The Association says it delayed this decision as late as possible, and whilst the most recent government advice does not prohibit large public gatherings, it recognises the importance of personal safety for Congress attendees and the need to support the profession in preserving business continuity, maintaining client services and protecting animal welfare.
Amanda Stranack, BSAVA CEO, said: "As the situation continues to escalate, the government have given a clear steer that they expect more stringent controls to come into force in the coming weeks. With Congress now only a few weeks away, we want to give all our attendees as much notice as possible, both to ensure peace of mind, and to give people adequate time and flexibility to change their plans.
"BSAVA recognises the pressures the current situation brings to bear on the veterinary community and in making this difficult decision, has the interests of the profession first and foremost in its mind.
"We would thank all those who have worked hard over the past two years to contribute to the development of Congress, a huge amount of effort goes into preparations from BSAVA volunteers, Congress participants and our staff."
Sue Paterson, BSAVA President, said: "It is with great regret that we have made the difficult decision to cancel Congress, which has taken place annually for more than 60 years. Congress is an incredibly important event in the veterinary calendar, and we were all looking forward to an inspiring agenda and saying a fond farewell to the city that has made Congress such a great success over so many years. The health and wellbeing of our attendees is of utmost importance to us, and whilst we are sorry to be making this decision, we are confident it is the right one."
BSAVA says it is aware of the impact that cancelling will have on many delegates' CPD hours, so it is now looking at other ways it can deliver Congress lectures and podcasts.
Sue added: "Whilst we won’t be able to deliver the full Congress programme, we will be working with our speakers to capture as many lectures as we can to make content available online."
The 12-month surgical guarantee covers professional fees, including consultations, anaesthesia and surgery, involved in rectifying a complication as long as the patient is in good health and the post-surgery instructions have been followed appropriately.
Clinical Director, Andy Moores, an RCVS-Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Orthopaedics, said: “We can never promise that surgery will be free of complications, but we are confident in our low complication rate.
"We are offering a surgical guarantee to demonstrate this confidence and to provide our clients with the reassurance that we will help them get through any post-surgical complications.”
Andy added: “Along with our highly competitive fixed-price fees we hope this guarantee will give owners financial peace-of-mind when their pet needs orthopaedic treatment at this difficult time.
"We do not know of any other specialist orthopaedic centre in the southeast that offers better value care.”
www.mooresortho.com
For free case advice, email: advice@mooresortho.com
Happy Snack is described as a light, delicious creamy snack which contains alpha-casozepine, a natural milk protein with claimed appeasing properties.
In a study conducted by the company, the new treat was taken by 86% of cats.
Happy Snack is suitable for cats and kittens from 12 weeks of age and can be used directly from the sachet, on food or from a finger.
Feline behaviourist, Lucy Hoile, said: “I am very excited about Happy Snack, as I think there is a real gap in the market!
"Something delicious that a person can give easily to a cat, is a great tool to help with general distraction and bond building.”
Happy Snack by Feliway is available in packs of six sachets.
www.feliway.com/uk.
Credelio Plus is a palatable, chewy, monthly tablet which contains milbemycin oxime for the control of the gastrointestinal nematodes: hookworm (L4, immature adult (L5) and adult Ancylostoma caninum), roundworms (L4, immature adult (L5) and adult Toxocara canis and adult Toxascaris leonina) and whipworm (adult Trichuris vulpis). Also for the prevention of angiostrongylosis by reduction of the level of infection with immature adult (L5) and adult stages of Angiostrongylus vasorum (lungworm) with monthly administration. Also for the prevention of heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis).
Credelio Plus also contains lotilaner for the immediate and persistent treatment of ticks (Dermacentor reticulatus, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and I. hexagonus) and flea (Ctenocephalides felis and C. canis) infestations in dogs.
Credelio Plus is licensed for puppies as young as 8 weeks and weighing 1.4 kg or more.
Tina Hunt, General Manager of Elanco UK/Ireland said: "The launch of Credelio Plus represents another exciting evolutionary leap for Elanco’s parasiticide portfolio.”
Cat Henstridge MRCVS, otherwise known as 'Cat the Vet' said: "As a companion animal vet, one of the common challenges I see from pet owners is the need to remember and administer multiple treatments to cover a variety of parasites.
"So a simple, easy-to-remember treatment will be welcomed by my clients who need a combination solution to protect their dogs from ticks, fleas and worms.”
To mark the launch of Credelio Plus, Elanco is inviting vets and nurses to register for an online event at which the astronaut Major Tim Peake will talk about the lessons he’s learnt about leadership and teamwork, performing in high-pressured environments and the future of medicine and science. He'll be followed by Cat Henstridge, who will give a presentation about the power of wider veterinary teams working ‘better together’ to support each other, and how practices can start to reconnect with their clients following lockdown.
Lepha McCartan, BVetMed MRCVS, Veterinary Technical Consultant, Elanco Animal Health, will also speak about Elanco’s ongoing work within the parasite space. There will also be a live Q&A where attendees can put questions to the panel.
To sign up for the launch event, visit https://www.myelanco.co.uk/brand/credelio-plus-launch-registration
The company says its new brand has also been designed to communicate choice more clearly, thereby making vets' busy lives a little easier.
Malcolm Dickinson, Category Manager at NVS, said: “As a familiar and trusted brand, we’re always listening to our customers and designing products that closely meet their needs.
"We understand the challenges vets are facing, including rising costs and supply chain issues.
"That’s why we’re always looking to help relieve the impact on the day-to-day burden of the profession with the right products that help deliver the very best animal care.”
The new brand will be on display at Stand P20 at the London Vet Show.
The programme covers everything from diagnostic imaging and ophthalmic emergencies to practical nursing skills and using echocardiography to help with day-to-day decision-making in practice.
SCVS says the programme has been made possible by the addition of a new lecture theatre during SCVS’s recent expansion, which was supported by the hospital's owners IVC Evidensia.
Stephen Collins, SCVS Hospital Director and IVC Evidensia’s National Cardiology Lead, said: “We’re proud to announce one of the UK’s most comprehensive CPD programmes and share the vast knowledge that our specialist team has with the rest of the veterinary community.
“Our programme is packed full of informative and practical sessions that everyone can benefit from - whether that’s specialist skill development or improving everyday advice and practices in clinic.”
A full list of CPD events is available here: https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/events-and-cpd.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
The authors say that measuring the severity of pterygoid bone medialisation before surgery may therefore be useful as a guide to the likely prognosis.
The study, funded by BSAVA PetSavers, is the first to investigate the effect of pterygoid bone medialisation and nasopharyngeal narrowing on BOAS surgical outcomes in brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic dogs.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine analysed computed tomography (CT) images of the head and neck of 144 brachycephalic dogs (French Bulldogs, Pugs and English Bulldogs) and compared with 30 non-brachycephalic control dogs.
A BOAS index was determined both pre-operatively and post-operatively.
Medialisation of the pterygoid bones was more severe in brachycephalic breeds compared to non-brachycephalic breeds and was associated with nasopharyngeal narrowing.
French Bulldogs were particularly affected, and those with more severe pterygoid bone medialisation were far more likely to have a poor BOAS surgical outcome.
There are currently no effective surgical interventions to correct the deformities of the pterygoid bones in BOAS-affected dogs.
The authors say medialisation of the pterygoid bones can be easily identified via CT scans, or alternatively, simple palpation of the pterygoid bone during surgery from the oral cavity can give an indication of how medialised the pterygoid bones are.
Dr. Sze Lynn Yuen, lead author of the study, said: “BOAS is a complex disease which encompasses breed-specific anatomical lesions.
"The medialisation index will be useful for vets in practice to guide them on the likely prognosis prior to surgery.
"It would be beneficial to identify the significance of the medialisation index on a larger dataset of BOAS-affected patients as the next step.”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70028
Creature Comforts will be using the cash both to open the clinics and build a proprietary app which will give owners seamless 24/7 access to veterinary care, whilst allowing vets to work more flexibly and more often from home.
VetSurgeon.org caught up with Russell Welsh (pictured), co-founder of the new business alongside Daniel Attia.
Russell said: "During the pandemic, there was a recognition that employers needed to do more to attract and retain veterinary staff, and so there has been a move towards more flexible working and better employment packages.
"The problem is that we then saw a massive increase in the number of pets, and the profession is struggling to meet demand.
"On top of that, the corporatisation of the profession has meant that both staff and owners often feel less connected with each other.
"We think the answer lies in independent practices making better use of technology to reduce the workload on veterinary staff whilst creating a better, seamless, more personal experience for pet owners.
"There are of course companies offering online consultations, but they tend to be stand alone services, or belong to corporate groups.
"What we're doing differently is developing our own system so that we don't lose control of any stage in the client journey and can make sure the quality of care, after care and service is consistently high.
"We'll also be putting together a share option scheme, so our employees will really feel a proper sense of ownership."
https://www.creaturecomforts.co.uk
The impact of the College's research on society was similarly highly-ranked, with 83% being scored 4*, and 7.5 of the 9 impact case studies submitted found to have “outstanding reach and significance”.
Additionally, there has been a 54% increase in the number of full time equivalent academic staff submitted since the last assessment – establishing the RVC as the largest veterinary research institution in the country.
The impact case studies submitted by the RVC covered a range of research areas, including those which advance clinical practice; protect public health by enhancing food safety; inform World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation policy on the control of disease afflicting some of poorest people in the world; and tackle antimicrobial resistance through innovations in drug delivery.
The College says the results also highlight its holistic and transdisciplinary approach to research, with researchers, teachers, clinicians and pathologists working collaboratively to ensure ‘real world’ impact and advances in clinical practice.
Professor Jonathan Elliott, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology at the RVC, said: “REF 2021 has recognised the outstanding reach and significance of the impact of our research which is so pleasing to see.
"I know all my academic colleagues are motivated to innovate in order to make a difference to lives of people and those of the animals they keep.
"Our submission truly reflects the breadth of scholarship at the RVC which generates the new knowledge we teach our students, the high quality of which has been endorsed by this external review.”
The company, which was founded by scientists from the human field, managed to raise £8 million of Series A funding by February this year. It is now seeking further investment for an extension to that Series A funding by the autumn.
The company's Chief Scientific Officer is Professor Allan Bradley, Emeritus Director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Society (pictured right). He spearheaded the development of mouse transgenics and their translational use, which provided the basis for developing canine monoclonal antibody therapies.
Allan said: "We are growing a world-class scientific team that will enable PetMedix to become a global leader in the development of novel monoclonal antibody therapies for the expanding animal health market. In the short lifetime of the company we have attracted huge talent in both our scientists and executives, and moved into the heart of the Cambridge biotech sphere with its excellent facilities and networking opportunities. The recent appointment of Dr. Fabian Kausche to the board marks our intent to become a global leader in animal health."
CEO, Dr. Tom Weaver added: "We have the people and the technology in place, and are champing at the bit to progress these therapies to reach the pets that could benefit. We know this technology has transformed the treatment and survival of human patients with a variety of conditions and we want to create the same paradigm shift in veterinary treatment options to improve welfare, quality of life and longevity for our dogs and cats."
PetMedix says it is interested in hearing from potential investment partners, and mergers and acquisitions. Contact Jolyon Martin via email: jolyon.martin@PetMedix.co.uk or telephone: +44 (0) 1223 734140,
The dog presented to the Neurology and Neurosurgery Service at Pride after the dog's GP vet had diagnosed a tumour.
The neurological examination was consistent with a thoracolumbar lesion and the X-rays showed a radiopaque mass with bony lysis on the third lumbar vertebral body.
Annette Wessmann, an EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology at Pride said: “We chose to do a CT scan based on examination and the X-rays.
“It confirmed the suspicion of a neoplastic lesion and ruled out other tumoral focus along the rest of the spine and other organs."
A customised titanium implant was designed for the dog's spine in collaboration with BETA Implants.
Rosario Vallefuoco, an RCVS and EBVS Small Animal Surgery Specialist and Head of Small Animal Surgery at Pride said: “It was a case of combining our experience with that of the engineers.
“The original implants had been designed for humans, and we had to imagine what would be required for a dog and work out at every step what changes we would have to make.”
The surgery took place in three different stages, the first being L3 vertebra skeletonization and dorsal lamina removal.
The second step was vertebral body removal.
Finally, the third step was vertebral reconstruction using the designed implants.
The whole procedure took six hours, and the dog was up and walking again within 12 hours.
Subsequent histopathology assessment of the mass confirmed osteosarcoma, so the surgery is being followed up with chemotherapy.
Following the success of the surgery, Pride Veterinary Referrals says it now hopes to help other dogs with similar conditions.
www.prideveterinaryreferrals.com
For the study, urinalysis results from 2,712 UK feline urine samples submitted and analysed by Axiom and Finn over a period of 14 months2 were reviewed.
Urine samples had to have been obtained by cystocentesis and signalment information recorded by their submitting vet3.
These samples did not have to come from cats presenting with FLUTD signs and the researchers therefore say that consideration should be given to a different (potentially even more increased) prevalence in cats presenting with LUT signs.
Bacterial urinary tract infections in cats with FLUTD are estimated to be present in around 8 – 19% of cases4.
However, FLUTD is one of the most common reasons for the use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary medicine and is therefore an important condition to consider to minimise antimicrobial use and development of antimicrobial resistance5.
The study found that 15.7% of the samples had a positive culture, with E. coli (43.7%), other Enterobacterales (26.4%) and Enterococcus spp (14.9%) being the most common isolates identified.
Antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance were also tested.
Notably, Enterococcus species were frequently found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics, and several other isolates demonstrated resistance to frequently used antibiotics.
The data showed Enterococcus spp. were much less susceptible to trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TMPS) than have been previously documented (with 94% of isolates resistant).
Additionally, other Enterobacterales had resistance against cephalosporins and penicillins.
The authors say that data surrounding cephalosporin resistance is particularly notable and problematic; recent data has indeed shown that the cephalosporin cefovecin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic3 for cats presenting with lower urinary tract disease.
The authors also say that data in this study adds to the existing evidence that the use of cephalosporins such as cefovecin may be ineffective in many cases (intrinsic resistance of Enterococcus spp) and therefore should be avoided unless cystocentesis and signalment results support their use.
The inappropriate use of antibiotics for bacterial cystitis could not only be ineffective to manage bacterial cystitis in cats but promote further antimicrobial resistance.
Clarisse D’Août, lead author of the research and Internal Medicine Specialist at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, said: “Even though feline lower urinary tract disease is one of the most common reasons for vets to prescribe antibiotics, the prevalence of bacterial strains in the urine of cats with this condition, and their resistance to commonly used antibiotics, had not been widely studied in the UK to date.
"So we hope that this study can add to the current evidence to making well-justified and practical recommendations in practices about which antibiotics to choose and those to avoid.
"We see this ongoing susceptibility testing as clinically important to avoid the development of further resistant bacteria.”
References
The toolkit includes a 15-minute CPD webinar: ‘How to best use ProZinc to successfully manage diabetes in cats and dogs’, hosted by Dr Jamie Adams BVSc PhD MRCVS, Senior Brand Technical Advisor at Boehringer Ingelheim.
Vet nurses who watch the webinar can enter a competition for a coffee machine for their veterinary practice by answering three questions at the end.
The toolkit also has a diabetes management reference guide covering how to make a confident diagnosis and start treatment with ProZinc, how best to monitor and reassess the patient and how to adjust the dose for optimal control.
There are also glucose curve charts, pet owner guides, home care journals and a link to the ProZinc pet owner website, www.prozinc.co.uk, which contains information to help owners feel confident in managing their pet’s diabetes.
The webinar and toolkit are available from: www.boehringer-academy.co.uk.
98 veterinary surgeons from around the UK took part in the survey.
The survey did not ask respondents to define what they considered to be a mental health issue.
However, 29% 'very much agreed', and 39% 'somewhat agreed' that 'my mental health impacts my work as a veterinarian'.
83% said the main factor behind mental health problems in the profession is general burnout, 80% said work intensity, 74% the lack of work/life balance, 49% being undervalued by clients, 40% being undervalued by management, 37% a lack of mental health support in practice, 30% financial concerns, and 26% said a lack of HR or structured management in practice.
57% of vets said they know other vets with mental health issues.
64% said they believe there isn’t enough mental health support within the profession.
97% say work-related mental health issues have negatively impacted their job satisfaction.
78% said they would like to see more accessible content on mental health within the industry and 49% think the topic needs to be spoken about more.
64% of vets said they would welcome counselling, 64% support with burnout recovery and 61% wanted training on coping tactics at university.
Stephanie Armstrong, Senior Vice President at Zoetis and Independent Council Member for The Royal Veterinary College said: “Having worked in the industry for many years, I know what an incredible profession it is, but unfortunately, I am also acutely aware of the heavy mental health load many vets face.
"The Zoetis Foundation continues to support VetLife and other initiatives aimed at caring for vets - our ambition is to work together with policy makers, industry leads and educators to offer new solutions and ensure the future prognosis of the profession is a healthy one.”
The BSAVA Guide to the Use of Veterinary Medicines has been developed to help veterinary professionals navigate the regulations, changes and issues that face the profession when it comes to the use of veterinary medicines.
Edited by David Harris and Pam Mosedale, there are three new sections which cover:
The BSAVA also highlights that the law in the UK relating to the use of veterinary medicines will be updated when the VMD completes its review.
In addition changes to the RCVS Code of Conduct concerning under care are due to come into force in September.
This, the Association says, will lead to significant changes in medicines use, as well as legal and ethical dilemmas.
As a result, the new guide includes a section at the beginning of the Guide that will be updated as required and the editors encourage all veterinary professionals to stay up to date with the progress of these reviews.
The new BSAVA Guide to the Use of Veterinary medicines is freely available to all via the BSAVA Library.
The company says that while attendance CPD events are permitted under UK coronavirus guidelines, it has found that many lecturers and delegates are unwilling or unable to participate in them for the time being.
The main distinction between Zoom and traditional webinars is the ability for members of the audience to see each other and the presenter, which helps engender a sense of community and of a live event. Central CPD says it gives all the feel and interactivity of attending a CPD course in person.
Central CPD is now delivering day-long events split into four sessions, which gives delegates the choice of joining for a whole day or just selected sessions.
The Zoom presentations are recorded in high definition, with the audience removed, so delegates can catch up on anything they missed later via Central CPD On-Demand.
Two days of CPD have so far been delivered via the new livestream service. Lecturer Mike Rhodes BVM&S CertVOphthal DipECVO MRCVS said: "This was my first time giving a livestream CPD day and compared to my previous experience of prerecorded lectures I found the interaction with the delegates very good fun - this could definitely be the new future with regards to veterinary CPD: COVID or no COVID!"
Livestream courses are free for subscribers or £45 + VAT per event, including unlimited access to the recorded footage afterwards.
Upcoming events for December are:
Details and booking information can be found at https://www.centralcpd.com/categories/30
The clinic offers Specialist care primarily for patients with osteoarthritis pain, but also those with chronic pain caused by other conditions, such as cancer, dental and ear diseases, spinal disease and feline hyperaesthesia syndrome.
BVS says cats and dogs coming to the clinic will get the highest level of care with a specialist assessment from Jo, who also also works closely with the orthopaedic and neurology services to offer a global and holistic approach.
The assessment will identify signs of chronic pain, gauge the severity, and also evaluate the impact of the condition on the animal’s quality of life.
Jo says it is important to identify these conditions as early as possible, as instigating pain management early helps to dampen down pain signals and reduce overall upregulation of the pain pathways.
To that end, Jo uses validated clinical metrology instruments (owner questionnaires) to measure the severity of pain, especially during initial appointments.
Should a condition be detected, Jo and her team will be able to offer pharmacotherapy, intra-articular and epidural injections and acupuncture.
Jo also works closely with physiotherapists and hydrotherapy services, which can be used as adjunctive therapy.
Jo said, said: “Many cats and dogs will experience chronic pain. These cases need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the cause of pain is properly identified and treatment quickly provided. We are very pleased to be able to open our new chronic pain clinic for cat and dog owners in the South West today to provide this essential service.”
https://www.bristolvetspecialists.co.uk
The event will offer vets and vet nurses six hours of CPD across five streams, covering topics such as initial fracture treatment, stick injury management, post-op orthopaedic patient care, and handling clinical complaints.
Simon Hagley, an Emergency and Critical Care specialist at Vets Now Manchester, has helped develop the program and will run a session on acute kidney injury.
He said: "We have one of the largest emergency caseloads in the country, therefore we’re well placed to share best practice with the profession to enable vets and vet nurses to feel confident when dealing with emergency cases. "
There will be 23 lectures over the course of the day, across five streams: CPR, Vet Stream, Vet Nurses Stream, Client and Colleague Communication, and Pathology.
The sessions will be delivered by experienced Vets Now clinicians, dedicated nurses, communication experts, and VPG experts.
Later in the year, the Vets Now 24/7 hospital in Glasgow will be offering free evening CPD events at the Hilton Doubletree, Westerwood, all focussing on ECC.
The first of these events, on 05 September 2024 will see Lead OOH Veterinary Surgeon John Sheppard from Vets Now, Glasgow run an out-of-hours session on ‘What happens after dark, shouldn’t leave you in the dark’.
The Manchester event is priced at £80+VAT per person, which includes refreshments, lunch, and on-site parking.
https://www.vets-now.com/professionals/vet-cpd-events-courses.
You can take part in the survey and share your views on the issues affecting the health and welfare of UK pets at www.yougov.co.uk/pdsa.
Vicki Betton, PDSA Policy and Campaigns Manager, said: "For the last nine years, the PAW Report has provided valuable insight into the reality of pet wellbeing in the UK.
"We’re excited to be celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the PAW Report in 2020, marking a decade of measuring key insights into the welfare of our nation’s pets. The report helps us deliver a robust evidence-base for our education programmes, campaigns and collaborative work, and enables us to track the impact of initiatives on the pet wellbeing issues which are of most concern to the veterinary profession. It also provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to voice their opinions and have their say.
"In 2019, our findings revealed a record decline in the number of pets receiving primary vaccinations when young, which may mean that millions of companion animals are left unprotected and exposed to potentially fatal diseases.
"In response to these troubling findings, we ran a vaccination campaign across our Pet Hospitals and social media channels which significantly improved uptake of vaccinations. Our key trends and insights will continue to inform our vital campaigns, to improve the health of pets across the country."
The PDSA says that whilst it has enjoyed some success with collaborative education campaigns, such as the annual Rabbit Awareness Week, there are still many issues which need to be addressed, and this survey provides an opportunity to feedback on these from the frontline of veterinary practice.
Vicki added: "It takes less than 15 minutes, so please help us maintain an accurate picture of the biggest welfare issues facing pets in the UK today."
Photo: PDSA Senior Vet Rachel Smith with patient Ruffin
The CMA review generated 11,000 responses from people working in the veterinary industry, including 1/5th of the country's vets and nurses. There were a further 45,000 responses from the general public.
Issues identified by the review were that:
So far, the RCVS, the BVNA and IVC have all responded to the announcement, the RCVS welcoming the call for modernising the regulatory framework and the BVNA likewise (taking the opportunity to remind everyone that this would also be the moment to protect the 'veterinary nurse' title).
Meanwhile, IVC said that for its part, it has always tried to ensure its prices are competitive and that customers are informed of costs before treatment, adding that it believes price increases in the sector have been driven predominantly by the shortage of vets, necessary improvements to pay and conditions for veterinary professionals and inflation.
The CMA has now launched a 4-week consultation to seek views from the sector on the proposal to launch a market investigation.
The consultation closes on 11 April 2023 at which point it will consider the responses received and a decision will be made on how to proceed.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-proposal-to-make-a-market-investigation-reference-into-veterinary-services-for-household-pets-in-the-uk
Vetigel is a plant based gel which was first introduced to the UK for orthodontic surgeries last year.
It is supplied in a pre-filled syringe and applied directly to the site of bleeding where it creates an initial mechanical seal and then supports the formation of the platelet plug below.
VetPlus says it can be used in many situations where bleeding is an issue and the gel can be applied directly to the site of bleeding, including liver biopsies, mass removals, amputations and enucleations.
Jackie Marshall, VetPlus Technical Advisor, said: “This innovative product is already transforming the way vets perform both dental and surgical procedures, and we have had really positive feedback from those practices where it is being used already.
"Vetigel isn’t intended to replace a surgeon’s technique, but it is designed to stop bleeding where pressure or other methods are ineffective or impractical.
"Because it is a gel, it can conform to a wide range of wound shapes, making it a rapid, effective way of controlling bleeding.
“We believe this product will make a lasting impact on veterinary care, transforming the way surgeries are carried out and assisting haemostasis in animal patients.”
Zak Leavold, a vet based at Calster Vets in Great Yarmouth used Vetigel in an emergency situation, out of hours, on a dog with a bleed due to a kidney laceration.
He said: ‘I genuinely believe the product saved the dog’s life that night.
"I will certainly be keeping Vetigel on hand for any future soft surgeries – just in case!’
Links
BEVA Congress 2021 will now take place from September 4th-7th 2021.
The decision to cancel Congress 2020 was taken by BEVA Council and the Congress programme committee because of the unpredictable circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Mair, President of BEVA said: “The overriding factor in our decision-making process was to protect everyone attending Congress. We are chartering unknown territory at the moment and the additional planning requirements needed to run a large event like BEVA Congress with social distancing measures in place will take time.
“We intend for September 2021 to mark an exciting, fresh start for the profession following the harrowing experiences of 2020. It should be safe for our international speakers and delegates to attend by then, getting us all back on track with networking and world-class CPD to inspire us for the new post Covid-19 world.”
Tickets for BEVA Congress 2021 will be available later this year, more information from: www.bevacongress.org.
The College first became aware that confidential information had been leaked earlier this year after the Veterinary Record made the decision to publish details.
The College says it then provided a number of informal opportunities for the person leaking the information to come forward and discuss the reasons for their actions, but nobody stepped forward.
A Council member then made a formal complaint about the leak, which triggered the complaints policy set out in the College’s Code of Conduct for Council Members and instigated the investigation.
The investigation was run independently of the RCVS by an external specialist consultancy, and coordinated by a legal assessor.
Initially, the investigators were asked to focus on a single leak, but following a number of further leaks over ensuing months, it became necessary to widen the scope and depth of the investigation.
The investigators’ report concluded that there had been several separate and deliberate leaks of confidential information by a current or former Council member over an extended period.
However, they were not able to identify who specifically was responsible for the leaks, and because nobody admitted it, no further action under the complaints policy of the Code of Conduct for Council Members was appropriate.
The investigators concluded that the leaks were not the result of poor understanding of College or Council processes, but a deliberate decision to provide confidential information to third parties.
Council members have therefore agreed to review existing training requirements and mechanisms for handling confidential information and to explore in more detail the potential motivation of the person or people who leaked the information, together with the underlying culture of Council that might have influenced their behaviour.
RCVS President Mandisa Greene, said: “There is no denying this is a sad day for the College, and for RCVS Council in particular. As Council members of our professions’ regulatory body, we must maintain the very highest standards of probity and integrity if we are to maintain the trust and confidence of our professional colleagues. In the same way, we must subject ourselves to the same level of scrutiny and investigation if these values and behaviours are ever called into question.
“That someone chose to breach the trust placed in them by their peers is extremely disappointing, especially when they were given every opportunity to come forward to discuss their concerns, and avoid the College having to launch a formal investigation.
"Our default position during Council meetings is to hold as many discussions as possible in public session to ensure Council’s decisions are as open and transparent as possible – something that we will continue to increase as much as possible. Like any organisation, however, there may be a small number of issues that need to be discussed in closed session – for example, those still at concept stage prior to any decision being made public or put out for consultation, or those containing personal or commercially sensitive data.
"I sincerely hope that all of us on Council can learn from this unfortunate and unnecessary episode. We must rebuild and maintain sufficient confidence in each other, and in our processes, that, even if we disagree on certain matters, it is always best to do so in a direct, upfront and honest manner."
The guide, which was first published in 2020, is designed to help veterinary professionals give pet owners sound, independent advice about what to feed their animals.
The guide originally launched with factsheets for both veterinary professionals and pet owners about commercially manufactured, grain-free, raw and home-prepared cooked diets.
The new factsheets cover:
The new factsheets build on considerations for feeding healthy dogs and cats by providing information on the formulation of diet types for pets under veterinary care and those with even more specific nutritional requirements.
The new BSAVA Guide to Nutrition cost £40, reduced to £26 for BSAVA members from: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/
As part of an increasing focus on wellbeing at Congress, Jenny will be sharing her thoughts on balancing a successful career with family commitments. Prior to becoming a dragon, Jenny worked in banking for 30 years. She became CEO of cash machine company Hanco, bought out the business, turned it round and sold it for £50 million.
The expanded 2020 Congress programme offers 450 hours of CPD delivered by more than 100 globally recognised speakers. The Association says this year's highlights include more 'open to all' streams, a new range of practical workshops, small group sessions, wetlabs and nurse case reports. There will also be an increased number of AVP streams, an infectious disease stream as well as a popular favourites stream, which will include endocrinology, critical care and trauma medicine, ophthalmology and cardiology.
New wet labs are being introduced, with a chicken anatomy refresher focussing on linking this knowledge to clinical presentations and common procedures. There's a similar session for rabbit anatomy along with a new dermatology practical and surgery of the small intestine.
BSAVA Congress Programme Committee Chair Sue Murphy said: "Our ethos with the 2020 programme is to deliver unrivalled education, designed to tackle the current needs of the profession, with topical, clinically relevant and evidence-based content. Each stream is devised by our committee of volunteer vets, nurses and practice managers, ensuring our entire programme is created by the profession, for the profession."
BSAVA President, Sue Paterson said: "We are extremely proud to be hosting such an impressive programme of education at our 63rd annual Congress and 30th year in Birmingham. With our prestigious keynote speaker, the small animal focussed exhibition, the BSAVA Awards and a packed social programme including a DJ, band, Bongo’s Bingo and Silent Disco at the V20 Party Night, Congress 2020 celebrates the very best of the profession; a not to be missed date in this year’s veterinary calendar!"
To register for BSAVA Congress visit www.bsavaevents.com. If you book before the 29th January, you'll get 20% off.