Ceva Animal Health, manufacturer of Douxo S3, has launched ‘Boost your confidence in skin cytology’, a skin and ear cytology online training course.

Worth two hours of free CPD, the course has eight bitesize modules of between five and 15 minutes.

Each session is designed to improve confidence in cytology, in particular knowing when it is needed and how to take and interpret skin and ear cytology samples.

The course also includes advice on the use of dermatopicals and how to choose between Douxo S3 Pyo and Douxo S3 Calm.

The modules are presented by Natalie Barnard BVetMed, a European Veterinary Specialist in Dermatology, Amy Elvidge, an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, and Daniel White, a Dermatology Veterinary Nurse.

Emelie Fogelberg BSc DVM MRCVS, veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health said: “Skin problems can be challenging, and recurrent skin irritations are particularly frustrating. 

"Cytology is essential in the work up of these cases but is often overlooked.

“Our new skin and ear cytology online course will help both vets and nurses become more confident in sample taking and interpretation to support a diagnosis and management plan from the first consultation.”

To register, visit https://veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva/.

www.douxo.com

Virbac is hosting a free CPD webinar on the role of trace minerals in cattle health and performance.

The webinar, which will be streamed live at 8pm on Wednesday 20^th November and will be available to watch for six months thereafter, is being presented by James Husband, an RCVS Specialist in cattle health & production.

Topics will include oxidative stress, its impact on cattle performance and the role of trace minerals in immunity and cattle health. The webinar will also cover the current complexities of oral supplementation including absorption and mineral antagonism, along with offering information about the latest innovation to boost trace mineral availability during high demand periods in the production and breeding life cycle.

To register for the webinar, visit: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/register-free-role-trace-minerals-cattle-health-performance-new-veterinary-approach-boost-trace-mineral-availability/

All vets who view the webinar, either live or as a recording on the website, will be able to download a CPD certificate.

Vetoquinol has announced the launch of Rubenal®, a new product for use in renal health management for dogs and cats.

Normal kidney function is dependent upon normal nephron and interstitial tissue structure. When the balance of renal health is tipped, this structure can change and fibrous tissue can accumulate.

Simon Boulton, Rubenal®'s product manager said: "Rubenal® is the first palatable veterinary formulation of Rheum officinale available for use in both dogs and cats. It can be used as an aid to the maintenance of the normal renal fibrotic architecture."

The company has also produced a new guide to the management of chronic renal failure in dogs and cats: Chronic Kidney Disease: Addressing quality of life and life expectancy.

Simon said: "Vetoquinol is dedicated to supporting renal health and the guide is designed to illustrate factors which can affect both quality and quantity of life, including  hyperphosphataemia, hypertension, proteinuria, azotaemia and fibrosis in renal disease."

The booklet contains guidelines on the appropriate management of these factors including a wall chart reference guide.

For more information about Rubenal, or a free copy of the guide, please contact your Vetoquinol representative or telephone 0800 1698197.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched Vetmedin 0.75 mg/ml Solution for Injection for dogs.

According to the company, the new injectable form of Vetmedin provides rapid acting treatment for canine congestive heart failure originating from valvular insufficiency (e.g. mitral valve disease, MVD) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Twelve hours after the injection is administered, treatment can be continued by the dog's owner with Vetmedin flavour tablets or Vetmedin hard capsules at the recommended dosage.

Ruth Willis BVM&S DVC MRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Cardiology said: "Parenteral administration of medicines is often preferred in cases of acute congestive heart failure to help minimise patient stress and clinical deterioration. Vetmedin Solution for Injection is therefore a useful addition to our armoury of products for the treatment of acute congestive heart failure due to MVD or DCM."

The injection contains 0.75 mg/ml of the active ingredient, pimobendan, and it is supplied in 5 ml single use vials at the licensed dose of 0.15 mg/kg, with one vial treating a dog up to 25 kg.

In association with the Vets Now emergency treatment service, Boehringer has produced an algorithm which features step-by-step guidance on the recommended treatment protocol for dogs with acute congestive heart failure due to MVD or DCM, together with point of sale material including shelf wobblers for use in practice to raise awareness of the product.

The company is also hosting a free cardiology webinar presented by Ruth Willis entitled 'Acute CHF - a stress free approach'. The online seminar takes place at 8.00pm on Tuesday 19 February and counts for one hour's CPD. The webinar will be available to view after the live event on demand. To register, visit http://www.bi-academy.co.uk/.

For further information, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or telephone 01344 746959.

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) reports that at the end of a hotly contested Moral Maze style debate held at Congress last week, only 28% of the 329 delegates agreed with the motion: Corporatisation is inevitable and will benefit vets and their clients.

The debate, which was described as 'robust but good-humoured', was moderated by BEVA past-President Madeleine Campbell, sole partner at Hobgoblins Equine Reproduction Centre.

Keith Chandler, former BEVA President and member of the acquisitions team at Independent Vet Care and Karl Holliman, partner and director at Cliffe Veterinary group and past chairman of XL Equine, argued for corporatisation.

Their supporting witnesses were Lesley Barwise Munro of AlNorthumbria vets which was sold to CVS in 2015 and Julian Samuelson a former managing partner of Bell Equine, which was sold to CVS earlier this year.

In the opposing corner were Andrew Harrison, a partner at Three Counties Equine Hospital and Tim Greet, who recently retired as an equine partner at Rossdales.

Their supporting witnesses were Louise Radford MRCVS, who now works in the pharmaceutical industry and Nenad Zillic, partner at the Barn Equine Surgery.

As the moderator called 'seconds out', opinion was relatively evenly divided, with 44% of the audience agreeing with the motion and 56% disagreeing.

The pro corporatisation team advocated that obvious commercial and business advantages, together with the scale and diversity of a corporate, can give vets greater potential for a more flexible career path and advancement within the industry, and a more sustainable working career in equine practice.

Karl Holliman pointed out that corporates enable greater purchasing power, better health and safety resources, improved career structure and the freedom for employed vets to focus on clinical expertise rather than becoming bogged down with practice management.

Keith Chandler went on to argue that selling to a corporate is a solution to the problem of succession planning. In a climate of unwillingness for younger vets to buy in to practice, selling allows partners to realise the value they've built up and release that equity to do something else.

This is all very well, said Tim Greet, on the anti corporatisation panel, but the good reputation the profession currently enjoys is based on service to clients and above all the animals in our care. Clinical rather than commercial elements drive practice and partners are light on their feet and can respond quickly to decisions without referring to "a ponderous corporate hierarchy".

Tim also argued that clients like continuity and the quickest way to lose them would be to send in different vets. A bespoke approach to client care was needed rather than hard targeting.

Andrew Harrison went on to suggest that the only vets who really benefit from selling out are those who have one eye on retirement. Younger partners may be able to pay off the loan they took out to buy into practice in the first place but are then likely to take a considerable drop in salary and be given a middle management job, moving from the "pilot seat into the passenger seat." He argued that young vets cannot afford to buy into practices because the industry is being "fuelled by the corporates who are falling over themselves competing to buy equine practices and squeezing out our fellow professionals."

Pro corporatisation witness Julian Samuelson maintained that since Bell Equine has been sold to CVS there has been no change to client service, no restrictions on clinical performance and that no targets have been imposed to achieve set revenues.

Anti-corporatisation witness Louise Radford made the point that big corporates could exert pressure on pharmaceutical companies to drive down prices, which would reduce their capacity to invest in research and development trials and CPD, to the ultimate detriment of the veterinary industry.

The session closed with 72% of the audience disagreeing with the motion Corporatisation is inevitable and will benefit vets and their clients.

BEVA President Jon Pycock said: "Whether we like it or not corporatisation of equine practices is on the rise. But it shouldn’t mean that the future isn’t going to be viable for independents too as there is a role for both to co-exist. Importantly, this should mean that vets and their clients will both continue to have choices."

The RVC has published the results of a study which showed that dogs treated with pimobendan at the preclinical stage of mitral valve disease (MVD) remained asymptomatic for an average 15 months longer and lived for significantly longer than the placebo group.

The EPIC study (Evaluation of Pimobendan In Cardiomegaly), published open access in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine¹, is the largest prospective veterinary cardiology study carried out to date. The authors say that the quality of the data it produced rivals that of human clinical trials.

The study was double-blinded, placebo-controlled and randomised. It took seven years to complete and involved 360 dogs across 11 countries in four continents.

To qualify for enrolment in the study, dogs had to be 6 years of age or older, have a body weight ≥4.1 and ≤15 kg, have a characteristic systolic heart murmur of moderate to high intensity (≥ grade 3/6) with maximal intensity over the mitral area, have echocardiographic evidence of advanced MMVD defined as characteristic valvular lesions of the mitral valve apparatus, mitral regurgitation on the colour Doppler echocardiogram, and have echocardiographic evidence of left atrial and left ventricular dilatation, defined as a left atrial-to-aortic root ratio ≥ 1.6 and body weight normalized left ventricular internal diameter in diastole ≥ 1.7, in addition to radiographic evidence of cardiomegaly (vertebral heart sum > 10.5)

In fact, the study was terminated early following an interim analysis as the evidence was considered conclusive and it was deemed unethical to continue to withhold treatment from the placebo group.

Adrian Boswood, Professor of Veterinary Cardiology at the RVC (pictured above right), led the research. He said: "Thanks to the EPIC study results, vets no longer have to adopt a 'watch and wait' approach to suspected preclinical cases of MVD. When a typical mitral valve murmur is detected, vets should now investigate further to look for cardiac enlargement. If demonstrated, this suggests the patient will probably benefit from treatment with pimobendan before the onset of clinical signs.

"It's great that as a trusted treatment, pimobendan has a wealth of safety data behind it in addition to that gleaned from the EPIC study, which can help support vets when prescribing it in this new way."

Adrian added: "As far as evidence-based medicine goes, this is about as good as it gets. The size and design of the study places it in the top-tier. The study was designed and run by an independent team of investigators and sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. We, as lead investigators, had the right to publish the results regardless of the outcome. This makes EPIC very special indeed."

In light of the findings, Adrian says vets should now consider testing early for signs of preclinical MVD, and in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to preclinical MVD, consider the use of pimobendan to delay the onset of congestive heart failure and extend the asymptomatic period.

To read more about the EPIC study and results, visit www.rvc.ac.uk 

Reference

1. Boswood, A., Haggstrom, J., Gordon, S. G., et al (2016) Effect of Pimobendan in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Cardiomegaly: The EPIC Study—A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine [online]. Available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.14586/full [Accessed 28th September 2016]

Boston-based Michael Kettle MRCVS has been reprimanded by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after it found that he had used unnecessary force on a dog that had tried to bite him, and failed to handle it with sufficient care.

Dr Kettle faced a charge that he had grabbed the dog, a Shih Tzu named Bella, when she was in a kennel, and/or failed to take sufficient care to ensure that Bella did not fall from her kennel, hit Bella with his hand and/or muzzle, and carried Bella only by her collar and/or scruff.

At the outset, Dr Kettle admitted that he had committed the acts as alleged and that his conduct represented serious professional misconduct.

Having taken evidence from the College and the respondent into account, the Committee considered that Dr Kettle’s actions had not only placed Bella at risk of injury but had also caused her actual injury evidenced by her tongue turning blue for a few seconds, the fact that she soiled herself and her stillness in the treatment room.

However, it also concluded that the incident was a single episode in respect of a single animal that had occurred over a period of 30 seconds, so whilst his actions were serious, they were not aggravated by being sustained or repeated over a period of time.

In terms of mitigating factors, the Committee considered that the circumstances at the time of the incident were relevant.

It found Dr Kettle to be a credible witness and accepted that, during the time that the incident occurred, he had been going through a very difficult time personally with the loss of locum staff, the increased work pressure during the pandemic and unrelated adverse comments on social media.

The Committee considered that whilst these factors did not excuse his behaviour, they had affected how Dr Kettle had reacted towards Bella on the day.

The Committee also noted from clinical records that Dr Kettle had been Bella’s veterinary surgeon for over seven years, on nine occasions prior to the incident and on seven occasions subsequently.

There has been no such evidence of any other incidents happening within this time. Dr Kettle received highly positive testimonials attesting to his usual high standards of practice, both before and since the incident, and the Committee was satisfied that this incident could properly be characterised as isolated and out of character.

Kathryn Peaty, Chair of the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “It was clear that Dr Kettle was deeply remorseful and ashamed of his actions, immediately recognising the seriousness of what he had done.

"Indeed, it was apparent to the Committee from Dr Kettle’s evidence that this remorse and regret continue to weigh heavily on him.

“In all the circumstances, although the Committee did not consider that Dr Kettle’s misconduct was at the lower end of the spectrum of seriousness, given the absence of future risk to animals or the public, and the evidence of exemplary insight, the Committee concluded that a reprimand was the appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case.

“The Committee was satisfied that a reprimand would mark Dr Kettle’s misconduct and reassure the public that veterinary surgeons who act as Dr Kettle had done, would face regulatory consequences and sanction.”

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings

A group of seven European experts in bovine mastitis have issued a statement recommending that all cows on all farms should have an internal teat sealant administered at drying off.

The group, which was convened by Boehringer Ingelheim, made its recommendation in a poster published at the National Mastitis Council meeting in Arizona¹, prior to the launch of Boehringer's new teat sealant, Ubroseal.

The poster added that those animals that are likely to be infected need to receive antibiotic dry cow therapy (ADCT) in addition to a teat sealant.

Boehringer says various studies have shown that using an ITS reduces the risk of new intramammary infections and reduces the risk of clinical mastitis after calving, pointing to a meta-analysis of published papers which showed a 25% reduced risk of new infections and a 29% reduced risk of clinical mastitis for cows receiving ITS plus ADCT compared with ADCT alone

Boehringer’s veterinary adviser, Kath Aplin said: "Against the backdrop of targets from RUMA to reduce antibiotic use in the dairy sector³, adopting ITS for all cows could significantly reduce the need for antibiotics. An increase in the use of ITS is included in the dairy sector targets.

"We estimate that, currently, around 29% of the national herd is dried off without an ITS, so there is huge room for growth⁴."

Kath added: "With a 300-cow US study showing that a week after drying off, 47% of teats had still not formed a keratin plug⁵ and a New Zealand study showing that one in 20 cows had teats that remained open for 60 days⁶, it is clear to see that delayed teat closure is a very real problem in many herds. Teats remaining open after dry off make the udder highly susceptible to infection and delayed teat closure exacerbates the risk of acquiring an intramammary infection post-dry off⁴."

The expert group also recommended developing a herd plan, classifying herds as low risk or high risk and having a different approach to each.

High risk herds will have had a bulk SCC of >250,000 cell/ml in at least two of the last six months, they may also have a problem with Strep. agalactiae or could be experiencing an unavoidable risk period (a new building for example).

The priority should be to improve udder health management during both the lactation and dry period and any decision to abandon ADCT should be made with care and a full risk assessment.

The group said that in reality, it may be prudent to continue blanket ADCT until udder health has improved.

The group’s recommendations for low risk herds (<250,000 cells/ml in four out of the last six months) were to actively strive towards selective ADCT, supported by ITS for all cows.

The full recommendations are published in the proceedings of the NMC¹ or can be obtained from your local Boehringer Ingelheim representative.

Kath said: "It has long been established that the mammary gland is highly susceptible to infection in the dry period and that the majority of clinical mastitis in early lactation is picked up during the dry period.

"Moving towards selective ADCT may not be appropriate immediately for all producers. However, the use of ITS for all cows on all farms will reduce new infection rates, assisting in the drive towards improved udder health and reduced antibiotic use."

References

1. Bradley et al (2018) Proc. National Mastitis Council
2. Rabie and Lean (2013) J.Dairy Sci. 96, 6915-31
3. RUMA (2017) Targets Task Force report  
4. Based on 1.9 million cows in the UK (AHDB Dairy data 2016), 400 day calving interval, 26% cull rate (NMR 500 herds report 2017) = 1.3 million cows dried off in 2016. 0.92 million courses of ITS sold in UK in 2016 (Gfk sales data 2016)
5. Dingwell et al.( 2004) Prev. Vet. Med. 63, 75-89. 
6. Williamson et al. (1995) N. Z. Vet. J. 43, 228-34. 

Photo: Curious cattle on farmland in Cornwall UK. Shutterstock/Shzphoto

Virbac, maker of Stelfonta, has released the result of a quick poll of vets at the London Vet Show who said that on average, they had diagnosed 7.03 mast cell tumours (MCTs) in the last year, when earlier research had showed the figure should be more like 12 per year¹.

This, says the company, highlights the need for increased awareness of MCTs, which, accounting for up to 21% of skin cancer cases² in dogs, are the most common form of canine cutaneous neoplasia. 

The incidence of MCTs is highest in dogs aged 6 to 10 years old^3,4 with predisposition in some of the UK’s most popular breeds such as Labradors, French Bulldogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Golden Retrievers. 

Virbac says that until the launch of Stelfonta, surgical removal of tumours was the standard of care, but surgery can pose challenges for the veterinary surgeon, such as the accessibility of the tumour in order to obtain sufficient margins and anaesthetic risks, particularly in senior and brachycephalic pets.

Apparently, however, 77% of delegates at London Vet Show said they were either likely or very likely to use Stelfonta on their next mast cell tumour case.

To help veterinary professionals and pet owners identify skin masses, Virbac has created a range of resources available at: vet-uk.virbac.com/stelfonta/education.

References

1. KG Marketsense UK& DE Market Assessment & EBC-46 Product Concept Test 2016
2. Garrett, L.D. (2014) Canine mast cell tumors: diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports, Vol 5. https://doi.org/10.2147/VMRR.S41005
3. Shoop SJ, Marlow S, Church DB, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for mast cell tumours in dogs in England. Canine Genet Epidemiol. 2015; 2:1. 
4. Smiech A, et al. Occurrence and distribution of canine cutaneous mast cell tumour characteristics among predisposed breeds. J Vet Res 2019; 63:141–148.

Centaur Services' veterinary wholesale business has been acquired by AHN International.  Centaur was founded in 1964 by a group of veterinary surgeons who wanted to increase their buying power and the range of products available to them.    Over the next 44 years the business, which was owned by its veterinary surgeon shareholders, grew to a turnover of nearly £140m. 
 
The company has recently completed a 3 year programme of modernisation making it one of the most technologically advanced wholesalers in Europe. In September 2007, Centaur Services announced its intention to list its shares on the Alternative Investments Market (AIM). These plans were initially postponed and finally cancelled when the Centaur shareholders accepted the offer from AHN.
 
Paul Gerring, Centaur Services' Managing Director said: "There has been considerable consolidation in the veterinary market over recent years, particularly amongst manufacturers, and this partnership with AHN provides us with an increased presence in the market. Like Centaur, AHN is a vet-focussed business with plans to be active in the veterinary supply market on a European and global basis.  We see plenty of exciting opportunities out there".
 
AHN International was established to form the first global coalition of leading animal health wholesalers and distributors.  With nearly 700 employees worldwide, AHN International is committed to presenting the veterinary surgeons with an advanced level of product and services.  Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, AHN International will actively build it's network of leading trading companies around the world through acquisitions and business associations.

Hill's Pet Nutrition has enhanced its portfolio of prescription diets for the management of FLUTD with the launch of Feline c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie and a 'taste upgrade' for Feline c/d Multicare.

Prescription Diet Feline c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie is a new dry product designed to manage the higher incidence of FLUTD in overweight cats (FLUTD is 49% more prevalent in overweight and obese cats²). According to Hill's, the controlled fat and calorie levels in c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie and clinically proven levels of L-carnitine help to reduce fat build up and maintain lean muscles mass. Like c/d Multicare, its formula also dissolves sterile struvite uroliths in 14 days¹.

Hill's says Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Reduced Calorie is formulated with omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the distress and discomfort associated with conditions such as FIC (Feline Idiopathic Cystitis); in addition obesity has been associated with systemic inflammation³ for which omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial^4,5.

Prescription Diet Feline c/d Multicare Chicken dry kibble has had its taste improved; Hill's says studies show it is now preferred over the leading competitor's brand by a wide margin⁶. Apparently, the improvement in flavour is partly down to the new shape of the kibble.

Lastly, Hill's is highlighting a prospective study by MacLeay et al, the preliminary results of which were reported at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in May 2010. In the study, cats with uroliths suspected to be struvite (based on radiographic appearance) were fed Prescription Diet Feline c/d Multicare and rapid dissolution of the stones occurred in as little as two weeks.

References

• 1. Dry formula only. Feline Sterile Struvite Urolith Dissolution Study. Interim Report of Five Cats with Struvite Uroliths. J Vet Intern Med 2010;24:704.
• 2. Lund EM, Armstrong PJ, Kirk CA, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for obesity in adult cats from private veterinary practices. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 2005; Vol. 3, No.2 : 88-96.
• 3. Nathan C. Epidemic Inflammation: Pondering Obesity Molecular Medicine, Molecular Medicine 2008; 14 (7-8): 485-492
• 4. James MJ, Gibson RA, Cleland LG. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory mediator production. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71 (suppl.) 343S-348S.
• 5. Calder PC. Dietary modification of inflammation with lipids. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2002; 61: 345-358.
• 6. Palatability test. November 2010

Solihull-based Willows Veterinary Centre is now offering shockwave therapy, a novel treatment for dogs suffering from musculoskeletal injuries and osteoarthritis.

Shockwave therapy, or Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) to give it its full nomenclature, sends mechanical shock waves into the affected area to stimulate the natural healing process by triggering the body’s own repair mechanisms.

The therapy is being spearheaded at Willows by Kinley Smith (pictured right), an RCVS and European specialist in small animal surgery. He said: "Shockwave therapy is a whole new line of treatment and has proved a spectacular success. 

"It’s an excellent technique for dealing with certain orthopaedic conditions and there’s no invasive surgery, no wound to heal and no risk of infection so it really is a win-win-win procedure.

"It is particularly effective in the treatment of ligament and tendon injuries.

"There can be immediate pain relief for the dog; after two weeks we start to see lasting benefits and in four weeks we normally see a clear improvement.

"The added bonuses are we can normally reduce any medication; the dog can enjoy more exercise plus it is not as costly as undergoing an operation.

"Surgery is still essential in some of the more acute, problematic cases but shockwave therapy has been a terrific development in helping us provide an alternative treatment in a lot of soft tissue, muscle and bone conditions."

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