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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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The guidelines are designed to support veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and wildlife rehabilitators, in order to promote and achieve the best possible care and welfare for indigenous British wild animals in accordance with UK law.
The Society says that guidelines are needed because:
Mark Stidworthy, BVZS President (pictured above right), said: "The rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife by veterinary surgeons and wildlife professionals is highly valued by the British public, making a positive contribution to local communities, the health and welfare of individual animals and to conservation. We hope these guidelines will inform best practice in this area and ensure its continued success."
Theresa Amory, Chair of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (BWRC) said: "BWRC aims to support and promote the professional integrity of wildlife rehabilitators. While we recognise that meeting all of these guidelines may be difficult (particularly for smaller scale rehabilitators) we hope that they will enable rehabilitators to work alongside veterinary partners with increased awareness and confidence in their own working policies and procedures."
Michael Stanford, BVZS Senior Vice President, Veterinary Defence Society Claims Consultant said: "The BVZS Wildlife Guidelines should ensure all stakeholders involved with wildlife rehabilitation are acting in the best interests of animal welfare, with the added reassurance that they are acting in accordance with UK law."
Liz Mullineaux, veterinary surgeon and one of the authors of the guidelines said: "Working with British wildlife has always been challenging, for both vets and rehabilitators, in terms of what is ethical, legal and of an adequate clinical standard. These guidelines clarify many of those things, describing best practice and achievable standards for this area of work."
The guidelines can be downloaded from: http://www.bvzs.org/images/uploads/BVZS_Good_Practice_Guidelines_for_Wildlife_Centres_011016_.pdf
In a letter to Danny, RCVS President Christopher Tufnell wrote:
"As the regulator of the veterinary profession, we place an emphasis on the importance of evidence-based veterinary medicine. We therefore recommend that there should be a cautious approach to homeopathy for animals and that normal evidential standards should be applied to complementary treatments."
Danny said: "A cautious approach? What, like this claim by the BAHVS that homeopathy cures cancer?. Or would you say that this claim on national TV represents a cautious approach?
"Talking about homeopathy and normal evidential standards in the same breath is oxymoronic. If you apply normal evidential standards to homeopathy, it is completely ineffective and should not therefore be used in animals."
Mr Tufnell wrote: "We believe it is also essential that such treatments, until they can be proved, are complementary rather than 'alternative' and that they are therefore used alongside conventional treatment."
Danny said: "This argument makes sense whilst evidence-gathering for new treatment modalities. Homeopathy, however, has been with us since 1796. In that time, there has been no good evidence that homeopathy is effective for any condition. Against that, we now have the benefit of an increasing body of meta analyses that show it isn’t. How much more evidence does the RCVS require?"
Mr Tufnell wrote: "Whatever views there may be within the veterinary profession, it is clear that there is a demand from some clients for complementary therapies for their animals."
Danny said: "That may be true, but client demand is not an argument for prescribing medicines shown not to work. Nor should ill-informed client demand trump animal welfare"
Mr Tufnell added: "It is better that they [clients] should seek advice from a veterinary surgeon - who is qualified to make a diagnosis, and can be held to account for the treatment given - rather than turning to a practitioner who does not have veterinary training."
Danny said: "It makes no difference to the animal's suffering whether effective treatment is withheld by a layperson or a qualified vet. At what point do we trust the clinical judgement of vets who subscribe to this magical thinking? In the case of hyperthyroidism in a cat, at what point do we trust them to start giving proper treatment? Maybe when the T4 levels reach a certain number? Or when renal failure kicks in? Or when the cat loses a certain percentage of its body weight?"
Finally, Mr Tufnell wrote: "homeopathy is currently accepted by society and recognised by UK medicines legislation and does not, in itself, cause harm to animals."
Danny said: "I'm not sure how it is possible to claim homeopathy is 'accepted by society'. What constitutes 'societal acceptance'? The NHS says that: 'The ideas that underpin homeopathy are not accepted by mainstream science, and are not consistent with long-accepted principles on the way that the physical world works'; the Australian Government says: 'Homeopathy should not be used to treat health conditions that are chronic, serious, or could become serious.' Clearly homeopathy is far from being accepted by society.
"Even if it was, the argument that we should prescribe medicines because they are 'societally accepted' is no different to the argument that we should do so because there is 'consumer demand.' Both are plainly wrong. Presumably the RCVS wouldn't approve of veterinary surgeons prescribing antibiotics just because there is 'consumer demand', or because they are 'societally accepted'.
As to the veterinary medicines regulations, homeopathic remedies were ‘grandfathered’ and have not had to prove efficacy to become authorised. So their recognition by UK medicines legislation is meaningless.
"Lastly, homeopathy does, in itself, cause harm to animals when given ahead of, or in place of proven treatments."
At the same time as Danny was running his petition for banning homeopathy, the Campaign For Rational Veterinary Medicine has been running a petition which instead asks that the RCVS takes steps to allow animal owners to make a more informed decision, thereby limiting the harm that homeopathy causes animals.
This petition, which is for the veterinary profession only, has so far gathered over 400 signatures, and the campaign organisers are now inviting anyone who signed the petition to ban homeopathy to consider signing this one as a pragmatic alternative.
The new formula also contains crataegus, L-carnitine and magnesium taurate, and is designed to be used alongside all heart medications.
Alongside the launch of the new product, Vita has also created an infographic highlighting the common signs of heart disease in dogs.
https://vitaanimalhealth.com/common-signs-of-heart-disease
https://vitaanimalhealth.com/product/omnicardio-plus
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a 5 ml bottle of Comfortan (methadone), its titratable analgesia for cats and dogs.
The new sized bottle of Comfortan, designed for use with animals in, or about to experience, moderate to severe pain, is now available from veterinary wholesalers.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: “The new 5ml bottle is a great size for practices which would like to introduce Comfortan into their practice protocols, allowing them to do so in a cost-effective way.
“The availability of a smaller bottle will also be a benefit to practices which due to different surgical needs, currently only use Comfortan in a small number of cases. They will then be able to simply and easily trade up to the 10 ml bottle once they start to use Comfortan on more cases.”
The 5 ml has also been introduced in response to demand from branch practices which had been transferring 10ml bottles between sites and for cat-focused practices which use smaller volumes of the product.
Based on a survey of 1,000 rabbit and guinea pig owners, the report found that amongst other things, 80% of these animals are cared for by women, that there has been an 8% increase in the number of rabbits being kept indoors and that dental disease is the main reason for seeking veterinary advice, followed by gastro-intestinal stasis.
https://supremepetfoods.com/blog/uk-small-pet-market-report-2024/
The subscription-based service offers both online and face-to-face training in both clinical and non-clinical subjects, from selected third party training providers.
Emma Hunt, UK Country Manager, MWI Animal Health, said: “This service addresses the regulatory requirements for vets and veterinary nurses to complete mandatory CPD hours, while helping alleviate the all-too-common challenges practice owners face in budgeting and negotiating with multiple training providers.
"By centralising all training under one digital roof, Vet Sphere CPD aims to enhance performance, build team culture and expand the range of services practices can offer."
https://www.mwiah.co.uk/professional-development/vet-sphere-academy
Zoetis has announced that it has upscaled production of Apoquel, the oral therapy for the treatment of canine pruritus, and it is now available to all UK vet practices on unlimited distribution.
The company says that there was unprecedented demand for Apoquel following its launch last year, so it had to introduce an allocation system to ensure that those dogs that had started on the product were able to remain on it for as long as their vet deemed appropriate.
During this time, Zoetis focused on strengthening its manufacturing capacity to make the product more widely available.
Apoquel is the first Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for veterinary use. Zoetis says it provides rapid and sustained relief of pruritus and improves skin lesions. Its novel mechanism of action on the JAK enzyme is specifically designed to target the pruritogenic and pro-inflammatory pathways involved in the itch cycle. This, says the company, allows effective reduction of allergic itch regardless of its cause as well as improvement of skin lesions associated with allergic skin diseases and atopic dermatitis.
Ned Flaxman, companion animal business unit director at Zoetis said: “We are very grateful to all our veterinary customers for bearing with us through this product shortage. Over the past 18 months we have incorporated a variety of safeguards to ensure that Apoquel supply will better align with demand. We have reduced the length of time it takes to manufacture Apoquel and added further production capacity.
“It’s been a very long 18 months for everyone involved but we’re looking forward to a very good Christmas and New Year with Apoquel fully back in stock and we’d like to thank all of our customers for their patience.”
For more information, visit www.zoetis.co.uk/apoquel.
Zoetis has announced the launch of Ketavet.
The intravenous anaesthetic solution containing ketamine is available in 10ml and 50ml presentations. The new product coincides with the re-classification of ketamine as a schedule 2 drug.
Ketavet is a clear, colourless solution for injection containing ketamine 100 mg/ml (equivalent to 115.36 mg/ml ketamine hydrochloride) with benzethonium chloride 0.1 mg/ml as a preservative. It can be used to induce anaesthesia in horses in conjunction with xylazine, detomidine or romifidine.
Ketavet, along with other ketamine containing products, has been moved to Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, which took effect from 30 November 2015. This enables tighter controls on the record keeping, prescribing and safe custody of products containing this active. More information on the specific requirements which will need to be met following the schedule change can be found on the VMD website https://www.gov.uk/government/news/amendments-to-the-misuse-of-drugs-regulations-2001
Penny McCann, Equine Product Manager at Zoetis said: "Ketavet is an important product in our anaesthesia portfolio. We are keen to help veterinary surgeons keep up-to-date with the reclassification of ketamine and with this in mind our new product packaging clearly reflects ketamine’s revised status as a schedule 2 drug."
For more information, contact your Zoetis Account Manager.
Animalcare has launched Vetaclean, a new range of disinfectants which the company says has a notably high kill activity against canine parvovirus and common feline viruses such as FIV, FeLV and FCV.
The range comprises Vetaclean Parvo Advance, a surface disinfectant-cleaner, Vetaclean enzymatic instrument detergent-cleaner, and an instrument disinfectant.
Animalcare Product Manager, Tony Liepman, said: "Veterinary nurses tell us that canine parvovirus is the most challenging and resistant pathogen they work with, and so we set this as our benchmark for the Vetaclean disinfectant products. Tested under EN protocols and having 99.99% + kill activity against parvovirus, our new disinfectants demonstrate high efficacy against a broad range of bacteria, including MRSA/MRSP, fungi, viruses, mycobacteria and spores.
"Infection control is in the spotlight at the moment, highlighted by initiatives from within and outside our industry. Firstly, the new Practice Standards Scheme - launched at the same time as our range - places great emphasis on having a rigorous biosecurity policy. This includes requirements for personal hygiene as well as cleanliness of premises and equipment. High-level decontamination of instruments and equipment is ensured through the Vetaclean two-stage process, which works with even soiled instruments or equipment, and in under 20 minutes. The products have also been designed to be suitable for use on the most specialised equipment seen in today’s practices, including flexible or rigid endoscopes, ultrasonic baths, aspirators, arthroscopes and re-processing machines.
"Importantly, the active ingredients in the Vetaclean range meet the criteria of the new EU Biocides Regulations, policed by the Health and Safety Executive in the UK, which came into effect on 1st September 2015. All products with biocidal activity now need to undergo a complex registration process, ensuring the products are not harmful to people, the environment or animals. The rigorous process may see many disinfectant manufacturers pull out of the market, resulting in less choice. Further, the Vetaclean range does not contain Poly (hexamethylene biguanide) hydrochloride (PHMB). The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently proposing that PHMB is listed as a category 2 carcinogen."
The Vetaclean Parvo Advance range includes a 1 litre lavender product in a self-dosing bottle, 5 litre apple and lemon-fragranced liquid concentrates and unfragranced large surface wipes. There are two different dilution rates: a general purpose dilution rate for most pathogens at 1:100 (10ml per litre), and a parvocidal dilution rate at 1:50 (20ml per litre). Animalcare says the alkaline-based formula ensures that the products are compatible with a wide range of materials and are non-staining. Both the enzymatic instrument cleaner and instrument disinfectant are available in 2 litre concentrates (incorporating a calibrated dosing reservoir).
The Vetaclean range is available now in wholesalers. The company has also produced a brochure Hygiene in practice, a guide to veterinary infection control from Animalcare, designed to help familiarise veterinary professionals with the principles and uses of the product range. There is also a special launch offer of Buy-4-Get-One-Free available from Animalcare representatives.
For further information, contact Animalcare on 01904 487687, or speak to your regional Animalcare representative: www.animalcare.co.uk/contact-us.
The ioLight microscope fits in a jacket pocket and the company says it is both simple to use and robust. It unfolds to record and share 5MP still images and real time HD video at a magnification of x200 on an iPad Air. The resolution is 1 micron or 1/1,000 mm, powerful enough to see the structure of plant and animal cells.
The microscope uses standard microscope slides and has adjustable top and bottom illumination for use on both biological and opaque samples.
Iolight says it is particularly good for live samples which deteriorate on the journey back to the lab, and it works anywhere, even without a WiFi or mobile phone network.
Andrew Monk, who founded ioLight with business partner Richard Williams, said: "It takes just a couple of minutes to get a great image on the microscope, anywhere from a river bank to a factory floor. This makes microscopy simpler for everyone, from experienced professionals to student scientists."
The ioLight microscope can be ordered now from www.iolight.co.uk, priced at £840 including VAT.
A further 1,200 practices outside Europe have also embraced the scheme, which ISFM has been running with support from Purina.
There are signs that this number is set to grow. In a survey conducted by ISFM and Onswitch at BSAVA Congress this year, more than 80% of veterinary surgeons and nurses were aware of the Cat Friendly Clinic programme and over 20% said that they were working towards accreditation.
The charity says that in addition to this growth in the number of accredited practices, there has been a more general move in the profession towards positive action for the welfare of cats in daily practice, often championed by veterinary nurses.
It is often the nurses, says the charity, who have implemented the changes required to create a less stressful environment for cats. It is the nurses too who have reported changes in the behaviour of cats within the clinic. With less stress and aggression in the clinic, cats are easier to handle and owners are much happier with the relationship between them, the cat and the clinic.
Andy Sparkes, ISFM Director said: "It is so exciting to see the changes which are happening – not only are we improving our veterinary care, but we are making the whole veterinary experience better for cats and their owners.
"Clinics also notice a difference in practice revenue, as well as having very happy clients. Clients notice the difference in their cats’ behaviour and clinics become known for being cat friendly. Previously it has been difficult to market the clinic to cat clients who need a very different message to dog clients.
"The benefits of having everyone in the practice on the same cat friendly page are many: nurses' lives are made easier by having calmer cats to deal with, vets can carry out procedures more easily because cats are less aggressive, and owners receive the same cat-friendly message about cat care no matter who they speak to within the clinic. Most importantly, the patients themselves are less stressed, less fearful and more likely to have a successful diagnosis and treatment. This leads to more satisfaction, more success in treating cats, and to much better cat welfare.'
According to the charity, veterinary practice architects and designers are also taking on the idea and most new premises are now being built with separate waiting areas for cats and separate feline hospital wards.
Matthew Rees of Technic, the hospital cage manufacturer, says he has noticed "a significant and quite dramatic increase in both the awareness and desire to achieve ISFM Gold Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation".
The company has designed a new range of ISFM gold standard cat pens. Matthew said: "The CFC scheme has also made a huge difference to us as manufacturers – with International Cat Care’s assistance and straightforward advice, we have now started to understand cats and in fact 'think feline’! Our products are without doubt far better due to this and ultimately it is the cats of the world that will benefit."
Inga Feller Devaud, from Purina said: "The Cat Friendly Clinic programme is changing veterinary practice for good. Our aim is that cats will no longer be treated as small dogs and that the veterinary experience for cats and their owners will be much less stressful, and barriers to visits will be removed, improving both preventive healthcare and speed of treatment for ill cats. Purina is delighted to be partnering with International Cat Care and ISFM at the forefront of these changes."
For more information on how to become a Cat Friendly Clinic, visit: www.catfriendlyclinic.org
The Bella Moss Foundation (BMF) has announced the launch of a mobile app version of its online veterinary practice hygiene audit.
The app, which was developed with the help of Ceva Animal Health, is now available to download free from Google Play (for Android-based smartphones) and itunes.
To download the audit app for iOS visit: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/bella-moss-foundation-practice/id1096044355
To download the audit app for Android visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=thebellamossfoundation.bmfhygieneself_auditapp
The original online check list, which continues to be hosted on the BMF website, was devised by BMF's team of clinical advisers, including VN Louise O'Dwyer and vets Pam Mosedale, Tim Nuttall and Chris Laurence. It enables staff to rate hygiene protocols across every area of their practice, resulting in a room-by-room percentage hygiene score, as well as an overall contamination risk score.
Since its launch last year, more than 150 practices have used the web-based tool and BMF hopes many more practices will download the app and use it regularly to check and maintain their hygiene standards.
BMF founder and infection control campaigner Jill Moss said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have teamed up with Ceva to create this new super-accessible app version of our audit tool. We've been really pleased to see uptake of the Practice Hygiene Self-Audit online, and hope more practice staff give the smartphone app a go.
"While we all know how important infection control is, sometimes it's the basics that get forgotten in a busy practice environment – but now, with our free audit app in your pocket, implementing good hygiene processes could not be easier, so there's no excuse!"
For more information about BMF, visit www.thebellamossfoundation.com or visit http://www.thebellamossfoundation.com/practice-hygiene-self-audit/ to complete the hygiene audit online.
It was the only organisation from the veterinary profession to be shortlisted.
The Antibiotic Guardian Awards were introduced this year by Public Health England (PHE) and aim to champion UK organisations and individuals who have demonstrated achievement in tackling antimicrobial resistance at a local, regional or national level.
BEVA first launched its Protect ME antimicrobial campaign in 2012 to coincide with European Antimicrobial Awareness day. The Association has launched additional resources each year to facilitate compliance and educate the public about the importance of antimicrobial awareness.
Mark Bowen, President of BEVA and co-author of the Protect ME toolkit, said: "It is a great achievement for a veterinary organisation to be recognised alongside the human health sector which invariably has significantly more resources to support antimicrobial stewardship. Protect ME has had a fantastic uptake from the equine profession and are proud of the impact that it is having. BEVA is grateful to all who have contributed to its success, especially Wendy Furness and Jacky Paton of the Scarsdale veterinary group, Derby who trialled it prior to launch and adopted it fully within the practice."
The BEVA Protect ME toolkit is free to BEVA members and can be downloaded at www.beva.org.uk.
During her two-day hearing, the RCVS Disciplinary Committee heard that Ms Vockert had been convicted under Animal Welfare Act 2006 at Bournemouth Magistrates Court in April for, by her own admission, failing to protect two dogs she owned from pain, suffering, injury and disease, by not adequately grooming them.
The prosecution had been brought by the RSPCA after one of her dogs, a Shih Tzu named Happy, was taken into care by the local Council in September 2014 as a stray.
The dog was examined by Chris Devlin MRCVS who reported at the time that the dog’s coat was in an "appalling state, with multiple mats of hair all over his body" and with "evidence of faecal and urinary soiling on the fur around the rear end", which constituted clear signs of neglect. The dog was anaesthetised and treated by Mr Devlin for an eye condition and was also given a full body shave. The dog made a full recovery after these operations.
Council employees discovered that Happy belonged to Ms Vockert and referred the matter to the RSPCA who started an investigation into his condition. When two RSPCA inspectors visited Ms Vockert’s home in September 2014 they observed a Cocker Spaniel named Millie which had severely matted fur. There were no concerns about any of the other dogs owned by Ms Vockert.
The two inspectors visited Ms Vockert’s home the next day by appointment and were told by Ms Vockert that Millie had been euthanased. Millie’s body was subsequently taken to Professor Kenneth Smith MRCVS and Claire Muir MRCVS for a post-mortem examination. In their report following the post-mortem, they observed Millie’s hair coat to be "extensively matted and given the growth of hair over the collar and claws, it is likely that the hair has not been clipped for an extremely long period... and is likely to have restricted the dog’s ability to walk. In addition, a large amount of faecal material has become matted within the hair coat and this finding strongly suggests that this dog was neglected."
As a result of her prosecution by the RSCPA, Ms Vockert was fined £620, ordered to pay costs of £300, a victim surcharge of £62 and a deprivation of animal ownership order was made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The Disciplinary Committee considered that the failure to groom extended over a period of months and that any conviction on the part of a veterinary surgeon relating to animal welfare was an extremely serious matter.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The College submitted that the conviction of a veterinary surgeon for an animal welfare offence, of necessity has the potential to undermine both the reputation of the profession and public confidence in the profession.
"In such circumstances, the respondent’s conviction fell far below the standard to be expected of a veterinary surgeon and therefore renders her unfit to practise veterinary surgery."
In considering Ms Vockert’s sanction, the Committee took into mitigation her long and otherwise unblemished career both in the UK and Germany, her guilty plea to the RSPCA conviction and the fact she made no attempt to challenge the College’s submissions in relation to her fitness to practise.
However, it also took into account a number of aggravating features, particularly the fact there was "actual neglect of the welfare of two animals, over a protracted period of time, which resulted in pain, suffering and discomfort. This aspect of the case is made more serious because the two animals in question belonged to the respondent, who is a practising veterinary surgeon with access to the drugs and equipment necessary to groom the dogs."
Ultimately, the Committee decided that the only appropriate sanction was to direct the Acting Registrar to remove Ms Vockert’s name from the Register.
Ian Green, summing up, said: "The Committee considers that the respondent’s conduct which led to the conviction, involved a departure from the most basic and pivotal principle of the Code [of Professional Conduct], which states that the first consideration when attending to animals is health and welfare.
"Accordingly, the Committee had decided that removal from the Register is appropriate and proportionate in this case."
Louise is the first to receive the Award since it was relaunched in 2015 to make it more leadership-focused and exclusive to veterinary nurses.
Liz Cox, Chair of VN Council, was on the selection panel. She said: "The Golden Jubilee is awarded to members of our profession that actively demonstrate outstanding leadership, commitment to veterinary nursing and play an ambassadorial role. Speaking on both national and international stages Louise O'Dwyer has widely influenced nursing practice in particular with relation to infection control and patient care. She is a true pioneer for veterinary nursing holding, and her passion for pushing our profession forward clinically makes her a most deserving winner of the award."
Louise received the award in recognition of her pioneering role in veterinary nursing, acting as the first veterinary nurse Clinical Director within the CVS Group and the first UK veterinary nurse to be voted on to the US-based Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians’ Board.
She has also lectured around the world and volunteered for several years at the Bella Moss Foundation, worked on a variety of British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Committees, contributed to over 35 journal and magazine articles in the UK, USA and Canada, written three nursing textbooks, and contributed chapters to numerous textbooks in the UK and US.
Fellow veterinary nurse Kathryn Latimer nominated her for the award. In her submission she said: "I feel Louise is a shining example of everything the Golden Jubilee Award encompasses – she has demonstrated exception abilities as a leader, not only to veterinary nurses, but to veterinary surgeons... [and] has demonstrated personal commitment to her personal education, and therefore to patient care, by pursuing a remarkable range of qualifications."
Louise said: "Nursing is about making your mark, about being there for your patients, and for me that’s what my career has been about. It’s a bit of a cliché, but we really are the voice of our patients, and so when people ask me ‘why do you spend so much time with getting extra qualifications?’, it’s really about making sure I’m better able to help my patients.
"As I get older it’s also about educating the next generation of veterinary nurses, helping to train them to do the same and to spread our knowledge and training. Our training is something British vet nurses can really be proud of, and it’s humbling to receive this Award when I know just how many other dedicated, passionate vet nurses are out there, but I am truly grateful that the RCVS, and my colleagues, think that I am a worthy recipient."
Louise will be presented with the Golden Jubilee Award at RCVS Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Day - on Friday 15 July. A limited number of tickets are available for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. To order these contact Emma Lockley, RCVS Events Officer, on e.lockley@rcvs.org.uk
Eukanuba's Longevity Council has published a new video in which the panel of experts offer their thoughts about how veterinary professionals can educate clients about helping their pets grow old gracefully.
The video includes contributions from the following council members, discussing things like preventative medicine and the importance of good diet/body weight and exercise:
watch?v=JRjCWhnGaGY
The initiative is part of the company’s Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy (KBHH), and provides a way that practices can work with their Equine Account Manager to help horse owners bring their vaccination status up-to-date for equine influenza and tetanus.
Peter Young, Equine Business Manager said: "We’re aware how easy it is for owners to get behind on their horses’ vaccinations but with over half of the UK horse population not protected against equine ‘flu, vets need all the help they can get to improve vaccination rates in their area. We should be aiming for at least 70% ‘flu vaccination rates to ensure our horses benefit from herd immunity so we’re offering vets some practical support to help them improve the situation."
The KBHH vaccination amnesty will be offering a reduced cost option for horses needing to restart a primary course, encouraging horse owners to add their horse to the population already protected.
Horses will need to be over 12 months of age and be unvaccinated or have lapsed from their normal booster vaccination for more than three months.
MSD is also providing a range of online and printed material for vets to help promote the amnesty and ensure their clients take action, including materials that practices can post on Facebook to raise awareness of the symptoms of equine ‘flu and the importance of vaccination.
For further details contact your MSD Animal Health equine representative.
The presentation comes in the form of an editable Powerpoint presentation which can be downloaded from www.training-progress.com (visit 'downloads').
Laura Shaw from Training-Progress said: "Most of our clients are PSS accredited practices. Getting the practice accredited is a great achievement and the whole team should be aware of this and ‘singing it from the roof tops’. The resource outlines why PSS is good for the practice, the clients, the patients and the practice team - helping team members to promote it."
Training-Progress is a training management system and communication tool to support a practice through PSS accreditation. It includes features such as ensuring processes are in place; sharing information; implementing change in processes and reporting systems which provide evidence for accreditation and allow concentration of training resources.
Merial has published Give Them Just What they Need, a guide to the key considerations concerning the vaccination of cats.
The company says it produced the guide after conducting research in which 76% of small animal veterinary surgeons said they are not fully aware of the most recent feline vaccination guidelines, and 98% said they'd find a guide useful.
The survey1, which was conducted amongst 114 UK small animal vets, also showed that whilst 82% of vets are aware of the existence of feline vaccination guidelines from organisations such as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD), 58% don’t know the content well, and a further 18% were not aware of the guidelines at all.
In a concurrent survey of 1000 cat owners2, 60% said they would have more confidence in their vet knowing that they were vaccinating according to the latest guidelines. The cat owner survey also found that 80% rely on their vet for information about vaccination, and 60% would like more information about vaccination.
Claire Edmunds, product manager at Merial, said: "Understanding that vets are busy people and using all of the insight that we have gathered from vets and owners to shape the content of the guide, we have condensed previously published vaccination recommendations from organisations such as WSAVA and ABCD into really useful, practical advice. The new guide and complementary support materials will hopefully prove to be really valuable resources for vets, giving them the information they need when reviewing their vaccination protocols, in a quick, easy-access format.
"By being better informed about the latest recommendations, we want vets to feel more confident in discussing all aspects of vaccination with their clients. With the majority of cat owners saying that they rely on their vet for vaccination information and nearly half stating that their vet clearly explaining the benefits of vaccination would increase their compliance in vaccinating their cat, this obviously will be beneficial to both the practice and pet cats."
Merial has also produced supporting materials for use alongside the guide, including a take-home leaflet for owners and digital assets for social media and newsletter use, designed to help vets start discussions about vaccination.
Give Them Just What they Need is available from your regional Merial Territory Manager or for download at https://goo.gl/7Uas3y
Council members voted in favour of becoming a fully-appointed governing Council, and for VN Council to become fully-appointed.
In relation to RCVS Council, it also voted to explore retaining elected representation on a future council or committee focussed on 'upstream regulation' and development of the profession.
Council also voted to move towards greater parity between professional and lay RCVS Council members, but delayed a decision on the precise balance until it has the opportunity to consider the matter in more detail.
Council voted to remove veterinary school appointees from Council, agreeing to discuss the future composition of the RCVS Education Committee at a later date.
Council then voted to further investigate a number of alternative governance arrangement suggestions, including independent oversight of the College, and to review term limits across all appointed positions.
RCVS President Linda Belton said: “Thank you to all who took part in the consultation and made suggestions on alternative and additional arrangements that might be made regarding our governance.
"Thank you also to Council members for a robust discussion of these proposals.
“We still have a number of important governance issues to discuss at a future date and the proposals that Council members have voted to approve today will not be brought into immediate effect, but will be included in our proposals to government for new veterinary legislation.
“As we seek reform of veterinary regulation via new primary legislation, it is important that our governance arrangements not only inspire public confidence and trust but also allow us, as a Royal College that regulates, to work with the professions on our upstream regulatory activities, not only to ensure that individuals are fit for practice, but also that we maintain a profession fit for purpose.
“The decision to explore retaining an elected element on a future veterinary council or committee, responsible for work dedicated to the development of the professions, gives a clear indication of the value of our ‘Royal College that regulates’ model.
"We have also made a further commitment to public assurance by agreeing to explore independent oversight of the RCVS.
“Any future appointments process developed by the RCVS will be committed to adhering to the Public Standards Authority’s principles on appointments; these are merit; fairness; transparency and openness; and inspiring confidence.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil-nov24
BSAVA’s new Congress Programme Committee Chair, Paul Higgs MRCVS (pictured right) said: "The new venue provides an opportunity to really shake up the content. It’s the first time BSAVA Congress delegates will have met in two years and we want to deliver an unforgettable experience."
"We’ve thought long and hard about what delegates want and need, as well as the way people like to learn, integrating those approaches within the programme. Delegates will find few long-format lectures, instead there will be lots of opportunities to participate, to discuss, to do and to experience."
He added: “For general practice vets and nurses, we’re offering an immersive experience designed to support the skills required in first opinion practice yet rarely provided in a lecture alone. And while the CPD will provide ample opportunity to learn about the clinical aspects, delegates will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in true-to-life case management events in a dedicated space to help reflect those paraprofessional skills that are so critical to first opinion practice.”
Delegates will also be able to drop-in to practical sessions and perfect a technique such as undertaking cytological examination, reading radiographs and performing endoscopy in as little as 15 minutes. For the first time, the practical sessions will be included within the ticket price.
BSAVA will also be giving delegates the opportunity to meet and pick the brains of the speakers in a dedicated space in the exhibition during lecture breaks.
Although some sessions will be more aligned to veterinary nurses, all sessions will be open to both vets and nurses. Paul said: "Nurses are increasingly looking for opportunities to expand their knowledge, horizons and skillsets, while many vets want to, and would benefit from, learning from our excellent nurses. The programme will reflect this."
The BSAVA Programme Committee is also going to incorporate practice management within the programme. Paul said: "Vets and nurses aren’t isolated from the fact practices are businesses and the decisions they make have a financial impact."
“Everyone in the profession has something to give and BSAVA Congress 2022 is a chance for everyone to come together to hear people you’ve never heard before, see things you’ve never seen and do things you’ve never done."
Tickets will be on sale late October. To find out more visit: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2022/en/page/home.
Last year Petplan received over 31,000 nominations across the five award categories: Practice of the Year, Vet of the Year, Vet Nurse of the Year, Practice Manager of the Year and Practice Support Staff of the Year.
The awards are judged by an independent panel which narrows the field to three finalists in each category, who are then invited to attend the awards ceremony.
The judges are looking for examples of exceptional levels of animal care, building and sustaining great relationships with colleagues and pet owners, and those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
James Barnes, Head of Sales & Partnerships at Petplan, said: “The Petplan Veterinary Awards provide the perfect opportunity to say thank you for the exceptional work carried out by members of the veterinary profession, whatever their field and wherever they’re based. The Petplan Vet Awards provide a great opportunity for both clients and colleagues to recognise the dedication and talent of veterinary professionals, teams and practices, right across the UK and say a particular thank you to those who have kept up the exceptional level of care even in the midst of a global crisis."
To nominate a colleague or your practice, visit www.petplan.co.uk before nominations close on 10th January 2022.
The new structure means that all 99 members of Pennard Vets' team, who work across six sites in Kent, are now practice owners and shareholders in the business. This, says the practice, will protect it's independence and 125-year-old core values.
The group celebrated the completion of the employee ownership trust earlier this month at a summer family BBQ and party held at Hadlow Manor Hotel in Tonbridge.
Pennard Vets’ three previous sole directors, comprising of Matthew Flann, Caroline Collins and Andy Green, all worked as vets at the practice for several years before becoming part of the leadership team in 2007, and the trio will all continue to work in the business following the EOT transfer.
Andy said: “Pennard Vets is a special practice that has been a part of the fabric of the local community for 125 years and we want to be here in another 125 years. At a time when many other practices are being taken over by large corporate organisations, we knew that the EOT was the right way to guarantee an independent future for our 99 team members. Although we received plenty of interest and offers from the corporates, it was important to remain true to ourselves and our values.
“It is increasingly difficult for vets to buy into independent practices and the traditional partner progression model no longer works, so after exploring various possibilities, it became clear that the EOT option was ideal for us and protects everything that we stand for.
“Crucially, it also means Pennard Vets won’t be taken over and gives everyone in our team both autonomy and a voice, as well as safeguarding our fundamental core values that are built around compassion, client focus and continually improving everything we do. There’s no doubt this will further enhance the high standard of care that our clients enjoy and is also helping us to grow our team and attract new talent.
“As we expand our practice across Kent, we’re recruiting both vets and nurses. Every new team member becomes an employee owner and can influence the decisions we make for the future of our practice. Our people are helping to shape our employee benefits scheme and influence how we reinvest profits in a forward-thinking practice, that will remain independent. This is proving very attractive to new members of the team, which makes it a really exciting and rewarding time for us.”
Newly appointed vet, Emma Ball, has become one of the first new recruits to benefit from the EOT model after joining the group’s Sevenoaks practice. Emma said: “I initially did work experience at Pennard Vets eight years ago and immediately felt like part of the family. Everyone took the time to make sure I learnt as much as possible, so when I was offered this role, it was an easy decision for me.
“Coming back to the practice has been a fantastic experience and to benefit from the EOT is the icing on the cake. Although lots of people dream of owning their own practice, it’s a very difficult thing to achieve. However, now we’re all stakeholders in the business, it has made our team spirit even stronger and means everyone makes even more effort to make Pennard Vets successful and ensure clients always enjoy the very best level of care.”
CVS has announced the official opening of Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, a new small animal referral hospital in Alton, Hampshire.
The hospital was officially opened last Saturday by the Town Mayor of Alton during an open day attended by local dignitaries, about a hundred vets and representatives from the veterinary industry and various animal charities. Dr Caner Salih, a consultant cardiac surgeon at the Evelina London Children's Hospital was a special guest.
CVS says it has invested more than £4.3 million to create one of the most advanced, multi-disciplinary specialist veterinary hospitals in the UK. It occupies 1,300 square metres and employs forty people, including nine referral clinicians (seven of whom are boarded specialists), support and admin staff.
Lumbry Park offers a range of advanced diagnostics and treatments for dogs and cats across a range of specialties, including high-field MRI and CT scanning, key-hole surgery, interventional cardiac procedures, and joint replacements. Cardiology specialist Dr Luca Ferasin is Lumbry Park's Clinical Director, reporting to Professor John Innes, CVS' Referral Director.
Simon Innes, Chief Executive of CVS, pictured fifth from left, said: "The opening of Lumbry Park is a proud moment for CVS and the culmination of a huge amount of work by John, Luca and the team involved. They have worked together to create a fantastic environment in which our specialists can offer the highest standard of veterinary care to our patients and their owners and we are delighted to bring their expertise to veterinary practices and their clients right across the South East of England."
CVS Referral Director, Professor John Innes said: "The opening of Lumbry Park marks a major step for CVS in terms of investment in veterinary specialist services and we will work to ensure that it develops an international reputation for the standard of care it provides. The Hospital is easily accessible and has the space and rural setting to provide a professional and pleasant environment for our patients, their owners, and our team. Luca and his excellent team are raring to go and we look forward to welcoming our first patients next week."
Alton Town Mayor Mrs Pam Jones added: "I am delighted that Alton has been chosen as the location for such a prestigious veterinary centre and I am honoured to be asked to open it."
Her Majesty The Queen has today opened the University of Surrey's new £45m School of Veterinary Medicine, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
Her Majesty and His Royal Highness toured the Large Animal Clinical Skills Building, where they met students taking equine examinations and working with livestock. The Royal Party also viewed a demonstration in the Biomechanics Laboratory, meeting Professor Noel Fitzpatrick and dogs that have benefitted from prosthetic limb surgery. They also watched teaching sessions in the Clinical Skills Laboratory, meeting staff and students.
After the tour, The Queen, The Duke and assembled guests attended a short ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new teaching facilities, during which Her Majesty unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.
As The Royal Party left, they were bid farewell by Joey, the star of the theatre production War Horse.
Professor Michael Kearney, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey, said: “We are hugely honoured to welcome Her Majesty and His Royal Highness to the University of Surrey. This is a very special occasion that tops off an exceptional start to the academic year for the University, after the launch of our 5G Innovation Centre and achieving The Times and Sunday Times ‘University of the Year’ accolade.
“The School of Veterinary Medicine further cements our position as a world-class institution that is delivering cutting-edge teaching and research from state-of-the-art facilities. It will not only provide the next generation of sought-after veterinary graduates, but it will offer significant opportunities for collaboration between human and animal medical science professionals and public sector organisations.”
Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, one of the founding partners of the School of Veterinary Medicine, said: “I had a vision where we would deliver a degree structure which was truly focussed on what you dream about when you are sixteen years old, when you are desperate to become a vet. I fully intend to be part of a team that will kindle that fire throughout professional life to shine a light onto the world that badly needs ambassadors of purpose and integrity to be the caretakers of health on Earth, both now and for long after I’m gone and these new buildings will still be standing. This is our legacy, and we are intensely proud to be part of this evolution in health education.”