Turtle care and husbandry.

Chelonians (turtles, tortoises, and terrapins) are not as well represented in private reptile collections as are snakes and lizards. Thismay be due in part to the fact that they often require more space and time for proper care. Nonetheless, they are still popular pets.Unfortunately, many people are not aware of what constitutes proper care for these animals. This article will discuss basic captive husbandry and nutrition issues of common chelonians, as well as recognizing illness, capture and restraint, sample collection, medication administration, and preventive care.     

圈养象的足部护理实用要点

足部护理是圈养象饲养管理中不可或缺的部分,对保障圈养象健康、提升个体福利方面发挥着非常重要的作用。本文参考相关文献资料,结合太原动物园现已开展的圈养象足部护理实践,总结了包括日常检查及清洁、趾甲护理、脚掌护理、角质护理及脓肿处理5项最主要的足部护理工作,探讨了各项工作的护理要点、护理频率及工具选用等实践操作流程,旨在为动物园行业开展圈养象足部护理提供参考,提高圈养象福利。     

Transfusion medicine in veterinary emergency and critical care medicine

Transfusion medicine is a vital part of veterinary emergency and critical care medicine. The goals of this article are to review blood banking and the transfusion principles surrounding care of the critically ill or injured small animal, to highlight the differences in emergency/critical care transfusions compared with standard transfusion medicine, and to discuss traumatic blood loss and sepsis as unique entities in emergency and critical medicine.     

Veterinary dental care: effective, efficient, and patient/client focused

The treatment of dental problems in animals and humans requires a different approach. While a basic knowledge of medicine is sufficient for dentists, a degree in veterinary medicine is a prerequisite for performing dental procedures in animals. Concepts such as oral-health veterinarian and dental care technician will be part of animal dental care in the future. When deciding on the plan of treatment, veterinarians should pay attention to the symptomatology, oral examination, and pain response. A number of treatments that are self-evident in human dentistry are often not recommended in veterinary medicine. Dental treatments for companion animals should be characterized by minimal interventions with maximum results: effective, efficient, and most of all patient/client focused.     

Blood gas analysis.

Evaluation of both arterial and central venous blood can be valuable in monitoring the critically ill veterinary patient. The traditional approach, which concentrates on arterial blood analysis only, may miss important aspects of oxygen delivery to tissues, especially in patients with poor perfusion. The advances that have resulted in affordable bedside blood gas analyzers have created a clinical situation in which blood gas analysis should be an integral part of critical care monitoring. Following basic principles of interpretation, blood gas analysis, which has traditionally been viewed as a complex method of monitoring, should become more useful. Assessing both the arterial and central venous samples should result in more efficient and higher quality care for veterinary patients.     

Nephrotic syndrome associated with administration of sulfadimethoxine/ormetoprim in a dobermann

This case report describes sulphonamide-induced nephrotic syndrome in a young dobermann dog. The clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities resolved shortly after discontinuation of the sulphonamide antibiotic and with generalised supportive care. Since nephrotic syndrome typically carries a guarded prognosis in veterinary medicine and is poorly responsive to therapy, a thorough drug history should be an important part of the investigation of any animal with a protein-losing nephropathy.     

The current status of avian aspergillosis diagnoses: Veterinary practice to novel research avenues

Aspergillus fungal infections continue to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in birds that can, in part, be attributed to the lack of a diagnostic “gold standard” for Aspergillus infection, and which delays the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of avian patients. At present, none of the available methods in veterinary care can detect aspergillosis early enough and with the accuracy, precision, and specificity required of an ideal diagnostic tool. Therefore, researching methods of Aspergillus detection is still an active area of inquiry, and novel techniques continue to emerge. This review will provide a brief overview of current clinical methods, with an emphasis on avian care, in addition to a series of techniques in development that could offer distinct advantages over existing methods.     

Arterial Catheterization,Interpretation, and Treatment of Arterial Blood Pressures and Blood Gases in Birds

Blood pressure monitoring of patients has become increasingly common in companion animal veterinary hospitals, especially during anesthesia, surgical procedures, critical care, and general health assessments. Determining an animal’s blood pressure has become a standard part of the routine diagnostic evaluation for monitoring hypertension in geriatric patients or patients affected with renal insufficiency, cardiac disease, vision loss, or endocrine disorders. To increase the standard of care in exotic and zoological medicine, new diagnostic techniques must be identified and implemented. Blood pressure measurements in avian species are more challenging because only direct blood pressure techniques have been reported to be accurate. Arterial catheterization and interpretation can be daunting without the knowledge of avian physiology and anatomy; however, techniques for placing arterial catheters are not difficult once clinicians have gained sufficient experience. This article describes the techniques, anatomy, and appropriate interpretation of blood pressure results obtained through arterial catheterization in birds.     

Emergency care and managing toxicoses in the exotic animal patient.

The poisoned exotic veterinary patient remains a significant challenge to the clinician. A patient presenting with the history of exposure to a toxin or poison should be considered to have a potentially life-threatening problem. This article details the ABCs of emergency medicine including fluid therapy and discusses the principles of neurologic management. The last part of the article provides the clinician with guidelines for decontamination and critical care management of some of the more common toxicoses in exotic animals.     

Examination of the bovine nervous system

Neurologic evaluation of cattle requires a complete history, a basic physical examination, and knowledge of the more common diseases affecting the nervous system of dairy and beef cattle. It is not time-consuming to perform a complete neurologic examination. With interest on the part of the practitioner and reasonable and careful observation, the experience can be rewarding and challenging, leading to accurate diagnoses, prognoses, and good patient care and herd health management.     

Avian care and husbandry.

Birds are becoming more popular as pets, and the need for veterinary professionals to learn more about these pets is crucial. This article introduces the veterinary staff to basic information required to provide high-quality care to avian patients. High-quality nutrition for a variety of species and ages is included in this article. The importance of proper husbandry and intellectual stimulation with toys is also discussed. Special emphasis is placed on instructions for clients when making appointments, as well as recognizing signs of illness for both clients and veterinary staff. Capture, restraint, and sample collection are an important part of this article, as well as medication administration, anesthesia, supportive care, preventive care and grooming. A variety of aspects concerning the care of the avian patient are covered for the benefit of the client and veterinary technician.     

Feline pyothorax - new insights into an old problem: part 2. Treatment recommendations and prophylaxis

Until recently, pyothorax in the cat has been generally considered to have a poor prognosis. However, it has become clear that most cats that survive the first 48 h following presentation can be successfully treated with aggressive medical management. In this second part of a two-part review, logical guidelines for the management of the disease are discussed, with particular emphasis on antimicrobial selection. Patient stabilisation and supportive care, techniques for pleural space drainage and lavage and indications for surgery are reviewed.     

Do we care about welfare at slaughter?

In his viewpoint article for Veterinary Record 'Slaughter without stunning' (VR, May 5, 2012, vol 170, pp 468-469), BVA past-president Bill Reilly posed the question, 'Do we care about welfare at slaughter?' And he asked it again as part of his webinar 'Out of sight out of mind', which can be heard on www.vets.tv.     

罗汉果甜苷在酸奶中的代糖作用及其应用前景展望

通过对凝固型酸奶和罗汉果甜苷的论述,阐述了罗汉果甜苷的生理功能和营养价值。传统凝固型酸奶营养丰富但蔗糖含量高、热量高,容易导致肥胖症等疾病的发生,因此,可使用甜味剂替代酸奶中的部分蔗糖。罗汉果甜苷热量低、甜度高又有着良好的保健功能,罗汉果甜苷代糖酸奶具有含糖量少、低热量、健康等优点,易被各类人群尤其是糖尿病人所接受。     

Lasers in ophthalmology.

Laser technology continues to progress with the addition of new lasers, new delivery systems, and new applications. The introduction of lasers to veterinary ophthalmology has radically changed the level of care that we can provide to our patients. The development of the diode laser has particularly had an impact on veterinary ophthalmology. The diode's affordability, portability, and broad applications for veterinary patients have allowed laser surgery to become a routine part of veterinary ophthalmology practice. Educating the public and veterinary community in available laser techniques will generate improved ophthalmic care and provide more data on which to build future applications.     

Application of Airway Pressure Therapy in Veterinary Critical Care: Part II: Airway Pressure Therapy

As the specialties of emergency medicine and critical care have grown and evolved in both human and veterinary medicine, so has the need for more advanced care of patients with primary lung disease. Treatment of acute respiratory failure has been the focus of several articles in the human medical literature of the past few years.^1,8 This paper deals with airway pressure therapy and its application in cases of acute respiratory failure in veterinary medicine. The reader is referred to part I of this paper for a reveiw of respiratory mechanics and hypoxemia as they apply to respiratory therapy.     

How to respond to adverse drug reactions.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are part of the risks, professional responsibilities, and liabilities inherent to veterinary medicine. The incidence of proven ADRs is not known, but veterinarians should anticipate, plan, and practice a response for patients that experience adverse reactions. The attending veterinarian should work closely with professional services personnel at pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide care for those patients, to investigate causes of ADRs, and to factually improve reports of ADRs that can be of considerable medicolegal benefit to the client and the profession.     

Nutritional support of the foal during intensive care

Provision of adequate nutritional support to the sick neonatal foal is a vital part of intensive care; frequently, however, it is very difficult to accomplish. In this article, current recommendations concerning both enteral and parenteral nutrition are discussed.     

Use of a nerve locator to facilitate administration of mandibular nerve blocks in crocodilians.

As part of a clinical workup of dental problems in a large crocodilian collection, mandibular nerve blocks were performed in the animals. A nerve locator was used to facilitate placement of the nerve blocks in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare), and a dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis). Provision of analgesia is a frequently underused aspect of patient care in reptiles. Use of a nerve stimulator provides an objective measurement of nerve conduction blockade and may be useful in exotic species in which anatomic landmarks for nerve block placement are not well established.     

Dermatology of reptiles: a clinical approach to diagnosis and treatment.

As herpetoculture becomes more commonly practiced, many of the dermatologic problems discussed in this article will be encountered less frequently. Many of the problems result from a general lack of knowledge regarding proper nutrition, husbandry, and the overall needs of reptiles within a captive environment. As reptiles become more a part of the mainstream pet population, information about their care will undoubtedly become more accessible, and as more captive-raised reptiles become available in the pet trade, many of the dermatoses currently associated with wild-caught animals will become less common.