The Royal Veterinary College has had new research into the frequency and treatment of anal sac problems in dogs published in the Veterinary Record.

The authors say that study seeks to redress the lack of evidence-based information that has so far been published on the epidemiology and clinical management of non-neoplastic anal sac disorders (ASD).

The study, which was carried out within the RVC’s VetCompass programme, focused especially on identifying breeds with increased or reduced risk of anal sac disorders.

The breeds at greatest risk of an anal sac disorder compared with crossbreeds included Cavalier King Charles spaniel, King Charles spaniel and Cockapoo.

Conversely, breeds at reduced risk included larger breed dogs including Boxer, German Shepherd Dog and Lurcher. Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds such as Shih Tzu had 2.6 times the risk for anal sac disorders compared to long-skulled breeds such as Border Collies. Spaniel-types, Dachshund-types and Poodle also showed increased risk for anal sac disease.

The study identified 2,372 anal sac disorder cases from a population of 104,212 dogs attending VetCompass participating practices during 2013.

Other findings included:

• Anal sac disorders affected 4.4% of dogs.
• Six breeds had increased risk of anal sac disorders compared with crossbred dogs: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (x 3.31), King Charles Spaniel (x 3.30), Cockapoo (x 2.59), Shih-tzu (x 1.66), Bichon Frise (x 1.63) and Cocker Spaniel (x 1.24).
• Six breeds had reduced risk of anal sac disorders compared with crossbred dogs: Boxer (x 0.29), German Shepherd Dog (x 0.37), Lurcher (x 0.51), Staffordshire Bull Terrier (x 0.56), Border Collie (x 0.60) and Labrador Retriever (x 0.70).
• Flat-faced (brachycephalic) dogs had 2.62 times the risk of anal sac disorders compared with long-faced dogs.
• Spaniel-types had 2.09 times the risk of anal sac disorders compared with non Spaniel-types.
• Dachshund-types had 1.38 times the risk of anal sac disorders compared with non Dachshund-types.
• Poodle-types had 1.46 times the risk of anal sac disorders compared with non Poodle-types.
• The risks of anal sac problems were higher in older dogs.
• Insured dogs were 1.53 times more likely to have anal sac problems diagnosed than uninsured dogs.
• 20% of dogs with anal sac problems were prescribed antimicrobials while 12% were given pain relief.  
• Anal sacs were surgically removed in under 1% of affected dogs.
• Dietary change was recommended in 8.18% cases and weight loss was recommended in 1.14% cases.

Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Companion Animal Epidemiology, at the RVC, and author of the paper, said: “During two decades in first opinion practice, anal sac problems in dogs were a routine daily presentation for me. However, when I searched the literature to find evidence on the best way to treat these dogs or even on which breeds were at most risk, there was almost no information available. It seemed back then that only problems that were severe enough to be referred to universities in large numbers were researched.

"As a result, vets in first opinion practice generally had to work out for themselves what seemed to be the best treatment in these cases. It is refreshing now to see research on common problems in dogs under first opinion veterinary care being reported. Owners and vets needs this evidence vitally.”

Anette Loeffler, Associate Professor of Veterinary Dermatology at the RVC and co-author of the paper, said: "This study shines a spotlight on critically important area of veterinary practice: antibiotic usage. Twenty percent of dogs presenting with an anal sac disorder received antibiotics even though diagnostic criteria for anal sac infection or proof of efficacy of antibiotic treatment are lacking.

"At a time when antimicrobial resistance presents one of the biggest threats to human and animal health, this highlights an urgent need for further study of these disorders in order to improve dog welfare but also to help vets in making responsible antibiotic treatment decisions in the interest of public health.”

Improve International has launched its rebranding at the London Vet Show, which now comprises three sub-brands: Improve Veterinary Education, Improve Veterinary Practice and the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ISVPS). 

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.” 

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of the House of Commons has called for an end to veterinary self-regulation and, as part of reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, for a new independent regulator to be created.

If adopted, the move would end the RCVS's 182-year role as regulator of the veterinary profession.

In its report, "A sustainable veterinary workforce", the committee said the Government should separate the RCVS's professional leadership role from any regulatory functions within the veterinary profession, creating a new independent body that can oversee the expanded role of a reformed Act. 

The report argued that the current system of self-regulation makes the veterinary sector an outlier, pointing towards professions such as medicine and law where regulatory functions have been separated from professional bodies.

It added that self-regulation is increasingly unsuitable for a profession where vet practices and services are coming under the ownership of corporate entities and the management of non-vets.

The recommendation sits within a wider package on veterinary workforce pressures, veterinary education, Competition and Markets Authority remedies and reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

On workforce, the report said pressures in the profession are no longer driven primarily by an overall shortage of qualified individuals, but by challenges in retention, distribution and alignment with specific roles.

It recommended that Defra should, within six months, commission a sector-wide review of retention challenges across the profession.

The report also said the Home Office, in collaboration with Defra, should review the Skilled Worker Visa salary thresholds for veterinary roles by early 2027.

On veterinary education, the committee said the current funding model is not sustainable and recommended a full review of funding within the next Spending Review.

It also said the Government should ensure the CMA's remedies are fully rural proofed, and that the CMA, in partnership with the RCVS, should establish a monitoring framework by September 2027.

The RCVS welcomed the majority of the recommendations but said the idea of establishing a new veterinary regulator "seems to be based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the current role and functions of the College."

In a statement, the College added: “The report appears to assert that this reform is necessary because the functions of the RCVS are in conflict with one another, or that it is otherwise undesirable for these functions to be carried out by one organisation.

"Comparison with the legal sector – in which the regulatory and representative functions of professional bodies were separated by statute in 2007 – strongly implies that the committee considers the same reform necessary in the veterinary sector because the RCVS has similarly conflicting functions, which it does not, and suggests a conflation between professional leadership and representation.

“Furthermore, the report fundamentally misunderstands the concepts of self-regulation and regulatory independence.

"In the context of modern regulatory regimes, 'self-regulation' refers to the independence of a regulator from government, not whether a profession makes rules for itself. In this sense most professional regulators, including the General Medical Council, are both self-regulating and independent.

“The press release accompanying the report is more explicit on these points, arguing that the establishment of a new regulator would allow the RCVS to “specialise in continuing to represent the profession’s interests.”

"To be clear, the RCVS does not represent the interests of the veterinary profession as a whole, nor those of the individual veterinary professionals we regulate.

“While it is true that the RCVS is currently both a statutory regulator and a professional leadership body, we carry out our statutory regulatory function in the public interest under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and we carry out our professional leadership function in the public interest in line with the objectives in our Royal Charter.

"There is therefore no conflict between the two functions; indeed, they are complementary, allowing us to take a holistic approach to setting, maintaining and advancing veterinary standards.

“Furthermore, our Royal Charter has enabled us to innovate and plug gaps in our aging legislative framework, for example through regulating veterinary nurses and providing quality assurance of veterinary care through our Practice Standards Scheme.

"Far from detracting from or conflicting with our regulatory function, our professional leadership function, underpinned by the Charter, has reinforced our ability to take action in the public interest where we may not have statutory powers to do so.

“In relation to any suggestion that the RCVS should no longer be the veterinary regulator because it is unduly influenced by the profession through its governance arrangements, we would emphasise that the College has for some time been advocating for legislative reform that would replace its governing Council with a fully appointed board with lay parity, which would remove any risk, real or perceived, of the profession setting and marking its own homework.

"We are pleased that Defra has adopted this recommendation in full as part of its proposed reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.”

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5902/cmselect/cmenvfru/270/report.html

Analysis

The recommendation to create a new veterinary regulator is arguably the most significant proposal in the report, yet the committee’s case for such a fundamental change appears relatively thin.

The report argues that regulation should be separated from professional leadership, bringing the veterinary profession into line with sectors such as medicine and law. It also points to increasing corporate ownership of veterinary practices and the need to maintain public confidence.

However, the report does not provide evidence that the current regulatory model is failing, nor does it explain why reform of the RCVS itself would not achieve the same objective.

The result is that the recommendation appears to rest more on an ideological preference for separating professional leadership from regulation than on evidence that the existing model is producing poor outcomes.

Photo: EFRA committee chair Alistair Carmichael, whose committee has called for an end to veterinary self-regulation.

The BSAVA charity, PetSavers is to fund a new research project at the University of Liverpool which will use SAVSNET data to investigate vaccine hesitancy and develop new strategies to improve vaccine uptake in companion animals.

Research conducted by the PDSA in 2017 found that 75% of dogs had received a primary vaccination course when young, which dropped to 72% in 2019. According to the BSAVA, it's the first time that vaccination rates have seen a sustained drop over a three year period since vaccinations were first introduced to the UK in the '60s.

The project, titled 'A mixed methods approach to quantifying and characterising vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy in UK companion animals' will combine quantitative analysis of existing data from electronic health records with qualitative approaches. It will include interviews and focus-group discussions with vets and owners to gain an in-depth understanding of patterns of uptake of vaccination in UK.

Experiences, perceptions and behaviours around uptake of vaccination and the rise of vaccine hesitancy in UK pet owners will also be investigated.

Dr Gina Pinchbeck, project leader at the University of Liverpool said: “Vaccination is a vital component of preventive healthcare and it is well acknowledged that sub-optimal vaccination uptake may be associated with re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases in populations.

“It is essential that we understand the reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the pet population so that we can use the best methods to promote vaccine acceptance and uptake and this will be the primary focus of the study.”

The study will include the development of a knowledge and dissemination strategy, in association with PetSavers and BSAVA. This will include a project website, publication of scientific research and other articles for both practicing veterinary surgeons and for pet-owners, press releases, conference presentations and public-engagement presentations.

BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey added: “This project will be of great value to the veterinary profession and continues the co-operation between BSAVA and the University of Liverpool to build on the successes of the original SAVSNET partnership.”

For information on how to apply for the PhD, contact Dr Gina Pinchbeck (ginap@liverpool.ac.uk).

Reference

1. PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report

The RCVS has announced that the annual renewal fee for veterinary nurses will increase by 6% in the autumn, subject to government approval. 

RCVS Council recommended the increase due to inflationary pressures and increased business costs.

Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS, RCVS Treasurer, said: “We recognise that these are difficult economic times, so Council has endeavoured to limit the fee increase as far as possible; however, in proposing these new fees, Council has had to take account both of increased costs due to inflation, and of additional costs related to ensuring we are fulfilling our regulatory remit to the best of our abilities and meeting our strategic priorities.

“For example, increased costs related to the additional number of veterinary degrees coming on stream, modernising our membership database, our Charter Case Committee, the trial of our private prosecutions protocol against non-vets breaching the Veterinary Surgeons Act, and much more besides.”

We Are Spartacus, the campaigning group set up to fight legal threats by IVC Evidensia against practices which have labelled their health plans as a 'Pet Health Club', seems to be gathering momentum. 

The group reports that over 150 veterinary professionals have registered on its website and pledged their support. 

The campaigners say they've been astonished with the response and believe the dozens of practices that have received legal letters and signed up so far could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Since the story first came to light, VetNurse.co.uk understands IVC has sent follow-up letters to a number of practices saying it has decided to offer a stay of execution and extend the deadline to comply until the 31st December 2025, before it considers taking further legal action.

However, the campaigners estimate that to rebrand so many ‘Pet Health Clubs’ will cost £250,000 and £350,000 in total, so they have now appointed an intellectual property lawyer to provide specialist advice on whether such a common term can be protected with a word mark.

Alex Green of Broadway Vets said: “Initially we set up We Are Spartacus to bring all the affected practices together to support each other, and while we’ve done this, we’ve also brought the wider veterinary community together who want to stand up to IVC Evidensia and the ridiculous word mark.

“Lots of practices have had a ‘Pet Health Club’ for more than 10 years and the majority of those that have come forward were using the term long before IVC registered its word mark in 2019, so it’s clearly an issue that people feel very passionate about, especially when it’s likely to cost each practice a significant amount of money and time to rebrand.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people who have registered to support us, especially those that aren’t affected but who want to stand shoulder to shoulder with us against such an unnecessary and underhand way of doing business.

"However, there are still several practices that are affected that we haven’t heard from, and we’d urge them to come and join us now.

“We’re also keen to hear from those that received initial letters and haven’t yet had a follow-up offering a stay of execution until the end of the year.

"Whilst we’re delighted that IVC has extended their deadline, it does not resolve the fact that their threats are unacceptable when every practice in the country provides animal, or ‘pet’, healthcare, or ‘health’, in a community-based service, or ‘club’.

“They don’t need to fight or worry about this on their own and we’re stronger as a collective, especially when it comes to pooling resources and expertise.

"We’ve already appointed a specialist IP lawyer to advise us, and the view is that given the extensive prior use of ‘Pet Health Club,’ it would be crazy to allow this to escalate to court when it can be amicably resolved.

“It’s also come to light that IVC has even registered ‘It’s not what we do, it’s why we do it’ which does rather sum it all up.

Spartacus just wants to know why IVC is doing what it’s doing.”

www.wearespartacus.co.uk

Byotrol has announced the launch of Anigene Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes, the first and only plastic-free surface wipe which is compliant with all biocidal regulations.

Polypropylene or plastic-based wipes, which have been industry standard due to their reliable nature and compatibility with biocidal active materials, are due to be banned in the UK, because they take up to 100 years to break down.

Byotrol says its new wipes are made using a plastic-free 100% biodegradable substrate that deteriorates 3 months after disposal.

The company adds that the new wipes are proven to destroy bacteria, yeast, enveloped viruses, and fungi on non-porous surfaces and are effective against animal-specific pathogens such as: Brucella canis, Streptococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Coronaviruses, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Jane Kiely, Head of Marketing at Byotrol said: “Launching the Anigene Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes is the final step in removing plastic wet wipes from our portfolio and a significant milestone in Byotrol’s sustainability journey.

"We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainability in the veterinary industry, offering an effective and regulatory-compliant product range that meets the needs of our customers”

Byotrol will be on Stand F18 at the London Vet Show.

https://byotrol.com

J.A.K Marketing, has developed a new 'ThinkGreen' section of its website which recommends environmentally friendly products that practices can use to reduce their impact on the environment.

A few examples of the products in J.A.K Marketing's 'ThinkGreen' portfolio include the Purfect Anaesorber, BAG’EMS biodegradable poop bags, Tick Twister products (made from recycled plastic) and Bamboo stick cotton buds.

The website also gives a snapshot of the sorts of things that J.A.K itself does to reduce its impact on the environment, including the use of environmentally-friendly brown paper and recycled cardboard boxes for packaging. The company has also switched to certified sustainable FSC paper for most of its printed marketing materials (including the master catalogue) and is working with courier companies who have targets in reducing CO2 emissions.

Managing Director, John Holland said: "J.A.K Marketing is committed to the protection and preservation of the world’s ecosystem. By undertaking our productivity and operations responsibly and sustainably, we recognise that reducing the environmental impact of our activities is very important. We will strive to achieve environmental excellence within the veterinary industry and will continue to work closely with our employees and commercial partners to establish and follow the principles of our ThinkGreen policy."

Sales Director, James Johnson said: "With growing interest towards the protection of the environment, we need to make it easier for veterinary practices to identify products where there is a benefit to the environment by simply switching to a like for like ‘greener’ alternative. As part of our long-term strategy, we are dedicated to growing this area of our business, welcoming feedback from the profession of how we can all work together to achieve this."

Those wanting to offer inspiration and feedback can do so on the form at the bottom of the ‘ThinkGreen’ page: www.jakmarketing.co.uk/thinkgreen.

Veterinary nurses who want to play a part in determining how the RCVS regulates professional standards and education, as well as advancing the profession through its Royal Charter activities, can now put themselves forward as candidates in next year’s elections for RCVS Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council.

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.

VetCT has published a white paper on the use and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in veterinary medicine.

The paper details the current and potential uses of this rapidly developing technology, and its benefits and risks.

It provides an introduction to AI and its uses in human medicine, small animal, farm and equine practice, radiology and veterinary education.

It also looks at the potential impact on the wellbeing and working life of veterinary teams.

Results from VetCT’s recent survey on the opinions of AI within the veterinary profession are included in the paper.

Julien Labruyère, Chief Innovation Officer at VetCT, said: “This is a crucial moment in the veterinary industry to ensure we have the knowledge and safeguards in place to apply AI safely, effectively and with confidence to support good clinical practice and ultimately, improve animal welfare.

"This white paper aims to provide a firm foundation for understanding AI and stimulate discussion on how it may impact both people and animals.”

The paper also calls for the development of industry-wide guidance, standards and regulations to safeguard veterinary teams and animal health and welfare as these tools are deployed.

Julien added: “AI development is accelerating rapidly, with global governments and industries racing to regulate to ensure the benefits outweigh the potential negative impacts of this far-reaching technology.

"It’s vital that opinion leaders, organisations and regulators from across the veterinary world come together and develop guardrails so we can have confidence that AI tools will benefit our teams and our patients.”

https://5345458.hs-sites.com/vetct-ai-white-paper 

Cambridge-based Dick White Referrals (DWR) is to become one of only a handful of sites globally to offer open-heart surgery in small animals. 

The referral centre has invested in a new heart and lung machine, and an oxygen cage, and is expected to take its first patients in the autumn. 

The service will be established and led by head of cardiac surgery Poppy Bristow (pictured right) and head of cardiology Anne Kurosawa, who have already performed this kind of surgery on more than 100 dogs to date.

DWR is also setting up its own blood transfusion service to collect blood from staff and clients’ pets to support the service. 

The blood collected will also be used to support the practice’s emergency and critical care service and its planned dialysis programme. 

Poppy said: “There are hardly any other centres in the world offering this type of surgery, especially with this level of expertise that comes from the collective team we have gathered at DWR. 

“Mitral valve disease is the most common heart condition in dogs and sadly, many dogs die every year as there are very few options for treatment. To be able to offer surgery to more dogs and their owners is really exciting. 

“DWR is the perfect environment for this pioneering programme, due to the state-of-the-art equipment and depth of expertise on hand to support this life-saving initiative.”

Rob Foale, clinical director at Dick White Referrals, added: “It’s a hugely significant step for us to be launching this service, drawing on Poppy’s expertise in this field. 

“We’re also starting our own blood transfusion service to complement the launch, as the pandemic has led to a huge drop in pet blood donations.

“Any excess blood we collect will be donated to the national Pet Blood Bank charity, which supplies blood to veterinary practices across the UK and does a fantastic job.”

For more information, visit www.dickwhitereferrals.com.

Vale Referrals and Vale Vets in Dursley, Gloucestershire, has completed its 18-month, £2m expansion. 

The expansion has increased the hospital's footprint by 30%, adding three new operating theatres, six new consult rooms and new feline facilities, including a cat-only waiting room, consult room and treatment area.

Hospital owner, IVC Evidensia said the expansion has been driven in part by the pet ownership boom of the last few years and increased demand for the hospital’s services.

To meet the demand, Vale has expanded its office space, adding desk space for a further 25 vets.

There are also new ultrasound and cardiology rooms, a new dental suite and enlarged prep and recovery areas.

The existing kennel area has doubled in size with the addition of nine new walk-in kennels, a bespoke isolation ward and secure outdoor runs.

Richard Artingstall, clinical director at Vale Referrals, said: “We’ve been working on this expansion for a long time and it’s incredible to see it complete.

"Our new and improved facilities mean we can give even more pets across the Southwest the gold standard treatment that they deserve and support our colleagues from neighbouring vet practices with extensive referral services.

"The feedback from pets and owners so far has been very rewarding to hear.”

The feedback from pets?

Really?

VetSurgeon.org contacted recent patient Dougal McDoggins for comment.

He said: "Woof."

www.valereferrals.co.uk.