Markers for internal neoplasia in the horse

The diagnosis of internal neoplasia in horses is challenging. Increased production of hormones physiologic for adult animals (e.g., adrenocorticotropin, norepinephrine, and erythropoietin) or typical for the foetal phase (alpha-fetoprotein, anti-Müllerian hormone, and parathyroid-hormone-related protein) might aid in tumour diagnostics. Thymidine kinase-1 and alkaline phosphatase are examples of intracellular enzymes, whose activity in the blood may increase in some neoplasia cases. Furthermore, inappropriate production of abnormal monoclonal or autologous antibodies can accompany lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Many of those tumour markers lead to clinical or laboratory changes, called paraneoplastic syndromes, such as hypercalcaemia and erythrocytosis. The interpretation of the results of the tumour marker measurements in horses is complicated due to many factors affecting the markers' concentration or activity (e.g., young age, pregnancy, and inflammation) and other diseases triggering the same changes. Moreover, the presence of paraneoplastic syndromes is inconsistent, which leads to low sensitivity of those substances as tumour markers. In conclusion, screening for neoplasia in horses is not recommended. The measurement of tumour markers should be performed only in risk groups with suspicious clinical or laboratory findings, and the results should be interpreted with caution. It is advisable to add inflammatory markers to the tumour profile or repeat the measurements.

Karolina Drozdzewska1,Heidrun Gehlen1 Vet Med Sci. 2023 Jan;9(1):132-143.doi: 10.1002/vms3.1042.

1Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Free article

Latent burnout profiles of vets in Canada: Findings from a cross-sectional study

Background: Although burnout is often discussed as 'present' or 'not-present', the conceptual framework of an engagementburnout continuum is more accurate and useful. Recognition of individuals' transitional states of burnout also allows for earlier detection of issues and tailored interventions to address the full burnout spectrum.

Methods: Previously reported Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Scale (MBI-HSS) data from a 2017 national survey of 1272 veterinarians across Canada were re-analysed using a latent profile analysis to classify individuals along the engagementburnout continuum.

Results: Four clusters wereidentified: engaged (10.8 per cent), ineffective (18.9 per cent), overextended (29.6 per cent) and burnout (40.7 per cent). These results indicate that most participants (89.2 per cent) had one, or a combination, of high exhaustion, high depersonalisation and low professional efficacy.

Limitations: This cross-sectional study represents data from one point in time and may be subject to response bias.

Conclusion: We discuss strategies-particularly long-term, organisational-level interventions-to promote engagement and help address workplace issues contributing to inefficacy, overextension and burnout in the veterinary profession. We also recommend MBI data be analysed via latent profiles to provide a more nuanced view of burnout, allow for earlier recognition of workplace issues and facilitate more meaningful interventions and comparisons across populations.

Andria Jones-Bitton1,Daniel Gillis2,Makenzie Peterson3, Hayley McKee4

VetRec. 2023 Jan;192(2): e2281.doi: 10.1002/vetr.2281.

1Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. To page 30

Simon Palmer is the Managing Director of Practice Sale Search, Australia’s largest vet practice brokerage. If you’d like more information on practice sales or want to have a confidential discussion about your practice’s circumstances, email Simon Palmer at info@practicesalesearch. com.au or call 1300 282 042.

Itis no exaggeration to say that your premises lease can make a massive impact on the profitability and saleability of your veterinary practice. While many landlords will issue their tenants with a proposed lease saying that what is proposed is standard and imply that there is little to be negotiated or concerned about it is important to seek advice as not all commercial leases are created equal.

As a business owner there are many pitfalls that you will want to avoid if you want to sell your practice down the track.

Below are six important clauses toconsider carefully for any veterinary practice lease:

THE COSTS

1. Rent

Themost obvious thing to look for in a commercial lease is the cost and the frequency of payment.

2. Increase in rent over time

Commercial rent in a lease will go upevery year. In some leases this is fixed to CPI, in others it is a set percentage (usually between 3–5 per cent).

3. Outgoings

Outgoing are the costs of the premises you will be obliged to pay, ontop of the rent. These outgoings sometimes include utility bills, such as water and electricity. Sometimes, the lease also obliges the tenant to pay strata and property management costs.

The Impact of 1–3

It seems obvious that the rent will have a direct impact upon the profitability of your practice and profit and that profit is one of the primary drivers of a business valuation.

Buyers sometimes pay less attention to the yearly percentage increase in rent and the additional expenses they will need to pay as part of their lease.

To see if a lease or rent is reasonable, and how the rent will impact upon your profit, these three need to be looked at together.

A high rent may be very reasonable if it has low increments per year and/or is inclusive of outgoings.

THE SECURITY OF TENURE

4. The length of the lease

The length of the lease gives the tenant the security of knowing that they have an exclusive space to run their business in for a period of time, without fear of needing to move.

Most commercial leases that we come across have 3 to 4 terms of between 3 to 5 years (for example,