Veterinary Supplies Magazine - Issue 3.2 by FuturePublishingSolutions

• SUPPORTING CRUFTS 2015 •

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March 2015 Volume 3 Issue 2

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March 2015, Volume 3, Issue 2

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 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

Contents

Welcome to VSM S

pring is sprung (hopefully!) and we at VSM are turning our thoughts to the first major event in the veterinary calendar – BSAVA Congress, which takes place in the freshly renovated NIA, now known as the Barclycard Arena, in Birmingham from the 9-12 April. With over 250 exhibitors, and a packed Scientific programme (not to mention the social stuff!) the 2015 Congress looks set to be another world-class stage for all that is great about the Small Animal Veterinary sector. We have spoken to a selection of exhibitors, and have put together a section devoted to finding out what they are launching at Congress this year.

highly on the agenda. Our other spotlight looks at Imaging – with news of some exciting product launches. Next months spotlights focus on Worm/Flea and Tick, and on Feline – so if you are inspired to put pen to paper about any of the above, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. The VSM team will be out in force at Congress – we look forward to seeing you there.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we shine this months spotlights at Large/Farm Animal, with ruminant nutrition, goat care and fly control figuring

Ally

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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.

Design & Production Jo Ross t. +44 (0)7740 468667 e. jo@futurepublishingsolutions.com Editorial: All submissions will be handled with reasonable care,

General News

but the publisher assumes no responsibility for safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for the

p3-12

accuracy of information supplied herein or for any opinion expressed.

and follow the prompts. 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.

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Companion Animal

p14-20

Pharmaceutical

p22-24

Equipment

p26

Spotlight – BSAVA

p28-34

Equine

p36-42

Practice Matters

p44-51

VSM

vetsuppliesmag.com, click on “Free Subscription – Register Now”

Contents

subscription, or to change your name and address, go to www.

to qualified subscribers in the UK and Europe. To apply for a

Spotlight – Imaging Farm / Large Animal

p52 p54-56

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Subscriptions: Veterinary Supplies Magazine (VSM) is free

General News Best Friends Veterinary Group Honours Long Service Staff S

taff are at the centre of any good business and this is something that independent veterinary group Best Friends have taken to heart. Not only do they treat their team of over 150 employees, both practice based and support staff once a year at their annual staff awards and party night, they have been busy celebrating the long service of their employees. Denise Woodley – Receptionist at Best Friends in Chatteris It’s been over 10 years since Denise joined Best Friends and started working at their Chatteris

practice. Amanda Britten – Head RVN & Clinical Coach at Best Friends in Dagenham Amanda started working for the Dagenham practice back in 1995. Since then, she has helped countless nurses to gain the experience and knowledge they require to formally qualify, something she feels as passionate about today as she did when she started. Jan Sambrook – Accounts Department Jan has been with Best Friends Veterinary Group since

Principal Andrew Bennett MRCVS BVMS, bought his first practice and started the company in 1991. After 24 years Jan has just said an emotional farewell due to retirement and is be greatly missed by all. Alison McGuiness - Receptionist at Best Friends in Shenfield And finally, with a massive 35 years service at the same practice under her belt, is Alison! Best Friends Veterinary Group is still growing strongly. It has opened 4 practices in the last year, with more in the pipeline for

2015, so it is great to see such a large company taking the time to look back, while forging ahead with the future. When asked for his thoughts on this Principal Andrew Bennett MRCVS BVMS simply replied “We are so extremely proud to have the opportunity to be able to recognise the long service of our staff. I just can’t wait to celebrate more milestones with them in both the near and distant future”. For further information t +44 (0)1733 352200 w www.bestfriendsgroup.com

situation – even down to paying the vet directly – which was a huge help. Everyone was so compassionate and lovely, which made a big difference and took a lot of the worry away,” Noreen says. Thankfully, six months on, Willow is doing brilliantly, “She’s still having hydrotherapy and when she’s tired she struggles a little, but other than that she’s whizzing around like she was before accident!” Noreen says. Having high veterinary fees cover was crucial in Willow’s case, and something that all KCPI policyholders benefit from, especially since their maximum annual veterinary fees benefit has recently increased to up to £15,000. To date, claims totalling £6,465.06 have been settled for Willow’s treatment, and as she has a lifetime policy, Noreen will be able to claim for any further treatment (within the terms of her policy) for the rest of Willow’s life. Wendy Roberts, Claims Manager at Kennel Club Pet

Insurance, comments, “We were delighted to hear that Willow’s amazing treatment not only saved her life, but also means she can go on to have a really bright future as a clearly much-loved pet. As we’ve seen with Willow, we’re confident that our veterinary fees cover, now one of the highest available, allows owners to provide the right treatment for their pets without concern over cost.” If you’re planning to visit Crufts this year, visit the Kennel Club Pet Insurance team at Stand 3-56, Hall 3 to find out more about how Kennel Club’s flexible ‘Pick & Mix’ policies can be built to suit you . And make sure you catch Willow’s story on Channel 4’s ‘The Supervet’, due to be aired early in 2015 For further information t +44 (0)800 369 90 96 e vet.team@agriapet.co.uk w www.agriapet.co.uk www.kcinsurance.co.uk www.gccfinsurance.co.uk

neck and instantly referred Willow to Noel Fitzpatrick, of Channel 4’s The Supervet, who was fortunately based locally to them. He worked tirelessly all night, to skillfully remove a shard of bone caught in her central nervous system using a procedure only a handful of vets in the world have ever carried out. “We wanted to give Willow a chance of survival. Knowing that we had our KCPI policy in place gave us a huge amount of reassurance that we could do everything possible for her,” says Noreen. The operation was a total success. Within just 24 hours, Willow was standing, and only a couple of days later, she was starting to walk again. The next few months saw Willow undergo a highly specialist regime of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, and remain largely confined to a cage. “KCPI couldn’t have done more for all of us. The level of cover is superb and the pressure was completely taken off during this dreadful

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wners without pet insurance often say they don’t need it because their dog or cat is young and healthy. The fact is, having lifetime pet insurance in place before an illness or injury occurs is vital – otherwise your pet won’t be covered. Luckily Willow, the three year old Deerhound-cross, was insured with Kennel Club Pet Insurance (KCPI) when on one ordinary summer walk, the lives of her and her owners, were turned upside down. Noreen Maconochie adopted Willow from Greyhound Rescue in South Yorkshire in early 2014. It was just a few months later that Willow disappeared from sight on her walk, and seconds later, was heard to yelp in pain. Lying motionless, Willow appeared to have run into a tree and seriously injured her neck. Miraculously, various people were also in the woods and able to help get her to the vet without moving her neck. Her vet suspected a fractured

VSM

Lifesaving treatment for Kennel Club insured dog from Channel 4’s Supervet

General News 4

Vetstream and Computers 4 Africa partner to enable African vets to access online training and development

n initiative to give veterinarians in Africa online access to the latest CPD materials and other educational resources aims to have more than 150 African veterinary practices online in five sub- Saharan countries by the end of 2015. It is called ‘Distance Learning for Colleagues in Africa’ and is being led by veterinary digital content supplier Vetstream which has partnered with UKbased charity Computers 4 Africa. The project is also being sponsored by global veterinary supplier KRUUSE, which is working to raise veterinary standards in all parts of the world. Their efforts form part of the wider African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN) project run by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA’s) charitable

Foundation, which aims to advance standards of veterinary care across the continent. Five African countries, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, are initial participants in the AFSCAN project. This year, 700 veterinarians in these countries, many of whom are unable to travel the huge distances to attend the few veterinary CPD events which take place in Africa and who may not have the resources to travel abroad, are set to benefit. By the end of 2016, Vetstream, Computers 4 Africa and the other AFSCAN supporters aim to ensure that more than 1,200 of them will have online access to the highest quality clinical content Vetstream is providing its Canis and Felis peer-reviewed multimedia point-of-care encyclopaedias

to participating veterinarians. Vetstream is a leading supplier of digital reference content to the veterinary profession. Vetstream Canis and Felis feature content from more than 900 leading veterinary clinicians from around the world, are updated weekly and are accessible via any internet-enabled device. The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) are providing their VetFolio e-learning platform. To help veterinarians get online, UK-based charity Computers 4 Africa is taking unwanted computers, tablets and smartphones, securely data wiping and refurbishing them before installing software and browser solutions and shipping them to Africa for use by AFSCAN-participating veterinarians. Computers 4 Africa is a charity which aims to help lift Africa out of the poverty trap by equipping the next generation to work in a global environment. It refurbishes donated equipment then sends it to schools, colleges and projects in Africa, including Distance Learning for African Colleagues. Its support for this element of the AFSCAN project has been given a boost by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), which is calling on members to donate equipment. Those able to do are asked to: • deliver it to Vetstream’s offices near Cambridge

• SUPPORTING CRUFTS 2015 •

Did you know? Agria covers pets for up to

£12,500 of veterina

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VSM

ry fees each year

Come to BSAVA stand 604 on 9-12th t April 2015 to find ou more about Agria’s lifetime insurance solutions! E-mail our experienced vet team on: vet.team@agriapet.co.uk or visit: www.agriapet.co.uk/VS1 Agria Pet Insurance Ltd, 2b, Alton House, Office Park, Gate House Way,Aylesbury Buckinghamshire, HP19 8XU. Agria Pet Insurance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

•

bring it to a dedicated trade stand kindly provided by BSAVA at its Congress in April 2015; • contact Computers 4 Africa which will arrange to collect the equipment free of charge for a minimum of ten computers plus other items • take it to donation centres around the UK - www.computers4africa. org.uk/appeals/index.php Additional CPD resources being made available to participating African veterinarians include the full range of content on the NAVC and AAHA’s e-learning platform and proceedings from NAVC, AAHA WSAVA congresses. Commenting, Dr Mark Johnston, Managing Director of Vetstream, said: “While African veterinarians faces challenges in terms of disease prevalence and a lack of diagnostic and treatment resources, the use of technology and, in particular, mobile technology, is exploding across the continent and is playing a key role in supporting development. With our partners at Computers 4 Africa and fellow members of the AFSCAN consortium, we are harnessing the growth in technology to bring world-class CPD resources to veterinarians in participating countries. “To help us achieve this, we appeal to practices, manufacturers, and practice management suppliers in the veterinary market to get involved in this very worthwhile project and to donate redundant PC’s, laptops, tablets and even smartphones, as well as accessories such as keyboards and mice. Education is a key part of helping our colleagues deliver the best level of clinical care that they can in Africa and we are delighted to be part of the team delivering this transformation.” Sharon Roberts from Computers 4 Africa said: “Providing education is critical to bring equality, overcome barriers and start to bridge the digital divide. Our ambition is to empower and equip all people (regardless of age, gender or ability) by supplying IT equipment for training and humanitarian projects across Africa. In supporting this initiative and repurposing your redundant IT equipment in the UK you will meet the WEEE directive, Environment Agency, Data Protection compliance and decrease your carbon. Once in Africa , the equipment will be used to provide opportunities which will change the lives of veterinarians, people and their animals.” For further information t +44 (0)3000 11 22 33 e contact-us@computers4africa.org.uk w www.computers4africa.org.uk

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General News 6

New territory Manager for Virbac M

r Bronson Sheppard has joined Virbac as Territory Manager for Companion Animal products in the North West of England. In this role, he will build and develop relationships with veterinary practices across the region with the aim of encouraging them to use a wider range of Virbac products. He reports to Virbac’s Northern Regional Manager, Rose Blades. Bronson brings extensive

pharmaceutical experience to Virbac, having worked in human health in South Africa before moving to the UK to work in veterinary pharmaceuticals in 2007. Commenting on his appointment, he said: “Virbac’s strategy and culture are a good fit for me and it is a great time to be joining the company, with a number of exciting new products to introduce to practices in my territory over the next few months.”

UK Sales Manager Bryan McCabe added: “Bronson brings great skills and experience to us and will prove a great asset to our team. We are delighted to welcome him.” For further information t +44 (0)1359 243243 e enquiries@virbac.co.uk w www.my-virbac.co.uk

Cabaret Fundraiding Evening at The Club for Acts & Actors (CAA), Covent Garden

ree of Life for Animals (TOLFA), a charity which runs an animal hospital and rescue centre in Rajasthan, India, is hosting its second Holi Cabaret Fundraising Evening on Sunday 22 March 2015 in Covent Garden. Holi is an ancient Hindu Spring festival also known as the Festival of Colours. Founded by British veterinary nurse Rachel Wright in 2005, the TOLFA hospital has treated more than 70,000 animals since it opened its doors with its team of veterinary

staff and nurturing volunteers now rescuing, treating, neutering and vaccinating more than 300 animals daily. It is, however, in desperate need of funds to continue its vital work. The Holi Cabaret Evening will include entertainment from West End artistes including Leo Andrew (Phantom of the Opera), Julia Sutton (Sister Act) and Clive Greenwood (Only Fools & Horses touring show). It will be compered by Helen Watson from the Famous City Varieties Theatre, Leeds. A bar and Indian snacks will also be on offer, as will

stalls selling Indian jewelry and gifts. Guests will learn more about TOLFA’s work from Managing Trustee Dr Sue Bretherton, a former head teacher who is now directing the charity’s education project. Clara Nowak, UK Manager for TOLFA, said: “Our vision is to bring healing, compassion and hope to India’s sick and injured animals and empowerment to the communities of which they are a part. “Our animal hospital and shelter in Rajasthan helps thousands of animals every year but we couldn’t do it without our wonderful supporters and team in the UK. Our achievements so far in the fields of animal health, rescue and education, speak for themselves but there’s still so much more to do. With continued support, we can make our projects a success and create healthier and happier futures for animals, and people, in need.”

The Club for Acts and Actors is at 20 Bedford Street, Covent Garden, WC2 9HP. Doors open at 6.45 pm and the show starts at 7.15 pm. Tickets are £20 each and £15 for concessions. They are available from Viginmoneygiving.com here: https:// uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/donate/makeDonationForCharityDisplay.action?charityId= 1005074&frequencyType=S. Please type TOLFA Holi in the message box. Clara added: “We’d be delighted to hear from any veterinary practices who might be interested in raising awareness of our work or fundraising for us. Spreading the word and fundraising are so important and will help the TOLFA team to continue its vital work.” For further information e clara@tolfa.org.uk or on t+44 (0)7835 208529 w www.tolfa.org.uk

Debit cards now accepted for vet annual renewal fee payments

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his year, for the first time, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) will be accepting debit card payments from veterinary surgeons who are renewing their registration. The annual renewal fee for veterinary surgeons should be paid by 31 March. Those who have not paid by 30 April will be charged an extra £35 to renew their registration while those who have not paid by 31 May will be removed from the Register. Corrie McCann, RCVS Director of Operations, said: “Following

feedback from the profession, this year, thanks to a change in our registration regulations, we are able to accept debit card payments which we hope will make the renewal process much easier and more convenient for our members. Furthermore, members will also no longer be charged if they choose to pay their fee by credit card.” Veterinary surgeons will also need to confirm their registration details (including their correspondence and registration addresses), confirm that they have met the RCVS

requirement for continuing professional development of 105 hours over a three-year period and disclose any new or previously undisclosed convictions, cautions or adverse findings. New registration regulations mean that veterinary surgeons now have the choice of either home or work as their registered address – previously only work addresses were allowed. The annual renewal can be completed by returning the form that has been sent by post or by logging into the ‘My Account’ area

of the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org. uk/login) using the security details that have been sent to all veterinary surgeons. Any veterinary surgeons who have not received their annual renewal form or security details for the ‘My Account’ area should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@ rcvs.org.uk For further information +44 (0)20 7202 0733 e finance@rcvs.org.uk

General News 8

Sudbury Vet hosts Fundraiser For Terminally Ill Colleague’s Bucket List for Endangered Animals

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udbury Vet Gerhard Putter of the Mulberry Court Veterinary Centre is appealing for support for a Gala Evening on Saturday 14 March 2015. He is running the event to raise funds for the Bucket List set up by his colleague, vet Lisa Milella, who has been diagnosed with incurable

Motor Neurone Disease. Lisa, one of the world’s few specialist animal dental surgeons, has volunteered for charity International Animal Rescue (IAR) for many years. She is also a trustee of the charity. During her time working with IAR, she has worked in countries including India and Indonesia, treating animals

including abused bears, orangutans and slow lorises, which have suffered cruelty at the hands of humans. As a dental surgeon she was able to relieve their suffering. Now, as her health deteriorates, she is unable to work herself, but she is devoting her remaining time to fundraising for IAR to ensure her work can continue when she is no longer here. Gerhard Putter, also a specialist veterinary dental surgeon and owner of the All Animal Dental Centre, has worked with Lisa many times. He is hosting the Gala Evening at Stoke by Nayland Golf Club to support her fundraising efforts. Tickets cost £25.00 per person and include a buffet, entertainment, raffle and other attractions. He says: “Lisa helped ‘dancing bears’ which had had their teeth knocked out with iron bars to make them easier to control; slow lorises which had their teeth clipped off by illegal traders before being sold as pets and even orangutans, which

are sometimes beaten by their captors, leaving them with broken teeth and bruises. I’ve seen at firsthand how important her work is and have worked with her on a number of volunteer projects. “Her diagnosis with MND is a terrible personal tragedy for her but she is focusing on the positive and trying to do what she can for these animals while she still can. The teams at Mulberry Court and the All Animal Dental Centre are determined to support her but the success of our Gala Evening depends on the generosity of people willing to support Lisa’s Mission to raise as much money as possible. “We hope everyone will get behind us and buy tickets. We would also welcome gifts for our raffle and any other offers of help.” Gerhard Putter, at Mulberry Court Vet Surgery e allanimaldentalcentre@gmail.com t +44 (0)1787 881888

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General News 10

BVA calls on Government to end non-stun slaughter following Parliamentary debate

he British Veterinary Association (BVA) has called for the Government to make ending of non-stun slaughter a priority, following a Parliamentary debate on an e-petition relating to ending non-stun slaughter to promote animal welfare that took place in Westminster Hall in Parliament this week. The debate was well attended by MPs of all parties, including minister responsible George Eustice, responding for the Government, and opposition shadow minister Huw Irranca-Davies, speaking on behalf of the opposition, as well as chair of the EFRA select committee, Anne McIntosh. John Blackwell, BVA President, commented: “The Parliamentary debate on the subject of non-stun slaughter was well attended by MPs of all

parties. MPs were considered and thoughtful in the way they consistently emphasized the welfare compromise of animals slaughtered without pre-stunning. It is now clear that the Government can no longer ignore the strength of feeling of MPs and the public on this issue. While the Government clearly agrees with the scientific evidence that slaughter without pre-stunning allows animals to feel pain and compromises animal welfare, it has yet to take any action to reduce the suffering of the animals involved. This delay to act in the face of overwhelming evidence is completely unacceptable. “Many MPs of all parties at the debate agreed with BVA that if the Government continues to allow non-stun slaughter to continue then it must introduce clearer slaughter method labelling. While we know that more than 80% of Halal is

pre-stunned, there is already more non-slaughter in percentage terms than the size of the Muslim and Jewish populations in the UK. This means that some of it must be going outside of the communities for which it was intended. Clearer labelling will not only give consumers a choice but will help ensure the number of animals slaughtered is limited to satisfy the needs of the religious communities concerned and thereby reduce the amount of non-stun slaughter.” “MPs at the debate were also keen for the Government to consider measures that would better control volumes of meat required by religious communities. MPs highlighted the practice in Germany, where abattoirs have to prove the ‘religious’ needs and define the number of animals to be slaughtered for the communities concerned before being granted a licence. MPs also raised the option

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of introducing an immediate post-cut stun in order to reduce the suffering and pain of animals not stunned before slaughter. “The BVA and our members have worked hard to push the issue of non-stun slaughter up the political agenda. As a result, there has never been more pressure on the Government to take action and improve the welfare of animals slaughtered without pre-stunning. Whether the Government will end non-stun completely or introduce measures to reduce the amount of animals slaughtered using this method, one thing is very clear, inaction is now no longer a credible option.”

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General News 12

Afscan launches next phase of distance learning program for african veterinarians at NAVC conference 2015

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he African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN) unveiled the next phase of its educational program for African veterinarians at the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) Conference 2015. It also awarded Berna Nakanwagi BVM MSc, a veterinarian from Uganda and AFSCAN Ambassador, one of the four NAVC Colin F Burrows International Scholarships to attend the conference. AFSCAN is an initiative launched by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Foundation in 2014. It aims to advance standards of veterinary care across Africa through education and through facilitating the creation of a sustainable network of companion animal veterinarians, associations

and specialist groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has Zoetis as its major supporter. ‘Distance Learning for Colleagues in Africa’ is AFSCAN’s flagship education project. It aims to transform the availability of high quality CE resources for African veterinarians and was launched in April 2014 with the support of global veterinary supplier KRUUSE, the NAVC, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), digital veterinary content supplier Vetstream; UK charity Computers4Africa and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA). During the first phase, it carried out research and appointed veterinarian ‘Country Ambassadors’ in five participating African countries. The next phase, launched at

NAVC, sees African veterinarians start to benefit from the availability of point-of-care, clinical reference resources, Canis (dogs) and Felis (cats) from Vetstream, and from all of the educational resources available on the NAVC’s online VetFolio platform, which include CE programs from NAVC, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and WSAVA congresses. Lists of veterinarians in their countries have been provided by the Country Ambassadors and each will be provided with a user name and password to enable them to access the content via an internet enableddevice at a significant discount. As the accessibility of these resources depends on participants having access to the internet, UK-based charity Computers4Africa is taking in unwanted computers, tablets and smartphones, cleaning them, installing software and browser solutions and shipping them to African countries for use by AFSCAN-participating veterinary practices. Its work is supported by the BSAVA, which is calling on its members to donate equipment to Vetstream’s offices or bring them to BSAVA Congress in April 2015. Commenting, Dr Mark Johnston, Managing Director of Vetstream and AFSCAN supporter, said: “We are determined that veterinarians in Africa, who already face economic and technical challenges, should no longer have their access to high quality clinical reference information impeded. The result is our partnership with Computers4Africa. Between Vetstream Canis and Felis and with support from NAVC and AAHA’s Vetfolio, we will, for the first time, be making the very latest

clinical resources widely available to veterinarians across the continent.” NAVC CEO Thomas M Bohn MBA CAE, added: “Our online community platform VetFolio is the largest and most robust online veterinary learning portal in the world and we are delighted to be bringing it to veterinarians in Africa as part of this exciting project.” Speaking at NAVC, AFSCAN Country Ambassador Berna Nakanwagi BVM MSc, Executive Committee member of the Uganda Veterinary Association and Executive Secretary of the Uganda Small Animal Practitioners’ Association, said: “I was so pleased to have been awarded a Scholarship and am ambitious about the clinical work I want to provide in our veterinary practice in the Kampala Veterinary Surgery in Mutungo, Kampala. “Before AFSCAN, we had access to little other than a few textbooks. Now, we have will have access to current thinking and the ability to discuss cases with experienced colleagues via NAVC and AAHA’s Vetfolio and Vetstream Canis and Felis on computers that will connect us to leading clinicians in other parts of the world. This will transform our practice and I would like to thank all of the companies supporting this project.” Later phases of the AFSCAN project will include offering grant funding for specific veterinary projects and increasing support for rabies control initiatives. For further information t +905 627 8540 e wsavasecretariat@gmail.com w www.wsava.org

VetSavers™ enters into the Joint Venture Partnerships marketplace V

etSavers™ will be officially launching their entrance into the Joint Venture Partnership marketplace at BSAVA 2015, providing veterinary professionals with a wider choice of options when looking to pursue this career option. With 30 years experience in the veterinary industry and 36

veterinary practices currently open, you can’t argue that the people behind VetSavers, have the skills, expertise and knowledge to offer a solid platform for joint venture partnerships. So if you have aspirations of running your own, successful veterinary practice, within established leisure and retail outlets, visit

VetSavers™ stand no. 906 at this years BSAVA Congress. With all successful sign-ups met at BSAVA receiving £1,000 in holiday, equipment or CPD vouchers as an incentive to visit their stand, they look set to compete with the other established players in this area and we will be following their progress with interest in the coming months.

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Companion Animal 14

Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations and Vets What does this mean for Veterinary Surgeons?

he Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 were enacted since the 24th February 2015. This means, from April 2016, all dogs must be microchipped by 8 weeks of age. Although Vets, VN’s and students are exempt from the training rules, there are still rules on puppy age and adverse reactions with which you must comply. At petDetect, we believe transparency and knowledge with all parties involved is key for this legislation so we have outlined the most relevant parts below. From the 24th February 2015, all puppies must be implanted with an ISO 11874/ 11875 compliant microchip and registered on an approved database before 8 weeks of age. It is important to note that a dog is not classed as microchipped under the legislation unless both these criteria have been met. Both implanters and dog owners must ensure the microchips and databases they use comply with the legislation. Dogs can only be exempted from the scheme for health reasons certified by a Vet who must fill in a form approved by the Secretary of State stating for how long the dog will be unfit to microchip.

The legislation also states that the breeder must be the first keeper in order to ensure complete background traceability and, it is hoped, go someway towards tackling irresponsible breeding. Subsequent owners will need to re-register dogs in their name. As failure to keep the database up-to-date will incur a fine, it is well worth scanning any new pets (puppies or grown-ups) to ensure the change over has occurred, earning the client’s goodwill for looking out for their bank balance - not to mention it can help reunite any stolen dogs with owners. Only vets, VN’s, and Student Vets or VN’s acting under a vet’s direction, and appropriately trained implanters, can implant a microchip. Appropriate training is classed as a Secretary of State approved course OR a course taken before 24th February 2015 that must have included practical experience of implanting a microchip, like petDetect’s. The new standard includes both theory and practical examination and is only required should an implanter want to microchip dogs. Currently, only one Secretary of State

approved course exists and was developed by LANTRA in conjunction with the Microchip Trade Association (MTA). However, The NonCommercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) Order 2014 requires non-veterinary implanters to be trained on the Secretary of State approved course from 29th December 2014 if they are chipping an animal which will leave the UK for any period of time in the future. This applies to dogs, cats and ferrets and has the potential to cause significant confusion in the coming months. You may notice a peculiar anomaly where animals not expected to travel could be microchipped by implanters from a non-compliant course – for cats, ferrets or rabbits or any other species permitted to be microchipped by non-vets. But what happens if that pet is then required to travel at a later date, does the owner have a second microchip implanted? Do they leave the pet behind? Or do they risk it and hope no one checks? Many will say the only sure-fire way is to have a microchip implanted by a Vet but a substantial number of highquality breeders prefer to microchip

their own puppies. This should only affect a very small number of implanters but remains a conundrum yet to be solved. Adverse reactions must be reported under the VMD scheme. These include migration (even though many will argue this is an implanter issue), excessive pain or pathology caused by the implantation of a microchip, or failure of the chip – highly likely to require a radiograph to determine. Implanters can have their ‘approval’ removed or suspended in lieu of further training if adverse reactions have established a problem with their implantation technique. It is not the responsibility of Vets to inform the police of non-chipped pets, however it is strongly recommended you advise pet owners of the law and ramifications if they fail to comply. While there are many issues surrounding the regulations they are a welcome step for many organizations involved in animal welfare and should lead to a better-protected dog population in future. t +44 (0)1962 813 554 e info@pet-detect.co.uk w www.pet-detect.co.uk

Global Satiety Clinical Trial By Marianne Lomberg, veterinary marketing manager

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et obesity is a growing problem in the UK, with 60 per cent of dogs and 40 per cent of cats either overweight or obese. Known to increase the risk of various health conditions, obesity can significantly decrease life expectancy, leading to complications including cardio-pulmonary disease and respiratory problems in addition to a reduced quality of life. Record Breaking This year,

Royal

Canin

has invited veterinary practices worldwide to take part in the world’s biggest clinical obesity trial. The Global Satiety Clinical Trial is a worldfirst, aiming to break the record for the largest number of cats and dogs successfully losing weight on the same global clinical trial. Veterinary professionals and pet owners from more than 40 countries will be asked to track each pet’s progress whilst on Royal Canin’s Satiety diet. Using specially designed software, the vet or veterinary nurse will answer five simple questions after each of the first five visits a participating pet makes to their practice. These include confirming that the pet owner has followed the agreed protocol since their last visit (and if not, why not); details of the pet’s activity levels; their quality of life; their begging ‘score’; and the owner’s satisfaction with the diet. Currently, 98 veterinary practices in the UK and Ireland are registered on the full trial and they have already recruited 62 cats and dogs, making the UK a major

contributor to the international project. From the results, international data will be published to help us build our knowledge within this complex area and learn more about the different factors leading to successful weight loss in cats and dogs. As well as giving vets an opportunity to take part in this unique trial and record breaking attempt, participants in the full trial also stand to win an additional reward. The practice with the most pets registered on the trial, will win a gourmet low calorie meal, and one lucky pet owner will win either an overnight stay in a pet friendly location or an iPad mini. Mini Trial In addition to the core trial, all vet practices using ‘Vet Follow Up’, Royal Canin’s online weight management tool, are invited to take part in a streamlined version of the clinical trial. This gives both practices and pet owners the opportunity to get involved with gathering crucial data. As opposed to the five questions, participants in the mini trial will be

required to answer three questions at various stages whilst the animal is losing weight on the Satiety diet. There are already 136 dogs and cats participating in the mini trial using the ‘Vet Follow Up’ system, with more expected to join in the coming weeks. In Summary Obesity remains a difficult disease to address as pet owners frequently don’t recognise or acknowledge a problem. All too often, obesity is not the core reason for a consultation and so it can be a difficult subject for the veterinary professional to broach. This Global Satiety Clinical Trial gives practices a clear opportunity to work closely with their clients to track the progress of their pets, educating them about the importance of a controlled diet whilst also contributing to an exciting world first which will deliver important research results to all those involved. t +44 (0)845 300 5011 e Royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com w vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk

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Companion Animal Axiom Veterinary Laboratories Appoints Allergy Advisory Consultant

eading veterinary diagnostic laboratory Axiom Veterinary Laboratories has appointed Mrs Sarah Warren, Veterinary Dermatologist, as an Allergy Advisory Consultant. In this role she will be responsible for advising Axiom’s clients on questions regarding the appropriate use of allergy testing. Sarah qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1998 and, following 12 years in small animal practice, gained the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology in 2010. She runs a busy Dermatology Referral service in the South of the UK; is active in CPD provision for Dermatology and provides an email

and telephone advisory service to vets nationwide. She is also Proceedings Editor for the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group (BVDSG) and is a member of the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology (ESVD). Commenting on her appointment, she said: “I have a passionate interest in allergy treatment and the key role that allergen specific immunotherapy may play in the long term management of allergic patients as part of an individualised multi-modal treatment regime. I hope to provide clinicians with a useful resource and to improve treatment success for allergy patients throughout the UK.” Martyn Carpenter, Director

of Axiom Veterinary Laboratories, added: “With the launch of our new allergy test, MiPetAllergy, and the transition to our new immunotherapy vaccine supplier , we are fortunate to find an expert like Sarah to guide our clients through the changes. “She helped us to bring Sublingual Immunotherapy to the UK and, as she is continuing her day to day clinical work , there is no one better placed to advise on which treatment is best suited to which patient.” For further information t +44 (0)1626 357756. e admin@axiomvetlab.co.uk w www.axiomvetlab.com

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Companion Animal 18

New Mini Chips for Virbac’s BackHome Range

irbac has introduced Mini Chips to its BackHome ® microchipping range. The new BackHome Mini Chips are just 8mm long, compared to the standard 12mm and are made of pharmaceutical grade glass featuring an anti-migration coating.

Because of their more compact size, they can be implanted with a finer needle – 34% smaller than the standard needle. This can minimise any stress and discomfort to pets during implantation. Virbac has also announced a partnership with VetEnvoy®, a

service which works with practice management software to enable pet and owner registration details for BackHome Mini Chips to be uploaded to the Petlog database at the press of a button, saving support staff time completing online or paper application forms and reducing the number of errors. Commenting on the launch of the BackHome Mini Chips, Sarah Walker MRCVS, Product Manager, said: “Microchipping is the most effective way for owners to protect their pets and will soon become compulsory for dogs in England and Wales. Some owners are deterred from undertaking this important and simple procedure because they are concerned that it may be painful. Because our new BackHome Mini Chips are smaller and are implanted with a smaller needle, we hope that practices will be able to reassure their clients

that microchipping will not cause their pet discomfort - and that the protection it offers will last a lifetime. “Our relationship with VetEnvoy will also spare enabled practices some of the administration time spent processing microchip details, and reduce the number of mistakes in registration and any resulting complaints. “Client information on BackHome Mini Chips is stored on Petlog, the UK’s largest pet database, giving owners the best possible chance of being reunited with their pet, as long as they keep their registration details up to date.” For further information t +44 (0)1359 243243 e enquiries@virbac.co.uk w www.my-virbac.co.uk

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Companion Animal Feeding Canine Cardiac Cases…for health!

By Lee Danks MRCVS, Royal Canin’s Veterinary Scientific Support Manager time of diagnosis but the majority will develop it over time. When the heart is not functioning normally, tissues don’t receive adequate blood supply and physiological neuro-hormonal responses act to boost blood volume by retaining fluid (by means of regulating electrolyte balance). When excessive amounts of water are retained, circulating blood volume increases and blood pressure can rise above normal limits. When sustained, fluid imbalances occur (with leakage through the thin capillary walls in the lungs, thorax and abdomen). These fluid accumulations indicate a move from compensatory to decompensatory heart failure.

anine heart disease is relatively common – with more than 1 in 10 dogs affected by the condition. Many breeds including the Boxer, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Dalmatian, Doberman and Rottweiler have a reported genetic predisposition and a higher prevalence is seen amongst overweight dogs and older dogs. When things go wrong Heart disease might be defined as any cardiac finding outside of normal limits. Heart failure is defined as an inability of the heart to deliver an adequate blood supply to the tissues. Most dogs with the former do not have heart failure at the

Spotting the signs When peripheral tissues aren’t receiving adequate oxygen and nutrients, owners may report signs such as fatigue, weakness and a pale appearance to the dog’s gums. In the consult room, the diagnosis and classification of canine heart disease is based on symptom severity which often gives an indication of the best approach to management and a patient’s life expectancy. For example, dogs with class I heart disease generally have a life expectancy of two to four years, whereas dogs with class II to IV heart disease have an average life expectancy of only a few months. How nutrition can help An animal in heart failure will of course require pharmaceutical intervention, but factoring nutrition

into patient management and addressing the pet’s dietary needs is key to medium and long-term support. As cardiac disease progresses to failure, changes in dietary habits and preferences, associated diseases, drug side effects, respiratory distress and the presence of cytokines associated with chronic disease can quickly lead to patient inappetance, anorexia and over time negative protein-calorie balance will lead to cardiac cachexia. Tailored cardiac diets aim to slow the progression of the disease, help moderate the inflammatory process and arrhythmias, help support healthy electrolyte and fluid balances and provide key nutrients to address deficiencies associated with cardiac disease. Ultimately, nutrition can play a supportive role and be included amongst other efforts to improve the dog’s quality of life. Diet benefits Royal Canin’s Cardiac diets (wet and dry) have been developed to support patients with heart disease. These diets are highly palatable which encourages voluntary intakes sufficient to sustain body condition, particularly important where reduced appetite might otherwise encourage owners to start tempting with (highsalt) human foods. The diets maintain palatability by way of including optimum levels of high quality protein. This also supports lean body condition and muscle mass. Cardiac diets are ideal for dogs in stage III-IV heart disease as sodium levels are restricted to help

reduce fluid retention and therefore cardiac workload. Supplementation with cardio-protective nutrients is also important. L-carnitine (found particularly in skeletal and cardiac muscle) - which encourages lipid uptake and use as an energy source - is an important nutraceutical and a key ingredient in veterinary diets. Cardiac products are also enriched with arginine (a precursor of nitric oxide which helps maintain normal vascular tone); polyphenols (reported to have particular application in the area of cancer and cardiovascular disease management); and omega-3 fatty acids EPA/DHA (which have been found to moderate the production of inflammatory mediators and improve cardiac infrastructure). In summary Given the variations in presentation and symptoms of each heart case, largely dependent on the stage of the disease, the use of cardiac diets should always be flagged to the owner early in the course of the disease and introduced accordingly. Strong evidence supports the management of cardiovascular disease with an integrated approach: combining medical therapy with a tailored diet. Royal Canin’s Cardiac diet combines currently accepted concepts in the nutritional management of heart disease. For further information t +44 (0)845 300 5011 w www.royalcanin.co.uk

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Axiom Launches New Allergy Test A xiom Laboratories has launched MiPetAllergy, a pet allergy test which is not affected by medication and which requires no withdrawal period prior to testing. The research team at Axiom, one of the UK’s leading veterinary laboratories, has produced MiPetAllergy in partnership with ALK, BMS and Artuvetrin, the world leader in allergy immunotherapy. It features additional allergens on its panels, together with a food elimination diet selector tool, developed in association with Royal Canin. Commenting, Dan Sherry, General Manager at Axiom, said:

“Allergies are increasing among companion animals and identifying accurately which allergen is causing the problem in a particular pet can be one of the toughest challenges veterinary staff face in practice. “MiPetAllergy represents two and half years of research so we are delighted to announce its arrival. Axiom is confident that there will be complete concordance between the screen and panel results that they are offering a money back guarantee if they are discordant. We hope it will help practices dealing with allergy patients to identify and treat for the specific allergens causing their symptoms.”

Martyn Carpenter, Director of Axiom, added: “The introduction of the MiPetAllergy testing is timely as it coincides with the change in Axiom’s supplier of immunotherapy. During November and December 2014 the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) started rejecting applications for STC’s and advising that European Licensed immunotherapy products should now be used in the UK as part of the Cascade. Both our new allergy test and new vaccines are manufactured by the same company.” t +44 (0)1626 357756. e admin@axiomvetlab.co.uk w www.axiomvetlab.com

Pharmaceutical 22

2nd Tylosin Injection with Dairy Cattle Claim Licensed in UK by Bimeda

imeda has announced the launch of their new Tylosin base antibiotic for cattle and pigs. Head of Technical Veterinary Services for Bimeda, Padraig Hyland, commented, ‘‘It is with great pleasure that I announce the launch of our much anticipated Bilovet 200 mg/ml solution for injection for cattle and pigs as the latest addition to Bimeda’s range of essential antibiotics. Bilovet contains Tylosin 200 mg/ml and is the second Tylosin-based injectable antibiotic to be licensed for cattle - including dairy cattle - in the UK. Bilovet is licensed in cattle for the treatment of respiratory infections, metritis, mastitis, interdigital necrobacillosis and calf diphtheria as well as a range of pig infections, including enzootic pneumonia, haemorrhagic enteritis, erysipelas, arthritis and metritis”. Bimeda’s Head of Bimeda R+D, Xavier Molins commented on the issuing of the new

marketing authorisation; “Bilovet is a completely new development for a product that includes a new species (cattle). Bimeda have made a significant investment in bringing Bilovet to market, including conducting new Environmental Risk Assessment studies according to current guidelines and regulations.’’ Bimeda UK’s Head of Sales James Hutchings added, “The product has already attracted much positive attention from our loyal vet customers and we look forward to more launches in the near future within our focused areas of parasite control, nutrition and dairy production.” For further information t 01248 725 400 e phyland@bimeda.com w www.bimeda.com

Elanco’s Comfortis® leads the way in meeting demand for flea treatment for pruritic animals

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esearch1 by Elanco Companion Animal Health has revealed that 61% of general practitioners find that fleas are responsible for more than 25% of pruritic cases they see, with 20% saying that the parasites are connected to more than half of pruritic cases. The research also found that speed of kill is the top priority for both dermatologists and general practitioners when it comes to treatment of fleas on pruritic animals. Conducted amongst delegates from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) attending the 2014 ESVD-ECVD annual congress the study found that Elanco’s Comfortis®, the chewable tablet for

dogs and cats containing the novel active ingredient spinosad, continues to be the first choice for many veterinary dermatologists following a similar survey conducted last year. At the 2014 conference, 79% of dermatologists said that Comfortis is their first choice oral flea treatment and 83% of this group are very or extremely likely to recommend it as a treatment for fleas. Elanco also found that both specialist dermatologists (97%) and general practitioners (91%) strongly recognise that flea control for pruritic animals is a continuous ongoing treatment throughout the animal’s life. The majority of respondents (80%) considered monthly treatments as the most likely time period

to encourage treatment compliance compared to every 12 weeks (18%). For pruritic animals, the survey revealed that the most important flea control features were speed of kill (83%) and a treatment that doesn’t wash off or interfere with topical dermatological therapies (71%). This figure was higher for dermatologistonly responses, (increasing to 92% and 82% respectively). Half of all respondents felt that it was important to have a flea control licensed for use in dogs and cats, with over half of dermatologists expressing that their preferred route of administration for dogs and cats is an oral tablet. Matthew Rowe, senior brand manager at Elanco, says: “Practising vets are seeing a high proportion

of pruritic cases as a consequence of fleas and it is a problem that can be dealt with effectively within their clinics with the right treatment. As an oral tablet that starts killing fleas within just 30 minutes, Comfortis offers the most important features in a flea treatment as revealed in this survey. We are delighted that those working with pruritic animals value and endorse Comfortis and that we are able to provide them with the convenience of a monthly tablet that is licensed for use in both dogs and cats.” For further information… t +44 (0)1256 353131 e elancocahuk@elanco.com w www.comfortis.com

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Pharmaceutical 24

Ceva announces Vetergesic® is back in stock with new packaging and celebrates with a spring offer across its entire analgesic product range

eva Animal Health has re-branded its potent, long-lasting analgesic, Vetergesic ®, with new packaging following the company’s successful integration of Sogeval Animal Health. The move follows Ceva’s appointment of a new, dedicated Vetergesic manufacturing site and increased stock-holding facilities. This will guarantee a continuous long-term supply of Vetergesic in both a convenient 10ml vial for use in dogs, cats and horses and a 1ml single dose preparation for cats and dogs. “The partnership with our new manufacturing site and increased stock-holding capacity in the UK will ensure an ongoing supply of Vetergesic to veterinary

practices,” comments Rob McLintock MRCVS, companion animal business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health. The company has launched a spring offer on its entire analgesic product range which also includes Meloxidyl®, Carprodyl F® and Dolagis®. For every two packs of Vetergesic, Carprodyl F or Dolagis purchased, veterinary practices will receive one pack free and for every four packs of Meloxidyl purchased veterinary practices will receive one pack free. Over and above the offer, which runs until the end of April, veterinary practices will also be able to take advantage of ongoing rebates through the new CevaSave Rebate Programme. Vetergesic, which contains buprenorphine as its active

ingredient, is a centrally-acting, potent, long-lasting analgesic. It is recommended for use alongside NSAIDs for the management of mild to moderately painful surgical and traumatic conditions. It delivers a longer duration of analgesic effect compared to other veterinary opiates1. Vetergesic is a Schedule 3 controlled drug. Reference 1 Ceva Study MPK/375 BO/0302 (available on request) For further information t +44 (0)1494 781510 e analgesics-group@ceva.com w www.ceva.com

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Virbac Launches Deltanil Pour On with Award-Winning ‘FARMPACK®’ and ‘Flexibag®’ for Convenient Application

irbac has introduced Deltanil®, a deltamethrin-based Pour On solution indicated in dairy and beef cattle for use against flies and lice with a zero milk withdrawal period. It is also effective in sheep against ticks, lice, keds and blowfly strike and against lice and ticks in lambs. Deltanil is presented for use via an innovative FARMPACK and Flexibag dispensing system. It offers farmers a new, convenient

approach to treatment, combining easy application with freedom of movement for the farmer during administration and the flexibility of a long stability period once the product is opened. The FARMPACK is a light, robust backpack which holds a 2.5 litre Flexibag of Deltanil solution, sufficient for the treatment of 250 cattle.It is a flexible, multi-layered, multi-component bag designed to protect and preserve medication,

giving Deltanil a unique two year proven stability period after opening. This reduces waste as any remaining product can be used for further treatments during the season and can be stored safely for up to two years. Unopened, Deltanil has a three year shelf life. The FARMPACK and Flexibag were jointly awarded the 2014 PharmaPack Award for Innovative Packaging. Administering the product using the FARMPACK and Flexibag dispensing system is simple and efficient, saving the farmer time and reducing stress for both farmer and animals. The FARMPACK’s E-lock system offers a secure connection between the Flexibag and the dispensing gun hose, reducing the risk of leakage. Virbac Product Manager for Large Animals Brigitte Goasduf MRCVS said: “External parasites are a year-round threat to dairy and beef herds and can have a significant economic impact on yields. With the launch of Deltanil, we are offering a new approach to product

application, one which is ideally suited to the practical conditions on farm and which addresses the challenges often faced in using pour ons. “We believe that Deltanil, with its zero milk withdrawal period for dairy cattle and sheep and innovative FARMPACK and Flexibag dispensing system, sets a new standard for products of this type. “Deltanil is based on deltamethrin, a tried and trusted parasiticide. It offers a convenient approach to administration with a 10ml dosage per cow, irrespective of weight, and is presented in two sizes - the 2.5 litre Flexibag and a 1litre dispensing bottle. The 1litre bottle offers a year’s stability once opened. The dosage per sheep is 5ml, irrespective of weight, with a 2.5ml dosage for lambs.” For further information t +44 (0)1359 243243 e enquiries@virbac.co.uk w www.my-virbac.co.uk

Equipment 26

Woodley Equipment: New launch in the Serelisa® range - Para TB Ab Mono Indirect - addresses the challenge of proper diagnosis for Bovine Paratuberculosis

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erelisa® is a trusted range of products well established in mandatory and voluntary and eradication programs. These tests allow for better-informed decisions in relation to animal health. Other Serelisa Test Kits are available for testing Swine for example Aujeszky’s Disease, Classical Swine Fever and Influenza virus. ProFLOK® Diagnostic Kits These diagnostic kits are for poultry and produce high quality, reliable results with standardised time saving protocol used across all tests. These diagnostic tests can be supported by data interpretation software, which enables cost effective detection of a wide range of diseases such as IBD, IBV. ProFLOK NDV is designed to monitor Newcastle Disease vaccination programs and infected flocks. ProFLOK AIV plus demonstrates broad reactivity to all

subtypes of AIV (type A) whilst maintaining excellent specificity. CHEK® Diagnostic Kits Combine ELISA technology with an easy to use format CHEK® kits are versatile because of their small batch sizes, simple testing needs and fast results. Vira CHEK® EIA is a rapid immuno-enzymatic technique for the detection of anti-EIA virus antibodies in EQUINE serum. Woodley Equipment is a distributor in the UK for Zoetis laboratory diagnostic kits. Zoetis is a global animal health company providing a portfolio of more than 90 immunodiagnostic products for beef/dairy cattle, pigs, poultry and sheep. For further information e sales@woodleyequipment.com t 01204 669033 w www.woodleyequipment.com

Helapet launches new Veterinary Supplies Catalogue H

elapet is delighted to launch their new dedicated Veterinary Supplies Catalogue, supporting Vet professionals in choosing the correct type of protective equipment when handling cytotoxic solutions. Vets are increasingly required to handle potent drugs for chemotherapy treatments, and Helapet’s new Veterinary Supplies Catalogue offers an essential guide for locating

suitable protective consumables that can reduce the risk of exposure from spills, splashes and aerosols. Available in hard-copy and online, each product section is colour coded to match the relevant categories on the website. Useful information on the common routes of cytotoxic exposure is also provided. Helapet has over 30 years’ experience supplying safety consumables, which address the growing

use of chemotherapy and minimise associated risks of exposure in the workplace. With exclusive UK distribution rights for the Berner brand of cytotoxic protective apparel and spillkit ranges, Helapet has a safety solution for any size of veterinary practice. For further information e sales@helapet.co.uk w www.helapet.co.uk

v-gel supraglottic airway device launched in Japan

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ocsinnovent is pleased to announce that Acoma Medical Industry Co. Ltd, has been appointed as exclusive distributors of the v-gel® range of products in Japan. v-gel® has been granted

a license in Japan and ACOMA Medical Industry have today launched the new supraglottic airway device at the Japan Medical Association Meeting in Okayama, http://jvma2015.umin.jp/ ACOMA, founded in 1921,

are specialist in the manufacturing and selling of their own ventilation and anaesthesia equipment into Japan and export for both human and veterinary markets. They also distribute anaesthesia and critical care devices and v-gel®

offers a perfect product to complement their expertise and market presence in the Japanese veterinary market. For further information w www.docsinnovent.com

Innovation in Imaging

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Our Computed Radiography solutions are truly outstanding:

These advanced Panels use High Definition X-Ray Imaging Technology. This technology allows more detailed image data to be viewed than ever before!

• All images are scanned in high resolution. • Very fast processing speeds. • Fully automatic loading and unloading of cassettes. • CD Burner with image viewing software.

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Book your demonstration now to see for yourself the future of Veterinary Imaging!

• Body part specific algorithms for Equine and Small Animal Radiography.

t: 01923 237521 f: 01923 232216 w: wwwplhmedical.couk

Social Media

S e e u s at BSAVA Co n g ress Sta n d 212

BSAVA Spotlight 28

Non EU Vets – ENGLAND NEEDS YOU!

ngland is suffering at present from a lack of veterinary surgeons due to the Tier 2 Visa legislation which took effect from 2012, when the British Government removed Vets and Vet Nurses from the Skilled Migrant Visa List (Tier 2) for vets wanting to come and work in the UK. This means that vets and nurses are no longer able to travel to the UK from outside the EEU to work on a 2 year working holiday visa. This has led to a major shortage of vets in the UK, even though we have more UK graduates coming through the system. A1 Locums has both corporate and independent clients, who

are looking to sponsor the right candidate, help with the paperwork, and provide accommodation and a company vehicle. They will also offer a generous benefits package including an allowance towards CPD, Bonus scheme and Pension. A1 Locums works very closely with a company who are UK and Immigration & British Nationality advisors, enablng them to make the process more efficient. International consultant Niel Keays has been assigned to help the company develop its recruitment processes. Niel was born in Cape Town and completed his schooling and National Service in South Africa. He has been living in the UK for 22 years and has been involved in

recruitment for 18 years. A1 Locums Ltd prides itself on offering a recruitment service with a personal touch. They try to match the right candidate with the right job for them, and do not try to fit round pegs into square holes. Their aim is to make the process of re-locating to England seamless, and they have been very successful to date in placing a number of applicants with Tier 2 listed practices. Past recruiting advertising campaigns in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, have highlighted a need for them to visit these destinations to meet candidates who wish to come to England. In April 2015 the first of these planned visits will

take place. The team will visit South Africa, taking in Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Bloemfontein, where they will be arranging one to one meetings with vets who would like to pursue the opportunity to work in the UK. For details of their itinerary and to arrange an appointment, please e-mail n.keays@a1locums.com. All enquiries are dealt with in the strictest of confidence. Follow them on Facebook. com/a1locums for future road trips to Australia and New Zealand in 2015. t +44 (0)1280 850 575 e n.keays@a1locums.com w www.a1locums.com

Medimark Scientific launches new products and updated Best Practice guidelines to support infection control guidelines

edimark Scientific Limited continues to expand its Veterinary Hygiene portfolio by launching a new Alcohol Surgical Hand Rub called VETGEL which can be used without water and provides equitable levels of skin disinfection as obtained by scrubbing with PVP Iodine and

Chlorhexidine. This new product is available in 500ml portable bottles and 1 litre cartridges for mountable dispensers. VETGEL demonstrates virucidal, fungicidal and bactericidal efficacy in 1 minute and can be used as an intermediate hand disinfectant or for two or three stage surgical disinfection.

Unlike similar brands, this formula is readily available as a stocked item from all major veterinary wholesalers. Also introduced at BSAVA, will be the new ANIGENE NaDCC disinfectant, a fully DEFRA APPROVED terminal disinfectant that is also effective against protozoa (Giardia) and is ideal as a periodic deep clean product. June 2015 sees the implementation for all manufacturers to have updated CLP complaint labels and Material Safety Data Sheets detailing the hazards and risks associated with the chemical used in formulations. ANIGENE HLD4V is one of very products in the animal health market which has been tested against a wide range of viruses, mycobacteria,

fungi and bacteria in DIRTY conditions to replicate the environments often presented in companion animal hygiene and will be one of the few disinfectants to be devoid of any hazards according to GHS categories under the new regulations and will not present any concerns to users where COSHH assessments are concerned. BSAVA Congress also sees the re-launch of Medimark’s Best Practice Guideline booklets for surface, instruments and hand / skin hygiene. For further information t +44 (0)08452 22 33 44 e info@medi-mark.co.uk w www.medi-mark.co.uk

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Freelance Surgical; The more we practice, the luckier we get!

ollowing huge growth and success in recent years, Freelance Surgical will continue with their core company value by incorporating a new, quirky and unique venture. Social golfing expeditions! Featuring in the Freelance Surgical diary will be networking events on the golf course and explanation/demonstration clinics utilising a fully

qualified PGA Professional Golfer. Robert Towler Managing Director said, “We owe our rapid expansion to the vision and core value of Freelance Surgical as a whole, which is to maintain a personal approach to ensure the service we provide is bespoke to each and every customer. Our core value, ‘family values – corporate world’ is the epitome of what we do, dedicated named personnel to give customers as much help as they need and no automated telephone systems! The golf society we intend to grow will only help strengthen the bond between ourselves and our

customers and we hope to be able to show how friendly and approachable we are”. The rapidly expanding business in Wrington, Somerset will be attending this year’s BSAVA where they will be aunching this new venture. Visit them on stand 306 to see if you can sink the impossible putt! There will be some exciting prizes up for grabs and it will give you the opportunity to meet the team. Freelance surgical was established in 1987, providing the human and veterinary markets with operating theatre equipment including camera

systems, rigid & flexible endoscopy both laparoscopy and arthroscopy, orthopaedic implants & power tools, and the vetSEAL advanced bipolar vessel sealing device. It also offers in-house biomedical servicing and repair of mechanical and electronic equipment. Recognisable brands include IMEX, KONIGSEE, and the ADVANTAGE range of quality instruments. For further information t +44 (0) 845 050 4147 w www.freelance-surgical.co.uk

BSAVA Highlights from CRC Press

RC Press will once again exhibit at this year’s BSAVA Annual Meeting in Birmingham, where delegates will be able to browse our latest and bestselling publications. With a range of exciting new veterinary books just out and due due to publish throughout the year, CRC Press continues to produce the accessible, highly illustrated quality books that became the hallmark of Manson Publishing over the previous twenty years. Highlights for the year include: · A new book on Canine Reproduction and Neonatology · The 5th edition of M Joseph

Bojrab’s classic text on Small Animal Surgery · An expanded range of specialist Equine titles. · A new edition of Sheep Medicine by Phil Scott · Many new titles in the classic Self-Assessment Colour Review series, loved by practitioners and students alike Visit us at stand 809, where you’ll be able to browse all the latest titles, meet with authors and discuss the latest developments in the field; we look forward to seeing you there!

Looking'to' start'your'own' practice?

BSAVA Stand 906

For further information w www.crcpress.com

BSAVA Vice President will sail into new role

ongress visitors can double their chances of winning with Braemar Finance.Their free prize draw will see one lucky Congress attendee winning £200 of John Lewis vouchers, and in

addition,there will be two runners up prizes of John Lewis vouchers to the value of £50. Winners will be drawn at random from entries received during Congress. Delegates can also visit the Braemar stand to discuss their finance needs, Annual Investment Allowance or client finance options. t +44 (0)845 154 6586 w www.braemarfinance.co.uk

VetSavers%partnerships%offer: D%An%affordable%and%flexible%route%to%fulfilling%your% ambitions D%A%practice%where%you%make%the%clinical%decisions% D%You%choose%the%equipment%that’s%right%for%your%practice% D%Potential%to%develop%multi%vet%and%multi%site%practices D%Guaranteed%salary%from%day%one D%Full%business%support D%Group%buying%power D%You%keep%all%of%your%practice%profits Visit%us%at%BSAVA%stand%no.%906.%All%successful%signDups% met%at%BSAVA%will%receive% £1,000%in%holiday,% equipment%or%CPD% vouchers! Or%contact%us%to%book%an% appointment% jvp@vetsavers.co.uk

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Braemar Finance *Prize draw at stand 527, BSAVA Congress!

With%30%years%experience%in%the%veterinary%practice,%we% have%the%skills,%expertise%and%knowledge%to%help%your% aspirations%of%running%your%own,%successful%veterinary% practice,%come%to%fruition.%

For further information e e.sansom@bsava.com w www.petsavers.org.uk/GetInvolved

Come%and%talk%to%us%about%our%exciting%new%approach%to% joint%venture%partnerships%within%established%leisure%and% retail%outlets.

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ice President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Tricia Colville, is set to sail into her new role by taking part in a 17m charity abseil down the ICC in Birmingham on Saturday 11 April to support the health of the nation’s pets – and you could join her. This year BSAVA Congress, the largest veterinary event of its kind on the world, celebrates 25 years in Birmingham, so PetSavers – the charitable division of the BSAVA – is looking for 30 more courageous people to join Tricia in the celebrations. By taking part in a charity abseil the brave supporters will raise money to fund research into the conditions that affect our pets.

Tricia, who has previously been Chair of PetSavers and will begin her presidential year at Congress, said, “I’m delighted at the opportunity to support PetSavers in this way… even if it’s a bit scary! It is fantastic that the great work that PetSavers undertakes and funds can be highlighted through this event.” Pedro Martín Bartolomé, the current Chair of PetSavers, said “this is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the charity along with supporting PetSavers in its mission to relieve the distress and pain caused by diseases for which we currently have no effective treatments. So sign up and get involved, if you dare!” There is an entry fee of £20 and a minimum sponsorship of £100, there are a limited number of places available so make sure you don’t miss out. *In the case of adverse weather conditions this event will be cancelled.

BSAVA Spotlight 30

New Automated New innovation to the classic MDC Trap Check-a-Chip Service Transfer Restrainer basket

DC always strives to meet the needs of their customers, whilst ensuring that the design of their baskets for capture, restraint and transportation keep animal’s stress and suffering to a minimum. On the request of regular users of the TTR, a model with a new closure system has just been launched. This basket joins the high quality range manufactured using square steel mesh and plastic coating ensuring the safe temporary containment of cats and other small animals. • Lightweight • Easy clean • Top and end panel locking A ‘must have’ for every veterinary practice, rescue organisation

and cattery, this basket is perfect for securely containing and transporting cats, ferals and other small animals such as ferrets and exotics (known for their escaping attributes!). The 2.5cm square mesh is coated in non-toxic PVC for incredible durability and hygiene. This latest version has a unique closure system with a rod and eye fastenings for both the lid and the end panel making this one of the most secure baskets in the MDC range. With a chunky moulded plastic handle for comfortable carrying, this design is sure to become the favourite of TNR professionals and others specialising in small animal handling and transportation. For further information t +44 (0)1582 655600 e mdcexports@btconnect.com w www.mdcexports.co.uk

The UK PETtrac Database’s new automated telephone service was launched at BVNA Congress 2014, and has since received great feedback from users. To reflect the success of this service, a new website will launched at BSAVA Congress 2015. It is a responsive site which will be better for mobile and tablet users, containing updated information on how pet owners can keep their details up-to-date and how they can receive automatic reminders to keep information updated. In 2011, AVID MicroChips and the UK PETtrac Database launched a website (www.check-a-chip.co.uk) to assist pet owners, vets, dog wardens and rescue centres in identifying which database they needed to contact. Since then this functionality has been added to the main PETtrac website and also to groundbreaking smartphone apps for MicroChip implanters, allowing them access to this information anywhere there is a data connection. There are however a lot of people who don’t have access to these internet services or who aren’t comfortable using the internet and

it’s for these reasons that PETtrac have launched the automated phone service.Quick and simple to use, just dial the telephone number and key in the MicroChip number when prompted. The Check-a-Chip service will then analyse the MicroChip number and return the contact details for the most likely point of registration for the MicroChip. This new service is also useful when you just need to locate the database for a pet owner so that they can update the database records. Simon Clark, manager at AVID Plc and PETtrac, said “We’re constantly looking to improve our products and services and this is one way that we’re helping to make our services available to more people”. As always our 24 hour lost and found hotline remains and is complemented by this new automated system.To use the check-a-chip service simply call 0203 77 38 39 8. For further information... e feedback@avidplc.com t +44 (0)800 652 7 977 w www.avidplc.com

e Se us at

VA SA

New Products- Lightning, ICON, SAV04

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There are now videos available for each product showing the main features of the product and some of the common procedures used with them.

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Lightning is our new compact allin-one Multi-Parameter monitor: ECG, SpO2, CO2, IBP, NIBP, TEMP.

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sales@vbsdirect.co.uk www.klaser.co.uk & www.vbsdirect.co.uk

BSAVA Spotlight 32

Pet Food UK introduces their newest brand AATU at BSAVA 2015

ATU was launched in the Autumn of 2014 and since then has gained fantastic reviews from both the industry and from dog owners alike. It was one of the few brands awarded 5 out of 5 from All About Dog Food. co.uk – the UK’s foremost independent dog food site dedicated to providing owners with information and reviews on their pets food and their customers have been equally enthusiastic about the diet and the results feeding it has had on their dogs. “Great food. Has made all the difference to my one year old Boxer. Well done for creating such a great product”

“This has made such a difference to my two working cocker spaniels, one of which suffers from colitis. She has never been better since being on this food, definitely recommend.” Pet Food UK firmly believes that nutrition is vital to a dogs health and wellbeing and they require key basic elements from their diet to live a fulfilled and healthy life. Meat is the main essential ingredient within a dog’s diet, even back through the ancestry of dogs, tracing the blood line back to the wolf, meat was the key provider of protein to these animals and still remains as important today. The fact that a dog food

product contains 80% meat content is a good indication dogs will receive the invaluable protein needed in its diet, balance this with the other ingredients found naturally within its ancestors’ environment, such as fruit, vegetable, herbaceous plants and botanicals and you are giving back to the dog, what is naturally requires to thrive in life. To find out more about AATU and all of the Pet Food UK brands visit them at BSAVA on stand 405 For further information t +44 (0)808 100 8885 w www.aatu.co.uk www.barkingheads. co.uk www.meowingheads.co.uk

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‘No Bite is Right’ when it comes to ticks, warn experts

ith the UK currently in the grip of another wet and mild winter, tick numbers are once again expected to be on the rise and pet owners need to be aware of the risks and remain vigilant, according to experts. This comes as new research, commissioned by Bayer Animal Health, reveals that over three quarters of vets regularly see clients whose dogs/cats are affected by ticks and two thirds say they have

seen instances where owners themselves have been bitten by ticks. As part of the ‘It’s A Jungle’ 2015 parasite protection initiative, Bayer is launching its biggest tick awareness campaign to date called ‘No Bite Is Right’, designed to remind Vets about the importance of tick repellency and inform their clients that they can use a preventative product that affects ticks/fleas on contact - no biting required!2 According to the survey, 88 per cent of vets believe that tick repellency is an important feature of a tick product in addition to tick killing activity. In a separate survey of UK pet owners3, nearly all (96 per cent) said they would be happier using a tick product knowing that ticks are repelled before biting and feeding can take place. However, the research which questioned 5,000 pet owners found that 47 per cent are not aware that some flea and tick products require the flea/tick to bite their pet in order to be killed. One in five owners only check their animal for fleas/ticks after seeing them scratching themselves or if they see a flea/tick on their animal. The same percentage of respondents said they were not aware of the risks posed by flea and tick bites to their pets and family. Paul Manktelow, Principal Veterinary Surgeon at the PDSA, says: “Owner education is key when it comes to communicating the ‘No Bite Is Right’ message. Awareness of the preventative products available in this area is crucial to ensure owners

are giving their pets the best chance of avoiding tick or flea borne diseases and reducing the risk of them being bitten.” Ian Wright, Veterinary Parasitologist and member of ESCCAP UK, says: “When pets are being walked in high risk tick areas, the products that repel (have antifeeding activity) and kill reduce the risk of Canine Vector-Borne Disease (CVBD) transmission including borreliosis, rickettsiosis and ehrlichiosis.” Stella Huyshe-Shires from charity Lyme Disease Action says: “There has been a steady increase in reported Lyme disease cases in humans over the last 10 years and a number of experienced healthcare professionals believe this reflects a genuine rise in Lyme disease, and not just increased awareness leading to more diagnosis. There appears to have been an increase in ticks and, in turn, an increase in the prevalence of Lyme disease in ticks.” To support the launch of the ‘No Bite Is Right’ campaign, a series of educational ‘Tick-Nic’ events will be held at locations near known tick hotspots across the UK focused on Scotland and the South West. Pet owners attending the events in each region throughout May will be encouraged to speak to their local vet practice about a suitable preventative treatment, which doesn’t require ticks to bite their pet in order to be killed. Vet practices across the country will also be provided with a full range of campaign materials including: posters, display packs and product detailers, to ensure the ‘No

Bite Is Right’ messaging is clearly communicated to your customers both in the waiting room and during consultation. Belinda Kinnon, Seresto and Advantix Product Manager at Bayer Animal Health says: “With this campaign we are committed to encouraging pet owners to speak to their vet about a preventative treatment which helps protect their pet against ticks without requiring the ticks to bite. It is important that your clients should be aware that not all tick products offer this repellency (anti-feeding) and kill affect.” Both Seresto and Advantix provide acaricidal (killing) and repellent (anti-feeding) contact activity against ticks, preventing repelled parasites from taking a blood meal and thereby reducing the risk of CVBD. Transmission time of CVBDs varies widely from a few hours (for example ticks carrying E.canis have been shown to infect dogs in as little as 3 hours of attachment4) to 48 hours or more. Seresto is the first and only product to offer tick repellency in cats and can also be used on dogs. Advantix is for use on dogs only. ‘No Bite Is Right’ is part of Bayer Animal Health’s wider ‘It’s a Jungle Out There’ parasite protection initiative. You can help spread the word, and read the experiences of other vets and owners at www. facebook.com/jungleforpets or by following ‘JungleForPets’ on Twitter. For further information t +44 (0)1635 563000 w www.bayer.co.uk/animalhealth

BSAVA Spotlight Dual focus from Royal Canin at this year’s BSAVA

oyal Canin will have a dual focus at this year’s BSAVA, with an emphasis on weight loss and inappetance. In line with its focus on overcoming inappetance in cats and dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease, Royal Canin will be promoting its range of recently launched new Renal diets. The range features innovative different aromatic profiles, textures and tastes to provide choice and encourage feeding without compromising the

nutritional management of patients with CKD. With the growing problem of obesity amongst the UK’s cats and dogs, delegates can also learn about the ways in which the company is partnering with veterinary practices to help better manage weight in cats and dogs, through diets, services and specially designed merchandising and educational tools for practices. Delegates will also have the chance to win one of 2,500 prizes as Royal Canin’s now renowned

‘wind tunnel’ competition returns to the show. Top prizes include a £750 Ralph Colman Cycles voucher for bikes or accessories, an iPad Air, a GTech AirRam K9 vacuum cleaner and a weekend stay for two people in a Puma Hotel. For further information t +44 (0)845 300 5011 e Royalcaninvet.gbr@royalcanin.com w vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk

New YesWeCanSee™ – An enhanced webcam system from Shor-Line

istributed by Shor-Line, who have supported the product development over the past two years, YesWeCanSee™ incorporates remote controlled webcam, lighting with infra-red facility and microphone to enable vets to view, speak or listen to inpatients, whilst keeping record notes using the photo and

video option. Trialled in practice and vet hospital environments from last year, this unique new tool for vets will give practices invaluable time-savings with ease of monitoring quarantined, emergency and overnight inpatients without needing to disturb the animals. YesWeCanSee™ will be

available to see and trial on the Shor-Line stand – 801 at BSAVA in April. Chris Walters, Managing Director of Shor-Line says, “We are delighted to be adding the Shor-Line name to YesWeCanSee™; this innovative device fully complements the Shor-Line kennel range. It can be installed in minutes and offers huge benefits to busy practices. Do come

along to try it out at BSAVA, and enter our competition draw to win a free YesWeCanSee™ for your practice.” For further information t +44 (0)1446 772041 e dpuddick@shor-line.co.uk w www.yeswecansee.com

Free F10 Germicidal Barrier Ointment with Insecticide available at BSAVA Congress

t this year’s BSAVA Congress, help stop fly-strike by visiting Meadow’s Animal Healthcare at stand 611 and collecting a free F10 Germicidal Barrier Ointment with Insecticide.

You’ve used F10’s popular Germicidal Wound Spray with Insecticide for year-round fly-strike preventative and treatment, now try F10 Germicidal Barrier Ointment with Insecticide. This barrier ointment

armed with the antimicrobial properties of the F10 actives and a cypermethrin insecticide has the ability to both help heal wounds and prevent any infestation. Its bright pink colour helps indicate

when it is time for reapplication. For further information e info@meadowsah.com t +44 (0)1509 265557 w www.meadowsah.com

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Abaxis UK launches officially at BSAVA Congress

baxis UK, previously QCR and Trio Diagnostics, will celebrate it’s first BSAVA Congress with a champagne reception on Thursday morning, 10:30 am, Stand 520. As well as free champagne on

the stand, there will be some incredible ‘Congress only’ deals, including an offer to buy one of three Vetscan VS2 biochemistry analysers for the unbelievable price of just £5,000. These are likey to be snapped up quickly, so interested parties should make sure they visit the stand as early as possible. Abaxis and QCR have enjoyed a long and successful business relationship for almost two decades, having sold the first Vetscan analyser

in 1996. Abaxis UK will continue to distribute the best selling Vetscan range for in-practice biochemistry, haematology, critical- care and blood gas analysers to the UK and Irish profession. The transformation to Abaxis UK represents a new and exciting chapter in the company’s history, and it looks forward to embarking upon this adventure As a company Abaxis prides itself on supplying the UK veterinary

industry with the highest quality blood diagnostic equipment and in a complex market environment, it hopes to be able to communicate the superior quality and performance of the Abaxis brand to the full benefit of existing and future customers For further information t +44 (0)1904 488507/489334 e info@abaxis.co.uk w www.abaxis.co.uk

BSAVA Spotlight

“If you Fail to Plan, you’re Planning to Fail….”

For further information t +44(0)20 8429 7474 e rakhtar@raaccountants.com. w www.raaccountants.com

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Which is why Riz will be ‘Going for Gobi’, competing in one of the world’s toughest challenges, the Gobi March in Xinjiang Province, China. The gruelling footrace which this year celebrates its 12th Gobi March, is part of the annual 4Deserts Race and is widely acknowledged to be one of the most difficult sporting challenges in the world. From 28th May to 7th June, Riz will join 149 fellow competitors from 40 countries as they race across the World’s largest Cold Water desert. This extreme feat of endurance will test competitors to their limits, physically, mentally and emotionally. This race is a 6 stage, 250 kilometre challenge to be covered in just 7 days, crossing forbidding terrain in extreme climate conditions with only a tent and water provided. Competitors are entirely self-supported. Riz will be racing on foot, carrying all personal equipment, items and special high protein food pouches in his maximum capacity 9-12kg backpack. Medical teams will be on hand for emergencies and a small volunteer group will help prepare the base campfire every night. The Gobi March is not for the faint-hearted, nor for the unprepared. But as Riz says, whether it’s a desire for personal or business success, the process is exactly the same. Both require planning, both demand commitment, both can only be achieved with a clear strategy and objective in mind. For the biggest challenge of his lifetime Riz has enlisted the expert services of personal trainer and experienced Ultra race expert, Mark Kleanthous. “Preparation is key. Without it I won’t survive, much less succeed”. Perhaps planning growth forecasts for your veterinary clinic and understanding tax and NI implications if you’re considering incorporation, are not quite as daunting as traipsing across the Gobi desert self supported. But the repercussions in the longer term can be just as serious. The message is clear. To achieve your vision of success, to give your business the best chance for successful growth, enlisting experts to help you plan for your future makes very good sense. As Riz says “Whether you’re thinking of buying your first vet practice or planning your exit strategy, if you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail”.

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o says Riz Akhtar, partner at RA Accountants LLP, London-based Chartered Certified Accountants, Auditors and Tax Advisors. The specialist veterinary accountants, who also provide expert advisory and business services in other medical and professional sectors, are buzzing with activity ahead of the upcoming Chancellor’s Budget announcement expected on the 18th March. “There is always a great deal of anticipation at this time of year, not just because the Chancellor is about to make his annual announcement with the obvious ramifications for us all, but also because it’s time for the BSAVA Congress, one of our favourite annual shows”. As seasoned exhibitors, this will be RA’s 4th year attending the Congress and as always, delegates are warmly invited to visit their stand for a complimentary consultation throughout the 4 day event. The annual conference/exhibition is the perfect showcase for the company as it introduces its specialist accounts and advisory services to thousands of industry related delegates and visitors who attend the event. “Professional trade and industry shows form an integral part of our annual calendar; of course they are physically demanding and involve a great deal of preparation, but they are also a great way for us to connect with many of our existing clients and friends and also to update stand visitors and guests with our latest company services. We also look forward to the network opportunities these events present. Developing industry contacts and associates and exploring potential new business collaborations helps keep you on the top of your professional game” explained Riz. And the timing of this year’s Congress couldn’t be more important coming as it does a month after the 2015 budget announcement. Without a crystal ball it’s impossible to know what the Chancellor has in store for us, but one thing is clear according to Riz, “Financial success is about one thing, efficient and effective planning”. The reality is that for veterinary practice owners and managers, the constantly changing government

regulations and amendments to fiscal policy can be complicated and administratively burdensome. All the more reason to defer your accounts and tax planning requirements to specialists who understand the regulatory minefield and can help you plan ahead. Following year on year growth throughout its successful first decade, the company continues to expand. It now boasts a multi-ethnic team of more than 35 highly skilled account managers, accountants, tax specialists, auditors, book-keepers and support professionals, who guide, advise and oversee thousands of small and medium size company accounts. From self-employed soletraders to multi-site, multi-million pound national corporations, RA Accountants will offer a thorough financial health check of your organisation, providing you with a clear strategy for improving tax efficiencies and helping you plan for maximum future growth, both personally and professionally. “Planning for success is critical” explains Riz. “Without a clear objective and strategic plan in place to help you achieve your goal, your vision will never succeed. Why jeopardise your chances for success? Be clear what your target is, put the right steps in place to get you there, then continually review and develop your strategy for ongoing success”. And Riz has always applied this same professional ethos to his personal life. “I’m lucky. I’ve had a good education and achieved my success through being focused and working hard. I’m grateful that my children and family will benefit from my success, but there are many children and families who are not as fortunate”, which explains Riz’s commitment to the new charity he is establishing here in the UK, the RA Foundation. It was originally set up by his grandfather (and his grandfather’s 3 friends) as an informal fund, 2 generations ago in his native Pakistan, a sort of cash fund to help families escape poverty through education. Now going through the official process of being registered by the UK Charities Commission, the Foundation is very much at the forefront of Riz’s personal commitment to making a difference. He explained “Many families fall into poverty through tragic and unexpected circumstances. Young boys and girls become victims and suddenly education for these children is not an option. If we can help educate young children and give them an income-earning future, the self-perpetuating cycle of poverty can be broken”.

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“Beyond the stomach: Considerations of Equine Intestinal Pathologies”

quine gastric ulcer syndrome has been the focus of extensive research, and diagnostic and drug developments. However, work currently being undertaken by Derek Knottenbelt, Nicola Kerbyson and Tim Parkin at the Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with Freedom Health LLC is shifting the spotlight towards the large bowel and specifically colonic mucosal pathology. Presenting at EBVM 2014, Kerbyson highlighted that pathological conditions of the intestinal tract beyond the stomach has been largely unreported and, in turn,

“grossly underestimated” by the veterinary community. This is due in part to limitations on current diagnostic techniques. However, confusion and uncertainty over the clinical significance of pathological conditions of the large bowel, such as an ulcerative bowel disease, may also be partly to blame. Regardless, the incidence of this type of disease is surprising. Franklin Pellegrini , Director of Veterinary Medicine for Freedom Health, in his 2005 post-mortem study, reported a 64% incidence rate among performance horses for some form of ulcerative, proliferative or haemorrhagic pathology in the large colon (N=180). Furthermore,

data collected by Pellegrini from 563 subsequent post mortems yielded an even higher incidence of 84%; rates reproduced in recent post mortem studies by Knottenbelt and Kerbyson. With incidence rates as high as these, the clinical significance of this disease is apparent. Colonic ulceration and inflammation can elicit a range of symptoms from hindgut discomfort and recurrent colic to loss of performance and condition and even behavioural and lameness issues. Knottenbelt went on to note at AAEP 2014, that “this variable presentation and often lack of overt pathology may be why vets are too often seeing these horses at a critical stage. At this late point diagnoses may often only be achieved through histological examination during surgery or post mortem. Whilst it’s useful to know why an invasive procedure had to be carried out, an understanding of the disease process at an earlier point may allow practitioners to take proactive steps to correct it.” This gives rise to the importance of reliable diagnostic methods. The SUCCEED® Equine Fecal Blood Test™ (FBT) is a diagnostic aid which, in conjunction with the clinician’s knowledge and expertise, facilitates differential diagnosis. This

rapid field screen test, (a lateral flow ELISA) detects occult equine albumin and haemoglobin in a faecal sample stable-side, as an indication of gastrointestinal pathology. The enzymatic degradation of albumin, but not haemoglobin, cranial to the common bile duct enables conditions to be pinpointed as foregut, hindgut, or both. The test is highly sensitive but non-specific, developed to initiate the diagnostic process. The FBT has a high PPV for colonic pathology, but it is akin to a thermometer, and intended to be an indicator of disease rather than confirming a specific pathology. The FBT is a key means for not only expanding the knowledge base of colonic mucosal pathology, but to enable the clinician to select the most appropriate and effective additional investigatory techniques and implement the best treatment options for optimal recovery. Given the recent research, and the availability of a reliable diagnostic aid, clinicians are well-served to consider pathologies of the gut beyond the stomach in their equine patients. For further information Dr Emma Hardy t +44 (0)7850176119 e ehardy@freedomhealthllc.com w www.succeedfbt.co.uk

EquiSal’s pilot trial data suggests horses with a tapeworm burden can be retested 2 - 3 months after worming to check the tapeworm burden status

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quiSal Tapeworm is the new saliva test to diagnose tapeworm burdens in horses. The test was developed by a team of experienced scientists, one of whom was an inventor of the Clear Blue pregnancy test. The EquiSal Tapeworm Test measures tapeworm-specific antibodies in saliva and has been proven to have both high sensitivity and high specificity to determine whether a horse has a tapeworm burden or not. If a horse is diagnosed with a borderline or moderate/high burden, then tapeworm treatment is recommended. A follow-up test after a few months to confirm that the treatment has been effective would be beneficial and would enable horse owners to feel more confident in their tapeworm control programmes. But it only makes sense to repeat the

Equisal test if the salivary antibody levels drop quickly after effective tapeworm treatment. In preparation for a full-scale trial, Austin Davis Biologics recently carried out a small trial in which EquiSal Tapeworm testing was carried out on horses every 2 weeks following worming treatment for tapeworm. Data collected from this trial has shown that, in most cases, substantial reduction in tapewormspecific antibodies was seen within 2-3 weeks following treatment. In one horse, the antibody levels took longer to reach low burden status, but even so, the antibody levels started dropping straight away after worming. It is important to understand that the picture is complicated if the horse becomes reinfected by tapeworm larvae after worming

treatment. Tapeworm reinfection was seen in some horses in the trial. In a poorly managed paddock reinfection can obviously happen very easily. But, given that the tapeworm’s life cycle requires an intermediate host (an oribatid mite), even well managed paddocks containing horses with high tapeworm burdens could harbour infected oribatid mites within the grass. This means that there is still a reinfection risk after worming for horses grazing in these circumstances too. The end goal is, of course, to break the tapeworm’s life cycle and prevent horses becoming infected. Horses diagnosed as having a low burden at the start of the trial maintained low burden status throughout the trial. Austin Davis Biologics are planning the larger trial for later this

year. The number of participants will be sufficient to ensure meaningful, statistically significant results, and all the data gathered will be subject to full analysis. EquiSal’s current testing recommendations: • The first EquiSal test should be carried out 4 months after the last worming treatment for tapeworm • Routine testing should then be carried out every 6 months • If a horse has a borderline or moderate/high diagnosis, a retest can be carried out 2 to 3 months after worming treatment for tapeworm. For further information... e enquiries@equisal.com w www.equisal.co.uk

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Equine 38

Safer Surgery is always the aim Bryan O’Meara MVB MVM(R) CertES(Orth) Dipl. ECVS MRCVS

Bryan O’Meara MVB MVM(R) CertES(Orth) Dipl. ECVS MRCVS is a European Specialist in Equine Surgery operating as an independent consultant working with a number of veterinary practices/clinics and private clients throughout the UK. Bryan graduated from Dublin University in 2003. Since qualifying he completed specialist training in Equine Surgery. This was in conjunction with Glasgow University and O’Gorman Slater Main in Newbury. He has previously worked on the Curragh in Ireland and with Sport horses in the South of England. He is particularly interested in standing surgery where it improves patient safety. Bryan regularly acts as a consultant and speaker at customer training sessions for Chanelle Animal Health UK

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‘

Buzz’ words, such as, checklists, protocols and safe surgery have been used in the surgical environment for at least the last five years. This article explores the author’s thoughts on “safe surgery” in horses, and explores examples of checklists for equine surgery, listing some sedation and general anaesthesia protocols that the author is familiar with. In June 2008, Ellen Barlow reported desire for safer surgery at the Harvard School of Public Health. The World Health Organization (WHO) and collaborators, including this year’s Reith lecturer Atul Gawande of the Harvard School of Public Health, aimed to help prevent avoidable deaths and disability in operating rooms worldwide. The ‘checklist culture’ was first adopted by the aviation industry. The U.S. Army Air Corps introduced the checklist manifesto after the complex B17 bomber in World War 2 crashed due to pilot error during one of its test flights. The result was the risk of errors plummeted. Regions that are poor in resources, technologies, and expertise see higher casualties. In sub-Saharan Africa, human fatalities by anesthesia occurs in as many as 1 in 150 operations, as compared to a death rate in the United States of 1 in 200,000. The confidential enquiry into perioperative equine fatalities published in 2002 reported a non-colic mortality rate of approximately one in a hundred. Thirtythree percent of deaths occur from cardiac arrest or post-operative cardiovascular collapse, with 32% from fractures and myopathies. There is little doubt that the equine patient has its physiological idiosyncrasies such as its ventilation perfusion mismatch, large size and inherent difficulties in standing during recovery. An article by Mark Senior in the January 2015 edition of the Equine Veterinary Journal explores the question – “Would international guidelines improve safety in equine anaesthesia?” As he points out there are understandable difficulties in having worldwide guidelines for equine anaesthesia. However there

are benefits of using constant rate infusions that reduce the amount of gaseous anaesthetic required and in the introduction of morbidity and mortality rounds, and checklists at veterinary clinics have helped immensely. The RCVS practice accreditation has meant that M&M rounds are now carried out countrywide. These meetings if employed correctly create an atmosphere of team unity and problem solving allowing for procedural change with positive effects for the patient. The monitoring of vital parameters is limited in the horse once in recovery from anaesthesia. The anaesthetic team is required to step outside the recovery room so as to avoid collision with 500kg of brawling equine flesh whilst attempting to stand from a GA slumber. As a result the horse is left unmonitored and unsupported in this critical period. This is in contrast to the treatment and monitoring employed in human and small animal medicine. Perhaps the recovery period is an area where there is a requirement for innovation. The confidential enquiry into perioperative equine fatalities has continued its investigations. Critical incidence reporting systems coupled with an assessment of intervention is the aim of this work. More info can be found at http://www.cepef.info. Their good work should be encouraged and supported. The use of a safe surgery checklist that is tailored for equine anaesthesia and equine surgery should reduce mortality rates. For the last number of years these steps have been introduced in many hospitals and hopefully before long a decreased mortality rate in horses undergoing anaesthesia will become apparent. Is general anaesthesia required? In consideration of the inherent risks of general anaesthesia perhaps the most obvious step to increase patient safety is to avoid general anaesthesia if the procedure can be readily carried out under sedation and local anaesthesia. The horse should be assessed to see if it is compliant and docile to allow for

standing surgery. Risk of injury to the surgeon or staff should be assessed before a decision is made. There are some procedures such as sinus surgery that are now commonly performed under sedation and local anaesthesia however remember that if the horse is non compliant and there is severe haemorrhage then packing of the sinus may not be possible and thus it is some times sensible to perform surgery under general anaesthesia on an invasive ethmoid haematoma for example. However encouragingly, in my experience the amount of haemorrhage experienced in standing surgery (as regards sinus surgery, dorsal spinous process surgery, Hobday procedures) is generally much reduced which is likely to be a result of lower blood pressure to the surgical site when the horse is standing as compared to lateral recumbency. There are potential complications with placement of intravenous catheters such as carotid artery penetration and haematoma formation. There is not to my knowledge a study that details the complications associated with short term catheter placement in horses. I have no doubt that for many experienced veterinarians that this risk is low. For many short standing surgery procedures a catheter is not required. Each individual patient should be assessed and the risks of the standing surgery be assessed to see if a catheter is required. I think that virtually all clinicians would place an intravenous catheter before general anaesthesia as it has many advantages. If a catheter is not chosen for a standing surgery then 0.5 mls of local anaesthetic positioned over the jugular vein can help with patient compliance and allow further ‘top ups’ intravenously. My preference is to use a 23 gauge 5/8 needle as in my hands it decreases chance of carotid penetration and is less traumatic to the vein than larger needles. Care is required in choosing the correct case; longer standing procedures and those where there is a risk of haemorrhage or a requirement for fluid therapy should have a catheter

placed before surgery. There are some clinicians that advocate fluid therapy such as 10 litres of fluid intravenously if a horse is sedated for a cheek tooth removal in an attempt to offset any negative opioid and alpha 2 agonist effect on gut motility. Is the risk of perivascular injection from off the needle injection acceptable? I avoid the use of intravenous phenylbutazone by needle injection because of the risk of perivascular injection and tend towards oral administration of phenylbutazone or meloxicam coupled with intravenous flunixin meglumine or meloxicam (Rheumocam® 20mg/ml Injectable solution). Again experienced clinicians are unlikely to cause perivascular injection however is the risk of laryngeal hemiplegia and/or jugular vein thrombosis acceptable? The introduction of catheter protocols, strict adherence to aseptic technique and ‘over the wire’ catheters have been positive additions with regards decreasing complications associated with short and longer term catheter placement in my opinion. I have had bad experience of injection with procaine penicillin at the start of surgery and reserve its use for within the confines of a secure stable or knock down box. I can ensure you that a horse after a procaine penicillin injection reaction is more than capable of jumping into and out of stocks. Again some clinicians will go throughout their careers without a procaine penicillin drug reaction but most will not in my opinion. Is this an acceptable risk? It is not an expensive drug and its efficacy is unquestionable but should clinicians be using the more expensive crystalline pencillin that does not carry the same risk to the patient. It is argued by some that the hypotension associated with crystalline penicillin makes it an inappropriate prophylactic antibiotic when coupled with general anaesthesia. Other anaesthetists that I have worked with are less worried about the hypotensive effects but require crystalline penicillin to be administered fifteen minutes before induction. There are some clinicians

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using oral sulfonamides as prophylactic antibiotics for clean contaminated surgeries such as superficial tumour resections, upper airway surgeries and routine arthroscopy. Are there some equine surgical procedures that do not require antibiotic prophylaxis? Standing Surgery Sedation There are many different sedation protocols including oral detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml) followed by intravenous boluses as required. I find that the alpha-2 agonists diuretic effects can lead to the horse wishing to urinate from the beginning of surgery and this can be hazardous and frustrating. I favour acepromazine (0.03 mg/kg) IM or IV as a pre-medicant and this should be administered approximately 30 minutes before the horse is taken from its stable most especially if the horse is excitable so that the acepromazine is allowed to take effect before the horse is stimulated. This low dose sedation often allows for patient preparation without the need for an alpha -2agonist. If it is a routine and short procedure my preference is intravenous boluses of detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml) and butorphanol tartrate (Butador®

10mg/ml) however I don’t administer greater than 10mg of butorphanol tartrate (Butador® 10mg/ml) and tend to use ‘top up’ doses of detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml) of 3-4mg (i.e. 0.3 to 0.4 mls) as required. A one ml syringe can help to ensure accurate dosage, which I find, is especially important when using detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml). If the horse is particularly difficult or the procedure is a standing arthroscopy or standing fracture repair I prefer to use morphine 90-180 mg/500kg horse in combination with detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml). If the procedure is expected to be a longer procedure and there is a committed and qualified member of staff available then a CRI of detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml) or similar can work very effectively. I find that on occasion CRI’s are mismanaged resulting in a ‘see saw’ effect ebbing from the horse falling over to a state of excitation for unacceptable periods. It is imperative that the anaesthetist is afforded the time and opportunity to monitor and manage the CRI appropriately and not be expected to perform dual roles or catch up on office work and admin as well as manage the sedation protocol and act as a nursing assistant or

surgical assistant!! An example of a loading dose of detomidine is 8 μg/kg of detomidine hydrochloride (Medesedan® 10 mg/ml) coupled with an infusion rate of 40 μg/kg/ hour which equates to 25000 μg added to a 500ml bag to achieve a 50 μg /ml solution at an infusion rate 1 drop/sec if using a 10-drop/ mL administration set to a 450-kg horse (approximate infusion rate needs to be given to effect). It is often useful to administer a bolus of morphine before the beginning of the procedure but after the loading dose of detomidine to allow for its sedatory effects. Effective local anaesthesia is key to many standing procedures and should be employed whenever possible. The use of an epidural at the level of the coccygeal vertebrae can be aided by the placement of an epidural catheter that ensures accurate placement and dosage and subsequently can be used for analgesia in the peri-operative period. The intricate detail and nuances to a checklist can be very much clinic specific. I would encourage you to explore the below links as they give some good advice on the design of a surgery checklist. A link to the Animal Health Trust checklist pages and implementation

guidelines and advice http://www. aht.org.uk/cms-display/sa_resourcepsf.html (recommended if you wish to implement a check list for procedures at your clinic). A link to the WHO safe surgery checklist http://www.who.int/patientsafety/ safesurgery/checklist/en/ In conclusion, there are inherent risks and complication with surgery and anaesthesia. Almost every procedure carries some risk and what is an acceptable risk? Is a catheter site infection of one in ten catheters or an avoidable adverse drug reaction of one in ten thousand acceptable? There is not likely to be one change in equine anaesthesia and surgery but a series of small changes and efforts that will ultimate achieve a decrease in the peri-operative mortality rate of our equine patients. Atul Gawande, equine anaesthetists, the CEPEF group and the contributions of clinicians at monthly mortality and morbidity rounds among others are all valid contributors and ultimately we hope their combined efforts will result in safer surgery for our equine patients. For further information t +44 (0)1488 681032 e mwaugh@chanellegroup.ie w www.chanellegroup.com

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Equine 42

Merial organises Social Media CPD For Equine Vets!

series of one day social media CPD training workshops for equine practices is planned across the UK from March to June. ‘Why social media is so important to equine practices’ is being hosted by social media guru, Dr Julia Bramble of Bramble Buzz and sponsored by ProActive Equine Business. Louise Radford MRCVS of organiser, Merial Animal Health, says that a recent survey¹ of equine vets found that 100% of practices surveyed have a facebook page. “Social media is fast becoming a central part of practice marketing,” says Louise. “75% of practices in the survey agreed that facebook is a very important business communication tool and as such should be a central pillar of the practice’s marketing

strategy. “We also know that over two thirds of online adults have a current facebook page and similarly, approximately two-thirds of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on social media referral. Yet nearly half of the practices surveyed do not have social media plan in place,” notes Louise. What is interesting is that for those getting it right, having a social media presence is beneficial, she says. “Almost half surveyed said that social media was generating new business, and this does not take into account client loyalty or retention,” she adds. In order to increase your practice presence and expertise in this dynamic area, Merial Equine would like to invite your practice

personnel to attend one of the ProActive Equine Business training workshops around the country in 2015. The events take place as follows; • 28 April 2015 Warwick Hall, Carlisle CA4 8PG • 07 May 2015 Holiday Inn Express, Exeter EX1 3PE • 23 June 2015 Holiday Inn, Basingstoke RG21 3EE • 30 June 2015 Novotel, Birmingham Centre, B1 2HT

Booking is via a £50 deposit per delegate, refundable on attendance or, if preferred, will be donated to World Horse Welfare. Workshop places are limited to two per practice and will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so book early to

avoid disappointment. To book or for more information email Marisa McCarthy at marisa.mccarthy@ merial.com or speak to your local Merial territory manager. To learn more about Julia and her ‘social chemistry’, visit bramblebuzz.co.uk

Brought to you by ProteqFlu® vaccines, Clade 2 Secured 1. Survey Report: 24 equine practices via Survey Monkey, Dec 2014 For further information Louise Radford BVetMed.Cert. VR.MRCVS.MCIM t +44 (0)7774973122 e Louise.RADFORD@Merial.com w www.merial.com

Boehringer and Buscopan® 20 launch ‘Feel Good Colic Rectals’ – the ultimate guide to rectalling best practice

s part of its continued commitment to supporting colic education, Boehringer Ingelheim and Buscopan® 20 have launched an innovative new CPD video entitled ‘Feel Good Colic Rectals’ on its educational platform, the BI Academy – www. bi-academy.co.uk.

The short online video uses state of the art 3D modelling and green screen technology to demonstrate examination of the normal and abnormal equine abdomen and how to differentiate abnormal results, a challenging part of equine practice and one that can be difficult to teach. Leading colic experts Professor

Debra Archer BVMS PhD CertES (Soft Tissue) DipECVS MRCVS, head of equine surgery at the University of Liverpool and Rachael Conwell BVetMed CertEM(IntMed)DECEIM MRCVS, European specialist in equine internal medicine provide the clinical expertise in this 20 minute video, which is available to stream on-demand now. By answering a question at the end of the video, veterinary surgeons can enter a prize draw to win one of three pairs of powerful Oster® Pro 3000i cordless clippers. “The key to a Feel Good Colic

Rectal is safety, patient preparation and a systematic approach,” comments Clare Turnbull, equine brand and technical manager at Boehringer. “We are proud to have produced an innovative video which promotes this ethos and with input from two experts in this field we feel that the material will contain something of interest for all equine vets, from new graduates to experienced practitioners.” For further information e vetenquiries@boehringer-ingelheim. com w www.bi-academy.co.uk

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FEI removes UAE international Endurance events from official calendar Following the first meeting of the new FEI Executive Board, chaired by recently elected President Ingmar De Vos, Secretary General Sabrina Zeender has removed the two remaining international Endurance events scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in March 2015 from the FEI calendar in an emergency measure to protect horse welfare and to preserve the integrity of the FEI rules and regulations at FEI events. The move follows a mandate from the FEI Bureau to the Executive Board to urgently investigate horse

welfare issues and non-compliance with FEI rules and regulations in the UAE. The Executive Board will now finalise its recommendations to the Bureau. “We have made this our top priority and will make our conclusions as speedily as possible so that the recommendations can be presented to the Bureau for urgent consideration”, the FEI President said after the meeting, which was held at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI). The Executive Board meeting was attended by the FEI President, 1st Vice President and Chair of the

Jumping Committee John Madden (USA), 2nd Vice President and Chair of FEI Regional Group VII HE Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa (BRN), Chair of the Dressage Committee Frank Kemperman (NED), Chair of the Athletes’ Committee Maria Gretzer (SWE), and FEI Secretary General Sabrina Zeender (SUI). Luiz Roberto Giugni (BRA), Chair of FEI Regional Group VI, was unable to attend due to meetings in Brazil on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Endurance Rules were strengthened last year specifically to protect and promote horse welfare

following recommendations from the Endurance Strategic Planning Group. The widely supported measures include additional dope testing, injury surveillance and reporting, athlete penalties for equine injuries, and extended rest periods. Other measures increase the responsibility and accountability of riders, trainers and officials, as well as steps to address any conflicts of interest. For further information t + 41 21 310 47 47 w www.fei.org

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Practice Matters 44

Are your Clients Compliant?

hunk training asks... What factors convince clients to do as you ask: to comply with your treatment recommendations, to pay their bills promptly, or

even to become clients in the first place? We easily get bogged down in the detailed answers to these questions, but let’s stick with the

broader picture for now: Clients will work with you if they like you, they trust you and they believe you. Similarly they have to like, trust and believe the practice as a whole. Like: how do we have to behave in order to be liked? Obviously, smiles, openness and genuine expressions of interest and compassion are a good start. If all clients are treated in the same way by all staff, then the business will be ‘liked’ as much as the individual staff. Trust is easily lost and very, very hard to win back. After a car accident, for example, many of us find it very difficult to get back behind the wheel. After eating a bad piece of meat, we instinctively shun that meat for a long while. On a smaller scale, if one member of staff gives a client an uncomfortable experience – for example failing to listen, or expressing open disagreement, the whole business will be tarnished. Belief occurs when information we are being given fits with

our own experience, is delivered with sincerity, and is repeated from different sources. Consistency can only be achieved by great teamwork! The whole team must project the same character and business ethic, with sincerity. The whole team must be trained on how to handle those little items that are so important, particularly dealing with debt prevention, bereavement and complaints. All staff a client speaks to must reinforce the information given by other staff – for example regarding payment, insurance, dietary advice as often as possible. The whole team must give the same consistent answers to basic client questions. For further information t +44 (0)1934 235850 e hello@chunktraining.co.uk w www.chunktraining.co.uk

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Practice Matters 46

Veterinary Supplies Magazine speaks to David Haythornthwaite, of Vetplus

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What is Vetplus Vetplus today is truly a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of veterinary nutraceuticals. There are probably 3 or 4 others in that market that consider themselves global – we are up there in the top 5, and aim to claim the top spot in the next 5 to 10 years. Steady Growth. Steady Demand and a good plan... We have a good model that works very well. The business grew 35% last year, and we expect it to grow another 35% next year. This growth suggests that going for this “Top spot” is entirely do-able. It took 20 years to grow our first £20 million, and we anticipate that the business will grow to turnover £175 million in the next 20 years. I have done a 20 year projection to enable us to see how we get there, and based on our current and predicted growth, it will take 4 years to get the next £20 million, 9 years to get to £50 million and so on... This growth will be driven by export business and sales overseas, and this is our main focus moving forward. We already have exclusive distribution partners in 28 countries, and we haven’t even tapped into the major markets yet, as our plan is to open subsidiaries in these markets. It would be easy to find distribution partners in these markets, but previous experience, pre Vetplus, has shown me that it is far better to hold fire, and then open subsidiaries. That way, we haven’t given exclusive distribution rights to other companies, and are not then faced with buying back the right to distribute our own products. Until recently, we hadn’t done any business in Germany, and France and the USA are still untapped markets for us. We are active in Ireland and in Spain, and have just sent our first shipment to Japan, which is an amazing market with great potential. Next year we plan to go across the pond, and go for our biggest overseas market to date – the USA. Thoughts on the UK market... We cut our teeth on probably the hardest market of all; the UK.

It really is an incredibly dynamic market, and competition is rife from both existing and new businesses. I look on this as a really good thing. Competition keeps you on your toes, keeps you hungry and makes you want to get out of bed in the mornings. Everyone wants a piece of it, and there are a lot of young, hungry companies out there, who are fighting hard to get their feet on the ladder. Some do it very well, but many are prepared to be really cutthroat in the way they do business. We can very much hold our own, despite refusing to compromise when it comes to our products. Others may be tenpted to go for the “Pile it high, sell it cheap” approach, particularly those that are new to the market, but we’ve been around long enough to know that it would be a mistake to be un-nerved by the way others choose to do business. We know we have a premium product line, and premium comes at a price. We remain resolute – it costs a lot to develop a good product, and to support it, and we aren’t about to compromise on either the products, or the support that we pride ourselves on. Our UK business grew 11% last year, and we’re looking at 12% this year – which reassures us that this approach works perfectly for us. Selecting the right partners... We are essentially a family business, with family values, and we place great importance on doing business with companies who adopt a similar approach. We don’t look to do business with large companies, where we are just another name on a spreadsheet. The ideal for us would be a small company where we are the number 1 product line in their porfolio, or at least of great importance in their portfolio; a big fish in a small pond. We like to visit every potential distributor to get a feel for them as a company, to learn about their business. How we work... We manufacture exclusively in-house, in a facility that has been recently updated to ensure that we have the technology to produce and package products to exceptionally

high standards. We have a range of highly advanced machinery, operated by staff who undergo regular training and monitoring, and our processes are second to none – not only do products not make it to market unless they have passed our stringent quality control, they don’t even make it to the warehouse. Our ethos is not about volume, it is about consistent high quality, so we do not manufacture around the clock, preferring to produce quality over quantity. This in-house capability means that we are able to maintain complete control of our manufacturing process, and, vitally, to customise shipments in a way that few other global distributors are willing or able to do. Unusually, we are able to ship products in very small quantities, packaged to the exact specifications of our distribution partners. This flexibility is amazing in todays market. For instance, we have found that in the Korean market, they place great importance on the fact that the products are manufactured in the UK, as this implies premium quality. We can, and do customise and ship product in the language of the country that it will be sold in, but the Koreans don’t want that. They want British products, labelled in English, with elements of Korean, to convey to the end user that it is a high quality British product, distributed by a Korean company. Too many companies, even this day and age rely on the old “minumum order is 1000 and we only ship in English”. This is not how we do business! The Vetplus Portfolio – what are your “Hero” products? In a word...Synoquin. We have just sold our 1millionth bottle of Synoquin, which is quite an achievement. We’re selling it all over the world – it’s a fantastic product, and one which we are very proud of. My favourite is Activait, a product for dementia in dogs – when we launched it 10 years ago, it was far ahead of its time, and it probably still is today. Dementia in humans is a hugely topical subject, and it was only a matter of time before that spilled

over into the animal sector. Detection is the difficult part – even in humans, and in animals, it is virtually impossible. However, as the condition becomes more important to petowners, it becomes more important that vets have the tools to manage the condition, and Activait is one of those tools. We’re already selling a lot of it, and I predict that over the next 5 years, we’re going to see an explosion in demand for products like this, that help manage the symptoms of dementia. With this in mind, we are in the process of appointing a product manager who will be focused entirely on working with vets to educate them about Activait. Dementia in animals is a real sleeping giant, and we have a great product here, with plenty of research behind it, that is poised to manage what we predict is going to be a growing area of interest. And finally – would you like to climb onto your soapbox about anything in particular? Yes! Internet pharmacies! Internet pharmacies are parasites on our industry and the fact that they have been allowed to grow is a tragedy. Vetplus is 100% dedicated to independent veterinary practice, and we will never support the internet pharmacies undercutting vets. In my opinion, it is a disgrace that companies are giving such massive discounts to these organisations, that they can sell product direct to the consumer cheaper that the vet can buy them. It is fundamentally wrong that we take our animals to the vet, we trust them to diagnose the problem, provide advise about treatment, and formulate a care plan, only for the pet owner to go home, get on the internet and buy the product there, The internet is kiling the high street, and I fear that it will also damage the peopke who are fundamental to animal health and welfare. We can’t stop distributors selling our products to intenet pharmacies, but you will NEVER find them for sale cheaper than vets can buy them. For further information t +44 (0)1253 667422 w www.vetplus.co.uk

Se Co e us ng at St res BS an s A d 9 20 VA 37 15

Practice Matters 48

International Virtual Congress Streamed Live to 39 Countries!

ith 30 hours of CPD streamed live to delegates spanning the

globe, the veterinary industry’s only annual veterinary webinar congress and pre-congress events held earlier this month have once again broken all records for live veterinary CPD, says the organiser, Liverpool based Webinar Vet. With delegates attending from 39 countries around the globe, Webinar Vet founder Anthony Chadwick MRCVS says the annual congress gives access to a wide range of topics and the latest thinking in veterinary medicine and management. However the congress is not just about quantity says Anthony. With presenters including Jane Armstrong, DVM, MS, MBA, DACVIM, professor of internal medicine and clinical nutrition at the University of Minnesota’s

College of Veterinary Medicine discussing Aetiopathogenesis and diagnosis of feline liver disease and David Williams, MA VetMB PhD CertVOphthal CertWEL FHEA FRCVS associate lecturer at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, discussing common ophthalmic problems in exotics, the congress also delivered unrivalled quality CPD he says. “Our top delegate recorded 13 hours of CPD over the weekend! Other delegates and attendees at the Virtual Exhibition which runs alongside the congress won a range of prizes including Kindle Fires, coffee machines from CEVA, spa vouchers from Elanco, an online CPD course from the RVC, and free tickets to next year’s annual Webinar Vet Virtual Congress!

“Many members are juggling busy family lives with their veterinary profession, and webinar CPD enables them to keep up to date in their own home or office. For some vets a one day seminar can mean up to two days away from the practice once travel has been taken into account. The convenience of webinar CPD is invaluable for many,” he notes. For those who missed the live event, recordings of all the webinars can be purchased online. BVA members get 50% off the recordings For further information t +44 (0)1512 930039 e wendy@thewebinarvet.com w www.theinternationalwebinarvet. com/virtualcongress2015/

Benchmark Holdings acquires Improve International

enchmark Holdings Plc, today announced that it has acquired 100 per cent of Improve International limited (“Improve”), the Swindon-based

veterinary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) business. The acquisition strengthens Benchmark’s Technical Publishing division, which provides global knowledge transfer, technical insight, e-learning and market analysis for people and businesses working in agriculture, aquaculture and the food supply chain. Established in 1998 by a group of veterinary surgeons, Improve organises CPD courses for veterinary professionals across the UK, Republic of Ireland, Scandinavia and mainland Europe from its bases in the UK and Portugal. Led by veterinary experts in their field, Improve’s courses are run privately and are accredited by the European School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies (ESVPS) and/ or Harper Adams University. Improve in partnership with ESVPS and Harper Adams

University also provides courses and qualifications for Official Veterinarians in England, Scotland and Wales. The veterinary Directors, David Babington, Heber Alves and Rui Lobao will all remain with the business. Benchmark’s management believe there is considerable scope for online development of the courses within the digital arm of its Technical Publishing division. The division currently offers 15 distancelearning courses, which are tailored to develop core industry skills. Commenting on the acquisition, Malcolm Pye, Chief Executive of Benchmark Holdings Plc said: “The acquisition of Improve will enable us to combine our digital and distance learning expertise with Improve’s veterinary content across Europe, enhancing our ability to serve the professionals in our key veterinary

markets. “This is a significant step forward for our Technical Publishing division in both of the food and companion animal markets. We plan to take Improve’s successful, faceto-face courses and deliver content digitally on an international basis.” Headquartered in the UK, Benchmark Technical Publishing’s industry news sites serve over six million readers and subscribers across the world and are recognised internationally for their authoritative and trusted news commentary and analysis. It is also a leading publisher of technical books for agriculture, aquaculture and biological sciences, with over 435 books, e-books and DVDs, and 20 digital titles per year. t +44 (0)1142 409939 w www.benchmarkplc.com www.improveinternational.com/uk

Support for Practice Managers through VPMA Member Assistance Programme

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eterinary practice managers are now able to access help for themselves and their families through a new Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) member benefit. The new VPMA Member Assistance Programme was created to fill a needs gap for managers with somewhere to go for help on a range of issues from personal to professional. The programme, provided via Health Assured, provides a 24 hour confidential helpline for VPMA

members, backed up by a Wellness portal where they can access range of support tools. VPMA Honorary Secretary Julie Beacham stressed the need for such a scheme, “It’s very difficult for some practice managers, who find themselves in a limbo-situation between providing direction and support for employees, while trying to comply with their responsibilities towards their practice principal or employer. We’d had many reports of managers really struggling with no-where to go to find

help for themselves. So, working with a provider, we came up with a package that gives each of our members, and their immediate families, support for both work-related issues such as financial and legal support, as well as personal issues such as stress and family matters.” Providing support for practice managers on well-being and workplace issues was one of the goals of now senior vice-president Helen Sanderson, “Our members are our central focus – and along with

the CPD and networking opportunities that VPMA provides, we wanted to support well-being. We hope that through the programme, practice managers will feel that they are not alone.” The Member Assistance Programme is available free of charge to all VPMA members. For further information t +44 (0)7000 782 324 e secretariat@vpma.co.uk w www.vpma.co.uk

Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) Use it or lose it The temporary measure of £500,000 AIA is due to revert to £25,000 on 1 January 2016. Practice equipment, IT Solutions and business vehicles qualify as capital expenditure. Timing of any planned expenditure is crucial to maximise this allowance within your financial accounting period. Our finance solutions can allow you to bring forward any expenditure to ensure that you utilise this allowance.

BSAVA 9th – 12th April 2015 Win £50 or £200 or John Lewis vouchers Visit stand 527 • Leave contact details to enter • Double chance of winning • One main prize of £200 • Two runner up prizes of £50 • Winner notified within 7 working days

Full T&C’s can be found at http://www.braemarfinance.co.uk/competition-terms-and-conditions

To find out more about our finance facilities contact us on 0845 508 8788, or visit www.braemarfinance.co.uk for further information.

Part of

Close Brothers Group

Finance approval is subject to status. Braemar Finance is a trading style of Close Brothers Limited. Close Brothers Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company Number 00195626) and its registered office is 10 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4FT. Braemar Finance, Braemar House, Olympic Business Park, Dundonald, KA2 9BE.

Practice Matters 50

Lockharts Solicitors... Preparing to Sell your Veterinary Practice

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elling a Veterinary Practice can be a tiresome and time consuming activity for the seller. However there are steps you can take now to reduce the burden of selling when the time comes. This article sets out steps that prospective sellers should consider 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. In standard practice, the buyer’s legal representatives will send your legal representatives a list of commercial (business and property related) questions. Along with answering these questions, you will be required to provide a substantial amount of documentation especially in respect of the business, and most likely beyond that which will have been provided to your sales agent if you have chosen to instruct one. In preparation for a sale, therefore, it is worth keeping in mind the motivation of a buyer as to their potential due diligence questions. Remember, the buyer not only wants as much information as possible about your business, so that they may continue to run your business and service your clients post-sale without any hitches, but also to ascertain whether the business is viable as marketed and is capable of continuing with the same profitability that was demonstrated at the time of sale. Premises The sales process will most likely involve sale or lease of the premises from where the business is carried out. The Buyer’s legal representatives will require your legal representatives to provide information on your ownership of the premises and basis of this ownership. You will also be asked to provide any supplementary information in respect of the premises, usually in relation to disputes, party walls, boundaries, planning and building regulation compliance, utilities, service contracts, charges, rent etc. Ensure therefore that you keep proper account of such information, as you will be required to disclose this to the Buyer to the best of your knowledge together with making available supporting documentation. In most cases, a seller is also legally required to produce an asbestos survey report and an energy performance certificate. Providing a health and safety file too is seen as good practice. Also consider and consult your accountant in respect of any tax liabilities that you may face as a result of the sale.

Company In many instances, the sellers have formed limited companies and the business trades in the name of the company rather than the individual seller. If this is something that your potential sale may be based around, then you will be either transferring assets of your company to the buyer and / or his company, or you will be selling the entire company along with the business and assets to the buyer. Consider these options and consult your accountant. Also, ensure that you have complete company accounts available for at least the last 3 years, which clearly demonstrate the profitability of the business carried out by the company. RCVS and CPD Work with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Use their resources and online advice to ensure that you are following best practice and the Code. Also consider how you and your staff are recording their CPD. It is useful to have this compiled in a central folder which is regularly updated. You can utilise your staff members who have attended CPD courses to brief your whole team on their learnings when they return. Make sure you keep notes of when internal briefings and meetings are held. This will not only show a buyer that you invest in the continuing training of your staff, but also that you have a good relationship with your staff members, and that the practice staff works as a team. Training is one of the keys to staff retention and this will be very important for any potential buyer. Statutory Compliance Review your practice’s internal procedures and knowledge when it comes to your statutory obligations and make sure you and your practice are compliant, with the requisite policies in place to evidence your compliance. Amongst other things, consider whether your Practice Policy Statement is up to date, that you have notified the Health and Safety Executive if you have radiation equipment and whether you are COSHH compliant. It will speed up the sale process if you have evidence of all your statutory compliance in the form of policies or correspondence in one place to present to the buyer. Where your practice has this paperwork, it has known to be easier for such compliance to be transferred so far as the law permits. You can also use this time to ensure you have in place all the policies and handbooks you need in respect of your practice, from your staff handbook to your business contingency plan. This may seem 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 and/or perhaps at the time of negotiating a sale. Having an organised folder with utmost information possible in respect of the business will not only assist your potential sale transaction to proceed with all due speed, but will undoubtedly make your practice more attractive to a potential buyer. Staff

Ensure all your staff have written contracts in place in respect of their respective employments and that these contracts provide full details of the terms on which each member of staff is employed by the practice. A buyer will be able to rely on the terms of these contracts when the business is transferred to him. You will need to review these contracts from time to time, especially where the contract relates to a long-standing staff member, to ensure that the pay rate recorded and the hours worked are accurate and compliant with the current law. 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 off by both you and that staff member. In addition, if your staff work overtime or additional hours, make sure you record this accurately so the information provided to the Buyer is accurate. Recording and providing accurate information at an early stage has been seen to prevent many post-completion disputes or claims from arising. In case there have been any other variations except the ones mentioned above, ensure that those too are duly recorded. Also ensure that any holidays, sicknesses and disciplinary actions are properly recorded. You will be expected to have proper disciplinary and grievances procedure in place which should part of your staff handbook. When drafting and negotiating the employment contracts (and self-employed contracts for service) for more senior members of staff, make sure you consider the potential impact on your practice in the event that the staff member leaves. You need to protect your practice’s goodwill and to do this you will need to ensure clauses are contained in these contracts which prevent the staff member from competing with you or the practice’s business when they leave your practice. Such clauses are known as restrictive covenants, or “binding out” clauses and restrict the area in which the staff member can work for a period of time

after they leave your practice. Such clauses can also include restrictions to prevent the leaving member of staff or attempting to take other members of staff away to work for him or inducing them in any other manner. However it is important that any such restriction is a reasonable one as any unreasonable and oppressive restrictions can possibly not be seen as enforceable against the leaving party in the eyes of the law. Specialist legal advice should be taken on the preparation and effect of these clauses. 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 way away from marketing your practice, there may be some cost-saving changes that you can make to ensure your business is more profitable. Implement these now so that the Buyer may rely on these later. Additionally consider whether your fees, opening hours (including any emergency care hours) and facilities are competitive. Buyers typically look at the last 3-5 years of business accounts to ascertain the profitability of the business. Therefore these cost-saving changes should often be made in advance of the run-up to sale in order to obtain the true value of the changes. Warrantees and Indemnities In the main sale contract which will govern the transaction, you will give the buyer certain warranties which are promises about the business and the premises, and the buyer can rely on these. Additionally you will indemnify the buyer, often up to the value of the whole transaction, if the buyer discovers post – completion that any of your warranties are untrue. Therefore it is really important that your business has a paper-trail leading up to the sale and that everything you tell the buyer can be backed-up by your practice’s paperwork. The team at Lockharts specialises in such transactions and can assist and advise you at each step of the transaction. We try our best to make the transaction swift and less tedious for you, and keep you updated throughout the process. Guinea Luthra is a Corporate and Commercial Partner at Lockharts Solicitors and can be contacted directly: gl@lockharts.co.uk. e csd@lockharts.co.uk t +44 (0)207 383 7111 w www.lockharts.co.uk

Practice Matters Agria’s eClaims proves an instant time saving hit with vets

ince launching eClaims back in December, Agria Pet Insurance, underwriters of Kennel Club Pet Insurance, is seeing an increasing number of vets signing up to save time and money by handling their clients’ Agria and Kennel Club claims online. eClaims from Agria uses VetEnvoy®, a system that’s compatible with most Practice Management Systems and can be set up with just a phone call. Once online, eClaims is very intuitive, and enables your treatment notes to automatically populate a pet claim screen with all the information Agria needs in order to process a claim. This ensures consistency and saves significant form filling time, freeing up your staff for other tasks. VetEnvoy® provides a secure link between Practice Management Software and Agria’s veterinarytrained claims handlers. This means that processing can start the moment the user clicks ‘submit’ and any queries can be dealt with quickly. eClaims s an entirely transparent and traceable process that makes record keeping automatic and enables the claim’s progress to be tracked at each stage. Vets already using eClaims have reported greatly reduced

processing and settlement times – whether payment is to clients or direct to the practice itself. eClaims can submit claims for all policies underwritten by Agria, including Kennel Club Pet Insurance and Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) Cat Insurance. Kevin Morris, Senior Partner and Head of Technology at Medivet, was involved in Agria’s eClaims pilot. He says, ‘Vet Envoy has made the processing of claims fast and efficient as it has removed the need for paper. This makes settlement significantly quicker, plus it allows my nursing staff to focus on nursing as opposed to administration.’ Wendy Roberts, Claims Manager at Agria Pet Insurance says, ‘We’re very pleased that so many vets are already using eClaims and saving significant time by doing so. Having such an efficient process in place is transforming the claims experience for us, our vets and our customers, speeding up payments and giving vets more time to care for their patients.” Getting started is as easy as; 1, 2, 3! Contact your PMS provider, confirm your PMS supports eClaims. Ask your PMS provider to add Agria’s unique code “2d05f76a-20df46d6-9229-168dd1dd98f0”. Start to submit claims straight away. t +44 (0)800 369 90 96 e vet.team@agriapet.co.uk w www.agriavet.co.uk

t +44 (0)1253 667422 w www.vetplus.co.uk

a hotel with a meeting room large enough to accommodate the team! “The mood was one of real positivity and desire to continue to expand the business in each and every market in which we are present and our team take great pleasure and pride in working with our partners to make this happen. “An increase in market confidence, expansion in our product portfolio, recent opening of our Malaysia office and strong demand for quality British manufactured products are all factors in us expecting 2015 to be a good year, especially as it will mark our 10th worldwide distribution meeting and the 20th anniversary of the business.” The next meeting will take place in Miami in November 2015.

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utraceutical specialist, VetPlus, has revealed that it is expecting a 30 per cent increase in sales this coming year – it’s 20th anniversary. The company announced the news at its annual worldwide distribution meeting, where 40 delegates from 30 countries including Belgium, Hong Kong and New Zealand gathered in Rome. The event provided an opportunity for the British manufacturer and its distributor network to review business over the past 12 months, identify new markets and discuss sales objectives and plans for 2015. Neil Pullar, international sales director for VetPlus, said: “The first annual meeting took place in Dubai in 2005 with 10 attendees and numbers have increased year-on-year in line with growth of the business. One of the main challenges in Rome was locating

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VetPlus Announces Ambitious Growth Plans

Spotlight – Imaging 52

A day in the life of...Northwest MRI N ew Year’s Eve is usually spent enjoying some downtime with friends and family, but when an urgent call comes in, we always drop everything and try to help. So, when we received an outpatient booking form from Animal Trust in Bolton at 10:30am on New Years Eve 2014, we had no hesitation in putting aside the party hats, and getting straight on the phone to find out what we could do for them. The call was an urgent one – their receptionists dog was in a bad way, so we headed straight over to collect it and bring it over to our facility for an MRI scan. We know how

tough it is when the life of a beloved pet is in danger, so making them wait until after the New Year break was over three days later wasn’t an option. The patient was in the MRI scanner by 12 noon, just 1.5 hours after the request was submitted. We were supposed to be closing at 1pm to let the staff go and enjoy their New Year’s Eve but didn’t actually finish till 4pm. Not one objection was heard, as everyone here was totally focused on helping the animal. We dropped the patient back at Animal Trust with a copy of the MRI on a USB stick, went through the MRI with the vet and told her where our concerns were, before sending the images off

to Dr Steve Joslyn RCVS, European Diplomate in Diagnostic Imaging to confirm the diagnosis. That night, although we managed to celebrate the New Year with the family, we were definitely twitchy, checking emails regularly to see whether the report had come through – which it did at about 10:30pm. This company is our passion, and no matter when we are asked to help, we are always delighted to agree. The scans we carry out, and the reports that we provide could (depending on the diagnosis) have a life changing effect on the owners, so we believe that it is vital to get this information to the vet and the client

within 12 hours of an MRI. In human medicine, patients often have to wait weeks for results, but this is not how we do things at North West MRI. In the case of the New Years Eve patient, we emailed the report over at 10.45pm, taking pride in the knowledge that had this been a person, not a pet, they would never have received that level of care or information that quickly. Every client is dealt with as if it was our own pet, and we will do the impossible if we have to. For further information t +44 (0)1942 242001 e info@northwestmri.co.uk w www.northwestmri.co.uk

PLH Medical takes a leap forward in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging

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ith over 38years of experience in diagnostic imaging, PLH Medical puts knowledge to work in veterinary practice every day with our range of high-quality, dedicated solutions that meet the specific needs of animal care. Since the introduction of Computed Radiography (CR) around 15 years ago, PLH Medical has lead the way with digital technology which is now very well established in Veterinary Practice, providing low cost and reliable imaging with many advantages over traditional chemistry processors. As a leading Agfa Healthcare distributor PLH Medical continues to push the technology boundaries with the introduction of dental cassettes for our range of digitisers. We recognised that periodontal disease was a major health risk for animals: in fact some 25-30% of all small animal anaesthesia is carried out for dental problems. Accurately detecting periodontal disease at an early stage can play a big role in enhancing the care

and treatment that is provided. Our optional dental cassette for the CR 30-X and CR15X models has been extended with a range of intra-oral plates that come in sizes for everything from a rabbit to a large dog. With these easy-to-use plates, you can take dental images quickly and efficiently for a really small investment. You can develop multiple images in one simple process using a single cassette. A recent and really exciting development has been the launch of Needle Phosphor technology in to Veterinary Healthcare. This allows for your Agfa Healthcare CR15X digitiser to reach much higher levels of diagnostic clarity than were possible with the use of the traditional Phosphor CR plates. This amazing new technology allows for the achievement of high end DR quality for considerably less investment. So how does Needle Phosphor work? Traditional computed

radiography systems use storage phosphor plates known as powder plates. The active layer consists of microscopic phosphor crystals, held together by a binder. Upgrading to the new needle plate leads to better image quality than a powder plate for two reasons: The needles act as light guides, thereby strongly reducing light spread in the phosphor layer. As a consequence, image sharpness is much higher at equal thickness. Also, no binder is present, which implies a higher phosphor packing density and, thus, a higher X-ray absorption. Needle Phosphor plates have the ability to provide a number of real performance improvements over the standard powder phosphor type. • High absorption of x-ray photons in the phosphor layer is a prerequisite for good image quality • A thicker phosphor layer can be used improving the conversion of x-rays to light thus reducing the dose up to 55%. • In needle phosphor screens the

light scattering is minimal thus improving image sharpness. Whether you are looking for computed radiography (CR) or direct radiography (DR), we provide a range of proven solutions that achieve excellence in imaging. Our thousands of UK customers are all backed by our reliable support and service organisation offering the help and advice needed to meet the demands of a modern Veterinary practice. Nothing in animal healthcare can be considered ‘average’. A vet must deal with different species, with vastly varied health concerns and often in very challenging environments. With our range of market leading imaging solutions we help vets meet this challenge with easy to use, up-to-date technology to provide the same high and consistent image quality as for human healthcare. For further information... t +44 (0)1923 237521 e sales@plhmedical.co.uk w www.plhmedical.co.uk

Farm/Large Animal 54

Putting The Science Back Into Nutrition

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hen it comes to nutritional supplementation and bolusing, veterinary surgeons sometimes shy away from this area, uncomfortable with the often conflicting advice being given to farmers from many - and oftentimes non-scientific-quarters. In many ways, this reluctance to get involved in the nutritional arena is understandable and there is certainly some evidence of a slap-dash and unscientific approach to supplementation. However, this needn’t be the case, and vets can certainly bring their expertise to help their clients apply a scientific, measured and targeted approach to nutrition which will yield measurable results for animals in terms of improved fertility, productivity, immunity, growth and general health. Padraig Hyland, Technical Vet for Bimeda agrees. He comments; ‘among many veterinary surgeons, nutrition has almost become a dirty word to some extent. They see some farmers taking a haphazard approach; giving their animals cheap and cheerful supplements such as copper oxide boluses each spring and assuming that those animals are protected against copper and molybdenum issues. There is often little thought behind this approach, and little expectation of any measurable result in terms of improved animal productivity, fertility, or growth rates, or rectified trace element deficiencies/toxicities. The opinion of the vet is often not sought’. However, he added that there is an appetite for change amongst vets and farmers, who are increasingly recognising the role that trained herd health veterinary nutritionists can play by a using a scientific approach to nutrition. Trace element supplementation in particular is an obvious area where real and rapid improvements can be made in order to improve the productivity, health and profitability of their clients’ animals. Bimeda is currently working with vets around the UK to further this approach, and Bimeda’s science-based products and services are being welcomed throughout the country. In particular, Bimeda’s range of premium soluble glass boluses are being embraced as a unique, proven and genuinely science-based method of trace element supplementation, which can be used in a targeted way to address trace element toxicities, deficiencies and the resultant health issues that are so particularly relevant to much of the UK’s farms. The problems of molybdenum (or thiomolybdate) toxicity and selenium, iodine, zinc and copper deficiencies cause a range of issues from impaired fertility, to reduced productivity, impaired immunity, unsatisfactory growth rates and lameness. Often, however, poor coat quality and lack of thrive are the only problems some farmers will

notice. The vet can play a vital role in bringing greater understanding of the role trace element toxicities and deficiencies play in animal health. Padraig added, ‘vets can really bring some valuable expertise to the area of nutrition. At the moment, nutritional boluses are sometimes used by farmers as a cure-all solution. They are certainly not this. However, in some animals, these trace element issues and in particular molybdenum toxicity in cattle and insufficient cobalt supply in sheep are causing major economic problems such as impaired fertility and poor growth rates respectively. As vets, we are in a unique position to combine our expertise in analytical, diagnostic and clinical skills with our services and products, to diagnose these problems and offer a targeted solution. In Bimeda we aim to help the practitioner by facilitating services such as forage analysis to help vets get to the root of their clients’ trace element issues, and then assist them by providing targeted nutritional bolus solutions. This ensures that our boluses are used to target genuine deficiencies and toxicities, and not just perceived issues. We also offer training sessions to vets and their clients to bring greater understanding of trace element deficiencies/ toxicities, and to bring about a more responsible and targeted approach to dealing with these issues’. THE BOLUS RANGE Bimeda’s range of boluses – Cosecure, CoseIcure and Zincoselwork in a different way to all other boluses available. Firstly, they are the world’s only soluble glass boluses and this unique method of supplementation guarantees that the animal receives exactly the same levels of trace elements every single day. Padraig noted; ‘the boluses dissolve at a controlled and constant rate so the animal receives an identical level of trace elements every single day. This ensures a steady and guaranteed rate of release and equally that there are no peaks and troughs of supplementation, allowing the vet the reassurance in the constant delivery of the trace elements. We offer a genuinely scientific solution, which we feel is reflected by the fact that our Cosecure Cattle boluses are the UK’s only POM-VPS boluses’. The Cosecure range of boluses are available for cattle, sheep and lambs, and supply ionic copper, ionic cobalt and selenium for up to 6 months in lambs and 8 months in sheep. The CoseIcure boluses are similar to the Cosecure boluses, but also supply iodine, which is highly important in iodine-deficient areas of the UK. The Zincosel boluses supply zinc, cobalt and selenium for up to 6 months and are particularly popular for use among copper-sensitive sheep breeds, as well as to improve hoof

health, immune response and fertility. Another critical difference between Cosecure/CoseIcure and other nutritional supplements is that they supply rumen-available elements. The copper in Bimeda’s unique boluses is in the form of ionic copper, which is active in the same pH range as the rumen. This is significant as the thiomolybdate (a combination of molybdenum & sulphur ingested by the animal which combine in the rumen) binds with rumen copper, depleting it entirely, before the excessive non-copperbound thiomolybdate moves into the bloodstream to bind with copper there, preventing the functioning of copper co-dependent enzymes . These enzymes are required for fertility and productivity, and they are rendered useless following absorption of thiomolybdate. The rumenavailable copper in the Cosecure and CoseIcure boluses binds with the thiomolybdate in the rumen, meaning it does not pass into the bloodstream in search of additional copper, and, consequently, fertility and health is not impaired. Most other boluses supply copper in the form of Copper Oxide. Copper Oxide is active at much lower pH levels, and requires exposure to abomasal acidity before release of the copper. Additionally, the Cosecure & CoseIcure boluses supply a unique ionic cobalt which is rumenavailable too. As vets know, bacteria in the rumen require cobalt in order to synthesize Vitamin B12, which is vital for energy utilisation and productivity. The body has no capacity to store cobalt, so Cosecure’s/CoseIcure’s ability to continually supply rumenavailable cobalt for up to 6 months in lambs and 8 months in sheep s ideal for improving cobalt supply and promoting energy utilisation and thrive in ruminants. TRIAL WORK Vets are also reassured by the wealth of independent research and trial work, which indicates the efficacy of the boluses. For example, in an independent published trial1 involving three commercial dairy herds, three types of copper and selenium-containing mineral supplements were investigated. As cows on each farm were dried off, they were allocated to one of three treatment groups and treated with either subcutaneous injections of copper and selenium, or two matrix intra-ruminal boluses, or two glass intra-ruminal boluses (Cosecure). The trial found that there was a significant difference between the conception rates of the three groups. The cows treated with the Cosecure, conceived at a rate of 1.8 times greater than those treated with the injection and a rate of 1.5 times greater than those treated with the

matrix boluses1. In another independent trial, the Cosecure lamb boluses were shown to be ‘best in class’ for improved profit and weight gain2. These are just 2 examples of many trials, in which the bolus range was shown to improve animal health, fertility and productivity in a measurable way. THE ROLE OF VETS Padraig finished by commenting, ‘as vets we need to be responsible in our approach and help farmers move away from a guesswork-led solution which is not necessarily beneficial to their animals. A well-intentioned but slap-dash approach to supplementation isn’t just misguided; it is potentially dangerous. A vet I know was recently on a farm in which the farmer was convinced his animals had copper deficiency due to the ginger tinge to the hair on the cattle. Instead of seeking appropriate advice regarding diagnosis and treatment, he was giving his animals coppercontaining feed supplements, copper oxide boluses and was about to provide a copper injection. Luckily the vet intervened, and advised the farmer on the necessity for rumen available copper, not three different types of non-rumen available copper. Copper toxicity, once just associated with sheep, is becoming more common in cattle as farmers and lay advisers fail to recognise that molybdenum deficiencies do not just require unspecified copper loading, which is leading to near toxic levels in the liver. Vets have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to bring to this area and have to get in the front line of giving nutritional advise so they can use this to not only improve the health of their clients’ animals, but to also act as an additional income stream for themselves’. Padraig added; ‘nutritional supplementation is not a cure-all solution and should not be treated as such. However, vets are in a position to understand how the science of nutrition can be applied to bring improved health and performance to cattle, sheep and lambs’. SOURCES 1 Effects of three types of trace element supplementation on the fertility of three commercial dairy herds, D.H. Black, N.P French 2 Alnorthumbria Veterinary Group Trial Into Weight Gain And Profit Gain Legal Categories of Products: Cosecure: POM-VPS. All other boluses: Nutritional products. Cosecure cattle boluses contain 13.4% copper, 0.5% cobalt, 0.3% selenium. For further information t +44 (0)12248 725 400 e phyland@bimeda.com w www.bimeda.com

Use Medicines Responsibly. Noah.co.uk. Legal Category Cosecure Cattle: POM-VPS Date advert prepared: November 2014. Bimeda, 2 Bryn Cefni Industrial Park, Llangefni, LL7 77XA, UK. Sources: 1, Effects of three types of trace element supplementation on the fertility of three commercial dairy herds, D.H. Black, N.P French. Infertility is a complex issue with many causes Nutrition is one of many factors which may contribute to infertility. Always consult your vet to understand your herdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trace element status before using any nutritional supplement or medicine.

For more information, contact your vet/animal health advisor or call Bimeda on 01248 725 400

Farm/Large Animal 56

Thoughts on fly control for farm livestock

s Spring approaches, farmers’ thoughts turn to getting their livestock back outside. Fresh grass and the feeling sunshine on their backs work wonders with cattle and sheep - and also helps to reduce the burden of ectoparasites that may have damaged their coats during the months inside. But turn-out also brings new problems in the form of biting and nuisance flies. In a bad year, these can irritate livestock from April right through until October. They cause considerable distress, disrupting normal grazing and resting patterns. This, in turn, can result in a loss of productivity. Even worse, flies can also act as vectors for a range of disease pathogens.

In the UK there are at least 20 common species of fly which feed on cattle and sheep. Biting flies puncture the skin for a blood meal while scavenging flies feed on sweat, skin secretions, tears, saliva, urine and faeces on the surface of the animal. The most common biting flies are: • The horn fly (Haematobia irritans) • The stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) • Horse flies (Tabanidae spp.) • Midges (Culicoides spp.) • Blackflies (Simuium spp.) These flies may all be important locally. Non-biting flies include: • The head fly (Hydrotea irritans) • The face fly (Musca autumnalis) These non-biting flies consume only liquid. They are

attracted to secretions from animals, including blood or discharge from wounds, which can be caused by the activities of biting flies. The head fly has also been implicated in the spread of Summer Mastitis. Bacteria associated with the disease have been recovered from head flies which are attracted in large numbers to teats damaged by biting flies or teat injuries caused, for example, by rough ground or thistles. In sheep, blowflies (Calliphoridae spp.) can be a particular problem. They are attracted to soiled fleeces or skin wounds where they lay eggs. The hatching larvae can cause further skin damage which, if left untreated, can lead to septicaemia and death. All flies are prolific breeders and this is the major obstacle to total control. Females can lay up to 900 eggs in their lifetime and can produce up to 12 generations in one summer! In hot, humid weather, the development from eggs to adults can be complete within 10 days. The high rates of reproduction, dispersal and multiple generations per year mean that the total control of fly populations is impractical. Control, at best, can only ever aim to achieve a reduction in fly populations to a more comfortable level. A combination of environmental and chemical controls is the most effective way to ensure this goal is reached. For

instance: • Avoid grazing animals in low lying fields surrounded by woodland • Keep cattle and sheep on windy, exposed sites as these are better for reducing fly numbers • Remove slurry and spilled feed from buildings. Any area containing moist organic material is a potential breeding sites for flies • Check livestock regularly for clinical signs of problems such as Summer Mastitis, New Forest Eye or Fly Strike • Use electric fly traps which use UV light to try to help control flies in the milking parlour • Pyrethoids, such as deltamethrin, applied to the animal as a pour-on are the most commonly used method to reduce fly annoyance in cattle. In an average Summer, three to four treatments are usually required. Pesticides should always be used safely and total reliance on chemical control of flies should be avoided. Adopting a total fly control programme, based on chemical aids and environmental measures, will make life considerably more pleasant for animals and for farm staff. For further information t +44 (0)1359 243243 e enquiries@virbac.co.uk w www.my-virbac.co.uk

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

VSM

New kids on the block? Vets issue ‘must-know’ facts on keeping goats

s Chinese New Year ushered in the Year of the Goat, leading veterinary experts issued some surprising facts and must-know advice to goat lovers and keepers in the UK. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Goat Veterinary Society (GVS) have issued six facts that will surprise many but are critical to ensure that goats are happy and healthy:

•

Think dogs are man’s best friends? Think again – goats are friendly, inquisitive and gregarious animals, and genuinely love the company of humans. Goats need friends – never keep a single goat on its own. Goats are herd animals and will be miserable if kept by themselves.Two goats together is the absolute minimum. Toys are a must! Goats should

never be kept in a barren environment. Enrichment is key as goats love to climb onto and over obstacles – a straw bale is a plaything for goats! • The Great Escape (or The Goat Escape!) – goats are great escapologists. Any building or paddock must be “goat proof.” • Stretching (as well as climbing and bouncing) – goats stand on their hind limbs and can reach up to 2 metres above the ground. • Choosy but chewy – contrary to popular belief, goats won’t just eat anything as part of their staple diet but they do love to nibble and chew on anything new. Keep electric cables covered! John Blackwell BVA President said: “We would advise anyone thinking of keeping these lovely animals to fully understand their needs and what it takes to keep them happy and healthy. Our colleagues at the Goat Veterinary Society are dedicated to improving the health and welfare of all goats in the UK and have a wealth of information to offer.

The Animal Welfare Foundation’s leaflet on keeping goats is a good place to start and your local vet will be able to advise on the health and welfare needs of your animals.” David Harwood GVS Chairman said: “Goats are delightful animals to keep – inquisitive, intelligent and keen to be in the company of both other goats and their human keepers, they are a joy to care for. But as with any animal, they have specific welfare needs and these should never be forgotten. For example, however wellmeaning the owner, keeping a single goat in a paddock with no enriching features to satisfy the goat’s curiosity and energy and with no playmates will result in a lonely, stressed animal. Talk to us and to the British Goat Society about whether or not a goat is the best choice of animal for you and if you are going to keep goats, what sort of goats would be best suited to you and your lifestyle.” t+44 (0)2079086349 e bvahq@bva.co.uk w www.bva.co.uk

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