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September 2014 Volume 2 Issue 6
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September 2014, Volume 2, Issue 6
Veterinary Supplies Magazine (VSM) is the magazine and web/digital resource for the UK community of veterinarians with purchasing authority for equipment, technology, pharmaceuticals and services. Publishing Director Scott Colman t. +44 (0)7595 023 460 e. scott@futurepublishingsolutions.com Editorial Ally Gau t. +44 (0)7769 310 286 e. ally@vetsuppliesmag.com e. ally@futurepublishingsolutions.com Advertising Sales Nicholas Catterall t. +44 (0)7730 762 136 e. nic@vetsuppliesmag.com e. nic@futurepublishingsolutions.com Stuart Mace t. +44 (0)7827 912 603 e. stuart@vetsuppliesmag.com e. stuart@futurepublishingsolutions.com Circulation & Finance Manager Emma Colman t. +44 (0)7720 595 845 e. emma@futurepublishingsolutions.com Web and Digital Jonny Jones t. +44 (0)7803 543 057 e. jonny@futurepublishingsolutions.com Design & Production Jo Ross t. +44 (0)7740 468667 e. jo@futurepublishingsolutions.com
Contents
Welcome to VSM
T
he eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed a slightly beefier VSM this month, and you’d be right! The first print version of our sister publication, Equine Veterinary Product News, is also hot off the press this month, and you will find it bound into this issue. Two magazines in one month means yet more busy times at Future Publishing, but we’re delighted with the results. The first print version is timed to coincide with BEVA Congress, and we look forward to some feedback from our equine veterinary friends at the event. We’ll be at Congress, catching up with old friends, making new ones, and generally scouting about for news, views and potential contributors We’ve started early with the reporting of firework stress related products, to enable you to stock up on products in plenty of time, and to start passing on de-sensitisation tips to your clients. if anything you try seems to work particularly well, please let us know, or write a review. Feedback, not just on our magazine, but on the products and services that are important to you as vets, are important to us too.
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Our spotlights this month look at wound care - with an exotic flavour this time around, anaesthesia and imaging. We’re delighted to be developing relationships with an under-represented sector, and look forward to bringing you more news and information from companies who specialise in the supply of products for exotic species. Our farm animal sector is also growing well, and we’re always interested in editorial submissions from these sectors. We’re grateful to all our contributors, be they editorial or advertisers, and i’d like to take this opportunity to thank them all for doing their bit to support both our magazines throughout this period of growth. We’re very proud of how these magazines are shaping up, and we couldn’t do it without the support of the companies that we work with.
Ally
About our APP Sponsor (Direct Medical Supplies) DMS Direct Medical Supplies offers a comprehensive range of critical care, IV administration, surgical, and wound-care products to the healthcare and veterinary market. DMS is committed to offering customers more than your normal supplier, by providing unique products and general everyday
requirements for the operating room, intensive care, nursing, wound-care, and infection control. DMS provides a one-source multi-product choice that enables customers to manage their consumable supplies in an efficient and costeffective manner.
Editorial: All submissions will be handled with reasonable care, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Every precaution is taken to ensure
General News
accuracy, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information supplied herein or for any opinion expressed.
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Subscriptions: Veterinary Supplies Magazine (VSM) is free
No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of material in this publication can be accepted. VSM is published eight times in 2013 by Future Publishing Solutions Ltd, and is a registered trademark and service mark of Future Publishing Solutions Copyright 2013. Future Publishing Solutions Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without prior permission in writing from the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act (UK) 1988, or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licencing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P 0LP, UK. Applications for the copyright owner’s permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be forwarded in writing to Permissions Department, Future Publishing Solutions Ltd, Lea Green Farm, Lea Green Lane, Church Minshull, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6ED. Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.
Lea Green Farm, Lea Green Lane, Church Minshull, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6ED n + 44 (0)1270 522 132 n info@futurepublishingsolutions.com n www.futurepublishingsolutions.com
Companion Animal Spotlight – Woundcare Spotlight – BEVA
p8-18 p20-21 p22
Equipment
p24-26
Farm/Large Animals
p28-34
Spotlight – Imaging
p36
Business Management
p38-44
Pharmaceutical
p46-50
Spotlight – Anaesthesia
p52
VSM
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vetsuppliesmag.com, click on “Free Subscription – Register Now”
Contents
subscription, or to change your name and address, go to www.
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 6
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General News Mitchell Waugh Appointed Sales & Marketing Manager for Chanelle’s total UK business
C
hanelle are pleased to announce that Mr Mitchell Waugh has been promoted to head up Chanelle’s total UK animal health business. In addition to his role as Sales & Marketing Manager for the trade channel, Mitchell will also assume marketing and sales responsibility for the Vet channel in the UK. “The UK is a key growth market for Chanelle and with Mitchell’s appointment we are making significant improvements to our marketing capability which will be good for our customers”, commented Joseph
Collum Chanelle’s Sales & Marketing Director. Mitchell has been with Chanelle Animal Health for almost 12 years as Area Sales Manager for Scotland and North of England, becoming Sales & Marketing Manager Trade Channel in 2012. Mitchell who was born and raised on his family’s beef and sheep farm has worked in Animal Nutrition, Animal Health and Veterinary Medicine supply sales for over 25 years and brings a wealth of experience to the role. “I am looking forward to the new challenge of developing
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Chanelle’s overall animal health business in the UK. We have exciting new products in the pipeline which will help me continue to develop Chanelle as a key supplier of animal health pharmaceuticals in the UK”, commented Mitchell. Chanelle UK is part of the wider Chanelle Group that manufactures and distributes human and animal medicines to over 80 countries worldwide. t +44 (0)78 76745273 e mwaugh@chanellegroup.ie w www.chanellegroup.ie
Ben Fogle Announced as CVS Conference Keynote Speaker N
ature lover and broadcaster Ben Fogle is the special guest speaker at this year’s CVS Conference, which takes place Friday 7-Saturday 8 November at the Metropole Hotel in Birmingham. Reflecting CVS’ growth, this year’s Conference is themed ‘Better Together’ and will be attended by more than 300 of the company’s employees, including veterinary staff, support office staff and laboratory and crematoria personnel. It will feature a Congress-style mix of plenary and streamed sessions with more flexibility and the presentation of the 2014 CVS Awards. Simon Innes, CVS Chief Executive, explains: “We’ve invited
Ben to speak at our conference this year and to present some of our awards because of his well-known passion for all animals - especially dogs. “The success of his many broadcasting assignments around the world is dependent on good teamwork and, given the theme of our conference this year is teamwork and working together effectively, we also felt he could give us some interesting perspectives on this. We’re looking forward to welcoming him.” For further information t +44 (0)1379 644288 e admin@cvsvets.com w www.cvsukltd.co.uk
w. www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk t. +44 1453 872731 e. info@vpma-spvs-events.co.uk
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The theme for the day will be the business and clinical case for doing more ‘in-house’, and the list of speakers will be headed by Dr. Mark Patteson, Specialist in Cardiology; Paddy Mannion, Specialist in Imaging and Peter Southerden, European
and income analysis. There will be over 20 relevant and focused exhibitors, providing an opportunity to talk to equipment suppliers over the course of the day. The seminar will be held at Staverton Park, Daventry, and runs from 10.00am to 5.00pm. CPD certificates, lunch and refreshments are included in the cost of £100 for SPVS/VPMA members. (Nonmembers £150)
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T
he Society for Practicing Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary Practice Management Association will be holding a ‘Focus on Diagnostics’ day in Daventry, Northamptonshire, on 16th October.
Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry. Last year’s event was described by one attendee as, “The best day’s CPD I’ve been to in ten years!” - a view that was echoed by other delegates, a mixture of practice owners, managers and clinical directors. Other subjects to be covered at the seminar include the business and ethical case for laparoscopic spays, regenerative medicine and how to make the best of your microscope and digital x-ray. Brian Faulkner will chair workshops and present a seminar on dashboards
VSM
Focus on Diagnostics
General News 4
Head of Histopathology Appointed at Finn Pathologists U K veterinary laboratory Finn Pathologists has appointed Mark Wessels BVetMed, MRCVS, FRCPath as its Head of Histopathology. In this role he will manage a team of 13 veterinary histopathologists based at its site in Weybread, Suffolk. Following qualification in 1986, Mark spent 12 years in mixed general practice before moving to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) where he specialised in large animal diagnostics and pathology and managed surveillance pathology. While at the VLA he was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists, specialising in farm animal species. Mark has published widely in ruminant pathology and has
an interest in comparative pathology, particularly in infectious and degenerative diseases. He sits on the Royal College of Pathologists Examination Panel. Commenting on his appointment, Martyn Carpenter, Director of Laboratories at Finn Pathologists, said: “Mark has exceptional management experience and will also provide strong leadership to our fastgrowing histopathology team. “His experience with the VLA - since reborn as the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) - will also be invaluable. Finn Pathologists will shortly launch a Farm Animal Diagnostic Service in response to the AHVLA’s decision to reduce its own laboratory capacity.
With Mark’s in-depth knowledge of the sector supported by that of team members Nick Woodger and James Barnett, both of whom also worked at the VLA, we believe Finn will be ideally placed to help farm vets with their laboratory requirements going forward.” Finn Pathologists is a UK-based specialist veterinary laboratory, providing a full range of histopathology, haematology, cytology and microbiology services to practices across the UK. It aims to provide a highly tailored, convenient and flexible service and employs 30 experienced staff at its two sites on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. t +44 (0)1379 854180 w www.finnpathologists.co.uk
Priorities Agreed for WSAVA Foundation’s AFSCAN Initiative
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recent meeting in Nairobi saw the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) taking the first steps towards the delivery of its African Small Companion Animal Network project. It identified the priority needs of small companion animal veterinarians in Africa and a series of projects through which AFSCAN can help meet them. AFSCAN is a ground-breaking project which was unveiled by WSAVA Foundation at BSAVA Congress earlier this year, and aims to improve standards of veterinary care throughout the continent by promoting the creation of a sustainable network of companion animal veterinarians, associations and specialist groups across Sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation itself funds improvements in the veterinary care
of small animals worldwide through science and education, and the focus is on One Health. The three-day meeting in Nairobi, from 18-20 June, enabled delegates from Kenya, Uganda, Namibia and Nigeria to meet the Project Board at the Regional Office of the International Organisation for Animal Health. Delegates also visited the University of Nairobi Veterinary School, meeting the Dean, members of the academic staff, a student delegation and representatives of the One Health Central and Eastern Africa Consortium (OHCEA). Dr Gabriel Varga, President of the WSAVA Foundation, is Chair of the Project Board, which also includes Professor Michael Day (University of Bristol, UK, and WSAVA Foundation); Dr Theo Kanellos and Mr Greg Andrews (Zoetis); Dr Remo
Lobetti (referral practitioner, South Africa) and Dr Alex Thiermann (OIE). Dr Varga explained, “Working with the national delegates we identified a range of projects to support small companion animal veterinarians as they work towards establishing the national organisations that will become part of the WSAVA family. AFSCAN support will take the form of specific sub-projects providing new opportunities in veterinary continuing education, clinical veterinary research, infection disease surveillance and control of canine rabies. “Small companion animal veterinarians will be assisted in creating national associations because it is these that lead to enhancements in collaboration, training and best practice sharing, which has proved pivotal in driving improvements in standards of veterinary care in other regions of the
world. Through AFSCAN we have a real opportunity to help advance the veterinary profession across Africa, and in so doing, improve the lives of millions of animals and humans.” Academic practitioners will be encouraged to apply for AFSCAN funding for targeted research projects linking African universities with partner institutions in other countries. Refurbished computers from the UK charity Computers for Africa will give African practitioners access to on-line educational material, provided by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) Vetfolio. The AFSCAN Project runs under the auspices of the WSAVA Foundation, runs from April 2014 April 2016, and has global animal health company Zoetis as its backer with support and sponsorship from a Consortium including the OIE; the NAVC and veterinary digital content provider Vetstream; veterinary charity Worldwide Veterinary Services and its Mission Rabies Project; veterinary equipment supplier Kruuse; the Morris Animal Foundation; healthcare advertising agency Circa Health; the University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice and the WSAVA. AFSCAN will meet again in September, in Cape Town, South Africa, and will be joined by additional delegates from Angola, Ethiopia, Sudan and Tanzania. w. www.wsava.org e. wsavasecretariat@gmail.com t. 00 1 905 627 8540
VB1 Veterinary Chemistry Analyser
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General News 6
Vetacademy launches Veterinary Forensic Science CPD
V
etacademy has launched the first online CPD series covering veterinary forensic science and animal crime scene investigation. Vetacademy is a service offered by online content supplier Vetstream, to present e-learning modules and online videos in partnership with some of the world’s leading veterinary CPD providers. The series is entitled NAVC
Vetfolio Veterinary Forensic Science and Medicine, and Animal CSI, and is a comprehensive six-module online course covering all aspects of veterinary forensic science and medicine. The first two modules include core lectures on recognising and responding to suspected abuse, examination of the victim, Neglect: Part One and Two, and Forensic Entomology. The remaining four modules
will follow later this year. Additional lectures include equine cruelty; cruelty in reptiles and amphibians, and enrichment protocols for rodents and waterfowl. All modules are RACEapproved, and each one is worth 12 hours of CPD. Stronger laws governing animal welfare, and an increase in animal related investigations are leading to demand for a higher level of veterinary expertise in these difficult and often upsetting areas. Managing Director of Vetstream, Dr. G. Mark Johnston, MRCVS, commented, “This series provides an in-depth view from one of the world’s leading experts. It will
prove particularly useful for those who may be interested in entering the field or serving as an Expert Witness in legal cases. We are delighted to make this unique CPD resource available on Vetacademy.” In addition to Vetacademy, Vetstream offers four clinical reference services - Canis, Felis, Lapis and Equis which, between them, provide the world’s largest online source of peer-reviewed point-of-care veterinary content. Its Webpartner service specialises in the development of professional and accessible websites for veterinary practises and related businesses and organisations. For more information w. www.vetacademy.org t. +44 1223 895819
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Companion Animal 8
A Facelift for Blooming Pet Products!
P
et-care product company Blooming Pet Products has recently overhauled its entire packaging, with all products now displaying new colour-coded labels which will make selection even easier, by grouping the whole range into categories. All Blooming Pet Products’ supplements, shampoos and creams are made in the UK at the company’s Devon base by Equimins, a respected and trusted horse-care company, dedicated to providing high specification, effective products at a reasonable price. This ethos is shared by the Blooming Pet Products
range, which brings quality products at an affordable price to help support various issues that a pet could encounter. It includes joint support supplements for older cats and dogs, probiotics for pets, calming products for exuberant animals and even a detangler and conditioning spray. The new branding is fresh, crisp and easy to understand turquoise is for joints, brown is for skin and coat, red is for liver and kidneys, purple is digestion, blue is for calming and green is for nutrition. David Willey from Blooming Pet Products says, “We are excited to unveil our new branding, it has
refreshed the range. The high specification products inside the tub or bottle remains the same, so there is no compromise on quality - you will still be using the same quality products, made to our tried and trusted formula on your dog or cat.” Prices start at £3.95 for a tub of Aloe Vera gel, and free advice can be obtained by calling the company or visiting the website. For more information w. www.bloomingpets.com t. +44 1548 531835 e. sales@dwagb.com
CEVA Sends Firework Fears up in Smoke!
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e all know that the firework season can be an upsetting and anxious time for both owners and pets, and some recent research by CEVA Animal Health, manufacturers of leading veterinary behaviour products Adaptil and Feliway, confirms this - as well as some surprising revelations. Over half of owners believed that the festivities are stressful for their pets - indeed more than 75% of those questioned would avoid going out themselves during that time. Likewise, over 80% would keep their pets inside if there are fireworks going off nearby. However, despite this worry about the anxiety caused by the loud bangs and flashes, pet owners could do more to prepare their animals, with over 40% of cat and dog owners saying they did nothing! This is a worrying statistic, and CEVA has launched a comprehensive range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to help educate owners on how to prepare their pets for the firework season, and to appreciate that it is essential to support their animals during this time of the year. These include waiting room materials such as a hanging mobile, cut-outs, wobblers, posters and
leaflets. There are also top tips, and letters for practices to send out to their clients, as well as suggested questions for vets to ask during consultations. Keep a look out for practice support packs, which will be sent out from mid-August onwards. A short film with advice and tips on how to look after your dog will be featured on the Adaptil website, with information on preparing a ‘safe’ den for your dog while fireworks are going off. CEVA will be asking owners to post a photograph of their dog’s den on the Adaptil Facebook page, with an Adaptil goody bag going to the top five dens. This will be backed up with a comprehensive digital media campaign, via You Tube, banner advertising, enhanced Adaptil and Feliway websites, and other social media. Adaptil and Feliway product manager, Emma Jackson, advises, “There is plenty that can be done to help prepare dogs and cats for the noise and flashes of fireworks. We suggest planning well in advance, and ask clients to come in for a consultation as early as possible, to make the festivities as stress-free as they can.” Adaptil for dogs, and Feliway for cats, are scientifically proven to
help comfort pets at times of stress. A couple of weeks before Bonfire Night, an adaptil diffuser should be plugged into the room where the dog spends most of its time, or where it sleeps. This allows the comforting pheromone to build up to significant levels, and ensures the pet is as relaxed as possible before, during and after the firework period. Additional support on the night can be given in the form of a spray that can be applied to bedding. Fast, and temporary relief can be given as little as two hours before the event by utilising Adaptil Stress Relief
Now tablets. Likewise, plugging a Feliway diffuser into the room where cats spend most of their time 48hrs before the event can help ensure the cats are as relaxed as possible, with a Feliway spray being available for extra security. Shutting cats in overnight can sometimes cause disharmony in multi-cat households the Feliway diffuser can help prevent this tension. t. +44 (0) 1494 781510 e. customerservicesuk@ceva.com w. www.ceva.co.uk
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Pet-ID Microchips launches Owner Information Pack
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he new information pack is launched in response to both the pet owners’ need for information to take away at the time of microchipping, and the microchip implanters’ obligation to pass on that information, especially with the ever increasing use of online registration. All too often the newly microchipped animals’ owner goes away
without understanding the process of registration and reunification and believes the implanter or someone will “take care of everything” from that point forward. Pet-ID Microchips believes they have a duty of care to ensure the end user is aware of their requirement to keep their animals details up to date, ie, if they move home or the pet’s ownership changes, especially with Compulsory Microchipping of Dogs becoming law on 6 April 2016. It is aware there is a lack of
understanding of just who to contact in these instances, and believes The Pet-ID Microchips Owner Information Pack is the solution, containing everything your clients need to know about the process of registration, reunification and updating information. Contained within a sturdy bright attractive folder is a prepacked sterilised microchip with 5 barcode stickers with a free collar tag suitable for the smallest of companion animals. A barcode sticker can be attached and details
filled out onto the pack to for the owner to take away. There’s also a handy plastic wallet card with space to fill in the pet’s name and microchip number alongside the data base contact phone number and a QR code which links to information on everything associated with lost & found animals and updating information. t +44 (0)1273-837676 w www.pet-idmicrochips.com
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Companion Animal
New breed of muzzle more powerful than legislation
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W
ith tougher laws surrounding antisocial dog behaviour, responsible dog owners might find themselves worried about what the changes
could mean for them. World-leading pet product and training supplier, The Company of Animals is reassuring owners that practical help is on-hand to control and train assertive or nervous dogs, give peace of mind and stop antisocial behaviour before it could become a threat. The legal changes mean a possible 14-year prison sentence for owners of dogs that kill, as well as gaol terms for people whose animals attack a person in a home or private property, or attack assistance animals such as guide dogs. Arguing that proactive training and restraint is part-andparcel of being a good owner, leading pet psychologist and The Company of Animals founder Dr Roger Mugford said: “Good training aids such as muzzles have done more to protect owners and
their dogs than legislation.” Dr Mugford himself designed a new breed of muzzle, the Baskerville Ultra Muzzle, to provide restraint for assertive, potentially aggressive, animals or those who are nervous and might lash out to protect themselves. The muzzles provide reassurance while safeguarding the dog’s comfort and wellbeing. The attractive-looking muzzles are made of lightweight plastic and webbing, come in a wide range of sizes and allow dogs to eat, drink and pant normally, guaranteeing both dog welfare and human safety. The muzzles can also be remoulded by soaking in hot water to fit wider shaped faces if necessary. “Anyone who is uncertain about their dog’s response to an unusual or stressful situation should be thinking about using a muzzle,” Dr
Mugford said. “Muzzles are frequently used by responsible owners, vets and groomers in all sorts of situations – such as controlling an excitable animal during a vet visit, when meeting new dogs, being groomed and bathed or during busy events and gatherings – and new products have been designed to be welfare friendly. “They are another great tool in the training box for responsible owners – alongside good discipline and positive reinforcement – and ultimately provide peace of mind if you are worried about a dog’s reaction.” For further information t +44 (0)1223 272800 e emma.cooper@war.uk.com w www.companyofanimals.co.uk
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Companion Animal 12
New Support Pack Will Encourage Owner Compliance D
echra Veterinary Products is offering a new support package to veterinary professionals to help encourage owner compliance when their dogs are being treated for ear disease. The Dermatology Partners in Practice programme has been developed to support vets and veterinary nurses dealing with one of the most prevalent presenting problems in dogs - otitis externa. The new Client Compliance Pack is designed to assist practices in encouraging owners, and ensuring that treatment plans are followed. Research has shown that owner compliance can be a barrier to successful first-time management and treatment of otitis externa. It is essential that
owners comply with treatment programmes and that vets are supported with involving owners, which can lead to better outcomes for dogs receiving treatment and can be good for developing the practice business as well. Roger Brown, Senior Brand Manager at Dechra said, “We are committed to supporting vets and vet nurses as they deal with cases of otitis externa at a time when responsible use of antimicrobials is in the spotlight. “The new Client Compliance Pack is designed to support veterinary professionals as they diagnose, control and maintain this complex condition. It will provide extra support to the owner as they carry through the professional treatment plan at home.
Owner compliance can have many positive outcomes for vet practices, including the best result for the pet and a happy, satisfied owner.” The pack contains a Guide to Good Ear Care, Treatment Diary and Consultation Report, and a leaflet on kind handling techniques. Vets are being invited to arrange a Business Support Discussion to find out more about the Dermatology Partners in Practice programme and how it can benefit them. For more information w. www.dechra.co.uk/timetochange e. info.uk@dechra.com t. +44 1939 211215
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Pet-ID Microchips Ltd www.pet-idmicrochips.com tel +44 (0)1273 837676 sales@pet-idmicrochips.com
Companion Animal Protexin Launches ‘Digestive Health Drive’ Leaflets and Poster
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rotexin Veterinary, manufacturer of the leading companion animal probiotic Pro-Kolin, has launched an innovative ‘Digestive Health Drive’ poster and client leaflet - designed to help owners recognise what constitutes normal digestive health in dogs. Protexin recently commissioned some research which revealed that vets believe that clients do not bring their dogs for consultation until they have been suffering from diarrhoea for several days, and this led to the launch of the new marketing material. 55% of vets questioned said that they would be interested in providing clients with faecal grading charts to demonstrate the different stages of stools. The ‘Digestive Health Drive’ poster and concertina-style leaflet
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features ‘poop points’ cartoons to enable owners to compare their dogs’ stools from day to day, and week to week. A low score of one to two points means that a dog’s digestive health may not be at its best; they could be constipated, or just slightly dehydrated. A score of three to four points indicates a normal digestive system, while a high score of five to six points means that a dog may have diarrhoea, which could be caused by an underlying health issue and require veterinary intervention. Protexin’s ‘Digestive Health Drive will run until the end of September. For more information w. www.pro-kolin.com e. info@protexin.com t. +44 1460 243230
NEW EU LICENSED PROBIOTICS
For more information about the Vetark range, please contact Vetark Professional +44-(0)1962-844316, or email: info@vetark.co.uk Visit the website: www.vetark.co.uk VSM ads2014.indd 1
Available from your veterinary wholesaler
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AVIPRO AVIAN for all birds and vet-only Pro-C Professional for rabbits and furries AVIPRO PLUS IS NOW PREBIOTIC ONLY - FOR ALL SPECIES
Companion Animal 14
Royal Canin webinars help make dermatology decisions hosting two free webinars on the topic of canine dermatology. The hour-long Decisions in Canine Dermatology sessions will tackle how vets (and nurses) approach ’the itchy dog’ and the role that diet can play in this commonplace issue. Assessing Atopy
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ermatitis is a common occurrence in practice and working up a skin case takes time, dedication and patience from both the vet practice and owner. In order to guide vets and vet nurses through the entire process, including case management, Royal Canin is
The first webinar, ‘Assessing Atopy’, will take place at 8.30pm on Wednesday 13 August and will feature guest speaker, UK veterinary dermatologist, Dr Stephen Shaw. Stephen will share his practical approach to the itchy dog, demonstrating the diagnostic and management steps he always considers and ‘best practice’ in setting up diet trials. Stephen will help attendees understand the best diet options available for canine atopic dermatitis cases. Royal Canin’s Ian Williams will then summarise the support materials accessible to veterinary practices and review the diets offered by the company. For example, Royal Canin’s Skin Care diets are available for the nutritional management of dogs with skin complaints unrelated to adverse reactions to food. The diets contain a patented ‘PINCH’ cocktail to help maintain the barrier effect of the skin and high levels of
essential fatty acids to help support the skin’s natural functions. They also contain a synergistic complex of antioxidants to help support the body’s natural defences. Assessing Allergy
On Wednesday 27 August at 8.30pm, Massey University’s senior lecturer in small animal medicine, Nick Cave will present ‘Assessing Allergy’ with Lee Danks from Royal Canin. Nick will explore the best approach to food allergy cases and share his views on the practical and systematic use of hydrolysed diets as a diagnostic tool. He’ll also discuss the long-term management solutions available for dogs with cutaneous adverse reactions to food (which also includes those showing gastrointestinal signs). Lee will then outline the Royal Canin diets available for the nutritional management of dogs with adverse food reactions. The Hypoallergenic diets contain soy protein hydrolysate and can be recommended for shortterm feeding (for a diagnostic elimination diet trial) or for the lifelong nutritional management of dogs with adverse food reactions. It is designed to be highly digestible through its low molecular weight peptides and is also appropriate for the nutritional management of dogs with
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic diarrhoea and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Royal Canin also manufactures Anallergenic – a real nutritional revolution in the dietary management of dogs with even the most severe dietary allergies. Anallergenic follows in the footsteps of Hypoallergenic but the primary protein source is hydrolysed to yield even smaller protein peptides. In fact 88% of the protein is in single amino acid form. Coupled with a purified carbohydrate source and a specifically formulated palatability enhancer, a dietary reaction has never been less likely.. Much like the Hypoallergenic range, Anallergenic is also formulated with essential fatty acids to help support skin health and a complex of nutrients to help maintain the barrier effect of the skin. With so many challenges and management options to consider, dermatology cases raise a number of questions when it comes to diagnostics and the selection of appropriate diets. The webinars will deliver expert opinion and practical guidance to vets and vet nurses, leaving them with a thorough understanding of best practice when it comes to making decisions in dermatology. For further information w www.royalcanin.co.uk/dermdecisions
Elanco Launches new ‘Common Parasites of Dogs’ Educational Tool
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n informative new education tool covering common parasites of dogs has been launched by global company, and manufacturer of Comfortis and Trifexis, Elanco Companion Animal Health. Veterinary professionals will be assisted by this useful resource when they are advising clients on the benefits or regular parasite control. The guide has a particular focus on endoparasites, and features information on roundworm (Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine), hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum), whipworm (Trichuris vulpis), heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis), lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum), tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) and fleas (Ctenocephalides spp.). It has eye-catching illustrations demonstrating their lifecycle and what each of the parasites look like, and details of how they develop, symptoms and sources of
infection, and whether the parasites are zoonotic. The Common Parasites of Dogs guide will be available in two formats - a ‘tablet friendly’ electronic version and a booklet consisting of individual cards on a metal snap ring. Senior Brand Manager at Elanco Companion Animal Health, Matthew Rowe, says, “pet owners often get confused by the different parasites that can be picked up by their dogs. The new Common Parasites of Dogs education tool will help veterinary professionals advise their clients about parasites and the benefits of routine worming and flea treatments.”
For more information w. www.elanco.com e. elancoCAH.uk@elanco.com t. +44 (0)1256 353131
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Companion Animal 16
Laryngeal Disorders in the Dog:
New Dick White Referrals CPD featuring advanced 3D animations now available on Vetacademy
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six hour CPD series, Laryngeal Disorders in the Dog, hosted and presented by Professor Dick White, has been launched on Vetacademy, a
service offered by online content supplier Vetstream to provide e-learning modules and online videos in partnership with some of the world’s leading veterinary CPD
providers. The course, from online CPD specialist VisioCare Learning™, offers a comprehensive overview of larynx anatomy and function, including conditions such as laryngeal paralysis, collapse, trauma and neoplasia. Uniquely, the modules incorporate vivid 3D animations to highlight internal views of animal functional anatomy and to illustrate procedures. Dr G Mark Johnston MRCVS, Managing Director of Vetstream, commented: “These modules bring CPD to a whole new level. The use of 3D videos, combined with case presentations, makes them engaging and easier to follow, helping subscribers learn more effectively. Dick White is one of Europe’s leading small animal soft tissue surgeons and his experience makes the series a ‘must view’ for those interested in developing their knowledge of the diagnosis and
differentiation of laryngeal disorders in the dog, the surgical and medical management of these conditions and Dick White’s own laryngeal ‘tie-back’ procedure.” In addition to Vetacademy, Vetstream offers clinical reference services, Canis, Felis, Lapis and Equis, which, between them, provide the world’s largest online source of peer reviewed pointof-care veterinary content. Its Webpartner service specialises in the development of professional and accessible websites for veterinary practices and related businesses and organisations. For further information on Laryngeal Disorders in the Dog, visit http://bit.ly/1rqUd2a. For further information t ++44 (0)1223 895818 w www.vetacademy.org/www. vetstream.co.uk
Put firework fear on the back burner this bonfire night with a range of products for anxious pets!
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s the fireworks season seemingly gets longer every year, the sight of petrified, firework-phobic pets is becoming all too common. However, the UK’s leading pet experts at The Company of Animals, has the perfect toolkit to calm anxious pets, including therapeutic wraps that harness the power of acupressure, a sounds CD to desensitise pets to the burst of fireworks and natural, homeopathic treatments. The fear-busting toolkit features; Anxiety Wrap® A lightweight, breathable pressure wrap especially designed to calm anxious, excitable, or fearful dogs – and fast! Anxiety Wrap uses
scientifically proven acupressure on key points of the dog’s body, as well as gentle maintained pressure to relieve stress. Made from 98 per cent polyester and two per cent Spandex, it is comfortable and non-restrictive, enabling dogs to run and jump but banishes irrational fears. Quiet Dog™ Like the Anxiety Wrap, the Quiet Dog facial wrap uses acupressure to create a calming effect. Designed by American T.T. practitioner Susan Sharp to be a “gentle shush” solution to calm anxious barking, this wrap is non-restrictive and allows animals to, eat, drink, pant and yawn normally. Combined with the therapeutic hug of the Anxiety Wrap, Quiet Dog produces an even stronger reassuring effect
than either product alone. CLIX Noises and Sounds CD This training CD is recommended by Dr. Roger Mugford and vets as the best way to help familiarise dogs to scary sounds and to desensitise them to noisy environments during the fireworks season. The CD comes with comprehensive training instructions for owners, as well as demonstrations on You Tube, and 30 different three-minute tracks, featuring fireworks and gunfire, household appliances and even crying babies!
Farrington, and have been proven effective in objective clinical trials to be a safe and gentle alternative to drugs and can even be taken in the dog’s water. Each bottle contains 320 drops, sufficient for 20 treatments. All of these great tried-andtested noise phobia remedies can be purchased through your wholesaler or online at: www.companyofanimals.co.uk. The Company of Animals behaviour team have also released a list of 10 top tips for owners to put in place during the run-up to fireworks season.
HomeoPet Anxiety TFLN These all-natural drops were developed by a respected homeopathic veterinary surgeon, Dr Tom
t +44 (0)1223 272800 e emma.cooper@war.uk.com w www.companyofanimals.co.uk
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You asked. We listened, and now it’s here!
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et Food UK Ltd has just launched their new Barking Heads and Meowing Heads range of complete wet foods for dogs and cats. These highly anticipated wet foods are proudly made right here at home in Britain using only British meat and can boast a whopping 60 - 90% meat content! They’ve all been gently steamed to lock in
the taste and goodness and are a perfect topper to the existing dry range or a delicious meal on their own. The new range promises to attract new customers to the brand and carry the same mischievous names as their dry counterparts such as Bad Hair Day and Tender Loving Care. Provenance is key in all of the products Pet
Food UK produces and each and every one of their recipes is free of artificial additives or preservatives and jammed packed with goodness! For further information t +44 ()0808 100 8885 w www.barkingheads.co.uk
DMS - Vetbay ad ad was only 72 dpi customer resupplying
Companion Animal 18
Royal Canin leads the way in pet weight management with new dedicated team
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ith almost 60% of dogs and 40% of cats in the UK and Ireland being overweight or obese, Royal Canin has taken its approach to tackling the problem to the next level by establishing a brand new Pet Weight Care Team. The pet food
manufacturer already has a proven track record of developing innovative diets to help overweight pets and will now enhance its offering to vet practices and their clients by providing expert advice, information and training. The dedicated team of three specialist advisors will work directly with vet practices to help develop and improve their weight management clinics, client retention and product sales. The advisors will also provide practical training to all members of practice staff on how to recognise weight problems, communicate appropriately and sensitively with pet owners and treat the problem effectively. The first advisor to join the team will be Shelley Holden VN, who brings with her 10 years’ experience as the nurse for the Royal Canin Weight Management Referral Clinic at The University of Liverpool – a referral service for overweight dogs and cats. Shelley has also spent time running successful nursing clinics in general practice and lecturing internationally on the topic of obesity. She has also gained qualifications in companion
animal behaviour and nutrition. Shelley explained: “I have spent many years dedicating my time caring for overweight pets, and the number of cases we see is continuing to rise. It’s really important that as obesity specialists we can offer hands-on support to practices to assist them with helping to decrease the number of overweight pets they see. “Our aim will be to offer specialist training through a number of sessions to practices who wish to improve their weight management clinics. We’ll spend time with all members of staff helping them to feel more confident when dealing with owners who have overweight pets. The training will include all aspects of weight management including how to approach owners, Body Condition Scoring and the 30 minute consult. Staff will also be trained on how to support owners throughout the weight loss program and during the maintenance phase.” An important area of the training will also be discussing the prevention of obesity in pets, how to advise owners on the appropriate
OR Tech’s dicomPACS®vet offers special functions for veterinarians
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igital X-ray images have the advantages that exact measurements can be taken from the monitor and image quality can be improved by means of various manipulations. The current image management software dicomPACS®vet 6.0.2 by OR Technology offers some special functions for veterinarians, such as TTA measuring tool, TPLO, VHS as well as MMP measuring, HD measuring for dogs, the prosthesis documentation module for pre-operative planning or the distraction index measuring tool. In the so-called Modified Maquet Procedure (MMP), the size of the most suitable implants (wedge) for tibial tuberosity surgery in case
of cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs can easily be calculated for example with the sophisticated measurement tool or with the measurement of the distraction index of the femoral head hip joint socket determined for dogs. dicomPACS®MobileView 1.6 Radiological image material anywhere, anytime The web-based dicomPACS® MobileView viewer is one of many extension modules of dicomPACS®vet diagnostic software. Almost browser-independent, it provides viewing of (radiological) image material on mobile terminal units at locations other than clinics or practices. The vet or nurse can
access all image material via the dicomPACS®vet - system from anywhere in the world by means of a network connection. The new viewer enables viewing and (temporarily) evaluation images, and also the capture and export of diagnostic evaluations. In addition, it allows documents to be attached, unsigned diagnostic evaluations to be edited by the owner and documents to be exchanged. Image display is similar to the diagnostic evaluation explorer of the viewer, displaying all the diagnostic reports of a patient. For export purposes, individual diagnostic evaluations of a patient may be selected and provided in a formatted version. Further detailed information on the web-based viewer for mobile devices, dicomPACS®MobileView 1.6 is available at http://www.ortechnology.com/vet/produkte/pdf/ Brochure-MobileView-vet_webbased-viewer-for-mobile-devices.pdf For further information t + 49 381 36 600 600 e info@or-technology.com w www.or-technology.com
diets post neutering and how to manage the animal’s weight and calorie intake throughout their lives. Those who have received training will be followed up with on a regular basis to provide further support and training needs. Importantly, the team will also be encouraging weight management assessments to be carried out alongside medical examinations to ensure that this disease is treated quickly and effectively for the long-term welfare of the pet. In addition to working with practice staff, the Pet Weight Care Team will also work with owners outside of the vet practice using Royal Canin’s brand new mobile weight clinic. They will be able to assist owners by raising the awareness of obesity, educating them on the most suitable diet for their pets and offering advice on how to make simple lifestyle changes to make improvements to their pets’ health and wellbeing. For more information t +44 (0)845 3005011 w www.royalcanin.co.uk
Understanding Shock in Exotic Animals
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afeberVet, the ever-growing online resource library for Avians and other exotic pets, has extended an invitation to attend a complimentary, interactive, and RACE-approved, webinar on September 16th 2014 at 8pm EST (17th Sept 1.00am BST). The webinar, entitled ‘Understanding Shock in Exotic animals’, will be presented by Dr Marla Lichtenberg, a Diplomate of the American Veterinary College of emergency and Critical Care. As well as teaching attendees how to recognise and manage this life-threatening condition, she will detail treatment protocols for shock resuscitation and clinically relevant monitoring techniques. Registration for this web-based seminar opens in September. For more information w. www.lafebervet.com e. vetinfo@lafebermail.com t. 00 +1 800 842 6445
Focus on Diagnostics: The business and clinical case for doing more in-house
The best day’s CPD I’ve been to in 10 years! Dentistry in-house; moving your mindset - Pete Southerden Financing your investment - Braemar Finance ECGs: You really can do more than you think! - Dr. Mark Patteson Abdominal Imaging: case studies based around X-ray, ultrasound and CT scans - Paddy Mannion Dashboards and Income Analysis - Brian Faulkner Is the in-house laboratory the best clinical & financial option? - Dr. Andrew Torrance 5 things you can’t do without a digital X-Ray! - David Chambers Making the Most of your Microscope - Mike Wickham Regenerative Medicine - Stephen Barabas Can you afford NOT to offer Laporoscopic Spays - Marwan Tarazi
Thursday 16 October 2014, Staverton Park Daventry
From £100 for SPVS and VPMA members For more information and to book visit:
www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk 01453 872731
Exhibitors Sponsored by:
A. Menarini Diagnostics BCF Technology Burtons Medical Equipment Cambridge Radiology Referrals Celtic SMR Complete Veterinary Care Eclipse Veterinary Software Horiba HeartVets iM3 The Veterinary Dental Company MAI Animal Health Mount International Ultrasound Services Photon Imaging Systems Processing Imaging Equipment Services Quality Clinical Reagents & Trio Diagnostics The Veterinary Pathology Group (VPG) Vale Referrals VBS Direct VetZ Visibon Woodley Equipment Company Media Sponsor:
Spotlight – Woundcare 20
Reptiles, wounds and the everyday veterinarian
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ll pets have a chance of injuring themselves at some point in their lifespan and this includes reptiles. Sharp or rough parts of their enclosure, skin shedding, live food bites or burns are just some of the wounds you might encounter with reptiles,
though this list is by no means exhaustive. The main thing to do is ensure the owner is aware of necessary first aid for reptiles to understand how they can help – very minor injuries may not be worth a visit to the vet unless they are infected. However, the same
‘first steps’ can be applied in the veterinary surgery if the animal is brought to you for assistance. As with any wound, time is crucial, as a wound left open to the air for a long time will most likely cause more problems than when treated promptly. Cleaning the wound with a povidone-iodine based treatment like Vetark Tamodine Wound Cleanser will treat a wide range of potential infections including bacterial, viruses, protozoa and yeast. The use of iodine compounds on any amphibian is discouraged as the chemicals may be absorbed through their unique skin (and may cause metamorphosis or death in axolotls). Instead, consider a saline solution to cleanse these wounds. Rinse the wound clean following treatment. Repeat cleaning and natural healing by second intention is often best if the wounds are small or contaminated, such as live-food ‘biting back’ – in this case review the feeding practices, or if infection is suspected. Second intention granulation can be very slow, and regular daily moving
eventually to weekly cleansing may be necessary. Any cleansing should be gentle as inevitably it disturbs epithelialization – especially early in the process. Before giving a reptile antibiotics speak to a specialist or check suitability with BSAVA manuals as some antibiotics are harmful in certain species. Healing is a similar process to that in mammals, but slower. Even at their optimum body temperature (and temperature has a great influence) suture removal is best left to 4-6 wks. Polyglyonate sutures are generally recommended as causing least reaction, with edges everted. Skin staples usually work well. The pet may go through several skin-sheds quickly during the healing process. If owner thinks the wound does not appear to be healing or avoids food/water then the animal should be bought in for re-examination by a reptile expert for underlying problems. t +44 (0)1962 844 316 e info@vetark.co.uk w www.vetark.co.uk
Introducing the series from Alphasonics We’re excited and pleased to introduce Alphasonics to the veterinary industry as the name to trust for ultrasonic cleaning systems.
Only a small amount of cleaning agent required meaning minimal chemical use for quick and thorough cleaning - no scrubbing required.
We understand that cleaning surgical equipment is a task that must be carried out to the very highest of standards, and achieving the most stringent cleanliness available is paramount.
Proven infection risk reduction. All systems supplied with performance validation.
Range of models to suit any budget. Time and cost-effective.
The ‘Vetstar Solo’ benchtop and’ Vetstar Plus’ Ultrasonic Disinfector Washer are the pinnacle of surgical cleaning technology and ready to serve you and your surgery.
Built to accept any size or shape of equipment. Vetstar equipment can suit small animal, farm, exotic, equine and zoological surgeries.
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That is why we’ve been hard at work developing and testing the Vetstar range of equipment, which includes our unique Betasound and Active Cavitation technologies. These proprietary technologies deliver the highest possible cleaning standards available anywhere, reliably and consistently.
18 Caddick Road, Knowsley Business Park South Knowsley, Merseyside L34 9HP United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 151 547 3777 • Fax: +44 (0) 151 547 1333 www.alphasonics.co.uk
PROUD TO BE PART OF THE MADE IN BRITAIN INITIATIVE
Spotlight – Woundcare MDC helps aid recovery with its range of post surgical collars
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eterinary supply specialist, MDC Exports offers comfortable and practical alternatives to traditional ‘Elizabethan’ collars with their Smart and Soft E
collars. Both are designed to minimise stress during post-op rehabilitation. The Smart Collar is made from translucent plastic and is
designed to give animals a greater field of vision – improving the animal’s confidence - whilst humanely preventing them from aggravating a wound or injury. Super light and very flexible, the Smart collar stops the animal from bruising or damaging himself if he crashes into humans or furniture. The collars are available in packs of assorted colours and 5 easy to fit sizes which don’t have to be connected to the animals’ collar thanks to the soft Neoprene rubber neck piece. The Soft E Collar provides an effective barrier to a treatment area while ensuring an animal can
• Veterinary • Animal Rescue • Humane Control
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eat, drink and sleep comfortably. It allows free movement of the head, neck and body so an animal can carry on as normal, being less likely to get depressed. Very simple to use and fit, it features a drawstring design, enabling a precise and secure fit with its soft fabric tie and ensuring maximum comfort for the animal. The Soft E Collar is made out of super soft fabric, which is non allergenic, non toxic and water repellent, yet extremely strong to withstand claws and teeth. Very flexible and lightweight, it also folds flat for easy storage and will spring back into its original ‘Elizabethan’ shape. The Soft E Collar is available in five sizes and suitable for both dogs and cats.
Free samples of each collar available from our stand (C32) at the London Vet Show
For further information t +44 (0)1582 655600 e mdcexports@btconnect.com w www.mdcexports.co.uk
Have you seen our NEW brochure?
Smart and Soft E Collars to aid Post Surgical recovery Minimise the stress during Post-op rehabilitation · Smart Collar is made from a translucent plastic to allow a greater field of vision · Soft E Collar offers maximum comfort by allowing an animal free movement of head, neck and body · Prevents an animal aggravating a wound or Injury
Unit 11 · Titan Court · Laporte Way · Luton · Bedfordshire · LU4 8EF · UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1582 655600 · Email: mdcexports@btconnect.com · web: www.mdcexports.co.uk
‘paws up for MDC’
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Dedicated to the welfare of animals. All products are designed and manufactured in collaboration with veterinary professionals to meet the exact needs of the trade.
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Over 40 years award winning experience in the Veterinary sector
VSM
A comprehensive range of products and equipment, designed andproduced for all those who are concerned with animal welfare.
· Simple to use and easy to fit
Spotlight - BEVA 22
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Company
Stand
2 Sys Vet IT.........................................................C22 Activa Healthcare................................................B4 Army......................................................................D0 Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists (ABVA).......................................C8 Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT)..............................A28 Audevard Laboratories....................................B46 Bartec Technologies Ltd..................................B19 BCF Technology Ltd.........................................B74 Beaufort Embryo Transfer...............................B66 Blackwell’s Exhibitions......................................R3 Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd................................B72 “British Association of Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT) .......................................A40 Bucks Equine Dental Equipment...................B14 Burtons Medical Equipment Ltd .....................B0 Burtons Vehicle Systems Ltd..........................C16 Celtic SMR Ltd....................................................C0 CEVA Animal Health Ltd..................................C12 Custom Optics Ltd.............................................D6 Dearson Equine ................................................C42 Dechra Veterinary Products Ltd.....................B28 Direct Medical Supplies Ltd (DMS Veterinary) .............................................................................C52 Dr. Fritz - Endoscopy..........................................B8 Eickemeyer Veterinary Equipment Ltd.........B18 Elanco Animal Health.......................................C44 Equi Life Ltd.......................................................C50 Equidiet (UK)......................................................B68 Equilume Ltd......................................................A30 Equine Blades Direct Ltd.................................A36 Equine Foot Clinic Ltd and Equine Thermography...................................................A12 Equine Health (MA Healthcare)......................C51 Equine Health Plans (Denplan).......................B32 Equine Reproduction Supplies Ltd................A48 Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ).....................B38 EquiSal Tapeworm (Austin Davis Biologics Ltd).
Company
Stand Company
.............................................................................B34 EquiSports Performance Company..............D32 Equus Dental Harmony....................................D10 Farriers Registration Council..........................B84 FMBs Therapy Systems...................................A10 Form Nutrition.....................................................B6 Freedom Health LLC (SUCCEED)..................C56 Freelance Surgical Ltd.....................................C24 Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging Ltd.....................D8 Handmade Shoes (UK) Ltd..............................A13 Haygain Hay Steamers (Propress Equine Ltd) ...............................................................................D4 Hestevard...........................................................D26 HORIBA UK Ltd - Medical...............................D17 Horse Weigh......................................................B16 IFGA Gmbh........................................................B82 Imotek International Ltd..................................C35 Instrumentation Concept Ltd.........................B10 Invicta Animal Health Ltd..................................R1 Jim Blurton Specialist Horseshoes...............B84 Karl Storz Endoscopy (UK) Ltd......................... A0 K-Laser USA......................................................B44 Kruuse UK Ltd...................................................A14 Lease UK Ltd.....................................................A32 Life Data Labs Inc.............................................B84 Liphook Equine Hospital.................................D24 McTimoney Animal Association.....................D12 McTimoney Chiropractic Association...........B42 MED Equus Ltd.................................................B54 Merial Animal Health Ltd.................................A44 MSD Animal Health............................................R6 MXR Podoblock BV..........................................A18 National Veterinary Services...........................A46 NationWide Laboratories................................A46 Norbrook Laboratories Ltd.............................B48 Nupsala Veterinary Services...........................B30 Onswitch Ltd.....................................................D36 Pet ID Equine.....................................................B12 PG Mutual...........................................................C38
Stand
Pie-Data (U.K.) Ltd............................................C15 Platinum Performance.....................................B13 PLH Medical Ltd..................................................C4 Poynton Ltd (Imprint)........................................C48 Pro-Glu..................................................................C6 Protexin Equine Premium................................C46 Racing Blue........................................................D56 Rossdale and Partners ...................................B80 Salutivia Ltd.......................................................B22 Simple System Ltd Horse Feeds...................... A6 Spectrum Medical UK Ltd...............................B24 Stable Hands Ltd................................................D9 Stromsholm Ltd................................................B84 The Donkey Sanctuary....................................... A4 The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.............D2 Twemlows Stud Farm .....................................A49 University of Liverpool.....................................A15 UTC Imaging BV................................................B61 Vetericyn Animal Health (Innovacyn Inc)......C10 Veterinary Business Development.................R16 Veterinary Concepts Europe Ltd....................C36 Veterinary Defence Society Ltd......................C34 Veterinary Instrumentation Ltd ......................D16 Veterinary Pathology Group (TDDS Ltd).......B60 Veterinary X-Rays.............................................B64 VetPD..................................................................D34 VetPlus Ltd.........................................................C14 VetShare.............................................................C22 Vetstream Ltd....................................................R15 VETZ Ltd ............................................................B55 Visbion................................................................D14 Weir Minerals Europe Ltd................................B20 Whorl Publishing Ltd........................................B40 Woodley Equipment Company / Quantum Veterinary Diagnostics Ltd............A50 World Horse Welfare.........................................C40 Worshipful Company of Farriers....................B84 Zamar Therapeutic Temperature Treatment.. A2 Zoetis .................................................................A24
Equipment 24
Step-by-step guide to placing an arterial catheter Mr Graham Bilbrough and Dr Sheilah Robertson Introduction
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rterial catheters are placed to enable invasive blood pressure monitoring and repeated sampling of arterial blood. Uses
Invasive blood pressure measurement/monitoring (“the gold standard of blood pressure monitoring”). Pain-free arterial blood sampling if multiple samples are required. Technical problems Placing an arterial catheter is more technically demanding than placing a venous catheter especially in cats and small dogs. Major risk of exsanguination if catheter placed in arterial system becomes disconnected. Take great care to avoid air embolism. Arterial catheters have greater tendency to ‘clot’ than venous catheters and require frequent ‘flushing’. Procedure uncomfortable for patients. Use of local anaesthetic cream or subcutaneous injection of local anaesthetic over artery, beneficial in the unanaesthetised patient. Risk of haematoma formation. Apply firm digital pressure for at least four minutes after removal of catheter or failed attempt to place one. As with any catheter, take care to avoid infection. Small risk of creating ischaemia in extremity served by artery. Time required / Preparation Two minutes. Procedure Two minutes (with experience). Requirements Experienced and cautious veterinarian or nurse, with the help of an assistant.
Materials required • 24SWG and 22SWG over-the-needle catheters for small dogs. 20g catheter for medium to large dogs: • Alternatively, specialised catheters available for humans; however, offer no particular advantage to veterinary market. • Heparinised saline (usually 4 international units per ml): • Syringe containing 2 - 5 ml whilst placing catheter. • Further volumes to regularly flush catheter. • Heparinised saline-filled T-connector or simple bung incorporating an injection port. • Strongly recommend use of Luer-lock system. • Scalpel blade (# 11). • Zinc oxide tape (or similar) cut into two pieces of appropriate length to secure catheter in place. • Local anaesthetic cream (eg EMLA; Astra) for the unanaesthetised patient. To be effective cream must be applied to skin, after clipping, about thirty minutes prior to placing catheter. Use of occlusive dressing further improves effect of local anaesthetic. Alternatively, a subcutaneous or intradermal injection of local anaesthetic (Lidocaine) made over site of catheter placement. Provides faster onset of analgesia and is tolerated by most animals. Ideal equipment System to continuously trickle heparinised saline through arterial catheter will prevent clots from forming within catheter. Often incorporated with pressure transducers in systems to monitor arterial blood pressure. Care, do not administer too much heparin to patient. Approach Step 1 • Placing arterial catheter: blood
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vessels Typically, the dorsal metatarsal artery is used. Easily palpated over craniomedial aspect of metatarsal region, just distal to hock joint. Restrain animal in lateral recumbency. Place catheter in lower leg. Placing arterial catheter: palpating artery Palpate artery and determine its course No need to ‘raise the artery’. Attempting to do so may occlude artery.
Step 2 • Clip hair from over artery. Place catheter under aseptic conditions. • Make nick in skin overlying artery using scalpel blade. • Helps to prevent catheter from ‘crumpling’ as it passes through thick skin. • Pinch skin so that artery is not accidentally cut. Step 3 • Orientate catheter according to course of artery; place against flow of blood. Whilst limb is firmly held by assistant, penetrate skin with catheter and then vessel • Vessel lumen is smaller than that of an equivalent sized vein, making it somewhat easier to pass the catheter through other side of the artery. • Also, as the catheter first penetrates vessel wall, it is thicker than that of a similar sized vein. Therefore, use a ‘sharper’ movement to enter the artery, than for a vein, to avoid vessel being ‘pushed to the side’ by catheter. • Blood will fill the ‘flash chamber’ as soon as tip of stylet enters lumen. Advance a little further to ensure catheter itself is also within lumen • Advance catheter over needle (stylet).
Step 4 • Quickly attach T-connector (prefilled with heparinised saline) or bung. Step 5 • Firmly secure catheter and promptly flush with heparinised saline. • Label as ‘arterial’ to avoid accidental injection of drugs into arterial system. • Bandage in unanaesthetised patient. • Remember to apply firm digital pressure for four minutes after removing catheter or a failed attempt to place one. • Auricular arteries frequently used for catheterisation; however harder to secure in place. Radial, median, femoral and coccygeal arteries may be used, but greater attention to haemostasis is required. Furthermore, placing catheter is more technically demanding. Aftercare Immediate Aftercare Monitoring Check catheter frequently to ensure disconnection has not occurred. Regularly palpate site and inspect for signs of arteritis. ‘Flush’ arterial catheter frequently (every 2-4 hours recommended). Further reading The article, plus links to refereed papers and recent references are available at www.vetstream.com.
For further information t +44 (0)1223 895818 e enquiries@vetstream.com w www.vetstream.com
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The only rotor based veterinary chemistry analyser with single testing – available from Woodley Equipment
S
kyla VB1 is a fast, accurate veterinary chemistry analyser ideal for any vet practice or small laboratory. VB1 is a fully automatic system with a small footprint ideal for in-practice clinical chemistry analysis. The analyser requires virtually no maintenance and provides accurate results with the precision of a larger laboratory system and a memory capable
of storing data for 50,000 tests. Skyla VB1 also becomes the only veterinary rotor based point of care chemistry system which performs single parameter testing due to the introduction of a unique Single Assay test function. Veterinarians have the flexibility to perform from 1-6 tests simultaneously using any of the single and dual parameter cartridges now available:
Single Parameter Test Menu Crea, BUN, Cl-, CHOL, CPK, AMY Dual Parameter Test Menu Na+ & K+, ALT & AST, PHOS & Ca++ Additionally, Skyla VB1 now has 5 rotor panels available as Woodley Equipment is also pleased to announce the launch of the new Diagnosis Plus Panel which tests 13 parameters including Sodium (Na+)
and Potassium (K+). Diagnosis Plus Panel Test Menu Measured: ALP, ALT, TP, ALB, GLU, BUN, CREA, TBIL, AMY, Ca++, PHOS, Na+, K+ Calculated: Na+/K+, GLOB, A/G Ratio, B/C Ratio e sales@woodleyequipment.com t +44 (0)1204 669033 w www.woodleyequipment.com
Sometimes you just need another view point
How about from over 900 of the world’s leading veterinary clinicians?
Vetstream’s point of care clinical information services on the dog, cat, rabbit and horse are the world’s largest online source available to the veterinary profession covering everything from anesthesia to ultrasonography,accessible from any internet enabled device and have: Over 19,000 peer-reviewed text and multimedia sources updated weekly on diseases, drugs, diagnostic and surgical technique as well as on microbiology and parasites. Step-by-step guides to surgical procedures allowing you to prepare, refresh and discuss with peers. A detailed drug formulary enabling you to prescribe and administer An extensive collection of Owner Factsheets helping you enhance client communication and relationships. Links to the primary literature via VetMed Resource and PubMed, so you can apply an evidence-based approach to your work. An intuitive, easy to use interface, with bulleted key points, highlighted tips and warnings, and related links.
Vetstream Ltd Three Hills Farm, Bartlow, Cambridge CB21 4EN, United Kingdom tel +44 (0)1223 895 818 fax +44 (0)1223 895 819 email enquiries@vetstream.com
® d
Equipment 26
Latest generation of Vetario Intensive Care Units launched B
rinsea Products Ltd. has launched their latest Vetario T40M and T50M Intensive Care units for small animals. Both units provide comprehensive
intensive care features with control of atmospheric temperature and humidity and the option to elevate atmospheric oxygen levels and introduce nebulised drugs into the air inside the chamber, minimising the disturbance to the patient. Ease of cleaning is also a key feature –all Vetario intensive care units incorporate Biomaster Antimicrobial Protection into the cabinets during manufacture. Biomaster Protection is embedded within the plastic itself which prevents the growth of harmful bacteria helping to provide the optimum environment for a speedy
recovery. These latest models have been comprehensively re-designed in conjunction with BSI to control the fire risk associated with higher oxygen levels and so help vet surgeries meet employment safety legislation. The elevated oxygen levels which can be so beneficial to patients’ therapy also introduces the hazard of much easier combustion. This means that the higher oxygen levels in an intensive care unit can lead to fire much more readily than in normal atmospheres. The Vetario T40M and T50M have been designed to control these risks and for additional reassurance they
have been independently tested by BSI for product safety to the Animal and Medical Incubator standards. ‘The combination of elevated 02 levels and electricity is a potentially lethal one’ said Ian Pearce, Brinsea’s M.D. ‘so using a heat mat in an oxygen tent isn’t a safe option but with these latest Vetario models - and BSI’s input - vets can be sure that fire risks are properly controlled.’ For further information t +44 (0) 845 226 0120 e sales@brinsea.co.uk w www.vetario.co.uk
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Farm/Large Animal 28
Basic Chicken Husbandry P
riorities need organising before any chickens are acquired: are lots of eggs wanted per week, or only a few, some meat, beauty, conserve rare breeds, pets or weeding of a vegetable garden? No single type or breed will fulfill all of these requirements and it is so important that the keeper likes the look of the hens purchased – they will become part of the family. Hybrids versus pure breeds Hybrids are particular commercial crossbreeds and were originally developed and selected starting from the 1950s for the battery cage egg industry, to vastly increase production over the pure breeds. They are based on just a few of the more productive pure breeds and tend to be brown in colour, uniform in shape and size, being productive for almost two years. Examples are available as Warrens, Isabrown, Hy-line. These are the cheapest as they are reared in large numbers. Beware very cheap ones (ex-battery hens) as these will be at the end of their laying life and rescuing them, although admirable, will lead to heartache as they sicken and die within a few months. Best production 250-300 eggs per year for almost 2 years.
little more expensive than the brown hybrids. Best production 250-275 eggs per year for 3-4 years.
Company: chickens can be kept as just two hens but are happy with more company as long as the flock members do not change. img 2 Young outdoor hybrids Pure breeds are the traditional breeds of poultry, developed in various countries for various purposes, mostly since Victorian times. They are also used for exhibition and have Standards for shape and colour. On the whole they only lay eggs during the longer days. They can produce meat and some of the rarer breeds are particularly beautiful. They live and lay eggs for 4-7 years. The light breeds will lay the most but can be a bit flighty and nervous. The heavy breeds lay less and eat more but will produce meat as well. Pure breeds are the most expensive. Expect 100-250 eggs per year, depending on breed and age. Bantams lay small eggs but eat less and are great for children to keep and look after. (It is probably best to avoid Game birds as they can be aggressive). Their basic needs: environment, diet, behaviour, company, health. These must be considered before purchase. The Five Welfare Needs: 1. Environment — a suitable place to live 2. Diet — the right food in the right amounts 3. Behaviour — being able to behave normally 4. Company — for animals that need to live together 5. Health — protecting hens from pain, suffering, injury and disease
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img 1 Brown Hybrid The original outdoor hybrid, especially developed for freerange systems with hardiness, good feathering and living about 4 years, is the Black Rock. There are now myriad others available e.g. Calder Ranger, Speckledy, Columbian Blacktail, White Star, BlueBelle, which are more productive than pure breeds, hardier than the commercial hybrids and provide different colours of birds or eggs. A
stability of a flock and only changes if hens are added or removed. Chickens love to scratch with their feet to find insects, even tiny chicks will do this. The flock keeps watch for potential aerial predators and has a special call to alert their friends.
Environment: Chicken housing is used by the birds for roosting, laying, and shelter. Movable pens are good as the birds get fresh ground regularly. Ventilation is important. Diet: the balanced commercial chicken feed (layer pellets) is easy to obtain and should be stored dry. Wild birds should be discouraged from accessing chicken feeders, ad lib feeding is common as chickens are good at regulating the amount of feed or grit they need. Behaviour: the pecking order is very important to maintain the
Health: it the keeper’s responsibility to maintain the health of the hens by providing those items above, plus keeping stress low and using the licensed wormer at least twice a year to avoid build-up of internal parasites. This makes the birds stronger and more able to combat pathogens. Space Floor area should be a minimum of 30cm x 30cm per bird (large fowl) or 20cm x 20cm for bantams. If more space can be given then so much the better bearing in mind they will be spending time in the henhouse sheltering from the rain and wind. If a sliding or hinged roof is incorporated there is no need to have the house high enough to stand up in. It is useful to have a free-range house with a solid floor raised off the ground for about 20cm. This discourages rats and other vermin from hiding under the house and can make an extra shelter or dusting area for the birds. An ark is an enclosed hen house that is moved on a daily basis. If predators are a problem, the floor of the ark may have wire mesh attached to it, preventing predators digging underneath.
img 3 A movable chicken ark Ventilation Correct ventilation is vital to prevent the build-up of bacteria, condensation and ammonia. It should be located near the roof to ensure there are no draughts and on two sides to allow good throughput of air, not being closed off in winter: long nights and excess ammonia is a combination which encourages respiratory disease. It can be more difficult keeping the house cool than warm.
Nestboxes Located in the lowest, darkest part of the house as hens like to lay their eggs in secret places. Size for large fowl is 30cm x 30cm or 20cm x 20cm for bantams with one nest box per four hens. Litter in the nestboxes (and the floor of the hut) can be livestock shavings, Easichick bedding or straw. Never use hay due to harmful moulds. Perches Perches should be 5cm across, with the top edges rounded and the correct height for the breed so they can get on them easily and have room to stand up, but heavy breeds should have low perches to avoid bruising on descent. Space is a minimum of 22cm for large fowl and 15cm for bantams with 30cm between perches if more than one. Perches higher than the nestbox discourage nestbox roosting. Pophole A low door wide enough so that hens can go in and out of the house at will in daylight. The best design has a vertical sliding cover which is closed at night to prevent fox damage. The horizontal sliding popholes quickly get bunged up with muck and are difficult to close.
img 4 Deep litter hut arrangement showing good positioning of items e.g. nestbox in the darkest place Feeding: different rations, scraps In order to produce goodquality, healthy eggs, chickens need to have a regular supply of nutritious food as well as vitamins and minerals. This is best supplied through feeding proprietary chicken layer pellets, together with grains such as whole wheat (maize tends to make them too fat), plus grit for digestion. It is illegal to feed chickens scraps which have come from a kitchen: this is to prevent disease transference. Hens are allowed surplus greens directly from the vegetable garden. The best commercial feed is layer pellets rather than meal/mash as this sticks to the beak making any water quickly foul. If birds have access to grass they will not need extra greens but if in the winter there is not enough grass, hang up cabbage
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Farm/Large Animal
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stalks, nettles or brussels sprouts plants in their hut. Clean water and mixed grit should be available at all times. Empty drinkers in hot weather are as bad for the hens as frozen water in winter – they dehydrate quickly and laying is adversely affected. Flint (or insoluble) grit is needed to assist the gizzard in grinding up the food, especially hard grain; mixed grit includes soluble oyster shell for extra calcium. Light breeds start to lay at about 5 months and heavier breeds at about 6 months. Large fowl will eat about 110-170g per day, bantams need around 50-85g, according to size. Wheat (and a little maize in cold weather only as it is too heating in warm weather and can lead to featherpecking) can be offered as a scratch feed to keep the birds active. Feeders and drinkers MUST be checked on a daily basis, so it is important to consider weekends and holidays. Either someone must feed, water and collect eggs from the hens daily or they can go to another inhabited property for holidays. Keep feed in a vermin-proof and weather-proof bin to keep it fresh. Check the date on the bag label at purchase as freshly made
feed will only last three months before the quallity degrades to an unacceptable level. Equipment Commercially produced specialised feeders and drinkers are readily available and help keep feed and water clean by not allowing the birds to defecate in it. The feeders allow ad lib feeding which means that more feed is put in than the chickens can eat in one day. Hens are good at eating what they need for egg production and only get too fat if too many grains are fed. The feeder can be hung up at hen shoulder height and is best with a lid on to prevent perching and therefore defecating in the feed. If rats are a nuisance, the feeder should be removed at night. Metal feeders which act on the weight of the bird, so she stands on a treadle which opens the feed area are rat-proof. Drinkers can be of varying sizes and made of plastic (cheaper but not very long-lasting) or galvanised metal (more expensive but last for many years). The larger sizes can be very heavy when full and difficult to keep ice-free. In severe weather, a simple plastic
washing-up bowl with slightly sloping sides will allow ice to be tipped out and may need to be refreshed several times a day. Free-range: area, vegetation The definition of free-range is for hens to have access to ground covered in vegetation (normally grass) during daylight hours. They will need a minimum of a 1m x 1m each. This can be by letting the birds out at times when they can be supervised. What tends to happen is that hens are kept in one area and within a very short space of time will eat the grass and dig up the roots, leaving nettles and docks and mud – poor welfare. To prevent this, 2.5cm square mesh can be laid on a frame over the grass which the hens can walk on, eat the grass but not dig up the roots. They will appreciate a separate dustbath e.g. an old drawer filled with ashes, dry soil or sand. If gardening, hens will love to help find worms and insects, but they are best let out under supervision as they have a tendency to try and re-plant everything. The very small bantams do least damage. Free-range in a domestic situation usually means daylight access to
grass, not necessarily total freedom. Beware poisonous plants such as laburnum, laurel, nightshade, but these tend not to be grown if children are around. Most poisonous plants taste nasty to hens. Unless the covered run is a large area, don’t attempt to plant shrubs inside it as the hens will soon dig these up. Clematis, honeysuckle, berberis, pyracantha or firs can be grown on the outside of the run both for shelter and to enhance the area. If wanting to weed an allotment, use a fold unit which is a house and run combined, moved to a fresh piece of ground as soon as the hens have done their job, possibly daily, which means any droppings can be incorporated immediately as there will only be a few. If the hens are contained within the fold unit (feeder and drinker hang in the run part) they will efficiently weed and manure an area of choice leaving precious vegetables alone, plus being protected from the fox. Victoria Roberts BVSc MRCVS w www.vicvet.com Next time: health and prevention of disease
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Farm/Large Animal 32
Stay ahead of enzootic abortion with new Cevac® Chlamydia leaflet
C
eva Animal Health has produced a new advisory leaflet about enzootic abortion control and vaccination strategy in sheep, to make it easy for vets explain the best prevention protocols to their clients. It is estimated that around half of the 400,000 infectious 354 SFG Half Page Advert ART_OL.ai
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abortions in UK sheep each year are from enzootic abortion caused by Chlamydophila abortus, but timely vaccination programmes can prevent such dramatic losses. The instructional, eight-page leaflet explains, with the help of illustrations, how enzootic abortion
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can spread, why prevention is better than cure, the importance of timely vaccination of ewe lambs and replacement stock, how vaccination programmes make good economic sense and the benefits of using Cevac ® Chlamydia, Ceva Animal Health’s live enzootic abortion vaccine as part of the control programme. Carol Atkinson, reprodAction’s product manager explains: Chlamydia receives “Cevac ® consistently good feedback from vets, many of whom have enthusiastically volunteered their praise for the product to our territory managers. We thought a leaflet would be a constructive way to share views, giving vets the chance to hear about the advantages of vaccination and to provide them with the tools to
explain to their clients why vaccinating against enzootic abortion is cost worthy.” Cevac ® Chlamydia is available in a 50 dose or 20 dose bottle. It’s consistently available to stock and the smaller pack sizes make it convenient to store. It is quick and easy to administer, using the special, multi-dose injector gun. Cevac® Chlamydia has been a part of Ceva Animal Health’s comprehensive UK large animal product portfolio for a number of years. The vaccine is also used widely in Europe and has the advantage of reliability of supply, year on year. For further information t +44 (0)1494 781510 w www.ceva.co.uk
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Reference: 1. OIE Expert Surveillance Panel on Equine Influenza Vaccine Composition, OIE Headquarters, 4 March 2013. Available at: http://www.oie.int/our-scientific-expertise/specific-information-and-recommendations/equine-influenza/ (accessed August 2014). OIE = World Organisation for Animal Health
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Merial Animal Health Ltd CM19 5TG, UK. ProteqFlu® and ProteqFlu®-Te are registered trademarks of Merial Ltd. © Merial 2014. All rights reserved. Legal category UK. POM-V , IE- POM . New ProteqFlu®–Te contains Influenza A/eq/Ohio/03, Influenza A/eq/Richmond/1/07, Clostridium tetani toxoid. New ProteqFlu® contains Influenza A/eq/Ohio/03; Influenza A/eq/Richmond/1/07 Read packaging before use. For further information call the Merial Customer Support Centre on 0845 6014236
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Farm/Large Animal 34
Help Reduce the Risks; Use Optigain from Downland
O
ne of the most important times of the year in the sheep-farming calender is almost upon us. August onwards is a busy time, with tupping, and to ensure the lambing season is a profitable one preparations need to be made sooner rather than later. This year’s early grass growth has meant improved ram and ewe condition in all areas - very different to last year. Our current climate is unpredictable, and that, combined with the possibilities of poor mineral uptake into fast growing swards, means it is important not to take our eyes off the ball, and consider nutritional supplements to help ensure optimum health, fertility and foetal growth. The sheep farming industry
can lose up to £120 million a year in dead lambs. That is bad enough, but under performing rams or unproductive ewes add to the difficulty of maintaining profitability. Optigain is a quality vitamin and mineral drench from Downland, developed to help eliminate deficiency or combat underlying low levels which affect performance. It provides rams and ewes with key vitamins and trace elements required for optimal condition and will also help improve fertility and reduce incidence of disease challenge. The nutritionally balanced supplement is aimed at boosting performance and optimising immune status with a unique combination of natural Vitamin E, Selenium, natural antioxidants and a full complement of nutrients required
to support on-going performance in ewes, rams and lambs. These are all key in helping individual sheep to develop a strong immune system, giving your entire flock the best possible start to the breeding season. Natural Vitamin E is a more biologically active form than its synthetic counterpart, and is more easily absorbed and retained longer. Vitamin E status is improved, and will transfer into colostrum and pre-natal lambs, therefore benefiting ewes, rams and lambs alike. Optigain is available with or without copper. w. www.downland.co.uk t. +44 1228 564498 e. bestadvice@downland.co.uk
New Digital Flock Health Management Solution Showcased by MSD Animal Health
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he National Sheep Association held their biennial Sheep Event at the Three Counties Showground on 30th July, and producers attending became the first farmers to engage with the new digital flock health management
solution being launched this Autumn by Milton Keynes-based MSD Animal Health. Expertis LivestockPro is an easy to use, website-based computer application designed to make flock vaccine and animal health
product scheduling much simpler, and is available on-line, for free. Shepherds no longer need to rely on memory, written records in a filing cabinet or on an office wall chart to keep track of animal health treatments. The new system will save time and money, ultimately reducing losses from key sheep diseases. It can be used as a fundamental flock management tool, and be installed on a computer, tablet or even a personal Smartphone. The new application also keeps track of vaccine stock levels on the farm and even reminds users to order additional product before it is needed. Various alerts can be set up on any internet-connected device. LivestockPro also
incorporates medicinal product information and advice on correct vaccine administration. Marcus Sanders, project coordinator from MSD Animal Health, previewed the product and believes sheep producers will benefit enormously from the new digital system. He says, “Expertis LivestockPro really will make life easier for UK sheep producers. Adopt the application as a key flock management tool, and you will be unlikely to miss a key animal health product usage date ever again.” w. www.livestockpro.co.uk e. livestockpro@merck.com t. +44 370 060 3380
New Online database shows calf BVD status
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he ability to easily check a calf’s BVD status online has gained momentum with the announcement by XLVets of the launch of a central, fully accessible web-based database that provides verification of a negative test result for the disease. The new database is central to the ‘BVD CHECK TAG’ initiative that uses branded white ear tags as part of a BVD status testing procedure. The white tags show that an animal has been tested for BVD and provide an easily identifiable and highly visible prompt for calf buyers to check test results online before purchase. With essential critical mass provided through the backing of the 53-strong UK-wide group of XLVets veterinary practices, the main aims of BVD CHECK TAG are to improve the identification of source farms
and reduce the risks of persistently infected (PI) calves moving from unit to unit, thereby stemming the spread of the disease. “BVD is primarily spread by PIs, which are calves born from cows that are infected with BVD,” explains Dan Humphries from the XL Vets’ practice Lambert, Leonard and May. “These PI calves often appear normal but will spread infection to other cattle that they come into contact with. It’s therefore critical that we remove these animals from the breeding herd and also ensure that they are not sold into other herds. “By identifying PIs, ideally shortly after birth and certainly before they move from their home unit, we can minimise the spread of BVD and also offer more targeted control programmes in herds that are identified as infected.”
The scheme is entirely voluntary with farmers first having to make the decision to use the tissue sample testing technology to initiate the process. The white BVD CHECK TAG tags are available from a number of tag suppliers, with tissue analysis either done by the vet practice or through a central laboratory, depending on the type of tag used. Cost is estimated to be approximately £5-6/tag, which includes the laboratory testing. Once calves are tagged and the tissue samples analysed, results are recorded via the farm’s veterinary practice onto the new central BVD CHECK TAG database. This online database – which in future will be accessible from any smart phone through an APP – will then provide verification of all calves testing negative through the scheme.
“The scheme is being piloted on a significant scale through XLVets member practices, but any farmer (not only clients of XLVets practices) will be able to access the database from the outset,” adds Dan. “The ultimate aim is that all practices will have the option of participating in the scheme, with the database being hosted independently, thereby allowing the branded white tag to become a universal symbol to promote BVD awareness and prompt positive action to remove PIs.” MSD Animal Health is sponsoring the BVD CHECK TAG scheme. For further information t +44 (0)1228 711788 e joanne.sharpe@xlvets.co.uk w www,xlvets.co.uk
Spotlight – Imaging 36
Simon Constable chooses wireless eDR from PLH Medical S
imon Constable’s Equine Vets is a five vet 100% equine practice in the North-West of England, set up as a single vet ambulatory practice in 1997. The business grew steadily over the next three years allowing a property with land to be purchased and converted into a clinic with inpatient facilities. Operating facilities were added soon afterwards to help fulfil Simon’s surgical and orthopaedic ambitions. Simon has since gone on to complete his Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Equine Surgery- Orthopaedics) and a large part of his work involves lame horses. Simon’s Heaps Cottage Equine Clinic is situated in the rural outskirts of Manchester, where the practice makes full use of its inpatient and operating facilities as well as a busy office that acts as the “hub” of the business. All the office staff have a “horsey” background which helps them empathise and
understand the clients, and good communication by vets and office staff is regarded as the cornerstone of the business. Investment in equipment, particularly new technology, has always been regarded as important in the practice. The previous PLH Medical DR System had been a real work-horse for the practice for many years, producing great images within seconds of the exposure. This had been particularly useful for the ambulatory cases where horses and ponies required on-farm radiography. Typically, this would be laminitics and suspected fractures where it would be undesirable to travel the patient. Although a very convenient system, the wiring required often was a concern; there were generally 2 power-leads, the Ethernet cable and the “umbilical wire” from the cassette to the computer. Therefore, when PLH Medical first mentioned the wireless eDR system, Simon jumped at the chance
of trialling it. He had been impressed by the advice and support provided by PLH and wanted to maintain that relationship. After a short period of time using the new eDR System, it became obvious that it was a fantastic piece of cutting-edge technology which allowed him to continue to achieve diagnostic excellence. Simon says “My first impression was of the incredibly light and compact case housing the computer, panel and Wi-Fi, which was a marked improvement on the previous suitcase system with regards to portability. The Metron software itself is easier to use and more Windows friendly. Additional features include more accurate measurements, unique guided “mark-up” technology, and even a computer generated 3-dimensional image (bearing a remarkable resemblance to CT scans) obtained from a single radiographic view”. “The main advantage of doing radiography with this system is that it
is completely wireless. The batterypowered X-ray generator complements the system and allows much faster and safer radiography without wires trailing and potentially being damaged. Most importantly, the improvement in the radiology with the eDR system is incredible. The pictures are crystal-clear and offer impressive quality. They are clearer and sharper, especially with the magnifying tool. It was only when I compared images from the new eDR and the old DR systems that the difference became apparent. This was quite a feat in view of the great quality of the old system. i am confident that in choosing the eDR system, I can continue to support my clients and to maintain my very high practice standards. For more info and to arrange a trial of the eDR System t +44 (0)1923 237521 w www.plhmedical.co.uk
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Learn How to Scan the Equine Distal Limb with a Series of Free Videos from BCF
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s part of their on-going commitment to learning, imaging providers BCF Technology has created a 3rd series of free learning videos, this time for equine veterinarians. BCF’s in-house vet Ben
Sullivan BVSc MRCVS has created the new 14 part series of equine videos which explain step-by-step how to perform an ultrasound examination of the equine distal limb. The videos have been created in association with the British Equine
Veterinary Association (BEVA). The video series aims to provide a solid knowledge of the basic principles and techniques involved in acquiring and interpreting diagnostic quality ultrasonographic images of the equine distal limb, with
a particular focus on the soft tissue structures of the palmar metacarpus and plantar metatarsus, and also the palmar and plantar pastern region. Once you have completed the video series, there is an opportunity to earn a 1 hour CPD certificate by completing a short questionnaire. Ben commented, “We have now released a series of videos for the small animal, bovine and equine fields of interest. The aim of the videos is to help any vet gain at least a basic knowledge of ultrasonography in their particular field. They provide a good starting point for people new to ultrasound, or a refresher for those who haven’t used it in a while.” Visit the equine learning section of the BCF website under training courses to find the series of videos and the self-assessment quiz. Special thanks to Filham Park Vets for the use of their facilities during the filming of these videos. h t t p : / / w w w. u k - i r e l a n d . bcftechnology.com/learning/equine/ cpd-training-courses/equine-distallimb-online-training-course For further information e carole.irvine@bcftechnology.com t +44(0)1506 460 023 w www.bcftechnology.com
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Business Management 38
Introducing Chunk Training: The Next Generation of Veterinary Team Learning relevance Downloadable content summaries for quick future reference • Quizzes to test trainees learning • Special ‘assignments’ where typically the trainee applies the learning to the workplace and reports back to an online instructor for review and feedback • Regular reporting to designated manager on progress and performance Initially the courses were run at Liz’s own practices, and were very successful, with clear improvements in client care noticed and commented on by both staff and customers. Subsequently the practices have seen a significant upturn in business with the practice now demonstrating impressive growth rates. Liz comments: ”Our practice states that we ‘strive to be the practice of choice in the area for staff and clients alike’. The training helps all staff to become confident and effective in their communication, which gives clients great confidence in our service.” Since then Chunk Training has been rolled out across many other practices in the UK, consistently receiving excellent feedback. The easily accessible online format has also made it possible to roll out the courses in the US, which will be happening in the not too distant future. Currently there are 3 main courses available from Chunk Training:
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his issue we’re going to take a look at a fairly new player in the provision of veterinary training, one that is providing a powerful and much needed service to practices across the UK. Here’s the story of Chunk Training’s inception and an overview of it’s innovative training courses… Early in 2013 Liz Watkins, partner at Watkins and Tasker Veterinary Group based in North Somerset was looking at ways of improving how her team could: • Improve the client care they provided • Increase the basic knowledge of front desk staff • Ensure that everyone was aligned in the advice they gave to clients. However, it can be difficult to
get the team together in one place for a whole or even half day as it presents staff coverage problems; and also currently available external training was expensive. So, Liz decided to address this problem herself and started ‘Chunk Training’ to fulfill the needs of other veterinary practices as well as her own. The company addresses the aforementioned challenge by having training courses with the following features: • Delivered online; for ease of access and can be started, paused and resumed at the trainees’ leisure • Interactive and engaging; so that learning sinks in • Written (and regularly enhanced) by a Veterinary Surgeon to ensure
Caring for Clients This course of 6 modules is aimed at anyone who interacts with clients and is especially relevant for the receptionist. The course enables staff to excel at customer service and also become adept at handling tricky situations in veterinary practice in a confident and professional way. The 6 modules within this course are:
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Delighting the client Winning the new client Communication skills Bereavement Referrals and second opinions Complaints and mistakes
Clinical Information for Support Staff This course of 6 modules is primarily aimed at the receptionist and will give a solid grounding in the basic clinical information and associated practice policies to ensure that good quality, consistent advice is given to clients. The clinical information is designed to be at a level appropriate for support staff, and emphasises the importance of encouraging clients towards a veterinary consultation at every appropriate opportunity. The 6 modules within this course are: • Ectoparasites • Endoparasites • Treatment of Fleas Ticks and Worms (individualised for each practice) • Neutering • Vaccination (individualised for each practice) • Is it an Emergency? (Call triage) Managing Money Matters and Client Compliance This is a new short online course of 3 modules covering some of the financial and sales related aspects of veterinary business and includes the following modules: • Debt Control • Pet Insurance • Compliance More information on all of these courses is available from their website, and a helpful team is always on hand, ready to discuss accelerating your team’s performance! w www.chunktraining.co.uk e hello@chunktraining.co.uk t +44 (0)1934 235850
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Ceva Animal Health hosts team development webinar
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eva Animal Health, manufacturer of the new ‘no bite’ flea and tick ectoparasiticide, Vectra® 3D, is hosting an informative webinar on team development. The move follows recent research by the company that revealed that over 70 per cent of veterinary professionals would be interested in CPD on the non-clinical
topic of team development and how to create an efficient team based on their strengths1. Entitled ‘Why can’t we just get along?’ the webinar will educate delegates on how to develop insights to create a dynamic, harmonious team. It is taking place at 8.00pm on Wednesday 2 July and is being presented by Helen Goldberg DipM, MCIM, BVM&S, MRCVS. Helen
qualified as a vet from Edinburgh University and worked in practice for a number of years before moving to the veterinary pharmaceutical industry, where she remained for 13 years. Helen is now a leadership, management and team development coach and a qualified Insights trainer. To register for the webinar, which equates to one hour’s CPD, visit HYPERLINK “http://www.
thewebinarvet.com/ceva” www.thewebinarvet.com/ceva. Reference 1 Ceva Animal Health, 166 veterinary professionals, June 2014 For further information t +44 (0)1494 781510 w www.ceva.co.uk
Business Management Fishing for CPD - Improve Announces Second Icelandic CPD Trip
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windon-based Improve International has announced a second extended CPD trip to Iceland, combining soft tissue surgery with salmon fishing. CPD sessions on soft tissue
surgery will be delivered by Professor Dick White from Dick White Referrals during the visit, while leisure time will be spent experiencing salmon fishing on the River Midfjardara, which is known in Iceland as ‘The Queen of
the Rivers’. Delegates for the ‘Salmon and Surgery’ CPD will fly to Reykjavik on Friday 22nd August and will return on Wednesday 27th August. Improve International has recently been awarded a contract by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) for the training and revalidation of Official Veterinarians (OVs) in England, Scotland and Wales, and is one of the UK’s fastest growing providers of CPD. Rob Harry BVSc. MRCVS, a life-long fisherman and director of Valley Vets (Cardiff) attended in 2013, and can’t wait to go back this year. He landed his first salmon last year, and says that in addition to the ‘schoolwork’ there was plenty of time to get outdoors and appreciate the stunning scenery and fabulous fishing. Rob added, “The opportunity to learn from experts such as Dick in a small, friendly and informal group was unique. We had a choice of topics but Dick was happy to discuss any topics or cases raised
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by us.” Managing Director of Improve International, David Babington MRCVS, reiterated, “This trip proved so popular last year that we just had to do it again! It’s a great opportunity to combine some small group instruction in small animal surgery with world class fly-fishing for Atlantic salmon” Improve International was founded by veterinary surgeons, and a number of recognised experts, from across the UK in 1998. The company provides high quality CPD in a range of formats to help all veterinary professionals develop their skills and knowledge, using a combination of review lectures, case-based discussion and, where applicable, hands-on practical sessions. For more information w. www.improvecpd.com e. enquiries@improve-international. com t. +44 1793 759159
www.chunktraining.co.uk Bringing excellence in customer care to your veterinary practice team Training for receptionists, nurses and surgeons Topics include delighting clients, debt control, bereavement, complaints, parasites and more
Online, interactive, engaging courses
CPD eligible Created by a VSM
Call us to discuss your needs t: 01934 235850 e: hello@chunktraining.co.uk
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Free trial available
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Preparing to sell your Dental Practice
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elling a dental practice is a time consuming activity, both for you and your professional advisors. However there are steps you can take now to reduce the burden of selling when the time comes. This article sets out steps prospective Sellers can take before embarking on the sales process in order to prepare themselves better for the transaction. It is often the initial due diligence phase of the transaction which can prove the most burdensome for a Seller. The Buyer will send your legal representative a list of questions and documents which relate to your business and premises. Along with answering these questions, you will need to provide a substantial amount of documentation above and beyond that which will have been provided to your dental sales agent if you have chosen to instruct one. In preparation for a sale it is worth keeping in mind the motivation of a Buyer when they ask the due diligence questions. Remember the Buyer not only wants to find out as much information as possible about your business so they can continue your business and servicing your patients post-sale, but also ascertain whether the business is viable as marketed and is capable in continuing with the same profitability as a business. CQC
When you sell your practice you will need to deregister from the CQC. Depending on the nature of the business you are selling you may, before sale, need to enter into a temporary partnership with the Buyer in order to transfer the NHS element of your business. This temporary
partnership will also need to be registered with the CQC for a time. Whatever the mechanics of your transfer, if you have not had a recent CQC inspection, there is a distinct possibility that changing the registration of the practice will trigger a CQC inspection. Therefore make sure you are CQC compliant and ready for an inspection. In particular make sure your files and practice policies are up to date and ensure you are health and safety compliant. The time spent preparing in advance for a CQC inspection will make the inspection itself easier and hopefully successful. Where a practice does not pass their CQC inspection on the first visit, this can hold up the sale transaction as Buyers are often reluctant to acquire the practice before the remedial steps have been taken and the CQC has subsequently confirmed compliance. You can use this time to ensure you have all the policies and handbooks you need in your practice, from your staff handbook to your business contingency plan. This may seem like a lot of administrative work, however the paperwork you prepare now will be part of the paperwork that you will be providing to the Buyer during the due diligence process. NHS
If you are transferring an NHS contract as part of the business, get together your NHS paperwork now. Often a Buyer will seek to view not only the original contract, but also several of your most recent vital signs reports and NHS pay statements. If you start to collate these as they arrive, you will not only save yourself time in collating the documents
during the sale process, but you will also be in a position to evaluate your performance on the basis of the vital signs reports and see if there are any steps you can take to make your practice a more marketable entity. GDS contracts and PDS agreements are transferred in different ways. Each circumstance is unique, depending on the type of contract that is being transferred and the type of Seller who is transferring the contract. Therefore do make sure you consult a specialist legal advisor when seeking to determine what, if any, approach you should make to your local Area Team before the sale. A prudent Buyer will also ask you historic questions, going back to 2006, about your NHS contract. A Buyer will want to know how the contract’s performance has been over the years. They will want to know whether there have been any significant underperformances and over performances of the contract and whether these have been repeated. A Buyer will want to know whether any breach or remedial notices have been served against the contract and whether the remedial steps have been taken or the breaches repeated. Paperwork to evidence any of the above will need to be provided to a Buyer. Staff
Ensure all your staff have written contracts in place. A Buyer will rely on the terms of the contracts when the business is transferred. You will need to review these contracts, especially where the contract relates to a long-standing staff member, to ensure the pay rate recorded and the hours worked are accurate. In
particular make sure that where a contract provides for specific hours to be worked, these hours are still the same and that any alterations have been recorded in writing and signed by both you and your staff member. In addition, if your staff work overtime or additional hours, make sure you record this accurately so the information provided to your Buyer is correct. Accurate information now will prevent post-completion disputes arising. Associates Where you have self-employed associate dentists, hygienists or therapists, make sure written contracts are in place and that the terms of these contracts are accurate. Provisions such as notice periods and performance targets in particular need to be clear and unambiguous. Also monitor their activity and consider whether they are performing on target and whether their work is of a good standard. Make sure you deal with any concerns you have before the sale process begins. Finances Talk to your accountant before you embark on the sales process. Ensure your management and annual accounts are up to date and discuss with him how your business presents. If you are some time away from marketing your practice there make be some cost-saving changes you can make to ensure your business is more profitable. Implement these now so the Buyer can rely on these later. e csd@lockharts.co.uk t 0207 383 7111 w www.lockharts.co.uk.
Team cohesion tool introduced at VPMA regional meeting
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eam harm o n y is on the agenda at an upcoming regional meeting of the Veterinary Practice Management Association. Veterinary coach and mentor Carolyne Crowe is one of two speakers at the VPMA Joint Avon, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall meeting to be held on the 23rd September in North Tawton. Carolyne will be sharing her insights on one of the practice
manager’s most common challenges – integrating the varying personalities of staff so that they work well together and form an effective team. She will introduce a tool to help managers and team leaders recognise and appreciate individuals’ psychological makeup and how best to manage and work with them. The meeting will also host an update and Q&A session on the re-launch of the Practice Standards Scheme, due end of 2015. Renay Rickard is one of two VPMA Council PSG representatives on the RCVS Practice Standards Group which is responsible for the setting and reviewing of the Scheme’s standards, rules and inspection
protocol. The meeting kicks off at 2pm at the North Park Veterinary Group’s North Tawton premises and runs until 4.30pm including a networking session. On the same day, at the other end of the country, VPMA’s new regional organiser for Essex, Liz La-Page, will hold a meeting with the title of ‘The Customer Journey…How easy do you make it for people to recommend you?’ Onswitch’s Kirstie Faulkner will lead the session, looking at each touch point on the customer journey and highlighting what practices can do to help animal owners find them, choose them, stay with them and ultimately recommend them. The
meeting will be held at the Thames Chase Visitor Centre in Upminster from 7.30pm to 10pm. Again a networking session will allow attendees to get to know each other and share their insights. Registration forms can be obtained at www.vpma.co.uk/ education/cpd.html or by phoning the secretariat on 07000 782324. Everyone is welcome – the meetings are open to non-members. The sessions cost £12+VAT for VPMA members and £18+VAT for non-members. For further information t +44 (0)1453 872 731 w www.spvs-vpma-events.co.uk
Business Management Agria focuses on practices with new advertising campaign
For further information t +44 (0)800 369 90 96 w www.agriapet.co.uk/FINDOUTHOW
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Agria Pet Insurance will be at BVNA stand P026 and LVS stand J24
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but that can make planning the right treatment an easier process. Agria’s ‘Q and A’ style adverts will be featured across the veterinary press, highlighting some of the more unusual benefits of Agria policies. They include cover for behavioural therapy, benefit for prescription diets and cover for the cost of specialist
than one brand of pet insurance, so is currently working with vets to increase awareness and help clients have a real choice of provider. “We’re really excited that our new ad campaign highlights some of the more unusual benefits pet owners get with an Agria policy. These have become part of our cover through years of working with vets and seeing what really matters to them and to pet owners, so we’re very proud to bring attention to them in the campaign,” Christian Romeril, National Veterinary Sales Manager, Agria Pet Insurance.
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gria Pet Insurance has launched a new advertising campaign highlighting the elements of its policies designed to help vets. The campaign’s theme is ‘Find out how’, and features aspects of Agria’s policies that vets may not be aware policyholders are covered for,
referrals – including travel expenses. The company is renowned for its established close partnerships with specialist animal organisations, including the Kennel Club and the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), as well as with veterinary professionals. Throughout the company’s 120 year history, Agria has consistently focused on supporting vets, with veterinary-trained staff to make claims handling easier and quicker, and support in-practice to help vets raise awareness of pet insurance. The company also actively supports practices giving clients a choice of pet insurance providers, even if the practice is an Appointed Representative (AR) of another company. In a recent survey, Agria found that many practices didn’t realise it was possible to display more
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Creating a feline-friendly practice with Royal Canin I
n practice, it’s important to address the specific needs of your clients. Many argue that historically (often unconsciously) our practices have been designed to cater for dogs and their owners and that there’s room for improvement when it comes to creating a feline-friendly practice. The pet-owning public often perceive cats as more independent, mainly living indoors and quite resilient when it comes to disease (rarely requiring vaccinations for example). This reinforces the misconception that cats need less veterinary attention than dogs. We in the veterinary world know that cats in fact require a tailored approach: one incorporating specific clinical knowledge, often specialised equipment and a completely different approach to patient care (when compared with dogs). In a typical self-fulfilling prophecy, since cats do not go to the vets very often (they currently represent a smaller percentage of business) veterinarians do not always put a great deal of effort into making their clinics cat friendly. This can result in a less than pleasant experience for both the cat and its owner: they’ll therefore tend to visit less and less frequently. As the number of cat owners increases, vets have started making steps to adapt their premises, staff
skills and knowledge and practice protocols to suit their influx of feline patients. There are both big and small changes a vet practice can make to become more feline friendly. One relatively simple change to make is to ensure that the practice is welcoming to cats. Paying attention to the ambiance, smell, noise and intensity of lighting can make a positive impact on the comfort and stress-levels of cats. From a client point-of-view simple things, such as putting images of cats on your practice sign, literature and on posters throughout the waiting room will help reassure customers and passers-by that you’re equally dedicated to canine and feline clientele (or even a feline specialist!). In addition, you could make a focus of current topics and offers related to cat health and position cat-specific products in the reception area. It’s important that your reception and waiting areas are arranged in such a way that the cat owner will feel at ease and welcome with their cat carrier in tow. Respecting a cat’s natural behaviour and preference for higher resting places, you should offer easily visible, elevated areas where cat carriers can be placed. Cat owners shouldn’t be asked to put their carriers on the floor, in
preference for maintaining close contact and avoiding possible altercations with canine visitors. To become truly feline friendly, practices should re-think medical protocols and engineer a partial separation of their key areas whenever feasible. The approach demands full commitment - from the management team to support staff - to effectively modify the services you offer so that clients truly appreciate the considerations. In some practices this can be demanding in terms of organisation and management but once implemented, practices will reap the benefits. For larger group practices, opening a separate feline branch can also provide enormous benefits. Vet groups, which already operate three or more practices within the same catchment area, have the option to adapt one of the premises specifically for cat-owning clients. Although this process can be slow to develop, the financial benefits can be significant once everything is up and running. Alternatively, for single-site practices a ‘feline unit’, with dedicated reception room areas, consult rooms (if there are enough!), treatment and hospitalisation areas is a ‘gold standard’ scenario for practices that see all species of pet. A dedicated feline service will change the culture of
the practice, appeal greatly to feline clientele and ideally (with robust marketing) attract new clients to your practice. For practices who are still weighing up their options, at the very least they should test their ‘felinity’ by obtaining direct feedback from their existing cat clients. Even the more feline-friendly practices can unearth one or two simple changes that will improve the service they provide for cat owners which will differentiate their business from the competitors. Royal Canin is currently promoting an innovative and multifaceted summer campaign in a bid to help small animal practices further develop their relationships with cat owning customers. ‘Summer of the Cat’ runs throughout July and August and offers reduced price diets supported by a free display package, as well as giving owners the opportunity to feed a rescue cat for a day with each purchase. There will be a competition for practices to win the best Summer of the Cat display and owners can also register for free on a new online cat owner education programme called catwyse.
t +44 (0)845 3005011 w www.royalcanin.co.uk
New role demonstrates Dechra’s commitment to equine health market
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he equine team at Dechra Veterinary Products is expanding, with the appointment of specialist vet Alana McGlade, a graduate of Nottingham Veterinary School, who joins Dechra as an Equine Sales Manager (ESM) working alongside fellow ESMs Hilary Gates and Vicki Dawson. The appointment is a strategic move by Dechra to further invest in its equine offer, expanding the team to deliver increased customer contact and targeted support for equine vets across the UK. Equine brand manager Emma Jennings said: “We have seen demand for our equine portfolio grow consistently and last year we established a dedicated team to support
veterinary professionals in equine practice. This has been an extremely successful move and has been well-received by vets who have appreciated the wealth of experience and knowledge within the team. “Hilary and Vicki are extremely experienced ESMs and offer our customers excellent support. With the appointment of Alana as well, we can offer enhanced customer service and equine-specific technical support.” Alana says “I’m delighted to be joining the team at Dechra, and am looking forward to working with the equine veterinary professionals and practices which Hilary, Vicki and the team support.” Hilary Gates is an Equine Science graduate whose studies
focused on equine pharmacology, veterinary medicine and sports physiology. She previously worked as an equine veterinary nurse, working across theatre, lameness and critical care. Vicki Dawson, also a former equine veterinary nurse with a degree in Equine Science, has spent the last nine years working in the animal health market. Away from the office, Vicki is a keen horse-rider whose passion is cross-country and who loves to spend time on the slopes, but admits her skills on skis are not as good as those in the saddle.
e. info.uk@dechra.com t. +44 1939 211215 w. www.dechra.co.uk
Business Management Ceva’s cardiology webinars now available on-demand
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ollowing Ceva’s hugely successful cardiology webinar series, which attracted over 1,600 veterinary professionals when viewed live, the company has announced that the webinars are now available to view ondemand. Featuring up-to-date information on the management of heart failure and presented by some of the UK’s leading veterinary cardiology specialists, the online seminars include: • The management of pericardial diseases in dogs by Mike Martin
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The management of syncope and collapse in dogs by Sarah Smith • Monitoring heart failure patients by Anne French • Interactive cardiology case studies by Chris Little Each webinar lasts for around 1.5 hours. CPD certificates are then available after answering questions relating to each webinar. For further information t +44 (0)1494 781510 w www.cardaliscpd.co.uk
Vetark Professional releases mobile app to make mobile browsing even easier
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etark Professional has released an app, enabling on-the-go customers to easily access the latest news and information straight from the brand. The app has all contact information and links to the website, Facebook and Twitter pages and acts as a central hub for retailers, wholesalers and direct customers alike. Research has highlighted the significant move towards web browsing on a mobile device, with the majority of this being completed directly through applications. The app release ensures Vetark is able
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to maintain the high level of advice, support and information as it has done for 25 years. The new app is part of a significant shift in communication for the company following their transition to a responsive website layout in April. The app is available through the Google Play and Apple App stores as well as online at http://vetarkprofessional.appsme.com/. We will continue to expand the app as the online presence of the company grows. t +44 (0)1962 844 316 e info@vetark.co.uk w www.vetark.co.uk
iM3 announces course dates for Autumn/Winter 2014 i
M3 has announced dates for a series of CPD courses, to take place in their wetlab facility in Ireland. The facility was built in December 2013 to enable them to focus on improving service and support, and the range of courses that they are able to run now encompasses a wide range of species, techniques and equipment. The courses on offer in the latter part of 2014 include “A Practical approach to Veterinary
Dentistry”, which covers all routine dentistry topics, and will be hosted by industry specialist Dr Suzanne Kelly on the 20-21 August/29-30 November and “Dental Radiology and Extraction Techniques” on two dates, the 1st October,hosted by Dr Richard Kelly, and the 22-23rd October, with Dr’s Hanne Kortegaard and Tomas Eriksen. Dr David Crossley will be looking at “Conventional
Endodontics” on the 1-2nd November, followed by ‘Rabbit Dentistry” with Dr Charly Pignon on the 6-7th December Additional courses will take place in other locations, including “Dental Radiology and Extraction Techniques” with Dr Richard Kelly in Northern Ireland, and for those who don’t wish to cross the water, Dr Bob Partridge will be hosting a 2 day Practical approach to Veterinary Dentistry in Wales, from the 26-28th
September Equine vets are sure to appreciate the Equine Dental workshops with Dr Shannon Lee and Dr Paul Owens, which take place on the 15-17th November. For further information t +44 (0)1423 224297 e training@im3dental.com w www.im3vet.com
VPMA offers practical help and reassurance through its e-groups of experienced managers to dip into – whether that’s to ask for a document template, gather feedback on handling certain issues, or even just to reach out and say hello - can save on time and effort as well as providing reassurance that you’re handling things as your contemporaries would.” Regular newsletters and updates are just one of a range of benefits that members can access to keep up with developments. The association also offers regional support with face-to-face CPD
meetings where the opportunity exists for good old-fashioned networking. Regional Organisers can also ask for input from the membership on behalf of members who wish their query to remain anonymous. Non-members wishing to access the Vetpol forum should contact caroline@vetpol.co.uk. For further information t +44 (0)07000 782324 e secretariat@vpma.co.uk w www.vpma.co.uk
Q3 03566-245x20 Aug14.indd 1
How do you explain the need for a costly specialist referral? Find out how at: www.agriapet.co.uk/FINDOUTHOW 21/07/2014 15:50
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VPMA President Helen Sanderson stressed the importance of reaching out to colleagues, “Practice managers don’t have the same legal obligation as vets and nurses to fulfil CPD, and some find it hard to get time to leave the practice to keep up with what’s happening out there. The veterinary management landscape is changing all the time; health and safety regulations get updated, employment laws change, the nature of the marketplace and clients’ needs change. Having the collective expertise of a large group
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he Veterinary Practice Management Association is calling for practice managers to give their views on current issues and help colleagues via its online forums. There are two channels available: members can use the e-group which connects over 200 individuals and allows confidential discussions, and the VPMA management forum on Vetpol, where the comments can be viewed by anyone with an interest in practice management, including nonmembers.
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Webpartner Launches Owner Videos
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series of 19 owner videos has been launched by Webpartner, the veterinary practice website service offered by online veterinary content specialist Vetstream. The new videos, which can be branded with the logo of an individual practice, aim to help owners carry out basic procedures to protect their pet’s health and to educate them on aspects of pet care. Topics covered include:
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how to give a tablet to a dog or cat • how to brush a dog’s teeth • how to put a cat into a carrier Other videos encourage owners to take a proactive approach to monitoring their pet’s health by showing them how to spot the signs of illness or obesity. The videos have been created by a specialist veterinary company and each lasts a maximum of three minutes. Full details can
be found at http://www.vetstreamwebpartner.co.uk/add-on-services/ inform/pet-health-videos.shtml Nicola Saunders, Webpartner Manager, explains: “Pet owners are attracted to videos because they can actually watch how to carry out procedures which they may find challenging and can replay the video as many times as they want to before trying the procedures themselves. Persuading a cat to take a tablet is
a good example and is something I have struggled with myself. “We’ve commissioned the videos to cover a whole range of routine pet care tasks and can now make them available to practices, fully branded, to include on their own websites. Existing Webpartner clients receive a significant discount when purchasing the full set.” The Webpartner team has designed and built more than 250 websites for veterinary and related organisations across the UK. In addition to Webpartner, Vetstream offers a range of online clinical resources for the veterinary profession including its point of care reference resources Canis (dogs); Felis (cats); Equis (horses) and Lapis (rabbits). Its Vetacademy service offers e-learning modules and online videos from some of the world’s leading veterinary CE providers, including The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Medicine, Elsevier and Improve International. t +44 (0)1223 895818 e webpartner@vetstream.com w www.vetstreamwebpartner.com
Haworths Helps Vets Decide on Best Financial Treatment
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rom poorly puppies to sickly snakes, veterinary practice, Shuttleworth Veterinary Group in Rawtenstall has built an enviable reputation for excellent standards of care and service over the years. Vet, Vince Wager, joined the business in 2010 and had discussed the possibility of opening a second practice with the company’s owner, Hammad Sarwar. So when an opportunity arose to acquire a suitable property in Rochdale, the colleagues looked into the business case for setting up in the town. Explains Vince, “There were already several vets’ practices in Rochdale but the building and location were ideal and we believed we could bring something new to the town based on the best practice model of the existing business in
Rawtenstall. “There were several questions about how to set up the business and how to manage the property acquisition element of the process so we arranged a meeting with Haworths Chartered Accountants for its advice on a wide range of practical matters.”
Future Flexibility Vince and Hammad wanted to set up the new business, Valley Vetcare, as a 50/50 partnership and had already decided to buy rather than rent the property. Hammad already owned the Rawtenstall practice and the two companies were to be linked by common computer systems, a shared client database and the use of shared equipment. Vince says: “We needed to look at the best way to structure the new business in terms of deriving the maximum benefit from the links between the two practices while keeping them financially separate. We also wanted to ensure that there was enough flexibility in the structure of the company and assets
ownership to factor in varied options when we decide on exit and earn out plans in the future.” Haworths’ Jeff Allsebrook says: “We outlined the possible options for dividing shares in the business and structuring the property purchase to build flexibility into the company’s asset base. While the property purchase was financed by a bank loan from Hammad’s existing business bank, we also advised the business partners on asset finance options for a new X-ray machine and helped to compile the application.” Vince continues: “After listening to Haworths’ advice we decided to keep the property and the business financially separate. Hammad and I own the premises jointly and we rent it to the Rochdale practice, which we also own on a 50/50 basis. “This means that if we decide to sell the practice in the future and the buyer cannot afford to buy both the business and the property we can continue to rent the property to the new owners.”
the meantime, Haworths continued to help the fledgling company with the practical financial matters surrounding set up, including VAT registration and installation of the company’s SAGE accounting systems. Going forward, Haworths will be responsible for dealing with the report and accounts for the new veterinary practice and Vince and Hammad will continue to involve the company in decisions about the property. Vince adds: “At the moment the practice is based on the ground floor of the building and we are using the upstairs as office space. We are hoping to expand to the first floor as we grow but in the meantime we need to decide whether to rent that space out as a revenue generator and we will continue to consult with Haworths to ensure we consider all the financial implications of those choices as the business develops.” Jeff says: “Every business is different and it’s important that we get to know our clients so we can give the best possible advice. “
Supporting Growth The property purchase was completed by January 2014 and the Valley Vetcare practice in Rochdale opened to its first clients on 1 April. In
For further information t +44 (0)1254 232521 enquiries@haworths.co.uk www.haworths.co.uk
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Pharmaceutical 46
Chanelle Launches first European generic of Drontal Cat C
hanelle is the MA holder and manufacturer of the first generic form of 20 mg Praziquantel / 230 mg Pyrantel Embonate tablets for cats in Europe. The addition of Prazitel Cat complements Chanelle’s existing successful range, Prazitel Plus+ for dogs was launched in 2009 and Prazitel Plus XL for large dogs was launched in November 2013. Chanelle currently employs over 300 people in its head office in Ireland, its R&D laboratory in Jordan and its offices in the UK. Chanelle was founded in 1980 by veterinary surgeon Michael Burke, Chanelle licences, manufactures and contract manufactures both animal health and human pharmaceuticals. Prazitel Cat tablets are used for the control of tapeworms
“Chanelle was the first to the European market with Prazitel Plus for dogs, a generic of Drontal, and we’ve been focused on expanding our range and being first to the market again. Top quality products with potential take years of development and expense but Chanelle is committed to giving Vets more choice, continued high quality and better margins. ” Michael Burke, Managing Director Chanelle. A new Prazitel website and Free Reminder service for pet owners will be launched later this month in the UK and Ireland.
and roundworms. The flavoured tablets are presented in easy to use perforated blisters in pack
sizes of 24’s and 104’s, the larger packs include dispensing envelopes.
For further information t + 353 (0)91 870146 e ccavanagh@chanellegroup.ie
Hassle-free treatment for feline Otodectes cynotis
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timectin vet [POM-V] is a new ivermectin-based topical application from Vetsonic. Licensed for use against Otodectes cynotis infections in cats, Otimectin vet. offers a once weekly dosing alternative to traditional ear mite treatments, which commonly require twice daily administration over 7 to 21 days. Presented as a gel in a 10g tube complete with application spout, Otimectin vet. is a 1 mg/g ivermectin preparation, completely
Navilox back on the market
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étoquinol is delighted to announce the return of Navilox powder; the only medication specifically licenced in the UK for use in cases of navicular disease in horses. Navicular disease is a chronic degenerative condition of the navicular bone and associated structures; and is a syndrome with a complex pathogenesis which combines various underlying causes. It is a common cause of lameness in the middle aged riding horse. Robert Simpson, Navilox
Product Manager comments; “Navilox has been sorely missed by equine vets in the UK which is why I am thrilled to be able to announce that it is available again.” Navilox 3% w/w Powder contains isoxsuprine hydrochloride. Legal category: UK: POM-V To be supplied only on veterinary prescription. For further information t +44 (0)1280 825424 w www.vetoquinol.co.uk
free of antibiotic or steroid. The mode of action of ivermectin is to paralyse and kill the mite via inhibition of nerve impulses. Otimectin vet. provides an easy-to-administer solution to ear mites, with less mess and fewer doses, whilst providing efficient antiparasitic activity. For further information t: +44(0)1653 695333 e: info@vetsonic.com w: www.vetsonic.com
Pharmaceutical 48
Effortless removal of a common fish problem W
idely regarded as the fleas of the fish world, fluke infections are common and will ruin a collection in days if not treated. Because of the speed at which infections take hold, it is essential to have a solution to hand that will work just as fast. FlukeSolve is the answer. It contains Praziquantel so you can use it with a wide variety of fish species and ages without causing them stress. Completely filter-safe, this fastacting treatment provides the best results in no time.
Praziquantel has been used to treat parasites in fish for some time, but is known as difficult to dissolve in water without solvents. Fluke-Solve doesn’t use them (Patents applied for) so fish are not stressed with unusual chemicals. The active ingredient, Praziquantel, has been shown by clinical trials to persist at a therapeutic level for at least 3 weeks in standard garden ponds - offering assurance that the parasites are fully removed. The long lasting formula is cost-effective - one treatment
will kill live-bearing flukes and tapeworms. A single follow-up dose 3 weeks later will eliminate the hatching larvae of egg-laying flukes, removing this challenging parasite with ease. Dosing is simple. Just add the required amount of FlukeSolve to a small volume of pond or tank water, stir and pour into the main pond or tank. The product rapidly dispersES through the main water body to instantly start attacking the parasites. It will kill any in-contact parasites within a few hours.
Two sizes of Fluke-Solve are available. 10 grams will treat 2500 litres of water and 100 grams treats 25,000 litres of water. For smaller tanks, use Fluke-Solve Aquarium, as the measuring scoop included makes accurate treatment doses a simple task. For further information t +44 (0)1962 844 316 e info@vetark.co.uk w www.vetark.co.uk
Extra Flexibility with Meloxicambased NSAID Inflacam
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irbac is one of the largest independent veterinary pharmaceutical companies in the world, and its wide product portfolio includes many marketleading and award-winning products for large and small animals. The company has just launched Inflacam, a new meloxicam-based injectable solution for use in relieving post-operative pain following dehorning in calves; acute respiratory infection in cattle; diarrhoea in young calves and acute mastitis. Inflacam has all the proven benefits of meloxicam, and is available in both 20ml and 100ml sizes. The new 20ml presentation has been developed to offer veterinary surgeons the flexibility to treat one adult cow, or a number of calves, while reducing waste and the risk of product contamination through multiple broaching. Inflacam is also indicated for non-infectious locomotor disorders and MMA Syndrome in pigs, for muscular-skeletal disorders and pain associated with colic in horses. Brigitte Goasduf
MRCVS, Virbac Product Manager for Large Animals said, “With meloxicam being such a well-established NSAID in cattle and other large animals, we wanted to give veterinary surgeons a product which gave them additional flexibility in its use on the farm. The new 20ml single cow pack means less waste and better value for all users. It is also ideal for several calves or a single horse treatment.� Virbac was founded by a veterinary surgeon, and is dedicated to supporting the veterinary profession through the development of innovative products and services, which help animals to lead longer, healthier lives. The company aims to work in close partnership with its customers, providing the advice and support they need to run successful, profitable businesses. Many of the services it offers are available through its innovative practice support portal, www.my-virbac.co.uk For more information w. www.virbac.co.uk e. enquiries@virbac.co.uk t. +44 1359 243243
THE PATH
OF LESS
RESISTANCE When choosing a licensed veterinary fluoroquinolone, consider the expected superior performance1 of Veraflox to help reduce the risk of fluoroquinolone resistance.2
AVAILABLE IN A SIMPLE ONCE DAILY TABLET, OR PALATABLE ORAL SUSPENSION FOR CATS. Veraflox® for dogs is licensed for the treatment of the following conditions: Superficial and deep pyoderma◆ Wound infections◆ Urinary tract infections◆ Adjunctive therapy for severe periodontal infections◆
Veraflox® for cats is licensed for the treatment of the following conditions: Upper respiratory tract infections✝ ✣ ◆ Wound infections✝ ◆ Abscesses✝ ◆
Use Medicines Responsibly (www.noah.co.uk/responsible) Veraflox® 15 mg tablets contain 15 mg pradofloxacin. Veraflox® 60 mg tablets contain 60 mg pradofloxacin. Veraflox® 120 mg tablets contain 120 mg pradofloxacin. Veraflox® 25 mg/ml oral suspension for cats contains 25 mg/ml pradofloxacin. Refer to SPC for licensed indications. References: 1. Silley, P et al, Comparative activity of pradofloxacin against anaerobic bacteria isolated from dogs and cats. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2007) 60, 999-1003. 2. Wetzstein, HG. Comparative mutant prevention concentrations of pradofloxacin and other veterinary fluoroquinolones indicate differing potentials in preventing selection of resistance. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2005; 49 (10): 4166-4173. ✝ The oral suspension is indicated for the treatment of acute infections of the upper respiratory tract, wound infections and abscesses. ✣ The 15 mg tablet is indicated in cats for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections only. ◆ Infections caused by susceptible strains of named bacterial species. Further information is available upon request. ® Registered Trade Mark of Bayer AG. Bayer plc, Animal Health Division, Bayer House, Strawberry Hill, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 1JA Tel: 01635 563000 POM-V Bayer Ltd, Animal Health Division, The Atrium, Blackthorn Road, Dublin 18, Ireland Tel: 01 299 9313 POM EU/2/10/107/003 EU/2/10/107/007 EU/2/10/107/009 EU/2/10/107/013 VERA46/0113/ZONE
Pharmaceutical 50
Ear Treatment Client Education Films Launched by Elanco
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anufacturer of Surolan and Surosolve, Elanco Companion Animal Health, has launched a series of films to educate owners on how to administer prescribed ear drops, and routinely clean their pets’ ears. The short, informative films have been produced in association with the University of Bristol, and are available on Elanco’s YouTube channel. Both films have
step-by-step guidance on how to restrain a dog to administer ear treatments and cleaners, with the first providing clear instructions on how to administer ear drops, such as Surolan, for the treatment of otitis externa. The second film demonstrates hints and tips on how to use a veterinary supplied ear cleaner, such as Surosolve. Not only can the films be viewed on YouTube, but they can also be imbedded into veterinary practice
websites or utilised on waiting room TV screens, and are available in different formats on request. Matthew Rowe, senior brand manager at Elanco Companion Animal Health, commented, “The new films will enable dog owners to learn more about the correct administration of ear treatments and cleaners to ensure that the procedure is as positive as possible for their pet, leading to better owner compliance and happier pets!”
Elanco has also revised its client information leaflets for both Surolan and Surosolve, and is running a product promotion, offering veterinary practices up to 20% free Surosolve ear cleaner with qualifying purchases of Surolan. w. www.elanco.com www.youtube.com/user/ ElancoCAUKpets e. elancoCAH.uk@elanco.com t. +44 1256 353131
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Spinosad Found to be Highly Effective in Treating Cat Flea Infestations
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new research study, carried out by Maria-Christine Cadiergues and Charline Pressanti from the Dermatology Clinic of the Toulouse Veterinary School, has shown that spinosad (Comfortis) is 100% effective. 15 indoor cats,
naturally infested with fleas, were treated with the product, and no adult fleas were found on any cat from day 15 through to day 90. The study also showed that there was a greater level of palatability than previously reported in clinical trials, and that there were no side effects in any of the cats. A major consideration for many cat owners is that spinosad can be used as a ‘stand-alone’ treatment in an indoor environment without the need for anti-inflammatories or environmental insecticides, for mild to moderate flea infestations. At the start of the study all the cats were meticulously combed twice, using an extra fine comb, and the fleas counted before being replaced on each cat. In total 60 fleas were counted.
Four of the cats in the enclosed laboratory colony had developed skin lesions - two of these had no fleas, probably due to excessive grooming caused by pruritus. On the cats showing no lesions, there was an average of 5.2 fleas per cat and on the cats showing flea allergy dermatitis it was less than one. The cats with skin lesions were assessed for pruritis levels using the SCORFAD system - an extent and severity scale for feline hypersensitivity dermatitis. The SCORFAD value rapidly decreased throughout the study and achieved 98% reduction by day 90. The skin lesions in the flea allergic cats completely resolved during this time without the use of any other flea control, or anti-inflammatory treatments.
David Grant, MBE. B.VET.MED. CERT.SAD.FRCVS, commented, “With its high effectiveness and ease of administration, spinosad is an obvious choice for a veterinary dermatologist wishing to rule in or out flea allergy dermatitis. This is clearly much easier with, as in this case, indoor cats. Indeed, pruritic cats with access to the outdoors would greatly benefit from year-round monthly treatment making it much easier to assess the role of flea allergy dermatitis in a pruritic cat and at the same time providing a flea-free environment in the home.” w. www.elanco.com e. elancoCAH.uk@elanco.com t. +44 1256 353131
Spotlight – Anaesthesia 52
Jurox UK Anaesthesia CPD Evenings
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urox UK recently hosted 5 evening CPD events up and down the country at Bristol, Bromsgrove, Rotherham, Durham and Cambridge. In total 162 delegates turned out to listen to Dr Jo Murrell BVSc (Hons) PhD DipIECVAA MRCVS (Bristol/Bromsgrove), Matt Gurney BVSc CertVA DipECVAA MRCVS (Rotherham /Durham) and current President of the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists
- Elizabeth Leece BVSc CVA DipIECVAA MRCVS (Cambridge) present a series of interactive anaesthesia cases, chosen live by the audience using ‘Turning Point’ audience response technology. In addition Vicky Ford-Fennah BSc (Hons) VTS(Anesthesia) A1 VPAC RVN and Sam McMillan VTS(Anesthesia) DipAVN (Med) RVN delivered interactive presentations on ‘making the best use of the monitoring you have available.’
The evenings proved to be a great success with 95% of delegates saying they would do something different in their anaesthesia after the event1.Of those attending the events only 4% indicated that they were 100% happy with their current anaesthetic protocols1, and 50% of all delegates said they would appreciate help with their current anaesthetic protocols1. Jurox would be happy to hear from anyone who would like to
discuss anaesthesia. 1 Data collected from delegates attending the series of regional Jurox CPD meetings during May, June & July 2014. Data held on file at Jurox UK Ltd For further information t +44 (0)1684 560448 e juroxuk@jurox.co.uk w www.jurox.co.uk
Attitudes towards fish anaesthesia changing slowly, thanks to Vetark’s Aqua-Sed I t is a common misconception among owners that fish do not feel pain. Several studies highlight that, while not in a conventionally human sense, fish feel something akin to pain, Vetark Professional considers it to be highly unethical to allow a slow death from sickness when this is frowned upon for other pet species. The company hopes to work with veterinarians to educate owners about correct methods for dealing with fish illness and, when necessary, the humane approach to euthanasia of terminally ill fish. One such method is Vetark’s Aqua-Sed, an easy- to use liquid anaesthetic that continues to
receive glowing reviews among industry experts. Designed for use in pond and aquarium fish not destined for the table, Aqua-Sed is proving highly successful due to the method of administration. A phenoxyethanol based product, the volume of water as opposed to fish size determines dosage. This ensures the process is simple and efficient particularly when combined with the pump-dispenser that minimizes the chance of incorrect measurement. Users cite it as the simplest and least stressful method of anaesthesia for both the fish and themselves. At a high dose Aqua-Sed
is a fast, calm and painless method of euthanasia considered by welfare experts to be a significantly better approach than traditional methods, which can involve major trauma. Aqua-Sed is available throughout the aquatic trade and direct from the manufacturers. For purchases and trade enquiries please call 01962 844316. For more information please visit www.vetark.co.uk For further information t + 44 (0)1962 844 316 e info@vetark.co.uk w www.vetark.co.uk
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Mechanical ventilation of critical care patients M
echanical ventilation of animals can be a daunting prospect for those unfamiliar with the process of using a veterinary ventilator. There is often apprehension in allowing a ventilator to take over the role of ‘life support’ in a practice where traditionally a nurse has ventilated animals whenever it has been needed. Modern ventilators are very safe leaving little room for a user to cause any harm to a
patient. They are also intuitive and easy to use and provide controlled delivery of oxygen and anaesthetic agent to a patient as well as ensuring adequate CO2 removal. Such ventilators really come in to their own during long or difficult procedures where volume or pressure control is vital. Vetronic Services have been designing and producing animal ventilators for 20 years and has a range of ventilators to suit all
animal sizes from a few grams up to 1000kg. All Vetronic ventilators have been designed specifically for animal use and each ventilator has specific design requirements for the species range it is intended for. None of their ventilators require a pressurised gas supply to operate and most have battery back-up, making them portable and flexible in the workplace where patients are routinely moved from X-Ray to theatre; a
procedure that is difficult with traditional bag-in-a-bottle ventilators. Vetronic Services can also provide guidance on selection and use of a ventilator depending on a users particular requirements. For further information t +44 (0)1626 365505 e enquiries@vetronic.co.uk w www.vetronic.co.uk
Pliocene
Holocene
Stone Age
MXR Podoblock proudly introduces the all-new JiXtr to finally put an end to this arduous task!
2014...
Until now...
One problem remained, though: An end to break-neck labour in order to get good and razor-sharp X-rays of our dear domesticated animals never really saw the light of day...
Ever since we climbed down from the trees we managed to invent cool stuff to make our lives easier.
Iron Age
Esweg 31 9475 TM Midlaren The Netherlands info@mxr.nl www.podoblock.com
MXR Podoblock B.V.
Modern Age
Podoblock
MXR
according to
Back to the Stone Age?
to d e e n Really e this! go se
! r t X i J
lf: e s o t Note
2014
Come and see this feat of technology at the BEVA-congress Booth A 18
The evolution of human development