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When is the last time you heard someone say, “We have always don’t it that way”? It is not an uncommon phrase in many veterinary practices. Sure, there are some innovations being trialled, such as subscription-model clinics, novel approach to training vet students, telemedicine, 4-day working week. Despite this, many of these innovations seem to be driven externally, not from within the vet practice.
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The webinar led by Elizabeth Thomovsky DVM MS DACVECC from Purdue University offered an excellent update on the general principles of wound management and clarity on when to use the vast and frankly confusing array of dressings currently available to us for use with specific wounds. Elizabeth cited several cases which demonstrated some of the principles discussed and also ‘put to bed’ some perhaps older fashioned techniques which are now frowned upon. These discussions also had a heavy bias towards the practical and Elizabeth ensured all suggestions made could be easily achieved by the general practitioner including how to simply manufacture a closed active suction drain using just a test tube and butterfly catheter!
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In many ways, every day is World Mental Health Day. But in a more specific way, 10th October is World Mental Health Day, designated for the purpose of drawing attention to one of the more taboo topics that affects all of us. In the past few years, it seems (anecdotally, at least) that there has been a shift in the way we approach mental health. The stigma is starting to lift and people are feeling more confident in opening up about how they are feeling. This has been a radical and important change which has undoubtedly helped us as a society deal with the way we approach mental health.
As most of you will know, whenever anybody qualifies in the UK as a veterinary professional they are required to take an oath which says something along the lines of “I won’t be evil”. But have you ever actually thought what that oath really means?
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Dr Diane Addie is a leading expert in the world of feline medicine and you couldn’t have asked for anyone better to lead a webinar on effusive FIP, and thanks to ‘The Webinar Vet’ this was delivered to its members as a pre-Christmas treat. As you can imagine it went down just as well as the numerous mince pies consumed over the festive period, although I am fully aware this FIP webinar was by far the healthier option and significantly better for me.
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This veterinary webinar was presented with members of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) members in mind. A captive audience therefore, and the webinar provides a very up to date summary of the problem of TB and how to control it. There can be fewer more contentious veterinary debates than the one surrounding badgers and TB. Brexit perhaps, Homeopathy, dropout rates from the profession, and most recently student selection. It is many years since I was a cattle vet-my first foray into the profession. This was a rosy time when TB was virtually eliminated from the country.
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Being the creator of a system of psychometric profiling for business, Roger begins this veterinary CPD webinar by elaborating on just what he means by ‘Wealth Dynamics’. He draws on parallels with relevant systems such as those used in explaining horse behaviour, in that each individual animal has a personality unique from other individuals yet it is still possible to categorise based on trends of particular traits.
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‘If you’re not seeing cases of mycobacteriosis in cats then they are seeing you’ was the statement delivered by Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore in last week’s Platinum Member webinar. This was one of the key take home messages Danielle wanted vets to take on board about mycobacteriosis in cats and explained this disease is more common than most of us think. The reason why some of these cases are missed is because some affected cats can present with subtle clinical signs which can easily be mistaken for other conditions or, sometimes, as ‘nothing to worry about’.
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Addison’s disease has always been one of my most rewarding conditions to treat, having seen patients make miraculous recoveries often from the brink of death, by simply administering aggressive fluid therapy and, after performing the necessary diagnostics, a dose of glucocorticoids. However, after watching last week’s webinar, led by Professor Ian Ramsey, I’m now starting to wonder if I may have missed some cases of Addison’s over the years?
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After watching a webinar in March this year led by BVZS president and VDS consultant Michael Stanford discussing ‘The Legalities of Treating Wildlife’, there were clearly a number of messages to take on board to protect ourselves against an increasingly litigious society. One of those messages was to ensure transfer of ownership of injured wildlife to the practice when brought in by a member of the general public as any finder of an injured wild animal are considered to legally become its owner. Transferring ownership should help overcome issues regarding the legalities of treatment and euthanasia of wildlife. This message was re-enforced in last week’s webinar led by wildlife rescue scientific advisor, Liz Mullineaux.
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If you watched ‘Treating the Large Animal emergency’ a few weeks ago you will pleased to know this follow up webinar directing its focus towards pet sheep and goats has proved itself to be equally as useful. Dr Gayle Hallowell once again led this engaging webinar and delivered a mass of information citing a variety of cases along the way.
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Before I start I would like to make two clear points. First of all I am taking it as read that this audience believes that to slaughter without stunning is actually harmful to animal welfare. And secondly I want to differentiate between religious slaughter and non stun slaughter these are not the same thing and I want to separate them out very clearly right at the start.