Galliprant is a first in a class of drugs called piprants, or non-COX-inhibiting prostaglandin receptor antagonists (PRAs), which specifically target the EP4 receptor largely responsible for OA pain and inflammation1,3 without interfering with other prostanoids and receptors, thereby minimising the impact on gastrointestinal and kidney homeostasis.1,4
According to Elanco, the main benefit of the new drug is that it can be given in the earlier stages of the disease; from first diagnosis in fact. Speaking at the London Vet Show in 2018, Dr Kristin Kirkby Shaw, Surgeon and Rehabilitation Specialist at the Animal Surgical Clinic of Seattle, said: "…being much more targeted, it makes us feel more comfortable starting this product in an earlier stage of osteoarthritis."
In the target animal safety study, Galliprant was well-tolerated over 9 months at doses equivalent to 15 times the target dose.5 Kristen said: "I challenge anyone to think of another product that has been given in a safety study at that high of a level for that duration of time."
The efficacy of Galliprant was demonstrated in the field study at the licensed target dose of 2mg/kg body weight, with treatment success seen by owners in their dogs at home, and confirmed by vet assessment.2 Owners saw statistically significant improvements in pain severity and interference with daily activities vs placebo at days 7, 14, 21 and 28.2
For more information, visit www.galliprant.co.uk. You can also watch Dr Kristen Kirkby Shaw's London Vet Show presentation and other expert opinion here.
References:
Members of the profession are of course more likely than most to receive information about violent incidents that constitute abuse against an animal, and research has shown that such cases are often the index case that trigger investigation into violent households.
Jennie Bartholomew, education coordinator at the BSAVA said: "Suspecting animal abuse can be an alarming and sensitive issue to confront but our training courses should give veterinary teams the skills and support they need to help deal with such cases."
The sessions will provide guidance on setting up a practice protocol and identifying a Safeguarding Liaison Officer (SLO) who will aid practice staff in suspected cases of abuse. Through the SLO, relationships with RSPCA officers, police domestic abuse officers and aid agencies can be set up to give staff expert support to call upon if they suspect animal or human abuse.
Freda Scott-Park is a BSAVA Past President and is one of the lecturers on the Links Veterinary Training Initiative courses. She said: "There are few veterinary practices that do not encounter animal abuse, not daily, but the incidence is increasing.
"Cases can be quite complicated to diagnose but often vets find they develop a sixth sense that something isn’t right. By defining the complexities and difficulties in diagnosis, the course aids vets, veterinary nurses and receptionists to understand how to proceed – to ask the right questions and how to seek help from the correct people.
"Information from the veterinary practices may allow human healthcare professionals to investigate troubled households, offering support to the family and potentially improving or saving a human victim’s life."
Three sessions have been organised around the country during 2019. They are free for BSAVA members, with a non-member price of £40.00.
Sunday 23 June: Wetherby Racecourse, Yorkshire
Monday 16 September: Woodrow House, Gloucester
Sunday 27 October: Jesus College, Cambridge
This year, in collaboration with Your Cat, the charity is looking for entries which showcase the cat-human bond with a brand new theme of ‘Cat-Human Relationships’.
The judges want to see a range of relationships in a variety of situations, locations and ages. For instance, entries can include but are not limited to: pet cats with their owners in the home, street cats with the public and cats with those who work with them eg, veterinary professionals with their patients and homing centre workers with the cats in their care.
Since its launch in 2013, the competition has collectively attracted over 15,000 entries from all over the world.
Eve Davies, who runs the competition, said: "Whilst we tend to think of our relationship with cats as that of pet and owner, cats and humans can have a huge variety of unique connections with each other and we would love to see this reflected in the entries.
"This year’s theme is quite different to previous topics – for example kittens or sleeping cats – but it has the potential to be much more rewarding. As well as receiving exceptional photos over the years, we have been sent some incredibly moving stories to accompany them and we are hoping that this year will be even better still."
Twelve winning images will be selected by the iCatCare and Your Cat Magazine judges to feature in the charity’s 2020 calendar (and other materials) which will be sold to raise funds for the charity’s work, with one crowned the overall winner and gracing the front cover.
All twelve winners will each receive a certificate, copies of the calendar and a selection of iCatCare merchandise. The overall winner will also receive £500 in prize money.
To find out more and to enter, visit: www.icatcare.org/photography-competition. The competition closes at 10 am (BST) on 1 July 2019.
Global names in gastroenterology will be sharing the latest knowledge to help veterinary surgeons and nurses support the work of the BHS and Nottingham University’s REACT to colic campaign, which is designed to help vets and horse owners work together for colic patients.
On Friday 13th September there'll be a two-hour session chaired by Harry Carslake, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary internal medicine (ACVIM). The session will involve five experts speaking about aspects of colic, followed by discussion and the opportunity for questions from delegates.
Natasha Jocelyn, Internal Medicine Specialist, Sussex Equine Hospital, will speak about managing the acute colic in the field: what to do when flunixin doesn’t work.
Prof. Dr. Gunther Van Loon European Veterinary Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium, will discuss managing acute colic in the equine hospital.
Dr Nathan Slovis member of the American College of Internal Veterinary Medicine, Director of the McGee Medicine Department and a partner at Haygard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky will explain colic guidelines – can ‘algorithms’ help?
Prof. Dr Lutz Goehring European Veterinary Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, will explore the question ‘is there an evidence-based approach to managing enteritis?’
David Rendle European Veterinary Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine, Rainbow Equine Hospital, North Yorkshire, will look at parasitic disease as a cause of colic and methods of management.
All BEVA Congress delegates get a certificate of attendance worth seven hours of CPD.
If you're struggling for time or torn between several lectures you can use the BEVA Congress Encore Room to play back missed lectures at your convenience. BEVA Congress is also providing day crèche for children between the ages of 0-8 years. Find out more here.
Anyone who registers for Congress before 8 May 2019 will receive significantly reduced booking fees, and BEVA members save up to £379 on their Congress passes.
The MSD Animal Health Vet Surgeon Research Bursary offers awards of up to £4,000 each. Each project has to be completed within one to two years and the veterinary surgeon proposals are judged by university academics to ensure independent assessment.
Michelle Townley, veterinary advisor at MSD Animal Health said: "We’re delighted to be awarding Amie this bursary as we consider deepening the understanding of equine vaccination practices and protocols to be important new knowledge for the companion animal sector, especially in the light of the recent equine flu outbreak.
"We will be inviting applications for the 2019 vet surgeon bursaries from August this year so would encourage any vet keen to develop their research skills to keep an eye on our website for further information. We would like to encourage as many vets as possible to apply as part of our commitment to advancing research within the veterinary industry."
2018 is the second year MSD Animal Health has extended its Veterinary Surgeon Research Bursary to include companion animals. The 2017 award went to Dr Sarah Caddy for her research into cat bite abscesses.
Veterinary surgeon research bursary applications will open again in August.
For more information, visit www.msdahresearchbursary.co.uk.
Tialin is licensed for the treatment of dysentery, colitis, ileitis, pneumonia and pleuropneumonia in pigs. It is also suitable for the treatment and metaphylaxis of chronic respiratory disease and infectious synovitis in chickens and infectious sinusitis and airsacculitis in turkeys. Withdrawal times range from zero in eggs to two - six days in meat and offal.
The product is available in two strengths: 25% (250 mg/ml) and 12.5% (125 mg/ml). It can be bought in five and one litre bottles with a shelf life of two years or three months once opened.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "Any of these diseases could have a widespread effect on a herd or flock of any size so it is vital that veterinary professionals have access to a treatment such as Tialin to offer farmers.
"Its short withdrawal times and long shelf life makes it a cost effective and valuable tool for vets and farmers in their treatments of these diseases. All the products in our premium SoluStab range have been specifically developed with a unique formula to provide the optimum balance of stability and solubility."
For more information, visit www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-areas/food-producing-animal/water-medication.
Dechra also offers an online tool to calculate dosage for SoluStab products at http://calculator.solustab.eu/.
Euthasol vet is presented as a clear blue liquid, licensed for intravenous, intracardial and intraperitoneal usage. A dose of 140 mg/kg (equivalent to 0.35 ml/kg) is considered sufficient for all licensed routes of administration.
Euthasol vet comes in vials of 100ml and has a 28 day broached shelf life.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "Choosing the correct product for euthanasia is vital for veterinary professionals and Euthasol vet offers a highly effective solution.
"The intravenous route of administration should be the route of choice. Where intravenous administration is impossible, the product may be administered via the intracardiac route in all named species.
"Euthasol's versatility in terms of the range of species in which it is licensed for use, coupled with its 400 mg/ml concentration, is set to make it a popular choice in practice."
For more information, visit www.dechra.co.uk
The research, carried out by the Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) VetCompass programme, involved analysing data from 333,910 bitches who presented at veterinary practices participating in the programme between 2014 and 2017.
The study also indicated that the females of certain breeds are more prone to UI than others, with Hungarian Vizslas, Doberman, Weimaraners and Boxers most at risk.
UI affects around 3% of bitches in primary veterinary care in England.
The researchers say that a connection between neutering and UI in bitches has long been suspected but this study provides stronger evidence on the extent of the relationship.
The data also showed that age and bodyweight are major contributory factors to bitches developing UI as well as neutering and breed. Other key findings include:
Bitches over nine years old are 1.7 times more likely to develop UI compared to those younger than three years.
Bitches weighing over 10kg are 1.9 more likely to develop UI than those weighing less than 10kg, while bitches over 30kg are three times more likely.
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass epidemiologist and lead researcher on the study, said: "First opinion vets discuss and perform neuters on a daily basis but, until now, evidence on the link between neutering and urinary incontinence has been tenuous.
"This study provides stronger evidence of an important association between neutering and urinary incontinence. The decision to neuter a bitch is based on many factors, not just incontinence risk alone. However, these results suggest that the component of the decision driven by urinary incontinence could be emphasised for the high-risk breeds and bitches of larger bodyweight.”
It is hoped that the results will aid owners and vets in making evidence-based decisions when it comes to neutering female dogs.
Reference
This, say the authors, should in turn help them to communicate potential performance problems more effectively with their clients.
Conducted by Dr Sue Dyson, Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, the study compared the real-time application of the Ridden-Horse-Ethogram with analysis of video recordings of the horses by a trained assessor and determined whether vets, after preliminary training, could apply the ethogram in real time in a consistent way and in agreement with an experienced assessor.
Twenty horse and rider combinations were used for the study. The horses were in regular work and were capable of working ‘on the bit’. They were assessed by a chartered physiotherapist and then a Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) qualified saddle fitter checked the fit, placement, balance and suitability of each horse’s saddle. Eleven horses were found to have ill-fitting saddles and 14 had back muscle tension or pain but these did not influence the behaviour scores.
The horses were also assessed by an independent lameness expert. Sixteen showed low-grade lameness or abnormalities of canter, which were likely to be pain induced but did not prevent the horses from being used for the study.
All 20 horses were given a 15-minute ridden warm-up before executing an 8-minute purpose-designed preliminary level dressage test. During each dressage test a team of 10 equine vets, who were selected from 40 volunteers and given preliminary training, applied the Ridden-Horse-Ethogram. They assessed each horse for the presence of a total of 24 behaviours that occur more commonly in lame horses compared with non-lame horses. It has previously been shown that the presence of ≥8 behavioural markers is likely to indicate the presence of musculoskeletal pain.
All behaviours were scored with a binary method as present or absent. The ethogram was also applied to each horse by an experienced trained assessor (Dr Dyson) and the tests were filmed so that the experienced assessor could make a comparison between her real-time behaviour assessments and video analysis.
There was good agreement between the expert’s scores and the volunteer vets’ scores and excellent consistency in overall agreement among the volunteers. The scores also reflected the volunteers’ capacity to use the ethogram to identify lameness status, with higher scores awarded to the lame horses compared with the non-lame horses.
There was no significant difference in real-time scores and video-based scores for the experienced assessor, verifying the reliability of the system.
Sue said: "The study confirms that with basic training veterinary observers can use the ridden horse ethogram with consistency as an effective tool to help identify musculoskeletal pain which could reflect lameness or back or sacroiliac pain.
"The volunteers were unanimously positive about the potential value of the ethogram in helping them to determine the presence of musculoskeletal pain in horses performing poorly or at pre-purchase examinations."
Sue and her team are now working with the evidence-based online educational resource Equitopia, in conjunction with Padma Videos, to produce a training video to enable vets, owners, riders, trainers and paraprofessionals to learn how to apply the Ridden-Horse-Ethogram.
For more information, email info@equitopiacenter.com.
A total of 8,234 votes were cast in this year’s election, a turnout of 25.5%. The College says the previous highest turnout recorded this century was 22.8%, and it thinks this year's result may even be an all-time record.
It is unclear how much the results were influenced by VetSurgeon.org's reporting of the candidates standing for election, but in another first, Niall Connell was later seen sporting a t-shirt displaying the story: "Arlo said I'm 'by all accounts, something of a national treasure'. Had to do it. Got the T Shirt."
You're welcome, Niall. And huge congratulations to Jo Dyer, who is such a passionate advocate for coal face vets, and to Linda Belton too.
At the other end of the results, isn't it staggering that there are as many as 422 MsRCVS who are prepared to vote for a single non-issue candidate based the other side of the world. Who are you? Why do you do it? I mean, one can understand a few people voting for the Monster Raving Loony Party out of the general population numbering millions. But 5% of a small, highly educated and qualified profession? What on earth is that about?
The full results, in order of number of votes, are:
Niall Connell – 3,766 votes (re-elected)
Linda Belton – 3,581 votes (elected)
Jo Dyer – 3,146 votes (re-elected)
John Innes – 2,716 votes
Kate Richards – 2,283 votes
Tim Greet – 2,280 votes
Peter Robinson – 1,791 votes
John Davies – 507 votes
Tom Lonsdale – 422 votes
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the election, said: "Congratulations to Niall and Jo for being re-elected to Council and congratulations also to Linda who we look forward to welcoming to Council at this year’s Royal College Day on Friday 12 July. I would also like to thank Kate, Tim and Peter for their contributions during their time on Council and give my commiserations to them and the other candidates who were unsuccessful this year.
"I was delighted to see that, this year, we had over a quarter of those eligible to vote doing so which means both a record number of votes and a record turnout – it seems this was assisted by our email reminders which, each time they were sent out, lead to a significant boost in uptake.
"However, we will not rest on our laurels and will continue to think about how we can further improve engagement in the election process and turnout for subsequent years."
The results of the election will be declared formally at this year’s Royal College Day – the College’s Annual General Meeting and awards ceremony – which takes place at the Royal Institute of British Architects on Friday 12 July 2019 where the successful candidates will also start their new four-year terms.
No election to Veterinary Nursing Council was held this year due to the fact that there were only two candidates – Liz Cox and Jane Davidson – standing for the two elected places. Both Liz and Jane will take up their three-year terms at Royal College Day.
The BSAVA says the guidelines aim to bridge differing perceptions of welfare around the world and help veterinary surgeons tackle the ethical questions and moral issues which impact welfare. They also offer guidance to ensure that, in addition to providing physical health advice and therapy to their patients, vets can advocate for their psychological, social and environmental wellbeing.
Shane Ryan, President of the WSAVA and former Chair of the WSAVA Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, said: "As veterinarians, our responsibility extends far beyond the physical health of our patients. Animal welfare as a science is a new and rapidly developing discipline and veterinarians need current, evidence-based information to enable them to maintain the highest welfare standards and to provide knowledgeable, accurate advice for pet owners and communities.
"Our new Guidelines provide recommendations, checklists and other tools to promote optimal levels of welfare throughout the veterinary visit. They also offer guidance on increasing welfare beyond the doors of the clinic through outreach activities.
"As levels of pet ownership increase in many regions of the world, including Asia, it is essential that veterinarians champion animal welfare and the WSAVA hopes that these new Guidelines will encourage our members to adopt best practice and set the highest standards.”
'FLUTD and Dysuria – a frustration for many and not just the cat' will be presented by Dr Hanne Friis Lund (DVM) from Idexx and Katy Smith from Royal Canin (pictured right).
Hanne will be talking about diagnostics, focusing on urine analysis and laboratory tests, whilst Katy will discuss nutritional management of the condition.
Hanne said: "Feline lower urinary tract disease is a very common condition in both male and female cats affecting 1-3% of cats every year.
"It goes without saying that FLUTD causes great discomfort and pain for the feline, which is why the webinar will explore how best to manage the condition from a nutritional point of view.
"From the innovative Haematuria Detection by Blücare litter granules which turn blue when a urinary condition is detected to the new urinary range kibble from Royal Canin’s Veterinary Health Nutrition, the webinar will be leaving no stone unturned."
To register for the webinar, go to: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/cpd/webinar/
The company says Taurador Pour-on provides a stress-free, easy to use treatment, with persistent activity against a large number of cattle parasites, therefore ensuring effective coverage over long periods of the grazing season.
Matthew Swanborough BVSc MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor for Norbrook, said: "The farming industry will be aware that heavy worm burdens can significantly affect the health and productivity of cattle, potentially as much as £100 per head of cattle. We cannot simply ignore these parasites but we must tackle them responsibly. A comprehensive worming strategy is a vital component of any animal health plan, which should be composed of management strategies and any necessary anthelmintic treatments."
Norbrook highlights the product's efficacy against the gutworms Osterstagia osterstagi, Cooperia oncophora and lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparous, with persistent action against these parasites for 35 days, 28 days and 42 days respectively.
Doramectin, the active ingredient in Taurador, is an anthelmintic belonging to the macrocyclic lactones (3-ML) group, along with ivermectins. Norbrook says both compounds share a wide spectrum of antiparasitic activity and produce a similar paralysis in nematodes and parasitic arthropods.
Dr Leigh Sullivan, Norbrook Large Animal Product Manager, said: "Taurador is the company’s thirteenth new product introduction in the last four years and it is a significant addition to our portfolio. Internal parasites such as gutworms and lungworm can have a serious impact on animal health and welfare, as well as financial implications for farmers, so it is great to be able to provide another product to help reduce the economic impact of these parasites."
Taurador is available in three different pack sizes (1L; 2.5L and 5L) and an appropriate dosing applicator is also available.
The box, which is aimed at both veterinary surgeons and nurses, contains two USB sticks which contain the wound care education sessions, a Bluetooth speaker, product samples, clinical literature, case studies and Time Out wafer bars to enjoy while you learn.
You can also book a timeslot with a representative from Essity to answer any clinical or product related questions raised by the contents of the box.
Richard Barker, Account Sales Executive at Essity said: "Time Out Training allows us to educate vets and vet nurses directly in practices within timescales that we could not previously achieve. We feel this is the future of education in busy veterinary settings, allowing for emergency interruptions, and allowing training of all staff within the convenient setting of their own practice."
Fiona Garrard RVN said: "I found this to be a very easy to follow and very informative webinar. It is full of content that is very useful and aids a good, underpinning knowledge of infections in wounds, and why they happen. It was packed with content and not long-winded or boring at any point."
Time Out Training takes an hour to complete. You can order it for your practice by emailing animalhealthcare@essity.com or dialing 01482 670124.
Andrea Tarr, Veterinary Prescriber’s founder and director said: "Imepitoin is a new licensed option to consider in the management of noise aversion. Our critical look at the available information saves vets time in having find and appraise it themselves, so they can just get on with making the prescribing decision."
Veterinary Prescriber’s reviews are presented as e-learning modules which represent the result of a literature search and collaboration between practising specialists, generalists and the editorial team.
Subscriptions cost £9.95 per month (cancel anytime); practice subscriptions cost £25 per month (for a 12-month contract) and come with free access to cpd.veterinaryprescriber.org, a sister site for vet nurses, receptionists and SQPs.
To subscribe visit: https://www.veterinaryprescriber.org/subscribe
The app, which has been accredited by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists, contains information about 36 different drug molecules in 10 different drug classes, including analgesics (NSAIDs, opioids and local anaesthetics), sedatives (acepromazine, alpha-2 agonists and benzodiazepines), induction agents, volatile agents, neuromuscular blocking agents, anti-cholinergics, sympathomimetics and antagonists where applicable.
It also offers 24 different dog and 15 cat anaesthetic protocols for procedures carried out in general practice. Each contains information on specific anaesthetic considerations for that condition or patient, any preoperative stabilisation required, premedication, perioperative analgesia, induction, maintenance and recovery.
Additional features include a dose calculator, summary sheets that can be saved or emailed to be attached to the patient’s clinical notes, and the option to save favourite protocols for repeated use.
The app was developed with the advice of two diplomat anaesthetists, Matthew Gurney BVSc CertVA PgCertVBM DipECVAA MRCVS and Joost Uilenreef DVM MVR DipECVAA, together with Elizabeth Barker BVetMed(Hons) Cert AVP(VA) PgCert MRCVS at Dechra.
Dechra Brand Manager Claire Morgan said: "We are passionate about anaesthesia and the provision of excellent support for vets, nurses and students. The app can be used to build confidence and knowledge in less familiar procedures or to update protocols to ensure best anaesthetic practice for the more common routine procedures.
"All of the protocols and information particularly emphasise considerations around anaesthesia, patient monitoring and perioperative analgesia, including local and regional techniques."
She added: "We hope the app will help practitioners to move away from a ‘one protocol fits all’ approach and give them the confidence to tailor the protocols and medications chosen to the specific patient and condition they are treating and to generally improve the standard of anaesthesia and analgesia in small animal practice."
The Dechra Dog and Cat Anaesthesia App is available to download for iOS and Android devices. For more information, visit www.dechra.com/dcaa
Culture Change In Healthcare is presented by Simon Fleming, a trauma and orthopaedic registrar who has a special interest in combating bullying, undermining and harassment in human healthcare, and Sally Everitt MRCVS, the ex Head of Scientific Policy at BSAVA.
Simon will discuss the problem of bullying, the fallout from serious cases, and how you can work to eliminate bullying in your practice.
Sally will present the results of a survey carried out by VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk in 2017, to investigate the incidence and impact of unpleasant behaviour in veterinary practice.
The webinar is hosted by The Webinar Vet and sponsored by RCVS Mind Matters. It counts as 1hr towards your annual CPD requirement.
Whether or not you think there is any bullying going on at your practice, I strongly urge you to watch this webinar. There can be few things as harmful to an effective practice team as bullying. Everyone needs to be able to spot it and stamp on it quickly.
Register for the webinar here: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/culture-change-healthcare-2/
The wellbeing room is designed to offer staff a comfortable space to relax during breaks, or before or after shifts. It has comfortable seating and a small library of books covering topics such as personal development, mindfulness and stress reduction.
There are also two 'jars of joy' staff can dip into which feature top tips for emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Employees are also being invited to put forward their own top tips on wellbeing to share with colleagues.
It is hoped that the room will also provide employees with a sanctuary from social media, emails and telephones.
Sounds like a great idea to me, although the library titles look a bit uninspiring for my taste. My ideal wellbeing room would have a few John Grishams on the shelves, limitless music, a Sony playstation, oh, and a minibar.
The course is comprised of a 14-module programme of lectures, case discussions and practical sessions, during which Improve says delegates will learn how to approach the dog, cat and exotic patient presenting with manifestations of oral pathology in a logical and scientific manner.
Lecturers for the programme, which starts in January 2020, include Bob Partridge and Rachel Perry (pictured right), both European and RCVS Specialists in Veterinary Dentistry, and Owen Davies, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Oncology.
Each module will be supported with an online learning management platform offering additional learning resources, together with a subscription to Harper Adam’s online e-library which gives access to scientific articles and abstracts for those progressing to a PgC. All delegates have a dedicated Programme Tutor.
Juliet Pope, Operations Manager at Improve International, said: "The diagnosis and management of dental and oral disease is a significant – and growing - component of small animal practice.
"The programme we have developed offers a thorough case-based approach and includes the opportunity to practice oral surgery in a wet-lab environment.
"It will support general practitioners in taking a more well-informed clinical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of these cases and give them confidence to manage some cases that they might otherwise have felt they should refer."
The two companies have agreed to jointly discover and develop species-specific therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for companion animals, a class of drug which they say is neglected in veterinary medicine but offers a variety of future therapeutic options for diseases that cannot be adequately treated today.
adivo will select species-specific antibodies using its proprietary fully canine phage display library. Bayer Animal Health will provide targets involved in severe animal diseases.
Dr. Douglas Hutchens, Bayer Animal Health’s Head of Drug Discovery, External Innovation & Chief Veterinary Officer, said: "Today’s agreement is another example of how we realize our innovation strategy
"By combining the know-how from creative start-up companies like adivo with opportunities derived from Bayer’s research, we broaden our space of therapeutic medicine options and complement our portfolio.
"We are constantly looking for innovative technologies that enable us to generate novel treatment options for the companion animal sector. Now, we will focus on evolving the options presented by adivo from research and development to market maturity."
Dr. Kathrin Ladetzki-Baehs, Managing Director of adivo said: "At adivo, we truly believe that pets have a positive impact on our society. By developing novel medicines for companion animals, we want to make a difference for veterinarians and pet-parents. Today, we are more than pleased and excited to have gained such a committed and experienced collaboration partner, to jointly develop new treatment options."
The test, which enables the rapid identification of cattle infected with Mycobacteria, was first developed by Dr Swift as part of his PhD studies at the University of Nottingham. Since joining the RVC, he has continued to evolve the technology working alongside academics at his former university.
Dr Swift and Dr Rees were presented with the award by HRH the Princess Royal.
The Royal Dairy Innovation Award recognises research and development in the field of dairy farming and is awarded for the most practical, relevant product or service which is, or likely to be the most significant innovation for the future.
The RVC says the test is able to detect mycobacteria in the blood and milk of cattle within six hours using a bacteriophage-based technique. As a result, cattle affected by Mycobacterium bovis, the bacteria that causes bovine TB, can be diagnosed for the disease more quickly, allowing for more effective disease management in herds.
Additionally, the test has been used to effectively detect Johne’s Disease – another endemic illness that affects dairy cattle – in new born calves for the first time. By being able to catch the disease at an early stage, this test can help further with controlling infections in dairy herds.
The test is now licenced to spin-out company, PBD Biotech Ltd and marketed as Actiphage. It can also be used as a highly sensitive quality assurance test in milk and dairy products.
Dr Swift, who is a Research Fellow in antimicrobial resistance, said: "It is really exciting to be recognised with this award. Translating technology from the bench to be used in real-world scenarios is a great thing and really shows the impact of our research. Hopefully this will help manage two extremely difficult diseases in the UK and worldwide."
Photo: Benjamin Swift (RVC), Dr Cath Rees (University of Nottingham), Princess Anne and Dr Berwyn Clarke (PBD Biotech).
This is Vita's first foray into the companion animal sector after more than 20 years developing health solutions for honey bees.
The new range includes six products supporting a range of common health conditions; Omnicondro for joint health, Omnicardio for cardiovascular function, Omniomega containing essential fatty acids, Omnicutis skin support, Omnimatrix to aid skin healing and Omniotic ear cleaner. They are approved for use in different species according to product, including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.
The new products are available direct from the company's Sales Manager, Tara Evans RVN. She said: "I am delighted to introduce practices to this cutting-edge range of supplements. At Vita Animal Health we recognise the vital role of the veterinary team in supporting pet health and offering clients choice. The range of Vita products offers new and innovative solutions in some important areas."
The product launch includes promotional offers for veterinary practices and there is a loyalty card scheme for owners.
For more information, visit www.vitaanimalhealth.com, email info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone 01256 591032.
Katie, who works at Milbourn Equine, is now preparing with her horse Templar Justice, or TJ for short, to take part in what is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's most difficult equestrian events.
Last year, she competed at the Burghley Horse Trials and was voted "Amateur Rider of the Year" by Horse and Hound magazine.
Katie says she is determined to build on that success with a strong showing at Badminton: "The Burghley Horse Trials were amazing last year. I was so excited to be there and it went so well. To now be competing at Badminton will be an awesome experience.
"It’s one of only six 'five-star' equestrian events in the world and to compete there really is my dream come true."
The CPD event is in two parts. The first is a webinar on Tuesday 30th April at 7:30pm by Dr Jo Murrell DipECVAA (pictured right) entitled: Analgesia for ovariohysterectomy in dogs and cats and the role of Comfortan.
Jo will present the results of studies she has conducted to investigate which opioid provides optimum analgesia for the procedure in both dogs and cats. In one study, she compared the analgesic effect of peri-operative methadone with peri-operative buprenorphine in dogs. In the other, she compared the analgesic effects of methadone with buprenorphine in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy using the QUAD anaesthetic protocol.
You can register now for Dechra’s webinar, here.
The webinar will be followed by the opportunity to put follow-up questions to Jo in a special forum in the new Anaesthesia group on VetSurgeon.org, where she has become a VetSurgeon Contributing Expert.
The webinar entitles you to one hour of CPD, which you can supplement with any additional time spent discussing the issue with Jo in the forum, using the ‘Claim CPD’ button.
The event also marks the official launch of the new Small Animal Anaesthesia Group on VetSurgeon.org, and I would like to invite all members of VetSurgeon.org with an interest in anaesthesia to come and join the group here (press the ‘Join’ button on the left hand side; you may need to rotate your mobile phone to see it).
In addition, you may wish to subscribe to the digest which will alert you to any new anaesthesia discussions on a daily or weekly basis, as you prefer.
As part of the campaign, veterinary practices are being urged to measure their feline patients’ blood pressure from seven years of age and above, as recommended by ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) 1.
Ceva says it will also continue the Mercury Challenge, its study of feline blood pressure, throughout 2019 to help increase veterinary professionals' confidence in measuring blood pressure and identifying feline hypertension.
The company says that since June last year, 128 practices and over 1,000 cats have participated in the challenge. You can registered to take part at: mercurychallenge.ceva.com, where there's a chance to win diagnostic tools to help diagnose feline hypertension.
Dr Rosanne Jepson, American, European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, said: "It is great to see that so many cats (over 1000!) and practices in the UK have been involved with the Mercury Challenge promoting the measurement of blood pressure and detection of hypertension.
"I would urge as many practices as possible to measure blood pressure; it’s simple, quick and easy to perform and means that we can help prevent target organ damage which at its most severe can leave cats sadly blind for the rest of their life. With careful identification and treatment this can so easily be prevented."
To help raise awareness of Feline Hypertension Month, Ceva has produced a range of marketing materials including waiting room displays, a pet owner leaflet and veterinary marketing packs, which are available upon request.
The initiative will be supported with an extensive PR campaign aimed at pet owners, including a radio day starring CBBC’s Rory the Vet.
For more information, contact cevauk@ceva.com or visit mercurychallenge.ceva.com.
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