The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria (APPCC) has launched a new leaflet for bereaved pet owners, which will be distributed to veterinary practices.

Kevin Spurgeon, Director of the APPCC said:  "The feelings of grief and loss that pet owners go through after the death of their pet is often not fully appreciated. The idea of the leaflet is to help owners understand and deal with the emotions they are experiencing more. If the pet is part of a family then several people along with other pets may be affected - it may even be the first experience of death for some." 

The leaflet was written and produced for the APPCC by Jane Matthews, author of Losing a Pet (http://www.smallbooks.co.uk/), and has had support from several experienced pet bereavement counsellors and the nationwide Pet Bereavement Support Service run by SCAS (www.scas.org.uk). It covers a variety of subjects, including:

• the act of having your pet euthanased
• understanding the range of emotions you will experience after the death of your pet
• ways of coping with grief
• children and pet bereavement
• information on pet cemeteries & crematoria
• ways other family pets can be affected by the death of a pet
• organisations offering support

According to the APPCC, studies have shown that as many as 1 in 4 pet owners take time off of work after the death of their pet with nearly half of all those surveyed having taking annual leave after their loss.  Pet crematoriums have also noticed an upturn in the numbers of people taking a hands-on approach by choosing to arrange an individual cremation for their pet directly with the crematorium.

The APPCC plans to distribute the leaflets to its members, pet bereavement counsellors and veterinary surgeries throughout the UK and believes this is a major step forward in both acknowledging pet bereavement and helping those affected by it. The leaflet will also be available to download from the main APPCC website www.appcc.org.uk as well as through many of the members own sites.

Hill's Pet Nutrition is once again seeking high achievers who have made the most of their VHA (Veterinary Healthcare Adviser) qualification.

Colleagues in practice are being asked to nominate VHAs who qualified in 2007 for VHA of the Year. VHAs can also nominate themselves, or be nominated by their Hill's Territory Manager.

Nominees are asked to prepare a submission which can include written evidence, photographs and testimonials from clients or colleagues to demonstrate how the VHA has made a difference to their practice.

The winner of VHA of the Year will receive an award and £1000 of holiday vouchers at a special gala dinner held during BVNA congress, to which all VHAs are invited. On the evening, prizes for the Top Exam Marks from 2007 and runner up for VHA of the Year will also be awarded.

Last year's winner was Jane Bartlett of the Orwell Veterinary Group, who developed new tools to support her nurse clinics, including a client lifestyle questionnaire that helped her formulate tailored advice for the client allowed them to better manage the needs of their overweight pets.

Speaking on behalf of Hill's, Libby Sheridan, Veterinary Affairs Manager described Jane as being a great example of what a motivated VN can achieve in practice.

Submissions for VHA of the Year need to be received by the end of August 2008 and should be sent to Libby Sheridan at Hill's Pet Nutrition, Building 5, Croxley Green Business Park, Hatters Lane, Watford, WD18 8YL.

Nurses who have a thirst for CPD can find out about all of Hill's upcoming courses by registering for Hill's Veterinary Nutrition Academy on-line at www.myhillspet.com/vna.

Enrolment onto the Academy is free and there are also 100 reward points for registering which can be redeemed in the VNA Shop.

Merial Animal Health, manufacturers of FRONTLINE Combo® and FRONTLINE® Spot On flea treatments, has announced that Nicci Hawes (pictured right with son Sam and Merial representative James Woolley), head nurse at Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre, Hemel Hempstead, has won a competition for the best description of the flea lifecycle, held on the company's stand at BVNA Congress last year.

Nicci's correct explanation of the flea lifecycle led to her winning entry being drawn from over 500 vet nurses who entered the competition to win a weekend break for two worth £500.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has refused an application by Kent-based Warwick Seymour-Hamilton to be restored to the Register in order to prescribe his own herbal treatments and to obtain peer review that would allow his treatments to be licensed.

This was the sixth time that Mr Warwick Seymour-Hamilton had applied for restoration after being removed from the Register in June 1994, the reasons for which related to the condition of his practice premises and his record-keeping following an inspection by the RCVS. His most recent restoration hearing took place in May 2017.

In his application Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that he wanted to be restored to the Register to aid his research into herbal medicines and, during the course of the hearing, he also challenged some of the evidence given to the Committee in the June 1994 hearing. In particular he challenged the assertion that his practice was open when it was inspected by the RCVS as, he submitted that, he had retired three weeks’ prior to the inspection due to ill-health. 

Mr Seymour-Hamilton told the Committee that he did not wish to return to clinical practice but wished to restore his membership of the RCVS in order to prescribe his own herbal treatments and to obtain peer review that would allow his treatments to be licensed. Furthermore, he produced, during the hearing, a continuing professional development (CPD) record card in which he had logged 1,438 hours of CPD in 2017.

In considering his application for restoration the Committee dismissed his challenge to the details of his original hearing in June 1994.

Ms Judith Way, Chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee has noted that this issue is ancient. It is not for this Committee to consider it. Moreover the finding of the Committee represents a determination which was not challenged by the applicant until one of the more recent restoration applications. He never appealed it. Nor did he attend at the original hearing. It acknowledges that the premises could well have been closed given their condition, but whether they were or not is not for it [the Committee] to decide. It is quite possible the applicant has persuaded himself of the position. This is not an issue which is a persuasive factor in this application."

Regarding Mr Seymour-Hamilton’s contention that he would use his RCVS registered status to further his research into herbal treatments Ms Way said: "The Committee accepted there were no direct public protection issues which caused it concern, although it did retain some anxiety that the applicant’s commitment to herbal medicine could govern the way in which he would wish to care for an animal. A more rounded veterinary approach, which involved a full evaluation of an animal’s condition, a coherent diagnosis and a subsequent discussion about treatment with the client is called for."

Turning to his CPD she added: "His CPD now has a bias for herbal medicine as does his extensive reading. The Committee was not satisfied that his skills are up-to-date and that he could practise veterinary medicine safely. The Committee was not satisfied that he would approach a sick animal with the full and rounded approach required of a veterinary surgeon. Nor did his confidence in this regard allay the concerns of the Committee. He expressed belief in himself on the basis of his practice which came to an end some 24 years ago."

The Committee did acknowledge that Mr Seymour-Hamilton’s removal from the Register had a considerable impact on him and that, not only is he ashamed of it, but he believes it is frustrating his ability to advance the cause of herbal medicine.

In conclusion, Ms Way said: "Taking all these matters into account, the Committee has concluded that the applicant has not satisfied it on all of the evidence that he is fit to be restored to the Register and so this application is refused."

The RCVS is reminding all registered veterinary nurses that their annual renewal fee for 2017-18 is due.

The College says it will be sending the annual renewal notice to the majority of veterinary nurses by email, so if you don't receive it, check your spam folder. Text message reminders will also be sent to those for whom the College holds a mobile number.

Nicola South, Head of Registration, said: "Last year saw a definite increase in the number of veterinary nurses who renewed on time, which is really wonderful.

"This year we just wanted to remind everyone that the College will be closed on the final day of the deadline, Friday 29 December so there won’t be any of the Registration team available in the office to assist with any login or payment issues. If anybody has any problems renewing before then, however, please do get in touch and we’ll be happy to help."

The annual renewal fee of £64 is due for payment by 1 November, and if a veterinary nurse does not pay the annual renewal fee by the end of the year they will be removed from the Register.

Payments by debit or credit card can be made online via the ‘My Account’ area or by cheque, bank draft or bank transfer.

All veterinary nurses also need to confirm their Register details and their compliance with the College’s CPD requirement of 45 hours over a three-year rolling period, and declare any convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings. 

Any veterinary nurses who have not received an annual renewal email or letter by Monday 9 October should contact the Registration Department on registration@rcvs.org.uk.

Nick Stace, CEO of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), has issued a swift and robust response to the call by Unite for a shake up for the profession's regulatory system.

"Unite's suggestion that veterinary regulation should be under the scrutiny of the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) is misguided, because the PSA is there to oversee regulation in the human healthcare sector and the RCVS already has Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Privy Council oversight.

"Its further thoughts around the RCVS disciplinary process are out of date and missing the point. We would be very happy to help put them right and to hear any legitimate concerns they may have.

"Unite is calling for the College to no longer 'set the rules and hand down judgments', when in fact last year we successfully achieved a Legislative Reform Order, backed by the profession, to ensure that our Disciplinary and Preliminary Investigation Committees will become independent from Council.

"Unite also talks about the profession's disquiet about last year's Disciplinary Hearing into Mr Chikosi, something we are well aware of and are currently responding to by looking at the biggest area of concern, the provision of 24/7 emergency cover. Our fact-finding mission is seeking views from the profession and the public.

"More broadly, though, feedback from our First Rate Regulator initiative has shown that the profession does have confidence in our disciplinary procedures and that they are certainly not subject to 'long-standing discontent'.

"The First Rate Regulator initiative is also leading to significant improvements in the way that complaints are handled, including speed to resolution.

"Unite is seeking to recruit members of the veterinary team as members of its union and it may be more successful in that pursuit if it was to start to understand the profession better, perhaps beginning with getting its facts right.

"We would be delighted to meet with Unite to put them right where they are factually wrong, and hear what they have to say."

The findings of a Canine Vector Borne Disease (CVBD) prevention field study, published in Veterinary Parasitology today, have demonstrated the efficacy of Advantix in repelling ticks and sandflies, thus reducing the risk of potentially deadly diseases.

The study, conducted over two years by a team headed by Professor Domenico Otranto of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Universitá degli Studi di Bari) Italy, with diagnostic support from a team led by Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt at the North Carolina State University, USA, found that dogs treated regularly with Advantix spot-on had a greater than 90% reduction in CVBD cases, including a 100% reduction in new cases of potentially deadly leishmaniosis and a 94.6% decrease in ehrlichiosis.

The study also found that Advantix provided 97.9% protection against tick infestation, compared to untreated dogs, where 100% were infested at the peak of the season. The level of protection offered by Advantix was apparently all the more notable because of particularly large numbers of ticks and sand flies and high prevalence of associated diseases like leishmaniosis or babesiosis in the area of the study.

Prof. Otranto said: "Our study shows the importance of protecting dogs with an effective treatment that repels as well as kills parasites like ticks and sand flies. Despite the high challenge faced by the dogs in our study, nearly all our treated dogs remained free from ticks throughout most of the study, and more than 90% remained free from CVBDs for the whole study time.

"Because we included naïve sentinel beagles in the study, we were also able to model what would happen to dogs travelling to areas where CVBDs are present. We found that by the end of the study, only the Advantix-treated beagles remained protected from infection, while 80% of the untreated beagles were infected with a CVBD. This demonstrates the very real need to protect dogs that are travelling to endemic areas."

According to Bayer, the study showed some interesting results with dogs that were positive with CVBDs when they entered the study. Of these, half of those treated with Advantix were negative for CVBDs at the end of treatment, compared with only 13% of untreated dogs. This suggests the potential for natural clearance of CVBDs if a repellent treatment is used to prevent new transmissions.

Bayer says the study was extremely comprehensive, studying both indigenous and introduced naïve puppies, monitoring for several CVBDs and working with Dr. Breitschwerdt's team in the USA to use highly sensitive molecular testing techniques to ensure optimal diagnostic accuracy. Dr. Breitschwerdt said: "This is the most comprehensive study, to my knowledge, ever conducted testing the efficacy of a repellent ectoparasiticide to prevent the transmission of a spectrum of CVBDs in young dogs."

Leading parasitologist Dr. Luis Cardoso of the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal said: "Thanks to this study we can see just how effective a treatment that repels as well as kills can be."

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched a series of information sheets written by veterinary surgeons, nutritionists and leading riders to support its muscle building supplement for horses, Equitop Myoplast Power Pearls.

Available to download as PDFs from its website - http://www.equitop-myoplast.co.uk - this resource for horse owners covers a range of feeding topics including training the young showjumper and feeding the performance horse, older horses and horses during periods of rest and recuperation.

New video and written testimonials from performance riders and veterinary surgeons are now on the website, which also offers owners advice on healthy lean muscle growth and the benefits of Equitop Myoplast.  Olympic dressage rider, Emile Faurie, international showjumpers, Ellen Whitaker and Scott Brash, and show horse producer, Katie Jerram, all endorse the product.

A client leaflet has also been launched featuring the testimonials and providing owners with information on Equitop Myoplast and an online offer of £15 off their first purchase of the supplement by downloading a voucher from the website.

Boehringer says Equitop Myoplast is packed with 18 key amino acids and is scientifically designed to support lean muscle growth, not bulk.  The company says the supplement is great for optimising performance in horses in intensive training and competition, as well as bringing on young, breeding and injured animals, and for older horses which lose condition easily.

For further information, please contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or call 01344 746959.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has decided to postpone its decision on the sanction for a Dyfed-based veterinary surgeon convicted of drink-driving for a second time, this time for a further twelve months.

Lynn Jo Ann Davies MRCVS first appeared before the Committee in January 2018 to face a number of charges related to two drink-driving offences, breaching the terms of her undertakings to the College as part of its Health Protocol, and being under the influence of alcohol on three occasions while she was on duty as a veterinary surgeon in December 2016. 

Dr Davies admitted all five charges against her and admitted that this meant she was unfit to practise veterinary surgery and that she was guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. The Committee accepted her admissions and found, with the exception of one allegation, that her conduct was disgraceful in a professional respect.

At its first hearing the Committee having considered both aggravating and mitigating circumstances decided to postpone the hearing for six months on the basis of Dr Davies’ entering into a new set of undertakings, including one not to practise veterinary surgery and to remain abstinent from alcohol during the period of postponement.

At the second hearing, in July 2018, the Disciplinary Committee resumed its sanction inquiry decision. Dr Davies’ Counsel submitted on her behalf that Dr Davies wished to return to practise and the Committee reviewed her witness statements, documentary proof and medical records that she provided to demonstrate she had complied with the her undertakings given at the last hearing. 

Stuart Drummond, Chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "Having had the opportunity to see and hear from the respondent when she gave evidence and when she answered the questions put to her, the view formed of her current state of health was favourable. All members of the Committee considered that the account she gave of herself in the witness box was confident and they were reassured by her evidence as to how she now sets about managing her levels of stress and how she reacted to stressful incidents.

"Such concerns as the Committee had about her return to practice concerned her ability to receive support from a third party who would act as a mentor…the Committee therefore requires the Respondent to identify, within a period of one month of today’s date, a veterinary surgeon who would agree to act as her mentor. That mentor would have to be a veterinary surgeon acceptable to the College as someone suitable to act in that capacity and that mentor would have to be approved before the Respondent could resume practice.

"A further requirement of the Committee would be that the Respondent should make a disclosure to any new employer of the fact of her appearances before this Committee in January 2018 and in July 2018 and of the decisions of the Committee in relation to both such hearings. The final requirement of the Committee in this respect is that the respondent should not accept a 'sole charge position' at any time during her employment during this next period of postponement of sanction."

The Committee directed that the hearing be postponed for a further 12 months.

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a range of materials to assist veterinary practices in educating and supporting their clients with hyperthyroid cats.

Available as part of the support package are a range of notice board displays, educational booklets, an owner website (http://www.hyperthyroidcat.co.uk/) and promotional items. The company also offers on-site CPD training for vets and veterinary nurses, which can take place at a time convenient to the practice and which counts for one hour of CPD.

Greg Williams, Veterinary Technical Services Manager at Dechra said "Our experience of the diagnosis and ongoing treatment of cats with hyperthyroidism has shown that it is a daunting and worrying time for owners. It is important that we fully educate and support these clients to achieve the highest possible level of care for the patient and ease owners' concerns."

For more information concerning on-site CPD or to order the client support materials, contact your local territory manager or telephone Dechra Veterinary Products on 01743 441632.

Creature Comforts has this week announced plans to roll out its dog sitting brand nationwide.

The company was set up in 2005 by Ailsa Price to offer dog owners in Chester, Wirral and Wales an alternative to placing dogs in kennels whilst on holiday. Many people are not at ease with leaving their pets in kennels and many also would rather not go on holiday than
do so. Creature Comforts enables owners to leave their dogs in the comfort of a loving home environment with a designated host family who will care and love their pet as they do.

The expansion of the business is to be spearheaded by the appointment of a network of franchises throughout the UK. Franchisees will be offered a defined geographical area with
guaranteed exclusive rights to operate under the Creature Comforts name.

The company says that its franchise offers a number of attractions over many other franchise systems, none less than the low start up cost totalling just £8750, and the high projected
return on investment. In addition, the business is home based, cash positive, and requires no stock to be purchased.

For more information about becoming a franchisee, visit: http://www.petsittinguk.co.uk/

Online veterinary pharmacy Vet-Medic has announced the results of a survey which showed that veterinary practices are charging pet owners 100% more than online pharmacies for well-known drugs.

The survey compared the prices charged by veterinary practices, online pharmacies, pet superstores, supermarkets and veterinary medicine suppliers. Amongst other things, it found a six-pack of Frontline for cats available online for £16.33, vs £38.95 in practice. Optimmune was available for £23.86, compared to a practice in North London selling it for £59.81.

Andrew Evans, Managing Director of Vet-Medic said: "This research offers huge insight into the pricing structures of pet medication. When we commissioned the research to help us keep our own pricing competitive, we made an assumption that online shopping should come out cheaper but were staggered by how much."

He added: "Not many pet owners are aware that vets are obliged, in most circumstances, to provide them with a prescription when asked. How and where the prescription medicine is purchased is actually the owners' choice."

The BVA responded to the survey yesterday. President-Elect Harvey Locke said: "The Vet-Medic claim that veterinary practices are over-inflating the price of veterinary medicines is an unfair accusation.

"Veterinary practices will mark up the cost of the medicines they supply in order to cover the costs of keeping and dispensing them. This includes having trained staff available, buying the necessary equipment, and storage facilities that are governed by strict rules, and covering the cost of wasted medicines that have a short shelf life.

"Online pharmacies have similar overheads but are able to buy in much larger quantities than the average veterinary practice due to the much higher volumes sold. Many of the internet prices revealed in the survey are around the same cost as veterinary practices can buy the medicines from wholesalers suggesting that some of the internet companies are sourcing cheaper drugs abroad.

"As with many products buying online can be cheaper and consumers have a choice. Many pet owners choose to use the veterinary practice pharmacy because a lot of advice and assistance is available, including demonstrations on how to administer the treatments.

"Vet-Medic's assertion that pet owners don't know that they can obtain a prescription from their veterinary surgeon is also false. Over 50% of UK practices are registered under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme. One of the conditions of the scheme is that a notice must be displayed in the waiting room informing clients that prescriptions are available on request, the price of a prescription, and the price list of the top ten medicines that the practice has dispensed in the last three month period.

"It's important to remember that under the law veterinary practices are not allowed to fix the price of medicines. As they are independent businesses this means that it is up to each practice to charge according to their own circumstances to cover their individual overheads."