A new study from the Royal Veterinary College has found that the most common health problem in dogs is dental disease, closely followed by ear infections and obesity. 

The study was part of the RVC’s VetCompass programme which include anonymised veterinary information from over eight million UK dogs. From this pool, a random sample of 22,333 dogs were followed for a year, identifying all health issues that were diagnosed during this time.

The study is one of the largest ever studies to explore the anonymised health records from veterinary surgeries and report on the most common disorders in dogs. The study also looked at whether the health of dogs varied by age, sex and whether the dogs were neutered.

The main findings were:

• The most common health problems of dogs are dental disease (12.5%), ear infection (7.3%) and obesity (7.1%)
• 65.8% of the observed dogs had at least one disorder in the single year of the study
• Male dogs had higher risk than females for 10 disorders: ear infection, aggression, coughing, seizures, foreign body, drug reaction, moist dermatitis, wound, laceration and arthritis
• Female dogs had higher risk than males for four disorders: urinary incontinence, urinary tract infection, mammary lump and overgrown nails
• The study showed that health in dogs generally deteriorates as dogs age, with older dogs generally having more health problems per year than younger dogs.

Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: "This study shows that it is really important for owners to develop strong habits of caring for their dog’s teeth, ears and weight, right from the time they first acquire a puppy.

"This study shows interesting and strong correlations between human and canine healthcare: the need for good dental and bodyweight maintenance. Given how closely the lives of humans and dogs are intertwined, this should be no surprise really; we often share the same food and exercise. Owners should work closely with their vet to plan appropriate dental and weight care programmes at each visit to their veterinary clinic.”

Hannah James, Health Research Manager at the Kennel Club, and co-author of the paper, said: "As dog owners, the key priority is keeping our pets healthy and happy, but it can be difficult to put into context the most common problems that affect our canine counterparts and which areas we need to pay particular attention to in order to maintain this. These findings help us establish these key areas, and where we as owners, vets and organisational bodies can work towards to improve the day-to-day life of our beloved companions."

Reference

O'Neill, D.G., James, H., Church, D.B., Brodbelt, D.C. and Pegram, C. (2021) 'Prevalence of commonly diagnosed disorders in UK dogs under primary veterinary care: results and applications', BMC Veterinary Research.

Photo: Uwe Gelle

Krka has announced the launch of Robexera, the first generic robenacoxib solution for the treatment of pain and inflammation associated with chronic osteoarthritis (OA) and soft tissue surgery in dogs.¹ 

Robexera is a COX2 NSAID formulation which delivers anti-inflammatory pain relief with a once-a-day dosing regime^2,3,4.  

The product is presented as a flavoured chewable tablet for easier administration by pet owners.

For simplicity when dispensing, it comes in four strengths with colour coded boxes, perforated blisters and a set of PIL sheets that convert to prescribing envelopes in each pack.

Charlotte Read, Krka’s UK Key Account Manager, said: “Delivering reliable, cost-effective perioperative pain relief for soft tissue surgery is an everyday concern for veterinary practices, while OA is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs⁵. 

"This is why we’re particularly pleased to announce the first generic robenacoxib, Robexera. 

“Bioequivalent to the originator product⁶, Robexera provides fast-acting and targeted pain relief, giving enhanced value to veterinary practices and enabling them to offer their clients improved affordability, particularly for those whose animals are on long term pain-management programmes or have other health issues.”

Viktor Kozjan, General Manager Krka UK, added: “The launch of Robexera is further confirmation of Krka’s commitment to develop solutions that are tried and trusted but also flexible and affordable for our customers and their clients.”

Robexera is now available to order from all national UK veterinary wholesalers. 

References

1. Product Information Database (defra.gov.uk)
2. Silber HE, et al.(2010) Population pharmacokinetic analysis of blood and joint synovial fluid concentrations of robenacoxib from healthy dogs and dogs with osteoarthritis. Pharm Res 27:2633-2645. doi: 10.1007/s11095-010-0262z . 
3. Kongara K. , Chambers J.C. (2018) “Robenacoxib in the treatment of pain in cats and dogs: safety, efficacy and place in therapy.” Veterinary medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 9 53-61. 15 Aug.2018, doi:10.2147/VMRR.S170893
4. Lees, P., et al. (2022). Pharmacology, safety, efficacy and clinical uses of the COX-2 inhibitor robenacoxib. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 45, 325–351. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvp.13052
5. https://caninearthritis.co.uk/what-is-arthritis/arthritis-the-basics/
6. BEQ : Regulatory approved Biowaiver demonstrating bioequivalence to the reference (Registration procedure parallel to DCP procedure No. IE/V/0775/001-004/DC, GB Vm number: 01656/5031 (20 mg); PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR A VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCT; https://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/Public_AR_VPA10774-075- 003_21082023130723.pdf

The BSAVA has published the results of a survey which shows that technology used to mitigate the effects of lockdown may lead to long term, beneficial changes to the way practices operate. 

Over 25% of the 1001 veterinary professionals who responded felt that the use of technology for triage and or consultations had either improved efficiency or the service offered to clients.

More than 10% said the pandemic had led to practices taking actions which streamlined client processes such as taking payments and booking appointments online or by phone.

The survey results are included in a presentation at the BSAVA Virtual Congress: "Lessons from Lockdown:Telemedicine is here to stay", which forms part of the current topics stream on Saturday 27th March. Brian Faulkner will take a look at maintaining relationships and changing dynamics with remote consults, communication challenges and opportunities. Matt Flann will follow with: "A practical perspective – how we have used it, what have we learned?"

BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “The survey results have given us an important insight on how technology is being deployed to help the profession continue to help pets and their owners safely and to the best of their ability in these difficult circumstances. 

"Vets have embraced innovations in practice such as telephone triage, remote consultations and digital communications. These have shown us that, as within the human healthcare sector, we can continue to deliver our vital services, possibly to an even more efficient and effective standard, despite the restrictions. 

"Our Congress session on lockdown learnings promises to make for compelling listening with important ramifications for veterinary practice even after the pandemic has receded to a bitter memory. As we return to degrees of normality these innovations should not be discarded, but equally must not be allowed to generate the inequalities that go hand in hand with them if some practices and owners are inadvertently left behind.”

To register for BSAVA Congress, visit https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2021/en/page/home 

Reference

1. The BSAVA Market Research was conducted online in November/December 2020, with responses from 1001 veterinary professionals.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of the House of Commons has called for an end to veterinary self-regulation and, as part of reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, for a new independent regulator to be created.

If adopted, the move would end the RCVS's 182-year role as regulator of the veterinary profession.

In its report, "A sustainable veterinary workforce", the committee said the Government should separate the RCVS's professional leadership role from any regulatory functions within the veterinary profession, creating a new independent body that can oversee the expanded role of a reformed Act. 

The report argued that the current system of self-regulation makes the veterinary sector an outlier, pointing towards professions such as medicine and law where regulatory functions have been separated from professional bodies.

It added that self-regulation is increasingly unsuitable for a profession where vet practices and services are coming under the ownership of corporate entities and the management of non-vets.

The recommendation sits within a wider package on veterinary workforce pressures, veterinary education, Competition and Markets Authority remedies and reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

On workforce, the report said pressures in the profession are no longer driven primarily by an overall shortage of qualified individuals, but by challenges in retention, distribution and alignment with specific roles.

It recommended that Defra should, within six months, commission a sector-wide review of retention challenges across the profession.

The report also said the Home Office, in collaboration with Defra, should review the Skilled Worker Visa salary thresholds for veterinary roles by early 2027.

On veterinary education, the committee said the current funding model is not sustainable and recommended a full review of funding within the next Spending Review.

It also said the Government should ensure the CMA's remedies are fully rural proofed, and that the CMA, in partnership with the RCVS, should establish a monitoring framework by September 2027.

The RCVS welcomed the majority of the recommendations but said the idea of establishing a new veterinary regulator "seems to be based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the current role and functions of the College."

In a statement, the College added: “The report appears to assert that this reform is necessary because the functions of the RCVS are in conflict with one another, or that it is otherwise undesirable for these functions to be carried out by one organisation.

"Comparison with the legal sector – in which the regulatory and representative functions of professional bodies were separated by statute in 2007 – strongly implies that the committee considers the same reform necessary in the veterinary sector because the RCVS has similarly conflicting functions, which it does not, and suggests a conflation between professional leadership and representation.

“Furthermore, the report fundamentally misunderstands the concepts of self-regulation and regulatory independence.

"In the context of modern regulatory regimes, 'self-regulation' refers to the independence of a regulator from government, not whether a profession makes rules for itself. In this sense most professional regulators, including the General Medical Council, are both self-regulating and independent.

“The press release accompanying the report is more explicit on these points, arguing that the establishment of a new regulator would allow the RCVS to “specialise in continuing to represent the profession’s interests.”

"To be clear, the RCVS does not represent the interests of the veterinary profession as a whole, nor those of the individual veterinary professionals we regulate.

“While it is true that the RCVS is currently both a statutory regulator and a professional leadership body, we carry out our statutory regulatory function in the public interest under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and we carry out our professional leadership function in the public interest in line with the objectives in our Royal Charter.

"There is therefore no conflict between the two functions; indeed, they are complementary, allowing us to take a holistic approach to setting, maintaining and advancing veterinary standards.

“Furthermore, our Royal Charter has enabled us to innovate and plug gaps in our aging legislative framework, for example through regulating veterinary nurses and providing quality assurance of veterinary care through our Practice Standards Scheme.

"Far from detracting from or conflicting with our regulatory function, our professional leadership function, underpinned by the Charter, has reinforced our ability to take action in the public interest where we may not have statutory powers to do so.

“In relation to any suggestion that the RCVS should no longer be the veterinary regulator because it is unduly influenced by the profession through its governance arrangements, we would emphasise that the College has for some time been advocating for legislative reform that would replace its governing Council with a fully appointed board with lay parity, which would remove any risk, real or perceived, of the profession setting and marking its own homework.

"We are pleased that Defra has adopted this recommendation in full as part of its proposed reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.”

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5902/cmselect/cmenvfru/270/report.html

Analysis

The recommendation to create a new veterinary regulator is arguably the most significant proposal in the report, yet the committee’s case for such a fundamental change appears relatively thin.

The report argues that regulation should be separated from professional leadership, bringing the veterinary profession into line with sectors such as medicine and law. It also points to increasing corporate ownership of veterinary practices and the need to maintain public confidence.

However, the report does not provide evidence that the current regulatory model is failing, nor does it explain why reform of the RCVS itself would not achieve the same objective.

The result is that the recommendation appears to rest more on an ideological preference for separating professional leadership from regulation than on evidence that the existing model is producing poor outcomes.

Photo: EFRA committee chair Alistair Carmichael, whose committee has called for an end to veterinary self-regulation.

The RCVS has released the latest in its series of films about leaders in the profession, this time looking at a day in the life of Betsy Malamah-Thomas RVN, Nursing and Clinical Support Manager at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals.

The aim of the Leadership Stories initiative is to present the perspectives of people from diverse and minority backgrounds so that they see themselves reflected in leadership roles within the profession.

RCVS Leadership and Inclusion Manager, Gurpreet Gill, said: "We decided to release this video as part of Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month to show people exactly what a career in veterinary nursing can lead to.

"Betsy has achieved a huge amount in a relatively short space of time and is a great example of what can happen when you blend personal values, professional knowledge and excellent people skills to deliver effective leadership.”

“The theme for Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month this year is ‘progression’, and we hope that this film will inspire members of the veterinary community, or those aspiring to become members, to find their own inner leaders.

"There are so many different opportunities working in the veterinary sector, but it’s often difficult to know what could be possible.

“We hope that by sharing the leadership stories of people like Betsy, we can help demystify the landscape slightly and help to show people that there are many opportunities out there that they may not have previously considered or even be aware of.”

Betsy said: “It was a brilliant opportunity to work with the team at the RCVS on such an important project.

"As I’ve mentioned, whether it’s specialising, leadership, teaching or research, RVNs have so many transferable skills that can be used across the sector in many different roles.

“Coming from an ethnic minority background myself, it has been very clear that the profession isn’t very diverse and that we need to do more to proactively promote veterinary nursing and veterinary medicine as viable career options in schools from a younger age.

“When it comes to leadership, I think initiatives such as the RCVS Leadership Stories are great in terms of showcasing diverse leaders and career opportunities.

"People need to be able to see themselves in these roles, to see that it is possible.

"We are making progress, but we still have a long way to go.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSgg8xeHyp4&list=PLwm3GH0FNPl30FXR3k688HSNzeaKxMwD9&index=4 

CVS has announced that its Chester Veterinary Training Centre (CVTC) will launch a new VetSkill VTEC Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Emergency and Critical Care) in May. 

It is the first time this Ofqual-regulated qualification has been offered to small animal first opinion practice nurses in the UK.

The new Level 5 qualification is designed for RVNs who have been qualified for at least six months and who have access to working in an emergency and critical care (ECC) environment.

CVS says it will help them to advance their knowledge and skills in ECC to a mastery level.

Students passing the course will gain post nominals and be placed on a register of Advanced Nurse Practitioners.

The course comprised six modules: the fundamentals of emergency and critical care, management of emergency and critical patient presentations, management of the emergency and critical patient, interventions for the emergency and critical patient, transfusion medicine and collaborative practice and wellbeing within the emergency and critical care setting.

The course will be taught online, with live tutor sessions and webinars, supported by an interactive virtual learning platform.

It will last 12-18 months, with enrolment through CVTC.

To apply, visit www.chestervtc.co.uk to complete an application form or email the Centre nursingschool@cvsvets.com .

Humanimal Trust, the charity set up in 2014 by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, is to host a virtual seminar about One Medicine on Friday 6 May 2022 with talks from leading human and animal medical professionals.

Humanimal Trust is the only organisation in the UK with the sole purpose of progressing One Medicine, driving collaboration between vets, doctors, nurses and researchers so advances in both human and animal medicine can be achieved faster. 

The seminar, entitled One Medicine in Action – Awareness, Collaboration and Change, follows on from the Trust’s inaugural symposium last year when a roadmap was created on how to develop closer links between human and veterinary medical and research professionals.

This year’s event will look at ways to put the roadmap into action through awareness raising, increased collaboration and change.

Professor Roberto La Ragione, Chair of Trustees at Humanimal Trust (pictured right), said “We know that when animal and human health professionals and scientists come together, great things happen.

"Last year’s symposium, which was part of our ‘Stronger Together’ campaign, was a huge success.

"It drew an audience from across the UK and Europe, as well as Chile, the United States, Singapore and Australia.

“Not only did it provide a real opportunity to explore ways to achieve more ethical and fair medical progress for all, but it also allowed connections to be made and relationships to be forged that wouldn’t otherwise exist.”

Miss Anna Radford, a Consultant in Paediatric Surgery at Hull University NHS Trust and Leeds Children’s Hospital, who is speaking at the seminar in May, said: “I was introduced to a diagnostics company working in the animal medical care field at last year’s symposium and through them, we have set up a new collaboration with the aim of determining whether this sort of diagnostic technology developed with companion animal medicine in mind, could potentially also be useful to help diagnose urinary, joint and cerebrospinal fluid infections in a busy NHS hospital setting.” 

Other speakers at this year’s event include Dr Deborah Thomson, Founder and President of One Health Lessons, an organisation that inspires children and adults around the world to value the interconnection between human health and the health of the environment, plants and animals.

Dr Simon Doherty, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Global Food Security at Queen’s University in Belfast will highlight organisations that are successfully working together to improve the sustainability of dairy, meat and fish production to feed a growing global population, as well as the opportunities that exist for collaboration within the agri-food sector. 

Dr Doug Brown, CEO of the British Society for Immunology, will share some of the most notable examples of joined-up approaches in human and animal health research from across the Society’s membership, with a particular focus on veterinary immunology.  

The seminar, which will run from 2pm until 5.15pm BST, will end with a panel Q&A session, chaired by Humanimal Trust Trustee and Consultant Respiratory Physician at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Ben Marshall.

Attendance is free and registration is now open to all human and veterinary medical professionals and students, and the allied health and scientific disciplines. 

To find out more and register, visit www.humanimaltrust.org.uk

Nutravet has renamed Nutramega, its skin supplement for dogs, as Nutracoat.

The company says it has renamed the product to better reflect its main use, which is for maintaining skin and coat health in cats and dogs.

Chris Jones, Managing Director at Nutravet said: “We’re continually looking at ways to improve our product offering, which includes ensuring our product range can be discussed with ease between veterinary professionals and pet owners.

"Nutracoat has been used in international markets since launch, and we now feel that the natural progression is to mirror transition the use of Nutramega to Nutracoat in the UK."

www.nutravet.com

Virbac has launched two wet diets for cats, formulated to help prevent and manage Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease.

The new Veterinary HPM Adult Neutered Wet with Salmon (a lifestage diet) and Urology Cat Wet (a clinical diet) have a high-protein low-carbohydrate formulation and a high share of animal protein. 

Virbac points to studies which show that FLUTD is diagnosed in 8% of cats seen by vets for non-routine appointments¹ and that there is a 51% risk of recurrence within one year of the initial diagnosis².

Dr Rémi Mandray DMV MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac, said: "Feline specialists recognise the importance of nutrition and water intake in the management of FLUTD, so we are delighted to be able to add two high quality wet diets to the Veterinary HPM range and therefore offer advanced nutritional solutions to such an important health issue."

Virbac says that both diets have high levels of animal protein to stimulate water intake, increase the volume of urine and stabilise the pH for a healthy urinary system.

The lifestage diets include supplements to limit phosphorus excretion in the urine for improved prevention of struvite crystal formation.

The company also says the Urology diets in the clinical range meet the PARNUT requirements for dissolution and prevention of struvite stones or crystals, and prevention of oxalate formation. 

Virbac claims the new chunks in gravy wet diets naturally increase water intake by up to 50%, due to their high water content.

Dry and wets can be fed together as part of a mixed nutritional programme, to meet pet owner preferences identified in Virbac's market research: 60% of cat owners use wet food, mostly mixed with kibbles⁴. 

For more information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.

References 

1. Lekcharoensuk C et al. JAVMA 2001; 218(9): 1425-1435.
2. Gerber B et al. J Fel Med Surg 2008; 10(1): 16-23.
3. Technisens study for Virbac -2019

The RCVS has published the report on its second survey on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on veterinary businesses, finding a small improvement on the situation last month.

The survey was held between the 1st and 5th May and was sent to the 3,139 UK veterinary practices for which the RCVS holds a unique email address. In total it gathered 251 responses (a response rate of 8%) compared to the 532 responses to the initial survey conducted between 3rd and 7th April (a response rate of 17%).

The main changes compared to last month's survey were:

• Fewer practices were affected by veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses having to self-isolate. In the April survey some 30% of respondent practices were affected by this compared to 20% in the May survey.
• Last month, the overwhelming majority of practices (97%) had limited their caseloads to emergency or urgent cases only. This month, only 26% were seeing emergency cases only. The majority of practices (69%) reported seeing a reduced caseload, including some routine work.
• In the April survey 42% of respondents reported a 51% to 75% fall in turnover, while 24% of respondents reported a fall in turnover of more than 75%. This month, the majority of respondents (46%) reported a 25% to 50% drop in turnover, while just 6% of practices reported a more than 75% reduction in turnover. 

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "This latest survey has identified some positive trends in terms of a slight uptick in business, including turnover, and fewer incidences of staff having to take time off with COVID or COVID-like symptoms.

“I am glad to see that the framework we published in April has, so far as we can see, provided veterinary professionals with greater guidance and reassurance regarding the fact that if it is feasible to do something safely under social distancing guidelines, then they can go ahead, if they choose to.

"We left plenty of scope for veterinary professionals to use their clinical judgement as to what services actually offer, depending on their facilities, level of staffing, availability of protective equipment, local disease pressures and so on.

"However, it is also clear that we are, by no means, out of the woods and that veterinary businesses are still struggling financially, with some of them reporting a very acute impact of the coronavirus and the associated restrictions on their businesses.

“We will continue to monitor the situation via these regular surveys, with the next one planned for early June. I would urge as many practices as possible to continue to complete them, so that we can build up a stronger evidence-base on how veterinary businesses have been affected. This information is not only vital for our own policy decisions but also allows us to present a stronger case to the Government and other public bodies where we wish to influence the decisions they make that will impact the veterinary professions and businesses.”

The survey results can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus-resources.

The British Veterinary Association has launched 'Great Workplaces', a workplace accreditation scheme designed to help address some of the  recruitment and retention issues in the veterinary profession.

The BVA says that securing 'Great Workplaces' will be a collaborative assessment process.

Each workplace will have a dedicated, experienced accreditor from a veterinary background, who will work with leadership teams and employees to gather a full picture of their workplace. 

Workplaces will be assessed in four main areas: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture, and learning and development. 

Successful workplaces will achieve either gold or silver accreditation.

Those that don’t meet the criteria yet will be recognised as ‘working towards’ accreditation and will be supported to make the changes needed to achieve success next time around.

Successful workplaces will hold their accreditation for three years and at the end of that period they will be required to undergo reassessment to retain their accredited status. 

BVA President Anna Judson said: “As well as attracting more people to join our veterinary profession, ensuring we retain the incredible talent we already have is critical to building a resilient and sustainable veterinary workforce.

"Positive workplace culture is central to achieving this and Great Workplaces by BVA is an innovative new approach that puts the well-being of vet teams front and centre.

"The knock-on impact will be good for vets and vet practices, good for clients and ultimately, good for animal welfare.

Photo: BVA

“Workplaces accredited under this new scheme, will be seen as employers of choice, attracting top talent who seek fulfilling careers and a healthy work-life balance.

"For existing team members, working in a recognised Great Workplace could enhance job satisfaction.”

A number of workplaces have already undertaken Great Workplaces accreditation during a series of pilots in 2023.

Two, Westport Veterinary Clinic in Linlithgow and South Moors in Devon, have become the first veterinary workplaces to receive a silver accreditation.

Fiona Leathers at Westport Veterinary Clinic, said:  "At Westport Veterinary Clinic, our collaboration with the British Veterinary Association and its Great Workplaces accreditation scheme has been transformative.

"It has given us invaluable insights into how this initiative positively impacts workplace culture and employee well-being.

“The simplicity of the accreditation process and the approachable nature of BVA’s accreditors facilitated seamless integration of the scheme’s principles into our daily routines.

"The tangible impact of the Great Workplaces accreditation has been profound.

"It's fostered a more inclusive, supportive, and cohesive environment, elevating employee satisfaction and bolstering team morale significantly.

"This experience extends beyond personal growth; it solidifies our belief in cultivating healthy work cultures.”

www.bva.co.uk/great-workplaces  

Photo: BVA

MWI Animal Health UK has announced the launch of Vet Sphere Academy, a CPD platform for vets and nurses.

The subscription-based service offers both online and face-to-face training in both clinical and non-clinical subjects, from selected third party training providers.

Emma Hunt, UK Country Manager, MWI Animal Health, said: “This service addresses the regulatory requirements for vets and veterinary nurses to complete mandatory CPD hours, while helping alleviate the all-too-common challenges practice owners face in budgeting and negotiating with multiple training providers.

"By centralising all training under one digital roof, Vet Sphere CPD aims to enhance performance, build team culture and expand the range of services practices can offer."

https://www.mwiah.co.uk/professional-development/vet-sphere-academy 

Ceva Animal Health has Douxo Care Auricular Lotion, an ear cleaner to remove excess ear wax and debris from the ear canal and skin in cats and dogs.

Douxo Care Auricular Lotion can be used for routine ear cleaning and removal of ear wax and as an ear cleaner prior to treatment in order to clean the ear canal of debris. Ceva says it is fast drying and pleasant to use and the lotion can also be adapted for the routine cleaning of skin folds and around the eyes.

Andrew Fullerton BVSc (Hons) MRCVS, Douxo product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Following requests from dermatologists to launch this product in the UK, we are very excited to add Douxo Care Auricular Lotion to the UK Douxo range. It will provide a gentle yet effective and soothing option for dogs and cats needing regular ear cleaning and all under the Douxo brand we know and love.”

To support the launch of Douxo Care Auricular Lotion, the company is running a buy one, get one free offer (used once and up to a maximum of five units ie pay for five and receive five free of charge). For information on the offer, which runs until 31 October, contact cevauk@ceva.com, use the offer QR code or call 01494 781510 to request an order form or to process an order.

For more information, contact cevauk@ceva.com, call 01494 781510 or visit www.douxo.com/uk.