Charcovet Gel contains 30g of activated charcoal in a 60ml syringe.
Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare said: “In young animals with digestive disturbances, Charcovet Gel uses the adsorbent properties of activated charcoal to support the gut in a return to normal function.
"The value of using activated charcoal in cases of digestive upset in young animals has long been recognised, but the difficulty and mess involved in mixing such a fine dry powder in water presented considerable usability issues.
"With Charcovet Gel, the appropriate volume of activated charcoal gel is simply selected from the graduated syringe and administered directly into the animal’s mouth.
"Charcovet Gel can be given daily as needed to support the animal during the period of digestive upset.”
Each box of Charcovet Gel contains 12 syringes.
Charcovet Gel is available now from all major veterinary wholesalers, or directly from Forte Healthcare Ltd.
For more information contact your Forte Territory Manager, email enquiries@fortehealthcare.com or visit: https://www.fortehealthcare.com/product/charcovet-gel
The Scottish Fold is bred for a cartilage abnormality which gives them their distinctive folded ears.
However, that same cartilage abnormality affects their joints, meaning that they go on to develop painful arthritis, even from a young age.
The charities say the impact of using this breed in a Hollywood film cannot be overstated and is likely to significantly increase their popularity with potential cat owners.
Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, said: “International Cat Care (iCatCare) and its veterinary division, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), believe that it is simply unethical to continue to breed cats with a genetic mutation that is known to cause significant painful disease – the rationale for breeding these cats was purely for traits considered attractive to humans, as some people believe the folded ears look appealing.
"This is an unnatural appearance for a cat, and the underlying genetic defect has far-reaching and severe consequences for the health of the cat.
"Health should always be more important than looks.”
The trailer for the film also shows a cat travelling in a backpack and subjected to rough handling, including being picked up by the scruff and thrown from a building.
ISFM says that although these scenes have been created using digital animation, the organisations share concerns that suggesting these interactions with cats are acceptable or entertaining may have a negative impact on the welfare of cats.
Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at International Cat Care, said: “Scruffing a cat is an unacceptable form of restraint that can cause a cat considerable discomfort, fear and even pain, as the weight of its body is completely unsupported, and the cat cannot escape the pressure from its skin being grasped.
"Backpacks are not a cat friendly way to transport a cat; they can leave a cat cramped, without enough ventilation, struggling to control body temperature, and uncomfortable due to the unpredictable movement from being worn on a person’s back.
"Backpacks are simply not cat friendly - they do not respect the cat as a species and run the risk of psychological and physical suffering to the cat.”
The organisations have contacted Universal Pictures, asking them to adopt Cat Friendly Principles in future, and not to promote cat breeds with extreme features in future.
RSPCA has launched a new website called 'Political Animal' to encourage voters to lobby their prospective parliamentary candidates about animal welfare issues ahead of the General Election.
The site offers an interesting timeline of the last 20 years of animal welfare law, leading up to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, showing landmark changes. It also gives details of the RSPCA's stance on issues like status dogs, higher welfare farming, wild animals in circuses and animals used in experiments.
RSPCA parliamentary officer Stacey Frier, said: "The Political Animal microsite is a unique project allowing our supporters to drive the debate by letting politicians know what they want them to do for animal welfare if they are elected.
"The RSPCA and its supporters have been instrumental in campaigning for change in animal welfare legislation since the Society's creation in 1824 and we're urging the incoming parliament to continue to work with us to achieve further animal welfare milestones."
For more information, please log on to http://www.politicalanimal.org.uk/
Andrew, who is head of dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery at Eastcott Referrals in Swindon simultaneously became an RVCS Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry.
Eastcott Referrals managing director Peter Southerden, who is also a recognised EVDC specialist in dentistry, said: "This is a terrific achievement by Andrew.
"He’s spent six years studying on the EVDC’s training programme which finally culminated in four days of intense examinations.
"He now joins just eight other veterinary dentists in the UK who are recognised by the EVDC."
Andrew is now planning to build on his qualifications. He said: "I aim to start studying again in January when I hope to begin a Fellowship of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
"The Fellowship is overseen by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and is a post-specialist qualification indicating further specialisation in maxillofacial surgery.
"It’s two more years of study, including the need for publication in an international journal, and then an exam in the US.
"The primary benefit is the continued development of my skills, insuring that, here at Eastcott, we are operating to the highest international standards and can treat patients with the most complex problems.
"Peter is an ACVS Founding Fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, currently the only fellow of the ACVS in Europe, so I’m proudly following in his footsteps to become the first resident of the Fellowship in Europe.
"It shows our commitment to dental and maxillofacial work and we believe we are leading the way with our cutting-edge surgical procedures and innovations within our state-of the-art facilities.
"We are not just one of the foremost centres of excellence for this specialist work in the UK but throughout Europe, too."
The CAMadvocate course (http://www.cameducation.co.uk), which is delivered online, consists of 10 modules with video presentations, course notes, downloads, owner-focused tools, further online learning, and social media uploads.
The course is designed to help canine professionals improve their understanding of canine arthritis, and to define their role in the identification, diagnosis, and management of the condition.
Hannah Capon MRCVS, the founder of Canine Arthritis Management said: "Dog walkers, groomers, trainers, kennel owners, etc., are all influencers! They have the ability to support a long-term veterinary-derived management plan. Or they have the ability to destabilise it!
"Owners listen to these people because they have more available time; they may appear less like a business and more like a friendly service or even a peer; or they may offer advice that seems more convincing. Whatever the reason, we should harness their powers and ensure they are disseminating reliable information whilst servicing their own needs!"
Canine Arthritis Management believes that a multidisciplinary team is required to better manage this disease, that this includes professionals outside the veterinary practice, and by harnessing their influence, the profession can educate more owners, identify this disease earlier, action appropriate management plans and give owners more years with their pets.
Hannah added: "I hope the profession will support this initiative and consider applying it to other chronic diseases that are prone to misinformation due to lucrative product sales."
CommentA training course / qualification developed by a veterinary surgeon and designed to educate influencers. It's genius. Surely there's huge scope for this kind of initiative beyond canine arthritis? What do you think pet owners are most ill-informed about, where it could be really effective to better educate canine influencers, so that they in turn will pass it on. Post your thoughts here.
Specifically, Ms Hodgkinson was alleged to have placed five orders between 1 September 2013 and 1 April 2015:
The medications for charges (i) to (iii) above, were intended for her own personal use, as she had previously at various times been prescribed Codeine, Naproxen and Amitriptyline after being involved in a serious car accident in November 2012, as a result of which she suffered from chronic back pain and other problems.
Charges (iv) and (v) above, were intended for her dog, ‘Minnie’, but the dosages ordered were incorrect. The medications were never removed from the practice or given to Minnie, but were instead returned to the wholesaler.
From the outset Ms Hodgkinson admitted the charges against her, although she believed that other staff at the practice had placed similar personal orders and that she had been given permission to do so as well. Ms Hodgkinson also accepted that the facts amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The Committee accepted Ms Hodgkinson’s admission of the charges and, accordingly, found the charges proved. The question of whether the facts amounted to serious professional misconduct was, however, a matter for the Committee’s judgement, notwithstanding Ms Hodgkinson’s admission.
In reaching its decision, the Committee took into account Ms Hodgkinson’s assertion that she believed she had been given permission to order medication through the practice. She did admit however that she must have been mistaken in that belief. The Committee also took note of the College’s submission that a number of aggravating features were present which amounted to serious professional misconduct, namely: the potential risk posed to animal welfare; Ms Hodgkinson’s ignorance of fundamental legislative provisions; a breach of trust placed in her by virtue of her RVN status; the fact that the misconduct was repeated over a period of time; and a lack of awareness of professional responsibilities at the time of the conduct. The Committee therefore had no hesitation that the conduct did amount to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee then turned to the question of sanction. A number of mitigating factors were put forward in Ms Hodgkinson’s defence including the fact that a period of lengthy suspension or removal from the register would result in her losing an offer of employment, the fact that up to the relevant conduct she had had an unblemished career and the fact that she had made early admissions of guilt and shown insight into her misconduct.
The Committee decided that a period of 10 months’ suspension would be appropriate and proportionate in this case.
Chitra Karve, who chaired the Committee and spoke on its behalf, said: "The length of the period of suspension…is intended to reflect this Committee’s view, assisted as it has been by the experience and knowledge of a practising RVN and a veterinary surgeon, of the seriousness of the respondent’s conduct in its totality and of the need for the message to go out to all veterinary professionals that the ordering of POMs without the authority of a valid prescription is a most serious instance of misconduct. In such circumstances the personal mitigations that a practitioner might place before a Disciplinary Committee, whilst not immaterial, is inevitably of limited persuasion. And that is what this Committee has concluded in this particular case, having reflected carefully on the mitigation factors placed before it.
"Having weighed the matters of personal mitigation against the fact that a rudimentary knowledge of the governing legislation was effectively all that was required of the Respondent to ensure that the misconduct complained of did not occur, it is the clear view of the Committee that it would be failing in its public duty were it to do anything less than to impose a period of suspension from practice and the least period of suspension that is appropriate in this case is one of ten months. The Committee therefore instructs the Registrar to act accordingly."
The BVA is also calling on Government to tighten pet import rules.
The advice follows news about a positive Brucella canis test in a rescue dog imported from Belarus in March this year.
The woman fostering the dog was hospitalised after coming into close contact with it, in the UK’s first confirmed dog-to-human transmission.
The foster animal and four pet dogs who were exposed to the disease, three of whom also tested positive, all had to be euthanised.
Data released by the Government shows a steep rise in confirmed Brucella canis cases since the start of 2020, rising from just three before that year to 107 till July this year.
The dogs were all either imported, had returned from holiday overseas, or been bred with an imported dog.
BVA is asking veterinary teams to:
British Veterinary Association President Justine Shotton said: “This recent case of Brucella canis in a foster dog is extremely tragic and highlights why vets have long raised concerns over the real and serious risks of importing ‘Trojan’ rescue dogs with unknown health histories into the UK.
“We know there is an added public health risk too, including for veterinary teams who treat and handle these animals, from contact with an infected dog’s contaminated body tissues and fluids.
"BVA continues to call on the Government to take urgent action to introduce stricter pet import measures, including mandatory pre-import testing, so we can minimise the spread of Brucella canis and other emerging diseases.
"We are also calling for the strengthening of enforcement provisions and checks on dogs brought into the country through the commercial route."
The 2021 B. canis risk view and statement by Public Health England (now UK Health Security Agency) contains vital information and recommendations for veterinary professionals: here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/960013/20210210_Brucella_canis_statement.pdf
BVA’s recommendations on tightening pet travel legislation: https://www.bva.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Content/News,_campaigns_and_policies/Policies/Companion_animals/BVA%20Position%20on%20Pet%20Travel%20Full.pdf
Last year, over 1,400 veterinary practices collected more than 6,000 ticks from dogs for the Big Tick Project, contributing to the largest-ever study of tick-borne illnesses in dogs in Britain, if not worldwide.
Now MSD is calling on practices to do the same for cats. The company says that data collected from the contributions will be used in a scientific paper which will help vets make more specific recommendations to cat owners, and help keep their pets safe.
Amanda Melvin, Senior Product Manager for Bravecto said: "We were delighted and rather overwhelmed by the response, support and level of interest in the BTP for dogs from the veterinary profession. We were expecting 100s of ticks to be submitted but they arrived in their 1000s!
"It made us realise that, with the low levels of awareness of the risks of tick-borne disease to both people and animals, there was an even wider issue to be addressed. The risks to cats could not be ignored.
"We have therefore created the BTP for cats and are asking the vets, once again, to show their support by collecting and sending in ticks from their practices. The more samples we receive the better. This way we can help the profession better understand the risks associated with ticks and how best to help cat owners treat their pets."
Those practices that participated in the BTP last year will automatically be registered and will be sent an email with details of this phase of the project. Any practices that did not participate last year and would like to should send their details to vet-support.uk@merck.com.
To support vets in promoting the BTP for cats to their clients MSD Animal Health has designed a range of materials for display in practice and as takeaways for clients. They include a practice waiting room poster and a cat certificate.
The research found that 93% of practices have a washing machine on site, but two thirds of those use a domestic machine rather than a commercial one. 69% of staff also take their uniform home to wash in a domestic machine.
Only commercial machines conform to the WRAS regulations, with thermal disinfection capabilities to minimise the risk of cross infection.
The survey also provided an argument for using a robust commercial machine able to cope with high levels of usage and the variety of materials needing to be cleaned: 83% of practices said they use their machines more than once a day and listed bedding, drapes and gowns as the most common materials that need to be cleaned regularly.
Les Marshall, Sales & Marketing Director at Miele Professional, said: "Our research shows that veterinary staff realise the importance of hygiene when cleaning their laundry. At Miele Professional we understand that preventing infection is key. When caring for animals who need medical care, reliable and effective equipment that can wash items ranging from bedding to gowns to reusable bandages is essential.
"As a leading supplier to the care and hospital sectors, all our machines are tested and approved to Water Regulatory Advisory Scheme (WRAS) category 5 for mains connection in any high-risk establishment."
The company says that in addition to meeting WRAS category 5 requirements, it's machines:
Miele Professional is exhibiting at the London Vet Show and will be holding a seminar on 'Controlling the risk of infection with a commercial laundry system' in the Business Theatre on 18 November, 12-12.50pm.
The seminar will explore the benefits of using a commercial laundry over a domestic machine, best practice around thermal disinfection and why it’s vital for veterinary practices to meet WRAS category 5 requirements.
For more information visit www.miele.co.uk.
Reference
95 respondents were surveyed online in June 2016
It is hoped the survey will capture the experiences vets have had reporting ADRs, as well as identifying barriers to the current process which could be used to improve the ease with which ADRs are reported in the future.
PhD student Heather Davies (pictured right), who is leading the research project, said: "The survey is an important opportunity to gain insights into the issues that vets face when dealing with ADRs.
"We want to make the process easier in order to improve the safety of veterinary medicines, and ultimately, we need the help of professionals on the front line in order to do that."
She added: "The survey is relatively short and can be completed anonymously.
"We’re really keen to gather as many of your experiences as possible so we’d like to encourage veterinary professionals to complete it."
The research is being carried out as part of a PhD project funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in collaboration with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET), based at the university.
The survey is now open and you can take part here: https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/adrs-vet
Any questions about the survey can be addressed directly to the researchers: Heather Davies (PhD student): H.H.Davies@liverpool.ac.uk and/or Dr David Killick (Supervisor): David.Killick@liverpool.ac.uk.
EQVALAN® manufacturer Merial Animal Health is extending its free egg worm count promotion, allowing practices to re-run the offer this autumn.
During September and October Merial is giving away 20 free faecal egg count tests with each order of 20 tubes of EQVALAN® DUO (ivermectin + praziquantel). In addition, for every 20 tubes ordered, stockists will get a further 4 tubes of EQVALAN® DUO free.
EQVALAN's product manager Claire Edmunds said: "During the spring campaign, over 1000 horse owners took part in the worm egg count promotion, many of whom we believe had never used testing kits before.
"The tests highlight which horses need treatment and which do not, allowing practices to advise specifically on the necessary treatment*.
For those practices with their own testing facilities, Merial is also offering promotional support to help encourage increased uptake and client buy-in. "The autumn campaign will provide participating practices with another opportunity to add value whilst encouraging loyalty from clients.
Claire added: "Promoting a targeted approach to responsible worming means that only those horses which need treatment are wormed with an appropriate wormer selected for the worms identified from the test."
For further information please contact your local territory manager or call the Merial Customer Support Centre on 0845 601 4236.
The survey was conducted by Mo Gannon & Associates, which asked 2,000 UK adults about their satisfaction with the service they and their animals received from veterinary surgeons, levels of trust in the profession, and whether the service provided by vets represents value for money.
32% of the respondents felt that veterinary surgeons represented excellent (8%) or good (24%) value for money. 38% thought that veterinary fees are fair. However, 29% thought that veterinary surgeons and their services provided poor (21%) or very poor (8%) value for money. The results were very similar to the last time the survey was conducted, in 2015.
Nevertheless, veterinary surgeons continue to enjoy very high levels of trust amongst the public. 94% said they either completely trust (34%) or generally trust (60%) vets. This put veterinary surgeons in third place amongst the most trusted professions, below opticians and pharmacists but above GPs and and dentists.
Satisfaction with the profession was also high. 80% said they were either very satisfied (39%) or satisfied (41%), putting vets in fourth place below opticians, pharmacists and dentists, but above general practitioners and accountants.
RCVS President Dr Niall Connell, pictured right (would you trust this man?) said: "These results clearly demonstrate that there is a great deal of good will towards the veterinary profession and the work they do in treating the nation’s animals and serving their communities. The basis of all good relationships is trust, and it is fantastic to see that our clients continue overwhelmingly to trust our knowledge and expertise and remain very happy with the service we provide them.
"The picture on value for money is clearly a bit more mixed, although clearly 70% of the respondents recognise that we at least charge fair fees in terms of our time and expertise. There is, of course, always more work that we can do in order to help the public understand veterinary costs and fees and promote the value of veterinary care, as demonstrated by last year’s joint Pets Need Vets social media campaign with BVA, in which we highlighted the benefits to pet owners of being registered with a vet."
The webinars will be given by RCVS Specialists from Virtual Veterinary Specialists and recorded so that you and your team can watch them at your convenience, either from your practice or at home.
The first webinar in the series ‘Is Cancer an Emergency’ by Dr Clare Knottenbelt, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine and VVS Oncology Consultant.
Nuala Summerfield, Founder and Director of VVS said: "We are really excited about this first webinar and anticipate that it will be a very popular topic!"
The webinar can be viewed here https://www.thewebinarvet.com/webinar/veterinary-care-in-the-face-of-covid-19-is-cancer-an-emergency
Email: admin@vvs.vet or visit https://vvs.vet/covid-19/ to register interest in the series or see VVS's other free coronavirus resources.
It's believed that VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk, which run on a platform that predates Facebook, may be the first online communities to require good manners.
Under the new policy, anyone who posts anything in the forums which is sarcastic, belittling, snide, rude or unkind towards another member will face immediate removal from the website.
This marks a very radical change to the previous policy in which members were free to say pretty much what they wanted.
VetSurgeon.org Publisher Arlo Guthrie said: "For years, I felt the right to free speech trumped all, and would rarely intervene.
"When I did, the worst anyone faced was a temporary suspension.
"As time has passed, I've realised the limitations of the written word, especially the short-form, hastily-written word, which can cause real distress.
"We all moderate our language offline, it's just a question of realising that we need a different set of standards online, to account for the lack of facial expression and immediacy of reply, and the public nature of the discussion.
Some people have questioned the new policy, and whether it will stifle proper debate.
Arlo added: "I believe not. It is perfectly possible and OK to disagree with someone, and express that disagreement forcefully, without being sarcastic.
"On the contrary, I think that allowing bad manners has a far more chilling effect on free speech, because it scares off opinions from the majority of more moderate members"
Others have asked whether this new policy is the consequence of the new partnership with Improve International, or proposed new laws surrounding social media.
Arlo said: "Again, no. It was a very personal decision I reached after years of wrestling with the problem. It was precipitated by a series of unkind posts and I just thought 'enough's enough'.
"That said, I am really excited about the prospect of working with Improve to grow the community as somewhere its members can come for high quality clinical content and authoritative opinion, which for sure would be hard to achieve if we don't have a friendly, collaborative atmosphere."
Another issue raised about zero tolerance is whether it is fair that there may be no second chance.
Arlo said: "I've tried loads of things over the years. Warnings. Red cards. Suspensions. None of them work. People just push the boundaries.
"But the moment I said 'zero tolerance', it seems people get the message and moderate themselves accordingly."
"I'm delighted. I want people to think of VetSurgeon.org as somewhere everyone can come for authoritative advice and support, confident of a friendly welcome and the highest standards of online behaviour."
Ceva says Adaptil Junior has been proven to reduce night crying and whining by 86%2 and helps puppies to adapt to their new homes and unfamiliar situations in three days3, 4.
According to the company, puppies with Adaptil Junior are also less fearful and anxious during puppy classes, resulting in better long-term socialisation3.
Research carried out by the company found that over 60% of dog owners buy their dogs as puppies, with half of those questioned getting their dogs before they are three months old1.
Abigail King, product manager for Adaptil at Ceva Animal Health said: "Adopting a puppy is an exciting, yet challenging time with puppies facing stressful situations such as separation from their mother, socialisation, staying home alone and experiencing new sights, sounds and noises.
"Adaptil Junior is an effective, natural solution to help comfort newly adopted puppies and facilitate their education while helping them to learn and adapt to their new lives. This, in turn, will ensure that puppies get off to the best start in life, which will help keep rehoming numbers down."
Adaptil Junior comes in the form of a translucent blue collar which fits necks up to 37.5cm in circumference. The collar releases dog appeasing pheromone over a period of four weeks and should be worn continuously.
To support the launch of Adaptil Junior, Ceva Animal Health has introduced a puppy party marketing pack to provide puppy party organisers with the tools they need in order to stage puppy parties.
Produced in collaboration with the leading dog behaviourist, Gwen Bailey, the pack features display materials, webinars, gifts and literature including leaflets, puppy party invites and posters and is available with Adaptil Junior orders.
For more information, visit www.adaptil.com/uk.
References
As part of the new arrangement, Battersea will give StreetVet operational and logistical support, including advice from its staff, clinical support, and kennel space for animals in urgent need of care.
Battersea also plans to work with StreetVet on a range of projects that will help the charity to reach more dogs in need. For example, providing advice and training to hostel staff to promote and facilitate hostels accepting dogs – creating more safe places to sleep for both dogs and their owners.
Battersea’s Deputy Chief Executive, Peter Laurie, said: "I’m excited at the prospect of Battersea and StreetVet coming together for a partnership that aligns both organisations’ strategic values. Both of us care deeply about the welfare of dogs, particularly those most in need. StreetVet relies almost entirely on the support of a growing network of volunteers, including members of the Battersea clinic team, and is a great example of a volunteer-led organisation delivering significant impact on a wide geographical scale. By working together, we can increase our collective impact and help more animals in need."
Sam Joseph MRCVS, a co-founder of StreetVet, said: "We are really excited about the official partnership between StreetVet and Battersea. As a small, growing charity, StreetVet will hugely benefit from the expertise, infrastructure and resources of one of the country's most loved and respected animal charities."
He added: "This partnership will help StreetVet continue to provide free, accessible veterinary care to those most in need, while further increasing the impact that Battersea has on the welfare of dogs and cats across the UK."
Photo: L-R Peter Laurie (Battersea), Jade Statt and Sam Joseph (StreetVet), Shaun Opperman (Battersea) and Blue the Staffie
The Legislative Reform Order (LRO) to reconstitute the RCVS disciplinary committees separately from its Council has come into force and has amended the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA).
The LRO brings the RCVS in line with regulatory best practice and, says the College, improves the independence of its disciplinary processes, marking a major step towards the College becoming a 'First Rate Regulator'.
The amendment made by the LRO requires that the RCVS Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees are made up of veterinary surgeons and lay members who are not RCVS Council members, and who are appointed independently. This ensures that the same group of people is not responsible for setting the rules, investigating complaints and adjudication.
The LRO also brings lay people formally into the Preliminary Investigation Committee and will allow the RCVS to increase the pool of people available to investigate complaints and sit on disciplinary hearings.
The first external members will join the Disciplinary and Preliminary Investigation Committees from July 2013. After a two-year transition period, members of the RCVS Council will become ineligible for membership of these committees.
RCVS Registrar, Gordon Hockey, said: "The LRO has been the culmination of many years hard work by the RCVS and Defra, with the support of the British Veterinary Association. At first glance the change that the LRO makes to the Act may appear minor, but the reform fundamentally improves the way the veterinary profession is regulated, and will help to ensure public confidence in the RCVS disciplinary processes."
Vetoquinol has announced the launch of Enisyl-FTM, the first L-Lysine supplement developed for veterinary use in the UK and Ireland.
Vetoquinol says a unique distributing pump and paste formulation will aid compliance in cats that require L-Lysine supplementation and make administration of L-Lysine much easier. Each pump action delivers 1ml of Enisyl-F paste at each press, which can be applied directly into the cat's mouth or on the paw to be licked off. It can also be added to food.
Zorica Agbaba, Enisyl-F's Product manager said: "We are delighted to have launched Enisyl-F and I am sure it will prove very useful to veterinary surgeons, especially when it comes to aiding compliance in cats that require L-Lysine supplementation."
To try Enisyl-F or for more information about the product, contact your local Vetoquinol representative or call Vetoquinol main office on 01280 814 500 (UK) or 1800 406 117 (ROI free phone number). Alternatively visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/ website.
The award has been granted to only a handful of practices and requires the achievement of high standards of care and a detailed understanding of the species.
Highcroft has three dedicated exotic species veterinary surgeons, including a European small mammal Specialist and four exotic species nurses, who have either obtained or are studying for their City and Guilds Exotic Species Veterinary Nursing Certificate.
The practice has a dedicated exotic species consulting room, waiting room, ward and an operating theatre, containing state-of-the-art equipment.
In addition to treating rabbits, both vets and nurses in the exotic species team lecture widely to promote the importance of providing a high standard of care to rabbits and to ensure that their welfare is optimised.
Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli DVM CertZooMed Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) MRCVS heads the exotic species team at Highcroft. A European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery) and a RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, she said: "We are very proud to have been awarded Gold Status by the RWAF. We will continue to enhance the level of care we provide, not just to rabbits but to all exotic species and strive to improve the welfare of all animals under our care, in hospital and at home."
The 'Room For Rabbits' campaign follows research in which 38% of vets said they think rabbits’ environment is the most neglected welfare need1, with over a quarter of the UK’s rabbits being kept in inadequate housing conditions, and almost half of them living alone2.
The RAW survey also found that 90% of vets believe that rabbits’ welfare in the UK is improving3.
Room for Rabbits will throw a spotlight on rabbits’ environment, with a variety of initiatives during RAW including vet blogs and videos on how to adapt bunnies’ housing for all seasons, boredom buster ideas, a competition to encourage owners to create a RAW ‘gold standard’ environment, and downloadable packs containing resources for practices to create their own RAW campaigns.
Holly Castle, Senior Brand Manager at Burgess Pet Care, RAAG member and organisers of RAW, said: “We are delighted that RAW continues to have a positive impact, with our survey showing that 90% of vets believe that the welfare of the UK’s rabbits is improving - but there is always more than we can do.
“Since the previous RAW campaign, we have successfully launched RAAG, which recognises that the welfare of these wonderful creatures needs to be high on the agenda year-round.
"By bringing together the expertise of the RAW partners, RAAG is focused on encouraging everyone involved with rabbits to support the first Good Practice Code for rabbits’ welfare in England to ensure it becomes enshrined in law.
"One of the ways to achieve this is through initiatives like RAW, which is the UK’s largest welfare campaign of its kind.
“We recognise that vets’ practices were really stretched last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant it was difficult to support campaigns like RAW.
"However, following a surge in demand for rabbit ownership in the UK during the past two years, it is vitally important that we educate more owners than ever before and continue to help improve rabbits’ welfare."
“The veterinary community plays a hugely important role in ensuring that owners have access to the right information, and we are urging practices to throw their support behind this year’s RAW to ensure that we reach as many owners as possible.
Professor Ian Ramsey, Past President of the BSAVA, which endorses RAW, said: "The BSAVA is once again delighted to support RAW and the theme of this year’s campaign.
"Rabbits remain one of the most misunderstood pets in the UK, but we are confident that vets across the UK will again show their support for this important campaign to improve the lives of pet rabbits.”
The RAAG is encouraging vets’ practices to sign up to receive updates about RAW at https://www.rabbitawarenessactiongroup.co.uk/raw-pack-reminder/.
Downloadable RAW vet packs will also be available from 6th June.
Merial has launched Supleneo flex, a nutraceutical supplement designed to be part of a Total Joint Health programme for dogs, administered once daily.
Merial says the new product supports its market position as a leading force in canine pain management, supported by the canine NSAID Previcox.
According to the company, Supleneo flex is suitable for all breeds, sizes and ages, and contains three key ingredients associated with joint health: glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulphate and mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E). It is designed to be used as part of an all-round joint care programme, alongside nutrition, weight management and exercise.
Merial says the soft chews are highly palatable and when tested against a range of competitor products, a significant difference was observed, with Supleneo flex readily taken and preferred by dogs.1
Supleneo flex is supported by printed and digital materials to help with owner education, including a waiting room video and an online information website at www.supleneoflex.co.uk for clients.
For veterinary surgeons, Merial is offering product advertising support and a loyalty programme.
For more information, telephone Merial on 0870 6000 123 or contact your Territory Manager.
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.”
In a statement, the company explained that elevated vitamin D can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. At high levels, it can lead to serious health issues in dogs including renal dysfunction.
The company is inviting 'pet parents' (dear god, spare me) whose dogs are suffering symptoms after eating the products to contact their veterinary surgeon.
Hill's also says it will cover the cost of testing total calcium, albumin and 25OH-Vitamin D3 metabolites in animals which have consumed affected products, at the VitDAL Lab at the Edinburgh Veterinary School.
The affected products are:
According to the College, other research suggests that comorbidities - such as anxiety and cognitive impairments - are common in dogs with epilepsy, meaning there is a need for new epilepsy management options which help to control seizures and improve behavioural and cognitive comorbidities.
Led by canine behaviour and welfare scientist Dr. Rowena Packer from the RVC and veterinary neurologist Professor Holger Volk from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), alongside RVC PhD student Dr. Benjamin Andreas Berk, the team of researchers tested the effects of an oil supplement on seizure frequency in dogs with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Multiple studies from the RVC have shown that medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oils-enriched diets can improve seizure control in difficult to treat, drug-resistant dogs with epilepsy. This controlled clinical study used non-invasive cognitive tests and a validated psychometric tool to show that dogs had improved spatial and working memory when treated with MCTs.
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare at RVC, said: "Our ground-breaking research into the behavioural and cognitive comorbidities of canine epilepsy was the first to identify cognitive impairments in this population. We have now gone one step further and found a promising way to boost the impaired memories of these patients and reduce their seizure frequency, by a simple dietary change."
Professor Holger Volk, Department Chair for Small Animal Diseases at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, said: "Our guts influence how well we think – this study highlights the importance of diets and the power of the gut-brain axis. We are just at the beginning of understanding how diets can influence complex diseases such as epilepsy and dementia. MCT oil could offer a promising addition to our management tool-kit."