RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett has outlined the College's likely approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in the veterinary sector at a roundtable event it hosted last week.

At the roundtable, Liz Barton MRCVS, Head of Communications at Vet.CT, spoke about the application of AI in clinical practice, including in preventative medicine, diagnostics, treatment and prognostics.

Liz highlighted how the use of AI tools in clinical practice for tasks such as pattern recognition had led to many unforeseen and unexpected benefits, for example by picking up things that humans may not.

Dr P-J Noble, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Science at the University of Liverpool, explained how AI tools had proven useful in processing, assessing and annotating qualitative data gathered through the university's Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) once they were programmed to recognise certain patterns, saving lots of research time and costs.

Dr Chris Trace MRCVS, Head of Digital Learning at the University of Surrey, spoke about AI use in higher education and how it has already started to be used beneficially both as a teaching and learning aid, as well as for assessment and feedback. 

In the afternoon session, groups of delegates were asked to discuss practical questions over AI use in the veterinary professions and how it might be regulated.

There were discussions on how to help vet and VN students make the most of AI in learning and assessment, responsible use of AI in clinical settings, the risks of not using AI, how veterinary professionals can work with animal owners and keepers to ensure the safe and productive use of AI, and whether AI-led devices should be regulated.

Lizzie said: “This was a really positive and exciting event that involved a heady mix of trepidation over the risks and implications of AI now and into the future, and optimism over the beneficial impact it could have for education, diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.

"The discussions have certainly given us at the College a lot of food for thought on how we can put in place guardrails and guidelines on the appropriate use of AI in the veterinary sector.

“This is an area of technology that is evolving so rapidly that it would not be effective for us to put in place specific guidance for the use of AI tools, but instead we will be looking at how we can regulate the use of AI in the round and ensure our principles are sufficiently future-proofed to keep up with the pace of change.

“Any regulation will start with first principles, such as transparency and honesty around the use of AI in veterinary practice, the minimisation of potential risks, and the continuing importance of professional accountability for decision-making, even where such decisions may have been heavily influenced by the use of AI tools and AI-generated data.”

The input gathered from the roundtable will now be considered by a range of RCVS committees over the coming months.

A full report of the event will be published this summer.

Vet-X-Perts GmbH has launched veheri.com, billed as a diagnostic imaging collaboration and education platform which also offers a teleradiology and teleneurology reporting service.

Originally launched in 2022, the company says the platform now has thousands of users including hundreds of imaging specialists from around the world. 

Dr Oliver Gehrigsaid: "One of veheri's goals is to promote worldwide cooperation with experts as medical progress has always emerged from the collective, and the best in the field play a central role in this.

"We connect veterinarians globally via our global veterinary community, where cases can be uploaded and discussed.

"Veheri also offers direct access to one of the largest expert networks worldwide through our Diagnostics-Teleradiology Module”.

Teleradiology reports can be requested from €100 depending on the modality, and the company offers practice membership plans starting at €200 per month.

https://www.veheri.com 

His Majesty King Charles III has been confirmed as the Royal Patron for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association, roles previously held by his mother.

The roles were confirmed by Buckingham Palace this month as part of a recent review of royal patronages. 

RCVS President Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS said: “We are delighted that His Majesty the King is our new Royal Patron, continuing his mother’s support for the veterinary professions. 

“We know that His Majesty is a keen advocate for animal health and welfare, the environment and biodiversity, and so his interests align very much with ours in areas such as sustainability, tackling antimicrobial resistance, and in supporting veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to best meet their professional standards.

British Veterinary Association President Dr. Anna Judson said: “We’re honoured to welcome His Majesty King Charles as our Patron.

"This ongoing royal commitment recognises the vital contribution vets make to animal welfare and their critical role in society, from taking care of the nation’s pets through to ensuring animal welfare in food production, public health and international trade.

"On behalf of our members, we’d like to thank His Majesty for his commitment to BVA, our profession and the work we do.”

Zoetis has added AI equine faecal egg count analysis to its diagnostics platform, Vetscan Imagyst.

Dr Wendy Talbot BVSc DipECEIM MRCVS, Equine National Veterinary Manager at Zoetis said: “Fast equine faecal egg count results are crucial for the appropriate and timely treatment of gastrointestinal parasites, and to detect the increasingly concerning issue of dewormer resistance in horses.

"This technology is proven to be as accurate at identifying Strongyle spp. and Parascaris spp. as a board-certified parasitologist, delivering fast, reliable and shareable results within 10 minutes.¹”

Zoetis says study results have demonstrated the AI capability within the Vetscan Imagyst to be up to 99% in agreement with board-certified parasitologist results¹.

This, says the company, allows for rapid identification of high shedders versus low shedders to enable strategic targeted deworming protocols to be implemented.

Reference

1. Zoetis Data on File. Study Report No. DHX6Z-US-22-131 (D6131).

Cambridge-based Nebojsa Petrovic MRCVS has been suspended by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for six months for dishonestly providing false information related to the export of horses.

Nebojsa Petrovic faced eight charges, although charge four was withdrawn at the start of the hearing.

At the outset of the hearing, Dr Petrovic admitted a number of allegations, including:

Charge 1 - that in November 2021, he falsely represented to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that blood samples he submitted in respect of four horses were from the same horses as the samples he submitted on 1 November 2021.

Charge 2 – that in November 2021, he told APHA’s Veterinary Head of Border Control that he had checked the microchips and/or passports of the four horses when he hadn’t done so;

Charge 3 – that in November 2021, he signed Export Health Certificates for the four horses, in which it was stated that blood samples taken from these horses on October 2021 had been submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency laboratory, Weybridge, with a negative result for Leptospirosis when in fact those samples had tested positive;

Charge 5 – that he failed to send the APHA’s Centre for International Trade, within seven days of signing, certified copies of the export health certificates;

Charge 7 – that in January 2022, he told an APHA officer that he was satisfied that he had properly identified the horses for which you had submitted the two samples when he had not done so;

Charge 8c – that he risked undermining government procedures designed to promote animal health and international relations in relation to the charges he admitted; and

Charge 9 – that in February 2022, he failed to have in place any or any adequate Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).

Dr Petrovic, who was at the time of all the allegations carrying his duties as an Official Veterinarian on behalf of the APHA, denied charge 6 – that in November 2021, he failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the four horses being exported to Serbia, when he had been informed that there were concerns and/or doubts about whether those horses had tested negative for Leptospirosis.

He also denied charge 8 – that in relation to the allegations relating to his submitting the blood samples to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency on 8 November 2021, certification of the Export Health Certificates on 16 November 2021 and his subsequent conversations with members of APHA staff regarding both sets of documentation he had acted in a misleading (Charge 8a) and/or dishonest (Charge 8b) way.

The Committee considered evidence presented by the College including hearing from APHA staff witnesses called by the College and also hearing from a witness and character evidence presented by Dr Petrovic. Dr Petrovic also gave evidence to the Committee.

It found most charges proven with the exception of Charge 6, and also found that Dr Petrovic had not acted dishonestly in submitting the blood samples or certifying the EHC’s as alleged in charges 1 and 3.

The Committee concluded that Dr Petrovic had acted in a dishonest and misleading way in his conversations with the APHA staff as detailed in charges 2 and 7.

The Committee then considered whether the individual proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, determining that, with the exception of charges 3 and 5, all proven charges amounted to disgraceful conduct.

Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “In the Committee’s judgement, the respondent’s position as an Official Veterinarian also meant that he had a responsibility to ensure that the trust which was delegated to him was not breached.

"In his role, the respondent was acting in a position of trust, as a representative of the government, and the Committee found that he had breached that trust…. It took these matters into account when determining that the respondent’s behaviour cumulatively amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”

Regarding the sanction for Dr Petrovic, the Committee considered his request that it consider suspension, rather than removal, from the Register.

In terms of aggravating factors – the Committee found that Dr Petrovic had acted without integrity, recklessly and without regard for the APHA’s systems relating to the export of animals.

In mitigation, it took into account: the fact that no animal was harmed by his conduct, albeit there was risk of harm; his long and unblemished career in the UK since 1994; admissions he had made to the APHA and Disciplinary Committee at the first day of the hearing; had remediated his lack of professional indemnity insurance by putting in place a retrospective policy; the significant amount of time that had elapsed since the conduct; and six positive character references from experienced fellow veterinary surgeons who held him in high regard.

Paul Morris added: “The Committee took into account that the respondent had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon with no subsequent complaints and that he had a previous long and unblemished record and there was support by several positive character references.

"The Committee also took into consideration the pressures of Brexit and the pandemic which the respondent had faced at the time, but which were unlikely to occur again.

“The Committee had concluded that the respondent was unlikely to repeat similar behaviour or to pose a risk to animals, particularly because he was no longer involved in certifying animals for export.

"Furthermore his admissions to most of the matters it had found proved showed that he had some insight.

"The Committee was also satisfied that the respondent had a genuine concern for the welfare of animals and it noted that the Respondent did not require any further training to continue in practice as a veterinary surgeon.

 “The Committee therefore concluded that a suspension from the Register was the proportionate sanction in this case taking into account the seriousness of the conduct it had found proved but also all of the mitigating factors.”

The Committee recommended that Dr Petrovic be suspended for six months to reflect the seriousness of the conduct and the damage it could do to public confidence in the profession, while meeting the public interest and sending a clear message of deterrence.

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

With less than one month to go before all cats are required to be microchipped, Michelle Townley MRCVS, veterinary advisor to HomeAgain, has shared six ways to address the more common concerns that pet owners have about microchipping: 

Tip 1 – Make sure that pet owners understand the functions of a microchip properly
Michelle says: "Some customers I’ve spoken to wrongly believe that microchips function as GPS trackers. To help manage pet owners’ expectations I always stress the importance of a microchip in lost pet recovery scenarios, where they serve as a permanent form of identification."

Tip 2 – Stress the importance of pet owners updating their contact details with their microchip provider
Michelle says: "Pet owners often think that updating contact details with their vet will automatically sync these changes with the microchip database. It’s vital to inform owners that they must separately update their contact information with their microchip database.  I’d recommend regularly reminding pet owners to check and update their microchip registration."

Tip 3 – Reassure pet owners that microchips are safe for their cats
Michelle says: "I’ve had some owners express worries about allergic reactions or rejection of the microchip by their cat's body. So it’s worth taking the opportunity to dispel this myth  during routine wellness exams by explaining microchips are made from inert, biocompatible materials designed to be nonallergenic and nontoxic. 

Tip 4 – Make sure to discuss the longevity of microchips with pet owners
Michelle says: Microchips are designed to last the lifetime of the pet without needing a power source and that their functionality can easily be verified during any veterinary visit. If you find an owner expresses concerns about this, you could offer to check the microchip as part of regular health checks to demonstrate its reliability.

Tip 5 – Emphasise how every cat needs a microchip – regardless of age or activity level
Michelle says: "All vets will know even indoor or elderly cats can escape or wander off and older cats can become disoriented more easily. It is worth reminding owners that microchipping is a safeguard, ensuring their pet can be identified and returned home if lost. The new law means that pet owners can also face a large £500 fine if their cat isn’t microchipped."

Tip 6 – Explain how not all microchips are the same and the importance of getting the right one
Michelle says: I often explain that microchips vary in terms of the technology they employ, such as the new 'Thermochip' by HomeAgain that also measures a cat’s subcutaneous temperature. It’s worth talking pet owners through the different microchips available and the database options so they can make an informed choice.

http://homeagain.co.uk/Cats 

CVS, which is currently expanding in Australia, has launched a secondment programme through which its vets can apply for an opportunity to work down under for up to two years.

A similar scheme will also be run for Australian colleagues wanting to spend time in the UK.

The programme will allow the company's vets to enhance their role internationally and to explore other parts of the world whilst furthering their career.

The programme is open to vets with over one year's experience, who want to work overseas and then return to their current practice afterwards.

Secondments are also available for staff in support office roles. 

Staff will be able to return to their existing roles for up to 12 months, and thereafter a similar role will be made available to them in their region.

Graeme Cramb, Managing Director for CVS Australia, said: “Our vision is to be the veterinary company that most people want to work for and we believe this UK-Australia secondment scheme represents an attractive option for colleagues.

“As the first vet company to offer a UK-Australia secondment scheme, we hope that it enables our colleagues to learn from colleagues in a new territory, further their career and to lead to some exciting cross-pollination of ideas.”

When colleagues express an interest, they will be contacted by CVS recruitment team member to discuss potential opportunities that they can apply for.

They must meet the criteria required to be able to obtain a visa to work in Australia.

Successful applicants will be offered a relocation package and continue to be paid their salary in the UK.

They may also be eligible for the cost of living allowance, paid in Australia.

https://www.careerswithcvs.co.uk/intranet/vacancy/uk-to-australia-secondment-program-4472/18753/description/ 

Virbac has launched the Multimin Focus Guide, an online platform to help vets educate their farmers on the importance of injectable trace minerals in the production cycle. 

Produced in association with Farmers Guardian, information in the guide includes the role of Multimin in increasing farm margins by reducing mastitis, improving fertility, assisting growth and increasing immunity.

The Multimin Focus Guide also includes case studies that demonstrate how livestock performance can be elevated with trace minerals, which is relevant to both the dairy and beef industries. 

Sabrina Jordan, Product Manager at Virbac said: "Multimin is a unique injection that is designed to ‘top up’ trace mineral supplies at critical times of the production cycle. 

"Strategic use of Multimin supports the transition cow and is increasingly used to increase fertility in maiden heifers, particularly at second lactation.

"Multimin is particularly useful for youngstock where it helps to boost immunity and growth; and supports during times of stress such as transportation and grouping. 

"Most significantly, in areas where vets have identified deficiencies in grazing pasture, Multimin can ensure that animals are 'topped up' with the appropriate trace minerals to optimise performance.

"The aim of this online resource is to support vets in demonstrating the importance of trace minerals to improving herd efficiency and health." 

www.farmersguardian.com/bringing-herd-health-virbac-multimin-focus

CVS has launched a new clinical improvement project in 25 of its first opinion small animal practices to improve the diagnosis of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in dogs.

For the project, the company has developed a Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) clinical assessment tool which can be used by a vet or nurse in practice to make a diagnosis.

The assessment is a holistic one which includes taking a history of the animal, a full physical examination, an exercise test and an examination of the dog’s nostrils.

The results of the assessment are then discussed with the owner to agree on a course of treatment.

During each consultation, vets and nurses also look to talk sensitively with clients about breeding, buying and owning brachycephalic dog breeds, offering welfare advice on how to manage their dog’s lifestyle, including issues such as keeping their weight low and looking after them in hot weather.

CVS says it hopes this will increase a general level of welfare awareness amongst brachycephalic dog owners.

CVS has also created a collection of resources for its teams, including new clinical frameworks and veterinary guidelines, webinars and a CPD day on the subject. 

The company has also created materials to help vets and nurses have what can be challenging discussions with clients, including consultation room posters and practice reception TV videos which showing the physiology of the brachycephalic breed.

CVS says that since launch in July last year, the 25 participating practices have conducted nearly 900 brachycephalic assessments, and it aims to have at least 5% of Pugs, French Bulldogs and Bulldogs undergoing assessment across its small animal division by 2028.

Vita Animal Health has published the results of an online survey it conducted¹, which found that whilst 89% of owners agreed poor ear health can compromise a rabbit's quality of life, only 1% were aware that rabbits often show no or few symptoms of ear disease.

Tara Evans RVN from Vita said: "We wanted to raise awareness and start a discussion with rabbit owners about preventative ear care in rabbits, including how and when owners are cleaning their rabbits’ ears.”

91% of owners also agreed that cleaning is important for rabbits with ear health problems, but 49% have never cleaned their rabbit’s ears.

For the remainder, the most common reason owners gave for cleaning their rabbits’ ears was as a preventative measure (46%), followed by noticing signs of discomfort (25%) and following veterinary advice (25%). 

Tara added: “These results show us that owners are aware cleaning their rabbits’ ears is important which leaves us plenty of opportunities to educate on what owners should be looking out for.

"The survey showed that 57% of rabbit owners correctly identified lop ears to be a risk factor in ear health yet a contradictory 28% thought straight ears posed more of a risk.

"It is our job as veterinary professionals to share facts and impart our knowledge to our engaged audience.”

The survey looked into different options available for ear cleaning and identified that 51% of respondents would choose ear wipes, 25% home prepared solutions and 31% a designated rabbit ear cleaning product.

Tara said: “We want to be encouraging owners to be looking at their rabbits’ ears and cleaning them, however wipes can fail to provide a thorough clean and reach the deeper ear canal effectively, and homemade remedies may be irritating to rabbit ears.

"It is important to use an ear cleaner which is designed for and safe to use in rabbits, such as Omniotic.

"Our survey underscores the critical need for increased education and awareness surrounding rabbit ear health.

"It's essential for owners to understand the significance of regular ear cleaning in maintaining overall wellness and preventing potential diseases.”

www.vitaanimalhealth.com

Reference

1. Survey carried out by Companion Consultancy on behalf of Vita Animal Health, online between 22nd November and 13th December. 102 rabbit owners responded to the survey. 

The RCVS has announced the winners and losers in this year's Council elections. 

7,383 veterinary surgeons voted in this year's election, a turnout of 19.7%. 

This compares to turnouts of 16.7% in 2023, 18.6% in 2022, 24.5% in 2021, and 26.2% in 2020. 

Of the 14 candidates, Professor David Barratt, Sinead Bennett and Zara Kennedy were all elected to serve for a four year term, with 1,747 votes, 1,796 and 2,264 votes respectively. 

Mark Bowen (1,404), Richard Brown (1,030), Paddy Gordon (1,612), Gerard Henry (1,157), Peter Higgins (496), Penelope Morgan (1,584), Kate Richards (1,264), Richard Sanderson (1,380), Sally Schroeder (1,630), Lara Wilson (1,399) and the inevitable Thomas Lonsdale (257) were all unsuccessful. 

The winning candidates will take up their posts at Royal College Day, which is open to all vets to attend on Friday 5th July at the Royal Institute of British Architects.

www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote24

Matthew John Makepeace has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after a conviction for assaulting his ex-partner.

Mr Makepeace faced five charges.

The first charge was that in 2022 Mr Makepeace was convicted at Scarborough Magistrates Court of assaulting by beating his ex-partner.

He was sentenced to a community order and a curfew order and was ordered to pay a £95 surcharge and £85 in costs.

It was alleged that the conviction rendered him unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.

The second was that in August 2022, Mr Makepeace submitted a character reference which purported to have been written by his ex-partner saying that they "still live happily together", when this was untrue. It was also alleged that the reference purported to have been signed by Mr Makepeace's ex-partner when he knew that was not the case.

The third charge alleged that Mr Makepeace had sent WhatsApp messages to his ex-partner which were offensive, insulting, abusive, threatening and/or intimidating.

The fourth charge  was that was a repetition of the second. 

The fifth and final charge was that in relation to charges 2 and 4, that Mr Makepeace’s conduct was misleading and/or dishonest; and that it is alleged that in relation to charges 2,3,4 and/or 5, whether individually or in any combination, that Mr Makepeace was guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.

The first charge was proven by virtue of a certified copy of the memorandum of an entry in the Magistrates’ Court register.

Mr Makepeace also admitted the facts of all the other charges, meaning they were found proven by admission.

In terms of the conviction, the Committee assessed the incident to be serious – the assault was prolonged, involved strangulation and biting which led to physical injuries, and involved a pursuit.

This was found by the Committee to bring the reputation of the profession into disrepute.

The Committee therefore found that the conviction rendered Mr Makepeace unfit to practise.

With regard to the remaining charges, the Committee found Mr Makepeace’s behaviour serious, saying that it showed a blatant and wilful disregard of the role of the RCVS and the systems that regulate the veterinary profession, and that his actions were intended to dishonestly subvert that process.

The Committee considered that his actions fell sufficiently below the standards expected in terms of honesty and integrity, as well as in terms of the behaviour expected of a registered professional.

All this constituted disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.

When making a decision on the appropriate sanction, the Committee took into account evidence from Mr Makepeace, two character witnesses, and a document bundle including evidence of training, continuing professional development (CPD) and other testimonials.

Aggravating factors taken into account were:

• that Mr Makepeace’s actions in relation to the assault were premeditated, in that he pursued his ex-partner;
• that there was an increased position of trust between partners and co-habitants, and that his ex-partner was entitled to trust him;
• that his conduct in relation to the assault was exacerbated by alcohol consumption;
• that, in relation to the WhatsApp messages there was a course of coercive, intimidating, and abusive behaviour over a significant period, despite Mr Makepeace’s abstention from alcohol at that time and the prior completion of an anger management course and therapy;
• that there was a blatant and wilful disregard of the role of the RCVS and the systems that regulate the profession in that his actions in charges 2, 4, and 5 were intended to subvert that process and were dishonest towards the RCVS;
• that his dishonesty towards his regulator was for personal gain in order to present himself in a more favourable light before his regulator;
• and that he demonstrated inadequate insight into his actions.

Mitigating factors taken into account were that Mr Makepeace made full admissions at the start of the hearing; he expressed remorse; was shown to be of previous good character; that there had been a significant lapse of time since his conviction; he had made subsequent efforts to avoid repetition of the behaviour which led to the conviction; the financial impact upon Mr Makepeace if he was prevented from being able to practise; and the testimonials.

Neil Slater, Chair of the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee’s view was that the demands of the public interest in this case were high, and in light of all of the circumstances, removal from the register was the only means of upholding the wider public interest, which includes the need to uphold proper standards of conduct and performance, and to maintain confidence in the profession and its regulation.

“The Committee therefore decided to direct that the respondent should be removed from the Register.

"In coming to this decision, the Committee carefully applied the principle of proportionality and took into account the impact of such a sanction on the respondent’s ability to practise his profession, as well as the financial impact upon him, taking into account his evidence in this regard.

“However, the Committee determined that the need to uphold the wider public interest outweighed the respondent’s interests in this respect.

"In light of the gravity of the conduct, and all of the factors taken into account, any lesser sanction would lack deterrent effect and would undermine public confidence in the profession and the regulatory process.

"Removal was the only appropriate and proportionate sanction.”

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings 

Identi has launched a Practice Pet Protection Pack to help vet professionals answer questions about microchipping before cat microchipping becomes compulsory in England from 10th June.

The pack contains species-specific microchipping law guides, a practice registration guide, a cat chipping cheat sheet, flyers about registration and flyers about Identi’s silent microchipping scanner.

The company has also produced three short videos with more information for vet professionals about Identi, what it does, registering microchips and compulsory cat microchipping.

Tammie O’Leary, commercial lead at Identi, said: “From June 10th, it will be compulsory that owned cats in England are microchipped and registered in the same way. 

"With these changes imminent, it is important that staff are up to date with the relevant legislation and the potential consequences of pet keepers not adhering to the law. 

"identi’s new Practice Pet Protection Pack will provide busy vet professionals with comprehensive information answering a wide range of microchipping questions in a quick and simple format.”

For a copy of the Practice Pet Protection Pack, email: contact@identichip.co.uk