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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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Miss Herdman faced three charges.
The first was that she indicated to a friend that she would supply diazepam and/or tramadol for use by their husband.
The second was that she supplied diazepam and/or tramadol and/or gabapentin.
The third was that she gave advice on the dosages of diazepam and/or tramadol and/or gabapentin.
Miss Herdman was not present at the hearing and was unrepresented, but the Committee determined that it was appropriate to proceed in her absence as she had been notified, was aware that the hearing was taking place and her absence was voluntary.
However, Miss Herdman had been in contact to indicate her pleas to the charges.
She admitted the intention to supply diazepam and/or tramadol and that she had provided advice on the dosages.
She also admitted that she had supplied diazepam but strongly denied that she had supplied tramadol and/or gabapentin.
Taking all the evidence into account (including messages sent by Miss Herdman and her admissions), the Committee found proven the charges in relation to the intent to supply and the advice on dosages.
The Committee also found proven the charge in relation to the supply of diazepam, but found not proved the charge relating to the supply of tramadol and gabapentin for several reasons, including the fact that the messages sent by Miss Herdman did not point unequivocally to her actually suppling each of the drugs to which she referred.
There was no suggestion that the diazepam was stolen from her place of work.
The Committee found that Miss Herdman’s actions had breached paragraphs 1.5 and 6.5 of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.
The committee judged that there were a number of aggravating features of Miss Herdman’s conduct, including that she was not qualified or authorised to prescribe medication to animals, let alone to human beings and that providing a controlled drug to a person who was already taking various painkilling medications was reckless.
The Committee also felt that a reasonable and informed member of the public would be very concerned to learn that a veterinary nurse had supplied a controlled drug to a friend for their personal use.
Regarding the sanction for Miss Herdman, Paul Morris, chairing the Veterinary Nursing Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Drawing all the material together, and considering the matter as a whole, the Committee had to impose a proportionate sanction for an isolated incident of serious professional misconduct which arose out of a misguided attempt to help a friend.
"The conduct in question was entirely out of keeping with Miss Herdman’s usual practice and there is no real risk that it will be repeated.
"However, this case was much too serious to take no further action and no useful purpose would be served by postponing a sanction.
“The Committee considered that a warning or reprimand would not be sufficient to satisfy the public interest as veterinary nurses are trusted by the public to deal with medication responsibly and failure to do constitutes a severe breach of trust.
“The Committee therefore considered a period of suspension sufficient to meet the public interest in maintaining the reputation of the profession and declaring and upholding proper standards of conduct for members of the profession.
“The Committee also considered whether a removal order would be appropriate but concluded it would be disproportionate and that such a step would remove from the profession an experienced, competent and valuable veterinary nurse for no discernible benefit.
“It was decided that Miss Herdman’s registration be suspended for a period of three months – a period which is sufficient to mark the gravity of the misconduct while taking into account the circumstances in which it arose.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings/
The day will be led by Sonya Miles, BVSc CertAVP (ZM), CertAqV, MRCVS, RCVS Recognised Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine and WAVMA Certified Aquatic Species Veterinarian.
Lectures will look at techniques, protocols, potential drug options and combinations as well as blood sampling and hospitalisation techniques in a wide variety of exotic species.
Delegates will also be provided with lecture notes, a CPD certificate, refreshments and lunch, as well as goodie bags provided by sponsors Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services Limited.
Sonya says the aim of the day is to dispel many myths associated with anaesthetising a wide variety of exotic species, including fish and amphibians, whilst simultaneously providing vets and nurses with the skills to undertake these often challenging and comparatively high-risk anaesthetics.
To book your place or for more information, email: info@justexotics.co.uk or book online at https://justexoticsevents.co.uk/dont-miss-out-on-our-latest-event
Phovia, which was launched in the UK last year, is a two-part FLE system consisting of a chromophore gel that is applied to the affected skin and a blue light LED lamp.
Vetoquinol says that when used together they produce light of varying wavelengths that penetrates the skin to different depths, helping to control bacteria and reduce inflammation on the surface of the skin and stimulating regeneration in the epidermal and dermal layers.
The unit is portable, and applications take four minutes once a week.
The authors of the Vetoquinol-funded study say that FLE has already been shown to support and accelerate natural skin healing, but this latest research shows that the benefits go beyond improvement in clinical signs.
The study looked at 35 dogs with a diverse range of skin conditions: 13 had interdigital furunculosis, 10 had deep pyoderma, 6 had wounds, 4 had pyotraumatic dermatitis, and 2 had perianal fistula on presentation.
Eight of 35 dogs were new cases, whereas the remaining 27 were undergoing recrudescence of a prior episode, including pyotraumatic dermatitis, wounds, deep pyoderma, interdigital furunculosis and perianal fistulae.
Thirty dogs (86%) achieved a clinical resolution: 18 with the Fluorescent Light Energy alone and 12 with the concomitant use of FLE and topical antiseptic shampoo.
Five dogs (14%) had a partial response and needed other therapies.
92% percent of owners attested to their pet’s enhanced quality of life, with 74% of dogs displaying at least a 50% improvement in owner-reported behaviour, mood, sleep and playing activities.
The study also reported a 46% reduction in caregiver burden.
Felicity Caddick, Technical Services Manager at Vetoquinol said: “Managing skin conditions often requires the long-term use of shampoos or topical therapies.
"Many owners find this aspect of pet ownership challenging, especially with larger dogs, or less cooperative animals.
"FLE can reduce or in some cases eliminate the need for topical therapies at home, not only simplifying the treatment process but also enhancing convenience and compliance.
"Sharing responsibility for administering ongoing treatment with their vet practice also removes some of the worry associated with their pet’s health.”
Vetoquinol also highlights that Phovia can offer vets a drug-free management option for skin disorders that aligns with the principles of antibiotic stewardship.
Reference
The webinar will allow veterinary teams to learn from three expert speakers how they can make small practical changes to have positive impacts in their own settings.
Helen Ballantyne, Chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group (UKOHCG) and both a human and animal health nurse, will provide a ‘human’ view of One Health and the strategies in the NHS.
She will highlight areas of excellent practice she has experienced, and from a One Health angle where the veterinary profession could learn from the NHS, and vice versa.
Fergus Allerton MRCVS, an Internal Medicine Specialist and lead on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at Linnaeus will talk about, amongst other things, the optimal use of antimicrobials for infection control.
In collaboration with the NHS, he launched Veterinary Antibiotic Amnesty activity which saw a 19% reduction of antimicrobial use across the Linnaeus veterinary group.
Fergus will also talk about the PROTECT ME guidelines on the responsible use of antibacterials, such as for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis.
Simon Doherty, past-president of the British Veterinary Association and one of two BVA representatives at the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, will focus on the history of One Health and One Agriculture; highlighting how improved communication and collaboration at the intersection of people, animals and the environment can drive productivity and sustainability in food production.
Simon will also share some of Vet Sustain’s farm animal resources and how the principles can be applied.
To register, visit: https://horiba.link/one-health-webinar
The 'Lifelong Ear Partnership' resources, which were developed in conjunction with a panel of vets, are designed to help practice teams improve their owner communication and achieve owner buy-in about otitis.
To that end, Dechra has developed various owner communication tools for use in practice or to refer owners to after the consultation.
They include an owner website: www.ear-inflammation.co.uk and a postcard with QR code links to educational videos which cover clinical recommendations, treatment options and the importance of revisits.
There is also a brochure for owners and an online 4D ear model: www.4d-earmodel.com, which demonstrates a healthy ear and an ear with mild, moderate or severe otitis.
Finally, Dechra has also launched an ear cytology webinar series on Dechra Academy: www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
The course consists of tips for everything from greeting the patient to performing and interpreting cytology slides.
www.dechra.co.uk/otitis-externa.
New statistics from the Voice of the Veterinary Profession Spring 2022 survey showed that while veterinary work is often seen as a vocation, 77% of vets list pay among their top five priorities when choosing a job.
Other deciding factors include geographical location (74%), area of practice (62%), low staff turnover (45%) and structured career progression (28%).
However only 42% of vets who responded to the survey considered their pay and benefits to be either ‘good’, ‘very good’, or ‘excellent’.
BVA President Malcolm Morley, said: “Fair, transparent and equal pay is one of the keystones of good veterinary workplaces.
"Whether you’re an employee, a manager or an employer, it’s vital that everyone feels confident that their workplace approaches pay in a clear and consistent way.
"This isn’t about paying everyone more; it’s about using objective criteria and transparent pay scales to ensure the whole team understands how decisions about reward and recognition are made and what they can do to access higher pay.”
The new resource, created for BVA members as part of its Good Veterinary Workplaces campaign, includes information for veterinary employers on the benefits a clear pay structure can bring for the whole team.
It demonstrates the positive impact transparency around reward and recognition can have on employee fulfilment and retention, and outlines the legal requirements of employers to ensure that pay is equitable.
It also offers tips for employees and managers for approaching conversations about pay and emphasises the importance of considering ‘total reward’ during these conversations.
Total reward is the entire sum of a job’s offering including, but not limited to, salary, commission structure, benefits package, CPD, work/life balance, promotion opportunities, travel expenses, accommodation, and so on.
Malcolm added: “We know that pay can be a fraught, and even somewhat taboo, subject but it is one that we all have a responsibility to tackle if we want to ensure that veterinary professionals are fairly rewarded for their work.
"We hope that this new guide will support all our members and equip them with the knowledge required to ensure they can confidently navigate conversations about pay.”
https://www.bva.co.uk/talking-pay
The Linnaeus OAPC initiative was launched in 2021 and originally allocated £30K for 2022.
However, that figure was doubled after the company received a growing number of high quality submissions.
33 papers were accepted for funding in 2022, of which 24 have so far been published and the remainder are undergoing peer review.
The authors comprise clinicians, specialists, residents and interns across nine referral and primary care sites within the group.
The OAPC was introduced by Professor Luisa De Risio, Clinical Research & Excellence Director at Linnaeus (pictured right).
She said: “By making clinical research open access, we can ensure it makes the widest possible impact – while also supporting the author’s profile and career development.
"We are continuing to offer OAPC funding to our associates in 2023 and look forward to seeing the fantastic research published as a result.”
To ask Shelly a question, first read her article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/pain-management-for-veterinary-nurses
Then join the VetNurse Clinical Article Club here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/vetnurse-clinical-article-club
Then post your question or discuss the article in this thread: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/vetnurse-clinical-article-club/f/clinical-article-club-discussions/32396/pain-management-for-veterinary-nurses
£50 for the post which provokes the most discussion by the end of the week!
Remember, all time spent reading or participating in Clinical Article Club discussions can be claimed towards your annual CPD requirement: Press 'Claim CPD' at the top of the discussion thread.
32% said they find dog care to be too restrictive
29% said it would be too difficult to go on holiday
24% said they don’t want to walk the dog every day and 25% that having a dog is too expensive.
41% of those who said they regret getting a dog bought it during lockdown.
Zoetis has announced a supply problem with Equip Artervac, its vaccine against equine viral arteritis
The current inventory of Equip Artervac has an expiry date of March 29, 2023 and the company is not expecting a new batch to be available until the end of September 2023.
Zoetis says it has been working with relevant organisations to implement a plan to mitigate the impact on breeders.
The Thoroughbred Breeders Association has published advice for a blood sampling scheme at: https://www.rossdales.com/news-events/tba-members-equine-vaccine-advice-regarding-disruption-to-supply-of-equip-artervac, but Zoetis highlights that the advice requires action two weeks after the most recent EVA vaccination.
For more information contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0345 300 8034
The Association says it has produced the leaflet after seeing an increasing number of dogs diagnosed with clinical or subclinical infection, along with reports of its zoonotic impact.
The document outlines the most important considerations concerning B. canis including transmission, diagnosis, management, public health implications and legislative requirements.
It takes into consideration information available from relevant Government Departments.
BSAVA says the document is by no means exhaustive but is intended to provide useful information and signpost to further resources.
www.bsavalibrary.com/brucella_canis
Photo: Walker16/Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Membra is a transparent, water-resistant, non-toxic, biodegradable bandage replacement consisting of a hydrogel polymer which can be applied to open wounds.
It is initially applied as a liquid and quickly gels into a thin, flexible layer over the site.
The initial liquid phase of Membra allows it to cover open and irregular spaces as well as suture lines and it dries in minutes to form a barrier that covers and protects the incision site or wound.
Being transparent, Membra allows the wound to be seen by the veterinary team and pet owners.
Membra lasts for up to 14 days and naturally biodegrades over time.
Animus says that Membra lowers the risk of infection or dehiscence.
The company also says that hydrogel polymer has been shown to replace the need for adhesive bandaging on suture lines following major TPLO surgery.
A study concluded that the polymer did not appear to raise the prevalence of incisional complications after TPLO surgery and lasts for 14 days, rather than 24-48 hours with traditional bandaging1.
Nick Butcher MRCVS, owner of Animus Surgical in the UK, said: “Regular bandaging of open wounds can be costly, time-consuming and stressful for owners and their pets, requiring frequent visits to the practice.
"The bandaging of some open wounds can be impossible because of the location of the lesion or the affected species (e.g. exotic or aquatic animals) and more aggressive or nervous patients may require sedation.
"Used bandages also add to the volume of clinical waste generated by the practice which requires incineration
“We are therefore delighted to launch Membra to veterinary teams in the UK.
"It has been very successful in the U.S. and we already have a number of UK vets using the product as Membra can positively affect the outcome of open wound management across a range of species, without the need for regular bandage changes.”
To find out how to apply Membra, a range of YouTube videos are available showing a selection of case examples: https://youtube.com/@sutureseal5917.
www.animussurgical.com.
The definition agreed by VN Council is as follows:
Veterinary nursing aims to ease the suffering and pain of animals, and to improve their health and welfare.
This includes providing any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry into a body cavity) to animals under the direction of a veterinary surgeon who has that animal under their care.
Veterinary nursing can be either proactive or reactive, and autonomous or collaborative. It is carried out in a wide variety of settings, for animals at all life stages, and considers the background and needs of the animal’s owner or keeper.
Matthew Rendle RVN, the Chair of VN Council, said: “Although it is just a few short lines, this definition of veterinary nursing has been in the pipeline for some time.
"While we as veterinary nurses have always been able to define ourselves by the type of tasks we carry out, or our relation to veterinary surgeons in terms of delegation, there hasn’t necessarily been a clear statement articulating the art and science of veterinary nursing.
“With the RCVS looking to expand its regulatory remit to include other veterinary paraprofessionals over the long term, we thought it was particularly important that we set out the stall for veterinary nursing and we hope that this clear statement will, in particular, aid the public in understanding the role of a veterinary nurse.
“It should be noted that this definition is VN Council’s own considered interpretation of the art and science of veterinary nursing.
"Other interpretations from other organisations, provided they conform with both Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, could sit comfortably alongside ours, and we hope there continues to be healthy discussion about the contribution of the profession to the veterinary team, as our role evolves.”
What do you think of the definition and do you think it will help change the public and the profession's perceptions. Have your say here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/f/nonclinical-discussions/32399/what-do-you-think-of-the-new-rcvs-vn-council-definition-of-the-role-of-vet-nurses
The survey was conducted following the recent RCVS Council decision to redefine ‘Under Care’ to allow vets to prescribe remotely.
692 veterinary surgeons took part in the survey, 88.7% of which worked in practice, 8.7% worked elsewhere and 2.6% are retired.
42.4% worked in corporate practice, 42.4% at an independent practice (spooky), 9.6% locum and 2.6% at a charity.
94% worked in first opinion practice, 5.7% in referral practice.
When asked: “Do you agree with the RCVS Council decision to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe medication without having seen / examined the animal in person?”, 78.2% said no, 13.6% said yes and 8.2% said ‘ambivalent’.
This raises an interesting discussion about the role of RCVS Council, which the College has long said is ‘representative of’, but not there 'to represent’ the profession in self-regulating.
By any measure, this decision was not ‘representative of’ the wider body of opinion.
It could be argued that electorates vote for representatives to make more informed decisions than they themselves are able, and certainly MPs have voted in ways that are not representative of the wider body of public opinion.
But this is the veterinary profession. MPs have to represent a wide cross-section of society, some groups of which might struggle to field one working brain cell between them.
By contrast, veterinary surgeons are a highly intelligent, highly educated subset of the population, who you might assume are better qualified to make decisions on matters such as these.
So why this level of disagreement? We asked respondents to select any benefits and drawbacks they think remote prescribing will bring, from a list but with the option for them to write in any we hadn’t thought of.
When asked to select benefits of remote prescribing, the majority (70.9%) selected: “Reduced cost to the pet owner (driving/parking etc)’.
39.3% said it would bring an improvement to vets’ quality of life through more flexible working.
27.5% said animal welfare would be improved through increased access to veterinary services.
14.3% said it would bring an ‘Improved client/vet relationship’.
Of those people who selected a benefit, 49.9% said the biggest benefit of remote prescribing is a reduced cost to the pet owner (driving / parking etc).
Other benefits highlighted in the comments section were
Notably, in the comments section for the benefits of remote prescribing, out of the 104 comments, 33 actually commented 'no benefit' or negatively.
When asked to select the drawbacks of remote prescribing, 94.3% selected: ‘Harm to animals caused by misdiagnoses and missed diagnoses.
68% said: Worsened client / vet relationship
60.6% said: Threat to independent practice (corporates funnelling clients from online consults to their practices).
Other drawbacks identified by respondents were:
Amongst the written drawbacks, the biggest themes concerned abuse of drugs and antimicrobial resistance.
When those who had selected a drawback were then asked which was the biggest, 83.3% said ‘Harm to animals caused by misdiagnoses and missed diagnoses”
So in simple terms, in weighing up the pros and cons, it’s between the reduced cost to the owner on the one hand, cited by 70.9%, and harm to animal welfare on the other, cited by 94%. And the harm to animal welfare was selected by significantly more vets as the biggest concern, than reduced cost was selected as the biggest benefit.
In other words, vets think remote prescribing will make veterinary care cheaper, but at the overall cost to animal welfare.
British Veterinary Association President Malcolm Morley said: “New technology presents many opportunities to enhance existing veterinary services, with potential benefits for vets, clients and patients.
"However, we recognise there are concerns within the profession, particularly around the potential unintended consequences of the RCVS’s revised guidance on ‘under care’ in relation to animal welfare and access to veterinary services.
"This survey echoes these concerns as well as supporting the British Veterinary Association’s call for the RCVS to commit to a post-implementation review.”
Omniflora paste is designed to provide fast acting support in acute digestive upset or strategically ahead of perceived stressful events such as travel or veterinary appointments.
It contains probiotics, prebiotics, adsorbents, parabiotics, postbiotics, electrolytes and nutrients.
Omniflora tablets are available for animals who resist an oral syringe.
The tablets contain probiotics, prebiotics and adsorbent clay and fibre.
Veterinary nurse and sales manager, Tara Evans, said: “Digestive upset in cats and dogs is common.
"We wanted to provide vets and pet owners with an easy-to-use solution that can be used in practice or at home.
"One tube of paste lasts for three consecutive days to support cats and dogs as they recover from gastrointestinal upset.”
"As well as supporting the gut in acute episodes of digestive upset such as diarrhoea, Omniflora can be used ahead of time in stressful events such as travelling, visiting the groomers, or any planned veterinary procedures such as surgeries or blood tests.”
Omniflora can be ordered here https://www.vitaanimalhealth.com/product/omniflora
Richard completed his specialist training at the Royal Veterinary College and remained there for a further year as a clinician before spending seven years gaining referral experience at a multi-disciplinary referral hospital in Surrey.
From the Sevenoaks hospital he provides ophthalmology services including cataract surgery, corneal ulcer management, treatment of feline corneal sequestra, tear film disorders such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and emergency ophthalmic cases.
South East Veterinary Referrals has installed a Zeiss operating microscope to support procedures including cataract removal, corneal ulcer repair and corneal transpositions.
Richard said: "Eye problems in dogs and cats can progress rapidly.
"Cataracts linked to diabetes, deep corneal ulcers, or trauma can threaten sight within days.
"Until now, many complex cases in Kent had to be referred many miles away.
"SEVR provides a seamless pathway for assessment and surgery, whilst ensuring pets return to their first referral vet for follow-up care when appropriate."
www.southeastvetreferrals.com
WellVet was founded in 2019 and was established and run as a not-for-profit by vets Liz Barton, Ru Tipney, Nat Scroggie and Katie Ford.
It provided in-person and online events to help people build their own wellbeing toolkit.
It also developed and hosted free expert-led resources on perimenopause.
Vet Empowered is a coaching and wellbeing platform run by Claire Grigson and WellVet team member Katie Ford, and it will host the WellVet resources on its website.
Liz said: "WellVet was developed at a time when the conversation around wellbeing was growing, but many resources were not reaching colleagues who could benefit.
"Our aim was to connect people with solutions to live happier and healthier in mind, body and soul.
"We have been honoured to host outstanding expert speakers and to receive many moving testimonials demonstrating real positive impact.
"However, securing funding for WellVet’s activities has become increasingly challenging in the current climate.
"Bringing WellVet’s resources into another established wellbeing platform is the best way to ensure these materials remain freely available and continue to benefit the veterinary community.”
https://www.vetempowered.com/wellvet
The scheme gives practices access to a dedicated website hosting short training films showing what to cover in a ten-minute consult for a range of common behaviour problems, alongside owner-facing leaflets and posters.
There's also a handy staff room poster with QR codes linking to the training films so team members can watch them on a coffee break, if they feel so inclined.
Behavet says that limited consultation time, patient insecurity, uncertainty over what advice to offer, and concerns about whether guidance is up to date or worthwhile all influence the level of behaviour support delivered in first-opinion practice.
The company argues this can create a vicious circle in which owners disengage, problems escalate, and specialist help is only sought once issues have become entrenched.
Behavet Impact aims to break that cycle by supporting earlier, more effective intervention.
To date, materials have already been delivered to more than 400 UK veterinary practices within the project’s first three months.
To join the initiative, contact Behavet: https://www.beha.vet
CrCLD has previously been suggested to be associated with gonad status, but there has been no clear consensus on how “early” gonadectomy should be defined in male or female dogs.
The study carried out a secondary analysis of data from more than 20,000 dogs spanning 36 years to explore the association between cumulative gonadal hormone exposure and risk of CrCLD.
Rather than categorising dogs using arbitrary age cut-offs, the researchers treated gonadal hormone exposure as a continuous variable.
In the dataset analysed, the prevalence of CrCLD was 2.49% in females and 1.89% in male dogs.
The risk of CrCLD was highest in dogs with the least gonadal hormone exposure — before 1054 days (approximately 2.9 years) in females and 805 days (approximately 2.2 years) in males.
The minimum risk was observed at around 2.9 years for females and 2.2 years for males.
The authors say that these findings suggest gonadectomy is very likely to be associated with an increased risk of CrCLD, and that previously suggested arbitrary cut-offs of two years of age may not be scientifically grounded.
Overall, the paper concluded that removal of gonadal hormones should be performed after musculoskeletal maturity, if at all.
Lead author Dr Daniel Low said there is an increasing body of evidence linking the development of CrCLD with neutering in both male and female dogs, and that the timing of neutering matters.
He added that the health benefits of neutering in reducing the risk of other diseases should not be overlooked, and that every decision to neuter should be made on a case-by-case basis by the attending veterinary surgeon in consultation with the animal owner.
The group said the funding has enabled all of its practices to access equipment including capnography and multiparameter monitors, alongside a structured training programme and a “low-flow anaesthesia” care framework.
So far, IVC practices have taken delivery of over 500 pieces of equipment and IVC says thousands of clinicians have downloaded the digital training and resources.
The project is designed to overcome three main barriers to adoption that IVC has identified: awareness, equipment availability and clinical confidence, with a focus on empowering Registered Veterinary Nurses and supporting change management at a practice level.
IVC says emissions from anaesthetic procedures can account for around 30% of the carbon emissions of a typical veterinary practice, and that low-flow anaesthesia reduces the environmental impact while maintaining or improving patient safety1.
In particular, IVC points to three main areas in the literature where there can be patient benefits from using low-flow: smoother inductions and frequently reduced recoveries; reduced risk of hypothermia; and warmed and humidified gases can further reduce hypothermia risk and, due to airway benefits, reduce the likelihood of other complications2.
Richard Hooker, Country Medical Director said: “By investing in state-of-the-art equipment, comprehensive training, and ongoing support, we are empowering our teams to deliver sustainable anaesthesia with confidence and safety. This commitment ensures we continue to provide the highest standard of care for our patients.”
Is low flow worth it? Discuss here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/b/veterinary-nursing-news/posts/ivc-evidensia-invests-500-000-to-support-adoption-of-more-sustainable-low-flow-anaesthesia
References
The app allows first-opinion vets to submit advice requests directly, including attachments such as radiographs, videos, images, clinical notes and laboratory results.
Responses from Movement Referrals’ clinicians are documented within a chat-style interface, allowing practices to monitor the status of their requests and retain a clear record of the advice they've been given.
Movement says the platform was developed to address the difficulties of managing advice requests via email, where tracking conversations and recording responses can become challenging alongside routine practice correspondence.
The app also generates an AI summary of uploaded clinical notes and includes a “refer this case” function to facilitate formal referral where appropriate.
John Innes, co-director of Movement Referrals and developer of the app, said: "This app is quick to install on a desktop or laptop and we have tested it with a small number of practices so far - feedback has been very positive."
To register, referring practices are advised to use a shared practice email address that all clinicians have access to, and email info@movementvets.co.uk with the message: “Please register our practice for the Movement Vets app”.
https://movementvets.co.uk
The move, branded as Pharmacy2U Pet Health, means clients can manage human and animal medicines through one website and app account, with pet prescriptions dispensed and delivered via the same Royal Mail 48-hour service used for its 1.8 million patients in England.
The development comes as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) prepares to publish its final decision following an investigation into prescription pricing and competition in the veterinary sector.
The regulator has already raised concerns around transparency and consumer awareness of prescription options.
Pharmacy2U, which was launched in 1999, acquired Lloyds Direct in 2023 and The PharmPet Co in 2024, says its veterinary business has grown by 100% in the last year.
By incorporating veterinary dispensing into its main platform, it is now positioning itself as a single access point for family healthcare, including companion animals and other species.
Neil Younger, Veterinary Services Director, Pharmacy2U (and the original founder of The PharmPet Co) said: “Pet owners are often unaware that in some cases they get their pet’s medication up to 50% cheaper, by simply going online."
The move places veterinary dispensing within a national distance-selling infrastructure, increasing its visibility alongside NHS prescription services.
https://www.pharmacy2u.co.uk
The six bite-sized modules are designed to give whole practice teams GDPR training that reflects day-to-day veterinary workflows, and to provide a simple way for practices to evidence staff training for compliance purposes.
Training-Progress said the aim is to move GDPR training beyond generic, “box-ticking” content by focusing on real scenarios and data-handling habits inside practices.
The programme is split into two learning streams.
A “Team Stream” is aimed at all roles across the practice, covering core GDPR principles and typical data processes in a veterinary setting.
A “Leadership Stream” is described as a deeper dive for practice leaders, focusing on policies, processes and data management.
Laura Shaw, Training-Progress, said the company is frequently asked for GDPR training written specifically for vets, adding: “Generic courses simply aren’t relevant enough to change behaviour.
"Our modules address the real issues that occur in practices every day—issues that cause stress, risk client trust, and can lead to significant consequences with the ICO.”
Nicola Major, practice manager at VetDentist in Harrogate, which trialled the training, said: “The course breaks down everything you need to know about GDPR in a clear, practical way, making a complex subject easy to understand and apply.”
https://www.training-progress.com/gdpr
The session, From Early Care to Lifelong Health: Diarrhoea Management in Puppies and Kittens, will explore evidence suggesting early-life acute intestinal disorders can have lasting effects on gut integrity, immune function and the risk of chronic disease.
Purina says the discussion will focus on practical approaches that teams can apply in practice, including when antibiotic therapy is appropriate in young patients and how to minimise antibiotic-associated dysbiosis.
Topics include mechanisms by which enteritis — including giardiasis and parvoviral enteritis — may compromise gut integrity and increase chronic disease risk, along with best-practice protocols for managing acute diarrhoea to mitigate dysbiosis, preserve gut barrier function and potentially reduce future gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders.
The round table will be chaired by Jan S. Suchodolski MedVet, DrVetMed, PhD, AGAF, DACVM, with contributions from Ana Rostaher Prof, Dr med vet, Dipl ECVD, RCVS; Camille Torres-Henderson DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), DACVIM (Nutrition); Stefan Unterer Prof, Dr med vet, Dr habil, Dipl ECVIM-CA; and Michelle van Lienden DVM.
Natalia Wagemans, Head of the Purina Institute, said the aim is to provide “practical, evidence-based insights” that veterinary professionals can apply “immediately to improve long-term outcomes for pets”.
The event is free to attend, will be recorded and made available on demand for registered participants, and will offer live audio and subtitles in more than 50 languages.
https://events.purinainstitute.com/login/purinainstitute/MicrobiomeForumRoundTable2026
For small animal work, the survey shows consultation fees up 4.5% and neutering fees up 8%.
Vaccine fees increased by 9–16%, which SPVS suggests may reflect wider use of Lepto 4 vaccines replacing Lepto 2.
Prescription fees rose 3% to £19.25 (excluding VAT), which SPVS notes remains well above the CMA’s proposed capped rate of £13.33.
The largest shifts in small animal charging were in some surgery and diagnostics. SPVS highlights examples including pyometra treatment, x-rays and ultrasound, which it reports have increased by around 20%.
The picture was different in large animal practice, where SPVS says all visit charges decreased.
Large animal prescription fees, however, rose to £24.48, an increase of nearly 20% on last year.
In equine work, consultation charges increased by 10% and many visit charges fell, according to the survey. The biggest single increase SPVS flagged was blood sampling and interpretation of results, up 42%.
Commenting on the findings, SPVS said there were “no real surprises” this year, with mostly moderate increases and a smaller number of larger uplifts.
SPVS also took the opportunity to emphasise how it believes potential CMA remedies on medicines pricing could affect practice economics, because many veterinary businesses rely on cross-subsidy.
That, it said, could cause a “waterbed effect” where other fees have to rise to maintain viability.
SPVS said it has been meeting with the CMA to slow any changes so that fee increases can be introduced gradually and to minimise potential risks to animal welfare, and plans to run in-person roadshows after the final remedies are published.
https://spvs.org.uk/cma-spvs-response