Policies for the vaccination of cats and dogs in New Zealand veterinary practices

AIMS: To determine current practices and attitudes towards vaccination of dogs and cats of veterinarians in New Zealand; the methods used for informing clients on which vaccines to use, and the preferred site for vaccination of cats.

METHODS: A postal questionnaire was sent to all 483 listed veterinary practices in New Zealand during February 2012. Some questions were specific to pet dogs, cats, or working farm dogs. Responses were categorised according to practice type and geographical region of the respondent. Factors associated with respondent recommendation of annual vaccination with modified live viral (MLV) vaccines were examined using logistic regression analysis. Vaccines that were considered to be essential for every animal were defined as core; those that may be recommended for animals whose location or lifestyle placed them at risk, were defined as non-core.

RESULTS: There were 204 useable returns, equivalent to a response rate of 42.2%, distributed across the country. Annual vaccination with MLV vaccines of dogs was recommended by 54/198 (27.3%) respondents, and of cats by 107/181 (59.1%) respondents. Factors associated with the recommendation of annual administration of MLV vaccines to dogs included being a companion animal practice, a desire for policies on vaccination to be left to individual clinics, and having one veterinarian in the practice. Administration of the final vaccination for puppies was recommended at ≥14 weeks old by 55/185 (29.7%) respondents, and for kittens at ≥13 weeks old by 42/183 (23%) respondents. Of respondents that administered MLV vaccines annually, 62/103 (60.2%) believed reducing the frequency of vaccination would reduce income, and 52/103 (50.5%) considered it would have a negative effect on animal health. Advice to enable clients to decide which non-core vaccines were administered was given by 181/199 (91%) respondents. Factors considered when recommending a vaccine included consideration of risk to individual patients (190/203; 93.6%), requirements of boarding kennels/catteries (165/203; 81.3%) and clinic vaccination policy (142/203; 70%). The preferred site for administering MLV vaccines to cats was the dorsal neck or inter-scapular region (137/198; 69.2%). Amongst respondents, 18 wanted disease surveillance information to allow for truly informed decisions to be made about vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinarians can now compare their own vaccination practices and attitudes with those of veterinarians nationally, and internationally. There is a need for national surveillance information and for continued education of the public and commercial kennel and cattery owners for optimal vaccination strategies to be developed.     

Genetic analysis of absolute growth measurements, relative growth rate and restricted selection indices in red Angus cattle

Performance records on 41,184 Red Angus cattle were analyzed and estimates of parameters calculated for absolute growth rate, relative growth rate and restricted selection indices. Heritability estimates for birth weight, 205-d weight, 365-d weight and postweaning gain were .46 +/- .02, .39 +/- .02, .40 +/- .02 and .36 +/- .02, respectively. Heritability estimates for preweaning, postweaning and postnatal relative growth rates were identical (.33 +/- .02). Heritability estimates for restricted selection indices were .31 +/- .02, .33 +/- .02 and .31 +/- .02 for weaning index, yearling index and postweaning index, respectively. The genetic correlation between preweaning and postweaning absolute growth rate was .15. The genetic correlation between consecutive measurements of relative growth rate (RGR) was -.33. Genetic correlations of birth weight with preweaning RGR and postnatal RGR were -.68 and -.71, respectively. Correlations among measures of relative growth rate using simulated data were similar to correlations of actual data, indicating that these relationships are the result of numerator/denominator relationships and not biological causes. The genetic correlation between weaning and postweaning indices was near zero. Small genetic coefficients of variation for preweaning and postnatal relative growth rates indicate further problems with the expression of growth in this manner. Restricted selection indices exhibited much larger genetic coefficients of variation than measurements of RGR. Genetic standard deviations were 7.8%, 7.2% and 13.7% of the means for weaning, yearling and postweaning indices, respectively.     

Heterogeneous atmospheric reactions: sulfuric Acid aerosols as tropospheric sinks

The collisional reaction probabilities of several atmospheric species on bulk sulfuric acid surfaces indicate that heterogeneous processes may be important in tropospheric chemistry.     

Mutation to herbicide resistance maps within the psbA gene of Anacystis nidulans R2

A psbA gene encoding the target of photosystem II herbicide inhibition, the 32,000-dalton thylakoid membrane protein, has been cloned from a mutant of Anacystis nidulans R2, which is resistant to 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea-(diuron). A cloned DNA fragment from within the coding region of this gene transforms wild-type cells to herbicide resistance, proving that mutation within psbA is responsible for that phenotype. The mutation consists of a single nucleotide change that replaces serine at position 264 of the wild-type protein with alanine in that of the diuron-resistant mutant.     

Sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants: their effect on air quality

A modeling study of atmospheric diffusion indicates that emission from power plants contributed only a modest percentage of the yearly average concentration of sulfur dioxide at ground level in the most polluted areas of Cook County, Illinois, during 1968.     

Subnanometer-Diameter Wires Isolated in a Polymer Matrix by Fast Polymerization

The preparation and analysis of inorganic-organic polymer nanocomposites consisting of inorganic nanowires and multiwire "cables" in a random-coil organic polymer host is reported. Dissolution of inorganic (LiMo3Se3)n wires in a strongly coordinating monomer, vinylene carbonate, and the use of a rapid polymerization in the presence of a cross-linking agent produce nanocomposites without phase separation. Polymerization of dilute solutions yields a material containing mostly (Mo3Se3(-))n mono- and biwires, 6 to 20 angstroms in diameter and 50 to 100 nanometers long. Polymerization of more concentrated liquid crystalline solutions yields a nanocomposite containing oriented multiwire cables, 20 to 40 angstroms in diameter and up to 1500 nanometers long, that display optical anisotropy and electrical conductivity.     

Use of sodium monoiodoacetate to fuse the distal hock joints in horses

SUMMARY Intra-articular injection of sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA) was investigated as an agent for chemical arthrodesis of the distal hock joints in the horse. Five horses diagnosed with either spavin (three horses), a small tarsal bone fracture or a failed surgical arthrodesis, had 150 mg of MIA injected into the tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint of the affected hock(s). Eight joints were treated in the five horses. Follow-up evaluation by clinical and radiological examination took place over 9 to 14 months. Two of the five horses were sound at the conclusion of the study and one horse, although lame after flexion, was considered by the owner to have been treated successfully. One of eight TMT joints showed complete radiographic fusion. Complications after treatment included pain, chronic lameness and swelling. It was concluded that chemical arthrodesis using this technique can not be recommended as being a superior treatment as compared with surgical arthrodesis at this time but is deserving of further clinical evaluation.