In the study1, records from a large commercial diagnostic laboratory were searched for canine skin masses submitted for histopathology from dogs aged between 0-12 months from practices based in the UK and Europe.
For each case, data on the breed, age and sex of the dog, the body location of the sample, and the diagnosis made by the original reporting histopathologist were recorded.
For the purposes of the study, masses were included which were cystic, hyperplastic or neoplastic, but not inflammatory.
Submissions of samples from the eyes, anal glands and nails were excluded and only MCTs submissions that were cutaneous were included.
Risk factor analysis using multivariable binary logistic regression modelling was carried out for skin masses with at least 30 submissions.
Professor Ken Smith, corresponding author for the paper, said: “A total of 2553 submissions for a skin mass were included in the study.
"Across all the skin masses, the majority (94.3%) were neoplastic in nature.
"Of the neoplastic lesions, 98.5% were considered benign.
"Almost all of the benign neoplastic lesions were of round cell origin (94.0%), whereas most of the non-neoplastic lesions were derived from the epithelium (93.8%).
“The most common histopathological diagnoses for skin masses were histiocytoma (86.6%), papilloma (3.5%), dermoid cyst (3.3%), follicular cyst (1.7%) and MCT (1.4%).
"Multivariable analysis revealed that Labrador retrievers, Boxers and Golden retrievers had reduced odds of histiocytoma compared to crossbreed dogs.
"Male neutered dogs had lower odds of dermoid cyst compared with female entire animals.
"Dogs aged 9 to 12 months had significantly higher odds of follicular cyst compared with dogs aged under 6 months, whilst dogs aged over 6 months showed significantly higher odds of MCT than dogs under 6 months of age.”
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “Retrospective studies that include a large number of cases such as this one are an invaluable resource for clinicians working in any setting.
"The findings of this study corroborate those of previous research, suggesting that a skin mass in a young dog is very likely to be a histiocytoma.
"However, the risk factor analysis in this paper identified a number of different predilections to those previously recognised, indicating a need for continued research in this area.”
The full article can be found in the January issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and can be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13418
Reference
MORE TH>N Pet Insurance has released the results of its Pet Theft Census, which looked into the prevalence of pet theft in the UK.
The research shows that in 2012, 833 dogs and 83 cats were reported stolen to the police. That trend has continued into 2013, with 722 dogs and 62 cats reported stolen by the end of October.
MORE TH>N says the average value of a stolen cat or dog is £344.86, which would mean that pets worth £678,000 have been stolen since the start of 2012.
However, according to the survey of 4865 cat and dog owners, 37% of cat and dog thefts in the last 12 months were never actually reported to the police, so the value of stolen pets is likely far greater.
According to the survey, pets left in gardens were the most likely to be stolen (52%), followed by those left home alone (19%). Looking at dogs specifically,16% were stolen by brazen thieves while being walked by their owner. 7% were stolen when left tied up outside a shop and 5% were stolen from a car.
To help tackle the issue, MORE TH>N is giving away 500 free microchips for cats and dogs at five RSPCA centres across the UK. A hundred will be available in each centre on a first-come first-served basis. For more information visit www.facebook.com/morethan.
Sabrina joins Fran Taylor-Brown, Simon Bertram and head of service Tom Cardy.
Tom, a European and RCVS specialist in neurology, said Cave is now the biggest specialist-led neurology service in the South West:
“We are very pleased to have Sabrina join the neurology service at Cave, expanding our team to four European and RCVS-recognised specialists in veterinary neurology. This really sets Cave apart from our competitors.
“Sabrina’s arrival, in conjunction with the installation of our new state-of-the-art MRI scanner, means we can see most urgent neurology referrals within 24-48 hours in nearly all cases and increase the number of neurology cases we treat each day.”
Cave’s new £1.2m Phillips Ingenia 1.5T Evolution offers 50% faster scans at a far higher resolution than its previous MRI and shorter general anaesthetics for patients.
It also allows a more detailed and accurate diagnosis of complex neurological conditions.
Tom added: “The MRI scanner is one of the most advanced imaging modalities for the nervous system, providing millimetre-thick cross-sectional images of the brain and spinal cord which is essential for both accurate diagnosis and treatment.
“Having such advanced equipment and facilities plus four recognised specialists means all our clients and their pets will see a vet with the highest level of training in veterinary neurology.
“All of our specialists are happy to discuss challenging cases on the phone with our referring vets and Sabrina's skills and enthusiasm will continue to improve and diversify the service we offer.
https://cave-vet-specialists.co.uk
The fellowship provide a grant of up to £35,000 for work in companion animal research to be spent over a maximum of two years.
Applications are open to veterinary nurses who have completed a postgraduate qualification such as a PhD or Masters, and who are within the first four years after starting an academic post (Lecturer, Fellowship or above) and have received no more than £50,000 of funding in competitive external grants to date.
David Killick, Chair of the BSAVA PetSavers Grants Awarding Committee said: “BSAVA PetSavers is delighted to launch the PetSavers Research Fellowship.
"It is well recognised that the journey from completion of a PhD to becoming established as an independent researcher is one of the most challenging times of a researcher career.
“With this new grant BSAVA PetSavers will support exceptional veterinary professionals in the Early Career Researcher phase develop their research ideas by providing £35,000 towards research costs over a two-year period.
"Through this initiative BSAVA PetSavers aims to help these researchers reach their potential and in so doing expand the capacity for companion animal research in the UK.”.
Applications close on 28th February 2022, and a decision will be made by the end of May 2022.
To apply for the Research Fellowship, visit the BSAVA PetSavers website: https://www.petsavers.org.uk/Apply-for-funding/research-fellowship.
It is not the first time Roundhouse Referrals has innovated in this area. Last year, it launched the first 'Fixed Price TPLO' - a guarantee that pet owners will have no additional costs, should complications arise and further treatment be required following surgery.
Ross Allan, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery and Surgical Lead at Roundhouse Referrals, said: "We loved the idea of providing price certainty for referral clients, allowing those with no or lower levels of insurance to access our services and plan their finances. We also realised that in putting 'Fixed Price Fix' first and foremost we are also immediately highlight the possibility of complications and we felt the very best way to provide context for owners and referring vets would be to be open about our outcomes."
Following on from this Roundhouse Referrals has published the first of what it says will be a series of reports on TPLO+ clinical outcomes and customer satisfaction.
Ross said: "I think we're the first in Scotland to publish this kind of information outside scientific journals in a way that is easily accessible for pet owners, maybe in the whole of the UK."
The clinical outcome data was collected using a previously published questionnaire which enabled clients to give feedback on their pet’s recovery and status following their TPLO+ surgery.
According to Roundhouse, the results show that over 97% of dog owners rated their pets’ outcome as either excellent (85.29%) or good (11.76%) based on the first 70 TPLO+ surgeries performed. A figure which Ross says compares favourably with studies that have been previously published.
Additionally, 94.1% of pet owners agreed that if faced with having to make a similar decision again, they would choose to have the TPLO+ surgery done at Roundhouse Referrals, compared to 84.6% of owners in the previous study.
The results from the Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire showed that 100% of Roundhouse Referrals’ clients felt supported throughout the referral process, 96.97% of clients felt that the TPLO+ surgery was adequately explained and 100% would recommend Roundhouse Referrals to a friend or colleague.
Ross said: "Pet owners whose dogs’ had been through TPLO+ surgery and rehabilitation completed this questionnaire, enabling us to start measuring the outcome of the surgery, our aim being to ensure the surgery is optimal for the pet, and that owners feel supported throughout the entire surgical journey.
"We are delighted with these results, and will continue to monitor our outcomes and commit to publish our TPLO+ clinical outcome and customer satisfaction questionnaire results in the months and years ahead".
The new aids will make their debut at this month's Vet Festival (20-21 May 2022, Loseley Park, Surrey).
The Flexi-Wedge (pictured) positioning aid aims to deliver both better quality and easier to interpret imaging, and to facilitate the ideal positioning of surgical patients.
The second product is the Saddle-Sandbags, which The Big Dog Bed Company says address two problems – the need to hold a patient in place without loading weight to any part of the body and the tendency of existing sandbags to leak sand after a few months of manipulation to different shapes.
Dru Ross, Director at Big Dog Bed Company said: “Support wedges are obviously widely used in the veterinary field.
"The difference with the design of the Flexi-Wedge is that they can be held securely in the desired position and are fully adjustable, making them suitable for a wide range of patient size and shape”.
“The Saddle-Sandbag is designed for those situations when a limb needs to be held out securely without any load on it and standard sandbags are not suited to this purpose.
"There is no need to manipulate the sandbag to the desired shape.
"The weight is split between two bags joined by a broad central strap so the strap is placed round or over the limb”.
James Weston, Managing Director at Northwest Referrals was one of the first to use the Flexi-Wedge.
James said: “I’ve never had such a straight spine when scanning a greyhound before using these supports. Every CT scanner should be sold with these”.
Patrick Harte MRCVS from the The Sidings Veterinary Surgery said: “The weighted ends make these sandbags much easier to handle.
"The larger aid is excellent for holding upper thoracic limb out of the way for lateral views of the elbow, for instance and the width of the flat part of the aid is perfect for wrapping around the antebrachium of the thoracic limb.”
The Flexi-Wedges and the Saddle-Sandbag products use waterproof, antibacterial, wipe clean fabrics in which the seams are thermally welded so no moisture can enter and no sand can escape.
The Flexi-Wedges are available in two lengths 60cm and 90 cm.
They are supplied with wipe clean straps that can be tailored to the size of table on which they are used.
The Saddle-Sandbags are available in three sizes.
Sarah Fitzpatrick, Head of Partnerships and Events at BSAVA said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with CVS to support the small animal veterinary profession, through the development and upskilling of veterinary professionals.
"The BSAVA manuals are a go-to vet resource, and by providing this access to CVS they become even more valuable to the community through their use in practice and in consults.”
Joseph Williams, Veterinary Director for the CVS Small Animal Division said: “At CVS we are passionate about giving the best possible care to animals. We take our responsibility seriously to help colleagues to do that, investing in training and through the support given via our Hub Clinical Leadership team.
"BSAVA manuals have long been a trusted reference point for clinical information in our industry. We’re excited to partner with the BSAVA and now, with access to this great resource, every CVS clinician, whether in the consult room, prep room or on a visit, is now just a couple of clicks away from 46 manuals with over 1400 chapters covering all disciplines from anaesthesia to wildlife casualties.’’
With the profession currently suffering a staffing crisis, some now question the ability of the profession to provide a blanket OOH service, and whether it should remain a requirement for all practices.
A logical first step, however, might be to discover just what percentage of OOH calls really are genuine emergencies, and how many are simply the result of society's increasing demands for a 24 hour service, not just from the veterinary profession. Hence the survey.
The question is open to veterinary surgeons and nurses working in general practice only.
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6495987/Out-Of-Hours
The company says the results of the survey of puppy dental health will be shared with industry experts to help advance understanding and evaluate the future impact on veterinary practices.
Veterinary nurses can also sign up for a free webinar on puppy dental disease led by Head of the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Department at the Royal (Dick) Vet School, Ingrid Tundo on 28th April at 7.30 pm at https://veterinarywebinars.com/register/puppy-dentistry-malocclusion.
Cat Henstridge MRCVS, who is fronting the campaign said: “I’m very pleased to be helping to raise awareness of the VisioCare Puppy Tooth Census and this important issue.
"It is so important for all of us in the profession to be helping to identify disease patterns and the scale of the problem. It also provides us with a great opportunity to involve our clients and start discussions about the importance of good dental care.”
VisioCare says the Puppy Tooth Census only takes a few minutes to complete and can be filled in for individual cases or healthy puppy mouths.
Every veterinary respondent will be given a free pack of educational materials to use in the consulting room, including state-of-the art digital animations and dental images that can be used to enhance client communication around the topic, together with explainer videos and puppy owner fact sheets and leaflets.
In addition, each month for the next three months, responses will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £50 John Lewis gift voucher.
For further information or to complete the census for a case, visit: http://www.visiocareservices.co.uk/puppy-tooth-census.
The resource includes content from Companion, BSAVA Congress, and the BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties.
Topics range from hand-rearing to anaesthesia to relevant legal questions and cover both hedgehogs and general wildlife casualties.
Liz Mullineaux, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Wildlife Medicine (Mammalian), Senior Vice President of the British Veterinary Zoological Society, and editor of the BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties, said: "Hedgehogs are the most common mammalian wildlife casualty seen by veterinary surgeons.
"Those caring for these animals have very variable knowledge and look to vets for appropriate help, advice, and clinical care.
"It’s therefore really important that vets and vet nurses in practice have some good information about hedgehogs to hand.
"As well as knowing about clinical conditions, a broader understanding of wildlife rehabilitation is essential.
The collection, which costs £20.00 for BSAVA members or £45.00 for non-members, can be accessed via the BSAVA Library: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/hedgehogs.
16 clinics are affected by the investigation, namely Penrose Veterinary Group Limited, Kevin Castle (Pet Care) Ltd, Swayne & Partners Ltd, Treforest Veterinary Clinic Ltd, Mercer & Hughes Limited, Swaffham Veterinary Centre Limited, Anglesey Pet Clinic Ltd, Chiltern Equine Clinic.
It's not the first time, of course, that the CMA has intervened in the veterinary profession.
Earlier this year, it investigated the acquisition of Quality Pet Care (trading as The Vet) by CVS, and then Vet Partners' acquisition of Goddards, which led to CVS selling The Vet and Vet Partners selling eight of the 47 Goddards sites to Linnaeus.
An IVC spokesperson said: “IVC Evidensia is working closely with the CMA and engaging constructively with this review."
177 delegates took part in the survey, which found that even the most commonly used digital tool, namely automated reminders, are not being used by more than a third of all practices.
Less than 60% are using digital records.
Less than half are using online booking, which Provet says can significantly improve the customer experience.
Less than 20% have implemented integrated payments or telemedicine or 'pet parent' apps.
The survey also found that 42% are still using old server technology, rather than cloud-based solutions (28%).
The company has produced a guide to what you should look for in a practice management system, including pros and cons of cloud vs. server-based solutions and digital tools that can improve service level whilst saving time, which you can download here.
The programme offers employers a variety of options, including antigen and antibody testing, environmental testing, a daily wellness symptom checker app and ongoing site monitoring to identify asymptomatic spreaders and pre-symptomatic spreaders, neither of which are identified by the current routine government testing programmes.
Dr Tony Cooke, lead scientist and director at ReCoVa-19 (pictured right) said: "Businesses, such as veterinary practices are struggling to serve the needs of their clients while also protecting their employees in their role as essential workers. Vets also recognise the value of reliable testing at a sustainable cost and the best practice approach. Concerns over obligations with regard to the health and safety of employees and uncertainty, are significant barriers to normal working practices but with the level of testing and support we can provide that’s no longer necessary.”
The company says the new programme is highly accurate and affordable, and can be tailored for businesses of all sizes.
For more information, visit: www.recova-19.com.
Earlier in the year, we conducted a survey of veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons to discover what you feel are the biggest weaknesses in social media for the sharing of knowledge and experience.
By far the biggest problem was that on Facebook, you cannot tell how well qualified someone is to answer your question. So unless you know them offline, you simply do not know whether they are an expert in their field, or not.
As part of the VetNurse upgrade, we'll be launching new 'VetNurse Expert Forums', where any member can come and ask for help, but only those who have applied and been validated as 'Experts' can reply. When they do, their answer can be branded with their logo and contact details. They'll also be rewarded with points. And points mean prizes!
So, you may wish to become a VetNurse Expert because you find it rewarding helping others in the profession, or because you want to promote something - such as your training establishment or perhaps that your practice is a nice place to work, or perhaps you have just written a book! Or maybe you'd just like to be in with a chance of winning some prizes. It doesn't matter which!
Either way, time spent asking or answering questions can also be claimed towards your CPD requirement, using VetNurse.co.uk's 'Claim CPD' feature which produces a certificate with a record of those Q&A discussions you have taken part in, completely free of charge.
If you'd like to be a VetNurse.co.uk Expert, please enrol here: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5375658/VetNurse-Experts
If you have any questions, do come and discuss here: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/nonclinical/f/16/t/31865.aspx
The service uses an Xstrahl 100 superficial radiotherapy system, a £150,000 piece of equipment installed by Paragon after it was used successfully in the USA by the hospital's medical and radiation oncology specialist, Dr Rodney Ayl.
Rodney (pictured right) says the new equipment will transform the way Paragon can treat skin cancers, dermatological disorders and some other common superficial conditions.
He said: “This is a very exciting development for us and our clients because Xstrahl systems have been used so successfully in human medicine for many years.
“This prompted us to explore adapting the SRT system for veterinary use in the UK and we hope to collaborate with Colorado State University, which has a similar unit, to develop protocols for pets.
“We believe this will be a significant advance in the treatment and care of animals and we’re delighted to be at the forefront of introducing this new service.
“It is the only one of its kind for pets in the UK and there are very few units like this anywhere in the veterinary industry, so it really is an important move forward.”
Xstrahl radiotherapy systems were originally designed for the treatment of skin cancer, dermatological disorders, certain types of benign disease and some palliative care in humans.
Rodney says that having adapted the SRT system for animals will transform their treatment and the logistics and cost of getting radiation therapy for superficial skin conditions.
He added: “Superficial radiotherapy is particularly useful for treating some types of skin cancer where it may be preferable to surgery as it can deliver excellent non-invasive outcomes with curative or palliative intent.
“The treatment is less stressful from the outset and, thanks to its mechanism of action, it is also pain-free.
“Its use of different size cones, directly over the lesion, minimises effects on healthy skin and the fast treatment means a large reduction in time and impact on the patient’s day-to-day life, while providing a highly-effective treatment.
“The machine’s flexibility also makes it particularly suited for treating multiple lesions that are difficult to access, such as the head and neck, without changing patient positioning.
“The Xstrahl 100 system will help us to respond to the growing demand for radiation treatment and we can treat these patients on an outpatient basis, helping us to reduce surgical and hospitalisation costs.
“The technology is a real winner. It is easy to use and helps us to deliver safe and effective radiotherapy to our animal patients.
“It provides a quicker, easier, cheaper and non-invasive alternative for superficial tumours, especially in geriatric patients where surgery is not always an option. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive results here at Paragon.”
For more information, visit www.paragonreferrals.co.uk.
Building on the success of last year's hybrid Congress, BVNA will be streaming all live lectures and special events online, making it a more accessible three-day event for veterinary nurses in the UK and the rest of the world.
The scientific programme of lectures includes Rehabilitation; Wildlife, Zoo and Exotics; Emergency & Critical Care; Equine; Wound Management; Behaviour; Advanced Nursing; Infection Control, and more.
The special events running alongside are:
BVNA President, Alex Taylor (pictured right), said: "BVNA Congress 2022 is going to be a fantastic event, as there’s something for everyone.
"The scientific programme is packed full of a variety of interesting and thought-provoking lectures, which will not only be available for our in-person delegates, but also remote delegates too.
"It will come as no surprise that I am particularly looking forward to the feline stream, so if you have a keen interest in feline nursing then you should definitely attend this year’s BVNA Congress!
"As well as lectures we will be hosting a series of fringe events, where will be discussing matters that are important to the veterinary nursing profession, so the more delegates who attend these events the better – your voice needs to be heard.
"For those of you want something more practical, there will be a series of workshops too, so watch this space.
"As always there will an exhibition and of course the famous dinner dance event, which is a lot of fun.
"This year’s theme will be ‘Feline fabulous with Cattitude’ so get ready to strut your stuff and show us your best kitty moves at the cat-themed ball!”
For more information or to book tickets, visit: https://the-bvna-shop.myshopwired.com/programm
The recall is due to the fact that particulates have been found in identified batches of product during routine stability testing.
The affected batches are:
This issue only applies to the batches listed above. All other batches and the 20 ml pack size are not affected.
For further information regarding the recall, contact Richard Beckwith on 07584 099536 or: richard.beckwith@jurox.co.uk.
The College says the event is aimed at RVNs who are interested in upholding standards of veterinary nursing professional conduct and who would like to help the RCVS maintain public confidence in the veterinary nursing profession. Prospective applicants for these roles should ideally have a minimum of five years' experience in veterinary nurse practice.
Attendees will have the opportunity to chat to representatives of the committee, and the staff involved in handling cases that go to disciplinary hearings. There will also be a short presentation on the application process from Thewlis Graham Associates – the external agency handling the recruitment.
RCVS staff and DC members will present some anonymised VN DC / DC example cases to talk through in small informal groups, to help convey an idea of the work involved and the challenges one could expect to face when making decisions on allegations of serious professional misconduct or fitness to practise.
The overall programme will be run in the afternoon from 3pm – 5pm and repeated in the early evening from 6pm – 8pm, to suit differing diaries and travel times. Snacks and refreshments will be provided on the day, and the RCVS will reimburse reasonable travel expenses for attendees.
Places at the information day can be reserved by contacting Deborah Rowlanes, RCVS Events Manager, via D.Rowlanes@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773. The deadline for registering is Friday 21 February 2020.
Alternatively, if you can't attend on the day itself, but would like to speak to the RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services Eleanor Ferguson about the vacancies, you can contact Deborah to arrange a convenient time.
Prospective committee members will then have until 5pm GMT Monday 2 March to submit their applications. Applications can be submitted through the Thewlis Graham Associates website: www.thewlisgraham.com/assignment-briefings.
The study1 was led by the RVC’s VetCompass programme and included 22,333 dogs whose health was followed for a year, during which 1,580 were recorded by the vet as overweight; roughly 1 in 14.
The authors point out that this figure is probably just the tip of the iceberg, because not every overweight pet will receive veterinary attention.
The study also found that certain breeds were especially prone to weight gain, including Pugs, Beagles, Golden Retrievers and English Springer Spaniels.
As well as showing that specific breeds were at differing risk, the study also highlighted that being neutered and middle-aged were additionally associated with increasing chances of dogs being overweight.
The main findings were:
Owners are encouraged to discuss their dog’s weight and lifestyle on every visit to their veterinary practice. This is of particular importance in the high-risk dogs identified in this study such as Pugs, Beagles, neutered and middle-aged dogs.
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass Epidemiologist at the RVC, and author of the paper, said: "This study has used the power of “big data” to robustly address the risk factors for obesity in dogs. Pugs, Beagles and Golden Retrievers were at greatest risk of obesity compared with crossbreeds.
"As well as genetics, management style could in part drive these breed predispositions. Whilst veterinary professionals and owners should focus efforts on obesity prevention strategies in all dogs, those identified at high-risk, such as Pugs, Beagles and Golden Retrievers, may need a more targeted approach."
Dr Eleanor Raffan, Associate Lecturer in Systems Physiology, at the University of Cambridge, and co-author of the paper, said:
“Where breed increases risk of a problem, it means genes are likely to be at least in part to blame and our previous work suggests that genetics drives a high appetite in some breeds. The bad news is that owners of food-obsessed dogs have to work much harder to keep their dogs at a healthy weight – the good news is that it can be done.”
Animalcare says the wipes deliver tartar reduction with some mechanical action without the difficulties that some owners experience when using a toothbrush. The company says they can also help owners grow more comfortable with handling their pets’ mouths before they progress to full toothbrushing.
Animalcare Senior Brand Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: “With periodontal disease so common in dogs and cats, supporting owners to help them start and maintain an oral health regime for their pet is essential.
“Toothbrushing is, of course, the Gold Standard but it must be done frequently to achieve a significant degree of efficacy.
"For many owners this is just not possible and, if they find it difficult, the risk is that they then give up and their pet’s oral health is neglected.
"One of the founding principles of the Plaqtiv+ range is to offer proven technology in multiple formats which can be used daily by owners as an alternative to toothbrushing, as part of a programme to build up to toothbrushing or within a multi-modal framework.
"Launching our new dental wipes is the latest step in achieving this goal.”
To support Plaqtiv+, Animalcare has published a website with content for both veterinary professionals and pet owners.
For veterinary professionals, there's advice about how to start discussions with clients about dental care and tools to help them recognise signs of dental pain.
The pet owner site offers information on the importance of dental health in pets and advice on establishing a dental care regime.
www.dental.pet
Lead author Professor Clare Rusbridge, Chief of Neurology at Fitzpartick Referrals, conducted the study because of a lack of clarity on the recognition and diagnosis of the clinical signs associated with CM as opposed to syringomyelia (SM).
CM is an abnormality in the skull, making it smaller, and impacting on the brain to alter the flow of cerebrospinal fluid; this results in pain and a collection of fluid pockets within the spinal cord. These fluid pockets are commonly known as SM and over time can cause irreversible damage to a dog’s spinal cord. However it is not clear whether signs of pain in affected dogs are due to CM or SM or both.
To try to rectify this, Clare studied the medical records of all the cavalier King Charles spaniels diagnosed with CM-associated clinical signs presenting to her at Fitzpatrick Referrals over a five year period. She documented the historical and examination findings and related them to the MRI findings, including presence and size of the SM.
She found common signs in all dogs were vocalisation, spinal pain (neck, middle or lower back), reduced activity, reduced stairs or jumping ability, aversion to being touched or groomed, altered emotional state (described as being more timid, anxious, withdrawn or aggressive) and sleep disturbance.
A tendency to rub or scratch at the head or ears was common but was more likely in dogs with small or no SM suggesting that this may be a sign of head discomfort associated with CM. Head and ear rubbing was not associated with the presence of material within the middle ear (a condition which is also common in this breed and often given the acronym PSOM).
The only signs that were specific to SM were phantom scratching, scoliosis (twisted spine) and weakness and these were only present when the SM was large (at least 4mm wide).
Clare says this study is important because it suggests that CM alone is a cause of pain in many dogs. The aim now is to use the information gained in this study to develop a questionnaire to determine risk of CM and monitor the response to clinical signs.
Photo: Charlie on a bad day
IIC is an independent customer experience agency which conducts assessments, develops insights and awards annual accreditations to businesses.
For its accreditations, IIC uses feedback from customers, employees and the management team to assess the customer experience delivered by an organisation.
Customer services manager at Pennard Vets, Collette Rednall, who is also an IIC Ambassador, said: “We are the first in our industry to go through the rigorous process and we are thrilled to achieve a gold award.
“There are just 36 businesses in the UK that have achieved gold status – so this a fabulous achievement for every single one of our 100-strong team.”
In 2021 Pennard Vets became the largest veterinary practice in the world to become employee owned, through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), meaning its entire team are now practice owners and shareholders in the business.
The College is currently collaborating with VetLed, a leading provider of Human Factors skills training for veterinary professionals and the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), to launch the “VetLed Safe to Speak Up campaign” on the 2nd May.
The campaign aims to empower all members of the veterinary team to talk openly about their mistakes, concerns and new ideas by raising awareness of the importance of psychological safety.
The College says psychological safety is the belief that there won’t be negative repercussions as a result of vocalising thoughts, ideas or concerns, and is a beneficial value for practices to adopt.
Safe to Speak Up will include a social media campaign that raises awareness of the benefits of psychological safety and provides advice for how workplaces and individuals can apply psychological safety in their practice.
The Safe to Speak Up campaign will also feature a day of interactive workshops focussed on psychological safety on the 11th May.
The day will include free-to-attend sessions from VetLed that will explain what psychological safety is and how it can be created and maintained in practice.
Later, there will be four Veterinary Nurse Think Tanks, 90-minute interactive learning and discussion sessions that cover key Human Factor themes:
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager, said: “Every single vet nurse should feel comfortable and psychologically supported in their role, and we hope that the training and awareness campaigns that we are running over the upcoming year will ensure that more VNs will feel empowered to talk about their mental health and wellbeing at work.”
Alex Taylor, BVNA President, said: “The BVNA are so pleased to be part of the Civility Training, Think Tanks, and Safe to Speak Up Campaign, especially as these fall in line with our current theme of 'building resilience'.
"We recognise how important the mental health of veterinary nurses is, not just for their own wellbeing, but for the good of the workforce too.”
For more information about the MMI training sessions or to book a place on our Civility Training https://www.vetmindmatters.org/training/
Andra-Elena Enache and Savina Gogova join the head of service Richard Everson, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist, to form one of the strongest ophthalmology teams in the UK.
Richard said: “It is fabulous that Andra and Savina were both successful in their specialist examinations.
“Of course, we already knew their expertise but passing the examination requires not just an unparalleled knowledge of their subject but also the constitution that allows them to prove their knowledge, skills and professionalism in the crucible of the examination environment.
“For both Andra and Savina to pass at the first time of asking is remarkable and just confirms their brilliance. It’s also a big boost for NDSR.
“Having three internationally-recognised specialists in ophthalmology in one hospital makes the service so much more resilient; for example, we will never have to close due to annual leave or lecturing commitments.
“This strength in depth means we really can offer the best possible service to our referring vets and poorly pets.”
For more information, visit: www.ndsr.co.uk.
Mr Roger faced three charges: that he had failed to provide adequate care, failed to communicate with the owner adequately and failed to keep adequate clinical records for Honey, a Shiih Tzu dog who, it transpired, had hypergycaemia.
At the initial consultation, Mr Roger took a blood sample which showed that there was an elevated blood glucose, an elevated white blood cell count, an elevated ALT and an elevated ALP (which Mr Roger took to be indicative of liver damage secondary to infection).
Mr Roger prescribed a cholagogue (ursodeoxycholic acid), an antibiotic (Synulox) and a diuretic (Frusemide).
In its findings of fact, the Committee found it likely that Mr Roger would have realised that Honey had a potential diabetes mellitus diagnosis with an elevated blood glucose of 28.
However, Mr Roger explained that he had believed the elevated blood glucose was due to the stress Honey had undergone in taking the blood samples.
The Committee therefore accepted that Mr Roger’s actions did not indicate a complete failure by him to notice the elevated blood glucose because he had explained he believed at the time it was due to stress.
Honey’s owner took her back to the veterinary practice that Mr Roger worked at three days later.
A different veterinary surgeon examined Honey and flagged that her blood sugar was high and that her liver was damaged.
She was taken to an alternative veterinary practice for follow-up but died later that day.
Mr Roger admitted failing to ask Honey’s owner if there was a history of diabetes mellitus, failing to take repeat blood glucose tests or carry out urine analysis or carry out additional blood tests, failing to communicate adequately with Honey’s owner about the significance of the hyperglycaemia and the options for investigation/management and failing to keep adequate clinical records in regard to Honey’s blood glucose levels.
The Committee found the admitted facts proved.
The evidence presented to the Committee included the clinical notes taken during Honey’s consultations, emails sent from Honey’s owner to the RCVS outlining the complaint, and evidence from experts in small animal veterinary practice.
Although the Committee found some matters not proved, it did find proved that Mr Roger had failed to recognise and/or pay adequate regard to Honey’s elevated blood glucose levels, had failed to manage Honey’s hyperglycaemia either by treating it or by documenting an appropriate plan to do so and had failed to communicate adequately with Honey’s owner about the significance of her elevated glucose and the reason for it.
Having reached its decision in relation to the facts, the Committee went on to consider whether the facts it had found proved either individually or cumulatively amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Judith Way, Chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf said: “The Committee found that the charges and particulars it had found proved did not amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect either individually or cumulatively.
"In its judgment, the conduct found proved fell short of the standard to be expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon but not far short of the standard which is expected of the reasonably competent veterinary surgeon.”
As a result of the Committee finding that Mr Roger was not guilty of serious professional misconduct on any of the proven charges, either individually or in any combination, the hearing did not proceed further.