Michelle Louise Coffill was given the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to public administration and to animal welfare. To
Queens honoursbirthdaycelebrated
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5 21 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au 11 NEWS Health hazard for koalas FACETOFACE
■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT
Veterinarianwww.theveterinarian.com.au
Awarded by BirdLife Australia to a professional ornithologist for out standing published work on birds in the Australasian region, the D. L. Serventy Medal recognises and celebrates conservation work that has not been done as part of a professional career. It is awarded to ‘those who labour in the field for a love of nature and a determination that it should be conserved’.
■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT
Emeritus Professor Frank William Nicholas was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to animal genetics, and to tertiary education.”
Launched during the recent federal election campaign, an app developed by researchers at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology, enables users to discover which animal and plant species are at risk in their ownGarethlocality.Kindler, PhD candidate at UQ said the Threatened Australians app was the first of its kind and is designed to showcase public interest data in an accessible and engaging way, one that allows users to easily learn about threatened species in their area just by putting in their Althoughpostcode. environmental issues received little attention during the election Kindler said while Australia was fortunate to have extensive national biodiversity data it has not been easy to access for the average citizen. He hopes the app will encourage users to contact their local, state, and federal representatives both to raise awareness about the loss of biodiversity, and to urge them to take greater action in the
Notable works include Veterinar y Genetics (1987) which was published internationally by Oxford University Press, and Introduction to Veterinary Genetics (1996) which was translated into several languages.
The Serventy Medal awarded to Eric Woehler OAM Jeannet Kessels
ONTHEINSIDE NEWS AVA’s new appointments CLINICALREVIEW Penny Linnett PIGEON POST 9 MANAGEMENT 12 ABSTRACTS 14 BUSINESS 29 3
In congratulating Woehler on his award BirdLife Tasmania said he
“Biodiversity is important because our wellbeing and prosperity is dependent upon having a healthy environment and we need our governments and elected representatives to implement the reform needed to safeguard the thousands of imperilled species in Australia,” Kindler said.
The veterinary sector has been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Eric Woehler OAM. Bounty Islands New Zealand
QUT Interaction Designer Nick Kelly said the project was a great example of how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to more people in the public engaging with important scientific findings.
The app is accessible at www.threatened. org.au/search/
Woehler remains a committed marine ecologist and is a passionate volunteer. For the last 20 years he has been Convenor of Birds Tasmania and has led the conservation of Tasmania’s birds. He has long been a strong public advocate for the protection of the natural world.
“By marrying science and interaction design, we can better tackle complex public-interest issues faster than ever before. Similar tools could help us tackle a range of scientific challenges by better informing and inspiring the public,” Kelly said.
A new app to find threatened species
Management agencies, two of which have incorporated shorebird and seabird conservation into their Strategic Plans and supported his field surveys and on-ground conservation efforts.
Announced at the end of May, the 2022 recipient of the award is Tasmanian Eric Woehler, OAM. (The Veterinarian, July 2021)
Nicholas is an Emeritus Professor of Animal Genetics at the University of Sydney, a former head of the Australian Genomic Information Centre, and was Bioinformatics program leader at the CRC for Innovative Dairy Products during the early 2000s among other roles.
protection of threatened and vulnerable species in their regions.
was a particularly fitting recipient given he shared similarities with Dominic Serventy, an internationally renowned ornithologist and conservationist, who was also a seabird expert. Woehler’s research for much of the past 40 years has focused on conservation biology of marine birds, and their habitats around Tasmania and the Southern Ocean.
His Southern Ocean seabird research centred on long-term population studies that provided signals on the state of health of the marine ecosystem.Woehler’s work has been recognised by Tasmania’s Natural Resource
The ■ June 2022 ■
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“I am thrilled and grateful to be elected AVA Vice President, and to continue my long association with the AVA,” Webb said.
“This will be a holistic approach, with the main goal to prevent harm, promote the positives of the profession, and protect those in a crisis.”
Rural veterinarians have spoken of the pressure of remote working environments at last month’s Australian Veterinary Association annual conference.
“They're working long hours and they're put under a lot of stress that's really negatively impacting their health and wellbeing," Cristy Secombe of the AVA said.
“We once had a lady with a dog who had spinal injuries; she travelled from just over the Western Australia border for 11 hours just to see us,” South Australia’sVets on Eyre Topage 30
Bronwyn Orr
Rural veterinarians often find themselves having to play several roles – often with extended on-call periods –in practices already under pressure from COVID-19 and an industrythat is haemorrhaging workers.Theshortage of workers has been especially problematic in the rural veterinarysector,where veterinarians and patients routinely travel vast distances for treatment.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) at last month’sconference, several announcements wereDavidmade.Beggs was appointed as a Director, and Bronwyn Orr was reappointed, as elected byFollowingmembers. the AGM, the AVA Board held a meeting to decide the new President, Vice President and Treasurer.
News TheVeterinarian 3JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
Bronwyn Orr has been elected AVA President for 2022/2023. Orr graduated from JCU in 2013 and joined the AVA soon after. She currently works across government, emergency medicine, shelter medicine and academia. Orr becomes the ninth woman and the youngest person to be elected AVAPresident. She takes over from Warwick Vale, who remains adirector on the AVABoard.
“I'm deeply honoured to be elected AVA President,” Orr said. “I'm thrilled to represent our profession and to tackle the issues facing us. The AVA will continue to focus on the important work we are doing in veterinary wellness and workforce sustainability. I'm also passionate about improving diversity and inclusion in the AVA. I’d like to thank Dr Warwick Vale for his service, and I look forward to working with my fellow AVA Board directors and the entire AVA.”
Incoming AVA President and Vice President announced Fighting stress to help vets thrive
“Weknow this will take time and effort, which is why we are making this core business for the association,” he said.
The AVA will be rolling out recommendations from the research in the coming months, including an industry-specific suicide prevention strategy, the foundation of a Wellness Steering Committee, assessment of peer-to-peer support training programs and a mental health Topage 30
Shortage of reachesveterinariansruralcrisispoint
The initiative comes on the heels of the AVA’s whole-of-profession stakeholder research into veterinary mental health and wellness
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has announced THRIVE, a veterinary wellness initiative aiming to assist vets and veterinary staff to have healthy and successful careers.
David Petersen was elected Treasurer.
“I’d like to congratulate Dr Bronwyn Orr and DrAlistair Webb on their new appointments,” David Andrews, CEO of the AVA, said. “I look forward to working with them as we navigate the next period for the AVA that will be marked by positive change. I would also like to thank DrWarwick Vale and I look forward to continuing to work with him.”
“We are investing a fulltime staff resource to help develop and manage the various programs that will underpin THRIVE.
Alistair Webb
“In turn they can't service the community and their animals as well as they would be able to if there were more vets out there.”
AVA President Warwick Vale said there is no “magic bullet” to solving the issues impacting mental health in the profession.
“Our profession has come through significant challenges in the last couple of years and there’splenty more challenges to come. I’d like to thank the AVA Board for their support and I'm eager to get to work with all the members.”
Alistair Webb has been elected Vice President of the AVA. Webb has held many committee and leadership roles with the AVA over the past twenty-five years. He is a is principal of Rangeside Veterinarians, a small animal practice in Toowoomba Queensland and is the immediate past president of the ASAV.
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According to a recent study published in PLOS Biology reptiles remain the only tetrapod group without comprehensive International Union for Conservation of Nature assessment, with approximately 28 per cent of species globally unassessed, as of July 2021. The study said many assessments were also unreliable since the information had not been updated within the IUCN’s10-year guidelines.
■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT
The tool developed by the research team showed reptile conservation is far worse than has been estimated, and that immediate action will be necessary if the disappearance of reptile biodiversity is to be avoided. To page 30
The study involved 151 wild koalas admitted for care to Queensland’s Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and showed the amount of retrovirus circulating within an animal’s blood was strongly associated with chlamydia and symptoms like cystitis and conjunctivitis, as well as overall poor health. This made it a ‘double whammy’ for a species already nationally listed as vulnerable, and that has local population declines greater than 80 per cent that are partially attributed to “Highdisease.levels
link between the two hasn’t been conclusively established,” he said.
‘Koala retrovirus load and non-A subtypes are associated with secondarydisease among northernkoalas’ is available at doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010513
“We know Queensland and NSW koala populations are heavily impacted by chlamydia infections and a retrovirus but until now a clear
Co-author and co-leader of the scientific team Keith Chappell, Molecular Virologist and AssociateProfessor at University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, and the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, said the research could have far reaching impacts and lead to better protective measures such as breeding programs and new anti-viral medications.
It was previously assumed that a particular subtype of koala retrovirus may be capable of causing disease but lead author and post-doctoral fellow at UQ’s AIBN and SCMB, Michaela Blyton said the findings highlighted another disease threat for the endangered koalas, astheir wild populations continue to decline.
“Research like this helps us understand how the threats facing koalas are interlinked, so we can help find ways to protect the species going forward, and closely examine the success of anti-viral medications and breeding programs,” sheAdditionalsaid. threats to populations of koalas in the wild include dog attacks and road trauma.
Another health hazard for koalas More reptiles at greater risk of extinction
Researchers led by lead author Gabriel Henrique de Oliviera Caetano at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, developed anovel machine learning tool for assessing extinction risk. They found the number of threatened reptile species is much higher than is reflected in the IUCN Red List, and that both unassessed, or ‘Not Evaluated’, and ‘Data Deficient’ reptiles, were the species more at risk.
Astudy published recently in the journal PLOS Pathogens has found the chlamydia epidemic plaguing Queensland and NSW populations of koalas is linked to a common virus that possibly suppresses the animals’ immune systems.
Michaela Blyton. Picture Tara Gatehouse
of the virus increased a koala’s risk of chlamydia by over 200 per cent, and there’s no question chlamydia and retrovirus are connected. We believe the retrovirus suppresses the koala’s immune system making them more vulnerable to disease,” said Chappell.
Despite Red List guidelines specifically stating NE and DD species should not be treated as ifthey were not threatened, both categories are not generally prioritised for conservation decision-making. Although the process of categorising is considered laborious and subject tobias, being dependent heavily on voluntary expert participation, it has resulted in the lack of evaluation for many species and left gaps in establishing protective measures.
News TheVeterinarian 5JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
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“It can be particularly difficult for older cats who often have health issues and need special care and attention, so finding the right home and environment to suit their particular traits is crucial.”
Lucia’s mum Megan said the Virtual Online Vet Camp also showed her daughter many different areas and careers [in veterinar y medicine] that people can have working with animals and that it’s not just limited to becoming a vet. She added, “Future Vet Kids Camp provided not only enjoyment and excitement [during lockdown], but also hope for children that one day they would still be able to work with animals when the pandemic was over.”
surgical vets to wildlife and exotic vets, animal rescue groups, veterinary specialists, snake catchers, mobile vets and more!
Ninth Life was founded by Jules dos Santos, an experienced vet nurse and owner of NSW’s Divine Creatures luxury cat lodge.The Foundation is unique, having been set up to rescue and rehome cats who are high care and in need of specific and dedicated support. Whether aged, abandoned or on death row, or with owners who are ailing and unable to care for them, Ninth Life is committed to finding new homes that really fit the cats’ needs and ensuring they can transition into and enjoy the next stage in their life.
For moreinformation visit www.ninthlifefoundation.org/ support-us
The Virtual Online Vet Camp (June 26–July 8) will run concurrently to the face-to-face camp in Brisbane Qld (June 27–July 1 and July 4–8) with the ability for aspiring young vets to join the classroom virtually from anywhere around the world and participate with questions in real time.
Lucia Stewart, 11, was so impressed with the Virtual Online Vet Camp she attended from her home in New Zealand during Covid lockdown in 2020 that she booked a spot at the upcoming face-to-face camp in Brisbane.
Alison Shen said the camp showcases all the opportunities available as vets and other wonderful professions in the animal industry. “Campers will learn about genetic diseases, pet nutrition, dog behaviour and enrichment, exotic animals, surgery,animal rescue, wildlife conservation and much more!” she said.
“The course walks the campers through virtual tours of veterinary hospitals, specialist centres, zoos and reptile parks, as well as interviews with some of the most exciting animal professionals who have dedicated their career to animals,” Audrey Shen said.
“My entire sleep schedule changed during the camp as I went to bed earlier and woke up earlier, but I enjoyed the experience. I learned so much and still have a full book of notes,” she said. “I particularly enjoyed baking dog biscuits and learning about the breeds and behaviours. In fact, I used the knowledge I gained from camp to help some of my friends decide which dogs would better suit them. I also taught my friends the importance of neutering their animals and what it involves in caring for a dog with certain diseases, including the growing vet bills over time.”
She also looks forward to meeting a friend she made in the Virtual Online Vet Camp who also shares a love for birds and other animals. “The online program was a great opportunity for myself and other children who couldn’tget to a camp due to lockdowns. It was great fun and gave me something I could do that I was interested in,” she said.
“I’m delighted to be supporting the NinthLife Foundation,” Flanagan said. “Asa passionate cat person, the Foundation’s ethos is close to my heart. Ilove that they focus on rehoming and taking care of older cats, it’s a very specific niche and one that’s often overlooked.”
News TheVeterinarian 7JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
For more information and to register, please visit www. futurevetkidscamp.com/camps or call 0435 267 252.
The twin vets can’t wait to introduce campers to their outstanding Aussie presenters from
The Foundation, a registered charity, provides each cat with a full health and wellness check when it takes them in and all those over seven receive ablood test too.
Thirteen-year-old ‘vet wannabe’ Aydin van Staden didn’t let the eight hours’ time difference in South Africa stop her from joining Future Vet Kids Camp’s Virtual Online Vet Camp in January.
Australia’s favourite veterinary-inspired school holiday program Future Vet Kids Camp is set to go viral with its Virtual Online Vet Camp during the winter school holidays, giving kids in Australia and around the world a unique animalHavingexperience!startedin Sydney about 12 years ago, the five-day program is designed and run by veterinarians and led by vet twin sisters Audrey and Alison Shen from TV’s Bondi Vet and Aussie Mobile Vet. The program caters to kids aged 9to 16 years and encourages responsible pet ownership, the profession of veterinary medicine and a love and appreciation of all animals and their habitats.
Lucia has a number of pets – including Cleo her Alexandrian parrot – and all sorts of rescue birds that have inspired her to work with animals someday.“I have always wanted to become a vet. When I was little, I used to play vets with my soft toys and bandage them up, caring for them in hospital beds that I made from cardboard boxes and tea towels. It would be a dream come true if can become a real vet one day,” she said.
Future Vet Kids Camp set to go viral during school holidays! Kitty Flanagan lends support to Ninth Life’s cats in need
Renowned comedian Kitty Flanagan is lending her support to cats in need, as ambassador to the recently launched Ninth Life Foundation.
“For us the individual care and ongoing welfare is paramount. And this helps owners too who may not be able to care for their cat any longer – they can be reassured that their cat’s needs will be met.”
As Foundation Chair Jules dos Santos explained, “Cats can need a new home for a multitude of reasons and it’s important that they’re cared for appropriately, whatever their stage of life.”
OFFERSEOFY
VETERINARY IMAGING SPECIALIST
Just as the two-year long disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic seemed to be abating in the UK, where the population is substantially vaccinated and/or had already been exposed to field infection, the late winter and early spring of 2022 brought new difficulties for our profession and the population in general. Inflation began to rise in Britain last autumn and by late winter it had reached six to seven per cent … the highest for 30 years. In response the Bank of England base rate began to edge upward. When Russia invaded the Ukraine on February 24 there was added inflationarypressure so that, at the time of writing, it now sits at around nine per cent. After years of low inflation, low interest rates and peace in Europe (since the 1990s Balkans wars), the changes this spring felt like time-travelling back into the 1970s when inflation reached almost 26 per cent and the existential threat from the Cold War Kremlin was of constant concern. The economics felt familiar but unsettling, the aggression like ancient histor y. It seemed so out of place in this century … so anachronistic.Thecurrent difficulties facing the veterinary profession have been discussed in this column previously and across the veterinarymedia, but when the lifting of coronavirus restrictions finally arrived here in March: inflation, an upward spiralling cost of energy and geo-political instability simply continued the adverse pressures. Evidence of the financial squeeze has come from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate which reported an increase in the online purchase of drugs from the black market. Clients under financial strain are declining veterinary treatment and instead sourcing drugs
for themselves, without prescription, and illegally treating their animals without veterinary supervision.
Pigeon post from the UK
has returned to normal and household budgets are stretched rabbit rehoming or abandonment rates have increased by over 250 per cent.
member.All parties are agreed that the Irish border should remain open and free for trade as this is embodied in the Good Friday Agreement (10 April 1998) which finally brought mass violence in Ulster to an end. In an awkward compromise the UK government accepted some import/export checks should be conducted on some goods passing between mainland Great Britain and Ulster. The effect of which was to create a border though the Irish Sea which has enraged Ulster loyalists who view it as a first step toward Irish unification and have with-
year,3.4 million households also relinquished their pet(s) in the same period. The commonest reasons given for giving up pets were: changes in living arrangements, financial constraints, work commitments and behavioural concerns. The RSPCA and Woodgreen pet charities both corroborated the data saying they had seen massively increased requests for rehoming. The problem is most acute with rabbits. Sales of new rabbits surpassed those of dogs and cats during lockdown (a 212 per cent increase in one year), but rabbit charities now report that as life
In addition to global economic pressures, the UK is still suffering from the aftereffects of withdrawal from the European Union (EU). This is politically most evident in the border debacle in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, but has a land border with the Republic of Ireland which remains an EU
drawn from the Northern Ireland Assembly in protest, rendering local government unworkable. From a veterinaryperspective the impact of EU withdrawal has been twofold: to increase the requirement for health certification as products cross in/out of the EU and fall in EUregistered vets working in the UK who have historically carried out around 90 per cent of these public health duties. The British Veterinary Association believes that there has been a 1255 per cent increase in the requirement for export health certificates and a 68 per cent decline in EU vets coming to work here (1,132 in 2019 down to 364 in 2021). It concludes the current situation is unsustainable. While both long-term measures to increase the numbers of domestic graduates in public health are in train and current regulations have been relaxed to encourage as many EU vets as possible to work here, this looks like a problem that isn’tgoing to be much easier to solve than the political future of the island of Finally,someIreland.new evidence has emerged that dogs with extreme body conformations do have shorter life expectancies. Statistical life table analysis of over 30,000 UK dog deaths between January 2016 and July 2020 found that the breeds with the lowest life expectancies were all brachycephalics: French Bulldog 4.5 years, English Bulldog 7.4 years, Pug 7.7 years and American Bulldog 7.8 years. In contrast the Jack Russell Terrier had the longest life expectancy of 12.7 years. The authors said the findings could help vets to advise which breeds to own, inform the current animal welfare debate on brachycephalics, and help in making decisions about the appropriateness of treatments for older dogs.
An example is the increasing online purchase of a prodrug of the antiviral remdesivir which is being bought from China to treat FIP because it is far cheaper than the veterinary licensed product. Data from the Petfood Manufacturers’ Association has revealed that although 2.7 million households acquired a new pet in the last
Ian Neville BA(Hons) BVSc MRCVS reports from Britain.
TheVeterinarian 9JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au DOYOU 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’t know where to start? Doyouhave a hobby or history that you think vets everywhere would like to learn more about? 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’sissue!
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Establishing those relationships and working closely with a group of 33 former CVOs has helped build policies like the Australian Veterinary Association’s Climate Change and Animal Health, Welfare and Production policy, and Kessels said it was exciting the national RSPCA focused on Climate Change and Animal Welfare at their annual conference this year.
■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT
“Thensurvive.there are emperor penguins, challenged by the reduction of ice coverage in places like Antarctica. If they have further to walk to lay their eggs, and then to travel to and from the ocean to feed their chicks, reproduction is adversely affected. Tens of thousands of emperor penguins have stopped breeding as a result of their changed environment.”
“We organised a series of seminars for veterinary professionals, former Chief Veterinary Officers, and allied animal organisations such as the RSPCA and Zoos, to highlight the realities of climate change. The public understand COVID-19 because Chief Health Officers stood up and explained it well, but the threats and impacts of climate change have been less well understood and are often confused with sustainability and recycling.”
“The immediate support for Vets for Climate Action has shown that people want to do something but they’re not always sure what. Vets for Climate Action is giving them a goal and an opportunity to get out and take positive action, which does make you feel better. Let’s not get depressed, let’sget active.”
in
With a newly elected federal government, VfCA will continue to advocate for emissions reductions as a priority, with even stronger net-zero emissions targets and a rapid transition to renewable energy.In conjunction with the former CVOs, VfCA also looks to support the development of a ruminant emissions reduction policy. And it will support veterinary practices to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve their sustainability.
Additionally, she said diseases previously seen in the north are spreading south. Diseases such as lumpy skin, African horse sickness, African Swine fever and Japanese encephalitis carry serious risks for biosecurity, animal and human health, and our economy.
Chair of Vets for Climate Action
The livestock that didn’t drown, died of cold exposure. That’saterrible animal welfare issue with a substantial economic impact.”
Jeannet Kessels
Later that year, and a few months after VfCA had launched, two of the risks the organisation warned about became a reality: bushfires and floods.
Kessels said koalas were an example of a species clearly under threat from an increased number of bushfires destroying their habitat. With their finely tuned metabolism that is able to digest and process the eucalyptus leaves that are toxic to other wildlife, this makes them particularly
nation,andwidespreadshockedtheKesselssaid
the threats from climate change to many animals are hidden and less well known. One example is green sea turtles of the Great Barrier Reef. Incremental warming of the sand to above 29°C where the turtles lay their eggs has resulted in a 99 per cent feminisation of turtle hatchlings. The impact of this will not be immediately obvious because turtles have a long life expectancy but it may, in fact, lead to their extinction.
Kessels uses a sailing analogy to describe the growth of VfCA. She initially visualised it as a small boat sailing on the harbour with a few crew on board, but she soon saw it grow to become acruise ship, with all aboard heading towards the same destination. Now she compares it to a warship that is hyper-focused and with three clear targets. These are to reduce greenhouse emissions across the animal care sector; to work with governments to develop stronger climate policies; and to inspire all those who love and care for animals to act on climate change on behalf of those animals.
“I’m not great at arguing, and protesting doesn’t really suit my personality. It’s not how I’m most effective. In early 2019 I met the Farmers for Climate Action’s CEO who suggested that a similar group for vets could be powerful and effective, particularly as we’re now seeing extremes – of heat, cold, and wet – and our animals aren’t programmed to cope. Climate extremes impact animal health, welfare, production, biosecurity, and One Health,” Kessels explained. One Health being a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary approach to achieving positive health outcomes, that works at local, regional, national, and global levels. It also recognises that such outcomes cannot be achieved unless there is an interconnection of people, plants, and animals and their shared environment.
FACETOFACE TheVeterinarian 11JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
It was a combination of distress at plans to build another coal mine close to the Great Barrier Reef, and frustration at successive governments’ failure to seriously address climate change, that prompted veterinarian Jeannet Kessels to pose aquestion on a Facebook page for vets about forming a climate action group. She never imagined it would elicit such an immediate and positive response, or that there were so many vets across the country equally concerned about climate change. A few months after that Facebook post, Veterinarians for Climate Action was established to advocate for animals, and to highlight the serious impacts the changing climate was having on all animals – wildlife, companion animals and livestock.
Like so many others in the veterinary profession, Kessels’ love of animals, and her schoolwork experience in a vet practice, guided her decision to study veterinary science.
“Extendedvulnerable.droughtsfrom climate change and the chronic drying of these leaves may make it even more difficult for koalas to metabolise food and
“I feel we’re morphing into something quite powerful, advocating for animal health and welfare, production and biodiversity.These all impact our own health, food security, and the economy.”Although media images of wildlife and livestock suffering in the fires, and later the floods, were
“These fires resulted in not just an enormous loss of animal life but also wildlife health, habitat, and crucial biodiversity.Risks that apply to human health apply to animals as well, so while the risks to human health from smoke inhalation are well known, we’re now hearing about animals born in the wild being underweight or premature. If they’re born small, they’re more likely to suffer from predation, and less likely to reach adulthood and breed. Wecan talk about putting water out for koalas and birds to survive, but we need to be aware of what we could permanently lose and so must address the root of the problem, which is emissions, mostly from coal and gas.”
The 2019/20 bushfires were the first ones definitively linked to a changing climate. Rising global temperatures – that are now widely accepted to be a result of human activity and the increased industrialisation that causes high emission levels of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogenous and sulphur compounds, or greenhouse gases – is in large part due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and petroleum products. Many studies have shown that rising temperatures will drive more extreme weather events like the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20.
“I’ve always been drawn to animals, and I enjoy working with my hands. I loved doing surgery, and I’m verymaternal so had fun with the reproduction aspects of practice. I also enjoyed engaging with the public, so being a vet was a really good job for me and it’sone I did for 31 years.”
headbushfires,inorwereanimalsthree“Reportedlybillionperisheddisplacedthose2019/20and600,000ofcattlealsodied
unseasonal flooding in Queensland.
By 2019 Kessels had moved out of clinical practice and into a leadership role as business owner of several veterinary practices. She also stepped into the Chair role of the newly formed Vets for Climate Action which, in the three years since, has grown to having over 1800 members.
To increase understanding about the link between climate change and its impacts on animal health and welfare, a key aspect of VfCA’s work involves education.
Practice manager KellywithMcGovernJeannetKessels
VfCA welcomes support from all those who work with and carefor animals. For moreinformation on how to be involved go to: www.vfca.org.au
P&A: Because we are very involved with vet practices, their challenges, problems and even their standards of care, we don’t really feel like we have left the profession. We are both animal lovers and dealing directly with animals is probably the thing we don’t do as much and miss. Anne makes up for this by rescuing dogs and keeping them in the office with us all the time.
ManagementTheVeterinarian
Q: If you still have connections with the industry overseas, what do you think the Australian vet industry could learn from the overseas vet industries that you worked in and what should they be learning from us?
P&A: It’svery difficult for a generalist accountant to know what a business is worth if they don’t know what the market for that industry looks like. Whilst the greatest part of a valuation is objective and looks at veryspecific financial parameters, the final part of establishing a value requires industr y knowledge. And this is why Valuvet has succeeded, because there has always been veterinary-specific knowledge present. For example, how can you say a coffee shop is worth the same as a veterinary practice if they make the same profit? You can’t, because the risks are completely different and the current economy may be treating one industrybetter than the other. Also, the way clients are ‘bonded’ in a veterinary practice where the business knows their names, addresses, mobile numbers and usually the names of their entire family, is very different from a coffee shop where none of this is necessarily known. For these reasons, an accountant who works on a lot of coffee shops and restaurants can value coffee shops and an accountant who works on alot of vet practices can value vet businesses. As a rule of thumb, we would say that if an accountant does fewer than 10 valuations for a particular business type a year, then they probably don’t get enough exposure to know what the market looks like for that business. So “how many veterinarypractices have you valued in the last year?” is a good question to ask any accountant/ valuer before you pay them to do avaluation.
Simon Palmer is the Managing Director of Practice Sale Search, Australia’s largest practice brokerage. If you’d like more information on practice sales or want to have a
P&A: We are lucky that we seem to agree veryquickly on the big decisions. So, we jointly made the decision to sell the practice and move to Australia. We also both agreed that Australia was the first choice over and above the other places we had been to and shortlisted. With regards to the career moves, we also decided jointly to do it, as there seemed little point in one of us studying all weekend and the other sitting around doing nothing –we had always studied together at vet school anyway,so this was not so different.
P&A: Wedon’tthink there is anything specifically better or worse about practices in Australia vs practices in the UK. What does exist in all countries are practices that are well run and practices that
Q: What brought you to Australia?
Anne enrolled for an MBA through Edinburgh university and
Q: Where did you meet?
Q: Where did you start your veterinary careers?
P&A: We were in the same class at vet school. We were put together in anatomy class to share a box of bones for the first part of the course, which detailed every bone in all the species. The box contained about 100 bones from 3species (dogs, cattle and horses).
Paolo enrolled in a City and Guilds computer programming diploma. After completing these, we both enrolled into accounting as we thought that it would provide us with the Wedidnecessaryskills.alloftheabove while we owned and worked at our practice and completed our studies by correspondence/distance learning, graduating in 2006.
We moved to Australia at the end of 2005. Once we got here, we thought it would make sense if we exposed ourselves to working as accountants rather than as vets, just to see what it was like. After doing this for a few years we could see that there was a demand for a niche accounting firm that focused specifically on vet business. We thought about buying an existing accounting firm and changing it over slowly,but then decided to just do a start-up. The business grew reasonably quickly, and valuation
Leaving not a planned event. Weopened our own start-up practice and realised that with our vet course, we were verylacking in certain skills: Business, software/IT,tax and accounting.
Even after completing the first stage of our North American Vet board exams, we still decided that Australia was a better place.
P&A: Leaving veterinarywas not a planned event. Weopened our own start-up practice and realised that with our vet course, we were very lacking in certain skills: Business, software/IT, tax and accounting.
salesearch.com.aupractice’sdiscussionconfidentialaboutyourcircumstances,emailSimonPalmeratinfo@practiceorcall1300282042.
JUNE 202212 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
While most people reading this will have worked with Paolo and Anne Lencioni, not many people know theirHowstory.did two South African vets end up market leaders in veterinary practice accounting and valuing in Australia?Werecently sat down with them to ask them about their journey, their extremely varied and colourful professional history, working through multiple degrees, professions and countries and the unique perspective this gives them in the veterinary industry.
Perhapsbetter. something to learn from this is that the veterinary curriculum is lacking in any courses that lead prospective vets to understanding business, and it would be a good idea to introduce some form of formal business training into the veterinary courses.
P&A: The move to Australia was a lifestyle choice. The UK was never intended to be a long-term thing and after 11 years there we decided totravel a bit and look around for somewhere better to live. Australia won by miles, we could not find anywhere better.
work became part of the service because it was something a lot of our clients needed.
Q:Is there anything you miss about being a vet?
Interview: Paolo and Anne Lencioni
P&A: We both studied veterinary science in South Africa, but we never worked there. Two days after graduating, in 1995, we left and went on a working holiday to the UK, from which we never returned.
Q: What made you leave being avet behind and move into accounting and valuing?
are run badly. I think that the profession needs to learn from each other, focusing on what wellrun practices do. And one of the things that well run practices do is that they are run as a business and the partners/owners have an interest in business. This does not mean that they care for their patients less and don’t like being vets, in fact they care about their patients more – but they make calculated financial and strategic decisions on buying better equipment, supplying better facilities, recruiting better staff, managing their staff better and paying their staff
Q: You’ve worked in the vet industry in several countries –Irealise that it’s been a number of years, but what struck you as different about the Australian industry when you got here?
Q: Were you both equally motivated to make the career and geographic changes, or was one of you moreenthusiastic than the other?
veterinarywas
Q: ValuVet has an interesting background as the only valuation company that has always been run and operated by vets (first founded in 1996 by Jim Martin, then run by Tony Thelander 2006-2018 and now by you). What ‘edge’ or advantage do you think this has given ValuVet over general accountants when valuing avet practice?
P&A: Ithink the main difference is that practices in Australia focus more on servicing a lower number of clients better.In South Africa and the UK practices tend to have shorter consulting times and a higher volume of clients. The rest is essentially the same.
Mark Westman (Panel Chairperson) Dr CogginsSally Dr
Dorsselaervan
Management Guidelines.
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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. October 2021. AU-FEL-0005-2021. BI1648TA-03/20.
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...the importance of management and housing conditions on the outcomes of FIV infection... in a clinic or shelter setting is often easier to perform than blood testing...
Scan this code or log in at www.animalhealthacademy.com.au to download part one of the
Despite the passage of over 30 years since its discovery, the importance of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection on health and longevity still remains a hotly debated topic. However, thanks to the dedicated work of a team of feline and infectious disease experts, Australian veterinarians now have access to part one of the Australian Feline Retrovirus Management Guidelines covering FIV. Find out what all the chatter is about - download your copy from Animal Health Academy or use the QR code below.
Considering welfare through the "neonatal and nursery pig perspective" is an exciting approach, and one that resonates with consumers. Overlaying this with the Five Domains Model, as we suggest in this review, points to practical on-farm improvements that provide each pig the opportunity to experience positive mental states. The Five Domains Model is broken into physical and functional states, that includes Domain 1 Nutrition, Domain 2 Physical Environment, Domain 3 Health and, Domain 4 Behavioral Interaction, and Domain 5Mental State. The Five Domains Model can build on the breadth and depth of swine welfare science to highlight opportunities to improve welfare on-farm. In Domain 1 management of increasingly large litters is considered, with examples of sow vs. artificial rearing, colostrum quality and quantity, and creep feed management strategies. Efforts can result in positive mental states such as feeling full and content and the ability to experience pleasure of drinking and food tastes/smells. Domain 2 considers space complexity and access to key resources, along with thermal and physical amenities, to promote feelings of physical comfort. Domain 3 considers pig health in three broad, yet inter-linking categories, (a) congenital and hereditary health, (b) environmental pathogen load and, (c) colostrum quality and quantity, and its effect on the microbiome. Improvements can result in a pig that displays vitality and feels healthy. Domain 4 provides the pig opportunities to express its rich behavioural repertoire, specifically positive social interactions, play, and exploration. These efforts can result in pigs feeling calm, safe, comfortable, having companionship, engaged, interested and rewarded. In conclusion, using the Five Domains Model can highlight numerous opportunities to improve current and future housing and management through the "neonatal and nursery pig perspective" with a focus on inducing positive mental states that can result in improved quality of life and welfare state.
5Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Research Group, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK.
JAnim Sci. 2022 May 10; skac164.doi: 10.1093/jas/skac164.
Aglobal survey of companion animal veterinary practitioners on animal welfare teaching - Focus on undergraduate and continuing education, and clients' sources of information
Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) has been associated with neoplasia in the vulnerable koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). However, there are conflicting findings regarding its association with secondary disease. We undertook a large-scale assessment of how the different KoRV subtypes and viral load are associated with Chlamydia pecorum infection and a range of disease pathologies in 151 wild koalas admitted for care to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, Australia. Viral load (KoRV pol copies per ml of plasma) was the best predictor of more disease pathologies than any other KoRV variable. The predicted probability of a koala having disease symptoms increased from 25 per cent to over 85 per cent across the observed range of KoRV load, while the predicted probability of C. pecorum infection increased from 40 per cent to over 80 per cent. We found a negative correlation between the proportion of env deep sequencing reads that were endogenous KoRV-A and total KoRV load. This is consistent with suppression of endogenous KoRV-A, while the exogenous KoRV subtypes obtain high infection levels. Additionally, we reveal evidence that the exogenous subtypes are directly associated with secondary disease, with the proportion of reads that were the endogenous To page 30
4USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Transbound Emerg Dis.2022 May 9.doi: 10.1111/tbed.14591. 1Sydney School of VeterinaryScience, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
6Pig Development Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy Co. Cork, P61 C997, Ireland.
AK Johnson12, J-L Rault3,JN Marchant4,EM Baxter5,K O'Driscoll6
■ EDITEDBYJENIHOODBSc(Hons)BVMSPhD
As part of a wider research on animal welfare, a global survey was developed to gain insight into the opinion of companion animal veterinarians about animal welfare education, namely to investigate i)their exposure to animal welfare teaching during their undergraduate education, ii)their access to continuing professional education on animal welfare, and iii)their opinions on clients' sources of information on animal welfare. The survey was distributed to companion animal veterinarians around the world. The results were highly influenced by the large numbers of respondents who trained in the Russian Federation, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or the United States of America. Worldwide, 58.4 per cent of the respondents thought that animal welfare was poorly covered or not taught at all when they were students. The best coverage of animal welfare was in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most companion animal veterinarians (65.3 per cent) had access to continuing education on animal welfare, but there were small differences between the six above-mentioned countries. Companion animal To page 30
Koala retrovirus load and non-A subtypes are associated with secondary disease among wild northern koalas
AbstractsTheVeterinarian
Emerging canine leptospirosis in Sydney and the role of population demographics
1Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50001, USA.
2Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50001, USA.
JUNE202214 ■ www.theveterinarian.com.au
Griebsch1,Nicolle Kirkwood1, Jacqueline M Norris1,Michael P Ward1
3Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, A-1210, Austria.
Improving young pig welfare on-farm: The Five Domains Model
An outbreak of canine leptospirosis commenced in Sydney, Australia in 2017. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine if clusters of leptospirosis occurred during this outbreak, and if these were associated with host factors, to assist investigation of the drivers of emerging leptospirosis at this location. Within the City of Sydney local government area, 13 cases were reported during the outbreak. Administrative data onthe canine population were collected and mapped. Clusters of leptospirosis cases were detected using a retrospective spacetime analysis and a discrete Poisson probability statistical model. Sydney dog population registration [55.6 per cent, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 51.8-58.1 per cent] was lower than the Australian national average (80 per cent). The distribution of dog types, based on the United Kennel Club standards, was significantly (p < .0001) different to that of the national profile: there was a distinct preference in Sydney for companion dogs. The age distribution of dogs in Sydney did not reflect a typical right-skewed curve; instead, a relatively uniform distribution was observed between the age group of 1 to 8 years. A primary disease cluster (radius 1.1 km) in the eastern area of the Sydney City Council was identified (4 cases observed between 24 May and 9 August 2019 vs. 0.10 cases expected), p = .0450. When adjusted for the age, breed type and sex distribution of the population, similar clusters were identified; in the case of age-adjustment, the spatiotemporal cluster identified was larger and of longer duration (seven cases observed between 28 June and 11 November 2019 versus 0.34 cases expected), p = .0025. The presence of clusters of canine leptospirosis in the City of Sydney during this outbreak, which persisted after adjustment for demographics (age, sex, breed type), suggest that environmental factors - rather than host or pathogen factors - might be responsible for the emergence of leptospirosis. Environmental factors that potentially might be linked to this outbreak of canine leptospirosis and the clusters observed require Jamesinvestigation.Gong1,Christine
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
Dr Claire Adams
We’re also not sure if our clients would like it... Dr
Dr Henry Jones
Dr Claire Adams Dr Claire Adams
Jones … Dr
I hear you guys switched to a mucosal vaccine? Dr Henry Jones Claire 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?
Adams Dr
We considered it but it’s a hassle to change protocols
Dr Henry Jones
What prompted the change?
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!
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.
How does Greencross support your team’s wellbeing?
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.
Have you felt supported in your new role?
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.
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.
DR. SHANICE NITIS Graduate Veterinarian Greencross Vets
What opportunities have you had to network with your colleagues?
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.
A culture of difference
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What is the best part of your job?
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.
What would you say to final year vet students who are looking for a great cultural fit when they begin clinical work?
A great place to work
Paid
DR. ADAM JEFFREY Regional Clinical Director Greencross Vets
What is unique about the culture at Greencross?
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.
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!
■ RACHEL
pre-laying behavioural observations could help provide greater insight into feather pecking motivations.Whilefeather pecking can be attributed to environmental conditions, it has also been connected to certain psychological characteristics such as fearfulness in chicks . This has important implications in rearing, as certain stimuli may increase fearfulness traits in chicks. Edwards et al. investigated the effects of human handling onphysiological stress and behaviour of laying hens, to determine the effects of additional contact (AC) or minimal contact (MC) during rearing, handling quality in adulthood and the handling proximity in adulthood. A total of 288 birds were sampled and divided into 2 groups, AC and MC. Responses to positive and negative handling and handling proximity (as near, middle and far) were measured. Responses involved avoidance movements and stress responses measured through corticosterone concentrations. Less avoidance was recorded
This essay is one of a number selected for The Veterinarian magazine Prize for Written Communication for Sydney University third-year veterinaryscience students.
The welfare of layer hens is a highly publicised issue and consumers are pressing for improvements in housing standards and removal of intensive cage systems. The Australian egg production industry is responding and in 2008 the standards set by the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals became enforceable by law, including that a minimum 550cm2/hen be provided . The European Union (EU) is further ahead in that a complete ban of battery cages will come into effect by 2012 . Consumer preference for free-roaming systems has its drawbacks, since with freedom of movement and ability to express natural behaviours comes greater chance of injury due to complexity of housing, disease, nutritional deficiencies, piling and feather pecking . This paper will review research into recent findings related to the issue of feather pecking and improving psychological wellbeing within layer flocks.
in AC birds than MC birds during the approaching-human test, while greatest avoidance behaviours were observed in the far handlingproximity group. Corticosterone concentrations were found to be lower in positively treated hens compared to negatively treated hens following contact with humans.
The most significant determinants for reducing avoidance of humans in birds were additional human contact in rearing and close proximity inhandling as an adult. The lower stress hormone response in positively handled hens demonstrated the importance of quality handling and how it can reduce fear responses. Farmers could implement additional positive handling routines into management procedures to improve flock welfare. To extend these findings to free-ranging systems, the method would need to include a free-roaming sample group, as this study included only caged hens’ fear responses.
Productivity and welfare can both be affected bystress in the flock and the focus of Ghareeb’s research was to determine if males had a positive effect on reducing flock fearfulness.
Welfare of layer hens: recent developments and implications for free-range production
ESSAY TheVeterinarian 17JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
Ghareeb used tonic immobility, or “death feigning” as it is known, and social reinstatement as measures of fearfulness among the sample groups. Two lines of laying hens were used with birds divided into an all-female group of 50 hens for each line and a mixed group of 50 females and 5 males for each line. Hens of both lines from the mixed-sex group showed shorter time spent in tonic immobility compared to those in the all-female group. Social reinstatement measurements also showed hens from the mixed group were less fearful of exploring an unfamiliar runway and quicker to reunite with a familiar hen at the end of the runway. These results demonstrate reduced fearfulness when flocks include males. Integration of males into flocks by farmers could improve welfare, as sociality would improve and stress would be reduced.
Discussion
Introduction
Toimprove welfare, management strategies should be implemented to reduce feather pecking. Lower stocking densities would increase flock range of movement, and perches would provide escape routes. Providing foraging motivation would direct attention to foraging rather than feather pecking, and feather-pecking histories could be documented to pre-empt any SFP outbreaks. A limitation to this research was that observations only started at the beginning of lay. Including rearing methods and
Astudy by Lambton et al. aimed to identify important contributing risk factors to the development of gentle and severe feather pecking in free-range systems. A total of 119 flocks were observed from 62 farms, with the majority free-range and organic systems. Flocks were visited at 20-30 and 35-40 weeks old to observe behaviour, plumage condition and farm management. Gentle feather pecking (GFP) occurred more often in beak-trimmed birds, in housing with no perches and at higher stocking densities, while it decreased with increased flock ranging. More importantly, severe feather pecking (SFP) occurred more in flocks that had not been beak trimmed, had exhibited feather pecking when transferred, and when feed was in pelleted form and was spread on the floor.
Conclusion
The results of these studies show that the major welfare issue of feather pecking can be influenced by multiple factors relating to housing and management. Flock fearfulness and stress can be reduced through increased positive human interactions and strategic use of males within the laying flock . Toimprove layer hen welfare, further research is required to apply management strategies on a large scale to test the effectiveness of their use for commercial poultry farms. O’REILLY
Current global trends toward free-roaming housing systems have highlighted the need for better knowledge about hen behaviour,as the removal of cages may increase the problem of feather pecking and cannibalistic behaviour in flocks. The transfer from battery cages to litter-based systems in Sweden in 2001-2004 saw increased risks of cannibalistic behaviour in laying hens in the new systems . Beak trimming isbanned in several EU countries and is currently being phased out elsewhere. Since this is a control measure for injurious pecking it is important to understand why feather pecking occurs and investigate alternative prevention options.
75 75% mast cell tumour removal with a injection.single1,2 Rapid completeand DAY 1 DAY 7 DAY 28 Reference: 1. APVMA number 88412. 2. De Ridder, T., Campbell, J., Burke‐Schwarz, C., et al. Randomized controlled clinical study evaluating the efficacy and safety of intratumoral treatment of canine mast cell tumors with tigilanol tiglate (EBC-46). J Vet Intern Med 2021;35(1):415-429
Dr Jane VeterinarianMillerVictoria
A treatmentnon-surgicalformastcelltumours.Oneinjectionforcompletetumourdestruction SEEING BELIEVINGIS For more information about STELFONTA® contact vet-au.virbac.com/stelfonta1800stelfonta@virbac.com.au242100
Lomax et al. (2010) and Lomax et al. (2009) used behavioural responses to light touch and pain stimulation by VonFrey monofilaments to assess the effectiveness of Tri-Solfen as pain relief in castration and tail-docking. Involuntary pain responses such as skin twitching, head jerks and lifting of the tail were scored according to vigour and added to give each animal a cumulative score. Both studies found that Tri-Solfen was successful in significantly reducing hyperalgesia in knife tail-docking and the hyperalgesia response was absent in
Conclusion
From these studies it is evident that Tri-Solfen is effective in reducing the pain associated with knife castration and docking, and hot-iron docking. However,due to its poor penetration of skin it does not relieve the pain associated with ring castration and docking. Carprofen injection provides pain relief for ring castration but is less practical as an on-farm treatment and requires double handling of lambs. It is difficult to comparethe different methods of castration and docking due to the limitations of the current methods of assessing pain in animals. Nevertheless, these methods do allow a comparison of Tri-Solfen- or carprofen-treated animals versus untreated animals when the same castration or docking method is used. The results demonstrate that Tri-Solfen is an effective form of pain relief for surgical procedures. Tri-Solfen currently has a restricted permit for use in alleviating post-mulesing pain. However, its wider application in pain relief for surgical castration and tail-docking has the potential to improve the welfare of millions of lambs.
■ MADELEINE BRADY
Dinniss, A.S., Mellor,D.J., Stafford, K.J., Bruce, R.A., Ward, R.N. (1997) Acute cortisol responses of lambs to castration using a rubber ring and/or a castrating clamp with or without local anaesthetic. New Zealand VeterinaryJournal 45:3, 114-121.
Knife castration is associated with a moresignificant and sustained elevated cortisol concentration than ring castration (Paull et al., 2009). However, Lomax et al. (2010) question the validity of using cortisol concentrations to compare treatments because cortisol secretion is a physiological response to surgical wounding even in the complete absence of pain. Thus increased cortisol secretion may reflect greater breaching of skin in knife-castration and tail-docking wounds and not indicate increased levels of pain. It is evident that neither behavioural analysis nor measurements of plasma cortisol concentrations provide a clear comparison of ring treatment versus knife treatment.
Anaesthetics and analgesics have the ability to reduce the pain of castration and tail-docking (Dinniss et al., 1997; Mellor & Stafford, 2000). Despite the effectiveness of injectable local anaesthetics, they are not practical for general farm use due to economic constraints, increased handling times of lambs and veterinary intervention required (Lomax et al., 2010; Paull et al., 2009). Tri-Solfen is a "farmerapplied" topical anaesthetic, haemostatic and antiseptic gel formulated to provide pain relief for mulesing wounds in sheep (Lomax et al., 2009; Lomax et al., 2010). Studies by Lomax et al. (2010), Paull et al. (2009) and Lomax et al. (2009) have examined the efficacy of Tri-Solfen to provide pain relief for other wound types, specifically tail-docking and castration wounds. Topical anaesthetics are rapidly and highly effective on open wounds and mucosal surfaces but penetrate intact skin poorly and thus are more suited as a post-procedural treatment and less effective as pain relief in ring treatments (Lomax et al., 2009; Paull et al., 2009).
Lomax et al. (2010) also assessed pain-related behaviours using a Numerical Rating System developed by Lomax, Sheil and Windsor in 2008, where individual lambs were given a score between 0-3. Significant changes in lamb behaviour were found after castration and tail-docking, with TriSolfen-treated lambs showing significantly less pain-related behaviours than all other groups, including ring-castrated and docked
Assessing and alleviating the pain of castration and tail-docking in sheepTheVeterinarian
Carprofen,animals.asystemic anti-inflammatory, and Tri-Solfen have also been assessed recently for their ability to reduce cortisol concentrations and abnormal behaviour associated with knife and ring castration (Paull et al., 2009).
References
Pain is not directly measurable but measurements of plasma cortisol concentrations and behavioural response scores can be used to provide an indication of pain. Mellor and Stafford (2000) claim that plasma concentrations of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticotropin-releasing factor indicate how unpleasant an experience is and can be used to provide a measure of the distress caused by castration and tail-docking. Typically, abnormal behavioural responses, such as tremors, lateral lying and abnormal walking/standing, are observed and recorded within a period after the intervention to give a score of total abnormal behaviours (Lester et al., 1996), but there are limitations when comparing ring and knife treatments as these procedures elicit different behaviours. A 2009 study by Paull et al. concluded that castration by rubber ring has less impact than knife castration when serum biochemistry, haematology, behavioural responses and growth parameters are considered together. Conversely, in 2010 Lomax et al. found that ring castration and tail-docking elicits significant abnormal behaviours that persist for more than 2 hours. Grant (2004) supports this finding yet states that the different behavioural responses due to ischaemic pain and surgical wound pain may not be directly comparable.
Tri-Solfen-treated knife-castrated animals compared with placebo and untreated animals. Hot-iron docking produced amild and transient secondary hyperalgesic response, which was absent in treated lambs. Lomax et al. (2010) found that ring-treated lambs were unsuitable for wound sensory testing as their distress made them oblivious to additional external environmental stimulation.
Subcutaneous injection of carprofen 90 minutes prior to the procedure significantly reduced total pain-associated behaviours and restlessness in ring-castrated animals. In knife-castrated animals, carprofen reduced cortisol concentrations 6 hours post procedure but at 24 and 48 hours treated animals had higher cortisol concentrations than untreated knife-castrated animals. Tri-Solfen was effective at reducing cortisol concentrations in knife-treated animals yet increased abnormal lying behaviour. Using carprofen and Tri-Solfen in conjunction provided no added benefits.
Grant, C. (2004) Behavioural responses of lambs to common painful husbandryprocedures. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 87:3-4, Lester,255-273.S.J., Mellor, D.J., Holmes, R.J., Ward, R.N., Stafford, K.J. (1996) Behavioural and cortisol responses of lambs to castration and tailing using different methods. New Zealand VeterinaryJournal 44:2, Lomax,45-54.S.,Sheil, M., Windsor,P.A. (2009) Use of local anaesthesia for pain management during husbandryprocedures in Australian sheep flocks. Small Ruminant Research 86:1-3, 56-58.
This essay is ofanumberoneselectedfor The Veterinarian magazine Prize for CommunicationWrittenforSydneyUniversitythird-yearveterinarysciencestudents.
Lomax, S., Dickson, H., Sheil, M., Windsor, P.A. (2010) Topical anaesthesia alleviates short-term pain of castration and tail docking in lambs. Australian Veterinary Journal 88:3, 67-74. Mellor, D.J., Stafford, K.J. (2000) Acute castration and/or tailing distress and its alleviation in lambs. New Zealand VeterinaryJournal 48:2, Paull,33-43.D.R.,Lee, C., Colditz, I.G., Fisher,A.D. (2009) Effects of a topical anaesthetic formulation and systemic carprofen, given singly or in combination, on the cortisol and behavioural responses of Merino lambs to castration. Australian Veterinary Journal 87:6, 230-237.
19JUNE 2022 ESSAY
Discussion
Castration and tail-docking are routine lamb husbandry procedures traditionally performed without anaesthesia oranalgesia. In an increasingly welfare-conscious society, practices that cause pain are becoming less acceptable to consumers. The Australian sheep industry has been under global scrutiny in recent years, with international boycotting ofAustralian sheep-meat and widespread disgust at an industry that appears cruel to animals. This has led to increased research into methods to decrease the pain and stress of castration and tail-docking procedures.
Introduction
On clinical examination, the ewe had a severely swollen head and was in respiratory distress. Her left eye was completely closed and the right eye was barely partially open; she was effectively blind. Both ears were swollen. The facial swelling encompassed the entire head and neck, and extended down to, and included, the brisket. The swelling was uniformly a ‘pitting oedema’.
Clinical history
Presentation
Penny has worked extensively in private mixed practice, and in animal biosecurity and welfare for both government and organisations.not-for-profit
JUNE 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au ReviewClinical
Day 2 – early morning; front view
She manages a 212 hectare Dorper sheep breeding property in NSW, and is co-Director ofYour Hobby Farm havingfarmershelpingSuccess,hobbyenjoytheirlifestyle,andreapthebenefitsofhealthyandhappyanimals.
Penny Linnett BSc (Zool Hons) BVSc MPhil MANZCVS
The owner checked on her around midnight and reported that she was up on her feet, her face and neck were still veryswollen, but she seemed to be more comfortable.
On a late-autumn afternoon, a concerned owner sent images via SMS, requesting assistance for a ewe he had just found in the paddock with aseverely swollen head. She was on her feet but walking back and forth on the spot. She was by herself and showing no interest in her fellow flock or surroundings. The owner thought that the ewe had limited to no eyesight, and he was confident that the ewe did not have bottlejaw. The owner was hopeful that he could get her onto a trailer and transport her to the yards for assessment and possible treatment; he did not want to have her euthanased without giving her a chance to recover. No other sheep were affected, and it was not known how long the ewe had been unwell.
Background
The ewe was very lethargic and unwilling to stand beyond a few minutes at a time. She preferred to be in sternal recumbency, interspersed with periods of going into lateral recumbency and then righting herself onto her sternum again. Her mucous membrane appearance and colour, and capillary refill time, were within normal limits. The ewe was pyrexic (40.3oC), with normal heart and lung sounds; heart rate and respiratory rate were elevated. There was no obvious evidence on the head of any bite or injury.
Due to the ewe’s deteriorating condition, treatment was started with 5ml Dexason® (dexamethasone; 2mg/ml) I/M and 8ml Benacillin® I/M and 8ml of Niramine® Injection I/M. Differential diagnoses at this stage were: insect (or ant) bite or sting, spider bite, and anaphylaxis / hypersensitivity reaction.
The ewe survived the night. The owner reported that the ewe’s condition had improved but she was still ‘very puffy’ and lethargic. She could see and her breathing was less laboured. She was not eating or drinking. Her owner moved her out of the trailer and into a small pen in the yards. The sawdust in the trailer did not show any evidence of haematuria.
The ewe had been vaccinated with a 6in1 vaccine annually, had been vaccinated with Gudair before 4months of age, and was drenched with a registered anthelminthic periodically according to a strategic drench plan. Her owners also have a few goats, guinea fowl and two horses. The sheep flock does not receive any supplementary feed apart from some sheep pellets to ‘keep the flock coming up each morning’.
Aussie white ewe has an eventful Easter!TheVeterinarian21
Day 1 – the three images sent by the owner showing the ewe standing in the paddock
Day 2 – early morning; right-side view
Day 2 – early morning; close-up view of the ewe’s head and brisket
Due to the ewe’s condition and seeing that she was not stressed being in the trailer, she was not unloaded into a pen in the yards. The ewe was reluctant to stand, preferring to lie on her brisket in the trailer.
The ewe’s condition did not respond to the medication and continued to deteriorate. A further 5ml Dexason® was administered I/V, and after 10 minutes, slight improvement was observed. The swelling around the eyes had marginally decreased and the ewe was definitely a little more comfortable, now sitting on her brisket rather than lying in sternal recumbency and her breathing was more regular.By this time it was dark, so the decision was made to leave the ewe on the trailer overnight, with access to lucerne hay and water, and the owner would check on her during the night. Due to the severity of the ewe’s condition, and response to treatment, the prognosis was very guarded. The owner did not want any follow-up work (e.g. blood tests) done. If the ewe deteriorated at all during the night, she would be euthanased.
During the physical examination the ewe was happy to rest in sternal recumbency. Her vital signs (temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate) were all within normal limits, and she passed some faecal pellets. The facial swelling had decreased to the extent that her nose was now discernible, and her eyes were open. Fluid was accumulating in the brisket area and spreading to the ventral abdomen. She was treated with 5ml Dexason® I/M and 5ml of Frusemide Injection® I/M, and she was drenched with 15ml of QDrench® .The owner would give 1L of electrolytes (Vytrate® diluted according to the product label’s directions) using a drench gun ever y 2-3 hours during the day. The ewe was given a fresh supply of lucerne and water was readily
The ewe is a healthy three-year-old fullblood Australian White and is part of a small breeding Australian White flock. She was joined in 2021, and had uneventfully raised a lamb to weaning. She was not pregnant at the time of presentation.
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The next day (Day 3), the owner reported that the ewe’s condition had again improved but only slightly. She had eaten a small amount ofhayand could stand for 1-2 minutes at a time before returning to sternal recumbency. She was very unsteady when on her feet but moving around the pen a little bit (i.e. each time the owner checked on her she was sitting in a slightly different area or position). Her demeanour was described as ‘being brighter’, and the facial swelling had again reduced somewhat in size and while the fluid was now collecting around her brisket, it did not seem to worry the ewe. As the ewe wasn’t drinking much, if any, water, the owner continued to give her electrolytes via a drench gun during the day.
On Day 4, the facial swelling was definitely subsiding. The ewe was still lethargic and depressed, but she was feeding on a bit of hay and taking the regular electrolytes/water drenching well.
Water was still freely available, but she was reluctant to drink by herself. She was more steady when on her feet and showed more interest in moving around the pen - each time the owner checked on her she was sitting in a different area of the pen.
Given the presenting signs, response to treatment and prolonged recovery,and considering other possible differential diagnoses, it is probably on that the ewe was bitten by a snake on the head; most likely the nose as she would
By late afternoon of Day 3, the swelling had reportedly not changed over the day but the ewe’s condition had not deteriorated. The decision was made to continue monitoring the ewe for another 12 hours and re-assess then.
Day 17 – post-inflammatorydesquamation
Day 4
Over the next week, the ewe’s condition slowly and gradually improved each day, especially from Day 5 onwards. On Day 9, the ewe was well enough to be let out of the pen and into a house paddock where she had shelter, company and could still be checked on regularly. On Day 11, the owners said that she was moving well, was alert and eating pasture like a normal sheep. Most of the facial swelling was gone. She still had a slight tremor at times but even that was getting a little less every day. This tremor could’ve been further support for a definitive snake bite diagnosis.
On Day 17, the ewe was reported to be back to her usual self except for some sloughing of the skin on her head. The rest of her body was fine.
Day 4 – early morning; frontal view – early morning, right side view – resting under a tree and wondering what the camera is doing!
TheVeterinarian 23JUNE 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au ReviewClinical Day 3 – early morning Day 3 – late afternoon
available. The prognosis remained guarded and given the response to treatment and clinical presentation, snake bite was added to the differential diagnosis list. It was late in ‘snake-season’ (i.e. autumn) so the ewe may have received a bite but the amount of venom injected is expected to have been relatively small. The owner declined anti-venom treatment due to the expense.
This was most likely related to the bite and the severe oedema the ewe experienced. It was also possible that this condition was a form of photosensitisation. The owners were advised to monitor her condition. On Day 25, the bare areas of skin were a healthy pink and some areas looked like they were re-growing hair.
Day 11
Discussion
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have been grazing at the time of encountering the snake. The hair/wool covering on the head and the extensive facial oedema by the time the ewe was found by the owner, made the detection of any bite mark, albeit a snake, insect, or spider one, impossible to see. Being in the field and having a patient in severe respiratory distress precluded any attempt to thoroughly inspect the oral cavity or nostrils for evidence to support adefinitiveSnakebitesdiagnosis.areacommon occurrence during the warmer months of the year. Interestingly, most snake bites occur towards the end of the day when snakes tend to be more active. During autumn there are fewer snakes around and those that inflict a bite typically inject less venom per bite than what they would have in springtime when they are first active after the winter hibernation. Snakebite has been reported as a serious problem for livestock all over the world with horses being most sensitive, followed by sheep, cows, goats, dogs (and humans), pigs and cats.
Clinical signs of snake bite in sheep include muscle tremors, laboured breathing, dilated pupils, and paralysis. Not every animal that is bitten by a snake will show any or all expected clinical signs. Sheep usually die within 24 hours of being bitten but, depending on the amount of venom injected, may die hours or days after receiving medical care, due to deterioration of the clinical signs. Some may recover with only supportive care. The lengthy duration of recovery for the ewe in this case, supports the notion that she had received a snake bite.
Cattle that have been bitten often show signs of a “goose stepping” type of leg action.
The post-inflammatory desquamation reported onDay 17, was an expected event in response to the severe facial oedema and also, possibly due, at least in part, to the effect of the snake venom on the liver. This desquamation is the normal ‘peeling off’ pattern seen after an area of inflamed, swollen and red skin - caused by any multitude of reasons - has subsided. As the excessive facial oedema in the ewe subsided, her skin would’ve been prone to peel as part of the healing processes. Complications could have included bacterial infections and if the area had been sufficiently large, possibly dehydration.
Selected references
The most common species of snake inhabiting the ewe’s local area are: the common (eastern) brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis), the red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)and the tiger snake (Notechis scutatus). Eastern brown andtiger snakes are very aggressive and venomous, especially when they think they are trapped and have no avenue of escape.
bites-management-treatment-in-livestock/https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/snake-SnakeBites.aspxhttps://www.localvet.com.au/KilcoyVetPractice/farming-for-tomorrow/treating-snake-bites/https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-technology/season-2014/5782394programs/archived/bushtelegraph/snake-https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/
Snake bites typically occur on the head, face, and muzzle area while the animal is grazing, and are far more serious than bites on the legs. Abite on the leg is usually not as dangerous as abite on the face as the resultant facial swelling, say from a bite on the nose, can shut off the respiratory passages and as a result, the animal will suffocate. A bite on the leg will usually develop into a swollen leg; the biggest problem here is infection in the tissues. The proteolytic enzymes in the venom (i.e. phosphatidase, cholinesterase and neurotoxin) are responsible for local changes in permeability leading to oedema, blistering, bruising and local necrosis.
If the animal has been bitten in the nostrils or muzzle, these areas will swell, making it difficult for the animal to breathe. It may be necessary to pass a piece of clean tubing into the nostrils to maintain an open airway. The animal should be kept calm, as an increased heart rate will spread venom through the body much more rapidly; don’t walk the animal unnecessarily.
The only proven treatment for snake bites is snake venom antiserum but this needs to be
infused in the first few hours post snake-bite, and they are expensive and multiple vials would be needed for a large animal such as a cow. Antibiotics are recommended as there are bacteria in the snake’s mouth, and bacteria that proliferate in damaged, dying tissue. Most common antibiotics will work to prevent and combat these infections; penicillin, oxytetracycline, ampicillin or any other broad-spectrum antibiotic are suitable. Some animals develop a fever and/or septicaemia from the infection, and antibiotics can help prevent these problems. Immediate treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. dexamethasone phosphate at 0.5 mg/kg I/M or I/V) to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling can make a big difference. Tetanus toxoid S/C is also recommended. Affected animals should be kept under close observation and monitoring.
According to the published literature, when a sheep is bitten by a poisonous snake, the animal will experience difficulty swallowing, the tongue will protrude limply from the mouth and the animal will dribble saliva. This may be followed by the expulsion of the stomach contents through the nostrils and the sheep lying down, unable to move. Death can occur as a result of respiratory failure, or the animal could drown in its own saliva. Other factors that influence the outcome include the amount of venom injected; the size of both the animal and the snake; and the age and health of the animal. Many snake bites in livestock are thought to be “dry bites”, where no venom is injected. Clearly, the ewe in this case did not receive a “dry bite”.
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Asher, L., Diesel, G., Summers, J.F., McGreevy, P.D., Collins, L.M., (2009) Inherited defects in pedigree dogs. Part1: Disorders related to breed standards. The Veterinary Journal 182, 402-411.
■ TEGAN BOYD
Issues relating to the health and welfare of pedigree dogs have been expressed for nearly 50 years (Hodgeman, 1963). Companion dogs were once selected for their ability to perform in a working environment. However, the dogs of today are selected for aesthetic qualities set out inwritten breed standards (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). Many individuals within these select breed lines suffer compromised welfare either directly orindirectly due to selective breeding and reduced genetic variability (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). In order to progress towards individuals with ahealthier future and improve the welfare of pedigree dogs, scientific evidence linking breed standards to clinically observed disorders needs to be gathered to give definitive proof that certain standards should be changed, and some breeding practices abolished (Nicholas et al., 2010).
Crispin, S. (2011) Tackling the welfareissues of dog breeding. VeterinaryRecord,January15. Hodgeman, S.F.J. (1963) Abnormalities and Defects in Pedigree Dogs –An Investigation into the Existence of Abnormalities in Pedigree Dogs in the British Isles. Journal of Small Animal Practice 4, 447-456. Nicholas, F.W., Wade, C.M., Williamson, P., (2010) Disorders in Pedigree Dogs: Assembling the evidence. The VeterinaryJournal 183, 8-9.
Discussion
Summers, J.F., Diesel, G., Asher.L., McGreevy.P.D., Collins, L.M., (2010)
In conclusion, there is no simple, single-step solution to the problems faced by pedigree dogs, and it is only through a combination of efforts by many parties that the evidence can be gathered and changes enforced to address their suffering. While physical attributes remain the focus of breeding standards, the health and welfare of dogs will remain open to abuse. The first steps of forming an independent Council and genetic disease database have begun. However, perseverance will be needed to ensure that all problems are adequately addressed.
Rooney,N.J., Sargan, D.R., (2010) Welfareconcerns associated with pedigree dog breeding in the UK. Animal Welfare 19, 133-140.
Breed standards are a set of written ideals open to individual interpretation, formulated through input from the Kennel Club and breeder clubs (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). Breeders also work from within a closed studbook, which prevents entry of new genes into the population (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). Many breeds have originated from only a few individuals, with inbreeding and "line breeding" being used to fix traits within the breed (Summers et al., 2010). There is also a tendency to breed from only those individuals displaying the best example of the breed traits, further limiting the genetic variability of offspring produced (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). This has resulted in several breeds having a very limited gene pool, predisposing these dogs to genetic disorders (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). These health issues are categorised as either directly related to the conformation being sought through the breed standards, or indirectly as genetic disorders arising more frequently due to the limited genetics of the populations (Rooney & Sargan, 2010).
There also exist problems with selecting dogs for breeding: while some breeders are dedicated to improving the breed to the best of their knowledge, there are also commercial breeders who breed only for profit, without care for the welfare of their stock (Crispin, 2011).
This essay is one of a number selected for The Veterinarian magazine Prize for Written Communication for Sydney University third-year veterinary science students.
In order to improve on the health and welfare of pedigree dogs, acollaborative effort in the UK between the newly formed Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding, breeders, veterinarians and others involved, such as the Kennel Club, needs to be undertaken with better welfare for pedigree dogs as the main aim. The first report of the newly formed Council, headed by Sheila Crispin (2011), has several recommendations for improving dog welfare.
Another key step towards healthier pedigree dogs is to persuade judges and breeders to prioritise the health of animals over adherence to breed standards (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). Although only a small percentage of pedigree dogs are shown, there is a strong tendency for successful show dogs to be used widely at stud, which greatly limits the genetics of the breed (Summers et al., 2010). Ensuring that the public is aware of issues is also important, as this will increase the selection pressure for healthier puppies from both registered and commercial breeders, resulting in dogs that are less prone to genetic disorders and have an improved quality of life (Crispin, 2011).
Conclusion
Pedigree dogs: welfare concerns and the way forward
In order also to improve the genetic variability within breeds, registering bodies such as the Kennel Club need to take an active role in changing the conditions surrounding the registration of animals (Crispin, 2011). By no longer allowing closely related animals to be bred, and opening the studbooks to allow new animals to be bred from, there would be a greater genetic potential within breed populations (Rooney &Sargan, 2010). As the reduced genetics of a breed predispose it to genetic diseases, increasing the genetic variability is a means of decreasing the prevalence of a disease within the population, improving the health and welfare of future animals involved.
The role of veterinarians in improving pedigree dog welfare is crucial. Through the implementation and use of a recording database on inherited disorders, veterinarians can assist in notifying breeder societies and animal welfare groups of the problems observed in an unbiased way
References
Inherited defects in pedigree dogs. Part2: Disorders that arenot related to breed standards. The Veterinary Journal 183, 39-45.
ESSAY TheVeterinarian 27JUNE 2022www.theveterinarian.com.au
(Crispin, 2011). Once this scientific evidence has been assembled true correlations between breed standards and health problems can be made (Summers et al., 2010) and direct action can begin. Further, this process must remain active in the long term, in order to prevent these problems from recurring within breeds or new inherited disorders being introduced into a breed (Crispin, 2011).
Introduction
There is evidence that a large number of disorders are present within pedigree dog breeds. Of the 50 most popular breeds in the United Kingdom, all have been demonstrated, by the review of literature, to have a physical conformation that predisposes them to a disorder (Asher et al., 2009). Further, within these same breeds there are almost 400 inherited disorders that are not linked to the breed standards but rather have appeared due to the limited nature of the pedigree dog genomes (Summers et al., 2010). The Generic Illness Severity Index for Dogs (GISID) allows for the severity of disorders to be considered for their impact on health and wellness of an individual animal, allowing a comparison of the severity of different disorders to be made (Asher et al., 2009). By increasing the quality and quantity of information available to be analysed via GISID, priorities can be determined for which genetic disorders need to be targeted for removal from populations.
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The theme running through this article series is agility,so let’slook at what tactics can be employed to generate agility via the management of your goods and services. The elasticity of prices will ultimately determine how agile you should be for the market. Most fast-moving consumer goods prices may be seen as elastic. This is because there are a number of substitutes and often a reasonable supply line. However, the impact to suppliers during the pandemic, has made us veryaware that even basics such as toilet paper – can easily become a scarce commodity. Specialized goods such as medications or medical
TheVeterinarian 29JUNE 2022■ www.theveterinarian.com.au BUSINESS
References
Part three of this series on business agility focuses on your suppliers. As with the first and second articles (Your Clients, and Your Industry), the external force of your suppliers is important to understand. In addition to the obvious fiscal benefits, managing your supplier relationships effectively can have significant strategic benefits to your business, and may also be an influential point of difference for your business.
Business Agility Part 3: Your Suppliers
It is impossible to cover all aspects of this topic within these few pages. For more information you may wish to reference sources located at the end of the article or contact Gray Counsel directly for specific consultation.
If your cost of goods ratio to revenue is below your industrystandard, you could be selling at the consumers minimum willingness to pay (WTP), and you may be selling items at a loss. However, if you are selling your products at the maximum WTP amount, you are likely to have a high profit ratio for
Supplier type and their relationship to your business
■ Strategic approaches to managing the supply of goods and services
equipment is far less elastic, as there are often few to no substitutes and the supply is often limited (e.g., prescriptions required).
Most service industries will have suppliers for goods sold or consumed, and suppliers for services provided. Understanding how these two impact your business fiscally, strategically, and culturally is essential in maintain an agile business model. Theories and economic nomenclature aside, it is a basic and core business strategy to understand your current supply/demand position, and project and plan for future market scenarios. Let us first look at supply of goods sold…
In a previous article we discussed demand and supply, and the theories Willingness To Pay (WTP), Willingness To Accept (WTA), and market equilibrium (Supply & Demand, 2021). Appreciating the current volatile nature of our economy, and in recognition that market equilibrium is a theoretical construct, there is little point in delving too deeply into how to achieve perfection within the market. However, we can discuss what tactics can be employed to effectively leverage your supplier relationships and yield the best outcome for your clients and business. To break this down into digestible chunks, we will cover the following in this article:
■ Supplier type and their relationship to your business
that item. While this may be beneficial in the short term, a high selling cost could price you out of the market and provide your competitors with opportunities to capture market share. Balancing the perceived value ofaproduct in relation to its price point is an economic rabbit hole that we won’t have time to dive down. However, you can find out more information by looking at articles specific to Perceived Value Pricing, and Value Theory. The cost for services provided is often one of the biggest investments a business makes. Within the Veterinary industry, our primary service costs relate to wages for permanent staff and subcontractors. Wages are an investment in people, and the complete cost will often include continuing education allowances, bonuses, social events, and internal training and education. In the current market, most businesses are finding wages and locum costs are being dictated by
Strategic approaches to managing the supply of goods and services
Toremain agile in the current market, there are a few things you can do in managing your supply of goods. Firstly, ensure your prices reflect not only market value – but also reflect the level elasticity for that item. As an example, you may pay a higher price for a specific over the counter medication which can be bought at a local pet store at a far cheaper price. If this is the case, there is no reason to inflate the price above market value, but rather consider discontinuing the line or stocking less of the product. In this instance you may wish to invest more into prescription drugs that only a registered professional can dispense. By specializing in the products you sell, you allow your business greater opportunity to adapt to market demand.
Similarly, you can achieve business agility byspecializing in the services you provide. This may seem counterintuitive; however, aunique service offering will garner greater demand than a generic service. Put simply, this is your point of difference and is an essential part of ensuring your business remains relevant and desirable for the long term. However, to provide this specialized service you will need a team that can deliver this. This could be a team of registered specialists, or it could be a team dedicated to a special interest area. It may also be as simple, as a dedicated customer service team who care for your clients and patients. Whatever your point of difference, the team you invest in should deliver on this, and also reflect the core values of your business. How to recruit such a team is another topic altogether.Knowledge of suppliers and market, and having the strategies to manage them are fundamental pillars to the success of any business. This is even more crucial in today’s tumultuous economic climate. However, remember that any strategy or tactic should always link back to the overarching business plan, and should reflect the mission of your business and its core values.
Supplier types vary greatly and are often unique to each industry and business type. For the purpose of this article, we will discuss two key suppliers for any service industry –suppliers of goods, and suppliers of services.
Sloman, J., Norris, K., & Garratt, D. (2014). Principles of economics (4th ed.). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Australia.
the individual. This ultimately comes back to market equilibrium (as we discussed in a previous article), whereby the demand for services outweighs our ability to supply. As such wage costs are increasing across many industries, and for the Veterinary industry it is certainly time that our teams receive the reward and recognition they deserve. It is also essential that wage costs are managed in line with the overall business plan, and that your business can sustain the wages you currently have and predict to have in the future.
in leadership roles within universities, corporate human health care, and media industries in addition to my work in the veterinary field. I have an MBA (research) and am on my way to commencing a PhD next year in veterinarybusiness and not-forprofit industry. When I’m not working my day job, I also support small business through my consulting firm Gray Counsel. Email me at info@graycounsel.com
Michelle Gray My journey into the Now,manywithindustrybeganveterinarynursing.yearslater,Iamprivi-legedtoleadmultidisciplinaryteamsacrossAustralia.Ihaveworked
Iwon’t waste your time covering the basics that you already know about dealing with sales reps and haggling prices. Rather, let’s look at the bigger Understandingpicture!the fiscal implication for goods supplied allows you to plan for the eventual return on investment you will receive from that good. Further to that, strategically assessing how each supplier can help you achieve that is paramount. Start with understanding the goal – what is your expected cost of goods ratio to revenue? This will vary depending on industry but is often less than the cost of services supplied (e.g., cost of wages), and should always be established from the profit and loss plan for your business. Iwon’t bore you with the semantics of P&L, but this can be unpacked further by reaching out to me directly.
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The not-for-profit works on rehoming deaf and otherwise impaired dogs, and also provides support and information to those who already own deaf dogs or are considering adopting one.
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From page 14 KoRV-A sequence a negative predictor of overall disease probability after the effect of KoRV load was accounted for.Further,koalas that were positive for KoRV-D or KoRVD/F were more likely to have urogenital C. pecorum infection or low body condition score, respectively, irrespective of KoRV load. By contrast, our findings do not support previous findings that KoRV-B in particular is associated with Chlamydial disease. Based on these findings we suggest that koala research and conservation programs should target understanding what drives individual differences in KoRV load and limiting exogenous subtype diversity within popula tions, rather than seeking to eliminate any particular subtype.
been impacted by this in the last 12 months (47.3 per cent vs 27 per cent).
“It is extremely important that we continue to formulate the overarching industry frameworks and guidelines that will protect the wellbeing of veterinary practitioners,” Vale said. “However, we cannot do this alone, we need the support of the whole profession and Government to help us to effectively care for the people in our profession.”
From page 14
12047681.Human-Animal Relations Group, Section Animals in Science and Society, and Animal Behaviour Clinic, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Shortage of rural veterinarians reaches crisis point
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Women, students, veterinary nurses and 25 to 29-year-olds were most likely to rate their mental health as poor or very poor.
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The AVA’s Veterinary Wellness Strategy/summary of research findings can be found atava.com.au.
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Co-author Shai Meiri from the Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology, and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, said it was important to note that the additional reptile species identified as threatened by the study’s models were not distributed randomly across the globe or the reptilian evolutionary tree.
3The University of Queensland, Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology,St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
Nienke Endenburg1,Shane Ryan 2,Hein A van Lith34 JAppl Anim Welf Sci.2022 May 3; 1-48.doi: 10.1080/10888705.2022.
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Vets on Eyre is currently the only veterinary practice servicing a 170,500 square kilometre area –another local clinic temporarily closed due to COVID-19 – and the practice regularly makes 1000km round trips to provide regular care
“We don't need another vet clinic as such, we need more vets that want to work in the country,” Wiseman said.“It is pretty sad. There area lot of people with animals out there in remote and rural areas that don't have immediate access to veterinary care.”
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Women were far more likely to have experienced a mental health condition (72.1 per cent vs 53 per cent of men) and were more likely to have
More reptiles at greater risk of extinction
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Advanced tools such as those we’ve employed here, together with accumulating data, could greatly cut the time and cost needed to assess extinction risk, and thus pave the way for more informed conservation decision making,” he said.
3Laboratory Animal Science Group, Section Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The 4Netherlands.UMCUtrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
The issue of veterinary mental health has attracted mainstream media attention, with The Sydney Morning Herald highlighting the AVA study alongside a smaller study bypsychologist Nadine Hamilton, and 2020 research into professional suicide rates conducted by Monash University.
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conservation attention,” he said.
“Our added information highlights there are more reptile species in peril – especially in Australia, Madagascar, and the Amazon Basin – all of which have a high diversity of reptiles and should betargeted for extra conservation effort. Moreover, species-rich groups, such as geckos and elapids, that include cobras, mambas, coral snakes, and others for example, are probably more threatened than the Global Reptile Assessment currently highlights. These groups should also be the focus of more
“Our world is facing a biodiversity crisis, and severe man-made changes to ecosystems and species, yet funds allocated for conservation are verylimited. It’skey we use these limited funds where they could provide the most benefits.
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Co-author Uri Roll, from BenGurion University’s Conservation Biology & Biodiversity Laboratory agreed the research could be important in helping global efforts prioritise those at-risk species.
From page 1 Coffill is secretary and Canberra area coordinator of Hear No Evil –Australian Deaf Dog Rescue.
Michaela D J Blyton1,Michael Pyne 2,Paul Young1,Keith Chappell13 PLoS Pathog.2022 May 19;18(5): e1010513.doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat. 11010513.TheUniversity of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Queensland, 2Australia.Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and Foundation, Currumbin, Queensland, Australia.
From page 3 practice manager Lisa Wiseman told the ABC.
Hear No Evil offers basic training to the animals in their care and gives ongoing support to adopting families in forever homes.
“Automated assessment reveals that the extinction risk of reptiles is widely underestimated across space and phylogeny” is available at journal.pbio.3001544org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journals.plos. LAYTON-BENNETT
Abstracts - companion animal practitionersveterinary
The association also recently developed a policy which outlines the value of taking action to moderate demands linked to work stress.
The study found that those regions and taxa identified as likely to be more threatened should be given increased attention in new assessments and conservation planning.
Fighting stress to help vets thrive
■ ANNE
A total of 66.7 per cent of veterinary respondents to the AVA research said they had experienced a mental health condition at some stage (compared to 61.8 per cent nationally), and of those 60 per cent said their condition had been diagnosed by a medical professional.
From page 1 and wellness roundtable.
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to remote areas.
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Abstracts - koalas
veterinarians get information on animal welfare mainly from the internet and veterinary conferences/meetings and thought that their clients obtained animal welfare information from various sources. The findings show that there is a need to improve education on animal welfare in veterinary curricula and the provision of relevant continuing education, so that companion animal practitioners can keep abreast of developments and societal expectations.
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From page 5
Alsoknownasthecommon bluebottle,thisspeciesof swallowtailbutterflyisfound inSouthandSoutheastAsia, aswellasEasternAustralia. Thereareapproximately 16subspecieswithdiffering geographicaldistributions. Australianversionshave adaptedtoexistinadrier subtropicalenvironment, andmaybeseeninsuburban gardensinQueensland andNewSouthWales.
CREATURE
Feature Bluetriangle butterfly ( Graphiumsarpedon )
PictureLaitche
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