The event offers over 30 hours of CPD, covering topics which have been chosen to represent the current areas of practical interest for veterinary professionals, from ethics and behaviour to critical care and pain assessment.
The online event was developed after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of ISFM's annual European Congress.
There will be two separate lecture streams, one for vets and one for veterinary nurses and technicians, alongside several sponsor-led symposiums, live question and answer sessions, and a virtual exhibition hall.
In recognition of attendance, CPD certificates will be available to download from the platform.
In the veterinary nurse and technician stream, lectures will cover pain assessment and anaesthesia, geriatric cats, ethical dilemmas, specific to veterinary nurses and techs. Additionally, there will be two emergency and critical care lectures. All of this is complimented by a variety of other speakers, who will give talks on behaviour, dentistry, neurology, endocrinology plus many more topics to reflect the diverse and important role vet nurses have in clinics.
The ISFM is at pains to recognise the generosity of Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva, Hill’s, Purina, Idexx and Royal Canin, which has made it possible to provide the congress free of charge.
Registration opens today. For more information and to register, visit: https://icatcare.org/isfm-international-congress/
The proceedings will begin at 10am with the formal adoption by RCVS Council of the Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2020, which will be published prior to the event.
The College will then answer any written questions that have been submitted about the Annual Report by veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
If you have any questions about the Annual Report, you'll need to submit them to RCVS Events Manager Deborah Rowlanes on d.rowlanes@rcvs.org.uk no later than Friday 2 July 2021.
RCVS President Mandisa Greene will then formally welcome the newly-elected RCVS Council members – Louise Allum, Danny Chambers, Tshidi Gardiner and Colin Whiting – onto Council for their four-year terms, and newly-elected VN Council members Susan Howarth and Donna Lewis for their three-year terms, as well as saying farewell to retiring members of both Councils.
After a short break, the AGM will reconvene at 11am to approve Kate Richards (pictured right) as President for 2021-22, Melissa Donald as Junior Vice-President, Mandisa as Senior Vice-President, and Niall Connell as Treasurer.
There will then be addresses from Matthew Rendle as Chair of Veterinary Nurses Council, and from Mandisa as the outgoing RCVS President for 2020-21, followed by the formal investiture of the new RCVS Officer Team.
There will then be closing remarks from Kate Richards as the newly invested RCVS President.
If you'd like to attend the AGM, you'll need to register here: www.rcvs.org.uk/agm21-registration.
To date most of these imaging procedures have been performed by vets within the group’s small animal first opinion veterinary practices.
The company says its Foundations in Diagnostic Imaging for Nurses training is designed to give its nurses more clinical stature in first opinion practice.
The programme will teach nurses the workings of an x-ray machine, common X-ray positions and contrast material.
It will also cover the principles of CT and MRI, showing how to set up and operate each piece of equipment, and how to support patients through these imaging procedures.
Finally, the course will provide the training nurses need to be able to perform ultrasounds within the current RCVS legal frameworks.
CVS says it believes this is a first in the veterinary profession
Tara Ryan, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS said: “Imaging is a brand new area that we are starting to delegate to our nurses. Having heavily invested in our small animal first opinion practices over the last decade, we have a wide range of imaging equipment at many of our sites.
“Excitingly, this programme will open up the ability for nurses to start to contribute more information - to help vets identify and diagnose conditions and diseases in patients.
"It is another big step that we are taking to empower our brilliant nurses and to enable them to make a great clinical contribution towards the care of our patients – and to be the nurses they want to be.”
CVS is prioritising the consulting room and Schedule 3 delegated tasks as important areas for improving what it calls 'nurse optimisation'.
The company recognises that 'buy in' from veterinary surgeons is vital to the success of its efforts to optimise the role of its nurses, and the group has also published guidelines to provide clarity around effective delegation under Schedule 3.
In the study titled “Outcomes of treatments for keratomalacia in dogs and cats: a systematic review of the published literature including non-randomised controlled and non-controlled studies”, a systematic review of the current literature was undertaken to determine the evidence base for the various treatments of keratomalacia in dogs and cats.
The aim of the review was to assess the evidence base and identify recommended treatment(s) based on globe survival, visual outcome, and time to resolution (while maintaining a globe).
An online literature search found 18 relevant studies which were then reviewed and assigned a level of evidence base as described in the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) Levels of Evidence Working Group.
Each study was assessed for type of study described (e.g. retrospective, prospective, controlled, random/non-random, cohort study, case series/study), the number of animals included, criteria for assessing outcome (e.g. vision, corneal clarity, anatomic repair) and duration of follow-up and time to resolution.
Systematic reviews of randomised trials, randomised trials or observational studies with dramatic effects would have provided the most reliable evidence on which to base recommendations for treatment(s) but none were available for inclusion.
Only one study was classified as level 3 evidence (non-randomised controlled trial) and considered the use of corneal cross-linking (CXL) in the treatment of keratomalacia.
Most studies were level four evidence reporting the outcome of a single treatment, with three prospective studies and seven retrospective studies.
The remaining seven studies were level five evidence (mechanism-based reasoning) and were considered not to provide good evidence for answering the particular study question.
The findings of the study suggest that the evidence for improved outcome of one proposed treatment over another proposed treatment for keratomalacia in dogs and/or cats is very weak.
A combination of treatments – both medical and surgical – may be the most appropriate depending on the individual case.
Studies utilising mechanism-based reasoning would suggest that medical treatment with anti-collagenase treatment is a minimum requirement for keratomalacia cases to prevent globe loss through perforation, with associated pain and suffering.
Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP, said: “The findings of this study highlight once more the infrequency of randomised controlled trials in the veterinary literature, and the need for such studies to expand the evidence base in this field.
“Focussing on collecting available evidence in well-conducted systematic reviews is a critical step in order to improve accessibility of the literature for general practitioners and specialists alike.”
The full article can be found in the October issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and can be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13326. It is open access and can be freely accessed by anyone.
Photo courtesy BSAVA
Feliway Help! comes as a starter pack with a pheromone cartridge which lasts seven days and covers 50m2.
The cartridge is inserted into a diffuser which is plugged into an electrical socket, two days before the stressful event.
Ceva says that 83% of cat owners saw an improvement in their cat’s signs of stress after using Feliway Help!1.
The company adds that the Feliway Help! is particularly useful for clients of those practices which Feliway on the premises, with Feliway helping keep the cat calm at the practice, and Feliway Help! taking over when they return home.
Sarah Heath BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FRCVS, an RCVS and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine and Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, said: “Cats can find the veterinary visit challenging and when they go home they can sometimes find it hard to settle.
"Feliway Help! can be very beneficial in easing the transition between home and the practice.
"This can be particularly helpful when cats have had a stay in hospital.”
For more information, visit www.feliway.com/uk, call the Ceva Animal Health head office on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Reference
Two equine journals have joined forces to create a free online collection of their recent articles on endocrinology to raise awareness of these common disorders and to provide veterinary surgeons with what they say is a definitive source of references all in one place.
The collection of references published by Equine Veterinary Education (EVE) and Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) covers a range of topics within the field of endocrinology and includes authoritative review articles on insulin dysregulation2, glucocorticoids and laminitis3 and paraneoplastic syndromes4.
The initiative has been made possible with the support of British Equine Veterinary Association Trust and has been compiled by leading international authorities on equine endocrinology, Professor Philip Johnson, of University of Missouri and Professor Nicholas Frank of Tufts University, Boston and the University of Nottingham.
They say that equine endocrine disorders, such as Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), are becoming more promptly identified and treated, thanks to ongoing research and advances in diagnosis, pharmacokinetics and management protocols.
PPID, or Cushing's, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that is more easily recognised in its advanced form in older horses. Surveys show a PPID prevalence rate of up to 22% in horses over the age of 155, with the odds of developing clinical signs associated with PPID increasing by approximately 20% per year after this age.
Insulin dysregulation (ID), characterised by increased insulin response to oral sugars, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance, is identified in both PPID and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)2. Both PPID and EMS have been linked to the development of recurrent laminitis with subsequent high risk of mortality6. The exact mechanisms which link insulin to laminitis remain to be clarified1 but this online collection highlights several studies, which partially address this important jigsaw7-12.
Best practice for the management of EMS is outlined by Professors Nick Frank and Ray Geor in the December issue of EVE13. The first goal is to induce weight loss, and guidelines for designing diets for obese equids are provided. Exercise and dietary management14 have been shown to reduce the clinical signs and indices of inflammation in equine metabolic syndrome13 - 15, however, further studies are needed to quantify the efficacy of these management changes on long-term outcomes.
The online collection also includes several studies addressing the diagnosis of PPID. The value of plasma adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), when interpreted with seasonally adjusted reference ranges, is discussed by several authors18-20. Professors Frank and Geor advocate it as the most readily accessible test for monitoring PPID cases in a field setting, although they maintain that the thyrotropin- releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test is more sensitive and therefore has advantages when diagnosing PPID in its early stages13.
Pergolide has emerged as the drug of first choice for treatment of PPID13. While many vets recommend the early introduction of medication in the hope that it may avert the specter of laminitis, at present, there are no trials comparing pergolide with alternatives. Furthermore, there have been no long-term studies to show that horses treated with pergolide before the onset of clinical signs of PPID have better outcomes, including a reduced incidence of developing laminitis, than horses in which treatment is delayed until clinical signs become apparent.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "Better control of PPID and insulin dysregulation should lower the risk of laminitis to help improve the health and longevity of many predisposed horses and ponies.
"Raising awareness of the benefits of early diagnosis and sharing the latest research on these and other associated conditions are imperative to provide horse owners with the best diagnostic and treatment programmes for their horses. However, it is easy to under-estimate obesity: horse owners need to think about improving management of their horses' feeding and exercise in order to avert problems before they become a veterinary issue."
References
This brings the total number of UK pet insurance companies that offer FirstVet veterinary consultations with their policies to 19, including Co-op, Costco, PETtrac, ManyPets and CoverMyPet.
Launched in 2016, FirstVet now operates in seven markets: the UK, US, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, delivering more than 30,000 consultations per month.
David Prien, CEO at FirstVet said: “FirstVet was founded with the passionate goal of making pet care more accessible for everyone.
"Our new partnership with Petwise Senior reflects our commitment to ensuring all pets, including senior pets, receive the best possible care they deserve after all those years of companionship, friendship and loyalty.
"Since launching, FirstVet has helped nearly one million pet owners around Europe.
"I really look forward to supporting Petwise Senior pets through our FirstVet app and to the many stories that will come from this great partnership!”
FirstVet says the funding will enable it to expand its service globally, including the United States, Germany, and France. It will also allow it to continue developing its product and introduce new features to improve the experience for pet owners and vets, such as new automation tools and integration with clinics' existing systems.
The latest round of financing takes FirstVet’s total funding to-date to €24.5M.
Founded in 2016 in Sweden, FirstVet currently has a presence in five markets: the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and its native Sweden. The company says it has over 200,000 registered users and has provided consultations for over 150,000 pets since launch.
Currently, FirstVet consultations are offered free to millions of owners through partnerships with 20 insurance companies across all markets, including Bought By Many in the UK.
Co-founder David Prien said: "FirstVet is the first truly neutral stakeholder in the world to coordinate pet care. In what is a highly privatised industry, our reliable service provides value to the entire sector, and we are growing at an incredible rate."
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager for the Companion Animal Team at MSD Animal Health said: "Research has shown that up to 20% of diabetic pets die, or are euthanised, within a year of diagnosis1 so we want to do everything we can to prevent any further increases in this figure.
"Recent circumstances have put most practices under a great deal of strain and it's become clear from the increase in calls we're receiving that there is a high demand for more information and resources to support the care of diabetic pets.
"We've therefore decided that with Pet Diabetes Month in November, our best way of supporting veterinary practices is to make them aware of, and know how to access the resources we have available to help them."
The diabetes resources include veterinary nurse clinics and training, getting the most out ofVetPen, monitoring support tools and case advice.
Veterinary professionals can subscribe for access to the materials as individuals or as a practice team.
For further information, visit https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/ahp/caninsulin/tools.
The VMD's ruling sets a chilling precedent for the curtailment of free speech by a Government body.
The ruling came to light after VetNurse.co.uk published an independent video news report relating to the launch of Bravecto Injectable, a new yearly flea treatment for dogs.
The film was neither paid for nor commissioned by the manufacturer, and nor did the maker exercise editorial control over its content.
The film was clearly labelled for and aimed at veterinary professionals, and its intent was not to promote the sale or supply of a prescription medicine, but rather to inform vets and nurses about the new product, albeit in an enthusiastic manner.
It was therefore not an advertisement, but journalism.
The Dictatorship nevertheless argued that it defines any social media content that mentions the brand name of a prescription veterinary medicine and which does not give a balanced overview of all the other treatment options for a given condition, as an advertisement.
This, it said, is regardless of whether content is created by the manufacturer or supplier of drug to promote sales of their product, or any member of the public or journalist who just wants to talk about or report on a prescription medicine publicly without any intent to promote sales.
The Dictatorship's position is that any such content can only appear in spaces dedicated to the appropriate audiences.
Notwithstanding the fact that all of VetSurgeon.org's social media channels are dedicated to the appropriate audiences, it leaves us in the almost laughable position where, according to the VMD, the BBC is allowed to report about powerful prescription medicines for humans in a way that inevitably promotes their supply, but VetSurgeon.org cannot report the launch of ... wait for it ... a flea treatment.
However the VMD then shared its incontinent interpretation of the law in a series of emails in which it was unable to provide a consistent definition of where it would allow content about prescription veterinary medicines to be published.
It first claimed (without any supporting evidence of any law to this effect), that:
"... it would need to be on a closed page which only followers could view would require active confirmation of the follower’s professional status before allowing access."
However, it swiftly backtracked, presumably realising that this definition would require Vet Times to remove most of its content from public view, including actual advertisements for veterinary prescription medicines published by the manufacturer.
When pressed, the VMD changed tack to a rather looser definition:
"Regulation 11(3) of the VMR does allow you to advertise POM-V products at vets and vet nurses, however to ensure this wouldn’t also be considered as advertising to the general public, it would need to be in a closed space, separate from the general public and directed at veterinary healthcare professionals. For example, on a website, or closed social media group."
However, it then presumably realised that Vet Times would still have to remove most of its content because it is not a closed space, and loosened its definition further still.
"Please note that, where an advertisement for POM-V or POM-VPS veterinary medicine appears in a space dedicated to the appropriate audiences this would not be a breach of Regulation 11(1)(a) due to Regulation 11(3) and Regulation 11(5)."
Clearly the Dictatorship was making it up as it went along.
Nevertheless, it threatened VetNurse.co.uk that it would contact TikTok and demand removal of the film.
So what does this matter?
Two reasons.
Firstly, it may just be a report about a flea treatment, but there is an important principle at stake here: it is simply not acceptable for the Government to censor free speech about medicines by journalists or members of the public.
This, you would think, is so blatantly obvious that it calls into question the overall competence of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Secondly, the ruling also demonstrates the VMD's backward-looking, Canute-like view of the world we now live in.
People talk and social media is awash with information about prescription veterinary medicines; just try typing 'Bravecto Injectable' into TikTok.
As we all know much of what you find online is false.
Fighting misinformation online is an un-winnable fight.
So perhaps instead, the VMD should promote the dissemination of accurate information in order to counter the misinformation.
Bear in mind, it is only the VMD's interpretation of the law which dictates that a manufacturer cannot publish information which mentions a brand name or give a balanced overview of all treatment options because it would promote the supply or prescription of a veterinary medicine.
It could equally well be argued that manufacturers publishing strictly factual information, ie devoid of hyperbole, would NOT be intended to promote the supply or prescription, but instead to counter false information and provide owners with information which time-poor vets are not always able to.
That would be a more pragmatic approach which would do far more good than trying to censor independent journalists and the public.
With recruitment and retention issues in many sectors of the profession, the Association says flexible working might improve job satisfaction and therefore retention.
Other statistics from the survey showed that whilst levels of flexible working have risen from 44% in 2019 to 50% in 2021, 36% of those who already work flexibly 36% would like more flexibility.
The most common reasons vets gave for wanting to work more flexibly were: to allow more time for leisure activities (56%), lifestyle needs (50%), caregiving responsibilities (28%), health reasons (28%), for professional development (22%) and for voluntary work (16%).
The type of flexibility vets were hoping to achieve also varied. Working part time was the most common type of flexible working sought (31%), followed by homeworking (16%), flexitime (13%) and compressed hours (5%).
As part of its campaign, the BVA has launched "Flexible working: Embracing flexibility in the veterinary profession", a booklet which includes facts, figures and case studies to help demonstrate how flexible working can benefit both employers and employees in a range of different veterinary teams.
The booklet also offers tips and advice on tackling some of the challenges that can arise when introducing increased flexibility into a clinical workplace.
BVA Junior Vice President Malcolm Morley said: “The statistics clearly show that there is a huge appetite for more flexibility in working hours, particularly in clinical practice, where employers have previously been quite hesitant to explore this option.
"We understand that there are potential challenges to allowing more flexibility but we’re hoping to demonstrate that these are not insurmountable.
“It’s vital that the profession recognises that inflexible working patterns contribute to poor retention—recognition is the first stage in finding a solution.
"Embracing developments in flexible working could increase job satisfaction for many team members and ultimately improve retention.”
Malcolm added: “The profession continues to face serious staffing shortages and we understand that the increased pressures on vet teams may make some employers anxious about introducing flexible working at a time when they are already struggling to cover shifts.
"However, the solution does not lie with vet teams working increasingly longer hours; a successful solution will need team members to be involved in supporting each other’s working patterns.
"Promoting a better balance between home and work could be key to supporting many staff who are currently unsure about remaining in the profession or returning to work."
www.bva.co.uk/flexible-working
Nutraplaque contains Ascophyllum Nodosum seaweed and decaffeinated green tea extract, presented in sprinkle capsules. Nutravet says the seaweed in nutraplaque has been shown to reduce plaque build-up by 35% after 4 weeks.
Nutravet says the new product also helps in the removal and control of tartar, supports healthy teeth and gums, reduces bad breath and is free of artificial preservatives, gluten and sugar
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director at Nutravet said: "We’re really excited to introduce nutraplaque into our market-leading range of veterinary exclusive nutraceuticals. Maintaining pets’ dental health is an important part of looking after a pet and our nutraplaque sprinkle capsules make it easy for pet owners to keep up with oral health in an easy to administer form.
“The unique formulation of nutraplaque works naturally within an animal’s body. The natural ingredients work through the saliva, where they help reduce new plaque from forming and soften existing tartar around the clock."
For further information about nutraplaque, visit www.nutravet.co.uk.
The two sets of guidance cover:
RCVS President Dr Mandisa Green said: “I would like to reassure my colleagues once again that we understand the extreme challenges and difficult decisions they are facing.
"The College has no interest in taking anyone to task for considered professional judgement, providing they act reasonably in the circumstances, can justify their actions and take reasonable notes.
"Sadly, we’re seeing the pandemic situation deteriorating again in the UK, but to varying degrees across the country. This presents a significant challenge in ensuring our guidance is clear and straightforward, while remaining relevant to as many people as possible.
For more information, visit: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19/
Common ‘Pet Dangers’ include:
The poster also reinforces the importance of S.P.E.E.D when dealing with poisoned pets:
To get your free poster, visit https://www.tvm-uk.com/pet-dangers-order-free-display-materials-for-your-practice/ or email help@tvm-uk.com.
Having sold Belgravia House – its Westminster offices since 1995 – to a private investor in March 2021 for £14.5m, RCVS Council agreed the purchase of the new building for £20.5m.
The additional cost has been funded from College reserves.
The new building is a converted Victorian warehouse with open-plan office space spread across six floors.
The new premises are large enough to accommodate more staff and for the College to host more meetings and events.
Alternatively, the space can be used for greater social distancing and hybrid working if needed.
The College says any unwanted space can be rented out.
Two existing tenants will continue to lease office space at the premises for the time being and some refurbishment work will need to be completed before the College and RCVS Knowledge teams can start moving in.
Following Council’s earlier decision to terminate the lease on Belgravia House at the end of March 2022, RCVS staff will continue to work either remotely, or in temporary office space leased from the workplace provider, WeWork, in Chancery Lane.
The College says this arrangement offers a significant saving over leasing back Belgravia House.
Chief Executive Lizzie Lockett said: “Like any property purchase, it has been an extremely long and difficult journey to get to this point, with many challenges to navigate along the way, but I am delighted that we are finally able to announce our new home.
“Whilst we will have to wait a while longer before we can enjoy everything 1-2 Hardwick Street has to offer, we are very much looking forward to welcoming members of the professions to visit our new offices, and being able to host a variety of meetings and new events there for them.
The webinar is presented by Will Stirling, partner at VetsDigital, a digital marketing agency which supports the veterinary industry across Europe.
Will will offer practical advice and guidance on the growing importance of applying digital marketing and the effect it can have on both team morale and the bottom line.
To register for the webinar, visit to: https://tinyl.io/5aIi
There's a complimentary counter top unit and pillow packs to help veterinary surgeons and nurses communicate the benefits of probiotics to clients. The unit can hold a cat and dog 30 sachet box of Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora from practice stock and the pillow packs can be used to dispense single sachets, so the client can trial the product with their pet at home.
At the same time, the company is encouraging vets and nurses to look at the evidence behind the probiotics they recommend. Although carried out a while ago now (2003 and 2011), two studies have shown that other diets claiming to contain probiotics generally did not meet the label claim when evaluated1,2.
Libby Sheridan, MVB MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, UK & Ireland says the efficacy of probiotics is thought to be strain-specific3 and recommends that clinicians critically assess the evidence for the particular strain and preparation of probiotics stocked or used.
Libby said: "The quality and efficacy of probiotics can vary and while in some cases there is strong evidence for efficacy in the targeted species, for others, the evidence is scant. Having experienced it myself, I know it's not always easy when working in a busy practice to take the time to ensure the evidence is there, but the studies back up that we should assess these things carefully before making a robust recommendation to our clients."
Most of the probiotics commercially available to veterinary professionals use the lactic acid bacterium Enterococcus faecium.
The particular strain and preparation of any probiotic will affect its ability to reach the large intestine, the expected site of action, intact. The evidence for the SF68 strain of Enterococcus faecium has been validated in a number of studies4-11 over recent years. Proven benefits of the SF68 strain include those focused on the gastrointestinal system where it supports canine and feline intestinal health and microflora balance and those with wider implications, such as support for a healthy immune system.
To obtain a unit or discuss the science, contact your Purina Veterinary Nutrition Partner or telephone the Purina Veterinary Nutrition Team on 0800 212161 quoting code VETPRESS.
Support for those studying to get the qualification includes access to an internal mentor, regular contact with Linnaeus’s nursing central support team, a training agreement covering things like additional CPD allowances, study time and networking opportunities specific to the candidate’s specialism.
Linnaeus also runs an internal VTS networking group to support both candidates and holders.
For VTS holders, Linnaeus now offers an enriched CPD package to support their re-certification process, which takes place every five years.
This includes an enhanced CPD budget and time allowance for attendance at international specialist conferences.
Holders are also invited to interprofessional discipline-specific away days and offered membership to a specialist organisation.
Vicky Ford-Fennah, Professional Development Manager at Linnaeus and a VTS holder in anaesthesia and analgesia (pictured), said: “Achieving the VTS status requires hard work and determination.
"This new process will provide our nurses with the support to set them up for success. It also recognises the different requirements of our VTS holders to maintain their status.
“Not only do our VTS candidates and holders improve their own skills; our education and networking opportunities enable them to share knowledge and become fantastic role models to other nurses wanting to progress their careers.
Sophie McMurrough is Nurse Team Leader in internal medicine at Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Runcorn and a VTS holder in Small Animal Internal Medicine.
She said: “Becoming a VTS holder has opened so many windows of opportunity for me. I have been able to master advanced clinical skills, teach my peers and share my knowledge through writing and speaking. I would encourage anyone with a passion for a specialist area to pursue the VTS.
VetFinders will recruit for permanent and locum positions for veterinary practices throughout the UK, from administration roles through to nursing staff and vets.
The agency has been founded by a man called Chris Worthington who previously built an engineering recruitment firm called Qualtech Resourcing.
Alongside Chris in the VetFinders team are recruiters Gabrielle Dawson and Martin Wilson, both with over 15 years’ experience in recruitment, Chris’s wife Anna, who is charge of accounting and payroll, and administrator Suzy Buttress.
Chris said: "VetFinders is a business with a purpose, a business with a force for good and a business with a double bottom line! Our approach is totally unique in the industry and it’s what sets us apart. Candidates are already hearing about our message and registering with VetFinders rather than other agencies.
"We have chosen four specific charities and our support for them does not stop at the point of donation. We will also be working closely with them, funding specific projects and working on their front line."
The chosen charities are:
Hope Pastures, in Leeds, which rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes horses, ponies and donkeys.
Moorview Rescue in Harrogate, which has re-homed almost 2000 dogs in the UK since it was set up as a registered charity in 2009.
Nuzzlets, a small charity based near Great Ouseburn in York which specialises in giving loving homes to unwanted animals and enabling young people free access to them for therapy and education.
Blue Cross.
When a candidate is placed by VetFinders, the client can choose which of the four charities they want a percentage of their fee to be donated to. The client and placed candidate will then be given regular updates of how their money has benefitted children and animals, including through photos, videos, emails and website updates.
For more information, visit: https://www.vetfinders.co.uk/
Photo: Top (L-R): Martin Wilson - Veterinary Recruitment Consultant, Chris Worthington - Managing Director. Bottom (L-R): Gabrielle Dawson - Veterinary Recruitment Consultant, Anna Worthington - Finance and Payroll Manager and Suzy Buttress - Administrator.
The event aims to deliver the latest knowledge on parrot nutrition and welfare and provide an opportunity to collaborate on education and potential next steps for research.
The full programme is as follows:
Sarah Hormozi, Head of Science & Education at PFMA said: “We are hoping to make it a worthwhile event, where parrot experts, welfare groups and parrot food industry can share their knowledge and experience.
"Through discussions we will come up with collective decisions and steps forward to improve the health and welfare of parrots that are kept in captivity, especially from a diet and nutrition perspective."
For ticket prices and to register: https://www.pfma.org.uk/pfma-parrot-symposium-2022
DuoTox is the first product to combine activated charcoal and diosmectite, providing a wider spectrum of absorbency against various toxic substances.
Accidental poisoning poses a significant threat to pets, with vets in the UK reporting over 30001 cases a week and making an average 60 calls a day to the VPIS for assistance2
In 2020, 7.1 million pets fell ill after eating something poisonous1 and the VPIS reported a 40% increase in poisoning enquiries in 20212.
The most commonly used product for accidental ingestion is activated charcoal, but it only has affinity for certain substances.
Diosmectite also only binds to select substances, but is not as widely used.
Up until now, the two have not been used together in one product, leaving situations where the chosen binder has no effect.
NVS says that in cases of potential ingestion, identifying the exact substance consumed, and relying on vets to know which binder to use for each substance, is a barrier to successful toxin binding.
Malcolm Dickinson, Category Manager for Select from NVS, said: “Activated charcoal has affinity for substances that are, for example acidic, non-ionised or poorly water soluble, leaving a gap for substances that are alkaline, cationic, hydrophilic etc.
"This is where the absorbency profile of diosmectite comes in to create one product with a much wider spectrum of adsorbency.”
“This will be hugely beneficial to vets in practice: vets can reach for one product, knowing it will be effective.”
DuoTox is available in both paste and liquid forms, designed with palatability in mind.
https://www.nvsweb.co.uk/product-brand/select-healthcare/
References:
The survey is conducted every four to five years and asks veterinary nurses to answer questions about a variety of subjects including demographic data (for example, socio-economic background, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, disability), work-related data (for example, employment status, location of workplace, type of workplace, hours of work, position in practice) and information about professional achievement (for example, hours of continuing professional development (CPD) undertaken and extra qualifications earned).
The survey, which is conducted on the College’s behalf by the Institute for Employment Studies, also ask respondents about their views on different aspects of their profession, including career plans, challenges facing the profession, and wellbeing.
This year, the survey also asks for your view of the RCVS, including its values, how it should communicate, and what it should prioritise in future years.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO (pictured right), said: "The results of the Surveys form a very important ‘snapshot’ of the profession at a given point in time, but they also prove useful for years to come in terms of how the College develops its regulatory and educational policy, the areas it chooses to focus on and the issues it chooses to tackle.
"The ensuing reports are also used by a myriad of other individuals, such as those in academia, government and representative bodies, as well as journalists. It’s therefore really important that we have as accurate a picture as possible. So although completing the Surveys is entirely voluntary, we strongly encourage members of the professions to take the time to complete them. It will, ultimately, help the development of appropriate and supportive policies for your profession."
In the study, Fluorescent tagging for environmental surface cleaning surveillance in a veterinary hospital 1, researchers at Ohio State University used a fluorescent dye to tag pre-determined surfaces in a large veterinary teaching hospital.
The dye was invisible to the naked eye, but fluoresced under a blacklight (UV-A source). It could be easily removed by regular cleaning.
Surfaces were tagged and then assessed 24 hours after tag placement to determine whether they had been cleaned. Tagging and assessment took place during non-peak hours in an attempt to eliminate observer bias. The study ran for a period of 5.5 weeks between June and July 2014 and a total of 4984 surfaces were tagged and assessed.
Jason Stull, corresponding author of the paper said: "Overall, 50% of surfaces were adequately cleaned so that the tag was completely removed. Cleaning varied widely by surface/object and hospital location. Of the surfaces designated as having primarily human contact, the equipment cart and door handle to the dog walking area were most frequently cleaned (100%), whilst examination equipment including the otoscope, ophthalmoscope and swivel light handle were the least frequently cleaned (2.3%).
"Of the surfaces designated as having primarily animal contact, the ward cage interior was the most frequently cleaned (89.0%) whilst the dog run interior was the least frequently cleaned (23.1%). In terms of hospital location, the most frequently cleaned area was radiology (77.5%) and the least frequently cleaned area was the small animal treatment area (4.2%)."
The overall proportion of surfaces satisfactorily cleaned was similar to that reported in previous studies, however, the findings for some surfaces and hospital areas differed.2 This demonstrates the importance of veterinary cleaning surveillance in individual practices so that targeted interventions can be implemented.
Nicholas Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: "With health-care associated infections being a persistent problem in human and veterinary medicine, it is important that surfaces and equipment within the veterinary practice are adequately cleaned. This research demonstrates the potential use of a commercial fluorescent dye for veterinary cleaning surveillance to inform hospital cleaning practices."
The full article can be found in the February issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13090
Nine-year-old Nigel the puma, from Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, was suffering from a deteriorating arthritic condition, which was causing loss of function in his front leg.
His veterinary team consulted an orthopaedic specialist and trialled medical management including steroids and Solensia, but Nigel was unresponsive to treatment.
This led to a severe debilitating limp and pain, leaving a choice between amputation or euthanasia.
Nigel's treatment was funded by donations from visitors to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, which is a registered charity that was originally established as a sanctuary for parrots in the early 1990s, who raised nearly £5,000 following a fundraising campaign.
The operation took place in a sterile theatre set up in Nigel’s enclosure, where the entire limb was removed, including the scapula.
After an intense five-hour operation, led by Iain Cope, veterinary surgeon and practice owner at Vets4Pets Newmarket, and Shannon Grimwood, veterinary nurse at Vets4Pets Newmarket, Nigel is now on the road to recovery and adapting well to life with three legs.
Iain said: “Nigel’s case was certainly unique and one we haven’t come across before. Working alongside Lincolnshire Wildlife Park and a team of local vets and veterinary nurses, we applied our knowledge of domestic cat amputations to a big one.
“The approach was extremely similar, and the operation ran as smoothly as possible.”
The BVA has partnered with Closer Still Media, the impresarios behind the London Vet Show, to organise the event. They say it will cater for 1,500 veterinary professionals and provide high-value, low-cost, practical clinical and non-clinical CPD, big issue debates, and showcase key veterinary suppliers and vendors in the exhibition in a vibrant central location.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: "I’m delighted to announce the launch of BVA Live. It’s an opportunity for BVA to return to hosting our own standalone conference for the first time since BVA Congress became part of the London Vet Show in 2013. The new conference will enable the veterinary community to come together, outside of London, to develop and thrive through a programme of excellent CPD, delivered by world class speakers.
"For me the most important element of BVA Live is bringing the veterinary profession together to tackle the big issues we face and providing an opportunity to engage with BVA Officers, volunteers and staff in one central venue. By hosting the conference at the NEC, Birmingham, with its excellent direct road, rail and air links it means that we can provide a greater regional offering to the veterinary profession."
It remains to be seen what impact this new conference will have on BSAVA Congress, which for many years was pretty much the only gig in town. Then, with the London Vet Show snapping at its heels, it announced it would move north from Birmingham to Manchester from 2021. Hardly will the dust have settled, than BVA and CloserStill are filling the void. At this rate, BSAVA Congress will probably have to move to the Hebrides by 2025.
It looks like there are a lot of dice being rolled here. Will more vets want to meet in Manchester than Birmingham? Will any of us be meeting in 2021 anyway, or will coronavirus continue to limit gatherings in 2021?
For more information and to register your interest in attending, visit bvalive.vetshow.com