Vetlife has announced the launch of Active October, a campaign in which veterinary professionals are encourages to come together, get active and fundraise for the charity during the month of October.

Vetlife says the cost of running its Helpline, Health Support, and Financial Support services for the veterinary community is forecast to exceed the £1million mark for the first time in its history, and it is heavily reliant on donations from fundraisers.

If you'd like to support the charity's work and hold a fundraiser, you can do so individually or as part of a team.

First, you're asked to decide on a goal to set yourself or your team.

This could be an overall distance, a total step count, or to be active each day.

The more adventurous can set walking, running, cycling, swimming, kayaking, rock-climbing, or horse-riding goals.

Then create a fundraising page through JustGiving, so you can share the link and spread the word about your event.

Vetlife asks that you tag the charity in any pictures you share on on social media.

Vetlife Communications Officer Eve Ritchie said: “The links between physical activity and mental health are well documented.

"Active October, is the perfect opportunity to get your friends and colleagues together to boost your wellbeing and raise some much-needed funds for our charity.”

You can buy running vests and t-shirts from Vetlife through its website.

If you have any questions about fundraising for Vetlife, email: fundraising@vetlife.org.uk.

www.vetlife.org.uk 

The nursing team at Uplands Way Vets is using bandage art to make clients smile and create a talking point around their practice.

The team originally came up with the idea for a patient who needed bandages changed regularly over a long period of time.

It was so well-received by the dog’s owner that they offered the bespoke bandages to other clients. 

They've been such a hit that nurses Stacey Lamb, Esme Ladds, Charlotte Wright and Amy Howard are now regularly producing the works of art, some of which have gone viral on social media. 

The practice’s head nurse Emily Philpot said: "Our clients love the idea of having their pet’s bandage decorated and it’s very rewarding to see the smiles it puts on their faces.

"We ask if they have any special requests, and they enjoy getting involved in choosing designs for their pets.

"Children get particularly excited about this, and usually ask for their favourite TV characters.

"Sometimes we aim to come up with a design that represents a pet’s name, and we recently decorated a bandage with T-Rex’s for a dog called Rex.

“We have also made rainbows for people who have sadly had to have their pet put to sleep.

"We pop them on the bandage that holds the cannula in place which administers the medication and these have been very popular as well.”

The nurses make all of the designs by hand and cut them from the same material as the bandages, which is light and breathable and won’t interfere with the healing process.

Emily added: “Everyone is so impressed with how creative our nursing team is and the veterinary nurses have enjoyed having an opportunity to show off their talents. They enjoy making a difference, so it’s a great wellbeing boost during the working day.

“They make the designs between appointments and during any quieter periods, and they will often listen to a veterinary podcast while they’re crafting, so they are boosting their knowledge at the same time.

“Luckily, the bandages we use come in lots of different colours, but we did have to search a bit wider to find some that our usual supplier didn’t have available.

"However, it’s worth it for our clients and our patients, as it’s part of our aim to give them the best possible experience when they visit us.”

VetYogi, a yoga company run by Chloe Hannigan MRCVS, has launched a subscription service for veterinary practices and individuals.

VetYogi’s new ‘VetYogi Collective’ offers an on-demand online hub of yoga, mental health and wellbeing sessions designed to meet the individual needs of RVNs, vets, practice managers, receptionists, students and paraprofessionals. 

Subscription includes a monthly live yoga session and access to a library of content which includes yoga sessions lasting from minutes to over an hour.

There are also videos, and advice on guided meditation to help support wellbeing and manage stress.

Chloe says: “It’s important that everyone who has a need, has access to the type of wellbeing tools that they respond best to, so we have developed self-care sessions for all roles in the profession.

"If you have had a hard day or a stiff neck from working in theatre for hours, or are just feeling tense and unable to switch off, you need help there and then.

"The VetYogi Collective provides that support around the clock which we simply couldn’t deliver any other way.”

Individual subscriptions cost £12 per month.

Practices signing up their team are offered preferential rates and can use the VetYogi Collective badge on their materials to signal their commitment to supporting wellbeing.

collective.vetyogi.com 

The RCVS has announced the results of this year's VN Council elections. 

1,927 veterinary nurses voted, representing an 8.8% turnout. 

Whilst marginally better than 2022's turnout of 8.4%, it's still less than half that seen in 2020. 

Matthew Rendle scored 891 votes and Simon Williams 642. 

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “Congratulations to all our successful candidates in this year’s elections and thank you to all those who stood for election this year.

"We look forward to welcoming our successful candidates to their elected places at this year’s AGM.

“While the turnout for the VN Council election improved slightly on last year, it was a shame to see the turnout for vets fall again.

"As part of our wider Council culture project, we are looking at how to increase engagement with our election processes across the board, from candidate nominations, to how we present information about the candidates, to how we encourage greater election turnout.

"We will be consulting with the group set up to look specifically at this issue in due course to see how we can improve turnout going forward.”

The full results for the RCVS Council election can be found at  www.rcvs.org.uk/vnvote23

The BVA has chosen nine finalists for this year's Veterinary Photographer of the Year competition.

BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “Judging this competition has been genuinely both extremely enjoyable and really difficult.

"The entries this year have absolutely surpassed expectations and the level of talent on display is amazing.

"However, the photographs we have chosen are all well worthy of being finalists.

"From photos that made us laugh out loud, to others that made some of us feel close to tears, they evoked a range of emotions, but we were also impressed by the quality of the images, the creativity of the photographers and the composition of the photos, as well as the stories behind the lens.

The finalists are:

Vets at work

• A Gentle Touch by Sam Price. A Ring-tailed Lemur gently grasps the vet’s finger while recovering from an anaesthetic.
  
  
  
• Mopping the Brow by Justyn Loveridge shows some light relief after a long procedure.
  
  
  
• #Colostrumisgold by Sophie Aylett, captures the moment a young calf was up and on the teat before the cow’s muscle layers were even sutured up following a c-section. 
  

All creatures great and small

• Roe Buck Running by Jenny Grewal, who photographed this roe buck as he ran through the mustard flowers in the fields of an estate on the Wiltshire-Hampshire border.
  
  
  
• On the Shoulders of Giants by Katherine Edmondson. Taken at sunrise at Kwantu Game Reserve, South Africa, this image shows three red-billed oxpeckers hunting for insects on the back of a young giraffe in the early hours of the morning.
  
  
  
• Cheeky Munch by Lilia Silva, who had gone to a local park in London to take photos of birds but couldn’t resist capturing a cheeky squirrel munching away on some berries.
  

Happy pets that make us smile

• Jumping for Joy by Sam Price. This photo features dog Winnie, who loves nothing more than a beach day.
  
  
  
• Snow Focused by Alice Watson. Rusty the dog on a snowy day in Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds.
  
  
  
• Main picture: Sheep-a-Doodle Do! by Charlotte Clough. A car boot overflowing with six 12-week-old puppies, in a vet surgery car park.

The winners will be announced at BVA Live at Birmingham’s NEC in May, where this year there is also an opportunity for BVA Live delegates to vote for their favourite image from the shortlist, with a new ‘People’s Choice’ winner being announced in the weeks following the event.

The RCVS and British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BVCIS) are asking all vet nurses and student vet nurses to take part in a survey into disability and chronic illness within the veterinary sector.

The aim of the survey is to provide a better understanding of the views, experiences and challenges faced by disabled and chronically ill people within the veterinary profession and provide an insight into how the profession and educational institutions can be more inclusive.

You do not have to be disabled or chronically ill to complete the survey, which will take you around 20 minutes to complete. 

Claire Hodgson, director and co-founder of BVCIS, said: “Working in the veterinary professions with a chronic illness or disability can be hugely challenging, but there is currently a knowledge gap in terms of understanding exactly where the problems lie.

“A 2019 RCVS survey of the professions found that around 6.7% of vets and 7.4% of RVNs have a disability or medical condition that limits work that they can do, but the true figures are likely to be much higher.

"No reliable data for veterinary students currently exists.

“The purpose of this survey is to close that knowledge gap and help us understand how we can better support disabled and chronically ill people in the workplace and education to create a more inclusive working culture.\

“Those living with disability and chronic illness are often hugely resourceful and fantastic problem solvers because of the day-to-day challenges they have had to learn to overcome.

"They have a great deal to contribute to the sector, and it is important that they feel valued and respected and have access to the tools they need to thrive.

“Diversity makes the workforce stronger, so we are calling on as many different people as possible from across the veterinary community to complete our survey so that, together, we can help create a more inclusive workplace for all.”

The survey will be circulated by email to all RCVS registered veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses in the near future. 

Details will be circulated to students via their educational institutions. 

The RCVS says all survey responses will be completely confidential, and results will only be analysed and reported at a level that does not allow identification of individuals in any way.

Completed surveys will not be seen by anyone at the RCVS or BVCIS – the IES will send through a report with key research findings to both the RCVS and BVCIS after the survey has closed.

The RCVS Academy has launched a new course which aims to give newly-registered veterinary nurses consistent, meaningful and personalised support during the transition from student to RVN.

‘RVN Starting out’ takes around 10 hours to complete and is free to access at: https://academy.rcvs.org.uk/ 

 VN Futures Project Manager, Jill Macdonald, said: “Our RVN Starting Out course has been created to support adapting to professional responsibility, optimising workplace learning opportunities and working effectively as part of a team.

"The course also assists newly-registered nurses with building confidence and considering their career development.

"We have included learning on key areas such as reflective practice, workplace culture, quality improvement, clinical decision-making and assertive communication to reflect the responsibilities that veterinary nurses now undertake."

“The course is delivered over six modules which can be completed individually and accessed at any time to fit around busy work schedules.”

Dechra has taken over the distribution of two products designed to support kidney health in senior cats, Porus One and its sister product Add One.

Porus One contains renaltec, a selective absorber that absorbs the precursors of uraemic toxins in the cat’s intestine that would normally be removed or regulated by healthy kidneys, so that they may be safely excreted in the cat's faeces.

The product is presented as a powder which can be sprinkled on wet cat food, or given with Add One as a treat.  

Dechra says it is well-accepted by cats due to its neutral taste and smell.  

Add One is a moist and tasty cat treat developed to encourage cats that prefer dry food to eat Porus One. 

It is available in two flavours: creamy salmon and tasty liver. 

Add One contains omega-3 and a high moisture content to help support kidney health.

It also contains taurine to support a cat’s eyes and heart.

One box of Porus One contains 30 single-dose sachets, each containing 500mg of renaltec. 

One box of Add One contains 30 single-dose 10mg sachets.

https://porus-one.com.

The 2023 Veterinary Wound Management Conference will be held at Doncaster Racecourse on Tuesday and Wednesday 11th and 12th July.

The event is merging with the new northern VETcpd Congress to give attendees a broader range of CPD subjects.

In the wound management streams, Shelly Jefferies (pictured right) will run a series of workshops on: ‘Wound preparation for optimum healing’, ‘Wound dressing selection’ and ‘Building a better bandage’.

On the first day of the lecture programme, Samantha Bell will be looking at various different aspects and considerations for wound management through all stages, from initial presentation and assessment of the traumatic wound patient, including lavage and debridement techniques, to selection of dressings for open wound management, to surgical closure.

Other speakers in the wound management stream will cover topics such as acute wound management in rabbits and other exotic species, coping with eye problems and what to do and what not to do after oral surgery to allow healing.

Alongside the wound management programme will be two streams for veterinary surgeons – open to nurses as well – with Dr David Williams (ophthalmology), Dr Bob Partridge (dentistry), Dr Molly Varga (rabbits and exotics), Dr Fergus Allerton (antibiotics and immune-mediated diseases), Professor John Innes (orthopaedics), Professor Jon Hall (small animal surgery), Dr Joanne Harris (cardiology), Dr Alison Hayes (oncology), Dr Samantha Lane small animal surgery), Dr Anita Patel (dermatology) and Angie Lloyd-Jones (ultrasound).

On day two, David Williams will conduct an interactive session on ethics in which he will present a series of cases and ask the audience to discuss what they would do in each.

There will also be a series of workshops on ultrasound, covering basic system controls and image optimisation, abdominal ultrasound assessment techniques, and other aspects.

Lastly, there will be a stream specifically for equine practitioners featuring Professor Michael Schramme of the University of Lyon, Dr Alison Talbot of the University of Liverpool, Dr Lesley Young from Newmarket, Dr Gemma Pearson from Edinburgh, David Green from the VDS and Philip Cramo of Hambleton Equine Clinic.

Accommodation is available in the Hilton Garden Inn on-site at £105 per night or £125 per night for double occupancy. This rate is available by emailing HGIreservations@doncaster-racecourse.co.uk, quoting VETcpd.

Early bird two day passes cost £195+VAT for veterinary nurses and £285+VAT for veterinary surgeons, with one day tickets also available. 

www.vetcpdcongress.co.uk.

Northamptonshire-based Joanna Wicksteed has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after being convicted of theft and fraud, and found to be dishonest and misleading in not declaring a police caution and an adult restorative disposal to the College.

Ms Wicksteed faced five charges.

The first charge concerned her conviction in May 2021, following a jury trial at Oxford Crown Court, for one count of theft and two counts of fraud for which she was sentenced to a two-year community order, including 150 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,800, £177.07 to Barclays Bank and £85 as a victims’ surcharge.

She admitted this charge at the outset of the RCVS Disciplinary Committee hearing.

The second charge concerned the allegation that, in October 2015, she was made subject to an ‘adult restorative disposal’ (‘ARD’) following thefts from Tesco Extra Stores.

This charge was found proven after Ms Wicksteed admitted in her evidence to the Committee that she had signed the ARD.

The third charge concerned the allegation that, in January 2018, she stole from a Debenhams department store and, in March that year, was given a formal police caution.

This charge was found proven by the Committee.

The fourth charge was that, in her annual renewal declarations made each year with the RCVS from 2016 through 2021, she had failed to declare the ARD and the caution.

However, under the Code of Professional Conduct, veterinary surgeons are not required to declare ARDs as they are not convictions, cautions or adverse findings.

Ms Wicksteed was therefore cleared of failing to declare her ARD.

Nevertheless, the Committee found that she had failed to declare her police caution in her annual renewal declarations.

The fifth charge was that in failing to make declarations upon renewing her registration, she was dishonest, misleading and had failed to take adequate steps to inform the College of the caution and the ARD.

The Committee found this charge proven in respect of the caution only and not the ARD.

The Committee then considered whether the first charge, which Ms Wicksteed admitted, rendered her unfit to practise, and whether the remaining charges that were found proven amounted to serious professional misconduct.

Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee noted that the conviction concerned three elements of dishonesty: theft and two counts of fraud.

"It involved stealing from a junior colleague at work, and the fraudulent activity – the use of the colleague’s card - was carefully planned in that, when it was used, it was in respect of items which did not cumulatively cost in excess of £30 and therefore did not require knowledge of the card holder’s PIN.

"It was used twice in the Tesco Store. Between those times, Ms Wicksteed changed her appearance by taking off her coat and waited some 20 minutes.”

She added: “The Committee accepted the College’s argument that members of the public would find it abhorrent for a member of the profession to have acted in this way – stealing from a junior colleague a card held under a Power of Attorney for her brother, and spending money using that card, deliberately keeping each transaction under the contactless limit to try to conceal the conduct.

"Honesty and integrity is one of the five key principles which must be maintained by members of the profession.”

The Committee found that this charge alone rendered Ms Wicksteed unfit to practise veterinary surgery.

The Committee also found that the proven elements of the remaining charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, both individually and cumulatively.

The Committee then considered the sanction for Ms Wicksteed.

In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee considered that there was actual harm to a vulnerable person in the case of the conviction for theft and fraud, the misconduct and dishonesty it entailed was repeated, there were elements of premeditation in the conduct, there was inadequate insight shown into her behaviour, and there was wilful disregard of the College and its processes.

In terms of mitigation, the Committee considered supportive statements and character references from professional colleagues and clients and accepted that there was no actual or potential harm to animals, that Ms Wicksteed had a hitherto unblemished career as demonstrated by the references, and that there had been a significant lapse of time since some of the elements of the charges, albeit she had not declared them.

The Committee also accepted that Ms Wicksteed had suffered from ill-health, although had not seen evidence that directly connected her health with the dishonest behaviour.

Taking into account all the factors, the Committee decided that removal from the Register was the appropriate and proportionate sanction, referencing Ms Wicksteed’s breaches in relation to: serious departure from and reckless disregard for the professional behaviours set out in the Code of Professional Conduct; causing serious harm to the public and breach of trust; persistent and concealed dishonesty; and persistent lack of insight into the seriousness of her  conduct.

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR) in Surrey is pioneering the use of Neuromed Invetra, a new spinal stabilisation system which uses screws rather than bone cement.

Dr Guillaume Leblond, an American specialist in veterinary neurology at NDSR said: “Traditionally, bone cement has been used to provide support and stabilisation when treating veterinary spinal instability cases.

“Polyaxial pedicle screws have proven a very reliable and efficient way of treating such spinal problems in human medicine.

“These special screws can be inserted in the vertebrae and connected to strong metal rods instead of bone cement and we’re now very excited to be offering this new service to our patients.

“The main advantage to this cutting-edge procedure is its flexibility.

"Once cement is set in place it is obviously very hard to move, manipulate or remove should you need to adjust or correct.

“With the metal rod and screw system, it is more adaptable and you can adjust it far more easily and quickly.

“It may also be less prone to infection compared to cement, which has been known to harbour bacteria sometimes causing infections several years after the surgery.

"Another hope we have for this system is that it will be less prone to failure compared to cement, especially on extended stabilisation constructs.

Guillaume added: “The neurology team at NDSR has been training in applying this new system as soon as it became available and we have already used it to treat two dogs, both of them having surgery on the same day.

“One was a golden retriever treated by my colleagues Rodolfo Cappello (head of neurology) and Natalie West (neurology resident), and the other was a whippet under my care.

"They were two very different sizes of dog but both operations went well.

“We are grateful to OrthomedTM, the company manufacturing the stabilization system, provided all necessary details to plan the surgeries as precisely as possible.

“We also collaborated with Vet3DTM to create patient specific 3D printed guides to ensure the precise placement of screws and it proved a great solution in both cases.”

“Admittedly, it is still early days for the introduction of this new spinal stabilisation system but we are optimistic it will prove a significant advancement in treating many spinal problems.”

www.ndsr.co.uk

Hampshire-based Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists (SCVS) has announced its programme of free and paid-for CPD sessions for veterinary surgeons and nurses in 2023.

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

Petplan has announced the finalists for this year's Veterinary Awards. 

This year, there have been over 30,000 nominations for the awards. 

The finalists this year are:

Vet Nurse of the Year
Caroline Jones, Battle Flatts Veterinary Surgery, York
Helen Rooney, Pet Blood Bank, Loughborough
Lesley Ramsey (pictured right), Debenham Veterinary Practice, Stowmarket 

Vet of the Year
Andrew Hayes, Towcester Equine Vets, Towcester
Clare McCabe (pictured right), Claymill Veterinary Clinic, Cookstown
Laurence Behrens, Goddard Veterinary Group, Dagenham

Practice Support Staff of the Year
Rhiannon Lewis, Streatham Hill Vets, Streatham
Laura Cameron, Lomond Veterinary Clinic, Helensburgh
Louise O’ Reilly, Vets4Pets, Llanrumney 

Practice Manager of the Year
Kristen Lorimer, Blue House Veterinary Centre, Stoke-on-Trent
Louise Newman, Blue Cross Vets, Merton
Nicki Ridgeway, Vets4Pets, Ridgeway

Practice of the Year
Hollybank Veterinary Centre, Northwich
Lanes Vets, Poulton
Milfeddygon Williams Vets, Gwynedd 

The awards will be hosted at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester on 23rd March.

Bella von Mesterhazey, Sales & Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “This year’s finalist line-up includes an outstanding array of veterinary professionals and practices, and Petplan is delighted to be celebrating the highest achievements in pet healthcare once again."