The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has this week directed that the name of a Grimsby veterinary surgeon should be removed from the RCVS Register, having found him guilty of serious professional misconduct for advising and undertaking surgical procedures without sufficient clinical grounds or considering alternative treatment options; failing to obtain the informed consent of his clients; undertaking procedures outside his area of competence; failing to refer or discuss the option of referral to a specialist; and, failing to provide his patients with adequate pain relief.

Mr Joseph Lennox Holmes, of Waltham Veterinary Clinic, Grimsby, faced nine charges relating to two separate complaints, at a two-week hearing in October which resumed this week.

These complaints concerned four consecutive staphylectomies and a tracheostomy that Mr Holmes performed on Jake, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owned by Ms Marsden; the dental treatment he gave to three Persian cats called Dream Topping, Charlie Brown and Henry, together with the advice he gave to their owner, Mrs Auckland.

On 25 October 2007, Mr Holmes performed a staphylectomy on Jake during dental surgery. He gave the Committee various reasons why he thought the procedure was necessary; however, the Committee accepted the opinion of two expert witnesses Professor Dan Brockman, a specialist in soft tissue surgery at the Royal Veterinary College, and Mr Andrew Ash, the senior veterinary surgeon at a 17-vet small animal practice, that there were insufficient clinical grounds for such a surgical procedure to be undertaken.  The Committee also found Mr Holmes had not adequately considered other treatments, or obtained fully informed consent from Jake's owner for this procedure.    

Mr Holmes performed further staphylectomies and a tracheostomy on Jake, a procedure described by Professor Brockman as "by definition, high risk and best performed by a specialist". He did not consider referral, or inform Mrs Marsden that such referral was an option. Nor did he provide sufficient aftercare or pain relief.  Following these surgeries, Jake was euthanased .

In the second complaint, Mr Holmes performed dental extractions on two cats, Dream Topping and Henry, and advised removing teeth from a third, Charlie Brown, in October 2008.  The Committee, however, accepted the view of expert witness Mr Ash and Dr David Crossley, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry, that the dental extractions performed, and the advice given, were not justified on the available clinical evidence. The Committee also found that Mr Holmes did not discuss alternative treatment options with Mrs Auckland, or obtain her informed consent.  In the case of Dream Topping, consent was sought after the cat had been sedated for an unrelated procedure and Mrs Auckland had felt under pressure to consent.

Mr Holmes had also relied on anaesthesia-inducing drugs to provide analgesia for the dental extractions, without any other form of pain relief. The Committee agreed with the expert witnesses that this was wholly inadequate. 

The Committee found many aggravating factors in both cases, including actual injury to animals from unnecessary surgery, and a serious breach of the trust in which Mr Holmes' clients had placed in him to make the welfare of their animals his primary consideration. His repeated misconduct had been sustained over a period of time in the face of a previous adverse finding of the Committee in 2006.

It also found that Mr Holmes failed to appreciate when a case was outwith his experience, and had continued his course of action despite Jake's deterioration; he had not considered referral or accepted that others in the profession might know more than he did;  in formulating clinical practice and policies, he made no reference to peer-reviewed literature or continued professional development; and, his use of outmoded drugs and medicines intended for human use was of concern, as was his lack of appreciation of the need for adequate pain relief when performing painful surgical procedures.

Towards the end of the hearing, Mr Holmes said in mitigation that he regretted unreservedly any adverse effects that his treatment had had on the animals concerned, and that he now realised that his long history of working alone had allowed him to become professionally isolated, to become over-confident in the value of his own experience and rather "set in his ways". 

Having given serious consideration to postponing judgment, subject to undertakings from Mr Holmes, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Mrs Caroline Freedman said: "We are mindful that the sanction which we apply must be proportionate to the nature and extent of the misconduct found proved and must balance the public interests against the interests of the Respondent.

"We are, however, also mindful of Mr Holmes' conduct during the previous 11½ days of the hearing, during which time his every action was vigorously defended and no insight whatsoever was shown." 

The Committee also considered suspending Mr Holmes from the Register. "In view of the serious and long-term nature of the conduct found proved in the charges, we do not feel that it is appropriate that Mr Holmes should be permitted to return to the Register without further assessment of his efforts to update his knowledge," said Mrs Freedman, before concluding: "The only appropriate sanction in each case is that the Registrar be directed to remove Mr Holmes' name from the Register."

The RCVS Council has voted to approve proposed changes to how 'under care' is defined in the supporting guidance for the Guide to Professional Conduct.

The new guidance will remove the absolute requirement for veterinary surgeons to perform a physical examination before prescribing POM medicines, making it instead a matter for your professional judgement. 

However, the proposed new guidance also imposes a requirement for veterinary surgeons who do NOT physically examine the animal prior to prescribing to provide a 24/7 follow-up service which includes a physical examination. 

Furthermore, the new guidance will state that: "Where the veterinary surgeon is not able to provide this service [the physical exam] themselves, they should arrange for another veterinary service provider to do so. This arrangement should be made before veterinary services are offered and confirmed in writing as part of the conditions of service agreed by the client."

This requirement to provide a physical 24/7 follow-up would appear to safeguard animal welfare and protect against the risk of online-only businesses (in the UK or abroad) with lower overheads cherry-picking the job of prescribing medicines.

It should also protect against veterinary surgeons feeling pressured to prescribe inappropriately, because the new, stricter requirements will make it easier for them to decline to do so.

However, the BVA doesn't agree with the new proposals. It feels that remote prescribing should be delivered under the auspices of a Veterinary Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR), which, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, requires a physical examination. 

BVA President Malcolm Morley, said: “The changes to ‘under care’ guidance are a watershed moment, so it’s positive to see that they have evolved in response to feedback from the profession. New technology presents exciting opportunities to enhance existing veterinary services and has benefits for practices as well as clients and their animals.

"However, BVA has been very clear that we believe remote prescribing can only be safely delivered where a vet-client-patient relationship has been established.

"This is an internationally recognised concept, and we are disappointed that the RCVS has decided not to embrace it.

“Having voted to implement these changes, it is incumbent upon the RCVS and the profession to scrutinise how they play out.

"At BVA we plan to develop advice and resources to support our members and help them comply with the new guidance and realise any benefits of remote veterinary service provision.’

“It is now vital that a timeframe for a review is quickly put in place, so any negative impacts on animal welfare or the sustainability of veterinary services can be dealt with swiftly.”

Council voted by a majority of 20 to 3 in favour of the changes, which it then decided should come into force between 1st June and 23rd December 2023, subject to a review at the next meeting.

Discuss here.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded Dr Vanja Fures MRCVS for giving a false (and startlingly bad) excuse for his conviction for drink driving. 

Dr Fures was convicted of driving with excess alcohol in the Dublin Criminal Courts of Justice in December 2018. 

Later, when renewing his UK RCVS registration, Dr Fures told the RCVS Chief Investigator that on the day of his offence, he'd been on a flight from Frankfurt to Dublin which suffered engine failure, causing the pilot to perform a forced emergency landing in Amsterdam. There, he claimed, the passengers switched to an airworthy plane for the rest of the journey, during which he had several drinks to calm his nerves.

In a remarkably detailed and complex investigation, the RCVS Chief Investigator rang Lufthansa and discovered that the flight had not suffered engine failure and had flown direct from Frankfurt to Dublin without incident. 

In May and July 2020, the RCVS Chief Investigator wrote to Dr Fures setting out the result of his investigations and research. In his responses Dr Fures accepted that his memory of the incident was wrong.

At the outset of the hearing Dr Fures made an application to the Committee enter into undertakings to voluntarily remove himself from the UK Register and to not apply to re-join. However, the Committee did not accept these undertakings in part on the basis that he was not of retirement age and intended to continue to practise in Ireland.

The Committee considered that if it were to accept his undertakings, then there would be no judgement or findings that could be passed on to the Veterinary Council of Ireland for consideration via its own disciplinary procedures.

Ian Arundale, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee decided that this is a case in which the public interest, confidence in the profession, and, potentially, the welfare of animals, demands that there be a full hearing, with determinations made by the Disciplinary Committee."

The Committee then went on to consider the facts of the case.

Dr Fures admitted that he had supplied the RCVS with false information about his conviction for drink driving but denied that this was dishonest at the time that he supplied the information. He accepted that the information he provided was wrong, in that his flight between Frankfurt and Dublin, while delayed by just over an hour, did not have to land in Amsterdam as he had previously claimed.

He said that his false statement was based on misremembering the circumstances and that he had genuinely believed his statement was true at the time it was made to the RCVS. He said that, due to shame over his conviction and the negative impact it had on the life of him and his family, he had created a false memory of the circumstances.

However, the Committee was not persuaded that there was any other explanation in this case, other than that Dr Fures deliberately and dishonestly gave false information to the RCVS, to excuse his behaviour.

The Committee then considered if the admitted and proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.

Ian said: “The Committee was of the view that Dr Fures’ actions in dishonestly giving false details to his regulator was serious. While it was the case that there was no actual harm or risk to animals arising out of his conduct, the Committee took into account that the dishonest account was given deliberately.

“In addition, it was sustained, in that it was relied upon and expanded upon on several occasions when the College sought further clarity. Dr Fures had the opportunity to correct the situation, and give the truthful account, but he did not do so. The dishonesty was designed to achieve personal gain to Dr Fures, in that he wished to minimise the actions which the College may take against him, and, in consequence, safeguard his career.

“Dr Fures’ action in dishonestly giving false information to his regulator struck at the heart of his obligation, as a registered professional, to be open and honest with his regulator. This obligation is necessary to allow the College, as regulator, to carry out its crucial and statutory functions in ensuring that it investigates concerns properly.”

In considering the sanction for Dr Fures, the Committee took into account the mitigating factors, including the fact that there were no previous regulatory findings against Dr Fures or any previous conviction for dishonesty, that he had demonstrated remorse for his actions, that there was no actual harm or risk of harm to any animal, that no concerns raised about Dr Fures’ practice, that there was no repetition of the dishonest conduct and that he had demonstrated some insight.

However, in terms of aggravating factors it considered that there was deliberate and sustained dishonesty and that he had sought personal gain as a result of his actions.

After considering various options, the Committee decided that a reprimand and warning as to future conduct was the most appropriate sanction for Dr Fures.

The full findings for the case can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

Kent-based Pennard Vets has signed Mark Rowland to lead its exotics department. 

Mark, an Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine, is well known in the profession, having lectured in the UK and internationally, as well as having numerous articles on exotic topics published in peer reviewed veterinary journals.

Mark said: “I’m really pleased to be joining Pennard Vets, which has seven sites across Kent, and is owned by its employees, which made it a particularly attractive place to join, as I now also own a stake in the business and can help shape the future of it. I can’t wait to meet our clients and their pets and hope to make a real difference to their lives.” 

Andy Green, Director at Pennard Vets, said: “Mark is the most qualified vet in the South East of England working in exotics, and we are delighted he is bringing so much experience to Pennard Vets.

"We hope to become the go-to practice for all exotic pets in the South-East and believe that our new and existing clients will all benefit from Mark’s unique and thoughtful approach to veterinary care.”

www.pennardvets.com

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Equisolon 33 mg/g oral powder, the first licensed oral prednisolone for the alleviation of inflammation associated with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), otherwise known as heaves, in horses.

Clare Turnbull, equine brand and technical manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica said: "Oral glucocorticoids are sometimes necessary for treating the inflammation associated with RAO. We feel it is important that when our customers need to use prednisolone for their cases, there is an equine specific product available to them that is easy to dispense and administer."

The company says Equisolon should be used in combination with environmental measures to treat RAO.

For further information on Equisolon, contact your Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica equine representative or call +44 (0)1344 746959.

Millpledge Veterinary has launched Oculeze, an ocular lubricant.

The new product, which is for the management of any condition where eye health is supported by providing additional moisture or lubrication, is suitable for dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and other animals.

Oculeze contains glycerine (0.8%), Aloe vera, chamomile and propolis extract, the latter of which contains polyphenols which Millpledge says have been shown to support corneal health by multiple mechanisms of action including modulation of the tear film and a reduction in inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress¹.  

Millpledge says Oculeze lasts longer on the ocular surface than non-lipid lubricants² because it evaporates more slowly³. 

This prolonged action means fewer administrations, which should help client compliance. 

Oculeze comes in two sizes - a 10 millilitre bottle and a pack of ten resealable 0.6 millilitre vials, suitable for short term use and travel.

The 10ml bottle includes a filter, preserving sterility for up to three months after opening. 

Oculeze is available direct from Millpledge or from your usual wholesaler.

https://millpledge.com/shop/oculeze

sales@millpledge.com

References

1. Favero, G. et al. (2021) Evidence of Polyphenols Efficacy against Dry Eye Disease. Antioxidants 10:190
2. Tsubota K. and Yamada M. (1992) Tear evaporation from the ocular surface. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.;33(10):2942-50
3. Testing of ophthalmic solutions lubricating properties 2022 09 Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, 2022 10 Department of Tribology, Vytautas Magnus University

Final-year students at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science are now getting hands-on experience of the challenges and rewards of shelter medicine, thanks to a new partnership with the RSPCA Radcliffe Animal Centre.

The students are being given the chance to treat cats, dogs and rabbits coming into the RSPCA centre under the supervision of its resident veterinary surgeon, Joanne Henstock.

The placement offers them valuable skills in dealing with animals which have received little or no veterinary care in the past and often arrive at the shelter in an extremely poor condition.

Ella Carpenter, RSPCA Animal Centre Manager, said: "The students are familiar with seeing pets which have been well cared for by their owners and it can be shocking for them to witness the state in which some of the animals arrive at our shelter.

"In particular, they see the, often life-threatening, impact it can have on an animal when it hasn’t received care considered to be fundamental veterinary medicine, such as flea or worming treatments. 

"We commonly see animals that arrive with little or no medical history, so they can practice a back to basics, 'treat what we see', approach. And they learn about the challenges we face in providing the best possible care for large numbers of animals, many with complex medical needs, while working within the finite resources of a charity which relies entirely on public donations."

Malcolm Cobb, Professor of Comparative Veterinary Medicine and Deputy Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, said: "We are really excited to be working with the RSPCA at Radcliffe. There is a very large and varied case load for our students to assist with, learn from and help to manage, including some cases of neglect which they might not see elsewhere, and which can represent a significant clinical challenge."

Photo: Jo Henstock (Associate Vet RSPCA), Bramble the Beagle, Sophie Isaacs (Final Year Vet Student), © The University of Nottingham

The Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) has announced that it has changed its name to the Veterinary Management Group, or VMG.

The group’s Board, led by outgoing president, Renay Rickard and incoming president, Julie Beacham, decided to change the trading name to better reflect the diverse nature of the organisation’s membership and promote inclusivity.

The VMG says that in parallel with evolving models of veterinary business management, it has seen its membership expand to include clinical and non-clinical team members from practice, as well as those from industry and academia.

Renay said: "We are seeing a trend where the veterinary practice manager role is now complemented by - and in some cases superseded by - tiers of team leaders, many with management responsibilities and interests.

"This is reflected in our membership, which is increasingly diverse – we have growing numbers of members from the clinical side of practice, such as head nurses and vet team leads, as well as involvement from front-of-house and administration teams. In larger group practices, we have operations staff, marketing managers, finance teams and so on all joining up.  

"Part of the success of our organisation is that we have attracted and catered for these diverse roles. Our New to Management series of CPD webinars last year was one example, and we will build on this in 2018, adding in new content. 2018 will also see a new structure for our regional group meetings, with roadshows and day events.

"This diversity in membership brings vibrancy and new ideas with it, vital to the life-blood of any organisation. Our aim is to be inclusive and cater for the needs of anyone with an interest in management through development and support."

The VMG has also launched a new website, www.vetmg.com with a private members’ area which offers various resources, from CPD to protocols. 

The RSPCA has published Together for Animal Welfare, its strategy for the next ten years, during which it aims to achieve eight ambitions in partnership with the veterinary profession. 

As part of its new strategy the RSPCA has also announced it is exploring the transfer of its animal welfare prosecuting role to the CPS to focus on its frontline work rescuing and caring for animals and investigating cruelty.

The ambitions announced by the charity are:

1. Reduce cruelty by half - We’ll reduce‌ ‌neglect,‌ ‌abuse‌ ‌and‌ ‌cruelty‌ ‌to‌ ‌companion‌ ‌animals‌, ‌including‌ ‌exotic‌ ‌pets‌, ‌in‌ ‌England‌ ‌and‌ ‌Wales‌ ‌by‌ ‌50‌%.
2. Prevent ‘petfishing’ - We’ll end‌ ‌the‌ ‌illegal‌ ‌selling‌ ‌of‌ ‌puppies‌ ‌and‌ ‌kittens‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK.‌
3. Boost farm animal welfare - We’ll see more than half of all ‌UK’s‌ ‌farm‌ ‌animals‌ reared ‌to‌ ‌RSPCA‌ ‌welfare‌ ‌standards‌. We’ll ‌encourage‌ ‌people‌ ‌to:‌ ‌eat‌ ‌less, ‌eat‌ ‌better‌ ‌by‌ ‌encouraging‌ ‌people‌ ‌to‌ ‌eat‌ ‌less‌ ‌meat,‌ ‌fish,‌ ‌eggs‌ ‌and‌ ‌dairy‌ ‌from‌ ‌low‌-welfare‌ ‌farms ‌and‌ ‌to‌ ‌only‌ ‌choose‌ ‌higher‌-welfare‌ ‌labels.‌
4. End severe suffering in research - We’ll secure‌ ‌a‌ ‌global‌ ‌commitment‌ ‌to‌ ‌developing,‌ ‌validating‌ ‌and‌ ‌accepting‌ ‌non-animal‌ ‌technologies‌ ‌to‌ ‌replace‌ ‌animal‌ ‌experiments,‌ ‌and‌ ‌put‌ ‌an‌ ‌end‌ ‌to‌ ‌severe‌ ‌suffering‌ ‌for‌ ‌laboratory‌ ‌animals.‌ ‌
5. Secure legal protection for animals - Establish‌ ‌animal‌ ‌protection‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌significant‌ ‌UK‌ ‌governmental‌ ‌goal‌ ‌supported‌ ‌by‌ ‌an‌ ‌independent‌ ‌public‌ ‌body,‌ ‌legally‌ ‌established,‌ ‌an‌ ‌Animal‌ ‌Protection‌ ‌Commission.‌
6. Help our inspectors rescue animals sooner - We’ll achieve‌ ‌statutory‌ ‌powers‌ ‌in‌ ‌England‌ ‌and‌ ‌Wales‌ ‌for‌ ‌RSPCA‌ ‌inspectors‌ ‌under‌ ‌the‌ ‌Animal‌ ‌Welfare‌ ‌Act‌ ‌2006.‌ ‌ ‌
7. Get the UN on board for animals - We’ll secure‌ ‌the‌ ‌adoption‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌United‌ ‌Nations‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌comprehensive‌ ‌Universal‌ ‌Declaration‌ ‌on‌ ‌Animal‌ ‌Welfare.‌ ‌
8. Inspire a one million-strong movement for animal welfare by 2030 - We’ll use our new Community Engagement Programme to mobilise more people to help us help animals.

RSPCA Chief Vet Caroline Allen said: "Our grassroots and frontline work will still be at the heart of what we do - as it has been since the RSPCA’s inception almost 200 years ago.

"The RSPCA recognises that we simply cannot perform our vital frontline work without the support and expertise of vets and vet nurses across the country. As part of this strategy we are aiming to strengthen these relationships and improve understanding and communication between the RSPCA and the veterinary professions.

"Vets and RVNs - both in private practice and within the RSPCA - play many critical roles; including providing veterinary care to abused animals rescued by the RSPCA, supporting our animal centres and our prosecution work, as well as reporting abused and neglected animals to us. 

"We know that vets and RVNs want to have a better understanding of what they can expect from us and we will provide more clarity around what we are asking of vets when they treat our animals. We will continue to draw on and support the strong and growing evidence base in the profession in areas such as shelter medicine, veterinary forensics, clinical behaviour and accessible care. 

"We know that the veterinary sector has had a tough year and we are very grateful for your continuing support of our work during the many challenges of the pandemic."

Commenting on the decision to look at transferring its animal welfare prosecuting role to the CPS, RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “We are proud of our history bringing animal abusers to justice and for many years we have been the right people to do this vital work. However, the world has changed and we have to change with it.

"We launched our new strategy this week and a key part of this is working in partnership with other organisations with the responsibility and expertise to support our work. 

"The CPS is the statutory body with responsibility for taking prosecutions in England and Wales and by working more closely in partnership with them, we can free up resources to focus on our unique frontline investigation, rescue and care work, where we can make the most difference to animals.

"However, we reserve the right to take a prosecution in future if we feel that justice is not being done for animals."

The charity is also seeking statutory powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for its frontline animal rescuers.

This means that they would be able to reach animals faster, allowing them to access private land and outbuildings, although crucially not homes, if there was a reasonable expectation that an animal was suffering. 

These changes would bring England and Wales in line with Scotland and Ireland where the SPCAs have statutory powers and pass their cases to the state prosecutor.

To find out more and download the RSPCA’s new strategy, visit: https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/strategy 

A new study from the Royal Veterinary College has revealed the best toys and housing for ferrets’ health and wellbeing.

It is estimated that there are more than one million pet ferrets in the UK and a further 500,000 in the United States, but until now little was known about how ferrets are housed and what environmental enrichment they benefit from.

For the study¹, RVC researchers analysed 750 responses to an online questionnaire from ferret keepers (82% of whom were pet owners and the remainder were from the laboratory, zoo, rescue and pest control sectors) from 17 countries.

The study found that most ferrets were housed with at least one other ferret, providing social interaction.

The environmental enrichments that ferret keepers believed their ferrets most enjoyed were tunnels (42.5%), digging (27.3%), human interaction (20.8%) and exploration (17.6%).

The items reported as being most problematic included rubber toys, which can cause internal blockages when chewed and swallowed (45.1%) and enrichments which can result in claws or other body parts becoming trapped, such as narrow tunnels and certain fabrics including fleece, towels and loosely woven fabrics (28.6%).

Other main findings included:

• Scent trails were reported as amongst the most enjoyable enrichments but were only reported to be provided by 15% of total respondents, suggesting they could be introduced to more ferret housing.
• Housing varied across sectors from single level cages to free-range housing in a room or outdoor enclosure.
• The environmental enrichment most commonly provided were items that promote rest (such as hammocks or a soft bed), tunnels, boxes and human interaction.
• Ferrets’ ideal housing could be informed by their natural ecology, which indicates a preference for burrows with dark sleeping areas.

Alice Dancer, PhD Student at the RVC, and lead author of the paper, said: “How animals are housed and the environmental enrichment they are given can have a significant impact on their health and wellbeing.

"The finding that large housing and high numbers of enrichment are possible in all ferret-keeping sectors is a really good sign for ferret welfare.

"We hope that these results help inspire ferret caretakers to consider the housing they use, offer ideas for new ferret enrichments, and raise awareness of enrichments which may harm their ferrets.”

Reference

1. Dancer AMM, Díez-León M, Bizley JK, Burn CC. Housing and Environmental Enrichment of the Domestic Ferret: A Multi-Sector Survey. Animals. 2022; 12(9):1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091065

Animalcare has launched OraStripdx, a periodontal diagnostic strip that estimates the levels of thiols dissolved in oral fluid, thereby indicating the level of periodontal disease in an awake patient.

Each OraStripdx comprises a dry porous pad, pre-treated with a mixture containing a thiol detection reagent, attached to a plastic backing.

The strip is gently swiped along the maxillary gingival margins, whereupon it changes colour from off-white to various intensities of yellow, representing the concentration of thiols present.

Animalcare says this visual result can support vets and veterinary nurses in explaining to owners the often-invisible early signs of periodontal disease, without the need to examine the animal under anaesthetic

Apparently, the WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines say that test strips have been shown to improve client compliance with dental recommendations.

Dr Colin Capner, Senior Technical Vet at Animalcare, said: “OraStripdx helps to prompt, and raise the profile of veterinary oral health conversations in practice, employing an easy to use, evidence based diagnostic test for periodontal disease that does not require a general anaesthetic.

"In demonstrating the presence of periodontal disease in dogs and cats to clients through a test strip colourimetric change, it bridges the gap between oral examination and the requirement for clinical veterinary intervention.

"Early detection of otherwise invisible periodontal disease will help to maintain good pet oral health and welfare, and facilitate awareness of the potential need for planned clinical treatments.”  

On 30 November 2022, Animalcare is hosting a free webinar which demonstrates how OraStripdx can help drive positive oral health conversations.

You can sign up to the webinar at www.animalcare.co.uk/dentalwebinars.

The company has also created a range of dental care educational resources for veterinary healthcare team members and pet owners which are available for download at www.dental.pet.

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

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

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

The winners are:

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

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

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

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

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