Following a nationwide search to find the UK’s top veterinary professionals for 2009 and judged by an independent panel of experts, Petplan has announced the winners for the Veterinary Awards. 

The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise and applaud staff and practices throughout the country that have delivered an exceptional level of care to the nation’s pets, and their owners.   

Simon Wheeler, Petplan’s Head of Marketing, explains: “Britain is known to be an animal-loving nation and with millions of households owning cats and dogs, pets play a central part in family life. The Petplan Veterinary Awards give us the opportunity to thank the veterinary profession for the outstanding level of care they provide to our animals.”

The winners of the 10th annual Petplan Veterinary Awards were:

VET OF THE YEAR
Ben Jones, Ben Jones Veterinary Surgery, Chester, Flintshire
Ben’s understanding and compassion for his clients’ pets impressed the judges.  Whilst being extremely knowledgeable, Ben can reassuringly explain the most complicated procedures to clients.  Ben continuously goes above and beyond the call of duty, such as establishing a home visit scheme for pensioners and visiting a nursing home when an owner was there as a day patient. 

VET NURSE OF THE YEAR
Karen McQuoid, The Old Golfhouse Veterinary Group, Watton, Norfolk
The judges believe Karen is an excellent role model for her team of nurses.  Karen was noted for her positive attitude and good humour even under extreme pressure of being head nurse of four different practices. 

VET RECEPTIONIST OF THE YEAR
Yasmin Morowa, Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Yasmin’s attention to detail made her stand out as the winner of Vet Receptionist of the Year.  Yasmin always checks to see how patients have progressed when she returns from holiday so she can help clients appropriately when they call or visit.  Her kind approach makes her highly appreciated by both clients and colleagues. 

VET PRACTICE OF THE YEAR
St Clair Veterinary Group, Kirkcaldy, Fife
St Clair Veterinary Group was described as having exceptional customer care and uses every opportunity to educate their clients.  The team stood out for their environmental consciousness.  

Intervet / Schering-Plough has announced that its leptospirosis vaccine, Nobivac Lepto 2, is now back in stock at all wholesalers and that the production delay affecting supply has been fully resolved.

David Hallas, general manager, Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health, said:  "We foresee no further supply difficulties on Nobivac Lepto 2. I very much regret the inconvenience experienced over this difficult period and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of our customers for their patience, understanding and support.

"A combination of advancing production and a very timely batch release process has enabled us to re-introduce Nobivac Lepto 2 ahead of the previously-indicated timing of early May, and we are pleased that we have been able to deliver on the assurances that we made back in January."

The company says that current stock levels and planned deliveries are all in place.  

Ken Elliott, Marketing Manager for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health's Companion Animal Business, said: "Orders should be placed with wholesalers in the usual way but we advise practices that have outstanding orders, or think they may have outstanding orders, to check the status with their wholesaler."

It seems that a series of one day conferences, organised by the Animal Health agency for vets and animal health inspectors involved in fighting bovine TB, haven't gone down as well as hoped.

According to a report in yesterday's Daily Telegraph, many in the audience were angered when they were asked to spend up to an hour playing a game involving bongo drums.

Incredibly, a spokesman for Animal Health apparently told the Daily Telegraph that: "It was meant to emphasise how people working together can build up a rhythm."

Genitrix has extended its Dentagen dental care range with the addition of Dentagen Aqua, a water additive treatment to control plaque and prevent bad breath in cats and dogs.

Genitrix says the product offers a completely new approach to dental care for companion animals and is expected to prove particularly effective in treating cats which do not respond well to existing treatments, such as dental chews and tooth-brushing.

Dentagen Aqua is a palatable liquid which is added to a pet's drinking water on a daily basis. Its active principal is RF2, a plant extract.  According to the company, RF2's ability to enable natural and healthy mouth bacteria to flourish while inhibiting the formation of plaque even at low concentrations has been demonstrated in extensive clinical trials.  It operates as an 'anti-biofilm' treatment, modifying the growth of the membrane of oral bacteria to prevent them from producing plaque.

Dentagen Aqua is supplied in a 250 ml bottle costing £6.80.  At the recommended dose of 5 ml per day, the bottle will provide 50 days' treatment for a cat or small dog.

In 2008, Genitrix launched the original Dentagen plaque protection system which consists of a unique RF2-impregnated wax provided to practices in a syringe to be applied to the gingival layer and the buccal area of teeth of dogs or cats at end of dental procedures.  Dog owners can then maintain the protective coating by giving their pet Dentagen plaque prevention chews.  The launch of Dentagen Aqua means that an equivalent solution is now available for cat owners or for dogs which don't eat chews.

With over 85% of dogs and cats over three years old suffering from some form of dental or gum disease, it's the most common health problem in these animals. The market for preventative dental healthcare supplements is estimated to be close to £1 million per annum.

Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said:  "Dentagen exceeded our expectations during its first year and has proved popular with both vets and dog owners. Given the vital importance of good dental health for dogs and cats, it seemed the logical next step to produce a water additive version to make the treatment easier for cat owners in particular."

Molar Ltd is launching a cross infection control product called Vetroxx^TM at this years' BSAVA Congress

Vetroxx^TM is a range of 100% natural disinfectant products approved by the Department of Health (HPA) for use as a hospital disinfectant and has been approved by the British Government's MAFF (now DEFRA) to control against outbreaks of significant agricultural diseases (e.g. Foot and Mouth Disease, Tuberculosis, Newcastle's Disease found in chickens & Swine Fever).

The range includes a convenient disinfectant hand gel, surface wipes and a multi-surface spray. According to Molar, Vetroxx^TM has been scientifically tested, proven to reduce microorganism numbers by up to 99.9998%, and kills most problem bugs, including: MRSA, Bird 'flu (H5N1), SARS, HIV, C diff and many others.

The range contains Citroxx®, a naturally-derived disinfectant made from orange pith. Molar says the product is both safe and highly biodegradable, and very kind on skin and surgery surfaces (such as examination tables, flooring and bench tops). The company adds that since Citroxx contains several antimicrobial elements, it is unlikely that resistance will develop.

During Congress, Molar will be challenging vets hand-washing skills using a special UVA (long wave UV) light box to highlight failures.

Research released today by the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA) reveals that only a minority of pet owners are able to identify what their pet should look like when it is at the right weight.

Eight out of 10 dog, cat and rabbit owners believe that their pet is just the right weight, but when asked which of a series of pictures most closely resembled their pet, only 33% of dog owners and 23% of cat owners chose the 'normal weight' picture.

The independent research, conducted by TNS, surveyed over 2,100 households. Other findings included:

• 62% of dog and 72% of cat owners believed they could personally either do nothing, or little about their pet's weight.
• Of those who thought that their dog, cat or rabbit was overweight, 34% admitted the reason was because they fed them too many treats. 11% said that they overfed their pets at mealtimes. A lack of exercise was cited by a further 36% of owners.

Michael Bellingham, Chief Executive of the PFMA, said: "The figures are alarming and the problem won't go away without a fundamental shift in owners' attitude to feeding their pets. It is also worrying that most owners are not aware of the problem, because they are unable to recognise a fat pet in the first place. Perceptions of what is the correct size are seriously out of kilter with reality."

Only 25% of those surveyed said that they had ever sought advice on whether any of their pets were overweight. Up to a third admitted using trial and error when deciding how much food to give, indicating a sole reliance on their pet's appetite to determine optimium food portions. Less than a quarter referred to manufacturers advice on pet food labels, or sought advice from their vets.

Michael continued: "Thankfully, there is a solution and we have developed a tool to help owners identify the correct condition of their pet, along with steps to take if a problem exists. Prevention is at the heart of our awareness campaign. Feeding a good diet, and to the correct amount, is fundamental. And so is exercise. We know that a pet fed to its right condition will lead a longer and healthier life. Not only that, getting active with your pet can help pet owners achieve the same for themselves. We urge pet owners to start using our Pet Size-O-Meter and make sure they and their pets have the best chance for a long happy life together."

The PFMA has also produced a supporting White Paper entitled - Pet Obesity: The Reality in 2009 - which compares the obesity epidemic in humans with that of our pets. You can download it here.

A survey carried out by CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of the pheromonatherapy products D.A.P.^®  and Feliway^®, has revealed that 94 per cent of veterinary professionals believe that owners' lifestyles are the major cause of behavioural problems in pets¹.

Over three-quarters of those questioned believed that owners should spend more time with their pets to prevent these issues, while 89 per cent thought that owners were too busy to deal with their pets if they developed behavioural problems.

According to CEVA, the fast pace of owners' lifestyles is significantly affecting the stress felt by both dogs and cats and this is further exacerbated in cats by the social demands that pet owners put on them.  Cats are solitary survivors that cope better with short, frequent interactions and like their own company.  While they are popular for their independence, owners often like to have their pets' full attention when they return from work which is at odds with their cats' preferred behaviour patterns.

Behavioural issues can also result from changes in a pet's environment and new experiences such as moving house, building work, the introduction of a new pet to the household, going to a kennel or cattery, travelling in a car, visiting the vets and stressful events such as Bonfire Night and Christmas.  To help combat stress, nearly 65 per cent of dog owners avoid putting their pets in stressful situations, while 19 per cent choose to ignore their stressed dog².

Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health said: "Our modern lifestyles are leading to stressed pets which, in the long-term, will exacerbate behavioural and medical problems. It's important that veterinary professionals educate their clients on the implications of canine and feline stress to help prevent these issues from developing."

For further information about D.A.P.^® and Feliway^®, please contact your CEVA Animal Health representative or call CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.

Mike Martin, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology, has launched a new reference library of cardiology echo scans on VetSurgeon.org.

The movies show cardiac scans performed on normal dogs, and on cats and dogs with a variety of different conditions, both acquired and congenital.

Mike said: "I hope these movies will be a really helpful reference for colleagues who have an interest in cardiology. They provide so much more information than can be gleaned from a still image in a textbook, now that online video quality has improved so much."

Mike's gallery is an excellent example of the way in which a social networking website like VetSurgeon allows its members to share information and collaborate. Other referral practitioners interested in having their own gallery in which to share videos or images with colleagues in the profession should contact the site editor, Arlo Guthrie for further details.

Click here to visit Mike Martin's Cardiology Gallery

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust is looking for a vet with a particular interest in veterinary education, professional development and research, to be a new trustee.

The RCVS Trust is an independent small charity that provides two key services to the veterinary profession to further education and animal welfare: an educational grants programme and a Library and Information Service.  It is seeking a trustee who can bring new contacts and ideas relevant to the work of the Trust.

The Trust is also seeking further 'lay' trustees with experience of library services, fundraising and grant-making.

The current Board members have a wide range of experience from academia, government, animal health and small and large animal practice, and veterinary nursing. However, there is room for some new Trustees to join and bring the Board up to full strength.

Stephen Ware, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said: "The Trust has an important role in supporting practising vets, veterinary nurses, researchers, students and academics through its grants programmes and library and information resources." 

"We are looking for a veterinary surgeon who is actively involved in the wider profession through networks and specialist interest groups, and who is willing to promote the work of the Trust, for example, at veterinary congresses.  Given the nature of the Trust's work, the new trustee should also have experience of postgraduate education or research.

"We need someone who has the energy and experience to get things done - and who can work with other trustees in a collegiate style."

Trustees serve an initial three-year term, spending around six days a year at meetings in London and conferences.  Reasonable expenses are reimbursed. Experience of charity governance and finance is not necessary as training and support will be given. 

Those interested in the role can contact Cherry Bushell, Director of the RCVS Trust, for an informal discussion and an application form.  The closing date for applications is 30 April.

I invited Marc Abraham to come and answer some of the concerns raised on VetSurgeon about the ITV Pets Undercover programme.

His PR agency has instead pointed me in the direction of a response he has posted on his own website this morning. Click the link below.

http://www.marcthevet.com/response-to-%e2%80%98pets-undercover%e2%80%99/

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched a new cattle and sheep vaccine which it says gives vets an additional opportunity to prescribe the broadest possible protection against clostridial diseases.

Bravoxin 10 is a low dose clostridial vaccine containing antigens for protection against C. perfringens type A, C.perfringens type B, C.perfringens type C, C.perfringens type D, C.novyi type B, C.septicum, C.tetani, C.sordellii, C.haemolyticum and C.chauvoei.

Dosage volumes are 2ml for cattle and 1ml for sheep and the new vaccine can be used in animals from as young as two weeks old if the dam has not been previously vaccinated. A booster dose pre-calving or lambing will also deliver 8-12 weeks passive immunity in calves and lambs (apart from against C.haemolyticum).

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health ruminant veterinary adviser Rosemary Booth MRCVS said: "Clostridial bacteria take the lives of cattle and sheep on a regular basis and are the cause of a significant proportion of the sudden livestock deaths in this country. In 2007, an independent survey of over 500 UK dairy and beef farmers revealed that half the interviewees had experienced calves or adult cattle dying for no apparent reason.  The reality is that many of these losses could have been due to clostridial diseases. Farmer respondents valued the livestock loss at anywhere between £505 and £1243 per animal. Even at the lowest stock valuation, preventing the loss through broad-spectrum vaccination would pay for nearly five years of Bravoxin 10 use in a 100 cow herd.

"Now that additional clostridial pathogens such as C. sordellii and  C. perfringens A have been recognised by the VLA and SAC as significant causes of deaths on both cattle and sheep farms, it makes sense to widen pathogen cover on some ruminant livestock units. Bravoxin 10 allows practitioners to prescribe the broadest possible disease protection." 

The sheep industry already understands the importance of broad-spectrum vaccination against clostridial diseases, but Iain Carrington from Intake Veterinary Services based in Northumberland believes cattle producers should also upgrade their protection.

"There was a time that clostridial disease control in cattle meant vaccinating your youngstock against blackleg at turnout, or discovering dead animals and then reacting with blackleg vaccine," he said. "But over the last few years, I have seen an increased incidence of different clostridial diseases in far from typical circumstances.

"There are also a large number of cattle deaths going undiagnosed and it is likely that many are caused by clostridial species. As a result, we are now advising many of our clients to take a broader-spectrum vaccination approach to ensure adequate protection - not only of the cows themselves - but also their calves through good colostral transfer," he said.

Bravoxin 10 is a prescription-only medicine (POM-V). For further information, contact the Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.

Hill's has issued an open invitation to vets and nurses to come along to its stand to see some unique personal and practice development tools, now available on-line.

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager said: "These are tough times for anyone in business but for many years now we have been listening to vets about the key problems they face. We found that vets and nurses felt that long term compliance was one of their biggest issues and quantitative measurements have certainly backed that up. In response, we have, over the last few years, been developing and refining a very exciting new initiative, the CRAFTworks programme, the new on-line version of which we will be launching at BSAVA. Working with veterinary practice input, we have tailored this programme to really deliver in terms of patient care and profitability. We are very much looking forward to introducing this scheme and I believe that many practices will see real benefits in terms of their bottom line."

Training has been widely tipped as critical if the UK is to work its way out of recession but cost can be an issue. Hill's has responded by launching a new addition to the Vet Nutrition Academy (VNA) website. This latest on-line course is case based, provides training in clinical nutrition and is available absolutely free of charge to those who register with VNA. The course can be viewed at terminals on the Hill's stand and delegates will also be able to sign up at no cost and receive a gift on completion of registration. The clinical nutrition offering is just one of a stable of courses available through the VNA website, which also includes registration forms for key CPD events and a facility to earn rewards for studying.

Last year on the Hill's stand, rehabilitation specialist Lowri Davies introduced many vets to goniometry, a technique to measure mobility that was then still quite novel in the veterinary sector. The on-stand seminars were so popular that the format will be repeated this year with 15 minute CPD sessions focusing on the development of appropriate exercise programmes in a range of scenarios including the growing, geriatric and overweight dog. Four topics will be covered each day for an hour of certified CPD during breaks and lunchtimes. 

There will be numerous opportunities for delegates to achieve work life balance with the popular Hill's speciality coffee bar available for those who want to chat through their nutrition dilemmas with technical staff or talk about the opportunities on offer. There is also a free gift for everyone who visits the stand and the chance to try out a Wii Fit - the latest product from Nintendo that combines fitness with having fun. There are three Wii Fit Bundles to be won by entering the daily competition.

Adrian said: "It's always good to talk to colleagues we already know but if it has been some time since you have talked to Hill's I really encourage you to come along for an informal chat and see just what we have to offer. The longer we work with veterinary practices the better we understand their needs and the better we can respond to those needs. We want to continue to learn from the profession and to use the resources we can bring to the table to help veterinary businesses to thrive and prosper."