The diffuser contains a blend of rose, lavender, and chamomile oils, which the company claims provides stress-relieving benefits during car journeys.
'On The Move' is part of the Calmex range, which includes a plug-in diffuser for the home and two nutraceuticals: a palatable tablet for dogs and a liquid formulation for cats.
Jackie Marshall, Technical Advisor at VetPlus, said: “We’re committed to developing products and solutions that allow vets to give their clients the best management options possible to ensure that pets are happy and healthy all year round.
“Combining the new in-car diffuser with the Calmex supplement and plug-in diffuser can be highly effective at supporting animals affected by many causes of stress, including loud noises, separation related anxiety, car travel, and environmental change.
"This gives vets the ability to recommend a truly multimodal approach to help animals cope better with stressful situations both in the home and on the move.
“The products can be used all year round to offer calming support for potentially distressing situations such as visits to the groomer, training and visits to the vet, as well as in the lead up to potentially stressful or busy events like Christmas or New Year’s Eve.”
VetPlus has also worked with behaviourists to develop a free app called Plasid.
Calmex users can access the app, which includes tracking tools, videos from behaviourists, and calming music to help stressed pets, by scanning the QR code on the product packaging.
www.vetplus.co.uk/product-category/brain-behaviour
The session will be led by Adam Gregory, Head Nurse, who has experience gained around the world both as a veterinary nurse and a zookeeper.
Adam will take attendees through the basic triaging steps to assess and review treatment that may be needed, as well as covering a range of common presenting problems.
Great Western Exotics says it will be a great opportunity for first opinion vets and nurses to become more familiar with the needs of these birds to ensure they receive the best treatment possible in emergency situations.
To sign up to the talk, email Jess: GWEreferrals@vets-now.com.
https://www.gwexotics.com
Sarah qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1998, gained an MSc in Clinical Oncology in 2003, the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology in 2010 and RCVS Advanced Practitioner status in 2015. She is now the President of the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group.
Sarah previously ran two dermatology referral services before co-founding Vet-AI, a company working on artificial intelligence and an online consultation service for pet owners, where she is now the Chief Veterinary Officer.
Sarah said: "Many diseases that are primarily non-pruritic often become pruritic when the animal develops secondary bacterial or yeast infection. These cases require a thorough dermatologic history and physical examination and successful treatment very often depends on identification of the underlying cause."
"Providing the right nutrition should also be implemented to ensure optimal levels of nutrients required for skin repair, barrier function and health. I will be including a complete pruritus work up, discussing how diet can be part of the management of this particular condition."
To register for the webinar, visit: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/cpd/webinar/
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.
All veterinary surgeons, nurses and students over the age of 18 were invited to participate by email, which elicited 2,781 complete responses and a further 631 partial responses, 1682 from vets, 328 from vet students, 1,369 from nurses and 553 from student vet nurses.
80% of respondents were female, 16.8% male, 1.4% non-binary, 0.8% genderfluid and 0.9% preferred not to say or to self describe.
93.3% were white, 2% were Asian or Asian British, 0.6% were black, black British, Caribbean or African.
The remainder identified as 'other ethnic group', mixed or multiple ethnic groups, or preferred not to say.
90.4% of participants worked within clinical veterinary practice, three-quarters in small animal practice.
Almost two-thirds worked part time.
Paradoxically, although around 50% of respondents described their physical or mental health as 'good' or 'very good', 75.6% considered themselves to have at least one disability or chronic condition (61% chronic, 48% physical, 39% mental health and 30% neurodivergent).
Female veterinary surgeons were significantly more likely to suffer from a mental health condition (48.3%) than males (19.2%).
Mental health conditions were far more common amongst the young (51% of those aged 18-29), than the old (28% of 50-59 year olds, declining to 9% of 70-79 year olds)
Veterinary nurses were more likely to say they have a mental health condition (47.3%), than veterinary surgeons (27.9%).
As with mental health, the proportion of respondents identifying as neurodivergent decreased with age (42.3% of respondents aged 18-29 vs 6.7% of those in the 70-79 age group).
Whilst overall, 29.8% identify as neurodivergent, the figure was notably higher (83.3%) amongst those who identify as non-binary or genderfluid.
The number of people with a physical condition varied less with age and gender, although of course, broadly speaking, age brings with it an increase in physical problems.
60% of participants said they are affected by their disability/chronic condition every day, and 68% agreed or strongly agreed that they had to make significant changes to their life to continue working.
The most frequently reported symptoms of disability/chronic condition were mental health (45.2%), pain (36.4%), learning, understanding or concentrating (33.8%), and stamina or energy limitations (32.3%).
When asked if they were treated different at work because of their disability or chronic condition, 49.5% said they had not and 34.7% said they had.
Of those who felt they had been treated differently, 45% thought that disclosing their condition had contributed to this.
18% of those in education and 36% of those in work said they had experienced discrimination, bullying or harassment because of their disability/chronic condition.
Discrimination, bullying or harassment was more likely to be reported by those with a mental health condition or who identify as neurodivergent (47% and 46%), than those with a physical or chronic condition (38% and 37%)
Perceived discrimination, bullying or harassment was most likely to have come from managers (76%) and colleagues (64%) compared to clients and 'other' (15%).
63% of respondents believed there was a strong or moderate understanding of the Equality Act at their workplace but 12% thought their employer had no knowledge or understanding.
45% thought their employer had strong or moderate understanding of the Access to Work scheme, while 27% reported no understanding at their workplace.
Examples of good practice were given by some respondents about their existing or previous workplaces. These included reasonable adjustments such as adjusted working hours, environment and task adaptations, alongside good communication, support (from colleagues, managers and external sources), and additional resources.
Gurpreet Gill, Leadership and Inclusion Manager at the RCVS, said: “While there are some sobering elements in this report, and some clear and unfortunate examples of poor practice and discrimination, the overwhelming feeling is that there is goodwill and a desire to help people out there in the professions, but sometimes a lack of understanding and knowledge on how best to do this.
"Of course, there are also some excellent examples of good practice in terms of putting in place adjustments and accommodations for employees and staff with disabilities, as well as for students on placements.
“Overall, this should be taken as a call for more members of the professions to familiarise themselves with the Equality Act 2010 (https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/equality/equality-act-2010) and its provisions.
Under this legislation, it is unlawful to discriminate against people with protected characteristics, including disability.
"The act sets out the legal requirement for workplaces and educational institutions, among others, to make reasonable adjustments to avoid disabled people being placed at a disadvantage.
“We will now be considering how we, as the regulator and Royal College, can best support members of the professions in understanding their rights and responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, and what further training and education can be provided, looking at the RCVS Academy as a potential vehicle for doing so.”
Olivia Anderson-Nathan, a Director of BVCIS added: “Overall, the report demonstrates that although there are systemic issues that require a shift in workplace culture, there may be some relatively ‘easy wins’.
"For example, improving line manager knowledge of the Equality Act and providing reasonable adjustments that are typically inexpensive and simple to implement, such as providing seating and ergonomic equipment, and rota or shift changes.
"Many changes, like flexible working, will actually benefit everyone.
"Most importantly, employers and educators need to make sure that those with disabilities, neurodivergence, and chronic illnesses understand their rights and are given positive support to identify their needs.
"This means co-designing individualised adjustments and avoiding a one size fits all approach.
“BVCIS will continue our work to educate the profession, offering support and guidance for anyone not sure where to start.
"We also offer community support through our Veterinary Spoonholders Facebook page for disabled, chronically ill and/or neurodivergent people in the veterinary world so – please do come and join us if any of the experiences detailed in the report resonate with you.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
During the course, which counts as 7 CPD hours, some of the best-known veterinary experts in equine nutrition will be sharing their knowledge with the speaker panel comprising Caroline Argo, Andy Durham, Pat Harris, Nicky Jarvis and Sarah Stoneham.
Course organiser Nicky Jarvis said: "Whether it's a conversation with an owner about their overweight horse, examining a geriatric pony with weight loss or formulating nutrition for an orphan foal, tailored nutrition is the cornerstone of every equine case we see in veterinary practice.
"We regularly treat a variety of conditions such laminitis and colic, but are we always confident about the best feeding advice to give our clients? And how often do we walk into a tack room full of the ‘latest’ supplements and wonder if any of them actually work?"
The course will look at a range of clinical conditions to enable vet nurses to build evidence-based feeding advice into their treatment plans, formulate diets for any age of horse and see which supplements are worth the internet hype. The speakers will provide practical tips for everything from the anorexic pony to the stubborn weight loss case.
The course will cover how to:
BEVA President Lucy Grieve said: "Following the National Equine Forum’s Great Weight Debate (Equine) last month, appropriate equine nutrition has never been more topical.
"Equine obesity is a growing problem and this debate has highlighted how teamwork, communication and trust will help to tackle it to best effect. Veterinary professionals are in a unique and privileged position to support owners on all matters of nutrition and this course will give you the knowledge you need to provide practical, constructive help."
From superfoods to supplements: How to know more than the owner will cost £80.00 for members and £160.00 for non-members. To find out more and to book visit https://www.beva.org.uk/Education/CPD/Event-Details/eventDateId/555
The range includes a spray, collars and diffusers.
Unlike many other pheromone diffusers which need to be plugged into a wall socket, Virbac's uses a patent-pending slow release technology which doesn't need power.
Virbac says the new range has been scientifically proven with published studies which demonstrate not only their effectiveness in managing stress-related behaviours in dogs and cats, but also an equivalent and superior efficacy to the current market leading pheromone products 1,2,3
Andrew Connolly, Virbac's Marketing Director for the UK and Ireland said: "Veterinary professionals have a crucial role to play in supporting their clients with the behavioural management of their pets, both when visiting the practice and at home, and the benefits of pheromones in helping to manage dog and cat behaviour are already very well recognised."
"With Zenidog and Zenifel we hope to make pheromone therapy easier, more cost-effective and better for the environment."
Zenidog and Zenifel are available to order from NVS, Covetrus and VSSCo now.
References
Improve Veterinary Education will maintain its core mission and quality promise: to deliver all postgraduate training and education programmes for vets and vet nurses through face to face, online learning, blended learning and short course options.
Improve Veterinary Practice offers an online knowledge hub so veterinary professionals can access the latest advice, news and information across all specialties.
Membership also offers ways to keep track of and meet your annual CPD targets.
ISVPS assesses our training programmes and awards globally recognised postgraduate veterinary qualifications to both vets and vet nurses in a range of clinical subjects.
Katie Hungerford, Director of Marketing at Improve International Group, said: “We have modernised all aspects of the Improve International Group to reflect our movement towards providing more online and blended learning choices.
"The experience for veterinary professionals will now feel coherent with simplified graphics and information, no matter which part of the business they need to use.”
Developed in partnership with the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), the course uses practical examples based on real-life experiences.
The course shows how to assess complaints from a client’s perspective and how building client relationships can help defuse complaints.
Jennie Jones, Head of VCMS, said: "Leveraging insights from the VCMS and involving our entire team with its production has enabled us to develop highly effective materials that ensure veterinary professionals are well-equipped to manage complaints."
The course takes one hour to complete.
academy.rcvs.org.uk
Launched by the VMG in 2021, the VMG Veterinary Leadership and Management course has three levels, the Award, the Certificate and the Diploma.
There are 151 Award holders, 39 Certificate holders and now one holder of the Diploma.
144 veterinary professionals are currently studying for the CVLM, which is accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
In addition to the core modules, participants also select an additional topic tailored to their current or future needs, such as practice finance, HR, mental health and leading change.
Gemma said: “I wanted to study for the full qualification because I’m very interested in the whole subject of practice management and I really love learning.
"I experienced a few lightbulb moments, especially early on in the course when I was trying to work out what kind of leader I was.
"This section of the course opened my eyes to different leadership styles and the type of leader I wanted to become.
"I put this into practice over time, so when I came to study the team management section towards the end of my course, I could see my development over the past two years.”
She added: “Overall, I found the course very enjoyable. There is time to really dig into each topic and many different modules to choose from. The support on offer from the tutors is also excellent.”
The deadline for registration for the Winter term is 31st October.
www.vetmg.com/cvlm
The 10 minute survey seeks to capture the current level of understanding and feelings around the deployment of AI tools across the veterinary industry.
VetCT says the purpose of the survey is to start some discussion and identify areas where training and support could help veterinary practitioners.
Julien Labruyère, Chief Innovation Officer at VetCT (pictured), said: “AI is here to stay and will increasingly become part of all aspects of veterinary medicine.
"Indeed, it’s vital to help us solve some of the workforce pressures the profession is facing globally.
"We will increasingly be using the outputs of AI tools to inform our clinical decisions, and yet the mechanisms and algorithms can be something of a black box of mystery.
“We want to understand the needs of clinicians in understanding how to apply AI safely, effectively and with confidence to support good clinical practice and ultimately, improve animal welfare.
"The results will be published and freely accessible.
"Our hope is to encourage a collaborative effort to support veterinary teams with embracing the full potential of AI, yet also providing the safeguards and education to the clinicians applying this technology to their patients.”
The survey is here: https://bit.ly/VetCT_AI_Survey.
Nominations will remain open until 5pm on Tuesday 31 January 2023 and the elections will take place in March and April 2023.
VN Council and its members are responsible for all matters concerning veterinary nurse training, post-qualification awards and the registration of qualified veterinary nurses, as well as the joint RCVS and British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) VN Futures project.
Matthew Rendle, Chair of VN Council and an elected member since 2016, said: “As the stature of veterinary nurses has grown over the years, so too has VN Council and the VN Education Committee, with members taking decisions on the accreditation of veterinary nursing education providers, new qualifications, matters relating to the registration of veterinary nurses, as well as having strategic oversight of the VN Futures project and its mission to ensure that veterinary nursing is a vibrant, rewarding and sustainable profession.
“As a member of VN Council you will have a great opportunity to travel around the UK meeting your fellow nurses and getting fresh perspectives on what it means to be a VN, with a particular highlight being welcoming new veterinary nurses to the profession through our many registration and graduation ceremonies.”
The full eligibility criteria, info and FAQs for vets who want to stand can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vncouncil23
Prospective candidates for VN Council can contact Matthew Rendle for an informal conversation on what it means to be an RCVS Council member on: vncchair@rcvs.org.uk
There is also an agenda of previous VN Council meetings at www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/vn-council/vn-council-meetings/ for those who want to see examples of the kind of business it conducts.
Genitrix has announced the launch of Prilben (benazapril hydrochloride). The product joins its 'Standards' range, created to offer veterinary practices cost-effective versions of frequently used products.
Prilben is indicated for the treatment of congestive heart failure in dogs and for chronic renal insufficiency in cats. It is provided in packs of 14 x 5mg tablets at a veterinary list price of £4.50, which equates to 32p per tablet.
Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said: "Benazapril hydrochloride is a tried and trusted medicine used in countless practices and homes across the country every day. Prilben offers a win for both practices and pet owners because its pricing structure enables practices to maintain profitability on the product whilst still providing their clients with an economical alternative."
The first product in Genitrix' Standards range, Dormilan, was launched in late 2009 and offers fast-acting sedation and analgesia for dogs and cats.
This adds to the company's existing lab network, which also includes Southfields Veterinary Specialists Diagnostic Laboratory and the Dick White Referrals Diagnostic Laboratory.
In addition to its lab services, the company also offers in-house diagnostics, imaging and technology solutions, telemedicine services and rapid diagnostics.
In the UK, the company will offer KeyScreen, a DNA-based GI parasite screening solution, AIS RapidRead, an imaging technology that enables diagnosis in under ten minutes, and coming soon, Nu.Q, a system that measures nucleosomes to screen and monitor for canine cancer.
Antech will be at the London Vet Show this year, where veterinary teams will have the chance to hear from the company's head of clinical pathology, Dr Butty Villiers and head of anatomic pathology, Dr Rachel Pittaway, about the latest innovations and diagnostics developments.
antechdiagnostics.com
The new brand has a couple of display stands that practices can use to show off the range of memory boxes, paw print kits, paw moulds, fur/hair bottles, plant markers and forget-me-not seeds, and hanging/seasonal decorations.
Oh So Precious is the brainchild of Helen Davies, founder of The Lovely Gift Group (pictured right).
She said: “Having lost pets myself and sold many keepsakes, I know how much emotion and passion we put into our relationships with them.
“When my daughter asked for a keepsake for her best friend I realised their was a gap in the market.
“We also identified a need for good quality, pet related items through our existing gift customers.
"We learn a lot from them and they continually highlight requirements for themselves and as thoughtful gifts for friends who have lost pets.
"The unity among pet owners – that need to convey an understanding and appreciation for those suffering the pain of pet loss - is very real.”
Helen says that as well as providing a new revenue stream, the range will help practices meet client needs and provide new ways to be empathetic to clients in times of distress.
There will be a special show offer for orders taken at The London Vet Show, and in 2023 the team is planning to launch personalised pet keepsakes via links from vet practice websites.
www.ohsoprecious.co.uk
The webinar will take place at 11am and will be repeated at 7.30pm for those who are unable to listen during the day.
Hosted by Zoetis vet Dr Wendy Talbot the session will last for approximately an hour and equates to 8 AMTRA CPD points.
Wendy will explain the current situation and recommended approaches to help slow resistance.
The webinar will conclude with a live Q&A to give everyone the opportunity to discuss any queries, concerns or common questions they hear from their customers with Wendy.
Zoetis Equine Product Manager, Penny McCann said: "Our webinars continue to be very well received.
“This one is particularly important as it explains the important new thinking around the use of anthelmintics in order to address the serious challenge of resistance.
"It’s a must for all those involved with prescribing.”
To book the 11am webinar: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6163460189961597967 To book the 7.30pm webinar: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6394015684169009164
The webinar will be presented by veterinary behaviourist, Sarah Heath BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA FRCVS, RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Behavioural Medicine.
It will cover how to take a cat friendly approach to the microchipping appointment to reduce feline stress and make the process easier for both pet owners and veterinary staff.
A consent-based care approach will be discussed, together with the importance of educating cat owners and veterinary professionals on how to handle cats to minimise feline stress.
The webinar will also advise on the use of adjunctive therapies, such as pheromones and nutraceuticals, as well as the strategic use of pre vet visit medication, and will be followed by a Q&A session.
Tammie O’Leary, commercial lead at identi, said: “The introduction of the new cat microchipping legislation will lead to an increased number of feline patients being seen by veterinary practices.
"Our cat microchipping legislation webinar will help provide cat friendly advice for veterinary professionals and will include hints and tips to make cat microchipping appointments as stress free as possible.”
To register for the webinar, email contact@identichip.co.uk or call 0330 9128077.
Speakers include Dr Ian Stroud, founder and veterinary director of Pet People, an independent small animal practice in Richmond, South West London, Jack Peploe, a veterinary IT expert and Certified Ethical Hacker, and Ciaran Milford, ezyVet’s EMEA sales manager, who has worked with every type of veterinary practice, from aspiring independents right through to established universities and corporate groups.
Lance Rice, creative director at ezyVet, who will moderate the webinar, said: “Our speakers are all vastly experienced and ideally positioned to explain what makes a successful launch, as well as the key mistakes and common traps that new owners fall into.
"Ian has a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved with starting a veterinary practice.
"Jack is an expert in helping practices leverage technology to save time, whilst delivering exceptional patient care and bolstering their security posture.
"Ciaran is passionate about helping practices find the right solutions for their needs and business goals."
To register, visit: https://www.ezyvet.com/webinar/starting-a-vet-practice-uk
The new policy has been published ahead of an upcoming review of England’s Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations (WATOK) by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Recommendations in the policy address all areas of the slaughter process, including:
The policy also covers a wider range of species and focuses on some of those species-specific needs.
For the first time its recommendations include fish. In order to improve the welfare of farmed finfish, BVA says that UK Governments should include the effective stunning of finfish as well as general welfare protections in WATOK regulations. It also calls for more research into developing effective and humane methods of stunning for decapods (shrimp, lobsters and crabs) and cephalopods (squid and octopus) as well as wild caught fish.
BVA Senior Vice President, Simon Doherty said: "With millions of animals slaughtered each year to provide us with the food we eat, we have a responsibility to provide them with a life worth living and a humane death. Our updated position aims to do just that by building on existing legislation and guiding the industry in a direction that better protects the welfare of animals destined for the food chain.
"Slaughter processes should be designed to minimise avoidable pain, distress, fear, and suffering and this document looks at all of the ways that we as vets can work with industry bodies and farm colleagues to improve the legislation already in place.”
A snapshot survey carried out in 2018 by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for the period of one week revealed that nearly 20 million animals (excluding fish) were slaughtered across 248 operating plants in England and Wales during that time.
In order to effect change for such a high quantity of animals, BVA’s new position sets out recommendations for a range of stakeholders, government, industry, researchers and the veterinary profession, at each stage of the slaughter process. Improvements to the way that stunning data is captured and reported on is also on the list of asks, as well as improving regulation of non-stun slaughter and working collaboratively with Islamic scholars and Halal certification bodies to promote the acceptability of recoverable stunning.
Simon added: "From making sure that stunning methods are as effective as possible, to looking at the specific needs of each species, revalidation of training for operators, and championing the role of the Official Veterinarian, there is a lot of work to be done but we look forward to progressing these recommendations and working to improve the welfare of farmed animals across the UK."
Titled ‘The Five Steps of Seizure Management’, the sessions will update veterinary surgeons and nurses on:
Will Peel, Product Manager at TVM UK said: "The Lunch and Learn sessions have proved very popular with veterinary practices. Our aim is to update vets and nurses on diagnosis and management of epilepsy in general practice whilst educating them about products and services which can help them better support their patients."
TVM says it will also provided supporting literature, including guidelines and owner educational tools, designed to help veterinary staff in diagnosing and treating pets with epilepsy.
To book a Lunch and Learn, contact your local TVM UK territory manager or email help@tvm-uk.com.
The lectures, which are sponsored by Pinmoore Animal Laboratory Services, aim to dispel many of the myths associated with anaesthetising a wide variety of exotic species, including fish and amphibians, whilst simultaneously providing vets and nurses with the skills to undertake these often challenging and comparatively high-risk anaesthetics.
Techniques, protocols, potential drug options and combinations as well as blood sampling and hospitalisation techniques for a wide variety of exotic species will be discussed at length.
Delegates will also get lecture notes, a CPD certificate, goodie bags, refreshments and lunch, not to mention the chance to discuss the day's content with Sonya,
To book your place or for more information, please email us via info@justexotics.co.uk.
The ‘Ear essentials – a holistic approach to the treatment of canine otitis externa’ webinar will include a presentation by Jonathon Elgie, veterinary technical advisor at Dechra UK and Ireland.
Jonathon will talk delegates through case examples to help them make decisions that can be used in practice and take a clear, practical and holistic approach to treatment.
He will also update vet professionals on Dechra support including the Lifelong Ear Partnership which provides education, tips and assistance to achieve better clinical outcomes and owner satisfaction.
Probably the most noticeable part of the upgrade is the work we've done to make the site more mobile-phone friendly. But there are also a load of new features, including leaderboards so the most active contributors to the site can be rewarded, a group-based structure so that members can focus on their area of interest, more options for sharing content with colleagues and a brand new format designed especially for veterinary professionals, called the VetNurse Expert Help Forums. Mobile and desktop notifications of new content are also in the pipeline.
All of this builds on VetNurse.co.uk's existing strengths: providing the most popular job board for the veterinary nursing profession (made free of charge to support the profession during the pandemic) and the latest veterinary nursing news.
But it's the VetNurse Expert Help Forums we're most excited about, as they overcome the problems involved with discussing clinical issues on Facebook. The biggest of these is that Facebook gives everyone's opinion equivalence. In other words, it matters not whether you're the country's leading expert in something, or someone who really doesn't know what they are talking about, your post and your opinion is given the same level of prominence. That is fundamentally misleading.
Other problems inherent in Facebook are the fact that good quality replies get drowned in a sea of 'me too' responses, information is poorly curated, there is a lack of transparency because Facebook is not designed to highlight your professional qualifications, and experts get little or no recognition or reward for giving up their time and sharing their knowledge.
The VetNurse Expert Help Forums are designed to overcome all these issues. The concept is simple. Any veterinary nurse can come and ask a clinical question about any of thirteen nursing disciplines. But ONLY veterinary nurses and others who have advanced qualifications or experience can reply. When they do, you can verify their post as answering your question, which awards them points on a leaderboard and allows them to display a logo and contact details in their post (so they get recognition for their business or their employer).
What's more, both the person asking the question and the expert can claim the time spent towards their annual CPD requirement. Just press the 'Claim CPD' link at the top of the page and collect your certificate from the CPD section of your profile.
In due course, there will also be prizes for the most helpful experts and the best questions.
The system is already up and running on VetSurgeon.org, where it has proven very popular because it means members can ask questions without fear of having their question savaged, and know that the answers have come from people with advanced qualifications displayed in their profiles.
The VetNurse Expert Help Forums will be rolled out discipline-by-discipline in the coming weeks. We're currently looking for more nurses to become VetNurse Experts, so if you're interested, email: support@vetnurse.co.uk. The minimum requirements for being an expert are an advanced qualification and/or at least 10 years experience in a given field.
If you are a teacher at veterinary nursing college or a training practice, being VetNurse Expert is a great way to promote your courses or recruit new staff. Likewise if you are a nurse working in industry, it's a good way to highlight your employer's products or services. And finally, if you offer your own services, like referrals or locuming, it's a great way to promote those too.
Finally, we'll also be offering prizes for nurses who contribute to the normal discussion forums on VetNurse.co.uk. So come and get talking in the forums ... and get your name on the new leaderboard early!
Photo: VetNurse Publishing Editor Arlo Guthrie (Sorry, I couldn't think of anything else to illustrate the story with!)
Open to everyone in the profession, Congress '24 will include over 130 hours of CPD across 32 different modules covering topics such as advanced diabetes, dermatology, nursing clinics, EDI and more.
The programme format caters to a variety of learning styles, from lectures and panel discussions to interactive sessions and free CPD workshops.
There'll be over 120 exhibitors in three commercial exhibition, offering insights into some of the latest industry innovations, from pharmaceuticals to cutting-edge equipment.
Andy Green, Chair of the Congress Committee said: "We know it's a significant commitment for individuals to give up one to three days, plus travel time, to join us, and we don't just aim to educate; we want our attendees to enjoy the experience.
"Our aspiration is not just to meet their expectations but to exceed them.
"The veterinary profession faces challenges, but we have so much to celebrate, and what better place to come together with many like-minded individuals to remind yourself why you wanted to be in this profession in the first place."
Early bird registration is open until 31st January, and prices start at £93 +VAT for BSAVA members for a one-day pass.
www.bsavacongress.com
Clare graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1991 and, following an internship at the University of Pennsylvania and general practice in Cambridgeshire, she completed a BSAVA/Petsavers Residency and was Staff Clinician in Neurology at the Royal Veterinary College.
Aged 26, she became the youngest ever Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology and three year later became a RCVS Specialist.
For 16 years, she operated a neurology and neurosurgery referral service at the Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in Wimbledon and was awarded a PhD from Utrecht University in 2007.
Clare joined Fitzpatrick Referrals and the University of Surrey in 2013, was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016 and awarded a Professorship of Veterinary Neurology in 2018.
Clare was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016 in recognition of her meritorious contribution to the profession, including 25 years’ research into ‘Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia’ in dogs.
Clare said: “I will be building and strengthening the neurology service at Wear to make it not just the leading centre in the North East, but in Europe.
“I love collaborating with others to find answers to the clinical problems we face and so, as well as potential partnership with my colleagues in the other disciplines at Wear, I hope to initiate or contribute to other multi-centre studies through the Linnaeus group.
“I am passionate about teaching and learning through collaboration, and I hope to bring multi-disciplinary rounds to the practice including neuro-radiology-neuropathology and neurology- behaviour.”