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- Veterinary Poisons Information Service engages the service of new Emergency and Critical Care diplomate as new consultant (04/08/10)
- Vets warn dog onwers of dangers of artificial sweeteners (15/07/10)
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Veterinary Poisons Information Service engages the services of new Emergency and Critical Care Diplomate as new consultant (04/08/10)
The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS), based at Guy’s Hospital in London, is pleased to announce the establishment of a formalized closer relationship with emergency and referral care providers Vets Now. As part of that relationship, Vets Now Clinical Director Amanda Boag MA VetMB DipACVIM DipACVECC FHEA MRCVS is to join the VPIS team as a veterinary consultant to assist in ensuring VPIS continues to provide the best possible service for its veterinary clients in the management of their small animal toxicology cases.
Amanda is well known in the profession, both in the UK and overseas for her knowledge and experience in veterinary emergency and critical care, and for her interest in cases of veterinary poisoning that often need urgent and critical treatment.
Commenting on this appointment Alexander Campbell, Head of Service at the VPIS says:
“We are delighted that we will be working more closely with Vets Now and that Amanda will be working with us in an advisory capacity. It is important for us to maintain confidence that the information and management advice we provide to our users is current, clinically effective and practicable. To have a system whereby VPIS advice is routinely audited, reviewed and updated by an experienced veterinary clinician such as Amanda is vital for that. At VPIS we strive to ensure that advice is species- and even breed-specific wherever possible, based on published peer-reviewed data and other credible sources, and which builds on the extensive database of past cases that VPIS has compiled by means of follow-up. Amanda’s appointment will strengthen the expertise we currently have providing this much used service and her advice will add to the confidence that the information provided is authoritative and devoid of the anecdotal, non-specific or human-based information found on many websites.
“Amanda will also provide an on-call service for VPIS staff when they feel that more clinical input may be needed for particularly complex cases, which is always reassuring to have, especially out-of-hours.
“Amanda as the Clinical Director for Vets Now, and ourselves, have identified a number of opportunities where Vets Now and VPIS can work collaboratively to provide additional resources and benefits to the veterinary profession as a whole relating to toxicology. It is tremendously exciting.”
Amanda Boag, Clinical Director of Vets Now commented
“At Vets Now we are delighted to be developing our relationship with VPIS. Toxicological cases often present as emergencies and as such our emergency clinics are frequent and regular users of the excellent telephone advice service VPIS provide. Personally I am very much looking forward to working with VPIS with provision of additional specialist clinical support. We are also looking forward to working with VPIS on development of other collaborative initiatives that can strengthen the symbiotic roles that both VPIS and Vets Now have supporting the veterinary profession in delivering high quality care for pets around the UK”
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Notes to editors
1. Interviews or comment can be sought from VPIS (020 7188 0600; vpis@gstt.nhs.uk) or Vets Now Ltd (Contact Mhairi Clarke, 0780 955 8375).
2. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) was launched in 1992 and provides 24-hour telephone advice for veterinary professionals on the diagnosis and management of poisoned animals. It is a subscription-based service and does not take enquiries from members of the public or pet owners, who are encouraged to call their local veterinary practice for advice.
The VPIS also publishes reviews and reports using data collected from poisons enquiries in scientific journals and magazines, monitors trends in poisoning and teaches at various universities and veterinary colleges.
The VPIS is part of the Medical Toxicology Information Service (MTIS) of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
3. Launched in December 2001, Vets Now works in partnership with local veterinary practices to provide a dedicated out of hours emergency veterinary service.
4. The organisation has 44 emergency clinics across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and has treats around 86,000 small animal emergencies a year.
5. Vets Now employs over 350 veterinary professionals who work only nights, weekends and public holidays, ensuring they are fresh and ready to treat small animal emergencies.
Vets warn dog owners about dangers of artificial sweeteners (15/07/10)
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is warning dog owners of the danger that the artificial sweetener, Xylitol, can pose to their pets. Xylitol is not considered harmful to humans, but if ingested by a dog the substance is dangerous because it triggers a sudden release of insulin which causes a dramatic drop in blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and can lead to liver damage.
Xylitol is increasingly used as a sweetener in sugar-free chewing gum and other confectionary; it is used in dental hygiene products and is also found as an excipient in many medicines. Of particular concern are the sugar substitute products that contain Xylitol which are used in home baking as well as in manufactured goods. Cakes, biscuits and other goodies made with it are toxic to dogs. Owners may not be aware of these dangers and may not associate clinical deterioration with ingestion of these foodstuffs.
Other animals such as ferrets and cats may be similarly affected and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is monitoring all referred cases.
BVA Past President Nicky Paull commented:
“While most dog owners are now aware that foods such as chocolate and grapes can be toxic to their pets few are aware of the dangers if their dog eats a cake or muffin containing Xylitol.
“If you think your dog may have eaten chewing gum or a sweet or cake containing Xylitol and appears unwell, perhaps vomiting or lacking coordination, then contact your vet for advice immediately and be ready to provide information on what’s been consumed.”
The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) have produced an easy reference guide to keeping pets safe from harmful substances. The ‘Pets and poisons: keeping your animal safe’ leaflet can be easily downloaded from the BVA AWF website at www.bva-awf.org.uk or you can request a copy from the Foundation.
Alexander Campbell, Head of Service at VPIS, added:
“With the increasing number of products containing Xylitol on the market the VPIS recognises the extreme importance of raising awareness of the danger to dogs of ingesting this substance, particularly in the light of a case we handled the other evening which involved a dog eating a muffin made with this sugar substitute.
“This is yet another instance where a food or food additive deemed safe for human consumption proves to be dangerous for other species. Pets should really only be given foodstuffs formulated for them.
“It is possible that other animals such as ferrets or cats might be affected similarly, but few cases are yet documented. The VPIS continues to monitor all referred cases in all animals with the aim of clarifying the situation in other species as and when more data become available.
“The VPIS would like to see manufacturers of these products provide some visible warnings and information on the packaging and to inform the retail outlets they supply of the potential risks to dogs.”
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All BVA AWF literature can be downloaded. Individual copies of the leaflets can also be obtained by contacting the BVA AWF directly on 020 7636 6541 or email bva-awf@bva.co.uk.
4. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) was launched in 1992 and provides 24-hour telephone advice for veterinary professionals on the diagnosis and management of poisoned animals. It is a subscription-based service and does not take enquiries from members of the public or pet owners, who are encouraged to call their local veterinary practice for advice.
The VPIS also publishes reviews and reports using data collected from poisons enquiries in scientific journals and magazines, monitors trends in poisoning and teaches at various universities and veterinary colleges.
The VPIS is part of the Medical Toxicology Information Service (MTIS) of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
5. The VPIS has drawn attention to Xylitol poisoning in dogs in a letter to the Veterinary Record of 17 July 2010.
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