Vetoquinol UK Ltd is launching a dedicated large animal/equine sales force on the 1st July.
The company says the move reflects the change in cattle and equine veterinary practice to become specialists.
Vetoquinol's large animal brands include: Marbocyl®, Sedalin®, Equistro®, Tolfine®, Pro Rumen and Locatim®.
The new team comprises:
The new sales team will be managed jointly by Hugh Gibson and Stuart Wade.
For further information or to make an appointment please contact your local Territory Manager direct or telephone 01280 825424
Merck has announced that its animal health division, formerly known as Intervet/Schering-Plough, has changed its name to MSD Animal Health in countries outside the United States and Canada from today.
Intervet/Schering Plough will now be known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada.
Raul Kohan, President of Merck Animal Health said: "The name change reflects Merck's commitment to animal health and its complementary role to the overall business. We are unwavering in our commitment to veterinarians, producers, pet owners and society as a whole. We aim to generate additional value and sustained growth by continuing to provide integrated solutions with innovative animal health products and services to meet the evolving needs of our customers."
Mr. Kohan continued: "With the scientific and business backing of Merck, Merck Animal Health possesses the necessary mix of resources to enhance our position as an industry leader."
Merck says it values the diversification that Merck Animal Health brings to its portfolio, and sees growth opportunities in the business that can be leveraged across both animal and human health. The company intends to capitalize on Merck Animal Health's broad and innovative portfolio going forward, and to develop the unit into a best-in-class global animal health leader.
The name change follows the joint announcement on March 22, 2011 by Merck and sanofi-aventis that ended plans to form a new animal health joint venture. Both companies mutually decided to discontinue their agreement primarily because of the increasing complexity of implementing the proposed transaction.
Two new Postgraduate Deans have been appointed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to advise and monitor new veterinary surgeons during their Professional Development Phase (PDP), the first stage in veterinary continuing professional development.
Jill Hubbard, a partner at Cibyn Veterinary Surgery, Caernarfon, and organiser of BVA North Wales' young graduate meetings, and Nicky Paull, a former BVA President with extensive experience of running veterinary practices and understanding of the needs of veterinary graduates, were selected from over 40 applicants. They join existing Deans, Professor Agnes Winter and Julian Wells, and replace Professor David Noakes and Stephen Ware, who are retiring from the role having served since 2007, when PDP first became a requirement for veterinary graduates.
Jill Hubbard said: "I have always had a particular interest in how we support and guide our new graduates. This seemed a way of being actively involved - a useful niche to try and fill."
Nicky Paull said: "The development of young veterinary graduates has been of special interest to me for some years. In employing young veterinary surgeons, meeting recent graduates through my political work and the time spent with undergraduates through extra-mural studies and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons' final year student seminars, I'm aware of the need for help and guidance for development of the young vets who are joining our profession."
The PDP applies to every newly qualified veterinary surgeon. It consists of an online record which the vet completes, and which is signed off by a Postgraduate Dean. This helps new vets and their employers check that sufficient experience is being gained so that the vet can progress from the 'Day-One competencies' of a new graduate to those expected of a vet with about a year's in-practice experience.
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has dismissed a case against a Staffordshire veterinary surgeon, having found that his convictions under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Public Order Act 1986 did not make him unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
At the one-day hearing, the Committee heard that Mr Richard Conlon of Warrendale Veterinary Care Centre, Biddulph, was convicted of one instance of common assault and one public order offence involving threatening, insulting or abusive language, both of which occurred during an altercation in a public house in Biddulph on 28 November 2009. The court ordered Mr Conlon to pay two fines of £300 each, a victim surcharge of £15, and £700 of court costs.
As the facts involved in Mr Conlon's offences had been proved by the court that convicted him, and Mr Conlon admitted to his convictions, the Committee considered only whether these offences made him unfit to practise veterinary surgery.
The Committee was advised that although the convictions were unrelated to Mr Conlon's professional practice, any criminal conviction may call into question a veterinary surgeon's fitness to practise if the conduct for which they are convicted raises doubts over their capability as a veterinary surgeon. Convictions that damage the wider public interest in the good reputation of the profession and public confidence can also raise questions about fitness to practise and may be considered.
Speaking on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, Vice-Chairman Professor Sheila Crispin said: "In reaching our decision, it is important to emphasise that the Disciplinary Committee does not condone Mr Conlon's behaviour in any way. We accept the submission of the College 'that it is incumbent on any veterinary surgeon to act with decorum and not to engage in any violent, aggressive or intimidating behaviour,' and, on any view, for a veterinary surgeon to get involved in a brawl in a public house is unacceptable behaviour.
"In the Committee's judgment this was a one-off incident of brief duration with no premeditation on Mr Conlon's part; fortunately no significant injury was suffered by anybody involved. From the nature of the charges and the sentence of the court, it can be seen that this was at very much the lower end of seriousness and, as is accepted by the College, involves no concern about Mr Conlon's ability to practise as a veterinary surgeon."
The Committee ordered the charges be dismissed.
Novartis Animal Health has launched its Summer Worming Packs.
The packs are part of an ongoing campaign by the company to get pet owners to worm their animals at least 4 times a year (as recommended by the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites1), as opposed to the current norm of 2.6 times per year2.
The Summer Worming Packs include waiting room and client materials, and practice PR support materials. There is also a pet owner website http://www.wormpatrol.co.uk/.
For further details about the Summer Worming Pack or the Worm Patrol Campaign, veterinary practices should contact their Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager.
Vets are being asked to help pig producers assess their health status and biosecurity measures, as part of BPEX's new National Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP).
The national programme is currently running alongside existing programmes in East Anglia, Yorkshire and the East Midlands and will cover all the remaining regions. BPEX will now start to combine all programmes into the National PHIP. So all English pig producers and vets can join the industry-wide drive to improve pig health and reduce costs.
BPEX says the national Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP) project will need the support of veterinary surgeons to:
BPEX regional health coordinator Helen Clarke said: "The surveys are filled in by vets during quarterly farm visits to gather information on prevalence of four key diseases - swine dysentery, PRRS, enzootic pneumonia and mange. This is then used to populate a confidential online mapping service, which PHIP members can use to keep informed of health challenges in their area.
"The biosecurity audit is a series of simple to answer questions about current biosecurity practice of a unit. This then forms the basis for biosecurity planning and discussions to help clients make improvements and review their impact."
A further benefit when producers sign up to the PHIP is free-of-charge post-mortem information from the BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS). The BPHS provides producers with detailed post-mortem health reports when they submit pigs to participating abattoirs.
Clients who are:
Practices can claim £50 per unit for completing the survey and biosecurity audits. This still needs to be claimed through specific regional systems because of current funding contracts.
Contact Helen Clarke for details: helen.clarke@bpex.ahdb.org.uk or 07973 701369. Visit http://www.pighealth.org.uk/
Royal Canin is to launch a hepatic diet for cats.
Available from July 2011, Royal Canin Hepatic Feline is designed to provide nutritional support to the cat post-surgery and throughout a wide range of clinical conditions including cholangitis, cholestasis, portosystemic shunts, hepatic encephalopathy, liver failure and hepatic copper accumulation.
Royal Canin says the diet includes the use of highly digestible vegetable proteins which reduce the workload of the recovering liver; low copper levels to help reduce the risk to the liver of damage caused by copper and bile interaction; an exclusive antioxidant complex to neutralise free radicals, and balanced mineral levels to help counteract electrolyte imbalances caused by liver disease.
The company also says Royal Canin Hepatic Feline is 'outstandingly palatable', making it much easier for the cat (and the owner) to adhere to the regime.
Royal Canin Hepatic Canine is also available in both wet and dry versions. For more information, contact your Royal Canin Veterinary Business Manager, call 0845 717 800, or visit http://www.royalcanin.co.uk/.
The National Office of Animal Health has completed its annual review of its Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines, and a number of changes will come into effect on 1st July 2011.
One change spells out the way antimicrobial medicines are promoted to farmers, with a firm emphasis on correct use and education.
Advertisers will be required to describe the condition the product is aiming to treat, and to promote an understanding of the treatment of the disease.
The phrase "use medicines responsibly" will always be included in text, making the voluntary strapline introduced in 2009 a formal part of the NOAH Code. As with all promotions to people other than prescribers, farmers will always be reminded to consult their veterinary surgeon.
Advertising text will always state clearly the name of the company and the brand being promoted, and promotion must not be designed to disguise its real nature.
Withdrawal periods for products will be stated, but these must not be unduly prominent and not in a font size greater than the body copy containing recommended dosage and species description.
The changes were proposed by NOAH within its formal response to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's consultation on the Veterinary Medicines Regulation 2010. The Minister decided in December 2010 to continue to allow the advertising of antimicrobial veterinary products to farmers.
Phil Sketchley, NOAH Chief Executive, said: "Whilst welcoming the Government's decision in December not to further restrict the advertising of animal medicines, we feel that the industry should take a proactive role to ensure the system works properly. We believe it is important for farmers, who are legally responsible for the health and welfare of their animals and the food produced from them, to be aware of the medicines that are available to protect the health of their animals, and at the same time we want them to know that these medicines must be prescribed and used responsibly.
"The issue of antimicrobial resistance is one that affects us all. The way to promote best practice is through education by maintaining all lines of communication between farmers, vets, scientists and animal medicine producers.
"Antibiotics are essential for maintaining the health and welfare of all animals, but like any medicine they need to be used responsibly in order to maintain their effectiveness, and their availability for future generations."
Seven graduands from The University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science have become the first from the new school to become members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Nottingham is the first new veterinary school in the UK for over 50 years, and the process to recognise its degree for the purposes of RCVS membership is currently in its final stages. Following a visitation and audit process, RCVS Council unanimously recommended the degree's approval to the Privy Council, where the final decision lies.
Generally, veterinary graduates become RCVS members - which they need to be in order to practise in the UK - at a ceremony on the day of their graduation. However, sometimes they wish to start work before graduation and can therefore apply to register as graduands, as in this case.
Although formal Privy Council approval of the Nottingham degree is still awaited, RCVS external examiners have overseen the School's final exams during the last year of the course to ensure that they meet the required standards.
The Nottingham graduation ceremony will take place on 22 July, when a further 77 students will graduate, and those wishing to practise in the UK will become members of the College.
The RCVS 2010 Survey of the Veterinary and Veterinary Nursing Professions indicated that, on average, new graduates took one month to find work on graduating, with 63% going straight into clinical practice.
Ceva Animal Health UK has announced that following the success of it's TV advertising campaign for Feliway earlier this year, which boosted sales by 30%, it'll be running the Feliway campaign again, throughout July.
Featuring 'That Purple Cat', who is liked by over 2,300 people on Facebook, Ceva says the campaign will help raise awareness of the signs of behavioural issues in cats, such as vertical scratching, and highlight the benefits of using the pheromone. The advertisement will target Feliway's key audience and will be seen by over 5 million people when it appears on channels such as Dave, E4, Gold, More4 and Yesterday.
For further information or to view the TV advertising campaign, visit www.secrettohappypets.com.
Supreme Petfoods has launched the VetCarePlus range of Monoforage® diets for rabbits.
According to the company, the new range represents an entirely new generation of rabbit food, made possible because of a breakthrough in production technology.
The big advance is the level of fibre within a mono-component style diet: 28%-34% across the range, along with the inclusion - uniquely - of essential long fibre particles. Supreme says the result is a less dense food that is beneficial for a rabbit's sensitive digestion system, with the added benefit of extending the feeding time, which is good for dental wear.
The company also says VetCarePlus performs exceptionally well in palatability tests and that it's been widely welcomed throughout the rabbit welfare community. Molly Varga BVetMed DZooMed MRCVS said: "This is exactly what convalescing rabbits need, an excellent level of fibre with no chance of selective feeding plus a good slow chew rate".
The range comprises three specific formulas for Weight Management, Urinary Tract Health and Digestive Health.
Supreme says feedback on samples sent to welfare organisations, veterinary schools and practicing vets so far has been very positive. Vets are delighted with the simplicity of the products, and have welcomed the way Monoforage encapsulates all the benefits of hay, with minimal processing compared to other diets.
Molly Varga added: "All the benefits of hay are preserved while this diet gives more volume of fibre per measurement of food than I have seen before, without increasing the weight (and therefore energy) components". VetCarePlus delivers the maximum possible crude fibre and long fibre content available to date.
Claire Hamblion, Marketing Manager for VetCarePlus said: "Supreme Petfoods feels that VetCarePlus is pushing forward the boundaries on specialist diets for rabbits. Monoforage provides completely unique levels of fibre and we're delighted that all the feedback we have received from a wide range of experts has been exceptionally enthusiastic and welcoming".
For more information on how to stock VetCarePlus products contact Supreme Petfoods at sales@supremepetfoods.com or visit http://www.supremeprofessional.com/
The BSAVA has announced that Nottingham Trent University will be the accrediting body for the new Postgraduate Surgery and Medicine Certificates being launched in January 2012.
BSAVA says the planning for this new education initiative has been exhaustive, ensuring that the needs of the profession and the individual vet can be met by a provider with an excellent legacy in veterinary education. And also, an organisation with a genuine interest in seeing the highest scientific standards are matched by a relevant, cost-effective, and accessible programme that fits with life in practice today. To that end, finding the right validation partner was a crucial part of the planning.
Dr Frances Barr, BSAVA Academic Director, said: "This is an exciting new venture in postgraduate CPD, and will ultimately lead to qualifications which are achievable for those in practice and directly relates to their experience. Yet of course, these qualifications must remain challenging enough to merit the respect of the profession and meet the standards of the clinical excellence we all want to see.
"We are confident that BSAVA is the provider to deliver just this, but finding the right partner to validate the programmes was especially important. We want to know that we can move forward with the support and backing of an accrediting body that encourages academic excellence and at the same time understands the need to remain relevant and engaging to busy professionals."
These new qualifications are primarily aimed at veterinary surgeons in small animal practice, who have a particular interest in small animal medicine or surgery. So busy professionals is exactly who they are designed for. This appeals particularly to BSAVA President Andrew Ash, who as well as running the Association heads a six site practice in Sussex. He said: "As an employer I see more and more people who want some recognition for the time they spend fulfilling their professional CPD requirement - and with these discipline-based certificates I can see a way that at any point in your career you can now be rewarded with not only a greater breadth of knowledge and confidence, but with a certificate to show for your efforts.
"I am a great advocate of continual education, and having made a commitment to postgraduate study myself in the past I know how important supported learning is, and how essential it is to have an environment that both acknowledges your other commitments and gives you the support to achieve your ambitions. We are determined to do that.
"Of course I am delighted that this is being launched in my year as President. I am even more delighted that we have Frances Barr to lead this - her experience and enthusiasm is as impressive in this role as it was when she was BSAVA president".
Gill Richards, Director of Professional Development at Nottingham Trent chaired the validation visit at Woodrow House. She said: "Nottingham Trent is especially interested in working with professions in this way to help ensure the quality of provision on postgraduate education for people at all stages of their careers. It was our pleasure to confirm validation today and we look forward to working with the team at BSAVA. It is unusual for anyone to receive the number of commendations that were made today, and what has impressed us most about BSAVA is the impressive quality of the teaching team and materials, and the innovative response to meeting a national demand for a course of this quality".
Enrolment will opening October. The courses will be limited to 30 in each programme. Anyone interested in enrolling for one of these certificate programmes can email academicdirector@bsasva.com or call 01452 726700.
According to a survey carried out by Pfizer, veterinary surgeons are generally upbeat about the business prospects for their practice this year, despite predicting a harsh economic environment for the industry as a whole in 2011.
The Pulse Survey of more than 400 practice owners and their senior management teams, which presents a snapshot of market sentiment, revealed that predictions for the veterinary market in general remained as gloomy as 2010. Over half (52%) of respondents believed that conditions for the industry would get more challenging.
However, the response from owners about their own practice's performance was more bullish with a third (34%) believing their prospects will improve.
Pfizer Business Consultant, James White, said: "Practices are right to remain cautiously optimistic about 2011 if we accept it's going to be a challenging year. Some practices came slightly unstuck in 2010 as a result of the knock-on effects of the economic downturn on pet owners' pockets. However, by implementing the correct strategies now there are still opportunities for growth. Client loyalty is the buzz word and should remain a key component of any practice strategy being implemented in the coming months."
Pfizer launched the Pulse survey in Autumn 2010 to deliver up to date analysis on a range of issues that senior management teams at practice level are witnessing. According to the company, the survey is attracting a growing volume of respondents. All participants receive a summary report of the Pulse Survey findings.
Pfizer's team of Business Consultants is working with practices throughout the country to pinpoint their individual business challenges, offer solutions through the company's Vet Support+ service and work with the practices to drive growth. For further information visit http://www.vetsupportplus.co.uk/.
It's the final call for comments on the draft new RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, as the consultation closes on Friday, 24 June 2011.
The new draft Code, which is intended to replace the existing RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, was produced by a Working Party set up by the RCVS Advisory Committee.
The new Code is a short, principles-based document using the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe's Code of Conduct as the starting point. It will be supported by additional advice on specific areas of veterinary practice or issues, for example, clinical governance.
New requirements in the Code include compulsory continuing professional development, the RCVS Health Protocol and more on clinical competence. It also contains an updated declaration to be made by veterinary surgeons, which gives increased emphasis to animal welfare.
The new Code, together with the consultation paper, can be downloaded at www.rcvs.org.uk/codeconsultation.
Comments, which are welcomed from the profession and the public, should be sent by email to Christopher Murdoch, Secretary to the Guides Review Working Party, at c.murdoch@rcvs.org.uk by Friday, 24 June 2011.
A separate consultation will open shortly on a draft RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.
Abbott Animal Health has announced the launch PropoFlo Plus, a 28-day preserved version of propofol intravenous anaesthetic for use in dogs and cats.
PropoFlo Plus contains benzyl alcohol, an antimicrobial preservative that provides it with a shelf life of 28 days, once opened. PropoFlo Plus is indicated for therapeutic use as a short-acting, intravenous general anaesthetic with a short recovery period. PropoFlo Plus can be used for procedures of a short duration, lasting up to approximately five minutes, and for induction of general anaesthesia where maintenance is provided by inhalation anaesthetic agents. Abbott says the extended shelf life of PropoFlo Plus provides an option for practices that may not routinely use an entire bottle of unpreserved propofol.
Jeff Schaffnit, Senior Director of Global Sales, Marketing and Business Development, Abbott Animal Health said: "Many veterinary surgeons are rightfully concerned about ways to save on costs and reduce waste in their practices, including anaesthetic waste. PropoFlo Plus is designed to minimise waste while providing veterinary surgeons with the confidence of using a familiar, trusted anaesthetic."
Abbott says that in addition to an extended shelf life, PropoFlo Plus provides the same established performance of PropoFlo, including:
The company also claims that studies show administering PropoFlo Plus results in no pain on injection.
PropoFlo Plus is available now through veterinary wholesalers. Abbott says it will be providing expert product support for PropoFlo Plus through local representatives, anaesthesia consultants and training tools for staff.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has established a new Foundation with a remit to improve global companion animal care through science and education.
The WSAVA Foundation, a not-for-profit body, is now identifying a range of potential projects, which it says are likely to include:
It is also identifying sources of funding, grants and partnerships with the veterinary pharmaceutical and pet nutrition sectors and other potential donors.
Dr Larry Dee, WSAVA Foundation President, former WSAVA President and co-owner of a large companion animal practice in Florida, said: "The creation of this new Foundation is one of the WSAVA's most exciting initiatives to date. We have an ambitious vision to improve global companion animal care through science and education.
With its establishment, global veterinary medicine now has a wonderful opportunity to utilize the networking resources and global 'connectivity' of WSAVA to deliver on its goal of improving companion care everywhere. We will be announcing details of our first initiatives shortly."
For further information on the WSAVA Foundation, please contact the WSAVA Secretariat at wsavasecretariat@gmail.com.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced that it has received approval for the intramuscular (IM) route of administration of Nuflor Minidose 450 mg/ml, a florfenicol-containing broad-spectrum antibiotic for the management of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
Nuflor Minidose was approved initially in 2008 for subcutaneous (SC) use only and the now approved IM administration route is a line extension. According to Intervet/Schering Plough, IM administration (20 mg/kg administered twice, 48h apart) offers additional flexibility for the veterinary surgeon when treating cattle for BRD.
The company adds that Nuflor Minidose is the florfenicol injectable formulation which offers the lowest injection volume, which in particular is practical when treating heavier animals (thereby avoiding large injection volumes). The withdrawal period after IM administration of NUFLOR Minidose is only 37 days and is considerably shorter as compared to 64 days after SC use (40 mg/kg body weight injected once).
Francis Adriaens, Global Marketing Director, Global Ruminants Business Unit at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "Our customers requested the IM claim when Nuflor Minidose was first introduced and we are delighted to be able to recommend this route of administration hence forth."
Nuflor Minidose is indicated for preventive and therapeutic treatment of BRD in cattle caused by Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multicoda and Histophilus somni susceptible to florfenicol. The presence of the disease in the herd should be confirmed before administering preventive treatment.
RCVS Day - the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards - will be held on Friday 1 July 2011 at One Great George Street, London.
All members and listed/registered veterinary nurses are invited to attend the day, which will start at 10am with AGM business, followed by the celebration of veterinary and veterinary nursing achievements. Professor Soraya Shirazi-Beechey will be receiving her Honorary Associateship and Dr James Kirkwood and Des Thompson will be accepting their Honorary Fellowships.
A new award to mark the 50th anniversary of veterinary nursing will also be presented, as well as a Lifetime Contribution Award from the RCVS Charitable Trust.
In his last official engagement as President, Peter Jinman will give a review of his year before formally welcoming new Council and VN Council Members, and Dr Jerry Davies to the role of President for 2011-2012.
To celebrate Vet2011, the RCVS is honoured to announce that there will be two guest speakers this year - Dr Christophe Buhot DVM and Professor Gary England FRCVS, who will deliver a talk about the history and future direction of veterinary education.
For tickets, which are free and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, please contact Fiona Harcourt at the RCVS on f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773.
Defra has announced that Great Britain is to be declared bluetongue-free from 5th July 2011.
From this date, bluetongue susceptible species being exported from Great Britain will no longer need to be vaccinated against BTV8 or meet any of the other 'Annex III conditions.
However, the current EU Bluetongue Directive only allows bluetongue vaccination within a protection zone, so from 5th July vaccination will no longer be permitted in Great Britain.
The British Veterinary Association is supporting Defra to lobby for these rules to be changed to allow vaccination in bluetongue areas.
Harvey Locke, BVA President, said: "The move to bluetongue freedom is thanks to the excellent partnership between government, farmers and vets across Great Britain. It is a tremendous achievement to turn the situation around from the outbreak in 2007 to freedom in 2011.
"We are disappointed that changes to the EU Directive to allow vaccination to continue could not be made before the deadline and we will continue to work with Defra to try to secure this change as soon as possible to allow vets and farmers to make the right choice to protect their herds.
"Those farmers and vets that wish to vaccinate must do so before the 5th July.
"The BVA would reiterate the message to farmers to source stock responsibly to help avoid a future outbreak."
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has increased its range of marketing and educational materials about heart disease and the use of Vetmedin.
The materials include canine heart disease awareness posters for either the waiting room or consult room which feature 'static cling' technology, enabling them to stick to any surface without adhesive, as well as information leaflets, owner booklets, health diaries and dog tags.
Materials for dog owners are designed to inform about the signs to look out for with heart disease, and the steps involved in the diagnosis and management of the condition. There's a post-prescription owner booklet which features a health diary for dog owners to fill in, allowing them to track any changes in their dog's condition, as well as details on the telltale signs of heart failure and the benefits of Vetmedin.
Also available in the range are materials to help make prescribing the optimum dose of Vetmedin as easy as possible, including dose optimisation mouse mats, dose dials, treatment algorithms and interactive dose calculators on CD for those veterinary practices without internet access.
For further information, please contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or call 01344 746959.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Council and the Veterinary Nursing Council have decided that there will be no increase in registration and retention fees for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for 2012.
Last year, the Councils decided that a lower than inflation increase should apply to fees for 2011 to help mitigate the impact of the difficult economic climate on veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. Members who are over 70 and who cease practising do not have to pay fees if they wish to remain on the Register.
Bradley Viner, RCVS Treasurer said: "We know times are tough financially for many people and hope that freezing fees will help a little. Professional regulation can be costly, but we try to keep fees as low as possible."
The RCVS financial policy remains that fee increases should be small and incremental in order to avoid a need for periodic sharp fee hikes resulting from inflationary pressures.
Fees for 2012 will be as follows:
2012 fees (£)
Veterinary surgeons
UK-practising retention fee
299
Overseas-practising retention fee
150
Non-practising retention fee
49
Non-practising retention fee (over 70 years old)
0
Registration fee
Temporary registration fee
Restoration fee
Restoration fee following voluntary removal
75
Veterinary nurses
Retention fee
61
Following ongoing lobbying by the British Veterinary Association and others, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has dropped controversial plans for a new veterinary medicines category - POM EA (prescription-only medicine extended administration).
The proposed category has been discussed at the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) since 2009. The original purpose was to provide a new category under which a veterinary surgeon would make a clinical assessment and, if appropriate, issue a Veterinary Permission of Extended Administration (VPEA) allowing the animal holder to obtain the prescribed POM EA medicine (from a veterinarian, pharmacist or SQP) for up to 36 months from the date of authorisation.
The BVA, along with its specialist divisions, says it opposed POM EA from the outset and failed to see that there was any justification for a new category. Veterinary surgeons are already able to write prescriptions for extended use and, as most health plans are reviewed annually, anything beyond a yearly assessment would be unacceptable on health and welfare grounds. An additional category would have also taken the UK even further out of step with the rest of the EU.
The BVA submitted written comments and attended a stakeholder meeting with the VMD to discuss concerns. Despite the VMD suggesting revisions to the original proposal the BVA and other stakeholders maintained that the new category was unnecessary.
Following these consultations, the VPC decided, at a meeting in March, not to progress the proposal any further.
Harvey Locke, President of the BVA, said: "We are extremely pleased that the Veterinary Products Committee has listened to our concerns and decided to drop its plans for POM EA.
"The BVA felt strongly that the proposed new category was unnecessary at best and potentially harmful to animal health and welfare at worst.
"In all fields of practice veterinary surgeons would not feel comfortable prescribing for such long periods without regular contact with the animals they care for."
The publicly supported Dog Control Bill moves a step closer towards changing dangerous dog legislation for good as it reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords today.
Over 10,000 people signed up to support it and animal welfare organisations and charities throughout the UK are backing it; Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill would replace the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), by targeting the inappropriate behaviour of any dog, and more importantly the owners of such dogs, to reduce the occurrence of serious dog incidents, rather than continuing to demonise specific breeds or types.
The Bill is championed by the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), a wide-ranging group representing animal welfare, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations who have been actively involved in resolving the inadequacies of the current 'dangerous dog' legislation for many years.
The DDASG considers that the Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be overhauled to better protect the public and that a new dog control regime which emphasises responsible dog ownership should be introduced.
DDASG Chairman Chris Laurence said: "We have had considerable input into the Dog Control Bill and are confident that the Bill takes huge steps towards changing the manner in which owners of dogs that are out of control will be dealt with; the emphasis being on the prevention of dog bites."
The Report Stage of the Dog Control Bill is listed as the first item of business in the House of Lords on this morning and comes as Defra's public consultation on dangerous dogs shows further support for this approach with 71% of respondents calling for breed specific legislation to be repealed.
In support of the Bill, the DDASG launched a petition which has received over 10,000 signatures. The petition can be found at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/repeal-and-replace-the-dangerous-dogs-act.html. The DDASG has also been working with other major stakeholders including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and will be issuing a joint briefing to government tomorrow, entitled 'Finding solutions to irresponsible dog ownership' which outlines where urgent action must be taken in existing dog legislation to improve huge inadequacies within the law.
Subject to the Bill passing the Report Stage, the Third Reading will take place after summer recess before moving to the House of Commons for further consideration. For more information on the DDASG, Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill and current legislation, visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/928.
According to a survey of 2,000 dog owners by Burgess Supadog Sensitive, 18% of women say they speak to their dog more than their partner or husband.
Not only that, but it seems the older you are, the more likely you are to strike up a conversation with the dog: 21 per cent of respondents aged 45-54 said they talked to their dog more than their partner as opposed to 10 per cent of 18-24 year olds.
Other findings from the survey included:
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched a competition to find 12 dogs that have responded well to treatment with Vetmedin, to feature in the company's forthcoming 2012 Better Dogs calendar.
Boehringer is particularly interested in hearing about dogs with funny or quirky stories, or ones that have made a dramatic heart-warming recovery. If the submission makes it to the short list of 12 they will be featured in Vetmedin's 2012 Better Dogs Calendar which will be available to veterinary practices later in the year. In addition, the vet with the best story will win a £250 Red Letter Days' voucher with the 11 runners up winning the new BSAVA Manual of Thoracic Imaging.
In return for pet owners agreeing to their dog's story being submitted, Boehringer will send each veterinary practice a complimentary pack of either Vetmedin 1.25mg x 50 tablets or Vetmedin 5.0mg x 50 tablets, depending on the normal prescription, to give to their client.
Entries can be made either on the 2012 Better Dogs Calendar form which can be found in a recent Vetmedin mailing or via email to vetmedin.bra@boehringer-ingelheim.com. All entries should be accompanied by a photograph. Terms and conditions apply and the closing date for submissions is 30 September 2011.
For further information, please contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Territory Manager or call 01344 746959.