Royal Canin has launched NATOM Explorer, an interactive online tool designed to help the entire practice team visualise and explain the cat and dog anatomy and disease conditions to their clients. 

NATOM (‘aNATOMical map’) hosts a library that supports explanations given by the veterinary surgeon or nurse to the owner during or after the consultation. The tool acts as an interactive reference for vets and vet nurses, boasting a 360 degree navigation of the anatomy, three levels of zoom, full image annotation and the ability to print and share bespoke images and save them for future reference.

Users of the charts are able to study the skeletal, nervous, circulatory, muscular, visceral and more superficial layers of the anatomy. In addition, there are ‘special views’ of over 100 common disease processes which graphically describe illness presentation, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment as well as giving pointers on long-term management.

Marianne Lomberg, Veterinary Marketing Manager at Royal Canin, said: "The tool was initially launched to vet students in early 2015 and, excitingly, following its highly successful introduction, we have now rolled it out to vet practices.  NATOM Explorer™ is an easy to use, time-saving tool which can help explain all disease conditions in a simplified way, which is particularly key when presenting complex health topics and diseases to clients. We believe the tool will be highly beneficial to practices and look forward to seeing it going on to benefit owners and their pets across the country."

All information on NATOM can be personalised by the user by adding comments, sketches and uploading other files before saving and sharing the information. All the available content is written and verified by experts in anatomy and small animal practice, with significant contributions from Dr Alex German, Professor Tim Gruffydd-Jones and Dr. Kit Sturgess. 

Practices interested in the tool can visit www.vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk for further information

Researchers from the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition have published two studies which reveal, for the first time, the most common bacterial species associated with gum disease in cats.

Working with veterinary dentists and the Harvard affiliated Forsyth Institute, researchers used DNA sequencing technologies to identify 267 bacterial species present in feline dental plaque and build a database detailing the differences between bacterial populations in healthy cats and those in cats with gum disease.

Dr. Ian Davis, Oral Health Researcher at WALTHAM, part of Mars Petcare, said: "This knowledge is a first step in understanding the potential for improving oral health of cats through dietary interventions that target disease-associated bacteria."

The studies also revealed that the bacterial species in feline plaque were more similar to those observed in canine plaque than to those found in humans. This suggests that interventions targeted at bacteria which cause oral disease in humans are unlikely to be effective in cats, and there is more potential to learn from interventions that work well in dogs.

Dr. Davis added: "It’s important for pet owners to know that cats are just as susceptible to gum disease as dogs and understand the importance of maintaining a good oral hygiene routine; ideally including tooth brushing and dental treats or a specific dental diet".  

The first study was published in Veterinary Microbiology in February 2015. The second was published on 25th November in PLOS ONE, and can be downloaded here: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136986.

The RCVS has announced that it will be holding a free lunchtime webinar next week about its alternative dispute resolution (ADR) trial and its outcomes.

The webinar, titled ‘Who ADRs wins’, takes place at 1pm on Monday 7 December via The Webinar Vet and will be presented by RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey and RCVS Council member Niall Connell who was part of the Advisory Panel to the ADR trial.

The trial, which has been administered by Ombudsman Services, began in November 2014 in order to develop a system that addresses the many concerns received by the RCVS about the conduct of veterinary surgeons which it cannot deal with under its statutory powers.

During the webinar, Gordon and Niall will explain the roles of Ombudsman Services and the Advisory Panel, as well as examine the outcomes of some of the concerns handled by the trial. 

They will also discuss the future of the ADR scheme. Following the presentation, listeners will have the opportunity to put their questions to the speakers.

Visit www.thewebinarvet.com/the-rcvs-alternative-dispute-resolution-scheme to register for the webinar. A recording of the webinar will be made available shortly after the event.

The RCVS has announced  the relaunch of its Golden Jubilee Award, an accolade which recognises those veterinary nurses who are playing a leadership role within the profession.

The relaunch comes after Veterinary Nurses Council agreed some significant changes to the award process and criteria at its October 2015 meeting. This included restricting the award to veterinary nurses only (previously it was open to veterinary surgeons and laypeople) and making the award criteria more focused on leadership.

Liz Cox, Chair of Veterinary Nurses Council, said: “We agreed changes to this award in order to both encourage more nominations and to ensure that those who are nominated are people who are pushing forward the profession, whether that be clinically, politically, or in terms of raising public awareness of what we do.

“Nominees for the award must be people who are proactive and passionate in campaigning on behalf of the profession and who are taking on an ambassadorial role for it – for example, speaking about current issues and initiatives at congresses, events or with local or national media.

“If this sounds like someone you know, then please don’t hesitate to put them forward for the award and help raise the profile of the profession even further.”

The award was founded in 2011 to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the first RCVS training course for veterinary nurses and its first winner was Jean Turner, a member of the profession since 1971.

Jean said: “I have immense pride in the veterinary nursing profession and am still overwhelmed by receiving the very first award. I frequently look at the certificate mounted in our study and use the lovely engraved bowl. As the first recipient I look on it as an award for all the veterinary nurses who have worked with me and helped me over many years.”

Subsequent winners have been Sue Badger (2012), Hayley Walters (2014) and Dot Creighton this year.

Dot Creighton said: “We are in a great position to identify those natural leaders who are clearly motivational and not only feel passionate about their own career and work, but also of their whole profession.  It is these veterinary nurses that need to be supported and encouraged to consider the wider positive impact they can have on the whole profession.

“Taking further qualifications, training our students, educating our profession through publications and lecturing, developing our body of research and considering positions such as being council members on bodies such as BVNA Council, are accessible to all RVNs who want to make this difference. These are the nurses that are ideal candidates to be recognised through the Golden Jubilee Award and I would encourage VNs to consider nominating them.”

Although nominees must be veterinary nurses, the primary nominator can be either a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse and the two supporting nominators can be laypeople. The deadline for returning nomination forms is Friday 29 January 2016 and nominations will be judged by a panel comprising members of VN Council.

The award will be made at RCVS Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Day – in July 2016. The winner will also be given a speaking opportunity at that year’s BVNA Congress in October.

From the 2017 award onwards, the nomination period will be aligned with that of other RCVS honours, such as the Queen’s Medal, meaning that it will run from July to September.

Nomination forms, which include further details about the criteria and other requirements, can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/goldenjubilee. For further information or advice about the award, please contact Annette Amato, Deputy Head of Veterinary Nursing at the RCVS, on a.amato@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0713.

The Kennel Club has launched the Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) to accelerate research into inherited canine disease.

It aims to create further diagnostic tests which, together with breeding advice, will improve the health and welfare of generations of dogs.

Because of the small gene pool in purebred dogs, inherited diseases resulting from single gene mutations are more likely to occur than in their cross bred cousins. This can lead to significant welfare issues. There are more than five million purebred dogs in the UK alone and many of these will benefit from the findings of the Genetics Centre.

Over the next five years, the centre aims to investigate 25 inherited diseases. It will develop, where possible, screening tests to determine affected and carrier dogs that can be performed with simple mouth swabs. In deciding which diseases to investigate, the joint Kennel Club and AHT team will look at their impact on the health and welfare of dogs, but also on the support of breeders and access to data and samples.

Dr Peter Webbon, Chief Executive of the AHT, said: "We're delighted to work in partnership with the Kennel Club on this important welfare issue. Our level of skill and expertise within this field is unparalleled and the new centre enables us to extend our current range of DNA tests.

"We hope, in time, this will equip breeders with essential information so they can plan successful breeding strategies to avoid the birth of affected dogs, and ultimately, to eliminate disease from breeds at risk."

Dr. Cathryn Mellersh and Dr. Sarah Blott, two of the AHT's genetics experts, will lead the Centre. Both have been fundamental in identifying defective genes and developing screening tests which identify a dog's genetic status and minimise the risk of producing affected puppies.

The Centre will also introduce new approaches in dog breeding.  One major advance will be estimated breeding values (EBVs). These will enable whole dog populations to be evaluated for inherited disease - even if individuals haven't been scanned or DNA tested themselves.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club spokesperson, said: "The Kennel Club is pleased to support research which improves the health and happiness of dogs. Working in partnership with the Animal Health Trust means we can start to tackle the problem of inherited disease much quicker.  

"We have already made significant investment in this area, and are now delighted to step up the scope of this research. It is a very real possibility that through this Centre we will be able to eradicate certain inherited diseases in some dogs."

Dr Ed Hall, President of BSAVA, said: "Inherited disease is one part of a complex issue involved with breeding pedigree dogs.

"I personally welcome any efforts to improve our current understanding of the area and trust that the Kennel Club Genetics Centre will make massive progress in the next five years in order to enable owners to make informed breeding decisions and, in time, to reduce the effect of inherited disease."

Petplan has announced the finalists for the 2009 Veterinary Awards. 

The company says it was inundated with more than 2300 nominations this year and that the public response was 'astonishing', with tales ranging from midnight rescues to simple acts of kindness and this year was no exception.

The finalists for each of the categories are as follows:

Vet of the Year
Jamie Rushton, Village Vet Hampstead, London
Ben Jones, Ben Jones Veterinary Surgery, Chester, Flintshire
Matthew Fry, Quarrington Veterinary Surgery, Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Vet Nurse of the Year
Charlotte Maude, Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Chesterfield, Markham, Chesterfield
Karen McQuaid, The Old Golfhouse Veterinary Group, Watton, Norfolk
Rachel Smith, 608 Veterinary Group, Solihull, West Midlands

Vet Receptionist of the Year
Yasmin Morowa, Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Jackie Crampton, Companion Care Veterinary Surgery Chesterfield, Markham, Chesterfield
Sara Abbott, Pet Doctors, East Horsley, Surrey

Vet Practice of the Year
Ashfield House Veterinary Hospital Limited, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire
Carrick Veterinary Group CVS (UK) Ltd, Newbold, Chesterfield
St Clair Veterinary Group, Kirkcaldy, Fife

Simon Wheeler, Petplan's Head of Marketing said he was thrilled by the record number of nominations received:

"This year we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Veterinary Awards which were launched so pet owners could thank their practice for the tireless and wonderful work they carry out. We are delighted that the awards, which we often hear referred to as the 'Vet Oscars', are still going strong.  This year we have received over 2300 nominations and the quality and standard really challenged the skills of our esteemed judging panel. We would like to wish those short listed every success on the night."

All finalists will be invited to a 'glittering' awards ceremony that will take place on 2^nd April at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham where the winners will be announced.

Hill's has issued an open invitation to vets and nurses to come along to its stand to see some unique personal and practice development tools, now available on-line.

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager said: "These are tough times for anyone in business but for many years now we have been listening to vets about the key problems they face. We found that vets and nurses felt that long term compliance was one of their biggest issues and quantitative measurements have certainly backed that up. In response, we have, over the last few years, been developing and refining a very exciting new initiative, the CRAFTworks programme, the new on-line version of which we will be launching at BSAVA. Working with veterinary practice input, we have tailored this programme to really deliver in terms of patient care and profitability. We are very much looking forward to introducing this scheme and I believe that many practices will see real benefits in terms of their bottom line."

Training has been widely tipped as critical if the UK is to work its way out of recession but cost can be an issue. Hill's has responded by launching a new addition to the Vet Nutrition Academy (VNA) website. This latest on-line course is case based, provides training in clinical nutrition and is available absolutely free of charge to those who register with VNA. The course can be viewed at terminals on the Hill's stand and delegates will also be able to sign up at no cost and receive a gift on completion of registration. The clinical nutrition offering is just one of a stable of courses available through the VNA website, which also includes registration forms for key CPD events and a facility to earn rewards for studying.

Last year on the Hill's stand, rehabilitation specialist Lowri Davies introduced many vets to goniometry, a technique to measure mobility that was then still quite novel in the veterinary sector. The on-stand seminars were so popular that the format will be repeated this year with 15 minute CPD sessions focusing on the development of appropriate exercise programmes in a range of scenarios including the growing, geriatric and overweight dog. Four topics will be covered each day for an hour of certified CPD during breaks and lunchtimes. 

There will be numerous opportunities for delegates to achieve work life balance with the popular Hill's speciality coffee bar available for those who want to chat through their nutrition dilemmas with technical staff or talk about the opportunities on offer. There is also a free gift for everyone who visits the stand and the chance to try out a Wii Fit - the latest product from Nintendo that combines fitness with having fun. There are three Wii Fit Bundles to be won by entering the daily competition.

Adrian said: "It's always good to talk to colleagues we already know but if it has been some time since you have talked to Hill's I really encourage you to come along for an informal chat and see just what we have to offer. The longer we work with veterinary practices the better we understand their needs and the better we can respond to those needs. We want to continue to learn from the profession and to use the resources we can bring to the table to help veterinary businesses to thrive and prosper." 

The RCVS and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will be holding a free Masterclass offering practical guidance on the requirements of the Veterinary Practice Premises Register, on Saturday 4 April, at BSAVA Congress.

If you are concerned about medicines inspections and would like further information about complying, this is your chance to find out what you need to do.

By 1 April, all practice premises from which medicines are supplied should be registered with the RCVS. All such premises are then subject to inspection - by either Practice Standards Scheme inspectors, if accredited under the Scheme, or VMD inspectors. Will you be ready if an inspector calls?

Suitable for veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and practice managers, the interactive session will be held from 10am - 12noon, with presentations from VMD and the Chief Inspector of the Practice Standards Scheme, followed by group discussion and plenty of time for questions and answers.

Attendance at the Masterclass, which will be held in Hall 6 of the ICC in Birmingham, is free to BSAVA passholders.

For your free ticket, contact Fiona Harcourt on 020 7202 0773, f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk, or during Congress visit the RCVS Stand, number 918, opposite the catering stand in the Exhibition hall.

Janssen Animal Health is encouraging vets and nurses to think 'chicken' this spring.

According to the company, all the evidence suggests that there has been a massive increase in the number of people keeping a few chickens in their garden, resulting in a new breed of chicken owner who often has different expectations regarding healthcare, and views their birds as 'pets'.

Vet Nigel Underwood from Janssen Animal Health said: "It is very tempting for small animal practitioners to think that domestic poultry keepers are the preserve of large animal practices but it is very likely that many cat and dog owners will own chickens too and trust their vet to give them advice about the basic healthcare needs of all their pets."

This spring there is a big opportunity to make poultry owners aware of the need to worm their birds. The return of warmer weather can signal an increase in poultry worm numbers as the ambient temperature increases above 10 degrees centigrade and more worm eggs become infectious. Studies have shown that peak worm counts often coincide with peak chicken egg production. Unless chickens, turkeys and geese are de-wormed there is a risk that egg production could suffer, just when poultry keepers should be enjoying their best yields.  Some may even notice smaller eggs and loss of shell and yolk colour. Birds may suffer weight loss, become anaemic or even die.

One study has shown that older birds are more likely to harbour worms and many domestic poultry keepers find themselves with an ageing flock because they allow their birds to live a full natural lifespan. Free range birds are also much more at risk of picking up parasitic worms because of increased exposure to the outdoors, more contact with wild birds and the opportunities to ingest intermediate hosts such as earthworms, beetles and snails. 

Janssen Animal Health's Flubenvet® 60 gram pack is an in-feed treatment that, according to the company, is practical even for those with just a few hens in their garden. Flubenvet 60 gram contains enough wormer to treat around 20 chickens, with no egg withdrawal.

While worms are a year-round problem in poultry it is especially important to treat in the spring to tackle the increasing threat of worm infection. Thereafter, poultry owners will also get the best results if they continue to treat regularly in spring, summer and autumn, when new birds are acquired and before putting birds out to pasture. This helps to ensure that contamination of the chickens' environment with worm eggs is kept at a manageable level, reducing the risk of future infections.

Free client leaflets about worms affecting chickens, geese and turkeys are available by calling Janssen Animal Health on 01494 567555.

There are still locum and permanent vacancies in the veterinary industry, despite the current UK recession, but candidates must be prepared to be more flexible, advises veterinary recruitment company, Rig Vet Recruitment.

"The number of vacancies we are being asked to fill at present has not really varied from the same time last year," Said Justin Carpenter, Managing Director of Rig Vets. "But, in these current uncertain times, I would suggest that candidates try to be more versatile in their job requirement criteria on such as location, on-call work, night and weekend duties, working away from home etc, then it will be much easier for us to find them the right positions."

Vets should now consider Angiostrongylus vasorum a countrywide parasite and not one that is restricted to the traditional hotspots of the South East, the Midlands and south Wales. This was the main message delivered by Shelia Brennan of University College Dublin to almost 300 vets attending the recent Bayer-sponsored A vasorum CPD meetings, held across the north of England and Scotland.

Sheila said: "Until recently, angiostrongylosis was only recognised in limited areas of the UK, and confirmed cases were few and far between. Now we are hearing reports of the disease as far afield as Kent and Glasgow and dogs are dying as a result. If caught early enough, the disease can be treated successfully. Vets should be aware of the many and varied symptoms and consider this parasite as a differential in any dog with suspicious clinical signs."

Dogs of any age can be infected with the parasite, but the majority presenting with clinical disease are less than two years of age. A number of clinical presentations are recognised. Dogs may present with respiratory signs (cough, exercise intolerance), coagulopathy, neurological signs, syncope and in a small number of cases hypercalcaemia. These signs can occur in isolation or in combination, and not all dogs have respiratory signs. Haemorrhage following routine neutering has been anecdotally reported. Dogs with a history of eating the parasite's intermediate hosts (slugs and snails) should be considered as being at high risk.

Chris White, Bayer's Advocate product manager said: "The attendance of nearly 300 vets at the four-meeting series, in areas not normally associated with the disease, is further evidence that vets are becoming increasingly concerned about the threat posed by A vasorum. This is the third series of meetings we have held, reaching around 1,000 vets and vet nurses across the country."

The Blue Cross has presented its Veterinary Nurse of the Year award to Rebecca Darbyshire for her outstanding contribution to animal welfare, both within her veterinary practice and among the local community in Pocklington, York.

The award was presented during the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) annual congress in Kettering, Northamptonshire on Saturday 11 October by BBC wildlife presenter Steve Leonard and The Blue Cross director of veterinary services, Christian Bamber.

This award celebrates the significant contribution made by a veterinary nurse in both educating the public and promoting the welfare of pets in the community. Veterinary surgeons and members of the public all over the country were invited to nominate a nurse who they felt had made an important contribution to their local community.

Christian Bamber explained: "This annual award is an opportunity for The Blue Cross to applaud the dedication and hard work of veterinary nurses across the UK. Rebecca's compassion and kindness towards pet owners in her local community has led to a deeper understanding of and commitment to animal welfare in her area. We congratulate Rebecca for winning this year's award and for her tireless enthusiasm and cheer which is so appreciated by the pets and their owners at her Yorkshire practice.

Rebecca was nominated by vet and colleague Matt Brash at Battlefields veterinary clinic in Pocklington.

Mr Brash said: "Rebecca is an outstanding, unassuming professional nurse. She runs all of the clinics that a modern day nurse does, but still has the time for anybody - whatever they need, whenever they need it. She has developed such a close relationship with our clients that they would often rather see her than a vet!"

Rebecca said: "It was a total surprise to find out I had won this year's award. I had no idea I'd even been nominated and I've never won anything before. I've been a veterinary nurse for more than 14 years and I really, really enjoy it. It just gets better as time goes on!"

At a black tie dinner held during BVNA Congress at the weekend, the winner and runners-up of the Hill's Pet Nutrition Veterinary Healthcare Adviser (VHA) of the Year 2008 were announced.

The winner was Lisa Nix,RVN, from Holmefield Vet Clinic at Sherburn-in-Elmet, who won £1000 in holiday vouchers. As the standard of entries this year was so high, the judges decided this time to award two runners-up prizes to Samantha Kenny, RVN, Lancaster Vet Clinic, Lancaster, and Andrw Lipscombe, RVN from Park Vet Hospital, Sheffield and they were each given £500 holiday vouchers.

Lucy Woodburn of Three Rivers veterinary practice in Beccles is the winner of the top exam marks in the VHA exams held throughout 2007.

Picture shows (left to right): Andrew Lipscombe RVN, Park Vet Hospital, Sheffield (Runner-up); Samantha Kenny RVN, Lancaster Vet Clinic, Lancaster (Runner-up); Lisa Nix RVN, Holmefield Vet Clinic, Sherburn-in-Elmet, VHA of the Year 2008