Analysis of Exotic Parasitic Infection in a Large Group of Imported Dogs Following an Animal Welfare Investigation

Background: Increased dog relocation can cause dissemination of parasite and vector populations and this is being recognised in countries across Northern Europe, including the UK. Data regarding the prevalence of exotic infections entering the UK would be beneficial to vets to help assess pets entering the UK from abroad, and to help calculate risk of establishment of novel pathogens. One such group of dogs were seized as part of an RSPCA-led animal welfare investigation and blood tested for exotic pathogens. Methods: As part of the RSPCA investigation, 151 dogs were removed from the site. Blood tests were performed for Babesia. canis, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis and Leishmania infantum by PCR, Br.canis by antibody serology and D.immitis by blood antigen. In addition to pathogen screening, a serology titre for Rabies was measured for each dog. A clinical examination was performed by a veterinary surgeon and clinical signs recorded. Clinical signs data were analysed by the Fisher-Freeman-Halton Exact TestResults: Overall, 24% of the dogs tested positive for an infection. Two dogs were positive for Br.canis antibodies and had no clinical signs indicative of infection. Leishmania infantum was identified in 10.5% of dogs with all but two cases being diagnosed in dogs whose microchip originated in Romania. Hepatozoon canis was identified in 9.6% of dogs, all of which had a Romanian microchip. Dirofilaria immitis was identified in 4.1% of dogs, B.canis in 2.3% of dogs and E.canis was only present in 1.5% of dogs tested. Only four dogs were found to have co-infections. No significant association was found between the pathogens detected and presenting clinical signs. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a range of exotic pathogens entering the UK including Br.canis and demonstrates the importance of screening imported dogs. The emphasis for early recognition of exotic pathogens in imported dogs has relied on screening based on relevant clinical signs and the country of origin. While these factors are useful, this study demonstrated no significant association between presenting clinical signs and the pathogens carried.

Why Do We Need Maths in Medicine?

Maths is a crucial part of medicine. All the graphs, equations, statistics, and general maths we learn at school help us to understand important aspects of human and veterinary medicine, biology, and science in general. People always think that biology and chemistry are important for doctors, nurses, midwives, scientists, and all the other people involved in medicine and healthcare-related jobs, but in fact maths is also vital. So, whether you are thinking of becoming a doctor, hoping to invent medical technologies, or just wishing to understand treatments you get as a patient, understanding the maths behind medicine is crucial. This article explores how we check whether someone has a disease such as coronavirus or heart disease, how we predict and measure how many people will be affected by various diseases, and how maths is used to treat patients and prevent the spread of contagious diseases. While people are generally aware that sciences like biology and chemistry are important for jobs in the medical field, many may not realize that maths is also vital for most of these jobs. This article looks at some of the ways we use maths in medicine. If you want to become a doctor, veterinary surgeon, nurse, midwife, medical scientist, or to have any job related to healing people and animals, or even if you just want to be an informed patient, knowledge of maths is quite important!

Some skin conditions in pigs: types, control and prevention

Skin conditions in pigs are common problems presented to the veterinary surgeon. A careful clinical examination, especially considering the age of the pig and the distribution of the lesions, all aids making an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Pain management is essential in clinical management. Sarcoptic mange is a condition that can be eliminated from pigs and should be considered a welfare problem. Ear necrosis and trauma injuries can be particularly problematic and must be treated aggressively. African swine fever (ASF) presents with a range of clinical signs including skin lesions, and all veterinary surgeons must be able to put ASF as a differential where appropriate.

Weight management: insights from the science of human behaviour change

Helping animal owners to recognise and manage obesity in their animals is a particularly complex area of communications in veterinary medicine. Several studies have outlined the difficulty veterinary professionals face in such discussions, including frustration with the client, embarrassment (particularly if the owner is also overweight), and a sense of inevitable failure. However, obesity continues to be a serious and prevalent welfare problem in dogs, cats, and probably other companion animals as well — hence those discussions will only continue. This review considers veterinary surgeon–client interactions around obesity from the perspective of behaviour change psychology and motivational interviewing, in order to determine how veterinary surgeons and nurses can best assist owners. We consider how an approach based on a supportive and empathetic conversational style could be best suited to these discussions, leading to tailored weight management solutions. Nurses are ideally placed to work with owners in this way.

Otitis externa: the role of the veterinary nurse

Otitis externa is a common problem in primary care veterinary practice. While the diagnosis and treatment of disease is the responsibility of the attending veterinary surgeon, the veterinary nurse, as an integral part of the veterinary surgeon-led team, plays an important role in the investigation and management of disease. Veterinary nurses are more than capable of assessing the external ear canal both macroscopically and cytologically to help the veterinary surgeon to make a diagnosis. Client facing nurse communications can help with the administration of therapy, provide owner support during treatment to increase compliance and help with follow-up assessments.

How to set up for dental extractions

Exodontics is the branch of dental surgery concerned with the extraction of teeth. Dental extraction involves the removal of teeth from the dental alveolus (socket) in the alveolar bone of the incisive bones, maxilla and mandibles. There are two types of extractions the veterinary surgeon (VS) can perform — closed or open — and both are associated with tissue disruption and manipulation to varying degrees, which will inevitably initiate an inflammatory and pain response, which can prolong healing. The role of the veterinary nurse (VN) in preparing equipment and consumables for extraction should not be underestimated; excellent preparation can reduce surgical time, reduce the length of time the patient is anaesthetised, and ensure high-quality extractions can be performed by the VS to promote optimal postoperative healing.

"Breaking (old) news: a veterinarian- surgeon became a sexologist-psycho-annalist" A historical reflection of sexology.

Theodore James Faithfull (1885- 1973), the grandfather of the singer Mariann Faithfull, was a veterinary surgeon who became a psychotherapist and sexologist. His remarkable personal story, is an important part of the history persons who envisioned modern sociology. This article brings a "meeting point " between history of medicine, medicine, sociology, psychology, sexology and veterinary medicine. The names of Sir Patrick Geddes FRSE (1854 –1932) , Dr. Theodore James Faithfull (1885- 1973), his son, Robert Glynn Faithfull (1912- 1998), and Victor Branford ( 1863 –1930), are listed among those who envisioned modern sociology.

Anaesthesia for head trauma patients

There are many reasons anaesthetising a patient with head trauma may be required. These include for diagnostic imaging, surgery, or it may be required in severe cases to control the patient's ventilation. Many anaesthetic agents cause changes to the blood flow to the brain and therefore may cause further detriment to the patient. Thus, the veterinary nurse assisting the veterinary surgeon with these cases requires a thorough understanding of the physiology of head trauma and the effects of anaesthetic agents on cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure and the cardiac and respiratory systems, as well as possible neuroprotective benefits that can be gained from the use of some agents.

Owner compliance in veterinary practice: recommendations from a roundtable discussion

Many factors influence the success of a course of treatment prescribed by a veterinary surgeon. Even if the correct diagnosis is made and the most effective treatment prescribed, the therapeutic outcome may not be optimal if the owner does not administer the medication as prescribed. Some pet owners will give all the medication prescribed for their pets at the correct time intervals. Others may miss doses, give doses at the wrong time, and/or stop treatment prematurely. There is much in the human literature relevant to medication compliance (also termed adherence and occasionally concordance) but much less in the veterinary literature. There are various problems that arise if medication is not administered as prescribed — not the least of which is suboptimal response to treatment. It is therefore important that veterinarians are aware that owners may not follow their directions, the reasons why this may be the case and the potential consequences. By understanding more about these factors we can work to put in place strategies to improve compliance/adherence. The purpose of this roundtable was to discuss many of these aspects including what term is most appropriate to use in the veterinary context.

Locoregional Flap Reconstruction Following Oromaxillofacial Oncologic Surgery in Dogs and Cats: A Review and Decisional Algorithm

Primary treatment of most oromaxillofacial tumors in dogs and cats is resective surgery. Management of malignant tumors may be very challenging as wide/radical free-margin surgical removal must be achieved while preserving vital functions. Removal of orofacial tumors may result in large defects exposing the oral cavity or creating a communication with the nasal, pharyngeal, or orbital cavities. Such defects require orofacial reconstruction in order to restore respiratory and manducatory functions. The veterinary surgeon must be familiar with reconstructive techniques in order to prevent the inability of closing the defect, which could lead to an insufficient resection. Small oral defects exposing the nasal cavity are best closed with local random mucosal flaps. Closure of large oral defects may be better achieved with a facial or major palatine-based axial-pattern flap. Small to moderate facial defects can be closed with local advancement or transposition skin flaps. Reconstruction of large facial defects often requires the use of locoregional axial pattern flaps such as the caudal auricular, the superficial temporal, or the facial (angularis oris) myocutaneous axial pattern flaps. Recent publications have shown that the facial (angularis oris) flap is a very versatile and reliable flap in orofacial reconstructive surgery. A surgical decision algorithm based on the size, nature, and location of the defect is proposed.