Dechra Veterinary Products has announced the launch of a smaller size vial of Anesketin, its rapid acting dissociative anaesthetic licensed for cats, dogs and horses.

Anesketin solution for injection, containing Ketamine 100 mg/ml, is indicated for induction of anaesthesia. It can also be used as a sole agent for restraint and minor surgical procedures where muscle relaxation is not required in cats. 

Anesketin was previously available in 10ml or 50ml bottles. Dechra says it has added the new 5ml vial in response to feedback from veterinary practices.

Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "Anesketin is one of our most popular products in our range due to its versatility. It can be used in combination with appropriate sedatives and analgesics in cats, dogs and horses for induction of anaesthesia.

"5ml Anesketin will help practices comply with controlled drug legislation, saving time and effort in denaturing out of date stock and reducing wastage."

He added: "The introduction of the smaller bottle demonstrates our commitment to responding to the requirements of veterinary professionals and providing a range of high quality products that provide the most effective solution within day-to-day practice."

Support tools are available for customers to order online at www.dechra.co.uk, including an Anesketin controlled drug register.  

TVM has launched Carbodote Prime and Carbodote Repeat, two complementary products designed to make dealing with poisoned pets easier, safer and more convenient.

Carbodote Prime is the first activated charcoal product for cats and dogs to contain a cathartic, which speeds up intestinal transit time so that bound toxins are expelled more quickly.

Carbodote Repeat is for those situations where repeated administration of plain activated charcoal is needed due to the type of the toxin involved. 

Carbodote Repeat can be administered to the patient every 4-6 hours over 24-48 hours.

Both products are presented as a ready-mixed, easy to swallow gel formulation, for less mess and reduced risk of aspiration.

TVM says the 60ml ‘dial and dispense’ syringes make administration easy for both veterinary staff and pet owners.

For more information, visit www.tvm-uk.com/carbodote or contact your Territory Manager.

Veterinary imaging equipment provider BCF Technology has been acquired by IMV Technologies Group, a leader in animal reproduction technologies based in Normandy, France.

IMV says it has acquired BCF to widen its offering in the reproduction management sector, particularly in imaging. As part of this strategy the company acquired ECM, a French veterinary ultrasound manufacturer, last June, and has launched AlphaVision, a video-assisted bovine insemination system.

Alan Picken, Managing Director of BCF, will lead the imaging division of IMV Technologies and become a member of the Management Board of the Group.

Philippe Gravier, Chief Executive Officer of IMV Technologies, said: "For over 50 years, IMV has been at the forefront of innovations in animal artificial insemination and embryo transfer. Following the acquisition of ECM earlier this year, the integration of BCF supports our vision to supply health status and reproduction-readiness tools to veterinarians, breeding technicians and livestock owners.

"I am very excited that BCF is joining the IMV Technologies Group. Our 100 employees have worked hard to build this company to where it is now. There is no doubt that IMV’s strong brand, customer loyalty and extensive distribution network will help to expand further our imaging activities. Like IMV, I share the vision that market differentiation is in supporting customers to improve animal care, achieved through constant innovation and marketing leading products and services."

Veterinary surgeons Mandy Knight and Jen Rowland have won the BVA's second annual photography competition, out of almost 500 entries from across the UK.

Mandy, an Australian-born small animal vet, won in the 'You and Your Work' category with her photograph "Happy Enterotomy", which captures a smiley squeeze-toy being removed from the stomach of a Labrador.  

Mandy, who is currently taking time out from full-time work, said: "I am so thrilled to be able to share this photo. It was actually about 10 years or so ago that I encountered this dog. We knew from radiographs that he had eaten a ball, but it was a lovely surprise to make the incision into the stomach and have this happy little chap beam out at us! We have such a cool job as vets, and this just nails it."

Jen captured the judges' attention with her image of rare and native North Ronaldsey and Dartmoor sheep grazing under the Milky Way in Northumberland in 'The wonderful world of animals’ category'.

Jen, who works in mixed practice in Aberdeenshire, said: "I am completely shocked and delighted to have won this competition and it has definitely inspired me to get out with my camera more often. I was very lucky to get this shot as it was a single thirty second exposure - I had some very cooperative models!"

Commenting on Jen’s photo, competition judge and award-winning wildlife photographer George Stoyle said: "Jen Rowland has clearly put some thought into her photo and has shown skill in its execution. From a technical perspective, the exposure used for the sky is just long enough to make the stars visible whilst minimising star trails, and artificial light has been used just enough to highlight the sheep and the rest of the foreground. The entire scene along with the ragged appearance of the sheep gives the image a feeling of wild, remote, windswept moorland, which I love."

Alongside the two winning photographs, five photos in the ‘You and your work’ category and eight in ‘The wonderful world of animals’ category received Highly Commended awards – ranging from giraffes to gannets and Lackey Moths.

British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We are delighted by the number and quality of the entries we received this year. The veterinary team is uniquely placed to capture the many wonderful facets of its work on camera, and we are pleased that our members have shared their eye-catching snapshots for BVA’s photography competition, offering us a vet’s-eye-view of their daily work and interaction with the wonderful world of animals."

Mandy and Jen each receive £250 worth of gift vouchers from John Lewis. Their winning images alongside the commended photographs will premiere in an exhibition at BVA’s Members’ Day at W5 Odyssey Belfast later this month (21 September).

The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year gallery can be viewed at: www.flickr.com/photos/britishvets/albums

Photos:

• 'Happy Enterotomy' © Mandy Knight. CC BY-SA 2.0.
• 'Rare and native North Ronaldsey and Dartmoor sheep grazing under the milky way in Northumberland' © Jen Rowland. CC BY-SA 2.0.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded and warned Dr Natalia Anna Strokowska for dishonesty in communication and for failing to get permission to share photos on social media.

The Disciplinary Committee considered four charges against Dr Strokowska. The first was that, whilst registered in the 'Practising Outside the United Kingdom' category of the Register of Veterinary Surgeons maintained by the RCVS, she practised as a veterinary surgeon in the counties of Somerset, Shropshire, London, Lancashire and Norfolk between July 2016 and August 2017 when she was not registered as UK-practising. The charges were that her conduct in relation to this was dishonest and misleading to her employer and/or clients.

The second charge was that, between October 2016 and July 2017, Dr Strokowska made posts on social media which included photographs of and comments about animals being treated at the practices where she worked, without the consent of the owners or the practices. 

The third charge was that, between January 2017 and March 2017, Dr Strokowska made posts on social media which included photographs, videos and comments about animals being treated at Goddards Veterinary Hospital in Wanstead, without the consent of the treating and/or operating veterinary surgeon.

The fourth charge was that, between July 2017 and September 2017, Dr Strokowska made representations to the practice principal of Barn Lodge, in Lancashire, and/or a student vet working at the practice that she had gained consent for photographs and social media posts when she had not, and that her conduct was dishonest and misleading.

At the outset of the hearing, the Dr Strokowska admitted to having practised as a veterinary surgeon in the UK when she was registered as practising outside the UK, but disputed that she had been dishonest or misleading with regards to this.

She also admitted to the entirety of the second charge and part of the third, but, under the latter charge, denied that she had, without consent, taken a video of an animal being operated on by a veterinary colleague.

Finally, she admitted to dishonest and misleading conduct with regard to part of the fourth charge, but denied that, in July 2017, she informed the practice principal that she had been told that she would be allowed to take photographs at Barn Lodge and post these on social media, when she had not been so told.

The Disciplinary Committee went on to consider the facts of the case for each of the charges that remained in issue.

Having considered all of the evidence, the Committee accepted that she did not have her registration status with the RCVS in her mind while she was working in the UK during the period in question. Accordingly, the Committee did not find her to have been dishonest.

With regards to the third charge the Committee considered the issue of whether the video in question had been posted "without the consent of the treating and/or operating veterinary surgeon".  After examining the relevant evidence (which included the video in question) the Committee determined that the evidence did not support the facts charged and thus that charge three was not proved.

With regards to the fourth charge, Strokowska denied that her conduct in relation to informing the principal that she had been told that she would be allowed to take photographs and post these on social media was dishonest or misleading, on the basis that she believed she had permission to take and post photographs on social media. The Committee was not able to be sure as to how she sought this consent and the response provided and so the charge was found not proved.

The Committee then went on to consider whether the charges that were admitted amounted to serious professional misconduct. 

The Committee found that it was the respondent’s responsibility to ensure that her registration status was appropriate at the time she was doing locum work in the UK. However she had provided her RCVS registration number to all the practises she had worked for and in the view of the committee there was no intention to deceive anyone. In the judgement of the Committee, her conduct was not sufficiently grave so as to constitute serious professional misconduct.

The Committee, in its judgement, concluded that her conduct in relation to the second charge did fall far short of the behaviour to be expected of a member of the veterinary profession, and amounted to serious professional misconduct.

The Committee considered that all members of the profession are obliged to ensure that they comply with the provisions of the Code of Professional Conduct, and the supporting guidance, in relation to the use of the internet and social media.

Unauthorised posting of photographs of animals being treated by a veterinary surgeon on social media may well cause distress to the owners, and damage to the reputation of the profession as a whole, and to the reputation of individual practices.

The aspect of the third charge admitted by the respondent involved posting a photograph with accompanying text of a dog without the consent of the treating and/or operating veterinary surgeon. The Committee considered that this was, indeed, a matter of professional discourtesy, but did not consider that it amounted to serious professional misconduct.

The respondent admitted the fourth charge and admitted that her conduct was dishonest and misleading. The Committee, in its judgement, considered that by choosing to lie in response to a genuine professional enquiry about her conduct, her behaviour fell far short of that to be expected from a member of the veterinary profession, and constituted serious professional misconduct.

The Committee next considered what, if any, sanction to impose.

In mitigation the Committee considered that the postings were an attempt to promote the health and welfare of animals; the lack of risk of harm or actual harm to an animal or human; no apparent financial gain from her actions; her youth and inexperience at the time of the misconduct; her open and frank admissions at an early stage; her subsequent efforts to avoid repetition; the lapse of time since the incident; and her demonstration of insight into the effects of her postings on some owners.

The Committee considered the available sanctions in order starting with no further action. The Committee did not consider that this was appropriate where the serious professional misconduct found in this case involved dishonesty, even given the mitigating factors relating to that as outlined above, nor in view of the repeated nature of the social media posts without owner consent.

The Committee determined that a reprimand and warning as to future conduct was the appropriate sanction in the circumstances of this case.

Dr Strokowska was reprimanded for her serious professional misconduct in relation to her admitted failure to obtain necessary consent for posts on social media and her dishonesty in communication.

She was warned that she should in future be fully aware of, and comply with, the provisions of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, in particular as it relates to the use of social media, including the need to ensure that she has obtained all the necessary consents from all relevant parties.

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched Nerfasin vet, an injectable xylazine solution licensed for sedation and premedication prior to general anaesthesia in cattle, horses, cats and dogs.

Nerfasin vet is available in two concentrations - a 100 mg/ml (10%) solution for cattle and horses and 20 mg/ml (2%) solution for cattle, horses, cats and dogs. 

Nerfasin vet is on sale in 25 ml vials.

For more information visit: www.dechra.co.uk.

Bayer Animal Health, maker of Seresto flea and tick collars, has carried out some market research which suggests that as many as one in ten pet owners have been duped into buying counterfeit pet medicines. 

For the research, 2000 pet owners were asked whether they they had bought counterfeit pet medicines online. 31.3% said yes. They were then asked if they had reported the matter. 62.2% said they had. Finally, they were asked what the outcome of their report was. 60.9% said their purchase was confirmed as a fake, suggesting that at least one in ten pet owners - probably more - have bought fake pet medicines.

Bayer says the true number of owners affected is likely to be even higher, as a further 12% of pet owners in the survey said they believed that they may have bought fake pet medicines but had not reported it. 

The research also showed that 87% of shoppers purchased pet parasite prevention products from unaccredited sites that have been known to sell counterfeit pet medicines. Indeed since April this year, the VMD has removed over 500 veterinary medicine listings from online marketplaces.

The message to clients is that chasing the lowest price for veterinary medicines can be a false economy.

Photo: Can you tell whether this product is fake or not?

A new study published in the Veterinary Record suggests that one of the keys to a fulfilled life in veterinary practice lies in taking pleasure in overcoming the full range of challenges that are thrown up in practice, not just the clinical ones.

For the study¹, which was carried out by Professor Stephen May and Dr Liz Armitage Chan, Senior Lecture in Veterinary Education (pictured right) at the Royal Veterinary College, twelve new grads were enrolled in a private social media discussion group, and their identities investigated through narrative inquiry.

The authors found that participants typically adopted one of two professional identities: the academic identity or a broader 'challenge-focused' identity.

Those who identify as academic prioritise and place greatest value on things like definitive diagnosis and best-evidence treatment.

The problem, say the authors, is that although there are opportunities for this, they are rare in general practice, where a veterinary surgeon's typical work environment more frequently involves seeing lots of clients who aren’t interested in a diagnostic work-up for unnoticed issues in their pets; who can’t afford further treatment; have pets with conditions that don’t require treatment; and themselves need emotional support.

Vets who therefore exclusively value patient diagnosis from an academic viewpoint foremost are therefore more likely to feel career dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, the other professional identity type is one where a sense of achievement is linked to overcoming the full range of professional challenges thrown up by the work environment in which vets typically operate as well as their technical competence at their job. These vets are therefore more suited to work in all types of practice.

Liz said: "The negative impact on wellbeing of an identity emphasising diagnosis and treatment was a surprising outcome, but it is easy to see how this identity develops. So much of veterinary education is focused on this area and it has always been the focus of students’ exams: if a student is ambitious and wants to achieve top grades and high-level faculty recommendations, they will inevitably prioritise their attention in this way."

The authors say the research has important implications for veterinary and other clinical degree programmes, and has already influenced the structure of the curriculum at the RVC to ensure students are well prepared for the veterinary workplace and can make an informed choice about where they choose to work.

Liz added: "Now we recognise the detrimental effect this can have on our graduates’ wellbeing, we have implemented changes to our curriculum and exams, so students are encouraged to think more holistically about the veterinary role and identify the different ways career satisfaction can be achieved. It is important to recognise that all the graduates experienced stress as they encountered complex contextual challenges, but for those who saw these challenges as part of their identity, this stress turned into a sense of satisfaction at a challenge overcome, rather than being ongoing and debilitating."

Reference

1. Armitage-Chan, E., May, SA. (2018) Identity, environment and mental wellbeing in the veterinary profession. Veterinary Record Published Online First: 27 June 2018. doi: 10.1136/vr.104724

At its January meeting today, RCVS Council agreed a series of proposals for the future reform of the College's governance structure which will now go to consultation with the profession and the public before being integrated into the overall recommendations for legislative reform. 

Amongst the proposals agreed by Council was to move towards an independent appointment system for Council membership to replace the current election system.

In addition, Council voted:

• for the composition of Council to be a matter for more flexible secondary legislation rather than it being fixed via primary legislation;
• to an increase in the proportion of lay members, with a decision about whether Council should adopt parity of veterinary professionals and lay members to follow the consultation,
• to reform its composition to remove the Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) appointees. Currently the VSC has three appointed Council members
• to consult with the profession and public on two options for the future composition of a 24-person RCVS Council, which would ensure this was as balanced as possible. The first option is a Council that has a slim majority of members drawn from the veterinary professions (of whom a majority would be veterinary surgeons) compared to lay members. The second option is a Council with exact parity between veterinary professionals (of whom a majority would be veterinary surgeons) and lay members. 

Council was tied on whether to separate the position of RCVS President and the Chair of RCVS Council, meaning that this will come back for decision at a later date following the consultation.

RCVS President susan paterson, said: “The unique way that RCVS Council is currently constituted with annual elections to Council is an old model of self-regulation which is no longer found in other professions including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, solicitors and social workers, among others.

“As a responsible regulator we have a duty to operate in a way that recognises modern principles of regulation, and best meets our objectives to enhance society through improved animal health and welfare by setting, upholding and advancing the educational, ethical and clinical standards for the veterinary professions.

"The College’s recommendations would see us retain self-regulation in the sense of independence from government, and maintain registrants within our governance framework, while better assuring the public that we are acting on their behalf.

“It is our firm belief that, among other things, moving to an all-appointed Council member system, whereby those who serve on Council are selected via an independent process based on their knowledge and experience to ensure input from all parts of the veterinary sector, will better serve our aims, as will having a better balance of professional and lay members.

"Of course, veterinary expertise, knowledge and experience will also remain a vital part of any future arrangements throughout our committee structure, so the veterinary voice will be as important as ever in our policy and decision-making processes.

rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council/council-meetings/18-january-2024/

Further details about the consultation process will be published in due course.

Discuss here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/non-clinical-questions/30878/what-do-you-think-about-the-rcvs-proposals-to-stop-council-elections-and-move-to-appointed-members-with-equal-or-almost-equal-number-of-lay-members/243481

Veterinary Care for Exotics, the app developed by Mark Rowland, BVSc CertZooMed MRCVS from the Trinity Vet Centre, has had a series of major updates.

The app, which was designed to provide veterinary surgeons, nurses and receptionists with quick access to up-to-date biological data on a wide range of exotic pets, now contains information about 40 different exotic pet species, from Grey Parrots to Sugar Gliders.

Each species entry offers an overview of the pet, details of common conditions, therapeutics and treatment videos. 

Mark, pictured right with a Sulcata tortoise  said: "There are a wide range of exotic pets that are becoming increasingly popular with pet owners, yet very few vets understandably have advanced knowledge in this niche area. The "Veterinary Care for Exotics" app for vets means vets, vet nurses and receptionists can now have this knowledge at their fingertips, giving them the reassuring back-up they need when presented with more unusual pets."

The app can be downloaded from Google Play and from Apple's app store, priced at £11.99.

For more information contact Mark Rowland: trinitycpd@gmail.com. 

Zoetis has announced that Apoquel (oclacitinib), its treatment for atopic dermatitis and associated pruritis, will be available in palatable chew form in the UK next year, following the grant of a marketing authorisation.

Developed by Zoetis, Apoquel is a prescription-only Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved for veterinary use that targets the itch and inflammation pathway.

Ben Hurst, Product Manager, Zoetis UK said: "Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common allergies in dogs, affecting approximately 10% of the dog population¹.

"Itching caused by an allergic skin disease can impact the quality of life for both the dog and its owner unless they are controlled with effective management.

"Apoquel chewable tablets now offer a new, convenient and palatable solution for dog owners."

Apoquel chewable tablets are administered twice daily for up to 14 days (at 0.4 to 0.6 mg/kg), then once daily for maintenance therapy. 

Zoetis says marketing authorisation for the EU market is expected later this year following the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) positive opinion received on 7th October 2021. 

Reference

1. Zoetis Market Research: Apoquel Cytopoint Vet Tracker - Veterinarians Wave 2 July 2020

Professor Edzard Ernst, the scientist, author and champion of evidence-based-medicine has today self-published an article about alternative medicine for animals which he was originally invited to write for the Veterinary Record, but withdrew after apparently being told that: "A good number of vets use these therapies and a more balanced view that still sets out their efficacy (or otherwise) would be more useful for the readership."

In part one of the article, Professor Ernst made the case that homeopathy has no place in veterinary (or human) evidence-based medicine. 

In part two, he considered a number of other types of so-called alternative medicine (or 'SCAM', as he called it in the self-published version) for animals, including acupuncture, chiropractic, energy healing and dietary supplements, concluding that most such SCAMS are unproven and that 'arguably it is unethical to use unproven medicines in routine veterinary care'.

Now is it just me, or does anyone else find the Veterinary Record position rather worrying? 

Surely a scientific journal should concern itself with one thing and one thing only: the search for scientific truth?

Surely, therefore, the question of how many veterinary surgeons use a therapy is completely irrelevant. Or am I being idealistic? 

I also struggle with the idea that Professor Ernst could be told to go away and provide more balance.

How exactly is anyone supposed to balance the argument that there's no evidence that a therapy works? The only counter or balancing argument would be that it does. Catch 22.

Most learned people know that homeopathy is not just a little bit implausible, but completely off-the-scale-bonkers-in-a-'world-is-not-flat-sort-of-a-way', along with energy healing and chiropractic.

But acupuncture? I'll bet Professor Ernst's words will make for uncomfortable reading for some. That's precisely what seems to have made the Veterinary Record balk. But surely that's the whole point of science. To challenge our beliefs, even (or especially) if it makes us uncomfortable.

You can read Professor Ernst's blog at: https://edzardernst.com/ 

Northamptonshire-based Gabor Nemes MRCVS has been found not guilty of serious professional misconduct, after posting derogatory remarks about his employer, Mate Toth MRCVS, on Facebook.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee heard two charges against Dr Nemes, the first being that he had posted comments on social media about another veterinary surgeon, his employer, Dr Toth, which were offensive and/or derogatory and/or inappropriate.

The second charge was that Dr Nemes had posted his comments without having sufficient regard to maintaining their confidentiality and/or privacy. 

Dr Nemes admitted the charges, though he did inform the Committee that his admission with respect to the second charge was caveated by the proposition that the comments were posted in private messages on Facebook with a limited membership, namely employees of Healers Veterinary Centre (Dr Toth’s practice).

The Committee noted the Respondent’s admissions as to the charges raised against him and pronounced the facts found proved.

In relation to the first charge, the Committee found that the comments on social media were, without a doubt, highly unprofessional. They included offensive language, were gratuitously personal against Dr Toth, and were made within an online chat which included junior lay staff, all employed by Dr Toth.

This behaviour was seen to directly contravene a numbers of parts of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, in particular Paragraph 5.3 that states: "Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses should not speak or write disparagingly about another Veterinary Surgeon or Veterinary Nurse."

In relation to the second charge, the Committee found that Dr Nemes had paid no regard to maintaining the confidentiality and/or privacy of his malicious and damaging entries to the chat. 

At the outset of his evidence, Dr Nemes admitted that the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct. The Committee noted however that the question of whether he was guilty of serious professional misconduct or not was in fact a matter for it to decide, notwithstanding his admission.

The Committee considered the fact that the period of time that Dr Nemes was involved in making postings was effectively about two weeks, that his involvement followed his wife’s dismissal from employment (representing a breach of Dr Nemes’ resignation conditions), and that he was very stressed at the time.

It also considered Dr Nemes’ point that he had never anticipated that Dr Toth would see the Facebook Messenger conversation, and that the relevant RCVS supporting guidance to the Code concerning good practice when using social media and online networking forums was only published in late November 2014 when Dr Nemes’ involvement in the conversation was virtually at an end.

In summing up, Ian Green, Chair of the Committee, said: "The Committee carefully considered the circumstances surrounding the Facebook Messenger entries which the Respondent posted from 13 November 2014. It noted that at the time he had handed in his resignation, morale at the practice was very low. The Facebook Messenger chat site had been started amongst the receptionist/animal carers. A perusal of the entries before the Respondent joined on 13 November 2014 demonstrates that morale was low among that group.

"…Notwithstanding the nature of the remarks posted on the Facebook Messenger, which the Committee deplores, it has reached the conclusion that, whilst the Respondent’s behaviour amounts to misconduct and falls short of the standards expected of a member of the veterinary profession, it does not amount to serious misconduct and does not fall far short.

"In the circumstances it has reached the unusual conclusion that, notwithstanding the Respondent’s admission, the appropriate finding is that he is not guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."