Drafting a Conservation Blueprint: A Practitioner's Guide to Planning for Biodiversity — Craig R Groves 2003

Individual forage species were appraised in varying distances along transects radiating from the water points of the ranch and traditional cattle post management systems. Measurements of plant height were used to assess the degree of forage species utilisation by livestock around water points. Livestock use forage plants more heavily near water points and the degree of use is more pronounced in the traditional cattle post areas, compared to ranch grazing. Utilisation of annual plants occurring at the 0m zone from water was greater than that of the same plant species growing at further distances. Periodic closure of water points aimed at reducing grazing pressure has been indicated as a method to promote production of forage around water points. With the exception of Panicum maximum, the abundance of which was low or non-existent in both management systems, Digitaria eriantha was the most utilised grass by livestock, followed by Schmidtia pappophoroides and Eragrostis lehmanniana. Stipagrostis uniplumis, one of the dominant grasses in the Kalahari Sandveld, exhibited a weak tendency to decline as distance from water increased. It was observed that high forage utilisation rates coincide with drought periods, implying that correct stocking rate adjustments should always match the available forage. Forage utilisation from water points in the traditional cattle post areas extended beyond 4 000m, especially during the dry periods.     

Advances in Amphibian Clinical Therapeutics

This review covers recent developments in the field of amphibian therapeutics without repeating previous extensive clinical reviews, formularies, and compendia. The information provided in this article would aid the veterinary practitioner treating amphibian species through the use of updated clinical therapeutic techniques and dosages.     

《临床血液学检验》实验教学中的改革探讨

目的 :探讨《临床血液学检验》实验课程的教学方法改革。方法 :从教学方法的改革入手,对《临床血液学检验》实验课程进行改革,包括教学内容、教学方法及电子骨髓图片库的建立,大大提高教学效率与质量。结果:经过上述教学改革后,对于激发学生对《临床血液学检验》该课程的学习兴趣、调动学生学习的主观能动性以及提高实验成绩具有很大的帮助。结论:临床血液学检验是一门多学科交叉的课程,并且实践性强、发展迅速,在今后的教学过程中,本教研室将继续在未来的实践中不断探索和研究,尝试更多更新的教学手段、理念,创造更加合理的人才培养模式。     

Hematology and Clinical Pathology Data in Chronically Starved Horses

Hematology and serum/plasma biochemistry are important diagnostic aids to assess metabolic status in starved horses and to rule out pathologic conditions that present as emaciation. This article reviews the interpretation of these parameters, using 10 chronically starved horses as examples. The study was conducted on these 10 neglected horses belonging to both sexes, aged between 4 and 25 years. The animals were divided into two groups according to their body condition scoring (BCS): A (n = 6; BCS of 3 or lower) and B (n = 4; BCS higher than 3). A complete clinical examination was carried out, and venous blood samples were taken to perform hematological, biochemical, and serological determinations. The findings indicated that the most emaciated horses (group A) presented normocytic normochromic anemia, with higher numbers of both immature and mature neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils, and lower number of lymphocytes. Furthermore, horses in group A showed lower serum concentrations of urea, triglycerides, bile acids, alkaline phosphatase, and a lower urea/creatinine ratio. Both groups of horses presented with hypomagnesemia. In conclusion, the knowledge of the laboratorial findings in emaciated horses is useful in scoring the intensity of the emaciation, and in establishing a prognosis and a plan to recover the health status of these animals.     

Clinical Technique: Myelography in Rabbits

Spinal disease in rabbits is most often the result of trauma; however, other causes have been reported including congenital defects and degenerative spinal diseases. Diagnosis of spinal disease is based on history, physical and neurologic examination findings, and imaging. Fractures and luxations of the spine are often apparent on plain radiographs; however, myelography is used to determine if the lesion is causing spinal cord compression that may be amenable to surgical decompression. Unless intervertebral discs are mineralized, they are not visible when viewing plain radiographic images; therefore, myelography may be useful to diagnose spinal cord compression from a herniated disc. Myelography can also define lesions that do not result in a disruption of the osseous vertebral architecture such as tumors and granulomas. In rabbits, myelography is performed when the animal is under general anesthesia and in lateral recumbency. A nonionic iodinated contrast agent is injected into the subarachnoid space, usually at the level of the lumbar spine, to outline the spinal cord and identify cord compressive or disruptive lesions.     

Clinical Technique: Chelonian Shell Repair

Thousands of wild turtles and tortoises are injured by automobile trauma every year, with most of these animals being killed on impact. Many of the animals that survive are presented to wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians. Many chelonians live for over 50 years, and therefore the death of adult animals can have a great impact on reproductive rates and population numbers in these chelonian species. Management of shell repair in captive and wild chelonians is not complicated; however, it may be a prolonged process. With a few pieces of veterinary equipment, bandage materials, antibiotics, analgesics, and a few months of rehabilitation, any veterinarian can successfully repair shell fractures in chelonians. Even though these techniques have been developed for wild chelonians, these same techniques can be used successfully for injuries in captive chelonians.     

Clinical Technique: Dorsal Ovariectomy in Rodents

Dorsal ovariectomy is a quick and simple procedure to perform on rodent patients. This procedure can be used to both prevent and treat many common diseases of the female rodent reproductive tract. It has also been shown to prevent mammary and pituitary tumors in rats. Although this article describes how to perform a dorsal ovariectomy in rats, this procedure is applicable for use in other rodent species too.