The International Society of Feline Medicine advises that blood pressure should be checked annually in cats aged seven years or over, but as they get older they should have their blood pressure checked every six months.
This is particularly important if cats have underlying health conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) or hyperthyroidism.
To support practices who want to take to their clients about feline hypertension, Ceva has produced a new feline hypertension toolkit.
The toolkit, which is available to download from www.easethepressure.co.uk/feline-hypertension-awareness-month, includes: posters, leaflets and stickers to use in practice, waiting room display materials, social media posts and email content and a communications guide.
The company will be holding a waiting room display competition to reward the most creative use of its materials, with a prize of a doppler machine for the winning practice.
Vet influencer ‘Louise the Vet’ will also be supporting the campaign by spreading the word about feline hypertension and the importance of routine blood pressure checks in cats on her social media channels.
Reference
While nearly 50% of all Vetpol SQPs exceeded their CPD targets last year, none did so by as large a margin as Stacey, who did over 40 hours: more than 13 times her target.
Caroline Johnson, Director at Vetpol, said: “Her commitment to learning and CPD is truly inspiring.
"To have exceeded her quota by such a fantastic margin is something to be truly proud of, and perfectly exemplifies the high standards that we strive for within the SQP community and it is great to see Stacey clearly enjoying what she is learning.
"Having the opportunity to share this achievement with delegates at our recent Congress and see all of the hard work celebrated was a fantastic experience for myself and the rest of the Vetpol team.”
Vetpol also awarded three ‘SQP Ambassador’ awards to Jason Chadwick, Jordan Perkins and Paul Cartledge to appreciate their outstanding efforts to continued SQP excellence.
https://vetpol.uk
The Standards Framework for Veterinary Nurse Education and Training sets out the professional values, skills and behaviours required of approved educational institutions (AEIs), delivery sites and the training practices (TPs) responsible for providing the training and support for student veterinary nurses.
The College reviews the standards framework every five years to ensure that AEIs, delivery sites and TPs have the structures to best provide contemporary and innovative approaches to education for student veterinary nurses, while being accountable for the local delivery and management of accredited programmes.
The new draft framework includes updates relating to sustainability and academic integrity.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: “We are looking for veterinary nurses in all walks of life – as well as student nurses and veterinary surgeons – to provide constructive and specific feedback on our proposals.
“Your insights will help us ensure that the standards continue to enable veterinary nurse educators to deliver the best training and support possible for our students, prepare them for life in clinical practice, and ensure that animal health and welfare is a foremost consideration.
“In fact, animal health and welfare and public safety is central to our standards.
Students will be in contact with patients and their owners throughout their education and it is important that they learn in a safe and effective way.”
The consultation runs until 5pm on Wednesday 3 April 2024 and all members of the veterinary team – including RVNs, student veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons – can take part in order to provide detailed feedback on each of the six core standards and each of individual requirements within these standards.
A PDF version of the new draft Standards Framework is available to download from https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/our-consultations.
If you have any questions about the document or how to respond to the survey, contact the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Team on vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk
The programme covers everything from diagnostic imaging and ophthalmic emergencies to practical nursing skills and using echocardiography to help with day-to-day decision-making in practice.
SCVS says the programme has been made possible by the addition of a new lecture theatre during SCVS’s recent expansion, which was supported by the hospital's owners IVC Evidensia.
Stephen Collins, SCVS Hospital Director and IVC Evidensia’s National Cardiology Lead, said: “We’re proud to announce one of the UK’s most comprehensive CPD programmes and share the vast knowledge that our specialist team has with the rest of the veterinary community.
“Our programme is packed full of informative and practical sessions that everyone can benefit from - whether that’s specialist skill development or improving everyday advice and practices in clinic.”
A full list of CPD events is available here: https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/events-and-cpd.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
As part of an increasing focus on wellbeing at Congress, Jenny will be sharing her thoughts on balancing a successful career with family commitments. Prior to becoming a dragon, Jenny worked in banking for 30 years. She became CEO of cash machine company Hanco, bought out the business, turned it round and sold it for £50 million.
The expanded 2020 Congress programme offers 450 hours of CPD delivered by more than 100 globally recognised speakers. The Association says this year's highlights include more 'open to all' streams, a new range of practical workshops, small group sessions, wetlabs and nurse case reports. There will also be an increased number of AVP streams, an infectious disease stream as well as a popular favourites stream, which will include endocrinology, critical care and trauma medicine, ophthalmology and cardiology.
New wet labs are being introduced, with a chicken anatomy refresher focussing on linking this knowledge to clinical presentations and common procedures. There's a similar session for rabbit anatomy along with a new dermatology practical and surgery of the small intestine.
BSAVA Congress Programme Committee Chair Sue Murphy said: "Our ethos with the 2020 programme is to deliver unrivalled education, designed to tackle the current needs of the profession, with topical, clinically relevant and evidence-based content. Each stream is devised by our committee of volunteer vets, nurses and practice managers, ensuring our entire programme is created by the profession, for the profession."
BSAVA President, Sue Paterson said: "We are extremely proud to be hosting such an impressive programme of education at our 63rd annual Congress and 30th year in Birmingham. With our prestigious keynote speaker, the small animal focussed exhibition, the BSAVA Awards and a packed social programme including a DJ, band, Bongo’s Bingo and Silent Disco at the V20 Party Night, Congress 2020 celebrates the very best of the profession; a not to be missed date in this year’s veterinary calendar!"
To register for BSAVA Congress visit www.bsavaevents.com. If you book before the 29th January, you'll get 20% off.
Clare won the award for: 'Confidence with CPR within Veterinary Professionals. Would standardised CPR training help confidence within Veterinary Professionals?'
Clare said: “My goal was to present a clinical abstract at BSAVA Congress to try and share our findings with peers in a creative way.
"To receive the Best Poster Award was a shock and huge honour to be recognised for not only the research but RVN's undertaking research.”
In addition, George Smith MRCVS won the Best Medicine Award for: 'Predictors of clinically significant bleeding in dogs with severe thrombocytopenia'.
Kathryn Patel MRCVS won the Best Practitioner Award for: 'Reflecting on first opinion clinical improvement project across 39 UK vet practices to support diagnosis and management of OA.'
Sebastian Wylie MRCVS won the Best Surgery Award for: 'Complications and outcomes following surgical management of Achilles Tendon injury'
The Best Student Award was won by Michelle Demkova for: 'Lifting the flap on otitis externa in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK – the VetCompass view'.
Submissions for the 2025 Clinical Abstracts will open on 9th September 2024, and will close on 18th October, and those chosen will present their work at BSAVA Congress 2025, in Manchester on 20th – 22nd March.
https://www.bsavacongress.com/register-interest
As part of the redevelopment, kennel capacity will increase from 107 to 197, there'll be a new emergency and critical care hub, sixteen new consult rooms and a new imaging suite with MRI and CT scanners, two ultrasounds and two X-ray machines.
There will also be a 66-seat seminar room.
Work is expected to be completed early next year, and the practice will be recruiting for around 75 new team members to service the expanded centre.
Simon Tappin, clinical director at DWR, said: “This long-awaited expansion will transform our practice, offering even more space and capacity for referrals, brand-new equipment and a seamless experience for our clients.
“It will also bolster our reputation as a training practice, with the expansion of our intern and residency programmes adding to our already-impressive provision in this area."
The practice is also implementing case management changes, with a single point of contact for every client and individual case managers in every discipline.
The traditional reception area is being replaced with a concierge greeting service for clients, with staff on hand to book them in on iPads.
Client care team manager Deborah Bell said: “This is a USP for us and we think it’s an industry first. The idea came from how medical secretaries work in human health.
“When a referring vet calls us, our client care team takes the basic details and passes them on to the case manager for that discipline. They will contact the client, make appointments and meet the client in person on arrival.
“We have 12 case managers for our disciplines at the moment, with the potential to expand. As well as providing a personalised service for our clients, it provides great career progression opportunities for our client care team.”
www.dickwhitereferrals.com
The 1CPD homepage now displays two progress bars: one to track the number of CPD hours currently achieved and recorded, and another to show how many hours have been reflected on.
Once the number of required CPD hours has been recorded and reflected on, a message appears to tell the user that they're CPD compliant.
This change will not affect existing CPD records, and all previously inputted activities and reflections will remain in the system.
Jenny Soreskog-Turp, RCVS Lead for Postgraduate Education, said: “We hope that the changes to the 1CPD platform will allow people to track their CPD more easily.
"A key element in outcomes-focused CPD includes reflecting on what you have learned as this is known to have a positive impact on both personal professionalism and patient-health outcomes.
“It should be noted that any CPD you have already undertaken for this year but have not yet reflected on will still remain in the system.
"However, in order to be compliant for 2023, you must reflect on every CPD activity completed.
"If you have completed your hours but have not reflected, this will show as non-compliant.
"In order to make those hours count, you simply need to go back and add your reflections.
"This doesn’t have to be a long and onerous task – uploading audio notes, adding an attachment, or writing a few notes stating what you learnt and how you will use this newly acquired knowledge moving forward will all suffice.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd
The survey of 97 cat owners and 156 vets conducted in June last year found that currently only 30% of cat owners give supplements to their cat but 74% would be willing to try them.
The survey also found that whilst 80% of vets thought the main reasons to be hesitant about recommending feline supplements were palatability and the owner’s ability to give products, owners were less concerned about the ease of giving the supplement (53%), and more concerned about the cost (45%) and being unsure of the benefits (39%).
Tara Evans RVN, head of sales at Vita, said: “It is interesting that the majority of vets believe that practicalities around administering oral supplements is the main drawback to giving these products, whereas only 53% of owners were concerned about this.
"Understanding owner concerns regarding efficacy and price could help vets support more owners to move forward with supplements for their cats.”
According to the survey, the most frequently used supplements, by both vets and owners are those made to support joints.
Cat owners also showed an interest in giving supplements for general wellness (61%).
Tara added: “Owners are open to supplementing for general health, as well as more specific health-related issues.”
www.vitaanimalhealth.com
The web based app, which has been launched in association with the BSAVA, provides a library of medical summaries drawn from global guidelines and peer-reviewed journals.
Vet2Vet co-founder Dr Zoe Coker said “There is rarely time during the working day to read all the necessary journals, articles and up-to-date texts. VETbytes collates all the evidence on a specific medical condition and consolidates it into a short synopsis called a Keep it Simple Summary (KISS)."
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “BSAVA is excited and proud to be involved in the VETbytes project, which should provide significant benefits and support for our members. Every busy small animal clinician should try out VETbytes as it is a real paradigm shift in mobile resources for vets.”
The VETbytes app currently covers more than 100 topics developed in consultation with more than 25 veterinary experts. Further benefits include drug (and CRI) calculators, a quick reference section and links to hundreds of source abstracts. The content encourages reflective learning and can be used towards CPD hours.
VETBytes is available on subscription with reduced rates for BSAVA members and free access for veterinary students.
To start a free trial or subscribe to the VETbytes app, visit www.vetbytes.co.uk.
Over 25% of the 1001 veterinary professionals who responded felt that the use of technology for triage and or consultations had either improved efficiency or the service offered to clients.
More than 10% said the pandemic had led to practices taking actions which streamlined client processes such as taking payments and booking appointments online or by phone.
The survey results are included in a presentation at the BSAVA Virtual Congress: "Lessons from Lockdown:Telemedicine is here to stay", which forms part of the current topics stream on Saturday 27th March. Brian Faulkner will take a look at maintaining relationships and changing dynamics with remote consults, communication challenges and opportunities. Matt Flann will follow with: "A practical perspective – how we have used it, what have we learned?"
BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “The survey results have given us an important insight on how technology is being deployed to help the profession continue to help pets and their owners safely and to the best of their ability in these difficult circumstances.
"Vets have embraced innovations in practice such as telephone triage, remote consultations and digital communications. These have shown us that, as within the human healthcare sector, we can continue to deliver our vital services, possibly to an even more efficient and effective standard, despite the restrictions.
"Our Congress session on lockdown learnings promises to make for compelling listening with important ramifications for veterinary practice even after the pandemic has receded to a bitter memory. As we return to degrees of normality these innovations should not be discarded, but equally must not be allowed to generate the inequalities that go hand in hand with them if some practices and owners are inadvertently left behind.”
To register for BSAVA Congress, visit https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2021/en/page/home
Designed with the RCVS Standards and Advice team, the ‘Client confidentiality’ course explains the steps veterinary teams need to take when deciding whether or not to make a disclosure, and how to remain compliant with their professional obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct.
Senior Standards and Advice Officer, Victoria Price said: “Deciding to breach confidentiality is often a difficult decision with no right or wrong answer.
"The course should help learners to feel confident about what to consider in order to make justified and well-supported decisions.”
The course takes around one hour to complete.
academy.rcvs.org.uk
Creature Comforts will be using the cash both to open the clinics and build a proprietary app which will give owners seamless 24/7 access to veterinary care, whilst allowing vets to work more flexibly and more often from home.
VetSurgeon.org caught up with Russell Welsh (pictured), co-founder of the new business alongside Daniel Attia.
Russell said: "During the pandemic, there was a recognition that employers needed to do more to attract and retain veterinary staff, and so there has been a move towards more flexible working and better employment packages.
"The problem is that we then saw a massive increase in the number of pets, and the profession is struggling to meet demand.
"On top of that, the corporatisation of the profession has meant that both staff and owners often feel less connected with each other.
"We think the answer lies in independent practices making better use of technology to reduce the workload on veterinary staff whilst creating a better, seamless, more personal experience for pet owners.
"There are of course companies offering online consultations, but they tend to be stand alone services, or belong to corporate groups.
"What we're doing differently is developing our own system so that we don't lose control of any stage in the client journey and can make sure the quality of care, after care and service is consistently high.
"We'll also be putting together a share option scheme, so our employees will really feel a proper sense of ownership."
https://www.creaturecomforts.co.uk
The Blue Cross, Britain's pet charity, has presented its Veterinary Nurse of the Year Award to Anna Hatchett (below, centre) for her outstanding contribution to animal welfare, both within her veterinary practice and among the local community in Whitby, North Yorkshire. The award was presented during the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) annual congress in Kettering, Northamptonshire on 21 October by TV vet Scott Miller and Blue Cross director of veterinary services, Voigt.
Voigt (above, right) of The Blue Cross explained: "This annual award recognises the hard work and talent exhibited by veterinary nurses throughout the country. Anna's commitment to help educate people about responsible pet ownership demonstrates a real understanding of the important bond that people share with their pets." Anna was nominated by two vets, Edward Gillams and Kate Loomes, who previously worked with her at The Beck Veterinary Practice in Whitby, North Yorkshire. Mr Gillams remarked: "Anna has given the practice 10 years of selfless dedication and hard work. She always finds time to discuss pets with their owners, be it while running puppy parties, weight clinics or while in reception dealing with appointments." Ms Loomes added: "Anna is an exceptionally dedicated and talented nurse. She has an amazing memory for clients and takes time to enquire as to how their individual pets are. She doesn't hesitate to take in and care for stray and lost animals and works well over her working hours when animals are in need of help." Commenting on her award, Anna said: "I was very touched when I found out I'd been nominated and absolutely thrilled to have won. I have been a veterinary nurse for more than a decade now and can't think of a more rewarding job - it's just a case of doing what comes naturally!"
Bonqat 50 mg/ml oral solution for cats contains pregabalin, an analgesic, anti-epileptic which has now been licensed for the alleviation of acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats.
Tessie 0.3 mg/ml oral solution for dogs contains tasipimidine and is licensed for the short-term alleviation of situational anxiety and fear in dogs triggered by noise or owner departure.
Dômes Pharma points to research which shows that in the UK 1.4 million1 dogs show signs of distress when left alone, and 4.4 million dogs1 show fear of loud noises.
In addition, over 4 million cats2 are not having routine vet checkups each year, with 26%2 of these owners reporting that it is too stressful for their cat or themselves.
Jonathan Hill, UK country manager at Dômes Pharma sid: "Dômes Pharma is excited to be launching two new innovative products to help vets manage cases in this complex area.
"These products expand our portfolio and provide essential options for owners and their pets struggling with these situational related problems."
https://www.tvm-uk.com/the-behavioural-range
The framework sets out the professional values, skills and behaviours required of the approved education institutions, delivery sites and training practices responsible for providing training and support for veterinary nurses.
The new version includes updates relating to sustainability and academic integrity.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: “The Standards Framework for Veterinary Nurse Education and Training last underwent an extensive review in 2019, with a small interim review taking place in 2021.
“In November 2023, RCVS VN Council agreed to set up a task-and-finish group to look at the potential changes, before these changes then went to consultation back in January this year.
“Animal health and welfare and public safety is central to our standards, and it is important that we continue to review them on a regular basis with input from veterinary nurses from across the profession.
"Nurses play a central role in upholding animal health and welfare and public health, and so it is important that students receive the best training possible in order to prepare them for life in clinical practice.
“Over the summer, we held a number of educator meetings to help familiarise AEIs, delivery sites, and TPs with the new framework, in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.
The new standards came into force on 1 September 2024.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/publications/vn-standards-framework
For the study, urinalysis results from 2,712 UK feline urine samples submitted and analysed by Axiom and Finn over a period of 14 months2 were reviewed.
Urine samples had to have been obtained by cystocentesis and signalment information recorded by their submitting vet3.
These samples did not have to come from cats presenting with FLUTD signs and the researchers therefore say that consideration should be given to a different (potentially even more increased) prevalence in cats presenting with LUT signs.
Bacterial urinary tract infections in cats with FLUTD are estimated to be present in around 8 – 19% of cases4.
However, FLUTD is one of the most common reasons for the use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary medicine and is therefore an important condition to consider to minimise antimicrobial use and development of antimicrobial resistance5.
The study found that 15.7% of the samples had a positive culture, with E. coli (43.7%), other Enterobacterales (26.4%) and Enterococcus spp (14.9%) being the most common isolates identified.
Antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance were also tested.
Notably, Enterococcus species were frequently found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics, and several other isolates demonstrated resistance to frequently used antibiotics.
The data showed Enterococcus spp. were much less susceptible to trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TMPS) than have been previously documented (with 94% of isolates resistant).
Additionally, other Enterobacterales had resistance against cephalosporins and penicillins.
The authors say that data surrounding cephalosporin resistance is particularly notable and problematic; recent data has indeed shown that the cephalosporin cefovecin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic3 for cats presenting with lower urinary tract disease.
The authors also say that data in this study adds to the existing evidence that the use of cephalosporins such as cefovecin may be ineffective in many cases (intrinsic resistance of Enterococcus spp) and therefore should be avoided unless cystocentesis and signalment results support their use.
The inappropriate use of antibiotics for bacterial cystitis could not only be ineffective to manage bacterial cystitis in cats but promote further antimicrobial resistance.
Clarisse D’Août, lead author of the research and Internal Medicine Specialist at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, said: “Even though feline lower urinary tract disease is one of the most common reasons for vets to prescribe antibiotics, the prevalence of bacterial strains in the urine of cats with this condition, and their resistance to commonly used antibiotics, had not been widely studied in the UK to date.
"So we hope that this study can add to the current evidence to making well-justified and practical recommendations in practices about which antibiotics to choose and those to avoid.
"We see this ongoing susceptibility testing as clinically important to avoid the development of further resistant bacteria.”
References
Membra is a transparent, water-resistant, non-toxic, biodegradable bandage replacement consisting of a hydrogel polymer which can be applied to open wounds.
It is initially applied as a liquid and quickly gels into a thin, flexible layer over the site.
The initial liquid phase of Membra allows it to cover open and irregular spaces as well as suture lines and it dries in minutes to form a barrier that covers and protects the incision site or wound.
Being transparent, Membra allows the wound to be seen by the veterinary team and pet owners.
Membra lasts for up to 14 days and naturally biodegrades over time.
Animus says that Membra lowers the risk of infection or dehiscence.
The company also says that hydrogel polymer has been shown to replace the need for adhesive bandaging on suture lines following major TPLO surgery.
A study concluded that the polymer did not appear to raise the prevalence of incisional complications after TPLO surgery and lasts for 14 days, rather than 24-48 hours with traditional bandaging1.
Nick Butcher MRCVS, owner of Animus Surgical in the UK, said: “Regular bandaging of open wounds can be costly, time-consuming and stressful for owners and their pets, requiring frequent visits to the practice.
"The bandaging of some open wounds can be impossible because of the location of the lesion or the affected species (e.g. exotic or aquatic animals) and more aggressive or nervous patients may require sedation.
"Used bandages also add to the volume of clinical waste generated by the practice which requires incineration
“We are therefore delighted to launch Membra to veterinary teams in the UK.
"It has been very successful in the U.S. and we already have a number of UK vets using the product as Membra can positively affect the outcome of open wound management across a range of species, without the need for regular bandage changes.”
To find out how to apply Membra, a range of YouTube videos are available showing a selection of case examples: https://youtube.com/@sutureseal5917.
www.animussurgical.com.
The BSAVA Guide to the Use of Veterinary Medicines has been developed to help veterinary professionals navigate the regulations, changes and issues that face the profession when it comes to the use of veterinary medicines.
Edited by David Harris and Pam Mosedale, there are three new sections which cover:
The BSAVA also highlights that the law in the UK relating to the use of veterinary medicines will be updated when the VMD completes its review.
In addition changes to the RCVS Code of Conduct concerning under care are due to come into force in September.
This, the Association says, will lead to significant changes in medicines use, as well as legal and ethical dilemmas.
As a result, the new guide includes a section at the beginning of the Guide that will be updated as required and the editors encourage all veterinary professionals to stay up to date with the progress of these reviews.
The new BSAVA Guide to the Use of Veterinary medicines is freely available to all via the BSAVA Library.
The College first became aware that confidential information had been leaked earlier this year after the Veterinary Record made the decision to publish details.
The College says it then provided a number of informal opportunities for the person leaking the information to come forward and discuss the reasons for their actions, but nobody stepped forward.
A Council member then made a formal complaint about the leak, which triggered the complaints policy set out in the College’s Code of Conduct for Council Members and instigated the investigation.
The investigation was run independently of the RCVS by an external specialist consultancy, and coordinated by a legal assessor.
Initially, the investigators were asked to focus on a single leak, but following a number of further leaks over ensuing months, it became necessary to widen the scope and depth of the investigation.
The investigators’ report concluded that there had been several separate and deliberate leaks of confidential information by a current or former Council member over an extended period.
However, they were not able to identify who specifically was responsible for the leaks, and because nobody admitted it, no further action under the complaints policy of the Code of Conduct for Council Members was appropriate.
The investigators concluded that the leaks were not the result of poor understanding of College or Council processes, but a deliberate decision to provide confidential information to third parties.
Council members have therefore agreed to review existing training requirements and mechanisms for handling confidential information and to explore in more detail the potential motivation of the person or people who leaked the information, together with the underlying culture of Council that might have influenced their behaviour.
RCVS President Mandisa Greene, said: “There is no denying this is a sad day for the College, and for RCVS Council in particular. As Council members of our professions’ regulatory body, we must maintain the very highest standards of probity and integrity if we are to maintain the trust and confidence of our professional colleagues. In the same way, we must subject ourselves to the same level of scrutiny and investigation if these values and behaviours are ever called into question.
“That someone chose to breach the trust placed in them by their peers is extremely disappointing, especially when they were given every opportunity to come forward to discuss their concerns, and avoid the College having to launch a formal investigation.
"Our default position during Council meetings is to hold as many discussions as possible in public session to ensure Council’s decisions are as open and transparent as possible – something that we will continue to increase as much as possible. Like any organisation, however, there may be a small number of issues that need to be discussed in closed session – for example, those still at concept stage prior to any decision being made public or put out for consultation, or those containing personal or commercially sensitive data.
"I sincerely hope that all of us on Council can learn from this unfortunate and unnecessary episode. We must rebuild and maintain sufficient confidence in each other, and in our processes, that, even if we disagree on certain matters, it is always best to do so in a direct, upfront and honest manner."
The guide, which was first published in 2020, is designed to help veterinary professionals give pet owners sound, independent advice about what to feed their animals.
The guide originally launched with factsheets for both veterinary professionals and pet owners about commercially manufactured, grain-free, raw and home-prepared cooked diets.
The new factsheets cover:
The new factsheets build on considerations for feeding healthy dogs and cats by providing information on the formulation of diet types for pets under veterinary care and those with even more specific nutritional requirements.
The new BSAVA Guide to Nutrition cost £40, reduced to £26 for BSAVA members from: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/
Only two nominations have been received for the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council and there were two places up for contest, so there will be no VN Council election this year.
The two places will be filled by Hilary Orpet and Suzanne May. Hilary is a Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing at the Royal Veterinary College, and will start her second four-year term on Council. Suzanne is Head of the Veterinary Nursing Approved Centre and Senior Lecturer at Harper Adams University College.
The pair will take up their positions formally on RCVS Day in July.
Liz Branscombe, Chairman of the VN Council said: "Although I am delighted that Hilary remains on Council, and look forward to welcoming Suzanne, I am disappointed that so few VNs took the opportunity to stand for election. For VN Council to remain relevant to all VNs, it is important that as many VNs as possible engage with the political process".
The company’s NEMO Cardiac Health Screening test detects heart disease using AI to analyse microRNAs - biomarkers that manage the immune system and its responses and act as regulators for disease progression or resolution.
MI:RNA says the new test, which can be taken from blood or urine samples, will help vets diagnose and monitor disease progression more effectively and give cats and dogs with heart disease 18 months more life.
Eve Hanks, CEO and founder of MI:RNA (pictured) said: “The use of precision medicine in veterinary diagnostics will help pet owners and breeders alike to ascertain where to direct their efforts and finances accordingly.
"There is massive potential to use this technology to help breeds who have real problems with heart and other diseases, and will consequently help owners and breeders to identify affected animals more quickly.
Professor Joanna Dukes-McEwan, Head of the Cardiology Service at the University of Liverpool said: "From our cardiac investigations, we knew exactly the underlying heart disease and the severity of this, so our data was used as a training set for the MI:RNA panel analysis.
"We have previously collected samples from dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease and are currently collecting samples from cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
“I think the MI:RNA panels are most useful for vets in primary care practice to identify and confirm the severity of underlying cardiac disease in their patients.
"A simple blood test which could confirm that the cause of a heart murmur is MVD, and also indicate its severity, and whether the patient would benefit from treatment would be really helpful for primary care vets in practice.
"They might indicate which patients may benefit from referral, or indicate when a specific treatment is indicated.
"Future research with miRNA panels may also indicate novel pathways in progression of disease which might increase our understanding of the disease, or novel therapeutic options.”
Ian graduated from the University of Liverpool and gained his PhD from the University of Glasgow. He gained both the UK and European Diplomas in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Cambridge and is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine. He returned to Glasgow University in 1998 and has been the Professor of Small Animal Medicine since 2009.
Ian has published in the fields of infectious diseases, endocrinology and neurology but is interested in all aspects of small animal medicine. In 2015 he was awarded the BSAVA Woodrow Award for his contribution to small animal medicine. In 2016 he became of Fellow of the RCVS, thereby becoming a jolly good fellow Fellow of the RCVS, or JGFFRCVS for short.
Professor Ramsey has served BSAVA as a regional secretary, member of several committees and chair of Petsavers and Scientific. He is probably best known as the editor of four editions of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary.
The Presidential handover usually takes place at BSAVA Congress but was delayed this year given the cancellation of the April event due to coronavirus.
Ian says that during his Presidency, he intends to promote and enhance the digital offering of the Association to BSAVA members coping with the pandemic. He will also oversee changes to BSAVA congress with a more interactive approach to training; shortened, more focussed lectures and greater integration between the exhibition, the scientific content, and the social events.
Ian said: “At this time of great uncertainty in the profession, my focus will be on providing BSAVA members with the scientific information and clinical training that they need, in a suitable form. Clinical skills and science lie at the heart of being a good vet and BSAVA members get access to a huge range of cheap or free resources in these areas to help them in their careers. Congress 2021 will be evolving as a vital part of this effort and I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to Manchester during the last week of March 2021."
Happy Snack is described as a light, delicious creamy snack which contains alpha-casozepine, a natural milk protein with claimed appeasing properties.
In a study conducted by the company, the new treat was taken by 86% of cats.
Happy Snack is suitable for cats and kittens from 12 weeks of age and can be used directly from the sachet, on food or from a finger.
Feline behaviourist, Lucy Hoile, said: “I am very excited about Happy Snack, as I think there is a real gap in the market!
"Something delicious that a person can give easily to a cat, is a great tool to help with general distraction and bond building.”
Happy Snack by Feliway is available in packs of six sachets.
www.feliway.com/uk.