Holly Kernot explores the latest in regenerative technology from Lipogems Equine and how it can treat a range of orthopaedic and soft tissue injuries in horses.

1. NEWS2
veterinary TimesFollow us on Facebook and @vettimesuk
If you received a personal copy of Veterinary Times, your details were generated from our Vetfile database. To change your delivery details, email vetfile@vbd.co.uk
In brief
RECORD-BREAKER:Athlete
LauraMuirhasspokenofherjoy
atbreakingtheBritishrecordfor
the1,000mindooreventatthe
MüllerGrandPrixinBirmingham.
Thetraineevetclocked2:31.95
–breakingDameKellyHolmes’
2004recordof2:32.96–but
justmissedoutontheworld
recordsetbyMariaMutolain
1999.MsMuirsaidbreaking
therecordwas”amazing”and
beingclosetotheworldrecord
was“veryencouraging”.She
broketheEuropean3,000m
indoorrecordearlierthisyearin
additiontotheBritish5,000m
and1,000mindoorrecords.She
willattempttowin1,500mand
3,000mgoldattheEuropean
IndoorChampionshipsinSerbia
inMarch.
PRODUCT RECALL:TheVMD
has issued a recall of all batches
of Norbrook Laboratories’
Propofol Emulsion for Injection
1% w/v. A statement said:
“An issue of coring has been
reported where the shearing
off of a portion of the 20mm
bromobutyl bung occurs as
the vial is pierced to withdraw
the product.This may result in
particles from the bung entering
the product and potentially
being drawn up into the syringe
on extraction of the product
from the vial.”The UK brands are
Inductofol (02000/4274) and
Vetofol (02000/4244).Telephone
028 3026 4435 for more details.
MONTHLY CPD: Merial
Animal Health has launched
a programme of monthly
webinars, hosted on its Nexus
online portal, to support large
animal vets with ongoing CPD.
Topics include postmortem/
diagnostics and calf pneumonia,
parasitology, and effective
communication between
farmers and vets. One hour
webinars take place on the last
Wednesday of each month,
except August and December,
and include a live question
and answer session. For more
information and to register, visit
https://merialnexus.co.uk
PARTNERSHIP:TheWSAVA
has expressed its gratitude
to Hill’s Pet Nutrition for its
long-term commitment to
supporting small animal vets.
This year marks the 10th year
of partnership with theWSAVA.
It is the global veterinary
association’s most long-standing
and significant industry partner,
having invested more than
US$1.5 million (£1.2 million) in
initiatives and projects to help
increase standards of small
animal vet care around the
world during the past decade.
STUDENT PROJECT APPEAL:
A University of BristolVN
student is appealing for help
with a dissertation project –
investigating the UK’s public
perception of separation anxiety
in dogs. Final-year student
Sam Cross, who is studying for
a Nursing and Bioveterinary
Science degree, asked for help
in publicising a questionnaire in
the hope of widening responses.
The link is http://bit.ly/2molDcY
AFASTand cost-efficient tech-
nique for harvesting stem
cells may have the potential
to revolutionise the way vets
treat orthopaedic conditions
in horses.
The regenerative therapy,
called Lipogems, uses fat
tissue-derived mesenchymal
stem cells from the tail head of
the patient, which is prepared
using a stable-side kit, meaning
the procedure can be carried
out immediately.
Historically, vets wanting
to obtain stem cells would
have to harvest fat tissue or
bone marrow from the patient
and send it to a laboratory
for the cells to be cultivated
and prepared for injection at
another consultation – a pro-
cess that could take weeks and
delay treatment.
In comparison, Lipogems
allows the transplanting of
lipoaspirate from fat tissue
within 20 to 30 minutes of har-
vesting, said Lipocast Biotech
UK, the company responsible
for introducing the technique
to the veterinary market for
the first time.
Quick extraction
Conditions treated to date
include lesions of the superfi-
cial and deep flexor tendons,
suspensory ligament desmitis
(proximal, body and branch
lesions), check ligament injuries
and osteoarthritis affecting
distal interphalangeal, fetlock
and stifle joints.
Vet Tim Watson, of Waterlane
Equine Vets in Gloucestershire,
led initial work on the project.
“In the past, people have
cultured stem cells from fat
tissues, but what this technique
offers for the first time is the
ability to extract stem cells in
a quick, easy and relatively
cost-effective way, so you can
treat the horse immediately,”Dr
Watson said.
“We are really excited with
the development – the science
is really exciting and full of
promise. It wasn’t until I did
the first cases I began to realise
how effective this could be.
“We are seeing healing as
early as 3 to 5 weeks in cases
where you would usually see
nothing for 12 to 20 weeks by
other treatments.”
The technique means stem
cell cultivation techniques are
no longer the preserve of hos-
pitals and laboratories.
“Vets out on the road can do
it. Potentially, it could revolu-
tionise the waywe treat ortho-
paedic conditions in horses,”Dr
Watson explained.
Lipogems is already noted
in human medicine for its
regenerative capacity and
has been used in a number
of cases; from general, ortho-
paedic and aesthetic surgery to
oral and maxillofacial procures.
“There is nothing compara-
ble with this technique in the
industry,” Dr Watson said.
Cross-sector use
The use of Lipogems has only
been documented in horses in
the UK, but Dr Watson believes
there is potential for it to be
implemented by, and of benefit
to, vets across the sector.
Lipocast Biotech UK said work
on the technique foruse in dogs
is also underway.
Clive Hamblin, veterinary
advisor for the National Train-
ers Federation, said Lipogems is
proving to be a “revolutionary”
mode of treatment for a group
of injuries that have previously
been difficult to treat and often
have unfavourable outcomes.
Dr Hamblin said: “This has
great potential in many eques-
trian disciplines, such as racing,
eventing and polo.”
Lipogems kits, which include
cannulae and syringes for
infiltration and harvesting of
adipose tissue and a device
for washing and isolation of
pericytes, are available from
Lipocast Biotech UK.
Lipogems Equine will host
several veterinary training days
in the coming months. Formore
information, contact general
manager Lucy Wilson via lucy_
wilson@lipogemsequine.com
or visit lipogemsequine.com
report by
Holly
Kernot
hollykernot@vbd.co.uk
01733 383562
Vet:stemcelltechniquecould
revolutioniseequinemedicine
A FORMER pub given a lease of life as a
“long-awaited” £1.3 million CVS animal
hospital saw hundreds of visitors pour
through its doors at the official opening.
Owners and their pets visited the
former watering hole – The Queens Head,
in Londonderry Lane – for the opening of
YourVets24 Smethwick.
Lynne Reeves, owner of Birmingham-based
charity The Animal House Rescue, cut a ribbon
to officially open the practice.
She said: “YourVets24 Smethwick has been
long-awaited in Sandwell and our local network
of foster carers will be reassured such a modern,
24-hour facility has opened on their doorstep.
“I am delighted to have officially opened
it in the presence of local residents who are
clearly going to benefit from its facilities, as
well as the impeccable expertise of its staff.”
Visitors toured the facility, took part in games
and prize draws, and enjoyed celebratory
foods. Staff also gave visiting dogs and cats a
complimentary manicure.
Hospital coordinator Nathan Price said: “This
is a fantastic, much-needed animal hospital for
the area and it was great to welcome lots of
new clients during our open day, as well as offer
behind-the-scenes access, so local residents
can fully appreciate the work we do.”
According to YourVets24, the clinic is the
town’s first 24-hour veterinary surgery and
includes digital x-ray, ultrasound and monitoring
equipment, kennels, a conference room
and on-site parking. YourVets24 Smethwick
employees 16 staff, including vets, VNs,
veterinary care assistants and receptionists.
Hundredsattendhospitalopenday
Staff and visitors celebrate YourVets24 Smethwick’s opening.
A VET team pooled its expertise and honed its detective skills to
solvethemysterybehindadog’sbreathingandvomitingproblems.
Small animal medicine specialist Isuru Gajanayake was the first
vet to examine two-year-old French bulldog Pacha. Owner Jade
Norris took the dog to Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral
Service in Solihull, after six veterinary appointments in one week
still left her in the dark.
Dr Gajanayake diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
and hiatal hernia, and recommended Pacha be examined by his
colleague, specialist soft tissue surgeon Chris Shales. He concluded
the dog needed to be treated forbrachycephalic obstructive airway
syndrome to improve her breathing and tendency to regurgitate.
Dr Shales said: “Pacha had very noisy breathing, which is rela-
tively common in bulldogs and can progress fairly quickly to an
irreversible, life-threatening collapse of the voice box.
“Often, the reduced effort needed to breathe following surgery
can reduce signs caused by the hiatal hernia and prevent the
need for additional surgery. With Pacha, we shortened her palate,
removed abnormal tissue within her voice box, and widened her
nostrils to help her breathing and reduce the chest cavity effort.
“There was a nice improvement after the operation in Pacha’s
regurgitation and her breathing was much easier. However, six
months later, she once again started bringing up food and water,
so Jade brought her back to Willows, where Isuru and I spent quite
a long time discussing whether this reflected a deterioration of her
IBD or continued problems from her hiatal hernia.”
They decided to perform hiatal hernia surgery, which involved
tightening a loosevalve in the oesophagus. Surgerywas performed
and Pacha had, according to Dr Shales, responded extremely well.
Departments solve
dog’s breathing mystery
A VN has been suspended from the register
for 10 months after she admitted placing five
orders for prescription-only medications for
personal use and/or without an authorised
prescription using the practice’s veterinary
wholesaler ordering system.
The RCVS disciplinary committee (DC) heard
Lois Hodgkinson, while working at a practice in
Surrey, ordered codeine phosphate, naproxen and
amitriptyline tablets.
The drugs were intended for personal use
in three of the charges, as she had previously
been prescribed them after being involved in a
road collision in November 2012 – as a result of
which she suffered from chronic back pain and
other problems. In two further charges, the drugs
were said to be intended for her dog, Minnie.
Ms Hodgkinson admitted the charges from
the outset, although she believed other staff at
the practice had placed similar personal orders
and she said she had been given permission
to do so as well. Ms Hodgkinson also accepted
the facts amounted to disgraceful conduct in a
professional respect.
A number of mitigating factors were put for-
ward in Ms Hodgkinson’s defence, including the
fact a period of lengthy suspension or removal
from the register would result in her losing an
offer of employment; the fact, up to the relevant
conduct, she had an unblemished career; and the
fact she had made early admissions of guilt and
shown insight into her misconduct.
VN suspended for 10 months by DC
VET professionals can learn how to approach suspected cruelty cases with confidence and play
theirpart in helping prevent animal, domestic and child abuse at a specialised training dayin June.
The Links Group works to increase knowledge of abuse by working with human and animal health
care professionals and various bodies, including the police and animal charities, to explore the links
between domestic abuse and non-accidental injury to animals.
A Links Veterinary Training Initiative day will take place on 1 June at PDSA head office in Telford
from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Tickets are £75, with a £25 discount for Links members.
Links chairman Freda-Scott Park said: “The Links Group firmly believes vets and the wider veteri-
nary team have a role to play in helping to prevent animal abuse, domestic abuse and child cruelty.”
For more information, visit www.thelinksgroup.org.uk and to book visit http://bit.ly/2l2UyLf
Cruelty prevention course
Page 2.indd 2 24/02/2017 12:45
Name:
Date:
Approved
New Version
Comments:Andrew Greenwood
February 24, 2017