Kruuse has announced that it has become the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Pulse Veterinary Technologies LLC shockwave systems, including the Versatron, Versatron 4paws and Equitron.
Shockwave therapy, otherwise known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), uses a high-energy sound wave that rapidly increases pressure as it travels through tissue. It is a non-invasive modality used to stimulate healing particularly in ligament, tendon or boney structures.
Andrew Groom, Managing Director, Kruuse UK Ltd said: "This agreement widens the Kruuse equine and small animal capital equipment profile within the UK and Ireland; increasing the range of technologies available to the veterinary practitioner , whilst providing aftercare support of existing shockwave users".
Eric Goorno , Chief Executive Officer, Pulse Veterinary Technologies LLC said: "This exciting partnership will further enhance our presence within the veterinary industry and allow Kruuse UK to bring leading edge technology to its customers, building upon its strong relationships within veterinary practices".
Finding and settling into that first job is a particularly challenging time for a veterinary surgeon. Not only do you need to adapt to the practice environment and fit in with colleagues, but also gain a fast understanding of what's expected clinically, professionally, ethically and academically.
Recently retired after a 40-year career in practice, Clare is very well placed to give new grads useful advice. She's had six year's experience in mixed practice and 34 in small animal practice, both as an employee and an employer. She co-owned a small animal practice in Yorkshire which she developed with her veterinary partner from one surgery to a small animal hospital with four surrounding branch practices employing many vets and nurses over the years. She also spent 8 years on RCVS Council, giving her a deeper insight to the complexities of the wider profession.
What is perhaps a tad more unusual is that she writes from the perspective of someone who feels she has nothing to lose by being completely open and candid about her experiences.
Clare said: "I've really enjoyed my career and been fortunate enough to be able to balance it with family life, practice ownership and time on Council. But it hasn't always been easy. There are things I think I could have done better, and like everyone I've made some mistakes. I hope that by being open about these things, I might prevent others falling into the same traps.
The New Vet's Handbook covers employment options, interviews, mentoring, working with clients, patients and colleagues, consulting advice, dealing with euthanasia, record-keeping, veterinary standards, training and CPD, career options, professional skills and avoiding common pitfalls.
Clare added: "Although the purpose of the book is to help new grads settle in, especially those in smaller practices where a mentor may not always be readily available, I hope people will find it a funny, enjoyable read too."
The New Vet’s Handbook is available from 5m, priced at £24.95: http://www.5mbooks.com/the-new-vet-s-handbook-information-and-advice-for-veterinary-graduates.html
Mr Gove ministerial statement followed the brouhaha last week when MP's voted against transferring the EU protocol on animal sentience into UK law.
However, Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith said in a tweet that the vote had not been about whether or not MPs recognise animals as sentient, but about the best legal framework within which to deliver high standards of animal welfare. Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch also weighed in, saying that the idea that MPs had voted against animals as sentient beings was 'fake news'.
Mr Gove's ministerial statement reads as follows:
"This Government is committed to the very highest standards of animal welfare. As the Prime Minister has set out, we will make the United Kingdom a world leader in the care and protection of animals.
It has been suggested that the vote last week on New Clause 30 of the EU Withdrawal Bill somehow signalled a weakening in the protection of animals - that is wrong. Voting against the amendment was not a vote against the idea that animals are sentient and feel pain - that is a misconception.
Ministers explained on the floor of the house that this Government’s policies on animal welfare are driven by our recognition that animals are indeed sentient beings and we are acting energetically to reduce the risk of harm to animals – whether on farms or in the wild. The vote against New Clause 30 was the rejection of a faulty amendment, which would not have achieved its stated aims of providing appropriate protection for animals.
The Prime Minister has made clear that we will strengthen our animal welfare rules. This government will ensure that any necessary changes required to UK law are made in a rigorous and comprehensive way to ensure animal sentience is recognised after we leave the EU. The Withdrawal Bill is not the right place to address this, however we are considering the right legislative vehicle.
We are already proposing primary legislation to increase maximum sentences for animal cruelty from six months to five years, and the creation of a new statutory, independent body to uphold environmental standards.
The current EU instrument – Article 13 – has not delivered the progress we want to see. It does not have direct effect in law – in practice its effect is very unclear and it has failed to prevent practices across the EU which are cruel and painful to animals.
In contrast, here in the UK, we are improving animal welfare standards without EU input and beyond the scope of Article 13. We are making CCTV mandatory in all slaughterhouses – a requirement which goes above and beyond any EU rule. We will consult on draft legislation to jail animal abusers for up to five years – more than almost every other European nation. We propose combatting elephant poaching with a ban on the ivory trade which is more comprehensive than anywhere else in Europe. Our ban on microbeads which harm marine animals has been welcomed by Greenpeace as “the strongest in the world”, and is certainly the strongest in Europe.
Once we have left the EU there is even more we could do. EU rules prevent us from restricting or banning the live export of animals for slaughter. EU rules also restrict us from cracking down on puppy smuggling or banning the import of puppies under 6 months. Article 13 has not stopped any of these practices – but leaving the EU gives us the chance to do much better. We hope to say more in these areas next year.
This government will continue to promote and enhance animal welfare, both now and after we have left the EU."
Photo: Curious cattle on farmland in Cornwall UK. Shzphoto/Shutterstock
Vetsonic has launched Otimectin vet, an ivermectin-based topical preparation for the treatment of Otodectes cynotis infections in cats.
The new product offers a once-weekly dosing alternative to traditional ear mite treatments, which commonly require twice daily administration over 7 to 21 days.
Presented as a gel in a 10g tube complete with application spout, Otimectin vet is a 1 mg/g ivermectin preparation. It does not contain an antibiotic or steroids.
Methadyne can be administered for analgesia of moderate to severe pain in dogs and cats, to provide neuroleptanalgesia in combination with a neuroleptic drug and as part of a patient’s premedication protocol prior to general anaesthesia.
The new presentation will now be available alongside the 10ml vial to give greater flexibility and to help reduce drug wastage and streamline controlled drug stock management.
Jurox says Methadyne has proven compatibility when combined in the same syringe with other aqueous solutions for injection containing acepromazine as maleate and medetomidine and dexmedetomidine as hydrochlorides.
Methadyne has a shelf life of 24 months unbroached, and 28 days broached. After broaching, the bung can be punctured to draw up a dose of methadone as many times as required in 28 days.
Dan Cripwell MRCVS, senior veterinary technical advisor at Jurox (UK) Limited, said: “I am delighted that Jurox can provide the UK veterinary market with this evolution in our multidose methadone formulation, which is now available in both 5ml and 10ml vials.
"We constantly strive to provide the veterinary profession with first class clinical and technical support and, in this instance, we were able to assess what improvements could be made to our existing drug portfolio and respond to the profession’s feedback to help reduce wastage of controlled drugs when they are needed in smaller volume."
For further information, contact your local Jurox account manager, phone 0800 500 3171, visit www.jurox.com/uk or email customerservice@jurox.co.uk.
Abbott Animal Health has announced the launch PropoFlo Plus, a 28-day preserved version of propofol intravenous anaesthetic for use in dogs and cats.
PropoFlo Plus contains benzyl alcohol, an antimicrobial preservative that provides it with a shelf life of 28 days, once opened. PropoFlo Plus is indicated for therapeutic use as a short-acting, intravenous general anaesthetic with a short recovery period. PropoFlo Plus can be used for procedures of a short duration, lasting up to approximately five minutes, and for induction of general anaesthesia where maintenance is provided by inhalation anaesthetic agents. Abbott says the extended shelf life of PropoFlo Plus provides an option for practices that may not routinely use an entire bottle of unpreserved propofol.
Jeff Schaffnit, Senior Director of Global Sales, Marketing and Business Development, Abbott Animal Health said: "Many veterinary surgeons are rightfully concerned about ways to save on costs and reduce waste in their practices, including anaesthetic waste. PropoFlo Plus is designed to minimise waste while providing veterinary surgeons with the confidence of using a familiar, trusted anaesthetic."
Abbott says that in addition to an extended shelf life, PropoFlo Plus provides the same established performance of PropoFlo, including:
The company also claims that studies show administering PropoFlo Plus results in no pain on injection.
PropoFlo Plus is available now through veterinary wholesalers. Abbott says it will be providing expert product support for PropoFlo Plus through local representatives, anaesthesia consultants and training tools for staff.
The new ingredients include pomegranate, which Virbac says helps clean and control dental plaque1,2,3, Inulin to balance intestinal microflora and reduce foul smelling intestinal gas emissions4,5, and Erythritol to freshen breath with a cooling and anti-plaque effect6,7.
Dan Johnson, Product Manager at Virbac, said: "Bad breath is a common complaint by pet owners8, but some pets do not accept any brushing, especially cats, so Vet Aquadent FR3SH is an easy way to help control bad breath and plaque at home
"The benefit of water additives as part of passive homecare is already recognised by the WSAVA Dental Guidelines, meaning Vet Aquadent FR3SH plays a trusted and proven role in any proactive dental care routine".
For information, contact your Virbac Territory Manager.
References
MWI Animal Health, a part of AmerisourceBergen, has announced the acquisition of St. Francis Group, the UK’s largest animal health buying group.
The acquisition of St. Francis Group highlights AmerisourceBergen and MWI’s continued global expansion in the animal health sector, while also positioning MWI to better support the viability of independent veterinary practices internationally.
St. Francis Group, which represents more than 460 member practices throughout the UK and Northern Ireland, has steadily grown its member base and service offerings. The company aims to save its members time and money on veterinary products by providing information, technology and support that simplifies their processes, maximises purchasing benefits and reduces administration so members can focus on clinical care.
James F. Cleary, Jr., Executive Vice President and President, MWI Animal Health said: "At MWI, we’re focused on providing independent veterinary practices with the tools and resources they need to thrive in a competitive animal health marketplace. St. Francis Group is dedicated to this same mission and we believe that adding the resources of AmerisourceBergen to their existing expertise and tools will further strengthen the impact they’re able to create for their members."
Alan White, Managing Director, St. Francis Group, said: "We’re proud of the work we’ve done to encourage the health and viability of our member practices. We look forward to working with MWI and AmerisourceBergen to further expand our capabilities with the goal of providing even greater value to current and future members of St. Francis Group."
AmerisourceBergen completed its acquisition of MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. in February of 2015. MWI completed the acquisition of Vetswest Limited, a leading veterinary support services provider in the UK in August of 2015.
MWI says that through the acquisition, St. Francis Group will continue to negotiate with manufacturers based their ability to best meet member needs and purchase products from preferred wholesaler partners.
For more information about MWI Animal Health, visit www.mwianimalhealth.com.
If, as is predicted, social distancing methods need to be employed to reduce the spread of the virus, or clients find themselves having to self-isolate, video consultations may offer a way in which veterinary practices can continue to serve their clients, maintain animal welfare and, importantly, revenue.
VetHelpDirect's video consultation system, which was announced earlier this year, is still in the Beta testing phase, and the plan had been to roll out the full service in May.
Under the circumstances, however, the company has decided to offer the service to all practices immediately, free of charge for the next three months.
To use the video consultation service, you do need to subscribe to use VetHelpDirect, a service through which you can manage client reviews of your practice. That costs £38 per month, per practice and a further £16 for branch practices.
Susie Samuel, CEO of VetHelpDirect said: “The Coronavirus presents a very real business risk to veterinary practices and a health risk to staff.
"As cases increase, animal owners in quarantine will not be able to visit the vet when their animals become unwell. In these cases, veterinary practitioners will not be able to discuss an animal’s symptoms with their owner in person and could end up relying solely on telephone consultations which would most likely be conducted free of charge.
"Our video platform allows vets to collect payment for a consultation as usual, hold the consultation with the animal’s owner and if a pet needs to be seen, the owner could, in theory, drop it off at the surgery without making personal contact with the vet clinic staff."
VetHelpDirect has not yet decided precisely what the video consultation service will cost after the free period, but it is likely to be around the £20 per month mark. In addition, there is a 4.8% transaction fee.
For more information, contact Susie Samuel susie@vethelpdirect.com
COMMENTDespite the emergence of a number of online-only, limited-service veterinary video consultation providers, it seems like very few, if any independent practices are yet offering this service. There is a danger that unless they do so very soon, they will find themselves at a real disadvantage to the first movers. But there is still time; according to VetHelpDirect's research, 38% of people say they would use video consultations with their own vet but only 7% with a vet they don't know..
It strikes me that now is a very good moment to start offering clients this kind of service, because regardless of government advice, there will doubtless be some who will want to avoid a trip to the vets whilst the outbreak persists.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has launched PropoClear, a short-acting, intravenous general anaesthetic for dogs and cats.
The company believes that PropoClear, based on novel lipid-free micro-emulsion technology, will deliver significant clinical benefits over conventional lipid-based propofol emulsions, and will also deliver increased cost-effectiveness and convenience to practices.
PropoClear is indicated for use as a short-acting general anaesthetic for procedures lasting up to five minutes. It is also indicated for the induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia using incremental doses and for the induction of anaesthesia where maintenance is provided by inhalation.
According to Fort Dodge, PropoClear's unique lipid-free, nano-emulsion formulation and its inclusion of antimicrobial preservatives provide the following key benefits to practices:
Dr Jo Murrell, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Division of Companion Animals, the University of Bristol, said: "With currently available lipid-based propofol formulations unused drug should be discarded immediately once the vial has been opened leading to drug wastage or the potential for bacterial contamination of the remaining solution if this regulation is ignored. The new lipid-free propofol formulation, which also contains antimicrobial preservatives, overcomes this limitation and will provide significant clinical benefits in terms of the 28 day shelf life once broached."
Matthew Rowe, Marketing Manager for Companion Animals at Fort Dodge, said: "In developing PropoClear, it was our goal to deliver an anaesthetic product with the same proven efficacy as the existing solution but which offered significant benefits in terms of enhanced safety, cost and convenience.
"PropoClear contains the same concentration of the established active molecule and follows familiar guide dose protocols to ensure ease of use. We have been encouraged by the positive feedback received during product trials and believe the significant advantages its offers, both clinically and financially, to practices in challenging times, will ensure its rapid adoption by veterinary practices across the UK."
Pawz Ltd, a UK company founded by Diwaker Singh, Radu Georgescu and Francesco Cardoletti has launched PawSquad, a new on-demand veterinary video consultation service for pet owners.
The service offers pet owners a 15 minute online consultation with a veterinary surgeon for £15, any time from 6:00am to midnight, seven days a week.
PawSquad points out that the service cannot offer a diagnosis - apart from the fact that it would be contrary to the CoPC, it's obviously not possible without a physical exam - so the service is designed to offer more general health advice concerning such things as behaviour, nutrition and the management of long-term, non-emergency conditions.
Andrew Francis BVSc CertVC, DipECVIM-CA MRCVS ex-Head of Cardiology at Anderson Moores Veterinary Referrals is the company's Chief Veterinary Officer, sitting alongside Andrew Ash MRCVS (the BSAVA Past Pres). Andrew #1 said: "Currently, pet owners have only two options when they need advice about their pets' health and welfare. They either take time out of busy schedules to visit the vet or, when a visit to the vet is not possible they search the Internet for non professional and frequently unreliable information."
Francesco Cardoletti said: "It’s important to understand that PawSquad is a supplementary service – it’s not replacing traditional veterinary services.There are limits to the services you can digitally provide. If an animal is seriously ill, it needs to get to a bricks and mortar veterinary clinic and be examined by a vet."
Eleanor Ferguson, Head of Professional Conduct at the RCVS said: "We have had a discussion with Pawsquad and understand that the aim of its service is to increase accessibility to veterinary advice, which can only be a good thing as a large percentage of animal owners are not registered with a veterinary surgeon.
“We understand that the veterinary surgeons involved will not be giving detailed clinical advice but will be limited to offering general advice on areas such as puppy care, nutrition, allergies and pet passports.
“We also recommended to Pawsquad that their veterinary surgeons should take care to point out the limitations of their advice, given no physical examination has taken place, and suggest that owners takes their pets to a veterinary practice where that is appropriate.
“The issue of telemedicine has come up often during the joint RCVS/BVA Vet Futures project and is a topic that the Standards Committee, which looks after the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, is currently considering in more depth, with an evidence-gathering process due next year.”
I tried out the new service with a question about my dog's slightly worrying habit of growling at one of my children. It was a question which we had not thus far raised with our normal vet because it hadn't been enough of a concern at the last consultation. But it seems to be getting slightly worse, and my wife and I had recently talked about getting advice. It seemed like just the sort of situation where an informal chat with a vet could be helpful.
Completing the preconsultation details was a breeze, slowed only by the need to shove the dog on a set of scales (I didn't know what she weighs, and it's needed for the consultation). Thereafter, only one hiccup when it transpired that Safari, the browser I was using, is incompatible. I switched to Chrome, which is.
The consultation itself was excellent. Within a few seconds, the very charming Angie Henderson MRCVS appeared on my screen. It transpired I was her very first consultation since the service was launched yesterday! We discussed the problem. She reassured me that one of the things I was doing (getting the child to feed the dog under supervision) was a good idea, and we discussed a number of other positive reinforcement strategies to try and improve our dog's behaviour. She explained that she wasn't one for certain types of negative reinforcement, but that using a spray bottle of water when the dog behaved inappropriately could help. She explained that we would need to do these things several times a day for them to have an effect, and even then it may take some considerable time, and may need the services of a behaviourist. She also reassured me that the dog would be unlikely to do anything worse than nip, whilst stressing that even a nip is very upsetting for a child, so it does need to be dealt with.
All in all, I came away reassured, with some very useful suggestions and a clear idea of what we need to do. £15 very well spent. I gather that I should also have received a written post-consultation report by email, which didn't arrive because of some technical glitch. But that's slightly by-the-by; the icing on the cake.
I can also see the service would be very useful as a sort of out-of-hours triage, in other words offering me the ability to have a "my-dog-has-just-eaten-three-kilos-of-Green-and-Blacks-what-next-consultation?" at 11:00pm at night.
If the service proves popular amongst pet owners, the question remains whether it will reduce the number of people seeking and paying for traditional consultations. I suspect not. Perhaps the reverse will happen as pet owners use the system to corroborate their feeling that the dog might need a physical exam. As part of the service and with your permission, PawSquad forwards a copy of the consultation report to your normal vet.
Again if the service proves popular, it seems to offer the potential for a nice additional income stream for veterinary surgeons, especially locums, which can be earned in the hours you specify, from the comfort of your home. PawSquad says it pays vets between £12-£32 per hour; equivalent to £60K per annum. Whilst the company doesn't directly employ vets, it will provide liability insurance provided by the VDS.
PawSquad says it also plans to recruit veterinary nurses later in the year, to offer advice to new pet owners on nutrition, behaviour and the environment.
The individual, referred to as Mrs D throughout the hearing and who was granted anonymity by the Committee on grounds relating to her health, faced three charges against her.
The first charge was that she posted the tweets from her Twitter/X account.
The second charge was that in a number of tweets (Schedule 1 below), she falsely stated or implied that she was a veterinary surgeon, and that, in some tweets, while falsely holding herself out to be a veterinary surgeon, she used language that was offensive and/or unprofessional.
The third charge was that in a number of tweets (Schedule 2 below) she made statements that were offensive, discriminatory and brought the veterinary professions into disrepute.
At the outset of the hearing Mrs D admitted all the facts of the charges against her, and also admitted that her conduct amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional capacity.
The Committee considered that there were a number of aggravating factors in Mrs D’s behaviour, including a lack of probity and integrity, as well as dishonesty, in holding herself out as a veterinary surgeon.
Her conduct was also premeditated and took place over a lengthy period of time, involved abuse of her position, and demonstrated discriminatory behaviour, as a large number of her tweets were highly offensive towards various minority groups.
In mitigation, the Committee heard from the respondent that she had a number of difficulties in her personal life which led to inappropriate use of social media, though she did not suggest these factors excused her behaviour.
The Committee also considered that Mrs D had a long and previously unblemished career of 15 or so years, had made early admissions (albeit she had initially denied being responsible for the tweets) and shown considerable remorse.
However, in terms of the sanction, the Committee considered that removal from the Register was the most proportionate sanction it could impose.
Paul Morris, who chaired the Committee and spoke on its behalf, said: “For a registered veterinary nurse to pretend to be a veterinary surgeon on a public platform is itself an extremely serious matter.
"When that presentation is associated with the highly offensive language of the tweets in this case, extending over a period of years, the conduct is in the view of the Committee fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.
“The Committee has concluded that removal from the register is the only sanction which is sufficient to satisfy the public interest in maintaining proper standards of behaviour for registered veterinary practitioners and public confidence in the profession and its regulation.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The Tweets
Schedule 1
Schedule 2
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has dismissed a case against a Southampton veterinary surgeon after finding him not guilty of serious professional misconduct, saying at all times that he acted in the best interests of a dog under his care.
At the start of the five-day hearing, the charges against Edward Gillams MRCVS were that, whilst in practice at Vets Now in Southampton in 2011, he discharged a dog that he knew or ought to have known was in no fit state to be discharged, and, at the same time, failed to provide adequate advice and information to the dog's owners, particularly with regard to an alternative plan to discharge and treatment options.
The dog, an Italian Spinone called Zola, had first been taken to the Vets4Pets veterinary clinic in Southampton at 4.30pm on 2 November 2011, where gastric torsion was diagnosed. During a subsequent gastrotomy, 3kg of sausages and plastic wrappings were removed. Zola was discharged three days later, with a guarded prognosis from the operating veterinary surgeon. Zola's condition deteriorated that same evening, so his owners called the Vets4Pets practice and were referred to their out-of-hours provider, Vets Now, where Mr Gillams was on duty. On admitting Zola, the only information available to Mr Gillams was what the dog's owners were able to tell him.
The Committee heard differing witness accounts from the dog's owners and from Mr Gillams regarding what tests and examinations were to be performed, and what advice and options were suggested. Ultimately, Zola was hospitalised overnight (despite some reluctance for this from one of his owners), given pain relief and antibiotics and placed on a drip; he was then to be collected by his owners first thing for transfer back to Vets4Pets. The next morning, Zola was described as 'sternally recumbent but responsive', holding his head up but not moving and not making any attempt to get up. Mr Gillams carried Zola to his owner's car for transport back to the Vets4Pets practice. He considered that he had discharged his duty to provide advice, as this was given the night before and in the circumstances prevailing in the morning there was no obligation to repeat this. Zola died on the journey between the two practices.
Before reaching a decision, the Committee considered, in detail, the expert evidence of witnesses for both the College and Mr Gillams, which provided some conflicting views on Mr Gillams' actions. It also referred to the RCVS guidance available to Mr Gillams at the time through the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct 2010.
The Committee noted that both experts agreed that Mr Gillams could not have known Zola was about to die when he discharged him and that it was a difficult decision for Mr Gillams to make, but expressed differing views about the fitness of the dog to be discharged and whether it was in its best interests to be discharged. The Committee rejected the contention that Mr Gillams ought to have known that Zola was not fit to be discharged, and instead considered appropriate his decision to discharge him into the care of his original veterinary surgeon. It felt that continuity of care would actually be better maintained in this manner, rather than a third veterinary surgeon taking over the case.
Regarding provision of adequate advice, the Committee accepted Mr Gillams' evidence that he was frustrated that the owners refused him permission to undertake the diagnostic work necessary to treat Zola effectively, and that he had no other clinical information to work with.
Chairing and speaking on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, its Vice-Chairman, Ms Judith Webb, said: "The Committee expresses its sincere condolences to [the owners] for the loss of their much loved family pet Zola and recognises that this loss caused the family great distress."
Ms Webb added: "The Committee accepts that [Mr Gillams] discharged his obligations to Zola and to [his owners] in a manner wholly consistent with the standards of a competent veterinary surgeon in difficult circumstances. He leaves with no stain on his character or professional ability."
The full detail of the Committee's decision is available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
ISFM points to an editorial published ten years ago in The Lancet (Hypertension: uncontrolled and conquering the world), which presented alarming facts about hypertension in people: the risk of becoming hypertensive during a lifetime exceeds 90% for people in developed countries, with over 1.5 billion adults expected to have hypertension by 2025. It also said: 'screening is not done systematically, and the diagnosis is often made at a late stage when target organ damage has already happened'.
The Society says there are broadly similar concerns in our feline companions. Hypertension is a well-recognised condition in older cats, yet probably remains significantly underdiagnosed. The consequences can be severe, with target organ damage typically affecting the eyes, heart, brain and kidneys. Some damage, such as blindness resulting from complete retinal detachment, is irreversible. Other damage, however, is more amenable to antihypertensive treatment, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. However, this presents challenges, particularly as routine blood pressure monitoring is generally performed infrequently in cats. Furthermore, cats are notoriously susceptible to stress in the veterinary clinic, which can lead to 'white coat hypertension' and hamper interpretation of results.
The new ISFM consensus guidelines are published in its Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery1. The recommendations are those of an expert panel of veterinary clinicians and academics gathered from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France and the USA, and cover several key areas. They include: how often to monitor blood pressure for cats of different ages and health status; when antihypertensive therapy is justified based on different systolic blood pressure readings and evidence of target organ damage; and what an investigation of hypertensive cats should include.
Samantha Taylor, a specialist in feline medicine and one of the co-chairs of the guidelines panel, said: "Well-illustrated and easy to read, it is hoped that these guidelines will encourage more widespread monitoring of blood pressure in veterinary clinics to increase the early identification of this treatable condition, and prevent the severe clinical consequences of untreated hypertension."
Accompanying the guidelines, which are endorsed by the American Association of Feline Practitioners, are further resources to assist veterinarians with the diagnosis of hypertension. A blood pressure evaluation form can be downloaded from the supplementary material; in addition, a series of short videos produced by the ISFM on measuring blood pressure in cats is available in various languages at https://www.youtube.com/user/iCatCare/playlists.
Reference
Established over 100 years ago, Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital is based in a purpose-built clinic; one of four International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) recognised Cat Friendly Practices in Derbyshire.
Dr Nick Pine MA VetMB MRCVS has been at Alfreton Park since 1999 and has become a Medivet Branch Partner following the acquisition, together with his colleague Dr Matt Ingram CertSAS MRCVS. He said: "We are excited about joining the Medivet Partnership. It will help us to continue to develop what is an already successful, trusted and highly respected local practice and enable us to offer even more opportunities for our people."
Medivet Chief Executive Officer Dr Arnold Levy, said: "Alfreton Park is an impressive practice with a great team and we are delighted to welcome them to Medivet. Our model is focused on adding value to every practice that joins our partnership, and we look forward to working with Nick and Matt to build an even brighter future for the practice, its clients and patients."
The idea for an interactive vaccination calendar was in fact first developed two years ago by Jon Reader MRCVS (pictured right) from Synergy Farm Health. With input and funding from Boehringer, it has now been developed into an online tool which highlights times when animals may be at risk if immunity has waned, without sufficient boosting of immunity by vaccination.
The transmission of BVD is complex and protecting the foetus from the virus is at the heart of any control programme. The virus is passed from dam to foetus and, if this occurs in the first third of pregnancy and the foetus goes to term, a persistently infected (PI) calf will be born. These will then go on to shed virus throughout their lives, so infecting herdmates and the next generation of calves.
Jon said: "The timing of when a vaccine is given is critical to the development of an immune response, which will protect the unborn foetus.
"Working out when you want the dam to calve and then calculating back shows when either a primary course of BVD vaccine or a booster should be given but, get this wrong and you will end up with what is known as an 'immunity gap'.
"It is vital that both heifers and cows have maximum protection during the breeding period and in early pregnancy."
Boehringer says heifers must be fully protected before being served for the first time, and cows must have had immunity boosted before they are pregnant again. However, far too often heifers are adequately protected following an initial booster but given their age and date of service, do not receive further protection until they enter the adult herd.
Jon said: "If heifers calve just after the herd booster, then there is a very real possibility that they will go for two years without a booster, and be severely exposed when they become pregnant as a first lactation heifer."
"This is termed the immunity gap; a period when the animal is not protected from the virus at all. The aim should be to eliminate this period completely, so that there is no immunity gap."
Matt Yarnall from Boehringer said: "Each BVD vaccine has its own timing protocol stating when the primary course should be given, as well as subsequent booster timing and when cows should be served. Moreover, some of these are not straightforward to follow, especially for year-round calving herds."
"Anyone using the Bovela vaccine has peace of mind that the one dose primary course combined with flexible booster regime and 12 months’ proven duration of immunity minimises the immunity gap."
For more information, visit: makebvdhistory.co.uk.
European Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry Lisa Milella has revealed in an interview with the Sunday People that she has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a condition which few people survive for more than 2-5 years.
It's hard to imagine anything much worse than being told in advance when your appointment with the Grim Reaper is booked, and for many the temptation might be just to give up there and then. Not Lisa. She embarked on the most extraordinary mission to fulfill ten of her life's ambitions.
The day after her diagnosis last August, she closed her veterinary practice in Byfleet. In December, she went sledging with huskies in Norway. In January, she flew to Borneo to carry out dental surgery on an orangutan. Three days later, she visited International Animal Rescue in Java and trained vets there to carry out dental work on slow lorises. She then celebrated her 40th birthday surrounded by friends and family in February. In May, she headed out to Peru to visit the Inca trail and the Amazon rainforest. From there, it was on to the Galapagos Islands. Then last week she went to India, where she trained another team to perform dental surgery on bears, and fulfil the 8th and 9th ambitions on her list, which were to operate on a leopard and a tiger.
Lisa closed her interview in the Sunday People saying: "I'm never going to get better and today is as strong as I'm ever going to be. You've got to make the most of now and not worry about tomorrow. Go out there and do it. You're never going to have that time again."
Oh. One other thing. Lisa's 10th wish was to get 100 strangers to donate £100 to International Animal Rescue. I hope you'll join me: https://www.justgiving.com/Lisa-Milella-100/
According to the company, two promotional videos it prepared for social media have already reached more than 1.7 million people in the first two days of the campaign.
Virbac says that some of the UK's best loved pet influencers will also be promoting the campaign to their followers over the coming week.
What is a pet influencer, anyway? Someone who influences pets? I picture a Barbara-Woodhouse sort of character surrounded by a rapt audience of dogs: "Come on now, dogs, eat Veterinary HPM, it really is properly yummy, and sooo good for you."
I digress.
As part of the campaign pet owners will be able use an online protein calculator to check whether their current pet food is providing optimal levels of protein to their pet.
Pet owners will also be able to locate their nearest veterinary practice stockist using a new locator tool on the Virbac website and benefit from a discount voucher for their first Veterinary HPM purchase, which can only be redeemed in participating veterinary practices.
Tracey West, Nutrition Manager at Virbac, said: "Nutrition plays such a key role in the long-term health and well-being of our pets, and veterinary practices play such a key role in educating pet owners on this important subject.
"We’re delighted that as part of our ‘pro-veterinary’ strategy for Veterinary HPM, we will be able to help drive pet owners back into veterinary practices with this campaign."
For more information, speak to your Virbac Territory Manager.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Worcester vet David Denny MRCVS accidentally euthanised a Jack Russell in the presence of its owner, who believed he was giving the animal antibiotics.
Mr Denny told VetSurgeon.org that it had been the result of a dreadful misunderstanding between himself and his secretary, for which he had apologised, but that he couldn't say much more because the VDS had advised him not to talk to the media.
The dog, called Gunner, was 14 years old; old enough that alarm bells obviously didn't go off when it was presented to Mr Denny for euthanasia (or so he thought).
The story does serve as a reminder of the importance of communicating with absolute clarity, both written and oral, when performing euthanasia. In this case, the Daily Mail reports that Mr Denny asked the client: "if Gunner had had enough". Under any other circumstances, that would seem a sensitive comment to make. In this case, though, the owner thought he meant the dog had had enough of its cough.
The range includes:
Fluodrop (the first fluorescein product specifically designed for veterinary use)
Ocryl - an ocular and periocular cleanser that can also be used to reduce and prevent unsightly tear staining
Ocular lubricants (carbomer and hyaluronic acid based)
Clerapliq – a novel molecule to the UK veterinary market that is used to help restore and regenerate the corneal extracellular matrix
The products will be supported with a selection of materials to help vets, nurses and pet owners in the maintenance of corneal health, including diagnosis and treatment guidelines, anatomical guides, posters and client educational and treatment aids to help with compliance.
William Peel MRCVS, product manager at TVM-UK said: "Our Corneal Focus Range is an exciting way to expand on our product portfolio following the successful introduction of our ‘Anti-tox’ range.
"With ‘Anti-tox’ we successfully managed to make vets and nurses lives easier by providing education and materials alongside a great range of products to help when dealing with poisoning cases in practice. We also attempted to make clients more aware of the dangers of poisoning in pets.
"We hope to emulate this approach and success with our Corneal Focus Range – by developing a wealth of materials for vets, nurses and clients to aid them in managing and understanding ophthalmology cases – and by providing quality products."
TVM UK will be showcasing its new products and support services at the London Vet Show (stand P40) this November.
For more information, visit: http://www.tvm-uk.com/
The flowchart, which was produced in partnership with the National Animal Health and Welfare Panel (NAHWP) and with support from Dogs Trust, outlines what vets should consider when a client presents an animal with a pet passport and aim to help them navigate client confidentiality, how to report concerns of illegal imports, and an overview of how local authorities are likely to respond.
The Association says that in recent years, vets have mentioned finding it 'difficult' or 'very difficult' to report concerns to Trading Standards in the BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession surveys. Other concerns included breaching client confidentiality, a lack of proof or sufficient evidence to investigate, a perceived lack of interest from local authorities if a case was reported, and uncertainty about whom to contact and how to report suspicions.
Findings released by Dogs Trust earlier this week show broadly similar concerns about reporting suspected illegal pet import cases.
BVA and NAHWP have issued the following advice for vets:
Report any suspicions that the animal in your care does not comply with Pet Travel Scheme requirements to your Local Authority Animal Health Function – either Trading Standards or Environmental Health Services.
Find out how to contact your local authority via a pre-agreed number for your practice. Find a direct contact number for your local Trading Standards or call Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06, who will refer you directly to the relevant local authority.
Note this number down on the joint BVA and NAHWP compliance flowchart and put up the poster in visible locations around your practice for staff to refer to.
BVA is also in talks with local authority forums in Wales and Scotland and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland to launch similar guidance and compliance resources for vets in the devolved administrations.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: "Veterinary teams can often be the first to suspect that an animal may have been illegally imported when an owner takes their pet for its first check-up. But our surveys have identified a compelling need for clearly defined routes and mechanisms for vets to more easily report suspected cases of illegal import.
"Our flow chart and supporting guidance aim to empower vets to report any such cases, thus helping to tackle the scourge of illegal importation and protecting animal welfare, both of the imported dogs and the larger canine population in the UK.
"I would encourage veterinary teams to put up the poster in their practices and use it to help report any suspicions to relevant authorities with ease."
The flowchart is available as a pull-out poster in this week’s Vet Record and can also be downloaded along with accompanying guidance notes here: www.bva.co.uk/illegalimportguidance
The website has been redesigned to help pet owners improve their understanding of the disease and support their commitment to treating their pet, thus improving the survival rates of diabetic pets.
The site includes videos which show how to give insulin injections to dogs and cats. There are also links to the Pet Diabetes Tracker App, which helps owners of diabetic pets monitor and record their pets’ progress. There are also tools to help pet owners build glucose curves they can share with their veterinary practice, and FAQs that will answer their main concerns.
The company is also offering additional support to help veterinary practices raise awareness of pet diabetes in the form of staff training and a Pet Diabetes Month Resource Pack.
Caroline Darouj, Senior Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Pet diabetes continues to rise in the UK1,2 due to the growing prevalance of obesity in our pets. Research has shown that up to 20% of diabetic pets die, or are euthanised, within a year of diagnosis3. Many of these early deaths however, are avoidable and effective management can result in good outcomes in most pets. A diabetes diagnosis should not be a life sentence for our pets.
"This campaign and new website will make a big difference, giving practices the tools to engage pet owners, provide treatments plans and explain effective disease management. Diabetes is a disease with many elements that can feel overwhelming for pet owners so it’s vital that all veterinary practice team members have the right resources to be able to advise and support them so their pets can lead long and happy lives."
To sign up for a pack practices should go to www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/PDM
Renutend contains primed mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which Boehringer says are specifically targeted to reduce scar tissue formation so horses can return to the intended level of performance, with a reduced risk of re-injury1.
According to the company, a single dose decreases scar tissue formation with consistent and proven results 2.
RenuTend is administered by intralesional injection and complements Boehringer Ingelheim’s other equine stem cell product Arti-Cell Forte, which is authorised to treat mild to moderate recurrent lameness associated with non-septic joint inflammation in horses.
RenuTend will be available in September this year.
In the meantime, Boehringer is encouraging veterinary surgeons to register their interest with their BIAH representative or call 01344746960 in order to get updates or product information as soon as it becomes available.
The statistic came to light as a result of Ceva's Mercury Challenge1, in which veterinary practices from around Europe took blood pressure readings from over 10,000 cats over seven years old, 4000 of which were from the UK.
The Challenge results, which were recently presented at Ceva Cat Expertise 2021 by the international feline medicine specialist, Dr Andy Sparkes, showed that more than 40% of cats enrolled in the Mercury Challenge were hypertensive, with a blood pressure about 30% higher than the blood pressure value found in healthy cats.
Ceva says this high percentage suggests that feline hypertension may be even more common than suspected, especially in the ageing cat population, with the mean age of hypertensive cats found to be 13 years old in the Challenge.
The study also found that up to one in three cats had both hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Feline hypertension is also associated with hyperthyroidism.
Jodie Tanner, veterinary surgeon at Lime Tree Vets in Staffordshire who participated in the Mercury Challenge said: “We were surprised by how many of the cats whose blood pressure we measured as part of the Mercury Challenge were actually hypertensive and were taken aback at the number of hypertensive cats which lacked clinical signs or target organ damage.
"These hypertensive cats would have previously gone undetected prior to us screening our older patients and they would probably have only presented when they had advanced target organ damage, such as blindness.
“Measuring blood pressure in cats is now incorporated into our bespoke preventative health care plan – The Pet Plus Membership – and our ‘Gold Plan’ is tailored to our patients over eight years of age.
"Included in the Gold Plan are twice yearly blood pressure checks, so we can pick up hypertension cases as early as possible, and the plan also includes twice yearly urine screens and yearly blood screens to pick up other common diseases seen in older cats such as hyperthyroidism and CKD.”
Ceva has a range of resources available to support veterinary practices, including those that want to set up vet nurse blood pressure clinics. There's a digital hypertension tool kit available by registering at www.easethepressure.co.uk, where you will also find information on the Hypertension CPD Hub, an Ease the Pressure pack containing resources to support vet practices, owner communications materials and information about Ceva’s online Hypertension Ambassador CPD course. A vet practice social media pack is also available.
For further information, visit www.easethepressure.co.uk or contact your local Ceva territory manager.
The VetCompass programme studied 10,313 English Cocker Spaniels from an overall sample of 336,865 UK dogs of all breeds under first opinion veterinary care during 2016.
English Cocker Spaniels made up 3.1% of all dogs, showing ongoing high popularity of this breed as a UK companion animal.
The most common disease was periodontal disease, diagnosed in 20.97% of English Cocker Spaniels each year.
In second place was otitis externa (10.09%), followed by obesity/overweight (9.88%), anal sac impaction (8.07%), diarrhoea (4.87%), and aggression (4.01%).
The order of these top disorders in English Cocker Spaniels was similar to those previously reported in dogs overall; however, the frequency of each disorder was generally higher in English Cocker Spaniels than the general dog population, possibly because several of these conditions are related to the longer ears and looser skin on English Cocker Spaniels.
Researchers say these results suggests that English Cocker Spaniels can be considered a typical dog in many respects, but with higher risk of some disorders related to their specific body shape.
Aggression was found to be relatively common in English Cocker Spaniels, although the frequency differed depending on the sex and coat colour of the dogs: aggression was more common in males than females, and in single-coloured than multi-coloured dogs.
The risk of aggression also varied widely between the four most common single-coloured coat colours: golden-coloured dogs showed the highest frequency of aggression (12.08%), followed by red (6.52%), black (6.29%), and liver (4.33%).
Additional findings include:
Karolina Engdahl, Epidemiologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and lead author of the paper, said: “English Cocker Spaniels are popular family dogs and can make fantastic pets.
"However, we found that aggression was relatively common in the breed, especially in golden-coloured dogs.
"This highlights the importance of focusing good breeding on behavioural as well as physical health, and that behavioural-related problems should be a key area for veterinary-owner discussions.”
Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC, co-author of the paper, said: “Everyone who loves dogs just wants their animals to live long and happy lives.
"This study provides the data to help owners to understand that preventing dental, ear, weight and anal sac problems can go a long way to helping English Cocker Spaniels to enjoy a better life.
"It really can be that simple.”