Yorkshire-based Animal Trust, the somewhat controversially named not-for-profit veterinary practice, has announced it is opening a second practice in Dewsbury, less than a year since it opened the first one up the road in Tingley.

Set up by veterinary surgeons, Animal Trust trumpets the fact that its main focus is on the welfare of animals. How that makes it different to any other practice in the country is hard to see, however Animal Trust also says that it reinvests all profits back into the business for the benefit of its patients. 

Owen Monie, the founder of Animal Trust, said: "We couldn’t be prouder to be opening our second clinic in Yorkshire.

"The success of our Tingley clinic has increased demand across the county, therefore we identified the need of a not-for-profit veterinary clinic further west in Yorkshire."

"Unlike most veterinary clinics, we offer free consultations with experts to enable patients to access care and advice on treatment exactly when they need help."

No doubt the practice's charitable-sounding name and positioning will continue to grate others in the profession who also do so much pro-bono work.

Still, you've got to credit Dr Monie: it's a powerful consumer proposition he's got there.

Welsh Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has announced a £5m programme to help eradicate sheep scab.

The disease had been identified as a priority by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group.

Further details will be announced in the coming months following ongoing discussions with industry representatives.

The Minister said: "Sheep scab has significant economic consequences for sheep producers and animal welfare issues for sheep. It is one of the most contagious disease of sheep in Wales and eradicating it is a priority for us and the industry.

"I’m pleased to be able to announce £5m Rural Development Programme funding will be used to help support the industry tackle the disease.  Eradicating the disease has the potential to deliver significant lasting economic benefits for the sector at a particularly challenging time as we prepare to leave the European Union."

Gerard McLauchlan MRCVS, an RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Fitzpatrick Referrals Oncology & Soft Tissue, has successfully corrected a double intra-hepatic shunt in an 18-month-old Jack Russell Terrier that had been deemed 'untreatable'.

Teddy had initially been examined at another specialist centre where life-long medical management was recommended due to the complexity of his vascular abnormality.

His primary care veterinary surgeon, Dr Rachel Lang, then referred the case to Gerard.

The first step was a contrast CT scan of Teddy's liver to highlight the vascular abnormalities and take accurate measurements.

Teddy then underwent a transjugular coil embolisation of his shunts using fluoroscopic guidance.

This involved placing a stent in his caudal vena cava that spanned both abnormal communications, and then deploying multiple platinum coils into the shunts to occlude the vascular flow while ensuring portal hypertension did not develop. The entire procedure was completed in less than 60 minutes and was performed via a 2cm skin incision over his jugular vein.

Teddy made an excellent recovery from the procedure and is currently free of clinical signs and receiving no medication at home.

Rachel said: "I was really struggling to find a referral centre willing to take on Teddy's case as it was so unusual and had spent weeks contacting every local referral centre I had referred to in the past. I contacted Fitzpatrick's about his case and within an hour Gerard McLauchlan had rung back and actually sounded keen to see Teddy which was a delight after weeks of frustration. The referral process was very easy from my side and I've been kept well informed throughout. I wouldn't hesitate to refer a case again and only wish we were closer!”

Gerard said: “Teddy is a wonderful patient with an amazing family. We were delighted to be able to offer a solution to his problem that had been previously thought not possible. Teddy should now be able to enjoy an excellent quality of life without the need for long term medications or diet. Interventional Radiology provided new and minimally invasive options for many conditions including vascular abnormalities, urinary tract problems and various cancers.”

You can view the CTs in the VetSurgeon Clinical Reference Library here.

Improve International has announced the launch of the latest in a series of General Practitioner Advanced Certificates (GPAdvCert): Diagnostic Imaging (Computed Tomography - CT).

The 12-module programme is aimed at European veterinary professionals who have completed their General Practitioner Certificate in Diagnostic Imaging (GPCertDIIM) or Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Diagnostic Imaging and who wish to advance their diagnostic imaging skills further and build on their academic qualifications.

The GPAdvCert in Diagnostic Imaging (CT) will be delivered in three blocks of four days in three European cities and will be led by Course Director Tim Trevail BVetMed, CertVDI, DipECVDI, MRCVS.

The course starts in May 2019 with training taking place in Vienna (Austria), Porto (Portugal) and Limassol (Cyprus).

Each module will be led by ECVS or ACVS Diplomates and will be supported by an online learning platform providing notes, additional resources and the ability for delegates to discuss clinical cases in a closed forum.

The programme has received conditional validation from Harper Adams University pending full approval early next year and is accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS).

David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: "Diagnostic Imaging (CT) is already widely available in many veterinary practices, with Diagnostic Imaging and CT studies becoming more and more common for veterinary practitioners as a result. Each module of this advanced programme has been designed to progress delegates’ knowledge beyond Postgraduate Certificate level with more in-depth and advanced content. The programme focuses on practical training and includes CT scan reading sessions and case discussions."

He added: "Improve’s GPAdvCert programmes help vets in practice to reduce the number of patients they refer, enabling them to retain a higher level of income for their practice.  The programme will also provide them with skills which they can pass onto their team."

For more information visit www.improveinternational.com or email enquiries@improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded Hertfordshire-based Amir Kashiv MRCVS for the inadequate care of a dog with renal failure.

Mr Kashiv first appeared before the Committee in December 2016 in relation to four charges against him regarding his inadequate treatment of a Scottish Terrier called Tanzy which was ultimately euthanased due to renal failure.

The first charge related to Mr Kashiv’s original consultation with the owner in March 2015 and his failure to investigate for renal disease; his failure to discuss with the owner investigations to assess metastatic spread; failure to discuss with the owner alternative options to surgery such as palliative care or euthanasia and failure to explain to the owner key factors with regards to the surgery he had suggested to her, including its nature and extent, the risks involved, the fact another vet would be performing the surgery, and what to expect post-operatively.

The second charge related to the fact that, having admitted the dog as an in-patient at the practice, he failed to conduct further investigations regarding her poor condition; provide any or any adequate pain relief, or fail to record the same; failed to discuss with the owner the dog’s poor prognosis and failed to discuss with the owner the option of euthanasia.

The third charge related to the fact that Mr Kashiv discharged the animal back into her owner’s care when she was not in a fit state for discharge. The fourth and final charge related to the fact that Mr Kashiv failed to keep sufficient clear, detailed and accurate clinical records for his treatment of the dog. 

At his original hearing in December 2016, the Committee found the four charges proven and also found that charges 1 to 3 amounted to serious professional misconduct. However, the Committee decided to postpone the judgement for two years, whilst recommending that Mr Kashiv agree to undertake a structured programme to improve his clinical practice, including putting together a personal development plan, having a mentor, accepting regular practice visits and undertaking additional continuing professional development (CPD).

The resumed hearing took place on Tuesday 18 December 2018, during which the Committee heard evidence from Dr Writer-Davies MRCVS (the veterinary surgeon appointed to review Mr Kashiv’s practice and report back to the Disciplinary Committee over the two year period), Mrs Somers MRCVS, (his appointed mentor), and Mr Kashiv himself.

Dr Writer-Davies told the Committee that she had no concerns about Mr Kashiv’s abilities regarding patient safety and that, in her view, he now meets the standards of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon. She cited the fact he had gained in confidence when communicating with clients, had undertaken a considerable amount of CPD focused on the areas of concern identified in the case, that she had observed more detailed record keeping from him and that a veterinary nurse had been appointed to assist in running Mr Kashiv’s practice.

The evidence from Mrs Somers also found that Mr Kashiv’s knowledge was in line with that expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon and that she had observed a good quality of care for pets and their owners from him.

Mr Kashiv also gave evidence, which the Committee said demonstrated considerable insight into his previous conduct and a good attitude towards self-reflective practice. The Committee also felt that the testimonials provided by Mr Kashiv showed him to be a kind and caring veterinary surgeon.

Stuart Drummond, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee considers that, having successfully completed the undertakings, Mr Kashiv is now a safe practitioner. The last two years has allowed Mr Kashiv to develop his skills particularly in the area of communication.

"However, the Committee has not lost sight of the fact that this was a serious case and that there was substantial harm caused to Tanzy.

"The Committee considers that in the intervening two years Mr Kashiv has gained considerable insight, developed better communication skills and remains open to improving his practice. It therefore imposes a reprimand on Mr Kashiv. The Committee considers that a reprimand is the appropriate and proportionate sanction to uphold proper professional standards and to maintain public confidence in the veterinary profession."

VET Festival organisers have announced that American physical therapist and Master Yoga teacher Lara Heimann will be joining clinical experts from around the world on the speaker panel of VET Festival 2019.

The two-day event, now in its fifth year, aims to combine world-class CPD for the whole practice team with an outdoor ‘festival’ atmosphere.   

The organisers say that the wellbeing of veterinary professionals has always been a strong focus of VET Festival, but the inclusion of Lara Heimann in the Wellness and Practice Development lecture, takes it to a new level. Laura has developed her own vinyasa yoga style and regularly leads international retreats and workshops.

Speakers in the clinical programme will include:

• Dr Antonio Pozzi, Head of the Clinic for Small Animal Surgery at the University of Zurich, Switzerland

• Dr Susan Little, co-owner of two feline specialty practices in Ottawa, Canada, and past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners

• Dr Ronaldo da Costa, Professor in Neurology and Neurosurgery at Ohio State University, USA.

• Veterinary cardiologist Professor John E Rush.  A Diplomate of both the American Colleges of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care, Dr Rush has been a professor for 25 years at the Cummings Veterinary Medicine Centre at Tufts University in Massachusetts

• Behaviourist Dr Sarah Heath. A founding Diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine

• Soft-tissue surgeon Professor Christopher Adin. Professor Adin is Chair of the University of Florida’s Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and Associate Professor of Soft Tissue.

Veterinary nurses are welcome to attend any of the lectures, in addition to those in the dedicated nursing stream. An exhibition of the latest products and services for all veterinary professionals takes place in a dedicated arena.

Nicole Cooper, event director, said: "VET Festival is unique in bringing together cutting-edge, inspirational learning, fun and the great outdoors. CPD from our world-leading speakers is delivered in a high quality and contemporary setting but, once work is done, we encourage delegates to relax and enjoy free admission for them, their friends and family to the VETFest Live Party Night."

She added: "With the wellness and wellbeing of members of our profession increasingly in the spotlight, we’re delighted to welcome Lara Heimann for 2019 and hope that she will help our delegates to develop practical solutions to living healthier and more balanced lives."

Supported by MWI Animal Health, VET Festival also offers a 'Family Hub', a place where children can play whilst their parents listen to lectures. 

Alan White Group Commercial Director at MWI Animal Health, said: "Balancing work and family life can often be a juggling act, particularly in the veterinary profession where time is in short supply. This can sometimes compromise the work-life balance of vets, nurses and other team members. At VET Festival, the 'Family Hub' means that there is no compromise and that both our attendees and their families can get the best out of their time with us."

You can buy tickets here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information

Veterinary surgeons are increasingly gloomy about Brexit, according to the latest Voice of the Profession survey of 839 practitioners carried out by the BVA in September and October this year.

According to the survey, 64% of veterinary surgeons now see Brexit as more of a threat than an opportunity for the UK veterinary profession, compared to just half in autumn 2016. Conversely, the number that see Brexit as being more of an opportunity has dropped from 18% to 14% over the same period. 

Vets working in academia and industry were the most gloomy: 69% of vets in academia and 58% of vets in industry see Brexit as more of a threat to their own area of work than an opportunity.

The biggest impact appears to have been on veterinary recruitment, with 53% saying Brexit has made it harder to recruit veterinary surgeons, compared to only 18% in 2016. By comparison, only 11% said it has become harder to recruit veterinary nurses.

51% also now consider Brexit as a threat to animal welfare, compared to 43% in 2016.

BVA President Simon Doherty (pictured right, looking decidedly chipper despite it all) said: "As the UK Government ramps up its planning for a no-deal scenario, it’s clear that the veterinary profession is becoming increasingly concerned about the potential impact of Brexit.

"Top of vets’ list of concerns is significant veterinary workforce shortages across critical areas of animal welfare and public health. Veterinary concerns around animal welfare have also increased as the Government continues to stall on introducing new legislation to enshrine animal sentience in UK law before March.

"From pet passports and food safety, to disease surveillance and trade certification, there is no area of veterinary work that is not touched by Brexit. So, we can fully understand why our members are worried about the future. BVA will continue to raise these important veterinary issues with policymakers to ensure the profession is considered as Brexit discussions continue."

The BVA briefings on “Brexit and the veterinary profession” and “No deal Brexit and the veterinary profession” set out all of the issues of interest in more detail.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has directed the Registrar to remove Laura Padron Vega, a former Official Veterinarian, from the Register for dishonestly backdating certificates in order to avoid new animal welfare regulations.

Miss Padron Vega faced four charges. The first and second alleged that in February 2016, for the purposes of an application to the Food Standards Agency for a Certificate of Competence under the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations 2015, she backdated two separate veterinary witness certificates to 7 December 2015. The third charge alleged that her acts of backdating were misleading, dishonest and in breach of the RCVS Principles of Certification.

The fourth charge against Miss Padron Vega was that, between September 2015 and February 2016, she failed to fulfil her duties as an Official Veterinarian in respect of: failing to prepare herself for the implementation of the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations 2015; failing to have regard to the information provided to her by her employers about the regulations and their implementation; failing to take any steps to ensure that the two individuals for whom she had given veterinary certification were licensed to perform slaughter in accordance with the regulations; and failing to identify that two individuals were not licensed to slaughter in accordance with the regulations.

The Committee heard that the Welfare at the Time of Killing Regulations were introduced on 5 November 2015 which placed the responsibility on slaughtering operations not to permit animal welfare abuses and required certification by a veterinary witness regarding compliance.

The new regulations required existing slaughter licence holders to apply for a Certificate of Competence before midnight on 8 December 2015 or they would not be permitted to continue operating even with experienced operatives.

During the hearing, Ms Padron Vega admitted charges 1 and 2, admitted that she had been in breach of the Principles of Certification and admitted the fourth charge against her.

However, she denied she had backdated the certificates in a misleading or dishonest way, maintaining that she had done so by mistake.

In considering the facts of the case, however, the Committee rejected this argument and, taking into account that she had been responsible for veterinary certifications in the UK since 2001, found that her conduct was knowingly misleading and dishonest.

The Committee then went on to consider whether the charges she admitted and the charges found against her constituted serious professional misconduct, both individually and cumulatively.

The Committee found that all the charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.

In relation to charge 4 in particular Stuart Drummond, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee has found that the respondent failed to read even those emails which her employer sent to her which were marked ‘urgent’ or ‘OV importance high’. She must have known that her employers were directing attention to some new statutory scheme for she was provided with PowerPoint slides in that regard which she could read at any time of her convenience. The Committee has been driven to the conclusion that the respondent did not even bother to read those slides for, had she done so, she would have known that she needed to apprise herself of the requirements of the impending new statutory scheme. 

"The respondent’s failings in this regard are little short of extraordinary, especially given her obligations as Lead OV for FAI Farms. The total abdication of her responsibility to understand the requirements of the Regulations governing the slaughterhouse operations constitutes, in the judgement of this Committee disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."

The Committee then went on to consider the aggravating and mitigating factors in the case. In terms of aggravating features the Committee noted a lack of insight into the gravity of her conduct, that her conduct undermined in the most serious way public confidence in veterinary certification, and that there were animal welfare implications on her conduct as a number of chickens had to be removed from the slaughterhouse and alternative arrangements made because an auditor from the Food Standards Agency found that it was not compliant.

In mitigation the Committee considered that, despite the potential risk of harm, there was no actual harm occasioned to animals, that Miss Padron Vega has had a long and otherwise unblemished career and no previous issues with the RCVS and that she had admitted some of the charges against her.

Stuart Drummond added: "Ultimately, the Committee was driven to the conclusion that the public’s desire to see the implementation of the highest certification standards in relation to activities which impact on animal welfare and public health, and which did not occur on 3 February 2016, must outweigh this particular veterinary surgeon’s desire and need to continue in practice. This is not a conclusion which the Committee has arrived at lightly. On the contrary, it has reached this decision because it has been driven to the conclusion that it would be failing in its public duty to protect the wider public interest in the maintenance of standards of honesty and right conduct in a member of the profession.

"It is, therefore, the conclusion and decision of this Committee that the only proper sanction that can be imposed in this case is that the respondent’s name should be removed from the Register and it directs the Registrar accordingly."

Miss Padron Vega has 28 days from being informed of the Committee’s decision to lodge an appeal with the Privy Council.

Exotics vet Mark Rowland from the Trinity Veterinary Centre has won VetSurgeon.org's competition for sharing the best tip with colleagues in the discussion forums on the site.

To enter the competition, VetSurgeon members just needed to post a 'top tip' that could in any way make life easier, quicker, better or happier for a colleague. 

Making use of the new feature on VetSurgeon.org where members can click a link marked 'thank you' to show their appreciation of something useful shared by someone else, VetSurgeon offered five £50 Amazon Vouchers for the most thanked tips shared before the end of November. 

The winners are:

• Mark Rowland for his tip that Mikki Muzzles make great anaesthesia masks for guinea pigs.

• Emma Robinson for her solution to the problem of opening a new bottle "that has one of those annoying little metal caps".

• Kate Richardson for her tip, which was to use an elastic band to 'tie' your et tubes in.

• Julie Innes for her suggestion to use an elastic/ Velcro back support wrap from the Pound Shop when doing hip scores.

• Gillian Mostyn for things you can do with a latex glove.

Elanco has published a series of online video tutorials for practices that need help setting up and running a business presence on Facebook and Instagram.

The five-part series, which is hosted on Elanco’s customer portal MyElanco.co.uk, covers topics including managing social media communities, how to build a presence using social media advertising and how to respond to new regulations around personal data.

According to a report on Bloomberg, Facebook is reported to be on track to have 32.6 million regular users in the UK despite its falling audience of younger users. Meanwhile Instagram's UK user base was believed to be 16.7 million at the end of 2017. Hence why 81% of small and medium businesses are reported to use some kind of social platform.

Elanco Customer Experience Manager Matthew Rowe said: "The global popularity of social media sites means people now expect businesses to have a social media presence and veterinary practices are no different.

"More veterinary practices are launching business profiles, recognising how vital it is to have a social presence so they can engage with their clients outside of the consultation room. But we realise that it can seem like an intimidating and complex process. 

"The workshops have been created to help more vet practices get started with social media and gain more confidence to make the most out of it for the benefit of their business."

To watch the videos, register at MyElanco.co.uk and visit: https://www.myelanco.co.uk/CPD/video-workshop-part1

Veterinary Nurse Kim Houghton has launched Wild Inside Adventures, an opportunity to take part in a programme which offers hands-on experience with some very exotic species whilst at the same time helping communities that normally have no access to veterinary care.

Participants travel around South Africa working on game reserves, commercial farms and in poor communities, getting experience of game capture, providing veterinary care in townships and rural areas, working in a private clinic and handling and treating large farm animals.

There are also a range of weekend activities, including kayaking, quad biking, game drives, horse riding, surfing, beach walking, bars and restaurants.

Kim said: “We’ve designed the programme so that it’s suitable for people with a wide range of experience, including veterinary and veterinary nursing students, young people considering a career in the veterinary profession and animal lovers.”

For more information, visit: wildinsideadventures.com

5m Publishing has announced that the programme at VetsNorth 2019 and VetsSouth 2019 will focus on medicine and surgery of the endocrine system and emergency medicine.

The programme also introduces an extended nursing stream, focused on surgery and emergency and critical care nursing. In total, the conferences offer more than 27 hours of CPD each through the two veterinary streams, together with the two-day nursing stream.

VetsSouth takes place on 6-7 March, at Sandy Park in Exeter.  VetsNorth takes place on 12-13 June at the AJ Bell Stadium in Manchester. Early-bird rates are now available for both events.

Speakers for 2019 include Ed Hall, Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Bristol, who will discuss pancreatitis in the dog; Dr Georgie Hollis, founder of Intelligent Wound Care, a company which aims to bring the best of modern wound care to veterinary practice and veterinary welfare campaigner and vet Emma Milne who will discuss welfare issues relating to brachycephalic animals.

An exhibition showcasing the latest veterinary products and services and featuring demonstrations and workshops from exhibitors will run alongside the conferences.

Matt Colvan, Event Director, said: "VetsSouth and VetsNorth have established themselves as friendly, relaxed conferences, offering high quality CPD for vets and vet nurses who may not be able to get easily to the larger veterinary events. We urge delegates to take advantage of our time-limited Early-bird offers and register without delay."

Improve International has announced the launch of its General Practitioner Advanced Certificate (GPAdvCert) in Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery.

Accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and due to be validated by Harper Adams University, Improve says the new Cert will be delivered over 14 modules in three blocks of training by globally recognised experts in practical training centres in Sheffield, UK; Cremona, Italy and Madrid, Spain. 

The modules will be supported by an online learning platform providing notes, additional learning resources and the ability for delegates to discuss clinical cases in a closed forum.

David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: "Our GPAdvCert in Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery is a natural progression for veterinary surgeons who want to develop their soft tissue surgery skills. 

"The programme focuses on problem-solving to increase confidence in diagnosing and stabilising animals with complex pathologies and delegates will have plenty of opportunity to practise new surgical techniques and advanced procedures under close supervision in a wet-lab environment."

He added: "In common with our other GPAdvCerts in Orthopaedics and Small Animal Medicine, achieving this qualification will help vets in practice to reduce the number of patients they have to refer, enabling them to retain a higher level of income for their practice. The programme will also provide them with skills which they can pass onto their team."

The GPAdvCert in Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery is aimed at veterinary surgeons who have already completed a General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Surgery (GPCertSAS) or a Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Small Animal Surgery.

Improve says the successful achievement of a GPAdvCert enables delegates to progress from a Postgraduate Certificate (or equivalent) to the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences in the UK, which is awarded by Harper Adams University.  This can, in turn, be used towards the award of a Master’s Degree (MSc) in Advanced Veterinary Practice Sciences.