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 Association says that the total cost of claims, which was up 17% on the previous year, largely reflects the cost of veterinary treatment, drugs and diagnostic equipment, resulting in more expensive claims.
Three quarters of the claims were for dogs, and the most common high-value claim was for spinal surgery, costing £8,000 - £10,000.
One fifth of the claims were for cats and the remainder were for other pets.
Meanwhile, Go.Compare pet insurance has calculated that if all pet owners had been insured, the total cost of claims for veterinary treatment and other emergency fees could have reached over £11bn1.
Over the same period, the ABI says pet insurance premiums only rose by 1% to £327.
A new infographic and educational webinar are now available to share on social media, to increase farmer awareness and provide best practice guidance.
The infographic and webinar explain how vaccination is considered best practice for control of the disease, giving better disease control whilst ensuring responsible use of antibiotics.
Independent sheep veterinary consultant Dr Fiona Lovatt, who leads the cross-industry Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group, said: "Despite EAE being responsible for over 35% of all abortion diagnoses, only one million of the 3.5 million replacement ewes in the national flock each year are vaccinated against EAE. Any sheep farmer that either buys in ewes for replacements or has close neighbours that also lamb sheep, risks bringing enzootic abortion into their flock.
"Once the disease infects an unvaccinated flock, some ewes are ‘programmed’ to abort at their next lambing, leaving no choice but to put remedial measures in place – usually including both vaccination and antibiotic treatment.
"This means EAE is a disease that, once in a flock, carries high costs both financially and emotionally in terms of lamb losses and farmer stress. Hence it is important that flocks receive appropriate vaccination at least four weeks before ewes go to the ram and avoid the inappropriate use of antibiotics closer to lambing."
Fiona points out that a single dose of EAE vaccine costs about £2.40 and is an investment that effectively lasts the ewe for her lifetime in the flock, protecting against losses. In contrast, abortion or stillbirth – which accounts for around a quarter of all lamb losses each year – costs over £25 for every single lost lamb.
Fiona added: "Every injection of antibiotics also costs an additional £1. But is just a ‘sticking plaster’ with short-lasting effectiveness in terms of disease control but long-lasting damage in terms of mounting resistance."
Ceva says it will continue to work closely with veterinary practices to secure stock of Cevac Chlamydia vaccine to ensure farmers can purchase and use the vaccine at the right time. Ceva also provides subsidised blood sampling for diagnostic purposes.
For further information, call Ceva Animal Health on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Photo: Mike Benjamin
There were two charges against Mr Staton, the first being that he failed to comply with eight requests from the RCVS sent by letter between November 2014 and August 2017 in relation to his continuing professional development (CPD) records.
The second charge was that between 1st January 2012 and 7th November 2017 he failed to have professional indemnity insurance or equivalent arrangements in place.
Mr Staton’s request to adjourn the hearing and agree undertakings was not opposed by the RCVS. The Committee had regard to advice of the Legal Assessor and submissions from both counsel for the RCVS and legal advisor for Mr Staton. In accepting Mr Staton’s request for adjournment and his undertakings no admissions have been made in respect of the charges against him.
In deciding whether to accept the adjournment and undertakings, the Committee was asked to consider a number of factors including Mr Staton’s age and health, his unblemished career of more than 50 years, the fact that he had closed his practice and retired from clinical practice on 31 March 2018 and that he had no intention of practising as a veterinary surgeon again. For those reasons the Committee felt it would be disproportionate to take Mr Staton through a full hearing.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In coming to this decision the Committee considered the respondent’s application to adjourn this inquiry in the light of the evidence he adduced. It had regard to the interests of justice, the public interest in ensuring high standards are maintained by veterinary surgeons and the need to ensure the protection of animals and their welfare."
Should Mr Staton seek to apply to rejoin the Register then the proceedings will become active again and a Disciplinary Committee hearing will be scheduled.
Neptra has been approved for the treatment of acute canine otitis externa or acute exacerbations of recurrent otitis caused by mixed infections of susceptible strains of bacteria sensitive to florfenicol (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius) and fungi sensitive to terbinafine (Malassezia pachydermatis), by the European Commission.
Mario Andreoli, Head of Marketing at Bayer Animal Health, said: "Otitis externa is a common disease in dogs and a leading cause why owners take their dog to a veterinarian.
"Neptra offers a key advantage, unlike competing products, it requires just one dose, administered by the veterinarian in the practice."
No at-home applications by the dog owner are required. The treatment stays in the hands of the vet who has full control over compliance.
Mario added: "With Neptra we provide a high-quality veterinary treatment that is convenient for the dog owner and ensures the well-being of dogs with a proper, effective application."
VetSurgeon understands the new product will be available in the UK in January 2020.
Jurox says Alfaxan Multidose is the bioequivalent to unpreserved Alfaxan, however the preserved formulation reduces the risk of microbial contamination, providing repeatable and reliable anaesthesia.
Alfaxan Multidose is available in two presentations of 10ml and 20ml, with the 20ml presentation priced at an equivalent price per ml as the current 10ml Alfaxan unpreserved presentation.
Jurox says there has been unprecedented interest in the new product, with the company taking pre-orders for the 20ml presentation from 60 different accounts at BSAVA this year.
Richard Beckwith, country manager at Jurox, said: "The introduction of Alfaxan Multidose to our anaesthesia and analgesia portfolio ensures that Alfaxan is more versatile than ever.
"The Alfaxan range continues to provide greater certainty and control during anaesthetic procedures, contributing towards better patient stability and a stress-free experience for the team."
For more information, visit www.alfaxan.co.uk, contact your local Jurox technical sales representative, telephone the customer services team on 0800 500 3171 or e-mail: info@jurox.co.uk.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has approved a new label claim for ProMeris Duo® for dogs. The new claim extends protection offered by ProMeris Duo to include "treatment of demodicosis (caused by Demodex spp.) and lice (Trichodectes canis) in dogs".
Accoding to the company, dealing with demodectic mange on a dog has in the past been time-consuming for the pet owner and sometimes required vets to use a product off-label. Despite available measures, some dogs fail to respond to treatment and even require euthanasia due to the severity of the condition.
Rami Cobb, BVSc (Hons), MACVSc, Senior Vice President of Pharmaceutical Research and Development at Fort Dodge Animal Health said: "With the addition of the demodectic mange claim to the ProMeris Duo label, vets have the option of using the recognized efficacy of amitraz in a convenient spot-on formulation to treat and control this condition.
"When we conducted field studies for the label claim, the before and after pictures of the dogs treated with ProMeris Duo were remarkable. Visible improvements in the dog's condition were seen following the first treatment and in most cases, demodex mites could not be found after just a few months."
ProMeris Duo was evaluated for efficacy against demodectic mange mites in naturally infected dogs. Study results indicated dogs treated monthly with ProMeris Duo showed significant reduction in mite numbers and improvement in clinical signs after three months.
ProMeris Duo is now licensed for the following indications: For the treatment and prevention of infestations by fleas (Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis), as well as ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Dermacentor variabilis), and treatment of demodicosis (caused by Demodex spp.) and lice (Trichodectes canis) in dogs. The veterinary medicinal product can be used as part of a treatment strategy for flea allergy dermatitis (FAD).
Vets4Pets has unveiled its latest national TV advertising campaign, which airs for the first time during Coronation Street on ITV tonight.
The 30-second commercial was shot at five different locations around the UK and features John Davies-Riand MRCVS Vet Partner at Vets4Pets Leeds and Sarah Scott Vet Nurse Partner at Vets4Pets Kettering.
The commercial is running nationally until 28th March and forms part of a national campaign offering owners of elderly pets a discounted £25 senior pet health check with a vet and a half price bag of senior pet food.
Gill Hammond, Head of Brand Marketing said: "It was really important to us when planning this new campaign that we feature our real partners, they are at the end of the day the core of our business and the faces that our clients see when they visit us. The offer itself, focusing on senior pets is testament to our partners' and their teams' commitment to on-going pet health care."
Lee Ashton, founder of Bugler Smith, the agency behind the new ad said: "Working with Vet4Pets on this project has been a really exciting process. Having got under the skin of the brief, and carried out some initial research within Vets4Pets practices nationwide, the overwhelming and consistent theme from everyone we spoke to, was how they have a real passion for pets and making every difference they can.
"This was key to our message, and we felt it was really important to use their best brand ambassadors (their own vets and veterinary nurses) to introduce the brand to the public, to really demonstrate in a straight forward way what makes them different to other vet practices, and we're really pleased with the outcome."
Veterinary surgeon Niall Taylor has signed a deal worth a reported £100 to become the new face of VetSurgeon.org.
As part of the deal, Niall will appear in magazine adverts for the community website in Veterinary Practice magazine. VetSurgeon publishers have so far not confirmed rumours that he will also be appearing on billboards alongside the M4, M1 and M25 motorways, and in TV ads after Coronation Street.
Niall said: "I'm donating my earnings from this contract to support our practice manager, Alyson Gough, who'll be running the London Marathon to raise money for SENSE, a charity which supports deafblind people. If any of my colleagues would like to join me in supporting this important cause, you can do so at: http://www.justgiving.com/Alyson-Gough
Niall replaces the outgoing face of VetSurgeon, Gillian Mostyn MRCVS. She said: "I've had a wonderful year. Being the face of VetSurgeon has opened so many doors for me. I wish Niall all the very best".
The company provides official veterinarians, meat hygiene inspectors and other technical staff to the regulatory compliance sector, and its other clients include Defra, APHA, the Food Standards Agency, DAERA, AHDB, and several private organisations across the UK.
Hallmark says discussions have been ongoing with FSS since mid-2018, since when the company has faced increasing challenges in recruiting and retaining veterinary staff, as a result of eroding salary values and the weakening pound post-Brexit.
David Peace, Chairman of HallMark Meat Hygiene said: "The position we presented to FSS set out HallMark’s case for a substantial increase in funding to apply entirely to frontline veterinary salaries.
"Starting salaries for veterinary staff working with HallMark in this sector had altered very little during the past twenty years. As a responsible employer and trading partner, and with inflation and a weaker pound severely testing real pay levels, HallMark felt it necessary to address those issues robustly and directly to ensure staff are properly compensated and, as a result, that services are stabilised for the benefit of the Scottish meat industry."
"We’re naturally disappointed to part company with a valued customer such as FSS. By mutual agreement last year, we submitted a business case setting out what we believe is necessary to stabilise and maintain service delivery into the future. Ultimately, FSS decided not to accept that business case, and we consequently requested to be released from our contract with them.”
HallMark says it will continue to provide veterinary and technical services to government departments across the UK. Indeed, only last year HallMark’s parent company acquired MLCLS (Meat and Livestock Commercial Services Limited), the leading independent carcase classification business, originally owned by AHDB. HallMark is also an equal partner in its joint venture company, Probita Solutions Limited, which recruits and deploys vets in support of veterinary practices involved in TB testing activities.
The company also says it will continue to bid for major meat sector tenders in the future.
Mr Peace added: "This news should absolutely not be interpreted as a HallMark withdrawal from meat industry official controls. We will continue to offer the same diligence and dedication to welfare and hygiene standards, wherever opportunities arise, and it will be our mission to offer to government the most efficient and professional compliance services possible, optimising the cost of compliance delivery."
The webinar, which will be streamed live at 8pm on Wednesday 20th 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.
Elanco Companion Animal Health has launched Trifexis, an oral tablet to provide dogs with three-in-one protection against fleas, intestinal nematodes and heartworm.
Trifexis contains two active ingredients: spinosad, which is active against fleas, and milbemycin oxime, which is active against intestinal nematodes and heartworm.
Pointing to a survey which found that two out of three owners prefer administering medication in tablet form, Elanco says it is offering the prescription-only product in a beef-flavoured tablet format that delivers vet practices with an exclusive solution many pet owners would choose.2
Matthew Rowe, senior brand manager at Elanco Companion Animal Health said: "By combining spinosad with milbemycin oxime, Trifexis provides the fast speed of flea kill already experienced with Comfortis (killing 100% of fleas within four hours), but now with the added protection against the hidden danger of intestinal nematodes and heartworm disease; of specific concern for owners whose dogs travel to or from heartworm endemic areas."
Prof. Patrick Bourdeau, Dip ECVD-Dip EVPC, of the Veterinary School of Nantes (Oniris), France, added: "Until now, the treatment of intestinal nematodes has often been overlooked. Recent independent research shows that in Europe a majority of dogs (70%) are treated against fleas; whereas the year-round (and potentially zoonotic) threat of intestinal nematodes is commonly overlooked, with only 49% of dogs being treated.2 The benefit of Trifexis is that it aids treatment compliance against these important yet overlooked worms by providing a tablet format, combined with flea control."
In addition, Elanco highlights the fact that the tablet format satisfies a need for those owners who prefer the cleanliness and assured efficacy of tablet administration, have young children or pets in the home, dogs that swim or are bathed frequently or dogs with skin sensitivity or dermatological issues.
For further information about Elanco's new Trifexis three-in-one oral tablet treatment, contact your local Elanco Companion Animal Health key account manager or telephone 01256 353131.
References
Headed by Esteban Gonzalez-Gasch, a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, the new department enables the practice to undertake a wide range of complex small animal procedures.
Injuries and conditions treated include fracture fixation, including complex and simple fractures; cruciate disease, including tibial osteotomies and extracapsular repair; arthroscopy; arthrodesis of chronically painful joints; elbow dysplasia; lameness investigation in adults and juveniles; treatment of growth deformities including distraction osteogenesis; osteoarthritis and musculo-skeletal neoplasia.
Esteban, who joined Southfields earlier this year from the leading Spanish veterinary hospital Ars Veterinaria, in Barcelona, said: "These new facilities really do put Southfields at the cutting edge of 21st century veterinary science and practice in the UK."
Southfields is also carrying out a full refurbishment of its existing facilities and recruiting a number of additional specialist veterinary surgeons, nurses and support staff.
Southfields’ operations manager Daniel Hogan said: "This is a very exciting period for us. We are growing in every possible area and working more closely with referring practices to continue to develop our bespoke and exceptional service for patients and clients.
"Our aim is aspiring and simple: to create the very best referral centre possible by bringing together the expertise of the very best of veterinary professionals supported by the very latest in technological innovation."
As well as orthopaedics, the practice accepts referrals in soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, oncology, neurology, feline medicine and cardiology. For more information, go to www.southfields.co.uk.
The book guides the reader through the evolutionary background of dogs and cats and explains how inherited diseases and deformities associated with certain breeds can cause breathing problems, heart disease, skin problems and back problems.
The book concludes with practical advice to help owners buy a healthy puppy or kitten and to avoid the risk of supporting puppy farms.
Emma said: "I’ve been campaigning on this issue for twenty years and, if anything the conformational issues and inherited disease problems in dogs and cats, are getting worse with some breeders striving for ever more extreme body shapes.
"Selecting a pet with inherited defects can cost thousands in vet bills and cause anguish for family members. It also creates a relinquishment problem for animal shelters as they have to take in abandoned pets with health problems.
"While awareness is certainly increasing, too often prospective pet owners are still unaware of the health implications of the pet they are buying and it is difficult for my veterinary colleagues to criticise the choice of a client’s puppy or kitten once it has been bought. All too often though they are left to pick up the pieces."
Emma added: "Education is the key. It is vital that prospective owners understand why different body shapes could be detrimental to health and how far removed from nature some of our breeds now are. If we can encourage them to stop choosing the quirky extremes in some breeds, demand for them will soon fall. My message is simple – we should all prioritise health and temperament way above what animals look like.
"I hope that responsible prospective pet owners will find Picking a Pedigree? an enlightening read and that it will inform their choice of a new family member. I also hope that it will be a useful resource for vets and nurses to be able to recommend to reinforce their pre-purchase advice."
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
The five talented winners of the "Vets in your daily life" competition were announced today by DG SANCO, the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumers and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
DG SANCO launched the worldwide photography competition earlier this year, to coincide with World Vet Year 2011, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the veterinary profession. The five winners are: Somenath Mukhopadhyay (Winner for Asia), Genoveva Kriechbaum (Winner for Middle East), Molly Feltner (Winner for Africa), Ariel Alejandro Corvalán Herrera (Winner for the Americas) and István Konyhás (Winner for Europe). István Konyhás, European winner and leader of the Hungarian Working Group of Cranes said: "The photo I took in Hortobagy's Bird Hospital (a foundation set up for healing injured wild birds) highlights the care put into healing an injured stork. It also reflects the meticulousness of Dr János Déri trying to re-instate the lost parts of the stork's beak with dental treatment. As a volunteer of the foundation I have taken photos of their work for years so I am pleased to be one of the winners and with the prize money, I hope to be able to take even more interesting and striking photos."
István Konyhás' winning photograph highlights the care put into healing an injured stork. © European Commission.Molly Feltner, African winner and Communications Officer for the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) commented: "I am delighted to be one of the winners of this photo competition and am particularly proud of what this photos highlights. Working with the MGVP in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) we are dedicated to saving the lives of mountain gorillas. This photo beautifully depicts the doctor-patient relationship between MGVP's veterinarians and gorillas."
Molly Feltner's winning photograph depicts the relationship between Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project veterinarians and gorillas. © European Commission.
Ariel Alejandro Corvalán Herrera's photograph won the Americas category. © European Commission.
The winning image for the Asia Pacific region was taken by Somenath Mukhopadhyay. © European Commission.
Genoveva Kriechbaum was the winner for the Middle East. © European Commission.
This year's Veterinary Week, from Monday 16th to Sunday 22nd May, aims to highlight the contribution of the veterinary profession to society under the slogan "Vets in your daily life." This includes a conference on 'Crisis Management in the Food Chain' (organised by the European Commission) today and tomorrow, during which Commissioner John Dalli will present the prizes to the regional winners of the international photographic competition organised jointly with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Events to celebrate Vet Week will be taking place across the European Union.
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.
The RCVS has advised that veterinary surgeons should delegate Schedule 3 work to veterinary nurse students only during students' training, following a series of queries from employers about such students locuming.
Veterinary surgeons have dispensations under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act to delegate to student veterinary nurses in the course of their training, so that students can learn how to give medical treatments to animals.
Crucially, these dispensations apply only when the student is working as a student in their approved training practice or on a placement organised by their university, and is under the supervision of qualified staff.
These dispensations do not apply to any extra-curricula activity so, if working as locums, they are legally classified as unqualified lay staff
The RCVS is concerned that locum agencies do not always appear to know this and are placing locums in their capacity as students, or even "senior students." This has the potential to mislead employers and the students concerned, and result in illegal practice.
Liz Branscombe, Chairman of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council said: "We know that student VNs, especially those on university courses, often undertake locum work to supplement their earnings. However, beyond the training practice which employs them, or in a placement organised by their university, they can only carry out tasks that may be expected of an unqualified staff member, and cannot legally undertake Schedule 3 work."
Practices may check the details of a student VN directly with the RCVS or with the student's college. If you notice an agency promoting student VN locums, please contact the RCVS so that we can provide guidance.
The company said:"The RSA Referral Vet Network has been established to give customers access to a trusted network of vets that provide a high standard of service and value for money. However we do understand that in some cases where the primary vet recommends a referral practice and circumstances dictate that our nearest Network partner is not suitable, we will allow our customers to make a choice without being penalised.
If the treatment in question is covered under the policy, there will be no additional fee charged whether or not they choose to use a Network practice."
Vets For Choice, a group of referral practices campaigning against RSA's Preferred Referral Network, welcomed the news.
However other brands, such as MoreThan, Tesco and Argos, have proceeded with the penalty.
Clive Elwood, one of the referral practitioners behind Vets For Choice, said: "The big question to ask now is if John Lewis can opt out of the fines why can’t Tesco and Argos?
"John Lewis clearly does not agree with springing extra charges on their customers at the point of need and this seems to be in line with their reputation for better customer service.
"MoreThan, Tesco and Argos customers should rightly ask why they are being treated differently to John Lewis customers."
In a press release, Vets For Choice highlighted RSA's July announcement that it was extending its then 29-practice strong referral network by 24, noting that only weeks later it announced its group operating profit was up 20% to £312 million.
In a robust response, an RSA spokesperson said: "The handful of vets behind Vets for Choice have point blank refused to discuss the real issue with non-emergency referrals - the huge variation in costs being charged to pet owners by some vets and paid for by insurers. Vets for Choice has refused to address this issue with us either directly or indirectly, and their desire remains to have a complete lack of transparency about their costs and charges. We are no longer prepared to duck the issue of cost and the lack of transparency in vets’ charges. This impacts on pet owners and means their cover limits do not go as far as they should.
"Our network partners recognise that for pet insurance to remain affordable, the veterinary and insurance industry needs to work more closely together on behalf of customers. Vets for Choice are happy to discuss any issue but the real one and they continue to knowingly distort the facts. The reality is that we have now had 12,700 referral claims from our Network partners, with only 79 customers choosing to pay the £200 charge to use a non-Network partner – well under one percent of all customers. The reality is there is no huge public outcry. The reality is that we have not seen any rise in complaints. The reality is that is our customers are more than happy to have our Network partners treat their pets, knowing that their cover limits are going further.
"Vets for Choice also mentioned our 20% rise in Group Operating Profit. The key word here is Group – the fact is the majority of our profit was made from our international markets. Group operating profit bears no relation to how our UK pet insurance business performed and it is disingenuous to link the two. It is also disingenuous to imply that all brands should act in the same way as their business models differ according to the customer segment they wish to attract. As ever, the choice remains with the customer."
Veterinary students Harry Pink and Meg Coram have won the third Sutton Bonington Science Cake competition for their entry: Rhinos Should Be Horny (pictured right, click to enlarge).
The competition was held on the 12th March in aid of Comic Relief, with entries in six different categories (Veterinary Medicine, Animal & Agriculture, From Farm to Fork, Infection, Cakes for Animals, Comic Relief).
The entries, which ranged from nesting chickens, ringworm in cats and sows with piglets to beautiful vegetables and gardens, were prepared by students and staff at the campus. They were evaluated by 9 judges including members from both schools of Bioscience and Veterinary Medicine.
The cake competition also made it onto national TV this year. Apparently, Comic Relief loved the photos from the last two bake off competitions and asked for one of the bakers to design a cake for the special Comic Relief episode 'The Great British Bake Off'. Last year's public vote winners Rachael Lowton and Jennie Stoddart accepted the challenge and produced 'Just Your Everage Cake' in homage to Dame Edna.
You can see photographs of all the 2015 entries here: http://www.sbcakeoff.co.uk/entries
You can support SB Cake Off for Comic Relief here: https://www.justgiving.com/sbcakeoff/
Amanda Melvin, Senior Product Manager, said: "We’re very excited about this approval as it will allow us to build on the success of our Bravecto chewable tablets for dogs and provide veterinarians and cat owners with another tool in the fight against ticks and fleas. Being able to offer a full 12 week protection means convenience for cat owners and improved compliance rates for veterinarians, so everyone benefits."
Bravecto is applied topically using the new "Twist’n’Use" pipette design which means the cap doesn’t need to be removed.
Full product details are described in the summary of product characteristics (SPC).
For more information, contact your MSD Animal Health representative.
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has directed that Somerset-based veterinary surgeon Dr Marcus Hutber be removed from the Register, having found him guilty of serious professional misconduct following multiple complaints made against him.
During the 11-day hearing, the Disciplinary Committee heard eight, separate and unrelated complaints against Dr Marcus Hutber, made whilst he was the owner of the veterinary company Epivet Ltd, with practices in Williton and Wiveliscombe, in 2009. The complaints involved a series of allegations including lack of adequate professional care, failure to have regard to animal welfare, failure to make or maintain adequate clinical records (and to provide them on request), and failure to treat clients with courtesy and respect.
In the first case, Dr Hutber was found to have performed surgery on a dog inadequately; failed to provide adequate post-operative pain relief; failed to obtain informed consent for the surgery from the dog's owner; and, failed to keep adequate clinical records of the dog's treatment. In a second case of inadequate professional care, Dr Hutber failed to ensure a cat's condition was monitored adequately; failed to ensure that the cat received appropriate fluid therapy; and, failed to keep adequate clinical records.
Dr Hutber was found to have brought the profession into disrepute by speaking rudely to one of his clients. On a separate occasion, a different client was found to have been treated without due courtesy or respect when Dr Hutber told her to come to the practice at once to get tablets and give them to her dog, otherwise the dog would die (of a disease he had diagnosed without carrying out the necessary investigations) - an instruction he then later repeated despite being told the dog was now being treated at a different practice.
One other complaint, where charges were proved, involved Dr Hutber's refusal to provide an animal's clinical records to a former client.
The Disciplinary Committee found Dr Hutber's conduct in respect of the charges proved in relation to each complaint, standing alone and taken collectively, amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In reaching its findings, the Committee considered the oral evidence and written statements of 20 witnesses (including Dr Hutber), two expert witness reports, a large quantity of documentary evidence, Dr Hutber's extensive rebuttal material and Counsels' submissions. Generally, the Committee preferred the evidence of the College's witnesses to that of Dr Hutber. Despite the Committee accepting he was of previous good character, it found him to be unhelpful and uncooperative, frequently lapsing into periods of silence that could last minutes, and staring fixedly (and, in the Committee's view, intimidatingly) at witnesses and College Counsel. There were also inconsistencies between his written rebuttal to the College, his witness statement and his oral evidence, about which the Committee found him evasive and illogical.
The Committee considered Dr Hutber had shown no insight into the allegations, or appreciated the significance or impact of his conduct upon his clients and their animals. He had shown no remorse or regret for his actions, and had continued to assert that he had done nothing wrong.
Further, he had caused actual injury to an animal by subjecting it to unnecessary revision surgery; displayed an inadequate and incomplete understanding of the concept of informed consent; demonstrated a lamentable lack of concern for animal welfare; brought the profession into disrepute with his treatment of his clients; and, exhibited conduct that fell far short of that to be expected of a member of the veterinary profession.
Chairing and speaking on behalf of the Committee, Professor Peter Lees, said: "The Committee has found that there were fundamental failings in the Respondent's clinical competence, and that there were serious defects in his interpersonal skills in relation to clients. He has throughout displayed a tendency to blame others for things which have gone wrong. [The Committee] is not satisfied that there is a realistic prospect of the Respondent having the ability or inclination to remedy his failings [and] remains unconvinced that there is a real possibility of a change in his attitude.
"The Committee is fully conscious that the purpose of sanction is not to punish, but to protect animals and the wider public interest and to uphold the reputation of the veterinary profession. Having regard to the serious aggravating factors [in this case], the Committee considers that the Respondent's conduct, taken as a whole, is so serious that removal of his professional status is the only appropriate sanction."
Accordingly, the Committee directed the Registrar to remove Dr Hutber's name from the Register.
The full details of the Committee's findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
The first two episodes, which discuss feline cardiomyopathy, are available now at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2189360 and all the leading podcast platforms (including Apple, Spotify, Amazon and Google).
Future topics will include pre-clinical feline cardiomyopathy and a practical approach to puppy murmurs.
There'll also be a number of special guests, including Prof Virginia Luis Fuentes from the Royal Veterinary College, who will discuss the treatment of feline heart disease beyond standard therapy, and Dr Brian Scansen from Colorado State University, who will talk you through the diagnosis and management of pulmonic stenosis.
To keep up with the latest from Kieran and Jose, you can follow them on Twitter or Instagram @heartbeat_pod.
They'd also love you to post to questions for their guests, or any comments you have about the podcasts, on their social media channels.
The support pack features information on the role anaesthetic induction agents can play in the maintenance of anaesthesia to help veterinary surgeons provide appropriate care for their patients.
The pack includes a user guide to achieving the best outcome when using Alfaxan for the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia, a summary of peer-reviewed key clinical papers on the use of Alfaxan and how it can be used for the maintenance of anaesthesia, an article discussing the use of intravenous agents to maintain anaesthesia in the dog and cat, frequently asked questions and an Alfaxan dosage chart for CRI (Constant Rate Infusion) and intermittent bolus.
To download the pack, visit www.alfaxan.co.uk.
Richard Beckwith, country manager for Jurox (UK) Ltd. said: "We have received a significant increase in enquiries following the isoflurane supply issues.
"The new support pack will provide veterinary professionals with comprehensive information on Alfaxan to help practices develop options in providing appropriate anaesthesia for patients."
For more information, call Jurox customer services on 0800 500 3171, or e-mail: info@jurox.co.uk.
The Adaptil Diffuser has been renamed the Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser, the Adaptil Collar has been renamed Adaptil Calm On-the-Go Collar, Adaptil Spray is now called Adaptil Transport and Adaptil Tablets are now called Adaptil Express.
The new products are split into three colour-coded groups. In blue packaging, Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser is designed to help dogs stay calm in recurring situations at home, including staying alone, loud noises and visitors. It comes as a 30-day starter kit containing a diffuser and refill, and lasts for 30 days.
Adaptil Calm On-the-go Collar is for use when dogs face fearful situations outdoors. It is available in two collar sizes (small to fit necks up to 37.5cm and large to fit necks up to 62.5cm) and it lasts for four weeks.
Adaptil Transport comes in yellow packaging and is designed to make travel and visits to the vet less stressful. It is available in 60ml and 20ml bottles.
Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser, Adaptil Calm On-the-Go Collar and Adaptil Transport all contain dog appeasing pheremones to help dogs feel calm and relaxed.
The last product in the new range is Adaptil Express, which comes in green packaging. Adaptil Express is an oral supplement which Ceva says provides a fast, calming effect for dogs faced with occasional challenging events such as thunderstorms and fireworks. The non-pheromone tablets, which come in packs of 10 or 40 tablets, combine GABA and amino acids and can be given with or without food.
Abigail King, product manager for Adaptil, said: "80% of pet owners state that their dog gets stressed during challenging situations both inside and outside the home and during specific occasions such as travelling, fireworks and thunderstorms1. Adaptil’s new product range caters for all these eventualities and the eye-catching branding and packaging clearly indicates which product should be used for each challenging occasion to aid owner compliance and help dogs feel calm and relaxed at all times."
For further information, visit www.adaptil.com/uk.
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