The RCVS is to launch an online quiz this month, testing veterinary nurses' knowledge of their Guide to Professional Conduct.

The RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses has been live for three years now, and includes over 7,600 registered veterinary nurses (RVNs).

RVNs agree to keep their skills and knowledge up to date by means of continuing professional development (CPD), and to abide by the Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.

Results from the RCVS Survey of the Veterinary and Veterinary Nursing Professions 2010 indicate that veterinary nurse respondents carry out an average of three days of CPD a year - well above the 15-hour (two-day) annual requirement for RVNs.

But how well do RVNs know their Guide to Professional Conduct?

The College will launch a quiz on the contents of the VN Guide toward the middle of October (following a pilot at BVNA Congress - 8-10 October 2010).

VNs can take part in the 25-question quiz anonymously and, on completion, there will be the opportunity to review answers and check the relevant section of the Guide. It will be available on www.rcvs.org.uk/vnguidequiz for a period of six months.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Head of Communications said: "It's a great opportunity for veterinary nurses to test their knowledge and see if there are any gaps to be filled.

"When the College issued a similar quiz for vets last year, the average score was 20 out of 25. Surely VNs can do better? The challenge is on..."

Those VNs attending BVNA Congress are encouraged to visit the RCVS stand for a free brain-training game and a chance to help pilot the quiz.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Prascend, the first licensed product for the treatment of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in horses, commonly known as Equine Cushing's Disease.

Prascend contains pergolide mesylate, and is supplied in 60 and 160 tablet packs of 1mg tablets.

Craig Beck, equine sales and marketing manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "Many horses and ponies with Cushing's Disease benefit from treatment with pergolide, however, with less than 200 people still being treated with pergolide in the UK, many vets and horse owners have expressed concern that they will not be able access treatment in the future.

"We have invested in dedicated veterinary manufacturing of this product, and can assure our customers that the future supply of Prascend is guaranteed irrespective of any changes of in the human generic market."

For further information, visit www.prascend.co.uk or call 01344 746959

Janssen Animal Health is offering bursaries to five veterinary nurses, or trainee veterinary nurses to attend a Henschool course about poultry-keeping.

The day-long course, which takes place in Barking, near Needham Market in Suffolk on Saturdays or Sundays throughout the year, covers selecting hens, basic husbandry, feeding and dealing with common ailments, such as parasitic worms. The specific requirements of ex-battery chickens are also covered and there is even an opportunity to gain 'hands-on' experience.

Nigel Underwood from Janssen Animal Health said: "There is huge interest in poultry keeping right now. But many novices know very little about basic care and common poultry diseases. We hope that the Henschool bursaries will help veterinary nurses to learn more and to share their new knowledge with prospective and novice poultry keepers."

To apply for a bursary, write down why you think you would benefit from attending the course, in 200 words or less. Include your name, the name of your practice and the address with a contact telephone number and send it to Companion Consultancy, PO Box 468, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 6XR. Your application should be received no later than 30^th November 2010.

Assistant Practice Manager Kelli Vogt, of Polsloe Veterinary Clinic in Exeter, Devon, has won the 'Petplan Insurance Advisor Award 2010'.

The award, announced last weekend at the British Veterinary Nursing Congress in Kettering, recognises the hard work and dedication that Petplan Insurance Advisors do to highlight the importance of insurance to pet owners.

Kelli said: "It was such a surprise to actually win the award, I'm greatly honoured! The scheme is such a great programme and I recommend it to all my colleagues and anyone that will listen. It's a great link between veterinary practices and insurers and it means that we can really help pet owners have financial security should anything happen. The more pet owners are informed of the importance of pet insurance the more likely it'll become mandatory, which will allow them to always get the best possible treatment for their pet without having to worry about the financial implications."

The finalists were judged by President of BVNA Donna Lewis, Petplan Business Developers Lisa Allen and Spencer Jones, and Head of Business Development at Petplan Howard Brown.  

Howard said: "At Petplan we are proud to recognise the dedication and hard work that Pet Insurance Advisors put in to give their customers informed and up-to-date advice. It is great to see the dedication and competence that Kelli has applied to providing her customers with this service, she is a testament to this and she is a very deserving winner."

The other finalists were Wendy Wears, Vet Nurse at Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital in Berkshire, and Vickie Sadler, Orwell Veterinary Group in Ipswich, Suffolk.

For information on how to become a PIA contact Vetline on 0800 316 8800 or alternatively log onto petplanPIA.co.uk.

To find out more about Petplan visit www.petplan.co.uk

The Blue Cross has presented its Veterinary Nurse of the Year award to Nicola Ackerman for her commitment to improving animal welfare, both within her veterinary practice and among the local community in Plymouth, Devon.

The award was presented last Saturday during the British Veterinary Nursing Association annual congress in Kettering, Northamptonshire by Jill Robinson, founder of the Animals Asia Foundation, and Wendy Adams, Blue Cross veterinary clinical advisor.

Wendy Adams said: "The Veterinary Nurse of the Year award is a chance for The Blue Cross to applaud the hard work and dedication of vet nurses in the UK. Particularly those who extend their reach to voluntary and community work to promote responsible pet ownership and animal care. We congratulate Nicola for winning this year's award!"

Nicola was nominated for the award by veterinary nurses at The Veterinary Hospital Group surgery in Plymouth, and her husband Chris.

Hanno Payne, practice manager at The Veterinary Hospital said: "We are delighted that Nicola's commitment to animal welfare has been recognised by winning this award. Nicola spends a tremendous amount of time and effort organising events locally to promote preventative health care for pets and educate the public at large. She was instrumental in getting the educational 'Pets in the Park' initiative up and running and Nicola is always the first to volunteer for career talks and showing groups of youngsters around the hospital. Nicola is also keen to foster closer working relationships with other veterinary practices and their veterinary nurses in the wider Plymouth area and has created 'clinical clubs' for that to be possible." 

Nicola said: "I was absolutely gobsmacked when I found out I had won this award and has taken quite a while to sink in. I'd like to say a huge thank-you to my colleagues, and of course my husband, who nominated me. I wouldn't be able to do the work I do without the strong support of my colleagues and family. I love my job and I'm lucky enough to work in such a forward thinking practice that allows vet nurses to undertake the work they are trained for."

Ceva Animal Health is joining forces with Dog's Trust to carry out a radio campaign to educate owners on the importance of preparing their pets for the firework season.

The series of interviews - which will go out on both BBC and local radio on Tuesday 26 October - will cover the precautions that owners can take to help, comfort and reassure their pets while fireworks are going off, together with the benefits of using the leading veterinary behaviour products, DAP and Feliway.  Chris Lawrence from the Dog's Trust and Lucy Brett, key account manager for charities at Ceva will be interviewed during the campaign, which will advise owners to seek further information from their local veterinary practice.

For further details on the radio campaign, please contact your local Ceva Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.

IVC Evidensia has released the results of a survey of 90 veterinary professionals who visited BEVA 2023, finding there was a disparity between the importance of sustainability to them personally and how effectively their practice is working sustainably.

In response to the question ‘How important is sustainability to you personally?’, 57% of respondents said it was very important making it the most popular choice.

However, in answer to the question: ‘Is your practice team actively working to improve sustainability?’, 20% of respondents said ‘Always/wherever possible’ and 42% said ‘Most of the time’, leaving 38% not actively working to improve sustainability.

IVC says the conclusion to be drawn is that sustainability is a personal priority, but this isn’t always translating to practice and more can be done.

To help with this, the company will shortly Positive Hoofprint, an Equine and Farm specific toolkit to help practices become more sustainable, with resources, checklists and practical advice for prioritising environmentally friendly initiatives.

Mark Tabachnik, UK Head of Equine for IVC Evidensia, said: “It’s clear from our survey that sustainability is still being treated as a secondary concern in practice, and this is something that IVC Evidensia is actively seeking to change.

“With our Positive Hoofprint about to be launched, there has never been a better time to prioritise our sustainability goals and to embed them in our own practices.

“This will give colleagues the tools they need to care for the planet, so we can fundamentally change equine veterinary to be more environmentally conscious for the future.”

Hill's Global Symposium, this year focusing on veterinary oncology and nutrition, is coming up on Monday and Tuesday (25th-26th) next week, online and in Lisbon.

There will be 20 presentations from some of the world's leading experts, covering topics such as detection and diagnosis, advances in veterinary oncology, supportive care for the cancer patients, how to build a partnership with pet owners and, of course, feeding the cancer patient.

The presentations will be streamed live and available on demand afterwards, at https://learn.hillsvet.com/en_GB/hills-global-symposium-2023 

Dr. Iveta Becvarova, Senior Director of Global Academic & Professional Affairs at Hill's Pet Nutrition said: "This year’s Hill’s Global Symposium will offer the latest advancements and innovations to help veterinary professionals support and counsel their clients, and provide the best care possible to the pets in their care."

The Bella Moss Foundation (BMF) is to launch the Human to Animal MRSA Advice Service at the offices of the British Veterinary Association on Friday 22nd October.

The charity says this new online service has been created to provide information and advice on resistant bacteria and their effects on animal health to veterinary professionals, pet owners and carers. 

BMF clinical advisor David Lloyd, professor of veterinary dermatology at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "There has been a worrying increase in the numbers of pets reported with MRSA Infections. The causes for this seem to be complex, and research to understand this emerging infection in animals and people is continuing. The Bella Moss Foundation has been very helpful explaining to pet owners the complexity of these issues, and the new Animal MRSA Advice Service will be an educational tool for lay people and veterinarians to learn more about resistant bacterial infections in animals." 

For pet owners and carers the Animal MRSA Advice Service will provide education on bacteria, the risk factors for transmission between humans and animals, keeping pets healthy, finding a vet, and the importance of hand hygiene in protecting pets and people from unwanted infection.

For veterinary professionals and practice staff the service will also provide academic reports and international research, as well as information on CPD seminars.

If you would like to attend the launch of this new service, please contact info@thebellamossfoundation.com, or call Jill Moss on 07581 736774. 

Pfizer Animal Health has launched Vet Support+ a dedicated veterinary business consultancy team with a brief to boost the profitability and productivity of veterinary practices across the UK. 

Staffed by a team of seven business consultants who have undertaken academic and practical training to add to their experience in the veterinary industry, Vet Support+ will offer tailored support to practices in a format which aims to offer flexibility and a rapid return on investment. The services range across the three critical areas of business operations, client relations and staff management.  Consultants will initially focus on supporting practices operating in the companion animal sector, extending their service to the dairy sector early in 2011.

According to Pfizer, the Vet Support+ service has been developed in response to detailed research among practices to understand their requirements for business advice and support.  It's launched against a backdrop of continued stagnation in the veterinary sector according to latest data from the Fort Dodge Index benchmark of practice performance.  Vet Support+ will operate independently of the pharmaceutical business with no sharing of information or data.

Vet Support+'s consultants are based across the UK in order to be convenient for practices in any part of the country. 

The team is headed by Laura Jenkins, who has held a range of senior roles at Pfizer UK. Laura said:  "Many vets working in practice relish the clinical side of their work for which they have trained so hard.  It can therefore come as a shock to many that they also find themselves responsible for running the business side of the practice for which they may have received virtually no guidance during their training.  They have a real need for objective, practical advice they can trust, which is based on a detailed knowledge of the market.  Many also appreciate 'hand-holding' and coaching through the tough process of making changes required within the practice in order to put it on a more stable and successful footing.  The continuing challenges of the economic climate make it imperative that practices take bold steps now to ensure not only that they're able to withstand the continued recession but are well-positioned to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.

"Our Vet Support+ consultants are highly experienced in the veterinary market and have received very positive feedback from the practices they've worked with during a pilot of the service.  They're focused on demonstrating significant value to their clients and achieving early results on the bottom line. They'll be looking to build a close relationship with their client practices, acting as a coach and 'critical friend' as they help them plan for a successful and profitable future." 

For further information on the Vet Support+ service please contact Laura Jenkins on 01737 330705.

Merial has launched Equioxx, a new pain management product which the company says is the first COX-2 specific NSAID for horses

Traditional NSAIDs act by blocking the action of both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes at the same time. Although COX-2 produces prostaglandins associated with both inflammation and pain, COX-1 has a pivotal role in maintaining normal physiological function, so inhibiting this enzyme may have an increased risk of side effects e.g. gastric ulceration. Merial says Equioxx is the only NSAID that is highly COX-2 selective (up to 643 times more selective for COX-2 than COX-1), acting to reduce pain and inflammation but without affecting the COX-1 enzyme at therapeutic levels.

Equioxx contains the active ingredient firocoxib, and Merial says it is proven to be effective at reducing chronic lameness in horses. Appearing in blood plasma within 30 minutes of oral dosing, its pharmacokinetic profile allows once daily dosing. Field studies have confirmed that firocoxib is highly effective at controlling pain and improving function in horses with chronic osteoarthritis.

Equioxx is available as either a low dose injectable solution or a palatable oral paste.

For more information contact Merial Customer Services on 0870 6000 123

Dechra Veterinary Products has announced that Intubeaze Oromucosal Spray is now back in stock.

Intubeaze is used for local anaesthesia of the laryngeal mucosa of cats to facilitate endotracheal intubation by preventing the stimulation of the laryngeal reflex. 

The product had gone out of stock due to a temporary manufacturing problem which has now been fixed.

Intubeaze is a clear solution containing 2% w/v lidocaine hydrochloride, with 0.1% w/v chlorocresol as an antimicrobial preservative.  Intubeaze is now available through all wholesalers.

For further information on Intubeaze please contact Dechra on 01743 441 632 or visit www.dechra.co.uk.

The University of Bristol's School of Biological Sciences has published* the results of a study which concludes that young dogs and those that are not wormed regularly are significantly more likely to be infected with the life-threatening, parasitic lungworm, Angiostrongylus vasorum.

In the independent study, which was led by Dr. Eric Morgan,  the faeces of 900 dogs was tested to look for factors which may increase a dog's risk of infection and to identify signs of infection. Lungworm was found to be a common cause of disease in Southwest England and Wales - 16 per cent of dogs presenting symptoms tested positive for lungworm, as well as 2 per cent of seemingly healthy dogs.  However, this is likely to be an underestimate. Dr Morgan said: "We used the Baermann's test to identify infected dogs, which is thought to be only 50% accurate, so the true figures may be as much as double those reported."

Dogs under 18 months were found to be 8 times more likely to have lungworm than dogs over 8 years old, and dogs between 18 months and 8 years old were 4 times more likely to have lungworm than dogs over 8 years old.  Dogs tested positive for lungworm year-round but there was an increase in numbers diagnosed during the winter and spring.

According to Dr. Morgan, infected dogs may display a wide range of symptoms: while over half of infected dogs were reported to be coughing or having difficulty breathing, lungworm infection is not always associated with respiratory signs. Infected dogs may present any combination of a wide range of symptoms including lethargy, tiring easily with exercise, and gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting and diarrhoea.  A significant number of infected dogs displayed signs of bleeding disorders such as excessive bleeding from small wounds or following surgery, blood in the urine and vomit, pale skin and bleeding in the eyes and skin.

Dr. Morgan added: "This parasite is spreading, reaching many new areas (including Bristol and Scotland) in the last few years.  Disease can present in a variety of ways, not necessarily involving respiratory signs, so pet owners and their vets should be aware of the risk.  Disease is most common in younger dogs, though age is not a barrier to infection.  On the bright side, dogs that are treated regularly with appropriate wormers are at lower risk, so we can act to protect our pets' health."

*Morgan, E. R., Jefferies, R., van Otterdijk, L., McEniry, R. B., Allen, F., Bakewell, M. and Shaw, S. E. 2010. Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in dogs: Presentation and risk factors. Veterinary Parasitology. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.06.037