Presented by Louisa Graham PGcertVPS CertAVP(SAM) MRCVS (pictured right), the webinars offer two hours of CPD credits and can be accessed at: https://www.vitaanimalhealth.com/youtube-activation/
Louisa, who has a passion for internal medicine, mentoring and supporting vets and nurses, has built an online following with whom she shares tips and advice.
Vita has also produced two webinars for cat owners which include advice on how to spot signs of OA in cats, when to seek veterinary care and practical tips on how to reduce feline stress.
Vet nurses are encouraged to share these webinars with their clients as a learning tool and source of information.
Matthew's address looked at the significance of 2021 as veterinary nursing’s Diamond Jubilee – representing 60 years since the first RCVS-approved Auxiliary Nursing Assistant course.
He spoke about how this was likely to be a year of firsts for the profession, including the awarding of the first Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing, the recruitment of the first VN Practice Standards Scheme Assessors and the first time there would be 20,000 veterinary nurses on the RCVS Register.
He also spoke about the planned activities to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee including webinars, podcasts and the publication of an eBook about the history of the profession.
Matt said: “For my own first podcast I interviewed Jean Turner who – I don’t think she’ll mind me saying – has been a member of the profession for a good chunk of the last 60 years.
“She’s a real professional hero of mine and I had a fascinating conversation with her about what has changed, what hasn’t changed and what really needs to change!
“Speaking to Jean reminded me that we all stand on the shoulders of giants. Where we are as a profession is down to those who came before us and we owe it to them, and future generations of veterinary nurses, to make sure we are always progressing and improving.”
Matt said that with RCVS Council’s adoption of the proposals for legislative reform in June this year, the veterinary nursing profession had a bright future ahead of it, with protection of title and a bolstered role in areas such as anaesthesia being included in any future legislation.
“I still sometimes hear my veterinary nursing colleagues refer to themselves as ‘just a veterinary nurse’. Whenever I hear it said, I challenge it.
“With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations this year I think we will be making a very big challenge to that mindset, and it will remind all veterinary nurses that we are brilliant professionals, with a long and proud history and that we are a force for good in society.”
At his first Disciplinary Committee hearing in January 2018, the Committee directed that Dr Gerhard Schulze Allen’s name be removed from the Register after finding him guilty of serious professional misconduct in respect of four charges against him. These related to an incident of petty theft in California in the United States, and his subsequent dishonesty in not disclosing this to the College.
Following the Disciplinary Committee hearing, Dr Schulze Allen submitted an appeal to the Privy Council. In July 2019, the Privy Council partially upheld his appeal, determining that the RCVS had not proven beyond all reasonable doubt that Dr Schulze Allen’s infraction for petty theft was a conviction under Californian law and therefore Dr Schulze Allen had not made false representations to the College when he said he did not have any criminal convictions or a criminal record.
However, the Privy Council partially upheld the College’s charge that Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest and made false representations when he had, in a written application for restoration to the Register, represented that he did not have any adverse findings and that he should have declared his infraction for petty theft. The Privy Council also set aside the Disciplinary Committee’s original sanction and remitted the task of sanction back to the Disciplinary Committee.
As a result of the Privy Council’s decision, the Disciplinary Committee held a further hearing in relation to Dr Schulze Allen to decide the sanction in relation to the upheld charge against him.
The Committee noted that the aggravating factors were the fact that Dr Schulze Allen was dishonest to his regulator and in making a false declaration, demonstrated a wilful disregard for the regulatory role of the RCVS. In mitigation the Committee considered that there was no harm to animals, that it was a single and isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career, and that he had accepted his wrongdoing, albeit at a late stage, and was developing some insight.
The Committee considered whether a reprimand or warning would be the most appropriate sanction but determined that this would not reflect the seriousness of the dishonesty in this case, nor maintain public confidence in the profession or uphold proper professional standards of conduct and behaviour.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee concluded that the appropriate and proportionate sanction is suspension from the Register for a period of three months. A period of three months reflects the seriousness of the charge. Such a sanction sends a clear message to Dr Schulze Allen, the profession and the public that behaving dishonestly towards the regulator is a serious matter. The Committee considered that removal from the Register would be disproportionate given that this is a single incident and Dr Schulze Allen now accepts his wrongdoing."
With the new model, the 90-strong nursing team will increase by around five per cent, with four new Nurse Manager roles with specific operational, quality, pastoral and training responsibilities.
The practice says the objective is to encourage nursing staff, from all areas of the practice to develop career pathways which play to their strengths and personal interests, with job shares also available.
Lauren Emmett, Head of Nursing Services, said: “We’re over the moon to be launching what is a really innovative new structure here at NDSR. It moves away from the more traditional flat model and places an emphasis on giving our team balance and really clear career pathways in whichever area their passion lies.
"The introduction of our four Nurse Managers will allow them to spend 60 to 80 per cent of their time on the clinical floor in the hospital, making them visible and available to support, and work alongside our nursing community.
"Each Nurse Manager will have a number of team leaders working with them, who will support other RVNs, SVNs and nursing assistants.
"These additional roles provide more opportunities for career progression and allows our nurses to identify avenues which might be of personal interest. Those avenues can be quite diverse, for example, recruitment, rota management, clinical standards, mental health and wellbeing, or training and development.
“Nurses who have leadership ambitions but may not necessarily want to manage people on a day-to-day basis can still utilise their skills to support colleagues and the business by becoming clinical coaches and by sharing their experience and knowledge within certain disciplines and fields.
Gerry Polton, clinical director at NDSR, said: “We believe this new structure really is iconoclastic, hopefully defining a new ‘gold standard’ in veterinary nursing. What we’re doing is allowing individuals to create their own career pathways within the business. We’re giving them valuable support and allowing them to forge ahead in leadership roles, should they wish.
“We’re confident this will benefit patients, clients, referring vets and, of course, the entire nursing team, which will offer us added support, while also receiving added support and structure to build on the fantastic skillsets we have here.”
For more information, visit https://www.ndsr.co.uk/home.
'The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation' is presented by Georgia Woods RVN CertCFVHNut VTS(Nutrition), one of the editors of the new BSAVA Guide. It covers the main points that need to be considered when offering a nutritional recommendation to a pet owner.
Georgia said: "Nutrition discussions with clients can be challenging, not least given the plethora of diets available for pets.
"This webinar aims to cover the main points to support an evidence-based decision-making process to help vets engage owners in a meaningful discussion about nutrition and provide guidance on the most suitable diet for their pet."
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is an independent guide comprising a series of factsheets for veterinary professionals on four different diet options; each of these is accompanied by a factsheet for owners that can be provided as part of the consultation. The factsheets cover:
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is available exclusively through the BSAVA Library (£25; £15 to BSAVA members). Georgia’s lecture on ‘The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation’ can be accessed via the BSAVA Webinar Library.
2000 veterinary surgeons and nurses/technicians took part in the study, of which 545 completed all questions.
The biggest equipment barriers to BP measurement were 'cuff frustration' (cuffs pinging off) and difficulties hearing the pulse, which were experienced at least sometimes by 72.2% and 71.6% of participants respectively when using Doppler machines.
When asked about barriers relating to the procedure itself, the most significant issues were a lack of time, not having a colleague available to restrain the cat, and simply forgetting to include BP in the assessment.
Owner-related barriers included difficulties persuading clients to book a separate BP appointment, difficulties persuading clients to bring cats in for a BP check at all, and reticence over the cost.
Former Member, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who lead the study, said: “Feline hypertension is an extremely common condition which affects approximately one in five cats nine years or over4, however there are several challenges that we need to address to enhance the long-term health and welfare of the nation’s cats.
"The good news is that some of the barriers identified in the study can be overcome by taking a ‘practice makes perfect’ attitude towards taking blood pressure, in that the more experience vet professionals have, the easier the procedure will become.
"The study showed many VNs are confident and enthusiastic about blood pressure assessment in cats; this should be encouraged and expanded upon to ensure that as many older cats and those with conditions increasing their risk of hypertension, receive the BP monitoring they deserve.
Eye examinations are helpful in confirming a diagnosis of systemic hypertension, however the study revealed that while 96.5% of respondents had access to a direct ophthalmoscope, 73.1% reported that they felt under-confident in performing and interpreting ocular examinations when identifying hypertensive lesions in cats.
Ceva Animal Health, which funded the study, says that because between 50 and 100% of hypertensive cats have ocular lesions2,3, it is vital that clinicians feel able to identify ocular pathologies associated with high blood pressure.
Sarah added: "VNs and vets should be encouraged to ‘upskill’ their eye examination skills, as this can be extremely helpful in identifying cats with hypertension."
To that end, Ceva has published an online feline ophthalmology course ‘Looking hypertension in the eye’: www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva
The course, which is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh, is designed to help vets and vet nurses to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
https://easethepressure.co.uk.
References
The system consists of a number of small wireless sensors which are placed in each fridge and which transmit data to a base station. It records a temperature history for each fridge, transmitting the data in real time to secure cloud storage, from where it can provide reports on the changing temperature in each fridge for compliance and regulatory purposes.
RemoteM is self-installed and battery operated, and it transmits data using the mobile phone network, so it is not reliant on a power source or working internet connection. Temperature alarms can be sent to one or more recipients, using email, automated voice calls or SMS.
Dalehead Veterinary Group, which has practices in Settle, Bentham and Gisburn, began trialling the RemoteM system almost a year ago.
Dalehead has six fridges at its Settle practice. Before installing RemoteM, practice staff needed to record daily readings of fridge temperatures, taken at different times of the day. As well as being a time-consuming process, it risked being inaccurate, as simple in-fridge monitors do not record all fluctuations in temperature.
Practice Manager Emma Spence said: "RemoteM has already saved us at least £4,000.
"One of our small animal vaccine fridges failed overnight, and the instant alarm meant we were able to respond immediately, with our on-call vet moving the stock to another fridge without risk of deterioration. At various times of year when we can have high values of stock in individual large fridges, this could have been even more critical."
The practice says the system has also proved useful in alerting staff to fluctuating temperatures in warm summer months, helping to ensure that vaccines and medicines are used in optimum condition.
For this reason, RemoteM sensors are also used outside fridges to monitor stock held at ambient temperatures, where the alarm trigger is set at 25 degrees to ensure stock does not exceed manufacturers' recommended storage temperature limits.
Another benefit of the system has been that Dalehead's insurer has said that with RemoteM, it is happy for the practice to continue to use its older fridges, instead of stipulating that they are replaced every three years.
So, it's not just saving the practice money, then. It's helping reduce pollution too.
For more information, call 0330 223 4553, email: info@remotem.co.uk or visit: www.remotem.co.uk.
The study titled “Electrolyte measurements differ between point-of-care and reference analysers in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism” investigated the performance of two point-of-care analysers (IDEXX Catalyst Dx and IDEXX VetStat) against a reference laboratory method for the measurement of blood sodium, potassium and chloride concentrations, as well as sodium-to-potassium ratios, in dogs diagnosed with and treated for hypoadrenocorticism.
Forty-eight dogs with hypoadrenocorticism were enrolled into a prospective cross-sectional study at the University of Glasgow. In total, 329 paired samples were measured on the Catalyst analyser and by the reference laboratory method called an ion selective electrode (ISE), while another 72 paired samples were tested on both the VetStat analyser and by ISE. The clinical effects of any difference in the electrolyte results were investigated.
Sam Fowlie, corresponding author for the paper, said: “Our results indicate that the sodium, potassium and therefore the sodium-to-potassium ratios, as well as the chloride concentrations measured by the Catalyst and VetStat analysers may not be used interchangeably with those from a reference laboratory analyser using an indirect ISE method. Both analysers tended to give higher results than the reference method for all analytes, except for potassium when measured on the VetStat.”
The clinical relevance of the disagreement between these methods was investigated by assessing how often the point-of-care analysers produced results which fell outside their reference range when the ISE method found them to be within reference and vice versa. For the Catalyst, there were 21 cases (6%) with discordant sodium results, 27 cases (8%) with discordant potassium results and 46 cases (14%) with discordant chloride results. The VetStat, meanwhile produced results which disagreed with the ISE method in 19 cases (26%) for sodium, 3 cases (4%) for potassium measurement and 9 cases (13%) for chloride analysis.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP added: “This study reveals significant systematic differences (“bias”) between the three analysers in this study. Comparing numerical results from different analytical methods – be they point-of-care or reference laboratories – can be dangerous for patients. Clinicians should always use method specific thresholds and, if these are not available (for example the sodium-to-potassium ratios on some analysers), then they should exercise greater caution in their interpretation.”
The full article can be found in the October issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and be read online here, open access: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13205.
Reference
Photo: Ian Ramsey
The webinar is presented by Will Stirling, partner at VetsDigital, a digital marketing agency which supports the veterinary industry across Europe.
Will will offer practical advice and guidance on the growing importance of applying digital marketing and the effect it can have on both team morale and the bottom line.
To register for the webinar, visit to: https://tinyl.io/5aIi
The Veterinary Nursing School was commended for its excellent Quality Improvement initiatives.
The RCVS’s Knowledge Awards celebrate achievements in the veterinary profession for initiatives that use Quality Improvement methods that lead to better patient outcomes and system performance and enhanced professional development opportunities.
The School of Veterinary Nursing at the RVC was applauded for how it has incorporated Quality Improvement initiatives into its post-registration qualifications.
For example, teaching students how to write a Knowledge Summary, how to design, plan and carry out a clinical audit proposal and how to conduct and reflect on the results of an audit as well as running group discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Perdi Welsh, Director of Veterinary Nursing, Principal Teaching Fellow and Course Director for Certificates in Advanced Veterinary Nursing at the RVC, said: “This award is important to us because it demonstrates how increased professional development opportunities can shape innovation in clinical practice and how RVNs can be perfect role models for all aspects of clinical governance, and evidence-based practice.”
Taking place on 26th November, the event will focus on putting the Cat Friendly Principles into action within the veterinary clinic, including how to work with cats in challenging situations, the role of appropriate handling techniques and the use of anxiolytics and sedation.
Speakers include Dr Sarah Heath (Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine), Dr Matt Gurney (Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia and Analgesia), Linda Ryan (Veterinary Technician Specialist in Oncology and Behaviour) and Kelly Eyre (RVN).
Head of ISFM Dr Nathalie Dowgray said: “This has been a really exciting programme to put together.
"Some cats can be challenging in the veterinary clinic even when the team has made every effort to be cat friendly. We wanted to recognise that and include in our panel discussion real-life scenarios to equip vets and nurses with the tools they need for when things don’t go according to plan.”
The Feline Fine London congress is open to all veterinary professionals, including nurses and receptionists.
https://icatcare.org/isfmcongress-2022-london
The event offers over 80 hours of CPD across seven streams – with everything from hypotension and sepsis to breaking bad news to clients – as well as world-renowned speakers and networking opportunities.
Søren Boysen from the University of Calgary in Canada and Sophie Adamantos from Paragon Referrals in Wakefield, are among several high-profile speakers at this year’s Congress.
Chief Executive for GB Snowsport, Victoria Gosling OBE, will open Congress as keynote speaker where she’ll focus on perseverance, resilience and teamwork.
Also speaking are Prof. John Williams, Richard Casey, executive director at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and VDS trainer Elly Russell.
Arlene Connor, an RVN and head of clinical operations at Vets Now and IVC Evidensia has planned the programme alongside national ECC lead Dan Lewis (pictured right).
She said: “We’re so excited to be returning to the Royal Armouries for our 19th Vets Now ECC Congress – around a theme which celebrates us all being together again.
"The past two years have been a challenge for all of us in the veterinary professions and we hope to mitigate that with a return to face-to-face learning and networking, as well as the chance to have some fun.
"Events like this can be hugely inspirational — for the organisers as well as the attendees — and we truly can’t wait to welcome everyone through the doors like old times.”
Dan added: “There’s a brilliant line-up of live speakers, workshops, a packed exhibition hall and more opportunities than ever for delegates to meet old friends and make new ones, as well as to learn from some of the world’s leading veterinary experts discussing emergency and critical care.
“Our programme again this year has been carefully tailored to provide an inclusive learning experience for vets and vet nurses no matter what stage they’re at in their career, from students through to specialists.
Tickets range in price from £45 + VAT for exhibition-only tickets, up to £470 + VAT for a vet to attend for 2 days plus the gala dinner.
To book your ticket, go to www.vets-now.com/congress2022
The Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Mr Stuart Drummond, considered six charges against Dr Gunn.
The first charge alleged that, early in 2018, Dr Gunn failed to provide appropriate and adequate care to the dog. In particular, having removed a mass from the right thorax, he undertook an excess number of surgical procedures, including under general anaesthetic, within a 13 day period; performed these procedures without offering alternative treatments or discussing referral with the owners; failed to recognise infected wounds; and administered an antibiotic when the dog was infected with MRSA and E-coli.
The second charge alleged that Dr Gunn failed to communicate adequately, openly and honestly with the owners of the terrier on multiple occasions between 16 January and 3 February 2018. This included but was not limited to: failing to provide the owners with an estimation of fees; failing to inform them in advance of the procedures performed; failing to inform them of options for treatment; and failing to inform them that the terrier had an infection when he knew or ought to have known that she did.
The third charge alleged that Dr Gunn failed to obtain informed consent in relation to the further procedures performed on the terrier in charge one.
The fourth charge alleged that Dr Gunn failed to maintain adequate clinical records in relation to the management of the dog, and that he failed to record the prescription and administration of drugs to treat the terrier.
The fifth charge alleged that Dr Gunn indicated to the owners that euthanasia was the most appropriate treatment option and/or that there were no other realistic treatment options, when this was not the case and when he ought to have known this was not the case.
The sixth charge alleged that, during the course of a referral of the terrier to another practice, Dr Gunn failed to provide an adequate history of his management of the dog and that he informed the practice that the owners had no finances when this was not true, amounting to an incomplete account of his dealings with the owners and to a breach of their confidence.
At the outset of the hearing the respondent admitted to a number of the allegations within the main six charges, which were found proved by the Committee.
Of the charges not admitted to, a number were found proved and the Committee then went on to consider whether or not Dr Gunn’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In considering the aggravating factors, the Committee took into account that the dog’s suffering was prolonged because of the persistence of Dr Gunn in pursuing a single ineffective treatment approach.
With regards to mitigating factors, the Committee found that Dr Gunn was remorseful as to his actions, that there was no financial motivation on the part of Dr Gunn in respect of his treatment of the terrier, and that there is a low risk of repetition because Dr Gunn has sought to learn from this experience. A number of relevant and high-quality testimonials were also provided by colleagues and many satisfied owners on behalf of Dr Gunn.
Considering both the aggravating and mitigating factors, the Committee was satisfied that Dr Gunn’s conduct fell far below the standard expected of a registered veterinary surgeon for a number of the charges.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Gunn. The Committee was satisfied that the misconduct found proved was in relation to the treatment of one dog only and therefore it was at the lower end of the spectrum. However, the conduct took place over a prolonged period of two weeks which in the Committee’s view required a sanction. In such circumstances, and with the significant mitigation, the Committee decided that the appropriate and proportionate sanction was to reprimand Dr Gunn and to warn him about his future conduct.
Speaking on behalf of the Committee, Mr Stuart Drummond said: "The Committee concluded that the effect of a reprimand alongside the Committee’s findings on disgraceful conduct in a professional respect was a sufficient and proportionate sanction. The Committee found Dr Gunn to have developed sufficient insight into his failings and it was satisfied that the disciplinary process had been a salutary experience and that he is very unlikely to pose a risk to animals in the future or to contravene professional standards.
"The Committee decided that a warning as to future conduct was necessary to reduce the risk of any repetition of any similar conduct for Dr Gunn in the future. It therefore concluded that the sanction of a reprimand and warning would be a sufficient in the circumstances of this case having taking into consideration all the powerful personal mitigation."
The complete list of charges and the Committee’s full facts and findings can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
For the study, 2,834 seizure incident cases were identified from a population of 455,553 dogs attending VetCompass participating practices in 2013.
The study found that that approximately 1 in 160 dogs under first opinion veterinary care are affected by seizures every year.
Many of those dogs will have underlying epilepsy, defined as dogs with two or more unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart. Seizures can be secondary to idiopathic epilepsy, structural epilepsy or epilepsy of unknown cause.
Until now, however, there has been little information on the classifications of seizures, diagnostic approaches, or clinical management of dogs with seizures in the veterinary first opinion population.
The main findings from the research were:
Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animals Epidemiology at the RVC, and author of the paper, said: "Watching your dog undergo a seizure can be an incredibly scary moment for any dog owner. It is really important that dogs that seizure are rapidly diagnosed to decide whether they need no further treatment beyond careful monitoring or alternatively require a clinical work-up to define the cause of the seizures.
"There are now some excellent treatments for many seizure-related diseases. This study helps up to understand the current state of play for seizure management in dogs and identifies opportunities for improved care of these affected dogs."
The full paper is freely available from Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and can be accessed here:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvim.15911
All entrants to the survey will also be able to enter a draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.
Jenny Langridge (pictured), Editor of Veterinary Woman, said: “This is our third annual survey and we are seeking the opinions of both Veterinary Woman readers and the wider professions to highlight the key issues affecting women in the veterinary sector.
"We’re not just asking questions, we’re offering veterinary professionals a chance to take part in an ongoing conversation about the very real issues that women face in the veterinary workplace.
"The more diverse the information we can collate about these topics, the more we can work towards achieving changes that help for women to thrive in the professions.”
All data and responses will remain strictly anonymous.
https://bit.ly/vet-woman-readership-survey
Nutraplaque contains Ascophyllum Nodosum seaweed and decaffeinated green tea extract, presented in sprinkle capsules. Nutravet says the seaweed in nutraplaque has been shown to reduce plaque build-up by 35% after 4 weeks.
Nutravet says the new product also helps in the removal and control of tartar, supports healthy teeth and gums, reduces bad breath and is free of artificial preservatives, gluten and sugar
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director at Nutravet said: "We’re really excited to introduce nutraplaque into our market-leading range of veterinary exclusive nutraceuticals. Maintaining pets’ dental health is an important part of looking after a pet and our nutraplaque sprinkle capsules make it easy for pet owners to keep up with oral health in an easy to administer form.
“The unique formulation of nutraplaque works naturally within an animal’s body. The natural ingredients work through the saliva, where they help reduce new plaque from forming and soften existing tartar around the clock."
For further information about nutraplaque, visit www.nutravet.co.uk.
The webinar will be presented by Marge Chandler DVM, MS, MANZCVS, DACVIM (SAIM, Nutrition), MRCVS and Dr Michael Lappin DVM, PhD, DACVIM.
Marge is an independent consultant in small animal nutrition and internal medicine and Chair of the FEDIAF Scientific Advisory Committee, founding member of the European Veterinary Nutrition Educators Group, and Co-Chair of the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee.
Michael is the Kenneth W. Smith Professor in Small Animal Clinical Veterinary Medicine and Director of the Center for Companion Animal Studies at Colorado State University. He is on the editorial board of Feline Medicine and Surgery and Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian and is the editor of the textbook, Feline Internal Medicine Secrets.
The webinar will discuss the value supplements can offer to pets who are already on complete diets, how supplements are regulated and the importance of quality control.
The session will also cover the challenges for vet nurses in selecting supplements for their clinical practice, what factors can determine the choice of supplement, and how you can critically evaluate the evidence supporting a supplement.
Marge and Michael will also provide tips for communicating the benefits of supplements to clients.
Daniel Rodes Moltó of the Purina Institute said: “We are pleased to offer this interactive webinar on how to evaluate and select supplements using an evidence-based approach in a non-promotional setting.
"Webinar attendees are welcome to submit questions for our speakers in advance and to ask questions during the live event, which promises to be an enjoyable and lively session supporting the aim of improving the lives of pets.”
https://webapp.spotme.com/login/eventspace/CollaborativeCareMay2023
Data from the survey will be used as a comparison to previous years (2019 and 2020), to determine whether the changes in puppy buying in the UK seen during the COVID-19 pandemic have returned to their pre-pandemic baseline or persisted into 2021.
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC said: “The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the way many of us bought our household goods, with online ordering and delivery a common feature of lockdown life.
"The pandemic also led to changes in the way the UK bought puppies during 2020, due to the many restrictions to travel and social contact during this period.
"Many of these so-called ‘Pandemic Puppies’ became much-cherished companions, helping households cope with lockdown life; however, there are concerns that some owners were duped into buying from unscrupulous breeders.
"We are interested in whether pandemic-related changes in puppy buying persisted into 2021, so we can best support owners of puppies bought during this period going forward."
For more information, visit: www.rvc.uk.com/Pandemic-Puppies-of-2021-research
The survey is at: www.rvc.uk.com/Puppy2021-survey
The deal is expected to complete by the middle of 2020.
According to the terms of the deal, Vetoquinol will acquire the Profender and Drontal product families, the intellectual property, registrations and other rights currently owned by Bayer AG’s animal health business.
Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco said: "We’re pleased with the continued progress on a number of fronts to move the acquisition of Bayer AG’s animal health business toward completion.
Matthieu Frechin, CEO of Vetoquinol, said: "We are very pleased to acquire the Profender and Drontal product lines that are highly valued by veterinarians and pet owners. The acquisition of these two strong brands is at the heart of our strategy. On the one hand, they will significantly increase the size of our business and our visibility in the parasiticide segment, one of our strategic therapeutic areas. On the other hand, they will strengthen our portfolio of Essentials, the engine of our growth."
Normally only accessible by ISFM members, the channel has been opened up as a free resource to help vet nurses keep on top of CPD and includes over 40 webinars presented by internationally recognised veterinary specialists.
Topics include: anaesthesia and analgesia, behaviour, emergency and critical care, feline medicine and neurology. Each webinar is worth 1 hour of CPD and you get a certificate.
The channel includes a new webinar: ‘COVID-19 – helping cats cope’ which looks at how you can advise owners to help their cats deal with changes at home.
ISFM’s Feline Medicine Consultant, Sam Taylor said: "ISFM is committed to educating veterinary professionals on all things feline, so we are delighted to be able to bring some of our normally member-only benefits to a wider audience during this challenging time."
To register for the ISFM webinar channel, visit: https://icatcare.org/event/isfm-vet-webinars/
In particular, the association says it is looking for people with expertise in the following areas:
VMG President Rich Casey (pictured right) said: “During the last two years alone, we have launched a new suite of ILM-accredited Award in Veterinary Leadership and Management (AVLM) qualifications, together with our evidence-based Leadership Standards Framework.
"We have also announced our intent to support the specific needs of our members more closely through our own congress and other initiatives, as well as helping to guide the wider veterinary profession through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
“We’re proud of what we have achieved so far but we have much more to do.
'We are looking for several new directors with specific skills to help us offer the highest level of support we can to our members in 2023 and beyond.”
The deadline for applications is 3 October 2022.
https://vetmg.com/vmg-new-director-search
Frontline wormer for cats contains praziquantel and pyrantel embonate, and for dogs it also contains febantel.
According to the company, Frontline Wormer is effective agains all types of intestinal worms found in the UK: roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms.
It is presented as a palatable tablet which can be given as a treat without food, or mixed with food.
The press release from the company says the new product "gives pet parents an easy way to worm their cats and dogs".
"Pet parents?"
Someone please pass me the sick bag.
If I get one more press release describing cat or dog owners as 'pet parents", so help me god I will turn up at the press office and chain myself - naked - to the photocopying machine in protest.
It's a ghastly, patronising, cloying way to refer to people who own an animal, besides which, if I really was the parent of a pet, I would expect to be serving time at His Majesty's pleasure.
Frontline Wormer is available in packs of two tablets for 3 pet sizes.
As an AVM-GSL-licensed product, it can be sold off the shelf.
Ms Gurrin faced two charges, the first being that she had issued prescriptions for Roaccutane tables, indicating they were for the treatment of an animal when they were in fact for a human.
The second charge was that Dr Gurrin’s conduct in relation to the first charge was dishonest and/or misleading, and took place in circumstances where Dr Gurrin was not professionally qualified to write a prescription for a human.
Ms Gurrin admitted the allegation in its entirety and the Committee therefore found it proved.
The College submitted that Dr Gurrin breached fundamental tenets of the Code of Professional Conduct and acted dishonestly and, as such, that the admitted facts amounted to disgraceful conduct.
The Committee accepted that Dr Gurrin’s conduct involved dishonesty, but took into account the context: that Dr Gurrin was seeking to help in continuing a course of medication that she understood to have been properly prescribed by a specialist physician.
Mitigating factors included the lack of artifice or sophistication in the drawing of the prescription and its presentation to the pharmacist, in that Ms Gurrin didn't invent an animal name or species, or any kind of elaboration or backstory when challenged by the pharmacist on the prescription.
In addition, there was no financial or other personal gain, it was a single isolated incident, it was a spur of the moment decision without reflection, no harm was caused or risked to any animal, Ms Gurrin had a long and previously unblemished career and lastly she showed insight into the offence.
The committee also took into account the character testimonials which showed Ms Gurrin not only to be an exceptional vet, but a dedicated professional who had nurtured a very strong team, and someone who is held in extraordinarily high regard by both her clients and colleagues.
There were no aggravating factors.
The Committee considered that the case was too serious to take no further action, but that there was no ongoing danger to the public or risk to animal health.
Kathryn Peaty, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee has reached the conclusion that it is appropriate to impose a reprimand and a warning in this case.
"It would serve no purpose to impose a more severe sanction of a suspension and deprive Dr Gurrin’s clients of her valuable service and to deprive Dr Gurrin of the opportunity to practise for however short a time.
"The Committee considered that it is right to recognise that this misconduct was an aberration in a fine career, which is not characteristic of this veterinary surgeon and which happened when she was off her guard and in circumstances when she was mistakenly trying to help another in what she thought was a safe way.
“The Committee therefore decided, in the particular circumstance of this case, to impose a reprimand and warning on the basis that it would be proportionate in order to maintain public confidence in the profession and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.”
The committee heard five charges against Dr Davies at a resumed hearing of an inquiry which was originally adjourned in January and then July 2018. The decision was made, at both the 2018 hearings, to postpone the final decision on the sanction.
The first two charges against Dr Davies related to convictions for drink driving in March 2014 and October 2015 for which she received driving bans of 17 and 45 months.
The third charge related to her breaching a number of undertakings she had entered into as part of the College’s Health Protocol, including her consuming alcohol on four occasions between May 2015 and January 2016 and missing a pre-arranged appointment with a consultant psychiatrist appointed.
The fourth and fifth charges related to being under the influence of alcohol on three occasions while she was on duty as a veterinary surgeon in December 2016 which was also in breach of her undertakings under the Health Protocol.
At Dr Davies' first Disciplinary Committee hearing in January 2018, she admitted all five charges against her and also accepted that her conduct was disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The Committee accepted her admissions and found, with the exception of one allegation, that her conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.
At the conclusion of its hearing on 23 January 2018 the Committee decided to postpone its decision regarding sanction for six months on the basis of Dr Davies’ entering into undertakings, including not to practise veterinary surgery and to remain abstinent from alcohol during the period of postponement and to undergo blood and hair tests for alcohol consumption every two months.
At the resumed hearing on 30 July 2018, Dr Davies’ Counsel submitted on her behalf that she wished to return to practise and the Committee reviewed evidence that she provided to demonstrate she had complied with her undertakings.
However, the Committee retained concerns about Dr Davies' return to practise and therefore required her to identify a veterinary surgeon who would agree to act as her mentor, noting that the mentor would have to be acceptable to the College as someone suitable to act in that capacity.
The Committee also required the continuation of the requirements for abstinence from alcohol and the programme of blood and hair testing.
A further requirement of the Committee was that Dr Davies should make a disclosure to any new employer of her appearances before the Committee in January 2018 and in July 2018 and of the decisions it made.
The final requirement of the Committee was that the respondent should not accept a ‘sole charge position’ at any time during her employment during this next period of postponement of sanction. The Committee then directed that the hearing be postponed for a further 12 months.
The Disciplinary Committee resumed its inquiry on 7th August 2019, when Dr Davies submitted documentary proof and medical records to demonstrate she had complied with all her undertakings given at the last hearing. The Committee also heard from Dr Davies’ appointed veterinary mentor who provided a statement that concluded that she no longer needed monitoring or supervision.
The Committee then considered what sanction to impose on Dr Davies.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The view of the Committee is that the respondent has to date overcome her addiction to alcohol and, given that her competence as a practising veterinary surgeon is not disputed, that she should therefore be permitted to return to her chosen profession. However, in the judgment of this Committee the seriousness of the offences to which the Respondent has pleaded guilty means that a sanction of “No Further Action” cannot be justified."
The Committee therefore decided that the most proportionate sanction was for Dr Davies to be reprimanded as to the conduct she admitted at previous hearings and that she be warned as to her future conduct.
Ian added: "The respondent must understand that she has been given an opportunity to prove that, for the remainder of her time in practice, she can meet the high standards expected of all registered veterinary surgeons from both other practitioners and from members of the public who entrust the care and treatment of their animals to members of this profession."
On the carton and leaflet, it states:
"For the prevention and treatment and prevention of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations on cats of less than 4 kg bodyweight."
However, it should state:
For the prevention and treatment and prevention of flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestations on cats greater or equal to 4 kg bodyweight.
Only one batch, KP0F3U7, is affected. Any other batches of Johnson’s 4Fleas 80mg Spot-on Solution for Cats are not impacted and may continue to be distributed.
Johnson’s Veterinary Products Ltd is contacting wholesale dealers to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.
For further information regarding the recall, contact Grant Exall, Quality Assurance/WQP, email: Grantexall@johnsons-vet.com, or Nick Franks, Sales Director, email Nickfranks@johnsons-vet.com, or Tel: 0121 378 1684.