As we welcome in the new year, it is a natural time to reflect on what we have achieved in the past, and to contemplate the year ahead. The Veterinary Nurse is now in its tenth volume — quite incredible as it seems like only yesterday that we launched!
This article draws from information published in the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) UK & Ireland Parasite Forecasts. It provides a brief roundup of parasitology-related events from 2018, analyses interest trends from the public over the past year, and looks at parasite-related research planned for 2019.
Like it or love it, social networking has changed our lives, in one way or another. There are so many different social media sites, the most commonly accessed being Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, Reddit and Flickr; and they have changed how we communicate with friends, family, and potentially colleagues. But is it a good thing?
Since getting my puppy this year, I have realised how many people can behave around dogs and have been genuinely shocked at how willing people are to dangle their valuable hands in the face of an unknown dog without asking if it's OK to say hello.
International Cat Care (ICC) and its veterinary division, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), have recently launched a new programme entitled CatCareforLife — a blueprint for how a clinic and owner can work together to keep cats healthy and encourage veterinary visits.
It certainly has been a busy month. I'm thrilled to see some substantial moves towards improved animal welfare including the RSPCA launching GenerationKind which is pushing for animal welfare to be taught in all schools. Another great success is the recent release of the EFRA Committee's report on controlling dangerous dogs. It calls for the current dog control legislation to be fully reviewed and makes suggestions for a strong emphasis on education and the best interests of the dog. The media...
Over 2 years after the UK held the Brexit referendum, there is still much confusion over how the change will impact both the veterinary industry and pet travel. Potential changes to many areas of veterinary medicine — including disease surveillance, education, research and factors affecting workforce — all need to be considered, along with the opportunity for amendments and improvements to the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) to combat UK biosecurity.
Sensitivity to novel or sudden noises is a basic survival strategy, so it should be no surprise to veterinary staff that up to 50% of dogs show specific fear responses to sounds such as fireworks. Despite a lack of specific studies of sound sensitivities in other companion animal species, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the statistics would be at least equivalent.
Welcome everybody to the September issue of The Veterinary Nurse—it gives me great pleasure to write this piece as I return to the editorial board as Consultant Editor. This month also sees me embark on another major change as I make a return to studying, starting a MSc in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. For me continued learning is vitally important. The more I learn, the better I become as a nurse, and this reflects on my ability to care for my patients. Nurses are vital in the outcome...
I t's hard not to have got caught up in the football fever, even for someone like me, who is not usually particularly interested. There's something about feeling part of a group that's irresistable, and at a recent Lightning Seeds concert, I heartily sang ‘Football's coming home’ with the rest of the crowd. The feeling of comaraderie was strong, we were all happy, we all wanted the same thing!
It's been a busy year for the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative, and there are further events, awards and training sessions to come, as Lisa Quigley explains.
I wouldn't claim to be particularly knowledgeable about rabbits, or even very interested, I am definitely a dog/cat nurse. I think that comes from being employed in an orthopaedic referral centre; we just don't see many rabbits in our practice.
National Microchipping Month is held in June each year; during this month veterinary professionals and pet owners are encouraged to think about the benefits of microchipping. By law all dogs over 8 weeks of age are required to be microchipped, and there are also benefits to other pets such as cats. Having a practice policy on microchipping could help to ensure that discussions about microchips become routine.