Severn Edge was formed six years ago with the merger of two long-standing neighbouring practices, and now employs 135 people, including 43 veterinary surgeons.
Mrs Karyn MacKenzie, Director of CVS’ Practice Division, said: "Severn Edge is an impressive practice with an outstanding leadership team and an ambitious and exciting vision for the future which we share. We are delighted to welcome the team to CVS and look forward to working with them to help them build an even more successful future."
Dr John Brentnall BVSc MRCVS, a Director of Severn Edge, will continue in the role of CVS Regional Director. He said: "It was clear from our early discussions that CVS understood what we are trying to achieve. We have embarked on a significant investment programme, including upgrading our surgery at Madeley outside Telford, and the redevelopment of the site of an additional clinic which we have recently acquired in Craven Arms.
"In order for us to continually upgrade our clinics, provide the widest range of career opportunities for our staff and steer our practice through an increasingly competitive world, we believe that the best interests of us all lie in joining forces with CVS. It is known for its interest in equine and farm practice, as well as companion animal practice, and has a policy of significant investment in both infrastructure and staff. We believe it offers the best fit with Severn Edge."
João, who graduated from Portugal’s Oporto University in 2009, was recruited from the University of Liverpool, where he was a lecturer in Small Animal Cardiology.
Willows Clinical Director Toby Gemmill said: "This is an exciting time for us. As part of our new extension, our state-of-the-art cardiology suite is now open and fully operational, while we have also appointed a hugely knowledgeable and experienced cardiologist to join the team.
"It is further evidence of our continued commitment to invest in top talent and the best facilities so we can provide the highest standards of care and treatment."
João said: "I’m very pleased to have joined a centre of excellence like Willows and to be working in the fantastic new cardiology suite.
"I enjoy all aspects of medical and interventional cardiology but I have a particular interest in feline cardiomyopathies, cardiorenal syndrome and atrial fibrillation."
According to the company, coprophagia affects 23% of dogs, with 16% being repeat offenders.
Copro-nil is a powder which, when added to food, makes the resultant faeces unpalatable. This, says the company, breaks the coprophagia habit and gives the owner an opportunity to implement training to eradicate the behaviour long-term.
Copro-nil has been relaunched in smaller 100g pots with a new look designed to make the product more appealing.
The product comes with advice about behavioural training methods to help owners understand how they can break the coprophagia habit in the long term.
Will Peel, product manager at TVM UK said: "The new format and packaging have been designed to help deal with this very unpleasant problem which many owners believe is a behaviour that dogs will grow out of.
"The new format is intended to demonstrate that Copro-nil, combined with effective behavioural training, can help resolve the problem effectively.’
Copro-nil also provides a comprehensive B vitamin source as deficiencies in B vitamins may contribute to coprophagia.
Downloadable advice sheets for veterinary staff to share help and advice with clients are available from www.tvm-uk.com/coprophagia.
Dechra Veterinary Products has announced that Intubeaze Oromucosal Spray is now back in stock.
Intubeaze is used for local anaesthesia of the laryngeal mucosa of cats to facilitate endotracheal intubation by preventing the stimulation of the laryngeal reflex.
The product had gone out of stock due to a temporary manufacturing problem which has now been fixed.
Intubeaze is a clear solution containing 2% w/v lidocaine hydrochloride, with 0.1% w/v chlorocresol as an antimicrobial preservative. Intubeaze is now available through all wholesalers.
For further information on Intubeaze please contact Dechra on 01743 441 632 or visit www.dechra.co.uk.
A graduate of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Johnny went on to spend three years working as a general practitioner in England before starting a rotating internship at Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge.
Following a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Royal Veterinary College he was awarded the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN) in 2014 and joined Davies in the same year.
Johnny has been Chairperson of the Education Committee of the ECVN College since 2018, has been the main author and co-author of numerous publications and regularly lectures in the UK and abroad.
Johnny said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to lead Davies’ neurology team to continue to build on the excellent reputation that we have established in neurology and neurosurgery over the past decade. Specialist and supportive care for neurological patients is paramount and we take pride in treating our patients as if they were our own pets.”
Tony Noble, managing director at Noble Futures, said: "We have been working with organisations of all shapes and sizes since our foundation in 2002 and it became clear that while we can ensure that our clients recruit the top people for the job - through finding them the best permanent, contracting or temporary employees - the resources are not always present to ensure that this human resource potential is maximised. The team at The Partners deliver a world-class service and we are 100% confident that their professional and expert support services will make a real difference to our clients’ businesses."
Noble Futures and The Partners have launched three new services:
The Human Resources support service is aimed at organisations that need additional support or more expert advice within the human resources function, whether it relates to a particular employee issue such as managing a long-term illness, or a wider corporate challenge like implementing a company-wide performance management system.
The Psychometric Profiling service is designed to give unique insights into the individual traits of employees, to help with recruitment, promotion, coaching and career development.
Finally, the Management Development service has been developed to help ensure a company’s employees receive the right training for success.
Paula Summerscales (pictured right with husband Graham) from The Partners said: "We are delighted to partner with Noble Futures to deliver our range of people-building services to organisations in the animal health sector. Our unique mix of skills and experience allows us to bring a tailored approach to every single project we work on and we’re looking forward to working with Noble Futures clients to implement innovative solutions that gain commercial results."
For more information, contact Noble Futures on 0161 820 3510 or email: info@noble-futures.com.
Alternatively, contact The Partners directly on 01484 860849
To take part in the survey, which will take about ten minutes, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RepRIPorVIP.
Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a draw to win one of three £50 Amazon vouchers.
The House of Lords debate, which is being hosted by Professor The Lord Tress of Kinross, will take place on Wednesday, 21st June 2023.
Speakers will include Donal Murphy of NOAH, Rita Dingwall of the Federation f Independent Veterinary Practices and Paul Horwood, Country Head of Farm at IVC Evidensia.
https://vma.org.uk/house-of-lords/
Dr Stephen Hearns, a consultant in aeromedical retrieval (human) medicine, who delivers pre-hospital critical care for major trauma patients, will open Congress as the keynote speaker.
He'll also present a limited-seat session where he’ll focus on performance under pressure.
Joining Stephen in the speaker line up are Simon Cook from the RVC, Megan Brashear from Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, Tim Travail, Chloe Fay, Dan Tipney, Jenny Guyat, Ashton Hollworth and Dr Craig Joyce, an educational psychologist who will be offering his insights into dealing with imposter syndrome.
This year, participants will have the opportunity to follow a trauma case from arrival to departure on the first day of Congress, gaining real-time insights into the decision-making process and management strategies.
On day two, speakers will delve into lessons learned, allowing attendees to deepen their understanding of emergency and critical care practices
Simon said: “Get ready for a fantastic speaker line-up, an array of workshops and learning experiences, a bustling exhibition hall and more opportunities than ever for veterinary and nursing delegates to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.
"Brace yourselves to absorb knowledge and tips from some of the world’s leading veterinary experts discussing emergency and critical care.”
The ECC Congress programme for 2023 is open to veterinary professionals of all levels, including veterinarian surgeons, vet nurses, students and graduates.
Tickets range in price from £50+ VAT for exhibition-only tickets, up to £520+ VAT for a vet to attend for 2 days plus the Gala dinner.
https://www.vets-now.com/congress/
Petplan has announced that Richard Williams MRCVS from the Vale Veterinary Centre in Barry has won its Vet of the Year award.
The award is one of a number handed out each year to celebrate exceptional veterinary surgeons, nurses, practices, practice managers and vet support staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in keeping pets healthy and giving owners peace of mind.
The independent panel of judges was particularly impressed with Richard’s tireless dedication to veterinary care. They said: "He is considered by both clients and colleagues to be a great communicator, is constantly researching new and improved techniques, is brilliant at motivating staff and proactively encourages the professional development of his team – he truly leads by example."
On receiving the award, Richard said: "I’m completely surprised, overjoyed and humbled that my clients have taken the time out of their busy days to vote. It’s a great feeling."
Other winners included:
Isabella von Mesterhazy, Head of Marketing at Petplan, said: "Through the annual Petplan Veterinary Awards we’re able to pay tribute to the incredible work carried out by members of the veterinary profession across the UK. Their dedication allows pet owners to rest safe in the knowledge that, whether it’s for a routine check-up, an unexpected illness or injury or a simple procedure, their much-loved pets are in safe hands when they visit their vets. We’re elated to be able to announce the deserving winners, and congratulate them on such a fantastic achievement!"
For more information about the awards and to learn more about the winners, please visit http://www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards/winners.asp.
The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and adverse effect profile of each individual AED by analysing all available data published and then evaluating how reliable it was.
The researchers gathered, screened and assessed all the information published in peer-reviewed journals and publications. The individual studies were then evaluated based on the quality of evidence, study design, study group sizes, subject enrolment quality and overall risk of bias, as well as the efficacy and safety outcome measures.
Lead-author, Marios Charalambous from Ghent University, said: "We recruited systematic methods to combine, compare and summarise the results of independent studies and, therefore, create more objective and reliable conclusions based on the current evidence. It was a time-consuming, demanding and challenging process, and we hope we provided the clinicians now with essential information which they can use for daily practice."
The researchers found that much of the evidence for the medical treatment of feline epilepsy was based on below-par reporting of efficacy and adverse effect, worse than what was formerly reported in dogs.
The lack of good quality evidence led authors to conclude that it would be: "...rather inaccurate to make definite statements on which one [AED] should be considered as a first or second choice in terms of both efficacy and safety profile. However, if clinicians focus on AED’s efficacy, phenobarbital can be used as first-choice monotherapy and if they focus on AED’s safety, imepitoin or levetiracetam can be used."
Holger Volk, Head of the Department Clinical Science and Services and Professor of Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery at the RVC, said: "Not only does this study offer a new perspective on the management of feline epilepsy, but also highlights the importance of the need for trials which provide high quality evidence in order to have more reliable and objective results about the efficacy and safety of the AEDs in feline epilepsy."
The study was published in BMC Veterinary Research (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-018-1386-3).
The authors say that an association between acute kidney injury and general anaesthesia is well-defined in human medicine, but there is little information in the veterinary literature.
In their new study, called “Twelve previously healthy non-geriatric dogs present for acute kidney injury after general anaesthesia for non-emergency surgical procedures in the UK1”, Emma Rogers-Smith and her co-authors retrospectively analysed the medical records of 12 dogs that presented for acute kidney injury following general anaesthesia across three multidisciplinary referral centres and one primary care practice in the UK. Information obtained included signalment, general anaesthesia, surgical procedure and peri-surgical management.
The aim was to characterise common factors after a suspected increase in incidence of post-procedure acute kidney injury in animals without identifiable risk factors.
Emma Rogers-Smith, a resident in internal medicine at Davies Veterinary Specialists and corresponding author for the paper, said: “A suspicion that there was an increase in non-geriatric dogs suffering acute kidney injury (AKI) shortly after elective procedures led to this study.
"Whilst our data supported this suspicion, there was an increase in incidence, the change itself is not statistically significant and so we are unable to be conclusive.
"This study is limited by small sample size and retrospective nature of the data. At this time no definitive causal link between these cases has been found.
"As such, we are urging clinicians with similar experiences in the last 24 months to get in touch. We hope to ascertain if there is any commonality between these cases and, if possible, better define the incidence of AKI in non-geriatric animals following elective procedures.”
Nick Jeffery, editor of JSAP said: “Nowadays, most veterinarians consider general anaesthesia safe in dogs and routinely allay pet-owner concerns. Whilst AKI following general anaesthesia seems to be rare, it is worrying that a specific risk factor was not identified in any dog, despite a wealth of available clinical data. I would urge any veterinarians that have similar cases to contact the authors.”
Any clinicians with similar experiences during the last 24 months should contact Emma Rogers-Smith on emma.rogers-smith@vetspecialists.co.uk.
The full article can be found in the June issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice, and here: https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13134
Reference
Zea Sciences has announced that its natural rodenticide has been certified under the European Biocide Directive Program, known as Annex1/1A BPD 98/8EEC.
The rodenticide is made from powdered corn cob (PCC) which, according to Zea Sciences, causes rats and mice to die of hypovolemic shock within 4-7 days of starting to feed on it.
The company says PCC poses no health risk to human or non target animal species, such as cats, dogs and birds. It is also the first of its type and class to be officially acknowledged as using naturally biodegradable and environmentally friendly material.
PCC is available from a number of retail and trade outlets, under various different brand names. However, the company said that if there was sufficient interest by vets in stocking the pet-friendly product, it would look at making it available through veterinary wholesalers.
Martin Holland, Managing Director of Zea Sciences said: ''I hope the profession will help spread the word about PCC-based rodent control - it might mean you have to reach for the vitamin K a little less often."
Vetswest, the veterinary support services company, has been acquired by MWI Veterinary Supply, a subsidiary of the US multinational, AmerisourceBergen.
MWI already owns Centaur and VetSpace, and the agreement will allow it to further expand the range of services it offers the animal health profession in the UK.
Jim Cleary, Executive Vice President of AmerisourceBergen and President of MWI Veterinary Supply said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to the success of veterinary practices across the globe. We’re proud to welcome Vetswest to the MWI family as we continue to expand our services in our mission to be the best resource to the animal health profession.”
Vetswest offers group business support services for its 235 member veterinary practices including negotiating manufacturer terms and a proprietary IT system that supports pricing intelligence, inventory information and reporting on purchasing activity. The company also provides access to ancillary services for veterinary surgeons to help manage human resources, continuing professional development, insurance offerings, pension services and other areas which support the growth of member practices.
Vetswest's retiring managing director David Buckley said: “The resources of MWI and AmerisourceBergen will allow us to bring new innovation to the market and additional benefits to Vetswest members. I’m excited about Vetswest’s future under the leadership of Chris Sobey and as part of the MWI and AmerisourceBergen family.”
Chris Sobey, who will become the new managing director of Vetswest following his tenure as Vetswest’s business development director said: “Our goal has always been to improve efficiencies and services for our members through scale and with our new relationship with MWI and AmerisourceBergen, we will be well positioned to further this core mission of our organisation.’’
Entries for the awards, which were presented at a ceremony held at Wembley Stadium, came from a wide range of SMEs employing less than 250 employees, operating across all industries.
This latest achievement comes at the end of a successful year for the company, which saw it celebrate 80 years in business and recruit its 200th team member after creating 50 new jobs in the last 12 months alone. Earlier this year, White Cross Vets was also included in The Sunday Times ‘Best 100 Small Companies To Work For’ league table for the fifth year running.
Tim Harrison, Managing Director of White Cross Vets, said: "To be named as the UK’s best SME is an amazing achievement and we’re extremely proud of it. We take immense pride in making White Cross Vets a superb place to work and always strive to foster a close-knit and highly motivated team.
"As part of this we’ve further enhanced the wide range of employee benefits that our people enjoy this year, which ultimately translates into the level of care and standard of service that our clients receive. Winning the ‘Employer of the Year’ award reinforces this and cements our position at the forefront of the veterinary industry."
Damian Cummins, Awards Director, said: "White Cross Vets is a very worthy winner from the best of businesses across the UK, a great achievement and ambassador for SME’s."
Employment initiatives that White Cross Vets offers include days off and cakes for birthdays, five donation days a year to volunteer with chosen charities and a health care scheme as well as subsidised Fitbits and gym memberships.
A 2012 RVC graduate, Daniella is the Principle Exotics Vet at ParkVet Hospital and is studying towards a certificate in Zoological Medicine. She said: "Despite their amazing work, the AWF struggles for funds to continue its vital work, so I have decided not only to be the first ever person to run the London Marathon for the AWF, but to run it in costume!
"Those who know me will be aware that running is not among my favourite activities, but I am stepping up to the challenge to raise much-needed funds for this fantastic charity that’s making a real, tangible difference to animals worldwide."
"Working full time in clinical practice, including being part of an out-of-hours rota, means training must be factored in with military precision: so far, some of my longer runs are planned for 4 am!
"I also entered the Hastings Half Marathon on 18 March, and my final training run prior to the big day is scheduled for when I will be in Queensland, Australia for my brother’s wedding.
"If I can manage 22 miles in those hot and humid conditions, the London Marathon should be a breeze!”
Chris Laurence. AWF Chair of Trustees, said: "I am delighted that Daniella has chosen to raise funds for AWF in what is arguably one of the biggest sporting events in the world. On behalf of the organisation, I’d like to thank her for her support and wish her all the best for the marathon."
To support Daniella’s fundraising, visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DaniellaDosSantos
For updates on her training and to find out more about AWF, visit www.bva-awf.org.uk
The study looked at the anonymised employment data of 1,642 veterinary nurses working across 418 UK primary-care companion animal veterinary practices at the end of 2020, including both qualified and student nurses.
Of these, 278 (16.9%) nurses resigned from their veterinary practice between 1 January to 31 December 2021.
Career progression was cited as a reason for resigning by 36.7%, compared to 12.9% for personal reasons, 11.9% for better pay, 10.1% for a better work-life balance, 6.8% to relocate, and 3.6% decided not to return after parental leave.
The research also looked at factors associated with lower odds of future nurse resignations.
They included longer employment tenure (p < 0.001) and working at practices with greater property and facilities ratings (p < 0.049).
Head nurses and students were least likely to resign, whereas by comparison, the nurse role was associated with resignations (p = 0.008), adding to the evidence to support nursing career pathways.
The employee engagement metric, eNPS, was also identified as a reliable indicator of nurse retention. reflecting similar findings in other healthcare professions.
Imogen Schofield, Veterinary Statistician and Epidemiologist at CVS, said: “We want to support the whole industry in reducing the number of nurses leaving their roles and the profession.
"Little objective industry data is available on the true reasons behind nurse attrition and we believe this is the first study to outline the risk factors for nurse resignations using practice data, providing an important addition to the evidence-base surrounding this complex topic.
“Reflecting on our research, that was based on data in 2021, we have since seen our attrition rate fall and our employee engagement measure increase as we have focused on developing career pathways, empowering nurses to take on more responsibilities; developing a range of wellbeing programmes, launching a variety of colleague benefits, and significantly investing in our practices.”
Ian graduated from the University of Liverpool and gained his PhD from the University of Glasgow. He gained both the UK and European Diplomas in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Cambridge and is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine. He returned to Glasgow University in 1998 and has been the Professor of Small Animal Medicine since 2009.
Ian has published in the fields of infectious diseases, endocrinology and neurology but is interested in all aspects of small animal medicine. In 2015 he was awarded the BSAVA Woodrow Award for his contribution to small animal medicine. In 2016 he became of Fellow of the RCVS, thereby becoming a jolly good fellow Fellow of the RCVS, or JGFFRCVS for short.
Professor Ramsey has served BSAVA as a regional secretary, member of several committees and chair of Petsavers and Scientific. He is probably best known as the editor of four editions of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary.
The Presidential handover usually takes place at BSAVA Congress but was delayed this year given the cancellation of the April event due to coronavirus.
Ian says that during his Presidency, he intends to promote and enhance the digital offering of the Association to BSAVA members coping with the pandemic. He will also oversee changes to BSAVA congress with a more interactive approach to training; shortened, more focussed lectures and greater integration between the exhibition, the scientific content, and the social events.
Ian said: “At this time of great uncertainty in the profession, my focus will be on providing BSAVA members with the scientific information and clinical training that they need, in a suitable form. Clinical skills and science lie at the heart of being a good vet and BSAVA members get access to a huge range of cheap or free resources in these areas to help them in their careers. Congress 2021 will be evolving as a vital part of this effort and I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to Manchester during the last week of March 2021."
Bayer Animal Health has announced that it will launch Seresto, a new POM-V collar for cats and dogs that kills fleas and repels and kills ticks for up to eight months, in March.
According to Bayer, Seresto is the first treatment to provide repellency against ticks in both cats and dogs, and represents the fruit of a multidisciplinary effort incorporating the company's research into insecticides, polymers and veterinary parasiticides. The end result is a polymer-based collar that transfers the active ingredients to the lipid layer, from where they are spread by the animal's neutral oils.
Bayer Animal Health group product manager, Caroline Braidwood, said: "Seresto is simple to use on both cats and dogs. And because it is long lasting, it offers pet owners an alternative to those struggling to maintain a monthly routine. Bayer believes in innovation and Seresto is an enhancement to our product portfolio that meets the needs and requirements of pet owners and vets alike in the treatment of ticks and fleas."
Seresto contains two active ingredients - imidacloprid for fast action against fleas and flumethrin, which repels and kills ticks.
Caroline added: "Thanks to Seresto's unique polymer structure the active ingredients are safely locked away in the collar's matrix, and are released directly from the collar surface into the lipid layer of the animal at just the dose needed, ensuring optimal protection is sustained for up to 8 months."
Bayer says that because of its repellent (anti-feeding) effect, Seresto reduces the risk of vector-borne disease transmission - a first for cats. The company also says that because the active ingredients are stored on the inside of the polymer, it doesn't matter if the pet is shampooed and the lipid layer stripped off - the active ingredients are quickly replenished by the collar.
Seresto is odour-free and has a safety release mechanism to prevent strangulation. It is available in three sizes, Seresto Cat for cats less than 8kgs, Seresto Small Dog for dogs up to 8kgs and Seresto Large Dogs, for dogs over 8kg.
For further information about Seresto, contact your Bayer territory manager or call 01635 563000.
Petplan has announced the results of a survey which shows that with less than a week to go before microchipping becomes compulsory in England, Scotland and Wales, there is still confusion about the law amongst pet owners.
In the survey of 2,000 British dog owners, 25% had not heard of the new law and 40% didn't know that it also requires owners to keep their microchip details up to date.
40% of respondents said they'd be happy to pay over £500 as a reward if their dog went missing. Despite this, 40% of those who were aware of the new law but had yet to chip their dogs admitted they had not done so because of reservations about the cost of the procedure.
The survey also highlighted the fact that even the most careful of owners lose their dogs. Nearly 40% of losses reported in the survey happened when the owner was taking their pet on a daily walk and 47.1% of respondents reported having a dog escape from an apparently secure garden.
The survey also found that a third of lost dogs came to harm while missing, most of which (84.8%) needed veterinary care.
According to Petplan, despite more than half of dog owners citing expensive veterinary bills as one of their biggest concerns around dog ownership, over 45% of respondents reported not having their dogs insured.
Petplan has published information for pet owners about the new microchip law here: petplan.co.uk/microchip-dog-law-info.
Lots of April Fool's Day gags involving animals this year...
watch?v=1kC0OI9MYZc
The Sun reported that Sir Richard Branson's health club chain, Virgin Active, is launching a new gym for dogs only, to combat the pet obesity epidemic. Alton Towers supposedly launched a new rollercoaster ride for dogs only. Meanwhile, Pasante, a condom manufacturer, launched the 'condog', though this seems to be a variation on an idea that has been around for a while now.
My favourites, though, were two April fools unrelated to animals. The first was from Cadbury's, made more believable by the fact that it was planted in the Southampton Echo. The second was the announcement by BMW that Dr. Noit All, the company's Head of Innovation, had developed a fuel-saving system called Magnetic Tow Technology (MTT). Readers were invited to keep abreast with future developments from BMW by emailing Dr. Noit All's colleague at uve.vollenvorit@bmw.co.uk.
The Disciplinary Committee has directed that Kfir Segev be restored to the RCVS Register, having removed him over two years ago for dishonesty and misleading clients.
Mr Segev, formerly practising in Stanmore, Middlesex, was removed from the Register following an 11-day hearing ending on 19 May 2009 at which he had been proven guilty of deliberately concealing from his clients that their dog was terminally ill, whilst at the same time recommending that she undergo expensive and unnecessary procedures.
This was Mr Segev’s first application for restoration to the Register. The Committee found that, during his period of removal, he had undergone “extensive personal and professional rehabilitation”, which included attendance at a clinical psychologist and voluntary work in the local community.
The Committee found that, during his period of removal, he had undergone "extensive personal and professional rehabilitation.
From 2009 to September 2011, Mr Segev logged 420 hours of certificated continuing professional development, with particular emphasis on ethics, client relationships and animal welfare.
The Committee noted he had also seen practice and taken the advice of mentors, including about 80 days at “a number of high quality practices with eminent members of the profession”.
These included Professor Dick White MRCVS, of Dick White Referrals, Professor David Noakes FRCVS, Emeritus Professor of the Royal Veterinary College and Mr David Grant MBE FRCVS, Hospital Director at the RSCPA Sir Harold Harmsworth Memorial Hospital, all of whom gave evidence at the hearing in support of Mr Segev.
Professor White said that, since late 2009 when he was approached by Mr Segev for help in remedial training, continuing education and mentoring, he had subsequently had frequent dealings and conversations with him.
Professor White said: “I formed the opinion that he invariably exercised professional clinical judgement that is, if anything, considerably deeper than many professional colleagues. I felt he demonstrated compassion for patients and empathy for owners in equal measure and believed him to have come to understand fully the seriousness of his behaviour."
Mr Segev’s efforts at rehabilitation were described as “exceptional” by Professor Noakes, who said he was “impressed by Mr Segev’s genuine acceptance of the fact that he had committed a serious offence and deserved to be punished.”
Mr Grant, who had been in contact with Mr Segev since November 2010, told the hearing that, in his opinion, it was most evident that Mr Segev accepted his wrongdoing and, along with Professor Noakes, indicated that he was willing to offer continued support and help.
The College opposed the restoration of Mr Segev on three grounds, namely: the gravity of the matters found proved at the original hearing; that the length of time off the Register was insufficient to mark these and ensure that the reputation of the profession was not undermined in the eyes of the public; and, Mr Segev’s conduct, relying on two matters arising from the footage in a BBC Panorama programme, which was filmed both before and after the 2009 hearing.
The College also questioned whether Mr Segev genuinely accepted the original findings.
The Committee agreed that the findings of the original hearing were serious; it was, however, impressed by Mr Segev’s complete and genuine written and public apologies for what he had done.
It disagreed that the length of time off the Register was too short.
It was mindful that the purpose of the sanction of erasure is not primarily of punishment and considered that no useful purpose would be served by delaying further Mr Segev’s restoration.
Whilst the Committee found Mr Segev was wrong to have continued to display ‘veterinary surgeon’ on the practice nameplate (as shown in the television footage), it was satisfied that he did not intend to hold himself out as a practising veterinary surgeon and no harm to the public or animal welfare resulted from his mistake.
The footage also showed Mr Segev was in breach of RCVS guidance on the administration of anaesthesia by permitting a student veterinary nurse to induce anaesthesia by using incremental doses of intravenous propofol, with an unqualified assistant offering advice on the depth of anaesthesia during its incremental induction. The Committee considered Mr Segev’s actions to be an error, now cured.
In conclusion, the Committee accepted Mr Segev “had made genuine and successful attempts to reform his previous attitude and failings”.
It noted that a large number of testimonials had been provided by colleagues, friends and clients, and that the impact of removal on Mr Segev had been severe.
It concluded that his previous mistakes provided “no reason, relevant to animal welfare, to suggest that his restoration would be unwise.”
Speaking on behalf of the Committee, Chairman Beverley Cottrell said: “Restoration to the Register of a veterinary surgeon who has been guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect of such seriousness is not something to be undertaken lightly … But, in all the circumstances of this case, [we have] decided that Mr Segev is a fit person to restore to the Register, and so direct the Registrar.”
IVC says the new brand will allow better communication for equine teams within the IVC Evidensia group as well as collaboration with the wider equine world.
IVC Evidensia Equine Vets range from graduates to European Specialists, working in both dedicated equine and mixed practice, with all practices supported by the four large equine veterinary referral hospitals in the UK: Donnington Grove Veterinary Group, Fyrnwy Equine Group, Oakham Veterinary Hospital and Pool House Equine.
IVC says the brand's mission is to put the welfare of horses at the heart of everything it does, to providing outstanding continuity of care for all equine species and breeds across the network, to be at the forefront of continual professional development, supporting and facilitating the development of clinical and leadership skills across all their equine teams, and to build the leading network for equine veterinary care across Europe.
Richard Stephenson, Chair of the IVC Evidensia Equine Clinical Board, said: "Our network brings together all forms of equine work from ambulatory practice to some of leading UK equine referral centres.
“It gives support to all our staff in their careers. We facilitate clinical development from the graduate academy, through intern training, residencies and training up to European Diplomat level.
“We provide coaching and leadership, flexible roles and friendly, inclusive teams.”
For more information, visit https://www.ivcevidensia.co.uk/Equine or stand B01 at BEVA 2021 congress.
The Scottish Fold is bred for a cartilage abnormality which gives them their distinctive folded ears.
However, that same cartilage abnormality affects their joints, meaning that they go on to develop painful arthritis, even from a young age.
The charities say the impact of using this breed in a Hollywood film cannot be overstated and is likely to significantly increase their popularity with potential cat owners.
Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, said: “International Cat Care (iCatCare) and its veterinary division, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), believe that it is simply unethical to continue to breed cats with a genetic mutation that is known to cause significant painful disease – the rationale for breeding these cats was purely for traits considered attractive to humans, as some people believe the folded ears look appealing.
"This is an unnatural appearance for a cat, and the underlying genetic defect has far-reaching and severe consequences for the health of the cat.
"Health should always be more important than looks.”
The trailer for the film also shows a cat travelling in a backpack and subjected to rough handling, including being picked up by the scruff and thrown from a building.
ISFM says that although these scenes have been created using digital animation, the organisations share concerns that suggesting these interactions with cats are acceptable or entertaining may have a negative impact on the welfare of cats.
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at International Cat Care, said: “Scruffing a cat is an unacceptable form of restraint that can cause a cat considerable discomfort, fear and even pain, as the weight of its body is completely unsupported, and the cat cannot escape the pressure from its skin being grasped.
"Backpacks are not a cat friendly way to transport a cat; they can leave a cat cramped, without enough ventilation, struggling to control body temperature, and uncomfortable due to the unpredictable movement from being worn on a person’s back.
"Backpacks are simply not cat friendly - they do not respect the cat as a species and run the risk of psychological and physical suffering to the cat.”
The organisations have contacted Universal Pictures, asking them to adopt Cat Friendly Principles in future, and not to promote cat breeds with extreme features in future.
The study was the first to use prospectively collected data to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for gingivitis in a cohort of domestic cats, using data from 860 cats aged up to six years enrolled in the Bristol Cats Study. Gingivitis was found to be a common condition in cats aged up to six years, with prevalence increasing with age, from 24.5% in cats less than 12 months old, up to 56.3% in cats between five and six years old. Odds of gingivitis in cats aged three to four years were higher in cats fed a wet only or mixed wet/dry diet compared to those on a dry only diet; cats not reported to hunt prey compared to reported hunters; cats reported to dribble whilst being stroked at age six months compared to reported non-dribblers; and cats with orange variants in their coat colour compared to non-orange cats. Sex was not found to be a risk factor for gingivitis (Ed's note: what a relief). Jess Williams, lead author of the study, said: “Periodontal disease is one of the most common conditions in cats, potentially causing issues with eating and behaviours like grooming.
"Our study showed that even young cats may have signs of gingivitis, so it is important to discuss and monitor dental health regularly and early on in a cat’s life, especially for those cats who may be more at risk.”
The study was funded by BSAVA PetSavers.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsap.13737
RSPCA has launched a new website called 'Political Animal' to encourage voters to lobby their prospective parliamentary candidates about animal welfare issues ahead of the General Election.
The site offers an interesting timeline of the last 20 years of animal welfare law, leading up to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, showing landmark changes. It also gives details of the RSPCA's stance on issues like status dogs, higher welfare farming, wild animals in circuses and animals used in experiments.
RSPCA parliamentary officer Stacey Frier, said: "The Political Animal microsite is a unique project allowing our supporters to drive the debate by letting politicians know what they want them to do for animal welfare if they are elected.
"The RSPCA and its supporters have been instrumental in campaigning for change in animal welfare legislation since the Society's creation in 1824 and we're urging the incoming parliament to continue to work with us to achieve further animal welfare milestones."
For more information, please log on to http://www.politicalanimal.org.uk/