The five-minute survey includes questions on the number of otitis externa cases seen in practice, consultation times, common compliance issues, cytology uptake and client behaviour change frameworks.
Completed entries will be entered into a draw for a Fortnum & Mason hamper worth £100.
Charlotte Hill, brand manager at Dechra said: “The otitis externa in dogs survey will provide us with valuable insight into vets’ experiences of the condition.
"It will also allow us to identify any trends that may exist to help us improve how we as a profession approach otitis externa, while supporting owners when treating the condition which can be frustrating to manage.
https://forms.office.com/e/J7frrbL56A
The advice in the new help section has been designed to highlight the shared responsibilities of animal owners and their vet teams, and to support practices by giving this advice for pet owners in a clear and easy-to-read way.
It explains what pet owners can expect from their vet team - and what is expected of them - throughout the different stages of pet ownership.
The information is split into ten sections:
The content in the new resource was informed by the views of the RCVS’s Public Advisory Group (PAG), whose members comprise owners/keepers of companion animals, equine and production animals, as well as other users of veterinary services.
Veterinary surgeon and Chair of the RCVS PAG, Louise Allum MRCVS (pictured), said: "The PAG has performed an essential role in helping to inform the content creation for our animal owner help and advice resource, highlighting the need for greater transparency and support, particularly around veterinary fees, treatment options, and what to expect from vet practices.
"Veterinary professionals work tirelessly to provide the most appropriate care for their patients, and we want to support this by ensuring pet owners have access to clear, accessible information about their rights, responsibilities, and the role of veterinary teams to ensure that expectations are managed.
“We are calling upon veterinary professionals to share this resource with clients far and wide, to help owners understand more about veterinary practice and how they can build a successful partnership with their vet team, ultimately leading to better outcomes for pets, their owners and veterinary professionals alike."
The RCVS will be expanding its help and advice section to include further information for equine and livestock owners in due course.
www.rcvs.org.uk/owner-advice.
Given that vapocoolant is effective immediately, compared to EMLA cream which is recommended to be applied 60 minutes beforehand, the study suggests that in dogs at least, vapocoolant may be the better option in practice.
For the study, researchers from the Royal Veterinary College assessed 83 dogs and 18 cats requiring intravenous catheterisation for either blood donation collection or as oncology patients.
Patients were randomly assigned to receive either EMLA cream or a swab saturated with vapocoolant spray (Ethycalm / Invicta Animal Health) applied before catheterisation, and their reactions were assessed during initial restraint, limb handling, swab application and skin puncture.
Overall, there was no significant difference between vapocoolant spray and EMLA cream, and neither method appeared better at improving patient tolerance of intravenous catheter placement.
Vapocoolant spray was less effective than EMLA cream in reducing adverse reactions to skin puncture during catheterisation in cats, suggesting that EMLA may be preferable for feline patients.
Dogs that received vapocoolant spray showed a greater adverse response during swab application compared to those receiving EMLA, possibly due to the coldness of the swab.
Success of intravenous catheter placement was identical for both anaesthetics.
Dr Richie Trinder, lead author of the study, said: “The study is the first of its kind comparing vapocoolant spray and EMLA, and suggests in this context that the use of vapocoolant spray provides a similar degree of relief as EMLA, but with the added advantage of being instantaneous, instead of needing to wait the recommended 60 minutes for EMLA.”
Reference
The two-day event, being held in collaboration with the Veterinary Voices Hiking Group, offers a great opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, get together, and raise vital funds for this crucial charity.
The event is being led by passionate hiking enthusiasts and Vetlife trustees Robyn Lowe and Paul Horwood.
Each day's route will cover 12-19 miles of stunning Northumberland coastline, but participants can opt for shorter distances.
Robyn said: "The Northumberland hike is more than just a walk – it's about coming together as a community, supporting one another, and embracing the mental health benefits of being in nature.
"We hope to see as many people as possible join us, not only to enjoy the experience but to help us continue Vetlife's essential work."
While fundraising is not compulsory, participants are encouraged to try and raise £365 for the charity, symbolising the number of days Vetlife provides support for the community each year.
To register your interest, email fundraising@vetlife.org.uk.
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
The grants, which are for up to £3,500 per annum, are for students - often from disadvantaged backgrounds - who are embarking on a gateway or main veterinary degree course, possibly as a second degree.
Quadstar's latest grantees are Alicia Guarnieri, who is doing a vet degree at the University of Bristol, and Raluca Magadan, a veterinary nurse from Ireland, who is now on the accelerated graduate course at Bristol University.
She said: “Doing a second degree was never going to be easy.
"However, through help from family and locum vet nurse work, I managed to afford my first three years of vet school and made it into final year.
"This is where the difficulty came, as I had to more than forty hours per week of unpaid rotations work, plus clinical EMS during the holiday breaks, which made it very hard for me to earn the money I needed to afford my final year.
"At times it meant I had under £100 to survive an entire month on, which became a big physical and mental challenge.
“That’s when the Quadstar Foundation stepped in and took a weight off my shoulders by helping to pay off my outstanding university fees and providing some financial security in my final months.
"This has been a huge relief and allowed me to finally enjoy my last year at Bristol.
"I can’t thank everyone at the charity enough.”
In addition to funding and mentoring, The Quadstar Foundation helps its grantees with everything from job applications to revision techniques, as well as any mental health crises and helping them to find a place to live.
Nick, who also runs a property and acquisitions company and Animus Surgical, a pet and vet supplies company, said: “Having worked as a vet for many years before setting up my businesses, I have great industry connections and knowledge.
"So, I’m in the privileged position of being able to help committed students to seize the career opportunities they deserve.”
“My main commercial motivation now is to be able to maintain the funding streams required for these grants.
"It’s surprisingly hard to fundraise for individuals.
"That’s why Animus Surgical has just committed to donating 15% of its profits to the Quadstar Foundation.”
He added: “It’s an enormous privilege to support these inspiring young vets who have had such a hard slog to get past the ever-increasing barriers they face. Barriers that back in our day didn’t exist.”
www.quadstar.org
Dogs with RVED develop retinal degeneration from around four years of age which, if untreated, leads to blindness.
In partnership with James Oliver, Head of Ophthalmology at DWR Veterinary Specialists (pictured), researchers set out to discover why some Cocker Spaniels have such low vitamin E levels in their blood, despite it being present at normal amounts in their diet
James helped to design the study, recruit cases and collect samples.
Cathryn Mellersh, Senior Research Associate at the Canine Genetics Centre, said: “The team strongly suspected a genetic cause and has been trying to discover the responsible gene for several years with the help of owners and vets, who have contributed DNA samples.
“Thanks to updated information on the canine genome, Katherine Stanbury, one of our research associates, found a mutation in the alpha tocopherol transfer protein gene which is causative of the disease.
“This gene is responsible for getting vitamin E into the blood stream.
"We now know that RVED is a recessive disease, meaning that affected dogs must have two copies of the faulty gene to develop low vitamin E levels and retinal degeneration.”
The team’s DNA test can be used by dog breeders to find out if dogs carry the gene mutation, so they can avoid matings which result in affected puppies being born.
Cathryn said: “This DNA test is a rare example of one which not only can be used to identify dogs that are carrying the mutation and thus reduce the frequency of the mutation in future generations, but also has the incredible benefit of providing a sight-saving treatment option for dogs with the disease.
“From the research we have done we estimate that there could be several hundred Cocker Spaniels alive today that have two copies of this mutation, whose eyesight could be saved by this test.”
A DNA test for the mutation that causes RVED is now available from Canine Genetics Testing, which operates alongside researchers from the Canine Genetics Centre.
www.cagt.co.uk.
The team’s RVED research can be viewed at https://academic.oup.com/g3journal/advance-article/doi/10.1093/g3journal/jkaf016/7985679?searchresult=1
Ms Bucur MRCVS faced three charges against her.
The first charge was that in April 2024, she wrote a prescription for 60 tablets of tramadol 50mg, indicating that it was for the treatment of an animal, when it was intended for the treatment of a human.
The second charge was that she allowed the prescription to be presented at a pharmacy and/or failed to stop that.
The third charge was that her conduct, in relation to the first two charges was dishonest, and misleading, and took place in circumstances where she was not professionally qualified to write a prescription for human use.
At the outset of the hearing, Ms Bucur admitted all the charges and the Committee accepted her admissions.
In relation to charge three, the Committee found that Ms Bucur had been aware that she should not have written the prescription, that she should not have indicated that it was for an animal, that she should not have deleted the prescription for the clinical record on the practice management system, and she should not have allowed or failed to prevent the prescription from being presented for dispensing.
The Committee therefore found all charges proved.
In terms of aggravating factors, the Committee considered that Ms Bucur’s conduct had given rise to a risk of injury because she was not professionally qualified or sufficiently informed to issue a prescription for tramadol, that she had acted recklessly with regard to the potential effects of a controlled, potentially addictive drug and that her conduct had been premeditated.
It also accepted the submission that there was an abuse of Ms Bucur’s professional position as a registered veterinary surgeon, because this had allowed her to issue a prescription.
The Committee also found that Ms Bucur’s conduct was aggravated by her having involved other persons in her misconduct, namely her partner, in an attempt to have the prescription dispensed.
The Committee noted that the charges involved findings of dishonesty, which is regarded at the higher end in terms of the spectrum of gravity of misconduct.
In mitigation, the Committee took into account that the facts proved related to a single incident of the issuing and attempted use of a prescription.
The Committee was of the view that the Ms Bucur’s conduct had failed to promote protection of public health and had breached the legislation around access to controlled drugs.
Even though this was a single incident, the Committee considered that members of the public, if aware of the facts, would be alarmed and concerned at Ms Bucur’s actions.
As a result, the profession could be brought into disrepute and public confidence in the profession undermined.
The Committee therefore found that Ms Bucur’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct in a professional respect.
The Committee then considered whether there were any relevant additional personal aggravating or mitigating factors.
The Committee did not find any further aggravating factors; in mitigation it noted that Ms Bucur had no previous complaints of adverse matters in her career.
The Committee accepted that Ms Bucur had made early, open and frank admissions to her conduct.
She had also offered a fulsome and genuine apology and remorse in her witness statement and in the hearing.
The Committee also accepted that she had since worked without further incident and concluded from her witness statement and evidence that she had developed full insight into her misconduct.
She was able to provide a notable number of references and testimonials which were uniform in speaking to her positive qualities as a veterinary surgeon.
The Committee was able to conclude that this has been a very serious but single lapse of judgement, and that there was a relevant context in that Ms Bucur had clearly acted out of concerns to help her father, however misguided.
There were no suggestions of harm, or risk of harm, to animals.
However, the Committee could not ignore that Ms Bucur’s misconduct had occurred in relation to a controlled drug and had contravened important protections designed to protect the public.
Neil Slater, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee balanced the effect that a suspension would have on Dr Bucur, by depriving her of the ability to practise for a period, with the public interest.
"However, it decided that, in the circumstances, the interests of protecting the public, including the wider public interest, outweighed Dr Bucur’s interests.
“The Committee decided that, in all the circumstances, a suspension was the appropriate and proportionate sanction.
“The Committee considered for how long the suspension should be imposed.
"It considered that the suspension was not required to allow for Dr Bucur to gain any further insight.
"It would purely be required to mark the Committee’s disapproval of Dr Bucur’s misconduct, as a signal to the public and to the profession.
"The Committee concluded that the least period required in all the circumstances is two months.
“The Committee therefore directed to the Registrar that Dr Bucur’s registration be suspended for a period of two months.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
The group reports that over 150 veterinary professionals have registered on its website and pledged their support.
The campaigners say they've been astonished with the response and believe the dozens of practices that have received legal letters and signed up so far could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Since the story first came to light, VetNurse.co.uk understands IVC has sent follow-up letters to a number of practices saying it has decided to offer a stay of execution and extend the deadline to comply until the 31st December 2025, before it considers taking further legal action.
However, the campaigners estimate that to rebrand so many ‘Pet Health Clubs’ will cost £250,000 and £350,000 in total, so they have now appointed an intellectual property lawyer to provide specialist advice on whether such a common term can be protected with a word mark.
Alex Green of Broadway Vets said: “Initially we set up We Are Spartacus to bring all the affected practices together to support each other, and while we’ve done this, we’ve also brought the wider veterinary community together who want to stand up to IVC Evidensia and the ridiculous word mark.
“Lots of practices have had a ‘Pet Health Club’ for more than 10 years and the majority of those that have come forward were using the term long before IVC registered its word mark in 2019, so it’s clearly an issue that people feel very passionate about, especially when it’s likely to cost each practice a significant amount of money and time to rebrand.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people who have registered to support us, especially those that aren’t affected but who want to stand shoulder to shoulder with us against such an unnecessary and underhand way of doing business.
"However, there are still several practices that are affected that we haven’t heard from, and we’d urge them to come and join us now.
“We’re also keen to hear from those that received initial letters and haven’t yet had a follow-up offering a stay of execution until the end of the year.
"Whilst we’re delighted that IVC has extended their deadline, it does not resolve the fact that their threats are unacceptable when every practice in the country provides animal, or ‘pet’, healthcare, or ‘health’, in a community-based service, or ‘club’.
“They don’t need to fight or worry about this on their own and we’re stronger as a collective, especially when it comes to pooling resources and expertise.
"We’ve already appointed a specialist IP lawyer to advise us, and the view is that given the extensive prior use of ‘Pet Health Club,’ it would be crazy to allow this to escalate to court when it can be amicably resolved.
“It’s also come to light that IVC has even registered ‘It’s not what we do, it’s why we do it’ which does rather sum it all up.
Spartacus just wants to know why IVC is doing what it’s doing.”
www.wearespartacus.co.uk
According to the RVC, recent studies estimate dental disease affects up to 18% of the UK's rabbits and breeds with lop ears and short skulls (brachycephaly) have long been suspected of being more at risk.
To investigate whether there is any truth to that suspicion, a team of RVC researchers led by Maria Jackson RVN, Research Assistant in Rabbit Health and Welfare, and Dr Charlotte Burn, Associate Professor in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Science, set out to explore whether these physical features are linked to dental problems.
The study involved visual dental checks of 435 volunteered pedigree rabbits from 49 breeds at British Rabbit Council shows and breeders’ studs across the UK.
The researchers assessed tooth and mouth health using an otoscope, while also recording ear type, head shape (on a purpose-made visual scale), body size, age and sex.
The findings revealed that:
In conclusion, the study concluded that diet, environment and regular dental checks might be more important in the development of dental disease.
The researchers also concluded that any breeding decisions should be based on veterinary assessment of dental health, including otoscope or radiography examinations rather than relying solely on visual inspection of the teeth or a rabbit’s conformation.
Maria said: “Our findings add to the evidence that suggests lop ears and a brachycephalic head shape are less important in the development of dental issues in rabbits than was once thought.
"It’s clear that all rabbits, not just those with a non-wild conformation, can be affected by dental problems.
“The importance of feeding good-quality hay or grass and supplementing the diet with extruded pellets, not muesli, cannot be overstated, as diet may well be more important than conformation in the development of dental disease.
"Likewise, providing regular veterinary dental check-ups to rabbits is crucial to facilitate early dental disease detection and give case-specific dietary and treatment recommendations to slow disease progression and support the welfare of rabbits.”
Photo: depositphotos.com
The new platform offers video tutorials, podcasts, webinars, scientific studies, blogs and downloadable resources, all designed to ensure users understand how the HT Vista screening device can support their day-to-day work.
Users can also ask for a free one-on-one training call with HT Vista for personalised guidance.
HT Vista’s Managing Director, Liron Levy-Hirsch said: “We’re excited to introduce this new platform for veterinary professionals alongside our latest diagnostic update to the device.
"Our goal with HT Vista Academy is to support users in expanding their expertise, not just in operating the device but also in understanding the technology behind it and learning the best practice of dermal and subcutaneous mass management.
"By offering valuable educational resources and hands-on support, we hope to enhance the overall experience for veterinary teams and, ultimately, the care they provide to their patients.”
The company says the screening device is being widely used in nurse clinics around the world and its academy is suitable for both vets and veterinary nurses.
www.ht-vet.com/academy
From next month, practices will be required to ask all clients, both new and existing, a series of questions about their personal circumstances.
The most controversial of the new requirements is that clients will be required to show three month's worth of bank statements and payslips, so that vets can decide which treatment will be appropriate and affordable.
Clients will also need to provide their vet with:
RCVS spokesperson Flora Olip said: "It's really important that vets always take into account ALL the factors that may be pertinent to a clinical recommendation.
"This way, the profession can still offer treatments for dogs costing tens of thousands of pounds, but targeted at those who can afford it, such as oligarchs, footballers and drug dealers."
"And with a little luck, maybe with these new rules, the CMA will just quietly go away."
The centres have cutting-edge facilities, including high-tech audio-visual equipment with ceiling-mounted cameras to relay demonstrations, phantom models for abdominal ultrasound training and advanced simulators for practicing echocardiography.
The courses will be taught mainly by clinicians from across the IVC Evidensia network,
IVC says the centres will deliver 20,000 hours of CPD for its staff this year, and it aims to make its training available to the broader veterinary community towards the end of 2025.
Daniella Dos Santos, Director of Professional Culture at IVC Evidensia, said: “These centres will allow us to provide tailored training, whether you’re just starting your career or you’re looking to develop new skills and techniques.
"The training will help us deliver exceptional care for pets and their owners by ensuring our colleagues and eventually the wider profession continue to grow and develop their expertise.”
This annual survey is designed to provide an overview of remuneration levels within the veterinary sector.
It covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime, to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances and pensions making it a benchmark for all professionals working in both clinical and non-clinical roles within the veterinary profession.
The main findings of the survey will be published in a report and freely available to all participants who give their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be able to access the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/FRBTUW/
Miss Johnson was convicted at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court following a guilty plea of the offence of theft by employee in December 2023, after she stole buprenorphine belonging to Yatton Vets earlier that year.
She was sentenced to a fine of £120, a surcharge of £48, and costs of £85.
There were four further charges against Miss Johnson.
Charge one related to Miss Johnson stealing 5ml of methadone in December 2022 from her employer, Vets4Pets in Bristol, and injecting herself with the methadone.
The police investigated the incident and Miss Johnson accepted a conditional caution for the theft, the condition being she should attend a drug awareness course.
Charge two related to Miss Johnson dishonestly taking a syringe of methadone in August 2023 from her employer, the Langford Small Animal Hospital, and injecting herself with it.
Charge three related to two dates in September 2023 when she dishonestly took methadone, gabapentin and buprenorphine from Yatton Vets, her then employer, injecting herself with the buprenorphine and then working when unfit to do so.
Miss Johnson was later convicted of theft in relation to the buprenorphine (charge five).
Charge four related to an incident in November 2023, when Miss Johnson dishonestly took a syringe of buprenorphine from Bristol PDSA, for the purposes of self-administration, and was dishonest both to other members of staff and in the clinical records about the circumstances of taking the buprenorphine.
Charge five was in relation to Miss Johnson’s criminal conviction.
At the outset of the hearing, Miss Johnson admitted all charges in their entirety.
Having reviewed all the evidence and taken Miss Johnson’s admissions into account, the Committee found each of the charges proved.
After the criminal proceedings had finished and had been reported to the College, Miss Johnson wrote a letter expressing her deepest apologies to both the RCVS and the profession.
Within this she also made it clear that she took full responsibility for her actions.
In a later statement, she added that she had tried to use the experience to learn and improve in every aspect of her career and life and did not want to defend her behaviour.
Within this statement she also retracted a previous request to resign from the register, stating that she would accept any outcome to the investigation.
In deciding whether the proved charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, the Committee took the following aggravating factors into account:
The Committee identified no mitigating factors and concluded that for each of the individual charges Miss Johnson’s conduct fell far short of the conduct expected of a member of the profession and that each of the charges one to four amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In relation to charge five, the criminal conviction, the Committee noted that the nature and the circumstances of the offence involved dishonesty, abuse of her professional position regarding access to controlled drugs, breach of her employer’s trust, and that the misconduct took place notwithstanding an investigation by the police for similar conduct in December 2022.
The Committee therefore concluded that charge five rendered Miss Johnson unfit to practise.
When deciding on a sanction, the Committee took into account mitigating factors, which included:
The Committee found no further aggravating factors at this stage.
Kathryn Peaty, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf said: “The Committee considered that the overall misconduct proved so serious and was incompatible with remaining on the register.”
She added: “The Committee accepted that Miss Johnson was currently likely to be drug-free on the basis of her evidence and that of her referee, but it noted that independent testing proving she had been drug free for any period of time was not available to it.
"Furthermore, Miss Johnson had been unable to demonstrate that she had worked without any incident recently as she had accepted she had been dismissed from her recent job.
“Having taken into account all of the aggravating and mitigating factors, and balancing the public interest and the need to uphold and maintain standards within the profession, and having decided that Miss Johnson’s insight was limited, the Committee concluded that the sanction of ‘removal’ was the only proportionate sanction it could impose in this case.
"It also decided that such a sanction maintained public confidence in the veterinary profession, safeguarded animal welfare and protected the public from any future risk of repetition of similar behaviour.
“The Committee therefore directed that the Registrar remove Miss Johnson’s name from the register of veterinary nurses forthwith.”
The project, which is funded by the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative, is designed to find out about current attitudes, beliefs, and alcohol use behaviours of those working in clinical settings within the UK veterinary sector.
Researchers Dr Jennifer Seddon, Olivia Cormier MRCVS, and Dr Emma Davies, from Oxford Brookes University are inviting people aged 18 and over who are working in the UK veterinary sector, including vets, veterinary nurses, practice managers, veterinary care assistants, receptionists, and those undertaking other in-practice roles, who currently drink or have drunk alcohol in the past three months to take part in an online survey which takes no more than 15 minutes.
Olivia said: “Evidence from research conducted in 2009 showed that veterinary professionals may be more likely to drink at risky levels compared to people in the general population.
"There is a vital need for new research in this area, not only so we can better understand what the current situation looks like, but so that we can learn how best to provide tailored support to this group.”
The survey is anonymous and confidential, and no personal data will be gathered or shared with MMI or the RCVS.
After completing the survey, participants can choose to enter a prize draw to win one of three £100 Amazon vouchers.
https://brookeshls.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0pHn8qy4ZIVTTgy
CVS says it believes the phone-based resource is a first in the profession.
It contains the ‘kennel side’ veterinary guidelines, notes and charts that clinicians would need to refer to in day-to-day companion animal practice.
It also includes clinical guidelines, anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging, dentistry and toxicology sections, along with an antibiotic guide.
CVS says it hopes the breadth of information in the MiGuide will improve and speed clinical decision-making, making recommendations to clients easier - and ultimately improving patient outcomes.
The hub is the brainchild of Alan Johnson, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS.
He said: “Every day in practice is different.
"You regularly have to do things you have not done for a while.
"So you either have to recall how to do them or spend time looking them up.
"This can be especially difficult when you are looking for very specific information which is buried in a textbook.
“I wanted to consolidate the key clinical information that every colleague needs every day - all in one location.
"I wanted to make information easy to find at a few clicks.
"And I wanted vets and nurses to have this information in their pocket – to refer to if the need arose.
“We hope our new portal is helpful and supportive – and makes daily practice smoother for our vets and nurses.
"And we hope that it improves and speeds up clinical decision-making to provide the best care for our patients.”
The survey is part of an initiative to develop a 'roadmap' for what needs to happen to support veterinary teams to deliver contextualised care and shared decision-making.
The survey will be used alongside interviews with people in a range of roles in the veterinary sector, including veterinary receptionists and practice managers, to gather insights about what makes it easier or more difficult to practise contextualised care and what could help support its delivery.
Pet owners will also be surveyed and invited to focus groups to understand what matters most to them when making decisions about their pets’ health, and what would help them to feel supported to decide the veterinary care that is right for them and their pet.
Sally Everitt, Clinical Lead – Evidence at RCVS Knowledge, said: “Although the term contextualised care is now being widely used, and a requirement to practise contextualised care is included in the RCVS Guidance for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, there is little information available on how contextualised care is most effectively delivered in practice.
"Our research aims to address a gap in the evidence about what the barriers and enablers are and what needs to change to support veterinary teams to deliver contextualised care.”
The survey is open to veterinary surgeons currently in clinical practice in the UK working with dogs and cats.
The survey can be accessed here until 17th April 2025: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90806393/rcvskresearchprofessionals
Nutramega contains omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, which the company says are critical for the overall health of animals, with many health benefits, including joints & mobility, skin & coat, heart health, the kidneys and brain health.
Nutramega comes in two sizes, 100ml and 200ml, with prices starting from £20.00.
Pet Ready LifeStages are health chews designed to provide daily support for puppies, adult dogs and senior dogs.
Each LifeStage product comes in 30 and 90 chew packets and prices range from £19.99 to £34.99.
www.nutravet.co.u
Tim, who is Managing Partner of Larkmead Vets and also a Director at the independent veterinary community XLVets, graduated from Liverpool Vet School in 1994 and joined Larkmead Vets in 1998.
He said: “I grew up in the South Yorkshire coalfields and worked in a city centre small animal practice in Wakefield before relocating to Oxfordshire to develop the small animal department of a mixed practice.
"First-opinion veterinary practice has been my life since starting cleaning kennels aged 12.
“I am passionate that whilst what we do is work with animals, how we do it is by working with people: our colleagues and the owners who entrust their animals to our care.
"As a first-opinion vet and practice owner I have had the privilege of growing and developing my practice (team and facilities) to meet the changing needs of our local community.
“At a time of great change for the veterinary profession, with the tantalising hope for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act set against the backdrop of the Competition and Markets Authority’s market investigation of the veterinary sector, it is an opportunity to bring this experience to the heart of our College.
“It was an unexpected honour to be elected to the position of JVP and I thank my colleagues on Council for entrusting the role to me.
"I also reflect on my initial university application which saw a clean sweep of rejections and hope that this can inspire others from the grass roots of our profession to get involved in shaping the future.”
Council also voted to confirm Professor Tim Parkin as RCVS President, Linda Belton as Senior Vice-President and reconfirmed Tshidi Gardiner as Treasurer (subject to her re-election), all effective from July.
Tim will take up his post at the College's AGM in July.
The webinar is being presented by Cassie Woods (RVN Cons) CertNCS, Equine Nurse and Partner at Lower House Equine Clinic in Shropshire.
Cassie has a degree in bio-veterinary science and many years experience working in equine and small animal practice.
She regularly lectures for BVNA and BEVA. She is a member of the BEVA equine nurse committee and works closely with the BEVA Trust.
Cassie will share insights and practical strategies to strengthen biosecurity for both clinic and ambulatory teams, and will offer advice and guidance for helping clients to improve their own biosecurity measures.
She also hopes to further raise awareness of the vital roles equine nurses play in practice, promote and develop the role of the equine ambulatory nurse and improve training for equine veterinary grooms and technicians.
Horiba's Veterinary specialists will also be available to answer veterinary diagnostics-related questions and share information about the range of pathogen tests the company offers.
https://horiba.link/register-143bbc
The device emits low dose 265 nanometre (nm) ultraviolet C light at a targeted area.
In a 2022 in vitro / ex vivo study to evaluate the therapeutic potential of 265nm UVC for infectious keratitis1, UVC was found to inhibit all tested bacteria and fungi, including mixed culture and strains linked to antibiotic resistance.
In the study, no evidence of infection was found from 4 hours onwards, ulcers responded significantly in under 24 hours, and at the end point, those treated with UVC performed as as well as those treated with ciprofloxacin.
Photon Therapeutics says that in simple cases, one five-second treatment will suffice, but more complex cases can be re-treated after 24 hours.
Currently, there are two main barriers to the successful treatment of eye infections in dogs.
The first is the difficulty diagnosing the infection and identifying the right antimicrobial to use, highlighted by a 2017 study: Bacterial Isolates from Canine External Ocular Disease and their Antimicrobial Sensitivities 2.
The second is whether the owner is able or willing to administer a topical treatment.
Here the evidence suggests that even when treatment is possible, people do not comply with clinical advice anything like as much as they claim.
Photon Therapeutics points to what it says is the nearest study there is, in which carers of young children with uveitis did not give the correct treatment in 75% of cases3.
If the device is as effective as claimed, then both these issues simply evaporate.
PhotonUVC costs £4,995.
https://photon-therapeutics.com
VetNurse.co.uk product briefing: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/nursing/m/veterinary-product-briefings/156724
References
The update includes a new scoring system of low, moderate or high cancer risk which replaces the original numerical HDI scores and simplifies interpretation for clinicians, making the screening process easier to communicate with pet owners.
HT Vista says the device can now categorise cancer risk levels, based on malignant probability, with a sensitivity of 90% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98%.
The company says this translates to a “low cancer risk” result having a malignant probability of 10% or less, allowing veterinary teams to rule out cancer of lumps and bumps without the need for invasive procedures.
The tool can also now provide alerts for some of the low-risk cases, identifying them as lipomas, sebaceus adenomas or benign epithelial masses.
Liron Levy-Hirsch DVM MRCVS, Managing Director at HT Vista, said: "I am incredibly excited to enhance our already powerful HT Vista screening tool with a new diagnostic capability, providing veterinary teams with an even more comprehensive decision-support system.
"Our screening technology has already been a game-changer in early detection, and now, with the ability to flag specific tumour types, we are taking another significant step forward.
"This advancement empowers veterinary professionals to make even more informed decisions, supports shared decision-making with pet owners, and ultimately improves patient outcomes.
"By reducing the time from suspicion to diagnosis and treatment, we can detect cancer earlier, avoid the ‘wait and see’ approach, and help save more lives."
On the other end of the scale, a “high cancer risk” result has a malignant probability of 50% or more and indicates a stronger likelihood of malignancy.
HT Vista says these cases require additional diagnostic tests for mass identification.
The company highlights a big distinction between this and other screening modalities is that it can be nurse-led.
HT Vista will be on display and there will be live demonstrations at BSAVA Congress from the 20th to the 22nd of March 2025.
https://bit.ly/ht-vista-screening-tool
Ms Bowler faced four sets of charges, each of which contained sub-charges, summarised as follows:
Despite being served with the Notice of Inquiry, Ms Bowler decided not to attend the hearing due to ill-health but was represented by a counsel and solicitors.
The Committee did not find that Ms Bowler was medically unfit to attend on the basis of the medical evidence before it.
The Committee also concluded that it was in the public interest and interests of Ms Bowler to proceed with the hearing in her absence so that it could be concluded in a timely manner.
Ms Bowler’s counsel applied for parts of the hearing to be heard in private on health grounds, which was approved by the Committee.
It was also determined that any parts in the Committee’s decision or hearing that referred to Ms Bowler’s health would be redacted.
At the outset of the hearing, Ms Bowler’s counsel made admissions to five of the sub-charges which the Committee therefore found proven.
She also made some partial admissions in relations to a further 11 sub-charges.
After hearing a wide range of evidence, both written and oral, from Ms Bowler, the College, from clients and from an expert witness, the Committee found all charges proved except for four sub-charges.
On deciding whether the proved charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, the Committee took the following aggravating factors into account.
In mitigation:
In all, the Committee decided that the seriousness of the misconduct meant that a sanction was necessary to meet the public interest.
When deciding on whether to issue a reprimand with or without a warning, the Committee once again decided that the misconduct was too serious to allow for this.
It also decided that a reprimand and/or warning was not sufficient to protect animals and the wider public interest.
It then went onto consider whether a sanction of ‘suspension’ was sufficient but noted that it did not have enough evidence to show that Ms Bowler had shown significant insight to continue to practise unrestricted in the future.
The Committee eventually concluded that Ms Bowler’s conduct was incompatible with remaining on the Register.
Neil Slater, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee decided that the broad range of Ms Bowler’s misconduct which had spanned three years and eight months and involving injury or risk of injury to 18 animals, was incompatible with remaining on the Register and the public interest required removal from the Register even when all of Ms Bowler’s mitigation was taken into account.
“The Committee decided that it did not have sufficient evidence overall on Ms Bowler’s insight, current competence and future risk to persuade it that the lesser sanction of suspension was appropriate in this case.
“Although Ms Bowler had shown some insight, the Committee decided that she would need to have provided detailed evidence about her current practice before it could decide that she no longer represented a risk to animals in the future.
“The Committee therefore concluded that ‘removal from the Register’ was the appropriate and proportionate sanction because there had been a serious departure from professional standards, a reckless disregard for professional standards, multiple cases involving harm or risk of harm to animals and because, in Ms Bowler’s absence, it had been difficult to unravel whether she had an attitudinal problem.
“These were all factors in the Disciplinary Committee Sanctions Guidance that indicated that a sanction of removal was the appropriate sanction and, in the Committee’s decision, removal from the Register was the only sanction which would meet the public interest.
"It concluded that a lesser sanction would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the regulatory process.”
The courses are designed for self-paced learning and include practical hints and tips for treating common animal health issues in companion animals and livestock.
Small animal topics include cardiology, hypertension, dermatology, behaviour and gastroenterology.
Cattle topics include Q fever, reproduction and mobility.
In swine health, content focuses on respiratory health, neonatal disease and zoonotic conditions.
The Ceva Academy also includes downloadable resources, including practice posters, social media content and owner leaflets.
Dan Cripwell, vet channel marketing and technical manager at Ceva, said: “We have consolidated our portfolio of online learning courses and resources into one multi-species portal to give animal health professionals flexible access to high quality CPD and information in one convenient location.”
https://ceva.vbms-training.co.uk/dashboard
The training, which is presented by Nicola Lakeman RVN, consists of seven bite-sized modules covering topics such as:
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "GI cases are among the most frequent reasons pet owners reach out to practices and often, these calls revolve around seeking advice on managing symptoms at home.
"This training will help veterinary receptionists and nurses gain the confidence and knowledge to handle these enquiries and ensure that pet owners receive prompt, accurate guidance."
The training is available on the BVRA website: www.bvra.co.uk.
Photo courtesy: https://depositphotos.com