The new.graduatevet programme (or 'Dot' programme) offers hands-on surgical training and seminars from Advanced Practitioners at Pets'n'Vets' Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow, together with a dedicated website for all new and recent graduates: www.new.graduatevet.co.uk.
Pets'n'Vets says the programme has now been further enhanced by the addition of new CPD elements and the provision of additional monthly benchmarking and seminars.
Oliver Jackson, a partner at Pets‘n’Vets, said: "This is the best well-rounded, supported and unique new graduate training programme available in Scotland. Support is delivered through an integrated mentor system, peer-to-peer learning opportunities and regular case reviews, with the programme designed to integrate with, and augment, the PDP requirements, all in a clinically-driven setting free from tie-ins or financial targets."
The Dot programme sees new graduates undertake advanced training and extra practice on surgery, consultations and general practice to accelerate their skills and confidence as well as a digest of bespoke seminars aimed specifically at life in practice and optimising clinical outcomes and confidence.
The programme also includes regular periods of shadowing certificate-holding vets in a diverse range of areas, including ECC, orthopaedics, cardiology and advanced medical work-ups.
Oliver said: "We are proud to develop the programme which we believe will provide a platform for new graduates to apply the skills they’ve learned at university throughout the previous five years, and allow them to excel in their careers.
"This programme will form the first step in an ongoing personal development process and a bright future in our vet practices when they have completed their new graduate training."
Ruby Shorrock is a full-time veterinary surgeon at Pets'n'Vets who is now most of the way through last year’s inaugural Dot programme. She said: "I would heartily recommend the Dot programme to new veterinary graduates.
"The training programme enabled me to become an independent vet with all the support I need and it’s fantastic to be in a locally-owned small veterinary practice where graduates like myself get individual attention in an accredited hospital with the capacity to nurture our skills and personal development and where the gold standard I learned at university is in use every day."
New grads can apply for a place on the Dot programme by logging onto www.new.graduatevet.co.uk and emailing hr@petsnvets.org
Advances in mobile phone technology, combined with the simplification of video-editing software and the adoption of video in social media, have led to an explosion in the use of the medium over the past 12 years. YouTube, which had its first video posted in April 2005, now counts over a billion users.
To help veterinary professionals gain the skills needed to make the most of this increasingly important medium, 'Video-making for social media' will teach you how to use your mobile phone to create engaging video, in particular looking at script-writing, voice-overs, editing and mixing soundtracks.
The course takes place in Preston, Lancashire on 17th May.
To be in with a chance of receiving one of three free places on the course, send an email with 'Video-making for social media' in the subject line, followed by your details and why you would like to attend to: royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com. Entries will close 10 working days before the event.
Alternatively, places on the courses can be booked by calling 01453 872731 or by visiting www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk. Workshops cost £275 plus VAT for non-members and £195 plus VAT for VPMA and SPVS members (discounts offered on group/ bulk bookings). Cost includes CPD certificates, lunch and refreshments.
Sporimune is the first ciclosporin oral solution to be licensed for use in both cats and dogs.
In cats with allergic dermatitis, ciclosporin has proved to be an effective alternative to prednisolone1 Dechra says it has a long-term safety record for chronic treatment of canine atopic dermatitis and remains one of the most important tools within a multi-modal strategy.
Sporimune is available with two dosing syringes per bottle – one for cats and one for dogs – that are graduated in body weight and ml.
There are three bottle sizes to allow for flexibility in dispensing and broached bottles last six months.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "We are delighted to be able to introduce this popular and effective treatment for cats.
"Allergic skin disease can be challenging to diagnose and manage effectively for both owners and vets, with around 20 per cent of all small animal consultations involving skin conditions.
"Sporimune is a key component of a multi-modal approach involving guidance on allergen and flare factor avoidance and improving skin and coat hygiene to minimise clinical signs and the effects on quality of life for both animal and owner."
Reference
Petplan's Veterinary Awards are designed to celebrate the nation’s most outstanding vets, vet nurses, practices, practice managers and support staff who are nominated by their colleagues and clients for continually going that extra mile, keeping pets healthy and giving owners peace of mind.
The independent panel of judges said that Johanna's nomination stood out for her ability to create a balance between leading a practice which maintains incredibly high clinical standards along with a welcoming, caring ethos with patients at the heart of everything they do.
Johanna said: "I’m absolutely ecstatic! I wasn’t expecting to win at all, so this is a real surprise – I just want to say thank you to those who nominated and all my staff for supporting me every day. What a brilliant feeling!"
The other big winner on the night was 387 Veterinary Centre. Two members of staff, Nicky Smith RVN and Joanne Civil, won 'Veterinary Nurse of the Year' and 'Veterinary Practice Support Staff of the Year' respectively, and the practice also took the overall 'Veterinary Practice of the Year' award.
'Veterinary Practice Manager of the Year' went to Anne Corson of Pennard Vets in Tonbridge.
The day-long courses, each running from 9.30-5:00pm, will cover: basic mental health awareness; HR employment regulations and the legal position; the role of the line manager in supporting someone with poor mental health; making reasonable adjustments; planning 'return to work'; and designing and putting in place wellbeing action plans.
The courses will be run by Connecting with People, a social enterprise that develops and delivers high-quality training to employees with healthcare or safeguarding responsibilities.
Helen Sanderson, former VPMA President and representative on the Mind Matters Initiative Taskforce, said: "If you do one thing this year for your team I strongly recommend it be attending one of these courses. It provided me with invaluable information in recognising stress and depression in a team, as well as giving useful tools and tips on how to discuss and handle situations. I would encourage anyone to attend."
Lizzie Lockett, Director of Mind Matters, added: "It has been wonderful to see the response from the veterinary profession to our mental health awareness training sessions, but we know that managers can face particular challenges in supporting their team's mental health. Meanwhile, line managers play a key role in whether or not someone feels comfortable discussing a mental health issue, goes on to seek help, and, ultimately, returns to the workforce.
"We therefore designed these courses to provide very practical information for those in managerial positions, covering legal requirements as well as how to implement wellbeing strategies for colleagues."
The courses, which are subsidised by Mind Matters and the VPMA, cost £80 for VPMA members and £120 for non-members.
To book a place, visit the Mind Matters Eventbrite page: www.rcvsmindmatters.eventbrite.com
5638 events were reported spontaneously, mainly by the marketing authorisation holder (61%), with the remainder largely reported by veterinary surgeons.
Of these, 5512 were reports of adverse reactions in animals: 829 concerning suspected lack of efficacy, 4638 concerning safety. The majority of reports concerned dogs (2927), cats (1426) and cattle (386).
In dogs, medicines for the control of epilepsy were most often suspected of not having performed as expected (80 reports) whilst vaccines were most commonly reported as having failed to work (71). However, the VMD points out that in many cases, vaccination failure was attributable to other causes (such as incomplete vaccination schedule).
In cats, flea spot-on products were most likely to be reported as not having worked (21). However, there are many reasons why owners may continue to see live fleas on their animal which are unrelated to product efficacy (such as reinfestation from the environment).
Notably, the majority of efficacy reports in horses (12/19) related to euthanasia products, which the report says should serve as a reminder that alternative means of euthanasia should always be available in case the chosen method does not proceed as planned.
Of the safety reports, 59.6% involved dogs, 31% cats, 4.9% horses and 3.9% rabbits. The majority concerned vaccines (1360 reports, most commonly general signs or symptoms, such as lethargy or pyrexia), parasiticides (472 reports, most commonly lethargy, emesis, inflammation/pruritus, depending on method of administration) and inflammation control (412 cases, most commonly emesis, renal insufficiency and diarrhoea, depending on the drug type).
There were 124 reports of adverse events in humans. Of those involving veterinary professionals (about a quarter):
The VMD says that reports of needle stick injuries involving vaccines with a mineral oil adjuvant are of particular concern, because they often fail to show that the injured party has received prompt and correct treatment, either because they are themselves unaware of the necessity for swift intervention, or because they do not take the product package information leaflet with them when seeking medical treatment.
Similarly, the VMD says that incidents involving injectable tilmicosin seem to be often dismissed as just a scratch, and that if you use these products, you should make sure you are fully aware of the warnings contained in the product leaflets.
To read the full report, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/608968/PhV_Annual_Review_2015_v7.pdf
The BVA Board oversees the performance of the Association and is responsible for corporate and financial governance and for setting the BVA’s strategic direction. It consists of nine members: the three Officers of the BVA, four Directors appointed by BVA Council and up to 2 non-veterinary Directors appointed by the Board. The Chairman is elected by the Board.
Philip, a Bristol University Veterinary School graduate, spent seven years in mixed practice in Sussex, Kent and Suffolk before embarking on a career in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.
He became CEO of Novartis Animal Health UK Ltd in 1996 (where, incidentally, he was ultimately responsible for signing up a wet-behind-the-ears PR consultant by the name of Arlo Guthrie and giving the go-ahead for the development of vetnurse.co.uk, which in turn led to the launch of vetsurgeon.org). In 2003 he became the company's Head of Global Marketing, and in 2005, Head of Global Business Development.
Philip has also run business elective training at the Royal Veterinary College, which has provided first-hand experience of the concerns and opportunities facing new graduates within a changing profession.
Gudrun Ravetz, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "We are delighted to announce Philip Lowndes as the new Chairman of the BVA Board. His experience and expertise in business, knowledge of the veterinary profession and involvement with BVA will be of great value as we continue to grow our membership and expand our services and support for vets, especially during the uncertainty caused by Brexit."
Philip holds previous chair experience, as Chairman of the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) between 1997-2004, and currently sits as Chairman of both the Novartis UK Pension Trustee Board and its Investment Committee. He joined BVA’s Board in 2013 and was re-elected by BVA Council for a second term in 2016. He will be taking over from Derek Williams, who stepped down in March after seven years of tireless work as Chairman.
Gudrun said: "I also want to take this opportunity to thank Derek Williams for all the hard work he has put in over many years. In his role as Chairman Derek’s experience and expertise have been vital in helping BVA grow as an organisation."
Philip said: "I am honoured to be elected as the next Chairman of the BVA and look forward to chairing the Board as it addresses the challenges ahead. The veterinary profession needs and deserves vibrant representation and it is the Board’s role to ensure that the organisation has the ability and the resources to achieve this to the benefit of our membership."
The BVA Board also gained a new non-veterinary Board Director, Steven Anderson Dixon, from April. Mr Dixon brings with him a successful career in newspaper and magazine publishing, which will be an asset as BVA consolidates and continues to develop its portfolio of veterinary journals.
According to the AHT, there is undisputed evidence that owners, riders and trainers have a poor ability to recognise signs of pain seen when horses are ridden. As a result, problems are labelled as training-related, rider-related, behavioural, or deemed 'normal' for that horse because 'that’s how he’s always gone'.
This, says the AHT, means pain-related problems are often disregarded, the horse continues in work, and the problem gets progressively worse.
Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the AHT, believes it may be easier to educate riders and trainers to recognise changes in facial expression and behaviour rather than lameness. So she and her team set out to develop and test an ethogram to describe facial expressions in ridden horses and to determine whether individuals could interpret and correctly apply the ethogram consistently.
At this stage in the project, they concluded that their ethogram could reliably be used to describe facial expressions of ridden horses by people from different professional backgrounds (full paper here: http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(16)30184-8/fulltext).
In the next stage of the project, Sue and her team sought to demonstrate that the ethogram could be used to identify lameness.
The ethogram was applied blindly by a trained analyst to photographs (n=519) of the head and neck of lame (n=76) and non-lame (n=25) horses acquired during ridden schooling-type work at both trot and canter. These included images of seven lame horses acquired before (n=30 photographs) and after diagnostic analgesia had abolished lameness (n=22 photographs).
A pain score (0-3; 0=normal, 1-3=abnormal) was applied to each feature in the ethogram, based on published descriptions of pain in horses.
A total of 27,407 facial markers were recorded, with those giving the greatest significant difference between lame and sound horses including ears back, eyes partially or fully closed, an open mouth with exposed teeth and being severely above the bit.
Pain scores were higher for lame horses than non-lame horses (p<0.001). Total pain score (p<0.05), total head position score (p<0.01), and total ear score (p<0.01) were reduced in lame horses after abolition of lameness.
Severely ‘above the bit’, twisting the head, asymmetrical position of the bit, ear position (both ears backwards, one ear backwards and one to the side, one ear backwards and one ear forwards) and eye features (exposure of the sclera, the eye partially or completely closed, muscle tension caudal to the eye, an intense stare) were the best indicators of pain.
The researchers concluded that application of the ethogram and pain score could differentiate between lame and non-lame horses. Assessment of facial expression could potentially improve recognition of pain-related gait abnormalities in ridden horses (full paper here: http://www.journalvetbehavior.com/article/S1558-7878(17)30019-9/fulltext)
Sue and her team are now working on the development of a whole horse ethogram and its application to non-lame and lame horses, to help to differentiate between manifestations of conflict behaviour, in response to the demands of the rider, and pain. They are also working towards the development of a practical tool for recognising facial expressions, similar to that of a body condition score chart, which they say could dramatically improve the health and welfare of all horses.
Photo: Signs of pain include ears back (pain score of 3), intense stare, muscle tension and mouth. Courtesy Dr Sue Tyson.
The new products are:
Leon Wright, Managing Director, said: "At Vet Direct, we’re always looking for ways to improve our service – making small changes which will have a big impact on the levels of care our clients can provide.
"We know that vets, veterinary nurses and practice managers don’t always have the time to try out new products before purchasing, and that’s why our dedicated team of sales staff test every item before adding them to our catalogue - ensuring that we only stock the highest quality products."
For more information on any of the new products, visit www.vet-direct.com or call 0800 068 3300.
Stronghold Plus contains the same selamectin found in common-or-garden Stronghold, licensed for the treatment of fleas, flea allergic dermatitis, ear mites (Otodectes cynotis), roundworm (Toxocara cati), intestinal hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme), biting lice (Felicola subrostratus), and for the treatment of heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis.
To that has been added sarolaner, a new acaricide and insecticide which is also effective for five weeks against Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, and for four weeks against Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus.
Clint Lewis, Executive Vice President and President International Operations, said: "The launch of Stronghold Plus enables Zoetis to offer veterinarians in the European Union a new topical choice that treats the parasites commonly presenting a threat to cats with one convenient monthly dose.
For the first time, we have combined our new, versatile parasiticide sarolaner with the active ingredient in Stronghold, selamectin, resulting in the first approval of sarolaner for use in cats. We see sarolaner as a promising platform for future product lines and lifecycle innovations and are pleased with the positive data that sarolaner and its combination continue to generate in studies.”
Domenico Otranto, Professor of Parasitology at Bari University in Italy, who has reviewed the product data of Stronghold Plus, said: "A number of laboratory and field studies show the efficacy of the single spot-on application of Stronghold Plus for at least one month. Veterinarians in Europe now have a very effective option for the treatment and control of four prominent species of ticks commonly found on cats while maintaining proven efficacy against fleas, GI worms, heartworms, ear mites and lice. Ultimately, pet owners and practitioners have a new tool for improving health and welfare of cats."
The courses, which are are aimed at practitioners dealing with species other than companion animals, include:
Emergency Care of Alpacas (13 July, Sheffield)This course covers the management of dystocia and other problems in the peri-parturient female and neonate, resuscitation, common congenital problems, the failure of passive immune transfer and septicaemia. First aid for orthopaedic emergencies and wound care is covered as is working up the colic patient and the neurological patient.
Diseases of Game Birds (20 June, Swindon; 5 September, Sheffield)Aimed at ensuring that the veterinarian is able to deal with the demands of gamekeepers and game rearers, this course offers an overview of the industry and legislation, together with biosecurity and its application to wild birds. It includes review of common disease processes and control of antibiotic usage with some applied alternatives to traditional methods.
First Aid for the Large Animal Vet (5 July, Swindon; 2 August, Sheffield)This course is aimed at assisting large animal vets who may find themselves required to offer first aid to a colleague who has sustained injuries during a farm visit. It provides advice on assessing emergency situations, recognising and treating fractures, carrying out artificial ventilations and chest compressions, controlling severe bleeding and dealing with burns and scalds.
The Approach to the Sick Hen (18 July, Swindon; 13 September, Sheffield)Avian anatomy and the husbandry of the backyard flock are covered in this course, together with worming and vaccination advice, the approach to the sick hen and appropriate medication options.
Veterinary Care of Sheep (11 July, Swindon; 6 July, Sheffield) Covering the basics of best practice and flock health planning, this course provides practical advice on maximising lamb numbers, sheep lameness, controlling internal and external parasites and flock vaccination programmes.
Veterinary Care of Goats (10 July, Swindon) This course covers the behavioural, nutritional and environmental needs of goats across all sectors, including pet, meat, pedigree and commercial dairy goats. It also covers infectious diseases affecting goats in the UK, including diagnosis, treatment and control, in addition to disbudding, foot care and common surgical procedures.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve, said: "We introduced a number of one-day short courses in niche or emerging areas of veterinary medicine last year and have built on the range for 2017 to cover new species including chickens and goats. Most of the courses are offered in venues in both the north and south of the UK. We look forward to welcoming vets to these new courses this year."
Further information is available at http://www.improveinternational.com/uk/#top
The company says that this year, its focus is on communicating the benefits of microchipping cats, which can roam significant distances from the home. The support pack, which reflects this focus, contains resources that can be used both in the practice waiting room and online.
In addition, the company is running a competition exclusively for cat owners: any that get their animal microchipped with the 8mm BackHome MiniChip in June can enter a prize draw to win a GPS tracker for their collar to help them find out just how far their cat can roam.
Dr Sarah Dixon MRCVS, BackHome Product Manager, said: "There is no legal requirement for cats to be microchipped but the benefits are clear. We looked at a recent study which showed that, in a 24 hour period, cats ranged on average 2 hectares with an average maximum of 7 hectares – or about 10 football pitches.1 One cat roamed nearly 34 hectares! The competition should reinforce the message about why microchipping is beneficial to all pets.
"Whilst compulsory microchipping for dogs has been in place for a year, practices must continue to highlight to owners the advantages of getting their pets microchipped. To enable practices to engage with their clients, and to reward the hard work done by staff in practices to make these campaigns a success, we are hosting a competition for the best displays. Prizes include a 32-inch TV for waiting rooms to the winner and luxury chocolates to the runners up."
Thomas, R.L., Baker, P.J. & Fellowes, M.D.E. (2014). Ranging characteristics of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in an urban environment, Urban Ecosystem, 17, p911-921.
The case was brought by the College after a member of the public raised a 'concern' relating to Mrs Mullen's practice in December 2015. The concern was not pursued by the College.
However, during its initial investigation, the RCVS case manager ascertained that contrary to the requirements of the Code of Professional Conduct, Mrs Mullen did not have PII.
In January 2016 Mrs Mullen was advised by the College that, in order to comply with the Code, she needed to ensure her professional activities were covered by PII or equivalent arrangements.
The matter was considered by the Preliminary Investigation Committee which asked, in October 2016, that Mrs Mullen produce evidence that she was now compliant with the requirement to have PII or equivalent. Mrs Mullen responded in November 2016 confirming that she had not put in place such arrangements.
The case was then referred to the Disciplinary Committee in January 2017.
During the hearing it was determined that, during the relevant time period (from November 2015 to November 2016) Mrs Mullen was practising but did not have professional indemnity insurance in place and therefore was in breach of the Code.
Mrs Mullen, who represented herself, told the Committee that she admitted that she did not have PII. She explained that she was 'ethically and morally opposed to it' as she felt that it did not give fair compensation to claimants and did not know it was a requirement of the Code of Professional Conduct until she was informed by the College in January 2016.
When giving oral evidence as to equivalent arrangements she disclosed that she kept significant funds in a bank account; these were not however specifically earmarked for use in the event of any possible claims, and were also required to pay practice expenses.
In light of evidence produced by the College and her own admissions, the charges against Mrs Mullen were found proved and she was found guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
In coming to this decision Chitra Karve, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The respondent failed to have PII in place for a period of about 12 months as specified in the charges. Moreover, she failed to remedy the situation when advised in January 2016 by the College that she was in breach of the Code and the supporting guidance. This remains a continuous course of conduct, which has still not been remedied. The respondent has chosen not to read the Code, or the supporting guidance, until very recently, in relation to her obligation to have PII or equivalent arrangements in place, and she failed to heed the advice of the College that she must rectify the position."
In considering the sanction the Committee took into account mitigating and aggravating factors. Aggravating factors included the fact that the misconduct was sustained over a significant period of time and that limited insight was shown by Mrs Mullen. While she did begin to display limited insight into the significance of her misconduct, the Committee said that this insight was "hampered by her ambivalence towards the College and the systems that regulate the veterinary profession."
In mitigation the Committee took into account Mrs Mullen’s long and unblemished career and the fact she was a sole practitioner who reported challenging personal circumstances and provided a unique service to a niche group of clients.
However, Chitra Karve said: "The Committee is unable to overlook the Respondent’s lack of commitment to obtaining PII or equivalent arrangements, even after being advised by the College that this was essential. The Committee is aware that a suspension could adversely affect her practice and her clients that she uniquely serves. However the Committee thinks it is necessary to send a clear message to the respondent and the public, that failure to obtain PII or equivalent arrangements is wholly unacceptable."
She added: "Accordingly, the Committee directs the Registrar to suspend the respondent’s registration for a period of two months. The Committee considers that this period of suspension will give the respondent an opportunity to rectify her breaches of the Code in relation to PII… and to reflect upon her attitude towards the College and the appropriate regulation of the veterinary profession."
According to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the company has identified that there is a small possibility that some syringes from the batches listed below have not been correctly sterilised. These batches are therefore being recalled from the market with immediate effect to the veterinary practice level.
This issue impacts on the following batches that have been placed on the UK market:
Zoetis is contacting wholesale dealers and veterinary surgeons to arrange return of affected batches.
If you have any queries in relation to the recall, or wish to report a suspected adverse reaction, contact Zoetis Technical Services on 0845 300 8034, option 1.
The most recent BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey revealed younger vets were more likely to decide on a veterinary career at a young age, with 53% of those under 35 settling on veterinary medicine by the age of 10. However, more than a quarter of vets (28%) said they had decided to become a vet as young as eight years of age.
76% of the vets surveyed said that their choice was driven by an interest in caring for animals.
51% said they were motivated by an interest in science, with a primary focus on clinical practice.
32% mentioned the variety of work that a veterinary career would provide as an influencing factor – with the majority (58%) reflecting that their career choice had met this expectation, rating their job variety/interest as excellent or very good.
British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: "It’s lovely to hear that so many of my fellow vets made the decision as early as I did. Veterinary medicine is a long-standing ambition and a cherished vocation for many vets as well as a challenging and rewarding career.
"I had definitely decided that I wanted to become a vet by the time I was seven. That’s what I would always say I wanted to be when asked by adults. Like most of the vets surveyed I was influenced by loving and caring for the pets in my home. The only vets I knew were those we visited with the dog but I can’t ever remember wanting to be anything else."
At the outset of the hearing, which was to consider evidence for a number of charges relating to the treatment of three colts at his former practice in 2015, Mr Denny made an application to the Committee that the hearing should be adjourned contingent on a form of undertakings being accepted. These undertakings were that his name be removed from the Register with immediate effect and that he never apply to be restored to the Register under any category.
The application was granted by the Committee, taking into account a number of factors. These include the fact that Mr Denny had now retired and closed his practice, his long and hitherto unblemished veterinary career and the fact that it would not be proportionate, or in the public interest, for there to be a lengthy hearing on the matter.
The Committee noted that there were several precedents for concluding cases in such a manner. The Committee also noted that the application was supported by both the College and the complainant.
Mr Denny was removed from the Register as of Monday 24 April 2017.
The requirement to treat animals entering the UK against ticks was dropped in January 2012.
Four years later, in 2016, the UK saw its first cases of Babesia canis in dogs that had not travelled abroad. MSD says it is thought the disease entered the UK carried on ticks from dogs imported from Central, Southern or Eastern Europe where the disease is rife.
Tick Awareness Month aims to highlight the need to use treatments against ticks to protect the health of pets and their owners. Vets and nurses who agree that the campaign is important are urged to write to their local parliamentary candidates explaining why introducing tick control for dogs before, during and after travel abroad is so important.
A sample letter is available on the Big Tick Project website (www.bigtickproject.co.uk).
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "With an election looming we want protecting UK pets and borders against non-native ticks to be on the agenda for the new Government team at DEFRA as after June 8th they start to reshape animal health policy in the UK in the build up to Brexit. If you agree that this campaign is important, during Tick Awareness Month you can get involved by writing to your local parliamentary candidates explaining why introducing tick control for dogs before, during and after travel abroad is so important."
The sample was submitted by the Inglis Veterinary Hospital in Dunfermline, part of the group that has been practising in the area for over 50 years. To mark the occasion, Idexx territory manager Sandie Crawford visited the team at Inglis to present a commemorative plaque and find out what aspects of the service they find most useful.
Rachel Motion MRCVS from Inglis said: "VetConnect Plus allows me to check when a sample has arrived at the lab and what its status is. This can be particularly useful as it allows me to reassure owners that might be worried about the health of their pet. It’s also really helpful to be able to add on any extra tests if they are required."
Dermipred is available in two pack sizes – 10mg and 20mg - to treat a range of dog sizes. Both presentations feature a four-way break tablet to enable accurate and flexible dosing, and the product is flavoured to aid compliance. The product is blister-packed for easy dispensing.
Ceva has produced an accompanying electronic brochure on CAD management options. It includes: understanding and decoding CAD, diagnosis and management of the condition.
Allison Henry, Dermipred product manager at Ceva said: "CAD affects approximately a million dogs in the UK, with 70% of all owners believing that the condition has had an impact on their dogs’ quality of life1.
"The addition of Dermipred to Ceva’s extensive dermatology range will provide veterinary professionals with even more treatment options for the management of pruritus and skin inflammation in CAD cases."
To support the launch of Dermipred, Ceva will be running an offer on its dermatology range of products: every client purchasing a box of each Dermipred presentation and a bottle of Modulis will receive one box of Dermipred 10mg, one bottle of the same Modulis size and one bottle of Douxo Calm shampoo and mousse free.
For further information, contact your local Ceva account manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Tolracol is a 50mg/ml suspension of toltrazuril which can be used in all three species to prevent coccidiosis infections in youngstock on farms with a history of the disease.
Krka’s head of sales and marketing, Killian Gaffney said: "Coccidiosis can have a devastating impact on young animals, resulting in ill-thrift, weight loss and potentially death, making its prevention a vital component of herd or flock management.
"Importantly, this is a tri-licence single dose product which requires vet prescription. The involvement of the vet in prescribing coccidiostats is important as their use should be part of a whole management approach to prevention."
Krka says Tolracol should be used ahead of the peak infection period on farms with a pre-existing coccidiosis problem, with it recommended for use in neonatal pigs at three to five days old and as soon as required in calves and lambs.
Mr Gaffney added: "This product has been proven in trials and offers a cost-effective option for farmers, it is also easily administered which farmers will find attractive. Krka is launching a new farmer campaign to support Tolracol.
"With lambing and spring calving now taking place across the country vets are likely to be asked in the coming weeks and months about coccidiosis prevention. Tolracol provides another valuable tool in the armoury when it comes to preventing this nasty condition and should be considered as a first-choice product."
For more information, see the SPC or contact Krka UK Limited on +44 (0) 2071 646 156.
22% (6,785) of veterinary surgeons eligible to vote did so, compared to the previous record of 18.8%.
The votes were as follows:
For the two places available on VN Council one new member was elected and one existing member re-elected for four year terms. Andrea Jeffery was re-elected with 1,293 votes, while Susan Howarth was elected with 1,064 votes.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: "Congratulations to all those elected to RCVS Council and VN Council and thank you to all those who stood as candidates in both elections.
"We would especially like to thank Jerry Davies, Peter Jinman and Bradley Viner who are standing down from RCVS Council this year after deciding not to seek re-election, in addition to Chris Gray and Tom Witte for their contributions to RCVS Council and Marie Rippingale for her contribution to VN Council.
"Thank you also to all those who took the time to ask questions of our candidates and cast a vote. This year we made a concerted attempt to make it even easier for the electorate to vote, with secure links to the voting websites sent by email and regular email reminders to those who hadn’t yet voted. The fact that both record numbers and proportions of the professions voted this year is testament to our efforts to further increase engagement with veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
"However, while we welcome these significant increases, we recognise that it is still a relatively small proportion of the profession voting in these elections and so will continue to think of new ways to engage with the professions not just at election time, but across our many activities."
All the successful candidates will take up their positions at RCVS Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Day – on Friday 7 July 2017 at the Royal Institute of British Architects where the formal declaration of both election results will also take place.
For veterinary nurses, Schedule 3 is arguably one of the most important aspects of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, partly defining what it means to be a nurse, and defining what tasks veterinary surgeons can reasonably delegate.
Thus far, however, Schedule 3 has only been loosely defined, allowing for veterinary nurses to (under the direction of their veterinary surgeon employer) 'give medical treatment or carry out acts of minor surgery, not involving entry into a body cavity'.
There is evidence from the RCVS/BVNA VN Futures project that uncertainty about what this definition actually means in practice has stopped veterinary surgeons from delegating tasks which could both improve practice efficiency and make the role of the veterinary nurse more interesting, varied and rewarding.
The consultation - and the broader review of Schedule 3 of which it forms a part - aims to create a 'clarified and bolstered VN role via a reformed Schedule 3'.
Liz Cox, Chair of both the Schedule 3 Working Party and VN Council, said: "The future of veterinary nursing is both challenging and exciting, with the convergence of such factors as Brexit, the development of new technologies, and the increasing specialisation of veterinary surgeons, and we would very much like to know how you think the role of veterinary nurse will evolve.
"In light of this we very much encourage all veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons to complete this consultation. Evidence gathered during the initial stage of the VN Futures project suggested that there is some uncertainty around the interpretation of Schedule 3 in clinical practice. For example, many veterinary nurses do not undertake Schedule 3 work or are uncertain as to whether they do, while some veterinary surgeons are reluctant to delegate Schedule 3 tasks to veterinary nurses.
"With this survey we hope to get a better steer on how Schedule 3 is used and interpreted in practice on a day-to-day basis and gather views on where both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses feel the current legislation could be clarified. Furthermore, we also want to know if there are areas of practice that are currently prohibited to nurses under current Schedule 3 arrangements that the professions believe could be opened up to veterinary nurses as a means of bolstering the profession."
Liz Cox and David Catlow MRCVS, Chair of the Standards Committee, will also be presenting a webinar on Thursday 11 May from 1pm to 2pm titled ‘The Art of Delegation – Schedule 3 Consultation’. It will focus on Schedule 3 and the role of the veterinary nurse, and explore possible areas to consider when responding to the consultation. To subscribe to the webinar, please visit The Webinar Vet’s website: www.thewebinarvet.com/webinar/art-delegation-schedule-3-consultation/
All eligible veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons have been emailed with a link to survey.
Further information about the VN Futures project can be found at www.vetfutures.org.uk/vnfutures
The report, which was developed in consultation with BVA members, devolved branches, BVA specialist divisions and other stakeholders, outlines the essential role that the UK veterinary workforce plays in not only caring for animals, but in enabling trade, ensuring food hygiene and safety, and undertaking cutting-edge research.
Non-British EU veterinary surgeons are critical to the UK veterinary workforce. Around 50% of veterinary surgeons registering to practise in the UK each year come from overseas, with the vast majority of these coming from the rest of the EU. Yet one-fifth of vets are already reporting that it has become harder to recruit since the EU Referendum.
To secure the best possible outcomes for animal health and welfare, public health, and the veterinary profession, Brexit and the veterinary profession sets out 52 recommendations for the short, medium and long term, including calling on the next Government to:
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Vets provide the foundation for the UK’s work on animal health and welfare. Veterinary teams up and down the country support the UK’s 11 million pet-owning households; not a penny of the UK’s £13 billion agri-food industry could be realised without vets; and we are an integral part of the international scientific community, annually bringing in over £50 million for research and development projects.
"The veterinary profession is in a unique position from which to offer the next Government evidence-based policy recommendations to ensure animal health and welfare, public health and other standards are at the very least maintained as we exit the EU.
"We believe Brexit also presents us with opportunities, for example, to develop a strong, competitive food industry with full consumer confidence at home and abroad as well as to position the UK as a world leader in high animal welfare - and a strong veterinary workforce is vital in achieving this."
Brexit and the veterinary profession was developed and written by the BVA Brexit Working Group, under the chairmanship of Alick Simmons, former UK deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, and was agreed by BVA Council in April.
The report builds on BVA’s Brexit Principles, agreed by Council in September 2016, and covers seven areas of public policy: veterinary workforce, animal health, animal welfare, food hygiene and safety, veterinary medicines, research and development, and trade.
Two further sections of the report consider issues relating to devolution and to Northern Ireland’s unique position as the only part of the UK to share a land border with an EU member state.
With a snap General Election due in five weeks’ time, BVA has produced a 20-point manifesto of key recommendations covering both Brexit and wider policy issues, which has been sent to the main political parties’ manifesto-writing teams and to BVA’s Honorary Associates.
Brexit and the veterinary profession and the manifesto for the 2017 General Election are available at: www.bva.co.uk/brexit.
The company says industry estimates are that 12 million accessible breeding ewes (91%) are not vaccinated against enzootic abortion in the UK, and that this should concern all practitioners with sheep clients.
Any flock with an abortion rate of over 2% could, it says, be suffering from the disease, and at a cost of £85 per aborted ewe, those are losses producers can ill-afford to ignore.
Stephenie Clarke from Ceva said: "Abortion remains one of the most significant reasons for loss in sheep flocks and an abortion storm can lead to crippling results on farm.
"Enzootic abortion caused by C. abortus remains the main cause of ovine abortion in the UK1 and once in a flock, takes time to control as exposed ewes can become latently infected."
Assure Ewe is a subsidised blood testing scheme open to all flocks with 50 or more breeding ewes. In contrast to other schemes, evidence of an abortion does not need to have taken place.
Blood samples should be collected from six ewes, with full farm and vet details also supplied. Upon results, Ceva says it will share information with the participating veterinary surgeon to discuss with the farmer.
Stephenie added: "Assure Ewe is a very user-friendly, simple scheme that will help facilitate conversations between vets and farmers while, at the same time, providing useful testing information to vets. Ceva encourages evidence based veterinary decisions, and this is just one example of such an initiative."
If C. abortus is identified in a flock, a veterinary-devised plan combining vaccination with Cevac Chlamydia, biosecurity and only purchasing stock from accredited flocks will assist disease control and eventual eradication.
For further information about the scheme, contact your Ceva territory manager.
Metaxol contains 20 mg trimethoprim and 100 mg sulfamethoxazole per ml and can be added directly to drinking water or used in a concentrated stock.
The new product, which is part of the company's SoluStab range, replaces Methoxasol. Dechra says it is likely to be welcomed by farmers wanting to target entire flocks because of its shorter withdrawal time for broilers.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "Sulfamethoxazole is a potent sulfonamide and, when combined with trimethoprim, it has a synergistic and bactericidal effect.
"Both active ingredients are rapidly absorbed and distributed widely in tissues making it a highly effective treatment.
"The shorter withdrawal time for broilers will make it an attractive treatment for farmers wanting to target entire flocks."
Metaxol is not suitable for laying hens.
In fattening pigs, Metaxol is suitable for the treatment and metaphylaxis of post-weaning diarrhoea caused by beta-haemolytic K88-positive, K99-positive or 987P Escherichia coli strains susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
It can also be used for secondary bacterial infections caused by Pasteurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus spp. and Haemophilus parasuis susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
In broilers, it can be used for treatment and metaphylaxis of Colibacillosis caused by Escherichia coli susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or Coryza caused by Avibacterium paraga.
The recommended dosage is 0.25 ml of product per kg body weight per day for four to seven days for pigs and 0.38 ml of product per kg body weight per day for three days for chickens.
For support in calculating dosages, visit http://calculator.solustab.eu/.