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.     

Clinical techniques in small animal molecular oncology

The diagnosis, staging, and treatment of tumors in veterinary as well as human oncology have traditionally incorporated elements of anatomic extent of neoplasia through various clinical and pathologic methods. These clinicopathological methods have been the basis for the development of the tumor, node, and metastasis and grading systems, which have translated into clinically significant advances over the last 20 to 30 years. Unfortunately, there continues to be significant limitations to this system when prognostication and therapeutic decisions need to be made specific to a patient. For example, completely resected and cleanly staged phenotypically identical grade II mast cell tumors in dogs can have opposing clinical outcomes. In addition, dogs or cats with identical stage and grade lymphoma can have significantly divergent responses to the same multi-agent chemotherapy protocol. Numerous nonanatomic neoplastic molecular prognostic factors have been recently identified and have the potential to improve on the presently available tumor, node, and metastasis- and grading-based systems. To date in human oncology, single nonanatomic factors have only occasionally translated into efficient and independent prognostic factors, which speaks to the heterogeneity of cancer. Therefore, the use of panels of factors have been encouraged that will allow for the development of a molecular prognostic index, which can then be used in concert with presently available systems. This review will summarize how to best utilize presently available tumor, node, and metastasis- and grading-based systems, and incorporate newly available molecular prognostic factors.     

Evaluation of a continuous glucose monitoring system for use in dogs, cats, and horses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) for use in dogs, cats, and horses. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. Animals-7 horses, 3 cats, and 4 dogs that were clinically normal and 1 horse, 2 cats, and 3 dogs with diabetes mellitus. PROCEDURE: Interstitial glucose concentrations were monitored and recorded every 5 minutes by use of a CGMS. Interstitial glucose concentrations were compared with whole blood glucose concentrations as determined by a point-of-care glucose meter. Interstitial glucose concentrations were also monitored in 2 clinically normal horses after oral and i.v. administration of glucose. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between interstitial and whole blood glucose concentrations for clinically normal dogs, cats, and horses and those with diabetes mellitus. Events such as feeding, glucose or insulin administration, restraint, and transport to the clinic were recorded by the owner or clinician and could be identified on the graph and associated with time of occurrence. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our data indicate that use of CGMS is valid for dogs, cats, and horses. This system alleviated the need for multiple blood samples and the stress associated with obtaining those samples. Because hospitalization was not required, information obtained from the CGMS provided a more accurate assessment of the animal's glucose concentrations for an extended period, compared with measurement of blood glucose concentrations. Use of the CGMS will promote the diagnostic and research potential of serial glucose monitoring.     

The effects of femoral stem and neck length on cement strains in a canine total hip replacement model

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of femoral prosthesis stem length and head size on cement strains in a canine hip replacement system. STUDY DESIGN: An in vitro experimental model. SAMPLE POPULATION: (1) Three standard and 3 1-cm shortened femoral implants with +3 femoral heads. (2) Two standard implants with +0, +3, and +6 femoral heads. METHODS: Femoral stems were embedded in polymethylmethacrylate cement. A uniaxial proximodistal-oriented strain gauge was applied to the cement on the medial and lateral aspects of the construct 1.5 cm, 6.0 cm and 7.0 cm distal to the collar. Each construct with a +3 femoral head was mounted in a materials testing system. An axial compressive load (0-200 N) was applied to the femoral head and cement strains were recorded. Additionally, 2 standard length constructs were also tested with +0 and +6 femoral heads. The effects of stem length and neck length on cement strains were assessed with analysis of variance. RESULTS: Strains increased at all locations with increasing loads for all constructs. Shorter implants had higher strains by 152% and 171%, lateral (P =.003) and medial (P =.0025) to the stem tip. No significant strain differences were noted, at any strain gauge location, between different neck lengths (P values ranged from.20 to.67). CONCLUSIONS: Although a shorter implant stem has a potential to improve implant fit, it led to significantly higher cement strains that may increase the risk for aseptic loosening. Changes in femoral neck length did not significantly affect cement strains under the conditions tested. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Shortening of the femoral stem currently cannot be recommended in canine total hip replacement. The existing use of variable neck lengths likely does not increase the risk of failure of the femoral stem.     

Genomic sequence and cardiac expression of atrial natriuretic peptide in cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in cats and its typical regions of cardiac expression. ANIMALS: 5 healthy adult mixed-breed cats. PROCEDURE: Total RNA was extracted from samples obtained from the left and right atrium, left and right ventricle, and interventricular septum of each cat. The RNA was used to produce cDNA for sequencing and northern blot analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from feline blood samples. Polymerase chain reaction primers designed from consensus sequences of other species were used to clone and sequence the feline ANP gene. RESULTS: The feline ANP gene consists of 1,072 nucleotides. It consists of 3 exons (123, 327, and 12 nucleotides) separated by 2 introns (101 and 509 nucleotides). It has several typical features of eukaryotic genes and a putative steroid-response element located within the second intron. Preprohormone ANP consists of 153 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the active form of feline ANP (ANP-30) is identical to that of equine, bovine, and ovine ANP-30 and differs from that of human, canine, and porcine ANP-28 only by 2 carboxy-terminal arginine residues. The ANP mRNA was detected only in the left and right atria. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The genetic and protein structure and principal regions of cardiac expression of feline ANP are similar to those of other species. Results of this study should be helpful in future studies on the natriuretic response in cats to diseases that affect cardiovascular function.     

Elemental composition of teeth with and without odontoclastic resorption lesions in cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine elemental composition of teeth with and without odontoclastic resorption lesions (ORL) in cats. SAMPLE POPULATION: Normal teeth from 22 cadaver cats and ORLaffected teeth from 21 cats admitted to the veterinary hospital for dental treatment. PROCEDURE: An electron microprobe was used to analyze weight percentages of calcium, phosphorus, fluorine, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, and iron in enamel, dentin, and cementum. RESULTS: Calcium and phosphorus were the most abundant elements. Fluorine, sodium, and magnesium combined were < 5% and sulfur, potassium, and iron combined were < 0.1% of total elemental composition. In enamel of normal teeth, a significant sex-by-jaw location interaction was seen in mean (+/- SD) phosphorus content, which was higher in mandibular teeth of females (1764+/-0.41%) but lower in mandibular teeth of males (16.71+/-0.83%). Mean iron content in dentin of normal teeth was significantly lower in mandibular teeth than maxillary teeth (0.014+/-0.005% vs 0.023+/-0.019%). Mean enamel sodium content was significantly higher (0.77+/-0.046% vs 0.74+/-0.025) and mean enamel iron content was significantly lower (0.017+/-0.008% vs 0.021+/-0.005%) in ORLaffected teeth, compared with normal teeth. In cementum, mean fluorine content was significantly lower (2.98%+/-0.27 vs 2.99+/-0.20%) and mean magnesium content was significantly lower (0.54+/-0.13% vs 0.60+/-0.13%) in ORL affected teeth, compared with normal teeth. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results of our study establish baseline mineral content of enamel, dentin, and cementum for normal teeth in cats. Minimal differences in mineral content of enamel and cementum of normal and ORL-affected teeth were detected.