DG Sanco, the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumers, has launched a worldwide photo competition to mark World Vet Year: 'Vets in your daily life'

Entries need to be photos of a vet (or vets) at work or in any situation which shows the diverse nature of the job. Five winners will win 1000 Euros worth of photographic equipment. The overall winner will win an additional 2000 Euros worth of photographic equipment. All winners will also be given travel and accommodation for the awards ceremonies in Paris and Brussels.

Anyone (except for employees of the European Institutions, and their families) can enter the competition, which closes on 31st March 2011. More details can be found at: www.vetsinyourdailylife.org.

Here's the promotional video for the competition:

Vets Now Referrals has launched a new specialist veterinary referral service to serve Aberdeen and the North.

Richard Coe MA VetMB CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS (pictured right) and Professor Stuart Carmichael BVMS MVM DSAO MRCVS will attend Ardene House Veterinary Hospital in Aberdeen on a monthly rotational basis to offer specialist care to pets from the area. Richard is a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery and Professor Carmichael is an internationally recognised expert in veterinary orthopaedics.

By bringing these two specialist surgeons to Aberdeen, it will mean that vets can refer their clients to have their initial consultations and diagnoses locally by either Richard or Stuart, reducing the need for a lengthy journey to Vets Now Referrals in Glasgow where they are usually based. Vets Now says that where possible, treatment plans will be carried out in Aberdeen, however complex treatments may require the facilities and high tech equipment at its Glasgow Hospital.

Any vet wishing to make an enquiry about referring to Richard or Stuart should call 01224 478 041. Further information about the service can also be found on www.vetsnowreferrals.com/aberdeen.

Tricia Colville, Hospital Manager of Vets Now Referrals, Glasgow, said: "We are delighted to now be able to offer our specialist service for vets in the North of Scotland to utilise for their clients. The Vets Now Referrals Hospital in Glasgow has been so successful since it opened over a year ago, benefiting hundreds of pets and their owners. Bringing the service to Aberdeen and the surrounding region will provide vets with local access to Richard Coe and Professor Stuart Carmichael who are both renowned in their fields and for their clients this provides a convenient option which will greatly reduce time-consuming, distressing and costly journeys for them."

Hill's is holding the Top Dog Challenge: a race to see which vet school can mobilise the largest number of students to support the school's nomination as 'Top Dog' before May, for a prize of €10,000 to support student activities.

Voting is already open at www.hillstopdog.com. Once the preliminary round votes are counted the top five colleges will be selected to go through to the next round for final judging at the Southern European Veterinary Conference (SEVC) 2011 in Barcelona at the end of September. One nominated student from each of the participating vet schools will get the chance to enjoy an expenses paid trip to SEVC to act as a student ambassador and one lucky winner will collect the prize on behalf of their school.

Every vote makes a difference and students who want to remind their colleagues to vote can send them a SMS text message direct from the site. A really determined, committed and well organised student body can make all the difference and ensure their college has a place on the winner's podium.

Last year's winner the Hebrew University of Jerusalem won with in excess of 95 per cent of their students voting, so winning presents quite a challenge. But this is the first time UK vet schools have taken part and they could upset the apple cart.

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager is looking forwards to seeing how students at UK vet schools rise to the challenge. He said: "We really have excellent vet schools in this country and it would be great to see the students demonstrating how UK students can perform on the European stage and the passion and loyalty they have for their own school!"

The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has launched an online version of the Codes of Practice on equine diseases, ready for the 2011 Thoroughbred breeding season.

The website, codes.hblb.org.uk is a replica of the 2011 booklet, but with an easy to use navigator and built-in text search.

The 2011 online Codes of Practice set out minimum recommendations for the prevention and control of disease. Applying to all breeds of horse and pony, and to both natural mating and AI, the Codes cover:

• Contagious equine metritis (CEM)
• Equine viral arteritis (EVA)
• Equine herpesvirus (EHV)
• Equine coital exanthema (ECE)
• Equine infectious anaemia (EIA)
• Guidelines on strangles

The increasing mobility of horses creates a subsequent increased risk of spreading infectious disease. In recent years, most countries with active horse populations have seen incidents of these diseases, including in Britain the notifiable diseases of CEM, EIA and EVA.

Any of these diseases can have serious consequences for horse and pony breeding, compromising welfare, disrupting breeding activity and causing economic loss and distress.

Professor Willie Donachie, Chairman of the HBLB's Veterinary Advisory Committee said: "We recognise the changing ways in which vets, studs and individual breeder's access information. The new online version of the Codes is designed to reflect this and ensure that the Codes of Practice, a vital resource, are available where and when they are needed."

Hot on the heels of Eurovet, Ceva Animal Health has launched Emeprid, containing the anti-emetic and pro-kinetic metoclopramide.  Emeprid is licensed in cats and dogs for the symptomatic treatment of vomiting and reduced gastro-intestinal motility associated with gastritis, pyloric spasm, chronic nephritis and digestive intolerance to some drugs.

There are two formulations available; a 10ml multi-dose vial containing 5mg/ml metoclopramide for IV, SC or IM injection and a 125ml 'sweet orange and apricot flavoured' oral solution containing 1mg/ml metoclopramide. They are priced at £7.99 for the 10ml injectable bottle and £9.99 for the oral solution.

For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health representative or call the veterinary support team on 01494 781510.

Ceva Animal Health has added to its joint care range with the launch of Meloxidyl Oral Suspension for Cats, licensed for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and alleviation of post-operative pain.

Meloxidyl Oral Suspension for Cats is available in 15ml bottles containing 0.5mg/ml meloxicam. Each pack contains a tailored maintenance dosing syringe with a 'kg scale' for all sizes of cat. In addition, Meloxidyl's sweet tasting formulation helps to maximise ease of administration.

Meloxidyl Injection complements Ceva Animal Health's joint care range, which also includes Meloxidyl Injection for dogs and cats and Meloxidyl Oral Suspension for dogs.

For further information, please contact your Ceva Animal Health representative or call 01494 781510.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has suspended a veterinary surgeon formerly practising in Southampton for failing to make animal welfare his primary concern.

At a hearing this week, adjourned from September 2010, the Disciplinary Committee heard charges against Michael Albring, formerly of VetCall practice, Bitterne, Southampton. Mr Albring was said to have failed to make a home visit to attend Bear, a Newfoundland dog belonging to Mrs Thacker, when he knew, or ought to have known, that there were clinical or welfare grounds making a home visit necessary.

The hearing was held in Mr Albring's absence; the Committee considered that, having postponed the case last year at his request, Mr Albring had had ample time to prepare his case and submit any mitigations, and sufficient opportunity to attend. Additional adjournment would further delay the matter's resolution and not be in the wider interests of justice, or public confidence in either the RCVS disciplinary system or the veterinary profession.

On the evening of 19 December 2009, Mr Albring had been the veterinary surgeon on duty at VetCall, a practice that provides the out of-hours emergency cover for several local veterinary practices, including the one where Bear was registered. When Mrs Thacker's daughter, Ms Davidson, telephoned VetCall to request a home visit as the dog had collapsed, she was told that it was against practice policy for the practice to be left unmanned so this would not be possible. This was despite a written policy which accepted and made provision for the rare occasions when a home visit would be necessary. Phoning again later, the information about practice policy was repeated and Ms Davidson directed to a local animal ambulance service, which attended.

The ambulance driver found that the dog could not be transported in the ambulance and telephoned VetCall to say a home visit was needed. This was refused by Mr Albring even, the Committee noted, when the ambulance driver offered to collect Mr Albring, drive him to Ms Davidson's home 10-15 minutes away, assist with the euthanasia, and return him to the clinic. In the interim, Ms Davidson had also sought help from a separate practice and, subsequent to Mr Albring's refusal to visit, their on-duty veterinary surgeon attended and euthanased Bear. 

The Committee found that Mr Albring's refusal to visit, once it was clear Bear could not be transported, and he knew that a home visit was necessary on welfare grounds, resulted in Bear spending longer than necessary in pain and distress. This was not a case where the pressure of work or the welfare needs of other animals prevented Mr Albring from attending, and it was also relevant that Mr Albring was specifically employed to work out of hours in an emergency clinic. Serious, too, was his failure to reply promptly to communications from the RCVS, or show insight into the seriousness of his conduct.

In mitigation, the Committee accepted that this was an isolated case, and there were no previous findings against Mr Albring.  He was in sole charge of an emergency clinic covering 15-20 practices across Southampton and Portsmouth, which would make, in some circumstances, home visits difficult.

Professor Sheila Crispin, chairing the Disciplinary Committee, said: "The Committee is concerned that the actual policy pursued by the clinic regarding domiciliary visits was different to the written one.

"In effect, a no-visits policy existed at the VetCall clinic and this must have added to the pressure under which the Respondent [Mr Albring] was working.

"The Committee is mindful that the object of sanctions is not to be punitive, but to protect animal welfare, to maintain public confidence in the profession and to maintain appropriate standards," she continued, noting that as animal welfare had knowingly been neglected and Mr Albring had demonstrated no insight, a warning or reprimand would not be enough.  "A period of suspension would be sufficient to maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold standards," she said.

The Committee directed that Mr Albring's name be suspended from the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons for ten months.

Petplan is giving away a VIP trip for two people to this year's 'Petplan Veterinary Awards' in Birmingham on 31^st March.

The prize includes two admission tickets to the awards ceremony, as well as accommodation at a top hotel in Birmingham.

Veterinary staff can be in with a chance at winning this exclusive opportunity by nominating their practice or a member of staff for the following awards:

• Vet of the Year
• Vet Nurse of the Year
• Vet Support Staff of the Year
• Practice of the Year

Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, said, "Veterinary professionals up and down the country show great commitment and dedication to our pets everyday and the awards are an opportunity to recognise all their hard work. By nominating a colleague you can not only show them your appreciation but you can also going into the draw to win a fantastic night out"

By making a nomination at www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards you'll automatically be entered into the draw to win the VIP tickets to the evening.

Nominations for the awards close on the 4^th February and the winner of the VIP tickets will be announced in late February.

Brinsea has announced the launch of the new Vetario range of intensive care units.

The company says the new models are the result of a 2 year design programme to provide the ideal environment for the successful recovery of small mammals, reptiles and birds.

The new S40 and S50 models incorporate the features found on the previous S10 and S20 models, but with improvements to the control systems, sturdiness and ease of cleaning.

According to the blurb: "The two models are approximately 40 and 100 litres volume respectively, and available with either standard or 'M' control systems. The cabinets are moulded from tough, gloss-finished ABS, making them durable and easy to clean. The importance of cleaning extends to all aspects of the design: the cabinets split to allow the base to be immersed and the fan and heater are both easily accessed for cleaning. The digital push button control panels are wipe clean without disturbing the settings. The 'M' models show humidity (as well as temperature) and include temperature and power-off alarms, enriched oxygen compatibility and nebuliser fitting. Inlet and recirculating filters keep the risks of respiratory problems from airborne contamination to a minimum. Both models are portable, which makes them ideal for isolating animals: a sensitive cat recovering from an anaesthetic can be safely accommodated away from barking dogs, for example."

Prices start at £420 (including 20% VAT).

For more information, telephone: 0845 226 0120

A three and a half year old white German shepherd dog from Dorchester, Dorset, has become the first in the world to have an ankle amputation prosthesis.

Mitzi Davis was trampled by a horse which crushed her foot, tearing off all blood and nerve supply, back in October 2010.

In a pioneering procedure, Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick from Fitzpatrick Referrals fitted a titanium implant to the bone below her joint - the first time a prosthesis has been put in a fully articulating bone of a dog.

The ITAP implant (which stands for Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthesis) is a new way of attaching prosthetic limbs. It involves implanting a titanium rod in the bone, onto which skin can attach just like a deer's antler, leaving a "peg" sticking out of the skin which can't get infected because of the resilient seal. The technology was developed for dogs by Professor Gordon Blunn at University College London (UCL) in association with Dr. Fitzpatrick.

The "exo-prosthesis" or foot is then screwed onto the peg and can be changed and modified as necessary. First Mitzi's gait had to be modelled on a computer, much like in a CGI movie. Then a foot was made using computer finite element analysis, designed so that the material of the foot would absorb shock from the ground and, most importantly, snap and break before the implant in the bone or the bone itself.

Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick said: "Today of course has implications not only for animals but for human amputees in the future and I will continue to work closely with Professor Blunn and the Stanmore Implants team to advance this technology to improve the quality of life for animals and eventually, for humans."

The ITAP technology is being tested in humans and has already been used to create a prosthetic for a woman who lost her arm in the July 2005 London bombings.

Professor Blunn said: "Humans and other animals share a large number of degenerative musculo-skeletal conditions. The repair process of the musculoskeletal system is essentially the same whether in a dog, cat or human being.  Reconstruction of the musculoskeletal system share common problems and the interchange of information between both veterinary and human orthopaedics is very important. Therefore treating animals is not only ethical in its own right but is a useful paradigm for human orthopaedics.

"Treating Mitzi with an ITAP device has proved to be beneficial and the information learned from this case has been directly applied to human surgery.  Mitzi's ITAP is made from titanium alloy which is attached to the residual bone. The surface of the implant is coated with hydroxyapatite which enhances bone attachment, securing the implant in place. Part of the implant just underlying the skin has a surface which encourages dermal and epidermal attachment. This ties the skin into the implant and produces a seal preventing infection. This implant has been adopted for human use."

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has this week directed that the name of a Grimsby veterinary surgeon should be removed from the RCVS Register, having found him guilty of serious professional misconduct for advising and undertaking surgical procedures without sufficient clinical grounds or considering alternative treatment options; failing to obtain the informed consent of his clients; undertaking procedures outside his area of competence; failing to refer or discuss the option of referral to a specialist; and, failing to provide his patients with adequate pain relief.

Mr Joseph Lennox Holmes, of Waltham Veterinary Clinic, Grimsby, faced nine charges relating to two separate complaints, at a two-week hearing in October which resumed this week.

These complaints concerned four consecutive staphylectomies and a tracheostomy that Mr Holmes performed on Jake, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owned by Ms Marsden; the dental treatment he gave to three Persian cats called Dream Topping, Charlie Brown and Henry, together with the advice he gave to their owner, Mrs Auckland.

On 25 October 2007, Mr Holmes performed a staphylectomy on Jake during dental surgery. He gave the Committee various reasons why he thought the procedure was necessary; however, the Committee accepted the opinion of two expert witnesses Professor Dan Brockman, a specialist in soft tissue surgery at the Royal Veterinary College, and Mr Andrew Ash, the senior veterinary surgeon at a 17-vet small animal practice, that there were insufficient clinical grounds for such a surgical procedure to be undertaken.  The Committee also found Mr Holmes had not adequately considered other treatments, or obtained fully informed consent from Jake's owner for this procedure.    

Mr Holmes performed further staphylectomies and a tracheostomy on Jake, a procedure described by Professor Brockman as "by definition, high risk and best performed by a specialist". He did not consider referral, or inform Mrs Marsden that such referral was an option. Nor did he provide sufficient aftercare or pain relief.  Following these surgeries, Jake was euthanased .

In the second complaint, Mr Holmes performed dental extractions on two cats, Dream Topping and Henry, and advised removing teeth from a third, Charlie Brown, in October 2008.  The Committee, however, accepted the view of expert witness Mr Ash and Dr David Crossley, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry, that the dental extractions performed, and the advice given, were not justified on the available clinical evidence. The Committee also found that Mr Holmes did not discuss alternative treatment options with Mrs Auckland, or obtain her informed consent.  In the case of Dream Topping, consent was sought after the cat had been sedated for an unrelated procedure and Mrs Auckland had felt under pressure to consent.

Mr Holmes had also relied on anaesthesia-inducing drugs to provide analgesia for the dental extractions, without any other form of pain relief. The Committee agreed with the expert witnesses that this was wholly inadequate. 

The Committee found many aggravating factors in both cases, including actual injury to animals from unnecessary surgery, and a serious breach of the trust in which Mr Holmes' clients had placed in him to make the welfare of their animals his primary consideration. His repeated misconduct had been sustained over a period of time in the face of a previous adverse finding of the Committee in 2006.

It also found that Mr Holmes failed to appreciate when a case was outwith his experience, and had continued his course of action despite Jake's deterioration; he had not considered referral or accepted that others in the profession might know more than he did;  in formulating clinical practice and policies, he made no reference to peer-reviewed literature or continued professional development; and, his use of outmoded drugs and medicines intended for human use was of concern, as was his lack of appreciation of the need for adequate pain relief when performing painful surgical procedures.

Towards the end of the hearing, Mr Holmes said in mitigation that he regretted unreservedly any adverse effects that his treatment had had on the animals concerned, and that he now realised that his long history of working alone had allowed him to become professionally isolated, to become over-confident in the value of his own experience and rather "set in his ways". 

Having given serious consideration to postponing judgment, subject to undertakings from Mr Holmes, Disciplinary Committee Chairman Mrs Caroline Freedman said: "We are mindful that the sanction which we apply must be proportionate to the nature and extent of the misconduct found proved and must balance the public interests against the interests of the Respondent.

"We are, however, also mindful of Mr Holmes' conduct during the previous 11½ days of the hearing, during which time his every action was vigorously defended and no insight whatsoever was shown." 

The Committee also considered suspending Mr Holmes from the Register. "In view of the serious and long-term nature of the conduct found proved in the charges, we do not feel that it is appropriate that Mr Holmes should be permitted to return to the Register without further assessment of his efforts to update his knowledge," said Mrs Freedman, before concluding: "The only appropriate sanction in each case is that the Registrar be directed to remove Mr Holmes' name from the Register."

Equine vets and farriers in South Wales who need horses x-rayed can now use a new mobile service offered by Equiray. Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Equiray's technicians travel to the site to take digital x-rays, using state-of-the-art imaging equipment.

At the heart of Equiray's service is the Uno Equine portable digital x-ray system; the only system in the world that has a capture screen built into the generator. All images taken can be viewed within minutes and decisions made there and then regarding further tests. The x-ray images are emailed to the veterinary surgeon immediately, or supplied to the practice on a CD or memory stick. They are also stored securely by Equiray for a 3 month period.

For farriers, the image can be displayed on screen so they can see the internal bone structures encapsulated within the hoof before they start remedial work, and then another x-ray taken after the work has been completed. Both images can be viewed together for comparison.

Equiray says its service means practices don't have to buy and maintain costly equipment, nor send a practice technician to attend with the vet, as all Equiray technicians are highly skilled in equine imaging.

Equiray currently operates mainly in South Wales but with requests coming from other areas of the country, the company says its technicians are travelling to x-ray several horses in a particular area, over a 2 day period. Remedial farriers requiring monthly x-rays of certain horses are also using the service and plans to extend the service nationally are in progress.

For more information, visit www.equiray.co.uk/