Effipro Duo contains fipronil to kill adult fleas and ticks, and pyriproxyfen, an insect growth regulator, to sterilise adult fleas and inhibit the immature life stages. It provides three months protection against flea life cycle completion.
The product is presented in Effipro’s patented ‘drop-lock’ pipette, designed to ensure that the solution is released only when the owner is ready.
Effipro Duo is offered in packs of 4 pipettes and in a 24-pipette dispensing pack to suit practices offering health plans.
Product Manager Kate Woolley MRCVS said: "Because Effipro Duo targets not just the adult fleas on the pet but also the key developmental stages in the flea life cycle often found in the home, it represents an integrated and easy-to-use solution, both for on-animal flea and tick control and for long-lasting protection of the home environment.
"Household flea infestations are common all year round and experts agree that the combination of an adulticide and an insect growth regulator is the most effective way for owners to protect their homes from this unpleasant problem¹. For complete flea control in the home, we recommend that it is used in conjunction with Indorex®, the UK’s no. 1 household flea spray².
"Virbac offers one of the most extensive parasiticide ranges on the market and we believe Effipro Duo will provide a popular addition, offering owners long-lasting protection from fleas and ticks for their cats and dogs, while helping practices to retain vital parasite control sales in-house."
The RCVS is now accepting applications from veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who wish to serve as members of the RCVS Ethics Review Panel (ERP).
The ERP has been established by the RCVS in order to facilitate access to ethical review for those wishing to undertake practice-based research outside of a university or industry context. The ERP will begin considering research proposals from veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses from 1 August 2016 and the trial will run for a period of one year. The process will be limited to considering research projects involving cats and/or dogs during the trial period, with the possibility of expanding to other species if the trial is extended or made permanent.
The trial came about following a joint working party established by the RCVS and British Veterinary Association which reported on ethical review and found that an increasing amount of clinical research was being conducted by vets based in private practice. One of the key recommendations of the report was that the RCVS should consider establishing a committee for ethical review of practice-based research.
Ahead of the launch of the ERP, the RCVS is currently looking to recruit four veterinary surgeon members and a veterinary nurse member to the Panel to join a lay member and ethicist Chair.
More details about the roles, the function of the ERP and how to apply can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/workforus and www.rcvs.org.uk/ethics. Those who are interested in applying can also email ethics@rcvs.org.uk for an informal discussion. The closing date for applications is 15 April 2016.
The Royal Veterinary College has carried out the first ever open-heart surgery to treat a stenotic tricuspid valve in a dog.
The three-year-old Labrador, Mabel, suffered from congenital tricuspid dysplasia. She was referred to cardiology specialists at RVC Small Animal Referrals where her tricuspid valve was found to be completely fused in the middle, with just two very small openings for her blood to flow through.
In a procedure that took a little over an hour, the RVC team examined and worked on the valve. The College reports that Mabel’s surgery was a success and her stenosis was relieved.
Mabel was subsequently found to have a moderate amount of regurgitation into the right atrial chamber, but after a few more days of additional monitoring at the RVC she was able to return home.
The surgery was carried out by Professor of Small Animal Surgery Dan Brockman at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. He was assisted by a team of RVC specialists to provide pre and post-operative care, including a perfusionist, a team of three anaesthetists, two surgery nurses, three surgeons and a cardiology veterinary specialist-in-training. In addition, Professor of Veterinary Cardiology Virginia Luis Fuentes and veterinary specialist-in-training Dr Rosie Payne were members of the Cardiology Service’s investigation into Mabel’s condition.
RVC students were also involved in the Mabel’s initial examinations at the hospital, providing them with an insight into the procedure. The examinations included cardiac ultrasound using the newest generation of cardiac ultrasound equipment, which is able to capture 3D and 4D images. The new ultrasound scanner was funded in part by the RVC’s charity, the Animal Care Trust.
After the surgery, the emergency and critical care (ECC) team and the Cardiology Service took over Mabel’s care, with Professor Brockman remaining involved. This saw up to four senior ECC clinicians, a number of veterinary specialists-in-training and half a dozen highly trained ECC technicians working in shifts around the clock to care for Mabel and ensure a good recovery.
According to the RVC, there have been previous attempts by veterinary surgeons to open stenotic valves with balloon valvuloplasty. However, because it is very difficult to tear the stenotic valve, this approach has not proved very successful. There is also a high risk when putting canines onto bypass. Canines have fragile blood vessels, and cannulae need to be inserted into several of these vessels, creating a danger that a major vessel tears.
Commenting on why the RVC team decided to perform this procedure at this point, and on Mabel, Dan said: "Lots of things fed into this decision. First and foremost, we had a patient whose pathology made surgery the best solution. I explained to the owner and was very honest that this procedure would be really breaking new ground. Based on what the human paediatric cardiac surgeons will do, and our limited experience of balloon-valvuloplasty suggests this is the best approach for these dogs
"The operation itself is risky, much worse than most other operations. In our hands, for this type of disease, we have about an 80% chance of getting them through the procedure. The owner has to gamble what life the dog has left against the promise of a more normal quality of life and life-span following the operation."
In relation to Mabel’s prognosis if the surgery had not been undertaken, Professor Luis Fuentes said: "It is likely that the signs of right-sided heart failure would have been more difficult to control. Her ability to exercise would have become less and less, and she would have also been at risk of having abnormal heart rhythms associated with the enlargement of the right atrium. Generally we expect them to develop more and more signs as the disease progresses. These are difficult cases to manage on a long-term basis with drugs. Her life expectancy would have been substantially reduced.
"I thought Mabel was almost a perfect candidate to have the procedure here as Dan has a lot of experience replacing tricuspid valves in dogs with tricuspid dysplasia. In those cases there is usually leaking, but Mabel’s case was unusual in that she has minimal leaking and she was most affected by the stenosis. That means you may not have to implant any additional valve structure."
Speaking two weeks after the operation, owner Annabelle Meek, from Melton Mowbray, said: "Mabel has just come back in from wandering around the perimeter of my garden for the first time since before the operation. It’s more than half an acre and she has been ambling around happily following a scent.
"I would like to thank absolutely everybody. It’s been an enormous team effort on all sides. Every single person I met at the RVC, from the man on the gate to all the hospital staff, was so friendly. After she came home Dan Brockman phoned me every day to see how she was doing. The RVC should be very proud of what they have done for Mabel."
The WSAVA has launched a petition to save ketamine from being placed under international scheduling, a move which the association says would prevent those who most need the drug having access to it.
The proposal to schedule ketamine is likely to be considered at the 59th UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs (CND) taking place between now and the 22nd March 2016 in Vienna.
Apparently, the proposal stems from a widespread misconception that ketamine is only a recreational drug. WSAVA argues that it is in fact the only anaesthetic suitable for use in middle and low income countries, and it also has particular value 'in the field' for trauma, traffic and sporting injuries. It is also the common and often only product used for sterilization initiatives - instrumental in the feral dog/cat population and critical for the control of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies.
To sign the petition, visit: http://chn.ge/1RFSou6. You can also share the petition post on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WSAVA/.
Specifically, the review is of The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 as amended by the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) Order 2014.
The consultation is seeking opinions on whether:
The consultation is not about potential changes to the legalisation following Brexit although evidence collected as part of this review may be relevant to future discussions.
The BSAVA says it is aware that the changes to the Pet Travel Scheme, introduced in January 2012 and December 2014, have significantly increased the number of animals, particularly puppies, entering the UK including those for sale which should not be coming in under the Pet Travel Scheme.
It says it also knows that a significant number of veterinary practices have been presented with animals that do not fully comply with the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme and that contacting the appropriate department in the Local Authority is not always easy.
The Association is therefore encouraging members of the profession to feed into this consultation and encourage any clients who have experience of travelling to and from Europe with their pets to do so as well.
The BSAVA says it will be submitting a response itself, and if anyone would rather send their comments via the BSAVA, you should email Sally Everitt (Head of Scientific Policy) s.everitt@bsava.com by 20th October.
During the four-day hearing, the Committee heard evidence in respect of three separate heads of charge brought against Mr Shah following a castration operation conducted on Shadow, a six-year old Newfoundland dog, which took place on 20 June 2014.
The three charges were as follows:
There was no complaint made as to the undertaking of the operation itself, and the Committee followed the advice from the Legal Assessor that each charge should be considered separately. When making its decision, the Committee did not take into account the fact that Shadow had died as it is impossible to say whether he would have survived had Mr Shah acted differently.
The Committee found each of the allegations against Mr Shah proved. In respect of the first charge the Committee heard from two expert witnesses, Professor Williams and Mr Plumley, who agreed that the decision to discharge Shadow at about 6pm on 20 June 2014, given his condition, was inappropriate.
The Committee considers that discharging Shadow at that time into the care of the owner given his state on discharge, was grossly negligent and a serious error of judgement. It therefore found Mr Shah to be guilty of the first charge.
The Committee then considered that, after being alerted to Shadow’s continued lack of progress by the telephone call from Gemma Ballantyne between 30 and 45 minutes after discharge, Mr Shah exacerbated the situation by the inadequacy of his response in dealing with the concerns raised which, in the Committee’s view, represented a continuation of his previous poor judgement.
The Committee considered that Mr Shah was under a duty of care to advise Gemma Ballantyne to seek urgent veterinary attention for Shadow and by his own admission he failed to do so, and he was therefore found guilty of the second charge.
During that telephone call Mr Shah also gave no further details about the out-of-hours care available to Gemma Ballantyne other than to inform her that there would be an additional cost.
He did not seek confirmation that any such information been supplied by his colleague, Emma Martin (who at the relevant time was a student nurse), however, and at no time did he see Gemma Ballantyne in possession of the discharge sheet. The Committee therefore found Mr Shah guilty of this final head of charge.
The Committee did accept that there was no element of dishonesty, nor was there an aim of financial gain in the case. The Committee also considered that Mr Shah was acting in good faith at all times. It also accepted that Mr Shah was entitled to assume that normal practice had been followed and that a previously compiled discharge sheet, containing the number of the out-of-hours provider, had been supplied to Miss Ballantyne.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "Balancing all of the factors as the Committee must, it is clear that on this occasion Mr Shah’s conduct fell far short of that which is expected and it therefore finds he conducted himself disgracefully in a professional respect."
Mr Green added: "In imposing the sanction of a reprimand, the Committee urges Mr Shah in the strongest possible terms to ensure that his future conduct by way of training and support systems within his practice are such as to avoid any possibility of a future incident such as this occurring in order to ensure animal welfare and public confidence in the veterinary profession. The Committee notes that in her evidence, Emma Martin said that the working practices at the surgery have been changed and the Committee expects that all animals kept in the care of Mr Shah are fully monitored, examined and assessed in relation to their condition before being discharged."
Research shows that 73% of hospitalised dogs suffer from an energy deficit² and with nutrition being an important part of managing these patients, the company says it will be showing veterinary nurses how they can play a key role in providing this care.
On Friday 7 October, Royal Canin's Sarah Collins DipAVN(Medical)RVN, VTS(ECC), Cert CFVHNut will be hosting two lectures on assisted feeding. The first (Nutrition Stream, 1:00pm-2:00pm) will explore how, once a patient is stable, nutritional support can significantly impact morbidity and mortality¹.
Sarah said: "Inadequate nutrition may lead to malnutrition which can have negative effects on wound healing, immune function and ultimately on overall prognosis. The consequences of malnutrition are very different in healthy cats and dogs compared to ill ones, with ill or traumatised patients catabolising lean body mass when they are not provided with sufficient calories. This lecture will go on to explain how Veterinary Nurses can select a suitable diet and put a thorough feeding plan in place."
The Assisted Feeding Part 2 lecture (Nutrition Stream, 4:00pm-5:00pm) will look into anorexic or inappetant patients and cases where an animal is unlikely to feed, such as fractured mandible. Sarah will delve into the advantages and disadvantages of different feeding tubes and how an appropriate tube can be chosen.
Royal Canin's Weight Management Specialist, Shelley Holden RVN, Cert SAN (pictured above right), will also be delivering a lecture: 'Weight Clinics – managing the challenging case' (Friday 7 October, Nutrition Stream, 9:30am-10:30am). Shelley will highlight the difficulties in getting patients to lose weight to nurses already running dedicated clinics in practice. Shelley will also discuss adhering to weight loss plans, challenges that owners can face and how to educate them on the importance of making changes for their pet.
References
Amflee Combo, a POM, is being launched by a newcomer to the UK market, a Slovenian company called Krka (pronounced kirka). The company says it plans to introduce a vast range of small and production animal products onto the UK market in the next few years.
Killian Gaffney, Head of sales and marketing at Krka, says the company intends to support UK veterinary surgeons by offering high quality products and by building business relationships that will help protect veterinary incomes, at the same time as offering good value to their customers.
Killian said: "Amflee Combo has some unique features that we believe will set it apart from the competition. We know the combination of the two active ingredients in Amflee Combo is very effective for the treatment of fleas, ticks and biting lice and as part of a treatment strategy for flea allergy dermatitis in dogs and cats. S-methoprene is also effective against flea eggs and larvae in the environment.
"However, these ingredients can be susceptible to degradation when subjected to light and moisture, which is why each Amflee Combo pipette comes in its own special foil wrapper. The pipettes have also been designed for convenience of use, since we know that only 22% of owners apply spot-ons correctly1."
A range of product and client literature to support the use of Amflee Combo is available by calling 01753 722 150.
Amflee Combo is available in a variety of packs for cats and different sized dogs, containing either three or six pipettes. The recommended treatment is one pipette every four weeks.
Further information about Amflee Combo or Krka is available at www.krka.co.uk
Reference
1 El veterinario ante el cambio climatico Argos 107, 2010.
Almost all rabies cases are as a result of being bitten by an infected dog, with around half of all dog bites and rabies deaths occurring in children under 15 years of age. Rabies, which is preventable, is categorised as one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The End Rabies Now campaign aims to significantly raise the profile of rabies as a global neglected tropical disease with policy makers and journalists, explaining what is being done to control and eliminate the disease. The campaign is led by Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), and has three key messages:
Ahead of the tenth World Rabies Day, BVA has also recognised vet Professor Sarah Cleaveland OBE for her work in rabies control by awarding her the Chiron Award, one of the Association’s most prestigious awards for outstanding contributions to veterinary science.
Sarah said: "Awards like this are recognition of the contributions not only of one person, but the work of many. We are deeply committed to continuing our efforts towards the global elimination of canine rabies and tackling other zoonotic diseases that affect the health and livelihoods of many of the poorest people in the world."
The End Rabies Now campaign is based around the strong scientific evidence that vaccinating dogs is fundamental to disrupting the cycle of rabies transmission to humans. The target of 2030 was chosen because one of the UN’s sustainable development goals, launched in September 2015, includes the ambition to end by 2030 neglected tropical diseases such as rabies.
With 120 countries still affected by canine rabies, the End Rabies Now campaign advocates that collaborative cross-sector efforts are needed to end zoonotic diseases such as rabies: rabies elimination plans must include human and animal government agencies, veterinary and human health professionals, educators, scientists and community groups.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The work being done worldwide by vets, human health professionals and others to combat this horrific disease that senselessly kills thousands each year is of the utmost importance and BVA is proud to support the End Rabies Now campaign and help get those key messages out to policy makers and governments worldwide – every rabies death is entirely preventable and we can end rabies by 2030 through vaccinating dogs."
TVM, which has a wide range of products in ophthalmology, neurology, geriatrics, gastroenterology, anti-poison management and health and wellness, says that the acquisition is designed to boost the company's international scope, building market share and expanding its leadership in the fields of ophthalmology and neurology beyond France.
The acquisition will also strengthen TVM’s position in the area of animal anti-poison treatment as Forum Animal Health already supplies a canine emetic which it has been marketing in the UK for three years with an awareness campaign about the dangers of toxic products to dogs. This, the company says, has contributed to a significant increase in early interventions by veterinary surgeons in cases of poisoning. A similar campaign is currently being led in France by the TVM laboratory.
To accompany the change, Forum Animal Health is adopting a new visual identity, shown above right.
As with last year the RCVS has sent the annual renewal notice to the majority of veterinary nurses by email. This year only 1,086 veterinary nurses have been contacted by post – down from last year, when around 3,500 had letters sent to them.
Text message reminders will also be sent to those for whom the College holds a mobile number.
Nicola South, Head of Registration, said: "It is great to see that we have been able to respond to members’ feedback and increase our contact by email and text with veterinary nurses, but I would like to suggest that VNs should regularly check their email for information from the RCVS.
"Unfortunately a larger than normal amount of veterinary nurses were removed from the Register at the beginning of the year, and we would very much like to avoid this happening again. Each year we send the renewal notice at least four weeks before the 1 November deadline, so if you have not received your annual renewal notice, please contact us so that we can arrange for this to be sent to you again."
The annual renewal fee of £61 is due for payment by 1 November. If a veterinary nurse does not pay the annual renewal fee by the end of the year they will be removed from the Register.
Payments by debit or credit card can be made online via the ‘My Account’ area of the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/login) or by cheque, bank draft or bank transfer.
All veterinary nurses also need to confirm their Register details and their compliance with the RCVS continuing professional development requirement of 45 hours over a three-year period, and declare any convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings.
Any veterinary nurses who have not received an annual renewal email or letter by the end of September should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk
Veterinary nurses with any queries about paying the annual renewal fee should contact the RCVS Finance Team 020 7202 0723 or finance@rcvs.org.uk
As part of its continued support of the 2016 regional events organised by VPMA and SPVS, in partnership with Zoetis, the company is sponsoring the ‘Focus on the Practice Team’ course on Thursday 13 October at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire. Four veterinary professionals will be selected at random to win a place worth £210.
Royal Canin says the day will bring together some of the best experts in leadership, management, employment law and staff training to ensure that practices are ahead of the game when it comes to trained, happy and well managed staff.
The first half of the day will concentrate on the impact front of house employees can have on client communication, whilst the second half will cover HR issues. Guest speakers include Brian Faulkner from The Colourful Consultancy, Nick Steele from Zoetis, Veterinary Mentor, Carolyne Crowe, and Alison Lambert from Onswitch.
To have a go at winning a free place, send an email with your name, job title, the name of your veterinary practice and the reason why you would like to attend to royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com by Friday 30 September. The company will then select four applicants at random and will inform the winners via email by Friday 7 October.
Places on the course can also be booked by calling 01453 872731 or by visiting www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk. Focus days cost £175 plus VAT for non-members and £125 plus VAT for VPMA and SPVS members (group/ bulk booking discounts are also available). The cost includes lunch and refreshments.
Consistent with previous surveys, lameness was shown to be more likely to be caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis in the limb rather than problems in the foot.
Blue Cross carries out NEHS in May each year in partnership with the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA). It is sponsored by Dodson & Horrell and Zoetis and supported by the UK’s leading equestrian organisations and charities.
This year saw a 14% increase in participation compared to 2015, with survey records returned for almost 16,751 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules and 5635 people taking part. Most horses were kept in livery or a private yard and used for leisure and hacking.
Lameness has been consistently seen as the most common syndrome affecting horses in the NEHS results year on year. In the latest survey a total of 32.9% (24.4% in 2015) of horses and ponies with health problems were recorded as lame. Overall, as in previous years, lameness in the limb was more common than lameness caused by problems in the foot.
A breakdown of the types of lameness revealed that 47.4% were recorded as suffering from proximal limb lameness, 31.9% from causes of foot lameness other than laminitis and 20.7% from laminitis. Degenerative joint disease (including foot and proximal limb) was the most frequently reported single cause of lameness (41.2% of all lameness) and the most frequently reported joint affected by DJD was the hock (15.3% of all lameness).
Reports of foot lameness (excluding laminitis) more than doubled this year at 10.5% (4.5% in 2015) of all syndromes reported with pus in the foot being the most frequently recorded problem. This could possibly be attributed to the persistent wet weather during and prior to the survey, which can increase susceptibility to the condition.
Josh Slater from the Royal Veterinary College, who is a member of BEVA’s Health & Medicines Committee and analysed the NEHS data, said: "The data gleaned from the survey remains consistent year on year, confirming the reliability of our findings for benchmarking, referencing and research. This year’s increase in overall lameness may be in part attributed to the higher incidence of pus in the foot but may also be because owners are becoming more aware of lameness issues. Ongoing research on lameness has generated significant media coverage over the past year, helping to raise understanding of the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment both from welfare and performance perspectives."
The six most notable disease syndromes identified in the 2016 National Equine Health Survey are:
Gemma Taylor, Education Officer at Blue Cross said: "The significant increase in participation again this year shows that owners and keepers of horses are really getting behind the survey and recognising its importance in safeguarding the future health and of the UK’s horses. Over the past year NEHS data has been referred to in leading equestrian and veterinary media, showing its credibility as a valuable benchmarking reference."
The 2016 NEHS survey results are now available. To download a copy visit http://www.bluecross.org.uk/nehs2016results and to register for next year’s survey please visit www.bluecross.org.uk/nehs
The poster can be downloaded free of charge from NOAH’s Pet Health Info website and a limited number are available from NOAH free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
Featuring pet photos from NOAH’s 'Happy healthy pets' project gallery, the planner contains independent seasonal expert tips and advice for pets: from exercise, diet and healthcare to keeping them safe and comfortable in different weather conditions.
Over the coming months, the campaign will continue to roll out tips and expert advice from NOAH and partners, tailored web content, as well as press and social media activity.
The poster is part of ’I Heart My Pet’ campaign, now in its third year, which includes the Happy, Healthy Pets Project – an interactive online gallery, where pet owners have already uploaded more than 2000 images of happy, healthy pets.
NOAH Chief Executive, Dawn Howard said: "We are thrilled that these three great animal welfare charities have joined forces with NOAH to help extend the reach of our collective networks on this project, with the ultimate objective of improving the health of the UK’s pets.
"PDSA’s sterling work through its PAW Report, highlighting areas where we need to focus to improve pet welfare made them an obvious choice and we are delighted to be working with them on this. Cats Protection helps thousands of cats every year and provides invaluable information on cat care. We hope that by working together we’ll be able to assist them in helping many more.
RWAF’s work on educating owners about the responsibility involved in taking on rabbits as pets, through campaigns such as Rabbit Awareness Week, is of vital importance and we look forward to working closely with them to spread the word even further."
The RCVS stand was designed to look like a veterinary practice, complete with waiting room, consulting room, prep room, operating theatre and RCVS Accredited Practice logos.
The team from the College handed out around 1,500 ‘Find a Vet’ canvas bags containing 'Find a Vet' and Practice Standards Scheme leaflets and merchandise, and persuaded over 200 people to take part in special ‘Find a Vet’ and PSS-themed games and competitions.
These included having to find a veterinary surgeon or nurse around the showground (volunteers from RCVS Council and VN Council, including RCVS President Chris Tufnell and VN Council Chair Liz Cox, along with David Catlow, Neil Smith, his dog, Fire, Lucy Bellwood and Amber Richards).
The College reports that there was also a continual stream of children eager to pretend to be veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for the day and have a go at the on-stand ‘animal examination’ and ‘animal surgery’ activities. All this gave rise to plenty of photo opportunities, which parents and competition entrants were encouraged to share on social media, to help spread the word about the College’s activities.
Ian Holloway, RCVS Head of Communications said: "This was the first time the RCVS had been to such a large-scale and high-profile public event, and it provided a superb opportunity to explain to animal owners who we are and how we can help them.
"We had a great deal of interest in our new Find a Vet service, and people also seemed reassured that there was a scheme in place to accredit veterinary practices around the country. Having attended both the London Pet Show and BBC Countryfile Live this year, we now plan to increase the number of animal owner events we attend next year, to further raise public awareness of the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme and our Find a Vet service."
For more pictures of the event, see: https://flic.kr/s/aHskEQkDPc
The aim of the week is to focus equine practices on ‘Taking care of the small things that make a big difference’ with a toolkit of resources designed to help them promote their businesses and educate and promote the benefits of preventative healthcare.
Peter Young, MSD Equine Business Manager said: "This year’s Horse Health Week has been created to focus on the small things we can all do to help keep our nation’s horses happy and healthy. We are encouraging equine vets to get involved and engage with their clients throughout the week with the support of our toolkit. This celebration of Britain’s horses and the things we can do to improve their health is a positive opportunity for vets to build client loyalty and attract new clients. I urge practices to do as little or as much as they can, but I urge them to do something!"
Horse Health Week is supported with a range of materials for both practices and clients, along with social media content, which vets can obtain on a USB stick from their MSD Animal Health Equine representative.
The toolkit includes a series of five animations – one for each day of the week. They each cover a different topic including; horse connections, the importance of hand washing, equipment at shows, isolation and vaccination. There is also a social media campaign for practices to run called #BonVoyageBuzz, and a survey that will gather the views of horse owners on preventative healthcare.
For full details talk to your MSD Animal Health Account Manager, call MSD on 01908 685685 or refer to www.healthyhorses.co.uk/horse-week.
European Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry Lisa Milella, who revealed last year that she has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, has now announced that she plans to end her life at the Swiss-based organisation, Dignitas, and is calling on MPs to support a Private Members Bill on assisted dying, due for a second reading next month.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lisa said: "In Britain, we give more dignity in death to our pets than we do human beings. I don't want to suffer a prolonged, lingering death. I want to be able to choose when I die – and I'd like to do that in my home, surrounded by my loved ones with dignity – but British law doesn't allow me to do that and that makes me angry."
Meanwhile, Lisa's campaign to raise money for International Animal Rescue has smashed its original target of £10,000 and now stands at £24,096.83, with a new target of £50,000.
Pawz Ltd, a UK company founded by Diwaker Singh, Radu Georgescu and Francesco Cardoletti has launched PawSquad, a new on-demand veterinary video consultation service for pet owners.
The service offers pet owners a 15 minute online consultation with a veterinary surgeon for £15, any time from 6:00am to midnight, seven days a week.
PawSquad points out that the service cannot offer a diagnosis - apart from the fact that it would be contrary to the CoPC, it's obviously not possible without a physical exam - so the service is designed to offer more general health advice concerning such things as behaviour, nutrition and the management of long-term, non-emergency conditions.
Andrew Francis BVSc CertVC, DipECVIM-CA MRCVS ex-Head of Cardiology at Anderson Moores Veterinary Referrals is the company's Chief Veterinary Officer, sitting alongside Andrew Ash MRCVS (the BSAVA Past Pres). Andrew #1 said: "Currently, pet owners have only two options when they need advice about their pets' health and welfare. They either take time out of busy schedules to visit the vet or, when a visit to the vet is not possible they search the Internet for non professional and frequently unreliable information."
Francesco Cardoletti said: "It’s important to understand that PawSquad is a supplementary service – it’s not replacing traditional veterinary services .There are limits to the services you can digitally provide. If an animal is seriously ill, it needs to get to a bricks and mortar veterinary clinic and be examined by a vet."
I tried out the new service with a question about my dog's slightly worrying habit of growling at one of my children. It was a question which we had not thus far raised with our normal vet because it hadn't been enough of a concern at the last consultation. But it seems to be getting slightly worse, and my wife and I had recently talked about getting advice. It seemed like just the sort of situation where an informal chat with a vet could be helpful.
Completing the preconsultation details was a breeze, slowed only by the need to shove the dog on a set of scales (I didn't know what she weighs, and it's needed for the consultation). Thereafter, only one hiccup when it transpired that Safari, the browser I was using, is incompatible. I switched to Chrome, which is.
The consultation itself was excellent. Within a few seconds, the very charming Angie Henderson MRCVS appeared on my screen. It transpired I was her very first consultation since the service was launched yesterday! We discussed the problem. She reassured me that one of the things I was doing (getting the child to feed the dog under supervision) was a good idea, and we discussed a number of other positive reinforcement strategies to try and improve our dog's behaviour. She explained that she wasn't one for certain types of negative reinforcement, but that using a spray bottle of water when the dog behaved inappropriately could help. She explained that we would need to do these things several times a day for them to have an effect, and even then it may take some considerable time, and may need the services of a behaviourist. She also reassured me that the dog would be unlikely to do anything worse than nip, whilst stressing that even a nip is very upsetting for a child, so it does need to be dealt with.
All in all, I came away reassured, with some very useful suggestions and a clear idea of what we need to do. £15 very well spent. I gather that I should also have received a written post-consultation report by email, which didn't arrive because of some technical glitch. But that's slightly by-the-by; the icing on the cake.
I can also see the service would be very useful as a sort of out-of-hours triage, in other words offering me the ability to have a "my-dog-has-just-eaten-three-kilos-of-Green-and-Blacks-what-next-consultation?" at 11:00pm at night.
If the service proves popular amongst pet owners, the question remains whether it will reduce the number of people seeking and paying for traditional consultations. I suspect not. Perhaps the reverse will happen as pet owners use the system to corroborate their feeling that the dog might need a physical exam. As part of the service and with your permission, PawSquad forwards a copy of the consultation report to your normal vet.
Again if the service proves popular, it seems to offer the potential for a nice additional income stream for veterinary surgeons, especially locums, which can be earned in the hours you specify, from the comfort of your home. PawSquad says it pays vets between £12-£32 per hour; equivalent to £60K per annum. Whilst the company doesn't directly employ vets, it will provide liability insurance provided by the VDS.
PawSquad says it also plans to recruit veterinary nurses later in the year, to offer advice to new pet owners on nutrition, behaviour and the environment.
Animalcare has announced the launch of Fungiconazol (ketoconazole), the UK's only veterinary licenced antifungal tablet for dogs, indicated for the treatment of ringworm.
Each Fungiconazol tablet contains 200 or 400mg of ketoconazole, to be administered at a dosage of 10mg per kg bodyweight once daily. Each tablet can be split into quarters or halves, allowing accurate treatment for dogs from 5kg (¼ x 200mg tablet daily) to 60kg (1½ x 400mg tablet daily) and beyond. The hypoallergenic chicken flavoured tablets mean that Fungiconazol is also suitable for dogs with food allergies or atopic dermatitis.
Animalcare Product Manager Tony Liepman said "This is a great addition to our antimicrobial range, and shows once again that it’s possible for us to be innovative without breaking anyone's budget. With the supply of the first and only licensed canine antifungal tablet on the market, we have ensured that all veterinary practices have access to Animalcare’s Technical Support department for further advice on treatment or its use in their patients."
Both 200mg and 400mg presentations of Fungiconazol, in 100 tablet blister packs, are now available from wholesalers.
For further information contact Animalcare on 01904 487687, or speak to your regional Animalcare representative (found at www.animalcare.co.uk/contact-us).
Zoetis has announced the launch of Versican Plus, a vaccine range for dogs in the UK and throughout Europe.
Versican Plus is the only vaccine to combine DHPPi + L4 in a single injection1, something which Zoetis says is the fruit of several years research and development.
The leptospirosis components of the vaccine have been designed to meet the challenges of both existing and emerging types.
According to the company, Versican Plus is the only tetravalent leptospirosis vaccine to deliver prevention against clinical signs and urinary excretion of established (Icterohaemorragiae and Canicola) and emerging (Bratislava and Grippotyphosa) canine leptospirosis (except Grippotyphosa where prevention of clinical signs occurs but with a reduction in urinary excretion).
Zoetis also highlights the advantage this vaccine brings is in its viral components. Versican Plus utilises a new CPV-2b strain, the most prevalent strain in the UK2, to prevent clinical signs, leucopoenia and viral excretion caused by Parvovirus.
Practices using Versican Plus will have the ability to provide protection at the earliest opportunity, as it has been proven to be protective against virulent challenge in the presence of maternally derived antibodies to Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus at levels equal or higher to those likely to be encountered under field conditions.
As a result Versican Plus can be used from 6 weeks of age with an early onset of immunity being achieved for Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus at 9 weeks. Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis immunity follow shortly thereafter at 12 and 13 weeks respectively.
Following primary vaccinations three to four weeks apart Versican Plus provides 3 years duration of immunity for Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus.
Ned Flaxman, Zoetis UK Companion Animal director said: “Our research and development team has taken many different aspects of vaccination into account to create Versican Plus. As well as offering comprehensive protection in accordance with the current epidemiological situation, the vaccine is also convenient to use. It offers a flexible primary vaccination course with an early finish option from 9 weeks, important for early socialisation reasons.”
For further information, visit www.zoetis.co.uk/versicanplus, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or telephone 0845 300 8034.
The RCVS has launched a new animated video to help promote Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) accredited practices to the public, and explain the benefits of the scheme.
Launched in 2005, almost 60% of practices are now part of the PSS, which requires them to submit to a rigorous inspection every four years and meet a stringent standards across a wide range of areas including cleanliness and hygiene, facilities and equipment, staff training and development and customer service. Practices may also be subject to spot-checks between inspections.
Jacqui Molyneux, who heads up the RCVS Practice Standards Group said: “Our new video is a light-hearted explanation of the Practice Standards Scheme, how it can help animal owners decide which practice to go to and reassure them about the standards they can expect to find at an RCVS-accredited practice.”
The College says a similar version of the video will soon be available for RCVS-accredited practices to show to their clients, either on their own websites and social media channels, or in the waiting room.
Jacqui said: “Not only do we want to spread the word about the benefits of the Practice Standards Scheme and suggest animal owners look for the RCVS-accredited practice logo, but we also want to give accredited practices an engaging way of telling their clients about their achievement.
“Gaining RCVS accreditation is not easy, so accredited practices deserve every opportunity to demonstrate to their clients their commitment to supporting high standards of veterinary care. This fun two-minute video should help them do just that.”
Animal owners can search for an RCVS-accredited practice in their area, or elsewhere in the UK, using Find A Vet – the College’s online search tool – at www.findavet.org.uk.
The College developed the optional NPL specifically for student veterinary nurses to be able to track their progress and measure it against the Day-one Skills List, which outlines those particular skills veterinary nurses are expected to possess upon joining the Register, and Day-one Competences, which set out in broad terms what is required of new veterinary nurses by the time they finish their training.
The NPL was updated in August to reflect recent changes made to the Day-one Skills List, making it more focused on veterinary nurses’ everyday clinical skills. The Day-one Skills List also added a new professional behaviour assessment tool in early September, allowing veterinary nurses to evaluate if they are meeting the professional standards expected of a registered veterinary nurse in practice.
These updates are part of the revision of the Day-one Skills for veterinary nurses for which an open consultation was held in the summer of 2015. The new skills are designed to be in closer alignment with the revised Day-one Competences, and to make the required skills more relevant to clinical practice.
As well as introducing the new professional behaviour assessment tool, it has been agreed that the practical placement hours requirement would be reduced from 2,100 to 1,800, calculated as 35 hours per week over one year, and would therefore comply with current HMRC National Minimum Wage requirements.
To learn more about Day-one Skills or Day-one Competences, visit: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/education/i-want-to-be-a-veterinary-nurse/
Of the seven awards, two are dedicated to recognising veterinary surgeons and nurses who go beyond the call of duty to better the lives of animals: the Chris Laurence Vet of the Year and the Welfare Nurse of the Year.
The winners are decided by a panel of judges including Christopher Laurence MBE BVSc and James Yeates, chief veterinarian at RSPCA. This year’s winners and runners up will be honoured at a ceremony taking place on the eve of BSAVA Congress on 5th April 2017.
If there is a veterinary surgeon or nurse that you feel deserves to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare, you can nominate them for an award at: www.cevawelfareawards.com. Entries must be in by January 13th 2017, and nominations are also accepted from members of the public.
Ceva managing director Cuneyt Seckin said: "We really have been awed and humbled by the nominations for Ceva’s Animal Welfare Awards over the past seven years and we expect this year to be no exception.
"The lengths to which some wonderful people go to ensure the health and happiness of animals across the world really knows no bounds. Not only do the awards champion people involved in animal welfare, but they also raise awareness of this important work to wider audiences."
The organisation says back disease is by far the most common health problem in UK Dachshunds: around 1 in 4 may be affected at some stage in their lives. Whilst many recover well in time, there is significant risk of permanent damage so severe that it is life-changing or life-threatening.
Research in Scandinavia has shown that there is a good correlation between calcification of the discs and clinical disc herniations when dogs are X-ray screened between the ages of two and four. The Breed Council has based the screening programme on the Scandinavian protocols and CVS has offered to screen the dogs cost-effectively at a number of its clinics across the UK. The company will also be collaborating on a multi-year research study of the dogs participating in the scheme to monitor its success.
Ian Seath, Chairman of the Breed Council, said: "X-ray screening has been used in Scandinavia for several years and is currently the best available tool to help us reduce the genetic risk of IVDD. All six varieties of Dachshund in the UK are encouraged to participate. The aim of X-ray screening is to reduce the occurrence of herniations by encouraging breeding with dogs that have low numbers of calcifications."
Specialist neurologist, Dr Mark Lowrie from the CVS-owned Dovecote Veterinary Hospital in Castle Donnington, said: "We feel it is important that breeders, owners and vets work together to try and reduce the prevalence of this condition which can cause catastrophic changes to a dog’s quality of life and much upset for dedicated and caring owners."
Dachshund owners can find out more about the scheme at a newly developed website www.dachshund-ivdd.uk. The website is also a source of advice and guidance for Dachshund owners who want to learn more about IVDD and the options available if their dog should suffer a back problem.
Mr Beveridge had been removed from the Register following a disciplinary hearing in May 2013 in which he was found guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect with the Committee finding that he had treated clients badly, kept inadequate clinical records, was dishonest in his dealings with the College and that animals in his care were placed at risk. He subsequently appealed to the Privy Council but this was later withdrawn, resulting in him being formally removed from the Register in March 2014.
He first applied to be restored to the Register in 2015 but his application was refused by the Disciplinary Committee at a hearing in November 2015. At the time the Committee found him unfit for restoration to the Register because, following his removal, his veterinary medicines account had been used on an unauthorised basis to order prescription-only veterinary medicines, which reflected a "cavalier attitude to practice". Furthermore, the Committee found that he had not fully accepted the Committee’s original findings, had made inadequate effort in regards to engaging in continuing professional development (CPD) and also considered the seriousness of the original findings.
At the opening of his second hearing Mr Beveridge, who represented himself, sought to address the concerns that the Disciplinary Committee had outlined upon refusing his first application for restoration. Regarding his acceptance of the original findings, the Committee heard that he now apologised "unreservedly for his failings that led to erasure of his name from the Register" and the Committee considered that he had demonstrated a significant change in attitude from the previous restoration hearing where he had not fully accepted the reasons for being removed.
In considering issues of public protection the Committee also accepted that Mr Beveridge, until his original Disciplinary Committee hearing, had an unblemished professional record and had run a successful small animal practice for over 30 years. It considered numerous client testimonials as well as a petition signed by 600 clients from 2013.
The Committee also considered that there was no risk to the future welfare of animals in the event of Mr Beveridge being restored to the Register, noting the testimonials and references to satisfactory care and treatment given by Mr Beveridge to his patients.
Regarding CPD, Mr Beveridge produced evidence before the Committee that he had attended courses run by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA). The Committee accepted that he had made "considerable progress" in terms of CPD.
In concluding the hearing Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "It is the judgement of the Committee that the conduct which resulted in the applicant’s name being removed from the Register is unlikely to be repeated. The applicant has satisfied the Committee that he is fit to be restored to the Register."