BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Textbook of Veterinary Diagnostic Radiology. Donald E. Thrall.
Handbook of Veterinary Procedures and Emergency Treatment. Robert W. Kirk and Stephen I. Bistner.
Vertinary Trauma and Critical Care. I. M. Zaslow, editor.
Vertinary Clinical Pathology. 4th edition, E.H. Coles, DVM, MS, Ph.D.
Vertinary Laboratory Medicine - Clinical Pathology. 2nd Edition. J. Robert Duncan, DVM, PhD and Keith W. Prasse, DVM, PhD.
Current Vertinary Therapy IX. R.W. Kirk, editor.
Canine and Feline Gastroenterology. Brent D. Jones, editor and Williams D. Liska, associate editor.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
Avian Surgical Anatomy: Thoracic and Pelvic Limbs Edited by Susan E. Orosz, Philip K. Hensley, and Carol J. Haynes
Animal Pain Edited by Charles E. Short, DVM, MS, and Alan Van Poznak, MD     

Epidemiology, public health and preventive medicine in veterinary medical education in Canada and the United States

A survey was conducted of teachers, faculty positions, curricula, and administrative structure of epidemiology, public health and preventive medicine in the professional curricula of 28 veterinary schools in Canada and the United States. All or nearly all schools allocated core curricular time to courses in epidemiology, public health, food, safety, and preventive medicine. Fewer schools allocated time to regulatory medicine (79%), economics (75%), biometry (61%) and environmental protection (54%). Of the 148 surveyed teachers of these disciplines, 92% had the DVM or equivalent degree, and 52% had both DVM and Ph.D. degree.

In the period 1987–1989, 33 faculty positions related to epidemiology and preventive medicine were filled, and in mid-1989 there were 41 vacant or anticipated positions. Of the 41 vacant or anticipated positions, the DVM (or equivalent) degree was required in 85%, and the DVM and Ph.D. degrees were required in 61%. Analytic epidemiology (quantitative methodology) and livestock/herd health management were the most common areas of emphasis required in the vacant or anticipated positions.     

Comparison of the clinical efficacy of two commercial fatty acid supplements (EfaVet and DVM Derm Caps), evening primrose oil, and cold water marine fish oil in the management of allergic pruritus in dogs: a double-blinded study.

Twenty dogs with atopy or idiopathic pruritus were treated in a double-blinded clinical trial with computer-randomized and computer-generated sequences of 4 fatty acid-containing products: evening primrose oil, cold water marine fish oil, DVM Derm Caps, and EfaVet. Each dog received each product for a 2-week period. Five of 20 dogs (25%) had a good-to-excellent reduction in their level of pruritus with at least 1 of the products: evening primrose oil (2 dogs), DVM Derm Caps (1), EfaVet (1), DVM Derm Caps and cold water marine fish oil (1). Only 1 dog experienced a side effect (loose stools). Clinical response to fatty acid supplements appeared to be quite individualized, and independent of age, breed, sex, weight, duration of disease, specific diagnosis, or number of positive intradermal test reactions.     

Survey results of an interdisciplinary animal physical rehabilitation course for physical therapy and veterinary students

Elon College and North Carolina State University co-organized an animal rehabilitation elective course given to 12 MPT and 12 DVM students and conducted a post-course survey of the participants. Changes in perceptions of the field of animal rehabilitation, in perceived practice patterns, in the DVM students' perception of the field of PT, and in knowledge of animal rehabilitation were present for 84-100% of students who answered the survey.     

The dual DVM/MPH degree at the University of Wisconsin--Madison: a uniquely interdisciplinary collaboration

The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) launched a new Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program in 2005. This 42-credit MPH degree consists of 18 core and 14 elective course credits, two seminar credits, and eight field project/culminating experience credits. Unique strengths of the program include its strongly interdisciplinary philosophy, encompassing both health science (human medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, nursing) and social science units on campus, and its emphasis on service learning through instructional and field project ties to the public-health community of the state and beyond. To date, the program has admitted 87 students, including full-time students as well as part-time students who continue to work in the health care and/or public-health sectors. The program is currently proceeding with the process for accreditation through the Council for Education in Public Health. In 2007, a formal dual DVM/MPH program was approved to allow students to integrate DVM and MPH training and complete both degrees in a total of five years. Nine MPH students over the first three years of admissions have been individuals affiliated with veterinary medicine (five DVM students and four post-graduate veterinarians).     

Radiology as a tool for teaching veterinary anatomy

Instructors at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) have a long-standing commitment to the use of radiographic films in teaching introductory anatomy in the DVM program. The imaging component of the course has evolved from being heavily instructor-dependent, with small group teaching in each laboratory session, to being almost self-taught. The manner in which recognition of structures in radiographic images is examined has also changed. In 2001 a novel examination process was introduced. Here we report the approach to the teaching and examining of anatomy by use of radiographic images implemented for phase 1 of the new DVM curriculum at the University of Guelph.     

Nonsteroidal management of canine pruritus: chlorpheniramine and a fatty acid supplement (DVM Derm Caps) in combination, and the fatty acid supplement at twice the manufacturer's recommended dosage

Forty-three dogs having pruritus associated with atopy, flea bite hypersensitivity, and idiopathy were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment protocols. Twenty-three dogs received chlorpheniramine in combination with a fatty acid supplement (DVM Derm Caps). Twenty dogs received the fatty acid supplement at twice the manufacturer's recommended dosage. All 43 dogs were known to be unresponsive to chlorpheniramine and the manufacturer's recommended dosage of the fatty acid supplement when either drug was used alone. Pruritus was satisfactorily controlled in 34.8% of the dogs in the chlorpheniramine--DVM Derm Caps protocol. No dog in the double DVM Derm Caps protocol showed a beneficial response. Side effects were uncommon and mild with either protocol.     

Public-health instruction necessary to supplement the veterinary professional curriculum: the DVM/MPH coordinated-degree program at Auburn University

To meet long-term needs, many veterinary colleges and schools are participating in dual-degree DVM/MPH programs. Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have developed a coordinated-degree curriculum in which the DVM and the MPH are not necessarily awarded simultaneously. Other opportunities at Auburn include Public Health Careers Day, trips to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several elective courses related to veterinary epidemiology, and online access to the Emerging and Exotic Diseases of Animals course available from the Veterinary Information Network. We have been able to increase our students' exposure to the role of the veterinarian in public health and to develop a program to augment their training in public practice.     

Book Review

Small Animal Orthopedics Illustrated: Surgical Approaches and Procedures By Alan J. Lipowitz, Dennis D. Caywood, Charles D. Newton, and Martin E. Finch
Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians Dennis M. McCurnin, DVM, DipACVS     

Joint degree programs in public health

Public health and veterinary medicine share a focus on population health and primary prevention, along with a commitment to preparedness, response, and recovery in the event of disease outbreaks. Public-health and veterinary professional degree programs share commonalities in their educational accreditation requirements related to epidemiology and public-health practice. The initiation of a number of joint professional degree programs over the last five years, including the joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health (DVM/MPH), represents an exciting development for inter-professional education for veterinarians interested in public health. Various models for joint DVM/MPH educational programs are discussed, including pre-veterinary public-health credentialing, integrated programs, and post-DVM executive programs. Collaborations between colleges of veterinary medicine and schools of public health show great promise in both educational and research innovation.     

Public health education at Michigan State University

Many reports have highlighted the need for the veterinary profession to fill critical shortages of veterinarians in public health and food safety. Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine offers educational programs within the professional veterinary curriculum, as well as graduate degree programs, to meet these societal needs. Within the scope of the professional veterinary curriculum, educational opportunities in public health include clerkships in veterinary public health and an innovative Web-based curriculum on judicious use of antimicrobials. For graduate degree programs, Michigan State University has a memorandum of understanding with the University of Minnesota for the Master of Public Health degree and an innovative Online Professional Master of Science in Food Safety degree program. A new option available is the opportunity for veterinary students to pursue the Master of Science in Food Safety concurrently with the DVM (DVM/MS in Food Safety). These educational programs will prepare graduates to meet societal needs in public health and food safety.     

Perceptions of the human-animal bond in veterinary education of veterinarians in Washington State: structured versus experiential learning

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: The purpose of this research was to describe Washington private practitioners' beliefs about how the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) should be addressed in DVM curricula and continuing education. METHODOLOGY: 1,602 Washington veterinarians in private practice were asked to participate in an online survey that addressed the importance of HAB and of DVM/post-DVM HAB education. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The response rate was 25.9% (415/1,602). Eighty-one percent (334/412) of respondents indicated that the HAB was important to their decisions to become veterinarians. The HAB was more important to the most recent graduates than to earliest graduates and to females than to males. Forty-four percent (184/415) of respondents considered mentoring to be the best way to learn about the HAB while in veterinary school. Of the 40% (165/415) of respondents who indicated that their veterinary schools offered structured learning on the HAB, 89% (145/163) said they had participated in it. Seven percent (29/415) indicated that entry-level veterinarians were very prepared to identify and facilitate the HAB, while 54% (224/415) said that they were somewhat prepared. Only 32% (131/415) had participated in any HAB structured learning since having started practicing, and the earliest graduates were twice as likely to have participated as the most recent graduates. More than half (55%, 223/407) disagreed or strongly disagreed that post-DVM, the best way to learn about the HAB is through structured learning. However, 83% (342/414) agreed that continuing-education credits should be given for HAB classes. Eighty-six percent (358/414) supported additional HAB research. Ninety-seven percent (402/414) agreed that the best way to learn about the HAB is through experience. These results suggest that veterinarians do not value HAB structured learning as much as experiential learning and that they are not very confident in recent graduates' abilities regarding the HAB. We propose HAB structured learning in the first three years of DVM education, complemented by the incorporation of the HAB into clinical rotations and post-DVM continuing education.     

Assessment of first-year veterinary students' clinical skills using objective structured clinical examinations

The DVM program at the University of Calgary offers a Clinical Skills course each year for the first three years. The course is designed to teach students the procedural skills required for entry-level general veterinary practice. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) were used to assess students' performance on these procedural skills. A series of three OSCEs were developed for the first year. Content was determined by an exam blueprint, exam scoring sheets were created, rater training was provided, a mock OSCE was performed with faculty and staff, and the criterion-referencing Ebel method was used to set cut scores for each station using two content experts. Each station and the overall exam were graded as pass or fail. Thirty first-year DVM students were assessed. Content validity was ensured by the exam blueprint and expert review. Reliability (coefficient α) of the stations from the three OSCE exams ranged from 0.0 to 0.71. The three exam reliabilities (Generalizability Theory) were, for OSCE 1, G=0.56; OSCE 2, G=0.37; and OSCE 3, G=0.32. Preliminary analysis has suggested that the OSCEs demonstrate face and content validity, and certain stations demonstrated adequate reliability. Overall exam reliability was low, which reflects issues with first-time exam delivery. Because this year was the first that this course was taught and this exam format was used, work continues in the program on the teaching of the procedural skills and the development and revision of OSCE stations and scoring checklists.     

The cooperative University of Iowa / Iowa State University MPH program

Public health is an important component of veterinary medicine. In the last 10 years, there has been growing recognition of the need to increase the number of veterinarians trained in public health. The Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) at Iowa State University (ISU), College of Veterinary Medicine, received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support veterinarians working at CFSPH while pursuing the Master of Public Health degree. CFSPH and ISU administrators worked with the University of Iowa (UI) College of Public Health to establish three cooperative programs for veterinarians to earn the MPH degree. This article describes how these programs were developed and how they operate. (1) Between 2002 and 2005, CFSPH used funds provided by the CDC to support 15 veterinarians as they worked for CFSPH and toward the MPH degree. As the program grew, distance-education methods such as the Internet, Polycom videoconferencing, and the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) were incorporated. (2) A concurrent DVM/MPH degree is now offered; students can complete both degrees in four years. As of January 2008, three students have received their DVM and MPH degrees and 16 students are enrolled in the program. (3) In June 2007, the UI and ISU launched a distance MPH program for veterinarians working in private practice, industry, and government. Eight veterinarians are participating in the program, which includes two two-week, in-person summer sessions, with the remainder of the coursework taken at a distance via the Internet.     

Veterinary medicine educational requirements to meet the needs of the US Agency for International Development

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) works within the overall purpose of US foreign assistance to improve the lives of the citizens of the developing world. Through partnerships with other agencies, organizations, and governments, and using its field offices around the world, USAID strives to develop local capacity and thus build sustainable development. Two specific USAID programs pertinent to veterinary medicine are global health and agriculture. In the area of global health, veterinarians can aid USAID's work to improve the quality, availability, and use of essential health services that specifically target maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, family planning and reproductive health, infectious diseases, environmental health, nutrition, and other life-saving areas. The challenge of making the agricultural sector in a developing country more productive is a critical one for USAID and a clear area for input from the veterinary profession. Animal agriculture is the largest single sector of agricultural economies in most developing countries, and livestock remains a critical component of poverty alleviation. There are educational requirements that benefit anyone working at USAID and can be met prior to admittance to a DVM program, as part of a DVM curriculum, or in post-graduate training/employment, such as proficiency in a foreign language; environmental sciences background; familiarity with accounting and management techniques; expertise in foreign animal diseases, zoonotic diseases, epidemiology, food safety, and nutrition, as well as the application to human health of those areas; an advanced degree such as an MPH; and management experience. Appropriately trained veterinarians can make enormous contributions to USAID's global efforts to improve the health and agriculture sectors of developing nations.     

Teaching non-technical (professional) competence in a veterinary school curriculum

Data from focused studies and comprehensive surveys suggest that developing or enhancing non-technical (professional) skills will result in a more satisfied and successful veterinary student or veterinary graduate. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University has devoted considerable time, effort, and resources to augmenting the non-technical aspects of its curriculum while maintaining the traditional strengths of its DVM program. Here we summarize pertinent research and best-practice recommendations from a variety of sources and outline the steps that have been taken, with the underlying rationales, to integrate the teaching and modeling of non-technical (professional) competence throughout a four-year course of veterinary study.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
Veterinary Genetics : F. W. Nicholas.
Proceedings No. 87 Orthopaedic Surgery—Dogs and Cats
Notes on Canine Internal Medicine 2nd edn : P. G. G. Darke.
Manual of Small Animal Ophthalmology : Milton Wyman.
Small Animal Radiology : Ronald L. Burk and Norman Ackerman.
The Veterinary Annual 27th Edn : Edited by C. S. G. Grunsell, F. W. G. Hill and Mary-Elizabeth Raw.
Manual of Canine Behaviour : Valerie O'Farrell.
Dog care manual : David Alderton.
Cat care manual : Bradley Viner.
Pet Care : A. T. B. Edney and I. B. Hughes.
Dogwatching : Desmond Morris.
Catwatching : Desmond Morris.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
John McFadyean, Founder of Modern Veterinary Research. Iain Pattison. J. A. Allen.
Proceedings of XII Seminar, Sheep and Beef Cattle Society of the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
Pictorial Anatomy of the Cat. S. G. Ginbert.
Grazing Animals. Editor F. H. W. Morley.
Equine Medicine and Surgery. Editors R. A. Mansman and E. S. McAllister.
Applied Veterinary Anatomy. R. E. Habel.
Beef Production from Different Dairy Breeds and Dairy Beef Crosses. Editors C. J. More and O'Per rail.
Animal Health. David Sainsbury.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
What your pet needs: 1. Bird .L Palika.
2. Cat . L Palika.
3. Dog . L Palika.
4. Fish . M Wickham.
5. Horse . B Sikora Siino.
Clinical Radiology of the Horse 2nd edn JA Butler, CM Colles, SJ Dyson, SE Kold, and PW Poulos
Skin Diseases of the Cat, S.Paterson
The Health of Dairy Cattle, edited by AH Andrews