FirstVet, the online veterinary consultation startup, has announced two more partnerships with pet insurers, through which pet owners will be offered free online veterinary consultations.

As a result, clients of LV=GI and Waggel will be able to book an online appointment with a veterinary surgeon within 30 minutes, without having to pay FirstVet's normal £20-30 charge. 

Waggel is FirstVet's 26th insurance partner globally, and its third in the UK. The company now has 150 veterinary surgeons working on the platform. 

Lucy Broadbridge, LV= GI Pet Product Manager, said: “At LV= GI we’re always looking for ways to help our customers protect what they love, so we’re very excited to be able to work with FirstVet to provide this service to our pet customers. With access to a vet from your smartphone or device, our pet customers will have peace of mind knowing that qualified veterinary advice is on hand 24/7, avoiding unnecessary time, cost and distress of visiting their vet if they don’t really need to."

Under current legislation, there is very little practical assistance that can be offered via an online consultation, other than recommending whether or not the animal needs to be seen by a veterinary surgeon in person. It may also be the case that the online consultation offers little more than a pet owner would get by ringing their normal vet. Nevertheless, online consultations will doubtless grow significantly in 2020, as the players line up to take advantage of any relaxation in the regulations that they hope will allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe medicines for animals they have not seen in person. 

Regardless of whether that happens, there is a value in face-to-face communication between a veterinary surgeon or nurse and a client, whether it be for triage or follow up consultations. Independent practices might therefore be well advised to start implementing this kind of technology in practice sooner rather than later, in particular looking at ways that online appointments could be scheduled (perhaps between normal consultations) so as to compete with the short waiting times offered by companies like FirstVet.  

The BVA has expressed its concern that almost two-thirds of food companies have no information on their commitment to stunning animals before slaughter – with only 4% having a "universal commitment".

The findings were published in the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare report (BBFAW, published 27 January) and also show that slaughter without pre-stunning is the only welfare measure showing a decline in the percentage of food companies that have a specific policy on the practice, down from 34% in 2014 to 32% in 2015. 

BVA has run a long-standing and high profile campaign to end non-stun slaughter in the UK, with a public petition in 2015 gaining 120,000 signatures. BVA, together with all leading farm animal welfare organisations, believes that all animals should be stunned before slaughter to render them insensible to pain. Scientific evidence supports the use of pre-stunning to safeguard animal welfare. In 2015, two-thirds of BVA members listed the issue as one of their top priorities for government. 

BVA President Sean Wensley said: "Vets and the public are united in their concern about animal welfare at slaughter. There are several positive findings on the growing commitment of food companies towards farm animal welfare in the BBFAW report, which we welcome, but the report highlights a disappointing lack of commitment towards animal welfare at the time of slaughter. The European Commission’s study of 13,500 meat consumers across Europe found that 72% wanted information about the stunning of animals at slaughter. Food companies need to sit up and take consumers’ concerns about humane slaughter seriously. People want to be assured that farmed animals receive both a good life and a humane death."

Ceva Animal Health has launched a new broad-spectrum, flavoured endoparasiticide tablet, Milbactor for dogs.

Milbactor contains milbemycin oxime and praziquantel, which offer protection against the common nematodes seen in the UK and the main species of tapeworm.

Milbemycin oxime treats Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis, the hookworm Ancylostoma caninum, the whipworm Trichuris vulpis and the eyeworm, Thelazia callipaeda. Milbactor also prevents heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis.

Praziquantel protects against Echinococcus spp., Dipylidium caninum, Taenia spp. and Mesocestoides spp.

Puppies weighing more than 0.5 kg can be treated with Milbactor from two weeks of age. Milbactor comes in two tablet sizes for dogs and puppies, and the tablets are flavoured for easy administration.

Ceva has also launched The Ceva Protection System for dogs, a two-step solution featuring Vectra 3D and Milbactor to provide ectoparasite and endoparasite protection for dogs with one monthly topical treatment and one flavoured tablet. The Ceva Protection System uses Vectra Felis for flea protection for cats and Acclaim for the treatment of the pet's home environment.

Rob McLintock MRCVS, companion animal business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "The launch of Milbactor and The Ceva Protection System will enable veterinary surgeons to offer their clients a simple regime featuring Vectra 3D and Milbactor for comprehensive parasite control in dogs. Offering protection both inside and out and with no bite required to kill fleas, the regime offers a simple, effective combination to treat and prevent fleas, ticks, biting flies, roundworms, tapeworms, lungworms and to prevent heartworm.

For further information on The Ceva Protection System, Milbactor, Vectra 3D or Vectra Felis, contact your local Ceva territory manager or call 01494 781510.

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the introduction of the Bovela guarantee to underpin its confidence in the live double-deleted (L2D) vaccine. 

The company says Bovela is the only BVD vaccine available proven to provide 12 months’ protection, against both types of BVD, and after only one shot.

Cattle business manager, Robert Bakewell said: "Provided Bovela is used as recommended on the product label, we are happy to guarantee that it will prevent the birth of PI (persistently infected) calves caused by transplacental infection by the BVD virus.

"We are also encouraging farmers to seek advice and input from their vet about BVD control by offering a £50 voucher towards testing for Bovela users. All herd owners need to do is speak to their veterinary surgeon or email bvdzero.uk@boehringer.com."

Genitrix has extended its Dentagen dental care range with the addition of Dentagen Aqua, a water additive treatment to control plaque and prevent bad breath in cats and dogs.

Genitrix says the product offers a completely new approach to dental care for companion animals and is expected to prove particularly effective in treating cats which do not respond well to existing treatments, such as dental chews and tooth-brushing.

Dentagen Aqua is a palatable liquid which is added to a pet's drinking water on a daily basis. Its active principal is RF2, a plant extract.  According to the company, RF2's ability to enable natural and healthy mouth bacteria to flourish while inhibiting the formation of plaque even at low concentrations has been demonstrated in extensive clinical trials.  It operates as an 'anti-biofilm' treatment, modifying the growth of the membrane of oral bacteria to prevent them from producing plaque.

Dentagen Aqua is supplied in a 250 ml bottle costing £6.80.  At the recommended dose of 5 ml per day, the bottle will provide 50 days' treatment for a cat or small dog.

In 2008, Genitrix launched the original Dentagen plaque protection system which consists of a unique RF2-impregnated wax provided to practices in a syringe to be applied to the gingival layer and the buccal area of teeth of dogs or cats at end of dental procedures.  Dog owners can then maintain the protective coating by giving their pet Dentagen plaque prevention chews.  The launch of Dentagen Aqua means that an equivalent solution is now available for cat owners or for dogs which don't eat chews.

With over 85% of dogs and cats over three years old suffering from some form of dental or gum disease, it's the most common health problem in these animals. The market for preventative dental healthcare supplements is estimated to be close to £1 million per annum.

Rob Watkins, Marketing Director at Genitrix, said:  "Dentagen exceeded our expectations during its first year and has proved popular with both vets and dog owners. Given the vital importance of good dental health for dogs and cats, it seemed the logical next step to produce a water additive version to make the treatment easier for cat owners in particular."

Bayer Animal Health has launched a free mobile app for pet owners, offering a bespoke parasite treatment reminder service, to help them follow their parasite protection plan prescribed by their vet.

The app was launched following a survey that found that 65% of pet owners do not regularly use parasite treatment products and are not certain that their pet is adequately protected against fleas, ticks, lice, mites and intestinal worms¹. In addition, 83% of owners do not realise full protection against parasites requires a combination of two or more treatment products, and 45% are not confident that they have the job under control².

The app allows owners to develop an on-going parasite protection plan in line with their veterinary prescription and receive automated reminders on treatment dates. In addition, the app allows users to set reminders for vaccination boosters, other vet appointments, and entering special dates like their pet's birthday or grooming appointments.

Once downloaded, users can create a pet profile to keep track of all their information in one place, including breed details, microchip number, weight, and date of birth of their dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets. A 'learn' section of the app is also available to provide owners with the general information about parasites and the risk they pose to pets and family members.

The Jungle for Pets app is initially available to download for iPhones and iPads, by searching 'Jungle for Pets' in the Apple App store or clicking here.

VetSurgeon downloaded the app to try it out. A very polished app which has the potential to be extremely useful for those of us that can't remember our own names, let alone when the dog is due to be wormed. Three problems we found, which will doubtless be ironed out in future updates: Firstly, whilst the app works on an iPad, it's sized for and looks better on an iPhone. Secondly, it demanded a photo of the dog for registration. Whilst that's easy enough to do with an iPhone, the app then froze when we tried. Perhaps it should be optional. Finally, whilst the app very usefully allows for reminders of non-Bayer products, it doesn't appear to allow the user to type in the name of the product, forcing it to be listed as 'other'. We suspect that anyone who can't remember treatment dates (probably most of us) also won't be able to remember what 'other' was, especially if there are more than one or two 'other' products.

References

1. Onepoll survey of 1,000 cat and dog owners in the UK, June 2012
2. Research commissioned by Opinion Matters - survey of 1,000 British cat and dog owners,  May 2012

Bluetree Group, a Type IIR surgical face mask manufacturer, has published the results of a survey it conducted in July which has found that 35% of pet owners would consider changing their vets if they didn’t think their face mask met the standard required. 

Interestingly, the survey of 2000 people found that men were 11% more likely than women to change their veterinary surgery if they didn't like the look of the masks. There were also geographical variations in the levels of concern about masks, with Londoners (48%) and people from the South West (46%), the North East (41%) and the West Midlands (41%) being most concerned.

Still, there is some consolation for any practice that is using sub standard masks: 78% of UK adults wouldn’t know how to tell if a face mask was fake.

However, 26% of respondents said they would ask their vet to prove their medical grade face mask meets the certified standard and 22% of pet owners said they would expect their vet to wear a medical grade face mask during routine checkups for the foreseeable future.

James Kinsella, Director at Bluetree Group, said: “During such an unprecedented time, it’s no surprise that people are worried about the use of face masks. It is clear that the public has strong feelings about the quality of face masks in practices, with a third of pet owners saying they are worried about the standard of their vet’s face mask. It’s encouraging to see that where expectations are not met, people will seek an alternative.

"The majority of people admit they would not be able to identify a fake face mask, however it is encouraging that a third of those we spoke to would have the confidence to take action and change their vet if they didn’t think their face mask was up to standard."

For more information on Bluetree Group’s face masks, visit: https://bluetreemaskbox.co.uk.

Pfizer Animal Health and Central Veterinary Services are collaborating in a new venture to create a unified National Benchmarking Database open to all veterinary practices.

In what it says is an unprecedented move, Pfizer will integrate 15 years' worth of data from its Performance Index practice benchmarking service (formerly known as the Fort Dodge Index) with that of the Central Veterinary Services' Management Analysis Indices (MAI). These two benchmarking services have been in co-existence for a number of years, each using different databases. Combining the data from the participating practices within each benchmarking service will create a database of almost 300 practices, representing in excess of 10% of all UK companion animal and mixed practices. This, says the company, will provide a more accurate and relevant benchmarking of UK companion animal practice performance. 

The first combined reports from this new National Database will be available in May providing a comprehensive analysis for the first quarter of 2012. For Performance Index practices, this will be available via a new web portal.

Participating practices will continue to access their reports and services independently via their respective portals for PI and MAI, but will benefit from the larger database providing greater accuracy, granularity and relevance of exactly who a practice chooses to benchmark itself against. This, in turn, should provide all participating practices with an even better understanding of both their critical success factors and where there are clear opportunities for growth. Pfizer says that as ever, practice data confidentiality will be guaranteed for all subscribing practices.

Ned Flaxman, Director Business Innovation, at Pfizer Animal Health said: "We have recognised that what veterinary practices really need is to be far more specific about who they benchmark themselves against. There is little relevance to a rural mixed practice in the Lake District employing 3 full time vets (FTVE) benchmarking themselves against a large 5 FTVE companion animal practice in the centre of Manchester - you are comparing apples and pears! My vision for creating the National Database was really to increase the business benefits of practice benchmarking and enable practices to compare apples with apples. With the new system, the large urban practice in Manchester should be able to compare its performance against other urban practices in the North of England employing 5FTVE!

"To ensure practices have accurate and relevant data from which to make informed decisions to grow and thrive in these turbulent conditions, the creation of a single national benchmarking database is the only sensible solution. Although we are effectively levelling the playing field by enabling other veterinary suppliers to offer benchmarking, we believe it is the right thing to do for veterinary practices and the market as a whole. For Pfizer Animal Health, the needs of our veterinary clients are the driving force for our business decisions, veterinary support services and product development."

Martin Barrow, Managing Director of Central Veterinary Services said: "We fully agree that a single benchmarking database is the right solution for the market. The creation of this National Database, open to all practices irrespective of their supplier, will provide the participants with unique tools to give them powerful insights for their practices' future continued success.

"MAI and the Performance Index have competed with each other for years and provided a very useful added value service for their respective subscribers but when we were approached to integrate the two databases, we immediately saw the bigger picture and recognised the significant benefits this could bring to a wider audience of UK veterinary practices.

"The national database uses open standards for data collection and data is accepted from all practices irrespective of which practice management system they use. We believe it is the right thing to do for veterinary practices and brings significant benefits to the whole veterinary profession."

Practices are urged to subscribe to the PI or MAI services either independently or through one of their practice development partners. Although run from a common database each service will continue to be provided with its own unique features. 

For further information on Performance Index practices should contact their Pfizer Account Manager, email Pfizer at Vetsupportplusuk@pfizer.com.

For further information on MAI, practices should contact Central Veterinary Services at mai@centralvet.com, or telephone 01359 245310

The University of Liverpool's School of Veterinary Science has announced the introduction of a new curriculum designed to enhance undergraduate veterinary teaching and learning.

The University says that the curriculum, which was developed in consultation with staff, current and past students, and other key stakeholders, will provide world-leading clinical training, underpinned with the latest scientific knowledge.

The review also explored new ways of teaching in order to reduce the number of lectures in favour of more dynamic forms of training, such as 'scenario' sessions where students work in groups to tackle clinical problems.

Dr Alex German, programme director for the new curriculum, said: "Instead of a modular format, where subjects are taught in self-contained units, we now integrate subjects throughout the degree programme so that students can seamlessly connect what they have learnt to what they are practising.

"Pre-clinical subjects are taught early on, but then revisited during the later stages of the course to ensure that clinical knowledge is based on sound physiological and pathophysiological principles."

Fundamental research skills, such as basic statistics and scientific writing, are taught in the early years, and then reinforced when students undertake a full honours-degree-equivalent research project in their third year.

Evidence-based veterinary medicine principles also underpin all clinical subjects, enabling undergraduates to review clinical evidence critically, and appraise new data as it emerges.

The most significant changes, however, focus on the teaching of clinical skills, which is now taught throughout the five-year programme. To support this, the School has appointed a number of new lecturers specifically to teach clinical skills, and opened new purpose-built teaching laboratories.

Teaching includes the use of models such as a cattle obstetric simulator, a life-size model of a horse with foam pads for practising injections, and a 'Lambinator' for lambing practise.  Many of the models have been designed and built by the new lecturers.

A 'cow laboratory' has also been developed to provide an area for self-directed teaching where students can practise skills such as, haltering and casting a cow, learning how to cast a calf's leg, and perform rectal examination with the use of 'Betsy', the in-house reproductive tract simulator (pictured right).

Alison Reid, clinical skills lecturer, said: "When I qualified ten years ago, I could not confidently perform some of the skills we are now teaching our first year students and I remember how unnerving that was when I first entered practice.  

"If we can take away the difficulty associated with performing unfamiliar manual skills under pressure, we will be improving the lives of our graduates, their colleagues and their patients."

The RCVS has launched a consultation about Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, which defines what acts of veterinary surgery can be performed by veterinary nurses.

For veterinary nurses, Schedule 3 is arguably one of the most important aspects of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, partly defining what it means to be a nurse, and defining what tasks veterinary surgeons can reasonably delegate. 

Thus far, however, Schedule 3 has only been loosely defined, allowing for veterinary nurses to (under the direction of their veterinary surgeon employer) 'give medical treatment or carry out acts of minor surgery, not involving entry into a body cavity'.

There is evidence from the RCVS/BVNA VN Futures project that uncertainty about what this definition actually means in practice has stopped veterinary surgeons from delegating tasks which could both improve practice efficiency and make the role of the veterinary nurse more interesting, varied and rewarding. 

The consultation - and the broader review of Schedule 3 of which it forms a part - aims to create a 'clarified and bolstered VN role via a reformed Schedule 3'.

Liz Cox, Chair of both the Schedule 3 Working Party and VN Council, said: "The future of veterinary nursing is both challenging and exciting, with the convergence of such factors as Brexit, the development of new technologies, and the increasing specialisation of veterinary surgeons, and we would very much like to know how you think the role of veterinary nurse will evolve.

"In light of this we very much encourage all veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons to complete this consultation. Evidence gathered during the initial stage of the VN Futures project suggested that there is some uncertainty around the interpretation of Schedule 3 in clinical practice. For example, many veterinary nurses do not undertake Schedule 3 work or are uncertain as to whether they do, while some veterinary surgeons are reluctant to delegate Schedule 3 tasks to veterinary nurses.

"With this survey we hope to get a better steer on how Schedule 3 is used and interpreted in practice on a day-to-day basis and gather views on where both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses feel the current legislation could be clarified. Furthermore, we also want to know if there are areas of practice that are currently prohibited to nurses under current Schedule 3 arrangements that the professions believe could be opened up to veterinary nurses as a means of bolstering the profession."

Liz Cox and David Catlow MRCVS, Chair of the Standards Committee, will also be presenting a webinar on Thursday 11 May from 1pm to 2pm titled ‘The Art of Delegation – Schedule 3 Consultation’. It will focus on Schedule 3 and the role of the veterinary nurse, and explore possible areas to consider when responding to the consultation. To subscribe to the webinar, please visit The Webinar Vet’s website: www.thewebinarvet.com/webinar/art-delegation-schedule-3-consultation/

All eligible veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons have been emailed with a link to survey.

Further information about the VN Futures project can be found at www.vetfutures.org.uk/vnfutures

The British Veterinary Dental Association (BVDA) has signed a new agreement with Hill's Pet Nutrition which will provide support for the next three years. 

The agreement comes after the previous period of sponsorship between the company and the BVDA reached the end of the three year term.

Lisa Milella, President, signed the agreement on behalf of the BVDA. She said: "Hill's has provided our organisation with invaluable support that will help us to continue to support the teaching needs of vets, undergraduates and nurses. We will also be able to ensure that dentistry is front of mind when thinking about the health and welfare of animals. Hill's has been a pleasure to work with over the last three years and I am very pleased to be renewing our agreement."

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's Pet Nutrition also welcomed the agreement, "Dentistry is an important source of revenue for practices and central to the wellbeing of pets. Both are priority areas where Hill's will be offering support, particularly during the current economic downturn. We are therefore very pleased to be able to confirm our association with the BVDA."

The agreement comes as the BVDA prepares to celebrate its 21^st Birthday at BSAVA Congress in April. The satellite day event on the 1^st April promises to be a 'must' for anyone interested in veterinary dentistry, with state of the art lectures that will illustrate how far the craft of dentistry has developed in the last 21 years.   

The key note lecture, 'Magical MTA!*' will be delivered by Phil Thomson, Registrar at Birmingham Dental School, using a video linked operating microscope to illustrate how this gold standard endodontic treatment can be implemented. Additional lectures include oro-facial tumours, reconstructive surgery, radiotherapy and an active debate is promised on the topic of feline chronic gingivostomatitis. The meeting is open to members and non-members. Further details and registration are available by contacting Lisa Milella on telephone 01923 349690 or at lisa@milella.fsnet.co.uk.

*Mineral Trioxide Aggregate - MTA - a root canal repair material that allows natural healing and repair of dental tissues of otherwise unsalvageable teeth.

Vets4Pets has launched Project Listen, a survey to find out what challenges, motivations and experiences veterinary surgeons face every day, and what the company might to do lead positive change in the sector. 

The findings will be published in a freely-available and independently-authored report.

Jane Balmain, Chief Operating Officer at Vets4Pets (pictured right), said: “The last 18 months have been indescribably tough for everyone, not least the veterinary practice teams. Soaring levels of pet ownership coupled with recruitment challenges have meant that an already-stretched profession has been almost brought to its knees.

"As a profession, you’ve always put pets first. But now it’s time to also concentrate on you - the vets, nurses and support teams that make up our beloved sector. We want to hear how you’re feeling and give you the power to help us make change.

“By launching this sector-wide survey, we’re kick-starting a vital conversation to protect the wellbeing of vet teams and the future of the profession. We believe that, by sharing experiences openly and honestly from all corners of the sector, we can come together to bring about the much-needed changes to ensure it remains an attractive, long-term career option.”

The survey, which runs until 16th November 2021, can be completed at www.projectlisten.co.uk. Respondents will remain anonymous and no data will be collected via the survey.

Elanco Animal Health, maker of Advocate, is highlighting a new study which found that in a group of dogs naturally infected by Angiostronglyus vasorum, 36.1% were clinically asymptomatic and apparently healthy.¹ 

This, says the company, suggests that infection could be more common among seemingly healthy dogs than vets or owners realise, which may mean there is a greater risk of perioperative bleeding caused by the coagulopathies associated with A. vasorum² than previously thought.

Elanco says another recent study indicates that there may be a bigger environmental risk for dogs than previously thought, too.

In the study, by Robbins et al, L3 larvae of A. vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis arising from the gastropod intermediate host were found to be immediately infective to dogs and remain so for up to eight weeks, meaning that dogs may only need to lick the molluscs’ slime to be at risk of infection.³ 

Elanco says this new data means A.vasorum should be added to many differential diagnosis lists, and that pre-operative testing could also be wise.

Jenny Helm, BVMS Cert SAM Dip-ECVIM CA FHEA MRCVS, European Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine, said: “Owners need to be aware that healthy dogs could be silently carrying and spreading the disease and that asymptomatic carriers could develop clinical signs at any time.

"They need to be aware that dogs don’t necessarily have to eat slugs and snails to become infected, as recent evidence suggest that other routes of transmission are possible.”
 
To improve data on the prevalence of lungworm, Elanco has developed a version of its lungworm map specifically for veterinary surgeons, where you are invited to upload your cases (including asymptomatic positive cases: www.lungwormmap-vet.co.uk.

For those practices which want to run lungworm awareness campaigns in their area, Elanco has a how-to guide, posters and artwork available to download at www.myelanco.co.uk.

References

1. Colombo, M., Traversa, D., Grillotti, E., Pezzuto, C., De Tommaso, C., Pampurini, F., Schaper, R., Drake, J., Crisi, P.E., Russi, I. and Ripamonti, M., 2021. Highly Variable Clinical Pictures in Dogs Naturally Infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum. Pathogens, 10(11), p.1372.
2. ESCCAP (2021). Worm Control in Dogs and Cats [ESCCAP Guideline 01 Sixth Edition]. Available https://www.esccap.org/uploads/docs/oc1bt50t_0778_ESCCAP_GL1_v15_1p.pdf  (last accessed 18th May).
3. Robbins, W., et al. (2021) ‘Infectivity of gastropod-shed third-stage larvae of Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis to dogs.’ Parasites Vectors 14:307)