The British Veterinary Association has expressed disappointment at the Government's decision to introduce a licensing regime rather than impose an outright ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses.
Defra Secretary of State Caroline Spelman announced today that a ban on circus animals could not be introduced in the UK now because a ban introduced in Austria is currently being challenged under European law. In a written ministerial statement she said that the Government will now draw up standards for a new licensing regime.
BVA President Harvey Locke said: "The BVA strongly supported a ban because we believe the welfare of these animals is emblematic of the way we treat all animals under the care of humans.
"The welfare needs of non-domesticated, wild animals cannot be met within the environment of a travelling circus; especially in terms of accommodation and the ability to express normal behaviour. A licensing scheme will not address these issues."
Together with the RPSCA, Captive Animals' Protection Society and the Born Free Foundation, the BVA has wholeheartedly supported The Independent's campaign to ban wild animals in circuses. Over 15,000 people have signed The Independent's online petition, which is still open. Mr Locke will be joining representatives from these groups to present the petition to Downing Street next week.
Mr Locke added: "Although it only affects a small number of animals at present there is no guarantee that the number of wild animals in circuses won't increase in the future and, despite the best intentions, the needs of these animals cannot be met adequately by the environmental conditions of a travelling circus.
"As soon as the Austria situation is resolved, we would urge the Government to reconsider and take action to prohibit the exploitation of these majestic animals whose existence in the confines of a circus is solely to entertain people."
The Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) has added Metacam for Horses to its 'list of detection times'.
According to the manufacturer, Boehringher Ingelheim Vetmedica, Metacam (meloxicam) is the first preferential COX-2 inhibitor to be added to this list, and has stated plasma and urine detection times of 72 hours administered intravenously or orally1. This is the shortest urine detection time of the NSAIDs available for use in horses, and compares to the 168-hour (7 days) detection time for phenylbutazone stated by the FEI.
Craig Beck, equine sales and marketing manager for Boehringer Ingelheim in the UK and Ireland said: "We have been very happy to work in partnership with the FEI to provide the robust data that has supported the FEI in their analysis of Metacam. Metacam is an important addition to the FEI list, that will help vets treating competition horses. There is now a modern and proven NSAID which extends the therapeutic options available to vets."
Metacam is licensed in horses for the alleviation of inflammation and relief of pain associated with musculo-skeletal disorders or colic.
For further information, please contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or call 01344 746959.
1 Detection Time agreed with the European Horse Racing Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC)
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has announced the launch of PORCILIS AR-T DF, an inactivated vaccine against progressive atrophic rhinitis in piglets with a new adjuvant which the company says is associated with fewer injection site reactions.
PORCILIS AR-T DF uses DILUVAC FORTE (DF), an aqueous vitamin E-based adjuvant and will replace PORCILIS AR-T, a similar vaccine containing an oil-based adjuvant. The newly formulated vaccine is approved to reduce the clinical signs of progressive atrophic rhinitis in their offspring. Progressive atrophic rhinitis is caused by a toxin from the bacteria Pasteurella multocida affecting bone-forming cells in the snout of the young piglet.
Marc Dickie, Senior Director, Global Swine Business Unit at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "The innovative PORCILIS AR-T DF vaccine combines the proven efficacy of the current PORCILIS AR-T with an improved safety profile and convenience for the veterinarian that is offered by the aqueous DILUVAC FORTE adjuvant. The new vaccine also demonstrates the commitment of our company to continuously improve our vaccines, thereby offering value-added benefits to our customers."
Eurovet has launched Relaquine 35 mg/ml Oral Gel for Horses - a licensed acepromazine (ACP) in a gel format.
The company says Relaquine can be used to sedate horses for examination and in stressful situations that some horses find hard to deal with such as farriery, box rest, dentistry and clipping where highly-strung horses can cause problems. Relaquine is administered orally or mixed with food and is available as an adjustable syringe format containing 10 ml of gel.
Relaquine is the fourth product launch this year by Eurovet and the company says there is more in the pipeline for 2011.
Relaquine Oral Gel is expected to be available to order from veterinary wholesalers from Monday 16th May. Eurovet is also offering an introductory promotion: for further details contact Eurovet on 01223 257933.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has added a cardiology CPD section to its Vetmedin website. The section also includes a number of owner education resources to be used in practice.
The site, which is billed as a one-stop-shop on canine heart disease, includes an interactive radiology viewer, the Vetmedin atlas of cardiac radiology, radiology interpretation and diagnosis, an interactive MVD seminar and online downloadable Vetmedin dosage calculator to assist veterinary surgeons in prescribing the optimum dose.
Owner education materials include an animation explaining how to monitor a dog's resting respiratory rate, a video about heart failure and downloadable charts to help owners monitor their dog's condition.
For further information, visit www.vetmedin.co.uk, contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or call 01344 746959.
A YouGov poll commissioned at the start of this month's National Vaccination Month Campaign by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has shown that pet vaccination rates nationally have remained stable between 2009 and 2011 despite the recession.
This could suggest that pet owners who do vaccinate generally accept that vaccination is not a discretionary item of spending which can be dropped in financially hard times. This is in contrast to worming, pet insurance and health checks, things which the survey found that between 6% and 9% of owners have cut back on.
Nevertheless, the survey supported industry data which shows that very considerable numbers of Britain's pets are left unvaccinated, with strong regional variations:
According to the YouGov survey, cost is a factor in more than 39% of cases where owners of a cat, dog, rabbit or horse are failing to vaccinate.
However, during National Vaccination Month, pet owners can download a voucher for a discounted vaccination offering savings of around £30 from participating surgeries throughout May. Unvaccinated and eligible dogs, cats, rabbits and horses are all included in the scheme and more than 2000 vet practices are taking part in the campaign nationwide.
Angus Robinson from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "The survey suggests that not only is there a demand for National Vaccination Month - 76% of those not vaccinating said they would take advantage of a scheme like this. But there is also a real need for client education. A staggering 91% of those polled said they would get their pet vaccinated if they were aware that there was disease in their area. Without wishing to scare people, we do need to alert pet owners to the fact that pet disease is out there. It is the kind of thing that they never think is going to happen to their beloved pet but when it does, it is devastating."
BCF has launched the Easi-Scan remote display, designed for on-farm use.
The company says the Easi-Scan offers unprecedented display performance, is very portable (weighing less than 2Kg) and very rugged. According to the company, Its 8.4" transflective LCD screen provides excellent quality images for fertility and pregnancy scanning meaning it can be used as the sole display for BCF's Easi-Scan and Duo-Scan ultrasound scanners. And with a dedicated channel button, you can switch between all available ultrasound channels, allowing you to view a number of examinations at once.
The Easi-Scan is also available with a Gorilla pod allowing it to be attached to railings and a carry strap.
Gavin Mitchell from BCF said: "At BCF innovation is key; we have invested a lot of time developing a remote display monitor that is well suited to the needs of the market. Through listening to our customers, we feel we have successfully achieved this. It is ideal for training purposes and viewing multiple exams. It is also the only wireless and splashproof remote ultrasound display on the market."
For more information call 01506 460023 or visit http://www.bcftechnology.com/.
VetSurgeon member Viki Edmondson MRCVS is taking part in a drive to help 13-year-old Octavia Woodward, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), raise £100,000 to help The SMA Trust.
Viki, a well-known vet in the carriage driving world, will be joining Octavia on 'Octavia's Mad Marathon', a five-day, 110 mile carriage drive from Windsor to Wincanton.
Octavia will be driving her pony, Diddy, with her mother Henrietta as co-driver. Meanwhile, Viki will be driving a pair of Gelderlander horses. They'll be leaving the main ring at the Royal Windsor Horse Show with a support crew at 3:30pm on 13th May.
Viki graduated from Bristol Veterinary School in 1993. Since 2001 she has run her own equine practice plus a small animal surgery from the Newdigate, Surrey farm she shares with husband Peter. Viki has known Octavia since she was born and it was Viki who paired up Diddy with Octavia and encouraged her to progress from walking round the roads to the excitement of "off-roading". Viki will be providing support and encouragement to Octavia during the trip - of course with any veterinary help being close by.
To support Viki and Octavia, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/vikithevet
For the first time BSAVA is running a Case Report Competition to be held at the annual Scottish BSAVA Congress (26-28th August 2011 at the Edinburgh Conference Centre).
Veterinary surgeons, nurses and students are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 400 words detailing a case and interesting discussion points.
Cases will then be selected for a short presentation at the congress
Successful selection will entitle the presenter to free congress registration on that day.
At the end of the session, a BSAVA manual of the winner's choice will be awarded to the case report deemed favourite by the audience.
Abstracts should be submitted via email by the 15 June 2011 and notification of acceptance will be given by the 30 June 2011.
Please send any enquires or submissions to Gerard McLauchlan (g.mclauchlan.1@research.gla.ac.uk) or Yvonne McGrotty (yvonne.mcgrotty@vets-now.com).
Vetoquinol has just launched its Marbocyl 10% online case study competition in which veterinary surgeons are being invited to provide information about how they treat E.coli mastitis. Two winners (one in the UK and one in Ireland) will win a BCF EASI-SCAN cattle ultrasound scanner with goggles worth over £6000.
Vetoquinol's large animal product manager, Susan Mitchell said: "We hope that this case study competition will help us gather further information on how E.coli mastitis is treated by veterinary surgeons in the UK and Ireland. I would encourage large animal veterinary surgeons to be part of this UK and Irish survey to highlight the severity of the disease and share their success stories."
The competition will run until the end of October 2011.
For your chance to win a BCF EASI-SCAN and goggles visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/.
A survey commissioned by a new Sky TV series, Pets for Life, carried out in association with The Blue Cross, has found that 500,000 (2%) of Britain's 24 million pet owners say they no longer have money for their pet's food and are reduced to feeding the household animal with leftovers.
The survey also found that while two-thirds of pet owners dig deep into their pockets to find an average of £11.04 each week to care for their pets, one in five (21%) say they are dropping essentials such as visits to the vet in a bid to bring the weekly pet bill to under £5.
The poll of 1,200 pet owners indicated that higher insurance premiums, rising vet bills and rocketing pet-food prices have pushed the cost of owning a pet up to £574.08 a year. Nearly half of pet owners (47% or 12.2 million people) now spend an average of £9.40 on their pet each week, with a further 15% (3.9 million people) spending £19.50 a week, and 7% (1.8 million people) forking out more than £60 a week to keep their animals healthy and happy.
This comes as The Blue Cross revealed a 19% increase in stray and abandoned animals taken into its adoption centres in the last year compared to the same period the year before, with a total of 38 rabbits, 979 cats, and 419 dogs left to wander the streets. In addition, over 4,000 animals were given up voluntarily, many for financial reasons such as the owner being made homeless, having to move house or losing their job.
Laura Sleight, head of media relations at The Blue Cross said: "We pride ourselves on being a nation of animal lovers, but the sad reality is that some pet owners can either no longer afford to keep their pets or are unable to provide a suitable home for them. Animals add so much to our lives but it's important that people understand the cost, time and commitment involved before taking one on. Pets for Life aims to tackle these issues and provide real solutions to the everyday problems that can result in animals being given up or abandoned."
Pets for Life is on Sky Showcase (Channel 201, Freesat 403) on Sunday 8th May at 6:00pm and on Tuesdays at 7:30pm (repeated on Sundays) for at least a further seven weeks thereafter.
Virbac Animal Health has launched 'Spray to Win' competition in which vets who use the topical corticosteroid Cortavance between now and the end of June have the chance to win one of five Canon Ixus Cameras worth £150.
To enter the competition, ask your territory manager for a Spray to Win card, spray the pictured dog to ease his pruritus, and answer one question.
Winning cards will reveal either a camera or a 124 page manual on topical glucocorticoid therapy compiled by a group of the world's leading dermatologists.
Virbac product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said the purpose of the campaign is to illustrate the efficacy of Cortavance as the first line treatment for all pruritic and inflammatory skin disorders: "As a potent skin-specific steroid with no detectable harmful effects¹ and competitive pricing, it's an ideal first line treatment for all atopic dermatitis cases."
There are also automatic rewards in the form of a clinical handbook on canine dermatology or a didactic atlas on canine dermatoses with every 10 bottles of Cortavance purchased, or get both with 15 bottles.
The supply of spray cards is limited, so anyone wishing to obtain a card is advised to contact their Virbac territory manager as soon as possible, or call 01359 243243.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has announced the results of the 2011 RCVS and VN Council elections.
Elected to the RCVS Council are:
Not elected are:
For the first time in eight years, all six successful RCVS Council candidates have served on Council before, although one - Sandy Trees - is currently an appointed, rather than an elected, member.
For VN Council, one existing member has been returned and two new members have been elected:
Not elected to VN Council was:
Following rises in previous turnouts, voting figures have dropped markedly this year in both RCVS and VN Councils elections, to 15.9% (3,887 voters) and 7.6% (723 voters) respectively. The previous turnouts were 18.8% (in 2010) and 11.2% (in 2009).
RCVS Registrar Jane Hern said: "It's certainly disappointing that the turnout has dropped so much this year. It's unclear whether this is due to lack of time, lack of awareness, or lack of interest, but perhaps anyone who didn't vote could let us know why, so we can see what we could do to increase participation.
"Nevertheless, my congratulations to all successful candidates, who I look forward to formally welcoming, or welcoming back, onto the Councils at RCVS Day in July, and my commiserations to those who were unsuccessful this time and who I hope won't be discouraged from standing again next year."
This year's chosen charity - the Veterinary Benevolent Fund - will receive a cheque for £922 arising from the College's pledge to donate 20p for each veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurse who cast a vote.
An online presentation by Danielle Gunn-Moore, Professor of Feline Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, has been launched by Dechra Veterinary Products as part of its Dechra Academy training suite.
During the presentation, Professor Gunn-Moore uses a case study approach to discuss all aspects of the condition from diagnosis through to its treatment, management and on-going monitoring. She reminds viewers that an individual approach must be taken in treating affected cats as the clinical signs can be subtle and starting treatment with the lowest possible dose of anti-thyroid medication is likely to prove physiologically beneficial.
"The study I've recently been involved in showed that the treatment of hyperthyroid cats can result in iatrogenic hypothyroidism*. Hypothyroid cats are significantly more likely to develop azotaemia than euthyroid cats - and hypothyroid cats that developed azotaemia in the study had significantly shorter survival times*.
"The message for practitioners is that there is no 'standard recipe' in treating hyperthyroidism. The clinical signs aren't always obvious and it's important to check for concurrent heart and kidney disease. You then need to tailor treatment, starting with a low dose of medication and, if necessary, increasing it by the smallest increments possible."
To watch Professor Gunn-Moore's presentation, visit www.dechra.co.uk/hyperthyroidism.
Reference:* Williams, T. et al (2010) JVIM 24: 1086-1092
Defra has announced plans to form a new Animal Health and Welfare Board for England which will bring experts including farmers, veterinary surgeons, welfare experts and others from outside Government together with the Chief Veterinary Officer and civil servants to make direct policy recommendations on policy affecting the health and welfare of all kept animals such as farm animals, horses and pets.
According to Agriculture Minister Jim Paice, it is the first time that people affected by Government policy on animal health and welfare will make recommendations on those policies directly to Ministers.
Mr Paice said: "This is a completely new way of working. It replaces the old ways, where the people most affected by decisions were kept at arm's length from policy making on those subjects.
"This is about the Big Society not just existing in our communities, but in the heart of Government - helping to put the decisions in the hands of those who are doing the work on the ground.
"We've already seen the success of a partnership between farmers and the Government with the work that's been done on bluetongue - which has seen the disease virtually eradicated in this country."
Final decisions on animal health and welfare policy will remain in the hands of Government Ministers.
The Board will be made up of around 12 members, 5 senior Defra officials including the Chief Veterinary Officer, and 7-8 external members including the chair. The external members will have experience and knowledge of kept and farmed animals, animal and veterinary science, and animal welfare, and could be farmers, veterinarians, animal welfare experts.
The Board and its members will have to represent the views of all stakeholders so will be expected to communicate with them regularly.
The Board's responsibilities will include:
The Board will not be set up as a non departmental public body or arms length body. It will form part of the internal structure of Defra.
Commenting on the announcement, Harvey Locke, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "The BVA is delighted that both the Advisory Group and Ministers have taken note of the veterinary profession's views in drawing up these plans.
"We said from the outset that genuine responsibility sharing has to be achieved before cost sharing can be discussed and we warned against earlier plans to separate animal health policy from animal welfare policy, as the two are intrinsically linked.
"Animal health and welfare policy issues require expert, scientific input and it will be essential that the new Board includes veterinary representation. We believe that the Board will provide the right mechanism for ensuring decisions are based on sound science.
"The new Board will also have to work closely with the three devolved administrations to ensure that animal health and welfare policies across the UK are joined up and complementary."
The RCVS Charitable Trust is offering two 'Blue Sky' grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 for basic or pure research intended to advance veterinary science.
Applications may be made for either an 'open' grant or a Robert Daubney Fellowship. Both are open to academic staff and students within UK veterinary schools. However, the Robert Daubney Fellowship is granted specifically for research within the fields of virology and helminthology, and has additional criteria including that applicants must be on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons, and hold a postgraduate veterinary qualification.
Cherry Bushell, the Trust's Director said: "This funding is offered for veterinary scientific research projects which meet our interests in innovation and development. In particular, pilot projects aiming to show a 'proof of concept' as a first stage of a more substantial project will be looked on favourably - if the project can then attract support from major funders this is likely to have more impact over the longer term."
The Trust aims to develop mutually beneficial partnerships with grant recipients, and innovative and exciting projects which can respond to these objectives through the grant-giving process and beyond are also preferred.
Further information, including full application criteria, is available from www.trust.rcvs.org.uk/grants. Preliminary applications should be made via the head of a UK veterinary school, and submitted to the Trust by 20 May 2011.
According to MORE TH>N pet insurance, men aren't just upset by the loss of a pet, 13% of them take a week or more off work if their pet is lost or stolen.
Notably, that compares to just 5% of women who have taken that much time off work to get over the upset caused by a pet going missing or being stolen.
According to the company, men are also more likely to cancel social engagements if a pet goes missing (15%) compared to women (12%).
In addition, men are prepared to spend more trying to find their pet than women, with almost 20% prepared to spend between £100 and £1000 for the safe return of an animal, compared to 14% of women.
Chartered psychologist, Beverly Stone said: "These findings highlight the inherent differences between men and women. Whereas women tend to fear for the potential loss of their pet when it goes missing and mourns the loss if their pet dies, a man not only experiences a similar fear and mourning but may also feel a strong sense of responsibility."As a consequence, they are likely to feel that they have failed to protect their pet. Men need more time to get over the guilt, and they would not want to be exposed to people asking what happened in social events, if they feel responsible''.
The research, conducted amongst 3000 British pet owners in March 2011, also revealed that a third of pet owners do not invest in pet insurance.
Ceva Animal Health is launching Fiprospot, a new spot-on for dogs and cats.
Fiprospot contains fipronil, with its proven efficacy against fleas in dogs and cats and against ticks in dogs. The product is packaged in a novel dosing pipette which can be placed on its stand before gathering the dog or cat for their treatment. There are five pack sizes available for Fiprospot: one for cats and four for dogs, with either three or six pipettes per pack.
To find out more about Fiprospot and other products in Ceva's antiparasite range, telephone the customer support team on (01494) 781510 or contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Virbac Animal Health has launched Allerderm, a topical spot on product designed to rebuild the epidermal barrier in dogs and cats with skin problems.
According to the company, Allerderm Spot-On contains a mimic of the normal lamellar lipids found in the stratum corneum: essential fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol.
Virbac Product Manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: The "outside-in" theory of inflammatory skin disease is now widely accepted - that is, the belief that a faulty epidermal barrier is the primary problem, allowing penetration of allergens which then triggers inflammation in the underlying skin.
"A healthy epidermal barrier is designed to keep in water and moisture, and keep out allergens and pathogens. The 'barrier repair' approach has been developed in human medicine and is now proving true in companion animal care.
"It is currently possible to help restore this barrier with oral essential fatty acid supplements like Complederm and with Allermyl shampoo, but this is an exciting new addition to the armoury."
Mr Geddes added: "In a study of allergic dogs1, researchers found that Allerderm spot on caused the level of lipids on the stratum corneum to return to almost the level of normal dogs."
Allerderm Spot-On is applied along the back of the dog or cat initially at weekly intervals, eventually reducing to monthly applications. It is available in packs of 6 pipettes in 2ml (suitable for cats and dogs less than 10kg) and 4ml (suitable for dogs over 10kg).
For further information on Allerderm Spot-On, contact your local Virbac territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.
Reference1. Effects of a Topically Applied Preparation of Epidermal Lipids on the Stratum Corneum Barrier of Atopic Dogs, A. Piekutowska, D. Pin, C.A. Réme, H. Gatto and M. Haftek, Journal of Comparative Pathology 2008, Vol. 138, 197-203
Vetoquinol UK has launched Sodium Salicyl 80%, a water soluble, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
Sodium Salicyl 80% contains 800mg of sodium salicylate and is indicated for supportive treatment of pyrexia in acute respiratory disease in calves (of at least two weeks of age). In pigs, Sodium Salicyl 80% is indicated for the treatment of inflammation, in combination with concurrent antibiotic therapy. Vetoquinol says that unlike acetylsalicylic acid (conventional aspirin) which is poorly soluble in water, sodium salicylate is highly water soluble (1 g/ml water), even in the hard water commonly encountered in the UK which makes it ideal for group therapy in any herd.
Sodium Salicyl 80% can be administered orally through the milk replacer or drinking water. Orally administered salicylates are absorbed rapidly and make it easier to treat groups of pigs and calves suffering from stress.
Vetoquinol says it's well known that any focus of pain or discomfort is likely to reduce an animals' feed and water intake, enough to reduce performance and potentially increase the need for the use of antibiotics. NSAID's are ideal for use in times of stress, for example after weaning where they have the ability to reduce inflammation, provide analgesia and reduce pyrexia. Unlike corticosteroids, NSAID's relieve pain and inflammation without the immunosuppressive and metabolic side effects. Stress is a known cause for an acute phase response (inflammation) and viral and bacterial infections are common in this vulnerable period.
Susan Mitchell, Large Animal Product Manager at Vetoquinol said: 'We are delighted to be expanding our large animal range with Sodium Salicyl 80%. We are now able to offer vets and producers a solution for both individual and group situations where an NSAID is required"
Alstoe Animal Health has announced that Vetergesic (buprenorphine), the UK's most commonly used injectable opiate for small animal use, is now registered for use in horses.
Developed and manufactured in the UK, Alstoe took over marketing Vetergesic 11 years ago. Two years ago the company introduced the Multi-Dose Pack, which it says allows veterinary surgeons to manage the larger liquid volumes required in horses more easily.
Alstoe says Vetergesic potentiates sedative drugs for standing sedation or routine premedication and provides profound centrally acting analgesic effects for up to nine hours. In routine procedures, this allows good recoveries and a rapid return to normal behaviour patterns.
Alstoe also says that in a thermal anti-nociceptive study carried out at Bristol University, Vetergesic showed significantly better analgesic effects than butorphanol. Field studies carried out in the UK also confirmed that when combined with a sedative, Vetergesic can provide up to 60 minutes of operating time, with smooth and quick recoveries.
John Nellis of Alstoe said: "We have invested heavily in this product and are confident that the rewards enjoyed by small animal vets will also be appreciated by their equine colleagues. We call Vetergesic 'the thoroughbred of pain management'."
Vetergesic Multidose is available for dogs, cats and horses in a 10 ml vial.
Alstoe offers an hour long explanatory seminar, which can be delivered directly to practice members. An 8 page brochure and 'pocket-sized' dose chart are also available. Further details from Alstoe on: 01347 878606 or email: info@alstoe.co.uk .
A group of brave veterinary nurses and a student nurse leapt out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft last weekend, both to raise money for children with epilepsy, and to highlight the need to protect the title 'Veterinary Nurse' in law.
Vicky Couzens, Jenny Cook, Kim Blowing, Michelle Dickens, Gillian James and Leigh Martin, none of whom had parachuted before (in fact, Gillian hadn't even been in a plane before), were raising money for the Muir Maxwell Trust, a charity which funds research into childhood epilepsy, and supports the families of some of the 70,000 children affected by it in the UK.
The daredevil nurses also wanted to highlight the fact that anyone can call themselves a veterinary nurse, regardless of whether they've ever even set foot inside a veterinary practice, let alone passed the demanding examinations. They argue that the title 'Veterinary Nurse' should be protected in law, in exactly the same way as 'Veterinary Surgeon', so that the pet-owning public can have the reassurance of knowing when their animal is being cared for by a qualified professional.
To support these nurses' efforts, and help them reach their fundraising targets, click the links below:
http://www.justgiving.com/Victoria-Couzens http://www.justgiving.com/Jenny-Cook23 http://www.justgiving.com/KimBlowing http://www.justgiving.com/Michelle-Dickens
Meanwhile, one of the children that has benefitted from the work done by the Muir Maxwell Trust is Emily Guthrie, daughter of the editor of VetNurse.co.uk and VetSurgeon.org. She sent the jumpers her own message of thanks:
Denise Coston of Castle Veterinary Surgeons in Durham has won The Veterinary Business Journal Practice Manager of the Year 2011, and praised the award for promoting her role.
Denise, who was a manager at Lloyds TSB's lending centre and previously ran her own business, before joining Castle Vets three years ago, said: "I did not find out that I had been nominated until three weeks before the ceremony - it was totally out of the blue. To make it to the final three was brilliant, but to win was just incredible.
Denise also said the Practice Manager of the Year Award plays a vital part in promoting the role of practice managers to the wider industry: "It is so important in recognising and championing the efforts of practice managers. I'm sure there will be many people out there who still don't know what we do or how we could benefit their business and this award highlights our achievements.
"This is an evolving role and it is often a case of matching what each practice needs, but I think the fact that there is an award highlights the point that there is true value in having a practice manager."
Editor of The Veterinary Business Journal Robin Fearon said: "Denise is a deserving winner of the title Practice Manager of the Year because she understands the importance of helping to define business strategy for the practice, and I wish her every success in future."
Two vacancies have arisen for veterinary surgeons to join the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Veterinary Nurses Council.
The positions, which are open to veterinary surgeons not currently serving on RCVS Council, would be particularly well suited to those veterinary surgeons who have an interest in the nursing profession and some experience of working with nurses. However, applicants need not necessarily be politically involved with the profession at this point.
VN Council Chairman Liz Branscombe said: "Veterinary nurses play a vital role in the practice team and, with the opening of the non-statutory Register in 2007, the VN profession is now recognising its responsibilities in terms of maintaining professional standards, skills and competence.
"Now, more than ever, it is important that vets from all sectors of the profession take the time to get involved with the regulation and development of the role of the veterinary nurse."
Applications are invited from all veterinary surgeons, although those with some experience of working with veterinary nurses would be most relevant.
The four-year posts will require an annual time commitment of approximately six to ten days.
For an application pack, please contact Annette Amato, Deputy Head of Veterinary Nursing, on 020 7202 0713 or a.amato@rcvs.org.uk. The deadline for the receipt by RCVS of completed application packs is 30 April 2011.
Cats Protection is urgently calling for compulsory microchipping of all pet cats.
The feline welfare charity says that two in three cats taken into its care are not microchipped, costing the organisation over £190,000 to microchip them. In addition, the charity says it ends up dealing with around 40 ownership disputes per year - the majority of which involve cats handed in as strays that are not microchipped.
The charity says unchipped animals are a major drain on its resources, which are already stretched looking after over 7,000 unwanted cats at any one time.
Peter Hepburn, Cats Protection's Chief Executive said: "I cannot stress enough how important it is for cats to be microchipped. The heartache and upset that a lost cat can cause is immense, as is the suffering to the cat. It could be so easily solved by a tiny 'chip that is no bigger than a grain of rice.
"When a cat comes into our care, the first thing we do is look for some sort of identification, including scanning for a 'chip. In a lot of cases, there is no 'chip so then we have no option but to trawl lost and found registers and to advertise the cat as missing. However, this is a very time consuming process with no guarantee that we will ever locate the owner, despite the best efforts of our volunteers and staff.
"It is a heartbreaking experience when an owner loses their beloved pet and is never reunited with them. Making sure a cat is easily identifiable is vital to increase the chances of a happy reunion so, if compulsory microchipping was brought in, many of these problems would be solved."