VetTeamAMR Companion Animal launch event

Introduction to VetTeamAMR

David introduces the VetTeamAMR project and why it's important for veterinary teams.

Biography

David qualified from the University of Liverpool in 2015, having discovered an interest in epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during his training. This led to a PhD exploring antimicrobial use and resistance surveillance in companion animals, which was awarded in 2019, again at the University of Liverpool. Most recently, his interest has expanded to developing and assessing behavioural and vaccine interventions to hopefully slow the rate of AMR development and dissemination in the medical and veterinary sectors, using both 'big data' clinical record-based and in-field approaches in the UK and Malawi.

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Antimicrobial use in companion animal practice

This short talk will provide a brief overview of antimicrobial use in companion animals in the UK and Europe. Does antibiotic sales data accurately reflect usage data? Can we tell why antimicrobials are being used? How can we use such information to drive improved stewardship and what tools do we already have available to optimise antimicrobial use?

Biography

Fergus graduated from the University of Bristol in 2004 and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Liege, Belgium. He is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Medicine and currently works at Willows Referral Service. Fergus is actively involved in veterinary antibiotic stewardship and contributed to the development of the PROTECT ME guidelines. Within ENOVAT he is working on recommendations for antibiotic use for surgical prophylaxis. He is the current editor of Companion and the 10th and 11th Editions of the BSAVA formulary. He is also a member of the WSAVA Therapeutic Guidelines Group.

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Professor Scott Weese will be discussing Antimicrobial Resistance in companion animals. 

Further information to come. 

Tour of the Companion Animal Learning Platform

Tim Nuttall will give delegates a tour of the Companion Animal Learning Platform. 

Biography

Dr Tim Nuttall is an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology and Head of Dermatology at the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. He runs a busy referral clinic, with particular interests in atopic dermatitis, otitis, laser surgery and antimicrobial stewardship and infection control. Tim has written over 100 clinical and scientific publications and has presented over 180 lectures throughout the world. He has served on numerous scientific and clinical committees and has received the BSAVA Woodrow Award for outstanding contributions to veterinary medicine.

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Antimicrobial stewardship in itchy dogs

This session will highlight opportunities for responsible use of antimicrobials in animals with skin disease and outline how to approach “the itch” in the context of bacterial skin infection. It will include tips on how to identify primary causes of skin infection, how cytology can help to identify if antibacterial treatment is needed (or not), how to improve owner compliance with topical antimicrobial therapy and on which drugs to choose for cases where systemic antimicrobial therapy is indicated.

Biography

Anette Loeffler graduated from Munich, Germany, veterinary school in 1994 and subsequently worked in mixed practice in Cumbria. She completed a residency in veterinary dermatology and a PhD on MRSA in companion animals at the Royal Veterinary College. She is Professor in Veterinary Dermatology and Cutaneous Bacteriology at the RVC and divides her time between dermatology referral clinics at the RVC, teaching and research. She has an active role in the referral hospital infection control and antimicrobial guideline activities, co-authored the recent WAVD clinical consensus guidelines on methicillin-resistant staphylococci in small animal practice and is currently Editor-in-Chief of Veterinary Dermatology.

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Antimicrobial stewardship in surgery 

Infection has forever been the scourge of the surgeon, and rates have historically been of epidemic proportions. With the herald of antibiotics, the future seemed bright. But we became complacent and lazy. We forgot about the lessons that history had taught us. Over a century after Lister’s death, the battles against surgical site infections are still raging and behind each ‘case’ is a human or animal patient and their families. Have we squandered the gift of antimicrobials? Is the war against infection lost?

Biography

Kelly graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2005 and after 18 months in small animal general practice, completed a rotating internship at the Royal Veterinary College and a three-year ECVS approved residency programme in the Small Animal Surgery at the University of Bristol. Kelly joined the Animal Health Trust in 2011 and was awarded a PhD from the University of Liverpool for studies into the genetics of metastasis in canine cancer. In 2019, Kelly returned to the R(D)SVS as a senior lecturer in Small Animal Surgery, where she is involved in the clinical service, teaching, and research into the genetic basic and functional aspects of canine cancers. She is a Research Fellow at the Patton Lab in the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, where she studies metastasis of canine oral melanoma. 

Kelly is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and EBVS® European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. She works within the soft tissue surgical service, providing cutting-edge specialist surgical care for small animals, and has a particular interest in surgical oncology and infection control. She and Fergus Allerton have recently launched a book entitled Infection Control in Small Animal Clinical Practice.

Teaser of VetTeamAMR Audit Tool and Benchmarking

Angela will give a preview of the new Audit Tool.

Biography

Angela is a Quality Improvement Advisor for RCVS Knowledge, Director of Quality Improvement for CVS, and is an RCVS Knowledge Champion for her role in improving CVS’ systems for controlled drugs auditing. In 2021, Angela completed an MSc in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors at the University of Edinburgh. The programme supports healthcare professionals in using evidence-based tools and techniques to improve the reliability and safety of healthcare systems.

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