Latest news with #AustralianVeterinaryAssociation
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
The 'genius' vet-approved item that's solving a serious common problem for dogs: 'These are a game changer'
A convenient product is having a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of pets across Australia, and pet owners are thrilled. Bell & Bone's Dental Toppers is a simple spray applied to your pet's meals as a vet-approved solution to prevent dental disease, by supporting gut health. Approximately 80 per cent of dogs and cats over the age of three exhibit some level of dental disease, according to the Australian Veterinary Association. More than simply unpleasant breath, this can have serious repercussions on the animal's health and even life expectancy. But Australian brand Bell & Bone has dedicated years to researching the cause of this common health concern for pets and working on a solution. Oral health and gut health are closely intertwined, in pets and in people. A well-balanced microbiome is essential to maintaining good digestive and oral health. If this is disrupted, harmful bacteria can thrive in their digestive system and mouth. A healthy gut microbiome helps to keep harmful bacteria in check, preventing plaque and tartar buildup and reducing inflammation at the source. Created in consultation with industry experts and vets, Dental Toppers is a powerhouse formulation of oral actives, pre, pro and post-biotics, and superfoods, delivered in one simple step: just four sprays a day on top of your dog or cat's meal. There are three flavours for dogs: Beef, Lamb and Salmon, and two formulated for cats: Tuna and Chicken. The spray costs $39.95 for a 30-day supply - which works out to just $1.33 per day. The natural ingredients formulation combines Norwegian Kelp to reduce dental issues and support gut health, probiotics to balance gut flora and reduce plaque, and antioxidant-rich plant extracts to combat inflammation. Sodium alginate, derived from seaweed, helps the product stick to teeth and gums while also feeding beneficial gut bacteria. An added win for pet owners? Improved gut health leads to fresher breath, and often an improvement in bowel movement odour too. 'Over the past five years, I've been on a mission to change how we approach pet dental care,' Bell & Bone Founder Arianne Sackville says. 'It all started when I learned that dental disease shortens a pet's life by up to 30 per cent, and that nearly 80 per cent of pets suffer from it by age three. I was shocked… So I developed our best-selling Dog Dental Sticks and Cat Dental Bites. 'However, with 80 per cent of dogs and 70 per cent of cats still facing dental disease, I became obsessed with uncovering WHY. I was determined to change these alarming statistics for good! I knew we needed to go deeper. 'That's when I began working with leading vets and experts to uncover the real cause of dental disease in pets. 'What we found was eye-opening: the gut plays a critical role in oral health. A healthy gut microbiome helps prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which is the starting point for plaque, tartar, and inflammation. 'So, I dedicated myself to creating a product that not only cleans teeth but prevents disease at the source— the gut. After years of research, testing, and collaboration, the Bell & Bone Dental Topper was born.' The product is impressing pet owners, with rave reviews already posted on the brand's website: 'Started using these and already spotting a difference with my boy's breath - truly a game changing product not having to change from his everyday food,' one customer wrote. Even pet owners with fussy eaters have confirmed the flavours are a hit. 'I was curious to see how he would go since he can be picky with anything new but this topper just went straight on top of his food that he loves with a few sprays and he was straight into it,' one customer said. 'After using it for a month we noticed a big difference in not just his teeth and gums but also his poops didn't smell as bad... and no more stinky breath! 'I dedicated myself to creating a product that not only cleans teeth but prevents disease at the source— the gut,' says Arianne. After years of research, testing, and collaboration, the Bell & Bone Dental Topper was born' 'I am so happy we finally found something that Oscar will eat and that actually works for him thank you so much Bell and Bone.' 'These are a game changer. Started using these and already spotted a difference with my boy's breath - truly a game changing product not having to change from his everyday food,' another shared. When it comes to food toppers, Millie the beagle has a nose that doesn't lie - she's turned her nose up at three different brands so far!' another owner wrote. 'Then we discovered Belle and Bone at the Million Paws Walk in Melbourne. I was a bit hesitant to try them, given Millie's track record, but I'm so glad I did. 'Millie loves it - no hesitation at all! The salmon and beef topper are a big hit. Safe to say we've finally found a winner. Millie gives this a paws up.'
7NEWS
27-04-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
World Vet Day: The mental health crisis continuing to face veterinarians as Sophie's Legacy works to bring suicide rate down
It has been four years since Dr Sophie Putland took her own life after industry pressures and client abuse became too much. Tomorrow would've been her birthday and, despite all the work done by Kate and Garry Putney with the Sophie's Legacy charity, veterinarians still have some of the highest suicide rates in Australia. The crisis is so significant almost 70 per cent of Australian vets have lost a colleague or classmate to suicide. Animal health takes a team The theme of Saturday's World Veterinary Day was Animal Health Takes a Team, and it is not just vets who suffer the abuse — receptionists are usually targeted first before clients then direct their anger on surgeons. Veterinary surgeon Dr Grace Iaccobe explained: 'The crisis exists within the industry as a whole and in terms of client abuse it's the people at the front desk who get it first and it then feeds into the whole team.' Client abuse, long days and industry pressures continue to contribute to one of the highest industry suicide rates in Australia, up to four times higher than that of the general population and twice the rate of fellow health professionals doctors, pharmacists, dentists and nurses. 'The pressure and the demands are just insane' Sophie's Legacy committee member Rhett Burnie explained. 'And let's face it, people become vets because they're passionate and love animals — they don't become vets for the money.' This is exacerbated further by a workforce shortage, with only 15,000 registered vets to 30.4 million pets — that equates to 2,027 pets to a single vet in Australia. 'There's been an explosion in pet numbers and relative to this a shortage in staff,' Small Animal Specialist Hospital emergency and critical care intern Dr Lauren Bielby said. 'We're clearly the winners in the debt game' The starting salary for vets is not exactly appealing either. Graduates can sometimes expect to earn $60,000 despite having just completed up to eight years of study with an average HECS debt of $82,000. Even while studying, vet students don't fall under the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme — currently covering nursing, teaching and social work students — with some spending up to 52 weeks doing unpaid work. Going into the 2025 Federal Election, the Australian Veterinary Association is advocating for reform to the scheme and a reduction to the level of HECS debt. 'We've seen a promise from the Albanese government for a 20 per cent (reduction),' AVA president Dr Sally Colgan said. 'But if you look at the average debt of $82,000 ... we're clearly the winners in the debt game.' The government is at pains to solve it, with an inquiry created to investigate both the staffing shortage and high suicide rate. Findings by the NSW Legislative Council in particular cite a mix of burn out, low wages, long hours and client abuse. Cost of living crisis The cost-of-living crisis has not helped either, with clinics also feeling the financial pressure. 'There's a big misconception on costs,' Bielby says. 'Do you want to see my car? I get no kickbacks from recommending diets.' There is no animal equivalent of Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or a public hospital system and often procedures will cost the same amount as they would for a human — meaning clinics, often small businesses, have to absorb the cost. Colgan agrees: 'In our own (human) healthcare we only pay 15 per cent of what it costs to keep us healthy, you're only paying a fraction of what it actually costs. 'People equate that with the veterinary side — there's this mismatch and misunderstanding.' Sophie's mother, Kate, also agrees: 'There's no Medicare like there is for humans — bill shock can really push people over the edge but we need people to know that behaviour can have deadly consequences.' Work can also infiltrate vets' personal lives. 'My friends ask why don't you just leave work on time? Why don't you just turn off work?' Bielby said. 'We are very empathetic, it's really difficult to have that boundary. 'You do go home and you do think of your patients.' 'We are essential' Expanding on the World Vet Day theme, Colgan argues vet teams are going beyond caring for individual pets — they are pivotal to Australia's food systems, biosecurity, public health and economy. 'We are essential,' Colgan emphasised. 'Wherever there are animals, there have to be vets.' 'The livestock industry in Australia is worth $32 billion. If you didn't have vets, where would you be in the livestock industry? 'Pet care expenditure is $33.2 billion.' Veterinary mental health progress The AVA has been setting up programs to combat this mental health crisis, implementing a pilot study of psycho-social training in 15 veterinary clinics across Australia. 'At the start of the training less than 20 per cent knew what that(psychosocial training) meant,' Colgan said. 'At the ending of the training we asked the same questions and over 90 per cent were aware of it. 'You've got to understand what the issues are to be able to make things better.' Sophie's Legacy Similarly, Kate and Garry created Sophie's Legacy to bring awareness to the mental health crisis, promoting change both from the government and the industry. As Sophie's mother says: 'We're here for the long haul. We are advocating for a reduction in client abuse, to advocate for better working hours and greater access to mental health support and, really, for complete change in the way clinics of all sizes treat and nurture their staff.' Campaigns such as We're Only Human, which featured Bielby, have highlighted the need to be kind and respectful to staff. Shorter working hours and greater access to mental health support are also goals of the charity. Kate in particular wants more reasonable working hours and support for vets after traumatic events such as the loss of a patient and client abuse from bill shock. 'We don't want to deter young people from getting into the field, we want them to follow that dream of becoming a vet with the knowledge that Sophie's Legacy is in their corner,' she said. The charity's newest campaign Little Things aims to emphasise the importance of how even a smile or thank you can change a vet's day. 'Sophie was 33 when she died, so part of Little Things is a request for those who can afford it to donate $33, $3.30 or 33 cents to Sophie's Legacy,' Kate said. 'I can't imagine myself doing anything else' Despite the difficulties, the love vets have for their vocation is still immense. Iacobbe said she has adopted four rescue animals during her career. 'They have so much love to give and love unconditionally,' she said. 'My favourite thing is being a pet owner who gets to help other pet owners love their pets and live a long life.' Colgan agrees: 'Incorporating your passion with your career is a very, very rewarding thing to do. 'The team, they're all working towards that same goal of great animal welfare — I think that's very satisfying.' 'I can't imagine myself doing anything else,' Bielby said, but added: 'We want vets who stay in the profession and stay alive.'
