Dr Berwyn Clarke, CEO of PBD Biotech, which developed the bacteriophage-based detection method, says this is significant step forward: "In situations where a farm has had an ongoing chronic bovine TB problem, APHA’s protocol offers a promising new approach to controlling the infection.
"Actiphage is now included within a series of measures that farmers can use in conjunction with their vet and with specific APHA approval as a means to improving their disease management strategy.
"For many farms that have been struggling for years it provides the first step to becoming TB free. This move by the APHA is a really positive step towards tackling this devastating disease."
Much of this new strategy, as part of a private TB eradication plan, has been driven by the success of Devon-based vet Dick Sibley, who incorporated Actiphage into a disease management strategy last Autumn to help clear a dairy herd that had been stricken with TB since 2012.
Dick said: "The approach of directly measuring the presence of live bacteria in the blood in just six hours is a totally different but complementary measurement to other technologies and has enabled enhanced testing, early detection and containment of the infected animals.
"We don’t have all of the answers yet, but it’s about predicting, preventing and managing what we can – and Actiphage has contributed greatly to the outcome we’ve been after for so long."
The Exceptional private use of non-validated tests for TB on cattle in England protocol enables any private veterinary surgeon to request APHA permission for exceptional use of Actiphage and the other non-validated tests, subject to certain criteria that include herd supplementary interferon-γ (IFN- γ) testing, discussions with the APHA Case Vet and the farmer’s written consent.
Berwyn added: "Actiphage is unique in directly detecting live mycobacteria in blood or milk, and it can also distinguish between a vaccinated and an infected animal - paving the way for new types of disease control when vaccines become available in the future.
"We are working with international governments, and the test is being trialled on bovine, ovine as well as exotic species, but we appreciate it is new to the UK market so we’re keen to answer any queries vets or farmers may have."
The new test will be profiled in the Innovation Hub at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Show next month (27 & 28 June).
PBD Biotech says Actiphage will require further testing before it is officially approved for standard veterinary use in the UK, however under the APHA protocol it is now permitted for private use where herds have experienced persistent breakdowns and this will contribute to the evidence-base required for official validation by the OIE and acceptance by APHA.
Within this protocol, APHA has outlined a number of other non-validated tests that may be proposed for exceptional use in cattle herds with chronic breakdowns, including: the Actiphage assay, developed by PBD Biotech and Nottingham University; the Enferplex TB serological test, produced by Enfer Laboratories Ireland and approved in GB for use in camelids; and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing of faecal samples. APHA says this is not an exhaustive list and that the protocol covers any current or future non-validated tests for bovine TB.
The comparative intradermal tuberculin skin test and the IFN- γ blood test remain the only ante mortem tests currently approved for the statutory cattle TB testing programme in Great Britain.
The full Exceptional private use of non-validated tests for TB on cattle in England is available on the APHA Vet Gateway: apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/non-valid-tb-testing
The data shows a stable population of 12m pets, as follows:
There were also:
The survey also provides an interesting point at which to note some historical trends. Whilst cats and dogs have always been the most popular pets, 50 years ago it was budgerigars that held third place. Since then, the dog population has grown 76% and the cat population has grown 63%, whilst rabbits have moved into third place.
Nicole Paley, PFMA Deputy Chief Executive, said: "Almost half of UK households are benefitting from pet ownership and whilst cats and dogs continue to be the most popular pets, rabbits came in at third place followed by indoor birds, guinea pigs and domestic fowl.
"A key role of PFMA is to provide educational resources on how to ensure the full range of pets get the right nutrition and we really value the role of vets and vet nurses being at the front line to pass this information on.
"At PFMA we are here to support the veterinary profession and we have a series of factsheets on popular feeding topics such as ‘Do all small mammals eat the same food’ and ‘Nutrition for indoor birds. Our pet companions fill our lives with love and joy and in return, it’s important we provide the care they need. "
For more information, visit www.pfma.org.uk/statistics
References
Cladaxxa is a combined amoxicillin/clavulanic antibiotic, which Krka says is bioequivalent to the market reference product1,2,3,4.
The new product is available in three strengths of flavoured tablet, with the 200/50 mg formulation also licensed for cats.
Cladaxxa is presented in blister packaging to protect the clavulanic acid, which is highly sensitive to moisture.
The tablets are ready-scored to help with accurate dosing and halved tablets can be returned to the protective blister packaging to be used within the following 24 hours.
Cladaxxa comes in packs of 60 or 100 tablets.
Krka’s National Sales Manager Will Ridgway, said: "Treating bacterial infections is an important everyday task for vets in practice.
"Cladaxxa is a great example of Krka using its expertise in end to end product design to deliver efficacy and value to our customers.”
Fynadyne had been removed from sale last year after the Veterinary Medicines Directorate suspended the sale of any medicinal products containing the excipient diethanolamine (DEA), following advice to the European Medicines Agency that it could pose a risk to human health.
Finadyne 50mg/ml Solution for Injection is indicated for the alleviation of acute inflammation and pain in both cattle and pigs. It is also indicated for the alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculo-skeletal disorders and colic in horses.
The reformulated product has a shelf life of three years and is now available from wholesalers in 50ml and 100ml vials.
For further information, contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.
The main aim of the campaign is to persuade anyone thinking of getting a puppy that they should always see the animal at least once whilst it is still dependent on its mother, before they buy. That way, they'll be able to reassure themselves that they have seen the real bitch and the environment in which the puppy was bred. It will also help prevent impulse purchases.
In addition, the campaign aims to raise awareness in the veterinary profession, so that veterinary surgeons are giving this same advice to their clients.
To that end, the campaign highlights the RSPCA 'Sold a pup' report which showed that over 400,000 pups are bred for the UK market each year by unlicensed establishments, and imports from Europe have increased to an estimated 30,000 in 2015, following the change in the PETS scheme in 2012.
The campaigners say that many of these puppies are bred in truly awful conditions, often with little or no human contact, before being taken taken from their mothers too early and transported often hundreds or thousands of miles to be sold as 'family' pets. Many will need veterinary care to deal with infections, inherited issues and behavioural problems.
The campaign faces a big challenge. In the Kennel Club PAW survey 2014, 41% of people who bought a puppy didn't see the bitch and 51% didn't see the environment where the litter was bred.
To spread the word, veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and pet owners are being asked to take a pouting selfie with their dog and post it on social networks like Facebook, with the hashtags #PoutForPuppies #SeeThemSuckling, linking to the campaign website: https://seethemsuckling.com
Nat Whitley, clinical director at Davies Veterinary Services, said: "We are delighted to become part of the Linnaeus Group. We pride ourselves on delivering excellent service, so when the opportunity arose to become part of such a forward-thinking, impressive group it was a great match."
Emma Barnes, Linnaeus Group operations director, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Davies Veterinary Specialists to the Linnaeus family and look forward to combining their excellent work and care with our expertise, experience and support.
"We carefully select our partners in the Group to ensure the delivery of the highest quality of care and service across the entire business, which is why we are so pleased to have the Davies team on board."
Mr Wood was removed from the Register in 2018 after being convicted of posessing indecent images of children and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.
Mr Wood first applied to rejoin the Register in 2020 but his application was rejected.
At the outset of his second application last month, Mr Wood’s counsel argued that he is professionally competent to be restored, that he had strong mitigation for his offending, that he had consistently and repeatedly expressed and demonstrated profound remorse, that he posed a low risk of re-offending, that he had proactively engaged with the Probation Service and voluntary counselling to gain further insight into his offending, and that he had completed his community sentence and was no longer subject to any of the court orders arising from his conviction.
The Committee then weighed up whether Mr Wood had accepted its original findings in 2018, the seriousness of the offences, whether he demonstrated insight, protection of the public and the public interest, the future welfare of animals should he be restored to the Register, the length of time off the Register, Mr Wood's conduct since he was removed and evidence that he had kept up-to-date with veterinary knowledge, skills and practice.
Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee is satisfied that Mr Wood has done everything required of him in order to be able to satisfy the Committee that he is fit to be restored to the Register.
“At the last application in June 2020, he was unsuccessful largely because of the outstanding ancillary Court Orders that did not conclude until early 2023. Those Orders have now concluded
“He has shown significant insight into his offending behaviour. He has been proactive in his rehabilitation and taken significant steps to ensure there would be no repetition.
“He has a small, but strong, network of people around him who appear to genuinely care about him and support him. He has worked hard at maintaining his skills and knowledge, in so far as he has been able to in light of not being able to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
“He is thoughtful and realistic about his prospects going forward. His responses to questions about addiction were appropriate and persuasive. He has expressed genuine remorse and there is, in the Committee’s view, a public interest in allowing him to be restored to the Register.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
According to the charity, FIP, which is one of a number of chronic viral infections of cats that resemble those in people, is estimated to kill up to 1.4% of cats around the world.
The infectious agent is a mutant coronavirus (FIPV) that is notoriously difficult to control: the parent enteric coronavirus is present in virtually all catteries and shelters and is shed by 60% or more of pet cats from multi-cat households,1 and vaccines are ineffective.
Among the most promising treatments against emerging viruses in humans is 'GS-5734', one of the small-molecule antivirals targeting specific proteins involved in RNA virus replication.
In studies, it has proven effective in preventing Ebola in rhesus monkeys and inhibiting coronaviruses both in tissue culture and in mouse infection models.
It was these findings that brought it to the attention of a team of veterinary researchers in the USA, led by Professor Niels Pedersen of the University of California, Davis.
Their own initial studies involving experimental FIP showed that the less chemically complex 'GS-441524', the parent nucleoside of GS-5734, was highly effective, opening the way for a field trial in cats with naturally occurring FIP, the results of which are published in this week's JFMS2.
Thirty-one cats, ranging in age from 3–73 months, were enrolled in the study, and 26 completed the planned 12 weeks or more of treatment; the remainder died or were euthanised due to their severe disease.
For these 26 cats, the clinical response was dramatic: fever usually resolved within 12–36 h, concurrent with a marked improvement in appetite, activity levels and weight gain.
In cats with the more common effusive or ‘wet’ form of FIP, abdominal effusions rapidly disappeared, starting at around 10–14 days after commencing treatment.
Encouragingly, and somewhat unexpectedly, cats with non-effusive (‘dry’) FIP and older cats responded as well to GS-441524 treatment as did cats with effusive FIP and young cats. The safety profile of GS-441524 was likewise impressive.
Currently, 24 of the 26 cats remain healthy, with one having succumbed to FIP disease and one to unrelated heart disease. Eighteen of these cats underwent just one round of treatment; the remaining eight suffered disease relapses, but these were successfully treated with a further (in two cases, a third) round of treatment at a higher dose.
Previously the prospects for cats with FIP were bleak. In a review paper on FIP published in JFMS a decade ago, Professor Pedersen stated: "no treatment has proven effective in curing cats of FIP, in spite of the claims. Cats that develop FIP inevitably die of their disease in days, weeks or months."1
Now, as he approaches the end of his professional career, Professor Pedersen is considerably more optimistic: "FIP has been my fascination for the past 50 years and I am fortunate to have reached a final stage in my career having identified safe and effective antiviral drugs. We now know that small molecules targeting specific steps in RNA virus replication are capable of safely curing various forms of FIP."
However, he cautioned: "It must be emphasised that the field trial we report was for proof-of-concept and the results cannot be immediately translated into commercially available products.
"Unfortunately, the real hope provided by these initial trials has increased, and not decreased, the desperation of owners to seek out these new drugs on the black market. As eventful as these discoveries may be, there is still much more about FIP to discover.
"I would like to thank all of the people, organizations and owners who have assisted in my research over this half century and leave remaining questions and associated discoveries for my fellow FIP researchers."
Reference
Photo: Bubba, one of the study cats, in recovery. Courtesy Adel Gastle
Online veterinary pharmacy Vet-Medic has announced the results of a survey which showed that veterinary practices are charging pet owners 100% more than online pharmacies for well-known drugs.
The survey compared the prices charged by veterinary practices, online pharmacies, pet superstores, supermarkets and veterinary medicine suppliers. Amongst other things, it found a six-pack of Frontline for cats available online for £16.33, vs £38.95 in practice. Optimmune was available for £23.86, compared to a practice in North London selling it for £59.81.
Andrew Evans, Managing Director of Vet-Medic said: "This research offers huge insight into the pricing structures of pet medication. When we commissioned the research to help us keep our own pricing competitive, we made an assumption that online shopping should come out cheaper but were staggered by how much."
He added: "Not many pet owners are aware that vets are obliged, in most circumstances, to provide them with a prescription when asked. How and where the prescription medicine is purchased is actually the owners' choice."
The BVA responded to the survey yesterday. President-Elect Harvey Locke said: "The Vet-Medic claim that veterinary practices are over-inflating the price of veterinary medicines is an unfair accusation.
"Veterinary practices will mark up the cost of the medicines they supply in order to cover the costs of keeping and dispensing them. This includes having trained staff available, buying the necessary equipment, and storage facilities that are governed by strict rules, and covering the cost of wasted medicines that have a short shelf life.
"Online pharmacies have similar overheads but are able to buy in much larger quantities than the average veterinary practice due to the much higher volumes sold. Many of the internet prices revealed in the survey are around the same cost as veterinary practices can buy the medicines from wholesalers suggesting that some of the internet companies are sourcing cheaper drugs abroad.
"As with many products buying online can be cheaper and consumers have a choice. Many pet owners choose to use the veterinary practice pharmacy because a lot of advice and assistance is available, including demonstrations on how to administer the treatments.
"Vet-Medic's assertion that pet owners don't know that they can obtain a prescription from their veterinary surgeon is also false. Over 50% of UK practices are registered under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme. One of the conditions of the scheme is that a notice must be displayed in the waiting room informing clients that prescriptions are available on request, the price of a prescription, and the price list of the top ten medicines that the practice has dispensed in the last three month period.
"It's important to remember that under the law veterinary practices are not allowed to fix the price of medicines. As they are independent businesses this means that it is up to each practice to charge according to their own circumstances to cover their individual overheads."
The test, which enables the rapid identification of cattle infected with Mycobacteria, was first developed by Dr Swift as part of his PhD studies at the University of Nottingham. Since joining the RVC, he has continued to evolve the technology working alongside academics at his former university.
Dr Swift and Dr Rees were presented with the award by HRH the Princess Royal.
The Royal Dairy Innovation Award recognises research and development in the field of dairy farming and is awarded for the most practical, relevant product or service which is, or likely to be the most significant innovation for the future.
The RVC says the test is able to detect mycobacteria in the blood and milk of cattle within six hours using a bacteriophage-based technique. As a result, cattle affected by Mycobacterium bovis, the bacteria that causes bovine TB, can be diagnosed for the disease more quickly, allowing for more effective disease management in herds.
Additionally, the test has been used to effectively detect Johne’s Disease – another endemic illness that affects dairy cattle – in new born calves for the first time. By being able to catch the disease at an early stage, this test can help further with controlling infections in dairy herds.
The test is now licenced to spin-out company, PBD Biotech Ltd and marketed as Actiphage. It can also be used as a highly sensitive quality assurance test in milk and dairy products.
Dr Swift, who is a Research Fellow in antimicrobial resistance, said: "It is really exciting to be recognised with this award. Translating technology from the bench to be used in real-world scenarios is a great thing and really shows the impact of our research. Hopefully this will help manage two extremely difficult diseases in the UK and worldwide."
Photo: Benjamin Swift (RVC), Dr Cath Rees (University of Nottingham), Princess Anne and Dr Berwyn Clarke (PBD Biotech).
For the study, 309 university students were randomly assigned to one of three four-week stress prevention programs featuring varying levels of exposure to animal-assisted activities and evidenced-based stress management content.
The research found that students who were considered at a higher risk of poor academic performance saw a significant boost in executive function including improvements in attention, memory, self-regulation and improved cognitive function when they received exclusive exposure to interaction with the dogs.
This improvement was not seen in students who participated in a more traditional stress management learning program using lectures containing information about stress management or sessions that combined such information with lower levels of animal interaction.
Lead study investigator, Associate Professor Patricia Pendry, from Washington State University said:"Academic stress and associated negative impact on student performance is a significant issue for universities today and something we need to better address.
"While more traditional learning programs continue to play a role, the results of the study are exciting as they indicate this type of intervention can be a positive stress management tool especially for students who are at-risk of poor academic performance.
“We know from previous research the positive effects of animal visitation programs on the mood3 of college students – and even recently discovered their positive effect on stress hormone levels4. However, this is the first study to demonstrate that more frequent and regular inclusion of dogs can positively affect aspects of cognitive functioning that may be more difficult to change with existing interventions."
Study co-author and expert in Human-Animal Interaction expert Professor Nancy Gee said: "This study was informed by previous research and reinforces the growing body of evidence showing the benefits of pets for people in many different contexts and for at-risk groups.
"This type of animal-assisted stress reduction program is both easy to implement and low cost – offering a fantastic way for universities to support their students. After participating, participants feel calmer and more socially supported and this leads to an improvement in mental health and cognition.
"My hope is that evidence-based interventions which are already gaining popularity can become common practice in educational settings."
References:
Merial is to launch Frontect (fipronil and permethrin), a spot-on solution for dogs with dual action: treatment and prevention of fleas and ticks, and repellency against ticks, sandflies, biting flies and mosquitoes.
According to the company, Frontect kills fleas within an hour for the first week and within six hours for four weeks1. The repellent (anti-feeding) effect of Frontect prevents parasites from taking a 'blood meal' and as a result, Merial says vets and pet owners can feel confident that they are helping to protect dogs from the vectors of severe canine diseases - including leishmaniosis, dirofilariosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and borreliosis - whether travelling within the UK or abroad.
Lynda Maris, Brand Manager for Frontect said: “We are delighted to expand our Merial V-Line vet exclusive parasiticide portfolio with the addition of Frontect. Frontect both kills and repels parasites to provide visible results and help deliver client satisfaction. Frontect is ideal for active, outdoor dogs and travelling dogs at risk of exposure to ticks and vector borne diseases.”
Frontect is administered topically, on the neck and between the shoulder blades of the dog. It will be available in five different weight ranges to suit all dogs from the beginning of May 2015.
According to the AHT, glaucoma affects more than a thousand dogs across the UK. Now Border Collie breeders will be able to use this test to reduce the risk of producing glaucoma-affected puppies, whilst maintaining genetic diversity.
The work that resulted in the new test began at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, where scientists found a variant in a gene called OLFML3 reported to be associated with severe goniodysgenesis and glaucoma in Border Collies.
On reading this research, the AHT’s canine genetics team, which has an ongoing research programme looking at canine glaucoma, began to look at how a DNA test could be offered based on the mutation.
Hattie Wright, Vets4Pets Research Assistant at the AHT, genotyped a large cohort of Border Collies for the mutation, in order to obtain an accurate measure of the association between the mutation and goniodysgenesis and glaucoma in the Border Collie. These dogs all had their eyes examined, and their DNA collected, by veterinary ophthalmologist James Oliver.
The charity’s findings from this validation process replicated the findings of the Roslin Institute, so the AHT has been able to develop and launch a DNA test based on the reported OLFML3 mutation.
Dr Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the Animal Health Trust, said: "We’re delighted to offer this test to Border Collie breeders and hope in time, through its use, we can lessen the prevalence of this disease in this lovely breed.
"Our research has found that the mutation is only associated with glaucoma in Border Collies, so we will publish our data at the earliest opportunity, in the hope that other commercial DNA testing providers will not be tempted to make the DNA test available to breeds other than the Border Collie."
For more information, visit: www.ahtdnatesting.co.uk
The new drug represents the fruit of 8 years of product development and more than 11 proprietary studies performed by Ceva R&D teams.
Marie Boutot, development project leader said: "Isemid is an original drug developed by Ceva, and was the subject of full pivotal efficacy and safety studies."
Ceva says the new drug has been recognised by the European Medicines Agency as a "2018 Innovation, advancing animal health".
Isemid is presented as pork-flavoured, scored tablets in three strengths: 1, 2 and 4 mg. They can be administered orally once daily, with or without food. The company's research showed a 98% owner compliance (compared to 92% for furosemide, p<0.05) and 80% voluntary acceptance.
Emilie Guillot, DVM, Ceva Technical Manager for Cardiology said: "With Isemid, we seek to help veterinarians in their goal to improve survival of dogs with heart failure.
"But above all, thanks to its potent action and long half-life which allow once-daily dosing, we hope to ease owner compliance."
Scientific communications with data on Isemid were presented at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine forum in Phoenix in June and will be held at the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine congress in Milan in September.
Elanco Animal Health has launched AviPro Salmonella Duo, a new live vaccine which provides simultaneous protection against S Enteritidis and S Typhimurium in poultry.
Jessica Cross, Elanco's poultry veterinary consultant said: "AviPro Salmonella Duo is the first vaccine to have both Salmonella strains in the same vial and also the first to be licensed for turkeys and ducks as well as chickens."
Unlike inactivated vaccines which are administered by injection, AviPro Salmonella Duo is administered in the drinking water. Elanco says this offers producers significant advantages since the oral route allows mass administration without stressing the birds, saving labour and improving welfare. A three-dose programme provides immunity throughout lay.
The new vaccine also provides an eight-week increase in the period of immunity over its predecessor, to 62 and 68 weeks of age for S Typhimurium and S Enteritidis respectively.
Jessica said: "This development represents the third generation of vaccines, moving on from the early dead vaccines, individual live vaccines to the bivalent product. Producers will welcome the simplified administration it offers."
Derbyshire surgeon Victoria Lilley BVSc CertSAM MRCVS has launched a petition calling on the RCVS to abandon its plans to remove Certificate and Diploma holders' post nominals from the RCVS Register at www.rcvs.org.uk.
Under the current plan, which followed a consultation in 2011 and a submission to Council in 2012, the College will only distinguish the new "Advanced Practitioners" and "RCVS Recognised Specialists" in the Register from some time after the autumn. Vets with old-style RCVS Certificates can apply for "Advanced Practitioner" status but must complete module A of the CertAVP or 100 hours of equivalent CPD and pay £50 to apply, plus £110 per year to maintain the status.
Victoria said: "I want to spread the word that this is happening, as I don't feel the RCVS has publicised it well enough. I did my certificate in practice, it was a lot of hard work and I feel that the RCVS removing my CertSAM post-nominals from the register undermines this. Whilst I acknowledge that I could apply for "Advanced Practitioner" status, I strongly feel that spending a large proportion of my CPD time and budget learning about ethics and public safety is not going to help me improve my small animal medicine knowledge or skills. I also don't feel that I should be penalised by having to pay to be an "Advanced Practitioner" when the Royal College should be supportive of vets who undertake further study. My biggest objection is to post-nominals being removed from the register, which I feel is very unfair."
Speaking at the RCVS's online Question Time on thewebinarvet.com, RCVS Treasurer and Vice-President-elect Dr Bradley Viner said: "To clarify the situation with the Register: the Register no longer goes out to members routinely as a printed document. It is now primarily online, and in line with other regulators such as the GMC, the only information that is in the official part of Register is whether that person is a Member or a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and their registrable qualifications, in other words the primary qualification they achieved which entitled them to become a Member or Fellow of the Royal College.
"But we are certainly not going to be inhibiting people from using their post-nominals freely. They can use any of the post-nominals that they have achieved as long as they are not misleading.
"But I think there is confusion between a qualification and a status. A qualification is something that you obtain and you've got for life, and of course the old style Certificate is one of those, the new RCVS CertAVP is another. A status is something that a qualification within our context might enable you to attain, but it is something that has to be maintained.
"So what is going to be happening, hopefully from autumn this year, is that in line with the recommendations of the Specialisation Working Party, [there will be] an extra tier. So there will be Practitioners, there will be Advanced Practitioners and there will be RCVS Recognised Specialists, and there will be lists of those available via the Royal College. An Advanced Practitioner will be somebody who has a relevant qualification in the area of their advanced practice, and that may well be an old-style Certificate, certainly the CertAVP but there are also other qualifications which can also be relevant and used for that purpose. But they also have to prove that they are working actively in that area of practice, and they have an advanced requirement for CPD.
"Now in the case of old style RCVS Certificate holders, that qualification will be in line with the qualification they require to be listed as an Advanced Practitioner, but within the first three years they will have to show that they have either done the RCVS A module which is part of the new RCVS Certificate, or have done work that is equivalent to that in various areas such as communications, teamworking and personal and professional development, because we think from a Royal College point of view that it is really important that those areas are included within the Advanced Practitioner Status."
To sign the petition, visit: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/royal-college-of-veterinary-surgeons-keep-post-graduate-qualifications-on-the-rcvs-register?recruiter=89624244&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
Having listened to the recording, it strikes me that the Veterinary Record has misinterpreted Mr Innes, and the danger is that his perfectly valid point will now get drowned in a sea of outrage.
What Mr Innes actually said was: "I think it is time to start creating a more fulfilling, more rewarding career for our nurses, and I think that the Americans are showing us the way. They have vet techs and I think that we can do that; I think that isn't the, necessarily the answer, but one it will create a much more rewarding career for veterinary nurses and also some of the reason that vets leave is because they don't like the mundane stuff, so let's give the mundane stuff to nurses.
Considering the overall context of what he said, it is glaringly obvious Mr Innes champions the idea of giving nurses a more rewarding role. So the idea that he was saying: 'Let's give the shit jobs to nurses' is frankly ludicrous.
It is obvious that what he actually meant was 'Let's give some of the stuff that vets find mundane to nurses.' He just didn't express it as well as he might have done.
Mundanity is subjective. What is mundane for a vet is not necessarily mundane for a veterinary nurse, particularly one who has been relegated to sweeping floors for any length of time.
Mr Innes has come in for quite a lot of flack for some of his comments recently. I'm not sure about the other stuff, but on this, he is clearly not guilty.
You can agree or disagree with his view that nurses could be given greater responsibility and vets could delegate some of the tasks they find mundane.
But it would be a great shame if his point got drowned in a sea of outrage over semantics.
The online academy offers a range of materials to help veterinary surgeons, nurses and receptionists further their knowledge of obesity as a disease, support the running of weight clinics and ultimately help reduce the number of overweight cats and dogs.
The academy includes Weight Management Online, an interactive course which is designed to improve the management of obesity in practice. The course offers eight hours of CPD and additional support from Royal Canin's dedicated Weight Management Team via an online forum.
The course modules are: Obesity is a disease; Body Condition Scoring; Feeding for weight loss diets; Communicating the positives of weight loss; Running a weight loss clinic; and Success is a team effort.
Each module contains additional downloadable reading material and/or learning tools.
Courses run from 11th September to 1st October 2017 and 13th November to 3rd December, with three weeks given to complete the six modules.
Louise Brennan, a Weight Management Specialist at Royal Canin, said: "The prevalence of pet obesity is increasing in the UK, with at least 59% of all dogs and 39% of all cats overweight or obese¹. We have recognised the need to provide further education to help veterinary staff understand the seriousness of the disease and how to communicate this to owners."
Veterinary surgeons and RVNs that complete Weight Management Online within a three week time frame will be invited to complete the second stage, allowing them to become a Royal Canin Weight Management Counsellor.
For more information, contact your Royal Canin Veterinary Business Manager.
Lead surgeon at Roundhouse, Ross Allan (pictured right), an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery, said: "We know many practitioners and clients have been frustrated by the difficulties in availability of TPLO in Scotland and we wanted to change that.
"As with our other Roundhouse Referral offerings, we have done away with long waiting lists, unpredictable pricing, and challenges in clinical continuity. We know that in doing so we will revolutionise access to this service and the experience of its users.
"Our TPLO service offers excellent value and quality – we have invested heavily in the very best DePuy Synthes TPLO plates and implants and, together with our hospital status, standards and track record, we are offering a premier TPLO service in Scotland: a TPLO with a recovery that is as reliable and predictable as our Fixed Price!"
The fixed prices for a TPLO are £3000 for dogs under 40kg and £3100 for dogs over 40kg.
The price includes the consultation, diagnostic X-rays/assessment, pre-surgical blood samples, hospitalisation, anaesthesia, surgery (including implants), follow up consultation and follow up X-rays.
Ross added: "We don’t expect anything to go wrong, but should we need to revise our surgery we would do so at no additional cost to the client – that’s our Fixed-Price Fix!"
To make an enquiry, or refer a patient for a Fixed Price Fix TPLO contact Roundhouse Referrals at 0141 649 1316 www.rhr.vet
Dr Crawford sent the email to his client, Mrs X, on 15 July 2014, the day on which Mrs X’s horse was due for insemination using horse semen supplied from a horse in Germany. However, the semen had arrived without the Intra Trade Certificate, a requirement for intra-EU inseminations, and so Dr Crawford proceeded to contact the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for alternative authorisation.
Just after 4:30pm on that day, Mrs X received a text from Dr Crawford advising her that he had received authorisation from the AHVLA, and would forward to Mrs X the AHVLA authorisation email. It later transpired that that the email had in fact been fabricated by Dr Crawford using an email that he had previously received from the AHVLA regarding another matter.
Dr Crawford faced the following charges:
Fabricating an e-mail purporting to be from the veterinary officer at the AVHLA, authorising use of semen from a horse for insemination, when in fact he had not received such authorisation.
Dishonesty in relation to the e-mail described above.
His conduct gave rise to spread of infectious disease which had the potential to affect equine animal health and welfare in the region.
Dr Crawford admitted the first two charges, but denied that his actions had given rise to the risk of disease.
The Committee found the first two charges proved, and moved on to determine the facts of the third charge. They took into account that Dr Crawford had received verbal confirmation that the semen was safe, and that the health papers had been stamped accordingly. He had not, however, seen a copy of this certificate and so there was no guarantee that the semen was safe to use at the time he sent the fabricated email. On consideration of the facts, the Committee found this charge proved, as Mrs X’s mare could have been infected and subsequently could have adversely affected equine animal health and welfare in the region.
They also found that his entire course of action had fallen far short of what is expected of a veterinary surgeon, and that it amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
When determining sanction, the Committee took into account a number of aggravating factors, namely the risk of injury to animals, an element of pre-meditation, a disregard for the role of the AHVLA, impersonating a fellow veterinary surgeon, and intending to deceive a veterinary surgeon as well as a member of the public.
It did also, however, take into account the mitigating factors – that there was no injury to the animal, and that it was a single isolated incident from which Dr Crawford did not stand to make any financial gain.
The Committee therefore decided to order the Registrar to suspend Dr Crawford’s registration for 12 months.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee did consider whether to remove Dr Crawford from the Register. However, in light of the significant mitigation in this case, the fact that this was an isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career, together with his acceptance from the outset that he had been dishonest and his assurance that he would never behave in this way again, the Committee decided that in all the circumstances to remove him from the Register would be disproportionate."
Dr Crawford can lodge an appeal with the Privy Council within 28 days of being notified of the Disciplinary Committee's decision.
Dexafast is an injectable corticosteroid with potent, medium-acting, anti-inflammatory activity, indicated for the treatment of a range of inflammatory and allergic conditions in both small and large animal clinical practice.
Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: "Dexafast 2mg/ml is an excellent addition to our range. This formulation of dexamethasone is used across many species on a daily basis, and Dexafast 2mg/ml gives vets a high-quality presentation of a staple medicine."
Dexafast is available in a 50ml bottle.
For further information, contact your local Forte Territory Manager, visit: https://www.fortehealthcare.ie/product/dexafast-uk-only, or email: enquiries@fortehealthcare.com.
VetSurgeon Reactions now gives members a quick and easy way to say 'thank you' for sharing something in the forums or the photo/video galleries, and, in the future, for VetSurgeon.org itself to reward those members whose contributions are most appreciated by the community.
In addition to saying 'thank you', members can also say they 'agree' or 'disagree' with the content of a post, a far more precise expression than the previous rating system, in which 'one star' which could be interpreted as meaning almost anything.
VetSurgeon Reactions also give you a quick and easy measure of how much a contributor has been thanked, agreed with or disagreed with by other members.
With a number of new features introduced over the last year, VetSurgeon.org now offers far more compelling reasons to hold clinical discussions in its forums, rather than other other social media platforms:
VetSurgeon Profiles are visible to all logged in members, so you can see the professional credentials of the person who posted advice or opinion.
VetSurgeon 'Claim CPD' allows you to record time spent in clinical discussions, and claim a downloadable VetSurgeon CPD certificate towards your annual CPD requirement.
VetSurgeon forum discussions are far, far easier to follow and refer back to than Facebook discussion threads, which are more transient in nature.
VetSurgeon.org Co-Editor Liz Barton MRCVS said: "I think that the combination of these things mean that whilst Facebook groups can offer a great environment for chat about all sorts of professional issues, VetSurgeon.org really excels when it comes to accountable, good quality clinical discussion you can follow and refer back to.
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie added: "As for 'thank you', I don’t know why I didn’t think of it years ago. 'Thank you' is something missing from almost every other social media platform I’ve ever seen, and yet it’s SUCH an important courtesy.
"So, remember, if you see something on VetSurgeon posted by another member which you found helpful, don’t forget to hit the 'thank you' button. If they’ve had one of those days when every client seems utterly thankless, some appreciation from their peers might make a lousy day bearable."
The chewable, prescription-only tablet contains sarolaner, which kills fleas and ticks; moxidectin, for the prevention of heartworm, lungworm disease and for the treatment of some intestinal worms; and pyrantel embonate, for the treatment of gastrointestinal nematodes (hookworms and roundworms).
Professor Tim Geary, BSc PhD, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Canada, and Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University, Belfast, a consultant to Zoetis, said: “Serious diseases that are preventable and of increasing prevalence threaten dogs in Canada and Europe. Simparica Trio today offers a better solution to preventing and controlling these parasites against the concern of their increasing prevalence."
Rob Kelly, President, International Operations at Zoetis said: "With Simparica Trio, we bring to market an advanced parasiticide solution, helping to deliver improved client satisfaction and patient protection.
"Thanks to its broad spectrum, Simparica Trio helps veterinarians and dog owners provide more complete parasite coverage with a single-monthly chewable tablet. The broad spectrum of Simparica Trio minimises the potential risk of parasite protection gaps."
Simparica Trio is indicated for dogs from at least eight weeks of age and 1.25 kg and will be available in six tablet strengths for dogs of all sizes.
For more information about Simparica Trio and full prescribing information, visit www.zoetis.com.
An Oxford woman has launched Veterinary Thermal Imaging Ltd, a company which claims to be the first in the UK to use thermal imaging to help identify and monitor injury and illness in domestic pets.
Helen Morrell, 34, uses an FLIR infrared camera to detect physiological changes in animals. She says the technique is traditionally only used in top competition and racing stables, and can highlight health problems, including tendon, joint and nerve damage, which would otherwise be undetectable without invasive and expensive procedures such as x-rays and MRI scans.
Helen said: "I became interested in thermal imaging after being made redundant from my job in financial services. I'd studied Animal Science at Newcastle University when I was younger and I viewed the redundancy as the perfect opportunity to return to the industry.
"I realised that there were only a few people in the country who offer thermal imaging, and then only to horses. It's a really emerging technique that has huge potential and is already widely used in the US across all animals, including domestic, livestock, zoo and wildlife. It seemed that there was a huge gap in the market in this country."
Helen contacted leading experts in the US and became the first British woman to be accepted onto the thermal imaging course at Florida University. She said: "I knew I wanted to use the technique on domestic pets and the experts in the field were all in America. It made sense to me to get the training there and make sure I was at the top of my game."
Helen says she is currently working with a three-year-old terrier called Jack who is suffering from muscular atrophy caused by a locking patella. Although the thermal imaging didn't diagnose the problem, she says it is allowing the monitoring of his treatment and providing an objective assessment of the muscles affected by the injury.
The new directive, set out in a consensus statement led by neurologist Dr Marios Charalambous, Neurology Consultant at Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital, champions a stage-based and prompt approach which targets the abnormal impediments responsible for sustaining seizure activity and establishing refractory stages.
Marios said: "This consensus statement is the culmination of extensive research and experience in managing complex neurological emergencies.
"By formulating clear and universally applicable guidelines for all vets, it presents both a novel perspective in terms of how seizures should be treated, and a huge step forward in this specific field."
Marios was joined by a panel of clinicians including Karen Muñana, Ned E. Patterson, Simon R. Platt, and Holger A. Volk, who have jointly made these recommendations based on prevailing evidence in peer-reviewed literature, as well as their own extensive clinical experience.
It was then validated by the ACVIM Board-Certified Specialists before being distributed globally by ACVIM to form official guidelines for vets across the world.
Marios will be presenting and discussing his findings at the BSAVA Congress 2024 in Manchester this weekend as part of the neurology agenda on Saturday 23 March 2024.
Dan Lewis, National ECC Lead at IVC Evidensia, said: “Being presented with an actively seizing animal can be incredibly stressful for owners and clinicians and has potentially dire consequences.
"Decision-making under such circumstances is often very difficult, even for the most knowledgeable teams, and access to these straightforward treatment guidelines will make a massive difference to how these cases progress.”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.16928.