Zoetis has announced a supply problem with Equip Artervac, its vaccine against equine viral arteritis
The current inventory of Equip Artervac has an expiry date of March 29, 2023 and the company is not expecting a new batch to be available until the end of September 2023.
Zoetis says it has been working with relevant organisations to implement a plan to mitigate the impact on breeders.
The Thoroughbred Breeders Association has published advice for a blood sampling scheme at: https://www.rossdales.com/news-events/tba-members-equine-vaccine-advice-regarding-disruption-to-supply-of-equip-artervac, but Zoetis highlights that the advice requires action two weeks after the most recent EVA vaccination.
For more information contact your Zoetis Account Manager or the Zoetis Technical Team on customersupportUK@zoetis.com or 0345 300 8034
The successful candidate will be awarded a free place on Improve Veterinary Education’s Emergency and Critical Care Nurse Certificate (NCert) online training programme, which covers:
The 9-module online course also offers optional practical modules which will be included in the scholarship.
Claire L Dorey-Phillips BSc (Hons) VNPA ISFM FNDip RVN, Senior Programme Coordinator at Improve Veterinary Education said: “Similar to Louise, we are deeply committed to mentoring and offering delegates the finest opportunities, ultimately enhancing patient welfare in their care and ensuring optimal outcomes.
"The scholarship grants delegates free enrolment in the Nurse Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care programme, inclusive of complementary RECOVER Initiative responder online modules, online study skill lessons for delegate support, 12-month access to the RCVS knowledge library and a complimentary Emergency and Critical Care textbook which is in conjunction with a dedicated programme coordinator and assessment team to provide pastoral support and guidance when required.”
Applications close on 31st July 2024.
https://subscriptions.improveinternational.com/louise-odwyer-scholarship-2024
This annual survey is designed to provide an overview of remuneration levels within the veterinary sector.
It covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime, to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances and pensions making it a benchmark for all professionals working in both clinical and non-clinical roles within the veterinary profession.
The main findings of the survey will be published in a report and freely available to all participants who give their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be able to access the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/FRBTUW/
Data for 2023 from UK Pet Food research found that around 5% of UK households own a reptile, up from 3.4% in 2022.
The new leaflets have been created using information from the BSAVA Manual of Reptiles and reviewed by Simon Girling, reptile specialist at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.
They cover things like housing, feeding, handling, medication and spotting health concerns, and are now available for veterinary nurses to download and print out for clients thinking about getting a reptile.
There are currently leaflets for the following species:
BSAVA members can download the leaflets free from the BSAVA library.
Subscription access for 12 months to BSAVA’s collection of over 170 client information leaflets is available to non-members for £40+VAT here.vet
The three companies will now offer their services, which include marketing strategy, brand management, search engine marketing, online advertising, email marketing, webchat, social media copywriting, graphic design and web design under the VetsDigital brand.
Sarah Spinks, Managing Director of VetsDigital, said: "In the pursuit of better animal welfare, we empower animal owners, and bridge the gap between the veterinary professional and the pet parent using the most effective digital channels.
“As one combined company, we become Europe’s leading digital agency that specialises in the veterinary sector. With our current presence in 11 countries, we’ll be able to further develop our network whilst still providing our clients with the same personal service they’ve come to expect and deserve.”
Marcelo Alves, Managing Director of Vet Inflow, will move into the role of Managing Partner for Portugal and Spain at VetsDigital, as the company expands to have bases in both the UK and Portugal.
Will Stirling, who becomes a Managing Partner at VetsDigital, bringing with him 14 years of experience marketing in the veterinary industry, having previously worked with veterinary group YourVets and CVS, said: "The veterinary industry is buzzing with growth and renewal as many parts of veterinary marketing and management move into the digital realm. It’s the perfect time to combine the talents of our 3 teams, so that together we can offer industry-leading digital marketing services to veterinary businesses across the UK and Europe.
For more information, visit: https://vetsdigital.com
The sessions will take place in Gallery Suite 17 and are first come, first served.
Dechra will also be sponsoring two equine sessions at LVS:
www.dechra.co.uk/events
Open to all veterinary professionals looking to enhance their knowledge and skills in emergency and critical care, this year's Congress has a lineup of over 30 internationally-renowned speakers and leading clinicians and offers up to 70 hours of CPD.
This year’s keynote speaker is specialist transplant nurse and chair of the UK One Health Coordination Group, Helen Ballantyne, and organisers will also be welcoming veterinary nurse Ken Yagi, formerly program director of the CPR simulation lab at Cornell University, who’ll deliver an update on the new RECOVER (CPR) guidelines being released this year.
Simon Hagley, ECC Specialist and Clinical Director at Vets Now hospital in Manchester said: “We are confident our 2024 programme offers something for everyone, no matter what stage of your ECC career you are at, from students through to specialists and everything in between.
"We listened to delegate feedback from last year’s event, and we have brought back some firm favourites including our ’Controversies’ and ‘Joined Up Thinking sessions’, but we have introduced exciting new streams including 'Catastrophic case conversations'.
“We’ve also we’ve extended the popular nursing streams from last year to span two entire days and lunchtime case presentations from interns across the country are also on the programme.”
https://www.vets-now.com/congress
Taking over from Carl Gorman, Julian says his focus is to continue the work undertaken this year as part of a ‘programme of change’ for BSAVA, that will continue to promote the strong sense of community within the membership and the wider profession.
Speaking at the BSAVA AGM, Julian said: “I am very humbled as I stand here today as your 67th President. It is certainly the pinnacle of my veterinary career, and the greatest honour yet bestowed on me in life.
"We continue to live in exciting times at BSAVA, and as ever, I join a team of utterly amazing staff at Woodrow House.
“I really do believe that the BSAVA will continue to go from strength to strength and will continue to maintain its relevance and position as the indispensable voice of the small animal veterinary profession.”
Julian started volunteering for the BSAVA after his graduation within the Southeastern Regional committee, becoming Chair of the committee after a few years.
He then became part of the BSAVA Education Committee, BSAVA PetSavers Grants Awarding Committee, and was lately part of the Publications Committee.
He then joined the Presidential ladder two years ago as Junior Vice President.
Outside of his volunteering for the BSAVA, he was at Crossways Vets in West Sussex for 17 years, initially as a partner, then as an owner, and finally as a Clinical Director.
He has since stepped down from the practice to devote his time to being BSAVA President this year.
Omniflora paste is designed to provide fast acting support in acute digestive upset or strategically ahead of perceived stressful events such as travel or veterinary appointments.
It contains probiotics, prebiotics, adsorbents, parabiotics, postbiotics, electrolytes and nutrients.
Omniflora tablets are available for animals who resist an oral syringe.
The tablets contain probiotics, prebiotics and adsorbent clay and fibre.
Veterinary nurse and sales manager, Tara Evans, said: “Digestive upset in cats and dogs is common.
"We wanted to provide vets and pet owners with an easy-to-use solution that can be used in practice or at home.
"One tube of paste lasts for three consecutive days to support cats and dogs as they recover from gastrointestinal upset.”
"As well as supporting the gut in acute episodes of digestive upset such as diarrhoea, Omniflora can be used ahead of time in stressful events such as travelling, visiting the groomers, or any planned veterinary procedures such as surgeries or blood tests.”
Omniflora can be ordered here https://www.vitaanimalhealth.com/product/omniflora
The training, which is presented by Nicola Lakeman RVN, consists of seven bite-sized modules covering topics such as:
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "GI cases are among the most frequent reasons pet owners reach out to practices and often, these calls revolve around seeking advice on managing symptoms at home.
"This training will help veterinary receptionists and nurses gain the confidence and knowledge to handle these enquiries and ensure that pet owners receive prompt, accurate guidance."
The training is available on the BVRA website: www.bvra.co.uk.
Photo courtesy: https://depositphotos.com
Strangvac has been in development for over 25 years and Dechra says it's the first and only intramuscular vaccine to help protect against strangles.
Strangvac contains recombinant proteins CCE, Eq85 and IdeE from Streptococcus equi and has DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) capability.
The vaccine contains no live bacteria or bacterial DNA, so will not trigger positive culture or PCR tests.
In trials the new vaccine protected more than 94% of horses1.
Dechra says it reduces the clinical signs of strangles including a high temperature, coughing, inappetence, difficulty swallowing and changes in demeanour, while also reducing the number of lymph node abscesses.
Strangvac can be given to foals from five months of age and two injections should be given at a four-week interval.
Horses at high risk of Streptococcus equi infection, such as those in livery, should be revaccinated after two months.
Based on measured antibody titres, immunological memory was found in horses following repeated vaccination six months after primary vaccination.
Dr Andrew Waller, chief scientific officer at Intervacc AB, the company that developed the vaccine, said: “Strangvac is a ground-breaking new vaccine which, alongside good stable management and biosecurity procedures, can play a really important role in improving herd immunity and reducing the number of strangles cases in the equine population, thereby preventing major economic loss to the equestrian industry.”
https://www.dechra.co.uk/equine/vaccines
The researchers say that although increased appetite has been reported as a side effect of many AEDs in veterinary literature, the effect had not been quantified or studied in detail.
To assess the phenomenon in greater detail, the research team analysed food motivation through a validated Dog Obesity Risk Assessment questionnaire created by University of Cambridge1.
The study compared 222 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy with a control population of 7,086 healthy dogs.
The survey was designed to determine if epilepsy and AEDs were associated with increased food motivation, weight gain and decreased activity, and to assess if and how caregivers managed weight gain in this population.
The data revealed that dogs with idiopathic epilepsy receiving AEDs had significantly higher food motivation in comparison to healthy dogs – they had increased interest in food, were less selective about food, were more interested in food between meals, and wanted more food than usually offered.
In response, carers of dogs on medication put greater effort into restricting how much their dogs ate, particularly of human food.
Despite this, these dogs had significantly greater fat mass.
More than half of owners of dogs with epilepsy always used treats to administer their dog’s ASD medication (53%) and did not compensate for it by reducing the dog’s main food ration (34%).
Given the epilepsy treatment often involves medication two or three times a day, this has the potential to increase calorie intake substantially, an issue compounded by epileptic dogs also being less active.
The researchers say it's important that vets and nurses advise owners to monitor their dog's weight and help them manage it.
Dr Anna Morros-Nuevo of the University of Cambridge, and primary author of this study, said: "Idiopathic epilepsy, and in particular seizure episodes, have such an overwhelming impact on these dogs' families that side effects such as weight gain often get overlooked, both by vets and the pet's families.
"But unfortunately, obesity has lifelong negative impact on health and quality of life, since it predisposes dogs to suffer from joint problems and respiratory diseases, as well as metabolic disorders and urinary incontinence.
"Obese dogs have also been shown to have a shorter lifespan than dogs with a normal weight.
"While ASD are non-negotiable for many of these dogs, their caregivers and veterinarians should be aware of the lifelong impact of their side effects and manage them carefully.
"We hope these findings will help to increase awareness for both veterinary professionals and dog carers of the side effects of ASD and their impact for the patient."
Reference
The awards fall into two categories, those which you need to be nominated for by other people and those which are also open to self-nomination:
Requiring nomination by another person:
Self-nominations allowed:
The deadline for the 2025 awards is Friday, 13 December 2024.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/how-we-work/rcvs-honours-awards
The full BEVA Congress programme is now live and super early bird tickets are available from 4th March, saving member delegates up to £200.
The one medicine thread will run through the medicine and orthopaedics and sports medicine streams as well as feature in the Peter Rossdale Plenary Lecture.
BEVA President Roger Smith said “There is much to learn from the human side as well as from what we do as vets.
"We have invited five human medical experts to make some comparative links with human medicine in their presentations.
"Bringing a different angle in this way will help predict what the future holds and advance what we do in the equine veterinary sphere.”
The full programme includes more than 90 hours of live and on-demand CPD covering almost every aspect of equine medicine, surgery and practice.
The first day will commence with an opening address from Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell during which she will share her thoughts on maximising performance.
Other highlights include:
Individual super early bird BEVA members prices are £524 for vets and £144 for vet nurses for all three days (with concessionary available for those in their first three years of graduation or earning less than £25,000).
Day tickets and practice passes are also available.
Super early bird ends on Wednesday 29 May 2024.
www.bevacongress.org
The authors say that whilst it has long been suspected that adverse drug reactions are under-reported, this study is the first to show the scale of the problem, using real data from veterinary clinical records.
For the study, researchers looked for electronic heath records within the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) which contained “adverse drug reactions” and “side effects” in the free-text clinical narratives.
The results were then analysed to determine the suspected product, the seriousness and expectedness of the event, and whether the event had been reported to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate or Marketing Authorisation Holders.
Of the 827 cases of suspected adverse drug reactions identified out of a total of 10,565 records reviewed, approximately 90% were not reported.
74% were related to dogs and 70% were listed as “expected” (i.e. already listed in the product information).
The clinical severity of the reaction didn’t appear to impact whether it was reported.
Dr Heather Davies, lead author of the study, said: “As adverse drug reaction reporting rate is directly linked to the regulators ability to mitigate safety issues, this paper is a call to arms encouraging all veterinary professionals to report suspected adverse drug reactions and regulators to make reporting quicker and easier.
"It also the highlights the promise that big real-world data sets hold in enhancing drug safety monitoring processes.”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13721
The original TATE elbow replacement was first in clinical use in the 2010s and the revised 3rd generation version is apparently a much-improved implant, something which the clinical evaluation trial should demonstrate.
Andy Moores, head of the joint replacement programme at The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic, said: “Canine elbow replacement can be a game-changer for dogs living with chronic elbow pain but up until this point the elbow replacement systems have not been as reliable as we would like.
"The third-generation TATE implant has been in use with a small number of US surgeons for several years now and the results so far have been very promising.
"We are delighted that Biomedtrix have invited us to join the evaluation trial for this implant and that the RCVS Ethics Review Panel have approved this.
"We look forward to offering this surgery as an option for some of our most painful canine patients.”
www.mooresortho.com
The guides have been developed for vet teams to share with their clients and work through together, so that both sides are on the same page about owner values, pet welfare and behaviour, and diagnosis and treatment options.
A member of the veterinary team and the client can then work together to make decisions and provide quality care.
One of the pet owners who helped develop the guides said: “I always get so worked up with vet consultations that I forget half of what they say, or feel like I didn’t tell them enough about my pet’s history.
"If the vet used these guides at my next consult, they would make me feel very at ease indeed!”
Pam Mosedale, Clinical Lead at RCVS Knowledge, said: “These guides offer a simple, actionable way to help deliver contextualised care in practice.
"To get started, run through the questions in the guide with a client, and see how this can help you devise a treatment plan with the information you’ve discovered.
"This helps you gain a fuller understanding of your patient’s care and wellbeing needs and your client’s circumstances and expectations.
"Ultimately, this will assist you in delivering quality care that aligns with the needs and expectations of your clients.”
There are three contextualised care discussion guides:
RCVS Knowledge is encouraging veterinary teams to adapt the guides to meet their individual needs.
https://rcvsknowledge.org/contextualisedcare
COMMENT
Anything which helps clear communication between the owner and vet is surely to be applauded, and if owners are prepared to spend the time completing the pre-consultation guide, it would surely leave less room for error.
However, arguably the greatest cause of friction between owners and vets is cost, and that is something only mentioned fleetingly, in the context of: 'Are there any other factors that may impact on the care of your pet? e.g planned holidays or financial concerns'.
Isn't it time to stop beating around the bush?
Isn't there an opportunity here for greater clarity over the level of spending a client is happy with?
Is there an acceptable form of words here to ascertain whether - regardless of whether they have financial concerns or not - the client is one of those who wants the cheapest solution to the problem, one for whom money is no object, or someone who sits somewhere in the middle?
Wouldn't that be more instructive than almost anything else?
A team of researchers led by Tim Mair, CVS Equine Veterinary Director and Specialist in both Equine Internal Medicine and Equine Soft Tissue Surgery at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic, will review 100 cases of colitis in adult horses and 100 controls referred to seven equine veterinary hospitals in the UK: five CVS equine veterinary hospitals as well as Rossdales Equine Hospital and University of Liverpool’s equine hospital.
A set of diagnostic tests on blood and faeces will be performed in these cases.
The laboratory tests will include: small redworm serology, culture and PCR of faeces for Salmonella spp, PCR of faeces for Clostridioides difficile and Clostridium perfringens, ELISA of faeces for toxins of C.difficile and C.perfringens, PCR of faeces for coronavirus.
The clinical features, laboratory results, treatments and outcomes will also be recorded.
Tim said: “Acute colitis accounts for around 5% of admissions to referral hospitals.
"And of those who are referred with it, half will not survive but there is very limited evidence available.
"So it’s vital that we build our evidence-base of this life-threatening condition.
"We hope that the outcomes of our new study will lead to a greater understanding of the causes and better inform veterinary treatment of colitis in UK adult horses.”
The Colitis in Adult Horses study is supported by a research grant from CVS, and funding for the small redworm ELISA will be given from Austin Davis Biologics.
The study started at the beginning of 2024 and the first horses have been recruited.
The results of the study are expected to be published in 2025.
The Walpole Bay Tidal Pool is the biggest in the UK, covering four acres.
Everyone taking part is being challenged to raise at least £100 for Vetlife, to go towards its helpline, health support and financial support for the veterinary community.
Sea temperature at this time of year is a decidedly brisk 10 degrees Celsius, but Vetlife says the dress code is reasonably relaxed: anything from a swimming costume to a full diving dry suit!
https://events.more-human.co.uk/event/1713190086537x259173669533122560
For the study, the RVC interviewed 13 small animal general practitioners, exploring their experience of providing pre-purchase consultations for brachycephalic dogs.
The study revealed a number of barriers to delivering effective pre-purchase consultations and advice about these breeds.
They included limited time and resources, competition for appointment availability, a perception that vets are only there to fix things, public distrust of veterinary surgeons (often over money), fear of damaging vet-client relationships, and the conflicting influence of breeders and the Kennel Club on clients.
Many veterinary surgeons that took part in the research felt that they had little or no power to overcome these barriers which are highly intractable at an individual veterinarian level.
A resulting moral conflict in veterinary surgeons between their perceived ethical and moral responsibilities to animal welfare versus the needs and wants of their clients and businesses was expressed by many vets in the study, and was felt to compromise their professional integrity and autonomy.
The study set out a series of recommendations:
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC and lead author of the study, said: “This is the first time that the impact of brachycephaly on the practising veterinary surgeon has been explored.
"Our concerning results highlight the importance of recognising that the brachycephalic crisis is not only negatively impacting animals, but it is affecting human wellbeing too.
“Our study highlights the conflict that vets are experiencing - bound both by their duty of care to their brachycephalic patients, but also to animal welfare at a population level.
"Trying to balance both of these responsibilities in the current working environment is proving very challenging for some, leading to moral distress.
"It is, therefore, essential that we protect the mental wellbeing of vets on this issue as well as from an animal welfare perspective.
“As the brachycephalic crisis continues to prevail, the support of leading veterinary organisations is vital in providing a united voice regarding the known harms of brachycephaly and support in facilitating PPCs to ensure vets are protected, and potential owners are fully informed when it comes to acquiring decisions.”
Dr Dan O’Neill, Assoc Prof of Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC and co-author of the study, said:
“Over the past decade, the RVC has generated a vast evidence base revealing the true extent of the serious health issues of dogs with brachycephaly.
"This new study now focuses RVC research towards protecting the wellbeing of practising veterinary surgeons who are also shown as victims of the brachycephalic crisis.
"The clear message here is that we all need to ‘stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog’.”
The materials include a social media toolkit and a board kit, both designed to encourage owner awareness and more frequent conversations on eye health.
There is also a new CPD module, focused on ophthalmology.
The company is running a webinar on 24th September which focuses on management of dry eye and corneal ulcers for brachycephalic dogs
Campaign materials & VPD module: https://www.tvm-uk.com/national-pet-eye-health-awareness-week
Webinar: https://thewebinarvet.com/webinars/take-a-closer-look-big-eyes-big-problems-ocular-issues-of-the-brachycephalic
The ERP was established in 2016 when it emerged that an increasing number of research projects were being conducted in private veterinary practices. In these settings, researchers may not always be familiar with the regulations and the ethical best practice needed for clinical veterinary research.
The ERP reviews both prospective and retrospective research projects on cats, dogs, horses and farm animals. As well as reviewing animal-based research, the panel also reviews sociological studies involving veterinary staff.
There are currently seven available spaces on the panel, and the RCVS is looking to fill the spaces with:
The Panel is Chaired by Professor David Morton, who said: “I’ve been honoured to Chair the Ethics Review Panel for the last five years. Through my role as Chair, I have had the opportunity to work alongside some exceptional veterinary professionals and I encourage anyone with a keen interest in clinical veterinary research to apply for a position on the Panel.”
To apply, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/ethics-panel and send a completed application form and CV to ethics@rcvs.org.uk.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 16 July 2021.
This year's event, titled “Nourish the Gut, Nurture the Future,” will have talks from over 17 experts, including:
Dr. Karen Shenoy, US Chief Veterinary Officer at Hill’s Pet Nutrition said: “The microbiome is a trending focus in human health, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition is proud to assemble leading minds to bring this emerging topic into deeper focus for the veterinary community.
“We’re bringing this powerful content to an even broader audience this year through livestreams in both Spanish and English. I’ll be hosting the English stream, and I’m excited about our plans for guest appearances from the speakers and sharing extra tidbits to make the virtual experience as engaging as it is informative.”
https://way.in/618A0oP
The day is open to all RVNs, trainee veterinary nurses and animal care assistants, and there will be content for all experience levels.
This year, Langford Academy is launching a second stream tailored specifically for animal care assistants and an optional practical suturing session open to veterinary nurses (limited availability).
For veterinary nurses, topics include:
For animal care assistants, topics include
Chloe Ackerman (Head Theatre Nurse and Nurse Congress Organiser) said: “Since its launch in 2022, the Congress has continued to grow and thrive. Our goal has always been to highlight the exceptional skills of our nursing and ACA team at the Small Animal Referral Hospital while supporting our local referring practices and the wider veterinary nursing community through knowledge-sharing. This event is truly driven by our dedicated nurses and ACAs, whose passion and expertise in their fields are both inspiring and invaluable.”
Tickets cost £100 for nurses and £50 for care assistants.
https://www.langfordvets.co.uk/events/vet-nurse-congress-2025/
The bursary gives Louise a £2,000 CPD allowance for having demonstrated her commitment to making a difference and furthering Louise’s legacy of sharing learning.
Louise said: “I'm absolutely over the moon to have been awarded the Louise O'Dwyer bursary - and am incredibly grateful for the support and opportunity provided by Vets Now.
"I have worked in practice for some 26 years now and was lucky enough to attend several of Louise's emergency and critical care nursing lectures at a variety of veterinary conferences over the years.
"Her lectures were inspiring and full of humour.”
“I intend to use the bursary to undertake the Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Veterinary Nursing (PgCert APVN) through the University of Glasgow.
"I am incredibly excited to embark on this new learning journey - and hope that I can share these skills with other RVNs, and encourage others to keep following their dreams within the veterinary nursing profession, just as Louise did.”
Applications for next year’s Louise O’Dwyer bursary will open in spring 2025.