Virbac has launched Nutribound, a complementary feed to help stimulate eating and drinking in inappetent cats and dogs.
The company says the product has been designed to help animals recovering from surgery or illness and those that are just experiencing a general lack of interest in food or water.
Nutribound is given alongside the pet’s diet but can also be given by tube or syringe if needed.
Claire Lewis, Product Manager, said: "Pets that lose interest in their food can be challenging for owners to deal with - and a pet that is struggling to eat or drink what it needs, especially after illness or surgery is more likely to have a prolonged recovery.
"Nutribound's palatable formulation aims to 'jump-start' normal eating behaviour by stimulating the animal's appetite and increasing its interest in eating and drinking again.
"Nutribound is presented in a handy-sized, take-home bottle and is easy for pet owners to administer. It can be given for up to 14 days or until a return to normal eating and drinking behaviour is observed. We are delighted to add it to our nutritional support range, alongside Nutri-Plus gel, our high energy, nutritional supplement for cats and dogs."
Merial has announced the launch of NexGard Spectra, a broad spectrum oral parasiticide for dogs.
NexGard Spectra contains afoxolaner, which kills fleas and ticks on dogs, and milbemycin oxime, which is effective against roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.
The new product is delivered in a beef flavoured chew to help compliance.
NexGard Spectrum is available in five different weight ranges to suit puppies and dogs of all sizes.
The RCVS has asked more than 800 registered veterinary nurses to submit their continuing professional development (CPD) records in order to monitor compliance with their professional obligation to undertake CPD.
Under the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses, members of the VN profession are expected to undertake at least 45 hours of CPD over a rolling three-year period in order to demonstrate that they are keeping their skills up-to-date and engaging in learning and development.
Every year since 2010, the RCVS has conducted a CPD audit with registered veterinary nurses to gauge compliance and see what type of CPD the profession is engaging in.
This year the College contacted a random sample of 468 registered veterinary nurses from across all postcode areas (representing around 8% of the profession) asking them to share their records. It also wrote to 107 RVNs who took part in last year’s audit but were short of meeting the requirement, 80 RVNs who failed to respond to requests to submit their records in last year’s audit and 150 RVNs who confirmed they were not compliant with the CPD requirement when renewing their registration last year.
Those veterinary nurses who were previously on the List and who were moved to the Register when the new RCVS Royal Charter came into effect in February 2015, have not been asked to take part in the audit. Previously listed veterinary nurses were not expected to undertake CPD and so the RCVS is allowing a ‘bedding in’ period of three years (until 2018) for them to fulfil the requirement.
Further details on how the new Charter affects previously listed veterinary nurses can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/about-the-vn-register/royal-charter-faq/
Veterinary nurses taking part in the audit need to submit their CPD records to the College no later than Friday 14 August. Records can be submitted by allowing the RCVS access to the online Professional Development Record (www.vnpdr.org.uk), by emailing a scanned copy of the CPD record card or posting a photocopy of the card.
Those with any queries about the audit should contact the Veterinary Nursing Department on 020 7202 0701 or email vnpdr@rcvs.org.uk
Research published online in the Veterinary Record has revealed that one in four dogs competing in Crufts is overweight, despite the perception that entrants are supposed to represent ideal specimens of their breed1.
The researchers based their findings on 1120 online images of dogs from 28 breeds —- half of which are prone to obesity — that had appeared at Crufts, the largest dog show of its kind in the world.
Only adult dogs that had been placed between first and fifth in their class between 2001 and 2013 were included in the study.
The images were coded and anonymised, and 960 were deemed suitable for assessment. A second person then graded the body condition of each dog in one sitting, using a previously validated method. One in four (252; 26%) was found to be overweight.
Pugs, basset hounds, and Labrador retrievers were the breeds most likely to be assessed as being overweight. Dogs were overweight in 80% of the pug images, 68% of the Basset Hound and 63% of the Labrador images.
The researchers said that the three breeds with the highest prevalence of being overweight among the online images are prone to excess weight. Nevertheless, since pugs were originally bred to be a companion dog, while hounds and Labradors were bred for hunting and fieldwork respectively, being overweight would not be advantageous.
Standard poodles, border terriers, Rhodesian ridgebacks, Hungarian vizlas and Dobermanns were the least likely breeds to be overweight.
The prevalence of being overweight among the show dogs was less than that reported generally for pet dogs in the UK. Nevertheless, the researchers say the fact that a quarter were above ideal weight is still a cause for concern: “These dogs showcase the ideal characteristics of the pedigree breed, and there is a danger that widespread media exposure might adversely influence owner perception of optimal body shape.”
The Kennel Club has recently introduced changes in policy for judging criteria, to emphasise characteristics that promote good health in dogs. However, the researchers say that breed standards of optimal condition should be reinforced for competition, to ensure consistency: “Further effort is now required to educate owners, breeders and show judges so that they can all better recognise overweight condition, thus helping to prevent the development of obesity.”
Reference
Best in show but not best in shape: a photographic assessment of show dog body condition doi 10.1136/vr.103093
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a 5 ml bottle of Comfortan (methadone), its titratable analgesia for cats and dogs.
The new sized bottle of Comfortan, designed for use with animals in, or about to experience, moderate to severe pain, is now available from veterinary wholesalers.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: “The new 5ml bottle is a great size for practices which would like to introduce Comfortan into their practice protocols, allowing them to do so in a cost-effective way.
“The availability of a smaller bottle will also be a benefit to practices which due to different surgical needs, currently only use Comfortan in a small number of cases. They will then be able to simply and easily trade up to the 10 ml bottle once they start to use Comfortan on more cases.”
The 5 ml has also been introduced in response to demand from branch practices which had been transferring 10ml bottles between sites and for cat-focused practices which use smaller volumes of the product.
Teeside veterinary nurses Debbie Rowley and Karen Taylor from Wilton Vets made history yesterday when they were called out to catch a 6ft, 18lb python spotted by the side of the road by a motorist in Guisborough.
Talking to the Guisborough Gazette, Debbie said: "We were shocked it was so big."
The snake is apparently in good shape, and now in the care of Kirkleatham Owl Centre.
Anyone missing a 6ft ft python is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101.
The London Vet Show, which takes place on Thursday 19th November and Friday 20th November at the Olympia Grand, has announced the business programme for 2015.
The programme will include:
Rob Chapman, group event director of the London Vet Show and France Vet said: "The business programme at the London Vet Show has gone from strength to strength with a plethora of informative lectures from top class industry leaders. The informative content includes hints and tips that veterinary professionals can utilise in practice to help enhance their veterinary teams, increase profits and develop their business.”
For further information on the business programme at the London Vet Show or to register for the show visit londonvetshow.co.uk/business.
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched TAF Spray (thiamphenicol), a next generation antibiotic wound spray for superficial wound infections in horses, cattle, goats, sheep and pigs.
Dechra says TAF Spray can also be used to treat infections of the claw and hoof in cattle, goats and sheep such as foot rot, interdigital dermatitis and digital dermatitis.
TAF Spray is the only licensed wound spray for horses and has a zero day meat withdrawal period for horses, cattle, goats, sheep, and 14 days for pigs.
Dechra is also highlighting the fact that TAF Spray is the only golden yellow coloured product of its kind on the market, allowing treatment areas to be distinguished clearly.
Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: “Dechra has developed TAF Spray in direct response to the research we conducted among farmers".
The research1 showed that 51% of the veterinary surgeons had used an antibiotic spray for the treatment of digital dermatitis – an infection that 92% of farmers had experienced in their livestock in the past 12 months.
Emma added: "Thiamphenicol is a highly effective antibiotic. With the brightly coloured spray format making it distinguishable from other treatments and a can that is able to be used in upright and inverted positions, we are sure that TAF Spray will become a popular product among veterinary professionals.”
TAF Spray comes in a 150ml can with a 360-degree nozzle which allows wounds to be targeted at any angle.
For further information about Dechra’s antibiotic portfolio, visit www.dechra.co.uk
Langford Veterinary Services, a fully owned subsidiary of the University of Bristol, has announced the opening of a new standing equine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility at the university's equine centre.
The equine MRI facility completes the diagnostic imaging facilities in the School, which include a 16-slice CT scanner for small animals and standing horses, digital radiography, high-resolution fluoroscopy, diagnostic ultrasound, echocardiography and scintigraphy with a high-resolution 1.5 tesla MRI scanner, available seven days a week.
Evita Busschers, Senior Teaching Fellow and orthopaedic surgeon in the equine centre, said: “We are very grateful to the Trustees of the Alborada Trust and the Langford Trust who have provided generous support for the MRI facility. The new imaging facility will enable us to provide an even better and more complete service for our equine patients and completes the diagnostic imaging facilities available at the centre.
“Equine MRI offers the ability to image soft tissue structures and identify soft tissue injuries that cannot be demonstrated with other diagnostic imaging modalities and therefore has major additional value in providing a diagnosis and prognosis in lameness evaluations.”
Miles Littlewort, a trustee from the Alborada Trust added: “Donating the money is the easy bit but ensuring that it has been used where it should be and that it has made the necessary difference is much more challenging. We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to support the Langford Trust and their work to improve animal health and welfare. We are delighted to have attended the opening, to meet the clinicians who will use the magnificent facility and to learn about the clinical research which gives all veterinary surgeons evidence-based information to enhance diagnosis and treatment for all patients.”
From the start of 2016, the RCVS will no longer allow veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses to enter undocumented continuing professional development (CPD) on their records.
Under the RCVS Codes of Professional Conduct, veterinary surgeons are required to record a minimum of 105 hours of CPD over a three-year period, while veterinary nurses are expected to carry out 45 hours of CPD over the same period.
Historically, vets and nurses have been able to record 10 and 5 hours as undocumented private study per annum respectively. The RCVS Education Committee decided to discontinue the allowance for vets in May and the Veterinary Nursing Committee followed suit in June.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Head of Veterinary Nursing, said: “As with the veterinary surgeons, this decision was made because it was felt that all CPD, including private study, should be properly documented on the CPD records of veterinary nurses.
“This change, however, is not intended to discourage private study which we recognise extends across a range of different types of learning, including reading, and can be very valuable for personal development, but merely that it should be properly documented.”
The College says it hopes the changes will also clear up uncertainty around the respective allowances for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as some were under the impression that private study, even if it was documented, could only be classed within that category.
The Education Department is also in the process of reviewing the information available to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses regarding what counts as CPD, in order to clear up uncertainty and provide more specific examples for each learning category.
Information about CPD for veterinary surgeons can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd, while for veterinary nurses the information is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/vncpd
Boehringer Ingelheim has launched Care and Connect a free online PPID aftercare service for horse owners, designed to help veterinary practices monitor their PPID case load and streamline the case management process.
The new service is part of Boehringer's 'Talk About Laminitis (TAL)' Awareness campaign.
The company says that PPID is the sixth most frequently encountered disease syndrome affecting equids in the UK1, and the new service should help engage owners and vets post diagnosis, thereby maximising treatment success.
Liz Barrett, equine business manager at Boehringer, said: “PPID is a progressive disease, so it is vital that veterinary surgeons remain at the centre of care, and that horses are monitored carefully following their initial diagnosis. However we recognise the high administrative demand associated with this, and TAL Care and Connect has been designed to reduce this as much as possible.”
TAL Care and Connect will be offered automatically to horse owners who take advantage of this year’s free* ACTH testing scheme, which will be available from July to November. Equine practices can also offer this aftercare service to all owners of previously diagnosed PPID cases.
Owners who join TAL Care and Connect will be able to set up a profile for their horse which allows all their ACTH results to be stored in one place. They will then receive the relevant reminders for follow-up ACTH testing which will make it easier for vets to monitor their patient’s progress over time.
In addition, owners can download an independently-written PPID information pack. Edited by Prof. Catherine McGowan with contributions from Dr Jo Ireland, Prof. Andy Durham, David Rendle and Dr Teresa Hollands, the pack includes advice on monitoring and follow-up ACTH tests, feeding, general care of the PPID patient and the link between laminitis and PPID.
Talk About Laminitis is supported by Redwings, The British Horse Society and World Horse Welfare, and will run from July until the end of October 2015. Horse owners can find out more and obtain their free ACTH voucher code atwww.talkaboutlaminitis.co.uk.
For further information contact your local Boehringer territory manager or visit www.talkaboutlaminitis.co.uk.
Vet Futures, the joint initiative by the RCVS and the BVA to help the profession prepare for and shape its own future, has revealed the results of a survey which found that 59% of veterinary surgeons are optimistic about the future of the profession. 600 vets took part in the survey, which explored vets' attitudes towards their profession, and asked them to prioritise the key issues and rank some of the major threats and opportunities for the profession.Reducing stress was the single most important goal for the future, with 19% of respondents choosing it from a long list of options.The BVA and the RCVS say that priority goals for veterinary surgeons varied according to different areas of work and seniority in the profession. However, an overriding and uniting theme from the findings was the pursuit of recognition for the role vets play across the board. Vets' perception of the veterinary contribution to non-clinical roles, such as research, food supply and security, and public health, is high, but they don't believe the general public values these roles.Four of the respondents' top five goals for 2030 related to recognition:
Looking at how vets are respected and valued by society, Vet Futures points to its national ICM opinion poll of more than 2,000 members of the public which found that 94% of the general public trusts the veterinary profession generally or completely.
In terms of their own careers, 59% of vets said they felt that they had met or exceeded their expectations, leaving 41% saying their careers had only met some expectations (38%) or not met any (3%). Amongst this large minority of dissatisfied vets the reasons for their responses included: few opportunities for progression, pay, and working hours.The survey also asked vets to rank threats and opportunities for the profession and found that respondents considered the three greatest opportunities to be:
BVA President John Blackwell said: "It's heartening to see that, at the moment, the veterinary glass is half full for many. But we know that younger vets are disproportionately represented amongst those who are feeling less positive about their own careers, which is a real concern for future generations. There is clearly work to be done, through Vet Futures, for the profession to think innovatively in order to tackle some of their concerns around career progression, pay and working hours, as well as stress."The good news is that, through the Vet Futures UK-wide roadshow and our online engagement, we have been hearing new and interesting ideas for the future. We want to hear from as many vets, vet nurses and others who have a stake in the future of the profession and I would encourage people to get involved through our 'Veterinary Vision' essay competition or via the Vet Futures website."RCVS President Stuart Reid added: "There is a lot for the veterinary profession to be proud of but the Vet Futures survey shows that vets are concerned the general public doesn't understand or value the variety of roles we undertake outside clinical practice."We have also heard through our guest blog that vets working outside of practice sometimes feel that they are treated as second-class vets. "Through the Vet Futures project RCVS and BVA aim to address the lack of public awareness about the variety of roles undertaken by members of the profession, as well as increase understanding and access to these varied career opportunities amongst the profession. "We want to enable all veterinary surgeons to not only feel optimistic, but confident in their future."
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.
Virbac has launched Sulfatrim, the first veterinary-licensed Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole (TMPS) oral antibiotic for use in rabbits, pigeons and bearded dragons.
Kate Woolley MRCVS, Product Manager, said: "Until now, no similar veterinary-licensed product has been available for these species and, in an environment where vets are increasingly aware of the responsible use of antibiotics across all species, we are very happy to launch Sulfatrim, the first licensed TMPS for rabbits, pigeons and bearded dragons."
Sulfatrim is presented in a 30ml bottle with a dispensing cap and syringe.
Kruuse has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Henry Schein Inc., under which the American supplier of veterinary, dental and medical healthcare products and services will acquire a majority shareholding in the company.
Under the agreement - the financial details of which are not being disclosed - the Kruuse family will retain the remaining shareholding and work with Henry Schein to accelerate global expansion of the company.
Kruuse and Henry Schein have already been business partners in the marketing and distribution of animal healthcare products. Kruuse says it expects the deal to create significant growth prospects, particularly for its own products and brands which will in the future be included in Henry Schein's offering to its animal health customers.
Chairman of the Board of Kruuse, Peter Eriksen Jensen said: "We are very pleased with the agreement with Henry Schein, which fulfills our wish to find a strong investor to support our efforts of creating an attractive future for our company. We complement each other extremely well - and the partnership provides us with a much broader platform to market our products. In Henry Schein, we will get an ideal partner to realize our ambitious growth strategy."
Kruuse's CEO, Jesper Smith said: "It is very important to us, that we and our new owner have a mutual understanding of the values and customer-centric focus on quality and services which have guided us throughout Kruuse's 119 years' history. We will continue this approach under our new ownership, making sure that our employees, customers, and suppliers continue to experience all the benefits of Kruuse - now in an even stronger set-up and with new, exciting prospects for the future."
The Society for Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has published its 2015 Fee Survey, which has revealed an increasing divergence between fees charged for routine and unroutine procedures in small animal practice.
SPVS says that small animal practices accounted for the largest proportion of responses to its survey, and that 75.9% of them had increased their fees during the last 12 months. When comparing a 'bundle' price comprising a kitten vaccination course, puppy vaccination course, cat spay, dog spay and consultation, the increase was 4.09%. However SPVS notes that this increase may be artificially low, as it relates to the sort of procedures that are regularly quoted and may therefore be constrained by the marketplace.
Perhaps more revealingly, whilst routine procedures such as vaccination had risen 3.3%, non routine procedures had risen by considerably more: pyometras were up 15.6%, cat dentals were up 17.5% and out-of-hours callouts were up 18.6%.
Equine fees showed an overall drop of 3.5% on the bundle price comprising initial routine examination, five-stage PPE, routine dental examination and float, a colic examination and the cost of sedation / waiting. Although many of the individual equine procedures showed a fee decrease, 79% of equine practices reported that they had increased fees over the past year. The largest decrease in equine fees was for sedating a horse and waiting while the horse was clipped or treated by an equine dental technician, with the fee charged being 12.5% less than last year and ranging from £12.50 to £93.82. Conversely, conducting an ultrasound scan of a mare for pregnancy had increased by 17.3% and ranged from £20 to £62.36.
For large animal vets, the fees are more tightly constrained by the commercial realities of farming and the range of fees quoted tends to be lower. This year, the overall price rise for the bundle of fees comprising routine calving, foot trimming, elective Caesarean and hourly rates for fertility work and herd health schemes was 4.1%. However, only 47.8% of large animal practices reported an increase in fees charged over the last twelve months. The largest increase reported was for paring the hind feet of a cow without sedation, which was up 24.4% and ranged in price from £19 to £70, while issuing a prescription to a farm animal client had decreased by 1.6% and ranged in price from 0 to £48.
Nick Stuart, SPVS president said: "We all know the industry is facing real challenges and this is reflected in the fee survey, with equine practices in particular decreasing many of their prices on last year. However the survey also shows that the fees vets charge vary widely, particularly in the small animal sector. While some of this can be accounted for by differing overheads, it does provide a fascinating insight into the various financial models that exist and challenges practice owners to review how they construct their fees. It also suggests that there is scope for practices to grow their profitability and understanding the market will help them with this.
"We have a new benchmarking service from Veterinary Insights that will help practices to set more accurate fee levels and we will be developing our fee survey further so that it dovetails with this service. I would urge practices to join SPVS and access the invaluable data we produce to help them grow their businesses."
For more information, a copy of the survey, or to join SPVS visit www.spvs.org.uk
Vet Futures, the joint initiative by the RCVS and BVA to stimulate debate about the future of the profession, is running an essay competition with a prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to the London Vet Show (London Olympia, 19th-20th November).
To win, you need to submit an essay of 1000 words or less which outlines an idea that will transform the veterinary/veterinary nursing profession by 2030. The College suggests that entrants might might look at a new business model, a new approach to education, a technological innovation or perhaps a way that the working lives of those in the practice team could be improved.
Anyone with an interest in the veterinary profession can enter the competition, including veterinary surgeons, nurses, practice managers and students.
The entries will be judged by the Vet Futures Project Board, which includes the Presidents and Chief Executives of both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association.
Entries will be anonymised then scored on a range of criteria, including originality, potential impact for the future and realistic prospects of change. The winning entry will be placed in a time capsule, to be opened by the veterinary profession in 2030.
The closing date for entries is midnight on Monday 31 August 2015, and the winner will be notified on Monday 7 September 2015.
The full rules and details of how entries can be submitted can be found on www.vetfutures.org.uk/essaycomp.
Gardner Llewlyn Veterinary Recruitment and VetSurgeon.org / VetNurse.co.uk have announced the winners of a competition in which people were invited to nominate nurses for a special thanks for the work they do.
67 entries from veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and pet owners made it onto the shortlist.
Jonathan Lewis from Gardner Llewlyn said: "I know it's a cliche, but it really was very hard to pick an outright winner. In the end, though, we just loved the sheer enthusiasm of Peter Howarth MRCVS's nomination for Louisa Bouchard RVN (pictured right) from the New Era Veterinary Hospital, and thought it takes a very special person to inspire the ringing endorsement of her work."
The team nomination was similarly difficult to pick. However, Stephanie Fursland MRCVS's nomination for the nursing team at The Oval Pet Centre stood out as an example of how a good nursing team can have a really profound effect on other members of the practice team.
A new iPad mini is on its way to Louisa, and a case of champagne is winging its way to The Oval Pet Centre. There was also a draw amongst all the nominators to win another iPad mini, the winner of which was Val Marsh, who nominated Kate Slack RVN from Blacks Veterinary Group.
Arlo Guthrie, Editor of VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk said: "We found a lot of the entries really rather moving and whether they came from members of the public or from colleagues in the profession, they all serve to demonstrate the importance - as if anyone needed reminding - of what a good nurse brings to the practice. The nominees should all be very proud.
"We decided that the nominations were too good to keep to ourselves, so we've published them on a publicly visible part of VetNurse (click here), with links back to the nominated practices' websites. Hopefully, it might be a nice thing for any of the nominees to add to their CV, and the links should in time result in these lovely endorsements appearing when people make a relevant search for the practice."
A group of some of the best-known referral practices in the country has issued a formal response to the recent announcement by pet insurance underwriter RSA that it is building a network of preferred referral practices to direct its clients to.
Whilst RSA has clarified the contents of a letter it sent to practices in the Midlands and North West, and apologised to the profession for the confusion it caused, it has not yet responded to any of the other concerns raised by the profession.
Perhaps chief amongst those is the claim by RSA's Head of Pet Claims, Keith Maxwell, that the company is looking to provide like-for-like treatment at a lower cost from its list of preferred referral practices.
Referral vets from Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Hampshire, Cave Veterinary Specialists in Somerset, Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordshire, Dick White Referrals in Suffolk, North Downs Specialist Referrals in Surrey, The Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Centre in Warwickshire and Willows Veterinary Centre in the West Midlands say that RSA's current list is simply not representative of the RCVS Recognised Specialist expertise and advanced therapies available within the veterinary profession, thereby making it impossible for RSA to offer like-for-like treatment, let alone at a lower cost.
Clive Elwood, Managing Director of Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordshire, speaking on behalf of the practices who have expressed concern about the move, said: "An approach that focuses on cost-cutting rather than quality of patient care and lacks any genuine or objective process to benchmark clinical standards is inappropriate. Many multi-disciplinary centres place enormous value on the importance of Recognised Specialists being involved at every level of care including consultation, anaesthesia and imaging assessment and the proposed restrictions may preclude this level of service in some instances. We understand that balancing high standards of care and affordability for owners and insurance companies is an important issue and we hope insurers will work with all sectors of the profession to find constructive workable long term solutions."
Mike Martin of the Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Centre in Warwickshire added: "Owners buy pet insurance to ensure that they can access the best available expertise when their animals are ill. I don't think any owner wants to have their choice of practice restricted by insurance companies who are primarily concerned with encouraging shortcuts to reduce costs."
The British College of Veterinary Specialists has invited RSA to attend a meeting to discuss issues of concern, but says it hasn't thus far received a reply.
The RCVS has announced the launch of a consultation on the new proposed list of 'day-one' clinical skills needed by veterinary nurses when they first enter practice.
The College says it welcomes comments on the new list from veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons and all those involved in veterinary nurse training and education.
The current Day-One Skills document was developed by RCVS Awards, the College's awarding body, in 2010 and provides a list of those skills student veterinary nurses are expected to have gained by the end of their training, and to be competent and confident in when they first go into practice.
As RCVS Awards will be closed by the end of this year, the RCVS is taking the opportunity to review the Day One Skills to bring them closer into line with our recently revised Day One Competences, and to reduce the number of required skills in order to make it more relevant to clinical practice.
Julie Dugmore, Head of Veterinary Nursing, said: "The current document was developed from an awarding body perspective and not that of the regulator, so it specifies a large number of non-clinical skills, for example, handling and moving equipment safely, which, while important, are somewhat out of our regulatory remit.
"Given the wide variety of veterinary practice settings to which student veterinary nurses are exposed, it is important that we, as the industry regulator, define the required day-one skills and ensure that these align with the required day-one competences. We need to review the skills list to ensure consistency, that it reflects current practice, and that it only includes those skills deemed necessary for registration purposes. A clearer focus on safe and effective clinical skills would support our primary regulatory role: that of protecting animal welfare and the public interest."
The consultation sets out the proposed Day-One Skills, grouped according to the corresponding day-one competences, and asks for feedback on their relevance, accuracy and completeness. Comments would be welcomed from higher education institutions, awarding organisations, centres, and training practices, as well as veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons.
The consultation is available via the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/consultations and the deadline for responses is 5pm on 29 July 2015.
Vetsonic has announced the launch of a tablet form of Arthriaid Omega.
Designed to support joint health, the nutraceutical product contains glucosamine, chondroitin, omega 3 fatty acids, MSM, manganese sulphate plus vitamins C and E.
This new tablet form joins the existing range of palatable liquids, chews, cat gel and the original ArthriAid tablets and ArthriAid HA powder, which will continue to be available.
Spanish company Vital Dinamic has announced the launch of SD VET, a new stool designed to reduce the physical stress from prolonged standing whilst operating.
The stool is based on a multi-directional rocking design which gives the surgeon a wide range of movement whilst taking the weight off their legs (see video below).
In addition, the company says that SD VET protects the back from postural problems, helps circulation in the legs and puts the surgeon in a more relaxed posture, thereby helping to improve concentration on the task at hand.
For more information, contact: José de Benito, International Sales Director on +34 661 763 887 or email: jdebenito@vitaldinamic.com
The Copper Development Association (CDA) reports that a Harare veterinary practice has become the first in Zimbabwe to add copper touch surfaces to its suite of infection prevention measures.
24 Hour Veterinary Practice opted to replace frequently-touched surfaces including table tops, drawer handles, light and electrical switches, chair arms, desk tops and even mice with solid copper equivalents.
The CDA says copper is a powerful antimicrobial with rapid, broad-spectrum efficacy against bacteria and viruses, including MRSA, E.coli and norovirus (references). It shares this benefit with a range of copper alloys - including brasses and bronzes - forming a family of materials collectively called 'antimicrobial copper'.
Touch surfaces made from solid antimicrobial copper are used by healthcare facilities around the world to reduce the spread of infections such as norovirus and MRSA, supporting key infection control measures such as good hand hygiene and frequent surface cleaning and disinfection.
Dr Vinay Ramlaul, who runs the practice, said: 'We're very pleased with the copper touch surfaces. They're easy to clean and present a bright, sterile image to our clients. We feel secure knowing that copper is continuously killing microbes being transmitted to the surfaces by both our clients and patients.'
24 Hour Veterinary Practice joins a number of other veterinary facilities in South Africa already using antimicrobial copper surfaces to enhance hygiene. The CDA says it is not aware of any UK practices that have yet installed the surfaces, although it is being used in a number of human healthcare hospitals and clinics in the UK.
For more information, including a list of antimicrobial copper products and suppliers, visit www.antimicrobialcopper.org.
The RCVS has announced that its Professional Standards Advice Team, which offers advice about the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, is now trialling extended hours and remaining open until 7pm Monday to Friday.
The trial will last for three months.
The closing time of 7pm was decided by the RCVS Standards Committee because research conducted by both the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons and the RCVS determined that this is the average closing time for veterinary practices in the UK.
On average the Professional Conduct Department deals with 7,500 calls a year (which includes calls from veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses looking for advice about professional responsibilities and standards) as well as around 2,000 written requests which are dealt with exclusively by the Professional Standards Advice Team.
Laura McClintock, Standards and Advisory Manager, said: "The aim of the trial is to determine if the profession would take advantage of these extended hours and, therefore, if our team should permanently extend its operating hours to provide a better service to the profession.
"However, it must be remembered that this is not an emergency service but an extension to our standard service and advice during the extended hours will not necessarily be any more immediate than at any other time during the day because it may need further research or input from members of the Standards Committee.
"Prior to launching the trial we also liaised with 10 other UK healthcare and professional regulators and found that our current professional advice service compared favourably to others and that we were providing a more extensive service than many."
The team aims to provide clear, concise and consistent advice to help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses understand their professional responsibilities and support compliance with the Code. It also distinguishes between professional requirements, legal requirements and suggested good practice and may offer suggestions about how professional responsibilities can be applied in practice.
However, there are some areas on which the team is unable to offer guidance. For example, it cannot offer clinical advice or advice on legal matters such as employment law, maternity rights, or contractual or civil disputes.
Advice is also available for members of the public, for example, to help animal owners understand what they can expect from their veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
To contact the team call 020 7202 0789 or, alternatively, email profcon@rcvs.org.uk
RSA Insurance Group, which underwrites pet insurance on behalf of MORE TH>N, Tesco Bank, M&S, John Lewis, Argos and Homebase, has clarified recently announced changes to its policy conditions concerning cases which need to be referred for specialist treatment.
In a letter dated 22nd May, which was sent to practices in the Midlands and the NW, the company said:
"With effect from the 25th May 2015, if you need to refer a pet under any of the above Brands to a specialist or referral vet, and the visit is not in response to an emergency, then our customer / your Client can contact us on the relevant number below before any appointment is made. We will then agree which of our preferred specialist or referral practices our customer should go to, dependant (sic) on the individual circumstance relating to the claim. If our customer does not get in touch with us or we have not agreed to the visit, then this could result in our customer suffering a financial impact. This amount will be in addition to the policy excess."
Speaking to VetNurse.co.uk, Keith Maxwell, Head of Pet Claims at RSA said: "What we're saying to the primary practices is that we want to speak to our customers before they go to a referral vet. We want to engage with our customers to let them know that we have referral vets who we are starting to work with across those specific regions. We are not saying to customers that you have to use those referral vets and if you don't, we won't provide cover."
This appeared to contradict a statement that a member of VetSurgeon.org had received from John Lewis earlier which said: “If you decided to go to a specialist that wasn’t approved by us, we wouldn’t cover the costs." Keith said: "That is not correct."
Clarifying the financial impact referred to in the company's letter to veterinary practices, Keith said: "In terms of any sort of financial impact on the customer, if we think about the level of benefit that a customer will have under their insurance policy, they will have a maximum cash benefit. If a customer goes to one specific referral vet and the cost of treatment is extremely high, and they have a choice of going to a referral vet that we have been interacting with to get a like for like treatment, the cost will be lower, the financial impact on the customer will be that the overall benefit available to them will be eroded at a faster rate."
He added: "The other thing I would say is that certain customers under our policies will have a policy excess which will be on a percentage basis. Now if you think about a higher cost treatment which will incur a percentage excess, it will be a higher amount the customer will have to pay, as opposed to going to a referral vet where they can get the exact same high quality treatment, but the overall cost will be lower; they will pay a lower excess. So we are not saying we are going to penalise a customer. There are other financial consequences i.e. eroding benefit or having to pay a greater amount of excess."
Whilst RSA appears not to be removing the freedom of choice over referrals, there remains the potential for a conflict of interest when a primary practitioner recommends treatment at a centre they believe to be the most suitable for the case, and the client then rings the insurer only to be advised to use an alternative, primarily for reasons of cost. Keith said: "What I would say is that we are at the start of a journey. We've selected a small part of the country. We are very much in a 'test and learn' phase. As we have selected referral vets, we have gone through obviously quite a lengthy process of engaging with referral vets, looking at specialism, looking at their accreditation, looking at their capability, their skill, equipment within their practices, what their areas of specialism are, so we are building up this view. It does come down to we want to learn from this. We want to engage with our customers. We want to offer our customers choice. We want to make sure that our customers will not be receiving an inferior service or inferior treatment or level of specialism in any specific way."
VetNurse.co.uk asked how RSA has selected its preferred referral practices, and how others can join its network. Keith said: "When we started this journey, we made contact with a significant number of referral vets across the country. Some referral vets just said point blank 'No, we don't want to talk to you'. Others said 'Yes, we'd like to come and have some discussions'. So we took those forward and then we took the referral vets through a benchmarking process based on a full list of criteria, and within RSA we have veterinary expertise helping us along that journey, so we're not just doing this on our own. We are very much an open door to interacting and liaising with referral vets."
Keith concluded by saying: "We are focused on our customers here. We are focused on making sure that pet insurance is sustainable in the long term, both for our customers and for vets across the country."