The College says it will, however, continue to operate as close to normality as possible, with the main support services for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses such as advice, lifelong learning (including qualifications and the new 1CPD platform), finance and Practice Standards available as usual over the phone, on email or via the website.
The College’s main statutory activities around accreditation, registration and regulation of the professions will also be largely unaffected, with most Committee, Sub-Committee and working group meetings held by telephone or video conference.
Apparently, however, the April meeting of RCVS Council was going to be too big to be held remotely, so it has been cancelled.
The things that were up for discussion, such as the standard of proof and the report of the Legislation Working Party, will be moved to a subsequent meeting. Should there be any urgent business to consider, Council members have been asked to remain available via email on the date originally scheduled.
The College says it will be deciding whether to proceed with forthcoming DC hearings on a case-by-case basis, to balance maintaining the health and welfare of all involved with the College’s responsibility to protect animal health and welfare and public health.
The College is having to postpone or cancel an increasing number of its events; latest updates and advice for the profession is at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
RCVS Chief Executive Lizzie Lockett, pictured right, said: "We have been planning for this eventuality for some time, so whilst Monday’s announcement from UK Government came a little sooner than expected, we are in a strong position to be able to operate as close to normal as possible.
"We have an excellent and highly committed team of staff and Council members at the College, who I know will continue to work hard from kitchen tables, studies and living rooms over the coming days and weeks to serve the veterinary professions and the animal-owning public.
"Whilst we are fortunate that much of our work can be carried out remotely, we fully appreciate that this is not the case for most veterinary professionals who themselves are currently facing many significant challenges in their daily work to care for the nation’s animals whilst also prioritising the health and welfare of their own teams."
The College is urging all veterinary surgeons, nurses and practices to check they have supplied it with their most up-to-date email address via www.rcvs.org.uk/myaccount so it can relay its latest advice as the situation evolves.
The sessions, which are delivered by the company's territory managers and cover things like toxicology, ophthalmology and the management of epilepsy, will now be streamed live to computers, tablets or smart phones.
Product Manager Will Peel (pictured right) said: "We know that concerns over coronavirus are affecting our customers so we want to make it as easy as possible for them to benefit from the information imparted in our Lunch and Learn sessions while normal service is disrupted.
‘We hope that these measures will also help us offer more virtual workshops in the future to make our sessions more accessible for busy veterinary staff and we are looking at the possibility of organising virtual drop ins from our sales team in the future.’
For more information visit: https://www.tvm-uk.com. To rearrange a previously booked session contact your local territory manager or email help@tvm-uk.com.
Pam Mosedale, Lead Practice Standards Scheme Assessor, said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but based on the UK Government’s advice and our duty of care to our team of Assessors, as well as team members and clients at veterinary practices, our only option was to postpone and reschedule all visits in the short-term.
"Although we have cancelled all assessments until the end of April, we will be constantly monitoring the situation over the coming weeks, and it is likely that there may be some further postponement of assessments planned for May and beyond."
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate, which carries out assessment inspections of veterinary premises that are not within the ambit of the Practice Standards Scheme, has also confirmed that it has postponed its forthcoming inspections. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-vmd-remains-open-for-business.
The RCVS Practice Standards Team can be contacted on pss@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0767 for further advice.
HSR, which provides emergency and routine specialist orthopaedic and neurology services, now offers video consultations with a specialist and a pet transportation service. It has also introduced strict strict biosecurity and operational preventative measures.
Clare Hamilton, Managing Director, says, “Our priority is to continue to offer gold-standard service for both routine and emergency orthopaedic and neurological cases whilst doing our utmost to limit the spread of Covid-19 as much as possible. We are to all intents and purposes, ‘business as usual’ with additional hygiene measures to protect clients and staff”.
HSR is asking clients that if there is a chance that they have Covid-19 and/or have come into contact with anyone with the virus they do not attend the hospital in person, but instead contact via email or telephone to discuss their pet’s treatment on an individual basis. Clients visiting the clinic are being asked to wait in their cars until their appointment, whereupon the animal is collected from the car by one of the team for its clinical examination. The vets are then speaking to the clients by telephone to discuss and gain consent for any further investigation or treatment.
For vulnerable clients who are self-isolating and in need of their services, HSR is offering a pet ambulance service for collection and drop off of pets. They will then have a video consultation with the specialist. Medications will be posted out and advice given over email or telephone.
Clare added: “We are doing all we can to support colleagues and clients in what are unprecedented circumstances. We recognise the strain on many practices having to reduce the number of appointments in the face of staff shortages. We want to reassure vets that we are happy to offer advice and support with cases, and continue to take referrals during this difficult period. We also have free online CPD for practices via our website as meetings are postponed or cancelled”.
The practice advises clients and referring vets to check for further developments on social media, or sign up to their email list for updates.
Normally, students would be required to complete a minimum of 38 weeks of EMS throughout their degree programme in order to gain real-life work experience to enhance their university-based studies.
Under the circumstances, however, Council has decided to allow a temporary flexibility around completion of EMS:
RCVS President Niall Connell said: “Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) are an important and valued part of the veterinary programme, and all students are required to complete a total of 38 weeks across the full programme.
“However, the health and safety of students and staff are paramount, and we are aware that a number of restrictions are being put in place at this time to ensure their safety and minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission.”
These measures will be subject to further review/extension depending upon the prevailing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. The RCVS will monitor the impact of this through EMS completion data provided by UK veterinary schools.
Regarding final exams and assessment, the College says it may be necessary for UK veterinary schools to consider alternative methods to assess students in certain areas, but that UK veterinary schools should continue to ensure that any alternative assessment methods continue to be robust, valid and reliable, and ensure students have met the RCVS Day One Competences.
The review, which had been due to start in late 2019, will now start in April 2020.
Melissa Donald, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee (pictured right), said: "Regretfully, as the scope and complexity of the review became clearer following Council’s approval of the project, it was also apparent that the original methodology, and the timetable set for it, was not going to be suitable to the task.
"Therefore, over the past few months, the Standards Committee and College staff have been working hard with the external research agency to revise the methodology and we have now reached the stage where we are confident we have got it right, and can now proceed with the review.
“While we regret the delay, as this review relates to fundamental principles about the provision of veterinary care, it is vital we get it right and that the process is as comprehensive as possible. It is better that it is right than rushed.”
Under the new methodology the review has been split into the following stages:
Melissa added: “Invitations to our regional focus group discussions, which will be selected randomly from amongst the professions by our research agency, will be going out soon and I would urge anyone who receives an invitation to come along and share their views and ideas.”
For further information, see: www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare
When you post a job advert, or a shout for assistance on VetSurgeon Jobs, it is emailed to subscribers immediately and fed out onto other social networks. You can further extend the reach of your post by sharing it yourself and (with "Share and reward") encouraging other members of your team to do likewise.
I have taken the decision to drop the charge for advertising because it seems very clear now that we all face a very grim few months ahead, and it has never been more important that we all pull together and support each other, both personally and in business.
Of course, removing the charge for advertising for help on VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk is not, in and of itself, going to save anyone from going under, but I hope perhaps other veterinary suppliers might follow my lead and consider dropping their prices until such time as everyone is back on their feet.
I have a number of other ideas in the pipeline, all designed to help bring the profession together and support each other, which I will announce shortly.
In the meantime, there's a forum discussion for sharing ideas to make the next few months more bearable, here: Getting through coronavirus. Do come and share your thoughts, and I will email the best ideas to all members.
And take care, everyone.
The Association says it delayed this decision as late as possible, and whilst the most recent government advice does not prohibit large public gatherings, it recognises the importance of personal safety for Congress attendees and the need to support the profession in preserving business continuity, maintaining client services and protecting animal welfare.
Amanda Stranack, BSAVA CEO, said: "As the situation continues to escalate, the government have given a clear steer that they expect more stringent controls to come into force in the coming weeks. With Congress now only a few weeks away, we want to give all our attendees as much notice as possible, both to ensure peace of mind, and to give people adequate time and flexibility to change their plans.
"BSAVA recognises the pressures the current situation brings to bear on the veterinary community and in making this difficult decision, has the interests of the profession first and foremost in its mind.
"We would thank all those who have worked hard over the past two years to contribute to the development of Congress, a huge amount of effort goes into preparations from BSAVA volunteers, Congress participants and our staff."
Sue Paterson, BSAVA President, said: "It is with great regret that we have made the difficult decision to cancel Congress, which has taken place annually for more than 60 years. Congress is an incredibly important event in the veterinary calendar, and we were all looking forward to an inspiring agenda and saying a fond farewell to the city that has made Congress such a great success over so many years. The health and wellbeing of our attendees is of utmost importance to us, and whilst we are sorry to be making this decision, we are confident it is the right one."
BSAVA says it is aware of the impact that cancelling will have on many delegates' CPD hours, so it is now looking at other ways it can deliver Congress lectures and podcasts.
Sue added: "Whilst we won’t be able to deliver the full Congress programme, we will be working with our speakers to capture as many lectures as we can to make content available online."
The webinars, which are free of charge, are:
The webinars join 'The gastrointestinal microbiome and its effects', which is already available for free viewing via The Webinar Vet.
Product Manager Kai Crawshaw said: “We’ve received excellent feedback on the webinars from those who have already viewed them through our Learning Alliance platform. We hope that by also making them available via The Webinar Vet, we will make them more easily accessible to a higher number of veterinary professionals keen to refresh their knowledge in these important areas.”
The Animalcare webinars can be viewed here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/webinars/animalcare
Kit, who has served on Council as an elected member since 2013, is currently the Chair of the RCVS Finances & Resources Committee and has been RCVS Treasurer for the past three years.
He is also a member of a range of committees and project groups across the RCVS including: the Audit and Risk Committee; the PIC/ DC Liaison Committee; the Certification Subcommittee; the Estate Strategy Project Board; the RCVS Knowledge Board of Trustees; and the Advanced Practitioners Panel.
Since 2003 Kit has been working as an internist (he is an RCVS-recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine) in private referral practice. In 2006 he became a founding partner in a multidisciplinary referral centre that he saw grow from five to 65 members of staff within five years.
His interests include workforce issues, communicating the diverse clinical and non-clinical skills of veterinary surgeons to the general public and government, and facilitating life-long learning through achievable further professional qualifications and effective CPD.
Kit said: "It was a great honour to be elected as the next Junior Vice President by my fellow council members. I feel that I can make a positive contribution to the work that the RCVS is already undertaking in ensuring the veterinary team remains healthy and respected. In particular I am keen to look at how the RCVS can help find solutions to our workforce issues - improving retention as well as encouraging and facilitating vets and nurses back into the profession."
In addition to Kit being elected as JVP, the current holder of that office, Dr Mandisa Greene, was confirmed as President for 2020-21 and current President, Dr Niall Connell, was confirmed as Senior Vice-President for this period.
Professor Susan Dawson was voted in as RCVS Treasurer, and she will be formally invested in this role at Royal College Day on Friday, 10 July.
Professor David Argyle has been elected as Chair of Advancement of the Professions Committee for a second year, Dr Susan Paterson has been elected as Chair of Education Committee for her second year, and Dr Melissa Donald has been elected Chair of Standards Committee for her second year.
Kit and Melissa's positions are subject to their successful re-election in the 2020 RCVS Council Elections
More information on the RCVS Council and its members can be found on the RCVS website: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council.
The company says that the composition and dosage of the new product has been optimised for maximum efficacy 1, 2. It offers three-five days on-label treatment options and does not need to be stored in a fridge.
According to Boehringer, the 600mg dose results in a concentration well above MICs for Strep. uberis and Staph. aureus for 24 hours, even after milking, which means it needs to be administered once a day1. In addition, its formulation enables optimum distribution of penicillin throughout the udder2.
Kath Aplin veterinary adviser at Boehringer Ingelheim said: "Traditionally, in the UK, we have favoured broad spectrum mastitis therapy as our first line approach, however in many other European countries, including The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark, penicillin is the treatment of choice.
"For farms with a mixed or unknown mastitis pattern, the traditional broad spectrum approach to mastitis therapy makes sense. However, many vets now have a good knowledge of common mastitis pathogens on clients’ farms and, for those where gram +ve pathogens predominate, penicillin as a first line treatment is well worth considering."
In a field trial assessing the prevalence of mastitis-causing pathogens and clinical cure rates after treatment with Ubropen3, mild and moderate cases of mastitis were treated for three to five days, with the causal pathogen being unknown at the time of treatment.
Kath said: “In 80% of cases of grade one or two clinical mastitis, the causative pathogen was found to be gram +ve and, following treatment with Ubropen, the overall clinical cure rate was 81%".
Ubropen is now available from the usual veterinary wholesalers in boxes of 20 tubes.
References:
The awards are based on more than 11,000 pet owner reviews submitted to VetHelpDirect.com over the past 12 months.
The reviews cover 2,500 veterinary practices around the UK, with awards given to the practices with the highest number of four and five-star reviews from customers.
Tracey Morley Jewkes, Managing Director of Willows, said: “I am so proud of our team here and it’s fantastic to have won such a prestigious award based on client reviews.
"It was fabulous to receive such wonderful feedback as part of this award process. Our team at Willows is one of the best in the world, and we continue to strive for excellence in all that we do, providing the very highest standards of veterinary care to our patients, their owners and our referring vets."
Susie Samuel, managing director of VetHelpDirect.com, said: “The Best UK Vet awards are now in their eighth year and are a fantastic way to illustrate the strength of veterinary care in the UK.
“The awards are based on real-time customer reviews written over the past calendar year and recognise the very best veterinary practitioners.
“For animal owners, choosing a vet can be an anxious time, having access to reviews from other owners cuts down that anxiety. A vet who has been positively reviewed a number of times by different owners is clearly trusted and we know this provides peace of mind for new customers.
"The awards are categorised by geographical region, and also by type of practice and we have been delighted by the diversity of practices reviewed positively by their customers this year."
The silver award went to St Anne's Veterinary Group and the bronze award winning practice was Mayow Veterinary Surgery.
Photo: Toby Gemmill, Willows clinical director, Deputy Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Flo Nash, Tracey Morley Jewkes, managing director of Willows and Susie Samuels, founder and CEO VetHelpDirect
The study, which was led by Robert Hyde MRCVS from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham, aims to create an automated diagnostic support tool for the diagnosis of herd level mastitis origin, an essential first step of the AHDB mastitis control plan.
Mastitis data from 1,000 herds’ was inputted for several three-month periods. Machine learning algorithms were used to classify herd mastitis origin and compared with expert diagnosis by a specialist vet.
The machine learning algorithms were able to achieve a classification accuracy of 98% for environmental vs contagious mastitis, and 78% accuracy was achieved for the classification of lactation vs dry period environmental mastitis when compared with expert veterinary diagnosis.
Robert said: “Mastitis is a huge problem for dairy farmers, both economically and in welfare terms. In our study we have shown that machine learning algorithms can accurately diagnose the origin of this condition on dairy farms. A diagnostic tool of this kind has great potential in the industry to tackle this condition and to assist veterinary clinicians in making a rapid diagnosis of mastitis origin at herd level in order to promptly implement control measures for an extremely damaging disease in terms of animal health, productivity, welfare and antimicrobial use."
Reference
The two-day collaborative workshop was hosted by the Jockey Club Estates, Newmarket and sponsored by The Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust and the Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust, together with a number of other industry contributors.
Injuries to the racehorse fetlock are rare: it is one of a number of racecourse musculoskeletal injuries which are collectively estimated to occur in around 8 of every 10,000 race starts in the UK. Nevertheless, fetlock injury can be extremely impactful and can be career-ending in some injured horses.
On the first day of the workshop an expert panel discussed how diagnostic imaging prior to racing can contribute to risk reduction.
Radiography is currently the most widely available tool used to identify tiny fractures which will heal effectively, providing exercise is reduced. However, advanced imaging such as standing MRI, standing CT and PET scanning, have the potential to identify pathology even earlier. At the workshop, the expert panel reviewed existing knowledge and discussed how to generate the research evidence, which is essential if these novel technologies are to gain a place in effective pre-race risk assessment programmes.
The following day a larger group of stakeholders reviewed the expert panel’s conclusions and discussed the need for greater transparency, education and communication amongst the racing industry stakeholders, all of whom share responsibility for ensuring racing continues to collaborate and enhance racehorse safety and welfare.
Prof Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal, who chaired the meeting said: “Racing has an excellent safety record and the injuries we are talking about are extremely rare. The low prevalence of fetlock injury makes it very difficult to pinpoint the affected individuals. But it is essential that we continue our efforts to do so ever more effectively because if silent injury is not detected it can progress to become much more serious."
Pete Ramzan, Partner at Rossdales LLP, who co-ordinated the workshop said: “There was a great need to get some of the key experts leading these new technologies together in the same room to correlate their findings and work out how to translate them into tangible reductions in serious injury rates. One of the somewhat unexpected outcomes of the discussions was that despite the fact that we are riding the crest of a wave of technological advances, basic radiography still has much to offer; better education around the application and interpretation of radiographs has real potential to allow vets like myself at the coal face to detect injuries at an early and recoverable stage”.
Photo: A radiograph showing of a racing thoroughbred’s fetlock joint. The arrow points to linear radiolucency in the parasagittal groove of the lower cannon bone, a finding that is frequently detectable before progression to serious injury. Image courtesy of Dr P. Ramzan, Rossdales LLP, Newmarket.
Judges for the UK Rabbit Vet of the Year, the Rabbit Nurse of the Year and the Rabbit Veterinary Practice of the Year awards will be looking for exceptional knowledge of rabbit care and husbandry, and evidence of the winners’ continued commitment to educating the public on how to care for rabbits correctly.
Dr Suzanne Moyes MVB MRCVS, awards judge and Veterinary Director at Burgess Pet Care said: "These awards are our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to the veterinary professionals that are helping to improve the lives of pet rabbits."
Rae Todd, Director of the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund said: "Rabbits make absolutely fantastic pets but research continues to show that there are still too many rabbit owners failing to meet the correct needs of their rabbits. We’re incredibly grateful for the growing number of vets that are working hard to address this, whether that’s by utilising the available rabbit CPD, taking part in events like Rabbit Awareness Week or generally making their practices more suitable environments for rabbit-owning clients."
Veterinary surgeons and nurses can self-nominate for these awards, and nominations are also being sought from the public.
The winners will each receive a cash prize of £500.
To enter the awards, visit www.burgesspetcare.com/excel-vet-awards.
NDSR’s director of neurology Rodolfo Capello said: "This technology is one of the most advanced in medicine and helps to surgically remove tumours while also reducing the tissue damage to vital structures.
"The accuracy and control of the system offers us greater versatility and precision, and minimises invasive manoeuvres during both soft and hard tissue dissections.
"Surgeons can therefore be extremely confident of accurate tumour excision with reduced blood vessel and tissue damage which will all help increase and improve the outcome of our surgeries.
"We’ll be using the ultrasonic surgical aspirator for the removal of tumours in the brain, liver and to cut through bone where necessary. It will be a great asset."
For more information, visit: www.ndsr.co.uk
Eastcott says all staff working in the ECC unit have received specific intensive care training and will be supported by discipline-specific specialists at all times.
The service will be run by three ECC/medicine vets during the day and three ECC vets at night, supported by four day nurses and two night nurses.
David said: “We’ve created a purpose-built intensive care unit with all the latest ICU equipment, including our own laboratory; critical care cribs; temperature, humidity and oxygen-controlled intensive care kennels and an ICU ventilator.
“This means we have the facilities to care for the most severely injured and critical cases.
“We also have a high-quality team of enthusiastic, dedicated ECC vets and nurses to lead the service. Everyone has a background of ECC work and a true passion for it.”
Harriet said: “By having all the specialist disciplines available at the practice, we can offer a more holistic service to emergency patients. For example, if a dog is involved in a road traffic accident, the ICU can stabilise it and give emergency care and pain relief.
“Dentistry can then repair jaw and mouth injuries; orthopaedics can repair any other broken bones and soft tissue can assess and repair any damaged organs. This is all supported by our dedicated anaesthesia service and advanced imaging capabilities.
“The ICU also provides a calm environment for critically ill and injured patients to recover following surgery or other planned treatments from other disciplines.”
For more information, visit www.eastcottreferrals.co.uk.
For the study1, treatment and outcomes of ureter injuries due to ovariohysterectomy complications in cats and dogs was undertaken at the Royal Veterinary College. A retrospective case series of cats and dogs with ureteric injuries resulting from ovariohysterectomy was obtained from patient records at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. Fourteen female cats and five female dogs were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to report presenting clinical signs, clinical pathology, treatment and outcomes.
Professor Vicky Lipscomb, lead author of the paper, said “Presenting clinical signs of ureter injury following neutering in this study were non-specific, such as anorexia, vomiting and lethargy. Importantly, the clinical signs consistently developed immediately or shortly after surgery in the majority of animals. Therefore, the appearance of one or more clinical signs following neutering should raise suspicion of a neutering complication.
"The overall outcome for the 19 animals was excellent in 13 (68%), good in one (5%), fair in one (5%) and poor in four (22%). Ureteroneocystostomy (ureteral re-implantation) is preferred to ureteronephrectomy (removal of kidney and ureter) to preserve renal function and is usually a requirement for bilateral ureteric injuries but carries a high complication rate resulting in additional surgery, albeit often with an excellent final outcome.”
Nick Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: “Ovariohysterectomy is a common surgical procedure in cats and dogs, but the procedure carries a (low) risk of injury to one or both ureters due to the close proximity of the female reproductive tract and the ureters. This research highlights the need for vigilance regarding clinical signs following neutering but demonstrates that surgical treatment of ureteric injuries can have good patient outcome."
The full article can be found in the March issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice which is free for BSAVA members. It can also be read online here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13100
Photo: Luisa Dormer BSAVA
For the rankings, QS assessed 1496 programs across the world that offer courses in Veterinary Science, with the RVC placing second out of 427 institutions.
Professor Stuart Reid, Principal of the RVC, said: “Trading 1st and 2nd places with our friends at UC Davis globally, we are still very pleased to retain our ranking as highest placed veterinary school outside the USA.
"With a strong showing from schools in continental Europe and other newcomers to the top 10, the QS rankings emphasise once again the highly competitive nature of our subject internationally.
"We are pleased to record the highest score for academic reputation and an excellent performance in our research impact, and I congratulate Dean Lairmore - himself an honorary Fellow of the RVC - and his colleagues at UC Davis on regaining the top spot but serve notice that we will be seeking to trade again in 2021!”
If, as is predicted, social distancing methods need to be employed to reduce the spread of the virus, or clients find themselves having to self-isolate, video consultations may offer a way in which veterinary practices can continue to serve their clients, maintain animal welfare and, importantly, revenue.
VetHelpDirect's video consultation system, which was announced earlier this year, is still in the Beta testing phase, and the plan had been to roll out the full service in May.
Under the circumstances, however, the company has decided to offer the service to all practices immediately, free of charge for the next three months.
To use the video consultation service, you do need to subscribe to use VetHelpDirect, a service through which you can manage client reviews of your practice. That costs £38 per month, per practice and a further £16 for branch practices.
Susie Samuel, CEO of VetHelpDirect said: “The Coronavirus presents a very real business risk to veterinary practices and a health risk to staff.
"As cases increase, animal owners in quarantine will not be able to visit the vet when their animals become unwell. In these cases, veterinary practitioners will not be able to discuss an animal’s symptoms with their owner in person and could end up relying solely on telephone consultations which would most likely be conducted free of charge.
"Our video platform allows vets to collect payment for a consultation as usual, hold the consultation with the animal’s owner and if a pet needs to be seen, the owner could, in theory, drop it off at the surgery without making personal contact with the vet clinic staff."
VetHelpDirect has not yet decided precisely what the video consultation service will cost after the free period, but it is likely to be around the £20 per month mark. In addition, there is a 4.8% transaction fee.
For more information, contact Susie Samuel susie@vethelpdirect.com
COMMENTDespite the emergence of a number of online-only, limited-service veterinary video consultation providers, it seems like very few, if any independent practices are yet offering this service. There is a danger that unless they do so very soon, they will find themselves at a real disadvantage to the first movers. But there is still time; according to VetHelpDirect's research, 38% of people say they would use video consultations with their own vet but only 7% with a vet they don't know..
It strikes me that now is a very good moment to start offering clients this kind of service, because regardless of government advice, there will doubtless be some who will want to avoid a trip to the vets whilst the outbreak persists.
However, despite keeping this POM-V drug to hand, only 7% said they would seek advice for minor wounds and over 25% said they would not contact the vet even if their horse was lame.
This, says the company, raises concerns about the appropriate use of bute in wounded horses and suggests that practices should be providing first aid training for horse owners, covering basic wound management and when to seek veterinary advice.
The survey, which was posted on social media groups for horse owners, showed they were most likely to call out a vet if their horse had a deep wound (96% of respondents). However, only a third would seek veterinary advice for a wound that is bleeding.
Vita, which makes the veterinary-exclusive Omnimatrix skin cream, said that 84% of owners keep a topical treatment for minor wounds in their first aid box, but some use barrier creams that do not provide an antiseptic environment.
Tara Evans RVN, Head of Sales at Vita, said: "It is great to see that owners are equipped with a first aid box for their horses. However, our survey highlights that many are not seeking veterinary advice, even if their horse is lame. This raises concerns over horses receiving appropriate treatment in a timely manner. There is an opportunity for practices to review first aid boxes with owners to ensure they're stocking appropriate supplies, and discuss appropriate wound management."
Vita has created an owner guide for wound management in horses which you can download and give to clients, here: https://www.vita-europe.com/animalhealth/news/wound-healing-in-horses/
Doxycare is a doxycycline indicated for the treatment of bacterial respiratory tract infections in cats and dogs due to organisms sensitive to doxycycline, and for the treatment of tick-borne Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs. Doxycare is presented in two strengths: 40mg and 200 mg. Both are licensed for use in cats and dogs. The meat-flavoured tablets are scored for quarter splitting to support more accurate dosing.
Metrocare is a metronidazole indicated for the treatment of gastrointestinal tract infections caused by Giardia spp. and Clostridia spp. and the treatment of infections of the urogenital tract, oral cavity, throat and skin caused by obligate anaerobic bacteria. Metrocare is available in two strengths: 250mg and 500 mg. Both are licensed for use in cats and dogs. The meat-flavoured tablets are scored for quarter splitting.
Cephacare, Animalcare’s first-generation cephalosporin, is now also available in a 1000 mg strength meat-flavoured tablet. Cephacare is licensed to treat skin infections, urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, digestive tract infections and infections of the oral cavity. The existing 50 mg strength tablet is licensed for use in cats and dogs. The new 1000 mg size tablets are scored to be halved and licensed for use in larger dogs.
James Beaumont, Product Manager, said: "We aim to offer our customers flexible and convenient solutions for the products they need to use every day in practice, while supporting more accurate and responsible dosing. The additions of Doxycare and Metrocare to our range, together with the new 1000 mg Cephacare strength tablet, mean that we are now able to offer a broader range of antibiotics for use in both cats and dogs."
In particular, the Association says that pet owner fears that their animals may transmit the disease could become a threat to companion animal welfare.
The guidelines, which are being updated as the situation evolves, are currently available in English and Portuguese, here: https://wsava.org/news/highlighted-news/the-new-coronavirus-and-companion-animals-advice-for-wsava-members.
The Working Group, which was formed in January, is chaired by Nigel Gibbens (pictured right) and composed of representatives from BVA specialist divisions and affiliate groups, and others with relevant expertise and knowledge.
As the Association says, the RCVS review will potentially have a far-reaching impact on the future of the veterinary profession, animal health and welfare, and the relationships vets have with their clients.
Of particular concern are the impact of remote prescribing on animal welfare and how limited-service providers (ie those offering online consultations only) will affect the commercial viability of full-service providers.
It is therefore hugely important that the BVA's response represents the opinions and evidence of as many people in the profession as possible.
Information about the BVA Working Group, including the minutes of meetings held so far and the 'themes' document which reflects the group's current thoughts, can be found here: https://www.bva.co.uk/about-us/our-structure/working-groups/
Nigel said: "I encourage you to look at this information carefully, and feed in any evidence that you wish the group to consider along with your thoughts on the content of the BVA response to the RCVS. You can do this via BVA’s Head of Policy & Governance Amelia Findon (ameliaf@bva.co.uk) who will ensure that comments are collated and considered by our group.
"The breadth of opinion across the profession means that the BVA response cannot please everyone, nor should it attempt to. However, it will be based on available evidence and a good understanding of the full scope of views. BVA policy will thus reflect the majority view whilst embracing the positive potential of technological innovations that will inevitably change the way we interact with clients. I urge you to take the time to consider the implications and let us have your thoughts."
Students of the five-year degree will spend two years at Aberystwyth University followed by three years’ study at the RVC’s Hawkshead Campus in Hertfordshire. The first cohort will start in 2021.
Professor Stuart Reid, Principal of the RVC said: "We are delighted to be partnering with our colleagues Aberystwyth in providing an offering that will benefit students at both institutions. The RVC’s commitment to the profession in all its manifestations and particularly the rural environment will be bolstered by this important collaboration."
Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University said: "Today marks an important and exciting new chapter in the history of Aberystwyth University and Wales. Agriculture and its related industries play such an important part in the Welsh economy and it is incumbent on us as universities to provide the people and the skills that will contribute to ensuring they thrive for years to come. The new School of Veterinary Science adds a vitally important new piece to the jigsaw, one that will build resilience in the rural economy through education and research at a time of great potential change and challenges.
"Our students will enjoy the best of two worlds at universities that offer academic excellence and an enviable reputation for student experience, and I thank everyone who has contributed to finally realising the vision of a school of veterinary science for Wales."
Photo: Left to right, Professor Stuart Reid, Professor Christianne Glossop, Professor Elizabeth Treasure and Professor Tim Woods.