Animalcare has launched Buprecare into the UK and Ireland veterinary markets. Buprecare (POM-V) is a veterinary licensed analgesic, containing buprenorphine, for use in dogs and cats. It is licensed for post-operative analgesia in dogs and cats, and potentiation of the sedative effect of centrally acting agents in dogs.
This is the second major product the company has introduced in the last 18 months as Animalcare continues to grow its portfolio of veterinary products with the launch of an ACE inhibitor Benazecare (benazepril hydrochloride) earlier in 2007.
To complement the product launch, Animalcare is offering an ampoule breaker to help practice staff to open ampoules safely, together with a practice support package, containing pain scoring pads to aid in the assessment of pain of patients and judging of adequate analgesia requirements. In addition a dosing table and poster detailing common behavioural changes that can be associated with pain are available. Buprecare 0.3mg/ml is available in 1ml ampoules, in cartons of 5 ampoules.
Stephen Wildridge, Managing Director of Animalcare Ltd. said: "We have a very exciting time ahead with the launches of several new pharmaceutical products over the next twelve months, and the proposed expansion of our business into the major European veterinary markets."
Please contact your Animalcare representative, or ring 01904 487687 for more details.
Bob Martin, maker of the eponymous flea treatment for cats and dogs, has announced that it will be removing the last of its permethrin-containing on-animal flea treatments from sale in supermarkets.
The company says the decision was made following a passionate outpouring of emotion - particularly online - over the large number of unnecessary deaths of cats which have been wrongly treated with permethrin-based products for dogs.
Permethrin poisoning is one of the most commonly reported poisonings in cats worldwide. According to the company, a study carried out by the Feline Advisory Bureau and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service found that 97% of permethrin poisonings in cats have followed the application of a permethrin-containing dog-specific spot on product.
Bob Martin says it believes that most permethrin poisonings are down to mistakes at point of purchase with pet owners mixing up cat and dog products, or being unaware that you cannot use a dog treatment on a cat. For this reason, the company withdrew permethrin from its dog spot ons in 2012, replacing it with fipronil.
Nevertheless, the company continued to sell cat flea collars containing permethrin, which had become indelibly associated with the deaths seen as a result of misusing the dog spot-on.
Georgina Martin, Marketing Manager and great granddaughter of founder Bob Martin said: "Animal health is Bob Martin's top priority. We have decided to reclassify our permethrin-containing on-animal flea treatments to pharmacy-only and call for a change in licensing by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate so that they may only be purchased if advice is given about their correct use.
"This is the next step in our journey as a responsible business having already voluntarily withdrawn permethrin Dog Spot-ons a few years ago which we replaced with fipronil, the same active as used in leading spot on treatments from the vet. To ensure our customers are still able to buy a flea collar from their supermarket we will be launching a new pesticide free flea repellent collar."
Nigel Grimes, Pet Food Buyer at Morrisons PLC said: "It is important for us that our customers who own animals receive the verbal advice and reassurance on the use of permethrin-containing on-animal products. We feel that this advice is needed at the point of sale and should be provided by a suitably qualified person in a pharmacy setting. We will continue to provide pet owners with on-shelf access to a choice of affordable healthcare for their animals from the Bob Martin range."
Meanwhile, Bob Martin has launched the new 'Clear' range of animal collars, which contains margosa extract from neem oil. The company says this natural ingredient is frequently used as an alternative to synthetic insecticides, and is proven to be a highly effective flea repellent, ideal for indoor cats. The new range is now on sale, with the old product being phased out as existing stocks are sold.
The patient-side test identifies urinary tract infection (UTI) and the best antibiotics to treat the condition, with the results produced in minutes.
Test and Treat says the new test means that vets will no longer have to treat empirically while a urine sample is sent to an external laboratory. Nor will you have to risk delaying treatment until the results are received.
In addition, the company says that the test will help support the responsible use of antibiotics, which is particularly important given that Enterococci strains identified in canine urinary infections have been found to be resistant to three or more antimicrobials1.
U-treat is a two-part test. The first part of the test detects the presence of a urinary infection. The second part of the test looks at antibiotic susceptibility, showing the best choice of antibiotic and identifying those that won't work due to antimicrobial resistance.
Using the principles of bioluminescence, U-Treat removes host cell ATP before lysing bacterial cell walls to release bacterial ATP, which is then detected using a luminometer. The initial detection of infection test takes five minutes and the susceptibility test takes 30 minutes.
Clinical evaluation of the test in cats and dogs was carried out at University of Tennessee in conjunction with Prof. David Bemis of Cornell University. The company says U-Treat demonstrated high levels of sensitivity (97.1%) and specificity (92%), compared to lab tests.
The test is currently validated for use in dogs and cats and is being investigated for use in horses. While the test will launch first in the veterinary world, it also has scope to cross over into human medicine where there is potential to use it in general practice, paediatric and geriatric care.
Ron Turner, CEO and Scientific Director of Test and Treat said: "We've already sent our first orders to the US and have being talking at veterinary conferences about the technology - so we know vets are keen to get access to this new diagnostic test. Fast, reliable and accurate results mean that it's easier to put together a rational treatment plan that they can be very confident will work because they have the evidence."
Test and Treat is based near Newmarket in Suffolk and orders for the test are now being taken from veterinary practices in the UK. Full training will be given and the desk-top equipment (incubator, luminometer and reader) required to run the test can be supplied.
The company, which has attracted government enterprise funding, is also interested in hearing from veterinary surgeons who might be interested in investing in the technology and helping to expand its use.
To place an order, contact James Turner, General Manager on 01638 501974, email: jamest@tandtreat.com or visit http://www.tandtreat.com.
Reference
Elanco Animal Health has launched Vulketan, a POM-V sterile topical gel developed to encourage the healing of equine wounds.
Vulketan contains ketanserin - a serotonin-S2 antagonist.2 Elanco says that although serotonin is more widely known as a neurotransmitter in the brain, it is also found in platelets and released during platelet aggregation where it can have negative effects on wound healing.4, 7
Managing equine wounds is an everyday occurrence in equine practice1 and can be difficult and time-consuming, with many potential complications such as infection or the development of proud flesh which could delay healing or lead to reduced functionality. Repeated dressings can be a hassle for owners, and if used inappropriately can lead to their own complications.5
Elanco representative Kirsty Prudon said: "Vulketan gel is easy to use and is designed to be applied to undressed wounds, although it has been demonstrated that wounds may be dressed, if required, without affecting Vulketan's efficacy2,6.
Elanco also points to studies which it says demonstrate that Vulketan has been shown in client owned horses to be highly effective in preventing the formation of hypergranulation tissue and may facilitate the control of secondary infections.2,3,6. In addition, owners expressed satisfaction with Vulketan in over 90% of cases.6
Practising equine vet Linda Belton MRCVS said: "Vulketan is easy to use, well tolerated by horses and produces an excellent end cosmetic result and return to function. With the reduction in the need for dressings and proud flesh control Vulketan has proven to be an advantageous product which owners value."
Vulketan is suitable for use in all horses including pregnant and lactating mares. It is supplied in 75 gram tubes and should be applied twice daily.
For more information, contact your Elanco territory manager call Elanco on 01256 353131.
References
The OIE represents 178 Member countries and territories with international surveillance programmes that monitor antigenic drift among equine influenza viruses, and its Expert Surveillance Panel (ESP) for EIV makes annual recommendations for the composition of equine vaccines.
ProteqFlu, manufactured by Merial Animal Health, is currently the only vaccine in Europe to meet these recommendations.
Brand manager Dr Clare Turnbull said: "These recommendations, which have been in place since 2011, call for the inclusion of both Florida Clade 1 and 2 strains; as these are representative of the EIV strains that competing horses encounter globally.
"Although all licensed vaccinations should give clinical protection to individuals when challenged with a heterologous strain, mathematical modelling demonstrates that when scaled up to population level, this mis-match between challenge strain and vaccine strain significantly increases the risk of an epidemic occurring."
The FEI imposes mandatory equine influenza vaccination for horses competing under their jurisdiction to improve equine welfare by reducing clinical disease in individuals; but also because of the financial losses that an outbreak could have on the equine sport industry.
Göran Akerstrom, veterinary director of the FEI said: "The FEI has been a part of a Public Private Partnership with OIE for many years and we admire the work that they do in disease surveillance and global animal health.
"We stand behind their recommendations on vaccination for equine influenza and recommend our athletes to discuss these with their veterinary surgeons when considering their vaccination schedules."
For further information on FEI vaccination requirements visit https://inside.fei.org/node/3289
Instead, eligible clients are being invited to join PDSA Pet Care, a new scheme costing £4.50 per month which entitles them to veterinary consultation, one primary vaccination course or booster each year (including a health check), a 20% discount on qualifying treatments in private practice, access to a nurse-led 24/7 triage service and preferential rates on PDSA pet insurance.
The PDSA says that pet owners and practices registered to the current Pet Practice service have been informed directly about the changes, which are being introduced over the next 12 months, as the current service is gradually phased out.
PDSA Director of Veterinary Services, Richard Hooker, said: "Following the review it was clear that the PDSA Pet Practice model was no longer financially sustainable for the charity in its existing form. However, it was important to many practices and PDSA to identify how we can best continue to offer some help to pet owners who live outside the catchment area of our Pet Hospital network and who have a need for affordable veterinary care and advice.
"We are grateful to all those in the profession who contributed to the development of the new scheme. It provides a more sustainable way in which to support households on low incomes across the UK. We are hopeful that practices will look to work with us to support pets and owners in their local communities by participating in the replacement scheme.
"We are mindful that any changes to our service can have an impact on some pet owners and our colleagues in the profession. This is why we have consulted on these moves and put measures in place to support those most affected."
Clients currently using the Pet Practice service who have a pet with a lifelong chronic condition will continue to receive some financial support towards the cost of their pet’s ongoing care and treatment via the PDSA Chronic Voucher scheme, which offers £25 per month towards the ongoing care of their pet for its lifetime.
The charity says it is also looking at a number of specific locations, where existing clients and their pets could supported by its Pet Hospital network when the current Pet Practice service closes.
Richard Hooker added: "The changes to the Pet Practice service are part of a much wider review of PDSA charitable services carried out this year. We have also made changes to our Pet Hospital service: reducing the number of eligible pets that owners can register for free treatment, from three to one, and withdrawing our Pet Treatment Fund.
"These important steps ensure that our available funds are targeted as effectively as possible, achieving our charitable aims of preventing illness, educating pet owners and treating sick animals.
"As a charity we receive no Government funding and rely on the generosity of our supporters and clients to run our services, which cost more than £60 million each year to fund."
The Veterinary Record has published new research which shows that one in seven vets is likely to be burnt-out within 10 years of qualifying.
The study was conducted by a team of Dutch researchers led by Nicole Mastenbroek (pictured right) from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University.
They noted that veterinary surgeons' psychological wellbeing has been the subject of several studies in different countries in recent years, with some evidence suggesting that male vets are less prone to distress, anxiety, and depression. They wanted to gauge the level of burn-out and engagement with work among vets that had graduated within the past decade, and to assess whether gender or years since graduation are influential factors.
The researchers say they based their approach on the job demands-resources (JD-R) questionnaire, which balances out negative (burn-out) and positive (engagement) aspects of wellbeing associated with work. However, they tailored it specifically for veterinary surgeons, on the grounds that every profession has unique risk factors for burn-out.
The questionnaire was emailed to 1,790 vets who had qualified in The Netherlands between 1999 and 2009, with the final analysis based on the responses of 860, almost three quarters (73%) of whom were women.
Levels of exhaustion and cynicism - both of which are associated with burn-out - were significantly lower than those in a random sample of the Dutch working population. But so too was the level of work engagement.
The responses showed that one in seven respondents (14%) was burnt-out within 10 years of qualifying.
The researchers say that if the criteria for burn-out that are normally used for the Dutch workforce are applied, then the responses would indicate that 27% of the survey respondents were burnt-out.
Women also seemed to reach burn-out faster. Almost one in five (18%) of the female respondents was burnt-out within five years of graduating.
Male vets tended to be less exhausted and more engaged with work than their female peers. Job demands associated with exhaustion were work/home life balance and workload, while job resources linked to engagement included opportunities for professional development and "skills discretion" - the ability to use and develop skills on the job.
Researchers says that behavioural traits explained more of the variance in levels of work engagement between male and female vets than in levels of exhaustion.
Self-belief in one's abilities (self-efficacy) and a proactive stance are linked to work engagement in the JD-R approach. But women vets rated themselves as less effective, optimistic, proactive and assertive than did their male peers.
British Veterinary Association President Robin Hargreaves said: "These findings are worrying but sadly not surprising. We know that a burn out and other manifestations of poor mental wellbeing in veterinary professionals of both sexes are a well-recognised problem in the UK and they are a constant concern to BVA.
"The suggestion of an increased susceptibility to burn out amongst female vets adds to that concern with the increasing proportion of women in the profession."
Mrs Mullen faced four charges against her.
The first was that she failed to provide information to her clients about her practice OOH provision.
She was also charged with discharging a Labrador, called Cleo, that was unfit to be discharged following spay surgery, with an inadequate abdominal dressing and inadequate information given to the dog's owners regarding complications from surgery, the risk of post-operative haemorrhage and arrangements for out-of-hours care, as well as failing to make adequate clinical records.
The third charge alleged that she had failed to obtain informed consent for anaesthesia/ surgery performed on an English Bulldog, called Boycie, from his owners, failed to ensure the dog had adequate monitoring whilst recovering from anaesthesia, failed to offer an adequate range of overnight care for the dog, left the dog alone overnight when it was not in a fit condition to be left, failed to provide information to its owners on post-operative care at home and out-of-hours emergency arrangements, and failed to make adequate clinical records relating to its treatment.
Finally, she was charged with failing to have Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) or equivalent arrangements in place or failing to provide details of it, failing to respond to requests regarding her continuing professional development records and failing to respond adequately to reasonable requests from the College for details and documents regarding her treatment of the two dogs.
Mrs Mullen indicated to the RCVS before the hearing that she would not be engaging with the disciplinary process.
The Disciplinary Committee therefore granted the RCVS permission to proceed in her absence on the basis that Mrs Mullen had made it clear that her absence from proceedings was deliberate and voluntary, that there was no indication she would attend any future hearing if it was adjourned and that the charges were of sufficient seriousness that it was in the interests of animal welfare to proceed with them.
The Committee heard evidence from a number of witnesses including the animals’ owners, an expert veterinary witness and College staff.
In the evidence, the Committee heard that the Labrador had died while undergoing treatment at another veterinary practice from complications arising from blood loss following Mrs Mullen’s surgery.
The Committee also heard that the English Bulldog had suffered brain damage and had lost its sight due to post-operative hypoxia, although it had otherwise recovered.
Having heard all the evidence, the Committee found all the charges against Mrs Mullen proven.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In doing so it considered the aggravating factors, including that there was actual injury to animals, that the misconduct was sustained and repeated over a period of time, that the conduct directly contravened advice issued by the RCVS, and the blatant disregard of the RCVS’s regulatory role.
It also considered that Mrs Mullen had previously been suspended from the Register by the Disciplinary Committee for two months in April 2017 for failing to have Professional Indemnity Insurance arrangements in place.
It considered that there were no mitigating factors in the case and accordingly found serious professional misconduct in relation to all the proven charges.
The Committee then considered what the most appropriate sanction would be.
Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Animal welfare lies at the heart of the veterinary profession.
"The Committee considers that [Mrs Mullen’s] treatment of Cleo and Boycie constitutes a breach of this fundamental tenet of the profession.
"Other serious findings of disgraceful conduct against [Mrs Mullen] are her failure to provide informed consent, failure to provide details about out-of-hours cover, failure to have in place Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII), continuing professional development (CPD), and failure to respond to the College’s request for information.”
The Committee considered that the conduct was so serious that the only means of protecting animal health and welfare and public confidence in the profession was to direct the Registrar to remove Mrs Mullen’s name from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons.
Judith added: “The Committee considers that [Mrs Mullen] has displayed a persistent lack of insight into the seriousness of her actions or their consequences.
"The Committee considers that [Mrs Mullen’s] conduct raises serious clinical concerns, shows disregard of obligations in relation to out-of-hours care, indicates deficiencies in making decisions, demonstrates an obstructive attitude to her regulator and creates a potential risk to patients.
"She has not engaged with the regulator, she has not demonstrated insight into her misconduct, has learned nothing from her previous suspension in relation to PII, and has done nothing to remediate her disgraceful conduct.
"There is no evidence that [Mrs Mullen} has complied with any of her obligations in relation to CPD."
“In the view of the Committee, if [Mrs Mullen] were permitted to remain on the Register, there would be a serious risk of harm to animals. She has demonstrated a reckless disregard for the obligations of a registered veterinary surgeon.”
Mrs Mullen has 28 days from being informed of the Committee’s decision to lodge an appeal with the Privy Council.
Mr Paschalidis faced three charges.
The first was that he failed to carry out an examination or vaccinate a dog called Beluga, but made entries in the clinical records for the dog indicating he had.
The second charge was that, on the same day, he failed to carry out an examination or vaccinate a cat called Simba, but made entries in the clinical records for the cat indicating he had, and told a veterinary nurse colleague that he had vaccinated the cat.
The third charge was that the conduct of Mr Paschalidis in relation to the other two charges was dishonest and/or misleading and that he was therefore guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.
The Committee found the charges relating to the failure to carry out an adequate examination and vaccinate Beluga and Simba proven.
The Committee also found that Mr Paschalidis had been dishonest and misleading in relation to his clinical records for Beluga.
Although Mr Paschalidis admitted the charge that he had failed to examine Simba, he denied that the record was misleading or dishonest as he said he'd been interrupted by a colleague whilst making the notes, rendering them an incomplete draft.
The Committee found it unproven that Mr Paschalidis had dishonestly made entries in the clinical records for Simba indicating that he had vaccinated him when he hadn’t.
Nor did it find that that Mr Paschalidis had been dishonest in his entries which indicated that he'd examined Simba, instead finding that his conduct was misleading.
However, having found that Mr Paschalidis was dishonest in his recording of his examination/vaccination of Beluga and that he was dishonest in relation to his communication of vaccination of Simba to a colleague, the Committee found that his conduct amounted to conduct falling far below that to be expected of a reasonably competent veterinary surgeon.
The Committee took into account eight testimonials, which were all positive about Mr Paschalidis’ character.
The Committee also noted his Continuing Professional Development (CPD) record, which, from February 2020 to February 2023, totalled over 170 hours.
It also considered that there was no evidence of actual harm to either Beluga or Simba, no evidence of any gains for Mr Paschalidis, and that the episode lasted no longer that one hour.
Against that, the Committee considered the risk of injury to the animals from not being vaccinated or examined adequately and the breach of client trust.
Paul Morris, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee assessed that the conduct of Mr Paschalidis, which included dishonesty, was in the upper middle range on the scale of dishonest conduct as the breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct were committed deliberately and for dishonest reasons, rather than through inadvertence or mistake.”
"The Committee decided that all of the mitigating factors, combined with an absence of any further incidents or similar behaviour having been drawn to the College's attention, alongside the positive testimonials, led it to conclude that the risk of any repetition of similar conduct was reduced such that Mr Paschalidis no longer poses a significant risk to animals or the public."
"The Committee considered that the misconduct found proved was sufficiently serious to require suspension from the Register, which would have a deterrent effect and would satisfy the public interest in this case.
"However, because Mr Paschalidis had continued to work as a veterinary surgeon for two years since these events without complaint and had shown some insight, the Committee decided that a lengthy suspension would not serve a useful purpose and would therefore be disproportionate. "
“The Committee therefore decided to direct that, as a deterrent, Mr Paschalidis’ registration be suspended for a period of six months.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings/
Earlier this month, veterinary surgeon Matthew Wilkinson caused a storm after giving a controversial interview to the Daily Mail to promote his book: On The Destiny Of Species. VetSurgeon member Martin Jones has read the book to find out whether the book supports the allegations. Here is his review ...
I can't deal with hypocrisy (and if I do it I want it pointed out), especially when it leads to more suffering.Matthew Watkinson, on his own fishsnorkel blog
Being subjective isn't about evidence, it's about feelings, and the most fundamental part of being subjective is the projection of extrinsic values...... i.e. X means Y to me so I will assume X means Y to X as wellOn the Destiny of Species, p.17
...it should be perfectly obvious that feelings can corrupt perspective and warp reality.On the Destiny of Species, p.18
I can only say that you make me ashamed to be human.On the Destiny of Species, p.112
On the Destiny of Species is the Book of Matthew Watkinson. It's a piece of Matthew himself: his theories, his feelings, his world view. It's the document at the centre of the storm, the cause (and topic) of much argument recently, here and on a wider stage. Matthew has attacked the veterinary profession, if not quite by going through the front door, then at least by coming in the windows. He's put his name to the accusations, has been robust in defending them and has inarguably stood by his principles. The response has not, I think, surprised him; but it may have surprised some of us. Despite not having actually read the book, many people have felt qualified to comment - often with some force.
So, in the interests of objectivity I volunteered to read the thing, and to apply some scrutiny to what the man is actually saying; we're all agreed - including Matthew - that the Daily Mail did a poor job on his behalf, reducing his argument in the minds of its readers to an attack on veterinary ethics and profits. Matthew clearly wishes to say more, so why not listen?
Before we start, I'd like to point out that I'm not here to perform a hatchet job on behalf of the veterinary profession. When I asked Matthew for a copy, I was quite open that I might hate it, and that I would say so, but that if I didn't then equally I would say so. So here goes.
Matthew kicks off by defining objectivity and subjectivity; former good, latter bad. Science and reasoning right, emotion and hypocrisy wrong. As with what is to come, he doesn't hold back on this score. However, if this was to be an objective review, in which prose, style and accessibility of content were examined, then it would be fairly short and not particularly complimentary. The typographical errors start on line two and batter the more sensitively tuned reader pretty much continuously to the end. It's rambling, poorly edited, and repetitive for much of its length (the work would decently fit into a book half its current size). It fails to engage the reader on any level that isn't centred on shared anger.
But to concentrate on the book's failing as a work of literature would be to ignore the message, and that's surely what we're here for. The theories and arguments therein are what should concern us, and I'll attempt to review them below.
First, the surprises, in particular that vets feature hardly at all. Our complicity in propagating recessive genes is tackled early on, and whether or not we feel responsible as individuals, it can't be denied that this section is one of the book's successes. The vitriol that Matthew pours into modern farming, and at the breeders behind some of our more extreme patients, is genuine and heartfelt, and he might quite validly have expanded here. Admittedly some of his conclusions are rather worrying, if only for their undeniable plausibility to the layman:
Similarly, in dogs, the congenital heart defect patent ductus arteriosus could not have become a heritable risk without veterinary surgeons
The statement shows a disturbing lack of understanding of the way that recessive genes flow through populations, with a clear implication that we fix 'em up (although I suspect almost none of us could ever attempt the feat) so that they can get back to breeding.
The book is actually about lack of objectivity in conservation, and the inconsistency in preserving a species because of its attractiveness, often at the expense of less amiable species. Matthew espouses the view that we are essentially puny humans, and that nothing we do really matters. I know now that he is Darwin's biggest fan, doesn't believe in God and is dismissive of creationists, doesn't believe that any animals reliant on conservation actually appreciate the fact, and does believe that all animals should be viewed in terms of their ability to adapt and exploit, rather than their usefulness to us:
.... conservation has nothing to do with extinct animals and everything to do with the way some people feel about extinct animals
Matthew sets himself up as the crusader and lone voice of reason, as an unequivocal judge of those who stand in the way of his theories. Among these are pretty much all conservationists, quite a number of biological and global warming scientists and anybody who indulges in post-rationalisation (those who use new evidence to retrospectively confirm their beliefs). And then he goes and says:
My decision to study veterinary medicine was based on the naïve assumption that it would involve the pragmatic application of objective selection principles
Really? At sixteen, I remember liking animals and wanting to impress girls. Those who live by the sword, Matthew. His approach to people who might seek a different view is robust, to say the least:
peace-promising Harp Seal fanatic Rebecca Aldworth.... the chief scientist of the IUCN has completely forgotten, or never actually known, that species don't evolve themselves in the right direction..... despite their own quite ludicrous beliefs...... but to anyone with half a brain...... Honestly, what the hell is wrong with these people...... is obviously controlled by idiots...... thus it should be face-punchingly obvious.....
All of which contrasts nicely with the statement made at the start of the book:
I believe that ethical diversity is as natural as biological diversity, but either way, I'm not preaching
The book makes huge promises to "conclusively destroy the empirical basis for almost everything the conservation community has ever said." It fails to do so, quite spectacularly. Matthew's interpretation of both the science and the motivation of conservation (and remember, in being objective, we should be seeking evidence) is deeply flawed and he resorts to the kind of mudslinging that ends in rubbish fights behind the bike sheds. On the more recent efforts to conserve cod stocks by harvesting other species in preference, he comes to an embarrassingly asinine conclusion:
'Atlantic Pollock...can be distinguished from cod by their greenish hue.' 119
Is that it? Are the 'stewards' really telling us to kill Pollack instead of Cod because Pollack have a 'greenish hue'?
Yes. They are.
Really, Matthew? You're actually claiming that fishermen catch Pollack because they're colour-biased, rather than because this population may currently be harvested without threat to its viability? Yes, you are. In fact, you do: it's right there on page 72.
Similarly, Matthew isn't above misappropriating the views of others to prove his point. Here, on the conservation groups which appeal to the public for funds:
Surely they don't mean the end of climate change, and rampant habitat destruction, and rapid population growth, and extreme poverty in many areas of the world, and global food shortages, and extinction threats etc. etc.
If they're promising salvation, I guess they do, and I'm sure they really believe it too. In the words of Richard Dawkins:
'...these people actually believe what they say they believe.' 376
OK, so Professor Dawkins was talking about religious fundamentalists, rather than wildly optimistic nature 'managers', but faith is faith regardless of what it's making up on the spot.
I wonder what Richard Dawkins would think about having his thoughts hijacked to somebody else's agenda? Post-rationalisation, Matthew.
Conclusions that Matthew draws from the statistics he presents are prone to error:
2 million dairy cows will suffer at least 3.1 million cases of disease every year, and if you share the incidence risk equally, each individual has a 155% chance of getting sick every year.
Perhaps I should repeat that, for all those who think life should be preserved at all costs:
If you share the incidence risk equally, each individual dairy cow has a 155% chance of getting [sic] each year.
Another stick which Matthew uses to beat the reader: the phrase 'perhaps I should repeat that'. It can be a nice conceit, a device to use sparingly when one has a show-stopping point to make; by the fourth or fifth instance, it had me clenching my teeth. The valid point here, that lameness in cattle is one of the greater scandals of modern farming (and that the RSPCA isn't entirely objective in its approach to animal welfare), is lost in the bungling of the message.
Possibly the least successful portion of the book is where Matthew attempts to take on climate change and the science behind it. Now, I'm not sure that either Matthew or I are equipped to take this on, and there is a fair amount of confusion evident as a result, not to mention some self-contradiction about the importance of the role of carbon dioxide. He also clings to the quaint notion that because the earth hasn't died yet, it won't. It brings to mind the apocryphal story of the Bronx housewife, on being arrested for murdering her husband, "Whaddya mean - I stabbed him loadsa times before and he never died". It's pretty likely that when the human race kills itself off, plenty of other lifeforms will flourish - but the simple facts are that we don't know how and when we're going to do it, or how much we'll destroy on the way out. I was particularly tickled by Matthew's assertion that dumping nuclear waste into the rainforests is
.....a good plan that will inevitably fall on deaf ears
In asserting that all lives must end, but Life will continue indefinitely (neatly ignoring the principle that entropy will eventually win, but not for a little while yet), Matthew aims to apply objective scrutiny to the abiding principles of conservation - and thereby expose it for the pointless sham that he believes it to be. However, such an approach to our relationship with our ecosystem and to individuals' rights to life may help to reduce sentimentality, but it's also distinctly joyless and seeks to take from humans their capacity to find pleasure in activities that don't necessarily influence their own survival. Like it or not, we've evolved to enjoy stuff, we're the dominant species and Darwinism dictates that we strive to maintain this status. If we want to save a bunch of polar bears, we can. It might help, it might not. If we want to cull jellyfish so that our marine food stocks are safeguarded, then we're following simple Darwinian principles. But as the species that made it through to master abstract thought, to at least understand the principle of altruism and to be able to seamlessly construct shields against our own hypocrisy, we can save what we like, when we like. Matthew seems to be angry about this, and that's not entirely healthy.
There are points to be made here: Matthew wants to take on the indiscriminate dog breeders; he rightly pulls up some of the eco-babble that promises total world destruction - and the unwarranted guilt that it engenders; he makes a nice point about the parallels between ecological proselytising and religion - but then ruins it by repeating it over and over again, page after page. Simply, if rather brutally, the book doesn't work for me on any level. I wasn't convinced by a single argument that I hadn't already considered and I found it an absolute chore to read.
I apologise to Matthew. I wanted to be positive and to be able to demonstrate that his actions were at least well-motivated, and had allowed him to bring something to the table with his book. But I fear that he'll be remembered simply as the man who tried to fight overcharging in the profession, and it's clear that that's the one point he hasn't actually tried to make.
One last thing. Matthew contends that we must strive for objectivity, and that we should fight hypocrisy. He makes the clear point that dead animals do not have feelings, and that to give them significance is subjective. In his words elsewhere though, he has described how in dealing with his agent, he became frustrated by the lack of pace; Darwin's great work was nearing its 150th anniversary, and in order to tie in properly with this it was imperative that the book be published without delay.
To this, I have to say: the anniversary wasn't aware of the book's arrival. The anniversary has no thoughts on the matter; it isn't animate or sentient or in any way aware. The anniversary didn't care whether or not it was celebrated. In fact, the:
.... [celebration of the anniversary] has nothing to do with [the anniversary itself] and everything to do with the way some people feel about [anniversaries]
The subjective course of action was to sack the agent and self-publish in a hurry. The objective course of action would have been to retain the agent, forget about an arbitrary date and get a good editor in. There was the basis of a decent book here: Matthew has some things to say; unfortunately, he seems to have gone out of his way to make sure that few people want to listen, both in the writing of the book and in its promotion. What a shame.
To Matthew, I apologise again. I wish you the best of luck, I respect and defend your right to air your beliefs and if I'd liked the book, I would have said so. To others, who might accuse me of kicking a man when he's down, I say that I cannot hurt the man financially: Matthew has now started to give the book away as a pdf download. You can find it, along with debate and biography, on his blog:
http://fishsnorkel.wordpress.com/
Equip EHV 1,4 is licensed for the active immunisation of horses to reduce clinical signs due to infection with Equine Herpesvirus 1 and 4 and to reduce abortion caused by EHV-1 infection.
Zoetis says it has already communicated directly with veterinary surgeons to inform them that Equip Rotavirus will be out of stock from the end of November 2017 until mid-2018.
During this time an imported vaccine for Rotavirus, will be available to provide an interim solution until supply is restored.
Practices wanting to buy the alternative imported Rotavirus vaccine will need to apply to the VMD for a Special Treatment Certificate (STC).
The company says it acknowledges the concern and frustration this causes its customers and wants to reassure the equine community that it is working diligently to restore the supply of Equip Rotavirus as soon as possible.
For more information, contact your Zoetis account manager or Zoetis technical team.
It is thought that the main reason for the cutbacks is a shortage of veterinary surgeons caused by Brexit, which is making it both harder and more expensive to recruit.
The company has given an undertaking that the joint venture partners of the practices it offers to buy back will not be expected to repay outstanding borrowings to any parties and Pets at Home will settle any liabilities for third party bank loans and leases on behalf of the JVP.
Chief Executive Peter Pritchard said: "Since becoming the Group CEO in May, I have had the opportunity to take stock of the wider group and shape my view of our future.
"What I have found fills me with confidence. Pets at Home is a healthy business and customers are loving what we do; responding to our price repositioning, investment in digital and the amazing service delivered by our vet partners. We have the ability to offer almost everything a pet owner needs, giving us opportunities our competitors simply don't have. Which is why my vision is to develop a complete pet care company, uniting our retail and vet businesses.
"Reviewing our Vet Group has been a priority. I recognise we have grown at pace and more recently, have seen the pressure that rising costs and our fees are placing on this young business. We will need to recalibrate the business to deliver more measured growth, whilst maintaining our plan to generate significant cash profits.
"We are focused on maximising our unique assets and delivering a plan for sustainable cashflow and profit growth. Given the success of the changes we have made in Retail, I'm confident we can do this."
When the Newmarket-based veterinary and scientific research charity launched the test, it was believed that one in twenty Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen puppies would grow up to be affected by POAG.
Three years later, through responsible breeders using the DNA test, the AHT says there have been NO affected puppies in the UK reported to The Kennel Club.
The AHT says the test results demonstrate how appropriate DNA testing can lead to the immediate disappearance of a recessive disease, improving the health and wellbeing of countless dogs and their families.
One breeder who has seen first-hand the benefits of this DNA test is Viv Phillips, who said: "As the breeder who first announced I had a dog affected by POAG I was delighted to work with the AHT and Prof Peter Bedford for 18 years in the research into this disease. I know how tough it is to not be able to avoid your dog going blind at a relatively young age. When the AHT discovered the DNA mutation in November 2014 which was subsequently launched at Crufts in 2015 it was the most wonderful result.
"I tested the PBGVs I still had, including their older parents, and was able to ascertain that puppies I had bred were either at no risk of going blind or sadly carried the gene and therefore treatment could be started to prolong their eyesight. Since this time I have bred 12 puppies and I am delighted that I know they will not be affected as a result of using the DNA test.
"Worldwide approximately 1800 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen have been tested, and in the UK no puppies have been recorded as affected in the last three years. It is not a numerically large breed and if we can continue to spread the word worldwide and convince breeders to test their breeding stock, we can - with the help of the AHT - look forward to eliminating this awful disease completely."
Dr Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the AHT, said: "Years of work went into developing this DNA test which makes it even more rewarding to see it used so well to stop these lovely dogs from going blind. Glaucoma is a very debilitating and painful disease and some dogs have to their eyes removed as a result.
"We are studying glaucoma, and many other blinding diseases, in lots of dog breeds. These mutations can also affect cross bred as well as purebred dogs, so as the popularity of cross bred dogs continues to rise, DNA health testing is more important than ever to make sure you’re breeding, or buying, puppies that are going to have the very best start in life. Great things can be achieved through genetic research and as humans suffer many of the same diseases as dogs, there is always the possibility that our research is going to help human medicine as well. Unfortunately research is expensive and we always need more funding to be able to continue to maintain and expand our research of inherited diseases, including more complex diseases, such as epilepsy."
RIP Fleas, the environmental flea treatment from Genitrix, has been given a new formulation to ensure it acts more quickly in the killing of adult fleas and that it continues to kill fleas as they emerge from pupae for up to 12 months.
Now known as RIP Fleas Extra, the product is also licensed for the control of house dust mites in the environment for up to 12 months.
According to Genitrix, the reformulation makes RIP Fleas Extra the only environmental flea treatment to contain three active ingredients while complying fully with new EU Biocides regulations. It is the only such treatment to be fragranced and is also the only product to be presented in a volume which will cover 120 square metres – ie the size of an average house. RIP Fleas Extra contains:
Tetramethrin – a second generation synthetic pythrethroid and a contact insecticide with a rapid knockdown action of insect pests
Permethrin – a potent insecticide with a powerful contact action on insects but with a low toxicity to most mammals
Methoprene – a compound that mimics the insect juvenile hormone and arrests development of fleas and house dust mites in the environment.
When used synergistically, Tetramethrin and Permethrin provide a rapid knockdown and kill of fleas as they hatch from pupae. Studies have shown that this combination works four times more quickly than Permethrin alone.
Mr Lomax was found guilty of causing death by careless driving at Shrewsbury Crown Court in July 2019 and was subsequently sentenced to a 12-month community order, 300 hours’ unpaid work, 15-months’ driving disqualification and ordered to pay £1,000 in prosecution costs and victim surcharge of £85.
Mr Lomax declared his conviction to the RCVS in April 2020 as part of his declaration upon renewing his registration, following which the RCVS started its concerns investigation process leading to his appearance before the Disciplinary Committee last Monday.
At the outset of the hearing Mr Lomax admitted the charge against him, which was also accepted by the Committee based on its receipt of the certificate of conviction from Shrewsbury Crown Court.
The Committee then considered whether the conviction rendered Mr Lomax unfit to practise. The RCVS submitted that the nature of the conviction and the devastating consequences of Mr Lomax's conduct, which caused the death of a 64-year-old woman, rendered him unfit to practise.
The College also submitted that his conduct would be considered to have fallen far short of the standard expected of a member of the profession, that it had devastating consequences, and that the conviction would have an impact on the reputation of the profession and the public’s confidence in it.
Mr Lomax’s counsel, who represented him during the hearing, submitted that he did not accept his conduct rendered him unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon, although Mr Lomax did accept that the impact of his conduct was devastating.
Mr Lomax’s counsel submitted that there was a significant difference between his conduct and its consequences, as evidenced by the fact he was charged with careless driving rather than dangerous driving meaning that, though his standard of driving had fallen below that expected of a competent and careful driver, it did not fall far below. Nor was there a suggestion that Mr Lomax had carried out a deliberate act, was carrying out any dangerous manoeuvres or was otherwise impaired.
Dr Martin Whiting, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “There is no doubt that the consequences of Mr Lomax’s conduct were serious and tragic for the [victim’s] family.
"The Judge at the Crown Court referred to their loss in detail and it no doubt played a significant part in the sentence he passed, as reflected by his comments.
"The Committee was cognisant, however, of the different role it had to perform.
"A criminal conviction marks a breach of criminal law, whereas a finding of unfitness marks a breach of professional standards.
"When looking at the conviction, the Committee focused on the actual conduct of Mr Lomax and the concomitant level of culpability, rather than the consequences. Whilst it would be artificial, insensitive and inappropriate to ignore the consequences, the Committee was concerned with the conduct.”
He added: “The Committee did not consider that Mr Lomax’s conduct was liable to have a seriously detrimental effect on the reputation of the profession and concluded that the public, in full knowledge of the circumstances of this particular case, would not expect a finding that the conviction renders him unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
"Rather, the public would recognise that whilst the consequences were appalling for the [victim’s] family, in terms of Mr Lomax’s culpability this was a momentary piece of poor driving rather than anything more blameworthy. At its height it was careless driving for three or so seconds.
"In the Committee’s view Mr Lomax’s careless behaviour fell below, but not far below, the standard expected of a veterinary surgeon and did not amount to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
The full findings of the Disciplinary Committee can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Having investigated alternative sources of isoflurane, and alternative products, the associations proposed ways that the VMD might mitigate the risks to animal welfare including consenting to the use of unlicensed (“special”) isoflurane formulations.
The VMD responded rapidly and positively. It is understood that one specials manufacturer is now intending to produce isoflurane to fill or partially fill the gap in supply. This should be available in three to four weeks.
David Rendle, a member of BEVA’s Health and Medicines Committee commented: "BEVA has a close relationship with the veterinary pharmaceutical industry and will always work swiftly and collaboratively to help develop practical solutions to supply problems for our members."
BSAVA President Philip Lhermette praised the VMD for such prompt action. He said: "The VMD listened to our concerns and acted immediately. By doing so they have addressed and helped to prevent any potential welfare risks associated with a lack of isoflurane."
Carl Bradbrook, AVA Junior Vice President, reminded clinicians to "seek advice when considering the use of unfamiliar anaesthetic protocols."
The associations say that the situation doesn’t give vets free rein to ignore the medicines legislation; the cascade must still be followed, and client informed consent obtained if an unregulated anaesthetic is used.
Extemporaneous products are the last tier of the cascade. Vets are expected to use either an authorised human medicine or an EU authorised veterinary medicine before an extemporaneous preparation. If, after diligent attempts to source a product higher up the cascade, the vet has not been successful they could consider using an extemporaneous preparation for the immediate need. However, should an authorised product or a human product become available vets are obliged to use it over an extemporaneous preparation.
BEVA, the BSAVA and the AVA have each produced general advice on the use of specials or anaesthesia options at https://www.bsava.com/News/ArticleID/2535/Isoflurane-supply, https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources-For-Vets-Practices/Medicines-Guidance/Veterinary-specials and https://ava.eu.com/
Virbac has launched Sulfatrim, the first veterinary-licensed Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole (TMPS) oral antibiotic for use in rabbits, pigeons and bearded dragons.
Kate Woolley MRCVS, Product Manager, said: "Until now, no similar veterinary-licensed product has been available for these species and, in an environment where vets are increasingly aware of the responsible use of antibiotics across all species, we are very happy to launch Sulfatrim, the first licensed TMPS for rabbits, pigeons and bearded dragons."
Sulfatrim is presented in a 30ml bottle with a dispensing cap and syringe.
Mr Chaney was charged with stealing Trazadone and Metacam from the Hampstead practice he worked at, and of unlawfully possessing Trazadone and Metacam. He was also charged with unlawfully administering Butorphanol to a dog and failing to record the administration of the drug in the dogs records. He was also charged with making and deleting false entries into the clinical records of his own dog to the effect that it had been seen by a vet at the practice and that Metacam had been prescribed. The final charge was that his conduct over the false records was dishonest and misleading.
The Committee heard that Mr Chaney’s conduct in relation to the first two charges was discovered when, in July 2018, the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), accompanied by police officers, executed a warrant (for unrelated matters) on the property where he lived. During the course of the search, police officers found Metacam and Trazadone in Mr Chaney’s bedroom which did not seem to have a prescription and so Defra officers launched an investigation.
During the course of this investigation, a Defra investigator was also provided with a video and messages that indicated Mr Chaney had unlawfully administered Butorphanol to a Husky dog in frustration with the animal as it was being too noisy.
The Committee heard that, in November 2018, Mr Chaney accepted a police caution in relation to his possession of Trazadone and Metacam, and the unlawful administration of Butorphanol. The Committee also heard that following the police attending his property and finding the medicines, Mr Chaney went on to create false records at the practice in relation to the examination of his dog in order to justify his unlawful possession of the drugs.
The Committee found all the charges against Mr Chaney proven.
The Committee then went on to consider if the charges, taken both individually and in totality, amounted to disgraceful conduct in a professional capacity.
Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "The Committee had no doubt that administering a sedative to an animal that required prescription by a veterinary surgeon and then failing to record it in the clinical record with the resultant risk to the animal’s welfare due to lack of knowledge of the administration fell far below the expected standard.
"The Committee also considered that possession of prescription only medicines by a registered veterinary nurse, without the sanction of law, having stolen the same from a practice also fell far below the expected standard.
“The Committee also considered that tampering with the clinical record for a dog, in order to create a misleading impression and in doing so dishonestly, was conduct which fell far below the expected standard.
“Taken as a whole, the Committee considered that Mr Chaney’s conduct had fallen far below the expected standard.”
The Committee therefore found him guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional capacity in relation to all seven charges.
It next went on to consider what sanction, if any, to impose taking into account the aggravating and mitigating factors.
In considering the aggravating factors, the Committee took into account that Mr Chaney’s conduct had presented a risk of injury to the animal and that much of his conduct was pre-meditated. It also considered that Mr Chaney’s conduct involved a breach of trust to both the practice where he was employed and the owner of the Husky, and it was also an abuse of position in gaining access to and stealing medication. Lastly, because the charges related to two separate incidents, there was a common thread in Mr Chaney disregarding rules on veterinary medicines.
In mitigation, the Committee considered that Mr Chaney had reflected on and gained some insight into his behaviour, and acknowledged he had made admissions at the outset of the hearing, including apologising for and showing regret about aspects of his conduct.
However, the Committee did not believe he had addressed his understanding of the effect that this conduct had on the risk to animals, the standards of the profession or the maintenance of public confidence in the profession. In mitigation the Committee also considered a number of positive character references and his previous good character.
Judith Way said: “The Committee determined that it would not be sufficient in the circumstances of the case, to satisfy the public interest to suspend the Respondent’s registration. In its view this case involved a serious departure from identified professional standards. The disregard had been deliberate, in relation to ignoring legislation in respect of prescription-only medication and dishonesty in stealing medication.
"There was evidence of attitudinal issues in relation to that behaviour and insufficient evidence of the development of insight. The dishonesty in relation to the clinical record relating to dog O [his own dog] had been an attempt to conceal earlier dishonesty relating to the theft of the medication. In administering the Butorphanol to dog L [the Husky], Mr Chaney had been putting his own interests in quieting the dog ahead of the dog’s interests, which would have required checking with a veterinary surgeon as to appropriate steps.
"The Committee acknowledged that, by directing removal, there would likely be professional reputational damage to Mr Chaney and possible financial loss. However, in the view of the Committee the requirements of the public interest outweighed these factors.”
Accordingly, the Registrar of the RCVS was directed to remove Mr Chaney’s name from the Register of Veterinary Nurses.
Full details can be found here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings/
Part 1 of "Comparison of veterinary drugs and homeopathy", by Peter Lees, Professor Emeritis in Pharmacology at the RVC, Ludovic Pelligand, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology and Anaesthesia at the RVC, Martin Whiting, Lecturer in Veterinary Ethics and Law at the RVC, Danny Chambers, an RCVS Councillor currently working at Langford Veterinary Services, University of Bristol, Pierre-Louis Toutain, a European Veterinary Specialist in Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Martin Whitehead Co- and Clinical Director at the Chipping Norton Veterinary Hospital, is published in last week's (August 12th) edition of the Veterinary Record.
The paper considers some of the reasons why medicinal products work and the errors in human thinking which make them seem to work when actually they don't. It also takes a look at the history of veterinary and homeopathic medicine, which helps explain how something as scientifically implausible as homeopathy ever gained traction in the first place.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "As the parent of a child with a severe, chronic and highly variable disease, I’ve had prolonged first-hand experience of just how easy it is to fall prey to the sorts of errors in human thinking that can make you believe a treatment is working when in reality it is not. It’s something I continue to have to fight against, despite being well-educated about things like cognitive bias and regression to the mean.
"I believe all veterinary surgeons, and doctors for that matter should constantly remind themselves of these errors and importantly keep them front of mind when advising clients. Not just so they can explain cogently why quack medicine offers nothing more than false hope and a thinner wallet, and why randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are so important, but also to improve their own assessment of a patient’s response to treatment."
The paper can also be downloaded here: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/181/7/170
Part 2 of the paper is due to be published in next week’s edition of the Veterinary Record.
STOP PRESS VetSurgeon.org has funded the Open Access publication of this paper, so both parts are now available for all to read here:Part 1: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/181/7/170Part 2: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/181/8/198
Photo: The father of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, Wikipedia
The petition was set up by veterinary surgeon and journalist Pete Wedderburn, after discussion with colleagues, in response to an open letter to the profession from Jemima Harrison, producer of the Pedigree Dogs Exposed documentary broadcast in 2008.
In the letter, Jemima notes that Kennel club registrations of Pugs rose from 2,000 in 2005 to 10,000 last year. Over the same period Bulldog registrations more than doubled to 7,000 and the number of French Bulldogs increased 4000% to 14,607.
All vets do, she says, is 'organise CPD days on how to manage the increasing numbers of creatures that turn up at your practice doors gasping for air', 'refer clients on to soft-tissue specialists who do their best to remedy the deformity that has been bred into them', and 'section that Bulldog and say nothing to the breeder about how wrong it is that the dogs are no longer capable of birthing their own pups'.
She argues that there is 'institutional kow-towing to the Kennel Club and a reluctance to do anything other than accept their platitudes that they have to take things slowly or risk "losing" the breeders'.
In response, Pete's blog and petition calls for a working party to develop concrete proposals to tackle the issues as a matter of urgency: 'Despite the evident appeal of short-nosed pets to many of our clients, it is our duty as vets to not just treat these animals, but also to lobby for reform in the way they are bred – in particular the 'extreme' brachycephalics such as Pugs, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and flat-faced Persian cats'.
The Dog Breeding Reform Group has welcomed the petition. Chris Laurence MBE, DBRG Trustee and former veterinary director of the Dogs Trust who has signed the petition, says: "Vets in companion animal practice see dogs with inherited breathing difficulty almost every day and are frustrated that there seems to be no end to the daily suffering of these breeds. The DBRG is delighted that vets are now getting together to highlight the issue and to plead with breeders to stop producing puppies with such malformed heads that they are unable to breathe easily."
The petition, which has already gathered nearly 1000 signatures, can only be signed by veterinary surgeons and nurses. You can sign it here.
The hearing took place in Mr Prichard's absence after he failed to respond to Colleges attempts to contact him, including by email, post, telephone and personal service of documents.
However, in its decision to proceed in Mr Prichard’s absence, the Committee confirmed that it would not hold his non-attendance against him or attach any adverse inference to that fact.
Mr Prichard was charged with taking quantities of the controlled, prescription-only drug Vetergesic from the practice’s stock other than for legitimate veterinary use.
He was further charged that he took Vetergesic from the practice by drawing it into a syringe for the purposes of self administration, and that in doing so, his conduct was dishonest.
In another set of charges, it was alleged that on five separate occasions, Mr Prichard had attended the practice to work as a veterinary surgeon whilst unfit to do so.
The final charge related to Mr Prichard’s failure to respond adequately or at all to all reasonable requests from the RCVS for his response to concerns raised about his conduct.
At the beginning of the hearing Nicole Curtis, acting on behalf of the College, read the written evidence from 11 separate witnesses outlining the facts related to the charges against Mr Prichard, including the record of an investigative meeting held by the practice in which he admitted his theft and use of the controlled drug and following which, he was dismissed from his employment.
The Committee found all the charges proven and then considered whether they amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In terms of aggravating factors the Committee found that there was a risk of injury, recklessness, premeditated and sustained misconduct, and that there was an abuse of his professional position in accessing prescription-only controlled drugs for reasons other than legitimate veterinary use.
In mitigation, the Committee considered that he had made admissions as part of the practice’s internal disciplinary investigation.
Overall, the Committee found he had breached aspects of the Code of Professional Conduct related to honesty and integrity, making animal health and welfare his first priority, appropriate use of veterinary medicines, taking steps to address physical and mental health conditions that could affect fitness to practise, responding to reasonable requests from the RCVS, and bringing the profession into disrepute.
Therefore, the Committee found him guilty of serious professional misconduct in relation to all of the charges charges.
The Committee felt that, considering the seriousness of the misconduct, removal from the Register was the most appropriate decision.
Austin Kirwan, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “This is a case involving serious dishonesty, sustained over a period of time, and conduct potentially detrimental to animal welfare, as well as wilful disregard of professional regulations.
“Regrettably, Mr Prichard’s failure to engage with the College and with the regulatory process limited the options open to the Committee.
"Notwithstanding this, Mr Prichard’s disgraceful conduct is so serious that removal from the Register is the only means of protecting animals and the wider public interest which includes the maintenance of public confidence in the profession and the upholding of standards.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Bovalto Respi Intranasal protects against the two main respiratory viruses – RSV and PI3, using modified live viral strains that have been shown to protect against experimental challenge from recent field isolates1.
The vaccine is delivered as a single shot, from 10 days of age and provides immunity for 12 weeks, from 10 days after vaccination2.
In order to overcome the challenges of effective delivery, Boehringer is offering dedicated administration packs, available directly from its ruminant specialist team.
The packs include a vaccinator, a set of nozzles that deliver the vaccine at the optimum droplet size and a soft Bovalto Respisafe applicator which fits against the calf’s nostril. The aim is to make sure that vaccination is a comfortable process for both farmer and calf, as well as addressing the challenge of the delivery of vaccine to the desired area in the nasal passages.
Correct administration of the vaccine ensures that the spray is delivered effectively to the mucosal surface and local lymphoid tissue, achieving the optimal immune response. If the droplet size is too big, the vaccine may be deposited lower in the airway and run out of the nose. If droplet size is too small then the vaccine may be carried to the back of the throat and swallowed. Time and money is spent vaccinating calves so the process needs to be as efficient as possible to give optimal protection.
Matt Yarnall, brand manager at Boehringer Ingelheim said: "The UK BRD vaccine market is growing each year but, as a management tool, vaccination remains quite low down the list of actions, according to the 2017 Calfmatters survey.
"If adding to the Bovalto range encourages more farmers to vaccinate against pneumonia so improving calf heath and lowering antibiotic use, that can only be a step in the right direction."
VetPartners says Valley Vets has around 200 employees, less than half of which are members of the union, although the BVU says 50% are required for recognition.
Suzanna Hudson-Cooke MRCVS, Branch Chair at BVU said: “Fees at Valley Vets have increased by 25% in two years, which is hurting pet owners whilst some staff at Valley Vets are being paid so little that they’re having to use foodbanks.
“Three years ago, VetPartners CEO Jo Malone committed to paying all staff a living wage, which still hasn’t happened”
“VetPartners did increase the salaries of lower paid members by 7.27% in the last review, but this was mostly to meet its legal obligation to pay the minimum wage.”
VetPartners responded to these points saying:
"It has been and still is our aim to pay at least the real living wage to all of our employees. We have moved closer to the aim over the past three years.
"There are 20 members of the regular team that work at Valley Vets who are below the real living wage and they are paid approximately 1.6% below that level.
"Since April 2020, we have uplifted overall salary costs at Valley Vets by 31.45% before the increase in April 2024, at a time when VetPartners, like many businesses across the UK, has been hit by a sharp rise in the cost of goods and services, interest rates and rampant inflation.
"Valley Vets’ profitability has declined over the last three years.
"We have made advances over several years in improving many benefits for our teams such as life cover, health shield, sickness and enhanced maternity cover and want to continue to do so.
"We have seen mass redundancies from other large groups and we are trying to avoid this at Valley Vets.
"The BVU in Unite requested pay and condition increases initially that would have raised employment costs by over 25% and they are currently requesting increases which would raise this by 15% which would make Valley Vets unsustainable without a significant reduction in the workforce, something we are trying to avoid.”
During annual salary reviews in 2024, we benchmarked pay for all roles within Valley Vets and they sit in the upper quartile.
"We prioritised lowest-paid team members with a 7.27% pay increase while higher paid colleagues also received an increase at a lower rate.
"We are also well aware of the affordability of care fees, and that is why we felt fees paid by our clients could not be raised any further to support significant salary increases demanded by the BVU in Unite.
The strike is due to continue till the end of July, during which time the BVU says staff are being released from the picket line as needed to provide local animals with emergency care.
Staff are not paid whilst out on strike so the BVU has started a fund, here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PTVKVK3
The Disciplinary Committee heard that Mr Samuel had been convicted of five animal welfare offences at Leeds Magistrates' Court in January 2016. The charges related to causing unnecessary suffering to a number of animals including twelve dogs and four cats, and failing to take steps to ensure that the needs of the animals for which he was responsible were met. The animals were kept at the Armley Veterinary Practice, for which Mr Samuel was, at the time, practice principal.
Mr Samuel was sentenced to 12 weeks' imprisonment suspended for 12 months on the condition he completed 150 hours' unpaid work and paid a fine of £100. He was also ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £80. He was also made subject to a disqualification order for three years.
Dr Samuel subsequently appealed against his conviction in April 2018. His appeal was dismissed in respect of five of the charges but was upheld in respect of one charge, which, as a result, did not form part of the College’s case.
Dr Samuel declined to attend the hearing in person and was not represented before the Disciplinary Committee. In considering the facts of the charges against Dr Samuel the Committee found them proven.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the proven charges, both individually and cumulatively, rendered Dr Samuel unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
The College’s case was that the convictions concerned animal welfare and therefore went to the heart of his practice as a vet, that Dr Samuel behaved in a manner incompatible with being a veterinary surgeon, that he failed in his core responsibility as a veterinary surgeon to protect and act in the best interests of animal welfare, and that he maintained he had no responsibility for the animals on his practice premises – an assertion referred to as ‘an extraordinary position for a veterinary surgeon to take’.
Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "ust as the judgment of the Crown Court and the Magistrates Court had found, the Committee also found that Dr Samuel must have known that the animals were in distress and were in a neglected state. The Committee was sure that Dr Samuel must have been aware of the animals notwithstanding his continued denial. The Committee concluded that Dr Samuel was unfit to practise because of the facts underlying the convictions. Dr Samuel had an overriding duty of care for the animals and to take action in relation to their health and welfare because they were living under the roof of his veterinary practice."
In considering its sanction against Dr Samuel, the Committee concluded that removal from the Register was the most appropriate option. It took into account the fact that the animals were found starving in a cellar without water, that Dr Samuel had not demonstrated insight into the serious nature of his offences, that he continued to deny responsibility and, furthermore, found no evidence that he no longer posed a risk to animals in the future.
Ian Green added: "The Committee decided that the behaviour found proved was fundamentally incompatible with being a veterinary surgeon because in this case there had been a serious departure from standards as set out in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons…. Furthermore, there had been serious harm caused to a number of animals and a risk of harm to a number of other animals."
Dr Samuel has 28 days from being informed of the Disciplinary Committee’s decision in which to make an appeal to the Privy Council.
The Committee’s full decision and findings can be found here