A campaign to reform English libel law to allow for robust criticism of scientific and medical claims without fear of legal action has been launched by journalist and author Simon Singh. It's a campaign which anyone working in the caring professions might wish to support. 

The campaign comes as a consequence of legal action taken against Mr Singh by The British Chiropractic Association, which took exception (perhaps unsurprisingly) to an article he'd written in The Guardian. In the article, Mr Singh denounced claims on the BCA website that its members could use spinal manipulation to treat children with colic, ear infections, asthma, sleeping and feeding conditions, and prolongued crying as 'bogus', and criticised the BCA for 'happily promoting' these claims.

Out of curiosity, VetSurgeon rang the BCA press office this morning, and asked to be given the references for studies which it feels would support the original claims made on its site. Non have been forthcoming so far, which is a surprise. Under the circumstances, we'd have expected the BCA would have a raft of supporting evidence readily available.

But this isn't really about whether or not chiropractic works or not. The case seems to hinge upon whether Mr Singh's article implied that the BCA was being deliberately dishonest, or just delusional. He say's the latter. Unfortunately for him, Mr Justice Eady recently ruled the former, leaving Mr Singh with a bill for £100,000 worth of legal fees.

Mr Singh is to appeal.  At stake is the freedom to be able to challenge scientific claims without fear of being sued. If you'd like to support this campaign, visit senseaboutscience.com and add your name to the 7000 others (including some pretty illustrious names) who have already done so.

Ceva Animal Health has launched Hepatosyl Plus, a development of the liver support supplement for cats and dogs.

Hepatosyl Plus contains the same ingredients as the original product but now also includes Silybin. According to the company, Silybin is the most active isomer of Silybum marianum (milk thistle) which acts as an antioxidant by increasing cellular superoxide dismutase. It joins S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and Vitamin E to create a triple antioxidant approach to liver support, helping to neutralise free radicals within the liver. Ceva also says Hepatosyl Plus is the only liver supplement to contain Vitamin K, which is needed by the liver for the production of clotting factors II, VII, IX and X, making it ideally suited for pre- and post-anaesthetic liver support.

Hepatosyl Plus is available in 50mg, 100mg and 200mg sprinkle capsules.  For anaesthetic support, Hepatosyl Plus should be administered for one week prior to and following anaesthesia.  For long-term use, the capsules should be given once daily for 2-3 months and then reduced to every other day for ongoing maintenance.

For further information, please contact your local CEVA Animal Health territory manager or call 01494 781510.

Veterinary scientist, Dr Alex German and veterinary nurse, Shelley Holden are joining presenter and vet, Mark Evans in a new Channel Four series exploring the secret life of dogs, the first of which airs tonight at 8:00pm.

The three-part series looks at how people's lives and those of their dogs have radically changed in the last 50 years.

Using hidden cameras, episode one investigates how dogs gain weight when their owners are not present or out at work, as well as what research is being done to understand the UK's obesity epidemic in dogs and cats.

Alex, who is head of the University's Weight Management Clinic, said: "Obesity is common in dogs and can lead to a range of illnesses and diseases.

"Although treatment for weight loss has been in existence for some time it has not been without its problems, and owners, with busy lives, can find it difficult to even understand how their dog has gained weight in the first place.

"By showing what dogs get up to out of their owner's sight, this programme explores how understanding our animals' behaviour and habits can help in producing a healthy diet and exercise regime."

Dr German has also contributed to the Channel Four website, which provides information for owners and access to case studies: http://dogs.channel4.com/fat-dogs/

The Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) has unveiled a new brand identity and fresh new website design to kick-start its 30^th anniversary celebrations.

According to the charity, market research had shown that most respondents thought its old logo was unrecognisable. The new one aims to strengthen the charity's identity by making it more visually appealing and by representing the wide range of species the charity covers in its research funding, information leaflets and its advice to vets.

The new website remains at www.bva-awf.org.uk and combines the new logo with a fresh design to help guide vets, researchers and the public to the relevant resources and information quickly.

New features include a revised grants section which now includes a list of past and present projects and advice to guide potential grants recipients through the application process. To emphasise the Foundation's reliance on donations and legacies the donation button has been made more prominent and the new site also contains case studies which help veterinary students work through welfare dilemmas.

The charity's unique selling point and strapline 'The charity led by the veterinary profession' is also clearly displayed to further strengthen the AWF brand. 

AWF Chair Dr Tiffany Hemming said: "We have tried to make the site as appealing, well-structured and easy to navigate as possible to show off all our areas of activity and to encourage use of our excellent resources.

"In the year of our 30^th anniversary I am pleased to have this fresh new image to help us stay in people's minds where animal welfare is concerned, whether it is a veterinary practice wanting to provide clients with easy-to-understand leaflets, a researcher looking for funding or a member of the public who has heard of our initiatives and resources.

"We have more exciting plans in the pipeline to celebrate AWF at 30 so visit the website and look out for more information."

BVA President Peter Jones added: "With a strong new brand and website I hope AWF becomes an increasingly popular destination for vets in particular and for the general public with its simple and practical advice for everyone concerned with animal welfare.

"I also hope that the profession will find renewed enthusiasm for its own animal welfare charity which needs to attract donations to continue its work to promote animal welfare through research, education and debate."

Supreme Petfoods has launched the VetCarePlus range of Monoforage® diets for rabbits.

According to the company, the new range represents an entirely new generation of rabbit food, made possible because of a breakthrough in production technology.

The big advance is the level of fibre within a mono-component style diet: 28%-34% across the range, along with the inclusion - uniquely - of essential long fibre particles. Supreme says the result is a less dense food that is beneficial for a rabbit's sensitive digestion system, with the added benefit of extending the feeding time, which is good for dental wear.

The company also says VetCarePlus performs exceptionally well in palatability tests and that it's been widely welcomed throughout the rabbit welfare community.  Molly Varga BVetMed DZooMed MRCVS said:  "This is exactly what convalescing rabbits need, an excellent level of fibre with no chance of selective feeding plus a good slow chew rate".

The range comprises three specific formulas for Weight Management, Urinary Tract Health and Digestive Health.

Supreme says feedback on samples sent to welfare organisations, veterinary schools and practicing vets so far has been very positive. Vets are delighted with the simplicity of the products, and have welcomed the way Monoforage encapsulates all the benefits of hay, with minimal processing compared to other diets.  

Molly Varga added: "All the benefits of hay are preserved while this diet gives more volume of fibre per measurement of food than I have seen before, without increasing the weight (and therefore energy) components".  VetCarePlus delivers the maximum possible crude fibre and long fibre content available to date. 

Claire Hamblion, Marketing Manager for VetCarePlus said: "Supreme Petfoods feels that VetCarePlus is pushing forward the boundaries on specialist diets for rabbits.  Monoforage provides completely unique levels of fibre and we're delighted that all the feedback we have received from a wide range of experts has been exceptionally enthusiastic and welcoming".   

For more information on how to stock VetCarePlus products contact Supreme Petfoods at sales@supremepetfoods.com  or visit http://www.supremeprofessional.com/

Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health is running a challenge over the next few months to encourage the early diagnosis of Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), a painful disease which leads to permanent blindness (see right).

Practices are being asked to perform a Schirmer Tear Test (STT) on 50 dogs not previously diagnosed with KCS for the chance to win one of 70 Samsung digital cameras. 

Recent studies¹ have shown the incidence of KCS to be 4.6% of the UK dog population, rising to 8.3% in predisposed breeds.  However, 20 veterinary practices have recently participated in an Early Diagnosis Programme and the number confirmed with KCS was 9.7%². 17 of the cases diagnosed had Schirmer Tear Test readings of zero.

KCS is thought to be under-diagnosed because not all cases have the classic 'textbook' appearance but look surprisingly normal despite severely reduced tear production.  In addition, diagnosis usually requires clinical suspicion and a Schirmer Tear Test.

Claudia Hartley, BVSc CertVOphthal DipECVO MRCVS, European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology believes that: "All sore eyes (except where a descemetocoele is present) should have a Schirmer Tear Test, whether or not there is corneal change."

Melanie Dass MA VetMB CertSAM MRCVS ACIM, Product Manager for Optimmune said: "The results of our Early Diagnosis Programme made interesting reading and supported what we have always suspected - that KCS is under-diagnosed.  It's really important that dogs suffering from this disease are detected promptly as early diagnosis and treatment with Optimmune gives the best prognosis.

"As part of the Early Diagnosis Programme owners of predisposed breeds received a personalised mailing offering them a free Schirmer Tear Test and some practices also elected to test all breeds at routine consultations such as vaccination. The tests were generally performed by veterinary nurses after they had received training, with the diagnosis made by a veterinary surgeon."

For more information about KCS, Optimmune and support in implementing an Early Diagnosis Programme, please contact your local Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health Territory Manager or call 01908 685685.

References
¹ Pierce V & Williams D, 2006.  Determination of Schirmer Tear Tests values in 1000 dogs.  BSAVA Abstract 2006.
² Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health Practices Study 2009

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has announced that Andrea Jeffery, the first veterinary nurse to sit on RCVS Council, will take up her place from July this year.

According to the RCVS, the move recognises the increasing importance of veterinary nursing as a profession, and the need for veterinary nurse input on decisions of governance that impact on the whole veterinary team.

The composition of RCVS Council is dictated by the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966: 24 elected veterinary surgeons, two appointees from each of the six approved veterinary schools and four members appointed by the Privy Council (usually three lay people and the Chief Veterinary Officer).

Within this mix, there has not thus far been a place for a veterinary nurse, however, the vet school appointees do not both have to be veterinary surgeons, and the University of Bristol has nominated Andrea, who will take up her place at RCVS Day on 2 July.

A past Chairman, and elected member of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council, Andrea is Programme Director of the Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary Science Programme at the University of Bristol. Liz Branscombe will continue as Chairman of the Veterinary Nurses Council, and makes a report to RCVS Council each time it sits - in March, June and November.

Andrea said: "I am very grateful to Bristol for being forward-thinking and enabling a veterinary nurse to sit on RCVS Council in this way. This opportunity gives veterinary nursing a voice on Council and recognises the growing maturity we have as a profession, and the contribution of veterinary nurses to the practice team. I look forward to supporting the work of Liz and the Veterinary Nurses Council."

RCVS President, Sandy Trees said: "The legislation that defines the composition of RCVS Council was put in place when veterinary nursing was in its infancy. However, I am delighted that the University of Bristol has been imaginative enough to choose Andrea as one if its appointees. It is the same spirit of doing as much as we can to modernise, in the absence of new legislation, which has led us to introduce the non-statutary regulation of veterinary nurses and the voluntary Practice Standards Scheme."

According to a survey carried out by Pfizer, veterinary surgeons are generally upbeat about the business prospects for their practice this year, despite predicting a harsh economic environment for the industry as a whole in 2011.

The Pulse Survey of more than 400 practice owners and their senior management teams, which presents a snapshot of market sentiment, revealed that predictions for the veterinary market in general remained as gloomy as 2010. Over half (52%) of respondents believed that conditions for the industry would get more challenging.

However, the response from owners about their own practice's performance was more bullish with a third (34%) believing their prospects will improve.

Pfizer Business Consultant, James White, said: "Practices are right to remain cautiously optimistic about 2011 if we accept it's going to be a challenging year. Some practices came slightly unstuck in 2010 as a result of the knock-on effects of the economic downturn on pet owners' pockets. However, by implementing the correct strategies now there are still opportunities for growth. Client loyalty is the buzz word and should remain a key component of any practice strategy being implemented in the coming months."

Pfizer launched the Pulse survey in Autumn 2010 to deliver up to date analysis on a range of issues that senior management teams at practice level are witnessing. According to the company, the survey is attracting a growing volume of respondents. All participants receive a summary report of the Pulse Survey findings.

Pfizer's team of Business Consultants is working with practices throughout the country to pinpoint their individual business challenges, offer solutions through the company's Vet Support+ service and work with the practices to drive growth. For further information visit  http://www.vetsupportplus.co.uk/.

The Dogs Trust has responded to the RSPCA's proposal to re-introduce the dog licence

Clarissa Baldwin, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust said: "Dogs Trust is adamant that a return to the dog licence would provide no welfare benefit to dogs. Dog licensing is little more than a punitive tax on responsible dog owners who already contribute estimated £451 million to the public purse through dog related tax resources.*

"The dog licence is still a requirement in Northern Ireland yet only an estimated one-third of all dog owners currently have their dogs licensed. Despite this Northern Ireland still has the highest number of stray dogs per head of population of any part of the UK. The number of dogs put to sleep in the region represents a staggering 34% of the total UK figure.

"Dogs Trust recommends that a system of compulsory microchipping, linking dog to owner is effective in returning stray and stolen dogs to their owners and which would improve the traceability of battery farmed dogs."

Dogs Trust is the UK's largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 16,000 stray and abandoned dogs each year through its network of 17 Rehoming Centres nationwide.  

*Mintel research 2010 

Veterinary Nurse Angela Savory from Companion Care Vets in Norwich is in training for a gruelling 874 mile cycle from Lands End to John o'Groats, through which she aims to help raise £50,000 for the company's charity of the year, Dogs for the Disabled.

As part of a team of 15, Angela has been training hard for the trip which is estimated to take between ten and fourteen days. She says it is pretty daunting especially as the start date of 1st May is fast approaching.

Angela said: "Dogs for the Disabled is an amazing charity that really does transform lives so when the opportunity arose for me to get involved I jumped at the chance. Whilst I won't pretend it won't be a challenge of monumental proportions we are all determined to raise as much money as possible and have lots of fun along the way.

"We are all blogging about our training regimes and fundraising efforts and ask for as much support as possible for a fantastic cause. Visit http://www.ccvetscycleride.blogspot.com/ to see how our training is going - we also share lots about our excitement and fears..... and pain.... honestly quite a lot of pain!"

Dogs for the Disabled is life-transforming charity that creates exceptional partnerships between people living with disability and specially trained assistance dogs. To find out more, visit http://www.dogsforthedisabled.org/

Interesting research from The Pet Market, a new market assessment report from market intelligence providers Key Note Ltd., which shows that the decline in pet ownership over the last ten years is being offset by an increasing trend towards pampering pets.

According to Key Notes exclusive research, the number of respondents that owned any type of pet fell from 48% in February 2005 to 40% in February 2007. However the total market for pet products, including insurance, was £2.2bn in 2006, and increase of 11.1% on 2002.

Factors cited by Key Note as behind the drop in pet ownership included the trend towards smaller households and busier lifestyles. However, this has been offset by growing divorce rates, and an increase in people living alone who buy a pet for companionship. There has also been a trend towards having children later, with many people buying pets as 'surrogate children'. In both cases, owners seem to be prepared to spend more on their pet, for example buying them Christmas presents as they would for a friend or child.

The survey also revealed that 89% of owners are prepared to spend 'a bit extra' on premium food for their pet, in order to ensure it provides all the nutrients it needs. Interestingly, it was those in the lower social grades that were prepared to spend more on pet food: 97% of DEs, versus 83% of ABs. Fewer than 7% said they looked for the cheapest pet food available.

58% of owners said they only bought accessories when absolutely necessary. Despite this, half bought items such as toys at least twice a year.

Key Note predicts no major changes to these trends over the forthcoming 5 years.

The full report can be bought from Key Note for £880. Telephone 0208 4818750, or email: sales@keynote.co.uk

Zoetis has announced that following a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP), the European Commission has approved Apoquel (oclacitinib tablet) in the European Union for the treatment of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis and the treatment of clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 12 months of age.

Developed by Zoetis, Apoquel is the first Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for veterinary use. The company says it inhibits the function of a variety of allergic, itch and pro-inflammatory cytokines dependent on JAK enzyme activity and thus stops the cycle of itch and inflammation occurring in skin allergies.

Michael Stegemann, Senior Director Global Development Organisation at Zoetis said: "Apoquel is a targeted treatment that specifically inhibits JAK-dependent cytokines involved in allergic skin disease in dogs. Its rapid anti-pruritic effect along with its anti-inflammatory properties provide fast relief to dogs. Relief from itch and inflammation is maintained in dogs receiving long-term treatment with Apoquel. This exciting innovation molecule offers quick, effective, and sustained itch relief; improves skin lesions continuously and can be used safely short or long-term."

Zoetis says that in clinical trials, Apoquel demonstrated safety and efficacy for the treatment of itch and resulted in improved skin lesions in dogs diagnosed with a number of allergic skin diseases as well as atopic dermatitis and treated either short or long term. The decrease in itch scores was observed by pet owners as soon as 24 hours after administration, the first observation time point, and itch continued to decrease compared to baseline until the end of the study. Skin lesions scores assessed by veterinary surgeons were significantly improved after one week and continued to improve long term during the studies (4 months). In these studies, the most common side effects observed in dogs treated with Apoquel were vomiting and diarrhea. Other reported side effects included lethargy, decreased or lack of appetite, skin irritation or infection, and ear irritation or infection.

Apoquel will be a POM-V treatment. Apoquel tablets, dosed at 0.4 to 0.6 mg/kg, are administered orally, twice daily for up to 14 days, and then administered once daily for maintenance therapy if medium to long term treatment is required, such as in dogs with seasonal skin allergy and atopic dermatitis.

Zoetis plans to make Apoquel available to veterinary surgeons in the European Union during 2014. Meantime, Zoetis says it will be working with vets on the new science and research findings around itch and canine allergic diseases. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com, www.itchcycle.com.

The Kennel Club has launched the Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) to accelerate research into inherited canine disease.

It aims to create further diagnostic tests which, together with breeding advice, will improve the health and welfare of generations of dogs.

Because of the small gene pool in purebred dogs, inherited diseases resulting from single gene mutations are more likely to occur than in their cross bred cousins. This can lead to significant welfare issues. There are more than five million purebred dogs in the UK alone and many of these will benefit from the findings of the Genetics Centre.

Over the next five years, the centre aims to investigate 25 inherited diseases. It will develop, where possible, screening tests to determine affected and carrier dogs that can be performed with simple mouth swabs. In deciding which diseases to investigate, the joint Kennel Club and AHT team will look at their impact on the health and welfare of dogs, but also on the support of breeders and access to data and samples.

Dr Peter Webbon, Chief Executive of the AHT, said: "We're delighted to work in partnership with the Kennel Club on this important welfare issue. Our level of skill and expertise within this field is unparalleled and the new centre enables us to extend our current range of DNA tests.

"We hope, in time, this will equip breeders with essential information so they can plan successful breeding strategies to avoid the birth of affected dogs, and ultimately, to eliminate disease from breeds at risk."

Dr. Cathryn Mellersh and Dr. Sarah Blott, two of the AHT's genetics experts, will lead the Centre. Both have been fundamental in identifying defective genes and developing screening tests which identify a dog's genetic status and minimise the risk of producing affected puppies.

The Centre will also introduce new approaches in dog breeding.  One major advance will be estimated breeding values (EBVs). These will enable whole dog populations to be evaluated for inherited disease - even if individuals haven't been scanned or DNA tested themselves.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club spokesperson, said: "The Kennel Club is pleased to support research which improves the health and happiness of dogs. Working in partnership with the Animal Health Trust means we can start to tackle the problem of inherited disease much quicker.  

"We have already made significant investment in this area, and are now delighted to step up the scope of this research. It is a very real possibility that through this Centre we will be able to eradicate certain inherited diseases in some dogs."

Dr Ed Hall, President of BSAVA, said: "Inherited disease is one part of a complex issue involved with breeding pedigree dogs.

"I personally welcome any efforts to improve our current understanding of the area and trust that the Kennel Club Genetics Centre will make massive progress in the next five years in order to enable owners to make informed breeding decisions and, in time, to reduce the effect of inherited disease."