The collection includes articles from BSAVA’s Companion magazine, webinars, and Congress lectures, covering topics such as ‘What does environmentally-friendly look like in practice?’, ‘20x20 visions of a greener future now’, and ‘One Health, One Planet: Why sustainability is a necessity’.
The collection builds on the work of the BSAVA Sustainability Working Group (SWG), which was formed to help small animal practices on their sustainability journey.
Carl Gorman, Junior Vice President of the BSAVA and Chair of the SWG said: “We are pleased to have created this collection of resources for veterinary professionals.
"It is increasingly important that we ensure sustainable working in small animal practice, and we hope that this collection highlights some of the ways in which staff can really make a difference in their practice”.
The collection is freely available in the BSAVA Library throughout December from: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/sustainability-in-practice
To find out more about the BSAVA SWG’s work, visit: https://www.bsava.com/aboutus/sustainability
Aimed at all members of the veterinary team across Europe, the webinar is moderated by veterinary nutrition expert Dottie Laflamme.
The webinar, which will also be available on demand after the event, follows others in the series that allow conversations about nutrition to be integrated into everyday consultations.
Speakers Shoshanah Verton Shaw, RVT, VTS (nutrition) (pictured right), and Marge Chandler (a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition) will be sharing their tips for handling nutrition discussions in a non-confrontational way that preserves the client bond with the vet and the practice.
Registration for this and another three free webinars is available at https://bit.ly/purinawebinars2022.
Time spent discussing the articles can be claimed towards the annual CPD requirement by pressing the ‘Claim CPD’ link at the top of the forum discussion thread.
The first article up for discussion is "Newborn resuscitation following dystocia or caesarean section", by Tom Towey MRCVS who will be joining us in the forum this week.
Tom is an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Emergency & Critical Care working at Vets Now in Manchester.
He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2011, before spending 7 years at Petmedics Emergency Hospital in Manchester.
He gained his Advanced Practitioner status in Emergency and Critical Care in 2016 and joined Vets Now in 2018.
He now lectures on a wide variety of aspects of emergency care .
VetNurse.co.uk Clinical Editor Alasdair Hotston Moore said: “For veterinary nurses, I think this adds a really valuable extra dimension to your clinical reading. “It’s not just the opportunity to ask questions of the author, but also to discuss the implications and practicalities of the article amongst yourselves. VetNurse.co.uk Editor, Arlo Guthrie said: “More than that, it’s also in a closed professional community where you can be 100% confident of a friendly atmosphere and authoritative opinions with provenance. “And more even than that, the questions you ask and the discussion you have are then available as a useful, searchable resource for everyone in the profession.” So do come and join in. First read the article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/newborn-resuscitation Then come and join the discussion here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/veterinary-nurse-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-clinical-discussions/32369/new-clinical-article-club-newborn-resuscitation-following-dystocia-or-caesarean-section-with-tom-towey
Vetpol says its new course, which is delivered online, has been designed to deliver a positive experience for students, as SQP training is acknowledged to be challenging, with a lot of information to assimilate. The course uses the principles of reflective learning, with simple exercises to help embed what is learned, and highlighting of key facts to aid recall.
Caroline Johnson, Vetpol Founder and Director (pictured right) says the team thought hard about how best to match need and application while covering the day-one-competencies required for SQP registration: "There is an increasing number of NFA-VPS medicines available alongside POM-VPS medicines and a growing need to broaden knowledge of companion animals, which we have reflected in the course content. In agriculture too, it has never been more challenging to deliver the kind of service that farmers and stock-keepers need in the 21st century - we have looked at this both from the farmer and outlet's point of view and we have really addressed health and disease with this in mind."
Vetpol will provide companion animal, farm, equine and avian training leading to a Level 4 SQP qualification. Level 4 qualifications are rated above A level (which is a level 3 qualification) and include NVQ Level 4, Higher National Certificates (HNC) and Certificates of Higher Education (CertHE).
The course writers have aimed to make sure the course contains information that is relevant, practical and necessary, building on a solid base of animal welfare and husbandry. They plan regular updates to ensure the course reflects current thinking and keeps pace with changes in medicines legislation.
Caroline says she has concentrated on trying to make sure that SQPs have the knowledge they need to add value to customer and client transactions: "We were especially keen when writing the online course to give SQPs the scope to apply their knowledge in practical day to day situations and to make excellent recommendations."
Future students or employers can register their interest or request further information now at www.vetpol.uk or by emailing caroline@vetpol.co.uk.
To claim the free product, visit www.daxocox.co.uk/trial and use the stock selector to pick the dose sizes to suit the patients you think Daxocox could help.
Animalcare Marketing Manager James Beaumont explained: “When you consider that recent data shows that up to 20% of dogs over one year of age could have some form of OA1, the scale of problem becomes clear – as does the threat to the welfare of our canine companions from OA pain.
“Owners already giving Daxocox to their OA-affected pets, have seen first-hand how it can significantly improve their quality of life.
"90% said that their dog’s osteoarthritis improved, with 84% reporting that their dog’s quality of life improved from “poor or fair” to “good, very good or excellent.”2
James added: “In a study carried out by Animalare, 88% of owners said that weekly NSAID dosing would be easier to remember, or mean they were less likely to miss a dose or that it would control their dog’s pain more effectively.3
“Used as a first line treatment for OA, Daxocox can provide a solid foundation to long-term pain management that suits vets, dogs and their owners.
"As such, we’re confident that once practices have tried it, it will become their canine OA NSAID of choice.”
For more information, visit www.daxocox.co.uk
References
The review started with a series of focus groups amongst veterinary professionals across multiple sectors.
This was followed by an analysis of the information gleaned from the focus groups, additional stakeholder submissions, data from the College's Covid surveys, independent research studies and formal legal advice to formulate an online qualitative survey to gain the views and feedback of UK-based veterinary professionals.
In this final stage, the public consultation, all veterinary professionals, vet and vet nurse students, practice managers and all those who work in the veterinary practice team are invited to share the extent to which they agree (or disagree) with each element of the proposed new guidance on ‘under care’, their views on the requirements for a 24/7 follow-up service following a remote prescription and other safeguards, and their feedback on the proposed definition of limited-service providers.
There will also be a consultation with members of the animal-owning public, which will likely include questions asking for information about animal owner experiences with remote prescriptions, the perceived advantages and/or disadvantages of remote prescribing, and views on 24/7 care and how important a service this is to respondents.
Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, RCVS President and former Chair of the Standards Committee, said: “The past two years have shown us that the veterinary professions are highly capable of adopting new ways of working.
"It also revealed that we can adapt our established ways of practice to better respond to shifts in public expectations and advancements in technology.
"However, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that any changes continue to allow us to provide safe and effective care for our patients, and meet the appropriate expectations of our clients.
“Whilst we recognise and reflect on the need for change, the proposed guidance seeks to protect animal health and welfare and maintain public trust by ensuring that decision-making remains firmly in the hands of individual veterinary surgeons, as to what they, in their professional judgement, consider appropriate in a specific situation.
“This consultation, then, while not a referendum on whether RCVS guidance on ‘under care’ and 24-hour emergency first-aid and pain relief should change – that decision having been made by Standards Committee and approved by Council based on the evidence gathered, including the views of the profession and objective evidence, and legal advice – is a crucial opportunity for veterinary colleagues to tell us whether we have got the draft guidance right, whether the proposed safeguards are sufficient, and whether there is anything we might have missed or should amend.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare.
Until recently, only veterinary surgeons could be elected to control the charity’s activities, with parts of its governing document reflecting its first incorporation as the Victoria Veterinary Benevolent Fund dating as far back as 1919.
However, a review by the Vetlife Board of Trustees of its Articles and Memorandum of Association identified a need for the charity to better reflect current multidisciplinary team approaches to veterinary services.
The resulting changes to the Articles embrace registered veterinary nurses as an integral part of the veterinary professional team with the new Articles extending the charitable objects of Vetlife to include all veterinarians and veterinary nurses.
These changes also entitle registered veterinary nurses to become full Vetlife members and to stand for nomination as trustees, enabling a more balanced representation of the veterinary professional team, and providing the opportunity for nurses to add their expertise and experience to the future direction of the charity.
Robyn said: "I am incredibly excited to join the Board of Trustees for Vetlife, and even more so as the first RVN to join in the charity’s history.
"It is a privilege and honour to support Vetlife, and I am immensely proud of the work done prior to my appointment that saw the Board review the Articles, approved this July, allowing support of vets and nurses equally .
"I want to thank Graham Dick and the Board of Trustees for being the driving force behind this momentous event and look forward to my term."
https://vetlife.org.uk
Vetlife Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on: 0303 040 2551 or via anonymous email at https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk
Earlier this year, the company called on veterinary team members to nominate nurse colleagues who had gone beyond the call of duty, particularly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And the winners are:
Claire Defries, VN Programme Leader at the College of Animal Welfare, who was instrumental in developing online training virtually overnight when the national lockdown was announced in order to support vet nurses in training and to enable third year students to sit their finals. She was also commended for the pastoral support she has provided to students during lockdown.
Ellie Tappenden from Albyn Veterinary Centre in Broxburn, was nominated for the long shifts she has been working before delivering regular medicines and ensuring that self-isolating clients are coping. She also created a local support network with other vets and organised a collection of spare PPE for the local hospital. She achieved this while managing her pain from Ehlers Danlos, a degenerative disease which she fights every day.
Tammy Jarvis from the RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre in March was nominated for the exceptional support she has provided to all 105 patients at the RSPCA centre and the veterinary surgeon. With other staff furloughed, she has also taken on additional duties, including maintenance and grounds management, and has recently started sewing facemasks for the team.
Bethany Lavill (pictured right) from Etwall Vets in Derby was nominated for the wide range of additional duties she has taken on, including collecting animals from owners who are self-isolating; coming in after hours to check up on in-patients and supporting bereaved clients. She has gone over and above the call of duty on many occasions and still asks what more she can do to help.
Student vet nurse Shannon Mills from Leeds Colton Vets4Pets was nominated for being a major asset to the team over the last few months, despite a recent diagnosis of epilepsy. She has willingly covered a range of roles and recently nursed a critical care rabbit throughout the day, whilst manning reception. She even managed to pass her mock exam with flying colours during lockdown with little time to study.
Each of the five winners was rewarded with a Betty’s Gift Box, brimming with treats, including Betty’s champagne truffles, chocolate desires, Yorkshire tea and shortbread.
Animalcare Product Manager James Beaumont said: “We wanted our competition to highlight the fantastic contribution vet nurses around the country are making to their colleagues, clients and patients – but the number and quality of entries hugely exceeded our expectations.
"At such a difficult time, the positivity, passion and care that each nomination exuded made reading them a moving experience and selecting only five as winners was no easy task. We thank all those who took the time to nominate their amazing colleagues and thank every vet nurse who was nominated for their extraordinary commitment and dedication."
In mid-September, the Association wrote to the RCVS expressing concern about the August extension to the temporary guidance.
In the latest update from the RCVS, the temporary measure has now been extended to 31 October but the flowchart and guidance have been updated to add some additional steps before a POM-V product can be prescribed remotely.
The BVA says that while it supported the original decision in March as a pragmatic solution and direct response to government restrictions surrounding Covid-19, it is now questioning the ongoing need for such a relaxation in the rules.
In the letter to the RCVS, the BVA also asked for a timeframe for the publication of the results of the RCVS survey of practices’ experiences of remote consulting and prescribing. The Association's own under care working group, chaired by Nigel Gibbens, has been developing a position to respond to the RCVS review.
BVA President James Russell (pictured right) said: "We understand that allowing remote prescription of POM-Vs was a necessary measure at the height of the lockdown, as practices struggled to assess patients in person.
"However, the veterinary professions have done a fantastic job in adapting to the restrictions and are now able to work safely and see patients.
"Whilst we recognise the RCVS has provided additional guidance for the remote prescribing of POM-V, we cannot currently see any reason why a new client would be unable to access in-person veterinary care in the first instance and we are asking RCVS Council to reconsider this measure when it meets in Oct.
"It makes sense to continue allowing vets to remotely prescribe for existing patients, for example if an owner is shielding, but we feel it is no longer appropriate to be remotely prescribing to animals that have never been physically examined by the vet.
“The question of whether we should be able to remotely prescribe POM-V products without first seeing an animal is an important and live debate, and we welcome the resumption of the College’s review. But the longer that temporary measures are in place, the greater the expectation from animal owners that they will always be in place, and the harder it will be to have the discussion about the best way forward.
“As a profession, we are rightly concerned about antimicrobial resistance and we pride ourselves on the responsible use of medicines. Continually extending the temporary measures without a full analysis would risk undermining our position.”
For the research, Purina questioned 1535 current and potential dog owners using validated scales assessing depression, anxiety, happiness, attitude and commitment toward their pet, and perceived social support.
67% of participants said they felt that COVID had had an emotional impact on them.
One-third of participants also felt that their health had been impacted by the pandemic, while 45% had experienced a financial impact.
However, it was found that dog owners had higher perceived level of social support and lower depression scores.
Francois Martin, M.A., Ph.D., applied behaviour and welfare research section leader at Purina and lead Purina scientist on the project said: "Our research showed that dog owners fared better from a social support and emotional standpoint during COVID than people who like dogs but didn’t own one during the pandemic.
"Our work adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the power of the human pet bond, especially in times of stress.”
Libby Sheridan MVB MRCVS, Purina Scientific Affairs Manager for the UK and Ireland said: "The research aimed to build on prior evidence that suggests that dogs can contribute to their owner’s positive affective state - a psychological term describing when people are in generally positive frame of mind like excited, enthusiastic, and inspired.
"Purina also set out to gain a better understanding of whether the power of the pet-owner bond continued to persist during the pandemic. Not only was the effect of dogs shown to be positive, it was also measurable and statistically significant.”
Purina says the results also provide an opportunity to reflect on the important contribution of veterinary professionals, many of whom continued to work throughout the pandemic to provide much needed services.
For full results, visit: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260676
Everyone taking part in the survey will receive a fob watch to thank them for their participation.
Sarah is leading the project, which is supported by Ceva Animal Health, alongside Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, fellow RCVS Feline Medicine Specialist and Professor in Feline Medicine at The University of Edinburgh.
Suzanne Page MRCVS, Amodip Product Manager at Ceva, said: “There are many barriers to ensuring that all older cats and those with relevant concurrent diseases receive screening for hypertension.
"The survey will help us better understand what those barriers are and how these challenges can be addressed positively to improve animal welfare.
"It is also an issue that requires the whole practice team to come together to deliver a better outcome for their patients.
"We are therefore very keen to find out how all members of the practice team view these important issues and want to encourage all vets and veterinary nurses to share their perspective on the challenges they face in carrying out blood pressure measurements.”
Sarah is emphasising the importance of keeping feline patients calm and relaxed during blood pressure assessments: “The so-called ‘white coat effect’ or situational hypertension, has been observed in both people and animals.
"The survey will also explore the tools and techniques veterinary professionals use to minimise the impact of blood pressure assessments on their patients and will help us to develop some best practice approaches.”
The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/FelineHypertensionSurvey.
Amy was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2019 and treated at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre and Southmead Hospital.
She underwent cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and afterwards wanted to show her appreciation for the expert care she’d received by supporting the charity Above and Beyond, which raises money for Bristol City Centre Hospitals.
Unfortunately, the pandemic put paid to her plans for a fundraising event, so instead, Amy decided to sell Christmas trees from home and donate a percentage of the profits to the charity.
Amy said: “I wanted to give something back in return for the wonderful care the hospitals provided me with.
"The people who work in this field truly are angels and made a terrifying road ahead much easier to get through. I really do not know how some of them do the jobs that they do.
"The charity Above and Beyond raises money for Bristol City Centre Hospitals, including the children’s hospital, so I decided to pick them so that all the hospitals that had been involved in my care would benefit."
Amy managed to sell 102 trees, well surpassing her original target of 70. She added: "I am extremely thankful to everyone who chose to support me and the charity. We had raised more than £2,000 by the end of January, which is fantastic.
"I hope everyone enjoyed their beautiful real trees and I look forward to seeing them all again next year!"
Cave’s clinical director Nele Van den Steen said: “This was a wonderful effort by Amy and typical of her caring and considerate nature."
Kate, who has worked in practice for 30 years, said: "Pilates does more than just give you a strong core. By tapping into your mental wellbeing even for a short period, it allows that disconnection from the pressures of the day, and encourages the mind to press that reset button. We draw attention to our breathing, our physical well-being, and our mental health.
"By introducing practice pilates once or twice a week, you will find your staff will feel relaxed, mentally calm and engaged. You will also begin to find that they will suffer less and less with those aches and pains brought on by sitting for long periods, and so will suffer less with, and even eradicate lower back pain."
"By helping you practice pilates together as a team, I aim to nurture friendships, allay any clustering of personalities and provide a stable platform for all to be equal."
Practice Pilates has a network of instructors which are allocated to certain regions around the country, and Kate says the aim is to roll out the service, and cluster visits in each area, to keep costs low.
Sessions typically last 45 minutes to one hour, so they can fit into a lunch break.
The company offers a monthly subscription which provides slightly lower per class rates, or a Pay As You Go option. The service is being launched with reduced rate taster sessions.
For information, telephone Kate on 07780 603534 or email: practicepilates@outlook.com.
Dr Guillaume Leblond, an American specialist in veterinary neurology at NDSR said: “Traditionally, bone cement has been used to provide support and stabilisation when treating veterinary spinal instability cases.
“Polyaxial pedicle screws have proven a very reliable and efficient way of treating such spinal problems in human medicine.
“These special screws can be inserted in the vertebrae and connected to strong metal rods instead of bone cement and we’re now very excited to be offering this new service to our patients.
“The main advantage to this cutting-edge procedure is its flexibility.
"Once cement is set in place it is obviously very hard to move, manipulate or remove should you need to adjust or correct.
“With the metal rod and screw system, it is more adaptable and you can adjust it far more easily and quickly.
“It may also be less prone to infection compared to cement, which has been known to harbour bacteria sometimes causing infections several years after the surgery.
"Another hope we have for this system is that it will be less prone to failure compared to cement, especially on extended stabilisation constructs.
Guillaume added: “The neurology team at NDSR has been training in applying this new system as soon as it became available and we have already used it to treat two dogs, both of them having surgery on the same day.
“One was a golden retriever treated by my colleagues Rodolfo Cappello (head of neurology) and Natalie West (neurology resident), and the other was a whippet under my care.
"They were two very different sizes of dog but both operations went well.
“We are grateful to OrthomedTM, the company manufacturing the stabilization system, provided all necessary details to plan the surgeries as precisely as possible.
“We also collaborated with Vet3DTM to create patient specific 3D printed guides to ensure the precise placement of screws and it proved a great solution in both cases.”
“Admittedly, it is still early days for the introduction of this new spinal stabilisation system but we are optimistic it will prove a significant advancement in treating many spinal problems.”
www.ndsr.co.uk
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: "We have been in discussion with veterinary nursing education providers regarding a number of concerns they have raised regarding the support for student veterinary nurses and the progression with their licence to practise qualifications.
"These include concerns that, under the current circumstances, student veterinary nurses would not be able to fulfil their clinical placement requirements, as well as not being able to undertake the required assessments. Furthermore, institutions offering veterinary nurse education would not be able to continue their programme of approving and quality monitoring Training Practices.
"Therefore the following temporary arrangements and guidance have been approved by both the Veterinary Nurses (VN) Education Committee and VN Council. We ask that all student veterinary nurses, veterinary nursing education centres and Training Practices read the guidance.`'
The temporary arrangements and guidance are as follows:
Clinical placements
Several universities have expressed concerns regarding student veterinary nurses’ attendance in clinical placement over the coming weeks, due to the precautions around transmission of Coronavirus. This applies, in the main, to full-time students in all years of a programme, although there are particular concerns as to the impact this will have on final-year students being unable to complete the required number of hours in order to complete their programme and graduate.
Universities and awarding organisations have requested a degree of flexibility around the RCVS VN Registration Rules and completion of the RCVS Day One Skills, in light of the Covid-19 situation. The following therefore applies:
We recognise that it should not be compulsory for students to complete clinical placements within the next eight weeks, after which the situation will be reviewed. This will apply to students in any year of their studies.
We recognise that for students in their final year of study, it may be difficult for them to make up the hours of clinical placement missed prior to graduation. Universities and colleges should continue to support students and explore alternatives, however any shortfall relative to the requirements should not be a barrier to completion of the programme.
For BSc students in years 1 to 3 of their studies and FdSc students in years 1 and 2 of their studies, we would expect that there will be sufficient time for them to make up the number of hours prior to completing the programme. However we will review this as the Covid-19 pandemic progresses.
Student veterinary nurses will still be required to complete the Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses in their totality as these seek to assure competency at the point of registration. Where a student has completed the Day One Skills in less than the 1,800 hours, this will be assessed on a case by case basis on application to register.
Assessments
We note that accreditation standards require veterinary nursing programmes to include an OSCE or similarly robust, objective and evidence-based form of practical examination to test safe and effective acquisition of a broad range of skills and competences as outlined in the RCVS Day One Competences and Skills for Veterinary Nurses.
There has been some concern regarding the number of examiners required for OSCE assessments in light of announcements from some organisations that are not allowing staff members to attend large gatherings.
Universities and awarding organisations may need to explore alternatives to the current delivery of the unseen and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) used for assessment of the RCVS Day One Competences and Skills for Veterinary Nurses, as a result of measures to protect students and staff and reduce the risk of Coronavirus transmission. In this respect, the RCVS Examinations Manager and Chair of VN Education Committee will review proposals for changes to the assessment.
As universities and awarding organisation explore alternative methods, they should continue to consider the robustness of their processes in assessing practical skills.
Universities and awarding organisations will still be required to assure us, through subsequent analysis and evaluation, that all their assessments were sufficiently met Day One Competences and Skills.
Training Practice Approval and Quality Monitoring activities
So far this year the charity says it has received 144 requests from people asking for it to take in or help rehome their horse or pony through the Blue Cross Home Direct service.
More than 70% cited personal or financial circumstances as the reason.
In comparison for the full year of 2021, 43 (or around 15%) of a total of 277 intake and rehoming requests specified financial reasons.
In 2020 a total of 32 (around 14%) out of 231 requests stated financial reasons.
Annabelle Taylor, Rehoming Coordinator at Blue Cross, said: “It is distressing to see that the number of people seeking rehoming support because of financial reasons is already more than double last year’s annual total and we still have a third of the year to go.
Entitled ‘Managing mitral valve disease from start to finish’, the course will account for four hours’ CPD split into six short bite-size sessions which can be completed at your own pace.
The sessions are presented by Dr Mike Martin MVB DVC MRCVS, and business thought leader, Dr Alison Lambert BVSc CMRS MRCVS. They consist of a practical review of MVD both pre-clinically and clinically and how to diagnose and stage it following the new 2019 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Consensus guidelines.
The course also includes tips on how to treat and manage dogs with MVD with diuretic management; a step-by-step guide to treatment options for acute and long-term management of congestive heart failure and how to troubleshoot problem congestive heart failure cases.
There's also a bonus ‘Communicating Cardiology’ session which looks at how to communicate the heart disease journey to owners.
To register for the course visit www.veterinarywebinars.com/mvd-reg.
Ceva will donate £2 for every veterinary professional completing the course throughout February and March 2021 to Vetlife, which provides support to the veterinary community and their families who have emotional, health or financial concerns.
The College says the consultation, which closes on 22nd December, reflects its commitment to keep reviewing its requirements for newly-qualified VNs to ensure they remain up-to-date and reflect the standards and expectations of current veterinary nursing practice.
Participants will be asked to comment on a proposed new set of requirements, which is divided into three parts:
Day One Competences: the minimum essential competences that the RCVS expects all student veterinary nurses to have met when they register, to ensure that they are safe to practise on day one.
Day One Skills Lists: the essential clinical skills that veterinary nurses are expected to possess on entering clinical practice.
Professional behaviours and attributes: this encompasses the behaviours newly-qualified veterinary nurses are expected to demonstrate on entering the profession.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing (pictured right), said: “With this consultation we want to gain an effective representation of what the professions desire from future RVNs in term of their range of skills and knowledge and professional behaviours from their first day in clinical practice.
"Any feedback we receive on the proposed new requirements will be vital in helping to ensure that student vet nurses receive the appropriate education and training, and that our RVNs are fully prepared and armed with what is necessary to thrive in and add value to current veterinary clinical practice.
Once the consultation is complete, the responses will be reported to the working group, which will then have a final opportunity to amend and agree the proposals, before being submitted to VN Council for consideration.
The aim is that VN Council will agree to the new version of the requirements in its February 2022 meeting.
The deadline for completing the consultation is 5pm on Wednesday 22 December 2021. A PDF document with the proposed new requirements as well as the link to the online survey can be accessed from www.rcvs.org.uk/VNdayone.
To take part, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/VNdayone
The clinic is being run by Liz Leece, an RCVS and EBVS Specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, to offer bespoke pain management plans for clients.
Liz has more than 20 years’ experience in specialist anaesthesia and analgesia and has extensive experience managing dogs and cats with complex problems causing chronic pain.
Liz said: "Our pets are similar to humans in the sense that the longer they live, the greater the chance they will develop conditions causing chronic pain.
"The clinic is available for any pet referred by their primary care vet for management of chronic pain, including osteoarthritis and other orthopaedic conditions, neurological and cancer pain.
"Animals will be assessed and advice given on how the pain can be managed, including monitoring a pet’s response to different treatments and what to expect."
For more information, visit www.paragonreferrals.co.uk.
The new guidance replaces Chapter 25 of the Supporting Guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct.
Routine Veterinary Practice describes the procedures and techniques performed on animals by veterinary surgeons (or veterinary nurses under their direction) in the course of their professional duties, which ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to their care.
CVR is when routine procedures are undertaken for the benefit of the animal/s, with the concurrent intention to generate new knowledge that benefits animals, such as developing new procedures, improving a diagnosis, changing a routine procedure, or comparing existing procedures.
While the idea of CVR is not new, this is the first time that the RCVS has provided specific guidance on it.
The guidance also introduces an obligation, which comes into effect on 1st September, to obtain ethics review for all studies where one would be expected to obtain permission from the owner/keeper of an animal prior to being enrolled, or when consent is needed for use of previously collected samples or the use of data from an animal.
The newly drafted Chapter 25 gives extra guidance on the following areas:
Chair of the Standards Committee and incoming RCVS President, Dr Melissa Donald (pictured right), said: “We hope that the guidance will inspire confidence in our veterinary colleagues at all levels to undertake treatment routes which develop veterinary knowledge as a whole, while still being for the benefit of the animal being treated.”
For further information or advice on whether a proposed procedure would be covered by the guidance, contact the Standards and Advice team via advice@rcvs.org.uk.
The new guidance will be found on the RCVS website from the 1st July: www.rcvs.org.uk/recognised
For further information in relation to ethics review of proposed veterinary clinical research studies, contact the Secretary to the RCVS Ethics Review Panel via ethics@rcvs.org.uk or visit www.rcvs.org.uk/ethics
BSAVA’s new Congress Programme Committee Chair, Paul Higgs MRCVS (pictured right) said: "The new venue provides an opportunity to really shake up the content. It’s the first time BSAVA Congress delegates will have met in two years and we want to deliver an unforgettable experience."
"We’ve thought long and hard about what delegates want and need, as well as the way people like to learn, integrating those approaches within the programme. Delegates will find few long-format lectures, instead there will be lots of opportunities to participate, to discuss, to do and to experience."
He added: “For general practice vets and nurses, we’re offering an immersive experience designed to support the skills required in first opinion practice yet rarely provided in a lecture alone. And while the CPD will provide ample opportunity to learn about the clinical aspects, delegates will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in true-to-life case management events in a dedicated space to help reflect those paraprofessional skills that are so critical to first opinion practice.”
Delegates will also be able to drop-in to practical sessions and perfect a technique such as undertaking cytological examination, reading radiographs and performing endoscopy in as little as 15 minutes. For the first time, the practical sessions will be included within the ticket price.
BSAVA will also be giving delegates the opportunity to meet and pick the brains of the speakers in a dedicated space in the exhibition during lecture breaks.
Although some sessions will be more aligned to veterinary nurses, all sessions will be open to both vets and nurses. Paul said: "Nurses are increasingly looking for opportunities to expand their knowledge, horizons and skillsets, while many vets want to, and would benefit from, learning from our excellent nurses. The programme will reflect this."
The BSAVA Programme Committee is also going to incorporate practice management within the programme. Paul said: "Vets and nurses aren’t isolated from the fact practices are businesses and the decisions they make have a financial impact."
“Everyone in the profession has something to give and BSAVA Congress 2022 is a chance for everyone to come together to hear people you’ve never heard before, see things you’ve never seen and do things you’ve never done."
Tickets will be on sale late October. To find out more visit: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2022/en/page/home.
The dispensation was originally introduced during the spring 2020 lockdown to safeguard animal health and welfare, the health and safety of the veterinary team, and public health, by allowing prescriptions to be made by veterinary surgeons without their having first physically examined the animal, subject to conditions and safeguards.
The RCVS says the Committee considered the ongoing challenges posed by Covid-19 and recognised that staff absences due to isolation requirements were still causing issues.
However, given the relaxation of the requirement to work from home in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and relaxation of restrictions generally across the UK, the Committee felt it was time to end the dispensation.
Chair of the Standards Committee, Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, said: “The safety and wellbeing of veterinary professionals, as well as the health and welfare of the animals they care for, have remained uppermost in our minds when considering this temporary position on remote prescribing.
“We are pleased to have been able to support the professions through a very difficult time by introducing this dispensation, however, it was only ever a temporary measure and, given the relaxation of restrictions across the UK, we feel the time has come to revert to our usual guidance.
“We will continue to keep the position under review in light of any changes, including governments’ advice and regulations, as we have throughout the pandemic.”
CardioCare is based on research carried out at the Purina Technology Center which explored how nutrients can support the ailing heart. First, a series of metabolomics studies identified metabolic changes that occur in MMVD. Then the company developed a ‘Cardiac Nutritional Blend’ to address these metabolic changes and evaluated it in a clinical study.
The main elements of the Cardiac Nutritional Blend include carnitine precursors, antioxidants and medium-chain triglycerides. Purina says the latter provides an alternative energy source that is easy for the struggling heart to use, something which is particularly important as the metabolomics research revealed that dogs with MMVD showed less efficient cardiac energy metabolism1.
The company highlights a 2019 clinical study, which showed that the Cardiac Nutritional Blend has the potential to delay disease progression in dogs with preclinical MMVD. Over the six-month study period, dogs with preclinical MMVD fed the Cardiac Nutritional Blend showed a reduction in left atrial size, while an equivalent group of dogs fed a control diet showed an increase. Additionally, none of the dogs fed the Cardiac Nutritional Blend progressed from stage B1 to B2 during the study, while 37% of dogs fed the control diet showed progression2.
Purina also says that while the research to date has focused on MMVD, the nutrients in CardioCare are recognised to be beneficial under conditions of cardiac stress and the diet may prove a useful tool to provide support in a wider range of conditions. The company recommends that the diet be considered as part of the management plan for any dog with cardiac insufficiency.
Dr Libby Sheridan, Purina Scientific Affairs Manager for the UK & Ireland, said: "Metabolomics research has the scope to drive huge advances in managing a range of conditions. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this exciting field and bring the benefits of our findings to vets in practice.
"CardioCare opens up a new avenue of support for patients with cardiac insufficiency and vets can use this diet as a tool to complement medical treatment."
CardioCare will be available from 30th June. Contact vettechline@purina.nestle.com for more information.
The app allows trainers to store and share medical records and treatment plans, identify horses and, with a Bio Thermo chip, monitor temperature non-invasively.
In Ireland, the Irish Horse Racing Board (IHRB) requires every yard keep a Blue Book which has to be submitted monthly. In the Blue Book, every medication given to every horse is recorded, with the amounts, the name of the medication and its batch number all written in by hand. EquiTrace enables a trainer to email the blue book information direct from their mobile phone.
Vincent O’Connor, senior vet at Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital on the Curragh, Ireland, says he has found the app very easy to use and particularly appreciates the way it suggests stand down periods required for intraarticular medication, where injections into different joints require different numbers of days withdrawal before competition. The experience of John Oxx, whose winner I Know I Can was disqualified because of a positive test for TCA (triamcinolone acetonide) on 2 July 2020, is a case in point. Dr Lynn Hillyer, IHRB Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Anti-Doping, stated that the minimum recommended stand down time for TCA would be 14 days but added that the stifle is a complex joint and can be associated with longer excretion times than might be expected.
Kevin Corley said: "Keeping a horse’s identity straight might seem a simple thing, but when you have a yard where staff and horses can change frequently and records are kept in the office, far away from the stables and fields where the horses are, it is not as easy as you think. I remember a time when I was called out to genetically test four two year olds, each valued at over €50,000 because their registration documents had been lost before they had been filed and no one knew which one was which."
EquiTrace has been in trials in Ireland, England, USA, Sweden and Italy and Kevin says every yard which has tested the app has kept it in operation.
EquiTrace is a subscription service, with a basic service for $1/€1 per month per horse and a premium subscription at $2/€2 per month per horse. A scanner available from EquiTrace as a one-time cost is required to operate the system, ranging in price from €250 to €400 or USA $350 to $550.
EquiTrace works with all ISO-compliant microchips but some of the service offerings are dependent on the type of chip in the horse.
EquiTrace is available on Apple and Google appstores. Establishments with over 200 horses can contact EquiTrace directly to arrange a subscription. Current clients include DK Weld in Ireland, Ramsey Farm and Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky, USA, Kinsale Stud in the UK and Avantea in Italy.
For more information, visit: https://equitrace.app
The company says the reason for the change is so that it can dedicate additional resources to the business.
Samantha Williamson, UK Country Manager at Animalcare, said: "Through our identichip microchips and our identibase pet database, we provide one of the UK’s longest-established pet microchipping services and are helping to reunite owners with their lost pets every single day.
"The pet reunification sector is evolving rapidly thanks to technological advances. We believe that the creation of identicare will facilitate the concentration of resources and expert knowledge needed to fuel the growth in our identichip business and continued enhancements to the identibase pet database. identicare will share the same passion and values as Animalcare and there will be no outward change for our customers.
“We look forward to continuing to deliver our ambition of delivering the highest quality pet reunification service under the identicare banner.”
The new company is part of the Animalcare Group.