The one-hour CPD session is being given by Tom Dutton (pictured right), an EBVS specialist in avian medicine and surgery.
Tom said: “We are currently suffering from the biggest avian flu outbreak in UK history.
“As well as the widely reported effect on the UK commercial poultry industry, there have also been a number of cases in captive birds.
“Bird owners are naturally worried about their pets becoming infected and practice vets are also having to field requests from members of the public who are concerned about wild birds.
“This session will help vets to manage enquiries and handle any potential clinical situations with confidence.”
To register for the webinar, email Jess at: GWEReferrals@vets-now.com before 23rd January
The theme of Congress is 'Thriving in Practice' and there are five lecture streams:
To book your ticket visit https://spvs-congress.co.uk/congress-delegate-tickets/
Expanding on the training available in autumn 2022, which was launched based on the results of an extensive training pilot, MMI is offering a total of 14 sessions taking place both online and in person over the next few months. Sessions will be running from January to April 2023. The courses will cover areas that have been identified as priority topics from previous MMI surveys, feedback from the professions, and evaluation of the training pilots.
Mind Matters Initiative Manager, Lisa Quigley, said: “Mental health and wellbeing are impacted by a whole host of structural and societal factors and maintaining a healthy workforce goes far beyond supporting people on an individual level.
"Whilst it is undoubtedly important to provide people with the skills they need to look after themselves, we are aiming to expand on this by providing individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to recognise and address wider collective issues. For example, the importance of creating and maintaining a positive workplace culture.
Session dates and specific topics are as follows:
Mental Health First Aid (£30 in-person)
9am – 5pm
Psychological Safety and Civility (£20 in-person, £15 online)
In-person – 9am – 4pm
Online – 9am – 1pm
Sustaining Your Emotional Health (£15 in-person)
2pm – 5pm
For more information on the training courses, visit: https://vetmindmatters.org/training/
The tips, put together by Tessa Plagis (communication advisor at St. Anna Advies), Alan Robinson (director of VetDynamics) and Rebecca Robinson (coach at VetDynamics and senior clinician in veterinary anaesthesia at the AHT), are being shared to set the scene for Congress 2023, where international experts will be exploring how time management at organisational, systems, teams and an individual levels can lead to drastic improvements in performance, job satisfaction and wellbeing.
The Association points to the demands on the profession caused by the fact that veterinary professionals have been saying 'yes' to everything for years: yes to more clients, more patients and more overtime.
This, says BSAVA, is taking its toll: experienced practitioners and recent graduates are leaving the profession, and many more are suffering mental and physical health issues associated with sustained high stress.
Tessa Plagis, communication advisor at St. Anna Advies, said: “We are at a tipping point and can’t keep doing what we’ve always done. If we want sustainable veterinary businesses going forward we need to change the structure of how we work.”
Tessa says the issues are both organisational and individual: “Many veterinary professionals struggle to give boundaries.
"We are people pleasers and tend to say ‘yes’, even if that means compromising other important aspects of lives, such as family.
"This set against a background of too few vets, which means that there’s nobody to help us out when there’s too much to-do.”
To find out more about time management, book your ticket for BSAVA Congress at: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/home, and in the meantime, here are Tessa, Alan and Rebecca's time management tips.
Tessa's tips
Alan's tips
Rebecca's tips
Muriel joined Pennard Vets as an office junior on 7th January 1950, when she was 15 years old
She earned a weekly wage of £1 10 shillings, equivalent to £1.50 in today’s money.
Andy Green, a Director at Pennard Vets, said: “Few people in this country have achieved what Muriel has.
"Pennard Vets has been around for over 125 years and Muriel’s journey with us has encompassed a staggering 70 years of that, making her one of only a handful of people in the UK who have completed 70 years with a single employer.
“Muriel is ever-present, reliable, caring, dependable and she makes the best biscuits around.
"She started work at our Sevenoaks practice as a 16-year-old in 1950, when it was just as likely a client would be bringing in a sheep, goat or horse as a dog or cat, and we used loose boxes outside for examinations, treatments isolation and even post-mortems.
“During the subsequent 70 years she was part of the growth in the practice from a single site to multiple sites.
"She was also fantastic at embracing the latest technology as the practice went from handwritten ledgers, double entry bookkeeping and dealing with the terribly difficult to decipher handwritten notes of the vets, to digitalisation, computers, online systems, email, mobile phones and a host of other technological advances.
“Throughout the years her role changed dramatically, and she learned new skills, adapted, and moved with the times, demonstrating our core values of continuous improvement, client focus, compassion and clarity every step of the way.
“When Muriel retired in 2020, sadly lockdown rules denied us the chance for a proper celebration, so we are very pleased to have been able to celebrate together with such a fabulous party.”
Muriel said: “When I started at Pennard Vets, the practice cared for large animals including horses, sheep and cattle on the local farms, but we also had some more unusual clients.
"A special highlight was fielding telephone calls from former Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, who lived at Chartwell country house, near Westerham, in Kent and employed the practice to look after the health of the black swans living on the estate’s lake.
“Two of the biggest changes I saw during my seven decades at the practice were the business giving up farm work to focus on small animal work as dogs and cats became a bigger part of our families, and the transition from my handwritten notes in ledgers to modern computer systems, but I have always embraced change and enjoyed learning new skills.
"I miss everyone at Pennard Vets but will keep in touch and keep baking for them!”
The second biggest financial worry was the cost of dog food (18%), followed by pet insurance (16%).
The news came as Dogs Trust announced that it has had 50,000 requests this year from owners asking the charity to take in their dog, a new record in the charity's history.
The outlook for 2023 doesn't look any more optimistic; the poll also found that 62% of people who don’t currently own a dog think the rising cost of living would prevent them from getting one in 2023, whilst 36% said it ‘definitely would’ and 25% said it ‘probably would’.
In the meantime 21% said they would give their dog fewer presents this year, whilst 13% said they won’t give their dogs a present at all this Christmas, despite giving presents in previous years.
Maybe that's a good thing. After all why were they wasting money in the first place: the dog doesn't know it's Christmas, or appreciate a present.
Perhaps more significantly, fewer dog owners will be going away for a Christmas break this year: 9% said they’d be staying home because they can't afford a dog sitter.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, said: “Although it was inevitable that we would reach 50,000 calls from owners no longer able to care for their dogs, it’s still a shock and a stark signifier of the animal welfare crisis the UK now finds itself in.
“Through our December poll, dog owners have told us they’re going to struggle this Christmas, and many more are really worried about what 2023 is going to bring."
At the beginning of the hearing legal applications were made to rule that the whole proceedings should be stopped as an abuse of process on various grounds including the delay that had occurred in the matters being referred to the RCVS, and that there had been flaws in the original investigatory process.
There was also application that the evidence of one of the College’s witnesses should be excluded on the grounds that the witness had been convicted of bribery.
The Committee decided that the proceedings should continue but ruled that the statement and evidence of one witness should be excluded from the hearing based upon their conviction.
Mr Gracey faced five charges, all of which he was found guilty of. They were:
Three other charges were found not proven and one allegation was withdrawn by the RCVS.
The Committee then considered if the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In doing so it made reference to the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, particularly in relation to the 10 Principles of Certification.
Dr Hazel Bentall MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee considered individually and cumulatively all matters it had found proved.
"It concluded that the public relies on veterinary surgeons to be honest and transparent when completing and signing forms.
"There is a public interest in being able to trust the profession to uphold high standards of probity because veterinary surgeons are trusted to play an important role in the promotion of animal health and welfare and associated human health.
"The Committee therefore concluded that cumulatively Charges 1, 2, 3 and 4 amounted to serious professional misconduct because the respondent had failed to meet the necessary high standards of honesty and transparency.
"In particular the fact that there were four separate events relating to animal welfare and public health was significant when considering what sanction to impose.”
“The Committee is satisfied that such conduct, when taken together, would be considered deplorable by other members of the profession.
"The respondent’s conduct on four occasions in respect of four animals and three conflicts of interest called into question his competence in relation to completing such forms.”
In considering the appropriate sanction for Mr Gracey, the Committee took into account both mitigating and aggravating circumstances, as well as a number of character witnesses for the respondent who highlighted his positive personal and professional qualities.
In mitigation, the Committee considered that Mr Gracey has hitherto been of good character with no previous disciplinary findings, that he had admitted some parts of the charges against him at the outset of the hearing, that he had made efforts to avoid repeating the misconduct and remediate it – this included making alternative certification arrangements for his father’s farm and taking more appropriate care with record keeping.
The Committee also acknowledged the significant lapse of time between the date of the misconduct and the hearing and the stress that had caused to Mr Gracey, as well as the insight he had shown into his misconduct.
Taking into account all the factors, the Committee decided that imposing a period of six months suspension from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons was the appropriate sanction for Mr Gracey.
Dr Bentall added: “The Committee concluded that suspension of the respondent’s registration for a period of six months was proportionate.
"The Committee considered whether a shorter period was appropriate bearing in mind the mitigating factors it had found applied in this case.
"It decided that a period of six months was proportionate and the minimum length necessary to meet the public interest balancing the seriousness of the misconduct and the mitigation.
"It decided that a shorter period of suspension would be insufficient to uphold proper standards within the profession, or to have a deterrent effect.
“The Committee was satisfied that the respondent had shown sufficient insight and efforts to remediate his misconduct and it concluded that at the end of this period of suspension he would not pose a further risk to animal welfare or public health.
"The Committee considered that the respondent was a valued veterinary surgeon with extensive farm animal experience and that a more severe sanction such as removal from the RCVS Register would not properly reflect the Committee’s findings on the scale of dishonesty and would not take account of the respondent’s mitigation.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
CVS says that in the USA, the veterinary profession is the fifth highest profession for non-fatal injuries, with equine veterinarians sustaining an average of eight serious injuries during their career.
‘The context, consequence and prevention of veterinary workplace injuries: a qualitative and quantitative study in the UK’ will be undertaken at the University of Liverpool in collaboration with CVS colleagues as part of its Clinical Research Awards.
The study will run for three years, supported by £74,400 of CVS funding.
The research will investigate what veterinary injuries are, what context they occur in and what their consequences are.
It will look to highlight areas of the profession where injury prevention training and strategies can be developed and adopted to improve the safety of working in veterinary practice.
For the first phase, University of Liverpool researchers have rolled out the largest ever survey to explore veterinary workplace injuries with over 5,000 CVS staff UK-wide.
The survey investigates how veterinary professionals define injuries, their specific causal mechanisms, and why individuals do or do not report injuries or seek medical treatment.
The survey will be followed by an independent audit of CVS’ accident reporting system.
The results of these two activities will lead to the development of a suite of industry leading ‘open access’ educational tools aimed at promoting injury awareness and prevention to help drive behaviour change and support injury avoidance.\
The research project is being led by Dr. John Tulloch, a Research Fellow and European Specialist in Veterinary Public Health, at the University of Liverpool.
Collaborators include CVS Head of Health and Safety Rebecca Jackson and Director of Learning, Education and Development Dr Martin Whiting.
John said: “Injuries that occur within veterinary practice can tragically at times be life-changing and are often avoidable.
"Currently we do not know some critical details that would help to improve safety within the veterinary workplace.
"If we can better understand these details, we will be able to develop and strengthen prevention measures through policy, education, and training.
"We anticipate that this project will result in safer workplaces within the wider veterinary community and, indirectly, in improved animal treatment through a fitter, healthier and safer profession.”
The one day course for general practitioners will be presented by Dr Sonya Miles, an RCVS Recognised Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine and lead clinician for Highcroft Exotic Vets (an RWAF Gold accredited practice).
It's worth 7.5hrs of CPD. Sonya will be covering:
This course costs £250 and includes lunch, tea/coffee/biscuits, and a certificate of completion.
Apparently there are acres of parking. For those not able to attend, www.justexotics.co.uk has an extensive library of free content including: fact sheets, care sheets, protocols and “How to” videos covering exotic mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, invertebrates and British wildlife, as well as a constantly expanding catalogue of webinars covering these species.
The new division has been granted a ManSA license by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).
Glesni Owen, Head of Veterinary Sales, said: “Veterinary professionals across the world increasingly prescribing CBD products to their patients for a variety of health conditions including osteoarthritis, epilepsy, pain management and a variety of other behavioural issues.
“Research into the use of CBD is advancing daily which provides veterinary professionals with an increased knowledge base to help clients make informed decisions about treating their pets.”
Pets Choice have been working closely with veterinary professionals in the United States where CBD therapy is far more widely prescribed, collating and sharing the latest supporting evidence and guidance for vets here in the UK to feel comfortable discussing it with their clients.
Glesni said: “We have developed a CPD-accredited educational webinar and also recorded a podcast with the Vet Times, interviewing highly-respected US-based veterinarian Jeffrey Powers, who has extensive experience prescribing CBD to his patients.”
https://petschoice-2.wistia.com/medias/cn1g7dr2rc
For further information, contact specials@petschoice.co.uk or 01934 831000.
Matt has taken over as hospital director from David Walker, who has now moved to the role of referrals managing director in the south of the UK for Linnaeus.
Matt said: “I certainly have some big shoes to fill but working as clinical director alongside David was a great grounding and we work well together.
“Essentially, I was his running mate back then but now I am stepping up to take on the main role, with all the additional responsibilities it entails, and I’m determined to make it my own.
“I know I have the drive, the desire, the clarity of purpose and the dedication to succeed.
"I also know what an incredible operation I have inherited from David.
“One of the key things about Anderson Moores is that every member of the team works together in the same location to support every aspect of a pet’s treatment and recovery, so whatever service they may need is all available under the same roof.”
www.andersonmoores.com/homewww.zeropainphilosophy.com
To achieve the accreditation, Dechra’s Digital Learning team’s educational content, processes and services were reviewed and benchmarked against key opinion indicators by an LPI consultant.
Dechra Academy was first established in the UK in 2010 and has since launched in over 20 additional countries across the world.
Last year, over 5,000 veterinary professionals in the UK completed over 9,000 courses and there is currently over 60 hours of free CPD content available across the company’s therapy areas including endocrinology, dermatology, analgesia and anaesthesia, nutrition, equine analgesia and anaesthesia and locomotion.
The company has just launched the first of two courses in its ‘Purffect Partner’ series, which focuses on identifying and treating unintended feline weight loss.
A further four case studies will be added in the coming months.
www.dechra.co.uk/academy.
Samantha, who was a recipient of the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Scholarship, has a degree in genetics, molecular biology and microbiology, and a PhD in cancer research from University College London.
She was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40, which led her to set up ADHD Girls, an organisation that helps people with ADHD access employment and works with businesses to help them understand ADHD.
Samantha's talk is part of a module on neurodiversity, which will open with an exploration of neurodiversity and the challenges of diagnosis, before looking at how you can better support those in practice teams, as well as neurodivergent clients and students.
The session will wrap up with a discussion about how to cultivate greater inclusivity and understanding around those who are neurodivergent within the veterinary professions.
Being neurodivergent means that your brain works differently from the average person, meaning there may be differences in social preference, ways of communicating, ways of learning and ways of perceiving the environment.
Samantha said: “No two brains are the same. But what if you were born with a brain that constantly makes you feel like everything you do differentiates you from everyone else?”
“My talk introduces neurodiversity in the context of society, casting light on ADHD and autism, and how this impacts the workplace and one’s quality of life, and what we can do to build a compassionate culture, starting with the conversations we have at work.
"I’m really excited to talk at the BSAVA Congress and meet other professionals in the veterinary field.”
After her lecture, she will be partaking in a panel discussion around the challenges of diagnosis of neurodivergence alongside Laura Playforth, a vet who has been diagnosed with both bipolar and autism and is currently Group Quality Improvement Director at IVC Evidensia.
Andy Green, Vice Chair of the BSAVA Congress Programme Committee chair said: “We are delighted to have Samantha delivering our keynote this year on such an important topic.
"Neurodiversity is becoming an increasingly important area of focus and understanding across society and we have a significant population of neurodivergent people working as vets, nurses and in other roles, many of whom may not as yet have a diagnosis.”
“We also need to recognise that many pet owners and clients are neurodivergent.
"Samantha is ideally placed to shine a spotlight on this subject, using her own story and life experience to deliver a greater understanding of what it actually means to be neurodivergent and how businesses/practices can understand, embrace and support neurodivergent members of the work force and community.”
Early bird tickets for BSAVA Congress 2023 are currently on sale with 3-day and 1-day tickets available to purchase. Get your ticket now: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/home.
The five-year strategy outlines actions required from the group and its members until 2025, as well as focusing on changing wider public attitudes to extreme conformations in brachycephalic dogs.
It identifies three core challenges:
Some of the actions committed to include working to prevent the inappropriate use of imagery of brachycephalic dogs in advertising, promoting relevant health testing schemes and sharing research with breeders and would-be owners, alongside developing and promoting a Brachycephalic Health Assessment veterinary consultation framework.
Dr Dan O’Neill, chair of BWG said: “BWG understands that the serious health problems associated with the flat-faced body shape can cause many dogs to suffer and considers that the health and welfare problems linked to breeding for a flat face are one of the UK’s leading canine welfare priorities.
"This new strategy lays out a plan to redress many of these issues and we call on everybody to ‘Stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog’.”
www.ukbwg.org.uk/?page_id=801
The new guide, developed in association with Vets Digital, is the latest addition to BVA’s ‘Respect your vet team – end abuse’ campaign, which aims to support vets and veterinary workplaces who experience abuse from animal owners either in person or online.
It will be added to the Respect Your Vet Team toolkit, which offers a range of resources designed to help protect staff and limit the frequency and impact of abuse from clients.
The resources include practical tips on how to protect staff from online abuse, downloadable posters encouraging respectful behaviour from clients and a series of blogs exploring the issues.
BVA President Malcolm Morley said: “The vast majority of clients are hugely appreciative of the care they receive from their vet teams, resulting in thousands of positive reviews every year.
"While we recognise not every client will have a positive experience and may wish to provide critical feedback, a small number are posting deliberately abusive or unfair reviews.
"This is unacceptable and can have a hugely negative impact on individual veterinary professionals and the wider team.
"Protecting the wellbeing of veterinary teams remains a top priority for BVA and this new resource will help vet teams to take practical steps to limit the impact of this type of abuse.”
https://www.bva.co.uk/resources-support/misc-resources/how-to-manage-unfair-and-abusive-reviews-online
The ophthalmology service, which offers cataract surgery, corrective eyelid surgery and corneal disease management amongst other things, is headed by RCVS and US Ophthalmology Specialist, James Histed (pictured right)
The hospital, which has doubled in size to 30,000ft², now has a purpose-built theatre complex, a new reception and waiting area, 12 additional consulting rooms and a new rehabilitation centre equipped with a water treadmill and a large arena for treatment and gait analysis.
It also has a new lecture theatre where SCVS can deliver its CPD programme and parent company IVC can deliver its intern and residency programme.
The company says that its redevelopment has focused on employee wellbeing, to which end there is a new staff area for the 200-strong team a place to gather, dine and relax.
Kennel space for staff dogs has also been increased to support SCVS’s ‘bring your dog to work’ policy.
The new hospital facility is fully operational and open 24/7 for referrals, supporting colleagues from surrounding vet practices.
www.scvetspecialists.co.uk
The ISFM says Congress will offer veterinary professionals an extensive scientific programme designed to support a multi-modal and cat friendly approach to caring for feline patients with acute upper urinary tract disease and other emergencies.
Speakers will include Søren Boysen (Emergency & Critical Care), Serge Chalhoub (Internal Medicine), Laura Owen (Soft Tissue Surgery) and special guest Allyson Berent (Non-Invasive Surgery).
Sam Taylor MRCVS, ISFM Veterinary Specialist Lead (pictured right) said: "We seem to be seeing more and more feline urinary cases, urolithiasis and acute kidney injury - and of course the familiar blocked cats!
"In Dublin, I can’t wait to hear how to approach these cases as well as look more in-depth at ECC and discuss cat friendly critical care amongst many other topics from all angles – surgery, medicine, behaviour, imaging and more!’
The 2023 ISFM Feline Congress Dublin is open to veterinary surgeons and nurses of all experience levels.
https://icatcare.org/congress-2023-dublin/
Time spent discussing the articles can be claimed towards the annual CPD requirement by pressing the ‘Claim CPD’ link at the top of the forum discussion thread.
The first article up for discussion is “What diet should we feed a cat or dog with cancer?”, by Owen Davies, who will be joining us in the forum.
Owen is an RCVS, American and European Specialist in Veterinary Oncology working at Highcroft Referrals.
He graduated from Cambridge in 2005, worked in rural practice for three years, followed by a spell working for charities and then at a large hospital.
In 2014, he moved to the RVC to specialise in oncology before joining Highcroft in 2017.
VetSurgeon.org Clinical Editor, Alasdair Hotston Moore said: “For general practitioners, I think this adds a really valuable extra dimension to your clinical reading.
“It’s not just the opportunity to ask questions of the author, but also to discuss the implications and practicalities of the article amongst yourselves.
VetSurgeon.org Editor, Arlo Guthrie added: “More than that, it’s also in a closed professional community where you can be 100% confident of a friendly atmosphere and authoritative opinions with provenance.
“And more even than that, the questions you ask and the discussion you have are then available as a useful, searchable resource for everyone in the profession.”
So do come and join in.
First read the article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/what-diet-should-we-feed-a-cat-or-dog-with-cancer
Then come and join the discussion here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-case-discussions/30507/new-clinical-article-club-what-diet-should-we-feed-a-cat-or-dog-with-cancer-with-owen-davies
The Association says: "Deciding how best to exit a practice that you have usually spent the majority of your professional career helping to build and develop can be a daunting decision.
"It is generally only a decision you get to make once and often needs time and planning to ensure it is the right decision for both you and the practice.
"The pressure of making that decision, and the potential consequences of making the wrong choice, can often lead to ‘decision paralysis’ resulting in no action being taken, which can often more damaging to the practice in the longer term."
The webinar, which is open to members and non-members, will you overview of the options and the advanced planning required.
Tickets cost £35 for members and £50 for non-members, available from: https://booking.spvs.org.uk/product/exiting-practice-on-your-terms/
In an AI position statement released on their website, the company highlights the opportunities and risks associated with the use of AI to interpret diagnostic images.
In the joint statement, company owners Victoria Johnson and Julien Labruyère (pictured right), said: “We strongly welcome the introduction of appropriately developed, tested and implemented AI tools into our profession, to provide solutions to improve resourcing and benefit animal welfare.
“There is a limited pool of veterinary radiologists and an ever-increasing need for expert interpretation of radiographs and more advanced diagnostic imaging modalities.
"This presents a huge opportunity for the development of AI and related technologies to better address demand, save time and potentially improve clinical knowledge and outcomes.
"However, it is important to note that, unlike human radiology, there is no official framework for the regulation, governance and quality control of AI tools in veterinary radiology.
"This means that there should be a very strong onus on companies and individuals to adhere to the highest standards of medical tool development when creating AI solutions.”
“If AI is released into veterinary practice without appropriate oversight or governance there is a significant risk of misleading results, misdiagnosis, and negative impacts on patient welfare.
"This, in turn, may undermine trust in AI and create a culture of hesitancy to adopt new technologies at a time when innovation is much needed to improve access to advanced care.”
The company is advocating for a series of self-regulatory measures to be applied by companies developing AI in order to safeguard both animal welfare and the liability of the veterinary surgeons using these tools in clinical practice.
The full position statement and a list of recommendations can be here: https://www.vet-ct.com/gb/our-services/ai-veterinary-radiology/
Concern has been expressed in the profession about environmental contamination from products used in companion animal treatment for ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks.
In recent years there has been a widely documented fall in the abundance of many terrestrial invertebrate populations1.
While the decline has been mostly linked to agricultural chemicals, there is a concern that companion animal ectoparasiticides could also be a contributing factor, with a recent study2 confirming the presence of common compounds used in flea-treatment3 in UK waterways.
However, the association with companion animal ectoparasiticides is currently poorly understood, with a significant knowledge gap and little robust research available to assess the true importance and environmental consequences.
The funded project ‘Assessing the Environmental Risk from Ectoparasite Treatments in Companion Animals’ will be led by Professor Richard Wall, Professor of Zoology and Dr Emily Bell, Senior Lecturer at University of Bristol in collaboration with Dr Imogen Schofield, Veterinary Statistician and Epidemiologist at CVS, and Lizzie McLennan-Green, Small Animal Veterinary Director at CVS.
It will be conducted via a PhD studentship at the University of Bristol as part of the CVS Clinical Research Awards.
The research will include a longitudinal ‘citizen science’ study with pet owners to develop a greater understanding of owner use and attitudes towards ectoparasiticides.
It will also include laboratory assessments of ectoparasiticide residues collected from companion animals to provide evidence-based information on the potential environmental impact of the treatments when applied to companion animals.
It is hoped the study will help the wider veterinary profession develop the most appropriate approaches to prescribing and use of ectoparasiticides in the future, and inform educational strategies to support owners with ‘responsible use’. The study is also set to benefit companion animals, as the research will inform strategies to ensure the most appropriate control of parasitic burden to pets.
The project starts in January 2023 and will run for three-years as a full time PhD.
CVS is providing £95,000 to fund the research.
References
Emily graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2013, then spent three years working in small animal practice.
Having developed a keen interest in ophthalmology, Emily began studying for the BSAVA postgraduate certificate in ophthalmology, then moved to the Animal Health Trust in Suffolk to complete a specialist internship in veterinary ophthalmology.
She then pursued her specialist residency training at the Royal Veterinary College in London and became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmology earlier this year.
She said: “I have a particular interest in microsurgery, particularly corneal and lens surgery, while I also enjoy feline ophthalmology and am interested in uveitis and glaucoma.”
Vim graduated from the University of Bristol in 2005 and spent seven years in a first opinion small animal, mixed and exotics practice in Bristol, gaining his RCVS certificate in veterinary ophthalmology in 2012.
He qualified as an advanced practitioner since 2015, working solely as an ophthalmologist at large private referral hospitals before embarking on a European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO) residency programme at Langford Vets, University of Bristol, in 2019.
He completed his final year of residency training and Master of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in August and is due to sit the ECVO certifying board exams next spring.
Vim said: “I always knew I wanted to become an ophthalmologist, even before I started vet school! It’s a wonderful opportunity to join the NDSR ophthalmology team.
“I’m interested in all areas of ophthalmology and across all species. I have a particular interest in feline ophthalmology, infectious keratitis, ocular manifestations of systemic disease and wildlife/exotics species ophthalmology.
“I’m also passionate about teaching and mentoring junior vets and undergraduate students. I’ve been the veterinary intern mentor or director for more than 40 interns over the years and I hope to get involved with NDSR’s renowned internship programme.”
Vim will also be doing one day a week working at Southfields Veterinary Specialists at its recently-opened Basildon hospital.
www.ndsr.co.uk
At a hearing in April Dr Johnston had admitted all the charges against him, which related fraudulent claims for the treatment of animals, two of which were fictitious, where he arranged for the insurance claims to be diverted and paid into a personal bank account.
Dr Johnston had admitted all the charges against him as well as admitting that his conduct was dishonest and amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Committee Chair Paul Morris said: “The Committee has no hesitation in concluding that the respondent’s dishonest conduct will have severely undermined the confidence of the public in the veterinary profession and, further, that his conduct fell far short of the standards and conduct properly to be expected of a member of the veterinary profession.
"The Committee is satisfied that this conduct by the respondent brought the profession into disrepute.”
The proceedings were then adjourned to allow a psychiatric report and other mitigation to be prepared.
At its resumed hearing on earlier this month, the Committee considered what sanction to impose.
The Committee found that aggravating features of his misconduct were that it was premeditated, carefully planned and sophisticated in that it involved the creation of numerous and extensive false clinical records to support his fraudulent claims.
It also considered the fact that he implicated an innocent professional colleague who worked alongside him at the practice, that he abused the trust placed in him by clients, that the dishonest conduct was repeated and that it involved significant financial gain in excess of £13,200 to be further aggravating features of his conduct
In terms of mitigation, the Committee accepted that he had made early admissions regarding his conduct to his employer and the College and accepted responsibility.
The Committee also heard that he had made attempts at remediation involving repayments of some of the sums lost by the practice and insurers.
It also considered positive testimonials from family and professional colleagues and the fact that Dr Johnston had taken significant steps to deal with the gambling addiction that was at the root cause of his misconduct.
Having considered all the evidence, the Committee decided to postpone its decision on sanction for a period of 2 years on the condition that Dr Johnston agree to undertakings including refraining from any form of gambling, subjecting himself to a close regime of support and supervision, and repaying some of the sums he had defrauded.
Paul added: “In reaching this conclusion the Committee wishes to make it clear that it has taken an exceptional course in this case.
"Ordinarily conduct of the type covered by the charges which this respondent has accepted will merit the imposition of a sanction of removal from the Register or a period of suspension from the Register.
"In this instance the Committee has found it possible to take the course that it has because it is satisfied that the respondent was, at the time, suffering from a recognisable psychiatric compulsive addiction… and that the fraudulent attempts by the respondent to obtain funds with which to gamble would not have occurred but for this psychiatric condition.
“The Committee further considers that the undertakings offered by the respondent will serve to reduce the risk that he will relapse into gambling again, for his conduct will be closely monitored and he will accept continuing support and guidance from the organisations currently assisting him.
“The Committee is also satisfied of the requirements that neither animals nor the public will be put at risk by this proposed course of action; that the respondent has demonstrated insight into the seriousness of his misconduct and that there is currently no significant risk of repeat behaviour; that his practicing standards are not in need of improvement so long as he continues to fulfil his CPD obligations; that the undertakings offered are capable of being met, are appropriate and are measurable; that there is evidence that his underlying medical problem is being appropriately addressed, will be monitored and reported on; and that he has responded positively to the opportunities for support and counselling which have been offered to him.”
If Dr Johnston fails to comply with his undertakings the Committee will reconvene and consider the charges with the full range of sanctions at its disposal.
MSD says the new license claim means the vaccine combines the broadest calf scour protection available with unique user convenience.
MSD Animal Health livestock veterinary adviser Dr Kat Baxter-Smith said: “When correctly administered as a single 2ml intramuscular dose to pregnant cattle 12-3 weeks prior to calving, Bovilis Rotavec Corona boosts antibodies in colostrum for rotavirus, coronavirus and now both E.coli F5 (K99) and F41.
"Calves gain protection against these infectious scour pathogens by drinking the fortified colostrum from their vaccinated mothers.
“Bovilis Rotavec Corona also contains the most prevalent rotavirus strain in Europe2, which minimises the chances of a calf scour protection breakdown due to differences between vaccine antigens and the ubiquitous antigens on farm3.”
Kat added: "Vet, RAMA and farmer feedback suggests the wide vaccination window (12-3 weeks pre-calving) and the fact that an opened bottle of vaccine lasts for up to 28 days are particularly useful practical benefits in a mix of both dairy and beef suckler systems.”
Bovilis Rotavec Corona is available in 5, 20 and 50-dose packs from both veterinary professionals and the agricultural merchant trade.
Enalees offers a variety of point-of-care isothermal PCR animal diagnostics tests for canine, feline and equine infectious diseases, including parvo, leptospirosis, babesiosis and borreliosis.
The company says its tests are highly specific and sensitive and can detect the presence of a virus, parasite or microbe at a very early stage, without the use of expensive and complex equipment, within 30 minutes.
Lauren Craig is the General Manager of the new subsidiary. She said: “I will be coordinating the launch of the UK subsidiary and working with veterinary professionals to deliver Enalees’ unique portfolio offering in diagnostic testing and in clinic rapid PCR tests.
“I am incredibly excited for the challenge ahead and looking forward to working with a fantastic team with an important mission in this key market.”
www.enalees.com