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AcademiesWe understand how vital vet nurses are to the daily operations of practices and we’re glad to see that nurses are now taking on more prominent roles, including running nurse clinics – a shift which benefits both practices and pet owners.
Vet nurses are no longer limited to support roles. With advanced training, they can take on responsibilities like post-op care and wellness consultations. Expanding their scope boosts practice efficiency, allowing vets to focus on complex cases while maintaining high patient care standards.
Common nurse clinics can include:
- Weight management – nurses provide tailored diet and weight plans to help manage pet obesity
- Puppy and kitten clinics – advising on vaccinations, parasite control, and behaviour
- Dental care – educating owners on oral hygiene and referring issues to vets
- Geriatric care – senior pet check-ups, focusing on mobility, diet, and chronic conditions
Nurse consults are hugely beneficial for practices. They free up vets, allowing them to focus on surgeries and complex cases. They also offer more care opportunities, leading to higher satisfaction and retention. And they lead to better patient outcomes through early detection of health issues through routine nurse-led check-ups.
As well as the benefits to the practice, there are many advantages for owners as well. Nurse consultations are more cost-effective, making routine care more accessible. They’re also more accessible, easing appointment bottlenecks and addressing non-emergency concerns quickly. Nurses can also foster stronger bonds with pets and owners, enhancing the personal experience.
If you’re looking to upskill your nurses, we’re running a one-day course on 7th October specifically designed to improve nurses’ confidence with consultations and learn how to best utilise the many skills they have in practice. Find out more and book here.
We understand how vital vet nurses are to the daily operations of practices and we’re glad to see that nurses are now taking on more prominent roles, including running nurse clinics – a shift which benefits both practices and pet owners.
Vet nurses are no longer limited to support roles. With advanced training, they can take on responsibilities like post-op care and wellness consultations. Expanding their scope boosts practice efficiency, allowing vets to focus on complex cases while maintaining high patient care standards.
Common nurse clinics can include:
- Weight management – nurses provide tailored diet and weight plans to help manage pet obesity
- Puppy and kitten clinics – advising on vaccinations, parasite control, and behaviour
- Dental care – educating owners on oral hygiene and referring issues to vets
- Geriatric care – senior pet check-ups, focusing on mobility, diet, and chronic conditions
Nurse consults are hugely beneficial for practices. They free up vets, allowing them to focus on surgeries and complex cases. They also offer more care opportunities, leading to higher satisfaction and retention. And they lead to better patient outcomes through early detection of health issues through routine nurse-led check-ups.
As well as the benefits to the practice, there are many advantages for owners as well. Nurse consultations are more cost-effective, making routine care more accessible. They’re also more accessible, easing appointment bottlenecks and addressing non-emergency concerns quickly. Nurses can also foster stronger bonds with pets and owners, enhancing the personal experience.
If you’re looking to upskill your nurses, we’re running a one-day course on 7th October specifically designed to improve nurses’ confidence with consultations and learn how to best utilise the many skills they have in practice. Find out more and book here.
Charlie Wright
BSc (Hons) RVN ABTC – AT
This month we’re delighted to introduce a guest blog from RVN Charlie Wright.
Charlie has been working in veterinary environments since 2010, where she has developed a passion for behaviour-centred approaches to all patients.
Since gaining a degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Charlie’s focus has been on working with other veterinary professionals to reduce patient stress. She has spoken at conferences, supported practices rolling out behaviour services, and is now teaching student veterinary nurses.
Charlie is particularly interested in reducing stress in practice, and in 2018, she ran a study to investigate whether providing hospitalised cats with either a box or a partial towel cover to the front of the cage reduced stress levels, and whether each of these methods was sufficient in providing hiding opportunities.
To reduce stress of hospitalised cats, literature advises providing cats with the opportunity to hide using either a box or partially covering the cage front. While studies have found benefits of the box method, there is currently no evidence for the efficacy of the partial cover.
To investigate this, 42 healthy pet cats admitted to a veterinary practice for routine neutering were provided with either a hide box, a partial towel cover to the front of the cage, or neither treatment. Behavioural observations were taken for 60 minutes recording: 1) Kessler and Turner’s Cat Stress Score (CSS), 2) location within the cage, 3) hide seeking behaviour, and 4) use of treatment.
The results showed a significant difference in CSS between cats with a box and the control cats (p=0.007), but not between cats with towel cover and the control cats (p=0.069). There was no significant difference in CSS between box cats and towel cats (p=0.406), but those with a box hid in it 68% of the time, significantly more than the towel cats used the towel (n=30%) (p=0.027). There was a significant difference in hide seeking behaviour between all treatments (p=0.016). A positive correlation was found between CSS and hide seeking behaviour within all groups (rs=0.673), and this was stronger when analysed in control cats only (rs=0.829).
In conclusion, the study suggested that a box provides an opportunity to hide and appears to reduce behavioural signs of stress. Though a partial cover may also help, there is not significant evidence for its efficacy in providing hiding opportunity or reducing stress.
Interested in learning more?
If you’d like to learn more about how to reduce stress in cats and dogs in the clinic, take a look at our Calm Clinic Academy, run by Charlie, which begins in December 2024. This comprehensive year-long programme is designed to equip delegates with tools to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in patients through subtle practice adjustments. By recognising triggers and stressful situations, we can take steps to prevent the worst-case scenarios, including scarring of the amygdala. Prevention is always better than dealing with the consequences.
Suitable for vets, vet nurses, and practice managers, delegates will learn through a combination of online training programmes, case studies, and two full attendance days, as well as a visit to the London Cat Clinic, a feline-only practice offering gold-standard care to cats to reduce stress and anxiety.
If you’re passionate about reducing fear, anxiety and stress in practice to improve the emotional wellbeing of your patients, this programme is for you!
Calm Clinic Academy
A study by the RVC highlighted concerning trends in post-covid ‘pandemic puppies’ revealing that canine owners reported an average of five challenging behaviours, with 82% resorting to aversive training methods.
The study, part of the RVC Pandemic Puppies project, focused on dogs purchased during the pandemic, identifying control behaviours, attention-seeking, fear, avoidance, and aggression as common issues. Aversive methods, including shouting and leash corrections, were reported by 80% of owners.
More than 3 million UK households acquired a pet during the pandemic. A combination of owner inexperience, over-zealous breeding and lack of socialisation has created a population of dogs displaying aggression in response to other dogs and humans, many struggling when left home alone, and an increased prevalence of dogs suffering with high arousal levels, poor basic training, and generalised anxiety.
As veterinary professionals, we often find ourselves on the frontline when it comes to dealing with challenging pet behaviour – as well as having the unique opportunity to guide and assist owners in navigating their pet’s behavioural journey.
Our new learning series – Canine Behaviour: Dealing with Post-COVID Problems, explores some of these behaviours, including separation anxiety, reactivity, fear and aggression. Lectured by experienced veterinary behaviourist and co-founder of the Pet Behaviour Company, Miri Prior, we discuss how to manage the patients both in and out of practice and how best to advise owners.
Following recent union strike action advocating for fair pay and better working conditions, as well as the influx of redundancies, the importance of community in our profession is at the forefront of our minds. At Central CPD, we’ve seen first-hand the benefits of CPD in building community and support for veterinary professionals.
Our London-based attendance courses bring together veterinary professionals from around the world, which provide opportunities for networking, sharing experiences, and building relationships. Attending a CPD course on surgical techniques not only enhances your skills but also allows you to connect with peers who share similar interests and challenges.
Our Membership package, which includes free access to all of our theory courses, and half price practical courses, gives vets and nurses even more opportunities to attend these events in person.
We try and help create collaborative learning environments through our Veterinary Academies and 6,000 strong Facebook group as well, where vet professionals can discuss case studies, seek advice, and provide support to one another. These kind of interactions help create a sense of belonging and mutual support within the veterinary community – something which is crucial in the current climate.
Our online learning platform – Central CPD On Demand – also offers opportunities for collaboration and a virtual community. Our Practice Subscriptions enable mentorship roles, allowing for in-practice support where training programmes and resources can be highlighted to team members.
We really believe that CPD can help foster a stronger, more resilient profession by giving vets and nurses support and the ability to share knowledge and build community.
For this reason, we’re offering a 20% discount on many of our online and attendance courses for anyone facing redundancy. Contact us at enquiries@centralcpd.co.uk to find out more. You can also contact VetLife, or consider joining and supporting our veterinary unions, such as the BVA and BVU if you’re struggling with redundancies or unfair conditions in practice.
Last month we were delighted to receive RACE® approval for our On-Demand online CPD portal. This significant milestone reflects our commitment to delivering top-quality content to veterinary professionals.
Let’s delve into what this means for you and why it guarantees an exceptional learning experience…
What is RACE® Approval?
RACE®, the Registry of Approved Continuing Education, is a programme of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). It sets the standard for veterinary continuing education (CE) programmes, ensuring that they meet rigorous quality criteria.
Why does RACE® approval matter?
RACE® approval means our CPD videos have gone through a stringent review process. This guarantees that the information you receive is accurate, up-to-date, evidence-based and of the highest quality.
As a RACE® approved provider, Central CPD is recognised by veterinary regulatory boards across North America. Many states require RACE® approved CE for license renewal, so by choosing our RACE® approved videos, you can be confident your learning hours will be accepted if you are based in North America.
While RACE® approval is primarily recognised in North America, it also holds significant value for other UK and internationally based veterinary professionals. The RCVS doesn’t require RACE® approval for CPD activities, but this international standard still serves as an indicator of quality, ensuring an enriching and effective learning experience, regardless of geographical location.
With Central CPD’s RACE® approved videos, you are not just meeting your CPD/CE requirements but also investing in your professional growth and the quality of care you provide to your patients.
Find out more about our extensive range of over 2,000 RACE® CPD videos.
Have you ever offered advice to an owner on a suitable diet for their pet, only to be told that the food you’re recommending is a rip-off?
Nutrition is recognised as the fifth vital assessment after temperature, pulse, respiration and pain. In 2011, The WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee provided Nutritional Assessment Guidelines, which aimed to promote the importance of nutrition in the veterinary field and advance the role of the veterinary team as the expert source of information for pet owners.
Despite this, there has been a rise in self-proclaimed ‘Pet Nutritionists’ – an unregulated title – who offer dietary advice to pet owners. As a result, pet owners often face an onslaught of contradictory information, making it challenging to determine the best diet for their pets (Schleicher et al. 2019).
Trust in veterinary professionals also appears to be at an all-time low, worsened by the recent Competition and Markets Authority report. This report has led to damaging headlines in the media, such as ‘Are vets ripping off pet owners?’ (The Independent) and ‘Quarter of UK pet owners concerned vets might over-treat, survey says.’ (The Guardian).
What’s more, a study on the knowledge, attitudes and application of nutritional assessments by the veterinary healthcare team (Lumbis et al. 2020) revealed that, despite acknowledging the importance of nutrition, there was inconsistent use of nutritional assessments in most clinical practices.
So, how can we convince pet owners that veterinary professionals are the best source of information and not just flogging a bag of food for commission? And do we feel confident in giving nutritional advice?
Our collection of new nutrition learning series aims to increase knowledge and boost confidence in discussing diets with clients and communicating effectively. By exploring clinical diets and their appropriate use, we also delve into more specific and unconventional diets, such as raw and grain-free options.
As veterinary professionals, if we can strengthen our knowledge base and improve our communication techniques to offer a balanced view of diets, we can promote better implementation of nutrition as the fifth vital assessment. In turn, we can build trust and demonstrate to clients that we are not profiteers of the pet food industry, but rather passionate advocates for an area fundamental to wellbeing, longevity, and disease prevention.
…it depends!
At Central CPD we strive to provide the most up-to-date relevant information and keep ourselves at the forefront of new ideas and changes within the industry. One area of interest is the timing of neutering in companion animals.
Surgical neutering has always been commonplace in the veterinary world and seen as incredibly important, both as a means for population control but also considering the health-related and behavioural benefits. For many years, vets have recommended surgical neutering in prevention of mammary tumours and pyometra in bitches, plus the prevention of testicular and prostatic disease in male dogs.
Problem behaviours were also historically perceived as being reduced with surgical neutering. These include roaming, mounting, and urine-marking in male dogs, or phantom pregnancies and behaviours seen during seasons in bitches.
But are the tables turning? Should we always offer surgical neutering as our first line treatment option?
Within recent years, research publications (Frontiers Assessing the Effect of Canine Surgical-neutering) have been looking into negative health-related effects of surgical neutering. In general, the studies show an increased incidence of joint diseases including hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament rupture, various types of cancers such as haemangiosarcomas and MCTs, and urinary incontinence.
Behaviourists have also questioned early neutering, (‘Demographics and comorbidity of behavior problems in dogs’) with studies showing neutered dogs were over three times more likely to develop into fearful adults.
Our brand new Surgical Refresher learning series with Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery Specialist Davina Anderson also discusses some considerations that are often overlooked when it comes to making decisions about neutering.
It is clear each patient should be individually assessed and more of a case-by-case protocol employed. Gone are the days that we should have a blanket “all dogs should be neutered at six months” rule. Breed, lifestyle, temperament and age should all be considered and a risk-based approach to neutering used. Medical neutering in a variety of cases could be used an alternative, with the delay of surgical neutering being promoted in some high-risk breeds, such as Boxers.
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Despite the well-documented health concerns associated with brachycephalic breeds, their popularity continues to surge. In 2018, the French Bulldog surpassed the Labrador Retriever as the UK’s favourite dog breed, with ownership increasing by nearly 3,000% over the previous 10 years.
But the conversation surrounding the ethical implications of breeding brachycephalic dogs has also intensified, notably with Norway and the Netherlands imposing bans on the breeding of these dogs in recent years.
There have been calls for the UK to introduce similar bans, as well as petitions for the Kennel Club and Government to introduce mandatory breathing tests before breeding. Various animal rights organisations have also launched campaigns aimed at ending the use of brachycephalic dogs in advertising, a move designed to help reduce their surging popularity.
However, what more can we, as veterinary professionals, contribute to this cause? As well as educating our clients about the prevalent health issues faced by brachycephalic dogs, maintaining up-to-date knowledge on the most effective treatments for these patients is crucial.
Central CPD offers a range of online resources to help enhance your knowledge and increase your confidence in surgical corrections, emergency interventions, and nursing support. In addition, we run a practical attendance course, hosted at our central London venue, with a specific focus on Practical Surgery for Brachycephalic Dogs.
Take a look at our learning series on our On-Demand portal:
Surgery of the Brachycephalic Dog
Surgery of the Brachycephalic Dog: Treating the Snorts, Snores and Smells
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome: Surgical Interventions
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Disease – There’s More to This Than We Thought!
Nursing and Anaesthesia of the Brachycephalic Patient
Or read more about our practical attendance course Practical Surgery of the Brachycephalic Dog
Surgery of the Brachycephalic Dog
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Disease – There’s More to This Than We Thought!
Practical Surgery of the Brachycephalic Dog (2 day course)