specific dog and cat convalescence diets tailored to the unique nutritional needs of both species.
In an internal study conduct by Virbac, 86% of dogs with digestive issues improved within a week of using the diet1
The new diets are high in protein and low in carbohydrate and they can be used alone or in combination with the company's dry diets (suggested 50/50 split).
Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director – UK & Ireland at Virbac said: “We’re thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive feedback we've received on our new Veterinary HPM Digestive Support wet diets.
“Practices and pet owners alike are commenting on the extraordinary palatability of the diets and their effectiveness, particularly with convalescing and inappetent pets”.
The day is open to all RVNs, trainee veterinary nurses and animal care assistants, and there will be content for all experience levels.
This year, Langford Academy is launching a second stream tailored specifically for animal care assistants and an optional practical suturing session open to veterinary nurses (limited availability).
For veterinary nurses, topics include:
For animal care assistants, topics include
Chloe Ackerman (Head Theatre Nurse and Nurse Congress Organiser) said: “Since its launch in 2022, the Congress has continued to grow and thrive. Our goal has always been to highlight the exceptional skills of our nursing and ACA team at the Small Animal Referral Hospital while supporting our local referring practices and the wider veterinary nursing community through knowledge-sharing. This event is truly driven by our dedicated nurses and ACAs, whose passion and expertise in their fields are both inspiring and invaluable.”
Tickets cost £100 for nurses and £50 for care assistants.
https://www.langfordvets.co.uk/events/vet-nurse-congress-2025/
The VMD's ruling sets a chilling precedent for the curtailment of free speech by a Government body.
The ruling came to light after VetNurse.co.uk published an independent video news report relating to the launch of Bravecto Injectable, a new yearly flea treatment for dogs.
The film was neither paid for nor commissioned by the manufacturer, and nor did the maker exercise editorial control over its content.
The film was clearly labelled for and aimed at veterinary professionals, and its intent was not to promote the sale or supply of a prescription medicine, but rather to inform vets and nurses about the new product, albeit in an enthusiastic manner.
It was therefore not an advertisement, but journalism.
The Dictatorship nevertheless argued that it defines any social media content that mentions the brand name of a prescription veterinary medicine and which does not give a balanced overview of all the other treatment options for a given condition, as an advertisement.
This, it said, is regardless of whether content is created by the manufacturer or supplier of drug to promote sales of their product, or any member of the public or journalist who just wants to talk about or report on a prescription medicine publicly without any intent to promote sales.
The Dictatorship's position is that any such content can only appear in spaces dedicated to the appropriate audiences.
Notwithstanding the fact that all of VetSurgeon.org's social media channels are dedicated to the appropriate audiences, it leaves us in the almost laughable position where, according to the VMD, the BBC is allowed to report about powerful prescription medicines for humans in a way that inevitably promotes their supply, but VetSurgeon.org cannot report the launch of ... wait for it ... a flea treatment.
However the VMD then shared its incontinent interpretation of the law in a series of emails in which it was unable to provide a consistent definition of where it would allow content about prescription veterinary medicines to be published.
It first claimed (without any supporting evidence of any law to this effect), that:
"... it would need to be on a closed page which only followers could view would require active confirmation of the follower’s professional status before allowing access."
However, it swiftly backtracked, presumably realising that this definition would require Vet Times to remove most of its content from public view, including actual advertisements for veterinary prescription medicines published by the manufacturer.
When pressed, the VMD changed tack to a rather looser definition:
"Regulation 11(3) of the VMR does allow you to advertise POM-V products at vets and vet nurses, however to ensure this wouldn’t also be considered as advertising to the general public, it would need to be in a closed space, separate from the general public and directed at veterinary healthcare professionals. For example, on a website, or closed social media group."
However, it then presumably realised that Vet Times would still have to remove most of its content because it is not a closed space, and loosened its definition further still.
"Please note that, where an advertisement for POM-V or POM-VPS veterinary medicine appears in a space dedicated to the appropriate audiences this would not be a breach of Regulation 11(1)(a) due to Regulation 11(3) and Regulation 11(5)."
Clearly the Dictatorship was making it up as it went along.
Nevertheless, it threatened VetNurse.co.uk that it would contact TikTok and demand removal of the film.
So what does this matter?
Two reasons.
Firstly, it may just be a report about a flea treatment, but there is an important principle at stake here: it is simply not acceptable for the Government to censor free speech about medicines by journalists or members of the public.
This, you would think, is so blatantly obvious that it calls into question the overall competence of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Secondly, the ruling also demonstrates the VMD's backward-looking, Canute-like view of the world we now live in.
People talk and social media is awash with information about prescription veterinary medicines; just try typing 'Bravecto Injectable' into TikTok.
As we all know much of what you find online is false.
Fighting misinformation online is an un-winnable fight.
So perhaps instead, the VMD should promote the dissemination of accurate information in order to counter the misinformation.
Bear in mind, it is only the VMD's interpretation of the law which dictates that a manufacturer cannot publish information which mentions a brand name or give a balanced overview of all treatment options because it would promote the supply or prescription of a veterinary medicine.
It could equally well be argued that manufacturers publishing strictly factual information, ie devoid of hyperbole, would NOT be intended to promote the supply or prescription, but instead to counter false information and provide owners with information which time-poor vets are not always able to.
That would be a more pragmatic approach which would do far more good than trying to censor independent journalists and the public.
Reasonable adjustments can include changing working arrangements and providing equipment, services and support.
The campaign will address common myths and misconceptions surrounding reasonable adjustments and highlight the legal obligations of leaders and managers around implementation.
The campaign, which will run until the end of July, is being launched after an RCVS/British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BCVIS) survey concluded there is a need to increase awareness about reasonable adjustments, promote wider discussion and equip organisations with the information they need to implement them.
The research also indicated that improved knowledge of legislation is needed, with communication also being raised as an important issue, so that individuals feel empowered to ask for the support they need.
MMI Lead, Rapinder Newton, said: “Our ‘Let’s talk adjustments’ campaign will support people to have these important conversations by sharing information, educational resources and guidance on good practice.
"It will also provide examples of different types of adjustments, including examples that are specific to the veterinary context.
“We know that physical and mental health are deeply interconnected.
"Reasonable adjustments can support both physical and mental health but also helps to safeguard mental health through allowing individuals with disabilities to thrive.
“We will be keeping people updated on the campaign, which has its own dedicated section on the RCVS website, via the RCVS social media channels, as well as providing information in RCVS newsletters, so do keep an eye out for this over the coming months.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/lifelong-learning/leadership-diversity-and-inclusion/reasonable-adjustments-campaign/
Photo courtesy: https://depositphotos.com
Speakers include Dr. Cecilia Villaverde, Consultant at Expert Pet Nutrition and Dr. Aarti Kathrani, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, and there'll be sessions on managing adverse food reactions, incorporating probiotics into clinical practice and acute gastrointestinal disease.
Attendees will also be able to explore strategies to build strong personal and professional client relationships, including how to initiate effective nutrition conversations and resolve potential conflicts.
On the subject of mental well-being, there'll be expert tips and tricks to help veterinary nurses maintain emotional resilience and thrive in their demanding roles.
https://www.vet-center.eu/eu/pro-plan-vet-nurse-symposium
The project looked first at how effective CVS small animal first opinion practices were at conducting echocardiography.
It found that a barrier to wider uptake was a lack of up-to-date equipment, along with a lack of current knowledge and training - both in using ultrasound and echocardiography equipment and in interpreting images.
CVS says that as a result, many colleagues were routinely referring suspected cardiac disease cases.
The project leaders then reviewed and recommended practice equipment, so that clinicians had the tools to perform echocardiograms in practice.
This included buying echocardiography tables - so that practitioners could scan an animal’s chest from underneath, more advanced cardiac ultrasound machines and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines.
The company then produced a range of resources for vets and nurses, to help them to improve echocardiography scan rates and nurse cardiology clinics, including clinical guidelines, machine guides and client resources.
It then held a number of training sessions for its vets and nurses, focusing on the latest advancements in heart disease diagnosis and treatment for vets, and training nurses how to conduct nurse cardiology clinics, how to perform and interpret electrocardiography, how to take blood pressure readings and thoracic point of care ultrasound (POCUS).
Lynsay Morgan, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS who is responsible for the cardiac ultrasound clinical improvement project, said: “We want to empower our first opinion small animal vets to perform more echo evaluations and to work up their cardiology cases to a high standard.
"We also want our nurses to be involved in patients’ life-long care, and provide ongoing support to owners of pets with heart disease.
“We hope this project will improve case identification, increase skills and confidence, and see optimum diagnosis and management of cardiac disease.”
It will compare current prescription levels with two-year retrospective data to gain an understanding of prescribing behaviour.
It will also look at the proportion of prescriptions that are Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (HPCIAs).
Individual practice data will then be given to a dedicated AMS representative at each surgery who will be responsible for sharing it with their team - to gain an understanding of their prescribing for these conditions and to review actions which can be taken at practice level.
CPD on antimicrobial stewardship will be given to all practices to encourage responsible antimicrobial usage.
The research project will then capture ongoing data - from August 2024 until July 2025 - to show changes in antimicrobial prescribing.
The research is expected to provide an opportunity to build upon ongoing veterinary antimicrobial stewardship strategies.
This could include: using diagnostics to ensure accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans, informing a change in prescribing behaviour, selecting antimicrobials responsibly, educating pet owners on antimicrobial resistance and using evidence-based guidance.
The clinical research project is being run by Kezia Wareham, Doctor of Philosophy student at Bristol Veterinary School (supervised by Dr Fernando Sanchez-Vizcaino, Dr Emi Barker, Dr Nicola Rooney and Dr Irene Bueno Padilla) and Deb Komianos, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS.
Deb said: “Antimicrobial resistance is one of the top ten global health threats and the figures projected by the WHO for attributable deaths are truly startling.
"To address the development of drug-resistant pathogens requires a One Health approach.
"It is not enough to pay lip service to AMS, we need to be leading the change."
The researchers, from the Dick Vet Equine Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, and the University of Padova found that affected horses have major abnormalities in the structure of their neuromuscular junctions, microscopic sites of communication between nerves and muscles that are crucial for normal muscle function.
These abnormalities are believed to represent a toxin specific signature, effectively a ‘smoking gun’, for a neurotoxic enzyme termed a phospholipase A2.
Work is now underway to definitively identify the source of the toxin, in the hope that it will lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating disease.
The researchers think the toxin is likely to be produced by a microbe such as a bacterium or fungus growing on the horse’s pasture during the cold and dry weather which commonly precedes the disease.
Neurotoxic phospholipase A2 toxins are also present in the venom of many poisonous snakes, and there are many similarities between the signs of grass sickness and those of snake envenomation.
While there is no suggestion that venomous snakes cause grass sickness, it is hoped that some of the drugs that are currently being developed to treat and promote nerve regeneration in people paralysed by snake venoms can aid recovery of horses from grass sickness.
The researchers say that the neurotoxin most likely also causes the apparently identical diseases (termed animal dysautonomias) which affect cats, dogs, hares, rabbits, llamas, alpacas and sheep, and that their finding contradicts the previous leading hypothesis that grass sickness is a form of botulism.
This breakthrough is summarised in an editorial in the January 2025 issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ).
The editorial, by Bruce McGorum and colleagues, looks at the implications of their article 'Equine grass sickness is associated with major abnormalities in the ultrastructure of skeletal neuromuscular junctions2".
Bruce said: “Identifying a probable cause of Equine Grass Sickness represents a significant breakthrough.
"We hope that this discovery will lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating condition.
"We are very grateful for the generous support we have received from horse owners, veterinary surgeons, scientists, charities and funding bodies.”
Bruce's editorial is currently available on Early View, free for 12 weeks, and will also be published in the January 2025 print issue of the EVJ.
Reference
The company said Folly Vets stood out for their exemplary approach to customer service, demonstrating a deep care for both their clients and colleagues.
Nicky Hart, Practice Manager at Folly Vets, said: “Our reception team is the heartbeat of the practice.
"They create lasting relationships with clients, often creating a level of trust that means clients ask for them by name.
"And they consistently go above and beyond for everyone they support.
"This award is a well-deserved recognition of their unwavering dedication and exceptional service.”
Heidi Bodily said: “I’m incredibly grateful to receive this award.
"Being a receptionist means playing many roles – from supporting clients through difficult times and sharing their joy during happy moments, to ensuring the practice runs smoothly.
"Knowing that my contributions make a difference to others is the most rewarding part of the job and the Krka award is the icing on the cake.”
Runner-up awards went to Weeley Vets in Clacton-on-Sea, Hafren Veterinary Practice in Newtown, Wales, Rebecca Hadley from Poplar Vets in London and Abbie Deabill from North Park Veterinary in North Tawton.
The webinars are primarily aimed at veterinary surgeons, but there was a good turnout of nurses at the Cushing's session at the London Vet Show, so this series may also be of interest to RVNs.
The webinars will be presented by Professor Ian Ramsey, Ellen Behrend, Joezy Griffin, Professor Jill Maddison and Imogen Schofield.
They'll focus on the diagnosis, management and treatment of dogs with Cushing’s and will include information about Dechra’s predictor tool to help vets identify and progress suspected Cushingoid cases to a definitive diagnosis.
The webinars will also cover the importance of ongoing monitoring to optimise control of the syndrome and practical tips and tricks to help owners maximise compliance and optimise the quality of life of patients.
The full webinar schedule is as follows:
The figures came from an analysis of over 100,000 calls made to VidiVet by owners when their normal practice was closed, between 2021 and 2024.
So far in 2024 36% of VidiVet’s calls have been gastrointestinal cases, 25% skin cases, 14% musculoskeletal and 3.7% post-surgical issues.
The advice given to many of these cases was that an emergency visit to an out-of-hours (OOH) clinic wasn’t necessary, but to monitor at home then attend their own vet practice for any workup, diagnostic tests, medication etc.
The company is now encouraging practices to consider using it's triage service over Christmas, when practices and emergency clinics often experience an increase in OOH workload.
This, it says, is a win-win situation as it relieves pressure on OOH clinics, brings revenue back to veterinary practices and also saves clients money, stress and time.
Ben Sweeney, Veterinary Surgeon, CEO and Founder of VidiVet said: “When I launched VidiVet, vet practices were understandably concerned that digital vet services could drive work away from their clinics.
"We hope this new data shows the opposite, and how it can directly benefit practices in a way they might never have imagined.
"What VidiVet has actually done, as was our belief from the get-go, is to drive the bond with clients even closer as well as providing a revenue opportunity for the practice whilst prioritising pet health and welfare.
"This is because the added benefit of a service like ours alleviates part of the immense burden on clinical teams from front of house to the surgical teams, without them losing control.
Kate Higgins MRCVS, owner of Village Vets Crosby & Formby, said: “Over the last six months we’ve saved our clients collectively an estimated £75,000 in emergency vet fees by using VidiVet.
"They were able to be reassured out-of-hours whether their pet did or didn’t need emergency treatment.
"Those that did were able to be treated swiftly by an out-of-hours clinic, and those that did need treatment but not urgently, were able to come to us during our usual working hours, not incurring emergency fees.
"What is even better for us (and our clients) is that we have the case notes from their call with VidiVet ready and waiting for us when we’re open, so we’re up to speed with what the issue has been and what advice has already been given – which is a crucial time saver for both parties.”
www.vidivet.com
Photo: Emma Paine
98 veterinary surgeons from around the UK took part in the survey.
The survey did not ask respondents to define what they considered to be a mental health issue.
However, 29% 'very much agreed', and 39% 'somewhat agreed' that 'my mental health impacts my work as a veterinarian'.
83% said the main factor behind mental health problems in the profession is general burnout, 80% said work intensity, 74% the lack of work/life balance, 49% being undervalued by clients, 40% being undervalued by management, 37% a lack of mental health support in practice, 30% financial concerns, and 26% said a lack of HR or structured management in practice.
57% of vets said they know other vets with mental health issues.
64% said they believe there isn’t enough mental health support within the profession.
97% say work-related mental health issues have negatively impacted their job satisfaction.
78% said they would like to see more accessible content on mental health within the industry and 49% think the topic needs to be spoken about more.
64% of vets said they would welcome counselling, 64% support with burnout recovery and 61% wanted training on coping tactics at university.
Stephanie Armstrong, Senior Vice President at Zoetis and Independent Council Member for The Royal Veterinary College said: “Having worked in the industry for many years, I know what an incredible profession it is, but unfortunately, I am also acutely aware of the heavy mental health load many vets face.
"The Zoetis Foundation continues to support VetLife and other initiatives aimed at caring for vets - our ambition is to work together with policy makers, industry leads and educators to offer new solutions and ensure the future prognosis of the profession is a healthy one.”
The researchers say that although increased appetite has been reported as a side effect of many AEDs in veterinary literature, the effect had not been quantified or studied in detail.
To assess the phenomenon in greater detail, the research team analysed food motivation through a validated Dog Obesity Risk Assessment questionnaire created by University of Cambridge1.
The study compared 222 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy with a control population of 7,086 healthy dogs.
The survey was designed to determine if epilepsy and AEDs were associated with increased food motivation, weight gain and decreased activity, and to assess if and how caregivers managed weight gain in this population.
The data revealed that dogs with idiopathic epilepsy receiving AEDs had significantly higher food motivation in comparison to healthy dogs – they had increased interest in food, were less selective about food, were more interested in food between meals, and wanted more food than usually offered.
In response, carers of dogs on medication put greater effort into restricting how much their dogs ate, particularly of human food.
Despite this, these dogs had significantly greater fat mass.
More than half of owners of dogs with epilepsy always used treats to administer their dog’s ASD medication (53%) and did not compensate for it by reducing the dog’s main food ration (34%).
Given the epilepsy treatment often involves medication two or three times a day, this has the potential to increase calorie intake substantially, an issue compounded by epileptic dogs also being less active.
The researchers say it's important that vets and nurses advise owners to monitor their dog's weight and help them manage it.
Dr Anna Morros-Nuevo of the University of Cambridge, and primary author of this study, said: "Idiopathic epilepsy, and in particular seizure episodes, have such an overwhelming impact on these dogs' families that side effects such as weight gain often get overlooked, both by vets and the pet's families.
"But unfortunately, obesity has lifelong negative impact on health and quality of life, since it predisposes dogs to suffer from joint problems and respiratory diseases, as well as metabolic disorders and urinary incontinence.
"Obese dogs have also been shown to have a shorter lifespan than dogs with a normal weight.
"While ASD are non-negotiable for many of these dogs, their caregivers and veterinarians should be aware of the lifelong impact of their side effects and manage them carefully.
"We hope these findings will help to increase awareness for both veterinary professionals and dog carers of the side effects of ASD and their impact for the patient."
One of the consequences of veterinary price inflation has been a backlash from owners against vets, vet nurses and receptionists, so the first film kicks off by explaining why large vet bills are not the fault of the vet standing in front of them when their dog gets ill.
Currently, a further eight films are now in production, each looking at a different reason why the costs of veterinary care have increased and suggesting ways that owners can mitigate the impact. They are:
VetNurse.co.uk Publishing Editor, Arlo Guthrie, who presents the films, said: "Above all, the aim here is to foster a better understanding between veterinary professionals and owners.
"I do hope the vets, nurses and support staff who have been bearing the brunt will feel my films are helpful.
"If you do feel they make useful points, then you need to share and 'like' the hell out of them on all the different social media platforms, in order that they reach the largest number of people.
"And if you have feedback about the content, or ideas for other topics we should cover, then come and post here:https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/f/nonclinical-discussions/32548/why-have-vet-bills-gone-up-so-much/178960#178960
The film is available for sharing here:
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@vetsurgeon.vetnurse/video/7426457335880617248
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lg_EeamSbSI
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/reel/927062139289036
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vetnurse-co-uk_veterinarysurgeon-veterinarynurse-activity-7252421040318869505-ctAG/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBOFKCLN0lo/
Vita Referrals has been set up by Rob Quinn, an RCVS and EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, and Nick Blackburn and Stuart Cooke, both RCVS Advanced Practitioners in Small Animal Surgery.
They say that their aim is to ensure every pet owner has access to reasonably priced surgical care.
To that end, the clinic lists fixed costs for all of its major surgical specialities on its website, where it says clients should notice a significant reduction compared to other providers.
It also offers a 12-month post-surgical complications warranty.
Rob said: “Many pet-owners are unaware that there are three major companies which own the vast majority of veterinary practices in the UK.
"That is not necessarily of benefit to those using the services, as prices can rise when competition is low.
"Myself, Nick and Stuart felt very strongly that there was a different way to do things.
“No one becomes a vet to see animals suffer or pet-owners struggle to make tough financial decisions.
"We knew it was possible to offer a top quality service, with the best facilities and equipment available, whilst also keeping prices at a realistic level – and that is where the vision for Vita Referrals came from.
"We also wanted the freedom to offer collaborative decision-making, the removal of complex forms and bureaucracy and what we believe is an industry-leading 12-month complications guarantee on routine surgeries.
"It’s time there was more disruption and competition in the sector – and that will, ultimately, only be a good thing for pets, owners and vets.”
www.vitareferrals.co.uk