Longitudinal study of veterinarians from entry to the veterinary course to ten years after graduation: career paths

OBJECTIVE: To map out the career paths of veterinarians during their first 10 years after graduation, and to determine if this could have been predicted at entry to the veterinary course. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of students who started their course at The University of Queensland in 1985 and 1986, and who completed questionnaires in their first and fifth year as students, and in their second, sixth and eleventh year as veterinarians. METHODS: Data from 129 (96%) questionnaires completed during the eleventh year after graduation were coded numerically then analysed, together with data from previous questionnaires, with SAS System 7 for Windows 95. RESULTS: Ten years after they graduated, 80% were doing veterinary work, 60% were in private practice, 40% in small animal practice and 18% in mixed practice. The equivalent of 25% of the working time of all females was taken up by family duties. When part-time work was taken into account, veterinary work constituted the equivalent of 66% of the group working full-time. That 66% consisted of 52% on small animals, 7% on horses, 6% on cattle/sheep and 1% on pigs/poultry. Those who had grown up on farms with animals were twice as likely to be working with farm animals as were those from other backgrounds. Forecasts made on entry to the veterinary course were of no value in predicting who would remain in mixed practice. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than one-fifth of graduates were in mixed practice after 10 years, but the number was higher for those who grew up on farms with animals. Forecasts that may be made at interview before entry to the course were of little value in predicting the likelihood of remaining in mixed veterinary practice.     

Immunization of neonatal lambs against the larvae of Taenia hydatigena, using viable eggs followed by chemotherapy

The subcutaneous injection of viable eggs of Taenia hydatigena into neonatal lambs induced 100% protection against the development of viable T. hydatigena larvae from an oral challenge. However, contrary to some published results, no protection was induced against a simultaneous infection with eggs of T. ovis and Echinococcus granulosus.The short-acting partial resistance to oral infection with T. hydatigena eggs, transferred from infected ewes to their lambs, was not enhanced by hyperimmunization of the ewe. In the lamb, this resistance did not interfere with the development of subcutaneously injected T. hydatigena eggs into immature larvae, or with the consequent induction of resistance to an oral challenge with T. hydatigena eggs. The immunizing lesion regressed rapidly after treatment of lambs with Mebendazole, and after 6 months the lesions were negligible in both treated and untreated lambs.     

Prickly paddy melon (Cucumis myriocarpus) poisoning of cattle

Twenty-six Hereford heifers died after eating mostly ripe fruit of Cucumis myriocarpus growing in a fallowed cultivation paddock. Four affected cattle were dehydrated and apparently had abdominal pain. Necropsy of three revealed intense congestion with haemorrhage of the alimentary tract, numerous C. myriocarpus seeds in ruminal contents, pulmonary congestion and oedema and, in two, swollen livers. Midzonal swelling and vacuolation of hepatocytes occurred in these two. C. myriocarpus fruit (83% by weight ripe) were dosed to two calves at 60 g wet weight/kg live weight. Both collapsed with tachycardia and dyspnoea and died within 6 h. Their packed cell volumes just before death had increased to 0.7. They had hydropic degeneration and necrosis of the ruminal mucosa, intense congestion and oedema of the rumen, abomasum and intestines, swollen and vacuolated hepatocytes and foci of myocardial degeneration and necrosis. Two other calves were dosed daily with 20 g fruit/kg for three days, then 40 g/kg for three days. One calf received a further 40 g/kg next day. Both calves developed persistent diarrhoea and neutrophilia, and their plasma gamma glutamyltransferase and bilirubin concentrations increased. Necropsy revealed necrosis and oedema of the rumen and swollen degenerate hepatocytes.