The RCVS is reminding veterinary surgeons and nurses that there is one week left till the deadline for nominations for the 2012 RCVS and RCVS VN Council elections.

Nominations must be made in writing on the prescribed form and received by the RCVS on or before 31 January 2012.

Prospective candidates need to provide the signatures and registered/listed addresses of two proposers, and should also submit a short biography, manifesto and photograph for inclusion in the RCVS News Extra election specials.

Nobody may nominate more than one candidate, and no current member of the RCVS Council or VN Council may make a nomination.

Full details and guidance notes for both elections are available online from the RCVS Council Election page (www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil12) and VN Council Election page (www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil12).

Nomination forms and candidate information forms for RCVS Council may also be requested from Mrs Gabriella Braun (020 7202 0761 or executiveoffice@rcvs.org.uk) and those for VN Council from Mrs Annette Amato (020 7202 0713 or a.amato@rcvs.org.uk).

Six seats on RCVS Council and two on VN Council are due to be filled in the 2012 elections.

Those elected will take their seats on RCVS Day in July, to serve four-year terms, and will be expected to spend at least six to eight days a year attending Council meetings, working parties and subcommittees (a loss-of-earnings allowance is available).

Ceva Animal Health will be hosting Derma Day, a free online conference about the latest developments from the world of veterinary dermatology, on Thursday 28th October from 12:00 - 4:00pm.

Dr Natalie Marks DVM CVJ will present "Meeting the expectations of the new generation of pet owners. Let’s go digital!" and Dr Sarah Heath RCVS & EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine will talk about "Approaching dermatology cases with behaviour in mind".

Natalie's presentation will focus on what the millennial generation of pet owners expect from interactions with their vets and how clinicians need to dig deep to understand how these client groups process information. The talk will demonstrate the benefits of new digital technologies for communication and treatment follow ups, focusing on digital tools to meet client expectations and help the veterinary team offer the best advice.

Sarah's presentation will offer hands-on tips for everyday dermatology work in practice, focusing on the importance of considering emotional health when investigating and treating dermatology patients. She will also discuss the links between emotional state and dermatological disease.

There will also be live studio discussions with vets and nurses including Emma Lindbland Åström DVM, Kerstin Bergvall Diplomate DVM and Cecilia Friberg Diplomate DVM from Sweden. These discussions will focus on communication with pet owners and how the veterinary team copes with the many challenges that occur, especially when it comes to detailed dermatology treatments.  Emma will be joined in the studio by a dog owner who will provide owner insights.

Andrew Fullerton BVSc (Hons) MRCVS, product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Today’s pet owners are often millennials who embrace their new family member with huge enthusiasm, however they often have very different expectations than those of previous generations because they can easily access a wealth of pet health information online.

"The Ceva Derma Day will address this by providing online delegates with extensive information on what makes millennials tick and offer proactive communication tools to strengthen vet/client relationships.”

To register for Ceva Derma Day visit: https://ceva-derma-day-2021.confetti.events 

The event will count for four hours CPD. Delegates who pre-register in advance will be issued with a certificate and be able to watch a recording of the sessions afterwards. Those who don't, won't.

The Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) has produced two new waiting room posters: ‘Handling Commercial Raw Pet Food Safely’ and 'Importance of Hay in a Guinea Pig’s Diet'.

The raw pet food poster gives owners guidance on how to handle and prepare their pet’s meal when feeding a commercial raw pet food. The guinea pig one gives guidance on what owners need to feed their guinea pig to ensure good health and well-being. It is also available to download from: www.pfma.org.uk/the-importance-of-hay-poster-guinea-pigs.

The PFMA will be giving away free copies of both the posters, alongside a range of other fact sheets and posters, at the London Vet Show.

The Association is also offering veterinary nurses the chance to win a £100 high street shopping voucher by taking part in its annual survey focusing on health and feeding trends, which can be done here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/PFMALVS19

The survey closes on Sunday 17th November.

A joint statement issued by the RCVS and the BVA with updated guidance for the professions about working during the coronavirus pandemic has led to an outcry on social media and highlighted flaws in the structure of the veterinary profession.

Earlier this month, the government had exempted veterinary surgeries from the requirement to close their doors during the pandemic. Strictly speaking, the exemption meant that practices could carry on offering the same level of service as before, provided they followed further government guidelines on social distancing.

However, the College then advised that non-essential treatments should not be carried out until further notice, and that animals should only be seen in emergency, or if their health was likely to deteriorate as a result of inaction.

This included vaccination, where RCVS advice stated that whilst routine vaccinations were considered not urgent, there "may be scenarios where, in your professional judgement, vaccines are being given to reduce a real and imminent risk of disease; this includes in the face of an animal disease outbreak, or in a scenario where part of a vaccine course has been given and the animal may be exposed to the disease." 

The updated College guidelines, issued last Thursday evening, appeared little changed, except to say that its advice concerning vaccinations is under review. Meanwhile, its new flowchart gives a very clear framework for veterinary professionals to work within, essentially leaving it to your own professional judgement to weigh up the risks.

However, the BVA went further, declaring amongst other things, that:

Vaccinations – we are now recommending that primary vaccinations and year 1 boosters in dogs and cats go ahead due to the increased risk of disease outbreak over a longer period of time, and annual leptospirosis vaccination due to the zoonotic risk. If additional component of the core vaccine is due at the same time, it should also be administered. In addition, we’re recommending rabbit vaccinations go ahead due to the seasonal disease risks. Rabies vaccinations should be carried out if required for certification reasons

.... leading to an outcry that the BVA's advice appeared to be being relaxed at precisely the point when the government is imploring the public to stay at home, and that:

• it must have been the result of pressure from corporate veterinary businesses which are taking a severe financial hit from the loss of vaccination sales,
• that it would lead to veterinary surgeons being forced by their (probably corporate) employers to work when they believe it is wrong to do so,
• that it would put unnecessary strain on practices that are struggling to look after urgent case with reduced staff,
• that it would lead to pressure from the public to carry out non-essential vaccinations,
• that it would cause Vesuvius to erupt and the oceans to boil.

To add further fuel to the flames, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association then issued a statement to the effect that it had not been consulted during the preparation of the new BVA guidelines, which BVA past President Robin Hargreaves felt was so economical with the truth that he resigned his BSAVA membership on the spot.

COMMENT
At the end of it all, there is but one simple truth for every veterinary surgeon who is working in these difficult times, and it is this: The government and the RCVS guidance gives you the freedom to exercise your professional judgement concerning whether or not an animal needs to be seen for whatever reason. Provided you can explain why you reasonably concluded that an animal should or should not be seen, that is all that matters. It trumps everything else.  

This whole farago has highlighted a number of important issues in the profession, starting with the social media conspiracy theories that the new guidance came after pressure from corporate practices when as far as I can tell, it appears to have been driven by a genuine concern that that failure to vaccinate could cause significant welfare issues in the future.

That seems a reasonable argument, and very much in line with the College advice. But that in turn raises a far bigger question, which is what on earth the BVA (a voluntary membership organisation) was doing issuing what appeared to be instructions ostensibly for all members of the profession. Notwithstanding the fact that BVA recommendations have no legal weight, having all these chefs running around with different recipe books is itself a recipe for muddled communications and confusion over leadership.

In turn, that raises the even bigger question of what the BVA's role should be. Should it be snuggling up in bed with the RCVS, issuing joint edicts? Or should it instead be holding the College to account, challenging its decisions and demanding clarification where clarification is necessary. I would argue the latter. In this situation, the ONLY organisation issuing guidelines about vaccinations for practising vets should be the regulator. And it is the role of the BVA to challenge those guidelines if necessary, or to demand clarification.

Which leads me on to the next thing, which is that increasingly, members of the profession seem to demand explicit rules or guidelines to operate within. There are lots of hypotheses for why this might be true. Perhaps because we live in a more (or seemingly more) litigious world and veterinary professionals like the reassurance rules provide. Perhaps it is because the younger cohort of vets lack the self-confidence needed for decision-making. Perhaps corporatisation has a part to play, in that employees of larger organisations tend to play more by the rules. Or perhaps it is a consequence of the growth in the 'refer everything’ culture which means vets take fewer clinical risks.  

Whatever the reason, it seems clear that in some cases, the RCVS tack of "you're a professional, decide for yourself" is perfectly reasonable, whereas on other occasions, such as Schedule 3, more explicit guidelines are demonstrably necessary. Once again, surely the role of the BVA as the "Voice of the profession” is not to issue its own advice, but to press the College for more explicit guidelines as necessary.

Lastly, there is the role of Facebook in all of this. Quite obviously vets are no more immune to conspiracy theories than members of the public who think that coronavirus is spread by 5G telephone masts. Sadly, the truth is usually far less exciting. However, the problem at the moment is that the growth in social media and Facebook groups has left the regulator and the representative associations on the back foot, such that it is often left to individuals from those organisations who 'happen to come across OK online' (rather than having any properly defined role) to firefight.

Photo: https://www.scientificanimations.com/wiki-images/

RCVS Knowledge has launched the Canine Cruciate Registry, billed as a first of its kind in veterinary medicine, 

The Canine Cruciate Registry is a free, anonymised, data collection audit tool that will enable veterinary surgeons to share information on techniques and procedures to improve patient care. 

RCVS Knowledge will collect data from both vets and dog owners on patients recovering from cruciate surgery to identify which procedures and techniques give the best outcomes and have the fewest complications.

According to the charity, injury to the cruciate ligament is one of the most common causes of lameness and the most common type of orthopaedic problem in dogs, affecting about 1 in every 200 individuals in the UK each year. 

Surgery is widely accepted to result in better outcomes for cruciate patients, however, there is a lack of high-quality evidence comparing which surgical techniques and implants are most effective and have the fewest complications.
 
The Canine Cruciate Registry aims to fill this gap and provide evidence that veterinary surgeons worldwide can access to help guide decision-making about techniques for every patient they see with a cruciate rupture.

RCVS Knowledge has developed the registry with Amplitude Clinical Outcomes, a global leader in online registry software. It involves a web-based series of questions that vets, and dog owners are asked to complete throughout the dog’s care, to monitor their long-term progress.

In human medicine and surgery, outcome measures are common practice, with many human surgeries involving mandatory data entry onto a national registry.

Clinical Lead for the RCVS Knowledge Canine Cruciate Registry is veterinary orthopaedic surgeon Mark Morton. He said: “Thanks to several years of hard work and development from a group of vets across the UK and the team at RCVS Knowledge, I am delighted that the Canine Cruciate Registry is now up and running.

“We want to work with as many vets and dog owners as possible, we want to know about complications, we want to know about different techniques and how dogs recover so we can build a knowledge base for vets around the world to improve the quality of care they provide.

“As vets, it's our job to advise owners on treatments options, as well as what can go wrong with those treatment options and how often these potential complications may occur.

“I invite all vets in the UK as well as owners caring for dogs having cruciate surgery to join us and help improve outcomes for all patients in the future.”

Chair of the RCVS Knowledge Board of Trustees, Amanda Boag said: “This is a hugely exciting step forward in developing quality improvement initiatives within the veterinary profession and potentially transformational in terms of consistency and quality of care for our patients.

“I applaud the vision of the surgeons in setting this registry up and am keen to see how the same approach can be applied in other common disease conditions.” 

Orthopaedic Surgeon, Richard Whitelock said: “The benefits of the Canine Cruciate Registry are immense – for dogs, owners and veterinary surgeons. Owners will be able to make better-informed decisions and their feedback on outcomes will be included. Surgeons will be able to monitor and compare their results, adapting and improving their treatments accordingly.

“I believe that the Canine Cruciate Registry could trigger a widespread change in the veterinary profession, we look forward to owners and surgeons across the UK engaging with it.”

The Canine Cruciate Registry has been endorsed by the British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association (BVOA), and all UK vets performing cruciate surgery are encouraged to sign up to the registry.

For more information, visit: www.caninecruciateregistry.org 

IVC Evidensia has threatened multiple independent practices with legal action over their use of the term 'Pet Health Club', which the company says infringes its trademark rights.

VetNurse.co.uk has seen copies of correspondence from IVC which claims that its Pet Health Club has built up goodwill amongst the group's customers, and that the use of the term by other practices risks confusing the public and taking unfair advantage of the reputation built up by IVC.

One wonders which bright spark at IVC thought this was a good idea. 

Bullying small independent businesses is not a great look, particularly in a caring profession such as this. 

Besides which, where is the evidence that other practices using the term 'Pet Health Club' has any impact on IVC's business whatsoever?

After all, pet health plans, or clubs, are inexorably linked to the practice providing the subscription services they offer. 

Nobody goes online looking for which practice offers the best pet health club, like they were choosing between the Hurlingham and the Groucho. It's something offered to the existing clients of a practice. 

So there is literally zero chance of confusion over who is providing the service.

And on what planet does IVC think a client of another practice might be presented with an option to join a pet health club and think: "Oh this is that wonderfully smashy nicey club I have seen elsewhere. I must join it."

Ironically, given the CMA investigation, IVC's Pet Health Club website is opaque about which practice group (or practice) provides its own service.

How it is therefore possible to argue that it has built up a reputation is also unclear.

Finally, if you Google "Pet Health Club", you'll see that IVC already dominates the search results in a way that makes it vanishingly unlikely that its service is going to be confused with anyone else's.

This would all be laughable, except it's not if you're one of the 20 or 30 practices that VetNurse.co.uk hears have been on the receiving end of a threatening letter. 

Natalie Morris-Webb MRCVS from Malthouse Veterinary Group, one of the affected practices, said: “I was stunned to receive a letter from IVC claiming that our Pet Health Club, which we launched in 2017, is an infringement under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and that we’re using a registered word mark without the consent of the proprietor.

“It’s a ubiquitous term that lots of practices use and it quickly became apparent that these letters have been sent out far and wide.

"There are practices that have been using the term for well over 10 years and to rebrand will be very expensive and time-consuming for what are mostly small businesses.

“We’ve had some conversation with IVC’s representatives to discuss how else we can resolve the situation and whether such a heavy-handed approach is really necessary, because surely IVC don’t want a legal spat with so many independent businesses.

“It’s also very worrying to receive aggressive legal threats from a huge organisation, so it was reassuring to hear from other practices that are facing the same dilemma, and we want to extend our support to others in the same position.

"We’ve therefore launched We Are Spartacus where any practices that are affected can register their details.

"We can then work together and decide how to move forward as a collective."

Hopefully, there will be no need.

Hopefully, someone higher up the chain at IVC will stop this madness, admit that it called this one wrong and immediately write to the businesses it has already contacted, apologise profusely and withdraw its threat.

But if the company persists and wins it'll probably be a pyrrhic victory.

After all, pet health plans have largely been sold on the back of routine flea, worm and tick control, the need for which is starting to be questioned by the profession, particularly in the light of research pointing to the possible harm to other species, but also because of the greater focus on the cost of veterinary care.

RCVS Knowledge is calling for all veterinary teams performing neutering in dogs, cats, and rabbits to submit their data to the National Audit for Small Animal Neutering (NASAN) on the vetAUDIT website before the 15th of October.

The NASAN is an audit for practices to share their data anonymously, to establish UK benchmarks in post-operative complications rates for small animal neutering.

Each year, RCVS Knowledge releases the national routine neutering benchmark to enable veterinary teams to compare their figures against the national average and use this data as part of a benchmarking exercise towards continuous improvements for neutering outcomes.

In 2020, 72% of neuters were complication-free, 13% lost to follow, and 15% of animals suffered an abnormality related to the operation, mostly requiring medical treatment.

Chris Gush, Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge, said, “Data submitted to the NASAN last year, and so far this year, has been lower than expected – likely due to the strain put on the professions by the pandemic.

"We believe many practices have neutering data that they have not been able to submit yet. We would be grateful for any unsubmitted neutering data for 2020 and 2021 to be sent to the NASAN, when practices are able, so that it can contribute to the national picture and allow us to gain the most accurate representation of the benchmarks for neutering in the UK.”

RCVS Knowledge is asking that practices submit their data for 2020 and 2021 by the 15th of October.

Anonymised data may already be available via the practice’s PMS and can be added to RCVS Knowledge’s spreadsheet. Practices can use the results to carry out their own audits and produce internal benchmarks, guidelines and checklists to help monitor their progress and help reduce complication rates by using RCVS Knowledge’s free Quality Improvement resources. The yearly benchmarks are reported in November each year.

You can submit your data from 2020 and 2021 on the vetAUDIT website: https://vetaudit.rcvsk.org/nasan

RCVS Knowledge has created a ‘How to guide’ for using the NASAN, which can be watched on YouTube: https://youtu.be/otoyYK3heCQ

The RCVS has launched an independent service to provide emotional support to veterinary nurses and surgeons who are under investigation by the College after a complaint about their professional conduct.

The ProfCon Investigation Support (PCIS) service is a free, confidential listening and support service funded by the RCVS and its Mind Matters Initiative mental health project but delivered independently by VetSupport.me, an organisation that already offers general support services to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

The service is provided by a group of trained and experienced volunteers who will also be able to offer support to any veterinary surgeon or nurse who is acting as witness.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “At the RCVS we recognise that being investigated in respect of alleged professional misconduct is a very stressful and trying experience that can knock confidence and, in some cases, lead to distress amongst practitioners.

“While part of the social contract of being members of regulated and protected professions is that, when accusations around professional misconduct are made, they have to be fully investigated by a regulator to determine if there is a case to answer. As a compassionate regulator we want to make sure that individuals going through this process can access the help and support they need.

“This service is staffed by a team of brilliant volunteers who already have experience in  providing help and support on matters of mental health and wellbeing and have received additional training to augment their ability to provide emotional support to vets and nurses who may be under investigation.

“In our Strategic Plan for 2020-24, one of our key ambitions is to strengthen our credentials as a compassionate regulator that acts with empathy and understanding. The ProfCon Investigation Support Service is an important step in fulfilling this ambition, and I hope that it can deliver help to the people that need it.”

David McKeown, from VetSupport, added: “Whether via a phone call, an email conversation, or a meet-up over Zoom, our team of trained volunteers, all of whom are registered vets or vet nurses themselves, will support service users through the duration of an RCVS investigation.

“Through their support we will aim to help individuals going through this process maintain good mental health and wellbeing and strive to prevent more serious issues arising. The service is completely confidential and no conversations that individuals have with our volunteers will ever be shared with anyone else, including the RCVS. Nothing will be fed back to the College nor be used as part of the investigation process. It is also completely within the individual’s control as to how much information is shared with the VetSupport volunteer. There is no obligation to disclose any information other than perhaps a first name.

“We look forward to working with the RCVS to provide this very important service. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on info@vetsupport.me or visit www.vetsupport.me to find out more about the service and meet our team of supporters.”

Researchers at the University of Liverpool are asking veterinary nurses to take part in a survey to explore the reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs).

It is hoped the survey will capture the experiences that vet nurses have had reporting ADRs, as well as identifying barriers to the current process which could be used to improve the ease with which ADRs are reported in the future.

PhD student Heather Davies (pictured right), who is leading the research project, said: "The survey is an important opportunity to gain insights into the issues that vet nurses face when dealing with ADRs.

"We want to make the process easier in order to improve the safety of veterinary medicines, and ultimately, we need the help of professionals on the front line in order to do that."

She added: "The survey is relatively short and can be completed anonymously. 

"We’re really keen to gather as many of your experiences as possible so we’d like to encourage veterinary professionals to complete it."

The research is being carried out as part of a PhD project funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in collaboration with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET), based at the university.

The survey is now open and you can take part here: https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/adrs-vet

Any questions about the survey can be addressed directly to the researchers: Heather Davies (PhD student): H.H.Davies@liverpool.ac.uk and/or Dr David Killick (Supervisor): David.Killick@liverpool.ac.uk.

Dechra has launched a 9g sachet version of its prednisolone treatment, Equisolon, for horses with severe equine asthma.

The oral corticosteroid powder formulation was previously only available in 180g tubs.

Severe equine asthma, which was previously known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Heaves, can lead to airway neutrophil influx and excessive mucus production. Although it is generally managed by environmental measures to suppose triggering factors, it can be combined with corticosteroid therapy to control airway inflammation in more severe cases.

Alana McGlade BVMedSci BVM BVS MRCVS, Equine Business Manager, said: "Severe equine asthma is the most common cause of chronic coughing in mature horses. Attributed to a hypersensitivity to inhaled allergens and dust, clinical signs - such as inflammation of the airways - can be alleviated by Equisolon’s active ingredient prednisolone.

"Prednisolone has been shown to have positive effects on clinical signs, endoscopic evaluation, arterial blood gases and pulmonary function when used in conjunction with environmental changes to reduce a horse’s exposure to potential triggers.

"Previously, vets would have had to measure out the powder but the sachets make dosing more convenient. The sachets come in a box of 10, so each pack will treat one 300 kg horse for 10 days or one 600 kg horse for 5 days. As the sachets are pre-measured, horses get exactly the dose they need.” 

Equisolon oral powder contains 33.3 mg/g of prednisolone and should be administered at 1 mg prednisolone per kg of body weight per day. Treatment can be repeated at 24 hour intervals during 10 consecutive days.

For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk

Wetherby-based Swift Referrals has officially opened its new £3 million referral clinic.

The clinic will offer referrals in orthopaedics, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, neurology and advanced imaging from a team which includes Rory Bell, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist in Internal Medicine, and Jonathan Bell, an EBVS and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery.

The practice says it has some of the most advanced equipment in Europe, including a Siemens 128 slice CT scanner and a Siemens 1.5T Aera MRI scanner. The clinic also has three environmentally-controlled theatres, with CT and MRI scanning capabilities.

Dr Stuart Cooke BVetMed CertSAS MRCVS, one of Swift Referrals founders said: “We’re delighted to launch Swift Referrals, and would like to thank everyone who helped us get here. We are proud to be able to say that we house some of the most advanced equipment in the continent, from the very best advanced imaging machines, to specialist treatment and aftercare rooms. We also have some of the most skilled veterinary experts operating in them, day in and day out. Our clinicians are leaders in their field of expertise, with years of experience and very advanced training."

For more information: www.swiftreferrals.co.uk/.

Congratulations to Emily Hooper from North Downs Specialist Referrals in Surrey, who has become one of only four vet nurses in the UK to be recognised as a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in neurology.

To apply for the VTS, you have to have to have been working in your speciality for a minimum of three years, and demonstrate 40-plus hours of RACE-approved CPD.

Before you can sit the exam, you also need to show that you already meet the required standards.

Emily said: “For the application itself, I had to demonstrate mastery of more than 40 advanced nursing skills, signed off by a neurology specialist, and submit three exam questions.

“I submitted more than 60 case logs demonstrating my nursing care in a variety of different patients and disease processes, and four of these logs I further expanded into 10-page case reports where I discussed the nursing care and disease process in more detail.

“Then, after submitting my application, there was a nerve-wracking wait for the results, but last December I received the news I had been accepted and I was invited to sit the examination in Philadelphia, USA, in June.

“The examination was four hours long and consisted of 200 questions in my specialty, and I’m really delighted I passed.

“Neurology is an area that can be quite niche and daunting to those unfamiliar with it, and I hope to use my new qualification to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with other professionals to help them feel more confident and comfortable with these patients.

“Personally, I find nursing neurologic patients extremely rewarding, as there is so much we can do as RVNs which has a direct impact on patient comfort, client understanding and, ultimately, on the clinical outcome.”

The BSAVA has published Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice, a new guide that should help any veterinary surgical team to reduce the incidence of anaesthetic complications.

Cognitive aids are visual prompts that aim to reduce human error in critical processes by providing a supportive framework that ensures tasks are performed and communicated appropriately. They are designed for use whilst a task is being undertaken and enable individuals to concentrate on problem-solving and decision-making.

The BSAVA Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice, written by veterinary anaesthesia specialist Matt McMillan, includes both routine checklists, such as pre-anaesthetic assessment, equipment checks and postoperative handover, and crisis checklists for potential complications that may be encountered during surgery, such as hypotension, bradycardia and haemorrhage.

The guide also includes downloadable forms, which can be used in practice to ensure safety checks are completed and help improve clinical outcomes (available from www.bsavalibrary.com).

Ian Self, Principal Clinical Anaesthetist at the University of Cambridge Department for Veterinary Medicine said: "This handbook should be viewed as a ‘second pair of eyes’ throughout a procedure, especially if an anaesthetised patient deteriorates; consider it as having an experienced anaesthetist looking over your shoulder offering words of advice… I am very happy to endorse this exciting new BSAVA resource."

The BSAVA Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice is now available from the BSAVA website (www.bsava.com/shop) or by phone on 01452 726700 (£25; BSAVA members: £15).