MSD Animal Health has announced the launch of Cepralock, a new teat sealant to complement its dry cow intramammary product Cepravin Dry Cow and wider Dairy Herd Health portfolio.  

The company says the new product is designed for use at drying off, with or without a dry cow intramammary antibiotic, and provides an important inert barrier in the teat canal to reduce significantly the risk of bacterial infection of the udder during the dry period.

Cepralock is supplied in tubes with the option of short nozzles that are designed to help avoid the risk of teat damage and incorrect administration beyond the teat canal.

The launch is also being accompanied by dry cow therapy training and a support programme for veterinary practitioners and their dairy farmer clients. This will include diagnostics and data analytics, and training will have a significant focus on correct administration and removal of teat sealant after calving, allowing vets to provide adequate reassurances to their clients around product use.

MSD Animal Health technical adviser Martin Behr said: "The dry period is a critical time for vets as they seek to help their clients in the battle to combat mastitis, which remains a significant drain on dairy herd profitability. It provides an ideal opportunity to clear up existing bacterial infections in the udder with the use of intramammary antibiotics, but it is also vital to prevent new infections over the period.

"Cows do have their own natural physical defence against infection in the form of the keratin plug that forms in the teat canal after drying off, but this is not always sufficiently effective. In a recent study it was shown that only 50% of 500 examined quarters had a fully developed keratin plug within 10 days of drying off, whilst 20% of teats remained open into the second half of the dry period. This is significant because the majority of clinical cases of mastitis that occur during the dry period do so within the first three weeks.

"Correct use of a teat sealant at drying off, immediately after the administration of the dry cow intramammary if used, will provide an effective physical barrier for the duration of the dry period, significantly reducing the chances of new infections of the udder."

According to MSD, it is estimated that less than half of dairy cows are currently given a teat sealant at drying off, despite the concept being established for a number of years and numerous farm studies providing strong evidence of their efficacy. 

Martin added: "The potential return on investment for dairy farmers of correctly applied teat sealants is clear. A single case of mastitis is estimated to cost between £70 and £250 and the average UK dairy herd suffers somewhere in the region of 50 to 60 cases per 100 cows per lactation. A correctly applied dry cow therapy programme, including the use of teat sealants, will significantly reduce the incidence of clinical mastitis, thereby providing a demonstrable return on investment.

"At MSD Animal Health we are keen to help veterinary practitioners promote best practice in dry cow therapy, including the adoption of the correct protocols and application procedures. Therefore we are supporting the launch of Cepralock with the offer of Continuous Professional Development for veterinary practitioners on all aspects of dry cow therapy, including correct use of teat sealant and its removal after calving."

Cepralock teat sealant is available to veterinary practices in packs of 24 tubes and 120 tubes.

For more information about Cepralock or MSD's Dry Cow Management Support package for vets and farmers, contact your Account Manager.

BEVA has announced the launch of CPD courses designed to help equine and mixed vets get back into equine practice after a break from clinical work.

Sarah Gasper, BEVA’S Learning Manager said: "Many of us on the BEVA education team understand exactly what it’s like to return to practice whether after a career break, paternity/maternity or sickness leave. We also understand the specific challenges of moving from mixed into equine practice. 

"We have created these courses to help make the transition back to work as smooth as possible. We’ve tried to incorporate everything we wish we had had access to when we returned to practice!"

Reinvigorate your approach to equine practice will be held on 12th March 2019 at Lythe Hill Hotel, Haslemere. The lecture and forum based course will explore the latest advances in internal medicine, orthopaedics, and sports medicine, and how to apply them to develop evidence-based clinical approaches to common and emergency scenarios in practice. 

Getting (back) into equine practice will be held on 13th March 2019 at Liphook Equine Hospital, Hampshire. This entirely practical day of CPD will all be about improving the confidence of established equine vets and for vets returning to work following a career break. The course will focus on the practical procedures that an established equine ambulatory vet might be expected to perform on a regular basis. In a new approach to CPD we are trialling a system where delegates can shape part of this unique CPD day for themselves, with an online poll pre-course to select from a choice of practicals. 

Both courses will have childcare facilities to help support parents wishing to attend CPD.

BEVA will also be running a course on the fundamentals of sedation, field anaesthesia and castration on 27th and 28th March 2019 at World Horse Welfare, Snetterton, Norfolk. This 'hands-on' course is designed for new or recent graduates or those in mixed practice with varied levels of equine work. It comprises evening lectures on the first day to free up more time for hands-on training on day two. It will cover sedation and field anaesthesia required for common field surgery such as castration, both in theory and in a practical session, with the equine welfare charity venue able to provide a high number of colts for castration work. Nerve blocks and regional anaesthesia for other common procedures will also be covered on cadavers. 

For further information on BEVA’s new CPD courses visit www.beva.org.uk/cpd

Dr Gerard McLauchlan has joined Fitzpatrick Referrals to launch a dedicated interventional radiology service based at the Oncology and Soft Tissue Hospital in Guildford, Surrey. 

Prior to joining Fitzpatrick Referrals, Gerard was a Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine at the University of Glasgow as well as Head of the Emergency Service and Director of both the Internship and ECVIM Residency Programmes. He is also a European and Royal College Recognised Specialist in Internal Medicine, and recently became one of few specialists in the world to have completed a 12 month Fellowship in Interventional Radiology at the Animal Medical Center in New York. 

Gerard said: "When I returned to the UK, it was a natural fit for me to join Fitzpatrick Referrals. The team all share the same ethos and together I know we will be able to offer a truly world-class service to our patients and their family. I genuinely believe we will be able to change what is accepted as the gold standard of care for animals in the UK."

Fitzpatrick Referrals says its interventional radiology service performs minimally invasive procedures that are often considered the standard of care in human medicine, providing options for veterinary patients where conventional therapies are not associated with the best outcome. 

Clinical Director of Oncology and Soft Tissue, Professor Nick Bacon said: "Gerard joining the team in Guildford opens new doors for our patients but more importantly we hope the disciplines of veterinary oncology and soft tissue surgery as a whole. He brings huge experience in interventional radiology solutions for portosystemic shunts, tracheal collapse and urinary calculi obstruction. Gerard is also key to developing our cancer care. Progress is not about ever bigger treatments chasing a cure; it can just as easily mean delivering palliative or curative-intent treatments in smarter ways, with less side-effects and lower morbidity. I am looking forward to watching our treatments evolve for a variety of tumours including urinary, liver, lung and head and neck. No cancer treatment is perfect, but we are striving for the best we can for the patient in front of us."

Noel Fitzpatrick said: "It remains my objective to build the greatest team of super-specialists on planet earth where we can offer all of the options to all of the animals and the families that love them all of the time. Gerard has a unique skill set that will not only complement our growing team, but will enhance the spectrum of treatments we can offer and which the families of animals throughout the UK and beyond really want. Increasingly people want the same level of care for their dogs and cats as we have for ourselves and our goal is to deliver exactly that with the very best team and facilities in the world today."

Fitzpatrick Referrals will be holding a Partners in Care CPD session on 25^th May inviting vets to meet Dr Gerard McLauchlan and discover more about the interventional radiology service. To register your interest, contact Sarah on SarahC@fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk.  

Eurovet Animal Health has announced that it is bringing a veterinary licensed vitamin K1 (phytomenadione) injectable preparation to the UK.

Eurovet says the new preparation, available from the wholesalers by Monday at the latest, will ensure that the previous supply problems of vitamin K1, will be overcome.

According to the company, the intravenous route is the only route to ensure a 100% bioavailability of vitamin K1 almost immediately and in a crisis situation is the best route of treatment. During anticoagulant poisoning, the coagulation factors are present in the body but are not functional. The faster vitamin K1 enters the blood flow, the quicker the coagulation function is restored.

Ruth Vernon, Technical Services Manager for Eurovet said: "We also plan to bring veterinary licenced vitamin K1 tablets to the UK market later in the year, allowing them to be ordered direct from veterinary wholesalers. The future continuity of supply represents a significant improvement on the current situation."

Anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning is the second most common query received by the VPIS. Alexander Campbell, Head of Service at VPIS, said: "The Veterinary Poisons Information Service receives well over 1000 telephone enquiries per annum from UK veterinary professionals seeking advice on how to manage potential and accidental exposures to anticoagulant rodenticides in a variety of animals - mainly pet dogs. Whilst most cases require basic assessment, first-aid and precautionary laboratory tests, an inevitable few develop serious intoxication and need long-term treatment. Vitamin K1 is a mainstay of therapy in these instances, and the availability of licensed veterinary-specific products in the UK is a major advance. Previously, preparations licensed for human use were often the only option when these could be sourced. Anything that ensures ready supply and facilitates speed of therapy for severe cases has to be welcomed."

There are over 500 anticoagulant rodent killing preparations available across Europe. They are available ready to use, as coated cereals, bait blocks, tracking powders, semolina formats or concentrates (which are reserved for professional use). Following cut backs in local council spending on pest control, the National Pest Technicians Association identified in a recent survey* that there is a 'worrying increase in poorly-managed DIY rodent control'.

*The NPTA National Rodent Survey 2009/2010

The RCVS has published a summary of the consultation phase of its review of telemedicine within veterinary practice, revealing a profession divided over the risks associated with remote consultations and whether it would be appropriate to prescribe medicines without a physical examination.

The consultation, which was held by the College early in 2017, asked for the views of veterinary surgeons and nurses, animal owners, and stakeholders on the use of telemedicine in veterinary clinical practice.

The consultation was designed to help identify potential risks associated with telemedicine, identify areas where it may help address the needs of both clinicians and the public, and support the potential development of new professional standards and guidance.

The online survey of veterinary professionals received 1,230 responses, while the public consultation received 229 responses and the survey of organisations/stakeholders received eight responses. 

The headline question asked of veterinary professionals was whether RCVS 'supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct' should be amended to allow remote examination to take the place of physical examination in certain circumstances. 41% said 'Yes', 40% said 'No' and 18% were unsure.

Veterinary professionals and organisations were then asked a series of questions in order to establish how they rated the risk associated with telemedicine according to activity type, practice type, clinical sign or syndrome, mode of technology, and familiarity with client, animal or environment.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the majority felt that providing just general advice presented a low risk. At the other end of the scale, most felt that the use of telemedicine to diagnose disease or injury would be either 'high risk', or 'not appropriate at all'. 

Likewise, the majority said the risks would be low or medium where the client and environment were known and the animal seen before, for the same problem. By contrast, the majority said telemedicine would be either 'high risk' or 'not appropriate at all' when the client, animal and environment were all unknown. 

When asked whether the current definition of 'under care' should be extended to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe veterinary medicines where there has been no physical examination of the animal, 69% said 'No', 16% said 'Yes' and 15% were unsure.

However, when asked whether certain types of veterinary medicines should be able to be prescribed without a physical examination of the animal, the majority of respondents to the professional survey (52%) were in favour.

The results of the consultation were first considered at a special meeting of the Standards Committee in August 2017, where it was noted how the consultation had revealed significant confusion around current supporting guidance to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and that, at a minimum, clarification as to what was currently permissible was needed.

The Committee determined a key issue going forward was whether to change the Supporting Guidance to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct regarding 'under care' to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe POM-V medicines based on telemedicine alone.

Given the complex nature of the issues and the wide-ranging implications, the Standards Committee presented a range of options for amending RCVS Guidance to RCVS Council at its meeting in November 2017. After discussion, Council asked the Standards Committee to continue their review and to present more detailed proposals to Council regarding the future of telemedicine in clinical veterinary practice.

Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership and Innovation, said: "We would like to thank all those who took the time to respond to the consultation – although Council has not yet made any firm decisions, we felt it would be useful to share our research so far.

"The use of telemedicine is growing rapidly in human healthcare and it is only right the RCVS assesses the opportunities it could bring to improve access to veterinary services. It is critical, however, that we understand the issues it presents 'at the coal face' and consider all the available evidence before making any changes to our Guidance. The RCVS should ensure its regulatory framework fosters innovation and maximises the opportunities to improve the quality, efficacy and accessibility of veterinary services, whilst at the same time protecting animal health and welfare."

The Standards Committee will meet again in April 2018 to take further evidence and develop proposals to take the issue forward.

Meanwhile, the full summary is available on the College’s website: www.rcvs.org.uk/telemeds-summary/.

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College report that they've made a significant breakthrough in the search for a durable treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Working in collaboration with researchers at University of Texas, Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center, the team has succeeded in using gene editing techniques on dogs to restore the expression of the dystrophin protein that is absent in DMD patients’ muscles to levels that could be life changing.

DMD is the most common, fatal, genetic disease that affects children. The same disorder also occurs in many dog breeds. It is caused by mutations in the gene that encodes dystrophin, a crucial protein that helps protect muscle fibres and the heart when they contract. Patients with the disease produce effectively no dystrophin protein, so their muscles and heart become damaged during contraction, leading to inability to walk, skeletal deformities, breathing problems and heart failure. Patients with DMD have a life expectancy that does not go far beyond their twenties.

Researchers say that this preliminary research, published in Science, demonstrates an approach that could lead to an effective, in principle one-time treatment for DMD for the most common genetic mutations affecting human patients. Through a single intravenous injection, researchers have been able to modify the dystrophin gene in many muscles of the body, including the heart, with the result that some muscles now had almost the normal amounts of dystrophin protein.

The team, led by Eric Olson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at UTSW Medical Center and founder and chief science advisor of Exonics Therapeutics, and Richard Piercy, Ph.D., MRCVS, Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the RVC, identified a naturally-occurring mutation in the dystrophin gene in a dog brought to the RVC’s Small Animal Referral Hospital.

Working now with relatives of this first dog, the combined group has used a technique called ‘SingleCut CRISPR gene editing’, where the researchers target a specific region of the subject’s own DNA. Harmless viruses encoding the gene-editing protein CRISPR/Cas9 were used to express the enzyme in muscle to cut the dogs’ own DNA at a precise location in the dystrophin gene through use of a molecular guide. The body’s own processes then repair the cut, which results in removing the negative effects of the existing mutation.

The researchers have demonstrated that dogs treated in this way had restored ability to produce large amounts of the dystrophin protein in their muscles and heart, and in the dog with the highest dose, cardiac muscles were found to have restored dystrophin protein to up to 92% of normal amounts after the single treatment.

The team believes this is the first time that this form of gene editing therapy has been conducted after birth in an animal larger than a rodent. With further longer-term research, efficacy and safety testing, it is hoped that this breakthrough will have human application. This treatment may be a significant step toward developing a gene editing therapy to repair genetic mutations for DMD, as well as a range of diseases caused by genetic mutations.   

Richard Piercy, Professor of Comparative Neuromuscular Disease at the RVC, said: "Researchers have been looking for an effective and durable treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy for many years. This SingleCut gene editing approach, pioneered by Dr. Eric Olson’s group, has the potential to be a one-time treatment that could restore dystrophin protein. It is hugely exciting that through a single intravenous injection we’ve been able successfully to modify the dogs’ own DNA so they start generating dystrophin protein again. There is more work to be done, but with this exciting breakthrough, we feel we are a significant step closer to finding an effective treatment.

"A great many genetic diseases affect humans, dogs and other species - many, like DMD - with tragic consequences and this form of gene editing treatment might well be applicable in many of them. We’re hopeful that we’re paving the way for future research into treating some of the most serious genetic conditions that affect us today."

Research published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) has revealed that UK dogs eating raw meat diets have a higher risk of Salmonella and antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli being found in their faeces than dogs fed cooked food. 

For the research¹, 190 faecal samples were collected from dogs in 140 households (114 samples from raw fed dogs and 76 from non-raw fed dogs).

Salmonella species was detected in 4% of the samples (all raw fed) and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli was detected in 40% of all dogs, but in 62% of raw fed dogs.

The authors say that statistical analysis confirmed that this represented a significantly higher prevalence of AMR E. coli, including multidrug resistance and third generation cephalosporin resistance, and Salmonella species in dogs fed raw compared to non-raw meat diets.

The authors concluded that strategies should be implemented to increase the awareness of the risks of feeding raw meat diets to dogs, to reduce any potential risk to owners, their families, and their pets.

Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of JSAP says: “In this study, an association between raw meat diets in dogs and faecal carriage of potentially dangerous enteric bacteria has been observed.

"Readers should keep in mind that cross-sectional studies such as this one lay the basis for additional research more suited to prove causality.”

Reference

1. Groat, E.F., Williams, N.J., Pinchbeck, G., Warner, B., Simpson, A. and Schmidt, V.M. (2022), UK dogs eating raw meat diets have higher risk of Salmonella and antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli faecal carriage. J Small Anim Pract, 63: 435-441. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13488 

Zoetis has announced the winners of its awards to recognise the contribution of veterinary practices and the commitment shown by students to the extramural studies programme (EMS) at the University of Bristol.

The awards, comprising academic book vouchers, were presented at the University’s RCVS ceremony after graduation earlier this month.

Jamie Rahman BVSc won the award for the most engaged veterinary student on EMS placement. Feedback about his placement included: 'Exceptional attitude'. 'Contributed actively to good clinical discussion'. 'Intelligent and engaging’. 'Shows true dedication to learning as much as he can whilst in practice, trying to spend as much time with the different specialists as possible'.

Meanwhile, Cheviot Vets in Alnwick won the students' award for outstanding clinical EMS placement 2019. Comments received from students included: ‘I would not be nearly as prepared and ready for practice without the support and training of the team at Cheviot Vets.’ ‘They invested an incredible amount of time into helping me develop my husbandry knowledge and skills.’ ‘Really supportive manner and encouraged me to develop my skills.’

Sarah Heming, Director of Public Affairs and Customer Relations at Zoetis said: "Zoetis has a high focus on supporting the professional advancement of the veterinary profession. We are proud sponsors of the EMS Recognition Awards for Bristol University alongside other initiatives such as the Young Vet of the Year Awards in partnership with the British Veterinary Association.

"The initial stages of a veterinary career are pivotal so helping winning individuals to invest in academic or professional resources to support their continued development in practice can be very beneficial. We would also like to formally thank the winning practices for their invaluable commitment and support."

A veterinary ophthalmologist at Veterinary Vision in Penrith, Cumbria, has stumbled on what may prove to be the veterinary profession's answer to the Turin Shroud: the outline of a face on the retina of a dog.  

The strange phenomenon was spotted by Veterinary Vision's clinical director Chris Dixon when he examined Dachshund called Margo, which had been referred for the treatment of a corneal ulcer and fungal infection.

Chris said: “I was assessing Margo’s eye and was very surprised to see a face smiling back at me.

"It perhaps doesn't bear quite the same resemblance as the Turin Shroud. Still, I've never seen anything like it before. 

"The good news is that it does not appear to have affected her vision at all.”

Apparently the smiling face is still there, even after Chris performed a corneal graft.

Chris added: "I think we can safely say that Margo is a very happy dog, both inside and out!"

Three ex-partners of the Willows Veterinary Group have launched North Star Vets, a new veterinary group which will give vets an opportunity to own a stake in their practice without any capital investment. 

MsRCVS Sean Cleary and Richard Thomas, and accountant Jane Platt have opened their first practice, Burford Lane Vets in Cheshire, and now plan to open 10 more practices over the next five years, two in Spring 2022

Burford Lane Vets is headed up by Pieter De Villiers MRCVS, who has become an equity owner, supported by a team of nine vets, nurses and receptionists.

Sean said: “Our vets benefit from our many years of clinical, financial, human resources and procurement experience and have the opportunity to add the finishing touches to a state-of-the-art practice, where no expense has been spared on the fit out and equipment.

"Everything from finding a property, negotiating the lease, fitting out the practice and health and safety is taken care of.

"It means our equity partners can enjoy being fantastic vets and reap the financial rewards that brings, and we are here to support the practice and take care of all the administration, procurement, marketing and everything else that goes into running a successful business."

Sean added: “We have benefited from the shift in the industry that saw veterinary groups acquired by large corporate businesses.

"However, this has inadvertently made it difficult for the next generation of vets to follow the traditional route of buying into a practice as they progress from a junior role to partner, as corporate interest has pushed the values of practices to unaffordable levels for most vets.

"We want to bridge that gap and give a leg up to vets who want to be masters of their own destinies, without the difficulty of starting from scratch or having to find a huge initial investment.”  

Sean says he thinks there are a great many vets who would like to launch their own practice.

However, starting from scratch is fraught with risk, expense, and complexity.

Sean added: “Our innovative model helps great vets set up in business as leaders of their own practice and our unique offering is already attracting interest from high-calibre individuals.

"We would encourage any colleagues out there who feel they would like to join us in our new venture to get in touch via our website.” 

Sean concluded: “The business acumen we have built up over our many years of working in the industry enables us to provide practical support, mentorship and guidance for vets through every step of the process, and that’s something we’re passionate about.

"The directors will be working across all practices to provide support whenever it’s needed. We are in it for the long haul, not just the initial set up stage, and we will become a part of every practice that opens.

“We take a real pride in being the solution to fix the broken practice ownership model and North Star Vets will empower ambitious vets to enjoy a better and more successful future, which in turn will translate into the standard of care our clients enjoy.”  

The RCVS has published a recording of its recent webinar about its new ‘under care’ guidance.

During the webinar, which took place earlier this month, senior officers and staff from the College explained the new guidance, what it will mean for the profession, and answered questions submitted by delegates.

The webinar was chaired by RCVS President Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS with a panel comprising Standards Committee Chair Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson, and RCVS Head of Standards Gemma Kingswell.

The webinar included an overview of the main changes, the considerations to take into account when prescribing POM-Vs remotely, the circumstances under which POM-Vs cannot be prescribed remotely, the prescription of antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics and antivirals, and how the guidance will be enforced.

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, said: “We have also now published a range of practice-based scenarios to help explain how the new guidance should be followed in various circumstances, and in relation to different species.

"These scenarios cover a variety of different situations, including how the guidance applies to two or more practices with mutual clients, consultancy services and the prescription of long-term controlled drugs.”

A second webinar will be held on Monday 17th July, with priority for those who wanted to attend the June webinar but were not able to do because it was over-subscribed. 

www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare

Protexin has announced that preliminary data from a clinical trial supports the use of Denamarin^® to protect against lomustine (CCNU)-induced hepatotoxicity in dogs.

The study is being performed at the University of California-Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, and the initial results were recently presented at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Annual Forum. Marketed in the UK by Protexin, Denamarin is the combination of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and silybin.

According to the company, most dogs treated with the chemotherapeutic agent CCNU experience liver enzyme elevation. Elevation of certain liver enzymes such as alanine transferase (ALT) is a key indicator of liver trauma; significant enzyme elevation may lead to a discontinuation, delay, or reduction in chemotherapy. The ongoing clinical trial was designed to evaluate Denamarin as a hepatoprotectant in dogs diagnosed with neoplasia that are undergoing CCNU therapy.

The trial consists of two groups of randomly assigned dogs. Dogs in Group 1 receive Denamarin beginning at the start of CCNU therapy. Group 2 dogs do not receive Denamarin unless they develop a Grade IV hepatotoxicity.

Results of a planned interim analysis completed on the first 30 dogs enrolled revealed that starting Denamarin when CCNU therapy was instituted (Group 1 dogs) appeared to provide hepatoprotection. While the mean post-therapy ALT elevation for Group 1 was 119 IU/L (p=0.1), for Group 2 dogs, the post-therapy ALT level was 815 IU/L (p=0.046). Chemotherapy was altered due to elevated liver enzymes in three Group 2 dogs but only one dog in Group 1.

Janine Barlow, Technical Manager at Protexin said: "We are extremely pleased by the initial findings of this research. The use of Denamarin with chemotherapy looks to help protect liver function allowing for successful completion of therapy and hopefully a longer, happier life for the pet. We look forward to the results of the full study."

Protexin says the SAMe and silybin in Denamarin support and maintain hepatic function by mechanisms including increasing levels of glutathione, the liver's main detoxifying agent; promoting protein synthesis; and stimulating bile flow. Denamarin is useful as part of a polymodal approach to the management of liver health.

Denamarin is available for both dogs and cats in an enteric-coated tablet.

The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has published the 2019 edition of its Compendium of Data Sheets for Animal Medicines and updated the accompanying app.

A free copy of the compendium has been sent to every veterinary practice in the UK, and it is also available online at: www.noahcompendium.co.uk. A special edition of the book commissioned by AMTRA will also be available for its SQPs shortly.

NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said: "The NOAH Compendium, in all its formats, remains a major part of NOAH’s efforts to ensure appropriate access and responsible use of medicines for all animals. We are pleased it is even more comprehensive this year, as we continue to expand its list of contributors.

"Every NOAH member, as well as the non-member participants in the NOAH Compendium, is a signatory to the NOAH Code of Practice on Promotion, which demonstrates their commitment to operate above and beyond any regulatory requirements."

She added: “As well as product datasheets, the Compendium includes another vital resource – the contact details for each participating company. Company veterinary and technical advisors have detailed knowledge about their company’s medicines. The NOAH Code includes the requirement for NCAH qualification for NOAH staff in technical dialogue with prescribers and users of animal medicines – meaning their advice can be regarded as a valuable and trusted resource. They are ready to talk to prescribers about the use of a medicine in a particular animal or in a particular situation, as well as to explain any queries about the data sheet."

Veterinary practices that have not yet received a copy, perhaps because they are new or have changed address in the past year should contact NOAH (noah@noah.co.uk). 

Extra copies are also available to order, for £47.50. Special prices are also available for bulk orders.