Dechra Veterinary Products has announced that it will be launching Zycortal, a new medication for the treatment of canine hypoadrenocorticism at the BSAVA Congress in April.
Zycortal is a prolonged-release suspension used as replacement therapy for mineralocorticoid deficiency in dogs with Addison’s disease. Dechra says it has proved highly effective in clinical trials with more than 80% of dogs responding positively to treatment1.
Zycortal contains desoxycortone pivalate (DOCP) which Dechra says controls serum electrolytes more effectively than fludrocortisone2 (the human treatment currently prescribed for dogs with Addison’s disease) and is considered the preferential drug for mineralocorticoid supplementation.
Zycortal is the only European licensed treatment for canine hypoadrenocorticism and adds to Dechra’s existing endocrinology range.
Visitors to the BSAVA Congress will be able to find out more about Zycortal at the Dechra stand (500). Delegates are also invited to attend a presentation by Professor Ian Ramsey BVSc PhD DSAM DipECVIM-CA FHEA MRCVS on Saturday, April 9, at 11.10am.
The presentation, New developments in the diagnosis and management of Addison’s disease aims to give delegates an insight into the condition.
Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "We are very excited to be able to bring Zycortal to veterinary professionals in the UK. Addison’s disease can be very hard to diagnose as it mimics so many other illnesses.
"Each injection of Zycortal lasts approximately one month, providing long-term control of primary Addison’s disease. The prognosis for dogs with Addison’s disease is excellent provided that treatment is maintained for life. Our team will be on hand at the BSAVA Congress to explain and discuss the benefits that Zycortal can bring to their day to day practice in the fight against this illness."
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The Government says that contracts have been secured with Brittany Ferries and DFDS to run ferries into and out of Poole, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Immingham and Felixstowe, thereby relieving pressure on the Dover straights.
Critical goods have been identified as those essential for the preservation of human and animal welfare, including all veterinary medicines authorised under the Veterinary Medicines Regulation 2013, including finished and un-finished products, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (for import and export).
Critical goods also include unauthorised medicines permitted for import under the Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s Special Import Scheme (for import only).
Photo: Shutterstock/Peter Hermes Furian
BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey panel, which polls over 1,000 UK vets, highlighted that many vets support the higher welfare standards of British farming, with 9 out of 10 vets saying they would be more likely to buy food if it was labelled as British or locally sourced. Over three quarters of vets said that they would be more likely to buy free-range (77%) or food that carried a Farm Assurance Scheme label (over 50% for Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured; formerly known as Freedom Food).
BVA President Sean Wensley encouraged consumers to check labels as the warmer weather sees BBQs and picnics take centre stage in gatherings of families and friends. He said: "Animal welfare should be a paramount consideration whether we’re thinking about purchasing pets or the food we eat. For vets it’s a top priority that the animals we rear for food have a good life and a humane death.
"Vets are not alone in caring about where their food comes from. To support high standards of animal welfare, all of us can vote for good animal health and welfare through our thoughtful meat, fish, and dairy purchases and send a strong message to food producers and retailers this summer."
BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey panel also revealed that 9 out of 10 vets would be less likely to buy meat or fish if it was labelled as not stunned prior to slaughter.
BVA is leading a campaign to end slaughter without pre-stunning for animal welfare reasons and calling for better labelling of food to help consumers make pro-animal welfare choices.
To find out more about BVA’s campaign to end non-stun slaughter, visit: http://www.bva.co.uk/News-campaigns-and-policy/Campaigns/An-end-to-non-stun-slaughter
Image: CC BY-SA 2.0 cyclonebill
The company says Taurador Pour-on provides a stress-free, easy to use treatment, with persistent activity against a large number of cattle parasites, therefore ensuring effective coverage over long periods of the grazing season.
Matthew Swanborough BVSc MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor for Norbrook, said: "The farming industry will be aware that heavy worm burdens can significantly affect the health and productivity of cattle, potentially as much as £100 per head of cattle. We cannot simply ignore these parasites but we must tackle them responsibly. A comprehensive worming strategy is a vital component of any animal health plan, which should be composed of management strategies and any necessary anthelmintic treatments."
Norbrook highlights the product's efficacy against the gutworms Osterstagia osterstagi, Cooperia oncophora and lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparous, with persistent action against these parasites for 35 days, 28 days and 42 days respectively.
Doramectin, the active ingredient in Taurador, is an anthelmintic belonging to the macrocyclic lactones (3-ML) group, along with ivermectins. Norbrook says both compounds share a wide spectrum of antiparasitic activity and produce a similar paralysis in nematodes and parasitic arthropods.
Dr Leigh Sullivan, Norbrook Large Animal Product Manager, said: "Taurador is the company’s thirteenth new product introduction in the last four years and it is a significant addition to our portfolio. Internal parasites such as gutworms and lungworm can have a serious impact on animal health and welfare, as well as financial implications for farmers, so it is great to be able to provide another product to help reduce the economic impact of these parasites."
Taurador is available in three different pack sizes (1L; 2.5L and 5L) and an appropriate dosing applicator is also available.
Tulaven is licensed for the treatment and metaphylaxis of BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis.
Tulaven can also be used to treat Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) associated with Moraxella bovis as well as Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex (PRDC) associated with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis and Bordetella bronchiseptica.
Tulaven is also is licensed to treat the early stages of infectious pododermatitis (foot rot) in sheep associated with virulent Dichelobacter nodosus.
Ceva highlights that Tulaven is the only tulathromycin available in CLAS (Ceva Layered Anti Shatter) vials1, which have less impact on the environment2, are easier to handle3 and transport4, and are preferred by farmers5.
Cuneyt Seckin, Managing Director of Ceva Animal Health, said: “Ceva has been developing its expertise in the treatment of BRD for many years, with a wide range of treatment options and autogenous vaccines available for vets. The launch of Tulaven is the next addition to this range, enabling us to offer even more support to vets and farmers.”
For further information, contact your local Ceva territory manager, call Ceva on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
The RCVS has opened a consultation on the future of veterinary specialisation, which includes a proposal that the use of postnominals and titles by veterinary surgeons should be rationalised in order to avoid confusion amongst the public.
The proposals are submitted for comment by the RCVS Specialisation Working Party, which is chaired by former Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Kenneth Calman.
The Working Party's review was precipitated by a finding that the structure of veterinary specialisation is "confusing and opaque" to both animal owners and the profession (Unlocking Potential - a Report on Veterinary Expertise in Food Animal Production, by Professor Philip Lowe, 2009).
The Working Party has explored the routes to RCVS Recognised Specialist status. It has also looked at the use of 'specialist' more broadly, given the fact that it is not a protected term in the veterinary field, and has considered animal owners' expectations of a 'specialist'.
The Working Party also makes proposals for encouraging more veterinary surgeons to become specialists, given that there are currently only 319 on the RCVS List of Recognised Specialists, out of a UK practising arm of the profession of some 17,400 veterinary surgeons.
The proposals from the Working Party could have far-reaching impact. One suggestion is that all those meeting the criteria for specialist status would also become Fellows of the RCVS (FRCVS) - a status currently only held by those who complete a thesis or exam, or who qualify on the basis of 'meritorious contributions to learning'. There are also proposals that the term 'RCVS Recognised Specialist' be dropped and replaced with the much simpler term 'specialist' or 'veterinary specialist'.
Further proposals include the introduction of a 'middle tier' of veterinary surgeons - potentially to be called 'advanced practitioners' - who would be below full specialist status and subject to periodic revalidation.
There are also recommendations that veterinary surgeons should be obliged to explain referral options to their clients, including the level of expertise of those to whom they are referring cases.
The future of the RCVS subject boards, which currently manage the various Certificate and Diploma examinations, is also considered in the proposals.
The emphasis throughout is on simplification and improvement, according to Professor Sir Kenneth Calman, who said: "New legislation to introduce statutory registration for veterinary specialists would no doubt make things clearer, as it is for doctors and dentists, but, in the meantime, we believe there are a number of actions which the RCVS could take to improve matters."
The consultation paper can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/consultations, and comments are welcomed from members of the public, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. The closing deadline for comments, which should be sent to RCVS Head of Education, Freda Andrews, on f.andrews@rcvs.org.uk, is Friday 9 December.
Comments received will be considered by the RCVS committees and Council in early 2012.
To win, OVs are asked to submit a question to a speaker of their choice by Monday 12 August.
The question judged the most interesting will win the free ticket and five runners up will each receive a 50% discounted ticket. In each case, the OV can choose their preferred day to attend.
The full programme can be found at: https://officialvet.com/programme/ and questions can be submitted to enquiries@improve-ov.com or by private message through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialvet/
Improve says this year's speakers will address an increasing threat from notifiable diseases in the UK, with evidence of M. bovis infection linked to a raw pet food diet identified in cats, an outbreak of equine viral arteritis in Dorset and cases of African swine fever recently reported in western Europe. The programme includes small animal and farm animal focused lecture streams on both days, an equine stream on the first day and a series of specialist workshops on the second.
Dr Andrew Soldan (pictured right), Veterinary Director at APHA, said: "Notifiable diseases are an ongoing threat to the health and welfare of animals and our farming industries in the UK. Animal keepers and vets play a vital role in their early detection. We’re particularly concerned by the risk of African swine fever following the disease being found in wild boar in Belgium last year.
"Small animal and mixed practice OVs can help us reduce the risk of ASF infecting UK pigs by informing pig keepers of the risk and advising them of the importance of not feeding kitchen scraps and catering waste to pigs.
"We’re currently in the vector season so bluetongue is another disease to look out for in cattle and sheep. Providing advice to livestock farmers on how they can minimise the risk of its introduction through vaccination and checking the source of imported animals is another important role for OVs."
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: "OVs play a crucial role in monitoring our exposure to notifiable diseases and in alerting us to possible outbreaks. For this reason, providing a full update on the current disease status is an important element of this year’s programme, though we will also cover other important topics, including illegal puppy imports, pet travel and, inevitably I’m afraid, Brexit."
For more information on the Official Veterinarian Conference and exhibition or to register visit: www.officialvet.com.
This multimillion pound centre will support the provision of advanced first opinion and referral equine services in the Midlands.
Senior Partner Richard Stephenson said: "It was a great honour and pleasure to have His Royal Highness visit our new premises, and our staff eagerly anticipated meeting Prince Charles and showing him the wonderful facilities we now have."
Amongst these are a Fujifilm SonoSite Edge II portable ultrasound system. Richard added: "Pool House is a well-known practice – we’ve been in existence for over 150 years – and we have developed a reputation as a specialist equine imaging centre, with radiography, ultrasound and MRI capabilities. The new facility has been designed to give us increased theatre capacity and stabling, and we needed an additional ultrasound system to match this expansion."
"The demands of equine practice mean that ultrasound is often required in difficult circumstances, and we need systems that can cope with extreme temperatures, dust, straw, mud, water and the occasional knock. Many pieces of equipment used in veterinary medicine were originally intended for a human clinical environment, so can’t stand up to the rigors of our work – they’re simply not fit for purpose. However, SonoSite systems are perfect for us; they’re robust, highly portable and very intuitive to use, which is important for intermittent ultrasound users."
Clomicalm contains Clomipramine hydrochloride, a broad-spectrum tricyclic antidepressant that inhibits the neuronal reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. A non-sedative, Clomicalm is used in combination with behavioural modification techniques to help separation anxiety.
Itrafungol is an oral solution containing Itraconazole for the treatment of ringworm in cats, administered orally directly into the mouth by means of a dosing syringe.
Both Clomicalm and Itrafungol are available to order from the veterinary wholesalers.
For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager.
At present veterinary surgeons must destroy Schedule 2 controlled drugs in the presence of and directed by either an inspector appointed under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, another veterinary surgeon independent of the practice where the destruction takes place, or a person legally authorised to witness the destruction of controlled drugs such as a Police CD Liaison Officer (CDLO).
This is something which may be helped by the launch of VetSurgeon Connect, a new map-based service on VetSurgeon.org designed to help members of the profession collaborate in a wide range of areas, including controlled drug disposal. VetSurgeon Connect is expected to launch next week.
Meanwhile, the VMD notes that there is a shortage of CDLOs and there are areas of the country where there are no local inspectors, or independent vets who can perform the task. Hence the survey to reveal the size of the problem.
The survey, which should take no more than 15 minutes, is open to all UK registered veterinary surgeons and closes on the 6th June. Here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SHKTBYH
Any questions about the survey can be directed to: the VMD legislation team on 01932 338316 or controlleddrugssurvey@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk
Almost half of the vets that watched a webinar about ferret medicine have said they would change their treatment protocols for adrenal disease and reproduction management as a result of what they learned.
The Virbac-sponsored webinar was led by John Chitty BVetMed CertZooMed CBiol MSB MRCVS and viewed by more than 600 practices, making it the most popular CPD event hosted by The Webinar Vet this year.
John Chitty said: "I provided an overview of treatment protocols for all of the common diseases but focused on adrenal disease as it's highly prevalent in neutered ferrets but may be reduced by the routine use of deslorelin implants. These implants can also be used to avoid surgical neutering."
According to a post-webinar questionnaire, 33% of clinicians said that they saw ferrets more than five times a year. Chris Geddes MRCVS, Product Manager at Virbac said: "This confirms what we thought: ferrets are being presented more and more in practice and so education on this species is vital. An amazing 41% of respondents said that they would change their protocols for reproduction management and 40% their treatment of adrenal disease following the webinar, showing how useful it was to those attending."
Virbac recently announced that it has gained a marketing authorisation for the use of Suprelorin 9.4mg in male ferrets. Suprelorin, a slow-release implant containing the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist deslorelin, offers temporary sterilisation without the need for surgery.
For those who were unable to see it at the time, the webinar can now be viewed by visiting www.virbac.co.uk. A CPD certificate is also available for download as are six other webinars previously sponsored by Virbac.
Following legislative changes, the British Veterinary Association has updated its 'Good Practice Guide to Handling Veterinary Waste' for England and Wales.
Supported by the Environment Agency the Guide primarily consists of a quick-reference poster enabling vets to categorise and segregate veterinary waste in line with Environment Agency requirements. The poster defines the types of hazardous waste, outlines the types of containers required and sets out the appropriate classification codes.
The Guide is complemented by more detailed web guidance which incorporates useful templates to download.
BVA President Carl Padgett said: "All businesses have a duty of care to ensure that all waste is stored and disposed of responsibly, that it is only handled or dealt with by those authorised to do so and that appropriate records are kept of all waste that is transferred or received.
"The BVA Guide has been a popular resource for the profession since we first launched it in 2008 making it considerably easier for vets to comply with Hazardous Waste Regulations. The revised poster is hopefully an incentive for practices to check if their requirements have changed and ensure they're still up-to-date."
The poster and web advice are available at http://www.bva.co.uk/activity_and_advice/1641.aspx and BVA members will receive a hard copy of the poster to display in their practice.
The 12-module programme is aimed at European veterinary professionals who have completed their General Practitioner Certificate in Diagnostic Imaging (GPCertDIIM) or Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) in Diagnostic Imaging and who wish to advance their diagnostic imaging skills further and build on their academic qualifications.
The GPAdvCert in Diagnostic Imaging (CT) will be delivered in three blocks of four days in three European cities and will be led by Course Director Tim Trevail BVetMed, CertVDI, DipECVDI, MRCVS.
The course starts in May 2019 with training taking place in Vienna (Austria), Porto (Portugal) and Limassol (Cyprus).
Each module will be led by ECVS or ACVS Diplomates and will be supported by an online learning platform providing notes, additional resources and the ability for delegates to discuss clinical cases in a closed forum.
The programme has received conditional validation from Harper Adams University pending full approval early next year and is accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS).
David Babington MRCVS, Business Development Director at Improve International, said: "Diagnostic Imaging (CT) is already widely available in many veterinary practices, with Diagnostic Imaging and CT studies becoming more and more common for veterinary practitioners as a result. Each module of this advanced programme has been designed to progress delegates’ knowledge beyond Postgraduate Certificate level with more in-depth and advanced content. The programme focuses on practical training and includes CT scan reading sessions and case discussions."
He added: "Improve’s GPAdvCert programmes help vets in practice to reduce the number of patients they refer, enabling them to retain a higher level of income for their practice. The programme will also provide them with skills which they can pass onto their team."
For more information visit www.improveinternational.com or email enquiries@improveinternational.com or call 01793 759159.
Ceva Animal Health has launched Amodip, described as the first ever cat-friendly amlodipine licensed for veterinary use for the treatment of hypertension in cats.
Amodip is a chicken-flavoured, two-way break chewable tablet; its 1.25mg tablet size is designed for accurate dosing of cats, with a two-way break for administering 0.625mg to smaller cats. Each box contains 100 tablets in blister packs.
Ceva says these features should make it easier for pet owners to be compliant with the recommended treatment protocol and ensure that each cat is getting the right dose, reducing the risk of side-effects.
Amodip will be supported by videos and literature on how to measure hypertension in practice easily and with less stress, written by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM).
For further information or to request copies of the ISFM hypertension materials, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager or call 01494 781510.
In the Somerset cull area, TB incidence has fallen from 24% before culling started to 12% in year four of the cull, while in Gloucestershire it has fallen from 10.4% to 5.6%.
The Government says the findings are in line with expectation based on the scientific evidence from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial which underpins the approach to tackling bovine TB – and demonstrate progress is being made in delivering the 25-year TB eradication strategy in England to rid our farmers of the impacts of this terrible disease.
Defra has also announced additional measures being taken to help control the disease, including licences for badger control in 11 new areas and the opening of a new round of applications for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme grants.
Farming Minister George Eustace said: "Bovine TB remains one of the greatest animal health threats to the UK. There is no single measure that will provide an easy answer which is why we are committed to pursuing a wide range of interventions to protect the future of our dairy and beef industries and eradicate the disease within 20 years.
"No one wants to be culling badgers forever so the progress reported today is encouraging."
BVA President John Fishwick said: "We continue to support a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to tackling bovine TB, including the use of badger culling in a targeted, effective and humane manner. TB is a devastating disease and we welcome the positive results emerging in Somerset and Gloucestershire, where licensed culling has now been in place for four years. The recent results in Dorset, indicating a slight upward trend in the incidence of bovine TB, present some cause for concern and we would like to see further investigation of the cattle and wildlife situation in that area.
"BVA supports the principle of badger controls within the Low Risk Areas (LRAs) of England where there is a demonstrated need and where it is done safely, humanely and effectively as part of a comprehensive strategy. We are largely reassured by the greater clarity provided on the decision-making process on how and where badger controls will be introduced in the LRAs. We recognise the expertise and professional judgement of veterinary and scientific colleagues in government who have made the decision to extend the cull in this area, but we would welcome further evidence regarding the level of TB infection in the wildlife reserve in Cumbria as this becomes available.
"Halting the spread of bovine TB is essential and it is vital that we use every available tool in the toolbox to support the Government’s aim to make England TB free. We therefore welcome both the introduction of tighter cattle controls where needed and the re-commencement of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, particularly if used as a ‘firebreak’ to mitigate the spread of the disease into the low risk areas. We would also like to see a commitment to funding of further research in this area."
Photo: Coatesy/Shutterstock
The Nu.Q Canine Cancer Test is a new technology that measures circulating nucleosomes in order to enable earlier cancer detection in some of the most common types of canine cancers.
According to the company, Nu.Q testing requires only 50µL of EDTA plasma from a patient and provides accurate results in 5 to 10 minutes.
One study demonstrated >75% detection rates for common cancers in dogs like lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma when using Nu.Q1.
The company suggests veterinary professionals use the tool during annual check-ups or regular senior wellness exams for older dogs and at-risk breeds.
Jimmy Barr, DVM, DACVECC, Chief Medical Officer at Antech, said: “It’s exciting to see innovations like Nu.Q Canine Cancer Test become more widely available to veterinary teams in Europe.
"With cancer affecting one in four dogs2, it is critical that veterinary professionals have access to fast and accurate cancer screening methods, so they can make informed and timely decisions and ultimately change pet health outcomes.
https://antechdiagnostics.co.uk
Novartis Animal Health UK Ltd has announced the launch of CLiKZiN Pour On for sheep, a short meat withhold period (MWP) product that can be used throughout Spring and Summer for the prevention of blowfly strike in sheep and lambs.
CLiKZiN is a ready-to-use water-based product that protects sheep for eight weeks, and has a meat withhold period of seven days. The product is a line extension of CLiK which offers a longer period of protection at 16 weeks and has a longer withhold period of 40 days. Novartis says that used in conjunction with CLiK, CLiKZiN offers versatile protection throughout the year.
The launch of CLiKZiN comes at the same time that Vetrazin has been reformulated, resulting in a longer meat withhold period for sheep treated with the product.
Thomas Tiley MRCVS from Novartis Animal Health said: "Farmers need reliable protection from the repugnant threat of blowfly strike. CLiKZiN provides eight weeks blowfly prevention together with the trusted performance and safety record associated with CLiK. It also offers the greater flexibility of a seven day meat withhold.
"This makes CLiKZiN ideally suited for a variety of production schedules and stock including lambs for slaughter and pre-shearing ewes."
Blowfly strike can be devastating to sheep, causing severe impact on the welfare of the animal. Within days of a blowfly laying its eggs, clinically normal sheep can be afflicted with flesh eating maggots. This makes prompt and effective treatment critical.
National Sheep Association Chief Executive Peter Morris said: "Fly strike is a terrible burden to the sheep industry both in terms of the welfare of the sheep and economically.
"Having a product available that gives effective prevention against fly strike whilst at the same time having a withdrawal period which does not impinge on the ability of the sheep farmer to market lambs is very welcome. The sheep farmers' armoury against the every day afflictions which affect sheep has been significantly enhanced."
Schering-Plough, is to launch Zylkene, a new product to help manage stress in cats and dogs at BSAVA Congress this April.
Zylkene is a globally patented bioactive decapeptide derived from the milk protein casein. The company says that it will provide cat and dog owners with a proven alternative to managing stress in their pets and help to manage many common behavioural problems.
Zylkene will be available in 75mg, 225mg and 450mg capsules, which can be given whole or opened and mixed with food or a treat. The initial period of use is 1-2 months, and can be repeated if necessary.
For further information, please contact your local Schering-Plough or Intervet representative on 01895 626 000.
The RCVS has announced that it is carrying out an audit of continuing professional development (CPD) for vets in order to monitor compliance and gauge what type of activities they are engaging in.
Under the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, introduced in 2012, veterinary surgeons are expected to undertake 105 hours of CPD over a rolling three-year period in order to demonstrate that they are maintaining and advancing their knowledge and skills.
Nearly 5,000 vets - made up of three cohorts - have been asked to share their CPD records. The first cohort comprises 4,425 UK-practising vets who registered before 1 April 2012 but who did not confirm their CPD compliance upon renewing their registration this year. The second cohort comprises a random sample of 400 vets who did confirm their compliance upon renewing their registration this year. The third cohort comprises 84 vets who graduated before 2012 but have not yet completed their post-graduation Professional Development Phase.
Christine Warman, RCVS Head of Education, said: "Since it is coming up to three years since we introduced the Code we thought that now is a good time to take stock of the proportion of veterinary surgeons that are fulfilling the requirement and how they are doing so.
"It is also a good time to remind members of the profession of the importance of CPD and that it is not just a tick-box exercise but vital for everyday practice. Engaging in CPD is a personal obligation for all veterinary surgeons and demonstrates to both the profession and public that they are continually advancing their capability and competence.
"This year we will be providing some guidance on what constitutes CPD and how to undertake it to those who are non-compliant. However, from 2015, we may also refer those who repeatedly fail to comply, or respond to requests to submit their records, to our Professional Conduct Department for further investigation."
Vets who have been selected to take part in the audit will have received letters in early November and will have until Monday 1 December to respond. They can do so by either allowing the RCVS to view their online Professional Development Record (PDR) profile or by submitting their paper CPD record by post or by sending the College a scanned copy by email.
For further advice and to submit a CPD record by email, contact cpd@rcvs.org.uk. Those who have not yet registered for the PDR can do so by visiting www.rcvs-pdr.org.uk
Mr Rushton was convicted of sexual assault after pleading guilty at Wood Green Crown Court in December 2022.
He was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, made subject to a restraining order and a 10-year sexual harm prevention order as well as being placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
He was also ordered to pay £3,000 costs and a £140 victims’ surcharge.
Mr Rushton did not attend the RCVS hearing, where the facts of the charge were proven by the certificate of conviction and the judge’s sentencing remarks.
In considering whether the conviction rendered Mr Rushton unfit to practise veterinary medicine, the Committee considered that the case involved the sexual assault of a vulnerable woman who was also a professional colleague, and was a serious abuse of trust, reflected in the custodial sentence.
Dr Neil Slater MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “It was evident from the judge’s sentencing remarks that [the victim] had been seriously affected by the knowledge of what had occurred on that evening.
"That knowledge was bound, in itself, to be very distressing and according to the victim’s impact statement had a long- lasting impact on the victim’s self-esteem, resilience and relationship with others.
"The victim’s level of distress can only have been increased by the knowledge that the respondent had filmed and/or photographed his activity while she was unconscious and that the images were included on a memory stick which contained a number of other voyeuristic images.”
"The Committee was satisfied that the respondent’s behaviour had caused [the victim] significant psychological injury and carried with it a risk of causing such injury.
“The Committee was also satisfied that [the victim] was especially vulnerable because of the significant quantity of alcohol that she had consumed.
"In the circumstances that evolved, she was in the respondent’s care.
"The respondent abused the position of trust and responsibility that he occupied.
"He was a senior colleague, at a professional conference.
"Instead of taking appropriate steps to secure the welfare of [the victim], he used the position in which he found himself to engage in predatory sexual misconduct.
"Furthermore, his behaviour was opportunistic and, as the judge said, “clearly driven by [his] sexual desires."
Taking into account these factors, the Committee found that Dr Rushton was unfit to practise and next considered the sanction.
The Committee found no mitigating factors regarding the conviction but did take into account the fact there had been no previous regulatory findings against him.
In deciding the sanction, the Committee also noted that there was little evidence before them that Dr Rushton had shown serious insight into the impact of his offending.
Neil added: “In this context the Committee also noted that the respondent maintained a plea of not guilty until three days before a rearranged trial was due to take place, and subsequently advanced an account of what he said was his relationship with [the victim] which the judge found to be false.
“Taking all of these factors into account, the Committee is satisfied that removal from the register is the only proportionate outcome to this case.
"This sanction is necessary to declare and uphold appropriate standards of conduct for members of the veterinary profession and to maintain public confidence in the profession.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
The show follows veterinary surgeons and nurses going about their day-to-day work, consulting and operating on a variety of cases from the routine to the extraordinary.
The ten-episode series stars Cat Henstridge, who many will be familiar with for her social media posts as 'Cat the Vet', and her husband Dave Hough who is the Clinic Director at the practice.
Cat said: "I know from the reactions I get on my website and social media channels that there is a huge level of interest in what we do, and the TV programme will help to bring those real-life stories directly to a younger audience, as well as offering exclusive behind the scenes access to everything that happens in our busy veterinary practice."
Dave added: "We are thrilled to be showcasing the fantastic work of our dedicated and talented team. What we see every day is so varied, and we are driven by our love of pets and the ability to help heal them. It’s a real delight to think that our work will be seen on television, and hopefully inspire the next generation of vets, nurses and support staff to work in this really rewarding profession."
Dechra says that Dexacortone, which is presented as a flavoured double-divisible tablet, is approximately 25 times more potent than short-acting substances such as hydrocortisone.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “Dexamethasone works to suppress the inflammatory response and should be combined with treatment of the underlying disease.”
The chewable tablets have been developed with a chicken flavour to encourage greater acceptance by animals and have Dechra’s double divisible SmartTab format to help accurate and flexible dosing.
Dexacortone is available in blister packs.
Carol added: “The dose and duration of treatment should be determined by the veterinarian based upon the desired effect and on the nature and severity of each individual case and our SmartTab format makes Dexacortone tablets easily divisible. The tablet portions have a six day shelf life that also reduces the wastage of medicine.”
For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk
The campaign gives 11 reasons why owners should register their pets with a veterinary practice, and encourages them to visit www.findavet.org.uk to find the right vet practice for them and their pet.:
Just like people, your pet can benefit from regular health checks to help stay happy and healthy.
Emergencies can happen at any time – registering means you’ll have easier access to emergency vet care whenever you need it.
Your vet knows a lot more about your animal than Dr Google and can provide tailored advice for your pet.
Regular weight checks and nutritional advice can help to keep your pet in shape – your practice’s vet nurses can often help with this.
Many vet practices run pet socialisation and training classes where you can meet other pet owners.
Your vet practice will hold your pet’s medical history to help diagnose any problems quickly.
Your veterinary practice can offer great advice about which pet is right for you because they will know you and your family.
Your vet practice is best placed to recommend other services for your animal, whether that’s pet groomers and trainers, or referral to an advanced practitioner or specialist.
Veterinary staff are often animal owners too, so they understand that pets are a much-loved part of the family.
Vets and nurses have made a solemn promise to look after animals under their care; they study for many years and have to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.
There are some medicines that only vets can prescribe, so it helps to be registered with a practice.
BVA President John Fishwick said: "Pets need vets to ensure their lifelong wellbeing, which is why it is concerning that a large number of pet owners in the country have not registered their animals with a practice. It is important that owners have access to reliable advice and veterinary care to be able to best look after their pets, and so we are calling on the profession to get involved in promoting the wealth of benefits that registering with a vet practice provides."
RCVS President Professor Stephen May added: "Owning an animal is a huge responsibility, which is why access to professional veterinary advice is vital. With this campaign we aim to highlight some of the very considerable benefits of registering pets with a veterinary practice, and raise awareness amongst pet owners who have not yet registered of the value of having access to professional veterinary advice, expertise and treatment to keep their animals healthy. We would be delighted if practices across the country would help share these messages on their own social media accounts."
Vets, vet nurses and veterinary practices can help spread the word on the value of registering pets by sharing campaign resources on social media using the hashtag ‘#petsneedvets’, downloading campaign resources and using the opportunity to encourage local pet owners to register with their practice.
To further highlight the value of veterinary care and the special bond between a veterinary professional and the animals under their care, BVA is also encouraging existing clients to share pictures of their pets at the vets online using the hashtags #lovemyvet and #lovemyvetnurse.
The Pets Need Vets campaign stems from the aim of the joint BVA and RCVS Vet Futures Action Plan to develop communications tools to assist the public’s understanding of veterinary costs and fees, and promote the value of veterinary care.
More information on the campaign and shareable resources are available at https://www.bva.co.uk/petsneedvets and www.rcvs.org.uk/petsneedvets
Reference
Felpreva is the first spot-on parasiticide for cats that covers tapeworms in addition to other endoparasites including gastrointestinal roundworms and lungworms, and ectoparasites (fleas, ticks and mites) for up to three months with a single dose.
It is licensed for treatment of cats with, or at risk from, mixed parasitic infestations/infections, including:
Matthieu Frechin, Vetoquinol CEO, said: “Marketing authorisation is a pivotal achievement for both Vetoquinol and Felpreva.
"It is a breakthrough treatment with convenience and simplicity of use combined with long-lasting efficacy.
"We believe that Felpreva will be a real game changer for this area of veterinary medicine, demonstrating our commitment to the parasiticide market.”
It is anticipated that Felpreva will be available in Europe early in 2022.
This only affects batch number C967336A, expires before 07/2020. Any other batches of Tylan 200 Injection are not affected and may continue to be distributed.
Elanco is contacting wholesale dealers and veterinary surgeons to examine inventory immediately and quarantine products subject to this recall.
For further information regarding the recall, please contact Ms Victoria Haslingden 01256 779519 or email elanco_orders@lilly.com