The annual minimum requirement for veterinary nurses will be reduced from 15 to 11 hours, while that of vets will be reduced from 35 to 26 hours of CPD. The reduction comes into force immediately.
The decision to reduce the hours was made by the new RCVS Council COVID-19 Taskforce, chaired by RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, which was set up in order to make temporary policy decisions related to the pandemic in a quicker and more agile way. The proposal had previously been considered and supported by the RCVS Education Committee, VN Council and CPD Policy Working Group.
Niall said: "A number of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses expressed concern that it may be difficult to undertake CPD at present and so, in order to give the professions some breathing space, we decided we would reduce the minimum hours required for 2020. We also recognise that some practices are having to make the difficult decision to reduce their CPD budgets this year in response to falling footfall.
"However, it is worth reiterating that CPD need not be expensive or require physical attendance at lectures, congresses or other events. There are many online providers of CPD and other resources such as articles and webinars, some of which may be free. The key is that the CPD is relevant to you and enhances your professional practice and so we would still encourage all our members to undertake CPD as and when they can."
The policy will be under regular review and may be extended further if the circumstances demand. Those with any questions on the policy change should contact the RCVS Education Department on cpd@rcvs.org.uk
A full range of FAQs on the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the veterinary profession are available to view at www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus
For the study, researchers reviewed more than three million medical records from Banfield Pet Hospital across 60 breeds of dogs in the United States, finding that periodontal disease (both gingivitis and periodontitis) occurred in 18.2% of dogs overall (517,113 cases).
The authors say that while the true prevalence of periodontal disease (44-100% of cases) is only realised through in-depth clinical investigation, the figure reported in this study was consistent with other research based on conscious oral examinations.
When the authors reviewed the data by dog size, they found that extra-small breeds (<6.5 kg/14.3 lbs) were up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with periodontal disease than giant breeds (>25 kg/55 lbs)(P <0.0001).
Additional risk factors for periodontal disease seen in the study included a dog’s age, being overweight and time since last scale and polish.
Dr Corrin Wallis, Microbiome Workstream Leader at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute said: "This is not the first study suggesting that smaller dogs are more likely to have dental problems than larger dogs, but many of the earlier studies looked at a relatively small number of dogs".
The five breeds with the highest prevalence of periodontal disease found in the study were the large Greyhound (38.7%), the medium-small Shetland Sheepdog (30.6%), and the extra-small Papillon (29.7%), Toy Poodle (28.9%), and Miniature Poodle (28.2%). Giant breed dogs (such as the Great Dane and Saint Bernard) were among the lowest breed prevalence estimates.
The authors say there are several potential reasons why smaller dogs are more likely to develop dental issues than larger dogs. For example, smaller dogs may have proportionally larger teeth, which can lead to tooth overcrowding and increased build-up of plaque leading to inflammation of gums. Smaller dogs also have less alveolar bone (the bone that contains tooth sockets) compared to their relatively large teeth.
Corrin added: "Regardless of the reasons that smaller dogs have increased risk for periodontal disease, knowing the true magnitude of the risk across breeds is an important step in providing quality care for all dogs, both in the veterinarian’s office and at home.
Reference
Sarah, who is one of twelve recognised Specialists in feline medicine working in the UK, will advise and explore the tell-tale signs of feline diabetes mellitus and how the condition is best managed.
Royal Canin says diabetes mellitus is estimated to affect around 1 in 200 cats and is the second most common endocrinopathy after hyperthyroidism. Risk factors can include gender and neuter status, lifestyle and medication history and most relevant today, obesity.
Sarah said: "The prevalence of feline diabetes mellitus is thought to be on the increase and diagnosis can be made more challenging by the stress hyperglycaemia phenomenon that cats are vulnerable to.
"By exploring and dissecting successful strategies and ways in which diabetic remission can be achieved, this webinar will hopefully assist veterinary professionals how to diagnose and manage effectively with great end results for both owner and cat."
To register for the webinar, visit: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/cpd/webinar/
Kate, who has worked in practice for 30 years, said: "Pilates does more than just give you a strong core. By tapping into your mental wellbeing even for a short period, it allows that disconnection from the pressures of the day, and encourages the mind to press that reset button. We draw attention to our breathing, our physical well-being, and our mental health.
"By introducing practice pilates once or twice a week, you will find your staff will feel relaxed, mentally calm and engaged. You will also begin to find that they will suffer less and less with those aches and pains brought on by sitting for long periods, and so will suffer less with, and even eradicate lower back pain."
"By helping you practice pilates together as a team, I aim to nurture friendships, allay any clustering of personalities and provide a stable platform for all to be equal."
Practice Pilates has a network of instructors which are allocated to certain regions around the country, and Kate says the aim is to roll out the service, and cluster visits in each area, to keep costs low.
Sessions typically last 45 minutes to one hour, so they can fit into a lunch break.
The company offers a monthly subscription which provides slightly lower per class rates, or a Pay As You Go option. The service is being launched with reduced rate taster sessions.
For information, telephone Kate on 07780 603534 or email: practicepilates@outlook.com.
It is estimated that there are more than one million pet ferrets in the UK and a further 500,000 in the United States, but until now little was known about how ferrets are housed and what environmental enrichment they benefit from.
For the study1, RVC researchers analysed 750 responses to an online questionnaire from ferret keepers (82% of whom were pet owners and the remainder were from the laboratory, zoo, rescue and pest control sectors) from 17 countries.
The study found that most ferrets were housed with at least one other ferret, providing social interaction.
The environmental enrichments that ferret keepers believed their ferrets most enjoyed were tunnels (42.5%), digging (27.3%), human interaction (20.8%) and exploration (17.6%).
The items reported as being most problematic included rubber toys, which can cause internal blockages when chewed and swallowed (45.1%) and enrichments which can result in claws or other body parts becoming trapped, such as narrow tunnels and certain fabrics including fleece, towels and loosely woven fabrics (28.6%).
Other main findings included:
Alice Dancer, PhD Student at the RVC, and lead author of the paper, said: “How animals are housed and the environmental enrichment they are given can have a significant impact on their health and wellbeing.
"The finding that large housing and high numbers of enrichment are possible in all ferret-keeping sectors is a really good sign for ferret welfare.
"We hope that these results help inspire ferret caretakers to consider the housing they use, offer ideas for new ferret enrichments, and raise awareness of enrichments which may harm their ferrets.”
David says that whilst he was out there, he was told about attacks by Russian forces on stables in Bucha, Irpin and other equestrian premises north of Kyiv.
Ukraine vet Anatoly Levitsky who is working in Kyiv, said: “Not very big horse club was not far from Borodianka and owners were using their horses for hippotherapy of children with different pathologies.
"When war started, the lady who owned the stable and her child emigrated to Poland and her husband was conscripted into Ukrainian army.
"When Russian bandits in army uniform came to the village, they set fire to the stable and started shooting the horses that tried to escape.”
“Some horses ran away, others were wounded, and some were burned down.
"After the building was burned, Russian soldiers went away and horses that escaped were wandering around the village and trying to find the feed.
"Step by step, people living in the village collected the horses and keep one or two horses in their yards.”
David said: “It is hard to understand what could motivate anyone to perform these deliberate acts of cruelty.
"Random shootings, stabbings and burnings are widely reported and pictured on social media, we have no idea how many horses are dead and how many injured, but it has to be a significant number.
“Some of the lorry drivers I have met coming out have been shot at, shelled and beaten up, evacuating surviving horses.
"They are taking risks that we would consider totally unacceptable to move animals out and supplies in.
"I have nothing but admiration for the bravery of the Ukrainian people.”
“Ever conscious that there is an equal humanitarian need you feel very small and rather cowardly that you aren’t permitted to go into Ukraine to help the people and animals that require treatment.”
The British Equine Veterinary Association and American Association of Equine Practitioners are working together to support vets in Ukraine.
They say that they are not allowed to provide direct practical help, but they are doing what they can to get veterinary and humanitarian supplies to the vets they are in contact with.
They are also working to establish safe stables in the West of Ukraine to get horses and their owners away from likely areas of combat in the East.
Previously people have had no option but to turn horses into the woods prior to fleeing or they have stayed to look after their animals despite the risks to themselves.
BEVA, in association with the British Equestrians for Ukraine Fund, is calling for urgent support to help fund veterinary treatment, supplies and the safe relocation of Ukraine’s endangered horses.
To do this they need your urgent support. To make a donation visit https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/support-us/appeals/british-equestrians-for-ukraine-fund.
To find out more you can listen to a podcast from David Rendle here https://beva.podbean.com/e/bevapod-episode-13/
Photo: Stabling reportedly burned down by Russian soldiers
Using practices developed for human healthcare measurement, NewMetrica developed VetMetrica, which the company says can measure how an animal “feels” about its circumstances from its individual perspective.
Jim Brick, Vice President Commercial Development and Lifecycle and Innovation at Zoetis said: "This novel approach supports a significant shift in veterinary care and animal welfare more generally towards the attainment of good or excellent quality of life in companion animals.
"The benefits of NewMetrica’s digital instruments have been validated through scientific publications and the FDA, and the EMA has confirmed the algorithms that produce the results.”
Jamie Brannan, President International Operations, Zoetis added: "We expect NewMetrica’s tools and algorithms to support earlier detection and treatment of diseases as we gain more insight into the quality of life of our pets and be an important element of future product development.
“NewMetrica’s instruments will give us scientifically validated results for alleviation of OA pain that veterinarians and pet owners will appreciate and value.”
https://www.newmetrica.com
The gilets, which normally cost $170, have three heating zones: one around the neck, one across the back of the shoulders and one which heats the pockets, all powered by a small battery.
VetNurse.co.uk Editor Arlo Guthrie (pictured right) said: "As some members will know, I have a sideline reviewing gadgets and consumer tech on YouTube. Having reviewed the Ororo gilet, I bought a number of them for myself and my family, but thanks to a mix up by Amazon, I ended up with a spare men's XL size gilet (45-48 inch chest, 40-43 inch waist and 46-49 inch hip) .
"I'd like it to go to a good home, and I thought maybe a veterinary nurse or surgeon who now has to attend to clients in a frosty car park might be very glad of it.
"Of course, there are more women than men in the profession, so I'm going to offer one of the women's vests too."
To win one of the gilets, watch the review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l84lRgEN1s4, then email: support@vetnurse.co.uk with the answer to the following question:
On the medium heat setting, how long does the Ororo heated gilet stay warm?
First two correct answers out of the hat from those received by close of play next Wednesday (13th January) will get the gilets.
Arlo added: "Good luck, and a very happy New Year to you all. Let's hope we all get the vaccine soon.
"Oh, and if you enjoy the review, do subscribe on YouTube!"
The extension will triple the size of the hospital's waiting room and nearly double the number of consultation rooms to seven, including one cat-only consult room and a cat-only waiting area.
The work to improve facilities for felines will also enable NWVS to apply for the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) gold award.
Clinical director Prue Neath said: “This work will serve to further enhance the modern facilities we have on offer and add to our wide range of cutting-edge equipment which is all aimed at delivering the very best of care and treatments to our pet patients.
“We are always looking to expand our expert team and recruit new specialists, clinicians and vet nurses, as well as extending our in-house opportunities for residents and interns to fulfil their veterinary ambitions.
“This work will be another piece in the jigsaw which allows us to meet those ambitions, both in terms of the care we deliver to pets and the opportunities we offer to outstanding clinicians.”
www.nwspecialists.com
Photo: Sarah Hardy, client services team leader at NorthWest Veterinary Specialists
The project is being led by Dr Faye Didymus (pictured) and Dr Jackie Hargreaves from Leeds Beckett University and will culminate in a set of evidence-based recommendations for how mental health education for veterinary students could be enhanced.
Jackie said: “As part of our project we have already explored the curriculum of accredited veterinary nursing courses for mental health content, but we would love to know more about current VN experiences of mental health in the workforce, and how mental health could be integrated into the curriculum of degrees and diplomas.
"This will include an interview, lasting approximately 60 minutes, about confidence in their practical skills, coping with work stress, and discussion about how to prepare students for the workplace.
“We are seeking VNs who are currently working in practice who have thoughts and ideas about how to further integrate mental health into the veterinary nursing curriculum.
"If you fit into this category, we would be very grateful if you could take the time to participate in our study.
"There is currently little research in this area, and we hope that the outcomes of our project will make a real tangible difference to the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary nurses both throughout their studies and in the long term when they enter the workforce.
“Faye and I would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has already supported our research project, and we look forward to hearing about the ideas and experiences of current practising veterinary nurses.”
For further information about the interview, please contact either Dr Hargreaves at j.hargreaves@leedsbeckett.ac.uk, or research assistant Jen Rawson at jennifer.rawson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
Recruitment for interviews will close on Saturday 7 September.
Musculoskeletal therapists currently have their work underpinned by an Exemption Order to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 which allows them to treat an animal under the direction of a veterinary surgeon who has first examined that animal.
The College says it has recognised that there has been confusion over whether musculoskeletal therapists need a veterinary referral for maintenance work, such as massage, in a healthy animal. This may lead to delays in animals receiving maintenance care.
The new guidance, found in Chapter 19 (www.rcvs.org.uk/unqualified) of the supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct, sets out the existing rules for musculoskeletal treatment of illness, disease or pathology, and clarifies that healthy animals do not need a veterinary referral for maintenance care.
The guidance stresses that musculoskeletal therapists are part of the vet-led team, and that any animal, including healthy ones, should be registered with a veterinary surgeon and referred to a vet at the first sign of any symptoms that may suggest underlying health issues.
The guidance also says that vets should be confident that the musculoskeletal therapist is appropriately qualified; indicators of this can include membership of a voluntary regulatory body with a register of practitioners, and associated standards of education and conduct, supported by a complaints and disciplinary process.
In March 2019 the RCVS published the Review of Minor Procedures Regime (www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/report-to-defra-on-the-review-of-minor-procedures-regime-and/) which noted that the existing exemption order was not suitable for underpinning the work of musculoskeletal therapists, and recommended that this be remedied by reform of Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, alongside regulation by the RCVS through Associate status for musculoskeletal therapists.
This would allow the RCVS to set and uphold standards for musculoskeletal therapists in a similar way to veterinary nurses, giving further assurance to both the veterinary professions and the public. The recent Legislation Working Party Report recommendations builds on that recommendation, and is currently open for consultation at www.rcvs.org.uk/consultations
Patricia will take up the position at the start of November, replacing Mark Ross who is stepping down.
Patricia originally joined Vets Now in 2009, working in areas of hospital management and then business development.
She became COO in June 2021.
Patricia said today: “Vets Now is made up of fantastic people and it’s the honour of my career to be leading such a talented team.
“Our out-of-hours business model was set up twenty years ago by a vet to support the working practices of vets and vet nurses, helping to improve their work-life balance by providing outstanding animal care at times of greatest need to customers. As leaders in emergency care for small animals, we’ll continue to work steadfastly in supporting the profession.
“Mark has done a tremendous job driving the business forward and I’m excited to be able to continue to build on our success. “
Vets Now says it is working hard to drive diversity and inclusion within the profession, and with 88% of Vets Now staff being female, Patricia will lead a board of directors of whom nine out of ten are women.
That doesn't sound very diverse to me.
Where are the men?
The publication of the guide follows a study of vet professionals published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery which revealed that the main barriers to blood pressure measurement are a lack of time (72.8%) and situational hypertension (92%)1.
Vet professionals also thought the main barrier for owners was cost (80%) whilst the least problematic aspect is the longer consultation needed to accommodate a blood pressure measurement (48.8%).
The guide has been written to address these concerns and empower vet nurses to run nurse-led clinics for older pets.
Written by RVN, Beth Kirwan, the guide provides information on the benefits of vet nurse-led senior pet clinics, which can either be free or paid, together with hints and tips on how to get started and promotion.
The guide also covers the importance of a senior health-check questionnaire, tips on preparing and setting up a clinic, a 10-point health check providing guidance on what should be covered and information on additional senior pet tests that can be carried out, such as blood pressure checks for senior cats aged seven years or older to help identify feline hypertension.
Beth said: "I was really excited to be asked by Ceva to create this resource for veterinary nurses and grateful for the opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge.
"I have been a nurse for over 22 years, and I am passionate about making our nurses feel valued in practice.
"Nurse clinics are a really good way to do this, but I feel that setting up a senior nurse clinic service in a practice creates so much value in many ways and for every member of the practice, from the receptionists to the vets.
"Our RVNs are the stars of the show with senior nurse clinics; they bring so much experience, care and compassion and are a great reflection of our practice values.
"They often have the time that the vets don't have and will go home knowing they made a difference to a pet and an owner, or a family.
"Veterinary nurses can help identify disease early, support the owners with home adaptations or new medicine regimes.
"They can also educate the clients in senior and super senior care as our pets are living longer and provide quality of life and end of life support.
"The benefits are huge; as well as a financial benefit support like this will bond clients to a practice for life.
"We are all businesses, but we need to be caring businesses.
"I hope the guide provides inspiration to many nurses and empowers them to set up a new service or helps them to improve their current one."
Dr Sarah Caney, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who led the study said: “Our recent survey had more VN participants than vets, showing just how enthusiastic and engaged nurses are when it comes to assessing blood pressure in cats.
"Owners very much appreciate nurse clinics and I’m delighted to hear that there is a new senior pet clinics guide to support nurses in setting up and running successful clinics.”
https://easethepressure.co.uk/feline-senior-health-clinics
Each OraStripdx comprises a dry porous pad, pre-treated with a mixture containing a thiol detection reagent, attached to a plastic backing.
The strip is gently swiped along the maxillary gingival margins, whereupon it changes colour from off-white to various intensities of yellow, representing the concentration of thiols present.
Animalcare says this visual result can support vets and veterinary nurses in explaining to owners the often-invisible early signs of periodontal disease, without the need to examine the animal under anaesthetic
Apparently, the WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines say that test strips have been shown to improve client compliance with dental recommendations.
Dr Colin Capner, Senior Technical Vet at Animalcare, said: “OraStripdx helps to prompt, and raise the profile of veterinary oral health conversations in practice, employing an easy to use, evidence based diagnostic test for periodontal disease that does not require a general anaesthetic.
"In demonstrating the presence of periodontal disease in dogs and cats to clients through a test strip colourimetric change, it bridges the gap between oral examination and the requirement for clinical veterinary intervention.
"Early detection of otherwise invisible periodontal disease will help to maintain good pet oral health and welfare, and facilitate awareness of the potential need for planned clinical treatments.”
On 30 November 2022, Animalcare is hosting a free webinar which demonstrates how OraStripdx can help drive positive oral health conversations.
You can sign up to the webinar at www.animalcare.co.uk/dentalwebinars.
The company has also created a range of dental care educational resources for veterinary healthcare team members and pet owners which are available for download at www.dental.pet.
The traditional approach is to use anatomical knowledge to inject pain relief in the area of the nerves to be blocked.
Liz is leading a move away from this approach to a more precise method which uses ultrasound guidance to visualise the nerves, allowing the local anaesthetic to be placed directly around the nerve itself.
For some nerve blocks, it is possible to block just the sensory branches of nerves, which means pets can walk better immediately after surgery while not feeling any pain.
Liz, a past president of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, said: “Local analgesia is now at the forefront of our post-operative care and reliably improves the quality of a pet’s recovery and reduces the need for opioid pain relief, which can cause side effects.
“We’re using the latest techniques to deliver the nerve-blocking anaesthetics to exactly where they’re needed.
“For many of the nerve blocks, the use of ultrasound guidance allows more precise delivery and a complete blockade of the sensory nerves, which is why, here at Paragon, we’ve invested in state-of-the art ultrasound machine designed specifically for superficial and deep nerve blocks.
“This means we can provide more effective immediate post-operative analgesia for our patients and minimise the need for further pain killers.
“The nerves can be directly visualised and local anaesthetic directly placed around the nerve bundles.”
Liz is keen to highlight the advantages of the increased use of local anaesthesia in the treatment of animals. She added: “We’re hoping we’ll soon be able to publish some clinical research on the use of some of the blocking techniques used to demonstrate our clinical impression of their effectiveness in patient management.”
The Disciplinary Committee heard that the offence took place in 2013, when Dr Surdila was not a registered veterinary surgeon.
However she pleaded guilty to the charge in 2019, by which time she was.
Dr Surdila testified that in 2010, she and her family owned a few beehives and applied for EU funding to help expand their operation into a business.
A requirement of the funding was that Dr Surdila and her sister belong to a licensed bee-keeping co-operative.
They joined their local co-operative, and paid a consultant to manage their funding application.
Three years later, their consultant switched Dr Surdila and her sister to a different cooperative, for reasons they did not understand.
After another three years or so, Dr Surdila's family decided to close the business because she was at university and the others had other commitments.
Dr Surdila later moved to the UK and joined a practice in Motherwell, Scotland.
Then, in 2019, when Dr Surdila had been in the UK for four years, it transpired that the second co-operative they had joined was unlicensed and they had therefore not been entitled to received funds from the EU, and would be prosecuted by the National Department of Anti-Corruption.
Meanwhile, the consultant they had paid to manage their funding application had died.
Dr Surdila stated that everything she had signed for the unlicensed co-op had been signed in good faith, but she was advised by her lawyer that as she had signed legally binding documents for the funding, and because the consultant had died, her only option was to plead guilty.
She was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, 60 days of community service and was required to pay 19,544.7 Romanian Lei (approximately £3,300) in damages.
Her lawyer advised her to appeal her sentence which was harsh considering the circumstances.
However, the appeal was postponed several times because of Covid-19 and was ultimately unsuccessful.
In concluding whether the conviction rendered Dr Surdila unfit to practise, Mrs Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Dr Surdila’s conviction was of a nature and seriousness that required a finding that she was unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon on public interest grounds”.
The Committee then turned to sanction and in reaching its decision, Mrs Way said: “This was a serious conviction with a significant sentence, involving an element of bad faith.
"The Committee considered it important to mark this behaviour in some way because Dr Surdila should have been more cognisant of what she was signing.
“The Committee noted that her offending behaviour took place a significantly long time ago, when Dr Surdila was young and inexperienced and before she had qualified as a veterinary surgeon.
"There had never been a risk to animals or the public, she had demonstrated significant insight into her failures and exhibited genuine remorse.
"The Committee was satisfied that it was highly unlikely she would ever commit such an offence again.
“In light of the lack of aggravating factors and the extensive mitigation in this case, the Committee concluded that it was appropriate and proportionate to reprimand Dr Surdila and to warn her of the need to ensure she reads and understands all documents that require her signature.”
The Committee’s full findings can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The range comprises four products: Calm, Seb, Pyo and Care. All four contain a new active ingredient derived from Ophiopogon japonicus called ophytrium, which Ceva says has been shown to strengthen the mechanical skin barrier1, restore the balance of protective microbial flora2 and sooth the skin1.
The new range consists of both shampoo and mousse formulations: Douxo S3 Calm is designed to sooth itchy, irritated skin while maintaining the skin barrier. Douxo S3 Pyo contains ophytrium and chlorhexidine at 3% which is both antibacterial and antifungal. Douxo S3 Seb contains ophytrium and seboliance and includes an extract from the peel of pomegranate. Ceva says it has an anti-odour action and will help with oily or flaky skin. Lastly, Douxo S3 Care (available as a shampoo only) contains ophytrium and is designed for regular use and maintenance.
The products are all free from soap, parabens, sulphates, phthalates, colourants and nanoparticles. A new, hypoallergenic ‘summertime’ fragrance has been added to the range which pet owners apparently liken to coconut and vanilla.
The Douxo S3 range comes in eye-catching packaging with a pump that can be used with one hand, an ergonomic bottle designed to be easy to grip, even with wet hands, and a visibility line so you can see the remaining quantity of the product.
Dr Melanie Rougier, corporate marketing manager at Ceva, said: “Our new range is the result of over 10 years of clients’ experience with Douxo and a robust programme of market research with four specific studies that included more than 2,000 vets and pet owners and represented over eight months of contact with pet owners. This has allowed us to gain a thorough understanding of our clients’ needs, in terms of performance, formulas, fragrance and ergonomic packaging."
Andrew Fullerton BVSc (Hons) MRCVS, product manager for Douxo at Ceva, added: "The new Douxo S3 range has been developed following extensive market research and field studies to ensure that the shampoos and mousses are not only innovative and effective, but that they are also safe and easy-to-use."
Dr Tim Nuttall BSc BVSc CertVD PhD CBiol MSB MRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Dermatology at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, said: "I like that the performance has been proven on a basic science screening level and innovative skin model and then moving on to the in-field trials. This is what we would like to see from topical products."
Douxo S3 shampoo and mousses will automatically replace the current Douxo products via veterinary wholesalers and Ceva says it is working to convert other products in the Douxo range to S3.
For further information, contact cevauk@ceva.com, your local territory manager or visit https://www.douxo.com/uk/Pet-Skin-Care/douxo-s3.
References
In addition to working as a clinician in private practice and for charity, Gudrun has worked in several veterinary-related roles in industry, both in management and as a consultant, as well as being the Chair for the British Veterinary Association’s Good Veterinary Workplace Working Group.
In the new role, Gudrun will work support the implementation of the British Veterinary Association’s Good Veterinary Workplaces Code across the business.
Gudrun said: “Having been heavily involved in the work leading up to the Good Veterinary Workplaces Code during my time at the British Veterinary Association, I can fully relate to the many pressures that veterinary workplaces are currently under.
"Through supportive action and using evidence-based tools, I believe we can make a positive and lasting difference.
“It’s an honour to join Vets4Pets as we begin to implement its many commitments to improving the industry.
"I am excited to work towards a positive future for veterinary workplaces and being able to work with Vets4Pets to build a well-resourced and accessible tool for practices to implement good veterinary workplaces will help our practices to attract and retain the best clinical talent.”
The first webinar Does Ease of Use Have to Come at the Expense of Efficacy? is presented by Claire Harrison BSc (Hons) RVN VTS (Dentistry) AFHEA, Dentistry Nurse at the Hospital for Small Animals at the Royal ‘Dick’ School of Veterinary Studies.
Claire will consider the best practice of daily toothbrushing for oral homecare and explore what practices can do to contextualise care for the many owners who struggle to achieve this goal.
Animalcare highlights research which shows that the number of pet owners who brush their pet’s teeth daily is very small: one study in Sweden suggested that only 8% of dog owners and 4% of cat owners met this target¹.
Senior Brand Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: “With periodontal disease so common in dogs and cats, supporting owners to maintain an oral health regime for their pet is essential.
"Daily toothbrushing remains best practice but many owners are just not able to do this, so it is important to suggest effective alternatives in order to protect their pet’s oral health.
“During this webinar series dental experts will explore a range of approaches which can be used with owners & pets throughout the different stages of their pets’ lives, either as an alternative to toothbrushing, or as part of a programme to build up to toothbrushing.”
To register, visit: www.animalcare.co.uk/dentalwebinars
Further webinars in the oral homecare series will be delivered in January 2023.
Tracey, who started working in practice as a trainee in 1986 and qualified in 1989, spent her nursing career in both mixed and small animal practice in her home town of Hinckley, Leicestershire before retiring in 2018.
She says the book is mainly aimed at people thinking of embarking on a career as a veterinary nurse, but she also hopes colleagues in the profession will enjoy it, particularly those who are newer to the profession and have an interest in how things have progressed over the last three decades.
Tracey said: "Having enjoyed a very long career as a veterinary nurse, I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of my experiences, the happy, the sad and the sometimes downright crazy!
"The role of the veterinary nurse has changed so much over the last thirty years and continues to evolve with each passing year. My story is a light-hearted journey from my early years as a fresh-faced trainee to a fully qualified head nurse, will all the highs and lows along the way.
"The book will hopefully appeal to all members of the veterinary profession, past, present and future as well as to animal lovers everywhere. It was written from the heart to celebrate the work that veterinary nurses do, the diversity of their role and the steep learning curves that many of us had to climb."
You can read a sample of the book here.
Confessions of a veterinary nurse is available from all good bookstores, and Amazon, priced at £10.99.
Stefano qualified in Parma, Italy and has a Master’s in Clinical Oncology. He has worked in a number of referral practices, managing and treating small animal oncological cases. He also has an interesting history of working with animals across the globe: he has a Master’s in Tropical Veterinary Medicine and worked with the United Nations in Somalia, Malaysia and Guyana in wildlife management.
Founder, CEO and Clinical Director of The Ralph, Shailen Jasani said: "We had always planned to include an oncology service here at The Ralph though not quite this soon after opening. However, over the last eight months, this has been one area of veterinary medicine where we have not been able to serve our patients, their carers or our referral community. This did not sit well with us. Serendipity being what it is, our path crossed with Stefano's and we were able to extend our services."
For more information, visit www.theralph.vet
The programme for the day includes a talk by Matt Rendle, an exotics veterinary nurse, about wound healing in reptiles and the work of the Veterinary Wound Library.
There are also talks about current veterinary practice concerning Chelonia (with a focus on egg retention), the Asian turtle crisis, zoo conservation work, reptile rescue work and perceptions of Chelonia in captivity.
Tickets cost £30-£50, and include refreshments, lunch and optional Sunday workshops.
For more details or to reserve your place, email: turtlesurvivaleurope@gmail.com, or visit: https://www.turtlesurvival.eu/
The study “Approach to initial management of canine generalised epileptic seizures in primary-care veterinary practices in the United Kingdom” used the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network to review electronic health records equating to 3,150,713 consultations (917,373 dogs) from 224 veterinary practices2.
Five hundred and seventeen cases were included. Dogs older than 6 years were excluded.
Of 321 dogs presented for a single seizure, seven (2.1%) were prescribed AEDs, which is in accordance with International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations.
20% of the dogs in this group which had at least a 6-month follow-up, 20% did not have subsequent seizures recorded.
However, of 86 dogs which had suffered a seizure cluster at first presentation, only 38 (44%) were prescribe an AED, despite the task force recommendation that long term treatment in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy should be started immediately in the case of 2 or more seizures within 6 months, status epilepticus or a seizure cluster, severe post-ictal signs, or a deteriorating epileptic presentation.
Imepitoin was frequently selected in the treatment of cluster seizures despite no authorisation for this purpose.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP said: “Studies like this one are instrumental to understand how primary care clinicians comply with current recommendations.
"Additional efforts may be required to fully adhere to the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations; being aware of these gaps is the first step towards improvement.”
Porus One contains renaltec, a selective absorber that absorbs the precursors of uraemic toxins in the cat’s intestine that would normally be removed or regulated by healthy kidneys, so that they may be safely excreted in the cat's faeces.
The product is presented as a powder which can be sprinkled on wet cat food, or given with Add One as a treat.
Dechra says it is well-accepted by cats due to its neutral taste and smell.
Add One is a moist and tasty cat treat developed to encourage cats that prefer dry food to eat Porus One.
It is available in two flavours: creamy salmon and tasty liver.
Add One contains omega-3 and a high moisture content to help support kidney health.
It also contains taurine to support a cat’s eyes and heart.
One box of Porus One contains 30 single-dose sachets, each containing 500mg of renaltec.
One box of Add One contains 30 single-dose 10mg sachets.
https://porus-one.com.
The webinars, which are free of charge, are:
The webinars join 'The gastrointestinal microbiome and its effects', which is already available for free viewing via The Webinar Vet.
Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: “We’ve received excellent feedback on the webinars from those who have already viewed them through our Learning Alliance platform. We hope that by also making them available via The Webinar Vet, we will make them more easily accessible to a higher number of veterinary professionals keen to refresh their knowledge in these important areas.”
The Animalcare webinars can be viewed here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/webinars/animalcare