The ERP was established in 2016 when it emerged that an increasing number of research projects were being conducted in private veterinary practices. In these settings, researchers may not always be familiar with the regulations and the ethical best practice needed for clinical veterinary research.
The ERP reviews both prospective and retrospective research projects on cats, dogs, horses and farm animals. As well as reviewing animal-based research, the panel also reviews sociological studies involving veterinary staff.
There are currently seven available spaces on the panel, and the RCVS is looking to fill the spaces with:
The Panel is Chaired by Professor David Morton, who said: “I’ve been honoured to Chair the Ethics Review Panel for the last five years. Through my role as Chair, I have had the opportunity to work alongside some exceptional veterinary professionals and I encourage anyone with a keen interest in clinical veterinary research to apply for a position on the Panel.”
To apply, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/ethics-panel and send a completed application form and CV to ethics@rcvs.org.uk.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 16 July 2021.
The company points to research which shows that osteoarthritis can affect up to 40% of dogs 1,2 and managing the disease requires a multi-faceted 1,3, life-long, approach.
Animalcare says its osteoarthritis diary gives practices a practical, client-friendly tool to engage pet owners in their dog’s care journey, promoting adherence to treatment plans and enhancing communication between vets and pet owners.
Pet owners are asked to record three everyday activities to monitor their dog's progress, for example, its ability to get into the car, go upstairs or get up after sleeping, on a scale of 1-4.
This will allow all members of the veterinary team to understand how the patient is responding to treatment.
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare said: “This OA Diary is intended to enhance the veterinary practice’s ability to offer comprehensive, contextualised care, without increasing their workload.
"The diary supports both initial treatment plans and long-term management strategies, giving veterinary staff confidence that their patients are receiving the ongoing care they need at home.”
https://www.animalcare.co.uk/oa_diary/
References
The first, hosted by Sam Taylor, head of veterinary specialists at ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) is titled ‘Whetting the appetite: purr-fectly feeding your knowledge of feline inappetence and why early detection shouldn’t be overlooked’.
The session, which starts at 12:30pm on Tuesday 6th, will explore the importance of feline inappetence, how it goes overlooked by owners and practices alike and why it shouldn’t be underestimated.
In the second session, which starts at 12:30pm on Friday 9th, Libby Koytzoumis, veterinary technical advisor at Dechra (pictured), will talk about one of the most commonly diagnosed endocrine diseases in dogs, Cushing’s syndrome.
Libby's webinar, ‘Are you seeing these usual suspects in practice?’ will explore the common signs, routes to diagnosis and the effective treatment and monitoring of Cushing’s.
https://thewebinarvet.com/events/virtual-veterinary-congress-2024
The nursing stream will run all day on Friday 13 September and not only will there be a dedicated lecture and workshop stream but there will also be practical sessions on critical care and bandaging, casting and suturing.
In the critical care session, nurses will be able to problem solve and carry out nursing tasks on a variety of models to simulate treating real life critical care cases.
In the bandaging, casting and suturing practical, nurses will be immersed in a learning experience where they can showcase their existing skills and learn new ones.
The nursing stream also includes a neurodiversity workshop which is open to all.
Marie Rippingale, BEVA’s Equine Veterinary Nurse Committee Chair, said “All in all - this Congress nursing stream is not to be missed!
"It is a perfect balance of theory and practical sessions run by friendly and approachable experts in their field who are keen to share their knowledge and experience for the benefit of the equine nursing profession.”
Tickets are £221 for all three days for BEVA nurse members.
Day tickets and practice passes are also available.
http://www.bevacongress.org
The judges praised the practice group for leveraging employee ownership (EO) to drive growth and staff satisfaction, protect independence, and champion EO in the veterinary sector.
Pennard Vets, which has eight practices in Kent, says its driving ambition when it took the decision to transfer the business into an employee ownership trust and make its 150-strong team business owners, was to protect its independence and core values.
Pennard Vets has also been eager to spread the word about employee ownership to other veterinary practices.
Matthew Flann, a director from Pennard Vets, said: “Winning this award is a huge coup for our entire industry, who have been searching for ways to secure the future of their independent practices.
"Set against a backdrop of increasing corporatisation of UK veterinary practices, we chose to protect our heritage by becoming an EOT.
“It hasn't been easy, but it has been massively rewarding and our team have passionately bought into their new status as owners, and the results can be seen throughout the practice – from team-led initiatives to the impact on the range of procedures we can now offer to our patients.
"It’s genuinely been transformational and since 2021 we’ve doubled turnover and grown our team by 30%.
"We’ve also welcomed Abbotsley Veterinary Group and Priory Lodge into the group with the two local Kent practices citing our EOT status as a motivating factor for their moves.
“Crucially our EOT structure provided the launchpad to becoming the first veterinary practice in Europe to achieve B-Corp status in 2022, which we see as another step towards becoming the very best practice possible, using input and ideas from our team to provide a better service, give back to our community and protect the environment.
“We’re also determined to make the journey less arduous for other veterinary practices to follow our lead and we regularly hear from practice owners who are exploring becoming EO.
"We’ve established the British Veterinary Employee Owned Association to help guide other practices through the journey of becoming an EOT by networking, attending events and presenting webinars.
"This year we have supported thriving practices to become EO in all parts of the UK, including Arrowfield Vets in Herefordshire, Animal Tails Veterinary Practice in Stirling, Shetland Vets and Cornerstone Veterinary Clinic in Belfast.
“We believe intrinsically in the value of supporting and promoting our team as the best way to grow our business and provide the best possible service to our clients and patients, and that same approach will pay dividends for other veterinary practices. Because of this we fully intend to continue to campaign for the benefits of EO.”
James de le Vingne, CEO of the EOA, said: “Congratulation to Pennard Vets on winning this award.
"The awards recognise businesses and individuals that are delivering great employee ownership. Collectively, great employee owned businesses deliver significant uplift in productivity and performance, outperforming their non-EO counterparts across multiple impacts for employees, society, the environment and the economy.”
The RCVS VN Golden Jubilee Award is the highest individual award that can be made to a veterinary nurse.
It recognises veterinary nurses with a distinguished career, who demonstrate leadership within the profession and act as ambassadors for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.
As an RVC graduate herself, Perdi founded the UK’s first veterinary clinical skills training centre at the university, as well as developing several graduate and postgraduate veterinary nursing qualifications.
Perdi received the award for the work she did to create opportunities for nurses of diverse educational backgrounds to upskill, and for her commitment to professional development and support for nurses in practice.
Her nomination described Perdi as “an exemplary ambassador for the veterinary nursing profession, epitomising qualities that make her a beacon of inspiration and leadership. Her unwavering commitment to advancing education in veterinary nursing, particularly through the creation of the Level 6 Graduate Diploma and advanced certification programmes, showcases her dedication to raising the standards and profile of the profession.”
Perdi said: “I’m deeply honoured to receive this award, and my sincere gratitude goes to my wonderful colleagues; their encouragement has meant everything to me.
"I first started at the RVC 35 years ago, and throughout the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with dedicated and enthusiastic people across all areas of the RVC.
"Collaboration has played a key role in every step of my journey, so this recognition reflects not just my efforts, but the contributions of everyone I’ve worked with.
"I’m proud to share this honour with them all.”
The guidance was written by Hany Elsheikha, Head of the European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP).
For a copy of the bulletin, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or call Customer Support on 0345 300 8034.
Vetbromide is presented as a 600mg double divisible tablet for both large and small dogs, and for greater flexibility with dose titration. Tablets are blister packed for ease of storage and dispensing, with a four-year unopened shelf life.
Alongside the launch, TVM has prepared a range of product support materials, including: product guidelines, treatment and monitoring guidelines, seizure management ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, and pet owner information.
TVM has also created a free e-learning tool which takes veterinary staff through the process of diagnosing, treating and monitoring dogs with suspected epilepsy.
Will Peel, product manager at TVM said: "The addition of Vetbromide to our epilepsy range allows vets more flexibility when treating epileptic patients. To further assist vets, we are also offering a wide range of free literature and in-practice support to ensure that veterinary staff are up to speed on such a common, yet at times complicated, topic.’
For more information, visit www.tvm-uk.com/epilepsy, or contact your TVM UK Territory Manager.
Four new procedures have been added: cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and wet-to-dry dressings.
The new video content, access to which is included with the printed book, has been designed as a ‘go to’ resource to reference prior to performing a procedure.
Nick Bexfield, one of the editors of the new edition, said: “We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed.”
Print copies are available through the BSAVA store, you can also access the digital version in the BSAVA Library.
Prices are £45.50 for BSAVA members; £70.00 for non-members.
Despite being a common disease, CVS says very little research has been undertaken into EPD in the UK.
In addition, numerous different treatments are currently used for EPD, for which there is not always robust scientific evidence.
The CVS study, which started in 2022 and will continue till early 2024, involves 20 practices.
Samples have been collected from over 70 cases from horses that have been diagnosed by EPD throughout the UK.
Full blood profiles have been assessed, in addition to bacterial culture analysis of the lesions, PCR analysis for dermatophytes (ringworm fungi), microscopy for ectoparasites (mites) and skin cytology.
An owner questionnaire has also been completed to gather information on EDP management.
Each horse’s lesions have been graded and descriptive data relating to the lesions were recorded.
Data collection is now complete and a team of researchers, led by vet Manuela Diaz Ramos, has started analysing the data.
A full report on the findings, along with treatment and management recommendations, is expected to be presented at a scientific conference later this year.
Rowe Referrals, part of IVC Evidensia Referrals, was one of the very first practices to have an onsite MRI when it installed a 1.5T model five years ago. Now, thanks to investment from IVC Evidensia - of which it is a part - Rowe has been able to replace the ageing model with a new 3.0T machine, which will enable clinicians to diagnose and implement treatment plans quicker.
Referrals Manager at Rowe Referrals, Meg Hayman, said: "The difference between the two machines in amazing. The 1.5T produced very detailed scans but the 3.0T is incredible! It gives our clinicians the ability to perform more complex investigations with far greater clarity.
The practice says benefits will be seen across all disciplines, including neurology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopaedics and soft tissue.
Ian Jennings BSc BVSc CertVDI MRCVS RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Diagnostic Imaging said: "The new 3.0T MRI scanner allows us a much more detailed view of our patients, and has been especially useful for detection of smaller lesions in our neurological and orthopaedic cases. Specialised sequences can also be performed in less time, allowing us a greater ability to help more patients."
The HT Vista device measures heat transfer rate differences between masses and adjacent normal tissues and then processes that data using machine learning algorithms to classify the masses.
The study evaluated a diverse canine population of 299 dogs with 525 cutaneous and subcutaneous masses.
In the study, the device correctly classified 45 out of 53 malignant masses and 253 out of 378 benign masses (sensitivity = 85% and specificity = 67%).
The negative predictive value of the system (i.e., percent of benign masses identified as benign) was 97%.
This study concluded that the data supports the use of the HT Vista device "as a screening tool and decision support tool for the everyday diagnosis of dermal and subcutaneous masses in general practice, enabling clinicians to differentiate between benign lesions and those requiring additional diagnostics".
Liron Levy-Hirsch, Managing Director of HT Vista’s UK subsidiary said: “We are thrilled to have scientific research validating the success of the HT Vista device.
"The veterinary teams who have already adopted the device into their practice are having great success with it, and with the backing of this newly published paper we hope to reach more practices and ultimately save more dog’s lives.”
www.ht-vet.com / www.ht-vista.uk
Reference
For the study1, which was conducted from March 2011 to August 2021, the cases of 50 puppies aged 3 to 6 months with unicondylar fractures were reviewed.
The sample included 30 fractures in 29 dogs treated with transcondylar bone screws and K-wires.
All fractures healed successfully.
The study included 24 male and 26 female puppies, with French Bulldogs representing 50% of the cases, ages ranging from 11 to 30 weeks and bodyweight varying from 1.5 to 16.9 kg, with a median of 5.5 kg.
Short-term outcomes were excellent in 77% of cases and good in 23%.
No catastrophic failures occurred, and the four complications encountered were resolved with further minor surgery.
The author says that while recent studies have raised concerns about the stability of using K-wires, rather than bone plates, this one suggests that for puppies at least, the combination of a transcondylar bone screw and K-wire is effective.
The incidence of implant-related complications was lower than in adult dogs, and the short-term outcomes were excellent or good in all cases with follow-up data.
The research underscores the need for further multicentre studies with longer-term follow-up to confirm these findings and compare them with other fixation techniques.
However, this study concludes that while epicondylar plates have become accepted practice for adult dogs with such fractures, they may not be necessary for puppies aged 3 to 7 months.
Study in full: https://cgrp01mstr8u1x2prod.dxcloud.episerver.net/globalassets/stock-images/humeral-condylar-paper---weighbridge-referral-centre---cvs.pdf
www.weighbridgevets.co.uk
At the meeting, Simon Biles from Moore Scarrott gave a 30 minute presentation, which was followed by a one hour discussion.
The recording can be watched on VetNurse.co.uk here https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/nonclinical/m/meetings/156693, where you can also claim the time watching towards your annual CPD requirement. Press the 'Claim CPD' red button in the title bar towards the top.
To make it easier to find content that interests you, there are markers on the video timeline.
There is also a forum thread on vetsurgeon.org for further discussion of any of the points raised in the film. See: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/001/nonclinical/f/vetnurse-site-support/32174/vetnurse-zoom-ir35-locums-umbrella-companies-and-corporates/177103#177103
For more information about Moore Scarrott, visit: https://www.moore-scarrott.co.uk
The theme for the symposium this year is ‘Advancing veterinary mental health research: learning from the past, considering the present, and looking to the future’.
The day will consist of a variety of oral presentations and poster presentations, and there will be a number of exhibitors, including charitable organisations and wider animal health and welfare organisations.
The College is inviting all those interested in the field of veterinary mental health to attend the day.
RCVS Council member and Chair of the Mind Matters Initiative, Dr Louise Allum, said: “Our symposium presents a fantastic opportunity for knowledge exchange in the veterinary mental health sphere so that, together, we can continue to foster a compassionate environment and build a solid evidence-base for veterinary mental health research to grow and evolve.
“This is an inclusive event open to all with an interest in veterinary mental health including vets, nurses, students, practice managers, academics, healthcare professionals, policy makers, mental health advocates and everyone in between.”
MMI Lead Rapinder Newton added: “We have come a long way in developing our understanding of mental health in veterinary professionals over the past ten years but still have a way to go.
“Only through continued collaboration with mental health researchers, and learning from other allied professions, can we efficiently work towards our shared goal of enhancing mental health and support within the veterinary professions.
“This is why events such as our symposium are so important.
"Veterinary mental health is a small but growing field. Creating environments for open discussion and networking are key to advancing our understanding of where the challenges lie.
"By extension, this also plays an invaluable role in learning how research can be applied in a practical manner to help improve the lives of veterinary professionals which, ultimately, aids in upholding animal health and welfare too.”
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2025-tickets-1247144485729
Congress offers two days of lectures and workshops and up to 14 hours CPD delivered by experts on the most cutting-edge OA management, treatment, techniques and technology.
There is also a large trade exhibition showcasing many of the latest products and services, not to mention a happy hour and gala dinner.
The organisers say veterinary surgeons and nurses, physiotherapists, hydrotherapists, and anyone working to prevent, treat and manage osteoarthritis will find the congress hugely rewarding.
This year there’s a focus on comparative disciplines, including human and equine practice.
Tickets cost from £190 to £370, plus VAT.
www.vet-oa.com/voacon
The farriery stream will run all day on Saturday 14 September, with content curated by Dr Simon Curtis who is internationally renowned in the hoof-care world for his remedial farriery textbooks and lectures.
Simon said: “Any historical, perceived divide between science of veterinary medicine and the craft of farriery is no longer in existence.
"The overlap is vast which means it is more essential than ever that vets, nurses and farriers understand each other’s roles in order to maximise their patient outcomes.”
“Farriery isn’t sexy, but it beats everything else for improving soundness.
"It is impossible to maintain or regain soundness without farriery being considered as an integral part of the process.
“The impact good farriery can have on a horse’s ability to tolerate conformational, work-related or other causes of lameness associated pathology is all too often overlooked by all parties, and this should no longer be the case.
"Vets and farriers must work as a team to avoid injury and facilitate recovery wherever possible.”
The sessions will cover things like the importance of trimming, the biomechanical effects of horseshoes, why heels collapse, chronic club foot, digital support and toe-trimming.
The farriery stream is part of 90+ hours of live and on-demand CPD on offer at Congress, with interactive discussions, debates and workshops, and an expanded stream for vet nurses.
https://www.bevacongress.org/programme
BEVA members prices for Congress for all three days are £699 for vets (with concessionary prices available for those in their first three years of graduation or earning less than £25,000), £273 for nurse members for all three days and £300 for farriers and other allied professionals for all three days or £110 for one day.
Practice passes are also available.
Council members voted in favour of becoming a fully-appointed governing Council, and for VN Council to become fully-appointed.
In relation to RCVS Council, it also voted to explore retaining elected representation on a future council or committee focussed on 'upstream regulation' and development of the profession.
Council also voted to move towards greater parity between professional and lay RCVS Council members, but delayed a decision on the precise balance until it has the opportunity to consider the matter in more detail.
Council voted to remove veterinary school appointees from Council, agreeing to discuss the future composition of the RCVS Education Committee at a later date.
Council then voted to further investigate a number of alternative governance arrangement suggestions, including independent oversight of the College, and to review term limits across all appointed positions.
RCVS President Linda Belton said: “Thank you to all who took part in the consultation and made suggestions on alternative and additional arrangements that might be made regarding our governance.
"Thank you also to Council members for a robust discussion of these proposals.
“We still have a number of important governance issues to discuss at a future date and the proposals that Council members have voted to approve today will not be brought into immediate effect, but will be included in our proposals to government for new veterinary legislation.
“As we seek reform of veterinary regulation via new primary legislation, it is important that our governance arrangements not only inspire public confidence and trust but also allow us, as a Royal College that regulates, to work with the professions on our upstream regulatory activities, not only to ensure that individuals are fit for practice, but also that we maintain a profession fit for purpose.
“The decision to explore retaining an elected element on a future veterinary council or committee, responsible for work dedicated to the development of the professions, gives a clear indication of the value of our ‘Royal College that regulates’ model.
"We have also made a further commitment to public assurance by agreeing to explore independent oversight of the RCVS.
“Any future appointments process developed by the RCVS will be committed to adhering to the Public Standards Authority’s principles on appointments; these are merit; fairness; transparency and openness; and inspiring confidence.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil-nov24
The webinar is the first of several events which will focus attention on patients owned by the estimated 80% of owners who feel that their pets with canine osteoarthritis (OA) may be suffering from off-days that can be associated with breakthrough pain¹.
During the session, Matt will explain the impact breakthrough pain has on the pet and owner and how to approach it more effectively using analgesic and rehabilitation tools and strategies.
James Beaumont, Marketing Manager at Animalcare, said: “Veterinary surgeons have told us that they estimate that nearly half of their canine OA cases on daily NSAIDs experience breakthrough pain.²
"Additionally, a proportion of pet owners state their dogs experience off-days and believe their pet suffers as a result of the condition³."
Animalcare says that some of the main factors in osteoarthritis breakthrough pain can include variable plasma drug levels between doses, intermittent treatment protocols or poor owner adherence with the vet’s recommendation, flare-ups and disease progression.
To register for the event, visit: https://tinyurl.com/43bm8mdx. All those who register will also be able to view a recording and enter a free prize draw for the chance to win tickets to attend London Vet Show live in November.
In the online survey of 392 dog owners, which was conducted Companion Consultancy, 64.5% of owners said their dog has suffered from gastrointestinal upset.
51.8% said they used home cooked chicken and rice to manage their dog's digestive upset.
28.6% sought veterinary advice.
18.8% used a pre and probiotic, despite half of the respondents thinking they would be useful.
Veterinary nurse and sales manager at Vita, Tara Evans, said: “We know that digestive upset is very common in dogs, and almost two thirds of the survey respondents identified that scavenging was the primary cause of upset.
"We want to help support pet owners in knowing how they can best look after their pet in these situations, and provide them with both educational resources and an effective product.
“Education is key in helping owners make the best choices for their dogs.
"Changing their diet in a time of digestive upset isn’t always the best option, so it’s important that we provide owners with up-to-date information."
www.vitaanimalhealth.com
CVS says it believes the phone-based resource is a first in the profession.
It contains the ‘kennel side’ veterinary guidelines, notes and charts that clinicians would need to refer to in day-to-day companion animal practice.
It also includes clinical guidelines, anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging, dentistry and toxicology sections, along with an antibiotic guide.
CVS says it hopes the breadth of information in the MiGuide will improve and speed clinical decision-making, making recommendations to clients easier - and ultimately improving patient outcomes.
The hub is the brainchild of Alan Johnson, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS.
He said: “Every day in practice is different.
"You regularly have to do things you have not done for a while.
"So you either have to recall how to do them or spend time looking them up.
"This can be especially difficult when you are looking for very specific information which is buried in a textbook.
“I wanted to consolidate the key clinical information that every colleague needs every day - all in one location.
"I wanted to make information easy to find at a few clicks.
"And I wanted vets and nurses to have this information in their pocket – to refer to if the need arose.
“We hope our new portal is helpful and supportive – and makes daily practice smoother for our vets and nurses.
"And we hope that it improves and speeds up clinical decision-making to provide the best care for our patients.”
The MonitorME project, launched this month, collects antimicrobial usage data from equine practices around the UK, to better understand how antibiotics are used within the sector.
The project is being led by BEVA President Bruce Bladon (pictured) and it will be the main theme at BEVA Congress (10-13 September 2025, ICC Birmingham).
Bruce said: “Growing resistance to antibiotics is a very serious public health crisis, which is why I have chosen it as the overriding theme for my presidential year and for the forthcoming BEVA Congress.
“The World Health Organisation has the usage of veterinary antimicrobials firmly in their sights and the possibility of legislation being implemented to limit our access to these vital drugs is becoming ever more likely.
“It is important that we demonstrate, as a sector, that our usage of antimicrobials is responsible and proportionate, to ensure continued access.
"Taking part in a project like this is, without a doubt, the right thing to do.”
Practices are being asked to submit usage data from their practice management systems (PMS) to the BEVA office, where it will contribute to nationwide reporting of antibiotic use in UK equine practice.
Ideally, they need to record the total mg of each antimicrobial used, together with the number of horses treated last year (in total, not just those treated with antibiotics) and their average weight if available.
The data is analysed and then collated into annual reports, which are published on the BEVA MonitorME webpage.
The 2023 report is now available and will be updated periodically as practices continue to submit their 2023 data.
2024 data collection has started, so equine practices can send their data to antibiotics@beva.org.uk whenever they’re ready.
https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Medicines/Antibiotics/MonitorME#aims
https://www.bevacongress.org
Whilst you're there, the company will doubtless use the opportunity to bend your ear about how its technology can save time, drive revenue, and strengthen patient care.
Still, all in a good cause, and the company says it expects to be making a significant donation towards supporting members of the veterinary community who are experiencing financial and mental health challenges.
ezyVet Chief Growth Officer Pete Brown said: ““As innovators in the veterinary software space, we’re passionate about bettering the lives of veterinary professionals and we recognise the critical work Vetlife is doing to support the hard-working veterinary community.
"We’re going to be donating £1 to Vetlife for every person that visits the ezyVet booth at the London Vet Show, so we encourage everyone to come down and help us support this very worthwhile cause.”
Winners of the 2008 Petplan Veterinary Awards, which recognise and applaud staff and practices for their outstanding excellence and service, will feature on Natasha Kaplinsky's Channel Five news slot from tonight at 5:00pm, and then again at 7:00pm.
Tonight's news will cover the story of the Veterinary Practice of the Year: Orwell Veterinary Group, and there'll be more coverage on Tuesday and Wednesday as follows:
Tuesday 13th May 5pm & 7pm - Vet of the Year - Brian Faulkner of the Melton Veterinary Surgery
Wednesday 14th May 5pm & 7pm - Vet Nurse of the Year - Louisa Baker of the Priors Leaze Veterinary Centre.
Should be great publicity for the profession, and it is difficult to achieve this sort of thing, so hats off to Petplan.
BraveBites contains protein, fish oil (rich in omega-3) and prebiotics.
The snack, which was developed with a veterinary nutritionist, has a soft texture and high palatability.
Camille, who worked for a year at Fitzpatrick Referrals, said: “In dogs undergoing cancer treatment, decreased appetite and weight loss are common.
"They negatively affect both prognosis and quality of life.
“Owners were constantly asking what they could still give their dog when food refusal started.”
Camille says that in a field test across 40 veterinary clinics in Belgium and the Netherlands, over 95% of oncology patients accepted the snack well, with a reported improvement in appetite and quality of life
BraveBites is available direct to vets, with educational material, client brochures, and quality-of-life monitoring tools.
http://www.bravebitespetfood.com