Duncan, an 85kg miniature horse, was first admitted to the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital in July this year for investigation of severe hind limb lameness. A CT scan revealed that Duncan had dislocated the left hip joint and damaged it irreparably.
Equine surgical specialist Dave Stack said: "Treatment options for this problem are very limited, especially with extensive damage to the head of the femur.
"I discussed Duncan’s predicament with two small animal surgical specialists, Professor Rob Pettitt and Andy Tomlinson, who agreed that performing a total hip replacement offered Duncan the best chance for recovery."
The procedure had been attempted in small ponies before, however, all known previous attempts had failed. The surgery required careful preparation and the combined knowledge of specialists in both small animal and equine surgery, as well as colleagues from the anaesthesia and internal medicine departments.
Working together, the teams were able to replace Duncan's left hip using implants designed for use in large dogs.
Equine Surgical Resident, Matthew Cullen said: “Although always complex, hip replacements are relatively common in dogs, so the experience of the small animal surgeons was absolutely vital as Duncan presented a highly unique challenge.
"Despite that he has made an excellent recovery and was able to walk and trot almost normally at his last check up!”
Duncan was hospitalised for over three weeks and required round-the-clock supervision in the first few days after surgery. As he grew stronger, physiotherapy formed a large part of the postoperative care to help him get back on his feet.
Rob Pettitt, Professor of Small Animal Orthopaedics at the University’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital, said: "The opportunity to provide Duncan with a normal life using a procedure that we perform regularly in dogs but that has never been successful longer term in equids was a unique experience. Our role as surgeons was just a small part of the huge teamwork that has resulted in this successful outcome."
Dave Stack added: “I would like to express my gratitude to all who contributed to the success of Duncan’s recovery, not least Rob Michael of Thompson House Equine Clinic, Duncan’s vet at home, whose care of him has been invaluable. I am thrilled that Duncan will live a comfortable life and delighted that Duncan’s owners have the opportunity to continue to spoil him for many years to come."
Sophia Salmon MRCVS from Central CPD said: "All of the major corporate chains in the UK now deliver a significant proportion of their clinical and non-clinical staff training via online learning platforms. These systems form an important part of professional development, training standardisation and even performance evaluation.
"However, learning platforms can be expensive to procure and develop, as well as being time-consuming to maintain, and therefore may not be viable for smaller businesses."
Central CPD has used its experience providing online learning to several of the UK’s major corporate veterinary groups to create 'Central CPD On-Demand', which features over 1500 clinical and non-clinical CPD videos for vets, nurses, managers and receptionists.
There's a new practice subscription package which, developed with whole-team learning in mind, costs £2000 per year for up to twenty people (veterinary surgeons, nurses or management staff).
Central CPD says the new package allows individuals and practices to set their own learning plan for the year, and for mentors to build and supervise training programmes for other staff members.
Practices can add their own content, such as policy documents, in order to assist with the delivery of compulsory elements of staff training.
Central CPD says its service is a fraction of the cost of procuring and populating an off-the-shelf learning platform, and the company is staffed by vets and vet nurses who are available to provide one-to-one advice and support to help practices set up their team’s platform and get the most out of the system.
For more information, visit: https://centralcpd.co.uk/
The CAMadvocate course (http://www.cameducation.co.uk), which is delivered online, consists of 10 modules with video presentations, course notes, downloads, owner-focused tools, further online learning, and social media uploads.
The course is designed to help canine professionals improve their understanding of canine arthritis, and to define their role in the identification, diagnosis, and management of the condition.
Hannah Capon MRCVS, the founder of Canine Arthritis Management said: "Dog walkers, groomers, trainers, kennel owners, etc., are all influencers! They have the ability to support a long-term veterinary-derived management plan. Or they have the ability to destabilise it!
"Owners listen to these people because they have more available time; they may appear less like a business and more like a friendly service or even a peer; or they may offer advice that seems more convincing. Whatever the reason, we should harness their powers and ensure they are disseminating reliable information whilst servicing their own needs!"
Canine Arthritis Management believes that a multidisciplinary team is required to better manage this disease, that this includes professionals outside the veterinary practice, and by harnessing their influence, the profession can educate more owners, identify this disease earlier, action appropriate management plans and give owners more years with their pets.
Hannah added: "I hope the profession will support this initiative and consider applying it to other chronic diseases that are prone to misinformation due to lucrative product sales."
CommentA training course / qualification developed by a veterinary surgeon and designed to educate influencers. It's genius. Surely there's huge scope for this kind of initiative beyond canine arthritis? What do you think pet owners are most ill-informed about, where it could be really effective to better educate canine influencers, so that they in turn will pass it on. Post your thoughts here.
The course, which starts in September 2021 at SRUC’s Craibstone campus, will focus on small animal veterinary nursing care, with some aspects of exotic, wildlife, and large animal nursing.
Students will gain clinical experience through practical activities taught on campus in the new Veterinary Nursing Skills Centre and a work-based placement with an approved training practice.
The honours year will build on the skills and competencies embedded in the first three years and will develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of a range of subjects including the psychology and physiology of pain, animal ethics, welfare, and genetics.
From April 2021, SRUC will also offer a distance learning Professional Development Award. This three-unit bridging programme, which will cover communications, veterinary terminology and animal biology, is aimed at VCA students, or those with alternative appropriate qualifications, wishing to progress on to degree level.
Professor Neil Foster, Head of the Veterinary and Animal Science Department, said: “At SRUC we pride ourselves on developing graduates who are ready for the workplace.
“These new programmes help to fulfil the British Veterinary Association’s ‘Vet-led Team model’ by providing qualified veterinary assistants and nurses to enhance the work of veterinary surgeons.”
For more information about the new courses visit: www.sruc.ac.uk/study
For the study, the researchers analysed rehoming adverts placed on the websites of 16 Dogs Trust and RSPCA centres in 2015 and 2018. Data was collected on 1793 dogs across the 16 centres.
The percentage of dogs classified as 'extreme brachycephalic' using the Kennel Club definition increased from 2.76% (n=24) in 2015 to 5.19% (n=48) in 2018.The researchers speculate that owners may be passing on the financial burden of caring for and treating chronic health issues in brachycephalic dogs to the rehoming charities.
Dr Anne Carter, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science at Nottingham Trent University said: "The increasing numbers and rising popularity of brachycephalic breeds is already influencing the demographic spread in rescue centres. This pattern that is likely to continue, particularly as these dogs reach 3–4 years old, which we have found is the most common age for dogs being relinquished.
"Differing breeds require highly contrasting intensities of care, housing, and particularly veterinary care. Owners may often choose brachycephalic dogs with limited consideration for their potential health conditions. These dogs then enter rescue centres, placing additional strain on resources due to cost of treatment and additional length of stay for recovery.”
Reference
Laura Padron Vega was struck off in December 2018 after dishonestly backdating two statutory Certificates of Competence submitted to the Food Standards Agency under the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations 2015.
She was also found to have failed in her duties as an OV because she was unprepared for, and unaware of, the new regulations and did not take adequate steps to ensure that the two people for whom she had given veterinary certification were licensed to perform slaughter in accordance with the regulations.
At the outset of the restoration hearing, Ms Padron Vega admitted her guilt and made representations that she appreciated the seriousness of her actions and that there was no chance of her repeating them. She also produced a number of testimonials, including some from former veterinary colleagues, in addition to evidence that she had endeavoured to keep up-to-date with her continuing professional development while off the Register although this had been difficult due to her financial circumstances.
In considering her application for restoration, the Committee found that Ms Padron Vega had accepted the reasons for her removal from the Register and the seriousness of the findings. It found that she was unlikely to repeat the behaviour and that her conduct had been entirely acceptable since she was removed from the Register. It also considered her financial and personal circumstances, noting the difficulty she had in securing well-paid, full-time employment since her removal from the Register, and the impact that this had on her being able to keep up-to-date with her continuing professional development.
However, the Committee expressed concerns over her efforts to keep up-to-date with the knowledge and skills she would need to return to practice and said she demonstrated “no real appreciation of what she needed to put in place to demonstrate that she can return to work safely”.
In particular it found that the CPD she had undertaken was unstructured and insufficient and that therefore she had not done enough at the present time to demonstrate that she was fit to be restored to the Register, especially as she signalled that, if restored, she hoped to work in small animal practice, an area that she had not worked in for some time.
Cerys Jones, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “While the Committee did not consider that the applicant was in a position to return to practice at this point, it did consider that if the applicant applies herself to a properly structured and focused Return to Practice Plan and is able to produce evidence of how she has fulfilled the requirements of that plan, then her application could prove successful within a short time.
"The outcome of the plan for a return to practice will need to ensure the continued protection of the welfare of animals as well as the interests of clients whose animals she might be called upon to treat and, most importantly, the public interest which is founded on a belief that the veterinary certification processes are beyond question or doubt."
In order to allow Ms Padron Vega sufficient time to develop this plan, the Committee adjourned the restoration hearing for seven months (until July 2021).
Ms Jones added: “This adjournment will afford [Ms Padron Vega] an early opportunity to reflect on the concerns of the Committee… and to return with a properly supported programme for the future which will show her understanding of the problems that are likely to face her on her return to practice and her proposals to meet those inevitable difficulties.”
The full eligibility criteria, including FAQs and guidance notes, for veterinary nurses who wish to stand for VN Council can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil21. The deadline for nominations is 5pm on Sunday 31 January 2021.
Due to the ongoing postal problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, RCVS Council has approved a temporary change to the RCVS Election Scheme this year to allow nominations to be submitted electronically, rather than in hard copy. This temporary change is currently before the Privy Council for final approval.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the elections, said: "For prospective RCVS and VN Councils election candidates this will mean that, rather than having to send us hard copies of your nomination documents in the post, these can simply be emailed to the College along with the relevant digital photographs and electronic signatures."
The College has also updated its information and guidance for prospective candidates, including an informal ‘job description’, to help them better understand what it means to be members of VN Council, their responsibilities, commitments and how they help the College meet its strategic goals, as well as the principles and rules governing their conduct.
Prospective candidates for VN Council can contact Matthew Rendle, VN Council Chair, for an informal conversation on what it means to be a Council member on vncchair@rcvs.org.uk.
Matthew said: “I was very proud to recently be appointed as Chair of VN Council with responsibility for overseeing it and its role in important decision-making on some of the big issues for veterinary nursing around training and education, post-registration qualifications and registration.
“Over the past years, the role, responsibility and stature of VN Council has really grown. Its members have been at the forefront of important projects such as VN Futures, which is helping the profession identify and plan for its future, and have been ambassadors for the profession at events such as our recent VN Evening.
“Last year we had a record number of veterinary nurses standing for election to VN Council, a fantastic development that I hope will be repeated this year as you really can make a difference on VN Council and play a role in speaking up for and promoting our profession. Please do get in touch with me if you wish to find out more.”
There is one more RCVS Council meeting before the nomination period ends. It will take place online on Thursday 21st January 2021 and prospective candidates who would like to get a feel for it are welcome to attend as observers: contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, on d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk.
Written by members of BSAVA Scientific Committee, together with specialists in internal medicine and neurology, the document explains that there are limited studies showing beneficial effects of CBD, and those that there are need to be interpreted with caution as they involved small sample sizes and used unlicensed products which may have contained other components which could have influenced the results.
The document also explains that legally, CBD products must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeons and not used instead of a medication with proven efficacy.
Caroline Kisielewicz, BSAVA Scientific Committee member and one of the authors of the document said: “Information regarding the effects of cannabinoids on animals is predominantly at the stage of pre-clinical testing of individual substances in mice, rats and guinea pigs. There are limited clinical studies looking at the effects of CBD in dogs, and no reported studies in cats.
"There are many reports describing possible beneficial effects and therapeutic potential in humans, and subsequently pet owners may ask their vet about using cannabinoids to treat veterinary patients. This document aims to provide a broad overview of the available evidence base and legal position in the UK for veterinary team members."
BSAVA President, Ian Ramsey added: "The development of this information is in direct response to an increased interest in the use of CBD to treat cats and dogs. Furthermore, the guidance supports BSAVA’s mission to promote excellence in small animal practice through community, education and science."
The BSAVA position on CBD can be accessed here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/chapter/10.22233/9781910443514.chap8#html_fulltext.
The guidance has been in place since March to help practices continue to provide the public with veterinary services whilst safeguarding the health of their teams and clients.
The RCVS Council Covid-19 Taskforce reviewed the situation on 30th July and decided to extend the guidance after taking into account the pandemic’s progress, the latest government guidance, the headline results from a survey of practice experience of remote consulting, and 'other data from a number of veterinary practices'.
The Taskforce says it also considered the need to continue to provide practices with flexibility in the face of possible local or national lockdowns, the need for inclusivity of those practice teams members and clients who may still be shielding, the likelihood of quarantine of members of the team due to travel and/or Test and Trace and the fact that no major safety issues had been identified as part of the RCVS-commissioned survey into the immediate impact of the temporary guidance.
RCVS President Mandisa Greene, who chairs the Taskforce, said: “Whilst lockdown measures have been eased and matters have improved, we are far from being back to business as usual and the threat of returning to more severe lockdown measures, whether locally or nationally, is still very much alive."
The updated flowchart, along with all the College’s coronavirus guidance for the professions, is available at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
The College says this will pave the way for new diagnostic tests for what could be one of the most common causes of pregnancy loss in mares.
The researchers, led by Dr Mandi de Mestre (pictured right), Reader in Reproductive Immunology and Head of the Equine Pregnancy Laboratory at the RVC, collaborated with seven different veterinary practices to gain access to samples from across the UK and Ireland and found that around 20% of the pregnancies lost were aneuploid, which is when a copy of a whole chromosome is either duplicated or lost (similar to Down's).
Charlotte Shilton, RVC PhD, the student who performed the analysis, applied three different genetic approaches to confirm the results.
Work is now underway to identify the underlying cause of these aneuploid pregnancies, with early data from this study suggesting it is most commonly introduced via the egg or sperm. Until now, chromosomal defects such as aneuploidy have only been reported as a rare condition in young horses with developmental disorders.
The researchers say the study explains why the condition is so rare in horses, with most embryos and foetuses possessing this genetic change dying very early in development, as is also observed in human pregnancy. The study highlights the need to reconsider this genetic condition both in pregnancy loss but also for early developmental disorders.
Dr Mandi de Mestre, Reader in Reproductive Immunology at the RVC, said: “Early pregnancy loss remains a very frustrating condition for clinicians to treat as the underlying cause is unknown in around 80% of cases. These findings will allow researchers to develop new diagnostic tests for pregnancy losses, which would offer hope to thousands of owners of breeding mares that suffer this condition.
“A diagnostic test would allow them to make informed decisions on treatment strategies and to advise on whether they should invest in further attempts to breed their mare benefiting both horses and their breeders alike in the future. I would like to thank both the Thoroughbred Breeders Association and our collaborators at Texas A&M University and the participating veterinary surgeons for their support on this project.
'The new discovery in feline communication' symposium was held during the ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) International Feline Congress from 8th - 10th August.
The symposium was presented by Professor Patrick Pageat DVM MSc PhD HDR Dipl ECAWBM-BM Hon Dipl CLECVe, who researched and developed both Feliway and Adaptil, and Dr Andy Sparkes BVetMed PhD DipECVIM MANZCVS MRCVS, veterinary consultant at ISFM.
Patrick presented ‘the science behind the new pheromone discovery’ and covered how it was developed, how it works and why it is a step up from the existing pheromone products. Andy followed with ‘Feliway Optimum: clinical evidence’ and featured the clinical data behind the new product and how it outperforms existing pheromones.
To register for ‘the new discovery in feline communication’ symposium on demand, which equates to one hour’s CPD, email cevauk@ceva.com.
The operation of the equipment is being overseen by Dr Rodney Ayl, a specialist in both medical and radiation oncology. He said: "The need for protection of personnel during preparation of cytotoxic drugs presents the most significant obstacle to the safe provision of chemotherapy, as most practices are not equipped with an appropriate biosafety cabinet. This is especially true when there is a high case-load of chemotherapy patients."
Dr Ayl says the dangers of repeatedly handling and administering cancer drugs can be severe. He added: “The likelihood of drug exposure must be taken into account when considering the safety of personnel who handle cytotoxic drugs.
"The cumulative toxicity to personnel that arises from repeated contact with these drugs can cause health problems in the nursing staff that are beyond those expected in the patient.
"The main routes of personnel exposure to cytotoxic drugs are by aerosolisation or by absorption through skin.
"Both types of exposure can occur when preparing drugs for administration. The act of withdrawing cytotoxic drug from the vial into a syringe is generally the step that presents personnel with the greatest potential for exposure to a high concentration of drug.
"Ideally, personnel are optimally protected from drug exposure, and patients are protected from contamination of the product, by the use of a laminar flow biosafety cabinet (BCS) during drug preparation, regardless of whether a closed delivery system is used.
"The Envair CytoFAST BSC has been designed to guarantee the product, personnel and environmental protection.
"It belongs to the latest generation of laminar airflow systems and is built to the highest quality to guarantee the strictest safety standards - and the safety of our people is paramount at Paragon."
'The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation' is presented by Georgia Woods RVN CertCFVHNut VTS(Nutrition), one of the editors of the new BSAVA Guide. It covers the main points that need to be considered when offering a nutritional recommendation to a pet owner.
Georgia said: "Nutrition discussions with clients can be challenging, not least given the plethora of diets available for pets.
"This webinar aims to cover the main points to support an evidence-based decision-making process to help vets engage owners in a meaningful discussion about nutrition and provide guidance on the most suitable diet for their pet."
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is an independent guide comprising a series of factsheets for veterinary professionals on four different diet options; each of these is accompanied by a factsheet for owners that can be provided as part of the consultation. The factsheets cover:
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition is available exclusively through the BSAVA Library (£25; £15 to BSAVA members). Georgia’s lecture on ‘The essential ingredients of a good nutritional recommendation’ can be accessed via the BSAVA Webinar Library.
The award was due to be presented at the association's annual shindig in March, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
VMA Awards chair, Claire Edmunds, said: “This years’ winners will still get their moment of glory on stage next March at the rescheduled event. We can also announce that the event is likely to include some additional categories to recognise campaigns and initiatives undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Carlos Michelsen, managing director of award sponsor, CM Research, added: "Thanks to the continued success of Cytopoint, Zoetis achieved highly commended status. But it was Elanco that came in as award winners, with their novel veterinary pharmaceutical product Galliprant taking the crown. Congratulations to Elanco!"
Rebecca Bryant, Elanco’s marketing manager for Pet Health Therapeutics (pictured right), said “Elanco is delighted to be recognised by the veterinary community with this prestigious award for Galliprant. The UK team is proud to be part of the launch of this innovative, first-in-class product which has already enriched the lives of thousands of pet owners and their dogs living with osteoarthritis. It’s fantastic to hear from vets that managing OA with Galliprant has already made a positive impact on their practices.”
Zoetis product manager, Allison Henry said: “We are very proud to come such close second in this award category as it is a true testament to the lasting innovation Cytopoint has brought to our industry, customers and pets. At Zoetis, we always strive to develop innovative new medicines for the veterinary industry and we are thrilled to see how Cytopoint has done just that.”
The 8-week study1, which was part-funded by the ISAZ/Waltham Petcare Science Institute Collaborative Research Award and Canines Providing Assistance to Wounded Warriors (C-P.A.W.W.), compared the effects of walking with a shelter dog vs. walking with a human and the impact they had on psychological stress indicators, PTSD symptoms and the stress in reintegrating military veterans.
The veterans in the study who walked with shelter dogs experienced improved rate variability and decreased levels of salivary cortisol – both signs of relaxation and improved stress response.
Waltham points to a Journal of Psychiatric Research estimate that up to 25% of military veterans who have transitioned out of active duty would meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD2. This, says the Institute, could mean that up to 625,000 of the 2.4 million3 military veterans currently living in the UK could potentially be living with this mental health issue.
Dr Kay O’Donnell, Ph.D., Vice President of the Waltham Petcare science institute, said: “This study further highlights the potential of dog walking to improve the lives of both veterans and shelter dogs by offering veterans a way to make a difference in the lives of shelter animals – while dogs are simultaneously helping veterans with symptoms of PTSD.
"At the Waltham Petcare Science Institute we believe we have a responsibility to take scientific exploration further when evidence to date shows us that pets can be part of addressing conditions like PTSD. It’s important we undertake rigorous studies to understand how companion animals may provide a benefit and we’re proud to be part of this study, which takes us another step forward in understanding the human-animal bond."
References
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was originally removed from the Register following an inspection of his Kent practice in 1993 which found that his operating theatre “showed a total disregard of basic hygiene and care for animals and was such as to bring the profession into disrepute”.
Since being removed from the Register, Mr Seymour-Hamilton has made applications for restoration in 1995, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Each was rejected.
In his latest application, Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that he did not want to re-join the Register in order to practise but to facilitate his research in the area of herbal medicine.
The Committee found that while Mr Seymour-Hamilton had accepted some of the findings of the original case, he disagreed with important facts, such as whether or not his surgery was open at the time of the inspection, and showed ‘minimal insight’ into the seriousness of the findings.
The Committee also voiced concerns over public protection and animal welfare should he be restored, saying that he had demonstrated little or no understanding of the purpose of regulation. The Committee also noted that he had, by his own admission, spayed two cats at a practice in Calais in recent years despite his long absence from the Register and unregistered status as a veterinary surgeon in the UK or France.
In considering his conduct since leaving the Register, the Committee found that Mr Seymour-Hamilton had admitted to a number of instances of conduct which it found ‘reprehensible’. This included carrying out spays; not self-isolating after testing positively for coronavirus and, in fact, travelling through France and Spain in breach of the lockdown put in place due to the pandemic; deliberately trying to re-infect himself with coronavirus and then visiting a vulnerable person without maintaining social distancing; treating his own animals with untested herbal remedies; and using his own remedies to treat people, which, in one case, included a nine-year-old boy in Greece.
In summing up Judith Way, who was chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee has concluded that he has not satisfied it that he is fit to be restored to the Register. He has exhibited a disregard for regulation and compliance with the law. He lacks an understanding as to why he has not been restored in the past. He has not set about addressing any of his shortcomings. He relies wholeheartedly on his research, yet he does not support that research with any real peer-reviewed publications and he fails to acknowledge the consequences of being out-of-practice for so long. He has misplaced confidence in his own abilities and does not recognise that his approach and/or actions can represent a danger to animals and to the public. The Committee has therefore reached the conclusion that the applicant is not a fit person to be restored to the Register.”
The full findings of the restoration hearing for Mr Seymour-Hamilton can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
In his opening address Matthew, an elected member of VN Council since 2016, said: “In the position of Chair, I will continue to keep my fellow nurses very much at heart, whatever the species, environment and role they are working in.
“Veterinary nursing is not an easy profession. When I talk to nurses, they often highlight their biggest frustration with the profession is the extensive lack of understanding about our role and what we can and are very capable of doing. Achieving more clarity on our role as veterinary nurses, at all levels is my priority, as I know resolving this could in turn improve several other chronic issues in our profession.”
In another first at the RCVS AGM, Mandisa Green became the first black woman to be invested as the RCVS President.
She said: "When the College was founded in 1844, it would have been unthinkable that a woman, let alone a black woman, would become President of the institution one day. I am immensely proud of this achievement and, while it clearly demonstrates progress, there is still plenty to do in widening access to our professions.”
She said she hoped to use her position as President to act as a role model to young people from under-represented groups, to encourage them to consider careers in veterinary surgery, and to support those already in the profession.
“As recent weeks and the Black Lives Matter movement have highlighted, there is more to be done, and we are committed to doing the work necessary. It is essential that we support all members of the veterinary team to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and racism.”
The charity says that one of the biggest issues it faces with guinea pigs is multi-animal households where breeding has become out of control.
Dr Jane Tyson, the RSPCA’s rodent expert, said: "We would always advise owners to have their male guinea pigs neutered before introducing them to a female. We also find that they can sometimes be mis-sexed by the seller or previous owner which leads to accidental breeding so it’s also important to make sure that guinea pigs see a vet regularly who would be able to spot if they have been identified incorrectly.
“Many of the guinea pigs that come into our care have come from a multi-animal home where there have been large numbers of guinea pigs living in often cramped, dirty and unsuitable conditions. This also means that they may have experienced very little handling and are wary and fearful of human hands and need their confidence building up in RSPCA care.
“This is why, this Guinea Pig Appreciation Day, we wanted to encourage people to neuter their guinea pigs and help tackle the problem of overbreeding.”
BEVA Congress 2021 will now take place from September 4th-7th 2021.
The decision to cancel Congress 2020 was taken by BEVA Council and the Congress programme committee because of the unpredictable circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Mair, President of BEVA said: “The overriding factor in our decision-making process was to protect everyone attending Congress. We are chartering unknown territory at the moment and the additional planning requirements needed to run a large event like BEVA Congress with social distancing measures in place will take time.
“We intend for September 2021 to mark an exciting, fresh start for the profession following the harrowing experiences of 2020. It should be safe for our international speakers and delegates to attend by then, getting us all back on track with networking and world-class CPD to inspire us for the new post Covid-19 world.”
Tickets for BEVA Congress 2021 will be available later this year, more information from: www.bevacongress.org.
On Tuesday 8th September Dr Owen Davies, an RCVS and American Specialist in Veterinary Oncology, will present ‘Mast Cell Tumours: An Update’, in which he will review mast cell tumours and diagnostic approaches before appraising the current treatment options.
On Wednesday 9th September Dr Pam Jones, a double board certified Specialist in Veterinary Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology from the US, will present ‘Stelfonta: Seeing is Believing’.
Dr Jones will introduce delegates to the unique mode of action of tigilanol tiglate, review the efficacy data behind the new product and demonstrate how this treatment can be used to provide a high tumour elimination rate, wound healing and a speedy return to a good quality of life for the pet.
Dr Neil Mottram, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: “The effects of Stelfonta really do need to be seen to be believed, so we’re excited to offer vets the opportunity to learn more about this ground-breaking advancement in veterinary oncology. We are lucky to have secured some fantastic speakers for the webinars so delegates can be assured of some top quality CPD.”
Both events will be hosted by The Webinar Vet and begin at 7:30pm. Registration for the event is now open and can be found at www.thewebinarvet.com/stelfonta
For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager or visit vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta
The new product contains a combination of Omega-3s, toxin binders and antioxidants which the company claims flush out toxins, aid blood flow to the kidneys and maintain kidney architecture.
Matthew Shaw, Managing Director of nutravet said: "We’re really excited to launch nutraren, it’s a product our team have been working on for some time to make sure we have developed the best renal product for vets to recommend to their clients.
"Using independent trial data, we’ve been able to develop a unique formulation for nutraren containing 100% natural ingredients to benefit a pet’s long-term kidney health."
Authorised veterinary practices can now order nutraren from nutravet.
For more information, contact nutravet on 0845 604 1688, visit: www.nutravet.co.uk or email: info@nutravet.co.uk.
The speaker line-up includes performance coach and head of training at VDS training, Carolyne Crowe, Jamie Callan, Professor of Leadership & HRD and Director of Equity & Diversity at Newcastle Business School and Laura Whyte, who was HR Director at the John Lewis Partnership and is now a Non-Executive Director with a number of organisations including XLVets, the British Horseracing Authority and the Ministry of Defence.
A number of women from industry and practice will also share their experiences and perspectives in short sessions entitled ‘If you can see it, you can be it!’ to reflect how veterinary women can tackle challenges and make the most of opportunities.
The event is being steered by Liz Barton, the editor of Veterinary Woman, and Kerrie Hedley, the Chief Operating Officer at XLVets. Liz said: “We’ve been working hard to develop resources for women in the profession for the last few years and it’s wonderful to see so many women coming together and providing the skills and inspiration that will help other women aspire to leadership roles.”
Kerrie, who will be running a workshop on 'Overcoming Stereotypes: What does the future leader look like?' added: "From the research I undertook last year we know that there is a stereotypical perception of what a leader looks like in the profession, for example a requirement to work full time. This workshop is about crushing that stereotype and defining what the future leader could look like. I'm really excited to be supporting women to develop innovative solutions in their leadership journey and look forward to seeing what we can achieve at this inaugural event."
The event is open to anyone in the profession – vets, RVNs, practice managers, whether from independent or corporate practice, industry or academia. Registration costs £45, inclusive of VAT and £20 for students if booked at the early bird rate before 31st August.
Recordings will be available to anyone who registers but can’t attend the whole six hours.
Registration is now open at https://bit.ly/VeterinaryWomenInLeadership.
The event is being hosted by Luke Gamble as part of the company's ‘Advocates of Knowledge’ series, and there are £400 worth of prizes to be won:
Advocate Senior Brand Manager Vicky McAlister said: “We want to ensure that we’re delivering CPD in an engaging way, so that vet nurses are still able to upskill in these areas, whilst also being able to engage with other nurses in the industry, which is especially important given current times.
"Following the success of the first event, we’re pleased to be back again to host another and are committed to continuing to support CPD progression.”
To register for the event, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/113870170746
The programme, which is open to experienced veterinary nurses, will give successful candidates the opportunity to train alongside world-leading specialists, highly-trained clinicians and experienced specialist RVNs, working within the specialisms of emergency and critical care and internal medicine.
Tracey Morley Jewkes, Managing Director at Willows, said: "We intend this to be a professionally-rounded training programme which offers opportunities not only to work alongside the world-renowned specialist vets and highly-skilled referral nurses here at Willows but to also cover areas such as public speaking development and article writing."
Tom Reilly, head of clinical support services at Willows, led the design of the residency programme and is hoping it will provide much-needed pathways of professional progression for RVNs and retention of talent within veterinary nursing. He said: "This residency is a three-year programme which follows a similar pattern to the veterinary surgeons’ specialist residency programme.
"Each resident nurse will have a specialist vet or nurse mentor and will spend the first year working solely in the area of their chosen discipline.
"The second year will see our resident nurses undergo training in the American Veterinary Technician Specialist qualification, benefiting from the volume and complexity of cases within the working environment at Willows.
"In the final year, residents will attend an international conference in the US in their area of specialism where they will also sit their internationally recognised exams to complete their residency."
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
For those not familiar with the term, moral injury is the damage to your conscience when you witness, perpetrate or fail to stop an event which conflicts with your moral beliefs. The study looking into this phenomenon in the veterinary profession is being conducted at King’s College London by Professor Neil Greenberg (pictured right), Dr Dominic Murphy and Dr Victoria Williamson, who will investigate the types of moral injuries veterinary professionals might encounter, their prevalence, the perceptions amongst professionals around how these moral injuries come about, and what support is needed when they occur.
The second project, titled 'Experiences of racism and its impacts on mental wellbeing in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people working and studying in the UK veterinary profession' is being conducted by the Royal Veterinary College and British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society. As well as gathering information about experiences of racism and their impact, the project will also determine what individuals from the BAME veterinary community think could, and should, be done to tackle racism in the veterinary professions, and gather the evidence to help design appropriate interventions for those whose mental health and wellbeing is impacted by racism and discrimination.
Professor Susan Dawson, Chair of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: “Though it was a tough decision to choose the recipients of this year’s grants as all the applications were of a high standard, these two stood out because they are investigating two issues that we know are there, but which we don’t yet have the evidence-base for to really determine their prevalence, their impact and how we, as a profession, can tackle them more effectively.
“They also stood out for being solutions-focused in that the evidence will be used to find the best interventions and support mechanisms for those whose mental health has been impacted by racism and moral injury. We would like to congratulate the two research teams and look forward to working with them over the coming years.”
Have you suffered from moral injury or racism in the veterinary profession? Come and discuss here.