Francesca Beorby, Head Veterinary Nurse at Putlands Veterinary Centre, has performed a clinical audit which has revealed that neutering patients premedicated with medetomidine and methadone were significantly less likely to become hypotensive than when ACP and methadone were used.

Francesca's initiative was recognised with a RCVS Knowledge ‘Highly Commended’ status at its 2024 awards.

The idea for the audit came about after Francesca noticed a trend for patients to become hypotensive during anaesthesia for routine feline neutering and need additional treatment.

CVS says clinical evidence suggests a minimum value of 60mmHg for perfusion of vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys. 

So a clinical audit was undertaken to look at perioperative blood pressure in both cats and dogs having routine neutering procedures.

The target was for patients to maintain a mean arterial blood pressure of 60mmHg during their anaesthetic.

The animals chosen for auditing were to be classed ASA 1 and under 5 years old.

They received a pre-operative health check including a blood pressure reading to ensure they were normotensive.

A first audit looked at a standard premedication protocol of ACP at a dose rate of 0.02mg/kg combined with methadone at a dose rate of 0.3mg/kg.

A second audit initiated a change to the pre-medication drugs, using 0.005mg/kg medetomidine combined with the same dose of methadone.

Both received anaesthesia induction with Propoflo at a dose rate of 6mg/kg for cats and 4mg/kg for dogs.

All patients under anaesthetic were maintained using isoflurane and kept at a surgical plane of anaesthesia appropriate for that patient.

The patients were monitored throughout their surgical procedure using an oscilliometric monitoring machine - for systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure – and measurements recorded on an anaesthetic chart.

The collected data revealed that in the first audit, where patients received ACP and methadone, 42% (50% of cats and 38% of dogs) had a mean arterial blood pressure lower than 60mmHg after the first five blood pressure readings post induction.

In the second audit, with medetomidine combined with methadone, only 11% of patients (0% of cats and 15% of dogs) with a mean arterial blood pressure lower than 60mmHg.

In addition to the reduction in hypotensive patients during anaesthesia when the medetomidine/methadone combo was used, Francesca says the audit suggests a link to hypotension with ACP used as a premedication in anaesthetised patients.

Francesca said: “My passion in veterinary nursing is anaesthesia. And there is always room for improvement and striving to achieve gold standard care.

“These results clearly show that a change from our current premedication protocol of ACP and Methodone to Medetomidine and Methadone decreased the number of patients having hypotension during anaesthesia. The change means fewer patients were at risk of developing the side effects associated with hypoperfusion of the vital organs.

“Our quality improvement initiative has made a really positive impact in practice for both patient care and clinical team.”

Forte Healthcare has launched Ficoxil, a flavoured, chewable, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) designed to provide relief from pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and post-operative recovery in dogs.

Ficoxil contains the active ingredient firocoxib, an NSAID from the coxib class, known for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties.

Ficoxil is available in two strengths, 57 mg and 227 mg in packs of 30.

The tablets, which are presented in presented in a divisible and blister-perforated form, are hypoallergenic, gluten-free, and come in a beef flavour of animal-free origin.

Ficoxil is available now from all major veterinary wholesalers.

https://www.fortehealthcare.com/product/ficoxil

The Canine Genetics Centre at the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge has developed a new DNA test to identify Cocker Spaniels with Retinopathy with Vitamin E Deficiency (RVED), in order that they can be treated with potentially sight-saving vitamin supplements.

Dogs with RVED develop retinal degeneration from around four years of age which, if untreated, leads to blindness.

In partnership with James Oliver, Head of Ophthalmology at DWR Veterinary Specialists (pictured), researchers set out to discover why some Cocker Spaniels have such low vitamin E levels in their blood, despite it being present at normal amounts in their diet

James helped to design the study, recruit cases and collect samples.

Cathryn Mellersh, Senior Research Associate at the Canine Genetics Centre, said: “The team strongly suspected a genetic cause and has been trying to discover the responsible gene for several years with the help of owners and vets, who have contributed DNA samples.

“Thanks to updated information on the canine genome, Katherine Stanbury, one of our research associates, found a mutation in the alpha tocopherol transfer protein gene which is causative of the disease.

“This gene is responsible for getting vitamin E into the blood stream.

"We now know that RVED is a recessive disease, meaning that affected dogs must have two copies of the faulty gene to develop low vitamin E levels and retinal degeneration.”

The team’s DNA test can be used by dog breeders to find out if dogs carry the gene mutation, so they can avoid matings which result in affected puppies being born.

Cathryn said: “This DNA test is a rare example of one which not only can be used to identify dogs that are carrying the mutation and thus reduce the frequency of the mutation in future generations, but also has the incredible benefit of providing a sight-saving treatment option for dogs with the disease.

“From the research we have done we estimate that there could be several hundred Cocker Spaniels alive today that have two copies of this mutation, whose eyesight could be saved by this test.”

A DNA test for the mutation that causes RVED is now available from Canine Genetics Testing, which operates alongside researchers from the Canine Genetics Centre.

www.cagt.co.uk.

The team’s RVED research can be viewed at https://academic.oup.com/g3journal/advance-article/doi/10.1093/g3journal/jkaf016/7985679?searchresult=1

Vets Now has opened the bookings for the UK’s for its emergency and critical care congress, which will take place online from 3rd to the 6th November 2021.

2021’s event will see over 70 hours of CPD across eight themes, with speakers including Megan Brashear and Helen Wilson, clinical lead for ECC at Langford Vets, University of Bristol.

RCVS President Mandisa Greene will open Congress with reflections from the past year. She'll be followed by the keynote speaker, Marie Holowaychuk, who will be sharing her knowledge and experience around health and wellbeing.

Dan Lewis – ECC specialist at Vets Now, who planned the veterinary Congress programme, said: “In 2020, the world of live events changed, and in November we delivered our first ECC virtual Congress to great success.

"Not only do we feel it is the right decision for everyone to continue our ECC Congress as a virtual event, but the format brings a huge number of opportunities for delegates, exhibitors and speakers, who joined us from all across the world.

"The interactive platform we’re using is cutting edge and it provides so much more than just webinars. Like last year, there will be live content, an interactive exhibition hall and more opportunities than ever for delegates to network and learn from some of the world’s leading veterinary experts discussing emergency and critical care. 

"Our programme again this year has been carefully tailored to provide an inclusive learning experience for vets and vet nurses no matter what stage they’re at in their career, from students through to specialists.

"All being well, we will be back in Leeds for the ECC Congress in November 2022.”
 
Full four-day tickets for delegates will range in price from £60 to £199 and ticket-holders will be able to access all the sessions on-demand for up to a month following the event.

To book your ticket, visit congress.vets-now.com

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College working in collaboration with the University of Cambridge have found that anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) increase appetite in dogs with epilepsy, causing many of them to become overweight. 

The researchers say that although increased appetite has been reported as a side effect of many AEDs in veterinary literature, the effect had not been quantified or studied in detail.

To assess the phenomenon in greater detail, the research team analysed food motivation through a validated Dog Obesity Risk Assessment questionnaire created by University of Cambridge¹.

The study compared 222 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy with a control population of 7,086 healthy dogs.

The survey was designed to determine if epilepsy and AEDs were associated with increased food motivation, weight gain and decreased activity, and to assess if and how caregivers managed weight gain in this population.

The data revealed that dogs with idiopathic epilepsy receiving AEDs had significantly higher food motivation in comparison to healthy dogs – they had increased interest in food, were less selective about food, were more interested in food between meals, and wanted more food than usually offered.

In response, carers of dogs on medication put greater effort into restricting how much their dogs ate, particularly of human food.

Despite this, these dogs had significantly greater fat mass.

More than half of owners of dogs with epilepsy always used treats to administer their dog’s ASD medication (53%) and did not compensate for it by reducing the dog’s main food ration (34%).

Given the epilepsy treatment often involves medication two or three times a day, this has the potential to increase calorie intake substantially, an issue compounded by epileptic dogs also being less active.

The researchers say it's important that vets and nurses advise owners to monitor their dog's weight and help them manage it. 

Dr Anna Morros-Nuevo of the University of Cambridge, and primary author of this study, said: "Idiopathic epilepsy, and in particular seizure episodes, have such an overwhelming impact on these dogs' families that side effects such as weight gain often get overlooked, both by vets and the pet's families.

"But unfortunately, obesity has lifelong negative impact on health and quality of life, since it predisposes dogs to suffer from joint problems and respiratory diseases, as well as metabolic disorders and urinary incontinence.

"Obese dogs have also been shown to have a shorter lifespan than dogs with a normal weight.

"While ASD are non-negotiable for many of these dogs, their caregivers and veterinarians should be aware of the lifelong impact of their side effects and manage them carefully.

"We hope these findings will help to increase awareness for both veterinary professionals and dog carers of the side effects of ASD and their impact for the patient."

Reference

1. Morros-Nuevo, A., Packer, R. M. A., Reagan, N. & Raffan, E. ‘Caregiver-reported increased food motivation and adiposity in dogs receiving antiseizure dogs’, Vet Record, 195(12) doi: http://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4907 

Boehringer Ingelheim is hosting a live webinar at 7:30pm on Thursday evening (16th April) in which a panel of business experts will offer advice as to how practices can navigate the coronavirus pandemic.

The webinar will consider questions such as how practices can maintain turnover whilst sticking to the government and regulator guidelines, and how this can be done without compromising the customer experience. 

Hosted by Past President of the British Veterinary Association Gudrun Ravetz, three additional veterinary business experts - Brian Faulkner, Alison Lambert and Alan Robinson - will come together to share their advice on how to minimise the impact that coronavirus has on the practice, the team and a practice’s clients.

Veterinary professionals can submit questions directly to the panel who will answer them during the live event.

To register for the webinar, visit the Boehringer www.boehringer-academy.co.uk.

The Veterinary Edge has joined forces with wound management guru Georgie Hollis, to host a two-day CPD on wound management for veterinary nurses in Derby on 18th and 19th May.

The Veterinary Wound Management Conference will be taking place at the Derby County Football Club, where there'll be workshops, demonstrations and discussions on a range of topics, from burns to post-operative care, covering dressing selection and suture techniques, complications and innovations.

There will be practical sessions on bandaging and casting and delegates will be able to choose from up to seven workshops/demonstrations at a time, on subjects ranging from eye care to maggot therapy and laser treatment.

There will also be an exhibition by companies and organisations specialising in this field. 

Organisers say the venue, Pride Park Stadium, is easily accessible by road (there’s masses of free parking) and rail (it’s little more than a 10-minute well-signposted walk from the station); and there’s plenty of accommodation very close by in a Travelodge, Premier Inn, Holiday Inn Express or Penta Hotel.

For veterinary nurses, tickets cost £125 (plus VAT) for the two days or £70 (plus VAT) for one day. For vets, it's £165 for the two days or £90 (plus VAT) for one day.

The price includes a hot buffet lunch each day, morning and afternoon tea, delegate handbook and wi-fi.

Each day will provide seven hours of CPD.

To register, go to www.theveterinaryedge.com/wmc.

ezyVet, a maker of veterinary practice management solutions, says it will donate £1 to Vetlife for every person that visits its stand (D70) at the London Vet Show, on the 17th and 18th November 2022.

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.”

Vetlife reports that its confidential helpline for vets, students, vet nurses and non-clinical staff, received a record 4,042 calls last year, a new record and a 15% increase on the year before.

In addition to its Helpline service, Vetlife continued to provide mental health care through its Health Support service.

In 2023, the service facilitated 198 referrals, connecting individuals with mental health care resources.

The charity also provided over £100,000 of financial support to members of the profession who were facing financial hardship. 

Trustee Danny Chambers MRCVS said: "Within the veterinary community, there is a profound sense that Vetlife belongs to all of us.

"With over 4000 of our friends and colleagues reaching out for support within just 12 months, we urgently need your assistance to ensure this invaluable service continues.

"By becoming a 'Friend of Vetlife' with a monthly contribution from just £2.10—less than the cost of a cup of coffee—you provide us with a steady, predictable income, enabling us to plan and deliver long-term, consistent support to our veterinary community." 

https://www.vetlife.org.uk/become-a-vetlife-member 

Dechra has created a new app with the Royal Veterinary College which promises to help vets better diagnose and treat endocrine disorders in companion animals. 

Typically, diagnosis of endocrine disease is based on a thorough history and physical examination, followed by laboratory tests.

However clinical signs vary substantially across animals with endocrine disorders, so this new app uses AI and big data from millions of dogs in the RVC VetCompass database to improve the chances of an accurate diagnosis.

Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor for Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC, said: "By applying the latest AI technology, the app is designed to assist primary care veterinary surgeons to better detect and diagnose Cushing’s Syndrome.

"The app provides a guide to the probability of Cushing’s syndrome as an explanation in patients showing both typical and atypical clinical signs for Cushing’s"

The app is free to download on both Apple and Android devices in the UK and EU countries by searching for 'the endocrinology app".

Francisco Gomez MRCVS, a Clinical Director at one of the corporates and an Advanced Practitioner in Ophthalmology, has launched 'More Than Just a Vet', a podcast in which he interviews fellow veterinary professionals from around the country, focussing on their lives outside work.

Francisco says he decided to launch the podcast after watching how the bond between society and veterinary professionals has been eroded in recent years, with vets increasingly being portrayed as money-grabbers and uncaring in the press. 

The aim of the podcast is to show the human behind the surgical mask; that veterinary professionals have the same feelings, motivations, worries and passions as anyone else.

Francisco said: "For those who aren’t part of the veterinary community, I hope to open a window into who we are, so they can better understand what drives our behaviours, decisions and compassion. And for those who are, I hope to make them feel that they’re not alone."

More Than Just a Vet is open for everyone to listen to directly from the website morethanjustavet.net, where you can subscribe to be alerted when there's a new release. The podcast is also available on all major podcast providers.

Early bird discounted registration for this year's BVNA Congress ends on 31st July

The annual three-day event takes place between Friday 11^th – Sunday 13^thOctober 2024 at the Telford International Centre.

This year’s theme is ‘Progression’ to inspire reflection on how far the profession has come and enable blue-sky conversations of where it could go in the future.

There are over twenty streams at Congress, covering subjects like emergency and critical care, anaesthesia and analgesia, primary care and first opinion nursing, referral nursing, One Health, feline nursing, behaviour, exotics, zoo and wildlife, nutrition, QI & Audit, VN Education.

On the social side, there's Musical Bingo, and a ‘Blue Light Party’, an emergency services themed gala dinner and awards ceremony.

https://bvna.org.uk/congress/

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.