Ane’s research interests lie in the surgical correction of neurological diseases leading to chronic pain and epilepsy. Amongst other things, she has developed an international database and phone application to help dogs and owners affected by epilepsy.
Ane began her veterinary studies in her native Spain before transferring to the Veterinary School of Paris (Ecole National Veterinaire d’Alfort) where she completed a three-year European residency in neurology. She then spent eight years working as a neurology-neurosurgery specialist in the UK.
Ane, who speaks five languages, then moved to the USA, where she joined Tufts University, training students, interns and residents and continuing her passion for research.
Henry L'Eplattenier, clinical director at Southfields, said: “We’re absolutely delighted Dr Uriarte has agreed to join the team.
"She is a very talented neurologist with a passion for neuro-oncology and will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, which will benefit our world-class team."
Ane said: “I’m thrilled for the opportunity of leading the neurology service of such an outstanding hospital.
"Pets are part of our family and having a neurological disorder can be devastation. I’m committed and looking forward to helping referring veterinarians and owners in such circumstances."
MSD says the new vaccine reduces the clinical signs of respiratory disease and viral shedding from infection with Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV) and Parainfluenza-3 Virus (Pi3V), and that no other UK-licensed BRD vaccine can be administered earlier in life.
According to the company, it also delivers the fastest on-farm protection, with an onset of immunity after administration of 5 days for BRSV and 7 days for Pi3V. The duration of immunity is 12 weeks for both viruses.
MSD Animal Health ruminant veterinary adviser Dr Kat Baxter-Smith MRCVS said: "Early-age protection of calves through intranasal vaccination can help prevent pneumonia and positively impact a calf’s productive future.
"The sooner and faster these young calves can be protected against viral BRD and the permanent lung damage it causes, the better their potential lifetime productivity, be it in terms of delivering expected milk yield in the dairy herd or growth performance on the beef unit1 2."
Kat added that Bovilis Intranasal RSP Live also activates non-specific immunity – stimulating receptors and cytokines in the innate immune system3: "This equates to protection against viral replication in the nasopharyngeal cavity, reduction of virus shedding and protection of the calf against subsequent clinical symptoms3."
MSD says a practical benefit of Bovilis Intranasal RSP Live to farmers is that it can be used on farm up to six hours after mixing with the solvent, which is the longest of all the available intranasal BRD vaccines. Additionally, the new vaccine is supplied as a farm-friendly, easy-to administer nasal suspension product that doesn’t need a specific applicator – although for maximum flexibility a new easy-clean injector and nozzle kit is available for farmers needing to vaccinate multiple animals.
References:
The study looked at the anonymised employment data of 1,642 veterinary nurses working across 418 UK primary-care companion animal veterinary practices at the end of 2020, including both qualified and student nurses.
Of these, 278 (16.9%) nurses resigned from their veterinary practice between 1 January to 31 December 2021.
Career progression was cited as a reason for resigning by 36.7%, compared to 12.9% for personal reasons, 11.9% for better pay, 10.1% for a better work-life balance, 6.8% to relocate, and 3.6% decided not to return after parental leave.
The research also looked at factors associated with lower odds of future nurse resignations.
They included longer employment tenure (p < 0.001) and working at practices with greater property and facilities ratings (p < 0.049).
Head nurses and students were least likely to resign, whereas by comparison, the nurse role was associated with resignations (p = 0.008), adding to the evidence to support nursing career pathways.
The employee engagement metric, eNPS, was also identified as a reliable indicator of nurse retention. reflecting similar findings in other healthcare professions.
Imogen Schofield, Veterinary Statistician and Epidemiologist at CVS, said: “We want to support the whole industry in reducing the number of nurses leaving their roles and the profession.
"Little objective industry data is available on the true reasons behind nurse attrition and we believe this is the first study to outline the risk factors for nurse resignations using practice data, providing an important addition to the evidence-base surrounding this complex topic.
“Reflecting on our research, that was based on data in 2021, we have since seen our attrition rate fall and our employee engagement measure increase as we have focused on developing career pathways, empowering nurses to take on more responsibilities; developing a range of wellbeing programmes, launching a variety of colleague benefits, and significantly investing in our practices.”
Reference
Two winners will be flown from a London airport to spend 2 nights at the Krka Terme Hotel Svoboda Strunjan, a night at the Grand Union Hotel Ljubljana and a night at the Grand Hotel Bled, plus car hire.
To enter, visit www.discoverkrka.co.uk and pick out the differences between the Dalmations.
Ned Flaxman from Krka said: "I’ve only recently joined KRKA and I’m sure like many people I imagined Slovenia to be some far-off country in Eastern Europe. But it’s much closer than you might think - being only a couple hour’s boat ride from Venice.
"I would urge anyone to enter the competition to be in with the chance of winning this truly memorable trip. From the cliffs and stunning beaches of Strunjan to the lively and beautiful city of Ljubljana, Slovenia is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered."
This year the congress is being organised in collaboration with the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group and will form the Group’s autumn meeting.
The main scientific topics are skin and ear surgery, skin biology, host-microbial interaction, dermatophytosis, exotics dermatology and clinical pharmacology. There will be a three-tiered programme:
Basic level: providing updates on the topics covered
Intermediate level: advanced information for those with a good grounding in veterinary dermatology
Advanced level: more specialist subjects, including human dermatology
For the first time, there will also be a dedicated nurses programme, taking place on Saturday 28th September.
Laura Buckley CertVD DipECVD MRCVS, Local Organising Committee (pictured right), said: "Congress is always a major event in the veterinary dermatology calendar, featuring some of the world’s leading specialists, and this year showcases some of Liverpool’s spectacular historic sites.
"As always there will be commercial and poster exhibitions featuring state-of-the-art veterinary products and leading research in veterinary dermatology respectively."
This year’s social programme includes the Welcome Reception on Thursday 26th and the Dinner Dance on Friday 27th September. The Welcome Reception will be held at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It is the largest Cathedral in the UK and the fifth largest in the world.
The Dinner Dance will take place at Revolución de Cuba overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Albert Dock.
For further information and to register please visit the congress website: www.esvd-ecvdcongress.com
Tuloxxin contains Tulathromycin and Krka says it is based on the same formulation as the market leader.
In cattle Tuloxxin is administered using a single subcutaneous injection; in sheep Tuloxxin is licensed for use in the treatment of foot rot associated with Dichelobacter nodosus and also in pigs for swine respiratory disease (SRD) administered via a single intra-muscular injection. Krka says it is fast-acting, and that the one dose formulation supports compliance and so reduces stress to herds and flocks.
Charlotte Read, Key Account Manager – Farm, at Krka, said: "Whenever Krka launches a generic product, we aim to add some extra value to it. Tuloxxin is a good example. It is based on a tried and trusted active and delivers efficacy; with formulation and delivery method technology at exceptional value. We hope its launch will support vets in their appropriate choice of antibiotic for specific cases. In so doing, they will be protecting their clients’ cattle and profitability while also playing their part in reducing antimicrobial use.”
Tuloxxin is available now from all wholesalers.
Bovilis Bovivac S is used for active immunisation to induce serological and colostral antibody production against Salmonella Dublin and Salmonella Typhimurium.
In the face of an outbreak, it can also be used to reduce Salmonella Typhimurium infections when used as part of an overall herd management programme.
MSD says Bovilis Bovivac S may also contribute to reducing S. Typhimurium contamination of the environment. Other than the packaging, the vaccine itself is identical.
Nine-year-old Nigel the puma, from Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, was suffering from a deteriorating arthritic condition, which was causing loss of function in his front leg.
His veterinary team consulted an orthopaedic specialist and trialled medical management including steroids and Solensia, but Nigel was unresponsive to treatment.
This led to a severe debilitating limp and pain, leaving a choice between amputation or euthanasia.
Nigel's treatment was funded by donations from visitors to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, which is a registered charity that was originally established as a sanctuary for parrots in the early 1990s, who raised nearly £5,000 following a fundraising campaign.
The operation took place in a sterile theatre set up in Nigel’s enclosure, where the entire limb was removed, including the scapula.
After an intense five-hour operation, led by Iain Cope, veterinary surgeon and practice owner at Vets4Pets Newmarket, and Shannon Grimwood, veterinary nurse at Vets4Pets Newmarket, Nigel is now on the road to recovery and adapting well to life with three legs.
Iain said: “Nigel’s case was certainly unique and one we haven’t come across before. Working alongside Lincolnshire Wildlife Park and a team of local vets and veterinary nurses, we applied our knowledge of domestic cat amputations to a big one.
“The approach was extremely similar, and the operation ran as smoothly as possible.”
7,383 veterinary surgeons voted in this year's election, a turnout of 19.7%.
This compares to turnouts of 16.7% in 2023, 18.6% in 2022, 24.5% in 2021, and 26.2% in 2020.
Of the 14 candidates, Professor David Barratt, Sinead Bennett and Zara Kennedy were all elected to serve for a four year term, with 1,747 votes, 1,796 and 2,264 votes respectively.
Mark Bowen (1,404), Richard Brown (1,030), Paddy Gordon (1,612), Gerard Henry (1,157), Peter Higgins (496), Penelope Morgan (1,584), Kate Richards (1,264), Richard Sanderson (1,380), Sally Schroeder (1,630), Lara Wilson (1,399) and the inevitable Thomas Lonsdale (257) were all unsuccessful.
The winning candidates will take up their posts at Royal College Day, which is open to all vets to attend on Friday 5th July at the Royal Institute of British Architects.
www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote24
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded and warned a Clwyd-based veterinary surgeon on charges relating to falsifying prescriptions to obtain drugs for her own use.
At the outset of the two-day hearing, Mrs Alina Grecko admitted that in 2009 she had written out three prescriptions for her own use whilst working as a veterinary surgeon at Greenfield Veterinary Surgery, Holywell, Clywd, and that this amounted to serious professional misconduct. The Committee found this to be the case, and said she was right to admit it. The Committee also said this was deliberate wrong-doing on three separate occasions and involved an obvious breach of Mrs Grecko's legal duties in relation to prescription which was bound to diminish the profession and public confidence in it. It was also a flagrant breach of the Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons.
In the Committee's opinion the charge was a serious one; it involved falsehoods and disregard of legal obligations and of the profession's standards, as well as compromising another professional - a pharmacist. In mitigation, however, the Committee accepted that the offence involved no harm to any animal or person, nor risk of harm except to herself; nor was there financial gain. Mrs Grecko was a young and relatively inexperienced veterinary surgeon, and the Committee's view was that the offence was the result of her not thinking straight at a time of great stress in her personal and professional life, rather than a clearly thought out course of deliberate conduct. It was in no doubt that Mrs Grecko was genuinely remorseful about her behaviour and had insight into its seriousness.
The Committee also considered evidence relating to the circumstances in which the prescription came to be written. It accepted the general case that the original idea of self-prescribing did not come from Mrs Grecko; however, the Committee did not find that she had been encouraged or persuaded; the most that could be said was that Mrs Grecko had taken up a casual suggestion that she might write the prescription herself.
When deciding on sanction, the Committee took into account both the facts of the particular case and the mitigating factors. It reiterated that the primary purpose of the sanction is not to punish the Respondent but to protect the welfare of animals, to maintain public confidence in the profession, and to uphold proper standards of conduct and said the sanction applied must be proportionate to the nature and extent of the Respondent's conduct, and weigh the public interest with the interests of the Respondent. The Committee also said that in a case involving the writing of false prescriptions the importance of public confidence in the profession and of upholding the standards of the profession mean that the Committee would normally feel that at least a suspension from the Register should be imposed.
Having given anxious consideration to the question whether that course could properly be avoided in this case, the Committee felt able to take an exceptional course and the sanctions it has imposed are that the Respondent will both be reprimanded and warned as to her future conduct. It directed that these sanctions will remain on her record indefinitely.
According to the forthcoming PDSA Animal Welfare 2016 report, only 35% of pet owners are familiar with their pets' legal welfare needs, a figure which has remained persistently low over the past 6 years (45% in 2011, 31% in 2012, 38% in 2013, 36% in 2014 and 31% in 2015).
The same report revealed in 2015 that 97% of veterinary professionals agreed there is value in encouraging pet owners to better understand and provide for the five welfare needs of their pets.
The 2016 report will also report that pet owners who feel more informed about each of the five welfare needs are significantly more likely to provide preventive healthcare to their pets.
Gudrun Ravetz, President of the BVA said: "It’s concerning that, despite many veterinary practices’ best efforts, public awareness of the five welfare needs remains consistently low. There are so many strong voices for animal welfare, which is why it’s great that so many veterinary organisations – including BSAVA, BVNA and BVZS – are coming together within this coalition to highlight pet owners’ legal duty of care. We hope practices across the country will join us in spreading the message by continuing to deliver the welfare need-focused advice to clients that they already do, day-in, day-out."
The 2006 Animal Welfare Acts of England and Wales, and Scotland consolidated and replaced more than 20 pieces of outmoded legislation. They established a duty of care, enshrining in law five animal welfare needs, outlining housing, diet, behaviour, social interactions and health as the legal responsibilities that every owner should meet to ensure their pet is as happy and healthy as possible.
The veterinary animal welfare coalition says it recognises that veterinary practices across the UK already promote the five welfare needs through a range of methods, from displaying materials in their waiting rooms to providing health check consultations with vets and vet nurses to discuss pets’ needs. The seven organisations, which are all UK based and support or provide veterinary service delivery, are pooling their resources so that veterinary practices can more easily signpost clients to the wealth of resources that are available.
James Yeates, who chairs the veterinary animal welfare coalition as part of the Vet Futures Action Plan, said: "The five welfare needs are a fantastic 'umbrella' guide to taking care of our pets, yet each and every species has such differing welfare needs - from cats who tend to be solitary animals and usually prefer to be the only pet to rabbits that should live in pairs or groups of other rabbits and dogs, who should not be left on their own for more than a few hours a day - it’s vital that pet owners can translate theory into practice. Our understanding of animal welfare science has come such a long way over the past 50 years so we'd really like pet owners to visit their local veterinary practice, where they will be able to get tailored, up-to-date advice for their pets."
The BVA's Spring 2016 Voice of the Profession survey of over 1,600 veterinary surgeons found that the majority (60%) see diet as their main welfare concern, causing obesity, dental issues and a variety of other complex health problems. The coalition of veterinary organisations behind this campaign says it hopes it will encourage the 15% of pet owners not currently registered with a veterinary practice to seek out their local surgery for expert advice about issues such as these.
More information about the coalition and the resources available to practices can be found at www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/newsroom/news-releases/uk-pets-at-risk-as-two-thirds-of-owners-unaware-of-legal-welfare-needs/
The current strain of bluetongue emerged in the Netherlands in 2023 and spread rapidly, infecting over 5,000 livestock farms.
Infection of livestock with this serotype of the virus can result in severe clinical signs and high mortality rates1, significantly impacting animal health, and farming communities.
Bultavo 3 is an inactivated injectable vaccine indicated for the active immunisation against BTV-3.
Boehringer says that in sheep, Bultavo 3 has been shown to significantly reduce viraemia and prevent mortality and clinical signs associated with BTV-3 infection.
Onset of immunity occurs three weeks after administration of a single 1ml subcutaneous dose in sheep.
In cattle, two 1ml intramuscular doses are required, at a three-week interval.
Findlay MacBean, Head of Livestock, UK and Ireland at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “It’s great news that we can support farmers and authorities in their fight against bluetongue with our new BTV-3 vaccine, Bultavo 3.
"As we have seen across Europe, and now in the UK, BTV can spread rapidly and causes considerable stress to farmers because of the significant financial impact on those affected.
The availability of Bultavo 3 means future BTV-3 outbreaks can be suppressed, helping farmers protect not only their herds, but also their livelihoods.” Oli Maxwell, BVSc BSc(Hons) MVM DipECBHM, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Cattle Health and Production and Clinical Director of Green Counties Vets said: “Farmers are justifiably concerned about BTV-3 and its incursion into the UK again this year.
"Reports from colleagues on the continent regarding the severity of clinical signs, especially in sheep are worrying.
"We have seen a huge increase in clients asking about the disease, progress on a vaccine and what this may mean for animal movements at a critical time of year.
"The availability of a safe and effective vaccine as a critical tool against a disease that we can’t reasonably prevent with biosecurity measures will be a welcome development for many.”
To manage supply and demand, use of the product will initially be subject to geographical restriction with vaccination permitted in high-risk English counties: Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex.
Reference:
The Swadlincote and Melbourne-based IVC practice worked with a Great Workplaces by BVA accreditor during the pilot of the new scheme, to demonstrate its strengths against an accreditation framework covering four key themes: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture and learning and development.
In the report, the accreditor was particularly impressed by the practice’s strong leadership and management; its emphasis on accommodating flexibility for team members in various forms; a robust teamworking ethos; and a focus on continuous improvement.
British Veterinary Association President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “We’re delighted to see Swadlincote Veterinary Centre become the first veterinary workplace to achieve Gold accreditation through Great Workplaces by BVA scheme.
"Congratulations to the whole practice team for this incredible recognition.
“Creating positive working environments and targeting areas for improvement are the key to tackling ongoing workforce challenges around recruitment and retention.
"We hope this first Gold accreditation inspires others to strive towards gaining recognition as workplaces where vet teams thrive.”
Ingrid Stevenson, Clinical Director at Swadlincote Veterinary Centre, said: “While we knew the practice was doing well, we didn’t go into this process expecting Gold at all.
"My practice manager and I were just both really keen to get some feedback and to find out what more we could do to help the team.
“We have several clinical accreditations in the practice, but it is the team that are responsible for achieving these and maintaining the high standards.
"I believe the team should be looked after, recognised and rewarded for their hard work and going above and beyond when necessary.
"The team were really pleased when I shared the news.
"It has certainly been good for team morale and a positive outcome to share with potential new recruits. '
“The accreditation process was a thorough assessment of the practice and our accreditor made us feel all at ease during the interviews.
"While we achieved Gold, which was unexpected, we have also learnt of areas to develop further over the coming months.
"Overall, it was a positive experience for our practice.”
www.bva.co.uk/take-action/good-veterinary-workplaces/
The new editorial team is comprised of Gareth Arthurs and Rob Pettitt, both RCVS Recognised Specialists in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) and Gordon Brown (no, not that one), an RCVS Diplomate in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics).
Given the considerable evolution in the diagnosis, understanding and treatment options for many orthopaedic disorders, this second edition includes the investigation of lameness, including the use of force plates and kinematics, the current understanding of elbow dysplasia and the wide array of available treatment options, and diagnostic and surgical arthroscopy.
New, advanced surgical techniques, such as tibial osteotomy for cranial cruciate ligament disease, cementless total hip replacement for hip dysplasia and replacement of the trochlear sulcus for patellar luxation have been covered, together with guidance on the level of training and experience necessary to achieve consistently good results.
The manual is divided into four principle sections:
Lameness investigation
Musculoskeletal disorders
Principles of orthopaedic surgery
Management of specific disorders, ordered by individual joints.
The joint-specific chapters all follow a similar format, comprising the main chapter and then, where relevant, imaging and operative techniques.
Gareth Arthurs, one of three editors, said: "We feel privileged to have worked with such a broad range of talented authors whose combined international skills, knowledge and experience is impressive and very difficult to match. It has truly been a privilege to work with such a team of inspiring veterinary surgeons with expertise in various fields, and we are confident that the talent of each individual shines through their chapter".
The second edition of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Musculoskeletal Disorders is available from the BSAVA website: www.bsava.com or by phone: 01452 726700. The online edition is available from: www.bsavalibrary.com
Vetoquinol is launching Forcyl, an injectable anti-infective for the targeted therapeutic treatment of respiratory infections in cattle, in November.
Forcyl is a patented 16% marbofloxacin solution, registered as a single intramuscular injection, which the company says will ensure a high level of compliance.
Forcyl follows the SISAAB concept (single injection short acting antibiotic), with an optimised dosage to minimise the risk of development of antibiotic resistance. Shorter exposure time limits the opportunity for resistance to develop. The formulation means a lower volume of administration (10 ml for 160 kg body weight) is required. Vetoquinol says that other benefits of Forcyl include excellent injection site tolerance and short withdrawal periods (meat: 5 days, milk: 48 hours).
For further information on implementing the SISAAB concept in your practice, please contact one of Vetoquinol's large animal team on 01280 814500.
The awards celebrate the achievements of remarkable people who dedicate their lives to improving animal health and welfare both in the UK and abroad. They are open to vets, vet nurses, farmers, animal welfare professionals and animal welfare teams who can be nominated to receive an award by fellow peers, friends and family or the general public.
There are nine nomination categories including a new one this year to recognise an international individual or team that stands out from the crowd by influencing and significantly contributing to making a visible difference in the world of animal welfare.
The categories are:
Chris Laurence Vet of the Year supported by Vet Record.
Vet Nurse of the Year supported by Agria Pet Insurance
Charity Team of the Year supported by PDSA
Charitable Contribution of the Year supported by Blue Cross
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year supported by International Cat Care
Farmer of the Year supported by R.A.B.I. and Farmers Guardian
Farm Educator of the Year supported by NADIS and Farmers Guardian
Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare supported by Your Dog and Your Cat magazines
Outstanding International Contribution to Animal Welfare supported by Ceva International
Nominations can be made at https://www.cevawelfare.com/click-here-to-nominate with nominations closing on Tuesday 31 December 2019.
Finalists will be announced at the beginning of February and winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in Birmingham in April on the eve of BSAVA Congress.
Cuneyt Seckin, Managing Director of Ceva Animal Health UK and Ireland, said: "As an animal health company, animal welfare is a huge focus for us. The Ceva Animal Welfare Awards are an opportunity to formally recognise and congratulate outstanding animal welfare teams and individuals who contribute to the protection and welfare of animals in their daily lives."
For more information, visit www.cevawelfare.com.
Amongst the speakers were Catherine Oxtoby MRCVS, Risk Manager at the Veterinary Defence Society, and Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vets4Pets.
Dr Stacey explained how Vets4Pets and Companion Care practices are embracing a culture of sharing information when things don’t go according to plan in practice.
He said: "We all face challenges in the workplace, and this event focused on how different professions can share ideas and good practice and how they find solutions to any challenges.
"The culture of aviation and maritime is one of minimising risk and putting safety first, and it is fascinating to compare their approach to that found in medicine and veterinary.
"One common theme we discussed was the wellbeing of both professionals and patients or clients, with tiredness being at the top of the list of things that can negatively affect wellbeing and performance.
"Both aviation and maritime recognised that long shifts, particularly overnight, needed to be reduced in order to improve the outcome for everyone.
"In veterinary and human medicine, tiredness and long shifts are often worn as a badge of honour and being tired at work was something that should be admired, rather than addressed.
"But, tired vets are effectively neglecting themselves and their own wellbeing, which in turn leads to pets not receiving the best level of care in practice.
"This is something we’re taking seriously at Vets4Pets and Companion Care, and we’re currently looking at ways to decrease the risk of overworked and tired vets and vet nurses."
Another area of discussion was around the reporting of near misses and when things don’t go right, and how veterinary professionals need to identify and share the learnings from these events, not only within their practice, but with the wider profession too.
He said: "We need to continually emphasise the concept of a ‘just’ culture, to ensure our colleagues feel confident about reporting incidents open and honestly."
"It is not in the interests of the professional, the patient or the client to bottle things up, and at Vets4Pets and Companion Care we’re encouraging all of our practices to adopt the VDS VetSafe system, which provides a mechanism for sharing incident reports across the profession, enabling us all to learn from them to the benefit of our patients."
The University of Liverpool has developed a new diagnostic tool to help practitioners with their treatment programmes for osteoarthritis in dogs.
VetSurgeon.org member Dr Ben Walton, from the University's School of Veterinary Science, said: "In first opinion and referral practices canine mobility is assessed in a subjective fashion, either by a vet or owner. Assessment can differ between vets, and if more than one limb is affected it becomes even more difficult.
"Pain and mobility associated with this condition depends on recent activity levels, medication and even weather conditions, which mean that a dog can have good and bad periods and any physical assessment will only provide a snapshot of the disease.
"The most reliable data on this disease is often gathered from informally asking owners for their observations of their pet's behaviour. The difficulty until now has been knowing how to reliably record this valuable information so that it can recalled the next time the patient visits."
The new tool, which takes the form of a questionnaire, attaches score rates to quantify the level of disease against key questions addressed to the dog's owner. Owners are asked to grade their dog's activity and exercise levels, stiffness and lameness, and any changes that occur in different weather conditions. The information is recorded digitally so that it can be referred to throughout a patient's treatment programme.
Ben said: "This record of behaviour history, together with clinical assessment, could provide a more detailed understanding of how the disease is progressing, and importantly how healthy and comfortable the dog is."
Research which validates the new tool has been published on PLOS ONE here.
Thermo-insulated wellington boots to keep feet warm on farms during winter time are being launched by Bekina of Belgium in the UK and ROI.
Like the Bekina Steplite X boots designed for general farm work, the Thermolite cold weather wellie is moulded from polyurethane rather than traditional rubber or PVC. However, the Thermolite wellie also has extra thick uppers and soles, making them suitable for use by farmers and vets in temperatures down to minus 40C.
Wide fitting for extra comfort, Bekina Thermolites are supplied with a free pair of removable, insulated insoles. They are also available with safety toecaps.
For details Freephone AgriHealth 0800 731 2490,or visit http://www.bekina.be/
Virbac has launched a new 12 month version of Suprelorin, the reversible medical castration implant for dogs, widening the options for clients seeking an alternative to surgical castration.
Product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "The launch of Suprelorin 12 gives practices the chance to offer dog owners a more convenient castration option. The implant renewal can now be included with their dog's annual boosters or health check.
"The slow-release implant is inserted at the back of the neck in the same manner as a microchip. There is no anaesthetic, no surgery and no scarring. The current implant, which contains 4.7mg active and lasts for around 6 months after insertion, will continue to be available for those wanting a more brief solution or as a trial.
"Deslorelin is a GnRH superagonist which causes suppression of LH/FSH, and therefore testosterone production, leading to temporary infertility."
For further information on Suprelorin/12, please call and ask to speak to one of our veterinary advisors on 01359 243243, or contact your local Virbac territory manager.
Severn Edge was formed six years ago with the merger of two long-standing neighbouring practices, and now employs 135 people, including 43 veterinary surgeons.
Mrs Karyn MacKenzie, Director of CVS’ Practice Division, said: "Severn Edge is an impressive practice with an outstanding leadership team and an ambitious and exciting vision for the future which we share. We are delighted to welcome the team to CVS and look forward to working with them to help them build an even more successful future."
Dr John Brentnall BVSc MRCVS, a Director of Severn Edge, will continue in the role of CVS Regional Director. He said: "It was clear from our early discussions that CVS understood what we are trying to achieve. We have embarked on a significant investment programme, including upgrading our surgery at Madeley outside Telford, and the redevelopment of the site of an additional clinic which we have recently acquired in Craven Arms.
"In order for us to continually upgrade our clinics, provide the widest range of career opportunities for our staff and steer our practice through an increasingly competitive world, we believe that the best interests of us all lie in joining forces with CVS. It is known for its interest in equine and farm practice, as well as companion animal practice, and has a policy of significant investment in both infrastructure and staff. We believe it offers the best fit with Severn Edge."
Once a month, a new discussion will be posted by the site editor titled: "WHAT WOULD YOU DO (in xxx clinical situation)?"
In addition, VetSurgeon members are strongly encouraged to start your own "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" discussion at any time.
All members are then invited to share what they would do for the case described, and we also use the opportunity to question which approach offers the best value for pet and owner, and brainstorm new ways of approaching the problem.
Importantly, criticising (as opposed to questioning) anyone's approach is strictly forbidden.
The aim is to share what most vets are doing, question whether there are better ways of doing things and brainstorm fresh ideas, something which is always a beneficial but perhaps especially so in a cost-of-living crisis when, for a variety of reasons, veterinary fees have escalated above and beyond inflation.
As a result, it has become increasingly important to question, for example, the value of certain diagnostics and whether a different approach could offer clients more value.
By way of example, the first discussion was: "WHAT WOULD YOU DO: cat over-grooming central abdomen?", which you can read and take part in here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/clinical-questions/30842/what-would-you-do-cat-over-grooming-ventral-abdomen
The second discussion is now live, and asks: "WHAT WOULD YOU DO: Young dog presented having had its first single or cluster of seizures?
Come and share your thoughts here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/clinical-questions/30875/what-would-you-do-young-dog-presented-having-had-its-first-single-or-cluster-of-seizures
Full rules here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/clinical-questions/30841/what-would-you-do-discussions-rules-and-objectives
Additional credit is given if the display includes a den, and the top ten displays win a luxury chocolate hamper.
Ceva says the aim of the exercise is to highlight preventative steps pet owners can take to manage their pets' firework fears and the benefits of building a den to help calm and reassure dogs during the firework festivities,
Claire Russell, pheromone product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Our display competition is one of the highlights of the veterinary practice year with veterinary professionals creating innovative displays that capture the imagination of their clients and help educate them on the preventative measures that they can adopt at home to help manage their pet’s firework fears."
Ceva has a range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to use in the competition, including waiting room materials.
For further information, contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Alice and Mariella, who co-authored the book Cracking the Menopause, met with MPs earlier this month to present the goals of their campaign: education for all on the menopause, an end to scaremongering, prescribing women with the correct medication and making HRT affordable and accessible to all.
Vets Now says 88% of its 1800 employees are women, 28% of whom are aged over 40, when they could be perimenopausal, menopausal or postmenopausal.
The company's new app offers its employees video consultations with health experts, health and fitness programmes, and support with mental health and nutrition.
Vet's Now says it's the starting point for a wider menopause support plan being launched later in the year which will include steps to help manage mental wellbeing at work, menopause support hubs and encouraging a culture which talks honestly about menopause.
Laura Black, Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, said: “Women over 50 are the fastest growing demographic in the workplace and sadly it’s estimated that almost 900,000 women in the UK have quit their jobs due to the menopause.
“We are committed to creating an understanding workplace for employees going through the perimenopause and menopause and want to make sure they feel supported by us at all times.
“We've launched Peppy to help our colleagues take control of their health and get the answers they need from experts, anytime, anywhere.
"The app is free to access for all employees and their partners.
“We’ve been working hard on formulating a menopause support package for staff over the past couple of years and we’re really proud that we’re one of the first major veterinary businesses to make this step change.
"We’d encourage other businesses in the sector to look at similar plans for their colleagues.”
While the drive to launch Peppy was initially to support the Vets Now Menopause policy, it also provides support for fertility, pregnancy, early parenthood and men’s health.
For more information on Peppy visit www.peppy.health.