Neutering of pet rabbits
I HAVE been very interested in the ongoing correspondence regarding neutering of female rabbits and ‘eminence-based medicine’, not to mention perceived wisdom!
The neutering of dogs in Scandinavian countries is discouraged as an unnecessary mutilation, with only around 7 per cent of dogs in these countries being neutered. The Norwegian Animal Welfare Act makes it clear that surgical procedures are not to be used to adapt animals to the needs of humans, unless strictly necessary. Perhaps there are things we can learn from our European colleagues.
Joseph W. Sprinz, The Veterinary Hospital, 23 Wellington Street, T...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Letter Source Type: research
RCVS Council elections
A RECORD 496 members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons voted for the anti-junk pet food campaign. I'm humbled, grateful and planning next year's campaign.
To the almost 30,000 members who did not support the campaign, I urge you to reconsider next year. As a profession enjoying ‘self-regulatory’ status we must justify the privilege. We cannot afford to be the odd one out. Doctors and dentists advise against a predominantly junk food diet. So must we.
Tom Lonsdale, PO Box 6096, Windsor Delivery Centre, New South Wales 2756, Australia; e-mail: tom@rawmeatybones.com (Source: Veterinary Record)
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Letter Source Type: research
Global food security
THE recent editorial by Tom McNeilly, ‘Global food security via efficient livestock production: targeting poor animal husbandry’ (VR, March 18, 2017, vol 180, pp 276-277), highlights the major issues that need to be addressed to improve per capita animal productivity and health and reduce negative environmental consequences. However, the accompanying paper by Sargison and others (2017), based on monitoring the husbandry of one goat herd, was deficient in recognising indigenous knowledge and good animal husbandry practices already well established in this region, noted for its biodiversity and designated by UNES...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Letter Source Type: research
Practical tips for good tissue biopsies: Veterinarian's Guide to Maximizing Biopsy Results
OBTAINING tissue biopsies for histopathology is an essential stage in the investigation and diagnosis of many conditions. The ability to achieve an accurate diagnosis with a biopsy can be significantly affected by technique. This book aims to help clinicians take and submit diagnostic biopsies and act as a quick reference guide on the subject. The book is divided into two sections: the first covers the steps of taking and submitting biopsies, while the second section discusses specific guidelines and techniques for obtaining biopsies from the different organ systems. The first section gives a methodical step-by-step guide ...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Emmerson, T. Tags: Books Source Type: research
Transfusion medicine and blood banking practices: Manual of Veterinary Transfusion Medicine and Blood Banking
TRANSFUSION medicine and blood banking are relatively new veterinary fields, with the first commercial veterinary blood bank being established in the USA in the late 1980s. The UK has only had blood products available for the past 10 years and this has helped provide a positive outcome for many recipients. The authors have produced a book that gives the reader a comprehensive guide, from selection and screening of donors, to the production of blood products and their use in a broad range of animal species. This is a medium-sized book with 387 pages, split into six sections. The first section gives an introduction to t...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Barnett, W. Tags: Books Source Type: research
Selected highlights from other veterinary journals
This study aimed to determine the most common types of tickborne infections among pet dogs in southern Romania. Blood samples from 96 dogs (with clinical signs associated with tickborne infection) were included in the study. The blood samples were screened for eight different pathogens using molecular methods: Babesia species, Theileria species, Hepatozoon species, Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia species, ‘Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis’, Mycoplasma species and Borrelia species. Forty-five per cent (43/96) of the... (Source: Veterinary Record)
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Research Digest Source Type: research
Comparing the curative efficacy of topical treatment with thiamphenicol and oxytetracycline on digital dermatitis lesions in dairy cattle
The efficacy of two topically applied antibiotics for the treatment of painful ulcerative stage of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) lesions was compared in a clinical trial conducted on five dairy farms in the Netherlands during the autumn of 2015. A total of 109 cows with an ulcerative (M2) stage of BDD were randomly appointed a treatment with an antibiotic-based spray. One treatment contained thiamphenicol as active ingredient (TAF). The other treatment had oxytetracycline as active ingredient (ENG). The experimental unit for this study was the hind claw with the presence of an ulcerative BDD lesion. On day 0, claws with ...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Holzhauer, M., Ploegmakers-van Deventer, R., Smits, D., Swart, W. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Early warning of footpad dermatitis and hockburn in broiler chicken flocks using optical flow, bodyweight and water consumption
Footpad dermatitis and hockburn are serious welfare and economic issues for the production of broiler (meat) chickens. The authors here describe the use of an inexpensive camera system that monitors the movements of broiler flocks throughout their lives and suggest that it is possible to predict, even in young birds, the cross-sectional prevalence at slaughter of footpad dermatitis and hockburn before external signs are visible. The skew and kurtosis calculated from the authors’ camera-based optical flow system had considerably more power to predict these outcomes in the 50 flocks reported here than water consumption...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Dawkins, M. S., Roberts, S. J., Cain, R. J., Nickson, T., Donnelly, C. A. Tags: Open access Research Source Type: research
Effect of peritoneal lavage solution temperature on body temperature in anaesthetised cats and small dogs
A prospective, randomised, non-blinded, clinical study to assess the effect of peritoneal lavage using warmed fluid on body temperature in anesthetised cats and dogs of less than 10 kg body mass undergoing coeliotomy. A standardised anaesthetic protocol was used. Oesophageal and rectal temperatures were measured at various time points. At the end of surgery, group 1 patients (n=10) were lavaged with 200 ml/kg sterile isotonic saline at 34±1°C and group 2 (n=10) at 40±1°C. Groups were similar with respect to age, mass, body condition and surgical incision length. Duration of anaesthesia, surg...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Barnes, D. C., Leece, E. A., Trimble, T. A., Demetriou, J. L. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Limiting heat loss during surgery in small animals
OPERATING room (or ambient) temperatures (T°amb) seldom exceed the core body temperature (T°core) of domestic species, so during anaesthesia, when thermoregulatory mechanisms are impaired, dogs (Redondo and others 2012b) and cats (Redondo and others 2012a) lose heat down thermal gradients at rates proportional to the environment – animal temperature difference. Hypothermia produces effects aggravating other problems arising from anaesthesia including: alveolar hypoventilation, reduced cardiac output, renal and splanchnic blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and liver metabolism with delayed drug detoxificat...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Clutton, R. E. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Northern Ireland disease surveillance report, January to March 2017
Pneumonia in cattle
Malignant catarrhal fever in cattle
Tumours in sheep
Pneumonia in pigs
Histomonosis in chickens
These are among matters discussed in the Northern Ireland animal disease surveillance quarterly report for January to March 2017 (Source: Veterinary Record)
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Surveillance Source Type: research
Medicines update
The following information has been produced for Veterinary Record by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to provide an update for veterinary surgeons on recent changes to marketing authorisations for veterinary medicines in the UK. (Source: Veterinary Record)
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research
'Huge concern about increased risk of peste des petits ruminants entering Europe
RESEARCHERS at The Pirbright Institute are warning of an increased risk of further incursions of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus to Europe. Writing in the journal PLOS one, the researchers say that the recent spread of the virus to northern Algeria and Morocco, approaching Gibraltar, together with continuous circulation of PPR virus in other parts of northern Africa, and extensive trade links with Europe – particularly Spain, France and Italy – have increased the chances of the virus entering Europe. This, they say, ‘is a huge concern’. Satya Parida, head of the vaccine differentiation group ...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research
Targeted avian influenza controls introduced in England
Parts of Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside are now the only places in England to remain subject to avian influenza controls after Defra lifted restrictions elsewhere on May 15. Defra introduced a targeted avian influenza prevention zone after a risk assessment found that, while the overall risk in England had not increased, there was a heightened risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the regions. The decision followed recent confirmed cases of disease in the Wyre district, indicating that the H5N8 virus is still circulating in resident wild birds or is present in the environment. The areas remaining under restricti...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research
Asian vets update their farm animal knowledge
VETERINARIANS from 12 Asian countries are taking part in a year-long training programme organised by the Japanese Veterinary Medical Association (JVMA). The programme has an emphasis on farmed animals and aims to train the vets in areas such as disease diagnosis and treatment, animal husbandry, preventive medicine, animal health control and veterinary public health. It aims to equip students with knowledge of farm animals so they can then play a leading role in controlling and eradicating infectious animal diseases in their own countries. This year's intake of students started their training in March, with participants com...
Source: Veterinary Record - May 18, 2017 Category: Veterinary Research Tags: News section Source Type: research
