Moxiclear contains moxidectin and imidacloprid.
In dogs, Moxiclear can be used for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations and as part of a treatment plan for flea allergic dermatitis. It is also indicated for lungworm, ear mites, sarcoptes mites, biting lice, round worm, hookworm, whipworm, skinworm, and prevents heartworm.
In cats, Moxiclear can be used for the treatment and prevention of flea infestation and flea allergic dermatitis, as well as ear mite infestations. It is also indicated for notoedric mange, gastrointestinal nematodes; whipworm, roundworm and hookworm, and for the prevention of heartworm disease.
In ferrets, Moxiclear can be used to treat and prevent flea infestation, and prevent heartworm.
Moxiclear is available for 4kg-40kg dogs, with four pipette fill sizes. Small cats and ferrets weighing less than 4kg are catered for with a 0.4ml pipette. Large cats weighing 4-8kg can be treated with the Moxiclear 0.8ml pipette.
Lorron Bright, Norbrook Product Manager, said: "Moxiclear offers good value, broad-spectrum parasite control for dogs, cats and ferrets. This latest launch provides our customers with an excellent value, alternative choice for a imidacloprid/moxidectin product."
Richard Palmer, Norbrook Global Head of Sales and Marketing, said: "Moxiclear spot-on is the 11th product we have launched in the past three years. Six of the new products are in the companion animal sector as we continue to strengthen our foothold in the growing global companion animal market. Norbrook is committed to delivering a strong new product pipeline, along with our multi-year £50 million investment programme."
Mr Molnar had been convicted at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court in March 2018 of five counts of importing puppies to the UK in contravention of the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and other Mammals) Order 1974.
At that court hearing he also pleaded guilty to one count of keeping premises as a pet shop without the authority of a licence granted by a local authority.
As a result of his conviction Mr Molnar was sentenced to 270 hours of unpaid supervised work and was ordered to pay compensation of £2,683.93 and costs of £250.
The Committee, which proceeded with the hearing in Mr Molnar’s absence, found that the RCVS charges against Mr Molnar were proven and went on to consider whether, individually and cumulatively, they resulted in Mr Molnar being unfit to practice being a veterinary surgeon.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee accepts the College’s submission that the fact that they [the puppies] were imported contrary to the law of the UK, because they were underage and had not been properly vaccinated, undermines the integrity of a system which is designed to ensure that effective vaccination and precautions against disease take place in every case.
"The Committee also notes that the convictions in this case were directly linked to the respondent’s veterinary practice, as they related to animals sold from his veterinary practice address. By operating an unlicensed pet shop, and by doing so through an email address that referred to his occupation as a veterinary surgeon, the respondent was abusing his position as a veterinary surgeon, and acting in a way that was liable to undermine the reputation of the profession."
The Committee therefore found that, because Mr Molnar’s conviction was directly linked to his veterinary practice and posed a substantial risk to animal welfare and public health, his conviction meant his conduct fell far short of what was expected of a professional.
In considering the sanction for Mr Molnar the Committee considered that, while he had no previous convictions or adverse professional findings against him, the case against him was very serious "because of the risk of serious harm both to animals and the public, as well as being for financial gain."
Ian Green said: "The Committee considered that the respondent, as a veterinary surgeon, must have known the serious implications and consequences of what he was doing by importing these puppies unlawfully. The public should expect to be able to trust a veterinary surgeon to ensure that his conduct does not put at risk the health of both animals and humans."
Mr Green added that the Committee felt that the only appropriate sanction was to direct the Registrar to remove Mr Molnar’s name from the Register.
A new online CPD provider, www.vetnurseonline.co.uk, is gearing up for launch in September.
The company says it'll provide easily accessible and affordable CPD in a traditional lecture style, presented by a range of experienced lecturers, most of them VNs themselves.
Amongst the range of lectures designed for veterinary nurses are things like patient care, diagnostics, welfare and ethics, equine, exotics, professional development, medical and surgical. The company says the range will be added to regularly.
Vet Nurse Online says the main benefits of its new service are: choice, convenience, simplicity, and the fact that you get a printable CPD certificate for each lecture.
There is a special introductory offer of annual membership for £120, of which £10 goes direct to charity – to a school for orphans in Malawi, actively supporting education worldwide where it’s needed most.
Genitrix has repackaged its palatable, fenbendazole-based treatment for internal parasites, with an easy dose syringe mechanism to allow its accurate administration to rabbits, ferrets, exotic birds and reptiles. To make life simpler for pet owners, it has also provided detailed dosing instructions for worming all the species for which it is indicated.
First launched in 2008, Lapizole is a broad spectrum oral-antiparasiticide for use in the prevention and treatment of infections caused by internal parasites of rabbits, birds, reptiles and ferrets, including Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) in rabbits.
Genitrix' marketing director, Rob Watkins, said: "Lapizole proved itself as a highly effective treatment for E. cuniculi during its first year. Many of our customers have expressed the wish to use the treatment on a broader range of animals and in species groups for which highly accurate dosing and a syringe mechanism would be vital. We've taken their feedback on board and are delighted to be making Lapizole available to them with its new dispenser.
"The combination of efficacy, easy dosage and palatability make it an ideal product for the control of internal parasites in these species."
For more information, visit http://www.genitrix.co.uk/
The BSAVA reports that two four month old puppies in The Netherlands have tested positive for rabies.
The puppies were imported into The Netherlands from Bulgaria on October 5th. Reports indicate that these puppies, which were both microchipped and travelling under the Pet Passport scheme, originated from a shelter in Bulgaria. They are still trying to trace the driver and passenger who delivered the puppies.
One puppy started showing signs of fever and paralysis on 10th October and was euthanased on 18th October, it has tested positive for rabies on both direct immunofluorescence (DIF) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The second puppy was euthanased because it originated from the same litter, although it was living in a different area of the country by this time. This dog was suffering from haemorrhagic gastro-enteritis (HGE), but showed no neurological signs. However it has also tested positive for rabies on both DIF and PCR.
The BSAVA says this aspect of the case will be of particular concern to veterinary professionals in the UK because HGE is commonly seen in unvaccinated (imported) puppies. Preliminary reports do not make clear the vaccination status of these dogs.
BSAVA President, Professor Michael Day, said: "Not only does this demonstrate the need for pet owners to comply with pet travel legislation, but also for vets to be alert to the possibility of disease with any imported animal.
"Whilst we have been concerned about the issue of illegal imports and the enforcement of the current legislation, this latest incident also raises the possibility of rabies cases in dogs that appear to comply with the current pet passport regulation."
This calls into question whether veterinary staff in first opinion practice should be offered the pre-exposure rabies vaccination. The current recommendations from Public Health England are that all individuals at continuous and frequent risk of exposure to the rabies virus, as well as some groups at infrequent risk, should be offered pre-exposure rabies vaccination. Professor Day said: "Whilst veterinary professionals in companion animal practice are not currently included in this list, this might be a timely point to undertake a review based on a new risk assessment. I would be in support of practitioners who believe they are at risk having the option of the subsidised occupational vaccination."
UK veterinary surgeons are reminded that responsibility for dealing with illegal imports rests with local authorities; usually Trading Standards or Environmental Health. However, if a veterinary surgeon in practice has any suspicion of rabies or any other notifiable disease they should inform their local Animal Health Office.
The expert panel consisted of Peter Sandøe (Denmark), Professor of Ethics and Welfare; Helle Friis Proschowsky (Denmark), a veterinary surgeon working with the Danish Kennel Club; Laurent Findji (France/UK), Specialist in Soft Tissue Surgery; Gudrun Ravetz (UK) – Senior Vice President, British Veterinary Association; Kristin Wear Prestrud (Norway) – Veterinary Scientific Director of the Norwegian Kennel Club and Åke Hedhammar (Sweden), Professor Emeritus in Internal Medicine (companion animals), a veterinary consultant for the Swedish Kennel Club and a member of the WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee.
Kristin Wear Prestrud said: "Vets should dare to speak out. We must educate owners on all health and welfare matters, whether we are simply advising them that their dog is overweight or if we need to give advice on breeding or refuse planned Caesarean sections."
The panel's recommendations are:
At a practice level, veterinary professionals should:
At an organisational level, the veterinary profession should:
Photo: ponpimonsa_bibi/Shutterstock
From October 2020 it will be mandatory for all owners to microchip their horses, ponies and donkeys, or face a fine of up to £200. The new Central Equine Database will then allow local authorities and police to track down the owners of dumped horses and make sure they are punished. It will also mean lost or stolen horses will be reunited with their owners more easily.
Lord Gardiner, Animal Welfare Minister, said: "The government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and it is completely unacceptable that hundreds of horses and ponies are left abandoned every year by irresponsible owners.
"That is why we have today laid new regulations in Parliament requiring horses to be microchipped. This will bolster the ability of local authorities and police to identify abandoned animals, ensuring these beautiful creatures receive the care they deserve and that those who mistreat them will face the consequences."
The BVA has welcomed the move as an important step forward for horse welfare and the integrity of the UK food chain.
British Veterinary Association Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We welcome this announcement to extend compulsory microchipping and believe that the measures represent an important step forward for horse welfare and the integrity of the UK food chain. The one-off cost of microchipping a horse is minimal while the animal welfare benefits in terms of being able to identify lost, stolen, abandoned or fly grazing horses, and identify horses in the face of disease outbreak, as well as the benefits to the integrity of food chain safety, are enormous.
"Universal microchipping of domesticated horses ensures that the legislation has value, the cost of implementing the new Central Equine Database (CED) is not wasted, and that food safety is protected. Together these measures will protect horses, ponies and donkeys from irresponsible owners, help loving owners to be reunited with their animals and keep the food chain free from potentially contaminated horse meat."
The regulations for the database were laid in Parliament today and, subject to parliamentary approval, will come into force on 1 October 2018.
The manufacturer has identified that there is a potential for decreased levels of the preservative Chlorobutanol hemihydrate in the following batch: J2101-03 Expiry 11/2018.
Oxytobel is distributed in the UK by Bimeda UK. Veterinary practices that have purchased this batch number should contact Bimeda to arrange collection.
Any queries in relation to return of the product or credit for the product returned should be addressed to Kay Cowton, Bimeda UK Sales on 01248 725400 or email: uksales@bimeda.com
For further information on the recall please contact Bela-pharm GmbH & Co.KG: +49 (0) 44 41 873 294.
The campaign comprises a series of short videos featuring equine behaviourist Gemma Pearson MRCVS. The videos demonstrate quick and simple ways of teaching horses to be quiet, relaxed and safe for injections, clipping, worming, examinations and other veterinary procedures.
Equine practices can share the video links with clients here.
According to a paper published in the journal Equine Veterinary Education in January, an equine vet may expect to sustain between seven and eight work-related injuries that impede them from practicing, during a 30-year working life.1
This is far a higher figure than other civilian occupations such as the construction industry, prison service and the fire brigade.
Bruising, fracture and laceration to the leg or the head were the most common injuries reported with the main cause being a kick with a hind limb. Nearly a quarter of these reported injuries required hospital admission and 7% resulted in loss of consciousness.
David Mountford, CEO at BEVA said: "Many accidents reportedly occur when vets are trying to work with horses who have learnt to avoid examination or treatment and where handlers are not in full control. Gemma’s work at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and her amazing videos show how a little preparation can have a big impact on horse, owner and vet safety.”
David Catlow, Blue Cross director of clinical services, said: "These videos are a superb resource to help with behaviour training in horses and to help them remain calm and manageable in all sorts of circumstances. Time spent on behaviour training of horses, using positive reinforcement methods such as these, is time well spent for everyone’s safety. Blue Cross invests a great deal of time in behaviour training on the horses we rehome, and it works."
The seven practical videos cover how clients can train and prepare their horse for:
David Mountford added: "These videos make interesting viewing for vets as well as horse owners and build on Gemma’s eBEVA webinar "Practical Equine Behaviour" and the Guidance on Managing Equine Risks that BEVA has produced.”
You can watch the videos here.
Photo: Equine vets Malcolm Morley and Gemma Pearson
The RCVS has written to 625 veterinary nurses whose names have been removed from the List of Veterinary Nurses (incorporating the Register) for non-payment of fees.
Receipts and (R)VN cards have been sent to those whose fees have been paid and whose names remain on the List/Register.
The College is asking VNs who have not received a receipt and (R)VN card for 2013 to check online to ensure they remain registered/listed, and to contact the RCVS if unclear about their status (www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/check-the-register-list).
Employers are also advised to check that the VNs they employ remain on the Register/List, as those who are neither listed nor registered are not legally permitted to carry out minor surgery or medical treatment under Schedule 3 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. A list of VNs removed for non-payment is available from the RCVS website to assist with these checks.
Although the RCVS has written to the VNs who have been removed, it is likely that some of these nurses have not kept the RCVS informed about changes to their addresses. Consequently, these VNs may not receive letters, and may not have received the previous fee reminders sent by the RCVS.
The deadline for payment of fees to remain on the RCVS List of Veterinary Nurses was 1 November 2012, although the RCVS continued to accept fees until 31 December.
The RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council has celebrated the 50th anniversary of veterinary nursing at the House of Commons with a call for statutory regulation for the profession.
At a Golden Jubilee event hosted by Mr Roger Gale MP, Veterinary Nurses Council Chairman Liz Branscombe drew attention to the fact that there is no legal protection for the title 'veterinary nurse', despite qualified nurses playing "a unique role in the practice team".
This effectively means that anyone could work in a veterinary practice as a nurse, without taking the three- or four-year training required for Listed or Registered Veterinary Nurses.
Liz said: "We believe that the nation's animals and their owners deserve better than this. And it's not just a question of animal welfare: public health is at risk from the incorrect use of medicines - for example, the well documented development of antimicrobial resistance."
The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 was put in place only five years after the introduction of veterinary nurse training and too soon to fully recognise the potential of veterinary nursing as a profession in its own right.
As an interim measure, the RCVS has put in place a non-statutory Register for Veterinary Nurses, to which 86% of eligible nurses have signed up. Registered Veterinary Nurses agree to follow a code of conduct, keep their skills and knowledge up to date and abide by a disciplinary system. However, it is not possible for the College to bar those removed from the Register for serious professional misconduct from working as a veterinary nurse.
The Register also does not address the misuse of the title 'veterinary nurse' by unqualified people.
Liz asked MPs present at the House of Commons reception to sign up to an Early Day Motion tabled by Andrew Rosindell MP, which calls for statutory regulation for the veterinary nursing profession.
Others are urged to sign a petition on the Government's website which has been mounted by the British Veterinary Nursing Association and is supported by the College and the British Veterinary Association: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/18700.
The issues are being considered by the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Legislation Working Party and the group's recommendations will feed into the wider work of the RCVS Legislation Working Party, which will be reporting to the Defra Minister of State in the summer of 2012 with proposals as to how statutory regulation could be provided for a range of veterinary services, including veterinary nursing.
The RCVS is holding a session at the London Vet Show on Saturday 23rd October from 8:30am-9:30am to provide guidance and advice concerning the work the nursing team does in practice.
As the RCVS says, the recent Panorama programme "It shouldn't happen at a vets'" was a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring that all practice staff are working within the appropriate legal framework.
The session will answer such questions as:
Because of the early start, the RCVS is providing breakfast from 8:15am.
The RCVS says the session will be relevant for all members of the practice team, but that if you can't make the session, they will be on hand to discuss VN legislation on stand M26.
Jason (pictured right with Paul), said: "Let me tell you, that was hard! Nine days and 900km of mountain bike riding, with 250km technical single track and only about 10 km tar, but we did it! We are so proud to be able to contribute to a future for rhinos!"
The veterinary velocipedists were raising money for The Chipembere Foundation, which specialises in sourcing, testing and funding technology for monitoring rhinos. They fund K9 handlers and their tracking and apprehension dogs, as well as funding and providing anti-poaching teams with vital equipment needed to translocate rhinos across Southern Africa.
It costs about £38000 to translocate a rhino from South Africa to neighbouring Botswana where there is less poaching (for now). Satellite tracking leg collars cost £1500 with an annual service and VHF collars and transmitters costing around £220. Dog and dog handler training is in the region of around £5000 per dog and there are additional costs for kennels, transport vehicles and day to day items like bowls, brushes, leads etc.
If you want to support Jason and Paul in their efforts to make a positive difference to the plight of the fast-dwindling numbers of rhino, visit www.justgiving.com/teams/rhinocycle.
Norbrook has announced the launch of Total Pet Health Month 2012, a pet education campaign aimed at improving the health and welfare of dog and cats.
The campaign, which began on 13th August, offers advice and guidance to pet owners about a range of pet health problems. Norbrook says the main aim is to encourage owners to speak with their vet if they have any concerns about their pet.
The main vehicle for the campaign is the Norbrook's Pet Healthcare website on http://www.norbrook.com/pets-health/.
The first topic featured in Total Pet Health Month 2012 is parasite control and treatment. Norbrook commissioned petbuzz to carry out research on parasite concerns for pet owners.
Michelle Jones, Norbrook Small Animal Brand Manager said: "Almost 80% of pet owners reported seeing an increase in fleas and ticks in the summer so it is timely to launch Total Pet Health Month with a focus on parasite control. 70% of respondents were concerned about the risk of skin problems and discomfort in their pets due to fleas and ticks. We hope that our campaign will address these concerns and help pet owners manage what can be a very unpleasant and irritating problem."
The research highlighted that 63% of pet owners sought advice from a vet in relation to flea and tick treatment and 66% purchased treatments from a veterinary practice.
Michelle said: "It is very encouraging that two thirds of pet owners purchase treatments from a vet. Total Pet Health Month is a great opportunity for pet owners to find out more about concerns they have for their pets. We would actively encourage them to engage with animal health experts and veterinarians because they will get invaluable advice during the purchase which they may not otherwise get."
During Total Pet Health Month 2012, Norbrook will also look at conditions including gum disease and hip dysplasia.
Total Pet Health Month will run across the Total Pet Publishing network (a Europe-wide network of pet sites). Norbrook says it will engage with more than 3m pet owners, guiding them to the Norbrook pet healthcare portal and to seek solutions and treatments from their veterinary practice.
The petbuzz market research was conducted in May 2012 with 1,147 pet owners: 86% dog owners, 41% cat owners, 10% rabbit owners.
A new study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ)1 has concluded that whilst horse owners are increasingly looking to vets for worm control advice and use faecal worm egg counts more frequently, they remain largely unaware of the threat of resistance to dewormers and the importance of appropriate 'targeted' dosing.
The authors of the study say that although the findings are encouraging, they indicate that further effort is needed to help owners fully understand the issue of dewormer resistance, in order to help preserve the efficacy of dewormers currently available and protect the health and welfare of their horses.
According to the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), resistance of equine gastrointestinal worms to the currently available dewormers is a serious problem. The association says small redworm are the greatest concern, given their very high prevalence, potential to cause life-threatening disease and high levels of resistance. Of the three classes of anthelmintic available for their control, there is now widespread resistance to benzimidazoles (e.g. fenbendazole) and tetrahydropyrimidines (e.g. pyrantel) and reduced effectiveness of macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin). With no new classes of dewormer on the horizon, it's essential that efficacy of existing effective products is preserved.
The study was conducted by a UK team, led by Claire Stratford, Horse Trust Clinical Scholar in Equine Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and at Moredun Research Institute. The collaborators were also supported by funding from the Elise Pilkington Trust and Horserace Betting Levy Board.
The study examined equine helminth control practices in Scotland, and was based on responses from 193 questionnaires detailing the parasite control programmes of 993 horses and ponies. The results demonstrated a lack of awareness of the significance of dewormer resistance, with 86% of respondents stating that they were unaware of the presence of resistance on their yard. The majority were relatively unconcerned about dewormer resistance, assigning a score of only 6/10 (with 10 representing highest level of concern) when asked to grade how important they perceived it to be.
On a more positive note, many respondents stated that they involved their vet in planning control strategies. Faecal worm egg count (FWEC) analysis had been performed on 62% of yards and annual treatment frequency had been reduced accordingly. The macrocyclic lactones or related combination products were the most commonly administered products; however, owners did have misconceptions regarding the specific worms they should be targeting.
Although treatments licensed for use against encysted small redworm larvae were administered by 80% of respondents, only 57% perceived that they treated for this parasite stage. Similarly, only 78% of respondents believed they were treating for tapeworm when, in fact, 90% reported using a product licensed for tapeworm treatment.
While responses indicated increased implementation of strategic (44% respondents) or targeted control (40% respondents), variations in the apparent influence of the targeted approach on treatment practices suggested some confusion over this term. Claire Stratford said: "Targeted dosing involves using regular FWEC analysis to identify an individual's egg shedding level. This is currently considered best practice, when used in conjunction with annual dosing against encysted small redworm and tapeworm. The survey indicates a need for continued knowledge transfer, together with a consistent definition of 'targeted' treatment."
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "It's very encouraging to see that vet advice is being increasingly sought and it seems logical that the use of FWECs is rising accordingly. But, it is equally important that the information gained from the FWECs is used wisely. Resistance to dewormers is a major health concern that is with us right now and horse owners need to be made more aware of it."
Reference
Centaur Services has launched a range of health supplement soft chews for cats and dogs which can be ordered in custom, practice-branded packaging.
Centaur says the practice branding is designed to reinforce client relationships by encouraging clients to buy vet-recommended products direct from the practice, thereby reducing the loss of sales to the high street or online stores.
The chews consist of a flavoured base with a crumbly texture, into which various health supplements are blended. Centaur says they are particularly popular with owners who find it difficult to encourage their pets to consume supplements within harder carriers, as the soft chews are more akin to food and easier for the animals to consume.
Colm McGinn, Sales and Marketing Director of Centaur Services, said: "We're always looking for ways to innovate the offer we provide to our customers and make their businesses more successful. Not only are the chews a high quality product with excellent health benefits for pets, they also offer practices a new way of engaging with their clients by providing own-labelled products that come not only with the recommendation of their vet but also the trusted brand of the practice."
The chews are launching in five varieties. For dogs, there's joint support and a heart-shaped multi-vitamin. For cats, there's joint support, bladder support and hairball relief. Additional varieties are in development.
For more information call Centaur Services on 01963 350005 to arrange a visit, or for existing customers, contact your Territory Manager.
Veterinary nurse Kelly Lane, a second year nurse at Woodward Veterinary Surgery in Ashby-de-La-Zouch, Leicestershire has won a £1500 Multipurpose Rigid Telescope Kit for her practice in a MediChem International competition.
She also received £75 of M&S Vouchers and a bouquet of flowers for herself.
Correctly completing a competition at the company's stand at the BSAVA Congress, Ms Lane recently received her prize from Bernadette Haley of MediChem International and Cheryl Steer, managing director of Veterinary Endoscopy Services.
Ms Lane said: "It's an amazing piece of kit to win and I am thrilled to be adding to the services already offered by my practice."
Practice owner, David Woodward added "Everyone in the practice is delighted to receive this prize. It's a piece of equipment that has been on our wish list for some time."
Avid has released a new version of it's microchip registration system, which offers a significantly enhanced statistical analysis of the microchipping done at your practice.
The new MicroChip Plus section of the site is specifically for implanters, and contains the following:
Avid says the registration system, which has built-in postcode software, can now re-use more registration details, so that registering a complete litter will take less time. This is especially important when microchips are being registered for or by breeders.
Denise Chaloner, Manager at Avid said: “Avid MicroChip Plus gives our customers more control of how they manage pet microchipping within their organisation. Listening to feedback has inspired Avid to develop a more tailor-made and efficient system for the end user, also enabling the generation of reports, statistics and targets”.
Customers with supporting practice management systems may register microchips directly from their software using VetXML and VetEnvoy.
For more information contact Avid on freephone 0800 652 7 977 or email sales@avidplc.com
The European Parliament has voted 618 votes to 17 for an extension to the transitional arrangements contained within the regulation on the non-commercial movement of pet animals which afford the UK additional protection against rabies, ticks and tapeworms.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have been lobbying MEPs to support the extension and have strongly welcomed this decision.
The transitional arrangements allow the UK to impose stricter measures on the entry of pet animals and are designed to protect the UK from rabies, ticks and tapeworms (Echinococcus multilocularis).
The vote in the European Parliament today supports an extension of these arrangements until the end of 2011 and puts in place a system so that permanent measures can be imposed in the future for entry to specific Member States based on scientific evidence. The decision will have to be ratified by the European Agriculture Council before coming into force.
Parasitologist Maggie Fisher from ESCCAP said: "This provides the UK with invaluable time to mount a solid scientific case for retaining the requirement for tick and tapeworm treatment indefinitely."
Professor Bill Reilly, President of the BVA, said: "The BVA and BSAVA have worked closely with Defra to secure this extension to the arrangements and we will now be pushing for investment in additional scientific research that will give us a clearer picture of the threat of the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis and other exotic and emerging diseases."
Dr Richard Dixon, President of BSAVA, added: "This decision in Europe is strongly welcomed and we are pleased that veterinary associations across Europe supported our position. The next stage is to gather further evidence to ensure the UK is protected in the future.
"In the meantime, the key message for pet owners is that they must talk to their vets as early as possible to find out how to protect them from disease and parasites when travelling abroad."
Whilst the decision has been welcomed by the BVA and leading animal charities, it has not been entirely free of controversy. According to various reports, the Press Association has seen a letter from Defra to the Royal Veterinary College in February this year, which said the scientific studies it had commissioned were 'not strong enough to support a ban'.
Talking to the BBC, Ian Gregory, a lobbyist for pet collar manufacturers said that charities had also exaggerated the shock delivered by the collars, which at typically one millijoule is 1000 times less than cattle fencing. He argued that: "The anecdotal problems reported with pet collars can be resolved by product standards rather than by banning a proven technology".
The government has stopped short of banning invisible fencing systems which can keep pets away from roads, saying that the devices are particularly useful for cat owners and animals often respond well to invisible fencing and quickly learn to stay within a boundary without receiving a static pulse.
BVA President John Fishwick said: "As we review the latest evidence on the welfare impact of pulse pet containment fences, we would like to see them covered by a code of practice, as well as the regulation of the sale of these devices and manufacturer’s instructions, to ensure that the potential adverse effects of use are highlighted to animal owners and consumers."
Photo: Shutterstock
Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses will be able to try their hands at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons code-cracking competition at the London Vet Show at Olympia on 24-25 November.
At the RCVS breakfast session on the Friday morning (8.30, part of the Business Stream), President Dr Jerry Davies will unlock the secrets of the proposed new Codes of Professional Conduct for vets and VNs.
To promote this breakfast session, the RCVS is inviting visitors to come to its stand (J90) to solve photo enigmas, using clues provided to decipher a series of words that appear in the proposed new Codes. The winner will be in line to receive a pair of super sleuthing video glasses.
VNs who missed BVNA Congress can also get their hands on a 50th anniversary commemorative chocolate medallion by visiting the RCVS stand.
Coffee and pastries will be served at the morning session on Friday - there's no need to book, just turn up.
40% of Brits are more likely to trust their vet's advice above that of other health practitioners such as GPs, dentists and opticians, according to research announced today by Petplan.
The younger generation are the least trusting in their human healthcare providers with a resounding majority of those surveyed in the 16 to 24 age group saying they are most likely to trust their vet's advice over their doctor's.
Nationally, nearly four out of ten pet owners put more faith in vets than doctors, rising to 7 in 10 in some parts of the country.
Talking of which, my mother needs a new hip. Any of you up for it?
The new service, a partnership between the university's School of Veterinary Medicine and Arrogen Forensics, will arm enforcement agencies such as the RSPCA and UK police forces with detailed evidence to help prosecute individuals for crimes against or involving animals.
Arrogen Veterinary Forensics is led by Dr Alex Stoll, Lead Forensic Veterinary Pathologist at the University of Surrey and Operations Director at ArroGen, and Jo Millington, Scientific Director and Lead Forensic Scientist at ArroGen, pictured right.
Alex said: "A key objective is to help investigators increase the success rate in the prosecution of individuals who commit crimes against animals. We are working closely with the RSPCA and UK police forces to optimise the scientific evidence that could form the missing link in their investigations.
"Another objective of the collaboration is to develop a strong social justice agenda with the aim of disrupting crime patterns. It is becoming increasingly well documented that animal cruelty can be used as a component part of domestic violence and there is a growing body of evidence to indicate that people who harm animals are more likely to abuse humans. We want to work with agencies to address the progression of animal to human criminal behaviour."
Jo said: "This unique collaboration brings together experts in animal diagnostics and research with specialists who have worked within the forensic sphere of the UK human Criminal Justice system for many years.
"Why not apply the same principles to the investigation of animal crime? By harnessing our collective knowledge of forensic and animal science we are simply building on our existing infrastructure and experience as human medico-legal practitioners to offer a novel and focussed integrated animal forensics service."
For more information, visit: http://vetforensics.co.uk
A debate held at BEVA Congress last month ended with more than 70% of voters disagreeing with the motion: this house believes that new vet schools will benefit equine veterinary practice in the UK.
The result reflects a recent industry survey indicating that up to five times as many veterinary graduates may be seeking work in equine practice as there are jobs available.
Chris Proudman, founding head of Surrey University's new School of Veterinary Medicine and Mark Bowen, Associate Professor of Veterinary Internal Medicine at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, advocated that new UK vet schools are important for the advancement of the profession.
Mark Bowen said: "New UK vet schools will benefit the profession by improving the standards of veterinary education and creating what the consumer wants." He argued that new schools would help improve teaching methods and clinical training, while the resultant smaller class sizes would provide greater opportunities for hands on training. Competition would also help to drive up standards and inspire other universities to instigate much-needed changes such as focusing on quality of teaching rather than research.
Chris Proudman emphasised the flexibility of a new vet school to be progressive and innovative in both curriculum design and teaching delivery. He said: "Designing a curriculum from scratch allows novel approaches to partnership working and to the One Health agenda. New schools can deliver veterinary graduates better equipped with the skills and knowledge to be the veterinary leaders of the future."
The proposers also reasoned that if school leavers cannot find a place in a UK vet school they can now attend English language veterinary schools in universities across the EU, many of which do not have European accreditation to ensure standards of education. Therefore the increase in numbers of veterinary graduates is irresistible and the authorities can only influence the numbers trained in the UK and govern the high quality of teaching that is provided in the UK.
Alastair Welch, a partner at Donnington Grove Veterinary Group in Berkshire and Lucy Grieve, vet at Darley Pre-Training in Newmarket, staunchly countered the motion. They maintained that new vet schools would have a detrimental impact on the industry over the longer term and that their introduction demonstrated a slackening of the RCVS's management of the profession.
Alastair said: "Both anecdotal and empirical data suggest that becoming a horse vet has never been harder. The seemingly endless supply of hard-working, well-qualified school leavers determined to become equine vets provides universities with a reliable income stream for years to come but at what cost? I remain to be convinced that we will not end up educating veterinary graduates who cannot find a position in their intended career."
Lucy contended that it was irresponsible and immoral to allow individuals to commit five or six years, and tens of thousands of pounds, towards a veterinary career without them first being made aware of the limited opportunities available in very popular sectors of the profession such as equine practice.
Paul Jepson, President of BEVA, said: "With more than 70% of voters opposing the motion there is clearly a discernable level of disquiet amongst BEVA members about the current job market in equine practice and the further dilution of opportunities that increased numbers of graduates will create."
To help address the growing challenges faced by new graduates BEVA has recently introduced an Internship Awareness Programme (IAP). The scheme aims to help students and vets navigate the opportunities available as an intern and helps equine veterinary practices to find the most suitable employees for their practice.
You should be able to view the debate here: http://www.fsmevents.com/beva/congress13-session34. If not, the debate can be viewed on the BEVA website by following these instructions. Click the Webinar tab. Then click register. Then complete the £0 transaction and you will be able to access the free webinars. Select 'Free sessions' (Click the + symbol). Select 'Current Affairs: New vet schools - supply and demand?'
Jon Pycock, President of BEVA said: "A significant number of BEVA members have young children and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to enjoy Congress without having to worry about making separate plans for childcare at home. We have already had a great response to the idea and it’s looking like the crèche is going to be very popular."
The theme of this year's Congress is helping horse vets celebrate the benefits and pleasures of their job.
In addition to the social and scientific programme at Congress, there will be special sessions on reproduction, non-clinical aspects of being a vet, succession planning, a moral maze debate on specials manufacturing and role play demonstrations on how to manage difficult situations in practice.
Dr Juan Samper, Associate Dean for students and instruction at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine will be giving the plenary lecture on the challenges and opportunities in equine practice.
There will also be specific lecture streams for veterinary nurses, equine dental technicians and farriers.
For more information on the BEVA Congress crèche or to reserve your child's place, contact Jocelyn@beva.org.uk or call 01638 723558. BEVA says places are limited so early booking is advised.
The BEVA Congress programme can be viewed at www.bevacongress.org.