With less than one month to go before all cats are required to be microchipped, Michelle Townley MRCVS, veterinary advisor to HomeAgain, has shared six ways to address the more common concerns that pet owners have about microchipping: 

Tip 1 – Make sure that pet owners understand the functions of a microchip properly
Michelle says: "Some customers I’ve spoken to wrongly believe that microchips function as GPS trackers. To help manage pet owners’ expectations I always stress the importance of a microchip in lost pet recovery scenarios, where they serve as a permanent form of identification."

Tip 2 – Stress the importance of pet owners updating their contact details with their microchip provider
Michelle says: "Pet owners often think that updating contact details with their vet will automatically sync these changes with the microchip database. It’s vital to inform owners that they must separately update their contact information with their microchip database.  I’d recommend regularly reminding pet owners to check and update their microchip registration."

Tip 3 – Reassure pet owners that microchips are safe for their cats
Michelle says: "I’ve had some owners express worries about allergic reactions or rejection of the microchip by their cat's body. So it’s worth taking the opportunity to dispel this myth  during routine wellness exams by explaining microchips are made from inert, biocompatible materials designed to be nonallergenic and nontoxic. 

Tip 4 – Make sure to discuss the longevity of microchips with pet owners
Michelle says: Microchips are designed to last the lifetime of the pet without needing a power source and that their functionality can easily be verified during any veterinary visit. If you find an owner expresses concerns about this, you could offer to check the microchip as part of regular health checks to demonstrate its reliability.

Tip 5 – Emphasise how every cat needs a microchip – regardless of age or activity level
Michelle says: "All vets will know even indoor or elderly cats can escape or wander off and older cats can become disoriented more easily. It is worth reminding owners that microchipping is a safeguard, ensuring their pet can be identified and returned home if lost. The new law means that pet owners can also face a large £500 fine if their cat isn’t microchipped."

Tip 6 – Explain how not all microchips are the same and the importance of getting the right one
Michelle says: I often explain that microchips vary in terms of the technology they employ, such as the new 'Thermochip' by HomeAgain that also measures a cat’s subcutaneous temperature. It’s worth talking pet owners through the different microchips available and the database options so they can make an informed choice.

http://homeagain.co.uk/Cats 

TVM UK, the maker of veterinary medicines, hygiene products and supplements, has changed its name to that of its parent company, Dômes Pharma.

Jonathan Hill (UK Country Manager) said: “I’m delighted to announce that TVM UK is changing its name to Dômes Pharma.

"This will align with the other operating companies within the group.

"TVM UK has always been owned by the Dômes Pharma group, and since the start of our journey in the UK market we have been synonymous with expertise and outstanding levels of customer service in selected speciality segments of the animal health market and this won’t change.”

“Under the Dômes Pharma name we will continue to build and grow on this very strong foundation.

"I’m looking forward to working with the entire Dômes Pharma team as we increase our presence as a leading specialty pharmaceutical company, bringing our ethos to new speciality segments with innovative products and solutions for vets in the UK.

"Dômes Pharma remains a family-owned business, and the culture of the company really reflects this and we live by our values of kindness, boldness and responsibility.”

https://www.domespharma.com 
https://www.tvm-uk.com

Movement Referrals, a new independent orthopaedics and neurology centre is set to open in Runcorn, Cheshire, in May. 

The business is led by RCVS Specialists in Small Animal Orthopaedics, Professor John Innes and Ben Walton, alongside American veterinary orthopaedic specialist and investor, Dr Brian Beale.

Two more Specialists are due to join the senior team in May.

Building work is apparently well underway on the 8000ft² premises in Abbots Park, Preston Brook, which will be equipped with CT, high-field MRI, and three operating theatres.

The centre, which is located near Junction 11 of the M56, will provide referral services to veterinary practices from the conurbations of the North of England and the surrounding English and Welsh counties. 

Ben Walton said: “For me, it is an honour to team up with John and Brian who have unparalleled international reputations, and I’m eagerly anticipating the arrival of our two additional colleagues.

"For veterinary professionals and clients, we are concentrating on responsive and clear communication, high clinical standards, and fair pricing.

"And finally, for prospective employees, we’re determined to foster a positive and supportive culture where vets, nurses and support staff can grow, thrive and enjoy a career.”

Until the opening of the new centre, Movement Referrals offers a peripatetic orthopaedics referral service based out of third party veterinary practices in the North West of England and North Wales. 

www.movementvets.co.uk

Photo: from left to right: Prof. John Innes, Ben Walton, Dr Brian Beale

Lisa Madden, Practice Manager at Broad Lane Vets in Coventry, has celebrated 40 years with the same practice. 

Lisa first helped-out at the Coventry practice as part of her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award whilst still at school and soon realised that working in a vets was what she wanted to do.

She continued volunteering at Broad Lane until she was old enough to gain a place as a student veterinary nurse.

Then, after qualifying as an RVN, she worked her way up to become Head Veterinary Nurse and later Practice Manager, whilst at the same time growing her family with 3 children.

Practice Principal Elly Pittaway said “Lisa began her career here in 1984 when it was a traditional mixed practice, often assisting the vets on farm visits before rushing back to help with the small animal evening surgery, and attending overnight emergencies as needed.

"The practice has changed hugely over the years, but Lisa remains an absolute lynchpin here.

"One of my first memories, when I’d been qualified as a vet for barely 6 months, is of her helping me and a Student Nurse with a GDV on a Guide Dog out-of-hours on a Monday evening, staying really late, keeping us both calm and getting stuck in as needed.

"That work ethic and devotion to the practice has remained unchanged over the years, and is especially remarkable, given she’s had to put up with me and the other Partners’ various demands for all that time!

"There are so many receptionists, nurses and support staff who owe their careers to Lisa, as she recruited, supported and trained them.

"And there are literally thousands of Coventry pet owners who may not realise it, but who have Lisa to thank for keeping the practice running efficiently and effectively over the years, whatever the weather, through staff shortages and pandemics, always working hard in the background so that the Broad Lane team could make their pets better.”

Congratulations Lisa, and here's to the next 40 years!

https://www.broadlanevets.co.uk

Linnaeus has joined forces with researchers from the Kennel Club Genetics Centre to conduct a study which aims to identify DNA variants that may increase dogs' susceptibility to idiopathic epilepsy.

For the study, Luisa De Risio, clinical research and excellence director at Linnaeus and a co-investigator, is collaborating with neurology specialists and primary care vets at Linnaeus practices to recruit cases. 

Luisa said: “Canine idiopathic epilepsy is a disease that is common in many breeds of dog and can significantly impact the quality of life of both affected dogs and their owners.

"However, there is limited knowledge concerning the role of genetic factors in susceptibility to the disease in most breeds. 

“The overarching aim of this large-scale collaborative study is to identify the genetic factors contributing to the risk of developing idiopathic epilepsy as this could help develop tools to lower the incidence of the condition in future generations.

“The study will initially focus on the Border Collie and Italian Spinone, as they can suffer from a particularly severe and life-limiting form of epilepsy, before expanding the study to other breeds in the future.

Dr Sally Ricketts, the geneticist leading the study at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, said: “We are very excited about this collaboration, which will facilitate our sample collections to enable study of this debilitating disease. 

For more information on the study, visit www.canine-genetics.org.uk/research/epilepsy. 

Photo: Sally Ricketts, senior research associate at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge; Luisa De Risio, clinical research and excellence director at Linnaeus and Christopher Jenkins, research assistant at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge.

IVC Evidensia reports that in the UK, the percentage of its patient visits given systemic and local antibiotic treatments and prescriptions in outpatient care have reduced from 11.1% in 2021 to 8.6% in 2023, a reduction of nearly a third over the last three years. 

IVC says this means its UK practices are on track to hit a group target of 5% by 2030, which follows in the footsteps of other IVC Evidensia territories such as Sweden and Norway, which have already reached figures of 4.9% and 5.9% respectively.

To achieve this progress, IVC says it has implemented a number of initiatives:

• Dedicated vets have been empowered as local leaders (known as Antimicrobial Stewards) and given bespoke training, support and all the necessary tools to be able to safely reduce antibiotics used in their practices
• In October 2023, an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Month was celebrated which raised awareness of the relationship between antibiotic use and hygiene, championing excellent hygiene standards in practice
• During London Vet Show in November, a partnership with RUMA CA&E was launched where vet professionals were able to access a free AMR Social Media Toolkit, designed to help raise awareness of the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

IVC says there has been a concerted efforts by its vets to become more aware of their own attitudes towards antibiotics and to educate their clients about the dangers of AMR.

One such example is Angharad Thomas, a veterinary surgeon from Fivelands Veterinary Centre in the West Midlands, who managed to reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed in dentistry by 17.8% between 2022 and 2023:

She said: “Long dental treatments are a great time to chat to vet students, but one day, instead of quizzing them, I was trotting out my thoughts on the decision-making for the case when I reached post-operative drugs.

"Stopping here I asked: ‘What are you taught about this these days?’

"I suppose I wasn’t surprised to hear that antibiotics didn’t feature. 

“It was a lightbulb moment: Why was I using post-operative antibiotics for my dental cases?

"I come from the generation of vets who were firmly taught never to give antibiotics to routine surgeries, so why was I continuing to use antibiotics in dentistry?

"All at once I felt terribly old and out-of-touch. I decided it was time for a change!”

“Given that reducing antibiotic usage is now fairly well recognised by the general public, owners have appeared very supportive.

"A day three post-operative check provides reassurance that their pet is healing and allows us an opportunity to intervene if required.”

“Being an ‘experienced’ vet can be a trade-off between textbook clinical decision-making and what we believe would work for our patients and their owners.

"Sometimes we need a paper or two to persuade us to change our ways, but here, going back to basic principles was enough for me. 

“Twelve months later, after watching my cases for any mild complications and reflecting on the whether such complications could be attributed to the lack of antibiotics, I am convinced that this change has had no negative effects on my patients.”

https://ivcevidensia.co.uk/positive-pawprint

A new study from the Royal Veterinary College has identified the breeds of dog most at risk of cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture, along with other risk factors.

Led by the RVC’s VetCompass Programme, the study included 1,000 CCL rupture cases and a random selection of 500,000 other dogs without CCL injury.

The research found that the breeds at most risk of CCL rupture, compared with crossbreeds, were Rottweiler (x 3.66 times risk), Bichon Frise (x 2.09), West Highland White Terrier (x 1.80) and Golden Retriever (x 1.69).

Conversely, the breeds with the lowest risk were Cockapoo (x 0.26), Chihuahua (x 0.31), Shih-tzu (x 0.41) and German Shepherd Dog (x 0.43).

Additional findings included:

• The average age at first diagnosis of CCL rupture was 7.4 years, showing CCL rupture as mainly a disease of middle aged and older dogs.
• Dogs aged 6 to < 9 years had the greatest risk (x 3.24) of CCL rupture diagnosis compared with dogs < 3 years.
• Neutered females (x 1.46) and neutered males (x 1.42) were more likely to be diagnosed than entire females.
• Dogs weighing more than 30kg (x 2.19) and insured (x 2.79) were most likely to have surgery.
• Dogs over 12 years (x 0.26) and with a comorbidity (x 0.38) were least likely to have surgery.

The study also showed that insured dogs and dogs weighing over 20 kg were more likely to receive surgical management, while dogs older than 9 years and those with another major clinical problem at the time of diagnosis with CCL rupture were less likely to receive surgical management.

Camilla Pegram, VetCompass PhD student at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: “This study has used the power of “big data” to robustly address the risk factors for cruciate ligament rupture diagnosis and management in dogs.

"The factors affecting the decision to surgically or non-surgically treat dogs with cruciate rupture are now clearer, with future work underway to address the clinical outcomes of this decision.”

Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC and co-author of the paper, said: “After centuries of reshaping by mankind, dogs now come in over 800 distinct and recognisable breeds that each has its own unique pattern of health and disease.

"This new study helps owners of breeds such as Rottweiler, Bichon Frise and West Highland White Terrier to understand that sudden lameness in a hindleg could indicate a ruptured cruciate ligament that needs urgent veterinary care.”

Agria Pet Insurance has launched ‘The Pet Profession Podcast', which aims to help veterinary nurses navigate some of the challenges they face in their career.

Hosted by industry veteran, Anthony Chadwick MRCVS, there will be five episodes, covering pet life expectancy, sustainability in the vet industry, recruitment, and euthanasia.

The first episode of The Pet Profession Podcast is available now with guest Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology and co-lead of the VetCompass Research Programme at the RVC, discussing pet life expectancy.

The Pet Profession Podcast is available from Spotify, Acast, Apple Podcasts and all main podcast directories.

agriapet.co.uk/vets

CVS has run a clinical improvement project to increase the treatment of lameness within 35 of its first opinion small animal practices throughout the UK.

The group says it has led to 6,086 more clinical metrology questionnaires being conducted at participating practices with their patients, a 1,014% increase.  

Developed by John Innes at the University of Liverpool, the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire is a 13-item clinical metrology instrument (CMI) used to assess canine articular disorders like osteoarthritis.

It includes questions on the pets’ medical background, lifestyle and mobility.

Individual question scores are summed to provide an overall “LOAD score” suggestive of the animal’s disease presence and severity.

The questionnaire should be conducted every time the pet is presented to the veterinary clinic, with results tracked over time.

Treatment options - including the benefits and risks of all available modalities – can then be considered and discussed with owners to determine the best course of action, including weight management, diet, supplements, exercise and environmental modification, in addition to medication.

As part of the project, CVS provided a range of supporting resources for its practices, together with training.

Training focussed on diagnosing and managing conditions causing lameness in dogs and cats, using the clinical metrology questionnaire to engage clients in their pets’ treatment plan, offering best practice treatment options and running nurse mobility clinics.

It comprised of a vet CPD day run with Zoetis and the VOA on approach to and management of lame patients, two nurse CPD days on mobility clinics, a feline and canine orthopaedic examination video, First Opinion Clinical Club webinars on canine and feline osteoarthritis and an approach to radiographic interpretation course.

Resources included: new clinical guidelines, IMV resources (radiographic positioning, optimising the image and optimal chemical restraint) and a Mobility Clinic Booklet for clients.  

Each site was then provided with its own data, so that they could monitor what they were doing individually. 

One year after its nation-wide launch, results reveal that the number of clinical metrology questionnaires being conducted in the 35 participating practices has increased from 6 to 6,092 over a 12 month time period.

CVS says there was also evidence of an increasing incidence of the osteoarthritis drugs Librela and Solensia being prescribed.

Kathryn Patel, Hub Clinical Lead at CVS (pictured), who was responsible for the lameness clinical improvement project, said: “This project uses owner questionnaires to screen for and monitor the impact of lameness on patient quality of life and emphasises the importance of the whole clinical team in patient management.

"Vets and nurses will be supported to improve their ability to reach a diagnosis in every lame case, improve engagement with and compliance of owners with lame pets, and improve the quality of care of lame patients through appropriate medication, surgical intervention, and nurse and physiotherapy support.” 

A survey by the Gluck Equine Research Centre at the University of Kentucky and Spillers, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal¹, has revealed the main reasons why horses are retired.

The survey of 2717 horse owners, 56% of which were leisure owners and 35% professionals, found that most horses (62%) were retired between 15-24 years of age, mainly for health reasons. 

Mares had a higher risk of retirement than geldings, which the researchers say may be due in part to mares used for breeding not doing much structured exercise.

Just over 1 in 6 horses in the study were affected by low muscle mass according to their owners. 

Age, sex, osteoarthritis, laminitis, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and primary use were identified as risk factors for low muscle mass. 

Geldings had a higher risk of low muscle mass than mares, which the researchers say may be a result of low testosterone. 

Horses with owner-reported veterinary-diagnosed PPID, osteoarthritis and laminitis had a higher risk of low muscle mass.   

Primary use was identified as a risk factor for low muscle mass, with retired horses having a higher risk than horses used for competition or pleasure riding. 

Owner-reported low muscle mass was perceived to affect welfare and the ability to work in the majority of senior horses. 

Alisa Herbst, who led the study, said: “A prolonged working/active life may not only be desired by owners but is also likely to provide health and welfare benefits to the horse.

"We hope the results of this study may be useful for veterinarians caring for senior and geriatric equines, by helping to achieve this."

“The information may aid in the investigation of diseases affecting senior horses and in establishing senior horse-owner education programs.

"The low muscle mass risk factor list may assist vets in identifying horses at risk of low muscle mass to be selected for close monitoring.

“Vets may also consider inclusion of an objective measurement of muscle atrophy, such as the muscle atrophy scoring system (MASS)***, in annual wellness exams, so that atrophy can be identified and managed as early as possible."

Sarah Nelson, Product Manager at Mars Horsecare added: “This survey has highlighted several interesting retirement trends.

“With a better understanding of when and why senior horses are being retired we hope, eventually, to be better placed to monitor for, prevent (where possible), and treat the underlying conditions early on, to help horses stay active and healthy for longer.”

https://www.seniorhorsehealth.com  

Reference

1. Herbst A. Coleman M , Macon E, Brokman A, Stromberg A, Harris P , Adams A (2023) Retirement risk factors, exercise management, and muscle mass in U.S. senior horses Equine Veterinary Journal in press.

VetNurse.co.uk, in partnership with Improve International, is inviting all vet nurses to come and join us in this year’s first online Clinical Article Club discussion: 'Becoming a Cat-friendly Clinic'.

For those new to the club, the idea is that every two weeks, we pick an article in Veterinary Practice and invite the author to join us on VetNurse.co.uk, so that you can ask questions and discuss the subject with one another. 

As a bonus, you can claim time spent reading or participating in the discussion towards your annual CPD requirement. 

Just press the claim CPD button at the top right of the discussion thread. 

For this first discussion of 2023, author Shelly Jefferies RVN, NCertPT, a clinical coach with over twenty years experience as a veterinary nurse (and founder of the Facebook group SVN2RVN) will be joining us this week to answer questions about 'Becoming a Cat-friendly Clinic'.

To take part, first read her article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/becoming-a-cat-friendly-clinic 

Then come and join the VetNurse Clinical Article Club and post your questions here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/vetnurse-clinical-article-club/ 

VetNurse.co.uk Editor, Arlo Guthrie said: "I hope lots of you will come and join the club. It really is a great opportunity to learn from experts in a professional, moderated forum, where you can be confident of a friendly welcome." 

The RCVS has published the results of its fifth coronavirus survey which was conducted with veterinary practices towards the end of the England-wide lockdown in November 2020.

The survey was sent to all UK veterinary practices on the 25th November with a deadline to respond by the 1st December and received 186 responses, a response rate of 6%.

The survey found that during this period:

• There was a fall in the number of veterinary practices reporting ‘business as usual’ to 17%, compared to 28% in the last survey conducted in September.
• There was an increase in the percentage of practices with at least some staff working remotely, with 37% of respondents saying yes to this question, compared to a notably lower 26% in September.
• There was a small increase in respondents reporting that their practice was using remote consulting, from 50% to 58%, although this was still notably lower than in June, when it stood at 80%.
• Although just 6% of practices reported they had veterinary surgeons currently furloughed, compared to 10% in September and 47% in June, there had been a notable increase since September in the percentage of respondents reporting adverse impacts from furloughing. In particular, 75% reported increased stress or impact on the mental health of teams continuing to work, notably higher than in September (56%) and almost as high as in June (79%). In total, eight of the ten adverse impacts have increased since September, and the percentage of respondents reporting no or minimal issues, at 14%, was notably lower than in September (26%) and only slightly higher than in June (12%).
• Although some practices were still experiencing difficulties in obtaining certain sorts of supplies, those reporting no issue had increased to 34%, compared to 13% in September.
• Of the 20% of respondents who said they were experiencing difficulty in obtaining an independent witness to attest to controlled drugs destruction during the pandemic, more than half (56%) had controlled drugs overdue for destruction for six months or more.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “Thank you once again to all the practice staff who took the time to complete this survey, it really is very useful for us to have a clear picture of how coronavirus and its restrictions are affecting day-to-day activities, as it has an impact both on our decision-making and policies, and what we can tell others about the impact on the professions, such as the UK and national governments.

"The overall picture from this survey is that, while for most it is not business as usual, veterinary practices and members of the professions are, to an extent, getting used to the disruption and have plans and policies in place to help mitigate the impact of the mosaic of different restrictions across the UK.

"While there is hope on the horizon with the start of the roll-out of coronavirus vaccines, we will continue to review and keep up-to-date our advice and guidance to ensure that you can practise to the best of your abilities, while keeping safe and within the rules.

“Of course, we also recognise the toll that the pandemic has taken on many people’s mental health and wellbeing, and this is reflected in some of the more concerning statistics around the impact that staff absences can have on the rest of the team.

"We also asked practices what might help them manage from a staff mental health and wellbeing point of view, and will take these suggestions into account when planning further support via our Mind Matters Initiative mental health project. In the meantime, we would like to remind those who are feeling stressed or are in distress that there are sources of help available during these difficult times – these can be found at www.vetmindmatters.org/help-links/help-during-covid-19/.”

The full report of the survey is available to view at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications