The group won the award in recognition of how it put social media at the heart of the its 80th birthday celebrations, offering employees 80 prizes over 80 days with daily draws broadcast on Facebook Live and uploaded to YouTube. The prizes included a weekend for two in New York, European holidays, festival tickets, a 40” smart TV, an extra week holiday, an Apple watch, a chance to be the MD for the day and more.
The IoIC’s judging panel praised the campaign’s recognition of staff, fun and innovation, as well as saying there was so much to love about the award entry and one even said it brought a lump to their throat.
Justin Phillips, head of marketing at White Cross Vets, said: "Celebrating our 80th birthday, with more than 200 team members spread across the North and Midlands, meant we had to come up with an accessible event, that would bond everyone and reinforce our reputation as the employer of choice within the veterinary industry.
"Broadcasting 80 prize draws in 80 days on Facebook Live ticked every box and was a fantastic spectacle that all our team members engaged with and talked about every day."
"The IoIC awards is one of the marketing industry’s most prestigious events, in a spectacular venue and surrounded by a wide range of global brands. These awards celebrate success, reward endeavour, inspire creativity and nurture best practice within the marketing community. For our campaign to have been recognised and rewarded by our peers is a huge source of pride within our business and has put a spring in the step of every single team member."
VetSurgeon Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "I've always admired the marketing and communications that comes from Justin and the rest of the team at White Cross. I think it's because as well as being fun, it's always sincere, something which is so often lacking in contemporary marketing communications. Anyway, with a little luck IVC will recognise the talent they've taken on, and sprinkle a bit of the White Cross magic across the rest of the group!"
Other category winners included household names like Oxfam, Volkswagen, Barclaycard, Sainsburys, Pets at Home, EDF Energy, Rolls Royce and Carlsberg.
Vetsonic UK has announced the addition to its range of Vetericyn Super 7+, a brand new umbilical cord dry-out solution for use in calves, lambs, piglets, foals, kids and puppies which is designed as an alternative to iodine.
Vetsonic says that because Super 7+ contains no iodine, it won't encourage licking by iodine-deficient mothers, which can cause serious damage to the navel. It is also an ideal alternative for handlers who are prone to iodine allergies.
The company points to a US study conducted by Auburn University in which Super 7 + demonstrated more than double the desiccation efficacy in the first 24 hours when compared to 7% tincture of iodine.
Super 7+ contains a dye for easy identification of treated animals and the company says it is environmental friendly, safe, non-flammable and non-corrosive with no toxic fumes.
Super 7 + is now available through veterinary wholesalers and direct from Vetsonic (UK) Ltd, either in a 500 ml spray bottle (box of 6) or a 3.78 litre bottle for dipping.
For more information, visit www.vetsonic.com
The disease had been identified as a priority by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group.
Further details will be announced in the coming months following ongoing discussions with industry representatives.
The Minister said: "Sheep scab has significant economic consequences for sheep producers and animal welfare issues for sheep. It is one of the most contagious disease of sheep in Wales and eradicating it is a priority for us and the industry.
"I’m pleased to be able to announce £5m Rural Development Programme funding will be used to help support the industry tackle the disease. Eradicating the disease has the potential to deliver significant lasting economic benefits for the sector at a particularly challenging time as we prepare to leave the European Union."
In an internal study, Royal Canin found that Pill Assist Cat achieved over 91% pill acceptance.
Pill Assist Cat is enriched with vitamins and prebiotics to support a cat’s recovery, and each treat contains only three calories.
Elisabete Capitao, Royal Canin Veterinary Marketing Manager said: "We know that getting cats to take pills can be quite a challenge even for the most experienced pet owners! A quarter of owners leave the veterinary clinic with oral medication for their cat, but 40% find giving pills to their cat complicated. Pill Assist Cat makes giving cats medication easy and takes the stress out of pill time."
Royal Canin says Pill Assist Cat is suitable for most types of medication, from worming tablets to medication for an illness.
Eurovet has launched Relaquine 35 mg/ml Oral Gel for Horses - a licensed acepromazine (ACP) in a gel format.
The company says Relaquine can be used to sedate horses for examination and in stressful situations that some horses find hard to deal with such as farriery, box rest, dentistry and clipping where highly-strung horses can cause problems. Relaquine is administered orally or mixed with food and is available as an adjustable syringe format containing 10 ml of gel.
Relaquine is the fourth product launch this year by Eurovet and the company says there is more in the pipeline for 2011.
Relaquine Oral Gel is expected to be available to order from veterinary wholesalers from Monday 16th May. Eurovet is also offering an introductory promotion: for further details contact Eurovet on 01223 257933.
VetSurgeon.org has joined forces with referral practitioner Alex Gough to conduct a survey into the profession's attitude to the use of homeopathy in animals.
Whilst the debate continues to rage over its use in human medicine, this is believed to be the first time that there has been a survey of opinion within the veterinary profession.
Alex Gough said: "This should give us an interesting insight into how practitioners feel about one of the more well-known systems of alternative medicine. That in turn may add something to the broader debate outside the veterinary profession."
Arlo said: "We really need as many veterinary surgeons as possible to take part, in order to get the most accurate picture. There are only 8 questions, and it should take less than a minute."
Click here (veterinary surgeons only), to take part in the survey.
Cortotic contains hydrocortisone aceponate (HCA), a diester glucocorticosteroid to reduce inflammation.
In a clinical field study, published in Veterinary Dermatology, Cortotic was shown to be as effective in treating acute otitis as a fixed-combination product containing a corticosteroid, an antibiotic and an antifungal, with an equivalent improvement of clinical and cytological scores1.
A secondary reduction of bacterial and yeast overgrowth was demonstrated and a concomitant treatment with an antimicrobial was unnecessary.
The product was shown to provide rapid relief from clinical signs, pruritus and pain1.
Virbac says the lipophilic nature of the HCA diester provides enhanced penetration into the skin, a reservoir effect and low plasma availability for high local activity with reduced systemic secondary effects2.
Chris Newark, Product Manager at Virbac said: "With Cortotic we’re excited to offer clinicians the ability to reduce antimicrobial usage when treating otitis externa in dogs, whilst offering the same efficacy as a fixed-combination product.
"The product’s easy administration also makes it an attractive choice for pet owners with 94% of owners stating that they would choose to use Cortotic again3".
Cortotic is presented in an ear spray device with atraumatic cannula, which delivers a fine mist spray for even application.
Dosing is 2 pumps per application, whatever the dog’s size, once a day for 7-14 days.
References
Tolracol is a 50mg/ml suspension of toltrazuril which can be used in all three species to prevent coccidiosis infections in youngstock on farms with a history of the disease.
Krka’s head of sales and marketing, Killian Gaffney said: "Coccidiosis can have a devastating impact on young animals, resulting in ill-thrift, weight loss and potentially death, making its prevention a vital component of herd or flock management.
"Importantly, this is a tri-licence single dose product which requires vet prescription. The involvement of the vet in prescribing coccidiostats is important as their use should be part of a whole management approach to prevention."
Krka says Tolracol should be used ahead of the peak infection period on farms with a pre-existing coccidiosis problem, with it recommended for use in neonatal pigs at three to five days old and as soon as required in calves and lambs.
Mr Gaffney added: "This product has been proven in trials and offers a cost-effective option for farmers, it is also easily administered which farmers will find attractive. Krka is launching a new farmer campaign to support Tolracol.
"With lambing and spring calving now taking place across the country vets are likely to be asked in the coming weeks and months about coccidiosis prevention. Tolracol provides another valuable tool in the armoury when it comes to preventing this nasty condition and should be considered as a first-choice product."
For more information, see the SPC or contact Krka UK Limited on +44 (0) 2071 646 156.
Cefshot is indicated for treatment of subclinical mastitis at drying off with action against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.
Jude Roberts MRCVS from Zoetis says this makes possible three-way selective dry cow therapy with products from the company's dry cow portfolio: "With evidence-based triage, this covers teat sealant solo, in combination with narrow spectrum cloxacillin, or now with broader spectrum long-acting cephalonium.
"This is in keeping with the trend from milk buyers for increasing precision in the use of antibiotic dry cow therapy, and only when it is justified in the first place."
Dry periods longer that 54 days require milk withhold for 96 hours. For shorter dry periods, milk withhold is 58 days. Meat withhold period is 21 days.
Cefshot is available in multiples of 24 and 120 tubes, for delivery September onwards.
The inaugural BVA Photography Competition received more than 400 entries from all over the world last year, with Devon-based small animal vet Stephen Powles and equine vet Karen Coumbe’s images of an Egyptian fruit bat in flight and an operation on an infected horse's hoof being declared winners in their respective categories.
Karen said: "I was encouraged to enter the competition because I am fascinated by the amazing things I am privileged to observe in my day to day work, many of which provide exciting photo-opportunities."
The competition, which is open to BVA members, seeks to showcase images that highlight the human-animal bond and offer a tangible insight into the veterinary profession and its work.
Submissions should promote responsible animal ownership and/or interaction, as well positive animal health and welfare.
Photos can be of any species and the BVA says it would especially like to see images of native and domestic species found in the UK. Photos can be submitted under one of two categories:
The winners will receive a £250 John Lewis gift voucher each and get the chance to have their photographs displayed at BVA Members’ Day in September, at other BVA events and in BVA communications.
British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: "From sparrows to elephants, and cats to alpacas, veterinary colleagues submitted such a range, quantity and quality of photographs for our first-ever competition last year that we are really excited to be launching the competition for a second year running.
"We’re all passionate about animal health and welfare, so the way we interact with and capture images of the animal world offers a unique perspective. Whether you enjoy taking photos on your phone or have all of the kit, we’re encouraging all of the veterinary family to give it a go and get involved."
The competition closes at midnight on 19 August.
This year’s entries will be judged by an expert panel of judges from the veterinary and photography worlds.
More details about the competition, including terms and conditions, can be found at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/bva-photo-competition
400 people took part in the research, of which 76% described their mental health as ‘reasonable’ or ‘very good’, while almost three quarters 71% said there was someone at work they could talk to about their mental health and 80% knew where to access information and support.
This compared to 2019, when only 50% had even recognised veterinary wellbeing as an issue.
So far so good.
However, on the flip side, 60% felt that their work/life balance was not right and 82% were worried about their financial situation.
As is well known, the pandemic placed further strain on veterinary professionals: 78% of respondents said their workload had increased since it struck, and 44% said they were working longer hours.
What's more, 63% felt that that changes in working practices introduced during the pandemic had not been beneficial to their mental health.
The survey results showed a number of interesting variations depending on the respondent's time in the profession and their role.
For example, people who've been in the profession for more than ten years appeared to be more resilient than those who've been in the profession for six years or less, with 66% of the older hands saying the pandemic had had an impact on their mental heath, compared to 71% of the younger respondents.
The older crowd also reported being more aware of where to access support and information (89% vs 71%) but feel they have fewer people they can talk to at work (68% vs 76%).
Interestingly, nurses felt they had more people they can talk to at work (76% vs 62% of vets)
The organisers say that overall, the research suggests that the veterinary profession is more aware of the pressures on veterinary teams and is taking some steps to mitigate it and support staff better.
97% said they felt supported by their colleagues, 75% said they felt that their practice had strong leaders and managers and 90% said that they loved their job.
50% said their practice offers online resources to support wellbeing at work, 41% offer counselling and 40% offer flexible working.
When asked what more could be done to improve their wellbeing at work, simple solutions such as taking a lunch break, having a pleasant room at work in which they could relax and receiving recognition for hard work were the most commonly proposed.
VET Festival will be offering a Wellness Hub, supported by MWI Animal Health, in which a range of practical activities will be offered to support delegates in improving their day-to-day wellbeing, with representatives of Vetlife also on hand to offer advice and support.
Tickets for VET Festival can be bought here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
VetUK, an online supplier of pet products and veterinary prescription only medications, has announced that it now processes over £750,000 worth of online transactions per month.
The point of the press release was to highlight that this has been achieved using paypoint.net to handle the tens of thousands of orders that VetUK says it receives each month, and process the payments.
However, it does also highlight the ever growing competition to veterinary practices from online. You might like to check VetUK's POM prices here.
Elanco Companion Animal Health has launched a competition to encourage veterinary professionals to showcase the company's new range of practice support materials for the company's parasiticides, Comfortis and Trifexin.
To enter the competition, you'll first need to order the support materials, which include: waiting room posters, client leaflets and a waiting room leaflet dispenser, modular window hangers, social media artwork and display kits which consist of 19 die-cut colour pieces for waiting room displays. Entry / order forms are available here.
Then create your display and email a digital photograph of it to Elanco before the 29th August 2014.
Matthew Rowe, Senior Brand Manager at Elanco said: "We're asking veterinary practices to use their creativity and imagination when putting up their parasite control displays. Last year's winner, the Animal Health Centre in Torquay, even composed their own song, so the more creative the better!"
The overall winner will win a team celebration worth £1000, and there are £250 Amazon vouchers for 11 regional winners.
For further information contact your local Elanco Companion Animal Health key account manager or email elancocahuk@elanco.com
The ideal Christmas present for a vet to give a child has just landed on my desk.
It's the Amazing ABC Adventure by Lorna Maxwell, out now in paperback from Long Barn Books and available on Amazon here.
Each letter of the alphabet begins an eclectic list of things to be found within a delightful illustration on the facing page. There's a strong animal theme throughout the book: everything from annoyed armadillos and affectionate alligators to worried wombats and yodelling yaks.
One of those books that it's a pleasure to read a child before bed. A steal at £5.79.
Virbac has launched Marfloquin, a marbofloxacin-based antibiotic indicated for the treatment of multiple infectious diseases in cats and dogs.
Marfloquin is presented as a palatable, divisible tablet for once daily administration and is available in three tablet strengths:
Virbac Companion Animal Marketing Manager Simon Boulton MRCVS said: "Marbofloxacin is valued by practices for its efficacy in treating a wide range of skin, soft tissue, urinary tract and respiratory tract infections. The launch of Marfloquin gives them a cost-effective alternative and strengthens our existing antibiotic range, which includes Rilexine (cefalexin) and Enrox (enrofloxacin)."
For more information, contact your territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243
The company says that Daxocox achieves significant improvement of clinical signs associated with the pain of osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs1,2 and also helps reduce the risk of breakthrough pain.
Breakthrough pain is defined as “an abrupt, short-lived, and intense pain that breaks through the analgesia that controls pain”3. Risk factors for breakthrough pain in cases of canine OA include poor owner compliance, variable plasma drug levels between doses, natural or exercise induced flare-ups and disease progression.
According to research carried out by the company, veterinary surgeons estimate that nearly half of their canine OA cases on daily NSAIDs experience breakthrough pain4, whilst owners put the figure much higher at 80%5.
Animalcare says that as well as compromising patient welfare and increasing the risk of clinical consequences such as wind-up pain (hypersensitisation), breakthrough pain risks owners losing confidence in their vet and/or the recommended treatment plan for their dog. This may lead owners to independently stray from the treatment plan, with potentially damaging consequences. In its research, 87% of vets agreed that avoiding breakthrough pain is critical to the management of canine OA4.
Animalcare adds that because of the pharmacology, there is no risk of risk of over-accumulation or need for mandatory treatment ‘breaks’6. Also, adverse effects were found to be no different from any other NSAID1,2 and there was no increase in treatment-related adverse effects at up to 5 times the recommended dose7, so Daxocox has a broad margin of safety and is well tolerated by dogs7.
James Beaumont, marketing manager at Animalcare said: “Daxocox’s weekly administration of a flavoured tablet addresses some of the challenges of managing canine OA that I’m certain most vets will identify with. Breakthrough pain is a real problem and by being able to provide consistent pain control, in a compliance friendly formulation, Daxocox is a real game changer for canine OA management.
For more information, visit: www.animalcare.co.uk, or contact your local Animalcare territory manager, or Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687.
References:
A group of brave veterinary nurses and a student nurse leapt out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft last weekend, both to raise money for children with epilepsy, and to highlight the need to protect the title 'Veterinary Nurse' in law.
Vicky Couzens, Jenny Cook, Kim Blowing, Michelle Dickens, Gillian James and Leigh Martin, none of whom had parachuted before (in fact, Gillian hadn't even been in a plane before), were raising money for the Muir Maxwell Trust, a charity which funds research into childhood epilepsy, and supports the families of some of the 70,000 children affected by it in the UK.
The daredevil nurses also wanted to highlight the fact that anyone can call themselves a veterinary nurse, regardless of whether they've ever even set foot inside a veterinary practice, let alone passed the demanding examinations. They argue that the title 'Veterinary Nurse' should be protected in law, in exactly the same way as 'Veterinary Surgeon', so that the pet-owning public can have the reassurance of knowing when their animal is being cared for by a qualified professional.
To support these nurses' efforts, and help them reach their fundraising targets, click the links below:
http://www.justgiving.com/Victoria-Couzens http://www.justgiving.com/Jenny-Cook23 http://www.justgiving.com/KimBlowing http://www.justgiving.com/Michelle-Dickens
Meanwhile, one of the children that has benefitted from the work done by the Muir Maxwell Trust is Emily Guthrie, daughter of the editor of VetNurse.co.uk and VetSurgeon.org. She sent the jumpers her own message of thanks:
The practice was formed earlier this year by Jade Statt and Sam Joseph, two veterinary surgeons who, quite separately, had been inspired by the bond between homeless people and their dogs and decided to do what they could to help. Each hit the streets, Jade in Westminster and Sam in North London, offering healthchecks and basic flea and worm treatment to the homeless. Unbeknownst to each other, they worked under the same name of Streetvet.
Their paths crossed earlier this year, whereupon they decided to join forces and create a proper framework through which to deliver not just preventative care for the majority of animals that are well cared for and healthy, but treatment for those that need it. So Streetvet was born.
Since then, the practice has grown to a 65-strong team of volunteer veterinary surgeons and nurses providing a free, first opinion veterinary service across London, supported by drug companies, veterinary practices, animal welfare charities, social non-profit organisations and local councils.
Jade said: "We have vets out in the community at least 4 days a week and everything that can be done in a consultation room, we can perform on the street. This includes medicating, vaccinating, blood sampling, urine analysis, lump sampling, microchipping and more.
"When we meet a dog that needs more advanced treatment we are able to take them to one of the practices that we work at to perform procedures including neutering, dental work, surgery, diagnostic imaging and even hydrotherapy.
"Being vets, we love animals, but much of our day-to-day work involves caring for their owners as well. Many of the owners that we meet are vulnerable people and one of the main benefits of having vets out on the streets is that we get to know the owners and their dogs and gain their trust.”
Streetvet will be launching in Brighton on Sunday 26th November and in Bristol on 2nd December.
if you are in the Brighton or Bristol area and want to volunteer, offer practice support or get involved with fundraising, email: info@streetvet.co.uk.
Veterinary professionals across the UK are also encouraged to email their interest in volunteering, to help StreetVet build its database and in time set up StreetVet UK-wide.
Petplan Equine, the equine insurance provider, has announced the three finalists for the inaugural Petplan Equine Vet of the Year Award.
They are:
The winner of this new people's award will be announced at the glittering 20th annual Animal Health Trust (AHT) Equestrian Awards ceremony to be held at London's Royal Lancaster Hotel on the evening of Thursday 6th November 2008.
Owners and riders were asked nominate their local equine vet for the award if they felt that they were deserving of the recognition that this accolade would bring. A short list was drawn up from the nominations received and an independent panel has selected the finalists from whom the winner will be announced and receive his or her award at the AHT Equestrian Awards.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements made by horses, riders, owners and trainers throughout the equestrian world. This milestone coincides with Petplan Equine's 20th anniversary and, since 1994 when the Petplan Equine Charitable Trust was founded, it has raised over £5 million, almost £500,000 of which has been donated to the AHT to fund research and development.
Jo Whittaker of Petplan Equine said: "It has been a privilege to be involved with the AHT Awards over the years. We are particularly excited to be able to recognise the amazing hard work and commitment of people within the equine veterinary profession and those who provide outstanding service to horse owners. We received some very strong nominations and selecting just three was not easy although, in the case of the finalists it was clear that each consistently went beyond the call of duty."
She added: "Horse welfare is paramount at Petplan Equine and the company is committed to promoting responsible horse ownership, through its charitable contributions, wide range of policies and publications such as the Horse Handbook. This award has been created to give the equine community the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the vet who has made the most outstanding contribution to the care of horses."
The winner will be posted on www.petplanequine.co.uk on Friday 7th November
The programme also introduces an extended nursing stream, focused on surgery and emergency and critical care nursing. In total, the conferences offer more than 27 hours of CPD each through the two veterinary streams, together with the two-day nursing stream.
VetsSouth takes place on 6-7 March, at Sandy Park in Exeter. VetsNorth takes place on 12-13 June at the AJ Bell Stadium in Manchester. Early-bird rates are now available for both events.
Speakers for 2019 include Ed Hall, Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Bristol, who will discuss pancreatitis in the dog; Dr Georgie Hollis, founder of Intelligent Wound Care, a company which aims to bring the best of modern wound care to veterinary practice and veterinary welfare campaigner and vet Emma Milne who will discuss welfare issues relating to brachycephalic animals.
An exhibition showcasing the latest veterinary products and services and featuring demonstrations and workshops from exhibitors will run alongside the conferences.
Matt Colvan, Event Director, said: "VetsSouth and VetsNorth have established themselves as friendly, relaxed conferences, offering high quality CPD for vets and vet nurses who may not be able to get easily to the larger veterinary events. We urge delegates to take advantage of our time-limited Early-bird offers and register without delay."
The removal of names from the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons for non-payment of retention fees is now complete, with 386 veterinary surgeons having been removed, compared with 616 last year.
The RCVS says that the administration involved with removing a name for non-payment is time-consuming and costly. Hence, to be restored to the Register, the veterinary surgeon must pay the appropriate annual retention fee, and the restoration fee, currently £294, which multiplies each time if fees are not paid in successive years.
The College writes to members' Register addresses to remind them when fees are due and, where an email address is maintained by the member as part of their formal record, also sends an email. It is, however, the responsibility of members to inform the RCVS Registration Department of any changes to their contact details and to ensure that payment is made. It is illegal for veterinary surgeons to practise or undertake any veterinary-related activities if their name does not appear on the RCVS Register as a home-practising member.
To help ensure that members removed for non-payment are aware that they have been removed from the Register, the full list of those removed for non-payment and not restored by 10 June can be downloaded from RCVSonline. The current status of individual veterinary surgeons can be checked online (www.rcvs.org.uk/checkregister).
A veterinary surgeon whose name has been removed from the Register and who wishes to restore him or herself should view the information on restoration to the Register.
Alternatively, please ring the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707. Restorations made since 10 June are not shown on this list.
This is Vita's first foray into the companion animal sector after more than 20 years developing health solutions for honey bees.
The new range includes six products supporting a range of common health conditions; Omnicondro for joint health, Omnicardio for cardiovascular function, Omniomega containing essential fatty acids, Omnicutis skin support, Omnimatrix to aid skin healing and Omniotic ear cleaner. They are approved for use in different species according to product, including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.
The new products are available direct from the company's Sales Manager, Tara Evans RVN. She said: "I am delighted to introduce practices to this cutting-edge range of supplements. At Vita Animal Health we recognise the vital role of the veterinary team in supporting pet health and offering clients choice. The range of Vita products offers new and innovative solutions in some important areas."
The product launch includes promotional offers for veterinary practices and there is a loyalty card scheme for owners.
For more information, visit www.vitaanimalhealth.com, email info@vitaanimalhealth.com, or telephone 01256 591032.
First prize went to the University of Edinburgh’s Molly Vasanthakumar (pictured right) for her Knowledge Summary comparing the ecological impact of woven versus disposable drapes. Molly found that there is not enough evidence that disposable synthetics reduce the risk of surgical site infections when compared to reusable woven drapes, based on her assessment of the available literature.
Molly said: “The Veterinary Evidence student competition gave me an opportunity to identify a specific issue, find and appraise the evidence and then apply it to a practical setting.
"Winning the competition has given me a chance to further my skills in evidence-based veterinary medicine [EBVM] and also raise awareness of an incredibly important and topical issue."
Molly received her prize at RCVS Day, and her published paper can now be read in Veterinary Evidence: http://bit.ly/MollyVasanthakumar
Second prize went to Honoria Brown of the University of Cambridge, whose paper asked: "Can hoof wall temperature and digital pulse pressure be used as sensitive non-invasive diagnostic indicators of acute laminitis onset?"
Honoria said: "Writing this Knowledge Summary was the perfect chance, not only to develop my ability to navigate and analyse databases, but also to present my findings for the benefit of other clinicians who face these issues.
"I feel that these skills will be very useful to me later in my career, and I am grateful to Veterinary Evidence for providing me with the opportunity."
Jacqueline Oi Ping Tong from the University of Edinburgh won third prize for her critical appraisal of the evidence for whether a daily probiotic improved clinical outcomes in dogs with idiopathic diarrhoea. She said: "This experience makes me recognise the importance of evidence-based veterinary medicine to the veterinary community; it connects scientific research to everyday practice.
"It was a great opportunity to engage in EBVM early in my veterinary career, and start learning how to critically appraise the current evidence."
Jacqueline and Honoria’s Knowledge Summaries have been accepted for future publication in Veterinary Evidence.
All submissions were subjected to the same standards and peer-review process as normal journal submissions.
RCVS Knowledge’s Executive Director, Chris Gush, said: "EBVM and its application into practice starts as part of the undergraduate degree, and we are delighted to encourage and champion student involvement.
"This new initiative from our journal taps into the student body’s potential to help grow the evidence base, whilst preparing the next generation of veterinary professionals for when they graduate."
The Veterinary Evidence Student Awards are running again for 2020 and are open for submissions.
The awards are open to all undergraduates studying veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing or bioveterinary science (and equivalent). More information can be found here: http://bit.ly/VEstudentawards
The guidelines are designed to support veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and wildlife rehabilitators, in order to promote and achieve the best possible care and welfare for indigenous British wild animals in accordance with UK law.
The Society says that guidelines are needed because:
Mark Stidworthy, BVZS President (pictured above right), said: "The rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife by veterinary surgeons and wildlife professionals is highly valued by the British public, making a positive contribution to local communities, the health and welfare of individual animals and to conservation. We hope these guidelines will inform best practice in this area and ensure its continued success."
Theresa Amory, Chair of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (BWRC) said: "BWRC aims to support and promote the professional integrity of wildlife rehabilitators. While we recognise that meeting all of these guidelines may be difficult (particularly for smaller scale rehabilitators) we hope that they will enable rehabilitators to work alongside veterinary partners with increased awareness and confidence in their own working policies and procedures."
Michael Stanford, BVZS Senior Vice President, Veterinary Defence Society Claims Consultant said: "The BVZS Wildlife Guidelines should ensure all stakeholders involved with wildlife rehabilitation are acting in the best interests of animal welfare, with the added reassurance that they are acting in accordance with UK law."
Liz Mullineaux, veterinary surgeon and one of the authors of the guidelines said: "Working with British wildlife has always been challenging, for both vets and rehabilitators, in terms of what is ethical, legal and of an adequate clinical standard. These guidelines clarify many of those things, describing best practice and achievable standards for this area of work."
The guidelines can be downloaded from: http://www.bvzs.org/images/uploads/BVZS_Good_Practice_Guidelines_for_Wildlife_Centres_011016_.pdf
The Ruminant Wellbeing Achievement Award will be offered to a practising veterinary surgeon or a researcher in veterinary science, animal science or related disciplines to recognise his/her achievements in advancing the well-being of ruminants.
The Ruminant Wellbeing Research Award will be offered to a recent PhD graduate in veterinary science, animal science or related disciplines that made an exceptional contribution to the scientific knowledge on ruminant well-being.
The winners will be awarded with a €10,000 cash prize. Travel expenses to attend the meeting and awards ceremony (which coincides with the World Buiatrics meeting) will also be covered.
Scott Deakin, Metacam brand manager at Boehringer said: "Farm animal wellbeing is at the heart of efficient and effective production and Boehringer is delighted to have led the way in raising the importance of this over the last 10 years and is committed to doing so for the next 10 years and beyond.
"By linking with the World Buiatrics Association for the first time and offering two awards at the Wellbeing Forum, we believe the company is offering an exciting and valuable opportunity for vets and we look forward to receiving a large number of interesting applications."
Veterinary surgeons can apply directly or nominate a colleague at: www.farmanimalwellbeing.com.
An independent jury will decide on the winner.
The deadline for applications is 28th February 2018.