A Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons audit panel is to visit UK veterinary schools to assess how Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) is being carried out, identify good practice and make recommendations for improvement. The exercise is part of a package of measures which aims to improve the way that EMS helps veterinary undergraduates to gain skills and knowledge in a practice environment.

RCVS Council agreed to the implementation of proposals made by a Working Party set up to review the whole EMS process in November 2009. While the EMS system was largely agreed to be valuable and working well, some areas were identified for improvement. Many of the recommendations centred on a better understanding amongst all parties involved - students, practices and vet schools - of the aims and objectives of EMS for the student, and improved communication about expectations and outcomes.

As a first step, the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee has put in place an audit of EMS at the veterinary schools. It has commissioned Dr Barry Johnson, who led the original Working Party, together with practitioners David Black, David Wadsworth and Dr Chris Chesney, to follow through individual cases, talking to the students, practitioners and clinical tutors and EMS co-ordinators at the vet schools, to build a picture of how administration, communication and follow-up is managed.

Barry said: "The objective of the audit is to identify areas of good practice that can be shared, and identify where improvements could be made - it will also promote dialogue between practices and the schools. The exercise will be repeated over the next couple of years to track changes."

The first audit took place at the Royal Veterinary College in February, as part of the full RCVS visitation of the undergraduate degree programme. The EMS audit panel will report its initial findings in June.

The full report and recommendations from the EMS Working Party can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/EMS.

Bayer Animal Health, manufacturer of Advocate, is launching an advertising campaign to support its 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative, which aims to educate pet owners on the spread of Angiostrongylus vasorum and encourage them to seek advice from their local veterinary practice.

The campaign will see a new TV 'public information' style advertisement targeting dog owners.  It will air on 20 national TV channels during April including ITV1, 2 and 3, Sky 1, 2 and 3, More 4 and Film4, with air time dedicated to GMTV and daytime ITV.

The TV advertising campaign will focus on the parasite's intermediate hosts - slugs and snails - and the ease in which dogs can become infected with the parasite by picking up something as simple as a toy with a slug attached to it.

Print advertisements will also be running in national newspapers and women's consumer magazines with a focus on publications read by pet owners.

Marketing support material is available for veterinary practices wishing to participate in the 'Be Lungworm Aware' initiative.  For further details, or to order the new practice materials, please contact your Bayer representative or ring 0845 2574798 quoting 'Be Lungworm Aware'.

CEVA Animal Health has updated its practice support materials to include an all-encompassing D.A.P. client leaflet, a website and a new vet detailer.

The new materials, which also include a D.A.P. and Feliway reference guide containing details of 31 published trials into the practical applications of pheromones, focus on using D.A.P. to prevent stress at key stages of a dog's life. Particular attention is paid to the benefits of fitting a D.A.P. Collar during early puppy consults in order to help prepare dogs for the modern world and helping to prevent anxiety-related problems such as separation anxiety and noise phobia, developing in later life. In addition, the vet brochure will draw practitioners' attention to the times in a dog's life when owners are particularly concerned about their dog becoming stressed including events like trips to boarding kennels.

Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health, said: "Over the last three years eight different trials have been published looking at the use of pheromones to reduce canine stress. The latest data backs up what we have believed for some time - that the management of stress during socialisation is vital if dogs are to grow into emotionally balanced and confident adult dogs.  We now have a much better idea of the impact of allowing puppies to get stressed or overwhelmed during socialisation and the difference providing pheromone support in the form of a D.A.P. Collar can make."

For further details, or for information on CEVA's range of educational resources for veterinary professionals interested in feline and canine behaviour, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.

A cat which was lost eight years ago has been reunited with his owner thanks to the RSPCA, and the fact that the animal had been chipped.

'Bigga' went missing at the end of 2002 from his home in High Wycombe. His owner Lorna Fothergill launched a desperate search to find him. She offered a reward, knocked on doors and put up of posters in the hope that someone would recognise him and bring him home. But after weeks of looking she thought all was lost, and gave up the search. She eventually moved away from the area.

Last month however, Bigga was picked up by RSPCA animal welfare officer Julie Britnell. It is believed he had been living feral for some while. His coat was extremely matted, and he looked as though he had been in a few scrapes along the way, but he was well-fed and in good spirits. Thanks to the fact Mrs Fothergill had him microchipped all those years ago, and some dedicated detective work by the RSPCA, Bigga has now been reunited with his long lost family.

Mrs Fothergill, 40, who is a new business director and singer in the band Northsyde, said: "We just couldn't believe it when we got the call from the RSPCA to say they had found our cat. It's unbelievable and I was just astonished and so relieved that I had him micro--chipped all those years ago. We just can't thank the RSPCA enough for how they have managed to reunite us with Bigga, it's so wonderful."

Is this a record? Do you know of any pets that have been lost for longer, and reunited thanks to a microchip? Comment below.

A new eBook from electronic publisher Quicklook Books aims to give outsiders a broad overview of the veterinary profession.

According to author, veterinary surgeon Bob Lehner, Quicklook@Vets offers readers the opportunity to get below the surface of the veterinary working practice and gain insight into the profession, without becoming 'bogged down' in complicated medical terminology.

He said: "The veterinary world, although considered by many to be an enthralling subject, is accessible to very few people. Texts are, more often than not, written for veterinary graduates instead of the general public.

"In Quicklook@Vets, I wanted to explore all the aspects of this exciting subject in a clear, coherent manner, without unnecessary jargon, to enable anyone to read and learn about the captivating world of veterinary practice."

As a vet with over 35 years of experience, Bob Lehner worked with a wide range of animals and has experience in commercial deer farming, working with zoo animals and as a veterinary surgeon for the pharmaceutical industry. Now retired, Bob Lehner works part-time in practice, as an inspector for the RCVS Practise Standards Scheme and work with an animal charity in Botswana neutering feral village dogs.

The book is available for download here 

Petproject is updating its ProReward 100% Liver treats and have added three new varieties to the range,  a low fat 100% Chicken, hypoallergenic 100% Venison and 100% Icelandic Cod which is high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Petproject says that after speaking with vets and dog owners it found that many customers had switched on to ProReward because it had helped their dog through a stressful situation such as a trip to the vet or meeting strangers.

ProReward treats are fresh cuts of unprocessed meat and fish that are gently dried to enhance the flavour and lock in the nutrients. Petproject says the intense flavours are similar to those you experience when eating a dried strawberry. 

According to the company, the new design uses less packaging and the new varieties will provide veterinary practices with more choice for customers wanting to avoid feeding processed derivatives to their dogs. ProReward is also available in large tubs for use in the consulting room.

Petproject will be embarking on a number of activities to raise brand awareness to get dog owners looking for ProReward products. A free sample pack is available for practices wanting to try ProReward, to request yours or for more information please email info@petproject.co.uk or call 020 8444 1800.

Norbrook Laboratories Ltd has launched a new addition to the Loxicom range: Loxicom 0.5mg/ml Oral Suspension for Cats.

Offering alleviation from inflammation and pain, Loxicom Oral Suspension for Cats is billed by Norbrook as 'the new cost-effective treatment for chronic musculo-skeletal disorders in cats that is bio-equivalent to the pioneer.'

The Loxicom range now offers vet practices a choice between 5mg/ml Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats, 1.5mg/ml Oral Suspension for Dogs and now 0.5mg/ml Oral Suspension for Cats.

Loxicom Oral Suspension for Cats is available in a clear 15ml bottle allowing veterinary surgeons and their clients to monitor product levels and re-order when necessary. The packaging also includes a graduated syringe in 0.5kg increments (from 0.5-10kg) which plugs securely into the bottle allowing accurate, mess-free administration.

Norbrook's small animal range also includes Carprieve, a range of carprofen tablets and injection and Noroclav, the amoxycillin / clavulanic acid range of tablets and injection.

A survey of more than 4,000 members of the public by the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA) has revealed that 90% of people think that separation from a pet is traumatic for older people entering residential care or sheltered accommodation.

The TNS research carried out in March 2010 also found 83% agree pets make their owners happier and 54% think pet owners should be able to make the choice about entering care facilities after seeing the accommodation policy. 

According to the PFMA, the benefits of pet ownership for elderly people include a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, reduced blood pressure and cholesterol, improved recovery from heart attacks and strokes, better social interactions in people with dementia, and fewer GP visits. In addition, those who keep pets when entering care homes enjoy a smoother transition into residential care,

The PFMA says this survey has helped shape its goal to ensure all leading UK housing providers implement responsible pet policies that enable older people to make an informed choice about their future.  This commitment is part of the organisation's 2020 vision to 'make a better world with pets', launched to mark its 40^th anniversary.

The PFMA also says it is working closely with SCAS (Society for Companion Animal Studies) and MPs - including Ian Cawsey, Nick Palmer and Nigel Waterson - all striving for fairer treatment of the older pet-owning public.

Ian Cawsey, MP for Brigg and Goole, said: 'Today we have more than 11 million elderly adults living in Britain, of whom approximately 25% are pet-owners. This figure is estimated to rise to 14 million by 2026 and the majority of these people will eventually require some form of residential care. Unfortunately growing older often involves inevitable heartache and loss but being separated from a pet when entering care facilities should not be part of it. This is why I welcome the PFMA's 2020 goal to ensure care facilities implement responsible pet policies over the next decade."

PFMA, Chief Executive, Michael Bellingham, explains: "Having analysed the research and consulted SCAS we are delighted to announce our 2020 ambition to ensure fairer treatment of the older pet-owning public.  The importance of pets to people in care facilities cannot be under-estimated. Over the next ten years we want to make a big difference to the lives of older pet owners."

This latest call to action follows the successful passing of shadow minister for older people, Nigel Waterson's bill - Care Homes and Sheltered Accommodation (Domestic Pets) Bill - which aims for a more "enlightened and responsible" policy for allowing pet owners in residences to keep their beloved animals.

CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of the veterinary behaviour products Feliway and D.A.P., has launched a guide to the practical applications of pheromones.

The 80 page book, entitled 'D.A.P.^® and Feliway^® Papers and Abstracts', features details of 31 published trials. It includes an introduction to pheromonatherapy by  veterinary behaviourist, Sarah Heath, and covers research into the use of pheromones for a wide range of behavioural issues in both dogs and cats, including feline urine marking, feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), the introduction of new pets to a household, noise phobias and firework fears, and puppy socialisation and adoption.

The guide contains an overview of each behavioural issue, and details of the trials and recommendations on the use of Feliway^® or D.A.P.^® to help prevent and control the problem.

Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health said: "There is considerable data supporting the use of Feliway^® and D.A.P. ^®. The reference guide brings together this research into one comprehensive handbook which is a must for veterinary professionals interested in feline and canine behaviour."

For a copy of the D.A.P.^® and Feliway^® Papers and Abstracts reference guide, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.

The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has dismissed a case against a veterinary surgeon from Kent having found him not guilty of serious professional misconduct. 

Mr Francois-Guillame Saulnier-Troff - formerly an employee of North Kent Referrals in Blue Bell Hill near Aylesford - was charged with concealing from his clients that a fragment of metal had been left in their dog's body following surgery, and omitting any reference to that in the clinical records or notes.

At the hearing, the Committee heard that, during spinal surgery on Pippin, a Jack Russell terrier belonging to Mr and Mrs Bowers, a small metal fragment broke off a palpator and became lodged in the bony material. Mr Saulnier-Troff was unable to retrieve it. 

However, Mr Saulnier-Troff did not inform Pippin's owners of this occurrence, either during the telephone conversation on the 15th of January immediately following the operation, or when he met with them for Pippin's post-operative check on the 2nd of February.  He said that he had intended to discuss the fact with the owners when the dog was discharged and had requested that he be contacted when the owners came into the surgery. He had not been contacted, though, and on attending the practice two days later, found that Pippin had already been returned to his owners.

It was accepted by the Committee that Mr Saulnier-Troff had not considered the fragment of clinical significance, and that telling Mr and Mrs Bowers about it was not at the front of his mind at their subsequent meeting.

The Committee heard there was no reference to the fragment included in the clinical notes, discharge summary or referral report, but accepted that the discharge summary had not been prepared by Mr Saulnier-Troff and that the referral report had been drawn up and sent out without Mr Saulnier-Troff's approval or personal signature.

In their findings, the Committee made no criticism of Mr Saulnier-Troff for the breakage or non-retrieval of the fragment, concluding that he came across as a skilled and conscientious veterinary surgeon and that he was fundamentally honest.  The Committee also described as "honest and straightforwards throughout," the accounts given by Mr and Mrs Bowers of their recollections of events.  The Committee noted that Mr Saulnier-Troff had admitted that he ought to have told Mr and Mrs Bowers about the fragment and that he ought to have included details in the clinical notes.

Disciplinary Committee Chairman Mrs Alison Bruce said that they were "highly critical of the fact that Mr Saulner-Troff did not inform Mr and Mrs Bowers at any time of what had occurred or check that the clinical records had been completed either post-operatively or at the follow-up examination."

"The matters, which Mr Saulnier-Troff has admitted, flow from a failure on his part to speak to Mr and Mrs Bowers after the discharge had taken place and to check that he had completed a full clinical record which included reference to part of the palpator being left in Pippin's body,"

Mrs Bruce continued, adding that this was "indeed conduct which falls short of the standard to be expected.  However, in the opinion of this Committee his conduct does not fall so far short that it amounts to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."

Mrs Bruce concluded: "In these circumstances, the charge is dismissed."

Following Intervet Schering-Plough's launch of Plerion, a chewable, flavoured wormer for dogs, the company has launched a consumer viral marketing campaign in which they invite pet owners to 'Primp Your Pooch' at the website www.plerion.co.uk.

In the press release, the company says: 'educating clients on worming has never been more fun'. Whilst you might not think that an especially big achievement, it is certainly a polished looking website, and there's a novel competition on the site: owners are invited to upload a photograph of their dog, 'primp' it with a variety of hairstyles and fashion accessories, and then get others to vote for them to win £1000 of luxury spa vouchers.

The launch of Primp Your Pooch follows the award-winning Plerion Showtime web campaign which featured a variety of singing and dancing dogs and achieved an average 1,500  hits a month on the Plerion micro site. Sarah-Jane Minter, marketing Manager at Intervet/Schering-Plough said: "We are always trying to create new and interesting ways to engage with pet owners and have found the web to be a useful platform to drive consumer awareness, as owners enjoy the interactive element that this format offers. The site takes an uninteresting topic and gives it interest to owners. The viral aspect is achieved through social media as consumers are able to share the website with friends via Facebook or email."

As well as an extensive online advertising campaign the Primp Your Pooch campaign will be supported by in practice information. Speak to your local Intervet/Schering-Plough Veterinary Business Manager or phone the company's Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685 for further information.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched a new oxytetracycline spray which the company says offers more accurate antibiotic delivery whether the can is used in an upright or inverted position.

Alasdair King MRCVS, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health veterinary manager, says new Engemycin Spray has been developed specifically to address problems reported with traditional aerosol cans:

"Antibiotic sprays are used widely, yet they can become a practical nuisance to both vets and farmers simply because many cans do not perform satisfactorily. All too frequently the nozzle leaks or detaches, the spray pattern is irregular - particularly if the can is held upside down as it so often needs to be - or the valve clogs before the can is empty. This can be a source of great frustration to users, but new Engemycin Spray overcomes all these problems."

Intervet/Schering Plough says Engemycin Spray combines a unique, quick-drying formulation with an innovative, non-clogging spray valve. The quick-drying formulation minimises wastage from the sprayed area, while the new valve - which works as well when the can is upside down - cuts spraying time and ensures more reliable and constant delivery of antibiotic. The valve is unique and designed to enable the can to fully empty.

Engemycin Spray is licensed for the treatment of foot and wound infections in cattle, sheep or pigs following surgery or physical injury. The new product is available now from wholesalers.