and 16 counts of failing to ensure the horses were individually stalled.Court
On 7 July in Burnie Magistrates Court, Williams pleaded guilty to using a method of transport likely to result in unreasonable and unjustifiable pain and suffering
■ SAM WORRAD
Guilty plea for pony charges Veterinarian>>>>>>>>
documents showed Williams failed to use adequate ventilation vents, used transport that did not allow for adequate monitoring of the horses, and that he put them at risk by loading in two per stall and failing to check them for an hour after disembarking theWilliamsferry. is yet to be sentenced, and his case is not the only one pertaining to the incident.
Williams was driving 18 horses to NSW following a voyage to the mainland on the ferry, and 16 of the animals died on the journey.
Research published recently in the journal iScience has found genetic diversity in insurance populations of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) is just as robust as it is in wild populations and confirms the effectiveness of captive breeding and management strategies.
As well as devils, other species increasingly under pressure from fatal diseases include amphibians and chytrid fungus, and bats and white-nose syndrome, so research that is able to provide a greater understanding of functional genetic diversityis particularly important for disease resistance and susceptibility.
CLINICALREVIEW
The ONTHE INSIDE
Former Australian polo captain Andrew Williams has pleaded guilty to putting polo ponies at risk of suffocation and asphyxiation when he loaded them on the Spirit of Tasmania in 2018.
Naomi Hansen
TT-Line has pleaded not guilty, and the case will be heard in August.
In 2018 Williams launched a civil case against TT-Line and freight operator QUBE Ports regarding responsibility for the deaths of the ponies, and the proceeding is scheduled for March 2023.
“Improving gene flow between regions may lead to improved genetic diversity in the species, and by integrating orphan joeys that have been exposed to the fatal facial tumour disease in the wild, we’ve ensured that any genetic changes have been captured as a result of the disease,” she said.
Scientists said the aim of the study was to, ‘determine if the insurance metapopulation devils are representative of current wild genetic diversity, given recent speculation that wild populations are becoming “resistant” to the disease’. To page 30
The study, led by researchers from the University of Sydney’s Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, involved analysing and comparing 830 wild samples collected from 31 locations between 2012 and 2021, and those from 553 insurance devils, collected from zoos, and Maria Island off Tasmania’s east coast. No substantial differences were found in the diversity of over 500 critically important genes between the wild and insurance populations.
Co-author Carolyn Hogg, Senior Research Manager at AWGG said the genetic consistency was likely a result of the ongoing strategic management of the insurance population, which includes over 37 zoos as well as the Maria Island devils.
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■ July 2022 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au NEWS WSAVA award winners NEWS Ecosystem restoration FACETOFACE Chris Humfrey 21 EAGLE POST 11 MANAGEMENT 12 ABSTRACTS 14 ESSAY 16 BUSINESS 29
Tasmanian devils’ genetic diversity found to be robust
Andrew Williams. Picture Facebook
Spirit of Tasmania ferry operator TT-Line has been charged with one count of using a method of management reasonably likely to result in unreasonable and unjustifiable pain and suffering and 28 counts of failing to ensure that a horse was individually stalled.
Results also showed that despite research conducted in 2015, that suggested devils had low genetic diversity, there are in fact six genetically diverse groups spread across the state.
Picture David Clode
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WSAVA award winners announced
place to find and destroy any further cases,” Saunders said.
“The removal of the ‘do not tamper’ component in the order is important to ensure beekeepers can manage their hives,” Le Feuvre said.
Muhammad Hasan Mahrous, an Egyptian veterinarian who qualified in 2018 and works at a veterinary clinic in Dubai, is to receive the 2022 WSAVA Future Leader Award in recognition of his contribution toassociation building in his home country and to increasing access to continuing education for Egyptian veterinarians.TheWSAVA Future Leader Award acknowledges the work of a veterinarian who graduated within the last ten years and who has contributed significantly to the betterment of companion animals, the veterinary profession and society at large.
While a veterinary student, Mahrous set up the Egyptian Chapter of the International Veterinary Students Association (IVSA). A not-for-profit association, IVSA aims to benefit animals and people by harnessing the potential and dedication of veterinary students to promote the international application of veterinary skills, education, and knowledge.
Varroa mite situation worsens
Silvina Muñiz
The most recent detections of Varroa are in Jerrys Plains, Denman, and Heatherbrae, bringing the total number of infested premises to 38 since the mite was first identified during routine surveillance at the Port of Newcastle on 22 June.
The NMG includes representatives from Commonwealth and State government, pollination-dependent industries and the honey bee industry.Federal Minister for Agriculture Murray Watt said the agreement ensures registered commercial beekeepers are reimbursed for equipment, bees, hives, and honey destroyed as aresult of the eradication process.
Danny Le Feuvre from the Australian Honey Bee Industr y Council has welcomed the latest changes to the emergency order.
“This decision is a measured risk-based approach and will allow beekeepers to prevent swarming as we get closer to spring.”
May 2022 and is currently its Vice President. She is also the Argentine Representative to the Federación Iberoamericana de Asociaciones Veterinarias de Animales de Compañía.Mahrous and Muñiz will receive their award during this year’s WSAVA World Congress, which will take place from October 29–31 in Lima, Peru.
Registered beekeepers affected by the NSW Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) outbreak will be compensated by an $18 million compensation package developed by governments and industry.The National Management Group (NMG) for Emergency Plant Pests has endorsed a national response plan to eradicate Varroa Destructor from the state, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has announced.
“We are firmly committed to the national response plan,” Minister Watt“Varroasaid. mite is the most significant threat to our honey bee and pollination industries and we unanimously agree that it is both technically feasible and economically beneficial to remove it from our shores.”
“Westill have an unbroken chain of infected premises and have extensive surveillance operations in
The cases at Denman and Heatherbrae fall within previously declared emergency zones, and a new Biosecurity Emergency Order had been issued with additional emergency zones for the case at JerrysThePlains.DPIhas amended the statewide emergency order to allow beekeepers in the state to work their hives, with the exception of those in the red eradication zones around Varroa detection sites.
News TheVeterinarian 3JULY 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
VETv/Canal Vet,aTV show which teaches owners how to care for their pets and informs them about disease prevention. Its content is endorsed by respected veterinary associations and institutions, including the Universidad de Buenos Aires and the Asociación de Veterinarios de Animales de Compañía de Argentina (AVEACA), a member association of the MuñizWSAVA.graduated from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in 1987 and has continued her own veterinary education with post-graduate courses on topics including Clinical Medicine, Internal Medicine, Radiology and Ethology. She has also interviewed leading veterinary professionals at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, and UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, USA., to gain insights on health prevention and client education for companion animals, both at teaching hospitals and in veterinary practice settings.Inaddition to her media work, she is a director of veterinary hospital VET Clínica in Buenos Aires and veterinary director of Dog Run Argentina, an association which oversees the health and welfare of dogs participating in sport. Muñiz was Chair of AVEACA from May 2017 until
President of the NSW Apiarists’ Association, Steve Fuller, told The Veterinarian that his organisation and Amateur Beekeepers Australia have provided volunteers to work with the DPI to help with surveillance and eradications.
Topage 30
The WSAVA Companion Animal Welfare Award recognizes individual veterinarians who have made a significant contribution to animal welfare and inspired others to play their part in advancing welfare globally.Since 2004, Muñiz has presented
NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said eradication is the goal, and the NSW DPI’s initial response and contact tracing work have made this possible.
On qualification, Mahrous helped found the Egyptian Small Animal Veterinary Association (ESAVA), the first association for companion animal veterinarians in the country. ESAVA joined the WSAVA in 2020 to take its place in the global veterinary community and support the development of companion animal practice in Egypt.Silvina Muñiz, an Argentinian veterinarian who uses mass media toeducate owners about responsible pet ownership and who campaigns on animal welfare issues, has been named the recipient of 2022’s WSAVA Award for Companion Animal Welfare.
Muhammad Hasan Mahrous
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New research underway at Charles Darwin University (CDU) aims to develop a genetics-based technique for monitoring ants and termites as indicators for the rehabilitation of ecosystems following mining.
Australia, and the department continues to assess and take action to reduce this risk (for more information about this visit the department’sweb pages for FMD and LSD at Veterinariansawe.gov.au).canassist by keeping informed about the disease situation and raising livestock owners’ awareness about the heightened risk of these diseases entering Australia, and the impact they could have.
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“The findings suggest that the overall health of the English bulldog is much lower than that of other dogs. However, what is most concerning is that so many of the health conditions that the breed suffers from, such as skin fold dermatitis and breathing problems, are directly linked tothe extreme and selectively bred structure oftheir
Allyson Malpartida
To provide clients with information about these diseases, veterinarians can refer them to the department’s website and the Farm permit.intoincludingchilled,thateasespreventingclientsmembers.ionThewebsite(www.farmbiosecurity.com.au).BiosecurityAustralianVeterinaryAssociat-alsoprovidesresourcestoitsVeterinarianscanalsoremindthateveryonehasaroleinharmfulpestsanddis-fromenteringAustralia,anditisillegaltobringfrozen,andfreeze-driedfoods,meatanddairyproducts,Australiawithoutanimport
Ants a mirror to ecosystem restoration
In addition to using DNA from ant and termite samples, Malpartida will also attempt to identify these insects from environmental DNA, known as eDNA, a less invasive method.“ForeDNA we are getting our DNA samples from places To page 30
She compares the ant and termite communities of disturbed ecosystems undergoing recovery with relatively intact ecosystems to measure ecosystem health.
were analysed, and results showed that from arandom sample of 2662 English bulldogs, they were twice as likely to be diagnosed with at least one disorder than the 22,029 dogs that were not Althoughbulldogs.bulldogs were found to be at greater risk of developing skin fold dermatitis; the prolapsed nictitating membrane gland eye condition, also known as ‘cherry eye’; mandibular prognathism; and brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, they had a reduced risk
In her research titled ‘Developing anew genomics approach to using terrestrial invertebrates as bio indicators’, Malpartida is looking at developing a genomics approach to using invertebrates such as ants as indicators of mine-site restoration.
of developing dental disease, heart murmur and flea infestation compared to other dogs.
JULY 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
“Previously, invertebrate sampling has been avoided by many researchers as the sheer number of potential species that require specialist taxonomic expertise makes identification daunting.”
The detection of FMD in Indonesia in May 2022 followed an outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) reported by Indonesia to the OIE on March 2 2022. Until 1984, LSD remained localised within countries of sub-Saharan Africa. However, the disease subsequently spread before emerging in Southeast Asia in 2019 where it has since been reported in 18 countries in our Whileregion.Indonesia is some distance from Australia, travel, trade, and mail between countries all present potential pathways for disease transmission. This means that the outbreaks in Indonesia increase the risk of LSD or FMD spreading to
CDU PhD candidate Allyson Malpartida is using a method called metabarcoding of DNA samples by capturing each species’ genetic signature at former Northern Territory mine sites to analyse the health of the ecosystem, afirst in the Territory.
The study, conducted by vets from England’s Royal Veterinary College, compared the risks of common disorders in English bulldogs to other dogs. Using the VetCompass database, the 2016 records from veterinary practices across the UK
Raised nodules on an overseas cow with LSD. Picture Michael Patching
“Healthy terrestrial invertebrates are important to a healthy ecosystem. Invertebrates like ants are very sensitive to changes in the environment, so they are good indicators of ecosystem health,” Malpartida said.
‘English Bulldogs in the UK: a VetCompass study of their disorder predispositions and protections’ is available at doi.org/10.1186/s40575-022-00118-5.
Call for better breeding of English BulldogsNewsTheVeterinarian5
Results of a recent study published in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics show that unless breeding standards for the English bulldog are modified the dogs could be banned in their namesake country. Restrictions on breeding English bulldogs have already been introduced in the Netherlands and Norway due to health and welfare issues.
Both FMD and LSD are highly contagious viral diseases of livestock. FMD has not been reported in Indonesia since 1984 and LSD has not previously been reported in Indonesia. More information about both diseases can be found in the Emergency Animal Disease Field Guide for Veterinarians.
Originally a muscular and athletic animal bred and used to attack bulls for sport, the English bulldog is broadly similar in conformation to the modern Staffordshire bull terrier. After bullbaiting was banned in 1835 the breed became associated with the Victorian underworld, exemplified by Bullseye, Bill Sikes’ dog in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. In the late 19th century bulldogs, like other breeds, were selectively bred to conform to fashionable show-ring standards that has resulted in a ‘dramatic physical transformation of the bulldog’. This has led to growing concern for the breed’s increased risk of breathing, eye, and skin conditions due to extreme physical features. These include shortened muzzles, folded skin, and a squat body.
Assistance with FMD and LSD for Indonesia
“Weare trialling some recently developed genetic methods to see if we can make that process less daunting and therefore ensure invertebrate sampling is more often used in ecosystem rehabilitation.”
Study author Dan O’Neill said the results also showed that almost ten per cent of the English bulldogs in the study were aged over eight-years-old compared to 25 per cent of other dog breeds, supporting the view that a shorter lifespan in English bulldogs is linked to poorer overall health.
“Givenbodies.thecontinued popularity of the breed, the body-shape of the typical pet English bulldogs should be redefined towards more moderate physical characteristics. Doing so will not only improve the dogs’ health but could also enable the UK to avoid following other countries in banning the English bulldog on welfare grounds,” he said.
The Australian Chief Veterinar y Officer, Mark Schipp and Deputy Chief Veterinar y Officer, Beth Cookson travelled to Indonesia in late May this year to offer Australia’s assistance to combat and contain the outbreaks there of foot-andmouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease Indonesia(LSD).hassince made an emergency declaration, implemented movement restrictions, and has sourced and commenced FMD vaccination in some infected provinces. Australia has offered assistance to combat and contain the outbreaks in Indonesia.
■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT
FACETOFACE
WITHCHRIS HUMFREY
Sharing the wild
Living with two thousand animals has enabled Humfrey to pursue his passion to preserve Australian wildlife, but it is obviously not without its challenges. “The clients arereally important to me, but it’s really about the animals,” Humfrey said. “If you’re going to keep animals in captivity there’sgot to be a good reason for it; you’re basically playing God. To 9
It is, perhaps, the ultimate share house –and Humfrey is quick to praise the hardwork and patience of his partner Erin, who is also a zoologist. After all, it cannot be particularly easy making a home when thereare67 Mountain Pygmy Possums in your wine cellar. “They’re my pride and joy!” Humfrey said, noting the colony is the largest population in captivity that he is aware of, and the sub-alpine area around Macedon makes it an ideal place to breed them as it does not get too hot over summer. “We’ve kind of cracked the code, Erin and I, with breeding this little critically endangered mammal,” he said. “We’ve worked out they can breed throughout the year, as they’re kept cool all year round at 17 degrees, and we’ve also discoveredthey don’t need to hibernate, and not hibernating has no ill effects on them. You learn so much when you have them in captivity and can spend your life with them instead of just guessing.”
P TheVeterinarian 7JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
to immerse themselves in the natural world as much as possible. “Kids do have that inquisitiveness to get outdoors and explore nature,” Humfrey said. “I think it’svital for children to develop love and empathy for the wild, ultimately wanting to save the natural world.”
page
Humfrey’s enthusiasm for nature and its wonders is infectious and is something he endeavours to bring to every Wild Action Zoo educational incursion he delivers. The program he began providing as a 19-year-old university student “bringing the zoo to you” has evolved into an multi-award winning business enabling 350,000 children a year to get up close to Australian native wildlife, with incursions tailored to suit all levels of preschool, primary and secondary students. “The first time I put out my cards and started advertising, the phone rang off the hook. I was gobsmacked that people would want me to come out and teach kids about animals, and I have clients we still service 28 years later,” Humfrey said. “It really is a conservation message: interaction, touching lightly but experiencing the wonder of animals.”Formany children, a Wild Action Zoo incursion provides their first hands on experience with Australian animals, representing adifferent reality from the one in which Humfrey himself grew up. “We lived in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, which was asemi-rural area back then, and there were animals everywhere. My parents were always very encouraging and even then we had a veritable zoo in our back yard,” Humfrey recalled. “It’s not like that any more. Iwas able to jump over the fence and catch a lizard, and back then it wasn’t illegal, it was just partof what you did as a kid. Plenty of kids these days don’thave that natural experience.”
Humfrey acknowledges that times have changed, particularly since habitats have been lost and animals are becoming rarer, but he still encourages his students
If this scenario sounds at all familiar to you, it may be that you wereat the University of Melbourne in the mid-1990s and have already met Chris Humfrey, who founded Wild Action Zoo in his back yard during his first year of university.“I was one of those types of house mates who was, you know,‘interesting’,” Humfrey admitted. All the same, his undeniable love of animals led him to give up the journalism degree he had initially embarked on after high school, realising it was not the course for him. “I knocked on the door of the Dean’soffice and said: I’ve got all these animals, I’ve got a passion for it, journalism was the wrong thing for me to do, I want to do zoology,” Humfrey explained. “They let me in – even without all the right subjects and things, so I worked hard and got through that and started Wild Action in 1994. I was doing full time uni as well as creating a small business.”
The message Humfrey shares with the students he encounters is clear, consistent and conservation based. “If you can have empathy, if you can have knowledge, if you can have respect, you’re more likely to save something,” he said. “Not everyone has to be a zoologist or a vet, but everyone needs to be armed with the knowledge that the environment is important,
Fast forward a couple of decades, and Humfrey has – in a sense – moved on from the sharehouse, largely because he needed abigger back yard for Wild Action Zoo. He now lives on a property in Macedon (Wurundjeri country) outside of Melbourne, with his partner Erin and over two thousand native Australian animals. There are amphibians and reptiles, including the now 45-year-old Freddo the tree frog – who a then three-year-old Humfrey discovered in the public toilets of a park in Coffs Harbour and still describes as one of his best friends – and Hector, a blue tongue lizard who wandered into the back yard when Humfrey was eight. The property is also home to an astonishing variety of birds, from Little Penguins to wedge-tailed eagles, to cassowaries, and an equally mindboggling array of mammals, including koalas, tiger quolls, dingoes and an entire colony of Mountain Pygmy Possums. “It’s a real honour to have all these creatures, and to look after them,” Humfrey said. “Wethink of them as our animal family.”
‘It’s a real honour to have all these creatures, and to look after them,’ Humfrey said. ‘We think of them as our animal family.’
that every animal has a job to do and its own ecological niche – you can’t have your favourites. If you take one ecosystem out of the equation, there will be environmental collapse and Conservingdecay.”Australia’s native wildlife and biodiversity is a passion Humfrey shares with anyone who will listen, including celebrities who come to visit him and his animals at Macedon. “Lots of famous people come up here because they want a private tour without the big crowds,” Humfrey said. The day before Ispoke to him, he had hosted Misha Collins from the popular American television show Supernatural. Other celebrity guests have included Hollywood actor Jason Bateman and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. The visitors Humfrey especially enjoys hosting, however, are the participants in his Junior Zookeeper Program, which allows groups of likeminded animal loving kids the opportunity to work alongside Humfrey for an entire day. “There might be ten or twelve kids, and my staff shadow me, but the Junior Zookeepers spend the whole day with me looking after the animals: reading their behaviour, learning about husbandry, classification, handling animals and getting down and dirty – filthy actually – picking up creatures and raking up poo and feeding the animals,” he said. “It’s always a mess, and there’s a lot of chopping food and feeding, and I think sometimes kids realise there is a hard side to looking after animals too.”
icture yourself back in your university days, living in shared accommodation with abunch of other students. You may have fond memories of such times: of house parties, of meals involving way too many two-minute noodles, of housemates who are great company but are not particularly good at cleaning up. Now imagine one of the guys living in your share house has a genuine passion for animals –lots of animals. He’s got an enormous green tree frog named Freddo, but that’s not all. The back yard and parts of the house are being converted into habitats for an incredible range of creatures, so much so that the humans are starting to leave. Over time, a share house of five blokes ends up becoming the home of one man and his burgeoning menagerie.
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Finding suitably qualified veterinary support for his myriad creatures is also a difficult task, and is compounded by Wild Action Zoo’s location. “We’ve tried to get vets on staff, but we live in a regional area and it’s always hard to get staff who want to move here,” Humfrey said. “The local vets around here have the same problem attracting staff, and we have even trouble getting vets out here to treat.”
Sharing the wild
Humfrey evidently takes his responsibilities seriously and, recognising the animals are dependent on him, aims to keep Wild Action Zoo running at consistently high standards. He has noticed, however, a generation gap emerging between himself and new recruits –particularly since many graduates can finish university without a great deal of hands-on experience working with animals. “It’s not just about doing an honest job, but it’s doing it with some ingenuity,” he said. “It’s really hard to explain to different generations, particularly when they were taught differently at school, that when you’ve got animals, you have to be ethical. It’s also really hard to train new team members who don’t have any hands-on experience, who despite having their qualifications may not have the practical skills to handle a cassowary, for example. The hard work and diligence of keeping things clean,
“It’s my magic, it’s my church, it’s my stress relief, it keeps me fit and I still love it to this day. I’m still very competitive and still race, I still think I’ll get out there and have another crack at getting to another World Cup or something,” Humfrey said. “It’s a big mental health thing as well.”
FACETOFACE
Whether Humfrey ends up at another kayaking World Championships is anyone’s guess, but after working so hard to keep Wild Action Zoo afloat during the pandemic, he is looking forward to taking a deep breath or two. “I like pushing myself, but you have to enjoy what you’ve actually achieved,” he said. “It’s all about passion, and conviction and delivering. You work hard, and it has nothing to do with luck.”
You’re the one who’s responsible for them and it weighs on you. You have sleepless nights, literally hear bumps in the night, and you have all these animals you’re caring for. The staff work eight hours a day, but Erin and I work 24 hours.”
Humfrey remains committed to being a voice for Australian native species and to promoting their conservation and protection and would like to see veterinarians play a larger role in this area as well, particularly given their higher level of training and skill in dealing with animals. “Vets are the people the general public think of as the ‘go-to people’ when wildlife is injured, but a lot of times the animals are just sent off to wildlife carers, who are often not vets,” Humfrey said. “There’s a big difference in their level of knowledge. It would be great if vets had more wildlife components in the training at university, so they apply that in their practice.”
Despite the challenges, Humfrey has enjoyed successes throughout his career. In addition to Wild Action Zoo being named Telstra Victorian Business of the Year in 2008, in 2010 Humfrey was the subject of a television series commissioned by the ABC called Chris Humfrey’s Wild Life. Humfrey self-produced another television series in 2017, Chris Humfrey’s Animal Instinct, and sold it around the world, including to airlines including Qantas and Emirates who have included the show as part of their inflight
the old-fashioned way of husbandry –universities don’t always teach them that.”
Duringentertainment.theCOVIDpandemic, Humfrey also turned his hand to writing children’s books aimed at fostering a love of and respect for Australian wildlife. The first was called Amazing Australian Animals and was released in 2021, and he has just finished writing Coolest Creepy Crawlies and is working on a third book about ocean-dwelling and rockpool creatures. “It’s done in a fun and playful way,” Humfrey said. “We anthropomorphise animals to make it more relatable for kids, but it’s digestible and captures the imagination of kids who aren’t so interested in animals or the environment – they could be gamers or have never been exposed to the environment – and it provides that hook that gets them excited about it.” The books also feature QR codes which allow readers to unlock additional content featuring Humfrey and his animals. “I’d never used a QR code before COVID!” Humfrey admitted. “But I thought it was cool technology we could incorporate into the book. Kids aren’t always interested in reading books these days and have so many devices, so we thought we could bring both worlds together and have books you can scan with your device to access bonus content.”
■ JAI HUMEL TheVeterinarian 9JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
Humfrey is justifiably proud of keeping Wild Action Zoo going through what has been a very difficult period for many Australians, but he is even more delighted by the success of one project was able to undertake during the COVID lockdowns, counting it as a career high-
Lockdowns and other restrictions during the pandemic also forced Humfrey to pivot his business model, which had been primarily based on face-to-face incursions. “We had to rely on our media skills, and we created an online platform we called Zoo Zooms,” he said. “It was exhausting, because it basically involved running around the property and doing a private zoo tour but making it curriculum based. It enabled us to talk to kids about hand rearing a Little Penguin, or showing them our Mountain Pygmy Possum colony, all while keeping it sharp and snappy to keep students engaged and then doing a question-and-answer session at the end.”
Although Humfrey does not get much time away from Wild Action Zoo, he still makes time to indulge in another of his passions: kayaking. “I started kayaking when I was a kid just so I could get up close to animals,” he said. “It’s a whole different world when you’re out there on a creek, or river, or the ocean, and the animals don’t see you as a predator because you’re in a boat, they see you as a novelty.” Humfrey’s competitive kayaking career, however, has not involved too much floating around looking for creatures: he represented Australia at numerous World Championships in extreme wild water kayaking, faced a difficult decision at age 18 when he had to choose between representing Australia at the Olympic Games in kayaking and starting Wild Action Zoo, and the sport remains a big part of his life.
Whatever the future holds, Humfrey wants to continue sharing his passion for Australian native creatures and for connecting people with nature. He is not sure how much longer he will have Freddo, his green tree frog, around for, but is grateful that his “best mate” is still fit and healthy at 45 years old, and that he has a couple of thousand other creatures who call Wild Action Zoo home. “I still get a kick out of it after all these years,” Humfrey said, and it remains something he is eager to share. “There’s something healing and spiritual about nature and getting outdoors and teaching people that connection can make them much happier people. You just have to teach people the skills and the wonderment to get out there and do it.
The sheer number of animals Humfrey looks after requires dedication and a massive amount of work. “It's a big responsibility having so many animals and ensuring they’re all in good condition and healthy, and that they’re managed well,” he said, adding that the bureaucratic obligations are also onerous. “We have to comply with heaps of regulations and there’s a lot of bookwork that people don’t see. Behind the scenes it’s mind-numbingly difficult to keep up with it,” Humfrey explained. “There’s a stud book we have to keep up to date and accurate within 24 hours: if any of these animals has a birth, death or a marriage, the paperwork has to be accurate. If it’s not, you could be fined or lose your licence. It’s a massive responsibility.”
light. “I hand reared three Little Penguins from egg, incubated them correctly, hatched them out and raised them to adults,” Humfrey said. “It’s taken ten years of blood, sweat and tears, and I finally cracked to code of how to raise a Little Penguin next to my bed at night with my partner, stinking the bedroom out with pilchard fish milkshakes, graphing the growth – all that. It’s one of the proudest of moments of my life, to see those creatures grown up from little fluffballs and metamorphose into dapper little birds with blue tuxedos.”
As a result, Humfrey relies on a network of veterinarians with specialisations who can help him with the many and varied species he cares for: some assist with penguins, some with koalas, some with cassowaries. Humfrey is yet to find one vet who is willing to move to regional Victoria and who can treat all the inhabitants of Wild Action Zoo. “At this point, there’s no particular vet out there who has experience with all those creatures,” he said.
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The “replace, reduce and refine” are well known in laboratory animal medicine as the 3Rs. They are a humane basis for experimentation in animals developed by William Russell, a zoologist, and Rex Birch, a microbiologist, in the 1950s. Since then, they have been widely adopted by academia, industry and government. Precisely,the 3Rs are Replacement: circumventing or replacing the use of animals, for example with in-silico models such as computer modeling or computer simulation; Reduction: using as few animals as possible to get enough necessary data; and Refinement: changing husbandry and techniques to experimental animals’ pain and distress.
increase costs for drug developers and disincentivize research on drugs for rare conditions. Embracing new, non-animal test methods, will speed development timelines, provide more reliable results and lower failure rates.”
Eagle Post
Under existing FDA rules, it is impossible to escape from using animals altogether. According to Pacelle, no definitive count of animals used in drug testing each year. Some species, such as mice and rats, do not have to be tallied,
and those that are counted are not classified by the type of testing, such asdrug development versus testing chemicals or cosmetics.
For nearly 84 years, the US Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act has demanded that any drug intended for humans be tested in animals before human clinical trials commence. If Congress passes a package of reforms for the Food and Drug Administration as expected, that mandate could be reversed this summer. The legislation does not ban animal testing. Instead, it allows the use of alternatives - such as organ-chips that recreate the physiology of the human body in amicrochip - that are claimed to bebetter than animal models for evaluating drug safety and effectiveness in humans.
TheVeterinarian 11JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
On June 9, bipartisan solid support carried H.R. 7667 through the House by a vote of 392 to 28. Then on June 14, the related Senate Bill, S. 2952, cleared the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee by a vote of 13 to 9.
“Some people would like to see a ban on animal testing,” Pacelle said. “We decided not to push for that because animal testing has been the paradigm for a long time, and drug developers and regulators need to transition over time from that strategy. Enlarging humanbased biological testing systems will go a long way toward reducing the number of animals used in experiments, even without a ban.”
The legislation follows developments at the FDA, which has been spending more money on resources and pursuing research into alternatives that reduce the need for experimental animals or theirThenumbers.FDA’sbudget application for the fiscal year beginning October 1 includes funding for a wide-ranging strategy of product-testing alternative methods “... to decrease animal testing by developing qualified alternative techniques and stimulate the acceptance of methods for regulatory use that can replace, reduce and refine animal testing.”
Many animal welfare groups, biotech companies, medical associations and patient advocacy organizations have supported the bills. Wayne Pacelle, founder and president of the Animal Wellness Action, a major animal rights lobby group and an advocate of the FDA Modernization Act, said the strength of the legislation is that what is right for animals is also right for the “Betweenpublic’shealth.90percent and 95 per cent of drugs shown safe in nonclinical tests do not succeed during human clinical trials because of toxicities not predicted by animal tests or because of lack of efficacy,” Pacelle said. “Those failures hinder research, extend time frames,
Introduced as standalone bills in the House and Senate, the FDA Modernization Act was later includedin both chambers by healthcommittee leaders as amendments to broader FDA-related statutory packages. These larger bills are considered must-pass beas they contain provisions that update and reauthorize user fees paid by pharmaceutical companies that account for 45 per cent of the FDA's budget. If the fees are not reauthorized by mid-August, the agency could start to send out unemployment notices to employees. The previous authorization expires on September 30, 2022.
Bill supporters also consider removing the animal-testing requirement will encourage more development of human-based biological alternatives such as organ-chips and promote greater recognition of what Pacelle calls “morally and scientifically superior” testing methods.
The two FDA reform packages differ in some terms, so after the Senate passes its version, it will need to be resolved with the House version. Some elements may disappear or be revised from the final bill. Pacelle said it is unlikely the testing provision would be jettisoned since the language is similar in both bills and has broad support.
The lead sponsor of the FDA Modernization Act of 2022, Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, said in a press release. “Our drug development model needs a reboot, and this bill moves us in that direction in one simple but meaningful way. Generally, animal tests do not predict the human response to drugs, with very high failure rates when the drugs go to clinical trials.”
Thomas Donnelly, BVSc, DipVP, DipACLAM reports from the US.
■ Being reluctant to increase prices, even though the costs of production (wages, rent, consumables) are all going up every year.
The business ownership equivalent of the boiling frog syndrome is observed more commonly in vet practice ownership than you would think, especially towards the end of a veterinarian’s career. Many once-successful business owners have become mediocre or poor business owners, only because compromises occurred so gradually and incrementally, that they either went unnoticed or they were small enough to make the rectifications that were needed more difficult than getting used to the new normal.
the urban legend is accurate or not, the term “boiling frog syndrome” is often used as abusiness metaphor to describe the slow, stealthy creep of compromise and complacency, and thefailure to act against a problematic situation that will increase in severity, until reaching catastrophic proportions.
For example, If I told successful business owners that in five years their business would have 30 per cent less turnover, most would either start to make drastic changes
It is important to realise that in the boiling frog syndrome origin story, the frog was not killed because of the boiling water. The frog was killed because it didn’t jump out in time.
■ Paying for marketing that is not bringing in a proper return on investment.
There is an urban legend that if afrog is suddenly put into a pot of boiling water, it will jump out and save itself from impending death. But, if the frog is put into lukewarm water, with the temperature rising slowly, the frog will keep trying to adjust and acclimatise … until it’s too Whetherlate.
Sometimes, an owner operator’s final years in business ownership are marked by a trend of incremental compromises like these, which compound over a few years. If the owner doesn’t have the resources (time, energy, capital) or desire to turn this around, they become like afrog in pot of water that is slowly being heated up.
When this happens, the timing of the business owner’s exit is paramount, not just to the financial wellbeing of their business, but also to themselves post sale.
■ Staff pay rises above industry norms.
in the way that they operate, or they would sell now, before the lower revenue compromised the value of theHowever,practice. in my experience, if the business reduces its revenue bysix per cent on a compounding basis for five years, there will be a creeping attempt by the business owner to normalise the shrinkage. They give excuses as to why the reduction is temporary (part of an industry-wide trend or business cycle, or ‘business is tough in this area just now’), or by choice (if I worked as hard as I used to, the business would be back in a second). This is the equivalent of the frog treading water that isslowly being heated up, hoping that the heat will eventually go away or that they will grow to be comfortable.Beloware some other examples ofsmall, incremental compromises that can creep into a business, which can severely compromise its value if not caught in time:
Simon Palmer is the Managing Director ofPractice Sale Search, Australia’s largest practice brokerage. If you’d like more information on practice sales or want to have a practice’sdiscussionconfidentialaboutyourcircumstances,emailSimonPalmeratinfo@practicesalesearch.com.auorcall1300282042. Don’t become a boiling frog in business ownershipManagementTheVeterinarian JULY 202212 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Is thereatopic you’ve wanted to tell everyone about? Have you ever thought you would like to write a clinical review but don’tknow whereto start? Do you have a hobby or historythat you think vets everywherewould like to learnmoreabout? Then don’t delay – email The Veterinarian at editor@vetmag.com.au and let us know – because your words could be in the pages of next month’s issue!
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3Herbipôle, INRAE, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France. 4DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
5Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France. Electronic address: dominique.pomies@inrae.fr.
Anaesthesia of decapod crustaceans
Free article
AbstractsTheVeterinarian
ANicolao1,I Veissier2,M Bouchon3,E Sturaro4,B Martin2, DPomiès5
■ EDITEDBYJENIHOODBSc(Hons)BVMSPhD
The 'sustainability gap' of US broiler chicken production: trade-offs between welfare, land use and consumption
The causative agent of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii,is endemic to Queensland and is one of the most important notifiable zoonotic diseases in Australia. The reservoir species for C. burnetii are classically ruminants, including sheep, cattle and goats. Thereis increasing evidence of C.burnetii exposure in dogs across eastern and central Australia. The present study aimed to determine if pig-hunting dogs above the Tropic of Capricornin Queensland had similar rates of C.burnetii exposureto previous serosurveys of companion dogs in rural north-west New South Wales. A total of 104 pig-hunting dogs had serum IgG antibody titres to phase Iand phase 2 C.burnetii determined using an indirect immunofluorescence assay test. Almost one in five dogs (18.3 per cent; 19/104; 95 per cent confidence interval 9.6 per cent-35.5 per cent) were seropositive to C.burnetii,with neutered dogs more likely to test positive compared to entiredogs (P = 0.0497). Seropositivity of the sampled pig-hunting dogs was one of the highest recorded in Australia. Thirty-nine owners of the pig-hunting dogs completed a survey, revealing 12.8 per cent (5/39) had been vaccinated To page 30
Animal performance and stress at weaning when dairy cows suckle their calves for short versus long daily durations
Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in pig-hunting dogs from north Queensland, Australia
Decapod crustaceans (crabs, hermit crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimps, prawns) aresentient beings, not only responding to noxious stimuli but also being capable of feeling pain, discomfort, and distress. General anaesthesia aims at producing analgesia, immobilization, and unconsciousness, while sedation reduces consciousness, stress, and anxiety,though without analgesia. Anaesthesia is recommended to ensure animal welfare and suppress nociception, pain, and suffering in painful and distressing practice that impairs decapods' welfare. These include long termrestrain, surgical procedures, pain control, examination, diagnostic, sampling, treatment, transportation, and euthanasia. To page 30
RSoc Open Sci. 2022 Jun 1;9(6): 210478.doi: 10.1098/rsos.210478.
1Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York, NY 10012, USA.
Animal. 2022 Jun;16(6):100536.doi: 10.1016/ 1j.animal.2022.100536.UniversitéClermontAuvergne,
INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France; DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.2Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
In2018, over nine billion chickens were slaughtered in the United States. As the demand for chickens increases, so too have concerns regarding the welfare of the chickens in these systems and the damage such practices cause to the surrounding ecosystems. To address welfare concerns, there is large-scale interest in raising chickens on pastureand switching to slower-growing, higher-welfare breeds as soon as 2024. We created a box model of US chicken demographics to characterize aggregate broiler chicken welfare and land-use consequences at the countryscale for US shifts to slower-growing chickens, housing with outdoor access, and pasture management. The US produces roughly 20 million metric tons of chicken meat annually.Maintaining this level of consumption entirely with a slower-growing breed would require a 44.6 per cent-86.8 per cent larger population of chickens and a 19.2 per cent-27.2 per cent higher annual slaughter rate, relative to the current demographics of primarily 'Ross 308' chickens that areslaughtered at a rate of 9.25 billion per year. Generating this quantity of slower-growing breeds in conventional concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) would require 90 582-98 687 km2,an increase of 19.9-30.6 per cent over the 75 577 km2 of land used for current production of Ross 308. Housing slower-growing breeds on pasture, the more individually welfare-friendly option, would require 108 642-121 019 km2, a43.8-60.1 per cent increase over current land use. Allowing slower-growing breeds occasional outdoor access is an intermediate approach that would require 90 691-98 811 km2,an increase of 20-30.7 per cent of the current land use, a very minor increase of land relative to managing slower-growing breeds in CAFOs. In sum, without a drastic reduction in consumption, switching to alternative breeds will lead to a substantial increase in the number of individuals killed each year,an untenable increase in land use, and a possible decrease in aggregate chicken welfare at the country-level scale. Pasture-based management requiressubstantial additional land use. These results demonstrate constraints and trade-offs in animal welfare, environmental conservation and food animal consumption, while highlighting opportunities for policies to mitigate impacts in an integrated manner using a One Health approach.
JULY 202214 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
Calves in most dairy farms are separated from their dams either immediately or within a few hours after birth, prompting increasing concern of the society for reasons of animal welfare. The aim of this study was to identify systems to maintain cow-calf contact (CCC) that balance the benefits for calf growth and health against the negative impacts on sellable milk and stress at weaning. We tested reuniting cows and calves for 20 min before (Before-group) or 2.5 h after (After-group) morning milking (in Trial 1) or for a 9 h period between the morning and evening milkings (Half-day-group, in Trial 2). In Control-groups, calves were separated from their dam at birth and fed with artificial nipple with tank milk provided daily at 13 per cent (Trial 1) and 14 per cent (Trial 2) of their BW. In both trials, each practice was applied on a group of 14 dam-calf pairs (7 Holstein [Ho] and 7 Montbéliarde [Mo]). All calves were weaned at a BW of at least 100 kg. In Trial 1, the After-group was prematurely stopped when the calves were eight weeks of age as calf growth became limited (340 g/d) due to low milk intakes (2.97 kg/d). During the first eight weeks of lactation, milk yield at the parlour was 29 per cent, 51 per cent and 42 per cent lower in After-, Before- and Half-day-cows respectively compared to Controls. From week 14 to 16 when all calves were separated from their dam, Before-cows still produced 25 per cent less milk than Control-cows while Half-day-cows reached the milk yield of Control-cows within a week. There were no significant differences in milk somatic cell count and in frequency of health disorders (cows and calves) between suckling and Control-groups. Compared to Control-calves, calf growth until weaning was higher in the suckling calves in Trial 1 (861 vs 699 g/d) and similar in Trial 2 (943 vs 929 g/d). At weaning, Beforeand Half-day-calves started to vocalise earlier and continued to vocalise longer than Controls. In conclusion, the best compromise between cow milk yield and calf growth is a long period of CCC (9 h) between the morning and evening milkings. Still abrupt weaning stresses both cows and calves even if CCC has been restricted beforeseparation.
Iris Chan1,Becca Franks1,Matthew N Hayek1
What prompted the change?
Dr Henry Jones
I hear you guys switched to a mucosal vaccine? Dr Henry Jones Henry Henry
Jones Simply administer 1 mL of Bronchi-Shield Oral in the buccal cavity for 12 months’ protection against Bordetellabronchiseptica. Protects puppies with a single dose from 8 weeks of age. Over 2 million doses sold in Australia2 We all agreed the benefit of increased mucosal immunity to protect against respiratory disease was worth it! BTW, mucosal vaccines are also strongly recommended by WSAVA for high risk environments such as shelters1 We got the rep in, they sorted out the vaccination protocol and trained our staff. The new protocol worked out to be more cost effective too! Hmmm...if the flu vaccine came out as an oral mucosal form, how many people would still stick with injections?
Dr Henry Jones
Dr
We’re also not sure if our clients would like it... Dr Claire Adams Dr
Jones … Dr
Dr Claire Adams
Reference: 1. Day, M., et al (2016) WSAVA Guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats. J Small Anim Pract, 57(1), E1-E45. 2. BIAH Data on file. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd. Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road, North Ryde NSW 2113. Toll Free 1800 808 691. ABN 53 071 187 285. Bronchi-Shield® Oral is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH – used under license. All rights reserved. BI1547TA-03/20. Dr Claire Adams Online now Yes, we’re using Bronchi-Shield Oral
We considered it but it’s a hassle to change protocols Claire Adams Dr Claire Adams
van den Bos, R. (1998a) Post-conflict stressresponse in confined group-living cats (Felis silvestris catus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 59:4, 323-330.
van den Bos, R. (1998b) The function of allogrooming in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus); a study in a group of cats living in confinement. Journal of Ethology 16:1, 1-13.
before implanting a vascular access port (in left external jugular vein) for stress-free blood collection. The stress test comprised two identical phases of blood collection and behavioural analysis, with a three-minute spray bath as the stressor at 90 minutes. Throughout, the cat was held in the lap of one person with no active restraint.Anincrease in plasma cortisol concentration for both ACTH stimulation test and stress test confirmed that the spray bath induced stress in the cats. Unfortunately, FTP did not differ much among them, possibly due to small numbers and the cats all being neutered male domestic shorthairs, 2.75 years old, so it could not be used to predict behaviours. The stress test elicited mostlyresting behaviour, and avoidance behaviour. Interestingly, there was a negative correlation between these two behaviours, suggesting that cats will exhibit either aversion (resting) or active (avoidance) behaviours when stressed. The stressor also resulted in a significant increase in self-grooming, previously found to indicate stress as cats often lick their own fur post-conflict in a stable colony (van den Bos, 1998a). Increased vocalisation and locomotion were also positively correlated with higher plasma cortisol concentrations. Increased vocalisation suggests a more reactive coping style, while increased locomotion suggests a moreproactive coping style (Koolhaas et al., 1999). These findings allow us to recognise stress-related behaviours for consideration when housing cats together, and further research into how temperament affects feline social behaviour would be useful.
Dantas-Divers et al. (2011) studied the relationship between agonistic behaviour and the use of resources that provide environmental enrichment in shelter cats communally housed. Atotal of 27 neutered cats werevideo recorded for four consecutive days to establish baseline behaviour and all agonistic (aggression and appeasement) behaviours wererecorded. Apuzzle feeder was then placed in the cats’ enclosure for 1 hour on alternate days (to delay habituation). There was no significant correlation between weight, sex or coat colour on the rate of aggression. The cats were also not significantly moreor less aggressive when the puzzle feeder was present. In general, the cats displayed a low rate of aggression, with avoidance and appeasement behaviours morecommonly observed compared to overt aggression. They often displayed affiliative behaviours, such as mutual grooming and social play. This could be because the animals were all neutered and had been living together for three years (CrowellDavis et al., 2004). This study suggests that overt aggression is not a normal social behaviour in a group of cats to gain priority access to resources. This is done by controlling or preventing access by other cats to the resource. Hence, environmental enrichment should be used in shelters to stimulate exploratory and foraging behaviour, so increasing cat welfare.
Lord, L.K., Wittum, T.E., Ferketich, A.K., Funk, J.A., Rajala-Schultz, P., Kauffman, R.M. (2006) Demographic trends for animal care and control agencies in Ohio from 1996 to 2004. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 229:1, McEwen,48-54.B.S. (2000) The neurobiology of stress: from serendipity to clinical relevance. Brain Research 886:1-2, 172-189.
Discussion
Cats that had spent longer in the shelter were less active and ate less frequently and for shorter periods. These cats also spent significantly more time engaging in negative encounters (i.e., aggressive and submissive behaviours between conspecifics), perhaps due to stress as a result of the inconsistency of the group (Ottway &Hawkins, 2003). Each room held a maximum of 16 cats and new cats were allocated based on general health and availability of space. Stress is defined as being subjected to intrinsic or extrinsic demands that overwhelm an animal’s resources to respond (Dantzer, 1991), resulting in physiological and behavioural changes (McEwen, 2000). Results of the study also showed that RD greater than 1 cat/2m2 were positively correlated with a higher frequency of agonistic behaviours. This is supported by previous research, which recommends at least 1.67m2 per cat (Kessler & Turner, 1999). A female/male ratio of 1-2 resulted in the highest rate of allogrooming and was associated with the least inactivity.Two of the rooms had female/male ratios of less than 1 and greater than 2 respectively.Allogrooming is beneficial as it helps redirect potential costly aggressive encounters (van den Bos, 1998b). However,the findings based on sex ratio areless reflective of normal social behaviour as the females were spayed. This study showed that cats kept in shelters for longer developed negative behavioural traits, which suggests reduced welfare. Hence, early adoptions should be promoted. However, more research is required to determine how well these behaviours reflect physiological stress.
Providing environmental enrichment and ensuring that the density of cats in communal housing is at least 1.67m2 per cat improves cat welfare in shelters. By recognising feline behaviours in response to stress, shelter workers can make appropriate changes to reduce the stress, thus improving cat welfare. Shelters should also aim to promote early adoptions, since long stays
Iki, T., Ahrens, F., Pasche, K.H., Bartels, A., Erhard, M.H. (2011) Relationships between scores of the feline temperament profile and behavioural and adrenocortical responses to a mild stressor in cats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132:1-2, 71-80.
Ottway, D.S., Hawkins, D.M. (2003) Cat housing in rescue shelters: A welfarecomparison between communal and discrete-unit housing. Animal Welfare 12:2, 173-189.
References
ESSAY
Introduction
The relationship between behavioural changes and adrenocortical response to stress was examined by Iki et al. (2011). Another aim of this study was to link the magnitude of the physiological response to the assessed feline temperament profile (FTP) of the cat. The FTP was performed on eight neuteredmale cats in 10 different situations to score their friendliness, interaction, play,sociability,adaptability and aggressiveness. An adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-stimulation test was then conducted for each cat to ensurenormal adrenal function
Improving the welfare of cats in animal shelters
Salman, M.D., Hutchison, J., Ruch-Gallie, R., Kogan, L., New,J.C., Kass, P.H., Scarlett, J.M. (2000) Behavioral reasons for relinquishment of dogs and cats to 12 shelters. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 3:2, 93-106.
■ DEBORAH KHOO
The number of cats relinquished to shelters has been rising in recent years in the United States, with owners mainly citing house-soiling and destructive and aggressive behaviour (Lord et al., 2006; Salman et al., 2000). Current economic conditions also negatively affect animal adoption, with more cats living in shelters for longer (Weng & Hart, 2012). This review considers the cat’s behaviour in different group compositions and in stressful situations and emphasises the importance of environmental enrichment for confined cats.
This essay is one of a number selected for The Veterinarian magazine Prize for Written Communication for Sydney University third-year veterinary science students.
Conclusions
TheVeterinarian JULY 202216 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
Koolhaas, J.M., Korte, S.M., De Boer, S.F., Van Der Vegt, B.J., Van Reenen, C.G., Hopster, H., De Jong, I.C., Ruis, M.A.W., Blokhuis, H.J. (1999) Coping styles in animals: current status in behavior and stress-physiology. Neuroscience &Biobehavioral Reviews 23:7, 925-935.
in shelters result in negative behaviours that suggest decreased welfare.
Dantzer, R. (1991) Stress, stereotypies and welfare. Behavioural Processes 25:2-3, 95-102.
Astudy by Gouveia et al. (2011) compared the behaviour of 46 domestic cats subjected todifferent lengths of time, room density (RD) and sex ratio in a shelter. The study group, 25 spayed females (F) and 21 intact males (M), was divided among four different size rooms. The cats’ behaviour was assessed by one observer, who recorded duration and frequency of grooming, inactive behaviour, eating/drinking, friendly interactions, relaxed states, negative encounters and active behaviour.
Gouveia, K., Magalhães, A., de Sousa, L. (2011) The behaviour of domestic cats in a shelter: Residence time, density and sex ratio. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 130:1-2, 53-59.
Kessler, M.R., Turner, D.C. (1999) Effects of density and cage size on stress in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) housed in animal shelters and boarding catteries. Animal Welfare 8:3, 259-267.
Crowell-Davis, S.L., Curtis, T.M., Knowles, R.J. (2004) Social organisation in the cat: A modern understanding. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 6:1, Dantas-Divers,19-28.L.M.S., Crowell-Davis, S., Alford, K., Genaro,G., D’Almeida, J.M., Paixao, R.L. (2011) Agonistic behavior and environmental enrichment of cats communally housed in a shelter. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 239:6, 796-802.
Investigates the behaviour of cats in shelters asakey to improving their welfare.
Weng, H., Hart, L.A. (2012) Impact of the economic recession on companion animal relinquishment, adoption, and euthanasia: AChicago animal shelter’s experience. Journal of Applied Animal WelfareScience 15:1, 80-90.
Conclusion
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)in captivity: Advances in husbandry and an increased understanding of their psychological needs
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 238:3, 356-360.
Discussion
Grimm, D. (2011) Are dolphins too smart for captivity? Science 332:6029, 526-529.
Both the studies on environmental enrichment contribute to an increasing pool of knowledge
Calls for the closure of dolphinaria and discontinuation of captive-dolphin research programs worldwide have grown stronger in the past few years (Marino & Frohoff, 2011; Rose et al., 2009). Increasing insight into the sentience of dolphins raises questions as to whether we can ethically keep captive dolphins (Grimm, 2011). Individuals defending the practice argue that dolphins in captivity are “happy” by all scientific measures (i.e., displaying high reproductive success and low cortisol and aldosterone concentrations) (Menard, 2011), and dolphin welfare stands only to progress as we learn more about them (Reiss, 2011). This paper discusses a study that indicates some progress in the standard of care of captive dolphins and two other studies that investigate the efficacy of various forms of environmental enrichment in improving dolphin welfare.
One very important observation in the study by Miller et al. (2011) was the prominence of spy-hopping behaviour in dolphins before and after human interaction programs. This suggests that dolphins actively look for their trainers in anticipation of participating in such programs (Miller et al., 2011). Coupled with the findings in Trone et al. (2005), wheredolphins were observed to voluntarily interact with humans outside of the allocated time slots, some support is given to the hypothesis that humans can fulfill roles in dolphins’ social lives that would otherwise be filled by other dolphins in the wild. This implies that dolphins do not continue to view humans as captors but, rather, in some cases as conspecifics (Trone et al., 2005).
Delfour and Beyer (2011) also discussed the possible effects of social structureon adolphin’s responsiveness to stimuli and
This lends further support to the idea that human–animal relationships can be considered amajor partof environmental enrichment for dolphins (Miller et al., 2011; Claxton, 2011). However,the findings in the studies by Delfour and Beyer (2011) and Miller et al. (2011) came with strong qualifiers. The individual personality of each dolphin means that not everydolphin will respond in the same way to similar forms of enrichment. Some more introverted or neophobic individuals may not respond to the same stimuli that more gregarious individuals do (Delfour & Beyer, 2011).
Applied Animal Behaviour Science 93, 363-374. Venn-Watson, S.K., Jensen, E.D., Ridgway, S.H. (2011) Evaluation of population health among bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the United States Navy marine mammal program.
Introduction
enrichment. They posited that the lone adult male (in a group of five females) in their study was less receptive to enrichment due to the absence of an appropriate partner figure (which in the wild would be another adult male). Along with previous findings that social stress can compromise physiological wellbeing (Waples & Gales, 2002), this emphasises the importance of appropriate social structuring in improving captive-dolphin welfare.
Delfour, F., Beyer, H. (2011) Assessing the effectiveness of environmental enrichment in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Zoo Biology 29, 1-14.
Dolphins participating in education programs typically have to learn to respond to a variety of visual cues given by their trainers. The activities involved in such programs introduce at least some degree of complexity, unpredictability and control into the dolphins’ environment, which are hallmarks of enrichment (Miller et al., 2011).
Miller, L.J., Mellen, J., Greer, T., Kuczaj, S.A. (2011) The effects of education programmes on Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) behaviour. Animal Welfare 20:2, Reiss,159-172.D. (2011) Dolphin research: educating the public. Science 332:6037, 1501.
■ NICHOLAS A. LAI References
Zoo Biology 21, 5-26.
Advances in the husbandry of captive dolphins are reflected in the latest findings on the health status of captive populations. A study by Venn-Watson et al. (2011) looked at statistics from dolphins involved in the US Navy Marine Mammal Program. This study encompassed 167 individuals over a span of 20 years. It found that survival rates for calves in this captive population (>92 per cent) were markedly higher than previously recorded rates (61-67 per cent), indicating better calf husbandryprocedures. Also, population survival rates were marginally, though not significantly,higher in this captive population (>97 per cent) than in previously studied wild populations (91-96 per cent). This indicates that therehave been improvements in the standards of dolphin care, which is supported by statistics in recent literature finding survival rates in captive populations to be on par with those of wild populations (Mason, 2010; Marino & Frohoff, 2011). Captive dolphin welfarecould only have improved with advancements in management procedures that led to better rates of survival.
ESSAY TheVeterinarian 17JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
While Delfour and Beyer (2011) studied the efficacy of visual, tactile and to some extent social enrichment, another study by Miller et al. (2011) delved deeper into human–animal interactions as a source of environmental enrichment. This study involved the observation of 18 captive dolphins across six facilities for behavioural changes before and after human–dolphin interaction programs. It found asignificant increase in indicators of wellbeing, such as socialisation, play behaviour and behavioural diversity following such interactions. This is consistent with findings in a previous study (Trone et al., 2005), which took the increase in play behaviour following human interaction to indicate the dolphins’ robust psychological wellbeing.
This essay is one of a number selected for The Veterinarian magazine Prize for Written Communication for Sydney University third-year veterinaryscience students.
Claxton, A.M. (2011) The potential of the human – animal relationship as an environmental enrichment for the welfare of zoo-housed animals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 133, 1-10.
Some of these management procedures may befurther enhanced by moreeffective forms of environmental enrichment. Environmental enrichment is critical when improving the welfareof captive dolphins because it encourages the expression of the animal’s full ethogram (Delfour & Beyer,2011). It is also capable of alleviating some of the negative impacts that arelatively sterile environment has on captive dolphins (Marino & Frohoff, 2011; Grimm, 2011). A study by Delfour and Beyer (2011) assessed the effectiveness of various objects in providing enrichment to a group of six dolphins. These objects were introduced to the dolphins in 15-minute sessions, and any interest or interaction with the object was recorded. Objects that elicited visual interest were more likely to be manipulated, and these objects werefound to be most enriching for the dolphins.
Assessing individual dolphins for aberrant behaviour that results from novel stimuli is thus paramount to maintaining their welfare.
Mason, G.J. (2010) Species differences in responses to captivity: stress, welfare and the comparative method. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 25:12, 713-721.
Rose, N.A., Parsons, E.C.M., Farinato, R. (2009) The case against marine mammals in captivity,4th edition, The Humane Society of the United States and the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Washington. Trone, M., Kuczaj, S., Solangi, M. (2005) Does participation in dolphin–human interaction programs affect bottlenose dolphin behaviour?
Menard, M. (2011) Dolphin research: continue captivity. Science 332:6037, 1501.
Discusses recent findings indicating improvements in captive dolphin care, and potential sources of environmental enrichment, including “toys” and the human–animal bond.
about how we can best meet the psychological needs of dolphins in captivity. On the other hand, the study by Venn-Watson et al. (2011) reflected improvements in the field of captive dolphin husbandry. However, some researchers maintain that the incidence of stress-related disorders is still higher in captive populations (Marino & Frohoff, 2011). More research should be conducted to ascertain if stress in a captive environment is continuing to compromise dolphin health. Continued refinements to husbandry programs must be undertaken to ensure upkeep of dolphin welfare.
Marino, L., Frohoff, T.(2011) Towards a new paradigm of non-captive research on cetacean cognition. Public Library of Science 6:1, 1-9.
Waples, K.A., Gales, N.J. (2002) Evaluating and minimising social stress in the care of captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus).
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Discussion
One method to discourage FP is to spray feathers with taste deterrents. While recent studies have indicated that quinine can be successfully used, a study by Harlander-Matauschek and Rodenburg (2011) investigated solutions made from natural products such as non-toxic alternatives to quinine. Solutions containing garlic, almond, clove, and clove oil were trialled against different concentrations of quinine, magnesium chloride and commercial anti-peck spray. For 10 days, 12 groups of 10 layers had their feathers soaked in an allocated treatment. The number of feathers plucked, eaten and rejected was recorded. Overall, quinine concentrated at 2 per cent and 4 per cent proved the most effective sprays. Although the other solutions successfully deterred pecking to varying degrees, none produced an avoidance reaction as strong or as lasting. For welfare to be improved, further research is required to identify non-toxic substances capable of replacing quinine. However, as the layers used in the study were selected for high FP activity over 10 generations, it is possible that the solutions tested could be more effective if applied to an average laying flock.
Feather pecking (FP) is a prominent problem in the layer industry. It is characterised by repetitive feather pulling and plucking, and results in poor quality plumage, skin damage and even death (Bright et al., 2011). In addition to causing economic loss, FP is a serious welfare concern. It inflicts physical pain, and resultant bleeding can further encourage cannibalism, further increasing mortality rates. Until recently, beak trimming has been widely used to prevent FP. However, the practice has recently come under scrutiny because of the acute and chronic pain induced by the procedure (Harlander-Matauschek & Rodenburg, 2011). This essay discusses a number of newly developed, non-surgical alternatives to reduce injurious FP.
Another approach is genetic selection, which is increasingly used in animal production to increase the occurrence of desirable traits and reduce undesirable ones. A Low Mortality Line (LML) of layers has recently been developed through selection for low mortality due to decreased FP tendencies (Nordquist et al., 2011). However, selection for desirable characteristics can lead to inadvertent co-selection of undesirable traits. Nordquist et al. (2011) investigated possible negative effects of LML selection on cognitive function, anxiety and fearfulness. Such co-selection presents a serious welfare concern as production animals require cognitive flexibility to negotiate their changing environment.
(2011) Applying chemical stimuli on feathers to reduce feather pecking in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132:3-4, Nordquist,146-151. R., Heerkens, J.L.T., Rodenburg, T.B., Boks, S., Ellen, E.D., van der Staay, F.J. (2011) Laying hens selected for low mortality: Behaviour in tests of fearfulness, anxiety and cognition. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 131:3-4, 110-122.
Conclusions
■ LISAKENNEDY
Petek, M., McKinstry, J.L. (2010) Reducing the prevalence and severity of injurious pecking in laying hens without beak trimming. Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, Uludag Universitesi 29:1, Rodenburg,61-68. T.B., de Haas, E.N., Nielsen, B.L., Buitenhuis, A.J. (2010) Fearfulness and feather damage in laying hens divergently selected for high and low feather pecking. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 128:1-4, 91-96.
Wysocki, M., Bessei, W., Kjaer, J.B., Bennewitz, J. (2010) Genetic and physiological factors influencing feather pecking in chickens. World's Poultry Science Journal 66:4, 659-672.
Examines alternative non-surgical methods, such as feather spraying and providing opportunities for natural behaviours, to reduce feather pecking and improve layer welfare
Afurther welfare consideration is the notion that like feather spraying, underlying causes of FP are not addressed as they are by providing canopy. Ultimately, as the triggers for the condition are multifactorial, an integrated management approach combining the benefits of all three of these methods, may prove successful in reducing FP and improving the welfare of current and future layer flocks.
TheVeterinarian 19JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au ESSAY
Introduction
Nine fourth-generation LML pullets were tested against nine pullets from a Control Line (CL) to compare behavioural responses to tests assessing cognitive function, fearfulness and anxiety. All participating pullets were identically reared. The Open Field test assessed behavioural responses when layers were placed alone in an observation pen. The T-maze test measured sociability and fearfulness based on their ability to navigate through a maze. The Voluntary Approach test assessed fearfulness and latency periods to approach a human, whereas the Holeboard test assessed spatial memory. The study revealed that LML demonstrated lower levels of fearfulness and anxiety than CL. Furthermore, there appears to be no significant difference in cognitive function between LML and CL. These results support the feasibility of genetic selection to eliminate FP in future flocks. However, further studies, involving a wider range of tasks and possibly testing a wider age group, are required to verify these results (Nordquist et al., 2011). Unfortunately, genetic selection offers only
Bright, A., Brass, D., Clachan, J., Drake, K.A., Joret, A.D. (2011) Canopy cover is correlated with reduced injurious feather pecking in commercial flocks of free-range laying hens. Animal Welfare 20, Harlander-Matauschek,329-338.A.,Rodenburg T.
Although feather spraying effectively reduces FP, welfare remains compromised because the underlying cause of the behaviour is not addressed (Harlander-Matauschek & Rodenburg, 2011). Although development of FP is considered multifactorial, the behaviour has been strongly linked to unfulfilled behavioural needs, such as foraging (Petek & McKinstry, 2010; Wysocki et al., 2010). Bright et al. (2011) explored methods of reducing FP by examining the correlation between proportion and quality of canopy cover and the use of range for foraging. Here, the underlying cause of the behaviour is addressed in the search for asolution, not ignored, as with feather spraying. In the experiment, the 286 participating egg producers planted 5 per cent of their total range with trees. The percentage of range actually planted in trees, the average percentage of canopy covered within the planted
The three studies discussed current alternatives to beak trimming that hold great potential toimprove layer welfare both now and in the future. However, there may not be just one unrivalled solution to FP. To eliminate the problem successfully while still upholding welfare, a combination of these short-term and long-term solutions may ultimately be the answer.
area, and an average flock plumage damage score at the end of lay period were recorded. Statistical analysis revealed a significantly higher degree of plumage damage in flocks with less canopy cover within the planted areas. These results suggest that quality and variety of cover is likely to be more influential than the absolute amount of cover.
slow progress. While feather spraying and providing canopy results in an almost immediate reduction of FP, the fruits of genetic selection are revealed only after a number of generations of selection (Rodenburg et al., 2010).
Discusses newly developed, non-surgical methods as alternatives to beak trimming to prevent injurious feather pecking
This essay is one of a number selected for The Veterinarian magazine Prize for Written Communication for Sydney University third-year veterinary science students.
This concept has a number of implications for layer welfare. Non-cage systems hold great potential to vastly improve welfare through the provision of greater space, variety of stimuli, and opportunities to behave naturally. However, in most systems, these go unrealised due to the layers’ evolutionary instinct to avoid open spaces. The link can be made that poor utilisation of range leads to unfulfilled foraging behaviour and thus a greater tendency toengage in FP as a redirected behaviour. This study indicates that providing goodquality canopy can encourage range utilisation, thereby reducing FP. This approach overcomes the limitation to welfare improvement that prevails in preventative feather spraying, in that the underlying issue is addressed and not simply ignored.
References
The detective work begins
Hair (topical agents)
The time since exposure, speed of onset and clinical progression prior will assist in determining the severity and the prognosis.
Emergency supportive therapy, antidote therapy and convalescent care are key factors in recovering patients exposed to known or unknown toxic substances.
Connect up a pulse oximeter or ECG if the patient is neurologically deranged, tachypneic, tachycardic, bradycardic or arrhythmic
Poisons and petsConversions
There is no one correct approach to decontamination as long as the overall approach emphasizes treatment of the patient and not the poison.
A general rule is to refrigerate or freeze samples that are not submitted immediately
Naomi Hansen BVSc MACVSc graduated
1. Taking a toxicologic history
Managing at toxicosis
The following initial data base can be processed immediately to provide information on a patients physiologic status.Urine (USG, microscopic examination and Wholedipstick)blood(packed cell volume, total solids, blood smear, serum glucose level,Coagulationelectrolytes)tests (ACT, PT, aPTT)
1oz = 28.4 g
The morepieces of information we can collect on presentation, the closer we get to actually solving the puzzle and appropriately managing the patient
The clinical presentation of a poisoned patient varies with the ‘type and quantity’ of toxicant/poison applied and/or ingested. Unfortunately, the owner is not always aware of the inciting agent nor are they always aware of the toxic nature of many household items so toxin identification relies on us asking the appropriate question(s) inamanner that does not imply or offend the client.The art of history taking becomes more important with the increasing use of essential oils, home remedies and ‘natural’ cleaning products. Substance(s) applied to the coat and home remedies used to manage lacerations, abrasions, allergies etc. will be absorbed across the skin and licked/ingested with the potential for cumulative effects.
1mg% = 1 mg/100 g or 1 mg/100 mL
Adequate sample size and appropriate preservation is essential in accurate chemicalSerumanalysis.orblood (5-10ml)
1%=1g/100 g (10 mg/g) or 1 g/100 mL (10 mg/mL)
2. Dermal decontamination
2. Sample collection
After bathing, the patient should be thoroughly rinsed and dried.
The management of an intoxicated patient requires a detailed case history, knowledge of species or breed predispositions to specific toxins and appropriate sample collection.
Decontamination strategies
Poisonings often present as a life threatening clinical syndrome and require a regimented approach to emergency support, decontamination and application of appropriate antidote therapies.
Do not forget to monitor the patients’ body temperature after bathing as these patients are prone to hypothermia
Patient signalment is important in evaluating species, breed or age susceptibilities to certain toxins.
Urine (blood, bilirubin, haemoglobin, casts, oxalates, screen for illicit substances)Stomach contents and faeces (recent oral exposure or faecal elimination)
● Proportional concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm), parts per billion (ppb) or milligram percentage (mg%)
Patients with toxicoses generally present acutely with a spectrum of clinical signs involving several organ systems. The clinical presentation can mimic a number of other disease processes so the diagnosis of a ‘toxicosis’ is often a diagnosis of elimination.Duringthe history taking process, it is important to listen to the owner and avoid bias/preconceptions. Monitor the patient closely during this process as clinical toxicosis can progress rapidly and we often need to treat the patient without knowing the inciting agent.
● Liquids are measured in weight per volume (i.e. mg/L, mg/dL)
Treat the patient not the poison
Dominutes.notattempt to neutralise acidic or alkaline substances
Emesis is contraindicated in these patients.
1. Ocular decontamination
3. Treatment
3. Dilution
Several substances may cause gastrointestinal irritation. The immediate dilution with small amounts of water or milk may help reduce the irritating effects of these substances.
1ppm = 1 ug/g or 1 ug/mL
Shaving or clipping may assist in removal of instant bonding adhesives.
Ensure serum is separated from the clot and whole blood is collected into an StomachUrineEDTAtube(50ml)contents (500g)
Serum (liver or kidney damage)
It is best to collect as many samples as possible prior to therapeutic intervention. Samples that are adequately stored can be submitted after treatment, if required.
There is no one correct approach to decontamination as long as the overall approach emphasizes treatment of the patient and not the poison.
Whole blood and a fresh blood smear (basophilic stippling and platelet count)
Some industrial chemicals may require special decontamination procedures and a poison centre should be contacted.
Establish a patent airway,cardiovascular stability and control seizures before looking toward potential antidote therapies (emetics, activated charcoal, gastrointestinal protectants and anticonvulsants)
Pulse oximetryand ECG
Bathing is a standard method of dermal decontamination but should not be initiated until the patient is neurologically and cardio vascularly stable (the stimulation of bathing may precipitate seizuring or cardiovascular collapse).Precautions should be taken to avoid human exposure to the toxic agent during the bathing process (gloves and other protective clothing).
The medical history of a patient will unveil pre-existing medical conditions (i.e. renal, hepatic or cardiac disease) that may increase a patient’s susceptibility to a poison or inhibit poison metabolism/excretionRecentlyadministered veterinary drugs may have a potentiating, synergistic or antagonistic effect on the poison.
CriticalMelbourneSheUniversityQueenslandfromin1997.workedinmixedanimalpracticeinQueenslandaftergraduation,beforemovingtoCanberratoworkforJohnAspleyDavisatKippaxVeterinaryHospital.ShehascompletedaresidencyinemergencyandcriticalcareatUniversityandwasaresidentinthesamefieldatthePennsylvaniaUniversityVeterinaryHospitalintheUS.SheisveterinarydirectorofNorthCoastVeterinaryEmergencyandCare(NCVECC)inSippyDowns,Qld.HansenisamemberoftheEmergencyandCriticalCareChapteroftheACVS. Clinical Review TheVeterinarian 21JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
Decontamination strategies
If the inciting toxin is known try to ascertain an exposure timeline and estimate the mg/kg exposure dose, in a worse-case scenario.
1kg =2.2 lb
Is there the potential for exposure to a known or suspected poison?
Dilution is recommended following ingestion of irritant compounds, those capable of causing oral or oesophageal ulceration (cationic detergents, strong aids or alkalis).
for commonly used measurements
Ocular exposures involve common household products and generally cause irritation to the eye and nearby structures. Solvents (alcohols, detergents and hydrocarbons) usually cause superficial eye injury but stronger acid and alkaline corrosive agents may cause more extensive damage.Immediate irrigation will limit exposure time and subsequent damage to the eye. Ocular decontamination is best initiated at home.
The eye should be rinsed with copious amounts of warmed tap water, lactated ringers or normal saline for 20-30
Liquid dishwashing detergents are recommended for their ability to disperse greasy Acontinuoussubstances.flowofwarm water is preferred to reduce ongoing exposure.
1ppb = 1 ug/kg or 1 ug/L
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● Occlude the end of the gastric tube before its removal.
● Gastric lavage may assist in propulsing gastric fluid (including toxins) into the small intestine
Gastric lavage involves the removal of stomach contents by gastric irrigation. The benefits of gastric lavage are controversial and human toxicologists tend to discourage its use. In veterinary toxicology, gastric lavage may be beneficial under circumstances where emesis is contraindicated or non productive but does have associated risks (Table 2) and should be used judiciously.
● Activated charcoal is most effective when administered as soon as possible after exposure to the toxin (within 2 hours) unless the toxin is a delayed release medication or undergoes enterohepatic circulation.
Activated charcoal is usually administered with a cathartic to encourage the passage of charcoal through the gastrointestinal tract. If multiple doses of charcoal are indicated, cathartics are usually only administered with the first dose. Clinical
● Petroleum distillates or other volatile materials (risk of aspiration)
The animal should be conscious, ambulatory and have a gag reflex
● Activated charcoal does not adsorb equally to all toxic substances.
● For toxins undergoing enterohepatic circulation, administer activated charcoal q6-8 hours for several days (primarily chocolate and NSAID toxicosis).
● Emesis tends to be more productive if there is food or fluid present in the stomach (especially if the ingested volume of toxin is small).
Table 2. The risks associated with gastric lavage
There are many factors that influence the decision toinduce emesis in a patient and in some circumstances it is of questionable benefit or contraindicated (Table 1).
● Sodium ion imbalances (there is a risk of hyponatremia and water intoxication when using water as a lavage fluid and hypernatremia if using saline as a lavage fluid)
● In the conscious patient, activated charcoal may be combined with canned dog food to enhance its ‘palatability’.
● Aspiration of gastric contents
4. Gastrointestinal decontamination
● Hypothermia
Emesis
● Activated charcoal administration is con traindicated in patients who are vomiting or have significant risk of aspiration (i.e. post ingestion of volatile hydrocarbon substances)
● Tracheal intubation
Apomorphine hydrochloride is a synthetic opiate that is commonly used as an emetic in dogs (a safe effective dose has not been established in the cat). Apomorphine may be administered IM, IV or conjunctival and emesis usually occurs within 5 minutes of administration (IM or IV) with the conjunctival route being less reliable.
● Ideally, emetics should be administered within one (1) hour of ingestion of a poisonous substance.
Gastric lavage
● Use cautiously if vomiting has already occurred
● Preexisting health conditions that may make vomiting hazardous (e.g. severe cardiac disease)
Xylazine hydrochloride is an α2-adrenergic agonist used primarily as a sedative in veterinary medicine. Xylazine may be used as an emetic in cats at a dose lower than the dose for sedation.
● Ingestion of a corrosive or caustic substance
Activated charcoal is a carbonaceous compound that is composed of extremely porous material capable of trapping a large range of organic materials. The liquid and powder forms are generally recommended for decontamination as they have a larger surface binding area than the tablets or capsules (i.e. the surface area of liquids and powders is approximately 900–1500 m2/g compared to 2-4 m2/g in tablets). Tablets and capsules, although ‘cleaner’ and convenient, are considered inappropriate for the treatment of poisonings.
Gastrointestinal decontamination is aimed at minimising the absorption of ingested toxins. There are few controlled clinical studies comparing the efficacy of decontamination procedures so the decision to perform gastrointestinal decontamination is largely reliant on the individual exposure and the veterinarian’s discression.
● Avoid excessive pressure as it may damage or weaken the stomach wall.
● Emesis may be of limited value if delayed beyond 2-4 hours post ingestion.
● In the anesthetised patient make sure a cuffed endotracheal tube is in place.
● Instil 5-10 mL/kg of warm water (by gravity flow) into the stomach per rinse and continue rinsing until the returning lavage fluid is ‘clear’ (may take as many as 40 rinses!)
Dose: 0.03-0.04 mg/kg IV or 0.04-0.08 mg/kg IM or application of one tablet into the subconjunctiva
Dose: Powder 1-2 g/kg mixed in 50-200 mL of water (slurry) (May be divided and administered as two doses 60 minutes apart to reduce the risk of vomiting)
Dose: 0.44 mg/kg IM or IV
● The head of the animal should be kept 20°to 30°lower than the chest during the procedure and it may be best performed with the patient in dorsal recumbency.
Cathartics
Toreduce the risk of inducing nausea/vomiting, dilution should involve only small quantities of fluid
TheVeterinarian 23JULY2022www.theveterinarian.com.au Review
● There may be some benefit from administering activated charcoal prior to as well as post gastric lavage.
Whole bowel irrigation
Activated charcoal
● Gastric lavage requires the patients to be anesthetised and a cuffed endotracheal tube placed to prevent aspiration of stomach contents.
Figure 1. Emesis should only be induced in animals that are conscious, ambulatory and have a gag reflex
● Administration of activated charcoal is always achallenge.
● Use a large-bore, fenestrated gastric tube inserted no further than the tip of the xiphoid cartilage.
Whole bowel irrigation is a technique of instilling large volumes of high molecular weight polyethylene glycol solution via a gastric tube with the intention of cleansing the entire intestinal tract. The process is labour intensive and takes 2-6 hours in humans. It is indicated for patients post ingestion of large numbers of sustained release medications or potentially fatal metal compounds that are poorly adsorbed to activated charcoal. Whole bowel irrigation may be beneficial in veterinary toxicology but has not been adequately evaluated.
Figure2. Combining activated charcoal with canned food will improve palatability
● There are a variety of substances that may be used to stimulate vomiting through either direct stimulation of the pharyngeal or gastric mucosa or by stimulation of the chemoreceptor trigger zone in the brain:
● Never induce vomiting in rodents or rabbits
● Onset of clinical signs or if central nervous system signs may be eminent (seizuring)
Table 1. Contraindications to emesis
● Oesophageal perforation
I get the pleasure of upskilling our workforce as a Regional Clinical Director, as well as performing urgent, technical surgical procedures for patients in need. I love watching our vets apply new skills and knowledge in clinic decision making and empowering them to be confident in their remarkable abilities. Particularly when I see our more junior vets master a skill they were once nervous about, for me that that really rewarding and I love being able to encourage growth and progression. I’m very proud of my passionate and engaged team of veterinarians and the way they look out for each other.
A culture of difference
At Greencross we pride ourselves on our supportive culture that is often described as like being part of a family. Our team members all deserve and receive respect, support, flexibility and mentorship. Hear from one of our newest recruits and her Regional Clinical Director who started with us 15 years ago about their perspectives on the Greencross culture.
What opportunities have you had to network with your colleagues?
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DR. SHANICE NITIS Graduate Veterinarian Greencross Vets
Have you felt supported in your new role?
How does Greencross support your team’s wellbeing?
What is the best part of your job?
We promote wellbeing by focusing on it and bringing it to the forefront of our conversations with our teams. The key is finding balance in your life, and for many that doesn’t come easily. We tailor our working week to maximise time off to enjoy things outside of work. We encourage our team members to go home when their shift finishes and don’t do any on-call work. We want our teams to take their lunch break every day and get out of the clinic to refresh and reset. There is no hierarchy, every vet and nurse are a valued member of the team and will always have the support of their leadership team whenever they need it.
What is unique about the culture at Greencross?
What would you say to final year vet students who are looking for a great cultural fit when they begin clinical work?
Learn more greencrossvets.com.au/careersat: Grow and develop with us. Discover both clinical & management career pathways! Enjoy flexibility. Thrive with work-life balance and a roster that suits you! Paid parental leave. Feel supported in a safe progressive environment. Mental health & wellbeing is our priority. You’ll be supported every step of the way. Clinical excellence. We provide the highest standards of care & free Stress Free Pets accreditation!
The support and connections that come with being a part of the network is unrivalled. Everyone truly cares for each other and will go out of their way to help or listen at every level. With so many clinics, hospitals and our support office, there is always someone to go to with whatever you need, or for when you just need a laugh or a chat. We also have a big focus on education to improve the skills and knowledge of our teams. We encourage completion of further education courses and memberships exams via our scholarship programs, as well as webinars and our very popular practical hands-on workshops. I personally have progressed with my skills and knowledge through the years utilising the current offering to a point where I now present the workshops I previously attended as junior vet.
I feel like a very valued member of the team and I am so grateful for everyone’s support. They have always made an effort to check in and listen to my ideas and opinions. My practice manager and vet nurses are always conscious of my needs as a new graduate; they make sure I have enough time to work-up my cases, do consults, type my notes and eat lunch. The veterinarians echo this in the clinical setting; as they are always willing to mentor me even when they are extremely busy with their own cases.
I have had many opportunities to network and am building great connections with my colleagues both inside and outside of work. The first opportunity was the Gold Coast new graduate meet and greet, where I met my Regional Clinic Director and other vets, clinical directors, practice managers and grads working at clinics across the Gold Coast. Greencross also flew me to Sydney for the new graduate induction session, involving a dinner meet and greet and team building activities with other new grads from around the country. We also have four online meetings amongst the new grads across Australia where we discuss various case reports and upcoming surgical and dentistry workshops. There is a lot of opportunity to meet new people and make friends.
A
DR. ADAM JEFFREY Regional Clinical Director Greencross Vets
I would highly recommend the Greencross Graduate Program for final year vet students and believe Greencross has taken the time to make a program that meets the needs of graduate veterinarians. There is a tremendous amount of support, continuing education, and opportunities to network with veterinarians from other General Practice Clinics and Emergency and Specialist Referral Hospitals. The culture is incredible and I have felt so supported and mentored from day one. Choosing Greencross was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. great place to work
Signs of hypermagnesemia include central nervous system and cardiovascular depression
Dosage
Specific
● Mineral oil should not be administered as a cathartic alongside activated charcoal as it may interfere with the adsorption effects of charcoal.
ParacetamolParacetamolMethemoglobinemiaLeadLeaddioneanticoagulantsCoumarinEthylenepoisoningAnticholinesteraseToxicosisglycolandIndane-incats
110 mg/kg for 1-2 weeks
0.2 (bewaremg/kgatropine toxicity and gut stasis may increase absorption)
Then 1-2.5 mg/kg PO q12 hours
Classical antidotal therapies
Dose: 0.5-1.0 mg/kg IV 10-20 minutes (note: propylene glycol is the carrier in valium and cross reacts with standard ethylene glycol tests)
IVDecontaminateIVIVEmesisreabsorption)urinaryExcretedbeta-blockers)(lignocaineAnti-arrhythmiaEmesismaybeIVSeizureDecontaminate2-3ChelationorserumCRIChelationsupport(Deferoxamine@15mg/kg/huntiliron<300ul/dl40mg/kgIMq4-8h)maytakedayscontrollipidemulsiontherapyusefuldrugsand/orinurine(placecathetertolimitfluidsupportlipidemulsionfluidsupport
Midazolam is useful in patients that respond to diazepam initially but have a seizure relapse within 30 minutes.
30 g/kg q 6 hours
● Magnesium based cathartics may cause hypermagnesemia (20% of the magnesium ions are absorbed) and should not be used in patients with renal compromise or in the presents of toxins that prolong gastrointestinal transit time or promote ileus
Diazepam
Signs
Diazepam is the treatment of choice for acute seizures of unknown aetiology (half life 2 hours)
Dose: Salts 250 mg/kg added to a charcoal slurrySorbitol (70% solution) 1-2 mL/kg added to charcoal slurry
Human Iron tablets
Midazolam
Treatment
Anticonvulsant therapies
IVPOPOor PO PO
If diazepam is ineffective or prolonged seizure control required, move onto phenobarbitone Dose: 2-6 mg/kg IV (requires 15-20 minutes to reach peak effect so repeat diazepam dose at same time as administering phenobarbitone)
● Sorbitol use has been associated with hypernatremia and dehydration in human patients
● Mannitol and lactulose may also be used to create an osmotic cathartic effect if other agents are unavailable
Some of the more common poisonings
Antidote
Initial dose 5mg/kg SC (multiple sites)
Source
110 mg/kg/d as a 1% solution dilute in 5% dextrose (divided dose)
Atropine
EssentialMarijuanaTheobrominePyrethroidsPyrethrinsIronMethiocarbMetaldehydepoisontoxicosisandoils
OnsetNeurotoxiningestion1/2-4 hours post
Seizure control
● Cathartics are contraindicated in patients with diarrhoea, dehydration or in the case that the toxin is itself a cathartic.
ointmentsShampoosHashCookingDarkMilkChocolateInsecticides:0.7mg/g:3mg/g:6mg/gcookies/cakesand
Multiguard(blueMolluscicide(greenMolluscicidepellets)pellets)snail bait
IVfluidEmesis
● Salts (magnesium sulfate and sodium sulfate) and non absorbable sugars (sorbitol) are themost commonly used cathartics and all are osmotic in action (increase fluid retention in the gastrointestinal tract).
Propofol
Depression,Neurotoxiningestion (variesLD50depressiondiarrhoea,Ingestion:hypothermiatremors,Ataxia,tremors,depression,mydriasis,anxiety,Behavioural>hepatucHyperexcitabilityhyper/hypoventilation,Tachycardia,seizurescitability,Salivation,postrecovery(maytremorsrhoeahaematemesis,vomiting,diar-+/-bloodandshowanapparentperiod6-24hingestion)hyperex-tremors,biliaryrecyclingchanges,ataxia,vomiting,weakness,semicomatosedweakness,depression,vomiting,CNS(oral)2-5g/kgwiththeoil)
Seizure control
ReviewClinicalTheVeterinarian 25JULY 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
Propofol is the intravenous induction agent of choice when general anaesthesia is indicated Dose: 3.0-6.0 mg/kg slow IV to effect and CRI 0.1-0.4mg/kg/min
Dose: 0.1-0.3 mg/kg IV to effect and CRI 0.1-0.3mg/kg/hPhenobarbitone
● Excessive cathartic use has been associated with dehydration and electrolyte imbalances (Table 3) so patients should be on intravenous fluid support when having a cathartic administered.
Antidotes can be classified based on their mechanism of action:
● Juvenile and debilitated patients have an increased risk of developing dehydration following cathartic administration
Route 25% dose IV 75% dose SC SCIV or PO IV or SC
Table 3. Risk factors associated with the use of cathartics
Onset 1/2-4 hours post
40mg/kg initially then 20mg/kg/d for 9 days (dogs)
Chelating agents: Defeoxamine (Desferal), Succimer (Chemet)
Other antidotal therapies
Do not forget to check the patients body temperature as they are prone to both hyperthermia and Monitorhypothermianeurological status closely especially in hyperthermic patients and manage any evidence of increasing intracranial pressure with Mannitol 1/2 g/kg IV
5.5 mL/kg q 4 hours for five treatments then q 6 hours for four treatments
140mg/kg initial dose then 4-6 doses of 70mg/kg 6 hours apart
nineS-adenyl(NAC)N-AcetylcysteineAscorbicD-PenicillamineCa-EDTA(vitaminPhytonadione20%only)(muscarinicsulfatesignsEthanolK1)acidmethio-(SAMe)
Dose: 140 mg/kg IV or PO loading dose and 70 mg/kg IV or PO q 6 hours for five to seven treatments.
Dose (dog and cat): 10 mg/kg PO or per rectum q8 hours for 10 to 17 days
2. EnzymeFomepizoleinhibitors(4-methylpyrazole)
Fomepizole does not depress the central nervous system at therapeutic doses, a common side effect of ethanol therapy.
In veterinary patients, use of flumazenil tends to be restricted to those patients that are comatosed and it is considered a ‘rescue’ drug.
Deferoxamine
Succimer has been used successfully to treat lead poisoning in birds, cats and dogs.
Chelating agents are typically used to treat toxicoses caused by heavy metals. The metal-chelator complex may be less toxic than the free metal, more readily mobilized from the target tissue or more readily excreted.
Methocarbamol
Others: Cyproheptadine (Periactin), Methoocarbamol (Robaxin-V), N-acetylcysteine (Mucomyst or Mucosil)
Succimer
Functional antidotes: Biphosphonates (pamidronate disodium, dichloromethylene biphosphonate)
ReviewClinicalTheVeterinarian 27JULY 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
Defeoxamine bind to iron to form ferrioxamine, astable chelate that is excreted through the kidneys (reddish-brown color to urine) and in faeces.
NAC is believed to maintain or restore hepatic glutathione as well as interacting directly with toxic acetaminophen metabolites (via NAC sulfhydryl groups) resulting in detoxification. NAC is classically used in management of acetaminophen intoxication but may be beneficial in cases of hepatic damage due to amatoxins (A. phalloides (death cap) mushrooms).
Dose: 1.1 mg/kg PO or per rectum q 1-4 hours until signs subside
Dose: pamidronate disodium 1.3-2 mg/kg in 0.9% sodium chloride slow IV (administer over
Flumazenil binds to and displaces benzodiazepines from the benzodiazepine receptor, reversing their sedative and anxiolytic effects. Flumazenil rapidly crosses the blood brain barrier and is effective within 1-2 minutes of IV administration.Flumazenilhas been used to partially reverse the central nervous system depression associated with ethanol and hepatic encephalopathy.
Antipamezole hydrochloride is an α2-adrenergic antagonist developed for the reversal of α 2-agonists (metomidine, amitraz, xylazine).
Dosing continues until urine loses its reddishbrown colour
3. ReceptorFlumazenilantagonists
Cyproheptadine is an antihistamine and serotonin antagonist. Serotonin syndrome has been associated with ingestion of amphetamines and 5-hydroxytryptophan (Table 8) (tremors, seizures, hyperthermia, ataxia, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, excitation/depression and hyperesthesia).
N-acetylcysteine
Atipamezole hydrochloride
Enzyme inhibitors: Fomepizole (Antizol-Vet)
1.Chelating agents
Administration of the final dose at 36 hours is important as the inhibitory action of fomepizole deays the metabolism of EG by the liver and EG may be detected in the bloodstream 72 hours post ingestion in treated dogs.
Dose (birds): 25-35 mg/kg PO q12 hours, 5 days aweek for 3-5 weeks
4. FunctionalBiphosphonatesantidotes(pamidronate disodium, dichloromethylene biphosphonate)
Fompeizole is believed effective in cats at a higher dose and has been trialled clinically at an initial dose of 125 mg/kg followed by 3 doses of 31.25 mg/kg 12, 24 and 36 hours post ingestion, with some success.
Succimer seems to be more effective at binding lead than Ca-EDTA or D-penicillamine and has a greater therapeutic index.
Antipamezole is effective in reversing the sedation, bradycardia, polyuria, hypothermia and hyperglycaemia associated with α 2-agonist administration. Antipamezole hydrochloride has arelatively wide safety margin.
a2-4 hour period). Repeat adminstration at 96 hours post ingestion may be beneficial.
Dose: 50-150 mg/kg slow IV PRN (max. dose of 330 mg/kg in 24 hours)
Dose (dogs): Iron toxicosis; 15 mg/kg/h IV or 40mg/kg IM q4-8 hours
Dose (dog): 20mg/kg IV of a 5% solution followed by a second and third dose of 15mg/mL IV at 12 hours and 24 hours. A final dose of 5 mg/kg IV is administered 36 hours after the first dose. Additional doses of 3 mg/kg q12 hours may be required if there is a suspicion of remaining EG in the blood stream.
Dose: 0.05 mg/kg IM
Biphosphonates inhibit bone resorption (inhibit osteoclastic activity). They are beneficial in the management of hypercalcaemia associated with either cholecalciferol (vitamin D rodenticide) ingestion or malignancy.Efficacy is improved if adminisered within 24 or 36 hours of ingestion of vitamin D3 or its analogues and adjunct corticosteroid therapy is generally not required.
Receptor antagonists: Flumazenil (Romazicon), Antipamezole hydrochloride (Antisedan)
Dose: 0.04-0.25 mg/kg IV
5. OthersCyproheptadine
Methocarbamol is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant believed to block nerve impulses in the brain stem, spinal cord and subcortical levels of the brain. It is beneficial in the management of severe muscle fasciculations, tremors and seizures associated with permethrins in cats, metaldehyde, strychnine and tremorgenic mycotoxins. Methocarbamol does not have the central nervous system depressant effects associated with the use of barbiturates for tremor control.
Fomepizole is a competitive inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase approved for treatment of ethylene glycol toxicois in dogs in 1997. Fomepizole therapy should be started within 3-6 hours of ingestion but may be beneficial upto 8hours post ingestion. Theapy tend to be less successful if the patient is azotemic suggesting renal damage. The reconstituted solution (1 g/mL fomepizole reconstituted with 30 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride) contains 50 mg/mL fomepizole.
Table 8. Substances associated with serotonin syndrome ● Amitriptylline ● Amphetamines ● Clomipramine ● Dexfenfluramine ● Fluoxetine ● Fluvoxamine ● Hydroxytryptophan ● Imipramine ● Isocarboxazid ● Lithium ● Meperidine ● Moclobemide ● Paroxetine ● Phenelzine ● Selegeline ● Sertraline ● Tranylcypromine ● Tryptophan ● Venlafaxine 12SYDNEYNovember
Biphosphonates are poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and must be administered intravenously.
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It costs more than $50,000 and takes up to two years to train a Seeing Eye Dog. Training begins from eight weeks of age, where puppies begin to learn basic socialisation skills and obedience from volunteer carers and puppy development trainers. At approximately 12months, they progress to up to five months of expert training with a specialised instructor.
“Seeing Eye Dogs need specific training requiring alot of expertise, time, love, and patience to give the person they are matched with independence, confidence, and companionship. Each year,we are able to offer more Australians access to these Seeing Eye Dogs, due to this annual appeal and the generosity of Donationsdonors.” can be made at any Petbarn store, or online at www.petbarn.com.au/seda.
The Petbarn Foundation is calling for community support to help raise $1million through its ninth annual Seeing Eye Dogs Appeal, which will fund 20 Seeing Eye Dogs to provide vital support and independence to Australians who are blind or have low vision.
The Foundation is unique as it rescues and re-homes cats who are high care and in need of specific, dedicated support. Aged, abandoned, on death row, or with ailing owners unable to care for them, Ninth Life is committed to finding new homes that really fit the cats’ needs to ensure they can enjoy their next stage in life.
TheVeterinarian 29JULY 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au BUSINESS
To get on board and run this year’s City2Surf with the Ninth Life Foundation please visit the Foundation’s campaign page at city2sur f22. grassrootz.com/ninth-life-foundation
Australians are encouraged to ‘Train-upa-Pup’ by donating through Petbarn stores or online at www.petbarn.com.au/seda to support the training and expertise needed to turn puppies in to Seeing Eye Dogs.
“Seeing Eye Dogs are so invaluable to the people they are matched with, helping people to not only maintain autonomy, but are also vital to those who are blind or have low vision tosafely navigate the world. We truly hope we can make a difference to the lives of 20 Australians through the funds raised from this year’s appeal.”
“The Petbarn Foundation Seeing Eye Dogs Appeal is the biggest annual fundraiser for Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs and is vital in helping us train and provide Seeing Eye Dogs,” Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs General Manager Graeme Craig said.
Seeing Eye Dogs Appeal aims to raise $1m
who raise over $60 for Ninth Life will receive an official Ninth Life T-shirt. Those who create a team of nine will be given Foundation shirts, fluffy tails, and ears to wear on the day to celebrate their involvement.
Runthe City2Surf for cats in need!
“My Seeing Eye Dog, Noodle, is a four-yearold black Labrador and she means everything to me. She’s my guide, she’s my best friend and she keeps me safe,” Seeing Eye Dogs client Geraldine Lane, said. “Not only is Noodle great company but she gives me the confidence to travel safely and with dignity. Raising and training a Seeing Eye Dog like Noodle costs $50,000, so donations to the Seeing Eye Dogs Appeal are really important. They can make an immense difference to the lives of people who are blind or have low vision.”
Vision Australia estimates there are 453,000 people in Australia who are blind or have low vision with this figure expected to increase to 560,000 by 2030, with more Seeing Eye Dogs urgentlyPetbarnneeded.areproud long-term partners of Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs, supporting the organisation through raising $5Million through the annual Petbarn Foundation Appeal since 2014. Hitting this year’s $1million target would mean the Appeal has funded 122 Seeing Eye Dogs over the past nine years.
Ninth Life Foundation is excited to be teaming up with City2Surf 2022 to help raise funds for cats in need. As one of the partnering charities, participants will now be able to fundraise for Ninth Life while they run, jog, or stroll the iconic 14km course from Sydney CBD to Bondi Beach. “We’re veryexcited to joining City2Sur f this year,” Foundation Chair Jules dos Santos said. “As the world’s largest fun run, it’s a significant event in Sydney's sporting and charity calendar. And a wonderful opportunity for runners and walkers to enjoy this community day while helping to support cats in their twilight years. “Whether going solo or part of a team, we’re ver y grateful for all the support. It makes a huge difference to us in our ability to provide the service we do.”Individuals
“Seeing Eye Dogs provide constant compan-
ionship, help overcome social isolation and contribute to an all-round better quality of life for people who are blind or have low vision,” Petbarn Foundation Manager, Janelle Bloxsom, said. “We are hoping to raise a milestone $1million at this this year’s Appeal and we are grateful to our generous communities who will support us to raise funds for this wonderful cause.”
Abstracts - Coxiella burnetii
“My goal is to develop a method for monitoring terrestrial invertebrate bioindicators long-term and make it more available for different
News
Frompage 5 Travellers and those ordering goods through the mail can check what is permitted entr y to Australia theyothersuspectdaysortheyoverseas,infectedhavetomanureequipmentensureaffectedgoods.trade/travelling/bringing-mailing-www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-viaTravellersfromcountriesbyFMDalsoneedtoallfootwear,clothingandisfreeofmud,animalandmucusbeforereturningAustralia.ForveterinariansandotherswhobeenincontactwithFMDanimalsorinfectedareasitisrecommendedthatDONOTvisitAustralianfarmshandlelivestockforatleastsevenafterreturningtoAustralia.Rememberalso,ifveterinarianssignsofFMD,LSDoranyemergencyanimaldisease,mustimmediatelycontact
Free PMC article
“Ibelieve if we all work together and work to this plan we can eradicate it, and we’re going to give it our best shot,” he said.
■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT
5The Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney,Sydney,New South Wales, Australia.
Email: AllPost41PrintedEmail:DesignerEmail:TJamesNationalEmail:Tel:EDavidJeffreyMaryAngusDipECVSDavidDipVetClinStudNicholasDipACLAMThomasEditorialclem.martin@vetmag.com.auAdvisoryBoardDonnellyBVScDipVPKannegieterBVScPhDFACVScLidbetterBVScMVSFACVScDipACVSMartinBVScPorterBVSc(Hons)MACVScSmithBVScFACVScDipACVOVellaBScBVSc(Hons)DABVPditor-LukeMartin0418698228luke.martin@vetmag.com.auSalesManagerMartinel:0432575877james.martin@vetmag.com.au-AnneNorrellannenorrelldesign@gmail.combyNewstylePrintingManchesterSt,MileEndSA5031PrintApprovedPP255003/06488materialin
B Orr1,R Malik23,M E Westman14, JMNorris15 Aust Vet J. 2022 Jun;100(6):230235.doi: 10.1111/avj.13151.
de Souza Valente1
Assistance with FMD and LSD for Indonesia
Malpartida’s project also involves collaborations with CSIRO Land and Water and the Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation at the University of Queensland.
Vet Anim Sci. 2022 May 14;16:100252. doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2022.100252.
“We ask all beekeepers to report their location, and if people see beehives being moved it’s got to be reported.”Fullersaid the mood among the beekeeping community is hard to gauge at “Therepresent.aredifferent feelings, and I know some people are saying
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From page 14
She is also taking samples from Nabarlek Uranium Mine, Pine Creek Gold Mine and Jabiluka mine in the Northern Territory to analyse the recovery of these rehabilitated ecosystems.
The Emergency Animal Field Guide for Veterinarians can be downloaded at Agriculture,AustralianThisguide.scientists/emergency-animal-diseases-www.outbreak.gov.au/for-vets-and-articlewassuppliedbyTheGovernmentDepartmentofFisheriesandForestry.
$93.50 for 1 Year $138.60 for 2 Years $182.60 for 3 Years
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This research project has begun sampling on the site of the former Nabarlek Uranium Mine in West Arnhem Land and involves ongoing collaboration with the traditional owners of that site.
Abstracts - Anaesthesia
“We’ve already applied it to species which are part of different safe haven (fenced site) populations on the Australian mainland, such as bilbies, and the extremely rare woylies,” she said.
companies and organisations to use the technology to assess land restoration,” she said.
1Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2Australia.Centrefor Veterinary Education, The University of Sydney,Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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From page 1
Director - Clem Martin
Tasmanian devils’
“The data from DNA sequences can be stored and reanalysed years later. When more species are added to reference databases the analysis can be rerun and more can be picked up over time, which is great for regulatory monitoring.”
With the data collected, Malpartida hopes to develop a reliable and cost-effective technique for assessing how well the ecosystem at mine sites has been restored.
Varroa mite situation worsens
If signs are seen in feral pigs or water buffalo, immediate action also needs to be taken.
‘there’s no planning’, but there is planning, and because it’s a live operation it can take a turn at any stage,” he Beekeeperssaid. have been encouraged to conduct an alcohol wash test on their bees and report results to NSW DPI on 1800 084 881.
1Bio-Resources Unit, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway H91TK33, Ireland.
“The signs of invertebrates returning means some larger animals have afood source and can return to a disturbed site too. We need invertebrates to be back before everything else comes back to the land.”
Ants a mirror to ecosystem restoration
Support for livestock veterinarians undertaking disease investigations is also available through the National Significant Disease Investigation Program veterinariansNABSnetdisease-investigations),australia.com.au/collaborative-(animalhealthandthrough(nabsnet.com.au)forinnorthernAustralia.
The Veterinarian is subject to copyright and must not be reproduced wholly or in part without the written permission of the Editor.
Views expressed in The Veterinarian are not necessarily those of The Veterinarian orSydney Magazine Publishers Pty Ltd.
Subscriptions - Clem Martin Tel: 02 9487 6627
endangered species according to Hogg, and it will be a useful tool to address the global biodiversity crisis.
3School of Veterinaryand Animal Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 4Australia.Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI), Menangle, New South Wales, Australia.
Phone (02) 9487
From page 5 like the soil, or even a termite bait, which has trace DNA left behind by the insects that move through or onto those substrates,” she said.
From page 14 against Q fever and 90 per cent (35/39) were aware that both feral pigs and dogs could potentially be sources of C. burnetii. Our findings indicate that pig hunters should be aware of the risk of exposure to Q fever during hunts and the sentinel role their dogs may play in C. burnetii exposure.
Monitoring the health and genetics of the devils will continue for at least four to six years.
TheVeterinarian
Email: SUBSCRIBEclem.martin@vetmag.com.au
Tel: 02 9487 6627
■ SAM WORRAD
Population genetic theory indicates that populations that have undergone significant declines are more likely to be exposed to small population pressures such as further loss of genetic diversity and accumulation of inbreeding. This in turn can limit the species’ capacity to adapt to current and emerging threats, but the Tasmanian devil breeding strategy can be applied to other
the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.
From page 3
Up to date information about eradication zones can be found at dpi.nsw.gov.au/ varroa
Through field trips and sample collections at Ranger Uranium Mine inside Kakadu National Park, she hopes to help develop a method for long-term monitoring of the mine for it to be incorporated into the national park.
The necessary anaesthetic depth, from sedation to surgical anaesthesia, depends on the procedure type. Anaesthetic bath and injection are commonly used, besides inhalation, local anaesthesia, and intracardiac injection. Agents used for the anaesthetic bath include eugenol, isoeugenol, lidocaine, halothane, and essential oils of lemon balm, lemongrass, lemon verbena, and sandalwood. While alphaxalone, eugenol, ketaminexylazine, lidocaine, morphine, procaine, tiletamine-zolazepam, and xylazine can be used as injectable agents administered on the arthrodial membrane or intramuscular injection. Halothane can be used on inhalation anaesthesia. Local anaesthetics include lidocaine and benzocaine. Notwithstanding, many others are detrimental or ineffective to decapods, thus discouraged. They include but not limited to hypothermia, carbon dioxide, chlorpromazine, chloroform, ethanol, ether, magnesium salts, tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222), mint and lavender essential oils, passionflower extract, and valerian. Decapods' welfare, protection, and veterinary attention should not be neglected, but they must receive ethical treatment, including the best of our knowledge and available tools to ensure they are free of pain and discomfort whenever we deal with Cecíliathem.
CREATURE Feature Marineiguana ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus ) Asthenamesuggests,the marinaiguana(alsoknownas theseaiguana,saltwateriguana ortheGalápagosmarine iguana)isaspeciesofiguana onlyfoundontheGalápagos Islands,offthecoastof Ecuador.Themarinereptileis uniqueamongstlizardsasit isabletoforageinthesea foralgae,thecornerstone ofitsdiet. PictureRAF-YYC
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