It's been another bad week for flat-faced breeds: the Royal Veterinary College has released the results of a new study which shows that brachycephalic dogs are the most likely breed types to encounter problems when giving birth.

The study was part of a research project called VetCompass, through which the RVC, in collaboration with Vets Now, collects anonymised clinical information on over 6 million companion animals under veterinary care in the UK.

The study investigated bitches presented with difficulty giving birth (dystocia) from among almost 20,000 bitches attending 50 Vets Now surgeries. Researchers found that out of 20,000 bitches receiving emergency veterinary care, 3.7 per cent of these were treated because of difficulties encountered giving birth.

The most commonly affected breeds were the French Bulldog (15.9 times more likely), Boston Terrier (12.9 times more likely), Chihuahua (10.4 times more likely) and Pug (11.3 times more likely).

Dr Dan O’Neill, a companion animal epidemiologist within the VetCompass Programme, said: "Giving birth in dogs is not always a benign process and our research shows this risk is especially exacerbated in some common brachycephalic and toy breeds. Prospective owners should bear these welfare costs for high risk breeds in mind when choosing their new puppy."

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'VetCompass' research will not only enable dog breeders to make responsible breeding choices to improve the health of these dogs, it will help to highlight what puppy buyers need to be looking out for if they are intent on owning one of these breeds.  If people are choosing a breed simply for its looks and are not going to a reputable breeder, they are likely to face high vet costs and a lifetime of heartache."

This study builds on previous 'purchasing' research by the RVC which found that appearance is the number one reason why owners purchase flat-faced breeds, even though their large, round, wide-set eyes, and flat rounded faces are linked with a variety of inherited diseases. 

Dr Rowena Packer, lead author of the study and Research Fellow at RVC, said: "Potential puppy buyers attracted to the appearance of these breeds should seriously consider whether they are emotionally and financially prepared to take on a breed with high risks of health complications, and consider whether alternative, lower-risk breeds would better fit their lifestyle."

Idexx Laboratories has launched a total T4 dry-slide test, giving veterinary surgeons real-time access to additional chemistry information.

The new test is compatible with all the company’s in-clinic laboratory analysers.

Simon Wootton, UK Marketing Manager from Idexx says that it is important for vets to be able to update a patient’s chemistry during a visit: “Conditions like hyper- or hypothyroidism require intervention and careful long-term monitoring. It is also important to assess the possible effects on other relevant medical parameters. This is why vets often want to update a patient’s chemistry data during the clinic visit. To accommodate this need, accurate and dependable chemistry, electrolyte and T4 test results can now be delivered in as little as 15 minutes.

“By adding thyroid screening to diagnostic protocols – which may already include fructosamine, phenobarbital, and urine P:C testing – practices can now get comprehensive chemistry, electrolyte and T4 measurements from a single sample, in a single run. This will let vets detect abnormalities sooner and respond more effectively.”

For more information, visit: https://www.idexx.com 

VetSurgeon.org has introduced a new policy of zero tolerance of bad manners in its forums. 

It's believed that VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk, which run on a platform that predates Facebook, may be the first online communities to require good manners. 

Under the new policy, anyone who posts anything in the forums which is sarcastic, belittling, snide, rude or unkind towards another member will face immediate removal from the website.  

This marks a very radical change to the previous policy in which members were free to say pretty much what they wanted.

VetSurgeon.org Publisher Arlo Guthrie said: "For years, I felt the right to free speech trumped all, and would rarely intervene.

"When I did, the worst anyone faced was a temporary suspension. 

"As time has passed, I've realised the limitations of the written word, especially the short-form, hastily-written word, which can cause real distress. 

"We all moderate our language offline, it's just a question of realising that we need a different set of standards online, to account for the lack of facial expression and immediacy of reply, and the public nature of the discussion.

Some people have questioned the new policy, and whether it will stifle proper debate.

Arlo added: "I believe not. It is perfectly possible and OK to disagree with someone, and express that disagreement forcefully, without being sarcastic.

"On the contrary, I think that allowing bad manners has a far more chilling effect on free speech, because it scares off opinions from the majority of more moderate members"

Others have asked whether this new policy is the consequence of the new partnership with Improve International, or proposed new laws surrounding social media. 

Arlo said: "Again, no. It was a very personal decision I reached after years of wrestling with the problem. It was precipitated by a series of unkind posts and I just thought 'enough's enough'.

"That said, I am really excited about the prospect of working with Improve to grow the community as somewhere its members can come for high quality clinical content and authoritative opinion, which for sure would be hard to achieve if we don't have a friendly, collaborative atmosphere."

Another issue raised about zero tolerance is whether it is fair that there may be no second chance.

Arlo said: "I've tried loads of things over the years. Warnings. Red cards. Suspensions. None of them work. People just push the boundaries. 

"But the moment I said 'zero tolerance', it seems people get the message and moderate themselves accordingly."

"I'm delighted. I want people to think of VetSurgeon.org as somewhere everyone can come for authoritative advice and support, confident of a friendly welcome and the highest standards of online behaviour."

The BSAVA has published its Manual of Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, written to help veterinary surgeons provide a level of care for backyard birds that clients expect.

The BSAVA says there has been a real resurgence in the number of people keeping backyard poultry for a self-sufficient supply of food and because they often become part of the family, owners have come to expect a standard of veterinary care akin to that available for their cat or dog. Yet many veterinary surgeons are unfamiliar with consulting on and treating these birds.

The BSAVA Manual of Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery has been written by an international selection of specialist authors. It covers everything from husbandry and basic clinical techniques to medical and surgical treatment of conditions, and more advanced practices such as endoscopy and post-mortem examination.

The manual covers chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, ornamental pheasants and peafowl. The BSAVA says it is hoped that the manual will make treating backyard poultry more interesting and rewarding, and therefore encourage more practitioners to see feathered patients.

One of the editors, Guy Poland said: "We are very proud of the valuable contributions made by all the authors to the manual. We hope that their hard work will provide a useful resource for veterinary practitioners unfamiliar with poultry medicine to deliver improved care for their patients and maybe inspire an interest that they develop further."

BSAVA Manual of Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery is available in a printed edition (£85; £55 to BSAVA members) and online edition (£70.83+VAT; £45.83+VAT to BSAVA members).

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.

RCVS Council has approved a trial protocol which will allow the College to launch private prosecutions against unqualified individuals breaching the Veterinary Surgeons Act from April 2023.

Under the protocol trial, the RCVS can launch private prosecutions against unqualified people practising veterinary surgery or using the title 'veterinary surgeon'.

The College says that where breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act cross over to other criminal offences, for example, fraud by false representation, they will be more properly dealt with by the relevant police force.

Local authority trading standards agencies will also deal with issues around, for example, misleading courses that purport to lead to registration with the RCVS but do not; concerns about dog grooming businesses and concerns about dog breeding establishments (other than where there is illegal practice of veterinary surgery by unqualified persons).

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, said: “This protocol recognises that there are constraints on the time, resourcing, and budgets of both the police and public prosecutors which means that the pursuit of these breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, both of which carry minor criminal penalties, is not necessarily a priority.

“While we are always willing to work with the police and other agencies to pursue such breaches, the protocol details how we can act independently where appropriate and ensure we are fulfilling our stated ambition to safeguard the interests of the public and animals, as well as the reputation of the professions, by ensuring that only those registered with us can carry out acts of veterinary surgery.

“We would like to manage expectations around this trial period as we will only be launching private prosecutions where they meet the criminal evidential standards of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ and it is judged to be in the public interest to do so.

"We will also be relying on members of the professions and the public to report breaches and provide sufficient evidence to us, as we have no statutory investigatory powers.”

The trial period will last for one year and the College has set aside £50,000 to pursue private prosecutions.

The trial will be overseen by the Disciplinary Committee/ Preliminary Investigation Committee Liaison Committee while decisions on whether to pursue private prosecutions will lie with the Registrar/ Director of Legal Services.

Suspected breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act can be reported to the RCVS Professional Conduct Department on breachvsa@rcvs.org.uk.

A petition to protect the title Veterinary Nurse has received an impressive 1,285 signatures, including many from veterinary surgeons, and an official response from HM Government.

The petition, which was started by VetNurse.co.uk member Nick Shackleton Dip AVN (Surgical) VN on 6th June last year, explained: "The title veterinary nurse at present is not a protected title. A lot of people who work in practice call them selves veterinary nurses, when they have no theoretical training in such a position. As qualified nurses we feel that this issue should be addressed so that the general public are no longer confused as to the qualification and hopefully make them more aware of the hard work it is to gain the qualification. As we are heading for autonomy within the profession I think it is right and fitting that the title should be protected."

The Government response, whilst predictably noncommittal, did at least seem to recognise the issue: "The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) maintains the Statutory List of veterinary nurses.  In order to qualify, nurses must undergo a two-year period of vocational training which is assessed at work and through examination by the RCVS Awarding Body.

On being added to the Statutory List they are entitled to undertake a range of veterinary treatments and procedures on animals under veterinary direction. Only listed nurses are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'VN'.
 
The RCVS are introducing new arrangements for 'registered' veterinary nurses which provides greater accountability and transparency for those nurses whose names are entered on the register. These arrangements run in parallel with the Statutory List.

Some veterinary practices may employ staff who do not carry out the duties of a veterinary nurse but possibly use that title or wear a uniform which might imply that they are a trained veterinary nurse.  We appreciate that there are issues surrounding best practice that the RCVS and the Veterinary Nursing Council to address.

It is generally accepted that the arrangements for regulating veterinary nursing could be modernised.  This would, in due course, help provide greater protection for the title of veterinary nurses.  Although Defra currently has no plans to undertake a fundamental review of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, we are regularly in touch with the RCVS to better understand its priorities for regulatory reform.

White Cross Vets, the 19-practice Leeds-based group that was bought by IVC earlier this year, has bagged an award for Best Use of Social Media from the Institute of Internal Communications.

The group won the award in recognition of how it put social media at the heart of the its 80^th birthday celebrations, offering employees 80 prizes over 80 days with daily draws broadcast on Facebook Live and uploaded to YouTube. The prizes included a weekend for two in New York, European holidays, festival tickets, a 40” smart TV, an extra week holiday, an Apple watch, a chance to be the MD for the day and more.

The IoIC’s judging panel praised the campaign’s recognition of staff, fun and innovation, as well as saying there was so much to love about the award entry and one even said it brought a lump to their throat.

Justin Phillips, head of marketing at White Cross Vets, said: "Celebrating our 80^th birthday, with more than 200 team members spread across the North and Midlands, meant we had to come up with an accessible event, that would bond everyone and reinforce our reputation as the employer of choice within the veterinary industry. 

"Broadcasting 80 prize draws in 80 days on Facebook Live ticked every box and was a fantastic spectacle that all our team members engaged with and talked about every day."

"The IoIC awards is one of the marketing industry’s most prestigious events, in a spectacular venue and surrounded by a wide range of global brands. These awards celebrate success, reward endeavour, inspire creativity and nurture best practice within the marketing community. For our campaign to have been recognised and rewarded by our peers is a huge source of pride within our business and has put a spring in the step of every single team member."

VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "I've always admired the marketing and communications that comes from Justin and the rest of the team at White Cross. I think it's because as well as being fun, it's always sincere, something which is so often lacking in contemporary marketing communications. Anyway, with a little luck IVC will recognise the talent they've taken on, and sprinkle a bit of the White Cross magic across the rest of the group!"

Other category winners included household names like Oxfam, Volkswagen, Barclaycard, Sainsburys, Pets at Home, EDF Energy, Rolls Royce and Carlsberg.

TerraCycle, a global recycling company, has launched VetCycle, a national recycling scheme through which veterinary practices can dispose of hard-to-recycle waste, such as personal protective equipment, plastic pet food packaging, medicine blister packs, pet products such as dog leads, muzzles and brushes, and general business waste. 

To use the service, you order recycling boxes to suite your needs, and then place them where it will be most convenient for staff to throw the rubbish in.

Once full, you send the box back to TerraCycle via UPS.

It is then saved from incineration or landfills and recycled by TerraCycle.

Once collected, products and packaging are sorted and separated by material composition.

The separated items are then cleaned, shredded, and made into new recycled products such as outdoor furniture and decking, playgrounds, benches, or watering cans.

Hannah James, Head of Environment, Social & Governance at VetPartners said: “We started using the Zero Waste Boxes at our practices during the pandemic to recycle the large volumes of PPE being used, and they were instantly popular with practice teams.

"We’re now recycling plastic packaging, pet food packaging and medicine blister packs through TerraCycle as well, and since 2020 we’ve saved over 14 tonnes of waste from landfill and incineration.

"The Zero Waste Boxes are an important feature of our sustainability strategy, providing a solution for much of the waste generated by veterinary practice that isn’t hazardous and yet isn’t widely accepted for recycling.”

www.vetcycle.co.uk

Brigite Pedro MRCVS, an RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology at Willows Veterinary Centre is to lead an in-depth international study into atrial fibrillation in dogs, and is appealing to colleagues to support the research by referring suitable cases.

Brigite said: "We are leading an international multi-centre study to further investigate the impact of this heart disorder on the quality of life and life expectancy of affected dogs.

"This is an extremely important research project, so we need the co-operation of referring vets in the area to send cases to us to be included in the study. Clearly, the more cases we can assess then the more we can learn and the more we can help. 

"The hope is this study will revolutionise the way in which this condition is treated in dogs around the world, both improving their day-to-day lives as well as giving them longer at home with their families." 

For more information, visit: www.willows.uk.net

The BSAVA is reminding small animal practice staff to make sure they know how to work safely with bats, after Defra published its latest stats on rabies in UK bats.  

The most recent case of rabies in a bat in Great Britain was in July 2020 in Wimbourne, Dorset and there were four cases in 2019.

Like many wild animals, bats can carry a number of different pathogens, including European Bat Lyssaviruses (EBLVs) 1 and 2 – also referred to as bat rabies. The rabies virus is present in the saliva of infected bats and is usually spread to humans or other mammals by the bite of an infected bat. The virus may also enter the body via open wounds or mucous membranes.

The BSAVA says that whilst the risk of transmission to humans is considered low, those handling bats may be at an increased risk of contracting the disease and those who regularly handle bats should be vaccinated against rabies.

Those who are not vaccinated against the disease should assume that all bats are possible carriers of rabies. Individuals handling bats should wear gloves of a suitable thickness for the species of bat they are handling to avoid being bitten or scratched. Further information on how to safely contain and handle a bat can be found on the Bat Conservation Trust website.

In the event that an individual is bitten or scratched by a bat or exposed to bat saliva or nervous tissue in any other way, they should seek immediate medical advice. The contact area should be washed with soap and water, and any wounds must be disinfected. Further information can be found on the APHA, PHE and NHS websites.

In 2008, a case involving an injured bat carrying EBLV type 2 was treated by a vet and her staff, who were unaware of the potential of rabies risk from bats. The bat handlers had previously been vaccinated as recommended by the Department of Health but despite sustaining a needlestick injury during surgery, the vet and her staff had neither sought nor received post-exposure prophylaxis.¹

Professor Ian Ramsey, president of the BSAVA, said: “Although this case was 12 years ago it is a pertinent reminder of why we need to be well-prepared when handling bats. Whilst the risk of human rabies infection from bats is low, the publication of the new statistics show that EBLVs are circulating in a small number of wild bats. Injured bats are often presented to small animal vets, so we have taken this opportunity to remind our members and others of the potential risks of rabies transmission, and how to mitigate against these.

"For more advice on the handling and treatment of wildlife casualties including bats, we advise vets to consult a reference book such as the BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties."

Reference

1. Veterinary Record 18 October 2008 https://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/163/16/491.2

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College report that they've made a significant breakthrough in the search for a durable treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Working in collaboration with researchers at University of Texas, Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center, the team has succeeded in using gene editing techniques on dogs to restore the expression of the dystrophin protein that is absent in DMD patients’ muscles to levels that could be life changing.

DMD is the most common, fatal, genetic disease that affects children. The same disorder also occurs in many dog breeds. It is caused by mutations in the gene that encodes dystrophin, a crucial protein that helps protect muscle fibres and the heart when they contract. Patients with the disease produce effectively no dystrophin protein, so their muscles and heart become damaged during contraction, leading to inability to walk, skeletal deformities, breathing problems and heart failure. Patients with DMD have a life expectancy that does not go far beyond their twenties.

Researchers say that this preliminary research, published in Science, demonstrates an approach that could lead to an effective, in principle one-time treatment for DMD for the most common genetic mutations affecting human patients. Through a single intravenous injection, researchers have been able to modify the dystrophin gene in many muscles of the body, including the heart, with the result that some muscles now had almost the normal amounts of dystrophin protein.

The team, led by Eric Olson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at UTSW Medical Center and founder and chief science advisor of Exonics Therapeutics, and Richard Piercy, Ph.D., MRCVS, Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the RVC, identified a naturally-occurring mutation in the dystrophin gene in a dog brought to the RVC’s Small Animal Referral Hospital.

Working now with relatives of this first dog, the combined group has used a technique called ‘SingleCut CRISPR gene editing’, where the researchers target a specific region of the subject’s own DNA. Harmless viruses encoding the gene-editing protein CRISPR/Cas9 were used to express the enzyme in muscle to cut the dogs’ own DNA at a precise location in the dystrophin gene through use of a molecular guide. The body’s own processes then repair the cut, which results in removing the negative effects of the existing mutation.

The researchers have demonstrated that dogs treated in this way had restored ability to produce large amounts of the dystrophin protein in their muscles and heart, and in the dog with the highest dose, cardiac muscles were found to have restored dystrophin protein to up to 92% of normal amounts after the single treatment.

The team believes this is the first time that this form of gene editing therapy has been conducted after birth in an animal larger than a rodent. With further longer-term research, efficacy and safety testing, it is hoped that this breakthrough will have human application. This treatment may be a significant step toward developing a gene editing therapy to repair genetic mutations for DMD, as well as a range of diseases caused by genetic mutations.   

Richard Piercy, Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the RVC, said: "Researchers have been looking for an effective and durable treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy for many years. This SingleCut gene editing approach, pioneered by Dr. Eric Olson’s group, has the potential to be a one-time treatment that could restore dystrophin protein. It is hugely exciting that through a single intravenous injection we’ve been able successfully to modify the dogs’ own DNA so they start generating dystrophin protein again. There is more work to be done, but with this exciting breakthrough, we feel we are a significant step closer to finding an effective treatment.

"A great many genetic diseases affect humans, dogs and other species - many, like DMD - with tragic consequences and this form of gene editing treatment might well be applicable in many of them. We’re hopeful that we’re paving the way for future research into treating some of the most serious genetic conditions that affect us today."

RCVS President Dr Mandisa Greene will be appearing in a special edition of ITV’s current affairs series ‘Tonight’ celebrating Black History Month this Thursday at 7:30pm. 

The programme, which will look at the achievements and contributions of people of African and Afro-Caribbean descent, will see Dr Greene being interviewed by presenter Alex Beresford alongside a number of other prominent black Britons including athlete and broadcaster Colin Jackson, publisher and author Margaret Busby, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, and nurse and academic Dame Elizabeth Anionwu. 

Mandisa said: “I am immensely honoured to be the first Black President of the RCVS and to use this opportunity to speak to the black community, and indeed all communities, about my love of veterinary science and the importance of the work we do in safeguarding animal health and welfare and wider public health.

"I am a great believer in the phrase ‘if you see it, you can be it’ and I hope that my various talks this month and, particularly the upcoming ITV documentary, will help people recognise that veterinary professionals can come from a diverse range of backgrounds and that, provided they have the drive and the ambition, there should be no barriers to them meeting their dreams."