Colivet® solution, one of CEVA Animal Health’s range of 3 soluble antimicrobials for pigs has been renamed Coliscour®.
Phil McGuire, CEVA’s business unit manager, explains the reasoning behind the name change: “We simply felt that the easiest way to avoid confusion between our product and a totally different non-prescription product of a similar name was to give ours a new name that also reflects its use, hence Coliscour®.”
Here’s a gadget I’d love to get my hands on: the Zoombak advanced GPS pet locator, launched in the UK today.
The locator attaches to any dog collar, or indeed your car, husband, wife or teenager, and allows you to get a real time fix of their location by telephone, or on your computer. It costs £99.99 from pet retailers, with an additional £9.99 per month service subscription (£99.99 if paid annually upfront), which allows for an unlimited number of ‘locates’. Hot on its heels comes the Pawtrack, which will also cost £99.99 with a similar monthly subscription which allows for 1200 locates per month.
Pawtrack is being aimed at both cats and dogs, and whilst it is marginally smaller and lighter than the Zoombak, there isn’t a lot in it. Both are still probably too cumbersome for a cat, which is why Zoombak more pragmatically recommends its product for dogs over 7 kg.
Doubtless it won’t be long before they miniaturise the technology so that it’ll be the width of a nostril hair, thereby solving the problem of pet theft and loss completely. Meantime, these look like a practical and fun gadget for the owners of larger breeds that regularly go AWOL.
For more information on stocking Zoombak please contact Zoombak on 08708 033095.
A one-day seminar entitled ‘One World, One Disease,’ will take place at the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), Wimpole Street, London, on 24 June 2008.
The event, which has been jointly organised by the RSM and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), will examine some of the effects of climate change on patterns of animal health and the impact of this on humans. The meeting will provide an understanding of the complexity of the global changes that we face, and will work towards the integrated approach needed to manage the serious problems that threaten animal and human health.
About two-thirds of new infectious diseases that threaten humans come from animals. With global climate change, this looks set to increase. Now more than ever, it is important that veterinary and medical colleagues come together to discuss disease control strategies.
Speakers will include RCVS Senior Vice-President Professor Sheila Crispin, who has been instrumental in organising the conference, Caroline Lucas MEP, Professor Bob Watson, Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser, the RVC’s Professor Quintin McKellar and Lt Col Tim Brookes from the Health Protection Agency, among others.
All are welcome. Tickets are available from the Royal Society of Medicine online at http://www.rsm.ac.uk/academ/e10-oneworld.php
Marc Abraham MRCVS, the Paul O’Grady Show’s resident vet is setting up a new website for pet owners www.thepet.net, described as being the first to use the power of social networks (think Facebook), to bring pet owners together to share and rate pet experiences, and help each other find the best their pet can get.
I think it'll fly, and if it does, it will be one for many in the profession to keep a close eye on. Reputations can (and have) be made or lost on these kinds of websites.
What's more, previous community sites for pet owners based on the more simple forum model have shown the danger of attracting, well, the nutters. I've seen at least two populated almost entirely by raw meaty bones evangelists firing false (or at least unproven) accusations at everyone from pet food manufacturers to individual vets. Worse than that, the same people seem to advocate alternative therapy for just about every medical condition under the sun. 'Heart failure you say? Wave some of these crystals over its tail'.
I can see pet owners flocking to this kind of site in their hordes. But for it to have any kind of credibility within the profession, I fear Mr Abraham will have to be absolutely ruthless in weeding out those who will inevitably try to use the site as a soapbox for extremist viewpoints. That'll be a challenge. I have first hand experience of just how tenacious some of these people are!
Two companies have simultaneously announced new services to help veterinary practices put systems in place to keep in regular contact with their clients via email.
The first is the veterinary PR and copywriting consultancy MC Communications, which offers to design, copywrite and distribute emails to your clients as often as you wish to email them. Alternatively, they'll fix you up with an account at Constant Contact, and you can email clients yourself.
The second is from Guthrie Communications Ltd (aka me), publishers of vetsurgeon.org and vetnurse.co.uk. They'll design and build a bespoke website for your practice which is so easy to keep updated, the practice cat could do it. Here's one they prepared earlier: www.putlandsvets.com
Guthrie Comms websites also include a simple system for capturing your website visitors email addresses, which are passed automatically and seamlessly to the Manymail bulk emailing system. We'll also set you up with a template you can use to email clients. Alternatively, MC Communications will copywrite emails for use on this system too.
The difference between the two services? Well, the one offered by MC Communications is going to be better suited to those practices that already have a polished online presence, and are now looking to use e-mail more effectively.
Our service, on the other hand, is for those who want to start using email more effectively but don't yet have a website (or perhaps have one in dire need of a good haircut).
For more information contact Marie at MC Communications on 0191 373 7830, or me (Arlo) on 020 7183 2511.
BVA has announced that it is launching a pilot of VETS.TV, and invites you to come and preview the service at its stand at BSAVA. Anyone willing to surrender their name and email address will also be entered into a prize draw to win an HP 530 Celeron M 440 laptop computer.
VETS.TV is an internet television site run jointly by the BVA and Ten Alps Publishing which will be available via a microsite of http://www.bva.co.uk/. The pilot includes custom-made videos on MRSA, litigation and stress management, a series of interviews with key veterinary figures and a number of specially acquired programmes.
Over half way through Intervet's National Vaccination Month, and according to the company, over 2100 practices are taking part.
Various statistics the company has released, which you might find interesting:
Nearly two thirds of all vet practices have seen parvovirus, in the past year, while 43% have seen leptospirosis, which is spread by rats.
62% of pet owners consider their animal to be an extremely important member of the family with over half (58%) buying them Christmas presents and over one in four (27%) taking time off work for their pet.
However, only 56% of these pets were vaccinated and around more than quarter (28%) of owners were unaware of any disease risk.
Currently, 3 million dogs, 6 million cats and 1.8 million rabbits are unvaccinated, leaving them at risk of a range of fatal diseases, many of which are untreatable.
Intervet has put together an impressive range of support materials for National Vaccination Month, including a pet-owner website: http://www.vaccinationmonth.co.uk/, a discount voucher scheme (on the website) for use in participating practices, TV advertising and a Vaccination Month Podcast primarily aimed at owners.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has launched the UK’s first free diagnostics service to assist vets in diagnosing Lyme disease in dogs.
The introduction of the new Lyme Disease Surveillance Service (LDSS) reflects concerns that the increasing incidence of the disease in humans could be followed by a similar increase in dogs.
Canine Lyme disease, while still rare in the UK, is known to be difficult to diagnose with vague symptoms and a variety of clinical presentations.
Infest-Nation, the ProMeris Parasite Report launched in late 2007 and based on interviews with 2,000 vets and pet owners, cited figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) which reported 768 cases of human Lyme disease in 2006, an increase of 263% since 2003. The increase in human incidence is believed to be attributable to an increase in the human population, better diagnosis and more favourable climatic conditions for ticks as the vector for the disease.
According to Fort Dodge, it’s possible that the increase in Lyme disease in humans will be mirrored in the canine population. Forty per cent of vets contacted for Infest-Nation had reported a significant rise in the tick problem over the last five years and 75% of dog owners didn’t know how to check their dogs for parasites and didn’t treat them as frequently as the recommended once a month.
Participation in the LDSS is free for veterinary practices registering with the scheme. You can do this by contacting Fort Dodge on 01489 781711 or by email at fortdodgeuk@fdah.com. You will then be provided with testing kits and full instructions on the submission of blood samples.
Vets Now will be opening the doors to its new clinic in Caterham on 31 March.
The company, which was launched in 2001, recently opened its Northolt clinic in North London and is now delighted to be offering an out of hours service in the South London area.
Based at The Animal Hospital, in Coulsden Road, Caterham, the clinic is the 31st Vets Now clinic to open in the UK and will provide Out of Hours cover for a number of member practice clinics in the East Surrey area.
Oxyglobin, Dechra’s unique haemoglobin-based oxygen carrying fluid for the treatment of anaemia in dogs, is now readily available in the UK.
“Over the past year, demand for this leading product has outstripped our limited supply from the manufacturer Biopure®,” explains Carol Morgan, product manager at Dechra Veterinary Products. “Production and supply issues in the US have now been resolved which means we can assure the future supply of Oxyglobin via the wholesaler to practices.”
Dechra is the sole distributor of Oxyglobin in the UK. The product requires no typing or cross matching and ensures no transfusion reactions or disease transmissions. “Its effectiveness can be measured by a rapid improvement in clinical signs, increased plasma haemoglobin concentration and arterial oxygen content. Oxyglobin has certainly proved itself as a valuable product to have in any practice,” adds Carol Morgan.
Oxyglobin can be stored at room temperature and has a shelf life of three years. For further details, please contact your local territory manager or phone Dechra on 01743 441 632.
A survey carried out by http://www.fitfurlife.com/, a company which makes exercise and rehabilitation treadmills for dogs, has found that 'walkies' is an underused word amongst pet owners.
The poll of 2,000 dog owners revealed that one in ten NEVER walk their dog - and almost a third only walk their dog twice a week at the most.
Those who do exercise their pet might not be doing it enough, as a quarter of people admitted they merely walked their dog around the block. More than a third said they made do with throwing them a ball in the park for a few minutes. Around 60 per cent described walking their dog as 'a chore' while one in 20 said they let their dog run around in the garden rather than taking them for a walk.
68 per cent then feel guilty that they don't walk their pet enough while 70 per cent don't actually know how far they are supposed to go and how fast.
Just as interesting is the product this survey was designed to promote: a dog treadmill to aid in the post operative/injury rehabilitation of dogs, which got backing from Dragon's Den. Worth taking a look: http://www.fitfurlife.com/
CPD Solutions has launched a new training CD to help vets refine their skills in the examination of neurological cases.
Authored by neurology expert Simon Platt of the University of Georgia, the multimedia CD gives information and advice on localising the site of a lesion, determining the severity of the disease process and assessing the prognosis for the patient. It includes video footage to show how to perform a full neurological examination and to test for specific spinal reflexes and postural reactions, as well as cranial nerve evaluation and gait evaluation. Examples of normal and abnormal responses are also given.
CPD Solutions’ Dr Susie Coughlan adds: “The video clips, together with the extensive illustration and images that are on the CD will help vets to develop their skills and enable an effective examination to be carried out and interpreted, every time a neurological patient enters the consulting room.”
The Neurology CD is the latest addition to the CPD Solutions range of Keysteps™ training CDs. Already available are CDs on head and neck surgery and joint surgery. More CDs and DVDs are to be launched later this year.
The Keysteps™ CDs, each cost £95 + VAT. For more information, contact CPD Solutions on tel: 0151 328 0444, visit the website http://www.cpd-solutions.com/, or visit the company at BSAVA on stand number 903.
Schering-Plough, is to launch Zylkene, a new product to help manage stress in cats and dogs at BSAVA Congress this April.
Zylkene is a globally patented bioactive decapeptide derived from the milk protein casein. The company says that it will provide cat and dog owners with a proven alternative to managing stress in their pets and help to manage many common behavioural problems.
Zylkene will be available in 75mg, 225mg and 450mg capsules, which can be given whole or opened and mixed with food or a treat. The initial period of use is 1-2 months, and can be repeated if necessary.
For further information, please contact your local Schering-Plough or Intervet representative on 01895 626 000.
CPD Solutions have announced 3 new dentistry and oral surgery course dates, with expert tutor Alex Smithson of the Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Referrals in Lancashire.
All courses will include extensive wet lab sessions, which will cover conditions commonly seen in practice and answer all those questions you always wanted to ask but never had the time to look up!
For details visit http://www.cpd-solutions.com/ or call 0151 328 0444 and ask for Holly.
A new company called The Practice Business is to launch at BSAVA with a series of free wine tastings.
The company's core offering is the Pet Health Plan. Designed to help veterinary practices conduct their business more effectively, easily and profitably, the monthly payment plan for clients focusses on preventive healthcare for cats and dogs.
The Practice Business will also be launching Pet Health Loans at the BSAVA. Interest-free and designed to be approved in-practice within just a few minutes over the phone to The Practice Business, the loans can eliminate bad debt worries for both practice and client.
To celebrate the launch, The Practice Business is hosting 21 free wine testing challenges at the Hyatt Regency Soprano Room on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Attendees will also be presented with complimentary bottle of their favourite wine.
For more information or to book a place on The Practice Business Wine Tasting Challenge call 0800 169 9958.
Following a nationwide search to find the UK’s top veterinary professionals for 2008 and judged by an independent panel of experts, Petplan has announced the final short-list for the Petplan Veterinary Awards to be presented on 3rd April in Birmingham.
Those short-listed for the four categories of the Petplan Veterinary Awards acknowledging achievement in the veterinary world include:
Vet of the Year Brian Faulkner of the Melton Veterinary Surgery, Woodbridge Linda Glenn of the Glenn Veterinary Clinic, Bangor Girish Thakral of the Blacks Veterinary Group, Dudley
Vet Nurse of the Year Louisa Baker of the Priors Leaze Veterinary Centre, Chichester Alison Devonshire of the Orwell Veterinary Group, Ipswich Mark Vince of The Animal Clinic, Catford
Vet Receptionist of the Year Margaret Coupe of the Hedge End Veterinary Health Centre, Southampton Margaret Gait of Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates, Lydd Sandie Rule of the Eastcott Veterinary Clinic, Swindon
Vet Practice of the Year Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic, York Orwell Veterinary Group, Ipswich Woodlands Veterinary Clinic, Cheltenham
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Yes, the rather nattily dressed man pushing the trolley is, in another life, the editor of this site.
Long story.
BCF Technology has announced the launch of its new BUG ultrasound goggles. The company says that by using cutting-edge OLED display technology, BUGs deliver significant improvements in viewing images from fertility and pregnancy scanning of cattle, sheep, deer and goats.
BCF also says that BUGs are rugged and reliable, combining unprecedented display performance with excellent peripheral vision, and set a new standard in viewing ultrasound images. Optimised for grey scale imaging, the binocular style viewing features a full resolution display on which every ultrasound pixel is displayed. They are headband mounted for comfort and tough enough to suit any environment.
Gavin Mitchell, BCF’s Sales Director, said: “We spent over a year researching the needs of vets and developing the optimum technology for BUGs. We understand the problems that vets have experienced with monocular and binocular goggles, and we have successfully developed the ultimate solution for ultrasound scanning.”
Andrew Bronson, Cattle Vet, Alberta, Canada, said; "These durable goggles give me great peripheral vision when scanning cattle, which means that scanning is a lot safer. With the larger field of view and improved image quality over monocular goggles, I’ve finally found a permanent solution for portable ultrasound."
Charles Marwood, BVM & S, MRCVS, Clyde Veterinary Group, Scotland, said: "These goggles give a crisp, superior image and a fantastic resolution. They are very comfortable to wear with no safety issues."
BUGs are designed specifically for use with the BCF Easi-Scan ultrasound scanner. For more information, visit: http://www.bcftechnology.com/
CEVA Animal Health has launched an arthritis information pack to help support vet practices and their clients.
The pack includes a joint care range brochure, which explores how to recognise and monitor pain in the veterinary practice, and an authoritative eight-page arthritis technical review, which discusses the latest concepts in arthritis control.
In addition, client leaflets are available, which explain some of the measures that can be taken to improve the quality of life for dogs with arthritis, including weight loss and controlled exercise.
CEVA’s range of joint support products includes Meloxidyl®, Carprodyl® and Flexivet®.
To receive a free information pack please contact CEVA's small animal veterinary advisor Fraser Broadfoot MRCVS on 01494 781510, CEVA Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG.
A new diagnostic blood test has been developed to combat the virulent horse disease Strangles.
The breakthrough has come after four years of research by scientists at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket.
The blood test identifies horses that have recently been exposed to Strangles, enabling it to be nipped in the bud.
Oliver Wilson, campaign director at The British Horse Society, said: "It is fantastic news. This big breakthrough is a real boon to horse owners and I believe will lead to a significant drop in Strangles outbreaks. But there is still much to be done.
"The AHT's work to develop and test a fully effective vaccine against Strangles is ongoing. To support it we need to raise another £120,000 by the end of this year to reach the campaign target of £250,000."
For more information about the Strangles campaign, visit http://www.strangles.org/
Hill’s Nurse Roadshows return in May with a 4 venue tour of the southern region. The theme is weight management and mobility and the organisers promise fun-filled, fact-packed events.
The evenings will address a broad ranging syllabus that includes setting up a weight management clinic using the latest dietary innovations alongside sessions on how to effectively promote it to your clients. It also will explain how to develop an individual exercise plan for both overweight but mobile animals, and for those overweight pets with mobility impairment.
Guest speakers include vet Lowri Davies who runs her own sports medicine and rehabilitation veterinary clinic in Swansea and is a holder of Certificates in both Veterinary Acupuncture and Canine Rehabilitation and Julie Corey Dip AVN (Med) Cert AAB MBIPDT (Adv) who qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1994 and has a Certificate in Applied Animal Behaviour as well as an Advanced Grade from the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers (BIPDT).
The roadshows are being held at Milton Keynes on 12th of May, Tunbridge Wells on 13th of May, Exeter on 14th of May and Cheltenham on 15th of May. All the roadshow events run from 7.00 pm for an 8pm start and include a buffet meal and refreshments.
To book a free place at any of the roadshows including the practice based event in Cardiff call Jane Quail, Education Coordinator at Hill’s on 01923 814454.
Royal Canin is offering Dyson Animal handheld bagless vacuum cleaners (normally retailing at £130) with orders of over £500 at Congress this year.
The Royal Canin Veterinary range will be on display, including the latest additions for cats, Renal Special Dry and Renal with Tuna.
Delegates can also find out more about Royal Canin’s programme of on-site in-practice staff training on nutrition, Pet Health Counsellor courses and extensive support material for veterinary nurses, receptionist courses, display material for the waiting room, and a helpline to ensure that vets and their teams have quick access to the most up to date information.
Everyone who drops in on Royal Canin will also be able to enter a free draw to win a flight in a hot air balloon.
The RCVS has published a revised complaints procedure on RCVSonline.
The procedure represents the culmination of 12 months of work from the College's Preliminary Investigations Committee, with the aim of making the decision-making processes more transparent.
There are four information packs about the complaints procedure, all of which are available on RCVSonline. These are for complainants, veterinary surgeons who are complained about, those involved in decision-making at the RCVS and additional guidance for Lay Observers who provide independent, lay input to the process.
View an introduction to the RCVS complaints procedure and download the protocols by clicking here
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A Pet Obesity Task Force, the first of its kind in the country, has been launched at the European Pet Obesity Conference, hosted by Hill’s Pet Nutrition to help tackle the growing number of obese and overweight pets and put in place strategies to help overcome the condition.
The Task Force hopes to raise awareness of the growing health implications of obese and overweight pets, such as diabetes and osteoarthritis. The fact that pets are obese or overweight is often overlooked by owners and the group also aims to encourage them to identify weight problems and seek appropriate advice from vets.
Mark Evans, chief veterinary adviser at the RSPCA, who will be sitting on the board, comments: “We’ve been trying to treat and prevent pet obesity for 20 years, but the problem hasn’t gone away. In fact it seems to have got worse despite everyone’s efforts. It’s incredibly frustrating. So, is there any point in fighting on in the same old way if we’re not winning the battle?
“Let’s take a step back, review our knowledge, re-evaluate our approaches, think outside the box and innovate. What could we learn from social scientists, human psychologists and others engaged in trying to tackle the very same problem in people – especially children?”
Members of the Pet Obesity Task Force include:
Mark Evans, chief veterinary adviser, RSPCA BVetMed MRCVS Professor John Innes BVSc PhD CertVR DSAS(Orth) MRCVS Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore BSc BVM&S PhD MACVSc MRCVS Daniel Chan DVM DipACVECC DipACVN MRCVS Nicola Ackerman BSc(Hons) RVN Cert SAN MBVNA Rachel Casey BVMS Dip(AS)CABC MRCVS Dr Ian Campbell GP Mike Jessop BVetMed MRCVS Dr Jacques Debraekeleer DVM, DipECVCN Simon Wheeler Head of marketing at Petplan
TV vet and writer Emma Milne has just returned from two weeks working at IFAW-supported animal clinics in Soweto and Mdzananda with a plea to other vets:
“I would urge other vets in the UK to consider spending some time helping out there; I can guarantee it will be an incredibly fulfilling experience they will never forget!”
Both clinics offer much-needed medical care to the pets of people living in some of South Africa’s poorest communities, as well as caring for and neutering homeless dogs and cats and rescuing animals from cruelty.
The Mdzananda clinic has just one vet to serve the Khayelitsha township, which has more than one million inhabitants and no other veterinary services, while the mobile clinics in Soweto often operate without a full-time vet.
Emma said: “Working at these township clinics and meeting the people and their pets has been life-changing for me and I am eager to get back to Soweto again and do what I can to help.
Meanwhile, I hope that through words and pictures I can convey what I saw and experienced and get help for people who love and need their pets just as much as we do.
Vets wishing to volunteer at the projects are asked to email their names, email addresses and phone numbers to: info-uk@ifaw.org