News

 

Don’t Miss Out on Animalcare’s Golden Ticket Draw at BVA Live!

Animalcare is inviting delegates to participate in its Golden Ticket draw at BVA Live to be held on the Animalcare stand (G20) at 5pm on Thursday 23 June during a free drinks reception.

 

 

A range of tech goodies, including a Nutribullet® blender, noise-cancelling headphones, a coffee machine and an Amazon Tablet will be up for grabs. Delegates are encouraged to come to the Animalcare stand during the opening day of BVA Live to complete an entry form for their chance to win a prize.

(Full competition T&Cs can be found at www.animalcare.co.uk/bvalive-terms.)

 

 

 

 

 

The company will also debut a new counter top stand for its recently launched Plaqtiv+® home dental care range. The stand enables practices to display Plaqtiv+® products in an eye-catching way in consulting rooms or waiting areas.  The Plaqtiv+® water additive formulation is the first in Europe to receive Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approval. A special sales offer on Plaqtiv+® starter packs will be offered to eligible delegates.

 

Delegates will also be invited to sign up for a free trial of Daxocox®, the first and only weekly oral NSAID for the treatment of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. Animalcare is offering practices the opportunity to claim £250 worth of the weekly NSAID completely free of charge. This is enough to treat six Springer Spaniels for four weeks.

Further details of the trial can be found at www.daxocox.co.uk.

Animalcare Brand Manager Kai Crawshaw explains: “We’re celebrating our first appearance at BVA Live with some great offers for practices and some fantastic prizes for delegates in our Golden Ticket live draw.  We can’t wait to meet friends old and new in Birmingham later this month.”

New Plaqtiv+® Oral Care Range Aims to Make Dental Homecare More Accessible

Animalcare aims to give veterinary teams greater confidence in recommending home dental care with the launch of its new Plaqtiv+® range. Featuring patented Xpersiv™ technology, the Plaqtiv+® range captures minerals and inhibits biofilm maturation to reduce the formation of calculus – a key contributor to periodontal disease.

The Plaqtiv+® Water Additive has just received prestigious Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approval. It is the first Water Additive in Europe to achieve this status, which confirms that it has delivered at least a 20% reduction in calculus in two studies¹. Other products in the range include a gum spray and a malt flavoured toothpaste. Each has been designed to support owner compliance through ease of use and through accompanying educational materials.

The launch of the Plaqtiv+® range marks a significant strengthening of Animalcare’s presence in the dental homecare sector. Veterinary teams will be supported by a new veterinary professional and owner facing website – www.dental.pet. The vet site offers a range of resources, including talk tracks to start discussions with clients about dental care and tools to help them recognise signs of dental pain. The pet owner site offers a wealth of information on the importance of dental health in pets and advice on establishing a dental care regime.

The Plaqtiv+® range joins the company’s existing enzymatic toothpaste, Orozyme® Oral Hygiene Gel, which can be applied to a cat or dog’s teeth to help prevent and remove plaque.

 

 

Commenting on the launch of the Plaqtiv+® range, Animalcare Product Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said:

“Despite research showing that at least 80% of dogs and 70% of cats are likely to develop periodontal disease by the age of three², dental care is still often neglected. While tooth-brushing is cited as the Gold Standard, it has to be used daily to achieve a significant degree of efficacy. This is often just not possible in the ‘real world’ and a more flexible approach can be helpful, with products such as water additives and gum sprays offering a practical, less time consuming solution in some circumstances.

“Products should be grounded in science which is why we are delighted that the Plaqtiv+® Water Additive has just become the first European product of its type to earn approval from the VOHC.” Complimented by the rest of the Plaqtiv+® range the aim is to improve engagement with pet dental care by providing formats that fit well with owner lifestyles.

 

References
1. Veterinary Oral Health Council. Protocols and Submissions. Available at: http://www.vohc.org/protocols_submissions.html [Accessed April 2022].
2. Royal Veterinary College. Available at: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/review/Dentistry/Shared_Media/pdfs/perio_print.pdf [Accessed April 2022].

Animalcare is continuing to deliver on its pledge to operate as a carbon-neutral business with its latest carbon emissions report confirming that it successfully assessed and offset all of the carbon it used during 2020. In addition to offsetting projects, the report also shows that the company reduced its emissions by 27% from the previous year.

While restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to reductions in emissions it has attained, the company has also made a number of permanent changes to the operation of its business, particularly relating travel, which, it says, will ensure further reductions in emissions. Animalcare’s carbon emissions assessment reports are undertaken by Carbon Footprint Ltd, which helps organisations to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.

To offset the carbon emissions it is still making, Animalcare is supporting the implantation and installation of solar energy projects in India, a project certified by the sustainability standards body, VERRA. It is believed that the total capacity of the project will reduce emissions by around 850,000 tonnes of CO2e each year.

In addition to the solar power project, the company will plant a further 200 native trees later in 2022. These trees are in addition to the 200 trees planted in the grounds of Pocklington CE VC Infant School close to its York HQ last year. It is also working on plans to offset the company’s entire Aqupharm fluid bag usage from 2021 by supporting another overseas project.

Commenting, Kai Crawshaw, UK Commercial analyst at Animalcare, said: “This is the second year in which we have been able to offset all of our carbon emissions, but we are still at the start of our journey.

“While we are delighted to have made such good progress, but offsetting alone is not good enough and we are already looking at ways in which we can reduce our emissions further and recycle more. We can’t achieve everything on our own which is why we are keen to partner with like-minded organisations.

“We are really excited about the joint projects we are developing around our single use infusion therapy plastics, for instance, and we are also building a strong relationship with Vet Sustain, which is supporting the whole veterinary industry in making progress in this vital area.”

 

Animalcare is offering practices the opportunity to trial the new weekly NSAID for the management of OA pain, Daxocox®, by claiming £250 worth of the product completely free of charge. This is enough to treat six Springer Spaniels for four weeks.

To claim their free product, practices simply sign up at www.daxocox.co.uk and use the stock selector to collate a product package that suits the patients they feel Daxocox® could help.

 

Launched in 2021, Daxocox® is a breakthrough in canine OA treatment, proven to effectively treat the pain and inflammation of OA in dogs with simple and convenient once weekly oral dosing.^1,2 This is thanks to its unique 7-day phasic pharmacology which maintains consistent plasma levels between doses.^3,4 Daxocox® is licensed for all stages of canine OA so can be used in any case where NSAIDs aren’t contraindicated.

 

 

Animalcare Marketing Manager James Beaumont explained:

“When you consider that recent data shows that up to 20% of dogs over one year of age could have some form of OA⁵, the scale of problem becomes clear – as does the threat to the welfare of our canine companions from OA pain.

“Owners already giving Daxocox® to their OA-affected pets, have seen first-hand how it can significantly improve their quality of life. 90% said that their dog’s osteoarthritis improved, with 84% reporting that their dog’s quality of life improved from “poor or fair” to “good, very good or excellent.¹

“In a study carried out by Animalare, 88% of owners said that weekly NSAID dosing would be easier to remember, or mean they were less likely to miss a dose or that it would control their dog’s pain more effectively. ⁶

“Used as a first line treatment for OA, Daxocox® can provide a solid foundation to long-term pain management that suits vets, dogs and their owners. As such, we’re confident that once practices have tried it, it will become their canine OA NSAID of choice.”

 

To find out more about Daxocox® and how it works, visit www.daxocox.co.uk

 

1. 1. Internal report: DA/197/C, pending publication
   2. Salichs M., et al (2021) Efficacy and safety of enflicoxib for treatment of canine osteoarthritis: A 6-week randomised, controlled, blind, multicentre clinical trial. Veterinary Record e949.
   3. Internal report: PK_001_2018, pending publication.
   4. Homedes J., Salichs M, Solà J., Menargues A., Cendrós J-M., Encina G. (2021) Pharmacokinetics of enflicoxib in dogs: Effects of prandial state and repeated administration. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 44(6):888-901
   5.  Anderson K. L., Zulch H., O’Neill D.G., Meeson R. L., Collins L.M. (2020) Risk Factors for Canine Osteoarthritis and Its Predisposing Arthropathies: A Systematic Review. Front Vet Sci. 7: 220.
   6. Daxocox® Pet Owner Insight Executive Summary (N=200) January 2021

 

 

 

Please see below our Christmas opening times:

 

Monday 20^th December – Thursday 23^rd December 08:30-17:00

Friday 24^th December 08:30-12:00

Monday 27^th December – closed

Tuesday 28^th December – closed

Wednesday 29^th December – 10:30-14:30

Thursday 30^th December – 10:30-14:30

Friday 31^st December – closed

Monday 3^rd January – closed

Tuesday 4^th January normal opening hours resume.

 

If you are unable to get through to us via telephone during this time, please email animalcare@animalcare.co.uk and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

 

From everyone at Animalcare, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

 

A higher broach limit has been announced for Animalcare’s anaesthetic pre-medication Acecare®. Vials of the injectable solution can now be broached 40 times in order to offer greater flexibility and efficiency to practices.

 

Part of the comprehensive Anaesthetics and Sedation range from Animalcare, Acepromazine-based

Acecare® is used alongside other opioids, including Buprecare® (buprenorphine) and Synthadon®(methadone).  It reduces the amount of anaesthetic necessary to induce anaesthesia by approximately one third.

 

Commenting, Animalcare Product Manager Eleanor Workman Wright said: “Practices are looking for greater cost-effectiveness in the products they use and are also keen to reduce waste.  We are delighted to announce that Acecare®, a trusted staple of anaesthetic protocols in use at many practices is now offering improved performance in both of these areas.”

 

Practices are asked to contact their Animalcare Territory Manager or contact Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687 for further information.

A survey of RVNs carried out by Animalcare has highlighted an opportunity for practices to take a more proactive approach to educating owners about maintaining their pet’s wellbeing and welfare in older age. According to the survey, fewer than three in ten practices currently run senior pet clinics while there was a clear view among all respondents that additional educational resources would be helpful in supporting their efforts to engage with owners of senior pets.

 

The survey was undertaken to gain an insight into how practices are currently helping clients to ensure that their pets continue to enjoy life during their later years. Key obstacles to running senior pet clinics cited were inadequate staffing or a lack of time, particularly among RVNs. Seven in ten also felt that clients did not understand the benefits of regular attendance at clinics.

 

Responses from those practices that did run clinics, however, indicated that they were part of their practice’s ethos to care for pets throughout their life journey. The RVNs leading them felt well-supported by their colleagues, while suggesting that additional online resources, CPD and client care leaflets would be helpful for them in educating clients.

 

Commenting on the findings, Kirsty Cavill BSc (Hons) RVN MIATT said: “We know that during the 18 months of the pandemic, practice teams have experienced unprecedented demand for their services and have therefore, concentrated their resources on the daily workload. When considered alongside, the ‘pandemic puppy’ phenomenon, this means that veterinary professionals have spent a large proportion of their time dealing with pets in the early stages of their lives.

 

“As veterinary professionals we want to provide the highest standard of care to patients throughout their lives and, as the pressures of the pandemic start to ease, we have a real opportunity to highlight the need for a proactive approach to veterinary care in a pet’s later years, in the same way that we do for puppies and kittens. It’s time for a new mindset and a new focus on senior pets, which will benefit our patients and our clients.”

 

James Beaumont, Marketing Manager at Animalcare, added: “We hope to help practices to put the health and wellbeing of senior pets back on the agenda.  To support them, we have created a suite of ‘Making Senior Easier’ resources to help them educate owners to ensure that their pets live longer and healthier lives. The resources include:

 

• Health check materials, including a ‘senior triage’ form to be completed by owners and a ‘senior pet assessment form,’ which can act as a checklist for practice staff
• Condition handouts for owners, detailing common age-related problems
• Generic short articles on age-related issues for use in e-newsletters and on websites.

 

The resources are available for free download at: www.animalcare.co.uk/seniorpet

 

“We hope that practices will find them useful and that they will help them, not only to provide a higher standard of care to pets as they get older, but also enable them to build stronger client relationships by offering a proactive approach to the care of senior pets.”

 

Practices are asked to contact their Animalcare Territory Manager or contact Animalcare’s head office on 01904 487687 for further information.

A team from Animalcare UK/Identicare, nicknamed ‘Team Pain,’ has raised almost £900 for StreetVet by taking part in the Yorkshire Marathon Relay event. The race, on Sunday 17 October, involved teams of six, tackling a range of distances on a course around the city.

Commenting, Luke Bishop, Identicare Contact Centre Advisor, said:

“What a great experience! The atmosphere on the day was brilliant. Throughout the whole route spectators lined the streets to cheer us on, which motivated us to keep going. We really bonded as a team and it was great that the whole team could be there to see our final team member, Mike Jamieson, storm across the finishing line.

“Sadly, one of our team members was struck down with tonsillitis on the day but our Senior Veterinary Manager, Felicity Caddick, a marathon runner and triathlete, nobly agreed to cover two legs to get us through. We were delighted to finish in a time of 4 hrs and 25 minutes and to have raised £900 for StreetVet. The charity is close to our hearts and is Charity of the Year for both Animalcare and Identicare.”

 

The money raised from this event, coupled with the donations from Felicity’s Caddick’s Outlaw challenge in August means that Animalcare has raised more than £1,400 for Street Vet this year.

Donations can still be made here: https://www.justgiving.com/team/Animalcare

Dr Colin Capner has joined Animalcare as a Technical Vet. In this role, he will support the company’s growth strategy and provide high quality technical advice and support to vet practices across the UK.

Dr Capner graduated from the RVC in 1992 and has worked as a clinical veterinary surgeon in a variety of first opinion practices and referral centres. He trained as a veterinary anaesthetist at Bristol and Cambridge Universities before moving into the pharmaceutical industry, gaining experience in drug development and in technical support, and pre- and post-marketing, at a number of companies.

 

Commenting on his new role he said: “Animalcare is introducing a number of new and innovative medicines, such as Daxocox^©– its weekly NSAID to reduce breakthrough pain in dogs with osteoarthritis – to the veterinary sector.  This makes it an exciting environment in which to provide technical support.

 

“I’m looking forward to exploring how my experience can be most useful in supporting Animalcare’s expansion and, more importantly, ensuring that the company’s customers receive the guidance and advice they need to optimise the effectiveness of Animalcare’s product range in treating their patients.”

 

Senior Veterinary Manager Felicity Caddick said:

“Colin Capner’s experience will be hugely useful to us as we continue to build our product portfolio in key therapy areas in growing market segments. During the next few months, we will be continuing to launch new products and develop a differentiated and innovative pipeline of products for the future.

 

“Delivering excellent technical support to our customers is an essential part of the service we offer as we grow.  The addition of Colin to our Technical team gives us a strength and depth of experience that we know our customers will value highly.”

 

A team from Animalcare UK and Identicare will take part in this year’s York Marathon Relay to raise funds for StreetVet, the company’s charity of the year.  The Relay event involves teams of six, tackling a range of distances on a course around the city. It takes place on Sunday 17 October.  The team comprises:

 

• Luke Bishop – Identibase Contact Centre Advisor
• Felicity Caddick – Senior Veterinary Manager
• Kai Crawshaw – Commercial Analyst
• Mike Jamieson – Identibase Contact Centre Manager
• Vicky Mills – Business Support Manager
• Eddie Simms – Territory Sales Manager.

 

The team was inspired to take up the challenge following their colleague Felicity Caddick’s successful completion of an Ironman event in July which raised £500 for StreetVet.  The relay team, called ‘Team Pain,’ features individuals with different levels of running experience but the varying lengths of each relay section mean that all members of the team will be challenged.

 

 

Luke Bishop, who is organising the Team Pain’s participation, explained: “As Animalcare and Identicare is based in York, we were keen to take part in a local event and it’s great to finally have the opportunity to get involved in something as a team – even if we will only be together in the hospitality tent afterwards rather than out on the course!

 

“Felicity’s achievement was incredible and, while the Relay will be an easy afternoon out for her, the rest of us are training hard to ensure we finish in as fast a time as possible. It’s going to be great fun and we hope to raise even more funds for StreetVet in the process.”

 

Donations can be made here:  https://www.justgiving.com/team/Animalcare