Administered between the dog’s cheek and gum at the dose of 125 mcg/m2, dexmedetomidine is absorbed across the oral mucosa, delivering a micro-dose at approximately 1/4 of the IM dose.
It is given as soon as the dog shows signs of anxiety or fear, or when typical triggers of fear are detected by the owner.
Re-dosing of up to four times is possible with at least two hours pause between doses.
There's a new dial-to-dose syringe designed to make Sileo easier to administer, and redesigned packaging with a QR code which links to an instructional video for owners.
Emma Hancox, Veterinary Advisor at TVM, said: "Up to 50% of dogs suffer from noise anxiety, which can be extremely distressing both for pets and their owners.
"While many people associate their pet’s anxiety with occasions such as bonfire night, noise-anxiety can apply to everyday noises such as vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers and by social events or parties, which could have a much greater impact on the dog’s everyday welfare.
For more information, email help@tvm-uk.com, call 0800 0385868 visit or contact your local Territory Manager.
The International Society of Feline Medicine advises that blood pressure should be checked annually in cats aged seven years or over, but as they get older they should have their blood pressure checked every six months.
This is particularly important if cats have underlying health conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) or hyperthyroidism.
To support practices who want to take to their clients about feline hypertension, Ceva has produced a new feline hypertension toolkit.
The toolkit, which is available to download from www.easethepressure.co.uk/feline-hypertension-awareness-month, includes: posters, leaflets and stickers to use in practice, waiting room display materials, social media posts and email content and a communications guide.
The company will be holding a waiting room display competition to reward the most creative use of its materials, with a prize of a doppler machine for the winning practice.
Vet influencer ‘Louise the Vet’ will also be supporting the campaign by spreading the word about feline hypertension and the importance of routine blood pressure checks in cats on her social media channels.
Reference
The company developed the new version with input from veterinary surgeons, nurses and APPCC (Association of Private Pet Cemeteries and Crematoria) members.
Their recommendations, which have now been incorporated into the new design, include:
The new Pet Porters will be available from leading veterinary wholesalers from May.
However, MDC says that if you want to pre-order before the end of April, an introductory 10% discount is available on its website www.mdcexports.co.uk
The new suite offers chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment facilities under one roof, including a linear accelerator (LINAC) which enables treatment of tumours previously considered untreatable.
Southfields has two full-time client-facing specialists in radiation oncology and two on-site, full-time double-boarded medical and radiation oncologists, along with dedicated radiotherapy technicians and therapeutic radiographers.
RCVS and European Specialist Sarah Mason, Southfield's lead in general oncology, said: “Southfields is already renowned as being the leader in cancer treatment for small animals in the UK and the opening of our dedicated oncology and radiotherapy suite takes patient care to an even higher level.”
www.southfields.co.uk
The authors are all specialist anaesthesia nurses, including an American Vet Tech Specialist (VTS) in anaesthesia and analgesia, others with the national cert in anaesthesia and analgesia, and one with a PGCert AVN in anaesthesia and analgesia.
The Veterinary Nurse's Practical Guide to Small Animal Anaesthesia discusses each part of the anaesthetic process from start to finish, including the choice of anaesthetic agents, monitoring equipment that can be used and a case study section that discusses some commonly seen patients and makes suggestions of how the RVN in practice could approach these.
The guide also discusses monitoring equipment that can be used in the peri-anaesthetic period and provides a quick reference guide at the end of each chapter that can be used in specific emergency situations.
Niamh Clancy, Anaesthesia RVN, Teaching Fellow and Deputy Co Course Director for the Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and Module Leader for Anaesthesia at the RVC, said: “Constructing this practical guide has been a labour of love for all of us.
"Since the first conception of the idea in the recovery room of the QMHA, we wanted this book to be by RVNs for RVNs and to be an essential and accessible guide for the RVN in practice.”
Perdi Welsh, Director of Veterinary Nursing, Principal Teaching Fellow and Course Director for Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and School of Veterinary Nursing at the RVC, added: “This book by our anaesthesia RVNs is built up from many years working in a highly collaborative and supportive team environment and it's great to see this team passing on their knowledge, expertise and experience to empower others in their learning.
“It's an essential read for anyone doing anaesthetics; VNs and vets in clinical practice, to help them gain confidence in being able to deal with all aspects of small animal anaesthesia.
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781119716921
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Veterinary-Nurses-Practical-Animal-Anaesthesia/dp/1119716926
The winning images were selected from nine finalists, shortlisted from hundreds of entries that were taken by vets, both in their professional and private lives.
And the winners are ...
Sophie said: “I was very surprised to win with my photo of a newborn calf standing next to me during the closing phases of surgery.
"I'm not that slow at suturing up, it’s just the calf was very alert and standing before I finished!
"For me this photo encapsulates the best parts of farm vetting: prompt decisions, safe handling, great outcomes, teamwork.
"I’m very proud to be a farm vet and exceptionally pleased this photo will be seen by current farm vets and hopefully will inspire future farm vets from all walks of life to pursue a veterinary career.”
Katherine, who is a third year Veterinary Medicine student at the Royal Veterinary College, said: “I'm absolutely delighted to have my photograph selected as the winner of the category, especially against such impressive entries.
"I was on a morning visit to a game reserve with a local vet in South Africa, when the sunrise highlighted the small oxpeckers on the backs of the giraffes, frantically flying to and fro.
"With the giraffe curiously watching us, I managed to capture the moment all three birds landed on its back, creating the image representing all creatures great and small.”
Sam Price said: "I took the image of my dog, Winnie, while on a campervan trip on the north coast of Ireland.
She loves nothing more than a beach day as you can see so I felt this was a fitting photo for the brief.
Thankfully there was a rare bout of sunshine on the day which made for some nice lighting and Winnie is pretty photogenic, which always helps!"
BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “The winning images stood out to us for many reasons, but we particularly liked how each one captured the essence of the category it was entered into; Sophie’s image of a c-section on a cow was so touching and really demonstrates the daily life of many of our valued farm vets; Katherine Edmondson’s photograph of the giraffe and red-billed oxpeckers was stunning but also truly embodied the All creatures great and small element; while Sam Price’s photo of Winnie the dog literally jumping for joy stole our hearts and genuinely made us all break out in smiles.
“Congratulations to all the winners, and also a huge well done to all the finalists as well, it was a really tough decision but you should be proud of the incredible photographs you entered and your talents.”
Support for those studying to get the qualification includes access to an internal mentor, regular contact with Linnaeus’s nursing central support team, a training agreement covering things like additional CPD allowances, study time and networking opportunities specific to the candidate’s specialism.
Linnaeus also runs an internal VTS networking group to support both candidates and holders.
For VTS holders, Linnaeus now offers an enriched CPD package to support their re-certification process, which takes place every five years.
This includes an enhanced CPD budget and time allowance for attendance at international specialist conferences.
Holders are also invited to interprofessional discipline-specific away days and offered membership to a specialist organisation.
Vicky Ford-Fennah, Professional Development Manager at Linnaeus and a VTS holder in anaesthesia and analgesia (pictured), said: “Achieving the VTS status requires hard work and determination.
"This new process will provide our nurses with the support to set them up for success. It also recognises the different requirements of our VTS holders to maintain their status.
“Not only do our VTS candidates and holders improve their own skills; our education and networking opportunities enable them to share knowledge and become fantastic role models to other nurses wanting to progress their careers.
Sophie McMurrough is Nurse Team Leader in internal medicine at Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Runcorn and a VTS holder in Small Animal Internal Medicine.
She said: “Becoming a VTS holder has opened so many windows of opportunity for me. I have been able to master advanced clinical skills, teach my peers and share my knowledge through writing and speaking. I would encourage anyone with a passion for a specialist area to pursue the VTS.
The service will be run by Dr Eloise Quince BVetMed CertAVP(SAM-F) PgCertVPS MANZCVS MRCVS and Dr Kate Allgood BVetMed CertAVP(SAM) MRCVS.
The practice says radioactive iodine therapy is the treatment of choice for hyperthyroid cats as it provides a permanent cure in up to 95% of cases.
It is administered by an iodine injection under the skin in a specialised unit by a trained vet and nurse.
The practice says a benefit of RI is that it treats ‘ectopic tissue’ that may be present outside of the thyroid gland, for example in the chest, which is not treated by surgical methods of thyroid removal.
Normal thyroid tissue is also spared, so that there is normal thyroid function post-treatment.
Though some blood tests need to be taken post-treatment, there is no need for ongoing blood samples and the monitoring of the thyroid function once successful treatment has occurred.
Elissa Norman, Clinical Director, who initially developed the idea for the iodine unit said: “The iodine unit first started as a scribble on a piece of paper and a dream of our team back in 2017 and it has taken a huge amount of dedication and effort from a large team of people to get to the point of opening in 2023.
"Radioactive iodine offers a lifetime cure for our hyperthyroid cats and we are delighted to be able to bring this service to the cats of East Anglia.”
To refer a cat patient, vets should email iodine@veterinary-hospital.co.uk.
DogStem has been shown to be effective, reducing pain and lameness and improving mobility and quality of life for three months to over twelve months following a single injection1,2.
In a prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of DogStem, results showed that2:
TVM highlights how DogStem simplifies the process and reduces the cost of using stem cell therapy in practice because unlike previous therapies, it does not require require a surgical harvesting procedure to be carried out under general anaesthetic.
Helen Harrison, DogStem Technical Vet and Product Manager said: "Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases seen in veterinary practices and is challenging to manage.
"Conventional medical treatments typically address the symptoms rather than the underlying pathological processes.
"At the same time, local treatment options that slow progression of osteoarthritis have been limited and surgical interventions aren’t always possible or may be unrewarding.
"We’re delighted to be able to offer vets DogStem®, a stem cell product with a strong evidence base across numerous mobility and quality of life parameters.’
DogStem can be ordered from NVS, or direct from: www.dogstem.co.uk
References
Apovomin is effective after a single injection, with results in two to fifteen minutes.
Apovomin has the active substance apomorphine hydrochloride hemihydrate 3 mg (equivalent to apomorphine 2.56 mg). It is being marketed in 5 ml vials. It has a three-year shelf life and lasts for up to 28 days once broached.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: “Unfortunately there are many everyday substances that are toxic to dogs once ingested and time is of the essence when dogs have swallowed something that is poisonous to them.
“It is vital that veterinary professionals have access to a safe and effective treatment like Apovomin that they know they can rely on when dealing with cases like this.
“Apovomin offers a cost effective and successful treatment for accidental poisoning that will be an important tool for veterinary professionals in day-to-day practice.”
For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk.
The company says that despite the development of alternatives to natural bone grafting, such as allografts and synthetic products, autologous bone graft is still considered the standard. However, it has a number of disadvantages, such as donor site morbidities and lameness, limited availability of graft volume (particularly in small size pets) and additional surgical time.
Biocera-Vet is a new bone substitute indicated in surgical procedures where bone grafting is necessary, such as arthrodesis, complex fractures, corrective osteotomy used in correction of limb deformities or as add-on to Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA).
Biocera-Vet is an injectable synthetic self-hardening calcium-phosphate cement combining osteo-inductive, osteo-conductive and osteo-integrative properties designed to support a fast and strong consolidation.
TheraVet says Biocera-Vet also presents an excellent safety profile thanks to its biocompatibility, reduced comorbidities and superior ergonomics which save a significant amount of surgical time.
Dr Olivier Stiévenart, an orthopaedic veterinary surgeon at Surgivet in Belgium said: "Using Biocera-Vet has enabled us to optimise our patient care considerably, by reducing the operating time by at least 30 minutes. The use of an efficient and rapid bone substitute represents a real progress in terms of both operations and the animal’s quality of life".
Julie Schurgers, Chief Commercial Officer of TheraVet, said: "Biocera-Vet is a unique product on the veterinary bone substitute market, combining outstanding bone consolidation properties with an excellent safety profile and superior ergonomics. We are very excited today to announce its commercialisation on the market and are convinced that this innovative product will significantly improve the daily practices of veterinarians, for the well-being of patients and their owners."
The product is now available in Belgium, and will be rolled out in France and the Netherlands shortly, with the rest of Europe following later in 2021 / 2022.
For more information, visit: https://www.thera.vet/en/biocera-vet.
To nominate someone for inclusion in the showcase, visit: https://www.beva.org.uk/60-Faces
BEVA President Lucy Grieve said: "We are proud of BEVA’s heritage and want to recognise our 60th birthday by celebrating some of those who have made a significant difference to the equine veterinary community. We want you to help us identify the 60 individuals who you believe have truly inspired, influenced and progressed the equine veterinary profession for the better.”
Each of the nominated 60 faces will be highlighted on the website and on BEVA’s social media channels. Profile details will include career paths, workplaces and personal contributions to the equine veterinary profession.
Lucy added: "We have already started the list with Colonel John Hickman, Sue Dyson and Peter Rossdale. But there are hundreds of exceptional, deserving individuals who have made a huge difference to the equine veterinary profession and are worthy of our 60 Faces roll call."
The deadline for nominations is Friday 16th April 2021. All nominations are anonymous.
According to the study1, which looked at Chihuahuas treated in first opinion practice, ownership in the UK has increased over five-fold in the past decade from 1.0% of all puppies born in 2005 to 5.4% in 2016.
However, the study also found the breed was particularly susceptible to a number of health issues, including: dental disease (13.5%), obesity (5.9%) and retained baby teeth (5.7%).
Compared with other dogs, Chihuahuas were also more prone to aggression (4.2%), slipping kneecap (4.0%) and retained testicles (3.9%).
Other findings included:
Dan O’Neill, senior lecturer at the RVC and author of the paper, said: "Chihuahuas are an old breed but the recent craze for them can cause some real welfare issues for this tiny dog. There is increasing evidence that unscrupulous breeders and dealers both inside and outside the UK are cashing in on this trend by making a lot of money but with little regard for the welfare of these puppies and breeding bitches."
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass epidemiologist at the RVC and co-author of the paper said: "Dental disease and retained baby teeth should be recognised as important health concerns for Chihuahuas, with preventative care for dental disease a key topic for discussion between vets and owners. In addition, many of the common or predisposed disorders, such as dental disease, retained baby teeth, sliding kneecap and retained testicle(s), often require surgical intervention. The Chihuahua’s small size increases its anaesthetic risk. Obesity has many detrimental effects, including increased anaesthetic risk, and aggression makes them challenging patients and pets, therefore nutrition, lifestyle and behaviour are also key areas for veterinary-owner discussions."
The full paper is open access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-2258-1.
Reference:
The College says the event is aimed at RVNs who are interested in upholding standards of veterinary nursing professional conduct and who would like to help the RCVS maintain public confidence in the veterinary nursing profession. Prospective applicants for these roles should ideally have a minimum of five years' experience in veterinary nurse practice.
Attendees will have the opportunity to chat to representatives of the committee, and the staff involved in handling cases that go to disciplinary hearings. There will also be a short presentation on the application process from Thewlis Graham Associates – the external agency handling the recruitment.
RCVS staff and DC members will present some anonymised VN DC / DC example cases to talk through in small informal groups, to help convey an idea of the work involved and the challenges one could expect to face when making decisions on allegations of serious professional misconduct or fitness to practise.
The overall programme will be run in the afternoon from 3pm – 5pm and repeated in the early evening from 6pm – 8pm, to suit differing diaries and travel times. Snacks and refreshments will be provided on the day, and the RCVS will reimburse reasonable travel expenses for attendees.
Places at the information day can be reserved by contacting Deborah Rowlanes, RCVS Events Manager, via D.Rowlanes@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773. The deadline for registering is Friday 21 February 2020.
Alternatively, if you can't attend on the day itself, but would like to speak to the RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services Eleanor Ferguson about the vacancies, you can contact Deborah to arrange a convenient time.
Prospective committee members will then have until 5pm GMT Monday 2 March to submit their applications. Applications can be submitted through the Thewlis Graham Associates website: www.thewlisgraham.com/assignment-briefings.
The new platform offers video tutorials, podcasts, webinars, scientific studies, blogs and downloadable resources, all designed to ensure users understand how the HT Vista screening device can support their day-to-day work.
Users can also ask for a free one-on-one training call with HT Vista for personalised guidance.
HT Vista’s Managing Director, Liron Levy-Hirsch said: “We’re excited to introduce this new platform for veterinary professionals alongside our latest diagnostic update to the device.
"Our goal with HT Vista Academy is to support users in expanding their expertise, not just in operating the device but also in understanding the technology behind it and learning the best practice of dermal and subcutaneous mass management.
"By offering valuable educational resources and hands-on support, we hope to enhance the overall experience for veterinary teams and, ultimately, the care they provide to their patients.”
The company says the screening device is being widely used in nurse clinics around the world and its academy is suitable for both vets and veterinary nurses.
www.ht-vet.com/academy
According to the RVC, recent studies estimate dental disease affects up to 18% of the UK's rabbits and breeds with lop ears and short skulls (brachycephaly) have long been suspected of being more at risk.
To investigate whether there is any truth to that suspicion, a team of RVC researchers led by Maria Jackson RVN, Research Assistant in Rabbit Health and Welfare, and Dr Charlotte Burn, Associate Professor in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Science, set out to explore whether these physical features are linked to dental problems.
The study involved visual dental checks of 435 volunteered pedigree rabbits from 49 breeds at British Rabbit Council shows and breeders’ studs across the UK.
The researchers assessed tooth and mouth health using an otoscope, while also recording ear type, head shape (on a purpose-made visual scale), body size, age and sex.
The findings revealed that:
In conclusion, the study concluded that diet, environment and regular dental checks might be more important in the development of dental disease.
The researchers also concluded that any breeding decisions should be based on veterinary assessment of dental health, including otoscope or radiography examinations rather than relying solely on visual inspection of the teeth or a rabbit’s conformation.
Maria said: “Our findings add to the evidence that suggests lop ears and a brachycephalic head shape are less important in the development of dental issues in rabbits than was once thought.
"It’s clear that all rabbits, not just those with a non-wild conformation, can be affected by dental problems.
“The importance of feeding good-quality hay or grass and supplementing the diet with extruded pellets, not muesli, cannot be overstated, as diet may well be more important than conformation in the development of dental disease.
"Likewise, providing regular veterinary dental check-ups to rabbits is crucial to facilitate early dental disease detection and give case-specific dietary and treatment recommendations to slow disease progression and support the welfare of rabbits.”
Photo: depositphotos.com
The group reports that over 150 veterinary professionals have registered on its website and pledged their support.
The campaigners say they've been astonished with the response and believe the dozens of practices that have received legal letters and signed up so far could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Since the story first came to light, VetNurse.co.uk understands IVC has sent follow-up letters to a number of practices saying it has decided to offer a stay of execution and extend the deadline to comply until the 31st December 2025, before it considers taking further legal action.
However, the campaigners estimate that to rebrand so many ‘Pet Health Clubs’ will cost £250,000 and £350,000 in total, so they have now appointed an intellectual property lawyer to provide specialist advice on whether such a common term can be protected with a word mark.
Alex Green of Broadway Vets said: “Initially we set up We Are Spartacus to bring all the affected practices together to support each other, and while we’ve done this, we’ve also brought the wider veterinary community together who want to stand up to IVC Evidensia and the ridiculous word mark.
“Lots of practices have had a ‘Pet Health Club’ for more than 10 years and the majority of those that have come forward were using the term long before IVC registered its word mark in 2019, so it’s clearly an issue that people feel very passionate about, especially when it’s likely to cost each practice a significant amount of money and time to rebrand.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people who have registered to support us, especially those that aren’t affected but who want to stand shoulder to shoulder with us against such an unnecessary and underhand way of doing business.
"However, there are still several practices that are affected that we haven’t heard from, and we’d urge them to come and join us now.
“We’re also keen to hear from those that received initial letters and haven’t yet had a follow-up offering a stay of execution until the end of the year.
"Whilst we’re delighted that IVC has extended their deadline, it does not resolve the fact that their threats are unacceptable when every practice in the country provides animal, or ‘pet’, healthcare, or ‘health’, in a community-based service, or ‘club’.
“They don’t need to fight or worry about this on their own and we’re stronger as a collective, especially when it comes to pooling resources and expertise.
"We’ve already appointed a specialist IP lawyer to advise us, and the view is that given the extensive prior use of ‘Pet Health Club,’ it would be crazy to allow this to escalate to court when it can be amicably resolved.
“It’s also come to light that IVC has even registered ‘It’s not what we do, it’s why we do it’ which does rather sum it all up.
Spartacus just wants to know why IVC is doing what it’s doing.”
www.wearespartacus.co.uk
Ms Bucur MRCVS faced three charges against her.
The first charge was that in April 2024, she wrote a prescription for 60 tablets of tramadol 50mg, indicating that it was for the treatment of an animal, when it was intended for the treatment of a human.
The second charge was that she allowed the prescription to be presented at a pharmacy and/or failed to stop that.
The third charge was that her conduct, in relation to the first two charges was dishonest, and misleading, and took place in circumstances where she was not professionally qualified to write a prescription for human use.
At the outset of the hearing, Ms Bucur admitted all the charges and the Committee accepted her admissions.
In relation to charge three, the Committee found that Ms Bucur had been aware that she should not have written the prescription, that she should not have indicated that it was for an animal, that she should not have deleted the prescription for the clinical record on the practice management system, and she should not have allowed or failed to prevent the prescription from being presented for dispensing.
The Committee therefore found all charges proved.
In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee considered that Ms Bucur’s conduct had given rise to a risk of injury because she was not professionally qualified or sufficiently informed to issue a prescription for tramadol, that she had acted recklessly with regard to the potential effects of a controlled, potentially addictive drug and that her conduct had been premeditated.
It also accepted the submission that there was an abuse of Ms Bucur’s professional position as a registered veterinary surgeon, because this had allowed her to issue a prescription.
The Committee also found that Ms Bucur’s conduct was aggravated by her having involved other persons in her misconduct, namely her partner, in an attempt to have the prescription dispensed.
The Committee noted that the charges involved findings of dishonesty, which is regarded at the higher end in terms of the spectrum of gravity of misconduct.
In mitigation, the Committee took into account that the facts proved related to a single incident of the issuing and attempted use of a prescription.
The Committee was of the view that the Ms Bucur’s conduct had failed to promote protection of public health and had breached the legislation around access to controlled drugs.
Even though this was a single incident, the Committee considered that members of the public, if aware of the facts, would be alarmed and concerned at Ms Bucur’s actions.
As a result, the profession could be brought into disrepute and public confidence in the profession undermined.
The Committee therefore found that Ms Bucur’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct in a professional respect.
The Committee then considered whether there were any relevant additional personal aggravating or mitigating factors.
The Committee did not find any further aggravating factors; in mitigation it noted that Ms Bucur had no previous complaints of adverse matters in her career.
The Committee accepted that Ms Bucur had made early, open and frank admissions to her conduct.
She had also offered a fulsome and genuine apology and remorse in her witness statement and in the hearing.
The Committee also accepted that she had since worked without further incident and concluded from her witness statement and evidence that she had developed full insight into her misconduct.
She was able to provide a notable number of references and testimonials which were uniform in speaking to her positive qualities as a veterinary surgeon.
The Committee was able to conclude that this has been a very serious but single lapse of judgement, and that there was a relevant context in that Ms Bucur had clearly acted out of concerns to help her father, however misguided.
There were no suggestions of harm, or risk of harm, to animals.
However, the Committee could not ignore that Ms Bucur’s misconduct had occurred in relation to a controlled drug and had contravened important protections designed to protect the public.
Neil Slater, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee balanced the effect that a suspension would have on Dr Bucur, by depriving her of the ability to practise for a period, with the public interest.
"However, it decided that, in the circumstances, the interests of protecting the public, including the wider public interest, outweighed Dr Bucur’s interests.
“The Committee decided that, in all the circumstances, a suspension was the appropriate and proportionate sanction.
“The Committee considered for how long the suspension should be imposed.
"It considered that the suspension was not required to allow for Dr Bucur to gain any further insight.
"It would purely be required to mark the Committee’s disapproval of Dr Bucur’s misconduct, as a signal to the public and to the profession.
"The Committee concluded that the least period required in all the circumstances is two months.
“The Committee therefore directed to the Registrar that Dr Bucur’s registration be suspended for a period of two months.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
Dogs with RVED develop retinal degeneration from around four years of age which, if untreated, leads to blindness.
In partnership with James Oliver, Head of Ophthalmology at DWR Veterinary Specialists (pictured), researchers set out to discover why some Cocker Spaniels have such low vitamin E levels in their blood, despite it being present at normal amounts in their diet
James helped to design the study, recruit cases and collect samples.
Cathryn Mellersh, Senior Research Associate at the Canine Genetics Centre, said: “The team strongly suspected a genetic cause and has been trying to discover the responsible gene for several years with the help of owners and vets, who have contributed DNA samples.
“Thanks to updated information on the canine genome, Katherine Stanbury, one of our research associates, found a mutation in the alpha tocopherol transfer protein gene which is causative of the disease.
“This gene is responsible for getting vitamin E into the blood stream.
"We now know that RVED is a recessive disease, meaning that affected dogs must have two copies of the faulty gene to develop low vitamin E levels and retinal degeneration.”
The team’s DNA test can be used by dog breeders to find out if dogs carry the gene mutation, so they can avoid matings which result in affected puppies being born.
Cathryn said: “This DNA test is a rare example of one which not only can be used to identify dogs that are carrying the mutation and thus reduce the frequency of the mutation in future generations, but also has the incredible benefit of providing a sight-saving treatment option for dogs with the disease.
“From the research we have done we estimate that there could be several hundred Cocker Spaniels alive today that have two copies of this mutation, whose eyesight could be saved by this test.”
A DNA test for the mutation that causes RVED is now available from Canine Genetics Testing, which operates alongside researchers from the Canine Genetics Centre.
www.cagt.co.uk.
The team’s RVED research can be viewed at https://academic.oup.com/g3journal/advance-article/doi/10.1093/g3journal/jkaf016/7985679?searchresult=1
The grants, which are for up to £3,500 per annum, are for students - often from disadvantaged backgrounds - who are embarking on a gateway or main veterinary degree course, possibly as a second degree.
Quadstar's latest grantees are Alicia Guarnieri, who is doing a vet degree at the University of Bristol, and Raluca Magadan, a veterinary nurse from Ireland, who is now on the accelerated graduate course at Bristol University.
She said: “Doing a second degree was never going to be easy.
"However, through help from family and locum vet nurse work, I managed to afford my first three years of vet school and made it into final year.
"This is where the difficulty came, as I had to more than forty hours per week of unpaid rotations work, plus clinical EMS during the holiday breaks, which made it very hard for me to earn the money I needed to afford my final year.
"At times it meant I had under £100 to survive an entire month on, which became a big physical and mental challenge.
“That’s when the Quadstar Foundation stepped in and took a weight off my shoulders by helping to pay off my outstanding university fees and providing some financial security in my final months.
"This has been a huge relief and allowed me to finally enjoy my last year at Bristol.
"I can’t thank everyone at the charity enough.”
In addition to funding and mentoring, The Quadstar Foundation helps its grantees with everything from job applications to revision techniques, as well as any mental health crises and helping them to find a place to live.
Nick, who also runs a property and acquisitions company and Animus Surgical, a pet and vet supplies company, said: “Having worked as a vet for many years before setting up my businesses, I have great industry connections and knowledge.
"So, I’m in the privileged position of being able to help committed students to seize the career opportunities they deserve.”
“My main commercial motivation now is to be able to maintain the funding streams required for these grants.
"It’s surprisingly hard to fundraise for individuals.
"That’s why Animus Surgical has just committed to donating 15% of its profits to the Quadstar Foundation.”
He added: “It’s an enormous privilege to support these inspiring young vets who have had such a hard slog to get past the ever-increasing barriers they face. Barriers that back in our day didn’t exist.”
www.quadstar.org
Anyone - clients, colleagues or mentors - can nominate a young vet who they think has exceptional clinical skills, a particular passion for equine welfare or great leadership skills.
To be eligible nominees need to be members of BEVA, have graduated within the past seven years and be a registered professional with the appropriate body (eg RCVS).
BEVA Council Member Gemma Dransfield said: “We all know that one superstar who's brilliant with patients, fantastic with clients, and just an all-round legend in the making."
“This is your chance to give them the recognition they deserve.
"The BEVA One To Watch Award recognises those who are shaping the future, setting new standards in equine care, and driving the next generation of equine veterinary excellence.
"Not only will they have the glowing accolade of winning, but they will also win some career-boosting perks.”
To put an individual forward for consideration, a seconder is needed and either the nominator or seconder must be a BEVA member.
All nominations will be reviewed by a panel of experts comprising a BEVA Careers Committee representative, a senior equine vet, a non-equine veterinary professional and an external industry representative or client.
Up to five finalists will be selected and invited for a friendly online chat with the judging panel.
The winner will be announced at BEVA Congress and will be presented with a trophy, one year of BEVA membership, a fully paid BEVA Congress experience (including a one-day pass, overnight stay, and ticket to the annual dinner) and an exclusive career-boosting opportunities with BEVA to help take their career to the next level.
All finalists will receive a one-day ticket to BEVA Congress.
www.beva.org.uk/About-us/What-we-do/BEVA-Awards/One-to-watch
The Swadlincote and Melbourne-based IVC practice worked with a Great Workplaces by BVA accreditor during the pilot of the new scheme, to demonstrate its strengths against an accreditation framework covering four key themes: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture and learning and development.
In the report, the accreditor was particularly impressed by the practice’s strong leadership and management; its emphasis on accommodating flexibility for team members in various forms; a robust teamworking ethos; and a focus on continuous improvement.
British Veterinary Association President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “We’re delighted to see Swadlincote Veterinary Centre become the first veterinary workplace to achieve Gold accreditation through Great Workplaces by BVA scheme.
"Congratulations to the whole practice team for this incredible recognition.
“Creating positive working environments and targeting areas for improvement are the key to tackling ongoing workforce challenges around recruitment and retention.
"We hope this first Gold accreditation inspires others to strive towards gaining recognition as workplaces where vet teams thrive.”
Ingrid Stevenson, Clinical Director at Swadlincote Veterinary Centre, said: “While we knew the practice was doing well, we didn’t go into this process expecting Gold at all.
"My practice manager and I were just both really keen to get some feedback and to find out what more we could do to help the team.
“We have several clinical accreditations in the practice, but it is the team that are responsible for achieving these and maintaining the high standards.
"I believe the team should be looked after, recognised and rewarded for their hard work and going above and beyond when necessary.
"The team were really pleased when I shared the news.
"It has certainly been good for team morale and a positive outcome to share with potential new recruits. '
“The accreditation process was a thorough assessment of the practice and our accreditor made us feel all at ease during the interviews.
"While we achieved Gold, which was unexpected, we have also learnt of areas to develop further over the coming months.
"Overall, it was a positive experience for our practice.”
www.bva.co.uk/take-action/good-veterinary-workplaces/
The one-hours session: "How do you recommend parasite treatments to your clients?" will be presented by Zoetis Veterinary Consultant Ruth Moxon MVB MRCVS.
Ruth will discuss how to structure advice and how to take the conversation away from the idea of ‘selling’ and towards a confident recommendation based on the pet’s needs.
The course will cover:
Ruth said: “We are aiming for attendees to leave the session feeling confident about discussing recommendations to clients on parasiticides.
"The talk will enable them to comfortably explain the features and benefits of the right parasiticide for that pet and owner in an objective way.”
The course is free to BVNA members.
Non-members are welcome to join the webinar at a cost of £15.00 per ticket.
To book, email: cpd@bvna.co.uk
Photo: BVNA
The researchers’ objective was to determine whether dogs with intracranial space occupying lesions (iSOLs) on MRI, or MRI-determined indicators of intracranial hypertension (ICH) had higher sedation scores with a more rapid onset of recumbency after the administration of IV butorphanol than dogs without intracranial disease.
They hypothesised that 0.2 mg kg-1 of butorphanol administered intravenously would result in statistically significantly higher sedation scores and quicker onset of recumbency in dogs with MRI-iSOL and MRI-ICH.
For the observational study: 'The sedative effect of intravenous butorphanol in dogs with intracranial space occupying lesions or indicators of intracranial hypertension', 53 dogs presented for a brain MRI.
Each dog was sedated with 0.2 mg kg-1butorphanol IV, and the quality of sedation and the onset of recumbency were scored before drug administration and every 5 minutes after administration for 15 minutes using a modified sedation scale.
The maximum sedation score was 18, and onset of recumbency was recorded when a dog lay down without the ability to stand.
Dogs with MRI-iSOL had significantly higher median sedation scores than dogs without MRI-iSOL (12 versus 5 respectively) 15 minutes after butorphanol administration (T15, p < 0.01).
A greater number of dogs with MRI-ICH achieved recumbency (n = 9/10; 90%) than those without MRI-ICH (n = 20/43; 46.5%; p = 0.01).
Emma Sansby, Resident in Anaesthesia and Analgesia at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, who led the research, said: “When intracranial disease is suspected, the administration of butorphanol as a premedicant for anaesthesia could be used to predict the presence of MRI-iSOL and MRI-ICH.
"If a dog becomes recumbent or has a sedation score of more than 10 within 15 minutes of butorphanol administration, the animal should be treated with an anaesthesia protocol adapted to the presence of ICH – so as not to increase intracranial pressure.
“These adaptations include but are not limited to; adequate preoxygenation - to prevent hypoxaemia and elevation of the head to no more than 30 degrees; preventing increases in central venous pressure - by avoiding jugular compression and avoiding excessive intraabdominal and intrathoracic pressure; and a smooth anaesthetic induction - ensuring an adequate depth of anaesthesia prior to tracheal intubation to prevent the cough reflex and judicious mechanical ventilation to enable a low-normal end-tidal carbon dioxide.”
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
The survey, which takes about three minutes, will assess horse owners’ experiences of strangles and includes questions on the disease including preventative measures and vaccination.
There will be a prize draw from completed entries and the winner will get two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025.
Rachel Harrison-Osborne MRCVS, equine field manager at Dechra said: “The strangles survey will provide us with a valuable insight into horse owners’ experiences of the disease and will enable us to identify any trends that may exist to help us support owners who wish to put in place preventative measures to help prevent strangles.”
https://forms.office.com/e/85gzEd7J7A
Photo: Redwings Horse Sanctuary