Veterinary Associations

Exhibitor Expertise

vetreportApril 14, 2015

As well as the thousands of delegates who come to BSAVA Congress, there are two other groups crucial to the event – the volunteers who create it, and the exhibitors who support it. Congress would not exist in its current form without the involvement of the animal health industry.

Commercial companies come in their hundreds to support the biggest veterinary CPD conference in Europe in ways that make the whole event affordable for delegates. But it is not just the funding provided through the commercial exhibition and the sponsorship for particular lectures that business brings; industry also has a valuable input into the advancement of scientific knowledge too.

The Exhibitors’ Stream at BSAVA Congress this year offered an opportunity for companies to explain the science behind their products. Companies like the major veterinary wholesaler NVS, which hosted a session in the Barclaycard Arena to introduce a new surgical technology called Orthozip.

Martin Owen, an orthopaedic specialist at Dick White Referrals in Cambridgeshire was invited by NVS to explain the scientific context behind the new technology. The current dogma suggests that the tibial plateau levelling osteotomy method to adjust the angle of bones in the joint produces better results than the older, simpler and less invasive method of extracapsular suture placement, he said.

However, after reviewing the literature, he proposed the lateral fabellar suture stabilisation method as being as good as TPLO in many patient groups while carrying a lower risk of serious postoperative complications. He described the technique he would recommend to first opinion practitioners using the latest equipment available from NVS.

This consists of titanium anchor posts, high grade ortholoop suture materials and the Teflon handled screwdriver needed to drive the posts into the appropriate sites on the femur and tibia bones. The equipment is available in three sizes and is imported from the US where it was developed by the surgical equipment manufacturer Everost, based in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

The scientific presentations made in the exhibitors’ stream are as varied as the range of companies and non-commercial organisations that occupy the stands in the venue. This year’s programme offered, for example, included an explanation of on the revisions to the European legislation on veterinary medicines from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, an update on the most appropriate strategies for feeding the geriatric rabbit from a veterinary advisor to Supreme Petfoods, and advice from Clark Dental Veterinary on the best choice of equipment for digital dental radiology in general practice.