Factors related to in-house agricultural animal caseloads in US veterinary teaching hospitals

A retrospective observational study was conducted to determine whether agricultural animal caseloads at veterinary teaching hospitals declined between 1995 and 1998. Thereafter, the effect of organizational and demographic factors on 1998 in-house agricultural animal caseloads was examined. Caseload data were obtained from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. Demographic and organizational data were obtained by surveys, telephone interviews, and web-based resources. Complete data were available from 25 veterinary colleges, and data from these schools were used in subsequent analyses. In 1998, in-house food animal caseload decreased relative to 1995 in 17 schools and increased relative to 1995 in 8 schools. This trend was not significant (P = .053); however, the power of the test was limited (.50). Mean 1998 caseload was 886 +/- 504. Among schools with a discipline-based organizational structure, annual mean caseload was 464 +/- 220. Among schools with a species-based organizational structure, mean caseload was 1,167 +/- 463. The regression model that best predicted caseload was a forward-stepping model that included only organizational structure as an independent variable. No additional independent variable was significantly associated with caseload.     

Validation of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) as an overall indicator of population mental health and well-being in the UK veterinary profession

The Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) was evaluated as an indicator of mental health and well-being within the veterinary profession in a cross-sectional study among a representative sample of 3200 veterinary surgeons practising in the UK. The WEMWBS mean score for the sample was 48.85 (95% confidence interval 48.43–49.28). The score showed a negative correlation with anxiety and depressive symptoms and a positive correlation with favourable psychosocial working conditions. A 1 unit increase in score was associated with reduced odds of reporting having experienced suicidal thoughts in the previous 12 months, and reduced odds of reporting depressive or anxiety symptoms of clinical significance. The results support the validity of the scale as an overall indicator of population mental health and well-being for this occupational group.     

兽药减量经济学国际前沿研究进展

为进一步厘清当前畜牧业兽药减量使用现状,研判未来的研究趋势.文章在已有文献的基础上,分析梳理并评析研究成果.结果表明,风险因素将会更多地纳入各类药物经济测量中;保健性药物及生物安全措施作为新型的减药措施发挥重要作用,并成为目前兽药减量根本性措施;减量后供求关系的变化是当前国际研究探讨的热点话题;主观意愿是兽药减量效果的...     

Future of the animal health industry at a time of food crisis

It is popular in some quarters to say that there is no food crisis; that there is food aplenty; and that the problem is one of distribution or other over-arching technical difficulty. To the starving, however, there is a food crisis; and it neither speaks well nor bodes well for humanity if we dismiss their plight so glibly. The United Nations has called for a large and rapid increase in food production. Veterinary parasitologists and industry leaders can contribute to the production of healthier livestock and the expansion of aquaculture, but enhanced production and better delivery of plant foods may provide faster relief. Although livestock farming is not the most energy-efficient way of producing food, meat will remain a significant component of the global diet for the foreseeable future. New measures for parasite control will be needed, and we must improve our methods of inventing them. They need not act directly against the parasite. In the distant future lie other threats to the inhabitants of planet Earth, and here we must acknowledge the cogency of the no-food-crisis argument. In the long term, the production of animal foods and animal feeds will be revamped in ways that depend on how (or whether) we solve the energy crisis, the environmental crisis, the increasingly dire regional population crises, and the current world financial crisis. Throughout the 20th century, the animal health industry had to adapt to industrialization and expansive agribusiness. It will have to adapt to even greater changes in the 21st century and beyond.     

Perceptions of veterinarians regarding privatization of veterinary services delivery in Ghana and Jamaica

There are on-going reforms in the delivery of veterinary services in many developing countries, with privatization of certain veterinary activities as one of the approaches. In Jamaica, with the support of veterinarians, clinical aspects of veterinary services were privatized in 1992. In contrast, Ghanaian veterinarians are generally wary of the government's on-going privatization process. The objective of this study was to find out if perceptions of the veterinarians from these two countries on certain issues of privatization were sufficiently different to explain the willingness or reluctance to go into private practice.

The response proportions for predominantly self-administered questionnaires were 83% (121/145) and 92% (35/38) for Ghana and Jamaica, respectively. There was a very good (92%) agreement in the perceptions of veterinarians in Ghana and Jamaica on a battery of 24 responses pertaining to privatization of veterinary services. Generally, the perceptions of the veterinarians in Ghana and Jamaica were similar even though the predominant delivery systems for animal health services were different. Therefore, reasons other than those examined in this study may explain the differences in willingness to go into private practice. The need to account for these other reasons is discussed.     

DNA vaccines and their applications in veterinary practice: current perspectives

Inoculation of plasmid DNA, encoding an immunogenic protein gene of an infectious agent, stands out as a novel approach for developing new generation vaccines for prevention of infectious diseases of animals. The potential of DNA vaccines to act in presence of maternal antibodies, its stability and cost effectiveness and the non-requirement of cold chain have heightened the prospects. Even though great strides have been made in nucleic acid vaccination, still there are many areas that need further research for its wholesome practical implementation. Major areas of concern are vaccine delivery, designing of suitable vectors and cytotoxic T cell responses. Also, the induction of immune responses by DNA vaccines is inconclusive due to the lack of knowledge regarding the concentration of the protein expressed in vivo. Alternative delivery systems having higher transfection efficiency and the use of cytokines, as immunomodulators, needs to be further explored. Recently, efforts are being made to modulate and prolong the active life of dendritic cells, in order to make antigen presentation a more efficacious one. For combating diseases like acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), influenza, malaria and tuberculosis in humans; and foot and mouth disease, Aujesky’s disease, swine fever, rabies, canine distemper and brucellosis in animals, DNA vaccine clinical trials are underway. This review highlights the salient features of DNA vaccines, and measures to enhance their efficacy so as to devise an effective and novel vaccination strategy against animal diseases.     

Perspectives on veterinary education in Thailand

Veterinary education is the foundation of veterinary services in the country. Starting from the service sector in the army, veterinary education and practice in Thailand have been standardized and progressed toward international veterinary standards. The 6-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine core curriculum is deployed to develop the curriculum for each Veterinary Education Establishment (VEE). The challenges for veterinary education and practices reflect the country’s expectations of veterinary services. With regional and global collaboration, the VEEs have been developing tools and learning platforms for delivering qualified veterinary graduates that fit fast-growing society needs.     

Costs of studying veterinary science: a national survey of fourth year veterinary students

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the costs to the student of veterinary education. METHOD: A questionnaire was completed by 180 fourth-year veterinary students from the four veterinary schools in Australia. Frequencies and median costs were estimated using the SAS System for Windows 95. RESULTS: The median direct living costs were about $5000 per academic year, but were higher in Sydney and for those with additional expenses including children, pets and cars. Other costs associated with the course including text books, equipment and travel to practical work were of the order of $1000, and income foregone while doing practical work placed additional burdens on some. More than half the students from Sydney and Murdoch needed to work to provide basic necessities. Most of this work involved interaction with animals or people. The percentage of Queensland and Melbourne students needing to work was lower, 47 and 24 respectively, and fewer of those worked directly with animals or people. The students expected to repay a median of $14,000 after they graduate, with 70% of this being due to the Australian government as part of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme. CONCLUSIONS: Although parents contributed an average of between one-third and one half of the costs of obtaining a veterinary degree, the extent of parental contributions was very uneven and almost one half of all students needed to work to provide basic necessities. The average total debt on graduation was about half the annual starting salary, but those starting the course from 1997 are subject to much higher charges, and their average debt is likely to exceed one year's salary.     

关于兽用抗菌药使用减量化行动的探索与实践

宁夏以兽药生产经营使用环节全链条监管、动物源细菌耐药性监测技术体系建立、养殖场生物安全体系构建、减抗替抗产品推广应用、示范点带动等重点工作为切入点,强化质量保障,重视创新驱动,构建“政府+企业”产学研合作机制,不断促进兽用抗菌药使用减量化,形成了一套“监管到位、技术保障、企业尽责、用药减量”的兽用抗菌药使用减量化技术推广模式。     

Qualitative study of factors associated with antimicrobial usage in seven small animal veterinary practices in the UK

Responsible use of antimicrobials by veterinarians is essential to contain antimicrobial resistance in pathogens relevant to public health. Inappropriate antimicrobial use has been previously described in practice. However, there is scarce information on factors influencing antimicrobial usage in dogs and cats. We investigated intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing decision-making of antimicrobial usage in first opinion small animal practices in the UK through the application of qualitative research methods.     

Bacterial contamination of gloves worn by small animal surgeons in a veterinary teaching hospital

This prospective study investigated bacterial contamination of surgical gloves during small animal surgical procedures and factors associated with glove contamination. The outer surface of surgical gloves was sampled and cultured after completion of surgical procedures. Bacterial presence and numbers were recorded. Of 78 gloves sampled from 39 surgical procedures, bacterial contamination was noted in 16/78 (21%) gloves from 12/39 (31%) procedures. There was no difference in contamination of left or right hand glove [7/39 (18%) versus 9/39 (23%)], respectively (P = 0.78). There was no impact of glove type of left hand (P = 0.41), right hand (P = 0.44) or either hand (P = 0.26) contamination, or of surgical time (P = 0.71), dominant hand (P > 0.13), surgery type (orthopedic versus soft tissue versus neurological) (P > 0.42) or surgical wound classification (P > 0.11) on the incidence of contamination.     

Recent developments in veterinary vaccinology

Advancement in technology and science and our detailed knowledge of immunology, molecular biology, microbiology, and biochemistry among other basic science disciplines have defined new directions for vaccine development strategies. The applicability of genetic engineering and proteomics along with other new technologies have played pivotal roles in introducing novel ideas in vaccinology, and resulted in developing new vaccines and improving the quality of existing ones. Subunit vaccines, recombinant vaccines, DNA vaccines and vectored vaccines are rapidly gaining scientific and public acceptance as the new generation of vaccines and are seriously considered as alternatives to current conventional vaccines. The present review focuses on recent advances in veterinary vaccinology and addresses the effects and impact of modern microbiology, immunology, and molecular biology.     

Modern veterinary vaccines and the Shaman's apprentice

This paper is an overview and assessment of new, commercially available veterinary vaccines placed in a historical context. The authors critically evaluate the current state of the field of veterinary vaccines in both food and companion animals and the promises for future vaccine development. The authors maintain that there is considerable variability in safety and sustained efficacy among veterinary vaccines, especially those developed for companion animals. It is proposed that establishment of an international vaccine advisory committee be supported which would function to apprise the veterinary profession of the current status of vaccines and their use.     

Use of drama in teaching the human side of veterinary practice

Objective To describe a teaching experiment in which fifth year veterinary students were given the opportunity, using dramatic scenarios, to consider ways of dealing with emotive issues relevant to veterinary practice, that demand good communication skills.
Design Workshops were devised using dramatised scenarios of several critical incidents in practice, including euthanasia. A clinical psychologist and several veterinary practitioners participated in discussions. Both live performances and video scenarios were presented to fifth year veterinary students and were followed by group discussions. Each workshop was evaluated and modifications were made where necessary.
Results The teaching format involving drama was well received. The combination of drama and discussion was more effective than a formal talk and discussion, provoking animated participation and maintaining audience attention. The majority of students considered that comments and advice from attending veterinarians were the most useful parts of the workshops in preparing them for veterinary practice. The large audience (up to 45 attendees) was considered to be desirable for enhancing discussion. Requests for more similar sessions were made by students.
Conclusion Drama was found to be a satisfactory modality in teaching communication skills in preparing veterinary students for practice.